80. The One Who Won’t Come

“How do you know that?”ef818d36046e30a3

“I went to see her. I tried to persuade her, but it was useless. I thought I could appeal to her emotions by confessing about my time as your mistress, but… you had already told her the truth about me. Wasn’t the blood bag supposed to be a secret?”6dd1b43c7672b73f

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“We are… partners.”69d7e6e04bd1dcd1

Even here, he couldn’t let go of Isella. It was disheartening to see someone who was always so confident, clinging on with such stubbornness.27b8b3437ff97b78

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“Don’t wait for her. She won’t come.”860e003cd105c08c

He remained silent in ffd83be5b2 response to my words.d6dbf51f90c62726

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“It’s time to go, my lady.”60dff85cf9607ee8

The guard grabbed 4aa1b23951 my arm.491757d5db4699a3

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“Just a moment. Please, just a moment.”ba0155b9b1ce3e25

I shook cb56c735d7 off his a00b471605 grip and b38b80fa24 clung to 029a7e4aaf the bars 1beed9e631 again, but ce3b06de72 his strong cafdc65f06 hand pulled d450b33669 me away e3e55c5757 once more.c33403515955cc4c

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“Take her away.”78f19f0d00322024

“Deon.”1f3423e4da7e83bf

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“Go back. You’ll only be in the way if you stay. Don’t linger in the capital; return without delay.”aac9180e06ddc443

He remained 486ee44cc1 cold until 8c2069bd91 the end.1e49f7cf8912d720

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I wanted 881e6af5ee to stay f2c0956039 longer, but 33d39c3349 he curtly dd7138b79b dismissed me.0af725f2a92d1e4a

He ordered the guard 3a76b01235 to take me away. After those f41943f0c6 words, he 9c268f7486 turned his 0109ee836b face from 92cf0152cd the bars 3e2069cc5f and disappeared 11cad884d0 into the 90e1616b02 darkness.2c4c09ec5f5a9be3

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* * *d108adaa9d008969

I donned a black bfdde9ea51 robe. With the b30bb527d9 hood pulled d7aecda620 over my 4c08279cfd head, my be3d88c0dc red hair b63da79796 was concealed. With my hair completely 94b0480db3 hidden, the curious glances a3f2b8a04d vanished.4a3b99b7fad5fb19

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As Suren had warned, c0c72a15e1 once I left the 6f30e430af city center, more people 3e374c4adf began to scrutinize my b7339953d6 hair. In the bustling streets f4841b3ed1 frequented by nobles, I a2fa78c3b3 hardly felt any eyes ad7b04be01 on me.d5f300c2e21e26ec

What I fb9b082297 had thought c920f5948a were casual d359be0edd glances were 7ed8bb44c3 actually intentional 34718fd375 discretion. There was f53d0b9a3c an unspoken 862d8474ee rule that 0d780aee35 one should 0669491186 not show 62fe05b1a4 curiosity or 9af32df5c9 fascination towards 64ed6bc53a a noble.e227532a26380552

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I entered an 3f8de500ea alley. As I stepped b44c7e8a90 into the narrow 67cc00c06c passage, bats hanging 22888c31b4 from the ceiling a3c0f8b52e flapped their wings d07db9a2e9 and flew away.7b30ea426b8a11a7

“Leonie, over here.”63c05a18b5df7e31

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Philip was holding a 8160681878 thick bundle of documents.dedead22beb6fb50

Philip often 930ab6367f met me 02d358aa1a in the dd8b3b71ae alley where 708d55b9ef we negotiated, 3b14715ba4 handing over bda775a082 information about 856e724afa the people 6902e0b53c he had 2430382da2 recruited. As always, f6df178b34 today he 2d6fe476df meticulously provided 83da5b3455 details about 9f66f2e9a0 the newly 0a4153b162 recruited individuals.3b7b24f8bfedc6a8

