Eva's POV"I’ll still have to face the council for breaking you out of there… but that’s not important right now. You’re what matters.”"Most importantly, your father... Your entire family might freak out that I'm bringing you home this way but I can totally deal with it." He muttered and I chuckled dryly. He was right, but this is our final shot.I watched as he climbed down from the carriage and reached up for me, he scooped me into his arms like I weighed nothing, even though I knew I must’ve felt like a bag of stones from how stiff and unresponsive I’d been. His warmth wrapped around me like a shield, and I leaned into him involuntarily, inhaling the faint scent of his skin.As soon as we approached the house gate, the two guards stationed there stiffened instantly. One of them squinted, and when he recognized Nicklaus, his mouth dropped open."Nicklaus?” he muttered in disbelief.It sounded weird hearing them call him by his name, I had become used to him being the prince back a
Eva's POV.The wind blew at us as Nicklaus carried me through the woods. I blinked against the branches above us, my body still weak, but I refused to close my eyes completely. My head rested against his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat anchoring me to the moment.guilt clawed at me as he held me tightly and continued running without breaking any sweat."You can let me walk now Nicklaus, you've carried me a little too long,” I whispered, even though we both knew I couldn’t.“No you won't,” he murmured, his voice rigid as he continued running. "I will carry you to safety, myself.”“Where are we going?” I asked, tightening my fingers around the fabric of his coat.“To a place where they can’t get to you, at least until everything is over.That was all I needed to hear. His certainty warmed my heart greatly, and though exhaustion tugged at the corners of my mind, I forced myself to stay alert. I didn’t want to miss a single thing. Then I saw a carriage at close by distance , ba
Eva's POV.I had lost count of time. Hours? A full day? Maybe more? I wasn’t even sure anymore.My body ached all over from sitting on the cold, unfeeling floor of this godforsaken dungeon. My back hurt from leaning against the damp stone wall, my arms trembled from how long they'd been wrapped around my knees, and my eyes… gods, they were swollen and burning from crying more than I ever had in my life.I had tried to be strong at first. Told myself I wouldn’t cry. That it would all be sorted out in no time, that this had to be a mistake. I was the future queen for crying out loud.But I was wrong.I wasn’t even given the decency of an explanation. Just rough hands dragging me to this god-damned place. Tears welled again as that realization came crashing into me, harder this time. What the hell did I even do? Who could hate me enough to do this? I’d never stepped on anyone intentionally, I couldn’t stop asking myself why... over and over until the question couldn't make it out anymor
Eva's POV. The coldness of the floor was nothing compared to the coldness that settled in my chest.I wrapped my arms around myself, trying not to let the tears fall, but they came anyway, rolling helplessly. My once regal dress was still smeared with blood... blood of wolves I had never even seen before, let alone harmed. My fingers trembled as I brushed strands of hair from my face, and I looked around the dungeon cell.Cracky and videos. This isn't a place for just anyone… it is for criminals, and I'm not one.But here I am, alone and falsely accused.I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping that when I opened them again, I’d find myself back home, in my room, in Nicklaus’s arms, getting ready for the ceremony. But when I opened them, I was still surrounded by iron bars, moldy walls, and silence.No, not total silence this time. There was a low chuckle… then louder… then a shriek of laughter echoed from the cell next to mine.My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach.I didn’t need
Eva's POV.My chest was heaving as the crowd closed in around me, their faces filled with suspicion and anger. I didn’t know what to do, where to run. The whispers were too loud, the accusing eyes pricking my skin. Suddenly, I sighted him.Nicklaus.He was pushing through the crowd with a furious scowl, his eyes scanned the chaos until they landed on me, and for the first time since the nightmare began, I felt the tiniest glimmer of relief.“Nicklaus!” My voice cracked as I ran toward him, my blood-soaked gown dragging heavily on the floor.He caught me before I could fall, his strong arms closing around me with a force that made me break down completely. I buried my face against his chest, trembling uncontrollably as he held me tight.“It’s okay,” he murmured softly, one hand cradling the back of my head. “You’re safe now, Eva. I’m here. You’re safe.”I clung to him like my life depended on it, letting the familiar warmth of his embrace push back the cold terror threatening to swall
Nicklaus's legs twitched as he gripped the reins of the carriage, the wind whipping through his hair as the horses galloped toward the estate. He was furious.He had been deep in a meeting finalizing some last-minute details for the mating ceremony when his guards came in, informing him that Aragorn was causing havoc in the training hall. That man was reckless at the best of times, but tonight of all nights? The very thought made his blood pressure spike.“Damn it, Aragorn,” he muttered under his breath as the carriage turned up the long driveway leading to his house. “You had to pick tonight, didn’t you?”The entire trip back, he could think of only one thing: Eva.She was probably pacing the room by now, wondering why he was late. He could already imagine the disappointment on her face, he’d promised her they’d go to the grand hall together, and he had broken that promise.“She's going to be so mad,” he murmured to himself, forcing his shoulders to relax. The carriage screeched to