Madfalls Refuge. That was the name Lyn’s people gave to their sanctuary. Seraphina found it rather fitting. They were mad to call themselves resisters, when all they did at the time was hide away in their own little corner of the world. Maybe they once did have their own little network in Larcbust and Sabaria, but those days were long gone. She didn't hesitate to point out it was only a matter of time before the Emperor trained his eye on them. One slip. That would be all. The army would come. Those inexperienced and terribly trained refugees would wither away either under the empire’s steel or into slavery.
When Lyn called for a meeting, none appreciated Seraphina’s colourful and ominous speech. They didn’t understand why their leader had to leave. They blamed the newcommers, even though two were actually their leader’s children. But where Lyn, Seraphina, Maxwell, Vivienne and Griffin grew frustrated, Reggie took the chance to say his piece.
And they listened.
They all listened. The words flowing out of his mouth, laced with the gruff of his voice, had everyone hooked, whether of Madfalls Refuge or otherwise. When Reggie spoke of the work and goals of the League, the resistance they put up, the feats, the hardships, the ever-constant underlying movements, the people changed their stance. Where Seraphina’s warnings couldn’t accomplish anything, Reggie’s inspirational speech shifted the tide. He never managed to conclude. People rose up and pledged themselves to usurping the tyrant.
Reggie’s performance was so splendid, their spirits didn’t fall when Vivienne explained, without the details of her involvement, the plan in motion to release the land from the endless reign. Volunteers came forward instead. Were it not for Lyn’s vow to send squads into the Refuge once they’d reached their destination, the townspeople wouldn’t obey her command to stay behind. She explained haste and anonymity were of utmost importance. A group as large as the volunteers, one hundred gathered spanning all ages, was hardly inconspicuous, something they thankfully understood.
There was one person they didn’t, couldn’t, leave behind. Roderick. Seraphina protested at first. She didn’t like unexpected additions. She never did. It created more variables, more possibilities of something going wrong. Even Lyn’s and Griffin’s joining wasn’t to her liking, but they were family. Years of yearning overcame the fear and doubts. In the case of Roderick, though, it was logic that prevailed. He was an Aetheral. They couldn’t simply pass up a chance like that.
They stayed in Madfalls Refuge for the rest of that day and night so Lyn, Griffin and Roderick could make their own preparations, take care of clothing and provisions for the journey ahead. Their next stop for replenishment would be Ironham. It was the city the Shepherds had least control over, after Larcbust and Sabaria where the army’s bases laid, as the empire frequently oversaw the largest of mines under their rule.
What few outside the city knew was that Ironhammers excavated more than just the best steel for the imperial army and officers. It was a close guarded secret so other realms wouldn’t try anything against the magnificent fortress of the west. Ironham was the primary source of gold in the empire, a fact the League learned about by sheer luck.
One of the assassins had infiltrated the hidden gold mines in their attempt to eliminate their target. The overseer of the mines in Ironham. He’d been disrupting the roamers’ work in the surrounding area and the League ordered his death. They’d sent the twins and Seraphina had been that infiltrator.
Maxwell and Seraphina had exploited the newfound knowledge the last time they were there. Since the moment she uncovered the truth about the deep cavern, she’d orchestrated attacks at the caravans transporting the gold to the Dawnfield. With the help of her people in Mountmend, who knew the hills and cliffs of the area much better than any map Maxwell had stored in his mind, they’d managed to increase the Shepherds’ capitals a great deal, while the imperials were fighting amongst themselves thinking there had been a betrayal. Another victory for the resistance. A victory that benefited many hives.
But it was nothing compared to what they were trying to pull off that time.
The journey from the Refuge to Ironham was seventeen days long by their calculations. More people meant the food diminished faster and so, with a few days to go their provisions were through. Since Ironham wasn’t entirely safe and they would need their wits about, they decided to stay by Hawthorn Lake and hunt in the woods.
Due to her marksmanship, Seraphina would be an obvious first choice. Had it not been for her condition. Instead, Griffin, Roderick and Reggie went forth with Raine accompanying them, just like she and Reggie used to do when they were living in his Frederick’s cabin. Or so he kept saying.
That left Seraphina with Lyn, Vivienne, Maxwell and the pups. There was still tension between the twins, but at least they were civil with one another. Mainly at the request of Reggie and Vivienne.
“If it’s so unsafe, why are we stopping at Ironham?” Lyn asked while she was prepping the pots with Vivienne.
Seraphina was leisurely fueling their makeshift hearth, the humidity constituting her Elemental help necessary to keep the fire going. “Well, for one, we have to inform the guild master about the Refuge. Who was it last time, Max? I remember the seamstress, but who came later?”
Maxwell tried to remember. “That douser. I’ve forgotten his name, but it was Acilia everyone listened to, not him. She was the scorcher.” He awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
“Ohh, right. She’s the one who kept nagging to join us...” Seraphina said and cut her phrase short. If she remembered correctly, and his blush sure confirmed she did, Acilia had been one of Maxwell’s flings. “Anyhow… more than informing the guild, we need food. We can’t stop every other day to hunt. We have over thirty days of riding ahead of us.”
“Plus, the city’s not unsafe. Just a little more aligned with the empire than we would like.” Vivienne added with a smile. Good thing she wasn’t reading them in that moment. Seraphina couldn’t get the image of Maxwell following after Acilia. “Max, you really can let up, you know. Once I’m done, I’ll be on the look-out for any danger.”
“I know…” Maxwell said huffing. “The wolves are as agitated as I am. Maybe someone’s hiding.”
Before Seraphina felt Vivienne brush her mind, she shifted her thoughts elsewhere. First thing to come to mind was her baby and with it came the hunger. “I’m sure you can hold out a little longer, Sera. They managed to get something.” Vivienne then turned to Maxwell. “Nope, no one other than our people.”
He wasn’t pleased. “They could be hiding even from you.” He grabbed his axe and peeked over his shoulder. “I’ll run a perimeter.”
Seraphina shook her head as he walked away. “Why am I not surprised?” Neither Lyn not Vivienne answered. “Viv, care to go with him? We shouldn’t divide so much.”
“It’s like I told him. It’s just us around here. I’d feel a shielded mind even if it was an Aetheral, I just wouldn’t be able to get through.” Vivienne explained without pausing her preparations.
Seraphina knew all that. “Humour me anyway. Please…”
Her tone gave Vivienne pause. She sighed and straightened up from her squat. “Furious with him, yet still overprotective, huh?”
