80. The One Who Won’t Come

“How do you know that?”

“I went to see her. I tried to persuade her, but it was useless. I thought I could appeal to her emotions by confessing about my time as your mistress, but… you had already told her the truth about me. Wasn’t the blood bag supposed to be a secret?”

“We are… partners.”

Even here, he couldn’t let go of Isella. It was disheartening to see someone who was always so confident, clinging on with such stubbornness.

“Don’t wait for her. She won’t come.”

He remained silent in response to my words.

“It’s time to go, my lady.”

The guard grabbed my arm.

“Just a moment. Please, just a moment.”

I shook off his grip and clung to the bars again, but his strong hand pulled me away once more.

“Take her away.”

“Deon.”

“Go back. You’ll only be in the way if you stay. Don’t linger in the capital; return without delay.”

He remained cold until the end.

I wanted to stay longer, but he curtly dismissed me.

He ordered the guard to take me away. After those words, he turned his face from the bars and disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

I donned a black robe. With the hood pulled over my head, my red hair was concealed. With my hair completely hidden, the curious glances vanished.

As Suren had warned, once I left the city center, more people began to scrutinize my hair. In the bustling streets frequented by nobles, I hardly felt any eyes on me.

What I had thought were casual glances were actually intentional discretion. There was an unspoken rule that one should not show curiosity or fascination towards a noble.

I entered an alley. As I stepped into the narrow passage, bats hanging from the ceiling flapped their wings and flew away.

“Leonie, over here.”

Philip was holding a thick bundle of documents.

Philip often met me in the alley where we negotiated, handing over information about the people he had recruited. As always, today he meticulously provided details about the newly recruited individuals.

“I’ve bribed a guard who patrols between three and five. He has the keys and agreed to accompany us to the front of the prison.”

He handed me the guard’s photo. Sera Hiz, 30 years old.

He seemed young to be involved in such a life-threatening task. He probably needed the money desperately.

“We plan to act around four o’clock to avoid detection during the shift change. The guard will take the money and flee immediately.”

Four o’clock. I etched the time deeply into my memory to ensure I wouldn’t forget.

“The coachman and mercenaries who will accompany you to the border are these people. I recruited them all at once from a mercenary group. They’ll be with you until you board the ship, so it’s best to remember their faces. They’re used to living without status, so you don’t need to worry about their treatment.”

Philip handed me another document. Roger, 29 years old. Senin, 38 years old.

The photos were black and white, so I couldn’t tell their eye or hair colors, but their thick beards were distinctive.

“I’m still looking for a broker. With the recent crackdowns, many have quit. It seems we’ll need more money. I didn’t mention you were a noble, but they’re quick to notice tricky requests and might decline.”

His face darkened.

I had been selling jewels little by little, but to avoid suspicion, it had to be spaced out. This issue was troubling him as well.

“Will you accompany me to the border?”

“I’m not sure…”

Would he leave with me? I wasn’t certain.

“Would it be better for just the two of us to leave?”

“The problem is the travel expenses. With the current funds, we can only afford to pay until we board the ship. If one person leaves, we’ll have some extra money, but with two, we’ll be penniless. Even if we cross the sea, if we’re out of money, you might want to return to the Empire.”

He was right. We had cut down on food and even scraped together the small amount that was supposed to be used at the villa next month. Tightening our belts still wasn’t enough for two people to escape.

“For now, let’s plan for just the Prince to go.”

“Alright. I’ll make preparations for one person, then.”

Philip nodded.

I burned the documents I had reviewed. I lit a fire and gathered fallen leaves around to use as kindling.

Even though smoke rose in the alley, it was such a shabby and remote area that no one paid attention. They seemed to think it was nothing unusual.

I was relieved about that.

I watched the photos burn, trying to memorize their faces down to the last hair before they were reduced to ashes. The pictures soon curled and distorted in the flames.

