CHAPTER 17

Darcel

I could feel the strain in my muscles, a constant reminder of the injury that hadn’t fully healed. I gritted my teeth against the stabbing pain as we traversed the rugged landscape stretching before us, my eyes fixed on the distant outline of the cavern that marked our destination. The previous day’s rest coupled with one of Ren’s herbal concoctions had initially eased my injury to a manageable ache, bolstering me to press on despite Jiang’s cautious advice to rest another day.

However, as hours passed and we faced increasingly difficult terrain, the remedy’s effects began to wane. Sharp pain lanced through my leg with each step, each throb challenging my resolve. Despite the burgeoning pain I pressed on, endeavoring to conceal my discomfort so as not to allow my weakness to be the cause of further delays.

The foliage grew denser as we neared the cavern—the leafy canopy thickened, blotting out the sun and casting our path into a perpetual twilight, a change in light that made the cavern in the distance appear as a gaping shadow. The path wound through gnarled trees whose roots twisted across our trail, each one a snare that threatened to trip us, forcing me to lean on Jiang for support along with the stick he’d fashioned for me.

As the sloping path ascended towards the cave’s entrance, the sharp pain in my leg intensified, mirroring the jagged rocks underfoot. The terrain demanded unwavering focus and resilience, yet the sight of the cavern ahead spurred me forward, driven not only by the goal of reaching the eternal flame but by the weight of responsibility on my shoulders—the need to demonstrate that even the second prince could bear such burdens with strength and dignity.

This journey had transformed from a mere physical test of endurance to a trial of spirit and determination, compelling me to showcase the virtues expected of a prince. With each grimace I reminded myself of the tales of heroes who had endured far greater trials for causes much less noble than ours. These stories bolstered my resolve, keeping my focus fixed on the cavern that promised not just the end of this journey but the start of a deeper exploration into the mysteries and legacies we sought to uncover.

I glanced to where Ren walked nearby, a preoccupied look in his eyes as he clutched his satchel strap, his ever-present lantern bobbing beside the bag. I noticed that as our journey continued, he kept up more and more easily, perhaps partially a result of the training I’d given him, along with his own fierce determination.

Jiang had scouted ahead on the day I trained Ren, ensuring we could easily locate the cavern. His estimate that the trek would only take a few hours at most hadn’t accounted for my struggle to navigate with my healing injury and makeshift walking stick. As a result the journey took the better part of the day, a fact that bruised my pride. The entourage showed more patience with my slow pace than they had with Ren, evoking in me a mix of gratitude and resentment on my friend’s behalf.

With each laborious step, I felt a deepening empathy for the difficulties Ren had faced throughout our quest, deepening my guilt for how hard I’d pushed him. Blinded by our kingdom’s needs and my desire to prove myself, I had put one of my beloved subjects at risk. The realization tempered my resolve with a newfound mindfulness of the burden each member bore as we edged closer to the dark mouth of the cavern.

Ren cast me repeated concerned glances from his steadfast place beside me. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

His worry compelled him to ask the question every few paces—anxiety that rivaled even my most loyal guard—a compassion I could only attribute to his role as an herbalist. I had been doing my best to disguise the pain, but I should have known it would be impossible to entirely conceal from one trained in the healing arts.

I forced a strained smile and nodded, certain a groan would emerge if I attempted to speak. He frowned, clearly unconvinced. “If you’re struggling, we can rest?—”

“I’m fine,” I hastily lied.

By his narrowed eyes, he clearly detected my deceit. “Stubborn,” he muttered.

“I learned from the best.” I winked, causing his scowl to twitch upwards ever so slightly. I welcomed the amusing distraction I found whenever I teased him.

The closer we drew, the more the cavern seemed to melt away, and a hidden grove emerged from the mist to the entrance we sought. The lore of the eternal flame had led us to this threshold—guarded not by locks or steel, but by ancient magic woven into the very landscape. The air was thick with a palpable sense of history and secrets, as if each tree and stone was a silent witness to the ages.

This unexpected and perplexing change in the landscape caused us to slow. Jiang looked around with a frown. “This grove wasn’t here when I scouted the area earlier.”

Kael paused from his place in the lead, consulting the map he’d been following with a puzzled frown. “Nor is it on the map.”

