Chapter 28

After a quick breakfast and a discreet farewell to Merina, Lilah and Ysabel returned to their carriage, awaiting the merchant with whom Lilah planned to trade her magical stones. The wait wasn't long. A tall, slender man approached, his bearing instantly setting him apart from ordinary merchants. Ysabel, perceptive as ever, recognized the subtle signs of nobility – the way he carried himself, the cut of his clothes, the almost imperceptible tilt of his chin. His gaze, sharp and assessing, swept over them, lingering on Ysabel for a moment longer than comfort allowed. She instinctively lowered her head, unsure whether he was chiding her for staring or simply observing.

"Lilah,"

The man acknowledged, barely glancing at Ysabel, a slight that caused Lilah to furrow her brow.

"Lord Ferdin," Lilah replied, her tone neutral.

"You remain as radiant as the night stars, your beauty is truly captivating,"

Lord Ferdin declared, his voice smooth yet condescending. He reached for Lilah's hand, attempting a playful peck on her fingers. Lilah swiftly swatted his hand away, her expression hardening.

"No one touches a woman without her consent, surely a noble such as yourself isn't ignorant of such a basic courtesy?" Lilah's voice, though calm, carried the sharp edge of steel. Lord Ferdin merely chuckled, unfazed.

"It was simply a gesture of appreciation for beauty—" He began, but Lilah cut him off.

"Keep your appreciation to yourself. If we're not discussing business, then there's nothing further to discuss. My appearance is irrelevant to our transaction."

Lord Ferdin sighed dramatically, a hint of disappointment clouding his features.

"I journeyed across mountains and valleys, traversing days and nights to reach you. Surely, a little...entertainment...is not too much to ask?"

His gaze shifted from Lilah to Ysabel, lingering on the latter with a predatory gleam that sent a chill down her spine. Ysabel felt her blood run cold; the blatant disrespect from a man of his standing was appalling.

Lilah's disdain was palpable. She watched as Lord Ferdin's eyes lingered on Ysabel, who visibly paled and stiffened under his gaze. Ysabel felt a wave of icy dread wash over her. She couldn't believe the audacity of this man, a lord of some renowned land, behaving with such blatant disregard for their dignity.

"H-how dare y-you—"

Lilah's voice dropped to a low growl, laced with barely contained fury. For a fleeting moment, Ysabel thought she saw a faint luminescence in Lilah's eyes, and the air crackled with an almost tangible energy.

"My, my, look who's arrived! If it isn't Lord Ferdin of Wesmos!" A booming voice cut through the tension, and both Lilah and Ysabel knew, without turning, that it was Hector. Relief washed over Ysabel at the sound of his familiar voice.

A hand settled reassuringly on Ysabel's shoulder. She turned to see Elvin, his gaze fixed on Lord Ferdin with an expression of utter boredom.

"Oh, I'm not familiar with the name," He drawled, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

More men, clad in armor similar to Sir Owen's, began to emerge, forming a protective cordon around the carriage. Ysabel gasped as she recognized Aleric, his presence radiating a confidence and authority. Time seemed to slow as their eyes met, his gaze holding hers for a breathless moment.

Lord Ferdin, witnessing Aleric's arrival, visibly tensed, his feet shifting nervously. The color drained from his face.

"I can hear you from miles away, Lord Ferdin,"

Aleric smirked, his eyes like a hawk's, assessing the nobleman.

"The man must have woken up with an erection as hard as a tree trunk!"

One of the men boomed, erupting into boisterous laughter.

"Oh, don't be so modest. Every man wakes up with a bone-on every now and then," Another chimed in, his humor equally shameless. Ysabel felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment at their teasing, while she heard Lilah stifle a laugh.

"This is preposterous! You dare to embarrass me!"

Lord Ferdin sputtered, his attempts at maintaining composure crumbling before their amused mockery.

"That's rich, coming from you. You blatantly disrespect Lilah, the healer of this land, and dare to act so ludicrously because of your...desires? I'd say such behavior warrants punishment, wouldn't you all agree?" Aleric glanced at his men, who responded with a cheerful and unanimous "Yes!"

Fear gripped Lord Ferdin. His eyes darted around, searching for his guards, only to find them effectively neutralized. "I shall report this to the King Quilter!"

He threatened weakly.

With a swift, decisive movement, Aleric grabbed Lord Ferdin by the throat, his fingers tightening around the nobleman's neck.

"I'd like to see you try ... that is, if you want to leave Dydilah alive." The threat hung heavy in the air, leaving no doubt as to the consequences of Lord Ferdin's actions.