Chapter 205 - 206: What is she doing now…
Isabella’s POV (still in third person)
While the women poured their hearts out in trembling voices and halting sentences, Isabella stood just a little behind them, arms loosely crossed, her posture calm yet alert. Her eyes, however, weren’t entirely on the women. Ever the observer, ever the strategist, her gaze flicked back and forth across the crowd—quietly scanning.
She wasn’t one to miss patterns, and today, she saw one clear as day.
Not every man in the village had come. Some were out hunting, of course, and others... others simply didn’t want to face this reckoning. But of those who had gathered, there were four in particular who drew her attention. Not by doing too much—but by doing too little.
They stood oddly stiff, backs a little too straight, eyes darting toward each other every few minutes in an unspoken panic. Not once had they spoken. Not once had they looked toward the women sobbing in front of them. They weren’t mourning or confused—they were calculating.
Isabella’s eyes narrowed.
Luca, who stood close to her side, instantly noticed the shift in her demeanor. He had been around her long enough to sense the subtle change in her breathing, the way her weight leaned slightly forward, or how her brows twitched for just a second longer than necessary. It was her silent cue—her way of saying: "Get ready."
Without needing a word, Luca followed her gaze and spotted the four men. He didn’t ask. He didn’t hesitate. Instead, he slid a hand to his side and casually gestured at two of the palace guards who had accompanied them earlier from the stone fortress. His movements were discreet—quick enough that most wouldn’t notice, yet deliberate enough for trained eyes.
The guards didn’t approach right away. Instead, they began to inch toward the outskirts of the gathering, positioning themselves near the suspects. It was a silent, calculated maneuver.