Married To Darkness-Chapter 428: Asking Thalia and Co Away

"Prince Embrez?" Thalia echoed, eyes narrowing. "As in... first prince of Wyfn-Garde?"

The boy nodded. "Yeah. It’s his moor mansion. People don’t like to talk about it here. But you’re not from here, so..."

He shrugged.

Sebastian stepped in front of her slightly. "Why would Prince Alaric and his wife stay in prince Embrez’s home?" he asked, low. "The king—Embrez’s father—is the one who put a bounty on them."

Thalia’s voice was quieter. "Why would they feel safe there?"

"I don’t trust it."

The boy tilted his head. "You coming or not?"

Thalia looked to Sebastian. "We have to go. We’re sure it’s here and we kinda saw them."

Sebastian hesitated, then gave a sharp nod. "We’ll follow. But we stay sharp."

The boy grinned. "This way."

And with that, he turned on his heel, darting down a side street.

Thalia followed with quickening steps, her heart thudding.

Because if Alaric was in Embrez’s house—something wasn’t just strange.

It was dangerous.

As they walked they noticed, The village had woken up with a strange sort of energy.

Children darted through puddles left by the early mist, their laughter rising between stone houses. Vendors opened stalls, the smell of bread and spice warming the air.

And yet, despite the life around them, Wyfmoor still carried a shadow, like joy was allowed—but only just.

Thalia walked beside Sebastian, her cloak trailing slightly in the dirt path, heart rising with every step.

The boy led them confidently through a sloping street lined with crooked trees until the mansion rose before them—massive, foreboding, elegant.

Tall iron gates with curling filigree guarded the entrance, and behind them, moor-stone lions rested like sleeping sentinels.

Ivy clung to the sides of the mansion, and the gold-and-black livery of Wyfn-Garde flared from the guards’ coats at the front steps.

"This is it," the boy whispered.

Sebastian let out a low whistle, pulling a small leather pouch from his belt. He counted a few gleaming wyfins into the boy’s open palm. "You’ve got eyes like a hawk, kid."

The boy grinned, clutched the coins, and scampered off without another word.

Before Thalia could step forward, two guards strode to the gate with visible annoyance.

They didn’t even bother to mask their scowls.

"What’s your business?" one snapped, sizing them up with a glare.

Thalia lifted her chin. "We were hoping to speak with the owner of the mansion."

He cocked brow. "And who is the owner?"

"Prince Embrez Velthorne," Thalia said.

The second guard’s lip curled. "Lord Embrez doesn’t take surprise visitors."

Sebastian gave the man a lazy grin. "Surely someone with this many velvet curtains can spare ten minutes for charming guests."

The first guard’s brows shot up. "Charming guests? You’ve got no papers, no crest, no summons. Are you here to sell something?"

Thalia tried to smooth it over. "We’re travelers. We just arrived yesterday. We were told someone important might be staying here and—"

"We said no visitors," the second guard barked. "Turn around."

Thalia opened her mouth to argue, but Sebastian leaned on the gate with a mock-thoughtful look. "You know, the trick with iron gates like this is—they look strong, but they creak like old women. Just a little oil, and—"

The guards both stepped forward menacingly.

Thalia yanked him back by the sleeve. "You’re not helping."

Sebastian raised his hands innocently. "I’m charming, remember?"

"You’re insufferable."

The first guard smacked his gauntlet against the bars. "Move along. Before we are forced to charge forward."

Thalia swallowed her rising frustration, fingers tightening on her cloak.

They couldn’t say they were here for the third prince—what if the guards didn’t even know Alaric and Salviana were inside? Or worse, what if they did and saying it would make them take them hostage.

No invitation. No plan. No chance.

The gates stayed shut.

Thalia let out a breath. "Come on," she muttered, pulling Sebastian back down the path.

They walked in silence for a few seconds.

"Well," Sebastian said, hands behind his head, "that went brilliantly."

Thalia shot him a glare. "It went shitty."

Thalia paced a little as they walked away from the gates, her eyes still dark with frustration.

"What do we do now?" she asked, turning to Sebastian.

He slid his hands into his pockets, his golden hair catching the soft morning light. "We go shopping."

"Shopping?" she blinked. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm

"We’re clearly not dressed like the sort of guests this place wants to entertain. Right now, we look like travelers. Strangers. But if we walk in there dressed like we belong? That’s a whole different conversation."

Thalia tilted her head. "So... we pretend to be nobles?"

Sebastian grinned. "You wouldn’t be pretending."

She rolled her eyes, a blush crawling up her neck. "You keep saying that."

"Because it’s true, Thalia of the golden firelight. You’re noble, you carry yourself like a princess already. The dress is just a formality."

She snorted. "You’re ridiculous."

"And you’re stalling. Come on."

They made their way to the village market. It had grown livelier by now, with color-draped stalls set between old trees, vendors calling out deals in smooth, sing-song voices.

The sky remained gray, but the joy on people’s faces made everything feel brighter.

A seamstress with sharp eyes and a quick hand measured them both in record time.

She pulled out gowns and coats from racks behind a velvet curtain, letting Thalia run her fingers over brocade and embroidered hems. Sebastian—of course—was already trying on three jackets at once and striking ridiculous poses in a cracked mirror.

"You’re supposed to look noble, not like an actor in a traveling circus," Thalia said through a giggle.

"And yet you’re still watching me," he replied smoothly, fastening a silver-buttoned coat across his chest.

Eventually, she stepped out of the curtain in a deep forest-green dress with gold-thread embroidery across the sleeves and a fitted waist. Her cloak had been swapped for a lighter, elegant one in charcoal gray.

The moment she walked out, Sebastian actually paused mid-wink at his own reflection.

"Well?" she asked, brushing a loose curl from her forehead.

He turned to face her fully, eyes sweeping over her with no teasing this time. "You look like trouble."

Thalia blinked. "Is that... supposed to be a compliment?"

He stepped closer, not quite smiling. "The best kind."