A King's Seduction ✔️

TWENTY NINE

Word Count: 1984

Evolet hasn't said anything to me in the four hours we have been walking.

I've been staring at the back of her buzzed head, a million questions halted at my lips. I figure that if she hasn't started to explain herself to me, she isn't going to if I ask, so instead, I try to make sense of it in my own mind...

She must be working with Tai and Kailor. Where she has been over the past few months, I'm too scared to ask. She looks as though she has been to hell and back, her perfect appearance has vanished, leaving behind an almost unrecognisable shell of herself. I suppose going from being a wealthy, well cared for Noble to being banished from Kailor's estate in such a short period of time is no easy feat to overcome.

Evolet pauses, pulling back the machete she has been using to clear a path for us to walk through. I have no idea where we are. All I know is I'm exhausted and night has fallen, making it more difficult to figure out where Evolet has taken me.

At least I know we are still in the Jade Province.

"This is where I leave you." Evolet sheaths her machete, violet eyes near black in the shadows of the forest.

Looking through the dense forest, I see glittering lights in the distance, which means civilisation is close. After walking through the forest for so many hours, all I want to do is sink into a hot bath, every muscle in my body aching at this point. Evolet doesn't seem bothered, having kept up a brutal pace the entire time.

"Why?" I ask breathlessly, bracing myself on my knees.

"I don't need Tai to see me yet," she admits calmly, looking over her shoulder toward the lights. When she turns back to me, her expression is blank, eyes cold. "Good luck."

She starts to walk in the opposite direction, done with me. There is no way I'm letting her walk away from me without at least telling me why I'm worth saving to her. Has she been caught, I doubt Vaia would have had much mercy on her, even if they were past lovers. She hates her father and wants to get rid of anything involving him, including his Noble's I assume. Unless she can use them to her advantage, although I doubt Evolet would be easily manipulated.

"Wait...Evolet." I reach out to grab her wrist but she pulls it away quicker than I can even comprehend. "Why did you help me?"

Her gaze is blazing hot, pinning me to where I stand. "That will be revealed with time. Right now, you should worry about keeping a distance with Kailor and remaining on Tai's good side."

"Are you on your own?" I ask softly.

"I have my allies, but ultimately yes, I work alone." She doesn't sound as though she wants to be sharing that information with me. There is so much more to know, I realise, but right now I'm not going to find it out. I could stand here in the cold, under the canopy of the trees and beg her to tell me everything, to give me the answers to the questions that are going to keep me up at night, but I know it will be for nothing.

"Thank you...For saving me," I murmur.

Evolet pauses, looking me over with a sweeping glance before nodding tightly, disappearing into the trees.

I stare after her, hardly believing how this day has transpired.

Summoning a breath, I head into the trees, weaving through the trunks and stepping boldly over the undergrowth, my destination at the lights in the distance.

***

By the time I cross over Kailor's formal lawn and drag my feet toward the back door, I'm near the point of collapsing. I can't remember the last time I've eaten or had anything to drink, and at this point, my vision is starting to blur. All of the staff stare as I wander inside, trying to gather why I just walked in through the back door and into the staff quarters, looking as though I've crawled my way out of the forest, which I suppose is what I've done.