Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 2668

Sylvia didn’t want to answer him. Her gaze shifted, and then her eyes lit up as she noticed something.

She leaned closer to his ear, her voice a mere whisper. “I see a piece of broken porcelain in the corner. We need to find a way to get to it.”

The shard was half-buried in the dust, likely from a bowl that a previous visitor had broken and discarded.

Her breath was warm against his skin, her soft lips brushing the sensitive spot below his ear as she spoke. He went rigid, taking a moment to process her words. “It’s useless,” he finally replied.

“What?” She looked up at him.

“These ropes are reinforced with alloy wire,” he explained quietly. “Even a knife can’t cut through them. A piece of porcelain won’t do a thing.”

Sylvia’s shoulders slumped in disappointment. “They certainly hold you in high regard,” she murmured.

Now it was Gabriel’s turn to be confused. “What do you mean?”

“Well, they brought out special alloy ropes just for you. I doubt anyone else gets that kind of treatment.”

Gabriel almost laughed. He couldn’t tell if she was complimenting him or mocking him.

As dusk settled, the guards took turns stepping outside. When the last one returned, the masked man and all his men filed back into the cabin.

The once-empty room was now crowded and suffocating. The mercenaries, tall and menacing, filled the space with a palpable aura of violence and bloodlust, making the air itself feel thin and taut.

Gabriel and Sylvia exchanged a look. He shifted, helping them both to their feet so they could lean against the wooden wall. He positioned himself with his back to the wall, his hand protectively covering the small of her back as he faced the masked man.

The masked man sat on a stool on the other side of the room while his men began gathering firewood and building a fire in the center of the cabin.

The wood was damp from the rain, and thick smoke billowed up, choking Sylvia and forcing her to bury her face in Gabriel’s chest. The masked man, equally irritated by the smoke, barked an order to find dry wood.

“How do we do that?” the mercenary who had asked the question jeered.

“How about a kiss?” the masked man cackled. “Or better yet, give us a live show!”

A few of the other men joined in with coarse laughter.

The sound of their leering laughter made the hair on Sylvia’s arms stand on end.

Gabriel slowly lifted his head, his eyes fixed on the masked man. A deadly aura began to emanate from him, the veins on his neck standing out in sharp relief.

Sylvia felt the shift in his demeanor immediately. She tilted her head up and pressed a soft kiss to his chin. “Calm down,” she whispered urgently. “Please, stay calm.”

“Go on, kiss her!” the masked man taunted. “Either you kiss her, or we’ll make you do something else!”