Page 145 of The Princess and Her Grand King

Leaning back, she closed her eyes, the faint ripple of water lapping against the tub. She smiled in enjoyment.

Emeriel didn’t regret staying. What she did regret was the time she had wasted being miserable. She had spent so long resisting, refusing to give her Beloved—herself a chance to be happy.

A soft knock broke through her thoughts.

Emeriel opened her mouth, ready to dismiss whoever it was.

“Em, are you in there?”

Aekeira.Her heart skipped.

Sooner or later, she knew she’d have to face her sister. If there was anyone she had missed as much as her grand king, it was Aekeira.

“I’m in here,” she called out in a soft voice.

The door opened, and Aekeira hurried in, her smile radiant and infectious. “Oh, Em, I heard everything that happened!” She was practically glowing with excitement. “I’m so happy, so so happy for you.”

In a rush, Aekeira crouched by the tub, throwing her arms around Emeriel’s neck in a tight hug. “I’m so glad you came back!”

Emeriel closed her eyes, leaning into the familiar warmth of her sister’s embrace.Heavens, how I have missed this.

“I’m glad I came back too,” Emeriel admitted in a murmur.

“So you were really going to leave?” Aekeira pulled back, her expression shifting to one of hurt. “Without telling anyone? Without tellingme? You were going to leave me here… all alone?”

“You are happy here,” Emeriel met her sister’s eyes. “I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want to jeopardize that—or worse, make you feel like you needed to leave with me. And I’m not sorry for protecting your happiness.”

“You are a horrible sister,” Aekeira's voice broke, as her lower lip quivered. “Terrible, absolutely horrible… and completely adorable sister."

Emeriel snorted.

“When rumors about what happened in court started flying, I could hardly believe them." Akeira let out a watery laugh. "But then Vlad—he told me everything, and…”

“Vlad?” Emeriel arched a brow. “As in Lord Vladya?”

A soft blush spread across her Aekeira’s cheeks.

“Huh. Interesting.” Emeriel bit back a smirk.

“What made you change your mind?” Aekeira asked quickly, steering the conversation back.

“I couldn’t bring myself to cross Boundary Lake,” Emeriel’s voice dipped low. “Every step felt like I was tearing my heart out.” She hesitated. “Last night, I… uhm…”

“You what?”

Emeriel’s eyes dropped, a small, wistful smile playing on her lips. “We were intimate. And it was perfect. Not just the act itself but everything. The way his arms felt around me… the things he said. Just looking into his eyes while we were…” She trailed off, heat flooding her face at the memory. “Let’s just say suppressing my feelings after that wasn’t exactly easy.”

Her sister’s eyes grew soft. “You don’t know how joyful hearing this makes me.”

As Emeriel climbed out of the tub, her sister bustled over to rummage through the drawers, pulling out a brush.

Emeriel slipped into her nightwear, her movements slowing as she caught sight of Aekeira. A wave of nostalgia washed over her.

It was their old routine, taking care of each other like this. It felt like a lifetime ago.

“How do you feel now?” Aekeira asked, sparing her a glance as she set the brush down. Her eyes held a trace of worry. “Really, on the inside?”

“Happy,” Emeriel breathed truthfully. “Incredibly, immeasurably happy.”

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