Word Count: 2456

I walk through the forest down the worn path, unable to shake what just happened.

The ghost feeling still lingers on my skin from Marek's touch, contrasting with the dried blood still smeared across my face, my elbows and knees scuffed from my tussle with those men. Knowing now that there are people who want me dead that aren't Vaia and the rebels...I don't know what to do.

And what about Marek?

Marek has to care, right? Why else would he save my life, and then kill those men when he could have knocked them unconscious and moved on? He doesn't want any of them coming after me. That's a haunting thought.

I continue my walk, dusk settling over the forest, a sharp breeze whistling through the trees. Elan didn't show, so I'm walking home on my own.

I'm not the one who may lose my job...He is.

My feet halt in place as a foul smell suddenly invades my senses, so overwhelming my stomach churns, a dizzying sensation overcoming me. The usual sweet scent of the forest vanishes, replaced by...Death.

Swallowing uncomfortably, I continue down the path, uneasy about the smell that gets worse the more I walk, to the point I'm covering my nose to avoid throwing up. It's likely just an animal, but something twists in my stomach, a dark feeling suggesting otherwise.
I'm nearly convinced I'm just still shaken about being attacked, until I weave around a particularly wide trunk, and see a body hanging from a tree.

The shadows of the impending night aren't deceiving me. It's Elan.

His head is dipped down, dark hair falling over his face. He would almost look peaceful, if he wasn't suspended from a branch, roped wrapped cruelly around his neck. My scream is silent, as I stumble away, tripping over a root creeping out of the path, landing right on my back and hands, which sting in response.

He must have been here for hours, since early this morning...I stuff my head into my hands, gripping the sides of my face as I try to make sense of what is right in front of me.

The Summoner is dead.

My hands shake as they fall limply onto my lap. Looking back up at Elan, I see a piece of paper tucked in the front pocket of his jacket. My mouth is dry as I get to my feet, quivering as I approach his body.

The paper is as soft as silk as I pull it from his pocket, folding it open to exam the beautiful handwriting sprawled across it.

You're welcome, King.

I draw in a long, steady breath. I need to get out of here.

Stuffing the paper into my own pocket, I take off at a steady run down the path, not stopping until I'm back on estate grounds. I don't allow myself to properly breathe until the manor is in my few, tall lamp lights guiding me down the gravel path. I could throw up right now, if I allow myself to think...instead, concentrate on finding someone, anyone to report this to.

I burst through the front doors, not bothering to knock. The foyer is crowded with a group of staff members, and Tai. He must have gathered them, as they all listen intently to him talk, until I burst in, every eye shifting at me.

My mind briefly takes note of Tai. He's in his comfortable clothing, dark pants loose and casual, tunic a forest green colour.

"Akara...What's going on," he questions immediately, advancing on me. His gaze sweeps over me, intense in its scrutiny, one hand tangled in his dark locks.

"It's Elan...he's dead," I gasp out, still trying to regain my breath from my frantic run through the forest. Thankfully his body is close by to here, which means he was killed not long after we parted ways.

Tai only allows himself a moment of shock. "Where?"

"In the forest. He was hung, with a note," I tell him. He studies me as I tug the note out, handing it to him. His expression doesn't change as he reads it. Looking behind him I note that the staff he was speaking to have melted into the shadows, likely responding to his questions about where I was. I was meant to return by nightfall.

"I'll send guards. You're safe now," he assures me.

I release a long breath, finally allowing myself a moment to calm down. Closing my eyes, I sink into Tai's arms for a brief hug, letting the warmth of him wash over me, scaring away the cold that plagued me from outside. But the darkness that consumes my vision is traced with graphic images of Elan's body, already decomposing.

"We were meant to meet up...he wasn't there," I whisper against his chest.

What would have happened had we not decided to split? He seemed so intent of being my friend, from gaining my trust and I completely dismissed him. My heart aches and my throat burns at that thought, which I quickly smother. I can't think like that. He was murdered, and it wasn't my fault.

"Did you see who left the note? Who may have done it?" Tai asks softly, pulling back to hold either side of my face. His tone is coaxing, a completely contrast to the tumultuous storm twirling within me.

"No, but his death happened earlier, I'm sure of it."

"It's okay," Tai assures me. How can he be so calm? "We will find who did this. You're covered in blood...And mud."

I flinch, realising what I must look like to him. My face is still covered by the blood of that man Marek killed right atop me. I open my mouth to explain everything that happened, but I pause. If I tell him, how will he react? Right now I want to concentrate on Elan, and not get into a completely different issue.

"Elan's blood," I murmur breathlessly, hoping he doesn't pick a part that detail.

He opens his mouth, looking as though he does want to question me, but footsteps echo into the foyer. Kailor walks in, his usual entourage wandering behind him, expression wrought with confusion.

"What's going on?" he questions, looking me over, scrunching his nose up at the sight of my blood and dirt riddled appearance. "Why are my guards reporting a dead body."

Tai and I exchanged glances. Someone must of overheard us, unless someone else stumbled upon his body...

"I saw it...Elan was killed."

"I would watch your back, father," Tai mutters, handing Kailor the note. "It seems you have enemies."

The King is silent as he unfolds the paper, examining the cursive print with clenched jaw, expression stern. His gaze is unreadable for a moment, as he blinks, surprised by what he is reading. He has no idea what it means either, it seems. How could killing Elan be a favour to the King?