“It’s a hard habit to kick back.” Seraphina replied and could feel her sun-touched cheeks redden. Vivienne nodded and followed Maxwell’s course. She seemed sure of her steps, since she used her mind’s eye, searching for him. The familiar invasion ran through Seraphina’s entire body, giving her goosebumps. It was either Vivienne or Roderick, but she chose to believe it was Vivienne.
“How are you feeling, Sera?” Lyn asked after a short-lived silence, snatching her away from her thoughts. Seraphina must’ve seemed puzzled, so Lyn continued. “You’re rubbing your back and wincing. Too much riding, or…?”
“Or.” Seraphina replied before Lyn finished her sentence. She stood up to stretch and so did the pups, alarmed for no other reason than her sudden movement. Lyn giggled and Seraphina couldn’t hold back. “How did you do it?”
It was Lyn’s turn to become confused. “Did what exactly?”
“Stay and fight. After having Griffin.” Seraphina mumbled. “The other day Roderick mentioned that after you got yourself together, you’ve been trying to get those people out of their shell. That you moved up their ranks because of your passion for freedom.”
Lyn gave a half smile. “Passion? Is that what Roderick said?” Seraphina nodded. Lyn shook her head and her cheeks glistened as the firelight fell upon them. “It was heartbreak, scarlet. Empathy. I just didn’t want another family to go through what we did because of inaction. I blamed the Huddle for years. But when I became in charge, I didn’t want another to blame me, like I had blamed them.”
“But what about Griffin?” Seraphina insisted. “Didn’t you ever think to stand back so he wouldn’t lose his mother too?”
“Many times, but like I told you that first time fire danced across your skin without hurting you….” Lyn said and sat them both down on the nearby log. She spread out her palm and soon waterdrops dragged themselves towards the center of her hand, formed a waterball she then suspended in the air. Seraphina mimicked the gesture and a fireball hovered before the ever changing waterball. “…being an Elemental is a gift. A gift that comes with great responsibility.”
“I know. My mentors kept telling me.” Seraphina said nodding. “You and dad stayed behind at first though. Till they came for us…”
“We knew not of the resistance. Not till later in our life, when we already had our mischievous twins.” Lyn smiled, releasing the water. “It’s perfectly normal to feel like giving up this fight for the sake of your family, scarlet.”
“That’s the thing.” Seraphina frowned and clenched her fist, the flames magnified. “I don’t want to give up. I want to send my child away, to safety, and keep going. Doesn’t that make me unfit for motherhood?”
“Why do you want to keep going?” Lyn asked instead of answering.
Seraphina didn’t hesitate for a single moment. She’d answered that question too many times in the past to count. “Because Damien has taken too much from me. My skillset, whether Elemental or otherwise, can help save others. I can’t ignore that.”
“So you want to make the world a better place.” Lyn stated simply.
“Not exactly. I want the world to be a better place. If I wasn’t as essential as I can be, I don’t think I would mind staying away from the action.” She more or so corrected.
“Quite arrogant, don’t you think?” Lyn winked as Seraphina raised an eyebrow.
“Not any less true though.” She confirmed. Braun’s ears perked up before she could say anything else and so the two women waited to see what would happen. Raine soon appeared with a rabbit between her jaws, followed by the sound of several footsteps.
“In any case, scarlet…” Lyn started gently stroking along her jawline. “…I saw you around the children back at Madfalls. You won’t be a bad mother, trust me.”
“But I’ll be an absent one. Isn’t that the very same?” Seraphina suppressed her retorts. They may have been valid, but an indirect blow at Lyn. One that would hurt. Seraphina wasn’t inclined to cause her any pain, especially not over her own insecurities.
Reggie’s return with Roderick and Griffin only added to her reasons for staying quiet. She went by the lake’s edge, dipping her feet in and pushing back the hawthorns, while the men carried in their catch. They’d take down a boar and a couple of rabbits to add to Raine’s. The boar was large enough that it would suffice till they reached Ironham.
One look at Seraphina was all it took for Reggie to approach her. “What’s wrong?” He surveyed their camp and continued. “Where’s Max and Viv?”
“They went to run a perimeter. He insisted.” She shook her head as she spoke and he wrapped an arm around her. She swerved around the first question.
Lyn smiled at the sight. “Nothing’s wrong, Reggie. Absolutely nothing’s wrong.”
Seraphina could only look straight ahead. She needed to avoid Reggie’s inquisitive stare. He’d see right through her otherwise. It was the last thing she wanted.
----------------------------------------
Ashbourne was a small city, picturesque, with farm fields many would envy. Neverfall was significant in size, but it was the great marble obelisk at its center and the perched buildings on the mountain slides that created a dazzling atmosphere, especially at night with all the lanterns. Even Embersummit and Briohall had a certain appeal, each in their own way. Ironham had none.
The city most closely guarded by the empire after the capital, was so plain it’d make anyone wonder why there were so many soldiers around. It was nothing more than an enormous fortress. Even the people were plain, walking around with almost no purpose. No tell of emotion etched on their faces. They went about the granite establishments, ushered to their business, no child playing on the streets, no other sound than the hurrying feet.
“Even their market seems dead. How can they live like this? Why aren’t they leaving?” Lyn whispered while she, Maxwell and Vivienne maneuvered in the crowd.
For just a moment, the question crossed Vivienne’s mind as well, but she quickly remembered the secret mining cavern. “The profits must be great. Max, was it like this the last time you were here?”
“Not as quiet, but certainly like that. Ironham’s nothing more than a huge mine. Even the people… Most of them are just miners and their families. The rest? Soldiers.” Maxwell explained. “Come on, let’s get this over with and get back to the others. Viv, no reading.”
“I know, I know.” Vivienne said rolling her eyes.
Maxwell knew where their destination lied, so they let him walk ahead. Lyn was close behind and Vivienne guarded their rear, her fingers ready on her daggers at the waist. Even though she was rather obvious, no one spared her a second glance, as if they didn’t care she was armed. The indifference was much too unnerving.
Maxwell moved quickly around the crowd, gently pushing the people aside. Not once did he look back to check if the women were safe and still following him. Every so often he would look up at the signs, nod to himself and keep on. Whenever they saw imperial officers ahead of them, he’d changed course and go through to an alley, the women half a step behind.
Half an hour after they’d entered Ironham, they found the smithy they were looking for. The guild master’s home. They went around the back and Maxwell knocked on the door, once lightly, once more forcefully and a last time lightly. The door swung open and a rough hand pulled Maxwell in.
Vivienne took out her daggers and launched herself inside as well in a heartbeat. Had it not been for Maxwell standing between them, she would’ve stabbed the man who dragged Maxwell in. But he stood there, with his arms raised to calm her and spoke lightly. “Sheathe your blades, Viv.” He glanced over his shoulder and resumed. “They’re with me. You can relax.”
The man snorted loudly, but his posture changed to a calmer one. “I have the imperials breathing down my neck. I can’t relax, Maxwell.” He pushed past Maxwell and Vivienne before quickly shutting the door once Lyn was inside as well. “Has anything happened? Where’s little miss sunshine?”
“She’s safe and sound, just laying low by the city outskirts.” Vivienne answered before Maxwell could.
“Good. I don’t want my smithy on the verge of burning down again.” He said with a grumble. Vivienne would’ve asked, had Maxwell not started shaking his head. He might not remember the man’s name, but he seemed to remember his temper. “I’m guessing the messengers reached you?”
Maxwell nodded. “Pretty much. It seems they’ve redoubled their efforts to find Sera. So we’ll strike back.”
Another ironic snort came from Kai. “Good luck with that. They now have our kind on their side as well. That spineless traitor…”
“Our kind? There’s another Douser here?” Maxwell insisted sharing a worried look with Vivienne.
“So it’s true. We tell everyone now, huh?” The guild master asked pointing at Vivienne and Lyn, as Maxwell needlessly nodded. Lyn had stayed silent during the entire exchange so far. “No, I meant Elemental. This one’s a Blower. She’s not that old, maybe one of your roamer friends?”
Maxwell started scratching along his hairline. “Hopefully not…” He didn’t need to say another word, they understood. They could be compromised if it was. “Any idea where she is?”
“Most of the time she’s surveying the city from the overlook.” He slammed his fist on the wooden workbench. “That’s why I pulled you in fast. If you know her… She might have already seen you.”
Despite the heat from the forge and the sound of hammer against steel, a rush of cold air washed over Vivienne and she could only hear her heartbeat ringing through her ears. Her instincts commanded she read the area for danger, but her logic forbade it. A Drudge, if not others as well, would be instantly alerted to her presence. Even if they thought it came from Sera.
“It was crowded and we used the alleys. I don’t think anyone that matters saw us.” Maxwell was quick to say while his hand reached for Vivienne’s. “No reading.”
Vivienne nodded squeezing his hand. “I know.” She lifted her gaze up at the guild master. “We made a stop here for supplies and debriefing you. Looks like your news is more essential than ours, master.”
“Master? Not even my boys call me that. It’s Kai.” He corrected her and they finally knew his name without the need to ask. She nodded and went on to explain how an Elemental would obey the Emperor’s commands and describe their last experience with a Drudge. Kai liked neither. Being a practical man, he had only one question. “Is it reversible?”
Lyn straightened up and came closer. They had purposely concealed that piece of information when it came to Lyn, Griffin and Roderick, not wanting Roderick to know an Aetheral was capable of such a despicable feat. They were still wary of the man. “Is it...?”
Vivienne couldn’t help the grimace. “If one’s an experienced healer… The chances are greater. Lucian showed me how and we managed to reverse it in Etta’s case. I’m not sure I could do it again on a mind as bound as hers.” Her voice failed her at the mention of the girl’s name. “Had Sera not been around… Well, maybe she would’ve recovered. So, maybe, if she stays put and I succeed…”
“You’re not thinking of trying to heal her, are you?” Lyn exclaimed shocked. She went to Maxwell and the solemn look he gave her pretty much confirmed it. “Why? You said yourselves we are in a hurry to get back to your father…”
“We need the Drudge eliminated either way. It doesn’t matter whether she’ll be with us or dead, she just can’t be against us… An Elemental is a dangerous enemy to have.” Maxwell said followed by a sigh. “You should know about tough decisions, mom. This is one of them.”
Kai was taken aback by his words. “Mom? I thought… Brenton…”
“He was wrong.” Vivienne cut him off. “That’s another reason we’re here. The bandits in the pass… They’re no bandits. It’s a community of refugees.”
“They took my mother away.” Maxwell said coldly.
“Rescued, Max, rescued. They rescued me from the imperial officers chasing me and one of your Shepherds.” Lyn corrected him once again. “I’m Lyn, the Keeper of the community Vivienne mentioned.”
“A pleasure.” Kai said with surprising courtesy. They went on to inform him of Madfalls Refuge, its location, its people, the message anyone he’d sent should relay so they are accepted. Everything he needed so aid would come to Lyn’s people. Lyn had made a promise and it was then up to the League to keep it. “Maxwell, you and your sister… everyone that’s dealt with you acknowledges and respects your work. Nowadays even more so…”
“And we appreciated that, Kai.” Maxwell nodded in respect.
“…Let me finish.” He requested. “I can’t go through with it. I need authorization. From someone higher up. More than a roamer…”
Maxwell’s thin eyebrows shot up. Vivienne knew him well enough to predict his next move. Before he managed grab Kai, she placed herself between the two men. Looking over her shoulder, she noticed Maxwell had his eyes trained on Kai and his pupils twitched. The small scar on his right temple seemed to tremble.
“Easy…” She whispered to him and turned to Kai. “They’re refugees. Since when do you need the council’s permission to send people to aid refugees?” Vivienne asked confused.
It wasn’t Kai the one to answer. “He doesn’t. The aery bitch has my father spooked.” A woman appeared at the doorway, grease and coal covered her apron. She was at least a head taller than Vivienne, almost as tall as Maxwell.
“But never you, huh?” Maxwell asked stepping around Vivienne.
The woman chuckled. “I’m not easily intimidated. Don’t you already know that, darling?” She winked and embraced him.
Vivienne wasn’t fond of their intimacy or the tender nickname. She liked it even less when she compared herself to the woman. Even filthy as she was from her work at the smithy, it was hard to ignore her slender curves and fuller cleavage. Vivienne had seen into too many minds of dirty men to know they preferred women like the one in Maxwell’s arms.
“I never said you were.” He pulled back and cleared his throat. “Mom, Vivienne, this is Acilia.”
“The one and only.” She continued and went to shake both Vivienne’s and Lyn’s arms. “Where’s the emperor’s favourite girl these days?”
Vivienne could hardly form a coherent thought, let alone answer. Lyn saw that and took point. “Away from imperial eyes.”
“Good. Wouldn’t want her getting hurt.” Acilia nodded and turned to Kai. “Father, they need you downstairs.”
“Sure they do.” Kai said shaking his head and walked to the door Acilia had come from, cursing under his breath. He stopped and glanced at Maxwell. “Be careful. The imperials look into things more than the last time you were here.”
“Of course.” Maxwell said and waited until he was out of the room. “Okay, Acilia, what’s the status?”
“Straight to business, darling? Isn’t that Sera’s thing?” Acilia said with a snicker.
Vivienne noticed Maxwell fidget uncomfortably. While she had deduced there was history between Maxwell and Acilia long before they crossed the gates of Ironham and mentally prepared herself, moment by moment, the façade was dissolving. She tried to remain unaffected, but the inevitable comparison between herself and Acilia combined with Maxwell’s reaction didn’t help.
“Still is, but we’re on a tight schedule here.” Maxwell shrugged, but his shoulders sagged a bit too much. He was trying too hard to seem indifferent. “This Blower business makes matters worse.”
Acilia nodded and went to the nearby water basin to rinse off some of the dirt. “Then there’s that little problem with my father. With all these extra imperials around, he won’t send anyone into the canyon. I would’ve handled it myself, but you know….” She gracefully whipped her pitch-black hair back, the short curls hugging her long face well and gave a playful glare. “…a certain someone refused to train me.”
Vivienne had seen into many a mind in her lifetime. She’d seen the paranoia of envy edged into the lovers. That was the first time she experienced it firsthand. But unlike other people she’d observed, her envy kept her frozen in place. After so long together, she’d taken Maxwell so much for granted, she had a hard time thinking he might prefer another to her. The terror of that realization prevented her from moving.
“I may look tough, but we all know I’m not the one really calling the shots.” Maxwell replied and winked at Vivienne. During her time with the twins, they’d either follow what the majority ruled or Seraphina’s suggestion. Reggie was living proof of it.
The wink and acknowledgement worked as a wake-up call. A jolt to get her moving. The first to respond were her facial muscles as she broke into a smile. Then her body followed and she went to stand by Maxwell. Whatever history lied between him and Acilia, he’d walked out. She tried to focus on that. Just for a moment, that made her feel confident. Her posture changed. She straightened up, pushed her shoulders back and her chest out. She got back control over herself.
“Well maybe Sera and I would go with your ideas, if you thought of the consequences.” She rolled her eyes as she spoke. Images of tending Maxwell’s idiotic injuries circled the front of her mind. She turned to Acilia. “For instance, from what I hear, you’re the one who gets things done around these parts, not your father. How could they take away such an asset from Ironham?”
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Acilia considered her words for a moment before nodding. “Valid point…” She paused and squinted at Maxwell. “…even though I don’t like it.” She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. “So, how should we proceed?”
“You need to send people to Madfalls. The people will get restless.” Lyn said concerned. She was still their Keeper, she couldn’t abandon them.
Acilia shook her head. “Not with that many imperials around, I can’t. And the Elemental. None of our smiths will leave their families behind and the last messengers left for Briohall long before you came. I apologize, but like I said, you need to do something first. Seraphina can easily sneak in. Just like last time.”
“No. We won’t risk that.” Maxwell said while Lyn and Vivienne shook their heads.
“She can’t, but I can.” Vivienne said looking at Maxwell who nodded. “Either we sneak them in or we go out.”
Lyn was first to offer a suggestion. “We go out. Those wolves won’t stay out unless either she or Reggie stay out and Reggie won’t leave her side.”
“Even if it wasn’t for the wolves, there are too many imperials around. One of his fellow soldiers could be here.” Maxwell added and although he really tried, his words were laced with bitterness.
“Fellow soldiers?” Acilia exclaimed. “Who’s this Reggie? An imperial?”
“Don’t you get the latest gossip?” He asked and couldn’t help the huff. “Sera’s a little different from the last time you saw her. She’s married. To an ex-imperial.”
If one didn’t look directly at Acilia when Maxwell spoke, they’d miss the momentary lift of her eyebrows. It was so prompt even Vivienne barely caught it. “Next thing you’re going to tell me is you switched to a scorcher. Maybe we can have some fun now, darling.” She said with a wink.
Vivienne was no Fire Elemental, but she felt as if her own blood was boiling. “I’ll disappoint you there, Lia, but it’s true about my sister.” Maxwell’s hand slid into hers when he paused. “My mother and girlfriend can confirm if you’d like.”
That time she didn’t try to hide her surprise. Or disappointment. After the initial jolt, she brought her hand to her lips and shook her head scowling. Vivienne couldn’t help digging into her mind. She didn’t like seeing Maxwell’s naked body, with far less scars that it had now. “The twins. Taken. One by an imperial, one by…this. Why is she snickering at me? Hmm, maybe if I get him alone and remind him of…”
“Ahem.” Maxwell interrupted her reading and snapped her out of her trance. With her attention back to the matter at hand, he continued. “So, since we agree, I say we get out, convene with our allies and we’ll go from there. Sounds good, girls?”
“Yes, Max. Let’s go. The sooner we are done, the better.” Lyn said and went to open the door they’d come from. Just before she touched the handle, the nearby torch lit up and the flames spread, dancing between Lyn and the wood, preventing their departure.
As Lyn turned around, Vivienne noticed her mouth’s edge curl up and her eyes narrow. She’d seen that very same snicker numerous times. Seraphina would take up that grimace moments before she exploded into an argument – lecture or a fist fight, either of which she would always win.
Vivienne wasn’t the only one to know what was coming. Maxwell instantly placed himself and Vivienne between the other two women. “I forgot to mention…” he said eyeing his mother. “…Acilia prefers using her element to words.”
Lyn still had Acilia locked with a glare, but at least she didn’t advance on her. “I’m a bit bold.” A laugh came, humourless, challenging.
Vivienne couldn’t help herself. “Or stupid. All it takes is one witness at the wrong place, at the wrong time.”
Silence.
All ferocious tension dissipated, remorse replaced it. Lyn’s shoulders hunched, her head seemed suddenly heavy as it fell, the edges of her eyes glistened with unshed tears. Acilia fidgeted on her heels, the flames long extinguished, and she was scratching her neck. All were signs she knew about how Lyn had been made all those years before.
