Chapter 58: Escape succeful

After a hearty lunch, the three of us were making our way through the hallways. Valeria was still engaged in some story about the ancient history of the palace, her voice animated as she recounted tales of old. Her hands moved dramatically as she described battles and royal intrigues, and her eyes sparkled with the passion of a born storyteller.

I was listening intently, trying to picture the grandiose events she described, but I couldn't help but notice the glint in Seraphina's eye.

She had been unusually quiet since lunch ended, and I could sense her plotting something. Every now and then, she would glance at me with a barely suppressed grin, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Valeria paused for a breath, mid-sentence about a daring escape through the palace tunnels. "And that's when King Alaric..." she started, but before she could continue, Seraphina seized the moment. content-hosted-on-MVLeMpYr

Suddenly, without warning, Seraphina grabbed my hand and tugged me sharply to the side, pulling me into a narrow hallway. I barely had time to process what was happening before we were sprinting down the corridor, her grip firm around my wrist.

"Seraphina! What are you doing?" I whispered urgently, trying to keep up with her pace. My heart was pounding, both from the unexpected exercise and the thrill of whatever plan she had concocted.

"Shh!" she hissed back, a mischievous grin on her face. "Just trust me."

I glanced back over my shoulder to see Valeria still engrossed in her monologue, completely oblivious to our disappearance. Her voice echoed faintly down the corridor, "King Alaric's daring escape was legendary..."

We dashed around a sharp corner, nearly colliding with an ancient suit of armor. Seraphina expertly navigated us through the labyrinthine passages, clearly familiar with every nook and cranny. We passed through a dimly lit gallery, the eyes of ancestral portraits seeming to follow our every move.

"Seraphina, where are we going?" I gasped, struggling to keep my breath steady.

"You'll see," she replied cryptically, her grin widening.

We ducked under a low archway and slipped into a hidden passage behind a tapestry. The narrow corridor was barely wide enough for us to squeeze through side by side. Seraphina's excitement was contagious, and despite my confusion, I couldn't help but feel a thrill of anticipation.

We both froze, our breaths coming in ragged gasps. Seraphina groaned, her forehead dropping to rest against my shoulder.

"Are you kidding me?" she muttered, frustration evident in her tone.

I couldn't help but laugh softly, despite the interruption. "Looks like duty calls," I said, trying to catch my breath.

She lifted her head, looking at me with a mixture of amusement and annoyance. "This isn't over," she said, her voice low and promising.

I smiled and kissed her lightly. "I'll hold you to that."

With a sigh, she got off the bed and retrieved our discarded clothes. We dressed quickly, the air still crackling with the unresolved tension between us. Once we were both presentable, Seraphina unlocked the door and opened it to find a rather impatient servant waiting outside.

"Apologies for the delay," Seraphina said, her tone flat as she tried to mask her irritation. "What's the matter?"

The servant bowed slightly. "The council requests your immediate presence. There are urgent matters to discuss."

"Of course," Seraphina replied, her voice calm and composed. She turned back to me, her eyes softening. "Let's go."

I nodded, and we followed the servant through the hallways, the spell of our private moment broken but not forgotten. As we walked, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of frustration and anticipation. Our encounter had been cut short, but I knew it was only a matter of time before we found ourselves alone again.

Despite the interruption, there was a sense of satisfaction in knowing that Seraphina desired me so intensely. It was a feeling I was slowly becoming addicted to, and I found myself looking forward to the next time we could be together without interruptions.

As we neared the council chambers, I took a deep breath, ready to face whatever awaited us. But in the back of my mind, I couldn't help but replay our intimate moments, feeling a warm glow of anticipation for when we could continue what we had started.