The Wicked House of Caroline

Beks didn’t think it was hypocritic of her to run off to the Great Temple to distract the paladins while simultaneously not supporting her two younger siblings for commandeering the two young rokhs, flying halfway across a continent unescorted, and then going directly into battle. For one thing, the situations were different.

Most importantly, even if they did come to gain experience or provide support, as they seemed to insist, they had done so without Thirnir to escort them and keep them safe.

Beks took a deep breath as she loomed over the thirteen and seven-year-olds. When they landed, the hugs and praise they expected from their sister did not shower upon them. Instead, Beks had immediately started scolding them and asked the Wild Dogs to try to clear some space so the rokhs could land and rest.

“Yes, please do! Otherwise, they’re going to try to land on the sentry tower and I don’t think it’s big enough,” Wrath had said with a bright smile. Still exhilarated by her first military campaign, she hadn’t seemed to realize how upset her sister was.

The Crown Prince tore himself away from watching the battle in the distance to inspect the two massive birds. He was so earnest to get closer to them, he tried to have his tent moved back. In the end, one of the supply tents was moved to allow the birds to land.

Beks told the Thirnir to watch the birds and not to let anyone get too close before she dragged her younger siblings into the tent.

“You will sit here and wait for Brother Deo to arrive! I can’t believe you two came all this way without supervision!” Beks’ face was red as she paced behind them. The two children sank their heads down.

“But, Sister, we were able to do it by ourselves-”

“And what exactly did you want to prove by doing so?” Beks asked, whirling around, and stopping to glare at them as they shrank back behind the chairs. “How reckless you are? What if something happened? What was your back up plan in case there was an emergency? A storm or one of the rokhs was injured? This wasn’t a case of you having no choice in action! This was recklessness!”

Her younger brother and sister looked down. The Crown Prince, who’d followed them into the tent to ask more about the rokhs was quiet. Part of him appeared to want to speak up for the children, but held back. He looked at the two with a bit of pity.

Beks continued to seethe. She was trying to send the children that were at the camp somewhere safe, and instead, her two foolish younger siblings had come there from somewhere safe. She wanted to pull her hair out.

She felt something rub against her leg and looked down. The lizard was about the size of her forearm now, and she was a bit impressed on how he had grown. Its orange and brown head rubbed against her leg, and big, dark eyes looked up at her.

Beks released a heavy breath. She reached down and gently scratched the top of Sunny’s rounded triangle head. It wasn’t as soft as when he was little, but he was still hot. Above his eyes, a few scales had begun to protrude.

“He says don’t be mad,” Wrath said. Beks shot her a sharp look and Wrath ducked back behind the chair.

“Sunny, I know you were likely talked into this by Wrath,” Beks told the lizard. “So, I’m not blaming you, but I am still upset.”

Wrath elbowed her brother next to her and scowled. “I knew we should’ve brought Snowflake....”

Beks darted beside her and leaned over, slamming her hand on the table, and boring her eyes into her younger sister. “Snowflake should not have come, and neither should’ve you three!”

Thad seemed to wince. Beks had never shown her anger at them before like this. Wrath pouted and wrinkled her nose.

“Why aren’t you excited to see us?” she said as her eyes began to water. She looked at the tabletop as her little fists clenched on her lap. “We came to help! We flew all night to get here!”

Beks turned her sharp gaze to Thad, who darted his eyes away at once. “All night?” she asked, her voice dripping with displeasure.

Thad chewed on his lip a moment before answering. “It’s the best time to travel unseen.”

Beks tried to calm herself. “Do Mommy and Daddy know you’re here?”

Wrath sat up straight, ready to answer. “They’re very smart people. I’m sure they know.” She paused as she shrank from her sister’s demanding gaze. “By now....”

Beks threw her arms into the air and spun around. The Crown Prince lifted his hand to his lips to hold back a laugh. He turned his head to the side, his face red, as Beks barely restrained her glare at him.

He let out a cough and straightened up. “My apologies...this is a sibling matter. I will give you a moment. I should return to the tower.” He was quick to regain a sense of imperial demeanor before he walked past Beks, chin up and shoulders back, to leave the large meeting tent.

When he was gone, Beks turned back to the two children.

“When did you leave?” she asked in stern Sagittater.

Thad took a deep breath and sat up straight, if only to try to give a proper answer. “We left a week ago. We only fly at night and hide in the daytime. The rokhs eat before we leave, so they spend the first part of the night hunting and eating, then we fly as far as we can before stopping. We have to find a place to hide before dawn so the rokhs can rest.”

Wrath’s little head bobbed up and down. “The health of our animals is a priority,” she said with seriousness.

The corner of Beks’ eye twitched. “You brought the two rokhs, and Sunny, into a battle zone.”

Wrath’s face remained serious. “Arrows can’t reach that high.”

“That is not the point!” Beks frowned once more. “Cloud and Wisp are still young. They’ve barely lost their down and you’re already flying them this far!”

“But they wanted to!” Wrath insisted as she kicked her legs. “Unlike Brother Thad, they have a sense of adventure!”

Beks stared at her younger sibling for a moment of silence as she narrowed her eyes. “I knew it was you who started this.”

Wrath gasped and clutched her chest, pulling back as she looked at Beks with dismay. “How did you know?”

“Mommy is probably still at sea while Daddy is busy planning with Brother Laurence. Thad has been studying his wind biha diligently. I bet he only came because you got restless and wanted to come.”

Wrath’s hands rose and cupped her head. She looked at Beks with betrayal. “Are you reading my mind?”

