Silver: The Lost Royal

34 | A Mystery Unsolved

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Leurf ~ lee-urf
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HER feet created a rhythmic thump as they pounded on the damp ground beneath her and propelled her forward. Whipping her head from side to side, she caught glimpses of red symbols zooming alongside her, leaving trails of vibrant streaks in her vision. Nausea welled within her at the sight, but she pushed against the protest of her muscles.

She had to escape the flying symbols. Nothing could stop her, or so she thought.

Her body jerked to a sudden stop. Some steps away from her, red lips smirked beneath a hood. Fear transformed from a driving force to a paralyzing grip. Someone screamed behind her, but when she turned, the forest dissolved around her, almost as if it was melted by the crimson flames that now surrounded her.

Trapped along with her was Vesper's lifeless form, sprawled on the scorched floor. Even though blood gushed out of his slit neck, mingling with the charred remnants of half of his face, his mouth stretched wide open.

"Daurus will come for you! Daurus will come for you, princess!"

His distorted voice came, accompanied by the roar of the consuming fire. The combination of heat and trepidation seized her lungs, suffocating her in a fiery embrace. Gasping for breath, she inhaled deeply, and the world transformed.

"Hey, you okay?" Zack asked.

She tried to move, but Loralai's weight kept her fixed, so she let her eyes wander. The trees around had few branches and even lesser white leaves. Despite that, they appeared much more alive than those in the forest. Loralai still sat on her thigh, fast asleep, and the sky had brightened to a dull shade of blue.

Zack gripped her hand, a little firmer. "Karyn?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She nodded but soon noticed the shadows beneath his eyes. "You?"

"Still hurts." Along with his weak voice, his face had gone pale.

"Did you sleep?"

"Couldn't."

She had to force her eyes away from him, for if she stared longer, her heart would beat faster in apprehension.

Somber houses flanked them, but Karyn couldn't spot a single difference. They all stood with a door in the center and two windows beside it. The houses had roofs that extended in front and around, providing a covered walkway. A small fence, no more than four feet high, separated each house from its neighbor.

"Is it usually such a ghost town?" Jamie asked, but he got no response.

Soon the threader sputtered, interrupting the smooth ride. The jerky movement woke Loralai, who rubbed her eyes. But the moment the vehicle stopped, Loralai jumped out and stumbled ahead, her eyes moving from house to house.

"Loralai, wait!" Karyn called as she got out.

Jamie carefully examined the different buttons before finally tapping on a meter. "We're out of threads. We have to walk."

"What of Zack and Salome?" She glanced down at the blood-stained shirt around Zack's thigh.

"It's fine," Zack said as he sat up. He gripped the side of the threader tightly and pushed himself up with a groan. "If Loralai can just lead us to her house, so we know she's safe," he continued, standing with his weight resting on his good leg.

"You're in no condition to—"

"I'm not sitting here while you enter this strange town. We don't know how they'll receive us."