Milbong Rainforest (3)

"According to the archaic texts, we will reach our destination if we keep moving northwest. It's just a hunch, but…" he commented in a raspy voice. Then he cleared his throat a little and added, "Maybe that pillar of light is where we should be heading. Whether it's a coincidence or fate, I think the chances that what I'm looking for will be there are very high."

As he spoke, Elisha stretched out her hand toward the center of the table. After muttering a few words, a glowing blue circle appeared in the palm of her hand. Inside it was a square surrounded by symbols called runes, and in the center of everything, was drawn the silhouette of a myosotis, also known as forget-me-not, the emblematic flower of House Lezabel.

This runic blazon began to rotate clockwise, but neither the drinks nor the food showed any changes. After making sure they had not been poisoned, she proceeded to take a sip of her cup of apple-cinnamon tea, fervently hoping that the hilmir would call off the mission so they could return to Iabet once and for all.

Only then did Duman drink from his glass of juice, soothing the dryness in his throat. Not that he doubted Elisha in particular, rather, he trusted no one, except for his only close friend, Samael.

"How many days away, great hilmir?" Samael asked suddenly. His gaze had not been directed to the table for a moment, focusing his attention on the man sitting in front of him.

Calculating the distance, Duman deduced that it could take a little more than a day using the mounts, but by bringing Elisha and her servant with them, the travel time would be doubled.

"Three," Duman answered succinctly, and his friend's face became stiffer than usual.

As soon as he finished the drink, he put the glass down to grab a salty appetizer, tossing it into his mouth in a single motion. The ingredients were not as good as those used in his palace, so the taste was unpleasant to his palate. His face, however, remained impassive, but he did not turn his attention back to the food.

"With all due respect, great hilmir, it is uncertain whether that pillar of light will lead us to the scepter. In my opinion, it's too risky," Samael objected. "Even the beasts have been driven away by the amount of aether that has accumulated in that area. Although the situation is advantageous for us right now, we do not know when the beasts will attack us again, or in the worst case, perhaps they are just waiting for us to lower our guard to ambush us."

Duman listened patiently to the general as he played with the handle of the teacup. After all, his worries were not unwarranted. Although the idea of entering the rainforest was reckless for everyone, including him, this was a risk he was willing to take if it meant gaining unimaginable power.

Certainly, this setback was not in his calculations, but his ambition was much greater than his fear, so he would not back down, especially being so close to his goal.

And, to be honest, that huge pillar of light gave him a strange feeling. After seeing it, longing and restlessness rose from deep in his chest, pushing him to continue despite the danger. 

"Besides, if we continue venturing beyond the Deev River, it will become more dangerous for you and Her Eminence," the general added, referring to Elisha, who had lost her appetite after hearing that they had to go further into the rainforest.

"If you, the general of the Second Legion of the Disir army, are unable to keep a small group of five people safe, then what would the thousands of warriors you lead think? Besides, Sir Zagan and I don't need protection," Duman argued calmly as he rose from his seat, a gesture that the conversation was concluded. "We will leave in fifteen minutes following the appointed route."

The hilmir left the tent and Samael followed him. The conversation continued, but the men's voices were muffled by the fabric, rendering the content of the discussion unintelligible. Inside the tent, only Elisha, her maid, and her escort were left behind.

Mara guessed that Elisha would not be in a good mood after hearing the horrible news, so she hurried to finish tidying up and then removed the things on the table in the same way she had taken them out. For convenience, she also suggested changing her attire for a riding one. 

Elisha snorted with annoyance, outraged by Duman's attitude, and she reluctantly agreed to change. The thin, soft silk dress was replaced by a shorter one made of cotton that was tied around at the shoulders and cinched at the waist, highlighting her slender figure. The neckline adequately covered her chest but left her pronounced collarbones exposed. Underneath, a petticoat wrapped her legs for added security.

Next, Mara braided the top half of Elisha's navy blue hair and arranged it as a crown around her head, letting the other half fall in waves to her waist.

As much as Elisha was aware of the reasons why the hilmir was hell-bent on obtaining the scepter, this did not alleviate the anxiety and fatigue that tormented her body and mind after several nights of poor-quality sleep.

After years of being pampered by the members of the Creed, who were at her beck and call, and the comforts they provided, there was no way her current lifestyle could keep up with her demands.

Elisha desperately needed to appease her grumpiness and she knew exactly who to turn to.