Chapter 54

Alexis beamed at her words giving a gasp of relief, but her happiness didn't last long as she noticed the uncomfortable glance Emilia gave Shane.

"Are you okay?" She asked but her voice was over spoken by Shane.

"Emilia Chamomile… it's been a long while" his voice was sarcastically welcoming.

Emilia sneered at the sound of his voice, her face echoing her disgust. She ignored him and answered Alexis question with a not so reassuring smile.

"Ignore me, please. But, do tell me who she is? She has such an astounding amount of mana I can't help but want to monopolise it. I'm sure the royal brat has beat me to it", he continued speaking as Emilia undid the locks. Alexis found herself glancing at him repeatedly finding his words a bit enigmatic.

"Who is he?" She whispered to Emilia who silently shook her head in reply.

"A lowlife you have no reason to take note of" was the reply she got as she was whisked out from the dingy cell and guided out the door.

"Emilia, you should be careful with her! She could easily get snatched away" was the last she heard of Shane as the door slammed roughly. Emilia looked furious.

"I know Alastair can get emotional easily and when he does stick you in that cell again you make sure not to get close to that man, understood!" Emilia lectured so seriously, Alexis didn't have the guts to tell her that she had probably already spoken more than she should've.

"Yes ma'm".

"Good".

"Um thanks for helping me escape Emilia".

"Ha", Emilia stopped walking and turned back to Alexis with a frightening face, "you shouldn't thank me dear, I'm taking you to the dangers Alastair insists on protecting you from. But of course he shouldn't protect you should he? It should be the opposite way around", she grasped Alexis hand and lead her down a tunnel in the dungeons. It seemed to lead only one way, no stressful picking between two holes. The floor was full of mud, at least Alexis hoped it was mud, the fouls stench told her otherwise. It went inches deep.

The dwarves will have a hard time with Alexis' dress and boots and they probably wouldn't be able to wash out the foul smell that penetrated it.

"T-This is a sewerage isn't it?" She gagged.

"It leads to it, but isn't really a significant part of it. It's more of a secret tunnel that royals use in times of war", she replied, quietly as she effortlessly trekked through the muddy grounds.

"That's convenient. But where exactly are you taking me?"

"Hush", was her sole reply as she continued to venture fearlessly further down the dark hole, only illuminated by a rare strand of light.

Soon they came to dead end. Alexis deadpanned.

"I'm not going back through that hell".

"And you won't have to".

Was all Emilia said before she stuck her hand in the wall. It went through and she stepped into it, disappearing completely. Alexis had to blink several times at where she last stood before she realised Emilia had just walked through the wall.

She followed suit carefully, sticking her hand in with wonder, another pair of hands grasped hers and pulled her through the wall and into a forest like area.

Alexis stared around, the place was miles away from the palace they were in just moment ago, surrounded by the walls of the sparkly Capital, her and Emilia looked to be on the outskirts of it. She looked in wonder at Emilia, wanting for an explanation.

A coach rolled to a halt in front of them and the door opened to reveal Hector and Adam, one of which who gave her a welcomed smile and the other just scowled at her and said.

"You never inform me of anything do you?" Adam crossed his arms.

Alexis just gave a chuckle, trying to make sense of all the strange events that followed one after the other.

"I guess I'm just that type of person" she shrugged and stepped into the coach. Emilia stayed behind.

"I'll try to distract Alastair for as long as possible. We don't know what he might do if he finds out you escaped".

Alexis nodded and gave a soft smile.

"Thanks Emilia".

Emilia returned the thanks with a tender smile.

"Come back alive and then thank me".

The coach ride was long and bumpy, Alexis don't realise how smooth the capitals road must have been for the carriage rides she had with Alastair to have been so smooth, but it gave her time to catch up with Hector.

And through catching up she learned of a few handy tricks to remember with goblin infestations. After a while of that Adam decided to touch an awkward topic.

"Alexis, are you and his majesty lovers?" He asked and Alexis choked on nothing. Her face became a bright shade of red. Hector was also surprised at the question.

"W-What make you say that?" Alexis spluttered out.

"Well, you are the first female royal mage. You're also very talkative and mouthy, something most people get killed for in the royal palace- no offence. Lastly, the emperor seems to take special care of you. He seems to genuinely care for you", Alexis' carefully considered all his points.

'The first is not exactly something she could argue with. The second is down right insulting and like the first isn't exactly because eof any special reason and the third… might just be the same reason as the other two'.

"It does seem so. However, their relationship is more complicated than that. It's not something they can speak about", Hector intervened on her behalf.

"I see", replied Adam, his gaze lingers on Alexis stomach with pity.

"I'm not sure what exactly you're thinking but I can tell you've misunderstood", her refutes weren't taken seriously as those pity filled eyes seemed to turn to her, stronger than before.

She gave an exhausted sigh.

Eventually, they came to a stop at a mansion. The Jewel residence.

It was large, not nearly as big as the palace but still huge and finely decorated. Outside stood Emma with what looked to be the Duke and Duchess who gave them desperate stares. Completely contrasting with Emma's eyes of evil.

'How did such honest people give birth to such a cunning devil?' Alexis thought as she stepped out.

Hector had used a spell to clean the "mud" off her, he also handed her the uniform cape saying Emilia asked him to prepare it.

Alexis would rather go without it, but since she was technically on official business she had no choice.