The Wicked House of Caroline

“I was worried at first, but it seems the Oracle was right,” the Fourth Consort looked at the letter that had been sent from Langshe. “It was right for you to lessen contact with the Crown Prince and reach out to his uncle.”

Luther smiled as he sat on the large chair in his study. “It made political sense. The Crown Prince was named heir, but he didn’t have as much support as Prince Tarkhan. Most kingdoms were waiting to see who would win, but I wanted to be initiative-taking to ensure our diplomatic ties to Langshe don’t deteriorate.”

The Fourth Consort raised a brow and let his lip curl up in a small, satisfied smile. “You’re learning,” he said, pleased. “If the Crown Prince kept the throne, then he would likely continue our relations, following the agreements of his mother. Siding with Prince Tarkhan covered the other scenario.”

“I believe he will see us in a more favorable light because of this,” Luther told him. He turned towards the young woman sitting on the sofa in the sitting area of his office. “And this is all thanks to Iris.”

She smiled and gave him a demure nod. “As the future queen, I must support my king.”

“Though our maritime trade is struggling at the moment, the land routes from Langshe should increase steadily, especially once Prince Tarkhan becomes Emperor,” the Fourth Consort said.

“This puts my mind at ease.” Luther leaned back in his seat. “Especially considering that beasts have begun to escape the Northern Pass. The battalion that has been searching for the fort had been attacked. I’ve checked the records on past beast migrations and for such a short amount of time, far more beasts have made it south.”

The corner of Iris’ eye twitched. She couldn’t remember when exactly there was a beast migration in her last life, likely because there was so little news of it. There were no warnings of beasts escaping and coming too far south that they became a threat to villages in the north, so there was no widespread news about it.

She didn’t expect that it happened so soon and that this time, beasts had escaped. Then again, perhaps she simply wasn’t around to hear the reports in her previous life. At that time, perhaps it was Lady Rebecca who sat in her seat and discussed the situation in the north.

“For so many beasts to escape in such a short amount of time, it can only mean that the barrier has weakened from becoming abandoned,” the Third Consort said.

Luther’s eyes narrowed and he leaned forward. “The Northern Pass was under the control of the Carolines and it is their biha users who are assigned to mitigate the dangers of the beast migration. Even if their family’s direct line has been exiled, the branch members would not abandon such a strategic position so easily. It is unlikely that they’d allow for beasts to attack the northern villages because of a political disagreement.”

The Third Consort let out a small snort. “It seems we have yet to learn how dishonorable the Carolines truly are, that they would allow innocent people to be harmed because they disagree with us.”

It surprised Iris, as well. The Caroline Duchy’s reputation as being dutiful preceded them. “If the Caroline army has retreated from the fort, can our battalion take it easier?”

“If there weren’t a beast migration, yes,” Luther replied. “I’m absolutely certain they would be able to take it, but the creatures are variables we can’t control.”

The Third Consort frowned. “Send another battalion north to support them. I don’t believe that two battalions can’t stop a few ice monsters.”

Luther’s lips drew inward and he bit them. “One ice cockatrice was able to send half a battalion into chaos, Father, and they hadn’t killed it.”

Iris sat up straight. “Then, it’s still at large? Wouldn’t that make it a threat to the northern villages?”

Luther gave her a despondent nod. “I’m afraid so. I read up on the beasts, and they’re large, highly volatile, and will attack when threatened. Their scales are like armor and difficult for weapons to pierce. The battalion also wasn’t prepared to fight one and has no experience doing so. I’ve sent experts on beasts from the university to consult with them, but it will take some time until they arrive. By then, we don’t know how many creatures have managed to get through the Northern Pass.”

An ugly look graced the Third Consort’s face. His jaw clenched as his hand clawed into the leather arm of the chair he sat in. “If the creatures reach the northern villages....” He looked at his son across the desk. “Then you will be criticized.”

Luther tensed and froze in his seat.

“Perhaps not.” Iris stood up and walked towards the desk. “Luther has sent additional support to the struggling battalion to stop this, but the root cause is the Caroline Army. Aren’t they failing to do their job to protect the Northern Pass?” She rounded the desk and stood beside Luther, putting her hand on his shoulder. “What if they abandoned it all together because of their pride?”

Luther’s eyes widened and the Third Consort’s face immediately lightened. “I see. They abandoned their duty in retaliation for exiling their duke and duchess.” He nodded and his thin lips smirked. “I will have the new spread at once.”

He rose to his feet.

“Father,” Luther called out and the Third Consort paused. Before he turned his head to look back at Luther, Iris caught the roll of his eyes and slight frown that his son was stopping him. Time and time again, the Third Consort had criticized his son as being too kind to his enemies, and it seemed he expected Luther to disagree with his plans and to tell him not to blame the Carolines.

“Yes, my son?” the middle-aged man asked with a pleasant smile.

Luther narrowed his eyes. “Remind the people that it was the Caroline's duty to protect them and they abandoned it.”

The Third Consort’s eyes lit up with pride and satisfaction, but didn’t change his calm expression. He gave Luther a single nod. “Of course, my son.”

