Chapter XII - The Prince Taken Again

  The throne room was vast and silent, its vaulted ceiling stretching high above like the sky itself. Moonstone pillars lined the walls, glowing faintly with runes that pulsed in rhythm with the girls’ footsteps. At the far end sat the Queen of Elrodia, her silver robes cascading like waterfalls over the steps of her throne.

  Laura swallowed hard. The Queen’s gaze was sharp, ancient, and unreadable.

  “You are the daughter of Earth’s Keeper,” the Queen said, her voice echoing with power. “Step forward.”

  Laura hesitated, then walked ahead, her friends trailing behind. The Queen studied her for a long moment before speaking again.

  “The prince has returned,” she said, her voice steady but strained. “But he was taken again—this time by Zyrax’s agents.”

  The throne room shimmered with quiet tension. Queen Astralis’s words still echoed in Laura’s ears: The prince has returned—but he was taken again.

  Laura stepped forward. “Where was he last seen?”

  “In the village of Velmira,” the Queen replied. “But by the time our scouts arrived, he was gone. We believe he’s still somewhere in Elrodia, hidden or imprisoned.”

  Laura stepped forward. “We’ll find him,” she said, her voice steady. “And maybe… maybe we’ll find more of our classmates too.”

  Helen raised an eyebrow. “You think they’re in Velmira?”

  Laura nodded. “It’s possible. If the prince was there, maybe others ended up nearby. We were all scattered when the portal collapsed.”

  Mary adjusted the strap on her satchel. “I’ve been sensing something. It’s like something—or someone—is tugging at the magic.”

  Helen smirked. “Sounds like trouble. My kind of place.”

  Laura turned to Madelyn, who stood quietly near the Queen’s throne. “You had a vision, didn’t you?”

  Madelyn nodded. “I saw the prince in a forest, chained to a stone altar. There were voices… chanting. And a symbol—burning bright red.”

  Mary’s eyes widened. “That could be Zyrax’s mark.”

  Laura stepped closer. “Madelyn, I need you to stay here. If you get another vision, the Queen needs to hear it immediately.”

  Madelyn hesitated, then nodded. “I’ll keep watch. And I’ll send word if anything changes here.”

  Laura turned to Isabelle. “You too. Stay close to the Queen. If anything happens at the castle, we need someone we can trust.”

  Isabelle gave a reluctant nod. “Just don’t take too long.”

  Chris handed Laura a scroll and a glowing crystal. “This will help you trace royal energy. It’s faint—but it’s there.”

  Mary took it carefully. “I’ll amplify it with my magic. If he’s near a magical object, we’ll definitely find him.”

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Helen cracked her knuckles. “Let’s hope Zyrax’s goons are ready for a fight.”

  Laura looked at her two companions—Helen and Mary. The team was smaller than she’d hoped, but determined.

  “We’re not just finding a prince,” she said. “We’re finding each other.”

  Chapter XIII - Road to Velmira

  As the sun rose over the horizon, the three girls stepped out of the castle gates, the wind carrying whispers of fate and fire. Velmira awaited—and with it, the truth.

  The journey to Velmira was long and winding. Forest paths twisted through ancient trees, their branches whispering secrets in the wind. Laura walked ahead, the crystal pulsing faintly in her palm.

  Mary kept close, murmuring to herself as she tracked ley line currents. “There’s something here,” she said softly. “The magic feels… tangled.”

  Helen kicked a loose stone off the path. “Tangled or not, if anyone tries to mess with us, they’ll regret it.”

  Laura didn’t respond. Her eyes were fixed on the horizon, where the valley dipped into shadow. She knew what waited below.

  Velmira.

  A village that didn’t care who you were—only what you could pay. Assassins, smugglers, spies. If you had money, you had power. If you didn’t… you were prey.

  “I’ve read about Velmira,” Laura said quietly. “It’s not a place for heroes. It’s a place for deals. For secrets. For survival.”

  Helen raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like my kind of town.”

  Mary frowned. “We’re walking into a den of mercenaries. How do we know they won’t sell us out the moment we ask about the prince?”

  Laura’s grip tightened around the crystal. “We don’t. That’s why we don’t ask. We listen. We watch. And we pay if we have to.”

  As they crested the final hill, Velmira came into view—alive with movement. Lanterns flickered in windows. Merchants haggled in hushed tones. Cloaked figures passed silently, eyes sharp and calculating.

  Mary shivered. “It’s not evil. Just… cold.”

  Laura nodded. “It’s a place where people do what they must. And if the prince was here, someone would know something.”

  The crystal glowed brighter.

  Velmira had noticed them.

  Chapter XIV - The Hollow Echo

  Laura moved through the cracked plaza with purpose, her boots silent against the stone. The air shimmered faintly with shard residue, and every step felt like a warning. Velmira was always humming—like it knew things she didn’t.

  Helen walked beside her, hand near her blade, eyes scanning every shadow. Mary trailed just behind, fingers tracing the edge of a coded symbol etched into the wall. It pointed toward The Hollow Echo, the tavern where their informant was said to hide. Someone who might know what happened to the prince.

  Laura didn’t trust the lead. She didn’t trust much anymore. But she trusted her instincts—and they told her they were close.

  Then she saw them.

  Three figures across the plaza. Familiar silhouettes. Familiar tension.

  Jake stood at the edge of a stone slab, his gauntlet pulsing faintly. His normally tidy black hair was messy and his brown eyes dimmed. He looked older somehow—more worn. Eli was half-hidden behind a pillar, his black eyes sharp, cloak hiding his auburn hair. Max leaned casually against the wall, his blond hair swayed by the wind, flipping a dagger in the air like it was a game. His blue eyes was somehow still cheerful.

  Laura stopped. Her breath caught—half from surprise, and half from calculation.

  Jake looked up. Their eyes met. He didn’t speak.

  She did.

  “Why are you here?”

  Jake’s expression didn’t change. “You're the one who told us that we’re going to land in a new dimension called Elrodia.”

  Laura said, voice unable to hide shock. “You shouldn’t be buying things recklessly. You’ll run out of shards.”

  Eli emerged from the shadows, his voice quieter. “We know enough to survive.”

  Laura narrowed her eyes. These boys clearly needed teaching.

  Mary’s gaze locked on Max. “Those daggers aren’t toys.”

  Max grinned. “Neither is Velmira.”

  Laura felt the tension spike. The informant was slipping away. She turned sharply toward the alley, but Eli was already moving.

  “He’s inside,” he said. “The Hollow Echo.”

  Laura hesitated. Then spoke, “He knows about the prince.”

  Jake blinked. “Prince?”

  She didn’t answer. There wasn’t time.

  Inside the Hollow Echo, the tavern was dim and half-abandoned. A broken glass on the floor. A trail of dust. A whisper of shard energy.

  Too late.

  Laura clenched her fists. They’d lost the lead. Again.

  Jake stepped beside her, voice low. “What’s going on?”

  She didn’t answer.

  Max broke the silence. “Well, this reunion’s been cozy. Who wants to chase a ghost?”

  No one laughed.

  But they moved—together.