Chapter 224

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A new danger loomed. Cassian was searching for a moment to speak, and Alessandro replied, somewhat surprised. “I would give my life for her,” he said. “She would hate you for it. Maya is not someone who shares your pain, no matter how hard you try to protect her. There’s nothing she should have to suffer.” “Then you should never let anything happen to my sister,” he warned. “Sometimes you will arrive at something, but losing her… her death would be a torment for me.” Barto was satisfied with the response he received, so Alessandro remained silent.
As they reached the entrance, he bid farewell with a gesture of his hand and turned to leave. Maya had rushed to her room when her brother departed. She stepped out onto the balcony and watched as he crossed the palace doors. The pixie appeared, and Maya spoke with great regret. “Why have you gone so soon? I wanted to talk with him again.” “You have nothing to discuss with him,” the pixie replied. Maya had spoken with Barto all night, but that was something she didn’t dare confess. Why would she crush her own heart with such a burden? “He was a wanderer.
I was just curious about him, about the kind of life he leads,” she said, omitting part of the truth. With deep regret, Maya responded as she felt her brother disappear behind the high palace walls. “A normal life, something I can never return to.” When Taren returned, he was agitated, struggling to remain upright as he pressed his hand against his waist to steady himself. Blood oozed from between his fingers. Sirius rushed to his side, helping him to stay on his feet. “What happened? Who attacked you?” Sirius asked, concern etched on his face. “A monster…
there’s construction in the forest,” Taren gasped. He knew he wasn’t an excellent warrior, that he would end up hiding from the creature, but that didn’t matter. It was too strong, and that was why he had become a hero. “April, come immediately!” Sirius shouted, trying to rouse her. April obeyed Sirius’s command, but they couldn’t reach him in time. They found, among the trees, a tall, slender monster, completely human-shaped.
It halted its advance, and with a fierce heat, Taren shouted, “It has been killing those who carry it!” Abril used her silver flames against the creature, but they extinguished as if they were nothing. She held on to April, who used her magic to attack the monster. If she managed to inflict any harm, it was their fault. Sirius let go to assist April, but the creature retaliated, launching an attack that sent Abril sprawling. April created a barrier, but she couldn’t regret it; the creature’s sharp claws clashed against her defenses.
She rose from the ground, focusing her power as she ran with Sirius’s help, grabbing the creature by the waist and attempting to infuse it with despair. Sirius seized the opportunity to immobilize the creature while April unleashed her magic. Taren, closing in, brandished his sword and struck, blood splattering across his clothes as the monster’s head fell away. “I wanted to unleash my power like a torrent,” Abril thought, as the silver flames consumed the creature, turning it to ashes. Taren fell to the ground, faint and covered in sweat.
Abril rushed to his side, placing her hand on him and infusing her magic into him. As the heritage closed, color returned to Taren’s face, but he remained unconscious. Sirius approached Taren and said, “We must move.” “It’s dangerous to teleport, even now,” Abril replied, concern in her voice. “I healed him, but he lost a lot of blood,” Sirius insisted. “Losing him would be more dangerous than staying here. We know there could be more monsters in this forest. We can’t detect them, and finishing them off isn’t easy.
We need to go.” Abril knew it was wrong to move Taren, but she recognized the truth in Sirius’s words. The creature was unlike any monster she had faced before. “You’re right. It’s better for us. Let’s hope Taren survives the journey.” Sirius pulled some parchment from his bag, a teleportation scroll. He had to act quickly before they were discovered. Abril was surprised to see the unfamiliar landscape. They stood in a dark street where food lay stale and forgotten. “Where are we?” she asked. “In the wretched capital of Laios,” Sirius replied, holding Taren steady. Abril’s heart sank.
This place was nothing like she remembered from when she was taken to the kingdom of Cosset. “Are you sure? It looks different from what I recall,” she said, scanning their surroundings. “We’re in one of the poorest neighborhoods,” Sirius explained. After a quick look at the dilapidated buildings lining the street, Abril felt a sense of unease. The streets were completely empty at first, and she feared they might be alone, especially given the deplorable state of the area. But soon, curious eyes appeared in windows and through slightly ajar doors.
Sirius remarked, “I believe it will be impossible to go unnoticed. We’re the only ones on the streets.” “Everyone seems convinced that we’re trouble,” Abril said, her voice low. “I don’t know, but hurry. It’s not wise to linger here,” Sirius urged. They moved from the main streets toward an inn, knocking insistently on the door. “Open up! We need shelter!” Sirius called. A few eyes peeked out, and a male voice replied, “We’re closed. It would be better if you left.” “Our friend is sick and needs to rest. Please, let us in. We’ll pay you well,” Abril pleaded.
The man didn’t seem willing to open the door, so Abril took out her purse of gold, letting the coins jingle enticingly. “We have plenty of generous offers. Please, let us in,” she insisted. A large, strong man with dark skin and hair appeared, eyeing them warily before finally opening the door. “Thank you,” Abril said, her relief palpable. She didn’t want to fall apart in front of Taren. “Follow me,” the man instructed, leading them to a room with two beds. He carefully deposited Taren onto one of the beds and asked, “You’re not from around here, are you?
Where do you come from?” Sirius answered, “We are travelers, passing through, but everything is closed. What has happened here?” “There are never any roses in the lower neighborhoods, but now it’s worse. Monsters are killing everyone they encounter. People are too afraid to leave their homes, terrified of being the next victims.”