Chapter 31 – The Price of Family

  The abandoned house smelled of mold and rotten wood.

  Steve sat in a corner, back against the wall, staring at his own hands. They were still trembling. Not much. But enough to notice.

  *Twelve. I killed twelve.*

  He closed his eyes. Saw the faces. Or tried to. But they were already dissolving in his memory, turning into featureless blurs.

  *I don’t know their names. I don’t know if they had families. I don’t know anything.*

  *Except that they’re dead. Because of me.*

  “Steve.”

  Keara was crouching in front of him. When had she approached? He hadn’t even noticed.

  “You need to rest,” she said gently. “At least a few hours.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Then at least drink some water.”

  She held out a canteen.

  Steve took it and drank. The water was lukewarm but helped wash away the metallic taste that had lingered in his mouth since…

  Since that.

  On the other side of the room, Dagon and Any were studying a makeshift map spread across a broken table. Jelím floated near the window, watching the street through a crack in the boards.

  Any pointed to two spots on the map.

  “My parents are here. In the palace dungeons. Guarded by at least ten elite soldiers.”

  Dagon frowned.

  “And Matthias?”

  “Here. Office on the third floor. He always works until midnight.”

  She hesitated, touching a third point.

  “And there’s… a secret passage. Adrian showed it to me once. Used by the royal family in emergencies. It leads straight to the dungeons.”

  Dagon straightened, studying the route.

  “How many official entrances?”

  “Three. But the passage avoids all of them.”

  “Then we split up.” Dagon traced a line with his finger. “Group A goes to the dungeons. Group B confronts Matthias directly.”

  Keara stood up, leaving Steve, and approached the table.

  “Who goes where?”

  “Any knows the passage.” Dagon looked at her. “She needs to go to the dungeons.”

  “I agree.”

  “And she needs someone with her.” Dagon turned. “Steve.”

  The boy’s head snapped up.

  “What? No. I can’t—”

  “You can and you will.”

  “What if I lose control again?!” His voice came out louder than he intended. “What if I hurt her parents?!”

  A heavy silence fell.

  Any crossed the room. Stopped in front of him.

  “Then don’t lose it.”

  Steve shook his head.

  “It’s not that simple!”

  “I know.” She crouched down, meeting his eyes. “But I need you. And I believe you can do it.”

  “Why?” The question came out broken. “After everything you saw? After…”

  “Because you came back.” Any touched the silver bracelet on his wrist. “When you could have kept going. When it would’ve been easier to let her take over. You fought. And you won.”

  Pause.

  “So you’ll win again. Please.”

  Steve looked at Dagon, searching for… what? Permission? Absolution?

  The man only gave a small nod.

  “Go, kid. But if you feel her coming back…”

  He didn’t finish. He didn’t need to.

  Steve took a deep breath.

  “Okay. I’ll go.”

  ---

  The entrance to the secret passage was hidden behind an ornamental fountain in the palace gardens.

  Any removed a specific stone at the base. An ancient mechanism groaned. An opening appeared, revealing a descending staircase that vanished into darkness.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  “How do you know about this?” Steve whispered.

  “Adrian.” Her voice came out soft. “He wanted me to have an escape route. Always.”

  Pause as they began to descend.

  “He was always kind to me. Even when they forced our engagement.”

  The staircase was narrow, damp. The smell of mold grew stronger with every step. Torches that must have lit the way decades ago were now just rusted iron holders on the walls.

  Steve raised his hand. A small white flame appeared in his palm — a basic skill he had copied from Fog weeks earlier.

  It lit the way.

  They walked in silence for minutes. Only the sound of footsteps echoing.

  Then Any spoke:

  “About the kiss…”

  Steve stumbled. Caught himself quickly, his face burning even in the dark.

  “…I’m sorry.” She continued without looking back. “I used you. It was cruel.”

  She kept descending.

  “But I don’t regret it. Because it worked. Adrian understood. My uncle was furious. And my parents… my parents will live because of it.”

  Steve didn’t answer right away. Then:

  “You’re still wearing the bracelet.”

  Any stopped. Looked at her own wrist. The silver gleamed faintly under the magical light.

  “I am.”

  “Why?”

  She stayed silent for so long that Steve thought she wouldn’t answer.

  Then:

  “Because it reminds me that not everything was a lie.”

  And she continued walking.

  ---

  The passage ended at a rotten wooden door.

  Any pushed it gently. It creaked but opened, revealing a dimly lit corridor.

  At the end, six guards stood watch in front of a reinforced door.

  “How do we get past?” Steve whispered.

  Any removed her veil completely. Tied her hair under a dark hood.

  “You stay here. I’ll go.”

  “What?! No!”

  “They know me. They’ll hesitate. That gives me an advantage.”

  Steve grabbed her arm.

