11. Rowan
The palace still didn't feel real.
Too clean. Too quiet. Too... controlled.
Even the air felt different-like it had rules I didn't know yet.
And me?
I didn't belong here.
Didn't matter how much they paid me.
Didn't matter what uniform I wore.
Didn't matter that I walked these halls like I had a purpose.
I still felt like I was waiting for someone to tap me on the shoulder and tell me I wasn't supposed to be here.
"Rowan."
I turned slightly at the sound of my name.
One of the palace guards approached, posture straight, expression neutral.
"You have visitors."
Visitors?
I frowned. "I wasn't expecting anyone."
"They're waiting in the lower hall."
That was already a red flag.
No one I knew just casually walked into a palace.
"Who is it?" I asked.
"They gave the names Zayn and Luna."
I froze.
Then groaned quietly under my breath.
"Of course they did."
The guard raised a brow slightly.
"Shall I send them away?"
"No," I sighed. "I'll handle it."
Because if I didn't, they'd probably find a way deeper inside just to prove a point.
And honestly?
That sounded exactly like something Zayn would do.
The lower hall was just as polished as everything else.
Tall ceilings. Marble floors. Gold details that screamed money I couldn't even imagine.
And right in the middle of it-
Zayn and Luna.
Looking wildly out of place.
Zayn had his hands in his pockets, spinning slightly as he looked around like he was at some kind of museum.
Luna stood next to him, arms crossed, clearly unimpressed but also definitely taking everything in.
"Wow," Zayn muttered. "This place is insane."
"Told you," Luna said.
"That doesn't mean I believed you."
I walked toward them, already shaking my head.
"What are you doing here?"
They both turned.
Luna's expression immediately shifted when she saw my face.
Again.
Same reaction as before.
"What did he do to you?" she demanded, stepping closer.
"It's nothing," I said.
"It's not nothing."
"I'm fine."
"You're bruised."
"I've had worse."
"That's not the point," she snapped.
Zayn stepped closer too, squinting slightly at my face.
"Okay, yeah, that's bad," he said. "Like... actually bad."
"I said I'm fine."
"You always say that," Luna shot back.
"And I'm usually right."
"Not this time."
I exhaled slowly.
"This isn't why you're here."
"Actually, it kind of is," Zayn said.
I frowned. "What?"
"We were worried," Luna said, her tone softening just a little. "You disappeared. You didn't come home. You didn't answer properly. And now you look like that."
I rubbed the back of my neck.
"I told you I got a job."
"You didn't say it involved getting beaten up," Zayn added.
"Yeah, well... things happened."
"That's not an explanation," Luna said.
"It's the only one you're getting right now."
She stared at me.
Then sighed.
"Fine. Then explain the rest."
I blinked. "What rest?"
"The part where you said you're bonded to a prince," Zayn said flatly.
Right.
That.
I glanced around the hall quickly.
Still empty.
Still quiet.
Good.
"Keep your voices down," I muttered.
Zayn raised a brow. "Why? Is the king gonna pop out of a painting or something?"
"This is the palace," I said. "You don't just say things like that loudly."
He smirked slightly. "Relax, bodyguard."
I rolled my eyes.
"Come on," I said, gesturing for them to follow me toward a quieter corner.
We moved to the side of the hall, away from the main path.
More private.
Less chance of someone overhearing.
Then I leaned back against the wall, crossing my arms.
"Okay," I said. "You want the full story?"
"Yes," Luna said immediately.
"Definitely," Zayn added.
I exhaled slowly.
"Fine. But you're not gonna like it."
"Try us."
I hesitated.
Because saying it still felt unreal.
Because even I didn't fully believe it.
But they were here now.
No backing out.
"I met him at the ball," I started.
"The prince," Luna said.
"Yeah."
"And your wrists glowed," Zayn added
"Yeah."
"Still sounds insane," he muttered.
"It is insane."
"And that means you're... what? Soulmates?" Luna asked.
"I guess."
Zayn let out a low whistle. "Bro."
"I know."
"And he's the one who did that to your face?" Luna pressed.
I nodded.
Her expression darkened instantly.
"I hate him."
"You don't even know him."
"I don't need to."
Zayn crossed his arms. "What happened?"
"He snapped," I said. "Got angry. Took it out on me."
"Why?"
