THE SOUL'S EXCHANGE

Secrets of the Night

Daemon was rarely one to startle, but when he stepped into their chambers through the hidden passageway and found the bed empty, his heart quickened. The nursery was quiet, the sun only beginning to cast its first rays through the narrow windows. Aegon, Sirion, Jaemarys, and Helaena lay nestled in their blankets, sleeping peacefully. But Alicent—his queen—was nowhere to be found.

Where the hell could she have gone at this hour?

His jaw tightened, irritation brewing inside him as he scanned the room. The early morning air was cool, and everything was still. His fingers instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword, ready for anything as he made his way toward the main door. Suddenly, the door creaked open, and without thinking, he drew his blade, moving with the lethal grace of a predator.

The steel hovered mere inches from Alicent's neck, and she looked at him with a raised eyebrow, utterly unbothered. The corner of her mouth twitched in amusement as she carefully closed the door behind her, taking care not to disturb their children.

"Where have you been?" Daemon's voice was low and dangerous, his sword still poised.

Alicent's hand, delicate yet commanding, wrapped around the blade, gently pushing it aside. "I was out for some work, something for the common folk" she said evenly, her tone betraying nothing.

"What work?" Daemon moved closer, caging her against the door with his body. His warmth surrounded her, and yet there was a tension in the air that crackled between them. "What work is so important that it takes you out of our chambers at the break of dawn?"

Alicent attempted to slip past him, but his hand shot out, pulling her back into the cage of his arms. "What’s so important, Alicent?" His voice was harsher now, tinged with possessiveness. "Even if it’s for Flea Bottom, where you claim to hold such love for the common folk—where were you?" His eyes flashed dangerously, his grip tightening slightly as if the answer would determine his very sanity.

A sweet, knowing smile played on Alicent's lips, one that only irritated him further. "I was with my husband in name only," she said innocently, her voice light and teasing.

Daemon's expression darkened instantly, a growl rumbling deep in his chest. Fury roared within him as his hand moved toward her throat. But before he could reach her, Alicent twisted his arm back with a practiced skill that left him momentarily surprised.

"Careful, my prince," she whispered in his ear, her breath warm against his skin. "You seem to forget that I am a seasoned warrior. I’ve seen more war than even you have dreamed of."

Daemon’s eyes blazed as he shrugged her off, stepping back for a moment before pulling her roughly toward him, their faces mere inches apart. "But can this husband," he began, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "who is bound to his wife through a soulbind, ask his beloved why she was with another man in the dead of night?"

Alicent rolled her eyes at his jealousy, though the possessiveness in his tone made her heart skip a beat. She pulled him into a kiss, deep and deliberate, silencing his doubts for a moment. When she pulled back, her lips still brushing against his, she smirked. "Do you really think I would sleep with Viserys?" Her eyes gleamed with amusement. "Is my standard that low to you?"

Daemon exhaled a sharp breath, his anger softening slightly as he looked at her, though his arms still held her tightly. "Of course not, my dearest," he said, his lips quirking into a smirk of his own. "Your choice is me, and I am an extremely high standard."

"Self-obsessed," she muttered with a roll of her eyes, though she couldn’t help the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth.

Daemon didn't let her escape his grip. Instead, he pulled her toward the bed, sitting her down with a firm but gentle touch. He looked into her eyes, his curiosity tempered with trust. "But why were you with Viserys, my love?"