Chapter 8. Veiled Alliances

Lexcis Aeden

"Of course, Your Highness."

When she talks, she bows with a fake smile. Her neck and cheeks are red, and it's clear she's been through a tough fight—hair still neatly braided, face bruised, lip broken, and side bleeding.

She looks in my eyes, then walks away in a flash. I'm too shocked to process what just happened. That's not how it should've gone down.

I tried to resist but couldn't. When she touched my neck and leaned in, I lost control. She did it to keep me safe, a surprise, but I wished it was because she felt the same. I wasn't worried when she fought rebels; she can't die before her wedding. I'm supposed to be the one to kill her. She probably had the same idea when she saved me.

Searching for her, I felt both angry and relieved seeing her head to the dungeons. The thrill when she didn't pull back is unforgettable. At that moment, I knew I had her, if only briefly. It felt