After sleeping for the rest of the day and a rather uneventful evening at Madame Maria’s Palace, Sarah and Linea finally slipped away to meet with Aruna at the Flying Sailor Inn. To their surprise, they found her at the bar surrounded by men and women alike trying to get her attention. They heard questions being asked about Luna’sindra and Moon Elves and some rather impudent offers being made. It was surprising to see the bar of the inn to be this crowded so late at night.

Aruna seemed rather annoyed by the attention and rebuffed the humans as polite as possible. Tirell stood behind the bar eying the former priestess with a grin. When she noticed Linea entering the bar, she pointed upstairs. Linea just nodded and went ahead.

After knocking she opened the door and found Senia sitting on the bed reading a book.

“Hey Senia,” Linea greeted her and removing her hood.

“H-Hey Linea!” Senia replied as her head jerked up from the book. “How have you been?”

She put down the book on the nightstand and walked over to Linea to give her a hug. A routine that had established itself over the last few weeks. Linea wasn’t sure where it came from but she pinned on Senia’s need for security.

“Good and not so good,” Linea admitted resulting in a frown from Senia. “But I’ll explain when Tirell arrives with our guest.”

“G-Guest?” Senia asked and Linea noticed a faint trembling.

“Don’t worry,” Linea said with a reassuring smile. “It’s someone we can trust.”

Another knock on the door stopped her from continuing.

“Come in,” Linea said and Tirell opened the door to show Aruna in.

“Princess Senia?” Aruna asked with wide eyes as she recognized the young woman hiding behind Linea.

“Aruna?” Senia replied similar.

“Before we go on, could you please close the door?” Linea asked Tirell who attempted to leave the room. “Wait, you can stay. Just close the door.”

Tirell beamed at her like the sun at noon as she closed the door and raced over to the bed only to flop down onto it.

“All right,” Linea said and looked at the gathered group. “I think we need to have some important talks. Information need to be shared and tears to be shed, I assume.”

She motioned towards the bed where Tirell made space for the rest.

“Who should start?” Aruna asked.

“You,” Linea said. “Especially why you’re here. Should make an interesting story for Senia.”

“I can but…” Aruna said and point at Tirell. “Who is that human girl?”

“I’m Tirell,” the girl said with a grin. “I’m the daughter of this Inn’s owner.”

“I guessed as much but why is she here?” Aruna inquired further still looking at Linea.

“She took care of Senia when I couldn’t, she is our contact to some underworld big shot in this city and she is genuinely willing to help us. I can assure you of that.”

A meaningful look from Linea was enough to make Aruna understand how she was sure of this.

“All right, it’s a pleasure to meet you then, Tirell,” she said and shook the girls hand. “I apologize if I offended you. I’m Aruna, former priestess and first of Linea’s knights.”

“Woah, that sounds so… important!”

“Wait, wait, wait… knight? How did that happen?” Senia asked and blinked at them.

“I may or may not have been exiled by the goddess…” Linea whispered which elicited a loud gasp from Senia.

“I need more than that!” she said in a heated tone.

Aruna took the opportunity and filled Senia and Tirell in with the events of the morning. Tirell was confused as she didn’t understand all the implications, but Senia grasped Linea’s hand midway through the story.

“How are you coping with that?” Senia asked after Aruna finished.

“I’ll… manage,” Linea answered diplomatically. And it was the truth. She was less shaken than she would have been a few months ago. She wasn’t sure if she had matured or Sarah’s influence showed itself.

‘Maybe both?’ Sarah pointed out.

“What’s the deal with this exile thing?” Tirell asked. “I can guess it’s a bad thing but if they banned me from the Church of Kava for example… I would just choose another deity. I mean it’s not nice when all your dedication goes down the sewers like that but you make it sound like someone died.”

“That’s because in a way someone died…” Aruna said and sighed. “It’s not widely known outside of our culture but Elves are bound to their protector deities in ways that humans can’t imagine. That goes for Moon Elves and Luna as well as Sun Elves and their God of the Sun Sera. Our dedication goes beyond just praying every other day. We honor them with our very being. Every feat we accomplish is a contribution to their grace and power. In return they protect us. But the most important reason is procreation. Elves can only procreate in a five-year span after they have married a partner in a ritual blessed by their protector god.”