“I don’t have to read your mind, I’m the Inheritor! Dorothy Philomena, you know we are in the midst of a war of succession. What were you thinking?” Beks knew her two younger siblings knew that they were going to assist the Crown Prince of Langshe regain his throne, as they sometimes appeared in her urapearl to greet her when she contacted the island before she went to commit sacrilege.

She didn’t think they knew all the details; only that they were on the battle front, but now she wondered if they had come after her and Deo because they were worried.

Wrath looked down. She pulled at the fabric of her tunic, her lips trembling. “I just wanted to help....” she said in a quiet voice.

Beks took another deep breath and released it. She knelt down beside her sister. “It is dangerous here, Wrath. Try as we might, we can’t control everything that happens. The two armies who said they were going to join us tried to betray us before dawn.”

“Then that means you need more people!” Wrath said, tugging on Bek’s sleeve.

“We need more trained soldiers, not children.” She rubbed her forehead. It was barely dawn and she felt even more exhausted than when she was shocked awake that morning. “We already have enough children here.”

“You have children here?” Thad’s eyes widened. “But...why? Didn’t you just say it was dangerous?”

“It is dangerous.” In Sagittate, while children had biha and martial lessons, they didn’t actually leave for training until they were older than Thad. Even then, their training was carefully guided, and the amount they could do was limited, both for their physical and mental well-being. Deo had left at fifteen to the Northern Pass to study and train under their aunt. Thad was barely thirteen and Wrath was only seven. “They were children we rescued. We haven’t had time to evacuate them yet. You and Wrath aren’t in the same situation. You two-”

“We’re on a field trip!” Wrath cut her off with earnestness. “To learn!”

Beks squinted her eyes at her sister. “In that case, I, too, went on a ‘field trip’. I went to the Great Temple to find Lucian’s light biha master who was thought to have disappeared. She was hurt for something she shouldn’t have been hurt for and managed to survive by hiding in the old tunnels of the Great Temple Complex. Before we left, she wanted to save children who were imprisoned.”

Wrath’s eyes went wide. A shadow of confusion and concern filled her little face. Her voice lowered. “Why...why were they imprisoned? They’re still little.”

Beks shook her head. “I don’t know, either, Wrath.”

“Are the children all right?” Thad asked.

Beks nodded. “Yes, they’re in an underground bunker Rid Callan made when the war drums sounded.” She paused at once and looked from one sibling to the other. “You two should go there, too.”

“No!” Wrath cried out at once and grabbed onto the table, as if to fix herself to the room.

“Sister, we can really help,” Thad said, trying to reason with her. He glanced at Wrath. “At least, I can.”

Wrath whipped her head towards him and glared. “Traitor!”

Thad let out a heavy breath and rolled his eyes. “Wrath, I have wind biha. What do you have?”

“Sunny!” Wrath pointed to the lizard that had crawled up Beks’ back and was now resting on Beks’ shoulder with a lazy look.

Thad sighed once more. “Sunny only has so much fire. It’s going to take time for him to regain his biha after using so much this morning.”

Beks glanced at the lizard head next to hers. She raised her arm and reached across her chest to touch Sunny’s head. The lizard appeared to think that she was going to give him scratchies again and happily arched his head forward. As soon as he touched Beks’ hand, she released a little biha into him.

It was a quick release, as she didn’t want to give him too much, but the effect she felt on her end was similar as when she refilled any other biha well. Sunny’s eyes grew large. He crawled up, sitting on her shoulder as he stuck out his head and puffed out some smoke from his nostrils.

Wrath gave him a funny look. “What do you mean you’re full?” She paused and then cocked her head to the side. “You have all your biha? But you said you were tired; that you used up so much to make that fire pillar.” Wrath suddenly let out a gasp and looked at Beks. “Sister, you can put biha into animals, too?”

Without waiting for an answer, she hopped off her chair and grabbed Beks’ arm. “What are you doing?” Beks asked with a raised brow. She didn’t move, allowing her sister to pull her with all her weight.

Wrath’s face wrinkled as she tried to pull Beks. “Hurry and refill Cloud and Wisp! They don’t have much shadow biha left after using it every night to fly here!”

Beks allowed herself to be pulled out of the tent, if only for the sake of the rokhs. Four Thirnir had surrounded the two large birds as they sat down, against the side of the tent. A few steps away, several people had stopped to get a better look, including a few Wild Dogs who weren’t sure if the two were the babies or the parents from the island.

The inner camp was still quite busy and filled with people, as the cavalry riders were stationed on the outermost edges of the camps. Their horses were kept close by, and the interior of the camp was where the officers and support portion of the cavalry were located, including the kitchens, dining tents, and medic tent.

Beks greeted the two rokhs, first stroking their heads, praising them for working so hard for her ‘unreasonable’ sister. Wrath glared at Beks when she heard this. Beks released biha into the two birds one by one, earning her happy nudges.

“My lady, Lord Deo has given the signal!” Rid Callan, who’d gone to secure the easternmost sentry tower, returned on a borrowed horse. “The pillar of fire this morning not only caused casualties, but also severely disrupted the opposition’s march forward. They’ve retreated. Prince Lazarus is leading two fahn to stand guard and make sure there is no second wave, but Lord Deo is returning.” He paused and bowed his head, almost doing a double take at the two newcomers. “Lord Thad, Lady Wrath?”

“They seem to have escaped.” Beks turned to look at her two siblings.

Wrath puffed out her cheeks. “I told you we helped.”

