Chapter 109 A PROMISE BEFORE THE STORM

Chapter 109 A PROMISE BEFORE THE STORM
As the music faded, Xyra wished it hadn't ended so soon. She had been having a wonderful time. Magnus was a graceful dancer, leading her effortlessly across the floor. Perhaps he owed that fluidity to his training as a fighter — he was light on his feet, moving with quick, easy poise. Whatever the reason, she had to admit this was the highlight of their journey so far. The staring eyes of the crowd no longer bothered her. Magnus was all that mattered. He was the only one in the room, and his smile was bright enough to light up the entire hall.

"Come on," he said, offering his arm again.

She didn't hesitate. Smiling back, she looped her arm through his and let him guide her. They threaded through the crowd toward a small staircase at the back of the room, which led up to the surrounding balcony. Walking past the glass doors, they stepped outside. The balcony overlooked a quiet courtyard bathed in pale moonlight. Since they were the only ones out there, the noise of the party quickly faded into a distant hum.

Magnus let go of her arm and walked over to the stone railing, leaning his weight against it. Xyra joined him, copying his relaxed posture. It was a relief to finally let her guard down. Being around high society meant keeping up appearances, which demanded stiff, perfect posture. Standing so rigidly had started to ache, and both of them were glad for the escape.

Xyra glanced at her companion. The smile was gone from his face, replaced by a quiet, distant look. She was about to ask what he was thinking when he let out a soft sigh and turned to face her.

"Xyra," he began, his tone turning serious. "I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to the Sorcerer’s League headquarters. No more hesitating. I’m going to find it, no matter what." His voice dropped to a whisper, his gaze softening. "I know you hate the thought of going back there. I know you don't want to see whatever horrors they're hiding... but I want you to come with me."

"What?" she murmured.

Usually, Magnus would tell her the journey was too dangerous and insist she stay behind. This was the exact opposite of what she expected.

"I know it will be difficult, and I can't promise you'll be safe, though I'll do everything I can to protect you," he said. "I just want to know... are you willing to come?"

"Of course," she replied instantly. Her quick response caught the sorcerer off guard. A look of fierce determination settled on her face.

"I'm not letting you go alone," she said. "I can handle the league. I want to be with you."

A genuine smile broke across his face. He pushed himself off the railing and stood straight. "And if I had ordered you to stay behind? What would you have done then?"

"I would have followed you anyway." She sounded completely sure of herself, though her voice softened, trembling slightly as she continued. "I don't like being away from you. If something happened... if you died there, I wouldn't even know. Staying behind would kill me anyway, just from the worry. So no matter what you say, I'm coming."

"Do I really mean that much to you?" he asked, a teasing, familiar smirk playing on his lips as if he already knew the answer.

"Of course," she blurted out.

She realized a second too late that she might have been too honest. A warm blush rushed to her cheeks, and she quickly looked down at the stone floor. Well, I’ve already said this much, she thought. I might as well just say it all. If we're ever going to take a step forward, someone has to start. It might as well be me.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" he asked gently. Xyra raised her head, her deep blue eyes meeting his bright green ones. His gaze was incredibly warm, inviting her to speak and promising to listen.

"Magnus," she started, taking a deep breath to steady herself. Her face felt incredibly hot. "I... I just... I want to say that..." Why is this so difficult? "I... I..."

Deciding to just leap, she closed her eyes and braced herself. "I love you!"

She kept her eyes locked on the ground, terrified of how he might react. Now that the words were out, she panicked, wondering if she had made a terrible mistake. It was bound to make things awkward between them. But she couldn't keep it bottled up anymore. He deserved to know, and a small part of her hoped he felt the same way. Still, fear gripped her. What if he was shocked, or worse, embarrassed? If he rejected her, she didn't know how she could keep traveling by his side.

Before she could spiral further, she felt a gentle finger slide under her chin, tilting her face upward. She met Magnus's gaze. He was smiling warmly, his eyes full of affection. He looked deeply moved by her confession. Xyra found herself completely speechless, utterly lost in his gaze.

Slowly, he stepped closer, sliding his free hand around her waist to pull her in. He tilted her chin a fraction more and leaned down. Before Xyra could fully process what was happening, his lips met hers in a soft, tender kiss. His warmth enveloped her, and her surprised eyes drifted shut as she melted into the embrace. Just like everything else he did, he was wonderful at this. She felt light as air as he wrapped his other arm around her shoulders, holding her close and deepening the kiss.

All her doubts and lingering questions vanished. She had always wondered what it would feel like to be kissed like this, but the reality was far better than any dream. It was gentle and sweet, a quiet reassurance rather than a demand. It was pure bliss.

When he finally pulled back a little, Xyra opened her eyes slowly. She caught the slight, affectionate smirk on his face before he leaned down to whisper against her ear.

"Thank you," he murmured, his voice low and teasing, yet entirely sincere. She knew he meant every word; he would never play with her heart. "You're the only woman I’ve ever wanted to hear those words from."

Her heart fluttered, and the blush on her cheeks deepened. A happy sigh escaped her lips. She loved this feeling, and she loved that he was the only one who could make her feel this way.

"Magnus?" she whispered, looking up into his eyes. "Can... Can you say it? Please? I need to hear you say..."

He didn't let her finish, leaning down to press another quick kiss to her lips. When he pulled back just far enough to speak, his gaze remained locked on hers.

"I love you," he murmured, his smirk returning as he watched her reaction. He reached up, gently brushing his thumb against her cheek. "You look beautiful when you blush." 

The compliment made her face burn even hotter, but a soft smile graced her lips. Before she could fully recover, he offered his arm once more. Without a word, she took it, and he led her back toward the warmth of the ballroom. He didn't care about the whispers or the staring guests. To the world, he was a Coleman — a proud, wealthy, and highly respected man of Dusthaven — while she was a thief with no social standing. In this room of snobs, she was a nobody, yet he walked with her as if she were a royal princess.

To him, she was worth more than all of them combined. He had no interest in the high-society women vying for his attention. He had exactly what he wanted. Despite her occasional sharp temper, she was perfect to him. He loved every single part of who she was, and nothing would ever change that. After being alone for so long, he finally belonged to someone. He had someone to love, and he had no intention of letting go. No matter what dangers lay ahead, he silently vowed to protect her.

He would never let her end up like Meryel.