Chapter 168 Chapter 167
They were approaching one of the many gardens leading to the harem when they spotted an entourage of soldiers stepping out from the palace entrance. Soraya froze first, then quickly grabbed Rayena, yanking her into a nearby shrub.
“Why did you do that?!” Rayena hissed, landing on the ground unceremoniously.
“It’s the king! I think he’s going out. Trust me, you do not want to be caught by the king himself,” Soraya warned.
Rayena’s heart slammed against her ribs. What kind of ill-fated luck was this, nearly running into the king while sneaking around like a criminal?
“We’ll wait here till he leaves,” Soraya whispered, crouching low. “Stay hidden.”
Rayena nodded, but curiosity burned through her caution. She’d never seen the king before, and now, handed such an opportunity, she couldn’t let it slip by. They were far enough away, weren’t they? Surely, she could take a quick peek without anyone noticing.
Slowly, she lifted her head above the bushes, ignoring the leaves that pricked her skin, her breath bated.
Her eyes found General Morvan first, broad, stoic, commanding. Then the man beside him. For a moment, her breath caught in her throat. He looked exactly like Lylall… only different. His posture radiated authority, his hair fell freely over his shoulders in a silken cascade, and his expression was one carved from steel. There was no hint of the warmth she knew no trace of the quiet smile that once made her heart flutter.
“Isn’t that Lylall?” she whispered, confused. “Why is he standing next to General Morvan?”
Soraya’s eyes went wide. “What do you mean that’s Lylall?” she hissed.
“That’s him,” Rayena said, frowning. “Although I’ve never seen him dressed like that before. Is he going somewhere? Where’s the king?”
Soraya’s jaw fell open—and stayed that way. “That’s Lylall? The one you’ve been talking to? The one who sneaked into your room?!”
Rayena nodded, her pulse quickening. “He’s the one.”
Soraya turned back toward the entourage, disbelief washing over her face. Then, in a trembling whisper, she said, “Rayena… that is the king.”
Rayena froze.
Wait. What?
"That... that isn't true. You're clearly seeing things. Lylall isn't the king. He isn't," Rayena said, sounding like she was trying to convince herself more than Soraya.
"Oh, look at him, Rayena. Would a regular person be surrounded by so many soldiers, including General Morvan? Even thieves don't get that much attention."
Rayena slowly turned to look at him again, and this time, it was as if a veil had been lifted from her eyes. She mentally scolded herself for not seeing it earlier. He was naturally bigger and taller than everyone around him—even Morvan, who was quite large and intimidating.
The air of authority clung to him like a second skin. He was more formidable than anyone she'd ever seen. Even that day during the tour when he showed her around, she should have seen it then. He looked so much like the late werewolf princess in the portrait he'd revealed to her. It was now she knew—that was his mother.
How could she be so oblivious?!
As if summoned by her thoughts, his head turned, directly toward her.
Their eyes met.
Rayena's heart stumbled over itself as she held his gaze despite the distance that separated them. Goosebumps broke out along her skin, the hairs on her nape standing on end, and it became hard to breathe. All of a sudden, he didn’t look so regular anymore. He looked terrifying.
Predatory.
Her heart stuttered.
"Soraya..." Her voice trembled as she spoke. "Let's go."
"What?! They'll see us!"
"Let's get out of here!" she ordered, her voice sterner this time. "Come on, let's go!" she cried, pulling Soraya to her feet.
Together, they whirled around and ran back toward the harem. Even as Rayena ran and stumbled over her steps, she could still feel his gaze on her back, following her. Her breathing turned ragged, her vision spinning. Still, she ran, never daring to look back.
Hades, what had she gotten herself into?
.
.
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"Who are those?" Morvan asked beside Xenon, turning in the direction the king was looking. He spotted two figures running and, from their attire, guessed they were women. They'd come to sneak a peek at the king again.
"What are they doing here again? Don’t they know they’re not supposed to cross the demarcation?" he grumbled, taking a step forward. Xenon raised a hand, stopping him.
"Should we catch them and have them punished for trespassing?" another soldier suggested. Xenon shook his head, still staring at their retreating figures.
"No," he growled, his gaze narrowing. Morvan glanced at the king. Why was he acting so strange?
Slowly, Xenon stepped out from the midst of them, making his way to the spot where they had hidden earlier. Morvan watched him go and followed behind him. Reaching the well-manicured shrub, Xenon spotted a wrapped parcel tucked into the corner. His brow furrowed as he bent and picked it up, inspecting it.
"Did they leave that here?" Morvan asked, and Xenon shrugged.
"Seems so." Growing out a claw, he ripped it open, and a folded blanket slipped out. His eyes widened. "Looks like she’s already done with it." Opening it fully, he stared at the embroidery. "It’s beautiful."
"Was that Rayena? Did she make you a blanket?" Morvan asked, and Xenon bobbed his head. He wrapped it around his shoulders, letting the scent of lavender—and her unique scent—waft into his nose.
"What do you think? Does it look good on me?" he asked, twirling around like a child showing off a new dress to a parent.
Morvan shrugged. "It does, Your Majesty."
Xenon glanced back at the path they had taken, a smirk curling his lips. "I didn’t even get to say thank you," he muttered quietly to himself. Heaving a sigh, he walked away.
"Let’s go," he said aloud, the blanket flowing like a cape behind him. Morvan stared at the king, then trailed after him. They joined their entourage and walked out of the palace grounds together.