It struck him all at once; the bright, burning lights, the music, the murmurs that weaved through the crowds, their greetings and worst of all, their hunger riddled eyes. All mostly on his wife.
Their inhuman colors made ease hard to come by, leaving the frail hand wrapped around his arm as a sole comfort piece in such a moment.
His muscles refused to relax, allowing him not a second to breathe without extra weight upon his lungs.
His diamonds rested ahead on the guests. Among them, the one he loathed the most.
At the sight of the prince, Silas expected Arabella's fingers to curl harder around his arm which happened fairly quickly.
Oddly enough, her heart hadn't gone wild during her conversation with her grandfather as it did the first time.
Something had changed between them. Something that made comfort an option in his presence.
