LOGINThe door closed quickly behind the doctor, and silence remained in the hallway.Gabriel did not move.He stood there for several seconds, his eyes fixed on the door the doctor had just walked through.“…Intimate relationship?”He repeated the words slowly, as if trying to understand how the man had even reached that conclusion in the first place.Then he remembered.Iris had been in his arms the entire way.Her clothes were wrapped in his coat.And he had entered the hospital carrying her in that state, with obvious panic, without caring about anyone around him.Gabriel pressed a hand over his eyes for a moment.“Damn it…”This was the first time in his life he had been misunderstood like this.And the worst part…He had not corrected the misunderstanding at all.He slowly lifted his head and looked toward the room where Iris was resting.His gaze gradually softened.“…My wife.”The word slipped from his lips unconsciously.And he liked it far more than he should have.A deep desire s
Gabriel’s eyes darkened, then he let out a cold laugh.If Iris had not been with him, he would have shown them exactly what he was capable of.Being attacked on the road had not been part of his plan.But it did not matter…He would deal with it later.In his own way.Gabriel pulled out a jade communication slip from his pocket, then gave instructions to Alex, one of his commanders.He was the same young man Iris had met on the ship before later discovering that he was the leader of an elite unit.Gabriel ended the communication, then lowered his gaze.Iris was still clinging to him.The sharpness in his eyes softened slightly.He lowered his head near her ear and whispered in a husky voice:“What? Did you enjoy my embrace that much?”But, unlike usual, no response came.A feeling of unease crept into him.Wait…Could it be?He quickly grabbed Iris’s face, only to freeze for a moment.She had lost consciousness.His dark eyes widened, filled with complicated emotions.“Damn it…”Iris
The sounds advanced from all directions at the same time.It was no longer one or two footsteps, but a coordinated movement closing the entire square.Gabriel did not wait for the circle to complete.He moved immediately.At a speed that did not match his previous calm.He reached out and grabbed Iris’s waist firmly, pulling her toward him without any hesitation.Her body lifted slightly off the ground.“Don’t look.”His voice came out low but cutting.Before she could process it, she was already in his arms, unable to see the full details.Then he added:“And cover your ears.”“But—”He did not allow her to finish the sentence.“Now.”There was no room for discussion.She quickly raised her hands and covered her ears as he ordered, while her heart began to race.At that same moment, the first group of attackers launched forward.Three from the front.Two from the sides.But they did not even reach half the distance.Gabriel moved.One strike from his sword stopped the first attacker
The wind began to grow colder as they moved further away from the borders of the Morus tribe. Iris had liked that quiet tribe, because it reminded her of her past life… before she left her homeland and met Gabriel. The ground beneath them changed gradually; from a torch-lit square to narrow rocky paths scattered with tall, silent trees, with nothing but the sound of Gabriel’s steady footsteps. Iris was still in his arms. She no longer resisted, but she wasn’t asleep either. She was between two states; faint awareness, and a strange comfort she didn’t want to admit. She buried her face deeper into his heavy coat, trying to hide her embarrassment at the very thought: that she had gotten used to this position faster than she should have. As for him, he hadn’t changed. The same silence, the same calm, the same composure. The only difference was that he held her more firmly, adjusting his grip whenever he sensed her discomfort. She wouldn’t lie, this action warmed her heart. A lo
Iris slowly opened her eyes.Dim light slipped through the room’s window, announcing the beginning of a new morning inside the small inn.She did not move immediately.For a few moments, she simply stared at the ceiling, trying to recall what had happened yesterday.Then the memories slowly returned.The feast.The dancing.People’s gazes.Then… the sudden pull.His face so close to hers.Then the room.Silence.Then crying.Color gradually rose to her cheeks until it became obvious even beneath the blanket.“No way…”she muttered under her breath.Carefully, she lowered the blanket a little.He was not in the bed.She froze for a moment.Then slowly turned toward the room.He was standing near the window.Gabriel.One hand in his pocket, a simple cup of coffee in the other.Quietly looking outside.As if nothing had happened the previous night.Iris felt her heart begin racing for no clear reason.She quickly sat up, then immediately lowered her gaze.The embarrassment returned all a
The feast was held outdoors in the middle of a wide courtyard lit by torches, while light snow fell quietly around the area.The tables were arranged in a half circle, filled to the edge with food and drinks. The chief of the Moros tribe sat in the center, with Gabriel beside him, while Iris sat near his side.Since the beginning of the gathering, the atmosphere had not been entirely comfortable.There was formal conversation between the chief and several elders of the tribe, but behind the words were indirect messages and tests of intention.Iris remained silent, only watching what was happening, sipping wine slowly and trying not to draw attention to herself.Her thoughts were with Letty. She only hoped she was safe.But the chief sensed the heaviness in the atmosphere.At last, he smiled and gestured with his hand.“Let’s leave politics aside for tonight.”Then he turned toward the other side.“Bring in the dancers.”A brief silence followed before the music began.A group of dance







