CHAPTER 242: CHAPTER 242 WHAT WAS LEFT UNSAID

(Aeris POV)

The room stretched with an unbearable silence, the tension so thick that a knife could slice through it.

Damon and others had begun to pack their stuff. Rhydian stood alone in one corner, his jaws clenched tightly but he didn’t voice out his frustration.

Damon’s look was cold and sharp like an ice icicle. Mr. Four Eyes mostly helped him.

Meanwhile, Alaric stood by the window staring at the dark orange sky with faint rays of gold. His expression was disturbed, the usual bubbly smile was nowhere in sight.

"We’ll be leaving in a few minutes," Rhydian said calmly from where he stood.

I nodded, packing the last bits of my belongings in my bag.

I sighed deeply, my shoulders slumped. I had thought I had finally unlocked my magical power, but now, I could not reassess it.

’Does that mean that it hasn’t fully awakened?’ I furrowed my brows, trying to conjure magic... but all I conjured was a pathetic wave of shame.

"Princess! Princess!" Golden’s voice echoed from behind me.

I turned, unable to believe my eyes. Golden fluttered its wings slowly in front of me.

I narrowed my eyes at it, then I looked away ignoring it.

"Princess." Golden lowered its head in apology. "I know I was wrong, I shouldn’t have left just like that... I should have told you."

I folded my arms, refusing to meet its eyes. "Where did you even go?" I muttered under my breath.

Golden hovered awkwardly in front of me, its wings barely moving. "I... I went to find a home. I thought maybe if I could trace my origins, I’d remember something that could help you." Its voice was small, almost ashamed.

I looked up sharply. "You just disappeared with no heads up, and not even a goodbye. Do you know what happened while you were gone?"

Golden lowered its head. "I know, I sensed something had happened... I came back as soon as I could. The place I thought was home... it was gone."

My chest tightened a little. Golden looked so... lost. Even though I was mad, a part of me was glad that Golden came back.

I sighed, reaching into my bag to check if everything was in place. "We’re leaving," I said quietly. "I don’t know where this path leads, but you can come with us."

Golden nodded quickly. "Yes, of course! I’ll stay by your side this time."

I zipped the bag and slung it over my shoulder. "Good... Don’t vanish again."

Outside, the sky had darkened to a deep amber, darkness stretching across the stone paths as we all gathered near the gate of the hostel.

Rhydian stood at the front, his jaw still clenched, his eyes scanning the road like he was already expecting trouble. Damon stayed behind, checking over our supplies with Mr. Four Eyes, though he didn’t say a word to me.

Alaric walked over to me. "You okay?"

I looked up and gave him a small nod. "Yes, are you okay?"

He smiled faintly, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "I’m perfectly fine."

"Is that so?"

To my question he avoided his gaze, he nodded his head, before flashing a smile at me.

We set out just as the last light of day began to fade. The villagers from the witches’ realm were still distracted by the festival, which gave us a perfect window to slip out unnoticed.

Our path led through the narrow back roads, where vines crept up broken fences and patches of wild herbs grew in between old cracks in the ground.

Golden stayed close to my shoulder.

The only sounds were the soft crunch of boots on the gravel and the occasional rustle of leaves as we passed.

I tightened my grip on my bag, glancing back one last time at the village we were leaving behind.

The path we followed curved gently into a shaded trail, the trees leaning in on us. The light above dimmed under the thick canopy, and the air turned cooler, carrying the scent of damp moss and dried leaves.

Thick roots jutted out from the dirt, winding across the ground like veins.

Rhydian led the group with a steady pace, his cloak trailing lightly behind him. He didn’t speak much, but I could tell he was tense. His shoulders were square, his eyes scanning every tree and shadow like he was waiting for something to go wrong.

Mr. Four Eyes kept close behind him, his posture unusually rigid for someone who always had a sarcastic remark on his lips. Even he seemed to be holding his breath.

Alaric lagged near the edge of the path, watching the treeline in silence. The usual spark in his eyes was missing. He wasn’t smiling, and his jaw was clenched, and I noticed how his fingers hovered near the blade strapped to his waist.

I walked a few steps behind Damon, watching the distance between us stretch with every step. He hadn’t looked back once. Not even when we left the village.

But I could feel every emotion of his. I glanced down at the bracelet on my hand, and I sighed. My body was still weak from the magic I had used.

Golden fluttered beside me, its wings moving slower than usual, like she too could feel the weight in the air.

I adjusted the strap of my bag, feeling it dig into my shoulder. Then, quietly, I picked up my pace until I was walking just behind Damon.

"Are you avoiding me?" I muttered under my breath, not even sure if I wanted him to hear it.

His steps didn’t falter, but I saw the tension in his shoulders grow. "And why would I?" His voice was low, quiet enough that only I could hear.

"You were staring like I had horns growing out of my head," I said, not bothering to look at him. "If you had something to say, you should’ve just said it."

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he slowed down a little, just enough for me to walk beside him. I glanced up, catching the sharp edge of his jaw, and the unreadable look in his eyes.

"I didn’t say anything because there was nothing for me to say," he said flatly.