"Was she too… on your seduction list?"
Aether slowly shook his head, his expression calm, almost gentle. "No, she wasn't," he replied softly.
"As I said before… she was special."
A weak smile tugged at his lips as he began explaining their situation. Without him, Maleona would die. Their lives were bound by an eternal connection, one that caused them to feel each other's pain, emotions, and presence far too deeply to ignore.
It wasn't desire born of choice, but something carved into existence itself.
Hearing that, Delphine fell silent. Her expression stiffened as she stared at him, unsure whether she should be angry, disturbed, or simply exhausted by the sheer absurdity of it all.
After a long moment, she released a deep sigh. "This is getting weird," she muttered quietly. "But… I guess it's fate."
