Hidden Kingdom

⊱Chapter 39 🗡Nightmare Calling⊰

"Just please be careful. Our lives are not worth the cost of yours." Only agreeing to be careful before gently leaving. Opening my eyes a sluggish feeling fatigued by muscles but not enough to bring me to the brink of fainting.

Glancing out the window I am surprised to discover the sun was setting. The conversation with Dax had taken longer than what I had previously assumed. "Serina, we need to inform King Hakeem that we will be leaving."

"Pity seeming as we have only just arrived. But family is family." Serina carefully stretched making sure not to knock anything over in the process. "I shall await you outside in the courtyard." She flew off as I adventured into the hallway in search for anyone who had seen the King recently.

Not too far down the hallway I found a guard who had seen the King recently in the council room, meeting with his appointed advisors. Thanking him I quickly make a beeline towards that particular room. Remembering where to find it from the forced tour.

Not wanting to disturb the current conversation I open the door just enough to silently slip in. King Hakeem noticed my entrance as he looked up from the charts the group had been pouring over. Excusing himself from the discussion, he made his way over to where I waited by the doorway. "Avian, what a surprise." Catching onto my somber expression, his guard rose as concern took over. "What is the matter?"

My throat felt tight as I gazed at the stone floor, "My family is in trouble. I came to tell you I was leaving to go to their aid."

Feeling his gaze sharpen, I began to doubt that he would release me, "How do you know this to be true?"

"I had a vision while I slept. Waking up terrified, I managed to contact my family. Only to find out that the vision was real. My family is being held prisoner by my former King. I have to go. I need to save them immediately before they are killed for my desertion to the throne." Bring my gaze up to meet his.

Silence took over as he pondered, not giving me an answer. That is until, "I will go with you."

I shook my head, denying him his own request. His safety was my top priority besides my family. "No. I can't risk endangering your safety. I will go alone. It is my family Moddox has within his clutches. This is something Serina and I must do alone. I only came to inform you about my absence from the Kingdom."

His whole demeanor visibly drooped at my rejection but gave me a small nod of understanding. "At least eat something before you leave."

Shaking my head once more, stopping his protests before they could begin. "I will take something along to eat. I am not very hungry right now as it is." Excusing myself I slip back out of the council room. Running to the courtyard to where Serina waited patiently.

Despite telling King Hakeem I would take food along, I couldn't waste time. Besides I doubt my stomach could handle food at the moment. If I was feeling hungry later Serina could hunt for the both of us.

We traveled swiftly, only stopping when absolutely necessary. Serina was completely exhausted by the time we landed near the castle. After folding her wings she all but collapsed onto the ground. "So do we have a plan of action or are we just going to wing it?"

"Probably should have planned this out better. Oh well, I'll have time for regrets later. We are going to sneak into the tunnels under the cover of night. As for freeing them, well we are just going to have to work quickly." Serina let out a tired yawn as her eyelids drooped. I might have pushed her too hard in the journey. "For now let's get some rest. We have quite a few hours before it is dark enough to move about unnoticed." Sighing I lean against Serina. Closing my eyes to briefly rest.