The Alchemist's Journey | Book 3

Chapter V

Quirin stood outside of King Edmund's chambers with Adira as one of the maids tended to the kings illness.

Ever since he attempted to destroy the moonstone, he was gravely ill.

"The stone and its destructive power must be kept secret from the world. It is the Brotherhood's duty to keep that secret, it is King Edmund's dying wish," Quirin said to Adira.

"There is another way. If we could go and find the sundrop, we may-" Adira started to explain.

"Enough!" Hector cut in, hidden in the shadows with his badgers. "The sundrop is a myth, sister."

Adira watched as Hector emerged from the shadows. "It's real, Hector, and its power could neutralize the moonstone."

"Go, go, chase empty legends like a fool, but just know, if you come back, you ain't my fellow brethren. You're a traitor," Hector sneered as he approached Adira, gripping her jaw in his hand. "Sundrop or not, I'll end you.

🌟

"Everyone must leave now!" King Edmund ordered and Quirin would never show it, but he felt relief.

All the citizens of the Dark Kingdom crossed the bridge as Quirin watched.

He felt awful about all these families needing to flee their home, but he knew that this was his opportunity to go find Rosamund.

"Your majesty..." Quirin trailed off as the king passed him and a maid.

"I said everyone," Edmund repeated.

Quirin nodded to the maid who then went to the nursery to grab the prince. Once he made sure that the prince was secure and out of the kingdom, he was on his way.

🌟

Rose was cleaning up her lab after a minor explosion and tears trickled down her cheeks.

She looked at the painting she kept of Quirin and she started to sob.

She doubted she would ever see him again and it broke her heart. It had been more than six months since she received a letter back from him.

Rosamund desperately wanted to believe that he still loved her, but she was positive that he had found another.

She grabbed the painting and sobbed as she curled up on the floor beside her desk.

There was a knock at her door and she wiped her cheeks. She walked to the door and opened it slowly.

"Hello, can I help- you..." Rosamund froze when she saw Quirin standing on her doorstep.

"Rosie... it's you..." Quirin smiled bright as tears came to his eyes.

"H-how do I know it's really you? How do I know you aren't here to kill me?" Rose faltered, having been tricked once by the king of Eden.

"Rosie, I promise. It's me. We met in the woods when you were saving a wolf pup that had been stuck in a trap. I helped you get the pup back to its mother. You didn't trust me with your name so you told me to call you Nobody, but I didn't like that so I called you Artemis because you saved a wolf pup," Quirin said and Rose trembled as she nearly leapt into his arms.