Beks held back another argument. There was no use in scolding them a second time. She was sure when Deo returned, he’d chastise them for running away to a battlefield, as well.

However, reality was much more disappointing.

Deo reached them and almost jumped off his horse to run towards his two youngest siblings. The scolding never came. Instead, he grabbed hold of both of them in a tight embrace before praising them on their ingenuity and focus. He even tossed Wrath into the air.

“I knew all of your and Sunny’s hard work would pay off!” He beamed as Beks stood to the side, staring at them dumbfounded.

She closed her eyes and tried to calm herself. She felt someone take her arm and pat her hand reassuringly. She looked to her side and saw Thad trying to comfort her. It was silly, really. Why was he trying to comfort her for him and Wrath not being scolded?

Deo turned around when he saw them, and the excited look on his face faded as he saw her dark expression. “Beks, what’s wrong?”

Her face darkened even more as she glared at him. “You don’t see anything wrong with them being here?”

Deo took a deep breath. “Of course, I’m not pleased they came, but they did make it here on their own, which is no small feat, and were of great help this time. That pillar of fire was like an act of the dogs against Tarkan’s army. They won’t be advancing for a few days, at least.”

“See, Sister?” Wrath said, still being carried in her elder brother’s arms. “We were of great help!” Beks sent her another sharp look and she quickly turned and buried her head in Deo’s shoulder.

“Lord Deo, is there any more news from the field?” The Crown Prince reappeared with Lucian behind him.

Lucian noticed Beks was upset and wrapped his arms around her. “It’s all right. At least they got here safely. We can watch over them now. We won’t let anything happen to them.”

She turned and pressed her head against Lucian. “At the very least, you understand....”

Lucian smiled and kissed her head and he held her. Deo looked past the Crown Prince and made a disgusted face. The Crown Prince seemed to notice his change and let out a small cough.

“Lord Deo, I’d like to see the two armies,” he said in Langsher. Beks wasn’t sure if it were to distract her brother from Lucian or because he really wanted to see them and question their motive. “I’ve heard the reports about their messengers and read the messages that were to be sent to the High General. I want to ask for myself if this was a ploy from the start.”

There was some bitterness in his voice as he said it. No doubt, he’d had hope for those soldiers and their generals, but now that they’d opted to switch sides when things looked difficult was disappointing.

“I also want to see those traitors!” Wrath said, clenching her little fists. “Brother, Sister, you should punish them!”

Lucian tilted his head to the side and looked a bit impressed. He continued to speak in Langsher. “Wrath, did you learn Langsher, too?”

Wrath looked at him strangely. “I only know Sagittater and Jasper.” She answered in Jasper, but Beks furrowed her brows.

“But did you know what Crown Prince Zhanzhin and Lucian were saying?”

“Yes,” Wrath said with a nod. “I understand what everyone’s saying now. You, Prince Lucian, Prince Lucian’s cousin, Elder Arash, Sunny, the rokhs-”

“Wait, Wrath, can your spirit core ability apply to people, too?” Beks asked. “Not only animals?”

Wrath seemed puzzled for a moment. “I don’t know. Maybe? I didn’t understand the villagers on the island at first, but the more I heard it, the more I understood. I thought I was just picking it up because I hear the villagers talk a lot.” Her eyes lit up at the possibility. She puffed out her chest and beamed. “But this means I’m more useful, right? I can not only talk to animals, but I can be a spy-”

“You are not going to be a spy.” Both Beks and Lucian told her in stern voices and disapproving frowns. Wrath clicked her tongue and looked to the side.

“I never get to do anything fun....”

“Never say never, Lady Wrath,” the Crown Prince said with amusement all over his face. “Let us see the traitors. They must be suffering in that pit.”

Wrath perked up and nodded. Beks sighed and followed them across their camp to get to the two formerly allied army camps. As they approached, the area was different from what Beks had seen the day before. Instead of the rows and rows of tents, there was a large, gaping hole in the ground that stretched from one sentry tower to the sentry tower at the furthest end.

There were people atop the sentry towers and most of them appeared to be looking down into the pits. Beks didn’t actually know how deep they were, but at best, she could only see the tops of banners. As they approached, the Crown Prince’s eyes went wide.

“How did you manage to do this so quickly? And over a large area?” he said with a stunned gasp.

“We had to do some preliminary work the day before,” Deo told him. “Since we only had our suspicions, we wouldn’t act unless they actually showed signs of betrayal. After Beks had the sentry towers built, I did a second round with my Thirnir to destabilize the ground from each tower. It would only take a few earth biha users to cause this.”

The Crown Prince nodded, satisfied. “It was good that they were slow and sent the messengers out before they actually attacked.” He sneered. “They likely wanted to confirm that the High General would accept them first.”

“What did the messages say?” Beks asked.

A cold expression froze the Crown Prince’s face. “Sirath’s army offered to hold us back to keep from retreating, as well as raid our resources to be given to Tarkan’s army. Chay’s army went a step further and said they would raid from behind.”

“After we accepted them, they swore loyalty to Geel, and they dare do this,” Lucian said in a low voice.

The Crown Prince put a comforting hand on Lucian’s shoulder. “I will be merciful,” he said. “But that only means I won’t kill all of them.”

They reached the edge of one of the pits, but Lucian held his cousin back. Deo seemed to understand and glanced at Thad. “Can you create a wind wall to deflect arrows?”

“Only for a few minutes,” Thad replied. “And in one direction.”

