Chapter 43: Rose determination
The sun cast long shadows across the stone walls of the inn as the group gathered in the small room they had rented upon arriving in Vylonia. Elira sat by the window, her gaze fixed on the guards patrolling the streets below.
"I still wonder why those soldiers allowed us to pass without asking questions or checking our belongings," she said, breaking the contemplative silence that had fallen over them.
Captain Diana looked up from the map spread across the small wooden table. "The border guards of Vylonia have always been more concerned with those leaving their kingdom than those entering it. They assume anyone foolish enough to enter uninvited will meet justice within their borders soon enough."
Rose stood quietly in the corner, her face an impassive mask. ’If only they knew it was my influence that clouded their minds as we passed,’ she thought, remembering how she had subtly diverted the guards’ attention. ’A simple trick, but damn effective. These fools have no idea what I’m capable of when Eren’s safety is at stake. I’d burn this whole kingdom to ashes if it meant finding her.’
Lyra remained by the other window, her sharp eyes tracking the movement of elven guards along the cobblestone streets. Frustration etched lines across her normally composed features as she turned to face the others.
"Five days we’ve been searching, and still no sign of Eren," she said, her voice tight with restrained emotion. "Every lead goes cold before we can pursue it. It’s as if she vanished into the forest itself."
Across the room, Naia sat cross-legged on the floor, her hands extended before her as a small sphere of water rotated between her palms. Each day since their arrival, she had devoted hours to training, maintaining the control of her elemental powers that might lead them to Eren.
Captain Diana watched her approvingly. "Your control has improved significantly," she noted. "Remember, the essence of water isn’t just in its flow but in its persistence. It finds paths where none seem possible."
Rose observed them silently, her thoughts returning always to Eren. ’Where are you hiding, my beloved? What secrets have you discovered that drove you so far from home—from me? I swear I’ll find you if I have to tear apart every damn tree in this cursed forest.’
Lyra suddenly straightened, her attention captured by a memory. "Yesterday, I overheard people talking in the marketplace about a woman—one of the soldiers here. They say she speaks to the nature spirits around the realms to locate people. Apparently, she’s found numerous fugitives this way."
"That could be our best chance of finding Eren," Naia said, allowing the water sphere to dissolve back into mist.