A direct confrontation against Cinder was far from reality. As much as the politician wanted to keep what he had there, he knew what it would mean to face them, especially now that they were close. However, there was no time for more because someone interrupted that meeting. The large doors opened for no reason, letting in a small number of elthean.

“It’s the aureans!” Rune exclaimed.

It was a group of twelve elthean, most wearing purple and ochre armour, partial helmets that obscured their features, and blue cloaks billowing behind them. They advanced in coordination, each carrying weapons as if to face the most horrible creature they could find in Elthea. However, two figures stood out from among them and were ahead of those present. The one in the grey cloak was similar to the others, although he must have led the rest of the warriors. On the other hand, the other elthean was easy to recognize as soon as he took off his helmet, or at least for most of the eltheans there.

“Princess Avira?” Cinder exclaimed, unable to hide his surprise. “Forgive us for not receiving you. If we had known you were coming, we would have arranged a reception worthy of your status.”

“Cut the crap, Cinder. What did you expect if the last messengers have not returned to Aurean?”

To Finnian or Blanche, that elthean was as unfamiliar as if she wore an oversized hood and continued the conversation like that. Dark-haired and dark-skinned, her eyes glowed like a pair of sapphires wreathed in flames. She had painted white and yellow markings on her face that sparkled from the magic emanating from her. She wore grey armour, concealed by a green cloak, the material of which must have been different from other metals, for it attached to her like fabric. With powerful arms and figures, her fists were clenched, though ready to draw her weapon, allowing them to see that the exact drawings on her face were there. What would they be for? Would they be part of her culture?

“Wow,” Finnian muttered.

“You’re not saying you’ve fallen in love,” Blanche said.

“Who walks into a room like that and gets anyone to turn them down?” Finnian said.

“A princess to be admired,” Aer nodded.

Elthean and Signer bumped fists, holding back the urge to laugh or smile. Princess Avira from Aurean might not be known to them, but their friends quickly informed them that she was a respected figure within the Hawell region. Being the heir to the throne, she refused to marry or draw any such alliances until the situation in Elthea was resolved. Perhaps others would have chosen to do so, trying to give hope and something to fight for, but Avira preferred to jump into the struggle wherever necessary.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Rune began.

“Not really,” Finnian admitted, holding back the urge to laugh, “though we’d love to hear what’s going on, Princess Avira.”

Looking back at them, a glance from Blanche to him, then following the elthean, she whispered something to her second-in-command.

“It says ‘Her Royal Highness, Princess Avira of Aurean,’” Ead murmured.

“It’s not like they teach us protocol at my school,” Finnian replied.

Polite enough he had been, under the circumstances. However, explanations would have to wait until they had settled the Cinder matter. Avira raised her voice, getting not only her warriors to stand firm but those present to react in the same way.

“Guards. Take Cinder to the dungeon. There are matters to be settled for which he will soon answer,” Avira said.

“You’re making a mistake!” Cinder exclaimed as two guards pinned him down.

“Really?” Avira snorted.

“Who do you think has managed to keep Calamity away? And the beasts of Everground?” Cinder continued.

“Wow. Is there a villain’s handbook they pass around? Why don’t you try to be more original?” Finnian said.

After tapping her foot on the floor, Avira managed to silence the former Prime Minister as he was led away. He doubted it would be the last time they would see each other, but at this point, why try to get ahead of the future? The next few minutes were strange, for not only were they asked to remain there, but the princess began to give orders as to the current state of the city. She summoned all those positions of importance not only to inform them of the news but because she intended to learn what Cinder had done in Kiyeira.

“Not that we don’t like this stellar intervention, although it was as timely as our arrival,” Leith said.

“There are methods of moving fast. You can get an idea of that,” Avira said.

Such as teleportation or portal creation. Aurean had the resources for such a thing, and from what she explained, they had to use them in that leap to get her to Kiyeira. It had been weeks since they’d heard from Cinder, let alone the messengers they’d sent. The Eroder’s recent attack had prevented them from acting as early as they would have liked, but at least she was there.

