Leilania sighed as Alexandru's words hung in the air. His tone had cut deep—not from cruelty, but from the rawness of truth behind it. She had only done what she thought was best. As a blind woman in a kingdom that demanded perfection, she could not bear the thought of standing idle while someone she cared for suffered. Powerless was a word she refused to embody.
She gestured lightly, and the maids and guards moved to escort Alex back to the infirmary. He didn't fight it. Silently, he followed, head bowed, lost in his own storm of guilt and exhaustion. He needed time to think, to cool his blood after the outburst that had burned between them.
Leilania stood for a long moment, breathing through the ache in her chest, before turning to the nearest guards. "Take me to Blitz Forn," she commanded softly.
As they walked the winding corridors, her mind wandered to what he had said.
He said they were his family… that he couldn't risk losing them too.Does he really feel that way toward a family he does not even know?Could he possibly see me like that too?
The thought stung and warmed her all at once, and she shook it from her mind as they approached the vault.
The King's Vault loomed before her like a sleeping beast—its vast steel wall shimmered with faint blue veins of crystal. At its heart, a latch of carved quartz gleamed, cold and smooth to the touch. Before it sat a lone man at a desk, his attention fixed on a mechanical trinket that spun between his fingers.
Blitz Forn was young—barely more than a boy in appearance—with a mop of brown hair streaked by a single lock of green that fell across his eyes. The green gave him a boyish charm, softening his features. When he heard the rhythmic clack of boots echo through the chamber, he looked up sharply.
"Sir Blitz Forn?" Leilania's voice was even but commanding. "I need the antidote for the guards' poison arrows."
The guards at her side straightened.
Blitz blinked, the color draining slightly from his face as he rose. "My Princess…" His tone was timid, careful. "The antidote you speak of is a complex cocktail. If you could specify the symptoms of the type of poison, I can provide you the proper antidote."
Leilania's chin lifted, her expression unreadable beneath the fall of her silver hair. "The green poison that was imbued into the guards' arrows before the war. It was supposed to be destroyed. Please do not play coy. This is not a game. You will get me the correct antidote."
The guards behind her raised their spears in warning. The air in the vault thickened.
Blitz's hands shot up at once. "I assure you, my lady—I know every poison our team created. They were all used during the war. Some were designed to be instantaneous; others would paralyze the body for up to thirty minutes, depending on dosage. But I can't risk providing the wrong antidote—it could do far worse damage." His voice quavered, though his reasoning was steady. "When the king ordered the arrows destroyed, he also commanded that the antidotes be kept. In case they were ever needed again."
Leilania's ears twitched, parsing every nuance of his tone. She could hear the tremor of fear—but not deceit. Still, she pressed. "A poison that causes sensitivity to light. Initial choking, blockage of blood flow, followed by unconsciousness and weakness." Her breath hitched. "Blitz, someone's life is on the line. This poison was supposed to no longer exist. If more are infected…"
Her voice faltered. She tore the blindfold from her eyes, letting tears trace her cheeks. "Please."
The sight of her blind eyes, glimmering and wet, broke Blitz's composure. The moment stretched, and then he was in motion—rushing to the vault's crystal latch, muttering a quick incantation. The lock shimmered and clicked open, and he slipped inside.
"You speak of the Thelvon Toxin," he said, rummaging quickly through glass vials and scrolls. "The antidote is its mirror—the Thelvon Cure. It will purge the body within minutes, but the process is… unpleasant." He paused, his brow creasing. "If anyone still possesses the Thelvon Toxin, it could only be members of the Thelvon family. But that couldn't be the case…"
He emerged with a small glass ampule, ancient elven text curling across its parchment label. "This is it. If the dose was full, you only have minutes."
Leilania gestured sharply, and one of her guards sprinted from the chamber, carrying the vial toward the infirmary. She turned back to Blitz, her hand finding his arm. "Thank you… Tell me—how could it not be the case? Who in the Thelvon family would do such a thing?"
Blitz stepped back, his voice quiet, respectful. "I-I haven't a clue. It was a guess, nothing more. The Thelvon family is vast. But Serenity—Amelia's sister—once admitted to having her own private archives. She kept records even I never saw. I swore to secrecy… but if lives are at stake, I can't keep that hidden anymore."
Leilania's hand reached out once more, brushing against his cheek before she pressed a gentle kiss there. "Thank you, Blitz. Please… make more of this antidote. We may need it soon."
Her guards turned to lead her away, but before they left, she whispered to one, voice low as steel. "Locate Serenity Thelvon. Do not bind or approach her. She must remain unaware. Inform only our own guard. Be ready for anything."
Blitz stood motionless long after she was gone, fingers ghosting over the spot where her lips had touched his skin.
The guard burst into the infirmary moments later, shouting for the druids. The vial was taken at once, its contents injected with practiced haste. Chanting filled the air as magic flared faintly blue over Alexandru's pale body.
Then came the sound—a sickening, violent retch. Alex convulsed upright, vomiting thick, coagulated blood into a nearby basin. His body shook, a chorus of wet gasps and choked groans echoing through the room. But beneath the horror, there was change. His color began to return. The poison was leaving him.
The druids closed his wound as he slumped forward, panting. One offered him a goblet of blood. He seized it, drank deep, and finally exhaled.
Leilania was already beside him, kneeling on the cold floor, heedless of the stench or the mess. Her voice was soft, urgent. "How are you feeling, Alex? I learned something you may like to hear. The only ones who should have this toxin are members of the Thelvon family. We are hunting one named Serenity. She was said to hold the toxins."
Alex swallowed hard, wiped his mouth, and then pulled her suddenly into his arms. "I'm sorry," he breathed against her hair. "I should never have shouted. I let my anger blind me. I should've focused on the treaty, on you—on us. I never meant to hurt you."
Leilania's eyes widened. Slowly, she returned his embrace, her hands trembling as they slid along his back. "Shhh," she whispered. "It's alright, my lord. I'm just glad you're safe. That poison affected you in ways beyond my understanding. I knew you didn't mean to hurt me."
She drew back enough to meet his gaze, her lips curving in a faint, gentle smile. "I've sent my guards to find her. We will find her—and we will avenge your mother. Then peace can truly begin when you take my hand."
Alex listened in silence, his thumb brushing her hand as he nodded faintly. "We have no proof yet," he murmured. "We must treat them like anyone else until we do. But yes… we're close. Whoever killed my mother will pay soon enough."
He stood, his strength returning by the minute. "But for now, we rest. We've both seen enough danger for one day. Tomorrow, we go to the Thelvon home and find the truth."
Leilania rose with him and held his hands firmly. "Then tonight, you stay in my room. I won't leave you alone—not after this. Come."
Before Alex could protest, she had taken his arm and led him out of the infirmary. Guards lined the halls, their armor whispering with each breath. The air thrummed with layered wards and enchantments—protection spells woven through the walls themselves.
She led him to her quarters, the heavy door closing behind them as guards took post outside. Her chambers were immaculate—soft fabrics, subtle fragrance, fewer obstructions for her to stumble on.
For the first time since the chaos began, it felt like safety