The warmth in Kael's chest only grew as he drifted through the strange, colorful void created by the Heartseek Ward.
The danger behind him was gone.
Yvaine Trillance was gone.
Elder Greymantle's warnings were gone.
All that remained was the thought of Eya.
He imagined finding her alone.
Perhaps beside a spring.
Perhaps bathing.
Perhaps startled and delighted to see him.
The more he imagined it, the hotter his blood became.
Then the colors vanished.
Light exploded across his vision.
Kael squinted.
At the same instant, shouts erupted from every direction.
"Assassin!"
"Protect the Court Mistress!"
"Seize him!"
Steel rang.
Cold killing intent crashed into him from all sides.
Kael blinked.
Then his jaw dropped.
This was not what he had expected.
Not even close.
Instead of appearing before a beautiful woman, he found himself trapped inside a forest of weapons.
Spears.
Halberds.
Curved blades.
Heavy swords.
Dozens upon dozens of razor-sharp edges surrounded him from every direction.
Several points already pressed against his clothes.
One blade had sliced through his sleeve.
Another had nicked the skin on his neck.
A bead of blood rolled down his throat.
"Hells..." Kael whispered.
His face turned pale.
For one horrifying moment, he was transported back to the Bone Warren.
Back to that nightmare sea of skeletons.
Back to the instant before death.
The difference was that his master had saved him then.
Who was going to save him now?
His heart hammered.
The Heartseek Ward should have brought him directly to Eya.
Had something gone wrong?
Had the ward malfunctioned?
His thoughts raced.
No.
Impossible.
He trusted Eya more than that.
She would never deliberately harm him.
"Stop!"
A clear female voice sliced through the chaos.
The advancing weapons froze instantly.
Every spearpoint halted less than an inch from his body.
"All of you. Fall back."
The same voice rang out again.
Beautiful.
Clear.
And utterly unquestionable.
The soldiers obeyed at once.
Weapons withdrew like a retreating tide.
"Eya!"
Kael recognized the voice immediately.
His head snapped around.
Through the sea of withdrawing blades, he finally saw her.
And his heart nearly stopped.
There she stood.
Radiant as ever.
Eyes bright as stars.
Skin pale and flawless.
A face so beautiful it seemed carved from moonlit crystal.
"Eya!" he shouted.
Her expression froze.
"You..." she said.
Then she blinked.
"How did you get here?"
She stood calmly amid the gathered army.
Graceful.
Slender.
Pure as mountain spring water.
Exactly as he remembered.
For a moment Kael forgot every danger he had escaped.
Forgot Yvaine.
Forgot death.
Forgot everything.
"I..."
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
"I missed you."
It was only partly a lie.
The instant he spoke, he felt countless eyes turn toward him.
Every gaze in the clearing landed on his face.
Kael finally looked around properly.
And realized exactly where he had appeared.
The place was packed.
Thousands of warriors surrounded them.
Most were not human.
Some possessed horns.
Others had fangs.
Many carried tails, claws, wings, or scales.
Armored monsters and spirit-beasts filled the bamboo grove as far as the eye could see.
Every one of them carried weapons.
Every one of them looked capable of tearing a man apart.
Eya's cheeks suddenly reddened.
Only slightly.
But Kael caught it.
For the briefest moment she seemed caught off guard.
Even flustered.
Then she regained control.
"You can wait over there for now."
Her voice became cold.
Almost icy.
Kael stared.
The warmth in his chest immediately lost half its heat.
He had imagined a reunion.
A smile.
A welcome.
Instead he was being dismissed.
"Didn't you hear her?"
A furious shout exploded beside him.
A massive officer stepped forward.
The man was fat, broad-shouldered, and carried a gigantic battle-axe.
His eyes were filled with hostility.
"Get over there."
Kael's expression darkened.
The man's tone alone was enough to irritate him.
Instead of moving, he simply stared back.
Coldly.
The tension instantly thickened.
