CROWN OF FORBIDDEN HEARTS
Chapter 46: FREEDOM & A PASSIONATE KISS

Chapter 46: 46: FREEDOM & A PASSIONATE KISS

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Zara held Scarlet tightly as they walked through the dimly lit corridors, her arm wrapped securely around the injured woman’s waist. Scarlet was pale, her breaths shallow, but she refused to show weakness. She never did. Blood had soaked through her tunic, a dark stain spreading across the fabric, and every few steps, she stumbled, her body weakening.

Zara tightened her grip. "Just a little more," she murmured, trying to reassure both Scarlet and herself.

They finally reached her chambers, and Zara pushed open the heavy wooden doors. The room was warm, the glow of candlelight flickering against the stone walls. She guided Scarlet to the bed, helping her sit down before rushing to grab clean cloths and a bowl of warm water.

Scarlet let out a low groan as she leaned back against the pillows. "I’ve had worse," she muttered, attempting a smirk.

Zara gave her a sharp look. "That doesn’t make this any better."

Scarlet watched as Zara dipped a cloth into the warm water and pressed it against the wound. She hissed in pain but didn’t flinch. "You shouldn’t have done that back there," she said after a moment. "Kneeling for me... defending me like that. You could’ve gotten yourself killed."

Zara didn’t answer right away. Instead, she focused on cleaning the wound, her hands steady despite the way her heart was still racing. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft. "I couldn’t just stand there and watch him hurt you."

Scarlet studied her for a moment. "You are such an incredible woman" she finally said.

Zara stilled. She let out a slow breath and placed a hand gently over Scarlet’s wound. "thank you."

It had been so long since she had used her powers. Since Erythian. Since Mirenna. The thought of it made her chest tighten. She had sworn to herself that she wouldn’t use her gift again, that it wasn’t hers to wield anymore. But this... this was different.

Scarlet was different.

Closing her eyes, she let herself remember what it felt like to heal, to give life instead of watching everything around her die. A warmth spread from her palms, a golden light flickering faintly at her fingertips. Scarlet gasped, her body tensing, and then, her wound began to knit itself back together.

The pain faded.

The bleeding stopped.

Zara pulled her hands away, breathless.

Scarlet stared at her, wide-eyed. "You—you haven’t done that in months."

Zara gave a small, tired smile. "I know."

Scarlet exhaled, shaking her head. "You shouldn’t have wasted your power on me."

Zara laughed softly. "I wouldn’t call saving your life a waste."

Scarlet let out a short breath, something almost like a chuckle. "Still," she muttered, "it’s dangerous. You know what could happen if you extended yourself so much to heal.."

"I don’t care," Zara said simply.

For a moment, they sat in silence. Then, Scarlet smirked. "You’re calmer than I remember."

Zara scoffed. "And you’re more dramatic than I remember."

Scarlet gasped in mock offense. "Excuse you, I have always been dramatic, im just really quiet and so its hard to notice."

Zara burst into laughter. A real, genuine laugh. It felt strange, foreign even but it warmed something deep inside her, something she thought had been lost forever.

They spent the rest of the night talking.

For the first time in so long, Zara allowed herself to just...be. To forget the war, the pain, the losses. She and Scarlet spoke like they were little girls again, whispering secrets and old memories into the night.

Scarlet told her about the first time she held a sword, how she had nearly sliced off her own ear.

Zara told her about the time Mirenna had convinced her to sneak into the royal kitchens to steal honey cakes, only for them to be caught and forced to scrub floors for an entire week.

They laughed until tears streamed down their faces.

They spoke of the past, of dreams that once felt so close.

"I miss her," Zara admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I miss the girl I used to be."

Scarlet, for once, didn’t have a sharp remark. Instead, she reached out, squeezing Zara’s hand. "She’s still in there."

Zara let out a slow breath. "Sometimes, I don’t know."

The candle between them flickered, its soft light casting golden warmth over the room.

For the first time in what felt like years, Zara felt at peace. She felt...happy.

She felt...free

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The peace didn’t last.

Before sunrise, the heavy doors burst open.

Zara and Scarlet turned in alarm as Alaric stormed inside, his presence swallowing the room whole. His golden eyes burned with something dark, something possessive.

"Out," he commanded, his voice like steel.

Scarlet stood slowly, her eyes narrowing. "You can’t order me around like some dog Alaric."

Alaric didn’t even look at her. "I said out."

Zara’s chest tightened as Scarlet hesitated. But they both knew staying would only make things worse.

With one last glance at Zara, Scarlet turned and left.

The door shut behind her.

And then, Alaric was upon Zara.

His hands gripped her arms, his breath warm against her skin. "You have gotten so bold now and you defy me any chance you get" his voice was a low growl, his grip tightening.

Zara trembled.

Not with fear.

But because of the spell.

Her body burned, her skin alive with unwanted desire.

Yet, as he pushed her against the bed, as his lips claimed hers with violent possession, her body betrayed her once more.

Her mind screamed.

Her soul wept.

But her body?

Her body surrendered.

