Page 79 of The Light Within

“Come on. Let’s get this over and done with before I change my mind.”

They continued walking through the quieting Paris streets, the city’s lights casting a warm glow on the cobblestones. As they crossed theChamp de Mars, the tower’s massive structure rose above them, reflecting in the nearby ponds and framed by the lush greenery.

They approached the tower’s base.

The base, with its darkened ticket booths and very much closed gates…

“It’s shut.” Cinn fought to keep the disappointment out of his voice. Of course it was closed—it was almost eleven at night. He tipped his head back to take in as much of the golden glow of the tower as possible. “It’s still cool to see it up close.”

A sigh from Julien, like Cinn had disappointed him. “Ye of little faith. There was no way we were coming here during visiting hours. The time wasted queuing would be one thing, and then there would have been all thosepeople.”He shuddered. “But fear not, we’re still climbing up the stupid thing.”

Was Julien really suggesting what Cinn thought he was suggesting?

“No.” Cinn shook his head. “We are not breaking into the Eiffel Tower. That’s mental. Absolutely not.”

Surveying him, Julien said, “Darling, I’m hurt that you would expect anything less.”

He held out his hand.

Cinn took it.

Thoughts of ‘how is this my life’ and ‘he’s insane, he’s absolutely insane’ circulated through Cinn’s head as Julien catapulted them towards a security gate.

“But what about the—”

“CCTV?” Julien finished.

A sudden pop sounded from above them, followed by several more, further away. It took a few seconds for Cinn to locate the security cameras… now with a wisp of smoke curling from their housing.

“Aren’t there guards or some shit?”

Julien shrugged, leading them to a service entrance. He swung his rucksack off his back and grabbed the strange device that allowed him to unlock anything he wanted, seemingly.

An image of Madame Sinclair arriving at a Parisian jail to bail them out plagued Cinn.

“Julien, I’m really not sure about this.”

Julien’s standard infuriating smile plastered itself on his face. “You wanted a date, remember? I’m giving you a date. The most memorable date of your life,mon amour.”

It would certainly be memorable when they got arrested, he’d give Julien that.

Cinn followed Julien inside, the interior dimly lit by emergency lights. The steel beams and industrial feel of the tower’s underbelly were starkly different from its glowing exterior.

“We take the stairs.” Julien dropped his voice. “Elevators are too risky. I hope you’re ready for your thighs to ache. And not in a fun way.” With a single wink, Julien left Cinn to begin a swift march.

Cinn had to exert himself to catch up, the metal stairs clanging softly under his feet. It wasn’t long before his breath came in quiet gasps. “How far up are we going?”

“All the way to the top, obviously.”

After an age of climbing, with every step feeling heavier than the last, they finally reached the final platform.

First to reach the railing, Julien leaned backwards, throwing his arms out, looking pleased. “See? Worth every step.”

For a long moment, Cinn froze, unable to move past the sight of Julien, bathed in the golden glow of the city lights. That single image—his blond hair catching the light, his high cheekbones casting delicate shadows, and his smile radiating warmth against the backdrop of Paris. If he had any air left in his lungs, Julien’s beauty would have stolen it away.

Julien reached out, taking Cinn by the arm and guiding him to the railing, finally getting him to move. The striking panorama of the city of Paris spread out below them. For a timeless moment, they stood silently, gazing at the city lights shimmering like a thousand stars beneath them, a sea of twinkling lights.

“Ah, the perfect view of Paris—one that doesn’t feature this ugly blight of steel.” Julien sighed dramatically, clutching his heart. “So, while we’re here…”

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