Damon let out a half-smile, the kind of expression that always made Aria roll her eyes and Ester clench her fists. "You even missed me, didn't you?" he teased, looking directly at the cold-eyed woman.
Ester didn't answer. She simply crossed her arms, impassive, but Damon noticed the slight tremor in her fingertips—almost imperceptible, but enough.
Aria, on the other hand, laughed, shaking her head. "You two never change."
"Neither do you," he replied, slowly standing up. His gaze and hers met—and for an instant, time seemed to distort. All the memories of Mirath, the days of escape, the blood, the nervous laughter, and the unspoken promises resurfaced like a tide.
Without saying anything more, Damon stepped forward, cupped Aria's face in his hands, and kissed her.