Then a woman's voice broke the silence.
"Oh, shut up, you dead pig."
The speaker rolled her eyes.
"Why are you threatening people with that axe? You don't even know what's happening."
The axe-wielding officer froze.
"Put the thing down."
The woman's tone left no room for argument.
The giant officer grumbled but lowered his weapon.
He clearly did not dare oppose her.
Kael turned toward the speaker.
She was beautiful.
Her dark hair was gathered into an elegant knot.
A translucent red gemstone hung from her left ear.
A pale jade bracelet circled her right wrist.
Her figure was tall and graceful.
Her features refined and gentle.
Seeing her come to his defense, Kael immediately felt grateful.
He offered her a smile.
The woman smiled back.
"You can wait here with me, little brother."
Kael nodded.
Before leaving, he deliberately shot one final glance at the axe-wielder.
Then he walked toward the woman.
"Continue."
Eya's voice rang across the grove.
The faint blush on her face had already vanished.
"Yes, Court Mistress!"
The answer thundered back.
The roar was so loud it startled Kael.
Only now did he truly study Eya.
She looked very different from the girl he remembered.
Her hair was bound up.
A fitted violet robe hugged her slender waist.
Cloud-patterned silk lined the interior.
The outfit emphasized the curves of her body without sacrificing practicality.
Her sleeves stopped at her elbows, exposing smooth white forearms.
A string of violet beads circled one wrist.
At her waist hung a woven bamboo pouch and a short decorative blade in a bamboo sheath.
Simple.
Clean.
Efficient.
Yet the greatest change was not her clothing.
It was her presence.
The sweet girl from before was gone.
In her place stood a commander.
Cold.
Confident.
Authoritative.
Behind her stood several beautiful female guards.
Each carried weapons.
Each radiated discipline.
Each wore the same stern expression.
Kael found himself staring.
He struggled to connect this imposing leader with the cheerful girl he had first met.
Beyond the army, colossal Warding-Vase Bamboo rose toward the heavens.
Towering green pillars crowded the horizon.
There was no doubt.
He had reached the Great Verdant Vale.
"Marshal Goldshell."
Eya's voice echoed across the clearing.
A massive figure stepped forward.
The creature wore loose clothing and carried two enormous hammers.
His bald head gleamed.
His exposed belly jutted proudly outward.
He looked like a giant capable of uprooting mountains.
"I am here, Court Mistress."
His voice boomed.
"Take your forces and conceal yourselves east of Verdant Keep."
Eya spoke without hesitation.
"At the second quarter of the Dog Hour, begin your assault."
"Understood!"
Kael's eyes widened.
Verdant Keep?
His heart jumped.
So Eya was finally moving to reclaim her homeland.
"But do not commit to a full attack," Eya continued.
"Only a feint."
The giant blinked.
"A feint?"
"The eastern side is the most open approach," Eya explained.
"It is also the strongest defended. The enemy has numerous traps and fifteen visible and hidden bolt towers. Any direct assault would produce catastrophic casualties."
She pointed toward a map spread across a bamboo table.
"Your task is simple. Make as much noise as possible. Draw every defender you can."
Understanding dawned.
The giant laughed.
"That part I can do."
He saluted and withdrew.
Kael frowned.
Goldshell?
The creature wasn't wearing any armor.
Why call him that?
Curious, Kael quietly activated the Eye of Formlessness.
The world shifted.
Hidden truths emerged.
His eyes widened.
The towering general instantly transformed beneath his gaze.
Not physically.
But his true nature became visible.
A gigantic golden-shelled turtle.
The shell alone was as large as a millstone.
"So that's it..."
Kael finally understood.
Excitement stirred.
He swept his gaze across the other commanders.
The Eye of Formlessness revealed one secret after another.
A hawk.
A leopard.
A serpent.
A boar.
A wolf.
Every commander present was some form of transformed spirit-beast.
Even more surprising were Eya's female guards.
Their true forms were not beasts at all.
Each was a living stalk of Warding-Vase Bamboo.
Kael's curiosity immediately shifted toward Eya herself.
He focused harder.
The Eye of Formlessness activated to its limit.
Yet all he saw around her was a blur.
A haze.
Something concealed her completely.
No matter how hard he looked, he could not see through it.
"What exactly are you..." he muttered.
"Elder Sister Lyria."
Eya called out.
The beautiful woman beside Kael stepped forward.
"I'm here."
Kael blinked.
"I ask that your forces reach Verdant Keep at the same time as Marshal Goldshell."
Eya pointed toward the sky above the fortress.
"Launch your attack from the air and support the eastern feint."
Lyria raised an eyebrow.
"A feint for me as well?"
"Yes."
Eya nodded.
"Several hundred construct war-eagles are stationed on the upper levels of the fortress. They are built from spirit bamboo and are extremely fast."
Her expression became serious.
"Keep them occupied."
"Do not engage directly."
"If I recover the Wood-Warden Token, every one of those constructs will become ours again."
Lyria smiled.
"That sounds easy enough."
Kael quietly used the Eye of Formlessness on her.
Nothing unusual appeared.
No beast.
No hidden form.
She seemed entirely human.
That surprised him.
Eya continued.
"The war-eagles cannot fly particularly high. As long as your troops maintain altitude, they will not be able to threaten you."
Lyria nodded.
"Understood."
"Mireth."
"Gorvan."
"Solbryn."
Three demon kings immediately stepped forward.
Kael examined them with the Eye of Formlessness.
A crimson leopard.
A silver python.
A golden eagle.
All powerful spirit-beasts.
"You will approach from the south."
Eya's voice remained calm.
"The eastern feint will begin first."
"Half an hour later, you attack."
She pointed at several marked positions.
"Follow the formation exactly as rehearsed."
"The Shock, Gale, and Stone positions must not be disrupted."
"If your lines collapse, you will never withstand the charge of the Dread-Feet."
The three demon kings bowed.
"We obey."
More names followed.
Command after command.
Unit after unit.
A wildcat spirit.
A flower spirit.
A porcupine spirit.
Even a winged horse spirit.
Each received precise instructions.
Each knew exactly where to strike.
By the time Eya finished assigning objectives, Kael was genuinely impressed.
He had never imagined her commanding an army.
Yet she did so effortlessly.
Every order was clear.
Every objective precise.
Every contingency considered.
She looked less like a young woman and more like a veteran general.
How had she learned all this?
"Recluse Mordven."
Eya's tone softened slightly.
A voice answered from above.
"I am here."
Kael looked upward.
A man stood casually atop a thin bamboo branch.
The branch should have snapped under his weight.
Instead it remained perfectly still.
His robes hung loosely.
A sword rested across his back.
His face looked tired.
Almost miserable.
As if the world had disappointed him for decades.
"Please lead your disciples against the western side of Verdant Keep."
Eya gestured toward the fortress map.
"Follow the designated route."
"Strike directly toward the central stronghold."
"If you can seal the armory before the defenders react, this battle will already be half won."
The recluse merely grunted.
Eya seemed accustomed to it.
"The locations of the construct formations and the methods to disable them."
"Do you remember everything?"
Another grunt.
Almost absent-minded.
Yet Eya remained respectful.
"Your path will be the most dangerous."
"It is also the most important."
"I leave it in your hands."
This time the man finally raised his head.
"Do not worry, Court Mistress."
His half-closed eyes opened slightly.
For a brief instant, a terrifying sharpness flashed within them.
The killing intent was so fierce that even Kael felt a chill.
Then it vanished.
The man looked tired again.
Kael swallowed.
That was no ordinary expert.
Not even close.
A thought suddenly occurred to him.
Everyone kept calling Eya "Court Mistress."
Curious, he leaned toward Lyria and lowered his voice.
"Can I ask something?"
Lyria smiled.
"Of course."
"Is Eya some kind of princess?"
Lyria laughed softly.
"A princess?"
Kael nodded.
"Of the bamboo people, maybe?"
The amusement in her eyes deepened.
"No."
"The bamboo folk aren't a royal kingdom."
"Then why does everyone follow her?"
"Because she is the Court Mistress of the Boundless Court."
Kael blinked.
"The Boundless Court?"
"That's right."
"And where exactly is that?"
Lyria considered.
"That's a difficult question."
"The Boundless Court lies within the Mirror Realm."
"The Mirror Realm?"
"It isn't truly in the sky."
"It isn't truly beneath the earth either."
She tilted her head.
"If I absolutely had to describe it, I would say it exists beyond the southern reaches of the world."
Kael scratched his head.
"So... very far away."
Lyria smiled.
"Far and near at the same time."
That answer only confused him more.
"What kind of place is it?"
"A beautiful one."
Her gaze drifted toward Eya.
"And a very unusual one."
"Unusual how?"
Lyria's smile widened.
"The Mirror Realm reflects reality, but never perfectly."
"The balance of the Five Forces is reversed there."
"The laws that govern the world outside often work in the opposite way within."
She paused.
"Many things there are unlike anything you would find anywhere else."
Kael listened carefully.
His curiosity only deepened.
And as he looked once more toward the woman directing an army beneath the endless bamboo sky, he realized there was still far more about Eya Verdane that he did not understand.
Kael frowned as he turned Lyria's words over in his mind.
"The balance of the Five Forces is reversed..."
The idea felt wrong. Not merely strange. Wrong.
The Five Forces governed everything. Fire, Water, Wood, Earth, Metal. Their cycles of dominance and creation shaped the world itself. Every mountain, river, beast, and tree existed according to those laws.
"If that's true," he said slowly, "then everything there should be different."
Lyria nodded.
"It is."
Her gaze drifted toward the endless sea of bamboo below.
"Compared to our world, many things in the Mirror Realm are absurdly fragile. Other things are impossibly strong."
She paused.
"For example, cats hunt mice here."
Kael nodded.
"Naturally."
"In the Mirror Realm, mice hunt cats."
Kael stared.
"What?"
"They eat them."
He opened and closed his mouth.
Lyria continued calmly.
"In many regions, water flows upward instead of down. Things that should be impossible become ordinary."
She folded her arms.
"The Fell Sage spent countless years hidden within the Mirror Realm. It was there that he gained the insight to create the Forbidden Ward Arts that made him feared throughout the Three Realms."
Kael's jaw hung open.
"There really is a place like that?"
His mind struggled to grasp it.
Water flowing uphill.
Mice hunting cats.
The laws of reality turned inside out.
"How can that even exist?"
Lyria smiled faintly.
"The world is far larger than most people imagine."
She glanced toward Eya in the distance.
"And the Mirror Realm does not truly belong to this heaven or this earth."
Those words stirred a memory.
Something Hadrian Corvel had once said.
Kael blinked.
"Wait."
"If the Great Verdant Vale is a crack between realms..."
He scratched his chin.
"Then is the Mirror Realm something like that too?"
Lyria considered.
"You could describe it that way."
"Though compared to the Vale, the Mirror Realm is something far stranger."
Kael looked toward the southern horizon.
His imagination immediately ran wild.
He wanted to see it.
A place where reality itself had been twisted.
A place that had produced Eya Verdane.
The thought lodged itself firmly in his head.
One day.
One day he was going there.
Then Lyria suddenly tilted her head.
"By the way."
"Were you using a ward-script transport when you arrived?"
Kael blinked.
"Yeah."
"How did you know?"
Lyria's smile became mischievous.
"Interesting."
"What?"
"Nothing."
She chuckled.
"I merely didn't expect anyone to possess one of Eya's Heartseek Wards."
Kael froze.
Heat immediately climbed into his face.
"You know about those?"
"Of course."
Lyria laughed.
"Eya visited my island while gathering materials to make them."
Her eyes traveled slowly up and down his body.
Far too knowingly.
Kael's face became even hotter.
For some reason he suddenly wished he was wearing armor.
"So."
Lyria folded her arms.
"What's your name?"
"Kael Ashvane."
"And what Order do you belong to?"
Her tone had subtly changed.
Not hostile.
But probing.
Measuring.
Kael hesitated.
For a moment he wasn't sure how much he should reveal.
Lyria noticed his hesitation.
Instead of pressing further, she waved it away.
"You came here to help Eya reclaim the Great Verdant Vale?"
Kael instinctively shook his head.
Then paused.
Then nodded.
"Yes."
"That's why I'm here."
Lyria studied him for a moment.
Then a teasing smile appeared.
"Then you'd better perform well."
"Our Eya isn't easy to win."
Kael nearly choked.
"What?"
"No."
"That's not—"
His hands flew up.
"I didn't come here because of that!"
Before Lyria could answer, Eya's voice rose across the bamboo sea.
The entire army fell silent.
"This battle will be dangerous."
The warmth vanished from her face.
Now she looked every bit the ruler of the Boundless Court.
"We possess the advantage of surprise."
"But Verdant Keep is filled with traps and mechanisms."
"Many of the construct guardians cannot be harmed by blade, flame, or ordinary force."
"The fortress is renowned throughout the realms for its defenses."
She swept her gaze across the gathered commanders.
"If anyone grows careless, the cost will be severe."
"Remain alert."
Immediately countless voices answered.
"We obey!"
"We will not fail!"
Eya nodded.
"Move out."
The army exploded into motion.
Monster-kings launched into the air.
Shadowy figures vanished into the bamboo forests.
War-beasts roared.
Commands echoed.
Within moments the quiet valley had transformed into organized chaos.
Kael stared.
He hadn't even realized how many troops had been hidden nearby.
The entire forest seemed alive.
Lyria laughed beside him.
"I'll be going."
She winked.
"Do your best."
Before he could answer, she shot into the air and disappeared among the bamboo.
Kael rubbed his burning face.
"That's not what she thinks..."
He glanced toward Eya.
She was speaking quietly with several demon commanders.
For some reason he suddenly felt nervous.
Should he walk over?
Should he wait?
Before he could decide, his thoughts drifted elsewhere.
Back to Yvaine Trillance.
Back to the woman who had nearly dragged him across the world.
Her movements replayed themselves inside his mind.
Every step.
Every turn.
Every sword stroke.
He had never seen anything like it.
If someone claimed her attacks left no trace, they would be lying.
He had seen every movement clearly.
Yet no matter how clearly he saw them...
He couldn't stop them.
Couldn't evade them.
Couldn't counter them.
Couldn't survive them.
It had been beautiful.
And terrifying.
"What kind of monster are you..."
Kael muttered.
His heartbeat quickened as he remembered.
Then another thought followed.
Why had she wanted him so badly?
Why had she insisted he come with her?
Was she after his Primal Vigour Constitution?
His heritage?
The Shadow Fox bloodline?
Greymantle had insisted she was lying.
Yet she hadn't seemed dishonest.
At least not obviously.
Then another thought struck him.
His expression changed.
"Wait."
"If she couldn't catch me..."
His stomach tightened.
"Would she go back after the old bastard?"
The possibility immediately bothered him.
Before he could dwell on it further, a series of strange cries echoed overhead.
Kael looked up.
His eyes widened.
Dozens of enormous birds burst from the bamboo canopy.
Each possessed blood-red eyes and vicious hooked beaks.
They flew in perfect formation across the sky.
At their head soared an even larger specimen.
A slender woman sat upon its back.
Long ribbons danced behind her.
Lyria.
Kael stared.
"What in the hell are those?"
A voice answered from behind him.
