Finn leaned in to whisper to Ria. “So, is this my bad luck or yours, cause I’m starting to get the feeling that-”

“Shut up, Port-Dogs!” snapped the supervising officer. The man turned his glower from the group towards the two.

“Rude, don’t you see we’re in the middle of a conversation here?” The boy merely side-eyed the man, then continued to whisper loudly. “We could definitely take them. I call the annoying one.”

Ria nodded slightly. “Fair enough…But we wouldn’t know how to open the gates.”

“We could always torture it out of ‘em,” shrugged the boy, tone nonchalant.

The girl’s face took on a thoughtful expression.

Meanwhile, the guards stared, gobsmacked. The lead officer openly gawked at them. Never in his years of service had he encountered such a ridiculous sight! His face turned a bright red. Did they not know that he could hear them? That they all could?

“Hmm, I guess they can probably hear us, can’t they?”

The girl shrugged, “Oh well.”

The officer’s patience snapped. That was it! He would not be mocked!

The man turned to the men behind him. “Capture those idiots.” His face turned ugly as he snarled, “Dead or alive.”

Nodding, the four guards slid out their swords from their sheaths.

“Wow. They have pointy things,” noted Ria, sounding not at all impressed.

Finn took out the curved saber he swiped from the armory. The miners behind them followed suit, pulling out their own axes and picks.

Ria whistled appreciatively at Fin’s blade. “Wow, a real pirate sword.”

Finn rolled his eyes at the comment. He brandished it forward. “I was hoping to get a chance to practice.”

“Be my guest,” Ria gestured grandly. She took a step back, allowing the armed miners to stalk forward.

The guards looked at one another uneasily but to their credit, they didn’t falter. The supervising officer looked behind his shoulder. The gate was still raising.

Ria smirked.

The officer glowered at the little brat’s expression. He yelled up at the men on the wall. “Stop pulling it- Mhhh!”

Derek rushed forward to hold the man’s mouth shut. Following his lead, the other miners hurried forward to apprehend the other guards. It was a short skirmish that ended almost as soon as it started. Outnumbered and definitely underpaid, the guards were quick to surrender once they saw their leader overpowered.

The gate continued to raise until a loud screeching sound filled the air. Suddenly, the gate stopped, frozen in place.

The miners cried out. What happened? Their holds on their weapons loosened as their eyes widened in fear. No. They couldn’t go back! Only death awaited them if the gate did not rise!

Finn cursed. Ria’s eyes narrowed. Something weird was going on…

“Ah!” screamed Derek. He clutched his bruised jaw.

Taking the chance while they were distracted, the officer had elbowed Derek in the face and spun out of the hold.

He grabbed Ria by the throat and held a sword to her neck. The girl gasped. He nodded towards the guard that had come out with him. The officer pressed the blade harder against the girl’s neck. “Release him, or the brat gets it.”

Glaring, the miners complied. The guard was quickly released. He hurried to the safety of his supervisor’s side.

“Cover my back,” murmured the officer. His eyes roamed around. They had the upper hand now… but it was clear they were outnumbered.

“Got it, boss.” The other guard nodded and pulled out his sword with his left hand. He held it up, ready for an attack.

Unbeknownst to the two men, Ria’s eyes narrowed at the action.

“Lower the gate!” hollered the officer.

As ordered, the gates began to lower.

The miners tried to push it up with their own strength but it was no use. The officer smirked. Now, they just had to wait for backup to arrive.

SCREECH!

The gate halted once more. Then, to everyone’s surprise, it began to raise. Then, it lowered. Then raised. It was as if the metal structure was having a midlife crisis. As it raised and lowered, it was unclear whether it wanted to help or hurt them. Ria sure hoped it was the former.

The gate came to a stop once more, suspended halfway in the air, raised to the height of Ria’s hip. She hoped they didn’t have to, but they could always retort to climbing under it? That was, if the gate didn’t decide to change its mind and just fully close.

The supervising officer breathed out through his nose. What were those idiots doing? He turned his gaze back to the miners, holding the knife closer to the girl’s throat. Seeing their uneasy expressions and lowered weapons, satisfaction soared in his heart. Looks like he had picked the right hostage.

The girl in his hold shivered. Probably in fear, the officer thought triumphantly.

“Lady, quit smiling so freakily!” said the guard.

The officer froze. The girl was what?

“It’s not freaky,” Ria sniffed. She paused and asked, “Hey, ever heard of a penny?’

