Chapter 186 Intruder

Chapter 186 Intruder
ADRIANA
“Do you recognize him?” I asked Jared.
We had pulled the unconscious guy Jared had beaten up into an alley for questioning, keeping our faces covered.
Jared shook his head. “The high city is too populated to know everyone by face.”
I shrugged. Still, as queen, I should know a lot more people.
I kicked the guy’s foot; it was heavy. “You knocked him out cold,” I mocked.
Jared shrugged. “He put up a good fight. He’s trained.”
“By whom?” I asked. “Apart from those in the army, who else receives training? Is there private training, or maybe something else, like martial arts? Boxing?”
Jared shook his head. “Anyone interested in any form of martial skill gets it from the royal army. What do you think keeps the army occupied in times without war?”
I could only nod. “I see.” Instead of beating myself up, I was just glad I got the opportunity to learn things like this.
I looked up at the moon and realized the time. “I should go.”
Jared winced. “How long will you keep sneaking out like this? We could meet during the day if it’s easier.”
“Nope.” I shrugged.
“I want to meet your brothers.”
It occurred to me that I could rent some actors and present them as my brothers, but knowing Jared and how much he put his nose into everything going on in this city, the probability of that backfiring was high. “Nope.”
Hoping to think it through later, I gave a pacifying response.
“What if I need to see you for something urgent?” he sighed.
I shrugged, already backing away. “I’ll think of a way. Three days' time?”
Jared nodded in resignation.
I was about to hop off when I recalled something. “What do you know about Nividia?”
Jared’s face fell immediately. “What do you know about Nividia?” He looked cautious, alert—like an enemy had just popped up in front of him.
“I met someone. Handsome guy. Said he was from Nividia. I’ve never heard of the place, so I thought he was lying,” I lied.
Jared grabbed my shoulders roughly. “Where? Who?”
I pushed his hands away to show him I did not appreciate the rough handling—or maybe so he wouldn’t feel my body, which had begun to tremble. “What’s wrong?”
“Do not run around with strangers!” he ordered.
I relaxed, shifting my weight to my other leg so my hips would curve, showing him I didn’t care about his opinion. “I’m neither your daughter nor your niece,” I spat. “You don’t get to order me around. Either you give me a suitable reason for your reaction, or you fuck off!” I knew I didn’t have to be that rude, but the words were spilling out of their own accord.
Jared wrapped one hand around my throat, pulling me forward and holding me in place. I wasn’t afraid. The act was possessive, and I fucking liked it. It made being Eve nice, because Jared would have never held Adriana like this.
“You’ve been mine since I set my eyes on you. Even if you weren’t, you became mine this afternoon when my hands touched you and my tongue was inside you. You will not run around with strangers or men from Nividia!” Jared barked.
I lifted a hand and fake-yawned, raising a brow. “You still haven’t told me why.”
I loved the anger in his eyes. I loved the possessiveness in his grip, and I didn’t want him to let go. It was taking all the self-control I had not to turn into a purring mess in his hands.
“Those men... the ones we took the gem from. They’re from Nividia.” Jared’s voice faltered. “You should hand that gem over. Give it to me. If they find out it’s with you, they can hurt you.” Jared was pleading now, but I was past reasoning.
“Do you know the King of Nividia?” I asked.
Jared angled his head. “I know the last king, but we weren’t friends, and I doubt he is still king. He has only one son, though—the apparent heir.”
“What is his name?” I asked, holding my breath.
Jared answered immediately. “Robert.”
I almost burst out laughing. The bastard played me. Norbert.
I had dined with a thief.
I peeled Jared’s fingers from my neck. This time, he let me. “I have somewhere to be.”
Jared pulled me close, wrapping me in a tight hug. “Promise me. Promise me that you won’t go looking for trouble.”
I stepped back and replied as honestly as I could, “My life would have no meaning if I didn’t.”
“Eve! Please.”
I let the name sink in. Eve. I was Eve. Would I look for Norbert as Eve or Adriana? Could I risk merging them both for this cause?
Jared finally let me go after a series of pleas we both knew I would not obey.
I drifted through town trying to piece together everything I had learned so far, trying to measure the worst-case scenario, trying to build a strategy.
I needed a more effective method than merely having an alias. I needed more eyes and ears.
Getting back into the palace was never hard. I grew up here. I knew the grounds better than most. I knew every cave, tunnel, and spring. I knew the most discreet way to my room.
I heaved the window up, using my biceps to elevate myself while stifling a grunt.
I landed in my room with a thud, then stood straight to dust myself off.
The lights came on by themselves, but that didn’t scare me; they responded to movement. What scared me was the intruder in my room, sitting right on my bed.