Chapter 54: chapter 54

Under the moonlit sky, Amelia sat beside Ivar, the cool night breeze brushing against her skin. The silence between them was heavy, filled with unspoken thoughts and lingering tension. Ivar had just revealed the truth—one that left her both fascinated and terrified. She still couldn’t understand why he was keeping her here in this unfamiliar realm, nor why the king and his men were after her.She turned to Ivar, searching his face for answers. Why does it feel like there's more to this than he's telling me?“Why can’t I go home?” she finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper.Ivar exhaled, his eyes flickering with an unreadable emotion as he met her gaze. “You’re caught in this because of me,” he admitted. “The king was after something I possess. But somehow, he found out that you and I knew each other… so he tried to use you against me.”Amelia’s breath hitched. This was beyond what she had imagined. She took a moment to process his words before something clicked in her mind.“Wait… what do you mean the king was after you? Has he stopped now?”Ivar’s expression darkened. He nodded slowly. “Yes, he stopped.”There was something ominous about the way he said it. A stillness in his voice.Amelia narrowed her eyes.Ivar hesitated before answering. Then, in a low, measured tone, he said, “Because I killed him.”Amelia’s heart pounded. She stared at him, struggling to form a response. “You… killed him?”He didn’t look away. “I had no choice. If I hadn’t killed him, many more people could have died—including your family.”The weight of his words settled over her like a heavy blanket. Amelia lowered her gaze and looked at the faint scars wrapped around his wrist.“So that’s how you got those scars…” she murmured.Ivar nodded. “Yes. It’s a curse I was born with. I can’t touch iron.” He let out a quiet breath, “When I went to the king to negotiate, he tricked me. He locked me in iron chains, thinking he could break me.” Ivar continued, “His son has taken the throne now. And unlike his father, he’s not after what I possess.” Ivar’s voice was calm, yet there was an unmistakable tension beneath his words. He paused for a moment before adding, “He is after what I want to possess.”Amelia’s brows furrowed. A strange unease settled in her chest. “What is it that you want to possess?” she asked hesitantly.Ivar met her gaze. Then, with a straight face, he said, “You.”Amelia’s breath caught in her throat. The world around her seemed to blur for a moment as his words sank in. A sudden warmth rushed to her face.“I…” she started, but no words came.Ivar didn’t move, didn’t waver. He had said it so simply, so effortlessly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. But to Amelia, it felt like the ground beneath her had just shifted.Finally, after composing herself, she met Ivar’s gaze and asked, “But… why is he looking for me?”Ivar tilted his head slightly. “That’s something you should tell me. How do you know him?”“I don’t,” Amelia replied, shaking her head. “We met at the Grand Ball. That was the first time I saw him. And we only had two more brief encounters after that. I told you that before.”Ivar studied her, a slow smirk tugging at his lips. “Interesting.”Amelia’s stomach twisted. “Why do I feel like you know something I don’t?”Ivar chuckled softly. “Maybe he wants to make you his queen.”Amelia froze. “What?”“I mean, it makes sense, doesn’t it?” Ivar shrugged. “A young king. A mysterious girl who caught his attention. You’ve got the whole fairytale setting.”Her mind reeled. “No. That’s ridiculous. Why me?”Ivar leaned closer, his voice dropping into something deeper, more teasing. “Do you want to be his queen?”Amelia recoiled. “No! Never in my life!”His smirk deepened. There was something else in his gaze now—something that made her heart race in a way she wasn’t ready to acknowledge.“Then,” he said slowly, “do you want to be my queen?”The air between them thickened. Amelia’s eyes widened, her breath caught in her throat. For a moment, all words deserted her.“Oh God, for heaven’s sake—no!” she finally blurted, shaking her head frantically. “I just want to go home." She fell silent, trying to process what Ivar had just said. "Isn’t it a sin for us to be together?” she asked after a moment, her voice quieter now.Ivar’s pale blue eyes flickered in the moonlight. He held her gaze, unflinching. “Yes, but it’s a sin I choose to carry.”Amelia swallowed hard. The way he said it, with such certainty, sent a shiver down her spine. There was no hesitation in his words, no trace of doubt. Just acceptance.A strange silence followed. Amelia’s pulse pounded in her ears. She couldn’t think, couldn't process the weight of what he had just said.Ivar watched her carefully, noticing the way she suddenly seemed breathless, the way her hands trembled slightly. He sighed. “If you truly want to go home, I’ll take you back.”Amelia opened her mouth, but only one word escaped her lips. "......Thank you.”