Aurelia and I walked side by side through the grand hallways of the castle, our steps echoing off the stone walls. There was a quietness in the air, the kind that wrapped itself around you, making everything feel intimate and removed from the world outside.
Despite the grandeur of the surroundings, I felt calm. Aurelia's presence beside me was enough to make even this vast castle feel like a sanctuary.
We'd barely exchanged words since leaving the garden, but it didn't matter. Sometimes, words felt unnecessary when the connection between us was so strong.
I could feel her warmth close to me, the occasional brush of our arms sending little sparks through my skin. There was an unspoken anticipation between us, a current that seemed to hum just beneath the surface.