Her ears were ringing, but all Stella could focus on was that ringing, even with the round portal open right before her eyes. Brandon had hastily prepared her—yes, he had personally done so himself—and brought her swiftly to this secluded room in the farthest corner of the palace. Stella, cheeks flushed and mind swirling from the jumble of emotions she'd been experiencing barely half an hour ago, had showered, quickly slipped into the clothes Brandon had chosen for her, and watched him prepare himself, stripping completely without the slightest hesitation as she exited the bathroom. She had wanted to look away, or at least tried to, but Brandon had a body that would put the gods to shame. Though inexperienced and, in truth, naïve, Stella was certain that Brandon's physique and handsomeness were unique in the world. The very idea that there could be another like him seemed utterly impossible.

"Leave us." The servants and knights bowed to their king and queen and exited the large room, leaving them alone. Stella felt a chill run through her. Was Brandon sending her back, then? Had all the trouble he'd gone through to bring this portal to Solaria been just to see her brought even lower? She didn't even want to think about how he might have done it. Portals could only be opened by guardian fairies, and it took a sorcerer to keep them open. In other words, this was a two-person job. Had he truly managed to win the obedience of a guardian fairy and the service and time of a sorcerer so easily? Feeling her eyes well up, she clutched her dress more tightly. This dress was, after all, her favorite; it had belonged to her mother. Cream-colored with lively skirts, each layer crafted with delicate workmanship, its corset was so finely made that any woman would be entranced. How ironic that this would be the dress she'd die in; the moment she set foot in Solaria, death would follow her.

As the ringing in her ears intensified, she slowly realized it was, in fact, her heartbeat. Brandon stood beside her in black once again, trying to understand the cold, sad expression on Stella's face, but in vain. Unfortunately, he didn't yet know his spouse well enough to read her expressions. But he was learning quickly, and already, Brandon had figured out what Stella might enjoy, what would make her happy or sad, what pleased her, and what repulsed or scared her. In their few private moments together, Brandon couldn't help wondering if he had gone too far, but it was now beyond his control—the bond between him and Stella had passed that point. He had her soft sighs etched into his memory, and he didn't think he could give her up so easily. He couldn't even understand why he was holding back. It was her reaction, of course, that froze his blood as well—why was she so sad?

"Princess?"

As Stella's eyes closed, biting her lip to stifle the sob rising in her throat, Brandon's brow furrowed even more. He had been so excited, so eagerly awaiting this day. He realized he'd made the wrong choice in trying to please her—fine, but why? What was it about this portal that saddened her so deeply?

"Stella, what's happening? Don't you like it?" For a split second, Stella thought she might laugh, but the reality of her impending death weighed so heavily that she could hardly believe she was still standing, still breathing. After touching me that way, possessing me as if I belonged to him...why? It was true, Stella was still a virgin, but she was no longer untouched. That much would be enough for her uncle. Her eyes continued to burn as she realized her tears were already slipping down her cheeks. Brandon moved swiftly in front of her, cupping her face in his hands as Stella clenched her jaw and closed her eyes tightly. By what right did he touch me? He's still playing with me!

"Tell me what you want. Do you want me to close the portal?"

Her mind swirled as Stella could not muster the courage to open her eyes. Brandon, unsure of what to do, gently wiped her tears from her soft skin, caressing her as he took a step closer, pulling her tightly into his embrace. This time, as her eyes opened in disbelief, she looked at Brandon with incredulous eyes. What was he doing? Was he mocking her?

"Damn it, I thought it would make you happy. If I knew it would hurt you this much, I would have closed every portal in the universe, Stella, please, don't cry." As her body slowly calmed down from the shock, Stella continued to listen without rushing. Brandon was muttering to himself, calling it a surprise. A surprise, yes, Stella already knew that. He had arranged a portal that opened to Solaria, specifically to the three suns of Solaria, thinking it would be thoughtful, a way to let her gather her strength when she felt weak and exhausted, but he'd been wrong. Where had he failed? What had he done wrong, exactly? Brandon would have done anything to prevent her from falling ill and bedridden. If needed, he would even bring the sun to her, though that would likely destroy Solaria and break Stella's heart even more. This was why he had chosen this solution instead.