Only Maxwell kept calm, his face unchanged. He reached for an axe with a shorter handle and blades sharper than his own. He examined it with care before unstrapping his war axe and presented it to Acilia. “It needs some sharpening. It also gives us an excellent excuse to return here later. Make it happen?”
Acilia nodded before taking the weapon in her hands. “I’ll start working on it right away.” She looked up at Lyn. “I…”
“Save it.” Lyn interrupted her. “Lead on, Max.”
Lead on he did. Once they were past the city gate, he urged Lyn forward, pulling Vivienne to the side, towards the aqueducts conveying water to the sparse farm fields outside Ironham.
When they reached the top of the low hill overlooking the fields, she walked ahead and breathed in. Ironham oozed with the scent of coal, steel and rust. Out there, so close to the aqueducts, a gush of fresh air hit her, bringing forth light floral scents. A pleasant change to iron trimming and rust.
“What are you showing me this time? What’s special about this spot?” Vivienne asked. Her arms were crossed against her chest, her nails dug into her elbows.
“It’s loud… Always empty.” Max replied and stood next to her. His arm circled her waist, something she allowed, but didn’t otherwise move. “What got you so mad?”
“What makes you think I’m mad?” She asked halfheartedly.
His free hand was rubbing her arm as he touched his lips to her hair. “Your anger was radiating. It rushed through me and I bet I wasn’t the only one.”
“It wasn’t anger, my innocent brute.” She said and took a deep breath. Rather than pushing her, he let her take her time. “It was jealousy.”
Another soft kiss to her head. “What for?” He whispered in her ear. “There’s nothing but history between me and her.”
“History, right.” She pulled back and looked up at him. “You didn’t see into her head.” The images returned to the front of her mind, making her shiver in disgust.
“No, but you’ve said before you’ve seen people fantasizing… About me, you… all of us really. It never bothered you.” Maxwell noted.
“First time what I see is memories, though.” Vivienne countered and took a few steps away from him. “It’s more than that.” She drew patterns with her boot on the dirt before her, trying to find the words.
“Please don’t tell me it’s the looks…” Maxwell pleaded with her in her mind. He didn’t move. Not a single step.
She turned on her heels and looked him in the eye. “I’m very confident about how I look, Max, thank you very much.” She rubbed her forehead and pulled her hair back. “My problem is in her memories you seemed to looove how she looks. You’re more attracted to her than me.” He kept scratching at his scruffy cheek. “What?”
“I’m a little confused.” He cocked his head and walked towards her. His finger touched her jaw and titled her head up so she’d look at him. “Yeah, Acilia is a girl of my past. A few nights of distraction.” She tried to turn away but he held her in place. “With you, I want every night. Every day. I want to marry you. I’m flattered, but I honestly don’t see how you could be jealous. This bookworm is all yours.” His childish grin made her smile too. “I can rack my brain to find some good love poetry if you wish. Hmm, there's one mom always liked...”
She pulled him down, kissing him, and touched their foreheads together. “Let’s not. There’ll be no stopping you and I don’t think our companions will appreciate it so much.”
He nodded and kissed her nose. “Sure. Just no more baseless thoughts, okay? Don’t want you running off on your own because you got the ridiculous idea I want somebody else.”
"They're not that baseless. I drive you crazy." She said taking a step back and childishly stuck her tongue out at him.
"Actually..." Shaking his head, he reached for her hand. "...I call it keeping-me-interested, you know.”
"Ohh, better prepare yourself. You'll be interested for the rest of your life.” She said and winked.
“I’d like that.” He said pulled her against him. “Are we good?”
"We’re good. Kind of." She winked and started pulling him back. "Let's get going. Sera has to plot and I'll probably need to execute."
"Couldn't make a better word choice if you tried." Maxwell said as the water flow in the aqueducts for once overpowered his booming laugh. With an arm over her shoulder and her own around his waist, they headed back to their companions.
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When Lyn returned, she made quick work of telling them what they'd found out from Acilia and Kai. Seraphina had cursed, devised three different plans based on where the Blower could be and cursed some more before Maxwell and Vivienne showed up.
"Which round of swearing is this?" Vivienne asked once she was close. Seraphina was pacing, her fingers digging into her temples, and murmuring.
"Just done with the second." Griffin answered with his hands crossed across his chest. "I have to admit… She scares me."
Maxwell cackled. "Family or not matters little to her, so if you’re being an idiot around her, be careful." He threw a light punch at Griffin's shoulder.
Rubbing his shoulder, Griffin grew more nervous. "Will do." He cleared his throat and turned away from Seraphina. "How long does this last?"
Maxwell, Vivienne and Reggie exchanged looks, before Reggie shrugged and answered. "Depends on when she’s satisfied with her plan’s odds. Then we go with it."
"Do we not question her plan?" Lyn asked intrigued with how they all let Seraphina take point and accepted her words.
"Sometimes." Maxwell replied.
"Carefully." Vivienne added.
"If we’re very sure." Reggie concluded eyeing his cunning wife just as she huffed and walked to them groaning.
"Too many stupid variables and no time." Seraphina scrunched her nose and continued. "I don’t like it, but I have a plan."
Then they all threw themselves in session.
An Aetheral mind reader around had often proved handy since the beginning of their journey from Embersummit, but it was the first time they'd used it to relay a plan as Seraphina wouldn't be with them to walk everyone through. Without Vivienne and Roderick, Seraphina would've had to draw maps, make detailed and lengthy descriptions of what the entry point look like, the placements of what booby traps she could remember and convey tricks and suggestions for easy access.
But Vivienne was around and she would be taking point in that endeavour, so once they'd decided on their course of action, it took only a few moments to pass onto Vivienne the information needed for a successful infiltration. All it took was Seraphina thinking about it all.
There was only one way into the citadel. Apart from scaling the high wall by the city exterior or going through its gates, both quite hazardous and castoff options. There was a cramped aperture the twins had managed to open up in their last assignment in Ironham.
After spending half of spring in the city, unable to crack the imperial ranks and assassinate their target, they grew so weary and desperate, they had accepted the treacherous climb was inevitable. In their search along the thick rocky wall for the most appropriate starting point, their Elemental nature had once again come in handy as they'd come upon something better.
