The weight remained heavy on his shoulders as Oskar dipped the horn into the tub of warm water Matthias prepared for him. His shirt sleeves were rolled up passed his elbows as he took a wet washcloth and ran it over the full length, and width, of the horn. Handling it with care, as if it might break.

"It is surprisingly sturdy," he said, mostly for Matthias' benefit, who watched Oskar with an awe-filled expression.

"Nothing happens when you touch it?" the servant asked, remaining seated on the floor opposite the tub. "You don't feel a surge of power, or anything?"

Oskar shook his head. "I've held it twice now and nothing has happened. I am sure I will discover those details when I begin the research... I wonder if I should clean the base and remove the flesh."

He paused to looked at Matthias and chuckled when he saw his pinched expression. Just then, a knock came to the door. Matthias scrambled to his feet and hurried to the bedroom door.

"Your royal highness," Oskar heard Matthias say, and he sighed. "It is your brother, my lord."

"Let him in," Oskar replied as he went on cleaning the horn.

"The palace is in quite the tizzy, little brother," came his brother's voice and then Erasmus was seated where Matthia used to be. "I almost could not believe my ears."

Oskar raised an eyebrow and looked at his brother. Though they shared a face and had similar height, their eyes were the first thing everyone saw—the only differences to set them apart. Their eye color was not the same. Erasmus' eyes could be compared to vibrant emeralds—glassy and green. Oskar's eyes were like Starlit Depths, the great ocean connected to Starlit River on a clear day—deep sapphire blue.

"Think the blacksmith could carved it into a handle for a new sword?" Erasmus asked, a hint of humor in his tone.

"As intriguing as that is, I will not let you have it," Oskar replied, dipping the cloth back into the water. "This horn is for observation purposes only. I have extensive research to do and I will not let you make any attempt to convince me to give it to you."

He looked back at his brother, fixing him with a stern stare. Erasmus smirked, but held up his hands to show surrender. But Oskar knew better.

"Why are you invested in knowing what happened, anyway?"

Oskar sighed and held up the horn. "We've grown up listening to stories about Unicorns and how elusive they are... Someone killed this creature, Erasmus. At least, that's my assumption, but I do not think I am wrong about it. Whatever I find in the archives will help us understand why someone would do this, and how we can prevent it in the future."

"And you don't think there will be ramifications to come from this investigation?" Erasmus leaned back on his hands, sighing as if he were already bored with their conversation. "What if your research triggers more negative actions? Someone gets wind of what magic Unicorns may or may not have, and they want it too?"

"Careful, someone might hear you and think you've got a brain," Oskar grinned and turned back to the horn. "Matthias, bring me the blade from beneath my pillow, please."

"Straight away, my prince."

The servant's shoes scuffed across the floor, disappearing to the back of the room and returning a moment later. Oskar held out his hand for Matthias to place the warm object into his palm.

The Unicorn's horn was smooth and glistening from the wash, but patches of pale, stubborn flesh still clung to its spiraling ridges. The damp remnants curled slightly at the edges, softened by the water yet refusing to let go. Oskar set the horn across his lap and took up his dagger, pressing the edge carefully against one of the lingering strands. It peeled away in a slow, sticky ribbon, exposing more of the gleaming ivory beneath. He worked methodically, scraping away the last traces of death, his fingers slick with the damp residue. With each careful stroke, the horn's true form emerged—pristine, powerful, and hauntingly beautiful.

"Whoa," Erasmus muttered as Oskar held up the horn, erect. "Shiny."

"Like the pearls of Evæqesta," Oskar added, nodding. "Well, I had best go to the books while there is still time before supper."

Without waiting for his twin to reply, Oskar rose to his feet.

* * *

The royal library, the largest in all of Unara, was a sanctuary of knowledge, drawing scholars, students, and readers from every corner of the kingdom to glimpse its treasured tomes. Dust motes drifted through the amber glow of candlelight as Oskar moved between towering shelves, the scent of aged parchment and leather binding thick in the air. His fingers trailed along the spines of ancient volumes, their gold lettering worn with time, while the quiet crackle of a distant hearth and the faint rustle of turning pages filled the vast, book-lined chamber.

He had been searching for over an hour, but still hadn't found a single book mentioning Unicorns. With a tired sigh, he made his way back to the center of the library, where several tables, lit with bright lanterns, sat empty. There had been others, but one by one they all left for the day. The bookkeeper remained at the front desk. Oskar thought the books would have clear labels on the spines, and most of them were, but none contained the word "Unicorn".

"Excuse me," Oskar said as he approached the bookkeeper, a young woman spectacles and a book close to her face. "Would you happen to know if there are any tomes containing information regarding Unicorns? Whether it is a tale of fiction, or a descriptive account—I will take anything you can help me find."

The young woman lowered her book, bowing her head slowly as a shy smile came across her fair face. The light of the lanterns and several torches around the entire space lit her profile with a bright orange hue. She had a lovely appearance, but Oskar silently reminded himself what he was here.

"Not many come here looking such things," she said, setting her book down and coming around the desk. "But I am sure we must have something, Your Highness."

Oskar followed her to the shelves nearest the front desk. The bookkeeper browsed a middle shelf, her hand stopping on a large book the length of her entire upper body.

"This is The Bestiary of Sacred Beasts," she said, placing the heavy book in Oskar's hands before turning back to the shelf. "This is The Codex of Lost Magics... This collection of poetry has two that focus on Unicorns... and this a personal diary of King Unarion himself. 'Tis the origin of the tales we hear today."

The young woman stacked the books in Oskar's arms, one after the other. He grunted beneath the weight, chuckling when she produced a final tome.

"And this is the confiscated journal of an alchemist who partnered with a convicted hunter," she explained, placing a dusty, leatherbound book on top of the stack. I believe it is dated back to when King Unarion's successor took the throne. These are all we have, to my knowledge, pertaining to Unicorns."

"Thank you, I appreciate it," Oskar replied, nodding as he turned to reclaim the table where he'd left the horn.

"May I see it, Your Highness?"

He placed the books on the table and smiled at the bookkeeper as she popped up beside him.

"You may," he said, reaching for the hon and raising it with one hand. "I would let you hold it but until I understand it, I cannot in good conscious let anyone touch it."

"But no magic has been triggered?" she asked, admiring the horn with hands behind her back. "Not by you or the king?"

"We are the only ones who have touched it with our hands, yes. And no, magic has not manifested."

The woman nodded, "I hope your research produces answers... If you need anything else, I am at your service, Your Highness."

"Thank you... sorry, I do not think I know your name."

"Clara, my prince."

Oskar dipped his chin and waited for her to walk away before returning the horn to the center of the table and putting his focus on the books before him.