As a new queen rises to power, the kings of Caeleste grow unrest. The Inlustris in their sights, they send an assassin to Antonella Feulune's palace, and the war is declared.
Inexperienced and filled with grief, Antonella sends off her fiancé on a t...
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If someone asked me if I was having a nice time wandering around the forest, ducking behind bushes at the sign of life, and urinating in open air, I would burst into flames. The constant state of anxiety we were in was unlike anything I've ever felt before. I was always sheltered back at the palace, shielded from any danger. Now, I was hunted along with these Bleeders, and danger was a consequence of the job.
It was frightening.
Herc roused everyone from our slumber before the vermiculo could peak through the horizon. I believed I only rested for five minutes. My body heaved with effort to get up, as did everyone else's, to which I found comforting. The last thing I needed was to slow everyone else down and be pitied on for being a rogue amateur.
Jax woke up better from his wound, but that didn't mean the pain had ceased. I frowned watching him contort his face as he tried to put weight on his affected leg. He told everyone he was fine, but it was clear he was in a great deal of discomfort.
I yearned to swirl my fingers and ease his pain, even if slightly, but the dangers of being discovered were far too risky with everyone so close together. It was bad enough that Marisole knew, if anyone else figured it out, I wouldn't make it far enough to battle my true enemies.
I resisted the urge as Herc and Gaia ran through the motions of making it to the Aetherius Garden. My mind tried to keep up with all the steps, but I figured I'd do well enough following them as I've done all this time. I understood we were going to pass by King Rasmus' palace, which was the major problem.
"It's so soon," Gaia shook her head, "Herc, there must be another way. We're going to risk getting caught. We might as well stay here."
We, in fact, didn't stay there. Even though we all agreed with Gaia's reasoning, there wasn't another way to find the Maior. If we extended our stay at the cave, we ran the chance of being found by King Rasmus' hounds.
Marisole recalled one report from when she was a mere child where a pair of servants went rogue and were found at a cave by hounds. The child service worker turned off the projector before the report finished.
Abandoning the cave was like waking up before an etiquette class, the longing to stay back and sleep was overpowering, but Herc forced us to move forward with a little push from Marisole. We mumbled and grumbled, but we left the cave before daybreak, as planned.
I trailed behind Marisole as Kora and Herc took the lead. Both Gaia and Adonis stalked behind us, helping Jax limp. He recovered more of his agility, but he was slower than usual, not to mention his injury was evident from far away and could be our potential weakness if ever attacked.
I hoped to Gracious we wouldn't be attacked. I was already anxious of meeting a Maior, probably the only one left in the land. They probably found a better place to live in another land or died off. However, this one seemed to be stubborn enough to stick around. Maybe he wasn't the only one, but one was enough to terrify me. I didn't know how he would receive me.
