CHAPTER 174: CHAPTER 174 CONFLICT

His words made my heart soften for him to the extent that I wanted to stay.

But the image of my furious uncle snapped that illusion from my head.

I tried to pull back, to create some distance, but Damon’s arms only tightened around me. His grip was oddly firm for someone who claimed to be too weak to walk on his own.

"If you leave," he whispered miserably, his voice cracking with weakness, "they’ll kill me. Especially Mr. Four Eyes... he looks like the type who would rip my throat out."

I blinked, then looked toward the two lounging on the chairs. Mr. Green Eyes was tossing a piece of dried fruit in the air and catching it in his mouth. Mr. Four Eyes stared straight ahead, picking at his sleeve like this entire situation was beneath him. Neither of them looked even remotely interested in murder.

"Don’t be dramatic," I muttered.

But he doubled down.

"They hate me," he whispered louder, his cheek brushing against my neck like he was about to wither away. "They’ll finish me off the second you leave. I’m already seeing the light of the afterlife."

"Oh, for..." Rhydian stepped forward in two long strides and gripped my arm. His fingers curled around my wrist as he pulled me back from Damon’s grasp. "We’re leaving. Now."

His voice was ice, and his glare was even colder. "You’re a princess. You shouldn’t be clinging to strange men like this, you know better."

"I wasn’t..." I began, but Damon cut me off.

His hand shot up and latched onto my other wrist, tugging me back toward him with just enough desperation to make it convincing.

"You shouldn’t touch her," he said darkly, his voice suddenly hoarse with something far less fragile. "You’re a man, this is inappropriate."

Rhydian’s jaw clenched like he was trying to control his anger.

"And what exactly do you think you’re doing?" He snapped back, his hand tightening around me.

"I’m protecting her," Damon replied, his fingers still curled gently around my skin. "From wolves dressed like knights."

And that was it.

The tug-of-war began, one on either side, pulling me like I was some ancient artifact they’d both claimed first.

My shoulder jolted back. Then forward. Then back again.

I lost it. "Let go of me!" I screamed, jerking both arms down hard. "Right now! Both of you!"

They froze for a second. I yanked my hands free and took one big step back, breathing hard.

’I can’t believe I was seconds away from being torn apart... that is really scary.’

Damon clutched his chest like I’d stabbed him with a blade. "I was just... trying to survive," he whimpered, his voice full of broken innocence. "I thought you were different. I thought you were the only one who ever listened to me. The only one who ever cared..."

His head dropped forward, and he curled into himself like a dying flower. The dramatics were so over the top that even Mr. Four Eyes let out a low snort.

My shoulders slumped. My mouth opened but I shut it close, then I opened it again as guilt started to crawl its way up my spine.

"I... I didn’t mean to yell at you," I said quietly, reaching out to pat his shoulder. "But I’ve already brought you here. You’re safe now, I have to go back."

Damon didn’t lift his head. He groaned and nodded slowly, like the idea physically wounded him.

"You are falling for it," Rhydian said bitterly behind me. "Can’t you see he is manipulating you?"

"Maybe. But even if he is, it’s not your place to decide that."

He opened his mouth to argue, but Mr. Green Eyes popped another fruit in his mouth and said lazily, "This is better than theatre."

Mr. Four Eyes nodded, still lounging on the chair, "They should charge admission."

The silence stretched after Mr. Four Eyes’ comment, broken only by the soft rustle of dried fruit wrappers and the low crackle from the half-lit hearth.

I stood in the middle of it all, my arms crossed over my chest, pretending I didn’t notice the way Damon was still curled in his seat like a delicate paper swan someone had stepped on.

Rhydian’s gaze was heavy on the side of my face. I didn’t need to look to feel the weight of his disapproval. His arms were crossed too, his jaw clenched tight enough to crack teeth. He hadn’t moved from where he stood, but I knew if I said the word, he would carry me out of this house without hesitation.

’Why am I stuck in a dilemma with men I hardly know?’

And maybe part of me wanted to leave before this became even more complicated. Or before Damon said anything else I couldn’t refuse.

But my feet wouldn’t move.

I glanced back at Damon. His hand was still clutching his chest like he expected it to stop working at any moment. His lashes were ridiculously long for a man and fluttered above his closed eyes.

I should leave, I knew that. The right thing to do was to walk out the door, return to the castle before anyone noticed I was missing, and forget this whole ridiculous night ever happened.

But I didn’t want to go back.

Not yet, and not to the looming shadow of some arranged marriage I hadn’t asked for. And definitely not to all the rules that had kept me locked in a tower of expectations my entire life.

"Princess," Rhydian said again, softer this time. "Let’s go, you’ve done enough."

I swallowed nervously. "I can’t," I whispered, my voice so quiet it barely felt like mine.

His brows knitted together. "What?"

I finally turned to face him. "I said I can’t, I don’t want to go back."

His brows pulled together. "Why?"

I opened my mouth, but the words didn’t come immediately. I didn’t know how to explain it without sounding like a traitor to my own responsibilities. I didn’t even know if it made sense in my own head. All I knew was that walking out that door felt like turning my back on something... important.

"I just need one night," I said. "One night away from all of it. From the castle, from the King, and from pretending like I’m okay with decisions being made for me."