As I dashed through the echoing corridors of the palace, panic clawed at my chest like a beast hungry for my sanity. Malachi was nowhere to be found, and the palace guards seemed as clueless as I was. How could it be that in a place commanded by him, no one knew the whereabouts of the king?

With each passing moment, my mind raced with the terrifying possibilities. Leif, dear Leif, could be in danger, and I couldn't afford to lose him. I clung desperately to the belief that Malachi was human enough to not hurt my friend.

But I couldn't waste any more time searching for Malachi. Leif's life hung in the balance, and if there was any chance he was still alive, I had to find him, and I had to do it now. Every second was precious, each heartbeat a drum urging me forward into the unknown.

As I hurried towards the direction of the dungeons, my mind churned with doubts. Would Leif truly be held there? Would I even be able to get in? It was a risky assumption, given the dungeon's fortified defenses. Guards would likely question my presence, and I had no guarantee of success.

Just as I wrestled with these uncertainties, a figure materialized before me like a haunting specter: Minerva. Her presence alone was enough to shroud me in an aura of inadequacy. But I couldn't afford to be distracted by her. Leif's safety was my priority.

Ignoring the urge to engage with her, I pressed on, hoping to evade any confrontation. Yet, as I passed by, her voice sliced through the air like a razor, dripping with disdain. "Why is Malachi's new toy in such a rush?" Her words grated against my nerves, each syllable a barb aimed directly at my resolve.

My jaw clenched with frustration as Minerva effortlessly blocked my path, her presence an insurmountable obstacle in my desperate race against time. How could she move so swiftly, so gracefully?

Her voice, dripping with intrigue, sliced through the tension like a knife. "Oh my," she purred in her alluring accent, her words a velvet caress against my fraying composure. "Something must be very wrong."

Refusing to dignify her curiosity with a response, I glared at her with seething anger, willing her to step aside. Yet, she remained rooted in place, her expression a mix of confusion and amusement. It was as though she reveled in the power she held over me.

But then, her gaze shifted to where I had been heading, and comprehension flickered across her features like a sinister flame. A wicked smile twisted her lips as she connected the dots. "This is about the breach," she declared, her voice laced with satisfaction. "Someone you care for was involved."

Her words struck me like a physical blow, confirming her astute perception. This was no mere game; she reveled in the chaos, relished the opportunity to wield her influence like a weapon. With steely resolve, I met her gaze head-on. "Let me pass, Minerva," I demanded, my voice a firm declaration of intent. This was no time for games or manipulation. Leif's life hung in the balance, and I would stop at nothing to ensure his safety.

"Oh I have no intention of stopping you."

Minerva's words hung in the air, freezing me in place. Her sudden change in demeanor caught me off guard, leaving me uncertain of her true intentions.

As I resumed my determined stride, her warning struck like a bolt of lightning, halting me once more. "But the guards might," she adds. "The dungeon is no place for the faint hearted. Even if you like to pretend to have power in this palace, they know better than to let you in."

The guards, formidable and loyal to the core, stood as formidable obstacles in my path. Panic clawed at the edges of my mind, threatening to consume me whole. What if I couldn't find Leif?

Minerva's voice, dripping with a cruel kind of amusement, pierced through my mounting dread. "But..." she drawled, her words elongated like the coils of a serpent. Reluctantly, I turned to face her, my gaze locking with hers in a silent battle of wills.

"They would never say no to me," she declared with chilling finality, her confidence unwavering. In that moment, I realized the depth of her influence, the power she wielded over those who stood guard over the kingdom's darkest secrets.

With a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, I knew that I had no choice but to accept her assistance, no matter the cost. Leif's life may have depended on it, and I would do whatever it took to ensure his safety, even if it meant aligning myself with someone like Minerva.

"What do you want?" I demanded through gritted teeth, my patience worn thin by the weight of uncertainty.

"Only to help," Minerva replied, her tone deceptively sweet. I eyed her warily, unable to shake the feeling of unease that settled like a heavy shroud around me. Could I trust her words, or was there a darker agenda lurking beneath her facade?

She brushed past me without another word, her graceful strides leading the way towards the dungeons. I stood there for a moment, stunned by her sudden cooperation. Reluctantly, I followed, my footsteps echoing in the dimly lit corridors as we made our way deeper into the heart of the palace.

"Come now, little miss noble," she called over her shoulder, her voice a taunting melody that spurred me forward. With a heavy sigh, I trudged on, the silence between us suffocating in its intensity. Neither of us seemed willing to break the fragile truce that hung between us, each lost in our own thoughts and suspicions.

