The hallway felt quieter now. Quieter than it had all day. The soft echo of our footsteps stretched out over cold marble as Salem and I moved slowly, side by side. Her fingers brushed mine, not holding—just close, close enough to feel.
It was comforting. And it made something in my chest ache.
"I didn't tell her," I said, my voice nearly too soft to hear. "About my… past life."
Salem slowed. The presence of her mana shifted gently toward me, like a hand reaching out in silence.
"I just couldn't," I said. "She was so happy. I could feel it in her voice, in her touch, like everything about me was finally something she could be proud of." I let the words fall out like threads unraveling. "If I told her that she gave birth to someone with the knowledge of a thirty-year-old general, to someone who's seen death more times than they should've—what if she looked at me and didn't see her daughter anymore?"
I swallowed, hard. "This family is all I've ever wanted, Salem. It's all I ever dreamed of. And I think…" I hesitated, then turned my head toward her faint blur of light. "I think you might be the only one who would accept every part of me. All of me. Even the parts that feel… wrong."
Salem's arms came around me without hesitation. Tight. Grounding. Her mana wrapped around my back like a second cloak, warm and steady.
"That's okay," she whispered. "You don't need to rush. You told me, and that's enough for now."
I rested my forehead against her shoulder. Her mana vibrated gently, like laughter folded in affection.
"There might be danger coming, Annabel. We both know it. But right now? Right now we're safe. And we'll keep them safe. One day, your family will understand… that it's not about what you were. It's about who you are now."
She pulled back just slightly, just enough to place her hand over my heart.
"And I love who you are now."
A tight breath caught in my throat. My eyes burned a little, but nothing spilled over. We were still in public, and I hadn't learned how to cry without making it obvious.
Instead, I squeezed her hand.
"…Thank you."
We started walking again, slow and aimless, through the castle's quieter corridors.
"Tomorrow we go back," I said, finally. "The academy. The squads. The Ætherbound will be joining us too, we've got work ahead Salem. We need to become the strongest squads of five we can. I want us ready. For everything."
She nodded. "We will be."
I smiled faintly. "But tonight?"
"Yes?" she asked.
"Tonight, I want dinner. Just us. In bed. I'll get someone from the kitchens. You go wait for me in our suite, alright? Whatever you want, I'll bring it."
"Anything?" she said playfully.
I felt the grin rising on her mana.
"Yes," I sighed. "Anything."
"Okay, then I want… one rare steak. Real rare. With fish sides. All of them. And chocolate crepes for dessert."
I laughed softly. "You're going to make them panic down there."
"It's our last day. Might as well indulge."
"Agreed."
I gave her hand one last squeeze, then turned down the corridor that led toward the kitchens.
"You go," I told her. "Wait for me. I'll be back soon."
She hesitated, like she didn't want to part, but nodded.
And with that, we slipped apart again, just for a little while.
I walked on, her presence behind me fading like soft light behind a door, and all I could think about was the warmth waiting for me upstairs. The safety. The quiet.
And the person who always stayed.
——
The door to our suite creaked open with my hand at the handle, and behind me came the chaos.
A flurry of footsteps, clattering trays, the hurried breathing of four overwhelmed servants trying very hard not to drop what had to be an entire noble feast.
"I—no, that one goes on the bed, please! Yes, just… careful with the sauce, that's silk! And the rest can go on the little table in front of the bed, yes. Oh no, not on the book!"
I guided them like a frantic conductor, arms waving, fumbling through shapes and outlines in my mana sense, trying not to trip over one of the poor servers or collide with a tray of chocolate crepes.
The scent of grilled meat, citrus-glazed fish, honeyed vegetables, and rich desserts swirled thick around me. My stomach growled like a beast.
"I am… very sorry for the trouble," I said, breathless and flushed as the last plate settled down with a heavy clink. "Truly."
The staff muttered their polite "not at all, my lady"s and "we are honored, Lady Annabel, but I could feel their mana pulsing with quiet panic and fatigue. I tipped them with a little pouch of silver, more than enough to compensate for the panic, and the door closed behind them with a relieving click.
Finally quiet.
I turned, smiling, softly at first.
Salem was sitting on the edge of the bed.
Still.
Almost awkward.
Her mana was curling inward on itself, as if she was holding something back, folding it like a letter she wasn't sure she wanted to send.
Then she spoke.
"Ugh, this is so stupid," she muttered, folding her arms tight. "I changed into something cute, like, really cute. Something anyone would melt over. And then I just… completely forgot you can't see. I'm such a bad girlfriend."
I blinked. Then smirked, heart skipping a beat.
"Girlfriend, huh?"
I stepped forward and slid right into her lap without asking, my arms folding around her neck, face close to hers. Her breath hitched, a flutter of heat rising between us.
