Holly’s POV
I woke up in the sleeping room that smelled of incense. My pillow, so soft to the point I didn’t want to wake up.
“Why?!” I cried softly. I groaned a bit more before pushing myself upright, rubbing my eyes. Looking around, I saw Abby’s blanket tossed halfway off her bed, Brynlie’s shoes were gone, and Kalaya’s bed roll still held the faint shape of her body.
“Where did they go,” I wondered. I slipped out of the room through the door that led to the connecting corridor. The stone wall was cold under my fingertips, the lantern lights filtering through the archway, getting brighter the closer I got to the hall. I walked around the hall for a good while, watching several citizens as I felt stares in the back of my head. All mixed emotions, some strange. I stayed calm, not really bothered by it. Then, I heard the faint sound of… children? They were yelling over each other, as well as the sound of someone laughing. There was also something that sounded suspiciously like magic crackling.
It took a while but as the sound got louder, I walked around a corner and there they were. Abby was on her feet, brushing dust off her clothes. Brynlie stood beside her, trying and failing to keep a straight face. And Eli. Poor Eli, was completely engulfed by a swarm of children tugging at his sleeves, climbing him like a tree, and reenacting what looked like a very chaotic retelling of… whatever I’d missed. Abby shot him with a smug grin, muttering something I couldn’t hear. Eli tried to glare at her, but a kid tugged his arm and he nearly toppled.
“We’ll talk about that later!” He shouted, voice cracking under the weight of tiny hands. I couldn’t help it, a small laugh slipped out of me. The whole scene looked ridiculous. Brynlie, who stood a little apart from the chaos, giving off a look that felt troubled. I watched, probably for too long until I headed over.
“Well,” I said, carrying just enough amusement to make Abby glance over as I entered the confusion. “Looks like I missed something.”
Abby groaned dramatically. “You missed everything.”
Eli shot Holly a pleading look over the heads of three children climbing him like a tree. “Help,” he mouthed. I smirked, giving him a look that said nope. Eli looked like he regretted every life choice that led him to this moment. He finally managed to peel two of the smaller kids off his arm, only for another to immediately latch onto his leg like a determined barnacle. Abby snorted. Brynlie winced sympathetically. I folded my arms, watching the whole mess with a kind of detached amusement.
“Alright, alright. Everyone off him,” Abby said, clapping her hands. “He’s fragile.”
“I’m not-” Eli started, but a child tugged his sleeve again and he gave up.
The kids groaned in unison but slowly dispersed, scampering out of the circle like someone had released a flock of hyperactive birds. A little boy ran up to Brynlie and gave her a tight hug before running off with the others. The air felt lighter without them, though the faint feeling of leftover magic still hummed in the air. Eli straightened his tunic under his chained chest plate, hair sticking up in three different directions.
“I hate mornings,” he muttered fixing his hair.
“You hate children,” Abby corrected.
“I don’t hate children,” he said, offended. “I just… prefer them at a distance. An exceptionally large distance.”
Brynlie finally stepped closer, her expression still shadowed by whatever she’d been thinking earlier. I made a mental note to check on her later.
Abby dusted her hands off. “Anyway. Crisis averted. Mostly.”
I raised a brow. “So. What exactly did I miss?”
Abby and Eli exchanged a look. One of those silent, knowing ones that said Abigail absolutely did something questionable and was hoping no one would ask follow‑up questions. Which, of course, meant I was definitely going to ask follow‑up questions. We drifted a little ways from the center of the hall, the echoes of the children faded behind us. When we reached a quieter alcove, Abby explained what happened. I crossed my arms and fixed Abigail with a look.
“Alright,” I said. “What did you say about the ending?”
Abby shrugged, far too casual. “We changed it obviously. Can’t have it going around.”
Eli gave a curious look, clearly wanting to know what she meant.
I blinked. “And her kidnapper?”
Abby froze. “Oh… I forgot about him.”
“Really?” I deadpanned. “He was annoying enough to stay in my brain… unfortunately.”
Brynlie, who had been lingering besides Abby, stepped forward. “Who? That girl who helped with the dragon?”
I waved a hand dismissively. “No. It’s no one important.”
Abby’s eyes flicked away which told me the story wasn’t nearly as simple as she wanted it to be. And the way Brynlie’s eyes avoided contact, told me she knew it too.
