Chapter 55 Writer's POV
Onyi couldn't take the noise and expectations of the party anymore. He slipped away quietly, making his way to the palace garden. The cool night air enveloped him as he walked among the shadows of trees and flowers. He found a quiet spot and looked up at the stars twinkling above.
Everything felt heavy on his shoulders – the king's expectations, the upcoming venture to the temple of the black witches, and most of all, missing Amanda. Onyi sat down on a stone bench, lost in thought, watching the stars. He stayed there for a while, letting the silence of the garden calm his racing thoughts.
He didn't notice someone had followed him. Ryker appeared quietly and sat down by Onyi's side on the bench. Onyi turned slightly, surprised to see Ryker there.
Ryker tried to strike a conversation, his voice low and casual. "What's with the long face, Onyi? You look like you're carrying the weight of the kingdom."
Onyi hesitated, not sure how much to share with Ryker. Ryker was a figure of power and intrigue in the palace, not someone Onyi knew well. But there was something about Ryker's tone that made Onyi want to talk.
"I... I miss Amanda," Onyi said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "And all this... court life... it's overwhelming. The king's plans... I don't know."
Ryker looked at Onyi thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in Onyi's words. "Amanda's gone to the Red Wolf pack, right?" he asked.
Onyi nodded, feeling a pang of sadness again.
Ryker leaned back on the bench, looking up at the stars with Onyi. "You know, Onyi, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, even if it feels like too much. The king's plans... they're not always about what's easy or comfortable."
Onyi glanced at Ryker, unsure how to respond. Ryker's words were like a mixture of advice and something else – something Onyi couldn't quite read.