He left the room and once the door closed, Luther’s shoulders fell.

“How could they abandon their post? Have I misjudged them?” he asked out loud as he looked helplessly in front of him. “Since they took their post guarding the Northern Pass, they’d never gone back on their duty. Even if they disagree with the Duke and Duchess and their family being exiled, how could they abandon their post, knowing what danger the entire north would be put in if they did?”

Betrayal and confusion laced Luther’s voice, and Iris’ heart clenched. Her eyes softened as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

Luther was trying to maintain order and deal with this opposition as peacefully as he could. Numerous nobles, ministers, and officers had refused to acknowledge him in the beginning, but after it became clear that Luther would sit on the throne for a long time, they would have to either accept his legitimacy and work with him or be stripped of their positions and power.

It was a good way to force them to accept and get rid of those who opposed him; however, the deposed number was not few, and many respected and talented people were removed from positions where they would have been of great benefit to Luther.

Two marches, including the former future-queen’s family, the von Glassers, numerous counts and viscounts, several ministry leaders and their staff who had resigned in protest of Lady Rebecca’s exile, and two battalions.

The Legions themselves had begun to show some resistance to the reorganization. Supply chains had been broken, soldiers weren’t getting paid, and news that Luther tried to stop a very popular policy that benefited soldiers and their families had caused the Legions to complain.

A highly respected senior officer, Legion Commander Reed, threatened to step down if the policy was retracted. His loss would make the entire Western Legion akin to cutting off a snake’s head; the organization would fall apart. That was enough for Luther to reject the proposal to retract the policy regardless of how much money it would save.

Those people irritated Iris, but she knew that the way in which Luther got the throne would lead to some resistance to his rule.

The Third Consort took it as his duty to strengthen Luther’s faction in the court and use the Hessing’s economic network to support him.

Despite the usual stance of the Temple, Iris had been able to get them to support Luther. Even when the policy retraction failed, the Temple continued to offer to work with the kingdom in a political and economic sense. This was simply never done and the fact that they had agreed to do so for Iris, the new oracle, also shone some light on Luther.

Iris had spent some time pressing the Temple to do so to the point that she was worried they would severely reprimand her and cut her allowance and paladins. However, after she predicted the late Empress’ death, their support of her strengthened.

Her eyes narrowed a bit thinking of the Temple. It seemed that they needed to be reminded every so often that she was the Oracle, and that they needed her. Only those like who, who were raised in the Temple their entire lives, knew how important oracles were to it. No other religion in the world had oracles, and because of this advantage, the Temple was the dominant religion on the continent and highly respected on the others.

As young priestess in training, and under constant observation to look for possible prophecy-gifted girls, the senior priestesses and priests would tell them that the Temple thrived because of oracles; that was their importance. Thus, while they had rules to follow, they wielded a great deal of influence.

“Luther, you are doing what you can. Being a ruler is not easy and many things require your attention,” Iris told him. “They did not uphold their end of the agreement. Now, you know the true character of that wicked house. They can’t be trusted and should be replaced.”

Luther nodded his head. “You’re right.”

She squeezed his shoulders and remained beside him, pressing her body against his. “You are an inexperienced leader, but not a useless one. You are learning, and even now, you’ve managed to side with the correct Langshe heir.”

Luther let out a low breath. “I’m glad our envoy got to him so quickly.” He looked up at her. “Did he take us up on our offer to show our solidarity with him?”

Her mind slipped back to her latest report from one of her paladins who escorted the Kadmus envoy. “He has. This show of support has proven our sincerity.”

Luther’s smiled. “Good...with Langshe as an ally, no other kingdom would dare cause trouble in my early reign and those courtiers questioning my diplomatic abilities will be silenced.” He raised his hand and cupped her face. “Thank you, my love.” His gaze softened. “I cannot wait until you are my queen.

Her eyes crinkled up and she leaned down to kiss him. His arms wrapped around her and she was pulled down into his arms.

It was only sometime later that she left his office, still a bit flushed with her robes slightly askew and her long, curly, pale-orange locks with just a few strands out of place. She walked out the door with her head held up and her back straight.

Standing and waiting across the hall from the office were her two attendants. Their movements were swift and elegant, falling a half step behind her as she passed.

“Return to the Prince’s villa,” she said in an even voice.

“Yes, Your Eminence,” one of the attendants replied.

“Your Eminence, a message arrived for you, but there is no sender. The courier said it was to be given to you directly,” the second one told her.

Iris raised her brow a bit. “Not from one of my paladins?”

“No, Your Eminence. It did not carry the seal of the order.” Correspondence from the Temple would be identified as such immediately and her private correspondence was limited. Of those, she couldn’t think of one where they wouldn’t send a nameless message. “It was included with the correspondence from the Great Temple.”

That meant it had been sent to the Great Temple first to be forwarded to her. She grew more curious and upon entering Luther’s villa, went to the small room that he’d set aside to be her office.

A neat pile of folded letters, envelopes, and scrolls were on a woven basket on her desk. She raised her hand to dismiss her attendants and they stopped at once. They bowed their heads to her and then quietly stepped back to exit the room before closing the door.

