Every organization had a leader; it would be faster to speak directly to that person rather than waste time with their underlings. She didn’t know whether it was the use of dark magic that transformed the heretics so drastically, but all the answers would be found in their hideout.
The problem was locating it precisely. Even the duke himself had spent the past few years trying to find that infamous hideout without success. But she had another card up her sleeve: a tracking spell.
Over short distances, anyone with a bit of magic could use a tracking spell. However, the greater the distance, the more magic it required. And what did Selen possess in abundance? Magic, of course. She would be more exhausted than usual, but at least she would finally move forward with her plans.
“We leave in ten minutes, Sir Anna.”
A knight relayed the information as she headed toward the stables. She mounted her horse and rode toward the courtyard where the knights were gathered. The duke was giving battle instructions. She knew there were two main battlefields against the heretics—one in the far north and another to the west. They were heading west. Knights were already stationed there; they were only going to assist in finishing the extermination of the heretics in that area.
“We’re leaving, Sir Anna,” said a knight, nudging her leg with his foot.
“She’s always daydreaming. You’d think she came here to meditate,” another mocked before bursting into laughter.
Selen offered them a polite smile before galloping after them.
The journey was long. Upon arrival, the duke ordered them to quickly join the knights already fighting. Selen stayed in the background for most of the battle. When she sensed the heretics were about to retreat, she slipped into a nearby clearing with a heretic she had chained about an hour earlier. She cast a tracking spell on him and released him before hiding behind a tree.
She observed his clumsy movements at first, then he ran to rejoin the fleeing heretics on the other side of the clearing. The problem Selen had failed to consider was that some villagers had taken refuge in that same clearing. With winter approaching, most trees had lost their leaves, making it easy for her to spot the two children hiding behind a half-burned tree trunk.
Calm down. He won’t see them, she told herself, her heart pounding.
She must not act rashly and jeopardize her plan so quickly. Yet the worst-case scenario unfolded—the heretic formed a magic circle upon spotting the children, preparing to attack. Her body moved before she even realized it. A blade of magic pierced through the heretic, who collapsed to the ground.
Selen rushed to the children, who had begun crying. They couldn’t have been more than five years old. She reassured them as best she could and escorted them back to the village.
By the time they returned to the castle, the sun was already setting. Selen was torn by an inner conflict throughout the journey back. She had jeopardized her own plan to save children. On one hand, she knew she was incapable of harming a child. On the other, she still felt guilty for ruining such an opportunity.
Lost in her thoughts, she dismounted and led her horse toward the stables. Noises coming from the castle entrance drew her attention. She released the reins and walked toward the growing crowd.
“Speak!” the duke shouted.
The knight he addressed looked on the verge of tears. The poor man fell to his knees.
“Your Grace, I swear we didn’t know.”
The duke drew his sword and pressed it to the knight’s throat.
“Explain yourself. Why do you say Rose isn’t in the castle?”
The knight burst into sobs.
“Your Grace, spare me, I beg you. We were preparing weapons and medical supplies to bring to the northern village, and milady must have taken the opportunity to blend in with the knights. It was only later, when we found her escort injured, that we realized she had followed us.”
“Where is she now?” the duke demanded.
“We don’t know, Your Grace. We searched the entire village but found no trace of her. I returned to the castle as quickly as possible to check if she had stayed behind and we had been mistaken, but she isn’t here either.”
Selen saw a vein twitch on the duke’s face. For a moment, she thought he would kill the knight, but he sheathed his sword and turned away.
“Bring me everyone who was in contact with Rose the last time she was seen, and take me to the knight who escorted her.”
Selen nearly ran to her room, pulled out a map, and spread it on her bed. She infused it with magic, and Rose’s location appeared.
If, as she suspected, Rose had been kidnapped by the heretics, she would inevitably lead them to their hideout. The problem was that if Selen disappeared now, the duke would believe she was involved in the kidnapping and would hunt her relentlessly.
Moreover, the circumstances of Rose’s abduction were suspicious. She might have gone to the village to treat the sick, but aside from those who had already seen her, no one could have known she was the duke’s sister. There was only one possible conclusion: there was a traitor within the duchy.
