Sophie's POV
The morning light hit the stone floor. I woke up. My heart was heavy. I reached for my bedside table.
My hand met cold wood instead of my phone. The realization hit me again. My phone was gone. The Ledger was gone.
I sat up. I forced myself to move. Grief is a luxury I cannot afford here. I had work to do.
I needed fresh ingredients. The palace stores only had dried meats and grains. I needed vibrant flavors of the earth. I needed herbs and spices that hadn't been seen in this season.
I got ready quickly. I tied my hair back. I smoothed my apron. I headed straight for the Alpha's wing. I needed permission to leave the grounds.
I found Alaric near the courtyard. He looked restless. His eyes were dark. Probably from lack of sleep.
When I told him I was heading out. To go get the fresh ingredients. His posture changed. He straightened up. His golden eyes scanned the perimeter.
"I will see you off." Alaric said firmly.
"And I will assign someone for your protection."
He followed me to the palace gates. The stone archway felt like a boundary. Between the world and a prison.
He signaled to Cassian.
"Follow her." Alaric commanded.
"Ensure her safety above all else."
Cassian nodded.
We began walking away from the gates. I heard the crunch of gravel behind us.
I looked back and saw Alaric talking to Roland, the Chief Guard. They thought they were speaking in whispers. But the morning air carries sound well.
"Do they look like a couple to you, Roland?" Alaric asked.
I stiffened.
I kept walking. But I strained my ears. Roland sounded confused.
"The Chef and Cassian, Sire? They look like a girl and her guard."
"They look too close." Alaric grumbled.
"I am going to change my attire. I am following them."
"Your Majesty!" Roland's voice rose in a warning.
"At this point, everywhere is dangerous. The Alpha King should not be roaming about the public squares."
"What do you mean by that?" Alaric sound offended.
"Are you telling me I am roaming? I am securing my interests."
I couldn't hear the rest.
Their voices faded as Cassian and I cornered the outer wall.
I looked at Cassian. He was grinning.
"The Alpha King will follow us in disguise." Cassian said.
"That is a lie." I replied. I rolled my eyes.
"He was joking. He has a kingdom to run."
"I know Alaric." Cassian said.
"You will see."
We walked in silence for some minutes. The path to the market was in sight.
"Why do you want to go home so badly Sophie?" Cassian asked suddenly.
"I want my normal life back." I said.
My voice was caught in my throat.
"Here it feels like dying is an everyday meal. Every day is a new threat. Every person is a potential enemy."
"You shouldn't think of leaving." Cassian said.
He nudged my shoulder.
"The Alpha King is falling for you. You might become the next Luna. Imagine that. A girl from nowhere wearing the Blackwood crown."
My stomach flipped.
I felt heat rush through my cheeks.
"Alpha Alaric doesn't like me to that extent." I argued.
"I am just a chef who keeps him fed."
Cassian made a gesture with his nose. It was a clear sign of disbelief.
He turned his head. His eyes searching the crowds of people gathering near the market entrance.
"You won't believe he is here." Cassian muttered.
"Who?" I asked.
"Just look back." He said.
I turned around.
Standing right in front of me was Thomas the Jester.
He wasn't wearing his colorful bells. He was dressed in plain dark clothes. But I recognized his face instantly.
"The man who deceived me about going home." I said. I narrowed my eyes at him.
"I was doing my job Chief Royal Chef." Thomas said with a small bow.
I saw a figure standing behind him. A tall man in a heavy hooded cloak. The hood was pulled low. But the jawline was unmistakable.
Cassian laughed.
"I told you. I know him so well."
Alaric scoffed. He pulled his hood back just an inch.
Cassian faced him. His hands on his hips.
"What are you doing in a disguise Alaric?" Cassian asked.
"The Alpha King is not supposed to be out of the palace at such a delicate time."
"That is exactly why you have to return to the palace." Alaric responded.
"You must ensure everything is in place. I am after the interest of the Kingdom I am not 'roaming,' Cassian."
"The elders will ask for you." Cassian warned.
"They will gather for the morning assembly soon."
"Take care of it." Alaric said dismissively.
"But you cannot go into an open place like this." Cassian pressed.
"I have Thomas and Roland here with me." Alaric said.
He gestured to the shadows where the Chief Guard stood in plain clothes.
"What more do I need?"
Before Cassian could argue further. Alaric grabbed my hand. His grip was warm and firm. He started walking. He pulled me along with him.
"Your Majesty!" Cassian whispered harshly from behind us.
Alaric did not look back. He kept moving.
Soon, the crowd swallowed us. Cassian was gone. He had likely returned to the palace to cover for the King.
Thomas and Roland trailed several paces behind us like silent ghosts.
We entered the heart of the market.
It was a chaotic mix of smells and sounds. I saw a stall selling small brass trinkets.
My eyes caught on an accessory. It was a bronze clasp shaped like a twisting vine. It looked exactly like the one depicted on the cover of the Ledger of Satiety.
I stopped. I picked it up. My fingers traced the cold metal.
"Do you like it?" Alaric asked.
He leaned down. His breath warm against my ear.
"No." I said.
I put it back.
"It just looks like something I have seen before."
We moved to the produce section. I began selecting herbs. I found wild rosemary. Garlic bulbs. Leafy greens.
Alaric watched me work.
"The jester will stay with you for protection." Alaric said.
"I must go with the Chief Guard to get a few things. Do not move from this area."
Thomas nodded. He stepped closer to me.
"I will be fine." I told Alaric.
He didn't wait for a response. He disappeared with Roland into the throng of people.
I finished gathering my ingredients. I paid the merchant with the coins Alaric had given me.
Five minutes passed. Then ten. Alaric was not back.
"I want to check something nearby." I told Thomas.
"Wait here in case the Alpha returns."
"Alaric said I must stay with you." Thomas argued.
"I am fine." I insisted.
"I am only going a few yards away. To look at the cloth merchants. I am not going far."
I walked away before he could stop me.
I wanted a moment of peace. I wandered through the aisles. I looked at the vibrant dyes. The handmade pottery.
I saw so many things I wanted to buy. I saw life happening around me. It was beautiful and terrifying.
I realized I had stayed away too long. I turned back to return to the spot where I left Thomas. I pushed through a group of traders. I saw Alaric.
He was standing in the center of the square. He looked worried. His hood had fallen back. His eyes were darting frantically across the crowd. Thomas and Roland were nowhere to be seen. They had likely gone to find me.
"Alaric!" I called out.
But my voice was drowned out by a passing wagon.
I started running toward him. I wanted him to see me. I wanted to stop the look of panic on his face. I was already very close. I could see the gold in his eyes as he turned his head.
Suddenly, a sharp force hit me from behind. It was heavy. A calculated blow. My breath left my lungs. My feet went out from under me.
I was heading for the ground.
