Chapter 263 Escorted Out

Chapter 263 Escorted Out


Cassian’s POV

By the time we gathered again for dinner, the palace had settled into a rhythm that was controlled. The tension from the night before still lingered beneath the surface, quieter now, less obvious, but not gone.
My attention shifted the moment Elara stepped into the room. It always did.
The black gown she chose tonight wasn’t soft or subtle, it was deliberate. The fabric clung to her perfectly, fitted through the bodice and waist before falling in a smooth, controlled line, every step she took making the material shift just enough to catch the light. Gold accents traced along the edges and curves, not overpowering the dress but enhancing it, drawing the eye exactly where it needed to go without trying too hard.
She didn’t need to try. She never did.
I leaned slightly toward her as she took her seat between Atlas and me, pressing a kiss to her cheek, letting my lips linger just long enough to make a point.
“Wildfire,” I murmured, my tone low, edged with amusement, “you can’t keep dressing like this.”
She didn’t even look at me at first, lifting her fork and taking a bite like she hadn’t heard me.
“You’re drawing too much attention,” I added with a faint smirk.
That earned me a sideways glance.
A slow one.
She rolled her eyes, though the hint of a smile that followed gave her away. “But you like it,” she said simply.
I didn’t bother denying it. “Doesn’t mean I want everyone else looking.”
Atlas huffed quietly beside her. “Bit late for that.”
I leaned back slightly, shaking my head as I let the conversation around us settle back in. The room was loud tonight, though not nearly as chaotic as the night before. Conversations overlapped, laughter carried across tables, and for a moment it almost felt like what this was supposed to be.
Almost. Then everything quieted.
Not gradually but all at once.
My gaze lifted toward the entrance.
Brianna and Ryder stepped through the doors together. She was on his arm, her posture flawless, her presence commanding without effort. He moved beside her with the same controlled ease, his expression steady, unreadable, like nothing from the night before had touched him at all.
“Well,” Kevan muttered, leaning back slightly with a grin, “I guess this is round two.”
I didn’t take my eyes off them.
They didn’t rush. Didn’t hesitate.
They walked in like they belonged there. Like they owned it.
“They’re not letting it get to them,” I said, a note of amusement slipping into my voice as I watched them approach. “Look at them.”
Atlas followed my gaze, his expression sharpening slightly. “They’ve got it under control.”
That was new.
They reached the platform, Ryder pulling Brianna’s chair out for her before taking his own seat, the movement smooth.
I leaned back slightly, studying them. “Well, fuck,” I muttered. “This is different.”
Everyone at the table noticed it.
Not just me. Not just Atlas.
All of us.
There was no tension rolling off them like before, no edge of unpredictability waiting to snap. They were steady, composed, completely in control of themselves in a way they hadn’t been the night before.
Conversation picked back up around the table, though the focus kept drifting back to them, curiosity lingering whether anyone admitted it or not.
Coban spoke then, drawing our attention back in as he explained what he had seen in his vision, his tone measured but serious enough to cut through the noise. When his gaze landed on Ryder and Brianna, the weight of it settled heavier.
Ryder looked up from his plate and gave a single nod.
He understood. That was enough.
I barely had time to process it before everything changed again.
Movement. It was all of a sudden. All at once. 
A group of guests rushed the platform without warning, their steps hurried. They went straight for Ryder.
It happened too quickly for most of the room to react.
One of them had something in his hand.
“It’s a needle!” Trixie’s voice cut across the table.
Ryder moved before the man even reached him. His arm came up in a quick motion, knocking the attacker’s wrist aside, the needle flying from his grip and skidding across the floor before anyone else could touch it.
The room exploded.
Chairs scraped. Voices rose.
People jumped to their feet as chaos spread outward in waves. More of them pushed forward, trying to break through, trying to reach him.
Ryder didn’t hesitate. He was already on his feet, moving faster than most could track, taking down the first two before they even understood what had happened. Another lunged, he dropped him just as quickly.
Atlas and I were up immediately, stepping forward as our warriors surged in, forming a barrier around the platform, cutting off access before anyone else could make it through.
Our fathers moved as well, stepping in without hesitation as the remaining attackers were dealt with just as quickly as they came.
It didn’t last long. It never did when we responded like that.
Elias and Kael had already moved to shield Selene and Alessia, placing themselves between them and the chaos without even thinking about it.
Good. That was where they needed to be.
Within moments, it was over.
The attackers were down.
The platform was secured.
The room, however was still on edge.
Atlas and I stepped forward with our fathers, moving toward the front of the platform as Coban let out a deep, commanding howl that cut through the noise and forced silence across the room.
Everyone froze.
Every eye turned.
Elara stepped forward between Atlas and me, her presence steady, while Trixie moved between our fathers, her expression calm but firm.
I lifted my hand, signaling the guards. “Take a few of them,” I said, my voice sharp as I pointed toward specific tables. “Escort them out.”
The warriors moved immediately.
“This is unacceptable,” I added, my voice carrying across the room without effort. “If you have a problem, then get the hell out.”
Silence. 
“This tournament will be canceled the next time this happens.”
That landed hard. 
Atlas and I didn’t wait. We moved off the platform with a group of warriors behind us, walking through the rows of tables, scanning faces, reading reactions, picking out the ones who didn’t belong.
We pointed them out one by one.
No hesitation.
No second chances.
They were escorted out quickly, resistance minimal under the weight of everything that had just happened.
When we returned to the platform, the room was quiet again.
Watching. Waiting.
“The ones who were just removed,” I said, my voice steady, “were traitors to the crown.”
That settled in.
“If you don’t stand with us,” I continued, letting my gaze move across the room, “you’ll be next.”
No one spoke.
Atlas and I stepped back, returning to our seats as the tension slowly began to ease, though nothing about it felt relaxed.
Not really.
I glanced toward Brianna. Then to Ryder. A slow breath left me as I shook my head slightly. “Damn,” I said, a note of genuine awe slipping through. “You both kept it together.”