Abby pretended to be extremely interested in a crack in the wall, to avoid eye contact as well. Eli, however, was staring at all three of us like we’d collectively conspired to ruin his morning. Which, to be fair, we kind of had. He crossed his arms, still slightly out of breath from being used as a jungle gym. “Okay,” he said, voice tight. “Someone explain the story. There’s clearly more to it.”
Abby winced. “Right. That.”
“Yes,” Eli said, gesturing wildly. “That. Because from what I gathered, the Lord of Daewynn was mentioned. And don’t even get me started on the fact that there was an artifact with a dragon, which sounds more like a dragon egg to me. Not only that but I became a tragic victim, or a very confused tree thanks to your shenanigans. I’m not sure which I was.”
I bit back a smile. “Tree sounds accurate.”
“Holly,” he groaned. Abby finally turned around, hands raised in surrender, palms up like she’d been caught mid‑crime. “Look, it wasn’t that bad.”
“You told them a story,” I said slowly, “and made the dragon the dramatic centerpiece of it.”
“Well, it was,” she said. “And it wasn’t like you weren’t there.”
“I was asleep when you told it!” I snapped.
“Exactly, very convincing performance.”
“I did more than you did.”
“You just happened to be looking into the same thing we were.”
Eli blinked between us, completely lost. “Okay. Pause. Why is there a dragon in this story to begin with? And why does it sound like all of you lived through some dramatic nightmare?”
Abby groaned. “Because it kind of was, and you weren’t there.”
“That’s the problem!” Eli said, pointing at all of us. “I wasn’t there, and yet somehow children are reenacting a story involving a dragon, a kidnapping, and what was it? ‘The girl who helped with the dragon?’”
I exchanged a look with Abby. She shrugged. I sighed. “It wasn’t exactly planned.”
Eli threw his hands up. “So, what was real? And what happened on this… journey of yours?”
“It wasn’t a journey,” Abby said.
“It was absolutely a journey,” I corrected.
Abby shot me a glare. “Not helping.”
Eli stared at us like we were speaking in riddles. “So let me get this straight. There was a real event. You told the kids a fake version. And now I’m the only one who doesn’t know what really happened in either version.”
“Pretty much,” Abby answered. He looked personally offended. “Why?”
“Because the real ending is not something we want spreading,” she said. “And the fake ending was for the children.”
I added, “And you weren’t there.”
“You already said that! Plus, that’s not a reason,” Eli exclaimed, voice cracking with exasperation. “That’s an excuse.”
Abby hesitated.
“Well. There were the Dhel mountains, the guards, the kidnapper-”
“So, the kidnapper was real?!” Eli asked. Abigail winced. “In the real version, yes.”
“And a dragon?”
“In both versions,” she admitted.
“And you all survived this?”
“We’re here, aren’t we?” I said. Eli dragged a hand down his face. “I need the full story. The real one. From the beginning. With no edits, no child‑friendly rewrites, no dramatic embellishments, and no leaving out anything.”
I patted Eli’s shoulder. “You’ll get your explanation.”
“When?” he asked, already sounding like he expected disappointment.
“After breakfast.”
Eli groaned loudly. “I hate being the last to know things.”
“You hate mornings,” Abby corrected.
“I hate everything right now,” he muttered. However, he led the way down the side of the hall anyways, towards the opposite end of where the sleeping quarters were, on the left side of the map room. Half because he wanted answers, half because he clearly didn’t trust us not to wander off and forget he existed again.
“Plus,” I added, “if we’re telling you, we’d best tell the other knights.”
“And my brother,” Abigail said.
I let out a sigh. “Right, and Eric.” I stopped abruptly mid‑step. “…Wait…” I turned toward her slowly. “You didn’t tell him?!”
“Uhm…” Abby pressed her palms together, then pointed her thumbs and index fingers into a little diamond shape as the rest of her fingers laced together. This was her universal sign for: I messed up, please don’t yell at me.
“Let’s just say,” she said carefully. “That he would have, and still probably will… flip out.”
Eli blinked. “So… even he doesn’t know? Your own brother?”
Abby winced. “He knows… parts.”
“Which parts?” Eli asked.
“The parts that wouldn’t make him mad.”
“That’s not reassuring,” Eli muttered.
“It wasn’t meant to be,” I said. He shot me a look, annoyed and bewildered. Like he was still trying to figure out why he was walking down a hallway with three people who clearly shared a crazy event and had collectively decided it was best he didn’t need to know until now.