The shadows beneath the ancient oaks seemed to watch us as we entered the grove where I sensed we would each be tested, though the nature of the challenge remained a mystery, whispered only in the sighing of the leaves. We studied each mystical outline of the surrounding trees, but no matter how long we stared, the illusion didn’t dissipate.

An ancient altar, cloaked in vines and moss, stood sentinel at the heart where the light of the morning sun barely touched. After further exploration through the gloom, we noticed a weathered stone slab nearly camouflaged behind several thick trunks, inscriptions etched upon it, worn but still legible.

Ren approached and slowly traced each word with a cautious finger, as if touching them would better impart their meaning. “This depicts a riddle that promises passage to those who unravel its meaning,” he said after a moment of pensive perusal, his forehead wrinkled in concern. “It appears it’s guarded by an ancient enchantment, with the key to access the path ahead being purity and bravery of spirit. A test of character in which we each approach the altar to determine whether we’re worthy to proceed. Only the pure of heart will be able to see through the illusion guarding the cavern entrance.”

Ren’s knowledge of lore and the ancient language the riddles were written in had so far proved accurate and invaluable, yet for some reason he bit his lip, seeming wary of what appeared to be requirements that at first glance seemed simple enough. I experienced a sudden swell of anxiety, as if instinct sensed an invisible danger lurking within the shadows.

“I’ll go first—” Ren began, but I limped forward.

“It is my duty to guide the way and check for any dangers.” I started forward, but Jiang seized my elbow, holding me in place.

“It’s too risky, Your Highness. Please, allow me?—”

I narrowed my eyes in silent warning and his protests faltered. After a moment’s hesitation he reluctantly released me, allowing me to venture forward. I could sense his worry and Ren’s attentive gaze follow me as I approached the ancient altar, doing my best to mask my own nerves and uncertainty. The tension among the group was palpable, each member’s breaths held in silent anticipation.

Upon reaching the altar I hesitated before shakily resting my hands upon the cool stone. I summoned a sense of calm and closed my eyes, silently pleading for the grove to search my heart and accept me. At first it remained cool and unresponsive, as if the magic embedded within the rock needed time to analyze my thoughts and motives. My heart sank as I wondered if there was some ritual I was supposed to complete, a long-forgotten part of my history that we did not know.

After an agonizing moment, a soft breeze stirred the charged silence and a gentle warmth seeped from the stone into my palms, spreading slowly through my limbs. I opened my eyes to discover the altar bathed in a soft, ethereal glow—a clear sign of acceptance from the sacred magic that guarded the grove.

On the far side of the clearing, the trees seemed to melt and bend, revealing a path with a dark tunnel in the distance—the opening to the cavern. I took an exultant breath as the glow intensified, but my relief was soon clouded by a startling vision that for a fleeting moment cast an illusion on Ren, standing just off to the side. His image seemed to flicker, and in his place stood a woman with delicate features whose face stirred a sense of familiarity, as if linked to a distant, half-forgotten memory. Her presence was both commanding and gentle, a stark contrast to the Ren I’d come to know.

The memory of the words from the tablet’s inscription returned: the pure of heart will be able to see through the illusion guarding the cavern entrance . Yet nothing about Ren hinted that any illusion was at play, making me wonder if I was seeing things…especially when the glow from the altar dimmed to a steady, reassuring light, causing the vision to dissolve as quickly as it appeared.

I blinked, disoriented, wondering whether the strain of the journey and the pain from my leg were conjuring hallucinations.

“Are you alright, Darcel?” Ren's voice cut through my confusion, his figure solid and unmistakably male in the light.

“The glow must have momentarily dazzled me.” I rubbed my eyes to clear the last remnants of the deceitful trickery cast by the light and shadow. Even when it faded, the vision continued to nag me, an elusive puzzle piece that refused to fit neatly into the narrative that up until now we’d been part of.

As I moved away from the altar to allow the next in line to proceed, I couldn’t resist casting Ren another sidelong glance. Despite my best efforts, the seeds of doubt and curiosity had been sown. Had the sacred grove attempted to reveal a deeper truth, or had the illusion been nothing more than a trick of my mind? The unresolved question lingered as we continued our solemn procession.

After Jiang successfully passed the test, Kael was the next to approach the altar. I watched him with a curiosity sharpened by the recent confusion surrounding Ren. Kael’s demeanor appeared calm, almost unnervingly so. He had always been a quiet presence among us—his keen focus often observing more than he let on—but today there was a deliberate confidence in his step, a serenity that almost appeared practiced.

