“So then, Amaro, Kaara, and everyone else, do we have a deal?”

“Give us some time to discuss it,” Anitus said, his eyes hardening, “It’s either all of us or none of us, right? So give us time to be on the same page.”

Deka’s blade left Amaro’s neck, “So be it. You have twenty four hours to give me your answer, or I will read the contents of these scrolls and destroy them. Choose wisely, will you?” He turned to leave, “Oh, and don’t try to steal the scrolls back. Thievery against a royal heir is punishable by death, and I am no stranger to enforcing that.”

“Well now what?” Arik said, her arms crossed.

“I don’t know what game he’s playing, but I don’t like it. Deka knows way too much to be trusted.”

“Yeah, and he said something about teaching us how to read it as well, didn't he?”

“Well, I think Deka has put more pieces together for us than he intended to.” Anitus said.

Amaro looked at him, “What do you mean?”

“If Deka can read it, then that must mean there is a trick to reading those blank pages. It seems to be something which any of us can learn how to do, and something Amaro has done by accident.”

“Wait, that reminds me of something Deka said to me. When we were fighting to catch Kaara. He said that I had something called ‘Ux’, but that I didn’t yet know how to use it.”

“Ux? You mean Aix? Like magic?” Arik said.

Amaro shook his head, “No, he definitely said ‘Ux’. Perhaps that’s the key to everything?”

“Maybe we should just report this to the adults in the end?” Rorik said.

“I’d personally rather they didn’t get involved. Especially if the knowledge in those scrolls may give us a better chance at survival that they might take from us.” Anitus said.

Amaro cupped his chin, “So then do we steal it back instead?”

“Possibly.”

“Why not just join his side?” Kaara asked to the surprise of everyone.

“What? Kaara, of course we’re not going to join him! He’s just trying to use us to embarrass Tadios!” Arik said.

“Well Tadios knows this is all in good fun in the end, and even if Deka wins with our help that proves we’re stronger when we work together across bloodlines right? Even if we disagree with his methods, it’s still a game at the end of the day, and we’re still winning together.”

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“You make a good point, but I don’t like the idea of being loyal to someone like him.”

“Aw cmon, we got to know the Xirxus better and now we’re all here on the same side being friendly with one another, what’s the difference with Deka? Who knows? He might not be a bad guy after all.”

“Even if I want to disagree with you, I can’t definitively prove you wrong,” Rorik said.

Anitus laughed dryly, “Oh, I can. You’re confusing friendship with allyship. For now, our interests are aligned, but the moment we no longer benefit from each other’s company then we are enemies again.”

“Well even by your logic, the best option is to join them, right?”

Anitus clicked his tongue, “I suppose you’re not wrong.”

“Besides, if Deka’s personally asking us to join them, that means he recognizes that we’re useful to him somehow. We can always use that to our advantage.”

Anitus smirked, “You know, Kaara, you’re quite the manipulator. You’re a natural at politics.”

“I am? I was just thinking we could convince him not to be a dick all the time if we become friends and call him out when he’s wrong.”

Amaro felt a twinge of guilt hit him. Perhaps that’s what she had been doing with him this entire time as well?

“Just the same,” he said, “It would also be important to ensure we don’t have to do anything against our own morals under his command. We can likely negotiate some sort of authority or independence under his faction.”

“Spoken like an adult for once, brother,” Anitus said, “I agree.”

Amaro chewed the inside of his cheek. He didn’t like that comparison one bit. It made him want to throw everything out and allow the scrolls to be burned. He looked at Kaara. She had her own reasons for joining, so perhaps this wasn’t a bad decision after all?

There was such a thing as doing the right thing for the wrong reasons. Amaro resolved to simply do them for the right reasons, even if he didn’t know what the right reasons were in the first place.

“Then I and Kaara will speak with him tomorrow morning as representatives. Is that alright with everyone else?”

“Oh? You’re aiming to represent our clan, Amaro?” Anitus said smugly.

“And that snide tongue is exactly why you’d be a terrible diplomat, Anitus. Do you disagree?”

Anitus shrugged, “Just teasing, brother. It’s good to see you’re growing so much. Perhaps there’s something to the Tibur’s way of life after all?”

Amaro felt the need to say something, but he knew it would just turn into an unproductive argument, “Any other objections?” He looked around, “Good. I’ll see everyone in the morning.”

As everyone broke off into their own groups, Amaro couldn’t help but feel this was only the start of something. Whether it was good or bad, he wasn’t sure. He remembered his dream again. Whether it was a future guaranteed to him, or a future he had to work towards, he knew he wanted it to happen. One day, Kaara would see him as someone worth being romantic with. He would make that dream his reality no matter what. The two of them would unify the growing divide together, and start a new legacy. History would know how Amaro Xirxus rescinded his nobility to prove that nobility lied within the soul, not the blood.

When you’re protecting someone, do you think about how good you look, or do you think about their safety?

In the end, though, did he even deserve to have that dream come true as he was now?