Awakening Love Reborn to Be His Duchess (Elowen Hale) novel Chapter 655

Chapter 655 A Third Invitation

+5 Fears

Iris pressed her lips together briefly before lowering her gaze toward the steam curling from the bronze kettle nearby.

“So this is Your Highness’s punishment for me?”

The question seemed to catch Caelan slightly off guard, though after a moment he laughed softly beneath his breath.

“Yeah,” he admitted without much effort. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little hurt.”

The answer made Iris’s heart skip unexpectedly.

“But setting that aside,” Caelan continued while his expression gradually sharpened with seriousness, “there’s still something I should warn you about out of genuine concern.”

The easy warmth faded from his eyes as he looked directly at her.

“You’re the only person from the Crown Prince’s Wing who managed to walk away untouched. Now that Alaric is dead, Lady Delphine is bound to turn her anger somewhere eventually, and when she does, she’s going to assume you betrayed her long ago. Once that idea settles into her mind, she’ll do everything she can to make you pay for it.”

Then, after a slight pause, he asked once more in an even voice, “Iris, this is the third time I’ve asked you. Will you come serve under me instead? If you do, I can keep you safe.”

Yet Iris still did not hesitate.

She lowered herself into a respectful bow, every movement proper and composed.

“Thank you for Your Highness’s kindness, but I’m far too ordinary to be of any real use.”

Another refusal.

Caelan narrowed his eyes slightly while watching her.

“Iris, aren’t you worried that after being turned down over and over again, I might finally lose my temper? Or that I might decide someone as clever as you is too dangerous to leave alive?”

There was no disguising the threat this time.

Still, Iris only lowered her posture further.

“My life was never mine to begin with. Whether I live or die rests entirely in Your Highness’s hands. But I truly am nothing more than a lowly servant, hardly worth so much attention.”

That answer actually made Caelan laugh.

Is the Duchess of Duskmoor really that remarkable?

Even the old legends only spoke of noble lords making three visits to recruit the advisors they admired.

9:59 am P p pp

Chapter 655 ★ Third Invitation

Was he seriously expected to keep pursuing Iris the same way?

At this point, he could hardly tell whether he was trying to gain a strategist or court a woman.

A faint scoff escaped him.

+ Paars

“Honestly, I may not even need to waste Noe effort myself. Lady Delphine’s influence may be collapsing, but she’s not finished yet. If she decides to come after you, you’re in for a miserable time.”

“Caelan!”

At that exact moment, a bright young voice drifted across the garden paths.

Iris lifted her eyes slightly and saw Lyra peeking out from behind a cluster of flowering shrubs. The young princess wore a pale golden gown trimmed in cream–colored embroidery, and the faint flush lingering on

her cheeks made it obvious she had only recently woken from sleep.

Caclan turned immediately, and the calculating coldness in his expression vanished so naturally that it was almost startling.

“Lyra?” he said with an

Standing nearby, Ire

The warm and manipulative

She found

Lyra hur

“I just

ar

1. e. “Were you looking for me?”

help feeling surprised.

other speaking now seemed entirely different from the composed and

st threatened her moments earlier.

g which version was truly him.

quick light steps before catching hold of his arm.

omplained softly. “Mother said you’d come by earlier, but when I couldn’t find you ome looking myself.”

owed politely.

our Highness.”

er a cheerful smile before turning back toward Caelan with open

excitement.

ed you’d play beetle matches with me this time. Don’t tell me you forgot.”

wered her with endless patience.

ould I forget something I promised a princess? Everything’s already prepared.”

answer instantly delighted Lyra.

remained beside the warming brazier while watching the siblings disappear together through the rden walkway.

Only after they were fully out of sight did she finally withdraw her gaze and look once more toward the pale steam rising slowly into the air.

Chapter 655 A Third Invitation

Truthfully, Caelan’s threats barely counted as threats anymore.

Alaric was dead, and among everyone tied to the Crown Prince’s Wing Iris alone had emerged safely

untouched.

At this point, it was painfully obvious that she had some connection either to the Duchess of Duskmoor or to Elira. Isla was far too perceptive not to notice that herself.

And based on Iris’s understanding of Isla, there was no chance she would simply let the matter go.

Hurting Iris would also be a way of striking back at Elowen and Elira.

That was precisely why Iris had tolerated Tamsin’s constant hostility all this time.

Elira’s res there.

T

guarded too tightly, secure enough to keep out nearly anyone who did not belong

evenge, she would need someone inside willing to cooperate with her.

t opening.

pushed Iris into real danger, whether through punishment or something close to she finally have a reason to leave the palace naturally and enter the Duchess of usehold without suspicion.

at back down.

e’s suffering ahead. But after all these

hile, after finishing her inspectio ad seen.

e property was even better than

The grounds were spacious, the frames inside were somewha the estate had been preser

What pleased her m

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