Hooves sped through the trees.
Tylen had snuck through the backdoor like he wished. He paid for some bread, water and carrots. Then, he raced back to the stables. The keeper widened his eyes, startled by his sudden reappearance. The Prince gave him a tip before he took back his horse.
From there, it had been a race between him and the pirates.
Whether the pirates would tell him or not remained unclear. What the Prince considered certain were the sergeant's words.
'When Deelah takes him back, we can ask the Captain to let him into some of our ship's secrets.'
Those became his only hope.
The locals helped him again to find the second tower. Tylen carried a lamplight on a pole and hovered it near the horse's head. When his arm became strained, he switched the pole to the other one. He had to be careful not to drop it. His sack of food tied on the saddle, it bounced in rhythm to the pace.
The Ahana Forest seemed quiet. Only a few hoots and crickets pierced through the silence. Any creature that had been on his path ran away. Neither him nor the horse could see more than a few feet beyond them. The Prince pulled on the reins, slowing down.
It wouldn't end well if a big tree came out of nowhere.
His horse continued to gallop, following the path that had no grass. The town folks informed Tylen that they often used this path to reach the sea. As long as they followed it, they'd find the tower. The moonlight shimmered in between branches and leaves—enough to inform the Prince about the time of day.
At a small pond, he climbed off the horse and let it drink. It lapped on the fresh water happily. Tylen broke a piece of bread and ate half.
He couldn't tell how far they still had left. Neither could he tell how much time he had left before Deelah found him. If luck was on his side, maybe he'd reach the tower first and check it out. Then, he could take it off his mind.
It would leave him with only one tower left.
The Prince fed the horse some carrots. He patted its head, "How are you, boy? You must be surprised by your new owner."
He didn't get an answer as the horse licked his hand clean. Tylen chuckled and brushed his palm on its mane. Then, he gazed on the trail ahead. It would still be a couple of hours before they'd reach the second tower. Would Deelah intercept him by then?
He checked on the horse's condition. The previous owner had informed him that they'd been travelling the whole day. It must be worn out and tired. Sighing, the Prince tied the reins to a branch. He sat near the tree and leaned his back on its trunk, crossing his arms over his chest.
The horse bent its knees and joined him. His head tilted up, Tylen closed his eyes. Drowsiness flooded his body. The adrenaline rush had drained away. He fought against his sleepy consciousness, knowing he needed to remain alert.
Soon, the both of them slept soundly that night.
…
…
…
A white tiger stared at them, standing a few meters away.
Puffs of air exhaled sharply from its nostrils. Deelah figured the Prince must have thought they'd leave him alone. He already mentioned before that he'd proceed without them if they'd go back. Reason and conscience fought in her mind. It gave her a headache.
A man who could risk stupid things for love was both admirable and disagreeable.
As stupid as Tylen seemed to be, his loyalty to his love was rarely seen. It came above all. The Pirate Queen had met many people, all kinds of men and women. A person with his resolve can be counted with her fingers. A love that stood the test of time and death...
A number of people would have wished for something like it.
The tiger tucked its legs.
It wouldn't hurt to catch the Prince at the tower, would it?
Maybe then he'd be more convinced to come to the ship. Deelah's consciousness drifted, thinking about how to persuade the brat willingly. Then, her head filled with dreams of purple cupcakes. She could almost taste them.
===
The next morning, the Pirate Queen left before the Prince and his horse could wake up. She yawned, her dry lips cracking. Whichever form she took still had her basic needs. She'd go for the pond but the sound of a river was close by. Between the two, she'd rather drink from the river.
She maintained a good distance and followed the horse's pace.
Her stomach grumbled. She'd have a feast after this mission. The hunt had been quite a workout. She could still last for a few hours. After that, even if they hadn't reached the inn, she'd find a meal.
If her instinct was right, they'd reach the tower before lunch.