They'd been cursing and fighting amongst themselves with Maxwell insisting brute force had been the right course of action, when a sound and gut feeling changed his mind. Away from the aqueducts he shouldn't have been feeling running water, but he had and it'd driven them to seek its source.
Their find had brought them before a crack on the wall. An underground tunnel had started seeping into stone eating away at it. Nature had come to their aid. Over the course of the next few days, they'd returned to the spot with buckets of water. Using their influence over their respective Elements, they'd heated and cooled the stones repeatedly. Little by little, foot by foot, they'd carved a crawlway, a piece of knowledge they'd shared with the rest of the Shepherds through their journals on their return.
The other side led to court gardens with a myriad of blossoms, their stems and shades masking the covered hole and their scent mixing with the thick earthy smell it sent through. The problem lied in the fact they never widened it for fear it would get discovered. Seraphina had placed in front of the entrance the largest boulder she could carry once she'd been through. Even a simple search would easily reveal the crack, but the Imperials of Ironham were even less concerned of rebels and were mostly right.
Mostly.
With a passage so narrow, Maxwell was simply unable to follow Vivienne. Seraphina was the most wanted and probably easiest face to recognize among the imperials, so she was out of the question too. The others had spent a lifetime away, secure in their clustered community and that left Reggie as the only alternative companion. It was rather fortunate Seraphina needed not spent much time explaining her plan, because they spent the rest of the day forming a series of logical, undeniable arguments to get Maxwell to comply. Even then, Reggie could see the man's hands tremble whenever their eyes met.
Once they were gathered by the open crack, Seraphina pulled him aside, much to his confusion. "What's wrong?"
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down so she could whisper in his ear. "Vivienne's acting up. Keep a close eye on her and don't let her read anyone." She pulled back and stared him down. "None of it, you hear me?"
He noticed Maxwell watch their exchange, so he smiled and pecked her. "Not a single soul. But lighten up, Max is watching."
"Make sure his girlfriend gets back without doing anything stupid and he'll be fine." His grimace must've showed the disbelief edged in his gut, but she rolled her eyes and continued. "Trust me?"
"Always." His reply did make her smile.
They walked back to their people as Vivienne was already waiting by the crack in the wall. “Shall we?” She waited for Reggie to nod and motioned him forward. “After you. You’ll probably need to push away that rock at the end of the tunnel.” He nodded again and squeezed Seraphina’s hand before moving forward.
In they both went, hauling a rucksack of clothes behind them. They were bound to encounter people insider the citadel and so their guises hid inside the sack. Reggie’s imperial uniform, a token of a life he’d led so long ago it seemed but in reality was no more than four cycles before and a maid’s dress for Vivienne with a wimple to hide her easily remembered red hair. Acilia and her crew had managed to secure Vivienne’s attire for such endeavours.
Neither talked while they were crawling through the dirt and rubble. Numerous insects and rat droppings touched their hands, yet not once did Vivienne mouth her disgust, much to Reggie’s surprise.
With no source of light to guide them, it was no surprise he bumped his head on the boulder. He stifled a groan. “We reached the end.” He said so Vivienne wouldn’t crawl on to him.
“The bang gave you away. How’s the head?” She asked and touched his leg, not expecting his answer. Before he could say anything, she’d already mended his light trauma and with it, the building dizziness faded away.
“All good.” He confirmed and put his head close to the stone, trying to listen for any imperial on the other side. “I don’t hear anything. Do you?”
He felt Vivienne’s gift surge through him. The very thing Seraphina had instead she not do. “Not a single soul ahead. Start pushing.” For fear his words might reach the ears of the twins, he refrained from voicing his objection and just threw himself at the rock.
It gave way more easily than he’d guessed. Combined with the overall absence of people, not necessarily guards but workers too, it both pleased and alarmed him. Seraphina had warned them that during the night, there was hardly anyone in the south wing by the gardens, which was why she had been able to cover the crack in the wall as well as she had, but it still seemed suspicious to him.
Once there was an opening, big enough to barely fit them through, he crawled out. After a quick look around, he signaled Vivienne to come out as well and they shut the wall crack again. They went on to change into their disguises and set out to explore the grounds.
Their first move had to be to find where the Air Elemental was, for which Seraphina had a few suggestions. All required them to split up, something neither liked, but could also think of no alternative. “Okay, so if the maids don’t go through, you’re turning to the kitchen staff, right?” Vivienne nodded as she patted the dust off her dress. “Right. So where are we meeting up? And when?”
She looked around and soon pointed at the gardeners’ shed. “There. That shed in two hours?” It was his turn to nod. “Okay then. Good luck.”
She started rushing away, but Reggie stopped her. “Viv.” She glared at his hand, but he didn’t let go. “Two hours. In the shed. No matter what, okay?” She groaned, but nodded nonetheless. “And don’t read anyone. If something happens, Maxwell’s gonna kill me.”
She smiled and shook her head. “How about you focus on our task? Find and convert or kill the Elemental?”
He watched her walk away and once she went inside, he straightened his uniform making his way towards the barracks. “This isn’t gonna end well…”
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When they’d tried to free Etta from the Emperor’s power, Lucian had talked Vivienne through every step before they started working. “Note the state of her mind, Vivienne. Arrays of thorns and trapping everywhere, right? At first, what we did wrong back then was we tried to cut it all down piece by piece, when in reality, all we need to do is untie the knot keeping it all together. Simple, isn’t it?”
It sounded simple, but it was anything but that. Destroying the knot had been the easiest part, but finding and then reaching it was the real challenge. They couldn’t probe too much in fear of shuttering her. They couldn’t hang back and wait for an opening because Damien’s touch felt their intrusion and dug its claws deeper into Etta’s spirit. Their work had to be swift and delicate to keep both her body and her mind alive.
It’d taken two Aetherals, one a master of his gifts, and half a day to set Etta free. Vivienne had neither the time nor the mastery of Lucian at her disposal, so from the moment Seraphina started laying out her suggestions, Vivienne withdrew into herself, letting Reggie hear the plan while she kept trying to access how she’d deal with the Elemental. She paid attention only when Seraphina explained the layout of the citadel.
She needed to find the kitchen. With a light Aetheral persuasion of the right person, that would be the easy way into the Blower’s quarters. Despite her promise to Reggie, she hoped that by the time she had to return to the gardeners’ shed, she’d have dealt with their target. One way or the other. Even though she wished she could return with a sane and lucid Elemental, maybe even a friend of the twins, she was a realist and knew the odds were against that outcome. But she had to try nonetheless.
