THIRTY

Word Count: 2006

Even with Tai by my side at almost every waking moment of my day, I still can't escape the lingering thoughts that haunt me.

Today I sit out in the garden on a little wooden bench, staring out across the formal lawn, bordered by the forest. As sheltered as this place is, I still get a flutter of nervousness at the idea that Vaia and her rebels could storm in here at any moment. Since leaving their stronghold a week ago, I haven't spent a moment each day not thinking about them.

I've been thinking about Vaia and her plan to have me drink from the Forbidden River. I would surely die, or worse, become some horrifying Tani. And I've been thinking about Marek as well, about whether he was truthful when he told me he still cares about me. Either he has a screwed up idea of caring about me, or he is still trying to manipulate me.

The latter seems more probable.

"You look traumatised," I hear from behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I see Clea and Nakoa approaching, the Noble somewhat warily. I realise my legs are hiked up to my chest, and I'm vacantly staring off into the forest, likely looking crazy.

"I learned a lot going there," I mutter as they come to sit beside me, figuring they already know where I have been gone over the past few days.

I'm still unsure about Nakoa and Clea, although at this point, there is no reason not to trust them. If I trusted Evolet, I can trust these two. They seem to be quite close, and considering I have no friends here, with most lingering around the estate suspicious of me and my previous affiliation with Marek, maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing to let my guard down in front of them.

"How are you and Tai doing?" Clea questions, so blatant in her curiosity I'm shocked into silence for a moment.

"Clea...That's none of our business," Nakoa mutters softly, scolding her best friend. Nakoa is still as beautiful as she was when she wore more luxury, lavish clothing. Her red hair is almost always twisted up into a pretty braided bun, her clothing more plain, her wrists, ears and neck vacant of any jewellery.

"I'm just wondering," Clea says with a shrug, nudging Nakoa's side. She turns her body to face me again. "I think everyone is curious to know whether you're going to make it through this or not."

Does everyone think that I'm so broken from what happened? I know people gossip around here, but I had no idea that's how everyone saw me. Most of them probably are curious about Tai and I's relationship because to them, they have no idea whether it is real or not. And to them, I'm just some girl from a small village in the middle of nowhere, not some groomed, manicured Queen.

Nakoa looks me right in my eyes. "I'm sure you will be a good Queen."

"Thanks Nakoa," I whisper. I wonder if she can tell that's an unspoken insecurity of mine by the look on my face alone. She is engulfed in this world, and she knows better than anyone the kind of pressure that would be on someone in my position.

"She's not going to report anything back to Kailor, by the way. You can tell us anything," Clea assures me, sensing my hesitation. Nakoa must have told Clea that Kailor will take and use any information he gets a hold of against people without mercy.

"Tai and I are good," I admit. Tai has made me feel a level of comfort and security that I haven't felt in a long time. We have spent a good amount of time together, when he's not dealing with his father and the secret plan to take down Vaia. I still know nothing about it, but when Tai tells me not to worry, that I've done my part, I try to listen to him, even though it's not the easiest to do. "I don't know where it is going from here, with everything going on."

"Don't let the fact that Marek betrayed you stop you from falling in love with a guy who is actually good," Clea mutters, leaning forward to pluck a flower from the vine, twirling it between her fingers.

"Clea, that's insensitive," Nakoa hisses again.

Despite my curiosity, I stop myself from asking her how much she knows about Marek and I. Rumours spread quickly, but I'm hoping all they know is that he betrayed me and Tai, and not that he has been communicating with me since. If anyone finds that out, then they truly will think I'm a traitor, and Kailor will have my

"I know, you're right," I admit, looking down at my hands. "But can I really give myself over to him fully with so much at risk?"

I know the moment I want to truly be with Tai, with no other distractions around, he will be invested. Right now, we are close, but with everything going on, I don't want to promise him any future that I'm currently unsure about. Marek and Vaia could kill us any day now.

"That's exactly why you should. I think right now we all need someone to rely on," Clea admit, glancing at Nakoa. I wish it were that easy, to just pretend like everything around us isn't on the brink of collapse.

Just thinking about it is making my head spin, a dizziness settling over me that is only becoming more intense the more I think about this. Even my stomach is starting to hurt. Maybe it isn't good for me to put myself through any more stress. I've been through enough after last week, Tai is probably right about me taking a break, even though the thought of that hurts more than my stomach right now.

I rest my palm against my forehead.. "Maybe...Maybe you're right."

"Are you okay? You're pale," Clea notices, her eyebrows creasing as she rests her hand on my back. I wince, starting to realise that whatever this pain is in my stomach, it's not from stress, but from something else. I try to stand, but the pain brings me back to sitting on the bench again.

