CHAPTER 63

Ariana’s POV

My hands trembled as I stared at the note.

Someone knows.

Someone had been watching. Observing. And now, they wanted to meet.

But why?

My first thought was blackmail. It had to be. Who else would sneak into my room just to leave a message like this? They probably thought I was some frightened little girl who would beg for mercy.

But they were wrong. If they wanted to threaten me, they were in for a fight.

I flipped the note over, and saw the instructions written on the back:

"Meet me at the supermarket on the west end. Alone."

Alone? How did they expect that to happen? Damien had guards tailing my every move. There was no way I could just walk off unnoticed.

Unless...A plan began forming in my mind. Elara.

If anyone could help me create a distraction, it was her. She wouldn’t like it, but I’d deal with that later. For now, I needed to find out who was behind this.

——

The supermarket was vast, with towering shelves stacked with neatly arranged products. Shoppers weaved through the aisles, their carts clattering softly against the polished floors.

Elara walked beside me, her face twisted with suspicion as she scanned the crowd. “You’re sure about this?”

“I have to be,” I replied, keeping my voice low.

Behind us, Damien’s guards kept a reasonable distance. They weren’t subtle, but their presence was clear. Every step I took was monitored.

Elara didn’t miss it. “I still don’t understand why you insisted on coming here. If Damien finds out—”

“He won’t.” I offered a reassuring smile, though the knot in my stomach didn’t loosen. “And once I’m done, I’ll explain everything.”

Her gaze darkened. “Ariana, this is dangerous.”

“I know.”

We passed a flower vendor, and I forced myself to appear relaxed. I couldn’t let the guards sense my unease. They had already questioned why I insisted on going to the market in the first place, but I’d given a simple enough excuse — “I want to buy something’s to prepare a delicacy.”

It was believable. After all, I was Damien’s future bride. I was allowed to indulge in mundane activities, wasn’t I?

But this wasn’t mundane. Do I even know how to cook? That’s another problem for another day.

Now was the time.

I turned to Elara, lowering my voice. “I need you to follow me to the restroom. Then… I’ll slip away.”

Her eyes widened. “You’re really going through with this?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re not going to tell me who you’re meeting?”

“I will,” I promised, though I wasn’t sure how much I’d say. “When it’s over.”

Elara’s lips pressed together in frustration, but she nodded. “Fine. But if anything happens, I’m telling Damien.”

“Fair.”

I spotted the restroom sign in the far corner. “Come on.”

Elara followed without protest, her steps quick and purposeful. Once inside, the room was empty except for the hum of a flickering fluorescent light.

She turned to face me, her arms crossed. “I don’t like this.”

“I know,” I said softly, reaching for the door to ensure it was locked. “But I’ll be fine.”

“How do you know that?”

Because I wasn’t the same powerless girl I once was. I had powers now. Powers that I was beginning to understand. Whoever left that note clearly knew about them, but I wasn’t going to let fear control me.

“I just do,” I said, offering her a small smile. “Thank you for helping me.”

She sighed. “You’re going to owe me a big explanation after this.”

“I will.”

Elara gave a reluctant nod before pulling the loose hood of her cloak over her head. We had planned this quickly, but carefully. Both of us wore simple, dark clothing that concealed our faces — nothing extravagant, nothing that would draw attention.

That was the key. The guards didn’t need to see our faces. All they needed was the illusion.

We slipped into the restroom, the heavy door closing behind us. My heart pounded as I pulled my cloak tighter, readying myself.

“You’re sure about this?” Elara whispered, her voice laced with doubt.

“I have to be.”

I shrugged off my outer cloak and handed it to her. She did the same. Elara pulled my cloak over her head, adjusting the hood to conceal her face. With her similar height and build, from behind, she would pass as me without a second glance.

“Just keep walking like you usually would,” I instructed, ensuring the cloak draped low enough to cover her features. “They won’t stop you. Their orders are to follow Ariana.”

She nodded, though the tension in her jaw gave away her nerves. “And you?”

“I’ll slip out and head in the other direction,” I explained. “They won’t bother following me once they’re convinced you’re still in sight.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line. “This is risky.”

“I know.”

“But it’ll work.”

I wasn’t sure who I was trying to convince — her or myself.

Taking one last steadying breath, I tugged my own borrowed cloak low over my face. My pulse quickened. “This has to work.”

“Elara,” I whispered. “Thank you.”

She gave me a final, resolute nod. “Be careful.”

Without another word, I pushed the door open. The air outside felt heavier, thick with the anticipation of what I was about to do.

The guards remained in their positions, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. But when I — disguised as Elara — stepped forward, they made no move to intercept me. Their gaze followed her.

Me.

Or at least, who they thought was me.

Elara, cloaked and composed, gave a small nod — the only signal we needed. Then she walked away, her pace steady. The guards trailed after her, unaware of the deception.

It worked.

Without wasting a second, I turned and slipped down a separate aisle.

The west side of the supermarket wasn’t far, and if whoever left that note was waiting, I’d find them soon.

I kept my head low, scanning the area for anything — or anyone — suspicious. Nothing. Just ordinary people going about their business.

Had this all been a setup? A cruel joke?

Frustration built in my chest. I had risked everything to get here, and for what?

"Were they watching and saw the guards? Maybe they decided I wasn’t worth the risk."

I sighed, already debating whether I should turn back. But just as I was about to give up, a voice spoke from behind me.

“You’re exactly as I expected.”

I froze.

The voice was calm, low, and unmistakably female. But what unsettled me most was how she had managed to get so close without me noticing.

Slowly, I turned.

The woman standing before me looked like she belonged in a setting far more refined than a supermarket. She looked like she was in her fifties.

“How did you—” I started, but she cut me off.

“Follow me,” she said simply, her voice leaving no room for argument.

I didn’t move. “If this is a threat — if you think you can blackmail me — you’re making a mistake.”

A flicker of amusement crossed her face. “Blackmail?” She shook her head, her tone almost amused. “That isn’t why I’m here.”

“Then why?” I demanded, my voice low.

“You’ll find out soon enough.” She nodded toward a small shop nearby. Its front display was filled with antique clocks, their golden hands ticking in unison.

The woman gestured for me to follow her through a narrow doorway, leading us into a more secluded.

Once the door closed behind us, locking out any wandering eyes or ears, I couldn’t hold back my question any longer.

“How did you know I had powers?” My voice was low, demanding.

The woman didn’t flinch. Instead, she studied me with a calm intensity, as though she’d been waiting for this moment. “My name is Harley,” she said, her voice smooth. “And I know because Lycus made me aware.”

My chest tightened. “Lycus?”

Harley nodded. “He came to me to ask me to help you get stronger and unlock more abilities.”