The rain came down harder against the forest canopy, drumming against leaves and wooden beams with a steady rhythm that made the entire mountain feel cut away from the rest of the world.
Valerie stood near the edge of the elevated pavilion with her arms folded tightly against herself, watching silver sheets of rain blur the lit forest trail below. Cold wind slipped through the open sides of the structure, lifting strands of her hair and making the fairy lights hanging around the pavilion sway gently.
Behind her, Azreal lounged lazily across the layered blankets and oversized pillows spread over the wooden platform floor. One leg was bent while the other stretched out carelessly beneath the fluffy duvet, a glass balanced loosely between his fingers as he watched her through half-lidded eyes.
The place looked absurdly romantic.
