The palace stood in the distance, its golden towers glowing under the moonlight, but my eyes were only on her. She moved through the shadows like a whisper, quick and careful, her cloak billowing behind her. She shouldn't be here—I knew that, and so did she—but that had never stopped her before. And God, I hoped it never would.

“I was starting to think you changed your mind,” I murmured when she finally reached me. I tried to keep my voice steady, but the truth was, I had been holding my breath since the moment I arrived. Waiting. Hoping.

She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she glanced down at our hands as I reached for hers, her fingers trembling slightly before curling around mine. “We can’t keep doing this,” she whispered, but she didn’t let go.

“Yes, we can,” I said, firmer this time. “Run away with me. We’ll leave this all behind—just say yes.”

Her lips parted slightly, and for a moment, I thought she might. I thought she’d let go of the fear, the duty, the weight of everything keeping us apart. Then, footsteps echoed from the halls, sharp against the stone. Her breath hitched, and I felt her tense, ready to run.

She turned to me, her voice barely above a whisper. “Meet me at the old chapel at dawn. If you’re there, I’ll know this is real.”

And then she was gone, disappearing into the night before I could say another word. But I didn’t need to. I already knew my answer.