The Wicked House of Caroline

“They’re trying to sell the Alpine Route Inn?” It was unexpected news and Beks couldn’t contain the confusion and irritation in her voice.

It took them a little over two weeks to get to the northeast border, to a location on the far reaches of the kingdom that were close to the High Desert, where the cold tundra melted into steps before desert. That was with them traveling every day and seamlessly transferring from merchant caravan and escort to different merchant caravan and escort.

That meant that it had only been two weeks since she gave Nexus the order to begin pulling back partners and cutting off supply chains that worked with businesses connected to the royal family. It was too soon to start seeing the effects of the behind-the-scenes manipulation, and far too soon for the situation to be dire enough that Luther would start selling off property.

“Yes, my lady,” Mr. Kesse replied. “There were three properties that have been put up for sale by the royal family.” Mr. Kesse had just returned to Kadmium from Sagittate on the same private vessel that took him and Laurence to her family’s duchy. When he answered her urapearl call that night, he had expressed his awe that she had managed to get not only a suitable ship, but a skilled crew.

Beks had told him it wasn’t her, but her mother. He’d then asked if her mother knew pirates, as while no one mentioned it, Mr. Kesse was wary enough to notice the icon of a kraken on the hull of the Leviathan’s Throne.

Beks brushed it off as one of her mother’s contacts from her days as a sailor.

After getting news about Laurence and the situation in Sagittate, he began to report about the royal family’s recent activities and the presumed financial issues they were facing.

Beks narrowed her eyes. “What are they doing? Even with the unexpected death expenses of the late Queen, and that bloated corpse they passed as Brother Laurence, and Luther’s hastened coronation, there should still be enough money to get the royal family through winter. They haven’t squandered the kingdom’s emergency fund budget, have they?”

That was in place only to deal with natural disasters and the humanitarian crisis that often came with them. There was a literal law in place that the emergency fund could only be used for such things and if there were any remaining funds, it would roll over into the next year. Since the emergency fund had been created, there had been a decent amount remaining each year, padding the fund for the upcoming year.

“Emergency fund allocation requires royal approval when applied for and can only be used when applied. At the moment, aside from the emergency requests received when you were still here, none have been submitted. There is still at least a quarter of the year's start amount.”

Beks took a deep breath. “At least he’s not touching that....Were there any sizable expenses?” She frowned and corrected herself. “No, were there any expenses out of the ordinary. Large or small and continuous?”

Mr. Kesse’s image in the urapearl tensed a bit. “They have begun preparations for the current king’s...wedding.” He hesitated and seemed to wait for her reaction.

Beks raised a brow. She expected Luther to marry the new oracle. He had announced to the world that he was going to marry a Wife of Choice. While in front of her. Before he had even married his Wife of Convenience. It was just sooner than she expected.

“Already?” Her question seemed to make the old man sit up straight and carry a brief look of alarm.

“The fact that they are planning to marry soon means that there was no thought given to a proper engagement. It shows that the woman he is going to marry is of little importance-”

Beks raised her hand and shook her head to stop Mr. Kesse from rambling on. “It doesn’t bother me that they are getting married, Mr. Kesse. I’m only surprised that it’s so soon considering the events in the last few months. His mother’s and purported brother’s deaths would usually be mourned for a year before such a joyous event. Not to mention the cost of a royal wedding is no small sum.” She furrowed her brows. “The royal family’s budget for the coming year didn’t plan for this.”

Laurence and Lady Eleanor had planned to wait a full year after the death of the late Queen. While the ceremony and reception dinner of the wedding would be paid for by the royal family, gifts to the bride would be paid for by the groom to show his sincerity, and Laurence had plenty of money to spend on Lady Eleanor. She would not want for anything.

Luther, on the other hand, had nowhere near as much personal savings as his eldest brother. Beks knew this firsthand because she’d helped him manage it. Much of his personal wealth was tied up with various businesses he invested in. As that money wasn’t fluid, Luther would need to scrape his savings if he wanted to give proper engagement and wedding gifts to the new oracle.

And if he were short, he’d have two choices to get additional money. First was his father, but Luther would be too embarrassed to reach out to his father for money. He desperately wanted to show that he was a competent person and that was true now more than ever as he carried the mantle of a king. His second choice was to go to the royal treasury, which as king, he had the final say in.

Thinking about this gave Beks a headache. She lifted her hand and rubbed her forehead. By the time Laurence retook the throne, they kingdom would be bankrupt.

“Should we continue with the plans to damage the income stream of the royal family, my lady?” Mr. Kesse asked.

“Continue.” Stopping wasn’t an option. “What other properties is he selling?”

“Alpine Route Inn and the property it is on, Green Meadows, and the western grazing property on the other side of the mountain range.”

Beks squinted. “The grazing property is massive with numerous tenants. How can he sell such a large property? Don’t tell me he’s splitting them into lots.”

Mr. Kesse gave her a helpless look, affirming her concerns.

She took a deep breath. “Find who the prospective buyers are for each location and how much they are willing to pay. Green Meadows is just a horse breeding farm for royal horses and can be moved elsewhere. It’s just that it’s in a scenic location along a major trade route.”

“What about Alpine Route Inn? The late Queen had a particular fondness for the inn and had wanted to divert the trade route that went through it so as to make it a royal private residence,” Mr. Kesse told her.

