Auren's POV:
I barely have a moment to adjust to the royal welcome Kael's just given me before we're whisked away. Practically thrown into an opulent chamber where the thick velvet curtains block out the sun.
Soft, golden light spills across the room, but I can't focus on the decor or the lavishness. No, my attention is solely captured by Kael who's leaning against the door, his eyes gleaming with a mix of smugness and something else.
Something... dangerous.
"Kael," I start, my voice shaky, still not fully recovered from earlier. "We should–"
I can't finish the sentence. He's already walking towards me with slow, deliberate steps.
His hands brushed the sides of my robe like he's savoring the feeling of fabric against skin. When he finally reaches me, his breath is warm against my ear. And for a second, I forgot how to breathe.
"Relax," he says, voice a whisper that sends shivers down my spine. "You've made it to my country, love. It's only right you feel… welcome."
"My country?" I thought he was just a commander??
I blink. I try to fight off the heat rising in my chest, but it's useless. He's doing this on purpose, torturing me in the best way possible.
Suddenly, my ears buzz as the system cheerfully interrupts.
System Notification:
"MISSION UPDATE: Host, do you remember you've been assigned a mission? It involves gathering information from Kael's inner circle. Stop making heart eyes at him! Focus, please. You have 3 days to complete this, and your current progress is… zero.
System: WHY is his tongue on your neck again, and WHY is this your priority??
I can feel the blush crawling up my neck, and my hands involuntarily grip the edge of the nearest table. Oh God, why am I still shocked by this?
"Kael," I manage to say, voice breaking with a mix of hesitation.
"Can we– can we talk about the mission?" I regret the words as soon as they leave my mouth, but I have to focus. I have to try to focus. But he's Kael. And his lips are dangerously close to mine again.
He tilts his head, a lazy smile creeping up on his face. "Mission?" he murmurs, his thumb brushing my lower lip like he's testing my resolve. "What mission, love?"
I freeze. My brain short circuits. "The mission the system gave me… to gather information from your inner circle…"
System Notification:
"YES, THAT'S the mission. Please stop flirting with him! You literally have 72 hours to do this, or else the mission will fail. Please look at your damn quest log. It's in front of you."
I attempt to pull myself together, trying not to focus on how close Kael is and how his breath feels like fire against my skin, or the way he's still touching me, like I'm his personal treasure.
"I've got… got time," I stammer, ignoring the system's warnings. "Plenty of time."
"You do," Kael agrees, the corner of his mouth lifting as he steps back, his eyes dark with something that makes my heart race. "But time has a way of slipping by, doesn't it?"
I swallow. "What do you mean by that?"
Kael's gaze drops to my lips before meeting my eyes again. "You'll find out soon enough."
And then he presses forward, cutting off my protest with a kiss so heated and consuming, it leaves no room for anything else.
Not the mission. Not the system. Not even the bitter, nagging ache in my chest.
For a moment, there's nothing but Kael.
His lips.
His hands.
His touch.
I forget everything.
System Notification:
WARNING: MISSION OBJECTIVE DELAYED. STOP LETTING HIM MAKE YOU A DOORMAT. You're wasting valuable time.
SYSTEM REMINDER: You have until midnight to start gathering information, and Kael is not helping your cause. ACT FAST. Please don't let his hands wander below the belt this time.
System: Stop kissing, Host. You literally don't even know how to gather information when you're acting like a starved kitten!
System: I'm… losing my faith in you.
You would think, after all that, I'd remember the mission. Or at least try to. But instead, I find myself pinned against the wall again, lips swollen from Kael's kisses, and my head so foggy with him I almost forget where I am.