Ellora had not planned to linger in the garden.
She had only meant to breathe. To step away from the walls that seemed to close in on her since the conference, since the looks, since Amellia's smile that no one else seemed to notice. Spring had softened the palace grounds, flowers blooming quietly along the stone paths, the sound of water steady and calm at the fountain's edge.
She had removed her shoes without thinking, the cool stone beneath her bare feet grounding her just enough to keep her composed.
She leaned forward slightly, fingers dipping into the water.
"So that's how it is," she murmured.
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
Her fingers tightened against the marble edge.
"Protect her. Defend her."
A quiet breath escaped her. "As if I were the one who crossed a line."
She straightened abruptly, shaking her hand as droplets scattered.
Ridiculous, she told herself. Absolutely ridiculous.
A presence shifted at the edge of her awareness.
Ellora straightened.
He was there.
Hayes stood a few steps away, framed by the pale blossoms, his dark coat a stark contrast to the lightness of the morning. He had not approached loudly. He never did.
"Hayes," she said before thinking.
"I mean, Duke Hayes."
His brow lifted slightly.
"Must we?" he asked. "There is no one else here."
She hesitated.
"…Hayes, then."
The name felt different now.
He inclined his head faintly, satisfied.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
his gaze lowered briefly to her bare feet, then returned to her face.
"You should be careful," he said. "The stone is slick."
Ellora glanced down, then back up.
"I know."
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 because of the fall, but because of how close he was. Because she could feel exactly where his hand rested, solid and real.
"I—" Ellora started, then stopped, unsure of what she had meant to say.
His arm remained at her waist, steady, protective.
Neither of them moved.
"…Thank you," Ellora said softly, regaining her balance. "I lost my footing."
Only then did he release her.
She stepped back at once, heat rising faintly to her cheeks.
"When did you arrive?" she asked, smoothing her skirts, grateful for being able to make the question.
"Today," he replied. "I came to speak with Aster."
Of course.
"I thought I might find some quiet here," he added.
Ellora nodded slowly.
"You look… " Before Hayes could say more, footsteps approached along the garden path.
Ellora turned.
Lina stopped short when she saw them together, surprise flashing across her face before she recovered herself.
She curtsied immediately.
"Your Grace," Lina said. "Duke Hayes."
Hayes acknowledged her with a brief nod.
Ellora stepped back, distance restored.
Ellora exhaled slowly.
"I should go," she said.
She did not wait for a reply.
Her gaze met Hayes' for a heartbeat.
Then she turned, walking away with measured grace, Lina following at her side.
Hayes remained where he was, watching until Ellora disappeared beyond the hedges.