Provoking a Graceful Bloom Novel

---- Chapter 152 Ultimately, Eric allowed himself to be persuaded. After a hearty supper and a cup of wine, he finally retired to his tent to rest. Sebastian turned to his sister. "Lena, you should rest as well." "No. Tonight, | mean to venture to Mount Iron," she replied softly. "What?" His composure faltered at once, alarmed. "Lena, didn't you say-" "| did say the soldiers must rest. | never said | must." She gathered up the map of the terrain, then pressed it into his hands. "| have committed it all to memory, so keep this with you.

At dawn, you will lead the men into the mountains, and you must follow my instructions precisely. Don't forget our code from before." With that, she turned toward the tent's entrance. Sebastian hurried after her. "Lena, | can't possibly allow you to go alone-" She was already astride her horse. Looking back, she said, "I'm not going alone. Sally is coming with me." "Absurd!" His voice was sharp with anger and fear. "Two young women, riding into an enemy stronghold to gather intelligence? ---- It is nothing short of madness." But Selena paid him no mind.

She skirted past the troops and made her way toward the edge of the encampment. Sebastian followed in haste, careful not to draw undue attention from the soldiers, whose confidence might falter if they saw this scene. He caught up to her in the shadows. "Lena, stop this folly. Come down at once, or | shall drag you down myself. And if | do, | fear it would not bode well for your dignity." "That's only if you can catch me, Seb." The words had scarcely left her lips before she pressed her heels into her horse's flanks. The animal leapt forward, surging into the night.

Sebastian started in alarm and spurred his own horse to give chase, only to find Sally darting in front of him, blocking his path. "Sally!" he cried. "Has your mistress gone mad? Must you join her in this lunacy?" Sally blinked, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "My lord, when you rode with her in the army, did you never wonder how she always knew the lay of the land? How were her assessments always perfectly precise? Did you truly believe she divined it from thin air?" ---- Sebastian stared at Sally, astonished. "What do you mean?" "Why, it was always my lady who scouted the path herself.

Did you truly not know, my lord?" Sally gave a light, mischievous smile before she wheeled her horse about and added, "My lord, you are the commander-in-chief. To abandon your post is punishable by death. | must beg you to remain calm. "As for my lady, she has taken your command to heart. You charged her to survey the terrain, and she has gone to obey. Don't forget the code." With that, Sally vanished into the night too Sebastian's hand tightened on his reins. He longed to pursue them, yet her words rang in his ears.

He was commander-in- chief, and to desert the troops would not only mean dishonor, but also death. Worse still, how could he forsake the men who looked to him for their very lives? "Yuvan! Ride after them. See that they come to no harm," he called sharply "At once, my lord." Yuvan mounted his horse, galloping away into the dark. ---- Sebastian paced before his tent in torment. Yet he dared not speak of Selena's actions, for fear of rousing unease among the soldiers. At last, near midnight, Yuvan returned. However, there was no one behind him.

Only a letter lay in his hands, sealed and waiting. "My lord, once | entered the mountain range, this is all | found." Sebastian snatched it, his heart pounding, It was indeed from her, penned beforehand. The words were simple [Seb, trust me. Rest, and trouble Yuvan no further. At dawn, lead the men forward and follow the marks | have left for you.) "My lord, what are we to do now?" Yuvan asked in genuine exasperation. He truly had been unable to catch up to the two young women, an outcome that left him questioning his very skills.

His riding was by no means poor, yet Selena and Sally had vanished as if carried off by the wind, leaving not a trace behind. Sebastian stared down at the letter for a long time. At last, he exhaled in resignation. "Lena bids me obey. Then, we shall rest early." So long as one placed faith in Selena, one could live forever.