“That’ll be enough.” Thad stood to the side and took a deep breath before moving his arms. From where they stood, they could only feel a slight breeze. Wrath plucked out some grass from the ground and happily tossed it into the wind stream. The tiny blades were tossed to the side, as if pulled away.

Satisfied, the Crown Prince stepped forward and peered over the edge of the pit. Beks craned her neck. The damage wasn’t as bad as she thought. Though the entire army was now three stories into the ground, the devastation looked more like an earthquake had gone through them. She supposed the earth biha movement counted as such. There were toppled tents, fallen banners, and at least dozens of people who were injured.

Deo’s orders had been not to answer any questions, which in itself was a kind of torture.

“Bring me General Sirath!” The Crown Prince’s voice changed from the amiable, familiar one he used with them. Instead, it was booming and full of frost. It was even colder than when they met with the High General.

“Your Highness!” Someone shouted below and everyone who heard looked up. Someone ran off to inform the army’s officers, but a few soldiers who were daring asked what happened. Why were they in a pit?

The Crown Prince didn’t answer, keeping a cold, emotionless expression on his face the entire time. “Bring me General Sirath!” He ordered again and this time, a few more people began to move.

Within a few moments, the older man seemed to hobble towards him. Beks raised a brow. Did he get hurt when the army sank?

It seemed Wrath noticed, too, and muttered in an annoyed voice. “Deserve it.”

“Your Highness!” General Sirath got close to the side of the pit and looked up with some anger and frustration. “What is the meaning of this?”

“I should ask you the same question,” the Crown Prince replied. He reached into his inner pocket and took out a small scroll. Beks watched as the General’s eyes widened and his face paled.

“Well...that confirmed it,” Deo said with a slight frown.

General Sirath composed himself at once and didn’t sputter, but after his initial reaction, his response was even more irritating. “I don’t understand, Your Highness. What do you mean?”

The Crown Prince unraveled the scroll and began to read it. Beks studied the soldiers within the pit. The lower ranking ones had stunned expressions as they looked at their general with disbelief.

“Awaiting your orders. General Sirath Heijuu.” The Crown Prince slowly rolled up the scroll, keeping his dark eyes on the General as he did so. “Your seal is affixed to it and I personally recognized your messenger. Not to mention the horse saddle had the seal of your army branded into it.” He sneered. “It’s almost as if you wanted to be obvious in your betrayal.”

“Your Highness, you misunderstand-”

“How so? Did you not swear loyalty to me? Can you explain this?” He raised the scroll once more and the General, appearing at a loss, knelt down and bowed his head.

“Forgive me for not informing you, Your Highness! We wanted to lower the High General’s guard. Only when they lower their guard can we have an opening! I know I should’ve informed you of our plan first, but I was worried you’d take it as you are; that we are betraying you when we are not! We are loyal!”

The officers behind him knelt down and repeated their loyalty to the Crown Prince. Beks glanced at her cousin-in-law. His face was expressionless once more, but she was sure he didn’t believe them.

“They still don’t want to admit it....” He muttered under his breath, so only they could hear him. He took a deep breath and then shouted. “You still continued to hide information from me. Important information. How am I to know you are truly loyal?”

“What do you ask of us, Your Highness! We will follow your orders!”

The Crown Prince smirked a bit and raised a brow. “Good,” he said. “Stay in the pit.”

He turned on his heel and left the stunned general and his men remaining below. Beks drew her lips inward and didn’t say a word. Deo patted Thad’s shoulder to have him ease the biha as they withdrew.

The same scenario repeated itself in the pit with General Chay’s army, only General Chay was adamant that instead of a plan to lower the High Generals’ guard, they had been framed. The messenger wasn’t one of them and the scroll was fake. His punishment remained the same: to stay in the pit.

When Beks and the others returned, she said she would check on the children before returning to the briefing. She went to change first before summoning Rid Callan to raise the bunker.

As they watched the tent reemerge from the ground, Beks looked at Wrath. “You’re still too young and inexperienced. I want you stay here with the other children and Sunny.”

“No!” Wrath protested at once. “I want to help! Brother Thad gets to help!”

“Thad is older than you. Besides, I need more biha users to protect orphaned children. At the very least, you have Sunny,” Beks told her. Wrath seemed to understand what this meant, but it didn’t mean she was satisfied with the arrangement.

“You want me to protect the children?”

“Yes,” Beks told her. She met Wrath’s eyes. “We need to protect them and we have to consider all possible ways to do this; not just directly, but indirectly. What precautions can we take? We must be prepared for the sake of those around us whom we care about.”

Wrath lowered her eyes. “Athar’an stry, stry’an vena, vena’an ul.”

“A Caroline doesn’t just go off recklessly into battle,” Beks said as she cupped Wrath’s face. “You’ve already brought us enough. Let us take care of the rest.”

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

Crown Prince Zhanzhin looked at Beks as if she’d lost her mind. He wasn’t the only one in the tent doing so. He was silent for a moment and swallowed hard, as if to pull himself from his initial reaction.

“To reiterate,” he began as he sat at the center of the table. “You want to bypass Tarkan’s army on the steppes and avoid the land route to the Summer Palace, by simply flying over them on those massive birds your siblings brought?”

“Yes, but we’d have to do it at night.” Beks answered as if it were obvious.

“Amrei, there are only just two of those birds!” the Crown Prince almost choked out as he looked at her with disbelief. “How many people can they bring? The Summer Palace is a fortress and has the imperial guard to protect it. You may be able to get close, but entering without attracting the attention of an imperial guard would be a miracle in itself! You’ll be outnumbered; surrounded in an instant....” He trailed off, as if unsure how else to explain the problem with her plan, as there were so many dangers.

