Evelina tightened her grip on the torn cloth, her heart thudding in her chest. Whoever had been at the well had left this behind. Unintentionally, yeah, but that’s to her rit.
She just needed to see who it was.
Dropping to one knee beside the well, she reached for the thorn where she had gotten the piece of cloth from in another attempt. Her ability had failed her monts ago—but she refused to accept that.
She needed to know.
Closing her eyes, Evelina forced herself to breathe evenly, pushing away distractions. She willed her golden-finger ability to activate, to grant her a vision of the past.
Nothing.
Her jaw tightened.
She focused harder, trying to push deeper into the traces of energy the cloth carried.
Still, nothing.
Frustration gnawed at her. Her ability had worked before—sotis unexpectedly—but it had worked. She couldn’t afford for it to fail her now.
She took another slow breath and pressed her fingers harder against the fabric.
And then—
A flicker.
A dim sensation, like a candle struggling to stay lit against the wind.
Evelina gritted her teeth, holding onto it, trying to pull the vision into focus. It was like grasping at smoke, slipping through her fingers the mont she thought she had it.
No. Not this ti.
She pushed harder, leaning into the connection. And suddenly—
The world around her blurred.
Dark shapes twisted and reford.
A faint whisper. Rustling fabric. A figure, cloaked in darkness, moving near the well. Their hand dipped into a pouch, scattering sothing into the water.
Evelina’s pulse spiked.
The vision wavered.
No, show more!
She strained, willing the image to sharpen. The figure turned slightly, and she caught the barest glimpse of a sleeve—black, rough fabric—the sa kind as the torn cloth in her hand.
Then, a voice.
Low, almost too quiet to hear.
"...soon... they won’t suspect..."
The vision snapped away like a taut string breaking, and Evelina gasped, her body jerking as she was thrown back into reality.
She stumbled, catching herself against the well’s edge, her breathing ragged.
Relia’s voice roared in her head. "Eve? What the hell just happened?"
Evelina’s fingers trembled as she clutched the fabric. "I saw them," she whispered. "Whoever poisoned the well... I saw them."
Relia’s energy surged through her. "Did you see their face?"
"No." Evelina swallowed her frustration. "But their cloak—it was dark, heavy. And they were whispering sothing. I just... I need more."
She pressed her fingers into her temples, willing the remnants of the vision to return, but it was gone. Faded. Incomplete.
She needed the dragon pearl.
Zade’s gift had always amplified her abilities, grounding her energy and making her visions sharper. Without it, she felt like a candle trying to illuminate an entire forest.
Where is it?
Evelina shoved the cloth into her pocket and rose swiftly to her feet. She needed to find that pearl—now.
*************
The mont Evelina stepped into her room, she tore through her belongings.
She knew she had left the pearl sowhere. It had always been tucked safely in her satchel, hidden beneath layers of fabric.
But when she emptied the pouch onto her bed, her stomach dropped.
It wasn’t there.
Her fingers shook as she sifted through the pile of belongings—small trinkets, a few scraps of parchnt, and a vial of dried herbs—but no pearl.
"No, no, no," she muttered under her breath. She checked her drawers, her cloak pockets, even under the bed. Still, nothing.
Her breathing turned uneven.
Had soone taken it?
Had she dropped it during the kidnapping?
She hadn’t checked. The thought sent a chill down her spine.
Relia’s voice was edged with unease. "Eve... it’s been days. If you lost it then..."
Evelina froze.
’That ans whoever took could have it.’
"Or soone else saw and picked it up."
A wave of panic surged through her.
The pearl wasn’t just any artifact—it connected to her, strengthened her. If it was in the wrong hands...
A knock on the door made her spin.
Damian stepped in, his silver eyes imdiately locking onto her tense posture and the ss she had made. "Eve?" His brows furrowed. "What’s wrong?"
She opened her mouth, then hesitated.
For a mont, she wanted to tell him everything—about the vision, the pearl, her growing fear that soone had stolen it on purpose.
But her pulse still pounded, and her mind scread for her to think first.
