Even Death Grew Tired of Killing Me-Chapter 53 - 48

We still managed to sleep.

I did not expect that to happen, not with Astrae missing and that constant, pressing sense that something was wrong sitting heavy in my chest. Still, exhaustion does not care about logic or guilt. At some point, my thoughts blurred, and the world went dark.

When I opened my eyes again, pale daylight had already crept through the thin curtains. It was not early morning anymore. The light had that soft, settled quality that meant the day was already moving without us.

Kyren was awake.

He sat on the edge of the second bed I had asked the inn to prepare, one leg dangling lazily, elbows resting on his knees. A handheld device glowed faintly in his hands, and his attention was sharp in a way that made it obvious he had been awake for a while. The moment I shifted, his head lifted.

"Took you long enough," he uttered, a grin tugging at his lips.

I let out a slow breath and dragged a hand down my face. "What time is it?"

"Midmorning," he replied easily. "Didn’t wake you. You looked like you needed it."

I could not argue with that.

My body felt heavier than usual, not weak, just worn down. Too much thinking. Too many things left unresolved. Astrae’s face flashed briefly through my mind, the way she looked the last time I saw her, confident and dismissive of danger. I pushed the thought away and sat up.

We cleaned up quickly. No unnecessary talking, no hesitation. I washed my face and checked my equipment out of habit even though everything important was stored safely in my belt bag. Kyren moved on his own without being told, changing into clothes that fit Aetherfall’s general style far better than what he usually wore. He looked comfortable, annoyingly so, like this was just another outing rather than a day that might decide whether Astrae lived or died.

We went downstairs and ate a quick meal. Warm bread, simple stew, something bitter that passed for tea. I barely tasted any of it, but I made sure Kyren finished his portion.

By the time we stepped outside, my focus had sharpened.

And that was when I saw Silas.

He stood near the entrance of the inn, leaning casually against one of the wooden pillars, hands tucked into his pockets. He looked unbothered, relaxed, like someone waiting for friends rather than escorting people into the heart of the kingdom’s power. He was good-looking in an approachable way, around twenty-five, with a presence that put others at ease without trying. I wanted to see his current status but I held back out of respect.

When he noticed us, he straightened and lifted a hand.

"Morning," he greeted.

I paused for a while, then inclined my head. "Sorry if we kept you waiting."

Silas waved it off with a small chuckle. "No problem. Madison said you’d probably need the time."

That simple statement carried more understanding than I expected.

We set off not long after. Silas led the way through Solcarth’s streets with an ease that told me he knew this city intimately. People greeted him, merchants nodded, guards barely spared him a second glance. Whatever Madison had built here, it was solid, rooted deep enough that even the palace recognized it.

The closer we got to the palace, the more my steps slowed on their own. The air felt heavier, not oppressive, but dense, like walking into a place where too many decisions had been made and too many secrets were buried.

Kyren noticed immediately.

"You’re doing that thing again," he murmured, just loud enough for me to hear.

"What thing?"

"Thinking yourself into a hole."

I huffed quietly. "Probably."

At the palace gates, Silas stepped forward alone. He spoke to the guards in a low voice, showed them something I could not see, and waited. The exchange was brief. No raised voices. No suspicion.

The gates opened.

Just like that, we were inside the palace grounds.

An attendant took over from there, guiding us through wide corridors and polished floors until we were handed off to the head butler. The man carried himself with practiced neutrality, his expression unreadable, his movements precise. He informed us that Prince Valeyn was available and would see us shortly.

Silas stopped at that point.

He turned to us and smiled, a little softer this time. "This is where I leave you. Good luck."

"Thank you," I said, and meant it, even though there’s nothing to be any good in my luck considering my stat.

He nodded once. "Remember what Madison said. Don’t hold back. Ask for what you need."

Then he was gone, disappearing down another corridor as if this was just another task completed.

Prince Valeyn did not keep us waiting long.

We were led into a private receiving room, tucked far from the palace’s main halls. The walls were thick, the lighting subdued, the kind of place meant for conversations that should not travel. Valeyn was already there when we entered, standing near a tall window, hands clasped behind his back.

He turned as we approached, his gaze sharp and attentive.

"Archivist Finley," he greeted. His eyes shifted briefly to Kyren. "And...?"

"Greetings Your Highness. This is my little brother," I replied. "Kyren."

