Junia's pov
I carefully poured water at the root of each flowers. It has been three days after the dinner and I have kept watering the flowers.
Yesterday Ashmaris asked me when I want to take off the bracelet but Ishkara's words kept ringing in my ears. I haven't even hear my father's side of the story before painting him a villain.
What if he is protecting me from my self by sealing my shadows.
What if….
I sighed.
Ashmaris had been good to me, my heart had soften for him but I still can't forget the fact that he killed Solric.
I even asked him to stay when he came that night. He did stay throughout the night, I believed he watched me sleep.
And the kiss we shared wasn't innocent like what I and Solric had shared. It was something else entirely, made me feel weird in good way that made my stomach churned everything I think about it.
I felt like my mind and heart are in battle field. I hate this.
Standing up to my feet I decided to go see Ashmaris, I needed talk to him.
I walked towards his study which was a little opened and I heard voices. Ashmaris and Malrien's. I was about to enter when I heard something that made me stopped halfway.
"Once you mate with her, we will be secured, I hope she agrees to do it soon." Malrien said.
Secured?
What is he talking about?
"After the mating I will make she cast a protective shield on our land" Ashmaris responded.
"I knew you would go and claim her the instant, The shadow borns raised gain" Malrien chuckled. "You were living okay without a mate." Malrien says in a mocking tone
"Shut up" Ashmaris joined with him, it was the first time I heard him laughing out loudly.
I stepped back, Ishkara was right. He wouldn't have come to me if he didn't need me. He needed me to protect his own people.
Tear pricked the back of eyes, I was stupid for thinking that my father's wrong. For forgetting that Ashmaris was the one who had destroy home and killed my husband.
I ran.
I have to leave here soon so I ran to the woman quarters and head straight to Ishkara's chamber.
When entered, she had other ladies from the women with her in chambers. Their head turned to me, they looked at me with disdain.
"Sorry—" I wanted to apologized but Ishkara stopped me.
"It is okay" she said and turned to the other ladies. "I am sorry ladies but Something important just came up." Ishkara's eyes were on me.
The other ladies stood to their footage and bids their goodbye as they made their way out of Ishkara's chamber.
Ishkara lied down on her bed, with her sides as she watched me with a faint smirk on her lips. "So tell me, Lady Junia what brings you here." She asked, I knew she already guessed. She knew what I want, Because she can smell all my emotion.
But I didn't let her get to me, "I want you to help me run away."
Her smirk spread into a wide smile, "Took you long enough for you to come" she sat up. "When do you want to escape?"
"Now" I said blatantly.
"Now?" She chuckles softly, "you are naive, Lady Junia. You can't just run now but you can run at midnight."
"Okay. So what is the plan?" I asked.
"When it midnight, let met at the kitchen area" she said.
"Okay, thank you" I thanked her, I turned to leave. As I reached her door, she said.
"Don't act strangely. He will sense you."
I know she meant with the He.
I didn't turn back to her and I made a promise to myself that he won't catch me, no matter what.
Dinner time came, I had dinner with Ignara, Ashmaris and Malrien. I was quiet they all noticed and asked what happened.
I lied about not feeling well enough and excused myself, I turned around my bed, staring at the ceiling. I kept counting the time, each seconds feel far away from home.
Soon midnight struck, slipped out my chamber with a coat. I reached the kitchen, Ishkara and her maid was already waiting for me.
"Here" Ishkara gave me a small bottle, "That is a perfume, if you wear it. Ashmaris won't be able to track you when he finds you escape" She said.
"Okay" I put the perfume in the pocket of my coat.
she also handed me a map and bag of foods, "My maid will lead you to the border" Ishkara said.
"Thank you so much" I thanked her.
"It is fine, I know what it is to be far from home" she says. "Now go on, you need to be be out of here before dawn."
I nodded, Me and Ishkara's maid rush out through the back door. We had to be sneaky because there were some guards patrolling.
When we reached a sea bank, with a deep forest surrounding us. "We are here my lady." The maid said.
"Am I going through the forest?" I asked.
"Yes, you crossed through the forest and you can start looking at the map for directions" The maids answered.
"Tell Lady Ishkara I said thank you" I whispered, the winds howled and my face blown against my face.
The maid nodded and started walking away. It takes me a lot of time before reaching the entrance of the forest and I felt chills run down my spine.
I brought out the perfume and sprinkled it all over my body. I pulled my coat tighter against my chest and stabled the strap of the leather back on my shoulder.
Then it came to me that I don't even have a lamp but going in there wasn't an option. So I entered the forest, I walked further into the forest.
It was dark and silent. The only thing you can hear is my heart beat and a lot of strange sounds.
I wanted to back out but backing out isn't an option. I needed answers to of this, do I kept going.
After walking for a while, I needed to rest. It was already past my bedtime and I kept yawning.
I started looking for where to sleep but I could barely see in the dark, so started reciting a spell for light.
The light shones right above my right shoulder, I looked around the area and found a small cleared spot. I quickly used my magic to make a makeshift bed out of flowers and logs.
As soon as it is done, I walked groggily over to the it and fell straight to sleep.
Then I heard a low growl.