"What did you say!?"
Elyndor, who had been listening to his wife's explanation, couldn't stop himself from exclaiming loudly in shock.
"It's not confirmed yet, so don't tell Varadon when you meet him next time," Elana warned, her eyes narrowing slightly. "But from the looks of it, I definitely think she'll approach the Thaloreins. I'm just not sure which daughter she's planning to tie to Zhavrik."
"To think I would live long enough to see a Thalorein and a dragon bound by marriage… the world truly is full of surprises." Elyndor let out a low chuckle, though his face was still marked with disbelief. "When the Dragon Queen approaches the Thaloreins to speak of this, I want to be in the same room. Hah! Imagine it—the drama of two ancient enemies sitting across the table, negotiating a marriage pact."
"So this is why you hinted it might not be the dragons, but the angels." Elyndor's eyes widened in sudden realization. He quickly straightened, his expression becoming overly dramatic. "My Queen, forgive my earlier tone! I was blind. Please accept my apology!" He dropped to one knee before her, bowing low as though in the middle of a grand performance.
"Hmph." Elana folded her arms and tilted her chin up, her voice carrying an equally dramatic flair. "You dare raise your tone against me? Then tonight you can sleep on the couch. Or better yet, go share a bed with Varadon!" With that sharp retort, she turned away and started walking toward her granddaughter's room.
"Wait—wait, Elana! My Queen! I'll never raise my voice again, I swear!" Elyndor cried, scrambling to his feet and chasing after her like a scolded child. The earlier commanding Elyndor was nowhere to be seen; in his place was a man pleading desperately not to lose his place in the bed.
---
The Thalorein Dukedom lay at the far eastern corner of the Human Empire. To the east, they shared borders with the Beast Empire; to the west, the endless ocean. To the north, another human dukedom, and to the south—the dreaded "Land of the Dead." To cross into Elvian territory, one had to pass through dense jungles belonging to their northern neighbors.
Varadon, now traveling by flight rather than carriage, reached his mansion in just a few hours. Without delay, he went to see his son.
"Father, the Ravens are still searching the neighboring Empires," Zavrok reported, handing him a stack of reports. "The land is vast, and there are many restricted areas they cannot enter. It's taking longer than expected."
Varadon skimmed through the reports, his expression grave. "And what of Zhavrik? Did you uncover anything at all?"
Zavrok hesitated. "Nothing yet. Father… what happened in the Elvian Empire? You didn't bring him back, so I assume he wasn't within their domain. But… did you find anything at all?"
Varadon let out a heavy breath. "I found nothing in the Elvian lands. Elyndor and Elana even searched within the restricted zones for me, but there was no trace of him." He paused, recalling Elana's final words. "Before I left, Elana did suggest the possibility that Zhavrik is trapped within the 'Land of the Dead.' According to her, the Church might be behind this. If they used their bloodline abilities, they could have found the portal location."
Zavrok's eyes darkened. "The Lyshaans… you think it's them?"
Varadon shook his head slowly. "No. At first, I thought it possible. But on the flight back, I kept thinking it over. I don't believe it's them. The cultists are preoccupied with their own schemes. They are definitely up to something, but I doubt they would risk targeting Zhavrik. Still…" His gaze hardened. "We cannot rule them out. Send more spies into their territory. This time, have one of the elders accompany them. And also, make a trip to the Dragon lands. I don't think they're involved either, but I want to be certain. Take Aelira with you. She needs your presence more than ever right now, and I will manage things here in your absence."
Zavrok nodded but frowned slightly. "Alright, I'll take Aelira. But Father… the old Emperor will not like this. He'll assume our family is plotting to expand into their domain. If both Aelira and I enter the Dragon Empire together, I expect him to react aggressively."
Varadon leaned back, his expression unreadable. "Not just the Dragons. Every empire has its eyes on us. Especially after we sent so many knights and spies into their borders. And of course, our own lands are crawling with their spies in return."
"You left them alive?" Zavrok asked.
"Yes. For now." Varadon's tone was calm but firm. "I don't want to provoke them—not when our spies are still gathering information in their territories. Eliminating their spies here might cost us valuable agents elsewhere. I've spread a few false rumors to distract them, but I doubt we can conceal Zhavrik's disappearance for long."
Zavrok crossed his arms, his brows furrowing. "That was my worry too. If word spreads—"
"Don't worry." Varadon cut him off with a reassuring nod. "I'll handle the Emperor. And as for the spies… I'll think of a way to restrict their movements without killing them. You focus on your task. Take Aelira to the Dragon Empire, and bring me answers."
His words carried weight, leaving no room for argument. Zavrok bowed his head in agreement, while Varadon turned away, already deep in thought about how to keep the Thalorein secrets from slipping through the cracks.