In the Shadows~zayn au~Completed ✅EDITING

~Chapter 79: Wild Animal~

Welp, this is a hell-of-a-lot later than I planned, but it is here nonetheless. I won't call this a filler chapter, but is setting up for the bigger things going on in the following chapters. I hope you guys still enjoy it! 🙈

Also, for those that haven't voted on this entire story already, I'm feeling a bit slighted. If you really like the story, would you vote on it? Let me see your name and know who I'm writing for. It helps me a lot. I love you guys and I am so grateful that you've stuck with me this far!! ❤️

Eternal thanks to Jay for letting me talk out my fears about the future chapters with her. Such an encouragement 😘

It wasn't a restful night. Horrible visions flitted across her mind as she slept, visions of war, of resulting famine, and of Murdoch being crowned king in Elysium.

Waking up was a relief, even if it meant she would be traveling with Niall. For as bad as her enemies were in the waking world, she preferred them to the ones her mind made up. She never used to have such dreams and she missed the times when sleeping was a welcome distraction.

Delia had already packed up the few things they'd used, so when it was time to leave Kalysta simply followed one servant to a carriage while another hauled the luggage behind her. A short, bumpy ride in said carriage took them to the docks. These were much more extensive than anything in Elysium by far. For a moment, Kalysta worried that just Delia would be with her on the Valencia, but when she walked up the boarding bridge to the top deck she found the Duke and Duchess.

"Good morning," she said, greeting them. "I'm quite glad to see you, I wasn't sure if you'd be traveling back this way as well."

"We couldn't leave you unchaperoned!" the Duchess gasped.

"Yes, the Prince sent a letter to our rooms, saying our presence was no longer needed, as he had chaperones of his own," the Duke chimed in, "but I let him know in no small way that it would be seen as a sign of hostility if an heir was required to travel with her fiancée but lacking her own native chaperones. He didn't respond, but neither were we barred entrance to the ship. I'll assume that he agreed with me."

Kalysta smiled. "Thank you for resisting."

She then took the time to look about the ship. Compared to the Partheos, this was grandiose and bulky, made to be weighed down by traveling nobles and their slew of items. Though it had taller masts and wider sails, based on the lower yard crossbeams, she had a feeling the Partheos could beat it in a race. Not that it mattered, of course. She simply wanted to tear down the importance of this ship from the start.

"Fair morning to you, Princess Kalysta." Niall's voice came from behind her, making her spin around to face him. "It's a grand ole ship, innit?" He gave a small, prideful grin, as if she should be impressed by a ship someone else had given to him.

"Why, yes, Your Highness, the ship is magnificent," she said, looking down at her skirts. "I don't know anything about them, but it makes a splendid sight."

"That it does, that it does," he agreed, looking up at the sails as they unfurled. His accent was even thicker now, as if he'd relaxed. "Would ye care to take a stroll about the deck with me?" he asked next.

Kalysta was flummoxed, for this was the least degrading conversation she'd had with him. In fact, he was almost polite. His tone lacked the conviction of true requests, but he at least knew the words to say. She'd started to think that perhaps they didn't teach Mullingan royalty about manners.

"Yes, Your Highness, I will," she answered, determined to figure out this change of heart.

"And I told ya to be calling me Niall," he growled angrily. Perhaps less of a change than she'd initially thought.