TWENTY FOUR

Word Count: 2194

It was around midday when I arrived at our meeting spot.

Just in case, I have a knife strapped to myself under my top shirt, although I imagine once Vaia gets a hold of me, it will be confiscated. I wonder if Marek is here, despite our agreement that no one else would be joining us.

The smell of Vaia's floral perfume guides me into the tavern - the neutral ground. Sure enough, the room is void of anyone at all, aside from Vaia, who sits at a table in the centre of the room, drinking what looks like beer. I would have never imagined Vaia opting for that drink, although by the looks of her, she's changed immensely.

Her usual attire is gone, replaced with pants and a flowing coffee coloured cloak that pools at her feet. I'm assume it's there more for her to see intimidating than for the actual utility of it. And her dark brown hair has been cut, hastily it seems, to a length that reaches her shoulders. Although she looks different, the heat in her verdant green eyes remains.

"I'm impressed. I didn't think you had it in you," she comments, motioning to the seat in front of her as I approach.

Part of me wants to freeze up, or to back out and run until I collapse. The last time I encountered her, she pushed a knife in my stomach and left me to bleed out. I imagine it greatly inconveniences her that I'm here, alive.

Pulling the wooden chair out, I sit. "I want out."

"You don't want me to kill you," she muses, a smile toying with her lips. She still has that persistently amused sneer on her face, but also that unavoidable charm that likely had everyone siding with her in the first place. Did Marek fall for that too? Is Vaia the reason why he's signed up to the cause, because it surely isn't the promise of power.

"I don't want you to harm my family. I want to return to them without worrying about your rebel slaves coming after me," I mutter, unable to keep the spite and bitterness out of my voice. Vaia's eyes narrow slightly, clearly not liking me calling her 'followers' slaves.

"And what does Tai think of this?" she questions.

"He doesn't know," I admit, referring to the story Tai and I created the other night that I've fully memorised. "I spoke to Kailor and he allowed me to come here."

"Hmm, well, no one is good enough to be Tai's Queen," she comments sourly. I'm unsure of she means that in a way that compliments Tai, or if she is saying that as a way to solely insult me and degrade Tai as potential husband. "You must have realised that long ago."

I've realised my inadequacy more than Vaia realised. Perhaps I'm good enough for Tai in every other way other than on a power basis. I'm not with him to pretend I'm capable of being a Queen, I'm with him because I love him, and care about him as a person. I'm grateful he sees it that way too, unlike Vaia, who cannot look at anything without weighing the benefit of power.

"Tai and I were never going to work," I grit out.

Vaia leans back in her seat, dark brows furrowed together. "But now you have no one."

"I never needed Marek. You did me a favour convincing him onto your side," I tell her. At least I don't have to lie about that, knowing that she is eluding to my past relationship with the hunter. Of course she is going to try use that against me now...

"He's a man of the land, like many who side with me," she tells me, although something doesn't sound right about that. Is that what he is telling her? Last time I checked, Marek's a native to the Azure Province, and cares little for the Jade Province. "They desire freedom, and fairness. Our current system does not allow that."

"I'm not going to pretend like I agree with your ideas. The Forbidden River is dangerous," I tell her firmly, even if I know my words will just fall on deaf ears.

"It's freedom, Akara," she explains, pressing the palms of her hands flat against the table. "Think of how fun it would be for us to work together."

"Is it a deal, or what? My freedom, and I will no longer affiliate with Tai."

Vaia tilts her head back and forth, considering my offer. What if she agrees, and actually grants me freedom? I would never leave Tai behind to fight this issue, and although Vaia may agree to leave me alone, I may never be able to escape Marek. No matter what, I'm in this until the end.

"Do you really think it's that easy?" she question, her tone close to laughing. She thinks I'm stupid, vulnerable and naïve coming here.

I glance over my shoulder, trying to look wary. "I'm not a threat to you."

"You know too much. You're valuable to me Akara, don't you understand that?" Vaia demands, all of which I already knew. Vaia's own arrogance and selfishness is going to be her downfall, whether from me now, or anything else in the future.

"I just want out...Can't you grant me that much?" I ask her, trying to sound desperate, which isn't too hard when I would like nothing more than for this to end.

The look in Vaia's eyes are sinister. "No. I can't."

The sound of footsteps behind me make me turn, expecting to see Marek, but instead, I see a three unfamiliar men, all unarmed. I don't want to reveal my hand yet, nor do I want to make this more uncomfortable than it needs to be, so I simply look back at Vaia with desperation, begging with my eyes for mercy.

"Vaia..." I breathe.

She gets to her feet, giving me one last glance. "Grab her."

One man grabs my shoulder, so tight I wince. Turning my to face him, he rears his arm back, hand clenching into a fist before he strikes me right in the face.

I don't have a chance to feel any pain, as unconsciousness sweeps me away.

***

Everything hurts as I'm dragged mercilessly through the front entrance of Tai's old home.

Not much of it has changed, still as beautiful and grand as the last time I was here, months ago. I want to admire it, or even reminisce, but the pain in my face is so apparent I can't escape it. My head still spins from being knocked out, but this is what I signed up for...I expected this to happen.

