The Slave Queen - Chapter 26: Chapter 26

A friend...?'
Raelynn thought for a moment, then asked, "Did Edgar say where he was going?"
The apprentice replied, "That man was his junior disciple. The two of them headed west—into the western side of Mount Darost."
West of Mount Darost
Raelynn paused briefly, then her eyes lit up.
She gave the boy a polite nod. "Thank you."
With that, she turned and headed straight out the mountain gate.
The apprentice frowned slightly and muttered under his breath, "What a strange girl."
Still, he didn't give it too much thought.
Strange? No one was stranger than Edgar.
As for Raelynn, if she wanted to chase after him on her own—so be it.
Edgar had always said: even in medicine, one must believe in fate.
Everything in this world happened for a reason.
Whether or not she could find Edgar again would depend entirely on her own fate.
Raelynn walked west, out of the valley.
Sure enough, just a mile in, she spotted signs—pine needles scattered on the tree branches, the kind Edgar used to leave behind.
He had once told her she would return to the mountain a second time, and that when she did, she would need to find him herself.
So he had shown her how to follow his trail: every mile, he would leave a pine nut beneath a tree.
Not ordinary pine nuts—these were soaked in cottonseed oil so that animals wouldn't eat them, and they could be used for self-defense in an emergency.
Raelynn bent down and picked up the unassuming little pine nut.
Then, without hesitation, she continued west.
Eventually, deep in the snow-covered mountains, she saw it: a small wooden cabin built halfway up a cliff.
The whole area was blanketed in white—except for the rooftop, which was completely bare.
Odd.
There was only one way in: a narrow rope bridge suspended over the chasm.
Raelynn took a deep breath, flexed her numb fingers, and carefully made her way across.
Inside the cabin, two men sat by a window, playing a game of chess.
The younger man, handsome and composed, placed a chess piece on the board with long, elegant fingers.
"Edgar," he said calmly, "you've got a visitor."
"If someone managed to find their way here," the older man replied, placing a piece, "they're no ordinary guest."
Gaunt and sharp-eyed, he had the air of a reclusive sage. His brows furrowed as he stared at the board—he was clearly on the losing side.
If his calculations were right, that girl should be arriving right about now.
When Raelynn finally stepped into the cabin, she immediately understood why the roof hadn't collected snow.
Inside, the air was warm and cozy.
The brazier burned so hot, any snow landing on the roof melted instantly.
"You're here," Edgar said without even looking up.
Raelynn approached with a smile—until she saw the young man sitting across from him.
She froze. "You?"
That elegant face, sharp brows, and regal bearing—
It was none other than Shawn, the man she had just been betrothed to the day before.
His expression didn't flicker. That perfectly handsome face remained as calm as a still lake, unmoved by her arrival.
It was as if it didn't matter who had walked in.
He glanced at her briefly and nodded with polite detachment.
"Lady Raelynn."
"Young lady," Edgar said, finally lifting his gaze from the board, "come help me finish this match."
His voice snapped her out of it.
She collected herself and walked over.
Though she was deeply worried about Margot's condition, she knew Edgar had his ways—and his rules.
If she was here to ask for help, the last thing she could do was rush him.
Raelynn sat down properly and picked up a piece, studying the board in silence.
She wasn't much of a chess player.
Most noblewomen in Hazond City were trained from childhood in chess. But her early years had been spent surviving in the countryside. Learning to play chess had never been an option.
Even after she returned to the Duke's estate, she barely had time to pick up the basics before being sent to the Aether Sanctum.
So now, her skill was only slightly above that of a beginner.
Still, when Edgar asked, she couldn't refuse.
But looking at the board...
The pieces were clearly in a deadlock.
No matter where she looked, she couldn't see a way out. She hovered over the board, unable to place the piece.
Then, from above, came a low, amused voice. "Lady Raelynn, if life and death can trade places... what is dead may yet live, and what lives may already be lost."
The words were smooth and rich—like aged wine, warm and mellow, wrapping around her like velvet.
The moment Shawn spoke, something clicked. Raelynn's eyes sparkled.
Suddenly, she saw it—the pieces on the board weren't scattered randomly. They formed a narrow channel, like a silver serpent coiling around the black.
The pieces looked they were ready to break free.
So where was the key? Where was the point of breakthrough?
From which unexpected direction would it strike?
After a long pause, Raelynn's lips curled slightly. With quiet determination, she placed the piece directly atop another one—