Page 180 of DATE
Yet when he looked into those pale blue eyes, it was as if he could hear a beast roaring against its chains deep inside his chest.
Just like during the ball, if he tilted his head down, he could kiss her.
The last shred of rationality within him cracked and crumbled, and his uncontrolled feelings burned in the darkness.
"Lorenzo," Hedy sighed. "You should drink some water. I must go now."
As she turned to leave, he suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist. Ignoring the surprise in her eyes, he leaned in to kiss her.
But when his lips touched her skin, it was the warmth of her palm he encountered.
Quickly, she raised her hand to block him.
Her soft lips brushed against her palm, and even the lines of her palm were sharply defined.
In that moment, Lorenzo suddenly felt sober.
They both stood in silence for a moment in the darkness, before he stepped back.
Hedy stared at him, her eyes filled with disbelief.
After a deep breath, she suddenly spoke. "Have I not noticed this all along?"
Lorenzo, with a complicated expression, seemed to want to explain something, but in the end, he simply sighed deeply.
She hurriedly bowed before turning away, not even glancing at Cosimo by the door, as she quickly made her way down the hall. The moonlight had long been obscured by mist.
Hedy hadn’t expected him to feel that way about her—whether it was a moment of lost control or something that had been planned for a long time, it was completely beyond her expectations. The encounter left her feeling both alarmed and scared.
By the time she regained her composure, she found herself standing before Da Vinci’s door, where the light inside was still on. She paused for a moment, then reached up and knocked.
I can’t stay in Florence any longer.
She couldn’t become anyone’s mistress, and she certainly couldn’t live under the same roof as a griffon.
Today might have just been a misplaced kiss, but it could easily turn into something even more unbearable.
Leaving is the best option.
She had enough gold now, and trusted companions for the journey.
"Hedy?" Leonardo opened the door, momentarily stunned. "Why aren't you asleep?"
Her eyes suddenly filled with tears, her panic evident, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak. She couldn’t explain the kiss or her fears to him.
"I want to leave here," she said, her voice hoarse. "Anywhere, it doesn’t matter."
"When?" Leonardo asked, trying to calm her down. "This year?"
"Tomorrow," she whispered. "Are you willing?"
She still needed to take some of the penicillin with her, and there were other matters she needed to sort out. Leaving suddenly would only set off more chain reactions.
"How about Milan?" he suggested, his expression showing no hesitation. "I’ve received an invitation from Sforza. We could go there to work as court musicians or do something else—"
"Alright," Hedy breathed deeply. "We’ll leave tomorrow, right?"
"Yes, I’ll take you with me." Leonardo noticed that she was still trembling slightly and stepped aside to let her in. "You rest here. I’ll sleep on the haystack outside. Don’t be afraid, okay?"
