Chapter 241: Quiet Depths, Whispered Schemes, and Letters That Should Not Have Been Written
Chapter 241: Quiet Depths, Whispered Schemes, and Letters That Should Not Have Been Written
Night settled differently in the Thalassar Domain.
It was not the kind of night marked by darkness or the absence of light, but rather by a deepening stillness—a hush that spread through the waters like a held breath. The currents slowed, their restless movement softening into something almost gentle, as though the entire domain had agreed, silently, to rest.
The castle followed suit.
The vast halls, which during the day carried the quiet passage of demons and the faint hum of flowing water, now stood in near-complete silence. Shadows stretched along the coral-etched walls, the faint glow of ancient markings dimmed to a soft pulse that barely disturbed the calm.
Even the creatures that lingered in the deeper corridors had withdrawn.
And at the heart of it all, Caleth slept.
It was a rare thing, uninterrupted rest, and tonight he had claimed it fully. The weight of the day—of the twins, of their questions, of the constant vigilance they required—had finally pulled him under.
Beside him, Faelyra slept as well.
She had returned drunk from the gathering and needed the rest. She wasted no time in falling asleep.
They were unaware.
Completely, entirely unaware.
Because elsewhere in the castle, their children were awake.
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The twins’ room reflected the nature of the domain itself.
Water flowed freely through it, contained yet ever-moving, currents weaving softly through carved channels along the walls. The ceiling arched high above, embedded with faintly glowing stones that cast a muted, oceanic light across the space.
The beds were not beds in the traditional sense.
They were suspended.
Two large, translucent bubbles hovered slightly above the ground, their surfaces shimmering faintly as they held their shape. Within them, soft layers of woven sea-silk formed resting spaces that shifted gently with the water’s movement.
That was how the twins preferred to sleep.
Untouchable by anything but the currents they controlled.
Except, Thalira was not in her own bubble.
She was perched at the edge of her brother’s, half inside, half out, her body angled toward him as though proximity alone would sharpen their thoughts.
Retheris mirrored her position from within, the two of them close enough that their foreheads nearly touched.
They were thinking.
Very seriously.
Which, in itself, was even more dangerous. For the twins, something premeditated and planned out was more dangerous than mistakes.
"There has to be a way," Thalira murmured.
Retheris hummed softly in agreement, his fingers tapping lightly against the surface of the bubble, sending small ripples through it.
Their parents had said no to them visiting the queen. They had said it firmly too.
And that, in their minds, was where the problem lay.
"We cannot simply not meet the Queen," Thalira continued, her tone carrying a quiet conviction.
Retheris nodded.
"Yes," he agreed. "It does not make sense."
There was a pause.
Then Thalira tilted her head slightly.
"If mummy and daddy wouldn’t let us go, how about we go ourselves?" she asked.
Retheris’s lips curved into a slow smile.
"You, my sister, are brilliant."
The decision settled between them with alarming ease.
Now came the problem of how.
Thalira shifted slightly, fully slipping into her brother’s bubble as she crossed her legs beneath her.
"How do we get into the palace, though?" she asked.
Retheris considered this.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he lifted a finger, as though the answer had simply arrived.
"Time will tell," he said wisely.
Thalira blinked, unimpressed.
"That is not helpful."
"It is," Retheris insisted. "It means we have time to think."
She stared at him.
Then sighed.
"Fine."
There was another pause, and then her eyes widened.
"We could write to Zayrion."
Retheris’s expression changed immediately.
"Yes," he said, sitting up slightly. "Yes, that is a good idea."
Thalira nodded, encouraged.
"He can use his magic," she continued, growing more confident. "He can make us look like mummy and daddy."
Retheris’s smile widened. "And then we could enter the palace freely, without question."
"Exactly," Thalira said with a nod.
This was a solid plan.
A very solid plan.
Which, naturally, meant it would only improve.
Thalira tilted her head again.
"Should we invite Brixton too?"
Retheris’s expression shifted instantly.
He made a face at that.
"Why?" he asked.
Thalira blinked at him.
"What do you mean, why?"
"Why Brixton?" Retheris repeated, narrowing his eyes slightly.
Thalira hesitated.
Then shrugged.
"It is not what you think," she said quickly.
Retheris raised a brow.
"What do you think I think?" he asked her.
"That I like him?" Thalira said with an eye roll. "I don’t. It’s just... he looks sad sometimes, especially since his mother died."
Retheris nodded. "That is true. Since she died, he’s been sad."
The twins failed to take into consideration that Brixton’s mother had died at childbirth and that Brixton wasn’t particularly sad because his mother had died. None of them had been alive to see Brixton interact with his mother, but they spoke as though they had.
"Fine," Retheris said. "We will let him in on it, and besides, I’m sure he would want to see the Queen too."
Thalira nodded, a small smile forming.
"Yes."
That settled that.
Retheris shifted, sliding out of the bubble entirely as he landed lightly on the floor.
"Come," he said.
Thalira followed immediately.
They moved quietly.
Or at least, what passed for quiet with them.
The water shifted slightly with each step, currents adjusting instinctively to their presence as they slipped out of their room and into the corridor.
The castle remained still. There was no one to stop them because no one registered the fact that the twins would be awake. It was a rare time for everyone to have some peace and quiet without them, after all.
They reached their father’s study without issue. Retheris formed a key in his hand from water, and he chuckled with Thalira as they inserted the key and opened the door.
Caleth had no idea the twins could do this. He used a special key for the door since the twins wreaked havoc wherever they went. He didn’t think they would be able to get in even after using a special key.
Inside, the room was dim, illuminated only by the faint glow of embedded markings along the walls. Shelves lined the space, filled with scrolls, books, and documents—many of which were far too important to be within reach of two unsupervised children.
Naturally, that did not stop them.
Retheris moved first, making his way toward the desk.
Thalira followed.
They climbed onto the chair together, leaning over the surface as Retheris reached for a quill.
"Write neatly," Thalira instructed.
"I always write neatly," Retheris replied.
That was debatable.
Still, he dipped the quill into ink and began.
The letter was quick, direct, and filled with urgency.