CHAPTER 51: TRIP TO THE MARKET

Lilith returned to the castle shortly after Hades had left. During that time, her thoughts were consumed by burning questions about who the prince truly was and how he came to be cursed. As much as she longed for answers, she knew that no one could provide them except the prince himself.

She made her way to the servants’ quarters to check if Fiona was still interested in going to the market, even though her own excitement had waned. When she arrived, she found Fiona already fully prepared and ready to leave.

"Oh, Lilith. I’m ready to go now. The carriage will be departing any minute," Fiona said, grabbing a small pouch from the only table in the room.

"We should head out then. I’m not taking anything with me," Lilith replied.

"Very well," Fiona said, and together they stepped out of the room. She closed the door behind them and locked it before they made their way to where the carriage was parked. This carriage looked different from the others Lilith had seen—perhaps it was designated for servants and maids.

The coachman snapped the reins, and the horses began to move, their hooves clicking rhythmically against the stone floor.

Lilith glanced at Fiona, who kept fussing with her hair, adjusting it every few seconds as if trying to make it perfect. Her gleaming dress, the light touch of jewelry, and the carefully styled hair gave it away.

It dawned on Lilith then—Fiona wasn’t just going to the market to buy shoes. She was going to meet her lover.

Fiona noticed Lilith staring at her and turned to face her. "Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?" she asked, lightly touching her cheek.

"Why didn’t you tell me you planned on seeing someone? Are you truly going to get the shoes?" Lilith asked, narrowing her eyes.

Fiona pressed her lips into a thin line, realizing there was no point in denying it. "I was going to tell you once we got to the market, I swear. I really am planning to buy the shoes—but I’m also going to see a friend afterwards," she confessed.

Lilith raised a brow. "A friend? And where exactly are you meeting this ’friend’?"

"Yes, a friend," Fiona replied quickly. "He lives near the market square. I’ll only be there for a few minutes before returning to the palace." She let out a sigh. "I’m really sorry for keeping this from you. I just didn’t want you to change your mind about coming with me."

"Apology accepted. I just hope you’ll be careful with this friend of yours. I’d hate for you to get into trouble—or worse, get kidnapped." Lilith’s voice softened as memories of her encounter with Leonidas flickered through her mind.

"I’ll be careful, I promise. Thank you for your concern," Fiona said with a warm smile, which Lilith returned.

The rest of the journey continued in silence for about thirty minutes until they finally arrived at the market. The carriage came to a gentle halt, and the girls climbed down. They were immediately drawn into the chaos and energy of the bustling crowd.

Every turn and corner was lined with stalls and their vendors, each offering beautiful and eye-catching items—from vibrant fabrics, hats, and jewelry to the mouthwatering aroma of pastries, freshly baked bread, and biscuits. Lilith was fascinated by the sheer number of people bustling about.

"Come with me, we mustn’t lose focus. The shoe shop is on the second street," Fiona said, linking her arm with Lilith’s as they strolled through the crowd. Lilith couldn’t stop feeding her eyes. She truly wished she had money to buy a few of the items that caught her fancy.

Eventually, they came to a stop in front of a stall with a long table, where various designs of shoes were lined up. Lilith could tell that some of the shoes weren’t brand new, and even those that were appeared to be of average quality—not bad, but certainly not the best.

"Good evening, ladies. My name is Gabriel, and I sell the best shoes in Valyron. Their quality is unmatched. See for yourselves—crafted by skilled cobblers, made to last for years. Which would you like to try on?" said the middle-aged seller with a rehearsed charm.

Lilith imagined how many times he must have repeated those exact lines today.

"Good evening, Mr. Gabriel," they both greeted in unison.

Fiona released Lilith’s arm and leaned forward to inspect the shoes, immediately engaging the seller in conversation. Meanwhile, Lilith looked around, completely zoned out from what was happening in front of her.

"Lilith, what do you think about this one? I think the color would match my dress perfectly," Fiona said, pulling her from her trance as she held up a pair of green shoes adorned with golden designs and a small black heel.

"It’s beautiful. I like the design around it," Lilith replied genuinely.

"I like it too. Can I try it on?" Fiona turned to the shoe seller.

"Of course, you can. Give me a moment," Gabriel said as he stepped out from behind the stall and helped Fiona slip on the shoe. "It fits you perfectly."

"Yes, it does! Lilith, isn’t it just beautiful?" she beamed, grinning from ear to ear.

