Do you even know what real love is?

The rich aroma of the cooked bunny filled the cave, the scent enough to make my stomach growl embarrassingly loud.

Ren sat back, her expression a mixture of pride and nonchalance as she handed me a piece of cooked meat on a small plate she'd conjured from her magical field kit.

"Go on," she said, gesturing toward the food with a smirk. "Tell me how amazing I am."

Rolling my eyes, I speared the meat with a small fork she'd also provided and brought it to my mouth. The moment it touched my tongue, I froze.

The flavours exploded, rich and savoury with a perfect blend of spices that danced across my palate. It was… divine. Not just good, but better-than-anything-I'd-ever-eaten divine.

I chewed slowly, savouring each bite, before reluctantly swallowing.

"Are you…" I began, setting the plate down and narrowing my eyes at Ren. "Are you secretly a chef?"

Ren laughed—a genuine, deep laugh that echoed off the cave walls. "A chef? No, Princess, but your face right now is priceless. I should've sketched it."

I scowled, but it was hard to maintain my composure when she looked so smug. "This is suspicious. No one cooks this well without some sort of hidden agenda."

Ren leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "If I told you cooking was just another survival skill I picked up, would that make you feel better?"

"No."

She laughed again, shaking her head as she picked up her own plate and began eating.

As much as I hated to admit it, I devoured every bite. The meal was simple, but it was so perfectly cooked that I couldn't find a single flaw.

When we were done, Ren cleaned up the field kit with the same meticulous care she'd used to cook. I watched her movements, unwillingly impressed by how efficient she was. How could someone who spent half her time teasing me also be so capable?

"Alright," I said finally, leaning back against the cool cave wall. "I'll give you credit. That was decent."

"Decent?" Ren raised an eyebrow, a mock-offended look on her face. "I slaved over a hot flame for you, Princess, and all I get is decent?"

"It was alright," I said, my tone dismissive even as I fought back a smile.

"You're impossible," she said, chuckling as she sat down across from me.

The silence stretched between us for a moment, broken only by the faint crackling of the dying fire.

"So," I said, breaking the quiet, "do you have enough magic to get us out of here yet?"

Ren shook her head. "Not yet. My reserves are still too low."

I sighed dramatically. "So we're stuck here."

"Pretty much."

"Well, this is boring."

Ren smirked, leaning back on her hands. "You're a princess. Aren't you supposed to be good at entertaining yourself?"

"Excuse me?" I shot back, sitting up straight. "I am very good at entertaining myself. I just didn't think I'd need to while stranded in a frozen cave with my insufferable bodyguard."

"Insufferable? You wound me," Ren said, clutching her chest in mock agony.

I rolled my eyes again, but the corners of my mouth twitched upward.

"Alright, since you're so bored," Ren said, her tone turning mischievous, "why don't we play a little game?"

I raised an eyebrow. "A game?"

"Not like that," she said quickly, though her grin didn't falter. "Just… ask each other questions. You know, to pass the time."

I hesitated, unsure if I wanted to indulge her. But what else were we going to do? Stare at the cave walls until her magic recovered?

"Fine," I said. "But nothing too personal."

Ren shrugged. "Deal. You go first."

I thought for a moment, then smirked. "Alright. Why red fire?"

Her expression faltered for a split second before she recovered. "That's personal."

"You didn't say nothing personal," I pointed out.

"Touché," she said, sighing. "It's… complicated. Let's just say it's a gift and a curse."

"Vague," I said, narrowing my eyes. "But fine. Your turn."

Ren leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "Do you really love Levan?"

The question hit me like a bucket of cold water. My breath caught, and for a moment, all I could do was stare at her.

The cave seemed to grow quieter, the air heavier, as I searched for an answer I wasn't sure I wanted to give.

Ren's question hung in the air like a thick fog, suffocating and inescapable. Do you really love Levan? The words echoed in my mind, each syllable gnawing at me.

Did I love him? Levan was handsome, charming even, with his princely demeanour and perfectly tailored manners. He was everything a princess like me was supposed to want in a fiancé.

But… when I thought about him now, compared to everything that had just happened, the cracks in the picture-perfect image of our relationship became glaringly obvious.

Where was he when the masked attackers came? When Ren had to risk her life, pushing herself to the brink to protect me, where was Levan? Hiding, cowering unarmed and unhelpful.

My chest tightened, shame mixing with frustration. I had been so quick to accept this engagement, not because of love, but because it was what was expected of me.

My mother had chosen him, a politically advantageous match, and I hadn't questioned it. I'd told myself it was fine, that I didn't care about love, that it didn't matter if my heart wasn't involved.

But now, faced with Ren's blunt question, I felt like a fraud.

"I…" My voice faltered as I tried to answer. "I don't know."

Ren's gaze stayed locked on me, her crimson eyes unflinching. Then she leaned forward slightly, resting her arms on her knees. "Do you even know what real love is?"

Her voice was calm, almost gentle, but the words cut through me like a blade.

Before I could respond, Ren shifted closer, her movements deliberate and unhurried. My breath hitched as she closed the gap between us, her presence suddenly overwhelming.

"Love," she began, her voice low and husky as she leaned in until her lips were nearly brushing my ear, "is when you feel butterflies every time they're near. When their smile can light up your darkest days. When you'd do anything—anything at all—to keep them safe and happy."

My heart thudded painfully in my chest, each beat so loud I was sure she could hear it. Her words seemed to weave a spell around me, each syllable sinking deeper into my mind.

"And," Ren continued, her tone now soft but insistent, "it's when, even without meaning to, they make you want to be better… just by being themselves."

Her breath was warm against my skin, her scent a mix of something fiery and faintly sweet making my thoughts scatter. I swallowed hard, my mind reeling.

What was this? This overwhelming heat, this uncontrollable pull toward her. I couldn't think clearly, couldn't breathe without being hyper-aware of how close she was.

For a fleeting moment, a ridiculous, treacherous thought crossed my mind. Maybe a kiss wouldn't be so bad.

But then, as quickly as the thought came, I shoved it away, panic flooding through me. What was wrong with me? This was Ren, my bodyguard, my subordinate. The one person who was supposed to protect me, not… not make me feel like this.

I stepped back abruptly, putting distance between us. "Let's just… sleep," I blurted, my voice higher-pitched than I intended.

Ren raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by my flustered state, but mercifully didn't press further.

I turned away quickly, my heart hammering against my ribs as I tried to calm down. But even as I lay down on the cold floor of the cave, I couldn't shake the sensation of her closeness, her words still echoing in my ears.

Butterflies. Smiles. Wanting to be better.

I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself to stop thinking about it. About her. But the more I tried, the more her face lingered in my mind.

And as sleep finally claimed me, I couldn't help but wonder—was this what Ren meant? Was this what real love felt like?