The grand council hall was finally empty, but the cold weight of my victory still hung heavily in the air.
The candles in the large chandeliers had burned down to short stubs, dripping wax onto the expensive red wood table below.
The nobles had scattered back to their estates like terrified mice, leaving me with absolute control over the palace finances.
But a good corporate leader knows that a victory is only permanent if you secure the assets before the competition can scramble to fix their mistakes.
“We need to move to the royal library,” I said, turning to look at Kaelen as we stepped out into the quiet, dark corridor.
The palace was mostly silent now.
The chaotic fires in the eastern wing had finally been put out by the water brigades, leaving the distant, bitter smell of burnt paper and wet wood in the air.
The residential wings were completely locked down by Captain Trevor’s men, their heavy iron boots making rhythmic clicking sounds against the stone floors in the distance.
Kaelen walked a half-step behind my right shoulder, his hand resting firmly on the hilt of his large sword.
His golden eyes were scanning every dark shadow along the hallway, but I could tell his mind was still completely stuck on what had happened down in the underground vault.
The air between us felt thick, like a storm was about to roll in.
“The library is in the opposite direction of your private bedchambers, Your Majesty,” Kaelen said, his deep voice smooth but cautious as he adjusted his heavy leather belt.
“The hour is incredibly late.
You have been running on pure adrenaline all day.
The council is handled, and the lords are terrified.
The rest of the auditing can easily wait until the morning sun rises.”
“No, it can’t,” I replied, my shoes clicking softly against the dark marble floor as I led the way down the long, winding hallway.
“Chancellor Malakai ran toward the northern gates.
That means he is heading straight for his private family lands.
He knows I froze his palace accounts, so he is going to try to move his hidden wealth across the border before my accountants can block him.
If I don’t get the original property deeds and land contracts tonight, his family lawyers will claim the crown has no right to seize his northern estates.
I need to cut off his money lines before he reaches his fortress.”
Kaelen let out a low, heavy breath but didn’t argue further.
He knew my corporate logic made perfect sense, even if he didn’t like how reckless I was being with my own physical safety.
“Then I will escort you.
But we do not linger there, Evangeline.
The palace guards are still changing watches, and the main security detail is stretched thin across the ruined wings.
If there are any stragglers from Malakai’s faction hiding in the dark, we will be isolated.”
“That is exactly why I brought my best guard,” I said, glancing back at him with a small, knowing smirk.
The moonlight cut through the high windows, creating long, silvery paths across the floor.
Kaelen remained perfectly silent beside me, his body moving with the smooth, quiet grace of a trained fighter.
Every time a shadow flickered from a passing breeze, his hand would instantly tighten on his sword hilt, showing how intensely focused he was on keeping me safe.
Finally, we reached the massive, arched double doors of the royal library.
Kaelen stepped ahead of me, his large hands pushing the heavy wooden doors open gently.
They moved without making a single sound, revealing the dark cavern of knowledge inside.
Inside, the library was absolutely massive.
It looked like a grand cathedral filled with endless rows of towering wooden bookshelves that stretched all the way up to the dark, vaulted ceiling.
Thousands of ancient books, rolled scrolls, and heavy leather ledgers sat silently in the dark.
The only light came from the massive glass windows at the far end of the room, letting the blue midnight sky pour inside.
Dust motes danced in the silver light beams, making the entire place look like a dream world.
I walked down the central aisle, the comforting scent of old paper, vanilla, and aged leather filling my nose.
I moved straight toward the very back of the room, where the oldest tax records, land contracts, and royal deeds were kept away from the general court.
Kaelen followed me silently, his heavy footsteps muffled by the large, thick rugs on the floor.
He stood watch at the end of the narrow aisle, his golden eyes moving across the dark gaps between the books, ensuring we were completely alone in the massive room.
“It should be right here,” I murmured, scanning the high shelves with my eyes.
My gaze landed on a massive, thick leather ledger with faded gold lettering on the very top shelf, well out of my physical reach.
It was the original registry of the northern territories.
The exact legal asset I needed to ruin Malakai permanently.
A small, calculating smile played on my lips.
I looked back at Kaelen, who was standing a few feet away, his back partially turned as he kept his eyes on the entrance of the aisle.
He looked incredibly handsome in the dim moonlight.
The blue light traced the sharp line of his strong jaw and made his golden eyes glow like warm embers in the dark.
This was the perfect moment to test his control.
I stepped closer to the high bookshelf, lifting my arms and standing high on my tiptoes.
I reached toward the heavy ledger, intentionally stretching as far as I could.
My fingers barely brushed the rough bottom of the leather binding.
I deliberately let my foot slip slightly against the floor, making a soft scraping sound while letting out a quiet, frustrated sigh.
In a fraction of a second, Kaelen moved.
His guard instincts were absolutely flawless.
The moment he thought I was losing my balance or struggling, his massive frame closed the distance between us without a sound.
He stepped in right behind me, his large body completely overshadowing mine and blocking out the moonlight.
I could feel the intense heat radiating off his chest right against my back. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
His long, muscular arm reached up over my right shoulder, his large hand easily wrapping around the top of the heavy ledger to pull it down for me.
He was standing so close that his chest brushed against my shoulders with every breath he took.
I could hear the deep, steady rhythm of his heart beating right next to my ear.
“I have it, Your Majesty,” he whispered, his deep baritone voice rumbling right behind my neck, sending a sudden, electric shiver straight down my spine.
But I didn’t step away like a proper queen should.
Instead, the exact moment his hand gripped the heavy book, I spun around smoothly on my heels.
Kaelen’s golden eyes went wide with absolute shock.
Before his trained military mind could even process what was happening, I took a small step forward, trapping him completely.
He was stuck between the heavy wooden shelves behind me and my own body.
His right arm was still raised high above my head, his hand locked tightly on the ledger to keep it from falling, which effectively pinned him in place.
Our bodies were completely flush against each other.
The soft velvet of my dark blue gown pressed right against the hard leather of his guard uniform.
I could feel the rapid, sudden thud of his heart slamming violently against his ribs through his gear.
The neat, disciplined mask of the perfect, emotionless guard instantly shattered into pieces.
He was staring down at me with wide, dark, and utterly stunned golden eyes, his lips parted slightly as his breath hitched.
“You’re remarkably fast, Sir Kaelen,” I purred, my voice dropping into a low, shameless whisper as I looked up into his handsome face.
The distance between our faces was barely a few inches.
I could see the tiny gold flecks in his eyes shaking with absolute panic and intense emotion.
I slowly lifted my left hand, placing my bare palm right over his racing heart, feeling the powerful heat of his chest.
“But your pulse is beating exceptionally fast for a routine patrol,” I continued, tilting my head slightly, my voice dripping with quiet amusement.
“Tell me, Sir Kaelen…
are you worried about the hidden enemies outside my library, or are you worried about the Queen standing right in front of you?”
Kaelen froze entirely, his body turning into solid stone beneath my touch.
The silence in the dark library became completely suffocating.
The ledger remained held high above us, forgotten, as his golden eyes locked onto mine with a dark, burning intensity that told me his control was slipping away by the second.
What is Kaelen going to do now that he’s trapped against the shelves?
Is his legendary control going to completely snap in the next chapter?
Things are about to get incredibly hot in Chapter 15!
Drop all your wild thoughts in the comments