Chapter 67: Suspicion.
The road seemed strangely quiet after Xandros’s question.
For several moments, nobody spoke.
The village around them remained eerily still. The doors that had been slammed shut during the vampire attack were beginning to open once more, cautious faces peeking through windows and cracks in wooden doorframes.
Yet Saline barely noticed any of it.
Her attention remained fixed entirely on the dark-haired man standing before her.
"Rion?" she repeated.
The name felt unfamiliar.
She tilted her head.
"Who’s Rion?"
Xandros studied her face carefully then the playful amusement that usually lingered in his grey eyes had vanished.
For the first time since meeting him, he seemed genuinely serious.
"That’s what I’d like to know."
Saline frowned.
"That doesn’t answer my question."
"No, it doesn’t."
"Then answer it."
Beside him, Adrian sighed softly.
"I told you that was a terrible way to start the conversation."
"I know." Xandros replied,his eyes still on the gurl in front of him that reeks of suspicion.
"Yet you did it anyway." Adrian murmured under his breath.
Saline looked from one man to the other.
Then pointed.
"You two are annoying."
"That’s on him....lady," Adrian admitted.
Xandros rubbed the back of his neck.
His gaze lingered on Saline for another moment before he finally shook his head.
"No."
The word seemed directed more at himself than anyone else.
"It can’t be."
Saline crossed her arms.
"What can’t be?"
Xandros released a breath.
"You resemble someone."
"Then tell me the who?"
"Someone we’ve been searching for...but the look is different though.
So don’t worry about it."
Lilian’s brows rose.
Searching?
That sounded important.
Perhaps even dangerous.
The golden-eyed young woman glanced toward Saline before looking back at Xandros.
"What if she is the person you’re looking for?"
Both men immediately looked at her.
Xandros laughed first.
Not a loud laugh.
Just a short amused sound.
Then he shook his head.
"Impossible."
"Why?"
"Because the person we’re looking for wouldn’t be here.. powerless."
Saline opened her mouth.
Paused.
Then frowned.
"Wait."
She pointed at herself.
"How old do you think I am?"
"Probably sixteen."
"Good." She didn’t correct him cause she loved that she lookwd younger to him.
"That wasn’t the issue."
"It was for a second."
Adrian pinched the bridge of his nose.
Lilian laughed softly.
The tension that had briefly settled over the group began to fade.
Xandros shook his head once more.
"No. Forget I mentioned it."
Saline narrowed her eyes.
"People who say that are always hiding something."
"Correct."
"And you’re not going to tell me?"
"Also correct."
She stared.
He stared back.
Eventually Saline huffed dramatically.
"I dislike you."
"You’ll survive."
"I might not."
"You survived vampires."
"That’s different."
"It really isn’t."
Lilian smiled.
The two were strangely similar.
Neither seemed capable of letting the other have the final word.
Before the argument could continue further, however, something suddenly occurred to Saline.
Her eyes widened.
Then widened further.
"Oh no."
The others blinked.
"What?" Lilian asked.
Saline grabbed both sides of her head.
"Oh no."
"Saline?"
"AUNT FLORENCE!"
The shout startled everyone.
Including several villagers.
A nearby chicken flew into a fence.
Xandros nearly dropped his sword.
"By the heavens!"
Adrian actually flinched.
Lilian immediately understood.
And judging by the look that appeared on her face, she was having the exact same realization.
"We’ve been gone all day."
"We’ve been gone all day."The two girls spoke simultaneously.
Then stared at each other in horror.
Florence was probably searching the kingdom.
The palace.
The gardens.
The forests.
Possibly preparing a lecture.
A terrifying lecture.
Saline pointed toward the distant mountains.
"We have to go."
"Immediately."
"Right now."
Adrian blinked.
"You just remembered?"
"Yes."
"You forgot?"
"Yes."
Xandros looked impressed.
"That’s actually remarkable."
Saline ignored him completely.
She was already turning around when Lilian suddenly stopped.
Then she bowed slightly toward the two men.
"Thank you."
The simple words made both men pause.
Lilian continued.
"For saving us."
Her golden eyes softened.
"We truly appreciate it."
For a moment neither Xandros nor Adrian replied.
Then Adrian inclined his head.
"It was nothing."
"It wasn’t," Lilian said quietly.
A strange expression crossed Adrian’s face.
Gone almost immediately.
Meanwhile, Saline had already begun walking backward.
"We’ll meet again!"
Xandros raised an eyebrow.
"That’s a bold assumption."
"You saved us."
"And?"
"Now you’re stuck with us."
Adrian closed his eyes.
Xandros laughed.
A genuine laugh this time.
"We’ll see."
Saline pointed dramatically.
"That means yes."
Then she grabbed Lilian’s wrist and practically dragged her away.
Their laughter echoed down the road.
Neither noticed that Adrian continued watching them long after they disappeared from sight.
Or that Xandros’s expression had become thoughtful once more.
Particularly when his gaze lingered on Saline’s retreating figure.
Eventually Adrian spoke.
"You still think she resembles her?"
Xandros was silent.
Then shook his head.
"No."
Yet somehow, he didn’t sound convinced.
Halfway back toward the hidden kingdom, Saline suddenly stopped so abruptly that Lilian nearly collided with her.
The dark-haired young woman gasped.
Then pointed toward the sky.
"The flower."
Lilian stared.
"The flower?" She questioned.
"The flower!" Saline confirmed with terror.
Their eyes widened simultaneously.
The entire reason for leaving the palace had been forgotten.
Completely forgotten.
Saline looked horrified.
"We’ve picked none."