Iris pulled out the chair and sat down before bringing the basket closer to her and fingering through her mail. She saw the usual seals of various Temple orders, a personal letter from a friend at the Great Temple, and then the unadorned blank envelope.

For a moment, she thought it was a mistake. She plucked it out of the pile and moved it in her hands. The envelope was a little larger than her hand and not too thick, but just from the feeling of it, there were multiple pages. The envelope was just a larger, thicker piece of paper that had been folded over and sealed with wax on three sides. A rough twine was used to secure it.

She took the small letter knife from the desk and cut the twine, then scraped the excess wax off to open the letter.

There were three sheets folded into thirds inside and a thumbnail drop of beeswax kept them closed. Just as she slid her finger under the seal to open it, she noticed there was an image scraped into the wax.

A small circle with six petals carefully drawn out with three on top and three under, peeking out between the three. Iris’ breathing grew shallow as her heart slammed against her chest. It was their secret symbol: an anemone flower.

She ripped open the wax and opened the pages. Her suspicions were confirmed when she recognized the writing. While the lines weren’t as crisp and there were spots of ink where normally there wouldn’t have been, as he was always neat, Iris still knew he wrote it.

“He’s alive....” she whispered. Her hand trembled as she shut her eyes and let the relief wash over her. She leaned over her desk, her head lowered as she clutched the letter with both hands shaking. Iris inhaled slowly, trying to calm herself.

She thought he was dead. They found the bodies of three paladins after a sudden flood, but not his. He was one of her oldest friends that had painstakingly risen through the ranks to serve her, and she was at a loss when he went missing.

The search party she’d sent to try to find him couldn’t find any traces of him, and since his disappearance, she’d lost hope that he was alive, and tried to come to terms with his death.

The gods had blessed her again and returned her most useful friend to her.

Iris swallowed hard and dared to lift her head. She placed the letters on the table, flattening them out so she could read them.

Captain St. Moore, the former head of her paladin guard, was alive.

A wide smile filled her face as she read of his survival and assured her that he was alive and recovering. He apologized for the delay in reporting to her, but he’d been bedridden and no one was with him.

She bit her lips, thinking him pitiful and then becoming angry when she discovered that Captain St. Moore and her four dead paladins wouldn’t have been in the flood zone if it weren’t for Lady Rebecca-

Her breath caught in her throat.

She re-read the line and felt the blood drain from her body.

“How can she...no....” Her hands trembled as she re-read the line once more, confirming the worst.

...Lady Rebecca is alive.

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

Her little speech at dinner did not completely convince the wary king. It took another day to prove with papers, maps, and the most recent information from Nexus to get Laurence to agree, and even then, he wasn’t happy about it. Beks was certain it wasn’t that he was only worried for their safety.

Laurence had always made it clear that he wanted to use their abilities to support him during his rule. It was expected that they would help him retake his throne, as when he was back on the throne, they would have their normal lives back. He expected this and Beks and the twins planned to do so.

However, Laurence didn’t want to take advantage of them. He wanted the exchange to be fair. In exchange for their support, they would have financial stability and safety, as well as social standing and royal honors.

“It bothers him that he has to take money, if only temporarily, from his own younger siblings and send you out during such a dangerous time,” Lady Eleanor told her that evening. “He has nothing to give you right now.”

“Right now,” Beks had replied. “It will not be that way for long.”

Aside from reassuring Laurence that the situation was temporary, and that once he regained his throne, they would depend on him again to support them, too. In addition, by allowing her to proceed with her plans, he would be defending her honor against Luther, who had disgraced her.

“What I am doing is not only for you, Brother, but for selfish reasons, as well,” she had told him with determination. “Let me have my revenge.”

Though still filled with reluctance, Laurence conceded and gave his approval. Perhaps he knew that he couldn’t stop them, but at least in this manner, they wouldn’t leave him out of their plans, allowing him to provide whatever support and safety he could offer.

The Duke of Caroline agreed only after Beks asked if her mother would come. Sybil agreed without hesitation, but Wrath and Thad’s requests to join them were ruthlessly denied.

Even a week later, when they were setting sail on Surveyor II with a handful of the Leviathan’s Throne’s crew to further train the sailors on the ship, Thad and Wrath brought up joining.

“No, it’s too dangerous,” Sybil told them as she stood in front of her two youngest children. “It is best for you to remain on the island. We can complete this mission with peace of mind that you are safe.”

“Mommy, Master Zilar says my wind biha has progressed well and that my control is more than sufficient. I can be of use!” Thad said. The rowboat to bring their mother, Beks, and the twins to the awaiting ship anchored offshore was waiting behind them.

“I don’t doubt that you’ll be of use, but I will worry if you are with us. I have my hands full protecting your sister and the Second and Third Princes.”

Thad let out a frustrated groan and gave the two identical men standing to the side a sidelong glance. “Mommy wouldn’t have to worry if they could protect themselves....” He muttered under his breath.

