Chapter 3: Three Small Letters

KAI

My brother and I entered the club and the music's throb hit us like a wave. It was harsh, and electric; it had nothing in common with the melodic songs of the currents or the soft murmur of the sea.

Reds and blues danced across the walls and reflected off a huge, mirrored ceiling as lights flashed in frantic bursts. For a moment, I couldn't tell if we had entered a celebration or a battlefield because of the chaotic way the bodies moved together.

I looked at Aalto, and for once, he seemed as out of place as I did. His shoulders were stiff, his usual confidence drained by the sheer force of it all. We were laughing a minute ago, teasing each other about who could blend in the best. We believed we were prepared. But now, standing in this room packed with people, their energy crashing over us like a storm, I was not sure we were prepared.

The air felt heavy—almost too thick to breathe—and I was sure that if I could smell scents, they would be mixed and difficult to identify. We had heightened hearing, and the noise was overwhelming. With each beat of the music, a jarring pulse shook my chest.

Back home, silence was a gift, punctuated only by the gentle sounds of the sea. Silence did not exist here. Humans shouted to be heard, their voices tangled and lost in the din, but somehow, they seemed at ease. I would not admit it to my brother, who would tease me endlessly about it, but I wanted to retreat, to return to the peaceful sanctuary of the ocean.

“Let’s find a place to sit,” I said, nudging Aalto forward. “Before we drown.” The irony was not lost on either of us, and Aalto's lips curled into a grin as we moved deeper into the club.

But I only took one step before stopping abruptly as my gaze wandered down the bar counter. "What?" he asked, and for a moment, everything, including my heart, stopped as I stared at the guy sitting at the end of the counter.

Just then, as if he sensed my gaze on him, he looked up, and my lips parted, my breath catching in my throat as I froze in place, feeling a faint current flow through me as our eyes locked in a trance. I felt my body stiffen, the intensity almost too much to bear as the gemstone-green eyes turned me inside out. But just then, his lips moved, and the spell broke as he whispered something that knocked me back to my senses.

I blinked rapidly, his words ringing in my head as I tried to get back to my senses while my brother asked me what he said. But I could not say it again, and my chest tightened as a heat I could not describe spread through me, equal parts awe and fear. His eyes remained fixed on mine with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine.

Despite my best efforts, I could not take my gaze away. And I needed to, as everything I’d buried—everything I refused to acknowledge—rose to the surface with a force that threatened to drown me. The sea had no words to describe what was happening inside of me. Being this way was unheard of back home.

Only in the human world did I learn the word for it. Gay. Three small letters that described a truth I was not ready to face. My stomach twisted. I wasn’t supposed to feel this way. Not as a prince. Not as my father’s heir. “Are you okay?” Aalto's voice broke through the haze, full of concern. He took a step closer, leaning in to be heard above the noise. “Kai, what’s wrong?”

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. My pulse pounded in my ears. I needed to move—to breathe—to get out of the room before losing my remaining senses. And then, as if my body was acting on its own, I turned and fled.

“Hey!” Aalto called after me, but I did not stop. I pushed through the crowd, brushing past people, and my chest heaved as I approached the door and shoved it open.

Outside, the world was quieter, but not enough to drown out the noise inside my head. I stumbled a few steps before leaning against the wall and gripping the rough brick for support.

I didn’t understand this—any of it. How could one look, one brief moment, reduce me to this? I was supposed to be strong, calm, and ready to lead. Instead, I felt like I was falling apart, torn between two worlds and two different versions of myself.

Aalto was going to follow me. So I had seconds, maybe less, to gather myself before he found me. My brother and I shared everything, but this was something I had never shared with him.

"There you are," he said, stumbling out. “What the hell happened?” he asked, and I shook my head. "Nothing," I replied, swallowing hard. I lied, telling him that the place had overwhelmed me and that I needed a moment alone.

“Go on, go inside. I’ll find you.” I said, and he nodded, concern still on his face, and went inside while I took a deep breath and reminded myself of who I was. I was stronger than whatever this was, and I was not going to let it shake me.

•••

AVEL

“What just happened?” Fia asked, both of our gazes fixed on the empty spot where the man of my dreams had stood just moments before pivoting and rushing out the door.

Standing tall at 6'3'', he exuded a sense of power that everyone noticed as heads turned to him and his friend the moment they walked in, but he was gone as soon as our gazes met. "I'll be back," I murmured, setting down my glass, my body moving instinctively as I stood up and headed toward the exit.

I had no idea where the bravery came from, but my chest ached as he left. I was halfway to the door when I noticed the other guy he was with, but I did not say anything to him. I stepped out of the club and immediately felt the cold air rush through my body.

I turned to see him standing with his hands on his face and his back to the wall. He was breathtaking, and then, as if on cue, he looked up, and our gazes met.

For the second time, our surroundings blurred as I forgot to breathe, but my body regained control and marched straight up to him. Only when I stood in front of him did I snap out of it. "Hey," my voice came out softer than I would have liked, as I realized I did not know what to say. He responded with a nod, his gaze unwavering.

“I’m Avel,” I said, extending my hand but instead of his hand on mine, his fingers curled on collar and shock rippled through me as he slammed my back against the wall.

"What the f**k do you want from me?!"