"They're called Ember-Shrikes."
"They're among the deadliest predators in the Mirror Realm."
Kael spun around.
"Eya!"
She stood only a few paces away.
For a moment neither spoke.
Their eyes met.
And suddenly both of them seemed strangely awkward.
Eya recovered first.
She folded her arms.
"Tell me honestly."
"Why are you suddenly here?"
Kael immediately felt his throat tighten.
He swallowed.
"Well..."
The sensible answer was obvious.
Because Yvaine Trillance had nearly kidnapped him.
Because he had been fleeing for his life.
Because he had panicked and activated the Heartseek Ward.
But somehow...
Standing in front of Eya...
Those reasons felt impossible to say.
"I missed you."
The words slipped out.
Eya blinked.
"Really?"
She stared directly into his eyes.
Kael forced himself not to look away.
"I missed you."
He doubled down.
At this point it was easier than explaining Yvaine.
A faint blush appeared on Eya's cheeks.
Slowly.
Almost imperceptibly.
Like dawn creeping across snow.
Kael felt heat flooding his own face.
Yet as he looked at her, he realized something.
It wasn't entirely a lie.
Not even close.
He really had missed her.
Quite a lot.
"You can't just say things like that."
Her voice had become very small.
"What?"
"You can't just..."
She glanced away.
"There were people watching."
Kael finally understood.
The cold reception earlier.
The restraint.
The distance.
It hadn't been indifference.
She had been embarrassed.
The realization hit him like a hammer.
And immediately made him absurdly happy.
"What are you smiling about?"
Eya demanded.
Her cheeks turned even redder.
"Nothing."
Kael grinned.
"Nothing at all."
Afraid she might become angry, he hurriedly changed the subject.
"So you're really taking back the Vale?"
"Mm."
"You've got quite an army."
"Mm."
She still seemed distracted.
Still recovering.
Kael scratched his cheek.
"Need more help?"
"Yes."
The answer came instantly.
Her eyes locked onto his.
"Will you help me?"
"Of course."
The response left his mouth before he even thought about it.
Eya tilted her head.
"Why?"
Kael froze.
"Why?"
"Yes."
She watched him carefully.
"Why?"
He opened his mouth.
Then closed it again.
Several answers came to mind.
None sounded right.
"I just want to."
She continued staring.
"That's all?"
Kael groaned internally.
"This is unfair."
Eya's expression didn't change.
Finally he sighed.
"I just want to help you."
A brilliant smile blossomed across her face.
For a moment the entire bamboo forest seemed brighter.
Then, unfortunately, Kael remembered something.
A terrible mistake.
"Besides."
He grinned.
"You gave me three hundred stalks of Warding-Vase Bamboo."
"I'd help for that alone."
The smile vanished.
Instantly.
Like a candle being snuffed out.
Eya's face became expressionless.
"Oh."
Kael sensed danger.
"What?"
"Then you needn't help."
"What?"
He blinked.
"What do you mean?"
Eya spoke in a calm, distant voice.
"Three hundred stalks of bamboo."
"A fortune."
"I couldn't possibly ask Lord Ashvane to risk his life repaying such a debt."
Kael stared.
Completely confused.
"No, that's not what I meant."
"Really?"
Her tone became colder.
"Because that's what it sounded like."
Kael felt a trap closing around him.
Unfortunately he had no idea where the trap was.
"It's fine."
"I like danger."
"The more dangerous something is, the more fun it gets."
That did not help.
At all.
Eya's expression remained perfectly polite.
And somehow even colder.
"This battle is exceptionally dangerous."
"If anything happened to the famous Little Saint-Lord, I'd feel terrible."
Kael finally realized he was losing.
Badly.
Desperately he grabbed the first argument he could find.
"Have you forgotten the Thousand-Web Ridge?"
That finally made her pause.
A tiny crack appeared in the ice.
"No."
"I haven't."
"Were you scared then?"
Kael demanded.
Eya hesitated.
