Thief of Twilight

Part Three: Chapter 101

The morning air was thick with fog. Tiny drops of dew lingered on the stone steps and lush leaves of the nearby trees. I can't believe I'm leaving the tower today. It feels like I just got here.

"Have a safe trip." Cerise said.

"Please come back soon!" Canary whined. "I'm going to miss you!"

"I'll miss you too. All of you." I looked at the others with a warm smile.

"I don't know how...but if you can, you should write to us as soon as you get to the palace." Tekhelet said.

"Oh yeah! Isn't there some sort of secret mailbox you have in a nearby village Cerise?" Canary looked up at her with hopeful eyes.

"Yes, but it's for medicinal herbs. It's not at a carrier's office." Cerise sighed.

"Don't worry. I'm sure Sinopia will come by and visit after I return to the palace. I'll send my letter with him when he does." I reassured them.

"We should get going. We need to get back to the palace as soon as possible." Sinopia cleared his throat.

"Thank you for housing us." Ji-eun bowed her head. "And you don't need to worry. I have marked this land so you won't be harassed by any demons." They will not come near the tower if they smell the scent of a wolf demon."

"Thank you." Cerise held her hands together. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't afraid something like that would happen eventually."

We said our goodbyes before making our way up the river. I saw Canary bouncing on the horizon as she called out to us.

"It was nice meeting them." I said.

"I'm glad that you did. And I am glad that you were able to become friends with Zaffre and Vista. I didn't think they would take a liking to you. But they did." Sinopia said.

"It was a bit rocky in the beginning." I chuckled. "But once we talked it out, everything changed."

"I'm sure the emperor will allow them to visit the palace." Ji-eun looked down at me. "In a way, they are your family...right?"

"Yes." Sinopia said. "All moon children, to an extent, are family. We are related by our connection to Celene. But...our blood might be watered down after a few generations. Especially if some of us have been able to blend in with humans and reproduce with them."

"That makes sense..." I murmured.

"How long before we return to Jincheon?" Ji-eun asked. "Do you think it will be just as long of a journey?"

"Possibly." Sinopia looked back at us. "Once we climb this cliff, it should take the same amount of time if not shorter."

I stopped before the cliff and looked up. Once we climb our way out of the gorge, the temperature will be warmer. We won't be able to smell the fresh air that's down here. Sinopia leaped from one rock to the next making his way up the side of the cliff. Ji-eun took my hand and we made our way up together. The higher we went, the warmer the air became around us. I began to groan as the hot air clung to my skin.

Once our feet were on the soft grass, I looked over the gorge at the horizon. Guaonia was right over the border.

"Let's go. We need to hurry." Sinopia walked ahead of us.

"Let's go, Lady Abedayo." Ji-eun's voice was a soft murmur.

I looked back down over the cliff into the depths of the gorge.

"Is everything alright?" Ji-eun asked. "Did you forget something?"

"No." I turned to walk after her. "I just hope that our time at the tower didn't put the others in danger."