Calarian and Cordelia turned to stare at her in confusion.
"Did you see something?" Cordelia asked, immediately drawing her bow as she turned to the direction Daphne spoke, squinting her eyes. However, there didn’t seem to be any movement.
"I thought I saw someone I knew," Daphne said, biting her lips.
"Who is it? Your brother?" King Calarian asked. While he had seen someone move, he had simply assumed that it was one of the guards Prince Nathaniel had sent out to watch over them. After all, the figure was dressed in the same outfit as all the guards.
But if Queen Daphne claimed that she recognized that person, then there might be trouble brewing on the horizon. From what he knew, all the guards were handpicked by Prince Nathaniel himself. Queen Daphne, who had never stepped inside Raxuvia before this trip, should never have been so stunned at potentially recognizing someone that she stopped walking.
"No..." Daphne shook her head as she realized the sheer ridiculousness of her thoughts. It was preposterous to think that Eugene would be in such an event. "I thought... never mind. I must be mistaken. I’m sorry for causing you to worry."
"Who said I was worried?" Cordelia scoffed.
Daphne hoped she wasn’t mistaken, but it was preposterous to think Eugene would be in such an event. He had run off so quickly from the dungeons of Vramid’s royal palace. If anything, Eugene should be far away from wherever Atticus may be.
"If it’s nothing then we should get going," King Calarian suggested, although he was visibly still wary of the situation. The grip he had on his weapon slackened a little but he had not let down his guard. "It’s not safe to stay out here any longer."
Both women nodded, readily following after the older man.
They quickly arrived at the center of the maze. True enough to what Cordelia and Calarian had said, there was indeed a beautiful glass pavilion right in the center of the maze.
For the first time since Daphne had stepped into the maze, she could feel the warmth of the golden sun sprawling across her skin. The heat kissed her like a forgotten lover, chasing away the cold that was brought about by the fog and mist that enveloped the maze. She sighed deeply, breathing in the smell of the fresh grass and the perfume of the flowers.
Behind her, she could still hear the rumbling of the stone walls as the maze shifted and changed. Even though it was thunderous and loud when she stood right in the center of it all, now that she was in this safe haven, the sounds were much more muted.
Even the little baby griffin seemed intrigued. It finally poked its head out of Daphne’s hold, jumping off her arms only to tumble on the soft grass. It lay there lazily, basking in the sunlight with a contented chirp.
"This place is like an oasis in the desert," Daphne remarked. She gasped in awe when admiring the pavilion’s glass dome roof.
As sunlight streamed through the glass, it scattered into myriad beams of shimmering rays, casting an ethereal glow that filled the space with an enchanting ambiance. Tiny dust particles that were suspended in the air were now visible, dancing in the illuminated air like specks of stardust.
"At least Prince Nathaniel had the mind to create this safe space for the people that needed it," Cordelia said, huffing.
"How did you find this place?" Daphne asked, whirling around to meet Cordelia and Calarian’s eyes.
"Pure chance," Cordelia said.
At the same time, Calarian spoke. "Cordelia had been running away from a horde of butterflies. There had to be at least a thousand of them chasing after her and she blindly ran ahead. We ended up here and the butterflies quickly stopped chasing. It seems like the magical beasts are not allowed into this specific area."
"Uncle!" Cordelia all but screeched, horrified.
"It’s only the truth," Calarian shrugged.
"That wasn’t just a measly bunch of butterflies and you know it," Cordelia said through gritted teeth.
"Aurelia Divinias are harmless," Calarian said, waving it off. "And besides, they are beautiful to look at!"
"Question," Daphne said, drawing their attention away from the argument and back to Daphne. The latter gestured to the baby griffin that was still sprawled in the grass, happily nipping at the small flowers in the field. "If magical beasts are not allowed into this area, how is this griffin able to come in?"
"Huh." Cordelia tapped a finger at her chin, deep in thought. "Good question. Maybe it’s because it’s just a baby still?"
"Unlikely," Calarian replied. "It is possible that magical beasts might be allowed into the center of the maze if a participant is to bring them in. After all, we’re all carrying a couple of them in our pouches. The actual mechanics and the charm placed on this space is highly unclear. A good area to study, if Raxuvia’s magical development has gone so much further than last year."
"Whatever it is, we shouldn’t spend too much time here," Cordelia said. "The maze has stopped shifting. It should be safe to head out now."
Daphne perked with attention. She bent down, picked up the baby griffin from the ground right as it was about to fall asleep, and began to walk toward Calarian and Cordelia. However, she stopped in her tracks when she suddenly felt the hairs on her body stand. Call it a gut feeling but she felt as though someone was watching her.
She stopped short in her tracks, frowning as she turned back to look. Yet, she couldn’t find anyone. The entire area was empty of other participants or guards. It was just the three of them here.
"Is there something wrong, Queen Daphne?" Calarian questioned.
Daphne’s mind flitted over to the brief shadow she had caught, the figure that so remarkably resembled Eugene. Her frown deepened.
So far, even though it had just been one other time, her gut feeling hadn’t failed her before. She thought she had spotted Maisie in Frostholm. True enough, she found her there shortly after. What were the chances Eugene truly was here in Raxuvia?
"I think..." Daphne hesitated for a brief second before she exhaled loudly. "I think you guys should go ahead without me. There is something I wish to confirm."
"Are you sure?" Cordelia asked, raising an eyebrow, her face filled with doubt.
Daphne gave her a bright smile. "Of course. I shouldn’t follow along lest they disqualified King Calarian for having more than just one ’assistant’. Besides, if I followed along, I would just be holding you back. If you see Atticus, could you tell him to come look for me here?"
Cordelia’s eyebrows were furrowed, her eyes slightly squinted as she tried to make sense of Daphne’s request. In the end, she thought better than to question it. Daphne was right― her joining them could cause them some trouble if other participants were to see them journeying together.
"Suit yourself," Cordelia said with a shrug. "Come on, Uncle. The clock is ticking."
"We will try our best to pass the word, Queen Daphne," Calarian promised.
"Uncle!"
Daphne nodded. "Thank you. Stay safe," she said.
With that, King Calarian and Princess Cordelia disappeared past the walls and back into the foggy maze.
Daphne was left in silence, accompanied only by the light swishing of the grass and the gentle breeze that brushed past her ears. All of that was eventually shattered when she was soon greeted by a familiar voice.
"I see you managed to get the ring that you wanted in the end, Your Highness."