The next two days at Ravenmoor passed surprisingly peacefully. After months of chaos, there were no palace whispers, or trials wanting to break them.

Alina returned to her sewing circle. Marguerite had handled the latest shipment perfectly in her absence, and Alina couldn’t have been more proud.

Cecily still teased them both mercilessly whenever they visited, calling them "the bravest and most stubborn couple in the entire world."

Even servants now smiled openly when they walked together in the corridors, instead of avoiding their gazes.

Everything looked calm on the surface. But underneath, both Austin and Alina were avoiding the king’s deadline. Neither of them talked about it, as if talking about it would make it happen immediately.

Then on the third day, the royal messenger arrived. The atmosphere in his study changed instantly. Maren handed Austin the sealed letter, looking worried. She had already called Alina in.

Austin broke the seal and read it silently.

"What happened?" Alina asked nervously, when he finished.

"The king is reminding me about the deadline," he curled his hands into fists. "He says that although he sympathizes with what happened to you in Arcasedia, it won’t change his decision. Rejection of acknowledgment meant you failed the condition. If things remain this way for two more months, I would have to marry Audrey."

Alina felt the words drop like stones into her heart.

"I ruined our future," she murmured, staring at the floor.

"No," Austin replied immediately.

"If I had just accepted the acknowledgment..."

"No," he cut her off. "Do you think I wanted you to be a part of the kingdom that killed your mother?" he shouted. "I’d rather give up my everything than force you to be a part of that kingdom."

Austin almost never raised his voice at her. The fact that he sounded so angry now made Alina realize he truly meant it.

"I would choose you every single time, Alina," he said softly this time.

Alina didn’t wait any longer, and wrapped her arms around him tightly while burying her face into his chest. Austin held her just as tightly. They stayed wrapped around each other for a long time.

Later that afternoon, Audrey unexpectedly asked to see Alina privately. Alina didn’t want to entertain her. After all, she was the reason for all these problems. But refusing her didn’t look like a wise idea. Alina was curious to know what more she had to say.

"The entire kingdom already knows that Austin would choose you if he could," she began. "Do you know how humiliating that is?"

That caught Alina totally off guard.

"But somehow I still can’t stop wanting him," she smiled bitterly. "I envy you, Alina. He looks happy around you in a way he never did with anyone else. But I also envy him. Because he found someone he’d burn kingdoms for."

"Why are you telling me all this now?" Alina finally asked.

"Because things will get ugly soon," she sighed. "I just hope you both are ready for what comes next."

Then she left. Alina didn’t know whether she had come to warn her or threaten her. With Audrey, it was always difficult to know what was going on in her mind. But the meaning didn’t matter anymore. What mattered was that a storm was coming soon.

The more Alina thought about Audrey’s words, the more restless she became. Every second with Austin now carried the terrifying possibility that it could end soon.

At night, unable to calm her fearful thoughts, she went to Austin’s room.

They were both surprisingly a little awkward, not knowing how to start the conversation. She sat beside him on the bed, and began rambling.

"The sewing circle nearly burned half the fabric shipment today," she laughed while sitting beside him on the bed.

Austin just nodded. She then talked about latest gossip she had heard about Lady Pemberton but Austin didn’t reply to that either. He kept staring at her, as if trying to memorize her.

"What?" she asked.

"I love you."

Alina froze. She didn’t know how to react. She knew he loved her but he had never said those words aloud before. And now listening to them so suddenly left her breathless.

"Seriously? You chose this time to say it?" she smiled, struggling with tears in her eyes already.

"I’m already late," he replied.

She grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him down.

"I love you too," she whispered and pressed her lips on his.

The kiss began slow. His hands slid into her hair, loosening the pins one by one until they fell onto the floor softly. Alina melted against him instantly. His fingers traced slowly down her back until they found the laces of her dress.

"Tell me if you want me to stop," he whispered against her lips.

"I don’t."

He loosened the laces slowly. The fabric slipped from her shoulders slightly. The fire crackled around them while moonlight spilled through the windows.

"Let me see you," the words sounded like a plea.

Alina slid the sleeves down her arms, letting the fabric pool at her waist. Firelight gilded the slope of her collarbones, catching the faint flush rising beneath her skin.

Austin’s breath stuttered.

He lowered his head and pressed his mouth on the hollow of her throat. Her heart pounded wildly against his tongue. She tangled her fingers into his hair and gently pulled him up.

"Your turn," she whispered.

Austin unbuttoned his shirt and took it off, revealing a scar on his chest. Alina leaned forward, and kissed the scarreverently. She could feel him shivering under her lips.

Then they moved together towards the bed, taking off the rest of their clothes as they kissed each other passionately. When they sank onto the mattress, he hovered over her. His forearms framed her head and he looked at her like she was something sacred.

"I want to remember every part of you."

His hand moved slowly and cupped her breast, his thumb grazing the tip until it hardened. Alina arched into his touch, letting out a soft moan. Encouraged, he lowered his mouth to her breast, licking and sucking it until her hips rolled instinctively against him.

Her nails scratched his back making him groan. She could feel how hard he was against her hip, yet he waited until she herself took his hand and guided it between her legs.

His fingers slid through her wetness as they both exhaled together. He explored her carefully, circling, teasing, and learning what makes her breath hitch and thighs tighten. Every time she gasped or moaned, he rewarded her with kisses on her lips, her jaw, her wrist.

"Austin," she breathed.

The single word was both a permission and a plea.

He moved between her legs, nudging them wider with his knee. Then he slowly pushed inside her. Their eyes stayed locked on each other, as he entered inside her. For a moment, they stayed still, just breathing together.

Then she rolled her hips to invite him, and he began to thrust. Every thrust brushed an exquisite spot inside her. She dug her nails on his back while his sweat beads dropped onto her collarbone.

With each thrust, her pleasure grew stronger and stronger. When she finally came, her whole body tightened around him. Austin followed seconds later, groaning as he finished deep inside her.

They stayed like that for a while. Then Austin rolled to his side and pulled her close so they were face to face with each other. He brushed damp strands of her hair from her cheeks, and kissed her swollen lips again.

"Promise me...you’ll stay with me always," he whispered.

"Always," she promised, and pulled the sheet over them. "There is nowhere else I want to be."