* * *

I left the alley and headed towards the prison tower. Though I wouldn’t see Deon again, I needed to rehearse what was to come.

If I happened to meet the recruited guard, I planned to give him a signal. We needed to discuss the escape route, possibilities, and a plan B in case of failure.

I had to be cautious not to arouse suspicion while observing the area.

I was exhausted. I had already left the Prince’s territory and was staying at a remote inn. The cheap lodgings were far from the tower, taking an hour to walk.

The inn was filled with mercenaries fresh from a hunt and gypsies who had finished street performances. The sad part was, they seemed wealthier than me. My room was so empty that even a thief would leave disappointed.

I circled the tower, trying to spot the guard from a distance. I couldn’t see his face well from afar. As I tried to get closer…

“Are you loitering here to meet a prisoner inside that tower?”

An all-too-familiar voice reached my ears.

I turned around. Golden hair fluttered in the wind. It was Prince Azanti.

“You’ve been quite busy. What did you discuss with Lady Snowa?”

He must have found out about my visit to Isella due to the commotion at the mansion.

“It’s none of your concern, Your Highness.”

I responded coldly. My eyes were red and swollen from crying late into the night, and my throat was hoarse. I tried to appear confident, but my voice, clogged with tears, lacked conviction.

“Fine. I can guess without needing to hear it.”

He laughed lowly, a sinister sound rising from his chest. He was like a snake coiled to strike. This was the man who had cunningly driven Deon to the brink.

“They said you clung to Deon and wept yesterday. They said your pleading was pitiful.”

I tried to remain composed, but his words left me breathless.

“Where did you hear that? Did you have someone follow me?”

“As if you were worth that effort. Did you think I wouldn’t have someone in the prison?”

He stepped closer, closing the distance between us. Even though he merely approached, it felt threatening.

“Leonie, is there any point in crying for him? You’ve already been abandoned.”

He gently took a lock of my hair that had slipped to the side and tucked it behind my ear. The hair, caught on my ear, slid down weakly again when I moved my head.

“You’d be better off finding a new man. Someone who can support you. That guy will be stripped of his title as a prince forever. If he’s unlucky, he’ll be executed; if he’s lucky, he’ll be banished to the north again. You’ve tasted the capital’s life, do you really want to return to the north?”

He laughed softly, mocking me.

“No, you wouldn’t even be able to go to the north with him.”

I clenched my fists, trying to suppress my trembling.

“It looks like you’ve been thoroughly cast aside. For someone who was once a msitress, it’s pathetic that he didn’t even give you a decent dress. Did he tell you to leave behind everything he bought for you like a miser?”

Azanti looked me up and down, his face contorting in disgust as if he had seen something filthy.

My appearance had grown increasingly shabby. I only had one set of clothes, so it was inevitable.

Unable to wash properly, my face looked haggard. The water at the inn was foul, reeking every time I drew it.

Running around to find Philip’s contacts left me collapsing into bed at night without changing clothes. I had sold even my nightgowns, so there was nothing to change into. With only one set of clothes, I hadn’t washed them for a week. They reeked of sweat.

I couldn’t hurry Philip for money either. He was selling the jewels bit by bit to avoid raising suspicion. Philip had the toughest job of all.

“Why did I kidnap you? A woman who he lost interest in so quickly. I only ended up irritating that guy.”

A mischievous and cunning smile spread across his face.

“What do you say? Will you come to my side? I don’t keep a woman long, but I do give money to my ex-lovers. If you play your cards right, you might last more than six months.”

“Are you interested in me?”

I mustered the courage to retort. He wasn’t expecting a cheeky comeback, and he chuckled.

“I don’t love you, but I can cherish you. You have red hair, Leonie. I have a hobby of collecting rare things. If there are few in the Empire, I must have them, even if they are people.”

Azanti shrugged.

“You were always a replacement for Snowa anyway.”

He laughed slyly, his long tongue flicking mockingly.