The forest was eerily quiet, its silence cut only by the distant rustling of leaves as the wind carried secrets through the branches.
Princess Elowen’s fingers trembled as she reached for the black book lying on the mossy ground.
It was heavier than she rembered, its ancient cover glistening faintly under the streak of fading sunlight. Her breath hitched when she turned it over and saw the symbol etched into its back. The sa insignia her father once entrusted to Donato Morano.
But how? How was the book here, far from the royal archives and the castle walls? Her father had sworn it will be safe with him.
Her thoughts were interrupted by voices so low, urgent, and close.
Without hesitation, Elowen slid the book into the satchel slung across her shoulder, every motion sharp with fear.
She darted to the nearest tree, the rough bark scraping her palms as she climbed swiftly.
Perched on a thick branch, her cloak blending with the leaves, she pressed her body close to the trunk. Below, heavy boots pounded against the forest floor.
Her father’s army, clad in iron and leather, swept the area, their torches piercing through the growing dusk.
Elowen held her breath.
The weight of the black book seed to pull her down, as if its secrets longed to be exposed.
But then pain struck sharp and suddenly. A searing bite on her calf.
She stifled a scream, lips pressed tight.
Her wide eyes t the culprit. A snake, its scaled body slithering back into the foliage.
Warmth trickled down her leg. "Blood"... A drop slipped from her wound and fell silently to the ground, staining the cloak of one of her father’s armies.
The army stopped.
He looked down, then up, suspicion narrowing his gaze.
His hand tightened on his spear.
The world seed to still as Elowen clung to the branch, her nails digging into the bark.
But a sudden crow cawed, fluttering out of the canopy, and the soldier muttered sothing under his breath, perhaps a dead bird had fallen and turned away.
One by one, the Armies moved on, the tallic rhythm of their march fading deeper into the forest.
When the last echo of boots died, Elowen could no longer hold back.
Tears stread down her cheeks as she let out a muffled scream, the sound raw with pain and fear. Her leg throbbed, but there was no ti to waste. Slowly, she climbed down, each step trembling with effort.
She tore a strip from her cloak and bound the wound, her breath hitching as the cloth tightened.
Then she spotted i, a faint glimr of hope, the roof of a small clinic nestled at the edge of a village.
Gripping a sturdy branch for support, she limped forward, the satchel pressed close to her chest.
*****
Far from the forest’s turmoil, Luca sat in his mother’s private room, the warm glow of the chandelier doing little to soften the coldness in his eyes. Before him, a plate of untouched food sat on the table, its steam long gone.
His mother, elegant yet weary, placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"My son, your army is working tirelessly. They will find Alessia again." Her voice was calm, but it carried the weight of a mother’s prayer.
Luca frowned . "I’m loosing two people, Mother. Alessia and Donato. Donato’s fate lies in so cursed silence, and Alessia..." He swallowed hard, his fingers curling into fists. "I will not forgive whoever took her. For Alessia, I will kill the culprit myself."
She sighed, sliding the plate closer to him. "Eat, Luca. You cannot fight on an empty stomach. Strength will be your ally when the ti cos."
But Luca stood, shrugging on his jacket. "There’s no strength in waiting. I’ll find her." His mother only watched as he left, his guards falling into step behind him.
Monts later, the engines roared to life, and Luca’s convoy sped toward the last place he had collapsed, toward the void where hope might yet breathe.
The night air was sharp, scented with pine and damp earth.
His n scoured the terrain, flashlights cutting through the dark.
Luca’s gaze swept every shadow, his steps purposeful until sothing glimred faintly near a stone. Kneeling, his fingers brushed the cold earth and there it was.
"Alessia’s bracelet", delicate yet distinct, it’s charm catching the light like a whisper from the past.
"I found this," Luca called, his voice hoarse but steady.
His n gathered quickly. "We’ll have it analyzed for fingerprints. Every person who touched this will be known."
Luca slipped the bracelet into an evidence bag. "We return to the estate. We will get this to the lab as soon as we reach the estate. " His eyes burned with determination as they turned back.
*****
At the the forest’s edge, Elowen’s journey was one of pain and sheer will.
The small clinic welcod her with the sterile sll of dicine and urgency. Nurses rushed forward, guiding her to a cot as they tended to the snakebite.
Her satchel remained close, hidden beneath her arm.
A frail old woman lay in the bed beside her, murmuring to herself about her lost son.
