Devotion

Chapter 42

Xylvie

I clearly hadn't thought this through. Lazarus and I were supposed to be back in the castle, but two days of wandering aimlessly had left us lost. "Shit, shit, shit," Lazarus muttered through clenched teeth. I had ignored his cautions; my desperation to find Ali and help Princess Aurora had overshadowed my rationality.

"If we make it back, I'll tell them I just wanted to stretch my legs and got lost because of my reckless temperament," I said, quickening my pace in a futile attempt to mask my anxiety. There was no way I could be discovered; I couldn't involve Lazarus in this. Out of everyone in the kingdom, he was the only one who treated me normally. I stole a glance at him as he focused on finding our way back, his expression serious and alert as he listened for any signs of direction.

I was about to speak when we heard shouting nearby. "There are footsteps here! Your Royal Highness!" Panic surged through me as more people ran toward the voice. Lazarus immediately turned in that direction, yanking me along with him, until an arrow pierced his arm.

He stifled a groan, trying not to scream, as a pair of familiar hazel eyes appeared before us, bow in hand. Azra stood there, his face dark and serious, but when he recognized me, he lowered his weapon. Just as I felt a surge of relief, he reached for me, and instinctively, I recoiled, ready to flee. But he grabbed me, pulling me close.

"Why the hell did you leave?" he growled, eyes flicking to Lazarus, realizing he had shot his friend. Lazarus offered a weak wave, which prompted Azra to let go of me and attend to his injury.

While they exchanged heated words, I seized the moment to slip away, determined to keep searching for Ali. I regretted bringing Lazarus along; he could lose his position at the palace because of my choices, but I would fight for him. He was the only one who treated me like a person instead of an Eshler, especially given the hostility I faced for my lineage.

I continued to walk further away from the Moon Kingdom until I finally reached the border separating us from the humans. I scanned the area for a tree to hide behind before stripping off my clothing. Thank goodness I had packed a change of clothes that were easier to move in—sweatpants and a black t-shirt. While I had trained in a dress before, this was far more practical.

Just as I begun to take off my dress, a rustle nearby made me freeze. I held my breath, waiting a tense minute before continuing, and after hearing nothing, I quickly changed into my new clothes. I had never set foot in the mortal realm before. We were forbidden to cross the border due to a war that had raged centuries ago, but I also couldn't bring myself to be part of what my parents had done—crossing to torture innocent humans.

The border was marked by thorns inscribed with an ancient language that hadn't been heard since the disappearance of King Xenos and Queen Katrina of the Peavia Kingdom. No one knew what had happened to them or their realm.

The last known event during the war was of King Xenos having a vision of a granddaughter powerful enough to make the world bow to her, for better or worse. The Solace family had been feared for their extraordinary abilities—eyes that changed color. Before they vanished, he cast a spell to prevent future generations from inheriting those powers.

As I began to climb the border, I suddenly felt hands grip my waist. I kicked out instinctively, but my attacker quickly pinned me to the ground. Desperately, I struggled for my sword, but the familiar hazel eyes caught my attention once more.

"Hey, hey, hey! It's me!" Prince Azra said in an attempt to calm me, scanning my form for injuries. After he determined I was unharmed, he sat me up and knelt before me, annoyance shadowing his features as he regarded the border.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he snapped, then turned back to me. I had no intention of explaining myself, not after our earlier encounter, so I ignored him and resumed my climb.He caught my arm, pulling me back down. "You're not going to the mortal realm; it's dangerous," he scolded. I glared at him, pushing him away. "It's none of your business," I shot back. After the way he had treated me earlier, there was no way I would confide in him.

His eyes flared with anger, glowing fiercely as he yanked me toward him. "I knew you were just like your family. I knew you would try to kill my sister, you bitch!" His voice dripped with hatred, and my heart shattered as he berated me.

That broke me. I shoved him hard and slapped him across the face, tears streaming down my cheeks. "You son of a bitch! What do you know? You judge me because of my family? I hate them, and you think I'd ever hurt your sister?" I yelled before summoning my magic to teleport back to my kingdom.