Aria's POV
Silver moonbeams dance across the garden pathways, casting the same ethereal glow as the previous evening. I brush my fingers along a delicate rose bloom, anchoring myself to the earth below. Venturing from my quarters two consecutive nights carries tremendous risk. The vigilant guards monitor my every movement, yet my turbulent spirit refuses confinement. This overwhelming urge to see him surpasses any consequences we might face if discovered.
"You returned."
His voice cuts through the darkness, velvet and perilous. It pulls at my weakening defenses. I have no business being here. Despite this knowledge, I turn, my silk dress rustling against the cobblestones. He emerges from the shadows near the ancient willow.
Victor. My forbidden Victor.
