62 Before the Storm

62 Before the Storm
(Ella's POV)

I had been waiting all night.

Fog drifted up from the sea, covering the streets, covering the rooftops, covering the spire of the distant bell tower. The lights in the garrison went out once, then came on again. The knights changing shifts passed in front of me three times, and each time I looked up, watching the empty road behind them.

No one came back. Colin didn't come back.

There was no news of Kyle at home either.

My fingers clutched my sleeve cuffs, holding so long that my knuckles turned white. When I let go, my fingers felt numb. Dawn finally seeped through from the horizon, grayish-white, like incompletely burned charcoal.

I had to leave for Thorn Harbor. Kyle's identity was a dangerous factor. I had thought too simply about the Maren couple before.

This was the first time I regretted my own act of kindness.

I stood up, my legs somewhat numb, but I didn't stop. Before going to Thorn Harbor, I had to go home first to get something.

I walked past those knights, their discussions gradually becoming blurred behind me. I headed toward the apothecary shop, walking quickly, my boot soles making hurried sounds on the stone pavement.

"Ella!" Mary was sweeping at the shop entrance. She looked up and saw me, asking curiously, "Where did you and Kyle go? Why isn't the shop open?"

"Good morning, Mary. We don't have enough herbs in the shop. I had Kyle go to Thorn Harbor first to get supplies for me. I'm about to go there too." A small lie, hoping that if anyone came asking about Kyle's whereabouts, Mary could give a relatively reasonable explanation for me.

"In Thorn Harbor? That's quite far."

"No choice, herbs are in short supply now." I forced a smile. "I won't chat with you anymore. I need to pack up and hurry over there."

"Then you go ahead. Remember to come back early, or you might not get the most popular shop award~"

Faced with Mary's joke, I was no longer in the mood to respond.

"I'll be back soon."

The room was very quiet, so quiet I could hear the wind blowing past the eaves outside the window. I stood by the bedside, my chest rising and falling slightly, my breathing not yet completely steady from running all the way back.

My gaze fell on a corner of the room, where an old wooden box sat. The corners showed wear marks, the brass clasps had darkened, and dust had settled on the surface. I walked over and crouched down, lifting the lid. The woody fragrance hit me, dry and old, carrying the scent of things that had been put in the box many years ago—paper, fabric, the lingering smell of some plants and trees, as if they had been locked inside for a very, very long time.

The contents were still neatly stacked. Old map corners were curled up, the cover of herb notes was worn, the spine of travel journals had cracked, and a worn lute pick was stuck between the pages. There was also a shirt washed to white folded on top, its collar button already crooked. I hadn't touched it for a long time, but it was still there, quietly waiting for me to return.

I gently pushed those things aside, my fingers stopping on the small wooden box at the very bottom. Its edges were smooth, with no lock clasp, just the lid gently closed. I lifted the lid open. Inside lay quietly a leaf, emerald green, with clear veins and intact edges, as if it had just been picked from a branch, preserved by me for thirteen years.

A leaf from thirteen years ago. No, perhaps before Wayne gave it to me, it had already been picked for many years.

I didn't know what kind of leaf this was. I only knew this was a very powerful leaf.

"Ella, if you encounter danger someday, throw out this leaf. It will save you once in my place."

I still remembered Wayne's expression when he placed the leaf in my hand. It was one of his rare solemn expressions, as if this leaf was very precious.

I was still young then, only finding it magical, like receiving a treasure. All these years, no matter how many difficulties I encountered, I couldn't bear to use it.

But this time, I had a dangerous premonition. I thought I needed to bring this leaf with me.

On the road leaving Thorn Town, the fog was dispersing. The road to Thorn Harbor wasn't particularly far, but today there was unusually heavy traffic. Travelers and merchants crowded together, blocking the road so much that normal passage was almost impossible. By the time I reached the city gate, a long queue had formed at the entrance. The line extended a long distance inward from the gate. I led my horse standing in the crowd, slowly shuffling forward, hearing people ahead discussing last night's events.

"I heard the black market was turned upside down by someone. The auction was smashed, and even the goods were robbed."

"Really?"

"Of course it's true. My cousin works at the harbor authority, he said so himself. They say a mermaid cub was stolen, and it made the auction people furious!"

"Oh my, I heard it wasn't just one mermaid though?"

"Exactly, exactly! I heard there were two mermaids!"

"My god, too bad I wasn't there..."

Mermaid. This word made my body stiffen slightly, my fingers tightening on the reins. I hadn't heard this word for a long time.

The number of mermaids was decreasing, and rumors about them were becoming fewer. I once thought mermaids were only ancient legends, until Colin fell injured in my backyard.

He was still a teenager then, covered in wounds, having gone through brutal combat that awakened his mermaid bloodline, with nowhere to go, he escaped to my home.

I was surprised by his silver-white scales, but he seemed to hate these beautiful things. He pulled off the scales one by one, the blood that splattered startled me.

"What are you doing? You're already severely bleeding!" I sternly stopped him.

Colin offered me the scales: "I heard mermaid scales are excellent medicinal materials. I'll give you all of them. Can you help me hide this secret?"

Even if he gave me nothing, I would have helped him. But seeing his anxious eyes, I still accepted his scales. Those scales are still stored deep in the warehouse to this day. I have never used them.

From then on, I often helped Colin treat his wounds, helped him prepare potions, and helped him cover up those inexplicable abnormalities. Over the years, I watched him become increasingly skilled at hiding his identity, watched him step by step rise from apprentice knight to captain. But I also knew how much he detested his mermaid heritage. He had never told anyone about this, never revealed it in front of anyone.

In outsiders' eyes, he was a promising knight captain, but if anyone knew he was a mixed-blood mermaid, everything would be ruined.

Knights must be pure-blood humans and must be loyal to the royal family.

I didn't know how Colin had fooled the inspectors. I just did my best to help Colin, to help him survive well in human society.

And now, because of Kyle, I stood on Colin's opposing side. If the person pursuing Kyle was Colin, I hoped he could spare Kyle for the sake of my guarantee.

I finally reached the entrance. The knight checked my identification and belongings, and after confirming there were no abnormalities, let me enter the city. As I led my horse through the city gate, someone called out to me from behind.

"Miss Ella? What are you doing here?"