Chapter 230: Intuition
Meanwhile, Nigel, having finished his business, was leisurely making his way back from the men’s room and slowed his steps as he approached the ladies’ room.
"I wonder if Miss Jade has already headed back to the hall," he murmured to himself. "Hmm... should I check?"
He took a few steps towards the door, intending to call out, but quickly thought better of it. It would be rather inappropriate, especially with ladies from high society likely using the restroom as well.
Shaking his head, he turned on his heel.
"Oh well... I suppose I’ll find her back at the reception hall."
He had taken only two steps when the sound of something crashing to the floor echoed from inside, making him freeze.
"Hm?" He turned his head toward the noise. "What was that?"
Pursing his lips, he walked back to the door and knocked gently. "Um, is everything okay in there?"
When no reply came, his brows drew together.
He knocked again, harder this time. "Hello? Is anyone there?"
Nigel wasn’t someone who liked prying into other people’s affairs. Under normal circumstances, he would have assumed someone had simply dropped their belongings and carried on.
Yet a sudden wave of paranoia washed over him.
Remembering what had happened to Aliana in the restroom during her engagement party, a cold sense of unease crawled across his skin.
Unable to ignore the sinking feeling in his gut, he knocked once more. "Miss Jade?"
Silence answered him once more, and his heartbeat began to pound against his ribs.
Drawing in a slow breath, Nigel reached for the doorknob, his fingers tightening around the cold metal.
"I really hope I’m overthinking this..." he murmured under his breath.
With that, he pushed the door open.
The moment his eyes fell upon what lay inside... he froze.
.....
Back in the reception hall, a few moments before what happened with Jade....
After finishing his dance with the stubborn woman who had been hell-bent on crushing his toes throughout the entire song, Cillian smoothly made his way towards the bar.
It wasn’t only for a drink but also to put some distance between himself and the group of ladies he had noticed beginning to gravitate towards him after seeing him dance with Jade.
Accepting his drink from the bartender, he couldn’t help but think of her again.
"What a woman," he muttered under his breath. He shook his head with an amused smile at her childish tactics to get back at him every time he teased her.
Taking a slow sip, his chocolate-brown eyes swept across the reception hall before settling on the newlywed couple, who were surrounded by a steady stream of well-wishers.
A quiet chuckle escaped him at the sight of Gavriel doing a remarkably poor job of pretending to be patient, offering little more than curt one-word replies. While Aliana was the one handling most of the social heavy lifting.
A soft smile warmed his eyes as he watched his friend. Gavriel no longer looked like the lonely figure he had been for so many years... nor did he look trapped in that relentless pain.
No, Cillian refused to dwell on those memories tonight. Today was a celebration, and he had no intention of souring it with dark thoughts.
His attention gradually drifted towards one of the open balconies, where night had quietly settled over the estate.
Carrying his drink, he made his way outside and rested one hand against the stone balustrade as he gazed into the darkness beyond.
His chocolate-brown eyes slowly turned crimson, and instantly, the world before him changed.
The immense dark barrier enveloping the entire estate became clearly visible, stretching far beyond the horizon. Even with his enhanced vision, he couldn’t see where it ended.
A low whistle almost escaped him.
He had witnessed Gavriel’s power countless times over the centuries, yet he still found himself quietly marvelling at the sheer magnitude of the barrier protecting the estate.
Just then, he felt a familiar presence behind him.
Taking another sip of his drink, he murmured softly, "How are we doing tonight, Reve?"
"Everything is in order. Not a single demon is in sight," Reve replied as he leaned against the wall beside the balcony doors.
"That’s good... and expected," Cillian said, unsurprised by the report considering the sheer scale of Gavriel’s power surrounding the estate.
"So," he continued, taking another sip of his drink, "any gossip you’d like to share?"
Reve simply looked at him before replying, "Humans are such petty beings. I can sense a great deal of jealousy being directed towards the mistress."
Now that Aliana was married to his master, Reve addressed her as Mistress, giving her every bit of respect she deserved, despite her being human.
"They certainly are," Cillian scoffed with a faint shake of his head. "Jealousy and envy are so potent here that demons would have had a feast."
He released a quiet sigh before his expression grew more serious.
"Even though Gavriel has done all the heavy lifting when it comes to security, make sure nothing out of the ordinary happens. The last thing Aliana needs is another traumatic incident on her wedding day. Gavriel won’t be pleased should such a thing occur."
"Understood, Master Cillian," Reve said, bowing.
Before Reve could fade away, Cillian added, "Oh, I almost forgot. Even if there are no demons around, don’t overlook the humans. They can be just as dangerous when they want to be. Keep an eye on Aliana’s parents and those close to her."
Reve agreed in silence before replying, "The mistress’s parents are inside, but... that man with the glasses and the red-headed lady stepped out moments ago to use the restroom."
Cillian hummed softly. "I will keep a watch on them."
With that, Reve vanished without another word, and Cillian’s thoughts drifted back to Jade.
At the mere thought of the demon mark on her, a faint frown touched his handsome features.
Taking another sip of his drink, he clicked his tongue in irritation and muttered, "I hate getting worked up, but it doesn’t hurt to check."
With that, he set his glass on the railing, fetched his phone from his pocket, and dialled the stubborn woman’s number.
It rang a few times before cutting off.
He pressed his lips together and redialed, stepping back inside the reception hall to scan the room. When he failed to spot the red-headed woman, his feet began to move of their own accord, carrying him swiftly out of the hall toward the ladies’ room.
He continued dialing her number, but when she failed to pick up despite his repeated attempts, a sense of urgency spurred his steps. He did not stop until he arrived right outside the door.
That was the exact moment he sensed bloodlust radiating from within.
Moving with blinding speed, he threw the door open with a loud crash, only for his eyes to settle on the unbelievable sight before him.
A single phrase escaped his lips: "What the fuck..."