Jace POV
I pushed open the heavy library door, two coffees in my hands, the warmth seeping through the cups. The place was quiet, just the soft rustle of pages and the occasional click of a laptop. I spotted Ariana at a corner table on the second floor, her head bent over a notebook, pen moving fast across the page. Her hair was tied back in that messy way she did when she was deep in work, a few strands falling loose around her face.
I walked over slowly, not wanting to break her concentration. She didn’t look up right away, so I set the coffee down gently next to her elbow.
“Hey,” I said softly. “Thought you might need this.”
She blinked, coming out of her focus, and looked up at me. A small smile tugged at her lips. “You actually came.”
“Told you I would.” I pulled out the chair ac
