Esme — POV
I followed King Liam to his chambers. Duke Edward had been called away on urgent business, and even the King looked troubled. His expression was tense as he listened to the soldier's report. I waited near the chamber door, unsure if I should interrupt.
Once the matter was handled, King Liam opened the door and gestured for me to step in first.
"You take the bed. I'll take the couch," he said plainly.
"Your Majesty… Should we really be sharing a room? I mean—" I hesitated.
"Do you want to stay alive or not?" he cut in.
"I… I do," I whispered, shocked by the bluntness. I wanted to ask what kind of question that was. Surely, he couldn't be this cold-hearted.
"Then stay close. By my side."
"I've been under Duke Edward's watch. Isn't he the second sword of Eastbrone?" I asked.
King Liam looked at me. "I'm the King. I outrank him—and I'm more powerful."
There was pride in his voice. I wanted to roll my eyes, but I couldn't. He was intimidating even when he was trying to sound casual. The loose shirt he wore gave me an accidental glimpse of his toned abs, and I quickly turned away.
He was ridiculously handsome. It made sense why women were drawn to him—and probably just as many stayed away. That attitude of his could ruin the charm in seconds.
"Lady Esme," he said without opening his eyes, "your gaze is burning holes through me."
"No, it's not," I muttered, pulling the covers over myself.
All I could smell was King Liam—sharp, clean, and warm. His presence filled the room.
I couldn't sleep.
I tossed and turned, eventually rolling over to see him asleep on the couch. His dark hair had fallen loosely across his forehead, and in sleep, his sharp features looked softer—almost boyish.
His face twisted in a pained expression.
"Cecily…" he murmured. "Please—"
A woman's name. My heart tightened. Before I could process it, his arms wrapped around me. He pulled me into his embrace, fast asleep.
I froze.
I tried to wiggle free, but his hold was strong—and warm. Too warm. I flushed, stuck against him. Eventually, I gave up. I needed sleep too.
I woke up in the bed, not the couch.
King Liam was gone.
He must've moved me sometime during the night. That, alone, was more shocking than anything. A note sat on the pillow:
"Get to the office. There's work waiting."
Work? After everything that happened last night?
When I arrived at his office, hours passed without a single sign of him. I was about to leave when the door opened.
"Greetings, Empress Esme," said Secretary Rower, looking like a walking corpse.
"Oh my god, are you okay?" I asked.
"No, Empress. Please… save me," he said, nearly in tears. "His Majesty said once he finds an empress, she can handle all the finance work."
"Oh… Sir Rower, you should get some rest. I'll take care of it," I offered gently.
"Actually," he said, pushing a massive pile of books toward me, "His Majesty told me to hand over everything—budget reports, tax records, the works."
My eyes widened in horror.
Rower gave me a sympathetic thumbs-up before shuffling out. I stared at the mountain of documents. What kind of cruel human throws someone into work like this the day after they're attacked?
I sat down and began sorting through the ledgers. Most of it was outdated financial data—probably a test. Maybe King Liam wanted to see if I could handle the basics before giving me real access.
I kept thinking about last night. His pained voice. That name—Cecily. Who was she?
If she was important to King Liam, surely someone had written about it. Maybe the palace library had records or articles. It was worth checking.
"What are you thinking about so hard, Lady Esme?"
I jumped at his voice.
King Liam entered the office like he hadn't just cuddled me to sleep last night. I sat at my small desk in the corner, pretending not to notice how unaffected he looked.
"Nothing," I muttered, returning to the documents.
"Do you have the report for the last three years of the budget?" he asked.
"Halfway through," I said softly.
"Let me see it."
I handed him the half-finished document. He skimmed it with an unreadable expression.
"You're doing well. It's more detailed than anything Rower ever gave me."
I blinked, surprised. A compliment? From him?
"May I leave early, Your Majesty?" I asked hopefully.
"Trying to run from work?"
"No…"
"Then get back to it, Lady Esme."
Of course. The compliment was just a trap to keep me working. I sighed and got back to it, despite feeling like my bones were made of lead.
"We have dinner tonight," he said. "There's an unexpected guest."
"Who?"
"My stepmother. Lady Marget."
"Should I be worried?"
He looked at me. His eyes said it all—yes.
As we walked to the chambers to get changed for dinner, he spoke again.
"One more thing… about last night."
I stiffened.
He lowered his voice. "What happened between us—I'm sorry. I don't understand how you ended up on the couch with me when you were in bed."
His tone made it sound like he was accusing me of something.
"I heard you say something," I explained quickly. "You were having a nightmare. I came to check on you… and you pulled me in. I couldn't get out of your grip."
He stared at me, blank. Silent.
"Well then," he finally said, "to avoid more... incidents, I've decided our rooms will be connected. Just one door between us."
I nodded slowly. "That sounds… wise, Your Majesty."
He studied me for a second longer, then looked away.
We entered our rooms, and Lily helped me change into something more appropriate for dinner. As she tightened the corset and fixed my hair, my mind was still spinning with nervousness and the talk with King Liam. I wonder how I am being so bold and not stuttering.