It was early evening the next day. The sun was just starting to dip below the horizon as Leo's small group walked through the massive, reinforced iron gates of the Lord's Castle in Auravale.
Inside the courtyard, Lady Seraphine was walking along the cobblestone paths, inspecting the blooming flowerbeds. The heavy stress of running the city's administration showed slightly under her eyes, but the moment she looked up and spotted Leo walking through the gates, her face lit up completely.
She dropped her regal poise instantly. She didn't care that the courtyard was full of Blackfang guards.
Seraphine hiked up the heavy skirts of her elegant dress, sprinted across the courtyard, and jumped directly into Leo's arms.
Leo caught her effortlessly, letting out a loud, genuine laugh. Seraphine wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, hugging him tightly enough to squeeze the life out of a normal man. She buried her face in his neck, breathing in his scent.
