Transmigrated as the Crown Prince's Mate
Chapter 95: Show Me Something...

Chapter 95: Show Me Something...

At the sight of her sister, Lily rushed forward, dropping to her knees beside Sofia. "Sofia!"

Sofia’s face lit up with surprise, followed by an annoyed scowl. "Lily? Why are you here?"

Lily blinked, caught off guard by the reaction. "What do you mean by ’Why am I here?’? I came to get you out of here!"

Sofia rolled her eyes dramatically, crossing her arms. "I was fine. They treated me well—better than you, Mom and Jay ever did at home. You could’ve left me here a little longer."

Lily’s mouth fell open in disbelief. "You ungrateful brat!" she hissed, giving Sofia a sharp flick on the forehead. "I’ve been worried sick, running around the palace like a fool, risking everything, and you were in here... enjoying yourself?"

Sofia rubbed her forehead with an exaggerated pout. "Well, you didn’t have to come!"

Lily groaned in frustration and stood, bowing low before Damian. "Thank you, Your Highness," she said in a sincere voice. "I truly appreciate your mercy."

Damian’s expression remained unreadable. "If you truly want to thank me," he said coolly, "then keep providing me with information about Selene. Her whereabouts. Her plans. From now on."

Lily didn’t hesitate. She bowed deeper. "Yes, Your Highness. I’ll do whatever you need."

Damian gave a curt nod, signalling for them to leave.

As the sisters left the cabin, Sofia muttered under her breath, "Could’ve stayed a few more days, honestly. The food here’s better."

Lily didn’t hold back this time. She smacked Sofia lightly on the back of her head. "Ingrate."

Sofia yelped, glaring at her sister. "Ow! What was that for?"

"For being you." Lily huffed, stomping ahead, leaving Sofia trailing behind, grumbling under her breath.

Damian and Evelina stood in silence, watching as Lily and Sofia disappeared down the path they had come from.

The sisters’ bickering faded into the distance, replaced by the soft rustling of leaves in the night breeze.

The moonlight cast silver lines across Damian’s sharp face, showing the tension still visible in his expression. His jaw was tight, his eyes distant, and his body was stiff with unspoken feelings.

Jasper cleared his throat, breaking the quiet. "I’ll tidy things up here," he said, gesturing around the small cabin with a lazy wave of his hand.

His tone was casual, but there was an undertone of awareness—he knew better than to linger when the tension was this thick.

Damian gave a curt nod, then turned on his heel without another word, his steps crunching softly against the forest floor.

Evelina followed, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, the dragon pearl secure in her satchel.

They walked quietly, with a heavy silence between them. The cool night breeze did little to relieve the warmth rising under Evelina’s skin—an emotion mixed with frustration and confusion, along with something else she couldn’t yet identify.

Relia’s voice stirred in Evelina’s mind. "So... are we going to ignore the fact that he’s still brooding like a storm cloud, or should I poke that bubble?"

Evelina’s jaw clenched slightly. "He’s just... difficult," she replied inwardly.

But even as she thought it, she wasn’t convinced.

Meanwhile, Damian’s own thoughts were a battlefield.

"You should apologise," Storm’s voice rumbled in his mind. "You were harsh back there."

Damian’s scowl deepened. "She doesn’t know how much I care for her and want to be there for her."

"No. You’re lying to yourself, and you know it."

Damian’s fists clenched at his sides. "I don’t owe her an apology."

"Keep telling yourself that, but we both know why you’re really mad. It’s not the cloth or the investigation. It’s not even the fact that she was attacked. It’s that someone else kept her safe."

Damian didn’t respond, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Evelina stole a glance at him, her annoyance simmering. "If he’s going to stay this grumpy, he could at least admit he’s jealous," she thought bitterly.

Relia snorted. "Maybe he’s waiting for you to bring it up."

"I’m not giving him that satisfaction." Evelina’s grip tightened around the strap of her satchel.

The tension between them felt like a fragile thread—ready to snap with the slightest tug.

After taking a few more steps, Damian finally broke the silence with a low, yet rough, voice. "You shouldn’t have gone back to the well alone."

Evelina stopped walking, turning to face him fully. "I can take care of myself."

His silver eyes met hers, a flicker of something vulnerable buried deep within the storm. "That’s not the point."

"Then what is?" Evelina wanted to ask, but the words caught in her throat.

Instead, she exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "Just... don’t worry about it."

Damian didn’t reply, but his jaw clenched tighter, the muscles ticking beneath his skin.

"Smooth," Storm muttered dryly. "Really nailed that one."

Damian ignored him, focusing instead on the path ahead, though his heart beat a little faster than before.

Evelina followed without another word.

***************

The palace stood tall, its spires shadowed by the moonlight. The usually lively courtyard was quiet as Damian and Evelina walked side by side.

As they reached the grand hall, Evelina slowed her steps, her fingers brushing the strap of her satchel where the dragon pearl rested securely.

She looked over at Damian, who looked tense, but his sharp features still didn’t give anything away. "I need the piece of cloth I gave you," she said abruptly, breaking the silence.

Damian glanced at her with his silver eyes, his jaw tightening a bit. Then, he reached into his coat’s inner pocket.

Without saying anything, he took out a crumpled piece of fabric—the same one Evelina had discovered near the poisoned well—and gave it to her.

"I was going to track who owns it," he said in a low, quiet, and bitter voice.

Evelina took the cloth, and for a moment, their fingers touched, creating a brief warmth that neither of them acknowledged. "I might have a quicker method," she said softly as she put it in her bag. "If it doesn’t work, I’ll let you know."

Damian nodded curtly, his expression unreadable.

Despite the tension between them, he quietly walked her to her room, standing protectively by her side. When they reached her door, Evelina stopped and placed her hand on the handle.

They were silent for a brief moment. The flickering lights from the torches created shadows on Damian’s face, softening his strong features.

But his eyes—those piercing silver eyes—held something unspoken, something fragile beneath the usual intensity.

"Goodnight," she said softly.

Damian gave a small nod, his lips parting slightly as if he wanted to say more. But the words never came.

The door closed behind Evelina with a soft click, cutting off the faint sound of his retreating footsteps.

She leaned against the door briefly, her heart racing for reasons she didn’t want to examine.

Shaking off the lingering tension, she crossed the room swiftly and retrieved the dragon pearl from her satchel.

Evelina sat on the edge of her bed, carefully placing the pearl beside her. She pulled out the scrap of cloth, her fingers tightening around it. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tried to feel the cloth.

Her other hand touched the dragon pearl beside her.

"Come on," she willed silently, concentrating on the bond between her and the pearl, and then the cloth. "Show me something."