Chapter 43: The Letter That Never Arrived

The road leading toward the capital was buried beneath a fresh layer of snow, though beneath it, the ground had clearly been torn apart. Massive slabs of rock and frozen earth lay scattered across what remained of the path, some pieces the size of small carriages, others crushed into rubble entirely. A team of knights and rescue workers moved carefully through the wreckage, lanterns swinging in the cold night air, their breath fogging heavily as they called out to one another.

Cassian and Sylvia arrived just as the last of the search teams pulled the largest boulder aside.

Cassian dismounted quickly, his expression grim as he approached the lead knight overseeing the search. "Report."

The knight bowed stiffly. "Your Grace. The landslide came without warning, according to the surviving guards. Half the escort was thrown clear before the main slide hit. We’ve recovered most of the bodies already."

"And Lord Liam? Lady Elara?" Sylvia’s voice came out sharper than she intended, her hands trembling slightly at her sides.

The knight hesitated, his eyes dropping briefly before meeting hers again.

"We just located them, my lady. This way."

Sylvia’s stomach twisted painfully as they followed him further down the ruined path, past overturned wagons and shattered wheels, until they reached a small cleared area near the base of the hillside.

Two bodies lay side by side beneath a length of cloth someone had draped over them.

Sylvia’s breath caught in her throat.

Cassian stepped forward first, kneeling down slowly, his jaw tightening as he carefully pulled the cloth back.

Liam’s face, once so full of warmth and easy laughter, was barely recognizable beneath the deep bruising and dried blood. Elara lay beside him, her once beautiful hair matted dark red, her body twisted at an unnatural angle from the crushing weight of the fallen rock.

Sylvia’s legs gave out beneath her.

She dropped to her knees in the snow beside Elara, her hands hovering helplessly over her best friend’s still form, not quite daring to touch her, as though touching her might somehow make the moment more permanently real than it already was.

"No, No, no, this can’t— Elara, please—" she whispered, her voice cracking apart entirely.

Cassian reached for her shoulder, his own throat tight with grief, but Sylvia barely registered the touch, her whole body shaking as sobs finally broke free, loud and raw in the quiet, snow-covered clearing.

"We were supposed to grow old together, You promised. You promised you’d be there when Nora got married. You promised—" she choked out, tears streaming freely down her face as she finally allowed herself to gently rest a trembling hand against Elara’s cold cheek.

Her words dissolved into broken, wordless grief, her shoulders shaking violently as Cassian knelt beside her, wrapping his arms tightly around her, his own eyes glistening despite his best efforts to stay composed for her sake.

It was one of the knights who finally noticed something clutched tightly in Elara’s hand.

"My lady, There’s something here." he said quietly, kneeling carefully beside her.

Sylvia looked up, her vision blurry with tears, watching as the knight gently pried a small, crumpled envelope free from Elara’s grip. He held it out toward her without a word.

Sylvia took it with shaking hands, immediately recognizing the familiar, elegant handwriting scrawled across the front.

To my dearest Nora.

Her breath hitched painfully. She carefully unfolded the letter, the parchment slightly creased and stained faintly with blood along one edge, though the words themselves remained thankfully legible.

[My darling Nora,

I know it’s only been a short while since we left you at the Draven estate, but I already miss you terribly. Your father keeps saying I worry too much, but I can’t help it. You’re growing up so fast, sweetheart.

I hope you’re eating well and not causing Sylvia too much trouble, though knowing you, I doubt that’s much of a concern. Take good care of that little dragon of yours, and please, don’t let Neo take you into any more late-night adventures. .

Your father sends his love as well, though he’s currently far too busy pretending he isn’t the one who insisted on stopping every hour just to write postcards for you along the way.

We should be back within the week, once this business at the palace concludes. I can’t wait to hear all about everything you’ve been up to. Write back soon, won’t you? I’ll be waiting eagerly for your letter.

I love you so much, my little star. We both do.

—Mother]

Sylvia pressed the letter tightly against her chest, closing her eyes as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. Cassian gently rested a hand against her back, his own expression carefully controlled despite the deep sorrow etched clearly into his features.

"We have to tell Nora," Sylvia whispered, her voice barely audible.

Cassian nodded slowly, helping her rise carefully to her feet.

"I know."

The ride back to the estate felt unbearably long, neither of them speaking a single word the entire way, the weight of what awaited them back home settling heavily over both their hearts.

When they finally arrived, the mansion was quiet, the usual warm bustle of servants and evening activity strangely subdued. They made their way toward the main hall, where they found Neo and Nora sitting together on the couch, exactly where they’d left them hours earlier.

Nora sat perfectly still, her expression completely blank, devoid of any visible emotion at all. Yuki lay curled quietly in her lap, its usual playful energy nowhere in sight, as though even the little dragon understood something heavy hung in the air. Nora’s eyes stared distantly ahead, unfocused, as if she genuinely didn’t know what she was supposed to feel in this moment, or how she was even supposed to begin feeling it.

Neo sat silently beside her, close enough that their shoulders touched, though he hadn’t said a single word since they’d received the news. He simply stayed there, a quiet, steady presence beside her, offering the only comfort he knew how to give.

Sylvia’s chest tightened painfully at the sight of them.

She walked forward slowly, kneeling down in front of Nora until they were at eye level. Gently, she reached out and cupped Nora’s face between her hands, forcing a small, trembling smile despite the fresh tears still threatening to spill from her own eyes.

"Nora, sweetheart," she said softly, her voice barely steady.

Nora’s lavender eyes finally focused, meeting Sylvia’s gaze directly, though her expression remained carefully blank, waiting.

Sylvia held out the crumpled letter with trembling hands.

"Your mother wrote this for you. Before... before everything happened."