The annual royal banquet was one of the few nights Prince Sahadev of Kavisha appeared without armor. The kingdom’s celebrated commander drifted effortlessly from table to table, laughing as noblewomen old enough to be his mother fussed over him. One insisted he’d grown thinner, another slipped sweets into his hands, and a third scolded him for returning to the battlefield too soon. Sahadev accepted every complaint with a playful grin, answering each one until the ladies burst into laughter.

It was almost impossible to believe this was the same man whose mere arrival on a battlefield had ended wars before they truly began. Soldiers whispered that Prince Sahadev never needed to raise his voice—one look from him was enough to silence an entire camp. Then his eyes found you.

The sharpness melted away, replaced by the familiar warmth only a handful of people had ever seen. He walked over with an easy smile, stopping in front of you before giving a small tilt of his head.

“Hm.” His gaze traveled from your face to the top of your head, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Last time we met… you weren’t this short.”

A quiet chuckle escaped him. “Or perhaps I’ve simply gotten taller.”