The twins pretended they didn’t hear their future brother-in-law complaining. Most days, Thad didn’t pay any attention to them and was polite when they spoke to him, but he never went out of his way to have a conversation or spend time with them. He didn’t believe Beks wanted to marry them of her own volition, but out of duty. After watching his sister’s engagement break down because of a prince, how could Thad accept two more princes?

Wrath also ignored them. All of Laz’s pastries hadn’t won her over, and the fact that they were going on a trip without her only soured the situation further.

The little girl with the little lizard on her right shoulder puffed up in front of their mother. “Mommy, you don’t have to worry about me! If it’s dangerous, we’ll just burn them!”

The small group around them was quiet. “Wrath....” Lady Eleanor began in a concerned voice. “What do you mean by ‘burn’?”

“Show them!” Wrath’s little hands gathered the lizard in her palms and she held them out. The little lizard’s legs spread out, appearing to take a steady stance. His fat tail stiffened and he opened his mouth wide. A puff of smoke and a little flame flickered out before dissipating in the bat of an eye.

Everyone was quiet, looking at the unimpressive lizard and then Wrath’s slowly flushing face.

Thad looked at his little sister with sympathy. “I’m embarrassed for you.”

“It’s still early! He’s not warmed up yet!” Wrath defended the little creature and brought him back against her chest to protect him from her brother’s words.

“Wow, he can breathe fire?” Beks rushed forward and knelt down. She thought her sister’s lizard was just a regular lizard, just with more consciousness after living on the island. She thought it was exciting, and a bit relieving, as the lizard could use his fire to protect her sister. She strived to encourage them. “That’s amazing! How did he do that? Wrath, did you teach him?”

Wrath stood up straight at her sister’s awe. The earlier embarrassment at her lizard’s weak attempt at fire faded at once. “I’ve been reading my book to him. Sunny is very smart. He knew what kind of lizard he was when I showed him the pictures.”

Beks wasn’t sure that was true, but the lizard was quite intelligent and intuitive. “Yes, Sunny is also very smart.”

“You named him Sunny?” Laurence asked, somewhat amused. Just the other day, Wrath had been wandering the Inheritor’s Palace trying to come up with a name for her lizard by naming things around them, from fruit to pieces of furniture.

“Yes! You see, he’s dark brown, but here he has these bright orange cracks between them, like a dawn sunrise. I wanted to name him Sunrise, but he didn’t think it was regal enough, so I named him Sunny and he likes it!” The sound of his name made the lizard lift up his chin.

“I’m starting to see a theme in how your family names pets....” Laurence said under his breath.

“That’s cute!” Lady Eleanor ignored him and beamed.

“And what kind of creature is Sunny?” Lucian asked with encouragement.

A smug smile appeared on Wrath’s little face. “Fire drake.”

Beks could feel the collective cringe around them. Even Gerard, who had half a leg in the rowboat, had winced.

“Starfish....” their father said with a gentle expression. “Are you sure he is a fire drake? Isn’t he a bit...small?”

Wrath’s head bobbed up and down. “Yes, he’s a baby. Sister said that he’ll probably grow up and when he does, he can carry me.”

Several eyes turned to Beks, whose gaze darted away at once. She’d said that, but she didn’t think the small lizard was a baby fire drake.

“Are you sure?” Thad asked, knitting his brows. "Maybe he's a fire...salamander."

Wrath frowned. “Yes! Didn’t you see his fire? It’s little, but it was there!”

Thad bent down to look at the lizard, unconvinced. “He doesn’t look like a baby fire drake. His tail is so fat.” He lifted his hand to poke the lizard’s tail, only for the small creature to whirl around and bite his finger. Thad let out a scream and jumped back. “Let go! What is wrong with you? Wrath!”

“He didn’t consent to you touching him!” Wrath argued. “This is your fault!”

“Tell him to let me go!” Thad whirled around and wanted to throw his hand out to let the creature fly off, only to run into Snowflake. The massive horned serpent’s movements were slow and smooth. He lowered his head, and instead of looking at Thad, brought his snout close to Thad’s hand, where Sunny was hanging from. Snowflake flared his nostrils.

The lizard froze, opened his mouth, and allowed himself to fall to the ground. He scrambled back to Wrath and hid behind her neck. Wrath frowned. “Snowflake, don’t threaten to eat him.”

Thad glared at her and her lizard as he rubbed his finger. “Fire drake my-”

“Thad.” Sybil shot him a silencing look and he snapped his mouth shut.

Wrath flushed, but gently lifted Sunny from where he peeked over her shoulder. “Don’t listen to him. I know you’re a fire drake. I super believe in you, Sunny of Caroline.” She kissed the top of her head.

Snowflake slid forward, trying to get into Bek’s line vision to get attention. Beks sighed and walked to her serpent. She raised her arms and hugged his head, resting her own against it. “You must protect them well, Snowflake. And guide Sunny. You are the big sibling now.” Snowflake leaned against her, and flickered his tongue.

Beks stepped back and began to say good-bye to everyone on the shore. She was bringing her urapearl with her, but Deo had brought his with them from Sagittate, so he’d installed it on the pillar in her room.

