**Eloise**
I was losing my mind.
There was no other explanation for it.
It had been *days* since Caius kissed me, and yet, I couldn't stop thinking about it. The way he held me, the way his lips felt against mine—firm, desperate, *real.* I replayed it over and over in my head like a fool, and every time, my stomach twisted into impossible knots.
And then today happened.
He had *teased* me. *Provoked* me. As if I wasn't already on the verge of self-destruction.
I had been reckless in training, I knew that. But how was I supposed to focus when all I could think about was *him?*
His scent, his voice, the way he looked at me when he thought I wasn't paying attention.
Caius didn't wear any kind of cologne, but he still *smelled*—*good.* Like leather and steel, like the wind before a storm. It was intoxicating, and it made my head spin every time he got too close.
And then there was *that moment* in training today.
The way he pulled me against him, the way his body *fit* against mine.
I was a mess. An absolute, pathetic mess.
And now I had to sit across from him at dinner, pretending like nothing was wrong, while his old friend and the young chief carried on like we weren't in the middle of some slow-burning disaster.
It was torture.
The dwarven feast was lively, filled with laughter and the scent of roasted meats and spiced ale. The young chief sat at the head of the table, already a little drunk, while Caius' old friend, Aedric, grinned at me like he knew something I didn't.
"So, Eloise," Aedric mused, swirling his drink. "What's it like traveling with Caius?"
I blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Oh, you know." He smirked. "He's a difficult man. Cold, brooding, emotionally constipated—"
"Shut up, Aedric," Caius muttered, but there was no real bite to it.
I swallowed, suddenly feeling *too* warm. "I—uh, he's..."
Why was it so hard to answer?
Because all I could think about was *his hands on my waist, his breath against my ear, the way he looked at me like I was something worth protecting.*
Damn it.
"He's... dependable," I finally managed, keeping my voice steady. "He keeps me safe."
Aedric snorted. "That's an understatement. I've never seen Caius act the way he does around you."
I stiffened. "*What's that supposed to mean?*"
Aedric's smirk widened. "Just that he's different. Less of an ass, for one."
Caius shot him a look, but Aedric only laughed.
"Come on, Caius. I've known you for *years.* You don't let people in easily, but with *her*—" He gestured at me, waggling his eyebrows. "It's different."
My face *burned.*
I wanted to sink into the floor.
Caius didn't say anything, just took a slow sip of his drink, but I saw his jaw tighten.
The conversation moved on quickly after that, but my mind was still spinning.
*Caius is different around me?*
I snuck a glance at him, but he was focused on his food, looking completely unaffected.
Meanwhile, I could barely breathe.
I wasn't good at this. *Feelings.* Romance.
I had *written* love stories, sure, but I had never actually *felt* any of it myself. And now, here I was, drowning in emotions too big to contain, too big to understand.
It scared me.
But the scariest part?
I didn't *want* it to stop.
I had never felt like this before.
It was a slow, maddening ache—like a fire that refused to burn out, no matter how much I tried to smother it.
And the worst part?
*Caius knew.*
Oh, he *knew.*
Ever since Aedric had made that *ridiculous* comment at dinner, Caius had been different. He wasn't avoiding me, no—he was *toying* with me. Subtle things, little moments that made my heart race.
Like this morning, when we were preparing to leave the dwarven city.
I had been fastening my cloak when he had stepped behind me, far too close, and murmured, *"Let me."*
His fingers had brushed the back of my neck, just for a second, but it was enough to send a shiver down my spine. And he had *felt* it. I *know* he did, because when I turned to glare at him, there was that damn smirk on his face.
Then there was the way he would *watch* me.
Like now.
We were walking along the mountain path, the wind crisp and cool, the sky painted in soft shades of morning. The dwarves had sent us off with supplies, and Aedric had returned to his own travels, leaving just the two of us once more.
Caius walked beside me, silent as ever, but I *felt* his gaze on me.
I refused to look at him.
Instead, I focused on the mountains stretching before us, the winding roads leading toward the capital. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.
I needed to stop acting like some love-struck fool.
*He's just teasing you,* I told myself. *He enjoys seeing you flustered. Don't give him the satisfaction.*
"You're quiet today," Caius finally said, his voice deep and smooth.
I stiffened. "Am I?"
"Mm." He glanced at me. "Thinking about something?"
I *refused* to admit the truth. "Just... taking in the view."
Caius hummed, unconvinced. Then, after a pause, he said, "You do that a lot."
I frowned. "Do what?"
"Look at the world like it's something new."
I hesitated, unsure how to respond.
Because... wasn't it?
This was my world, *my* creation, but being here, *experiencing* it—it was *different.* Everything felt *real* in a way I had never imagined. The air, the people, the emotions...
Him.
Caius looked at me for a long moment before shaking his head, as if amused by something. "It suits you."
I blinked. "What does?"
He gave a small smile. "Wonder."
And just like that, my heart skipped a beat.
Damn him.
I turned away quickly, pretending to adjust my cloak.
This was getting *dangerous.*
Because if I wasn't careful, if I let myself fall any deeper—
There would be no coming back.