That same evening, when James came to visit Genia in her room, Genia was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking intently at her hands, as if searching for something in her palms, but it was actually the magical blue feather that she had lost.
Seeing James, Genia stood up. There was deep confusion in her eyes. She came closer to James and said, "James... you say that I am your mate and this is my home. I want to believe you, but whenever I close my eyes, I feel as if I don't belong here. I had some very important work to complete... There was a message that I had to deliver to someone. There is a strange emptiness inside my heart that keeps me from sleeping. Are you really telling me the truth?"
Hearing Genia's words, James felt a moment of panic, but he immediately put on a calm and loving smile. He reached out and held Genia's hands and, looking her in the eye, dismissed it as a misconception.
"Genia, you're stressing your mind again," James lied in a very gentle voice. "The doctor said that because of your head injury, you'll continue to have these hallucinations and strange feelings for some time. It's just your imagination, nothing more. You just haven't recovered from the fear of that terrible attack. Don't think about that emptiness. I am your whole reality, and it's my duty to fulfil your every need. Just give yourself some time, and everything will be fine."
Genia was once again helpless before the hypnotic charm of James's words and his loving tone. She slowly shook her head, but the unknown emptiness in her heart remained. She was living in the web of golden lies woven by James, but her soul was crying out for the truth that had long eluded her.
Meanwhile, as soon as Arthur, the leader of the White Tiger Clan, received confirmed information from his spies that the mysterious girl was hiding in James's icy palace, his cunning mind went into overdrive. He wasn't the kind of person to rely on hearsay. He wanted to see with his own eyes the girl Rexon was frantically pursuing with his entire army, and whose grief was burning Kevin and Alex.
Arthur donned the mask of a loyal and true friend and, without wasting any time, set off for James's snowy realm to meet him. When he arrived at James's grand palace, James warmly welcomed his best friend. The two sat down in the main hall of the palace, surrounded by wine and food.
Arthur was extremely cunning; he couldn't ask James directly about the girl. If he had, James's sharp and inquisitive mind would immediately have suspected how the news of her secret whereabouts had reached Arthur.
So, Arthur began secretly trying to observe Genia within the palace. Whenever James was busy with state duties, Arthur kept a close watch on the palace corridors, gardens, and the maids' movements. He was desperate to find the room where the girl was kept.
But all Arthur's efforts were in vain. Genia's health hadn't fully recovered from a severe head injury. She often suffered from dizziness and severe headaches, preventing her from leaving her room in the palace. She spent entire days lying in bed, trying to understand the unknown emptiness within her and the restless energy of Gia's green crystal.
After days of struggle, one afternoon Arthur felt his luck was about to shine. He saw two maids carrying a young girl to a very secure and secluded snow-covered garden at the back of the palace for some fresh air.
James himself was in a secret meeting with the clan elders at that time.
Arthur immediately hid behind a pillar and, holding his breath, stared at the girl.
But fate thwarted Arthur's plot here too. Because the valley's icy winds were fierce and piercing, and the physician had strictly instructed Genia to protect her forehead wound from the cold, the maids had wrapped a thin silk cloth around Aditi's entire face and head. Only her deep, confused eyes were visible. The cloth made it completely impossible to see Genia's beauty and face.
Arthur stood behind the pillar, gritting his teeth. Every time he tried to see Genia, he was unsuccessful. He understood that James had kept the girl hidden not only from the world but also within the palace, hidden behind an invisible protective shield.
Arthur's desperation to see Genia was now growing, and he knew he had to throw his weight around her more brutally.
Genia sat on a stone bench, in the cold breeze of the icy garden. The maids stood at a distance, preparing a hot brew for her.
Genia loosened the silk cloth wrapped around her face so she could breathe some fresh air. Suddenly, the green crystal of Gia, hidden deep within her heart, stirred. A cold shiver ran through her body. She felt a certain sense of someone watching her, very closely, furtively. The gaze was not normal; it held a strange bitterness and cunning.
Genia immediately turned her head toward the pillar from which she had sensed the sharp gaze. "Who's there?" she asked in a slightly raised voice.
But before she could see the person, Arthur moved lightning fast from behind the pillar and disappeared completely into the darkness of the corridor. Only a few snowflakes remained, floating in the air.
Genia's heart began to pound. She placed a hand on her chest, where a deep dread had now settled in the emptiness. She was convinced that someone wrong had entered the palace, and their intentions were not good at all.
