The night before Elara was rescued by Adam and the others from the Iron Fox Mercenary Guild, Duke Caelum Veyldan was gripped by restless unease.
The mist had rolled low over Aurelthar, swallowing the fading music of the Preparatory Gathering until silence reigned. Only the echo of hooves and the distant shouts of soldiers disturbed the stillness cloaking the imperial capital.
Outside the palace gates, Duke Caelum stood tall, his silver cloak catching the flicker of torchlight. Around him, dozens of armored knights awaited his word, the Veyldan Legion, loyal to his house for generations.
His expression remained unreadable, but the tension in his jaw betrayed the storm beneath his calm. The darkness in his eyes mirrored the fear clawing at his chest. A fear he refused to voice.
"She's not inside,"reported the lead scout, bowing low. "We searched every wing, every corridor. The Crown Prince himself confirmed it, the Crown Princess was never in her palace chamber."
For a heartbeat, Caelum said nothing. Then his voice, low and edged with command, sliced through the night.
"Form divisions. Sweep the capital first. Then the forests, the riverbanks, and every trade route leading out of Aurelthar. Use the Veyldan seals, no one questions your passage. If anyone resists…"His gaze hardened. "…remind them whom you serve."
The knights bowed sharply. "By your command, my lord."
He turned to his commander. "Discreetly. The imperial court must not know of this. Not yet. The event continues inside, and until we have proof, there will be no public alarm."
"Understood, Duke."
Caelum exhaled slowly, glancing at the faint stars peeking through the clouds. Where are you, Elara?
Behind him, Alric, his most trusted knight, approached.
"My lord… if she was taken beyond the palace, this was no random act. Someone planned it."
"I know,"Caelum replied, tone grave. "And they made the mistake of thinking I'd wait for the Crown Prince to act."
In one swift motion, he mounted his horse. "Send ravens to every Veyldan outpost. No carriage leaves the empire unsearched."
"Yes, my lord!"
The silver tiger sigil of House Veyldan glinted faintly under the moon. When Caelum was about to go in pursuit together with his knights, he suddenly heard someone's voice.
"Caelum!" Lady Isolde's voice cut through the night air, sharper than she intended.
She had seen it. The moment Caelum's mask cracked when Adrienne announced Elara's absence. The look in his eyes had chilled her to the bone.
Duke Caelum turned, silver hair glinting in the torchlight. His expression was composed, too composed.
"Isolde," he said evenly. "This is not the time."
She approached, breath trembling. "You're leaving. Where? The Crown Princess Palace? Then I'll go with you."
"No."
The word struck like a blade.
"What do you mean, no?" she demanded, disbelief sharpening her tone. "She's my daughter too, Caelum!"
His eyes turned cold. "Since when did you ever consider her your daughter? Don't start this with me now."
The accusation hung heavy between them. Isolde's throat went dry.
Trying to keep her voice steady, she asked, "You're searching for her, aren't you? You think she's been taken?"
"I know she has," Caelum said curtly. "And if that's true, whoever's behind it will use anyone close to me, including you."
"So I'm a liability now?" she hissed. "I'm your wife!"
He regarded her with quiet disdain. Acting as a devoted wife and mother now? Spare me.
"You'll only slow us down."
The words struck deeper than any sword.
Isolde froze as he mounted his horse. The torchlight shimmered on his armor, the Veyldan crest gleaming like a warning.
"Go back inside, Isolde. Speak of this to no one. That's the only way you can help."
Then, without another glance, Duke Caelum rode into the night. His knights following like a silver storm.
When the last echo of hooves faded, Isolde's composure cracked. She turned away from the balcony, breathing unsteadily.
"You fool…"she whispered, clutching her chest. "Why now? Why her?"
Her thoughts raced. If Caelum truly moved his knights… then Darien's plan would spiral out of control.
"No, no…"she murmured shakily. "He wasn't supposed to interfere…"
For the first time in years, Lady Isolde Veyldan felt fear. Fear of her husband's wrath and the ruin his discovery would bring.
If Caelum finds out, it won't just be Darien's downfall. It'll be mine too.
Her hands trembled. Darien… this is your fault.If you hadn't gone too far, none of this would've happened. I should've never trusted you.
Meanwhile, the night air bit cold against Adrienne's skin as he rode beyond the capital. His knights followed close behind, torches flickering like restless fireflies.
They'd searched the palace gardens, the outskirts, even the silent fields, but no sign of her.
