Page 50 of A Kingdom's Heart
He always looked different like this. Less like a knight. More like someone real. The kind of real that made my chest feel unsteady.
I leaned forward slightly, smiling to myself. Maybe I could surprise him. Just once.
But the branch shifted beneath me.
It gave a soft creak, and before I could grab the rope, my foot slipped. The world tilted. My heart lurched. A startled breath left my lips—
And then strong arms caught me.
Everything stopped.
I blinked up at him, breathless. His hold was steady, his chest rising against mine. For a heartbeat, I could feel nothing but the warmth of him, the soft thud of his pulse where his arms wrapped around me.
He looked down at me, brown eyes soft with amusement.A
small smile tugged at his lips. “Good morning,” he said quietly. “Interesting way to greet someone.”
Heat climbed to my cheeks before I could think. “I didn’t mean to fall.”
A low chuckle rumbled from his chest. “Then I’d say you’re lucky I came early.”
His arms didn’t loosen right away.
For a long moment, neither of us moved. He just held me there, close enough that I could feel his breath against my cheek. The air between us shifted, warm and still, wrapping around us like it didn’t want to let go.
My hands rested lightly against his chest. Beneath my palm, his heartbeat was steady and strong, grounding in a way that made it hard to think. I could feel the heat of him through his shirt, the faint shift of muscle when he breathed.
Then his hand moved. Slowly. Carefully. He brushed a stray strand of hair from my face, his fingers grazing my skin. The touch was soft but deliberate, and it sent a shiver through me I couldn’t hide.
My breath caught. I didn’t mean for it to.
His fingers lingered just long enough for my skin to burn where he’d touched. His eyes searched mine before they dropped to my lips.
The space between us tightened.
He leaned in, just a little, and the world narrowed until there was only him. The scent of pine. The warmth of his hand. The sound of his breathing, steady but uneven now. My heart hammered so hard I thought he might hear it.
I couldn’t let this happen. Not yet. Not before he knew.
Not when he still thought I was Elara the healer, the girl who didn’t belong to a crown or a father’s cruel temper. Letting him kiss me now, before he knew the truth, would be wrong. Misleading. Unfair.
I turned my face away, the movement small but enough to break the moment.
The air shifted again. It was cool now where his warmth had been. I drew in a shaky breath, trying to find my voice. “William,” I said in an almost whisper.
He stilled, his hand still resting lightly against my back. “What is it?”
I hesitated. The truth sat heavy on my tongue. I couldn’t look at him, not when he still thought I was someone else. Someone simpler.
“I need to tell you something,” I said finally. My voice trembled, but the words were real this time.
His brow furrowed slightly, but his tone stayed gentle. “Alright,” he said. “I’m listening.”
He set me down carefully, his hands steady until I found my
balance. My skirts brushed against his boots as I stepped back, trying to steady the shake in my breath.
I brushed the dust from my dress and lifted my eyes to his. He looked at me with that same quiet patience, waiting for whatever I had to say. I opened my mouth, ready to speak, ready to let the truth out at last.
