“Such a waste.” The noble said with a sigh. Like that, the looming threat fell away. “Your reason is satisfactory. Now the question becomes what to do with you.” The woman considered Two. Her blue eyes were bereft of their fatal chill.

“You are to address as Lay Salen or Ma’am. Do you understand?”

“Yes, lady Salen.” Two said and ducked her head as the guards did. The noble huffed, in affirmation or disapproval she couldn’t tell. Nor did she care, tall that mattered was the noble’s softening distaste.

“I am Leandra Salen ambassador of my clan To the Eldest city,” the woman continued in an authoritative tone. Two didn’t know an ambassador’s ranking in the hierarchy nobles followed. The lady’s tone assured her it was rather high. “And Deadra Salen my niece is the heir of my clan”

For a moment, hope placed ‘my’ in place of ‘the’. Her mind quickly removed her from that kind notion. “Oh,” the words leaked from her lips.

“Oh indeed Two.” The girl in question was too stunned to be surprised her name was used. “So orphaned child of serpents, is there any way you can help ensure my niece’s safe return beyond me using you as bait to lure out your thug of an adopted mother.” The raven was so filled with malice that it overflowed into a rather admirable hiss when words alone failed her.

She needn’t have bothered. Two could taste her surging wroth and was thankful it wasn’t aimed at her. Once again Two felt very small.

“I’m waiting for your suggestion.”

Two swallowed with a parched throat. “I believe I would better serve inside the castle. I would be able to interfere and delay in case of unforeseen events.” Twi had zero confidence in delaying anything.

The noble considered her words. “Yes, that is adequate. Anadrea, bring me the girl’s things.” She said without turning. Instead the noble reached out and in a swift motion, plucked one of the small green scales that lined Two’s neck. It was over before she could flinch.

She hissed in pain but gave no further complaint. She was very aware they could have plucked her eye with equal ease.

The noble held the scale aloft, letting it catch the moon’s rays. “If Deadra has already been sold or her life is in danger, you may use that array to alert me. Otherwise stall. ”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Good.” Leandra intoned and returned to glaring at the moon. But she gave parting words. “In the event you feel like having another change in opinion, be aware that with this I can always find you.” She held the stolen scale on the tip of her finger.

Soon a feathered man left the warehouse, his cloak was embroidered with flowers big and small along its hems. It was the only one of its kind. His name was thus easy to guess. Anadrea thrust her meagre belongings into her arms and said one thing. “Go.”

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Two needed no further instruction.

Her swift departure and she muttered a thanks to whatever spirits had seen her through the ordeal. She hoped nothing happened to the young noble, for both their sakes.

Unfortunately, the buzz that had taken over the castle made that unlikely.

Igni reclined into an abundantly padded chair that like many things in their provided sweat was a bright gold. He tried and failed to find his wings a comfortable position and wondered if the seat’s gold threads were literal gold or dyed.

Eventually, Igni gave up finding comfort and resorted to draping them over himself. It was good enough.

“So…” his brother began, a teasing smile on his lips. The other angel was quite comfortably seated on the suit’s only stool. His white wings loosely held about him and draped the polished stone floor.

They had found the thing by a dressing cabinet filled with cosmetics and an attached mirror. His brother had claimed it before Igni had even thought to contest.

“How have you found the day?” Lux continued.

Igni shuffled further into his chair and turned his gaze forward.

The moon hung high in the sky. It wasn’t quite full but shone bright enough to stream through the grid of windows that served as a wall. Behind them, a fire burned casting streaks of orange and red to meet the sliver light.

A few clouds drifted in the starry sky.

He rocked to his feet and approached the glass. A forest of indistinct shapes exposed itself beneath him.

Mansions with tall walls and lush gardens were rendered small blotches from the high vantage of the governor’s palace. The occasional light spilt from within. Further out the city proper rose into the sky. Dense construction captured the moonlight and life thrummed through its streets on currents of lamplight.

In the distance, a dark swath lay still. The only proof of its existence is the looming silhouettes of monolithic architecture cast against the starry horizon.

Only the moon was familiar to him and even it seemed odd. Even the stars were different, a few familiar constellations missing in the wast. Replaced by strangers to the east. It was nothing like the sea of clouds he was used to but. He was quiet for a while.“It’s interesting.”

His brother laughed behind him.

The ringing of a bell interrupted them. Igni turned back to find Lux smiling all the brighter.

“Come in!”

A servant hurried through their suit to meet them. He bowed deeply his mouse ears bounced heavily with the motion. “Apologies for the interruption emissaries. There is a man from the Salens requesting a meeting with you. He claims to have an important message for you.”

The brothers exchanged a glance. There was a familiar twinkle in Lux’s eye. Igni could only shake his head. “Could you please bring them in?” he turned to the servant. After a moment spent staring, they jumped to the task.

Soon a frazzled man entered their room. Their short red feathers were slick with sweat and huffed they huffed at every step. They stared dazed as they saw the brothers, but they managed to push through a clear statement. “Emissaries I come bearing a message from Lady Leandra Salen.” They received a letter from their breast pocket. The letter was pristine.

Lux rose and gently took it. “Thank you.” He unfolded it and his smile grew with every line.

“Igni.” He said brightly and joined him by the window.

“Yes, Lux. “

“The day had been interesting. Yes?”

“Indeed.”

“Guess what I’m going to say next.”

Igni sighed and rolled his eyes but requested “It seems the day is not yet over.”

His brother’s smile became radiant. “Where is your lady now good sir.” He waved at the window. The man snapped to attention and after a moment’s struggle pointed at a patch of the dark swathe.

His brother hummed. Igni glanced at his brother “That isn’t a very precise direction.”

“But it should be close enough, these people leak a lot after all.”

Igni opened his mouth but found no refutation. Even now the messenger bled their essence into the air. The cultivators were worse spilling ever more for the city to drink. “I suppose you’re right,” he said eventually.

“I suppose I am.” With that, his brother melted into a ray of light and flashed to the other side. He opened his wings and darted into the night sky. The beat of his wings rattled the glass in its wooden frame. Quickly becoming just another twinkling light amongst the starry sky.

Igni shook his head and made a note to find out why the window frames were wood while everything else was stone.

He tapped the glass. It exploded into a mist-carved hole until it grew into an empty doorframe, of flowing grey wisps stood before him. Wind poured into the hole. Whipping at his clothes and tossing the niceties in the room. The fire danced from the gust. The mist drifted gently.

Igni turned to the man. They stared mouth agape, they seemed to have forgotten to be tired. “Do you mind if I carry you?”