The King's Mistress

Chapter 79: Say The Words And I Will Set You Free

"Do you wish to leave, Sierra?" He asked solemnly, unable to hide the disappointment in his voice.

She looked back at him, unable to give a satisfactory answer.

"I don’t know."

She had always been a decisive person. But at that moment, her mind was blank. Her mouth did not let her give a definitive answer. Her heart was in turmoil.

"Say the word, sweetling. Say it and I will set you free. I won’t hold you back," it pained him to say each and every one of those words.

It felt like daggers stabbing his heart one after another. It was agony. But he knew better than most Sierra should never be confined to the palace. She should be free to roam and do as she pleased. He wanted her to have that freedom. Sierra looked up at him, stunned silent.

"Don’t you want me to stay?"

As soon as those words left her lips, Alistair leaned in and kissed her on the lip. She did not shrug away, she closed her eyes as they parted lips and deepened their kiss. Alistair cupped her face with one hand and wrapped the other around her waist, bringing her close. He did not want to let her go. Never.

Sierra did not know what willed her to speak those words. Perhaps it was her subconscious who decided to take a stand on their behalf. While she longed to be free once more, there was something she wanted that was even more important. She wanted to be by Alistair’s side.

The couple was intoxicated by their intimate contact. Sierra wrapped her arms around Alistair, feeling his body beneath her hands. She’ll like Alistair, she too wanted to hold him close and never let go. As they further deepened their kiss under the moonlight, the world melted away.

That moment belonged to the two of them and them alone.

"Sierra."

"Yes?"

She was looking straight into his eyes. They said the eyes were the window to the soul. Whoever said that hit it right on the nail. As Alistair continued to look deep into her eyes, he saw a life they could have had. One that did not have rigid rules for them to follow. They would be free to do as they please.

If the rules of being a royal did not apply to them, perhaps they would have already been together by now. Perhaps they would have been flying across the night sky with the wind in their hair, traveling from place to place.

That was the life he envisioned for them.

But was any of that possible?

"Perhaps we should escape from here and never return," he muttered beneath his breath.

His voice was just loud enough for her to hear, loud enough for it to echo in her mind. A smile formed on her face as she lovingly cupped his cheek. This was the first time she had been so close to another man and willingly dropped down her guard, leaving all her defenses.

Even when she was smitten by General Cedric’s sugar-coated words, she had never sunk this deep.

"Say the word, and I’ll go where you wish to go." She whispered back to him as she gently pressed her forehead against his and closed her eyes.

Alistair closed his eyes too, relishing in the moment of closeness they shared. Together, they looked over at the vast night scenery before them. At this moment, Sierra’s heart was in turmoil. She knew the consequences of getting too close to Alistair.

If she wanted them to be together for the time to come, she had to tell him the truth. She had to tell him the truth behind her true identity. But deep down, she was terrified. Would he view her differently when he found out? Sierra turned around to face Alistair. freёwebnovel.com

Her eyes had already communicated her thoughts.

"What is it, sweetling? Is there something you wish to tell me?" Alistair asked calmly with a soft smile as he continued to look into her eyes.

Sierra bit her lip. For the first time in a long while, she was nervous. This was an outcome she could not predict. Should Alistair choose to abandon her here and now, would her heart be able to bear it? She did not have a definitive answer for that.

But she knew she had to trust her gut. It was telling her to take a leap of faith.

"There’s something you need to know," she said slowly, trying to keep as calm as she could as she continued to speak.

"Then don’t hold back. Tell me everything," he responded smoothly without skipping a beat.

"Even if I prevail in the tests, I won’t be able to be your concubine, Alistair," she could not bring herself to give it to him straight.

She feared what effects it would have on him. Alistair furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. He didn’t quite understand what she was getting at. Why would Sierra say something like this?

"What’s wrong, sweetling? Are you ill? If so, I’ll summon the Royal doctor to-"

"No, no. It’s nothing like that," Sierra quickly corrected him when she realized he thought she was dying.

"Then what is it?" Alistair asked, "give it to me straight, sweetling."

"I’m not a princess, Alistair. I... I’m not of royal blood."

Sierra closed her eyes and held her breath. She couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes. She knew the consequences of lying to a king. Back home in Cair, the penalty was death. She did not know what the consequences were like in Drakin, but she was certain it would not be any less severe.

She could already picture herself being dragged onto the execution stage to await her death. If she wanted to remain alive, perhaps her best bet was to escape now.

"Sierra," the way he called her name always made her heart melt. She never noticed it till now.

He cupped her chin as her eyes flickered open to meet his. She was surprised to see a cheeky grin on his face. The one he always had when he had something brewing in his mind.

"I already knew."