Leila’s POV:
Chase was back.
When I first caught sight of him walking into the castle, I felt an inexplicable wave of emotions that I wasn’t quite ready to face. Relief, yes. He had been gone far longer than I’d expected, and even though he’d assured he wouldn’t be away for long, the days dragged on endlessly. But beneath the relief was sothing darker—an unease I couldn’t shake.
I had a sinking feeling that whatever had taken him away was tied to my past. Perhaps it was just paranoia. Maybe it wasn’t. Either way, I didn’t want to dwell on it. So, I pushed the thoughts aside and focused on the fact that he was here, alive and well.
Ash had noticed him first. I had been standing at the edge of the hall, watching as Ash played one of his silly gas with a guard, his laughter echoing in the grand space. The second he saw Chase, his entire face lit up.
"Uncle Chase!" Ash cried, barreling toward him like a whirlwind.
I stayed where I was, observing quietly as Ash hurled himself into Chase’s arms. It was hard not to smile at the way Chase seed montarily stunned before relaxing and ruffling Ash’s hair. The exchange between them was natural, easy, and it ward sothing inside that I hadn’t realized was so cold.
I stepped forward, hesitating just long enough for Chase to notice .
"You’re back," I said, my voice steady, though my heart felt anything but.
He turned to look at , and for a mont, everything else seed to fade away. His eyes locked onto mine, and the intensity of his gaze made it hard to breathe.
"Leila," he said, his voice low and full of sothing I couldn’t quite na.
I moved toward him, the emotions I’d been suppressing threatening to overwhelm . Before I could stop myself, I was standing right in front of him, and then—I hugged him.
It wasn’t sothing I’d planned. It wasn’t sothing I even thought I was capable of doing. But the mont my arms wrapped around him, sothing inside clicked into place.
"You’re really back," I murmured, my face pressed against his chest.
His body was cold, as always, but it didn’t matter. There was warmth in his presence that I hadn’t realized I’d been missing until now.
"I am," he replied, his voice softer than I’d ever heard it.
When I finally pulled back, I looked up at him, searching his face for any sign of what he might have been thinking. "I didn’t think you’d be gone this long."
"Neither did I," he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "But I’m here now."
There was sothing in the way he said it that made wonder what he wasn’t telling . But I didn’t press him. Not yet.
"Co on," I said, stepping back and motioning toward the dining hall. "Ash and I were about to eat. You can join us."
His smile widened just slightly. "Lead the way."
Dinner was chaos, as usual.
Ash had a million things to say, his words tumbling out so quickly that it was hard to keep up. He recounted every little thing we’d done while Chase was away, from our walks in the garden to the nights when I let him stay up later than I should have.
"And then Mommy let stay up late, but only because I promised to eat all my vegetables," Ash rambled, his face scrunched in exaggerated disgust. "But carrots are still gross, and I think she only let stay up because she was reading a boring book and didn’t notice the ti—but don’t tell her I said that!"
Chase chuckled, shaking his head. "Your secret’s safe with , kid."
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips. "Don’t encourage him."
"What can I say? I’m a sucker for a good story," Chase replied, his tone teasing.
The exchange felt... easy. Natural. And for the first ti in weeks, I felt a little less like the weight of the world was on my shoulders.
When Ash finally finished eating, he practically leapt out of his chair. "Can I go play now?" he asked, his eyes wide with anticipation.
"Only if you promise not to cause any trouble," I said, giving him a pointed look.
"I promise!" he said, darting off before I could say anything else.
And just like that, it was quiet again.
I stayed behind, tidying up Ash’s ss out of habit. Chase lingered nearby, watching with an expression I couldn’t quite read.
"Leila," he said softly, his voice breaking the silence.
I looked up, raising an eyebrow in question.
"Co with ," he said.
"To where?" I asked, my tone cautious.
"My chambers," he replied simply.
I froze, uncertainty washing over . "And what about Ash?"
"Damon’s with him," he said, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "He’ll be fine."
I hesitated, glancing toward the hall where Ash had disappeared. Finally, I nodded, brushing my hands against my dress as if to steady myself.
The walk to his chambers was quiet, the sound of our footsteps echoing softly in the dimly lit halls. Chase walked slightly ahead of , his pace slow and asured, as if he were afraid I might change my mind.
When we reached his chambers, he pushed the door open and stepped aside, motioning for to enter first.
I paused for just a mont before stepping inside. The room was spacious but sparse, its dark tones and heavy furniture giving it a distinctly cold, utilitarian feel. A fire crackled in the hearth, casting flickering shadows across the stone walls.
"This feels... fitting," I murmured, my gaze sweeping over the space.
Chase closed the door behind us, his expression unreadable. "It’s not much," he said, moving toward the center of the room. "But it serves its purpose."
I turned to face him, crossing my arms over my chest. "And why, exactly, did you bring here?"
He took a step closer, his movents deliberate but unthreatening. "Because I wanted to talk to you without interruptions."
"About what?" I asked, suspicion lacing my tone.
"About us," he said, his voice low and steady.
I stiffened at that, my arms tightening around myself. "What about us?"
He took another step closer, stopping just short of invading my space. "Leila, I’ve been gone for weeks. And not a day went by when I didn’t think about you. About Ash. About this... thing between us that we keep dancing around."
His words hit like a blow, and for a mont, I couldn’t breathe. I wanted to deny it, to brush off whatever "thing" he thought we had. But deep down, I knew he was right.
"And what exactly is this thing, Chase?" I asked, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to sound indifferent. "Because I don’t know if I can do this. Whatever it is you think we’re doing."
He reached out, his fingers brushing lightly against my cheek. I flinched at the contact but didn’t pull away.
"It’s not about what I think we’re doing," he said softly. "It’s about what we already are."
His words hung in the air between us, heavy with aning.
"Chase," I whispered, my voice breaking. "I’ve spent my entire life trying to survive. I don’t know how to be... this. How to let soone in again."
"Then let show you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
For a long mont, I just stared at him, my thoughts a chaotic whirlwind. Then, to my own surprise, I took a step closer, letting my hands rest lightly on his chest.
"I don’t know if I can promise you anything," I admitted, my voice trembling.
"You don’t have to," he replied, his hands gently cupping my face. "Just let be here for you. For Ash. That’s all I ask."
I closed my eyes, leaning into his touch. "You make it sound so simple."
"Because it is," he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
When I finally opened my eyes, I saw nothing but sincerity in his gaze. For a mont, I let myself believe that maybe—just maybe—he was right.
But then reality crept back in, and I took a step back, wrapping my arms around myself. "I should check on Ash," I said, my tone firr now.
Chase didn’t stop .
"All right," he said softly. "But Leila?"
I paused at the door, glancing back at him.
"I’m not going anywhere," he said, his voice steady. "No matter how long it takes."
I held his gaze for a mont, then nodded slightly before slipping out of the room.
As I walked back down the hall, my thoughts were a tangled ss of emotions. But one thing was certain—Chase wasn’t just a part of my life now. He was becoming sothing more.
And that terrified .
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