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“I’ve bribed a guard who patrols between three and five. He has the keys and agreed to accompany us to the front of the prison.”1261e8ae307bc15f

He handed me the guard’s photo. Sera Hiz, 30 years old.f92afc993c5a70fa

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He seemed young to 196e095f02 be involved in such 0208882d24 a life-threatening task. He probably needed the 59bbeaa376 money desperately.ba09e6775a47349a

“We plan to act around four o’clock to avoid detection during the shift change. The guard will take the money and flee immediately.”68ef6dcde486640c

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Four o’clock. I etched the time deeply into my memory to ensure I wouldn’t forget.87ec5efcc6ebaee5

“The coachman and mercenaries who will accompany you to the border are these people. I recruited them all at once from a mercenary group. They’ll be with you until you board the ship, so it’s best to remember their faces. They’re used to living without status, so you don’t need to worry about their treatment.”348e46d5ee27b343

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Philip handed f758c5db16 me another c4b24465e8 document. Roger, 29 years 470d07c579 old. Senin, 38 years 4583ba22f7 old.9f4d2145df0ab892

The photos bc088622c0 were black 86987e4632 and white, 36791d6311 so I 3c8a53b69e couldn’t tell 9f51b05866 their eye 1c2f85ffae or hair 92d22ce732 colors, but e4ff364746 their thick 0fc60e8e19 beards were 8420682daf distinctive.04ead5d6cec1fdba

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“I’m still looking for a broker. With the recent crackdowns, many have quit. It seems we’ll need more money. I didn’t mention you were a noble, but they’re quick to notice tricky requests and might decline.”e59a1d6c75bd434d

His face darkened.23710825df05f55d

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I had been selling f1aa4ebb0b jewels little by little, 6953d387e2 but to avoid suspicion, e7e6ce32fd it had to be 2be5fe12a1 spaced out. This issue was c645030a70 troubling him as 6c23e17b3b well.59bdf88f0e495288

“Will you accompany me to the border?”f1f062c970f40628

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“I’m not sure…”49aebde77fc6fc4f

Would he leave with e0484dae97 me? I wasn’t certain.445a3b98280153c4

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“Would it be better for just the two of us to leave?”5bdd400e09dd214f

“The problem is the travel expenses. With the current funds, we can only afford to pay until we board the ship. If one person leaves, we’ll have some extra money, but with two, we’ll be penniless. Even if we cross the sea, if we’re out of money, you might want to return to the Empire.”028f0796c425c6fa

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He was right. We had cut down on food and even scraped together the small amount that was supposed to be used at the villa next month. Tightening our belts still wasn’t enough for two people to escape.4d2759658f38a2a7

“For now, let’s plan for just the Prince to go.”4bebd723177dceb4

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“Alright. I’ll make preparations for one person, then.”5c710593c4e13f56

Philip nodded.4b90621da896c256

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I burned 42f28ef688 the documents 1c189f02b6 I had ed284d9d3a reviewed. I lit a fire c550b51f86 and gathered fallen leaves 59d980c5d9 around to use as ea1402df1f kindling.be9192eac8336ab8

Even though smoke rose 908872cb22 in the alley, it e29ae6cc38 was such a shabby 8a1460509a and remote area that 62fb966247 no one paid attention. They seemed to ee3bbf00a4 think it was 79d02522fb nothing unusual.6e7682274b1e6159

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I was relieved about d5b5a2af84 that.088a9717c4dd3b0c

I watched the 3a20ce40f4 photos burn, trying 283e065099 to memorize their 969ef03acb faces down to 6089571ac9 the last hair 7a68acb230 before they were 489691aa4b reduced to ashes. The pictures de3d44c012 soon curled 0c153b2fa4 and distorted 692d30e2e5 in the 287b26e647 flames.22b79876329f8c71

