CHAPTER 173: CHAPTER 173 DON’T GO

The silence inside the carriage was loud enough to make my ears ring, and make me want to burst open the door and run out just to breathe.

Damon’s head was still on my shoulder, and I could feel every rise and fall of his breath against my skin. I didn’t know if he was asleep or pretending to be, but either way, he was heavy, and he hadn’t moved once since we left the gates.

Rhydian sat on my other side with his arms folded across his chest, and his eyes were still locked on Damon like he was planning five different ways to throw him off a cliff.

And across from us, the other two were still watching like wolves in a corner. Mr. Four Eyes tapped his knee like he was timing something in his head, and Mr. Green Eyes had leaned back with the most smug expression I’d ever seen in my life.

The horses’ hooves clacked against the cobblestones, steady and rhythmic, but everything else was still. Even the air was suffocating with a feeling of sitting between a thundercloud and a wildfire.

I shifted slightly, trying not to wake Damon. Or maybe I was hoping he would wake up and say something.

And then he did. "I think he’s going to kill me," he muttered without lifting his head.

I turned to him quickly. "You’re awake?"

"Barely," he whispered again, his voice raspier this time. "But I can feel his death stare. He’s trying to burn a hole through my skull."

I looked to my left. Rhydian didn’t deny it, he just tightened his jaw and kept staring ahead.

"Relax," I whispered back. "Nobody’s going to kill anyone."

"I wouldn’t be too sure," Damon added.

"Someone is really doing too much," Mr. Four Eyes said sharply, his eyes fixated on Rhydian. "I don’t know who he is, but he’s acting like a bloody limp vine, leaning on people like a leech."

"Vine?" Damon croaked. "That’s a new one."

But Rhydian didn’t say anything, his expression was as stoic as a rock.

Mr. Green Eyes laughed quietly to himself.

"Don’t laugh," Four Eyes snapped at him. "You’re the one who suggested the knock-out."

"And it worked," Mr. Green Eyes shrugged.

"You all need to stop talking," I cut in before they went off again. "Please.

The silence returned. And I took a deep breath. I was tired. More tired than I thought possible. I’d nearly had a heart attack, been part of a fake kidnapping, carried a full-grown man across the castle, and now I was being stared down by three very unstable males in an enclosed space.

My head dropped slightly as I whispered to no one in particular, "I need a vacation."

By the time we arrived, I was almost certain that my brain had melted into soup.

The carriage came to a slow stop in front of a small stone house, situated between tall trees and thick vines. It looked like a little cabin buried in the woods but I knew it was one of the off-grid safehouses used by the nobles. It wasn’t far from the castle, but far enough to be considered a secret house.

’They must be royals, Mr. Four eyes wasn’t lying.’

I opened the carriage door slowly. The air was cold, and the night felt quieter than before.

"Out," I said softly.

Rhydian stepped out first. Then Mr. Green Eyes. Then Mr. Four Eyes with a scoff, muttered something under his breath that I chose to ignore.

I turned to Damon... he still hadn’t moved.

"Damon," I said gently. "We’re here. Can you walk?"

"I can try," he said, but he didn’t move for another five seconds. Then, slowly, he sat up... or tried to. He groaned and fell on his seat again. "No. Maybe not."

"You’re overdoing this now," Mr. Four Eyes muttered under his breath.

"Shut up, Mr. Four Eyes," I snapped.

"I have a name," he snapped back at me.

"The name suits you well, you should be grateful that her highness took the time to give you a name," Damon added.

"But I prefer my real name... though I rock every name I’m called," Mr. Green Eyes chimed in.

I pressed two fingers to my temple. "One more word from any of you and I swear I’ll throw all of you in the dungeon myself."

That shut them up... for about five seconds.

"I can carry him," Rhydian offered suddenly, stepping toward the carriage again.

"No," Damon said quickly. "She can."

He slid toward the door and leaned on me again like I was some kind of walking support beam. I nearly tipped over.

"I swear you’re heavier than you look," I grunted.

He smirked against my shoulder. "Thank you, princess."

"I wasn’t complimenting you," I snapped. "And stop calling me that."

"I’ll stop when you stop calling Mr.Four Eyes Mr. Four Eyes."

"Over my dead body," I hissed.

"Glad we’re all on the same page," said Mr. Green Eyes as he pushed open the door to the house.

The inside was simple, but clean, with a fireplace in the upper center of the room, a few chairs, and a table in the corner. One hallway led to two bedrooms and a washroom.

I helped Damon to the nearest seat. He groaned again dramatically, like he’d just finished a war.

"You didn’t even fight anyone," I muttered as I bent to check his arm. "You got knocked out like a sack of flour."

"A heavy, charming sack," he said under his breath.

I glared up at him. "I will smack you."

"You already did."

"Good. I’ll do it again."

"Enough with the lovely-dovey act, my eyes are hurting," Mr. Four Eyes said, dropping onto one of the chairs like a sulking cat.

Mr. Green Eyes flopped beside him, clearly enjoying every second of this.

Rhydian stood silently near the door, still watching Damon like he wasn’t sure whether to stab him or ask him what his intentions were.

I exhaled deeply and ran a hand through my hair.

"Princess," Rhydian began, "we have already brought them home, it is time to head back to the castle." His voice was calm but his eyes were sharp as steel.

I looked at Damon, then sighed. ’I have already done the best I could do.’

"Let’s go," I muttered under my breath.

But Damon suddenly grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards him, my leg missed a footing and I crashed into him.

"Please don’t go." He whispered in my ear.