Enjoy the chapters my dear readers hehehe muahhh >P<...

  Before Liu could even move toward the door, a weak, breathless voice broke through the panic inside the inn.

  “No need to search… I’m here.”

  All heads turned sharply toward the entrance.

  There stood Kael— disheveled hair, a few strand fell to his features, his figure framed against the morning light that spilled into the room. His posture was slouched, and his normally graceful stance seemed fragile. His eyes remained closed, several loose strands of hair falling over his features. His clothes were stained with earth and dew, and his expression held weariness that pierced deeper than sleep.

  Killian’s eyes widened. He’s here… but what happened to him? His gaze instinctively dropped to Kael’s hands—one of them stained slightly red, a scratch fresh across the palm. He didn’t miss how Kael avoided even a glance in his direction.

  Kael raised his head slightly, his lips curving into a weak, mocking smile. Before said to Quirl and Quin.

  “Seen a ghost?”

  The silence shattered as Quirl rushed forward.

  “Kael! Are you okay? Are you hurt?!”

  Quin quickly followed, gently grabbing Kael’s wrist to inspect the cut.

  “You’re bleeding,” he said, voice shaky but relieved.

  Kael tilted his head. “Just a scratch. I brushed past some bushes, that's all.” He thought to himself as he just going outside to take a fresh air and hiding himself.

  Quin still frowned, concern etched in every line of his face, but he nodded. The others, too, seemed to exhale in unison, as though they'd been holding their breath this entire time.

  Except Serenn.

  He stepped forward, gaze sharp—no, worried—and stopped just a few paces from Kael. His voice was quiet but commanding:

  “Sir Kael… how are you feeling?”

  Everyone turned toward Serenn. His question carried more weight than simple concern. Liu narrowed his eyes subtly. He knows.

  Kael, still with his eyes closed, faced Serenn and gave the same fragile smile.

  “Worst.”

  That single word quieted the entire room but Kael still managed to smile.

  Kael took a slow step forward, wobbling slightly. Quin and Quirl stayed close by his sides, offering their presence as silent support. They walked him toward the shared bedroom, but before they went in, Quin turned to Killian, bowing lightly.

  “Thank you, Your Highness… for your help,” he said respectfully, despite knowing Killian hadn’t done much yet.

  Quirl followed with a nod. “We’ll look after him.”

  Killian could only nod silently. His mind churned. Why… didn’t Kael look at me? Not even once? This thoughts linger just a brief moment.

  The room quieted once more—until it didn’t.

  Just as Kael reached near the stairs, his wooden cane suddenly slipped from his grip with a clatter. His body swayed, knees buckling slightly. A sudden noise came next—wet, dark, and frightening.

  A splatter of black blood hit the floor near the window.

  Sir Serenn moved in an instant.

  “Get him inside the room! Now!Quick!” His voice thundered through the room.

  Liu’s eyes narrowed. So, it’s already progressing faster than we thought. The rare poison.

  Killian’s stomach turned. He looked toward Kael, who had collapsed against Quirl’s and Quin’s shoulders, his face drained of color, lips tinged with dark red. The cloth he usually wore to hide his eyes still rested in Quin’s hand. For the first time, Killian truly saw Kael's face—delicate, tired, beautiful, and full of quiet pain, but not his eyes.

  And still… he didn’t 'look' at him. Not once.

  Killian clenched his fists.

  Serenn ushered everyone to move quickly. As they disappeared upstairs with Kael, Killian stood frozen at the center of the inn's dining hall, feeling like he had just witnessed something far more fragile than he was ready for. Quirl was carrying Kael's body almost losing his consciousness.

  And he hated how it bothered him.

  “Sir Quin,” Serenn called firmly, his tone laced with urgency as he pressed a hand against Kael’s clammy forehead. “Bring the medicinal potion—now.” Quin quickly opened the shared room and rushed to take the medicinal potion provided by Serenn earlier when treating Kael, as soon Kael body was layed by Quirl on the bed Serenn slowly feel his pulse.

  Quirl stayed at Kael’s side, carefully dabbing the thick black blood from Kael’s pale lips with a cloth, but it only smeared onto his own shirt. The sight of the corrupted blood made his chest tighten.

  Kael lay weakly on the bed, eyes half-closed, barely conscious. His breathing was ragged, shallow.

  Quin rushed in moments later, carrying a vial of dark amber potion and a bowl of warm water. Without needing instructions, he handed the items to Serenn.

  “Hold his head,” Sir Serenn instructed, his voice steady but urgent. Quirl complied, lifting Kael just enough for Serenn to gently press the vial to his lips.

  “Easy now…” Serenn coaxed, tilting the potion just so. The liquid slid past Kael’s lips slowly.

  A minute passed, then another.

  Kael’s breathing gradually steadied. The erratic heaving softened to quiet, rhythmic inhales. Relief swept through the room like a breeze.

