Chapter 32
I froze the moment I saw her.
Luna.
She was sitting against the stone wall, her wrists and ankles shackled.
Her clothes were stained with blood.
Her face was bruised, and dried blood streaked down one cheek.
But what made my chest tighten the most-
Her fingers.
Three of her fingernails were missing.
They had tortured her.
My hands slowly clenched into fists as anger surged through me.
I should have killed that bastard.
I forced myself to remain calm and walked toward her.
"Luna," I called softly.
Her eyes remained fixed on me.
She looked like she couldn't believe I was real.
"Am I hallucinating right now?" she whispered weakly.
A faint smile appeared on my face.
I reached down and gently held her face.
The moment she felt my touch, tears spilled down her cheeks.
"You're real..." she whispered.
Her voice trembled.
"Travis."
I crouched in front of her.
"I'm here."
She stared at me for a few seconds before suddenly breaking down.
I pulled her carefully into my arms.
She buried her face against my chest and began to sob.
I held her tightly, careful not to hurt her.
"It's okay," I whispered. "You're safe now."
She shook her head against my chest.
"I thought..."
Her voice cracked.
"I thought I was going to die."
My jaw tightened.
"That won't happen. Not while I'm here."
I gently rubbed her back.
"I promise."
She slowly pulled away.
Her tear-filled eyes met mine.
"How did you get here?" she asked weakly.
"We disguised ourselves as Solaris knights," I whispered. "We didn't expect it, but someone ended up helping us along the way."
Suddenly, Phil, who had been keeping watch at the dungeon entrance, hurried over to us.
"Travis, we need to hurry," he whispered urgently.
I immediately reached for Luna's shackles.
"We need to get you out first."
Luna gave a weary nod.
I pulled a small key from my pocket.
I knelt in front of her and inserted it into the lock around her wrist.
Click.
The shackle opened.
I quickly unlocked the other one.
The heavy chains fell to the floor with a loud clang.
I moved to her ankles and unlocked those as well.
Luna slowly pulled her hands toward herself, rubbing her bruised wrists.
I noticed her fingers trembling.
She looked exhausted.
I stood and offered her my hand.
She grabbed it.
I carefully helped her to her feet.
Her knees nearly buckled.
I immediately caught her before she could fall.
"Easy."
I wrapped one arm around her waist, supporting her weight.
Phil glanced toward the corridor.
"We need to move."
I nodded and looked toward the dungeon entrance.
"Let's go."
As we hurried through the corridor, my mind went back to how we had gotten this far.
We had ambushed two Solaris knights and taken their uniforms.
It was risky, but it was the only way we could get inside.
But then someone caught us.
A man suddenly appeared in front of us.
"You two..." he said, eyeing our uniforms.
My hand immediately went to my weapon.
Phil did the same.
We were ready to fight our way through.
But before either of us could attack, the man raised his hand.
"Wait."
He glanced around before lowering his voice.
"You're here to save her, right?" he asked.
We both froze.
How did he know?
The man reached into his coat and pulled out a folded map.
"I'll help you," he said.
He handed the map to me.
"Get her out safely and take her as far away from Solaris as possible."
I stared at him suspiciously.
"Who are you?" I asked.
The man hesitated for a moment.
"I have my reasons," he said quietly.
Phil narrowed his eyes.
"How do we know this isn't a trap?" he asked.
The man met his gaze.
"You don't," he said. "But if I wanted you caught, you wouldn't still be standing here."
Neither of us answered.
He glanced toward the corridor.
"I'll clear the way. Just get the girl out and keep her safe."
Before we could ask anything else, he turned and walked away.
Phil looked at me.
"Do you trust him?" he asked.
"Not really," I admitted.
But we had no other choice.
We could only hope this wasn't a trap.
"This way!" Phil whispered, motioning toward the corridor ahead.
He quickly folded the map and tucked it away before leading us down the corridor.
"The hidden passage is just ahead," Phil whispered.
I stayed beside Luna, supporting her as we hurried after him.
We soon reached a dead end.
Phil stopped in front of the wall and pulled out the map again.
He compared the markings to the wall before reaching toward a small stone near the edge.
He pressed it.
Click.
A section of the wall shifted, revealing a narrow passage behind it.
Phil quickly looked inside before motioning for us to follow.
I helped Luna through the opening.
Phil pressed the stone again, and the wall slid back into place behind us.
We moved through the hidden passage, carefully making our way toward the exit.
Before long, we finally made it out without encountering anyone.
The man had kept his word.
He really had cleared the way for us.
We emerged behind the palace, where a supply wagon was waiting.
One of our men was already at the front, holding the reins.
Phil quickly scanned the area before turning to me.
"Get Luna inside," he whispered.
I kept an arm around Luna as I helped her toward the wagon.
She climbed into the back and crouched between the crates and sacks.
"Stay hidden," I whispered. "We'll be right behind you."
Luna nodded.
I pulled a few sacks over her, making sure she was completely concealed.
Phil closed the rear cover.
"Go," he whispered to the driver.
The wagon slowly began moving away.
Phil and I watched the wagon as it headed toward the supply gate.
Just as we were about to leave, a voice came from behind us.
"Hey, both of you!"
We froze.
Phil and I slowly turned around.
