Master's Female, Aris

Claude defeated the last challenger and slowly caught his breath.

Sweat trickled from his shoulders down the nape of his neck, and the sound of his footsteps echoed faintly through the village, now quiet once more.

“Aris.”

He called my name as he approached.

I rose to my feet and threw myself into his arms without hesitation.

His chest was still hot, and his arms instinctively wrapped around my back.

Our hearts—both mine and his—were beating so loudly I could hear them at the tips of my ears.

“You worked hard…”

I whispered, burying my face against the nape of his neck.

The scent of his sweat and blood, mixed with my own scent, was warm and powerful...