Over the next few weeks, Alex and Sebastian secretly gathered information and resources without attracting unnecessary attention. They studied the security schedules, identified places where they could bypass observation posts, and created false trails to confuse the watchers.

But the King seemed to sense something was amiss, and after two weeks, when the escape plan was already devised, he sent his spy disguised as Alex's new roommate. Lisa Cron, a sweet blonde girl, was supposedly sent to the boarding school by her parents to tame her character. She became Alex's constant shadow, relentlessly following her every move.

The carefully crafted escape plan that Alex and Sebastian had developed was now on the brink of failure. They could evade the guards and overcome physical obstacles, but how could they escape from a room where every step Alex took was being observed?

Alex decided not to panic and to continue playing her role. She tried to act naturally to avoid arousing suspicions from Lisa and the supervisors. At the same time, she secretly communicated with Sebastian, sharing her concerns, and together they searched for a way out of the predicament.

Sebastian came up with a trick to keep his involvement in Alex's escape a secret. He invented a story about a secret admirer who sent Alex bouquets of white peonies and cards with poems. This became a means for Sebastian to convey information, adjust plans, and for Alex to send her responses.

Thanks to this trick, everything appeared decent and appropriate to outsiders, although a bit suspicious due to Alex's reputation as a recluse, which she had gained at the boarding school. She pretended to be a smitten and dreamy girl in front of the other students, feigning sudden infatuation.

In reality, the enchanted cards were designed in a way that only the recipient could see the true message. On those cards, Alex wrote her responses to the prince.

Considering that Alex had no experience in secret correspondence and intrigue, she noticed that with each new bouquet, something stirred inside her. She no longer simply dreamed of escaping the boarding school; she genuinely enjoyed communicating with Sebastian.

With time, Alex began to realize that this secret correspondence had become something more than just a means of planning their escape. She started feeling warmth and excitement inside when she received a new letter from the prince. Her heart beat faster, and thoughts of him filled her mind more and more often.

Even Lisa's romance novels no longer seemed primitive and superficial. Increasingly, the face of the prince replaced the main character in those books in Alex's imagination.

Internally, Alex struggled with her burgeoning feelings. She was both thrilled and fearful of the possible consequences. The Duchess knew about Sebastian de Forest's reputation. His fame as a conqueror of women's hearts had spread far beyond the Forest Kingdom.

Alex often heard stories from the other students about his numerous romances and social escapades. It was known that Sebastian never stayed with one woman for long. This reputation made Alex wary that her feelings might turn out to be just another fleeting infatuation for Sebastian. She didn't want to become just another conquest on his list and didn't want to be a foolishly lovestruck girl.

But despite all her doubts, Alex couldn't deny the attraction she felt. His support and understanding were incredibly important to her.

The longer the secret correspondence continued, the more Sebastian's words revealed hints of care and genuine interest in Alex, or at least she wanted to believe so. Along with detailed escape plans, he began expressing concern for her well-being and state of mind. In one of his recent letters, he even openly expressed his hopes for a reunion soon.

These unexpected displays of care stirred confusion within Alex. On one hand, she wanted to believe in the sincerity of his words. However, on the other hand, she still feared that it might be just another ploy by the prince to further his own agenda. To win over an inexperienced girl and strengthen his influence over the Borderlands were motives that were not a secret to her. But her foolish heart still held onto the hope of his genuine sympathy.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Alex.

Today, I received a new letter from Sebastian, and it seems he has found a reliable ally in the Kingdom of the Seas. Finally, my chances of leaving this dreary place have become real. Sebastian promised that his contact has figured out a way to bypass the boarding school's security, and I will be taken out together with the horses that are being sent to the neighboring village for horseshoeing. I just hope that "together" doesn't mean I'll be riding in a carriage and hiding between their hooves. It would be ironic to gain freedom only to be trampled. I joked about it in my response to Sebastian, hoping he would appreciate the sarcasm. Previous letters have shown that he finds it amusing.

