As soon as they saw the smoke, Gregory felt the prince tense up next to him. Bryce was on edge, clearly affected, though his face was calm and devoid of all emotions. They stopped walking and stood in a clearing, watching the smoke filter into the clouds.

As they made their way through the frozen outpost, Marcus couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. The motionless figures around them seemed to stare with unseeing eyes, their faces caught in expressions of surprise, fear, or determination. "Do you think they can see us?"

As Adeline entered the room, she found Cordelia awake and pacing nervously. Her friend's face lit up with relief at the sight of her.

“We need to keep moving,” Bryce said.

"What was that?" Marcus asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Rylee shook her head, her expression grim behind her helmet visor. "I don't know, but we need to move. Now."

Lord Fairfax led Adeline to a small, secluded courtyard within the palace grounds. The air was heavy with the scent of night-blooming flowers, and the soft glow of bioluminescent plants cast an ethereal light over the scene.

Bryce nodded, then stretched and motioned to the guard with his manacled hands. The man seemed annoyed but didn’t object when Bryce stood and started walking into the forest. They disappeared into the foliage, and Gregory thought again of how arrogant these men were.

As the shuttle descended through the planet's atmosphere, the team huddled around the viewscreen, their expressions a mix of anticipation and dread. The swirling clouds parted, revealing a landscape that sent a collective shudder through the crew.

The following morning dawned bright and clear, the air filled with a sweet, unfamiliar fragrance that seemed to be unique to Elendale. Adeline woke early, her excitement overriding any lingering fatigue from their journey. She found Cordelia already awake, sitting by the window a...