Chapter 78: Helianth [1]
With the artifact secured, it was finally time to leave the ruined Fortress behind, so I began to scale the massive inner wall.
There was no need to climb the precarious watchtower this time; since I was simply looking for a quick exit, the crumbled masonry and scattered boulders formed a wonderfully chaotic staircase. I used the debris to vault upward quickly until I reached the crest of the ancient perimeter wall.
Standing high above the grounds, I cast one final, brief look back down into the shadowy courtyard of the Fortress.
Apollina.
She had lived right here for couple years.
Truthfully, I did not know exactly what her life had been like in those early days. The details of Apollina’s era were actually quite blurry and romanticized in the royal archives. Very little truth was recorded about the woman herself, which was exactly why I had been so surprised by how cheerful and outgoing her spirit had been when I first encountered her within the Flame.
She was nothing at all like the stern, regal, uncrowned warrior-queen portrayed in the grand tapestries of Helios history. From what I had personally seen of her, she merely seemed like a lonely woman.
A few seconds later, I broke from my thoughts and vaulted blindly over the drop of the outer wall.
I landed heavily on my boots, my knees buckling slightly as a low groan escaped my lips.
Well, perhaps I had exaggerated a bit by jumping from quite that high without bracing myself properly.
Shaking off the jolt of pain, I walked further into the surrounding brush and cautiously peeked out toward the blocked path.
Eleanor, Leilah, Oliver, and Mia were still standing near the garrison, actively engaged in a heated, ongoing argument with the stationed knights.
Damn, they were good at keeping a distraction going.
I circled wider, moving quietly through the darkness until I reached the unrestricted portion of the cobblestone path leading back toward the town. Pulling my hood up to conceal my features once more, I stepped out of the shadows and walked casually toward them.
"It is done," I called out.
At the sound of my voice, they immediately turned around and began walking away from the bewildered guards.
Before leaving, however, Mia shot the garrison one final, razor-sharp glare.
"Pathetic guards," she scoffed loud enough for them to hear.
The men glared back but did not dare say a single word in retaliation against a Royal Guard.
"What exactly happened to you, Mia? You have been quite on edge ever since those commoners praised your pretty ass back at the gate," I teased lightly as she fell into step beside me.
Mia stiffened instantly, a shade of pink flushing across her cheeks in the moonlight.
Walking beside her, Oliver let out a soft, amused chuckle, instantly earning a glare from his sister.
"Your Majesty, have you successfully obtained what you were seeking tonight?" Eleanor quickly spoke up, her tone flawlessly polite, though the sharp note of a scolding was clearly there in her voice.
"I did, yes," I replied simply, increasing my pace toward the town.
I could see the burning curiosity painted across all of their faces, but I refused to offer them a single answer. It was better to keep the truth of the Amber Heart a total secret for now.
Anyone with even a basic, passing knowledge of continental history knew exactly what the Amber Heart was and the terrifying potential it held. Officially, it was recorded that King Cassian had destroyed the artifact immediately following the death of his brother, Alexander II. Clearly, that had been a lie.
There was no need to test the horrified reactions I would inevitably receive if I casually announced that I not only possessed the Amber Heart, but that I fully intended to weaponize it in the similar manner as Alexander II.
We made the long trek back to the inn in relative silence. This time, when I finally returned to my luxurious suite, I intended to sleep.
Removing my traveling cloak and leather vest, I headed toward the plush bed. However, catching a glimpse of the amber stone glowing faintly beneath the fabric of my white sleeping tunic, I pulled it out and cradled it in my palm.
It truly was a beautiful artifact.
I found myself wondering just how much gold King Neolios had spent to commission such an exquisite piece of magical art for his sister.
Tucking the warm stone safely back beneath my tunic, I finally slumped down onto the mattress and closed my eyes, letting the exhaustion of the day drag me under.
The very next morning, I was suddenly jolted awake by a knock on my door.
"My Lord."
