Eryndor melted back into the shadows without another word, as silently as he had appeared. He vanished, leaving only a lingering chill where he had stood.
Viana turned her full attention to Reyes, grateful for the interruption, but also wary.
"What is it?" she asked with a quiet voice, already knowing the general direction of his concern.
His brown eyes were serious, reflecting the dying embers of the fire.
"Princess, Prince Rayne's presence changes things. Drastically."
Reyes's voice was low, a rumble of his deep concern. "He is the heir of Valendale. And his connection to Elysia runs deeper than just our shared history."
A muscle in his jaw twitched.
"If anything were to happen to him out there, in this treacherous desert, it would bring immense trouble to Elysia. His father, the Valendale Emperor, would demand answers." Reyes paused, his gaze sweeping the desolate landscape beyond their firelight.
