Chapter 226: The Journey: Secrets
The woman surged to her feet, her red gown clinging to her frame, soaked through and dripping onto the floor. Lara doused the woman with water and alcohol. She surmised that mixing a strong scent in the water might change the smell that seemed to cause the men to be under her spell.
"You dare throw that on me?" The woman hissed. Her voice cracked like a whip, a tempest of fury laced with disbelief. Heat radiated from her, not from shame or embarrassment, but from unbridled rage. Her eyes, once sultry and coquettish, now burned with unfiltered wrath as she drew back her hand to strike Lara across the face.
But the blow never landed.
Just as her hand cut through the air with the swiftness of a striking viper, a calloused hand—large, steady, unyielding—caught her wrist mid-air. The contrast was stark: brute strength meeting the weak, delicate hands. Alaric’s grip was like iron, and it held her fast.
"How dare you! Aramis threw her out." His voice was like the snow in winter, cold and commanding. He let go of her wrist and pushed her away.
The woman in red stumbled, but she managed to steady herself. "No! You could not throw me out. I am the owner of this inn. How can you throw me out of my property?" The woman held her chin high and looked at Alaric defiantly.
Aramis was at a loss for what to do. Before he could continue, Lara had already spoken.
"Thank you," Lara said softly, her voice calm as still water. Her gaze was on Alaric, who took a handkerchief and wiped the hand that grasped the woman. Lara was dumbfounded. Alaric could be petty, or was he suffering from obsessive-compulsive behavior?
Lara turned and met the woman’s stare. She didn’t flinch or look away, but faced the furious woman with unwavering resolve.