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Later that evening, Zara sat in her chambers, feeling sick.

She had been staring at the floor for hours, her hands curled into fists, her body aching in ways she couldn’t explain.

Then, without warning, Scarlet barged in.

Zara barely had time to react before Scarlet grabbed her, shoving her onto the bed.

"What are you—?"

Scarlet ignored her, grabbing her by the legs and spreading them apart.

Zara’s face burned with embarrassment. "Scarlet, what the—"

Scarlet’s eyes zeroed in on the mark Alaric had left on her inner thigh, the glowing red bite that sealed the love bind spell.

Scarlet pressed a cloth against it, a cloth soaked in something, Alaric’s saliva. Zara gasped at the sensation, a sharp sting spreading through her skin.

Scarlet began chanting under her breath, her voice steady, unwavering.

Zara felt something shift inside her.

The spell cracked.

Broke.

The fog in her mind cleared, the invisible chains around her heart snapped.

She gasped, clutching her chest as relief, pure, undeniable relief washed over her.

She felt light.

She felt whole.

Scarlet pulled back, her lips quirking into a smirk. "It’s done."

Zara blinked at her, breathless. "You—what did you just do?"

Scarlet sat back, arms crossed. "I just took out the love bind spell."

Zara’s heart pounded. She felt free. Really, truly free.

Without thinking, she threw herself into Scarlet’s arms, hugging her so tightly she thought she might never let go.

Scarlet tensed in surprise, then let out a soft chuckle, patting Zara’s back. "Alright, alright. No need to get all emotional."

Zara laughed, pulling back with tears in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered.

Scarlet’s expression softened. "Don’t let him find out," she warned. "Pretend if you have to."

Zara nodded.

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Zara stepped outside for the first time in what felt like forever, the warmth of the sun touching her skin, the scent of fresh air filling her lungs. The garden was alive with color, roses, lilies, and wildflowers swayed in the gentle breeze.

For the first time in so long, she felt free.

The weight that had pressed on her chest for months had lifted. The air tasted sweeter, the sky looked bluer, and her hands, her hands no longer trembled with grief or helplessness. She wasn’t bound anymore. She wasn’t trapped in her own body, forced to feel something that wasn’t real.

A sudden laugh bubbled up in her throat, light and unrestrained.

And then—she saw him.

Alaric stood near the stone steps, speaking with a few council members. He looked sharp as always, dressed in deep crimson robes, his sword hanging from his belt. His presence was commanding, powerful, untouchable. He was always in control. Always untouchable.

But not today.

A rush of emotions surged through Zara, anger, happiness, freedom, recklessness. She felt everything all at once. It was overwhelming, suffocating. She needed to do something, anything, to release it.

So she did.

Without thinking, without hesitating, she stormed toward him, Before he or anyone else could react, she grabbed his arm and yanked him backward, dragging him away from the stiff councilmen and startled palace attendants.

Alaric barely had time to look surprised before she crashed against him, fisting his collar, and kissed him.

Not gently.

Not hesitantly.

But fiercely. Violently.

Her lips pressed hard against his, her fingers digging into his robe as she climbed onto him, wrapping her legs around his waist. Alaric staggered slightly from the force, his arms instinctively coming around her to hold her up.

For a moment, he didn’t respond. He was stiff, his body rigid with shock. Zara could almost feel the way his mind struggled to make sense of what was happening. But then, something inside him snapped.

He growled low against her lips, gripping her tighter, and kissed her back.

The air around them burned with heat, tension thick enough to suffocate. Zara poured every bit of her emotion into the kiss, her anger, her freedom, her wildness. She bit his lower lip, demanding, desperate, and he responded in kind, his grip bruising, his breath ragged.

Gasps and shocked whispers filled the courtyard.

Court ladies turned away, blushing, their hands covering their mouths. Eunuchs hurriedly shielded their eyes, pretending they hadn’t seen anything. Some palace attendants scurried away, unsure if they should watch or run.

But the councilmen, oh! the councilmen were outraged.

"This is improper!" one of them hissed.

"Shameless!" another muttered under his breath.

"Utter vulgarity in broad daylight," an elder snapped, shaking his head.

But Zara didn’t care.

Not even a little.

When she finally pulled back, her lips were swollen, her breath uneven, her entire body buzzing. She stared into Alaric’s golden eyes, seeing the way they burned with confusion, desire, and something else, something raw.

Then she laughed Loud.

Unrestrained.

Wild.

She unhooked her legs from around him and jumped down, stepping back with a grin that felt both foreign and familiar on her lips.

Alaric was still frozen, his expression unreadable, his hands curled into fists at his sides as if he was struggling to process what had just happened.

Zara, however, didn’t wait for a reaction.

She turned on her heel and frolicked away, skipping like a girl untouched by the darkness of the world, her dress flowing behind her. She twirled as she walked, her laughter echoing through the courtyard, her fingers brushing over flowers and leaves as if she were greeting an old friend.

Her heart raced, her chest light, her body thrumming with adrenaline.

Scarlet watched all this from afar with a smirk on her face.

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