RHEIN'S POINT OF VIEW
"After I left the palace, I traveled to Croaqel, a distant island beyond Mnarra's great lands, and lived there in solitude. I thought it was best for everyone if I hid away, so no one would have reason to fear the queen's twin. For nearly fifteen years, I lived in peace."
Her voice faltered as her expression darkened. "Everything changed when the Deorcanen Clan abducted my child. They did it to make me obey them. I never wanted to fight my sister... but I wanted even less to be separated from my own child."
A child? Mother did not mention this. Could it be that she knew all along?
"I had no choice but to accept their conditions. I needed to give them the Juelaetornulus Ruihnas in exchange for my daughter. I've been searching for it for seven years. It was only when Rona returned to the human world that I discovered its exact location."
A piercing chill swept through my body. She already knew that the crystal was inside me?
"Don't be afraid," she assured, "I would never hand you over to them. Besides, they never intended to return my daughter, even if I fulfilled their demands."
But then... what about her child? My cousin?
Her lips curved into a faint smile, but it soon broke as sobs shook her. "Rhein, please—save Audrey! I can't face my sister. The mnarillazas despise me. You're the only one I can turn to for help." She clutched my shoulders, her voice raw with desperation. "Please, save her."
I had no idea what to do. Confusion consumed me, yet compassion surged stronger. "B-but—"
"I'm running out of time. You must promise me! Promise—"
Her words cut off as her eyes widened in shock. Blood spilled from her lips. Her gaze fell to her chest, where a dark blade had pierced straight through her.
"Y-you must save Audrey. Y-you have to. She is..." Her trembling smile was the last thing I saw before her body went limp, collapsing to the ground.
I froze. My body wouldn't move, my mind numb with everything I found out... and what I had just witnessed. My vision darkened as I locked eyes with the smiling leader of the Deorcanen Clan.
"A piece of trash," he sneered, "someone who could not keep her word—or keep her mouth shut."
He wore a black cloak, his face half-hidden beneath the hood. Judging from his deep voice, he must have been in his fifties.
"Thanks to her, though, I finally found the crystal. And now, I'll take it." His gaze shifted to me. "You wouldn't want me to take it by force, would you, Second Princess?"
My glare hardened. Anger surged through me, summoning light vines bristling with iron thorns around him. Floating spheres of radiant energy and blades of light manifested at my call, hurtling toward him. He leapt skyward, narrowly evading. A violent explosion rocked the forest. Grabbing Aunt Florida's body, I vaulted back.
"Not today," he declared with a laugh before vanishing into thin air. Teleportation—I had almost forgotten that a deore mnarillaza possessed that ability.
Carefully, I rested Aunt Florida's body against the trunk of a tree. My fingers pressed against her neck. No pulse. She was gone.
I lowered my head. I couldn't bring myself to look at her.
"You did your best, Sister Rhein. It's not your fault. This is her fate."
The voice jolted me. My head snapped up to find a small figure in a black cloak standing beside me. A child. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she looked down at the lifeless body before us.
"M-Mother." She rushed forward, embracing her mother's body, her cries breaking the silence.
It is Audrey. I am certain. Yet how did she teleport here when her mother had said she is still a hostage of the Deorcanen Clan?
"Ho—" I stopped myself. This is not the right time. I let her grieve.
Moments later, Sister Rona, Justin, Brother Dylan, and several knights arrived on horseback, likely alerted by the earlier blast. Shock swept across their faces at the sight before them.
I smiled faintly to erase their worries about me. However, I saw their grim expressions harden when their eyes landed on the fallen dark princess... and her mourning child.
Father ordered me to watch over Audrey while they prepared Aunt Florida's funeral rites. I brought her to my room. She didn't resist. Thankfully, she eventually quieted down and fell asleep.
"Sister Rhein."
I had just closed the door after receiving a tray of food from a servant. Setting it on the bedside table, I turned back to her. "What is it?"
She was clutching a small rolled black parchment. Holding my hand, she pressed it into my palm.
"I found this in Mother's pocket while I was holding her. I think... it's for the nhar."
A black ribbon embroidered with a silver six-petal flower sealed it. A flower—just like Mother's name. It's possible it truly was meant for her.
"Maybe so," I murmured.
I smiled as I watched Audrey sleep soundly. I tucked her in carefully before leaving the room.
Outside, Forelody came soaring toward me in a rush.
"Pracien Rhein!"
"What is it?"
"Are you alright? I fell asleep beside you earlier, and when I woke up, chaos had already erupted in the palace!"
I smirked. "Worried?"
"Of course!" She landed roughly on my head. "I was terrified. I nearly went insane with worry. Too much has happened."
"You said it," I muttered, glancing down at the black parchment in my hand. "Where are the king and queen?"
"Oh, right! They're in the assembly hall. They sent me to fetch you. There will be a meeting."
I teleported at once. Inside the hall, I found Father, Mother, Sister Rona, and Natre gathered within a shimmering soundproof barrier. They motioned for me to enter.
"Let's begin," Father said. "Rhein, tell us everything that happened."
My eyes drifted to my mother. I couldn't ignore that this involved her twin. Her swollen, reddened eyes betrayed fresh tears. Still, she nodded, forcing a smile that told me she was ready to hear it.
So I told them everything—from how I'd found myself in the forest to Sister Rona's arrival. I also handed Mother the parchment Audrey had given me. Her brow furrowed deeper as she read.
"These are Florida's words," she said aloud. "'The Deorcanen Clan does not intend merely to destroy Mnarra. They plan to alter the past to secure victory in a future war.'"
"This might explain why they slaughtered the meithi mnarillazas back then," Sister Rona remarked, prompting our parents to exchange serious looks.
'Rhein, help me make them reveal everything. Otherwise, we can't fix this,' Sister Rona's voice echoed in my mind.
"Is that true?" I asked. Their faces remained unreadable, but I had the same suspicion as my sister. They are hiding something. And she is right—we can't solve this if we don't know the whole truth.
Father exhaled heavily. "They weren't just killed. According to our spy's latest report, the clan harvested the mnarill of the meithi mnarillazas to forge a new crystal. It still isn't complete because they have yet to obtain the last meithi mnarill and the Death Jewel's core."
Their eyes fell on me with deliberate weight. I nodded silently.
"We must be more cautious than ever," Mother said. "If their plan is truly to overthrow us, we must prepare. They can strike at any moment."
'Are you alright?' Forelody asked in my mind.
'Yes. I'm fine.'
After the meeting, we went to the grand chamber where Aunt Florida's body was laud in. The hall was adorned in shades of white, black, and gray. As we entered, the servants and guards quietly filed out, leaving only the echo of our footsteps.
I stopped short, letting the others approach the coffin. I left Forelody behind and slipped away. I wasn't ready to face her yet.
When I returned to my room later, I froze at the sight before me. Audrey was playing chess with Justin. Both looked up when I entered, waving and smiling.
"You two know each other?" I asked, shocked.
"Yes," Audrey answered. "Brother Justin helped me escape from that hell."