Lila looked around, making sure no one was following them. She touched one of the shiny candies decorating the wall and, like magic, a hidden passage opened with a soft sound of caramel crackling.
— This way. We have little time before they realize I opened the cell.
Lily hesitated for a second, glancing at the robot. He nodded his metallic head and followed Lila without question. Lily took a deep breath and went after them.
The tunnel was narrow, lit by honey-like threads running along the walls. The warm, sweet scent of nectar blended with the distant sound of natural gears turning somewhere beneath them.
— No one besides the queen and me knows this path — said Lila in a low voice. — It was made by an ancient generation of Fruticols, the first conscious inhabitants of Floraxis. They foresaw that one day the balance would be threatened.
— And you believe that day has come? — asked Lily, suspicious.
Lila didn't answer immediately. She stopped beside a giant bluish flower that seemed to breathe, and gently touched its petals. The flower opened, revealing a spiral staircase made of sweet crystals.
— I don't know what I believe, but… you're just like the ones who came before.
— What do you mean by that? Who came before?
Lila remained silent. As they descended, the robot blinked slowly.
— The system detects this structure is not in public records. This confirms we are in classified territory.
— Congrats, robotic Sherlock. — muttered Lily, still suspicious, though curiosity shimmered in her eyes.
At the end of the stairs, they found an underground chamber. It was like being inside a translucent fruit. Glowing roots ran along the walls and, at the center, a table made of interwoven seeds held a three-dimensional map of Floraxis, pulsing as if it had a life of its own.
— This is the true core of Floraxis.
Lila explained, approaching the map.
— And this is where you'll discover what's really happening in this world.
— Wait. I thought you were just helping us escape?
— That was just the beginning.
She replied, turning with a serious look.
— What's coming is far bigger than escaping a cell.
Lily swallowed hard.
— And my mother? Is she involved in all this?
Lila hesitated for a moment.
— Unfortunately, I know nothing about your mother, but you remind me of someone else.
A bit ahead, they found a small pool of crystal-clear water. As they approached, the water began to vibrate, projecting images on its surface: shadows of people running, a forest burning, a ship crashing — and finally, the face of a man very familiar to Lily, though younger.
— Dad…
Whispered Lily, stepping forward.
Lila nodded sadly.
— He was here. Many years ago.
Lily felt the ground slip beneath her feet, even though it remained solid. The images vanished, and the pool returned to its gentle swirl.
— Why didn't he ever tell me?
— Because truth has deep roots… and some can choke if pulled too soon.
Lila replied, almost like reciting an old proverb.
The robot stepped closer, its inner lights flickering.
— Facial recognition: 83% match with archived profile "Doctor Marcos Lincon." Likely authenticity: high.
Lily brought a hand to her mouth.
— So it's true… He was here.
— Your father was a man with a good heart.
— How did you know my father?
— It was many years ago.
. . .
Back then, I was just a peasant in Floraxis. My family worked providing food for Queen Zeninha.
Even though I was clumsy, the queen was very fond of me, and that made her former advisor jealous.
That woman poisoned the food, but the one who ended up eating it was the queen's bodyguard. The advisor blamed me.
I was taken by the guards, and my hands were tied in the public square.
I screamed in pain from the lashes.
I begged for help, until someone heard my cries.
He wore a slightly stained lab coat, his hair was a bit curly, and he was accompanied by another man who seemed to be trying to stop him.
He pulled a small smoke grenade from the pouch at his waist and threw it into the crowd.
I thought that would be the end of me.
But in the middle of the smoke, I felt my ropes loosen. Someone grabbed my hand firmly and pulled me away. We ran through old stone alleys until we reached a hidden path behind an old mill.
When we finally stopped, my arms were burning and my breath was shaky, but I could still look at him.
— Why… why did you help me? — I asked, still trembling.
He just smiled, a calm, serene smile. His eyes radiated peace.
— Because it was the right thing to do.
The other man, the one with him, looked nervous.
— Marcos, this is going to put us at risk! I told you we should keep a low profile!
Marcos. That was his name.
He just shook his head.
— I can't close my eyes to this kind of injustice. Not here, not anywhere.
I didn't know who he was, where he came from, or why he wore such strange clothes, but at that moment, he saved my life. He took me to a hideout on the edge of the Lierah Forest and treated my wounds with something he called a "first aid kit." I had never seen anything like it.
That night, I told him everything. The betrayal, the poison, the advisor. He listened carefully.
. . .
Lily blinked, feeling the weight of the story she had just heard.
— So… he saved you?
Lila nodded slowly, her eyes misty.
— And after that, what happened?
— The queen discovered the truth, and I became her advisor.
— And where did my father go?
— He said he was searching for a magical flower.
— A magical flower?
Lily's curiosity grew.
— They say this flower can cure any illness.
The robot immediately asked:
— And where can we find this flower?
Lila replied:
— Only one person outside the Merlin royal family knows that — a witch who lives in a forest near the kingdom.
— They say that despite her old age, her skills are unquestionable.
Lily suddenly heard a strange meow.
— It's you, Meow-Meow!
The weird cat jumped into her arms.
— Meow-Meow?
The robot looked puzzled.
— That's the name I gave him.
Lily held the cat up, showing him to Lila.
— Isn't he cute?
Lila chuckled as she stroked the top of the cat's head.
— He seems to like you.
— He just showed up out of nowhere.
Meow-Meow purred, but his eyes sparkled for a moment with a bluish glow.
The robot slowly approached, sensors focused on the feline.
— Detecting slight unusual magical activity. Specimen unidentified.
— Magical activity? — Lily's eyes widened.
— Maybe he's not with you by accident.
Said Lila.
— What do you mean?
Asked Lily.
An alarm went off. They could hear the heavy footsteps of guards drawing closer.
— You don't have much time.
Lila moved to one of the chamber's walls and pulled a lever, opening an underground passage.
— This path will take you beyond Zeninha's domain.
— But what about you? Why aren't you coming with us?
Lily was worried about Lila, afraid something bad might happen.
— My place is here, whether I like it or not. And besides, you have a very important mission.
Lila placed a hand on Lily's shoulder.
— Don't worry about me. Now go.
Lily hesitated, but eventually followed the dark path. The robot had to crouch to fit through the passage.
Lila quickly closed the entrance behind them.
On the other side, Lily walked in silence through the narrow tunnel, her heart heavy. The muffled noise of the world above had been replaced only by the echo of her own footsteps and the soft purring of Meow-Meow in her arms.
— She stayed behind...
She murmured, eyes brimming with tears.
— Noble choice, but statistically unwise.
Commented the robot, its robotic voice sounding almost sad.
Lily forced a smile but said nothing. Ahead, the darkness began to give way to a faint blue glow, radiating from crystalline roots embedded in the walls.
Meow-Meow suddenly stopped purring. His body went rigid, his eyes once again glowing — this time more intensely. A strange sound echoed from deep within the tunnel, like something moving... or awakening.
— What was that?
Lily asked, quickening her pace.
The robot raised its arm, scanning ahead.
— Detecting unstable magical source. The energy is... approaching.
And then, from the shadows, a voice whispered:
— Finally… you've arrived.
Lily went pale. Meow-Meow let out a sharp meow and leapt from her arms, tail held high as he ran ahead.
— Meow-Meow, wait!
Lily shouted, running after him.
The tunnel shook.
To be continued...
Thank you for reading this far! I'll do my best to bring you something special in the next chapter. See you soon!