Awakening Love Reborn to Be His Duchess (Elowen Hale) novel Chapter 477

At Duskmoor Manor, the meal set before Elowen had clearly been prepared with thoughtful care, each dish tailored to what she enjoyed most. A whole trout had been lightly roasted with butter and garden herbs until the flesh turned tender and delicate, a slow-simmered beef and barley stew with carrots and turnips filled the room with a rich, comforting aroma, and there was also a platter of fire-grilled beef, still warm from the hearth, its juices glistening in the light.

Cassian had come to know her preferences with unnerving precision.

And yet, without him at the table, the food might as well have been ash.

Elowen lifted her fork and forced herself to eat at a steady pace, though nothing truly appealed to her. After finishing half a bowl of grain and a serving of broth, she already felt full, but when she set the fork down and looked at what remained, his voice lingered in her mind, reminding her not to neglect her meals.

He made me promise I'd take care of myself.

With a faint crease between her brows, she picked the fork up again and made herself eat a little more, just enough to feel she had honored that promise before finally letting the meal end.

By the time she left the table, the afternoon sun had softened into a warm, golden glow that stretched lazily across the stone corridors.

She settled onto the cushioned seat beneath the covered gallery, a book resting open in her lap, though the words refused to settle into meaning. Her thoughts drifted without direction, as though her mind had slipped loose from anything solid.

Pregnancy had left her easily worn, her energy fading without warning. She shifted slightly, adjusting against the cushions until she found a position that eased the tension in her back, then let her eyes fall closed.

Sleep came quietly, without effort.

She did not know how much time had passed before the dream turned.

Something dark and formless pressed in, followed by a sudden chill that crept along her skin.

Elowen startled awake, breath catching.

"Mira," she called, her voice rough from sleep.

Mira was at her side almost instantly. "Your Grace, you're awake."

Elowen gave a small nod, still shaking off the remnants of the dream. "What hour is it now?"

"It's nearing late afternoon, Your Grace."

Elowen did a quick count in her head, and her expression tightened. "He's still not back? There wasn't much to be discussed today. It shouldn't have taken this long."

Mira hesitated, then shook her head. "No word has come from the royal residence."

She studied Elowen's face for a moment, then made up her mind. "If it pleases you, I'll have someone sent to inquire."

Elowen inclined her head. "Do that."

As Mira turned and hurried off, Elowen rose with Cora's support, her fingers resting lightly against the maid's hand for balance.

"Would Your Grace like to go to the study?" Cora asked gently.

Elowen gave a quiet hum in agreement.

She had barely taken a few steps when a voice carried faintly from down the corridor, unmistakably Mira's, now filled with relief.

"His Grace has returned? Her Grace has been asking after you all this time."

Elowen turned at once.

Just beyond the bend in the inner passage, where the corridor opened toward the secondary gate, a small procession had just entered.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify