"You know where he is?" Lennox asked once again, his eyes narrowing as they fixed on the cloaked woman who had just arrived in his palace to report what even his guards had failed to accomplish.

Emily moved closer, her tone sharp with urgency as she leaned in to whisper near his ear. "Can you really trust an outsider?" She murmured, her gaze flicking briefly to the stranger. "Don't forget, she's from the North, and we've been divided from them. What could someone like her possibly know about your missing advisor?"

She shook her head slowly, returning her gaze to Lennox. "This reeks of another trap. Don't fall into it."

Lennox's jaw tightened, and he finally turned his head toward Emily, his piercing stare meeting hers. Her suspicion wasn't unwarranted, and he could see the worry beneath her accusation. She had every reason to question the sudden appearance of help from such a suspicious source, and he knew he should as well.

He said nothing for a beat, his thoughts racing. Then, with a quiet breath, he straightened, his shoulders stiffening as the weight of his crown settled back into place. Whatever this was, trap or truth, he would face it with his eyes open and get to the main bottom of it.

"You said you're—"

"Anita Hewman, your Majesty," the woman answered, bowing her head with quiet reference. Her voice held a tremor, but when she lifted her gaze, it carried a quiet urgency. "I understand if you find it difficult to believe me. It's been months since your advisor vanished without a trace. But I swear upon my life– I have seen him."

The silence that followed was heavy with disbelief. Lennox couldn't sense any signs of lies in her words, and he was tempted to give her a chance to at least prove she was speaking the truth.

"But," Anita suddenly continued, her voice softening, but there was a hint of disappointment in her words. "You won't be able to reach him for the time being. He departs tomorrow… to the shores of Mariana if the Intel I got was right."

"The shores of what?" Emily's brows furrowed, confusion flashing across her face. "That doesn't make any sense and I'm starting to wonder if you even listen to the things you say. Why would the king's own advisor flee to some far-off coast when he could return to the palace and reclaim what's rightfully his?"

While Emily questioned Anita, Lennox remembered the last encounter he had with Leonardo before he went missing. He had helped Esme try to escape from the palace, and as punishment, he was sent to the cold palace. It made sense if he didn't want to return to the palace anymore, but what about his parents? If he could find Leonardo again, he would assure him that all charges against him had been dropped. Right now, he needed his friend more than his advisor… or both if need be.

"You haven't heard, your Majesty?" Anita asked slowly, pulling Lennox from his thoughts. She shook her head, almost in pity. "What I have to tell you… may not be news you want to hear. But I suspect you've never been told about this."

She then hesitated, lowering her gaze to avoid the mistrust etched into the faces that stared her down. She had to admit, she was genuinely surprised– almost offended– that none of them appeared to understand the gravity of what she was about to reveal.

Lennox, hating the suspense, finally uttered. "Speak clearly, woman. What are you trying to say?"

It took a few seconds before Anita composed herself, and her hands clenched at her side. "Will I be safe if I do? You promised protection to anyone who found your advisor. And a reward, did you not? If what I say proves true… will the promise still be honored?"

Lennox didn't hesitate. "You have my word for it. Your safety will be ensured– and if your information is as accurate as you claim it to be, then you shall receive more than what was promised."

"In that case, your Majesty," Anita whispered. "The advisor you seek is currently working for the cursed Alpha, and they will be departing tomorrow. Like I said, they will be leaving for the shores of Mariana."

—-

Back in the North, Leonardo had stepped out of the capital's grand library. The heavy doors creaked shut behind him, muffling the scent of aged parchment and candle smoke.

Rain pattered steadily across the cobblestones, darkening the stone paths and pooling in the uneven grooves. He paused beneath the archway, lifting the umbrella he had brought in anticipation of the weather. He had only taken it as a precaution, but he was lucky he listened to his instincts, since he never expected it to rain all of a sudden here.

Behind him, Cora emerged from the library, her slippers silent on the wet stone as she trailed him with quiet determination.

"I want to come," she said, her voice firm despite the chill.

"No," he replied without looking back, already stepping into the rain, but he hadn't expected her to follow him.

"Let me come," she insisted.

"No."

"I'll speak directly to the Alpha then," she challenged.

Leonardo exhaled sharply, a visible plume in the cold air. He closed the distance between them, shielding her as well from the fine mist drifting on the wind. It was the first true rain since his arrival, and the temperature here had dropped. It was cold and ceaseless, cloaking the capital in shades of iron and silver, though it was scarcely past noon. He even had to put on an extra coat before leaving the house today.

His eyes raked the woman before him. She stood stubbornly below the steps, unmoved, her spine straight and her gaze pinned on him. Rain had beaded at the end of the two loose strands framing her face, dark against her flushed cheeks. The rest of her raven-black hair was bound neatly in a bun, though a few wisps had broken free.

Her defiance sparked again in her eyes, clear and unwavering, and he was starting to wonder if he had made a mistake saving this particular woman. Even when she made it her goal to annoy him today of all days, he didn't find it as irritating as he normally would on a regular day.

"Are all women this stubborn?" he muttered, more to himself than to her, but that didn't stop her from hearing it.

"You don't know what it's like," she replied, adjusting her coat. "Being trapped in one place your whole life. I've read more about the world than most who travel it. I know the terrain, the history, the culture of where you're going. I've studied quite a lot of places since I was a child because I knew I'd never get to see them. I made peace with that, but not today."

She crossed her arms. "If I can make myself useful to the Alpha– if I show him what I know– he might let me come to Mariana with all of you."

"If I tell my brother I don't want you there, he won't let you come," he said, his voice nearly drowned by the rhythm of raindrops beating his umbrella.

"So the problem is you, then?" Cora questioned, and he didn't answer right away.

"Listen, nobody's going there for sight-seeing," he made it clear to her. "It's to find answers, not take volunteers." His eyes flicked back to the rain-slicked street ahead, watching the rain blur the silhouettes of guards and carriages moving through the misty streets. "If something happens to you, your uncle might not be able to forgive himself for it. Think about him too, and try not to involve yourself in matters like this."

Cora couldn't find an alternative after he used her uncle as a tether, whilst she swallowed her protest.

The truth was, she hadn't asked to come just to catch a glimpse of Mariana. That wasn't it. She wanted to be there because she wanted to help all of them– because she feared for him. For Leonardo.

That was the truth of it, as shameful as it felt. She hated the worry curling tight in her chest like a thorned vine, and ever since he told her he'd be leaving for Mariana, she kept having this irresistible urge to be by his side.

Maybe she was still clinging to the gratitude she owed him, to what he'd done and still doing for her and her uncle. But even if she tried to dismiss it, the concern remained.

Beside her, Leonardo noticed how quiet she'd grown, and a part of him hoped she would let it go now. "Come on. I'll walk you home since you didn't bring an umbrella."

At his request, Cora blinked, caught off-guard. "You mean the two of us sharing an umbrella? Like a date?"

Leonardo facepalmed.