On her first encounter with an imperial, she talked her way out of it, no use of her natural gifts on either of the two guards. They were so young there was no trace of hair on their bodies other than the top of their head. So young they stood fidgeting awkwardly when Vivienne attempted to charm them. Children. They should be nowhere near such a post.
Yet it worked in Vivienne’s favour since they were ignorant, asking no questions whatsoever and before the clocktower struck twice, she reached the kitchen without any trouble. The head cook wasn’t around, probably off sleeping, but his scullions were tending to the fire and cleaning the pots and cutlery for the new day to come.
The first to notice her was the man carrying coal for the firepit. Silver strands of hair stood out here and there on his scalp and she could see the callouses on his hands even though they were black from the coal. His eyes were red and black circles spread under them. “Who are you, lass?”
She kept her composure and even offered a helping hand feigning exhaustion of her own. “Riley.” She grunted lifting the heavy sack. “I’m with the envoy from the capital. I serve as the lady’s maid.”
The man snorted as he threw coal and firewood into the fire pit. “Hmm, what does she want this time?”
She’d promised not to read anyone inside the citadel, but his tone intrigued her. When a tentative read showed no danger, she dug deeper and what she saw she didn’t like. “No additional raids tonight. Just a plate of food and I better get it up to her fast.”
“Yeah, lass, hurry off.” He nodded and shooed her.
Hearing the short conversation, a boy handed her a tray and she walked away. Seraphina hadn’t openly walked through the citadel’s main corridors because she had wanted to remain undetected and so Vivienne was treading uncharted waters. She had a general sense of where she needed to go, but she was mostly guessing her way. Upon seeing the tray, no one spared a second glance at her other than to nod. A few even nodded in a certain direction, which she figured to be the way to the Elemental.
When Vivienne stood before the black cladded imperials with Dawnfield’s rising sun insignia sewn on their sleeves, she knew she had found the right quarters. The two soldiers were with their backs against the wall on either side of the door, eyes closed, but when they heard her, they opened them to look at her. They weren’t alarmed at all. Such was their confidence that they really were completely unconcerned a woman they had never seen before appeared in front of them.
Due to their attitude, she was certain she could talk her way out of this, just like with the scullions in the kitchen and no one would bat an eye. But she needed extra time with no interruptions and more importantly, she didn’t want to be a red-flag for the empire like Seraphina. One of them was trouble enough.
So, the Aetheral side of her took charge. “The lady needs her privacy. No one is to enter her quarters. You will forget about seeing me.”
She didn’t need to say the last part, just shroud her image in their minds with a blackness they couldn’t identify. Lucian had insisted it was unnatural and she shouldn’t enforce her will on people. He had refused to teach her, but she provided a good argument, her present situation, and he had half-heartedly agreed.
As if in a trance, the guard to her right opened the door and once she slipped inside, she heard him lock it. She immediately set the tray down and tiptoed to the bed, standing over the sleeping woman.
She appeared malnourished which explained why no one found it strange she had supposedly requested a meal in the middle of the night. Wrinkles spread across her forehead and eyes, scars of shackles covered her arms and neck. She had an E tattooed behind her eye confirming she was one of the resistance and possibly a friend of the twins, which made her task even more nerve-cracking.
Vivienne gave a light probe to her mind and the woman would’ve shot up if Vivienne hadn’t expected it and knocked her out again. She placed her fingers on her temples for direct connection and set to work. She saw the mental trap right away and she easily noted that it was a sloppy one. There were cracks all over it. Unlike in Etta’s case, the core knot was exposed and Vivienne easily destroyed it.
The woman’s mind immediately flashed bright, much like any other Elemental Vivienne had encountered. Vivienne blinked repeatedly to get her bearings again and that was when she realized their mistake. Keira, the Air Elemental lying unconscious in front of her, wasn’t at the top of the citadel for her protection. It was so they could control the situation should Damien’s hold break. Her guards knew the Drudge was unstable and could revert at any given time. His work hadn’t sloppy, it was the best he could do on a mind as driven as Keira’s. She must’ve broken through the knots after she got sent out.
Vivienne ran to the door, barricading it with the wooden chairs she found in the room. She returned to the bed and started shaking the woman. She needed to wake up before anyone decided to come check on her. She looked out the window surprised the sun had come out. It’d taken longer than she had expected. Reggie had to be furious and was probably searching anxiously for her. It was even more imperative she and Keira escaped.
She wouldn’t budge. Vivienne had wacked her good. “By the Elements, wake up, damn it.” She exclaimed annoyed. In a desperate last attempt, she tried to surge Keira’s body with energy, just like she did when she healed people, with the only difference being she used none of Keira’s life force. Only her own. It woke Keira up right away, but severely weakened Vivienne.
Keira jumped up from the bed and blew Vivienne away, right to the corner of the room and seemed to suck her air out making it difficult for her to breathe. “I’ll die before you get a hold of me again!”
Struggling to breathe, Vivienne extended her arms at the blower. “W…” She tried, but her voice failed her. Instead, she grabbed the first thing she could and threw it at her to shake her concentration. It worked. “Keira, wait! I’m a friend, not foe.” Keira tried to hurl her up again, but Vivienne moved out of the way and kept talking. “You’re a roamer, aren’t you? Bandville perhaps?” It gave Keira momentary pause. Only momentary. “You must know Brenton’s twins. I’m with them, they sent me here.”
“Lies! Leila never backs down from a challenging intrusion!” She shouted back, still trying to get Vivienne.
“Sera...” She corrected in a low voice in case there were imperials on the other side of the door she hadn’t charmed. “…didn’t back down. She’s been red-flagged by the Emperor. He told to find her, don’t you remember? She was your target.”
That stopped Keira. Both her hands went to the sides of her head, rubbing her temples. “It’s…unclear. Her face lies in the front of my mind with an urgency I can’t explain.” She looked Vivienne in the eye for the first time since she awoke. “How do you know all that?”
“You can have the full story from the lips of people you trust, because right now we need to escape. I’ve been stupid.” She said and took a step towards Keira, gauzing her reaction. No attacks came.
She scanned the room, but made no move to hurt Vivienne. “You thought they put me up here for my protection.”
“We figured the Emperor wanted all the Drudges safe. We didn’t think they considered you a danger.” Vivienne snorted in disgust. “Only a tool to serve against their enemies.”
