Page 51 of Isle of Beasts and Shadows

“Listen,” Sirius began, his words rushed yet resolute, “we need to infiltrate a royal ball.” His hands trembled with a mix of nerves and determination, a silent acknowledgment of the risks they were about to undertake.

“A ball? Why?” Airella’s eyes widened with curiosity.

“This king of yours intends on sending innocent people to the island tonight,” Sirius explained, his voice tinged with urgency. “This is what Father had been planning this whole time. He wants human life back on the island.” Airella felt a knot form in her stomach, realizing the gravity of the situation.“We need to get to the palace and talk to his daughter,” Sirius continued, his grip on her hands firm yet reassuring. “I suspect she will be the only person able to talk some sense into him.”

Airella’s mind raced with worry. “How do you know that? Also, the guards know what we look like, Sirius, and they have my little brother. We need to save him first.” Her voice trembled with fear and determination.

Sirius paused, his eyes reflecting the weight of their predicament. “I had a vision. I’ll explain on the way. And Arii will be safer in the dungeon than he will be with us, constantly fighting and on the run,” he spoke, his words heavy with sorrow. As he gently brushed a tear from Airella’s cheek, a mix of emotions flickered across his face.

“That’s unacceptable…” Airella’s voice faltered, a sense of helplessness washing over her as she gazed into Sirius’s comforting eyes.

He gently wiped away her tears, his touch offering a sense of solace amidst the turmoil of emotions. With a warm smile, he silently conveyed a promise of hope amid uncertainty, a pledge that resonated deep within her heart.

“Trust me,” Sirius spoke softly, his tone unwavering. “I swear on my undying life I will rescue him when the time comes.” Leaning in, he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, his eyes meeting hers to reassure her once more. The shock in her expression softened, replaced by a flicker of belief.

“We have to,” he repeated, his voice steady yet filled with determination, echoing through the room.

Airella, though still grappling with her emotions, wiped her remaining tears away and mustered a smile through the painthat lingered. “Okay, but how are we going to get into this ball? Disguises?”

“Here,” Sirius reached into the satchel, retrieving a strange concoction enclosed in a glass bottle. “Wait to drink it. It won’t last long.”

Curious, she inspected the contents of the bottle—an orange liquid sloshing within. “What is it?” Her voice held a hint of intrigue.

“It’s a masking potion,” Sirius explained, his gaze fixed on her with a sense of assurance. “It’s supposed to change your form to something more appropriate for the situation at hand. At least, that’s my understanding.” He observed as she carefully returned the glass bottle to the satchel, a look of gratitude in her eyes.

“Thank you, Sirius,” she expressed sincerely, a glimmer of resolve shining through her gaze.

Chapter 31

Sirius and Airella stood behind the castle gates, hidden from view. Airella felt a swarm of butterflies flutter nervously in her stomach, their delicate wings creating a whirlwind of emotions within her.

“Wait a second,” Airella began, her voice tinged with uncertainty, “can’t we just travel through Limbo to reach the princess? I mean, we would essentially be invisible to everyone while we’re there, right?” She shot a puzzled look at Sirius, hoping for some reassurance.

“In our previous encounter with Limbo, we came face-to-face with Father,” Sirius responded, his tone thoughtful and measured. “Having spent considerable time with him, I’ve gained insights into his ways. I believe entering that realm signals to him somehow. Infiltrating the ball this way might be our best bet.” He leaned towards the safer side of their plan, aiming to mitigate any risks they might encounter. “Ready?”

“Yeah, of course,” Airella replied with a hint of hesitation, nodding her head slowly as she glanced down at the newly opened potion in her hand.

Bracing herself, she swallowed the bitter liquid as quickly as possible, trying to evade its sour taste. Standing with her eyes shut, she pondered whether the potion had taken effect.Opening her eyes, she searched for Sirius, only to realize that he had vanished without a trace. Curiosity piqued, she exhaled a sigh and mentally prepared herself to venture into the unknown alone.

Steeling her resolve, Airella made her way towards the palace entrance, her heart racing with anticipation. As she pushed past the towering doors and stepped into the resplendent ballroom, a spectacle of grandeur greeted her. Golden streamers adorned the walls, shimmering in the ambient light, while a multitude of guests mingled and conversed animatedly. Overwhelmed by the opulence surrounding her, she turned her gaze, pondering her next move amidst the bustling crowd.

As she continued walking through the crowded room, navigating through the clusters of chattering guests, she almost collided with a buffet table that seemed out of place in the elegant setting. The punch bowl on the table caught her eye, its crimson liquid shimmering in the soft light. As she leaned in for a closer look, her reflection surprised her—she saw a red-haired young woman with freckles, wearing a delicate sky blue dress that stood out against the opulent backdrop.

Lost in this moment of self-discovery, Airella felt a gentle tap on her shoulder, pulling her back to reality. She turned around swiftly to face a stranger, a dashing young man in formal attire. His deep gray eyes met hers, a hint of gold betraying them, framed by his stylishly swept brunette hair.

He extended a hand with a charming smile and a bow, asking in a courteous tone, “May I have this dance?”

Airella felt her cheeks flush with a mixture of surprise and delight at the unexpected invitation.

“Is that how it’s done?” the man continued, a hint of amusement in his voice as he mirrored the movements of the other guests around them.

“Sirius!” she whispered urgently, her tone tinged with reproach. “Why did you vanish like that?”

Just moments earlier, Sirius had briefly disappeared from Airella’s side, yielding to his insatiable appetite as he claimed the soul of a wayward guest. However, instead of consuming it, he wrestled with his inner hunger, knowing the consequences of succumbing to it.

I can be good, Sirius reassured himself silently, a mantra he repeated to maintain control.

In his encounters with Father, Sirius had gained the knowledge of inhabiting the bodies of the deceased, a skill that set him apart from his father’s malevolent abilities. While he couldn’t manipulate the living, he possessed the eerie capability to dominate the empty vessels of the dead, a power that both intrigued and haunted him.

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