Aideen slowly opened her eyes and waited a few moments for them to readjust to the darkness, while her mana reflected the image of the bedroom in her mind. She was not sure how long she had been sleeping, but now that she was finally awake, the princess felt incredibly refreshed and healthy, as if the draining ritual that had left her nearly lifeless had never occurred in the first place.
Although her body felt light and strong, there was still something more powerful and weighty pressing her down onto the bed, tightly ensnaring her within its loving confines –– Tillian was lying next to her, his strong arms wrapped around her shoulders and waist as if he feared she would vanish otherwise.
Slowly turning around, Aideen carefully moved her husband's arms away, allowing herself more space to shift around. Then, she fixed her dragon eyes on the Duke's handsome face, tracing the light blue outlines that her mana painted inside her mind.
