The Heart Is Signing Out

However, the closer the departure date got, the atmosphere took on a different character. It was as if people were finally beginning to realize that this wasn't a national camping trip or a hobbyist gathering, but a regular military camp. I didn't want to participate in any conversations, but I had to attend special meetings where they discussed the attack plan and possible variants, since I was part of the unit tasked with directly protecting the king. When I didn't feel like returning to the palace, I stayed by one of the campfires, usually where I had little chance of encountering Hans.

I listened to the conversations with curiosity and refrained from commenting, even though many things were on my lips.

They didn't know who they were going to face; they didn't even know what the Dragonids looked like. They exchanged speculations about them and what they were like in general. One of the youngest gathered tried to convince us all that he'd seen one of them. His story had a grain of truth to it, but only to a certain extent. He described them as bloodthirsty monsters who had regressed and had no foundation for civilization. I clenched my fists; they were so wrong, but I couldn't show how much I disagreed. It would only arouse unnecessary suspicion, and I still had to stay close to Michael to have a better chance of saving Renet.

"Don't talk nonsense," one of the previously silent older men accused him. "You couldn't have seen any of them."

"And how do you know?" the other man immediately became indignant. I noticed I wasn't the only one captivated by this exchange.

"Because they can assume human form, and they certainly wouldn't let you see theirs," the older man declared. "You've forgotten that fact."

"I haven't forgotten!"

"Do you even know how to recognize them in human form in an emergency? And to recognize which clan they belong to?"

I wondered if this was simply a reminder of common knowledge or if this part belonged only to the local experts, perhaps historians. I definitely wanted to know more and silently thanked this guy for putting the young liar to rest. He shrank back and remained silent as everyone else, including me, leaned toward the knowledgeable one, ready to enlighten us. He cleared his throat and then launched into a lecture, though he noted that this knowledge would likely be of no use to us, as he was convinced the Neighbors no longer utilized this ability, or even that it had completely disappeared. I wonder what he would have said if he knew how long Renet had been able to assume human form. I learned that the Dragonids, though they consider themselves a single nation, are divided into four clans, though Renet used the word "tribes." They differ from each other in many ways, habits, and, most importantly, appearance, which only they can recognize when in their human form. However, their human forms are distinct and impossible to miss.

"The color of their hair and eyes will tell you everything. Sometimes one or the other might seem similar to us, but together, it's impossible to deceive." I was deceived, and for a long time. "So let's start with the water race; their eyes and hair will be blue. The mountain dwellers will be gray, the desert gold, and the forest green. I'm telling you, if you decided to appear on this side, you'd immediately notice. That's why we'd never be able to live in harmony. I'm surprised it lasted so long."

It dawned on me that this was why Renet was so concerned about me not seeing even a strand of his hair. That was why he was so nervous and wanted to avoid every possible village. Not only because of his agreement with Michael, but also because at any moment he could be discovered in any form. Here, he couldn't feel safe, not even for a moment, and his priority, after all, was me.

My heart began to pound furiously as I slowly realized how much he had risked and sacrificed for me, and I couldn't repay him in kind. And at the same time, it ached with immense regret that there was something more behind it. I refused to entertain this thought to avoid possible disappointment and heartbreak, but I could have used our time together in a completely different way. To clearly show him that I cared. I cursed everything I could – myself, Michael, the princess, and the situation itself.

I could hear individual words from the ongoing discussion. The older man had his full attention, answering everyone's questions, but I didn't care anymore. I could learn more later, but I still didn't know what to do to free Renet and prevent the war; the king hadn't been convinced, after all. Besides, we were still reacting to each other with hostility, and I couldn't cope, but…

I looked up; the king was staring at me; clearly no one else had noticed his presence. I couldn't decipher what was behind it, though I only hoped he wasn't looking for me, but there was something disturbing lurking in all this. A moment passed, and I stood up, attracting the attention of others. When they saw who we were dealing with, they also rushed to look impeccable in the presence of their ruler.

"I'm glad my men are spending time together and that there's a friendly atmosphere among them," he spoke in a friendly tone, but he continued to stare at me, as if wanting me to understand his message. "However, we're moving tomorrow, so I'd prefer you get a good night's sleep and eat breakfast tomorrow. We'll win this, but I need you in top form, fully aware and certain of why we're doing this."

We stared at each other, amidst the eager chanting of the soldiers, who had begun to disperse to fulfill the king's will tomorrow morning. Only we remained, separated by the fire, as if to symbolize our divisions; he wanted to keep the flame burning, and I wanted to extinguish it. Michael moved first and came dangerously close to me.

"You have to adapt to this too. We'll eat breakfast before the others; we need to have a serious talk," he whispered, squeezing my arm.

"If it's not about stopping all this madness, then I don't feel like arguing," I muttered.

"Me neither, because there's no point. There's no turning back now." He squeezed my arm even tighter. "But you'll definitely want to talk about Renet."

I turned to him, his lips twisting into an almost sinister smile. I grimaced and wondered how on earth I could have ever admitted he was handsome.

"What...?" I barely opened my mouth, and Michael pulled me even closer.

I felt like he wanted to kiss me, so I immediately pushed him away. Definitely I wasn't going to play along; my feelings were already clear enough. He didn't even feel rejected, maybe more like someone who'd lost the first round and was preparing for the second. I just didn't like the feeling that this game was about me. I headed back to my room, even though I could feel his eyes on my back like a predator toying with its prey.