As his lips moved across Stella's hair and forehead, his hands tightened around her slim waist, pulling her close. Brandon leaned in even further, lowering his head to see her face as thoughts he shouldn't be having filled his mind. Stella, her eyes wide open in surprise and curiosity, watched him. When he realized her sobbing had stopped, he eased a little, clasping her chin as he pressed his lips against her tear-streaked, salty ones, drawing in her breath. It was getting harder to control himself, and Stella's gradually relaxing body wasn't making it any easier. His hand moved from her chin to the back of her neck, and as his tongue urged her to part her lips, she allowed it, lost amidst a mess of feelings she couldn't untangle, opening her mouth as Brandon kissed her hungrily. Her body softened and relaxed on its own, and only as her back met the cold stone wall did Stella realize he was pressing her against it, causing her to shudder and pull her lips away from his. Brandon, pressing kisses all over her face between breaths, held her tightly as she clung to him. She wouldn't fall, of course, but she wasn't certain she could stand on her own either.

"Tell me what you want. Why did the portal bother you?"

Brandon whispered into her ear, grazing her earlobe with his lips, and Stella let out a shaky breath, swallowing hard. She'd realized now that she'd misunderstood — that much was clear. But how was she going to explain this? Brandon hadn't been there on their first night; in that moment, Stella had been able to shake off her uncle's influence. The next morning, however, she had, unfortunately, noticed that she had an issue concerning him, but she had interpreted it differently. That would certainly be better, because if Brandon found out Stella had actually been harassed and had always refrained from eating or drinking just to protect herself, he would certainly want to be rid of her. Who would want a girl from such a sick family?

When Stella remained silent, Brandon looked at her seriously. Even while crying, she was so beautiful that he felt torn. Her tears had pained him, yet he wanted to stand back and savor her beauty. Stella was starting to turn him into something illogical and dependent, but this didn't bother him; on the contrary, it pleased him. His hand rose to tuck a strand of her wavy hair behind her ear as Stella locked her eyes on his, contemplating what to say. She realized that waiting any longer would only make things worse, so she cleared her throat. When Brandon looked at her expectantly, Stella felt herself melt inside. I don't deserve this attention.

"I… I was happy. I cried from joy."

Brandon frowned, trying to understand the reason behind her lie, when suddenly Stella shocked him by flashing him a smile. He'd seen her crying and thought to himself, "How can such beauty exist?" But now, realizing the true beauty lay in her smile, he was… He shook his head. It couldn't be — could it? So soon? How could he know he was in love and be so certain? His heart pounded hard enough that the guards outside could likely hear it, and he fought the urge to sit down. He was in love, head-over-heels in love with Stella. And this wasn't even surprising. He'd already been struck when he first saw her; Stella truly had the kind of beauty that could make goddesses envious. And the more Brandon got to know her, the more he talked to her, he found himself drawn not only to her beauty but also to her personality. Stella was his opposite. Brandon was cold and dark; Stella was vibrant, warm, and bright. Stella was light. She was pure-hearted, a girl with a spirit even purer than his. Brandon thought twice, even thrice, before touching her, as though he could break her or harm her at any moment.

He licked his lips, feeling a twisted hunger to savor her again, but he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he reopened them, determined not to make her regret that smile, he noticed she was looking at the portal. Slowly, he reached out to caress her smooth cheek. "I wanted you near the sun so you wouldn't fall ill." When Stella looked at him in astonishment, this time she wasn't the only one surprised. Brandon had realized she'd misunderstood. But what did she think? That he'd sent her back to Solaria or something? That would make him laugh. Even if five kingdoms united — and Nyxoria was among them — nobody could take Stella from him. Not that Brandon would ever give her up himself, anyway. He really could've laughed if Stella hadn't actually started approaching the portal with genuine excitement.

"How did my uncle allow this?" She knew she shouldn't have asked, as Brandon already loathed her uncle. But Stella had never seen those suns even once, and although she should have had the right to visit on her own when she came of age, it had never been allowed. It was all pointless anyway; she didn't have her ring, Solaria's third sun… As her head drooped in disappointment, Stella let out a weary breath. She wouldn't be able to take her power with her, yes, but at least she would have seen the suns.

"Who said I asked for permission? You are Solaria's princess, the guardian of the sun, moon, and stars, Stella. This is your most natural right."

How did Brandon know that? The guardian of the sun, moon, and stars… Some guardian! She hadn't once seen her fairy form, never had the chance to use her power actively. What kind of a guardian did that make her? A miserable one.

When Stella turned her gaze to Brandon and smiled again, Brandon had to hold himself back from clutching his chest. As if that wasn't enough, her lips found his cheek, and Brandon swallowed hard, realizing that he was the one whose ears were ringing and frozen in place. Her light touch softened something within him, and he forced himself to steady, slipping his hand into his pocket. As Stella looked at him questioningly, he took her hand and added another ring next to the one he'd inherited from his mother. This time, Stella could feel herself losing her breath. Her eyes darted from the ring to Brandon, and as he watched her, he realized he could look at her like this forever, smiling at her stunned expression. His grin softened as Stella threw her arms around his neck, clutching him tightly as if her life depended on it. He wrapped his arms around her slim waist while Stella, still holding him close, murmured a stream of thank-yous and looked at the ring on her finger – the third sun of Solaria. My ring, the ring that was taken from me and kept hidden for years. How had Brandon…? Brandon rubbed her back and pressed his lips to her neck in a deep, intense kiss that made her legs tremble. She pulled back slowly, her eyes wide with amazement.