"I don't feel very good." I double over, clutching my stomach. The pain has gone from nausea to a sharp pain, like something is digging into my skin, but when I lift my shirt, there is nothing.. "My stomach, it hurts..."

Nakoa gasps, hopping onto her feet. "What's going on?"

Warmth suddenly floods my throat, tasting metallic before I cough it onto the ground, unable to control it. Looking down in horror, I see blood staining the gravel, now dripping down my chin. When I look up at Clea and Nakoa, their eyes are wide and their mouths are hanging open, as horrified and disgusted by the image of me coughing blood onto my feet.

"Go get help, I'll stay here with her," Clea instructs, motioning for Nakoa to come sit by me. I watch Clea run off toward the manor, while Nakoa hesitates, staring at me with a vacant look in her eyes. Does she have a fear of blood? She is looking at me as if she is going to be sick as well.

"I'm going to die," I splutter, spitting more blood onto the ground, the pain in my stomach still dizzyingly intense.

Nakoa finally steps forward, coming to sit beside me. "No Akara, you're not going to die."

"She's out here...She just fell over with blood coming out of her mouth," I hear from behind me. I don't have the ability to turn my body anymore, simply concentrating on not passing out from the pain and not choking on the blood still spilling from my mouth, but i know it's Clea leading help over.

"Have you been wounded?" Cool hands touch my shoulder, a nurse rounding the bench to kneel in front of me. I shake my head, motioning to my stomach, gritting my teeth as waves of pain flow over me. The nurse lifts my shirt, and sure enough, my stomach is clear, aside from my scar from Vaia's knife. The only pain that equates to this is from that night...

"There's no wound, so it must be internal," the nurse mutters, trying not to sound puzzled or concerned that blood is everywhere and all over me. "One of you help me lift her. We need to take her to the medical room."

I don't protest as the nurse and Clea grab me, lifting me up before carrying me out the garden and toward the estate.

The pain only worsens as they carry me, the feeling of blood in my throat making me want to throw up, but I restrain myself, knowing I've already lost so much blood, and if I lose anymore, I may not make it out of this alive, although my pain-muddled brain is already decided that it's unlikely I'll survive this.

"Tai," I hear Clea gasp, struggling to carry me as all of my weight is braced between her and the nurse. "Help us."

I hadn't even realised we are inside now. Looking past Clea's head, I see Tai, who was just walking from the hallway where his office is.

The moment he sees me, covered in my own blood, all the colour drains from his face, a sense of fright seizing him. Unlike Nakoa, he doesn't hesitate, crossing the foyer over to us, looking over me emerald eyes that can't seem to make sense of what they are witnessing.

"What's going on?" he demands."Who attacked her?"

"No one, she's not injured. She complained of pain in her stomach and blood started pouring out of her mouth," Clea explains, stepping back as Tai grabs me instead, pulling me up into his arms. Clea's voice quivers at Tai's sudden presence, and I can't blame her. His tone is firm, like the King that he is.

I let the scent of him invade my senses, dulling some of the pain already. I grip his shoulders with the last of my strength, trying not to let unconsciousness take me. "It hurts Tai..."

"It's okay, you're going to get help." The firmness of his voice vanishes, a softness sweeping over him as he carries me to the infirmary. Part of me wants to keep holding onto him as I'm laid down into the bed, but all my energy has been washed away.

"Have you been poisoned, or has Vaia done anything to you?" Tai questions, ignoring the nurses that suddenly surround us who attempt to bat him away. He grips my hand, the feeling of his skin on mine soothing my panic. Even though I know I may not stand a chance, Tai is by my side, and that's all that matters.

"No, I have no idea what this is," I gasp, knowing my ability to speak is going to leave me soon.

It's written all over Tai's face that he's terrified, that he has no idea what is happening, or what to do about it. He has always been the put-together one, the one who knows how to handle out of control situations, but it's clear he's close to falling apart. I want to assure him I'm okay, but I'm not...

I'm dying.

💗••💗

If you guys want to read ahead, you can read more of KING'S SEDUCTION on Radish! It's chapters ahead of Wattpad (:

You'll will find it under KING'S POSSESSION on Radish, as season 2!

👻••👻

I'm officially rewriting Alpha Jasper's story now on Radish! It will be following the same storyline with the same characters, but with revised scenes and some new ones!

I love Jasper's story so much that I wanted to go back and rewrite it. I hope you guys will enjoy it, you can find it now on Radish (:

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~Midika 💜🐼