Hearing those words, Ameriah's cheeks flamed a deep shade of red. A part of her wanted to brush off Auria's bold declaration as a joke. But another part—hidden deep inside her—felt the first flicker of hope. A tiny spark of anticipation.
Could it really happen?
"Don't look so surprised," Auria said, flashing a wide, confident smile. "Of course, I would love to be with the Lord Commander myself. But you, Ameriah—you're my close friend. I want to support you first. And when the time comes, I hope you'll support me as well!"
Ameriah, still reeling from Auria's unexpected declaration, found herself at a loss for words. Her mind spun as she tried to process the idea. The thought of being that close to Nathan… it was exhilarating, almost too much to believe.
