Let Them Kneel (kaelani and Julian) novel Chapter 41

He couldn’t even remember half of what she’d said—something about the seating chart, the shade of ribbon for the centerpieces, the exact placement of the ceremonial torches. He murmured, “Whatever you think is best,” more than once, the words automatic, hollow.

The hum of voices blurred into background noise, and when Elara turned to consult the event coordinator, Julian drifted. His feet carried him down a narrower path lined with white hydrangeas until the noise dulled behind him.

A marble bench waited beneath the shade of a sprawling willow. He sat, elbows on his knees, eyes fixed on the small pond beyond the hedge where sunlight fractured on the water’s surface. The reflection wavered—green, gold, red—and for a moment he saw a flash of crimson satin instead of petals, a memory he couldn’t banish.

He exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose. The air smelled of roses and cut grass, but all he could think of was burnt sugar and honey.

“May I join you?”

His mother’s voice broke gently through the haze.

Julian lifted his head. She stood at the end of the path, composed as ever, a faint smile softening her features.

He gestured to the open space beside him. “Of course.”

Julian’s mother sat gracefully beside him, smoothing her skirt before folding her hands in her lap. For a moment, neither spoke. The breeze whispered through the willow leaves, scattering petals across the gravel path.

“You’ve been quiet lately,” she said finally, her tone soft but pointed. “Even for you.”

Julian’s mouth pulled into a faint smirk that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “You sound like Father.”

“I sound like a mother,” she corrected, turning slightly toward him. “One who knows when her son is carrying something heavy.”

He exhaled through his nose, eyes fixed on the pond. “There’s always something to carry.”

“Yes, but not everything weighs the same.” She studied him, her gaze tender yet sharp. “This… feels different.”

He didn’t answer. His jaw worked once, a flicker of muscle betraying the tension beneath his calm. She followed his gaze toward the water, where a lone red petal floated across the mirrored surface.

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