The room plummeted into silence. Lily stood slack-jawed, so mesmerized by Lloyd’s flawless beauty that she momentarily forgot that he was an intruder barging into her room.
Lloyd, you came... Chloe’s eyes began to well up with tears. He had always been there when she needed him most, and this time his timing had been so perfect, so critical, that she felt as if her heart would explode with relief.
Lloyd, meanwhile, was drenched in sweat, perhaps from sprinting all the way from the Merchant Quarter, but all the more likely from being worried over Chloe’s well-being.
He cast his gaze on Chloe; his face twisted with rage at the sight of her battered form. “Did you do this to her?” he said, his voice simmering with barely restrained fury.
Everyone in the room apart from Chloe flinched.
“Answer me!” His earthshaking anger filled the room. Lily and her cohort recoiled once more.
The man standing before them wore a knight’s uniform. At a glance, it was clear he was no ordinary commoner, and his stance and physique hinted at the formidable power lurking beneath. Yet, Lily wouldn’t allow herself to be intimidated by such riffraff. Drawing on her sense of noble entitlement, she retorted, “Who are you to barge in here and make demands? I am Lily, daughter of the Margrave of Ardennes, and this is my suite. Just who do you think you are?”
“Lloyd Stewart, royal knight of the First Order of the Royal Knights Rose.”
“F-First Order of...Knights?!” Lily’s eyes shot open.
Her mind raced, stunned by the sudden turn of events. The First Order—they were the chosen few, the elite warriors of the Kingdom. This was the organization to which Luke belonged, the man who’d invited her to the capital in the first place.
“I’ll apologize for intruding,” Lloyd continued, “But understand that I heard screaming, so I entered, deeming the situation to be an emergency. As a knight, it is my duty to protect the safety and welfare of the people—and besides.” Lloyd glanced once more at Chloe and the unmistakable signs of abuse on her body. “It doesn’t look like I was mistaken.”
Lily’s breath hitched. No matter how she tried to play it, this was not a good situation for her.
“Release Chloe immediately. You all stand accused of battery and wrongful confinement.”
Lily’s expression hardened. Accused? Did this man intend to take her into custody?
“You must be mistaken,” she drawled. “Chloe is my sister. We are merely having a disagreement, as siblings often do. Surely you cannot arrest me for that?”
“If so, then why are you uninjured while these two men have their hands on her?”
Her two henchmen awkwardly averted their gaze, and Lily clicked her tongue in annoyance.
“She’s lying!” Chloe suddenly cried. “Lloyd, she’s lying! She’s the only one who’s—”
“Silence!” Lily interrupted with a slap to Chloe’s cheek; she cried out in pain.
“Chloe!” Lloyd exclaimed.
Lily froze, realizing what she had just done.
“That’s battery. I saw it with my own eyes. You won’t argue your way out of this now.”
Finally losing her patience, Lily’s face darkened, contorting into a look of displeasure. “You’re quite the pest, aren’t you? What gives you the right to interfere in family matters?” Her eyes narrowed. “Just who are you to Chloe, anyway?”
“I’m her fiancé,” Lloyd shot back, not missing a beat.
“You’re her what?” Lily responded, flabbergasted.
Chloe’s mouth fell open, a sound of confusion escaping her.
“You’re...Chloe’s fiancé?” Lily continued, incredulous. “You...and...Chloe? That can’t possibly be—”
“You’re more than welcome to check our records.” Lloyd replied without blinking.
“Chloe, is this true?” Lily asked, still visibly recoiling from the shock.
Chloe, of course, had no recollection of being proposed to, but given that this was Lloyd, he wouldn’t say such a thing without reason. Realizing that he was trying to help her, she chose to play along.
She nodded her head. “Yes. Lloyd is...my fiancé.” A blush crawled up her face as she spoke, painting her a bright shade of pink. A new pulse of heat surged through her swollen cheeks.
Lily was speechless. Her little sister, the one she had always belittled, taunted and tormented, was betrothed to a First Order knight, and such a handsome one at that? Her pride took a direct hit.
“Chloe is to be my lawfully wedded wife,” added Lloyd. “Which means in harming her, you’ve just harmed a member of my immediate family. Do I need any other reason to arrest you where you stand?”
Lily still couldn’t speak, silenced by Lloyd’s bold proclamation. Her two henchmen, sensing the tide of the situation turning against them, exchanged uncomfortable glances.
“Unbelievable...” Lily hissed through clenched teeth. “Unbelievable.”
Nothing was going as planned. Everything that could have gone wrong, had. There was only one option left to her—she had to take it.
Lily produced a small whistle from her pocket, blowing into it with all her might. The shrill, ear-piercing sound cut through the room, followed by the rumble of approaching footsteps. In an instant, a group of eight well-built men stormed into the room, each armed with a sword at their side. They formed up around Lloyd, surrounding him.
“What’s this?” Lloyd asked, eyeing the new arrivals.
“My personal guard,” Lily replied. “What, did you honestly think my mother would send me all the way from Shadaf without protection?”
“You intend to silence me?”
“Yes.” Lily smirked. “I do.”
One of the guards, looking visibly uneasy, ventured to question her. “Are you sure of this, milady?”
“Sure of what?” Lily spat back.
“He’s a royal knight. If we attack him, there could be repercussions—”
“Just kill him,” Lily interrupted. “If he’s dead, there’s no problem, is there?”
“But, milady—”
“Quiet! I’ll hear none of it! You’re my guard, aren’t you? You’ll do as you’re told!” Lily cut him off vehemently. Chastened, the guard hardened his expression. He opened his mouth to protest again, but thought better of it.
“Is she in her right mind?” Lloyd commented, his face tightening into a grimace.