As the last of Lily’s guard were taken away, Freddy returned to Lloyd and Chloe. “You’ve caused quite the stir, haven’t you, Lloyd?”
“Allow me to apologize, Deputy Commander.”
“No, no, don’t. If you ask me, you made the right call,” Freddy responded. “After all, Chloe was in genuine danger. All in all, I’m just glad we managed to intervene before things got too out of hand.”
Lloyd bowed his head deeply. “Thank you, Deputy Commander. I am in your debt.”
“But, I must admit, I was taken aback when—what was his name again, Ian?—arrived, breathless, saying you needed our help. That was quite the surprise.”
“Thank you for arriving in haste. I’m not sure I could’ve handled that situation on my own.”
“Yes, calling for my assistance was wise. A margrave wields considerable influence; they’re not to be trifled with. Judging from how hot things got, even the city guard might have struggled to defuse the situation.”
Freddy then turned his attention to Chloe. “Chloe, how are you holding up? It seems you were put through quite the ordeal.”
“Oh, I’m... I’m fine,” she replied. “This was just an average day for me back home.”
“An average day for you?” Freddy echoed, a little stunned. “Well, you have a lot going on yourself, don’t you?” He managed a wry smile before addressing them both. “In any case, we’ll need to collect both your statements—after Chloe receives medical attention, of course. I’ll be in the lobby. Come down when you’re ready.”
“Yes, sir.”
With that, Freddy excused himself from the room, no doubt to grant the pair some much-needed privacy.
Alone with Lloyd, Chloe felt the tension finally begin to leave her body.
Lloyd, noticing her sudden slump, swiftly reached out to steady her. “Are you all right?”
“S-Sorry,” Chloe murmured. “I just needed to let go for a second.”
“Of course,” he acknowledged softly. “You went through a lot.”
She’d been kidnapped, beaten, and nearly returned to her family. It was only now that Lloyd, privy to her story, fully grasped the fear she must have felt.
Gently, he enfolded her in his arms. Chloe nestled into his chest and reciprocated the gesture, holding onto him just as tightly. “If I’d only gotten here earlier,” he said, “you wouldn’t have ended up like this.”
“But you did make it,” Chloe replied, her voice muffled as she shook her head against Lloyd’s chest. “You made it, and that’s all that matters.” She let out a deep breath, feeling the final vestige of tension drain from her body. “Thank you...for saving me.” Her voice was quiet, wavering from emotion.
“I’m just glad you’re safe,” he whispered.
As the gentle pressure of Lloyd’s hand graced Chloe’s head, she strengthened her hold on him in response. “Could we, um...stay like this a little longer?” she ventured.
Lloyd’s smile was soft and reassuring “I thought I told you already.” He pulled her closer. “My arms are yours, whenever you need them.”
✦ ✦ ✦
“Thank goodness they made it in time.”
Ian lingered outside The Hotel Revelion, watching as knights led the subdued assailants out of the lobby. Freddy soon emerged, and in response to Ian’s inquiry, assured him of Lloyd and Chloe’s well-being. Relief washed over Ian at the news.
“They should be down shortly; feel free to wait here if you wish,” Freddy added. “Thank you for your help today. You’ve done admirably.”
With a salute, Freddy departed, leaving Ian alone with his thoughts.
Ian mulled over Freddy’s suggestion. Should he wait for them? An instinctive jolt of discomfort twisted in his gut at the thought, and he quickly discarded the idea. For reasons he couldn’t quite articulate, the idea of coming face-to-face with Chloe now was almost unconscionable.
Yes, the thought of intruding on their emotional reunion was awkward, but it was more than that. A roiling agitation pulsed within him, a swirling tempest of unfamiliar feelings that stirred in his chest—a tempest he feared would erupt uncontrollably at the sight of her.
“And here I thought I’d washed myself of that particular longing...” he muttered under his breath, his words lost to the wind as he turned his back on the hotel.
Earlier in the day, when the news of Chloe’s abduction had reached him, a profound and unexpected agony had stabbed at his heart. Certainly, if he thought of her merely as a friend, his heart wouldn’t have revolted so violently. Yet it did, and now, in the aftermath, he couldn’t help but question why.
It was in this moment of introspection that the uncomfortable truth dawned on him: the feelings for Chloe he believed he’d vanquished still stubbornly clung to him. Yet before he could fully grapple with this revelation, another memory surged forth. Did you see where they went?! The echo of Lloyd’s frantic plea, the image of his distraught face was reproduced with startling clarity in his mind, smothering his own thoughts.
Lloyd’s raw emotion, laid bare in such a distressing display, had shown the profound depth of his attachment to Chloe. Ian saw something all too familiar in it—a mirror image of his own silent affection for her. But what cut deepest, what was more excruciating than anything else, was the awareness of the undeniable truth that Chloe returned Lloyd’s affections in kind.
He’s so incredibly handsome! Not only that, but he’s also strong, and always calm and fearless and resolute... Granted, he can be a little blunt or awkward about things at times, but if you ask me, that just adds to his charm. Above all else, he’s the kindest man you’ll ever meet! He even hired me when I first arrived in the capital all lost and—
Another jab of pain, different yet just as sharp, pierced Ian’s chest as he remembered Chloe’s gushing words. Lloyd Stewart, the renowned knight of the First Order, was held in the highest esteem in Chloe’s heart. He was a man Ian felt he could never hope to rival in strength, in bravery, in kindness—in all things that seemed to matter.
And yet, in the midst of this heart-wrenching realization, a glimmer of something else flickered within him.
“Even still, I...”
He clutched a hand to his chest, as if trying to contain the unfamiliar sensation stirring within him, refusing to let it escape him. With newfound resolve flickering in his eyes, Ian set out on his solitary journey back home.