Lily held her breath until the figures were no longer there.
The hand over her mouth slowly released, and she turned to see who had saved her. It was a tall young man, his eyes were cold and unfeeling, his features were partially obscured by his black robe.
Who could he be? She thought.
"Thank you," Lily whispered, her voice shaking with gratitude and fear.
He didn't respond or even gave her a glance as he began to move away, his cloak billowing slightly in the moonlight.
"Wait!" Lily called softly, trying to follow him. "Who are you? Why did you help me?"
He didn't bother to stop or look back. "I didn't help you, and my identity is none of your concern," he said tersely, his words were clipped and cold.
"Please, do you know of another way out beside the gate?" Her voice was tinged with desperation.
Despite not knowing this mysterious man, Lily felt deep down that she could trust him. Why else would he save her from being caught? If he wasn't so generous of his kindness to prevent her from such trouble.
Lily silently followed the man, every step he took were heavy, and he was blending into the darkness perfectly. He paused for a brief moment, his tall and broad presence made her feel a twinge of nervousness.
He tilted his head just enough to give her a glimpse of his menacing side figure.
"Stop following me," his voice was tinged with slight irritation.
A wave of fear washed over her. Even if this man seemed to be different from the other people in the palace, he still seemed dangerous. With his black robe and ominous presence, what if he was here to murder someone? Like those paid assassins in dramas sent by an envious noble to kill another nobleman?
Lily felt scared for a moment. Still making sense of her thoughts. In the end, there was nothing she could do about it. She let the man disappeared into the darkness.
She look around to double check her surrounding. Now that she had no one to ask for directions, what is she gonna do now? How else would she get passed through the soldiers guarding the gate?
Nothing was certain beside one thing, she could get caught.
The night was so quiet, everyone was asleep, yet the silence was almost deafening.
Lily felt a wave of panic while hiding behind a bush, she forced herself to stay calm.
Taking a deep breath, she looked around.
"Maybe I just need to wait until they're gone?"
There was no other way out she knows anyway, other than the gate, which is well guarded and secured, full of armored knights.
It's almost been an hour and Lily remained in her place. The guards seemed to be very good at their job because if they only had left and forgotten their duty, Lily might've already made her way out to escape.
Her eyelids were already surrendering in drowsiness. Her upper lashes were almost bracing her lower lashes. She took a peek once again, and they were still there.
Lily stared at the gate, her heart sinking. The guards were still there, standing like statues. There was no way she could escape with them watching so closely. She felt hopeless, thinking she would have to return to her chamber and wait for another chance that might never come.
As she turned to leave, a loud shout echoed through the courtyard. Lily's head snapped back. She saw a group of guards running off in a hurry. Her eyes lit up with hope. Only two knights remained by the gate, deep in conversation.
The wicket was open. This was her chance.
She moved silently, sticking close to the brick wall behind the chattering knights. Each step was careful, measured. She was just a breath away from the wicket when a shout from the distance froze her in place.
"Hey! Over there!" a knight yelled.
The returning guards had spotted her. The two knights near the gate spun around, their eyes locking onto her.
Panic surged through Lily. She bolted, sprinting past the gate with all her might. Her lungs burned, her legs ached, but she kept running.
Just as she thought she was free, more knights appeared outside the palace, forming a circle around her. They closed in, their shouts growing louder.
"Stop! Don't run!"
Lily's heart pounded. There was nowhere to go.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed her arm, yanking her to the side. She stumbled but didn't resist as a figure in a black robe pulled her into the shadows.
"Follow me!" It was an order.
There was a small doubt in her, but maybe it was the never ending knock of fear in her chest that made her trust the stranger. Confused but desperate, Lily followed.
"T-thank you..."
Lily tightly hold onto her chest. Breathing heavily. She almost fell to the ground as she incessantly felt grateful to the stranger who had just saved her.
Right. Who could it be?
Lily looked up the stranger, engulfed in curiosity, "Who are you?" she asked.
Lily watched, her breath still hitching, as the stranger in the black robe began to slowly lower the covering from his head. His presence was intense, almost palpable. His figure was huge, towering over her.
She finally realized.
It was him. The same man who had saved her from being caught eavesdropping in the palace was also the one who had just rescued her from the group of guards.
As the hood fell away, she finally had the right angle to stare at his face. It was partially shadowed, but his eyes were illuminated by the moon. His thick eyebrows and long, dark eyelashes only added to his mysterious, almost ominous presence. His skin was slightly brown, a warm contrast to the cool night, and his nose was well-sculpted, lending a strong, noble quality to his features.
Her gaze traveled down to his lips, crimson and alluring. As he raise his huge hands to slightly mess his hair, Lily remained attentive watching his lips grow even redder as he licked them, panting from their recent escape from the guards.
Each breath he took was heavy. For some reason, even the single drop of sweat trailing down his temple was visible to Lily.
"Are you done?" His deep voice took over the silence, making Lily redeemed herself back to reality.
Her face slowly lit up as she found herself caught in the act. Nevermind the previous troubles she had just successfully dodged from, somehow, Lily felt more guilty and anxious when caught staring at him, as if this moment held more danger to her.
She looked away. Embarrassed, she bit her lips. "Uh-I'm just..."
"How could a noble like you be so careless? Did you truly think it is wise to escape through the palace gate?" Disregarding her words, he brutally began.
"N-no... I just-" Before she could start to protest, her eyes went shock as he start marching towards her.
Lily froze.
Each step he took toward her felt heavy, deliberate. His towering figure seemed to grow larger the closer he came, his shadow swallowing her whole. The air around him was suffocating, and Lily felt her chest tighten.
She instinctively stepped back.
One step.
Two steps.
Until her back hit something rough. She glanced back and realized she was cornered against a tree. He didn't stop. He closed the distance until his presence loomed directly over her.
Lily's breath hitched. Her head tilted up, her eyes barely meeting his dark, penetrating gaze. His sheer size made her feel small—fragile.
He leaned in.
His eyes scanned her face slowly, as if analyzing every inch, every detail. Lily's heartbeat was loud in her ears. The closer he got, the more she could see his features clearly. His face was dark yet undeniably handsome, the kind of beauty that felt dangerous to look at for too long.
And then she noticed it—
A thin scar running across his upper lip. It was faint from afar, but here, this close, it was unmistakable. It almost added to his dangerous charm.
Their eyes locked. Time seemed to stretch.
Then his gaze shifted to her lips before brushing past her ear.
His voice was low, almost like a whisper only meant for her. "A face like yours..." he said slowly, "would be wasted if you became someone's prey."
Lily's eyes widened, a shiver running down her spine.
"But," he continued, his breath grazing her skin, "you're also the perfect prey—careless, unguarded... and far too easy to catch."
His words hit her like a splash of ice water. She understood exactly what he meant. In this palace full of hidden dangers, someone like her could easily be taken advantage of—used, ruined.
Her stomach tightened. A wave of dread crept over her.
He finally pulled his face away, but his eyes still held hers with the same sharp intensity.
"Be careful," he said, his tone firm. "If I were a hunter, I would have targeted you already."
With that, he turned and walked into the shadows, leaving Lily standing frozen, her mouth slightly open, her eyes welling with tears she didn't even notice were forming.
His sudden words still echoed in her ears.
The forest was silent again, except for the faint rustle of leaves. The man's footsteps had already faded.
Slowly, she turned and leaned her back against a tree. Her legs trembled, the weight of the night pressing down on her.
Without a word, she slid down until she was seated on the cold ground. Wrapping her arms tightly around her knees, she rested her forehead against them, closing her eyes.