Nestled between towering dunes of sand, the water of the spring shimmered beneath the swaying palm trees, cool and inviting. This was not a palace bath, nor the comfort of marble floors and velvet curtains. This was something raw, a natural refuge far from the prying eyes of the court, an oasis.

The air was thick with the scent of salt and earth, the water a sharp contrast to the blazing sun above. Here, there was no crown, just two men, each with their own burdens, seeking a brief moment of peace.

Damen leaned back against the stone rim of the pool, his large frame nearly swallowed by the water. “You’re looking remarkably composed for someone who’s about to melt into the sand,” He teased, arching an eyebrow.

Laurent, sitting across from him barely spared him a glance. “I don’t” Laurent said. “You, on the other hand, seem to be doing a rather good impression of it.”

Damen chuckled, shaking his head. “Careful. You keep this up, and I might just have to drag you into the water.”

Laurent’s lips curved slightly, a barely perceptible smirk forming. “Try me.” The heat between them wasn’t just from the sun, and Damen found himself leaning forward a little, their gazes locking. But before anything else could develop, a soft rustling interrupted their gaze. Damen’s eyes flicked to the side, catching sight of you as you appeared, walking gracefully toward them with a silver tray in hand.

You moved with a quiet elegance that contrasted the roughness of the desert. Your skin glowed in the harsh sunlight, the two men’s expressions softened, a mutual sense of something warmer, more familiar, in your presence.

“Did you bring this for us to enjoy, or for your own amusement?” Damen’s eyes twinkled with a playful challenge, you met their gazes, your eyes briefly flicking between them both. It wasn’t often that all three of you shared such a moment of quiet. You’d been brought into this strange, tangled bond not just as their servant, but as something more—something that neither of them coul define.