  “Any, wait—”

  She looked at him. For the first time, completely serious. No social masks. No games.

  “They’re my parents, Steve. Not your mission. Not Dagon’s obligation. **My** family.”

  Pause.

  “So I’m going.”

  And she went.

  Steve watched her walk straight toward the guards. His heart raced. His hand instinctively went to his sword.

  *If this goes wrong… if they hurt her…*

  Something stirred inside him. Not Nessira. Something different. Deeper.

  *Protection.*

  ---

  Any stopped three meters from the guards.

  The first one turned, hand going to his sword—

  Then he recognized her face.

  “Lady Any?!” The surprise was genuine. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to see my parents.”

  “Orders from the Lord Counselor.” The guard actually seemed regretful. “No one enters. Not even you, milady.”

  Any sighed.

  “I know.”

  What happened next was so fast Steve almost didn’t see it.

  The dagger appeared from her sleeve. Sliced the first guard’s hamstring before he could react. He fell screaming.

  She spun. Her foot struck the second guard’s knee with a sickening crack.

  It wasn’t brutal like Dagon. It wasn’t efficient like Jelím.

  But it was **precise**. Trained. Real.

  Three guards were down before the other three reacted.

  The remaining three advanced together, coordinated.

  Any retreated. Blocked one strike. Dodged another. But there were three. Too many for one person—

  Steve emerged from the shadows.

  His sword cut the leg of one. A punch to the stomach of another knocked the air from the man’s lungs.

  The third hesitated — fatal mistake.

  Any’s dagger finished the job.

  Silence fell.

  Six guards on the ground. Wounded but alive. Groaning.

  “You… fought well.” Steve said, genuinely surprised.

  Any cleaned her blade.

  “Adrian taught me. Before everything got complicated.”

  She ran to the specific cell. She had the key — taken from one of the fallen guards.

  She opened it.

  Inside: two adults. Thin. Bruised. Clothes dirty from days without changing.

  But alive.

  **Alive.**

  “Mother… Father…”

  Any’s voice broke completely.

  She fell to her knees. Hugged both of them at once.

  And cried.

  Uncontrolled. Without masks. Without pretense.

  Just a daughter who thought she would never see her parents again.

  Steve stepped back, giving them space. Looked away, feeling like an intruder in that moment.

  But also feeling something warm in his chest.

  *She did it. We did it.*

  ---

  **[MATTHIAS’S OFFICE — SIMULTANEOUSLY]**

  Dagon didn’t knock.

  He simply kicked the door down.

  **CRASH.**

  The solid wood exploded inward, fragments flying.

  Matthias shot up from his desk, eyes wide.

  “How did you… the guards…”

  “Are busy.” Dagon advanced calmly. “With us.”

  Matthias backed away, hand reaching for the emergency bell on the wall—

  Jelím raised a finger.

  The bell **froze** in mid-air. Literally. Suspended as if time had stopped just for it.

  “You’re not calling anyone.” Her voice was cold as ice.

  Matthias looked from one to the other. Keara blocking the door. Jelím floating. Dagon advancing.

  He finally realized.

  He was alone.

  And they were **dangerous**.

  “You don’t understand!” His voice came out shrill, desperate. “This isn’t about power! It’s about **order**!”

  Dagon just listened, expression neutral.

  “Thornvale needs structure! Hierarchy!” Matthias gestured frantically. “If anyone can challenge authority… everything collapses!”

  “So your ‘order’—” Dagon said calmly “—included killing innocent parents? Forcing a marriage? Imprisoning a seventeen-year-old girl?”

  Matthias didn’t answer.

  Dagon took another step.

  “I’ll give you a choice you didn’t give them.”

  Pause.

  “Option A: You resign. Today. Publicly. Admit your crimes. Accept a fair trial.”

  Another step.

  “Option B…”

  He didn’t finish. He left the implication hanging like a sword over a neck.

  Matthias laughed.

  A hysterical, broken sound.

  “You think I have a choice?! My reputation is already **destroyed**! Any humiliated me publicly! That damn boy killed my guards!”

  He grabbed a hidden dagger from inside his desk drawer.

  “If I’m going down…”

  He lunged.

  Dagon didn’t move.

  Jelím raised a finger.

  Matthias **froze**. Completely. Not even breathing. A living statue with hatred crystallized in his eyes.

  “Pathetic,” Jelím whispered.

  Dagon sighed, turning toward the door.

  “Keara. Call the loyal guards. The ones who aren’t corrupt. They can decide what to do with him.”

  They began to leave.

  But Matthias (still frozen but somehow able to speak) muttered:

  “You… will pay… all of you… will pay…”

  Eyes bloodshot. Pure distilled hatred.

  Dagon stopped at the door. Looked back.

  “Maybe. But you first.”

  And left.