"It's not as if I didn't know that. Did you kill him?" Kailor mutters, bundling the paper up in his fist before pressing it into the hands of one of his followers. His sharp gaze lands on me, the darkness in his eyes paralysing.

"No, I couldn't kill a Summoner," I tell him calmly. There is no point in arguing that I wouldn't do that if I had the chance, because to him, maybe I would. I haven't been private about my distain toward him.

"She wouldn't do that," Tai condemns, his tone firm.

I look at him gratefully, thankful that even if Kailor wants me gone, Tai will always stand up for me.

"I have no way of knowing," Kailor mutters, adjusting the bottom of his black jacket. I'm willing to believe that Kailor is lashing out of me because he is confused, and doesn't like to be in the situation where someone is a step above him. "Perhaps it's the Hunter who is so obsessed with you."

I can't have been Marek...Right? He was in the bar, watching me, then likely lurking nearby when I was speaking to Clea. There is no time in there for him to get to Elan and kill him, even if it does make sense that Marek would do it.

"It's not him. He didn't do it," I assert.

"How do you know?" Tai asks softly, eyes divulging uncertainty. I know for a fact Tai would be happy to blame Marek any chance that he gets. It's not that it matters, we will never get a chance to apprehend him for anything.

"I just know," I mutter, straightening as I attempt to make it less obvious that I'm nervous. I hate lying to Tai. "He wouldn't have hung him. This was someone else entirely."

Kailor sighs, not even bothering to announce his departure as he walks out the front door, his entourage following. Tai and I watch him silently, before he turns to me, concerned etched into his forehead as he looks over me.

"You're bruised," he murmurs, reaching up to touch my arm, and then my chin. His touch is gentle, but I still wince, the adrenaline seeping out of me, allowing me to feel all the pain my body is riddled with. Being thrown to the ground by men much larger than me hasn't happened without consequences.

"I tripped. It's okay Tai," I assure him, grabbing his hand to lower it from my face.

He doesn't look convinced, a coldness creeping to his eyes. He has no reason to doubt me though, breathing in deeply.

"I'll take you up to your room," he offers, tightening his grip on my hands, leading me toward the stairwell. Being alone tonight seems frightening, and I'm definitely not tired. I know the moment I lay down in the dark, all I'll be able to think about will be Elan, which is a terrifying thought.

"Your father doesn't even look sad that Elan was killed," I note as we walk up the stairs. Tai gives a little shrug, sighing painfully.

"Nothing is important enough for my father to mourn," he admits, the bitter tone to his voice making my heart sink. "Not even me."

We make it to my room, the sight of it making my stomach churn. Everything looks different now, after seeing what I've seen. I can't help but see Elan everywhere I look, both when he's alive and dead.

"I can't get that sight out of my head," I voice to Tai, looking back at him as he closes the door. He looks grim, knowing what it feels like to witness loss. I've never dealt with death in my life, aside from the moment I watched Tai die right in front of me. Seeing Elan has made death all the more confronting.

"Maybe you should shower," Tai murmurs, stepping forward to grab my hands, holding them tenderly.

I look down over myself, dirt smeared across my clothing, deep in the light wounds I've acquired on my knees and elbows from fighting with those men. I can tell Tai is looking at them too, wondering what the real reason is that I have these.

I'll tell him about Marek soon. I just need a moment to take a breath.

"I feel like I should be crying right now, but I'm just numb," I admit weakly, my voice quivering as fresh emotion threatens to rise up within me.

"I'll sit with you as long as you need," Tai assures me.

Summoning a deep breath, I step toward the bathroom, pulling my jacket off my tense limbs. Tai takes it from me, setting down on my dress as I turn the shower on, ready to wash away the memories of my moment with Marek.

Tai looks into the bathroom, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll go."

"Wait...Can you sit, even if it's just outside," I ask softly. I don't have to tell him that it's because I don't want be alone right now, that the thought of that is terrifying.

He doesn't hesitate. "Of course, Akara."

I leave the bathroom door open, Tai sitting down, leaning against the wall right outside it. Stripping my clothing off, I stay keenly aware of how close Tai is to my naked self but right now, I'm too tired and numb to really care.

"I think it reminded me of what happened to you," I tell him as I step into the shower, testing it with my hand first. That's now my first move since what happened to me all those months ago. "Watching you die like that."

"I'm here, and I'm okay," he reminds me.

"But what if you weren't? What would Marek have done to me?" I question into the air, letting the water rush over my head, warming my senses.

"Marek wouldn't have hurt you," Tai assures me. "I don't think he ever intends to."

My mind drifts back to only an hour or two ago. Marek saved my life. He could have sat back and watched those men kill me, but instead he stepped in and took care of everything for me. All that can be confirmed is that he doesn't want me dead right now. That means him and Vaia have something more sinister planned for me.

"You don't know that...He doesn't seem to care that I was stabbed and nearly killed by Vaia," I mutter, my hand instinctively laying where the wound once was. I still can hardly believe Tai was able to heal me.

"Does he even know that happened?" Tai asks.

"Surely he does," I mutter. It may have even been his idea, to have Vaia rid of me to stop me being an issue. Now Marek is cleaning up after Vaia's mistake of not finishing me off right in that hallway. "Even so, it doesn't change what he did."

"Agreed," Tai murmurs.

Leaning my head against the wall of the shower, I let my eyes drift closed. Strangely, Elan's body doesn't haunt me, but Marek's icy blue eyes, and the look he gave me when he saved my life.

🖤••🖤

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 💜🐼