Thad raised a brow while beside him. “Daddy is right. Poverty really does limit the imagination....”

The Crown Prince balked at the youth. He opened his mouth to tell him that he wasn’t poor, but Beks spoke up.

“The fastest way to end this is to deal directly with Tarkan. He’s counting on us to be overwhelmed and beaten back, if not outright defeated, by High General Leung and his army. They are a wall blocking our way forward, so we should bypass them and go directly to Tarkan,” Beks said.

In theory, it made the most sense. It would also avoid many deaths and injuries on both sides.

“The baskets those birds had can carry three people each, at most,” the Crown Prince told her with a frown. “Six people total? That’s too little and the risk is too great. Even if you managed to sneak into the palace grounds, there are imperial guards everywhere. The Summer Palace is massive; you could get lost and be killed on sight if you are caught.” He frowned and gave a firm shake of his head. “No. Forget this idea, Amrei. It’s too dangerous.”

“High risk, high reward,” Deo replied. He leaned back against his chair, beside Thad. His eyes were narrowed and he seemed to be mulling over his sister’s proposition. “Getting rid of Tarkan will leave the rest of them like a snake with its head cut off. It would be the most efficient way to take back your throne.”

The Crown Prince let out a heavy sigh and looked at the Carolines all seated in a row across from him with a beseeching expression. “I understand that, but you’re underestimating those imperial guards. They only follow the emperor or empress. They won’t move unless they receive an order from them.”

“Are you saying you can get them under control when you return?” Beks asked.

“Well, yes-”

“Then they’ll be incapacitated for a bit while we deal with Tarkan.” Beks looked around the table. “I need fighters, so Laz, Lucian, and Gerard.”

“For such a mission, we’re fitting,” Laz replied as Lucian nodded. “We agree. Gerard?”

“I accept your order, my lady.” Gerard, who stood behind Laz, bowed his head, and put his fist over his chest. I also need someone to create a distraction.”

“I’ll go with Thad,” Deo said. Beks frowned and he raised his hand to calm her. “As long as Thad is with me, he’ll be fine. Besides, we’ll stay above the palace to create a distraction.”

Thad looked at his brother with dull eyes. “You want to try the fire pillar, don’t you?”

“I simply think I can do better than a lizard,” Deo replied with a hint of arrogance.

“You can stay up in the air for that and don’t need to enter the palace. When Tarkan is found, you can be signaled in order to create a diversion for an opening to get Tarkan,” Beks told him.

Deo gave her a nod of his head. “Then, it’s settled.”

“How many can the rokhs really take?” the Crown Prince asked.

“Three in each basket,” Gerard replied. “Those two are the younger of the rokhs. They’re not full grown yet, so their weight limit is lower.”

The Crown Prince tapped his fingers and frowned. “Then, bring an extra soldier-”

“I’ll go.” Beks spoke up. “That makes six.”

“That does not make six,” Laz sat up straight.

“Beks, you are not a soldier nor can you use your biha to make a distraction,” Lucian told her in a softer, almost pleading, voice. “Your head can be of use here.”

“No, my head is of use there,” Beks said. She looked at the twins. “Do you know the layout of the Summer Palace?” They looked at a loss, which she thought they would. Laz and Lucian had only gone to Langshe’s Summer Palace once, and they were young. At that age, though named Princes of Langshe, they would’ve been restricted to only part of the palace.

The Crown Prince seemed to understand this as well and looked at his cousins. “I will go. I know the layout.”

“Geel, you said yourself that’s too dangerous. You are recognizable and your martial ability won’t be able to defend against seasoned guards,” Lucian told him. “It’s best to draw a map.”

“I already have a map.” Beks lifted her hand and tapped the side of her head. “In here. I’ve seen the map before. Your father drew it out for me for a game.”

“Then you can draw it out for us,” Lucian insisted, refusing to let her come.

“It’s easier if I go with you,” Beks said. “I will be faster and refill much needed biha. We can’t stay too long.”

“Lord Deo,” Lucian said as he turned towards the red-haired man, hoping that he would interject and try to talk Beks out of it.

Deo was lost in thought, as if silently weighing everything in his head. Everyone seemed to look at him, though, even if he disagreed, she would go.

“Where do you think the best place to land in the Summer Palace would be?” Deo asked suddenly. A few people gave him questioning looks, but Beks answered at once.

“The former courtyard of Uncle Tumur’s mother on the northwestern side of the inner courtyard. It is two courtyards in, but against the wall separating the inner and outer courtyards,” Beks replied.

“Why?”

“Since the late Empress came into power, no one else has lived there, though it was kept well maintained, almost as a shrine to their mother. This means it will be unpopulated. It’s physical location also in an area that is often ignored because of its negative placement and in the shadow of the mountains. Uncle Timur said it was always colder there than the other villas because of that,” Beks replied. She looked at the Crown Prince. “Am I right?”

The Crown Prince blinked and nodded. “Yes...they used to struggle to stay warm because that courtyard always got the least amount of sunlight, so it stayed cool. And gardeners only come once a week to do landscaping. The imperial household cleans it and checks the structures for any damage once a month, but in their checks are in the daytime.” He looked impressed. “The chances of you meeting anyone there in the middle of the night is almost none.”

“And the shadows can hide the rokh,” Beks said. She tapped her hand on the table. “Where do you think Tarkan will be?”