Lilian groaned.
"We spent the entire day exploring."
"We got chased."
"By Gina ."
"We met two strange men."
"That too but excluded it."
Saline sighed dramatically.
"The Queen is going to be disappointed."
Lilian looked toward the forest surrounding them.
Then something caught her eye.
Near the base of a rocky slope, partially hidden among wild grass, a single flower swayed gently in the wind.
Both girls froze.
Because neither had ever seen anything like it.
Its petals shimmered silver beneath the sunlight.
Not white.
Not grey.
Silver.
Almost metallic.
At its center rested a cluster of tiny blue filaments that glowed faintly.
As though carrying starlight within them.
The flower looked unreal.
Like something that belonged in a dream.
Slowly, Saline approached.
"So pretty."
Lilian nodded.
Neither recognized it.
Neither remembered seeing anything remotely similar within the kingdom.
Carefully, Saline knelt.
Then plucked it.
The moment she did, the petals released a faint fragrance.
Fresh.
Cool.
Almost like rain.
The girls exchanged a glance.
"We’re taking this one."
"Definitely."
By the time they reached the cave entrance, the sun had begun sinking toward the horizon.
Unfortunately, another problem immediately appeared.
The guards had returned.
Several heavily armed elves stood watch outside the seal.
Unlike earlier whereby they were no where to be found.
They looked very alert.
Very attentive.
Very difficult to sneak past.
Saline peeked around a rock.
Then sighed.
"This is unfortunate."
Lilian nodded.
"Extremely."
Neither wanted to explain why they had spent an entire day outside the kingdom.
Especially to Florence.
Or the Queen.
Or Kaelion.
Actually, especially Kaelion.
Saline pointed toward the cave.
"They can’t see inside."
"They can see the entrance."
"True."
For several moments she thought.
Then a mischievous smile appeared.
Lilian immediately became concerned.
"Why are you smiling?"
"I have an idea."
"That never ends well." She said as she held her two hands together in front while staring at Saline quizzically.
Saline ignored her.
She gathered several small stones.
Then carefully moved deeper into the cave.
Far enough that the guards couldn’t see her.
Then she threw one.
The stone struck the opposite wall.
Clack.
The sound echoed.
A guard immediately turned.
"What was that?"
Another stone followed.
Clack.
This time several guards reacted.
Weapons lifted.
Voices spread.
Within moments the entire group had shifted their attention deeper into the cave.
Exactly where Saline wanted them looking.
The instant their backs turned, the two girls slipped past.
Quick.
Silent.
Gone before anyone realized.
Several minutes later they were already hurrying through the palace grounds.
Laughing breathlessly.
Victorious.
"That worked."
"It shouldn’t have."
"But it did."
Lilian shook her head.
"One day your luck will run out."
"Not today."
The throne room was quieter when they arrived.
Evening light streamed through the windows.
Queen Calista sat upon her throne.
The moment she saw them, one elegant eyebrow rose.
The girls immediately knew they were in trouble.
"You’re late."
Saline opened her mouth.
Then froze.
Because she had almost said:
We accidentally left the kingdom.
Fortunately, Lilian stepped on her foot.
Hard.
Saline yelped.
Then corrected herself.
"We spent longer searching than expected."
The Queen’s gaze narrowed.
Clearly suspicious.
Yet she said nothing.
Instead, she extended a hand.
"The flower."
Saline proudly presented it.
The moment the silver bloom touched the Queen’s palm, something changed.
Her expression stilled.
Completely.
The throne room grew quiet.
Very quiet.
Slowly, Queen Calista turned the flower over.
Examining every petal.
Every leaf.
Every detail.
Then she frowned.
A genuine frown.
Saline blinked.
"Your Majesty?"
The Queen didn’t answer immediately.
Instead she looked at the flower again.
Then again.
As though searching her memory.
Finally she spoke.
"I don’t recognize this."
The girls exchanged glances.
Neither knew whether that was good or bad but they excused themselves nevertheless.
A short while later they found Florence.
The older woman sat near the palace gardens reading.
At least until Saline excitedly pushed the flower into her face.
"Look what we found."
Florence sighed.
Then accepted it.
The sigh vanished almost instantly.
Her eyes narrowed.
She turned the flower slowly.
Once.
Twice.
Then looked up.
"Where did you get this?"
Saline’s heart skipped.
Lilian looked away.
Neither answered.
Florence continued staring.
Then frowned.
Because she didn’t recognize it either.
Which was unusual.
Very unusual.
Florence knew plants.
Especially magical ones.
Yet this flower meant nothing to her.
Across the palace, Queen Calista sat in thoughtful silence.
The silver petal rested upon her desk.
The longer she looked at it, the more unsettled she became.
Finally she rubbed her temple.
Then spoke.
"Send for Kaelion."
The servant bowed immediately.
Several minutes later, the familiar captain entered.
"My Queen."
Calista picked up the petal from the flowers that she took when the girls were distracted.
Then held it toward him.
Kaelion accepted it carefully.
His blue eyes examined the strange bloom.
Confusion appeared almost immediately.
"You recognize it?"
"No."
The Queen leaned back.
That answer alone troubled her.
Because if Kaelion didn’t know it...
And She didn’t know it...
Then something was wrong.
Very wrong.
"Find out whether this flower exists anywhere within the kingdom."
Kaelion looked up.
His expression had become serious.
"At once."
The Queen’s violet eyes remained fixed upon the dust the flower dropped long after he left.
Because if the bloom truly did not grow within the hidden kingdom...
Then the question became far more troubling.
Where had the girls found it?
