The Messenger( Iva) novel Chapter 164

<Confirmation Ceremony-2

Confirmation Ceremony-2

And just like that-

Everything else faded.

The road.

The car.

The world.

Gone.

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There was only him and her.

His gaze softened, just barely, something unreadable passing through it before he spoke, his voice low enough that only she could hear.

“You’re overthinking.”

Iva blinked, caught.

“I-no, I’m not-”

“You are,” he cut in calmly, one brow lifting slightly, not mocking, just… certain.

Her lips pressed together, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks as she looked away, suddenly feeling exposed.

“I’m about to meet the royal family,” she muttered under her breath. “I think I’m allowed to overthink a little.

A quiet huff of amusement left him.

“That’s fair.”

She glanced back at him, surprised by the lack of teasing.

For a moment, he simply watched her, his expression more open than before.

“They’ll test you,” he said after a brief pause. “They’ll observe, analyze, question… that’s how they are.”

Her stomach tightened again.

“Great,” she murmured dryly.

But then-

His tone shifted.

Softer.

Steadier.

1.3

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< Confirmation Ceremony-2

“But they won’t touch you!”

Her breath caught slightly.

“Not while I’m there”

The words were simple, yet they carried a promise.

A warning.

A declaration.

Iva looked at him again, really looked this time, searching his face, and what she saw made something inside her chest ease, just a little.

Because he meant it.

No doubt.

No hesitation.

Just certainty.

Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out, so she simply nodded, a small, quiet gesture.

Caleb’s gaze lingered on her for a second longer before he turned his attention back to the road ahead.

Outside, the moon had risen higher now.

Full.

Bright.

Unforgiving.

Waiting.

The SUV rolled to a smooth stop beneath the towering arches of the royal estate, and for a brief moment, Iva forgot how to breathe.

The place before her was not simply a residence-it was a statement of power, of legacy, of something ancient and untouchable. The sprawling stone structures glowed under the rising moonlight, their tall spires cutting into the night sky like silent sentinels, while the inner courtyards shimmered with soft golden illumination, guarded by elite warriors whose mere presence radiated authority and danger.

Caleb stepped out first, his movements fluid and assured, completely in his element, and when he turned back to her, extending his hand, Iva hesitated only for a heartbeat before placing her trembling fingers into

his.

“Stay close,” he murmured, his tone low but steady, grounding her.

She nodded, even though her pulse was racing wildly, and allowed him to guide her forward.

2/3

< Confirmation Ceremony-2

They did not head toward the main castle.

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Instead, Caleb led her across the inner courtyard, past watchful guards and silent observers whose eyes followed her every step, until they approached a separate structure tucked deeper within the estate-a place that felt… different

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