“Drudge?” It seemed to remind her of something. “Stop.” Keira held her hands out and shook her head. “You’re only giving me a headache. Explanations can come later. How are we getting out of here?”
“Good question…” Vivienne’s plan was to come out the same way she came in. That plan dissolved as soon as she realized their mistake. “I’m trying to think. We can’t go out the door and I’m too weak to climb down...” She checked Keira over and continued. “You don’t look too well either.”
A key turned at the door and both their heads snapped to it. As the handle turned, Vivienne’s makeshift barricade held back whoever tried to enter the room. Loud bangs filled the sudden silence. “Open this door right now, creature!”
Vivienne almost yelped. She pulled Keira back to the window so the others didn’t hear. “That’s my partner in your rescue, Seraphina’s husband.” She put a hand over Keira’s mouth to stop the surprised gasp. “Not what you expected from her, I know.” She looked out the window. They were too up high, but with Reggie on the other side of the door, the ridiculous plan forming in her mind might work. “You held me up in the air when you woke up.”
“I also cut off your air. I was trying to kill you. Want me to try that on a castle full of imperials?” Keira asked seriously. The idea didn’t seem to bother her. On the contrary. It made her smile.
“No. We need to slip out, not have the entire empire on our trail.” Vivienne said quickly before she tried anything.
“If I run off, they’ll give chase and you’ll have a chance to escape.” Keira said and took a few steps towards the door. On the other side, Reggie kept banging on the other side, yelling for them to open up, but on the inside told her to get out of his head until they were ready for him to actually burst through.
Vivienne stopped her. “Stop that already.” She whispered. “Either we’re both slipping out, or we’re both fighting our way out.” She dragged Keira back to the window. It was closed shut and they could only break the glass, but she could spot the tiniest of ledges. They’d be barely able to keep a hold. “Do you think you can keep us hanging for a short time.”
“Yes. I feel like I could create a windstorm if you want.” Keira said with confidence oozing from her. The surge of energy Vivienne had used to wake her seemed to have lasting effects. “They’ll see us though.”
Vivienne nodded. “Unless Reggie comes in first.” She swung the chair at the window, breaking the glass. “If he doesn’t, he’ll assist us in the fight. It’s a chance and we’re taking it. Come on, we need to be quick.”
Vivienne was first to step out on the ledge and in an instant, she could feel an invisible pressure on her body, keeping her plastered on the wall, not letting her fall. Keira was doing her part well. When they were both out, Vivienne reached for Reggie’s mind and the racking inside the room increased.
“I have four people with me, two seem to be in a trance.” Reggie was telling her as they broke through the door. The two were no doubt the guards she’d charmed on her way in. “I outrank them, so we have the upper hand. If you got out of the window, get out of my head so I’m the one to come looking.”
In such cases, one sided reading was creating problems, but Reggie had proven himself as a strategist once more. It’d never crossed anyone’s mind to use an Aetheral’s reading in that manner. Only him. During their time in Briohall, both him and the twins always included mental communication exercises in their training.
Moment after she withdrew from his mind, Reggie’s face appeared by the window. His facial muscles, strained as they were because of the situation, relaxed upon glancing at her. She could only imagine his surprise when he looked the other way to find Keira in the same position. “Fools!” He yelled and turned back to the room. “She has escaped! She’s soaring east as we speak. Get some men and ride after her this instant!”
“Yes, sir!” They unanimously replied and they raced out the room.
Moments later, once the rushing feet sounded distant, Reggie reappeared. “Get back in, we don’t have much time.” First went Keira, then Vivienne followed and they were already hurrying away. He was furious. “Search and assess first. That’s what we were supposed to do. Search and assess first.”
Vivienne nodded. She wanted to apologize, but her judgement call hadn’t been wrong. Only her calculation of how long it’d take to remove the Emperor’s knot from Keira’s mind. “I know, but it didn’t take me more than an hour to get in the room. Took me a little longer than I expected to free Keira.”
“Hush… We need to get out. Undetected.” Reggie said and they went silent.
Reggie walked forward with Vivienne and Keira on either side of him. They walked through the citadel corridors at a steady pace, turning whenever there was commotion ahead of them. At the last turn before the south garden, they found two guards stationed at the exit leading to the courtyard.
Before they got a chance to talk it through, they saw both men reach for their necks, struggling to breathe. Reggie and Vivienne glanced at Keira, who looked directly at the dying men, obviously intent to kill them. Reggie tried to reach to her, but Vivienne stopped him. “It’s too late now. They’ll report her presence here. Plus…” She glanced at the broken woman next to her. “…she wants to regain some of what they’ve taken from her.”
Asphyxiation was by far the worst way to die, but one of the cleanest. Once the men lost their battle with Keira’s force, Reggie and Vivienne dragged them out towards the crack with Keira helping out as much as she could. They couldn’t leave the bodies behind. Much like fighting their way out, it’d give the empire their direction. They hadn’t gone into such trouble infiltrating the citadel to have imperials find them then.
Once they reached the wall crack, they sent Keira in first, followed by Vivienne holding one end of the rope tied to one of the bodies. The women reached the other side, Maxwell and Griffin pulled the one body, then the next, and at last Reggie came out too.
Lyn already had a blanket wrapped around Keira. Vivienne buried herself in Maxwell’s arms, exhausted by the long night’s ordeal, while she saw Seraphina do the same with Reggie. Signs of true affection in public. By Seraphina nonetheless. A successful trespassing by Vivienne. So much had changed since the night she’d met the twins. Both women had grown.
Seraphina had found her peace in Reggie’s companionship. He gave her the room to be herself, yet stood by her side. Her priorities straightened and she no longer disregarded her life for the sole purpose of razing the empire. The empire’s destruction was still her goal, but she looked ahead. She wanted to survive. She had reasons to.
Vivienne discovered herself. Became her own person. She embraced her nature and found her place. Helping and looking out for people. Because of the twins, she was no longer the frightened little girl in Michael’s tavern, hiding away behind Madam Jean’s skirts. She was capable of accomplishing things herself. She was independent. It was her own choice to stay and fight beside the twins and Reggie. It was her choice to go rogue and go after the Emperor herself.
“Hey…” Maxwell whispered in her ear. “…where did you run off to?”
She held him closer and smiled looking at Seraphina demanding Reggie’s report. She pulled back and motioned to Seraphina. “She keeps reinforcing my decision.”
Maxwell sighed. “I know…”