Chapter 774 - Seven Hundred And Seventy-four: Betrayal Stings

The third point of view :

"You really came," Akim spun around at the sound of that voice. It had been over five minutes since he arrived at the town square and hadn't caught sight of her. 

So he stood beside the stainless steel curved pond shower in the middle of the town square. The briefly polished silver structure drew immense attention from a distance and hence wasn't surprised she saw him first. 

Akim lifted his brow at her, "Were you expecting a royal entourage? You said you were going to tell me everything so I'm giving you a chance. However..." Akim narrowed his gaze at her, "The way you're staring at me makes me think that I just made a mistake stepping out of the palace," 

He could sense it, the look in Anika's eyes was no longer the same. It looked wild and untamed and he wasn't sure he could recognize her any longer. It was almost as if Anika had become a different person - a person he has no idea of. 

"Then you should have trusted your instincts, Akim," Anika smirked devilishly at him, "Because there's no going back now,"

"You're one of them, aren't you?" It finally dawned on Akim, "I was right, you intentionally approached me,"

"Yes, I did and it would really help you a lot if you don't do anything stupid," Anika warned him when she saw the way his gaze darted around the square, as if thinking of an escape.

She took a step closer to him and Pedro didn't make a move nor was he intimidated as she whispered into his ears, "It's for your well-being. I don't want to see a dent on your pretty face,"

Akim fisted his hands. 

However, something happened. After she was done with her threat, Anika was in the process of pulling away from him when she intentionally took his earlobe into her mouth and nipped on it before letting go. 

Delicious shivers went down Akim's spine and he turned to stare at her with shocked eyes. What did she do that for? But there was the usual smirk on her face and that infuriated him.

How dare she play with his emotions? It only confirmed the fact she intentionally approached her. He must have seemed like a pretty miserable prince in her eyes for her to use him like this.

"Don't touch me inappropriately again," He warned her sternly. He was a prince and no one touched him anyway.

"Really?" Anika smirked, "You didn't seem to refuse me when we kissed at the beach that day. What has changed now?" she teased him.

"Really? What has changed now?" Akim sneered, "What changed now is that we're enemies," He stated. 

"We don't have to be enemies you know," Anika suddenly said, causing his brows to furrow as he scrutinized her.

"All this could stop and peace reigns once more. Then, we don't need to be enemies and we can finally be together," Anika said, intertwining their hands together.

Akim didn't say anything, rather he stared at their linked hands thoughtfully.

"Don't deny it...." She said softly, stepping closer to him till their bodies were almost touching, "I know you feel something for me," She touched his face with her free hand, caressing his soft skin with their eyes staring into one another.

For a moment, Akim was lost in her green eyes that reminded him of the little memories they shared. The first time they met at the town square; the fun at the amusement park; and the kiss they shared at the amusement park. Akim was almost tempted to reply that he liked her, however, he remembered that Anika was a good liar and manipulator and his enemy.

His gaze hardened, "At what cost?"

"What?" she blinked at the sudden change in his demeanor. For a moment there, Anika thought she had gotten to him.

"For such peace to come, there must be a cost," Akim told her, "What is the cost? What does Fiona intend to achieve from all of this?"

"She would rebuild this kingdom from scratch," Anika stated immediately, like something she had memorized from a book over time and had it registered in her head already. 

"Really?" There was mocking laughter in Akim's voice, "She would build the kingdom on the lies she used to convert ignorant people like you into her cause,"

"Quite funny, Fiona told me that was exactly what you would say," Anika said through gritted teeth. She was mad at him for calling her ignorant. She was not stupid enough to follow a lying leader. Fiona was not lying, right?

"I bet she didn't tell you that I lost a sibling because of her," Akim revealed, causing Anika to halt in her footsteps. She had been trying to get him away from the crowd and to a location that was probably overpopulated by her people.

"What are you trying to say?"

Akim saw the fact that she was willing to listen to his words as a good sign and went on, "Fiona pushed my mother down the stairs causing me to lose a potential sibling that would have existed before my sister, Jasmine. And she did all this before my father married my mother. Think about it, Anika, if she could harm a pregnant woman because she's jealous of her, what do you think Fiona would do when she's heartbroken? "

Anika didn't say a thing, however, Akim could sense the war brewing in her mind. Anika was smart and would surely sense something was not right. Moreover, she has stayed with Fiona the longest, and no matter how perfect she - Fiona - portrays herself to be - Anika should be able to know her tendencies. 

"Thanks for trying to sway me, unfortunately, your plan failed miserably. Take him," Anika said, pushing him into the arms of a man Akim didn't know was there until now. 

"It's time to meet Fiona," That was the last word Anika said that Akim heard before a rag was pressed over his nose and his world darkened. 

By the time Akim stirred awake, he discovered that he was tied up in a chair. He didn't know where he was but it seemed to be in a warehouse and he was in the middle with a spotlight focused on him while the other areas were darkened.

Although he couldn't see the dark areas, Akim could sense he was being alone. The young prince was being watched and he didn't like it one bit. He felt like a circus animal. 

Almost immediately, the whole place was lit up without warning causing Akim to squeeze his eyes from the blinding light. However, when his gaze adjusted, he could see there were people all around him, and climbing down the metallic step that led to Eve upstairs was the one and only Fiona with Anika closely behind her. 

Wow, betrayal does sting.