“Call in the late evenings, after dinner,” Deo reminded her. “I will wait in the room for your report.”

Beks nodded. “I will, Brother.”

“Beks.” Laurence stood in front of her. “Thank you for this. I appreciate everything you are doing, but do not endanger yourself further than what you are doing now.”

“Brother, I will be fine. Mother is with me, and we have Wild Dogs and Thirnir with us,” Beks told him with a reassuring smile.

He shook his head. “One can never be too careful. Remember to disguise your hair and eyes.” She nodded once more and he looked at his brothers. “The same goes for you. You must be safe.”

The two bowed their heads and saluted him. “Yes, Brother.”

Laurence embraced them once more before ushering them into the rowboat. Beks waved at those they were leaving behind as the rowboat set off.

When they arrived at the ship, Beks’ mother immediately took control and began giving orders to set sail at once. Beks stood on the stern, looking back at the island. She could make out little figures and one large white horned serpent on the beach.

“I’m still a bit surprised that you managed to convince him,” Laz said as he stood beside her.

“Brother will listen to reason and pragmatism,” she replied. She took a deep breath. “I need to do so much on this journey.”

“Our first stop is Aceria,” her mother spoke up behind her. “From there, where do you wish to go?”

“It depends on how much usable money we have,” Beks replied.

“There are jewels, weapons, and expensive decorations in the vaults,” Lucian told the Duchess. “We may need to sell them.”

The Duchess slowly nodded her head. “Then, I suggest not selling them in one place where they can be traced. A few things in Aceria, then to other principalities. Anything that is particularly difficult to get can be sold in Paraxes.”

They were a naval power that controlled a strait into the gulf. Major maritime routes from Langshe on the other side of the continent, the west coast of Ferysha, and the north of Aehamake went through the Paraxes strait. The crossroads were an excellent place to buy and trade rare foreign goods without question.

“The Wild Dogs will need spare weapons, horses, and wagons for transport,” Laz said.

“Back to Varkana,” Beks replied. “It borders Kadmus and has a lot of trade from the deserts and basin, including horse markets. We can start there and assign some people to follow the trade route north to start purchasing horses.”

“Where should we hold them once they’re purchased?” Laz asked.

The corner of Beks lips curled up. “Green Meadows.”

Both twins looked at her strangely. “Beks, that’s the royal husbandry farm.”

Beks raised her brows and met their eyes. “Not anymore.”

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

“Get that dumbfounded expression off your face.” The Duchess of Caroline looked at Laz with a slight sneer. “What did you think would happen when you asked me to come?”

Lucian, who was beside his brother, also seemed stunned, and tried to explain his brother’s blank look as they looked out at the open ocean and the sliver of land in the distance.

“Your Grace...it’s just...it took a week to get here when I came last time,” Lucian told her. “And Surveyor I was our fastest ship.” He looked at her with amazement. “It has been two days.”

“Everyone has agreed that coming here was an urgent matter, so speed was key,” she replied.

“Yes, but...it was almost as if we left the island yesterday....”

The Duchess raised a brow, as if her feat of bringing them to Aceria in less than a third of the time it took originally was completely normal. “I am both a sailor and a master water biha user. What did you expect?”

Beks stood to the side, biting into a piece of fruit. From the looks on their handsome faces, they didn’t expect to wake up on the second morning, after being surrounded by nothing but ocean since they left Gurani Island, and seeing Aceria in the distance.

“Are you...are you sure that’s Aceria?” Laz asked.

Her mother narrowed her eyes. “Your Highness, do I look like I don’t know where I’m going?”

Laz shook his head at once. “I mean no offense, Your Grace. I never thought a ship could travel so quickly.”

“The crew is experienced and I used water biha to accelerate our speed,” she told them.

“When did you do so, Your Grace? I didn’t notice you using your biha.” Lucian asked as his brother took the spyglass Beks handed him so he could look at the shoreline in the distance himself.

“Since we left the island. This is a small ship. It doesn’t take much to hasten its speed,” the older woman told them.

“Your Grace, it wasn’t necessary for you to push yourself for so long. You didn’t use your biha through the night, did you? You should rest,” Lucian said with concern.

Sybil looked him up and down, assessing his words without any of her own. She gave him a small nod. “I rested, just for a shorter time. While you are onshore, I can sleep.”

“How much biha was used?” Laz asked as he lowered the spyglass. His face had gone from stunned awe to being impressed. Beks held back a smile.

“Beks filled my well whenever she passed me,” Sybil replied as she gave her daughter a loving glance. “She knows how to care for her mother.”

Beks beamed. The twins may not have noticed, as half the time her mother made them learn to sail with her crew, but Beks had seen the focus on her mother’s face and felt the heavy energy around her. The ship was moving over the water smoothly and the sails were always filled, so while it was windy, it wasn't alarming.

There were also no landmarks out in the ocean against which they would notice how fast they were going. Now that they were approaching the shore, her mother had stopped using her biha and they would use sails alone to reach the port city. It would keep them from attracting unwanted attention.