“Wait, what?” Tirell said and stared at them. “But what if you don’t believe in your god?”

“You won’t have offspring,” Senia said. “You either follow or you will be cast aside and forgotten. Most leave Luna’sindra and die without ever being seen or heard from again.”

“That’s so sad…” Tirell commented. “But what about those who already have children?”

“Then it becomes a question of honor for the children to either chase away or even outright kill their parents.”

“That’s barbaric!”

Linea sighed while Senia and Aruna looked down with flushed cheeks. This topic was not talked about much back in Luna’sindra as it was a sore spot. In the rare case someone became a heathen it would spark rumors about the reasons but no one would risk their goddess wrath questioning it.

‘That was news to me by the way,’ Sarah said to Linea. ‘The children stuff.’

‘I’m sure I mentioned that at some point,’ Linea replied.

‘Not that I remember… Are you okay with that? It’s rather brutal to take that away from you.’

‘It doesn’t matter at the moment,’ Linea said and sounded calm about it. ‘We have other things to worry about. Also, if we manage to summon Tavariel - which still seems to be an option - we can try to negotiate a divine intervention on that topic.’

She raised her hand and looked at the shimmering symbol of Mercy she had willed to show itself. Even after being exiled by Luna the symbol had stayed providing Linea with some solace.

“I know this mark…” Aruna asked as she noticed the glowing symbol. “Why do you have a mark of the Sisterhood of Saria on your hand?”

Everyone gazed at Linea’s hand who let the glowing subside.

“Let’s call it a dragon card,” Linea said with a smile.

“A what now?” Senia asked confused causing Tirell to chuckle.

“You never played Sevur, am I right?”

“Should I?”

“It’s a fun game,” Linea said. “I learned it not too long ago. It helps to integrate in my workplace. People give more money if they feel properly entertained.”

“Calling it your workplace sounds… urgh,” Senia commented.

“Where exactly do you work?” Aruna asked suspicious at Senia’s outburst.

“A high-class brothel, why?” Linea answered which made Aruna choke on her next words. After the resulting coughing fit subsided, she looked at the others.

“What the hell happened to you? Both of you?” she asked.

“Well, that’s a story I can tell you…” Linea said. “But first I need some news from home. What does the nobility think about the situation?”

It as obvious that Aruna was curious about Linea’s story but she complied either way.

“The country is split,” she explained. “Not Only between Luna’sindra in the north and Avandir in the south. Shandir has taken his troops and started a rebellion. Against his brother and King Turandir equally.”

“What?” Linea asked with wide eyes. “Shandir? Why would he… He must have a good reason for that. Granted the fact that Tovandir claimed the crown for him in my and Senia absence is questionable… It would only create a problem if Senia or I would return. In fact it makes sense to do what he did so far…”

Senia and Aruna looked at her in confusion while Tirell seemed to have problems to follow their discussion.

“He took your crown!” Senia exclaimed and frowned. “How can you vindicate that?”

“Just look at it from Tovandir’s standpoint,” Linea countered. “The country is in peril. The enemy holds both of the rightful heirs to the throne captive. One of the largest duchies has declared independence and is backed by the empire. Large parts of the army have been defeated, and either killed or imprisoned. I wouldn’t put it past some nobles to exploit a weakened royalty…”

While explaining the situation she made more connection of events.

“So he took the crown to give the country a ruler who could set things straight immediately,” Aruna said and nodded. “That’s about what most people in Luna’sindra assumed.”

“It’s either that…” Linea replied.

“Or he played a role in Turandir’s betrayal… and planned on getting on the throne right from the start,” Senia finished the sentence. She clenched her fists and stared at Linea.

“We have known him for all our lives,” Linea whispered. “I want to say I can’t imagine him to do something like this…”

“But he has always been a schemer,” Senia agreed. “But I never would have guessed that he was after the throne.”

“Perhaps he wasn’t,” Tirell threw in causing the Moon Elves to look at her. “Don’t get me wrong. From what you’re saying he may have been involved. But perhaps he just took an opportunity? Or he is innocent after all?”

