A few days later…
Ellora had not planned to linger in the garden.
She had only meant to breathe. To step away from the walls that had begun to feel closer since the conference, since the glances, since Amelia's smile that no one else seemed to notice. Spring had softened the palace grounds. Flowers bloomed quietly along the stone paths, and the sound of water flowed steady and calm from the fountain.
Without thinking, she had removed her shoes. The cool stone beneath her bare feet grounded her more than she expected.
She leaned forward, fingers dipping into the water.
"So that's how it is," she murmured.
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Her fingers tightened against the marble edge.
"Protect her. Defend her."
A quiet breath slipped from her lips. "As if I were the one who crossed a line."
She straightened suddenly, flicking water from her hand.
Ridiculous, she told herself. Completely ridiculous.
Then she felt it.
A shift in the air.
Ellora turned.
Hayes stood a few steps away, framed by pale blossoms. He was taller than she remembered, broad-shouldered, his dark coat falling cleanly along his frame. His presence was quiet but unmistakable, the kind that altered a space without effort. Dark hair stirred lightly in the breeze, and when he looked at her, his eyes were steady and sharp, observant in a way that made her feel seen.
He had not announced himself.
He never did.
"Hayes," she said before she could think.
She paused. "I mean, Duke Hayes."
One brow lifted slightly.
"Must we?" he asked. "There's no one else here."
She hesitated, then exhaled.
"Hayes, then."
The name felt strange on her tongue. And not unpleasant.
"I wasn't aware you had arrived," she added.
"I arrived today," he replied. "Earlier than expected."
"I thought I might find some quiet here," he continued, his gaze shifting briefly toward the fountain before returning to her.
Ellora nodded. "I see."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
His eyes lowered briefly, lingering on her bare feet, then lifted again.
"You should be careful," he said. "The stone is slick."
"I know," she replied. "I'm aware."
She shifted her weight slightly, testing the edge.
That was when it happened.
Her foot slid, sudden and ungraceful.
Ellora tilted forward, a sharp inhale catching in her throat, and before she could steady herself, Hayes reacted. His hand came to her waist by instinct, warm and firm, stopping her movement in a single, unthinking motion.
She froze.
Not from the near fall, but from how close he was.
She could feel the warmth of him, the solidity of his hold, the quiet certainty in the arm at her waist. He did not pull her closer. He did not step away.
He simply held her.
"Thank you," Ellora said softly once she found her balance. "I lost my footing."
Only then did he release her.
She stepped back at once, smoothing her skirts, heat rising faintly to her cheeks.
"You look—" Before Hayes could say more, footsteps approached the garden path.
Ellora turned.
Alina stopped short when she saw them together, surprise flashing across her face before she quickly composed herself.
She curtsied at once.
"Your Grace," Alina said. "Duke Hayes."
Hayes acknowledged her with a brief nod.
Ellora stepped back, restoring the distance that should have existed all along.
She exhaled slowly.
"I must return to my chambers," she said.
She did not wait for a reply.
As she turned away, her gaze brushed past him, then returned for the briefest moment. Something unreadable passed between them.
Then she walked on, posture composed, Alina following at her side.
Hayes remained where he was.
He did not move until Ellora disappeared beyond the hedges.