44: Unforeseen Encounter

I've just come to realize that Astrae Palace's security is lacking. It's not being proudness or anything but I came to realize that if I, the princess who basically was sheltered and did not really experience acting like a rebel, could come in and out of the palace, how about those who are far more experienced than I am?

I carefully waited for the sun to set, my stomach's grumbling with hunger but I do not have a choice but to bear with it, it's my choice to wait here after all. When the skies changed color from blue to yellowish orange and yellow, I climbed down the tree and hid behind the shade of the tree, I sat on the ground and crossed my legs and began meditating.

I cleared my mind and began connecting with the cold breeze of Shadow, I've been practicing being one with the element associated with my gift, so far, I've managed to feel the breeze, but not to the extent of being one with it.

As soon as the sound of silence surrounded me, I carefully opened my eyes and adjusted to the darkness of dusk. The cricket sounds echoes throughout, as I slowly stand up, completely trying not to make any unnecessary noise that could disrupt the silence of the forest, I leaned on to the tree bark.

Each step I took was careful, I can feel the cold sweat forming on my forehead as I nervously sneak towards my tower. I can't believe that months back, I was doing the complete opposite, sneaking out of the tower and now, I'm carefully sneaking into the tower.

I bent down and took two pairs of dried twigs, and placed it inside my satchel before I continued walking. When the image of the tower's bricks reached my sight, I ran, I ran and went to the blind spot of my tower from the archer's tower.

I placed my hand on the wall, searching for the big vines that I used to use in escaping the tower and realized that the vines are no longer there, the rebels must've burned it down to hinder us from escaping by climbing down through it.

I placed my palm on the brick wall and began checking each brick, looking for the trigger of the secret passage. I don't know how long it took me but the moment I felt the odd one, I placed my palm on it. As the passage opens, I hid on the wall, waiting for anyone or anything to exit the passageway, but after a while, when the passage began moving to close, I entered and I was greeted by darkness as soon as the passage behind be closed.

This place definitely needs some lighting.

I placed my hand on the wall, feeling the pattern, reminiscing the patterns I've familiarized myself from before and began looking for the torch. After feeling the torch's tip, I reached for it and took it from the wall.

I may have been a bit knowledgeable in surviving on my own.

I placed it in between my feet before I took the two dried twigs from my satchel and began rubbing them to each other. After a while, I felt my hands getting itchy from rubbing the twigs with each other without getting anything. I sighed and threw the twigs away before bending down. I took the torch in between my feet and stood up, I winced a bit when when the torch's tip scratched the wall creating an irritating and rather unpleasant noise but I was taken aback when the torch lit up.

There was fire at the tip and that's when I remembered that the walls and tips of torch are made of a kind of stone that flare up when exposed to friction.

I started navigating into the dark passageway with only the torch giving me a limited visual on what's ahead of me.

"Where are you now?" Zairo asked through inner voice

'Astrae,' I answered

"Take care on your way home," he said and I smiled

'You too,' I replied

I continued walking and placed the torch down when I reached the part of the passageway that's lit by some kind of stones that glow when touched. I carefully walked while gently tapping the stones as I pass by.

I continued walking until I stumbled upon a staircase, I hissed when I felt the impact of falling with only my hand as support, I might've placed too much pressure on my left hand.

I sat on the stairs and began massaging my wrist, I just hope I didn't break it.

I stood up and started ascending the stairs after quite a while, I can't stay idle for a long time, who know what might happen to me if I do that.

A smile formed on my lips when I reached the last step, I'm now facing the passage that leads to my room. I gently pressed the brick on the side and made mist come out of my hand. Creating mist to drift through is to secure that if ever I'll need an escape I can immediately do so, I do not wish to become a liability in my own plan.

I was greeted by the cold silence, the room is dark but the light coming from the moon is giving me enough light to assess my room.

It's messy, papers and clothes are scattered on the floor, the door to my workshop is broken, forced entry is evident. It seems that they have ransacked my room, but what are they looking…

Wait, they must be…

No way! They can't have that.

I immediately entered my closet and went to where the secret door is, I heaved a sigh of relief when I saw that it's still intact, I guess not even Katrina, the king's late wife and my known mother, knew about the existence of this secret vault.

I placed my palm on the cold metal door and it opened. I squinted my eyes when I saw the metal box that contained the queen's crown and my father's letters inside.

I don't remember… don't tell me… Zairo…

There's no way Zairo could've done that, right? It's dangerous and unlikely, he is the king of Arcadia, he wasn't there when the palace was attacked.

I opened it and after checking the contents, I placed it inside my satchel. I closed the vault and arranged the dresses the way it was before. The passageway had closed already, I was already about to leave when the door clicked, I went to the side of my bed and hid, the mist had scattered across the room in a rather large volume and if the door were to be opened, it's sure to scatter outside as well and I can use that to escape.

I can also control the mist to move through my workshop so I can hide there as there is no certainty on how far my mist can scatter, I can't be caught red-handed in a place governed by people after my neck.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

It felt as if the hands of the clock are mocking me right now.

As each moment pass, I can hear my heart beating rapidly, the door opened and my eyes when I heard the familiar voice.

Why would she…

"There's no one here."

I mixed into the mist, I stood up and I know that as long as I'm standing on a mist, it can mask my presence and no one will be able to see me.

I carefully stood up, wanting to debunk what I've thought earlier only to be proven correctly. Her cold eyes roamed around the room as I feel my heart beating quicker.

It doesn't make any sense.

What is happening?

Why is she… here?

"Lock the door again, the queen wouldn't want to receive another nonsense alarm." She said and went out of the room

I heard footsteps from the outside and the licking of what seems to be the lock from the outside but I stood there, frozen in disbelief.

What kind of sorcery… was that?

It made no sense, I cannot find the appropriate and explainable reason for her to be here. We're waging a war against Astrae, the knights are already in position and it's unlikely she didn't know that it's dangerous to go to Astrae at a time like this so… why is she here? What is she doing here?

'Zairo,' I called him through the earpiece

"Yes?" He replied

'I almost got caught,' I said

'And I saw someone,' I added

"Are you safe?" he asked

'Yes, however I am still inside Astrae's Palace.' I answered

'I didn't contact you for that, I saw someone.' I said

"Who?" he asked

I drew a deep breath while looking at the door where she had just exited.

That was… Duchess Cassandra.