Dragged Into Another World By The Obsessive Villain

Elara stared at Caspian, dumbfounded. "Me?"

When Caspian nodded in response, she could only open and close her mouth like a fish out of water. What should she say to the newfound knowledge someone had come here with the intent of killing her? 

Through shock numbed lips she asked, "Who?"

Caspian knelt before Elara, the movement smooth and graceful. Droplets of water still clung to the strands of white hair, trailing down his neck and slipping over the curve of his collarbone. She focused on that instead of the painful throbbing in her chest and the raw panic climbing up her throat, threatening to be let out in a scream.

"There is no need for you to be afraid, Elara," he murmured, his tone carrying promises. "I would never let harm come to you."

She believed him, as silly as it felt. She nodded and took a deep breath. 

"I know. I know. I was just...surprised." She took another breath. "Let me ask more calmly. Caspian, who the hell tried to kill me?"

"I'm not sure. Last night, while we were talking, I thought I sensed the presence of another person, so I decided to walk you up to your room and have you stay there where you'd be safe. I went out to the area where I sensed the presence and sure enough, I found him, loitering around outside the inn, right beneath your room. He was clearly waiting for Crisseda to leave before he went in. I caught him and disarmed him. Kyran sensed him, too, and jumped from his window to aid me but by the time he arrived and we were about to question the man and his intentions, he'd already swallowed something that killed him. We're not sure what it was yet, but Kyran thinks it smelled like nightvein root."

Elara's eyes widened. "Isn't that supposed to be, like, super rare?"

Caspian nodded. "There are very few places nightvein root can be found, and in the instances they are found, they cost a good deal of coin. If it was truly nightvein root, that can only mean one thing: whoever sent this spy for you is someone with deep pockets and connections."

"Did he...did he have any markings on him? Like, on his hands or anything?"

Caspian looked at her for a moment and then slowly replied, "He did. He was branded on his hand with the symbol of the Eye of Saintess Lyrel."

Elara's heart felt like it had stopped altogether and she suddenly felt cold. Her body went as stiff as a possum playing dead and she forgot how to breathe. The symbol of the Eye of Saintess Lyrel--the spiral of an eye wreathed in thorns--was unmistakable. The author had only mentioned them once, at the beginning of the third book and in a throwaway line buried away in a chapter about the heightening politics between the capital and Chirondale, but they had always stuck out to her just through the sheer fear they struck in Lyanna Orinthal at the mention of their name.

And those people had come after her.

The room tilted. She dug her nails into her palms to keep her wits about her. It was only through the warmth of Caspian's hand, prying her nails away from the soft flesh of her palm, that she came back to herself to realize she was practically hyperventilating.

Caspian's gaze was unwavering. He remained knelt before her, his expression carefully neutral despite the fact she could see worry darkening in his eyes.

"This mark means something to you?"

She swallowed and nodded. It took her some time, but Caspian waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts and feelings.

"In the novel, they're a group of assassins. The Sons of Lyrel." 

His expression didn't change. Of course, it didn't. The Sons of Lyrel weren't a big deal yet. The assassins didn't gain true infamy until their assassinations of multiple nobles at the end of the second book and the beginning of the third. They had been able to slip in and out of heavily guarded noble homes and events. Even the Imperial Palace was child's play for them to sneak in and out of as they pleased.

"This is a big deal?"

"This is a huge deal. Not only do I not know a lot about them because the author mentioned them in passing, but Caspian, they were super dangerous. They could sneak in and out of anywhere they pleased whenever they pleased...Wait." Elara's eyebrows came together as something occurred to her. "How did you sense them?"

Caspian looked confused. "After dinner--"

"No, no, I get that you did sense them, but my question is how. True Sons of Lyrel couldn't be sensed, even by you. One of their targets was staying in your castle at the time and they snuck in, took him out, and snuck out before you were even aware it was happening. Everyone speculated the Sons of Lyrel had something to do with the female lead because of the ramifications you went through for a noble being murdered in your castle, but this isn't something the Lyanna Orinthal would do. Why kill me when it hasn't been determined whether I'm a threat or a useful pawn yet? And also, if it were truly a Son of Lyrel, you wouldn't have seen or felt their presence. You would've never caught them so easily."

After a few moments of silence, he asked, "So...what do you think? That someone disguised themselves as a member of a group of assassins who have yet to grow in infamy? Why?"

Elara shook her head. "I don't know," she whispered.

A knock sounded on the door and Elara nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Your Grace, Miss. Elara. Breakfast is being served now."

Her body relaxed at the sound of Crisseda's voice.

Caspian called out, "We'll be right out," and turned back to her. "We'll discuss this at length later. I'll let Kyran know. He may be able to shed more light on this."