They anchored in the bay and took a smaller rowboat to the docks. Aceria was a small seaside kingdom inside a horse-shoe shaped bay. There were plenty of piers and docks along the waterfront, and then small mountains just beyond. On top of the southern mountain was the castle and some fortifications.

On the northern mountain, there appeared to be more fortifications in the form of stone rings making tiers around it. It was the smaller of the two, but had sentry towers and turrets. It’s shadow fell over the city below, leading up to it. It was densely populated, but she didn’t know how many were locals and how many were visitors and guests.

The three of them had changed into clothing most associated with the Langshe Empire. Like many port cities, there were merchants from all over the world, so foreign-dressed individuals blended in easily.

Beks’ telltale orange streak was disguised to match the rest of her dark hair, pulled up into a high ponytail like the twins, and her eyes were back to brown. The twin princes, while having similar features to their Langshe father, down to the long black hair, had inherited the blue eyes of the late Queen, so before they left the ship, their eyes were turned dark brown.

Beks was relieved she was tall, as Lucian had only purchased clothing sets for men to use as a disguise the last time he came and she was able to fill it well.

She tugged the hem of her thin overcoat for the hundredth time. On either side of her, the princes glanced over and grinned before looking ahead of them. “Is it uncomfortable?” Lucian asked. “I choose coarse fabrics so as to appear simple and avoid thieves. There are plenty in these port towns, so we should be wary.”

“I’m just not used to wearing these clothes. They’re longer than what I’ve been wearing recently,” she replied. “I’m tall, but not as wide as you. I’m afraid I appear as awkward as I feel.”

“How could you ever? You look beautiful in them,” Laz told her.

The corners of her lips curled up. “I am dressed as a beautiful man.”

“Yes, very handsome,” Lucian chuckled. “I’m jealous.”

“Handsome! Are you interested in a night?” A woman shouted from the balcony of one of the buildings as they walked down the street. Beks instinctively turned her head towards the sound and saw a pretty woman waving her arm and a handkerchief over the edge to get her attention. The woman winked at her. “I’ll wave a fee just for you!”

Laz chuckled and shook his head. “No, thank you, I’m not-”

“Not you! The one in the middle!” the woman shouted, sending him a slight glare before looking at Beks with hope.

Laz’s helpless smile froze and Lucian muffled a laugh. Laz sent him a scowl. “Why are you laughing? We look the same!”

Beks lifted her hand and gave the woman a small wave. “What night can there be spent when time with you will only bring the brightness of the day? I’m afraid I’ll have to decline if I am ever to see the stars to guide me home again. It is a pity that this time, as I am at a loss.”

The woman stopped waving her arm at once, and the cheeky smile on her face trembled. Her pale cheeks and neck flushed red as the ladies beside her gasped and fixed predatory gazes on Beks. Without waiting for a response, Beks gave them a slight bow and continued walking.

She kept her eyes ahead, pretending not to notice the horrified looks on Laz and Lucian’s faces.

“Where did you learn that?” Lucian nearly choked.

“Did that idiot turnip brother of ours ever spew such words to trick you?” Laz demanded.

“No one taught me.” She’d read it in one of Lady Eleanor’s novels. It was as fun saying it as she thought it would be.

“Young sir!” They were two buildings down from the balcony with the woman when a young man, fresh-faced with a bright demeanor, rushed towards them. His face was red. “If you are not interested in my sisters, what about me? If you dislike me, I have brothers!”

Oh, another chance! Beks softened her eyes and stopped, picking out a line from another romance novel. She lowered her head a bit and met the earnest eyes of the young man who began to redden the longer she held his gaze. “It is more tempting than water in the desert, and I am a parched man,” she said, purposely lowering her voice. “But I have no golden cup to pay for a drink.”

Lack of money would deter anyone selling anything, so she assumed admitting to being poor would discourage the young man.

Instead, his big eyes seemed to search hers and he whispered back. “There is no need for gold, sir...you are free to take all the sips you please.”

“No. That’s enough. That’s enough! He is not interested!” Laz stepped in between them, using his body to maneuver Beks into Lucian’s arms so he could steer her away.

Beks began to laugh as Lucian pulled her to the side and quickened their pace. He leaned close to her head and whispered. “We won’t get far if you keep seducing people every few steps.”

Beks giggled and lowered her head, to hide her grin. Laz returned to her other side. “Stop quoting lines from romance novels. You’re beautiful enough that your face will steal hearts. Don’t use your words to lure hapless men and women further.”

She resisted the urge to grab on to his arm and rub it to placate him. “How did you know it was a line from a romance novel?”

Laz sputtered. “That isn’t important! Lucian, how much further until the vaults?”

“The main entry gate is at the base of that mountain,” Lucian said as they reached a plaza and made a left down the wide street.

“And where are the vaults?” Beks asked.

Laz looked forward. “The mountain is the vault.”

Beks’ head rose as she followed the street lined with stores, restaurants, and crowds to a massive white gate house at the end of the street. The gate house was like a small castle in itself with multiple gates, guards standing at posts between them, and guards standing overhead.

“The mountain is the vault?” she asked.

