CHAPTER 222: BLOOD AND EMBERS

[Dark Forest—Midnight—LAVINIA’S POV]

The forest was... too quiet. Too damn quiet for midnight, where the wind whispered like a thousand secrets and the crickets’ chirps echoed like tiny, mocking taunts.

And here we were—me and Marshi—standing at the very center of the forest road, utterly stuck.

Because right in front of us... two roads. Two wide, yawning paths stretching into darkness. And we? Completely clueless. Totally flummoxed. Completely outsmarted by... a single man.

"Marshi..." I muttered, perching on my horse and staring at the twin roads as if they might scream out the answer for me. My fingers tapped on the reins, a nervous rhythm I couldn’t quite stop. "Which way do you think he went?"

Marshi gave a low growl, ears flicking; his eyes said nothing helpful.

"Thanks, that helps... so much." I glared at him. "You’re...really good at this, aren’t you? Giving me... absolutely zero guidance."

He huffed, rubbing a massive paw against the dirt, eyes glowing faintly like molten gold. The tail flicked once, twice, like he was saying, How would I know, master? You decide, genius.

I stared at him blankly, jaw slackening. "Oh... right. Of course. The most helpful advice I’ve ever received from a divine tiger."

Then I leaned forward, drumming my fingers on the horse’s mane, muttering under my breath. "I really wish Ravick was here right now. But noooo... I sent him the other way to ’corner the little rat.’"

My tone had that perfect mix of sarcasm and deadly seriousness. "Perfect. Absolutely perfect."

I swung a leg off the horse and paced a tiny circle in the dirt, considering both roads like some general plotting the downfall of a small kingdom. "Alright... fine. If he wants to play games... if he thinks he can slip through my grasp..." I jabbed a finger at the path to the left. "I’ll just... pick one. Yes. That’s what we do. We make decisions... decisive, confident, absolutely un-fail-able decisions!"

Marshi tilted his head, fire flickering across his golden fur like he was trying very hard not to laugh.

"Shut up," I snapped at him, waving a hand. "You’ve got no idea what’s riding on this choice! If we pick the wrong road..." My voice dropped to a growl, deadly serious. "...I let that bastard escape, and I’ll never forgive myself. Ever. Ever."

I bent down, scanning the ground, eyes flicking over the shadows. Horse footprints. Fresh. Leading... to the left.

"To the left," I murmured, "there’s that broader road, right? The one that goes toward the neighboring kingdom?"

Marshi gave a slow, deliberate nod, flames flickering in agreement.

"And to the right..." I glanced that way, narrowing my eyes. "...there’s... nothing. Just the river. Dangerous, slippery... a nice place for a wild beast to drown, maybe?"

Another nod from Marshi, ears twitching as if he were saying, Yes, yes, very observant, Master Obvious.

I smiled, tilting my head, letting a little mischief curl at my lips. "Hmm... the horse footprints show he went left. That’s clever. Predictable. Safe."

I shifted back on my horse, voice ringing with mock solemnity. "Alright...let’s go to the right side, Marshi."

Marshi blinked, eyes widening like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

"Oh... you don’t like it?" I teased, letting the grin stretch wider, sharper. "Too late to complain now."

He growled—low, guttural, half disbelief, half... you’re insane, aren’t you?

"Exactly," I said cheerfully, cracking the reins. "You’ve got to live a little, big guy. Come on—follow me!"

My horse leapt forward, hooves tearing at the earth, and Marshi’s massive form surged behind me, fire lashing the dark like a second sun.

***

[Dark Forest—Riverbank—Midnight—LAVINIA’S POV]

The horse slowed to a halt, its breath steaming like a war-drum in the cold night. I swung down, boots hitting the damp earth with a muffled thud. Even the forest seemed to shrink back at my steps.

Marshi’s golden flames flickered, casting rivers of firelight across the dark water. The river whispered as it flowed, deceptively calm, as if it were conspiring with me.

"Stay Calm..." I hushed Marshi. His massive frame rumbled with restrained fury, but he obeyed. I stepped into the river, cold water swirling around my ankles, then my knees, each ripple a silent alarm.

Splash. Splash.

The moon’s reflection trembled in the water as I moved deeper. Then—

Gruggle.

A faint sound, half-swallowed by the current. A drowning breath. My lips curled into a slow, dangerous smirk.

"Aha..." I whispered, eyes gleaming. "...found you, wild beast."

My hand flicked, the dagger slicing through the air like a silver fang. It spun once, twice—then embedded itself with a sickening THUNK.

"Arghhh—!"

The shadow writhed, staggering upright. Blood spilled down his side, staining the water black. My dagger was lodged deep in his hand, his chest heaving, his breath ragged. His eyes locked onto me—blazing with fury but threaded with something he couldn’t hide.

Fear.

