The nobles stepped away from them.
Some of the ladies were quick to lift their fans to cover their expressions.
Lord Rayden turned around giving Kilian a smile, ignoring the now gossiping people who had been an audience to the spectacle that was Count Miga.
The handsome face that once had scars down one side was now filled with even more. In some places, the skin even seemed to have been burned.
Kilian recognized the face.
"That was you…" His voice trailed off and he felt a sting in his chest.
He had not even recognized Rayden when he had been right in front of him several times.
The man he had helped drink water, had been unable to speak or move and Kilian had not suspected him of being Rayden.
'I really was too focused on myself.' He thought, feeling the guilt stuck in his throat.
A black gloved hand was raised and Kilian hesitantly accepted it, letting Rayden escort him away from the crowd.
Their hands interlocked, and Rayden guided them to the outskirts of the hall.
"Lord Rayden…wait."
Kilian felt pulled, and his legs were having trouble keeping up with the long strides Rayden was taking.
Several eyes moved their way, and Rayden let Kilian up against a wall, using himself to block the onlooker's curious looks at the young man, who was shining more than even the ladies at the ball.
"Do you always get in trouble like that?"
There was a playful grin on Rayden's face, and Kilian looked up in relief.
This was still the same Rayden.
"Why, are you going to come to rescue me every time?"
It was rude to answer a question with a question, but Kilian held his own and was not going to just answer whatever this man wanted.
Then a rough hand grabbed Kilian's smooth fingers and moved them up to the lips that were still unscathed on the once handsome face of Rayden's.
"Thank you for finding me, Kilian."
Kilian tried to settle his stomach, but he couldn't control his cheeks which flushed red in embarrassment, and he gave a startled look around, to see if anyone had noticed.
Rayden's back was obscuring the view from most angles, and they found themselves in the corner of the room, where the rest of the people were more taken with the elaborate decorations, food, and dancing.
Rayden stepped in closer, making Kilian have to look up.
He ran his eyes over the scars on Rayden's face and neck. It looked like he had taken some kind of magical attack on one side, and his hair had been cut shorter.
He remembered from the ward that Rayden's long hair had been burned off, and now it was at different lengths down to his shoulder.
He was still handsome to Kilian.
Even if Rayden now looked more intimidating, his playful demeanor was still the same, and the way he looked at Kilian was different from Dante.
It was less admiring and want, and more like Kilian was something dear to him.
It was confusing, there had been no reason for such feelings and, Kilian studied him more.
The amber eyes were expectantly studying him back like they were awaiting some kind of verdict from Kilian.
They just stood there in the corner of the room, holding each other hands. They were unable to do anything else with the people around, and to the outside, it could look as if Lord Rayden was simply checking that Kilian was ok.
Taking a break together.
Kilian cleared his throat and looked to the side, too embarrassed to keep staring at those longing eyes.
"That is Lord Kilian or Kilian Valen." He said abruptly. Annoyed with himself for sounding snobbish.
There was a low chuckle.
"Kil it is then."
"Wait.. no.. that is…"
Rayden kissed one of Kilian's fingers lightly, and Kilian shut up instantly, feeling the heat in his cheeks.
'This is different from Dante..'
He felt flustered. Normally he would not feel this flustered if he was intimate, but somehow the strange look in Rayden's eyes made him hold his breath.
'What is this?'
"Lord Kilian" He repeated, but in a lower voice that did not have the same impact as earlier.
Kilian sighed, and placed his hands on Rayden's chest, trying to push him away.
"I need to… mingle."
His hands stayed pressed against the chest, and the frame of Rayden didn't budge.
'He is too huge.'
Kilian shook his head annoyingly, trying not to pay attention to the shape of the body under the fabric.
There was an amusing glint in Rayden's eye, before the man moved to the side on his own, letting Kilian walk away.
Kilian then turned around and pointed at Rayden with his cane.
"You better come back in one piece next time, I don't have the time to patch you together whenever you can't take care of yourself."
He was being childish with his words, but it was annoying to him, that he had not recognized Rayden sooner.
'What if he had died, and nobody had noticed it was him.'
"So annoying." He said out loud, grabbing a glass of wine from a servant nearby.
"Young Lord Heathgrave! I mean Lord Valen!"
"Mr. Kilga?"
Kilian turned to see the man that had been his very first ally in this world, and he couldn't help but smile at the kind eyes looking his way.
"I hear you may be starting a new business venture?"
The man now had a crafty smile, and his eyes were shining like they were reflecting gold.
He was definitely a merchant, and Kilian knew what Mr. Kilga was referring to.
"I see you have the same thoughts for my items, as I do, Mr Kilga."
The man bowed.
"It is Baron Kilga tonight."
Kilian smiled and nodded back.
"I would like to extend a business proposal, for the metal, that I have heard so much about, I think I may be able to help you sell them."
Kilian was not an authorized merchant, and could not start a business simply because he wanted to.
The metal feathers had been processed into weapons, and he needed a way to get them sold to the many nobles that were heading for the frontline.
"Let's go somewhere to talk about this." Kilian smiled, but the beam on Baron Kilga's face was even brighter.
They then headed to a separate room, setting down details for the business.
Two pairs of eyes followed them when they left on their own.
One pair was amber-colored.