Skymint's POV

  "Arie left too early," said Berard. We had just opened up to each other last night. And now... it's like we're back to square one. If only I hadn't been so stupid.

  I can't forgive myself for what happened. I saw through my doppelganger's eyes while trapped beneath that lake, lost in the nothingness, and I witnessed him nearly do something horrible to her.

  But what's done is done. Whatever damage happened... it's already irreversible.

  ***

  Arie's POV

  Ice shards slammed into the trunk. Each aim cleaner than the last. I didn't even know what I was doing. I just felt a rush of energy tearing through me. I need to get stronger. Maybe I'm just distracting myself. Or protecting myself.

  I imagined the tree was Skymint. The thought twisted in my chest, and I unleashed a large blast of ice that shattered the illusion. The sound thundered through the forest. All that remained was the bark where the trunk met the ground.

  "Ice Princess!" called a familiar voice.

  I turned.

  King Berard. But the voice... It felt too familiar, as if I'd heard it before, in a dream, or a memory I didn't trust.

  My eyes must have looked distant. I barely heard him speak.

  "May I know what happened... between you and Skymint?" he asked gently. "It seems like something is weighing on you both."

  "I just wanted some solitude." A lie.

  "You sure? Bottling things up never ends well." The way he said it, he already knew the truth.

  "We encountered Doppelganger Lake," I said at last.

  His eyes widened. "That... how? There's no such lake in my forest."

  He leaned in, lowering his voice. "This means someone's interfering. The Mysterious Bear. I suppose it was Skymint who got caught?"

  I nodded, silent.

  "Do they have something to do with me?" I asked.

  "Perhaps. They might have an interest in you... and they may know you survived the incident." He frowned. "I shouldn't have left you two alone. I got careless."

  "No. It's not your fault, King Berard." I shook my head. "We were the careless ones."

  Just then, footsteps crunched behind us. A girl with peach curls skipped into view, smiling brightly.

  "Arie!" She lunged forward and wrapped her arms around my silver-blue cloak.

  "I thought you were dead," she said with a dramatic flair.

  She straightened up and bowed deeply to the Grizzlyman beside me.

  "Your fur's looking regal, Grizzly King."

  "The leaves whisper your name, Plant Princess," he returned warmly.

  "But I've told you, you don't have to greet me like that," he chuckled. "You should be greeting your own cousin properly."

  "Right, right," she giggled. "At your command, Ice—"

  "Don't say that, please," I cut her off. "I'm just a regular Glacian now."

  "But royalty is still in your blood, cousin. No currents can change that. I'll escort you to the Plant Palace. Dad's worried sick."

  I gave King Berard one last look. "Tell Skymint... I just need time to breathe."

  "I will. Please be careful, both of you."

  We waved. Then Carrie summoned a giant flower beneath our feet. It blossomed upward, lifting us high into the trees until we bounced onto a thick canopy.

  Before us stretched the vineline, the quickest way to reach the palace, taut and glistening in the light.

  "Remember this?" she said, delighted. "We used to fly back and forth on this when we were kids."

  "Yeah. And I'd get scolded every time I fell because I didn't have any powers yet."

  A basket approached on the vineline, swinging gently. We stepped inside.

  "We added this after your suggestion, back when we thought you'd return," Carrie said, eyes glinting.

  "Thanks. It's perfect." I met her hazel gaze.

  "So... where have you been? Who's been taking care of you?"

  "A Polarman. He hid me in his igloo for a few days."

  She nodded thoughtfully. "I always knew you liked talking bears. Lucky your savior was one."

  "I don't call them that anymore. I've learned it's... offensive."

  "Why didn't you bring him with you?" she asked, tilting her head. "Afraid people might think you're having an affair?"

  I snorted. "No. He jumped into Doppelganger Lake last night. The doppelganger confessed everything. I'll face him... when I'm ready."

  We both stared down at the trees rushing below.

  "That lake," she murmured. "Deceitful as always."

  "He said something that's still bothering me," I said.

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  "What was it?"

  "That I don't know what I really am yet." I stared ahead. "I lost consciousness right after he said that. It feels like more than coincidence."

  "You must have been exhausted," she said. But her voice was quiet now.

  Then she perked up again. "Oh! I got a letter from Dorsey."

