Blaze stared at the sleeping girl.

He tossed another one of his books into the bag. Thankfully, this cabin wasn’t one of his more properly furnished ones. Among his multitude of safe houses across the four kingdoms, this one had been his secret vacation home, stockpiled with more books and fine pieces of literature than anything else.

Four was truly an enigma. A queen without a kingdom. An escapee that ran right back to their prison. And most importantly… a loud snorer.

Blaze crossed his arms. He would leave at first light. If the queen didn’t come to by then, she would be on her own. Not that that really seemed to be an issue for the girl.

The young man sunk into his rocking chair and pulled out a thick tome from his precious pile. Many of the books would have to be left behind, and he wanted to finish as many as possible before the first hints of daylight broke. He flipped through the pages.

A loud snore broke through his concentration. The mob boss’ brows twitched. They were used to complete silence when in their own space. Another snore interrupted his thoughts. Gritting his teeth, Blaze cursed the unconscious but loud individual next to him as he scooted his chair to the far side of the room. Niamh, the girl was lucky she was valuable.

The now bandaged-up dog limped over to sit under his seat. Blaze’s unoccupied hand reached out to scratch its head. The dog and human both winced at the sound of something crashing to the floor on the other side of the room.

Meanwhile, Ria flipped onto her side and let out another snore, blissfully unaware of the irritated thoughts of the criminal next to her bedside. Or the expensive Citadelian artifact she had just sleep-kicked off the table.

—

When Ria woke, it was to her own bed. Childhood, normal, real-world bed. The girl didn’t bother spending any time re-acclimating herself.

Rushing down the stairs, she hurried to find the source of the clanging and humming in the kitchen. Mama Regina turned to look at her disheveled daughter in surprise. Her burnt eggs sizzled in the pan. “Honey! You’re finally up!”

Ria yawned against her own will. “Yeah, guess I am. How long was I out for?”

“Hmm, I’m not sure,” Mama Regina tapped her chin thoughtfully. “You’ve been out like a light every time I got home. Good thing it was a long weekend so you could get your rest.”

Ria chewed on her lip. So, time really did run differently between Milror and the normal world. It had been months for her but only a couple of days had passed here. But last time, it had been weeks for her and a couple of days for Finn and the others. Clearly, it wasn’t able to be calculated normally. Ria shrugged. She would figure it out eventually.

“Uh, Mom?” Ria sniffed as a charred scent reached her nose. “The eggs are burning.”

Eyes widening, her mom turned her attention back to the burnt food, cursing colorfully. Ria let out a laugh. It was so different and yet so similar to the swears of Milror. Ria’s thoughts sobered. Her brows furrowed. “Mom, what day is it?”

“Hun, can’t you check your phone for that?” pleaded her frantic mother. “Kinda busy right now.”

Ria’s eyes widened. Her phone! Right, that was a thing again. She couldn’t believe she had actually forgotten about it. The girl pulled the device out.

Two more days left of the break.

Ria sat down. Her brows furrowed as she scrolled through her messages. There wasn’t really much to check.

Her mom glanced over her shoulder. “Something came for you in the mail. Looked like a-”

The girl shot up to her feet. “I got invited to Daphne’s party?” exclaimed Ria.

“Yes! That’s the Mele’s girl, right?” Mama Regina tossed her burnt eggs in the trash and set about cracking new ones in the pan. “I know you usually don’t like these things, but I think it might be nice to go check it out and-”

“I’m going.” Ria was staring hard at the phone in her hand.

Mama Regina did a double-take. Her daughter wanted to go to a party? Trying to probe nonchalantly, she laughed awkwardly. “I didn’t realize you two were friends.”

Ria barked out a laugh, startling her mother even more. The girl clenched her fists. “Oh, trust me. We aren’t.”

Mama Regina scratched her head. “Then, why would you want to go?”

