Wrapped in each other's arms, surrounded by spiraling runes and rising light, the world around them seemed to blur.
'Ah, i made her really worried, huh.'
For a moment, there was nothing—no noise, no crowd, no pressure. Just stillness, like time itself had paused to honor the moment between them.
And then, the magic circle flared one last time.
In a blink, they were gone.
The next instant, they stood once more in the center of the grand arena, bathed in golden light.
The thunderous roar of the audience came crashing in like a wave—cheers, gasps, and applause all at once.
Elizabeth's eyes fluttered open as the real world snapped back into focus. The warmth in her chest slowly gave way to the sharp jolt of awareness.
Her mind caught up with her heart.
She realized what she'd done—hugged him, in front of everyone, with cameras flying above and hundreds of eyes watching.