"No."
"This battle is ten times more dangerous."
She looked straight at him.
"I'm serious."
"You could die."
Kael immediately answered.
"Then all the more reason to come."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"If it's that dangerous, how can I let you face it alone?"
The words came out before he could stop them.
For several seconds Eya simply stared.
Then the frost softened.
Just a little.
"There really are people like you."
She shook her head.
"Nobody forced you."
"Nobody asked you."
"Don't need to."
Kael folded his arms.
"I've decided."
A smile tugged at her lips.
"I won't be grateful."
"Don't care."
"I won't owe you anything."
"Good."
"I don't want anything."
The smile became harder to suppress.
Eya watched him quietly.
And for some reason Kael suddenly became nervous.
Then she started walking toward him.
Slowly.
One step at a time.
Closer.
And closer.
Until she stood directly before him.
Close enough for him to smell the faint fragrance drifting from her hair.
Close enough that their bodies nearly touched.
Kael forgot how to breathe.
"What?"
Eya lowered her gaze.
Her eyes settled on his neck.
A faint line of dried blood remained there.
The mark left by Yvaine.
"They cut you?"
Her voice softened.
Kael touched the wound.
"Oh."
"Just a little."
Eya opened the small bamboo pouch at her waist.
She withdrew a cloth.
Then gently pressed it against his neck.
The cloth was soft.
Her fingers were cool.
Kael's heart immediately began hammering against his ribs.
Every nerve in his body seemed to awaken.
"Anywhere else?"
She examined him carefully.
Looking for injuries.
"No."
There were scratches across his back.
Bruises along his arms.
Minor cuts everywhere.
Yet somehow none of them hurt anymore.
Eya lowered her eyes.
"Kael."
"Hm?"
"Do you truly want to help me?"
He nodded.
Without hesitation.
"Yes."
She seemed relieved.
Then she asked,
"Everything is settled in Mirekeep?"
A smile touched Kael's face.
"Yeah."
"The Bone Legion got crushed."
Thinking about it reminded him of Isara.
Of his Sorors.
Of everything waiting behind him.
"And honestly..."
He laughed.
"I should thank you again for the bamboo."
Eya looked down.
A blush slowly spread across her cheeks.
"Kael..."
Her voice had become barely audible.
"When the siege of Mirekeep ended..."
She swallowed.
"And you came here immediately..."
Her cheeks deepened in color.
"It made me happy."
The confession hit him harder than any punch.
Heat flooded his face.
Yet he still couldn't bring himself to tell the full truth.
Not now.
Not while she looked at him like that.
"A few days ago..."
Eya continued quietly.
"I was alone in the Artificer's Well."
"Performing the Soul-Bonding Rite."
"I kept thinking..."
She raised her eyes.
Shy.
Beautiful.
Vulnerable.
"I thought it might be a very long time before we met again."
A small smile appeared.
"I didn't expect you to come so soon."
Kael's heartbeat thundered.
The world suddenly felt distant.
The bamboo.
The army.
The war.
Everything faded.
Only Eya remained.
Then—
"Where's the Court Mistress?"
A shout echoed through the forest.
"Eya!"
"We've returned!"
Another voice followed.
"The Crown Prince has arrived!"
The moment shattered.
Eya immediately stepped back.
The cloth vanished into her sleeve.
Her composure returned with remarkable speed.
Almost.
A woman's voice called out from nearby.
"Eya! Crown Prince Aldas has arrived with his army! They're setting up camp outside the Vale!"
The voice sounded familiar.
Kael turned.
Two brightly dressed girls came fluttering through the bamboo like butterflies.
Then recognition struck.
His eyes widened.
"No way."
The newcomers landed gracefully nearby.
Violet Farwyn.
Azure Farwyn.
The butterfly sisters.
The moment they saw him, both girls froze.
Then their faces lit up.
"Big Brother White!"
"How are you here?!"
They shouted in perfect unison.