The moons were high when Hassian arrived. The conservatory glowed soft and golden beneath its glass ceiling, casting lamplight through the trees and grass like a beacon.

He hadn’t planned to come.

But as he lay in his Grove, wide awake, staring at the stars he usually found comfort in, all he could think about was her. Her voice, her skin, her scent. The sound she made when she laughed. The way her mouth curled before she said something smart.
He’d given up fighting it.

The door creaked as he stepped inside. Tau gave a small huff and promptly went to lay at the foot of the bed.

Lyra looked up from her book, her hair loose around her shoulders. She smiled.
“Hello, handsome.”

He pulled off his bow and quiver. “Hello, beautiful. Couldn’t sleep. Couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

She didn’t tease him. Just opened the blanket beside her and said, “Then come here.”

He did. He slipped off his boots and tunic and slid in beside her, pulling her against him with a quiet urgency.

The warmth of her body met his, the world narrowing to the sound of their breathing. His lips brushed her ear, voice low and rough.

“Mine. Tell me you’re mine, Lyra. I need to hear it.”

She blinked, a faint smile curving her lips. Her reply came soft and sure.
“Yours… I’m yours, hunter. Tell me you love me again.”

“I do. I love you, baby.”

“I love you too,” she whispered, and the words trembled like a promise.

Hassian nuzzled into her neck, his breath warm against her skin.
“I need you. I need to be close to you.”

“I want that,” she breathed, pressing closer.

His mouth curved in a low smile. “Then hold on tight, little girl.”

Their lips met — hungry, unrestrained. The bed shifted beneath them as the world fell away, leaving only the rhythm of their hearts and the hush of the night around them.

There was no space between them now — only skin and breath and the unspoken language of wanting. She rose to meet him, soft gasps and quiet sighs filling the dark, and he lost himself in her again, willingly, greedily, completely. She pulled him under and made him feel like the only man who had ever existed.

When at last they stilled, trembling in each other’s arms, Lyra lay against his chest, tracing slow lines over his skin.

“You make me feel so wanted,” she said breathlessly.

“I’ve never wanted anything as much as I do you.”

Later, she slept curled against him, their legs tangled, her head resting on his shoulder. Hassian lay awake, one hand drawing lazy circles over her hip beneath the sheet, still trying to believe that this—she—was real.

He still couldn't sleep. Not because of restlessness, but because of how full he felt. Of her. Of this. His mind wandered forward—into mornings he might wake to her warmth, days they could fill together, challenges they might face. He felt the weight of all the tomorrows he wanted with her pressing gently against his chest, and it made him even more certain that he wouldn’t let a single one slip away.

He looked around the conservatory again—green walls, earthy furniture, coral cushions, a space carved out in the world just for them. Her effort humbled him every time he stepped inside. She had thought of everything. Even space for Tau. He exhaled slowly through his nose and closed his eyes for a moment.

Maybe he’d ask her to teach him to garden. He wasn’t much for plants, but it would be good, he figured. If they could hunt and grow their own food—if they could build something together from the ground up—that felt like the kind of life he wanted. Something steady. Something that lasted. Something for their future.

His hand moved slowly over her skin. He couldn’t seem to stop touching her. Couldn’t seem to get enough.

Once, silence had been his refuge. Now, lying here, he realized silence was even better when she shared it with him. She never demanded, never rushed. She simply waited, steady and patient, offering warmth without expectation.

He thought about a few days ago, when she’d gone on another overnight hunt with her group. He told her the usual—“just stay safe.” But he’d barely made it to nightfall before tracking them down in Bahari, just to see her. Just to say goodnight. They’d stepped into the woods to steal a few kisses and ended up getting caught by Rex, who got a little too amused by the scene. He had to threaten him with Tau again.

He grinned quietly at the memory.

This. All of this. This was what he wanted his future to be.

She stirred slightly in her sleep and nestled closer, as if she already knew.

Hassian looked down at her, brushing a kiss to her temple. “You’re here,” he whispered. It wasn’t a question.

She nodded against his chest. “I’m not going anywhere.”

The stars above burned bright.
And this time, Hassian didn’t doubt it—he was exactly where he was meant to be.