The Crown's Seduction-Chapter 490: One Last Chance

The visitation to Norma went smoothly, and ever since the incident in the carriage, Raul had kept his distance. He allowed Niran to accompany the Queen wherever she went but never once stayed close to her.

That was until the rogues attacked.

It had been a long time since Niran had used her magic like this. She cast a protective barrier around the Queen and those uninfected while the King, Raul, and the soldiers fought off the attackers.

Her hands trembled as she maintained the shield. The effort drained her faster than she anticipated. As the last of the enemies fell, the barrier flickered before shattering into glowing embers. Niran staggered, breathless and lightheaded.

"Ah, I miss Dani and the rest, Milady," Niran said weakly, trying to mask her exhaustion with humor. "But I’m glad I was at your side and able to help, just like old times."

Queen Mineah chuckled. "They missed all the action."

But before they could continue, the Queen’s body swayed. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she collapsed.

"Your Majesty!" Niran cried out, but before she could react, the King caught Mineah in his arms. In the blink of an eye, they both vanished.

Niran’s heart pounded. "She used up too much energy, she needs to replenish it." Without hesitation, she turned to follow where the King might have taken her.

But before she could take a step, a firm grip seized her wrist.

"Where do you think you’re going?" Raul’s deep voice sent a shiver down her spine. His frown was as sharp as ever.

"The Queen needs me. She has to recover-"

"No!" Raul snapped. "Do you even realize how much energy you just lost? You’re in no condition to help anyone right now!"

Before she could argue, the world around her blurred.

She gasped. A strange weightlessness overtook her as she found herself encased inside a shimmering sphere. Her stomach lurched as she realized they were moving.

’Are we... traveling?’ she wondered hazily.

"What’s happening?" she murmured, barely able to keep her eyes open.

Raul’s voice was sharp but controlled. "I’m taking you home. You need to recover."

Despite his scolding tone, Niran couldn’t help but smile. Her vision blurred, but the warmth in her chest remained.

He was worried about her.

And that was enough.

As they traveled within Raul’s mist form, Niran’s exhaustion caught up to her. Her limbs felt impossibly heavy, her mind hazy, but she still noticed the way Raul tightened his grip around her. His arms were firm, steady, possessive even.

When they finally reached the palace, Raul carried her effortlessly through the halls.

"Put me down," she murmured, though she didn’t mean it.

Raul ignored her, pushing open the doors to her chambers with one hand before laying her down on the bed. His movements were sharp, almost rough, but the way he tucked the blanket around her betrayed his care.

"You’re reckless," he muttered, standing over her with his arms crossed. "Throwing yourself into danger like that, what were you thinking?"

Niran gave a tired chuckle. "I was thinking I could help."

Raul exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand down his face in frustration. "You could have collapsed, Niran. No, you did collapse. Do you even realize how weak you were back there?" His jaw tightened, his expression unreadable. "Next time, you stay behind me. Do you understand?"

Something in his tone made her heart pound. He cared. He was angry because he cared.

A warmth spread through her chest, overwhelming her exhaustion. Without thinking, without hesitation, she moved, throwing herself into his arms.

Raul stiffened. "Niran-"

She cut him off with a kiss.

It was sudden, desperate. A silent plea for him to feel what she felt, to acknowledge what he kept trying to push away.

For a moment, he didn’t move. His whole body tensed as if warring with himself. Then, his hands gripped her arms, not pushing her away, but holding her in place.

Niran deepened the kiss, pouring all of her emotions into it.

Even if he tried to deny it, she knew he wanted this too.

As Niran pressed herself against him, she felt the tension in his body. It was rigid at first, a clear sign of his internal struggle. But she refused to pull back. Instead, she let the kiss deepen, her instincts guiding her as she slid her tongue gently against his lips, coaxing them open.

Raul’s breath hitched at the unexpected boldness, and for a brief moment, she felt him freeze... fighting the pull, the desire. But Niran didn’t pull away. She wanted him to feel everything she was. Every ounce of yearning, frustration, and longing.

Her tongue slid past his lips, tracing the curve of his mouth, as she deepened the kiss further. She could taste the remnants of their earlier exchanges... the lingering tension, the soft heat of their shared moments.

Raul’s hands shifted, almost unwillingly, but they didn’t push her away. Instead, they landed on her waist, tightening, holding her against him, pulling her closer.

For a heartbeat, time seemed to stretch, their breaths coming in ragged bursts, their bodies pressing together with an intensity that neither of them had allowed before. She felt him, the heat of his body, the way he couldn’t stop himself from responding, even if he tried.

He groaned low in his throat as his grip tightened, his hands moving to her back as if he couldn’t stand the distance between them any longer. Yet, even then, a part of him was still trying to control the situation, his lips still hesitant, unsure.

But Niran didn’t stop. She kissed him harder, her hands sliding to his chest, feeling the rapid thrum of his heartbeat under her touch. She was bold, insistent, and yet tender as if telling him through this kiss that she was here, truly here, and that she wouldn’t let him hide from what was between them anymore.

When she finally pulled back, her breath ragged, their faces were mere inches apart. Raul’s chest heaved, his eyes darkened with an unreadable expression.

"I won’t run away from you, Raul," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I will stay with you no matter what. Please give me one last chance..." she pleaded.