Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 81 : Don’t Be Seen

*Eliza*

Traveling from Saboreef to the capital of Erogen took a week.

That was a week of roughing it on lumpy, rocky ground. No matter where we put the tent, I always ended up with a

root or something sharp poking into me.

Jared was there, serving as a comfy pillow that helped with the worst of the discomfort.

Even though we'd had a nice break from crummy camping food while we stayed in Saboreef, I was definitely ready

to eat some real, well-cooked meals after that long, long week on the road. If I could get meals cooked by someone

else, professionally, that would be even better.

Fortunately, the weather was nice.

I wasn't completely expecting that, given the massive storm that had nearly flattened the village we were in.

For our entire trip to the capital, the skies were clear.

One morning, while Jared cleaned up the campsite and I made sure the fire was out, I kept glancing at the clouds in

the sky.

“Eliza, what are you looking for?" Jared asked.

Sighing, I rubbed my hands on my thighs and kicked around in the ashes. The fire was definitely out.

“The entire time we were preparing for that sea storm, I kept having this feeling that it was just the beginning, that

the storm would bring darkness. But...."

I threw my arms out to the sides and tipped my head back. Smiling, I spun around in the bright sunlight.

Jared chuckled and looped his arms around me, spinning me in a circle.

“Isn't it a good thing that the storm didn't bring some dark omen?" he asked.

I nodded and rested my head on his shoulder. The warm sun felt good on my skin, but it was nothing compared to

the warmth from Jared's body as it permeated my tight-fitting hiking clothes.

“I guess. I still feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop...."

“Come on, Eliza. Maybe the storm did bring darkness, but it wasn't until after the storm that we got our first real

lead for breaking the curse. Maybe all the light we have now is the hope we were missing before."

I bit my lip and nodded. “You know, you might be onto something."

We finished cleaning up the camp and set out on the road again. I felt like we'd been walking for weeks.

At least, when we'd been out in the wilderness, there'd been differing terrain–mountains, hills, rocks, rivers. But the

trek back to the capital was flat and tough. By the time we made it to the main road into the capital, my feet felt

swollen.

“Can we rest for a minute?" I asked, plopping down on a rock on the side of the road.

“We're almost there. We only have another thirty minutes of walking." Jared sat down beside me.

Without me even asking, he lifted my leg into his lap and pulled my shoe off. His hands started to work into the

tender, aching muscles of my foot.

“Oh… wow. That's really great. If you could just do that for a few weeks or so...."

Jared smirked and dug his knuckles into the ball of my foot. He worked on that foot for a few more minutes and

then started on the other one.

“And I thought there was nothing that could relax me as much as… that other thing you do."

I giggled and sighed, melting into Jared's massaging touch.

After another couple of minutes, he put my shoes back on.

“Come on, Eliza. We've got to keep moving. Getting to the capital is just half the battle. We still need to secure

passage to the Light Realm."

He stood up and held his hand out to me.

He stood up and held his hand out to me.

Sighing, I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet. Amazing, all the aching and swelling was gone. I stared down

at my feet and shifted my weight from one foot to the other.

“Wow, I feel a lot better," I admitted.

“Good, because we aren't going to get into the capital on the main road. It is far too out in the open. We'll need to

use a secret entrance."

“You know a secret entrance?" I asked.

“You might be surprised by all the things I could tell you." He winked at me and led me off the main road.

We looped around to a side road that wasn't even paved. It barely looked used. No one was on it and when we got

to the edge of the capital, I noticed there weren't any guards on this road either.

“Once we get inside, I'm going to work on securing a vessel that will give us safe passage," Jared told me.

“And what do you want me to do?" I asked, creasing my brow.

“Stay under the radar and don't be spotted." He glanced over his shoulder at me.

“Okay. Where should we meet up?"

Jared gave me directions to a small coffee shop where we could meet up once he had our travel arrangements

prepared.

“Be careful. Don't be seen," I said, hugging Jared's neck quickly before we parted ways.

I could barely remember the last time we hadn't been around each other every second, minus the few brief

moments we were parted during our journey. This was different, though.

The capital was busy and there were people everywhere. The streets were filled with pedestrians and vehicles.

