All Chapters of The Marked Mate of the Lycan King: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

THE SECRET RUNThe night was too long. Every time I closed my eyes, I heard the sound of Demetrius’s voice telling me that love was only for people with a tomorrow. It felt like a stone sitting on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I lay on my small cot in the back of the medical wagon, listening to the world outside.The camp never truly slept. There was always the clank of a guard’s armor, the crackle of a dying fire, or the low murmur of men who were too scared to dream.Just a few more hours, I told myself. Just until the sun touches the trees.I sat up and pulled my cloak around my shoulders. It was cold—the kind of cold that gets into your teeth. I reached under the cot and felt the rough fabric of my travel bag. It was still there."Going somewhere, Esme?"I jumped, nearly knocking over a jar of dried lavender. Kael was standing at the edge of the wagon, his face half-hidden by the shadows of the canvas. He wasn't wearing his helmet, and his hair was a mess. He looked older t

THE SECRET CHAMBERThe air in the belfry was thin and cold. I sat huddled against the Great Bell, listening to the wind howl through the stone arches. Below me, the Citadel was a hive of activity. I could see the flickers of torches moving through the courtyards like angry fireflies."Just breathe, Esme," I whispered to myself. My voice sounded small against the stone. "Just breathe."I reached into my tunic and pulled out the talisman. It was a heavy silver disc, etched with symbols of a sun and a weeping eye. It felt warm against my skin, almost like it had a heartbeat of its own. Demetrius had given it to me before I left the camp. He hadn't said much, just that it belonged to my family’s line long before the Priests took over.I looked at the silver surface. My reflection was distorted, a smear of mud and pale skin.What if I’m not who they think I am? I wondered. What if I open this door and there’s nothing there but dust?I waited until the moon was directly overhead. The light

THE TWISTED TRUTHThe sun was high now, turning the inside of the tent into a sweltering oven. I didn't care about the heat. I didn't care about the breakfast Demetrius had left for me on the small stool. I was staring at a piece of parchment that looked different from the others. It was thinner, the edges too clean, the ink too dark.I had spent the last few hours comparing the old scrolls—the ones from the King-Healers—with the "Official Prophecy" that Rhys had preached from the pulpit every Sunday of my life.My hands were shaking. I wasn't just tired anymore. I was sick."It’s a lie," I whispered. I stood up, the scroll clutched in my fist. "It's all a damn lie."I walked to the tent flap and threw it open. The bright light blinded me for a second. The camp was a hive of activity. Men were sharpening swords, women were packing crates, and the smell of stew and horse sweat filled the air."Demetrius!" I yelled. I didn't care who heard me. "Demetrius, get over here!"A few soldiers

THE RETURN TRIPThe wind was biting at my face, but I didn't care. We were hours away from the palace walls. The trees here were thick and green, the kind of wild forest I had only dreamed about while sitting in my gold-trimmed room. My heart should have been singing. I was free."We need to move faster, Esmeralda," Kaelen said, looking back over his shoulder. He was the Commander who had risked everything to get me out. "The scouts will find the tracks soon. We need to reach the river before sundown."I stopped walking. My boots sank into the soft mud."Esmeralda?" Kaelen turned around, his brow furrowed. "Why are you stopping? We don't have time to rest.""I can't do it," I whispered. My hands were shaking. I clutched the bag of scrolls against my chest."You're tired. I know. I can carry you for a while," he said, stepping toward me."No, Kaelen. I can't leave him."Kaelen froze. He let out a dry, frustrated laugh. "Leave who? The King? The man who was going to let them kill you on

THE IMPRONSINEMENT The armory smelled like old grease and cold iron. It wasn't a room for people; it was a room for things that kill. They threw me inside, and the heavy door groaned as it shut. I heard the slide of a thick bolt.Clack.I was alone. The only light came from a small, barred slit high up on the wall. It was just enough to see the rows of spears leaning against the stone and the stacks of shields that looked like giant, unblinking eyes.I sat on the floor. The stone was freezing, the cold seeping through my thin clothes and into my bones. I hugged my knees to my chest and tried to stop my teeth from chattering."Think, Esmeralda," I whispered to the empty room. "Don't just sit here and wait for the end. Think."But my mind was a mess. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Rhys’s face. I saw the way he looked at those scrolls—my only hope—and turned them into ash. He was so calm. That was what scared me the most. He didn't hate me because of who I was; he hated me because I