The next morning, Sevastian skipped breakfast at the royal dining table, opting instead to eat in his room. Eunice delivered his meal, and after finishing, he got dressed and made his way to Rohan's chambers. This would be his first time visiting his friend's room.
Sevastian knocked twice before hearing Rohan's reply. Pushing the door open, his eyes swept across the room, and he was immediately struck by the overwhelming whiteness. The walls were painted a pristine white, the windows were draped with white curtains, and the bed was dressed in crisp white sheets. Rohan hadn't been exaggerating when he said his room was blindingly white.
"What do you want? It is barely even morning," Rohan grumbled, pulling a pillow over his face.
"It is already a few minutes past eight, and I believe we have somewhere to be. I suggest you start getting ready," Sevastian replied, his tone firm.
Rohan lifted the pillow slightly and peeked at Sevastian, his brows knitting together. "Wait! What? I do not remember agreeing to go anywhere with you this morning."
"You don't remember half of the things you say, Rohan. Be ready in thirty minutes," Sevastian said, brushing off his friend's protests before turning and walking out of the room.
Sevastian returned to his room, grabbed the books he had been reading, and headed to the library in search of an ancient map that might help locate the cave where the Rynis were said to have once resided.
The library was quiet and deserted as always which allowed allowed him to focus. He took a moment to return the books he'd borrowed, noting the empty spaces on the shelves where they had been pulled from.
Once done, he made his way to the section where old maps were stored. After carefully sorting through a few, he came across a map of Luminae from about seven hundred years ago. As he rolled it open, a cloud of dust billowed out, causing him to cough. The map was fragile, its corners frayed and some of its illustrations and writings already fading.
The door opened and Sevastian tilted his head to the side expecting Rohan to walk into the library, but it was his sister who walked in. Instead of her usual long dresses, she was dressed in leather trousers and a loose tunic shirt with a belt around her waist. Her boots clicked softly against the floor, her hand moving subconsciously to tuck a few strands of her hair behind her ear.
She had glimmer of sweat covering her forehead and her hair held back in a tight bun. "Good morning, Sevastian" she broke the silence, flashing him a small smile.
"Good morning Princess," he shifted his gaze back to the map in front of him. Just then, Rohan strolled into the library, a book tucked securely under his arm.
"I figured I'd find you here," he said, a smile tugging at his lips. "Oh, we are all here, how delightful," Rohan added, before walking over to where Sevastian stood.
"Why is she here?" Sevastian asked Rohan, his tone calm. She wasn't supposed to be involved. While he appreciated her help with finding books and sharing some crucial information, that didn't mean she was part of their investigation.
"Lyra wants to help us track down the black fae," Rohan muttered, lowering his voice as he leaned toward Sevastian. "You know how stubborn she is. Believe me, I tried to talk her out of it."
Lyra, standing just a few steps away, rolled her eyes dramatically, crossing her arms. "You do realize I can hear every word you are saying, right? I am literally four feet away from you."
"Going to the cave will be dangerous, we have no idea what we will be dealing with there. I would respectfully suggest you sit this one out," Sevastian said, his voice firm, though his eyes remained fixed on Lyra.
Lyra rolled her eyes again, her patience wearing thin. "I can handle myself very well, thank you for the concern, Lord Sevastian," she retorted, a tight, fake smile on her lips.
Rohan raised a brow, his gaze bouncing between the two of them. The tension in the room was undeniable, and he couldn't help but smirk as he pointed a finger between them. "Is there something going on here that I do not know about?"
"The only thing going on is that your good friend thinks I can not protect myself because I am a princess, do you think me as weak?" Lyra narrowed her eyes at Sevastian.
Sevastian pinched the bridge of his nose, his head beginning to grow an ache. He couldn't wait to leave this kingdom, and this infuriating princess, before she drove him to madness. "I never said so, nor did I insinuate such a thing. Can you please stop putting words in my mouth?" he said.
Lyra raised her chin, her eyes narrowing. "The only thing I'd like to put in your mouth is your enormous ego and pride," she scoffed at him.
Rohan, who had been trying and failing to suppress his laughter, finally stepped in, raising his hands to mediate. "Alright, enough. Calm down, both of you. I need you to work together, not against each other," he said, glancing between them. "The better we work, the faster we can find the black fae. So, can we please focus?"
"I am trying to locate the cave on this map, but everything is so jumbled up, and I can hardly make out the writings," Sevastian sighed heavily, his frustration evident as he focused on the faded map before him.
"I think we have a magnifying glass somewhere. Let me find it." Rohan began rummaging through the drawers. After a moment, he pulled out the glass and placed it on the table with a satisfied smirk. "Here it is."
Rohan leaned forward, holding the magnifying glass over the map, his silver eyes scanning through it. "I am seeing a lot of caves here in the Dead Forest. There is a bigger one, though... and a marked area called 'Vylint.' That is the only route to reach the Cave of Darkness because it is completely surrounded by the Vylint." His voice dropped slightly, carrying an unexpected chill.
"What is a Vylint?" Sevastian asked, his brow furrowing as he glanced between the siblings.
Rohan and Lyra exchanged a tense look before Lyra spoke. "In simpler terms, Vylint is a cursed path of fog. It is said to drain the soul and sanity of anyone who ventures through it by forcing them to relive their darkest memories."