Chapter 29: New path and the unknown
Eren went about his day as normally as possible, training with Naia and checking on the villagers who had been affected by the water. He was relieved to see they were recovering well, the symptoms already fading just as Elena had predicted. Throughout the day, he noticed Lyra watching him intently, her gaze following him wherever he went. When their eyes met across the courtyard, she would quickly look away, but he sensed her vigilance.
For three days following his confrontation with Lyra, Eren maintained the appearance of routine while secretly observing the palace guards’ patterns. He noted when they changed shifts, which areas received less attention during certain hours, and which guards were more diligent than others. He wasn’t foolish enough to attempt an escape without proper planning.
’They’re watching me more closely now,’ he realized on the third night, noticing how the guard rotations near his chambers had increased. Whether this was Lyra’s doing or his mother’s intuition, he couldn’t be sure. But it only strengthened his resolve to leave.
As night fell on the third day, his thoughts returned to Elena’s words and his decision to leave. She had mentioned her guards would accompany him, but had given no indication of how or when they would appear. Still, his determination was set. He would leave the palace and let fate guide him to the answers he sought.
In his chamber, Eren laid out his preparations methodically. A small pack contained dried fruits and nuts, a waterskin, a change of clothes, and a few medicinal herbs Naia had taught him to identify. Not too much—he needed to travel light and fast. He strapped his dagger to his thigh where it would be easily accessible but hidden beneath his cloak.
As he prepared to depart, his gaze fell upon the starstone Naia had given him when he was younger. The smooth, luminescent stone caught the moonlight streaming through his window, its blue-white glow pulsing gently as if alive. He reached for it, feeling its familiar warmth against his palm.
A pang of guilt struck him unexpectedly. Despite his frustration and determination to find answers, Naia had only ever shown him kindness. The thought of her discovering his empty bed, searching the palace frantically for him—it made his chest tighten uncomfortably.
’I can’t just disappear without explanation,’ he thought, turning the starstone over in his hand. ’She deserves better than that.’
Eren sat at his desk, pulled a sheet of parchment forward, and dipped his quill in ink. He paused, the nib hovering above the paper, as he considered his words carefully. How much should he reveal? How much did he even know himself?
After several moments, he began to write:
*Dearest Naia,*