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A fter dropping off a few more people, there was enough space to lay Silver down and spread out.

They rounded a corner and came to an abrupt stop.

Through the trees, Lilith spotted thousands of tents pitched.

Soldiers were wandering around doing their various tasks.

The wagon driver turned and told them it was a checkpoint.

This was one of the many encampments headed for the front.

A few soldiers inspected the wagon and then climbed in the back to take a look at Silver. Locke intervened and explained their circumstance, which satisfied the soldiers’ curiosities. They waved them through.

Locke looked around, surveying the army and their movements.

He looked behind Lilith and his expression of interest changed to one of anger.

He looked away trying to seem unconcerned.

Lilith twisted to see what had caused this change of mood.

She only saw soldiers walking around wearing similar suits of armour, until she noticed a particular looking soldier that stood out amongst the rest. He wore a darker looking chest plate and he had his shoulder length dark brown hair half tied up.

This soldier stood taller than those around him.

He wore a relaxed smile that reminded her of someone.

The wagon jostled to life and pulled forward.

At the same time this soldier made eye contact with her.

His smile disappeared and he frowned. She gasped at the realization of who he was and lost sight of him as the wagon passed a tall stone wall.

She turned to face Locke, who had recognized the soldier.

Locke eyed her with no emotion, and she glowered at him.

She had just seen Lord Elwin’s son, Amiriel, for the first time.

It was him, she was certain. He looked like a younger version of his father.

She started having a conversation with herself in her head.

Yes, I agree he’s handsome. Why did he look so relaxed?

I’ve been stressed since his father cursed me, but he looks damn jolly.

Wait. Did he have runes? She thought back to his appearance.

His arms were covered, and his cloak shielded his neck.

What if I am the only one with the runes?

Maybe he’s learned how to control his magic.

He obviously looked right at me, does he recognize who I am?

Lilith’s palms became sweaty as she spiralled.

Felicia noticed Lilith’s unusual attitude and nudged her with her elbow.

“Everything okay?” Felicia asked her.

“Yes, just thinking,” she reassured her friend.

“You don’t suppose that some of the fifth and fourth years would be arriving at that camp?” Felicia asked Locke. He was watching Lilith, but then looked back towards the road they just came from.

“I suppose they would be. I didn’t spot anyone I knew,” he told Felicia.

Lies. Lilith yelled at him in her head. He had clearly seen Amiriel .

“Do you think they may have a healer that would help Silver?” Lilith asked Locke. “We could stop and check.” Locke pressed his lips together.

Felicia was first to respond, “Would they? It would make sense that they would have someone more qualified to treat Silver’s particular wound.

We can make the wagon turn around.” Lilith smiled inwardly to herself knowing that she was fanning the flames.

Having someone else support her suggestion would only further irritate the prince.

“I, uh,” the prince could not find a suitable excuse. “I suppose we can ask,” he sighed. He walked down the wagon towards the driver and explained his request. The driver slowed down.

“You want me to turn around, then?” he asked Locke. They were the only remaining passengers, so this request was not troubling anyone. Locke agreed and handed the driver a silver coin. He turned around and drove them back towards the encampment.

Lilith’s heart was beating wildly. She was squirming in her spot. They reached the checkpoint again and this time, Locke flagged down a soldier to ask for directions to their healer.

“Oh, it’s you guys again,” said the soldier that had originally inspected the wagon.

“I had the same thought, but that was after you had left. I can show you to our healer, if you would like.” Felicia beamed, which caused the soldier to pause and blush.

He helped them down and called for a stretcher.

After loading Silver on the stretcher, they thanked the wagon driver and then followed the ever so helpful soldier into the encampment.

Locke was shooting death glares at the soldiers back.

Lilith slowed her pace, so she could walk last and look around.

She didn’t see Amiriel in the same place he was standing before.

Would Arlen and Jasper be here? She abandoned her search for Amiriel and started looking for her brothers.

She followed the others past a line of white tents and went into the largest one.

“Lady Ashmore, there are young folk that require your assistance.” They transported Silver from the stretcher to a cot.

