Warrior Love

Chapter 14

The warm light of dawn streamed into Zara’s room, waking her from a deep and restful sleep. She stretched languidly, the events of the previous day playing through her mind. Aurelis had been mesmerizing, its beauty unmatched, but duty weighed heavily on her heart. She had responsibilities to her people and her kingdom—she couldn’t afford to linger, no matter how enchanting her host or his kingdom was.

Zara dressed quickly, donning a simple yet elegant gown, and made her way to the dining hall. There, she found Evander waiting for her, his polished manners and charismatic smile as disarming as ever.

“Good morning, Princess,” he greeted, standing as she entered.

“Good morning,” she replied, offering him a polite smile. She hesitated for a moment before speaking again. “I wanted to thank you for your hospitality, but I must return to Vallis. My parents will be expecting me, and I have pressing matters to attend to.”

Evander’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second before he regained his composure. He had expected this, but hearing it still unsettled him. Yet, this presented a perfect opportunity to both maintain his cover and ensure Zara didn’t grow suspicious.

“Of course,” he said smoothly, bowing his head slightly. “I understand your duties to your kingdom, Princess. Allow me to escort you back to Vallis.”

Zara blinked in surprise. “You don’t have to trouble yourself—”

“It’s no trouble at all,” he interrupted, his tone warm and reassuring. “I would consider it an honor to see you safely home.”

After a brief pause, she nodded. “Very well. Thank you, Evander.”

...

Word spread quickly through the illusory castle that the princess would be leaving. Aether, Dylan, and Marlia exchanged relieved glances in the meeting room.

“This works in our favor,” Aether muttered, crossing his arms. “The longer she stays, the harder it is to maintain this illusion.”

“Agreed,” Dylan added. “But we need to ensure Zephyr—Evander—handles this carefully. If anything goes wrong, she could grow suspicious.”

Marlia placed a calming hand on Dylan’s arm. “He’ll manage. He knows what’s at stake.”

Aether smirked, leaning back in his chair. “At least we don’t have to worry about her catching on to us while she’s gone. I can finally give this illusion a rest.”

Little Triton tugged at Marlia’s sleeve. “Is the princess leaving because she didn’t like us?”

Marlia knelt to his level, brushing a strand of hair from his face. “Not at all, darling. She just has to go back to her kingdom. But who knows? Maybe she’ll visit again someday.”

Triton seemed satisfied with that answer, though Dylan shot Marlia a worried look.

...

The royal carriage was brought out, its shimmering surface gleaming in the sunlight. Aether’s power had ensured it looked every bit as grand as a real royal carriage. Evander assisted Zara into the carriage, and they set off on the winding path back to Vallis.

The journey was quieter than Evander had anticipated. Zara seemed lost in thought, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, wondering what occupied her mind.

“You seem deep in thought,” he said after a while, his voice gentle.

Zara turned to him, startled, before offering a small smile. “I was just thinking about Vallis. My parents have been urging me to take on more responsibilities, and... I suppose I’ve been avoiding it.”