As Tiki galloped through the darkness, Elena remained silent behind Ren.
Then he felt something wet against his back.
He glanced over his shoulder and saw tears streaming down her cheeks. Her shoulders trembled, and she struggled to keep her breathing steady.
"B-because of me . . ." she choked out. "Because I was careless . . . she'll use this as an excuse to wage war against my realm."
Ren fell silent.
He had never seen Elena like this before. The Princess had always carried herself with confidence, even when facing danger. She could be stubborn, proud, and occasionally infuriating, but she rarely showed weakness.
Now, however, the weight of what had happened was finally catching up with her.
She wasn't crying because she'd nearly been killed. She was crying because her actions might have doomed an entire kingdom.
"Don't worry," Ren said. "We'll find out who she really is and put a stop to her."
Elena shook her head.
"She knew . . . She knew I was there. But how?"
