CHAPTER 171: NOT TODAY

Rhane drew a line across the bark of a rain-washed cedar tree, the stick scratching deep before breaking in his hand. He has kept mark of the paths he’d passed to avoid walking in circles.

Letting out a long breath, Rhane leaned against the marked trunk, his body heavy with fatigue. The climb had tested more than his endurance, it tested his reason for being there at all.

All the while he climbed the mountian, Rhane couldn’t shake off his conversation with Hart. As he had suspected someone had brought Hart to join the tournament, but Rhane’s first guess was Nikolai. But it was Jenna’s father all along. The man must have hated Rhane so much that he’d rather die than hand Jenna over to him.

’To think the one who sent the letter asked me to withdraw and return home, last night.’

These words repeated in Rhane’s mind each step he took, and even now that he tried to rest.

Did the man finally accept him— Rhane, the lowborn as one worthy of his daughter? Or was it another trick, another game crafted to see how far he would crawl for love?

Rhane had seen it. The disdain in the man’s eyes when he spoke to him. Brown was a man of order, he believed that people should be where they’re born to be. Separated by pure blood and the filths. It was normal for him to think so, and for what it’s worth Rhane didn’t care about that.

Most noblemen were that way. Kings had their daughters married to men in power just to make sure the crown never leaves their bloodline. What more could a chief merchant do than extend his acquaintance in other to protect his trade and legacy.

Now, why had he suddenly asked Hart to withdraw. If for anything, Hart should be protected and not the other way. So why?

Rhane tapped his fingers on his lips gently, the mountain had no answer. It stood tall and mute, swallowing his doubts as easily as it swallowed the sun. Feeling refreshed and ready to continue Rhane straightened and began walking again.

All morning he had searched. From the northern ridge to the mist-thick valleys below, nothing but rocks, muddy water, and silence met him. After his conversation with Hart, the young man had parted ways with him playfully teasing Rhane that he would find the veil first. That was the last human Rhane saw on his way.

Since then, no veil. No trap. No Gerald with his hungry pride and arrogance or Nikolai with his dubious ploy. It was almost too calm but Rhane basked in the solitude.

At least for the sake of the wound that was yet to heal, he needed a time without another theatrics for survival. And so far the mountian has given him that reprieve. As he had planned, he walked the mountains calmly and resting when he could so he doesn’t open the wound on his stomach.

The air was growing colder, afternoon slipping away with an orange hue that kissed the mountain’s edges. Rhane sucked in a deep breath as he stopped by a stream that snaked through stones dark with moss. He knelt, dipped his hands into the freezing water, and washed his face.

"Jenna...why would your father ask Hart to leave the tournament?" Rhane muttered, wiping the cold water from his face.

There was no such thing as coincidence. Rhane had survived having this in his mind.

For Brown to send a message telling Hart to withdraw... that was no act of kindness. That was intent. The old man wanted something, and Rhane feared he might already be proceeding with the plan while Rhane searched the mountain endlessly.

After washing his face, Rhane sat by the stream, resting the back of his head against the rock behind him. The forest canopy above danced with streaks of sunlight breaking through the leaves, falling like scattered gold on his wet face.

Rhane pressed his hand to his stomach, his hesrtbeat pulsed against his wound. The cut still ached. The bandage was damp with sweat but not blood. That, at least, was mercy.

Everything was about to end, once he finds the veil. Rhane picked up a pebble and tossed it into the stream. It made a hollow splash, then vanished under the ripples.

"Jenna..." Rhane drawled her name. He wondered if she was waiting, if she was thinking of him the same way he thought of her, between fear and faith.

Rhane imagined Jenna staring at the mountian intently, waiting for him to step out and it brought a brief smile to his face. The thought of Jenna gave him the strength to rise and continue on his way. He took a deep breath, wiping the dirt from his palms, Rhane walked deeper into the mountain.

It didn’t take a long walk when Rhane found hope- a cave just up ahead of the place he stood. He checked the trees closer to him and noticed they were unmarked. He had not walked this path.

