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

my leg into his lap and pulled my shoe

to work into the tender, aching muscles

could just do that for a few weeks or

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

could relax me as much

sighed, melting into

minutes, he put

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

and held his hand

hand and he pulled me to my

aching

my feet and shifted my weight from one

feel a

we aren't going to get into the capital on the main road.It is far too out in the open.We'll need

know a secret entrance?"I

surprised by all the things I

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

It barely looked used.

and when we got to the edge of the capital, I

a vessel that

you want me to

spotted."

should we

shop where we could meet up once he had our

said, hugging Jared's

around each I other every second,

This was different, though.

and there were

filled with pedestrians and

were packed

a heavy military presence

royal army hung around

were clearly there for protection and

his own defenses in place? While waiting for Jared, I

warn her about what was going on and

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

straight to the coffee shop once the message

I ordered myself a latte and sat out on the patio, sipping my drink and watching people in the capital

them seemed bothered by the presence of the

and moved around with each other like it

stirred and my stomach

my hand on my stomach and

was getting

curse was running out? Or was I just getting weaker? Another

started and

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

us passage out of the capital on a trading vessel.It should give us cover to

and cupped his latte

it take

but it

be able to get in

I took another sip from

ideal, but if not, at least we will be

she

Jared smiled and nodded.