Transmigrated as the Crown Prince's Mate
Chapter 194: Gone...

Chapter 194: Gone...

Seraphina rolled her eyes and then, without warning, leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Jasper."

He couldn’t move for a second. Then helped her up into the cart, tugging the flap shut behind her.

Jasper slipped into the shadows again, watching from behind a stone pillar as the royal entourage began to arrive.

Prince Kyle walked with his father, their guards and attendants in tow. They looked stunning in royal navy and silver, the Oakenshaw colors shining in the morning light.

Following them was the court of Arcadia—King Lucien, looking regal and composed, and Prince Damian, who had his arm casually draped around Evelina’s waist.

Kyle approached them with an easy, diplomatic smile. "Prince Damian. Lady Evelina."

Evelina dipped her head. "Prince Kyle."

"Congratulations again, my lady," Kyle said, eyes flicking briefly to Damian. "You’ve earned your redemption tenfold."

"Thank you," she replied coolly.

He smiled faintly. "And should you ever reconsider... my offer still stands."

Damian’s arm visibly tightened around her, but Evelina only gave a polite nod. "I’ll keep that in mind."

King Alderic extended a hand to Lucien. "Your hospitality has been most generous. I trust our alliance remains strong."

Lucien clasped it firmly. "That remains to be seen."

With that, the carriages rolled forward, the Oakenshaw banner fluttering behind them as the convoy made its way out of Arcadia. Jasper stood in the shadows, unmoving, until the very last cart disappeared over the crest of the hill.

Ten minutes later, the courtyard was nearly empty, the nobles dispersing to resume their daily rituals.

That’s when a palace guard came sprinting from the dungeon, breathless and pale. "Your Majesty!" he shouted, stumbling to a stop before the king and his council. "Lord Luther’s cell—it’s empty!"

Everyone froze.

King Lucien turned sharply. "What?"

The guard swallowed. "He’s escaped, sire. And Lord Matthews is gone too."

The silence that followed was deafening.

For one breathless moment, no one moved. Then the entire courtyard erupted into motion.

Lucien’s expression turned to iron. "Sound the alarm. Lock down every gate, every corridor. No one leaves the palace grounds."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the guard saluted and sprinted off, shouting orders as he went. Bells began to ring—sharp, urgent clangs that shattered the fragile morning calm. Their echo bounced through the halls, summoning knights, guards, and squires from every corner of the castle.

Jasper stepped out from behind the pillar, instinct pulling him toward the center of the chaos. Damian had already let go of Evelina, his posture shifting from regal ease to the cold focus of a warrior.

"When?" Damian demanded, eyes fixed on the captain of the guard who had just arrived.

"We don’t know exactly, sire," the captain replied, out of breath. "The cell was locked last night—checked twice before the shift changed. This morning, the door was open, the lock melted through like someone used acid or—" he swallowed, "—magic."

Lucien’s jaw clenched. "Matthews was no mage."

"No, Your Majesty," the captain agreed. "But he must’ve had help."

Evelina’s brows furrowed, her gaze sharp. "Check the northern sewer tunnels. That’s the only passage that connects directly to the lower cells without going through the upper gates."

"Already dispatched scouts," the captain said. "They’re checking every drain and tunnel entrance."

Damian turned to his father. "We should assume Matthews planned this for weeks. He had access to sensitive information, connections... gods, he could be halfway across the city by now."

"No," Jasper muttered, stepping closer. "He wouldn’t flee without a plan. Not Matthews. He’s the type to leave a mark."

Lucien looked to him. "What are you suggesting, boy?"

Jasper met the king’s gaze unflinchingly. "That this isn’t just an escape. It’s a move."

A heavy silence fell.

Evelina took a step forward. "He had allies in the court. We know that now. If Matthews and Luther are gone, it means the traitors didn’t all fall during the trial. Some are still within these walls."

The king’s eyes narrowed. "Search every chamber. Interrogate anyone with connections to them. No one leaves the palace without my permission."

Damian turned to a nearby squire. "Ready my horse. I want a perimeter sweep along the west hills and the coastal cliffs. If he’s smart, he’ll try to disappear into the outer provinces before we seal them off."

The squire nodded and bolted.

Evelina was already coordinating with the guards, her voice steady and clear as she ordered squads to patrol the old catacombs beneath the palace and the tunnel under the winery.

