After the duel, I reached out and helped Diana up. She gripped my hand firmly, still breathless. The glint in her eyes wasn't just anger from the defeat… it was something more intense.
I gave a lopsided smile.
— Diana… let's go take a bath together — I said, keeping my expression as serious as I possibly could.
She froze.
Her eyes went wide. Her mouth hung slightly open, completely speechless. For a second, the great warrior of the Amazons simply ceased to exist.
I couldn't help it.
I burst out laughing.
Her face turned red—a red so vivid that I thought it was… cute. Dangerous to think that way, but it was.
— Just because you beat me doesn't mean you can make fun of me! — she shot back, trying to regain her dignity.
And then she came after me.
I took off running, keeping just enough distance to avoid a surprise blow, but close enough to keep teasing. She ran with that beautiful face of hers, trying to mask her embarrassment with fake indignation.
I dodged a few warriors who were laughing at the scene and hid behind Hippolyta.
She crossed her arms, holding back an amused smile.
— What did you do to make Diana want to capture you like this? — she asked.
— Nothing much… — I replied with a mischievous grin.
— Mother! — Diana exploded, a mix of rage and embarrassment. — He won the duel and invited me to take a bath with him!
She realized too late what she had just admitted out loud.
A few Amazons nearby started laughing.
Hippolyta tilted her head slightly, her smile becoming even more provocative.
— Well… if you don't want to go, I could go instead.
Diana blinked, not understanding.
The silence lasted two seconds.
When she caught the provocation, her face turned even redder.
The laughter grew louder.
— You two are impossible! — she shouted, storming off in indignation, marching away while trying to maintain her posture as an unbeatable warrior.
As soon as she disappeared from sight, I let out a sigh of relief.
I turned to Hippolyta.
— Thanks, Auntie. Without you, I wouldn't have escaped.
She smiled elegantly.
— You're welcome, Eron.
I started to walk away, still laughing at the situation, when her voice made me stop.
— Eron.
I looked over my shoulder.
She was staring at me with a different glint in her eyes.
— I wasn't joking about the bath.
My heart skipped a beat.
And for the first time that day…
I didn't know what to do.