We rode in tense silence out of Zandel Forest. I cradled the adorable Silverfur pup in my arms, envying its peaceful slumber. Despite my own exhaustion tugging at me, I sat rigid and upright in front of Mikhail, not allowing myself to lean back against him. His coldness over the past week still stung.
The knights flanked us as we rode, and I noticed that their eyes darted about at every rustle and shadow. My mention of the hooded figure must have spooked them, but at least it meant that they believed me about what I saw in there.
We'd been riding hard for quite some time when, finally, the trees thinned, and the castle came into view. I hadn't realized how deep into the woods I'd ventured.
Mikhail swiftly dismounted and reached up to help me down without asking. His presumption irked me further.
I strode inside the castle, fighting the urge to stomp like a petulant child. Behind me, Mikhail barked orders at the knights to search the woods again. Even they seemed reluctant to re-enter that foreboding forest.
" My lady, you're back!" Kat rushed over, draping a shawl over my shoulders and glancing curiously at the pup nestled in my arms.
"Please have a hot bath readied for me," I said, angling toward my chambers. A brisk soak would help clear my head.
"Samara." Mikhail's commanding voice froze me mid-step.
Slowly, I turned to face him, his handsome features set in that infuriatingly stern expression I had only seen used on others.
I met his silver-gray eyes with a defiant lift of my chin, bracing myself for a confrontation.
"We need to talk. Come with me to my study," he ordered, not even phrasing it as a request.
Exhaustion and irritation surged through me.
"I'm tired, filthy, and in no state for conversation. It can wait until I've had a bath."
We locked gazes, a silent battle of wills. The tension crackled between us like an electrical storm. I noticed Mikhail's hands clenching into fists at his sides, the leather of his riding gloves creaking. The surrounding staff shuffled their feet, eyes darting anywhere but at us, knowing they shouldn't witness this but unable to slip away unnoticed.
Mikhail closed the distance between us in two long strides. I tensed, unsure of his intentions. In one swift motion, he plucked the drowsy pup from my arms. I instinctively reached for it, but he stepped back, holding it out of my grasp. Anger flared in my chest. If I lunged for it now, I'd look like a child fighting over a toy.
"After you've cleaned up, you will join me in my study," he stated, his tone brooking no argument.
The arrogance! How dare he order me about like one of his servants?
I opened my mouth to give him a piece of my mind, propriety be damned, but he'd already turned away.
"Pascal, send the raven to Belmont and the others that Samara has returned safely. They can end their search."
Oh no.
My stomach dropped as I realized he had sent out a search party for me. Guilt twisted my insides.
I knew Mikhail was wrong to threaten the staff, isolating me in the process, but my impulsive actions had caused even more trouble. The staff would probably resent me even more now, forced to do extra work because of my foolishness.
I avoided their gazes as I hurried to my room, desperate to escape the suffocating atmosphere.
The warm bath worked wonders, soothing my aching muscles and frayed nerves. I let out a contented sigh as I sank deeper into the scented water, trying to forget, just for a moment, the eerie creature lurking in Zandel Forest and the perplexing mystery of how I'd ended up there again.
As Kat helped me dress afterward, I caught her sneaking curious glances my way, a question clearly on the tip of her tongue.
"Out with it, Kat. What's on your mind?"
She hesitated, then blurted out, "Is it true, my lady? Did you really venture into Zandel Forest alone?"
"I did, but not on purpose. I had no idea the forest was so close to the castle."
Kat's brow furrowed, and I sensed there was more she wasn't telling me.
"What is it now, Kat? I can tell you're holding something back."
She bit her lip, then leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"My lady, Zandel Forest isn't close to the castle at all. It's quite far, actually. About half a day's trek on foot."
I stared at her, shocked. How was that possible? I couldn't have been gone more than a couple of hours.
Kat, seeing my confusion, continued, "There are many rumors about that forest. People say that ancient magic seeped into the very ground during the defeat of the Dark God, Elirius, making it the breeding ground for terrifying creatures. No one goes in there unless they never want to be seen again. Only the Duke and Ducal Knights ever come out after venturing in. You are fortunate."