‘She is right, you know?’ Sarah said. ‘You’re working with too many unknown variables here. Without proof you may imagine enemies in places where are none. And we have enough on our plate as is.’

‘What would you suggest then?’

‘Stick to our plan,’ Sarah answered. ‘Eventually we will get to a point where we have the means to investigate this. If he turns out to be a capable ruler who did nothing wrong why not let him keep the job? And if we find out he is guilty of fucking us over… I’ll rip him into pieces for you. How does that sound?’

‘Fine,’ Linea relented. ‘I just hope Nora is doing fine…’

“So, she is just thinking?” Aruna asked while waving a hand in front of Linea’s face.

“Huh?” Linea replied and looked around.

“Told you she sometimes zones out when she thinks about something important,” Senia said with a grin.

Linea blushed slightly as she realized that they had noticed her conversation with Sarah. Yet only Senia knew what most likely had happened in Linea’s mind.

“All right, what did you think about?” Aruna asked Linea.

“Our next steps,” she replied. “We need to put the situation in Luna’sindra to the side for now. Especially because I can’t do anything about it in my current situation. So, we’ll work on that.”

“All right, what are we going to do now?” Aruna asked slightly jumping up and down on the bed.

“My most important concerns are Senia’s safety, freeing the twins from the human mages and getting rid of this collar,” Linea explained. “For that we need more help. How is your combat prowess?”

She looked at Aruna with an inquisitive gaze.

“I can wield a sword if I had one,” Aruna replied with a shrug. “Apart from that not much. I’m a theologian not a fighter.”

“That’s something we need to remedy,” Linea said. “You want to be my first knight? Learn to fight. Whatever the future holds for me… peace won’t be a large part of it.”

“Are you sure this is the correct location?” Sarah asked Tirell as they stood in front of a run-down shop. She wasn’t even sure if it was a shop at all. The windows were too dirty to look through. After retelling her and Senia’s tale to Aruna back in the inn, Tirell had informed Linea that someone from the Bone Sail Gang was ready to meet them that night. Eager to go ahead with her plans Sarah had pushed Linea to accept the invitation.

And the meeting point seemed to be this shop.

“Yeah, it’s one of their emergency hide-outs. It got lots of secret ways in and out.”

“So, he is careful about me?”

“I guess? I mean the only thing he knows about you is my word that you have broken into the prince’s manor…”

“Oh, I didn’t mean to discredit him,” Sarah said with a laugh as she opened the door to the shop. “If he is wary of me, he must be a smart man.”

“Such kind words from a beautiful woman,” a voice said from within the room. Tirell squeezed her eyes to make out the source but to Sarah and her night vision the man was fully visible leaning against the counter.

“An interesting statement from someone who has never seen my face,” Sarah noticed and walked in. She checked if the shadows were still covering her face.

“Yet, I have no reason to suspect otherwise. In fact I happen to know Moon Elves tend to be above average in looks.”

Sarah shoot a quick gaze at Tirell who blenched.

“I-I didn’t tell him!” she stuttered. “I swear… I…”

“Well, you confirmed his suspicion just now,” Sarah sighed. She scanned over his thoughts to make sure he wasn’t trying to screw them over right in that moment. She only got a glimpse at his mind but it was most enlightening. “Can you wait outside for me?”

Tirell nodded with her head down and left the shop.

“You did your research about me,” she commented. “Tell me what you got. I can then judge if you fit the bill.”

“Oh, so you’re recruiting me now?” he said with a dry laugh. “And here I thought it would be the other way around.”

Sarah sighed as she realized that the man was playing a game with her to gauge her character. But two people could play this game. She activated her telekinetic sense and searched for any hidden weapons on the man. Of course she found multiple knives in hidden pockets of his various parts of clothing.

Her next step was slowly floating towards him only stopping mere centimeters away from him. Sarah had to give it to him, he did not flinch as she came closer. But she noticed how he squinted his eyes ever so slightly as he tried to examine her face. Which was a futile attempt as the shadows still covered her face.

