Chapter 70: Chapter Seventy
The crowd was buzzing even after Adrien’s duel. People argued over whether his victory had been a fluke, whether shadow tricks counted as "real skill," or whether the Viscount’s family would retaliate.
Selene Duskbane said nothing. She stood at the edge of the gathering, her attendants keeping curious onlookers away. Her eyes, however, followed one figure only.
Adrien.
He strode through the square as though the noise belonged to another world. His dark coat, sharp but unembellished, moved easily with him, the faint silver details catching torchlight. Nyxaris padded at his heel, shadows curling faintly around its black fur — a creature of nightmare made real.
Selene’s lips parted slightly, her breath caught. He wasn’t like the others. No pomp, no fake confidence, no scrambling for approval. Just steady, unreadable power.
When Adrien’s eyes swept across the crowd, Selene froze. For a heartbeat, his gaze passed over her. She felt heat rush to her cheeks and lowered her hood quickly, heart hammering.
Her maid leaned close. "My lady, are you unwell?"
"I—no. Just... it’s crowded," Selene said, forcing composure into her voice, though her fingers nervously twisted the edge of her sleeve.
But when she risked one more glance, Adrien was already gone, swallowed into the city streets like a shadow vanishing into itself.
Selene exhaled softly, a faint smile tugging at her lips despite herself.
Dangerous... but not like the rest of them. He feels... different.
Her guard frowned. "My lady?"
"Nothing," she murmured, tugging her hood lower. "Let’s go."
Still, as she left the square, her thoughts lingered stubbornly on the man who moved like the crowd and its judgment didn’t even exist.
.....
-2 days later
The auction hall brimmed with chatter, velvet seats filled with merchants, minor nobles, and a few dignitaries cloaked in wealth. On stage, a gloved host raised the glass-encased blossom Adrien had handed in earlier — a rare forest treasure, its petals faintly glowing as if drinking in shadow and light at once.
"Ladies and gentlemen, next on our list: the Lunaris Bloom, found only in the heart of the border oases. Its rarity speaks for itself. Starting bid: five hundred gold marks."
Excitement rippled through the crowd. Hands shot up. The bidding escalated quickly, numbers tossed like blades in the air. Adrien leaned casually against the back wall, hood half-shadowing his face, Nyxaris resting at his feet like a silent sentinel. His expression didn’t shift, not even when the price surged past a thousand.
Selene sat with her maid in one of the side booths, posture straight, eyes fixed on the stage. She wasn’t watching the bloom, though. Her gaze kept darting — stealing glances at the man who had supplied it.
Adrien looked... untouchable. Detached from the desperate scramble of the hall. His clothes now sharp and fitting — a dark coat trimmed with subtle silver — made him look more like a composed young master than the rogue she had glimpsed in the streets. The aura around him, cool and steady, only deepened the contrast.
Her heart betrayed her, beating faster when his eyes flicked across the crowd. For one moment, their gazes brushed. Selene stiffened, clutching her sleeve beneath the table. Heat flared in her cheeks, and she looked away far too quickly, pretending interest in the auctioneer’s call.
"Two thousand five hundred! Do I hear three?"
The bidding raged on, but Selene couldn’t focus. She tried to steady herself, fingers twisting nervously in her lap.
Why... does he feel different from the rest? He doesn’t bow, doesn’t flaunt, doesn’t even care about their eyes.
Her maid leaned closer. "My lady, should we bid?"
Selene shook her head quickly, voice low, almost embarrassed. "No... it’s not the flower I’m interested in."
The maid blinked, puzzled, but didn’t press.
When the gavel struck — "Sold! Three thousand gold marks!" — applause echoed through the hall. Adrien collected his payment without a word, pocketing the weight of coin as if it were trivial, then turned to leave. Nyxaris rose, shadows rippling in its wake.
Selene found herself leaning forward, watching every step until the doors closed behind him. Her face burned, a faint smile tugging at her lips despite her efforts to hide it.
"Different..." she murmured, barely audible. "He’s... different
The auction concluded with applause, nobles murmuring over prices and profit. Adrien pocketed his payment pouch without ceremony, turning toward the exit.
Nyxaris padded beside him, crimson eyes catching flickers of attention from startled onlookers who gave the beast a silent acknowledgement at it’s unique origin race.
Before he could reach the door, a soft voice cut through the hum.
"Um—excuse me!"
Adrien paused. A young woman stood a few steps away, draped in a gown of deep sapphire silk. Her poise screamed nobility, but her nervous fingers betrayed her composure, fidgeting against the fabric at her side. Her maid hovered discreetly behind her.
Adrien’s eyes flicked over her — calm, unreadable. "Yes?"
Selene swallowed, regretting her impulse even as her words tumbled out. "That flower... the Lunaris Bloom. You were the one who found it, weren’t you?"
Adrien tilted his head slightly. "And if I was?"
Selene flushed under his steady gaze, the weight of his indifference both daunting and strangely magnetic. "I-I just... I’ve only read about it in books. To think someone could bring one out alive..." She trailed off, biting her lip, embarrassed by how childish she sounded.
Adrien’s lips curved faintly — not quite a smile, more an acknowledgment. "It wasn’t simple."
Nyxaris shifted, letting out a soft growl that rumbled like smoke. Selene’s eyes darted to him, widening, then to Adrien again. "That beast... is it yours?"
Adrien glanced down at Nyxaris, then back. "Companion. Not a pet."
For a heartbeat, silence hung between them. Selene’s heart raced, but she forced herself to meet his eyes again. "You... look different from the others here." The words slipped out before she could stop them, and her cheeks burned hot.
Adrien’s gaze lingered on her — sharp yet unreadable. Then he turned toward the door. "Perhaps that’s for the best."
He walked on, Nyxaris following in his shadow.
Selene stood frozen, pulse hammering in her ears, the edges of her lips trembling into a smile she quickly hid with her hand.
Her maid leaned in, whispering. "My lady, are you alright?"
Selene nodded, though her voice came softer than she intended. "He’s... unlike anyone I’ve met."