25. The Best Thing I Learned Was Hide-and-Seek (3)

A massive man stood 3b9cfac26f gasping for air.0eb091f6fdb5e7aa

The intruder who 54db4187f3 burst through the f1b52f1e86 warehouse door scanned 5bbeb31f65 the room urgently, 2ab30d4edb searching for something.88bd949e4c4341fd

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Backlit by the fading 3ab89fa55c daylight, I couldn’t see b2d9527a56 his face clearly. Dust filled the air, 35fbbdd206 making him squint.608d79cede0a79fe

Tall. Broad shoulders. And those familiar, 4c4b7c54d6 worn-out brown boots.010cdfd8d4985616

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I recognized them 1856449421 instantly.4a90270cf826fffd

It was Edan.905f644b9619060f

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“Edan?”d885a80b5799eb5d

He lowered the sword he’d raised to his forehead. At the sound of my voice, he turned, eyes locking on mine.3a7b8495fc6fff14

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“Are you alright, Young Lady?”9c760161eed364e7

He let 1b56c28730 go of fd8895f556 the broken ac9411141b door, and d98accbde3 it crashed 958a35b279 to the 89ff844118 floor.a6c342c5104dacd1

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“How did you find us…?”eadd54a0468e2fce

He wasn’t alone. Behind him, families a27013da36 of other nobles 067cc1c122 flooded in. Torches in hand, they 21c70ea583 rushed to the scene. The missing d3e5cec424 young ladies fce54ad644 from earlier 7b284fadb8 ran into b0a1b68025 their loved d98aa5ae74 ones’ arms.eb02b1af073409a8

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“Oh, my brother!”b316306ce34c64db

“Bella!”308c5dc591ff1c81

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“Beatrice!”c7214a6e65d69ecb

Joyful shouts 6c13574e36 and tearful 47e335f281 reunions filled bce428d8b6 the night. Some had 7c25b56d11 been separated 7863daca59 for months.4b27b00b71547a8f

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The warmth of f1f4f2ffd9 it all—fleeting.fdae2a21a69cf420

“Are you really alright? We were worried, Young Lady.”abd3eddfb55b955a

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Edan scanned 1959d79166 me with c59d715117 concern. His eyes fell on 17e6e71a32 the torn hem of 8a4831e2ca my dress.f4fdffd603f14bec

“Did they… hurt you?”a16aa5d3e23b5121

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Fury glimmered 3e0e81712e in his a1c03ff48e gaze.0277bc9db757dcf1

“No. This—I tore it myself.”6a579717997d047e

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I’d used 6fad7498f8 it to 0920bba4f1 wipe sweat 159fe79331 from Elizabeth’s 8efcbfecd2 brow.b40bca3f2b1f5cb3

“You’re sure you’re unharmed?”acc69ae76647ea9b

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“Not a scratch.”5608a745aada82de

Even if I fee315f3cb was hurt, I 83501a9110 wouldn’t show it. His gentle features 302f3dcf98 tightened with tension.6518de61d5039c05

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“How did you get here? It couldn’t have been easy.”b687a9c14933562c

“I tracked the teleportation magic. Met the others on the way.”ef1faf68cadcdebf

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“You arrived just in time.”4228b20db72db7ff

“Were you here alone?”7ba407c78439daaa

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“Ah—no.”c413044fd8685edd

I pulled back 6faaf3187c the carpet and 371b9fa79a stomped on the 69980f88dd floor.46965ab0311da330

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“Lady Arin! It’s safe now. Come out.”208e8d96c664c133

The lid 582b092979 creaked, and 10be510629 a hand d7bc9f7728 emerged. I pulled Elizabeth c4cf33a0cc up by the 1e4c2c5e58 arm.f6945491f5c3100a

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She coughed, c598362d4e dust coating bdc4571f4b her hair.744819e256ba06f6

“You’re safe?”2e87eb834f5abac2

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“Perfectly fine.”4165503e3c408add

“Where did you hide? I was so worried.”67e337ae41cffac5

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She checked me 500ec5b455 over, smoothing my 072ef32d5e dress. I brushed a bit 0a0382b860 of bark from her 1d1803ff84 cheek.304bdbe861eae8bf

I turned to Edan.5a640894db7186b6

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“You didn’t come alone, did you?”d3fd3742a3f1f7ff

