Chapter 32
Aurora slowly pulled away from the embrace.
Her eyes were slightly red, and she felt embarrassed by her loss of composure.
"Thank you..." she said softly, avoiding Turner's gaze. "That was not very ladylike of me."
Turner's expression softened, "There is nothing unladylike about being honest with your feelings."
Aurora smiled faintly. For the first time that day, the tightness in her chest had eased.
"I will always be here for you, Lady Aurora.", The sincerity in his voice caught her off guard.
Aurora looked up at him, "Please call me Aurora."
Turner blinked, "My Lady?"
"I'm much younger than you. Besides, 'Lady Aurora' sounds so formal."
A small smile tugged at the corner of Turner's lips, "That wouldn't be appropriate. I'm only a knight, and I work for you."
Aurora rolled her eyes, "There you go again."
Turner looked confused, "What?"
"Putting distance between us."
For a moment, neither spoke. The night air seemed strangely still.
Finally, Aurora sighed, "Then when it's just the two of us, call me Aurora."
Turner hesitated; the very rule of etiquette told him he shouldn't. Every instinct told him he wanted to.
At last, he gave a small nod, "Okay."
A genuine smile appeared on Aurora's face, "Good night, Turner."
The smile nearly stole the breath from his lungs.
"Good night... Aurora."
Hearing her name on his lips felt strangely natural. Aurora turned and walked back towards the manor.
Turner remained beneath the tree long after she had disappeared.
Watching....Thinking.
And wondering why seeing her cry had hurt him so much.
Aurora walked through the silent halls and headed straight to her room. Once inside, she slipped into the bathroom and splashed cool water across her face.
The reflection staring back at her looked exhausted.
The weight of two lifetimes rested on her shoulders.
Tonight, had simply been too much.
The investigations. The thefts. The responsibilities. The memories.
Most of all... The loneliness.
After wiping her face, she crawled into bed. For the first time in days, she felt as though she could finally breathe. The tears she had shed beneath the tree had released something she had been carrying for far too long.
Her eyelids grew heavy. Within minutes, exhaustion claimed her completely. Aurora drifted into a deep sleep. Unaware that she was not alone.
A shadow stood silently on the balcony.
Watching.....Waiting...Observing every movement, every expression, every breath.
Lucian's gaze remained fixed on the sleeping girl.
The moonlight illuminated her face, making her appear far younger than she did during the day. Far more vulnerable and far less guarded.
His jaw tightened. The image of Aurora in Turner's arms replayed in his mind.
Again............And again...........And again.
The more he remembered it, the more irritated he became. Which made absolutely no sense as Turner had done nothing wrong and Aurora had done nothing wrong. Yet the sight continued to aggravate him, frustrated him, infuriated him.
He quietly opened the balcony doors and stepped into the room; his footsteps made no sound against the floor. Stopping beside the bed, he stared down at her. His expression softened ever so slightly.
"You've changed," he murmured.
The old Aurora had followed him everywhere. Constantly seeking his attention.
Constantly trying to please him.
This Aurora avoided him whenever possible. Ignored him and somehow...The change bothered him far more than it should have.
His eyes darkened, "Is the reason you're avoiding me because of that knight?"
The words left his mouth before he could stop them. Immediately, irritation surged through him. Why did he even care?
Turner was merely a knight. A loyal knight. Aurora was he fiancée he was trying to get rid of. Nothing more, so why had seeing Aurora in his arms felt like a personal insult?
Lucian frowned. He didn't have an answer. Slowly, he reached out, a strand of brown hair had fallen across Aurora's face. His fingers moved to brush it away.
Then-
"Dante..."
Lucian froze. The room suddenly felt very quiet.
Aurora shifted slightly in her sleep; a small smile appeared on her lips. One he had never seen before..........soft, tender and filled with affection. His chest tightened unexpectedly.
"I love you, Dante.", The words were barely above a whisper.
Yet they struck him like a physical blow.
Lucian's hand froze in midair. His eyes narrowed.
"Dante?"
The name was unfamiliar. He searched his memory. No noble by that name. No knight. No merchant. No one.
Then why did she sound so affectionate? So, in love?
A strange feeling twisted violently in his chest. Jealousy, raw, uncomfortable and completely irrational.
Who was Dante?
Why had Aurora never mentioned him?
More importantly...Why did the thought of another man make him so angry?
Lucian stared at her sleeping face.
For the first time in years, he felt completely out of control and he didn't like it.
Not one bit, and with a sharp turn, he stepped away from the bed.
His expression dark. His thoughts darker.
As he disappeared through the balcony doors, one question continued to torment him.
Who was Dante?
And why did hearing his name feel like losing a battle he hadn't even realized he was fighting?
Please vote