The night was quiet, painted in silver by the moonlight that spilled across the lake. The water mirrored the sky above, a canvas of endless stars shimmering faintly with each ripple of the still surface. The fragrance of night-blooming jasmine lingered in the air, subtle yet soothing, carried by the faint breeze that rustled the grass along the shore.
Luca stood there for a moment, twin sabers still sheathed at his sides, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath. The violet-haired woman sat on the edge of the lake, her reflection flickering across the dark waters like a phantom. Without a word, he walked over and sat beside her, lowering himself onto the cool grass. For a while, neither of them spoke. Both gazed forward—her serene, him with a storm still lingering behind his eyes.
The silence stretched, filled only with the soft hum of crickets and the whisper of the night wind. Finally, she broke it, her voice as calm as the lake itself.
