112: Allies on her side (part 1)

Allies on her side (part 1)

Egon approached her with a calculated stride, his hawk-like obsidian eyes fixed on her with a predatory intensity. The darkness of their pull seemed to deepen further as he closed the short distance between them, unabashedly displaying his desire for her.0

With a swift motion, he retrieved a glove from his robe's belt and wore it messily using his hand and his teeth, never breaking eye contact with her. "Come here," he commanded, his grip pulling her towards him from behind.

She complied, wrapping her arms around his strong neck, a surge of relief washing over her as their bodies connected. Egon's hand rested on the small of her back, while the other supported her beneath her thighs as he bent down to lift her.

As she gazed down at him from his embrace, his eyes consumed her entirely.

"Wrap your legs around my waist. It's a long way down," he instructed.

Without hesitation, she complied again, noticing a flicker of surprise on his face. However, her mind was consumed by a growing concern. Something about his physical signals troubled her deeply, enough to snap her out of the enchantment they had both succumbed to.

"Are you running a fever?" she inquired, her hands gently pressing against his stubbled cheeks.

"It's nothing," he dismissed.

It's something... She brushed away the beads of sweat that had formed on his eyebrows, her concern intensifying.

"Adelaide..."

His voice, deep and sweet, called out her name with closed eyes as he leaned into her palm. Her insides melted at the sound of his voice. His scent and the rhythm of his beating heart became irreplaceable to her, experiences she desired with no one else.

Opening his eyes, he regarded her with tenderness and mumbled something incoherent about acting swiftly and avoiding regrets.

Adela couldn't determine exactly when he had managed to open the window, but somehow they found themselves poised to descend. The sensation of falling ceased, and she cautiously opened her eyes that had involuntarily shut during the brief journey. Her feet touched the ground with a gentle grace, akin to stepping out of the comfort of her own bed.

To her slight surprise, they stood by the pond, the same secluded haven she shared with Arkin—a place hidden away from prying eyes.

Was it Arkin who desired to speak with her?

"Goodness, My Lady, I had hoped you would decline such an unreasonable request at such an ungodly hour," a soft-spoken voice emerged from behind the tree, the very spot where Arkin often vented his frustrations. Stepping out into view was a man who smiled leisurely, his presence unexpected but unmistakable.

Had it not been for Rauul's unique heterochromia, she might not have recognized him in his Emorian nobleman attire. And unlike her and Egon, it seemed he had found time to freshen up before their meeting.

Without a doubt, Rauul exuded nobility.

"...Weren't you the one who requested to meet me at this ungodly hour, My Lord?"

"Yes," he acknowledged, his gaze briefly shifting towards Egon before returning to fixate on her face. "But, in principle, I hoped you wouldn't indulge his every whim."

"She doesn't," Egon interjected, sounding impatient. "Now make it quick," 

Rauul nodded, his expression turning serious as he locked eyes with Adela. "I will be inheriting the title of Duke of Latora next spring."

Adela bit her lip at the revelation that confirmed her suspicions about his demeanor and accent perfectly. It became clear to her that he was indeed the Duke's son. However, she couldn't fathom why she had never encountered him before.

Rauul stretched his arms and threw his neck back, gazing at the night sky as if giving her a moment to process the information. The sight left her even more perplexed. Unlike the typical smiles worn by noblemen, a genuine smile graced his features.

"Congratulations, My Lord," she murmured, offering a curtsey.

Rauul shrugged nonchalantly, his gaze still fixed on the night sky. "You can tell it's spring here during the day; we only know it by night..." he mused, a touch of wistfulness in his voice. "We are so close, yet it feels as if we are worlds apart, aren't we? Well, many siblings and many families are like that. Who truly knows how close two people are, My Lady?" 

Adela's brow furrowed, uncertain of Rauul's cryptic words. She found little pleasure in his company, reminiscent of the tiresome tea parties and extravagant balls she had endured where noblewomen engaged in battles of wit and cunning. 

"Why did you wish to meet me, My Lord?" she inquired, setting aside any evasiveness.

"I am here to answer your question," he stated.

"My question?"

"You asked why your father married your mother, did you not?"

When? She wracked her brain, her expression shifting as she remembered asking that question within the tent, pathetically explaining half-truths to Arkin.

She fixed him with a stern look. "I do not recall you being present when I asked that question, My Lord."

He brushed aside the truth in her words, "You see, it goes without saying, but noble marriages often seek convenience, an agreement that benefits both parties and their families. It begs the question, what did the Archduchess have to offer the Archduke back then?"

Adela's bitterness grew as she reached her own conclusion. "...Father knew she was a Healer and married her for that reason."

"Indeed, he knew," Rauul acknowledged as he studied her face. Then, with a touch of curiosity, he added, "Why does it upset you, if I may ask?"

There was nothing inherently wrong with her parents' marriage based on logic alone. Yet, the bitter aftertaste in her mouth stemmed from a reason she dared not admit aloud. It felt like rubbing salt on her own wound, the fear that Egon's constant presence around her originated solely from her possession of the same quality.

"Do you perhaps wonder how he discovered her essence... or why she hid in Latora?" he proposed when her silence lingered.

Adela met his eyes, captivated by their unusual beauty. What made this man truly remarkable was his apparent knowledge of everyone's secrets, someone whom even Egon faced without concealing the bite on his wrist with his gloves. As dangerous as his knowledge made him, it equally granted him power.

Could I win Rauul as an ally? He needed to see her as an equal for that, not someone in need of his assistance.

Raising her chin, she asserted herself. "These are questions I will be directing to my parents, My Lord."

Disappointment painted his face, an unexpected sight.

"My Lady... Would they have gone to such lengths to conceal the truth if the answers awaited only the right question?"

Her chest tightened, making it difficult to breathe.

pqdm.com