ZEPHYR: Reborn With A God System

CHAPTER 12 - A DOOR LEFT OPEN

The golden light had barely disappeared beneath my skin when the doors opened.

I pulled my hand behind my back, hoping the movement would escape notice, but the elderly woman was still staring at me. She looked as though she had just witnessed something she had spent her entire life hoping never to see.

“Elder Rovan,” she said quietly. “We need to reconsider our position.”

Rovan glanced at my hand before looking at her. “What exactly are you suggesting?”

“The fifth mark is responding independently. If it continues to develop without control, we could have another incident.”

“Then he remains under supervision.”

“That may not be enough.”

My father stepped away from the table. “What would you have us do?”

The woman hesitated, I didn't like that hesitation.

“Perhaps we should move him somewhere more secure until we understand what we're dealing with.”

I looked at the guards. Apparently, being declared a threat wasn't enough. Now they were discussing where to keep me.

Before anyone could suggest another arrangement, a servant appeared at the entrance. He was young, dressed in the grey uniform worn by the lower household staff, and carried a small wooden tray. “Forgive the interruption, Elders. The healer requested that I bring something for the injured.”

Rovan frowned. “Which injured?”

“The Vorthak girl, Elder. She is being kept in the western quarters.”

My attention immediately shifted towards him. Sable. I hadn't seen her since the previous evening, and the thought of her being held somewhere under the supervision of people who already considered her an enemy made my stomach tighten. “Where exactly is she?” I asked.

The servant looked at me, then quickly lowered his eyes.

“Zephyr,” my father warned.

I ignored him and asked again “Which room?”

“The old servants' quarters, near the western passage.”

Rovan turned towards the servant. “Leave the tray and return to your duties. Nobody is to enter that room without permission.”

“Yes, Elder.”

The servant bowed and placed the tray on a nearby table. As he turned to leave, I noticed something strange. He glanced briefly towards the corridor behind him, then looked at the guards standing beside the entrance.

It was a small movement, but something about it made me pay attention, the doors remained open while he walked out.

For a few seconds, nobody seemed particularly concerned about the entrance. The elders were too occupied arguing about the fifth mark, and my father had moved towards the damaged platform to examine one of the broken pillars then I looked at the open doorway then at the guards.

There were fewer of them than before, It wasn't much, but it was the first opportunity I had seen since the ritual. I didn't move immediately.

An open door could be an invitation, but it could also be a trap. If someone wanted to test whether I would attempt to escape, there was no easier way than giving me an apparently convenient opportunity so I waited for a moment.

The servant disappeared around the corner. One of the guards followed him, while the other remained near the entrance, distracted by something an elder was saying.

I took a step towards the door. “Where do you think you're going?” my father asked without turning.

I stopped in shock without turning to him “Nowhere.”

“Then stay where you are.”

I looked at the doorway again. If I waited until they finished their discussion, they would probably move me somewhere with even more guards. Worse, they might decide to bring Sable into the chamber. I needed to find her before that happened.

“I need water,” I said.

My father finally looked at me. “There is water on the table.”

“Then I suppose I can drink it.”

I walked towards the table, picked up a cup and took a slow sip. From there, I had a better view of the corridor.

The guard near the entrance shifted his weight and looked towards the eastern side of the chamber then I placed the cup down.

The next few seconds would determine whether I had misread the situation then I moved towards the doorway, this time nobody stopped me.

I stepped into the corridor and continued walking, keeping my pace steady rather than breaking into a run. I could still hear the elders arguing behind me, but I knew that wouldn't last forever.

At the first turn, I stopped and looked back, but nobody had followed and that made me more suspicious but I continued walking towards the western quarters.

The passage was familiar, although I had rarely used it. It connected the older section of the fort to the servants' rooms and was usually busy during the day. Now, however, there were no servants carrying supplies, no guards making their rounds and no voices coming from the rooms, the silence felt deliberate.

I reached the western corridor and noticed a door standing slightly open and a familiar voice came from inside.

“I'm beginning to think your people enjoy keeping injured guests in uncomfortable rooms.”

I pushed the door wider, then I saw sable sitting on the edge of a narrow bed, one hand resting against her side. Someone had brought her clean clothes, but her hair was still untidy, and the exhaustion on her face hadn't disappeared then she finally looked up “You took your time.”

I closed the door behind me and turned to her “I’m sorry.” I said

“I wasn't sure you were coming.”

