In the Shadow of the Crown

Eliza’s breath hitched as the carriage rocked beneath them, her back pressed against the velvet seat, her body caged between Raen’s arms. His golden eyes burned with something primal, something beyond restraint.

He had warned her. She had ignored it.

And now there was no escape.

His lips crashed against hers, searing in their intensity. There was no gentleness, no hesitation only the raw hunger that had been simmering beneath the surface for too long. His fingers tightened in her hair, tilting her head back, deepening the kiss until she was left gasping, her body trembling against him.

Her hands found his shoulders, gripping the fabric of his coat, desperate to steady herself as the world melted away. His touch was fire and ice, burning through her gown as he traced a path down her spine, pulling her closer, until there was no space between them at all.

“Mine,” he murmured against her lips, the word dripping with possession. “Say it.”

Eliza’s heart pounded, her breath ragged. She should resist. She should push him away, fight against the iron grip of his desire.

But she didn’t.

Instead, she let her hands slip beneath his coat, feeling the hard muscle beneath, feeling the way he tensed at her touch. She reveled in the power she had over him, the only power she had left.

His breath was unsteady, his control unraveling. And when she tilted her head back, exposing the delicate line of her throat, a deep growl rumbled in his chest. He pressed his lips to her neck, trailing kisses that were both worship and punishment, each one sending a shiver down her spine.

“Eliza,” he whispered, his voice raw.

And she was lost.

***

The world faded into a blur of heat and need, their bodies tangled in the carriage as desire consumed them. There was no past, no future only the moment, only the fire that burned between them.

And when it was over, when the storm had passed, Eliza lay against him, her breath soft, her body sated. Sleep crept upon her, pulling her under, but even as exhaustion claimed her, she felt the steady rhythm of his heart beneath her cheek.

She had surrendered. And she knew, deep down, that surrendering to Raen was more dangerous than any war.

***

When she woke, she was no longer in the carriage.

Eliza blinked against the dim candlelight, her body still sluggish from sleep. Silk sheets rustled beneath her as she shifted, the scent of him lingering on her skin.@@novelbin@@

[Something wasn’t right.]

She sat up slowly, her gaze sweeping the lavishly furnished chamber. Dark wood, heavy curtains, flickering sconces casting long shadows across the stone walls.

Raen’s room.

Her breath caught.

And then she saw it.

The silver chain glinting in the low light, leading from the edge of the bed to her ankle.

Panic surged through her as she tugged, but the cold bite of metal against her skin told her the truth - there would be no escaping him this time.

Before she could react further, the door creaked open.

Raen stood in the doorway, his silhouette dark against the candlelight. He held something in his hands.

A collar.

Eliza’s stomach twisted. “What...?”

His expression was unreadable, but his eyes gleamed with a dangerous mix of tenderness and control. He stepped toward her, setting the collar down beside the bed before brushing a hand along her cheek.

“I warned you,” he murmured, his voice deceptively soft. “I won’t let you run again.”

A shiver ran through her as he knelt before her, fastening the collar around her throat. The click of the lock echoed through the room, final and absolute.

Her pulse hammered, fear and something darker twisting inside her.

“What else did you expect, Eliza?” He leaned in, his lips brushing the shell of her ear. “All’s fair in love and war.”

And in the war for her heart, he had just claimed victory.