“You’ll see,” Lucian told her. “When we enter through the gates, we will first be checked for weapons by the guard. Then we will be escorted to a room. There, they will check our biha and confirm which vault is ours and where it is. They will then escort us into the vaults, where they will need to confirm our biha again to open the doors. The escorts will leave us once we enter. Guards stand at the entrance to each hall.”

“If I remember correctly, the larger the vault, the lower down the mountain it is,” Laz said.

Beks nodded. “Am I allowed to enter?”

“Each registered user can bring one guest,” Lucian answered. He squeezed her hand. “I checked.”

“Just follow Lucian. Our vaults are right beside each other,” Laz told her.

The closer they got to the main gate house, the less people there were crowding the streets. Guests who wanted access lined up to enter the gate house.

Lucian walked and held out his arms. Two of four guards approached him to pat down his body for any weapons. Now that Beks thought about it, they hadn’t carried any weapons on them and had asked her to leave any of hers on the boat.

When Lucian was clear, Beks stepped forward and mirrored his position. “Wait,” Lucian stopped the guards. “She’s a woman.”

The two male guards nodded and stepped back. The other two guards, in a similar uniform but women, stepped forward to check Beks. Once she was cleared, the male guards checked Laz.

As they were handed off to another set of four guards to be escorted through a wide courtyard where carriages were being checked, Beks found there to be a three-story fortress where others also escorted by guards were being led.

Just as Lucian said, they were brought into a room. It was well furnished, with marble tiles, expensive paintings hanging from the walls, and gilded furniture. While there were windows, they were quite high and the main source of light came from a chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling.

Beks squinted. There were no candles or flames. Instead, there were small glowing pearls that together illuminated the room. Outside of the island, light pearls were incredibly rare, and they were usually larger. Those weren’t the only pearls, either.

There was a seating area for guests, but in the back of the room was a narrow marble topped table with what appeared to be three biha pearls resting on stone bases on the top. In the center was one the size of a head and on either side of it were two smaller ones, the size of a man’s fists.

“Is this one party?” A woman standing behind the table asked. She was dressed in the loose, colorful robes of Aceria, but had a white smock over it embroidered with what Beks assumed was the insignia of the vaults.

“One party, but two individual vaults,” Lucian replied.

The woman nodded. “The first owner, please place your hands on these two smaller pearls.” Lucian stepped forward, putting one hand on each pearl. Beks expected the pearls to glow or change color, but it was the head-sized pearl in the center that darkened and then turned into a silvery white. The woman nodded her head and wrote something on a slip of paper and gave it to Lucian. “Next.”

“I’m missing a hand.” Laz showed the stump of his right arm at once, and somewhat surprisingly, the woman didn’t flinch, as if she’d seen many cases prior.

“You may place your arm on top of the pearl,” she said. Laz stepped forward and repeated his brother’s actions. The process was the same and Beks wondered how it worked. She’d never seen pearls do anything else other than light up and be used for communication.

Experience limits the possibilities.... She told herself as the woman wrote on another piece of paper and gave it to him. She then looked at Beks.

“The guest must also provide their biha.” Beks stepped forward and placed her hands on the pearls, like the twins. The woman looked down at the larger pearl, but there was no reaction. “Dear guest, please release biha.”

“Oh...” Three words made her palms sweat. She had assumed that they would react like urapearls, that even those without biha would be able to get a reaction. Beks drew her lips inward as she locked her eyes on the large pearl. She took a deep breath and withdrew her hands. “I’m not able to control the amount of biha I release very well.”

“That is not a problem, dear guest,” the woman told her. “Any amount will suffice.”

Beks’ eyes crinkled up. “I don’t think you understand. It isn’t that I release too little, it's the opposite. I’m afraid it may break the pearls.”

“Many biha users with significant wells have used the pearls, dear guest. These pearls have been here since the founding of Aceria, and are impervious to the amount of biha absorbed.”

That..is not reassuring. Beks took a deep breath and placed her hands on the pearls. Just a little. Quickly. It’s the opposite of what you usually do, Rebecca. Surely, you can release a small amount. She gathered the energy in her hands and tried to release the barest amount.

A series of cracks filled the room.

Beks snatched her hands back and choked back a gasp. The first sized pearls had fine cracks all over its luster, but the large pearl had two massive cracks crawling up from beneath it. The woman’s jaw dropped and Lucian and Laz grimaced.

The room was so silent, Beks didn’t dare breathe. She didn’t know what to do. The twins didn’t know what to do. Beks looked up at the woman across the table, who was staring at the pearl as if it were completely alien to her.

Laz finally let out a small cough and straightened his back as he stood beside Beks. “You said that these pearls are impervious to the amount of biha and now they’ve cracked.” Beks looked towards him with wide, helpless eyes. Laz slammed his good hand on the table and frowned. “Then what is the meaning of this!”

“We trusted the Acerian Wealth Vaults to store our property with the belief that their security and ability to protect a client’s privacy was the most superior in the world, and your equipment is faulty?” Lucian joined his brother, putting a disgusted scowl on his face as he narrowed his eyes. “How do you expect us to have confidence in the vaults!”

