Ophelia Xander was a fucking idiot.

Well, she was smart to send a letter to my goddamn father and ask about the letter I sent, I mean, it'd work in her favour either way. She was a fucking idiot because... She didn't believe me? All I knew was that she was an idiot for sending a letter to my father. Now he knew what I was going to do.

Which was why I was already in the sewers. My feet slammed onto the floor, sweat crept from my hair, and I grasped my bag desperately as I ran. My bag held all my father's plans for the rebellion, crucial information about our troops, as well as the few essentials I'd stuffed into the rucksack.

Footsteps didn't sound behind me, but I knew the guards would check the sewers soon enough. I ran through the tunnels, the only light coming from the slivers of the setting sun that slipped through the tiny grates. I grunted, and hoisted my pack over my back. It slumped again, and I put a foot forward as I–

As I slipped in a puddle when my pack's weight shifted. I cursed as I threw my arms out in a hopeless attempt to brace my fall.

Evidently, the attempt failed.

The floor rushed and collided into my face, and I groaned. My nose had taken the hit, and pain pulsed along the tip as I touched my finger to it. I carefully felt around it. No blood, thankfully. But I was pretty sure it was broken. I tried to take in a breath through it, and immediately regretted it. I whimpered as I clutched my nose. Yep, definitely broke.

I cursed again, and placed my palms on the floor as I got up. I bent down, and grabbed my pack. Nothing had fallen out, thank god.

I sighed through my mouth, and was about to put it on my back again, when a glint of silver caught my eye. I placed the pack on the floor once more, and bent down to reach for it.

It was a ring. It was gold, with a butterfly with sapphire wings on the front. Engraved on the sides of the ring were the words Forever And Always. The sapphire wings of it captured the small light, reflecting it so it looked enchanted.

I knew this ring. I'd made it myself. I had spent a month making it. The design, the gem, the engraving, everything had to be perfect. It took a whole week for me to pick the design, longer for me to get a sapphire without anyone asking why I needed it. I was going to give it to Narelle. I'd somehow managed to get the size of her finger without her knowing, and I'd spent every second of my free time making the ring. I never got to show it to her.

I was supposed to propose at the Veshen temple. I was walking with her through these very sewers. She was asking where we were going, and why. I'd just taken her hand in mine and told her to wait. She went with no question. She wasn't naive, she just trusted me. The gesture alone gave me more courage—and hope. We were in the temple, and we'd been so close it would've taken brute force to separate us when I was about to give her the ring. And then the soldiers had flooded in, taking over the temple. First came the flaming arrows, soaring through the sky and setting the temple ablaze. I tried reaching for Narelle, tried to protect her from them, but an arrow had already hit her. Her cries of pain had haunted me, and I was half tempted to fall to my knees. I'd never seen Narelle hurt, and the very thought had scared me. But I had to stay strong for her, had to get her to safety. I could still feel the lick of heat, the fear that had enveloped me whole when Narelle had been hit by a flaming arrow. She was scared, asking me what was going on, why they were attacking that temple. I didn't have an answer for her at the time, and could only tell her, "Don't worry, darling, you're fine. You're going to be fine."

But the answer was quite obvious now.

I hadn't realised I was crying, but the distant sound of another pair of feet brought me back to reality. I took in a breath and risked a glance back. There was a smudge of darkness in the distance, and they, it, she, he, whatever, was heading my way.

I took in a deep breath, and pivoted forward.

Only to collide face first with a wall. I cursed as my nose hit the hard stone, and a small scream left my mouth. My nose burned like it had just gone on a date with a volcano and decided to head to its place for the night. It stung and burned, and tears welled in my eyes.

Fucking wall.

As I was shoving my fist into my mouth rather unceremoniously, I caught the outline of a piece of wood. A piece of burned wood.

The temple entrance.

Taking in a shaky breath, I removed my fist from my mouth. My teeth had bitten into my skin, and little crescents marked my knuckles and fingers. Needing my hand to search the wall, my teeth bit my lower lip against the pain. I had to be fast for two reasons. Firstly, my nose hurt like hell, and putting my fist in my mouth was the best option to not make noise while still easing the pain. Secondly, the guards were coming, fast. And I needed to find the entrance before they dragged my carcass back to the castle.

I quickly ran my hands over the worn stone. The stone ran under my palms, scraping against my calluses as I desperately searched the wall for a loose rock. My fingers passed and dug in between the grooves and crack between the pieces of cobblestone that made the wall. The tips of my fingers pressed into them, trying to find a loose stone among the tight bunch. After I'd been running my hands for a good two minutes, my palm pushed against a loose piece of rock. I stooped to feel it out, and dug my fingers into the sides of the stone brick as I pulled it out. It shrieked as it came out, and I winced at how loud it was. I risked a glance back, and the smudge was darker, more clear.

I was running out of time.

I dropped the rock onto the floor. It clattered, my location clear. But I'd found the entrance, soon enough I'd be in a temple. I bent down, sticking my arm through the hole. I managed to push it in until my shoulder hit the wall. I flailed my arm this way and that, searching for a rope or doorknob that'd open the entrance. Sure enough, my elbow managed to bang into a round stone stuck to the wall. I cursed, pulling my arm out. I shook it once before sticking my other hand through the hole. I placed my palm flat on the other side, searching for the piece of stone that'd nearly broken my elbow. It was probably an exaggeration, but it felt like it. And it stung.

