Inside the chamber heated by the fountain's magic, the silence between Kael and Erika was thick, cut only by the soft sound of the water flowing and the accelerated beats of the hearts facing each other.
Kael stood still for a moment, staring at Erika as if trying to confirm that it was all real - that it wasn't a spell, a delusion or just another trap of fate. But no... it was her. Fully aware, naked, provocative and... sincere.
He took a deep breath, and his voice came out huskier than he expected.
"Do you really want this?" he asked. "I... I'm not like the others."
Erika arched an eyebrow, the crooked smile not gone, but softened. "Do you think I didn't realize that from the start? From that first day in class... with that wolf in sheep's clothing look?" She leaned forward slightly, her hair sticking to her damp lap. "Kael... I'm not a frightened maiden. If I wanted to run away, you wouldn't even have seen me enter this water."
