Chapter 13
810 Words
The pulse vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
Yet its effects lingered.
The forest remained unnaturally still.
Even the wind seemed reluctant to move.
Daisy immediately pulled her hand back.
Her heart raced.
"What was that?"
Cassian looked equally unsettled.
"I was hoping you knew."
That wasn't reassuring.
At all.
Around them, the soldiers exchanged nervous glances.
Several had clearly felt the pulse as well.
Rowan stepped forward.
His hand rested on the hilt of his sword.
"Your Highness, we should leave now."
This time there was urgency in his voice.
Real urgency.
The kind that came from experience.
Cassian nodded slowly.
His attention remained fixed on Daisy.
"He's right."
Daisy glanced toward the forest.
The Shadowbound had vanished.
But she could still feel them.
Watching.
Waiting.
Planning.
The hunters would return.
Next time they would be prepared.
And if Morvana truly knew she was alive...
The thought sent a chill through her.
"We need somewhere safe," Lyra said quietly.
Rowan's eyes widened.
The soldiers stared.
Only then did Daisy realize what they were seeing.
Lyra.
A floating sea spirit.
Visible to everyone.
One soldier made a startled noise.
Another crossed himself.
A third looked ready to faint.
Lyra smiled pleasantly.
"Hello."
The soldier nearly dropped his spear.
Cassian pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Please tell me I'm not the only one seeing her."
"You are not," Rowan replied.
"Good."
A pause.
"That somehow makes it worse."
Lyra looked offended.
"I heard that."
Despite the danger, Daisy laughed.
The sound escaped before she could stop it.
Everyone turned toward her.
For a brief moment she felt embarrassed.
Then she noticed something.
Cassian was smiling again.
The sight sent an unfamiliar warmth through her chest.
Strange.
Very strange.
She quickly looked away.
Unfortunately, the warmth remained.
---
An hour later, they were moving through the forest.
Cassian had insisted that Daisy travel with them.
Rowan had objected.
Repeatedly.
Loudly.
Cassian had ignored him.
Repeatedly.
And loudly.
Now the royal party followed a narrow road leading inland.
The city had been deemed too dangerous.
If the Shadowbound had infiltrated the harbor, nowhere near the coast could be considered secure.
Their destination was a royal hunting lodge hidden deep within the forest.
According to Rowan, it was one of the safest places in the kingdom.
According to Lyra, that remained to be seen.
Daisy walked beside Cassian.
Or at least attempted to.
Walking still felt unnatural.
Every root seemed determined to trip her.
Every stone appeared personally offended by her existence.
By the fifth stumble, Cassian finally noticed.
"Are you injured?"
"No."
She nearly tripped again.
Cassian caught her arm.
Daisy froze.
"So this is normal?"
His expression remained perfectly serious.
Daisy groaned.
"Unfortunately."
Cassian looked genuinely confused.
"You don't know how to walk?"
The question hung in the air.
Daisy immediately realized how ridiculous it sounded.
She opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
Then sighed.
"There are reasons."
The prince's eyes sparkled with amusement.
"Mysterious reasons?"
"Very mysterious reasons."
"I see."
"No, you don't."
"That's true."
To her horror, he seemed entertained.
Lyra was even worse.
The sea spirit was trying—and failing—not to laugh.
Traitor.
---
By sunset, they reached the lodge.
Daisy stared in amazement.
The structure was enormous.
Built from white stone and dark timber, it stood atop a hill overlooking the forest.
Tall towers rose above the trees.
Golden banners fluttered in the evening breeze.
To Daisy, it looked like a palace.
Compared to the sanctuary, it was entirely different.
Yet beautiful in its own way.
"It's huge."
Cassian followed her gaze.
"This isn't even one of the larger royal residences."
Daisy stopped walking.
"What?"
The prince looked puzzled.
"What?"
"This isn't large?"
Rowan laughed.
The sound surprised everyone.
Apparently even he found that amusing.
Cassian finally realized what she'd meant.
"Right. I suppose it is."
Daisy shook her head.
The surface world was absurd.
Everything was larger than expected.
The sky.
The forests.
The cities.
Even the houses.
A servant opened the lodge doors.
Warm light spilled outside.
For a moment, Daisy hesitated.
The threshold felt symbolic somehow.
Beyond it lay a world she knew nothing about.
A world of humans.
Kings.
Magic.
Politics.
And princes.
Especially princes.
Cassian noticed her uncertainty.
"You'll be safe here."
The words were simple.
Yet something about them felt genuine.
Daisy met his eyes.
Golden.
Steady.
Honest.
For the first time since the sanctuary's destruction, she allowed herself to believe those words might be true.
Just for a little while.
She stepped inside.
Neither she nor Cassian noticed the shadow perched high within the trees.
The creature watched silently.
Red eyes glowing.
The Shadowbound had followed them.
And somewhere far away, Queen Morvana smiled.
The game had finally begun.
The Last Mermaid was no longer hidden.
And the Immortal Prince had chosen a side.
- Writer
