Milo:

  Orla’s voice echoed faintly in my head—Milo... Milo...—soft, broken, like she was crying. It barely made it through, but I felt it deep in my chest, twisting something tight inside me.

  Raven grunted, snapping me out of it. I blinked, realizing I was slumped in the saddle, barely hanging on. “Whoa, sorry, buddy,” I muttered, patting his neck. “How long have I been out?”

  The road was quiet now, barely any carts or people in sight. The sun was past its peak, dipping lower. “We’re close,” I mumbled, rubbing my face. Raven slowed to a walk, his muscles tense beneath me. “You need a break?”

  He bobbed his head, and I sighed. “Yeah, me too.”

  A brook ran alongside a clearing up ahead. Good enough. I guided Raven over and slid off, stretching out my stiff legs as he dipped his head to drink.

  “You earned it,” I said, running a hand down his side. For a moment, the world was still—until it wasn’t.

  Hoofbeats. A lot of them.

  I tensed, listening. Fast, organized. Not a merchant caravan. This was different. I grabbed Raven’s reins and led him behind a thicket, crouching low as the sound grew louder.

  Then they appeared.

  A line of riders, moving like a well-trained unit, dust curling up around them. And at the front—

  Daiki.

  The air left my lungs. Long black hair, armor detailed in sharp, intricate patterns, a look in his eyes I’d never seen before. But it was him. No doubt about it.

  What the hell?

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  I stayed frozen, watching as he rode past, his soldiers cloaked in black. The emblem on their armor was unmistakable—the Black Lotus.

  The same people who took Orla.

  My heart pounded. This couldn’t be real. Daiki—my bandmate—leading the Black Lotus? The king’s personal army? The same guy who used to treat everything like a competition, always acting like he was two steps ahead of everyone else? The one who never backed down, never showed weakness? Now he looked like a hardened general, the kind of man who gave orders instead of taking them. How the hell did that happen?

  He wasn’t the same guy I knew. This Daiki carried himself differently—stronger, sharper, like he’d lived a lifetime in a matter of months. His face still had that striking edge, but there was something heavier in his posture, something that made him look like a man who’d seen too much. He wasn’t just confident anymore. He was in control, like he belonged in this world in a way I never could’ve imagined.

  I stayed frozen, watching as he and his army disappeared down the road. The pounding of hooves echoed in my skull, each beat driving in the reality of what I was seeing. Daiki, leading the Black Lotus? It didn’t make sense, but there he was, looking every bit the commander he had no right to be.

  As the last rider vanished into the horizon, I forced myself to snap out of it. Sitting here wouldn’t get me any answers. I climbed onto Raven, patting his neck. “Come on, buddy. We’ve got to move.”

  Raven grunted, and I nudged him forward, guiding him back onto the path. The sun was still blazing, but I barely noticed it. My mind kept circling back to Daiki. How the hell had this happened? What was he doing with the Black Lotus? And more importantly, what did this mean for Orla? She wasn’t with him, so she must be at the palace by now.

  I tightened my grip on the reins, my heart racing. Whatever was going on, all I could hope was that she was okay.

  ***

  The first stone arches of the capital rose ahead, spanning a wide river. I slowed Raven to a walk, scanning the carvings on the worn stone. The city’s name—Hyeonseong—stood bold in Chinese script. Just like Sang-min said.

  I let out a breath. Made it.

  The walls loomed, packed with buildings, noise, movement. Vendors shouted. Carts clattered. The city pulsed with life. Bigger than Seongjin-ri. Busier. Easier to hide—or get lost.

  First, a stable. Had to stash Raven somewhere safe. Then, the southeast entrance. Tae-shik would be there.

  I led Raven through the gates, eyes flicking around. Sang-min had slipped me a few coins along with the packed meals. Enough to keep the horse safe for a bit.

  “Almost there, buddy.” I patted his neck. “We’ll figure it out.”

  The palace wasn’t far. The entrance. The guard. The deal.

  I just hoped this would go as smooth as Won-ki made it sound.

  ?Sky Mincharo