My Fated Mate Can Have Her-Chapter 22: His Departure

Violet

"I leave within the hour," he answered, his voice measured and controlled. I could suddenly feel his eyes on me.

The mate bond pulled at my chest so suddenly that I stiffened. I hated the way he made me feel knowing he and Tow shared the same mindset.

Tow faced him, confused and then she glanced between both of us, a slow understanding dawning on her face.

"Of course," she said, already moving toward the door. "I’ll give you privacy—"

My eyes widened in alarm.

’Don’t leave me with him!’

"No." Kael’s tone was firm. "Stay. This won’t take long."

Tow settled against the wall, her expression carefully neutral, but I caught the confusion in her eyes. She was just as surprised by this as I was.

I slowly looked at him as he took a few steps towards me. I forced myself not to back away. Not to show how much his presence affected me. Or the way my syzygy stirred in response to him.

"I won’t be around for the following month," he addressed me directly. His voice was formal, distant. But a sharp contrast to his eyes. He could have just relayed this message to me through Tow. "Possibly longer."

The information brought me some relief... and added frustration.

"I understand," I kept my voice steady as I answered, momentarily diverting my attention to Tow.

"While I’m gone, you’ll continue training with Tow until I return."

I looked back at him. Was he going to take over when he came back?

As if reading my mind, he confirmed it. "Yes, I will take over from where she left off." Then his voice dropped slightly. "I have made arrangements to ensure your safety during my absence."

My pulse quickened.

His eyes held mine, and there was something dark in them now. Something absolute. "No one will touch you. I have made sure of that."

His words sent a chill down my spine. A strange pleasant sensation rushed through me.

What had he done to make him so sure?

From the corner of my eyes, I noticed a look of shock take over Tow’s face. I could see how much she wanted to speak, but she remained quiet.

"Oh, alright..." I whispered, genuinely lost and surprised.

I didn’t know what else to say, but I felt strange. Maybe he told me personally to show just how serious he was about it?

Without another word, he turned away from me and headed towards the exit.

"Kael." Tow faced him just as he was leaving.

"Have her take a look around the capital. Only within the inner district," he told Tow and I stood there, stunned.

His words seemed to shock Tow too, and just as he left, she turned towards me, apologetically.

"Please hold on a moment," she said before racing after him.

Leaving the door open.

Without giving it a second thought, I moved close to the entrance, straining my ears to listen, and hoping they wouldn’t notice.

But Tow’s voice was faint, very faint as the distance increased.

"Kael, what are you doing? This is going to draw more attention to her..."

As much as I hated Tow’s prejudiced views. She was right.

’But isn’t that fine since no one would harm you?’

Still, what exactly had he done to make sure I would not be mistreated in his absence?

[ - ]

Tow still had not returned, and I had grown tired of waiting.

Even though it had been a while since I sensed Kael leave the premises. I walked out into the hallway. It was silent, and unlike minutes ago, there were fewer people on the floor below.

I walked around, trying to take in the layout of the place. It was completely different from the Alpha lodge back in Shadowpine. The houses there were mostly made of wood, but here, they were merely components of the stone structure. Going down another hallway led me to discover tapestries lining some walls, a few of them depicting battles and strange ceremonies I didn’t recognize.

There were numerous locked doors, and the ones that were open were nearly empty halls. Some windows revealed other parts of the building, and at some point, I began to question just how large the building was.

I pulled away from the window and walked back into the hallway. Three paths stretched in different directions and my head began to ache. I had taken so many turns that I wasn’t entirely sure which way I’d come from.

My heart sank.

I was lost.

I retraced my steps... or tried to. But nearly every corridor and hallway looked the same. The arched doorways, the tapestries, the windows. Had I passed this one already? Or was it different?

I stopped when I turned a corner. There was someone nearby, on this same floor. Their footsteps were deliberate, and sounded as if they were looking for something.

’Wait, since when did my hearing become so sharp?’

Or was it when I tried to listen in to what Tow was saying to Kael.

This was strange.

Tow did not walk like this. Neither did Kael. I couldn’t sense any of them either, not even Ila, so who was this?

I contemplated going to meet them, they could help me find my way back to the hall. But then, how would I even describe it to them, there were other halls here. But what if it was someone like Maren? Or worse, someone like her?

The presence grew closer and I quickly walked towards them. I nearly collided into the figure that turned the corner.

We both jerked back.

The woman looked to be around my age. She wore simple clothes, a fitted dark top and an equally loose dark skirt. Her hair was a faint brown colour I did not even realise existed, and it was tied back in a long braid. She stood still, her dark eyes running over me as if she was looking at something strange.

"I’m lost," I blurted out.

She jumped, her eyes snapping up to meet mine as if she had just come out of a trance.

"Oh! I am so sorry. You must be Violet?" her words came out rushed as she clutched her hand into a fist and against her chest.

She looked a bit crazy at the moment if I was being honest.

"I... yes. Please, who are you?"

She smiled innocently. "I’m Lyra. Madam Tow sent me to show you around the inner district of the capital."