Gabriel stood up without saying a word. He didn't take an aggressive stance or reach for anything. He only turned his body slightly—just enough that the approaching guards had to look up to meet his eyes.
They looked, and their pace slowed.
It wasn't fear in their faces; it was that animal caution that comes when you walk into a clearing and realize another predator is already there. The music had stopped without anyone telling it to.
Alfred noticed the hesitation and felt a spark of anger. "Escort them to the guest lounge," he said, his voice hard. "No harm."
The guards nodded and stepped forward again, closer now.
Gabriel didn't move.
He didn't change his expression. He didn't need to.
The first guard's foot came down and stayed there. The second shifted his weight and decided not to take the next step. Their eyes flicked to each other, then to Alfred, then back to Gabriel.
No one moved for three heartbeats.