"Your Highness," one knight called, "we've searched the perimeter twice. Perhaps we should return—"
Adrienne's grip on the reins tightened. "And what good will resting do when the Crown Princess is still missing?"
The knight faltered. "You'll see farther in daylight—"
"Enough."
The word rang sharp, echoing in the dark. He couldn't rest. Not while she was out there, alone.
That haunting dream of Elara, pale and still, her lips faintly violet, clawed back into his mind. He'd told himself it was just a nightmare. But tonight, it felt like a warning.
She wasn't poisoned in my dream… but danger still found her.
Then, something caught his eye. A faint shimmer near the path.
He dismounted, crouching low. Beneath the moonlight, something delicate gleamed in the dirt.
A strand of hair. Not gold. Not silver.
Violet.
His breath hitched. Only two people in the empire had that rare color, and the other wasn't missing.
"Elara…" he whispered.
A knight stepped closer. "Your Highness, it could belong to anyone—"
"No," Adrienne said firmly. "It's hers."
He looked toward the forest, instincts flaring. "We continue the search."
"But Your Highness—"
"That's an order."
They pressed forward through the thickening mist. As dawn began to bleed across the sky, a faint scent of smoke reached them.
In the clearing chaos. Ropes, splintered wood, a toppled carriage. Bodies strewn across the dirt. Some dead, others barely breathing.
Adrienne's pulse thundered. She was here.
"Elara!"His voice broke through the air, but only silence answered. No trace. No blood trail. Just emptiness.
"She's gone,"he murmured, gripping the violet strand in his hand.
Then, steadying himself, he whispered, "We search again. Every forest. Every road. Until we find her. No matter how long it takes."
As sunlight crowned the horizon, Adrienne stood amidst the ruins of a battle already lost — clutching the single shimmering strand that proved Elara was still out there.
At that very hour, Elara sat on a cot inside a room. The Iron Fox Guild's sigil flickered faintly on the wall. Adam stood near the doorway, concern written in his eyes.
"You should rest, my lady. You've just been rescued. Nothing will harm you here."
Elara looked up, brushing a tangle of violet hair from her face. "If I rest now, they'll move faster than I can think. I need to find out who planned this."
"We can send word to your father—"
"No." Her tone was sharp. "If I return, they'll lock me down with guards. I'll lose my chance to move freely."
Adam hesitated. "Then… what do you intend to do?"
"Stay hidden," she said simply. "Here."
"In the guild?" he asked, startled.
"The Iron Fox is discreet. No one needs to know I'm here — not my father, not Adrienne, no one. For now, this is the safest place to investigate."
"You trust us that much?"
"I trust your silence," she said softly, with a faint smile. "And your skill with secrets."
Adam bowed slightly, though unease shadowed his face. "As you wish, my lady."
When he left, Elara turned to the window. The dawn had fully broken, yet the weight in her heart lingered.
She touched the faint sigil on her wrist. The mark that appeared when this tenth life began.
"Just a little longer,"she whispered. "I'll end this all myself.''
A few floors above, behind a rune-lined steel door, a man sat in a chamber lit by magic stones. His white uniform bore no crest, only the subtle insignia of a fox's tail.
A knock.
"Enter," he said.
Adam stepped in. "She's awake. She's chosen to stay."
The man leaned back, the faintest smile curving his lips. His silver-blue eyes gleamed in the half-light.
"I see. The Crown Princess of Aurelthar Empire… under my roof."
"Will you inform Aurelthar, Your Highness?"Adam asked carefully.
Kaelion chuckled. Low. Amused. "And ruin the surprise? No. Let her move freely. For now, she's safer here than anywhere else."
He tapped a gloved finger on the desk. "Make sure her presence isn't recorded. Not a word leaves these walls."
"Yes, Crown Prince Kaelion."
When the door closed, Kaelion's gaze drifted to the crystal map on his desk. One light pulsing faintly where Elara's room was marked.
"So, you've chosen to hunt those who hunted you," he murmured. "How fascinating, Crown Princess… Let's see how far your courage takes you before you realize whose den you've entered."
The faint smile that touched his lips turned almost predatory.
Kaelion Ardent Veyrath Aetherion. Crown Prince of Aetherion, master of secrets, and the hidden "Ashen" of the Iron Fox Guild, watched quietly as Elara stepped deeper into her plan and executed it.
He couldn't wait to see what surprises Elara would unveil in her plans.