"Your Majesty?" Travis asked in disbelief. He blinked several times, convinced it had to be a trick of the moonlight or maybe too much wine. That had to be it. There was no other reason why the Queen would be out here, in the middle of nowhere, at this hour.
"Travis?" Selene echoed, just as stunned.
"What are you doing out here without any guards? No protection? Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Travis demanded, approaching them, his brows furrowed in concern.
Selene glanced at Lila.
~He doesn't know anything. He just followed us. But I can feel his suspicion rising.~ Lila's voice echoed in Selene's mind through the mindlink.
Selene exhaled slowly, choosing her next words with care.
"I just needed some air."
"There's plenty of air back at the castle," Travis said sharply, studying her with narrowed eyes.
"Yes, but…" Selene hesitated. "The air there is suffocating."
Travis scoffed. "You are by far the most unbelievable woman I've ever met. Do you have any idea what Ronan would've done to me if something had happened to you?"
"Well, nothing did happen," Selene replied coolly.
Travis was about to respond when his gaze landed on the dark bruise blooming along her neck.
His expression shifted instantly. "What happened there?"
Selene took a breath, steadying herself.
"It's nothing. I tripped."
"On what? A vampire?" he shot back, stepping closer to get a better look. His tone was half-joke, half-panic. "That doesn't look like a fall."
Lila stepped in smoothly, her arms crossed. "She's fine."
Travis didn't even look at her. "I wasn't talking to you."
Lila arched a brow, her voice cool. "Well, I answered anyway."
Travis turned to face her fully, his jaw tight. "What were you two even doing out here? No guards, no protection—are you trying to get her killed?"
"Enough, Travis." Selene cut in, her voice cold. "I don't owe you explanations, You forget yourself."
Travis stepped back slightly, chastised, but the worry in his eyes didn't fade.
"I didn't mean disrespect," he muttered. "But it's dangerous out here alone. You know that."
"She wasn't alone," Lila replied before Selene could, her chin lifting slightly.
Travis gave her a long, slow look. "Oh, right. Of course. I'm sure if something had happened, you would've protected her..."
"I would." Lila shot back.
He stared at her for a long moment, before turning his gaze back to Selene.
"Come on, my Queen. Let's get back before someone else realizes you're gone."
As he turned to lead the way, Lila touched Selene's arm gently.
~~He's going to be a problem.~~
~~I can't make him forget right now. How do we explain how we got here?~~ Selene asked, gesturing to the thick forest around them.
~~Just put him to sleep or something first.~~
~~And what, drag his limp body all the way back to the castle?~~
~~Fine. So we get to the castle grounds, then you make him forget and put him to sleep. He'll wake up thinking he had too much wine.~~
~~Let's just get back first.~~ Selene replied, following Travis.
But Travis stopped suddenly, glancing around at the dense trees. "Wait a second... where exactly did I come out from?"
"Wow… the King's commanding officer doesn't even know his way around," Lila said, mockingly.
"Well, considering all I did was follow the trail you two left behind, I'd say I did a decent job finding you. Why don't you lead the way back, since you're so confident?"
Lila rolled her eyes and looked around. The clearing looked the same in every direction, nothing but identical trees and undergrowth. The falcon had guided she and Selene here, and they'd followed blindly.
"Having trouble?" Travis asked, peering over her shoulder.
"No," Lila lied. "We came from the North. We had to leave the horses behind. I'm sure if we head that way, we'll find them." She pointed confidently.
"You're pointing East, dear," Travis said, a smug grin tugging at his lips.
Lila crossed her arms. "Whatever. I know it's that direction."
"Alright then," Selene said, trying to keep the peace. "Let's go that way."
"Wait," Travis said, frowning. "I don't think that's it. I remember seeing your horses and getting off mine to follow your trail on foot. I could barely see anything, but I'm pretty sure it was South."
"It was North... I mean East—whatever that direction is called," Lila said, squinting into the trees with defiance.
"It was South," Travis insisted. "Besides, what do you know? You're just a maid."
Lila turned to glare at him.
They locked eyes, tension rising like a spark ready to catch fire.
"Enough," Selene cut in sharply. "This is childish. We'll head South first. If Travis is right, we'll find the horses and be on our way. If not, we'll go East."
Lila muttered something under her breath and folded her arms, but didn't argue.
"Fine by me," Travis said with a smug grin.
Selene rolled her eyes and took the lead. Travis followed and so did Lila—angrily.
They walked in silence.
The forest around them grew darker with each step, the canopy so thick it swallowed the moonlight.
The only sounds they heard were the soft crunch of leaves beneath their boots and the sound of Lila muttering curses every time a branch scraped her arm.
"Are we sure this is the right way?" Lila grumbled, brushing cobwebs from her face. "Feels like we're walking in circles."
"We're not," Travis said, though his voice lacked conviction. He held a stick in front of him like a makeshift spear, tapping the ground as he led. "The moss on the trees is still on the right side. That means we're heading south."
"Or just walking in circles," Lila snapped.
Selene said nothing. Her focus wasn't on their direction anymore. It was on the air—how still it had become. And how cold.
She shivered, wrapping her cloak tighter around herself. Her boots sank into soft earth, damp and thick. A strange smell lingered—sweet at first… but foul underneath.
Like something decaying.
"Wait," she said, halting. "Do you smell that?"
Travis sniffed the air. "Smoke?"
"No," Selene said slowly. "Not that."
They stepped forward, pushing past thick brush, and emerged at the top of a gentle rise. The Moonlight illuminating the space.
Then they saw it.
The trees parted like curtains revealing a nightmare.
Below them lay a village. The houses were blackened skeletons of wood, their roofs destroyed, smoke still curling lazily from the ruins. The ground was scorched and covered in ash.
Selene's breath caught in her throat. "Gods…"
They descended carefully, the mud clinging to their boots. Travis stopped first, his face pale as he pointed.
Bodies.
Dozens of them.
Scattered across the ruined field,
half-buried in ash. The stench hit them next—decay and smoke. Selene pressed a sleeve to her mouth. Lila gagged..
Travis moved closer.
Recognition gripping him like a vice. These weren't just Villagers.
They were his brothers-in-arms.
Ronan's army.