I breathed a deep sigh of relief as Zara’s and Lait’s guards closed the door behind them. For the umpteenth time, I found that we had gotten lucky. Zara’s little misstep largely solved our problem.

My mind was racing as I leaned back in my chair. Letting my head dangle backwards, I glanced at the others around me. An awkward silence reigned, all of us still processing what had just happened.

Riala looked back at me with a strange mix of happiness and sadness. I wondered what I should say—or if I should be saying anything really. The only natural thing to ask that came to my mind was, “Are you okay?”

She nibbled on her lower lip as she thought my question over, uncertain about the answer herself. “I don’t know,” she mumbled.

Berla placed a comforting hand on Riala’s head. “Do you understand everything they talked about?” she asked.

“Yea,” Riala said, nodding. “Tomar’s dad is my dad too.”

She was astute as always. “That’s right,” I confirmed.

Riala frowned, studying my face closely. “This is weird,” she said.

“What is?” I asked.

“I have two dead dads, and a dead brother...” she muttered. “But you look like Tomar, and you’re... like a brother and a dad to me.”

I was taken aback by her words, but also deeply touched. Truth be told, I had thought of Berla and her as my family more than once in recent times. I beckoned her over with a smile. “Come here,” I said.

Elated, Riala leapt into my lap without hesitation, and we hugged tightly for a moment. It was a rare moment of raw emotion between us, and I felt grateful for it.

But it lasted all but ten seconds before Hayla, ever the impatient one, interrupted us. “Now that that’s out of the way...” she said. “Did my eyes deceive me or did you really bring back nine moderators?”

Berla stared daggers at her cousin. “Are you for real? Give them a moment!”

Unyielding, Hayla carried on. “I’m sorry, but I can’t wait any longer! There’s so much to discuss!”

Her voice was urgent, insistent, and I could feel my exhaustion returning. I released Riala, but my smile remained firmly in place. “Alright,” I chuckled. “Let’s briefly catch up, but please bear in mind that I’m dead tired.”

Hayla grinned at me knowingly. “Not for long,” she said, her voice positively sparkling. “Lait was a little careless in what he talked to me about. He let something slip about their plans to travel to Cerus.”

My ears perked up. Hayla knew well that this would get my attention. “You have a date?” I asked.

Hayla was practically radiating enthusiasm. “Tomorrow,” she exclaimed.

Although I was happy to have a timeframe to work with, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of weariness wash over me at the thought of spending yet another evening planning and strategizing. If only we had learned about this sooner.

“We need an information network...” I sighed, my shoulders slumping.

Hayla shook her head. “That won’t be the hard part,” she corrected me. “The real challenge will be extracting the information we need from Alarna, and doing so quickly and consistently. But yes, we do need more intel.”

Berla let out a tired groan, her exhaustion apparent on her face. “Let me guess,” she said, “you’ll send Reurig back in as soon as possible.”

I nodded at her with an apologetic gesture. “There’s no way around it,” I admitted with a weary smile. “I know he dislikes it, but he’s the only one who can get in and out unperturbed and move around without raising too many red flags. Though we should also finally approach our contacts.”

When Bren and the others left, some of their companions stayed behind to help us, such as Brie and Garn. We hadn’t found time to make contact yet, but if they could assist with the information gathering, it would make Reurig’s job much easier.

But as soon as the thought crossed my mind, a new problem arose. “No, wait... Lait will take note of who lives here... Fuck...”

Bren was of the opinion that our guards would be scrutinized at best, even after he and his father vanished, but if the Rulers made the connection, our former guards would be in hot waters. We couldn’t risk leaving them there.

Even Riala understood the implication. “Will Brie and Garn come here too?” she asked eagerly, happy that two more people she liked might join us.

I let out a resigned sigh, feeling my free time slip through my fingers like fine sand. “I guess they will,” I replied. “At the very least, we need to talk to them.”

“Yay!” Riala exclaimed. Her joy was contagious, and I couldn’t help but smile despite my reservations. “Only sis is left then!”

I chuckled. “Yea, though she’s going to be tough.”

Hayla took a seat across from us and took up the quill, beginning to write a to-do list, which quickly grew in size as we continued talking.

We needed to gather more intelligence on the Cerus caravan, solidify our strategy for how to handle it, contact our guards before the night was out, oversee the moderators, visit Cerus ourselves to assess the situation there, have a conversation about what occurred at camp during our absence, and on and on. The list was extensive, considering that it included only the tasks for the next day or so. But despite looking at a long night ahead of me, I was optimistic. We were still on the right track.

***

As Lait led his group through the clearing to the second house, his earlier sense of wonder vanished. The once tranquil surroundings now resembled the ominous alleyways of Alarna’s most dangerous districts. Looming all around them were Fighters and beasts, their fierce eyes locked onto his men. The campfire roaring in the clearing’s center did not help matters, casting eerie shadows on the figures.

He gulped as the realization returned that they were in enemy territory. Not only were they surrounded by gigantic wolves, the deserting Fighters were likely to be no allies of the Rulers either. He quickened his pace, trying his best to maintain his composure in the face of the menacing glares.

