Page 47 of The Stars

“So,” he said, his voice playful, “you’re telling me I’ve got a flying goddess for a girlfriend?”

Amy smirked, lifting herself higher until she was at eye level with him. “Better than a glowing god for a boyfriend, I guess.”

Dante laughed, shaking his head. “Yeah, I guess we’re quite the pair.”

Amy touched his cheek gently. “I realized something else last night.”

He met her eyes, his hand covering hers. “Oh?”

“I love you.” She brushed her lips across his. He stilled and when he pulled back slightly, he was smiling.

“I’ve loved you for longer than there have been stars,” he whispered. Then he kissed her again.

Chapter Sixteen

A few hours later, they stood in the center of the arena theater, facing one another. Amy had tied one of the dresses she’d been provided into makeshift pants. Since their original clothes had vanished, they had to make do with what they had to practice. She tied his tunic into shorts that would keep him covered better than before.

He stood in the center of the ancient arena, feeling the rough stone beneath his bare feet as the midmorning sun climbed higher into the sky. The heat settled on his skin, but it was nothing compared to the surge of energy he felt coiled within him, simmering just below the surface. Across from him, Amy was stretching her arms, her pants cinched tightly at the waist, giving her the freedom to move. She looked focused, but there was a glint in her eye, a spark of excitement he hadn’t seen before.

He grinned at her. “You ready?”

Amy returned the smile, rolling her shoulders. “Let’s see what you’ve got, glowing boy.”

Dante chuckled, remembering how just yesterday they had discovered the glow that surged through his body when he tapped into the strange, godlike power within him. His skin had pulsed with a soft light, his muscles brimming with strength. It was like nothing he’d ever felt before, and judging by the way Amy had watched him, she was impressed.

“Don’t hold back,” he said, lowering himself into a defensive stance. “We need to push each other.”

“Wasn’t planning on holding back.” Amy winked, then launched herself forward, faster than he’d anticipated.

She moved like lightning, her fist aimed directly at his chest. Dante braced himself, feeling the air shift around him as her blow connected. The impact was strong—stronger than he expected—but instead of crumpling, his body absorbed the force, his skin glowing faintly as he deflected the blow with ease.

Amy’s eyes widened. “You didn’t even flinch.”

He shrugged, feeling a surge of confidence. “I guess I’m tougher than I thought.”

But Amy wasn’t done. She moved again, faster this time, circling him with graceful, fluid steps. Dante followed her movements, his eyes locked on her. She feinted to the left, but before her real attack could land, he saw it—just the slightest shift in her body—and blocked her strike with his forearm.

Amy grinned, impressed. “You’re good.”

“Thanks,” he said, panting slightly, but the truth was, he could feel himself getting stronger with every movement. The more they pushed each other, the more he understood the power inside him. And Amy, well, she was learning too. She wasn’t just fast; she had strength that matched his own, and something else… something that gave her the edge in a fight.

Every time he struck out or shifted to block her, she countered his moves.

“You’re reading me,” Dante said, realization dawning. “You know what I’m going to do before I do it.”

Amy nodded, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. “It’s like I can see what is going to happen… a second before it does. Not all of your moves, but enough to stay ahead.”

“That’s... incredible.” He hadn’t even realized how much she’d been anticipating his strikes until now.

“You’re not so bad yourself,” she replied, circling him again, her bare feet moving silently across the stone floor. “But don’t think that means I’m going to go easy on you.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he shot back, bracing himself for her next move.

Amy lunged at him again, and this time Dante was ready. He deflected her strike, then ducked as she swung a kick towards his head. She was fast, but he was stronger, and when he caught her leg mid-kick, he spun her around and gently—yet firmly—tossed her back a few feet. Instead of landing on the ground with a thud, she floated high up in the air before landing on her feet, gracefully.

“That’s new,” she said, her breath heavy. “You’ve gotten stronger.”

Dante felt the power coursing through him, the glow of his skin more pronounced now. It felt natural, like this was how his body was meant to be. “I think I can do more,” he said, a smile tugging at his lips. “Wanna find out?”