A shiver ran down my spine. What Kat had said mirrored what Tamlin and Jean had already told me. And it only baffled me more as to how I kept ending up there. I mulled over this as Kat finished helping me dress.
Part of me wanted to crawl into bed and forget this whole bizarre day had ever happened. But I knew Mikhail was waiting for me in his study, and I doubted he'd take kindly to any further delays.
As if on cue, a knock sounded at the door. Kat opened it to reveal Theo clad in a riding cloak. Another pang of guilt shot through me. He must have been part of the search party, too.
"I'm here to escort you to the Duke's study, my lady," he said, his tone formal as ever.
I nodded, steeling myself for the uncomfortable conversation ahead.
The walk to Mikhail's study was tense and silent. I snuck a glance at Theo, trying to gauge his mood, but his face remained impassive.
Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.
"Theo, I'm so sorry for causing trouble today. I never meant for everyone to have to go looking for me."
He glanced at me, his expression softening a fraction.
"You have nothing to apologize for, my lady."
But I did, and I knew it.
"Still, I'm sure everyone was worried. I feel terrible for putting you all through that."
Theo was quiet for a moment, then said, "We were indeed worried, my lady. None more so than the Duke himself."
I swallowed hard, my heart sinking. "Is he very angry with me?"
Theo hesitated as if searching for the right words.
"I've never seen him quite like this before. I don't know if I would call it anger. More like... panic when he heard you had disappeared."
His words hit me like a punch to the gut.
I couldn't wrap my mind around it. But before I could ponder it further, we arrived at the study door, and I knew I couldn't put off this reckoning any longer.
I stepped into Mikhail's study. The silver pup eagerly prancing at my feet momentarily distracted me from the tense atmosphere that clung to the room like a thick fog. Mikhail paced back and forth, his brow furrowed, his jaw clenched tight.
He barely glanced my way as he barked at Theo, "Leave us."
Theo bowed and exited swiftly, the heavy wooden door clicking shut behind him with an ominous thud. And then it was just the two of us, the air practically crackling with the force of Mikhail's restrained fury.
I stood there, my gaze fixed on the puppy as it playfully nipped at my skirts, unable to meet Mikhail's piercing stare. Shame and guilt churned in my gut, warring with the stubborn pride that had led me astray in the first place. I knew I should apologize, but the words stuck in my throat.
Mikhail broke the suffocating silence first, his voice a low, incredulous growl.
"What in the seven hells were you thinking, wandering into Zandel Forest alone? Have you completely taken leave of your senses?"
His accusatory tone sparked the embers of my own anger back to life. My eyes snapped to his, narrowing.
"I only meant to go for a short walk. How was I to know I would stumble into some accursed forest? Perhaps if my gracious host had deigned to warn me of the danger..."
"You should have asked for an escort!" he snapped, cutting me off. "Any one of the staff would have told you of Zandel's danger had you bothered to inquire before traipsing off."
I scoffed, crossing my arms.
"Oh, you mean the same staff you threatened into avoiding me like the plague? Pray tell, Your Grace, who exactly would have agreed to accompany me anywhere when you made it quite clear that the slightest thing to befall me would bring down your wrath upon their heads?"
Mikhail blinked, seemingly taken aback. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't pretend you don't know!" I retorted, my voice shaking with barely contained ire. "Your mandate left me a virtual pariah in the castle. Servants scattered like mice at the mere sight of me for fear they'd be blamed if I so much as sneezed in their presence. And you, oh high and mighty Duke, far too busy to spare even a moment for your lowly guest."
Hot, angry tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them back furiously. Not realizing how hurt I had felt to be ignored by him.
I heard the pup whine as its gaze was between the two of us, upset at us arguing.
Mikhail approached me, his expression softening slightly but still severe.
"It was not my intention to force you into isolation, Samara. I didn't realize my words would be interpreted that way by the staff."