That evening, when James returned to Genia's room after finishing his meeting, he found her extremely upset and pacing around the room.
"What happened, Genia? Why do you look so distraught?" James asked worriedly, approaching her.
Genia immediately took Shantanu's hand. Her eyes were filled with fear. "James, listen to me carefully. This afternoon, when I was in the garden, I felt someone watching me secretly. It wasn't an ordinary soldier or a maid."
James tried to smile, taking her words lightly. "Genia, I told you you're not completely well yet. This is just another illusion of yours..."
"No, James! This is not my illusion!" Genia said firmly, interrupting him. "Ever since I regained consciousness, I've felt an emptiness, but what I felt today was a shadow. Someone very wrong has entered this palace. His intentions are not good, James. He's here to harm someone. Please trust me."
James looked at Genia's face. The fear in her eyes was so genuine that he couldn't completely dismiss it. Still, he didn't want to scare Genia further or reveal that there was a lapse in the palace's security. He gently touched Genia's cheek and said in a calm voice, "Genia, you can be sure that nothing like that has happened. This palace is the most secure part of the Black Tiger Clan. Even a bird can't fly here without my permission. You just relax; I'll get the security tightened. Okay?"
Genia nodded with a heavy heart. "I hope you're right, James."
James left Genia's room, but Genia's words lingered deeply in his mind. James was no fool; he remembered that his best friend, Arthur, was also in the palace at the time and often wandered alone. Just then, around a turn in the corridor, he saw Arthur approaching.
Arthur's face, as always, had a friendly, easygoing smile.
"Hey James! Brother, where are you busy? I've been waiting for your meeting to end for a long time," Arthur laughed and placed a hand on James's shoulder.
James felt like asking Arthur directly if he had gone to the garden that afternoon or if he had seen any strangers in the palace. He was about to confront Arthur about his suspicions, but at that very moment, Genia's words echoed in his mind—"Someone wrong has entered the palace, and his intentions are not good."
James's sharp mind immediately became alert. He thought, "If there really is a conspiracy afoot, I shouldn't reveal my cards so quickly. Although I've known Arthur since childhood, he would never do such a thing. Still, I shouldn't tell Rohit anything before I find out everything."
James had faith in Arthur because he was his childhood friend, but somewhere deep down his faith was beginning to waver. He couldn't understand why this was happening. He suppressed his suspicion and didn't tell Arthur what he was about to.
James faked a smile, hiding the doubt in his eyes. "Nothing, Arthur. I was just preoccupied with some clan matters. Come on, let's go to the main hall; we'll have tonight's drink together."
Arthur smiled and nodded, "Sure, brother. Let's go!"
The two brothers moved on, but James's eyes were now furtively watching his "best friend." The fireplace in the palace's main hall was blazing. James and Arthur sat opposite each other at a heavy mahogany table. Both had glasses of wine in their hands, but beneath the warmth of the atmosphere, an icy tension lingered. While James was calm and cautious, Arthur had only one goal in mind: to extract the truth from the girl, no matter what.
Arthur took a sip of wine and, laughing in a very casual tone, began the conversation, "By the way, James, there's a strange whisper in the air in your area these days. The palace maids were talking about some new medicines and silk clothes. I heard a new guest is staying in the palace's secret guest room? Has a girl arrived?"
James placed his cup gently on the table. His eagle-like eyes scanned Arthur's every expression, but he didn't let a wrinkle appear on his face. James said with a slight smile, "A girl? What kind of girl, Arthur? You know how strict the boundaries of the Clan are. An outsider can't come here, especially a girl. The maids are probably talking about cleaning my mother's old room and the antique dresses kept there."
Arthur narrowed his eyes slightly. He was trying to detect the lie in James's eyes. He said with a little more emphasis, "Hey brother, why are you hiding anything from me? I'm your best friend. Some traders in the valley spread a rumour that you rescued an injured girl from a ditch last night. Is there not an iota of truth to that rumour?"
James looked Arthur straight in the eye. There was a strange pause and sternness in his voice. "Arthur, businessmen make a living by selling rumours. If I had saved someone, wouldn't I have told you first? No such girl has come to my area. Don't pay attention to these useless rumours."
Hearing James's words, Arthur was at a loss for words. He faked a laugh and raised his cup in the air, "Haha! Absolutely, brother, absolutely! I was just asking. Why would you hide anything from me?"