Chapter 67
[ 1,117 words ]
Arabella Toussaint
The way his hands moved over my body and the way my body pressed against his so perfectly. It almost felt like we were made for each other. For the first time in years, someone had held me as though I mattered.
“Call me Lucien, Buttercup.”
He was a king, yet he wanted me to call him by his name. No! That was not possible. During the kiss, Jasmine’s face suddenly popped into my mind, and it felt like someone had poured a bucket of ice water over me.
Did he say those things to her too? Did he hold her like that? Did he call her buttercup or sweetheart? Or was I just another woman he was using to make her jealous?
It felt so wrong. He wasn’t mine. He chose Jasmine, yet he also wanted to taste more women. And I was just another conquest. The thought left an ache in my chest.
It had been two days, and since then I had tried to stay out of his way. It wasn’t that difficult. He had been returning to his chambers long after I had fallen asleep, and every morning, he was already gone before I opened my eyes.
The only proof that he had slept beside me was waking up in the middle of the night to find his arms wrapped around me.
Just yesterday, Lilith told me, “I think he’s busy gathering evidence to prove your innocence.”
To prove my innocence? But why? It was useless. I would always be called a slave.
Proving my innocence would only make leaving this palace harder. I needed to get out of here soon. This time I would remember to keep a water bottle with me. Food could wait.
I also needed to deal with the guards who were posted on every exit gate. Maybe I needed to come up with something innocent. An excuse to get out of the palace. Any excuse— like a simple walk outside the palace. If I was lucky, I’d buy myself enough time before Lucien used the mark to track me down.
Lilith was busy collecting rare herbs for my treatment. She was waiting for them to be delivered so that she could remove the spell that was cast on me by my pack.
After helping Helena with chopping the vegetables, I was walking back from the kitchen, lost in my thoughts. Halfway through the royal garden, my steps slowed.
Jasmine was sitting alone on one of the bench swings. Her eyes were fixed on her lap, seemingly lost in thought. My heart went out to her.
Poor girl! She looked broken. She didn’t even notice me.
“Hello!” I said while sitting beside her on the swing. She jumped, clearly not expecting anyone. The surprise on her face quickly turned into embarrassment. She immediately got to her feet.
“My Lady…” She lowered her head, “I didn’t see you.”
I smiled softly and patted the place beside me, “Please. Sit. I don’t bite.”
A weak smile appeared on her lips before she slowly sat down again. For a few moments, neither of us spoke.
Then finally I broke the silence, “How are you?”
She shrugged, trying to act nonchalant, “Alive,” she chuckled after answering me. I shook my head because that was not what I asked.
If she thought I would be happy seeing her like this, she was mistaken.
I held her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, “You’re a good person, Jasmine.” And I meant every word.
Her mate was letting another woman share his bed and punished her for harming his mistress. No matter how attracted I was to him, this was wrong on so many levels.
I could be anything but a home wrecker.
“Good person?” A humorless chuckle left her lips, “I disappointed him, lost my position. I was so blinded by jealousy that I attacked a woman just because I saw how he was showing her care.”
“Yet, you chose to protect me. You stood up for me. I’m sure you’ll get back your position. Let his anger cool down, then everything must be fine.”
She stayed quiet and chose not to respond.
“Jasmine,” I bit my upper lip, thinking hard, hoping this might work, “Do… do you know… how many exit gates are here in the palace?”
Her face snapped up as she looked at me with wide eyes. I threw my hands in the air, “Whoa. I only wanted to go outside, okay?” I laughed, “This place suffocates me.”
When she kept staring at me, my smile faltered a little, “I swear on Moon Goddess, Jasmine. I was about to talk to His Highness about it.” I almost whispered because of the guard’s presence.
Jasmine looked behind me, then her eyes darted back to my face, “Eight,” she breathed out the word.
Huh? I blinked, “What?”
“Exit gates. Eight!” She whispered, “There is one in the South that has the least protection… It has the fewest guards.”
I swallowed hard and avoided eye contact. Goddess. Now the next thing she’d tell me was that she wanted to discuss this with His Highness. Just like Helena had. Just like Lilith had.
I’d better come up with a good excuse if Lucien called me for questioning.
I quickly got up and straightened my summer dress, “Thanks. I’ll…” I cleared my throat, “I’ll talk to His Highness and ask him if he can allow me to … let me take a stroll outside the palace.”
She was still looking at me with narrowed eyes.
“If you want, you can accompany me,” I said with a fake smile and giggled. Goddess. What did I do?
Why did I trust her?
“I … I think I should go…” Tucking a hair strand behind my ear, I turned away.
“Arabella.”
I froze and slowly looked over my shoulder. She was still sitting on the swing, watching me, “I can help you,” she whispered.
What? My heart skipped a beat because I was too conscious of the guy who was my bodyguard. He would report every word to King Lucien.
Jasmine at last got up, “I can help you in collecting flowers for the King, if you want,” she raised one shoulder with a fake innocent smile.
Flowers? I stared at her. I never mentioned flowers. She was saying it because of the guard ! Jasmine wasn’t talking about the flowers but about my escape .
Damn!
I turned around, trying to hide the shock on my face, “W…will you?”
She gave me a small nod, “You can count on me, Lady Arabella. For anything .”
Goddess! The bitch wasn’t joking. She was actually offering to help me escape the palace.
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