Aaron looked grim.

He had come inside the office, just as Fiera set the sword on his table, the sword was not supposed to touch the ground, and she didn’t want to put it away in front of Mistral, somewhat unsure of how he’d react to more ‘sorcery’. Aaron took a seat; if he noticed the sword, he didn’t question it because it seemed like he had more important matters than an apparition possessing Mistral to discuss.

“What is the matter?” Mistral asked, temporarily distracted from his momentary lapse of consciousness.

“I need you both to leave Polis.”

Leave?

Mistral looked equally surprised, “Leave?”

She had just made it to this place, and already she had to leave.

“There is a bit of complication coming up.” Aaron said, eyeing the blade, “The healer reported that the people who died were killed in a fusion of fire and…” he trailed, locking eyes with Fiera, “...magic.”

“But the timing - ” Fiera began to say, and Aaron cut her off,

“The timing matches. The healer was gone when you came to the Institute, remember?”

“But, surely, Rose can verify my presence - ”

“It is easy to establish her as your associate, Fiera,” Aaron said.

“Aaron,” she said, her throat tightened, making it hard for her to breathe, and she sputtered. Aaron got up, almost as if to touch her, but she flinched back. “Aaron, you know I wouldn’t -” And she stopped herself because Aaron wouldn’t know. She hadn’t told him about the sword until asked, she hadn’t told him about where she had been, and she hadn’t told him anything detailed about why she was with Rose. She had kept so much of herself, her information from him, that she couldn’t blame him, this realisation hit her like a high tide, and her hands dropped to her lap.

“Look here, Fiera,” Aaron said, interlocking his fingers on the table, “You would have told me if there was something this important I needed to know, right?”

Fiera pressed her hands, her shoulders involuntarily hunched.

“Fiera?” Aaron’s voice teetered to an edge.

“Maybe I should leave for a bit -” Mist began to rise.

“Get your gear in order.” Aaron said, “Find Zare. You and Fiera will be leaving at dawn.”

Fiera stared at her hands as she heard the rest of their conversation distort, and it was only when Aaron touched her shoulder that she looked up.

“Do you want to tell me?” Aaron asked.

He pulled the chair Mist had been sitting on and offered her a hand. She took it, and she didn’t know what came over her, but the high tide of her emotions leaked out of her body in whimpers and tears. Aaron let her curl her face into his hands as she sobbed, and for a while, the only sound in the room was her sobs.

“Fiera,” he wiped her cheeks and cupped her face in his hands, “You know you can tell me anything,”

“I -” her throat tightened, and she let out a sob. All the time she had fought, her urge to cry flooded through her and let it roll over her.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” And his voice dipped into whispers.

“N-No.” she pushed herself up and wiped her face. “It’s not, it’s not okay,”

Her voice came out fragile, almost as if she was scared to break something, and Aaron squeezed her shoulder. His eyes were straight, and they had always been straight with her. It was she, who had not taken the opportunity to tell him all the ways she had already betrayed his trust, and all the ways she had already disappointed him.

“Fiera,” Aaron whispered.

The sky was darkening outside; the evening was settling in.

“I have,” Fiera started, she fought the lump in her throat, “I have killed someone -”

Aaron sank back into the chair, and she pulled her shoulders back.

“It was one of the -” she swallowed, feeling tears come up again, “It was one of the Water Practitioners in Vatun Isle. It, it was a horrible, terrible misunderstanding - and, and he attacked me - and when I was trying to, trying to protect myself -”

“A battle ensued, and you killed him,”

Aaron’s words were cold.

“I was only -” she paused, feeling his steady gaze on her and unable to look up and meet his eye, “Yes,” she said, restlessly moving her hands up and down her shoulders.

“This could cause an International Complication -”

“I know,” Fiera hunched her shoulders in, “That is why I didn’t tell you.”

“And where is Rose from? Does she know this?”

“No.” Fiera shook her head, “I met her on the outskirts of Vatun Isle. She doesn’t know -”

“That you have killed.” Aaron finished for her. He rose to his feet and took a step towards her. “You had nothing to do with these rangers, right?”

“None.”

For a second, she could see him consider the alternative, but he gave a brief nod, “We will untangle this delicate matter later on, then. For now,” He pressed his hands on either side of Fiera’s chair, forcing her to sink back, “You will have to promise me, make a vow not to kill anyone. Be they people of this kingdom or not.”

“I promise,” she whispered.

“You leave at dawn.” He cupped her face in his hands, and her eyes nearly welled up in tears, “I will see you at dawn, Fi. Go get some sleep.”