Hansel paused, swallowing hard. The elderly man walked forward, staring at Hansel and then at Enya.

“W-who are you?” Hansel asked.

“Forgive me for my rudeness, Your Highness. I wasn’t informed that you would be arriving soon,” the elderly man said.

Hansel stood anxiously, shaking his head.

“I… I was just walking around… don’t need to address me so formally here.”

“Are you the High Priest?” Enya asked.

Hansel went still, paralyzed, sweating. The elderly man chuckled.

“Yes… Yes, I am. Are you His Highness’ sister?” he wondered.

Hansel’s jaw dropped.

“No! This is a boy. He’s a boy… my personal knight,” Hansel hesitated.

The elderly man leaned forward to look at Enya carefully. She leaned back away from him, furrowing.

“What?” she asked.

“You’re definitely a girl…” he mumbled.

Enya frowned, stepping further away from him.

“What do you want, High Priest? You made the Dragon Snow Knight wait for hours… now you come and bother us here?” she argued.

He rubbed his chin, staring at Enya.

“I thought you looked like Eliana…” he paused. “Oh. The Dragon Snow Knights are here? Why are you guys with them?”

Enya’s heart skipped, staring at him. He definitely called her mother’s name. Their mother’s name.

“Who’s Eliana?” Hansel asked curiously.

“Oh boy… Even her son doesn’t know her name… How old are you, boy?” the elderly man wondered.

“I’m thirteen. Why?”

“Really? What—”

“The Phoenix Clan was massacred. Didn’t you hear the news?” Enya interrupted bitterly. She tightened her jaw, having to force herself to say the words.

The elderly man looked at her, smiling.

“I see… I’m glad that you two are still alive then…” he added.

Enya and Hansel looked at him. Then she looked away, avoiding the elderly man’s gaze.

“Enya, we should head back…” Hansel whispered.

“Why are you two here?” the elderly man asked curiously.

Enya bit her lower lip.

“The Dragon Emperor requested to confirm His Highness’ identity as the Phoenix Heir…” she muttered.

The elderly man nodded slowly, brushing his long beard.

“I see… Why would he need to confirm something so obvious?”

“Because the annoying prince has requested the authenticity of the Phoenix Heir…” Enya answered nonchalantly.

Hansel gasped.

“Enya…”

The elderly man stared at Enya as she turned to look at him. Her furious eyes were dry. She clenched her fists as she waited for a response.

“I see… what is your plan then?” the elderly man wondered.

“Confirm, then take him back safely. How dare they question His Highness’ identity?” Enya argued.

The elderly man smiled, nodding at her responses.

“Very well. I’ll see you guys at the altar,” he left.

Enya and Hansel turned to stone, confused.

“Did he just leave?” Enya stated.

They decided to return to Zilant after the weird encounter. Once they saw Zilant, a priest stood before him, speaking to Zilant.

“The High Priest has requested that your stay will last until the second the confirmation is done.”

“What?!” Cullen and Vaince questioned.

“You mean… we will leave immediately after the Phoenix Heir is confirmed true or false,” Zilant clarified.

The priest nodded, confirming the statement. Enya and Hansel stepped closer, scaring Vaince.

“When did you guys return?” Vaince asked.

Enya glared at him.

“Just about now… why?” she wondered.

Vaince widened his eyes, leaning to Enya’s ear.

“They are telling us to leave right after he’s confirmed a Phoenix Heir or not…” he whispered.

Enya pushed his head back and looked at the priest.

“And who gave that command?”

“The High Priest…” the priest responded, staring at her.

Enya shrugged, following Hansel to the carriage to sit down. The priest watched them closely, especially Hansel. As he bowed, he smirked and turned around.

“Enya, Hansel. We will be heading in now,” Zilant commanded.

Enya and Hansel nodded, walking behind Zilant. The priest led the way up the stairs and into the altar. The High Priest was standing there sternly before he caught a glimpse of Enya and Hansel. He smiled warmly, waiting for them to get closer.

Hansel leaned closer to Enya’s ear.

“So… he is the High Priest…” Hansel whispered.

Enya agreed, pouting. Hansel straightened up, catching up with the steps behind Zilant. Zilant stopped and bowed to the High Priest.