The Crown Prince appeared confident with his answer. “Tarkan was only allowed one wife, but he has numerous mistresses. I would imagine that now that he is masquerading as emperor, he has moved his mistresses into the inner court. There is a great chance that he is spending the night at one of their courtyards, but not his own.”

“Then we’d have to find him,” Beks said, narrowing her eyes. “You mentioned imperial guards. I assume they would congregate near him?”

“Of course. They must protect the emperor or empress,” the Crown Prince replied.

“Gerard, how sensitive is your wind biha?” Beks asked. Gerard had been standing behind Laz and perked up.

“What do you need me to do, my lady?”

“Control the wind around us to keep sound from being heard, as well as be aware of any other sound nearby,” Beks told him.

Gerard furrowed his brows, uncertain. “Oh, the breath tracking.” Thad spoke up. “One of the village elders taught me. Wind biha can be sensitive to the air around us and everyone breathes, so if we concentrate, we can single out individual breaths against our wind biha.”

Gerard’s face lit up. “Such as if our wind collides against something, we will know that the biha has dispersed or was redirected.”

“Yes!” Thad brightened.

“I think I can do that with the concept,” Gerard replied.

“It’ll use a lot of biha, but Sister will be with you,” Thad told him.

“You and Thad practice,” Beks said. She looked around the table. “Then we leave tonight. I will confirm the map with Geel. Lucian, you should meet with Sister Levina for any last-minute instruction on light biha. We never know what we may need. We may need distractions when we’re inside, as well as your ability to see in darkness,” Beks told him.

“Amrei,” the Crown Prince stopped her with a concerned look. “Are you sure about this? You also cannot control your biha and your martial ability is limited.”

“Geel,” Beks said, meeting his eyes firmly. “Of the two of us who know the layout of the palace, I am the most fit to go. You are recognizable. I am also able to refill their biha so they cannot run out. In addition....” Beks looked him up and down with some pity. “My martial ability is limited...but not as much as yours.”

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

The Crown Prince almost didn’t want to review the palace’s inner courtyard layout with her after her joke, but he begrudgingly did his part. Beks drew out the majority of the inner courtyard, as she remembered in the map she’d memorized.

“It would be best for you to change into clothing suitable for Langshe,” he told her as he circled a building on their map. “In the case where you are exposed, at the very least, it will allow for some doubt and you won’t be revealed immediately. This is the imperial clothing house. It provides all the clothes for not only the imperial family, but all the guards and staff of the palace. They will always have extra clothing stored.”

Beks nodded. “Are any of them covered?”

“The guards cover part of their faces. Have my cousins and Gerard wear guard clothing. I suggest you wear the cinnabar uniform. It signifies the highest female staff. Should you be caught, it will give you the most leeway.”

“Understood. Thank you, Geel.”

“I should thank you.” He paused and looked up to meet her focused gaze. “Amrei, there is no shame in retreating. Better to live to fight than to die in vain.”

“Yes, Geel.”

“When I am Emperor, I will reconfirm the status of Gan and Jargal as members of the royal family,” he told her. “And I will ensure you receive a royal title.” She opened her mouth to tell him it wasn’t necessary, as they planned to use the Red Iron Cavalry for their own interests, but he silenced her with one sentence. “Therefore, all three of you must return alive.” He gave her a sad smile. “I will not award you posthumously.”

She returned to him a solemn nod of her head.

As the sun began to set, the rokhs had been prepared. Wrath knew her siblings were going on a ‘reconnaissance’ mission, so she was doing her part by making sure the rokhs were well fed and rested.

As Beks approached, Wrath stroked each bird gently. “You have to listen to them carefully, for everyone’s safety, okay? Don’t do anything risky.”

Beks squinted as her sister nagged at the birds. Is that how I sound?

“Wrath, remember to stay with the children. You and Sunny will defend them if the enemy breaches our defense,” Deo told her.

Wrath saluted him and the lizard draped around her shoulder stuck his tongue out.

“Since Lucian can adjust light biha to allow him to see better in the dark, we will go first on Wisp. I will direct him to the secluded courtyard,” Beks told Deo. “Cloud will follow us and drop off Gerard with us. Cloud won’t land in the palace. Circle the palace until you see a flash of light.”

“Light biha fired that high with enough brightness to be a flare can only be a flash, and not sustained,” Lucian said. He frowned. “At least, I can’t with my current ability.”

“We’ll keep an eye out. Don’t make another flash unless we’ve been delayed too long,” Deo told him. “The first flash will already bring unwanted attention.”

Thad adjusted the light armor he was borrowing. Though thirteen, he was already tall for his age compared to those on the mainland. The entire Caroline family was tall to begin with. Gerard climbed into the basket with ease as the birds hovered above them. Laz touched the basket as Thad climbed in.

With Deo climbing in with Gerard and Thad, and Beks with the twins, they set off as soon as darkness fell. Though they’d change into different clothes later, they all still opted to wear dark clothes that would make them disappear into the shadows.

Beks and Lucian discussed the layout of the summer palace and what landmarks to look for in order to know where to land, but as they flew over the massive army blocking their land route below, there was nothing but the sound of wind in her ears. Beks narrowed her eyes; the army was much larger than she imagined.

Torches and lanterns dotted the dark space below, and they spread far. There were darker spots, and for all they knew, that was where the horses, storage, and perhaps even weapons were stored.

Seeing the formidable army explained the supposedly desperate actions of the two support armies, but at the same time, only fueled her determination to finish this that night. The Red Iron Cavalry was formidable, but they weren’t as experienced in battle as they were in the past. Even if they did win in a confrontational battle, they were guaranteed heavy losses.

