crown of self-interest

The heavy, velvety silence of the night settled over Verathen, broken only by the occasional distant howl of the wind. Zaros stood at the large window of his chambers, his hands clasped behind his back as he looked out over the city he now ruled. Below, the streets were quiet, the people oblivious to the immense power that simmered just beyond their understanding.

But Zaros’s mind was not on the city tonight. His thoughts stretched further, far beyond Verathen’s borders, to the distant lands he had only heard of in fragments, in whispers passed down through the ages. He had studied the maps, pieced together what little knowledge remained of the civilizations that lay beyond, but it was not enough. He needed to see them for himself. And to do that, he would need to act soon.

Behind him, Rielin stirred from where she had been lying on the wide, silken-draped bed. She watched him in the dim light, her body a shadow against the dark sheets, her gaze lingering on his silhouette. The tension between them, now a well-practiced dance, still burned hot beneath the surface. But tonight, there was something else—something darker, a hunger in Zaros’s eyes that she hadn’t seen before.

"You're restless," she observed, her voice soft but carrying the same strength that had always drawn him to her.

He did not turn to face her immediately, still watching the city, but his response came swiftly, edged with the weight of his thoughts. "The time is nearing, Rielin. Verathen is secure, but it’s only a piece of the puzzle. I need the rest."

Her gaze narrowed slightly, studying the lines of his back, the way his posture exuded control. "You have your plans for the world," she said, her voice growing quieter, more intimate. "But what about the hidden lands? The places even the maps cannot show? You've mentioned them before—the legends, the whispers of things unseen."

At that, Zaros turned, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made the air between them crackle. He walked toward her with slow, deliberate steps, the shadows in the room seeming to cling to him as if they were a part of his being. He stopped at the edge of the bed, his gaze burning into her.

"There are forces at play even I do not yet fully understand," he admitted, his voice low, rough with a mixture of desire and ambition. "But I will. No matter what it takes."

Rielin sat up, the sheet slipping down to reveal her bare shoulders, her body still marked by the faint bruises of their earlier encounter. She reached out, her hand resting lightly on his arm, fingers tracing the fine fabric of his robes. "And where will this take us?" she asked, her tone a blend of curiosity and challenge. "These other lands—are they as dangerous as you believe?"

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Zaros’s mouth, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "Dangerous?" He leaned closer, his lips brushing the shell of her ear as he whispered, "There is no danger I cannot bend to my will."

Her breath hitched slightly at the closeness, but she maintained her composure, leaning back slightly to meet his gaze once more. "I’ve no doubt of that, my lord. But I wonder—will these lands yield to you as easily as I have?"

Zaros’s hand moved to her chin, tilting her head back slightly as he loomed over her. "You haven’t yielded, Rielin. Not truly," he murmured, his thumb brushing her lower lip in a way that sent a thrill down her spine. "But soon, even the hidden places of this world will bow before me. And you will see just how far I can take this."

Her lips parted slightly at his touch, a mixture of defiance and submission warring in her eyes. "Then show me," she whispered, her voice barely audible but carrying the weight of the challenge.

Without another word, Zaros closed the distance between them, his hand sliding from her chin to the back of her neck as he kissed her with a fierceness that spoke of more than just desire—it was domination, a claim. And she welcomed it, leaning into him, her body pressing against his as the flames of their shared ambition—and hunger—ignited once again.

But even as they gave in to the tension between them, Zaros’s mind remained sharp, focused. Beyond these walls, beyond this city, lay the true test of his power. And he would stop at nothing to conquer it.

When the morning came, the world would change.