I wasn't allowed to leave my tent. Avaloryn was outside, guarding the tent. I could hear the scrapping of her knifes together, but I wasn't about to open the tent to find out if it was really her or not.

Henneh had gone to the infirmary to fix her ankle whilst Ashe, Nylas, and Rysdan finished a meeting with Prodos.

"You know," the voice said, "you could easily escape tonight. Everyone is too bothered with their duties to care about you."

I shook my head, ignoring.

My illness had caused me to vomit into the corner of my tent. Irene would've found out what this was by now, but it wouldn't help that I was here. They'll find me—Ilias will find me. He had to. And if he didn't, then Kace would. I didn't know how they would, but they will.

Avaloryn stuck her head in, gesturing me up from my bedroll that I had been laying in. "Let's go." I quickly got up, not wanting to cross anyone within a day. "Such obedience; I can see why you've never dared to leave the palace."

"How would you know if I've left the palace before or not?" I crawled out the tent. Ashe was walking toward us, clad in brown clothed clothes and a white chemise. I snapped my neck away from him and pushed myself up.

"I'll take her, Avaloryn," Ashe muttered. Look at him. Never. I wouldn't look at him. "Follow me, Arya."

"You're not going to respond to that?" the voice cooed.

"My name is not Arya," I quipped. I tilted my head at him, trying to see his expressions, but there were none. "I'd follow you if you moved."

"She's a sassy one. That'll get you killed around here," Avaloryn said. Ashe furrowed his brows and turned toward her. "I was just giving her helpful advice. No need to lose your mind." Without another word, Avaloryn went down the path and was soon out of sight.

"Well," Ashe started, "walk." I kept my mouth shut and walked like he instructed, trying to listen for the bristle of leaves indicating he was behind me. They were there until I reached a juncture. I turned back, and he wasn't there. Well, leave. I could run right now. Surely there were guards nearby I could get to.

I checked around for anyone, but there was nobody. This was my chance.

I sprinted into the woods that were off the path. I could feel myself running up a hill; the ground was higher than normal. The crunching of leaves and the faint chirps of the birds deafening, almost like they'd be the very thing revealing me. My breaths became ragged quickly, but I couldn't stop. I'd get there—I had to be running somewhere.

Something gripped onto my arm, carefully twisting me backwards. I pulled harder, only to get more force pulling me back. "Stop!"

Pulling even harder, I pushed my leg back and shoved my bare foot onto them, trying to wedge them away. Instead of the grip loosening, it tightened—and an arm wrapped around my other side, pulling me back against their body. "If you pull one more time, I'll kill you," he whispered into my ear. "Stop struggling if you want to live."

For him to whisper in such a circumstance was amusing. I could've laughed, but my energy was depleted. "You wouldn't kill me," I breathed out.

"Prodos would. Now stop pulling and breathe." He wouldn't loosen his grip on my arm.

I twisted my neck back and looked at Ashe's too-close eyes, then trailed my gaze down to his neck, then up to an ear that had a silver earring. "I wasn't trying to leave, I'm sorry." I couldn't let him kill me.

"I wasn't going to kill you for that." His eyes avoided mine as he let go of me. "Let's go," he said weakly.

Confused? Believe me, I am too. I decided to obey, not wanting Prodos—or Ashe—to kill me before Ilias found me. We walked down the forested area until we were back onto a path. He stayed next to me, occasionally fidgeting with his sleeves or bracelet, but he was always alert, watching my every step as we continued walking.

"They're looking for you, you know," Ashe finally said. He was staring at me, but I refused to acknowledge it. "Rysdan reported it this morning."

I stifled a sarcastic chuckle and said, "And I needed to know this why? Because you're going to let me go?" Next to me, Ashe huffed. "That's what I thought."

The trails were familiar, and soon we were at the large tent. I snuck my way in, and Ashe followed, grunting as he pulled a chair and handed it to me. I sat down and crossed my arms, listening to Prodos' already started conversation. There was a woman next to him. She looked around my age. "It took you two awhile to come," Prodos pointed out.

If I wasn't cornered by assassins, I would've spat into his face.

Ashe rolled his eyes, bent his neck back, and sighed. "Let's get on with the meeting," he muttered. "I'm having a rather unpleasant headache with all these"—he gestured idly with his hand, not pointing anywhere in particular—"problems."

"Hush, Ashe." Henneh jabbed her elbow into his side. "Look who's back!" She jerked her chin toward the woman next to Prodos. "Long time, Odaya."

The woman—Odaya—nodded and smiled. "Valarya seems... different from last time." Well that snapped your attention, didn't it? "You had such beautiful golden hair when you were younger. What happened to it?"

I hadn't realized it, but I started to crack my knuckles. "It got darker earlier this year," I responded. "Who are you?"

"That's a shame." Odaya's eyes looked at me, as if she pitied me. I didn't understand why she'd care so much—her hair was ebony, and her eyes were the lightest shade of green I'd ever seen. When she put her hair around her ears, I caught her pointed ears. Fae. "It doesn't matter who I am."

"I'm glad everyone has made acquaintances, but this isn't what I wanted to address," Prodos cut in. "Nylas  has word of the Royal Guard. They've covered most of the land looking for Valarya." He crossed his arms and leaned back on his chair. "Henneh and Ashe, I assume you've already been keeping watch on her?"

Henneh nodded, but Ashe said, "You think low of us." He ran a hand down the length of his arm, and I caught him shake slightly. I didn't blame him; it was getting cold. "I think we should move Valarya to a new area—"

"And who are you to decide that?" I said. Everyone simply turned their heads, listening. "You can't move me. You can't because you have nowhere else to put me." I was shocked I had been able to say something. I usually never wanted to get onto their bad sides. "Where would you put me, huh? You can't even move me out the camp with my guards looking through your wagons."

"Isn't she supposed to be quiet?" Henneh whispered. She glared at me, then laughed. "We'll find a little place for you to go."

"Enough. Henneh, she's right. Ashe, take her back to her tent," Prodos quipped. "It was a mistake to bring her here." Ashe groaned and pushed off the wall, waiting for me to get up from my chair. He let me leave first, but before we could get our bodies out, Prodos yelled behind: "I expect her to not leave her tent today. Perhaps the entire week."

I swallowed my bile down and left the tent.

*~⚜️~*

A village girl had come to help me into a basin filled with water to bathe. If they didn't want me to leave, why bother have someone come in? The girl didn't say one word to me, and I hadn't wanted her to. She had scrubbed me with a soft rock, but I told her to just leave. She had argued and said no.

I had pushed her out, throwing the rock out with her.

I was putting on a long chemise when Ashe stormed into my tent. "What do you think you're doing?" He yanked the tent entrance shut and crossed his arms.

"What are you doing? I could've been indecent!"

He laughed and acted as if I didn't say anything while he continued. "Just a princess. How ungrateful. She was helping you."

"I don't want her help," I yelled. "And I don't want yours either. Get out."

"Oh, because I'm so so willing to help you. I'm practically throwing myself at you, begging you to let me follow you around. I totally wouldn't rather be somewhere else other than here." Ashe's face contorted, almost in pain. "I don't see why you're like this."

I wanted to answer, but I realized that I was their prisoner—their captive. I was worthless to him. You're not going to snap back? I'm shocked, Princess.

"You'll apologize to her later," Ashe said, sighing. "Don't make another mistake like that tonight." Without another word, he left my tent.

Tonight I'd make a plan. Kace and Ilias wouldn't find me anytime soon, especially not with Nylas constantly at the palace diverting attention away. I needed to help myself.