Laz raised his voice. “I demand to speak to your manager!”

“I...I swear, dear clients, this has never happened before,” the woman said as she held out her hands and looked at the pearls. “These are ancient treasurers of Aceria! They’ve never failed us!”

“Then there is a first time for everything, isn’t there?” Laz asked with narrowed eyes.

“One moment, dear clients! I will call for the Grand Duke!”

Laz gave her a firm nod as she turned around and rushed the door to the left. Beks stared at the broken pearls.

“Somehow, I knew this would happen when she told me to release biha,” she said.

“Even your smallest amount is highly condensed.” Lucian shook his head at the pitiful pearls. “Still, I didn’t expect this.”

“I’m impressed,” Laz told them. “It took Beks a blink of an eye to break ancient tools that have withstood thousands, if not tens of thousands of biha users before her.”

She felt a stab in her heart. “I didn’t mean to!”

The door the woman had exited from opened once more and this time, she came in with a tall, older man with gray at his temples, wearing a similar, but slightly more elaborate smock. He rushed towards the table, his jaw dropping as a trembling breath left his lips.

“What...who did this!?” He lifted his head and looked at each person with desperate eyes.

Beks prepared to raise her hand, but Laz placed his arm in front of her to stop her. “What does it matter who did this?” he almost yelled. “Can you guarantee that our vaults will be safe with such faulty equipment?”

The older man was taken aback by Laz’s aggressiveness and could only nod, dumbfounded. “Yes, dear client. Of course! No one has ever broken into the Acerian Wealth Vaults-”

“Good! That’s all I want to be sure of!” Laz put his arm around Beks and pulled her forward, towards the door to the right that Lucian had subtly motioned towards. “I expected more from an age-old institution, but to have broken pearls....” He muttered, as if disgusted.

Lucian nodded empathically as he opened the door and ushered them out.

The door closed behind them and Beks turned to look at the two men who handed their slips of paper to the escort guards waiting on the other side. The guards nodded and surrounded them before walking forward, leading them to a stone ramp that seemed to wind around the mountain.

Beks leaned towards the princes and frowned. “What was that in the room?”

“Beks, we can’t afford to pay for it,” Laz replied in Langsher, in a low voice. “If I didn’t make a scene and get angry first, then they’d get angry at us and make us pay for the damage.”

“Just keep looking forward and pretend nothing happened,” Lucian added.

Beks pursed her lips and followed in silence.

There were few people passing on the ramp and most people seemed to be pulled up by horse drawn carriages. Considering the height of the mountain and how far they could go, it was convenient; however, they didn’t go past the first major entry way.

They entered another building, similar to the gate house, but it was a facade built into the mountain. It was lined with guards and inside was a long hall dug into the mountain, also illuminated with light pearls along the ceiling. She drew her head back and then looked at Lucian and Laz.

No wonder Lucian knew what light pearls were.

The guards that surrounded them led them a quarter of the way down the hall, passing halls on the left and right. Each adjacent hall had guards on either side, though most of the halls were dark. The hall they turned into was also dark, but as soon as they entered, the light pearls turned on, illuminating the entire hall to the very end.

The entire hall reminded her of the burial vaults in the royal grounds. While the stone was different and the entrances were sealed with a layer of brick, the rows of sealed entrances wasn’t far from what she’d seen. The entrances were sealed with massive stone blocks as high and wide as she was tall. There were two grooves in each one, at about her waist height.

“This one and this one.” The guards split and stopped. They stood to the side of two stone blocks about ten paces from each other. “Place your hands in the grooves.” He motioned for each prince to go to a separate entrance.

Having done this before, the twins stood in front of their respective doors and put their hands in the grooves. Beks tilted her head to the side. Those were like the tablet niches back on the island. For a moment, she expected a light to shine down with text.

A low rumbling was heard and the twins pulled their hands back. The guards bowed their heads and stepped back, gathering together and then leaving them in the hall.

“Now what?” Beks asked.

“Give it a moment. The vaults are ancient, after all,” Laz told her. He and Lucian remained standing in front of each stone slab. Beks felt a slight tremble beneath her and looked down. Grinding stone sounded and she lifted her head. The stone in front of Laz was moving to the side, into the wall.

In the crack between the wall and the door, light poured out as the vault was illuminated. The same thing was happening to Lucian’s door.

When the grinding stopped, they stepped inside and Beks followed Laz, as he was closer. The interior of his vault was perhaps only ten paces across, but it was deep. Beks couldn’t tell how far it went, as all she saw were wooden chests and rows of expensive items like vases, chairs, pieces of artwork, and bejeweled weapons.

Laz walked to the nearest chest about as wide as the reach of an arm and reaching as high as his knee. It didn’t have a lock, but considering the security measures, it wasn’t surprising. He opened the lid.

“Beks.” She turned her head and sucked in a sharp breath. Laz put a hand on top of small gold bricks neatly piled in rows within the chest. “There are eight hundred of these in each of our vaults,” Laz told her. “Do you think they are enough?”