Naomi could not believe what she had just heard.
Did Zylan Reed just say that?
Her heart pounded as they locked eyes, the weight of his words hanging in the air. She couldn’t deny the fear and struggle she saw reflected in his gaze, like a storm raging just beneath the surface. It was a side of him she rarely saw—vulnerable, uncertain, and almost... lost.
Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined Zylan saying such a thing.
To Zylan’s surprise, Naomi’s voice broke through the silence with unwavering certainty.
"You won’t. I know you won’t," she said, her voice firm yet tender. "No matter what happens, you’d never do such a thing to , honey."
Her words were a lifeline, an anchor pulling him back from the edge of the abyss he teetered on. The conviction in her tone made his chest tighten. She could see the conflict in his eyes, the way his emotions warred within him, raw and unguarded.
The strain in his voice when he had uttered those last words lingered in her mind, as though he couldn’t bear to fully acknowledge them himself.
Zylan fell silent, astonished by the depth of her trust. He wasn’t sure if he deserved it, yet here she was, unwavering in her belief.
After a long pause, he finally spoke.
"Eaglet, you put so much trust in ," he said softly, his voice almost reverent. A faint, bittersweet smile tugged at his lips.
"If I don’t trust my husband, who else should I trust? No one," Naomi replied with a soft smile.
She had co to realize that she was beginning to put too much trust in Zylan. She didn’t know why, but deep down, she just knew—she trusted him more than she thought she ever could.
With a soft chuckle, Zylan teased, "Who would’ve thought? You—the one so eager to escape the first ti we t—now trusts , huh?"
Naomi flushed, her cheeks turning a bright shade of red. She lightly punched him on the shoulder, her glare not quite masking her embarrassnt.
"You rember that?" she huffed, her voice a mix of surprise and flustered disbelief.
"Of course," Zylan replied, his smile growing. "I rember everything. How ticulously you planned your escape. How you insulted , calling Mr. Devil. Every single detail."
Naomi’s eyes widened as the mory ca rushing back. A soft giggle escaped her lips.
"Yup, I did. And my husband here was so hellbent on making stay," she said, playfully pinching his cheek.
She felt him go rigid for a mont, then watched as a smirk ford on his lips.
"You know," he began, his tone teasing yet sincere, "finding a goddess is rare. I found one and couldn’t let the opportunity slip. But not just any goddess—I found my queen."
Naomi’s face flushed at his words, her heart racing. Before she could respond, she felt his hand slip under her shirt, his fingers grazing her bare skin. Her breath hitched, a gasp escaping her lips as his touch sent a shiver down her spine.
For a mont, the room seed to shrink around them, their world narrowing to just the two of them.
After a while, Naomi broke the silence, her tone turning serious as a small smile crept onto her lips. "It’s fine, Zylan. As long as the curse is broken, that’s all that matters."
Zylan’s gaze lingered on her, searching her eyes for any sign of hesitation. "Naomi, you have no idea what you’re getting yourself into," he said softly, his voice laced with a hint of warning.
She clicked her tongue, feigning annoyance. "I’m very much aware, my husband...ahhh"
She couldn’t hold back a soft moan as his hands gently squeezed her breast, his touch deliberate and teasing. Naomi bit her lip, her cheeks flushing deeper.
"This husband of mine..." she whispered, her voice breathy as she tried to steady herself, "always trying to tease ."
His chest ward at her words, and he chuckled before leaning forward to plant a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I’m glad I t you," he murmured.
Naomi smiled, wrapping her arms tightly around him. The warmth of their embrace filled the room, a comforting reminder that they had each other.
As they lay together on the bed, Zylan’s voice grew softer, more introspective.
"The night I first saw you..." He trailed off, his gaze distant. "I felt sothing, a pull I couldn’t explain. You were so brave, Naomi. So very, very brave."
She chuckled softly, recalling the mory.
"To think you were fearless enough to say all that to , even while I was sitting at the rail. And you didn’t flinch, not even when I threatened you," Zylan continued, his tone a mix of pride and admiration. "Oh, my brave little eaglet."
His chuckle faded as he turned toward her again, only to find her fast asleep. Her slow, steady heartbeat filled the quiet room, and Zylan smiled as he watched her.
"What would I do without you, my darling?" he whispered.
With those tender words, he pulled her closer, savoring the comfort of her warmth against him. Before long, Zylan himself drifted into a peaceful sleep.
******
The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. Naomi stirred, her eyes fluttering open.
As her vision cleared, she beca acutely aware of the warm hand resting on her waist. Her breath hitched when she realized it was Zylan—still asleep. His face was nestled against her neck, his slow, steady breaths tickling her skin.
An overwhelming urge to turn and look at him washed over her, but she hesitated. How could she? His face was so comfortably buried in her neck.
Summoning her courage, she shifted slightly to get a glimpse, but as she moved, his head slipped down and landed on her chest.
Her eyes widened in horror as her face turned bright red. She froze, her heart pounding erratically. Slowly, she tried to shift away, but his head pressed firmly against her softness, leaving her even more flustered.
"See what you’ve caused, all because you wanted to see his face," she muttered quietly to herself, cheeks burning.
From where she lay, she quietly used both hands to gently lift his head. Just as his head began to move, he shifted, leaning closer.
Does he even realize what he’s doing in his sleep? she wondered.
Before she knew it, Zylan hugged her, pressing his head deeper into her chest as if it were so kind of blanket. Naomi’s cheeks flushed harder.
"Oh my goodness," she whispered.
What widened her eyes even more was when Zylan let out a deep, rich chuckle, the vibrations of his laugh resonating through her chest. Goodness gracious, it was maddening.
"You’ll have to try harder if you want to see my face," he said, his voice laced with amusent.
Naomi’s eyes widened in shock. He had been awake this whole ti?
"This man..." she muttered, flustered.
"You..." she began accusingly. She had been doing her best to pull away without waking him, only to find out that her husband had probably been awake far longer than she had.
She felt him smile against her chest, and it left her completely unsure of what to do. Then she heard him speak.
"Damn! Now, Eaglet, your heart is beating so fast for ."
Was he teasing her? She couldn’t tell, but she didn’t know how to respond.
Only if I had just been lenient and left the bed... she thought regretfully.
But no—right now, he was fully enjoying teasing her, as he always did.
Then, his tone shifted. "Good morning."
She sighed softly, flustered beyond words.
Just then, a knock echoed through the door.
The sound was sharp, cutting through the intimacy of the mont like a cold blade.
A flicker of displeasure crossed Zylan’s face. Interruptions like this were rare—soone knocking without prior notice usually ant urgency.
Naomi noticed the way his jaw tightened, though his expression remained calm, betraying none of the annoyance she could sense.
He sighed, then glanced at her with a mischievous smile. "We’ll continue our teasing later."
Naomi glared at him in exasperation, her heart still racing from the whirlwind of emotions he always seed to stir.
As Zylan stood and moved toward the door, she sat up, clutching her chest. Her cheeks burned with embarrassnt, but the mory of his teasing lingered, making her lips twitch into a reluctant smile.
Before she could fully collect herself, Zylan returned. In his hand, he held a neatly folded envelope. His eyes skimd over the paper, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Naomi’s curiosity piqued as she wondered what the letter was about.
"It looks like we’ve been invited to your dad’s birthday," he said casually, holding up the envelope for her to see.
Naomi froze, her mind reeling. Her father’s birthday.
Of course, she thought. How could she forget?
But sothing about the invitation felt off. A strange tension settled over her as Zylan’s gaze locked onto hers.
"So, tell , Eaglet—do you want to go?" he asked, his voice steady but laced with an edge she couldn’t quite place.
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