Traitor!

The journey began with suffocation and terror. Being cramped in such a confined space was horrifying, but I pushed through, refusing to falter. Rafar led the way, occasionally pausing to listen through the ducts and discern our location.

The servants whispered against the king’s tyranny, their dissatisfaction palpable. Conversations of discontent filled every corridor. Yet, fear of losing their livelihoods kept them working, despite their lack of motivation.

Gradually, the stifling sensation eased, and I realized I could breathe in that place. The ducts always connected to some part of the castle, allowing me to pause occasionally, drawing deep breaths into my lungs.

Rafar remained indifferent to our surroundings. For him, this mission didn’t seem as frightening as it was for me. His composure made me uneasy, reminding me of what Alice had said about me earlier—"a genius." Despite my past skill with robotics, I had never been called that.

Sadness weighed on me whenever I thought about the body I inhabited. Everyone admired me because Mai was the heroine of the story, blessed with powers surpassing all others. I let out an involuntary sigh, catching Rafar’s attention.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concerned. I nodded, but his doubtful expression made it clear he wasn’t convinced. This would be a conversation for another time.

Eventually, Rafar stopped and gestured for me to halt as well. I heard a gruff voice and quickly understood: we were at the king’s office. Rafar watched me for a moment, and I noticed that he wasn’t as calm as I had thought. He was more nervous than I was, his gaze on me protective, as if I were a precious gem under his care.

"I’ll be fine," I said, taking his hand. We both froze at the unexpected gesture but didn’t pull away. Even through the cold touch of his fingers, I could feel Rafar’s presence.

We waited silently until the king left, just as Paty, his secretary, had predicted. Trusting her word, Rafar carefully opened the duct, and moments later, we stood on a plush brown carpet inside the office.

"Any idea where it could be?" I asked. He shook his head, his expression peculiar.

I noticed Rafar scanning the room, his gaze heavy with sadness.

"I’ve never been here before," he admitted.

"You know," I said, stepping closer to him, "when my father left my mother, I felt very alone. But over time, I realized that being away from him wasn’t a punishment—it was freedom."

He nodded in agreement, but we both jumped back as the doorknob turned unexpectedly. The king entered, flanked by two guards and a woman. It was Paty, smiling triumphantly.

"Traitor!" Rafar bellowed, lunging forward, but I grabbed his arm to stop him.

"You’re just a prince, my boy. I follow the king’s orders," she replied smugly before leaving the room.

The king stepped forward, face-to-face with Rafar. Without a word, he grabbed his hair and punched him hard in the stomach.

"You think you’re smarter than your father? Do you think I’m a fool?" he snarled, raining blow after blow on my fiancé.

A color flashed in my mind: red. The color of anger, the force driving my powers to harm. My aura flared, and the king was hurled across the room, slamming into the wall with tremendous force. The guards rushed to his aid, but he barked sharply:

"You fools, seize them!"

Rafar drew his sword, engaging both guards simultaneously. The king remained still, and my focus returned to him. He raised a weapon, aiming it at Rafar.

"No!" I screamed, throwing myself forward to protect him, but it was too late. Rafar collapsed, unconscious, as despair overtook me. In my distraction, the guards restrained me and clasped a bracelet around my wrist. I immediately understood—it suppressed my magic.

"I’m in charge here, little girl. You should’ve stayed out of family matters," the king declared before leaving triumphantly.

"Rafar… my family," I murmured through tears as they dragged me to an unknown destination.