Valentina's words turned the hall's air to ice. Everyone exchanged wide-eyed glances as if waiting for someone to deny this nightmare. Ayhan his face pale said in a trembling voice,
"What do you mean?"
Valentina stormed through them like a furious tempest. In a loud, commanding voice that shook the stone walls she roared,
"Follow me!"
Shocked by her strange rage and urgency they followed without a word. Valentina's steps pounded swiftly and decisively through the castle's dark cold hallways. The flickering wall torches cast her shadow like a massive beast on the stones. The smell of dampness and decay burned their throats with every breath.
After some time, they reached a dead-end hallway where darkness and shadows seemed alive slithering across the walls.
Valentina paused then swiftly pushed aside a heavy wooden cabinet revealing a hidden door. The scrape of wood on stone pierced the silence startling everyone.
Zelina her eyes wide with shock held her breath. Nadia and Ayhan stood motionless but there was no time for questions. Valentina her face a storm of rage and resolve entered the hidden passage. The others followed silently like soldiers on a battlefield. Narrow stone steps led them to a dark eerie basement. The faint light of Valentina's torch brought to life shadows of old objects—rusted swords, broken chests, and thick cobwebs—as if this place were a graveyard of the past.
Several large leather bags packed with supplies sat in a corner. Nadia her face cold but her eyes full of questions said,
"What are these?"
Valentina torch in hand searching the floor for something said in a voice blending urgency and seriousness,
"I prepared these yesterday. I planned to send you through this route to reach the Icy Sea faster but it seems you need to leave now."
Ayhan his patience worn thin said in a voice full of anxiety,
"What's going on Lady Valentina? Who is that person?"
Valentina paused as if weighing her words. Then with a deep sigh heavy with centuries of exhaustion she said,
"Years ago, during the Great War, Darius and I failed to kill two people. One was Valdis and the other… was this person."
Zelina terrified by these words said in a trembling anxious voice,
"What do you mean Master? Is he a Chosen One?"
Valentina running her hands over an ancient stone wall said in a voice where each word felt like a dark secret,
"I don't know. I'm not sure. All I know is you can't touch him. Everything passes through his body like he's some kind of spirit!"
Nadia her eyes now sharp like blades asked coldly,
"What do we do?"
At that moment Valentina pushed a section of the wall and a hidden door opened to an ancient dark tunnel with a heavy rumbling sound. The torch's light illuminated only a few steps the rest swallowed by absolute darkness. Valentina in a voice that left no room for doubt said,
"As I said get to the port. Keep moving. Don't stop unless you have to."
She turned to Zelina and said firmly,
"You're going with them."
Zelina shocked, said in a voice full of disbelief,
"What are you saying Master? I'm not going anywhere!"
Valentina placed a hand on Zelina's shoulder her eyes now full of resolve and sorrow locked onto her.
"Listen You know I can't leave the island because of Frohel. You need to go with them. Find Darius and tell him you're my apprentice. I'll come for you in spring. Just go now."
She looked at Frohel and said commandingly, "Frohel get Zelina's weapon."
Frohel with glowing eyes darted upstairs like a white shadow. Valentina turned to Nadia and said in a voice like a final decree,
"Trust no one but Darius. Absolutely no one. No one is your friend. No one wants to help you. Rely only on each other."
Her gaze fell on Rio. She placed her hands on his shoulders and pulled him to a corner of the basement. As the others prepared she whispered in a voice blending anxiety and seriousness,
"When you reach the capital, before returning to your tribe go to Darius. Do you understand? Darius needs to know about you. Tell him everything you told me. Got it?"
Rio his heart pounding with anxiety said in a trembling voice,
"But if they won't give up, even when I return to my tribe, they'll come after me! What if my family gets hurt because of me?"
Valentina gripped his shoulders tightly her eyes now like icy flames locked onto him.
"You'll be safe in the Sun Tribe. Trust me."
Rio confused and doubtful said,
"Lady Valentina what are you talking about?"
At that moment Frohel returned with a short metal rod in his mouth and gave it to Zelina. Valentina stepped to the center of the basement and said loudly to Ayhan,
"Ayhan carry Rio on your back. You need to move fast."
Ayhan nodded and hoisted Rio onto his back like a child. Valentina stared at them all her face a mix of rage, resolve, and deep sorrow. In a voice that seemed to rise from her very core, she said,
"May great Setrog be with yours. Now hurry, move!"
They all moved toward the tunnel their faces filled with anxiety and fear. Their footsteps echoed in the dark tunnel like their racing heartbeats. Ayhan entering the tunnel said in a trembling voice,
"Thank you for everything Lady Valentina. I hope you succeed."
Nadia following him said in a cold but regretful voice,
"I'm sorry for the trouble we caused. Please stay safe so we can repay you one day."
Valentina only nodded her eyes now shadowed with sorrow following them. She turned to Zelina pressed her forehead to hers and whispered as if praying,
"Take care of yourself foolish apprentice, and stay alive."
Zelina her eyes brimming with tears hugged Valentina tightly.
"I know you'll be fine, but please stay safe. I can't grow my hair any longer."
Zelina wrapped her long braided hair around her neck ran a hand over Frohel's head and said in a broken voice,
"Take care of her."
Then she ran into the tunnel disappearing into the darkness with the others. Valentina sealed the hidden door with a rumbling sound. She stood motionless for a moment as if the weight of the world rested on her shoulders. Then looking at Frohel with a cold sorrowful voice she whispered,
"It seems it's just you and me again old friend, like the old days."