He placed his hands on the moss-covered altar. It took much longer for the magic to search his character, but in the end its welcoming light glowed in seeming acceptance. Whispers of relief rippled through our group as Kael stepped back with a modest nod, acknowledging the grove’s acceptance with a stoic facade. For some inexplicable reason the ease of his success left me with a nagging suspicion, an itch at the back of my mind that wouldn’t settle.

I watched intently when it came to Ren’s turn, both curious and admittedly anxious about his performance considering how much his knowledge had guided our steps up until this point and the strange image I’d seen earlier.

The air thickened with tangible expectancy as Ren approached the altar with a steady stride, as the atmosphere itself had shifted. But as he placed his hands upon the withered stone the shadows deepened and the air around us suddenly chilled, a harsh wind causing the trees to groan and sway. Instead of glowing with the soft acceptance shown to others, the altar remained dark.

He stepped back, his expression etched with confusion and a trace of fear at the grove’s rejection, a stark denial that was impossible to ignore. Murmurs rippled through our group, a mix of uncertainty and burgeoning suspicion. Ren had led us here on the strength of his knowledge, and his failure cast a shadow not over his previous assertions and decisions, but on his character that we’d come to trust.

“What happened, Ren?” I moved close, pitching my voice low to conceal our conversation, trying to keep doubt from seeping through. He shook his head, his eyes frantically scanning the inscriptions, as if seeking an answer in the weathered stone.

“I—I don't know. I must have misunderstood the test’s requirements, or perhaps there’s something I missed.” His voice wavered, clearly shaken by his sudden position as a man unexpectedly set apart by distrust.

The others cast Ren sidelong glances as they whispered amongst themselves. “Purity of heart is required to advance to the eternal flame,” I overheard Jiang mutter. “Does this mean that he’s deceived us?”

“Maybe he’s not who he claims to be,” Kael suggested.

Suspicion tightened the atmosphere among us. I felt a pang of unease at their words, causing my doubt to grow unchecked. Jiang was the first to break the heavy silence.

“Something isn’t right.” His voice carried a sharp edge of accusation. “Doesn’t it seem strange that Ren has led us based on his knowledge, yet fails a test of purity and truth?”

Kael’s own look became almost calculating. “I too have my doubts. If Ren is as loyal as he claims, why would the magic protecting the very element we need to save the kingdom reject him? We must consider the possibility that we have a traitor among us…though we must also consider that we may not be able to finish our quest without him.”

His words triggered another ripple of murmurs, Jiang’s and Kael’s eyes shifting uneasily between me and Ren. I felt the weight of their suspicions and my responsibility to maintain order, yet my own thoughts were in turmoil. Ren’s failure at the altar was undeniable, shaking me more deeply than I cared to admit.

“Let’s not hastily jump to conclusions,” I began, my voice firm despite my gnawing uncertainty. “Ren has proven his worth time and again throughout our journey. This test might not judge what we initially presumed; there could be other factors at play beyond our understanding.”

Jiang scoffed. “Or perhaps it’s exactly as it appears. We are in a place guarded by magic that sees through deceit. Blind trust in this situation could lead us into peril. We should be cautious, Your Highness.”

Kael nodded in agreement. “Perhaps it’s time we reconsider whom we trust, especially if placing it in those who don’t deserve it puts us all at risk.”

Ren’s posture stiffened against the swirling accusations, the set of his jaw firm in the face of our rising suspicion. His eyes shone with frustration and unwavering resolve as he looked around at the gathered faces, each marked by varying degrees of doubt and concern. We all waited as he hesitantly stepped forward, our attention fixed on him in anxious anticipation.

“I understand your concerns,” he began, his voice steady despite the palpable tension. “I know it looks bad to fail a test of integrity and purity of character, but I assure you that my intentions are aligned with the mission and the well-being of this group. While I can’t explain why the magic’s guardianship found me wanting, I do know it doesn’t negate everything we’ve achieved together, nor indicate that I possess ill-intentions.” Though he spoke confidently, his gaze wavered, as if he couldn’t quite look us in the eye.

Jiang folded his arms, his expression unyielding. “Such assurances are empty when we don’t know the reasons your character has been brought into question. The fact remains that the magic’s protection has rejected you; that’s not something we can simply overlook.”

