CHAPTER 61: CAUGHT!

But she was still catching her breath, shocked as her eyes swept over the environment around her and found nothing—nothing but a long, straight road stretching endlessly ahead and behind her.

There was no fork. No buildings. Just dirt, moonlight, and silence.

She couldn’t fathom how she was supposed to get far enough away before Zyren started looking for her.

"This is bad..." she mumbled under her breath, glancing back nervously. And in the very next second, her mind began to spiral, considering the unthinkable—going back.

Her thoughts betrayed her, weaving scenes where she would return to Zyren, ask him for more time—and he, graciously, would grant it. She could almost see the calm smile on his face, the dangerous charm behind it.

But the silence of the night—the deafening stillness—was only making her panic worse. She turned on the spot, spinning in slow, frantic circles, her eyes wide, searching for something—anything—alive.

There was nothing.

Not a person. Not a bird. Not even the whisper of wind in the trees.

Walking wasn’t an option. She knew she’d never make it. Even running for an hour wouldn’t take her far enough. Not from him.

Curses flew through her head as she twisted around again, heart thudding hard against her ribs, unsure what direction to take—

That was when she heard it.

The distant creak of a carriage.

For a second, her heart froze—slamming into her chest like a warning bell. Fear surged through her as she imagined it—Zyren, coming after her.

But as the sound grew closer, she noticed the difference.

It wasn’t one of his.

Unlike the polished, opulent carriages that belonged to Zyren—the ones she had seen lined up in the castle courtyard—this one was plain. Ordinary. Its black paint dulled by age, and the wheels creaked in a way that betrayed how old it truly was.

The moment it stopped beside her, Aria exhaled—relieved.

Especially when the driver, a middle-aged man, looked down at her with distinctly human eyes.

"To the city?" he asked, voice rough but casual.

Aria’s heart still pounded with caution—suspicion tight in her chest—but she didn’t dare turn down the offer. She gave a single nod.

Without a word, she reached into the pocket of her coat and pulled out a small gem that shimmered faintly beneath the full moonlight.

"Is this enough?" she asked.

She saw the flicker in his eyes immediately—a greedy spark—and he grinned, clearly pleased, before nodding and gesturing for her to climb inside.

Aria didn’t hesitate.

She knew that the faster she put distance between herself and the castle, the sooner she could figure out how to escape the city altogether. Disappear somewhere—anywhere—she could never be found again.

She stepped inside quickly, moving to sit and signal for the driver to go—but the moment she entered, she froze.

She wasn’t alone.

A prickling wariness sank deep into her chest.

She noticed them first—boots. Large. Masculine.

Her head snapped up, and the breath in her lungs disappeared.

The carriage was already in motion. But for Aria, time might as well have stopped.

Sitting directly across from her, leaning back with his arms folded across his chest and his eyes closed, was the one person she never wanted to see again.

Zyren.

He wasn’t even looking at her, but Aria’s body shook violently.

In the very next instant, every ounce of strength she had surged into her limbs. She leapt to her feet, rushing toward the carriage door, prepared to throw herself out if that was what it took.

But she didn’t make it far.

A sharp, painful grip seized her arm, jerking her backwards and throwing her hard into the seat.

Her arm slammed against the edge with a loud thud, the impact already blossoming into a bruise—but Aria didn’t care.

She didn’t wince. Didn’t flinch.

She snapped her head up, meeting his gaze with a fierce scowl.

She was terrified, yes—but beyond that... she was furious.

"What?" she spat. "You really thought I would present myself to you?"

Her voice cracked with raw rage.

She didn’t know how he’d found her—how he realized she was gone—but in that moment, she couldn’t bring herself to care. Her entire body burned with fury as she glared into his face, her brown eyes blazing with hatred.

Even more infuriating was his complete lack of reaction.

He sat there, legs slightly spread, arms still crossed, his face unreadable. It was that cold, impassive calm that frightened her most.

It only solidified her resolve.

There was no way she’d sleep with him. None. She’d force him to kill her first, and she would welcome it.

Her voice rose again, cracking with emotion. "Did you know that you’re nothing but a heartless monster?" she bit out. "King? Who crowned you?" she barked.

"I’m sure you took it by force. That’s the only way anyone would—"

She stopped.

His eyes twitched.

It was subtle—barely there—but they widened ever so slightly.

She’d struck a nerve.

Her heart leapt, ready to strike again—but then something changed.

Suddenly, she couldn’t move.

Panic surged violently through her. She tried to stand, to jerk her limbs, but they wouldn’t respond.

"Don’t you dare—" she began, but before she could finish, something cold and invisible slid across her mouth, sealing her lips shut.

She gasped through her nose, her eyes going wide as tears filled them. Her whole body trembled as Zyren finally unfolded his arms and leaned toward her.

She would’ve flinched, recoiled—but she couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe properly. Couldn’t do anything but stare.

He leaned in until his face was mere inches from hers, close enough to kiss her.

And for the first time since entering the carriage, his red eyes locked onto hers.

"Someone..." he began, voice quiet but cutting, "an old woman... mentioned that I’ve been too hard on you."

Aria’s confusion bloomed. She had expected him to strip her, to hurt her, to destroy her like she feared.

Instead, he spoke words that made her want to rip his tongue out.

"She said killing your family was a bit... too much."

A dark smile curled at the edge of his lips.

"Surprisingly, I listened."

But his tone turned colder. His eyes sharpened like blades as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"I regret that now."

And with those words, the temperature inside the carriage plummeted.

It was suffocating. Suffocating in a different way than before—as though the weight of what he meant settled over her like iron chains.