Knock knock.

“Prince, it’s Commander Almandoz. Please open the door.”

Gentle footsteps approach from the opposite side of the door before it’s drawn open slowly. The mussed brown head of Prince Sofl emerges through a crack in the door frame — he has a look of worry about him that doesn’t change upon seeing me. Regardless, he draws open the door to his lab and motions with a flick of his long black tail to join him.

“Thank you,” I say, stepping through the frame.

“Dunc’,” Sofl asks expectantly as he closes the door behind me. “Did you…?”

With our privacy secured, I reach into my coat pocket and produce a small felt bag. I pull back on the string that secures it shut and empty into my hand the national treasure of Ellyntide.

Sofl gasps, “The Serpentine Diamond!”

“I believe this belongs to you,” I smile.

Sofl smiles back, takes one step forward, then stops abruptly. He quickly recoils his hand from the diamond.

“Ah, yes,” I say. “There’s a protocol to follow when the Diamond changes hands to a new owner.”

Sofl lowers his eyes. Normally, a private ceremony is held at the Coronation Palace where the reigning Monarch presents the Serpentine Diamond to the new heir. But to follow tradition today, we would have to disclose our clandestine operation to retrieve the diamond in the first place. Needless to say, that can’t happen.

“It would be best if we didn’t tell my Mother,” Sofl says quietly. “Not yet. When the time comes, we can hold the ceremony. But for now…”

“You wished to personally inspect the Diamond, yes?”

Sofl nods. I smile and straighten myself as if I were before the Queen herself. This meeting can be our rather big secret for the time being. Sofl stares down the diamond in my palm and draws an unsteady breath. Diamond or not, the young Prince is already the heir to the throne. But taking possession of the diamond is a hugely symbolic event, one that is to be celebrated and recorded in the history books. To say nothing of the fact that the diamond was thought to be lost forever! it will surely serve as a tremendous boost to morale across the Kingdom when the public comes to learn that the diamond was safely recovered and is in the hands of the crown Prince. A ray of hope in these troubled times is sorely needed.

Sofl takes a deep breath and moves two steps forward.

And then, without warning, something unexpected happens.

Shimmering light, iridescent and brilliant, emanates from the diamond like sunlight refracting from a prism. As the diamond glistens in my hand, It produces a shrill noise like none I’ve ever heard.

“What—?!” Sofl gasps.

“Aahh!”

The diamond falls from my hand like a hot potato and rolls across the floor until it collides with the baseboard. As it does, the light and sound emanating from it cease, and the diamond becomes inert once more. The Prince and I stand breathless for a time, incapable of reacting.

“By Jaya,” I whisper. “What the hell just happened!? Prince, are you alright?”

Sofl nods, his muzzle stuck open in shock. “I-It reacted as I approached. W-wh—” he stutters, speaking in fits and starts until he manages to form words again. “Duncan, it’s not supposed to do that! Something’s changed!”

With my heart thundering against my chest, I shield the Prince with my arm. “Did you feel anything as you approached it?”

“I felt nothing. Did you?”

I shake my head. The only interaction was the shimmering light and that strange sound. I felt nothing against my fur — it felt as cold against my hand as any stone should.

For a time, silence stretches across the lab as we stand too scared to react. With an unsteady voice, I finally ask, “How should we proceed?”

Sofl thinks carefully for a moment. He steps away from me and retreats to the far corner of the lab, as far away from the diamond as the small lab will allow. “Try picking up the diamond.”

“Prince,” I speak gently. “I would feel more at ease if you waited in the—“

“No,” he ripostes. “I want to see the diamond with my own eyes. That light is connected to what happened in the hollow! I’m sure of it!”

I open my mouth to object before closing it shut. “Very well.”

As much as I dislike it, far be it from me to disobey an order from the young Prince. Slowly, I move towards the diamond with measured steps. It only reacted as Sofl approached, so it must be safe for me to touch it again. Right? Right. Everything’s going to be fine. I bend down, reach my hand forward, and clasp the diamond in my palm. I rise to my feet and hold it before me, studying its cloudy appearance. Nothing strange occurs.

“Good,” Sofl says. “Now, place it on the table in the center of the room.”

I do as the Prince says, carrying it to the center table and quickly clearing away a stack of crumpled papers and open books. As I place the diamond against a spot of bare wood, Sofl begins a slow walk towards me.

“Prince,” I caution. “Are you sure about this? Your sister—“

“Commander, I appreciate your concern. But I have to know the truth of what happened.”

My mouth curls into a frown, but I pull the sides of my coat together and nod for the Prince to proceed. I always knew Calypso might one day fall in battle, and it was that preparation that allowed me to make peace with his passing. But Sofl has no closure, no greater purpose to explain Asha’s death. In his heart lies only misery and confusion… I could never hope to understand the anguish he’s endured.

