Flickering Flames in the Shadows
In the darkness, the flickering lights drew nearer. Through the gaps in the leaves, a hazy orange glow shone, and the moment the enemy's identity was revealed, Nefetia and Arkin exchanged startled glances. Those two again?
“Damn it, the fog makes everything invisible. This is so damp and disgusting.”
Draconis shook his hand irritably, and Serena immediately countered. “You were the one who told us to come to the forest, Draconis.”
The princess of the lake’s voice was thick with hatred. Her face was barely visible, but the hem of her tunic, which had once been meticulously clean, was now splattered with mud and leaves. “You got exactly what you wanted there earlier. Stop grumbling and talk about the point.”
Nefetia unconsciously glanced at Arkin. Arkin listened in silence to their conversation without changing his expression. “Serena, sit down first.”
Draconis stopped walking and sat on the rock. The clatter of setting down the lantern echoed loudly through the quiet forest. “Sit beside me.”
The prince patted the seat next to him. However, Serena did not move. Her attitude was completely different from the last time she had been broken in the garden. “I’ll just stand and listen.”
“Sit down! What did I say? After all, now you and I…”
“Did you not hear me? I said no!”
“Hah, there you go again with that attitude.”
Crash! The sound of a vicious slap landed across Serena’s cheek at the same moment her body was dragged toward Draconis. “See, Serena? Compared to when you avoided and feared me, this is much better…”
Nefetia covered her mouth and held her breath. Draconis’s hand gripped Serena’s hair. Serena glared at him with eyes full of hatred, tears glistening in her eyes. “If you keep being arrogant, you won’t be happy. Now that I’ve touched your body, you think you’re something?”
Slap! The merciless hand struck her soft cheek again and again. Without even a scream, Serena’s face was slapped brutally. The harsh sound of her catching her breath traveled across the darkness.
Every sharp slap made Nefetia clench her teeth. Why was she receiving such treatment? Why was she holding back? Nefetia’s breathing quickened in shock, and Arkin quietly covered her eyes. Even so, he could not block Draconis’s provocative words. “Draco… nis.”
Serena murmured in a strained voice. Her jaw, gripped tightly by his fierce hold, was too distorted to speak clearly. “You… are supposed to be my wife… show some respect…”
Her words did not sound like a rebuke; they only brought a smile to Draconis’s face. The prince of fire swept back his bright red hair and sneered. “What can I do? My husband is a piece of trash. I can do worse.”
Husband…? Arkin’s eyes narrowed in surprise. After the annulment with Solinar, had they formed a secret marriage? But… when?
Draconis reached out to lift Serena’s tunic again, and she staggered once more. “That madman…”
Behind the bushes, a fierce struggle broke out between Arkin and Nefetia. Unable to endure the rising anger, Nefetia pushed Arkin’s arm away and struggled. Arkin, barely holding her, whispered, “Just a little longer… just a little…”
“Enough!”
Fortunately, this time Serena did not hold back. She fiercely pushed away Draconis’s hand. “You promised to show at least some respect. We have to return quickly, so give me the letter.”
Draconis let out a mocking laugh but withdrew his hand from inside her tunic and stepped back. Instead, he pulled a small scroll from his pocket and tossed it to her. “Here. Read it.”
Serena brought the scroll near the lantern and began to read. The prince of fire leaned his back against a tree root and folded his arms. Because it was dark, the handwriting was hard to see, so Serena concentrated hard on the letter. She read several paragraphs aloud. “Igninof and Lakelium have reached a final agreement… in five days, the advance…”
Advance…? Right now?
Arkin’s eyes widened in shock as he stared at Serena. His arm around Nefetia’s shoulder tightened without his knowing. What exactly was happening outside the island?
At that moment, Serena’s voice reciting the letter came again. “Lakelium will receive half the production… of the Magma Stone…”
Magma Stone…?
Nefetia’s face, which had been staring blankly at Serena, suddenly turned deathly pale. Magma Stone…
“Magma Stone is no gift of friendship! Kepet imposed unreasonable demands and coerced us into handing it over. You cannot call it a gift. Right?”
The same burning glare that had flashed in Petra’s eyes still burned clearly in Nefetia’s mind. Then Igninof and Lakelium were planning to invade Stonegard together for the Magma Stone?
