After a day spent in calm reflection, the castle seemed to pulse with a renewed energy as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, amber hue over the ancient stone walls.
Seraphina and I had shared a quiet dinner, our conversation light and filled with the easy banter that comes from knowing someone so intimately.
But as the meal came to a close, I could sense a shift in her mood, a spark of something playful yet challenging in her eyes.
She leaned back in her chair, a slow smile spreading across her lips. "Elara," she began, her tone teasing but with a hint of seriousness beneath, "how about we spice up the evening a bit? I was thinking… maybe a little hand-to-hand combat? Just the two of us. No magic, no weapons just skill and strength."
