Chapter 13:

 The morning came quicker than I expected, the soft glow of dawn creeping through my window. I sat up in bed, the lingering threads of sleep still tugging at my mind. For a moment, I just stared out at the horizon, the sky painted in soft pinks and oranges. It was almost peaceful—almost enough to make me forget the weight of the day ahead.

Aurora stirred beside me, stretching her tiny wings before perching on my shoulder. "Ready for your big adventure, Sage?" she asked, her voice laced with both excitement and concern.

I let out a shaky breath, brushing a hand through my hair. "As ready as I'll ever be, I guess."

She tilted her head, her small hands clasped in front of her. "You're nervous."

I nodded, standing and making my way to the dresser. "Wouldn't you be? I'm about to sneak into a castle, wander through a dangerous maze, and hope we don't all get caught—or worse."

Aurora giggled softly, flitting over to sit on the edge of the dresser. "Well, when you put it like that, it sounds downright terrifying. But hey, you've got Xenos and Alohi with you. Plus, you've got me. We're a team, remember?"

Her words brought a faint smile to my lips. "Yeah. A team."

I slipped into my outfit—a dark, simple dress that wouldn't stand out in the castle corridors—and pulled on my boots. As I tied the laces, my mind wandered to the notebook, the painting of my mother and Smokey, and the cryptic words scrawled on the back. The questions swirling in my mind felt endless, but I pushed them aside for now.

By the time I stepped into the kitchen, Xenos and Alohi were already there, waiting. Xenos looked as stoic as ever, his gaze sharp and focused. Alohi, on the other hand, gave me a cheerful wave, her usual mischievous grin firmly in place.

"Morning, sunshine," Alohi said, sliding a plate of toast toward me. "Eat up. You're going to need your strength."

Xenos crossed his arms, his tone firm. "We leave in fifteen minutes. No distractions, no delays. Understood?"

I nodded, grabbing a piece of toast and nibbling on it despite the nervous fluttering in my stomach. Alohi leaned closer, whispering conspiratorially. "Don't worry, Sage. I've got a good feeling about today. And if it all goes south, I'll just blame Xenos."

Xenos shot her a glare, but she only winked at him before turning back to her breakfast. Despite everything, I felt a flicker of warmth. Alohi's unshakable confidence had a way of grounding me, even when the stakes were high.

Aurora perched on my shoulder, whispering, "We're with you, Sage. All the way."

I smiled, gripping the edge of the table for a moment before standing. "Alright. Let's do this."

And with that, we were off, stepping into the unknown with the faintest glimmers of hope and determination lighting the way.

We decided to walk to a nearby teleportation tree, the crisp morning air carrying the faint scent of dew and earth. The path was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the breeze. The tension of the day ahead weighed heavily on us, but the walk served as a momentary distraction. More importantly, it gave us a chance to prepare. Gathering the right plants could mean the difference between life and death if things went wrong.

Xenos led the way, his strides purposeful and unwavering, while Alohi trailed behind, occasionally stopping to examine a flower or two, muttering something about their "aesthetic." Aurora fluttered beside me, her tiny wings glowing faintly in the morning light.

"Do you even know what plants we need?" Alohi called out, plucking a small blue bloom and twirling it between her fingers. "Or are we just grabbing whatever looks cool?"

Xenos didn't even turn around. "Stick to the basics. Bloodroot for wounds, whisper moss for swelling. And if you see nightshade, don't touch it."

Alohi scoffed. "Oh, please. I'm not that reckless."

"You are," Xenos and I said in unison, earning a loud laugh from her.

We reached the teleportation tree not long after, its gnarled roots twisting into the earth like an ancient guardian. Its leaves shimmered faintly, a sign of its dormant magic. I knelt beside its base, carefully searching for the herbs Xenos had mentioned. Aurora landed on a nearby branch, her keen eyes scanning the undergrowth.

"Found bloodroot," I said, plucking the vibrant red-stemmed plant and tucking it into my pouch.

"Whisper moss here," Xenos added, his voice steady as he placed the soft, silvery strands into a small bag.

Alohi, crouched a few feet away, held up a handful of white blossoms. "And these are… pretty?"

"That's moonlace," Xenos said, glancing her way. "Not useful for healing, but it can mask your scent in a pinch. Keep it."

As we worked, the tree's faint hum grew louder, a subtle reminder of the power it held. Once we'd gathered everything we could find, Xenos stood, brushing dirt off his hands.

"Good enough. Let's move," he said, his tone clipped but not unkind.

We stepped closer to the tree, its shimmering leaves casting a faint glow over us. I placed a hand on its bark, feeling a soft pulse beneath my fingers, like the heartbeat of something ancient and alive.

"Ready?" Xenos asked, his eyes scanning the group.

Aurora perched on my shoulder, Alohi adjusted her pouch, and I nodded. "Ready."

With that, Xenos murmured a quiet incantation, and the tree's glow enveloped us, pulling us into its magic as the world around us dissolved into light.

We arrived at the castle, and an eerie stillness greeted us. The silence was suffocating, pressing against my ears as if the very air had stopped moving. The grand hall was shrouded in shadows, the usual warmth of flickering candles nowhere to be seen. No maids bustling about, no guards patrolling—nothing. It felt abandoned, as though the life had been drained from its stone walls.

