Slowly, Celestia turned the doorknob and opened the door, her heart pounding with uncertainty. For a fleeting moment, she thought the corridor was empty. But then, a voice cut through the silence, causing her to look up. It was the woman from the atrium, the one who had sneered at her earlier.

Zara scoffed at Celestia, her expression a mask of disdain. Without a glance back, she spoke as if Celestia were invisible. “Lord Nightglen, your 3 o’clock meeting is about to start. I will escort this…” She paused, her eyes running over Celestia like a venomous snake. “…woman outside and ensure she doesn’t disturb you again, my lord.”

With a grip like iron, Zara seized Celestia’s wrist, dragging her from the room.

Caleb’s eyes narrowed at the sight of his assistant’s rough treatment. A surge of anger ignited within him, his golden eye glowing with barely contained fury. His voice, cold and dark, cut through the tension. “This is not necessary, Zara!”

His words were laced with authority, a command that no one who knew him dared challenge. The air grew frigid as he spoke, the atmosphere heavy with the weight of his displeasure.

Zara, momentarily taken aback, tightened her hold on Celestia. “But my lord…” She yanked Celestia’s wrist, raising it almost mockingly. “She doesn’t belong here! She’s a mere commoner, disrupting your important work! Does she really think her…” She looked Celestia up and down, her contempt palpable. “…fat, portly body would charm you?”

Zara’s disdain flowed freely as she dragged Celestia down the corridor, her words like daggers. “My lord would never look at this pile of disgusting meat!” she muttered, her tone dripping with venom. With each step, her anger intensified, until they reached the staircase. Without a moment’s hesitation, Zara flung Celestia down the curved steps, her laughter mingling with the sound of Celestia’s body hitting the floor.

Caleb’s jaw clenched, a growl simmering beneath the surface. He was frozen in place, torn between his position as Lord and his instinct to protect. But when he saw Zara toss Celestia down the stairs, a primal rage surged within him.

He fought to contain his emotions, struggling against the tumult inside him. “Leave this office! You’re fired. Get another job!” His voice was calm, but the intensity simmering beneath made it sound like a death sentence.

Zara’s shock quickly morphed into indignation. “You can’t mean this, my lord! I’ve worked for you for five years!” She pointed down the staircase, her face twisted in anger. “That… that thing down there? She’s just like the others! They all come with the same pathetic excuse for seeing you! They want something from you!”

“THAT ONE DOESN’T DESERVE TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE!!” Zara’s voice rose to a shriek, filled with desperation and madness.

A dangerous growl erupted in Caleb’s throat, his golden eye blazing with fury as he locked eyes with Zara. “Enough, Zara!” he snarled, stepping forward, but her laughter was already echoing down the corridor.

“YOU FIRED ME! I CAN DO WHAT I WANT!” Zara’s fury morphed into madness, her hands sparking with barely contained energy. She summoned a small fireball, the flames dancing menacingly in her palm as she dragged Celestia toward the grand double doors leading outside.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“Stay out, scum!” she shouted, flinging Celestia down another flight of stairs, the sound of her body thudding against stone echoing through the gardens. Zara hurled the fireball after her, without hesitation, the flames soaring through the air.

Caleb’s expression darkened, his control finally shattering. With a furious growl, he stormed down the stairs, shoving Zara aside as if she were nothing more than a piece of debris. He dropped to his knees beside Celestia, panic flooding through him. “Hey! Celestia. Look at me! Look at me!”

His hands trembled as he grasped her chin gently, his heart racing as he checked for injuries. Celestia groaned painfully, blinking as her surroundings came into focus. “It…hurts…to be tossed…down…two times…some stair…cases…”

The sight of blood trickling from her forehead sent a jolt of panic through him. “Don’t try to move, it can make it worse. Just hold still, Celestia. I will heal you!”

“It’s…Miss…Pendragon…my lord.” Celestia’s voice was weak, her breath labored. Behind them, chaos erupted as Zara screamed at Celestia, someone had alerted the Royal Guards, dragging her away. One guard stepped forward, his voice respectful yet firm. “Lord Nightglen, could you explain what happened here?”

Caleb’s attention remained locked on Celestia, his focus unwavering. “Don’t close your eyes. Stay awake. Please stay awake!” he pleaded, shaking her gently.

“Sorry, Lord Nightglen... Could you elaborate on what happened?” the guard pressed, oblivious to the tempest brewing within Caleb. “How did Miss Pendragon end up here? Did you try to defuse the situation?”

Celestia’s head swam, her vision blurring again. This wasn’t how she imagined her day would unfold. With a raspy breath, she drifted into comforting darkness.

Caleb’s frustration boiled over, his fists clenching as he turned to the guard, his golden eye blazing. “SECURE THE DAMN AREA! CAN’T YOU SEE WE NEED SPACE? How incompetent are you City Royal Guards! At the Palace, the commander would make you run fifty laps for this faux pas!”

The guard blinked in surprise, but he nodded, barking orders to his comrades, pushing back the gathering crowd and casting a blocking spell.

Celestia huffed beneath Caleb’s healing hands, the pulsing green light shimmering over her skin. “Almost done, Celestia. Almost done!” he murmured, his voice a mix of urgency and desperation.

He took a moment to steady himself, focusing on her injuries, trying to regain control over his emotions. The air crackled with tension, the aftermath of the chaos still thick around them. “Fine, I’ll elaborate,” he finally said, his tone clipped and precise. “I was having an appointment with Lady Pendragon. We had a friendly misunderstanding, and she was on her way out of my office. Standing in the door frame when my assistant arrived to tell me about my 3 o’clock meeting.”

Caleb’s gaze remained locked on Celestia, seeing the faintest flicker of awareness in her eyes. “When she saw Lady Pendragon, something changed. My assistant grabbed her wrist and dragged her down the staircase. I tried to defuse the situation with words. She spoke about not disturbing me and insulted Lady Pendragon’s appearance.”

His voice trembled with restrained anger. “Then she threw Lady Pendragon down the first staircase. At that moment, I fired her and demanded that she leave. But when she saw Lady Pendragon on the floor, she snapped again, dragging her by the hair, and summoning a fireball. She tossed Lady Pendragon out of the building like she was trash.”

Caleb’s frustration surged again, his fists tightening. “Is this detailed enough?” he snarled at the guard, who merely nodded, overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation.

The pulsing green light sank deeper into Celestia’s skin, the healing magic weaving through her body like a lifeline. Caleb’s concentration deepened, his brow furrowing as he fought to keep the darkness at bay for both of them.