Destiny sighed as the cool water wet her hoarse throat. She’d hissed more in one day than she had in her entire life. Every other catgirl stopped them to hawk Ravyn expensive jewelry, offer Tristan a great night, or comment on her and Lara’s maid attire. What should’ve been a twenty-minute walk turned into an hour-long trek to the Snapping Goolick Inn.

“What is a goolick?” Tristan asked. He’d taken a seat to Destiny’s left, Lara sitting on his opposite side to shoo away any brave souls who approached.

My, how I admire your curiosity, Destiny thought, the firelight in his eyes so alive and wonderful.

“Weird fucking balls of leather with spikes,” Ravyn said, leaning on her elbow. “They pick fights with other Encroachers, super territorial and all that. I watched one take a catgirl’s hand off.”

“Goodness!” Destiny exclaimed with a hand to her mouth. “That’s awful.”

“Stupid catgirl, stupid catgirl, squawwwk!” Ball jumped off the top of Ravyn’s head, landing on the table. He plucked a peanut from the bowl at the center, freeing the nut inside with impressive dexterity.

Ravyn snorted.

Is the bird talking about me or the girl who got her hand taken off? Was that a joke?

Destiny struggled to understand Ravyn. She was practically a stranger still, and the memory of Matt and Ravyn lacing her and Lara’s tea tended to resurface whenever she drank in the [Sorcerer]’s presence. Good intentions aside, Ravyn seemed to be a woman who had no issue doing what was necessary to get what she wanted. People like her could be dangerous. Destiny was still unsure if she trusted her.

The end justifies the means. A phrase she’d heard Tristan use to explain bad actions accomplishing good outcomes.

“A joke?” Destiny asked in a more serious tone than she’d intended. She hated to sound like the stupid one, but she had to know.

“I never actually saw that happen,” Ravyn admitted. “But their bites still hurt like a bitch.”

Oh, so the stupid catgirl was—wait, me? Rude bird!

“Since we’re sitting here,” Tristan started, reaching into his [Cat Pack]. He procured a pair of keys and a rolled-up parchment, then placed them neatly on the table. “Cailu gave me the keys to his estate and a note.” He intertwined his hands, glancing between them and Ravyn. “Do you think they’ll be sufficient?”

“Mou ii, the cunt sure is thorough,” Ravyn said, rolling her eyes. “Yes, it should be fine. The higher-ups of Shulan are sticklers for documentation. Without the man himself standing here, this is as good as it gets.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask. Was Shulan always like this?”

“Like what?”

Tristan worked his jaw. Destiny could practically hear the thoughts turning in his mind. “So criminally inclined.”

Ravyn paused. “Yes. It’s always been a roach pit. I got robbed the first time I visited.”

“When was that?”

Ravyn sat up and straightened her back before crossing her arms under her bust. Was it Destiny’s imagination, or was she trying to show off her assets?

She does have better curves than I do. Is that what men truly like?

“Are you asking a girl her age?” Ravyn asked with one raised brow.

I’m beautiful, too, right?

Tristan blinked, then his cheeks pinked, and he scratched the side of his head. “Ahh, no, I. No, I’m not. I was just wondering how long this has been a problem.”

“Since before I was born,” Ravyn said after another short pause. “So, for at least several decades.”

Pay attention. Get out of your head.

“Whaa?” Lara’s smile faltered. “Decades? How do we fix that, then?”

Tristan sighed. “Honestly? I have no idea. I don’t know enough about Shulan, let alone San Island.” He tapped his foot against the floorboards. “But knowledge is power. If I can figure out the root causes and compare them to when San Island was in a better state, then…”

Destiny knew Tristan was struggling to make promises. He was a man of his word and hated to set false expectations. The burden Cailu had placed upon him was heavy, and she wanted desperately to do whatever she could to ease it.

“All we can do is our best,” Destiny smiled as she touched his shoulder. A quiet voice in the back of her head said that she would never be good enough, but as of late, that voice had been easier to silence.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“Thanks,” Tristan said, putting his palm over her hand.

“Okay, okay, enough with the icky mushy shit,” Ravyn sighed, batting her hand through the air. “We’ll have to talk with Melody and her associates first. Make sure you have that key and writ available at a moment’s notice. I’ve only ever been to the Arch Tower once, but they are not a group of girls you want to fuck around with.”

“Noted.”

“Why didn't you get a hard drink? Fire says you love to drink,” Lara said, tilting her head to one side.

“Ugh.” Ravyn rolled her eyes. “First of all, it’s none of Fire’s business. Secondly, I’m not in the mood for one. I’ll need a clear head for what’s about to come.”

Destiny frowned. “For what’s to come?”

----------------------------------------

Oh.

The Arch Tower was more imposing and overwhelming than Destiny had imagined. She counted as many as a dozen floors, each separated by pointed eaves. Gold and black decorated the tower in waves and spirals. The longer she stared at it, the more she felt it could come down at any moment and crush them.

