That night, exhaustion dragged me under the surface of consciousness, and I slipped into a dream that felt too real to be a mere dream.
I was standing in a sunlit courtyard, the scent of blooming jasmine thick in the air. The academy was alive with students laughing and training, their voices echoing softly around the marble columns. I was not alone.
Lucas stood before me, his sharp green eyes holding a warmth I hadn't seen in ages. He smiled, the kind of smile that made my chest tighten and my heart race.
"Athena," he said softly, stepping closer. "You made it. I was starting to think you wouldn't."
I blinked, searching his face as if trying to remember every detail etched into memory. "Lucas… is it really you?"
He laughed, low and genuine, and reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "In more ways than you know."
