Night fell hard, the kind of dark that swallowed sound and spat it back as whispers.
They made camp under a canopy of ancient oaks whose leaves rustled secrets in a language neither understood. A small fire crackled between them, sparks rising like tiny stars trying to escape.
Mina roasted skewered mushrooms and the last of their bread while Kai sharpened his dagger, sparks flying like fireflies.
"You know," Mina said, poking the flames, "for a guy who's supposed to be on a super-secret noble mission, you snore like a dying walrus." Kai flicked a mushroom at her head. "You talk in your sleep. Something about 'pretty boy' and 'pancakes forever.'"
Mina's cheeks went red. "Lies. Slander. I demand a duel." "With what? Your jam-stained honor?"
They laughed until their sides hurt, the sound echoing strangely in the trees like the forest spirits were laughing with them, or at them. Later, when the fire burned low, Kai finally slept. And the nightmares came. He stood in the Oracle garden again, but the Dualroot Tree was bleeding blue fire. The spear hovered in front of him, whispering in a voice that tasted like regret: "She will burn the world to find what was taken. And you will let her." Kai woke gasping, sweat cold on his skin. The fire had died to embers.
Across from him, Mina slept sprawled like a cursed dragon guarding treasure, one arm flung out, mouth open, snoring softly. Kai watched her for a long moment. A small, helpless smile tugged at his lips. Tomorrow could wait. Morning came with disaster.
Their packs were slashed. Food gone. Money pouch empty. Compass missing.
Mina stared at the wreckage. "…We got robbed by professionals." Kai rubbed his temples. "Or amateurs who really hate us." They walked. Miles of dusty road under a merciless sun. No villages in sight. No travelers. Just heat, thirst, and Waffles the goat who had mysteriously appeared at dawn, bleating like he owned the place.
Mina immediately adopted him. "His name is Waffles. He's our son now." Kai didn't even argue. By dusk they reached a crumbling village half-collapsed, vines choking the bell tower, stained-glass windows shattered into rainbow teeth.
They pushed open the creaking doors of the only building still standing: an abandoned church. Dust danced in the slanted light. Ancient symbols covered the walls spirals, burning eyes, a girl crowned in ruin. Kai's blood went cold. The same symbols from his nightmare. Mina traced one with her finger. "Pretty creepy art project." Before Kai could answer, a voice echoed from the shadows. "Pretty creepy trespassers."
A man stepped out tall, crooked grin, map tattooed on his forearm, smelling like rum and bad decisions. Mina's eyes went wide. "You're Jino from the Floating Market!"
Jino's grin widened. "And you're the chaos gremlin who broke my fruit stand. Small world." He looked them up and down torn clothes, Waffles wearing a sash, Kai's crest peeking through dirt. "You look like the road tried to eat you and spat you back out."
"It did," Kai said. Jino whistled low. "This is my church now. You're sleeping in it. Rent is dinner and a story." They told him everything well, almost everything.
The Oracle Tree. The visions. Jino listened, eyes sharp. When they finished, he exhaled slowly. "Aurelis, huh? Place eats dreamers alive. Dark magic. Manipulation. Statues that watch you sleep. Nobles who smile while they slide the knife in. And the king…" He shook his head. "He buried a name once. Doesn't like when people dig it up."
Mina laughed, but it was nervous. "Sounds like a rumor rich people tell to scare poor people." Jino's grin vanished. "Rich people are usually right about one thing: fear."
He tossed them bread and a waterskin. "Next ship leaves at dawn. Tickets on me. But listen close: once you step on that deck, there's no going back. Aurelis doesn't let go easy. And if the storm you're chasing finds you first…"
He didn't finish. Kai didn't sleep that night. Morning came with chaos.
They reached the dock. Waffles trotted beside them like he'd paid for his own fare.
Mina bought tickets with Jino's coin. Then turned around. Waffles was chewing something. The tickets. All of them. Mina stared at the goat. Waffles stared back, mouth full of paper, looking proud. Kai closed his eyes. "We're stowaways now."
The ship horn blared. They ran. Guards shouted. Mina scooped Waffles under one arm like a football.
Kai grabbed her hand. They sprinted up the gangplank, dove behind crates, and prayed.