I scoffed, not buying his excuse.
"How could they have possibly misinterpreted your words? Didn't you explicitly warn them?"
Mikhail met my gaze steadily, his silver-gray eyes glinting like steel in the candlelight, with no hint of guilt or shame in them.
"I saw you collapsed twice. My command to the staff was the only thing I could think of to keep you safe."
His tone was infuriatingly reasonable.
I shot him an incredulous look, my temper flaring.
"If you were so worried about my well-being, why didn't you just assign me a 24-hour guard detail?"
To my surprise, a satisfied smirk tugged at his lips.
"An excellent suggestion, especially given your childish antics tonight. Consider it done."
Fury rose in me like a cresting wave; I had not realized he would rise to my taunt.
"Why stop there? It might be easier to lock me in my room!" I spat sarcastically, unable to stop myself.
Mikhail's eyes flashed with frustration, but he did not back down.
"An even better idea. I'm glad we're on the same page."
I opened my mouth to fire back a retort, but a knock at the door interrupted our sparring match. Belmont's voice called from the other side, slightly muffled.
"Mikhail? Is everything alright in there?"
Mikhail and I glared at each other, the tension crackling between us like lightning. The pup whined softly, sensing the charged atmosphere. I took a deep breath, trying to rein in my anger before facing Belmont. This discussion was far from over, but it seemed we'd have to shelve it for now. I couldn't decide if Belmont's timing was a blessing or a curse.
The door handle turned, and I braced myself, plastering on a neutral expression. As Belmont entered, his eyes darted between Mikhail and me, no doubt picking up on the lingering animosity.
Despite the awkward tension in the room, Belmont's lighthearted demeanor remained intact. With a cheerful grin, he strolled over to us, his red curls bouncing with each step.
"Did I interrupt some critical negotiations?" he asked, failing to suppress a knowing smirk.
Mikhail sighed, the usual frosty exterior momentarily melting to reveal a hint of frustration.
"Just a small disagreement," he muttered, rubbing his temples as if trying to ward off an incoming headache.
He glanced at me questioningly, and I could only shrug in response.
"Well, I hope it can wait until after our discussion."
"Discussion? What discussion?" I questioned, my curiosity piqued.
"Well," Belmont started, pulling up a chair and sitting down opposite me. He rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward conspiratorially.
"It's about the upcoming auction."
I listened to Belmont detail the plan.
They wanted to use me as bait at the black market auction in a few days. Whoever was behind the attack would surely bid on me or try to get me no matter what.
"What if they figure out it's all a setup?" I questioned warily once they'd finished their explanation.
"Then we abandon the plan and find another way. Your safety is my… is our utmost concern, Samara," Mikhail assured me, his stern gaze meeting mine.
Belmont leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest as he regarded me with a thoughtful expression.
"We also have a few… contingencies in place."
I glanced between the two brothers, biting my lower lip in apprehension.
"Like what?"
"Like the fact that we've enlisted other familiar faces to ensure the plan runs smoothly," Belmont said, his eyes sparkling.
I raised an eyebrow.
"And who might these people be?"
Belmont flashed me a cryptic grin.
"Now, that would be telling, wouldn't it?" he teased before turning serious again. "But trust me, Samara, the less you know about the rest of the plan now, the better. It's safer that way."
I bristled at his words.
"Safer or easier for you to manipulate as you please?" I couldn't help but retort.
Mikhail's sharp gaze moved between Belmont and me.
"This isn't about manipulation," he interjected firmly. "It's about information control. The fewer details leakable by any of us, the better."
I rolled my eyes at his diplomatic response but kept my mouth shut. What's done was done - they'd laid out their plan without much room for negotiation.
"But what if I mess up?" I questioned after a moment of silence, "If I'm kept in the dark about most of this plan…"
Mikhail's gaze softened as he studied my face. "We won't let anything happen to you, Samara," he promised solemnly.
The sincerity in his voice stirred something within me — a strange mix of frustration and relief.