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.

thirty minutes of

my leg into

started to work into the tender, aching muscles of my

you could just do that for

knuckles into the ball of my foot.He worked on that foot for a

"And I thought there was nothing that could relax me as much as...that other

giggled and sighed, melting into Jared's

of minutes, he put my shoes back

capital is just half the battle.We still need to secure passage

held his hand

I took his hand and he pulled me to

the aching and swelling

stared down at my feet and shifted my weight from one foot

I feel a lot better,"I

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

know a secret

surprised by all the things I could tell

at me and led me off the main road.We looped around to a side

It barely looked used.

on it and when we got to the edge of the capital, I noticed there weren't any guards on this

inside, I'm going to work on securing a vessel that will give us safe passage,"

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

be spotted." He glanced over

should we

where we could meet up once he had our travel arrangements

be seen," I said, hugging Jared's neck quickly before we parted

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

This was different, though.

and there

were filled with

were packed full

a heavy military presence

royal army hung around on

were clearly there

got wind of Aeris' plans? Was he already putting his own defenses in place? While waiting for Jared, I snuck to a place where I

to warn her about what was going on

about it, but I really didn't want her to be

straight to the coffee shop

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

of them seemed bothered by

and moved around with each other like

shadow stirred

hand on my stomach and tried

shadow was

was running out? Or was I just getting

started and

a sweater on with a hood.He had the hood over his head, keeping

trading vessel.It should give us cover

down and cupped his latte

will it

get as far as Breles.It won't be the most comfortable ride, but it will get us there.There's

should be able to get in touch with my

another sip

would be ideal, but if not, at least we will

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

Jared smiled and nodded.