The pace Teal took to reach the palace was fast, but it was one he could maintain. At times, he leapt onto the branches and sped past riders who were travelling on the same path the Emperor's party had used the day before. His job was not to determine whether they were potential threats or not. That would be down to the scouts the Emperor would send out. Teal's mission was to reach the palace and to reach it fast without being seen.

He had only stayed long enough to put on his concubine clothes. In his vest, he carried another scroll, a scroll far different from the one he had originally carried for the Emperor. This scroll was written in the Emperor's own hand, and it would bade him entrance into the palace if anyone questioned his solo and hurried return.

Teal didn't allow the events of the evening to distract him. His two soldiers who had always followed him, were no longer present, and in fact, they hadn't been with him since they had arrived at Askoflin Palace. Free in the forest, no one shadowing him. If it wasn't for the urgency to ensure the Empress was safe, this journey would have been close to exhilarating.

Sometime later, a break in the trees appeared and the edge of the city came into view. Teal's focus shifted. It was mid-evening and the hot weather meant that the streets of Dalenia were full of people going about their business and enjoying the cooler part of the day.

To aid his approach and to minimize being spotted, Teal leapt onto the roofs of the buildings and sprinted with ease over their surfaces, jumping over the gaps of the bustling streets below. Fortunately, those on the ground were more concerned with what was going on at eye level than with what was occurring above them. There was one small boy taking refuge on a balcony who caught a glimpse of him. Teal gave a wink and was gone before the boy could react.

The palace gates were yet to close officially for the night. Aware that his approach was now being watched by the guards on the wall, Teal jumped down from one building and made his final approach using normal means via the gravel road. At a brisk walk, Teal reached the palace residents' entrance, his purposeful and confident stride causing the young soldier at the gates to bow his head, although he did look confused and somewhat timid to be in Teal's presence.

"Good evening," Teal said, his breath steady despite the shimmer of sweat that covered his brow. He didn't come to a complete stop. He wanted to keep the exchange simple and relaxed.

The soldier nodded. "It is a nice reprieve from the day. You've returned earlier than everyone else?"

"Yes, the Emperor worries about the Empress, but worries more about her mood if he disturbs her again himself," Teal joked and continued to lie. "I am to report back to him later tonight on how she and her unborn child fares."

The young soldier laughed as if it was his business to know of the Emperor's and Empress' personal tiffs. He waved Teal on into the palace grounds. "The Emperor is lucky he has someone who can make the journey so quickly."

Teal smiled over his shoulder and hurried through the courtyard. It was clear for the most part this evening, and he found some relief in knowing that the mood in the palace was calm. No alarm or sense of distress.

Nonetheless, Teal sprinted towards the first inner wall, the same one that he had used on his midnight trail. The endless twists and turns of pathways at the entrance of the palace grounds were only going to be a hindrance and slow him down. Following the pathways of the walls would be far quicker.

He reached the core building, dropped down from the wall and skirted around to the normal entrance. Even here, the palace was going about its usual affairs without any sense of distress. There was nothing he saw to make him believe the Empress was in any danger. His feet barely touched the tiles as he raced across the main foyer towards...

Teal stopped dead in his tracks.

There before him was the flight of stairs that would wind up through the inside of the tower and to the quarters of the Emperor and the Empress. Coming down it were the voices of people Teal recognized, or he should say, accents of people Teal recognized to be dangerous. In the blink of an eye, Teal darted towards one of the entrances of the hall and took refuge in the shadows as Prince Yernal and several of his dignitaries came to the bottom of the stairs and began walking away in the opposite direction.

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Teal's original sense of urgency returned. Relief had been flowing through him, but the sight of those men coming down the stairs, filled Teal with hesitation and a new sense of fear. What was Prince Yernal doing? There was no reason for Prince Yernal to be going up the tower.

Suspicious, Teal waited until the hall was completely empty again before he started towards the stairs. He kept to the shadows, unable to quell the unease in his stomach. The Empress' doors appeared before him as he arrived at her landing. Teal reached immediately for the scroll within his clothes, her personal guards turning in surprise at his purposeful pace.