Ren bit his lip, enough of a falter in his expression that made me fear he was indeed hiding something. Whether his deceit had anything to do with the quest remained to be determined. Memories sifted through my mind: catching Ren in a lie about plants that could only be harvested at dawn, his odd standoffishness that seemed more than mere shyness, the strange vision I’d seen with my hands on the altar. Yet even in the face of this doubt, I still wanted to believe in him.

I stepped forward to intervene. “I know how this appears, but perhaps the grove tests more than just the surface truths and challenges our deeper fears and secrets…even those we keep for the right reasons.”

Jiang spun on me, demonstrating a rare show of defiance that showed the extent of the strain rendered by the situation. “You’re always defending him.”

I didn’t deny it. I’d subconsciously been aware of how often I sided with Ren, but there wasn’t any special meaning behind my actions—it was natural to want to protect the physically weakest member of our entourage. “The concerns against him are valid, but whatever the nature of his secrets, it doesn’t change the fact that he saved my life against that poison that infected me, making it impossible for me to entirely distrust him.”

“Nor does it change the fact that those secrets we know nothing about are far too risky with the stakes as high as they are for our kingdom.”

As desperate as I was to defend Ren, unfortunately I couldn’t deny Jiang’s point. My resolve faltered…until Ren slowly lifted his head and met my gaze, earnestly seeking an ally midst this sea of skepticism. Try as I might to be impartial for the good of the group, I was helpless to his silent plea, his need for me to come to his rescue that I’d been unable to ignore once throughout our quest.

I sighed in defeat and turned to the others. “We’ve all kept secrets at some point. If we discard trust at the first sign of uncertainty, we’ll only fracture what we’ve worked so hard to build. Rather than a moment influenced by a mysterious force we don’t possess sufficient knowledge to understand, let Ren prove his loyalty through his actions. Until then we will continue to assess the situation. If there is deceit to find, it will come to light. Until then, Ren remains under my protection, as do all members of this expedition.”

Kael snorted, skepticism written all over his hardened expression, but Jiang seemed to consider, his brow furrowed in thought. There was a pause, heavy with contemplation as they digested the implications of my words. Despite their lingering doubts, they each nodded in turn. Even with the group's acceptance, I couldn't shake the discomfort that clung to me like the chill of a shadow as I wondered whether I’d made the right decision to keep Ren with us despite the magic’s disapproval.

I released a relieved breath. “Very well, then. We will rest for the night and reconvene tomorrow to determine how to proceed, all the while remaining vigilant.”

Ren nodded solemnly in gratitude for the opportunity to restore his standing among us, even as he seemed weary of the burden of proving himself under the weight of such mistrust with his usual quiet strength I had come to admire.

As we set up camp a short distance away with Ren tentatively reinstated, the distance between him and the others stretched like an invisible chasm, a barrier erected by suspicion and fear. Despite there being no tangible evidence of deceit beyond his failure at the test of purity, I found myself grappling with a persistent unease, overshadowing the trust we had built. The constant battle between suspicion and trust left me exhausted.

My gaze lingered on him, tracing his movements as though I might catch a slip that could confirm my nagging doubts coalescing into a troubling picture in my mind. Could his frequent, unexplained absences—previously dismissed as necessary solitude or gathering herbs—hint at whatever treacherous secrets he harbored? Actions that had previously seemed innocent were now tainted with suspicion, contrasting sharply with the countless ways he had proven himself a vital asset throughout our journey.

I felt a pang of guilt for not affording him the benefit of the doubt I knew he deserved. Compelled by a sense of fairness, I struggled to reconcile the Ren I knew with these surfacing doubts—his commitment, his invaluable expertise, and the moments his quick thinking had saved us. These reflections helped temper my suspicions, though they didn’t dispel them entirely.

Midst my lingering reservation, a scene from yesterday I had all but forgotten returned to my recollection—Ren’s nervous confession that he had something important to tell me before circumstances had stolen the opportunity. My stomach tightened as I recalled his conflicted expression and his obvious relief when my injury had prevented his continuing. Whatever his confession had clearly been something important. Could it have been the secret that caused him to fail the grove’s test? If so, then it had never been his intention to keep it from me indefinitely.

Only speaking with him directly could reassure me. No matter how transformative it might be for our relationship, I was determined to uncover the truth, regardless of the cost.