Chapter 87: Close enough to touch.
"This place is beautiful," she whispered.
Kael nodded, watching her. "It is."
(This place wasn’t mentioned in the novel), Kael thought.
Their final stop was a quiet park tucked away at the edge of the city, far from the noisy shops and enchanted distractions.
The two of them found a spot on the open green lawn, just beside a fountain where enchanted fish swam lazily through the air, their glowing fins casting faint, shimmering trails behind them like falling stars.
Children nearby squealed with joy as they leapt and waved at the floating fish, trying to catch one but always missing by just a few inches.
The laughter was soft in the distance, blending with the quiet gurgle of the fountain and the soft chirping of birds settling into the trees.
Kael and Cecelia sat on the trimmed grass, close but not touching, with the golden evening light spilling across their faces. The sunset was stunning—a soft wash of orange, pink, and violet that seemed painted just for them.
The clouds were gentle strokes on the canvas of the sky, and the wind had cooled into something peaceful and tender.
Cecelia leaned back with a deep sigh, her arms stretched behind her to support her weight, her head tilted up toward the sky.
"Today was... unexpectedly fun," she said, her voice soft, almost dreamy.
Kael smiled faintly, his eyes still watching the horizon. "Yeah," he murmured.