Deep Watery Trouble

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

~Ariee~

“I'm going to confront them!” She said suddenly and my eyes widbed.

“What?”

She was already walking towards them. “I need to to know what they're doing here.”

Oh goddess! Did she forget that we were supposed to be spying? What is wrong with her?!

I hurried after her, but she seemed to getting faster with each step.

“Excuse me?” She stopped the first woman she came across. The lady stopped, so did the rest of the women behind her.

“Is there a problem?” She asked, voice gentle and almost melodic. They could easily pass as sirens and I would fall for it.

But this made Fiona even angrier.

“There are so many of you, are you part of the King’s harem or something?” Fiona asked and I gasped.

I didn't expect her to be so forward. The women exchanged glances and I was about to apologize to them on her behalf when they burst out laughing.

It wasn't a mocking or cruel laughter. Just giggles and genuine amusement. They were not offended.

“What's so funny?” Fiona demanded. She was not finding this amusing.

“We get that a lot,” the first lady explained patiently, with soft laughter. “I was sure everyone in White Coast already knew who we were.”

“We haven't been around lately. Recently returned,” I inputted quickly before Fiona said something rash. Like she was just a nosy candidate.

“Oh I see,” she nodded at me. Usually when I spoke out of turn, what followed was condescension and mockery. But that wasn't the case here. She looked at me like I was same as everyone else.

And it made me feel… whole.

“We're known as Seikai,” she responded. The confusion on our faces thickened. “I see you don't know what that means. I'll keep it simple. We come from the sacred lineage of priestesses. You know, direct descendants of the goddess and all that stuff.”

My jaw dropped. Did she just nake something so symbolic sound like random gossip?

Her sister or whoever stepped from behind her. “We specialize in all kinds of natural therapies. From physical to spiritual. We're here on contract.”

“With the King?” Fiona asked.

“Sorry I can't disclose that,” the first lady smiled. “But if you need help with anything…” her fingers pushed deep into her basket of flowers and brought out a colourful card. She handed it to Fiona. “Don't hesitate to contact us. For a small f*e of course,” she winked, charmingly.

They resumed walking, leaving us dumbfounded. Fiona stared the card, unsure of how to react.

“At least now we know it's not a harem,” I snorted.

“Do you think they came for the King? This is his private quarters right?” Fiona asked me. I wasn't sure why she assumed I had the answer to that question. “What does he need therapy for?”

Those icy sapphire blue eyes flashed in my mind at that instant and I shivered.

Yup, I do not need to know.

“Can we go back now?” I asked Fiona.

“I want to go in,” came an instant response.

“What?!”

“I want to see for myself.”

“See what?!” Irritation seeped through my voice unconsciously. Fiona glared at me in response and I muttered an apology.

“Just follow me and keep shut!” she snapped and stormed towards the door they came out from.

Everything inside me told me to abandon the crazy girl and save my own skin but I couldn't bring myself to leave her.

What use was saving myself? Her father would skin me alive either way.

I gulped and followed her inside.

“Wow,” Fiona muttered under her breath, her eyes sweeping across the elegant hallway.

The place was… beautiful.

Not in the cold, intimidating way the rest of the palace felt—but soft. Warm. Almost… alive.

The walls were lined with intricate carvings, and every corner held fresh flowers in crystal vases. The air was thick with a sweet, calming scent that made my nerves settle… just a little.

“This doesn’t look like a King’s quarters,” I whispered, glancing around cautiously. “It feels more like a…”

“A sanctuary?” Fiona finished, her brows furrowing slightly.

That only made this worse.

Because a man like the King, someone with that terrifying aura, should not have a place like this. It didn’t match. It didn’t make sense.

“Stop dawdling,” Fiona snapped, already moving deeper inside. “We didn’t come here to admire flowers.”

Right. We came here to die.

I swallowed hard and followed closely behind her, my footsteps as quiet as I could manage. Every little sound echoed in my ears like thunder.

