The World Cannot Know

Chapter 48

Prince Sebastian 

As I rode through the moonlit night, my heart pounded with a mixture of fear and hope. Every beat seemed to echo the name that had consumed my thoughts for years—Matthew. The letter from Marcus had been clear: he had found him. After all this time, the one person I had searched for, the one person who had been ripped from my life, was finally within reach.

The darkened landscape flew past me as I urged my horse faster, the wind whipping against my face. The forest had grown dense, shadows playing tricks on my eyes, but I pressed on, driven by the desperate need to see Matthew with my own eyes. The thought of him, so close and yet still so far, gnawed at me, fueling the fire within.

When the inn finally came into view, my heart skipped a beat. It was quiet—too quiet for a place that was supposed to be a refuge. But as I drew closer, the eerie silence was shattered by the unmistakable sounds of battle. The clashing of steel, the shouts of men locked in combat, and the distant cries of pain filled the air. A cold dread settled in my chest, the hope that had driven me now tainted with fear.

I dismounted my horse swiftly, drawing my sword as I approached the inn. The front door was wide open, hanging from its hinges, and the sound of the fight was growing louder. I tightened my grip on my sword, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I rushed inside, ready to face whatever threat awaited me.

The inn was in chaos. Broken furniture littered the floor, shattered glass crunched underfoot, and the air was thick with the scent of blood. My eyes darted around the room, searching frantically until they found him—Matthew, in the midst of the fray, fighting for his life.

Time seemed to slow as I took in the sight of him. His hair was longer, his face marked with the passage of time and the hardships he had endured, but it was him. The years apart melted away in that moment, replaced by the desperate need to protect him, to save him from the danger that had once again found him.

Without a second thought, I charged forward, my sword cutting through the air as I joined the battle. I fought with a ferocity I hadn't known I possessed, driven by the sight of Matthew, so close yet still in peril. My blade connected with an attacker, the force of the blow sending him sprawling to the ground. But there were too many of them, and despite the strength of our defense, it was clear we were outnumbered.

"Matthew!" I shouted, hoping to reach him through the chaos. But before I could get closer, I saw him falter, a figure emerging from the shadows behind him, weapon drawn.

"Matthew!" I screamed again, but the warning came too late. I watched in horror as the blade found its mark, plunging into his abdomen. The world seemed to stop as I saw the shock and pain on his face, his hand instinctively reaching for the wound as blood poured from the wound.

"No!" The word tore from my throat, a raw, anguished cry as I fought my way towards him. My sword slashed through another attacker, but my focus was entirely on Matthew, on the life that was slipping away from him with every heartbeat.

Just as I reached him, strong arms lifted him, and I saw the blood, too much blood, staining his clothes and the ground beneath him. "Don't take him!" I pleaded, my voice breaking.

But his eyes were unfocused, his strength draining fast. Before I could react, he was hoisted onto a horse, his body limp as they prepared to take him away. "No!" I lunged forward, but it was too late. The horse bolted into the night, carrying Matthew away from me yet again.

The world felt like it was crumbling beneath me as I watched him disappear into the darkness. The pain of losing him again was more than I could bear. It was like the first time, all those years ago, but worse—because this time, I had seen him. I had almost saved him.