Elysara took a deep breath, her fingers brushing against the worn pages of her mother's diary. She had read and reread the entries several times, each line bringing more clarity about the path ahead. She had spent much of the night pondering over the decision.
When Aureth stirred beside her, Elysara knew it was time. She had to tell her grandmother the truth—the truth she had only just realized herself.
"Grandmother," Elysara began softly, her voice steady but tinged with a quiet urgency. "We're not going to Yrutverth anymore."
Aureth turned her head slowly, her tired eyes locking onto her granddaughter's. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, though the sharpness in her gaze told Elysara that Aureth was listening closely.
Elysara hesitated, taking another breath to steady herself before she continued. "I know where the Veil bearer is. She's in Kretner. My mother wrote about it in her diary."
Aureth's brows furrowed, confusion mingling with the growing realization in her eyes. "Kretner? But that's far off the beaten path… Why would she mention it now?"
Elysara opened the diary to the entry she had found earlier, the one about the cave in Kretner. She handed it to her grandmother. "She and Vanessa found something there—a secret place, a cave. I think it's where she went to hide, to stay safe after the assassinations. If we go there, we'll find the Veil bearer. It's our only chance."
Aureth took the diary, her hands trembling slightly as she scanned the words. Elysara could see the doubt lingering in her eyes, but she also noticed a flicker of recognition. Aureth closed the diary gently, meeting her granddaughter's gaze.
"Then it's settled," she said, her voice gaining strength despite her exhaustion. "We'll go to Kretner. The time for waiting is over."
Elysara nodded, her heart lightening for the first time since they had been forced off their path. It wasn't what they had originally planned, but it felt right, fate, perhaps, had led her to this moment.
"We leave at dawn," Elysara confirmed, a sense of resolve settling over her.
Aureth smiled faintly, though the weariness never fully left her face. "At dawn, then. We'll find the Veil bearer, Elysara. And together we'll stop the Hunger."
As dawn broke the next morning, the first light of the sun filtered through the tent, casting a soft glow over the sleeping forms of Elysara and Aureth. Elysara stirred, her body still slightly weak from the poison. She rose slowly, not wanting to disturb her grandmother, who was still deep in rest.
Outside, the camp was already stirring. The Protectors were packing up their supplies, preparing for their own next steps. Several of them noticed Elysara and nodded in respect, though their eyes were filled with concern. The golden threads of their magic still lingered, a sign that their healing efforts had been intense. But they had done what they could.
Aureth emerged shortly after, her steps slow but deliberate. She had her staff in hand, and though her expression was tired, she had already made her peace with their decision.
"We're ready," Elysara said, She didn't have to look back; she just knew her grandmother was with her.
The Protectors gathered around them, offering their blessings as they prepared to send them off. One of them, the leader of their order, approached Aureth and Elysara with a solemn expression.
"You have the will of the land with you," the Protector said. "May the Forest guide your path, and may you return with the strength to restore what has been lost."
Elysara nodded, her heart heavy but her spirit resolute. She glanced at Aureth, who offered a soft, reassuring smile in return.
The Protectors approached with their final offerings: Two mighty black grivolths, magical creatures known for their speed and endurance. They were perfect for this leg of the journey. The grivolths, with their dark fur and sleek, muscular bodies, stood like silent sentinels, waiting for their riders.
The leader of the Protectors, a tall, imposing figure with deep green eyes, stepped forward. "These grivolths will carry you swiftly across the land," he said, his voice low but filled with authority. "You must travel quickly, as the Hunger only grows stronger with each passing day."
As Elysara approached one of the creatures, it lowered its head in greeting, and she gently stroked its coat. It was strange, but comforting, the bond between rider and mount. She could already sense the grivolth's readiness to move.
"Thank you," Elysara said quietly, though the Protectors' faces were already hidden beneath their hoods, their duties completed.
With Elysara's assistance, they mounted their grivolths, and their journey began at once. The creatures moved with surprising grace, their powerful limbs covering vast stretches of terrain in mere moments.
Elysara's mind, however, was focused on something else. As they traveled, she dug into her mother's diary once again, desperate for any clue that could help them reach the Veil bearer. She turned the fragile pages carefully, seeking the passage about the secret cave in Kretner that her mother had mentioned.
Her heart skipped when she finally found the entry. Her mother had written about the journey to the cave in great detail. Elysara read aloud to herself, "A cave in Kretner, near the borders of the northern region… a place of refuge… hidden from prying eyes."
As they passed through the dense forest, Elysara's mind was filled with memories of the landmarks her mother had mentioned in her entry. The first was the tree where her mother and Vanessa had carved their initials, "L + V," deep into its bark.
They continued, and as her mother had described, they reached the second landmark, a towering mountain that looked strangely like a human squatting. Elysara couldn't help but smile faintly, imagining her mother's thoughts as she had written that entry. It had to have been a significant moment for her mother, to record it so vividly.
They crossed a small stream soon after, the water shimmering with the light of the sun as singing fairies danced along its surface. Elysara paused for a moment to watch, her heart lifted by the magical sight. She remembered how her mother had described this place with such fondness. It was in these little moments that Elysara found herself growing closer to understanding her mother, even if she couldn't yet fully comprehend the depth of her feelings toward Vanessa.
And then, just ahead, they spotted the cave. It was hidden in a crevice within the rocks, surrounded by the lush greenery of the northern lands. The cave was the very one her mother had written about. Her mother and Vanessa had once sought refuge there, and now it was time for Elysara to find her.
As the two grivolths slowed to a halt at the mouth of the cave, Elysara looked over at her grandmother, who gave a small but encouraging nod.
They dismounted the grivolths, feeling the weight of the journey settle into their bones. Elysara's heart raced, her thoughts a jumble of anticipation and uncertainty. Her fingers brushed the cover of the diary, then clenched into a fist as she took a look at the cave.
"This is it," Elysara whispered, more to herself than to anyone else. "We're here."