The palace doors closed with a deep, resonant thud, echoing through the grand hall like a bell tolling the end of something cherished, perhaps innocence or a life now lost. The corridor beyond the throne room stretched silent and bare, its marble walls glinting coldly under the flicker of torchlight.
Only the sharp echo of their boots on polished stone broke the oppressive stillness. Shin and Laverna moved in step, the weight of their audience with the Imperial Crown heavy in the air.
In the carriage, Shin sat with arms crossed, his silhouette sharp against the window as the capital's golden spires blurred past. Laverna, seated across from him, pulled her hood down, her keen eyes glinting with unease in the dim light.
She sat down beside him. As nervousness tried to claw within her mind, she touched the tiger eye on her necklace, finding comfort from its texture.
"Did you feel it?" she asked, her voice a hushed murmur, nearly lost in the creak of the carriage wheels. "Something was wrong in there." Shin's gaze stayed fixed on the city outside, his jaw taut. "More than one thing."
Laverna leaned closer, her cloak whispering against the seat. "The Queen, Shin. She didn't speak, didn't move, didn't even react when King Tristan spoke of assassinations."
She shook her head. "For someone who commands courts with her divine magics, that's not just strange, it's alarming," she added, her fingers tightening in her lap.
Shin turned to her, his red eyes narrowing, catching a fleeting streetlamp's glow. "You're right. Queen Mariam's presence usually dominates, but today she was hollow, a shadow of herself."
Laverna's voice sank lower, as if the carriage walls might carry her words. "Is she enchanted?" Shin shook his head slowly, his expression measured. "No. A spell would leave traces, a ripple of power, but her essence was dim, like a flame gone out."
She tilted her head, her finger on her forehead, then glanced back at him. "A puppet, then?" Laverna's question lingered, her gaze probing his face.
Shin's fingers grazed the orb at his side, then drew it out, rolling the dark sphere thoughtfully in his palms. "Or she's trapped in a game too perilous to speak, watched or stripped of her will."
Laverna tensed, her breath catching softly. "Stripped? You think that wasn't her?"
"Not in body," Shin clarified, his tone steady but cautious.
"Her soul was there, but it wasn't free to act." Laverna's eyes flicked to the window, scanning the bustling streets for unseen threats.
"She looked at me, Shin, just once, when the King mentioned 'truths about the clans.' It wasn't a glance, it was a plea, like she was caged behind her own eyes." Shin's grip on the orb tightened, his knuckles paling.
"Then she's compromised. Silenced at best, complicit at worst." He shrugged.
"And the Crown?" Laverna's voice sharpened, cutting through the carriage's confines. "Can we trust them at all?" Shin's lips curved into a grim half-smile. "Did we ever?"
Laverna exhaled, easing back against the seat, her fingers brushing the hilt of her daggers. "No, but this feels bigger, more dangerous."
Shin's gaze returned to the window, where the capital's life pulsed, market stalls aglow, children weaving through crowds, soldiers laughing over ale. Beneath the city's gilded surface, corruption coiled, invisible but ever-present.
"Something pulls the strings behind that throne," he murmured, his voice soft, as if confiding in the night. "If the Queen's lost her voice, the game has shifted." Laverna's nod was subtle, her eyes hard with resolve. "Then we rewrite the rules."
The carriage rolled on, its wheels grinding rhythmically over cobblestones. Silence settled between them, heavy with unspoken plans and shared determination.
Beyond the city gates, the road to Valdorne wound through shadowed hills, its path etched with memories of blood and betrayal. Shin's hand stilled on his orb, his mind mapping the perils ahead.
Laverna watched him, her thoughts tangled in the Queen's silent plea and the King's veiled threats. The capital's grandeur faded, replaced by the road's stark, unyielding uncertainty.
In their hearts, the last sparks of doubt burned out, leaving only cold, unshakable clarity. Whatever lay in Valdorne, they would face it as Hunters, not pawns in a hidden scheme.
The carriage swayed as it crossed a stone bridge, the river below shimmering like liquid silver under the moon's pale light. Shin's eyes lingered on the water, his thoughts weaving strategies through a web of suspicions.
Laverna drew her cloak tighter, her mind replaying the throne room's suffocating silence. The road promised answers, but also blood, and they were braced for both.
As the carriage entered Valdorne's outskirts, the town unfolded like a vibrant tapestry, lanterns casting warm light on cobblestone streets, birds singing in the dawn's glow. Children laughed in the alleys, and merchants called out wares, the town alive with a peace absent from their last visit.
Mayor Edmund and his wife, Coraline, stood in the town square, their faces beaming, mistaking the Hunters' arrival for an official Guild visit. Their presence, framed by the bustling market, radiated pride and warmth.
"Welcome, Hunters and Heroes of Valdorne!" Edmund boomed, striding forward, his embroidered vest catching the morning sun. "Valdorne's honored to have you back!" Coraline, her silver hair braided elegantly, offered a radiant smile. "It's been too long. The town's transformed, you'll see!"
Shin stepped from the carriage, his posture guarded, the orb tucked into his belt. "This isn't Guild business, Mayor." Edmund's brow creased, but his smile held firm. "Official or not, you're our guests! Valdorne's thriving now, peaceful and prosperous."
Laverna joined Shin, her cloak catching the breeze, her eyes sweeping the lively square. "It's different," she said softly, almost to herself. "Last time, this place felt dead." Coraline's laugh was gentle, like a soft chime. "It was grim then, wasn't it? Now, children play, markets thrive, all thanks to the Guild's help."
Edmund gestured to a grand house across the square, its windows glowing invitingly. "My home is yours for your stay. No refusals!" Shin's jaw tightened, his instinct to decline clear in his stance. "We'll manage, Mayor. We don't need hospitality."
Edmund's eyes sparkled, undeterred. "Manage? In Valdorne? You'll wound our pride, Hunter Shin!" Coraline nodded, her smile unwavering. "It's decided. The guest wing is yours, private and far better than any inn."
Laverna glanced at Shin, a faint amusement in her eyes. "They're stubborn," she murmured under her breath. Shin sighed, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Fine. We'll stay, but we keep our own counsel."
Edmund clapped his hands, his delight infectious. "Splendid! Come, let's get you settled, and you must share what brings you here!" Coraline touched Laverna's arm lightly, her voice warm. "You must see the new gardens, dear. They bloom even at dawn."
As they followed the couple toward the house, Valdorne's vibrancy enveloped them, the air rich with the scent of fresh bread and the hum of life. Yet Shin and Laverna's senses remained razor-sharp, their eyes catching every shadow, their minds poised for the bloodstained truths the road might yet unveil.