Page 96 of A Kingdom's Heart
I watched her for a moment longer before answering quietly, “Goodnight.”
Then I took my place by the balcony, sword still at my side, and listened to the sound of her breathing until the room fell silent.
CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN
IRIS
I wasn’t asleep. I couldn’t be.
The room was quiet save for the sound of the curtains rustling and the comforting rhythm of the waves outside. William had kept his promise. He was sitting on the wooden chair near the window, his head leaned back, his hand resting loosely on the hilt of his sword. The lantern’s light touched his face in a soft glow. He looked so peaceful for once, his guard down.
He loved me. That was what he had said. Since the first moment
he saw me. The words kept circling in my mind, over and over, until I didn’t know what to do with them anymore.
I cared for him. I knew that much. I trusted him more than anyone. The thought of him angry or hurt tore at me in ways I didn’t understand. But love? I wasn’t sure yet. It was something deeper, something I hadn’t had time to name.
Maybe I just needed time. Maybe I needed a moment with him without the walls, the guards, the duty. Just us.
I shifted slightly under the blanket, my heart beating faster at the thought. He was right there, only a few steps away, close enough to reach if I wanted to. But I stayed still.
For now, it was enough just to watch him.
Moments passed. I had been staring at him for so long that I lost
count of time. The room was quieter, and the sound of his steady breathing only made my thoughts louder. I couldn’t lie there any longer. I needed to move, to think, to breathe.
I slipped from the bed and put on my slippers. The floor was cold, and the air carried a faint chill that made me shiver. Carefully, I opened the door. The faint creak of its hinges seemed loud in the stillness, but William didn’t stir. He was still there, sleeping upright, one hand loosely on his sword.
The hall was dim, lit only by a few torches along the stone walls. My footsteps echoed softly as I walked, arms wrapped around myself for warmth. I took a few deep breaths, trying to clear the
noise in my mind.
Then I saw her.
Raven stood at the far end of the corridor. My brow furrowed. She was supposed to be asleep. No one should have been awake at this hour.
“Raven?” I called quietly.
She jumped and turned, her face pale in the low light. “Oh—oh, Iris! You startled me.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked, walking closer.
Her hands fidgeted with the fabric of her skirt. “I’m just… looking for something. I lost my satchel.”
“Do you need help finding it?”
“No—no, I’m fine. Go back to bed, really.” Her voice was
quick, uneven.
I stopped a few feet from her, narrowing my eyes. “Raven…”
She blinked rapidly. “Y–yes?”
“I can tell you’re hiding something,” I said. “You’re far too nervous for someone who just lost a satchel.”
She let out a slow sigh, her shoulders sinking. “Fine. You caught me.”