“What happened?” spoke a tall ethereal looking woman with blonde hair, light blue eyes and creamy white skin.

She wore a basic light grey dress with a pinned white apron.

She peeled off Silver’s bandages and frowned at the wound.

“By the gods, this is Void poisoning.” A few medical aids came rushing to them.

She wiped the ooze from the site and rubbed it between her finger and thumb. “How did you get this wound to close?”

The three didn’t immediately speak. Locke ran his hands through his hair and sighed.

“We are students coming from Skilheim Stronghold, trying to get back home. Our plan was to head south and then eastwards towards the capital. We encountered some issues that led us further south than we intended. We must have crossed into the Void boundary and had an unfortunate run in with one of the creatures.” Locke recounted the story with confidence, though Lilith was surprised he would tell them the truth - even though some facts were missing.

He cleared his throat, “Lady Ashmore, may we speak with you alone?” he asked her. He knows her.

The blonde woman gazed at the four students and then looked around her at the crowd of assistants that were surrounding them.

“You may head out for a late lunch. I will deal with this myself. Lady Thalassa, will you stay back to assist?” A young lady with bluish black hair nodded and stood off to the side as the others filtered out of the tent.

When the last person left, Locke transformed back into the prince.

Lady Thalassa gasped and rushed to the prince. She was almost by his side when Lady Ashmore held up her hand. “How do we know this is not an illusion?” She spoke with a dark deep voice. The prince slowly reached into his shirt and pulled out his necklace.

“I can also tell you that as a baby, Lady Thalassa used to have a birth mark on her right butt cheek.” He gave his half-sister a small smile.

“Eww, brother. That is not knowledge one shares in the company of strangers.” Lady Thalassa blushed.

“What are you doing here, Your Highness?” Lady Ashmore sounded more displeased.

“We went through the Ruins of Thurndun. I highly recommend forbidding any travel there. Our bad luck pushed us south outside of Glattonshire. It was overrun by the darkness.”

Lady Ashmore inspected the slash on Silver’s calf. “So this was really done by one of those creatures. What of the village?”

Lilith answered, “We encountered a couple dozen villagers, who were alive, but their minds were overtaken by the Void’s control. I, uh, I think I killed them.” Lilith felt like her stomach had bottomed out.

“No. They were already gone. Their souls reaped by whatever controls the darkness. You merely gave them the peace that they deserved.” Lady Ashmore smiled at Lilith. Lilith had not thought of their deaths from that perspective. She hoped that the lady was right, that they were at peace .

“Should we notify any higher ups of their presence?” Lady Thalassa asked her superior.

“Find Rhodes. Prince Demetrius, If you could replace your disguise. If it becomes common knowledge that you are here, the general will intervene.” Lady Thalassa dashed out of the tent.

“General?” Felicia asked.

“Yes, General Flavian. She is overseeing the training and preparations here,” Lady Ashmore replied. Felicia looked to Lilith. The prince, who changed into Locke, came close to Lady Ashmore.

“I need you to tell me exactly what the healer did.” She was inspecting the calf and pressing on the black veins. While Locke summarized what the healer did and what they did with their mana, Lilith pulled Felicia aside.

“I thought your parents were stationed in the capital?” Lilith questioned Felicia. “Your mom’s a general?”

Felicia shrugged off Lilith’s hold. “She is a general and usually she’s in the capital supervising the soldiers there. This is the first time I’m hearing about her being here.”

“What about your dad? Is he a general too?” Lilith was confused.

“No, though he is a higher ranking military officer. He mostly deals with military strategies. Knowing them, he’s also lurking around here with her.” Expressions of fear, sadness and anger crossed Felicia's face.

Lilith gave her a small smile. “It will be okay. I’m fairly sure when I see my father and brothers next, they will murder me. We’ll stick together. This explains why you’re super perceptive.” Felicia returned her smile. They turned back to see how Silver was doing.

“We may have to sever the leg to stop the spread of these black veins,” Lady Ashmore stated.

“That should be our last resort. Is there nothing we can try?” Locke asked. Lady Ashmore went to a medicine cabinet and pulled out an orb and a vial of a glowing white liquid.