The full moon hung heavy over the pace as the Midsummer Ball reached its crescendo. Lia stood on the balcony, overwhelmed by recent revetions and memories not her own. The music drifted through open doors, a reminder of the life she now lived.

  "Lady Allura." Cassian's voice made her turn. He looked resplendent in royal blue, crown gleaming, but his expression held vulnerability. "May I speak freely?"

  Before she could respond, he knelt – the Crown Prince of the realm, on his knees before her. "I know court protocol demands I choose a bride for political gain. I know my duty requires sacrifice. But my heart..." He looked up, eyes shining. "My heart chose you the moment you showed me kindness instead of ambition. I love you, Allura – or Lia – whoever you truly are. I would give up my crown if it meant keeping you by my side."

  Tears sprang to her eyes. "Cassian, I—"

  "You needn't answer now," he said quickly, rising. "Just know that my feelings are true, regardless of what secrets you carry."

  The next confession came that very night, after she'd fled the ball in emotional turmoil. She found a letter in her chambers, bearing Raven's seal:

  My dearest Lia,

  For a year I've watched over you, eliminating threats you never knew existed. Thirteen assassination attempts thwarted. Twenty-seven poisoned gifts intercepted. Countless schemes unraveled before they could touch you.

  I've loved you since that night at Thornfield Manor when I glimpsed your true soul. Every shadow has been my vigil, every danger met with my bde. I don't seek gratitude or recognition – only the chance to continue protecting the woman who taught me that change is possible.

  Yours in darkness and light, Raven

  The third decration came during what she'd thought was a routine meditation session with Ezra. Instead, he led her to a sacred grove where luminescent flowers bloomed.

  "In my tradition," he expined, "there's a ceremony for souls that recognize each other across lifetimes." He produced two crystal vessels filled with shimmering liquid. "This ritual creates a permanent spiritual bond. Not ownership, but... recognition. Acknowledgment that our souls chose each other."

  His hands trembled as he offered her a vessel. "I left everything I knew for you. My position, my home, my purpose. Because you became my new purpose. Will you accept this bond? Will you let me love you with both spirit and flesh?"

  The ceremony left them both glowing with divine energy, their souls intertwined in ways that transcended physical touch.

  The final confession came unexpectedly during a mission gone wrong. A group of revolutionaries had ambushed them, and Lia found herself separated from Kieran, surrounded by enemies. She fought well – he'd trained her thoroughly – but numbers overwhelmed skill.

  Just as a bde aimed for her heart, Kieran burst through the attackers like a force of nature. He took the strike meant for her, the sword piercing his side. Even wounded, he fought with savage grace until every enemy y defeated.

  As she pressed her hands against his wound, trying to staunch the bleeding, he caught her wrist.

  "No," he growled through gritted teeth. "Let me speak while I still can." Tears – shocking on his scarred face – rolled down his cheeks. "I've faced death countless times without fear. But the thought of you dying... it broke something in me."

  His grip tightened. "I love you with a warrior's heart – fierce, protective, absolute. I would bleed myself dry if it kept you safe. Don't you dare die before me, because I can't... I can't exist in a world without you in it."

  His confession, raw with pain and vulnerability, shattered her st defenses.

  Back in her chambers that night, Lia curled into herself, overwhelmed. Four decrations of love, each profound and genuine. Four hearts offered without reservation. How could she possibly choose? How could she break any of their hearts when each had become essential to her own?

  "System notification," ALICE chimed. "All romance routes fully activated. Pyer choice required. Warning: Multiple simultaneous routes may cause narrative instability."

  But Lia barely heard the warning. Her heart ached with the weight of reciprocated feelings – for she realized, with crystal crity, that she loved them all. Each in different ways, for different reasons, but with equal intensity.

  The impossible choice loomed before her, and for the first time since arriving in this world, she had no idea what path to take.