Queen of Mean

CHAPTER 15

AT THAT very same night, Tori went out of the Rozenreff estate under the disguised of her infamous coat. Her hood covered her determined red eyes as she trotted away from the home that she would be leaving for a while.

Under the shade of a pine tree a few meters away from the Rozenreff estate's main gate, Tori turned to look back once again. She felt it in her heart that it would be a little while before she could taste chef Elmond's éclair or head maid Teresa's hot chocolate.

Tori pulled her hood more to cover her face and continued walking away. Seconds later, footsteps followed her which she did not mind at all. The figure in her right spoke, "The carriage is this way, Lady Tori."

The young duke's warm hands guided Tori towards the darkest part of the street where the rented carriage awaited. "You did not wear your gloves, I see." Though his voice was distant, the concern behind those words could not be denied.

"Lily has it," Tori replied with her nonchalant attitude. The young duke glanced at the person walking at Tori's left side who only nodded at him as confirmation. His grip on her right hand tightened as he let Tori went inside the carriage first. He also guided Lily before he went it.

The ride towards the port was silent and awkward for Lily. She could swear that the tension thickened every kilometer that they traveled but no one dared to break the silence. Lily could not blame the young duke. She knew that he was only worried about their mistress who made the abrupt decision after the commotion in the northern castle.

Prince Corean is still hopeless, right now. With Tessa's appearance, I need to reevaluate my plan. There's a snake among my beasts and I need to know who that traitor is.

The chieftain of the Arin Tribe will meet me in the port beyond the great cliff where the nomadic tribes were using for trade to the empire. With the approval of one of the chieftains, I can get a free pass inside this Ming Country's ship.

I need to get the mine and use that as leverage for the king. With the way things are, the second prince will not cooperate with me. I can't trust him to wait for him to change his mind. I don't have the luxury of time.

I am meant to die at the age of sixteen. I still have a few months before I reach that wretched part of my life according to the original plot.

With a traitor in the midst, I have only myself to trust like before. It always goes down to trust and I won't give anyone that permission to break me down.

Tori felt the carriage stopped which meant that they already arrived at the port where Crown Prince Yei Lin and Crown Prince Allistair were waiting. She did not wait for Duke Rowan to escort her down as she went on ahead. She immediately saw the two princes who welcomed her by kissing both of her hands.

"Are you sure about this?" Crown Prince Yei Lin's calculating raven eyes met hers as soon as she took off her hood.

Nodding her head as her reply, Tori looked up to the gigantic wooden ship. "Tessa's escape will be dealt with by the king. By now, my letter must have reached him from Lady M of the aristocratic faction. King Elphaim will cover my absence." After all, I am the first empire's noble to be able to talk to a chieftain from the northern region. The king will grab this opportunity to control me by making me owe him a favor.

Crown Prince Yei Lin's right hand delicately cupped Tori's cheek as if he's afraid she would shatter. Prying his hand away from her, Tori smiled. "Are you empathizing with me, Yei Lin? You dare mock me, huh."

You foolish, Kpop prince.

"Does it hurt to ask for our help?" The crown prince was agitated for a reason beyond Tori's comprehension. She shrugged, not bothering to answer which made the crown prince of Ming Country angrier. He was about to grasp her shoulder when the young duke stopped his left hand midway as Crown Prince Allistair stopped his right hand.