"But I'm innocent! Please, don't do this to me," I pleaded, my voice trembling as tears welled up in my eyes.

Their grip was unyielding, dragging me from my bedroom. My attempts to resist were futile; their strength far outmatched mine. Their grasp reminded me that I hadn't eaten my Magical Fruit in hours, in hopes that I would be able to sleep. Without the effects of the Chillberry, my superpowers had faded, leaving me helpless. But hope wasn't lost—I had stashed the fruit cube in my pocket. It would only take a moment to summon its power and remind these bastards who the true royal was.

We trudged through the dim corridors, and after several minutes, I realized something was wrong. The path wasn't leading to the dungeons.

"This isn't the way to the dungeon," I said, my voice cutting through the silence.

"Shut up and keep walking," one of the guards snapped, his tone sharp and dismissive.

Disrespect? Since when did palace guards dare to speak to a member of the royal family like that? Perhaps ever since both my parents were gone. The thought simmered in my mind, making my blood boil. They'd forgotten their place. I imagined throwing them into the legendary dragon dungeon—an amusing thought, but one I couldn't act on. Not yet.

Feigning clumsiness, I stumbled, falling to the cold palace floor. My hand darted into my pocket, grasping for the fruit cube. I just needed a second.

Before I could summon Chillberry, a sharp kick struck my hand, sending the fruit cube spinning across the floor.

"Watch your steps, clumsy pie," the guard sneered, his voice laced with mockery.

Panic surged through me. I lunged forward, crawling toward the fruit cube, but rough hands seized me. One guard held me by the chest, another clamped a hand over my mouth, and the third plucked the fruit cube from the floor, confiscating the contents of my pocket.

I tried to scream, to protest, but their grip silenced me. My mind raced, more terrified of losing the fruit cube than of whatever fate awaited me.

"What's going on here, chads?" A commanding voice echoed through the hall, cutting through the tension like a blade.

The guards froze as Skadar stepped into view, his sharp yellow eyes narrowing.

"Just carrying out the king's orders," one of the guards said, stiffly turning to face him.

Skadar raised an eyebrow, his thick brows furrowing. "At this hour? Aerol really does love disturbing my sleep," he muttered, crossing his arms. His gaze flicked to me, taking in the scene. "But what exactly are you doing to our lil' princess?"

The guard hesitated before responding. "She's committed a serious crime. We're taking her to the dungeon."

My eyes widened, and I shook my head furiously, desperate to convey the truth. Skadar's lips twitched into a smirk.

"A serious crime?" he echoed, his tone mocking. "You're acting strange tonight... and oddly formal. That's disrespectful to your godchild."

He raised a hand, a blinding light emanating from his index finger. The guards flinched, shielding their eyes.

"This is True Light," Skadar said, his voice steady and calm. "It reveals the true colors of camouflaged creatures."

The guard holding my mouth let out an inhuman growl as gray fur erupted across his skin. His hands grew claws, his teeth sharpening into jagged spikes. A Wolfman.

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The fruit cube tumbled from his grasp, and I wasted no time. I bit the arm of the guard holding me, forcing him to release me, and dove for the fruit cube.

"Summon Chillberry," I whispered. The fruit cube radiated with a brilliant cranberry glow before dissolving as I ate it whole.

The Wolfman lunged at Skadar, but with a calm flick of his hand, he froze the beast solid. A second later, a blast of light shattered the ice, scattering shards across the floor.

The remaining Wolfmen attacked, one lunging at me. I channeled the Chillberry's power, freezing the creature mid-air—everything except its snarling head.

Skadar dealt with the second Wolfman in a flash of light, then turned to mine.

"No!" I shouted. "We need to interrogate him!"

But it was too late. The light pierced through the frozen creature, reducing it to shards. Its severed head hit the floor with a sickening thud.

Skadar smirked, unfazed. "Oops. Guess we'll just have to ask the head instead."

He blasted the decapitated head, reducing it to ash.

I glared at him. "Thanks for saving me from being abducted," I said, my tone sharp, "but we needed answers."

Skadar shrugged. "You're welcome, Ice Princess. Though, I'll admit, that was terrifying. Those beasts holding you hostage? Not a sight I'll forget."

I crossed my arms. "This never happened under my father's rule," I said bitterly.

His gaze softened, his yellow eyes meeting mine. "Don't worry. I'll protect you from any threat. Looks like your brother isn't as vigilant as your father was."

His words hit a nerve. I sighed. "Speaking of Aerol... where is he?"

