The airship had barely touched down on the sprawling grounds of Lumina Academy when a figure suddenly burst through the crowd, running full tilt toward Zane and Sera. Her eyes were wide with urgency, her breaths coming in quick gasps as she closed the distance.
Sera's heart leapt, expecting a warm reunion with her sister. But Valerie's focus was solely on Zane. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him in a fierce embrace, holding him close as if afraid he might disappear.
Zane's mind scrambled to process the unexpected gesture. He stiffened for a moment, bewildered by the intensity of Valerie's hug. Her hand slid into his, fingers entwining with his own. His pulse quickened, and somewhere deep inside, Nyx's voice chimed in gleefully, "Oh, this is delicious."
Sera stood frozen for a split second, then the sting of jealousy tightened around her chest. The way Valerie held Zane—so possessive, so intimate—was a sharp contrast to the casual closeness she shared with him.
Valerie finally pulled back slightly, her cheeks flushed with a shy but earnest smile. "I've been thinking about you ever since that day in the portal," she confessed softly. "When you caught me... I knew you were someone special."
Zane blinked, still stunned. "You... hacked into the academy system to check if I was coming?"
She nodded, her gaze unwavering. "I wanted to be sure. When I heard students from your academy were coming, I had to know if you were among them. I didn't want to miss this chance."
Sera forced a polite smile, swallowing the swirl of emotions inside. She glanced at Zane, who looked equally stunned, and realized this unexpected reunion might change everything.
Nyx's teasing voice echoed in Zane's mind, "Looks like things just got a lot more interesting."