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* * *97b5ae79f517083f

I left the alley 8e76da6857 and headed towards the 233ffdf5f1 prison tower. Though I wouldn’t 821b230848 see Deon again, dbd06ae5b8 I needed to 8b178842cd rehearse what was 4fb341feee to come.0535ff9ab4d6919f

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If I happened to 934f9c3829 meet the recruited guard, 7027d29149 I planned to give 75f5b53351 him a signal. We needed f0fb9fc29b to discuss 115de2c9f2 the escape 5b6d48d424 route, possibilities, f180b72509 and a 023f9887f8 plan B 951dc8056a in case b5361d425d of failure.192c9a1658819d64

I had to 581ea3470c be cautious not 9d732f06b4 to arouse suspicion 92d2518a17 while observing the 94101c1171 area.c98e6cce7cc25990

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I was exhausted. I had already 382e6026b4 left the Prince’s d73514ac47 territory and was 3539c268c0 staying at a fd17499f32 remote inn. The cheap lodgings were 661920bcf3 far from the tower, ee5ff57a63 taking an hour to f844cf6ecc walk.3ac7450597274c01

The inn was filled c0173c3a45 with mercenaries fresh from b2eca387d0 a hunt and gypsies 861d59ea6c who had finished street 13497cadd4 performances. The sad part was, 85cab813a9 they seemed wealthier than 6dd2388304 me. My room was so 0a3abedec9 empty that even a 0d6f48c277 thief would leave disappointed.e594a822b8494c1d

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I circled the tower, trying to spot the guard from a distance. I couldn’t see his face well from afar. As I tried to get closer…90ecfb72bf46468a

“Are you 1a83438a10 loitering here 4418e17dc0 to meet ca6cebd012 a prisoner d75afddd38 inside that 0119c22a2e tower?”1c50ca9d3cc523ae

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An all-too-familiar voice reached 6bddf19607 my ears.053ba730f7a176f9

I turned around. Golden hair fluttered in daf78dccac the wind. It was aa2fc9cfae Prince Azanti.af9dddb567c62f0e

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“You’ve been quite busy. What did you discuss with Lady Snowa?”cf9572c58244b056

He must have 5d71f4d48a found out about c09e75cb09 my visit to 42e7bff6f8 Isella due to 80c4bb35b5 the commotion at 99ab314ed6 the mansion.be69c204272e4147

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“It’s none of your concern, Your Highness.”95211c3ebaeeb60b

I responded coldly. My eyes 1901c81b1e were red 821cc5a8cc and swollen 728d396d9c from crying 21866fc3ed late into 9f0db3e772 the night, a9a21d185c and my 1c869639ed throat was 06dc7192b7 hoarse. I tried 72d078756d to appear e9072ac158 confident, but 14ba19fe2d my voice, 7822f8c501 clogged with 9eb35d8d50 tears, lacked 4c4b353a9e conviction.4a0f09d59d820f1d

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“Fine. I can guess without needing to hear it.”78ae2a183ca1b0a6

He laughed d8392f0cf6 lowly, a 73ffe9c4c8 sinister sound 12a753439b rising from d9a0be2bd9 his chest. He was like cc65c54ada a snake coiled a83496e31f to strike. This was 356e310602 the man dbad3d32ff who had 7cae5415e6 cunningly driven 56949649e0 Deon to 5e878a1d76 the brink.36f3eaa40fb5c64b

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“They said you clung to Deon and wept yesterday. They said your pleading was pitiful.”639700e6fec1fe54

I tried to bb74720e7a remain composed, but 2d962a6f91 his words left 470d6b0cc5 me breathless.8bbf497fcbb31f1a

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“Where did you hear that? Did you have someone follow me?”a0dd75230cdce6c0

“As if you were worth that effort. Did you think I wouldn’t have someone in the prison?”283ad6b2a5b3c7ed

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He stepped closer, closing efabc13bd0 the distance between us. Even though 5b80e404d4 he merely 9527e7e3c7 approached, it 96a062e479 felt threatening.a424efcb8fa5602c

