Heart Bound

Pretending to Play House

Kyrie's POV

As the door clicked shut behind Max—my uncle—I stood frozen, my mind racing with the flood of revelations. I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, one step away from plunging into a world that was so different from the one I’d always known. Uncle, cousin, royal bloodlines… a hidden history that the Djinn had buried and twisted into something unrecognizable. The truth about who I was stretched before me like a dark, uncharted path, and all I could do was cling to the fragile pieces that had started to fall into place.

I took a shaky breath, forcing myself to focus. I couldn’t dwell on everything I’d just learned—not now. I had to keep pretending, had to act like I didn’t know. My mind swam with questions and fears, but I pushed them down, locking them away where the Djinn couldn’t reach.

I took one last glance in the mirror, my silver hair a stark reminder of the truth that had been hidden. My eyes, now brighter, held a depth that hadn’t been there before, and I saw something fierce in them—something regal, maybe, that echoed what Max had called me. *Your Highness.* The words sent a chill down my spine, both terrifying and strangely empowering.

I exhaled slowly and went downstairs, forcing my face into an expression of casual calm. I needed to make this believable. Whatever my uncle had meant by “playing our parts,” I understood enough to know that acting normal was my only way to protect Kade, to keep him in the dark until we could figure out what to do next.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I found Kade sitting on the couch, casually scrolling through his phone. When he looked up and saw me, he didn’t seem to notice anything different; he flashed me his usual grin, completely oblivious to the fact that his entire reality was a lie.

“Hey, Ky,” he said, oblivious, his voice relaxed. “Sleep well?”

I forced a smile, nodding as I made my way over to the kitchen. “Yeah, just fine.”

My gaze drifted over to where Max was standing by the counter, pouring himself a cup of coffee. He glanced at me briefly, his expression neutral, but there was a flicker of something—an understanding, a shared secret—that passed between us before he turned back to his mug.

I grabbed a glass and filled it with water, my hands shaking as I tried to steady myself. Kade, completely unaware, started talking about his plans for the day, mentioning something about a friend he was meeting up with and an assignment he’d nearly forgotten was due.

It struck me, in that moment, how strange it was that he could be so carefree, so blissfully ignorant of the dark truths lying beneath the surface. He didn’t know he was royalty, didn’t know that our family had been torn apart, or that the Djinn had imprisoned his mother—my aunt. And he didn’t know that the people he thought were his family were, in reality, part of a carefully constructed lie.

“Ky?” Kade’s voice pulled me from my thoughts, and I blinked, realizing I hadn’t been listening.

“Sorry,” I said quickly, forcing a casual tone. “Guess I’m still half asleep.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “You always were the night owl.”

I managed a laugh, though it sounded hollow even to my own ears. Kade didn’t seem to notice; he just stretched, checking his phone again before standing up.

“Well, I’m gonna head out. I’ll see you later, okay?” he said, flashing me a grin as he grabbed his jacket.

I nodded, trying to keep my voice steady. “Yeah, see you later.”

As Kade walked out the door, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. It felt like I was carrying the weight of a thousand secrets, each one pressing down on me, heavy and unrelenting. I glanced over at Max, who was still standing by the counter, his gaze fixed on his coffee, as if deep in thought.

When he looked up, his face softened, and for a moment, I caught a glimpse of the uncle hidden beneath the disguise. The man who, even under the Djinn’s spell, had found ways to protect me.

“We’ll find a way to get through this,” he said quietly, his voice steady. “But for now, you have to trust me.”

I nodded, feeling a pang of gratitude mixed with fear. “I do… but what do we do next?”

Max hesitated, glancing toward the door Kade had just exited through. “For now, you keep pretending. Act like nothing’s changed, like everything is normal. I’ll do what I can to protect you and Kade from the Djinn. When the time is right, we’ll make our move. But until then…” He took a deep breath. “We have to wait.”

I swallowed, the weight of his words settling over me. Waiting. Pretending. Living in a world that was both real and unreal, a life woven with lies and half-truths. It felt unbearable, but I knew he was right.

“I understand,” I murmured, though the words felt hollow.

Max’s expression softened, and he placed a hand on my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You’re stronger than you know, Kyrie. This is in your blood—the strength, the resilience. You’re a queen. Never forget that.”

I held his gaze, his words settling into my heart, filling me with a quiet strength I hadn’t known I’d needed. “Thank you,” I whispered.

He gave me a faint smile, then nodded, his hand dropping back to his side. “Keep safe, and keep Kade safe. We’ll get through this… together.”

With a final glance, Max turned and walked out of the kitchen, leaving me alone with the echo of his words. A queen. Stronger than I knew. I repeated those words to myself, letting them fortify me, wrapping them around me like armor. Because I knew that, from this point on, every move I made mattered.

As I stood there, the silence settling around me, I felt Selene’s presence stir within, a gentle hum of reassurance, her strength mingling with mine.

*“You’re not alone, Kyrie. I’m here, and together, we’ll face whatever comes our way,”* she whispered, her voice a quiet promise.

I straightened, the weight of my new reality resting on my shoulders, but somehow, with Selene’s warmth beside me, it felt… bearable. There was a long road ahead, filled with dangers I couldn’t yet see. But with Selene, Max, and Kade by my side—even if he didn’t know it yet—I knew I could face whatever lay ahead.

The journey had only just begun.