"It really is. You should buy it," Lilith said with a small smile.

Fiona turned to the seller. "How much is it?"

"Five silver coins," Gabriel replied.

"Five? That’s quite a lot. How about three silver coins?" she bargained.

"I can let it go for four. I can’t go lower than that, miss," the man responded.

"I only have three coins, sir. Lilith, don’t you think three coins is a fair price for these shoes?" Fiona said, turning to her friend.

Lilith blinked, unsure why Fiona was asking her, but replied anyway, "It is."

"See? Even my friend agrees. So, what do you say, Mr. Gabriel?" Fiona pressed with a hopeful smile.

The man scratched the back of his neck, glancing between them before letting out a reluctant sigh. "Fine, I’ll sell it for three silver coins."

Fiona smiled triumphantly as he packed the shoes into a brown box and handed them to her after she made the payment. She thanked him cheerfully and then hooked her arm through Lilith’s as they walked away.

"I’m pretty sure that man agreed to that price because of you. He could hardly keep his eyes off you," Fiona said with a playful grin.

"I don’t think so," Lilith replied, genuinely confused. She hadn’t noticed anything of the sort.

"That’s because you weren’t paying attention to him," Fiona teased.

"Okay, if you say so," Lilith said, shaking her head lightly.

"You can wait here for me. I promise I won’t be long." Fiona gestured to an empty bench tucked beneath a nearby stall.

"Alright. But if you stay longer than thirty minutes, I’m leaving without you," Lilith warned.

"Yes, yes, I understand. I’ll be back before then—and I’ll take the shoes with me. Goodbye!" Fiona said quickly, already turning to leave.

Lilith watched her disappear into the crowd, then sighed and made her way to the bench. She sat, placing her hands on her thighs and swinging one foot back and forth, trying to pass the time.

Several minutes passed before she looked up—and to her surprise, Fiona was already making her way back from a different direction. Lilith stood abruptly, startled by how quickly she’d returned.

She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could get a word out, Fiona grabbed her hand and pulled her forward.

"Wa—wait! What’s going on? Why are you dragging me?" Lilith exclaimed, trying to resist, but Fiona’s grip was firm.

"We need to return to the palace. I heard from a guard that something serious is happening," Fiona said without slowing down.

Lilith frowned, confused. "What do you mean something’s happening? Can you just slow down so we can talk properly?"

"I don’t know the full details, that’s why we need to hurry. Once we’re in the carriage, I’ll explain everything I know," Fiona said, her voice urgent.

Lilith’s frown deepened, but she didn’t say anything. Even though Fiona appeared to be panicking, her voice didn’t match her demeanor. It was oddly calm—too calm.

They eventually reached the carriage. Fiona climbed in first, and Lilith followed. The moment the door shut, the carriage lurched forward.

Lilith turned to face Fiona, her gaze settling on her empty hands. That was when she noticed the shoe box was missing.

"Your shoes? Where are they?" she asked, confused.

Fiona blinked, seeming just as puzzled. "What shoes?"

Lilith raised a brow. "The shoes you just bought."

"Oh... right, the shoes." Fiona gave a light chuckle. "I must have dropped them in the fit of panic after what I heard from the guard."

Lilith narrowed her eyes, suspicion rising in her chest. Something wasn’t right. Fiona’s tone was too casual—almost rehearsed.

"A pity," Lilith said, her voice flat. "Your five silver coins gone to waste."

Fiona smiled again, her expression easy. "Very unfortunate. Well, great luck to whoever finds it." She laughed softly, but Lilith didn’t return it.

"Three silver coins," Lilith corrected quietly.

Fiona’s eyes narrowed. "What?"

"You got the shoes for three silver coins," Lilith said, her voice low.

"Oh... really?" Fiona replied after a pause, her smile tightening. "I must’ve forgotten."

Lilith swallowed hard, her palms already slick with sweat. Something was wrong—terribly wrong. Panic clawed at her chest as she reached for the carriage door, flinging it open without a second thought.

But before she could jump, a hand seized her from behind, strong, merciless.

A cloth clamped over her nose and mouth.

Her eyes widened in terror.

"You won’t escape this time," a voice hissed coldly into her ear.

Lilith thrashed, kicking and clawing in a desperate attempt to break free, but her strength was no match. Her vision blurred. Her limbs turned to lead. The world around her tilted as her body betrayed her. Her heart pounded one last frantic beat before everything faded into black.