"Don't look at me like that, Princess, or I'm not sure I'll make it to the bedroom." Though Stella blushed, she wasn't even bothered by him calling her "Princess." He could've called her a servant, and she'd still have been the happiest person alive. "You… how did you… how did you know about my ring?"

Brandon pressed his lips to her forehead, a voice inside him groaning, you can go two minutes without kissing her. That was the problem – he couldn't. He met Stella's questioning gaze, ready with an answer he had prepared for this very moment.

"It's a well-known legend. At first, I thought you just didn't wear it, but when I checked your jewelry box and you still weren't wearing it, I assumed it wasn't with you. As for why it's not with you, I suppose that's an answer only you can give."

Stella bit her lip, and Brandon clucked his tongue, shaking his head. He released her lip with his finger, drawing soft circles on her waist while planting a small kiss on her nose. "Is there a secret between us, Princess?"

She shook her head, carefully selecting her words to be as honest as possible. This wasn't something she could just blurt out.

"My uncle… he took it from me to keep it safe." It wasn't exactly a lie, but Brandon could read her well enough to sense there was more to it. In the large, empty room, only an open portal and the two of them remained. Then, without warning, Brandon lifted Stella into his arms, and she let out a surprised yelp. Ignoring her reaction, he slowly carried her toward the large windowsill, setting her on the ledge and positioning himself between her legs. As her amber eyes traced his sharp features, Brandon played with her hair, studying her face.

"One day, when you finally tell me everything…" His voice was husky. Stella felt a pang between her legs. As if sensing her reaction, Brandon pressed himself against her, drawing a soft moan mixed with a murmur from her. When she bit her lip again, Brandon didn't feel the need to stop her this time. "When that day comes, anyone who's wronged you, Stella, will be hanging from the gallows."

Stella swallowed, lifting her gaze to his, which held a look she wasn't used to seeing in him. These weren't his usual glances – they were more sincere, and somehow… Her cheeks flushed deeply, and knowing he was the reason for her rosy complexion made him proud. He gathered her dress, slowly lifting its hem. Stella was trapped in his gaze, unable to make a sound. She wanted this, wanted his touch, his breath – she wanted him. Her heart pounded in her throat, and as she realized she'd be heading to Solaria and that her uncle might deem her touched now, a pang of regret turned into a surge of desire. She wanted to return in her own way, with no regrets. The devil on her shoulder laughed, whispering filthy thoughts that made her cheeks burn even more, though she knew it wasn't just her hormones. Stella was beginning to fall for Brandon – and really, anyone in her position would.

Brandon had already lifted her dress to her waist and was gently massaging her bare thighs. Though his body and soul wanted nothing more than something else entirely, right now, he just wanted to love her.

"I love hearing your voice." Stella looked at him, and in return, Brandon's tone grew serious. He dropped to his knees and began to kiss her legs, starting from her thigh and trailing down to her high-heeled feet. "But it seems you enjoy keeping me in silence."

She shook her head quickly, but Brandon, smiling, caressed her ankle before raising his gaze to meet hers again, looking into the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen.

"Gorgeous, I would love it if you talked to me."

If I could find my voice, she thought to herself, she would speak! If she could, she'd say so much, but all she could do was stare at him. She wasn't the only one affected; they were equals in this moment. Perhaps because she didn't get out much, Stella felt certain that she'd never seen anyone as handsome as Brandon. She placed her hand over his on her knee, meeting his gaze directly. Brandon felt a wave of warmth spreading through him, surprised by her uncharacteristic boldness. When she did get close to him, it wasn't usually like this. Now, her eyes held courage and longing. Swallowing hard, Brandon held her gaze. For the first time, he felt stunned, shaken not by a mere touch, but by a pure, sincere pair of eyes.

"Thank you… for everything. This is the most beautiful gift I've ever received."

This time, it was Brandon who couldn't find his voice. The gratitude and warmth in her words filled him with pride and a deeper desire to give her more, to give her everything – the best, the most beautiful, and the finest.

"Stella…" But whatever he was going to say was cut short as the doors swung open. With swift, practiced movements, Brandon lowered her dress, holding her waist to help her stand. He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead before his face turned cold, focusing on the person who dared to enter without permission.