The ship pulled away from dock. No one followed. They were on their way to Aurelis.
With no money. No plan. And one very satisfied goat wearing a shredded ticket like a medal. Seven days on the open sea. Storms that sang. Waves that whispered secrets. Nights where the stars leaned too close. Mina and Kai took shifts watching the horizon.
On the last night, the sky cleared. Aurelis appeared on the horizon like a dream made solid towers of white stone veined with silver, bridges of light, beasts of legend walking the streets like citizens. Mina leaned on the rail, Waffles beside her.
"It's beautiful." Kai stood next to her, wind in his hair. "It's waiting." The ship docked. Guards swarmed different uniforms, colder eyes. They were grabbed the second they stepped off. Mina clutched Waffles. Kai drew his dagger. Then ran. They bolted through streets of living magic statues that turned their heads, beasts that bowed, fountains that sang in voices like children. They didn't stop until the palace gates loomed ahead. Breathless. Filthy. Alive. Mina looked at Kai.
Kai looked at Mina. Waffles bleated like a war horn. They walked forward together.
The gates opened on their own. No creak. No trumpet. Just a soft sigh of ancient hinges, as if the palace itself had been holding its breath for twenty days and finally decided to exhale.
Two guards stepped forward women in silver-scale armor that caught the dawn like liquid moonlight. Helms tucked under arms, spears crossed in perfect unison.
"Names. Purpose. Seal," the taller one said, voice flat as polished steel.
Kai straightened, brushing dust from his torn coat. The Velmire crest glinted faintly at his throat half-hidden, but there.
"Kai of House Velmire. We seek audience with His Majesty regarding the eastern surge."
The shorter guard's eyes flicked to Mina mud-streaked cloak, jam on her cheek, goat under one arm and then to Waffles mayor's sash still flapping like a battle flag.
"You look like refugees," she said.
"Robbed on the road," Kai answered smoothly. "Bandits took everything but our dignity."
Mina lifted Waffles higher. "And our goat."
The taller guard's mouth twitched almost a smile then hardened.
"No seal, no entry. Turn around." Kai stepped closer, flashing his best noble smile. "Come now, ladies. A lord of Velmire and his… charming companion. Surely you can make an exception for" SLAP. The shorter guard's gauntlet cracked across his cheek. Mina's jaw dropped. Waffles bleated like a war horn. "That's assault on nobility!" Kai protested, hand to his stinging face. "That's trespassing," the guard snapped. "Cuffs." Iron manacles snapped around their wrists before Kai could draw breath.
Mina yelped as Waffles was yanked away. "Hey! He's emotional support!"
The guards marched them through the gates like common thieves.
Inside the outer courtyard, fountains sang in minor keys. Statues of forgotten queens watched with stone eyes. Mina whispered, "This is not how I pictured meeting royalty."
Kai muttered, "I'm never flirting again." Then a voice cut through the morning like a blade of winter sunlight.
"Stop." Everyone froze. Seraphina Valmont strode across the courtyard, gray cloak snapping behind her like a banner. No attendants. No crown. Just storm in human form.
She took one look at Kai torn coat, reddened cheek, crest glinting and her eyes narrowed. Then at Mina mud, jam, goat under guard and something flickered across her face. Recognition? Curiosity? Amusement? She turned to the guards. "Release them."
"But Your Highness" "Now." Manacles clattered to the stone. Waffles trotted straight to Mina and head-butted her leg in victory. Seraphina's gaze lingered on the goat, then lifted to Kai. "Velmire blood," she said softly. "And you brought… livestock."
Mina beamed. "His name is Waffles. He's essential personnel."
Seraphina's mouth twitched the ghost of a smile. "You crossed the Thornreach on foot," she said. It wasn't a question. Kai nodded. Seraphina studied them both for a long moment. Then: "Come with me." She turned and walked deeper into the palace.
Mina grabbed Kai's sleeve, whispering, "Did we just get adopted by royalty?"
Kai rubbed his cheek. "I think we just got recruited."
Waffles bleated proudly and trotted after Seraphina like he'd been invited all along.
Behind them, the gates closed with the same soft sigh.
And inside the palace, in a sealed nursery no one had entered in seventeen years, a single silver cradle began to rock.
On its own.