Beks clenched her jaw. The late Queen didn’t just have a fondness for the location. She wanted it made as a private residence not so she could vacation there, but because the Alpine Route Inn sat on an iron ore-rich mountain. Beks and Laurence knew this because the late Queen passed along the knowledge for the iron ore deposits as a resource for the kingdom.

Laurence estimated that mining would happen during his reign. Neither of them knew how many other people knew. Apparently, Uncle Timur had discovered this.

Did someone else know about the iron in the mountain? If they sold the mountain, the mining rights went along with it. In private hands, the kingdom would lose a valuable resource.

“Find out how much they are selling the mountain the Alpine Route Inn is on,” Beks told him. “If possible, I’d like Nexus’ shell company to purchase it.”

Mr. Kesse’s eyes widened. “We may need to utilize more funds than we have available for use.”

Beks narrowed her eyes. “I had wanted to try to find a way to withdraw money from the Kadmium Central Bank for use, but it would be difficult to do so if Luther or his father had enough caution to have it monitored. I may not be able to access it, but it can go to my beneficiary in the event of my passing.” Beks shut her eyes and tried to call the legal documents surrounding her account.

Upon one’s death, their assets could be transferred to a beneficiary. Her beneficiaries were a handful of charities under Nexus. She always felt that in the event of an untimely death, at the very least she could give the charities one last bit of support. There were other circumstances that would allow transfer to beneficiaries, as well, and if she weren’t going to get her money herself, she could funnel it where she could still control it.

Lifetime imprisonment including hard labor, loss of Kadmus citizenship, or if the owner of the account was missing for five years. Exile was not directly stated, but it fell into “loss of Kadmus citizenship”.

Mr. Kesse’s brows knit and he seemed to also be thinking about the technicality. “Shall we apply for transfer of assets due to your exile?”

“There is no law or rule stating that the assets of an exile should be given to the kingdom,” Beks said with a slight smirk. “Apply for transfer of assets immediately before the current king and his cronies figure this out and try to enact a law to plunder my account.”

Her parents didn’t have this worry, as all of their assets were in Sagittate. She’d only used Kadmium Central Bank because it was local and convenient for her.

Mr. Kesse bowed his head. “Yes, my lady.”

“And while you are at it, keep an eye on the accounts of Their Highnesses the Second and Third Princes. They’re considered missing, but alive, so their accounts should not be touched.”

“Yes, my lady. Is there anything needed?”

“Spread rumors about the royal family teetering on bankruptcy because of the current king and his fiancée’s excessive spending, and the Third Consort siphoning off money from the royal treasury to assist his family’s failing businesses.”

“Shall we target the Hessings, as well?”

“That goes without saying,” Beks said. “I want the kingdom to lose their trust in Luther.” Mr. Kesse bowed his head once more and Beks ended the call with her thanks.

Despite her wishes to ruin his reputation with accusations of wanton decadence and corruption, when it came to matters involving government spending, Luther would err on the side of caution and be careful with spending. He would want to put the needs of the kingdom first.

No matter how naive or ignorant Luther was, serving the kingdom would be something paramount in his head. It would take convincing from someone he trusted to go against what his own mother had drilled into him. It was unfortunate that there were plenty of people who would try.

Beks took a deep breath and leaned back against the chair. If Luther and his father wanted to sell things that weren’t royal property, she wouldn’t be so concerned, but how would she explain to Laurence that the mountain filled with iron was sold?

She couldn’t help but wonder whose brilliant idea it was.

She glanced at the window and frowned. With the winter months approaching, the sun set earlier. It was already dark and she lowered a hand to her stomach. Her eyes swept across the desk of the inn where they were staying for the night. Along with her urapearl and its stand were a few maps of the region and the routes through the High Desert back to the coast, which would be outside of Kadmus’ borders.

Tomorrow, they’d need to purchase horses and go off on their own to find her brother.

But first, dinner.

Beks put her urapearl away and grabbed the cloak and veil from the foot of the bed. She put it on, securing both pieces before leaving her room. The inn they were staying in this time was small, with only five rooms and a single floor. There were a few small restaurants in the small town. Sandra had checked each one and reported back that they should eat at a small shop two buildings down from their inn.

Beks opened her door and found the couple dutifully waiting for her. She let out a tired sigh. “I said you could knock.”

“You said you were going to make a call, my lady. We didn’t want to bother you,” Sandra said.

“It’s all right. I don’t mind,” she replied. “Let’s get something to eat. Gerard, did you ask around about the road leading to the high desert.”

Gerard took a deep breath and squinted. “I have. There is concerning news and we should discuss it.”

That didn’t sound like a good thing. Still, Beks nodded and led them to the restaurant. Sandra rushed forward to greet the waiter and tell him that she had reserved a corner table in the back. Beks drew her lips inward. Sandra always tried to make reservations to ensure a private place to eat, but it wasn’t necessary when there was no one else in the restaurant.

She supposed Sandra was being cautious. Beks was glad that they brought Sandra along. She’d been of great help as Sandra was very familiar with travel and working outside the home. It was akin to having a guide, as Beks was lacking in her knowledge of common life.

The trio was led to a table in the back. Beks’ eyes flickered around, satisfied that it was reasonably private and if other guests came in, they wouldn’t be bothered. Sandra ordered for the table, having already reviewed the menu and based the order on their preferences.

