Chapter 119 Fear the Queen!

Chapter 119 Fear the Queen!
The castle awoke before dawn.
Guards traversed the corridors carrying weapons, provisions, and maps while horses were prepared in the main courtyard under the early morning chill.
News of the king's journey had already begun to spread.
And, along with it…
fear.
I watched all the activity from the balcony of the upper corridor while clutching my coat to my body.
The voices hadn't stopped since the previous night.
Low whispers.
Constant.
Sometimes distant.
Sometimes so close that I turned around believing someone had spoken directly into my ear.
“Come back…”
“Closer…”
“The door…”
I closed my eyes tightly.
Breathe.
Breathe.
But it was no use.
The feeling of slowly losing control grew stronger and stronger inside me.
“Maya.”
Conrad's voice pierced the chaos of my mind like an anchor.
I opened my eyes immediately.
He was coming down the hall already dressed for travel, his dark coat fastened to his shoulders and his sword strapped to his waist.
Even tired…
he remained absurdly handsome.
But what struck me most was the worry etched on his face.
Conrad approached without saying anything first.
His hands slid directly to my face.
Warm.
Firm.
Real.
The voices faded instantly.
I exhaled, trembling.
“It’s getting worse,” I murmured.
His golden eyes darkened immediately.
“What are they saying?”
I shook my head slowly.
“I can’t always understand.” My throat tightened. “But they don’t stop.”
Conrad rested his forehead against mine.
“You’re not alone in this.”
I almost laughed.
Why, honestly?
I was starting to feel the exact opposite.
“What if I’m going crazy?” I asked softly.
His expression broke instantly.
“Maya…”
“I’m hearing voices, Conrad.” My voice faltered slightly. “I feel emotions that aren’t mine. I have dreams that seem like memories.” I swallowed hard. “Sometimes I don’t know anymore what comes from me and what comes from the rift.”
His hands held my face more firmly.
“Look at me.”
I obeyed immediately.
“You’re not going crazy.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because I know you.”
The answer came simply.
Firmly.
And, strangely…
that was exactly what I needed.
Conrad ran his fingers through my tears before they even fell.
“And even if the connection to the rift is growing…” he continued, “I will be with you every step of the way.”
My chest tightened.
Because I believed him.
Even when I was starting to doubt myself.
In the background, footsteps echoed down the corridor.
“This is madness.”
Solange’s voice cut through the moment immediately.
She was accompanied by two guards, clearly irritated.
Her eyes quickly swept over me before focusing on Conrad.
“Are you going to abandon the kingdom again because of a vision?”
Conrad slowly moved away from me.
And the king instantly returned to his posture.
“I’m not abandoning anything.”
“You’re taking the heiress of the rift directly to the most cursed place in the territory.”
“The keys need to be found.”
Solange let out a bitter laugh.
“And how many will die before you realize this is a mistake?”
The air grew heavy instantly.
But Conrad didn't raise his voice.
Which was worse.
“I've already made my decision.”
Solange crossed her arms.
“The people won't accept this.”
“Then make them accept it.”
She narrowed her eyes.
And there it was again.
The silent threat.
The possibility of rebellion.
Conrad noticed it too.
He took a slow step toward his mother.
The alpha aura pressed down the corridor immediately.
The guards lowered their heads at the same instant.
Even Solange seemed to shudder slightly.
“I'll ask only once.” His voice came out calm. Deadly. “Do you intend to act against me while I'm away?”
The silence seemed endless.
Then Solange looked away.
“No.”
Conrad continued staring at her.
Waiting for more. She clenched her jaw, clearly annoyed.
“You have my word.”
But something inside me immediately tightened.
Because the voices…
The voices began to whisper louder.
As if they didn't believe her.
Conrad continued watching his mother for a few more seconds after the promise.
But I could tell.
He didn't completely trust her either.
The voices inside my head grew more restless as Solange stared at us silently.
"She lies..."
"She's afraid..."
"She knows..."
I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, trying to block out the whispers.
Conrad noticed immediately.
His hand met mine again.
"Let's get out of here."
I nodded too quickly.
Because, suddenly, that corridor felt suffocating.
We descended together to the main courtyard, where the guards were already finishing the preparations for the journey. The sky was slowly beginning to lighten, tinged with cool shades of blue and silver.
Kael was waiting for us near the horses.
Seeing us approach, his gaze immediately fell on me.
“You’re pale.”
“Great,” I murmured wearily. “Because I feel even worse.”
Kael frowned slightly, but didn’t insist.
Conrad helped me onto the horse with excessive care, his hands firm on my waist.
“The baby?” he asked softly, just to me.
I placed my hand on my belly.
Quiet.
Strangely quiet.
“Calm,” I replied, though that also frightened me.
Conrad didn’t seem to like the answer.
Before I could say anything, quick footsteps echoed across the courtyard.
Solange.
She stopped a few meters away from us, still wrapped in her dark cloak.
For a brief moment, I thought she would try to stop our departure again.
But she just looked at Conrad.
Long.
“If you find the breach…” her voice came out lower than before, “don’t let her convince you.”
Silence fell immediately.
Conrad stiffened.
“Her?”
Solange looked away.
The heiress.
She was talking about the heiress.
“The place changes people,” she continued. “It makes you believe you can control the impossible.”
My heart involuntarily tightened.
Because it didn’t just feel like a warning.
It felt like guilt.
Conrad gripped the reins tightly.
“Perhaps the impossible needs to be controlled.”
Solange’s eyes slowly returned to me.
And again I saw that strange fear crossing her expression.
“Just be careful not to confuse compassion with weakness, Maya.”
The voices inside my head exploded violently at the same instant.
“LIE.”
“SHE FEARS THE QUEEN.”
“THE DOOR.” I immediately put my hand to my head.
Conrad dismounted so quickly I barely noticed.
“Maya?”
I breathed heavily.
The shadows under the horses' hooves began to vibrate discreetly.
Kael became alert instantly.
“The voices again?”
I nodded slowly.
Conrad gently cupped my face.
“What are they saying?”
I swallowed hard.
Then I looked up at him.
“Time is running out.”
The wind swept across the courtyard at that moment, too cold for dawn.
And, for the first time since it all began…
I felt genuine fear of reaching the Valley of Eredh.