"I—" she swallowed, trying to steady her voice. "I can’t find sothing. Sothing important."
Damian stepped forward, concern flickering in his eyes. "What is it?"
She hesitated, but then exhaled. "The dragon pearl Zade gave ."
Damian’s expression darkened slightly. "The one he gave you the other day?"
Evelina nodded. "Yeah, that. It’s missing. I haven’t seen it since... since I was taken."
A tense silence stretched between them. Damian’s jaw tightened.
"I’ll have soone search the area where you were found," he said after a mont. "If it’s still out there, we’ll find it. If not, I’ll get you another one."
But Evelina shook her head. "No," she said firmly. "It’s not just any pearl, Damian. It’s that pearl. That particular one. It’s connected to in a way. I can feel it when it’s near. And right now..." She exhaled sharply. "I can’t."
Damian studied her for a long mont. Then, finally, he sighed. "Alright. We’ll start looking imdiately."
His strong confidence brought so comfort to Evelina, but it did not take away her feelings of unease.
Evelina stared at the ss she had made in her chambers, frustration simring beneath her skin. The pearl was gone. Soone had it, and she needed to find out who.
But first, she needed to clear her head.
She exhaled sharply and turned towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Damian’s voice was calm, but there was an edge of concern beneath it.
Evelina hesitated.
Telling him she was heading back to the well alone would only lead to an argunt. She needed to think, and she couldn’t do that with him constantly hovering over her.
"I just need so air," she said, forcing her voice to stay even. "I won’t be long."
Damian didn’t look convinced. "Eve—"
"I’ll be fine."
He studied her, silver eyes sharp with suspicion. But after a tense pause, he sighed. "I just want you to know that I’m here to help. You don’t need to do this alone."
Eve wanted to say sothing but the words felt trapped behind the lump in her throat, so she just nodded.
A few seconds after, she found her voice. "Here. Take this." She extended the piece of torn fabric she had found at the well. "If we need to track the owner, this might help."
Damian took it, nodding.
Before he could say anything else, she slipped out of the room, her thoughts already racing ahead.
"You’re pushing him away," Relia’s voice chided as Evelina walked swiftly through the streets.
"I’m handling it," Evelina replied, keeping her tone neutral.
"Yeah, by shutting him out," Relia scoffed. "He wants to help you. And let’s be honest, having the Crown Prince on your side isn’t exactly a bad thing when half the council is out for your blood."
Evelina rubbed her temple. "This isn’t about that."
"Then what is it?"
She hesitated before answering. "I just... need to do this alone."
Relia snorted. "Fine. Be the brooding, lone-wolf detective. But don’t co crying when you end up in a ditch sowhere."
Evelina rolled her eyes but picked up her pace.
Soon, she was back at the well. The square was quiet. Too quiet.
Evelina approached the well cautiously, her fingers tightening around the edge of her cloak.
When pouring the toxin, the culprit must have touched the edge of the well at so point...
If she could find the exact spot, she might be able to trigger another vision.
Moving deliberately, she placed her hands against the rough stone and walked in slow, asured steps around the well’s periter. Her fingers skimd the surface, searching for any trace of lingering energy.
Nothing.
She exhaled through her nose, frustration building.
Co on...
She moved further, her mind reaching, pulling—
A sudden jolt shot up her arm.
Her breath hitched.
A distant but familiar whisper curled around the edges of her thoughts.
Yes... show —
A sharp whoosh sliced through the air, breaking the silence.
Evelina felt a primal warning deep in her bones, her instinct screaming for her to act.
Without hesitation, she ducked, narrowly missing a blade that had been aid at her neck.
Adrenaline surged as she turned around, her heart racing. In that brief mont, she saw her attackers—a dark shape erging from the shadows, intent on bringing her down.
They were fast—too fast.
Dark clothing covered their bodies from the neck down, obscuring their identities. Only their eyes were visible—cold, calculating, and rciless.
Evelina barely had ti to react before another strike ca, forcing her backwards.
Shit!
Relia snarled in her mind. "Eve, MOVE!"
Reviews
All reviews (0)