After Sion's swift escape, the king's eyes narrowed as the magic circle dissipated, taking the fog with it. The mages averted their eyes, sensing the king's simmering rage. The air in the throne room grew heavy with tension; no one dared speak, their gazes flickering with unease.
"Find him," the king ordered coldly, his voice like steel. "Bring him back to me—no matter what, I cannot let that idiot roam around without supervision, not yet at least; he needs to learn his place by my side and the sooner he does that the better."
The knights immediately bolted out, trailed by a mage, who knew better than to disobey the king when he was like this; defying him could mean death and they all found their lives and privileges of being at his bidding a little too valuable to do so.
Meanwhile, Sion darted down the corridor and into an empty room. His breath came in sharp bursts, heart pounding as he tried to make sense of everything. But then—he heard a soft, startled whimper.
His head snapped toward the sound and he froze in shock at the sight before him.
A young girl stood there, blonde hair soaked and clinging to her towel-wrapped frame. Her wide eyes locked with his, both of them equally shocked.
They screamed in unison—but he was faster. He immediately rushed to her and covered her mouth gently with his hand before her voice escaped the chamber.
"Shh! Please—I swear I mean no harm," he whispered desperately. "I didn't know someone was in here. I'm just looking for a way out you have to believe me I am no pervert or whatever it is that you are thinking right now, please…"
She hesitated but gave him a slight nod; she could see both the panic and honesty in his eyes. Slowly, he withdrew his hand and stepped back.
"Are you… the one that was summoned today in the throne room?" She asked cautiously and his eyes widened as he looked up at her.
Before he could answer, the muffled sound of footsteps and shouting echoed outside in the hallway, not far from the chamber they were in and he swallowed, he could not get caught.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as her gaze romaed over his form. "So, you are the one who escaped my brother just now…"
"Your brother?" He asked, in disbelief, before he turned to her.
"The king," she clarified, folding her arms. "He doesn't take well to being defied. And… you might want some clothes; you cannot go around the palace in your birth suit."
Sion's cheeks burned as he remembered his state—still naked, barely covered by the cloak he had stolen from the mage earlier and his hair.
She sighed as she looked at him, then pointed toward a set of folded clothes near her bed. "Those belong to my brother; they should fit you."
"Thanks," he muttered, grabbing them. She turned away as he changed, trying her best not to peek. When she heard him fumbling with the buttons, she sighed and turned back to help.
He lowered his gaze as she helped him with his clothes. He was still trying to get used to his changes, but it was difficult being chased while at the same time trying to figure out what was going on with him as well as trying to accept it, for it was now his reality.
"I can't believe this is happening…" he mumbled, glancing down at his unfamiliar body.
When she finished helping him, she gave him a pointed look then huffed. "You're welcome. I don't agree with what my brother's doing. Something about this whole thing feels wrong, but there is nothing anyone could do about it. He now sits on the throne, so whatever beef you have with him, I would either stay put or pray, you look familiar for some reason."
He blinked in surprise at her words. Him? Familiar?
"I know I may sound naive," she continued, "but something tells me you're not a threat. From my balcony, there's a path through the garden. It'll lead you outside the palace grounds. Beyond that, you are on your own. I cannot help you any further and don't you dare mention that I helped you. If he knows, god knows what he will do after that."
Sion stared at her, gratitude in his eyes. He wanted to thank her and also ask her why she thought he was familiar, but he knew there was no time for idle chatter.
He rushed to the balcony, then looked down and took a deep breath before he leapt. Her eyes widened slightly and she quickly stepped out to watch—relieved to see that he landed safely in the garden.
"Be careful! And good luck," She called out after him, as he disappeared down the path.
Just then, heavy knocks pounded on her chamber door. She winced at the sound of it, wrapped a robe around herself, and opened it.
"My lady, have you seen a strange young man pass through here?" The captain of the knights asked.
Her eyes narrowed as she glared at them. "Now, how could I when I was taking a bath? I would appreciate it if you didn't barge in again and do not haul me into my brother's matters."
The knights flinched at her tone, then the captain sighed and looked at her before bowing. "Our apologies. We won't trouble you further; you can go back to...well...bathing, I guess."
The knights immediately rushed off to continue their pursuit of Sion and she closed the door with a sigh, glancing at the empty balcony where he was only minutes ago, hoping he would make it out fine.
Meanwhile, Sion had made it to the outskirts of the palace—until a sudden presence halted him in his tracks. A mage blocked his path.
"Stop running," the mage commanded. "You are new here. You don't know how things work around here. The king is not someone you want as an enemy. Surrender—and you won't be harmed. All you need to do is follow his orders; it is why he brought you here, yet you somehow ended up in the summoning circle."
Sion's fists clenched, his mind racing to find a way out of the situation he was in. 'I can't fight him… not yet. I don't even know what I'm capable of or even if I have any sort of ability.'
His eyes darted around, seeking any route to escape. The mage's eyes glowed blue as a radiant book materialized before him and Sion's brows furrowed. He knew very well he was trapped and at the time, there was no way out of there.