Chapter 78.1 The Game (Part 2) (POV Gabrielle Delacour)

POV Gabrielle Delacour

Gabrielle noticed an unattractive full woman whispering to one of the older boys and his sudden interest in her older sister, which the girl didn't like. She spent the next few minutes very carefully, using Sora's and her mother's lessons to keep an eye on the shouldered young man.

No one had ever doubted her sister's beauty, and very few girls could compete with Fleur when it came to irresistibility. Especially since her mother had insisted that her daughters wear pantsuits when outdoors that evening, so her sister's slender legs, hips, and slim waist had already been admired by many. But here is something strange, the guy is interested in the girl only after the mother's instruction.

Gradually, people began to sit down, and the girl did not immediately notice the conflict. At some point, this young man was very close to her family and wanted to get close to Fleur, having already managed to wedge himself between the sisters. Gabby had never encountered such behavior before, so she was very confused, a lump formed in her throat, and the girl blinked rapidly. Looking for support, she looked for her father, but he was not there — he and his mother were sitting next to the ambassadors of Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania.

The girl felt herself begin to tremble, and then a palm touched her back, moving it slightly, pressing it against her warm side. Looking up, Gabby saw Sora, but didn't immediately recognize him. His face had turned into a stone mask of the kind of "aristocracy" Gabby had only seen on a Duke a few years ago.

The guy seemed to be swinging his cane lightly, putting it on the hammer in his stomach. The girl noted the full range of reactions from this shameless man: eyes wide open, mouth open, the way he recoiled from the "light" blow. Sora's voice gave the girl goosebumps, but she was not frightened, for the threat was directed at her attacker.

— It is extremely rude to take someone else's place. — The words sounded flat and very cold. — Especially when that place belonged to a girl. — Gabby couldn't see the eyes of the defender, but she liked the nervousness of the attacker.

— How... — the boor gasped, but was cut off.

— Go away, or I'll challenge you to a duel 'of medium blood'. — This wording allows to maim but not to kill in a duel, and the girl did not even doubt that Sora could handle this boor — Veil nature is very sensitive to strength, and the offender's level is clearly lower than Sora's.

For a few seconds, the two boys looked at each other in silence under the eyes of the many people around them, and then the intruder retreated. Sora, however, followed him with a glance and turned to the girl, his face coming to life dramatically. He smiled from the corner of his lips and helped Gabby into her chair, while Fleur, who had been watching the whole scene, immediately put her arms around her sister and stroked her back.

Gabrielle, feeling the warmth of her own body, was able to relax, noticing that her body was shaking from the withdrawal. She snuggled against her sister for another twenty minutes before she calmed down, though she didn't let go of Sora's hand. Gabrielle felt good in her sister's loving embrace, happy that Sora would not let go of her hand.

In those moments, young Vayla decided that if her silly sister was silly, scared of something or other, she certainly wouldn't do this. She wanted to snort and snort and snort, that was her right, but she liked the feeling of security around this strong boy and she wouldn't let him get away with it....