He led her up the winding path behind the castle, up the mountain that overlooked the valley. The night air was cool and crisp, carrying the scent of pine and earth and something else, something sweet like wildflowers blooming in the dark just for them.
When they reached the top, Alina stopped.
The view was breathtaking. The valley stretched out below them, dotted with tiny lights from the villages and towns, each one a small heartbeat in the darkness. Above, the stars were scattered across the sky like diamonds, so bright and so close that she felt like she could reach up and cup them in her hands.
But that wasn't what made her breath catch.
It was what Dante had prepared.
A thick blanket was spread out on the grass, soft and warm, with pillows piled at one end like a nest built just for her. A basket sat nearby, no doubt filled with small treasures. And there, set up on a small stand, was a screen glowing softly.
He had done this for her.
