ower essence tightly, but her mind is racing with thoughts of the spectral figure and Taejin's cryptic past. Taej

htfall," Liora says, breaking the silen

t her, his amber

after all this, I'm starting to wonder-what

him a side

you want,

smi

k of something. But I a

-

ly, but Liora gives them a quick command, allowing him to pass. Inside the castle, the atmosphere

aejin reluctantly following. She hands the vi

wer essence?" the he

are it immediately. My fath

s at her father's side. Taejin stands a

incess," he says, th

t him, her ey

you be

stead, his gaze shifts to the royal

gs like this be

remedy. The moment it touches the king's lips, a faint glow pulses from within his chest.

ra whispers, bar

-

and Taejin step out into the castle gardens, the moonlight casti

her voice filled with gratitude. "I don'

t her, his expre

me a favor, princess. You c

ns but doe

n't f

r, his eyes momen

from the others,

s her head

do you

s if dismiss

g. Forg

more to him than the playful, enigmatic gumiho.

-

uncil. She enters the grand hall, her mind still occupied by her conversation with Taejin.

one of the councilors says, his ton

trying to ma

e moonflower. My f

ilor adds. "It's lucky you'

en questioning her absence and her unorthodox methods, but

ddress the council, a su

ess, a

dvisor, Lord Islan, stepping forward. His

Lord Islan.

rt of the hall, away from th

you've done, do you?" I

a fr

you talk

befriended-do you know what kind of danger you've invited into this

cess. He's connected to the ancient power

eart skip

re you

e curse that has haunted this land for centuries. His kind has always been boun

adows of the past she'd sensed in Taejin's eyes

-

in in the castle gardens. The tension be

she call

ng hers with a mixture o

s it, p

loser, her ga

ction to this kingdom? To the curse t

rs for a moment, but then

the rumors,

oesn't

not just some wandering gumiho. There

d for the first time, he

idn't ask for this curse. I didn'

out, her voi

aejin. Help me understand w

is gaze drifting

't. No

of trust still unbridged. But she knows one thing for certain: their fat

-

face. His amber eyes are filled with a mixture of longing and regret. And d

to walk away. The dan

-