Chapter Twenty-Nine

***REMI***

The sun dips low on the horizon, casting a golden glow through the dense forest. The air is crisp and cool, filled with the earthy scent of pine and damp leaves. Rhodes and Kallias move silently ahead, their senses on high alert as we venture deeper into the woods.

Both twins have the same striking features—jet-black hair, piercing violet eyes, and an ethereal beauty that seems almost otherworldly. Their resemblance to each other and their regal bearing even seems to leave the trees in awe.

Rhodes, with his quiet intensity and sharp, calculating gaze, leads the way. Every movement is precise, every step deliberate, as if he is ready to strike at any moment. Kallias, in contrast, moves at my side with a casual grace, his powerful frame exuding confidence. His eyes, though just as intense as his brother’s, hold a warmth that is inviting, masking the lethal warrior within.

"We’re getting close," Rhodes murmurs, his voice low and serious. His eyes scan the trees around us, searching for any sign of danger.

Kallias nods, adjusting the strap of his pack. "Stay close, Remi," he adds, his tone more gentle but no less commanding. "This meeting is crucial."

I nod, trying to match their focus, but my attention keeps drifting to the forest around us. It’s peaceful here, the towering trees and the whisper of leaves offering a brief respite from the chaos of my life. But the tranquility is deceptive; danger lurks in every shadow.

All they told me this morning was to get up, dress, and follow. Where or why I’m not sure. But Rhodes did grumble something about babysitting interfering with his work on the way over.

We reach a small clearing and Rhodes motions for us to stop. "This should be the place," he says, his eyes narrowing as he looks around. "Our contact will meet us here."

My spine stiffens. Contact? Are we meeting someone?

Kallias sets down his pack and begins preparing, his movements swift and efficient. "We need to be ready for anything," he says, his voice carrying an edge of tension. "There’s a lot riding on this."

As we reach a small clearing, the air around us shifts. The atmosphere grows thick, tinged with an unsettling presence. The twins' expressions darken as they turn toward the edge of the clearing. Emerging from the shadows is a figure cloaked in teal. Her movements are fluid and graceful, but something about her sets me on edge.

Rhodes’s grip on his dagger tightens. "Who goes there?" he demands, his voice cold and sharp.

The cloaked figure steps closer, her face hidden in the depths of her hood. I catch a glimpse of white blonde hair, shimmering in the fading light. "I come with information," she says, her voice smooth and enigmatic.

Kallias moves protectively in front of me, his broad shoulders tensing. "Show us your face," he orders, his tone brooking no argument.

The woman hesitates, and I feel a chill run down my spine. There is something off about her, something I can’t quite place. She slowly lifts her hood, revealing striking features and eyes that hold ancient secrets. Her beauty is almost unnerving, and I can’t shake the feeling that she isn’t to be trusted.

"I have what you seek," she says, pulling a small, ornate box from within her cloak. "But you must be cautious. There are forces at work here that you do not understand."

Rhodes takes a step forward, his eyes never leaving hers. "You are the contact we were promised. Why should we trust you?"

She smiles, a secretive and knowing expression. "Because our fates are intertwined. We all seek the same end."

The tension in the clearing is palpable. The twins exchange a wary glance, then turn their attention back to the mysterious woman. As she extended the box toward them, the air seemed to hum with a dangerous energy.

I watch them, feeling a mixture of anxiety and admiration. These two are not just warriors—they’re survivors, carrying the weight of their past and the burden of our uncertain future. As they prepare, I notice a small, creature limping through the underbrush.

My stomach tightens into a knot. No, not a creature, a person.

More accurately, a child.

My heart aches for the poor thing, and without thinking, I take a step towards him. He can’t be more than five or six years old. He’s shirtless, covered in blood and dirt, and coated in leaves and forest.

"Take it," she urges Rhodes. "But remember, not everything is as it seems."

Rhodes accepts the box with a reluctant nod, his eyes scanning her for any sign of deception. "If you’re lying..."

"I’m not," she interrupts, her gaze steady and unflinching. "But you must hurry. Time is running out."

I take another step towards the boy. He has long brown hair, almost to his waist, and light, warm eyes. Almost like honey. A tattoo runs beneath his eyes in one single straight line, and he’s bleeding from more than one place.

I move towards the boy. Kallias notices, but his brother speaks. "Remi, stay where we can see you," Rhodes calls, his tone stern.

“But the child,” I point out, making sure that the twins can see them.

A chilling and expressionless gaze falls over Kallias’s face, one I’ve never seen before. “The children of the Tribes of this forest are exiled,” he swallows, his face revealing no depth of emotion, “it is not our business, nor our person to look out for. Kieran has a treaty with the natives not to interfere in their affairs.”

The priestess of unnerving beauty smirks at me. “Still following his orders?” She taunts Rhodes.

Kallias’s glare is sharp as an arrow. “Says one who’s loyal to the Witches.”

Gods Above, don’t any of them care about this kid?!

“He’s bleeding out!” I yell, my eyes remained fixed on the kid. It turns and limps away, disappearing into the forest. Driven by an instinct I couldn’t ignore, I followed it. "Wait!" I call softly, trying not to startle it further.

“Your precious Offering is running,” I hear the Priestess say lazily. “Guess she’s not any different than the others.”

Behind me, I hear Kallias curse. "Remi, get back here!"

But I can’t stop. Not when there's a child involved.