Ria was too buried within her own thoughts to respond. She had been thinking of how she could possibly get closer to Daphne. Maybe cozy up to her or be assigned in a group project... Ria shuddered at the thought. She didn’t think she could stand to be alone in a room with Rex for five minutes, much less actually do a project with her.

Fortunately, Ria no longer had to. And it was all thanks to a party invite sent by Daphne herself.

Ria smirked, “She took something of mine.” The girl’s eyes hardened. “And I want it back.”

Mama Regina frowned. “Maybe she was just borrowing it, hun.” What on earth was her daughter talking about? Before she could ponder it more, the sizzling and burning smell turned her attention back to her breakfast. “Well, I hope you have a dress prepared since it is tonight, I can get you some makeup if you-Oof!”

A form barreled into her. Eyes wide with shock, the woman glanced down at her daughter who was hugging her side.

Ria sniffed, and the place where her face was buried grew wet. “I missed you, Mom.”

“But I haven’t gone anywhere?” replied her mom, extremely confused and worried.

Ria smiled sadly. “I know. I’m just being silly.” She released her hold and headed for the door. “I need to go prepare. Love you, Mom!”

With that, the girl scampered away.

Mama Regina stood frozen in the kitchen. A small smile bloomed on her face. She glanced at a photo of a man on the fridge. “I swear she gets that weirdness from you.” She shook her head fondly and flipped her crispy eggs.

—

Ria stared at the fancy gates of the literal mansion. Overkill, she thought. Sounds of blaring pop music and kids laughing reached her ears. Ria steeled herself. This was it. The girl wobbled in her heels but persisted.

Ria scanned her ticket with the butler. A freaking butler!

As the girl entered, a lot of the popular kids stared outrightly at her. They side-eyed one another. What was this girl doing here? At Daphne Mele’s party?

Marcel sneered at the sight of Ria. She shot a smirk at the friends around her. “Daphne has such a good heart, she’s even inviting charity cases now!” Marcel laughed loudly as Ria passed.

Their classmates laughed along, some jokingly agreeing and congratulating Ria.

To Marcel’s surprise and immense dissatisfaction, Ria seemed barely phased. She walked by, staring blankly ahead.

Marcel fumed. Had Ria even heard her? The girl gritted her teeth. Her heart squeezed with jealousy. Why did Daphne even invite her?

Meanwhile, Ria kept teetering on her heels, focused wholly on trying not to trip and fall. A sprained ankle was really not ideal at all. Unknown to a glaring Marcel, it wasn’t that Ria was unfazed by the comments, she just didn’t hear what the others had said.

The lawn was littered with cups and phones. Teens cheered in the pool as they tossed beach balls in the air.

Ria let out a breath of relief when she reached the house. Just a few more feet and she’d be there!

A tall form suddenly blocked in front of her. Ria glanced up. A frowning Kris stared back.

He was dressed in a dark button-up shirt. His buff arms were crossed, and the baby blue eyes Ria had adored for so long were narrowed.

“Kris,” greeted Ria. She glanced around him. She was so close to getting to the house! “If you’ll just excuse me, I-”

“What the hell is going on, Ria?” Kris scratched his head. “You’ve been acting so weird! And now you’re friends with Daphne?”

“That’s very nice, Kris. Now, if you could just move.” Ria tried to step around him but was blocked once more.

“I don’t get you!” Kris threw his hands in the air. “I have weeks of homework that hasn’t been done yet, and if I don’t get my grades up Coach is gonna sit me out for the next game!” He grabbed Ria’s hand. “My football career is on the line here! Are you seriously just going to throw our friendship down the drain?”

The words echoed in Ria’s head. Friendship?

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“Our friendship?” Ria wrenched her hand out of the other’s grip. She stared at Kris, unimpressed. “Kris, you paid me to do your homework.” She took a step forward and stared right into his eyes. “Has it ever occurred to you people, that the world doesn’t revolve around you and what you want? That maybe the rest of us are more than just tools?”

Ria shook her head. “Here’s some advice, free of charge on account of our friendship.”