“Greetings to you, High Priest. I am Zilant, the Duke of Dragon Empire,” he introduced himself.

The High Priest nodded, walking down the small stairs. Instead of stopping by Zilant, he walked up to Hansel.

“I told you that I would see you guys here,” he said.

Enya and Hansel blushed, trying to hide their faces. Vaince and Cullen dropped their jaw, widening their eyes with surprise.

“Please… His Grace has been my guardian for over eleven years…” Hansel begged.

The High Priest laughed, bending his neck back.

“You’re such a charm, little birdie. No need to check the aura. You’re definitely a Phoenix-born child. If I had doubted you, your mother would scorn me,” the High Priest stated.

“What?!” everyone in the altar room gasped. Zilant frowned.

“High Priest, that’s absurd. If we do it like this, I think there will be future consequences…” Zilant explained.

The High Priest turned to look at Zilant, pointing at him aggressively.

“You… You’re that young child that brought him to the Empire, didn’t you?” he asked.

“Yes, that’s correct… High Priest,” Zilant answered obediently.

“Then why can’t you just say he is the Phoenix Heir? You were the one who rescued him anyways… Those petty dragons just want to find fault in you… Rub them away,” the High Priest clarified.

Enya widened her eyes in surprise, wondering what was going on. She looked at the High Priest and then at Zilant.

“Then let’s go back… why did we come here anyway?” Enya asked.

“You’re right. Listen to her from now on,” the High Priest demanded.

Everyone dropped their jaws and turned to look at Enya. She frowned and glared at the High Priest. Zilant sighed heavily in frustration, shaking his head.

“I’m a boy!” Enya barked.

“Is the High Priest okay?” Vaince wondered, whispering to Cullen.

Cullen shrugged in confusion.

“I don’t know… Commander hasn’t said anything yet,” Cullen responded.

The young priest from behind ran down the stairs with an orb. The orb that could show the aura and the intensity of the aura.

“High Priest… we have to— Ah!”

The young priest tripped on the step just before Zilant. Zilant caught the orb.

The orb quickly turned blue, cloudy blue. Zilant’s eyes widened as he was confused. The High Priest watched everything and was shocked. He looked at Zilant.

Then a dragon’s eyes appeared in the orb, startling Zilant as he dropped the orb. He gasped, trembling.

Enya saw it clearly from being next to Zilant. She looked at him. You have an aura that much… why are you shaking?

The High Priest swallowed as he looked at the young priest.

“Leave… all of you,” he commanded seriously.

All of the priests nodded, taking the orb with them. One in the shadow glared at Zilant before leaving.

Cullen ran to Zilant.

“Commander…” he worried.

“I… I didn’t expect—”

“How long have you been trying to hide it?” the High Priest asked.

Zilant looked at him, confused.

“Hide what? I didn’t hide this… I never had this much aura before…” Zilant panicked.

The High Priest took a deep sigh and looked at Enya. She furrowed her eyebrows.

“May I speak with you later, Enya?” the High Priest asked.

Enya paused, moving her gaze to him.

“What?”

“Now…” he demanded and walked away.

Enya looked at Zilant and then followed the High Priest. As soon as they reached the office, Enya closed the door behind her.

“Princess, you must leave immediately…” he said.

Enya felt chills rush through her.

“What do you mean?” She drew her sword, pointing it at him. “How do you know me? How do you know my mother?”

“Now is not the time,” the High Priest answered. “You must go. I have a spy in my temple. That young man and your brother are their target.”

“I don’t understand…”

He pressed a token into her hand, the token of the High Priest.

“Use this and leave. No one will stop you. By then…” He coughed, staggering away.

Enya lowered her sword and rushed to him.

“What’s wrong?!”

“I’ll be dead soon. They will frame you for it, and when they do… they will take that young man and your brother.”

Their eyes locked. Enya trembled.

“Why?” she whispered. “Who is doing this?”

The High Priest coughed blood and gave a weary chuckle.

“Princess Hanara… you have something they all want. Because you hid, they don’t know you’re here. Once they do, you will be in danger.”

Enya’s breath shook.

“How…? Who are you?”