Her hands squeezed the woven top of the basket as she grit her teeth and looked down. A moment later, she felt warm hands covering her cold ones. The men in the basket with her leaned into her and stroked her hand and arms to soothe her, as if knowing her concerns from the way she was glaring at the darkness below.

The air grew colder as they reached the mountains. Beks spoke to Wisp, giving the rokh instructions on where to land as Lucian stared ahead of them and gave as precise directions as he could.

Followingly direction behind them, Wisp flew over the steep stone walls of the Summer Palace and far above the turrets and ramparts. The Summer Palace was illuminated below from the outside, as if to show how impressive it was, but inner courtyards only had a few stone lanterns, and those followed along the porticos and walkways between buildings.

Moving lights were patrolling guards or various palace staff holding lanterns. They circled the palace once, getting a better idea of the layout, before Beks had Wisp head towards a shadowed corner of the inner palace.

As they approached, she felt a chill against her and she shuddered. This must be the area that’s always under the shadow. “Wisp, take us down.” Normally, the rokh would let out a cry, but in order not to alert enemies, Wrath had firmly told them they were not allowed to make a sound.

Legendary animals were legendary for a reason, and followed their instructions with ease. They descended into one of the many darkened courtyards in the area. It seemed that it wasn’t a favored place, as it was the courtyards directly opposite that had lights around them.

Still, this was in their favor. As they climbed out, the second basket Cloud was carrying landed and Gerard jumped out with ease. Beks gave her siblings a nod before they ascended once more. Wisp followed, leaving the four on the ground to sneak out of the courtyard.

“It’s overgrown,” Lucian whispered with some displeasure.

“You can’t expect Tarkan to take care of our late grandmother’s courtyard when he's in power,” Laz replied in a low voice. “We’ll tell Geel when we return.”

Lucian nodded, his eyes sweeping around the dark, abandoned courtyard once before following them. As the gates were locked, they had to scale the wall. Laz and Lucian were able to do so on their own, but Beks had to be carried over by Gerard and wind biha.

The imperial cloth house was in the southwest quadrant of the inner court. It was also where there was a pharmacy and laundry facilities for the imperial family. They remained close to the walls of the passing courtyards. They avoided the main paths, moving through the narrow alleys in between courtyards. When they reached the alley opening, they’d have to cross a well-lit walkway to get to the imperial cloth house.

“Gerard, can you sense breath?” Beks whispered as she pasted her back against a wall.

Gerard closed his eyes and took a deep breath. She felt a steady stream of biha leaving his body. The accompanying wind was faint, not even as strong as a gentle breeze.

“Patrols are doing their rounds, but imperial guards are watching from the ramparts,” he said after a while.

“Is there anything he can blow over with wind biha for a distraction?” Laz asked.

Lucian narrowed his eyes and looked across the path. “There are piles of baskets over there for washing laundry.”

Gerard nodded and a strong gust shot out of the alley into the direction Lucian pointed. Beks couldn’t see much of the damage, but she heard the sound of baskets, wooden tubs, and other tools for washing tumbling. Beks put her hand on Gerard’s shoulder to keep his biha full.

A commotion was heard as several patrols walked over. The wind also blew out some of the stone lanterns along the walkway, giving them an opportunity to sneak across while attention was on the laundry area the next building over.

Lucian made such quick work of the door lock along the side of the imperial cloth house that Beks wondered what led him to having learned it when he was studying. Seeing her standing there, brows furrowed as they stepped inside, Lucian gave her a helpless smile.

“Sometimes, my classmates were punished without meals,” he said. “I did what I could.”

Beks blinked. “Stealing bread?”

“It’s not a sin if the other option is starving,” Lucian replied. She smiled a bit as she was pulled in. They closed the door behind them, but had to keep light to a minimum. They stayed close to Lucian, who had his hand glow just enough to be able to find their way around the cloth house.

Beks was alert regarding noises outside, but it seemed that everyone who worked there had already left. The black clothes for guards were easily found. It was likely that they were damaged often enough that there was plenty of stock.

Finding the cinnabar robes for a high ranked female staff was more difficult. They managed to find one, and of course, it was too short. The hems hovered at her calves, making her look somewhat ridiculous.

“How is it?” Laz asked.

“It’s too short; I absolutely look as if I’ve stolen a uniform,” she said with a frown.

Laz looked at the other two. “Find something else! Something that looks high ranking,” he said in a low voice.

Gerard somehow rushed forward. “My lady, these have embroidery. Embroidery is usually meant for high-ranking individuals, right?”

“Good job, Gerard,” Beks said. She grabbed the clothes and went to a dark corner to change. It didn’t take her long, as she just put the main outer layers of the multi-layered robes over her base layer. Wearing too much would hinder her movement. Her hair had already been braided and then wrapped into a common, practical Langshe style. She came out, still wearing her boots beneath the robes. “How is it? Is this enough?”

Lucian brightened the area a bit more and she heard him take a sharp breath. For a moment, she wanted to frown. It had been so long since she’d worn Langshe clothing, but she’d been confident she knew how to put it on. Did she forget something?

Gerard also looked confused. “How did you know how to put it on so quickly?” He’d actually struggled with his guard uniform.

“I had a few Langshe dresses as a child.”

“I don’t recall seeing you in them,” Laz said.

Beks smiled a bit. “You were busy training when Uncle Timur and I practiced etiquette and dressed up to have tea.”

Lucian wore a daze smile on his flushed face as he looked at her. “You look beautiful.”

She stood up straighter. “Thank you, Lucian.”