Sofl approaches the diamond, one arduous step at a time. As he reaches a pile of books at the foot of the table, the diamond lights anew. I gasp, but Sofl’s resolve is unflinching. With each step he takes, the light grows in intensity until it’s nearly as bright as an oil lamp. As the prince hovers above the diamond, his face tightens in pain — the pain of losing Asha resurfaces in his heart. With a flick of his wrist, he grasps the diamond in his hand, and the light begins pulsing in intensity.

“Prince…” I trail off. “Are you—”

“I’m fine,” he says, staring into the diamond. He holds it up before him and inspects it closely.

With the threat of a reaction seemingly passed, I step forward and join Sofl at the table. “How does it emanate light? This can’t be possible, yet it is.”

“I’ve been translating old Nortanian books from the library,” Sofl begins. “Specifically, the ones written in an Owl beak from the city of Hoarfrost. In a book recording ancient lore, a chapter is dedicated to cataloging strange and priceless artifacts. It’s primarily about objects important to Avians, but strangely, the Serpentine Diamond is mentioned. In its description, it claims that the diamond has ‘unnatural powers.’”

“Unnatural powers?” My ears twist in intrigue. “Prince, are you—“

“I’m not suggesting anything, Duncan. But think about it: Nothing in the hollow adds up. The Lithan took my sister, yet there was no trace of her blood. The Lithan flew from the Northern Continent, but nobody saw it enter the Kingdom. If the natural doesn’t add up, you’re left with the supernatural. It’s simple logic.”

Could the tragedy of the weald really have a supernatural explanation? “At times, I thought the appearance of the Lithan was supernatural. If we are truly dealing with such things, then… what could have happened that day? Could the ring have done something outrageous like summon a Lithan from the Northern Continent?”

Sofl’s brow furrows in contemplation. “No…” he drifts off, deep in thought. He places the diamond on the table and says, “I don’t think it’s that. For one thing, it doesn’t account for Asha’s—“

Like a steam hose rupturing, Sofl stops speaking. His eyes drift from me, and he gazes across the room with a desolate stare.

“…Prince?” I ask.

As I finish speaking, Sofl’s eyes widen, and he covers his muzzle in shock.

“What is it?!” I ask more urgently, taking a concerned step forward.

“Duncan,” the Prince speaks. The thin layer of skin surrounding his eyes has turned ghostly pale. “What if we couldn’t find Asha… because she became the Lithan?!”

Asha… transformed into the Lithan?

At that second, all of the evidence, all of the mysteries, all of the pain and the suffering coalesce into a simple realization: He’s right.

“Oh my God,” I mutter breathlessly.

As my brain stews in shock, Sofl re-approaches the diamond and watches the light pulse in intensity. “It reacts to me, a Lordanou. And it reacted to Asha because her life was in danger!!”

The epiphany broadsides me like a punch to the gut. Calypso, Laurent, and Bodie all fell while trying to defend Asha. But when Crow Wing attempted to take the Princess’s life, the diamond transformed her. That’s why her clothes were shredded. That’s why there was no trace of her blood. That’s why the agents of Crow Wing were brutally dismembered, but our soldiers had only puncture wounds. It’s because Asha transformed and defended herself from her captors!

I can still recall the cry of the Lithan just as clearly as the moment I heard it:

‘EER-KRSAK!’

As our eyes locked, the look on its face wasn’t of anger or malice; it was fear. The fear of us discovering the bloodbath in the hollow and the dread that she’d be seen as the culprit.

“Oh, my Goddess…” Sofl laments as tears roll down his face. I’ve never seen him this distressed before. “Asha, she…”

“Prince, wait.”

Sofl pauses to clear his nose. Dolefully, he raises his head and looks at me intently.

“Let’s assume… the Lithan is your sister. Princess Asha. That accounts for some things. Her shredded clothing, the lack of her blood…” I trail off and rest my hands on the table. “But not Rhl. Why did she fly there and try to attack the city? Why did she light Owens Island on fire? And why did she attack the Beatrix at the Northern Continent?”

“What if she’s no longer herself?” Sofl follows up quickly. “What if she lost the Gift of Communication and became a witless monster? What if…” Sofl trails off, and his face fills with sorrow. “What if Asha is still alive but gone forever?”

Regrettably, the Prince has a point. If Asha has indeed turned feral, then it would account for her aggression toward the Kingdom. Even contemplating such an outcome brings a certain misery to my heart that I can’t adequately convey. The jubilant little girl I first met in the palace so many years ago, reduced to a braying, feral monster. What a truly lamentable fate.

“Prince, this is…”

I attempt to finish my sentence, but my voice dissipates. I can make peace with Calypso’s sacrifice, but not this. The Princess falling victim to some freak, supernatural occurrence is simply too much!

“I know,” Sofl speaks softly, overcome with emotion. “But I’m not giving up. If that’s what really happened to my sister, then there must be a way to reverse her transformation. There has to be an answer somewhere in these books!!”