“Neither was I.”

Her eyes moved over my face before settling on my right hand. “What happened?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Because you look like you've been dragged through another disaster.”

I glanced at my hand, the golden light was gone, but the warmth remained. “Something like that.”

She studied me for another moment before asking “Did they hurt you?”

“They tried.”

Her expression changed into worry “What does that mean?”

“It means their little ritual didn't work the way they expected.”

Sable slowly straightened. “Zephyr, what happened?”

I looked towards the door and whispered to her “Can we discuss that somewhere else?”

She followed my gaze and turned to face me “Are we leaving?”

“I'm considering it.”

“That's not particularly reassuring.”

“I'm not asking you to be reassured.”

She gave me a tired look before attempting to stand. Her injured side immediately protested, and she caught the edge of the bed then I moved towards her. “Careful.”

“I can manage.”

“You said that yesterday.”

“And I managed yesterday.”

“You nearly fell into a tree.”

“That tree was closer than I expected.”

Despite everything, I almost smiled. I offered her my arm, and after a brief hesitation, she accepted it. “What happened to the guards?” she asked.

“I'm not sure.”

“That's interesting.”

“What is?”

“You're walking around without anyone following you, and I'm supposed to believe they simply forgot you exist?”

“I didn't say that.”

She glanced towards the door. “Then perhaps we should find out why.”

I looked at her. “You think it's bait?”

“I think people who have just discovered that someone carries five ancient bloodlines don't usually allow that person to wander around without supervision.”

I couldn't disagree with her. The open passage, the missing guards and the servant who had mentioned her room all seemed too convenient. Someone might have deliberately arranged for us to find each other. But why?

“There's another way out,” Sable said.

“Where?”

“Behind the old storage rooms. It connects to a passage that leads towards the northern boundary.”

I stared at her for a while before asking “How do you know?”

“I spent enough time around servants to learn which parts of the fort people rarely use.”

“Does it lead outside?”

“It used to.”

“Used to?”

She gave me a look. “Would you prefer I promise you something I haven't checked?”

I considered that, that actually made sense “No.”

“Good. Then let's go and find out.”

We stepped into the corridor and I kept my arm around her waist while she supported herself against me, and we moved towards the storage rooms. The passage was narrow, with old wooden shelves lining one side and several discarded pieces of furniture stacked against the other.

At the far end, a second corridor branched towards the northern section of the fort then Sable stopped. “Something is wrong.”

I looked ahead and asked “What?”

“The passage should be locked.”

A wooden door stood several feet away. Its metal latch hung loose, and the door itself was open just enough to reveal darkness beyond it.

I moved closer but didn't touch it. “Could someone have opened it?”

“Possibly.”

“Or?”

“Or someone wants us to believe it's open.”

I looked at her. “You really know how to make an escape sound unpleasant.”

“Would you rather I pretend everything is fine?”

“No.”

I crouched beside the door and examined the floor. There were footprints in the dust, some older than others. Most appeared to belong to servants, but a fresh set crossed the passage and disappeared through the opening then I touched the edge of one print. “Someone came through here recently.”

Sable leaned against the wall. “Do you think they're waiting for us?”

“I don't know.”

“That's becoming your favourite answer.”

“Would you prefer a lie?”

She didn't respond to that so I studied the doorway again. There was no obvious trap, but that didn't mean the passage was safe. If someone had deliberately left it open, they might be waiting at the other end. They could also have stationed guards somewhere beyond the walls.

I needed to know what was there without drawing attention to myself. I placed my palm against the stone beside the door and the strange warmth returned.

I remembered the water in the forest and the way the world had responded to me without warning. I didn't know whether I could repeat anything deliberately, but I could feel something stirring beneath my skin. I closed my eyes and concentrated but nothing happened.

I tried again, focusing on the space beyond the doorway, for a brief second, I felt a faint movement somewhere ahead, followed by a strange pressure in my palm then it disappeared so I opened my eyes and caught Sable was watching me. “What was that?”

“Nothing.”

“Zephyr.”

“I said I don't know.”

She looked at my hand. “You're doing that thing again.”

“What thing?”

“The thing where you pretend nothing strange is happening while everything around you suggests otherwise.”

I removed my hand from the wall. “Can we argue about my secrets after we get out of here?”

Her expression hardened. “I'm not asking because I'm curious. If something is wrong with you and it puts me in danger, I have a right to know.”

