Chapter 410: The Duchess Appears
The Duchess Appears
Sona’s head whipped around in her direction, caught totally unaware. Her icy blue eyes opened wide as she asked, her voice slicing through the air,
"What? Act stupid? What are you even saying?"
Natasha didn’t answer right away. Instead, she just gave Sona a long, steady look—a look that carried its own weight. It wasn’t cruel, but it was pointed, the kind of gaze that peeled away defenses without needing a single word. Finally, Natasha shook her head with a small, exasperated sigh.
"You’ll see," she murmured.
The sigh appeared to pull at something in Sona. Her jaw clenched, her eyes hardening in reaction. That acuteness in her eyes wasn’t defiance—it was habit, the conditioned response of someone who didn’t enjoy being taken around the block.
"Natasha," she insisted, her tone low but sharp-edged, "spare me the riddles. What’s happening?"
Natasha shrugged and shrugged again, though her tone remained flat and measured.
"My friend spoke to Lord Leon prior to us reaching here even. He is aware we have arrived. I informed him we were here. Either he will send someone out—or Lady Nova will personally come and greet us."
The words hit like a spark.
Sona’s gaze flashed, the pointedness resolving into something much more vulnerable—shining, vibrant, touched by sudden awareness.
"Huh? You mean... this? You mean Leon already knows we’re here?"
Natasha cocked her head, raising a brow, her voice teasing but still deadly serious in undercurrent.
"Yes. Or what? Did you imagine that we were just drifting here undetected forever?"
Sona blinked once, twice, before her face slowly dissolved into a smile. Relief and anticipation danced in the face. She raised a hand, fingertips tracing over empty air as she whispered under her breath,
"Then I’ll talk to him myself.
Closing her eyes, she reached inside, her spiritual energy flowering softly. The comfortable tug of her connection to Leon materialized, and in the next breath, she opened a telepathic channel.
"Leon," she breathed in her mind.
The response came immediately, low and warm, filling her from the inside out.
"Sona."
Her smile softened at the sound, her lashes shaking as her chest constricted.
"Yes, darling."
On the other end, she could sense his laughter, his grin stamped into each syllable.
"Where are you now? If I’m guessing right... you and Natasha should already be at Blackthorn City, aren’t you?"
Her breath came in shock.
"Yes," she confessed, "we’ve arrived. We’re just flying above Lady Nova’s mansion right now."
There was a moment of silence, then Leon’s voice once more, this time tinged with confusion and a touch of disapproval.
"Why are you doing that? Don’t stay in the air. Descend and go inside the mansion."
Sona’s mouth opened, but she did not continue. A subtle furrow crossed her brow as she clarified, her tone retaining cautiousness and respect.
"I’d like to... but you see Lady Nova. She’s made the security of her mansion very tight. There are layers and layers of runes around the grounds, and I don’t want to create trouble by blindingly forcing our way in. So... would you—perhaps—send someone out to admit us?"
For an instant, there was silence between them. Then Leon’s voice came back, his tone softened with love.
"Oh, my sweetheart... okay. I’ll send Nova herself to escort you in."
Sona’s smile flowered, relief flowing through her.
"Good. I’ll wait."
His laughter, low and gentle, sounded next.
"Then wait, and come quickly inside once she gets here. I don’t get many opportunities to see you again. Don’t leave me starving for your company."
Her heart ached, and she lightly bit her lip, her voice shaking with affection.
"Same here. darling.
The connection dissipated, leaving her in quiet. Gradually, she opened her eyes, her irises radiating blue beneath the muted light of the sky. She shifted her gaze to Natasha, who stood quietly beside her, impassive but openly sensing Sona’s face.
Natasha was the one to break the silence.
"So. You talked to him?"
Sona’s lips curled into a peaceful smile.
"Yes. Lord Leon indicated Lady Nova will visit to welcome us.
Natasha’s nod was slight but acquiescent, her eyes returning back down to the mansion below.
"As expected."
Sona trailed after her gaze, both of them looking down at the great building far below. Silence settled between them like a bubble, dense but warm, lasting for minutes.
Then finally, motion brewed below.
A figure emerged from the mansion’s front doors, her steps measured, her bearing commanding even at a distance. She strode along the stone path, stopping at its end, her eyes rising to the floating bubble above.
Both Sona and Natasha leaned forward a little, observing as the figure became visible more distinctly.
A woman—beautiful, striking, and unmistakable. She had on tight black high pants and a crisp yellow blouse, the colors striking against her white skin. Her black hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, the hairs sleek and shiny, brushing against her face with every movement. Intense green eyes fixed on the sky, cutting and unyielding. Her face bore the refinement of a duchess, but her lips were pressed into a determined line, her brows as sharp as a warrior’s.
Natasha let out a soft breath.
"So... it is really her."
Sona’s lips parted in acknowledgment, her voice low and positive.
"Duchess Nova."
They just stared at her for a moment, the weight of her presence unmistakable. Then Sona wrenched her eyes away long enough to look at Natasha.
"Let’s descend. She’s waiting for us."
Natasha nodded resolutely.
"As you command, Lady Sona."
Brushing aside her hand, Natasha drew a path in the air. The bubble that had brought them started to slide down smoothly, floating down towards the mansion below. The air around them convulsed with the motion, and they never took their eyes off the woman standing down below, her green eyes still staring up at them like a hawk sighting its quarry.
Neither Natasha nor Sona said another word. They didn’t need to. They both knew—they were going to face none other than Duchess Nova in person.