Chapter 300: Cousin Bella, You Want to Fight? [bonus]
Everyone froze.
Bella's mouth held the shape of her last question, but the next syllable never came. It hung in the air, cut short.
She blinked. It was the first time all evening she'd blinked out of genuine confusion rather than performance.
Narcissa's fingers tightened on Lucius's arm. He shifted the snake-head cane to his left hand and laid his right over hers.
Sirius leaned forward as though he'd caught some invisible signal, weight settling onto the balls of his feet.
Rodolphus watched Regulus. That detached, spectator's expression flickered, a crease forming between his brows before smoothing away.
He stepped away from the doorframe.
Tall, long-strided, robes trailing behind him, he crossed behind Bella and stopped a few paces past her. Not close, but on her side of the room, facing Regulus.
Bella turned her head and glanced at him.