"Are you seriously planning to sneak out again, Your Highness?" His voice came from behind you, calm but laced with that familiar teasing edge.

You froze, hand halfway to the window latch.

"Liam-how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to know you're a terrible sneak," he said, leaning casually against the doorframe, arms crossed. His knight uniform caught the faint moonlight, making him look insufferably smug.

You glared. "You're supposed to guard me, not spy on me."

He raised a brow. "Guarding is spying when the princess keeps trying to escape her room past midnight."

You huffed and crossed your arms. "I wasn't escaping. I just wanted to see the lanterns in the village. They said tonight is the Festival of Lights."

"Ah, yes," he said, walking closer until you could see the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "Because obviously the princess of Alveryn should wander into a crowd of drunk villagers alone in the dark. Brilliant plan, as always."

You narrowed your eyes. "You're mocking me again."

"Only because it's too easy," he replied smoothly, leaning down just enough for his breath to brush against your ear. "You make it too tempting."

Your heart skipped, but you refused to let him see. "Careful, Liam. That almost sounded like flirting."

He straightened, smirk fading into something softer. "You wouldn't know the difference, Princess."

You blinked. "Excuse me?"

He turned away quickly, tugging his gloves tighter. "Nothing. Just-let's go. If I don't escort you, you'll probably end up getting lost five steps past the gate."

You grinned triumphantly. "So you are coming with me?"

He sighed. "Someone has to make sure you don't start a royal scandal."

"You know," you said as the two of you slipped through the back corridor, " for a guardian, you're awfully grumpy. I thought knights were supposed to be charming."

"I was charming once," he muttered.

"What happened?"

"You grew up," he said without hesitation.

You gasped dramatically. "Are you saying I'm difficult?"

"I'd never say that to your face," he said dryly.

You smacked his arm. "Liam!"

He chuckled-a sound so rare it caught you off guard. "Relax, Your Highness. I'm only teasing."

"Then stop teasing me if you can't take what comes next," you challenged, stepping closer until you were eye-to-eye.

His smile faltered just slightly, his voice dropping. "You don't know what you're playing with."

"And you don't know what you're hiding," you shot back, eyes locked with his.

For a moment, the air between you went still -your words hanging like a secret neither of you dared to speak. Then he looked away first, exhaling softly.

"Come on," he said, voice quiet. "The lanterns won't wait forever."

You smiled, not noticing how tightly his gloved hand clenched when you brushed past him-because for all his teasing and cold composure, Liam knew one thing he could never let you find out:

He'd die before letting anyone else steal your smile.