Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 818

Chapter 29 : Inside Aeris’s Vault

*Eliza*

This was getting ridiculous.

I rolled over in bed, staring up at the darkened ceiling. This was the second time I’d slept through the day. My sleep schedule was all over the place. I was sure I’d missed out on something during the evening I spent glued to the mattress, especially since I woke to the sound of aggravated male voices whispering just outside my door.

I stepped out of bed, the muted green dress I was wearing now creased and wrinkled from sleep. I padded slowly to the door, leaning my ear against it.

“He’d be at one of the brothels in the city. Aeris wouldn’t be a man that… stay here–” Jared’s voice broke through the stillness of my room, his words slightly distorted by the door.

I threw open the door, much to the surprise of my murderous comrades, who snapped their necks to look at me.

“What’re you talking about?” I asked, stifling a yawn. “What did I miss? You really shouldn’t let me sleep like that. I know for a fact that none of you have qualms about just strolling into my room–” I tapered off, noticing the sharp expressions etched into each of the men’s faces. “What happened?”

I locked eyes with Jared. He looked… terrifying. My chest squeezed as I held his gaze, willing him to explain what the hell the matter was. But something behind his eyes told me I was better off not knowing. I fought the urge to go back into my room.

Jared broke from my gaze and motioned to Brandt.

“We’re going into town. Archer, stay with her. Keep the door locked.”

“What? Me?”

Jared shot Archer a dirty look, then walked away without glancing back in my direction even once.

“What the hell is going on?” I bristled as Archer took me gently by the elbow and led me back into my room.

He closed the door, locking it in place before crossing the room and picking up the heavy armchair near the fireplace. I gaped at him as he carried it over to the door as if it weighed nothing, then dropped it soundly against the threshold, sitting down with his long legs outstretched.

“Archer….”

Jared and Brandt are trying to find a way to get you out of here without causing a war

was no teasing note in Archer’s voice, not a single shred of his usual mirth. He was serious. It sent a

force from a trading vessel?” he

to talk about it,” I

but nothing compared to that night. I could barely think about it

picking at my fingernails. A heavy silence settled

Aeris will let me into his vault, so you’ll be on your own for a little while.” Archer gripped his knees, fighting a smile. “You’ll need to be up to your

into a smile. “I appreciate your confidence in my ability to play the game,

to be one of us,

I was… theirs. And they were mine. They wouldn’t let Aeris have me, and in return, I was going

fought in Breles,” Archer said softly after several long minutes of silence. He seemed to be radiating pent-up energy, and I could tell he was disappointed Jared had made him stay behind with me while they

on the homesickness threatening to spread across my face at the mention of

your realm… the war camps, a destroyed

I breathed. “My parents said… my dad and brother fought. I stayed home with my mom, and my little

had siblings,” he said, a hint of sorrow

roll down my cheeks as I told him about Beatrix. I still couldn’t bring myself to tell him their names. Homesickness hadn’t hit me yet, but now I

***

and I walked in step together through the castle, following close behind Aeris as he rambled about nothing in particular. He was giving me a tour, apparently, no doubt trying to sweeten whatever plot to keep me here that he had roiling through his sick mind. My pale pink dress trailed behind me, long sleeves and high neckline making

told myself as I let the maid dress me and style

the game also meant pretending I wasn’t nearly as intelligent as I was, according to Archer. Sure, I could know a thing or two about history and all of that, but the credit should go to my pretend late father who apparently had a soft spot for

depths of the castle, the air turning frigid the further we went. I tightened my grip on the crook of Archer’s arm as we walked into crippling darkness for a few minutes. The only sound was

warrior walking ahead of Aeris produced a torch, and suddenly the area was bathed in amber light. I stifled a gasp

stepped forward with a key, chucking under

down here in a very long time,” he said through gritted teeth as he tried to

he’d just given away the fact that the scroll was, in fact, a fake. If it was as valuable and old as he said it was, well, it would have been kept

helped pull the door open and Aeris took a step to the side, allowing Archer and me to step through the threshold, but Aeris rested his hand on Archer’s arm,

a sickly sweet voice that sent a shiver of unease licking down my back.

but said nothing in return. He gave a quick look that told me everything I needed to know. Be on your guard. Go straight back to your room. Lock the

warrior will stay with her and answer any question she has,” Aeris

by dark circles. He smelled heavily of alcohol, too… hungover, most likely,