Chapter 32: Shadows in the Garden

The soft rustling of leaves was the only sound as Seraphina and Adrian stepped into the garden. Laurent had disappeared into the shadows, but they both knew he was near. Watching. Waiting.

Seraphina's pulse was steady, but beneath her composed exterior, anticipation coiled tight. Delacroix had taken the bait—she had seen it in the flicker of doubt in his eyes back in the ballroom. Now, all that was left was to see how he would move.

Adrian walked beside her, his steps slow and deliberate. "Laurent will ensure Delacroix is led to us without suspicion."

She cast him a sidelong glance. "And if he resists?"

A ghost of a smile flickered across his lips. "Then we make him an offer he can't refuse."

They reached a secluded alcove where ivy curled around stone pillars, the glow of lanterns casting long shadows. Here, away from prying eyes, they could maneuver the pieces into place.

Laurent emerged from the darkness, his expression unreadable. "He's coming."

Adrian nodded. "Good."

Seraphina exhaled softly. The weight of the moment pressed against her. If Delacroix had even the faintest inkling of what was unfolding, he would either try to outmaneuver them—or he would run. And if he ran, they would have to hunt him down.

Laurent turned his attention to Seraphina. "He's already uneasy. I pushed just enough to make him doubt himself. He wants to confirm whether you're truly a threat."

Seraphina smirked. "Then we shall give him his answer."

Footsteps echoed in the distance. Adrian shifted slightly, his fingers brushing against the hilt of the blade concealed beneath his coat. Seraphina remained still, her gaze fixed on the approaching figure.

Delacroix stepped into the moonlight.

For a brief moment, he hesitated, his calculating gaze sweeping over them. Then, with the kind of arrogance only men like him possessed, he offered a slow smile. "Duchess Valemont. Duke. A rather private meeting for such a public evening, don't you think?"

Seraphina didn't blink. "I find that the most interesting conversations happen in places like this."

Delacroix's smirk twitched. "And what conversation are we having tonight?"

Adrian spoke before she could. "One that determines your fate."

A flicker of something crossed Delacroix's face—annoyance, perhaps, or the first stirrings of fear. He glanced between them, his fingers twitching at his sides.

Seraphina tilted her head. "You made a mistake, Delacroix."

His brows lifted in feigned amusement. "Oh? And what mistake is that?"

She stepped forward, closing the distance between them. "You should have been more careful with your alliances."

His jaw tensed, but he covered it with a chuckle. "If this is some elaborate game of intimidation, I must say—"

Adrian cut him off. "Enough. You already know what this is."

Silence stretched between them. Then, for the first time, Delacroix's confidence wavered.

Laurent moved subtly behind him, blocking his escape.

Seraphina's voice was soft but sharp. "Tell me, Delacroix. How much are your secrets worth?"

The night air was thick with tension. Whatever happened next would change everything.