The journey back to the capital was a blur of restless nights and quiet roads. The letter from Elgrath weighed heavy in my cloak, but the memory of Lareth's voice lingered even heavier in my mind. Every time I closed my eyes, I could still see the ruins, the fog, and the look in his eyes when he called me a traitor.
By the time the palace towers came into view again, the world felt colder. The city gates opened without ceremony, and I slipped through the corridors unnoticed. I could not afford to be seen. If anyone suspected I had left without permission, or worse, that I had met with a human, the whispers would turn into knives.
My quarters were dim when I entered. Only one light burned, a single lantern on the table. The attendant was waiting, her expression tense.
"You're back," she said quietly. "They've been looking for you."
"Who?"
"The High Council," she replied. "They sent envoys to ask about your whereabouts. Lord Veyl kept them away, but they won't stop asking for long."
I removed my cloak, the motion heavy and deliberate. "Then it seems my absence was noticed sooner than I hoped."
She studied me for a moment, her eyes searching my face as though trying to read a truth I hadn't spoken. "You went beyond the borders, didn't you?"
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
I said nothing.
She stepped closer. "If anyone finds out, you'll be accused of treason. Even the King won't be able to protect you."
"I know," I said softly. "But there are things happening beyond the walls that no one here understands. If I don't face them, the war we think we've ended will begin again."
Her hand tightened around the lantern handle. The light trembled between us. "You sound like someone who's already chosen his side."
"Maybe I have," I said. "But not in the way they think."
She looked down, her voice unsteady. "You can't keep standing between two worlds forever. One will destroy you."
Her words echoed those of Lareth, though she couldn't have known. I wanted to tell her everything, the truth about who I once was, about the man buried beneath this face. But the words died in my throat.
Instead, I said, "If I fall, promise me something."
She blinked, startled. "What?"
"Keep the kingdom from tearing itself apart. Don't let the hatred consume what little peace remains."
Her lips parted as though to protest, but then she nodded, eyes shining faintly in the light. "I'll try," she said.
For a long time, we stood in silence. The air between us felt fragile, heavy with the weight of everything unspoken. Then, quietly, she placed the lantern on the table and turned to leave.
Before she reached the door, I spoke again. "Thank you."
She stopped, glanced back, and gave a faint, sad smile. "You're welcome, Your Highness."
When she was gone, I sat alone in the quiet. My hands rested on the table where the letter from Elgrath lay hidden beneath a map. The ink of its words seemed to burn through the parchment even now.
We know who you are.
I had tried to bury my past, but it refused to stay dead. I could hide the truth for a while longer, perhaps even fool the council and the King. But secrets always came with a price, and I could already feel the cost closing in around me.
Outside, snow fell softly against the window. Somewhere deep in the palace, a bell rang : slow, mournful, and distant.
The sound reminded me that peace, like snow, never lasted long once the sun began to rise.