"If I had helped you, if I had saved you, you would be indebted to me." His attention flickered down to her lips before returning to her eyes. "You would have this obligation to help me in some way to repay my actions."

"What are you saying, Cas?"

He leaned down until their noses were almost touching. "Pay up, Dylan."

***

Caspian was silent for a moment, watching the sky. "Could it be one of my father's subordinates?" He lay back down on the grass and closed his eyes. "I have no way of knowing precisely what goes on with his underlings."

"So I have no way to infiltrate the palace?" Her fists clenched around grass blades. "And there's really no way to know."

Dylan tore up frustrated handfuls of grass and threw them away. She was running short on hope. What could she possibly do for Edwin? For that matter, what could anyone do? He won't survive for too long unless she can administer the antidote.

"It's like the palace is surrounded by an impregnable wall of solid sandstone." With his finger he traced an invisible circle in the air. "It's futile to even try. And even if you do get in, it's stupid to think you can steal classified information without getting caught."

"Shit," she cussed out loud. She flopped onto her back, looking up at the sky. "I really don't know what to do..."

Caspian turned his head and looked at her. He focused on her face, her eyes, her lips, memorizing them like his life depended on it.

Sighing, she propped herself up on her elbows. "I should go."

'I guess even the Crown Prince doesn't know about Emperor Katil's underlings.'

Dylan tried to leave, but he reached out and grabbed her arm, holding her in place. She flinched at the contact. One thing she knew was she didn't want to be touched by anyone right now.

"I'm in no mood to stargaze right now, Caspian," she said. She tried to shake his arm off but he held firm, carefully so as not to hurt her, just tight enough to keep her there. "I'm not—"

"It's okay now," Caspian said. This time his eyes flickered dangerously with emotion. "Fall in love with me."

Dylan's eyes widened at his remark. Her reaction wasn't only due to his insidious comment, but because the actual look on his face was so full of obsession that it sent goosebumps down her spine.

"I can ask you that much, right?" He spoke with a pleading intonation in his voice. "I did as you asked, so fall in love with me. Love me. Only me."

Dylan had crossed a dangerous line. She realized that at some point his infatuation with her had grown into obsession.

'I can't let this go on.'

"Caspian, I used you," she told him. "I manipulated you."

The corner of his mouth twitched up, contorting into a smirk. "I know."

He pressed her arms to her sides, and rolled, until he was on top of her, his body pinning her against the grass. She froze out of sheer surprise at his sudden, unexpected closeness, and for several seconds they looked at each other. Her breath caught. What was he doing?

"I'm not so naïve as to believe you were sincere." His breath hovered over her lips. "Don't you wanna know why I'm so content with begging like a dog under your heel?"

She squirmed underneath him, struggling to move him off of her. "Why?"

"If I had helped you, if I had saved you, you would be indebted to me." His attention flickered down to her lips before returning to her eyes. "You would have this obligation to help me in some way to repay my actions."

"What are you saying, Cas?"

He leaned down until their noses were almost touching. "Pay up, Dylan."

Caspian leaned his face into hers, and she turned her head quickly from side to side to avoid his mouth. She should've known better than to get involved with him. He was obsessive and possessive.

"Is it me you want?" she asked.

"Yes," he said with a satisfied grin. "I'll make you love me," he told her, with all the determinedness he could put into his voice. "I will."

She turned her head to look up at him. "Then try."

'You'll be waiting for something that will never happen. I can't fall in love. Not in this lifetime.'

He paused for a moment, then rolled off her onto the grass as if he had just died. He wanted to kiss her, to explore this strange feeling that ate away at his heart. But he didn't want to force her. He would wait for her—until she was ready to love him.

"I'll be going now." Dylan sighed and stood up, brushing her dress clean. "Goodbye."

Dylan walked away quickly back toward the carriage. She didn't look back but she could feel his eyes staring at her. A shiver passed through her as she imagined the look he had in his eyes—the same look of obsessiveness that the Emperor had.

