The city never truly slept; it only changed its face. By day, it thrived in chaos—merchants haggling, children darting through the crowd, guards marching in rigid formation. But by night, it wore a different mask, one of secrecy and shadows. In the moon's pale glow, the narrow alleys whispered with a quieter kind of unrest. I slipped between those shadows now, my cloak pulled tight against the night's chill, every step carefully measured. I couldn't afford to draw attention—not with so many ears listening and so many eyes watching.
The words of the mysterious informant circled in my mind, clinging to my thoughts like burrs. He had spoken of a kingdom teetering on the edge, a realm in need of someone strong enough to lead it through the dark times ahead. The kingdom is weaker than ever, he had said. A kingdom in need of someone who understands what it means to protect, to lead.
There was a dangerous truth in what he said. Even as I moved through the winding alleys, I could feel it—the tension hanging in the air, as thick and suffocating as smoke. People spoke in hushed voices, their faces drawn with worry, their eyes darting around as if expecting trouble at any moment. Fear crept into every corner, twisting through the narrow streets, spreading like a disease.
Hei Hei walked beside me, her steps silent, her presence grounding. She had been unusually quiet since we'd entered the city, her instincts on high alert. She seemed to sense the unease in me, her large, intelligent eyes watching everything around us. I stroked her mane absentmindedly as we moved, drawing some comfort from her steady presence.
I didn't have a clear plan—just an instinct that told me to keep moving, to keep listening. My thoughts pulled me toward the heart of the city, where the palace loomed against the dark sky, its tall spires like daggers silhouetted against the moon. That was where the power lay, where the secrets were hidden. And if there were answers to be found about this prophecy, they would be there.
As we neared the palace, the streets grew quieter, more guarded. I guided Hei Hei into a secluded alley, a narrow slice of darkness between two tall buildings where the shadows pooled thick and deep. I patted her neck, whispering, "Stay here, girl. Keep quiet." She snorted softly, her ears twitching back, sensing my unease. I pressed my forehead against hers for a moment, drawing strength from her. "I won't be long."
The palace walls towered ahead, dark and foreboding. I moved slowly, keeping to the deepest shadows, my heart hammering in my chest. The moon was thin tonight, its light barely piercing the dense foliage that overhung the palace gardens. A blessing in disguise; it meant more places to hide, more cover to slip through unseen. I crept closer, keeping my footsteps light and my breath shallow. The cold stone of the palace wall pressed against my back as I inched my way along it, listening.
Voices drifted from around a corner, hushed but urgent. I edged closer, just enough to see a small group of nobles gathered near a side entrance, their faces half-hidden in shadow. The tension between them was palpable, their heads bent close as they spoke in frantic whispers.
"…the prophecy of the Watcher born of two flames," a man was saying, his voice tight with anxiety. "If it is true, the current Watcher is doomed to fail. We should prepare for the worst."
"Quiet!" another voice hissed—a man's, sharper, older. "Speak of such things, and you risk treason. The queen trusts the current Watcher to hold the darkness at bay. We must support him, at least publicly."
A woman cut in, her voice softer but edged with steel. "The Watcher is weak. We all know it. The darkness grows while he falters. If the prophecy is real… if the female Watcher has truly returned, it could mean the end of our way of life. Or a new beginning."
My breath caught in my throat, my heartbeat thundering in my ears. A female Watcher? Born of two flames? They were speaking of me—there was no mistaking it. My mother had always hinted at my birth being unique, a union of two powerful legacies. Could this prophecy be tied to that? Could my very existence be the key to all this unrest?
I inched closer, my back pressed against the rough stone. The night air seemed to grow colder, the shadows deeper as I strained to hear more.
"The prophecy is just an old tale," the sharp-voiced man argued. "Nothing more. The queen would never believe—"
"But the signs are there," the first man insisted. "The Watcher grows weaker each day, and the darkness gains strength. If the prophecy is fulfilled, we must choose a side, and soon. The wrong choice could destroy us."
A tense silence settled over the group, broken only by the distant call of a night bird. My pulse quickened. They were afraid, and rightly so. If they were to discover who I was—what I was—things could turn dangerous very quickly. I had to move carefully. If I revealed myself too soon, I would lose any chance of finding out what I needed to know.
The woman spoke again, her voice barely more than a whisper. "The Watcher has always been a man, passed down through the male line. A female Watcher, born of two flames… it would challenge everything we know. It would mean the end of the old ways."
"Or a return to them," the first man countered. "The Watchers were once chosen by the gods, not by blood. Maybe this is a sign that things are coming full circle. Either way, we need to be ready."
I felt a shiver run down my spine. Their words hinted at a history I didn't fully understand, a legacy that I had only begun to unravel. My mother had always spoken of the old ways, of a time when the Watchers were more than just a bloodline—when they were chosen for their strength, their wisdom, their ability to lead. Had she known about this prophecy? Is that why she had sent me back to this kingdom, to this place that had banished me from birth?
The conversation continued, growing softer as they turned to move deeper into the palace grounds. I couldn't hear their words anymore, but I had heard enough. I needed more information, something concrete to explain this prophecy and why they feared it so much. And I knew exactly where I needed to look.
The palace library was said to be a treasure trove of ancient knowledge—texts and scrolls that chronicled the history of the kingdom, its rulers, and its Watchers. It would be heavily guarded, but I had spent years learning how to move unseen. If the nobles were whisper ing about this prophecy, there would be something written about it in that library. And if there was even the slightest chance it could give me answers, I had to take it.