Rhane picked up a new stick and marked the trees before walking closer to the cave. He could hear the distant calls of birds, their chirps echoed from the cave to outside.

Taking a quick scan of the place, just to make sure he wasn’t walking into a trap. Rhane stopped at the entrance. The air that drifted out was colder, smelling faintly of charcoal and smoke. His eyes adjusted slowly, tracing the hollows of the cavern. There were fire torces burning on each sides of the wall.

Caves like these don’t usually have torches except someone lived in it. Rhane entered inside, there he found it.

There were veils, dozens of them. Fluttering from the low ceiling and hanging from rocks like ghostly petals. Each veil bore a faint inscription. Rhane reached for one of the veils and read the words softly.

"A man to protect me..." he murmured, the threadbare veil swaying against his hand. It sounded like something Jenna would write, but if he knew Jenna that way he think he did.

Jenna wouldn’t make it this obvious, knowing that there were men out there to protect her. Like her father, like Percy. This wouldn’t be on her veil.

Rhane moved to the next.

"I want to be a wife..." he shook his head.

"A happy home..."

The more he read the inscriptions on the veils, the more Rhane felt like Jenna’s own wasn’t there. The words just didn’t feel right to him, like something he’d hear her say.

Rhane exhaled tiredly, he was halfway into searching when something stopped him.

A red veil. It didn’t have to stand out if Rhane didn’t recognize that fabric. Same that Archie had used to tailor a shirt for him.

Rhane leaned closer, his fingers tracing the veil and the words written on it.

"I wish to be held, but not to be broken."

Rhane’s lips curved faintly. This was it! He remembered those words, Jenna had said it on a drunken night, her voice unguarded and soft. She had laughed afterward, pretending she didn’t mean it, but he knew she did.

Finding Jenna’s veil in the midst of all others felt like Rhane saw a familiar face in a crowded market. He pressed it tightly.

"This is yours," he whispered, cutting the veil free with the blade from his belt. Rhane folded it carefully and tucked it inside his shirt, against his chest.

It was finally over. Rhane straightened, scanning the cave one last time. The silence was too perfect, like the calm before a wicked storm. Rhane thought he’d have to fight his way just to get Jenna’s veil but it wasn’t so making him get even more worried.

Strapping his dagger back to his waist Rhane turned to leave. If something wasn’t happening in the mountains then it means it was happening around Jenna. That was the fate of anyone who went against Nikolai.

The man doesn’t stop at anything. Once outside the cave, Rhane noticed the sun still gave its last light. If he hastened his steps he would arrived before dusk.

Rhane hadn’t taken two steps when Gerald stepped out from behind the trees.

"I knew things have been too perfect," Rhane chimed tiredly, rubbing his forehead.

Gerald stood in front of Rhane. He looked like he had walked for days. His hair was disheveled, his eyes feverish and empty of all reason. And he kept chanting something only him could hear.

"So," Gerald’s voice broke the stillness. "You found it."

Rhane didn’t answer. His gaze shifted briefly to the blade, then back to the man’s face. Gerald’s expression was stripped of humanity— no rivalry now, only the kind of fury that begged for blood.

"You should have stayed in your place," Gerald spat. "The servant who reached too high, now clutching what doesn’t belong to him."

Rhane said nothing. If Gerald had come for blood it means he no longer had anything to lose. And from his past experiences, men who had nothing to lose only stretch their hands to take a fellow to hell with them.

Gerald took a step forward, his boots scraping the stone. "It must have felt great, winning all these time. To have Jenna...to have father and to have everything you want." he hissed. "But not today, Rhane. You’ll die with it in your hands before she ever knows."

Rhane took a cautious step back, guarding his injured stomach. If he didn’t have a weakness taking out Gerald would be easy but with the madness in the man’s eyes. Rhane needed to be careful.

"Tell me Gerald...what is it, you want?"

Gerald raised his dagger, "For you to leave my life and go to the rubble where you belong."

Rhane drew his own dagger, it was certain things won’t end except one of them died. And as for Rhane...

"I am sorry Gerald...I have my woman waiting. I cannot die with you...not today."