Beks chuckled as the couple sat across from her. “I know you’re pretending to be my maid, Sandra, but you don’t have to do so much.”

Sandra shook her head. “I need to be of use during the journey. After all, I am the one who wanted to come.”

“You have been very useful,” Beks assured her with a small smile and nod. “I also don’t regret you joining us.” Sandra beamed and turned to look at her husband with a smug look.

“See, I told you.”

Gerard released an exasperated breath. “I was only concerned about your safety.”

Sandra puffed out her chest. “It’s been fine! Everywhere we went, we’ve had an escort and all of my lady’s contacts had set us up in decent lodgings.” She poked her husband’s bulging bicep. “And even if there wasn’t an escort, we have you, don’t we?”

Gerard’s ruddy cheeks flushed at his wife’s complement. Beks chuckled.

They are a very cute couple. No wonder Laz encouraged this. I wonder how Jonas took it? I’m going to ask when I get back. The server returned with some mugs of light mead and placed them on the table, informing them that the food would be out soon. Beks gave him a nod, thanked him, and then turned her attention back to Gerard, her face growing serious. “What did you find out about the road ahead that is so concerning?”

Gerard took a deep breath and seemed to pause for a moment together his thoughts before speaking. “The three warring states in the valley beyond Giant’s Ridge have become worse. Usually, there are just skirmishes for disputed territory, but it seems that the fighting has gotten so bad that people are fleeing the region.”

Beks furrowed her brows, remembering the map she’d reviewed of the area. The route they would take forked when it reached the base of the Giant’s Ridge Mountain Range. The road going west would go up the mountains and into the territory within. This was a caravan route that crossed the habitable region and came out on the western pass.

The road going east led to the High Desert. It was also a caravan route and Beks believed she’d find her brother along one of the stops or villages on the route.

“With the people fleeing, has the road become unsafe?” Desperation sometimes brought out the worst in people.

Gerard furrowed his brows. “There haven’t been any instances of attacks that have been reported, but a refugee camp has been created outside of town, about a day’s travel up the road.”

“I thought that region has been fighting over usable territory for years,” Sandra said. “Why did it escalate to the point where people are fleeing all of a sudden?”

Gerard held out his hands and tried to explain it. “It seems that the two larger states have split the habitable region into two, marginalizing the third state. They’ve taken control of the east and west passages whereas before, there was an informal understanding that the passages were free for anyone to use.

“According to the merchants I spoke to this afternoon, they are only allowed to enter if they agree to only do business with the state controlling the pass. In the case of the east passage, merchants can only enter if they only do business with Salgul. The west is controlled by Brekram.”

“What about the third state?” Beks asked.

Gerard lifted a hand and scratched the back of his head. “They’re in a very difficult position. A few months ago, two volcanoes in the southern tip of the range erupted. The southern portion of the habitable area is where the third state, Dranga, is settled. They had no choice but to be forced north to flee the volcanic aftermath.”

“Brekram, Salgul, and Dranga....” Beks closed her eyes and pulled up the information she’d read on them. Her lips pulled downward. “Dranga is the smallest of the warring states...they’ve had to flee their region due to a natural disaster and are at a disadvantage in numbers.” Her eyes opened. “Is it possible that the refugees fleeing the region are from Dranga?”

Gerard seemed at a loss. “No one I’ve spoken to knows who they are. The encampment is a little way from the road and they don’t seem to be bothering any of the merchants coming through.”

“Then they’re self-sufficient?” Sandra asked. “Why haven’t they come down further, to the town?”

Beks narrowed her eyes as she looked at the wooden tabletop. “Maybe they’re waiting.” The couple looked across the table at her and Beks lifted her head. “Isn’t that possible?”

“Well, I suppose,” Gerard replied. “There are rumors that Salgul is losing ground to Dranga, though no one understands why since they vastly outnumber the Dranga state.”

“The Dranga has a high frequency of biha users,” Beks said as before taking a sip of her drink. “I remember, as they had similar reported births of biha users as in Sagittate. Not as many, but still above average. I don’t know if the southern area of the mountain range is bihar-rich, which can cause it, but it’s possible that even with their low numbers, they’ve learned to utilize their biha to take territory or at least defend themselves.”

“If that were the case, why are they just learning to use it now?” Sandra asked. “Even I know that the warring states are called so because they’ve been fighting with each other for centuries.”

She had a point, as Beks never heard of the people in the mountain range using their biha. There were numerous hotspots of biha-users around the continent and due to her slight obsession with it, Beks paid attention to those spots.

“Gerard, was there anything strange about that region other than Salgul losing ground?”

“The only thing I’ve heard is that the most recent merchants that tried to get to the east pass for trade were told to turn back by refugees fleeing. The more daring merchants made an attempt, but said that something was wrong at the pass. They worried that there was volcanic activity triggered by the volcanoes in the south.”

Beks cocked her head to the side. “Was there volcanic or geothermal activity there before?”

Gerard shrugged. “I don’t know, my lady. All they said was when they tried to pass through, it became so unbearably hot that the horses refuse to go forward and they couldn't make it more than a few steps without it feeling as if they had stepped into an oven.”

