29. Chapter 25
Chapter 2 5
Asher
A sudden, deafening noise jolts me awake. The ground beneath the inn shakes violently, and I shield my face from the debris falling all around me. My mind races as panic surges through my veins.
"Earthquake?" I mutter to myself, attempting to regain my bearings. Just as quickly as the thought came, it’s replaced by a more pressing concern. "Lilly!"
Panic sets in as I scramble out of bed and throw open the door to the hallway, still shouting her name. It’s pure chaos outside of the room—people running, screaming, trying to escape the collapsing building.
"Lilly!" I cry out again, hoping against hope that she’s safe.
I make my way through the panic-stricken crowd and find myself at her door. It’s wide open, revealing an empty room. Dread consumes me. She’s not here .
"Where are you?" I whisper to myself, feeling urgency and protectiveness at a level I never expected. I can't leave without knowing she’s safe.
"Sir, we have to go!" a voice shouts at me, snapping me back to reality. A fellow patron of the inn is urging me to follow him to safety.
I hesitate, torn between finding Lilly and escaping the imminent collapse of the inn. She’s smart. She’s probably safe, but what if she’s trapped somewhere in here?
"Go on without me," I tell the man, determination settling into my bones. "I can't leave without Lilly."
"Good luck," he replies, clearly thinking I’m crazy. He disappears down the hall, leaving me to fend for myself.
"Come on, Asher, think," I mutter to myself, trying to come up with a plan.
Desperation courses through me as I continue calling for Lilly amidst the chaos, praying that she’s unharmed and within earshot.
Stay safe, Lilly. I won't let anything happen to you.
I stumble over the rubble that once was the entrance to the inn, palms sweaty as I scan the chaotic scene for any sign of Lilly. The street’s littered with debris and injured townspeople, their cries for help echoing through the air like a haunting melody.
"Where are you, Lilly?" I mutter under my breath, desperately hoping she’s safe .
My gaze darts from one side of the street to the other, searching for her familiar figure amidst the chaos.
"Hey, watch out!" calls a voice behind me.
I turn just in time to dodge a falling piece of wood. It crashes onto the ground, sending up a cloud of dust that made me cough and squint.
"Thanks," I manage to wheeze.
My heart rate increases as the fear for Lilly's safety gnaws at me. I can't bear the thought of something happening to her because of me. She is only here because I insisted on her coming with me. I don’t usually travel with a maid or really anyone when fulfilling jobs. Most of my staff are retired villains, and I can’t risk their identities being discovered. On my own property, I use my magic to prevent it, but when dealing with other villains, the risk is too high. I’ve been selfish. This is entirely my fault.
"Damn it, where are you?" I whisper, more to myself than anyone else.
Desperation fills every fiber of my being, urging me to keep looking.
"Sir, have you seen a young woman with black hair?" I ask a passing couple.
"No, we haven't seen her," the man replies, his eyes filled with worry, most likely for their own safety rather than for a stranger.
"Thank you," I say, releasing a heavy sigh as they disappear into the crowd .
My heart pounds loudly in my ears as I call out her name, hoping she'd respond, but all I hear are the chaotic sounds of people in distress outside. My stomach clenches with worry. I have to find her.
"Please, let her be safe," I mutter under my breath, my voice barely audible over the chaos unfolding around me.
There she is, emerging from an opening, her clothes covered in dust. Even better, she appears to be unharmed.
Relief washes over me like a cool wave. I can hardly contain my emotions at the sight of her safe and sound.
"Lilly!" I cry out, running toward her without hesitation. "Are you all right?"
"Of course, I am," she replies, attempting to brush off my concern with a dismissive wave of her hand. "You didn't think a little explosion would be enough to take me down, did you?"
"Maybe not," I admit, unable to suppress a smile at her usual wit, "but I couldn't help but worry."
"Sweet of you, really," she says, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "but there's no time for that now."
She’s right. Now that I found her, my instinct is to rush to the wounded’s aid, using my healing magic to mend their wounds.
Lilly grabs my arm. "Your Highness, we must leave now before your identity is discovered."
I hesitate, torn between helping these desperate people and heeding her warning. The weight of responsibility feels heavy on my shoulders, but deep down, I know she’s right.
"On our way. I will help them while we leave. That's the best I can do."
She nods and follows me as I begin making my way through the town.
My heart twists painfully when I look around, trying to locate the source of the frightened voices. Everywhere I turn, there are people in need—some injured, others trapped under debris. It’s a sobering sight, one that leaves me feeling both helpless and responsible as a hero and their prince.
"Peter," Lilly calls out, using my fake villain name, "we need to do something."
"I know," I say, looking all around to see who needs help the fastest."Start with what you can," she urges, placing a reassuring hand on my arm. "We may not be able to save everyone, but we can still make a difference."
Nodding, I take a deep breath and lock gazes with a small child huddled beneath an overturned cart. I run toward the frightened child. As I approach, I can see the fear in her eyes, and it only strengthens my resolve. Carefully, I lift the cart off of her, my muscles straining with the effort.
"Are you all right?" I ask gently putting down the cart. I reach out a hand to help her up.
"Y-Yes..." she stammers, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you... "
"Stay close," I tell her, glancing around for any other immediate dangers, "and try to find your family."
"Okay," she whispers, gripping my hand tightly as we move through the debris-strewn street.
"Good job," Lilly says, appearing at my side with a young man limping beside her. "We need to keep going, though. There's still so much to do, and we have to get out of here."
