Livia and Marcellus exchanged a look, layered with silent understanding.
Leaning against the headboard, Marcellus frowned slightly. His voice was soft, but thoughtful.
"As expected… the force we're facing head-on is Eryx. But—"
He paused, eyes darkening with something more contemplative.
"For some reason, I can't shake the feeling that… it's all come too easily. Like we're being deliberately guided there. Maybe I'm just being paranoid."
Livia frowned faintly as she listened. She remained silent for a few seconds, then lowered her eyes to the phone in her hand, thoughts churning. At last, she unmuted the line and spoke in a calm, even voice to Elias:
"You heard that, didn't you? Marcellus makes a good point."
She paused briefly, her tone turning serious. "Let's observe for a few more days. Don't make any sudden moves. I'll cross-check with my contacts embedded in Eryx's territory—see if what they've heard lines up."
There was a beat of silence on the other end, and then Elias's composed voice came through:
"Agreed. I've got the same feeling… everything's unfolding too smoothly, like it's following our script a little too well."
His tone darkened slightly.
"If Eryx really was making a move, we shouldn't have noticed it this easily. This could be a reverse trap. I'll keep my people on watch. You do the same."
"Got it." Livia nodded, then ended the call.
As soon as she set the phone down and turned around, she met Marcellus's gaze—mischievous, with a glint of teasing amusement in his eyes. His smile deepened as he spoke slowly:
"You know… you still haven't told me who you placed on the inside over in Eryx's camp."
Then, with a sly rise in his tone, he added,
"Seems like you've got secrets you don't want to tell me too."
Livia froze, caught off guard. Her cheeks flushed, and she bit her lip as though he'd struck a nerve. Her voice dropped low.
"I can't tell you yet… but once all this is over—once you tell me your secrets, I'll tell you mine."
Marcellus raised an eyebrow, the smile on his face turning almost devilish.
"Then I guess it's time for a little payback, huh? After how mad you were at me before."
Before she could react, he leaned forward, one arm braced beside her, bringing their faces close—so close their noses nearly touched. Livia instinctively tried to pull back, but he gently held her still, and then kissed her—deeply, lingeringly.
At first, Livia resisted, pushing against his shoulder with all her strength. But that gentle, insistent pressure slowly dissolved her guard. Her hands gradually slipped around his neck, drawn in by his warmth and the emotions that had long since tangled them together.
The night wrapped around them like a soft curtain. The bed shifted quietly beneath them, and behind the veiled drapes, breath and longing tangled in wordless devotion.
After the storm had passed, the night grew even darker, quieter.
Marcellus gently pulled Livia into his arms. Looking down at her flushed cheeks, his voice carried a tenderness still lingering from earlier.
"Whoever you've stationed there—it needs to be someone you trust completely."
He paused, his voice sliding back into thoughtful calm.
"I've also had Mark start a back-trace investigation from the castle outward—layer by layer. I believe we'll have new intel soon."
Livia, hearing the sudden shift back to strategy right after such an intimate moment, was both embarrassed and exasperated. She balled her fist and lightly thumped his chest.
"Couldn't you have waited a bit before bringing that up?"
Marcellus just gave her an innocent look, chuckling softly.
"I heard that!" Livia huffed, turning her back on him with a dramatic sigh. "Don't forget to contact Mark tomorrow. I'll meet with my people, too. We'll cross-check everything—no missed details… but for now—SLEEP!!"
She yanked the blanket up and buried her head under it, refusing to look at him again.
Marcellus watched her, smiling quietly at her puffed-up cheeks and stubbornly turned back. He scooted over and gently wrapped his arms around her from behind.
Under the blanket, her breathing gradually steadied, though her heartbeat was still a little erratic.
He tightened his hold just a little, closed his eyes, and whispered by her ear,
"Good night."
The night was soft and still. In the quiet intimacy, they lay wrapped in one another—each silently cherishing this rare moment of peace and closeness.