The boy leads me deeper into the woods, the sound of rushing water growing louder with each step. As I break through the trees, I find myself standing on the bank of a wide, wild river. It’s massive, the water fierce and turbulent, churning and splashing as it surged past. The river cuts through two towering mountain ranges, their peaks high and intimidating, casting long shadows over the water.

My heart jumps into my throat.

The boy is swimming in the river.

Or more accurately, drowning in the river.

The boy is trapped swimming for his life in the middle of the river, his eyes wide with terror. I look back to see Rhodes and Kallias bursting through the trees, their faces etched with worry and anger.

"Don’t step in the water!" Rhodes shouts. "You’ll drown!"

"But the boy!" I plead, I run along the river as fast as I can, keeping pace. "Please, can’t you use your magic to save it?"

Kallias’s face pales. "We can’t touch that water–”

I keep running as fast as I can against the cliff that rides against the river, my feet pounding into the stone. "What do you mean? Why can’t you touch it?"

Just then, a huge current sweeps the boy under the water. When he reemerges, he chokes, we don’t have much time.

“It will kill your magic if you touch it–” Rhodes starts.

“Remi,” Kallias growls, “jumping in that water will break our treaty with the natives.”

I don’t give a fuck why Rhodes and Kallias are afraid of the river, why they refuse to touch it. But before either of them can stop me I bolt.
I’m not letting that boy die. Even if it kills me.

Ignoring the shouts of the twins, I run as fast as I can to the edge of the cliff and jump as hard as I can.

My heart stops beating and my air stops, and then everything goes dark when I plummet.


The rush of water surrounds me, pulling me down into its depths. Panic grips me as I struggle against the current, my lungs burning for air. But through the darkness, I see the boy, his small form thrashing desperately as he fights to keep his head above water.

With a burst of adrenaline, I kick towards him, reaching out as I feel my strength fading. My fingers brush against his arm, and I wrap my arm around him, pulling him close as we’re swept along by the river’s powerful current.

Above the surface, I hear the shouts of Rhodes and Kallias, their voices filled with fear and urgency. But beneath the water, all I can focus on is keeping the boy above the surface, fighting against the relentless pull of the river.

As the currents of the river threatened to pull us under, a surge of power flowed through me. It feels like a dam bursting within my chest, and without thinking, I reach out with trembling hands toward the rushing waters. With a whispered incantation that seems to come from somewhere deep within me, I feel the magic response, swirling around me like a protective barrier.

To my astonishment, the river obeys my command. The roaring waters were still, parting before me like a curtain, revealing a patch of dry land beneath. The boy and I stood in awe as I guided him across the newly formed divide, my heart pounding with the realization of what I had just done.

Gasping for breath, I carry the boy onto the riverbank, collapsing beside him as I try to catch my breath.

That god damned Priestess is still here, her eyes wide against her ice-blonde hair. She stares me over once, twice, as if seeing me for the first time in her life, then says, "Interesting..." and disappears.

Within seconds, the Priestess is nowhere to be found, and it's just me, the boy, the twins, and the river.

I'm not sure if it's the adrenaline, but I lean over and throw up.

Kallias moves my hair.

I had parted the river that leads to the sea. I had parted the river.

Rhodes and Kallias rush to our side, their expressions a mix of relief and concern. "Are you alright?" Rhodes asks his voice tight with worry.
I nod, still trying to process what just happened. "I'm okay," I manage to say, my voice shaking.

Kallias kneels beside us, his eyes searching mine. "You could have been killed," he says softly, his tone filled with a mixture of gratitude and reproach.
I glance down at the boy, who lies shivering beside me, his eyes wide with fear. "But he's safe," I reply, my voice firm. "That's all that matters."

Rhodes and Kallias are staring at me in disbelief, their expressions a mix of shock and awe. But amidst their astonishment, there is also fear—a fear that mirrors the uncertainty I felt within myself.

With the boy safely on solid ground, I tear a strip of fabric from my skirt and quickly bind his bleeding wounds. He whimpers in pain, his small body trembling with shock, but he's alive.

Rhodes kneels beside us, his voice solemn. "The water flows from the Lands Once Lost," he explains, his gaze troubled. "The witches have told us for centuries that anyone bearing their magic will die if they touch it."

I frown, my mind racing with questions. "But I didn't die," I whisper, the words barely audible above the rush of the river. “And you…you have the same powers as me?”

The twins don’t look at each other, but I can sense something in the air around us shifting. The atmosphere grows thick, tinged with an unsettling presence.

“We have something to tell you,” Kallias says, but Rhodes shakes his head.

I can almost hear their argument in their heads, debating on telling me their connection to the magic.

I just keep pressing my hand into the young boy's injury. He’s panting, and staring at me like I’m a savior, but remains silent. Finally, after what seems like centuries, Kallias seems to win.

“Well,’ Rhodes says, scratching the back of his head. “I suppose you were going to learn at the ritual tonight.”

I know what he's going to say before the words leave his mouth.

“We’re here,” Kallias begins, “to ensure that Kieran doesn’t let you get away.”

I nod. This much I know. If I run they tie me up and throw me in the dungeons.

“What you don’t know,” Rhodes adds softly, more gently than I’ve ever heard him before. He looks around before he speaks, as if nervous that pretty little Priestess is lurking in the shadows. “Is that the witches are our mothers.” 
The Midnight King
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