"he ca around the town but left," the woman whispered to no one in particular. "My Jackson... gone with his new guardian." Then her gaze settled on Elowen. "And you, told earlier you didn’t let the child to see Luca Morano?"... The old lady asked.
Elowen opened her mouth in shock but was interrupted by the sudden collapse of the patient, a young woman who had been speaking with a old lady - nurse.
The mont she hit the floor, her presence drew every gaze. The nurse called for aid, and when the woman stirred, her voice was soft yet firm. "i am bianca," she said.
The na settled over the room like a chill. An old woman tending to her looked sharply and more closer to her. "Bianca? You... you were once close to Luca Morano, weren’t you?"
Bianca’s lips curved into a faint smile, though her eyes were glassy. "Yes," she whispered. "Luca Morano. Brother to Donato Morano."
Princess Elowen froze.
Donato had tell her about those people. Luca is his brother, she knew his ex nas and now those nas are been ntioned.
Now she’s relating to those nas and suddenly seed heavier than before, its secrets tangling with nas she had never expected to hear.
The room spun, and her pulse raced as the realization struck, this was no coincidence.
And then, everything went silent...
*****
Roo’s knuckles whitened around the steering wheel as he sped through the streets, his face tight with controlled fury.
Daisy sat beside him, her heart racing, gripping her phone like it was her lifeline. Alessia’s na echoed in her mind like a drumbeat, where was she, and why had they hidden her?
"Roo, drive faster. I swear if sothing happens to her.... " Daisy’s voice cracked, a mix of anger and fear.
Roo shot her a quick glance. "I’m already pushing it. Hold on. We’ll get her, Daisy. I promise you, nobody hides Alessia from us."
*****
Minutes later, the car screeched to a halt in front of the private hospital.
They didn’t wait for an escort; they stord in. Daisy’s heels clicked sharply against the tiles floors as she demanded serious attention. "Where is Alessia Morano? I know she was brought here. "
A young nurse behind the counter looked up, startled. "I’m sorry, ma’am. There’s no record of that na in our system."
"Don’t lie to ." Daisy’s tone was like steel, her eyes flashing. "I have every reason to believe she’s here. Either you tell where she is, or I make sure you regret it."
The nurse shifted uncomfortably but stayed silent. Roo leaned on the counter, his presence alone nacing enough to make her swallow. "You really want to test us? Listen carefully. If you tell the truth, you walk away with your job and more. If you keep lying..." He let the unfinished threat hang in the air.
Still, the nurse hesitated. Daisy took a deep breath, calming herself. "Alright, let’s make this simple. Spill the truth, and not only will we protect you. We’ll make sure you’re rewarded.
But if you keep covering this up, you’ll lose everything. Choose."
The nurse bit her lip, torn. Finally, she leaned closer, her voice a whisper. "There’s... a room. Underground. No one’s supposed to know about it. Patients who need to be... kept off the record are taken there."
Roo’s brows lifted slightly. Daisy’s eyes softened, though the determination didn’t leave. "Good girl. You just saved yourself. I owe you one." She turned sharply. "Roo, let’s go."
They found the hidden staircase tucked away behind a locked door. But tonight, fate was on their side. The knob turned easily under Roo’s hand. "They weren’t expecting anyone," he muttered, pushing the heavy door open. The sll of disinfectant hit them first, cold and sterile, but beneath it, there was sothing almost suffocating. A silence too heavy for comfort.
Daisy’s breath caught when her eyes landed on a single bed in the center of the dimly lit room.
Alessia lay there, pale but beautiful, her face turned slightly to the side, lashes dark against her cheeks. "Oh my God," Daisy whispered, rushing to her. "Alessia..."
Roo scanned the room, muscles tense, ready for an ambush, but it was empty. "No guards. No doctors. What the hell is this place?"
Daisy didn’t answer. She gently brushed a strand of hair from Alessia’s face, her voice trembling. "Lia, it’s . You’re safe now. Please, wake up."
And then like a fragile flower responding to sunlight Alessia’s eyelids fluttered. Slowly, her eyes opened, unfocused at first, then sharpening as she saw Daisy leaning over her.
"Alessia luca?" d
Daisy’s voice was a broken whisper.
she smile trembled, tears welling in her eyes. "Yes, sweetheart. I’m here. You’re going to be okay. We found you." She turned her head, eting Roo’s gaze with fierce relief. "She’s alive."
But their expression changed as Alessia asked the shocking question. "Who are you people "?.....
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