Page 4 of Is It Wrong to Escape My Fate? (Dealing With Fate #1)

I didn’t recognize his voice, but I knew that face well. Puberty had done him good; Elias used to be a scrawny kid, gentle-looking, with his red hair long and flowy behind him. He used to be mistaken for a girl because of it, and his mother perpetuated it.

Now, though, he stood tall, muscles filled in; his once soft face was now hard planes, but the gentleness in his golden eyes was still there. His red hair was cut short, framing his face.

“Eli,” I greeted back, waving at him. Mia glanced at me with concern, as she had every right to, since she knew my last meeting with Elias coincided with the last time I wanted to travel outside of our barony.

She didn’t know why, though. I had never told anyone.

And I held back, letting this play out before I made any move.

“I knew it,” he breathed, stepping closer to our group. “I recognized the insignia on the carriage immediately. And the magic school’s first term of the year is starting soon. You’re on the way to Aerahelm, aren’t you?”

“Lord Elias,” Reuben bowed along with Robin and Mia. “Good evening. Miss Bea is about to retire for the night.”

I glanced at Reuben, narrowing my eyes. Although the clear dismissal and dominance he showed was appealing, I could speak for myself. Not that I knew exactly what to say, but still.

“My apologies,” Elias replied, but kept his eyes on me. “I can return by morning. I want to discuss something with you, Bea.”

“Better show up at dawn, my lord,” Robin cheekily answered him, before Reuben moved closer to me, as if to shield me from Eli.

While this was entertaining, I had had enough of the posturing.

I appreciated the bravado of my two knights, though.

They were talking to the second son of Viscount Drakon, the noble who oversaw this town and the next.

He ranked higher than me, and they were very close to outright disrespecting the guy.

I placed a hand on each of my twin knights, grabbing their arms, and they both froze at my suddenness.

Eli’s eyes zeroed in on my hands before I squeezed them a little and let go, stepping forward in front of my group.

“We’ll have the conversation now, Eli. Is it alright if we do it inside the inn? I’m a little exhausted from the trip.”

Both Robin and Reuben turned their heads at me at the same time. “Miss Bea.”

“It’s fine. I want to hear what Eli has to say,” I smiled.

Whatever happened in the past, it wasn’t Eli’s fault, anyway. It was mine.

We made ourselves comfortable at one of the inn’s tables, complete with ale. I always wanted to know what it tasted like, so I ignored the warnings by my knights and Mia and ordered one for myself. I hadn’t tried it yet, but the mug sat snugly between my hands.

“Eat some meat before drinking it, please,” Mia advised, already giving up on stopping me from drinking at all. I smiled at her in appreciation before turning my attention to Elias, who sat across from me.

“What did you want to talk about?” I asked. My knights, who stood behind me, tensed in alertness.

Eli took a sip of his ale before responding. “I’m requesting to join your entourage to Aerahelm.”

The clicking of my bodyguards’ weapons sounding next to my ears was a clear sign of their tension. I ignored it. “Oh, we’re both first years.”

He nodded as Reuben scoffed. “Viscount Drakon didn’t have any spare men to send you himself, my lord?”

I turned my head and glared at Reuben, who frowned back at me before looking away.

Thankfully, Elias didn’t take any offense and even took it as a joke as he chuckled. “My father has plenty to spare; that much is true. He just didn’t think it’s worth spending.” His eyes bore through me, as if he was trying to communicate something and begging me for understanding.

I did understand. Kind of. His father wasn’t the nicest of men, and it was common knowledge he only cared about Eli’s older brother.

He might also genuinely believe Eli could travel by himself to Aerahelm.

It could be a safe trip since monsters rarely ventured this far from their territory, but monsters weren’t the only threat around.

Grinning, I nodded. “Okay. You can join us.”

Robin gasped. “My lady, are you sure?”

“If we’re going to the same location, might as well go together. Safer in numbers, right?”

Elias’s sweet smile was a welcome image. “Thank you, Bea. I won’t get in your way, I promise.”

Discussion done, we proceeded with dinner. I chewed on some meat, a little gamey but it’d have to do, before lifting my mug to my lips. Mia’s wide eyes watched me as I downed the ale in one gulp, and my twin knights and Eli shouted sounds of alarm.

“Miss Bea, why did you drink it all in one go?” Robin yelled as Reuben snatched the mug away from my grasp and frowned at its emptiness.

They didn’t know, but in my world, I was a heavyweight with alcohol, even with my tiny size. Guys would purposely line me up with drinks to get me drunk, as if I wasn’t aware they were doing it. I would need more than one mug to get drunk! Hah!

The ale tasted only a little bitter, which was surprising. It was more of a warm fruit juice; sweet and tangy. The warmth of the drink spread from my stomach and up to my arms and face, and it felt so good.

My friends looked so silly with their shocked faces I laughed out loud before I could stop myself. My hand flew to my mouth before anyone could react, and giggles spilled out of my lips again when their faces turned dour.

“She’s drunk!” Reuben hissed, glaring at Elias as if it was his fault.