I looked at her. She wasn't entirely wrong. But I had spent the last several hours surrounded by people who wanted answers I didn't possess. I wasn't ready to explain the system, the strange messages or the five marks that had appeared beneath my skin.

“I don't know what happened during the ritual,” I told her. “I don't know why those marks appeared, and I certainly don't know how to control whatever is inside me.”

She held my gaze and asked “That's all?”

“For now.”

She looked away and I couldn't tell whether she believed me then afaint sound came from the passage. Both of us turned towards the doorway and we heard footsteps…Someone was approaching from the other side.

I moved away from the entrance and pulled Sable behind a stack of old wooden crates. She winced when her injured side pressed against the wall, but she kept quiet while the footsteps grew louder then a shadow appeared beneath the door and I held my breath.

The person stopped on the other side, for several seconds, neither of us moved then a man's voice came through the opening. “Is anyone there?”

Sable's fingers tightened around my sleeve. I looked at her and slowly shook my head and the voice came again. “Elder Rovan sent me to check the passage.”

The words made me even more suspicious. If Rovan had sent someone, why hadn't the man simply opened the door and entered?

A few seconds passed before the footsteps moved away. I waited until the sound had completely disappeared before looking at Sable. “Did you recognise him?”

“No.”

“Neither did I.”

She shifted her weight carefully. “Perhaps we should go back.”

I stared at her in disbelief “Back?”

“Yes. We don't know who's waiting beyond that door, and you're still recovering from whatever happened in the chamber.”

“If we go back, they'll move you somewhere else.”

“And if we continue, we might walk directly into another trap.”

She had a point. I looked towards the doorway, weighing the possibilities. The passage could lead to freedom, or it could lead us straight into the hands of whoever had arranged the open door. Returning to the chamber would mean surrendering our only opportunity to leave before the council decided what to do with us. Neither choice was safe.

“Can you walk?” I asked.

“With some help.”

“Then stay close.”

I approached the door again, listening carefully before pushing it open. Beyond it was a narrow stone passage with no windows. The air smelled damp, and the floor was covered in dust. I could see a faint line of light at the far end and Sable followed me.

We moved slowly, stopping whenever we heard anything that might suggest someone was nearby. The passage narrowed as we continued, forcing us to walk almost sideways in some places.

At one point, Sable stumbled against the wall but I caught her before she fell. “Your side?”

“It's fine.”

“That's not what I asked.”

She adjusted her arm around my shoulder. “It hurts, but I can continue.”

I wanted to tell her we should stop, but the longer we remained inside the passage, the greater the chance of being discovered so we continued moving

After several minutes, we reached another wooden door. Unlike the first one, this one was closed properly, with an old iron handle and a narrow gap beneath it and I leaned closer to listen but I didn't hear anything.

I placed my hand against the wood and gently pushed but It didn't move.

“Locked?” Sable whispered.

“Looks like it.”

She examined the hinges and turned “There's another way.”

I followed her gaze towards a narrow opening beside the door. It was barely wide enough for a person to squeeze through, but the wooden panel covering it had come loose.

“Can you fit through that?” I asked.

She looked at me. “Can you?”

“I'm asking you.”

“And I'm asking you.”

I almost laughed. She was injured, yet she still found enough energy to argue. I examined the opening again. “I'll go first.”

Before she could object, I turned sideways and squeezed through the gap. The wood scraped against my shoulder, but I managed to get past it without making too much noise. On the other side was a small storage room. I looked around.

Several empty crates stood against the wall, and a narrow staircase led upwards towards another door. There was no sign of anyone waiting the. I returned to the opening and helped Sable through.

She hissed when her injured side brushed against the wood. “Slowly,” I whispered.

“I am being slow.”

“Then be slower.”

She gave me an irritated look, but eventually made it through. I helped her regain her balance before we approached the staircase. At the top, a narrow door stood slightly open then I pushed it carefully. Cold air touched my face.

Beyond the doorway was a small courtyard surrounded by old stone walls. A wooden cart stood near the far end, and several empty barrels had been arranged beside a drainage channel…We had reached the outer section of the fort. I stepped outside and looked around, there were no guards nor servants. No immediate sign of anyone watching then sable came up behind me. “Is this the northern boundary?”

“Not yet.”

“Then where are we?”

“Somewhere outside the main building.”

She looked towards the walls. “That's still better than being locked inside.”

I didn't answer. Something about the courtyard bothered me.

