Amaryllis led Marantaceae into the cave. It was extremely dark inside, but they kept running deeper and deeper. No matter how far they went, the cave seemed endless.
Finally, Marantaceae stopped him.
"No one is coming after us."
"Let me check. Stay here," Amaryllis said.
He started walking back toward the entrance, but Marantaceae stopped him.
"I'll go. You stay here."
"No. What if they harm you?" Amaryllis said, grabbing Marantaceae's hand to stop him.
"They were trying to kill you, not me," Marantaceae replied.
Only then did Amaryllis realize that he had been so focused on saving Marantaceae that he hadn't thought about it.
"Okay. I'll wait here."
After Marantaceae left, Amaryllis couldn't stop worrying.
What if he leaves me again? What if something happens to him?
Unable to sit still, he went after him.
The cave was pitch black. Amaryllis searched anxiously for Marantaceae.
Suddenly, he spotted a shadow moving toward him.
Thinking it might be an enemy, he raised his sword and quickly hid behind a large rock.
The figure grew closer.
Amaryllis tightened his grip on his sword, preparing to strike.
Just as he swung around to attack, he froze.
"Marantaceae?"
Marantaceae walked closer.
"Yes. What are you doing?"
"I came looking for you."
"Nobody is following us," Marantaceae said. After observing their surroundings, he added, "I think we're trapped in here."
The two began searching for a way out, walking side by side through the darkness.
"I keep wondering why they were trying to kill me but not you," Amaryllis said.
"I don't know. Maybe because I'm not a Gladiolus," Marantaceae replied.
Marantaceae continued walking ahead.
Amaryllis stared at him in disbelief.
Did he just taunt me?
A smile slowly crept onto his face as he hurried to catch up.
"You know," he said casually, "there's something I've been wondering."
Marantaceae didn't look at him.
"What?"
"Why did you try to assassinate Anemone?"
Marantaceae stopped.
For a brief moment, the cave fell silent.
"What evidence do you have to make that accusation?" he asked calmly.
Amaryllis smiled.
"I don't have any. I just wanted you to know that I won't tell anyone, so you don't need to worry."
Marantaceae's expression didn't change.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
He resumed walking as if the conversation meant nothing.
Amaryllis watched him for a moment before following.
Anemone is my master, Amaryllis thought. I can't let you harm him. But protecting your secret may be the only way I can protect you too.
As they continued walking, Amaryllis noticed markings on the cave wall.
"What do you think these mean?" he asked, pointing toward them.
"I think they were written by the Ulmaria tribe," Marantaceae replied.
"Why would they write all of this on the walls?"
"Usually, tribes on the verge of disappearing record their culture on walls or stones so it won't be forgotten."
Amaryllis looked at him with admiration.
"How do you know all that?"
"I travel a lot."
Amaryllis nodded before asking another question.
"But don't you find it strange? If Gladiolus wanted to conquer Ulmaria's land, why can't we find any Gladiolus people here?"
"Yes, it is strange," Marantaceae agreed.
After walking for some time, they spotted a faint light ahead.
The two exchanged glances.
They were thinking the same thing.
Without saying a word, they hurried toward it.
As soon as they emerged from the cave, both of them froze in horror.
"Why are there so many skeletons hanging from the trees?" Amaryllis whispered.
"And who are they?" Marantaceae asked.
They cautiously moved closer to get a better look.
Suddenly, an arrow flew toward Marantaceae from behind.
Before he could react, Amaryllis stepped in front of him.
The arrow struck Amaryllis instead.
Marantaceae stood stunned.
Before he could do anything, Amaryllis collapsed unconscious.
Marantaceae turned to look for the attacker, but something struck him from behind.
Darkness swallowed him as well.
Amaryllis opened his eyes and found himself alone in an unfamiliar room. Ignoring the pain from the arrow wound, he hurried outside to look for Marantaceae.
Outside, it was a bright sunny morning. He saw Laurel standing alone under a shed and immediately walked toward him.
"Where is Marantaceae?" Amaryllis asked.
Laurel looked at him in disbelief.
"I'm asking you where he is," Amaryllis repeated tensely.