"I'm here to see the Empress," he told them authoritatively.

"She has asked not to be disturbed," one of the guards returned as the pair automatically stepped to block his way.

Teal handed them the scroll. "I need to see her on the Emperor's orders."

The guard who had spoken, took the scroll. They instantly parted at the sight of the Emperor's seal. The Emperor's voice had more authority than their beloved Empress.

The Empress' greeting room was dark, void of torches in the evening light. She was standing at one of the archways that looked out on the city below, the moons' rays shining brightly now that they had broken the horizon. Except she wasn't looking out at the view, her back was turned towards it, her features hidden in the darkness. The back of her dress, white with a silver thread woven into its material, shimmered in the light. Such a waste to wear such a beautiful garment with no one to see it. Or maybe somebody had seen it?

When Teal entered, the Empress turned sharply at his intrusion, and it was then, when the light caught her face, he saw the tears falling down her cheeks.

They stared at each other, both in surprise.

The Empress frowned and spoke first. "What's happened?" she asked. "You look different. Something's wrong, isn't it?"

"Why are you crying?" Teal asked, ignoring her questions. "Are you all right?" His stomach churned with the unknown.

The Empress' long elegant fingers wiped at her tears. "I have received bad news for the palace," she whispered. "But first, what has brought you here without the others. Are they safe?"

Teal shook his head.

Shock shattered through her misery. She stepped forward and grabbed Teal's hand. "What's happened?"

Teal judged how to approach this problem. Favoring the Empress' wishes might encourage her to open up to him later. He launched into his story, explaining what had taken place that day. Teal noted that the Empress did not step back or let go of her grip when he told her about how he had shifted into a tiger. It was as if she had expected it.

When he finished, the Empress looked towards the table on the other side of the room and Teal followed her gaze.

"What is it?" he asked quietly.

The Empress moved closer, looped her arm through Teal's and began to guide him over to the table. Two scrolls lay on the corner, their seals broken but rolled back into a tight bundle to protect them. The larger one was covered in splatters of blood. The rest of the table was covered in paintings, some framed and others still on the material they had originally been painted on.

"I received these scrolls over the past two days from the Denroin temple," the Empress said. She picked one up and passed it towards Teal. "This is the second scroll to arrive, sent by the monks who survived. It only confirmed my fears when the first one arrived yesterday smeared in blood."

Confused, Teal unravelled the scroll. He quickly read its contents and his heart sunk. The words inside informed of Nala’s murder, the Emperor's health giver, along with several other monks.

"What was she doing out there?" Teal asked.

"Looking for more information on the Lombock." The Empress nodded towards the second scroll.

Teal's heart began to pound, and he almost forgot his original concerns regarding Prince Yernal. The scroll called to him. Could it hold vital information on his race, of who he was, and if possible, where to find the rest of the Lombock?

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, hoping his new inner strength would help to hide his eagerness.

"You should read what it says," The Empress whispered.

"Have you?"

"Yes."

Teal reached for the scroll and took it within his hands. He paused. "Why are you doing this? The Emperor has not read this yet."

"And yet you have already taken it so eagerly." The Empress dropped her head as more tears flowed over her cheeks. "I'm sorry. It has been a hard day. In truth, I don't want anyone else I love to die."

Guilt replaced Teal's hope. He lifted his hand to the Empress' face so his thumb could gently wipe away her tears. "I will avenge her death," he whispered.

Their eyes met in the dim light.

"This shifting that has occurred," the Empress said softly, still allowing Teal's hand to rest against her skin, "has changed you. Has made you stronger and more confident."

Teal lowered his hand. "I was always confident," he said. "This palace and the people within it certainly scared me at first, but I know now that I can help the Emperor. I am of worth to him."

"Teal, you have always been of worth to him. Even if you could not shift and had no extra strength. Your presence in the harem has been a breath of fresh air." The Empress smiled and squeezed his hand. "Go on," she said, nodding towards the scroll. "Read it."

Teal drew his attention back to the scroll.

"You should stay here," the Empress spoke again, moving to take a seat beside the nearest archway. "What you read should not leave this room until the Emperor knows of its contents."