Chapter 5

5

T he feel of clothes against my skin is odd, considering I haven’t worn any in so long. Feeling clean is another oddity, but the king didn’t want me covered in crusted cum and dirt when he presented me to his son. I shuffle my way down the hallway of the prison that has been my home for the last few years. I never thought I would be free of this place. This wasn’t what I had in mind when I thought of escaping, though. Gifted to the king’s son like I’m an object to be possessed.

I squint as I leave the dark hallway and step out into bright sunlight. It takes my eyes a moment to adjust, having been kept in the dark for so long. The guards tug me along as I try to make out my surroundings. Everywhere I look it’s a blackened wasteland. So it wasn’t a dream. My chest tightens at the thought. What once was the lush greenery of Arcelia is now withered and gone. Staring down at the ground, lost in my thoughts, I’m suddenly jerked to a halt.

Still looking down, I see the hooves of a horse enter my immediate view. I slowly peer up to find a man staring down at me with arched brows. He surveys me as if accessing my value. I bristle under his gaze but refuse to say anything with the king watching.

“ You didn’t tell me I would receive a raven, Father .”

The king chuckles and replies, “ She’s more like a snowflake. She’s delicate and melts so prettily for me.”

A male behind the prince laughs and speaks up. “ She seems more like a fearful Snow Bunny , Your Highness .”

I see the quirk of his lips before the prince scowls. “ Yes . Well , all I see is a raven. Though I think she’s forgotten how to fly.”

The king chuckles darkly again. “ I’ve made sure to clip her wings. I can't imagine her flying anytime soon.”

The prince tilts his head as he continues to stare at me. “ Shame . I think the chase would be fun.” He looks over his shoulder, then calls out, “ Branimir , ensure the carriage is ready. We leave immediately for Wylan .”

The king bristles and frowns at his son. “ You brought a carriage for her?”

The prince shrugs. “ I have to make sure my little raven isn’t taken from me. Would be a shame to lose her after you so graciously gifted her to me.”

The king seems to settle at that. “ You have a point, son. Well , I must be off. Things to do.”

The prince gives him a sharp nod and waits until his father is out of sight, then his whole demeanor shifts. He looks around, making sure none of his father’s men are nearby, then turns to the man who called me a snow bunny. “ Asher , get her into the carriage as soon as possible,” he says in a hushed tone.

His gaze briefly shifts to me before he turns to one of his other men. “ Reverie , check to see if we have any extra food rations for her. My father obviously treated her like one of his pets.”

The male nods and rides off. I watch as the man he called Branimir comes up riding a horse that is pulling a small carriage. I watch as another male jumps down from his horse and makes his way over to the carriage.

He opens the small door and turns to me, gesturing me inside with a wink. “ Your carriage awaits.”

I hum but remain where I am. “ Who are you?”

He looks to the prince, awaiting his approval. The prince looks at me before giving the man a nod. Turning back to me, the man gives me a smile and says, “ My name is Alair , Princess .”

I arch a brow as I slowly move over to the carriage entrance. Reverie jogs up, holding out a small bag. “ There isn’t much, but that’s all the food we can spare right now. You’ll have access to more once we get back to the castle.”

After a moment of hesitation, I reach out for the bag and jump when I hear someone speak up behind me. “ If the prince wanted you dead, he would have shot you with an arrow. He wouldn’t make you suffer through poisoned food.”

I look over my shoulder to find a man with dark, shoulder-length hair and a well-groomed beard. I dare to take him in for a second. He’s wearing normal guard attire, but I can see hints of black swirling around the collar of his shirt. Is his body marked? Curiosity flares within me as I begin to wonder how much of his body is marked. I haven’t met many males who have ‘inked’, I believe the term is, their bodies. I shift my gaze to meet his, and his dark hazel eyes seem to pierce straight through me. I’m frozen under his stare and jump when I hear the amusement in the prince's voice. “ Kasim , stop scaring the girl.”

I bristle as I retort, “ I am not a girl; I am a woman.” With a huff, I grab the bag from Reverie . I’m about to step into the carriage when my guilt over snatching the bag out of his hand takes hold. Years of manners, even if I haven’t used them much lately, have a death grip on me, making me turn back around.

My cheeks heat when his eyes meet mine. “ Thank you for the food.”

He gives me a jerky nod and turns to hop back onto his horse. Biting my lip, I turn back to find Alair offering a hand to help me into the carriage. He gives me a smirk and asks, “ Should I fear you slapping my hand away?”

I roll my eyes but slip my hand into his; I am grateful for the help. I try to put on a brave face, but my energy is severely depleted from the years of being held captive by the king. “ As long as you do not touch me without permission you will be fine.”

He gives me a nod. “ Noted .”

Once I’m inside the carriage, he closes the door behind me. Open windows allow me to see outside and feel the fresh air but, to be honest, I’m more interested in the food I’ve been provided.

I pause when I hear one of the males I haven’t been introduced to yet say, “ We will need to close the windows the moment we cross the border, Prince Dax .”

The prince huffs out a sigh and replies, “ I understand, Benidict . I know what could happen if she’s exposed.”

The male lets out a sigh of his own. “ I do hate when you use our full names.”

Dax laughs. “ Well , I hate using them. But we aren’t safely at home where rank does not matter.”

The carriage begins to move, and I’m met with silence. I’m not sure I’m supposed to hear Benedict’s reply when he says, “ I do not believe this is a good idea. It’s not safe, and she does not seem educated on how the world works now.”

I bristle at his words. What does he mean by that? I’m plenty educated about our world. I made sure to learn everything I possibly could about the surrounding kingdoms.

The man named Dax hums as he rides just in front of the carriage. “ Do you think I should have left her with my father?”

“ No , but…” he trails off before continuing, “she will view you the same way she views your father.”

“ And how is that, Bene ?”

“ A bastard, or worse, a villain.”

Dax is quiet for a moment before he replies, “ I will always be the villain in someone's story. You know I have never minded that role.”

I think it odd that Benedict seems upset by the thought of Dax being a villain. He is the villain; do they not see the darkness swirling around him? Do they not see what his father has done to the land? I do not know what power the king possesses that causes the land to decay the way it does. But I know his son has that same power. Eventually , he will be consumed by it just like his father.

Either way, I will escape. I’ll find a way to get far away from the prince and the king. I need to figure out how to stop them. That’s what the hero would do. At least, that’s what my parents always told me.