  But then—

  Kael lurched forward and coughed violently, thick, dark blood mixed with an even blacker, tar-like liquid spilled from his mouth onto the sheets. The sickening stench of poison filled the air.

  Serenn, unfazed, gently guided Kael back down onto the bed.

  “That’s it,” he muttered with a sigh of relief, “The potion forced some of the poison out. One of the rarer types, embedded deep in the blood veins.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Quirl let out a shaky exhale. Quin, who had gone pale, slumped slightly against the wall in relief.

  Kael’s body, drained and weary, fell back into a deep sleep, the medicinal effect lulling him quickly.

  Later, Serenn, Quirl, and Quin descended the stairs. The sunlight outside had softened, casting a late-afternoon glow through the windows.

  Killian stood near the entrance, deep in discussion with a few royal guards dressed in the blue and golden yellow of Salvation’s royal envoy. His face was composed, but when he spotted Serenn approaching, a flicker of concern broke through.

  “His condition?” Killian asked, voice low despite the presence of the guards, who stop talking for a seconds.

  “He’s stable,” Serenn nodded. “Still unconscious, but the worst has passed.”

  Killian allowed himself a small, barely audible sigh. “Good.”

  Just then, Liu approached Quin and Quirl, the hem of his robes trailing softly behind him.

  “We’ll be departing for the capital before sunset,” Liu informed, glancing toward the corridor upstairs. “You two will be parting from us, yes?”

  Quirl nodded. “Yes. We’ll take our leave when Kael strong enough to continue or journey. For now… he needs time…"

  Liu gave a short nod of understanding, then the two exchanged light conversation—Quirl asking about the travel conditions if they ever need to visit a capital outside Salvation Kingdom, Liu offering suggestions for alternative routes less monitored by suspicious eyes.

  The same day, Killian grew more engrossed in royal duties. Scrolls, letters, and conversations with Liu filled the hours. Still, his gaze occasionally flickered upstairs, the crease in his brow deepening each time.

  Serenn, meanwhile, sat by Kael’s bedside, reading from one of the scrolls Killian had handed him earlier.

  “…‘A person afflicted by soul-rooting toxins may experience memory displacement or dream hallucinations…’” he read in a calm, low voice, unaware Kael’s fingers twitched faintly at the sound. “'Gentle tone, calm environment, and natural warmth may assist in anchoring the soul during the healing process, Hm, That explains why he flinched earlier.” Kael was flinching a few hours ago.

  Scrolls lay scattered on the bedside table, and beneath one of them, a soft piece of cloth—used to cover Kael's eyes often—rested forgotten. Kael’s black hair cascaded messily around the pillow, the hair ornament placed neatly beside it.

  Evening approached. A quiet knock echoed in the room before Quin entered.

  “Sir Serenn, it’s time. The envoy is about to depart.”

  Serenn looked up slowly, then back at Kael’s still form. He lingered for a moment.

  “…Sleep well,” he murmured, placing a small wrapped token beside Kael’s hand—a carved charm of protection. “For luck.”

  He gathered his scrolls, unaware one of them had caught the edge of Kael’s piece of cloth, dragging it along.

  As Serenn and Quin stepped out, the door clicked gently behind them.

  Upstairs, Kael’s eyes fluttered open.

  He had been awake—since the moment Serenn began reading. The soft cadence of his voice, the weight of the silence, all of it had anchored Kael like a lifeline.

  But he had stayed still, eyes closed, breath even.

  Why?

  He couldn’t understand it himself.

  Why didn’t he want to face Killian?

  He sat up slowly, arms hugging his knees, long hair falling like a curtain around his face. The room was quiet now, too quiet.

  He didn’t want to see Rayne… or rather, Killian—not like this. Not with confusion still clouding his heart.

  A horse’s neigh sounded below, signaling the envoy’s preparation.

  Downstairs, the wooden stairs creaked softly under Serenn and Quin’s boots as they descended the last step. Outside, hooves struck the dirt in a rhythmic pace.

  Serenn looked at Liu, then at Killian.

  Quirl turned to Killian. “Thank you… for helping Kael the other day. If not for you and your men…”

  Killian shook his head. “It was the right thing to do. Thank you too for leading us into a nearest routes safely.”

  Quirl offered a genuine nod. “It is right for me to help, Your Highness. Also, it was thanks to Sir Liu and Sir Serenn. I won’t forget this.”

  Liu gave a small bow. “Helping others is our duty.”

  “And it was His Highness’s order,” Serenn added with a faint smile. “We were just following his lead.”

  Killian looked up the stairs once more, as if still hoping.

  “…He’s still asleep?” he asked quietly.

  Serenn hesitated, then answered, “He hasn’t stirred, Your Highness. But his pulse is steady, and his breathing has returned to normal.”

  Quin confirmed with a short nod.

  Killian gave a small, unreadable smile, but the way his eyes lingered upstairs betrayed his disappointment.