Valeyn inclined his head. "Welcome."

He gestured for us to sit and took his place across from us. The silence that followed felt deliberate, like he was giving us a moment to settle before speaking.

"I owe you an apology," I began a little hesitatingly, afterall I don’t really know how to properly deal and act with royalties. "I wasn’t able to meet you the last time I was here. Realm Union called me back. It was an emergency."

"I’m aware," Valeyn replied calmly. "I confirmed it myself. Realm Union matters take priority over all else."

That eased some of the tension I had been carrying.

I did not delay after that. I explained everything, Astrae’s disappearance, the last place she was seen, my return from my world, except the warning my system gave me near the palace, barely no one knows about my sub function. I kept my voice steady, even when the worry underneath threatened to surface.

When I finished, I took out the sealed envelope Madison had given me and placed it carefully on the table between us.

"This is from her," I said.

Valeyn’s fingers tightened almost imperceptibly as he picked it up. The moment he broke the seal and read, his complexion shifted. It was subtle, something most people would miss, but I saw it clearly.

He paused, lifting a hand to touch just behind his ear, as if checking something that was not visible. The silence stretched, long enough that Kyren shifted slightly in his seat.

Finally, Valeyn exhaled slowly and lowered the letter.

"My brother and I have been investigating a matter related to this," he said. "We don’t have a conclusion yet. Not one we can act on openly."

Kyren leaned forward without hesitation. "We don’t need conclusions. We just need access. A free pass around the palace so we can look."

I shot him a sharp glance, but he did not back down. And frustratingly, he was right.

Valeyn studied us for a moment, then glanced at the letter again. "I’ll help you," he said at last. "Discreetly. I’ll inform my brother as well. But this must be handled carefully."

I nodded. "Of course."

"I’ll assign someone I trust to accompany you," he continued. "You’ll need cover."

Kyren and I exchanged a look and nodded together.

"Wait here," Valeyn instructed. "Don’t go anywhere."

