The Duchess

chapter 16

Chapter 16: The Gathering Storm

The ride back to the castle was a quiet one, the weight of their victory-and the uncertainties ahead-settling heavily in the air. The enchanted forest that had once been so full of life now felt eerily silent, its secrets retreating into the shadows as they passed.

Hanna's grip on the reins was steady, though her thoughts churned. The artifact had been destroyed, but the cloaked figure's words still echoed in her mind. "The shadow is already spreading. You cannot stop what has been set in motion."

Allen rode beside her, his usual carefree smile replaced by a rare seriousness. "So, should we start practicing our victory speeches, or are we keeping this one quiet?"

Hanna shot him a side glance. "We didn't save anything yet, Prince."

He raised an eyebrow. "Well, you know me-I'm always ahead of the game."

Puppers, who had reverted to his dog form after the battle, trotted beside them, his gaze alert as always. He suddenly stopped, ears twitching. Without warning, he bounded off into the trees, a low growl vibrating in his throat.

"Follow him," Hanna ordered.

The moment they entered the castle gates, the weight of the day seemed to shift, the tension in the air palpable. Hanna was eager to speak with Eldrin, the castle's head mage, to understand more about the artifact and what they had really fought. But as they entered the castle's keep, something felt wrong-an unsettling chill, as if the air itself had thickened.

Eldrin was waiting for them in her chamber, her expression stern as she examined the remnants of the shattered artifact. The flickering candlelight cast long shadows on the walls.

"This is not the end," Eldrin said, her voice low and grave. "What you destroyed was a tether, a bridge to something far worse."

Hanna's brow furrowed. "What does that mean?"

"It means the shadow is not just a simple enemy," Eldrin continued, her fingers tracing the edges of the broken pieces. "It is a force that feeds on magic and life itself, and now it knows the way through."

The mage glanced at the wolf, who stood silently by Hanna's side. "It was wise to destroy the artifact, but the forest will not intervene again. You must prepare, Duchess. The darkness is coming."

Hanna clenched her fists, frustration and uncertainty swirling within her. She had only just begun to understand the magnitude of what was at stake.

As they made their way through the castle, whispers followed them. The nobles of the court had already begun speculating about Hanna and Allen's disappearance into the woods, their words laced with suspicion.

One courtier, a tall man with a sharp gaze, murmured as Hanna passed, "Alone in the forest with Prince Allen? How... intriguing."

Hanna ignored him, though the biting comment stung. She wasn't used to this level of scrutiny-especially when so much was at stake.

"Is it true?" one of the younger nobles asked Allen as they crossed the courtyard. "Did you really venture into the enchanted forest together? What were you searching for?"

Allen flashed a grin, leaning into the conversation. "A little adventure, nothing more. But you should hear about the real treasure we found-nothing that any of you would understand."

Hanna's patience wore thin as the rumors continued to spread. Some of the advisors were already questioning Allen's motives-was he after the artifact? Did he have an agenda?

Allen leaned close to Hanna, his voice a whisper. "If they want to gossip, let them. They can't touch what they don't understand."

She gave him a pointed look. "I don't like that you're playing along."

He shrugged. "Let them wonder. The more they do, the less they focus on what really matters."

That evening, after the castle had settled into an uneasy calm, Hanna found herself alone with Allen in a quiet tower room. The stars twinkled outside the window, and the distant hum of the castle echoed through the stone walls.

Allen sat by the window, his gaze distant as he looked out over the land. He wasn't smiling now; his usual bravado was gone.

"The North's been hearing rumors of this darkness for a while," he said, breaking the silence. "My father ignored them-he thought it was just old legend. But now..."

"You think we're running out of time."

Allen met her gaze. "We already have. The shadow's real, Hanna. And we're not the only ones who know about it."

Hanna's heart tightened. She had seen the growing danger firsthand in the forest, but hearing Allen's confirmation made it all the more real.

"I've got no intentions of letting it win," she said firmly.

Allen smiled, though there was little humor in it. "Good. Because I don't think anyone else is going to step up."

That night, as Hanna slept, something stirred in the air-a coldness that seeped through the walls, settling deep into her bones. She awoke with a start, the whispers reaching her ears-soft, hissing voices in a language she couldn't understand.

She sat up, the hairs on the back of her neck prickling. The window was slightly ajar, the wind rustling the curtains. Outside, in the moonlight, she saw a figure standing on the castle's outer wall.

The figure was cloaked, their presence warping the air around them, like heat rising from stone. For a moment, they seemed to stare directly at her, their eyes hidden beneath the hood.

Before she could move, the figure vanished, as though swallowed by the night itself.

The only trace left behind was a single, black feather lying on the windowsill.

Hanna's hand shook as she picked it up. Her heart raced. This wasn't the same figure from the forest.

The shadow was moving closer.

With the feather clenched in her fist, Hanna stared out into the night, her pulse quickening. The battle had only just begun-and now, it seemed, the darkness was closer than ever.