“You know,” he said after a moment, “I don’t even really know you people.”
Abby patted his shoulder. “That’s okay. You will after breakfast.”
“That sounds like a threat.”
“It’s not,” I said brightly. “Probably.”
Eli groaned again. But he kept walking because even if he didn’t know us, he wanted to understand what he’d stumbled into. The smell of warm grain and spiced broth drifted down along the wall of the hall as we walked. Eli trailed half a step ahead, arms crossed, still wearing the expression of someone who’d been handed a puzzle with half the pieces missing. We rounded the corner into the dining room. An elderly man who was serving food kept a smile, humming as he was ladling porridge into wooden bowls.
“That’s the elderly man from before,” Brynlie pointed out, “who gave me some food.”
“Oh, you know John?” Eli asked as he walked through the archway.
“John huh.” Brynlie waved over to him. He look up from pouring food into a bowl and waved before continued to help with the others who were serving food. Kalaya, Eric, Samuel, and Aurora were already seated at one of the long tables. Eric looked up immediately. “Hey guys. Heard there was a commotion this morning. What were you guys up to?”
Aurora blinked, spoon halfway to her mouth. “There was a commotion?” she asked, then shrugged and kept eating.
“Yeah,” I said, grabbing a bowl from the counter. “These two thought it would be a good idea to put on a light show.”
I pointed at Abby, who instantly avoided eye contact… again. Brynlie, who was twiddling her thumbs like she wished she could disappear into the floor walked behind her.
Brynlie mumbled, “I thought it was fine.”
Eli snorted. “Uh huh.”
We collected our food and found seats at the end of the table. Eli sat stiffly, like he wasn’t sure when to mention it. He tapped his spoon against the bowl.
“Alright,” he said. “I’m sitting. I’m eating. Now can I have the real story I was promised?”
Eric paused mid‑bite. “Real story?”
Samuel looked up too. “What story?”
Aurora blinked again. “There’s a story?”
Abby groaned and dropped her forehead onto the table. “Okay, but… Eric. Before anything is said, please do not freak out.”
Eric’s eyes narrowed. “Why would I freak out?”
Abby lifted her head slowly, giving him a straight face. “Because you always freak out.” He opened his mouth, then closed it again, realizing she had a point. Eli looked between all of us, increasingly agitated. “Now can you explain?” He exhaled slowly, setting his spoon down.
“Fine,” I said. “We’ll tell you. All of you.”
The table went quiet. Everywhere else had either laughter or chattering among they’re table. The elderly man named John kept on humming as the smell of porridge filled the air. So, we told them.
The story was really about the old Lord of Daewynn, Eldrin Sorus. He originally hired someone to kidnap scalars’ and students from the academy nearby. It was called the Luminas Nexus Institute where many people with different affinities for magic went to study and learn. I had already heard about it and started to check it out. While Abby and Brynlie were looking into it, Brynlie managed to get herself kidnapped in the process. I found out after meeting Abby and Kalaya behind a tavern in the city on the same night.
We interrogated the bandit that was hired for the job who told us they were placed on the outskirts to transport the students to the Dhel mountains which was the drop-off point. He didn’t have any another information besides that. So, after contacting a friend of ours named Ezrah, we headed to the mountain as the bandit led the way. It took a while to pass through the cliffs nearby and Fallfell Grove but eventually made it to the drop-off point. However, while searching, he managed to slip away and escape which was so annoying but relieving as he would not stop talking.
A few days later, we had finally found it. Dhal Melragh. An old ruin fortress inside of a mountain where a ruined church was forged. The church held a lot of natural energy that felt off but powerful. Careful not to run in blind, we tread carefully until we saw the gates of the church guarded by three to four guards (instead of just two). Ezrah took them out with a sleeping spell which made that part easier then to be expected. Once in, we found Brynlie tied up as her mana was being drained by The High Priest Damian, and a sorcerer by the named of Salem Granite. The mana was being used to activate the relic on the podium which was absorbing it.
We fought the guards placed inside and another bandit called Gavin as well as the Lord’s subordinate. The Lord plus the priest and sorcerer focused on the relic as the rest of us fought. We had won easily but were too late. Brynle collapsed onto the floor as the relic glowed a bright red revealing a dragon hidden inside. Turns out it was a dragon egg, and the baby was pretty big given the fact that it was a red dragon. However, it could also breathe fire and incinerated the sorcerer who had tried to control it. The priest’s right arm and face were burnt and died due to injury. The dragon was about to run havoc when Ezrah cast a spell to calm the dragon and put it to sleep. Once that was delt with Abby and Ezrah transferred some mana to stable her body and helped wake her up. We later found the other students, but sadly… not all of them made it. Those who survived were transferred to a hospital where they would recover until they could return home.