Elara nodded. Chancellor Kyran was smarter than both her and Caspian put together. It was the reason the female lead had bumped him off first; he might not be as cunning as Lyanna and Caspian, but he was smarter.

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After a simple breakfast spread of scrambled eggs, fresh bread, butter, honey, and strange-looking fruits Elara had never seen before, they set out again. The early morning sunlight peaked through the trees as they left the inn, the wind of Zephyrdale whispering at their backs. The horses had been freshly fed and cleaned, their coats gleaming, and the knights had resumed their protective formation around Elara's carriage. 

She leaned back against the plush seats as they pulled away from the inn and back onto the worn dirt pathways. Her mind had still not left Caspian's room in the inn. Even as she'd chowed down on the strange fruits and marveled at their differing tastes and textures, her mind was still there.

The more she thought of it, the more she was absolutely sure the Sons of Lyrel had nothing to do with the attempt on her life. If one of them had been involved, she'd be dead long before Caspian ever realized it. And yet, it made no sense. Who would use the brand of an organization that was not yet widely known? And why would they be seeking to kill Elara? Sure, rumors of her may have spread to the nobles in the capital already, but she hardly thought they'd take that as enough of an excuse to kill her. Most nobles loathed to get their hands dirty in such a way and more than that, they wouldn't want to risk incurring the Grand Duke's ire. 

They were waiting until Valtren's Bounty Hunt to see just how fond of Elara Caspian was. If he seemed like he could take her or leave her, moves like what had happened today would become more coming but until they knew for sure, they'd never risk it.

She found that she was eager to ask Chancellor Kyran what his thoughts on the matter were. She felt as if sitting still in this carriage was too stifling. She was nearly brimming over with the urge to jump out, run over to Chancellor Kyran's horse, and ask him what he thought of all of this.

The procession moved at its normal, steady pace, and it lulled Elara into a brief sense of calm. Caspian had told her before they'd left that they were taking the west path and would reach the end of Chirondale's borders soon. From there, monsters might become more prevalent, so all the knights seemed to be on extra alert when she peeked out of the window.

The further they got from Chirondale's borders, the more the landscape began to change. The trees became tall, ancient giants as wide as three men huddled side by side. Their leaves, painted gold and crimson by autumn's hand, fluttered to the ground like burning embers.

This world really is fucking beautiful.

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When the two suns were high in the sky--midday, she'd come to notice--their movements came to a stop. They were in a small clearing, much like the one they'd stopped at yesterday. 

After Crisseda laid a velvet covering over the ground for her to sit down and Elara had gotten comfortable, she handed over a waterskin.

"Thank you." She took a deep drink. The water in this world was cool, refreshing, and incredibly crisp. After she'd had her fill, she handed it back over to Crisseda.

Like yesterday, a group of knights headed off in every direction of the forest, climbing their way up the trees for better views. The maids gathered cooking supplies from one of the carriages storing goods with the help of coachmen.

When Caspian and Chancellor Kyran began making their way in her direction, Crisseda quickly excused herself and headed over to the maids preparing dinner. 

Damn, that woman is nothing if not perceptive.

"Are you comfortable?" Caspian asked when they came to a stop in front of her.

"Oh, yes." She ran her hand over the velvet covering that shielded her from the dirt. "This is really good material."

Chancellor Kyran squatted down next to her so that they were eye to eye. Elara thought something about him squatting next to her was funny, but she couldn't exactly place why she thought so. Maybe because he was so tall and stone-faced?

"His Grace has informed me of the situation," he told her, getting straight to business. "I've heard nothing of a group called Sons of Lyrel, but I've already sent a request back to Orland to send some forces to look into it. If what you say is true and this group will one day become infamous for their killings, they wouldn't take too kindly to someone posing as them. The more notorious an assassin creed is, the more serious they are about someone using their creed to carry out half-assed jobs. Even though this group hasn't risen to infamy yet, I'm sure they'll still be pretty pissed to find out someone tried to off the Grand Duke's lover using their insignia."

Elara nodded. "True. So, what? You'll find them and tip them off to what happened?"

Caspian and Chancellor Kyran both nodded.

"Exactly that," said Caspian. "When it's done, we'll get one of two responses: they'll find and kill the culprit for us or they'll send a better assassin to do the job."

The chancellor hummed his agreement. "We don't know which way it'll go, so for now, you and his Grace will have to share lodgings." At Elara's jaw-dropping, the chancellor hastily said, "I know it's not ideal for an unmarried man and woman to share lodgings, but you'll have to do it until we know for sure who was coming after you and why."

"Don't worry, Elara. I will be perfectly sure to keep my hands to myself."

She didn't doubt that one bit. She wasn't worried about Caspian's lack of ability to keep his hands to himself; she was worried about hers.