Page 27 of Revert
“The king knows there’s a leak.” The words were a whispering breath, laced with something dark and haunting. “He’s tightening his grip.Carefulis no longer enough—you’re not invisible. Your true motives are already under suspicion.”
The cold hit deeper than the night air. “From who?”The king?
But they only gave a faint, regretful shake of their head. “That’s not for me to say.”
Annoyance surged. “Then why come at all?”
“To give you this.” They deftly pressed a slip of paper into my palm under the cover of a passing laugh. “And to warn you to stand down. This next move is too dangerous.”
“I can’t stand down.” My voice came out tight, barely audible. “You know that.”
For a moment, the fox was silent. Then came a soft, almost almost weary sigh. “Then you’d better make sure your prince doesn’t ruin everything before you even begin.”
But even as I said it, my mind reeled. I remembered this meeting…or rather, how itshouldhave transpired. The setting, the words, the information…all unfolded entirely differently. In the original timeline, there had been no warning, no delay, no veiled hint of suspicion towards Prince Castiel; this time, the threads were weaving themselves into an entirely new pattern—one I no longer recognized.
I…don’t understand.
I thought that would be the end of it—a familiar exchange of information, and then parting ways as always. But this time they lingered.
My skirts whispered softly as I shifted nervously, eager to escape. I had little time left; Prince Castiel had only given me five minutes. But as I started to turn, the fox’s next words froze me in place.
“I’ve been watching you for some time.” Their voice lowered, a quiet edge slipping in. “You’ve gotten rather cozy with the prince.”
I stilled, breath catching. Somehow what had been a simple meeting of strategy and secrets was twisting into something laced with as much tension as a confrontation with the king, and wrought with as much danger as the dance of pretenses with the prince.
“It’s to my benefit to be close to him.”
A soft chuckle. “Then you are quite the convincing actress—though it remains to be seen who you’re acting for: the mission, the court…orhim.”
A sharp breath caught in my throat. The contact’s words had been meant as a jab, but they struck deeper than I expected.Who are you acting for—the mission, the court…or him.
I clenched my hands at my sides, forcing myself to stay still, to keep the mask in place.This isn’t about him. It couldn’t be. It was about survival, about duty, about fulfilling the mission that had sent me spinning back into this cursed timeline. And yet…my chest tightened with an emotion I didn’t have the words to identify.
The fox’s voice dropped lower, almost thoughtful now. “In fact, it almost looked as if His Highness washelpingyou. What kind of spy lets her primary quarry become aware?”
I stiffened. “The closer he is, the more information I can control.” But the words rang hollow, an empty reassurance that no amount of lying could convince even myself.
No matter how much I tried to delude myself, I knew the danger I was in. I had once believed myself hidden, safely operating from the shadows…only to learn too late that the prince had been aware of my every movement all along. This time his awareness was open and unmistakable, a direct contrast that it was too soon to know its potential implications.
The fox tilted their head slightly, their gaze glinting through the mask, as if they could read every crack in my resolve. “Careful, Princess. You’re not the only one watching. And if the threads continue knotting the way they are…” Their voice lowered, quiet but sharp as a blade hidden in velvet. “You may need to choose which game you’re truly playing…and which one you’re prepared to lose.”
My breath hitched, but before I could demand further explanation, a familiar presence stirred against my back. For once I welcomed him.
“Enjoying the night air?” Prince Castiel’s voice was smooth and polite, meant for watching ears. But as he laid a light hand on my arm, his fingers pressed once, firmly.Enough.
And just like that, they were gone—vanishing into the masked laughter and golden haze of torchlight, as though they’d never been there. Prince Castiel’s grip lingered as he drew me back towards the hall, while I surreptitiously concealed the note in a hidden pocket of my ballgown.
He said nothing, but a faint frown tugged at his mouth as he stared where the spy concealed in silk had just disappeared.
My heart slammed against my ribs. I knew I should keep quiet and bury my escalating desperation, but my curiosity, stronger than my current fear, burst free before I could stop it. “What is it? Did you notice something…unusual?”
His attention slowly shifted to me, hesitant. “I just remembered something I’ve been meaning to tell you.” Once again he leaned in too close, his breath brushing my ear, a sensation I never grew used to. “Choose your hiding places more carefully, especially when the old ones are no longer effective.”
Horror halted my steps as my gaze snapped up to him. I expected him to continue being evasive, but his dark eyes held mine, calm and unwavering, his stony expression etched in grave, serious lines.
I swallowed hard. “What…what do you mean?”
I didn’t expect a satisfactory response—vagueness had been his language since the beginning—but once again he surprised me. “You’re clever enough to understand. If I know something has been hidden…that means it’s concealed in a place anyone can find.”
