luca

“I wasn’t running,” Alice said, crouching low behind an overturned altar. “I was strategically repositioning.”

“You were being reckless.” Robin’s voice was clipped, her irritation palpable.

Alice peeked around the corner of the altar, her golden hair messy from the fight, her face smudged with soot. “And yet, here I am—perfectly fine, thanks to your sharp aim.” She gave Robin a quick wink before vanishing again.

Robin let out a frustrated breath. “You’re impossible.”

“I prefer ‘charming,’ actually!” Alice’s voice echoed from somewhere deeper in the chamber.

Robin muttered under her breath, shifting her position as the sorceress reappeared in the center of the room. The woman was tall and imposing, her dark robes billowing unnaturally as she raised her glowing staff.

“Mortals,” the sorceress intoned, her voice cold and echoing. “Do you think you can defy me? You will fall, just like all who have dared before you.”

Robin sighed. “Here comes the monologue.”

Alice’s laughter rang out from the shadows. “Oh, let her have her moment, Nobin. You know villains live for this stuff.”

“Which is why I’d prefer to end it sooner rather than later,” Robin snapped, firing another arrow at the sorceress. It bounced harmlessly off a magical shield.

The sorceress turned her glowing eyes toward Robin. “You will regret that, child.”

“I’ve regretted a lot of things,” Robin muttered, drawing another arrow. “This won’t be one of them.”

Suddenly, Alice burst into the open, sprinting straight for the altar at the far end of the room, where a spool of shimmering silver thread floated in a magical bubble.

“Are you serious right now?!” Robin shouted, firing an arrow to cover Alice as dark energy crackled toward her.

Alice slid behind a pillar just in time, her laughter echoing again. “Oh, come on, love! Where’s your sense of fun?”

“This isn’t fun!” Robin growled, her eyes flicking between Alice and the advancing sorceress.

“It is if you stop worrying for five seconds!” Alice called back, poking her head out.

Robin snapped, “I don’t want to hurt you!”

Alice froze for a moment, then slowly stepped out into the open, her face alight with mischief. “Hurt me?” she repeated, tilting her head.

“Yes!” Robin barked, exasperated. “If you keep pulling stunts like this, you’re going to make me do something I regret!”

Alice grinned, leaning against the altar like she had all the time in the world. “I’d like to see you try.”

Robin’s heart stuttered, caught between anger and something far more confusing. “What does that even mean?!”

Alice shrugged. “Means I’m not as fragile as you think, Nobin.” She gestured dramatically to herself. “Tower girl, remember? I’ve seen worse.”

Robin groaned. “You are infuriating.”

“And yet, here we are,” Alice said, tossing a small dagger between her hands like she didn’t have a care in the world. “Partners. Besties. A dynamic duo, if you will…something more.”

Robin didn’t dignify that with a response. Instead, she turned her focus back to the sorceress, who was advancing on Alice with dark energy crackling around her.

“Watch out!” Robin shouted, sprinting forward and firing an arrow that shattered the spell inches from Alice’s head.

Alice blinked, startled. “Oh. That was close. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Robin bit out, grabbing Alice’s wrist and yanking her behind cover. “Now stay out of trouble for two seconds, will you?”

Alice opened her mouth to retort but stopped when she saw the flash of real fear in Robin’s eyes. Her grin softened. “You really don’t want to hurt me, do you?”

Robin sighed, lowering her bow. “No, Alice. I don’t.” Her voice was quieter now, edged with something vulnerable. “But if I lose you because you won’t take this seriously…”

Alice tilted her head, studying Robin’s face like it was a puzzle she was trying to solve. Then, slowly, she reached out and patted Robin’s arm. “You’re cute when you’re worried, you know that?”

Robin scowled. “I’m not—”

“Shhh,” Alice said, pressing a finger to Robin’s lips. “Big scary sorceress, remember? Let’s save the heart-to-hearts for later.”

Robin swatted her hand away. “I’m holding you to that.”

“Good.” Alice grinned, pulling out her knife. “Now, cover me.”

With that, she was off again, darting toward the altar with a burst of reckless energy. Robin cursed under her breath, firing arrows at the sorceress to keep her distracted.

Alice reached the altar just as the sorceress unleashed a wave of dark magic. “Catch!” she shouted, tossing the silver thread toward Robin.

Robin caught it midair, quickly nocking it to her bow. The thread pulsed with energy, but Robin didn’t hesitate. “This ends now,” she muttered, letting the arrow fly.

The silver thread struck the sorceress’s staff, shattering it in a blinding explosion of light. When the dust cleared, the sorceress was gone, and the chamber was silent.

Robin lowered her bow, exhaling slowly. “Finally.”

Alice strolled over, her hands in her pockets and a smirk on her face. “Nice shot, Nobin.”

Robin raised an eyebrow. “You’re lucky I didn’t aim at you.”

“Please. You’d miss me too much,” Alice said breezily.

Robin opened her mouth to argue, but Alice stepped closer, her grin softening. “You know,” she said, her voice lower now, “if you wanted to spend more time with me, you could’ve just asked.”

Robin blinked. “What?”

Alice patted her on the shoulder, then leaned in and kissed her lightly on the cheek. The touch was quick and fleeting, but it left Robin frozen in place.

“Next time,” Alice said, stepping back with a wink, “just ask me to dinner instead of dragging me into a death trap.”

Before Robin could respond, Alice turned and strolled toward the exit, leaving Robin standing there with her heart pounding and her cheeks burning.