Damian stepped into the villa last.
The doors had already parted before him, revealing a wide open space bathed in soft natural light. The ocean stretched endlessly beyond the glass walls, the horizon cutting clean across the sky as if the world itself had been simplified for their sake. The air was calm, touched by the faint scent of salt and something floral carried in from the island.
Ruby did not wait.
The moment her feet crossed the threshold, she broke away from the group, her eyes lighting up as she moved from one space to another without restraint. She ran her fingers across the furniture, peeked into rooms without hesitation, and even let out a small laugh as she pushed open a glass panel leading to the deck.
For someone who had lived for at least a thousand years, Damian found himself genuinely stunned by her enthusiasm. He had assumed such things would have long lost their charm to beings like them.
