The four of them sat at the table next to the kitchen.

Jarvus had moved from his preferred chair that was near the forge door to one at the head of the table. Noticing this Umbren speculated if what he wanted to talk about was important, so he took a seat across from him on the other end of the table.

Jarvus narrowed his eyes at Umbren's decision, it was almost as if he was trying to find meaning behind his decision.

Kagi took a seat on the side of the table that faced the forge door. However, she sat closer to Umbren's side of the table than Jarvus's. It seemed that his actions the night before still weighed on her.

Alyze sat right across from Kagi looking eagerly into her crescent eyes. Apparently, she had come up with many more questions since their earlier conversation.

The sun had set an hour before, but there was still light threatening to pierce through the windows. Fortunately, Alyze had taken to covering them with curtains so as to not let any unwanted gaze fall upon the two tenebrage. Though Umbren still didn't know why there was any light left at all to allow such a thing.

Once everyone was seated, Jarvus closed his eyes as if deep in thought. What he did was not going to be pleasant. He gave out a sigh, readying himself.

He looked upon the others sitting around the table, but anyone could tell that something was off.

Alyze would take sneaking glances at Umbren and would look away immediately with an embarrassed smile. Sometimes Umbren would catch her glance and do the same.

Many thoughts ran through Umbren's head, It doesn't count right? We're not actually married. I mean Mortis wasn't there as a witness so it's not official, but...

Kagi on the other hand would also notice their quick glances and would begin to squirm with an uncomfortable look on her face. This was not helped by the fact that whenever Alyze wasn’t looking at Umbren she was looking at the young Hand like she held all the secrets the world had to offer.

Jarvus furrowed his brow as he took all this in, "What's wrong with all of you?"

At this, the looks of embarrassment on Alyze and Umbren’s faces deepened, while Kagi jumped in her seat.

"It's nothing." Umbren could not rid himself of the smile, and he did not sound convincing in the slightest.

Jarvus leaned back in his chair shaking his head as if to get himself back on track, "We have some important things to discuss. I'm sure you two tenebrage saw the arrival of that visitor last night. Though I think you already know who he is."

He looked at Umbren as he said the last part, but Kagi looked genuinely lost.

Umbren stared back at Jarvus. He knew he couldn't deny it after fainting like he did, "Yes, I know who Dilem is. Though I wish that I didn't."

"Oh! So you're on a first name basis with him now are you?"

Umbren really didn't want to go into it, and he was afraid that the images of that day would flash through his head if they went any further, "It's not like he told me it himself, It's just the only one I know him by."

Jarvus could see that Umbren wouldn't go any further, "Anyway, his presence complicates things quite a bit." He nodded to the curtains, "Just look at how the mayor has heightened security."

Kagi spoke up, "So that's what those are for, but I don't see why this mayor of yours would do such a thing just because of the arrival of a general."

Alyze looked as if she had been dreading the conversation, "Where there's smoke there’s fire."

Jarvus continued, "The mayor told me that General Amian, or Dilem, was ambushed by a force of Nocturnals, and he barely escaped. I've heard that the general is ferocious in combat, so I don't know how many lived, but all that matters is that some did. I doubt that they would let an injured luxcian general out of their grasp."

The two tenebrage shuffled in their seats. Jarvus wasn't talking about them specifically, but he might as well have.

"I know that's what I would have done. Who knows what I would get for killing a general especially if he was well known," Kagi said

All eyes were on her. Umbren was in disbelief that she had brought that up with their current host around.

Kagi put her hands up, "I mean it must be the same for any soldier, even the luxcians."

Alyze stared at the ceiling, "Be that as it may, it doesn't change the fact that Lucel might be flooded with nocturnals by this time tomorrow. If General Amian is still in the village that is."

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"The mayor said he is eager to get out of here, but he is awaiting preparations to be made to send a force with him to Sangai," Jarvus groaned.

Alyze leaned forward in her seat, "What do you mean?"

Jarvus glanced at Umbren and Kagi.

Umbren shrugged, "I already told you Alyze that's where the Black Crescent is heading."

Kagi stared at him mortified, "You told her what?

The young Hand was ignored as Alyze continued, "You just said you were poisoning supplies. Why would the general need men to go with him to Sangai."

"Was that what we were doing?"

All eyes turned to Kagi once more.

Alyze practically got on the table to get closer to her, "What do you mean? Did you think you were doing something else?"

Umbren could feel Alyze's surprise. Though those feelings quickly subsided as she turned her gaze to Umbren. The only emotion he felt was curiosity. He didn't know what they were actually going to do to the caravan, and Kagi might know. However, Umbren didn't know how to interpret "Curiosity."

