Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder Chapter 823

Chapter 34 : A Face I Hadn’t Seen in Years

*Jared*

I watched her examine the new Cryptex, turning it over in the sunlight pouring through the window. She was holding it with her hand wrapped in a towel, using the end of her toothbrush to gently prod the sides, looking for the mechanisms that cause the connective pieces to spring loose.

Watching her work was intoxicating. I’d never seen someone so wholly focused on a single task. The way she examined the Cryptex was intrinsic, practically second nature. My movements in the background didn’t seem to bother her at all as I packed up our things in preparation for our journey home.

The weight I’d been carrying on my shoulders since arriving at Aeris’s kingdom was lifting as the early morning hours ticked by. It was likely Eliza and I could walk right out of this place now. All I’d have to do was tell Aeris that Eliza was my wife, and show him the contract Archer had delivered to me before the sun had come up, signed by a now very wealthy priest and undated

I’d made sure to cover our tracks.

The priest was a follower of the older church, a more pagan sect of the Church of Lycaon. Aeris wouldn’t recognize the man’s name, I knew that much, not when he favored the startlingly wealthy and pompous preachers of the new-wave church situated on his castle’s property. The priest’s temple was situated on the outskirts of the city, built against and within the wall leading to the villages beyond. I told Eliza about it as we lounged in bed before the sun rose, my fingers trailing over her bare skin.

We were safe.

Eliza sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping as she gently set the Cryptex on the table.

“What’s the matter?” I asked as I shrugged on my leathers.

“It wants me to touch it,” she said on a breath, shaking her head. “It won’t open for me otherwise.”

“Don’t worry about it for now. We can deal with it when we get back to the village,” I replied, hoping this was enough to break her concentration so she could get dressed and ready to go. She turned to look at me over her shoulder, a soft, somewhat sleepy smile touching the corners of her mouth in reply. “We’re getting out of here, alright? Everything is going to be okay.”

I prayed I was right.

There was a sharp knock on the door, then Archer’s voice broke through the air.

“Are you ready? We should get going.”

I exhaled and opened the door a crack, meeting Archer’s gaze. The corridor outside my bedroom was still dark, not a hint of early morning yet dancing over the marble tiles.

“The southern trail?” I asked, meeting his eyes. I could hear Eliza moving around the room behind me, the sound of fabric hitting the floor making me tighten my grip on the door as I held it as closed as possible without shutting Archer out completely.

“Passable from what I saw. The river is still running high but if we’re careful–” he shrugged, a faraway look in his eyes.

“Okay, we’ll try.” I reached out into the corridor and gripped his shoulder.

swallowed, his throat straining from

father. They were heading back east shortly before we arrived from the intel I gathered

said, nodding my assent. He pursed his lips, giving me a quick nod in return. “We’re going to get

to grin, then arched his brow at

with

at him as I shut the door. I heard him chuckle

wearing when we arrived at his castle. I’d found her new clothes, and I found that they suited her well as she moved around the room and packed her notes and the Cryptex into a leather backpack–khaki trousers that were still

ribbon made of coarse homespun fabric, loose curls falling over her forehead and ears. She lifted the backpack, testing its weight before putting it

“Are we ready?”

the emotion threatening to break around

at me, her cheeks tinged a soft rose and her eyes shone like sea glass in the morning light pouring through the windows. I wanted

couldn’t describe it. Unreal? I was fighting against what I believed to be true feelings for her as I made a final round around

at least on paper, she wasn’t really mine. As much as it killed me, I needed to keep her at a distance until I could find a way to return her to her own people. That shadow of power within me clawed at me for what felt like hours while she was in my bed. If

couldn’t be here for that. She had to go home.

to the road,” I said as I led Eliza out of the

voices drifting up the stairwell as we turned and began to walk to the center of the castle, planning on walking right out the front

Aeris’s voice cut through the air behind us as

side, turning us around to face him

a

rippling in my chest as I felt Eliza go rigid beside me. “Thank

on the way to the Spring Festival,” he said with a wave of his hand, heated annoyance playing over his face as his strange eyes focused on mine. He glanced at Eliza, then back to me, his eyes

stumbled, Archer catching and steadying her. She looked up at me with a look that made

We have

of Archer and Brandt. The expression on my face was enough to convey my own silent thoughts. If anything happens, get her out. Get

city looming in the distance. I could see tents and a crowd

I chewed the inside of my

let you walk out of here with

would I be

leaned against it, preventing me from passing through. “I’d

it,” I said in a clipped tone that made Aeris stand a little

Aeris said, his eyes going wide, then

the historians employed by your church. That scroll was a fake. She knew that before even opening it. I needed her to get close to you so you’d give her access to your vault to

not your

of the page where our signatures would be. Archer and Brandt had crinkled it, rubbing dirt into the parchment to make it look worn. It wasn’t signed, of course. But it would be if Aeris had the gall to follow us back to my village, I’d make sure of it. Aeris’s nostrils flared as he looked up at me, his face turning a vivid red and twisting with rage. I held it just out of reach as he