Chapter 81 – A Night That Belongs to Us
Somewhere deep within the halls of Aetheria's castle, the torches flickered with a ghostly blue light, responding to the presence of their ruler.
Leonhardt walked beside her, their hands intertwined, their steps silent but connected.
The world would soon try to take from them again.
But tonight, belonged to them alone.
Aetheria led him to a chamber hidden deep within her palace—a place no one else had ever stepped into.
The moment they entered, the doors sealed shut, enchanted runes glowing faintly along the walls.
A sanctuary.
Aetheria's personal space, untouched by war, untouched by time.
Leonhardt arched a brow. "You've never brought anyone here."
She nodded. "It wasn't meant for anyone else."
She turned to face him, stepping closer until her forehead pressed lightly against his chest.
"I spent so many years looking at the moon and wondering where you were."
Leonhardt's arms encircled her, his embrace strong yet careful, as if he was afraid to break the moment.
"I was always looking at it too," he murmured against her hair.
Aetheria exhaled, her fingers curling into the fabric of his coat. "Then why does it still feel like a dream?"
Leonhardt gently tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"Because it's real."
She studied him, the weight of centuries, of loss, of relentless longing between them.
And then she smiled—a true, rare smile that she had long forgotten how to wear.
Leonhardt watched her expression, something shifting in his own guarded eyes.
He had been fighting for so long.
Struggling to find his way back to her.
Now, she was here.
And for the first time since his rebirth, he felt something close to peace.
Aetheria touched his cheek, her voice a whisper.
"Say it again."
Leonhardt smirked slightly, understanding what she meant. He leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear.
"It's real, Aetheria."
She closed her eyes at the sound of her name in his voice.
"And I'm never letting go again."