The first rays of dawn slipped gently through the tall windows, brushing away the shadows of night. The silver moonlight that had guarded them faded, replaced by gold warmth.
Andy stirred, his body still heavy with the aftermath of fire and tenderness. For a fleeting moment, fear pricked his chest—what if this, too, was another illusion? What if Kayla had trapped him again in some dream spun from longing?
But then he felt Nia shift against him. Her hair spilled across his bare chest, soft as silk, and her breath fanned steady warmth over his skin. Her fingers curled lazily at his side, not conjured by magic but alive, real. The weight of her, the scent of her, the quiet rhythm of her heartbeat against him—it was reality.
He smiled faintly, relief settling over him. No illusion could ever feel like this.
Nia stirred, her lashes fluttering. Sleepy silver eyes blinked up at him, still hazy, still vulnerable. For a moment she just studied him in silence, as if memorizing every line of his face.
"You're staring," she murmured, her voice soft from sleep.
"Because I can't believe you're real," Andy said, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
Her lips curved into a faint smile, but there was a flicker of sharpness in her gaze. "Then stop doubting. I'm not Kayla."
Andy winced at the name. The guilt he had tried to bury last night surged again. "I know. I almost… I almost let her—"
Nia silenced him the same way she had before—her finger pressing gently against his lips. "Don't. We already burned her illusions away. Don't give them power by repeating them."
Her words were steady, but her cheeks warmed, her vulnerability slipping through when she added, quieter, "Besides… after last night, if you ever doubt me again, I'll make sure you regret it."
Andy chuckled softly, the sound rumbling in his chest as he pulled her closer. "That sounds less like a threat and more like a promise."
She smacked his chest lightly, but her own laugh followed, bright and unguarded. The tension that had weighed them down cracked, replaced with warmth.
The System's gentle chime resonated faintly in Andy's mind:
> [Bond Progression: 112% → 113%]
Emotional stability reinforced. Compatibility heightened.
Nia's smile softened as she tucked herself closer beneath his chin, her voice muffled against his skin. "I don't care what the nobles say. Let them gossip, let her smile. As long as you hold my hand, Andy… I'll never lose."
Andy kissed the crown of her head, eyes closing as his chest tightened with certainty. "Then they'll never take me from you."
Sunlight climbed higher, gilding the room in gold. Outside, the halls of Everhart stirred with schemes, whispers, and the lingering shadow of Kayla's smile. But within these walls, in the safety of their joined warmth, Andy and Nia rested as one—untouchable, unbroken, undeniable.
---