Sunlight peeked from above. The green grass gleamed vibrantly under her paws. She dodged in between trees, her path more crowded than Tylen's. She challenged herself and trained her agility more. For a bit of fun, she might just switch forms along the way.
The leaves and branches thickened at an area. The sun could barely be seen. Black smoke surged from above. Birds flew off the branches and escaped. The tiger's eyes widened, picking up speed.
'No, no, no, no…' Deeah chanted in her mind.
She gritted her teeth and pumped up her legs. She needed the smoke to stay behind her and as far as possible. The smoke formed into a cloud, almost covering the forest in darkness. She cursed at the compressed trees in the area. Unlike the first tower, this one had a smaller clearing.
Unfortunately, it was also at the densest part of the Ahana Forest.
The black fog continued to chase her. It stayed hot on her heels. A coil of it would try to snatch her leg. She'd shuffle her paws and evade it. It continued for hours. The smoke became irritated.
It sent more ropes of itself and surrounded all directions, leaving no room for escape.
The Pirate Queen spat. The back of the second tower was in sight. She jumped and twisted her body. She faced the black fog, growling at it. She guarded the edge of the clearing.
Seeing her stop, the smoke slowly diminished. It concentrated on one spot and formed legs. Slowly, it worked its way up until a man stood in its place. Dark blue eyes against pale skin glared through a pair of glasses. The forest stood still as he approached the tiger.
"Well, well, well." His crisp voice said, "Look at what we have here."
His navy blue trench coat's hems fluttered behind him. The front of it widened and revealed his black vest, including his trousers. He smirked at Deelah, his glasses glinted, "If it isn't the Pirate Queen."
The tiger rolled its eyes. In the next second, Deelah morphed into her human form. She crossed her arms over her chest, "What are you doing here, Scrooge?"
The Shadow Prince bowed his head and shook it. His corner lip curved further upwards.
"Captain wondered what took you so long." He glanced back at her, "When I found the mess you left at the first tower, I figured you'd be here. Although…"
He tilted his head to one side. His eyes steeled into hard jewels, "Why are you alone?"
===
Tylen unmounted from his horse. The second tower stood before his eyes. He hardly believed that he made it. It looked like an exact copy of the first one. The difference between them would be the wild plants surrounding them.
This one had less of it. It seemed more clean cut and well managed.
The Prince tied the reins of his horse on a tree. He fed it some carrots and gave it a bit of water. Patting it a bit, he headed for the tower. His heart thumped in his chest. Fear and hope mixed together inside of him.
The door had no luck. Its creak came out soft. He lifted the lamplight he carried. The same marble steps loomed up to the top. His boots stomped upwards.
The previous tower's events flooded in his mind. What would he do if it happened again? Would there be more of them waiting here? Did they figure out their route? He didn't have Raz's prowess against flying arrows. Would the ambush be different this time? Could he stand against it?
He stopped halfway.
Should he go back?
Tylen stared at the stairs before him. He was here. He was so close. His thirst for curiosity and answers could be reduced. He only needed to reach the top.
The faces of his loved ones materialized before him. His mother stared at him with concern. His grip on the lamplight tightened. If something happened to him, she'd be devastated. He knew it.
The Prince closed his eyes, turning around. He couldn't risk his life when he already saw the danger. If he kept his back on the stairs and the tower, it wouldn't tempt him to go back. His mother stayed at the front of his mind. As long as she stayed there, he could do this.
"Oh, my!"
Tylen's eyes snapped open. Someone stood a few steps below him. A basket of fruits near her chest, the young woman clasped a hand over her mouth. She had the same bewildered expression on her face. The light from the lamp illuminated her features.
Wavy bronze hair framed her face, flowing over her chest. The basket hid how long it was. The white dress around her body had worn out in time. The sleeves slipped off, showing her skinny arms. Round hazel eyes radiated like candle light.
Breath hitched, the Prince fell into a loss for words. '
Could it be…?