"Well," I whispered, my fingers running lightly along her sides, tracing the outline of fabric. "If you want me to see the outfit… I'll just have to feel it."
I kept my touch light but playful, fingertips exploring the curves of the neckline, the cut of the sleeves—until I realized just how little fabric there actually was. I tilted my head.
"…This is very not your style."
She stiffened slightly.
"You're really trying to impress me, huh?"
"No comment," she said through her teeth, voice burning.
I chuckled and leaned in, brushing my cheek to hers. "You're not a bad girlfriend at all, Salem."
I kissed the edge of her jaw, just once.
"You're my favorite person I've ever come across. Ever."
Her arms pulled tight around me then, burying her face against my shoulder.
I let her stay like that a moment—then gave her a little nudge with my nose.
"Now let's feast," I said with mock seriousness. "Before the steaks get cold."
She let out a snort against my neck.
I slid off her lap and reached for the edge of the tray closest to me, already grabbing for something warm and fish-shaped.
"Rare steak's on your left," I added. "Don't say I never bring you nice things."
"As long as you keep feeding me," she said, "I might never leave."
"Exactly the plan."
And in that quiet little suite, curled up on furs and laughter, with the world far outside our door, everything else could wait.
Just for tonight.
——
I flopped backward onto the bed, limbs heavy and useless beneath the weight of way too much food and far too much dessert.
"Ugh," I groaned toward the ceiling, my arms sprawled wide across the soft furs. "I'm way too full. Damn."
Salem chuckled beside me, leaning back onto one arm with her mana flickering in slow, content pulses.
"I've eaten entire deer before," she said casually. "Raw. In winter. But this? This was even better." A pause. "Especially with you that close the whole time."
I didn't respond.
Mostly because I was mid-chew on one final piece of chocolate I didn't need but absolutely couldn't say no to. I was busy trying to dissolve it with my soul when I felt her shift closer.
Then…
A kiss.
Quick, bold.
And her lips stole the other half of the chocolate right out of my mouth.
"Hey!"
"Don't ignore me when I'm complimenting you!" she said, smug and satisfied.
I blinked out of my food-induced trance, turning my head with the slow grace of someone whose brain was wrapped in honey.
"Ah… I'm sorry," I murmured. "Could you maybe… warn me again? I don't think my lips got the message."
She laughed, low and dark.
"If you're not careful with teasing me," she said, "I might choke you like i did in training."
My brows rose slightly.
"But then again," she added, "you'd enjoy that. So never mind."
I sat up slowly, leaning toward her until I could grab her around the waist and pull her close, my hands gliding over the edges of that still-questionably-legal outfit.
"I would like that, yes," I said sweetly. "And I don't have to be careful teasing you. Because you love me."
I began kissing along her jaw, over and over—slow, relentless little kisses until her mana buzzed warm and flustered.
"Why do I have to be a prodigy?" I muttered between pecks. "Why couldn't I just be normal and live like this forever? Just be in bed with you, kissing you all day… I don't wanna train anymore, ugh."
She tried to talk through my affection assault, half-laughing, half-winded. "I know time moves fast, but it's still early," she said. "And we have plenty of hours left for all that. I'm also, well…perfectly dressed for it. Not that you can see it."
I nuzzled my nose along her collarbone. "But I can feel it."
My hands slid up her sides with theatrical slowness. "You have great boobs, by the way. Have I ever told you that?"
Her mana pulsed in a spike of embarrassment.
"Are you drunk?! What drink had alcohol in it!?"
"I don't remember which one," I sighed dramatically. "But I feel amazing. Now kiss me more, please. We only have one night. Pleaaseee."
She groaned. "Fine. But we're taking a bath soon. No way I'm skipping out on that luxurious aqua room for one more night."
I tilted my head and gave her a wicked grin she couldn't see but would definitely feel.
"Fine by me," I whispered. "Just don't expect me to act shy around you."
She didn't answer.
Not with words, anyway.
But the heat in her mana, and the way she pulled me down on top of her, said more than enough.
The heat from Salem's skin was the first thing I noticed as she peeled off her clothes, every movement fluid and sure. Her voice, low and teasing, wrapped around me like silk. "Come on, Annie. The shower's warm. You're supposed to be here with me."
I swallowed against the tightness in my chest, heavy and full, unable to move. "Please… carry me. Undress me. My body's… rejecting movement." The words felt weak, but the need was real.
Salem laughed, deep, amused, but tender. "You're a literal prodigy acting like a granny." Then she lifted me effortlessly, pressing me close. "Fine. I'll carry you."
I murmured back, voice rough, "Well, my previous life does make me pretty old, overall."
"That doesn't count," she said with a smirk that made my cheeks flush, even though she couldn't see.