My fingers smashed into the object. I made a face as I clenched the fist of my other hand. Why had I decided to search for it with so much force?

Why did I think searching for it like that was a good idea?

I squeezed my eyes shut and forced myself to deal with the pain. You just lost Narelle, a few measly bruises and broken bones shouldn't hurt as much.

Somehow, the phrase had worked, because I gulped and pushed my emotions back. The pain dissipated. It was still there, but it was minor. A hole was drilled into my heart, and suddenly, the pain of losing Narelle was infinite times more painful than everything else.

My hand grasped the rock and twisted it. At this angle, it wasn't as painful. But if I'd used my other hand, I was sure my arm would've been screaming.

The rock wall pushed inward, and I extracted my hand and got up. I looked back again. They were getting closer, but not close enough to see me in full. I pushed the door further, and managed to close the door in silence. I could only thank the gods for this miracle. Or, I supposed I should've thanked Vesha. It was her  temple, after all.

The guards wouldn't find me here. I sighed, and pushed my back to a wall and slumped onto the floor. I held my head in between my knees, counting my breaths. Fuck, I was tired.

I lifted my head up and looked at the small stairway that went up to the temple. But I had to power through and make it to the temple. Sure, I could've stayed here and rested for eternity, sure my bones felt like lead, but that would be a coward's move. The General could've been waiting, too.

I groaned and pushed myself from the floor. I slung my pack over my shoulders once more. I sighed and braced a hand on the wall to the stairs, staring at the distance to the top.

Better to start now than regret not starting later.

I silently sent a prayer of thanks to every single god and goddess I knew, and walked through the dim hallway and up the stairs.

_________

I'd forgotten how long the stairs were to get to the actual temple.

The stairwell I was in used to be an escape route for the priestesses of Vesha, had the temple gone under siege, they would've escaped through these tunnels. Now, the stairwell was empty, drained of life. The last time I'd been in here was when I was about to propose to Narelle. If I thought about it long enough, concentrated long enough, I could've smelled the ash and smoke and blood that'd been the result of the flaming arrows the Point Unit of the Anarchy Heist had sent. I could hear the echoes of Narelle's pleas, how they'd been rasping, bouncing off the stone walls as I'd held her in my arms, cradling her head to my chest as she silently sobbed.

My heart ached. That day had played a pivotal role in our relationship, as had every other moment, second, minute we'd conversed or thought of each other. Falling in love was inevitable. But her death was avoidable. If only I'd stuck to the plan. She would've been here, we would've been happy, I would've abdicated. We would have our tiny house, cat and three children, we would kiss each other goodnight, we would be happy and in peace.

But that was all gone. All because of me.

I would repay my debts, but first my father had to pay. And if contacting the country's—continent's—deadliest General would help destroy him, then I would go on my knees and beg her to kill him. But I doubted I needed to beg her to kill him.

I placed one foot in front of another, and soon, I was climbing up the stairs at a record pace. My breaths came in shallow pants, sweat beading on my forehead. I wiped at it with a hand, bracing myself with my other one by placing it on the wall. I looked back, and sure enough, I couldn't see where I'd started climbing.

Damn, how long had I been climbing for?

My nose felt a little better, but it still hurt like a bitch. I brought one of my hands to my nose, and softly groaned as I brushed it. Fuck, it was broken. I needed to get it looked at, soon.  Or else my nose would disfigure, and I'd probably have trouble breathing. I let out a cough, and braced my arms on my knees, chest falling up and down as my breaths came in shallow pants.

Just a few more steps, I told myself. Just a few more.

I sighed and heaved my backpack onto my back. I looked ahead, hands still on my knees, and caught a glint of moonlight. I let out a relieved sigh at the sight. It was just a few more steps.

I forced my feet to move, and my thighs screamed as I faced the last stretch. But I powered through, and soon the dim, craggy ceiling of the stairs was replaced by an endless night sky, silver stars and a glowing moon.

The cool night air engulfed me, wrapping its thin arms around me. I took in a deep breath, breathing in the air. It didn't smell of smoke and ash now, it smelled of roses and honey, like love.

I hated it.

After Narelle had died, how could I love? Loving was impossible now that she was gone. I was certain I couldn't love anymore. Not after Narelle. She was supposed to be my end. She still was my end. But she was supposed to be here. She was supposed to be here to tell me not to worry so much, to tell me it'd be alright. But she was gone.

Tears burned my eyes, and I blinked rapidly. If Ophelia was as dumb-smart as I thought she was, then she would come. I couldn't let her see me crying. It would raise too many unwanted questions.

Just as I'd thought that, a hooded figure appeared on the other side of the temple. It stalked through the archway of the main entrance, gliding across the roofless middle of the temple like a ghost.

"Prince?" A female voice said from the folds of the darkness.

I shuddered. There was only one person it could be—Ophelia Xander.

My heart beat like a drum, its beat echoing in my ears. I plastered a grin on my face, sticking my hand out. "Alaric Yerpen. Pleasure to meet you, Ophelia Xander."