As the hand covering her lashes withdrew, a heavy black cloak descended, enveloping Aurelia Delensar completely. Caelum Valtaris’s timely arrival dissolved her fear, even as darkness obscured her vision. She no longer cared about the chaos outside. Her heart steadied, beat by beat.
Her knight had come.
The clashing of swords outside the cloak meant nothing to her. Aurelia sat calmly on the balcony, listening to the metallic screech of blades, confident in Caelum’s victory. He would win honor for her.
The cloak carried his warmth and a faint, familiar scent—like a roaring bonfire in a snowy wilderness. It was a wild, primal heat, slow yet overwhelming, melting the ice of her fear. It was a contradiction, much like Caelum himself. She often found him dull, as unyielding as steel. Yet, at