Nefetia clutched Arkin’s sleeve with a trembling hand. It seemed they shared the same thought; Arkin tightened his arms around her. Sweat poured down, and her heart raced wildly. They were trying to destroy the peace of the World Alliance and start a bloody war…
Without noticing the shock that gripped Arkin and Nefetia, the conversation between Draconis and Serena continued. “Draconis.”
Serena stopped reading and looked at Draconis. “That’s not what we agreed. Lakelium was supposed to keep three-tenths of production, and Igninof seven-tenths. Why is it only one-tenth? Your father would never accept such ridiculous terms. There must be information you have not shared with me.”
“Of course. The accounting changed. I assumed Igninof would only trust Lakelium alone.”
Draconis laughed, and Serena’s hand clutching the scroll trembled. “What… what does that mean?”
In the tense silence, the prince of fire tilted his head calmly and smiled. “It means another country has joined Igninof’s side. A much more loyal and active new ally than you, Lakelium.”
***
After the two completely disappeared, Arkin and Nefetia still could not bring themselves to speak. The mysterious waves and sweet floral scent that had been pushing in earlier, now that their feet were wet, seemed to have lost their momentum and fell silent. “Arkin…”
After barely opening her mouth, her thoughts broke off. How could they even accept this situation?
“What should we do now?”
Nefetia bit her lip hard. Arkin was just as confused. First, they had to tell this fact to someone. But to whom first? How should they tell them? What next?
Nefetia grabbed Arkin’s arm. “We should tell Petra first. If it’s the Magma Stone… you know. They’re going to invade Stonegard.”
“I know, but…”
During their training together, Arkin had learned Petra’s fiery personality well. If Petra learned this now, she would immediately attack Draconis and Serena without thinking twice, and flip the entire island upside down to find out who the third ally was.
But even so, could they stop the invasion of Stonegard while trapped on Credo Island? Arkin was not yet sure if they should share this with her immediately. It would be better to first confirm a safe way to contact the outside world, then reassure Petra. “As soon as morning comes…”
Arkin stopped in his tracks. Wait. How did Draconis contact the outside world? Who relayed messages from their home country?
“Why are you staring like that?”
Nefetia’s eyes widened. “There must definitely be an accomplice. One person, two, or more… but someone must be delivering a letter to Draconis, passing along Igninof’s news. If Petra clashes with Draconis or Serena right now…”
“Ah…”
Nefetia’s face paled as well. She tried to speak calmly, but her stomach churned. It was just intuition, but a name suddenly flashed through Arkin’s mind. Someone who could freely contact the outside, and who could hide suspicions if needed. Right now, the most likely was High Priest Valdemar…
“Arkin, then what if we tell Seneca?”
“Seneca…”
Arkin furrowed his brows in deep thought, and Nefetia pressed harder. “Seneca is not a bad person. He’s rough and blunt, but…”
“Nefetia, I also think he’s a good person. But he’s still… a priest on this island. If he hears us and reports to the High Priest…”
Arkin shook his head. Nefetia’s shoulders slumped. He was right. “Time is tight, but we seem to need more information first. We must watch Draconis and Serena carefully.”
Nefetia nodded at Arkin’s cautious approach. They needed to learn exactly what was happening. It was urgent to separate those they could trust from those they could not.
The two decided to return to their quarters first. Carefully pushing through the bushes and emerging onto the path shrouded in darkness, the waves that had seemed to stop for a while rushed in at their feet again. “Arkin, can only we feel this?”
Nefetia suddenly asked while looking down at her feet. “Draconis and Serena seem unable to sense this wave. Right?”
Arkin nodded. At this very moment, the cool sensation that constantly flowed around his ankle, which Draconis and Serena could not detect at all, must be felt only by Nefetia and Arkin… and…
“Nefetia.”
Arkin turned toward her. “We should consult Zafiri first when morning comes.”
The prince of the vines was someone they could trust. Although he seemed carefree, Arkin had relied on him many times. Moreover, perhaps using his power, they could even understand the conversation between Draconis and Serena or identify their accomplice. “Yeah, I think that’s a good idea too. Zafiri is reliable.”
Nefetia nodded while tightly holding Arkin’s hand. As they walked back to their quarters hand in hand, the invisible waves of the forest continued to play and tease their ankles and calves without pause. The feeling was like walking along a beach where the tide rushed in, but as they reached the edge of the forest, it gradually faded and disappeared.