Chereads / The King's Lost Queen / Chapter 6 - 6.Secret in the Shadows

Chapter 6 - 6.Secret in the Shadows

The narrow streets of the city were bathed in a pale, flickering glow as Faye followed Nikos through the labyrinth of alleys. The air was damp, thick with the smell of rain that threatened to pour any minute. Faye tugged her coat tighter around her body, as if it could shield her from the storm brewing inside her. Each step felt heavier than the last.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, her voice breaking the silence that hung between them like a veil.

Nikos didn't turn to look at her, his pace steady and unhurried, but his tone was clipped. "To a safe house. Alaric's orders."

Faye's jaw tightened at the mention of Alaric. She was trying to distance herself from him, but it seemed no matter how far she ran, his influence followed her like a shadow. She had agreed to leave the hotel, knowing full well it was too dangerous to return, but the last thing she wanted was to walk right back into Alaric's web of control.

"Safe for whom?" she muttered under her breath, knowing full well that in Alaric's world, safety always came at a cost. Nikos didn't respond, but she knew he had heard her. He always did.

The pair rounded a corner, and Nikos stopped in front of a non-descript building. It was old, brick walls covered in graffiti, the kind of place people walked past without noticing. Faye looked up at it, trying to suppress the uneasy feeling gnawing at her insides.

"This is it," Nikos said flatly, gesturing to the door.

She hesitated. "How long am I supposed to stay here?"

"Long enough to make sure Meline and her people lose your trail," Nikos replied, glancing up and down the street. "You're safer here than you are out in the open. They're out for blood, Faye."

She already knew that. The incident at the gala had turned her into a target, and Meline's family wasn't known for mercy. Faye swallowed her fear, keeping her face as unreadable as possible. She wouldn't give Nikos—or Alaric—the satisfaction of knowing how vulnerable she felt.

Nikos stepped forward, holding the door open for her. "Go inside. I'll be nearby, making sure no one follows."

Faye reluctantly moved past him and entered the dimly lit building. The interior was stark, bare concrete walls with minimal furniture—a couch, a table, and a few chairs. It was clear this was a temporary setup, a place meant for hiding, not comfort.

She dropped her bag on the floor and looked around, trying to shake the feeling of being trapped. The twins stirred inside her, a gentle reminder of the stakes she carried, both figuratively and literally. Her hand instinctively rested on her stomach, and a sense of fierce protectiveness rose within her.

Whatever happened, she had to protect them. Even from their father.

Nikos remained silent at the door, his eyes scanning the area outside. She could see the tension in his posture, the way his hand rested lightly on his hip, close to the gun he carried at all times. For a moment, Faye considered trying to escape—leaving the city entirely—but she knew it was a fleeting fantasy. Meline's people were everywhere, and Alaric's reach extended far beyond the city limits.

"I don't need a babysitter," she said after a while, breaking the silence.

Nikos finally turned to look at her, his expression unreadable as always. "You need protection, whether you like it or not."

"And who's protecting me from him?" she shot back, frustration bubbling to the surface. Nikos raised an eyebrow but didn't respond. They both knew who she was talking about.

"You think he's the enemy," Nikos said slowly, as if choosing his words carefully. "But you don't know the full picture. Alaric isn't the only threat you're facing."

"I'm well aware of that," Faye muttered. "But Alaric has his own agenda, and I won't be a part of it."

Nikos studied her for a moment, then glanced away. "He cares about you more than you think."

Faye let out a bitter laugh. "Cares? He's obsessed with me because I remind him of someone else. It's not real."

Nikos didn't respond right away. His silence, as usual, said more than his words ever could. Faye crossed her arms, pacing the length of the room.

"You can believe what you want," Nikos finally said, his voice quieter now. "But when push comes to shove, Alaric will do whatever it takes to protect you. Even from himself."

Faye stopped in her tracks, her chest tightening. She didn't want to hear that, didn't want to believe that there was anything left in Alaric that could be salvaged. But deep down, part of her still remembered the man he had been before his world was shattered. Before grief had turned him into something cold, ruthless.

Before she had fallen for him.

Nikos moved toward the door, clearly sensing the conversation was over. "I'll be outside. Don't leave this room unless I tell you it's safe."

And with that, he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him.

Faye was left alone, the oppressive silence of the safe house pressing down on her. She dropped onto the couch, feeling the exhaustion of the last few days catching up with her. Her body ached, her mind was racing, but she couldn't let herself rest. Not yet.

The twins kicked, a small flutter of movement that made her heart clench. She had to stay strong, for them. No matter what came next, no matter what Alaric or Meline threw at her, she couldn't afford to break. Her children were the only things that mattered now.

But a nagging thought lingered at the edge of her mind. Alaric still didn't know. And when he found out…

Faye shook her head, refusing to let her mind go there. She had enough to worry about without thinking of how Alaric would react to the truth. One crisis at a time.

She stood up and moved to the small window, peering through the heavy curtains at the darkened street below. The city stretched out in front of her, a sprawling maze of lights and shadows. Somewhere out there, her enemies were closing in, and time was running out.

Faye's hand tightened on the windowsill. She couldn't hide forever. Sooner or later, she would have to face the storm that was coming.

And when she did, she would be ready.