Chapter 86
IX. Reunion
Bonita’s eyes were blindfolded, and her hands were tied behind her back, making escape or resistance impossible. Although she had been bound before, it was nothing like the times in Teshiel’s bedroom or office. Trembling with fear, she had no choice but to hastily move her feet as she was roughly pulled along. Unable to see, whenever she tripped on something, she was kicked a few times amidst curses before being yanked back to her feet and dragged forward again.
She realized their destination only after walking through what felt like a maze for quite some time.
“Only you are granted an audience,” an unfamiliar voice said.
Lucas responded, “Understood. Wait here for a bit. I’ll return after meeting His Majesty.”
There was the sound of a door opening, and Lucas’s footsteps faded in that direction.
Mikhail, who had been holding onto Bonita, yanked her arm down, causing her to fall onto something soft.
“You heard that. We wait here.”
She had been placed on what felt like a long chair or sofa, and the weight next to her dipped as someone sat down. It must have been Mikhail, stationed beside her as a guard. She also heard the others sitting down nearby. For a while, no one spoke.
An audience… His Majesty… There was no doubt where they were now. They were in the imperial palace. How had she ended up here, and what would happen to her next?
‘They won’t kill me,’ she reassured herself. They couldn’t. She had value as a hostage, after all. Though she was relieved to some degree that her life might be spared, the reason for it filled her with dread.
‘Teshiel… He will come for me.’
There was no way Teshiel would tolerate her absence. She had experienced firsthand how he reacted just days ago when he mistakenly thought she had run away. Now that he knew she had been kidnapped, it was only a matter of time before he came to find her. Bonita bit her lip gently in anticipation.
‘I hope he doesn’t come. Please…’
She was deep in the heart of enemy territory. She was being used as bait to lure Teshiel into a trap, and the thought of that was unbearable. The image of Teshiel, when he returned after fighting the dragon, flashed before her eyes—his shoulder soaked in blood, his shirt inside stained with dried marks of the battle. At least the dragon’s lair hadn’t been far from the Demon King’s castle, so he could return and heal quickly.
But the empire was vast, and the imperial palace was at its center. How many blades would he face while making his way here? Even if he managed to rescue her, how would he avoid the countless arrows aimed at his back on their way out? If the injury was worse than just a bleeding shoulder…
A chill ran down her spine.
‘If only I weren’t pregnant.’
If she hadn’t been, Lucas wouldn’t have brought her to the palace. He might have taken out his anger on her, but after that, she could have been freed. Or perhaps killed, but even that would have been better than becoming the bait to draw Teshiel into this trap.
The cloth covering her eyes was slowly becoming damp. She didn’t want to cry, but the tears kept coming.
‘Teshiel… Teshiel…’
As much as she wished he wouldn’t come, wouldn’t risk himself for her, Bonita couldn’t help but desperately long to see him. Silently, she repeated his name, her tears falling as she clung to the hope that this nightmare might end.
‘Maybe I’m not pregnant. Perhaps Sophitia was just trying to protect me. If I’m not pregnant, maybe I’m nothing to Teshiel after all…’
She spoke in a cracked voice.
“I need to go to the bathroom.”
“Of all times… Just hold it.”
Bonita pleaded desperately in response to Mikhail’s irritated voice.
“Please, just for a moment. I really need to go, it’ll only take a minute…”
“I’ll take her,” Sophitia said, predictably, as she grabbed Bonita’s wrist and guided her. The bathroom must have been nearby, as they didn’t walk far.
“We’re here. Sorry, but I can’t untie you, so behave,” Sophitia said as she began to lift Bonita’s dress. Just then, Bonita spoke softly.
“The bathroom is fine. Actually, I wanted to ask you something.”
“…What is it?”
Bonita directed her voice toward where she thought Sophitia stood.
“Am I really pregnant?”
Discussion
0 CommentsReactions
No comments yet.