She jabbed Kris’ chest. The boy took a faltering step back. When did this puny girl get so intimidating?

“Do your own work,” she spit. With that, the girl shoved past the football captain and continued to wobble on her heels into the house.

“Thank Admin I don’t have to see these idiots every day. Niamh, they’re annoying,” she muttered as she went.

Kris stared at her, jaw dropped. Their other classmates stared in shock as well.

Ria scoffed. She had literally lived with criminals and worked in a labor camp! Did Kris seriously think his little posturing would work on her? Plus, the boy had nothing on Eres and Blaze or heck, even, Finn when they wanted to be intimidating.

The girl stomped the rest of the way to the house, her peers giving her a wide berth.

—

Finn and the miners gathered in front of the Kennel. Sounds of ferocious barks and excited yips greeted them.

Derek inched back, rubbing his neck. Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea.

Finn glanced at the unconscious guards slumped over. Truth was, even as trained as they were, no single person could stand against the might of twenty or thirty very angry and vengeful Port Dogs. Oceanport was a kingdom of survival where children brawled in the streets as a form of play. It had surprised him when he first encountered the scene, but, fair enough, he had thought. When he was younger, he had even participated in some (a lot) of those formative fights.

He glanced back. The dozens of slumped-over guards were telling enough that once they had their flames relit, the Port-Dogs hadn’t lost their edge.

Jerrel, the gruff miner, lifted his pick and smashed the lock. The door to the kennel swung open. The dogs inside barked excitedly. All of them were tall and broad-shouldered. They had been bred with wolves and each stood as high as a full-grown man’s waist.

Finn smirked. On his voyages, he had heard of the Citadel’s unique form of transportation: by dog. It had always fascinated him, and he was giddy with the thought of actually testing it out. Be it luck or fate, Admin had Eres house their precious wolf-dogs right next to the mines.

After raiding the warehouses and armories of food and weapons, Finn had led their group straight to the Kennel. The housing area for the wolf-dogs was said to even larger than the royal stables.

The boy turned to the miners behind him. “There’s enough snow for the sleds. Eight people to a sled, pick your dogs and gear, and go. Whatever’s left over we can carry on the smaller sleds, like food packs and weapons.”

Jerrel huffed, “How do we get the dogs to pull the sleds?”

Finn headed towards the inside of the kennel where a wall of tack greeted him. The other miners tentatively followed, some flinching at the jumping dogs. Finn rummaged through the equipment and pulled out a harness. “Just attach them to these and then hook it to the sled. The dogs are taught to listen to commands. One whistle to go, two to stop. And just shout left or right.” He shrugged, “Easy, right?”

Derek rubbed his face, tiredly.

“But I don’t know how to whistle?” a woman asked.

Finn pointed at the wall of wooden whistles. Because the dogs often had different riders, the whistle unified their commands, making it easy to mass train the wolf-dogs from puppyhood.

The miners shook their head and muttered their insecurities but it was ignored by the boy. Time was of the essence. This was the only way they would be able to travel fast enough to the West Gates.

The dogs jumped up against their cages, tails wagging eagerly.

Someone was waiting for them on the other side.

Finn smiled and lifted the harness. “Let’s get to work!”

—

Ria entered through the wide double doors. She almost stepped back out in shock. There were even more people in the house! Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Daphne entertaining Isha as Kevin scrolled through his phone, standing dutifully by his girlfriend’s side. Ria’s heart clenched. Her eyes met Kevin’s across the room. His eyes widened in shock, but the basketball captain quickly looked away.

Ria pursed her lips and continued on her mission, dodging by kissing couples and laughing friend groups. Her old skills were coming in handy.

As she passed by the different rooms, she couldn’t help but stare. The walls were decorated with the finest of wallpapers and the tables had antique vases and collectibles that probably cost more than Ria’s house! Dang, Daphne was rich in both worlds. Ria caught sight of the stairs at the back of the house. It took a while of maneuvering, but finally, she reached them. She nodded to herself. Almost there. All Ria needed to do was get to Daphne’s room where Carmae was surely hidden.