Like those tall buildings Tristan showed me in his mirror.

Three catgirls clad in pristine armor were positioned at the foot of the stairs to the Arch Tower. They stood in an arrow-shaped formation, with the biggest of them taking the lead. Dragons of red and black garnished the silver plates.

“Urk. More dragons,” Ravyn groaned.

“Documentation. Now,” the front catgirl demanded, her hand extended. Tousled brown hair sat upon a head of dark-tanned skin. Destiny noted that although the woman had two eyes, one was a piercing green while the other was completely white. A bead of sweat fell into the groove of the scar that cut across her face from one temple to the other.

What’s with that tone? We just got here! Loosen up! “Yes, of course,” Destiny said.

Tristan stepped forward with the scroll. He’d barely extended his arm when the woman snatched the parchment from his hands and snapped it open. As she read, she pulled the scroll apart further and further, raising a brow when she finished.

“Shi Island’s man?” The tone in her voice suggested she wasn’t happy to read that. “Can’t help yourselves from chasing our tails, can you?” She tossed the scroll at Tristan’s feet. “Come to bring more of your Service, Grace, and Urgency crap?”

The nerve of this woman! How dare she speak to Tristan like that! I’ll melt that armor off your body in a heartbeat!

“I come with good intentions,” Tristan said, calmly picking up the scroll and stuffing it back into his [Cat Pack]. “I’m sorry if we’ve offended you.”

“You look a little young to be doing the work of adults,” the leader snapped.

“I understand your upset,” Destiny said, curtsying, “but it was Cailu’s wish for us to intervene.”

“Yeah, I read that part. Thanks,” said the woman. Destiny growled under her breath. “You better be something amazing if Cailu put you up to this.” The commanding catgirl rested a hand on the hilt of her sheathed sword.

“All that and more,” Ravyn added, flashing what even Destiny knew was a sardonic smile. “There won’t be any need to stab us.”

“A pity. My sword hand is itching.”

“Be grateful that Commander Kaede is in a good mood today,” barked one of the girls behind the commander.

Kaede raised a hand to silence her underling. “It’s fine.” She crossed her arms and returned Ravyn’s patronizing smile. “Let them think they can do something about it.” She gestured behind her with a flick of her head. “Go on.”

The doors were surprisingly light despite being twice as high as any one of them. Gold adorned the handles, and a pair of dragons locked in combat decorated the polished wood. One dragon was red, the other black. As soon as they were inside, the doors closed behind them, echoing across the vast expanse of the room. The ceiling was at least dozens of feet high; the room was illuminated by paper lanterns humming with a red glow, blanketing the space in crimson light.

“That was remarkable, Tristan,” Destiny commented.

“Thanks, but I really didn’t do much there,” Tristan said, forcing a smile.

“You would think they would be happy to receive help,” Lara added as she shut her eyes. She nodded a few times, humming. Destiny figured she was listening to the Elements again. “Yes, there’s much they struggle with. Their rivalry with Shi Island has them feeling tense.”

“No surprise there,” Ravyn spat as she began to cross the room. “Come on, let’s get a move on and see where Melody is.”

Ravyn began her march up to one of the many counters against the walls, Lara close behind her. Destiny hung back and tugged on Tristan’s sleeve to stop him.

“Are you feeling alright?” Destiny asked. When she imagined the stress she felt as a maid under Celestia, she wondered if Tristan was suffering from something similar. They weren’t operating on a one-man-per-island basis anymore. San Island wasn’t his only problem, after all. She couldn’t imagine his concern for Shi Island had just disappeared with Cailu.

“Sort of,” Tristan said, avoiding her gaze. “I’m trying to approach this optimistically, but it’s difficult. I think I would rather fight the Defiled on Shi Island.”

“What makes you say that?” Destiny knew the answer, but she wanted to encourage Tristan to be honest with her. Like he always was. He and Lara were the only ones she truly trusted, and she hoped he felt something similar for her. There’d never been an easier person to talk to, and she would’ve landed in a much darker place if not for him. She hoped she could be the same avenue of light for him as he was for her.

“The world I came from suffered from… similar issues.” Tristan shook his head. “Cailu is essentially asking me to solve the same issues that placed me in poverty years ago.”

Destiny had heard this story before. He showed her cities littered with miraculous towers made of metal that stretched hundreds of feet into the sky. Skyscrapers, he named them. A rough life had forced him into the streets. After falling asleep, he woke up in the forests of Shi Island.

Things are different now.

“You have more power than you know,” Destiny said, cupping his chin. “You have a wonderful group of people who love and adore you.” She pulled him close and embraced him. “And you have me. I will stand beside you until the bitter end. Whenever you need a shoulder to lean on or an ear to listen, I will be there.” She rested her chin on his shoulder. “I promise.”

“Thanks, Destiny,” Tristan said, reciprocating the hug. “Really. Thanks for always being there for me.”

I will never let anyone ruin your beautiful heart. You and I are in this together. I promise.

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