The Sky's Compass

 'At this rate, it won't be long until everyone realizes who I am.' She pondered whether it might have been wiser to simply stay by Varen's side. 'So much for my plan to lay low.'

The source of Zeya's distress was none other than Muir, who, as if possessed by the spirit of excitement, had unconsciously chosen to grasp Zeya's hand as they navigated the ballroom, seeking to escape to a more secluded location.

The onlookers couldn't help but be captivated by the enigmatic woman whose hand the staid emperor held with such eagerness, a gesture that seemed to make sense only if they were lovers.

 Even behind her disguise, Zeya's cheeks grew warmer with each passing second, embarrassed by Muir's boldness carried out due to his naiveness. 

Halfway through their escape, there were a few noblemen that tried to engage the preoccupied emperor in a simple chat, but each attempt was quickly dismissed, leaving the guests baffled by the normally amiable emperor's atypical demeanor. 

Zeya, on the other hand, remained as quiet as a mouse the entire time, fearing that someone might recognize her voice if she were to speak up. 

Together, they finally made it to a more private section of the palace, where Muir could finally talk to Zeya in peace. 

 "Please forgive me for bringing you here without providing any explanation." Muir apologized as soon as they made it out of the ballroom. "The court has been trying to find me a suitable spouse ever since I inherited the throne, and the last thing I want is to get you involved in such ridiculous rumors."

 '... He says this but, nothing about that seemed subdued at all.' Zeya thought, watching Muir continue to check his surroundings like the oblivious fool that he was. 'In fact, it appears as if he has done the complete opposite.'

Zeya could already envision the rumors that were about to ignite the underwater empire into a blaze, particularly due to the citizens' unwavering adoration for their revered emperor. 

 The mere thought was enough to give her a minor migraine, so she quickly shook off the thought and simply hoped for the best. 

 "Let's just hope that their curiosity dies down before it gets out of hand." Zeya answered, fearing that Varen may catch wind of this entire situation sooner due to the rumors.

 Muir nodded in response, slightly distracted by his own thoughts before they continued on their way.

"By the way, you never told me where you were taking me." Zeya realized when Muir continued walking through the massive corridors.

 "We just need to make a pitstop to fetch something." He explained with an eagerness that reminded Zeya of a young little boy. "Then, we can finally head over to the surface so I can show it to you."

 "The surface?" Zeya repeated Muir's words, stopping dead in her tracks. "Are you crazy? We can't go up there without any reinforcements, it's too risky."

 "Don't worry, I've already alerted Nox that I was going to bring you there." He reassured with a firm squeeze to Zeya's hand. "Besides, my guards are constantly patrolling the shores in case of an intruder, it would be a foolish move to act without a plan."

 "All you have to do is to trust me, Zeya." Muir said with a reassuring smile, tugging her hand to get her to walk again. "Come on, we're already short on time. Varen won't be very pleased with me if I continue to keep you away from him for too long."

 "... Alright." Zeya reluctantly obliged, slightly convinced by his somewhat grounded arguments.

 It wasn't a surprise to her if Tvar chose to reveal itself later than right now. If anything, Zeya was almost certain that the creature was planning something before its attack.

 Even with its strength, infiltrating Toyah wasn't going to be an easy feat as it was situated underwater with a one-of-a-kind defense system.

 At least on the bright side, Zeya was glad to have some freedom from Varen's observant eyes, as he was preoccupied with some of the noblewomen that were begging for his attention back in the ballroom. 

Zeya was finally able to take a short break once they arrived at a small door located in a secluded corner far from the main palace.

However, their stay was brief, as Muir merely needed to retrieve what seemed to be a small book.

 Using his powers, Muir placed the ancient book inside a small bubble to prevent it from falling apart any further during their travel to get to the surface. 

 The surface was hauntingly calm when the pair made it to shore without any mishaps.

Muir skillfully led Zeya deep into the woods situated just before the shoreline until they encountered an open field in the center.

 Opening to a specific page of the book, Muir suddenly began observing the clear, night sky, as if searching for something.

 "This was one of the books I found in my father's study when I was searching for more information about Montris."

He explained while Zeya continued to stare at him, her expression laced with confusion.

 "According to these ancient texts, there is a false moon called Nekoda that just appears out of the blue once every few decades. Not much is known about it but, it is said to appear during the same time as the Mutationem."

 "Can you guess what's exactly about to happen within the next few days?" He finally glanced over at Zeya, who appeared to understand what he was attempting to convey.

 "Apparently, Nekoda acts as a guide to those that wish to find the hidden island."

His expression was grim under the moonlight, worried for the safety of his dear friend if she were to chase after this legendary myth.

 "I did some more digging and unfortunately, I wasn't able to find a single thing that I could use to expose this as mere rumors."

He said with a disappointed tone, his large hands placed firmly on his waist. 

"In other words, chasing after this moon might be your chance in finding Montris before it disappears for good."

 "My observer believes that the moon will be its brightest sometime before midnight tomorrow, and if I were you well... I'd probably think to leave then just to make sure I don't get lost in the middle of the vast ocean."

He gently placed the book onto Zeya's hand as he spoke.

"You don't have much time to prepare but, I trust that you can make it in time."

 Zeya meticulously examined the ancient and worn book, gently running her fingers along the peeling material.

 The book's title was neatly carved onto the leather in a language she had never seen before, making it all the more mysterious.

 If she wanted to succeed with this plan, she had to keep up with this facade of hers until the moon had fully risen.

That was the only way she would successfully find the book before Tvar did. 

Until then, she would have to hide that part of the plan from everyone as an extra measure.

All she could hope for was that everything will go according to plan without getting anyone hurt, especially her friends.

 'Varen can't find out before I set out to leave.' She thought, realizing that her past lover was going to be a major setback to this plan. 'His obsession with me has gotten worse since we came back from that village... It'll only cause me more problems if I choose to tell him the truth.'

"I'll try my best to get Varen under control while you're gone." Muir offered amidst the silence, almost as if he had read her mind. "I'm not sure if there's much I can do, but I can certainly try."

 "Thank you for everything you've done for me." Zeya said, genuinely grateful for all that Muir has done for her. "I'm forever in your debt for this-"

Before Zeya could finish her sentence, Muir extended his arms and held Zeya in a tight embrace, allowing his emotions to overtake his decision-making abilities.

 "Please... please come back in one piece, Zeya. The weather is going to be brutal because of the current event and I can only pray that you come back unharmed."

Zeya unexpectedly accepted his gesture, even though it was unanticipated, and quietly returned the hug despite her typical disdain for physical contact.

 "... You have my word, Muir." Zeya reassured the emperor, patting his back lightly.

Perhaps it was those same emotional exchange between them that regrettably became a distraction, as none of them noticed the familiar crimson, red eyes watching everything unfold from the darkness.