Ria knew the Sacred Piece was nearby. She couldn’t explain why, but there was this inexplicable pull that drew her towards the room on the far end of the mansion’s second floor.

The girl’s steps quickened. Getting the Sacred Piece back was crucial to their entire plan. Without it, even if they freed the miners, there would be nowhere to take the refugees. Not to mention, Ria would also be unable to even return to Milror.

Ria took a victorious step up the stairs.

“Where do ya think you’re going, young lady?” asked an older female voice.

Ria slowly turned around, assessing her options. She turned and smiled sheepishly. “Hi, I’m looking for Daphne’s room?”

Her heart hammered and her palms grew sweaty. Why was she always so unlucky?

The woman looked to be in her mid-thirties and was dressed like a movie star with curly blonde hair and narrowed brown eyes. She crossed her arms on her hips. “Now, why would ya want to go there?”

Ria ducked her head and rubbed the back of her neck. “Because Daphne told me to?”

The guarded look disappeared as the woman’s face broke into a great big smile. “Ah, you must be the group project girl? Right? Marlene? Mabel?”

“Marcel?” offered Ria.

The woman laughed, “I apologize, dear. Memory loss, ya know? Comes with the old age.”

Ria nodded and laughed awkwardly along. She wondered if it was a test to see if Ria was really who she claimed. Maybe she was overthinking it, but there was a pleased look in the older woman’s eyes.

The woman headed up the stairs leading the way. She chattered with Ria, introducing herself. “I’m Daphne’s stepmama. Watched her grow up from a little tyke to the little queen she is now. Taught her everything she knows, I tell ya.”

Including how to be an absolute jerk, thought Ria, although the fake smile on her face never wavered.

Daphne’s stepmom leaned in to whisper to Ria. “I’m not supposed to be here, but I forgot my purse for date night and had to run back to grab it. Aww, look at these!” She pointed at some baby pictures hanging on the wall.

Ria gasped, “Is that Daphne?”

The woman nodded, clapping her hands together in excitement. “Yes! Wasn’t she just a doll?”

Ria smiled politely. “Wow, you guys have a good relationship.”

Turning, the woman smirked, “Daphne told me you were a bit stubborn and slow to catch on, but I don’t see that at all. No wonder she’s always talking about how loyal you are. Guess that’s why she likes ya. Heard she personally asked the teach to partner you two.” Mrs. Mele pinched Ria’s cheek softly. “Flattering the host, what a smart cookie you are. Now, I’ll stop wasting your time. Daphne’s room is the furthest down the hall. I believe her project materials are in her closet.”

Ria nodded, “Thank you, Mrs. Mele.”

The woman waved and walked off.

Ria worked her jaw. Since when did she become so talkative? It was exhausting. The girl shuddered.

Taking a deep breath, Ria stalked towards the door and yanked it open. She couldn’t care less as the door slammed against the wall. The party downstairs was too loud for anyone to care.

Ria flipped the light switch on.

Part of her was disappointed to see how neat and beautiful everything was.

Bright teal-colored walls, a large queen-sized bed in the middle, and a bathroom inside the room! The walls hung all sorts of awards and pictures from professional photo-shoots to newspaper clippings. A small desk with books and a charging laptop were pressed against the wall. The room was clean and tidy. Perfect just like its owner. The only odd thing was the empty glass case in the back of the room. Ria wondered if that was where Daphne put her Sacred Piece.

The girl wandered through the room until she reached the closet where the thrumming of Carmae echoed loudly in her ears. Its pull was magnetizing as Ria opened the closet doors. She rummaged through the clothes and different drawers. But it was to no avail. All she found were the papers that Mrs. Mele mentioned.

Huffing in frustration, Ria sat cross-legged on the floor. She gnawed on her lips. Carmae was here. She could literally feel it! But why wasn’t it… here. Ria sighed and sat up. She searched through the closet once more, only to find nothing.