  “…I had hoped…” He stopped himself.

  No one said anything.

  Unbeknownst to all of them, Kael sat silently upstairs, hearing every sound, not every word—choosing not to come down.

  Choosing to part… unseen.

  The muffled thud of boots against wood and the quiet rustle of travel cloaks echoed faintly from the floor below.

  Kael sat in silence on the edge of the bed, barefoot, the touch of the wooden floor cool beneath him. He held the small wrapped charm Serenn had tucked into his palm earlier, its gentle weight pressing against his skin as though carrying a silent message.

  He let out a soft sigh, one he didn’t even realize he’d been holding.

  The late evening sun slanted through the half-open window, and the breeze stirred the light curtains like the passing of unseen spirits. Kael slowly rose, his long black hair tumbling down his back, shifting like dark silk. He walked without a sound to the window, the chill of the stone beneath his feet grounding him.

  The world outside moved as if untouched by his inner storm.

  Down below, the stone-paved road beside the inn bustled with preparation. The Salvation guards and Rayne’s men loaded packs onto carriages bearing the royal sigil of the Salvation Kingdom. Armor clinked, leather straps snapped taut, and horses exhaled warm gusts of breath into the cooling air.

  Kael remained hidden behind the curtain, though his eyes—stormy gray, unreadable and heavy with something unnamed—focused on the man standing beside a horse-drawn carriage. Rayne. Or rather, Killian.

  Kael’s breath caught for a moment as he observed him, his heart betraying its steady rhythm.

  Killian’s princely attire was modest compared to earlier, more fitting for travel. Yet even from a distance, he stood out. Charisma wrapped him like a second cloak. He was speaking to Quirl and Quin, smiling faintly, offering them a grateful nod and a firm handshake.

  Why does he look like that? Kael thought, gripping the curtain tighter. As if he’s still waiting...

  Below, Killian’s heart stirred with a hollow ache.

  He had expected—hoped—to see Kael one last time before they left. But when Serenn and Quin descended earlier with the news that Kael was still resting, he hadn’t questioned it. Outwardly, at least.

  Inwardly, he had fought the urge to rush up the stairs, just to see Kael’s face. Just to make sure he was truly alright.

  "Was it just… three days?" Killian thought. "Then why does it feel like I've known him much longer?"

  As he turned to step into the royal carriage, something pulled at his senses. He paused. His eyes lifted toward the upper windows of the inn.

  His gaze settled precisely on the window Kael stood behind.

  But there was no one there.

  Only the soft movement of curtains in the breeze.

  Killian narrowed his eyes slightly, then shook his head, brushing it off with a sigh. “Don’t be foolish. He’s still unconscious…” he reminded himself.

  He climbed into the carriage with a composed expression, but his hand lingered on the door for a moment longer than necessary.

  From the window, Kael’s lips parted as if to say something. But no sound came. He just stood there, watching the royal envoy begin its departure. A few citizen was looking at the envoys and the royal sigil from the carriages wondering who has come and a royal carriages was sent to invited them into palace.

  Liu, atop a black horse beside the first carriage, glanced back one last time—and he saw him.

  There, in the upper window, Kael stood fully visible now, framed by the flowing curtain. His stormy eyes were uncovered, his expression unreadable.

  Liu didn’t speak.

  He simply lifted one hand and waved gently, a silent gesture of farewell.

  Kael blinked, caught in the quiet sincerity of it.

  He wave back but low, hesitantly.

  But he didn’t look away either.

  Downstairs, the horses began moving, hooves striking the road with rhythmic purpose. The royal sigil glimmered on the side of the carriage Killian rode in. Liu kept his gaze steady as they passed beneath the window one last time.

  Only when the last glint of the envoy vanished from sight did Kael release the breath he’d been holding.

  The charm Serenn had given him was still in his hand.

  “Rayne…” he murmured, almost too softly to hear. A sudden flashed passed his mark forehead without him realized it.

  Then, the door behind him creaked open.

  Quirl stepped in, followed closely by Quin, both expecting to see Kael still asleep in bed. Instead, they froze at the sight before them.

  Kael, barefoot and wrapped in nothing but the robe he’d worn earlier, stood near the window, his long black hair stirred by the breeze, his gaze distant.

  Quirl blinked in surprise. “Kael…?”

  Kael turned slightly, meeting their eyes. His expression remained calm, but there was a trace of weariness and something deeper beneath it.

  “You’re awake,” Quin said quietly, stepping forward.

  Kael gave a small nod and hummed. “Hmm.”

  Quirl hesitated, then asked softly, “Why didn’t you tell us?”

  Kael glanced down at the charm in his hand. “I just woke up.”

  The room fell quiet. Only the whisper of wind remained.

  Then Kael looked at them, a tired smile barely brushing his lips.

  “But I saw them off… in my own way.”

  To be continued... >-<...

  **Authors Note-- Rayne....i am sorry... :)