'Like father, like son.'

The study of harmful effects of poisons on living organisms is a dangerous field, and one that should not be taken lightly. It is true that the body can develop a natural immunity or tolerance to poisons, but it would take a very long time.

Although she was insanely intelligent, Dylan would never catch up to someone who had been working with poisons for years. It was impossible.

"All the doctors said— " But she stopped suddenly. She realized what she had overlooked.

She plowed through the crowd of students, sprinting toward Cadence as fast as she could. Why didn't she think of it sooner?

"Sir Cadence!" As she neared the carriage, before she even reached him, she began shouting. "Sir Cadence! We have to hurry!"

He looked at her questioningly.

She tilted her head back to look up at him just as the sun emerged to reveal her smile. "We need to go to the Red District."

Cadence's face went pale.

***

The Red District is a part of the Empire of Oberon with a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses. It's a place where people gamble, and take part in the production and distribution of drugs. Some even traffic illegal items, arms and even people. It's an area that thrives with criminal activity.

'I'm sure we'll find someone there.'

"My lady, I'm afraid I cannot take you any further." The coachman laughed a little nervously as he spoke. "Will you be okay?"

"That's alright," she said as she dismounted from the carriage. "Can you wait here? We won't be long."

"Yes, Lady Dylan. Please be careful."

The fact is, that the greed for money is so great in the Red District, that their carriage would be immediately robbed upon arrival.

"Stay near me," she said as she pulled up the hood of her cloak, then grabbed tightly onto Cadence's arm. "It's dangerous here."

She leaned closer into him as they walked, sauntering through a maze of narrow alleyways until they reached the Red District. Cadence slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her even closer to him as they walked. Dylan felt herself blushing and was glad her hood hid much of her face.

No one was foolish enough to travel through Red District without a hood. The street was filled with hooded people trying to shop at the various merchant stands. She glanced at the tattered shop signs as they passed.

'There.'

"That shop," she told Cadence, low enough so only he could hear. "Let's go there."

The production, storage and distribution of poisons was strictly monitored within the Empire of Oberon. As such, the Red District became a hotspot for poison distribution and fabrication.

'I don't need a doctor. I need someone who has experience with making poisons. If I can figure out what was used to harm Edwin, then I can come up with an antidote to neutralize its effects.'

Just as they were about to enter, she caught a glimpse of a tall cloaked, hooded figure standing amongst the crowd. Beneath, she thought she spotted a familiar pair of sky blue eyes.

'Don't tell me.'

"Change of plans," she said then grabbed Cadence's hand. "Let's follow him."

They followed him through the crowd. It was Laikin. She was sure of it. The longer she observed him, the more she was persuaded it was him. She recognized him by his height, shape, and those piercing eyes.

The cloaked man stopped in front of a building, glancing around to make sure no one was following him. Dylan grabbed Cadence's collar and pulled him into the dark alley beside the building to hide.

"Quiet," she said, and threw him against the wall. She covered his mouth with her hand. "He might hear us."

Dylan pressed her body tighter against his muscular chest. They had nearly been caught. The sound of approaching footsteps made her panic.

'If he comes over here, he'll see us.'

She'd been so immersed in the situation, she hadn't even noticed that Cadence was trembling slightly. Standing this close he could feel her body pressed up against his, and his entire body was sensitized by the feel of her.

The footsteps were getting louder.

'Damn it, what do I do?'

"Please," she whispered. She took her hand off his mouth. "Kiss me."

For a moment she did not think he understood, but then his lips came down on hers. They kissed one another passionately as their bodies pressed against each other. His hands moved over her body, wanting to touch all of her at once.

He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. The wall was cold behind her, his body a fire at her front.

At that point, Dylan had completely forgotten about the footsteps.



AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Your guys' comments on my last post was so cute <3 I literally screenshotted them all! ILY