Chapter 81

ISABELLA

As I slumped in the backseat of the getaway car, all I could think about was how quickly my life had turned upside down.

Mere weeks ago I was blindly following around Felix like a puppy dog, desperate for scraps of his attention, knowing deep down that he would never choose me over his Destined Bride. Perhaps that was why I hated Mila so much. She had achieved in days what I had been working towards for years: earning Felix’s love.

And now there was no hope for me and Felix. I had crossed that line a long time ago, but after seeing the look on his face tonight, I realized we were well and truly past the point of no return.

Maybe that was a good thing. I knew that even though the poisoning attempt had been unsuccessful, it still proved my loyalty to Charles. Truth be told, I was in need of some direction in my life. I needed to follow somebody around.

Felix had always taken my loyalty for granted. Charles, at least, appreciated me.

It took almost three hours to reach Charles’ encampment in the mountains. I spent the entire trek frantically checking over my shoulder to see if we were being followed.

I yearned for the look on Felix’s face when he discovered that we had all been hiding under his nose this whole time. He would lose his mind.

Thankfully, we made it to the mountains without being seen. If Felix had sent any dragons to the skies to pursue us, they were woefully in the wrong direction. It was a miracle that I had managed to escape the castle.

As we pulled into the encampment, Charles raced to meet our car.

“Isabella! Are you alright?” he asked as I emerged from the car.

My face flushed. The last time I’d seen Charles, he had been balls-deep in me on the ground of his tent. We had not had the chance to speak since. He looked… concerned. Like he might actually be worried for me.

It was a welcome sight.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” I said, tightening my coat around me. “Felix figured out that I was trying to poison him and didn’t take a sip. Then he tried to have me arrested. I only managed to escape thanks to luck. It was unsuccessful. I am deeply sorry.”

Charles' mouth tipped downwards at my words. “So he is not poisoned? He is still alive?”

“Unfortunately, he did not take a drink,” I said. “He sensed the drink was spiked somehow and exposed my identity.”

I could not tell what Charles was thinking. He paced back and forth for a moment, clearly lost in thought as he pondered this turn of events. I knew, from his perspective, that it would be a lot harder to take the throne if Felix was still alive.

Hard, but not impossible.

“I am sure that they are putting all their time and effort into finding you, though,” I continued. “You must leave Fresonia. The rest of us can find a new base while you gather more troops. There are more people loyal to Felix than I thought.”

Charles hesitated. “Leave by myself? Is that what you are suggesting?”

Was he insinuating that I go with him?

“I think it is safest for you to go on your own,” I said carefully. “That way their resources are split between tracking down me and you. The assassin and the mastermind.”

Charles nodded. “Come into my tent and keep me company while I pack. You seem tense. I can make you relax.”

Now that was definitely an innuendo.

It took all of about two minutes for Charles to lift me onto his desk and kneel before me, moving my bodysuit away so he could lick and suck the sensitive spot between my legs. I tilted my head back and moaned, tugging on his hair as he ran his tongue against me.

“You taste divine, Isabella,” he murmured, the vibrations of his voice sending tingles through my body. I arched into him.

“Don’t stop,” I gasped. He merely laughed.

“You’ve become quite the little asset to my cause,” he said softly, looking up at me from between my legs. “Dare I say that you’ve made yourself indispensable to my army.”

“I do what I can,” I whimpered, grinding into his face. He slid a finger into me and I cried out.

“Let me show you my gratitude,” Charles purred.

And as I arched into him, my body on fire with sensation, all worries and fears about my choices to join his army dissipated. This was what I had been chosen to do.

Unfortunately, Charles really did have to pack, and would not allow me to reciprocate the pleasure. I stared at him as he haphazardly threw things into his dragon-riding pack.

“Where are you going?” I asked, watching him frantically pack.

“My plan is to fly to the Mystic Mountains,” Charles said. “The magic there is strange and wild. It would be incredibly difficult for an army to pursue me there. I have already spoken to Rico about military planning. When the time has come to move on Fresia and take the capital, I will return.”

I studied him for a moment. There was no time to discuss our relationship, or if I even wanted a relationship. Charles was unpredictable, dangerous, unreadable–all things that should make me scared, and yet…

“I swear to you my eternal devotion to the cause of the second sons,” I said softly.

Charles looked at me for a moment, puzzled.

“I promise to never betray you,” I continued. “And to take your secrets to my grave.”

Charles looked at me for a moment, his eyes softening slightly. For a second, I caught a glimmer of the man beneath the bravado–a man with deep-rooted insecurities over his place in the world. Charles had felt overlooked and underappreciated for years, just like me. It was why I had been drawn to him in the first place.

It was also a stark reminder of what we had both lost to get to this point.

“What about me?” Charles asked finally. “Do you swear your loyalty to me?”

“I swear my undying devotion to you, Charles,” I said. And it was true. No matter what happened between me and Charles personally, I would always support his cause. I would never change sides.

Charles nodded once. He understood.

“My queen,” he said smoothly, “you have become a greater asset to our cause than I originally imagined you would be. You are going to be a great help in this coup.”

“What am I to do while you are away?” I asked quietly.

“Rico will give you your instructions. My thought is that we could use you as a spy. People rarely suspect a woman.”

He made a good point. And I could be a great spy. From all my time in the castle, I knew the secret entrances and exits, as well as the places in Fresia that royalty and visiting royalty liked to frequent. There were many ways for me to gather information.

“I’ll do it. Whatever it takes,” I agreed.

“Do not try to send word,” Charles said, lacing up his boots. “No one can know where I am.”

“Fly safe,” I managed.

And with that, Charles strode out of the tent.