"What did you want to say or show me?" Oskar asked as he and his brother made their way to the edge of the forest. Erasmus was eager for them to be away from the palace, and they managed to lose the pair of guards that were tailing them before.

"I wanted to make you privy to a new discovery," Erasmus replied, chuckling as he walked backward while facing his brother. "Privy to the reason why the tutor has spent extra time with me, as of late."

"Oh, I always knew you required more of the tutor's time."

The elder prince snorted, shaking his head as he came to a stop. Oskar paused in time to avoid colliding into Erasmus.

"This has nothing to do with learning from books or the ways of combat," Erasmus explained, turning to face the clearing—the same clearing where Oskar had found the black horn mere hours ago.

He exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders back as if shaking off some unseen weight. Then, he lifted a hand to the sky.

The air around them shifted. A hum vibrated through the clearing, subtle at first, like the distant crackle of a hearth fire. Then it grew—a static charge prickling against Oskar's skin, raising the hairs on his arms. The scent of rain filled his lungs, though the sky remained cloudless.

A flicker of light danced at Erasmus's fingertips, too quick to be anything more than an illusion. But then it happened again—brighter, sharper. A thin arc of white-blue lightning leaped between his fingers, skittering like a restless serpent.

Oskar barely had time to react before Erasmus extended his arm fully. The lightning surged, branching outward with a sudden snap, striking the ground a few feet ahead. The force sent a ripple through the earth, and when the dust cleared, a thin scorch mark marred the grass.

Erasmus lowered his hand, his fingers still trembling with residual energy. He turned back to Oskar, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"I am the first in our family" he said, breathless, "to manifest an affinity for lightning. I am still learning to control it, but—"

"You're an elemental," Oskar said in disbelief. "Erasmus, that's amazing! Congratulations!"

He was genuinely pleased for his brother. Elemental affinity was not uncommon in Unara, but Oskar never desired to have one. Perhaps this change would make his brother become more responsible.

"Think you can outrun lightning?" Erasmus smirked and raised a challenging eyebrow.

"No!" Oskar said, crossing his arms, but he wasn't the only one shouting.

Both princes looked across the clearing to the thicket of trees. The shouting was followed by the familiar shriek and without hesitation, Oskar raced toward the sound. He ignored the calls of his brother, but he was sure Erasmus was not far behind.

The moment Oskar broke through the tree line, the world erupted in light.

A blinding, searing white consumed everything, forcing him to throw up his arms to shield his eyes. It was the same as before—the same unnatural brilliance that had swallowed the clearing when he found the black horn. But this time, he was closer. Too close. The light burned through his eyelids, turning the darkness behind them into a vivid red haze. He clenched his teeth, willing himself to move, to push forward, but the very air felt thick, pressing against him like an unseen force.

Then, as quickly as it came, the light vanished.

Oskar blinked furiously, his vision still swimming with ghostly afterimages. The world reformed in pieces—shadowy outlines of trees, the dark silhouette of Erasmus to his side. And then, in the very center of the clearing, something pale against the blackened earth.

His breath hitched.

A unicorn lay still before him.

Its body was curled inward, as if it had collapsed mid-gallop. Its pristine white coat was dulled, streaked with something dark—blood or shadow, he could not tell. A single twisted horn jutted from its skull, its luster already fading. The sight held him in place, a weight settling in his chest. It was beautiful, even in death.

And then, just like before, it began to vanish.

The body shimmered at the edges, breaking apart like dust caught in a breeze. The unnatural stillness was shattered by a single, final sound—the faintest echo of the shriek they had heard before, distant and dying. Oskar lunged forward on instinct, reaching for the unicorn, for anything left behind.

But all that remained was its horn.

It lay upon the ground, smooth and untouched by whatever had claimed its owner. A strange energy lingered around it, faint but undeniable. Oskar swallowed hard, glancing toward Erasmus, whose expression mirrored his own.

Another horn. Another unanswered question.

"Look for tracks and footprints," Oskar demanded, his fingers hovering over the relic as a chill ran down his spine. "Whoever did this cannot be far."

"As you wish, little brother," Erasmus replied and Oskar could tell he was being sincere.