The rest of the court buzzed with tension, whispers spreading like wildfire—some fearful, others furious.

Jasper pushed his way through the throng of shouting guards and panicked stewards, ignoring the king’s furious commands as he made a beeline for Evelina.

She stood near the main archway, her arms crossed tight over her chest as she watched the guards rush past.

"Lady Evelina," Jasper called urgently. "I need to ask you something."."

She turned, eyes sharp. "Make it quick. Every second counts."

Jasper glanced around to make sure no one else was listening. "Is it possible... just possible... that Lord Luther escaped using one of the Oakenshaw carriages as a medium? Hidden in it somehow? Smuggled out with the convoy?"

Evelina blinked, stunned by the suggestion. "That... would be insane." Then her expression shifted, eyes narrowing as she ran through the logistics in her mind. "Unless..."

She trailed off.

Jasper waited. "Unless what?"

"They were parked near the south courtyard overnight," she murmured. "The prison wing connects underground—there’s an old access tunnel, nearly sealed off after the last flood. Hardly anyone uses it anymore."

"But Luther could have," Jasper pressed.

"He wouldn’t risk walking out in plain sight, not with the trial still fresh," Evelina muttered. "But if someone cleared that passage and coordinated the timing..."

Jasper leaned in. "That cart Seraphina’s in. It was the last in line. Covered. Quiet."

"Seraphina?" Evelina asked in shock, her gaze a bit distant as if she was trying to piece together tiny puzzle pieces. "Your girlfriend, the one you introduced me to?"

The question landed like a stone in a still pond. Jasper’s breath caught in his throat.

He hadn’t meant to say that aloud.

Evelina turned fully to him, brows raised, expression unreadable. "Jasper?"

He swallowed hard. "I—uh..."

"What are you not telling me?"

He hesitated, knowing full well the consequences of the truth, then finally said, "Milady... I didn’t mention it before because she asked me not to and I didn’t think it mattered. But—Seraphina... she’s Prince Kyle’s younger sister."

Evelina’s eyes widened. "The Princess of Oakenshaw?"

Jasper nodded. "Yes. She snuck into Arcadia the night Prince Kyle and the rest came. Said she didn’t want her family to know. She was supposed to be here during their stay... and now she’s sneaking back with the convoy."

"Wait." Evelina held up a hand. "Are you telling me no one in her royal entourage knows she’s with them?"

"Not even Prince Kyle," Jasper admitted. "She slipped into the last carriage before the gates opened."

Evelina blinked slowly, then a smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Quite a charmer, aren’t you, Jasper? You managed to seduce a hidden princess."

Jasper flushed. "It wasn’t like that. I—"

"No need to explain," Evelina said with a light chuckle. "I could tell there was something off about her. She was too... inquisitive. Too poised. She must have known her brother’s interest in me."

"My apologies," Jasper said quickly, head lowered. "I should’ve said something sooner."

"We’ll come back to this," Evelina said, her tone shifting back to steel. "So you’re thinking Luther might’ve used one of the carriages to escape? Maybe even the same one Seraphina’s in?"

"It’s a wild guess," Jasper admitted. "And probably wrong. But if there’s even a chance he used the confusion to slip into one of those carts—then we can’t rule it out. We need to go after them."

She studied him for a heartbeat, then nodded once, decisive. "I’m coming with you."

"I’ll get the horses," he said, and turned on his heel, vanishing into the stable corridor.

Evelina remained still, her arms folded again, eyes on the horizon where the convoy had disappeared.

If only they had surveillance cameras and motion sensors like in my world and time... this wouldn’t have happened, she thought bitterly.

She clenched her fists.

Just one mini command station. One room with proper tracking wards or optical sensors. That’s all it would’ve taken. But no... let’s all keep pretending we live in the age of swords and honor while criminals slip away under our noses like ghosts.

Jasper returned moments later, leading two sleek black horses. One was already saddled for travel, the other with extra satchels of provisions strapped to the sides.

"Ready, milady?" he asked, offering her the reins.

Evelina vaulted into the saddle with practiced ease. "Let’s ride."

Without saying anything else, they turned their horses and dashed down the cobbled path toward the west. The wind picked up behind them, and the sound of the alarm bells grew fainter with each galloping stride.