Meanwhile, Lisa has been admiring the new bouquet for half an hour. It seems she believes in my fake infatuation. However, when Lisa asked me a question, I murmured to myself thoughtfully, "Yes, fake... or is it?"

Lisa: What did you say? - she looked at me intently.

Alex: Oh, nothing, just thinking aloud. What were we talking about? - I even rubbed my temples; it's been hard to concentrate lately.

Lisa chuckled condescendingly, "I've asked you the same thing three times already. It seems you've lost your mind over this mysterious man." My roommate laughed, and I felt my face blush, so I quickly pressed my cool palms against my cheeks. "Aren't you curious to meet your secret admirer? What if he's old or completely unattractive, short and pudgy, or maybe he has a mustache like our janitor?" Lisa put three fingers under her nose and wiggled them, mimicking the janitor's mustache blowing in the wind.

I couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Oh, yes, and he might have hairy hands like a yak and teeth like a vampire," I said, mimicking the described horrors. Both Lisa and I laughed. If only she knew who was really writing to me... I sighed and dreamily looked at the card. "Oh well, don't scare me. In my next letter, I'll ask him to send me a photo," I mumbled, pretending to read the poetry.

Lisa shook her head. "It's about time! You're smiling at these love cards, and they're sent by goodness knows who," she said and settled down with her favorite novel.

The smile doesn't leave my face. Lately, I find myself smiling more often. Especially when I think of that insufferable prince. In our correspondence, he seems like a completely different person. Perhaps this is the true Sebastian, when he removes his masks.

Sebastian.

Sebastian was pleased that his plan to weaken the influence of the King of the Seas was starting to work. He realized that the correspondence with Alex was building trust between them. At the same time, he understood that his sincerity and care, which slipped through the letters, played a crucial role in this process. Deep down, Sebastian hoped that Alex not only believed his words but also started to feel something more for him. He saw it as an opportunity to win her heart and use it to his advantage.

Sebastian had always been calculated and cold in his actions. He possessed wit and a sharp intellect, which allowed him to anticipate the consequences of his actions in advance. During his time at the Academy of Magic, Sebastian, as a powerful fire mage, had learned to control his emotions and not let them interfere with his plans.

His first experience with love, which he had during his third year when a girl tried to use him for her own purposes, revealed to him the dark side of female nature. This experience changed his perspective on women and relationships. He decided to use them for his own purposes without falling into emotional attachments. It was easy for him to play with women's feelings, despite his own essence, like ice, being cold and reserved, even though his magical element was fire.

Sebastian knew how to mask his true intentions behind external composure and present himself as someone without emotions. He was a master of stealth and cunning, often using people and women in his plans. His cold reasoning and calculative nature allowed him to achieve his goals without remorse or empathy.

In the situation with the young Guardian, he had calculated everything and seemed to have considered all possible options. The escape plan was almost ready. The unexpected arrival of a neighbor for Alex complicated matters, and the plan had to be revised. He needed an ally in the Kingdom of the Seas, and not just any ally but someone he could unquestionably trust. If Cristoph de Seen discovered who took his niece, a scandal would be inevitable, and Sebastian's father would not be pleased. Sebastian had no intention of involving the King of the Forest in his games with the young duchess, so he needed to act swiftly and quietly. If his plan with the girl failed, he would gather all the information and report it to his father. If it succeeded, the consequences for the Kingdom of the Forest would be minimal.

Sebastian pondered for a long time about a potential ally and leaned towards one candidate - Daniel Rainn. Since their time at the Academy of Magic in the Kingdom of the Forest, Daniel had been like a brother to Sebastian. They trained together, shared a room, and conquered women's hearts together. Throughout all this time, Sebastian had not encountered a more loyal friend than Daniel.

Decision made. Today, he would contact Daniel and arrange a meeting at their secret spot. There was no time to wait for Cristoph to make his next move. They needed to take Alex out of the boarding school.