The cart had been positioned close to the wall, and its wheels were facing the narrow gate at the far end. Someone had left a rope hanging from the handle, and there were fresh marks in the dirt where the cart had recently been moved.

It looked as though someone had been preparing to leave. Or preparing something else. I approached the cart and examined the ground.

There were several sets of footprints, but one caught my attention. The person had walked towards the gate and then returned in the direction of the storage room.

I crouched to examine the marks while sable remained near the doorway. “Do you see something?”

“Someone has been here recently.”

“Could it be the servant?”

“Maybe.”

She glanced towards the gate and turned to me “Should we keep going?”

I looked at the wall. The gate was only a short distance away, but I couldn't tell whether it was guarded from the other side. I also couldn't see beyond it. If we continued, we might finally reach the forest. If we were caught, however, there would be no convincing the elders that our escape was accidental then I turned towards Sable.

“Can you get over that wall?”

She followed my gaze. “Not in my current condition.”

“Then we'll use the gate.”

“And if it's locked?”

I looked at the old iron handle. “Then we'll find another way.”

I approached it carefully and tested the latch and It finally moved then the gate opened a few inches,I stopped as Sable came closer. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Zephyr speak.”

I looked through the opening. Beyond the gate was a narrow path leading towards the outer grounds. I could see trees in the distance, and beyond them, the beginning of the forest.

It was exactly the kind of route someone would choose if they wanted to leave the fort without being noticed. Too convenient then I closed the gate again and Sable frowned. “Why did you do that?”

“It's open.”

“Yes, I noticed.”

“That's the problem.”

She stared at me for a moment before understanding. “You think someone left it that way for us?”

“I think we've had too many convenient discoveries today.”

She looked back towards the storage room. “Then what do you suggest?”

I considered our options. Going back would put us directly in the hands of the council, while attempting to leave through the gate might lead us into an ambush. I couldn't rely on whatever power had awakened inside me to protect us, and I wasn't willing to experiment with Sable standing beside me.

“We wait,” I said.

“For how long?”

“Until we're certain nobody is waiting on the other side.”

She folded her arms carefully staring at me “You realise we could spend the entire day standing here.”

“Would you rather spend it explaining our escape to the elders?”

She gave me a tired look. “Sometimes I wonder why I bothered trusting you.”

I turned towards her in disbelief “Trusting me?”

“Don't look so pleased. It wasn't a compliment.”

“I'm not pleased.”

“Good.”

I leaned against the wall, keeping my attention on the gate. A few minutes passed. The courtyard remained quiet then I heard something beyond the wall, a faint rustling and I straightened. Sable noticed immediately before asking cautiously “What is it?”

“Someone's outside.”

She moved closer to me and leaned in “Guards?”

“I don't know.”

The rustling came again, followed by the sound of a branch snapping. I stepped towards the gate and placed my palm against the stone beside it.

The warmth beneath my skin returned, spreading slowly into my fingers. I concentrated on the space beyond the wall, trying to understand what I had felt earlier.

For a second, the sensation sharpened and I could feel movement. Not clearly enough to identify a person, but enough to know that something was approaching, then the feeling vanished and I pulled my hand away.

Sable was watching me then she asked “You felt something.”

I didn't answer then she asked a second time persistently “Zephyr, what did you feel?”

“Someone is coming.”

“How many?”

“I don't know.”

She moved towards the storage room and looked back at me “We should hide.”

I followed her, but before we reached the doorway, a voice came from beyond the gate. “Open it.”

I stopped midway The voice was male, unfamiliar and close enough to make the words unmistakable then Sable grabbed my arm. “Don't.”

The man knocked twice against the wood and immediately repeated “I'm not going to ask again.”

I looked at the gate. There was no way to know whether he was alone, whether he was a guard or whether he had been waiting for us to reach this exact spot then sable leaned closer.

“Whatever happens, don't use that power unless you have to.”

I looked at her…She had noticed more than she admitted. Before I could respond, the man spoke again.

“Zephyr Veyne, I know you're there.”

My stomach tightened..He knew my name…then the gate shook under another knock.

“Your father wants you back inside.”

Sable's grip tightened around my arm. I looked towards the storage room, then back at the gate.

We had escaped the chamber, crossed the old passage and reached the outer courtyard, only to discover that someone had been waiting for us.

The door had never been an invitation. It had been a test…and whoever had arranged it knew exactly who would come looking for the way out.