I laughed again because that was a ridiculous thought. “Calm your tits, baby, I’m fine!” I fanned my face with my hand because it was so hot. “I won’t go down in one shot. I love this fucking drink! Get me more ASAP!” I took the mug from Reuben and waved it around.

“Oh gods, she’s babbling nonsense,” Mia teared up as she removed the mug from my hand. “I should’ve stopped her so it didn’t come to this. What do we do, sirs?”

“This isn’t your fault,” Robin assured her by patting her shoulder, and a surge of red-hot jealousy flared to life in me. What the fuck? “You know how stubborn your lady could be. Frankly, sometimes using force is the only answer.”

“The lady is here,” I growled, standing up from my seat too fast that my chair toppled over, and a wave of dizziness hit me I almost fell over the table if Elias hadn't reached over to catch me. Reuben was faster though, wrapping an arm around my waist before pulling me against his chest.

By the heavens! I was truly drunk.

This body wasn’t used to drinking! I was a fool to think it’d be the same as the real me . And did they mix anything with their ale to increase the buzz? It shouldn’t have affected me this quickly! From my friends’ concerned looks, it seemed you weren’t supposed to drink all of it one gulp.

But now that I tasted what the common ale was like, I needed to get used to drinking a lot more because that shit was the bomb.

I tried to wriggle my way out of Reuben’s hold so I could get more ale myself, but of course, he was much stronger than me. He put his mouth next to my ear. “Stop squirming, starlight, before I give you more reasons to.”

Fuck. The obvious innuendo went straight to my pussy. I immediately stopped fighting against him. Holy hell I needed to get laid. My panties were soaked.

As if Elias could sense it, his golden eyes drifted downwards over my body before shooting back up to my face. He tried to keep his face blank, but I could see how his nostrils flared and his pupils dilated as I stared at him with my wide eyes.

Robin took my attention away when he pulled me out of his brother’s hold and carried me in his arms like a dainty princess. Which, in this case, was very valid because I was certainly a princess in their eyes. He smiled down at me, chuckling, “Time for bed, angel.”

I still felt a little annoyed at him for willingly touching Mia, but I knew I was being stupid. Mia was probably my most loyal friend, that I bet she would stomp on Robin’s hand if I told her to.

Which I would never, ever ask her to do, because it would break her kind and pure heart. On the other hand, I wasn’t as kind, so I might just stomp on Robin’s hand myself.

Anyway, sleep eluded me. I folded my arms over my chest and pouted. “I’m not done with dinner. At least let me finish my food.”

“Lay on the bed, and if you still feel hungry, I’ll bring in your food. Is that a suitable compromise, my lady?” Robin being rational from his normally chipper attitude was a huge turn on. Fuuuuuck.

I masked the tingles spreading over my body by laughing. “Fine. Bring me to my bed.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Bea,” Elias voiced his goodbye as Mia and my knights brought me to my rented room for the night.

Peeking over Robin’s shoulder, I waved at him, and the smile plastered on his face made him look manlier than my memory of him.

I couldn’t help but appreciate it as I imagined him placing his smiling lips against mine —

Holy shit, why the hell was I so horny? Was it the freaking ale?

Or was it the fact that I was a libidinous woman in my previous life?

My actual life, where I had to admit I was a very hypersexual girl.

I loved sex, and there was no shame in it!

Of course, that also meant I couldn’t stay in one relationship for long periods of time because the men — boys — around me couldn’t keep up with my needs.

And if I suggested an open relationship to alleviate that, it was as if I murdered their family with how disgusted they were when they viewed me.

As if they didn’t know I was a nympho? Wasn’t that what attracted them to me in the first place?

Of course, every single one of them probably thought they could “fix” me. That I’d stop wanting the sex they couldn’t provide because they were busy or not in the mood or too tired. Newsflash, assholes, you promised me you’d tend to me when I accepted you as my boyfriend.

I realized this made me a little crazy bitch and definitely not normal. Honestly, I was hoping that the older I got, the less my needs would be. That made a lot of sense. My hormones were out of whack, maybe.

Robin placed me down on my feet inside my room, with Mia following soon after.

“We’ll check on her in an hour,” he told my maid, as Reuben stood like a sentry next to him.

“We’re going to check on our people in the camp and return.

Miss Bea, we won’t wake you up if you’re sleeping by the time we come back. ”

“We can arrange a heavy breakfast for you instead,” Reuben offered.

I waved them off like a brat. “Just go.”

Giving me one last glance, they left, and Mia went to work quickly by preparing me a wash basin and cloth before helping me out of my gaudy noble dress.

“I’m not mad at you, Mia, I promise.” I just thought I had to clarify it.

She tilted her head in confusion as she wiped down my arm with the washcloth. “Why would you be mad at me, my lady?”

I bit my lip before sighing. “In case you felt something like it.” Of course, she couldn’t read the wild thoughts circling in my mind. My mind was a little confused, because frankly it was difficult to marry the fact that I was living a false life in a body that wasn’t my own.

I had no idea what I was doing. Or saying.