Chapter 71

The echoes of the empire's cheers still lingered in the air as Tharx led Aeliana through the winding halls of the palace. The grand spectacle of their wedding had finally come to an end-the ceremonial vows, the firelit festival, the watching eyes of an empire that now belonged to them both. But here, within these chambers, it was no longer about the empire, the throne, or the war they had won together.

Now, it was just them.

The massive double doors to their private quarters swung open, revealing a dimly lit room of deep reds and golds, firelight flickering across the obsidian walls. A balcony stretched beyond the far end of the chamber, open to the night, the wind carrying the distant sounds of celebration.

Tharx released her hand and closed the doors behind them, sealing the world outside.

Aeliana took a slow breath.

It felt different now.

They had shared a bed before. They had torn at each other in the heat of passion, had fought, had burned, had claimed. But tonight was not just another night of desperation and dominance.

Tonight was a vow made in flesh, not just in words.

She turned to face him.

Tharx was watching her, his golden eyes molten in the candlelight. He had shed the ceremonial armor from earlier, now only wearing a simple dark tunic, the fabric stretched across his broad chest, the sleeves rolled to his forearms. Even stripped of his war regalia, he looked every bit the conqueror.

But there was something else in his gaze tonight-something unspoken, something raw.

Aeliana arched a brow. "Are you going to keep staring at me all night?"

A slow smirk touched his lips. "I've just won the greatest war of my life. Let me enjoy it."

She scoffed, stepping further into the room, undoing the clasps at her shoulders. "This was a wedding, not a battle."

Tharx took a deliberate step toward her, then another, until she was forced to tilt her chin up to hold his gaze. "No," he murmured, voice low, dangerous. "This was a conquest."

Heat curled in her stomach, her pulse hammering against her ribs.

And then, without warning, Tharx reached out and tore the fastening of her gown.

The heavy silk slid from her shoulders, pooling at her feet in a slow cascade of crimson and gold. The cool night air kissed her bare skin, sending a shiver racing down her spine, but the heat of Tharx's gaze burned through it.

He exhaled sharply, his hands twitching at his sides as if restraining himself. "You are a vision," he muttered, almost to himself. "A goddess forged in war and fire."

Aeliana smirked, stepping forward until she was nearly pressed against him. "Then why are you just standing there?"

Tharx moved.

His hand caught the back of her neck, pulling her against him, his mouth crashing over hers in a kiss that was not gentle, not tentative-but claiming.

Aeliana matched him, met him, devoured him.

Her fingers tangled into his tunic, ripping at the laces, pushing the fabric from his shoulders. Tharx let her, let her peel away the final barrier between them, until there was nothing left but skin and fire and want.

He pressed her back, guiding her toward the massive bed at the center of the room. They tumbled onto the soft sheets, Aeliana gasping as Tharx pinned her beneath him, his lips trailing fire down her throat.

"This is different," she whispered, her voice breathless, unsteady.

Tharx stilled, his weight pressing into her, his forehead resting against hers. "Yes," he admitted. "It is."

Aeliana had never known him to hesitate. Not in war. Not in battle. Not in bed.

But this was not just a victory.

This was his surrender.

And gods, that made her chest ache more than any battle wound ever had.

She reached up, brushing her fingers along his jaw, tracing the sharp lines of his face. "You are mine, Tharx," she murmured.

His golden eyes burned into hers.

"And you are mine," he growled, his lips brushing against her skin, his hands grasping her wrists, pinning them above her head.

Aeliana arched beneath him, heat pooling between them. "Then prove it."

A dark, wicked grin touched his lips. "With pleasure."

And then there was no more hesitation.

No more restraint.

Only fire.

Hours later, the room smelled of smoke and sweat, of candle wax and heat, of them.

Aeliana lay beneath the silken sheets, her body spent, her limbs tangled with Tharx's. His arm was slung over her waist, holding her to him even in sleep, as if afraid she might vanish if he loosened his grip.

She should have been exhausted, but sleep refused to take her. Instead, she traced slow, idle patterns against his chest, her mind drifting.

They had built an empire together. They had crushed rebellions, rewritten history, conquered lands and people.

But now, what came next?

For the first time in her life, there was no battle waiting on the horizon. No war to be won.

Just this.

Just him.

Aeliana sighed, turning her face against his shoulder, breathing him in.

"I know you're awake," Tharx muttered, voice rough with sleep.

A smile tugged at her lips. "Observant as always."

His fingers traced lazy circles along her hip. "What are you thinking about?"

She hesitated. "The future."

Tharx let out a low chuckle. "The empire is ours, Aeliana. What more is there to think about?"

She swallowed. "Everything."

He shifted then, pulling her beneath him, his weight solid, grounding. "You have never been afraid of what comes next," he murmured.

Aeliana met his gaze. "I'm not afraid."

"Then what?"

She exhaled, pressing her palm against his chest, over his heart. "What if we don't know how to live without war?"

Tharx studied her, his expression unreadable. Then, after a long moment, he leaned down, brushing his lips over hers-soft, slow, unhurried.

"We will learn."

Aeliana closed her eyes, letting his warmth pull her under, letting herself believe him.

Maybe, just maybe, they would.