Chapter 214\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
Third person POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
The music changed again, slower this time \u2013 something deep and old that carried through the night air like a heartbeat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cassian leaned against one of the courtyard pillars, his arm casually draped around Rae\u2019s shoulders as they watched the crowd. Rae was still laughing from the last dance, her cheeks flushed pink and her hair curling at her temples from the heat of the fire.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMoonstone really knows how to throw a party,\u201d she said breathlessly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cassian smiled down at her. \u201cIt\u2019s all Alaric. He pretends he hates the attention, but I think he\u2019s been waiting years to have an excuse to throw something like this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rae nudged him playfully. \u201cYou\u2019re biased.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely,\u201d he admitted, leaning in to kiss her temple.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her laughter softened into something gentler. \u201cIt\u2019s good to see everyone happy. It feels like the first time in a long while that people aren\u2019t looking over their shoulders.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cassian hummed his agreement, scanning the dance floor. Not everyone looks happy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rae followed his gaze\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2014\u00a0<\/p>\n
and saw what he meant.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At the center of the crowd, Nolan and Ellie were dancing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t the graceful, polished kind of dance people performed for appearances \u2013 it was slower, rawer. They moved together as if the world had narrowed to just the space between them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A space that was barely existent. Nolan\u2019s arms were around her, holding Ellie close to his chest, his chin resting on her head. Ellie\u2019s hands were on his back, fisting his shirt like she needed an anchor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ellie\u2019s eyes were downcast, her lips parted as if she were trying not to speak. Nolan looked as though he were afraid to breathe too hard and break the moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was almost tragic the way they were clinging to each other, like they needed the excuse of the dance to admit how badly they needed to be close, even for just a few minutes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rae\u2019s smile faded into something wistful. \u201cThey look like they\u2019re remembering something.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cassian nodded slowly. \u201cOr trying not to.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His concern for his sister was still present, but he found himself feeling equally worried about Nolan. He knew how much the distance was tearing at him and, somehow, he\u2019d come to consider Nolan a friend.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A few yards away, Lance stood with Isla near one of the drink tables. Isla was striking- tall and sharp-featured, her honey-blonde hairpinned up loosely and her amber eyes catching the lanternlight. She wore the confidence of someone who didn\u2019t care what anyone thought of her, which both amused and intrigued Lance to no end.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo that\u2019s your brother and his infamous rogue wife?\u201d Isla asked, her tone casual but curious.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s them,\u201d Lance said, glancing toward the dance floor \u201cIt\u2019s a long story.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI have time,\u201d she said, sipping her drink.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He huffed a laugh. \u201cYou say that now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTry me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 214\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lance looked at her for a moment, then shrugged. \u201cThey were fated mates. He loved someone else. It went badly. Then worse. Then better. Then worse again. It\u2019s been\u2026 a whole saga.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Isla arched a brow. \u201cAnd now?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He followed her gaze. Nolan and Ellie were still dancing, oblivious to everyone else. \u201cNow? They\u2019re pretending it\u2019s over. But it\u2019s not.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Isla hummed softly. \u201cIt never really is, is it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2013\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lance looked at her then, really looked at the quiet confidence in her smile, the way her eyes softened when she said it. For a moment, he forgot to answer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She tilted her head, smirking slightly. \u201cWhat?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing,\u201d he said quickly, taking a sip of his drink. \u201cJust surprised.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBy?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat you don\u2019t seem particularly horrified by the idea of arranged engagements.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She laughed, low and warm. \u201cOh, I\u2019m horrified. But I\u2019m also realistic. The council wants stability. You\u2019re charming enough. I could do worse.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lance blinked. \u201cThat\u2019s\u2026 almost a compliment.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t let it go to your head.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Across the courtyard, Rae and Cassian had made their way over, still hand in hand. Rae greeted Isla warmly, while Cassian raised a brow at Lance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo,\u201d Cassian said, nodding toward the dance floor, \u201chow\u2019s he holding up?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lance sighed. \u201cDepends on whether you mean emotionally or in terms of not making a scene.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s surviving.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rae smiled faintly, watching Ellie and Nolan sway in the center of the crowd. \u201cIt\u2019s strange, isn\u2019t it? Everyone in this place is celebrating, and yet those two look like they\u2019re standing in the middle of a storm.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cassian nodded slowly. \u201cIt\u2019s not strange. That\u2019s what love looks like when it\u2019s still half war.\u201d Rae leaned her head against his shoulder. \u201cDo you think they\u2019ll ever stop fighting?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/2\u00a0<\/p>\n
A Cold Marriage That Turned Warm 214 Chapter 214\u00a0 +25 Bonus\u00a0 Third person POV\u00a0 The music changed again, slower this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-unremembered-mate-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23783","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23783"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23783\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23783"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23783"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23783"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}