Chapter 86: Déjà Boo
Lirian woke with a start, gasping for air like she’d just sprinted a mile.
Gabriel’s arms were strongly wrapped around her, eyes shouted ’concerned!’.
"Lirian? What happened? Did you have a nightmare?"
"It wasn’t a nightmare," she replied, shakily as she removed herself from his hold. "It was a warning..."
He frowned, propping himself up on one elbow. "A warning about what?"
Lirian scrambled out of bed, nearly tripping over the edge of the blanket as she searched the room for a robe.
"About you dying, Gabriel!"
Gabriel blinked at her, still trying to catch up.
" dying? I an, I appreciate the concern, but I’m not planning on it anyti soon."
She spun around to face him, clutching her robe closed like it was armor against her panic.
"No, you don’t get it. I saw it. You died. Stabbed right in the heart by so hooded creep with serious villain vibes!"
Gabriel raised an eyebrow.
"Hooded creep? That doesn’t exactly narrow it down in my line of work."
Lirian threw her hands up.
"This isn’t funny! It was like... like I was watching a mory, but it hasn’t happened yet. And this little girl—she looked like , Gabriel—she told to wake up and stop it from happening!"
Gabriel sat up fully now, the blanket pooled around his waist.
"A little girl who looked like you? Are you sure this wasn’t just so weird dream? Maybe you ate sothing strange last night—"
"I didn’t eat anything strange!" she snapped, pacing the room. "I’m telling you, it felt real."
Gabriel sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Okay, let’s say it was real. What exactly did this dream-girl say?"
"She said that if you die in this life, she doesn’t know what she’ll do to herself. Which, frankly, is not comforting, Gabriel!"
He smirked despite himself.
"Sounds dramatic. Are we sure she wasn’t just a manifestation of your overactive imagination?"
Lirian glared at him. "I’m trying to save your life, and you’re cracking jokes?"
Gabriel held up his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I believe you. So what’s the plan?"
"First, you’re avoiding the garden today," she declared, pointing a finger at him like it was a royal decree.
He frowned. "Avoiding the garden? Why?"
"Because that’s where it happened," she said, whispering.
"You were fighting that hooded guy, and then—" She mid a dramatic stab to the chest.
Gabriel winced. "Sounds unpleasant."
"It was unpleasant! You died, Gabriel! There was blood, and you collapsed, and I couldn’t move—"
Her voice broke, and she shook her head. "I’m not letting it happen."
Gabriel stood, pulling her into his arms.
"Hey, it’s okay. I’m not going anywhere. You said this hasn’t happened yet, right? That ans we can change it."
Lirian buried her face in his chest, inhaling the familiar scent of him.
"Promise you won’t go near the garden."
Gabriel hesitated. "Lirian..."
"Promise!" she insisted, pulling back to look him in the eyes.
He sighed, his eyes softened. "Fine. I promise I won’t go near the garden today. Happy?"
"Yes," she said, though her stomach was still in knots.
A sharp knock at the door made them both jump.
"Who is it?" Gabriel barked, instinctively stepping in front of Lirian.
"It’s Raphael," ca the muffled reply.
Lirian groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Of course it is."
Gabriel’s jaw clenched. "Go away, Raphael!"
"I need to speak with Lirian," Raphael called back.
"Not happening!" Gabriel replied back.
Lirian placed a calming hand on his arm. "Let handle this."
Gabriel gave her a skeptical look. "Are you sure? Because I’m more than happy to throw him out a window."
"I’m sure," she said, rolling her eyes. "And no window-throwing."
She opened the door just enough to peek out.
Raphael stood there, looking far too smug for her liking.
"What do you want?" she asked, crossing her arms.
Raphael glanced over her shoulder, clearly trying to spot Gabriel.
"Just checking in. You seed... distressed last night."
"I’m fine," she said flatly.
"Are you, though?" he pressed, his eyes narrowed a little. "Because it seems like Gabriel’s been—"
"Raphael," she interrupted him in a strict tone.
"Whatever you’re about to say, don’t. I don’t have the energy for this today."
Raphael frowned. "Lirian, if he’s—"
"Goodbye, Raphael," she said simply, and closed the door in his face.
Gabriel snorted. "Nice. Should’ve done that ages ago."
Lirian sighed, leaning against the door. "Why does he always show up at the worst tis?"
"Because he’s an insufferable busybody," Gabriel stated and frowned his mouth with disdain.
"Now, back to this garden thing. Are you planning to keep locked in this room all day?"
She raised an eyebrow. "If that’s what it takes."
He smirked, stepping closer. "You realise I’m not exactly easy to contain, right?"
"Oh, trust , I’ve noticed," she muttered.
Gabriel laughed, pulling her into his arms again.
"You worry too much. I’m not going anywhere, Lirian. And if anyone tries to stab , they’ll have to get through you first."
She looked up at him, deadly serious. "I an it, Gabriel. Stay. Away. From. The. Garden."
"Alright, alright," he said, holding up his hands. "I’ll steer clear of the garden. Happy now?"
"Not really," she admitted. "But it’s a start."
Despite Gabriel’s promise, Lirian didn’t take any chances.
She spent the entire day shadowing him like an overprotective hawk.
"Lirian, you’re being ridiculous," Gabriel said as she followed him into the library.
"I’m being precautionary," she corrected, grabbing a book and pretending to read.
"You’re hovering," he said, raising an eyebrow at her.
"Call it what you want," she said, flipping a page dramatically.
When he tried to head toward the castle’s training grounds, she was right behind him.
"Lirian, I’m not even near the garden," he pointed out.
"Doesn’t matter. What if the hooded guy ambushes you sowhere else?"
He groaned. "You’re exhausting."
"And you’re alive," she smiled back.
By the ti evening rolled around, Gabriel was visibly irritated, but Lirian didn’t care.
As they sat down for dinner, he finally broke.
"Alright, enough. I’ve stayed away from the garden, and no one has tried to kill . Can we agree that your dream was just that—a dream?"
She frowned, poking at her food. "I don’t know..."
"Lirian," he said, softening his voice to make it a little gentler.
"I get it. You’re scared. But you can’t spend your life worrying about what might happen. I’ll face whatever cos."
She sighed. "Fine. But if you die, I’m going to be really mad at you."
He chuckled, reaching across the table to take her hand. "Deal."
That night, as Lirian drifted off to sleep, she couldn’t shake the sense of heavy rocks inside her chest and mind.
And sowhere in the shadows, the hooded stranger watched them.
"Soon," he murmured. "Very soon."
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