Chapter 686: Do you really like her?
Then, because nobody wanted to tear open the situation in the middle of dinner, people began eating again.
The mood was no longer as bright as before, but there was still enough life left in the room that the others slowly returned to their bowls.
And because this was still their home, and because they refused to let an outsider poison everything completely, a few of them started speaking again after a while.
Zyran was naturally the first shameless one.
He leaned lazily toward Isabella and said, "Since you worked so hard, should I feed you?"
Isabella looked at him with disgust. "Keep your hands to yourself."
Zyran sighed. "Cruel female."
Osiris immediately added, "Good. Don’t let him."
Zyran turned to him. "Were you born to ruin joy?"
Osiris frowned. "You are not joy."
Hearing that, Isabella almost laughed again despite the tension.
Cyrus, who had been watching everything very closely, quietly moved Isabella’s bowl a little nearer and placed one hand on the back of her chair. The gesture was small, but full of protectiveness. He wanted her to eat peacefully. He also wanted everyone around the table to remember very clearly that if anything happened to Isabella, he would never forgive it.
Kian did not speak much.
But he sat closer.
That alone was enough.
His presence beside her felt colder than before, but more protective too. He was not touching her openly right now, yet the entire angle of his body had shifted so subtly that it was obvious to those who knew him. He was watching. He was measuring. And if this healer made one more wrong move, he would remember it.
Across the room, Glimora also had not relaxed.
The little white beast kept shooting suspicious glances at Zara while eating. Every few bites, she would pause and stare again as if trying to solve a very ugly puzzle. The distrust on her small face was actually so obvious that Isabella eventually had to notice.
"Glimora," Isabella said. "Stop being rude and eat."
Glimora reluctantly lowered her head and took another bite.
Then she lifted her eyes and glared at Zara again.
That made Zyran hide a smile.
The room continued like that.
Food was eaten.
Some laughter returned in patches.
Luca muttered while helping pass bowls around.
Valen made sure Ophelia ate properly and did not get distracted by watching everyone else more than her own food.
Shelia stayed quiet, but her eyes kept moving toward the healer from time to time because her unease had only deepened.
Zara ate too.
She had no choice.
Every bite went down with bitterness.
She was still furious that she had failed to sit by Kian, still burning from the pain in her leg, and still very aware that Isabella had humiliated her twice in one evening without anyone being able to openly accuse the ruler of anything.
Every now and then, her eyes drifted to Kian.
Kian noticed.
Of course he noticed.
He simply did not care enough to react.
That was its own cruelty.
And when Isabella caught Zara staring at him again, the look in Isabella’s eyes went cold for a brief second before she returned to eating as if nothing had happened.
Inside her heart, however, she had already promised herself something very clearly.
Before Zara left this place, she would repay what had been done to Shelia.
Fully.
When Zara finally finished, she rose slowly and lowered her head.
"Thank you for the meal," she said softly. "I should leave now."
Ophelia immediately raised her hand and said with complete sweetness, "Come back next time."
Isabella turned and looked at her.
The stare was not obvious enough for everyone else to understand, but Ophelia saw it and instantly looked confused.
Come back what?
Isabella said nothing aloud.
Still, in her heart, she had already made another mental note.
"I need to talk to this girl," she thought.
Zara left.
The moment she was gone, the air in the room changed again.
This time it did not brighten immediately, but at least everyone could breathe a little easier.
Cyrus was the first to stand and begin gathering plates, because that was simply the kind of male he was. He noticed what needed doing and did it before anyone else could ask.
"Luca," Isabella said, "assist."
Luca looked tired already. "Of course."
Then Isabella looked toward the side where Zyran had lazily half-stretched himself like a spoiled noble recovering from war.
"You too."
Zyran opened one eye. "Why must my beauty suffer this much?"
"Because I said so."
Zyran sighed deeply. "Tyrant."
Still, he got up.
Around them, the room slowly scattered.
Some people were cleaning.
Some were resting.
Some were still talking quietly.
Ophelia and Valen were together, naturally.
Shelia moved things into place with that calm and capable way of hers.
Osiris disappeared toward the doorway for a moment, perhaps finally understanding that his spot had been successfully reclaimed and defended.
Kian remained where he was.
And Isabella stayed seated, watching all of them with a small smile on her face.
That was when Kian looked at her and asked, "Do you really like her?"
Isabella turned to him.
Then she put on an innocent expression and simply shrugged before looking away again.
She did not answer.
Because if Kian trusted her enough to watch silently, then there was no need to explain yet.
At her feet, Glimora finally came over sleepily and curled by her leg.
The little beast had spent so much time glaring suspiciously that she now looked tired from her own distrust.
Isabella laughed softly and reached down to scratch her fur.
Glimora immediately relaxed under her hand.
The room around them remained warm, full of the sound of dishes, quiet voices, tired laughter, and the last of the fire.
And Isabella sat there among it all with her smile still in place, looking sweet enough that nobody who did not know her well would have guessed that the gears in her head were still turning.