2779 Be My Shield


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    271/273: Be My Shield


    Uriel’s frown deepened as he confirmed that Beatrice was not inside the grand hall.


    Something felt wrong…


    For days now, he had sensed a change in her. It had been subtle at first, but undeniable.


    Beatrice had always been there… always hovering nearby, teasing him, finding excuses to speak to him.


    And then suddenly, she wasn’t.


    For several days, she had been nowhere within his reach. It unsettled him more than he cared to admit. He had seen her earlier during the coronation ceremony. He distinctly remembered Ri approaching her and guiding her toward the hallway.


    Naturally, he had assumed they would join the others in the grand hall, where the officers, rtives, and close allies were gathered for the dinner celebration. But she wasn’t here.


    “They’re probably outside… at the pavilion,” he muttered, his brows still tightly drawn.


    Without wasting another second, Uriel turned sharply and strode out of the grand hall.


    Just as he suspected, he found Beatrice outside at the open pavilion. Lanterns glowed warmly above the crowd,ughter and music blending into the night air. And there she was.


    His face darkened as he began walking toward her… only to stop midway.


    Beatrice was smiling. Not the polite smile she used for formal asions, but that radiant, sweet one that reached her eyes.


    She wasughing lightly at something a gentleman had said, her posture rxed, graceful. Several men surrounded her, clearly eager for her attention. Compliments probably flowed freely, and she received them with practiced elegance.


    Uriel felt something tighten in his chest. ‘What am I doing?’ he asked himself.


    His body remained frozen where he stood.


    Every instinct urged him to walk over there, to pull her away from the crowd, to dismiss the men one by one. He wanted to stand beside her, to make it clear that she was not someone to be pursued so


    casually.


    But he had no right. He knew that.


    He liked Beatrice. There was no point denying it anymore. He was drawn to her, strongly, undeniably. The effect she had on him was something he had not felt in years. And that terrified him because he was a


    coward.


    Yes, he could admit that much to himself.


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    He was afraid of repeating the past. Things were different now. He knew that. The circumstances were not the same as they had been years ago… but fear did not listen to reason. Fear clung to memory.


    The tragedy with Rizza still haunted him. Even now, there were nights he woke up drenched in sweat, heart racing, her name caught in his throat.


    He could still see it… Rizza in his arms, her blonde hair stained, her breathing shallow as she struggled for air. Her tears mixed with blood as she pleaded to live… whispering over and over that she did n want to die.


    But she had. Because Chaos, Gavriel’s Lycan, had wounded her with the intent to kill. The venom spread too quickly through her body. There had been no saving her. And Uriel had med himself eve since.


    If he had been stronger. If he had acted faster. If he had controlled everything better. She might still be alive. That guilt had never truly left him. So how could he allow himself to move forward so easily? How could he risk drawing another woman close, only for fate to snatch her away… or worse, for his own failures to destroy her again?


    His jaw tightened as he watched Beatriceugh at something another man said.


    She looked happy.


    Free.


    And perhaps that was how it should be.


    Far away from someone like him. Yet his feet refused to turn around. He remained there, standing in the shadows of the pavilion lights, torn between walking away… and walking straight to her side.


    Someone like me doesn’t deserve her, he told himself firmly.


    It was easier to believe that.


    Easier than confronting the truth that he simply didn’t have the courage.


    With his jaw set and his chest tight, Uriel turned away from the pavilion lights. Without allowing himself another nce in her direction, he walked off, his steps quick and decisive.


    If he stayed any longer, he might have done something reckless. And he had already made too many


    mistakes in his life.


    ***


    Meanwhile, the smile on Beatrice’s face vanished the instant she caught sight of Uriel turning away. She


    had seen him.


    From the corner of her eye, she had noticed him standing there… watching. And then leaving.


    “Seriously, that man,” she muttered under her breath, irritation shing across her features.


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    7/218 Be My Shield


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    “Pardon me, mydy?” the nobleman in front of her asked, slightly confused.


    Beatrice blinked, quickly masking her annoyance with a careless shrug.


    “Oh, nothing,” she replied lightly.


    Before he could continue speaking, she reached for a nearby ss of wine and downed it in one go. The men around her exchanged subtle nces.


    That was… unexpected. But Beatrice didn’t care.


    Annoyance simmered inside her chest. She grabbed another ss from a passing servant and unter again, ignoring the curious looks directed her way.


    From a distance, Ri noticed what was happening while she was in conversation with Arturo. Just like her, Arturo had also observed how much wine Beatrice had been drinking.


    “This won’t do,” Arturo muttered, concern evident in his tone. “She’s going to get drunk.”


    He turned to Ri with a polite nod. “If you’ll excuse me, Your Highness, I should check on my niece.”


    Ri smiled knowingly. “Hmm… you may go and shoo the men away from her, Lord Arturo,” she said calmly. “After that, I’ll have my cousin Uriel take care of her.”


    Arturo frowned slightly at her words, confusion flickering across his face.


    Ri offered him a reassuring smile, her eyes glinting with quiet amusement. “Trust me,” she said softly. “Beatrice knows exactly what she’s doing. Let her trouble my cousin a little. That man deserves it.”


    Arturo studied her for a brief moment, as if trying to read the meaning behind her confidence.


    Ri chuckled softly.


    “Trust me, my lord,” she said gently. “I would never allow anything unfortunate to happen to Beatrice. And Uriel knows his boundaries. She will be in good hands.”


    A faint blush crept onto her cheeks before she added, almost shyly, “Besides… I rather enjoy yourpany. I would be delighted to spend more time with you this evening.”


    She leaned slightly closer and lowered her voice.


    “Will you


    be


    my


    shield?”


    Her gaze subtly shifted toward a group of noblemen nearby who kept casting lingering nces in her direction. It was obvious they were debating who would gather enough courage to approach her.


    Ri returned her attention to Arturo, a knowing look in her eyes.


    “With you beside me,” she continued lightly, “I doubt anyone would dare disturb us.”


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