"I know. If we see someone from the underground, we will leave immediately." I hand off the child. "Stay here," I tell Lilly firmly, ignoring her protests as I rush toward the nearest injured person, an elderly man clutching his bloodied arm.
"Please, help me," he begs, his eyes filled with terror.
My heart breaks for him and all the others who are suffering, but I can't let my emotions cloud my focus. I need to act quickly and efficiently.
"Of course," I reply, trying to keep my voice steady.
I gently take hold of the man's arm and close my eyes, focusing on the healing energy that resides within me, and begin to recite the ancient words that will mend his wounds.
As the magic surges through my veins, the man's pained expression gradually eases, and the blood on his arm disappears, replaced by fresh, unblemished skin. When I’m certain he is healed, I release him and move on to a young woman with tears streaming down her face as she clutches her broken leg.
"Thank you," she whispers, her eyes wide with gratitude as my magic works its wonders on her injury.
I merely nod in response, unable to find the words to express my own relief at being able to help.
"Where did you learn to do that?" a nearby voice asks, causing me to look up from my work. A small boy, no older than ten, watches me with curiosity.
"From my master," I answer truthfully, careful not to reveal too much. "He taught me everything I know."
"Wow," the boy breathes, clearly impressed. "You must be really powerful."
"Powerful enough to make a difference," I reply, returning my attention to the injured townspeople.
The boy's words weighs heavily on my conscience, and I can't help but question whether I am truly doing enough.
As I continue to heal the wounded, my thoughts stray to Lilly. Yes, my powers will bring more danger if they are discovered, but I owe it to these people to do whatever I can to alleviate their pain.
"Keep going, Asher," Lilly urges, reappearing beside me, pulling me out of my thoughts. "We need to put as much distance between us and this chaos as possible."
I want to do more, but there is only so much one person can do in the face of such destruction. I’ve been in similar situations more times than I can count and know that no one person can take care of everything at once. My kingdom’s broken, and there is nothing I can do about it, not without eliminating my father, which is a line I am unwilling to cross. When my brother inherits the throne, I can only hope things will get better.
"Thank you," an elderly woman whispers, clutching my hand as I heal her broken arm. Her eyes fill with tears of relief.
"Of course," I reply, offering her a small smile. "It's the least I can do."
As the woman hobbles away. I glance around for anyone else in need of assistance. My gaze falls upon a young girl, no older than ten, lying amidst the rubble. She’s unconscious, bleeding profusely from a gash on her forehead.
My heart races as I rushed over to her, carefully lifting her fragile body into my arms. "Hold on, little one," I murmur, channeling my healing magic into her wound.
Slowly, the blood stops flowing and the gash begins to close, leaving behind only a faint scar.
"Is she going to be okay?" a frantic voice asks beside me.
I turn to see who I assume to be the girl's mother, her face etched with worry.
"She'll be fine," I assure her, gently handing the now-stirring child back to her mother. "Just let her rest for a bit."
"Thank you," the mother sobs, hugging her daughter tightly. "Thank you so much. "
"It’s the least I can do," I said softly, my chest tightening at the sight of their embrace.
As grateful as I am to be able to help these people, it pains me to know that there are countless others who won't be so lucky. Hopefully other heroes of the kingdom are near and will arrive to assist soon.
"Sir," a man calls out, running up to me with a look of desperation on his face. "My wife, she's trapped under that beam over there! Please, you have to help her!"
"Of course," I reply without hesitation.
I follow him to where the woman is pinned beneath a heavy wooden beam. With a grunt, I lift the beam off of her and use my healing magic on her crushed leg.
"Thank you," the man mumbles, tears streaming down his face as he embraces his wife. "Thank you so much."
"Please," I insist, offering them a weary smile. "Just doing what I can."
As I continue to work, helping anyone I can on my way out of the city, I can't shake the feeling that there has to be more I could do. These people are relying on me, and I want nothing more than to make their lives better, even if it is only in some small way.
My thoughts are briefly interrupted as a strong grip suddenly clamps onto my arm, pulling me from my contemplation. It’s Lilly, her eyes wide and urgent. I try to hide my concern for her own safety. The destruction has left her covered in dust, but she seems otherwise unharmed .
"Sir, we must leave now," she whispers, glancing around anxiously. "If the villains realize who you are, they'll attack and put the townspeople in even more danger."
Her words send a shudder down my spine. Is the situation really that dire?
"Are you sure?" I ask.
"Absolutely," she insists, tightening her grip on my arm. "We need to get out of here before they figure it out."
I hesitate for a moment more, weighing my options. As much as I want to stay and help these people, I can’t argue with Lilly. If my true identity is discovered, it will only bring more devastation to this already suffering town.
"All right," I say finally, nodding in agreement. "Let's go."
Lilly leads me away from the chaos, weaving through the rubble-strewn streets with surprising agility. I feel a twinge of guilt at leaving the townspeople behind, but I have to remind myself that stopping Lexir is my ultimate priority and the best way to protect them in the long run.
"Where do we go from here?" Lilly asks.
"Somewhere safe, where we can regroup and plan our next move."
As we hurry out of the town, the sounds of crying and panic slowly fade behind us. My heart aches at the thought of the suffering we are leaving behind, but I force myself to focus on the task at hand. Stopping Lexir is all that matters now .
"Thank you, Lilly," I say softly as we continue onward, "for everything."
"Of course, sire," she replies, a hint of warmth in her voice. "It's my duty to serve you."
As we press forward, I glance back one last time at the town we are leaving behind. It is then that I see it, a fleeting moment of empathy on Lilly's face before she quickly hides it away. In that brief instant, I can see the goodness within her that she so often conceals.