Ducking into the second house, Lait headed straight for their allocated room, with Zara following close behind. The guards shut the door behind them, assuming their positions in front of it. He let out a sigh of relief and placed the lamp on the floor. He didn’t know whether anyone out there actually meant them harm, but he felt much better not standing among them at this time of day.

BANG!

Lait jumped in shock when a sudden bang against wood echoed through the room, sending him into a state of panic. His mind raced as he imagined the worst, thinking someone had broken through a wall to get to them. Instinctively, he retreated from the source of the sound, but to his surprise, he found that their guards had not reacted, and the walls remained intact.

It was then that he noticed Zara furiously pounding her fist against a wall, unleashing a torrent of expletives. “Damn it!” she yelled. “Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!”

Recovering his senses, Lait rushed over to restrain her, worried that she might injure herself. “Whoa, don’t!” he cried out, holding her back. To his surprise, she didn’t resist and let him hold her arms.

Her shoulders slumped, and her head hung low in defeat. “I messed up,” she muttered, her voice barely audible.

“Yes, you did,” Lait acknowledged, bracing himself for the outburst he knew was coming. But Zara’s response was measured, even as he admonished her for not disclosing this critical detail. “We would have needed a different approach, given the circumstances. Even if you hadn’t slipped up, he could have learned about it another way.”

“I know,” Zara conceded softly. “I didn’t want to face it... I’m sorry.”

Lait was taken aback by her honest regret. He let go of her, his hands lightly gliding down her shoulders. As she turned to face him, he looked into her eyes with a sense of compassion. He felt a wave of affection for her, seeing her vulnerable and raw like this.

Zara was less enthused, looking into the eyes of the man she had shackled herself to. “It’s over...” she began, her voice souring. “Riala would rather be with him... I have no legal recourse left... All I have left to show for my efforts...” Her voice trailed off bitterly. “Is you.”

Lait grimaced at her words. “You have a talent for rubbing people the wrong way,” he pointed out. “We need to work on that.”

“Work on it,” Zara said, snorting in ridicule as she shook her head. “The best thing I can hope for now are occasional visits from my sister once they take over Alarna again, while my husband instructs me on how to behave to please his kin. I’m done working on anything.”

“That’s it?” Lait asked, puzzled. “You’re going to give up that easily?”

“Easily? Are you kidding me!?” Zara exploded. “You have no idea what I’ve been through! Since my father died, I’ve given everything to protect that girl, and yet she’s run away every chance she’s gotten! Do you know what it’s like to raise someone like her? I love her more than anything, but she’s been pushing me to the brink for years! And on top of all that, I’ve now had to worry about her strange brother taking her out into the Wildlands on a regular basis!” Zara gestured wildly, reliving the past few months. “And just when I finally feel like things are starting to come together, he turns out to be a potential murderer! Not to worry about, right? The guards apprehended him after all. But nooo, an idiot Ruler decides not to execute him! So I pull myself together, leave my kind boyfriend, follow her out here, and now this! I... I just... can’t take it anymore! I can’t...”

Tears welled up in Zara’s eyes as she averted her gaze, taking deep, ragged breaths to steady herself. It had been a year since her father’s death and two months since Riala had gained her powers. She had lost loved ones, friends, and even her freedom, but she had always focused on protecting her sister and keeping her close. Now, utterly drained, the thought of surrendering was almost a relief.

Lait watched his unwilling wife with a heavy heart. Every minute with her was a whirlwind of uncertainty, and he could never predict what was coming next. But he understood that much of it was owed to her unique circumstances, and even more so after her outburst just now. She was broken, swallowed whole and spat back out by the beast that was life.

With care, Lait reached out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. She trembled on contact, her teary gaze following his arm to his face, painted in compassion.

“Do you remember what I said to you after our wedding ceremony?” he asked in a warm, soothing voice.

Zara looked back at him, confusion evident on her face.

“I said that I want us to have a successful marriage. I want us to support each other, no matter what comes our way. You don’t have to bear this burden alone anymore. And for me, our journey has only just begun. Suffice it to say that I’m mad. That man has overstepped, acting as if he is untouchable. But we won’t allow him to continue unchecked.”

A glimmer of hope returned to Zara’s eyes as she was once again surprised by her husband’s loyalty.

“We will return to Alarna for now,” Lait declared, his gaze intensifying, “but mark my words, we’re just getting started.”

The two shared a meaningful gaze when a knock on the door interrupted their reverie. Prompted by Lait, their guard Keo leaned inside.

“Ms. Zara,” she said. “Apologies for the interruption, but your sister and Ms. Aelene would like to see you.”

The words had barely left her mouth when Riala swiftly snuck through the crack in the door and flung herself into Zara’s embrace. “Hey, sis! Can I stay with you until you go back tomorrow?”

Zara’s eyes brimmed with tears as she gazed down at her half-sister, and then at Aelene, who had been invited in by Lait.

“Hello, Zara,” Aelene greeted with a bright smile. “It’s good to see you again. How have you been?”

Zara looked out into an uncertain future, but her heart swelled as the realization took hold that her lonely battle had perhaps clouded her perception of reality. Her sister was right there, thriving despite everything, and a friend she thought lost came to check on her at the first opportunity. And her husband... was really not a bad guy to be shackled to.