[Location: Morningstar Manor, New York]
Carmilla moved.
Not rushed.
Not impulsive.
Just deliberate.
One smooth, aristocratic motion — and Zeraphira found herself shifted half a step aside as the ancient vampire queen occupied the space directly in front of me.
Then—
She leaned in.
And before my brain could file paperwork on what was happening—
Carmilla slid into my arms.
Gracefully.
Like she had always intended to be there.
There was no heat spike.
No cracked tile.
No atmospheric instability.
Just cool, elegant presence.
Behind her, Zeraphira froze.
The wind paused again.
Gabriel made a small, scandalised noise.
Selene — who had apparently teleported onto the balcony at some point because witches obey neither physics nor narrative boundaries — gasped dramatically.
"Oh ho~? Plot twist episode!"
Carmilla rested one gloved hand lightly against my chest.
Her red eyes lifted to meet mine.
Calm.
Amused.
Calculating.
"My turn," she said softly.
