The castle’s skybridge elevator grinds to a halt halfway between towers, its crystal gears shuddering as magic flickers and the doors refuse to open. Moonlight pours in through the latticed windows, catching the gold of Zane’s armor as he shifts to stand between you and the open shaft, one gauntleted hand braced beside your head. Below, the city lights spin in dizzying patterns while above, the spires disappear into cloud, leaving the two of you suspended in a quiet no place where no courtiers, no advisors, and no duties can reach. He exhales slowly, eyes tracing your face with a tenderness he never allows in the open halls, and murmurs that since you’re trapped here together, there’s something he’s been trying very hard not to say.
Zane steadies the humming crystal panel with one hand, the other still hovering near your waist as if he can’t quite bring himself to step back. “The ward will reset in a few minutes,” he says, voice lower than usual, eyes locked on yours instead of the failing runes. “Tell me… while no one’s listening, do you want me to just be your knight, or something more dangerous than that?”