It was Oliver.
I let out a long yawn, slipping my legs off the edge of the plush bed before crossing the room to unlatch the wooden door.
"What is it, Oliver?" I asked, my voice tinged with sleep.
"If we wish to depart for our next destination on schedule, perhaps we should leave the inn immediately, My Lord," he said.
"There is no need to be in such hurry, Oliver," I replied, smiling. "We are already in the heart of Helianth. We might as well look around the town a bit before we go."
"Your Majesty?" He whispered, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Inform everyone of the change in plans," I ordered lightly, and shut the door in his face.
I quickly busied myself with my morning preparations, my hand instinctively reaching up to check, yet again if the Amber Heart was still resting securely around my neck.
Gods, I was being entirely too paranoid and stressful about it. Yet, considering the priceless worth of this necklace, it was hard not to be.
Ten minutes later, I finally stepped out into the bright hallway. I found Eleanor and Leilah quietly chatting near the banister, with Oliver and Mia standing a short distance away, looking visibly tense.
"Your Majesty," Oliver called out immediately upon seeing me.
"Where are Alan and Elric?" I asked.
"They are down in the stables tending to the horses. They have already packed all of our belongings, and we are perfectly ready to leave right now," he reported, his expression entirely serious.
"And as I told you, we are leaving after looking around Helianth a bit. I wish to explore the very town where my ancestor was born," I replied.
"But Your Majesty..." Oliver pressed, his voice tight with understandable reluctance.
The man clearly just wanted to get this dangerous trip over with and drag us safely back behind the walls of the Capital.
"Oliver." I dropped the casual facade, my voice hardening.
"Your Majesty." He stiffened to attention.
"There is a very real possibility that we have been tracked all the way from the Capital to Helianth," I said softly, ensuring the women could not hear. "Keep your eyes wide open. Both you and Mia."
I locked eyes with him, my gaze deadly serious. Thanks to my instincts, I had been unable to shake the creeping, paranoid sensation of being closely observed. I simply wanted to confirm those suspicions using this little morning promenade around Helianth as the perfect trap.
It was admittedly a highly dangerous way to bait out assassins, but it was definitely the most efficient one.
Oliver’s eyes widened a fraction as he instantly understood exactly what I was planning. Thankfully, he was quick on the uptake. He exchanged a sharp, knowing glance with Mia, and they both gave a crisp, synchronized nod.
They were elite Royal Guards sworn to protect us anyway, so it should be fine.
"Oh, right. Did you manage to procure what I asked for?" I asked, turning my attention to Mia.
"Yes, Your Majesty," she nodded, reaching into her tunic to retrieve two simple linen coifs, traditional woven caps specifically meant to cover the hair.
While the shadowed hoods of our traveling cloaks were excellent for concealment at night, walking around a bustling market in broad daylight with our faces entirely hidden would only attract far more suspicious gazes than it deflected. Coifs, on the other hand, were exceedingly common garments worn daily by both common men and women across the Kingdom.
I pulled one over my head, carefully tucking away the vast majority of my brilliant golden hair, before handing the second piece of fabric to Eleanor.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," she said softly, instantly understanding the necessity of the disguise.
She gracefully gathered her long, cascading blonde hair, twisting it into a tight, neat bun at the nape of her neck before slipping the plain coif over her head.
Though our facial features were still far too exquisite and screamed of high-ranking nobility, our polished and glossy hair had always been the most blatant marker of our royal status. Simply hiding those vibrant colors did the best amount of lifting in helping us blend in with the commoners.
With our disguises securely in place, we officially checked out from the luxury inn and stepped out into the bustling, sunlit streets of Helianth.
It was noticeably less chaotic and crowded than the wild revelry of the previous night, but the town was already thoroughly animated. The streets were lined with shouting merchants, colorful trade stands, and busy locals going about their daily labor.
Honestly the town in the daylight felt more comfortable than creeping through the dangerous, drunken shadows of the night.