POV: Ravenna
The border guard sees us and his eyes go WIDE.
"Princess Ravenna?" He sounds like he's seeing a ghost. Like I died months ago and just walked back from the afterlife. "You're—you're alive?"
"Apparently." I dismount from my horse. Every muscle in my body aches from days of travel. "We need to cross into Cindravale. Immediately."
"Of course, of course." He's already signaling to other guards. "We need to send word to the capital. King Aldric has been searching—everyone has been searching—"
"I know." My voice comes out sharper than I intend. "That's why we're here. Send word. Tell Father I'm alive and coming home."
The guard practically RUNS to dispatch a messenger. Within minutes, a raven launches toward the capital. Fast. Urgent. Carrying news that will reach Father in hours instead of days.
We wait at the border post. Awkward and tense. The guards keep staring at us like we're mythical creatures. At me. At Theron with his scars. At Morgana and Saren. At the group of villagers who traveled with us as witnesses.
At Seraphine.
"Is that—" one guard starts.
"Yes," I interrupt. "She's with us. Don't ask questions."
He doesn't. But he LOOKS at her with suspicion and confusion. Because Seraphine is House Ashford. Enemy territory. What's she doing traveling with the princess?
I don't explain. Not yet. Not until we're in front of Father with actual SECURITY instead of border guards who might be Eclipse sympathizers.
We wait for four hours.
Then we see them coming. A royal escort. Maybe twenty mounted warriors with fire kingdom colors. Moving fast across the plains toward our position.
And at their head, massive and scarred and unmistakable, is Hadrian.
Theron goes very still beside me. "That's—"
"Your second-in-command," I finish. "The one you haven't seen in months."
The escort reaches us. Hadrian dismounts before his horse fully stops. Strides toward Theron with an expression that's equal parts relief and FURY.
"You BASTARD," Hadrian says. Then pulls Theron into an embrace that looks like it might crack ribs. "You absolute BASTARD. Do you have ANY idea how long I've been searching for you?"
"I can guess," Theron says. His voice is rough. Emotional in a way I rarely hear. "Good to see you too, Hadrian."
Hadrian pulls back. Looks at me. "Princess Ravenna. Thank the gods you're alive. Your father has been—" He stops. Searches for words. "It's been chaos. Complete chaos."
"I heard." I straighten my spine. Try to look REGAL instead of exhausted and terrified. "That's why we're here. We have information Father needs."
"About the Eclipse?" Hadrian's voice drops. "Theron sent word before. About the organization hunting gift-bearers. About General Stone. About—" His eyes find Seraphine. Narrow. "Why is SHE here?"
"Because Cassian Lucien is Eclipse," I say flatly. "And Seraphine has evidence proving it."
Hadrian goes VERY still. That warrior stillness that means he's processing danger. Calculating threats. Deciding whether to believe impossible claims.
"Explain," he says finally.
So I do. Brief version. Cassian is Eclipse inner circle. Has been for years. Seraphine discovered the truth and defected. She's carrying letters and testimony that prove his involvement. She's risking everything to expose him.
Hadrian looks at Seraphine for a long moment. She lifts her chin. Doesn't flinch under his assessment.
"If you're lying," Hadrian says quietly, "if this is some House Ashford scheme—"
"It's not," Seraphine interrupts. Her voice is steady. Certain. "My brother was Eclipse. He tried to recruit me. When I refused, I became a liability." She pauses. "I'm here because staying with House Ashford means dying. And because what they're doing is wrong."
Hadrian considers. Then nods once. "We'll let the king decide. But if you try anything—"
"I know. You'll kill me yourself." Seraphine's smile is bitter. "I'm aware of the precarious position I'm in."
"Good." Hadrian turns to the rest of us. "Mount up. We ride for the capital. Fast. The longer Princess Ravenna is exposed out here, the more danger we're all in."
"Danger from who?" Morgana asks. "Eclipse?"
"Eclipse. Water kingdom forces. House Ashford loyalists. Take your pick." Hadrian's expression is grim. "The political situation is a DISASTER. Thalassa has been filing formal complaints. Demanding Ravenna's return to Aetherwyn. Suggesting Aldric is holding her prisoner. Border tensions are escalating."
My stomach drops. "How bad?"
"Bad enough that we've had skirmishes. Nothing major yet. But both kingdoms are mobilizing troops." He looks at me seriously. "Your return could stabilize everything. Or destabilize it further depending on how House Ashford reacts."
"What about Cassian?" Theron asks. "Where is he now?"
"In the capital. Acting as advisor to the king. The council appointed him over Aldric's objections." Hadrian's jaw tightens. "He's been using your absence to push policy changes. Suggesting gift-bearers need to be registered. That the Eclipse might have legitimate concerns. Making people afraid."
"Of course he is." My voice is flat. "He's Eclipse. Fear is their weapon."
"Then let's go dismantle that weapon." Hadrian gestures to horses. "We have maybe a day's ride. We move fast, we sleep light, we get you to your father alive."
We mount up. The royal escort surrounds us. Protection and prison combined. I'm going HOME. Finally going home after months of running.
But I don't feel relief.
I feel DREAD.
Because going home means facing Father. Facing the political disaster my absence caused. Facing Thalassa eventually. Facing House Ashford and Cassian and all the complicated terrible mess waiting in the capital.
Going home means the fight really begins.
Theron rides beside me. Reaches over to take my hand briefly. "We'll handle it."
"Will we?" I look at him. "Father's kingdom is on the brink of war. House Ashford controls his council. The Eclipse is embedded in our own court. And we're riding in with circumstantial evidence and a defector from the enemy house. What if it's not enough?"
"Then we make it enough." His voice is certain. Steady. "We survived the Eclipse hunting us across kingdoms. We survived Pyrstone. We survived Seris." He squeezes my hand. "We'll survive this too."
I want to believe him. Want that certainty.
But looking at Hadrian's grim face. Hearing about border skirmishes and political chaos. Knowing Cassian sits in Father's council spreading poison.
I'm not sure surviving is enough anymore.
We might need a miracle.
Or at least really good timing.
***
We ride through the afternoon. Through the night with only brief stops to rest horses. Through the next morning as landscape shifts from border territories to actual Cindravale lands.
I watch the countryside pass. See farms that should be abandoned preparing for war. See villages that should be terrified going about daily life. See NORMALCY despite political chaos.
"They don't know," I say to Hadrian during a brief rest stop. "The common people. They don't know about the Eclipse. About the danger."
"No," he agrees. "Aldric kept it quiet. Didn't want panic. Didn't want to give House Ashford ammunition." He pauses. "But keeping it quiet means people aren't PREPARED. Aren't protecting gift-bearers. Aren't watching for Eclipse hunters in their midst."
"That changes when we get to the capital," I say firmly. "Father needs to TELL people. Needs to expose the Eclipse publicly. Needs to—"
"Needs proof," Hadrian interrupts gently. "Accusations without proof just make him look paranoid. House Ashford would use that. Thalassa would use that. He needs EVIDENCE before making claims about secret organizations hunting people."
He's right. I hate it. But he's right.
"We have evidence," I say. "Survivor testimony. Documents. Seraphine's letters. It's not perfect but it's SOMETHING."
"Let's hope it's enough."
We mount up again. Keep riding. Getting closer with every mile.
Going home to fix everything.
Or die trying. I'm really hoping for the first option. But after months of running, I've learned to prepare for the worst. So I do.