The World Cannot Know

Chapter 35

Matthew Wild

The next day I woke to the smell of something cooking—fresh bread, maybe, or porridge. For a moment, I forgot where I was. The warmth of the blankets, the quiet hum of morning, and the gentle sounds of a household coming to life made me feel like I was back at the castle. But then the events of the previous day came rushing back, and the reality of my situation settled in once more.

I dressed in the clothes Eliza had given me, now warm and dry, and ventured out into the main room. Eliza was bustling around the small kitchen area, humming softly to herself. Arney was at the table, fiddling with something I couldn't see.

"Morning," he called out when he noticed me, his usual grin firmly in place. "You look like you slept well."

"I did, thanks to you both," I replied, sitting down at the table. "I can't thank you enough for everything."

"None of that," Eliza said, waving off my gratitude with a smile. "You're a guest here. Besides, Arney hasn't had anyone to show off to in a while. You're doing me a favor."

Arney feigned a look of offense. "Show off? Mother, you wound me. I'm simply educating our guest on the finer points of heroism."

Eliza rolled her eyes good-naturedly and placed a steaming bowl of porridge in front of me. "Eat up. You'll need your strength if you're planning to keep up with this one today."

I glanced at Arney, who was still grinning like a fool, and couldn't help but smile back. Despite everything, despite the pain and fear that still lingered in my heart, I felt a little lighter in their company.

As I ate, Arney leaned in, his voice dropping slightly. "So, Matthew, what's the plan? You're not planning on sticking around here forever, right?"

"I actually need to head to Wallucia; I've got someone waiting for me there," I said, taking a bite of my food that was handed to me on a plate.

"Wallucia? Haven't you heard? It's been attacked. No one's allowed there now," he replied.

Arney's words hit me like a punch to the gut. Wallucia, attacked? My mind struggled to grasp the reality of what he was saying.

"Attacked?" I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. "By who?"

"Valoria, of course," Arney replied, his tone matter-of-fact, though his eyes held a hint of concern as he watched my reaction.

"But I've got someone there that I need to meet," I said, the urgency rising in my voice. I could feel my heart pounding, fear clawing at the edges of my thoughts. Peter Hans.

Arney shook his head, his expression grim. "Well, they're probably dead now, who was it you needed to see?"

"Peter Hans," I said, my voice trembling slightly as I spoke his name. "I was told to meet him, he was suppose to help me, after breaking out and all"

Arney's face remained impassive, but there was a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "Never heard of the man before," he said, shaking his head. "It doesn't mean much though; Wallucia's been cut off for a while, and news doesn't travel fast in these parts."

Arney's blunt words hung heavy in the air, the finality of them sending a shiver down my spine. The thought of Wallucia—once a place of hope for me—now reduced to ashes, filled me with a sense of helplessness.

I leaned forward, trying to suppress the fear in my voice. "I don't really know what to do now, what about the people there in Wallucia?"

"All dead," Arney repeated, his voice carrying a weight that made the reality sink in even deeper. "Heard it was pretty barbaric. Valoria doesn't mess around when they decide to take a place down."