"I have been waiting for you," Lucavion said, the smirk softening—not losing its edge, but becoming something quieter. Something real.
Valeria opened her mouth, words rising unformed at first. And yet… something shifted inside her.
It was strange.
The moment she had decided to walk to him, a weight she hadn't even realized she was carrying had begun to lift. Heavy things—expectations, restraint, fear of appearances—fell away like a dropped cloak.
Now, standing here, face to face…
It felt light.
Not easy.
But clear.
"You've been waiting for me?" she asked, the smallest edge of incredulity laced in her tone. Not sharp—more like a breath finally exhaled.
Lucavion's eyes glinted with a mix of challenge and familiarity. "Indeed."
"…Why?"
He leaned a little closer—not physically, but in presence. His gaze never left hers, and his voice lowered as if to pull her just a step nearer.
"What do you mean why?" he replied. "To see if my stiff knight has changed, of course."