“Is it chance or fate that we met here?” Avira said, observing them.

“We could say the former, though we were close,” Finnian said.

“We saw what was happening at the entrance, and we couldn’t leave without intervening,” Nero said.

“Although we don’t know what Cinder was doing, we assume it was nothing good,” Blanche said.

The look she gave her was strange. Too slow and analytical. He made no comment, but there was a silence that no one could fill until the princess herself broke it.

“Everything indicates, and as soon as I do a couple of checks, that he intended to give this city to Ariel if he made him his king,” Avira said.

“Typical, who would make such a deal with Calamity?” Rune replied, shaking her head.

“That’s why they controlled those who entered or took away their weapons,” Aer said. “It wasn’t just to ensure Kiyeira’s safety.”

“But so that no one would oppose their control,” Ead said.

What Idelya informed them was again confirmed, although none commented on what they found out in the desert. Ariel was determined to conquer Elthea and bring it under his command, but he was not closed to the possibility of giving ground in exchange for will. What would he have gained if he had agreed to collaborate with him?

“You can’t know,” Leith said.

“Besides, you are the master of your own decisions. Why do you think he was so insistent on your acceptance?” Aer said.

Perhaps they received their power because they had connected, but there was also a relationship of mutual agreement. They were partners, friends. They learned from each other and complemented each other. They did not pretend to be better than others, only to do what they could with what was available to them. However, their thoughts were interrupted by the possibility that Ariel knew what had happened there.

“The city could be in danger. It is a possibility,” Avira said. “Both your presence and mine would make it possible for them to come looking for us, or at least on any other occasion. Although, as things stand now, I don’t know what might happen.”

He liked that she was as frank with her words as she was with how she expressed herself, an opinion that his friends shared.

“However, as much as it is in my interest that you continue your mission as soon as possible, I cannot allow you to use the Cloud Road,” Avira said.

“Why not? It’s funny you said that now, especially since Cinder was trying to bribe us with an exclusive passage,” Blanche said.

“And we refused,” Nero said.

“We don’t like to take the easy way out,” Finnian said.

“We’re more than used to dealing with problems,” Aer nodded.

Using the clouds would have given them a lot of ground, more than if they had ridden over Leith. However, even when they did not appear on the maps, those roads had entrances and exits that could be traced. It would be enough if Cinder gave Ariel notice of where they had set out from, so that Calamity would only have to calculate where they would end up. And being so far north of Mithra’s continent, the options were minimal.

“Fortunately, we had no intention of staying long in Kiyeira,” Rune said.

“Nor do I intend to keep you any longer,” Avira said.

Though no one said such words without expecting something.

“I have enough trouble on my hands without adding yours,” the princess said. “But I am interested in which way you will go.”

“That’s the second thing everyone wants to know about us,” Finnian replied, biting his lip.

Were they so eager to control them?

“For the time being, we’ll go south and maybe east,” Finnian said.

“We could use your help, though. Not with transport or escort,” Nero said.

“Not with transport or escort,” Nero said.

“But with your nets to confuse our enemies,” Rune added.

Not that they had been very discreet since they got there, so word would soon fly to different corners of Elthea about their adventures in Kiyeira. However, it would be enough for others to have seen them in different places for such information to no longer be so reliable. Becoming ghosts would not make their mission more accessible, but at least they would prevent Ariel from knowing where he could locate them.

“You can count on it, although I would want you to give a message. There are few I could trust with something like that,” Avira said.

“I don’t think we’re going to be very good at messengering,” Leith admitted.

“Though we won’t refuse,” Aer said, “but a little extra leverage would go a long way toward keeping up appearances.”

For if they intended to carry on, as usual, they must settle the Cinder matter and be on their way, all in too short a period. Who had asked for longer days? Was there any spell that would allow them to stretch the hours longer? The further east they went, the more complications arose, and even they had limits they could not pass.

Nevertheless, the princess smiled, as sure as she was that trusting them was the right thing to do.