He stood and left the room, leaving us alone in the quiet, the weight of what was about to happen settling heavily as we waited.

~~~

Prince Valeyn returned after what felt like far longer than it probably was.

I stood the moment the door opened, tension already coiled in my shoulders, half-expecting another delay or a polite refusal dressed in palace language. What I did not expect was who stepped inside first.

Captain Edrin Ward.

He looked exactly the same as when I last saw him. Broad shoulders, steady posture, armor worn for function rather than display. His steel-gray eyes swept the room once, quick and sharp, before settling on me with faint recognition. Lyra followed at his side, light on her feet, gaze already mapping exits and corners. Tomas came in last, quieter than the other two, but alert in the way only someone used to surviving bad situations could be.

Prince Valeyn entered behind them and closed the door himself.

"This stays between us," Valeyn said, voice controlled and firm. "You are acting under my authority."

Edrin inclined his head without hesitation. "Understood, Your Highness."

Lyra continuew with, "We’re listening."

Tomas glanced at me, then back at the prince. "You called us in fast. That usually means something’s wrong."

Valeyn did not waste time. "Archivist Finley’s assistant is missing. Last confirmed location was within palace grounds. There are complications that prevent official inquiry."

Edrin’s jaw tightened slightly. "So you want this handled quietly."

"Yes," Valeyn replied. "You three will act as guards, escorts, and witnesses. Anyone who sees you with Finley and his brother will assume sanctioned movement." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Lyra added. "And if someone pushes back?"

"They won’t," Valeyn said evenly. "And if they try, you pull out immediately and report to me."

Tomas let out a slow breath. "So we ask questions, look official, and don’t trip alarms."

"Exactly," Valeyn said. "No detaining. No forced entry. If something feels wrong, you withdraw."

Edrin nodded once. "Clear."

Valeyn turned his attention to me. "If anything feels off, send one of them back to me immediately."

I inclined my head. "I will."

He stepped aside and gestured toward the door. "Then go, and be careful."

We moved out together.

The palace felt different when you walked it with intent.

Edrin took the lead naturally. His presence alone discouraged lingering stares. Lyra walked just behind my left shoulder, posture relaxed but alert. Tomas drifted a step behind us, eyes always checking our blind spots.

Kyren walked beside me, hands tucked casually into his sleeves, expression unreadable.

We started where it made sense.

Service corridors.

"These are where people forget to lie properly," Lyra murmured as we passed a junction mostly used by staff.

Edrin nodded. "Start small."

We stopped a junior attendant carrying folded linens. Edrin’s tone was calm, authoritative without being threatening.

"Quick question," he said. "Have you seen a young woman, brown hair, quiet, usually travels with the archivist?"

The attendant blinked, startled, then shook her head quickly. "No, sir. Not recently."

"When was the last time you heard anything?" Tomas asked mildly.

She hesitated. "There was talk, maybe two weeks ago. Someone said a guest was redirected to a private audience. But no one knows who arranged it."

"Redirected by whom?" Lyra pressed.

The attendant swallowed. "It wasn’t logged normally."

Edrin thanked her and waved her on.

We moved deeper.

Storage wings. Administrative halls. Libraries where clerks stiffened at the sight of Edrin’s insignia.

Each time, the answer was the same.

No official records. No escort logs. No confirmed exits.

"That’s not normal," Tomas muttered after the fourth stop. "Even mistakes leave trails."

Kyren tilted his head slightly. "Unless someone wanted it clean."

My gut tightened.

We passed a sealed stairwell guarded by two palace sentries. Edrin slowed, posture easy.

"Routine inspection," he said evenly. "Anything unusual down here?"

One guard shook his head. "No, Captain. Restricted access only."

"Who authorized the restriction?" Lyra asked casually.

The guard hesitated, then straightened. "Prefect-level clearance."

That stopped us.

Edrin did not push. He only nodded. "Understood."

We moved on.

Further in, Tomas leaned closer to me. "This is deliberate. Someone high doesn’t want her found."

"I know," I replied quietly.

We reached an older wing, less traveled, the architecture subtly different. Older stone. Fewer banners.

Kyren slowed.

I felt it too.

Something in the air felt heavy.

Lyra noticed immediately. "You feel that?"

Edrin’s hand drifted closer to his weapon. "Yeah."

We stopped in front of an unmarked door.

No guards or signage.

No visible wards, at least none I could see. The air felt wrong, heavy in a way that swallowed sound.

"That’s not right," Tomas muttered.

Lyra stepped closer, eyes tracing the stone around the frame. "No markings. No rotation posts. This isn’t how restricted areas are handled."

I tilted my head, gaze fixed on the door. "Someone didn’t want this noticed."

Every instinct I had screamed to pull back, to report this immediately, to get someone higher involved before we crossed a line we could not step back from.

Edrin did not move.

He studied the corridor once more, slow and deliberate, then shook his head slightly. "Not yet."

I looked at him. "Captain..."

"There’s nothing solid," Edrin interrupted quietly, not unkindly. "No confirmation. No evidence. If we report this now, it gets logged, eyes turn here, and whoever set this up shuts it down before we learn anything."

Lyra nodded after a moment. "Right now it’s just a strange door in an old wing."

"And reporting a strange door won’t move a prince," Tomas added.

Edrin placed a hand against the stone wall, feeling along the surface. "If this is connected, we need to know what’s behind it first."

I hesitated, then nodded. My chest felt tight, but the logic was sound.

We pushed on.

The door opened without resistance. Not locked, just forgotten.

Beyond it, the passage sloped downward. The stonework shifted, darker and older, etched with designs that weren’t decorative but functional.

"I didn’t even know this existed," Lyra breathed.

"I’ve been stationed here for years," Tomas said quietly. "This isn’t on any map I’ve seen."

"That’s because this wing predates most of the current palace," Edrin replied. "It’s rarely used, if ever."

"Why keep it?" I asked.

"Because tearing out old structures in Solcarth tends to cause more problems than it solves."

We moved deeper.

The air grew colder. Sound felt muted. Even our footsteps seemed swallowed.

Kyren’s usual easy demeanor was gone. He moved alert, eyes sharp, body subtly ready.

Lyra ran her fingers along the wall. "These aren’t decorations."

"No," I agreed. "Containment marks. Old ones."

My stomach dropped as I realized this.

"You think something was kept here?" Tomas asked.

Edrin paused. "Or still is."

My Failure Converter stirred, not flaring, but aware.

Whatever this place was, it wasn’t empty.

And whatever had been taken, or brought here, was never meant to be found.

We continued forward, deeper into a part of the palace most people didn’t even know existed, unaware that every step was drawing us closer to something that had already been watching for a long time.