We passed through one hallway… then another.

Still no guards.

Still no servants.

Still no King.

That alone was unsettling.

“His room should be ahead,” Fiona murmured, glancing down at her map before folding it quickly.

I froze.

Room?

As in… bedroom?

“Oh no…” I whispered under my breath. “Lady Fiona, I think we’ve gone far enough…”

She pushed open a large door before I could finish.

My heart nearly jumped out of my throat.

The room was massive.

Dark wood. Tall ceilings. Heavy curtains drawn halfway, letting in just enough light to paint the room in a golden glow. It was neat, way too neat. Not a single thing out of place. Not a single crease on the massive king sized bed.

But he wasn’t there.

Relief flooded me so fast my knees almost gave out.

“He’s not here,” I breathed. “Let’s go. Please.”

Fiona didn’t move. Her eyes slowly scanned the room, thinking of the next outrageous move to make. Then…

“Check the bathroom.”

I blinked. “What?”

“The bathroom,” she repeated, pointing toward a partially open door at the far end. “There’s a scent coming from there.”

I sniffed lightly… and froze.

She was right.

It was stronger there. Sweeter. Almost intoxicating.

“No,” I shook my head immediately, taking a step back. “No, no—YOU go.”

Fiona turned to me with an unimpressed look.

“Why are you acting like a scared rabbit?”

“Because I am one!” I whisper-yelled. “What if he’s in there?!”

“Then we’ll know,” she shrugged.

“Then YOU go know!” I shot back, my voice trembling despite my effort to stay quiet.

She folded her arms.

“Ariee.”

That tone.

I stiffened.

“Go.”

My stomach dropped.

“I…” I hesitated, looking toward the bathroom like it was the entrance to my grave. “…what if he kills me?”

Fiona rolled her eyes.

“He won’t kill you for checking a bathroom. Now move.”

Easy for her to say. She wasn’t the one being sent to her death. And she definitely hasn't seen this man glare at me.

I swallowed hard, my legs feeling like jelly as I slowly crept toward the door.

Each step felt heavier than the last.

My heartbeat pounded so loudly in my ears, I was sure whoever was inside, if anyone was, could hear it.

I gently pushed the door open.

It creaked softly.

I froze.

Waited.

Listened.

Nothing.

“…Hello?” I whispered, immediately regretting it.

Silence.

I stepped inside cautiously.

The bathroom was… enormous. And at the center of it was a bath pool.

Not a tub.

A literal pool carved into the marble floor, filled with water so clear it reflected the ceiling above.

And floating on top of it…

Flowers.

Dozens of them. Maybe hundreds.

Different colors. Different kinds. All spread across the surface like a living painting.

The scent here was overwhelming—sweet, soft, almost hypnotic.

“There’s no one here,” I called out softly, glancing back toward the door where Fiona stood just outside.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yes!” I replied. “There’s just… a bath and flowers.”

I stepped closer to the pool, curiosity getting the better of me.

Who even bathes like this?

I slowly bent down, reaching toward one of the floating flowers.

“They’re real…” I murmured.

My fingers barely brushed the petals, when suddenly…

A head shot up from beneath the water.

I screamed.

Loud. Very loud. My heart practically stopped as icy blue eyes locked onto mine.

The King!

OH GODDESS…

I scrambled backward in pure panic.

“FIONA…!”

My foot slipped.

Everything happened too fast.

The marble edge was wet…

My balance gave way…

And the next thing I knew….

I fell straight into the pool.

The cold water swallowed me whole. My lungs seized instantly. I thrashed violently, panic exploding in my chest.

“I—!”

Water rushed into my mouth.

I couldn’t breathe.

I couldn’t think.

I couldn’t…

I can’t swim.

Oh no.

No no no…

My arms flailed uselessly as I sank deeper, the flowers scattering around me like drifting colors in a nightmare.

This is it.

I’m going to die.