I advanced through the water, another dagger sliding into my palm, the blade catching Marshi’s fire.

"I told you..." my voice was silk sharpened to steel: "...run, hide, scream—it makes no difference." I tilted my head, red eyes flashing against the river’s reflection. "...you cannot escape me."

His teeth clenched, voice hoarse. "How...? How did you—"

I cut him off with a chuckle, stepping closer until the water curled around my waist.

"An idiot would think to ride into a neighboring kingdom at midnight..." My blade lifted, its tip brushing the skin over his heart. "...when every gate is locked, every bridge closed."

I leaned in, my smirk razor-sharp. "And only a greater fool would think I’d be blind enough to follow a trail of footprints like some obedient hound."

SLASH!!!!!

His eyes widened just as I drove the dagger up near his chest.

Splasshhhhh! He stumbled back, water exploding around him, his scream breaking the night.

"AGHHHHHHH!!!"

He clutched the wound, veins already twitching with the creeping dark veins of poison.

I straightened, laughter dripping from my lips like venom. "Oh? Did it start already? The burn... the tightening in your chest..."

He looked at me, panicked, confused, and furious. "What—what did you—"

My grin widened, cruel and bright. "Did you really think I would stab you with something ordinary? These daggers, Caelum..." I twirled the hilt, letting its poisoned tip glimmer in firelight. "...are laced with a slow poison. Not enough to kill you fast. No..." I crouched, my voice dropping to a whisper at his ear. "...enough to make you crawl."

His breathing hitched, body trembling as the venom began its cruel work.

I grabbed his collar, trying to haul him up, but hissed under my breath, "Tch. Heavy bastard."

My eyes cut to Marshi. "Marshi—take him."

With a guttural roar, Marshi waded into the water, divine flames dancing on golden fur. His massive jaws clamped around Caelum’s body—not to kill, but to hold. A single violent shake, he hurled the so-called "wild beast" onto the riverbank like he was nothing more than discarded prey.

I planted a hand on my hip, tilting my head.

"Now..." I drawled, dagger twirling lazily between my fingers. "...who’s going to carry him?"

Marshi let out a low growl, his massive head turning away in utter boredom, as if to say, don’t look at me.

Before I could retort—

"LAVI!!!"

I turned, eyes narrowing. Solena’s wings gleamed as she descended, landing neatly atop Marshi’s back. She squinted at the shivering, poisoned Caelum like he was no more than a pitiful worm.

And then—Osric.

He slid from his horse in one smooth motion, black cloak whipping behind him. His shirt—white, thin, half unbuttoned—clung to him like the forest’s damp air had sworn loyalty to his body. His strides were long and deliberate, and I...

My breath stuttered. My fingers tightened on the dagger. My tyrant’s heart betrayed me with one shameful flutter.

He stopped right in front of me, chest rising, eyes sharp with worry. "Lavi... are you hurt?!"

"I..." My voice caught, too soft for a tyrant’s daughter, too human. "I’m fine."

Then his gaze dropped, and he froze. His lips parted just slightly.

"You’re—wet."

Before I could even blink, he shrugged off his cloak in one fluid motion and wrapped it around me, shielding me from the chill.

"Oh, gods, you’re freezing," he muttered, fussing with the fabric around my shoulders, hands brushing over me like he was afraid I’d shatter.

I blinked at him. Then squinted."...Osric."

"Yes?" His head snapped up, eyes wide, concern etched all over his stupidly handsome face.

"Are you... trying to seduce me right now?"

. . .

. . .

"...eh?!"

Before Osric could defend his burning ears any further, a ragged groan split the night.

"I... can’t... believe you two... are having a romantic moment while I’m bleeding to dea—"

SQUELCH.

My boot pressed firmly into his wound. Caelum’s scream cut the air like a dying wolf’s howl, "AAGAGGHHHHHHH!!!"

"Shut. Up." My voice dripped like venom. I crouched, my dagger gleaming in Marshi’s golden firelight. "How about I finish this now? One quick slice, and you’ll never whine again—"

"Lavi."

My hand froze.

Osric’s fingers wrapped firmly around my wrist, his grip steady but not harsh. His eyes locked on mine, hard steel beneath their calm.

"He needs to live," he said, voice low. "We need an interrogation."

I stared at him, dagger still poised. "Ah. I see."

Without another word, Osric moved. One swift, unhesitating motion—he grabbed Caelum by the collar and dragged him across the mossy ground like he weighed nothing at all. Caelum’s body hit the dirt with a sickening thud, a trail of blood marking the earth in his wake.

"Let’s go," Osric said coldly, tossing the half-dead traitor against his horse. "The emperor is waiting."

I sheathed my dagger, sliding back onto my horse with a predator’s smile tugging at my lips."Then let’s not keep him waiting."

Behind us, the river whispered. Ahead of us, destiny burned.