[Music recommendation: Eydís Evensen - Midnight Moon feat. GDRN]

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Standing close to Gavriel, Cillian’s red eyes softened at the sight.

His dear friend was finally feeling emotions that he seemed to have no control over, causing this extreme reaction to pour out of him.

Cillian swallowed hard. It was incredibly difficult to see Gavriel in such a state, wide-eyed, shaken, and detached all at once.

Without waiting a second longer, Cillian shouted, "Gavriel, you need to stop now! Snap out of it and see that Aliana is alive! If you don’t, you’ll hurt her! She needs you now more than ever!"

At his words, Cillian finally caught the slightest shift in Gavriel’s pupils as his gaze moved away from the now empty spot on the ground and slowly settled on the man standing before him.

Without giving him a chance to respond, Cillian stepped closer and carefully lifted Aliana before pressing her burning form against Gavriel.

"Hold her," he said firmly.

Cillian knew how reckless this was.

Even though he had shielded both himself and Aliana with his powers, the air around Gavriel remained saturated with dangerous energy. The pressure rolling off him was so suffocating that Cillian could still feel it prickling against his skin, a constant reminder of how close Gavriel stood to completely losing control.

If this failed, he was prepared to teleport both of them away in an instant.

But then he saw it.

Movement.

Gavriel’s arms, which had hung motionless at his sides, finally stirred.

Cillian watched closely as Gavriel slowly lowered his head and looked down at the woman pressed against him.

And that was when something finally seemed to break through.

The familiar scent of roses reached him first, slipping through the haze clouding his senses, and almost immediately, the fire that had been roaring around them began to settle.

The towering flames gradually lowered, and the suffocating pressure began to ease.

And for the first time since entering the container, Gavriel truly looked at her.

His crimson eyes fixed on the faint rise and fall of her chest, on the warmth radiating from her body, on the undeniable proof that she was still here.

Still breathing. Still alive, and something inside him loosened.

His trembling hands slowly rose before wrapping around her, drawing her securely against his chest as though reassuring himself that she was real.

The moment he held her, the power leaking from him receded completely, and the flames vanished. All that remained was the woman in his arms.

Gavriel staggered backwards, and Cillian finally let go.

For a moment, he watched as Gavriel held her securely despite his unsteady footing before eventually lowering himself to the floor. Yet even then, he didn’t set her down, holding her as though letting go was no longer an option.

Gavriel’s eyes finally took her in properly and let out a long, shaky breath, whispering, "Aliana."

His trembling hand slowly reached up to touch her cheek, and a soft sound escaped her lips in response.

A wave of relief washed through him so intensely that for a moment, he didn’t know he was capable of feeling such overwhelming gratitude simply from knowing that she was alive, breathing, and safely in his arms.

Without caring in the slightest that she was covered in blood, Gavriel finally leaned over and pulled her unconscious form tightly against his chest. The icy grip of dread and destruction that had wrapped itself around his heart finally began to loosen, solely because this woman was safe in his arms once more.

His little rose.

Cillian watched as Gavriel continued to hold her close. He observed how rapidly the devil’s powers retracted, completely vanishing as if he had not been seconds away from losing control and destroying everything in sight and let out a relieved sigh of his own.

Yet more than relief, he found himself stunned by the realisation slowly settling over him.

He had always known that Aliana was important to Gavriel, but witnessing this firsthand was an entirely different matter.

The effect she had on him was far greater than Cillian had ever imagined, and as he watched Gavriel cling to her as though she were the only thing anchoring him to reality. He realised that Aliana’s presence in Gavriel’s life had already become something far more dangerous than simple affection.

She was becoming essential, and that thought left him uncertain whether he should feel happy or terrified.

Because while Gavriel was powerful enough to make entire worlds tremble, Aliana was still a human. The moment his enemies would discover just how much influence she held over him, they would stop hiding and begin searching for ways to exploit the one weakness Gavriel had never possessed before.

His thoughts came to an abrupt halt when he saw Gavriel finally push himself back to his feet, never once loosening his hold on Aliana.

Only then did he lift his eyes toward Cillian.

"I’m taking her back." His voice was quiet.

Before Cillian could respond, Gavriel disappeared with Aliana still cradled securely in his arms.

Left behind, Cillian blinked before slowly turning his attention to the mess surrounding him. Blood painted the walls, scattered remains littered the floor, and the lingering traces of Gavriel’s power still hung heavily in the air.

Reve, who had just stepped inside the threshold, was taken aback by the gore and couldn’t help but ask, "Did the master do this?"

Cillian let out a tired sigh, pressing the back of his neck to ease the tension. "I’m not so sure," he replied, his brows furrowed, before asking, "Did you catch Mord?"

"No, he seemed to disappear again," Reve answered. He pulled on the dark chain clasped in his hand, rattling the restraints attached to Diana. "What do we do with this one?"

Cillian’s gaze moved to the woman responsible for this entire disaster, and a cold, menacing look settled over his features. A dark smile curled his lips. "Take her to that place. I’m sure once Gavriel is settled, he will very much enjoy dealing with this insect himself."

Reve nodded, knowing that this woman was bound to suffer a fate far worse than death.

....

Back at the Valentine Residence, Gavriel teleported directly into his bedroom with Aliana in his arms.

His eyes, now returned to their icy blue shade, swept over her bloodied appearance before he headed straight for the expansive bathroom adjoining his room, its dark interiors accented by checkered tiles and golden fixtures.

Stepping into the large shower stall, he carefully set her feet onto the floor. He kept his body pressed securely against hers to support her weight, skillfully stripping away her soiled clothes.

Once she was free of the ruined fabric, he turned on the faucet, blasting the water to a cold temperature because Aliana’s skin continued to burn with a fierce, unnatural heat.