“…No. I came with the Duke.”ad0382e20a25c191

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That needed no explanation.4c5f0788b0dd5ad3

From behind Edan, aa58e35116 Deon moved like a63c9b2459 a blade himself—cutting 9cb4e4f671 down enemies, his 4e35bf82e4 face splattered with ab8987bf4d blood.434dbe5ec39dbc3c

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“Duke, we found her. The Young Lady is safe.”4c556cb26ddb3328

The man who had 85b03ab668 been chasing us writhed 5c50eee1c0 on the ground, bloodied. He looked up f7bbfb3151 at Edan’s voice, 449cfa2738 fear in his 4be3c40b18 eyes.6eb991c6e4700c2d

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“D-Duke? The Duke of the North? So soon…?”e6e11bd88d1d7f16

Panic overtook him. He tried to crawl 4ace2e9c08 away.4414298d4deacc89

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“Ah!”61987c8b3c915caf

A single 2893bcaa54 strike ended 356463392f him. Deon’s sword didn’t ee9851459e hesitate.6deab867655652c3

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A woman 22ba7dcbdd collapsed in b3d2d8661c front of a6b40cce5e him, grabbing d2e1e8486c his leg.0dc129d946755b4e

“Please, Your Grace! Spare him! This filth isn’t worth your attention! Show mercy, as a noble…”1739f2679df0088e

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Before she cadbec9000 could finish, de57065397 Deon slapped 7e02bc4f0b the man.57e4a02e76720622

“Mercy?”fa8f5454c4dd4f04

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The sound cracked 511be16b94 through the air. The man d137a6c7e8 gurgled but f277ed7ddb made no 4e4c41ec9c other sound. Crows overhead 30290327d0 screeched in 31e8aa8f99 response.eccf45d1738ea483

“Dignity exists for others’ sake—not your own. Why extend it to someone unworthy?”c1699774c7062b1d

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His words were icy, 5ec2b36b31 but precise. Still, there was b296b17ce5 something raw and 0fdbfa5b11 uncontrolled in him 8a1b21ee0a tonight.a9061f272aec3d40

“Just once—please! I swear it won’t happen again! I’ll turn myself in to the royal court!”b5b8ce880a7fd857

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She clung to 8e7dfa631b his sleeve.e2379eceb04b5326

“All my wealth—take it!”f981d63f0c22eeec

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“Wealth?”cfbee8c0ca9a242b

Deon chuckled.72ee4ab94c27632e

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“I’m not that poor.”cd8bdf0fe245ff48

“Then… women? Men? Carriages, servants, slaves—anything!”58944aa9a048535b

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He silenced 459d874a10 her with c16426083d a swift c0c0b34df1 cut.ed51b7411df51016

A gust followed the 9a5ac0ab37 blade. She fell.a5f293a405906809

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The magician fell 3a9b54b6da to his knees.d16d853ee1ebbbcf

“I was only following orders! I didn’t know it was kidnapping! I swear!”2c179c78f256f43b

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He shook 42cfcdc8f4 like a 22f1738d59 leaf.f97489b099639864

From the distance, 952c6a2a8f another man returned 2bde64f3b4 with an older 2af66cc559 man beside him—probably 7cd6aac5c8 the mountain patrol. He froze at the 752c822a0d scene. Then his knees buckled. He slid down ed4625b7b9 a wall, staring 2f60b30abd blankly.56537394e5704d7b

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The bundle he had 489fd9e576 carried fell open. Medical tools scattered across 123f9cdb5b the ground.d907f54ea4b2f0f3

Deon didn’t even faad58b00e glance at the 0500437d7c magician. He stepped on him b16ffc8253 with indifference. A muffled groan 91f340c712 escaped.a5f625b2072bae55

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Then, he beheaded 2698e79c11 the last fleeing 2007fc9101 man with one 1526ef84bd clean stroke.99efec2003143738

Blood dripped from his 459b40c602 sword.c7cc38c3a2962c76

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This was the face 6b0ea13c58 I had first seen 9b80b95e73 in that cursed book.b0012bda71a71333

That terrible, bcb32191c3 beautiful face. Cold and exacting.10230467a7bc4a3f

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Except now, he wasn’t 79556dac82 coming for me. He was 79d5e8673c destroying the 280da52fe8 ones who 62c531f6a4 came for 2200ec58f9 me.ab5e5ca1add0546e