As Sofl speaks, an uncomfortable realization forms in my head. “Prince, the books you’re translating are from Nortane. There is a finite amount we possess, and certainly not every Avian book on the matter of ancient artifacts.”

Sofl looks confused for a moment, but then his tail stiffens. “Duncan, are you suggesting—“

“Yes,” I nod ominously. “That is precisely what I’m suggesting.”

Sofl frowns and rests his quaking hands against a pile of wilted dandelions on the table. He looks sick to his stomach. “You believe Crow Wing did something to enable the diamond’s power.”

“It makes sense, doesn’t it? In all of history, nothing supernatural has ever befallen an heir to the throne, even those who were in mortal danger. But Crow Wing surely has access to every book we possess and far more. They could be years ahead of us in understanding the mysteries of this diamond. And what better way to destabilize our Kingdom than to transform her heir into a monster?”

Nortane’s intelligence agency is second to none, and its reach is truly global. Throughout history, Ellyntidian and Sarlanian monarchs alike have been tormented by Crow Wing, and it’s broadly assumed they still possess operatives in our Kingdom. But if Crow Wing has learned to harness the power of the supernatural, then this represents a chilling new chapter in their existence, one that threatens every inch of the moon. If only Nortane hadn’t destroyed our history during their occupation of Ellyntide, then we might still be able to unravel the mysteries of the diamond ourselves!

Sofl’s tail slumps to the ground. He takes the diamond in his hand and presents it across the table. “Commander. Take this and store it somewhere safe.”

“Prince…” I trail off in muted surprise. By rights, the Serpentine Diamond is something only the royal family should possess. “Are you sure about this?“

“Yes,” he nods firmly. “Get it out the palace and away from my family. If Nortane has mastery of this diamond, then there’s no telling what damage they could unleash.”

Again, the Prince has a solid point. If the rest of the Lordanous shapeshifted into a pack of feral Lithans, it would spell the end of the Kingdom. It’s as simple as that.

Sofl’s frown deepens, and he averts his eyes. “Asha was suspicious of everyone in the palace who wasn’t family. I think… she was right. Her concerns were justified.”

I can understand the Prince’s aversion. With everything that’s happened in the past few months, trust is a difficult commodity to come by. Regardless of Asha’s true fate, the fact remains that Crow Wing was clandestinely operating on such a deep level in our Kingdom that they were able to ambush a member of the Royal Family. How deep do their talons sink into the heart of our Kingdom?

“Very well,” I say. “I know a place the diamond will be safe.”

Sofl slips the diamond to me, and the diffuse light dims as I re-secure it into its pouch. When Mother and Father built their home on Oak Island, they made a point to include a safe room in the basement. Mother is the only soul I could possibly trust with such an important item. I must head there at once and reiterate the need for discretion among those who joined me to the weald.

“I… will continue my research,” Sofl says, drawing an unsteady breath. “If the answers are in the palace library, I will locate them.”

I incline my head. “Please keep me abreast of your work.”

“Of course, Duncan,” Sofl smiles for the first time today. “Truly, thank you for everything you’ve done to get us this far. If there’s any chance Asha’s still alive, then you’ll be the first—“

VRRRRRRRRRRRRR….

A muffled wail splits the air, interrupting our conversation.

Sofl’s eyes bulge in fear. “Huh?! Is that—?!”

“The air raid siren,” I gasp. “I never thought…”

Memories from my childhood return to me — memories of the Fourth War. Sarlain came close but could never quite reach Varecia by airship. The eastern side of the continent and the many islands bordering their territory slowed their advance and saved Varecia from an all-out bombardment. But the Confederacy of Nortane has no such natural barriers to contend with. The only thing separating Varecia from our western border is a wide expanse of open sky, one that Nortane is wholly capable of traversing. It would be laughable to say the war has been going in our favor. If airships have truly been spotted, then this is the worst-case scenario!

“Prince, we have to go!” I yell, breaking free of my trance.

“R-right!” he stumbles.

I run to the door and fling it open while Sofl grabs his coat. Bedlam has erupted further down the hallway as Animals flee to the bomb shelter, screaming for their loved ones to follow. Two members of the palace guard run against the chaos, making their way toward the end of the hall where the lab is located.

“Commander!” A Marten guard shouts. “Airships have been spotted off the edge of the continent! We have to get you and the Prince to the bomb shelter!”

Sofl joins me in the door frame, frantically trying to button his coat. “I-is this real?! Not a drill?!”

“It’s not a drill!” The Marten yells over the wail of a terrified Lopear. “Now, please! We have to go!”

As the sirens wail unabated, I wrap my arm around the Prince and run with him down the hallway into an uncertain future. We’ve uncovered something truly shocking today, an unprecedented discovery that could rewrite the history books and lead us to a still-living Princess Asha. But what does it matter now? With the war at our doorstep, what good would finding Princess Asha do if Ellyntide is reduced to ashes?