Isabel Past

Chapter 5

"Keep your head down," Leonardo muttered under his breath, his voice calm but urgent as he positioned himself between Isabel and the rest of the room. He didn't say her name, knowing all too well the consequences if she were recognized in a place like this. The nobility didn't often mix with the rough patrons of bars such as these, especially not noblewomen of her standing.

Leonardo's body acted as a shield, blocking the men's view of Isabel, his presence effectively concealing her from the wandering eyes of the drunken patrons. The coincidence of his appearance at such a crucial moment seemed almost unbelievable, but Isabel didn't have time to question it. Her heart pounded in her chest, the weight of the situation sinking in.

Sarai, ever alert, noticed the subtle shift in the room's energy. The men at the bar, who had been laughing and drinking moments earlier, suddenly turned their attention toward Leonardo with a mix of suspicion and irritation. He wasn't one of them—his calm confidence and regal demeanor marked him as an outsider, and in a place like this, that was enough to provoke hostility.

One particularly drunk man, who had been slouched over his mug, stood up unsteadily, his face twisted in anger. "Who do you think you are, coming in here and disrupting things?" the man slurred, staggering toward Leonardo with a clenched fist. "You think you're better than us?"

Leonardo didn't flinch. He stood firm, his gaze steady as he met the drunk's challenge head-on. "I'm not here for trouble," Leonardo said evenly, though there was a warning edge to his voice. "I suggest you leave it at that."

But the drunk man, emboldened by his companions and his own intoxication, wasn't so easily deterred. "You think you can just walk in here and disrespect us?" he snarled, pushing closer, his voice rising as he gestured wildly. The tension in the bar thickened, and a few of the other patrons began to stir, eyeing the potential for a fight with interest.

Sarai's instincts kicked in. She tugged urgently at Isabel's arm, her voice low but urgent. "We need to go. Now."

Isabel hesitated, her eyes darting between Leonardo and the growing confrontation, but Sarai wasn't waiting. She tightened her grip on Isabel's wrist and pulled her toward the back door, her heart racing. The last thing they needed was to be caught in a bar brawl—or worse, caught by the guards while inside.

Leonardo's attention flickered to them as they moved. He saw the danger building, but his main focus remained on keeping the men distracted long enough for Isabel and Sarai to escape unnoticed. The drunk man made a move, lunging toward Leonardo with clumsy aggression, but Leonardo sidestepped him with ease, his movements fluid and precise. He kept his cool, defusing the situation as best he could, but he knew it wouldn't hold for long.

Sarai pushed open the back door, the cold night air rushing in. She pulled Isabel through, glancing over her shoulder to see if they were being followed. The noise from the bar was muffled by the door as it swung shut behind them, but Isabel couldn't shake the image of Leonardo standing alone, holding off the men as they made their escape.

"We need to keep moving," Sarai urged her breath quickly as they hurried down the narrow alleyway. They moved swiftly, their footsteps echoing off the cobblestones, their cloaks fluttering behind them. Isabel's heart was still pounding in her chest, her mind racing with thoughts of what had just happened—and of Leonardo. How had he found them? What had brought him to the bar at just the right moment?

They slipped through the dark streets, avoiding the guards as they made their way back toward the safety of their estate. The curfew loomed over them, and the threat of being caught lingered, but for now, all Isabel could think about was the strange coincidence of Leonardo's timely arrival—and the way he had risked himself to protect her without hesitation.