When Abby finally finished, the table was still in silence, but more than before. Aurora’s spoon hovered over her bowl. Samuel looked pale. Eric looked like he was trying hard not to explode. Eli just stared at me with wide‑eyes. “…Okay,” he said slowly. “That was… not what I was expecting.”
Abby nudged him with her elbow. “Still want to be included?”
He swallowed. “I’m not sure anymore.”
But he didn’t get up. For a long moment, no one moved. The porridge steam drifted lazily between us, soft and warm, completely at odds with the cold knot of silence that had settled over the table. The room around us buzzed with chatter, clinking bowls, and the elderly man, John; still humming as he ate his own bowl of porridge. Kalaya just kept on eating, pretending like she wasn’t unfazed. Eric, who looked like a pot about to boil over, was the first to break the silence.
“You-” he pointed at Abby, then at me, Brynlie, Kalaya, then back at Abby, “-you four went through all of that, and you didn’t think to tell me?!”
“I told you some of it,” Abby restated
“Some?” He sputtered. “Some?! You left out the part where a dragon hatched and almost killed you!”
Aurora blinked. “So, the dragon really hatched?”
Samuel whispered, “A red one…”
Kalaya leaned forward, elbows on the table. “And fought a sorcerer. And a priest. And a lord,” she sighed.
“Technically,” Abby said, “the dragon fought the sorcerer.”
“That does not make it better,” Eric snapped.
Eli rubbed his temples. “So, this is normal for you people?”
“Yes,” I said.
“No,” Abby said at the same time. Brynlie shrugged helplessly. Eli groaned. “Great. Wonderful. I’m eating with a group of lunatics.”
“You led the way,” Abby reminded him.
“I led the way because I thought you were normal!” he exasperated. “Or at least less insane than this!”
Kalaya snorted. “That was your first mistake.”
Eric dragged a hand down his face. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. I’m your brother.”
“You would’ve flipped out,” Abby said.
“I’m flipping out now!”
“Exactly.”
He stared at her, betrayed. I sighed, pushing my bowl away. “Look. We hid it because it was… a lot. And because we didn’t want it spreading.”
Aurora nodded slowly. “People would panic.”
Samuel added, “Or try to find the ruins.”
Kalaya’s voice dropped. “Or the dragon.”
Eli stiffened. “The dragon is still alive?”
“Yeah,” I confirmed. “Ezrah brought it to the north.”
“That’s not comforting.”
“It wasn’t meant to be,” I said. He groaned again. Eric didn’t even wait for Abby to finish her porridge.
“Come here,” he said sharply, grabbing her by the elbow and pulling her backwards a few steps away from the table.
She groaned. “Eric-”
“No,” he snapped. “You don’t get to ‘Eric’ me right now.”
“But my food,” she wined, dragging the words out as she reached for the food she desperately wanted. She shot me a helpless as she was dragged away. I shrugged. She was on her own. Some people stared, and some laughed but returned to their own tables. Kalaya kept eating like nothing was happening. Aurora leaned forward with her chin in her hand, eyes sparkling with interest. Samuel looked like he wanted to crawl under the table. Eli looked like he was about to start taking notes.
Eric was standing near the entrance of the dining room when he lowered his voice, but not enough. “You went into a mountain fortress,” he hissed. “You fought a sorcerer. A priest. A lord. A dragon. You almost got kill! And you didn’t think to tell me!?”
Abigail crossed her arms. “I told you the important parts.”
“THE IMPORTANT PARTS?!” Eric nearly choked. “Abby, you left out the part where Brynlie almost died!”
Brynlie sank lower in her seat. “I’m fine now…”
“Shh! Keep it down.” She urged him. “People are looking.”
“I could care less!”
“Just- Come this way.” She grabbed him by the wrist and walked off. Meanwhile, Eli leaned toward me. “So,” he whispered, “how big was the dragon? Like… big, big? Or ‘I could maybe outrun it’ big?”
I just stared at him. “No.”
He ignored me. “Could it breathe fire the moment it hatched? Is that normal? Do dragons usually come out of eggs fully homicidal?”