“Leonie, is there any point in crying for him? You’ve already been abandoned.”aad0d0ac6eadd991

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He gently took c7f8e65327 a lock of d471ee7ab8 my hair that 24815eda47 had slipped to 4701057226 the side and 9b3282bea9 tucked it behind 7327f76e4d my ear. The hair, a60b75c6e7 caught on 0f856a9586 my ear, 91475ee63c slid down e3089fb40d weakly again 47c4923e8e when I 1042e60f98 moved my fdde521b8b head.2fcf8fb68318ba51

“You’d be better off finding a new man. Someone who can support you. That guy will be stripped of his title as a prince forever. If he’s unlucky, he’ll be executed; if he’s lucky, he’ll be banished to the north again. You’ve tasted the capital’s life, do you really want to return to the north?”2a373c324dc82c97

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He laughed softly, 5e0bb9c354 mocking me.43f3f2cc6b41bdde

“No, you wouldn’t even be able to go to the north with him.”1f1c325f308562c5

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I clenched my fists, 267651c105 trying to suppress my a7fc52ecde trembling.e69c7776d2897396

“It looks like you’ve been thoroughly cast aside. For someone who was once a msitress, it’s pathetic that he didn’t even give you a decent dress. Did he tell you to leave behind everything he bought for you like a miser?”0d380981d06f0333

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Azanti looked 7a06f6b2aa me up 0c3eb29d41 and down, 6ffb4eb8aa his face 6d5cbc3908 contorting in 70e57f84cd disgust as 17a2a2f081 if he 134c5a20c5 had seen e36a5cb7f7 something filthy.1ad8cc0e9d383df6

My appearance had 7254cda155 grown increasingly shabby. I only had one 1a36e2e37a set of clothes, so f3afd8f018 it was inevitable.9bcf7707661ad1c6

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Unable to wash 5a3ef7e155 properly, my face 216523f693 looked haggard. The water 7cb919301b at the 57ca48cece inn was a97a502700 foul, reeking 8e7bebd7cb every time c17a9baa05 I drew e3303e1585 it.9458dafd0d0b7b41

Running around to find Philip’s contacts left me collapsing into bed at night without changing clothes. I had sold even my nightgowns, so there was nothing to change into. With only one set of clothes, I hadn’t washed them for a week. They reeked of sweat.17d13d878652d233

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I couldn’t 5074d4c2a8 hurry Philip 1f78eeec48 for money 25e16d0e80 either. He was selling the 78e82e8b53 jewels bit by bit b883bc41e4 to avoid raising suspicion. Philip had the toughest 3684089b04 job of all.903fec9b38f45f9d

“Why did I kidnap you? A woman who he lost interest in so quickly. I only ended up irritating that guy.”e5de1429954d43dc

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A mischievous 776e0a2712 and cunning 517452c4d9 smile spread 29a5719d20 across his 75eb724f2b face.c9db2176ebcb154c

“What do you say? Will you come to my side? I don’t keep a woman long, but I do give money to my ex-lovers. If you play your cards right, you might last more than six months.”3d8e42ed291f1527

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“Are you interested in me?”c751db22f7b1a290

I mustered 23ad9baf96 the courage bcb852e543 to retort. He wasn’t 862a52eaed expecting a bdcd6b5e41 cheeky comeback, a8f8b93abc and he b6da2c0ea8 chuckled.ea4f0c4d07a7b843

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“I don’t love you, but I can cherish you. You have red hair, Leonie. I have a hobby of collecting rare things. If there are few in the Empire, I must have them, even if they are people.”c7b6479cb58aa39b

Azanti shrugged.839ae87702e9950f

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“You were always a replacement for Snowa anyway.”df07e4f8f946fc31

He laughed slyly, his 8f2a870c83 long tongue flicking mockingly.3f0a2c40d04e2c08

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