After a night filled with nightmares, Ethan woke up with his entire body aching. He had seen many bad things about Raidne. For a moment, he didn't want to get out of bed. He didn't know what to do, which made him feel deeply desperate. But he had to get up. He had to fulfill his duties and protect everyone, especially those in the palace, from that woman.
He got up determinedly and stood. He changed his clothes. As he was about to leave his room and go to his study corner, he heard some voices. They belonged to two people having a rather cheerful conversation.
The voices came from Raidne's bed. One of the voices was hers. The other… belonged to Rowena!
When Rowena saw Ethan, she said, "Come join us, Ethan! We were just chatting with Raidne. She's so much fun!" and giggled softly.
Raising one eyebrow, Ethan replied skeptically, "I'm sure she is, Rowena."
He then walked over to them and sat on an empty chair. He watched Raidne's every move, fearing she might harm Rowena. How had she found this place, and what was her purpose?
Ethan decided to secretly interrogate Raidne. Taking advantage of the brief silence, he asked with a fake friendly expression, "Where are you from, Raidne?"
Raidne looked into Ethan's eyes for a brief moment, as if saying, "I know what you're trying to do." Then, before the silence deepened, she answered, "I'm from around here. I was born here."
Rowena, still not understanding what was happening, asked, "I've never seen you around here before?"
Ethan noticed Raidne clenching her teeth and thought his pressure was working, but he was also worried Rowena wasn't safe. Raidne was getting increasingly tense, a sign of danger ready to explode at any moment. Ethan felt the need to defuse the tension by changing the subject.
"Yes, Rowena. We might not have seen Raidne around much, but she seems to be hiding a lot," Ethan said with a forced smile. "Maybe she's just waiting for the right time."
Rowena found this comment amusing and laughed, "Hiding? Raidne, do you have to hide?" she asked, with a bit of curiosity and doubt.
Realizing she had fallen into Ethan's trap, Raidne regained control. Softening her gaze and composing herself, she replied calmly but ominously, "For some people, hiding is part of life. But I just prefer to stay out of sight."
Ethan didn't find this explanation satisfying but decided not to press further for now. Rowena seemed to accept Raidne's explanation, but deep inside, Ethan's unease about the darkness Raidne was hiding grew.
"I suppose we all have something to hide," Ethan said, not taking his eyes off Raidne. "But here, in the palace, there's not much room for mysteries. We all have to trust each other."
Raidne caught the underlying message in Ethan's words. "Trust… It's as easy as believing but as fragile as betrayal," she said, then added with a soft smile toward Rowena, "But of course, some people naturally inspire trust, right, Rowena?"
Rowena took this comment as a compliment and smiled, but Ethan thought Raidne was trying to manipulate Rowena. His protective instinct grew stronger, but he knew pushing this situation further without openly questioning Raidne's intentions could be dangerous.
Just then, they heard a gentle knock on the door from outside. Ethan quickly turned his head toward the door, this momentary distraction allowing a slight smile to spread across Raidne's face.
"Ethan," said the servant standing at the door. "The king wants to see you immediately."
Hearing the servant's words, Ethan momentarily forgot his tension and became serious. "Of course, I'm coming right away," he said, standing up and giving Raidne one last look. "I suppose we'll have to continue this conversation later."
Raidne nodded slightly. "Of course, Ethan. I always enjoy talking with you."
Ethan gave Rowena a silent look, warning her to be careful, but he said nothing. The thought of leaving Rowena alone with Raidne worried him, but the king's summons indicated the urgency of his duty.
As Ethan left the room, he felt Raidne's gaze on his back. His instincts told him that this woman was far more dangerous than he thought. As he quickly walked through the corridors to the king's side, only one question echoed in his mind: What was Raidne's real plan, and how could he stop her?
Raidne's eyes lingered on the door long after Ethan left the room. Her instincts told her that Ethan was aware of her suspicions, but she was struggling to figure out how much he knew.
With Ethan's footsteps fading, the tension in the room was replaced by calm again.
Rowena, recalling Ethan's last look, thought softly. There was a warning in that look, but the young girl, without showing it in front of Raidne, maintained a sincere demeanor. Raidne noticed Rowena's slight hesitation but chose to dive directly into the subject instead of questioning it.
"So, Rowena," Raidne said in a soft tone. "What do you think of Ethan? I've never met him before."
Rowena was initially surprised by the question, then, with a slight hesitation, she looked down. Talking about Ethan, especially behind his back, felt strange, but she found Raidne's interest natural. "Ethan?" she repeated, her eyes lighting up again. "Ethan is very reliable. I've always known him to be responsible, brave, and intelligent."
Raidne noticed the admiration in Rowena's eyes and responded with a slight smile. "Nice qualities... So Ethan is truly as you say." Her tone was sincere, but there was a hidden calculation beneath it.
Rowena continued talking about Ethan, mentioning his kindness, helpful nature, and how he took a personal interest in people's problems. She spoke of Ethan's loyalty as a friend, his willingness to lead when needed, and how he never acted arrogantly. Rowena's eyes sparkled more with every sentence, radiating warmth as she praised Ethan.
Raidne understood Rowena's attachment to Ethan. This girl was so pure and innocent! Suddenly, with a desire that emerged within her, she decided to tell this innocent soul her story, one she had never shared with anyone before. Taking a deep breath, she began to speak with a slight sadness in her eyes.
"Rowena," she said in an honest tone. "The truth is, I was born in Ravenna. But most of my life has been spent in the shadows of darkness. When I was about 8 or 10 years old, one day I was kidnapped by pirates. My peaceful life in Ravenna ended abruptly."
Rowena listened to Raidne's story with great attention. The pain in Raidne's eyes deeply affected Rowena.
"When I fell into the hands of pirates, they taught me that only evil was real. Every day, every moment, I found myself submerged in darkness. I accepted myself as a bad person. I believed the light in my heart had completely gone out."
Raidne paused here to observe Rowena's reaction. Rowena, almost holding her breath, was listening to Raidne's story intently.
"But," Raidne continued, her voice softening a bit. "One day, on a ship where I was held captive, one of the pirates released a prisoner. That prisoner's name was Aiden. By releasing Aiden, that pirate reminded me that goodness could still exist. This event helped me rediscover the light within me. Since then, I've been trying to strike a balance between the goodness and darkness within me."
Rowena was deeply moved by Raidne's story. "You've had such a hard life, Raidne," she said, her voice slightly trembling. "But finding goodness within you… That's really special. We shouldn't judge anyone. Everyone has a past, right?"
Raidne responded to Rowena's empathetic reaction with a genuine smile. "Yes, Rowena. Everyone has a past. And sometimes, you have to go through dark moments to reach the light," she said wisely.
Just then, their conversation was interrupted by Koa's arrival.