CHAPTER 220: CHAPTER 220 SUSPICION (BONUS)

Everything inside me was still on edge from the nightmare. The golden dust, the voice in the dream... and Golden. And I kept thinking about what it once said to me. That its home was in the witches’ realm.

Maybe going there would help me understand more. Maybe that was where I was meant to go... at least for now.

I took a slow breath, hoping my voice wouldn’t shake.

"Let’s go through the witches’ realm," I said, keeping my tone as steady as I could. "It’s the safest for now."

A thick silence fell over the cave.

Rhydian nodded slightly, a flicker of relief in his eyes, but he didn’t gloat over it... which I was thankful for. He stepped back and said, "Then we’ll leave as soon as everyone’s ready."

Damon didn’t move. His eyes stayed locked on me like he was trying to read my mind. Like he couldn’t believe I’d chosen Rhydian’s side. He didn’t speak, but the sharp tension in his jaw said enough.

He was pissed.

"I thought you wanted to be safe," he finally muttered under his breath.

I looked down at the piece of bread in my hands. "I do," I said quietly.

He scoffed. "You won’t be safe in that goddamn forsaken place."

Mr. Four eyes cleared his throat and broke the silence. "We should all pack up then. If we’re going, we’d better leave before noon. The witches’ realm is more dangerous at night."

Alaric sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "We’re really doing this?"

"It’s not ideal," Rhydian repeated, already turning away. "But it’s the only choice we have. Trust me."

Damon didn’t budge. He was still staring at me, unmoving, unreadable. I shifted awkwardly and looked away again, stuffing a small bite of the bread into my mouth just to avoid the weight of his gaze.

I didn’t like the way he looked at me just now. It made me feel like I had betrayed him.

’But I hadn’t.’

’Had I?’

Everyone started moving around the cave, rolling up blankets, kicking dirt over the fire, gathering what little we had. I stayed sitting for a moment longer, chewing in silence as the tension continued to buzz in the air like a bee with one of its wings broken.

Eventually, I stood and began folding the clothes I had slept in, keeping my eyes on my hands.

A part of me wondered if I had made the wrong choice. But then I thought of Golden again. If I went to the werewolf realm now, I’d probably never see it again. And if that butterfly had anything to do with my dreams, or the dust, or whatever I was turning into... then I needed to follow the trail while it’s still fresh.

Even if Damon hated me for it.

Even if I hated myself for choosing Rhydian over him... ’Wait a minute, do I? Why?’

I didn’t say another word to Damon as we continued packing. He didn’t say anything either. But I could feel his presence behind me like a second shadow... more like a very very angry shadow.

I was tying the last bundle of cloth when I felt a soft flutter near my ear.

I froze.

A small glimmer of light hovered in the air, circling before settling gently on my shoulder.

’Golden.’

A quiet breath left my lips. I didn’t even realize I had been holding it in. I turned my head slightly and met its glowing eyes.

"There you are..." I whispered, brushing my fingers lightly under its wing. "Where did you go?"

It tilted its body as if thinking about the answer, then responded with its usual gentle tone, "I went looking for a juicy flower. I needed something sweet."

I blinked. "A flower?"

Golden floated up, twirling once before landing softly on my palm. "The air in this realm is dry. Everything here tastes like stone. I had to go a little farther to find something worth eating."

I gave a small nod, but something about the timing didn’t sit right with me. It disappeared right after my dream, and the dust... again. But I didn’t say anything.

Golden stretched its wings, brushing a small trail of gold down my wrist. "You look a little pale, Princess, are you alright?"

I didn’t know if it was trying to feign ignorance or if it didn’t know what had happened, but I smiled a little. "I had a nightmare."

Golden tilted slightly, like it was trying to peek at my thoughts. "You’re not mad at me, are you?"

"No," I said quickly, shaking my head. "Just... confused."

"About the nightmare?"

I paused. My fingers curled slightly under its light body. "Yes, it is very strange. Can butterflies visit dreams?"

"Yes, some butterflies can," Golden replied simply. "I can visit too, but only shallow dreams, I can’t go too deep. Else I’ll get lost in them... forever."

"What kind of place is it then, that is considered deep?" I asked softly.

Golden didn’t answer right away. It flapped its wings and floated back to my shoulder. "The kind where memories sleep, and sometimes... wake up."

That wasn’t an answer, but somehow, I understood it.

Before I could ask more, Rhydian’s voice echoed through the cave. "We’re leaving in five."

I glanced up and saw the others already moving. Damon walked past without a word, his shoulders tense. Alaric adjusted the strap on his bag, nodding once in my direction, while Mr. Four eyes muttered something about terrain and wished he had a crossbow.

I stood slowly and dusted off my palms. Golden didn’t move from my shoulder.

As I walked toward the entrance, I could feel Damon behind me again.

But I didn’t turn around. But the thought of home crossed through my mind... the thoughts of my mother, I wondered if she was fine.

’I promise to come back as a child you’ll be proud of, Mother.’

I had made a choice. And now I had to see it through.