SOULBOUND: Forbidden Hearts

"Our guest is already in the royal chamber, Your Majesty," Chamberlain Selvaris informed, bowing slightly.

"Guest?" the king repeated, his brows knitting in mild confusion.

"The Drachen girl, Your Majesty," Selvaris clarified.

Ah, right. The girl. He recalled the orders he'd given to his servants to feed and bathe the girl.

The king leaned back in his chair, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He wasn't particularly thrilled about sharing his personal space with a potential assassin. Yet, the risk didn't trouble him. On the contrary, keeping the girl close had its advantages, regardless of whether she was a friend or foe.

There was something odd about that girl that unsettled him.

Maximus tried to reason with himself. It wasn't the fact that her scent was, quite possibly, the most intoxicatingly delicious thing he had ever encountered. Nor was it the undeniable beauty hiding behind the grime and tattered appearance. Both facts were true, yet irrelevant. Besides, he wasn't some lustful mutt who could lose control at the mere sight of a beautiful woman—especially if that said woman is a potential assassin.

No.

He kept her because he intended to use her.

Her ability to speak Götter intrigued him most. If the girl could chant in Götter, she could be an invaluable asset. All he had to do was figure out what kind of magic she was capable of wielding, and harness it.

 ❛ ━━━━━━･❪ 🎕 ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜

After finally finishing the mountain of paperwork that had consumed his day, Maximus retired to the royal bathhouse. The warm, scented waters and the attentions of his servants helped ease the tension from his body as they bathed and dressed him for the night. He allowed himself to linger, savoring the quiet moments, before finally heading to his chamber to rest.

When he entered his room, the soft glow of dimly lit lamps greeted him, casting warm golden light across the lavish space. He moved toward his bed, steps deliberate. But as he neared, something caught his attention—a subtle movement.

The curtains near the window shifted, though he knew the windows were securely closed.

His sharp instincts kicked in, as his voice cut through the silence, low and venomous. "Who's there?"

His golden eyes fixed on the corner of the room, where a shadow stirred. From behind the curtain emerged a trembling figure—a girl, her gorgeous blond locks catching the faint light like spun gold. She cowered, her arms wrapped around herself as her body shivered in fear.

And then, he remembered. Our guest is already in the royal chamber, Your Majesty, Chamberlain Selvaris had said earlier.

The slave girl.

Maximus stared at her for a moment, the events of the day flooding back. Due to the demands of his work for the day, he had completely forgotten about her.

Something inside him stirred upon seeing her, and he knew this girl was a danger to him.

 ❛ ━━━━━━･❪ 🎕 ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜

After the nobles had departed from the throne room, leaving her alone and trembling, a group of attendants approached her.

"Good day, my lady," said a woman who appeared to be in charge. Her voice was calm but carried an edge of authority. "I am Aelvira Riverclaw, the royal head maid. We are here to escort you. Please, come along." She gestured politely, her movements deliberate and composed.

She hesitated, her mind clouded with confusion. The words spoken were foreign to her still, but she managed to pick up enough meaning to understand their intent. Unsure and wary, she reluctantly followed the group as they led her through the grand halls.

Eventually, they arrived at an expansive bathhouse. She froze in awe as her eyes took in the scene. The space was immaculate, glowing with soft light that reflected off marble floors and gilded fixtures. Crystal-clear water flowed gently into a massive pool, surrounded by pristine white tiles and elegant columns.

"My lady," Aelvira said, her voice drawing her attention. The head maid stepped closer, gesturing toward her torn camisole. "Allow me."

She instinctively stepped back, her wariness spiking. She had been on edge since the moment she arrived in this strange place, and she would just flinch whenever anyone would go near her.

"We're not gonna hurt you." She softly said. There was something in Aelvira's demeanor that calmed her a bit. She wasn't like the other people who had hurt her based on how she acts towards her. Slowly, she nodded, allowing the head maid and her attendants to approach.

As they worked to undress and prepare her for the bath, she couldn't shake her unease. The way their hands moved, so gentle and practiced, felt alien to her. She flinched more than once at their touch, body reacting before her mind could catch up. The attendants exchanged looks, some puzzled, others tinged with barely concealed disdain.

She lowered her gaze, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. Whatever her past had been, she was certain she hadn't been accustomed to such treatment. The sensation of being cared for—of being pampered—was jarring to say the least that she just wanted to escape from here.