CHAPTER 228: GETTING ALONG

After a while, Mirielle rose from her seat and walked toward the door. Her father, the settlement’s leader, stood there speaking with a few guards. He looked at her, puzzled, but her determined expression told him everything before she even opened her mouth. Lucas glanced up briefly, watching as she gestured with her hands and spoke earnestly. He couldn’t hear their words, but he could tell she was pleading with him. Her father’s brows furrowed deeply. The discussion went on for some time. There were moments when the old man’s shoulders sagged, and he rubbed his temple with a sigh, clearly torn.

The others in the hall noticed too. Nyx raised a brow and tilted her head toward the door. "Looks like someone’s asking for trouble," she murmured quietly.

Selene chuckled softly. "You think she’s trying to come along?"

"Obviously," Lira replied, smiling faintly. "That girl’s been watching Lucas all evening. Now she wants to follow him into a mountain full of beasts."

Nyx gave Lira a side glance and smirked. "Can you blame her?"

Lira scoffed but didn’t answer, though the playful glint in her eyes betrayed her amusement.

Moments later, Mireille returned, walking beside her father. Her steps were light and filled with a strange mix of excitement and nervousness. The old man’s expression told a different story...his eyes were worried, his mouth set in a reluctant frown. He looked older now, burdened by the decision he had clearly just made.

He stopped near the empress and bowed deeply. "Your Majesty," he began, his voice heavy with respect, "my daughter wishes to accompany your group into the mountains. I have tried to dissuade her, but her heart is stubborn, and she will not rest until she has seen the world beyond these ridges."

The empress lifted her eyes slowly, her expression calm but unreadable. The firelight reflected off her silver hair as she studied the man for a moment. "You understand the danger, don’t you?" she said quietly. "This journey is not a passing adventure. Even those with power have perished beyond the ridges."

"I understand," the old man replied, bowing again. "But I also know she cannot be caged here forever. She’s been nothing but dutiful, kind, and patient all her life. I have no right to keep her bound to this settlement if her spirit calls her elsewhere. All I ask is that you watch over her... as best as you can."

The empress’s gaze softened ever so slightly. She sighed and looked away, her eyes catching the faint shimmer of snowflakes drifting beyond the doorway. "You’re asking much, old friend," she said at last. "But I will not deny her the right to choose her own path."

Mireille’s eyes brightened, and she turned to her father, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Father," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "I promise I’ll make you proud."

He patted her back, though his eyes glistened faintly as he whispered something only she could hear. Then, with one last nod to the empress, he turned and left the hall, his cloak brushing the floor as he went.

Mireille stood for a moment, watching him leave, before she turned back toward the group. A smile spread across her face...genuine, radiant, and full of youthful fire. She moved toward where Lira, Nyx, and Selene sat together near the fire.

Selene looked up first and grinned. "So, you’re coming with us then?"

Mireille nodded eagerly. "Yes! I’ll be joining your journey. I still can’t believe it."

Nyx gave her a sharp, amused look. "You’ll believe it soon enough once the cold bites and the beasts start howling."

Instead of being intimidated, Mireille only laughed. "I’ve lived my whole life in the cold, Lady Nyx. I’ll be fine."

Lira smirked and patted the space beside her. "Then you’d better sit with us. We were just talking about the mountain routes and what we might face there."

Mireille sat down between them, her excitement almost glowing through her smile. The conversation flowed easily after that, laughter and soft voices mingling with the fire’s crackle. For a moment, it was as though they were just a group of travelers sharing a calm night...no royal burdens, no impending danger, just warmth and new companionship.

Lucas, watching from his seat across the fire, noticed the way Mireille fit so naturally among them. She was still a bit shy, but her genuine curiosity and bright spirit blended smoothly with the others’ personalities. The empress said nothing as she observed quietly from her side of the fire.

Outside, the cold wind whispered across the rooftops, carrying faint hints of snow and the promise of the harsh climb that awaited them in the days to come. But inside, the hall glowed with warmth, and for a fleeting night, even danger seemed far away.

As the night deepened, one by one, conversations faded into soft murmurs and then into silence. The fire had burned low, its orange glow now reduced to a gentle warmth that flickered across the walls. The Empress stood first, her movements graceful and silent, and the others instinctively rose as well.

"Rest well," she said in her calm, commanding tone. "Tomorrow marks the beginning of our true journey. The mountain ahead will not forgive the unprepared."

The group nodded in understanding.

Lucas was the last to stand. His gaze lingered briefly on the fire before turning toward the curtained doorway that led to their resting quarters. "We should sleep," he said quietly, almost to himself. "We’ll need our strength."

The girls agreed. Nyx stretched her arms lazily, her silver-blue eyes glimmering in the dim light. "Finally," she murmured, "a few hours of peace before we start freezing again."

Selene laughed softly. "You talk as if the cold bothers you."

"It doesn’t," Nyx replied with a smirk, "but watching all of you shiver does."

Lira rolled her eyes. "Then I’ll make sure to sit beside you tomorrow. Maybe your Ice affinity will finally come in handy."

The light-hearted exchange brought a quiet smile to Lucas’s face. Mireille hesitated for a moment before she spoke up, her tone soft and almost shy. "Thank you... for letting me join you all."

Selene placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You’re one of us now," she said kindly. "Get some rest, Mireille. You’ll need it."

The young woman nodded and smiled before following the others.

Outside, the wind howled softly through the trees, carrying the cold breath of the northern peaks. The stars above shimmered like shards of ice against the dark sky, and the faint glow of the moon bathed the settlement in silver light.

Inside, the fire dimmed until only embers remained. Lucas lay quietly on his bedroll, staring at the wooden ceiling. His mind wandered to the journey ahead...the beasts, the treacherous paths, and the hidden dangers that awaited beyond the snow-covered ridges.

He exhaled slowly and closed his eyes.

Tomorrow, everything would change.