Arthur bent down slightly, then wrapped his arms around his brother’s neck, while Adrian carried him steadily on his back.
Adrian smiled lightly, then said:
“Hold on tight.”
Arthur nodded his head, and tightened his grip on his brother’s shoulder.
And in the next moment…
Adrian took off running after Rosie, cutting through the trees with fast, steady steps.
Rosie was moving ahead of them, looking in every direction with alert eyes.
And suddenly…
she stopped in her place.
She turned quickly, and began scanning the area with her eyes.
At that same moment, a faint sound rang out among the trees.
Quick movement.
And she spotted a small shadow leaping between the branches then vanishing.
Rosie’s eyes widened.
“There!”
She didn’t wait a single moment.
She dashed at her utmost speed after that shadow, until she began quickly moving away from Adrian and Arthur.
Adrian raised his voice calling to her:
“Rosie!
Wait!”
But she didn’t even turn around.
She kept running without slowing down, as if fearing she’d lose the trail of that thing again.
Adrian sighed, then clenched his fist.
“No choice…”
And he too took off at greater speed, while Arthur was still on his back.
And while running…
Arthur was watching Rosie’s back as she leaped lightly between the trees.
And suddenly…
his eyes fell on the back of her neck.
Beneath her strands of silver hair, he glimpsed something strange.
A small tattoo…
but her hair covered most of it, so he couldn’t make out its shape clearly.
He blinked several times trying to see it again, but Rosie’s fast movement kept hiding it each time.
“What is that…?”
Out of curiosity, he lowered his gaze toward his brother Adrian’s neck, trying to find out if he carried the same mark.
But…
there was no tattoo there.
Arthur remained silent, his confusion growing.
“Strange…”
Her breathing was rapid from the intensity of running, while her eyes swept the area in every direction.
But…
no trace of that shadow remained.
No movement.
No sound.
Not even a footprint among the grass.
She clenched her fists tightly, then stepped forward looking behind tree trunks, before worry crept further into her features.
And suddenly, she raised her head and let out a scream that filled the forest:
“Ariaaaaaaaaaa!
Where are you?!”
Adrian stopped in his place, then gently lowered Arthur off his back.
“Stay close to me.”
The moment he spoke those words, his ears caught a faint sound among the trees.
A rustle…
as if something were moving among the dense grass.
He turned quickly toward the source of the sound, and began watching the place cautiously, while his hand automatically moved to the hilt of his sword.
Silence fell for seconds…
then the sound vanished as it had appeared.
Adrian let out a calm breath, before heading toward Rosie, who was still looking in every direction with worry.
He gently placed his hand on her shoulder.
“Rosie…”
She turned to him quickly, her features tense.
He said in a steady tone not lacking firmness:
“Let’s go back to the palace, and inform my father of what happened.”
He paused for a moment, then continued:
“We’ve searched alone enough.”
He looked into the depths of the forest, then returned his gaze to her.
“If a larger number of guards go out to search, the chances of finding Aria will be much greater.”
Rosie shoved Adrian’s hand away violently, and stepped back staring at him with eyes filled with anger and worry.
“Shut up!”
Her voice rose for the first time, sounding different from her usual calm.
“This doesn’t even concern you!”
She pressed her teeth together, then added with agitation:
“And you don’t even show any signs of worry…”
She paused for a moment, before saying bitterly:
“Right…
because she’s not your sister by blood on your mother’s side, and you don’t share any memories with her.”
Then she gestured with her hand toward the depths of the forest.
“Just one day ago, a beast appeared and killed a large number of guards!”
Her voice trembled as she continued:
“What if another one appears now…
and attacks my sister while we’re going back to the palace and wasting time asking for help?!”
Her breathing was rapid, and anger alone wasn’t what was speaking…
Adrian stepped forward once toward her.
And although she was still looking at him with anger, he calmly raised his hand and placed it over her head, then gently ran it through her soft silver hair strands.
Rosie trembled slightly from the surprise, and raised her head quickly.
“Adrian…?”
She was about to push his hand away again, but the moment her eyes fell on his features…
she stopped.
He wasn’t smiling.
And he wasn’t angry.
Rather, his eyes carried a calm mixed with sincere resolve, until the anger gradually vanished from her face without her noticing.
Adrian looked at her steadily, and said in a low but firm voice:
“Rosie…”
He paused for a moment, then continued:
“I promise you…
I will find Aria.”
His tone grew slightly stronger.
“Even if it costs me my life.”
Silence fell between them.
Then he lowered his hand from her head, and added calmly:
“But…
trust me.”
He looked toward the road leading to the palace, then returned his gaze to her.
“Let’s go back first.”
Rosie kept staring at him in silence, and his words began piercing through her fear little by little.
She had known Adrian for years, and knew he didn’t make a promise he didn’t intend to keep.
After a while of walking, the three returned to Baldor Palace.
The path they’d taken on the way there seemed longer on the return trip, as none of them spoke a word the whole way.
Adrian walked ahead with steady steps, while Arthur walked beside him, casting scattered glances at Rosie now and then.
As for Rosie…
she walked ahead of them in silence.
Her usual sternness had vanished, and her face had paled until it seemed drained of color, while her eyes remained fixed on the ground, as if she feared to raise them.
Her fist was clenched tightly, and her breathing irregular, and despite trying to hold herself together, worry weighed down every step she took.
Before long, the palace’s massive gate appeared before them.
Dozens of guards stood at the entrance after the tightening of security measures, and the moment they spotted Prince Adrian approaching, they straightened their posture and bowed respectfully.
“Welcome back, Your Highness.”