Shops were packed full of consumers.

There was a heavy military presence too. The royal army hung around on the streets. They were clearly there for

protection and observation.

Had the Alpha King got wind of Aeris' plans? Was he already putting his own defenses in place?

While waiting for Jared, I snuck to a place where I could send my cousin Lena a message. I wanted to warn her

about what was going on and what I was doing. It wasn't the best way to go about it, but I really didn't want her to

be blindsided.

I headed straight to the coffee shop once the message was sent.

Keeping a pair of sunglasses on and a sun hat tipped over my face, I ordered myself a latte and sat out on the

patio, sipping my drink and watching people in the capital moving about.

None of them seemed bothered by the presence of the royal guards. They laughed happily and moved around with

each other like it was any normal day.

My curse shadow stirred and my stomach growled. I put my hand on my stomach and tried to calm it. The shadow

was getting stronger.

Did that mean the time of the curse was running out? Or was I just getting weaker?

Another latte landed on the table across from me. I started and looked up.

Jared had a sweater on with a hood. He had the hood over his head, keeping his face concealed in shadow.

“I've gotten us passage out of the capital on a trading vessel. It should give us cover to travel without suspicion,"

Jared said. He sat down and cupped his latte between his hands.

“Where will it take us?"

“We'll get as far as Breles. It won't be the most comfortable ride, but it will get us there. There's a lot more security

on passenger transports."

“Breles.... I should be able to get in touch with my family from there." Nodding, I took another sip from my latte.

“That would be ideal, but if not, at least we will be a lot closer."

“I sent word to my cousin while we were here. I just thought that she had the right to know what was going on. I

wanted to warn her."

Jared smiled and nodded. “I'd expect nothing different from you."

Biting my lip, I absently played with the locket around my neck. It had become such a totem to my everyday life. I

thought if I ever had to take it off, I'd feel naked without it.

Several gasps and excited utterances caught my attention.

Glancing over, I saw what the crowd was getting so excited about.

I reached across the table and grabbed Jared's hand, squeezing.

“Look," I whispered, nodding in the direction of the commotion.

Jared's eyes slid in that direction. One of his eyebrows shot up, but he remained silent.

Xander and Lena were walking down the main street of the capital. It seemed so weird to see them out of the

palace and walking together like they were regular people.

They seemed really happy together.

Xander had one arm around Lena's shoulders. He had his other arm across his chest, holding her hand.

There were guards around them, at a distance, giving them the space to almost act like a regular couple.

“We can't let them see us," Jared said, frowning.

“I know. It is weird to be so close to them and also… so far...." I looked into my half-empty cup.

“It won't always be like this, Eliza."

I narrowed my eyes and scrutinized him. “Oh, so now you think you have a future?"

Jared smirked. “Like I said, I've had a lot of newfound hope recently. I'm trying to ride that wave as long as

possible."

“Then I will be hopeful, too." I picked up my latte and held it up.

Jared grinned and held his up, too. We clinked our paper cups together.

I looked back at Xander and Lena. I felt a little bad about leaving them when we knew Aeris was out there, planning

to attack them and start a war.

I wasn't even sure how much help we'd be if we stayed. Xander and Lena could take care of themselves.

All the royal guards in the street were a reminder of that.

I finished my latte, stealing looks at Lena and Xander as they walked through the streets.

Lena looked beyond happy, and a slight pang of jealousy formed a pit in my stomach.

Would there ever come a time when Jared and I could simply walk arm in arm like that without having to worry

about curses and witches and artifacts?

Would we get our chance to live happily ever after?

A frown tugged at my lips as I stared at the happy couple. It seemed unlikely we'd ever have that. Every time we

got close, something else rose up from the shadows to threaten our future.

Suddenly, I noticed that Lena and Xander had stopped walking.

Xander was talking to someone on the streets but Lena… she was looking right at me.

Quickly, I checked my glasses and my hat. They were in place.

“Jared, we need to go," I whispered.

I grabbed his arm and pulled him into the coffee shop. I half dragged him out a door on the other side.

With my hat and sunglasses, I seriously doubted Lena would recognize me, but she had definitely seen me.