Chapter 260: Going To See The King
The moment their gazes met, something flickered in Lennox’s eyes– something perilously close to betrayal, or hurt. But he buried it quickly, forcing his expression into calm neutrality as he shifted his attention to Esme.
For a heartbeat, words deserted him. Under the shimmer of moonlight, she looked almost unreal. Her blue hair caught the faint glow of the lamps along the pier, the strands glinting like liquid sapphire as they framed her face. The soft green of her attire only deepened her eyes, and even now, when her eyes met his with open hostility, she looked stunning.
There was a quiet fire in her gaze that made her seem both ethereal and untouchable, and this breathtaking sight would have been his to claim if Donovan hadn’t shown up to take everything away from him like he always does.
Lennox drew in a steady breath. "You’ve changed," he said softly, though the words carried more weight than he intended.
Donovan’s gaze leveled on him, unwavering and clear. He made sure to stand close enough to Esme that Lennox couldn’t single him out from whatever ideas were running through his head. The air between the three of them tightened, charged with a quiet hostility.
Esme, however, seemed oblivious to the silent standoff brewing beside her. Her thoughts were still tangled in sheer disbelief. Of all people, Lennox was the last she’d expected to find here. She had braced herself for many things on this journey, but not for him.
"What are you doing here?"
She couldn’t believe it. She had completely forgotten about her courtesy; she was addressing the king after all, but his presence made her blood boil so much she could feel her fingers starting to get warm. After the fruitless journey to Illyria kingdom, and after everything she and the rest of her people had endured, Lennox’s sudden appearance felt like an insult.
Why was he even here? What could possibly be more important than the dark waters spreading across the lands– important enough to bring him to this place?
Lennox took a measured step forward, his shadow stretching with him beneath the moonlight. Instinctively, Donovan moved as well, matching the motion.
"She asked you a question."
There was nothing friendly about his tone.
"She didn’t tell you to come anywhere near her, so maintain your distance while I’m still polite."
Lennox’s golden gaze hardened. "Remember this isn’t your turf, this is Mariana. Make a scene, and you’re dead meat."
Leonardo observed the situation with the same detached expression he always wore. Only Cora looked genuinely worried.
"Isn’t it strange that the king is alone?" she whispered.
"He’s not."
Cora followed Leonardo’s subtle jerk toward a pair of guards a little way off from where they stood, planted as if in a silent order to wait and watch.
"Oh, why are they over there?" she asked.
"Well, the one who put them there is right in front of you. Why don’t you go ask him?"
Realizing he’d been sarcastic, Cora scowled and swatted him lightly with her book.
Esme stepped beside Donovan. "But what are you really doing here?"
Lennox clasped his hands behind his back. "Is it so strange to find me in Mariana? If anything, I should be the one asking questions. What brings you to this side of Mariana, Leo?"
His gaze flicked briefly to Leonardo before settling again on Esme and Donovan. "You see, it’s not unusual that I’d visit a neighboring kingdom. The king and I are... well acquainted."
"What do you want?" Donovan demanded.
At his words, the guards lingering in the shadows stepped forward.
Lennox’s smile widened. "You’ll have to come with me. I’ve already informed his Majesty of your presence. I’m sure he’ll be delighted to meet the ones responsible for the chaos in his kingdom."
His voice dropped, smooth and certain. "There is no escape."
"Us?" Esme scoffed. "The only one trying to stir chaos here is you. Liar."
Lennox’s smile faltered. Her tone held no warmth at all. Her dislike for him was clear on her face, and after everything he’d done for her, this was how she looked at him, like he was now a filth.
"Esme," he began. "It’s only a matter of time before their unfortunate curses seep into you. If you come with me now, you’ll be safe from what’s coming."
"I’d rather go against a hundred curses than be anywhere around you," she snapped, threading her fingers through Donovan’s. "We’re meeting the king. And we haven’t done a damn thing to threaten his kingdom. We have absolutely nothing to be afraid of."
Donovan squeezed her hand gently, grounding her before stepping forward. "We’ll go with you," he said. "Just tell your guards to stand down."
Lennox exhaled through his nose, schooling his expression. After a beat, he motioned for his guards to back away. The tension eased slightly– until he noticed something was off.
Leonardo was gone.
"Leo?" he called, scanning the crowd.
No answer.
Even Esme turned, frowning as her eyes darted around. Not just Leonardo, but even Cora was gone as well.
******
Meanwhile, Cora and Leonardo had slipped through the narrow alleys, pressing themselves against the cold stone walls as they tried to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the rest of the group.
It wasn’t until they stopped to catch their breath that Cora realized their fingers were still intertwined. Heat rushed to her cheeks, but Leonardo didn’t seem to notice– or perhaps he was pretending not to. His attention was fixed ahead, jaw tight, the black curse mark spreading faintly across the corner of his mouth like ink bleeding through skin.
Cora hated to admit it, but there was something about him when he used his powers that she found... distractingly attractive. A strange little weakness she’d rather not name. It was strange.
When they finally reached a quieter stretch of street, they slowed, their hurried steps turning into cautious ones.
"Wait," Cora whispered, glancing back the way they came. "Do you think they’ve noticed by now?"
Leonardo followed her gaze before looking at her. He shook his head before placing a finger to his lips, as if saying she should stay quiet before taking her hand again and leading her away from there.
Hopefully, Donovan knew what he was doing.