Easton trudged through the hallways of Aurora Pce, each step as heavy as his mood. If a storm cloud could manifest over a person''s head, Easton would be the living, brooding embodiment.


    "Back so soon from your romantic escapade?" chimed a voice, dripping with yful annoyance.


    Easton didn''t even bother looking up. "I am not in the mood, Thea," he snapped, his tone as sharp as a knife.


    Althea gracefully pushed off the wall she''d been leaning against, gliding to his side with an infuriatingly smug grin. "What''s the matter, dear brother? Did your precious fiancée send you back?"


    He shot her a withering re. "How did you know I went to see Iyana?"


    "Do you think things like this stay secret? That too, in this pce?" Altheaughed, a twinkle of mischief in her eyes. "Everyone has been gossiping about it all day."


    Easton groaned. "Of course, gossiping appears to be their full-time job."


    "Well, this time, the gossip is juicy," Althea chirped, almost bouncing with glee. "The Crown Prince, caught in the throes of love, neglects his princely duties!"


    brought-to-you-by-MvLeMpYr


    Easton''s frown deepened. "When have I ever neglected my duties?"


    Althea rolled her eyes dramatically. "Oh,e on, Easton. No matter how much you do, it''s what you don''t do that sticks."


    "Is this about the Walver Epidemic?" he asked, exasperation seeping into his voice.


    She nodded.


    "You know better than anyone there was nothing I could do."


    "You could have at least shown up as moral support," Althea pointed out, a hint of usation in her tone.


    Easton sighed. "Do you have any idea what that storm did to our flood barriers? Viges would have been underwater if I hadn''t dealt with that."


    "Ah, always the perfect prince, aren''t you?" Althea mocked, her voiceced with sarcasm.


    She almost felt guilty for making Vyan sabotage the flood barriers to keep Easton upied. Almost.


    "Why am I even talking to you?" Easton grumbled, turning on his heel. "Go to your room and stay quiet."


    "Wow, are you seriously barking orders at your older sister?" Althea''s voice carried a mocking tone.


    "It''s not like you ever do anything that older sisters are supposed to," Easton shot back, rolling his eyes dismissively.


    "Huh, I can act like an older sister," she retorted, puffing her cheeks and rolling up her sleeves with exaggerated determination. "Come at me with your problems. I will give you solutions!"


    "Okay, tell me, have you ever been in love?"


    Althea froze mid-step, her confident demeanor evaporating in an instant. Her eyes widened, and she halted as if she had run into an invisible wall.


    "If you have, help me with this. How do you win over a girl who wants to maintain distance—" Easton''s words trailed off as he realized Althea was no longer by his side.


    He turned to find her standing motionless, a dark shadow eclipsing her face. Her light green eyes were hollow, drained of any warmth or life.


    "Thea?" Easton called out, his voice tinged with genuine concern.


    Althea snapped out of her trance, stering a forced smile on her face. "Um, you know what? I just remembered something. I will act like an older sister on another asion. I have got to go!"


    With that, she darted away, leaving Easton in a bewildered silence.


    She sprinted to her room, mming the door shut behind her. The pounding of her heart echoed in her ears as she rushed to the bathroom.


    She sshed cold water sshed from the sink, desperately trying to steady her breathing. She blinked rapidly, droplets clinging to hershes as she stared into the mirror.


    But it wasn''t her own reflection she saw.


    The face staring back at her was twisted, menacing—a haunting specter from her past.


    Panic surged through her veins. She reached out frantically, but there was nothing to grasp. Her magic, usually so reliable, failed her in her shock.


    The room seemed to close in around her, the air thick with unspoken fears and buried memories.


    Desperation overtook her, and with a guttural cry, she punched the mirror. ss shattered, shards embedding themselves in her knuckles.


    Blood dripped onto the sink, mingling with the water as she whispered through clenched teeth, "Don''t ever… don''t you evere to my mind again."


    ———


    "The rain seems to be getting worse, doesn''t it?" Iyana remarked, her voice tinged with concern as the downpour hammered relentlessly against their carriage.


    "You don''t say," Vyan responded, running a hand over his face in exasperation. "I really should have listened to Jonathan''s forecasting. We might need to find shelter soon. The horses might get hurt as well."


    "Do you think we will find an inn nearby?" Iyana asked, her hopeful eyes searching Vyan''s face.


    "Sure, why not? Inns love to sprout up in the middle of nowhere during uing floods," Vyan quipped, rolling his eyes. "But let''s consult our resident expert though," He telepathically called out to Clyde, who was in the carriage behind them.


    After a moment of silentmunication, Vyan turned back to Iyana. "Good news. Jimtown vige is just beyond this forest path, and it has a few inns."


    "That''s a relief," Iyana sighed, a small smile ying on her lips.


    "If the rain lets up tonight and we start at dawn, we should reach the Forest of Beasts by afternoon," Vyan added, trying to sound more upbeat.


    "We would have to get to work immediately then," she muttered. "It will be dangerous to wander the forest once night falls."


    "Yes, you are right." The monsters usually got a power-up after dark. They needed to be out of the forest before nightfall, which meant their return would get dyed by an extra day.


    If that happened, then the work rted to—


    He was busy deducing things when he noticed Iyana studying him intently.


    "What are you staring at?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.


    "Just your frown," she said bluntly. "You frown a quite lot, don''t you?"


    "No, I don''t," he retorted, his brows knitting together in a deeper scowl, which only made her burst outughing.


    "Thanks for proving my point instantly," she giggled.


    He rolled his eyes. "How can youugh in this situation?"


    "What does myughter have to do with our situation?" she replied, mischief glinting in her eyes.


    "Well, you should be praying we get to the inn safely. With this rain, we are one pebble away from a carriage disaster."


    Sheughed even harder. "Who knows, I will probably still beughing—"


    Just then, a violent jerk wrenched the carriage, and the next thing they knew, Vyan''s words dide true.


    They had an ident.