  "Glad you still keep in touch. Because... she'll never forgive me."

  "Well... good news, Felipe freed her when he became Ice King. Bad news, yeah, she still hates your guts. She believes that you're still alive."

  I blinked. "She thinks I'm still alive?"

  "Yep." She tilted her head. "Would you like to send a message to a Glacian?"

  "That's a bad idea." I shook my head. "I'd rather no one knew I'm still breathing."

  "Plus," I added, "they'll be coming here for the horse racing competition. It's better to speak in person than send letters that can be intercepted."

  "Smart as ever, cousin." Her smile curled with something unreadable. "No wonder almost every handsome boy in Glacia fell for you."

  "Hey, don't bring that up." I frowned. "I didn't ask for any of it."

  She laughed, then leaned closer. "But really... wouldn't you at least like to send Skadar a death threat? Before he arrives?"

  I went quiet. Her words pressed against something raw in my chest.

  She chuckled. "Relax. I'm just trying to lighten you up. You're starting to wilt like an unwatered vine."

  My eyes narrowed slightly. "How do you know about Skadar?"

  Her brow arched for a second too long. Then she waved a hand. "Oh, I got a letter from Claudius. He said he punched the truth out of Skadar. Can you believe it? I always knew he's unpredictable, but that's practically divine intervention."

  "Since when can he do that?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

  Carrie twirled a lock of her hair. "Not sure. But maybe that's why Dorsey's convinced you're alive. She and Claudius are apparently teaming up, against Felipe."

  At the name of the Wolf King, my stomach clenched.

  The basket began to slow, the vines parting to reveal a glowing green archway of moss and glass.

  Carrie hopped off first, brushing the pollen from her skirt. "Ready to see your second home again?"

  I hesitated, hearing phantom echoes of past voices on the wind. Glacian visitors might already be inside.

  Still, I stepped off the basket. My boots crunched softly against the mossy stone.

  The archway shimmered like sunlight through a bottle of green glass. Carrie led the way, parting the mossy curtain with a casual wave of her hand.

  Beyond it, the Plant Palace loomed, not in grandeur, but in growth. Vines coiled around pale wood columns. Flowers bloomed in rhythmic pulses, responding to our footsteps. Even the air smelled alive, humming with warmth and pollen.

  He was waiting for us on the veranda.

  "Arie," came his voice.

  Uncle Callum.

  The Plant King.

  He hadn't changed much. His strawberry blonde hair complemented his lively skin tone, his face looking ripe as fresh berries. He wore a maroon robe, stitched with petals that shimmered faintly when he moved.

  He stepped forward slowly, studying me.

  I froze. I didn't know if I should bow, speak, or ask about my mother.

  Then he reached out and held my face in his hands, his thumbs brushing my temples as if to be sure I wasn't an illusion.

  "You survived." His voice cracked. "Thank the roots."

  I didn't know what to say.

  "You look like her," he added, voice lowering. "Aria... in her gentler days."

  "I'm not gentle anymore," I said.

  He didn't flinch. "No... I suppose not."

  Carrie hung back, watching with unusual silence.

  The Plant King looked past my shoulder, scanning the garden. "Did the Polarman not come with you?"

  "He's with King Berard," I said.

  "Mm. That bear's a brave creature." He turned to Carrie. "You brought her straight here?"

  "Of course. She also liked the revamped vineline," Carrie answered.

  "You're supposed to escort her with our royal guards." He turned to me and stepped aside. "Come inside. You'll need rest. And protection."

  I hesitated. "Are Glacians already here?"

  The Plant King paused. "Not yet. They'll come around two or three days, at most."

  A flicker of worry passed across his brow.

  "And Felipe?"

  His jaw tightened. "It's unlikely that he'll come. But King Jamaico of Sunstar and the other kings would like always."

  I felt my stomach churn.

  Carrie moved to my side. "Let's not talk about him yet. Arie just got here."

  Uncle Callum sighed. "Of course. There's food inside. And something I think you ought to see."

  My boots stepped on the wooden planks, causing relaxing sounds.

  "This wooden palace is still fireproof as ever," he remarked.

  On the wall, I found the Windcore family tree, reminding me of the warlocks and witches in our bloodline. But neither my uncle nor my mother possess an inner magic. They said it can be passed to their children, but I didn't have magic either.