I blurred out the rest of the questions. It was annoying. Plus, I was hungry. Samuel made a strangled noise. “Please stop asking questions.”
Eli turned to him. “Why? Are there more dragons?”
Samuel paled. “I-I didn’t say that.”
Aurora snorted into her porridge. Eli leaned closer to me again. “And what about the relic? You said it absorbed mana. Could it still be active? Could someone else use it? Could it-”
“Eli,” Samuel said firmly. “Stop.”
He blinked. “Right. Sorry. Just… trying to understand the level of danger you accidentally got tangled up in.”
Aurora raised her spoon. “High.”
“Very high,” Brynlie added.
“Extremely high,” Kalaya said without looking up. Eli groaned into his hands. Finally, Eric marched back to the table, face red.
“We’re not done talking about this,” he told Abby.
“I said I was sorry,” she mumbled.
He turned to the rest of us. “Now that we almost have that out of the way.”
“Almost,” Brynlie muttered.
“We need a plan. Now,” he finished.
Kalaya finally set her spoon down. “Agreed.”
Aurora perked up. “Ooh. Map room?”
Samuel nodded nervously. “Map room.”
Eli looked between us. “Why do we need a plan?”
I stood, grabbing my bowl, staking it with the others. “Well, first off, we need to figure out how to get everyone out of here and not get spotted in the process.”
“I still have a few more questions though. What ever happened to the Lord?”
“He was taken to prison,” Abby started. “However, a few days later he was found died by poison in his ceil. If the Lord of Daewynn was involved in something that big… then they blocked our only route of knowing. Well, besides that other bandit Gavin, who got away during the fight with the dragon.”
“True, but we haven’t heard anything about him,” Kalaya added. “It’s like, he completely disappeared.”
“That’s odd,” Aurora questioned.
“What ever happened to the dragon?” He asked again.
“She already said a girl named Ezrah took it to the north,” Samuel restated, pushing his glasses up. Eric crossed his arms. “How many people knew about it?”
“Well,” Kalaya started, “whether it was the only dragon known about, somehow-”
Eric froze. “I’m sorry-the only-?” Aurora patted his shoulder. “You’ll get used to it.”
“No,” he said. “No, I don’t think I will.”
But he followed us anyway. We left the dining hall together, the hum of voices fading behind us as we headed down the corridor toward the map room, until all that remained was the echo of our footsteps. Kalaya led the way, her stride steady and unbothered. Eric walked stiffly beside Abby, arms crossed tightly. Samuel hovered near the back, adjusting his glasses every few seconds. Aurora drifted along like she was on a pleasant morning stroll. Eli stayed close to me… too close, with his occasional glances aimed at my back.
This is annoying. Why is he starring anyways? I’m not answering any of his questions.
We reached the map room, the massive table in the center, covered in the same parchment maps, markers, and lantern above. The air smelled faintly of ink and old dust. Kalaya shut the door behind us. Everyone drifted.
Kalaya went straight to the far wall, leaning her shoulder against the stone, arms folded, gaze sharp. Aurora hopped up onto the edge of the table, legs swinging, lantern‑light flickering across her amused expression. Samuel took a seat near the middle, hands clasped, posture stiff but attentive. Eric stayed standing, pacing behind the table with the restless energy. Abby dragged a chair over and plopped into it sideways, arms draped over the backrest. Brynlie hovered near the opposite wall, fingers tapping against her thigh. And Eli stepped right up to the table next to Aurora, leaning over the maps.
I just leaned against a wooden pillar. Gives me a wide view of everyone.
Eric planted both hands on the table. “Alright. First priority: getting the citizens out of the safe room without being spotted.”
Kalaya pushed off the wall and approached the table. “The west tunnel is the least guarded. That’s where we came in.” Abby pointed at the map. “Here. The tunnel runs under the inner wall and comes out near the river by the tree line. However, we can’t move them all at once. Too risky.”
Samuel adjusted his glasses. “Not to mention we don’t know how many soldiers are still patrolling the outer ring. Thoroughly too. If they see movement, they’ll be on high alert and do one of two.”
“Let me guess,” Brynlie started, “Capture or kill.
The silence that filled the room became alert. No mistakes could be made, or it would put everyone in danger. Aurora tapped a marker. “We stagger them. Different times. Different groups. We can avoid drawing attention that way.”
“That puts us in a slight disadvantage,” Samuel acknowledged. “It drags our forces out.”
