The journey back to the capital was uneventful, the path eerily calm compared to the perilous trek they had faced to reach the Mage Tower. The woods no longer whispered danger. The wind no longer howled with menace. It was as if the world itself had turned its back on their search, offering them only silence in return.
Leesa rode in quiet thought, the reins held loosely in her gloved hands, her eyes never quite fixed on the road. Her mind spun with memories and theories, fragments of conversations and a thousand unanswered questions. Nothing made sense anymore—not the guards' injuries, not the sudden disappearance, not even Jeremy's lack of findings. No magic, he had said.
And yet… something unnatural had happened.
Then, like a ghost, the image of the Empress returned to her thoughts. The way she had stood, composed yet blazing with restrained fury. Her words had not been loud, but they had struck like thunder in Leesa's chest. Only you can find him.
She couldn't face the palace with empty hands. Not yet.
As the city's golden spires came into view beyond the treetops, Leesa pulled at her horse's reins gently, slowing her mount. Roman glanced over, his brow raised. She turned to him; her voice steady though quiet. "I'm not returning to the palace. Not now."
Roman blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I need to go home to the Dukedom," she said, her tone resolute. "There might be something I'm missing. A clue. A connection. And I need to think… clearly. Away from the palace walls and noble accusations."
Roman studied her for a long moment, then gave a slow nod of understanding. He had seen that look in her eyes before—the one she wore in battle, when every decision weighed lives.
"I understand," he said softly. "Sometimes answers need silence to be heard. Take the time you need, Commander Marlene. I'll report everything to Sir Anton and Commander Amadori."
He gave her a small, reassuring smile. "And I'll be waiting for your return—with hope."
Leesa offered a grateful look, her expression laced with determination. Without another word, she turned her steed down a separate path, the road that would lead her back to the lands of House Marlene—the Dukedom she calls home.
The gates of the Marlene estate stood tall and dignified. The guards recognised her instantly and opened the path without question, bowing low as her steed passed through. It had been some time since Leesa had returned; in fact, she had not returned ever since she was appointed as the crown prince's aide and guard.
The estate's entrance, which was always adorned with a majestic fountain and splendid garden that emanated a delightful floral fragrance, looked the same, yet something felt different in the air. She dismounted with grace, her boots softly tapping against the stone as she strode forward.
Fredrick, the Duke's most trusted butler, rushed to greet her. "Lady Leesa, should we send a word to His Grace, your father?"
"No," she replied with a tired breath. "Let him know I have returned, but I don't wish to be disturbed just yet. Prepare my room. I'll be resting there." She needed time to think, to sift through her memories of Flavian, the festival, the guards… and the shadow that had stolen him away.
Fredrick bowed with a silent nod and, without needing another word, summoned the maids to prepare Lady Leesa's quarters and arrange for a proper meal. Yet, as expected, the maids returned quickly, nearly sheepish. "There's no need, Master Fredrick," one of them said softly. "The room is just as she left it—fresh linens were laid out this morning."
Of course. Her chamber had never once been allowed to gather dust.
Though Leesa had taken on duties far from the estate, her room had remained untouched by time, lovingly preserved by the Duke and Duchess. It was her sanctuary, and in their hearts, her return was always anticipated. The servants, too, shared that quiet devotion—changing the sheets, airing the drapes, placing fresh wildflowers on the windowsill. It was a room lived in by memory.
When Leesa stepped inside, the familiar scent of lavender and old oak greeted her, and a rare warmth crept through her tired bones. Fredrick bowed once more as she gently shut the door behind her.
She sighed and sank into the velvet-cushioned sofa near her bed, unfastening her cloak and letting it slide beside her. Her eyes fluttered closed, retreating into the quiet corner of her memory—back to the festival, the sudden chill in the crowd, Flavian's laughter… and then the emptiness.
A soft knock stirred her from thought. The door creaked open, and two maids entered with a silver tray. The scent of flavourful soup, fresh bread, and her favourite herb-buttered vegetables reached her before the tray touched the table.
They said nothing—only smiled with knowing glances—and curtsied before quietly slipping out.
Leesa looked at the meal, and a trace of a smile formed on her lips. It was exactly what she needed. The kind of care only a home could give. Yes, she thought, letting silence wrap around her like a blanket. She was finally home.
Back in the palace, the great marble halls were laced with anxiety. Word of the search's failure had not yet reached the public, but within the palace walls, tension hung thick as storm clouds.
Roman entered the council chamber, where Sir Anton Benton and Commander Elzar waited. Anton, ever composed, stood by the tall windows with his arms crossed behind his back. Elzar sat beside the map-strewn table, his jaw clenched.
Roman bowed deeply. "I have returned."
Anton turned. "And Lady Marlene?"
"She's returned to her homeland. She needed space to think without the noise of the court."
Elzar frowned. "And the tower? What did Sir Jeremy find?"
Roman hesitated, then answered with grave finality, "Nothing. No trace of magic. No illusions, no residue, not even a spell's echo. It's as if nothing has happened at all."
A heavy silence followed. "She was right to go," Anton said quietly, finally breaking it. "We are missing something. His Highness the Crown Prince is not the kind to fall without a struggle… nor to disappear without a purpose."
Elzar slammed a fist into the table. "And we're running out of time."
Roman's gaze darkened. "We need to buy her that time. Keep the courts quiet. Keep the nobles guessing. Whatever she finds… it may be the only chance we have."
Anton nodded. "Then we will hold the line here. Until Lady Marlene returns with any clue."