“I helped your mother when she gave birth to you. You were unlike any other. Your eyes were two different colors… but your mother never knew. I preserved your aura.”

Tears welled in her eyes.

“So…”

“Let me give you a blessing like no other,” the High Priest said weakly. “A blessing of rebirth, for that dying aura within you, for the phoenix you consumed…”

He raised a hand onto Enya’s head as a bright light shone. Enya’s tears streamed endlessly as her trauma began to surface. After the light faded, the High Priest’s hand fell lifelessly. Enya stiffened, unable to move. She turned her head toward him, seeing his bloody smile as if he had died happily. She wept for a second, grabbing her chest tightly.

“Why does everyone die before me…?” she cried, placing him down slowly. She gasped, trying to catch her breath.

“You must go…” the High Priest’s words echoed inside of her.

She bit her lower lip, staring at the desk. She clenched her fists, wiping her tears. She quickly got up and ran to Zilant.

They were still at the altar, waiting for her.

“Are you okay? Did you cry?” Hansel asked.

“We have to go… Go now!” she demanded.

Zilant looked at her, realizing how urgent her eyes were. He nodded.

“Let’s go!”

They nodded, heading out of the altar immediately. They hopped on their horses, and Hansel rode with Cullen.

“Protect Hansel at all costs,” Zilant commanded.

“Yes, Commander!” Cullen and Vaince said together.

Enya stood behind Zilant. Zilant turned to look at her, locking eyes. His mouth twitched, aching to say something to her, but he held back.

They hurdled out of the temple, using the High Priest’s token. Zilant wanted to question Enya, but he withheld.

As soon as they were out of the gate, the bell of the temple rang. Cullen and Vaince stopped and turned around.

“What was that?”

Enya grabbed the strap tightly, frowning.

“The High Priest is dead… They found his body…” she revealed.

They gasped and looked at her.

“What?! Did you?!”

“Let’s go now… before they frame us… He was poisoned before we met,” Enya clarified.

They looked at Zilant, and he nodded.

“Let’s go… today’s meeting is a bit suspicious,” he added.

They kept hurdling away from the Tiger’s Den, reaching out of the border from the side. As they were going, they were relieved.

“We’ve made it across the border…” Vaince said.

“Keep going!” Zilant commanded.

“Yes, Commander!”

“There they are! The assassins who harmed the High Priest!” a voice screamed.

The Snow Knights turned and looked. They gasped. Zilant tightened his jaw.

“Faster!” he demanded.

They tried to get away faster, covering Hansel as they went. An arrow flew toward them. Enya turned and saw it. Zilant’s eyes snapped to her.

“Enya!”

She quickly drew the bow and arrow stashed on the horse. She shot at the incoming arrow, and the two collided midair. As she turned to check on Zilant, an aura suddenly surged toward him.

“Zilant!” she shouted, then leapt off her horse, shielding him and taking the arrow herself.

A poisonous arrow.

She groaned as she collapsed to the ground.

“Enya!” Zilant skidded to a stop, grabbing her and placing her in front of him.

She slowly grasped the arrow in her shoulder and pulled it out.

“It’s… poison…”

Zilant snatched the arrow and tossed it aside. Her eyes fluttered closed, and panic surged through him. He bit his lower lip, ready to rip open her shoulder with his aura—but then froze.

Enya… is really a girl?! He recalled the moments that had confused him when he interacted with her. When she argued back at sudden touches, even when the High Priest addressed her as “her.” Llard and Sylvanstian had also questioned her body when they saw Enya for the first time. Could it be?

His gaze caught the bandage wrapped around her chest. He pressed his lips together tightly, taking a deep sigh. Only this could save her… he thought, swallowing hard. He didn’t care about the cost to his own aura. He had to stop the poison from spreading. Summoning every ounce of focus, Zilant infused his aura into her wound, holding the poison at bay.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 🪶 🔥 Princess, Don’t Waver ❄️ 🐉 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author’s Note:

Now Zilant knows! What will he do now? Will he expose her? Will he protect her? What is it?

The next chapter will be published when I can. I needed to make sure I was able to hit 20 chapters lol and I did it!

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoy this. I’ll be doing my best to publish the next chapter soon.