The small training ground still echoed with impact. The dummies, half mutilated, lay on the ground with Atheline standing before them.

He exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders to get the blood going.

"You’ve gotten faster my lord."

A female voice came from behind him, dry as ever.

He didn’t turn right away. On habit, he picked the arrows that had scattered around him.

"You were watching?"

"Everyone was worried but it seems you’ve recovered faster than normal, my lord."

That got a faint breath of amusement out of him. Then he turned to face them.

Three of them stood at the edge of the open training ground, his retainers or spies, dressed in casual clothes.

"You should tell me what you wanted, " he said, his gaze moving to the balcony where Lilith sat her gaze on him," my wife was enjoying the view."

"You are leaving tomorrow?" She asked.

He nodded once.

Their expressions sharpened as if they were slightly conflicted.

His eyebrows raised.

"What?"

"The timing is... inconvenient," another, a human male said.

The first retainer stepped forward, just a fraction.

"There have been rumours going around the ports these days," she paused, " started two days ago and has spread like wildfire."

That made him still.

"About?"

The answer didn’t come immediately; instead, the second retainer exhaled dragging a hand briefly against the back of his neck.

"The blood ocean," he said," or what’s happening beyond it."

That pulled his focus fully now.

"Be specific. "

"They started small," the first retainer continued, " fishermen coming back with no fish, sailors talking too much about bad voyages. Storm patterns are shifting. Routes becoming... unreliable."

"Thats normal, " he countered.

"It would be," the second cut in," if it moved like a normal storm... which it doesn’t"

Silence settled for a moment heavier than before.

"It’s been moving around different regions," the third continues, " it stays for a week or so then gone but the damage to sailors is almost irreplaceable. "

Atheline frowned.

"Where is it located now?" He asked.

"At the coordinates, " Lilith said quietly before any of them could answer.

His assessing gaze moved back to her. They held the stare for a while before he turned to the retainers.

"Anyone entered?" He asked.

"Some tried to push through it," the first said," but most turned back before reaching in."

"And?"

"Mixed stories," she said," too mixed."

That wasn’t reassuring.

"One crew swore they saw land inside the storm," the second said," another said it was just light, reflections, and crystallised water."

"Someone claimed there were structures," the third added, " pillars maybe, but he couldn’t describe them twice the same way."

"Most of them contradicted each other," the first went on," but they all agreed on one thing..."

He didn’t speak but the anticipation in the air spoke volumes.

"They couldn’t get through."

The wind shifted faintly across the courtyard.

"Every route mysteriously closes," she said," most of them don’t seem to remember how it went. Those who did said that the storm attacked them. It’s like..."

He hesitated, then finished anyway. " ... like something is keeping people out."

The words sat between them, heavy. A small sigh left him as his hand ran through his hair.

"There seems to be a problem," the third said breaking the silence.

"What is it?"

"People have already started inventing things," the third said.

"Like?"

"A forbidden ruin has risen," the second said, tone edged with irritation," something ancient rising from the sea, the sea gods’ sanctuary. The sovereigns. Power. Relics. Whatever sells the story faster."

"Scavengers and hunters have already started to arrive, right?" He asked.

"Yes," the third said," we tried to suppress it, slow it down by pushing safer explanations. Natural storms. Unstable waters. Nothing worth chasing."

"It’s not working my lord," the first said.

"People are already moving quietly towards the coordinates, " the third said," mostly small crews and officials." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Pirates will follow soon," the first added," if they haven’t already."

Silence prevailed for a moment before he turned towards the mansion.

"If people are already heading there," he said quietly, " whatever is inside doesn’t want to be hidden."

The retainers bowed then disappeared like they were never there.

Lilith’s gaze followed him as he walked into the mansion his destination clear.

.

.

.

Lilith was still seated by the balcony, a cup of tea at hand. Her gaze turned to the door the moment it was pushed open.

He entered with a small try at hand. Locked the door by pushing it with his back and walked towards her, a smile on his lips.

Her hand tightened around the cup her eyes narrowing.

"You took your time," she quietly said.

Atheline didn’t respond at first, he placed the tray on the table and took the seat opposite her.

"I stopped by the kitchens, " he said gesturing at the different colored desserts, then glanced to the dark sky, " this place is comfortable. "

Night had already taken over and only a large crystal shone on the training ground and the balcony. It was the same as the day.

"You’re overindulging," she quietly said.

She stared pointedly as he picked a dessert. A chuckle slipped out.

"It’s not that bad," he said.

A dismissive huff left her as though she couldn’t be bothered to reason with him.

He watched her for a moment, then asked," How long have you known?"

"Since yesterday."

That earned a small exhale from him. He had only wanted to confirm.

"So it’s real."

"The storm is," she said," what is inside remains a mystery.... except for the moonstones that is."

"Do you think the one that washed ashore was from the storm?" He asked.

She was quiet for a moment, in thought.

"It might, or it may have been dropped by someone. "

Atheline nodded.

"That is a possibility. "

He picked his second piece of macaron, throwing the whole thing into his mouth. Her eyes twitched just a fraction.

He leaned slightly against the chair arms folding loosely.

"People are already heading out," he said, stirring the conversations back on track," it’s faster than expected."

"I expect as much."

He picked up another one and took a bite.

"If they reach before us," he added, " won’t that complicate things?"

She turned then, her gaze towards the dark sea. For a moment there was a faint amusement in her eyes.

"No."

He frowned but didn’t interrupt.

"They’ll make it easier," she said simply.

He understood immediately. A quiet breath left him, almost a laugh, but not quiet.

"Right," he said.

Ruins weren’t empty. They were filled with treasure but getting inside was a whole other matter.

’She’s probably worried about me or she’d have bulldozed her way through the islands without a care... At least she’s become more cautious.’

"They’ll trigger whatever’s waiting," he said, more to himself than to her.

"And clear the way," she added, their thoughts aligned without effort.

He nodded once.

"Good."

Atheline felt this unusual sense of relief settle in his chest because the path ahead had been made clearer. They didn’t have to spend most of their time at sea guessing what would come next.

His finger tapped the arm of the chair, absentmindedly.

"Then we won’t need to rush in blindly. "

"We won’t, " she said.

She shifted slightly on her chair.

"I’ve already made arrangements. "

He glanced at her. "For a ship?"

"For passage, " she corrected.

"I heard those waters are infested with pirates," he calmly said almost dismissively.

Her lips curved slightly, "They won’t be a problem."

That got a quiet huff out of him.

"I know... departure?"

"Early morning, " she said," before the port becomes an inconvenience."

Silence settled over them. A quiet comfortable one as they enjoyed each other’s company.

He picked up the last piece on the tray and met her gaze.

"Want to taste," he said holding it towards her.

She leaned forward and bit into it.

"Let’s get some rest," she said at last," tomorrow won’t be slow."