My eyes fluttered open as I tried so hard to get up.
Veryon wasn't by my side.
It was just me, tangled in sheets that still held his scent. The room was quiet, too quiet, until the door creaked open and a line of maids walked in—arms full of the most stunning clothes I had ever seen. Silks. Satins. Laces. All in soft whites and rich creams. Dresses that looked like they belonged on goddesses, not on me.
And they said they were all carefully picked by Lord Veryom.
I don't know why that made my heart skip. But it did.
I chose the white one, the one that looked like it had been stitched with moonlight. It hugged my body in all the right ways, flowing out like a ball gown from the waist. Not the kind of thing I wore in the palace. No. This was finer. Costlier. Lovingly chosen.
Why was Veryon doing this?
Why was he trying so hard?
And to be very honest… he was touching something deep in me. Something I didn't think I had left.
I picked the one that came with a hat. a wide-brimmed, gorgeous thing that framed my face perfectly and sat before the mirror. The maids surrounded me like I was some sacred relic, brushing my hair with care, painting my lips like I was porcelain. Gentler than the palace staff ever were. Tender, precise. And I knew it had to be his instructions.
My heart fluttered again.
A man who knows how to take care of a woman? Green flag. Very green.
When they finally led me downstairs, the scent of warm food wrapped around me like a welcome. I stepped onto the last stair and that was when my eyes met his.
Varian.
Standing across the room, talking to some men. But the moment he saw me, he stopped. Just like that. He dismissed them with a flick of his hand and turned fully to face me.
Our eyes locked, and the world went still.
"Come, my lady," he said, stretching out a hand.
I didn't even hesitate. I walked forward and placed my hand in his.
His fingers curled around mine, steady and warm, and he led me to the dining table like I was something precious. The table was a full banquet varieties of dishes I didn't recognize, but all smelled divine.
"I know you don't eat any of our food here," he said, watching my expression carefully. "So I told the best chefs to improve their recipes. Told them to learn from your world, to try to match the taste."
He shrugged, like it was no big deal.
But it was.
That was a smart move. An incredibly thoughtful one.
I reached out, hesitating only a second, then took a bite of the fried omelette. The taste exploded on my tongue. Familiar. Comforting. Home.
I looked at him, eyes wide.
"Yes," I whispered. "It tastes exactly like back home. Even better."
And he smiled proud, warm, quietly victorious. Like pleasing me was the only goal that mattered today.
He was very proud of himself, beaming from ear to ear, flaunting that perfect set of white teeth like it was a trophy.
Show off. He's fine, but you don't have to flaunt your dental excellence right in front of me.
"Oh? Are you jealous of my perfect smile?" he asked smugly.
"Jealous? Of what? Please," I scoffed.
"Remember the old days?" he added with a smirk. "You didn't seem to mind them last night… the way you gobbled—"
"Varian!" I blurted, shooting a quick glance at the people around us. "There are others here!"
"Don't worry. They didn't see anything," he said casually, then leaned closer. "Shall I feed you, my lady? Or would you prefer to eat yourself?"
"I can eat by myself," I said quickly.
"Oh, my dear," he cooed dramatically, "let me feed you. Let me spoil you."
"No." I narrowed my eyes. "Sit. You should eat too. You don't have to be all high and mighty. Warriors need food too."
He smirked. "So you admit—you think I'm a warrior who doesn't eat?"
He finally sat across from me, and I started eating, trying my hardest not to gobble the food like a starved wolf. I reminded myself to chew slowly, to look composed… demure. Like a lady. Not like someone who hadn't tasted real food since falling into this strange world.
God, though. These dishes were divine. Sweet, savory, warm. Familiar in all the right ways.
The first real food I'd had since I got here.
And just as I was silently having a moment with my food, Varian spoke up.
"I found your sword in your room."
I froze.
"I don't remember you bringing it. Did someone come and give it to you?"
My heartbeat picked up. No—no, no.
"No," I said a little too fast. "Nobody came."
His eyes sharpened. "Did Lucius come here?"
I avoided the question, suddenly focusing on the perfectly folded napkin beside my plate.
"Kiara," he said gently but firmly. "That sword… the energy it gives off. It's strong enough for a high mage like me to sense it just lying there."
I swallowed.
"He didn't," I said quietly. "I just brought it. It was always with me."
He tilted his head. "Kiara… I remember everything we recovered from our loots. That sword wasn't there."
"Varian," I looked at him now, trying to sound convincing, "Lucius didn't bring it. I promise."
He held my gaze a moment longer, then turned his eyes away—not in anger, but in understanding. He knew. He knew Lucius had come… but he didn't push. Maybe he could see how uncomfortable I was.
"Alright," he finally said, voice softer now. "I don't even know if you really need it. I don't want you training too soon. The last thing I want is for your memories to come back with pain. You said you get headaches when you try, right?"
He was right. Every time I trained, every time I pushed too hard, the headaches came. Painful, sharp. Like my brain was trying to crack itself open.
"I just want you to recover slowly," he said. "No pressure. No pain."
He said it so carefully. Like it mattered.
An intentional man… butterflies flitted in my stomach, fluttering like mad. I cleared my plates, smiling more than I meant to.
"You seem to enjoy the food," he noted, raising a brow.
"I did," I said, grabbing a napkin and dabbing at my lips. "It was amazing."
"You want mine?" he teased, and only then did I notice—he had barely touched his plate.
Courtesy told me to say no, to smile politely and wave it off.
But… screw courtesy.
I reached out my hand, and he handed over the plate without hesitation. I took a bite—and immediately choked from eating too fast.
"Careful, darling," he said, passing me a glass of water with a low chuckle.
"Thanks," I muttered, gulping it down. I looked up, catching his amused gaze. "Shall we?"
"Shall we what?" he asked, genuinely confused.
"You said you'd take me to the place we first met. Let's go."
He smirked, shaking his head. "You just ate two full plates. I think you should rest a little."
"Don't worry, I—"
"I'll be outside," he said, already standing. "I need to see someone."
And just like that, he left.
But as he walked away, something slipped from his pocket and hit the floor softly. He didn't notice. He just kept walking.
I called out, "Varian!"
No answer.
I bent down to pick it up… but just as my fingers closed around it, something else caught my attention.
I froze.
Hell no.