“I’ll make one thing clear so that there are no misunderstandings,” she said tapping her outstretched finger against his chest. “I don’t need you. And you don’t need me. We both have nothing of substance to lose if either of us was walking out of here right now. You know it, I know it. Yet we’re here.”

The man gulped and Sarah knew, he had not expected her aggressiveness. It was one of her favorite methods of breaking the ice with someone she didn’t know. Reversing expectations. Human males didn’t expect women to be that forward.

“If you don’t need anything from me why did Tirell arranged this meeting?” he asked slowly reaching for one of his knives.

“Because a cooperation between the two of us could be beneficial to both parties,” Sarah explained. “And keep your fingers off your weapons or else this might turn ugly.”

To get her point across she took the knife he was going for with telekinesis and let it float behind her.

“All right, what is it you propose then?” he snarled. Sarah realized that she might have gone too far with her aggression and retreated a step back. She plucked the knife from the air with one hand and handed it over to the man with the handle first. He took it hesitantly but relaxed afterwards.

“A cooperation like I said,” Sarah repeated. “I may reach what I came for faster with your help. In return I have access to places and people like no one else. There are certainly things I can help you with which would be otherwise unattainable.”

“Tirell mentioned something like that,” he replied. “She claims you stole one of Prince Tanus’ belongings.”

“That’s one way of putting it,” Sarah chuckled.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well, if you count his life as his belonging you could describe it like that.”

This was the first time the man let his rather sturdy mask of toughness fall as he gaped at her.

“That was you?” he asked gripping the counter of the shop until his knuckles turned white.

“Certainly,” she confirmed. “Although I expected you to be more surprised by the fact that he is actually dead. I was under the impression that the emperor was trying to hide this fact.”

“He can try as much as he wants,” the man laughed as he crossed his arms. His body language lost most of his tension for a reason Sarah didn’t fully understand. “But people are talking and there are witnesses who were not killed. But we’ll make use of the fact that His Imperial Madness is not as invincible as he wants to make us believe.”

“You don’t like him much, I take it?”

“Neither do you, am I right?” he countered. “We suspected some Moon Elves to show up hoping to rescue their princesses. Yet, you seem rather unfazed by the death of one of them. Unless…”

“I would suggest you keep your nose out of this thought you’re having. Or else we might enter territories which would lead to blood being spilled.”

“Fine… it doesn’t matter to me anyway,” he replied with a smirk. “But I can guess what your goal is. Something I’d actually be willing to help you with.”

“How so?”

“Is the name Brice Si Trenia ringing a bell?” he asked with a grim smile.

“Indeed,” she said. “What of him?”

“He’s somewhat of a thorn in my side for a while now,” the man admitted and Sarah instantly picked up how he mentioned ‘my side’ instead of ‘our side’. He was more than just a middle tier gang leader. This guy was more than met the eye.

“I won’t kill him for you,” Sarah said outright. “A pact for revenge has been made and I will not interfere with that.”

The last part was a lie of course, but she hardly could explain to him why she wouldn’t kill Brice. Or why she was unable to do so.

“Hm, fine. But what about sabotaging his businesses?”

“That I can do,” Sarah agreed and grinned internally. She loved it when things went her way. The man was thinking she was helping him while he was helping her with something she was planning to do anyway.

“Good,” he said. “But before we start this ‘cooperation’ I need proof, you are capable of what you’re claiming. If you succeed, it will count as a favor you can call in with us. If you fail however…”

He gave her a shrug.

“Sounds good,” Sarah agreed. She was prepared for something like this. Trust didn’t grow out of nothing. Quid pro quo was a reliable way of testing the waters. “What can I help you with?”

“There is an artifact in the Mage Tower… The home of the three archmages. I would like to get my hands on it. It’s not too hard to get but the risk-reward ratio isn’t worth it to be honest. It poses little risk to my gang to send you instead, but it can give us massive benefits.”

“Seems manageable,” Sarah said with a nod. “Give me some details. And what should I call you by the way?”

“You can call me Reeve,” he said and stretched his hand out. “What is your name?”

“You may call me Nighthunter,” Sarah replied shaking his hand resulting in another smirk from him.