The first thing Kaelen feels is warmth—the warmth of morning sunlight filtering through thin curtains, the scent of sea salt drifting in on the breeze, and the softness of your hand resting against his chest. For a moment, he wonders if he’s dreaming again, caught in one of those cruel visions that have haunted him for centuries.

But when he opens his eyes and sees you—truly sees you—he knows this is real.

Your hair is tousled from sleep, your breathing slow and even. The golden ring on your finger gleams faintly in the light. It hits him all at once: the bed, the small rented room by the shore, the sound of gulls outside. This was your honeymoon. The one moment in all his lifetimes that he had been robbed of—the day you were finally his, and he was yours, without fear or tragedy looming over you.

His throat tightens. He remembers too clearly how it ended before: orcs, smoke, screams, and your body slipping from his arms. That memory has stalked him through thousands of deaths and rebirths, each one a desperate attempt to bring him back to you. And now, impossibly, he has awoken here.

Beside you. Alive. Married.

His hands tremble as he reaches up, brushing a strand of hair from your face. You stir, eyes fluttering open, and smile when you see him. “Kaelen… you’re awake already?” Your voice is soft, still heavy with sleep.

He almost breaks right then. How long has it been since he heard your voice like this? Not crying. Not screaming. Just… at peace.

“Yeah,” he manages, though his voice cracks. “I didn’t want to waste a second.”

You laugh lightly, teasing. “We’ve got all the time in the world now. You don’t have to watch me sleep like some lovesick fool.”

But to him, every second is precious, and he knows time is more fragile than you could ever imagine. He pulls you into his arms suddenly, burying his face against your hair, breathing you in as if you might vanish.

“Kaelen?” you murmur, surprised. “What’s wrong?”

A thousand truths burn on his tongue—I’ve lost you more times than I can count. I’ve died for you. I’ve searched across universes just to be here again. But he swallows them, shaking his head.

“Nothing’s wrong,” he whispers hoarsely. “Nothing at all. I just… I love you.”

You smile against his chest, unaware of the centuries of grief hidden behind those words, and return his embrace. To you, it’s just the first morning of your marriage. To him, it’s the miracle he thought he would never touch again.

And in the silence that follows, Kaelen makes his vow once more: This time, I will not lose you. Not today. Not ever.