My heart thumped a little faster, nerves twisting in my stomach as I glanced at Leora. She gave me an encouraging nod, her gaze warm and knowing, but I barely noticed.
My mind spun, searching for something to say that wouldn't betray the chaos in my thoughts. I swallowed, shifting my gaze back to Aeliana, who watched me with that gentle curiosity in her eyes.
"Actually," I started, rubbing the back of my neck and forcing a casual smile. "I don't have anything… serious to talk about right now. Just… maybe we could have lunch together?"
Aeliana's face lit up, and she nodded. "I'd like that."
I could feel Leora's smirk burning a hole in the back of my head as I led Aeliana out of the room, trying to keep my expression calm despite the thrill running through me. Being alone with Aeliana even for something as simple as lunch felt like the most exciting idea I'd had all week.
The demon guards gave us nods of respect as we made our way to the dining hall, but I caught a few whispers trailing behind us as we walked by.
"Aww, look at them," one of them said, a hint of a smirk in his voice. "They're adorable together, aren't they?"
Another guard chuckled. "The princess and her little human. It's cute, honestly."
I clenched my jaw, fists tightening at my sides. Adorable? Cute? Who did they think they were talking about?
Aeliana noticed the look on my face and placed a calming hand on my arm. "Ciara," she whispered, her voice gentle but firm, "don't mind them. They're just teasing."
"But they—" I grumbled, shooting a sharp glare at the guards, who immediately straightened and looked away. "They don't know what they're talking about."
"Let's just ignore them," she said with a small smile. "I'd rather spend our time enjoying lunch than watching you threaten half the castle."
I took a deep breath, letting her calm presence settle over me. With her hand resting softly on my arm, my frustration faded just enough for me to offer a grumbling nod. "Fine. But if they keep it up…"
Aeliana laughed, her fingers lightly squeezing my arm before she let go. "Thank you for being so… restrained."
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, but a smirk tugged at my lips despite myself. It was impossible to stay angry when she was around, and she knew it.
She shot me a warm, approving smile as we finally reached the dining hall and settled into our usual seats.
As we sat across from each other, the light spilling in from the high arched windows seemed to highlight the soft glow of her skin and the gentle curve of her smile.
I couldn't help but stare, my mind buzzing with thoughts of how perfect she was and how, in a matter of days, I could be asking her to marry me. The idea was both thrilling and terrifying.
"What's on your mind?" Aeliana's voice broke through my thoughts, her green eyes watching me carefully. "You look… thoughtful."
I forced a casual smile. "Just… thinking about everything we've been through. It's been a good few months, you know?"
She nodded, her smile turning a bit softer. "It has. I didn't expect it, but I'm glad things turned out this way."
I felt my heart squeeze at her words, and I could only imagine how she'd react if she knew the thoughts swirling in my mind. Rings. Proposals. The idea of making her mine officially, forever.
I took a bite of my meal, trying to push the image out of my mind before it made me more nervous than I already was.
But I couldn't help stealing glances at her every now and then, studying the way she moved, the way she laughed, the way her eyes sparkled when she caught me looking.
The thought of asking her to be with me, truly and always, sent an excited shiver down my spine.
As we ate, I noticed her giving me these little curious looks, as if she could sense there was something on my mind that I wasn't saying.
I tried to act normal, distracting myself with food and the occasional bit of small talk, but it was no use.
My mind kept wandering back to her, to us, and to what I hoped would soon be our future.
Eventually, she reached across the table, her fingers brushing over mine in a way that felt far too warm for a simple touch. "You sure there's nothing you want to tell me? You seem a bit… distracted."
I swallowed, my heart doing a strange little flip. "I… no, nothing serious." I managed a small smile. "Just… excited to be here with you."
She raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced but willing to let it go. "Alright, but you know you can tell me anything, right?"
Her gaze softened, and I nodded, though I couldn't bring myself to say more. I couldn't risk spilling everything before I was ready.
But just the thought of telling her, of showing her the ring I'd been agonizing over, made my chest feel like it might burst.
The meal went by faster than I wanted, and soon enough, Aeliana glanced at her watch, letting out a soft sigh. "I should probably get back to work."
Disappointment tugged at me, but I forced myself to nod, trying not to let it show too much. "Yeah, duty calls, I guess."
She smiled, standing up and gathering her things before leaning down to give me a gentle kiss on the cheek. My face warmed under her touch, and I felt a pang of longing as she pulled away.
"See you later?" she asked, her eyes bright with a softness that made me want to hold her there and never let go.
"Of course," I replied, unable to hide my smile. "I'll be here."
She lingered for a moment, her hand resting on my shoulder, and I felt my heart race, imagining that someday soon, I could call her mine in a way that meant forever.
The thought was both thrilling and terrifying, and I found myself clinging to her touch just a little longer.
Finally, she pulled away, giving me one last warm smile before heading out of the hall, her steps soft and graceful. I watched her go, feeling an odd mix of excitement and anxiety settle over me, like I was standing at the edge of something big, something life-changing.
Once she was gone, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding, running a hand through my hair as I tried to calm the swirling thoughts in my head. As much as I wanted to just dive in and ask her, I knew I needed to make this perfect.
This was a moment that would define us, that would show her how serious I was, how much I wanted this to last.
But no matter how many times I went over it in my head, I felt… lost. I'd never proposed to anyone before heck, I'd never even thought about proposing to anyone before Aeliana.
And while I knew what I wanted to say, how I wanted to make her feel, I couldn't shake the feeling that I needed some guidance, some advice.
I leaned back in my chair, letting out a sigh as I stared at the empty plate in front of me. This wasn't something I could just charge into without thinking, not when Aeliana meant so much to me.
I wanted to get it right, to make it memorable, special. And for that, I'd need someone who knew a thing or two about relationships, about commitment.
A wry smile crept onto my face as the answer came to me. There was really only one person who could help me with this, who knew both the demon world and the world of humans, who had experience with the challenges of love and the joy it could bring.
"I need advice from my mom."