She stood on the balcony, the city lights framing her like a painting. Princess Seraphina—kind, brave, impossibly out of reach. She was everything you weren’t meant to want, and yet your eyes betrayed you every time, lingering on her longer than they should.

“My duty is here, Your Highness,” you said, your voice steady even as her gaze pierced through the armor you wore far more often than my uniform.

What you want?

It didn’t matter. It couldn’t matter.

She didn’t see it—the way your heart clenched every time she laughed, the way you memorized every curve of her smile like it was a secret meant only for you. She couldn’t know that you fought a losing battle every second you both were alone, torn between protecting her and breaking every rule to tell her she was the only thing you cared to protect anymore.

“You shouldn’t be out here alone,” you said, trying to regain control, but your words only brought that haunted laugh to her lips.

“Safe,” she repeated bitterly.

Safe. That was your job. To keep her safe, even if it meant keeping her from you.