Chapter 276: Peace Offering
The chair scraping against the floor was the only sound he could hear... Well, other than his own heartbeat. He was nervous. He was so used to getting everything he wanted, the prospect of not getting their forgiveness scared him.
But how to deliver them? Through Sofia, of course, he could not face Catalina and Celeste directly... Not yet, he needed time to prepare, and he was sure they would want some time too.
He remembered those childhood nights with Sofia—how they’d tiptoe down to the kitchen after curfew for a few scraps of cookie dough, giggling in the dark until someone caught them. That memory gave him a spark of hope.
He grabbed the cookies—still warm—from the platter on the sideboard. Chocolate chip cookies were their favourite.
With the cookies wrapped in cloth, he quietly made his way to the stables. The boy tending the horses looked up in surprise, but Leon’s stern look got the immediate result: silence. The lad nodded and sped off, heads turning but not daring to ask questions.
Leon exhaled as he walked past the familiar row of stalls. Each hoof‑nail tap, each warm breath from a horse, brought back memories: of tours around the stable, holding Riven close as they rode along the track, the scent, the feel, the touch...
The thought made him flush. Fuck, he cursed under his breath. Why was he thinking about that now? "No, you should feel angry!"
He quickly saddled his horse and set off. The air smelled of grass and mist. It was past midnight. There were barely any people outside the palace. They were probably with their families, Leon thought with a wry smile.
He pulled the reins up gently, and she slowed to a walk. Each hoofbeat a promise: this night was for something better.