  **[PALACE GARDENS — DAWN]**

  Any’s parents sat on a stone bench. Keara was healing them, hands glowing softly, closing wounds, restoring energy.

  Steve kept a respectful distance, just watching.

  Then he heard footsteps.

  He turned.

  Adrian emerged from the garden shadows. He stopped when he saw Any.

  “Any.”

  She turned. For a second, they just looked at each other.

  Then she ran.

  Hugged him tightly.

  “Thank you.” Her voice came out muffled against his shoulder. “For everything. For the passage. For the time you gave me.”

  Adrian gently held her shoulders. Pulled her back just enough to look into her eyes.

  “You’re leaving?”

  “Yes.”

  “When will you come back?”

  Any didn’t answer right away.

  Then, honestly:

  “…I don’t know if I will.”

  Adrian swallowed hard. Nodded.

  “I understand.”

  Pause.

  “Will you be okay here?”

  “I will.” Adrian forced a small smile. “Matthias is neutralized. And I still have allies. More than he thinks.”

  He removed a medallion from his neck. Placed it around hers.

  “So you remember. That not everything was bad.”

  Any touched the medallion. Then the silver bracelet.

  Two keepsakes. Two connections. Two people who mattered.

  She turned to Steve. Her parents approached too.

  “Mother, Father… this is Steve. He helped me. A lot.”

  Any’s mother — a middle-aged woman with dark hair and kind eyes — hugged Steve without warning.

  He froze completely, unsure what to do with his arms.

  “Thank you.” Her voice broke. “Thank you for bringing our daughter back to us.”

  Her father — a tall man with graying beard — extended his hand. Squeezed with surprising strength.

  “I owe you my family’s life.”

  Steve, deeply uncomfortable with the attention:

  “I… didn’t do much…”

  “You did.” Any corrected, touching his shoulder. “More than you imagine.”

  Dagon approached, breaking the moment.

  “We need to go. The sun is rising. And Thornvale won’t forget what happened here.”

  Any looked at her parents. Then at Adrian. Then at the group.

  Took a deep breath.

  “I’m staying.”

  Steve blinked, surprised.

  She smiled — small but real.

  “They need me. And I… need them. I spent too much time wearing masks. Too much time pretending.”

  She looked directly at Steve.

  “But you… you need to go. You need to find answers. About her. About what’s happening to you.”

  Pause.

  “So go. And don’t let her win.”

  Steve nodded slowly.

  “And you? Will you miss it? The… adventure?”

  Any laughed softly.

  “I’ve had enough for a lifetime.”

  Then, more seriously:

  “But if you ever need… help… a place to come back to…”

  She touched the medallion. Then the bracelet.

  “…remember me.”

  Steve smiled. Small. Genuine.

  “How could I forget?”

  She hugged him. Brief but tight.

  Whispered in his ear:

  “Take care of yourself, shy boy.”

  “You too, girl of masks.”

  And they parted.

  ---

  The road left Thornvale heading north.

  Steve walked in silence, Dagon beside him, Keara and Jelím just behind.

  After a few minutes, he turned.

  Thornvale was already distant. But he could still see a silhouette on the walls. White veil. Hand waving.

  **Any.**

  He waved back.

  Then turned forward.

  “So.” His voice broke the silence. “Where to now?”

  Dagon stopped. Looked north.

  The mountains were visible in the distance — snow-covered peaks gleaming under the rising sun.

  “The Kingdom of Caelith. Frozen Mountains. Three weeks of travel. Maybe four.”

  “Why there?”

  “Because it’s one of Nessira’s three sanctuaries.” Dagon resumed walking. “If she came from there… someone there must know something.”

  Keara added:

  “And there’s someone. A scholar. Specialist in ancient entities, possessions, soul fragmentation.”

  Pause.

  “If anyone can help… it’s her.”

  Steve touched the silver bracelet. Thought of Any. Of Adrian. Of Thornvale.

  Of everything he had left behind.

  “And if we can’t stop it?” he asked quietly. “If she… takes full control?”

  Dagon looked at him. Not with pity. With honesty.

  “Then at least we tried.”

  They resumed walking.

  North. Always north.

  Toward the mountains.

  Toward answers.

  Toward the heart of the mystery.

  Or toward the end of everything.

  Steve looked at the sky one last time.

  And saw something.

  Far. Very far.

  A strange light pulsing. Purple-green. Impossible to be natural.

  “Did you see that?” He pointed.

  Dagon frowned.

  “I did. And I don’t like it.”

  Because that light was coming from exactly where they were going.

  From the Sanctuary of Caelith.

  And it pulsed in the same rhythm as something inside Steve.

  **[DAYS REMAINING: 172]**

  **[CONNECTION: 10%]**

  **[DESTINATION: FROZEN MOUNTAINS]**