The guard tilted his head. “No?”

“No, I guess you wouldn’t have.” Ria smirked, “But I bet you know what a sand dollar is.”

The guard frowned.

“Shut up!” snapped the officer, shaking the girl. Was the fear making her delusional? He shivered. A hostage with a knife to their neck should not be this confident. What did she know that he didn’t? “Stop talking or I’ll slit your throat right now.”

All he got was a laugh in return.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“And be left hostage-less? I don’t think so,” said Ria.

The officer’s brows furrowed. What in Niamh’s name?

“You shouldn’t joke around, kid. The sand dollar is illegal stuff. Dirty money,” the guard’s tone was monotonous as if he was reading off of a script. “Oh Admin, I can’t even say that with a straight face.”

“You! How dare you use Admin’s name,” the officer beat his chest twice and snarled at his underling, “in vain like that!” The officer frowned, shaking the girl in his hold. “And what are you two talking about? What is a sand dollar?”

The girl sighed as tears gathered in her eyes. “So that’s what’s going on. Hah! Nice one, mob boss.” Her eyes landed on the guard behind the officer. “You know identification theft is a serious crime, right?”

To everyone’s surprise, the guard shrugged, “Trust me, I’ve done worse.”

“What is going on, Steven?” snapped the officer. Why was the hostage talking to his underling? The man opened his mouth to continue, but a heavy weight hit the back of his head. It felt like the butt of a sword.

Oh, the man realized, that’s what’s going on.

The miners watched as the officer fell on his face. His blade fell to the ground, landing soundlessly in the snow.

“The name’s Tom, jerk. Never liked that one.” The guard sighed and tossed the sword away. He took off his helmet. “Niamh, I’m glad to be free of this stupid tin-hat.”

He turned to glare balefully at Ria. “What took you so long? Boss said you’d be here by morning.” The guard, who was actually one of Blaze’s lackeys, Tom, huffed. He was just as burly as the last time Ria saw him. The man pointed at the setting sun. “It’s sunset, ma’am!”

“Wait, what is going on here?” interjected Finn, stepping forward. He hated to be lumped into the same group as the unconscious officer, but he and everyone else were extremely confused.

Ria stepped over the unconscious body of the officer. “You know, I always did wonder how you guys smuggled that much copper past the gates. Actually, it makes a lot of sense that you would have people planted here.”

“Trust me, not by choice,” huffed Tom. He paused, “How’d you know it was me anyway? We met once, and I don’t leave that much of an impression.”

Ria shrugged, “Read some training manuals when I was bored of counting how many rocks were collected every day.” She nodded at the tossed-aside sword. “Citadel guards are trained to wield swords with their right hands. Plus, how’d you go undercover for so long if you talk like a gangster?”

The guard shrugged. “No one cared to ask.” He scratched his neck. “I guess the sand dollar bit really gave it away, didn’t it?”

“It only confirmed what I already guessed,” Ria offered.

Totally lost, Finn wiped his face. “I give up. How’d you even get mixed up with gangsters?” He shook his head at Ria’s sheepish look. “You sure get around, Your Highness.”

Ria flushed and laughed awkwardly. “Trust me, not by choice,” she repeated.

Tom let out a booming chuckle at that. He glanced at the top of the wall. “I know you’re bony, but please tell me you won against a pasty mountain boy, Timmy.”

There was a pause. A grunt and the sound of a metal-something falling to the ground.

Finally. a thumbs-up came over the top of the wall. It was followed by another familiar face peering down. “All good,” shouted Timmy. “Hi, weird girl.”

Ria waved, recognizing Blaze’s other lackey.

Tom rolled his eyes at the very visible black eye on the skinny man’s face.

The gate began to rise once more, this time without any hiccup. Ria turned to the miners and ushered them forward. Despite their confusion, their group was quick to pick up the pace as they headed out of the gates.

She glanced at Tom. “The ships I ordered are there?”

Tom crossed his arms as if offended Ria would even ask. “Boss always keeps his word.”

Ria sniffed. Surprisingly enough, she had no doubt about that. Especially when a price tag was involved.

The man watched as the miners shuffled forward. He murmured lowly. “You’re lucky we’re pulling out of here today. No other sailors would be so stupid as to sail in winter.”

“Didn’t realize I was so special,” retorted Ria.

“Don’t go gettin a big head. Turns out our little mining trip is coming to an end,” Tom paused as a thought struck him. “You wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with that, right?”

