Chapter 16

After more than two hours of silent flight, Trystan and the group land near the northern border of Roselia, where the air is cooler and the forest thins. Trystan orders everyone to continue on foot because Roselia’s soldiers would not welcome them. Clare and Tatianna bicker with a new playful familiarity, while Blade notices Evie has already wandered away.

Trystan rushes after Evie with Tatianna and Clare, irritated by Evie’s unpredictability and unsettled by his growing concern for her. He finds Evie standing before a sentry, an immortal, human-looking guardian of magically significant places. Trystan panics because sentries are ruthless and indestructible, and he physically pulls Evie back when Evie tries to provoke a reaction from it.

The group faces the Kissing Tree Caves, where two great oaks meet above the cave entrance like a kiss. Trystan explains that sentries cannot be defeated with magic and exist to protect priceless god-made objects. When Trystan and Tatianna try to pass, the sentry blocks them with its spear.

Before Trystan can finish boasting about the careful trickery required, Evie simply asks the sentry to let her enter and says please. The sentry steps aside, shocking Trystan. Evie begins backing toward the cave, but Trystan hesitates at the darkness inside, revealing a fear he tries to hide.

Evie gently offers to go alone, but Trystan deliberately responds harshly, hoping emotional distance will make things easier. He softens the insult with a joke, and Evie starts to tease him back, only to scream as she falls through a hidden drop-off into darkness. The sentry blocks Tatianna and Clare from following, and Trystan immediately dives after Evie into the dark trap.