Eli leaned closer. “And we’re sure the tunnel hasn’t been compromised?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I made sure it wasn’t.”
“Good,” Samuel murmured adjusting his glasses. “Because the safe room is packed. People are scared. They won’t last long if we’re push further in.”
Eric nodded grimly. “Which is why we need to move fast.”
Before anyone could respond, the door creaked open. A woman slipped inside, breathless, hair slightly messy, eyes wide. “I got them,” she said. “Claire and McKenzie are on their way.”
Samuel let out a relieved breath. “Good. Thank you, Jaeda.” She nodded and stepped aside just as Claire and McKenzie entered behind her. Both girls looked tired but alert. McKenzie crossed her arms. “We heard you were planning the evacuation.”
“Where were you two?” Asked Kalaya. “Out on patrol,” Claire answered, “Someone has to watch our backs. What have you figured out?”
Eric gestured them closer. “Claire, you know the inner wall better than anyone. Here’s what we have.”
They moved to the table, Claire standing beside Eli, and McKenzie leaning over Samuel’s shoulder to study the map. Abby tapped the west tunnel again. “We start here. Small groups. Quiet. At different times. It spreads us not too thin but enough.”
“And we’ll need someone to show them where,” Brynlie said softly. “Someone at each turn, plus to show them where to go.”
Kalaya nodded. “I’ll help guide them.”
Aurora grinned. “I’ll go with you so I can help with the next group.”
Samuel swallowed. “I’ll… tag along too. The more people who know, the better chances we have.”
“I’ll lend whatever I can about the inner wall’s area,” Claire offered.
Eli looked around at all of us. “So, this is really happening. We’re evacuating the entire safe room.”
“Yes,” I said.
“And we’re doing it right under their noses?” he asked.
“Also yes, hopefully,” Aurora said cheerfully.
He exhaled. “Okay. Just checking.”
Eric straightened. “We split into teams. Double check the tunnel. Confirm the exits. Then we start moving people.” The room settled into a tense quiet, the lantern above us flickering just enough to make the shadows shift across the maps. Eric traced a finger along the west tunnel route, jaw tight.
“Alright,” he continued. “We know how we’re getting them out. Now we need to decide where they’re going once they’re outside the walls.”
Aurora leaned back on her palms atop the table. “Somewhere far away would be nice.” Samuel nodded quickly. “Preferably somewhere with cover. And food.”
Eli tapped the map thoughtfully. “What about the other side of the river, in the forest? It’s hidden, and the terrain is rough enough that patrols won’t be able to spot us easily.”
Mckenzie shook her head. “Not enough terrain. If they send a large force, we’d be easily found.” Abby straightened in her chair. “Lord Jayce is waiting in the camp outside the northern ridge. He’s already setting up tents and supplies. He’s expecting us.”
Eric raised a brow. “You didn’t think to mention that earlier?”
“I was going to,” she said, waving a hand. “Eventually.”
Brynlie let out a soft sigh. “He helped us get into the city in the first place.”
“Also,” Abby added, “there will be a few new friends joining us soon. Reinforcements so to speak.” Aurora perked up. “Reinforcements? From where?”
She shrugged. “Where’s the fun in a good mystery. Just know that they’re coming. We’ll meet them by the river. And don’t worry about the guards. They’ve got it handled, Just focus on the citizens.”
Samuel frowned. “I hope they’re not from the capital. They say those people require a hefty sum for they’re services.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll like this group,” she reassured with a smirk, leaning back in her chair, arms crossed behind her head. Brynlie walked over, curious. “Speaking of which, whatever happened to the other Lords?”
Eli placed a hand on his head, combing through his hair. “We got multiple reports saying that they were supposedly killed during the attack.”
“Or captured,” Aurora said quietly. The room stilled. Claire looked between us. “You think some of the kingdom’s Lords are still alive?” Eric crossed his arms. “We don’t know. No bodies were found. No confirmations. Just… theories.”
“Theories,” McKenzie echoed, “that these mysterious forces took them.” Samuel swallowed. “If that’s true… then the kingdom’s leadership is compromised. Besides us, there’s no one else.”
Silence once again settled over the room. Thoughts about what might have happened filled the air. If the Lords weren’t dead…then where were they? Kalaya finally broke the silence. “If they took them, they wouldn’t keep the Lords anywhere obvious.”
