As the dinner wound down and the guests began to rise, Lord Bragaton kept a sharp eye on Layla and her companions. He had expected the sedatives in the food to start taking effect by now, but to his growing frustration, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Layla stood tall, her posture unwavering, her gaze as calm and composed as it had been when she first walked into his estate.

Bragaton forced a smile, stepping closer to her. "Lady Layla, you've had quite the journey. Are you sure you're feeling all right? Perhaps the wine was too strong?"

Layla tilted her head, the faintest hint of amusement flickering in her eyes. "I assure you, Lord Bragaton, I am perfectly fine. Your hospitality has been most... invigorating."

Her tone was polite, but the subtle jab wasn't lost on Bragaton. He clenched his jaw, his frustration mounting. He tried again, this time directing his question at Mary Ann and Raziel. "And your companions? They look a bit... fatigued. Perhaps they need some rest?"

Raziel raised an eyebrow but said nothing, while Mary Ann's polite smile was almost a mirror of Layla's. The tension in the room thickened as Bragaton realized his plan had failed. The sedatives, carefully mixed into every course of the meal, seemed to have had no effect whatsoever.

Unable to hide his irritation any longer, he excused himself briefly, retreating to a side room where his most trusted advisor awaited.

"They're not affected," Bragaton hissed, slamming his fist against the wall. "The sedatives didn't work. How is that possible?"

The advisor looked nervous, wringing his hands. "Perhaps... perhaps they sensed something was amiss and avoided consuming the food. Or maybe they used some kind of protective magic."

Bragaton snarled under his breath. "It doesn't matter. If the subtle approach doesn't work, we'll use force. Prepare the living room. Seal it with magic. We'll overwhelm them and take them down."

The advisor hesitated but nodded, scurrying off to make the preparations. Bragaton composed himself, returning to the dining room with a practiced smile.

"Would you all care to join me for a bit of after-dinner conversation in the living room?" he asked, gesturing toward a door at the far end of the hall.

Layla exchanged a brief glance with Mary Ann and Raziel before nodding. "Of course, Lord Bragaton. Lead the way."

As soon as they entered the lavishly decorated living room, Bragaton snapped his fingers. The air around them shimmered with magic as a dome-like barrier descended, sealing the room. The guards stationed outside the entrance began chanting a spell, their combined efforts aimed at incapacitating the trio.

Layla remained perfectly still, watching Bragaton with an almost bored expression as the barrier's energy intensified. Raziel tensed, his hand instinctively moving toward his sword, while Mary Ann narrowed her eyes, her fingers twitching as if preparing to counter the spell.

Bragaton stepped forward, his smile now a smug sneer. "You should have eaten the food, Lady Layla. This would have been much simpler. But no matter. You've walked right into my trap."

Layla raised an eyebrow, her calm demeanor unshaken. "A trap, you say? How... quaint."

Bragaton's smirk faltered. "You won't be so smug when this barrier knocks you unconscious. You've underestimated me, Lady Layla."

Layla sighed, crossing her arms. "Are you quite done playing your little game, Lord Bragaton? Or should I give you more time to embarrass yourself?"

Her words cut through his confidence like a blade. The guards outside faltered in their chanting, their concentration slipping. The barrier flickered, its energy destabilizing.

"What—what did you do?" Bragaton demanded, his voice rising in panic.

Layla stepped forward, her presence suddenly overwhelming. "Me? Nothing. Your magic is simply too weak to hold against someone like me. Did you really think you could trap us with such a flimsy spell?"

Bragaton stumbled back, his bravado crumbling as he realized he had gravely underestimated Layla. With a wave of her hand, the barrier shattered into shimmering fragments, leaving the guards outside dazed and powerless.

Raziel smirked, stepping forward to block Bragaton's escape. "I'd say it's game over, wouldn't you?"

Mary Ann chuckled softly. "It's a shame. All that effort, and yet here we are."

Bragaton dropped to his knees, his face pale. "W-wait! I can explain—"

Layla silenced him with a single, piercing glare. "You've made your intentions perfectly clear, Lord Bragaton. And now, it's time for you to face the consequences of your actions."

Lord Bragaton's face twisted with desperation as the weight of his failure bore down on him. Without warning, he sprang to his feet and bolted toward the door, hoping to slip past Raziel and Mary Ann in the confusion.

His escape attempt was short-lived. With a flick of her wrist, Layla commanded a tendril of glowing magic to wrap around his ankle, yanking him back to the ground with a heavy thud.

He groaned in pain as Raziel loomed over him, arms crossed, his gaze cold and unrelenting. "You're not going anywhere," Raziel said flatly.

Layla approached slowly, her calm yet commanding presence silencing the room. She knelt beside Bragaton, her voice steady but sharp. "I'll only ask this once, Lord Bragaton. Why go through all this trouble to capture me? Speak quickly, or my patience will run out."

The fear in Bragaton's eyes was evident. He tried to avert his gaze, but Layla's unyielding stare left him no escape. Finally, with a resigned sigh, he whispered, "I—I had no choice. The royal family... they're searching for someone to use as a substitute sacrifice.

You fit their requirements perfectly—your resemblance, your aura. I thought... I thought if I delivered you to them, it would secure my position and rid me of their threats."

Layla's expression didn't falter, though the information struck her like a thunderbolt. A substitute sacrifice? The implications were dark and unsettling. She could feel Raziel and Mary Ann's gazes shift toward her, but she kept her composure, refusing to show any outward sign of surprise.