Skadar frowned. "Good question. But first, we need to secure the palace. If there are more camouflaged Wolfmen lurking here, we can't let them catch us off guard."

I nodded. "Agreed. Let's alert the guards and figure this out later."

***

In the middle of the night, we found ourselves in a dimly lit bedroom, discussing the unsettling events we had encountered.

"Claudius, does your mother happen to have a vision related to the chaos today?" Skadar asked, his voice low but direct.

"I don't think so," the periwinkle-haired boy replied, adjusting his glasses.

"I thought she was a future seer. What’s the point of having such a gift if she can’t even predict something like this?" Skadar muttered, crossing his arms.

"The security should have been stricter in the first place," I said, shaking my head. "It’s strange how they managed to infiltrate the palace so easily."

"Wait," Claudius began, his voice soft but deliberate, "I think she might have. She once told me she had a nightmare about the Snowdoom Forest burning and Wolfmen invading the palace, but that was a long time ago. We didn’t think much of it at the time—or we simply forgot."

"You should have told us," Skadar exclaimed, his golden eyes narrowing. "I could’ve warned my father earlier."

"Not all dreams are visions," Claudius said defensively, brushing his bangs away from his face.

The door creaked open, and Lady Collfumes entered, her periwinkle side-swept bangs partially concealing her left eye. She walked gracefully to the large bed and sat down, her presence commanding the room.

"You should all be asleep by now," she said with a gentle yet stern tone. "But I suppose my little night owl would still be awake." She patted Claudius’ fluffy hair affectionately.

Claudius adjusted his glasses again. "Do you still remember the nightmare you had several months ago?"

"Ah, yes, my son," she replied, her deep purple eye flickering toward me. "Ice Princess, I imagine you’re wondering why I never disclosed it."

She stood and retrieved a book from the pile stacked neatly on the desk.

"We’re not having a bedtime story while the kingdom is in peril," Skadar grumbled.

"Silence, and listen carefully," Lady Collfumes ordered. She sat back down and opened the book.

Suddenly, the bedroom transformed into a throne room, its grandeur bearing a faint resemblance to ours but distinctly older. Lady Collfumes used this projection magic often when I was a child, weaving her stories with vivid imagery.

"In the kingdom of Glacia," she began, her voice calm and measured, "there was once a Dream Seer who served the Ice King."

The vision showed a youthful Ice King, perhaps in his twenties, seated upon a jeweled throne. A young man approached and bowed deeply before him.

"The king demanded the seer share his dreams, believing them to be visions of the future. But not all dreams are as they seem."

The scene shifted. A shallow cave came into view, and knights swarmed the entrance, launching flaming spears. Agonized screams echoed as the flames engulfed those within.

"One day, the seer dreamed of bandits raiding the palace to kill the Ice King," Lady Collfumes narrated. "The king ordered an ambush on their hideout to prevent the attack."

The projection returned to the throne room, where a cloaked man bowed before the king.

"But the bandits had no such intention. The detective revealed they had only sought a peaceful bargain with the king," she said.

The image of the Ice King hardened. He gestured, and guards seized the Dream Seer.

"The king ordered the seer’s execution for leading him astray."

The vision shifted again, this time to a funeral. Shadows danced ominously as the bandits mourned their slain kin.

"Yet, the king’s cruelty sowed the seeds of his downfall. He was later beheaded by one of the surviving bandits."

The projection faded, and we were back in the bedroom. I felt a chill as I processed the tale. The cruelty of those times was overwhelming, though I remained composed. I had learned to steel myself against such emotions.

"What a tragic ending," Skadar muttered.

"But how does this explain why you didn’t share your dream?" he asked, frowning.

"It wasn’t a dream—it was a nightmare," Lady Collfumes clarified. "At least, that’s what I believed. I didn’t want to risk history repeating itself with a false vision."

"I appreciate your caution, Lady Collfumes," I said, offering her a faint smile.

"I’m glad you understand, Ice Princess," she replied warmly.

But my smile faltered as a weight settled in my chest. "I’m still worried," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper, "that I’m the main suspect in General Dicester’s death."

Her expression shifted instantly. "Really? That’s a grave accusation," she said, her voice sharp with concern.

Skadar’s gaze met mine, unwavering. "I’ll speak to my father about it. He’s bound to take action—especially since he’s set to become the next general."

"I’ll hold you to that, Skadar," I said, nodding.

A knock on the door interrupted us. Lady Collfumes rose and opened it. Standing in the doorway was my brother, his clothes splattered in blood.