Something terrifying had occurred in the heart of the forest. When King Julian finally returned to the palace, he was gravely wounded. An unknown force had struck him down, leaving him on the brink of death.
After the Royal Healer tended to his injuries, the verdict was grim: the King would remain unconscious for several days. When the royal children pressed Queen Ava for answers about where their father had gone and who had attacked him, she replied cryptically, "I do not know. Ask your father himself when he wakes." Her silence left a heavy cloud of suspicion hanging over the palace.
Amidst this turmoil, Prince Rayan Igthen of Valtoria arrived in Eldrida on official business. Despite the King's condition, the invitation for his stay was honored. As Rayan settled into his chambers, he soon crossed paths with Sofia once more.
While walking through the grand halls, a familiar, smooth voice called out, "Miss Sofia, what a pleasant surprise."
Sofia turned to find Prince Rayan, his ebony eyes sparkling. "Prince Rayan, welcome to Eldrida. I trust your journey was pleasant?"
As the hours passed, Sofia showed Rayan around the palace grounds. Their conversation flowed with an ease that didn't go unnoticed. Cable watched them from a distance, his eyes narrowing as he observed their shared laughter. Later, in the gardens, Sofia asked playfully, "So, Prince Rayan, what kind of food must I bribe you with to make your stay perfect?"
Rayan chuckled, "Spicy food—the hotter, the better. My taste buds are quite adventurous."
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Rayan invited Sofia to join him for dinner. The next morning, Sofia walked into the palace hall with a radiant glow. Cable approached her immediately. "Sofia, you look radiant today. What is the secret to your joy?"
Sofia replied with wide-eyed excitement, "I had such a lovely time with Prince Rayan yesterday. He is a fascinating person; time simply flies when you are with him."
Cable's expression shifted instantly, a cold pang of jealousy tightening his chest. "Sofia, you don't need to be so nice to everyone. Not everyone is as kind as they appear."
Sofia looked at him curiously, confused by his sudden edge. "Cable, what's wrong? Prince Rayan is our guest. It is only polite to be kind."
Trying to mask his simmering envy, Cable lowered his voice. "Of course, Sofia. I just want you to be careful, that's all." A knowing smile played on Sofia's lips—it seemed she had finally understood the reason behind his sudden protectiveness.
The air within the palace was no longer filled with the scent of celebration, but with the suffocating weight of an unspoken dread. With King Julian lying unconscious, the entire burden of Eldrida now rested upon Crown Prince Liam's shoulders. Liam locked himself in his father's private study, spending hours under the flickering candlelight scouring ancient maps and encrypted letters. One question haunted his mind: What 'darkness' was my father truly hunting in that forest?
Driven by desperation, he sought out the only man who held the keys to the truth—Captain Orion. But as he stepped into the infirmary, he was met with a soul-crushing sight. The kingdom's fiercest warrior, Captain Orion, lay motionless, swathed in bandages.
The Royal Healer explained with a heavy heart that the attack had been so precise and brutal that the Captain had slipped into a deep coma. Liam touched Orion's cold hand, realizing that the last man who could speak the truth was now silenced. The entire kingdom had become a riddle to which only the shadows held the answer.
Amidst this rising tension, on the other side of the palace, the sun still bathed the gardens in golden light. Sofia and Prince Rayan were strolling together, their laughter seemingly defying the silence growing outside the walls. But within this tranquility, a different storm was brewing in Cable's heart. He watched Sofia and Rayan from afar, his jealousy simmering like molten lava ready to erupt.
He could contain it no longer. Cable strode toward them, his footsteps heavy and purposeful. The birds in the trees seemed to stop chirping at the sheer intensity radiating from him. In an instant, he reached Sofia's side and locked his hand firmly around her wrist.
"Sofia, come with me," Cable commanded, his voice vibrating with a raw, undeniable authority.
Sofia faltered, startled by the fire burning in his navy blue eyes. "What is it, Cable? Why are you so troubled?" she asked gently.
But Cable offered no reply. He simply pulled her away. Prince Rayan watched the scene with a mysterious glint in his ebony eyes, as if observing a fascinating play. He called out, "Sofia, is everything alright?"
But Sofia was already being swept into the seclusion of the thicket. Once they were hidden from prying eyes, Cable turned to her, his breathing ragged. "Sofia, I couldn't bear to see you with him for a single second longer," he confessed in a strained whisper. For the first time, his voice carried not the pride of a prince, but the raw vulnerability of a man in love.