Oskar reached into his satchel and brought out one of the books Clara had given him. A ribbon marked a page near the back. He gave it a gentle pull and opened the book to the marked page. A loose piece of paper with the words "This is the connecting text, my prince," in clear handwriting. Oskar silently thanked Clara's diligence and read the passage.

"I have discovered an edict as decreed by Queen Delia: 'The Unicorns are not to be touched by mortal hands, nor to be slain for greed. They are protectors of the realm, stewards of balance. The magic they possess is not for us to wield, for if we take, we will never stop taking. The land will withhold its gifts, the crops will falter, and the skies will burn. The balance of life, death, and magic is delicate. To sever that thread is to invite the end of all things.'

"It is my opinion that such decrees should not be made on behalf of those who may use the power of the Unicorn for the better of the kingdom. For this reason, I have placed the edict with the banned texts. Reading such text does not bring punishment, as they can still be used for educational purposes.

"By order of Chief Steward Godric Rhore. Co-Regent to Prince Aldrich of Unara."

Oskar furrowed his brow, frowning as the words on the page began to blur.

"They are long gone, little brother," Erasmus appeared in front of him, but Oskar did not look up. "What's the matter? What—what on this green earth are you reading? And in the forest, might I add?"

His brother dropped to the ground in front of him, reaching for the book.

"I need to go back to the library," Oskar replied, sniffling as he retracted the book and shoved it back into his satchel. "There's more to this than I imagined."

He rose to his feet and stepped toward the horn. Remembering what had happened when he picked up the black horn, he tugged his shirt sleeve down until it covered his hand. And he picked up the horn through the fabric.

* * *

Upon arriving back at the palace, Oskar went straight to the library. He was grateful to see the tables empty and zero occupants passing through the shelves. Erasmus accompanied him, sticking to himself mostly, but was quick to search for a book when Oskar asked him to.

"You read the passage from The Bestiary of Sacred Beasts?" Erasmus asked, turning the book to show Oskar the page.

"And the First King's journal, the confiscated notes of an alchemist who persuaded a hunter to join his experiments," Oskar explained, reading through the second tome he'd received from Clara. "I do not think I have read this one, though. This is an excerpt from The Compendium of Unaran Beasts by Nivian Blithe: The Unicorn, a creature of ancient magic, is said to possess a grace unmatched by any other beast. Its horn, forged from the very essence of the earth, is capable of healing wounds, purifying water, and granting clarity of thought. Its very presence calms the soul, for the Unicorn is both a guardian and a guide. While their numbers have dwindled over the centuries, they remain a symbol of hope in the kingdom of Unara. The magic they wield, however, comes with a heavy cost—one cannot take it without consequence, for the horn's power is not easily severed from its source.

"It's mostly more of the same information, just phrased differently. What I am hoping to find is what happens to the horn as it decays."

"That helps," his brother said, getting up and walking back to the shelves with all the books about beasts and magical creatures. Erasmus quickly returned with a large brown book with gold lettering on the cover that read The Compendium of Unaran Beasts by Nivian Blithe.

"Perfect," Oskar said, setting his current read down and placing the new tome on top of it. He turned to the index page and skimmed the contents until he found what he was looking for.

"When a Unicorn is killed, the surrounding area reacts according to the level of violence and manner of death," he read aloud, frowning. "Very few have witnessed the reactions of the forest at Starlit River. Some say it becomes eerily quiet. Others believe the forest roars to life in mourning for its lost guardian. However, one will always know when a Unicorn has died.

"A Unicorn will release a piercing cry, so otherworldly and unnatural—so intense, it rattles the air. Immediately following its final breath, a burst of light shines brighter than the sun itself. It is rumored that should anyone witness such an occurrence, blindness is a risk. And as the light fades, the fallen Unicorn will begin to disintegrate and vanish just as quickly as the burst of light. After this, all that remains is the Unicorn's horn. Particles of flesh will remain at the base of the horn where it was severed from the Unicorn's forehead. Its blood will form a puddle and will stain the horn."

As Oskar paused to catch his breath, Erasmus whistled and said, "That's exactly what we witnessed."

"It's not finished yet," Oskar shook his head and went on reading. "The horn will eventually crystalize, leaving behind a rare, priceless stone. If left alone, it will absorb into the ground and its essence will return to the soil—a fertilizer for future growth."

He exchanged a brief glance with his brother before he went on reading. Finally, he found something useful.