Chapter 81: Chapter 81

Avril still had the sleeping mask on.

“You’re back?” she asked.

“Yeah. But—” he looked at the terrible mess in front of the huge gates created by the protesters “don’t open your eyes yet,” he said. He did not want to explain what created the mess.

Dakar drove into the open gates of the Palace and did not stop in front of the huge Palace but drove straight to his own quarters. He stopped in front of his palace and looked over at his side.

“You can remove the mask now,” he whispered.

She took it off her head gently and immediately looked around only to see everywhere quiet and empty.

“What were you expecting?” he asked with an amused laugh.

“I don’t know. I thought I heard some commotion with you throwing a tantrum,” she answered with a shrug.

“The car is soundproof. You didn’t hear a thing. Also, I did not throw a tantrum. Come on, let’s head inside.”

He stepped out of the car and waited for her to do so without being a gentleman. That kind of pissed Avril off.

“Be a gentleman, Dakar,” she whined as she stepped out of the car.

“Gender equality. There’ nothing wrong if you open the car door for me instead,” he replied and went to the trunk to get things out. Avril bit her lower lip. He was right. Opening a car door for a man would be gender equality, right?

“Fine, gender equality it is. I’ll get the things out of the boot,” she uttered and walked to the back of the car. Dakar sped there instantly and held her hand just as she was about to place them on the boot.

“I’m an asshole sometimes, aren’t I?” he muttered.

She didn’t answer.

“I’m sorry, I can’t… control it sometimes.”

“I’m still going to help bring the things outta the car though,” she said with a smile. Dakar stared at her as she slipped her hands from his, and pulled up the boot. She began to drop their things. He picked them up, and waited for her to close the boot. His quarters was very quiet as usual, but he couldn’t help hearing the noise of the protest ringing in his ear.

After he made sure Avril was safely in his palace, he called on guards to stay watchful and also sent for Verona for her. She relaxed in her new room, and decided to read the book placed by her girls at her bedside. Few pages in and Verona was already anding by her door. He looked up with a smile.

“Hey! Goodness, I’ve got the greatest gist ever. Dakar kissed me publicly in a restaurant!” she announced excitedly. Verona faked a smile and strolled to the bed.

“Prince Dakar did that?”

“Yes, baby! I was so thrilled though I didn’t show it. Come on, sit down.”

Verona sat by her and peered into her book.

“I think Prince Dakar has already started stealing your romance books to read.”

Avril laughed then shook her head.

“No way. He’d not be this terrible if he had taken even a minute to read my romance books.”

Verona chuckled and did not say anything afterwards. She did not like that Prince Dakar had not let Avril know about the war the people were waging against her. He had ordered her to also not say a word about it. To her, it definitely wasn’t fair.

“Is something wrong?” Avril asked after noticing Verona wasn’t quite her self.

“I went to see DJ Kay,” she responded. Avril shut her book.

“Oh, tell me… how did it go?”

Verona shook her head while staring straight at the door.

“It didn’t feel right,” she answered. Avril blinked her lashes blankly.

“No, it’s not because I prefer Dakar. Stop thinking that you silly girl,” Verona scowled playfully at her.

“My bad. I’m sorry. But—”

“It felt so wrong and absurd because I realized he wasn’t really the one for me. I do want to be free and live like there are no laws binding me, but… no. Not DJ Kay.”

“I thought it was him you always wanted.”

“I thought so too. Not anymore.”

She didn’t tell him that there was a certain man with jaw-length hair, wearing a tall hat and a leather coat that always appeared behind her eyelids anytime they were shut.

“Red…,” he would echo in her head.

“I trust you’d find this person you want. Now how were things while I was away? Did Camper and Nana go on their date?”

“Ehm, no. Something came up at the Palace that took Camper’s attention.”

Avril frowned.

“Something...again? That was the same thing Dakar said. What's happening, Verona? Tell me! I know you know,” she demanded. Verona looked at her friend with an expressionless face.

“Why are you worrying about royal matters? It could be anything as little as an inflation in the foreign market to a fallout between two kingdoms. It's not our business,” she answered with a shrug. Avril didn't quite believe her, but she could be right. It was not her business to worry about royal matters. But...was that why Dakar made her stay in the car with her eyes covered?

**

Dakar arrived at the throne room and every single pair of eyes was fixated on him. No one moved an inch or even seemed to be breathing. All the noblemen and important officials of the kingdom were seated by the long table in front of the throne of the alpha.

Dakar heaved cleared his throat, and it was like everyone came back to their senses and hurriedly looked away from him.

“Prince Dakar,” his father's voice boomed across the entire throne room. This was his official voice, the word that showed his authority and position. Very different from the voice he used when speaking to Dakar privately...or his women.

“Yes, Alpha,” Dakar responded, still standing still.

“Have your seat,” he ordered. Dakar took a glance over the faces of the noblemen and officials. None of them was a man of honesty. Each was crooked, greedy, selfish, evil and corrupt. But you wouldn't know except you dug deep into their background lives. The way they were looking at him as if he was the most sinful being in the universe made him want to tear their guts open and reveal the evil hidden inside.

Dakar finally took the necessary steps and sat in his seat, right in the front and opposite the seat of the Beta.

“Let's go straight to the point of this meeting. I have personal matters to attend to,” he said as a manner of greeting. Camper glanced at him from his seat by his right and exhaled.

“Of course you have matters to attend to. We all know what these matters are. Or should I say, ‘who’ this matter is,” Nobleman Aquarius, Emissary to Lioa, a kingdom that was a trade partner with Remus spoke up.

Dakar sat back, crossed his huge arme against his chest and raised a thick brow at the nobleman.

“Since when did you start talking to your Crowned Prince in that tone, nobleman?” Beta Federico scolded with a frown at the man who was seated two seats away from him on the same side of the table.

“Oh let him talk. His tongue is attractive to me. He keeps talking and I might just cut it and place it on a show glass in my bedroom forever,” Dakar stated and shrugged without taking his eyes off the man. Dark shadows seeped out of Dakar’s form, curled out a few inches then faded into the air. Everyone saw that except Dakar himself. So he didn't know why they all were enveloped with fear. But he sensed their fear, and he felt strengthened by it.