Chapter 4 Running the Same Track

Leo blinked hard, and the terrifying feeling of the world spinning vanished. He looked down at his chest, touching his metal armor. There was no blood. There was no pain.

Leo stood in silence, his mind racing. It really happened, he thought, a cold wave of fear washing over his body.

The attack, her death... everything was real. Time went backward. I am stuck in a loop.

"Why are you just staring at me like a fool?" Bella snapped. "Clean this mess up right now. I want to go to the courtyard."

"Yes, Lady Bella," Leo said. His voice was steady, but his hands trembled as he picked up the broken pieces.

He knew he only had a few minutes before the killers dropped from the roof. He stood up quickly. He could not let her die again.

"Follow me," Bella ordered, walking toward the doors leading outside.

Leo walked behind her. As they stepped into the courtyard, he saw Jax standing near the entrance, holding his spear.

"Jax, listen to me," Leo whispered fast, stepping close. "In about thirty seconds, four masked men are going to jump from that roof.

They have poisoned blades. Call the other guards now."

Jax blinked, confused. "What are you talking about, man?"

"I am not joking!" Leo hissed. "Look up at the roof. Get ready to fight!"

Before Jax could answer, a sudden rustling sound came from the top of the wall.

Four figures dressed entirely in black clothes dropped silently from the high roof, landing directly in the center of the courtyard.

Their hands held long, dark blades that glitched with a nasty green color under the sunlight.

"Assassins!" Jax roared, his eyes widening in absolute shock as he looked at Leo for a split second.

"Protect the lady! Ring the alarm!"

The courtyard turned into pure chaos in an instant. Servants dropped their baskets and began to scream, running for the exits.

The guards rushed forward, their weapons clashing loudly against the attackers.

Leo did not freeze this time.

He knew exactly where the third assassin would go.

"Leo! What are you doing? Move!" Bella shrieked as she tripped over the long hem of her dress, falling hard onto the ground.

The masked killer ignored the other guards and rushed straight toward Bella, raising his poisoned blade to drive it into her chest, just like before.

"Not this time," Leo growled.

He lunged forward, placing his massive, armored body directly between Bella and the killer. He reached deep into his chest, tapping into that strange, hidden energy he had felt the night before.

He didn't try to aim it far away this time. He just wanted it right in front of his skin.

"Shield!" Leo shouted.

A bright, glowing blue wall of light snapped into existence right in front of him.

The assassin’s blade slammed directly into the blue barrier.

A loud, ringing sound echoed through the courtyard as the blade bounced off the glowing light, completely shattering into tiny pieces.

The assassin gasped, stepping back in total confusion. "What kind of magic is this?"

Leo did not know how to swing a sword properly, but he knew how to use his weight.

He used his broad shoulders to ram straight into the assassin's chest, throwing the man backward onto the ground.

Within seconds, Jax and three other guards rushed over, pinning the killer down.

The fight was over. The courtyard was silent except for the heavy breathing of the soldiers.

Jax walked over to Leo, his mouth wide open as he looked at the glowing blue shield that was slowly fading away into the air. "Leo... how did you know they were coming? And since when can you deploy a barrier like that? You completely saved her!"

The other guards were staring at Leo too, their eyes full of deep respect and shock. Leo ignored them and turned around, holding out a large hand to help Bella up from the ground.

His heart was still thumping, but he felt a small wave of relief. He had done it. He had changed the timeline.

"Are you alright, Lady Bella?" Leo asked softly.

Bella stared at his open hand for a long moment, her green eyes moving from his palm up to his face.

Instead of taking his hand, she slapped it away with a loud smack, standing up on her own. Her face was red with embarrassment and anger.

"Do you think you are a hero now, Leo?" she hissed, her voice shaking as she brushed the dirt off her dress.

"You stood there whispering with the other guards while I was in danger! You probably knew about the attack and did nothing until the last second just to make yourself look good!"

She stormed back into the mansion, slamming the doors.

Jax stepped up, shaking his head. "Man, that girl is ungrateful. You stopped a poisoned blade for her, and she treats you worse than a dog."

"As long as she is breathing," Leo muttered.

But the rest of the week was a living hell.

The attack made Bella completely lose her mind. Her paranoia grew worse every day, and she took all her fear out on Leo.

She made him stand outside her door for fourteen hours straight without food or water. Every time he shifted his feet, she would open the door and scream.

"You are looking at me strange, Leo. What are you hiding?" she yelled into his face during the middle of the night.

"Are you working with the killers?"

"No, Lady Bella. I am only here to protect you," Leo replied quietly.

"Liars! Everyone is a liar!" she screamed, throwing a book at his chest before slamming the door shut.

Leo leaned his head against the wall, closing his eyes. He could hear her pacing wildly inside her room, breaking things. He felt a mix of anger and pity.

She was a nightmare, but beneath the screaming, he could hear the raw fear in her voice. She was terrified, and she did not trust a single soul.

I survived the first loop, Leo thought, his muscles aching from standing guard. But this is just the beginning. If she keeps acting like this, she will get killed again, and I will be dragged right to hell with her.