The scent of herbs and sizzling onions filled the tavern's kitchen as I stirred the pan with one hand and adjusted the flame with the other. My thoughts, however, weren't on dinner. They were on Sage.
Her laughter from this morning still lingered in my ears, and the memory of her teasing smile sent a warmth through my chest that had nothing to do with the stove. She was everything—fragile yet resilient, maddening yet mesmerizing. How someone so stubborn could also be so breathtakingly beautiful, I would never know.
The sound of hurried footsteps pulled me from my thoughts. Alohi burst into the kitchen, slightly breathless, her hair a mess as always.
"Where's Sage?" I asked, glancing over my shoulder, expecting to see her following.
"Oh," Alohi waved a hand casually, brushing off her bangs, "she's out in the forest, trying to help an injured deer."
I couldn't help but smile. Of course, she is. That's so Sage—reckless, compassionate, and annoyingly selfless. "She's so cute sometimes," I murmured more to myself than to Alohi.
Alohi snorted, plopping down onto a stool and stealing a piece of chopped carrot from the cutting board. "Cute? You're whipped, Xenos. You should see the way you look when she's around—like a puppy begging for scraps."
I shot her a glare, but before I could retort, something hit me—a vision, vivid and jarring.
Sage.
Her face pale, tears streaming down her cheeks. Citrus. His hand striking her, blood on her lips. My breath hitched, and my grip tightened on the wooden spoon until it snapped in two. The room spun for a moment, my chest tightening with the force of the vision.
"Xenos?" Alohi's voice cut through the haze.
"She's in danger," I said, my voice low but trembling with rage.
"What?" Alohi stood, alarmed. "What do you mean? She's just—"
"I need to go," I interrupted, already grabbing my coat and sword. "Now."
"Wait, what's going on? Where's Sage?" Alohi asked, her tone frantic now.
"I don't know where she is, but I'm going to find her." My jaw clenched as the fury boiled beneath my skin. "And if Citrus so much as laid a hand on her, I'll kill him."
I was halfway out the door when Alohi grabbed my arm, her grip surprisingly firm. "Wait, you idiot!" she snapped, her voice sharp enough to cut through the haze of my fury. "Charging in blind won't help her."
"She's in danger, Alohi. I'm not wasting another second," I growled, trying to shake her off, but she held firm.
"Then go to someone who can actually help us find her!" she shot back. "Go to Cynfael. If anyone can locate her, it's him."
I stopped, the weight of her words pressing down on my frantic thoughts. She was right, as much as I hated to admit it. I exhaled sharply through my nose, the burning urgency in my chest still clawing at me. "Fine. Let's go."
Alohi didn't waste a moment. She grabbed the nearest teleportation rune and activated it, the room around us dissolving into a swirl of light. In seconds, we were standing in the grand, marble-floored hallway of the castle.
"Come on!" Alohi urged, and we ran, the sound of our footsteps echoing off the high ceilings as we made our way to Cynfael's office.
When we burst through the heavy wooden doors, Cynfael looked up from his desk, his usual calm expression replaced with one of surprise. "What's going on?" he asked, rising to his feet.
"Sage is in trouble," I said, my voice low but shaking with barely restrained rage. "I need your help to find her."
Cynfael's gaze sharpened instantly, his playful demeanor gone. "What kind of trouble?"
"She's been taken by Citrus," Alohi explained quickly. "Xenos had a vision—he saw her being hurt."
Cynfael's jaw tightened, his golden eyes darkening. "Citrus." He muttered the name like a curse. "That bastard…"
He closed his eyes, his breathing steadying as he concentrated. The room fell into a tense silence, every second stretching unbearably. Finally, his eyes snapped open, and his expression was grim.
"She's in the basement of Citrus's mansion," he said. "It's heavily warded, but I can get you close."
I didn't need to hear anything else. My fists clenched at my sides, the fury inside me surging like a storm. "Then take me there," I said, my voice cold and unwavering.
Cynfael nodded, already reaching for the teleportation rune on his desk. "We need to move quickly. Sage doesn't have much time."
"I'm coming with you," Alohi declared, stepping forward with a determined look.
"No," Cynfael said firmly, turning to face her. His golden eyes softened, but his tone left no room for argument. "It's too dangerous, Alohi. I want you safe."
Alohi's expression hardened, her lips parting to protest, but Cynfael stepped closer, lowering his voice. "If something happened to you, I…" He hesitated for a fraction of a second, then continued. "I need you to trust me on this. Please."
Her defiance faltered at the raw concern in his voice. She crossed her arms and muttered, "Fine, but you better not get yourself killed."
"I don't plan on it," Cynfael replied with a faint smile, but his attention quickly shifted to me. His expression turned serious as he outlined the plan.
"I'll distract Citrus and his sister, Cyra," he said. "They have no idea I've been working with you or Sage, so I can get close without raising suspicion."
"And me?" I asked, already itching to move.
"You'll break in through the kitchen. It's likely the least guarded entrance," Cynfael explained. "The wards around the mansion are designed to keep enemies out, but once I'm inside, I can temporarily weaken them for you. Once you're in, find Sage and get her out."
I nodded, my focus razor-sharp. "And what happens if you get caught?"
"I won't," Cynfael replied with confidence, though there was a glimmer of something more serious in his eyes. "But if I do, that's my problem. You focus on Sage. Nothing else matters."
"Nothing else matters," I repeated under my breath, the words hitting like a vow.
Alohi, standing to the side, bit her lip, looking between us. "Be careful," she said quietly, her usual playful tone absent.
Cynfael gave her a quick nod before picking up the teleportation rune. "I'll create the diversion. Xenos, be ready to move as soon as I give the signal."
The room filled with light as the teleportation spell activated. The time for hesitation was over. Sage was waiting, and I wasn't about to let her down.
The kitchen door creaked as I slipped inside, the faint scent of herbs and old wine lingering in the air. Shadows danced across the dimly lit room, but I didn't stop to observe. My footsteps were swift and silent, my focus honed on one thing—finding Sage.
Cynfael's diversion had worked so far; the mansion was eerily quiet, devoid of guards or the usual bustling activity. I moved with purpose, my senses heightened, scanning for any sign of danger or where the basement might be.
Then, I saw it—the narrow staircase leading down into darkness. My chest tightened as I approached, every nerve in my body alight with urgency and dread.
I paused at the top of the steps, my hand gripping the railing as I took a deep breath. The faint metallic smell of blood wafted upward, mingling with the cold, damp air. My pulse thundered in my ears.
She was down there. I could feel it.
For a moment, I closed my eyes, steadying myself. I had to be strong—for her. Whatever I found beyond that door, I would face it. For Sage.
With one last deep breath, I descended the stairs.