  As we walked by, I noticed a large upright photo frame on the wall, showing my mother, Aria, looking no older than I am, her white hair reaching down to her shoulders, holding a baby with sky-blue eyes. And beside her is my uncle, his hand on her shoulder in a brotherly manner.

  We paused for a while.

  "We look lovely," he mused. "Sadly, I'm the only one left now."

  I felt tears pricking my eyes, but I cast away my gaze to focus on the food ahead.

  Carrie patted my shoulder while escorting me to the dining hall.

  A gentle aroma drifted from the platters on the table: herb-baked bread, berry compote, honeyed roots, and warm leaf tea, still steaming in porcelain cups.

  Uncle Callum took his seat across from us. For a moment, none of us spoke. The weight of memories and unsaid things hung between us like mist.

  Then, quietly, he gestured to the table. "Eat."

  A part of me felt a wave of disgust at the food in front of me. I should feel grateful.

  I blinked. The feeling passed.

  Carrie gave me a soft smile, but something in her eyes flickered, as if she found the moment oddly amusing.

  ***

  "What is it that I should see, uncle?" I asked him.

  "An insight into what would happen to Glacia," he said.

  "My scouts have gathered that the Sunstar Kingdom will continue to attack Glacia," he added, pointing to the large map that lay between us.

  "That means you can't dethrone Felipe, as King Jamaico might just get rid of you quickly."

  "Then what happens?" I asked.

  "We'll keep you hidden here for as long as danger awaits Glacia. You'll rise once the threats have passed."

  "It's either Aice or Dorsey who will rule the kingdom once Felipe is dethroned. For the next ruler, I root for Dorsey."

  "I don't want you or Aria to be the Ice Queen," he said, his sky-blue eyes meeting mine.

  "But she's still alive, isn't she?" I asked.

  "Well, we've been looking for her for the past five years... and yet nothing," he said, his tone grim.

  Silence stretched for a few moments.

  "Why not send an army of fruit masters to reclaim Glacia? Rule it along with Fresha?" I asked, desperation clawing at my voice.

  "You don't understand, Arie. Felipe's able to control the kingdom because he rules in fear. I'm the opposite of him. Plus, the Glacians won't trust me, just because we're Windcores."

  "Let me tell you the truth. Nobody wanted a Windcore in Glacia. They're biased against those with magical bloodlines. Aria was lucky to be married to a royal Glacian. I tried to stop her, because something bad might happen to her, but... she was lovestruck."

  "And just as Glacia has no room for Windcores, I don't allow outlaws to linger in Fresha," he added, voice sharpening with resolve. "We protect our peace here. That means no exceptions, not even for those with noble intentions."

  I didn't reply.

  Skymint's face flickered in my thoughts: his quiet presence, the way he shielded me during the escape, the look he gave me before agreeing to enter the competition. All to keep me safe.

  He had a bounty on his head. A real one. We haven't told anyone yet, not even King Berard.

  The wanted posters hadn't reached Fresha yet. Maybe they never will.

  I could only hope they didn't.

  My fingers tightened around the edge of my cloak. If they did... I didn't know what I'd do. Not yet.

  I'd always wanted to come to Fresha. To seek help. To find safety.

  But I couldn't just cast away my savior. Not Skymint. Not the one who never left me, not even when the rest of my world crumbled.

  I folded into the seat, trying not to break. Maybe he was right. Maybe I couldn't do anything yet. Not now.

  The silence returned, heavy and still.

  Outside, birds sang over the vines as if none of this mattered to them.

  Carrie nudged my foot under the table gently. "At least you're still here," she said, almost like a whisper meant only for me. "But even queens need to rest before they reclaim their thrones."

  I gave her a look, unsure whether to feel comforted or mocked. I didn't want to be a queen anyway. I just wanted to reclaim the life I had. Why did my family have to vanish from my life? All I can do is blame it all on Felipe.

  "Oh, before I leave," I paused, hesitating. "I'd like to take a honey jar."

  Uncle Callum blinked. "A honey jar?"

  I nodded. "Just one."

  Carrie raised a brow but said nothing. Her smile softened, as if she understood exactly what it was for.