Lekan's sleep was deep, but not peaceful.
In his dream, he stood in a field of golden light, soft wind brushing against his skin. In front of him was a beautiful woman, serene, and glowing faintly like the first rays of dawn. Her long silver hair shimmered, and her pale blue eyes looked straight into his soul.
She spoke in a voice both warm and commanding.
"Come find me. On the day of the Solstice of Grace. At the Church of Solura."
Before Lekan could ask anything, the dream faded into darkness.
He jolted up awake, sitting up in bed and scratching his head, still half in the dream world. His body felt weak, but he was alive.
A familiar voice spoke next to him.
"I'm glad you're finally awake."
Lekan turned and saw Rowan sitting beside the bed, a relieved smile on his face.
"How long was I out?" Lekan asked groggily.
"Four days," Rowan said. "You've been asleep for four whole days."
Lekan's eyes widened. "Four days…"
"You should take your time getting ready," Rowan continued. "We need to go tell Prince Leo what happened the night you were attacked."
Just hearing those words made Lekan freeze.
The memories hit him all at once.
The blood…
The lifeless bodies…
The masked killer.
His face went pale. His stomach turned. He barely managed to roll over before vomiting off the side of the bed, trembling.
"Lekan!" Rowan rushed to his side, holding his shoulder. "Are you okay? Should I call someone?"
"I'm fine," Lekan gasped, wiping his mouth. "I… I just remembered it all. I'll be okay."
Rowan hesitated but nodded. "Alright. But let's go slow."
Lekan stood, legs unsteady but eyes focused. "Let's meet with the prince."
Before leaving, Rowan called for a maid to clean up the room, then helped Lekan into fresh clothes.
As they walked through the hallways of the palace, Lekan was quiet.
He looked out the tall windows at the Valorian capital, the ocean shimmering in the distance.
A new world.
A dangerous one.
"I have to get stronger," he thought. "Strong enough to protect myself. Strong enough that no one else has to clean up after me again."
Rowan glanced at him and noticed the change. Lekan's usual sarcasm and smart remarks were gone. He was quiet. Serious. Different.
"You alright?" Rowan asked.
"Just thinking," Lekan replied, not breaking his stride.
They arrived at the Third Prince's office. Bella was waiting outside. She nodded to them both and opened the door, leading them in.
Prince Leo was seated at his desk, his expression unreadable. With a wave of his hand, he activated a magic barrier around the room—a shimmering dome of silence.
"Alright," Leo said, folding his hands. "Lekan, I need you to tell me exactly what happened. You were found unconscious, bleeding, wrapped in only a towel. And several of my servants were dead."
Lekan took a breath and stepped forward.
"I was bathing," he began, voice steady but low. "Then I heard something—soft footsteps. I thought it might've been a cat or maybe a maid, but when I went to check… I found bodies. Maids, dead. One of them had just been killed, and there was someone standing over her. A masked figure, dressed in black."
Leo's face darkened. Bella crossed her arms, her jaw clenched.
"I panicked," Lekan continued. "I screamed and ran, hoping someone would hear me… but the intruder chased me down. I didn't even see the blade coming. He stabbed me in the chest, and then… he was gone. Jumped through the window like he was never there."
Lekan placed a hand on his chest, remembering the pain. "I thought I was going to die. So I prayed. I called on Solura to heal me… and it worked. Then I blacked out."
The room was silent for a moment. Everyone processing his words.
Lekan broke the silence. "Do you think the assassin was after me? Because I came in with you?"
Prince Leo looked thoughtful for a long moment. Then he shook his head slowly.
"No," he said. "If you were the target, the assassin wouldn't have left you alive. They would've made sure you were dead before fleeing."
Rowan stepped forward. "The day we arrived at the palace," he said, "someone tried to eavesdrop on a private conversation between me and Lekan. What if… they weren't after Lekan? What if they were trying to silence someone who knew too much?"
Leo nodded grimly. "That was my first thought, too. I reviewed the files of the servants who were killed. Two of the maids came into my estate under very strange recommendations."
Lekan frowned. "Who's in charge of approving who gets to work in a prince's palace?"
"The man who recommended them left six months ago," Leo said. "He disappeared without a trace. We've been searching for him, but it's likely he's already dead. Or hiding."
The prince leaned back in his chair, tension in his face. "But the biggest problem isn't the maids—it's how the assassin got in and out without being caught. That means someone inside helped them. Maybe a guard. Maybe someone higher up."
Bella slammed her fist into her palm. "Those spineless bastards would actually betray their master…"
She looked down, guilt flashing in her eyes. Then she stepped forward and bowed deeply to Lekan.
"I failed you," she said. "If I had been more alert, it never would've happened."
Lekan blinked, surprised. "Stop. A teacher bowing to a student? That's not right."
He stood up straighter. "You can't be everywhere at once. Whoever did this… they planned it. They waited until you weren't nearby. You were with the prince, weren't you? That means the traitor probably knows your schedule. Maybe the prince's, too."
Leo nodded slowly, impressed by the insight.
"You've been through a lot," he said. "Go back to your room. Rest. Take the next few days to recover."
He turned to everyone else in the room. "And no one says a word about this to anyone. The fewer people know, the better."
Bella nodded. Rowan looked grim. Lekan just stood there, fists clenched, a fire beginning to burn in his eyes.
He had survived.
But he wasn't going to just survive anymore.
He was going to fight back.