I glanced around uneasily, my footsteps echoing faintly against the marble floor. The absence of light made the space feel hollow, its grandeur swallowed by the oppressive quiet.

Next to me, Alohi was shifting from foot to foot, her face scrunched up in discomfort.

"Guys," she hissed, her voice sharp but hushed. "I really, really need to pee!"

Before either of us could respond, she snapped her fingers and vanished in a blink, presumably to find the nearest bathroom.

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose as I turned to Xenos. His expression was unreadable, though the subtle clench of his jaw betrayed his irritation.

"She's unbelievable," I muttered, shaking my head.

"She's reckless," Xenos corrected, his voice low and steady. He turned to me, his piercing gaze narrowing slightly. "Listen closely, Sage. We're splitting up for now. You go find Alohi and make sure she hasn't gotten herself into trouble."

I opened my mouth to protest, but he raised a hand to cut me off.

"Meet me by the castle's underground door in fifteen minutes," he continued, his tone leaving no room for argument. "We can't afford delays. If we're not on time, we risk running into patrols—or worse."

I hesitated, then nodded. "Got it."

"Good." His voice softened slightly, but his expression remained firm. "Be careful. And remember, stay out of sight."

With that, Xenos turned and disappeared into the shadows, his movements silent and purposeful. I took a deep breath, steadying myself before heading in the opposite direction.

The castle felt like a maze in the dim light, every corridor blending into the next. I kept close to the walls, my heart pounding as I strained to hear anything over the deafening quiet. Finding Alohi in this labyrinth felt like an impossible task, but if anyone could cause a commotion in an empty castle, it was her.

"Where are you, Alohi?" I muttered under my breath, moving cautiously through the halls. The sooner I found her, the sooner we could regroup and face whatever awaited us below.

The corridors seemed endless, their silence broken only by the faint sound of my footsteps. Shadows clung to the walls, twisting with every flicker of my lantern. My heart raced—not from fear but from the unsettling stillness. Where could Alohi have gone?

I turned a corner, calling out softly, "Alohi? Where are you?"

Suddenly, a hand clamped over my mouth, stifling my scream. My lantern clattered to the ground, extinguishing instantly. I was dragged backward into a dark room, my captor's grip iron-strong.

The door shut behind us with a soft click. I struggled, my pulse thundering in my ears, but my captor's grip didn't loosen. A voice, low and mocking, whispered close to my ear.

"Well, well, look who we have here."

The hand covering my mouth disappeared, and I spun around, heart sinking as I recognized him.

Citrus.

He leaned casually against the door, his lips curling into a wicked grin. "Sage, darling. You look… lost. What a shame no one's here to help you."

I took a step back, but he closed the distance between us effortlessly, his presence overwhelming in the small room.

"What do you want, Citrus?" I asked, forcing my voice to remain steady.

His fingers brushed against my arm, trailing slowly, deliberately, leaving a sickening chill in their wake. I flinched, but he didn't stop.

"You owe me, Sage," he said, his tone as smooth as silk but with an edge of malice. "You ignored me the last time we met. Do you know how that made me feel? How disrespectful it was?"

I tried to pull away, but he grabbed my wrist, holding it tight. "Let go of me," I said firmly, my voice shaking despite my effort to sound strong.

He chuckled darkly, leaning in closer. "Oh, I don't think so. You need to learn how to properly acknowledge someone like me."

Before I could react, he forced his lips against mine. The world seemed to spin as panic gripped me. I pushed against his chest, fighting with every ounce of strength I had, but he was stronger.

"Stop!" I managed to shout, shoving him with all my might.

His grip loosened slightly, and I twisted, trying to break free. Suddenly, the door burst open, light flooding the room.

"What the hell is going on here?"

Alohi stood in the doorway, her voice sharp and deadly. Her eyes locked onto Citrus, narrowing dangerously.

The air in the room grew tense as Citrus froze, his hand still on my arm. A wicked grin flickered across his face, but even he couldn't mask the flicker of fear in his eyes.

Alohi stepped into the room, her usual playful demeanor replaced with a deadly seriousness I had never seen before. The temperature seemed to drop as her sharp gaze darted between Citrus and me, her fists clenched at her sides.

"Let. Her. Go," she demanded, her voice cold and steady, leaving no room for argument.

Citrus smirked, though his grip on my arm slackened. "Ah, Alohi. Always so dramatic. We were just having a little… chat."

Alohi's eyes burned with fury. She snapped her fingers, and a spark of magic crackled in the air. "You've got three seconds to back off before I show you what I'm capable of. And trust me, you don't want to see me mad."

Citrus hesitated, his confidence wavering. He released my arm and stepped back, hands raised in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. No need to get violent. I was just leaving anyway."

He shot me one last look, a twisted grin playing on his lips. "This isn't over, Sage. You'll see."

With that, he slipped past Alohi and disappeared into the corridor.

The tension in the room lingered as Alohi turned to me, her expression softening. "Are you okay?"

I nodded shakily, trying to steady my breathing. "I… I think so. Thank you."

Her brow furrowed as she studied my face. "That guy is a creep. If he so much as looks at you again, he's toast."

I let out a weak laugh, grateful for her presence. "You always know how to make an entrance."

She smirked, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Of course. Now, let's get out of here before Xenos has a heart attack wondering where we are."

As we left the room together, I felt a surge of relief. Alohi might be unpredictable, but in moments like this, she was my anchor.