Her chest tightened as she sat up straight. Her eyes were wide as her hand gripped her wooden mug of mead. Her sudden tense expression alarmed Sandra.

“My lady?”

Beks pursed her lips and looked up. “Tomorrow, we’ll continue with the plan. Buy horses and then travel up the road.”

Gerard nodded and Sandra wrinkled her nose. The server came and placed some wooden plates with food on their table. As she pushed the plates to each person, Sandra spoke up. “We’re going to avoid the warring region, right?”

“That depends,” Beks said as she picked up a knife and fork. “I want to ask the refugees what is going on in the region. There is something I want to confirm.”

The husband and wife across from her exchanged looks before glancing back at her. “What do you want to confirm?” Gerard asked in a hesitant voice.

Beks brought some pickled vegetables and stewed meat to her mouth, nodding in approval at the passable taste before swallowing. “If the mysterious heat in the region is caused by my brother.”

╔═════════════════ ∘◦ ♔ ◦∘ ═════════════════╗

Despite the moniker of a refugee camp, the people in the neat rows of animal skin tents weren’t in worse health than those she’d seen in the slums when she was a child. This was a relief to see.

“They seem better off than I thought they’d be,” Sandra said as she looked around from her seat on the saddle behind her husband.

“They may be weary of strangers,” Beks said. She looked around the outer edge of the camp and saw a tree line not too far away. “Let’s bring the horses there.” She led the other two to the trees and slid off her horse. “You two stay here. I need to find someone to ask about the situation at the pass.”

“I’ll come with you,” Gerard said.

Beks held out her hand to stop him. “You may alarm them. Stay here. I doubt they’ll cause any trouble.”

Sandra nodded and grabbed hold of her husband’s arm to keep him back. “She’s right. You’ll intimidate them and they won’t want to talk.” Gerard still looked hesitant.

“I’m not going far. You’ll be able to rush in if anything happens,” Beks told him.

He took a deep breath and nodded. “All right, my lady. Please be careful.”

Beks nodded and adjusted her cloak and veil. She walked into the encampment as if she knew where she was going, but her eyes darted around, trying to find someone to speak to. All around her she heard a foreign language, likely Higer, which she didn’t understand.

Someone older may know Jasper, so let’s look for someone my age or older. It was easier said than done. The more she looked, the more she realized that there were many adults older than her parents and small children. There were hardly any she’d consider elderly and almost no one her age, or a few years older or younger. Her eyes narrowed. Did people my age stay behind to fight?

“Are you looking for something?” A voice asked behind her and Beks whirled around. She looked down at an aging woman who was looking her up and down, as if trying to figure out what she was doing there.

“Yes, we’re traveling through and heard that the east pass is impassable because of a war. Is that why you have fled, as well?” Beks asked in a curious voice.

The woman let out a heavy breath and nodded. She turned her head in the direction of the pass with regret and longing. “If you’re here with the town, we won’t go and cause any trouble. We’re waiting for the others before we continue on.”

“The others?” Beks tilted her head to the side. “Are you waiting for more refugees?”

“We are not refugees,” the old woman said as she lifted her head proudly. “We are the Dranga people and we are going home!”

“Home?” Beks looked in the direction she had gazed towards earlier. “Isn’t home back in the Giant’s Ridge?”

“With the volcanos, Salgul, and Brekram, we are migrating elsewhere,” the woman replied in a rough voice. “However, due to the dangers at the pass, we can only come out in small batches at a time, as too many people at once cannot be protected.”

Beks narrowed her eyes behind her veil. “Protected from what? Salgul? The heat at the pass?”

When she mentioned the heat, the woman across from her tensed. Her eyes went wide and she almost took a step back. “From...from Salgul, of course! They are chasing us to our deaths!”

“Who is protecting you?” Beks asked as she took a step forward. “Is there a man with red hair and exceptionally strong fire biha there?”

The woman’s mouth clamped shut. Her eyes looked away. “You shouldn’t go any further. It’s too dangerous for a young lady!” She turned around and took two steps forward before a child blocked her way.

He was likely no more than twelve years old and looked at Beks curiously. “Do you use biha?”

“Naim!” The old woman scolded the boy in Higer, but the boy kept looking at Beks and spoke in accented Jasper.

“There is a biha user of fire. He’s very strong,” the boy said carefully so as not to make a mistake.

Beks’ heart shot to her throat. “Is he a younger man or an older man?”

“Young-”

The boy opened his mouth, but the woman slapped her hand over his and pulled him away. Beks couldn’t understand what the woman was saying, but she was fairly certain she was admonishing the boy for talking to a stranger.

She saw the boy’s eyes widen and fear go through them before he cowered away. Beks let out a heavy breath. She could understand their wariness, but it wasn’t helping her any. Still, from the reaction of the boy and the old woman, her suspicion that her brother had something to do with the heat in the pass only increased.

She walked back to Gerard and Sandra, who looked at her with an eager expression.

“Did they tell you anything?” Gerard asked.

“Not much. They’re wary of me, which considering their circumstances isn’t a bad thing. However, they did let it slip that there is someone with very strong fire biha there. I believe that person may be my brother.”

Gerard nodded and looked at his wife. The two seemed to have a silent conversation before looking back at Beks. “Then, I will go to the pass and check.”

