Stefan’s POV

Kara moved like someone who had done this before.

She kept her head slightly lowered, her steps were quick but not rushed, and every few paces she glanced over her shoulder toward the palace walls. When we reached a narrower side path she slowed just enough to speak without raising her voice.

"Keep low. The Queen’s Flowers are still on rotation. If they see you leaving with me there will be questions neither of us want to answer."

I ducked my head and matched her pace. The smug part of me wanted to stand tall and dare anyone to stop us, but the practical part that had kept me alive this long knew better. Getting dragged back before I even reached Kara’s private lessons would be a special kind of failure.

We came out near a quieter gate. Waiting there was a wooden carriage, solid and well-made, the kind of thing that looked expensive without flashing gold like everything inside the palace.

Two Bounds stood at the front, poles resting on their shoulders, their heads already bowed. Beside the carriage a woman in plain clothing compared to Kara’s shiny, flowery silk clothing, held a small jar. She bowed deeply to Kara the moment we approached, then her eyes flicked to me and stayed there a second too long, clearly trying to figure out why an unfamiliar man was walking beside a noblewoman.

Kara climbed in first and looked back at me, sharp and impatient.

"In. Quickly."

I stepped up and settled onto the narrow bench across from her. The servant woman closed the small door, the Bounds adjusted their grip, and the carriage lifted and began to move with a steady, swaying rhythm.

I watched the streets through the narrow gaps in the wood.

Women walked everywhere - tall, curvy, heads held high, moving with the easy confidence of people who had never once questioned their place at the top. Some wore flowing fabrics that clung to heavy breasts and wide hips; others wore shorter wraps that left long, powerful legs bare. A few Bounds trailed behind certain women, heads down, carrying packages or simply following in silence. No one looked at them twice.

I leaned back and let out a quiet breath.

"Different world out here," I muttered.

Kara didn’t answer. She kept her eyes forward, one hand resting on the edge of the bench, clearly counting the distance.

A short while later the carriage slowed and stopped. When the door opened I stepped down onto packed earth and looked up at Kara’s home.

It wasn’t the palace. There was no blinding gold, no towering fountains, no banners heavy with royal crests. But it was still clearly the house of someone important. The structure was older, stone and dark wood, the lines clean and solid. Four Bounds moved around the outer yard, sweeping, carrying water, keeping everything neat. They glanced at us once and immediately dropped their gazes.

Kara didn’t spare them a second look. She took my wrist and pulled me through the entrance without slowing.

The moment the door shut behind us the air changed. Quieter. More private.

She turned to face me, still holding my wrist, and started walking backward toward what I assumed was her private wing, tugging me along.

"We start now. No more waiting. No more interruptions." she stated firmly.

I laughed under my breath, letting her pull me.

"You are that eager already? I haven’t even taken my clothes off yet."

Kara’s eyes narrowed, but there was heat behind the irritation. She didn’t slow down.

I decided not to wait for a better doorway.

I stopped walking, used the grip she still had on my wrist to yank her forward, and caught her around the waist. One hand slid up into her hair, the other settled low on her back, and I kissed her hard - deep, claiming, the kind of kiss that left no room for argument. She made a small sound against my mouth, surprise mixed with something hungrier, and her body pressed closer almost on instinct.

When I finally pulled back just enough to speak, my voice came out low and pleased.

"Lesson three starts the second we hit a bed. Or a wall. Or the floor. Your choice."

Kara’s breathing had already changed. She stared at me for a second, lips parted, then turned and pulled me deeper into the house without another word.

I followed, the pouch of currency heavy against my side and a very familiar, very useful thought settling comfortably in the back of my mind.

Kara pulled me through two more doorways before we reached a wide room with a low, heavy bed covered in dark furs. The door shut hard behind us. No servants. No windows facing the street. Just thick walls and quiet.

She turned to face me, already reaching for the clasp of her gown.

I caught her wrists.

"Not yet."

Kara’s eyes narrowed. "You said we start now."

"We do." I kept my voice calm. "But this is still a lesson. That means I decide the order."

I released her and stepped back.

"Take the gown off. Then lie on the bed, on your back, legs open. No closing them until I say."

Kara’s jaw worked, pride clearly fighting the instruction, but she obeyed. The gown slid down her body and pooled at her feet. She climbed onto the furs and spread her thighs, watching me with a mix of defiance and heat.

I undressed slowly enough for her to see everything, then knelt between her legs. I rested my hands on the soft insides of her thighs and pushed them wider until she was fully open for me. The scent of her hit me immediately -hot, clean, already wet from anticipation.

"First lesson tonight," I said, looking up at her face. "I’m going to use my mouth on you the same way you used yours on me. Slow at first. Then deeper. You don’t get to rush it. You don’t get to stay quiet if it feels good. And you ask before you come. Clear?"

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