Selen headed to the duke’s office but found two knights guarding the door.
“I would like to speak with His Grace.”
“The duke is occupied,” one replied.
“It concerns Lady Rose’s disappearance.”
The two guards hesitated before one stepped forward.
“The duke is not in his office. If you have useful information, I will take you to him.”
Selen followed him to a storage building behind the castle. Judging by the noise inside, the duke had likely already captured the traitor.
“Wait here. I’ll inform His Grace.”
The soldier opened the door, and Selen slipped her foot in before it could close. Inside, the duke was shouting at a bound knight whose face was already bruised.
“Calm yourself, Your Grace,” the advisor pleaded.
Selen noticed the bound knight’s empty gaze. He likely had a spell preventing him from speaking if captured.
The duke lost patience and kicked the chair violently.
“We’ll get nothing from him,” he said, running an anxious hand over his face.
The knight who had brought Selen finally spoke to the advisor.
“Your Grace, it seems someone has information about Lady Rose.”
The duke spun around and grabbed the knight by the collar.
“Speak.”
“It isn’t him, Your Grace,” the advisor clarified.
“Then who?”
“She’s outside. I’ll bring her in.”
Selen stepped back from the door, composing herself.
“Enter. His Grace will hear you.”
She walked in and wasn’t surprised to see the duke’s face harden into a mask of fury.
“I should have known,” he said, gripping her arm violently.
“Your Grace, please calm yourself. Let us hear her out,” the advisor intervened.
The duke hesitated before releasing her. Selen swallowed. She had to choose her words carefully; things could escalate quickly.
“I am able to locate Lady Rose,” Selen began. “As you know, I participated in the western expedition with Your Grace. I could not possibly have anticipated Lady Rose’s actions.”
“And how would you locate her?” the duke asked sarcastically.
He didn’t believe her—and that was natural. He believed she was merely Anne Rosvilt, a B-rank knight barely stronger than a beginner.
“I placed a tracking spell on Lady Rose. That is why I can locate her.”
“How dare you?” the duke exclaimed. “Why should I believe a single word from you?”
He looked ready to draw his sword at any moment. Once again, the advisor intervened.
“Let us hear her out, Your Grace. We have no leads at the moment. Whether she speaks truth or lies, we will judge after her explanation. Now explain yourself, Sir Anna—even if I doubt that is your real name—why did you place a tracking spell on Lady Rose?”
“I decided to do so yesterday when I realized you had someone follow me during my visit to the temple. I thought that if you went to the trouble of monitoring me, I would do the same. It would have been more complicated to cast it on the duke himself, so I settled for Lady Rose.”
The duke let out a strained laugh.
“And what proves you are not a spy sent by the temple? Or that you are not involved—directly or indirectly—in Rose’s kidnapping?”
“I could spend the entire night trying to convince you I am not sent by the temple or anyone else, but we both know you would not believe me.”
“So you claim you work for no one,” the duke said, stepping dangerously closer.
Selen stepped back until her back hit the wall and the duke’s blade pressed against her throat. She hadn’t even noticed when he had drawn it.
“Who are you? And more importantly, what is your goal?” he demanded.
“Who I am is irrelevant right now. As for my goal—it aligns with yours. I want to uncover the heretics’ hideout, wherever it may be.”
For a full minute, the duke searched her green eyes as if seeking all his answers within them. Finally, he lowered the blade.
“I am willing to believe you about the tracking spell. Tell me my sister’s location. Only then will we discuss further.”
Selen let out a small sarcastic laugh.
“I believe we misunderstand each other, Your Grace. I am not here to negotiate. I am the only person capable of locating Lady Rose, which means I hold the strongest position in this situation. The only reason I am not already on her trail is because I knew that if I left abruptly, you would pursue me, believing I had something to do with her disappearance.”
“I could kill you here and now. Do not forget that.”
“And with me would die your only hope of finding your sister alive,” Selen replied. “We have no interest in fighting each other, Your Grace. On the contrary, our goals converge. So why not form a temporary alliance?…”
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