A cute little bat fluttered across the sky, her tiny wings gracefully slicing through the clouds. She spun left and right with a cheerful sway, as if dancing with the clouds, her round little face lit up with an innocent, joyful expression.
"Haha... it’s been so long since I’ve played with him like that... haha..." she laughed softly to herself, her voice filled with warmth. "I’m so relieved he’s still the sa... still my Aether... my sa Aether~"
The bat—of course, it was Lia—murmured the words in a happy tone, almost like singing to herself as the stars above twinkled. Her chest felt light, her heart fluttering almost in rhythm with her wings.
Her eyes were brimming with happiness.
Honestly, she never thought today would even happen. A part of her always feared it wouldn’t. And yet... it did. Against all odds.
This was the very first ti she had dared to sneak out of the palace without alerting her mother. She knew the rules. She knew the risks. But this ti... this one ti, her heart overpowered her fear.
And strangely, she didn’t feel the slightest bit guilty.
No regret. Just... excitent.
That rebellious, forbidden thrill that made her cheeks flush pink and her tiny bat body buzz with energy.
"I can’t believe it... he’s still that sa cute little Aether..." she whispered again, smiling to herself.
Her wings fluttered faster as she soared higher, catching a warm gust of wind that brushed against her fur like a soft blanket. She closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of the night.
She had been so worried. So scared he might’ve changed. After all, so much ti had passed since they were last together. And so many things had happened between them.
When they finally t again... he was already married to Nyx.
That part hurt.
It hit her in the softest, most vulnerable part of her heart.
Even Nyx—a woman who barely used to speak to Aether—ended up marrying him.
What about her?
What about Lia?
Sure, she wasn’t friendly or easy to approach like the others. She knew that. She could be difficult, even an. But still... wasn’t she the first person who ever really talked to him?
Didn’t that count for sothing?
Their first eting ca rushing back to her mind... and yeah, she’d been a little sassy.
Maybe more than a little. She’d looked down on him, saw him as a slave—just another servant ant to obey and stay quiet.
But how could she be blad? That was how she was raised. Taught to look down on others, to never treat slaves as equals. To see them as tools, not people.
It all changed the day he stood beside her... the day he offered her a shoulder instead of silence.
The day he gave her a gentle push when she didn’t know how to take the first step.
That’s when everything began to shift—her thoughts, her feelings, her entire world. That’s when she started seeing him not as a slave, not even just as a friend... but as sothing more. So much more.
’Still... Nyx got married. Why not ?! Why not ?!’
Her chest tensed. Her small wings slowed their flutters as a groan escaped her lips. Her cute bat face twisted into an annoyed pout.
She was mad.
Not just at Nyx.. But at Aether too.
"What the heck... he was the freaking Victor this whole ti?"
She muttered to herself, the fury bubbling up again. Her tiny voice trembled with a blend of frustration and betrayal.
"Seriously?! All this ti, and he couldn’t even tell ?! What kind of ssed up joke is that?!"
She wanted to scream. To shake him. To smack his dumb handso face.
How could he toy with her heart like that?
Why was it so hard to just say, "Hey, I’m Victor and I’m Aether"? That one truth could have changed everything.
All the anger, the confusion, the resentnt she’d carried toward Victor... only to realize they were the sa man.
The sa man she fell for.
It made her feel like an idiot.
A confused, emotional idiot.
She wanted to beat him to a pulp.
"Hmph... You better rember this, Aether! You owe big ti!"
She huffed with a glare, her wings twitching in frustration as she glided through the night sky. Her whole body radiated annoyance... And hurt... And... disappointnt.
She couldn’t even be angry at him... all that damn smile and sorry.
She really wanted to punch the face of person who created sorry ass!!
Hmph!
"So many won... damn it..." she mumbled, sighing into the breeze. Her voice cracked a little, barely above a whisper.
How was she going to explain all of this to her mother?
Sure, Lia had accepted him. Even with the knowledge of other won in his life. She tried to stay strong.
To act mature... To pretend it didn’t eat her up inside.
But co on... wasn’t this a bit too much?
"Isn’t this... way too many?"
Her voice was trembling now.
So many won around Aether. She couldn’t even count anymore. And each one had a piece of him. A piece she wanted for herself.
Already, her mind was painting nightmares—dark, twisted pictures of what had happened to her family.
How they were torn apart.
She didn’t want history to repeat itself.
She only prayed that Aether wouldn’t make the sa mistake his father did... wouldn’t get himself killed because of it.
"Sigh..."
Her breath ca out shaky, her body finally calming as the palace neared in the distance.
She still had doubts. Still had fears clinging to her like shadows.
After all, she’d witnessed the downfall of her family with her own eyes. She’d lived through the pain. She knew exactly how cruel love could be when it turned into betrayal.
She was traumatized. Scarred. Even if she didn’t always show it.
But the only thing that kept her flying, that kept her heart from collapsing under the weight of all this emotion... were his words.
Aether’s words.
The way he looked at her. The way he spoke to her like she mattered. Like her pain was his too.
She trusted him. Sowhere deep inside, she knew—he would keep his promise.
With so many thoughts spinning around in her little head, in such a short flight, she finally reached the palace.
She landed softly on the corridor, wings folding in as she transford back into her human form. Her clothes were already dry, clinging to her body with the faint scent of murky water.
She looked around carefully, making sure no one saw her. The corridor was silent, No guards. No maids.
Just her and the quiet air.
Perfect!
She tiptoed toward her room, her bare feet almost soundless on the marble floor.
Her mother didn’t always sleep with her... well, usually she did, but there were tis like now when she got too busy.
Especially with Grace’s sudden disappearance and all the pressure of managing the souls.
That was the only reason Lia managed to sneak out tonight. If her mother had been around, it would’ve been impossible.
’O Grace... please keep my mother busy tomorrow too... I need to see Aether again... I really need to...’ she prayed silently as her fingers gently pushed open the door to her room.
Only to see...
"M-Mom?"
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