Beks frowned and looked at him with knit brows. “You can’t go alone. My brother doesn’t know you, Gerard. If he’s in the middle of fighting, he’s going to be very wary of people he doesn’t know,” she told him. “I need to go. Even with my hair like this, I know my brother will know me when he sees me.”

Gerard shook his head at once. “I’m sorry, my lady, but I cannot allow you to go unescorted.”

Sandra nodded her head in agreement. “That’s right,” she said. “We’ll all go.”

“You’re not going.” Both Beks and Gerard said and stopped her at once. Sandra choked back her words.

“What? Why not?”

“It’s already dangerous enough with her ladyship going. I don’t want you to be in danger, as well,” Gerard told her in a low voice.

Sandra brushed it off with a wave of her hand. “That’s what you said two weeks ago and I’m still here.”

“Sandra, it’s different this time. The probability of danger to get to this point was rather low. As long as I maintained a low profile and no one recognized me for who I am, then we wouldn’t have a problem. We’re just traveling a well-traveled road. But the east pass is different,” Beks told her, frowning beneath her veil. “There are two sides actively fighting over the pass. They don’t know us and we could be attacked if we get too close. It’s too dangerous for you to come with us.”

“My lady, you should stay, as well. I will surrender and ask to speak to your brother,” Gerard told her.

“Gerard, you may not get that far. You also don’t know my brother. If you even hint that you’re keeping me away, he’ll consider it a threat,” Beks told him in a dire voice. “I need to be present to talk to him. I know I’m a liability, but I need to go.”

Gerard frowned at this. Sandra kicked the ground with her boot, equally upset. “How long do I have to wait?” she asked, impatient.

“The pass is a few days’ north of here. It will take another day or two to get over the pass. If it’s as difficult to cross as they say, we’ll need to go around....” Gerard told his wife. Sandra looked more and more disappointed.

Beks drew her lips inwards. “Give us three weeks. If I don’t find my brother in a few days, we’ll come back and return to the island. At the very least, we can drop Sandra off where she’ll be safe and Lucian can extend my disguise. We can plan for a smoother journey on our second attempt.”

Gerard and Sandra both looked at her with surprise. “My lady, is that acceptable? You’ve come all this way-”

“I’m also in a rush to reunite my family, but I’m on a time limit.” She reached up and touched a bit of hair that fell over her shoulder. Without Lucian’s disguise, it would be the shock of hair that was orange. “If I’m identified, I’ll be hunted down. I can’t be seen with my real hair color. I’d risk not only myself, but my family. At most, the royal family is uncertain about our current statuses and that shields us a bit.”

Her bodyguard and would-be maid seemed to go quiet with thought. Gerard was the first to finally nod his head. “All right, my lady. You will go with me to search for Lord Amadeo.” He looked at his wife with worry. “Sandra, you’ll wait for us in town.”

“Leon!”

“He’s right. That’s the safest place for you to wait,” Beks agreed as the other woman balked. She reached forward and held Sandra’s hands. “I know you don’t want to be left behind, but I need to be selfish to ensure safety for not only you, but myself. Gerard needs to focus on our environment to protect me while I’m searching for my brother. If you’re there, not only Gerard, but I will worry about you. If you’re in danger, I don’t want Gerard to have to pick between his duty to guard me and you, the love of his life. Do you understand? I don’t want any more risks than we already have.”

Sandra lowered her reddening eyes. Beks felt Sandra’s hands tighten around hers before she nodded. “All right.”

Gerard let out a rushed breath of relief and grasped his wife’s shoulders turning her towards him and bringing her into an embrace. Beks stepped away to give the couple a moment, distracting herself with her new horse.

Concerned that Sandra could try to follow after them, she led them back to the town and paid in advance for Sandra’s stay.

“If you leave, you’re going to waste my money. They will not give it back even if you leave early,” Beks told her in a stern voice. It was already night and she and Gerard were leaving without rest, but Sandra gave her a dull look.

“My lady, I am not a child. I can wait,” she said. She glanced at her husband who was standing by the horse, taking something from the saddle. Sandra’s eyes crinkled up and she held Beks’ arm. “I know it is his job to protect you, but if you can....” She trailed off and looked at Beks with hopeful eyes.

Beks returned her nod. “Laz’s people are my people. I will do what I can to bring him back safely.” She paused for a moment. “But if I cannot, then go south, back where we came. Go to the mouth of the Hague River. When you reach the sea, turn back, and go up the river until you come to a wide, pebble lined clearing along the riverbed. Wait there and your brother will come.”

Sandra pursed her lips and bowed her head. “Thank you, my lady.”

Beks pulled away, pressing some gold coins into Sandra’s hand, before she walked towards her horse. “Go and reassure your wife,” Beks told Gerard as she passed him.

He nodded. She watched the couple speak in low voices to each other, then embrace. When it seemed like Gerard was leaning down to kiss Sandra, Beks casually turned her head to the side. It wasn’t until Gerard climbed onto his horse that Beks looked back.

“May the road bring you only peace,” Sandra said as she lifted a hand and waved.

Beks gave her a solemn nod of her head. “And may we bring that peace back to you next we meet.”

Following the road, they’d come from not a few moments earlier, Beks led Gerard ahead.

“My lady, thank you for making Sandra stay. She is very stubborn.”