"Do you realize that the entire capital is looking for you and wants to arrest you?" Laurel said furiously. "And yet you're worried about Marantaceae. Do you know he tried to assassinate Anemone, our master?"
"If you can't tell me, I'll find him myself," Amaryllis said as he started walking away.
"The queen thinks your family is involved in the assassination."
Amaryllis stopped.
"I just want to know whether he's safe or not."
Laurel sighed.
"He's in that room," he said, pointing toward a nearby room.
Amaryllis immediately walked inside.
Marantaceae was lying on the bed.
Seeing him, Amaryllis felt relieved.
Laurel followed him inside.
"Who is he that you're going to such lengths to save him?"
"He's that kid I thought died fourteen years ago because of me," Amaryllis replied.
Laurel's eyes widened.
"The Thistle child you dream about every night?"
"Yes."
Laurel didn't even know where to begin. There were too many questions he wanted to ask.
"How can you, as a prince, stay with him?"
"Just like I stay with you."
"You know exactly what I'm asking."
"In my eyes, he's no different from any Gladiolus."
"Does he know about your identity or what you were doing in the capital?" Laurel asked.
"Not yet."
"But I have to report him. He tried to assassinate Anemone."
"Please don't tell anyone about him, for the sake of our friendship," Amaryllis said, immediately stopping him.
"You know that's the only way you can save yourself and your palace from the queen," Laurel said in frustration. "How long are you going to protect him?"
"Until I find a safe place for him."
"Amaryllis, even if I don't report him, do you really think you can protect him forever? If someone in your family finds out you're staying with a Thistle, they might not say anything to you, but they will kill him."
Amaryllis knew that whenever Laurel called him by his name like that, it meant he was truly angry.
"Why does the queen suddenly think I'm involved in this?"
"Because you ran away with Magnolia and that Thistle guy."
Amaryllis sighed.
"I know you'll find a way."
Laurel stared at him.
"What were you doing in the jungle? You know it's cursed."
"How did you find me? I was unconscious inside the jungle."
"I met Magnolia while searching for you. He brought me to where you were, and then I brought all of you here. You can hide here for now."
"But whose house is this?"
"Nobody comes here because they believe this place is cursed."
"Why?"
"Ten years ago, some Gladiolus leaders and guards mysteriously disappeared one by one. Later, their bodies were found hanging from trees in the jungle. To this day, nobody knows how they died."
Amaryllis suddenly remembered the skeletons he had seen before he lost consciousness.
"What if they were killed by humans?"
"I don't know how much of the story is true," Laurel replied. "But that's what people believe."
Marantaceae woke up and found the room empty. He remembered that Amaryllis had been hit by an arrow before he lost consciousness.
Worried, he walked outside to look for him.
As soon as he stepped out, he saw Amaryllis walking toward his room.
"You finally woke up," Amaryllis said.
Marantaceae walked toward him.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes."
"Where are we?"
"We're far from the capital, so don't worry. We're safe here."
Marantaceae hesitated for a moment.
"Why did you do that?"
Amaryllis looked confused.
"What?"
"Why did you risk your life to save me?"
Amaryllis avoided the question.
"I'll bring you some soup."
Marantaceae didn't want to trust him or become friends with him, but Amaryllis's concern for him was slowly lowering his guard.
We can't be friends, Marantaceae thought. We were born into different worlds and have different purposes.
He reminded himself of what his master had taught him:
Don't become attached to anyone. Attachment makes you weak. People are born to betray. The world is full of evil.
I have to remember what they did to me... what they did to my family... if I want my revenge.
Lost in his thoughts, he barely noticed Magnolia approaching with a piece of fruit.
"Do you want some?" Magnolia asked.
"No."
Despite the refusal, Magnolia placed the fruit in his hand and walked away.
Marantaceae stared at it.
He felt as though he didn't belong here.
Just then, Amaryllis called from inside the house.
"Marantaceae, your soup is ready. Come here."
Marantaceae hesitated.
A troubling thought lingered in his mind.
If he finds out I'm a Thistle, will he still want to be my friend?