Her hands were warm as they slipped over my skin, peeling away the last barriers until I was bare beneath her. She carried me into the shower, the stones cool against my back, water beginning to spill over us. The dim shapes of the room blurred at the edges, mana outlines pulsing faintly around Salem's body, strong, protective.
I stretched a hand, fingertips just barely brushing the curve of her side, trying to sneak a touch of something more. "Hands still on the ground, Annie," she warned with a teasing growl.
"Bathe faster, please! So I can touch my girlfriend's perfect boobs without getting smacked away," I teased, voice trembling between playfulness and longing.
"You're insane," she laughed, the sound vibrating against my skin, "totally ridiculous."
The water swallowed us both, warm and slick, but instead of the usual distance, Salem slid into the middle. I curled into her, wrapping my arms tight around her waist, feeling the rise and fall of her chest under my cheek.
"This is different," I whispered, breath shaky. "Usually you're the one clinging to me."
"Usually you're not drunk," she replied, voice low and amused, but her fingers traced light circles on my back, grounding me.
I hesitated, then asked, voice barely audible, "Would you mind brushing my hair, Salem? My mom did it this afternoon… and it brought back so many old memories."
Without hesitation, she moved to sit across from me, our legs tangled, her hands gentle as they slid through my hair. Each stroke was slow, deliberate, an intimate caress that made my heart clench.
I stared into the darkness beyond the water, the edges of my vision alive with swirling dark blurs and shimmering mana outlines around her form.
"Sometimes," she said softly, "I wonder how you see the world. You're so strong… yet blind in some ways. You always know the perfect answer, whether in public or private."
I lifted my gaze to meet hers, tears threatening to spill. "I'm nowhere near as strong as you think. Without you, Salem… I don't know if I'd have made it through last year. You saved me. Mentally. Physically."
Her hands stilled, and she pulled me close again—our chests and waists pressed tight, the heat between us electric.
"You needing me doesn't make you weak. You said it yourself, your mercy makes you strong. And you're completely right."
We stayed like that, the water rippling softly around us, until I reluctantly pulled back and stood.
"Could you… be big spoon tonight? I think I'll need the hugs."
Salem rose in a blur of shadows and shimmering mana, catching me before I could slip away. Her lips crushed mine with fierce urgency, her hands roaming, claiming. "You don't just walk off when something's bothering you. You tell me. Always."
Her kisses were relentless, raw, and desperate in the best way—until I whispered the truth I'd buried.
"I'm scared, Salem. When people talk about the future… with devils… all I see are people weaker than me dying. My family. My friends. My home. When you fought Kali last year… and almost didn't make it… I kept thinking I'd rather die myself than live without you."
Tears spilled free, hot and loud. Salem caught me again, holding me as if letting go would tear us both apart.
"Do you hear me?" Her voice was steel and silk. "I will never leave you." Her hands cradled my face, thumbs brushing my cheeks. "I'm stronger than you, Annabel. I'm here to protect you. Nothing will happen on my watch. I'll destroy every devil realm that's ever existed if I have to."
All I could whisper back, my voice breaking, was, "Thank you… so much."
——
I sat on the edge of the bed, the last of my tears drying on my cheeks. The weight in my chest had lightened, but I felt raw, exposed and messy. I whispered aloud, "I'm such a mess."
Salem's voice was immediate, calm but firm. "This is what happens when you bottle everything up. You might have memories… general experiences from a previous life, but you're still only human."
Her mana outline shimmered softly, a protective glow around her. "There are so many things different now, like you told me. You can't do it all on your own."
I stayed silent, letting her words settle.
"Is there anything I can do right now to cheer you up?" she asked gently.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and said quietly, "I just want to lay down close to you. No need for sleepwear. You're warmer like this."
She smiled, a warmth I could feel deep inside her aura, and without hesitation, she joined me on the bed. The dark blurs softened as her body pressed close, her arms wrapping me in a gentle embrace.
I rested my damp hair against her chest, the steady rise and fall of her breath soothing every ache. The softness of her skin against mine was like a balm.
I couldn't help but murmur softly, "Your boobs are perfect. Big and soft… they're honestly a little distracting."
Salem's mana glow flickered, and I felt her cheeks flush even through the shadows. "You were just crying," she whispered, voice teasing but warm. "You can't be distracted by them this easily."
"But they are so nice," I replied, smiling even with tears still clinging to my lashes.
There was a pause before Salem added, gently but with a playful edge, "You can be close to them every night if you want. Just… don't lock me out again. Not like that."
I nodded instantly, my voice a whisper, "I won't."
"This is the best feeling on earth," I added, voice thick with contentment. "I'm so blessed."
Slowly, sleep pulled me under, safe and smothered in her warmth.
Salem's mana outline glowed brighter, a quiet happiness radiating through the shadows.