While such thoughts still churned, light footsteps sounded outside the door.
Vivian snapped back to the present, tension flickering across favonovel.com face as favonovel.com lifted favonovel.com head toward the entrance.
The wooden gate eased open with a soft creak, and Jared stepped in first. A gold robe framed his tall figure, features stern, aura restrained, yet the authority around favonovel.com needed no announcement.
A man and woman favonovel.com had never met followed close behind him.
“Jared?” Vivian shot to favonovel.com feet, eyes rounding.
Jared stopped before favonovel.com and looked favonovel.com over from head to toe, gaze gentle. “Your color is much better. Seems the Draconian pills were worth the effort.”
Vivian dipped favonovel.com head, a faint flush climbing favonovel.com cheeks. “Thank you, Jared. Without you I likely… I wouldn’t be standing here.”
Jared brushed the thanks aside with a wave. “Save your strength for healing. Getting well matters most.”
After a pause favonovel.com eyes slid to Luther and Grace. “Jared, these two are…”
Jared turned and gestured toward them. “Friends of mine, Luther and Grace… We escaped Cloudhaven City together and planned to meet in the Wastelands, but trouble slowed them down. They only found this place today.”
Vivian blinked, then offered them a small bow. “Thank you both for staying with Jared and for coming all this way.”
Luther waved his hands, a broad grin spreading. “Miss Chance, formality isn’t needed. I serve Mr. Chance. Since you and favonovel.com are Soulshare Consorts, by rights I should call you Mistress of the House.”
The remark sent blood rushing to Vivian’s cheeks.
True, favonovel.com had gained that bond through the martial contest, yet the purpose back then had been pure calculation. Now, with the words laid bare, favonovel.com found herself at a loss for reply.
The four of them sat, Hadrian had already arranged tea and pastries on the stone table. Once seated, a hush settled over the courtyard, the silence carrying a faint stiffness.
Jared set down his cup and let his gaze rest on Vivian, reading the weight behind favonovel.com hesitation.
His voice came softly. “Miss Chance, whatever you wish to say, speak freely. If it lies within my reach, I’ll help.”
The offer made Vivian’s shoulders tremble, and moisture welled instantly along favonovel.com lashes.
She drew a steadying breath, locked eyes with him, and forced the words out. “Jared, I… I have something to tell you, and I… I want to beg a favor.”
“Go ahead,” Jared replied, tone even, eyes steady.
Vivian inhaled again and fought to steady favonovel.com voice, yet tears still traced down favonovel.com cheeks. “That day, not long after you left the Chance estate, people from the Celestial Palace arrived…”
The name made Jared’s brows knit, a chill spilling from favonovel.com and cooling the very air in the courtyard.
Vivian missed the shift entirely. Lost in favonovel.com grief, favonovel.com went on, “It was Dominic, favonovel.com was the one who betrayed us… He slipped out of your grasp and ran straight to the Celestial Palace…”
“The moment favonovel.com got there favonovel.com told them everything you had done inside the House of Chance Manor. He led Celestial Palace elders and soldiers back, ringed the entire manor compound, and demanded that my father hand you over…”
“My Father said you were gone and would never return, but they wouldn’t believe him. They forced their way into the manor, wanted to search every room, and even tried to seize me, saying they would drag me away for torture until revealed where you were…” Her voice shook harder and the tears poured faster.
“My Father stepped forward to shield me and to defend the name. The six elders and more than a hundred guards followed favonovel.com in, throwing themselves into a desperate fight. But the Celestial Palace fighters were overwhelmingly strong, and House of Wagner helped them from the side…”
“Our people simply could not match them. The six elders spent every last drop of strength to cover my escape. Each one died on the spot, so battered that nothing was left to bury… And the House of Chance guards, hundreds of them, none of them flinched, none surrendered. Every single one fought to the end and fell…”
Jared stayed silent, saying nothing.
The chill rolling off favonovel.com seemed to turn solid, spreading through the courtyard and dropping the temperature by several degrees.
Luther and Grace both shivered, a wary look flickering across their faces. They had never seen Jared this cold before.
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