77

  The living room of Bona’s treehouse settled into a rare kind of quiet.

  Not empty silence — but the warm kind. The kind that smelled like wood, coffee, and something sweet baking slowly in a small hearth.

  Bona moved lightly across the wooden floor, placing small cups of dark coffee and warm pastries onto the circular table. The cups steamed, and the smell curled around the room like a soft blanket.

  Finn sat straight in the cushioned chair.

  The lynx brushed against his leg again — slow, deliberate, tail flicking as if testing whether he was truly real.

  Then it lowered itself beside him with a satisfied huff, warm body pressed lightly against Finn’s shin.

  Lir stepped closer.

  “This is Bona,” she said gently.

  Finn stood immediately.

  Without hesitation, he took Bona’s hands and gently touched them to his forehead.

  A quiet, old act of respect.

  A request for blessing.

  Bona froze for half a breath.

  Then smiled.

  She rested her hands there a moment longer than necessary.

  “May your breath stay rooted,” she whispered.

  The lynx let out a low sound from its throat — proud.

  Very proud.

  Then—

  “WAIT.”

  Maxi vaulted to his feet.

  He grabbed the sack like it had insulted someone and dumped it upside down onto the floor.

  Clatter.

  Metal.

  Leather.

  Glass.

  Fabric.

  He fished through it desperately, muttering, “Where is it… where is it… I KNOW I PUT IT SOMEWHERE…”

  He finally dragged out a knight helmet.

  He walked straight to Finn and placed it gently on his brother’s head like he was crowning royalty.

  “Look at you,” Maxi said in awe. “You look like you’re about to protect an entire kingdom.”

  He then grabbed another helmet and shoved it onto his own head.

  It sat crooked.

  Covered his eyebrows.

  He straightened his back, puffed his chest, and marched in a tiny circle.

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  “How was it, bro?”

  His voice echoed inside metal.

  Finn laughed silently and adjusted the helmet.

  “It’s… actually nice,” Finn admitted.

  Katherine smiled beside him.

  Soraya stood near the window, arms crossed, watching the forest outside — but her eyes softened at the sound of Finn’s laugh.

  Her fingers tapped once against the hilt of the dagger at her waist.

  Satisfied.

  Maxi suddenly sat forward, pointing at Durante.

  “Dad.”

  Everyone stopped.

  All eyes.

  Focus.

  “Now that KyaFinn is awake… can we go home now?” He leaned closer. “BUT ALSO — before going back — can we stop at Dore? Because the castle is insane and the market is like a thousand shops and I swear—”

  The treehouse groaned slightly as wind pushed against its branches.

  Durante’s smile faded slowly.

  He leaned back.

  “I would want to go back,” he said honestly. “Our lives. I like it more… than my life here.”

  His eyes flicked briefly to Lir.

  Then to Soraya.

  Then back to his sons.

  “Dad… what is this place, really?” Finn asked.

  Durante turned to him fully.

  Softened.

  “This place is Maharlika,” he said. “It’s very different from your world. The air here… it vibrates. It moves through you.”

  He lifted a hand slightly.

  “You can use magic here.”

  “Cooooool,” Maxi whispered.

  Durante gave him a look.

  Maxi zipped his lips and nodded like a soldier.

  “Our blood lived here long ago,” Durante continued. “Me… your aunt Lir… you great grandfather… and our brother.”

  The name lingered unspoken.

  Reni.

  It hurt — but Durante stayed standing.

  “This world called us druids.”

  “Druids?” Finn echoed.

  “Yes,” Durante said. “Our blood reacts with nature.”

  The lynx lifted its head slightly and let out a proud sound, tail lifting.

  Finn noticed.

  Smiled slightly.

  “You’ll feel it one day,” Durante said. “The forest… the air… the stone… they’ll call to you. Not for power — but for duty. Responsibility. Protection.”

  Finn and Maxi sat in stunned silence.

  “So… we’re like… forest guards?” Maxi whispered.

  “No,” Durante said. “You’re much more annoying.”

  Maxi grinned. Legendary win.

  Then Durante’s gaze moved to Katherine.

  But his voice darkened.

  “We can’t go home yet.”

  Everyone straightened.

  “We need to save Katherine.”

  Katherine blinked.

  Chummy, who had been hovering by Katherine’s ear, drifted forward, tiny wings beating faster.

  “There is an item,” Lir cut in. “The Jasmine Lamp. It enhances the soul. It belonged to the previous Jasmine Manta.”

  Chummy hovered higher.

  Her tiny body trembling.

  Finn stood up suddenly.

  “What… is that?”

  Everyone turned as a small figure floated into the middle of the room, dusting gold and white particles.

  Finn tensed.

  Bona raised her hand.

  “Not only that,” she said.

  All eyes shifted to her.

  She looked at Katherine.

  Direct.

  Careful.

  “Katherine must be our top priority. She gave part of her soul to save Finn.”

  Finn turned toward her slowly.

  “What… does that mean?”

  Bona’s eyes softened.

  “Thanks to her,” Bona said, “you are alive.”

  Finn felt dizzy.

  Soul?

  Given?

  “How…”

  But his thoughts were interrupted.

  “I also have news,” Bona said, voice sharpening.

  She looked at Lir.

  “You said the Goblet of Blood was drunk.”

  Lir nodded.

  Bona inhaled deeply.

  “But another man drank it.”

  Silence.

  Durante frowned.

  Birog flashed through Bona’s memory.

  “King Birog was warned,” Bona said quietly. “By his dragon.”

  Durante’s spine stiffened.

  His dragon saw another of itself — but wrong. Black, Red. Blue.

  “He told me,” Bona continued, “that he placed the first white blood — the pure blood — in a child.”

  She turned.

  Looked straight at Finn.

  The air thickened.

  Everyone looked.

  Finn felt it.

  A memory that wasn’t memory.

  Dark cave.

  A tail shadow, spikes rising.

  A jade slit eye — watching.

  Cold dropped into his stomach.

  Then he was back.

  “You must seek your pact,” Bona said.

  Finn turned toward Durante instinctively.

  Silent question.

  Durante nodded once.

  Maxi raised his hand.

  “What about Mom? And Katherine’s fam—?”

  Durante spoke before he could finish.

  “I’ve sent word,” he said. “Your mother is safe.”

  A pause.

  “Katherine’s family… will not worry.”

  Outside Maharlika — a peaceful lie was blooming around her family. A gentle illusion. A soft dream where Katherine never left.

  The wind changed.

  It wasn’t gentle anymore.

  Branches bent.

  Leaves shifted.

  The circular platform atop the hill ignited with light.

  Bona stood slowly.

  Durante stepped forward instinctively.

  Soraya’s hand fell to her dagger.

  Finn and Maxi stood together.

  The lynx rose — fur lifting slightly.

  And above the treehouse…

  Figures emerged.

  Not enemies.

  Not friends.

  Kings.

  Representatives.

  Vergara’s shadowed presence.

  Dore’s calm authority.

  Archmage Beren, robes shimmering.

  And the angelic glow of Mistral’s king.

  The air held its breath.

  The story shifted.