Chapter 279: Won The Battle
As Adeline stepped through the grand doors of the Marquess’ estate, the weight of exhaustion pressed against her shoulders.
The encounter with Benedict had drained her emotionally, and the new revelation about her holy power left her mind reeling. There was too much at stake, and her window of opportunity was rapidly shrinking.
Before she could take another step, a familiar voice rang from the staircase.
"Well, that was a short outing," Alaric mused, standing at the top of the stairs, his arms lazily crossed. His blue eyes gleamed with quiet amusement, but there was something sharp beneath the surface, an ever-present watchfulness.
When Aaron left, he didn’t come back, even when they wrote to him asking him to come back. He missed Adeline’s birthdays a few times but he would always send her a gift. They were mostly exploits from his battle on the borders.
Beautiful monster-animal skins made in garments, they were more durable than the regular ones... He could not buy something from her, he was so far away from civilisation, and she cherished the gifts he did give her.
Adeline forced a small smile, not in the mood for his teasing.
"Guess I did not last as long as I thought in the outside world," she replied simply.
Alaric tilted his head, studying her. He must have noticed the tension in her posture, the way her fingers twitched at her sides. But, to her relief, he didn’t pry. Isabelle told him clearly that girls need their space, she wasn’t a child anymore, he needed to let her come to him.
If she needed advice or help, she would ask, he should not interfere. And it was hard, how could he not? She was his baby sister, but he trusted his wife’s advice and simply assured her that she could always turn to him.
He smirked and stepped aside, allowing her to pass.