A Solaris knight stood a few steps away, staring at us suspiciously.
"What are you two doing loitering around here?" he asked.
Phil glanced at me and gave a slight nod.
I nodded back.
We were taking him out.
But before either of us could move, the knight frowned.
"Get back to your post," he ordered.
He turned and walked away.
Phil and I watched him disappear around the corner.
"Let's go," Phil whispered.
We turned toward the supply gate.
A few guards stood nearby, checking the wagons as they passed through.
Phil and I kept walking, trying to act natural.
The wagon carrying Luna was already approaching the gate.
One of the guards stepped forward and raised his hand.
"Halt," he ordered.
The driver pulled the reins, bringing the wagon to a stop.
The guard walked toward the back of the wagon.
My heart tightened.
He was going to inspect it.
The guard lifted the cover and began inspecting the crates.
He moved a few sacks aside.
I clenched my fists.
Please don't find her.
"What's in these?" the guard asked, looking at the driver.
"Just supplies for the northern outpost," the driver answered calmly.
The guard glanced over the crates again before stepping back.
"Close it," he ordered.
The driver quickly covered the wagon again.
"Move along," the guard said.
The driver nodded and urged the horses forward.
The wagon began rolling through the gate.
Phil and I watched it for a moment, making sure it was far enough from the gate before turning away.
"We need to rejoin the others," Phil whispered.
I nodded.
We quickly moved in the opposite direction, heading toward the barracks where Duke Theon's knights were waiting.
After a short walk, we spotted them.
But the barracks was guarded by palace guards.
"Let's wait here," I whispered.
We couldn't approach them while we were still wearing Solaris uniforms, so we stayed hidden for a while, keeping an eye on the barracks.
Then suddenly-
BWOOOOOO!
A loud horn echoed through the palace grounds.
Phil and I froze.
"What's happening?" one of the guards shouted.
"Prisoner escape!" another guard yelled. "A prisoner has escaped!"
The guards around the barracks immediately scattered, rushing toward the dungeon.
Phil looked at me.
"Now," he whispered.
We quickly slipped out of hiding and ran toward Duke Theon's knights.
I glanced around as we moved, making sure no one noticed us.
We reached them safely.
One of the knights immediately approached us.
"Where's Luna?" he asked.
"She's already outside," Phil answered. "She's in the supply wagon."
The knight nodded.
"Good. I'll inform the Duke that it was successful," he said.
Phil and I quickly moved behind the barracks.
We took off the Solaris uniforms and changed back into our own.
★★★
"With all due respect, Your Majesty, the evidence against my daughter is hardly convincing," Theon said.
Queen Nadia's expression remained calm.
"The knights who captured her witnessed the aftermath themselves," she replied. "What more evidence do you need?"
"Aftermath?" Theon repeated, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"We have someone who witnessed the incident itself," he said.
Nadia's expression stiffened.
"An eyewitness?" she asked.
"Yes," Theon replied calmly. "He lived there and witnessed the entire incident."
Yohan remained silent, watching Nadia's reaction carefully.
He knew Theon had deliberately referred to the witness as "he."
The less Nadia knew about the witness, the safer the child would be.
Theon's lips curled into a faint smirk.
"According to the witness, it seems the actual culprits who slaughtered the entire village are..." He paused deliberately. "Quite the incompetent bunch."
Nadia's expression remained composed, though a flicker of unease crossed her eyes.
"Where is this eyewitness?" she asked.
Before Theon could answer-
BWOOOOOOO!
A loud horn suddenly echoed across the palace grounds.
Theon and Yohan both turned toward the sound.
Nadia's expression changed instantly.
"What was that?" she asked.
The doors suddenly opened, and the Captain of the Imperial Guard hurried inside.
He immediately approached Queen Nadia and leaned down, whispering urgently into her ear.
Nadia's expression darkened, then her eyes snapped toward Theon.
"What have you done?!" Nadia demanded, her voice filled with fury.
Theon remained seated, his expression calm.
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Your Majesty," Theon replied calmly.
Nadia's eyes narrowed.
"Your daughter has escaped from the dungeon," she said coldly.
Theon raised an eyebrow.
"Escaped?" he repeated, feigning surprise.
"Don't play dumb with me!" Nadia snapped.
Theon leaned back in his chair, remaining completely composed.
"I assure you, Your Majesty, I have nothing to do with it," Theon replied calmly.
"You expect me to believe that?" Nadia demanded.
"If I intended to help my daughter escape, Your Majesty, I would not have come here at all," Theon replied calmly.
"We came here to prove her innocence," he continued. "If I simply helped her escape, she would remain a criminal in the eyes of the kingdom."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"She would spend the rest of her life being hunted as a fugitive," he said calmly. "I would never want that for my daughter."
Nadia stared at Theon for a moment.
Her expression hardened, and the anger in her eyes grew colder.
She kept her gaze fixed on him.
"No one leaves this kingdom until she is found," Nadia said coldly.
She turned toward the Captain of the Imperial Guard.
"Seal the palace gates," she ordered. "And seal all the borders."
The captain immediately bowed.
"Yes, Your Majesty," he replied.
Nadia turned her gaze back toward Theon.
Her eyes were filled with cold fury.
"Turn Solaris upside down if you must," Nadia said coldly.