They left the underground base with ARIA's laughter still bouncing off the cavern walls like she'd personally tuned the acoustics for maximum smug.
Peter's legs were still jelly. His lungs felt like someone had used them as bellows for a forge. Every muscle screamed in perfect, synchronized protest. And his goddess? Not a single bead of sweat.
Not even a hair out of place.
She looked like she'd just finished a light yoga session instead of turning him into a human speed bump for two straight hours.
"There's more to see," ARIA said, slipping her arm through his as they climbed the spiral staircase back into the mansion proper. Her touch was warm, grounding, and annoyingly energizing—like she was siphoning off his exhaustion just to prove she could.
"I've mapped the entire property through the Omni-Eros connection. You haven't seen half of it yet."
She wasn't exaggerating.
