OUT NOW ON WATTPAD

Word Count: 1791

~Akara

I stare up into Zavian's earnest blue eyes, stunned.

"I'm sorry...What?"

"Think about it," he breathes, going to grab my hands, but I pull them away quickly, unsure of his motivations, scared I'm about to be forced into another marriage. Zavian is my best friend, not someone I want to marry. "It would be a way around the law, if you became engaged to another King."

"I...I guess," I stutter. He's right, it could be a way around the law, but how would Tai retaliate? And the thought of this being something different...

I've lost way too many friends. I refuse to lose Zavian.

"It wouldn't be for long. Just until Tai is no longer a threat," he assures me, seeing my flustered expression. Despite my panic, I believe him. He knows what I've been through, and wouldn't put me through that again without good reason. And being forced into a marriage with Tai is definitely a good one.

I shift on my feet, lowering voice. "This idea is good, Zavian, but Tai is holding something over me."

"What?"

"Tai's injected Marek with a poison that releases when he desires. Only he has the antidote," I tell him. Ever since he told me I've spent each night considering where Tai would keep such an antidote. I've checked most places, but knowing him, he has a secret spot for all his new technology that he would never tell me about, whether I got him to trust me or not.

I was his lover at one point...I thought we would be together forever. And he never thought about telling me all his secrets.

"And you believe him?" Zavian asks, eyeing me sceptically.

"Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. It's hard to tell," I say. I sound ridiculous, believing a man who has lied to be multiple times, but what if I call his bluff and I'm wrong? I wouldn't be able to live with myself.

His eyes narrow. "Are you sure? I don't trust that."

"He's lied to me before, definitely. But I can't talks a risk. I mean, it's Marek." I motion up the stairs, where I know he is lying in wait, wondering what Zavian and I are talking about. Marek is just too important for me to risk.

Zavian nods, thankfully understanding. "Soon, Tai is going to hit the Scarlet Province with his weapon, and it won't matter anymore."

"We can stop it, I'm sure we can."

"I have people in his estate. I'm going to find where he is keeping this weapon, and I'm going to dispose of it," he assures me. I have doubts about his men being able to find it, considering Tai's other secrets remained hidden for quite some time.

"What do I do about Marek?"

"To completely honest, Akara, I think you should call his bluff," Zavian admits. He looks concerned for me, but to him, it's worth the risk. He couldn't care less about Marek, never has, so to him, all he sees is me risking my freedom for a someone else.

"I...I can't Zavian," I insist.

Zavian steps forward, grasping my shoulders, making me realise how unsteady I was. "You love him that much?"

"More than you know," I murmur, casting my gaze down to his feet.

"We need something so we can reasonably imprison Tai," Zavian decides, brushing a stray piece of my hair back behind my ear before stepping back. I nod, straightening. Imprisoning Tai could give me more time, but we can't do it without reason, without putting pressure on Zavian's political standing as a new King.

"What about the weapon?" Once we find that, there would be mutiny, even within the Jade Province. People know when something is unjust.

"We would need evidence, and people would panic," he dismisses.

"Tai tried to have me killed. Would that be enough?" I ask, rolling my shoulder, still feeling the permanent nerve damage that I've been inflicted with thanks to him.

Zavian frowns, looking over me as if he can see the wound, making me realise he never knew about that day, when I was shot down by a random arrow coming from the crowd we were addressing.

"Of course..." he murmurs. "Are you okay?"

I nod. "I can get a witness to testify. I just need to get in contact with someone."

Grey will know, hopefully. Or, at the very least, he will be willing to look into it some more. However, it may be difficult to track him down, considering I told him to get as far away from the Jade Province as he possibly can.

"Good. For now, we need to keep Tai here, while I search his estate, and you get this witness."

I smile weakly, glad for once, there is a solid plan in place. "I'm really happy to see you, Zavian."

"I'm happy to see you too. And Nakoa is here, and I'm sure she will love to see you," Zavian says. I smile, having wondered if I would ever cross her path again.

"Tomorrow. For now, I need sleep," I admit. My eyelids are heavy, and all I want is to crawl into a hot bath to clear off days worth of sleeping in the forest and endless, sweaty walking to get here.