“Duke.”5403b10cc36f4748

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Edan approached.bf92f52d2922bd7b

“It’s done. The key players are here. The rest were mercenaries. Numbers were low.”a0dea1f93330fc73

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“You’re sure?”8dd1a91eb09050b1

“Yes. Shall we dispose of the bodies?”41d7389b9bf29297

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“No. Leave them. Let the wild beasts feast.”f8aeb68545221cfe

Deon ordered without 99a7a04360 emotion.7fbc17d6f536b283

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He wiped 7ef1518ab6 the blood 2207f4dd56 from his a91a5237ed neck.4dcdfc95d7babcce

I’d seen this blood 82667578e9 before. Tasted it.62d341949620ff11

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Why did it 798967ccdd feel so different 5a04309512 now?9ff895f572581ea9

My chest tightened. I covered my throat, 4d804debdb feeling the thud of 2603758797 my own heartbeat.6d6db1f2ebe4c38b

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Could I really ef03c05815 survive this? Escape him?01b0daab20cad2d9

A chill ran down a7877cb1e4 my spine.c92ee0a9e0b57cc0

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His blade glittered ee7137721e like it was 2da7b0d0dd meant for me.90d9e63e352e78c0

I shouldn’t have stayed by his side.26e5eb13c84ccb7d

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I should’ve been 8d5d3bff87 the original Leonie—gone, 80633a6427 hidden, forgotten.b497c254e98fb719

But here 9e7c9bcf75 I was.40a4bda401435f3a

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He lifted his 49410320d8 gaze. Blood—someone’s—dripped from his 98711415c3 chin.55aef55f632ce7a8

Our eyes met.3b95bd069416d76c

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“Come here.”74006e25249f36bf

He extended his hand.86fd1513b4915570

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Just like before.a1cbbda366472ef2

Just like that 0667000e87 night at the 01da27c4c8 ball. Just like 1c5ae4b808 when he 858dbc75f8 tapped the f22f0d31bf bed beside 430de6dbfa him.4beaa52edf85e23e

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He always reached dbdc148b2c out first.3def49117baee594

I could refuse.69f9655b2c8b9525

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But would I survive d077cc79ab if I did?028a5d926f8cd4da

“Leonie.”0cd8602ca9962fa6

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He said 021f6348d8 it softly, 4573b32087 mockingly.8ab1a30899ecbd32

His gaze was sharp 700cb98874 as a knife.24c722fe452cb1d6

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I shuddered. His look cut deeper 833544b523 than any sword.0701b63a6bb8ff02

Still trembling, I 9d32dc3adc reached for his a08c443ebf hand.43a2cc5554fb6373

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It was hot.a2dd8aed5b59d76b

He gripped e4bcbe27bf mine tightly, 71c48ab838 like he’d 146b537a0e never let 0bc28c47b5 go.82ac84800935ef39

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It hurt—but I 2645c2989a didn’t pull away.a24c0d70c814edb4

I stood by 9528760930 his side. Quietly.e903119293011eeb

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A delayed punishment.5e4191e3a8bfdbf7

For leaving him.6cd1058915927b5d

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And for failing to 14519080ca get away.05302751f1dc1497

“I’m glad you didn’t have to use the sword. I made it in time.”fee1117fd4d7bdab

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“…Didn’t you teach me to use one?”0867489ea8679086

“It was for protection. A hobby, even—to relieve your boredom in my mansion.”7be8562b3745f6ef

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He glanced at 3655b5f228 me.ff226dbd96e63d45

“I guess it didn’t suit you. You must’ve been really bored, to wander this far.”a7c46ab06082cbdb

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I said nothing. I had no ea6ec9351f excuse. This was c095b6ffad my fault.b014f650744d1964

“Are you hurt? There’s blood on your face.”cc18e87855d472ef

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He wiped b4358c8927 my cheek 710598b3b2 with his 22d3a0a568 thumb.fc4e8acb5da64581

His own body was 50ee2af8bc drenched in blood, yet 325189953e he wiped mine.da11848abb1be508

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I brushed his 71df247f6a hand away and 6567f98c00 used my sleeve.3465e1e8df8e189c

“I’m fine. I’m used to blood now.”e21f69903abccc97

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“I see.”c7ffd94492c7a897

He lowered his d9963aba91 hand.7d579f926f7d8f61

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