“I have my limits on what I will risk,” Beks said as she kept her eyes ahead on the dark road using the oil lamp they bought at an earlier point. “Laz assigned you to guard me, so I can’t leave you behind, but Sandra needn’t be dragged along when it gets too dangerous.”

“We will find your brother and return soon, my lady.”

Beks took a deep breath. “Let’s hope so.”

╔═════════════════ ∘◦ ♔ ◦∘ ═════════════════╗

It was a steady ride to the east pass without any trouble. The only major setback was that they had to stop every so often to rest. It was lucky for her that Gerard was used to marching with the Wild Dogs and was able to set the pace with ease.

With their speed on horseback and with minimal rests, they reached the base of the mountain range sooner than expected, but in that time, they passed three groups of a dozen or so people each time, all small children or older adults that were similar to those in the encampment.

“If only a few people at a time can manage to sneak out, then it’s likely that they’re sending out the most vulnerable but still mobile group, which is why we haven’t seen many elderly,” Beks said as they stopped to survey the path that split into two roads. In the far distance, they could see the smoking pillars and gray smoke coming from the volcanoes. They hadn’t stopped yet, and with smoke and ash in the air, it would be difficult for anyone to remain in nearby. “Is there no other way out?”

Gerard’s head was tilted up, looking at the mountain ahead of them. The path that curved towards the pass was well worn and would cut through a canyon between the mountains. As they approached, the elevation had increased. Though it was cold, the sun felt as if it were close and Beks could feel a subtle change in the air.

“The air is already thinning at this level,” Gerard said. “If they go higher, those who aren’t used to higher elevations can easily become lightheaded if they go too fast.”

“And that would be dangerous if they’re following a rough path,” Beks replied, following his gaze.

“My lady, I believe we can go over the mountains from here.”

Beks turned towards him. “What about the thinning air?”

“I can regulate the air around us,” Gerard said with a serious look. “Us and the horses. We shouldn’t get lightheaded.”

“Do you have enough biha to last us? What if it takes longer than expected?” Beks asked with a frown.

“Regulating air doesn’t consume much biha, my lady,” Gerard assured her. “My well has also increased since we were on the island. We also won’t stay at the top for too long.”

Beks thought for a moment and nodded. “All right. Let’s do as you suggest. If we can bypass the east pass, then we won’t face the heat the merchants were talking about. If we can’t get past that, then we won’t be able to get inside and search for my brother.”

The two veered off from the main road and began the ascent up the mountain. With no set path, they could only weave between the trees, with Gerard getting off his horse to survey before allowing her to come forward.

Night came before they were anywhere near the peak and Gerard insisted they stop to rest, as if they went any further, he’d need to regulate the air and he couldn’t do so if he were sleeping.

“Is it necessary to regulate the air if we’re not climbing?” Beks asked as she fed the campfire some dried twigs.

“Going up this high won’t cause a fatality in itself, but in the event of an ambush, when one will begin to breathe hard; the lack of breathable air can cause an accident.” Beks hummed and nodded. “Don’t worry, my lady. I am sure by tomorrow night; we’ll be over the ridge and will have descended low enough to breathe normally.”

“I didn’t realize we were so high up.”

“It isn’t noticeable this far inland,” Gerard told her. “The Giant’s Ridge Mountain Range is higher than the Eastern Mountain Range. They are hills in comparison.”

“Have the Wild Dogs done this before?” Beks asked.

Gerard pursed his lips and shook his head. “Not the entire battalion, but I’ve been sent off to do survey work here before and I’ve spoken to others about it, so I am familiar.”

Beks let out a heavy sigh. “I need to thank Laz for sending you with me.”

Gerard smiled. “The Battalion Commander thinks very highly of you, my lady. When His Highness the Third Prince told us you were on the island, the Battalion Commander demanded we bring him to you at once. Of course, the closer we got, the more hesitant he became because of his hand. He was unsure how to explain it to you, saying that you would be upset.”

Beks furrowed her brows as she stared into the fire. “How badly was he wounded, Gerard?”

The man across from her tensed in his seat. “It wasn’t something that would kill him, my lady.”

She raised her eyes and gave him a sharp look. “He lost a hand and had a large wound across his stomach.”

Gerard hesitated. “It’s not just his stomach, my lady. The Battalion Commander was run through when we were fleeing with the Third Prince.”

“What?” Beks nearly jumped up. “What do you mean he was run through? With a sword?”

“It didn’t rupture any organs and the Third Prince was able to bandage him up well enough-”

“How long did he take to recover?”

Gerard avoided her eyes. “He was only starting to walk again when we found out you were on the island. He was injured when we found the Third Prince.”

She shut her eyes and clenched her hands. “Paladins did it?”

“Yes, my lady, but they are already dead.”

She ground her teeth together. She took a deep breath. “I don’t know what we’ve done to have the Temple target us. I’ve not wronged them, neither has my family, nor Brother Laurence and the twins. If anything, it is their oracle who has wronged me.”

Gerard lowered her eyes, not knowing how to answer.

She reigned in her anger and frustration, breathing in and out and counting to fifty before she unclenched her hands. “Are you all right, my lady? The Battalion Commander told me to take care if you have another flare up.”

She shook her head. “I haven’t had one since my biha explosion. And this amount of emotion isn’t enough to trigger a flare up, Gerard. Don’t worry.”

