The path from the eastern gates was flanked by ancient trees that reached skyward like sentinels, their thick branches creating a canopy of shifting emerald light. Caed walked beside Silverbrow, who moved gracefully, his silver mane gleaming in the filtered sunlight. The dirt road beneath them was uneven, littered with roots and stones, but the air was vibrant, humming with an energy Caed couldn't name.
Ahead, the sounds of a skirmish broke the tranquil atmosphere. Steel clashed against something more viscous, a guttural snarl followed by an otherworldly shriek. Silverbrow paused, his ears flicking forward. "Something unusual," he murmured, his tone grave.
As they drew closer, Caed saw them: three figures locked in combat against several writhing black shapes. The monsters were shadowy and amorphous, their forms constantly shifting, as though they were more liquid than solid. Each lash of their tendrils left dark fiery scorch marks on the ground.
The first of the three warriors was a lithe half-dragon, obsidian scales cascading down her shoulders like living armor. Two curved horns arched high from her head, catching the sunlight in sharp glints. Her clawed hands wielded a massive, double-edged blade, which she swung with brutal precision.
The second was a faun, his lithe frame darting between the shadows with agile leaps. His hooves struck the ground in rhythmic bursts, and the runes etched into his antlers glowed faintly as he conjured bursts of magic, searing the monsters in flashes of light.
The third, an elf with sharp, angular features and pointy ears, moved like a shadow himself. His twin daggers sliced through the air, his strikes swift and calculated. He seemed to anticipate every move the monsters made, his grey cloak billowing with every step.
Despite their formidable skill, the demihumans didn't seem to notice Caed and Silverbrow at first. They were winning handily, the black shapes dissolving into nothingness as the final blows landed.
The demihumans fought with such skill and unity that the monsters' defeat seemed inevitable. Caed felt a strange mix of awe and relief—until his foot caught on a jagged rock. He stumbled, loose pebbles clattering down the path, the sharp sound cutting through the tense stillness.
One of the remaining monsters seized the distraction, melting into the forest's dark undergrowth before anyone could stop it. The half-dragon let out a low, irritated growl, her grip tightening on her blade.
But all three turned toward the newcomers, their gazes sharp and assessing.
Caed's breath caught as he met the eyes of the figure standing opposite, the half-dragon. She looked just around his age, her small frame strikingly similar to his own. Her golden eyes bore into his, filled with the same intense curiosity and caution he felt. Even her features—the curve of her jaw, the arch of her brows—were an uncanny mirror of his own. It was as though he were staring at a version of himself, reshaped just slightly by another hand.
She stepped forward, her expression tightening, her frown tugging at her mouth in an achingly familiar way, her golden eyes narrowing as they locked onto him.
"Rohan?" she asked, her voice soft but filled with an unmistakable note of disbelief.
---
Caed stared, his breath caught in his chest. The half-dragon's golden eyes locked onto his with an intensity that made him feel as though she could see straight through him. Her obsidian scales shimmered faintly as she shifted her weight, the massive blade resting easily against her shoulder. Her horns arched high above her head, framed a face that was unsettlingly familiar—too familiar.
"Rohan," she said, her gravelly voice softer now, more certain. Her frown deepened, and she tilted her head as if searching for answers in his expression.
Silverbrow stepped forward, placing himself respectfully in front of the half-dragon. His voice was reverently soft."You are correct, Princess."
The title sent a ripple of tension through the group. The faun and the elf both turned sharply to look at Caed, their postures stiffening in deference, head lowering.
The half-dragon, however, didn't react to the address. Her gaze remained locked on Caed, her grip tightening on her blade." But how is it possible ? Silverbrow?!," she said, though her tone raising. "That face... that face is his. It's mine."
Caed's heart raced. He looked up at Silverbrow, confusion written across his face. "What does she mean?" he whispered, his voice trembling.
Silverbrow's ears twitched, his silver mane shimmering as he lowered his head toward him. "This is not the time," he murmured softly. "I will explain, but not here."
The elf took a cautious step forward, his daggers glinting in the fading sunlight. "Princess Rowena," he said, addressing the half-dragon. "If this boy is someone of importance, we should not linger. The shadows are still watching."
"Rowena," Caed whispered to himself, the name feeling oddly familiar on his tongue.
The half-dragon—Rowena—finally tore her gaze away from him, though her expression remained troubled. "You're right, Talyndra," she said, her voice firming. She gestured toward the forest, where the remaining shadow had fled. "But we'll speak of this. Later."
Silverbrow straightened, his tone taking on a beseeching edge. "You know as well as I do, Princess, that the boy's presence here is no accident. But this is not the place for these truths." He turned to Caed, his soft eyes filled with an unreadable emotion. "Stay close to me, young prince."
The words hung in the air, and though they passed without question from the others, Caed's breath hitched. Prince? The weight of the title settled heavily on him, but there was no time to question it.
Rowena's golden eyes flickered back to him one last time before she turned to the faun and elf. "Watch the shadows," she commanded, her voice regaining its authority.
The faun's glowing antlers dimmed as he nodded, his ears twitching. "They're still near," he muttered.
The tension thickened. The shadows of the trees seemed to press closer, darker, as though the forest itself held its breath. Silverbrow stepped protectively in front of Caed again, his silver tail swishing lightly as his voice dropped to a whisper.
"Keep your head down, Caed," he said. "There are truths that must wait for the safety of the city."
Caed swallowed hard and nodded, his gaze flickering back to Rowena. Her resemblance to him was undeniable, and though he had no answers yet, a single question burned in his mind.
Who is she to me?