The conversation with Sir Martius kept replaying in Davina's head as she went to pack her bag
'Are you keeping anything from me?' That question didn't feel like a question.
It felt like he already had his answer but just wanted confirmation from her.
"Could he have found out already?" She wondered.
Davina knew Sir Martius was a smart man and if he truly had figured out she wasn't a man, then it wouldn't surprise her.
The last thing he told her before leaving kept irking her. "Make sure you return, Dimitri."
Did he think she was going to run away?
Is he aware of her identity?
A million questions kept racing through Davina's mind. The way Martius had said those last words made it seem as though he knew of her thoughts to run away.
'If he knows I'm lying then why let me stay?'
'Why ask me to return?'
She tugged at her hair in frustration, nearly ripping off the wig she had on. "Oh god, what do I do?-"
"Dimitri."
Davina looked up to see Abel approaching her with a satchel hanging across his body. "I see you're ready to leave." She pointed at his bag.
"Yeah." Abel shyly scratched the back of his neck, a habit Davina had begun picking up on instinctively. "Why aren't you packed already? We'll be leaving soon."
"I was just having a conversation with Sir Martius."
"Really? About what?"
Davina could see Abel weirdly staring at the bag she was holding and something told her not to give him any details of her chat with Martius. "Nothing important." She slowly tried to put the bag behind her back without him noticing. "I should also go pack my bag. See you in a bit." She quickly rushed off, giving him no room to ask her any follow-up questions.
There was just something off about Abel that Davina couldn't pinpoint. He seemed like a nice guy at face value but whenever she was around him, she never felt at ease. Her guard was always up.
Ryan was someone who's issues could easily be picked apart. He never hid his problematic side but Abel was different, Davina always felt like he had a dark side to him, ulterior motives for being there.
Then again, who was she to judge? She also had ulterior motives for being there, possibly the worst of them.
"Dimitri."
"What now!" Davina cursed under her breath, feeling frustrated from being called over and over again. "Oh..." She relaxed seeing Evan in the corner. He was the only one in that place who made her feel somewhat relaxed. She could be herself around him, as much as posing as a man allowed her to be.
"I was about to head to the gate when I saw you, why aren't you packed yet?" Evan asked, adjusting the strap of the bag on his shoulder so it wouldn't slip off.
"I just got caught up in something but I'm done now."
"Oh, then is it alright if we leave together? I can wait for you to pack."
"That sounds nice. I'll be right back." Davina rushed off to get her bag packed.
She didn't have much belongings to begin with so it only took a minute or two to get her satchel ready. It took everything in her to avoid making any contact with the men who were staring at her in jealousy, some even anger as she packed. She just kept her head down at all times before rushing out to meet Evan who was waiting for her by the gate.
That moment would mark the first time in two weeks since she saw the outside world not just the court and dorms in the castle.
"I feel free once again," Evan commented, taking in a deep breath to savor the moment.
"Does that mean you find the castle to be a prison?" Davina joked.
"Of course not, it's just much more freeing to live by your own rules and not anyone else's."
Davina couldn't disagree. She too felt a sense of freedom the moment she stepped out of the castle gates. "Where will you go now?" She asked Evan.
"Home. I need to check on my mother. How about you?"
"I'll also head home." Davina lied through her teeth. In truth, she had nowhere to call home or people to call family, she wasn't even sure where to go or who to go to. The only man she considered family probably didn't want anything to do with her anymore.
The two spoke for a bit until they eventually had to part ways before they entered town. Evan made his way home while Davina wandered the streets, going where her legs took her.