Liori sighed, shaking her head, though she couldn’t entirely hide her amusement.

With the door secured, the four friends stepped onto the bustling streets of Lower Elindoryl. The change was immediately compared to the lofty quiet of the townhouse. Narrow, winding lanes wove between tall, closely clustered buildings of pale stone and timber. Shops crowded every corner. Some had painted wooden signs, others just bright awnings fluttering in the sea-scented breeze.

A briny tang hung in the air, growing more pronounced the closer they came to the port. Occasionally, a gust of wind would carry the faint sound of gulls and the distant clang of metal rigging from ships docked along the water. Though the city was known for its elegance, the lower district was anything but sleepy as vendors shouted prices and hawked goods, children darted around corners in lively games, and visitors and locals alike wove through the labyrinth of alleys, arms full of parcels or baskets of produce.

“This is wonderful,” Elle murmured, taking in the sights. “It feels so…so alive.”

“Mind your bags,” Aer warned half in jest, half serious. “I’ve heard rumors about a growing number of pickpockets near the docks.”

Liori glanced at Aer. “Faye and I can craft a ward if we need – just a bit of protective magic.”

Faye let out a contented sigh as if she could finally breathe in the energy of the place. “You have no idea how good it feels to be out and about. No watchful eyes, no bedside doctors telling me to rest.” A small smile tugged at her lips. “And best of all, no one knows.”

They passed a series of narrow alleyways, each flanked by stacked houses whose second and third floors jutted out overhead. Laundry lines crisscrossed the gaps, and bright fabrics fluttered like festival banners in the perpetual sunlight. Indeed, no carts or carriages could navigate these cramped backstreets; deliveries were done by handcarts that squeezed through, sometimes jostling passersby to get by.

Now and then, someone glanced at the four women, noting their fine clothes and poised bearing. But this was Elytheris, where everyone carried themselves with at least a touch of grace. Most people offered a polite nod or smile and went about their business. Hawkers called out prices for fresh fruits or spun-sugar confections while street musicians played a lively tune on lute and flute near a small courtyard.

At a particular bend, they caught sight of a group of travelers in simple brown cloaks – likely merchants from a neighboring region outside of the capitol. Faye raised an eyebrow, recalling how she had heard about the human merchant earlier that day but kept any comments to herself. Instead, she turned to Elle.

“So, about Kali,” she ventured, returning to the earlier conversation. “Do you think we’ll just cross paths? Or should we be more…inventive?”

Elle pressed her lips together, thinking. “She’s probably patrolling along the main thoroughfare or near the harbor warehouses. We could walk that way. If we see her, great. If not, that’s fate speaking, yes?”

“That’s fair,” Liori agreed, brushing back her mint-hued hair. “We can wander the docks, maybe purchase a snack at the fish market stands. The salt air always gives me an appetite.”

“Agreed,” Aer said. “Let’s do it.”

As they meandered farther into the heart of Lower Elindoryl, the structures grew more weathered. Stone arches bore the dark patina of sea air, and thick barnacle-like growths clung to foundations near the waterline. The pungent mix of fish, salt, and fresh bread hit them all simultaneously. A wide main street opened ahead, revealing a narrow slice of azure sea between the rooftops.

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Pausing momentarily, they gazed at the busy wharf as wooden piers extended outward, ships bobbing in the gentle swells of Herawulf’s waters. As they loaded and unloaded crates, sailors barked orders while dockworkers hurried about with cargo manifests. Gulls swooped overhead, and shrill cries added to the city’s bright clamor.

Faye inhaled deeply, closing her eyes. “I missed this,” she confessed softly. “The hustle. The energy. We only see it from a distance in Stormweaver.”

Elle set a gentle hand on her friend’s shoulder, smiling. “Well, you’re here now. Let’s make the most of it.”

The four women passed vendors' stalls selling glossy pearls, salted fish, and artisanal goods. They weaved through knots of sailors telling tall tales of storms and sea monsters and crossed paths with robed scholars who might be studying the currents. Now and again, they paused to admire the swirling patterns on a tapestry or to laugh at a shopkeeper’s witty banter.

And in the back of their minds, each of them kept an eye out for a tall, red-haired figure in shining plate armor – Kalithra Wyndwisper, their beloved friend. Only when the sun had begun to sink and the sky turned a blazing orange did they finally spot the captain near the harbor’s edge in all her glory.

Faye and Aer moved first, slipping around stacks of crates and piles of rope to wave Kali over. She was busy directing her knights, her armor gleaming in the dying light. Upon seeing her friends, she excused herself quietly as she quickly dismissed her knights, reassigning her unit to continue their patrol. She then strode toward the shadows where her friends waited.

Removing her silver helmet, Kali let out a soft sigh. Shoulder-length red hair spilled out like a live flame under the sunset. She glanced over her shoulder to ensure no one followed, her sharp golden eyes alert.

“Faye and Aer,” she began with a cautious smile. “I didn’t expect you two here.” Her gaze flicked around, narrowing slightly in amused suspicion. “Am I right to believe that the Star of Our Empire is here too?”

Liori’s head popped out from behind a stack of barrels, teal eyes sparkling. “I’m here too!” she whispered, barely containing her giggle.

Kali pressed a hand to her forehead and laughed, scrunching her eyes shut as though she couldn’t believe it. “Oh my goodness, so everyone’s here, eh?”

From behind a cluster of fishing nets, Elle emerged, voice hushed but gleeful. “Had to visit you!” she said, gaze darting around to be sure no onlookers were approaching.

Kali’s brows lifted in a question. “How’d you all get here? Last I heard, at least one of you was confined to bed, and the others were supposed to be—”

“Magic,” the four chimed together, each wearing a conspiratorial grin. They paused instantaneously, catching one another’s eyes before bursting into quiet laughter.

Kali arched a brow, her golden gaze flicking between them with amusement and incredulity. “All right,” she said, lowering her voice as she glanced around the darkening harbor. “I need more details before I’m blamed for any of this. What exactly did you do?”

The four friends exchanged delighted looks. Faye spoke first, her dark hair shifting over her shoulder. “I, um…might’ve spent the last few months setting up a little portal network of sorts,” she said, mouth curving into a lopsided grin. “Only between Stormweaver and our family’s townhouse. So far.”

Liori picked up the explanation, teal eyes shining in the amber light. “We each tested it, making sure it was stable. That’s how we reached Lower Elindoryl faster than a messenger hawk could even be sent.”

“And all without an official escort,” Aer added, her violet eyes dancing. “We know it’s not strictly by the books, but it works.”

Elle finished, keeping her voice low but infused with excitement. “So…once we got into the city, we explored a bit. And here we are, just in time to watch the sunset and, hopefully, run into you.”

Kali shook her head, fondness and exasperation dancing across her features. “I should have known,” she murmured. “You’re the only group of misfits who would link half the city with a secret spell just to sneak out for an evening.”

Elle stepped closer, tone hushed as she ventured a playful smile. “We wanted to see you. And…well,” she shrugged as if her explanation were obvious, “we needed some excitement. Plus, you’ve always been the final piece of our puzzle.”

The flicker of temptation sparked in Kali’s keen yellow eyes. For all her discipline, the knight’s heart was not immune to the lure of adventure. “I can’t exactly abandon my post,” she began warily, but her glimmering gaze betrayed her.

“We’re not asking you to shirk your duties,” Liori assured her, resting a hand on the gleaming gauntlet that covered Kali’s forearm. “Just…patrol a different path for a bit. One that happens to cross ours.”