His Beauty, My Beast

Kidnapped

Nia turned the corner, her eyes scanning the hall for Khalil. She spotted him ahead, his tall frame accompanied by a woman with curly brown hair. Nia's heart skipped a beat as she watched the woman's hand brush against Khalil's arm, her laughter echoing through the hall.

Khalil's expression was stoic, his eyes fixed ahead, and his jaw clenched. Nia sensed tension in his body, a discomfort that he couldn't hide. She didn't know who this woman was, but she could tell that Khalil wasn't enjoying her company.

As Nia approached them, Khalil's senses flared to life, his eyes flicking towards her for a brief moment before returning to his stoic mask. Nia knew that he had sensed her and that he was aware of her presence, but he didn't acknowledge her and didn't want to draw attention to their connection in front of this mysterious woman.

Nia's curiosity was piqued, her heart racing with anticipation. She needed to talk to Khalil to find out who this woman was and what was going on. She quickened her pace, her eyes fixed on Khalil's stern face.

Nia approached Khalil and the woman, her eyes fixed on his face. "Khalil, can I talk to you for a moment?" she asked, her voice low and urgent.

Khalil's eyes flicked towards her, then back to the woman beside him. "Ah, Nia. Yes, of course. Excuse me," he said to the woman, his voice polite but distant.

The woman's eyes narrowed slightly at Nia, but she smiled and nodded. "I'll wait here," she said, her voice dripping with sweetness.

Khalil's eyes met Nia's, and he nodded slightly. "Let's walk," he said, his voice low.

Nia followed him, her heart racing with anticipation. What was going on? Who was this woman? She had to know.

As they walked away from Amber, Nia turned to Khalil, her voice barely audible. "Who is she, Khalil? What does she want from you?"

Khalil's eyes scanned the hallway, ensuring privacy before responding. "Amber is a princess from a neighboring kingdom, seeking an alliance through marriage."

Nia's eyes narrowed. "And the flirting? The possessiveness?"

Khalil's jaw clenched. "A ruse, Nia. She's trying to manipulate me to secure her kingdom's interests."

Nia's heart raced as she pieced together the political intrigue. "And your interests, Khalil? What do you want?"

Khalil's eyes locked onto hers, unable to answer, but his eyes told a different story as they burned into her own."

Nia's breath caught in her throat.

"Khalil," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "What are you hiding from me?"

Khalil's eyes flicked towards her, a hint of surprise in their depths. "What do you mean?"

Nia's gaze locked onto his, her eyes searching for the truth. "I mean, what secrets are you keeping from me? What lies are you telling yourself?"

Khalil's face paled, his eyes darting away from hers. "Nia, I—" he started, but before he could finish his sentence, there was Princess Amber, walking up to them and putting her arm around Khalil like they were lovers and shooting daggers at Nia.

"Khalil, darling, I see you're still entertaining this woman," Amber said, her voice dripping with disdain. "How quaint. How utterly...beneath you."

Khalil's eyes narrowed, and his voice was firm. "Amber, that's enough. Your disrespect is uncalled for. Nia is an honored guest in my house."

Amber's eyes flashed with contempt, her gaze raking over Nia. "I'm sure she's just a servant or something. Not worthy of your attention, Khalil."

Nia's eyes blazed with anger, her heart racing with indignation. How dare this woman disrespect her like this?

Khalil's face darkened, and his voice was cold. "Amber, you will apologize to Nia. Now, or f*****g leave."

Amber's eyes widened, and her face paled. "I...I apologize," she stammered.

Nia's eyes locked onto Khalil's, her heart filled with gratitude. "Thank you," she whispered. He nodded and was alerted to one of the approaching guards who needed him for business. Soon, Nia and Amber were left alone in the hall.

Amber's eyes narrowed, her voice dripping with venom. "You may have fooled Khalil, but I see right through you," she spat. "You're nothing but a pawn in his game, a mere distraction from his duties. You'll never be worthy of him; never be queen."

Nia's eyes flashed with anger, her heart racing with indignation. "How dare you?" she whispered, her voice trembling with rage. "You know nothing about me, nothing about my relationship with Khalil."

Amber's laughter was cold and calculated. "Oh, but I know everything," she sneered. "The way you were close to him when everyone else in the palace stays three feet apart from him. I know you're just a temporary obsession, a fleeting fancy. You'll be discarded soon enough, like all the others before you. Kings and princes need their playthings, I suppose."

Nia's eyes blazed with fury, her heart pounding with anger. She knew Amber was trying to provoke her, but she refused to rise to the bait. She knew Khalil wanted to keep their status as mates under wraps, so she would be silent for now. With a fierce determination, she turned and walked away, leaving Amber's venomous words behind.

Over the next few weeks, Nia barely saw Khalil at all. He was always busy with meetings and duties, and she was left to her own devices. But every night, she had the same dream. She was back in the beautiful palace, but it was different every time. Sometimes it was burning, sometimes it was crumbling, and sometimes it was underwater. But no matter what, it was always destroyed, and she was always searching for Khalil.

She would wake up in a cold sweat, her heart racing, wondering what it meant. Was she worried about Khalil's safety? Or was her subconscious trying to tell her something else?

One night, as she was walking down a dark corridor, she heard footsteps behind her. She spun around, but there was no one there. Suddenly, the lights flickered and went out, plunging her into darkness. And then, she heard a faint whisper in her ear. "Nia, you're coming with us. He is waiting for you."

Nia's heart skipped a beat. Who was speaking to her? And how did they know her name? She tried to respond, but her voice caught in her throat. She turned around and saw a little girl dressed in blue. Her lips were a shade of blue, and her face looked sunken in, as if she had been poisoned. The little girl lifted her hand, and it opened a swirling circle in the middle of the hall that cracked with lighting.

Suddenly, a strong male hand clamped over her mouth from behind, and she was dragged away into the darkness of the circle and felt like she was traveling. Someone still had their hand over her mouth. She struggled and kicked, but her captors were too strong. She was thrown into the middle of the forest. She was being kidnapped, and she had no idea why. But she knew she had to escape, and fast, before her captors carried out whatever sinister plans they had in store for her.