The Princess and The Criminal [ CAITVI ]

23 | Tethered

Author: Hey, readers! Apologies for the slow updates—I've been busy with college and haven't had much time to write. But here's the next chapter, and I hope you enjoy it! Thank you for your patience and support. 🫶

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Caitlyn's POV
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The air was damp, carrying the tang of wet stone and the faint metallic bite of Zaun's underbelly. My steps echoed faintly against cobblestones, the sound swallowed by the narrow alley's oppressive silence. Every tug of the ropes tying my wrists only deepened my indignation, the coarse fibers digging into my skin. Vi's grip on my arm was firm, and despite the delicate tug of my steps, she didn't slow her pace—her stride steady and purposeful.

"Must you yank me about like some sack of goods?" I said, stumbling slightly as she jerked me forward. My voice was sharp, but I worked to keep it leveled—composed. "This is so beneath me."

Vi didn't even spare me a glance as she continued forward, her boots heavy against the stones. "You'll live."

I exhaled deeply, a sound of pure exasperation. "Vi," I snapped, planting my heels and forcing her to slow. "You will untie me this instant. That is not a request—it is a command."

That finally earned me a glance.

She stopped, turning just enough to look over her shoulder. "A command, huh?" She raised a brow. "Hate to break it to you, Princess, but you're not exactly in a position to be giving orders."

The audacity.

I straightened, tilting my chin to reclaim what dignity I could. "Well I wouldn't be in this position at all," I argued, "if you hadn't—"

I faltered, the memory of what had transpired between us that morning flashing unbidden to the forefront of my mind. My cheeks burned in mortification, and the words caught in my throat.

"Kissed you?" she finished, her tone dropping an octave, her eyes unflinching as she studied my reaction. "That's what this is about, huh? The kiss?"

"It most certainly is!" I shot back, the flush creeping down my neck. "You had no right—none whatsoever—to do such a thing. It was improper, indecent, and entirely unwelcome!"

A beat of silence followed, punctuated only by the faint creak of leather and the distant hum of Zaun's machinery. Her expression shifted, though I couldn't quite place the change. Amusement, perhaps, but tempered by something subtler.

"Unwelcome?" she repeated, the word rolling off her tongue with deliberate slowness. "Funny. Didn't seem all that unwelcome at the time."

"You are insufferable," I bit out, tugging against the ropes for emphasis. "And let me make one thing clear, Vi—there was nothing, absolutely nothing, about that kiss that I found remotely enjoyable."

Her only response was a low hum in the back of her throat, the sound noncommittal and maddening. She turned, resuming her stride forward and dragging me along with her.

When we made our way to the mouth of the alley, I allowed myself a hesitant glance at the street beyond. The city sprawled before us in all its chaotic glory—crowds bustling through a noisy market square, merchants shouting over one another to hawk their wares. The clamor surrounded me, but what gripped me most was the sheer humiliation of it all.

I was still in that purple tattered gown, my wrist bound like a captive. Heads didn't turn, but that hardly mattered. I felt the weight of a thousand invisible eyes pressing down, their silent judgment scorching my skin.

Vi moved through the crowd with her usual quiet confidence, but I tugged against the ropes again—more out of sheer obstinance than any real hope of escape.