Chapter 31: Kiss and Confession
The sun still shone high in the sky, casting golden rays through the palace’s stained glass windows and tinting the corridors with a warm, vibrant light. After Aziz’s words, no one felt any urgency to leave the room. But gradually, as if guided by the same silent rhythm, they began to move. There was something different in the air — a sense of passage, of ending and beginning at the same time.
Astrid was the first to move, adjusting her tunic with calm yet firm gestures. Isis approached Aziz, giving him a light tap on the shoulder with a provocative smile, and Zia, her eyes still shining, seemed barely able to contain the energy pulsing inside her.
"Let’s go out for a bit," said Stella, breaking the silence with her sweet yet commanding voice. "The city air will do us good... and I think we all deserve a simple moment, together."
Sylvia nodded discreetly, already moving to the front as someone who naturally assumes the lead of an informal formation. Zia and Sofia exchanged a knowing glance — and a playful nudge to the shoulder — before turning to Aziz, as if competing to see who would walk closest to him.
They crossed the palace corridors wrapped in a light and silent atmosphere, where their steps echoed like soft notes on enchanted marble. Outside, the fresh morning breeze surrounded them with the scent of manatic flowers blooming under the sun.
And then, there, under the open and radiant sky, with hearts still warm from all they had shared... they stepped out.
After everything that had been said, after all the emotions intertwined like roots beneath Aziz’s feet, walking through the city streets with all of them felt like breathing for the first time after being submerged for a very long time.
Stella guided them through alleys and squares with ease, wearing an elegant cloak that still did nothing to hide her air of sovereignty. At her side, Astrid walked with the serenity of a quiet queen, and Isis, with half-lidded eyes and a mischievous smile, looked ready to provoke someone at any moment. Sylvia, always firm and alert, walked ahead like a protective shadow.
Sofia and Zia, on the other hand, kept close to Aziz — sometimes one on each side, sometimes switching places, like in a silent dance to compete for his attention. What had once been playful rivalry now seemed to have become something subtler, more mature... more dangerous.
The streets were bustling, as expected at that hour. Stalls of exotic fruits, caramelized sweets dusted with mana, skewers of meat seasoned with rare herbs, and multicolored drinks shimmered under the light enchantments installed along the cobbled paths.
Sofia tried a sweet made of crystallized petals and offered it to Aziz with an excited smile.