Chapter 14 – The Revelation of a Secret
Cordelia stretched her arms wide and let out a satisfied sigh, the kind that only comes after a deep, restful sleep.
"Ah, ha… that was a good sleep," she said softly, her voice filled with relief and a hint of newfound energy. "So, today our journey begins. Adrian, wake up! The sun has already risen, and we have a long day ahead!"
Adrian slowly sat up on the rough wooden bed, rubbing his tired eyes as the warm sunlight filtered through the cracks in the walls of the old cabin. The faint golden light illuminated the dust motes dancing in the air, and outside he could hear the distant calls of unseen creatures stirring to life with the dawn.
"Yes, I'm getting up," he said, his voice still heavy with sleep but determined. "So… where do we start looking today?"
Cordelia turned her gaze out the small window, her eyes scanning the horizon where the divine domain stretched endlessly beneath the morning sky. After a brief pause, she spoke with thoughtful certainty.
"How about we go back to where you found the letter? Maybe there's something else there you missed, something important we didn't see the first time."
Adrian nodded, quickly pulling on his worn boots, ready to move. The leather creaked softly as he stood.
"Okay, let's go then," he agreed, feeling a mix of anticipation and unease. The place felt different now, more ominous in the daylight.
Cordelia reached into her bag and threw him a piece of bread wrapped carefully in a piece of cloth.
"Here, eat this," she said. "You'll need your strength for what's ahead."
He caught the bread and smiled faintly, grateful for the small kindness.
"Thanks," Adrian said quietly.
They sat together in silence for a few moments, breaking their simple meal. The tension of their situation was momentarily replaced by the quiet comfort of the morning ritual, the crunch of bread the only sound in the small cabin.
When Cordelia finished her last bite, she stood up and stretched her arms over her head again, a slow yawn escaping her lips.
"As soon as we're done eating, we'll leave," she declared, her tone firm but hopeful.
Adrian looked at her thoughtfully, curiosity getting the better of him.
"Cordelia… I never asked you before… how did you end up in this place?" His voice lowered, as if asking a secret.
Cordelia's expression darkened slightly, shadows of past pain flickering in her eyes. But she didn't avoid the question.
"I was very sick," she began slowly, her voice quieter and almost trembling with the memory. "My parents searched everywhere for a cure. But they never found one… because we were poor and weak."
Adrian frowned, confused. "Wait… your parents weren't heirs?"
She nodded, letting out a long, heavy sigh that seemed to carry the weight of years of disappointment and sorrow.
"Yes, but… Adrian, even though we're all heirs, there's a difference," she explained carefully, her eyes locking onto his. "For example: someone who inherited the spirit of a centaur isn't the same as someone who inherited a dragon."
She tilted her head slightly, as if expecting him to understand the gravity of the difference.
"If you had to choose, which would you choose?"
Adrian didn't hesitate for a second.
"Of course, I'd choose the dragon," he said firmly, feeling the certainty in his own voice.
"Exactly," she said, almost bitterly. "The people my parents asked for help didn't think it made sense to waste resources on 'weak' heirs like them."
She clenched her fists for a brief moment, then relaxed them slowly as if trying to let go of old pain.
"So, they found a solution: they would look for an inheritance for me. That way, I could cure my illness," Cordelia said softly, the faintest hint of hope returning to her voice.
Her eyes softened as she remembered the past, distant but vivid.
"And during one of those searches, we ended up here… by accident. We got separated. I found my inheritance and started searching… until I found you."
She sat back down for a moment, letting her words hang in the air like a fragile thread between them.
"That's how I ended up in this place," she concluded, brushing crumbs off her lap with a sigh that sounded like both resignation and acceptance.
Adrian looked at her, incredulous but understanding the depth of her story.
"So, you were here alone before you met me?" he asked quietly, almost afraid of the answer.
She nodded, already rising from her seat and heading toward the door.
"Yes, basically," she replied simply.
She turned back to him with a determined look, a fire reignited in her eyes.
"Well, let's go… we have a lot of ground to cover today. So, hurry up!" she commanded, stepping out with purpose, her pace quick and confident.
Adrian followed her to the door, pausing just a moment before stepping out into the uncertain daylight.
"Cordelia, I promise… I'll help you find your parents," he said with conviction, his voice steady.
She paused for a second, still with her back to him, and whispered softly, almost teasingly:
"Idiot…"
Adrian tilted his head in confusion.
"Did you say something?"
"Nothing. Let's go!" she replied sharply, turning away again.
"Alright, alright… I'm coming!" he called out as he hurried to catch up with her.
Together, they stepped into the unknown, the trail ahead long and uncertain—but now shared.
The morning light stretched across the broken landscape, illuminating ruins and shadows alike, as if the divine domain itself was watching the first steps of a new chapter in their journey.