“Are you used to controlling your emotions, my lady?”

She cracked a small, helpless smile. “My health depended on it. It’s freeing to let it out, but I find myself still restraining them. Old habits, I suppose.” She stretched her arms over her head. “Wake me before dawn. Let’s try to get over the difficult part of the ridge before tomorrow night.”

“Yes, my lady.”

She leaned against a tree and closed her eyes, reading what she could before she succumbed to sleep. As arranged, she awoke before dawn. They were well on their way before the first rays of light peeked over the horizon. When she found herself catching her breath, Gerard began to regulate the air.

Her next breath made her sit up straight on her horse. She looked over at Gerard, impressed. “It’s like we’re back in town. Are you sure you can continue this?”

“Yes, my lady. Don’t worry. I can do a full day and night of air regulation with the size of my biha well.”

Beks let out a sigh. “Well, at least one of us can.” Despite Gerard’s efforts, Beks didn’t want to waste energy chatting, so most of the journey over the ridge was in silence. They reached the point to cross over before dawn and from there, the rest of the mountains didn’t seem like much.

They stopped to survey the area and Beks pointed out where the east pass was in the distance, where the mountains were shorter and there were a natural canyon people could move through. In front of them, the valley spread for quite a bit, but there was only a small path of greenery left. Snow and frost were coming from the north, and soon, the valley would be taken over for the winter.

“They don’t have much time,” Gerard said.

“Which means both sides will get restless,” Beks replied. “Let’s go down and try to get as close to the pass as we can.”

“Do you think your brother is near the pass?”

“If he’s changing the temperature, then he needs to be nearby,” Beks told him. “My brother is very skilled, but he can’t be too far from his target.

“Then, we will go there.”

After another night of rest, they set off in the morning, hoping to reach the east pass before sunset. Gerard led the way in case of sudden attack while Beks followed behind him, still somewhat frustrated that she couldn’t do much with her biha to help.

“There was a lot of bihar released from the volcano, my lady, but the closer we get to the pass, the more biha in the air. It’s spread thin, but there is so much of it, I can feel it everywhere,” Gerard said with some awe.

Beks drew her lips inward. She took a deep breath and tried to extend her senses to feel for biha, as she had read in a book, but she still couldn’t feel a change. A frown marred her face beneath the veil.

I was engaged to Luther for twenty years; I should be used to disappointment by now....

As if already expecting her to be annoyed, Gerard tried to cheer her up. “You will sense it soon, my lady. I could not sense it when I was a child and it took practice.”

“I suppose....” Beks muttered. They continued through the trees and Beks looked around. “Since we left the main route, we haven’t seen anyone.”

“I am suspicious, too, my lady,” Gerard replied, dropping his voice. “We haven’t seen or heard evidence of anyone from the warring states, except for the biha in the air.”

“I would think that the closer we get to the pass, the more eyes would be on us.”

Gerard was quiet for a moment. “I wouldn't be surprised if they were on us now.”

His words made her tense and Beks’ grip tightened around the reins. The sun was low in the horizon, but even as the shadows of the mountain fell across the valley, the temperature grew warmer. Beks began to sweat beneath her veil.

“How much biha is in the air?” Beks asked.

Gerard seemed to swallow his words. “Quite a bit, my lady.”

The entrance of the canyon, a large crack between two mountains, could be seen not too far away. The closer they got, the hotter it became.

“I can see why merchants turned back. If just the surrounding area is this hot, I can only imagine what the middle of the pass is like,” Beks said. “Is this how my brother forced out Salgul?”

“We should stop for the night, my lady. Somewhere cooler.” Beks opened her mouth to agree when Gerard suddenly grabbed the reins of his horse and pulled it to the side. “My lady, duck!”

She felt the wind knocked out of her as Gerard threw his arm around her torso and pulled her off the horse. She let out a cry as she dangled above the ground. She couldn’t see what was happening around her, only knew that Gerard dismounted and sent the horses into the forest before heaving her over his shoulder and darting behind some trees.

“What’s going on!?”

“Someone is shooting at us!”

I knew the journey was going too smoothly. I knew it. “Do you know who?” She wheezed out as each step he took seemed to force the air out of her.

“I don’t think that matters right now, my lady!” Gerard wove through the trees and Beks winced as she felt small branches hit her legs. She raised her arms to cover her head and kept them up until Gerard skidded behind some boulders. “My lady, are you all right?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine! Put me down!” He did as he was told and turned his back to her, pulling his sword from his sheath as he peered over the boulders. “We’re outnumbered and I don’t know how many are targeting us.”

“I didn’t think they’d attack us on sight,” Beks said with a disbelieving shake of her head.

“As you said, they don’t recognize us.”

Beks narrowed her eyes. “Can you get their attention and try to coax them to talk?” Gerard furrowed his brows. “I can try.” He put his sword back into his sheath and raised his arms to show he was unarmed. “Hello! Don’t shoot! We are merchants!” He leaned further out from behind the boulder when no one answered. “Hello! Is anyone there? Do you speak Jasper?”

No one answered. Beks shifted with discomfort. She knew they were being watched. Perhaps they’d run too far into the forest that whoever was watching didn’t hear them.

She heard Gerard shout once more, taking another step further away from the boulder.

“Don’t go too far,” Beks said. “They may be waiting for you to get within range.”

