Chapter 25

Diem wakes in a bed tended by Luther, finds a note asking her not to leave, and discovers he has cleaned and fed her and drawn a bath. In the quiet, she admits she is unready to be Queen but accepts that war has begun and decides to start building an army.

When Luther returns, their attraction ignites. He notes her healed wound, deflects about his own, and a charged silence breaks into a heated encounter. He takes control, brings Diem to release, and shows reverence for her, but he keeps himself covered, denying her attempts to reciprocate.

Confused and hurt, Diem challenges him. Luther explodes, pinning her and proving his desire, then confesses an all‑consuming love and need for her—body and soul. Yet when Diem again tries to undress him, he imposes darkness to allow limited touch, then stops her, tightens his scarf, and shuts down emotionally.

Pressed to explain why he is pushing her away, Luther answers only that life is cruel and we don’t always get what we desire. He walks out despite Diem’s plea and command, leaving her alone—aroused, shaken, and facing the widening rift between them even as she prepares to lead.