Chapter 16: A Shift in Tone
Lucinda was the first to voice her disapproval.
"But Cousin!" Lucinda cried out. "Are you not going to do anything? Look at him! Look at her! Their clothes are practically already off! Any second later and they would've already been―"
She took a step forward, but with one warning glare from Orion, Lucinda remained rooted to her spot. Her words were stuffed right back into her throat, her eyes wide with surprise and confusion.
Orion Elsher had never looked at her with such ferocity in his eyes before. For all her life, Lucinda could only remember her older cousin bending to her every whim and request. He had pampered her for much of his life. Even when he was away at the war front, he would always return with gifts for her. She was the younger sister he never had.
But now... Now he was staring at her as though he would skin her alive if there was one more word from her.
Lucinda wasn't the only one. Everyone else wore similar expressions of surprise, including Soleia. When Orion turned his gaze back onto her, she stepped back, her hand still outstretched to guard herself against Orion in whatever little way she could. Likewise, he pressed forward, the distance between them neither increasing nor decreasing.
"Well?" Orion barked out. "Do you require my assistance or not? Or do you plan for Ralph to suffocate in the snow?"
Soleia swallowed. She stepped aside, making sure to keep ample distance between her and Orion, watching carefully as he stepped toward Ralph.
The snow crunched beneath his boot as he leaned down and helped his friend up. With one of Ralph's arms over his shoulder, Orion supported his body weight, hauling Ralph back up onto his feet. The latter muttered incoherently, his eyes fluttering open and close.