Zavian nods. "Of course. We can talk again in the morning.:

I rush upstairs, finding a staff who directs me toward Marek's room. She flushed when I mentioned the tall man with the bright blue eyes. It's fascinating, seeing how much his looks alone can disarm people.

Knocking gently on door, I wander in, seeing Marek sitting on the bed, clearly having already bathed, hair damp, wearing whatever clothes were supplied to him by the overeager staff members.

"I hope you don't mind me sleeping in here tonight," I say. I couldn't handle it, being next door and not in his bed. We are away from each other too much, and each day we spent in the forest, I had to keep my hands off him.

Marek smiles, opening his arms. "Of course not. Get in here."

I crawl over the bed, twisting to lay back against his chest, looking up at him. Just being near him, breathing in his scent, feeling the heat of his body against my skin makes all my problems vanish.

"A lot of things are being set in motion, Marek. Against Tai," I exclaim, eyes fluttering closed as he draws his fingers through my hair.

"Good. That's good."

"It is. But it also isn't," I say tersely.

His fingers pause, so my eyes open, seeing him looking down at me worriedly. "Why not?"

"Can I be honest with you about something?" I ask, sitting up. I'm probably going to regret this, but Marek may not be willing to keep the ruse up to Tai without knowing why we are doing this. "While I draw a bath?"

"Absolutely."

Getting to my feet, I walk toward the bath, turning the tap onto hot, knowing I need an awfully long soak in here to get off everything that is clinging to my skin.

"Tai has poisoned you. He says only he has the antidote," I say, tensing. I don't look at Marek, but by the following silence, I can tell this isn't the news he suspected to hear, and his reaction isn't going to get any better.

"I don't feel any different," he mutters, examining his hands as if he can see through his skin and to what flows through his veins.

"It triggers when he wants it to," I add.

Marek frowns, watching me as I slowly start to undress. "Don't tell me that's what's been keeping you in that estate...what's going to make you marry him."

"He could kill you, if I don't." I knew he wouldn't understand, that he wouldn't want me to do this for him. But how could I not, after he sacrificed so much of my life because he new I was in danger. Doing the same for him doesn't take any extra thought.

He approaches me, just as I step into the bath, sinking down into the hot water. "How about, I cross the hall right now, and kill him myself?"

I shake my head. Him killing Tai would complicate so many things.

"And what if he has set the poison to activate in the event you do kill him?" I ask. Tai is smart, I don't doubt that crossed his mind. Marek is the one rogue, uncontrollable thing in his life, and I know that drives him insane.

Marek paces back and forth in front of the bath. "I'd happily take that risk."

"Well I won't. I refuse to take any risks."

"I'm not going to let this man force you to marry him because of some threat against me," Marek exclaims.

I sigh, looking away, but he kneels down by the path, gripping my chin, forcing me to look him in the eyes.

"And what did you do when there was a threat against me?"

He sighs, leaning back. "That was different."

"Is it?"

"Come on, Akara..." I can see the pain in his eyes, but I refuse to let it affect me. I'm not backing away from this, from saving his life. I'll get away from Tai eventually, married to him or not.

"No, Marek." I grab his hand, clutching it tightly. "I refuse to lose you."

"You're not going to lose me, okay? I'm not scared of him," he growls.

"He won't hesitate to kill you. I just have to do this until I can find out what and where this antidote is," I assure him. I could tell him about Zavian and I's plan, but the less people who know about it, the better, and I wouldn't be surprised if Marek is already planning on a way to intervene.

He shakes his, holding my hand so tight it almost hurts. "I'm not worth it."

"You're more than worth it. I've never loved anybody like I love you," I breathe. I reach upward, brushing my fingers along his cheek, marvelling at his beautiful face.

"And I love you Akara," he murmurs. 'I'm giving you till the wedding to figure this out. If you don't, I'm killing him. And that's my risk."

I know there is little point in arguing with him about this, and all I want right now, is to enjoy the time I have with him. "Alright. But only if you join me in this bath."

Finally, he smiles. "Of course."

💚••💚

Remember that you can always find this story 10 chapters ahead on Radish (:

You will find it under King's Possession Season Three!!

~Midika 🐼💜