King Novel novel Chapter 21

er 21

Chapter 21

The market is alive with noise, but all I can hear is the blood rushing in my ears as I bole through the maze of site, y fixed on the man ahead. Fucking bastard. I’ll get you.

He’s fast–too fast for someone who looks as though they’ve skipped a few meals–t I’m fueled by something durger than adrenaline: anger.

This asshole has been stalking us, and I’m done running.

I dodge a fruit stand, the smell of overripe bananas slapping me in the face, and nearly crash into a vendor pelling for fresh fish. The man darts left, into a narrow alley between two brick buildings. Perfect. hhaed Opphet Exucky when i dost

avoid.

But do I stop? No, because apparently, I have the survival instincts of a drunk squirrel.

The alley smells like damp stone and regret. My boots slap against the uneven ground, the sound echoing as the walls dose in on me. I glance around, my pulse hammering. No sign of him.

Then, like a bad horror movie cliché, he appears behind me.

“Shit!” I whirl around just in time to block a punch aimed at my face. The force of it jars my arms, but I hold steady, shoving him back.

“Who the fuck are you?” I snap, my voice shaking more than I want it to.

He doesn’t answer. His face is a mask of rage, his dark eyes drilling into mine as he lunges. I duck, the air above me whiding as his fist misses my head by inches.

Okay, so he’s strong. But guess what? So am I.

I don’t know where the hell this burst of strength is coming from–adrenaline, maybe? Or something else entirely. But it’s there, and I’m not wasting it.

I grab his arm, twisting it behind his back with a satisfying crack. He grunts, struggling to break free, but I slam him agains the wall, pinning him with my body weight.

“Start talking,” I hiss, my breath hot against his ear. “Why the fuck are you following us?”

He coughs, trying to turn his head to look at me. “You’ll regret hiding him,” he wheezes, his voice raspy but steady. “You don’t know what you’ve done.”

“What the hell does that mean?” My grip tightens, my nails digging into his skin.

He doesn’t answer. Instead, he slams his head back, catching me in the chin. Pain explodes in my jaw, and my grip falters just enough for him to shove me off.

“Coward!” I yell, lunging for him, but he’s already running.

I don’t chase him. My jaw aches, my hands are trembling, and I can’t shake his words. You’ll regret hiding him. You don’t know what you’ve done.

What the hell does he mean? Who is Enoch, really?

I lean against the wall, catching my breath. My mind races with questions I don’t want to answer, but one thought stic. like a splinter–Could Enoch be…?

I push off the wall and step back into the market. The normal chaos of vendors and customers feels jarring after the quiet

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Mar

Chapter 21

intensity of the alley. My gaze falls to a crumpled piece of paper on the ground.

A poster, The same poster Enoch and I saw back then.

The Alpha King’s name stares back at me, regal and commanding even in black and white with the bounty below. I pick it up, my heart thudding. It wouldn’t be possible, right?

But no. That’s crazy. Enoch isn’t… he couldn’t be…

“Taryn!”

I flinch, stuffing the poster into my bag as the coachman storms toward me. His face is flushed, his expression a mix of irritation and disbelief.

“Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting? This is unacceptable!” he barks, gesturing wildly at the carriage.

“Yeah, yeah,” I mutter, waving him off. “Calm your ass down. I’m here, aren’t I?”

He scowls but doesn’t argue as I grab my bags and climb into the carriage. As we pull away, I glance at the poster again, the Alpha King’s face burned into my mind.

Could it be…?

I shake my head, forcing the thought away. Obnoxious. Absolutely fucking obnoxious.

But the doubt lingers, gnawing at me like a wolf with a bone.

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The wheels of the carriage creak to a halt, and I don’t even wait for the coachman’s condescending glare before hopping out. He mutters something under his breath, but I’m too drained to deal with his passive–aggressive bullshit.

Seraphina is already waiting at the door, her face lit up as if she’s been nominated for some humanitarian award. She clasps her hands dramatically, her nails glinting like claws in the sunlight. “Oh, Taryn, you’re back! Did you get everything?”

“Yes, your majesty,” I mutter under my breath, shoving the bags into her outstretched hands.

Her smile falters for a second, but she recovers quickly, pressing her free hand to her chest. “You’re such a dear for taking care of this. Really, I can’t imagine anyone else handling it with such… dedication.”

Fuck you too.

I don’t even dignify that with a response, spinning on my heel before she can add more layers to her faux sympathy.

“Bless her heart,” I hear her say behind me. Gritting my teeth, I head straight for my room where I know Enoch will be.

He’s sitting at the table, staring at a half–eaten apple as if it insulted his ancestors. Thank the heavens he didn’t get into another fight.

His emerald eyes flick up when he senses me, and just like that, my frustration melts.

“Enoch,” I call softly, holding up the brown paper bag. “Look what I got for you.”

His brow furrows in confusion, but he stands and follows me as I set the bag down. I pull out the camera, shiny and new, and watch as curiosity lights up his face.

“It’s called a camera,” I explain, holding it up. “You take pictures with it–freeze moments in time so you can look back

them later.”

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The flash pure off, and tach flinched by Yuks tuloy.

whit, anyway, flipping the camera to w wy o sa is

The plan is pure durende face be cave middays wide and lips pared in surprise. I’m cackling like a

And that’s when i notice.

He’s not laughing. He’s not emiting there’s fron

This hate are clenched–knuckles turning while, his bow be tight, and she’s something dark and havned in his eyes. My laughter dies indenly,

“Enoch?” I say softly, stepping clower, He doesn’t move, was your locked on some lavistole point behind ae

Memorics Shit. This has to be about his memories again, similar to earlier