A Dangerous Obsession
Chapter 98 - 97

Chapter 98: Chapter 97

The weight of his gaze lingered on me long after he stepped back. His words, soft but sharp, repeated in my mind. Fear keeps things interesting. I wasn’t sure if it was a warning or just another game he enjoyed playing. Either way, it had left my pulse racing and my thoughts tangled.

Before I could dwell on it further, a figure appeared near the edge of the garden, standing with the kind of stillness that only Sabastine could manage. His presence was like a shadow, unnoticed until it wasn’t.

"Your Majesty," Sabastine said in his usual calm, clipped tone, his eyes briefly flicking to me before returning to his master.

How Majesty turned his head slightly, acknowledging him with nothing more than a glance. "And here I was enjoying myself," he murmured, more to himself than anyone else.

He straightened, brushing nonexistent dirt off his coat. The movement was so smooth, so fluid, it was almost predatory. "It seems I must take my leave," he said, turning back to me.

I blinked up at him, unsure of what to say. Part of me wanted to tell him to stay and the other part wanted to shove him out of the garden as quickly as possible. He had this way of making the air feel too thick, too charged, like it wasn’t safe to breathe too deeply.

Instead, I just nodded, clutching the flower crown still perched on my head. "Of course, Your Majesty," I managed, my voice softer than I intended.

He smirked, as though he could hear the racing of my heart. "Don’t miss me too much, darling," he said, his tone laced with mockery.

And with that, he turned and strode away, his long coat billowing behind him as Sabastine following close behind.

I stood there for a while, rooted in place, staring after them. The garden felt colder without him in it, though I couldn’t decide if that was a relief or something to mourn. Eventually, I let out a heavy sigh, bending down to scoop up one of the cats that had taken refuge near the flower beds.

"Well," I muttered, scratching behind its ears as it purred contentedly, "that was... something."

The other two cats padded over, rubbing against my legs as if sensing my need for comfort. I gathered them all in my arms, their soft fur and gentle purring easing the tension that had coiled in my chest.

"Come on," I whispered, turning toward the path that led back to my chambers. "Let’s get out of here."

The walk back felt longer than usual. The corridors were quiet, the only sound the faint echo of my footsteps and the occasional meow from one of the cats. My thoughts churned with everything that had just happened.

I reached my chambers and nudged the door open with my shoulder, letting the cats hop down as I stepped inside. The room was warm, but it felt oddly empty, like it had been drained of something vital.

With another sigh, I sank onto the edge of the bed, watching as the cats explored their surroundings. One of them jumped onto the windowsill, staring out at the gardens below, while the other two curled up near my feet.

I stared up at the ceiling, my fingers idly stroking the soft fur of the cat nearest to me. "What am I doing here?" I whispered, more to myself than anyone else. "What am I supposed to do with someone like him?"

The cats, unsurprisingly, didn’t answer. But their presence was enough to keep the unease at bay, at least for now.

After a while, I rolled onto my side, burying my face in the pillow with a groan. "This is ridiculous," I muttered. "I’m ridiculous."

The cats purred softly in response, and I couldn’t help but smile. At least they didn’t think I was losing my mind.

Eventually, I sat up, setting the flower crown and on the nightstand. The sight of it made me chuckle softly. Who would have thought I would end up making flower crowns in the garden of the person I had once thought would kill me?

And yet, here I was.

I glanced out the window, the last rays of sunlight painting the sky in shades of gold and pink. The garden below looked peaceful now.

This place, this life—it wasn’t what I had imagined for myself. Yet somehow, I felt more alive than I ever had.

I chuckled softly, shaking my head. "Unbelivable," I muttered, reaching over to scratch one of the cats behind its ears.

But the truth was undeniable. Despite everything—the fear, the uncertainty, the constant push and pull of his Majesty’s games—I felt more free here than I ever had before.

I let out a long breath, lying back against the pillows as one of the cats padded over to settle on my chest. Its purring was a soothing rhythm, lulling me into a state of calm I hadn’t felt in days.

The sound of footsteps outside my door broke the silence, and I tensed, my heart leaping to my throat. For a brief, ridiculous moment, I thought it might be him. But the steps were too quick, too light. A servant, perhaps.

The door opened, and a maid stepped inside, her expression polite. She curtsied briefly before speaking. "Shall I bring dinner to your chambers, miss?"

I shook my head, sitting up and gently placing the cat beside me. "No," I said, my voice steady. "I’ll eat in the dining hall."

The maid hesitated, glancing at the cats. "Shall I—"

"They’ll stay here," I said quickly, cutting her off.

The maid nodded and left without another word, closing the door softly behind her.

I exhaled, brushing a hand through my hair. My mind wandered back to his Majesty, to the way he had looked at me in the garden. There was something about him, something I couldn’t quite figure out.

Shaking my head, I stood and stretched, the weight of the day settling over me. The cats watched as I moved around the room, their eyes following me with quiet curiosity.

"Don’t look at me like that," I muttered, smiling faintly. "I’m fine. Really."