After dancing back-to-back with Aliana for three songs straight, Gavriel finally stepped off the floor when Alester approached to request a dance with his daughter. It was a gesture he could not refuse, knowing how deeply Aliana cherished her parents.
He had never been much of a dancer in the first place, but seeing how much Aliana was enjoying herself, he couldn't help but indulge her and simply go with the flow.
Taking a seat at his table, he picked up his glass of wine while his eyes remained fixed on his wife for a moment longer, watching her laugh brightly at something her father said as they moved to the music.
But the second he shifted his eyes away from her, the warmth in them vanished.
A cold, calculating stillness settled over his features as his gaze swept across the room, inspecting every face to ensure no hidden danger was aimed at Aliana.