Gerard stopped before he took another step. “Is anyone out there? We are looking for someone!”

“Wait-”

“Amadeo of Caroline!”

Beks let out a low groan and tilted her head back against the boulder. “That may make them even warier....”

When no one responded, Gerard looked back towards the boulder. “My lady-”

“Move back!” Beks shot forward, grabbed Gerard’s shirt, and tugged him back just as another arrow hit the spot where he was standing. She pulled him behind the boulder. “They’re getting closer.”

“My lady, I can’t fight projectile weapons. I only have a sword,” Gerard said, distressed.

Beks clenched her jaw. “Can you move air?”

“Move...like wind?”

“Yes, can you use wind to divert projectiles like arrows?” Beks asked.

Gerard squinted. “I can, as long as they’re not too heavy, but not for long. My biha well is still gathering bihar after we crossed over the mountains.”

Beks swore internally. Before she could produce a plan, she felt the boulder she was leaning against move. Both she and Gerard looked at each other, asking in silence if the other felt that.

“Oh no....”

The boulder began to jiggle in place and a low rumbling could be heard as it began to rock from side to side. Beks looked towards the rest of the tumbled stone with a pained expression. They were on a slope, with little place to hide.

“My lady, stay behind me!” Gerard grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him as the boulder was rolled off to the side. She stumbled behind him and he pulled out his sword, their only defense left.

Beks’ eyes widened as she saw the arrows coming down against the orange sky. “Use your biha! That sword isn’t going to stop those!”

Gerard grimaced and threw his arms back, then brought them forward, almost clapping his hands together. Beks felt a slight rush of wind past her and watched as a gust of wind came from Gerard’s arms and slammed into the arrows, knocking them out of their trajectory. They continued to come down, but were pushed to the side.

“Don’t shoot!” Beks shouted. “We’re trying to find Lord Amadeo of Caroline!”

“Don’t listen to them!” Beks jerked her head back as a man’s voice came through. She didn’t recognize the voice, but she knew a Kadmus accent when she heard it. “They must be spies for Salgul!”

“We’re not spies!” Gerard shouted. “Can’t you hear our accents?”

Beks could make out figures crouching by the trees, arrows pointed at them. “Gerard, they’re going to shoot again-”

A now familiar whistling sound cut through the air and Gerard repeated his earlier motion to try to deflect the arrows. However, the wave of arrows was irregular. Several missing his air biha and he deflected with his sword.

“My lady, can you force your biha? I’m almost out!”

“I’m trying!” Beks threw her arms at her side, trying to manipulate air like he did, but nothing was happening. “Why isn’t this working?”

“I can feel your biha coming out, but why isn’t it controlling anything? The Battalion Commander said that you resonated with all bihar.”

“I know what he said, Gerard-”

The man in front of her let out a yell as he raised his sword and pushed aside a spear that had been thrown at them.

“My lady, they’re coming!”

“Why...aren’t...you...working!?” Beks screamed at herself. She could feel the energy in her. She could feel it pouring out of her hands, just as they had when she was at the rotunda with the twins. Frustration filled her as Gerard moved to push aside another spear and shielded her.

At this rate, he’d be used as her human shield.

How would she face Sandra? If she’d even get back to Sandra.

Her eyes reddened. Why couldn't she use her biha? What was the point of having so much if she could do nothing with it?

She felt a light breeze around them fade and Gerard let out a gasp. “My lady, I’m out of biha!”

Shouting could be heard from a distance. Perhaps whoever was attacking them was waiting for Gerard to be weakened so they could close distance and attack in close range.

Gerard was one man with one sword.

Beks looked up at him and then down at her hands.

She clamped down on his shoulders. “Use your biha!”

“My lady, I’m out-”

“Just use it!” Beks screamed as she shut her eyes and visualized all the energy gathering in the pit of her stomach moving up her arms, out of her hands, and into Gerard. If the clerics could do it, then so could she. Right?

Gerard’s arms flew out at his sides. He let out a yell and Beks felt a rush of wind fly around her. Her veil flew into the air as her cloak whipped around her body, her hair sweeping up to cover her face. She could feel pressure against her, almost sliding her forward as Gerard’s yelling was drowned out by the roar of wind.

She resisted the urge to open her eyes as she continued to pour a seemingly endless amount of biha into Gerard.

She heard screaming, yelling, the sound of wood cracking, and the howling of wind.

She grit her teeth concentrating on transferring biha until her clothes and hair stilled, and silence filled the air. She didn’t know how long she’d been transferring biha.

Beks opened her eyes and heard Gerard’s trembling breath.

“We’re alive?” she whispered. She slowly released his shoulders, her hands coming down as she stepped around him and sucked in a sharp breath. “Did...did you do this?”

Several rows of trees had toppled over, dirt and small rocks had been pushed so far away, that the ground was clean in a radius of several paces round them. There were fallen branches, trees further out had lost patches of leaves, and the people who had been approaching were nowhere to be seen, as if they’d been lifted and tossed back into the forest.

Terrified yelling could be heard as people began calling out to others to find them.

And she and Gerard stood in a clearing at the center of it all.

“My lady....” The tall bald man in front of her slowly turned his head to meet her confused expression with a mix of awe and terror. “Exactly how much biha do you have?”