Ria’s shoulders slumped. She stared up at the ceiling. Why was this so hard? The ceiling had a white flower painted on it with a yellow center and bright green leaves. It looked like the work of a child, but a very talented one that understood detail and precision. Ria sighed. She was far from an expert on flowers but she wondered if maybe it was a daisy. That would be a coincidence, wouldn’t it? Ria’s eyes stung. Or maybe it was a sign.

I won’t give up, Daisy.

Ria pushed herself up. She had a crazy idea she had to test. The girl ran to the desk and dragged the chair across the room. The wooden floors screeched in protest, but Ria didn’t care. She set the chair against the closet and climbed on top of it.

A hand brushed against the top, sweeping it for a sign of anything. Ria’s tongue poked out as she stood on her tippy toes, trying to find a hint of an object at the top of the closet. Her hand swept over it once. Twice. Still nothing. Ria cursed and stepped back. Suddenly, she lost her balance. The girl grasped the closet trying to regain it.

The closet shook and moved, almost tipping over. Ria hopped off the chair to steady it before it could fall over.

She let out a breath of relief. That would have been really bad, she thought. Ria sighed, maybe her sixth sense had been wrong. The girl set to righting the heavy closet.

Brushing her hands, Ria turned her head...and gaped.

There was a small door in the wall! With the closet pushed away from the wall, it revealed the secret door it had been placed in front of.

Ria wanted to slap her head. Of course! Rich people loved secret doors and compartments!

The closet was quickly pushed to the side. Ria slid the door open eagerly. The pull of the Sacred Piece increased.

Inside the door was a locked box. Ria took it into her hands and shook it. An item jostled around inside. It was Carmae. Ria was sure of it.

The girl studied the lock. A six-number combination. Should she take the box with her? No, she decided. Daphne would surely check up on it.

Wracking her brains, Ria tried to think of any clues. Suddenly, it clicked. The girl quickly entered the six numbers that were Kris’ birthday. If this worked, it meant that her years of labor weren’t in vain! Ria smirked smugly and tugged on the lock.

It was still locked.

Ria frowned. What type of girlfriend didn’t use their boyfriend’s birthday as a password combo? Ria sighed. Maybe she should just take the box. Find a way to smash it open. She tucked it under her arm and got up.

Her eye caught on the pictures lined up on Daphne’s dresser. Her brows furrowed as she studied one particular photo. Daphne smiled wide as her arm hung around a giddy Marcel. Ria glanced back at the other photos to confirm her suspicions. The photo with marcel was the only photo where Daphne wasn’t in a group with others. Even her photos with Kris had other friends and lackeys hanging around in the side and background.

But… when did Daphne and Marcel become such close friends? The two had only really gotten close a few weeks ago. Suddenly, a thought struck Ria. In Milror, Marcel was Rex’s closest advisor.

Ria thought back to what Mrs. Mele had said. Daphne had specifically chosen Marcel to partner up with in a project.

She stared back at the box. Ria had been Marcel’s best friend for years. She inputted the six numbers that signified the other girl’s birthdate.

With bated breath, she tugged on the lock.

With a click, it unlocked.

Ria opened the box.

The sight of a shining Carmae greeted her. The object hummed in her hand. Ria closed her hand around the Sacred Piece. Victory was sweet.

“Sorry about that, Carmae,” apologized Ria.

The Sacred Piece suddenly transformed into the parchment. The paper remained empty. Was it mad at her?

“Please, I need your help,” Ria sighed, “I have to return to Milror tonight. If I don’t, all the miners…” her voice trailed off.

The inked words finally wrote themselves. “Sleep, and I shall take care of the rest.”

Ria chuckled. “All right,” she paused, a mischievous eyebrow raising up. “Anything you want me to say to Rex on my way out?”

The parchment paused, thinking. The inked words that appeared made Ria laugh. “All right, I’ll let her know”