Uriel’s frown deepened as he confird that Beatrice was not inside the grand hall.
Sothing felt wrong...
For days now, he had sensed a change in her. It had been subtle at first, but undeniable.
Beatrice had always been there... always hovering nearby, teasing him, finding excuses to speak to him.
And then suddenly, she wasn’t.
For several days, she had been nowhere within his reach. It unsettled him more than he cared to admit. He had seen her earlier during the coronation ceremony. He distinctly rembered Riela approaching her and guiding her toward the hallway.
Naturally, he had assud they would join the others in the grand hall, where the officers, relatives, and close allies were gathered for the dinner celebration. But she wasn’t here.
“They’re probably outside... at the pavilion,” he muttered, his brows still tightly drawn.
Without wasting another second, Uriel turned sharply and strode out of the grand hall.
Just as he suspected, he found Beatrice outside at the open pavilion. Lanterns glowed warmly above the crowd, laughter and music blending into the night air. And there she was.
His face darkened as he began walking toward her... only to stop midway.
Beatrice was smiling. Not the polite smile she used for formal occasions, but that radiant, sweet one that reached her eyes.
She was laughing lightly at sothing a gentleman had said, her posture relaxed, graceful. Several n surrounded her, clearly eager for her attention. Complints probably flowed freely, and she received them with practiced elegance.
Uriel felt sothing tighten in his chest. ‘What am I doing?’ he asked himself.
His body remained frozen where he stood.
Every instinct urged him to walk over there, to pull her away from the crowd, to dismiss the n one by one. He wanted to stand beside her, to make it clear that she was not soone to be pursued so casually.
But he had no right. He knew that.
He liked Beatrice. There was no point denying it anymore. He was drawn to her, strongly, undeniably. The effect she had on him was sothing he had not felt in years. And that terrified him because he was a coward.
Yes, he could admit that much to himself.
He was afraid of repeating the past. Things were different now. He knew that. The circumstances were not the sa as they had been years ago... but fear did not listen to reason. Fear clung to mory.
The tragedy with Rizza still haunted him. Even now, there were nights he woke up drenched in sweat, heart racing, her na caught in his throat.
He could still see it... Rizza in his arms, her blonde hair stained, her breathing shallow as she struggled for air. Her tears mixed with blood as she pleaded to live... whispering over and over that she did not want to die.
But she had. Because Chaos, Gavriel’s Lycan, had wounded her with the intent to kill. The venom had spread too quickly through her body. There had been no saving her. And Uriel had blad himself ever since.
If he had been stronger. If he had acted faster. If he had controlled everything better. She might still be alive. That guilt had never truly left him. So how could he allow himself to move forward so easily? How could he risk drawing another woman close, only for fate to snatch her away... or worse, for his own failures to destroy her again?
His jaw tightened as he watched Beatrice laugh at sothing another man said.
She looked happy.
Free.
And perhaps that was how it should be.
Far away from soone like him. Yet his feet refused to turn around. He remained there, standing in the shadows of the pavilion lights, torn between walking away... and walking straight to her side.
Soone like doesn’t deserve her, he told himself firmly.
It was easier to believe that.
Easier than confronting the truth that he simply didn’t have the courage.
With his jaw set and his chest tight, Uriel turned away from the pavilion lights. Without allowing himself another glance in her direction, he walked off, his steps quick and decisive.
If he stayed any longer, he might have done sothing reckless. And he had already made too many mistakes in his life.
***
anwhile, the smile on Beatrice’s face vanished the instant she caught sight of Uriel turning away. She had seen him.
From the corner of her eye, she had noticed him standing there... watching. And then leaving.
“Seriously, that man,” she muttered under her breath, irritation flashing across her features.
“Pardon , my lady?” the nobleman in front of her asked, slightly confused.
Beatrice blinked, quickly masking her annoyance with a careless shrug.
“Oh, nothing,” she replied lightly.
Before he could continue speaking, she reached for a nearby glass of wine and downed it in one go. The n around her exchanged subtle glances.
That was... unexpected. But Beatrice didn’t care.
Annoyance simred inside her chest. She grabbed another glass from a passing servant and drank again, ignoring the curious looks directed her way.
From a distance, Riela noticed what was happening while she was in conversation with Arturo. Just like her, Arturo had also observed how much wine Beatrice had been drinking.
“This won’t do,” Arturo muttered, concern evident in his tone. “She’s going to get drunk.”
He turned to Riela with a polite nod. “If you’ll excuse , Your Highness, I should check on my niece.”
Riela smiled knowingly. “Hmm... you may go and shoo the n away from her, Lord Arturo,” she said calmly. “After that, I’ll have my cousin Uriel take care of her.”
Arturo frowned slightly at her words, confusion flickering across his face.
Riela offered him a reassuring smile, her eyes glinting with quiet amusent. “Trust ,” she said softly. “Beatrice knows exactly what she’s doing. Let her trouble my cousin a little. That man deserves it.”
Arturo studied her for a brief mont, as if trying to read the aning behind her confidence.
Riela chuckled softly.
“Trust , my lord,” she said gently. “I would never allow anything unfortunate to happen to Beatrice. And Uriel knows his boundaries. She will be in good hands.”
A faint blush crept onto her cheeks before she added, almost shyly, “Besides... I rather enjoy your company. I would be delighted to spend more ti with you this evening.”
She leaned slightly closer and lowered her voice.
“Will you be my shield?”
Her gaze subtly shifted toward a group of noblen nearby who kept casting lingering glances in her direction. It was obvious they were debating who would gather enough courage to approach her.
Riela returned her attention to Arturo, a knowing look in her eyes.
“With you beside ,” she continued lightly, “I doubt anyone would dare disturb us.”
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