Ria shrugged, “No.” She paused, rethinking something. “Not on purpose, at least.”

“You’re pulling my leg,” the gangster gaped at her. “No way,” he murmured.

The girl only offered him a half-hearted shrug in response. The conversation was over. For now.

Tom stomped away, muttering to himself. “She’s bluffing. Girl’s gotta be pulling my leg!”

Ria watched with satisfaction as the last of the miners headed out of the gates. She didn’t know why, but the air seemed to be the best she had ever breathed. Fresh and crisp.

“It smells like freedom,” murmured Finn as he stopped by her side.

Ria nodded. It was cheesy but true. She couldn’t believe she had done it. They were actually going to leave the Citadel. For good. She clutched the satchel in her pocket.

The dogs yipped impatiently as they were herded through the gate.

But, of course, things were never that easy.

A thundering warhorn sounded in the distance.

Their group froze.

Ria’s head snapped to the back. Her heart stopped in her chest.

Charging toward them on horseback was none other than the Elite Guards. But as Ria watched with growing dread, she only had eyes for one. Eres.

The warrior queen was leading the charge.

And she looked pissed.

“Niamh,” breathed Finn.

So much for that breath of freedom.

—

The Sacred Piece gleamed. Sitting in the center of the table, the ancient scale gave off a formidable aura. It was Scalae, the eldest of the four Sacred Pieces.

In the earliest records, one of the first queens of the Capital described Scalae as the fairest and most royal of its siblings. The great wolf, Varae, was a brute, Sica’s dagger, Ikrelae was supposed to test loyalty of all things, and Carmae was basically a glorified piece of paper.

Daphne’s chest swelled with pride. She placed a hand on Scalae. Hers. The instrument of justice. How great could Varae be if the Citadel was still in second place? Ikrelae’s power had been useless against those that betrayed Sica. And Carmae’s truth was rendered useless in a land of criminals and liars.

But the Capital? It was the strongest, most united, and just, the best… and a good deal of that was because of its Sacred Piece.

Scalae had the ability to determine a kingdom’s past, present, and most importantly, future. It was something even the Temple of Admin desired but could not have. Scalae was Rex’s. Ask it a question and it could weigh which direction it would lead the kingdom into. The only tricky part was figuring out the right questions to ask.

Sighing, the queen glanced at the hooded woman that stood beside Scalae. Their arms were tucked into their sleeves and head bowed low.

“You are telling me that Eres’ bishop came for a prophecy?” Rex crossed her arms. “And you allowed it.”

The bishop nodded.

Rex tapped her chin with her long acrylic nails. “I wonder what has her so worried she would use such a favor.”

The bishop licked their chapped lips.

The queen glanced at the other woman. Rex’s brows furrowed. “Did you read it?”

The woman paused as if baffled by the question. Finally, they spoke, voice calm. “My lady, you know my power only delivers prophecies. If the bearer doesn’t reveal to me their words, then I am ignorant.”

Rex hummed, “I know. Just thought I would check.”

The bishop sighed, “I would never lie to you, my queen.”

Rex’s lips curled into a sneer. “And yet, your name is a mystery despite your years of service.” Her words were sharp. “Do you blame me for not fully placing my trust in you? Maybe you’ve been playing me like a fool, deceiving and manipulating me for your own purposes.”

“I wouldn’t dare, Your Highness,” came the blank reply.

Rex sighed, “You are lucky you still have a use.” She crossed her arms once more. “I need you to investigate something.” Her eyes darted to the Sacred Piece.

Following the queen’s gaze, the bishop tilted their head in an owl-like fashion. “With a prophecy of Scalae? What could possibly hold such importance?”

Rex’s lips pursed. “Not what, but who.”

The room fell silent as the bishop mulled over the queen’s words.

“Do you mean Four?” The bishop's demeanor showed a hint of confusion. “Was she not already dealt with?”

Rex pursed her lips.

Three consecutive knocks sounded.

“What is it?” asked Rex.

Marcel poked her head in.

“My lady. Bishop,” she greeted. Marcel paused, then announced, “Queen Mother and some representatives of the Temple are here. They say they bring news about… the Tournament.”

The bishop straightened.

Rex’s eyes widened. “What?”

---

Eres' horse pawed at the snow. The beast huffed.

The queen curled her fists, eyes glowing with hate. "I'll kill them. All of them!"