Ava was never quite sure how she felt about airports. There was always a tangle of emotions swirling inside her. The trip to Italy, a mix of business, a bit of leisure, and an unexpected blow of romance, had been truly memorable. But now, in the backseat of the taxi on her way to the airport, she found herself consumed by a sense of loneliness and melancholy, which defeated the entire purpose of her solitary trip out of California.

  Her mind wandered back to the events of the previous night. She felt a quiet ache, the residue of emotions she hadn’t yet processed. To shake off the gloomy thoughts, she fumbled in her bag for her earphones. Maybe a podcast would help distract her, a deep dive into global warming or the upcoming elections in the US. She found her earphones and lifted one to her ear. But as her fingers brushed her earlobe, a sudden, sharp realization struck her that her beloved earrings were not on!

  “Oh shit!” Ava cursed under her breath as she realized she had forgotten her earrings at Alessandro's bathroom. Her inner voice had warned her to remember to put them back on after her shower, but of course she had forgotten anyway. They weren’t just any earrings; they were a gift from her mother for her fifteenth birthday. Ava had worn them more frequently after her mother passed away.

  “What do I do now? Should I go back and ring the bell? Is there enough time?” Ava glanced at the clock on her phone, anxiety creeping in as she calculated how much time she would lose if she returned to the city. The traffic would be brutal, and she’d never make it to the airport in time. It was hopeless. The best she could do was to contact the art gallery and leave a note for Alessandro, asking him to send the earrings to California. At least that way, she wouldn’t have to face him again.

  She tapped on her phone’s map app. She had smartly pinned the location of his house, but now that she thought about it, it would be more appropriate to contact him through the gallery. She could write a note explaining that the earrings were of sentimental importance to her. He’d understand. Alessandro might have failed to meet Ava’s expectations in some ways, but that didn’t change the fact that he was a gentleman.

  She took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the situation lift off her chest just a little. It wasn’t ideal, but at least she had a reason to reach out to him again. Not that she expected anything from him, of course. Just… the earrings. That was all.

  Grateful for the invention of four-wheeled luggage, Ava quickly made her way to the international flight counters and found her gate. Thankfully, she wouldn’t have to wait long in the business class line. She stood behind a fashionable woman dressed in tight jeans and towering heels. Ava couldn’t help but wonder, why would anyone wear three necklaces layered on top of each other for a transatlantic flight? She busied herself analyzing the woman’s fashion choices, trying to distract her mind from the sinking feeling in her chest.

  The airline agent called for the next passenger, and the woman in high heels slowly made her way to the counter. Ava’s gaze watched the wobbling heels walk until she felt the gentle tap on her shoulder. The person behind her pointed out that the agent at the second counter was now calling the next passenger. Jolted from her heel-induced trance, Ava moved forward, placing her luggage on the conveyor belt and holding out her passport. She fought the urge to turn around, to look back one last time, but forced herself to keep moving. After receiving her boarding pass, she walked toward passport control, where, once passed, there would be no turning back.

  “So, this is it, the real end of the story,” she thought. “Let’s just get this over with.” She didn’t realize she had stopped walking. That familiar, nagging feeling crept in, the one that told her she had forgotten something important. She couldn’t shake the irrational urge to look back. Turning around, she saw him only a few yards away, moving toward her with purpose. Just like in the gallery, Alessandro was closing the distance between them. His face was set, stern and resolute. His brows furrowed slightly, and his blue eyes locked onto hers, like a predator closing in on its prey.

  He stopped just in front of Ava and opened his arms, shaking his head, biting his lip as if he didn't quite know what to say. His intense eyes widened under his slightly raised brows, and his hands reached out to her. "I shouldn’t have let you go," he said, his voice sudden but low, filled with urgency.

  Ava, unsure if she was dreaming or not, took a tentative step toward Alessandro, allowing herself to be pulled into the embrace of his outstretched arms. His strong hold enveloped her, ignoring the bustling crowd around them. "I was scared to death I wouldn’t find you," he whispered, his voice thick with relief.

  "I think you just like the adrenaline," Ava replied, her voice light but uncertain.

  "Maybe a little," he admitted, his lips curling with a smile. "But not like this. We need to get your luggage if we can, or else I’ll have to take you shopping once we’re in Cappadocia."

  "Excuse me?" Ava raised her eyebrows, a mix of confusion and amusement. "Shopping where?"

  Alessandro gently took Ava’s hand, and they settled into a quiet corner of the airport lounge. His gaze softened as he looked at her, the weight of his next words pressing on him.

  "Ava, now you have a decision to make," he began, his tone serious but sincere. "I promise you that when you're with me, you will always have a choice. I'll always respect whatever you decide."

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  Ava sensed the familiar tension rising within her, knowing he was about to offer her some kind of choice, just like he had last night by the river. She braced herself, waiting for him to speak his mind.

  "Ava," he continued, "I know it's incredibly bold of me to ask you to come with me to another country right now, but I promise you, the universe is about to spoil us with the most romantic destination you can imagine."

  "Wait, what? Where is Capa...capa?" Ava stammered, still trying to wrap her mind around the idea.