I'm dumped in the foyer by two of the men who were carrying me, both of them resuming positions beside Vaia, who now stands before me.

She's changed, so I must have been unconscious for quite some time. Now she wears a scarlet dress that gleams under the light streaming through the glass ceiling. I want to jump up and strangle her, seeing her so vulnerable in front of me, as if she doesn't see me as a threat.

"Bitch," I growl, too weak and dizzy to stand. Not that it would matter - I see the weapons her men are holding.

Vaia opens her mouth to respond, verdant gaze glittering with the challenge. However, she's interrupted by the main entrance doors opening, the last of the days sun flooding in, casting a rich golden glow over the patterned tiles. In saunters three men.

Marek, and two unfamiliar men.

The Hunter appears stoic and unbothered as he walks in, pulling his leather gloves off before handing them to one of the men beside them. He nods, a silent command, sending the men off in different directions, done assisting him with whatever he was doing. He's wearing his black hunting coat, a Baldrick strapped to his chest, making me shiver.

Vaia straightens, smoothing down her skirts, not worried about creasing it. Marek sees her first, gaze unreadable, before it flickers to me. Then that calm façade shatters.

He physically flinches, gait stuttering as his gaze drags over me, almost like he can't believe he is seeing me. I read genuine fear and surprise in his eyes as he sees me on my knees before Vaia, the pretty dagger in her hand.

It takes him a long moment to respond as he approaches, not once taking his eyes off me. "Vaia...What is going on?"

"Marek, I'm so glad you could join us," Vaia chirps, looking back at me. It's almost as if she's admiring me, sitting here before her at her mercy. "Akara had to do your job for you and basically handed herself in."

Marek quickly composes himself, the mask resurrected masterfully. I catch his gaze, seeing the first that starts to grow, consuming his irises. I quickly lower my gaze to the floor, seeing his boots come to stand next to Vaia's.

"Why?" He questions.

Is he frightened for me, or is he bothered that I've ruined his plans? I'm at both of their mercy now, in their territory. Here they can do whatever without regret, but I refuse to let that alarm me. I'm here because I chose to be.

"She thought she could negotiate her freedom," Vaia says smugly, sneering down at me in a way that disrupts her perfect features. "She truly thought this has to be fair."

Gritting my teeth, I glare at her.

"Freedom? Why would she want freedom?" Marek questions, a frown now permanently etched into his features. He's looking at me likes he is disgusted by my presence, that it irritates him more than it frightens him. I can't tell if that's for Vaia to see more than me. I hope so, for my own fate.

"Trouble in paradise, apparently," Vaia grins. She doesn't even mention Tai's name, although she doesn't seem to mind making fun of him. "And something about her family."

Marek tilts from foot to foot, considering something. I want a snapshot into his mind, to see what he is thinking.

"Where was she?"

"Jade Province? I'm surprised you didn't know," Vaia comments, eyeing Marek suspiciously. I swallow, throat so dry it's painful.

So it's true, Marek has been keeping things from Vaia. I could reveal all his lies to her right now, and ruin him in her eyes forever. In fact, it may create a chasm in their relationship large enough to falter the progress of their movement. But I can't, and I won't. I need Marek to get out of here alive.

Marek approaches me, black boots appearing in my vision before he crouches down, coat splaying across the marble floor. I feel him grip my chin, fingers warm as he pulls my head up so I'm looking straight at him. His gaze is searching, frosty and hooded, tilting my head back and forth.

"You beat her?" He mutters, the bitterness in his tone unavoidable. I must have a black eye, or maybe a cut. I'm too scared to touch my face at risk of experiencing even a sliver of the pain I felt before. "Who am I killing?"

I glance at Vaia, surprised she doesn't look angry at him for sounding like he cares. What are they going to do with me? Clearly it's important I'm not injured, as I can't imagine Marek caring that I got hurt, even if the look in his eyes express concern.

"Things happened in transport from there to here," Vaia says dismissively. She sounds more concerned Marek is judging her than irritated that he's concerned about me. "She will heal."

Marek looks over his shoulder, finally letting me go. "Do you want me to interrogate her?"

"Can I trust you?" Vaia questions, raising a dark brow.

"I'll get what you need from her," Marek replies, looking back at me grimly. I narrow my eyes on him, hoping he can't read the anger and frustration in my gaze from seeing him interact with Vaia. The last thing I want is for him to assume I care about what he thinks.

"Alright. Get on with it then," Vaia sighs, bored of it already. I watch her turn, her usual entourage following her. I wonder if Jessa is here, close by. I have plenty I want to say to her.

Marek holds his hand out of me. "Get up."

I stand, but I don't take his hand. Here's hoping I'm able to get out of this.

💜••💜

If you guys want to read ahead, you can read more of KING'S SEDUCTION on Radish! It's chapters ahead of Wattpad (:

You'll will find it under KING'S POSSESSION on Radish, as season 2!

🧸••🧸

I'm officially rewriting Alpha Jasper's story now on Radish! It will be following the same storyline with the same characters, but with revised scenes and some new ones!

I love Jasper's story so much that I wanted to go back and rewrite it. I hope you guys will enjoy it, you can find it now on Radish (:

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~Midika 💜🐼