Chapter 10: A Dangerous Rendezvous
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Aveline arrived at the Starfall Cliffs just before dawn on the third day. The cliffs were a series of jagged, black granite peaks that marked the boundary of the Solaran peaks. The rendezvous point was a small, sheltered ledge half-hidden beneath a granite overhang.
She collapsed onto the cold rock, shivering despite her efforts. The anxiety of meeting Kael here, on the edge of war, was almost as exhausting as the journey itself.
A shadow fell over her. Aveline scrambled backward, instinctively reaching for a dagger she didn't have.
It wasn't Kael. It was a man cloaked in the deep red and gold of the Solaran Royal Guard, but his face was concealed by a heavy hood. His stance was aggressive, his hand resting on the hilt of his flame-bladed sword.
"Identify yourself," the guard demanded, his voice rough and unfamiliar.
Aveline realized her mistake: she was deep in enemy territory, looking like a spy. She hesitated, unable to give her name without inviting an immediate capture.
Before she could form a lie, a voice cut through the air—a familiar, sharp, commanding voice.
"Stand down, Sergeant. She is with me."
Kael Arinor stepped out from a dark recess of the rocks. He wore simple traveling gear, but the power in his posture was unmistakable.
The Solaran guard instantly dropped his weapon's hilt and bowed. "Prince Kael. Forgive me, I found this... trespasser in a restricted zone."
"She is my guest," Kael stated, walking over and placing a hand firmly, possessively, on Aveline's shoulder. The contact was a declaration, a lie for the benefit of his man, and a desperate comfort for Aveline.
The guard eyed Aveline with suspicion. "The truce has failed, my Prince. The King expects you at once. He is preparing a defense against a Lyrayan mobilization in the north."
"Tell my father I was delayed," Kael replied, not taking his eyes off Aveline. "I had to ensure the safety of this... important diplomatic contact. She has vital intelligence. Go now, and report nothing of her presence here."
The guard, looking confused but loyal, saluted and disappeared back down the pass.
Aveline finally relaxed, leaning into the warmth of Kael’s hand. "Delayed? You have hours at most before the formal declarations of war are issued, Kael. We don't have time for vital intelligence."
"We have exactly enough time," Kael said, his voice quiet as he led her fully beneath the overhang. He noticed her exhaustion, the grime on her face, and the remnants of fear in her eyes. He reached into his satchel and pulled out fresh water and bread.
"Eat," he instructed. "You look like you've been fighting a war."
"I have," Aveline said, taking the bread gratefully. "I bound Miren and destroyed the crystal array. The entire palace is in chaos."
Kael gave a dark smile. "I should have known the silver child would turn into a force of nature. Lyray will be mobilizing within the day. Solara will be ready to meet them. The war is here, Aveline."
"I know," she said, looking up at him. "But I have proof the plague can be cured. I used the silver-gold fire. It healed a victim in the foothills."
Kael’s eyes widened, a rush of golden fire briefly illuminating his gaze. "Then the forging holds. Our sacrifice might not be for nothing."
He knelt beside her, the fire and the silver once again inches apart. "This is our last moment of secrecy, Aveline. Once we enter the Starlit Caverns, we face the ancient enemy and likely your father's forces and my father's suspicion. We are choosing treason over duty. Are you ready to risk everything for a future built on our combined magic?"
He didn't need to ask. Aveline reached out, placing her hand over his. The heat and the silver flowed freely between them, a binding stronger than any crown.
"The prophecy said, 'Love is the True Throne,' Prince Arinor," Aveline murmured, her conviction clear. "Let's go build it."
Kael nodded once, decisively. He stood, pulling her to her feet, his expression now solely focused on their shared, impossible mission.
"The entrance to the Starlit Caverns is just ahead. It's time to find the source of the Shadow-Sickness and anchor the Throne."
They walked toward a narrow fissure in the granite, stepping together into the deep, encroaching shadows of the mountainside.
- Writer
