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.

That's really great. If you could just do that for

dug his knuckles into the ball of my foot. He worked on that foot

was nothing that could relax me as much as… that other thing you

sighed, melting into Jared's massaging

he put my

capital is just half the battle. We still

stood up and held his

and held

to my feet. Amazing, all the aching and swelling

I feel a lot better," I

going to get into the capital on the main road. It is far

know a secret entrance?" I

you." He

road that wasn't even paved. It barely looked used. No one was on it and when

a

me to do?"

and don't be spotted." He glanced over his shoulder at

Where should we meet

where we could

said, hugging Jared's neck quickly

the last time we hadn't been around each other every second, minus the few brief moments we were parted during our journey. This

were filled with pedestrians and vehicles. Shops

military presence too. The royal army hung around on the streets. They were clearly there

the Alpha King got wind of Aeris' plans?

snuck to a place where I could send my cousin Lena a message. I wanted to warn her about what was going on

to the coffee shop

a latte and sat out on the patio, sipping my drink and watching people in the

seemed bothered by the presence of the royal guards. They laughed happily and moved around with each other like it was any

stirred and my stomach growled. I put my hand on my stomach and tried

the curse was running out? Or was I

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

He had the hood over his head,

us passage out of the capital on a trading vessel. It should give us cover to travel without suspicion," Jared said. He sat

will it

as far as Breles. It won't be the most comfortable ride, but it will get us there.

get in touch with my family from there."

if not, at

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

nodded. “I'd expect nothing different from

my neck. It had become such a totem to my everyday life. I thought if I ever had

and excited utterances caught my

saw what the crowd was getting