"Because I ignored the bond."
They both stared at me.
"You ignored-" Zayn stopped, then laughed once. "Of course you did."
"I didn't want to deal with it."
"And his solution was to punch you?" Luna said, voice sharp.
"Yeah."
Her jaw clenched.
"That's not okay."
"I know."
"No, you don't," she said. "If you knew, you wouldn't be standing here acting like it's nothing."
"I'm not acting like it's nothing."
"You literally said 'I'm fine.'"
"I am fine."
"You're not fine!"
Zayn held up a hand slightly. "Okay, okay-pause. What happened after?"
I hesitated.
Because this part-
This part made even less sense than the rest.
"He had a panic attack," I said.
Silence.
Then...
"What?" Zayn asked.
"After," I said. "Right after."
"And?" Luna asked carefully.
"I helped him."
They both blinked.
"You helped him?" she repeated.
"Yeah."
"Rowan."
"I know."
"No, you don't," she said. "He hurt you and you still helped him?"
I looked away slightly.
"I didn't think about it."
"That's the problem."
Zayn studied me more closely now.
"...You went back," he said.
"Yeah."
"Why?"
I didn't answer immediately.
Because I didn't want to say it again.
Didn't want to sit in it.
But they were waiting.
So...
"Because I know what that feels like," I said quietly.
Luna's expression softened again.
Zayn's too.
"You mean the panic attacks?" he asked.
I nodded.
"You never told me it was that bad," Luna said softly.
"I didn't want to worry you."
She stepped closer, gently touching my arm.
"You don't have to deal with everything alone."
I let out a small breath.
"Yeah," I muttered. "I know."
Zayn shook his head slightly.
"Still," he said. "That doesn't mean he gets a free pass."
"I'm not giving him one."
"Then why are you still here?" Luna asked.
I paused.
Because that was the real question, wasn't it?
Why was I still here?
Money?
Yeah.
The job?
Sure.
But there was something else.
Something I wasn't saying.
Something I didn't want to admit.
I shrugged slightly.
"It's complicated."
"That's not an answer," she said.
"It's the only one I've got."
Zayn sighed.
"You're in deep, man."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm not."
"You're magically bonded to a prince who beat you up and you still helped him breathe through a panic attack," he said flatly. "You're definitely in deep."
I huffed out a quiet laugh.
"When you say it like that, it sounds worse."
"Because it is worse."
Luna crossed her arms again.
"You should leave," she said.
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because I signed a contract."
"I don't care about the contract."
"I do."
"And what about you?" she asked. "Do you care about yourself?"
That hit.
I looked away.
Didn't answer.
Because I didn't have a good one.
"Rowan."
The voice cut through the moment.
Calm.
Controlled.
Too familiar.
My shoulders tensed immediately.
I turned.
And there he was.
Caelum.
Standing a few steps away.
Perfect posture.
Perfect composure.
Like nothing had happened.
Like he didn't leave marks on my face.
My jaw tightened.
Zayn stepped slightly in front of Luna without even thinking.
Protective.
Instinctive.
I noticed.
So did Caelum.
His gaze flicked to them briefly.
Assessing.
Then back to me.
"Your presence is required," he said.
Formal.
Distant.
Like earlier didn't exist.
Like we didn't stand in that room...
I forced the thought away.
"Yeah," I said shortly.
Luna looked between us.
Then back at me.
"That's him?" she whispered.
"Yeah."
"I still hate him."
"Luna..."
"No," she said quietly. "I mean it."
Zayn didn't say anything.
But the look he gave Caelum?
Yeah.
Message received.
I exhaled slowly.
"I've gotta go," I said.
"We're not done talking about this," Luna said.
"I know."
"Take care of yourself," Zayn added.
I nodded.
"I will."
They didn't look convinced.
Honestly?
Neither was I.
I walked past Caelum without saying anything else.
Falling into step behind him like always.
Three steps.
Silent.
Professional.
Like nothing had changed.
But it had.
Because now...
Now there was something heavier sitting in my chest.
Not just confusion.
Not just anger.
Something else.
Something I didn't want to name.
And as I followed him through those same polished halls...
All I could think about was what Luna said.
Do you care about yourself?
I clenched my jaw slightly.
Because I didn't know the answer.
And that...
That scared me more than anything else.