Dusk of the Realm

24

They spent the rest of the day searching the area surrounding the pond. Tarin did not sense anybody; in fact, he did not even sense any animals, and any water or tree nymphs that had once lived here had parted ways with it long ago, which did not bode well for the history of this place. Anywhere that magic had been especially disturbed or misused was somewhere that the animals of the Realm tended to avoid. However, no matter how hard Tarin searched, he could not find Serena's trail, or any signs as to where the Infernals that had attacked him had come from.

Once the moon hung among the stars, Ambrose returned to him and told him that he had not had any luck either. Tarin raged on and on about how there must be something; she did not just vanish into thin air. However, the strength of his will was not enough to make her simply reappear, and no miraculous signs made an appearance either.

To return to Azure without her seemed like sacrilege to the duty he considered to be sacred. He could not shake off the feeling that she was in that area somewhere, but without any idea of where, there was not much point in remaining there. The Infernals would not just hand her back over, but he was sure that they would have some sorts of conditions regarding the situation now that he would need to hear if he would have any hope of killing them all once and for all.

They did not exchange a single word on their return trip. They plunged through the forest at each other's side, but the tension between them was palpable. It was clear that Ambrose blamed Tarin for what had occurred (Tarin could not bear to think the words), and Tarin, for his part, would never be able to forgive that Ambrose had gone along with Serena's ridiculous plans because of the feelings he had for her.

Tarin had hurt her, and that would haunt him for the rest of his days. But Serena should never have been out there in the first place, and the fact that Ambrose was more susceptible to her charms than he was loyal to Tarin's instructions regarding her safety was nearly as deplorable as Tarin's own actions.

They reached the city before daybreak, in the earliest hours of morning. Tarin raced from the southern gate to the castle, and Ambrose, internally stewing, evidently had no better idea of what to do than to follow. The only people they ran into were guards, who saluted as Tarin breezed past them, though their faces betrayed their concern at what must have been the horrible mess of emotions latent in his expression and manner.

Tarin used his magic to propel him up full sets of stairs at a time. He landed atop the fourth set in a crouch that he pulled out of immediately, rushing around the corner of the hall to reach the princess' bedroom.

When he saw the twins guarding the door, he stopped in his tracks with a snarl. They blinked at him simultaneously.

"Sir?" Vice asked cautiously. "Sir, was your trip successful?"

His teeth unclenched only to let loose a small growl before he was in Vice's face, and she tensed, as if willing herself not to cower in the face of his rage.

"How could you have let this happen, Vice?" he hissed. "How could you have been outsmarted by this imbecile?"

He gestured towards Ambrose, who just chuckled darkly, stepping up beside Vex with his arms crossed. The twins glanced between them briefly, and while Vex continued to study Ambrose's posture with a thoughtful expression that usually indicated that she was doing a magical scan, Vice focused on Tarin's, which was still only inches from her own.

"Oh, I'm an imbecile now?" Ambrose asked with a sneer. "Tell me, Wulf: is it just me, or would every single other man who ever spends more than a few minutes with the princess also fall into that category?"

Tarin placed his hand on the hilt of his sword threateningly. "Don't you dare assume--"

"What? That you're obsessed with her?" Ambrose taunted, his eyes remorseless. "I think we all already knew that, Sir. But you aren't her keeper; just because you're jealous of me doesn't--"