The palace gates came into view just as the afternoon sun began its descent, gilding the stone walls in tired gold. Zara noticed the change instantly. Where two guards usually stood at ease, eight soldiers now held their spears at rigid attention, armor catching the fading light. Patrols moved steadily along the walls, their boots drumming against stone in patterns that spoke of unease rather than routine.
Her chest tightened. Something's happened. Her thoughts leapt straight to Lila. The court mage's calm face filled her mind, only to be chased by what had transpired between her and Jace in the forest hollow. The memory of their intimate encounter. That moment burned now like betrayal.
Not now. First, I have to know she's safe. She forced her steps quicker, ignoring the throb in her injured arm.
Inside, the tension only thickened. Guards posted at every junction tracked their movement with wary eyes. Servants hurried by in pairs, heads down, skirts swishing, voices kept to a whisper. The air smelled faintly of oil and metal polish, as if the palace itself had been scrubbed raw in a rush.
"The throne room," Zara muttered, pushing them forward. The need to see Lila pressed at her ribs, louder than pain or protocol.
The double doors swung open. King Aldren was in the middle of a discussion with his advisers, but his lined face brightened at once when he spotted them.
"My champions!" He rose to his feet with a warmth that cut through the tension in the hall. "I've been waiting for your return. The guards at the gate sent word immediately."
With a sharp flick of his hand, he dismissed the cluster of advisers. "We'll resume later. My heroes require debriefing."
Zara only half-heard him. Her arm ached from being cradled close to her chest, every movement sending dull shocks up to her shoulder. The king's sharp gaze found the injury at once.
"But first," he said, voice weighted with concern, "we must see to your wound. What happened?"
Tor spoke up before Zara could respond. "Your Majesty, we noticed the increased security as we approached. Is everything alright here?"
The king's expression darkened immediately. "Marcus, the survivor from Blackmere, turned on us. Sometime during the night, he transformed into a creature of some sort—I can't quite explain what we witnessed, but it was no longer human by any definition."
Zara's pulse spiked. "Marcus?" she blurted, breaking into the king's words. "And Lila—was she there? Is she—"
"She's unharmed," the king assured quickly, steadying his tone. "But your hand requires tending. I can see the pain on your face."
Tor pressed on, grim. "We faced the same at Blackmere. Lost quite a few soldiers and medics before we realized the villagers had been transformed. It seems everything was properly planned."
The king's jaw tightened. "Exactly so. Which is why I commend your friend's quick actions." His eyes shifted to Jace. "It was Nia who contained the creature before it spread chaos further. Her bravery saved lives."
Jace felt confusion wash over him as he tried to picture the scene. Nia? Fighting a transformed creature? The woman who served drinks at the Rusty Goblet? He struggled to reconcile that image with someone capable of combat assistance.
*Is he talking about Nia?* Jace wondered, trying to imagine her facing down something like the grotesque beings they'd encountered at Blackmere.
Before he could ask, the throne room doors opened again. Two familiar figures stepped in. Nia walked with surprising composure, her eyes bright with something almost triumphant. Beside her, Lila appeared slightly disheveled, strands of hair escaping her usual neat braid, but otherwise whole.
Relief broke over Zara like a wave, dizzying, hot behind her eyes. Lila was safe. Breathing. Standing. For a moment, guilt and longing tangled so tightly she thought her knees might give.
Lila's gaze found her almost instantly. The mage's composure slipped, her mouth parting with worry the moment she saw Zara's arm.
"Zara! What happened?" She crossed the hall without hesitation, skirts whispering over the floor. The concern in her eyes hit harder than any scolding.
"It's just a break," Zara murmured, gentler with her than usual, fighting to keep her voice steady. "Nothing I can't handle."
Meanwhile, Nia reached Jace with a smile that looked far too relaxed for someone who had just faced down a monster. "Jace! You wouldn't believe the night we had."
He laughed under his breath, still unsure. "I'd like to hear it."
Her lips curved in a secretive way. "You'd be surprised to learn what I can do."
Across the room, Lila turned toward the king, her professional tone snapping back into place. "Your Majesty, I examined the remains. The only mark I found was this—behind the ears." She produced a crisp sketch of a twisted horn-like symbol.
Kael leaned forward immediately. "That's the same as the Blackmere villagers. Every one of them had it."
Lila frowned, worry creasing her brow. "This doesn't match Zorak's methods. The Demon Lord crushes openly. This—this slow corruption—belongs to another hand."
The silence that followed pressed heavy against the chamber walls. The king sighed deeply, clearly reluctant to accept what the evidence suggested but unable to deny its logic.
"Then not only Zorak, but an unknown enemy working in shadows." His gaze swept across them, exhausted, carrying more questions than answers. "You've done enough for today. Zara, I'm ordering immediate care for that arm. Lila, see to it."
The court mage moved to Zara's side, her voice low but firm. "Come. Let's set it properly before you lose more strength."
Zara let herself be guided, though she glanced once more over her shoulder. Jace stood listening to Nia, who spoke animatedly, her hands gesturing as if she were back in the tavern telling a wild tale.
The corridors outside were quieter, the air cooler against Zara's flushed skin. Lila's presence beside her steadied her, though the comfort tangled painfully with the guilt she carried. What had happened with Jace in the forest pressed at the back of her mind, stubborn and unresolved.
For now, she clung to one truth: Lila was alive, and that was enough to keep walking.