"Don't look at me. Honestly I didn't know what we were doing either. Poisoning the caravan was the original plan until... anyway Mistress Kagi might know more than me."

Kagi shook her head, "Honestly I don't know either. Some of the senior hands might have known but they never told me. I guess no one thought I should know anything more than I did. But I did hear that the other groups were stopping the other scattered parts of the caravan. But I don't think we’re doing that, so we may have been trying to poison something."

Jarvus pounded the table with his hands, "None of that matters right now! What we need to be worrying about are the problems at hand."

Alyze sat back in her seat and the tenebrage starred at Jarvus awaiting wait he might say.

He pointed at the two tenebrage with both his hands, "First order of business is that you two need to leave."

After the last word left his mouth he clutched the side of his head in pain, "Alyze wait the hell was that for."

Alyze hadn't even raised a finger or moved an inch. Kagi gave a start, but Umbren stared daggers at her, stopping her in her tracks before she said anything. Though to be honest he himself was unsettled by what had just occurred. He was aware of what Alyze could do, she did have golden eyes after all, but witnessing the scene before him woke him up to reality.

"How could you say such a thing to our guest? You should be ashamed."

Jarvus was about to protest, but Umbren jumped in, "Actually we were going to leave tonight anyway."

Jarvus and Alyze both looked at him in surprise, though Jarvus was more relieved. Kagi averted her gaze so as to not let Umbren see her face, she had no doubt wanted to sleep in doors again, even if it was in a bedroll.

Umbren went on, "I mean I was only waiting until the attoka healed, and he is in perfect shape now, besides if we stay any longer we won't make it to Sangai in time to reunite with our party. I don't know about Kagi, but if I don't meet them there, I might be charged with deserting."

Alyze's eyes widened, "Even if you were to leave now, how will you get out of the village undetected," she jabbed her thumb at the curtain behind her, "Your darkness trick won't work out there."

"I think I will be able to get by them fine. If they see us it will only be a glimpse, and they'll just think it's their imagination."

Jarvus rested his chin on his palm, "But how do you plan to get by them while riding attoka. They'll definitely see you and pursue."

Umbren was about to say something about how they could just get away from them, but then he remembered how he ended up in Lucel in the first place, and kept quiet.

Everyone kept quiet until Alyze spoke up, "What if you just walk through town."

"What!?" Kagi exclaimed, pushing her chair back.

Umbren just gawked at her. He had never taken her as naïve, just the opposite, but now he was starting to change his mind. The idea was suicide. Jarvus seemed to think the same with the way he looked at her.

"It's your best option if you think about it?"

Umbren's face didn't change, "How is that the best option?"

"There's no way they won't find you if you try to sneak around the village on the attoka, and when you are seen you will be pursued, but if you walk into the village, there is still some room to negotiate."

Umbren was starting to think that taking the long way to Sangai, bypassing this whole situation was the better option, but then he might not make it in time.

"How are you sure that they won't attack us on sight?" Umbren asked.

Alyze bit her lip, "Simply put, they will be too baffled. Who would expect two Nocturnals to just stroll right through Lucel."

Kagi still hadn't sat back down in her chair, "I seriously don't think we'll be able to explain ourselves."

"If just saying that your ‘passing by’ doesn't work, I or dad could defend you. It wouldn't be weird since you aren't trying to put up a fight. Though I doubt that anyone will want a fight."

It was a dumb and reckless plan. Even Umbren knew as much. He wasn't even sure the risk was worth the reward.

Alyze put up one finger, "It also helps with one other problem."

The three others studied her, wondering what she was talking about.

"The appearance of two tenebrage will probably whip them into action. It would make the threat to Sangai more real, motivating them to expedite the process of getting General Amian out of the village. That way you two will get out of here safely, and Lucel won't be swarmed with tenebrage. It really does kill two birds with one stone."

Umbren could feel from their bond just how proud of herself she was that she came up with the plan. He had a lot of doubts about it, but if it would help her and Jarvus then he had no choice but to accept. He still felt like he owed them something. Yes he had bonded with Alyze, but he felt as if he had gotten a lot out of it, despite the problems it came with.

Alyze turned and smiled at him as he finally accepted the plan. She probably felt it.

"Then that's what we're going to do. Let's hope that it doesn't go horribly wrong."

Kagi looked at Umbren as if he was a madman, and Jarvus looked at him as if he had made the worst decision possible, and Umbren really couldn't argue with him on that point.

It was a longshot, but it had to work. If they pulled it off, it would be a great story to tell their comrades around the campfire, if it was successful.

Umbren just wished that Dilem was bed ridden. He didn't want to come face to face with that monster again.