Aurora tapped her fingers against the table. “So where would they put high‑value prisoners?”
“Somewhere deep and hidden.”
“Somewhere guarded,” Samuel added, pushing his glasses up. “Very guarded and hard to reach.” Brynlie stepped closer to the table, brow furrowed. “Do we even know if the city has a dungeon big enough for that? Or if they’d use it?”
Eric shook his head. “The city dungeon is too small. And it’s too close to the main square. They wouldn’t risk keeping captured Lords somewhere that public.”
“So…” I said slowly, “where would they put them?”
Mckenzie leaned over the maps, scanning, looking, searching for something. “When I was a little girl,” she started. “My grandfather who took me in as his apprentice told me stories of an old underground dungeon deep within the center walls. Where certain people, dangerous people, were kept. It made me wonder whether that was true or not. So, one day I got curious enough to go down one of the towers on the east side of the castle.
I remember it being so dark to the point where the torch I was carrying was barely enough to see the stairway down. I climbed down a fair amount before I lost my balance and tripped on a step. I was about to hit the floor when I started floating in mid air right before I almost landed on my face. I looked over to see the torch floating besides me. Then up to see a figure in a black cloak standing in front. He spoke “what is a small child like you doing all the way down here?” Before I knew it, he waved his hand and I was turned upright. I looked around, seeing a door behind him.
“Curious little thing aren’t you,” he said. “Come, go back to the surface.” I planted a foot on the step behind me, the torch in my hand. I looked back, “What about you?” I asked. I didn’t see it, but I could tell he smiled before telling me he would be all right. And that was the end of it.”
Eli leaned over the map, curiosity brightening his expression. “So, if the Lords are alive… they’d be down there?”
“It’s the most logical place,” Samuel said. “Hidden. Reinforced. Hard to reach.”
“And hard to escape,” Claire added quietly.
McKenzie crossed her arms. “If they’re alive, we need to confirm it. And soon.”
Aurora raised a brow. “Who would be guarding it?”
“Probably the elite units,” Eric said. “The ones who first stormed the castle. The ones we haven’t seen since the attack.”
I nodded. “So, who’s going?”
Abby looked at me immediately. “You should check the dungeon. You and Brynlie.”
I wasn’t surprised. We worked well together. Plus, her magic and my stealth would come in handy.
“Alright,” I said. “We’ll check out this… dungeon and see if we can find them.”
“I’ll go with you,” McKenzie said walking over. “You’ll need someone to show you where. Plus, it’ll be good backup.
Eric looked relieved. “Good. That covers one lead.”
Abby stood abruptly, flipping her chair around and pushing it back under the table. “Then I’ll take Kalaya and look into another matter.”
Kalaya blinked. “Another matter?”
Abby gave her a pointed look. “Yes. An important one.”
Kalaya’s expression shifted, understanding, then resolve. “Right. I’m with you.”
Eric narrowed his eyes. “What matter?”
Abigail smiled sweetly. “Nothing you need to worry about.”
“That means it’s absolutely something I should worry about,” he muttered.
She patted his shoulder. “You’ll live.”
Aurora grinned. “Ooh, mysterious side mission.”
Eli looked between them. “Should I be concerned?”
“Yes,” Samuel said immediately.
“No,” Abigail said at the same time.
Kalaya shrugged. “Maybe.”
Eli groaned. “Why is everything with you people vague and terrifying?”
I smirked. “You’ll get used to it.”
“Again, no. I really won’t.”
“Also,” Abby started, “before I forget. We’ll need to hurry back and get to the meeting point before dusk today.”51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQw7PCVMEv
“Why?” Eric asked, concerned.
“I told Jayce to let the reinforcement know that if all of us don’t meet up by the river before dusk tonight, they had the all clear to start a little something in the middle of the inner wall.”
“What’s this… something?” Aurora wondered.
“A distraction if you will. And a signal that they’re here.”
Eric tapped the table with his figures. “Alright. Holly, Brynlie, and McKenzie investigate the dungeon under the eastern tower. Abigail and Kalaya… do whatever it is you’re doing. The rest of us stay here and gather the citizens and get them ready to move once they get back. Like she said, we need to be there before dusk.”
“Right!” Everyone shouted in agreement. Abigail saluted. “Glad you approve.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Didn’t have to.”
She flashed him a grin, and for a moment, the tension eased. But only for a moment. Because if the Lords were alive…they were running out of time. And so were we.
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