Chapter 308: Chapter 308

Shelby could not shake off the weird feeling that she was getting from this no-name cousin of Royston’s.

Despite not being unpleasant or threatening, the encounter had an unsettling quality that left her feeling uneasy, even more so considering that they were in a room full of people. The cousin exuded a delightful and gentle demeanour, drawing people in with a calming and pleasant voice. Yet, the underlying unease remained. They exchanged a few words, almost about nothing, and Shelby wondered about the reasoning behind the whole meeting.

She kept sending silent looks via Royston’s way, but he seemed to be looking eagerly at his cousin, as if he was expecting some sort of feedback from her. Nothing about this whole meeting made sense. While this went on, Shelby’s mind drifted off to her husband.

She, out of habit, tried to contact Ian, but to her amazement, she could not link with him. It was as if something was blocking her.

Shelby was not worried about this, and that was maybe because she knew that Murray was seated not far from her.

However, because she was so focused on herself, she did not see the slightly raised eyebrow of the cousin.

T-Vino Island Winery Offices....

Ian had just completed his last meeting of the day and was finalizing a few other things when he sensed something was off.... again. He frowned, unable to pinpoint the issue. As long as the issue was not with his wife, he could afford to push it aside till a later time so, he decided to brush it aside.

He hands slid smoothly along the signature part of the last document and then he leaned back.

"Let’s call it a day." He directed at Currey.

Ian stood up from his swivel chair, and then his eyes became unfocused. He missed Shelby from just a few hours apart. In fact, he preferred to have her by him around the clock after the last incident, but the task at the office could not be put off, and he also did not have the heart to limit her sightseeing time at the festival, hence their time apart that day.

’Are you done with the sightseeing?’ He asked Shelby through their mind-link, disregarding whatever concerns Currey had. Currey’s face showed all that dissatisfaction, but he dared not speak out about them.

Ian did not get a reply from Shelby, and his heart began to beat quickly as if a bad premonition had settled on him.

Ian knew what it meant and had experienced it enough times to know that he had to act quickly, especially when he thought of the initial unsettling feeling that had gleaned off of him.

Currey opened his mouth, intending to say something about one final contract Ian had to sign, but seeing the way Ian’s eyes had narrowed, Currey shut up.

’Murray! How is she?’

Ian switched to Murray instead, and the reply was instantaneous.

"Her Highness is doing okay!"

So, Murray could answer him, but not Shelby? This informed Ian of two things: there was no issue with his ability to mind-link, but whatever the issue was, it was only centred around Shelby, so he probed Murray for more.

’Is she within your sight?’

At this answer, Ian’s frown deepened, and he added another curt question.

’Where are you currently?’

Currey watched Ian for a while and seemed to understand what the issue might be. He quickly mirrored his tablet to a giant screen in Ian’s office and then brought up the live CCTV footage of where Shelby was, even before Ian requested for it. Ian stared intently at the two people seated by the table with Shelby, and he also could not shake off that hazy feeling. He studied the two people closely, and then, it hit him,

"What is that chicken-bodied person doing with her?" Ian snapped as his mood plummeted. He was irritated with Royston’s mere presence and Currey had no idea what to say to that.

In as much as Ian was irritated with him, his attention kept being drawn to the girl who sat closest to Shelby. To Ian, Royston was just an annoying flea by his wife but the unknown girl, even though young seemed to have more under her sleeve that met the eye.

The camera only got the person’s side-profile. At the initial glance, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but Ian could not shake off the feeling that whatever was going on had that girl at its root.

"Who is that?" Ian asked as Currey tried to get a better-angled camera to capture the girl.

’Murray, find out who that person is!’

In the spacious lobby where people were bustling, Murray accepted the command and stood up. Murray sent a silent order to Suzie to keep an eye on the kids and then walked towards Shelby’s table.

Apart from the initial weird feeling that Shelby had felt, she was more at ease at that moment and engaged in the conversation.

"Why did you not set up your stand today? Will you not miss sales by being here?" Shelby asked Royston worriedly. This made him perk up.

’She is worried about me! The feelings are still there; I just must probe deeper!’

"I’ll set up at the central point later."

The central point was the place that many youngsters trooped to on the evening of the first day of the festival. There was a ritual that almost guaranteed most women could get a male partner for the night. Such nights have always led to blossoming romance and even marriages. For most of the young girls trooping in, this was their night and their time to shine!

Shelby nodded at that and then saw Murray approaching from her peripherals. Shelby turned to his direction as she thought that something might be up for Murray to interrupt her conversation.

Just then, the cousin, who had remained quiet for a while, said,

"It was nice making your acquaintance, Shelby, but we have another appointment and must leave now...."

Shelby’s brows shot up and she turned back to them,

She met an equally surprised gaze from Royston. However, the cousin did not wait. She stood up, bent over Shelby’s seat and then hugged her, as she whispered for Shelby’s ears only,

"I have always wanted to meet you in person. You’re such a lovely person, and I hate for what is to come. It was nice meeting you. Take care of yourself."

The young girl let go, and then, taking Royston’s hands, they rushed out of the place.

From the back, the girl’s actions were dignified, and even though she hurried out, it looked more like she was taking a casual walk in a garden and admiring flowers. It was Royston who made people realize that the two were hurrying out.

Shelby stared shell-shocked, unsure what to make of the information, just as Murray arrived by her.

"Miss, are you okay?"

"Of course, I am. Why do you ask?" Shelby tore her gaze from the two that had just left and turned to face Murray.

Murray looked around, and his eyes also lingered on the two who had left.

It did not take long for the same double doors to swing open, and Ian came storming through and straight to Shelby.

Shelby stared between the two of them, unsure of what was going on.

’Is everything okay?’ Shelby asked using their mind link, and she could literarily feel Ian sag with relief.

"Yes. What happened there? I couldn’t reach you earlier."

"You too? I thought that I had been too tired to use the link."

Ian and Murray frowned.

"Who was that woman earlier?"

"I’m not sure exactly. Royston introduced her as his cousin."

"He never gave that."

This made whatever suspicion Ian and Murray have gone up an inch.

"You should’ve met them as they went out because it was barely a few seconds that you did."

Ian turned to the doorway, and his frown deepened. Shelby was right. He should have met them, but he did not. Considering that there was no place to hide out there. Where had the two disappeared to?

Ian turned to Currey and Currey, who had also joined them.

"She seems harmless enough, but there is a faint aura around her that suggests that she may not be human."

"Really? How is that possible?" Shelby asked as her voice shrunk. That was when the words spoken registered to her.

"She said something weird to me...."

About a mile away from there ....

"How did we get here?" Royston asked with his heart in his throat as he looked at the dense forest where they were. He was scared but still stood his ground.

"Curiosity would end you where you do not want to."

"Alright! Fine! What about our deal?"

"Leave that girl alone. She is not someone you can handle."

"What do you mean? Haven’t I already paid the price?" Royston asked.

"That you did.... And I never neglected my part of the deal. You will be able to touch her the next time you see her but let me give you a word of advice: she is on a pedestal you can never reach. Enjoy your time by watching her from afar. Misfortune will riddle you with its embrace if you follow through on this path, for you have zero chance of ever realizing your aim."

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