Just know that if you are still in Runevale by sun rise tomorrow, I will kill you myself." She concluded. "So, what did you do?" Irene asked, her curiosity evident.
"I didn't go anywhere," I admitted. "I didn't know what to do or where to go, so I just stayed. If she wanted to kill me, she was free to do it. She was the one who brought me into this world in the first place." My voice was steady, but the weight of those words lingered between us. The truth was, I had already accepted that my own mother could get rid of me so easily. She had even threatened it.
Irene's brows furrowed. "Then how did you survive?"
I took a slow breath. "The next morning, when my mother saw I was still there, she decided to end it. She meant it—there was no hesitation. But Michael got in the way." The memory of it flickered in my mind, sharp and unrelenting. "I was ready to die. But then I saw him fighting the guards for me, risking his life like it meant nothing, and suddenly, I couldn't just stand there and let it happen. If I had stayed, he would have been punished. Maybe even killed. So I ran."
Irene listened intently, her expression unreadable in the dim light. The silence stretched before she finally spoke.
She exhaled, almost as if she had been holding her breath. "It must have been terrifying."
"It was," I admitted.
"And after you ran?"
"I thought I'd escaped, but the soldiers came after me. It wasn't surprising—my mother never makes empty threats. They chased me all day until I found this forest. I thought I could lose them here, so I hid between the roots of a large tree. I must've fallen asleep because the next thing I knew, you were waking me up."
Irene absorbed my words, her gaze softening. "How old are you now?"
"Eighteen. I turned eighteen two days ago—the day my mother."
A shadow crossed Irene's face. "But if she already cast you out, why were the soldiers still after you?"
I let out a hollow laugh. "Because exile wasn't enough. The moment I fled, I went from being banished to being a target. She said if I was still in Runevale by morning, she'd kill me. And my mother never goes back on her word."
For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then, without warning, Irene pulled me into a tight embrace. I stiffened, caught off guard, but she only held me closer. "And here I was, thinking no one could have it worse than me." She said, her eyes teary.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. "It's alright, Irene. I'm alright now."
The words felt like a lie. But for tonight, in this moment, I needed them to be true.
She then bent towards me and gave me a peck on my cheek.
"Happy birthday sweetie." She said and I smiled.
Breaking the silence that hung in the air, Irene asked with a quiver in her voice, "Do you think the soldiers are still pursuing you?" Her worry was palpable, breaking through the calmness we had tried to create.
"I cannot say for certain if they had returned to the kingdom yet," I replied, my voice filled with uncertainty. "But given the relentless pursuit they demonstrated throughout the day, it wouldn't be surprising if they still had their sights on me. That's why I've made the decision to leave tomorrow at noon."
"Majesty, you remember I said there was something I wanted to show you?" I nodded, wondering what it could be.
"There is something you must know first." She continued.
"Don't you find it strange that there are fewer than twenty old people in the entire kingdom of Runevale?"
I hesitated, unsure how to respond. I had barely stepped foot outside the palace, so I couldn't say I had noticed. But now that I thought about it, even within the palace walls, there were no elderly people. And my mother—she looked more like my older sister than my parent.
Something wasn't right.
My brows knitted together. "Now that you mention it… you don't look that old at all. What's going on?"
I hadn't truly looked at Irene until now. There was something almost timeless about her. Her deep scarlet eyes held a quiet warmth, their rich hue shifting subtly in the light. Her chestnut hair cascaded past her shoulders in soft waves. Her sun-kissed bronze skin bore only the faintest traces of age, yet there was a youthful elegance about her—an ageless beauty that felt almost unnatural.
She sighed, glancing up at the night sky as if searching for the right words. "Everyone in Runevale is born with the ability to manipulate nature in some way. How much they can control depends on their strength and their lineage."
I blinked. "Wait—manipulate nature? Like magic?"
"In a way, yes," she replied.
I tilted my head, curiosity stirring within me. "Then why haven't I seen anyone use it before?"
Irene hesitated for a moment before giving me a small smile. "Perhaps it would be easier to show you."
She lifted her hand, fingers curling slightly as she murmured something under her breath.
"Våřėth vərō šaër řaën, Mælő šëlą, vēlh öräën—Möräth Šëlvën: Zhäþéth Šüvėlī!" (Pronounced: "Vah-reth veh-roh shair rah-en, My-lo shel-ah, velh o-ray-en—Mohr-ath Shel-ven: Zhah-teth Shu-veh-lee!" | Meaning: "Wilted roots shall rise once more, Mend the flesh, heal the core—Primal Genesis: Everlasting Bloom!")
A soft, golden light shimmered around her fingertips before washing over me like a gentle breeze. The moment it touched my skin, a refreshing sensation spread through me, like cool water on a scorching day. My exhaustion vanished in an instant—my aching muscles relaxed, and my mind, clouded with fatigue, became as clear as a summer sky.
I gasped, sitting up straighter. "What was that?"
Irene chuckled at my reaction. "It's a simple rejuvenation incantation. You looked like you needed it."
"But… I've never heard those words before." I frowned. "What language was that?"
"Šërēĺįťh," she answered smoothly. (Sheh-REH-leeth). "It's an ancient language, known only to Runevale's people, though, not everyone in Runevale knows of it. We use it to connect with nature and channel our abilities."
My fingers curled into the fabric of my dress as I processed this revelation. Runevale had its own secret language? One tied to magic?
But if their powers were so useful, why had no one been using them?
I met Irene's gaze. "Then why did my mother forbid you from using your abilities?" If no one was using Šërēĺįťh, then there could only be one person who made it so.
Her expression darkened slightly, the warmth in her eyes dimming. "That's the thing—we don't know. It happened the day you were born. One morning, everything was normal, and by nightfall, a royal decree was issued. No one was to use Šërēĺįťh."
I frowned. "That doesn't make sense. If people have powers, why would she stop them from using them?"
Irene let out a slow breath, her eyes flickering with something unreadable. "Most people were displeased, but no one was foolish enough to defy the queen, knowing how powerful she was. Rumors say she once defeated a first shadow (right-hand man of one of the Seven Archdemons…)"
I stiffened. "There are demons? Actual demons?"
Irene arched a brow. "There are many kinds of beings in this world. I'm surprised the queen kept you in the dark."
My mind reeled at her words. All my life, my mother had never once spoken of demons or anything remotely supernatural. But now, Irene spoke of them as if they were common knowledge.
She met my gaze, her expression unwavering. "Let me tell you what I know about demons. Demons are one of the strongest beings I know of. They have structure, power, and a hierarchy that governs their world. At the top are the Seven Archdemons, each ruling over a vast domain of the underworld. They are ancient beings, older than human civilization itself, and their strength is beyond comprehension."
She paused before continuing, her voice steady. "Directly beneath them are the First Shadows. They are like the right hand of the Archdemons—their enforcers, generals, and most trusted subordinates. These demons are nearly as powerful as the Archdemons themselves, carrying out their orders and crushing anything that stands in their way. Below them are the Abyssal Lords, demons of great strength and influence, ruling over lesser demons and commanding their own forces. And then, at the bottom, are the common demons—the Doomclads, the scavengers, the ones who roam the lands seeking power, destruction, or servitude under stronger beings."
I listened, absorbing her words, the weight of this revelation settling over me. I had spent my entire life in ignorance, shielded from the truths of the world. But now, the pieces were starting to come together. If my mother had the strength to defeat a First Shadow, then just how powerful was she?