  "Cappadocia," Alessandro said with a wide smile. "It's in Turkey. Sounds Italian, like cappuccino, but it’s an amazing place in Turkey."

  "In Turkey?" Ava repeated, her mind reeling. The word hit her like a sudden wave, blurring her vision. Was this some kind of international scam? Why Turkey? Could he possibly know something about her childhood? The mention of Turkey sent a flood of questions rushing to the surface. In Turkey, she left her childhood, in the village by the Black Sea. Her hearth felt squeezed between a wall of hope and a wall of fear.

  "I know how it sounds," Alessandro said, his voice soft but earnest. "But just hear me out. Let me explain. If you're not comfortable, I’ll buy a ticket to California and come with you instead."

  "Would you?" Ava asked, a mix of surprise and skepticism in her voice.

  Alessandro gave a small, reassuring smile. "I have a feeling I will eventually."

  Ava felt the walls closing on her chest, a rush of conflicting emotions squeezing her. "I can’t come with you," she said, her voice shaky. "Extending my stay in Rome is one thing but going to another country... that's too much to ask."

  "I know," Alessandro replied, his voice soft with understanding. "It's bold of me to ask. It would be even braver if you’d come."

  He paused, then nodded toward her phone. "Just take a look at Cappadocia. If you feel like it’s too much, I’ll respect that."

  While Ava scrolled through the stunning photos of hot air balloons soaring over the otherworldly rock formations known as ‘fairy chimneys,’ Alessandro explained more about his connection to Cappadocia.

  “I was only twenty-two when I first saw the region,” he began, his tone softening with nostalgia. “It was love at first sight. I stayed for a whole month and visited frequently ever since. I made a lot of friends there. Last year, one of them told me about a cave hotel that was up for sale at a really good price. I saw it as an opportunity to invest, to own something of my own.”

  Ava glanced up from her phone, her brow slightly furrowed. Alessandro continued with his soft voice.

  “The hotel’s almost done with the restorations. It’ll be open to guests soon. The manager’s been handling everything, but I need to make sure it’s all in order before we start taking bookings.” He paused, gauging Ava’s reaction. She was still quiet, undecided.

  “Cappadocia’s become a top destination for social media influencers,” he added with a small grin. “It’s got everything. You won’t regret it.”

  Ava tilted her head, still unsure, but the photos on her phone were undeniably tempting. “The photos are definitely convincing,” she said, her voice soft with a touch of wonder.

  Ava had always been the cautious type, the one who weighed every decision, but today was different. As she stood in the middle of Da Vinci Airport, she had just fifteen minutes to make a decision that could change everything. Her logical side whispered to her that going back to California was the safe, sensible choice. There were a million reasons why this could go wrong, like the fact that there was not one single clean underwear left in her bag, but none of those reasons felt particularly convincing.

  Instead, she felt a strange excitement stir within her, the wall of hope in her heart slowly pushing aside the wall of fear. Ava knew she could never be sure if she was making the right decision before she tried it, but she knew she didn’t want to go back to California all alone. Her adventure was not yet meant to be over.

  Ava smiled to herself, she wasn’t scared. She didn’t need all the answers right now. Sometimes, you just had to trust the moment, trust the feeling that things would work out. Without hesitation, she made her decision. She wasn’t going to walk away from this opportunity. Not today.

  Alessandro quietly observed Ava as she took a moment, her colors shifting through various hues as she processed her decision. He knew this was her moment, one where she needed to come to the answer on her own. He had already said what she needed to hear, anything more might just push her away. The choice had to come from her, unforced. He could see the greenish tinge of her aura growing stronger, a sign that she was leaning toward a ‘yes.’

  With a quiet smile, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the golden earrings, holding them gently in the palm of his hand.

  "You forgot something," he said softly, offering them to her. "They look lovely on your ears. A delicate piece of art."

  Ava’s gaze softened as she took them. "They’re hand made. My mother’s gift for my fifteenth birthday, I would never forgive myself if I lost them," she said and took the earrings from his hand.

  Alessandro’s eyes lingered on her face as she put them on, the corners of his lips twitching in understanding. "Ah, that explains it," he replied. He could sense her connection to them, the sentimental value they held. He examined the faint hues from the earrings mingling with Ava’s own fumes. His eyes locked on the stream of white fumes; he was sure he never saw white fumes before. As an Ars Pherian, Alessandro didn’t even know which emotion white fumes would represent. Whatever it takes, he should understand these white emotional fumes that Ava disseminates.

  Ava touched the earrings again, feeling a small surge of comfort wash over her, as if her mother’s presence was there with her, reassuring. "Let’s go get my luggage, if we can," she said.

  Alessandro leaned in and kissed her gently on her lips, a soft smile tugging at his lips. "Let me handle everything," he murmured, his tone full of quiet confidence.

  Ava laughed, "That’s what a girl wants to hear!" she said, suddenly forgetting all the lingering doubts and uncertainties.

  "So, when are we leaving?" she asked, the excitement starting to sparkle in her eyes.

  "Tonight," Alessandro replied. "Are you hungry?"

  I, the loyal Ghull of the Asaha,

  Saw her shades of white so pure, who she touched would find a cure.

  Saw a prince; what he could see, he could not feel.

  And what he could feel, he could not see.