The dungeon entrance loomed before us, guarded by a legion of stoic sentinels whose eyes widened in surprise at the sight of me. Yet, with Minerva leading the way, they dared not utter a word of protest, though their discomfort hung palpably in the air like a heavy fog. The stench of decay assaulted my senses as we ventured deeper into the bowels of the palace, the suffocating atmosphere a grim reminder of the darkness that lurked within.

As we reached a crossroads, Minerva halted abruptly, her gaze piercing through the shadows to meet mine. "The prisoners from the coup are to the left," she murmured, her voice barely more than a whisper. I nodded in silent acknowledgment, my heart hammering in my chest as I prepared to venture further alone.

The darkness enveloped me like a suffocating shroud as I navigated the labyrinthine corridors of the dungeon. The cries of anguish echoed off the damp stone walls, a haunting melody that drove me forward with renewed urgency. I passed by noble faces, some familiar from the lavish ball just last night, their desperate pleas for aid falling on deaf ears.

But amid the cacophony of despair, one voice stood out above the rest, a melody of anguish that sent a shiver down my spine. Without hesitation, I followed the sound, my footsteps quickening with each passing moment. Leif needed me, and I would not rest until I found him, no matter the cost.

When I made it to the end of the hall, my heart shattered into a million pieces at the sight before me. A man lay battered and broken, his body a canvas of agony painted in crimson hues. Tears blurred my vision as I struggled to comprehend the extent of his suffering. What monstrous acts had they inflicted upon him?

With trembling lips, I called out his name, the anguish in my voice betraying the depths of my despair. "Leif?"

A faint voice, barely more than a whisper, answered from behind me. My heart leaped with hope that Leif was not the man I was looking at, but as I turned, the sight that greeted me shattered any semblance of relief. There sat Leif, but he too bore the marks of torment, his once vibrant spirit dimmed by the weight of his suffering.

Tears flowed freely down my cheeks as I reached out to him, my fingers curling around the cold iron bars that separated us. "Leif! Leif! What have they done to you?" I cried out, my voice cracking with emotion.

But amidst the chaos of our anguish, Leif's concern turned to me, his voice barely audible above the din of our despair. "Elara, it's okay, it's okay," he murmured, his words a feeble attempt to soothe my shattered soul.

"Leif!" I sobbed, my heart breaking anew with each painful wheeze that escaped his lips. How could he worry about me in his own moment of torment?

"Has he hurt you?" he asked, his voice strained with concern. The realization hit me like a thunderbolt. Did he think Malachi would harm me? Was that why he had risked everything to breach the palace?

My world shattered into chaos as I fought against the iron bars, desperation clawing at my heart like a savage beast. The commotion suddenly occurring at the dungeon entrance was nothing but a distant echo, drowned out by the overwhelming agony of seeing Leif in such torment.

Then, another voice pierced through the cacophony, shouting my name with urgency. But I couldn't tear my gaze away from Leif, couldn't focus on anything but his suffering. Suddenly, arms wrapped around me, pulling me away from the cell. Panic seized me, and I lashed out instinctively, my mind consumed by fear.

My breathing quickened to a frantic pace, each gasp for air feeling like a suffocating embrace. "Elara, Elara, calm down," Malachi's voice murmured in my ear, but his words fell on deaf ears. How could he expect me to be calm when my friend lay broken before me, a victim of his cruelty?

I refused to be torn away from Leif's side, my screams echoing off the stone walls of the dungeon as Malachi lifted me up and carried me away. I thrashed against his hold, my cries of anguish falling on deaf ears.

But then, amidst the chaos, a glimmer of understanding dawned in Malachi. With a nod to one of his men, he issued a command, summoning a physician to tend to Leif's wounds. It was a small gesture, a flicker of humanity in the darkness that surrounded us.

Malachi's arms were a vise around me, his voice a murmur against the tempest raging in my mind. I couldn't find solace in his words, couldn't shake the overwhelming sense of despair that threatened to consume me.

As he carried me away from the dungeon, each step felt like a betrayal, a cruel reminder of the friend I was leaving behind. "I'm so sorry, darling, but I must get you out of here," Malachi's voice broke through the chaos, his words no balm against the raw edges of my anguish.

"It's alright, it will all be alright," he repeated, his voice a steady reassurance in the midst of my turmoil. But I couldn't bring myself to believe him, couldn't let go of the fear that gnawed at my heart like a relentless predator.

We stumbled into the nearest room, the weight of my grief pressing down on me. I collapsed into a chair, my body trembling with exhaustion and despair. Leif's face haunted my thoughts, his pain etched into every line of his broken form.

But amidst the darkness, a flicker of resolve ignited within me. I would not rest until Leif was safe, until justice was served for the atrocities committed against him. And even as Malachi's words faded into the background, I clung to the hope that I would find a way to set things right.