Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 81 : Don't Be Seen

*Eliza*

Traveling from Saboreef to the capital of Erogen took a week.

That was a week of roughing it on lumpy, rocky ground.

No matter where we put the tent, I always ended up with a root or something sharp poking into me.

Jared was there, serving as a comfy pillow that helped with the worst of the discomfort.

Even though we'd had a nice break from crummy camping food while we stayed in Saboreef, I was definitely ready to eat some real, well-cooked meals after that long, long week on the road.

If I could get meals cooked by someone else, professionally, that would be even better.

Fortunately, the weather was nice.

I wasn't completely expecting that, given the massive storm that had nearly flattened the village we were in.

For our entire trip to the capital, the skies were clear.

One morning, while Jared cleaned up the campsite and I made sure the fire was out, I kept glancing at the clouds in the sky.

"Eliza, what are you looking for?" Jared asked.

Sighing, I rubbed my hands on my thighs and kicked around in the ashes.

The fire was definitely out.

"The entire time we were preparing for that sea storm, I kept having this feeling that it was just the beginning, that the storm would bring darkness.But..."

I threw my arms out to the sides and tipped my head back.

Smiling, I spun around in the bright sunlight.

Jared chuckled and looped his arms around me, spinning me ina circle.

"Isn't it a good thing that the storm didn't bring some dark omen?" he asked.

I nodded and rested my head on his shoulder.

The warm sun felt good I on my skin, but it was nothing compared to the warmth from Jared's body as it permeated my tight-fitting hiking clothes.

"I guess.I still feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop...."

"Come on, Eliza.Maybe the storm did bring darkness, but it wasn't until after the storm that we got our first real lead for breaking the curse.Maybe all the light we have now is the hope we were missing before."

I bit my lip and nodded.

"You know, you might be onto something."

We finished cleaning up the camp and set out on the road again.

I felt like we'd been walking for weeks.

At least, when we'd been out in the wilderness, there'd been differing terrain-mountains, hills, rocks, rivers.

But the trek back to the capital was flat and tough.By the time we made it to the main road into the capital, my feet felt swollen.

"Can we rest for a minute?" I asked, plopping down on a rock on the side of the road.

there.We only have another thirty minutes of walking." Jared

asking, he lifted my leg into his lap and pulled my shoe

into the tender, aching muscles

do that for a few weeks

and dug his knuckles into the ball of my foot.He worked on that foot for a few more

was nothing that could relax me as much as...that other thing you

and sighed, melting

of minutes, he

to keep moving.Getting to the capital is just half the battle.We

held his

hand and he pulled me to

all the aching and swelling

at my feet and shifted my weight from one

I feel a lot better,"I

to get into the capital on the main road.It is far too out in the open.We'll need to use a

know a secret

be surprised by all the things

road.We looped around to a

It barely looked used.

edge of the capital, I noticed there weren't

I'm going to work on securing a vessel

you want me to do?" I asked, creasing my

the radar and don't be spotted." He glanced over his shoulder

should we meet

small coffee shop where we could meet up once he had our travel arrangements

hugging Jared's neck quickly before we

each I other every second, minus the few brief moments we were parted during

This was different, though.

capital was busy and

filled

packed

heavy military

royal army hung around on the

clearly there for

Was he already putting his own defenses in place? While waiting for Jared, I snuck to a place where I could send my

her about what was going on and what! was

the best way to go about it, but I really didn't want her

straight to the coffee shop

sunglasses on and a sun hat tipped over my face, I ordered myself a latte and sat out on the patio, sipping my drink and watching people in the capital moving

by

and moved around with each other like it was

stirred and my stomach

hand on my

was getting

mean the time of the curse was running out? Or was I just

started and looked

on with a hood.He had the

trading vessel.It should give

sat down and cupped his latte between his

will it

the most comfortable ride, but it will get us

to get in touch with my

I took another sip from my

would be ideal, but if not, at

thought that she had the right to know what was going on.I wanted to warn

Jared smiled and nodded.