“After this is over, you should bring it back.” She stared at him for a bit and blinked.

“Lucian, don’t be ridiculous.” Laz smacked his brother with his handless arm. “You’re thinking so limited! We’ll ask Geel to gift us several sets to wear, and made to size. He won’t slight his amrei.”

Lucian nodded; his eyes still fixed on her. It was a bit flattering, but she let out a small cough.

“All right, let’s go. According to Geel, the Emperor is only really alone when he sleeps in his bedchamber alone, though guards are stationed all around his courtyard.”

“He’ll be more cautious right now considering the situation outside,” Laz said.

“And it’s likely that he’s not at his bedchamber.” Lucian rubbed his chin. “When we were in the air, the southeast quadrant had the most lights.”

“Then he’s probably there,” Laz replied. “Let’s go.”

They squeezed around the back of the building and then darted to the nearest alley with Beks pointing the way. As they got closer, there were more lanterns, both lining the walkways and along the doors of the various courtyards, indicating that there were residents.

“Which one....” Beks frowned. “Gerard.”

“The walls block my wind biha too much. There just isn’t a large enough open area. I need to get higher,” he said.

Lucian pointed to a large tree that had a few branches hanging over the wall. Gerard surrounded himself with wind biha and managed to help him jump and grab on to a branch before climbing up. He got as high as he could before the branches grew too thin to hold his weight.

Beks could feel a faint breeze coming from the tree.

When Gerard returned, he was frowning. “There is a large amount of men, I’m assuming imperial guards, surrounding two courtyards over. Not only are there patrols, but there are guards all over the courtyard, outside of the buildings.”

“When we approach, use wind biha to distract the guards,” Laz said. “Then, stay with Beks. Lucian and I will take care of those guards. As soon as the yard is clear of them, we’ll send up the flare.”

They cut through the alleys and easily scaled the wall to the courtyard.

Their timing was bad. As soon as they jumped over, Laz and Lucian faced a pair of patrolling guards. When Beks reached the other side after two counts, hanging over Gerard’s shoulder like a sack of rice, she saw the last of a guard fall as the scent of blood filled the air.

“Stay here,” Laz told her. He looked at Gerard. “Make the wind howl.”

Beks stood back against the wall as Laz and Lucian darted forward together. Gerard furrowed his brows and a heavy gust of wind flew forward. Leaves flew off trees, the water in the pond rippled, and she could hear the deep whistling of the wind as her robes flew around her, even though she was standing away from which it blew.

Though there were stone lanterns in the courtyard, Beks could only make out slight movements and shadows as the twins seemed to mow through whoever came after them. She couldn’t hear them, either, as the noise of the wind seemed to drown everything out.

Suddenly, a bright flash of light shot into the sky from the corner of the courtyard.

It was the signal.

The twins returned and she could smell the blood around them as they crouched down and pulled her back into the corner, against the wall.

“There are maids here, as well, but shouldn’t have noticed us,” Laz whispered.

Gerard pulled back and crouched beside them. Lucian kept his eyes to the sky, waiting to see if his signal had been seen.

Beks tried to keep her nervous breathing even as shouting came from outside the walls regarding the flash of light.

Come on, Brother...don’t keep us waiting.... Beks let out a low breath and clenched her fists. Her chest grew tighter and tighter as the moments passed.

Then she caught the spark. Stars didn’t flicker. Nor did they grow larger...or multiply. Balls of fire appeared in the sky, appearing to hover in place as while more and more appeared, spreading further out. They did not go unnoticed.

The urgent voices on the other side of the walls grew louder and louder. Just as the fire balls spanned an area larger than the courtyard, they began flying down. The air filled with screams as fire seemed to rain down into the open areas within the courtyard and on to the walkways and neighboring courtyards outside.

Just when the last of the fireballs fell, another was created. Someone in the distance yelled that there was another rain of fire coming and to take shelter, but the single fireball only grew larger. It mirrored the appearance at the start of the fire pillar, growing wider and longer as it spiraled into a pillar.

It shot down like a javelin being hurled into the walkway outside the walls. Dirt and tiles flew up and there was a crash as the pillar twisted and turned, as if wildly out of control. Another pillar of fire flew down and landed in the neighboring courtyard. More screaming was heard, and above them, her brother seemed to be preparing a third.

The doors to the courtyard suddenly burst open. Beks could see the light of the fire against the people running away or yelling for water outside the thick double gates. Above them, there was nothing but darkness, as if the fire were coming directly from the heavens. The heavy panic filled the air as a dozen guards in black and a royal steward in red and black rushed in.

“Your Majesty!” the steward shouted over the roar of the fire. “Your Majesty-”

Beks didn’t notice the three men with her rush out. Blood filled the air once more as the guards that had accompanied the steward began to fight Laz, Lucian, and Gerard. The old steward let out a horrified scream before rushing to the side to try to avoid the fighting.

Blood filled the air and he stumbled back. He looked towards the main building and prepared to run towards it.

Beks wouldn’t let him go far. She darted forward, pulling the thin shawl from around her shoulders and throwing it over the steward’s head. It covered his mouth and nose before he could speak. She pulled him back, wrapping the shawl around his neck and pulling the ends.

“Say that again,” she said in a low, cold voice. “Who is your Emperor?”

The steward trembled. Against the muffled cloth, his answer couldn’t be heard.

“What’s going on-” The doors to the main building opened and, at last, a middle-aged man with some graying hair and a potbelly stepped outside scowling and barefoot. His long hair was down and he wore loose clothes and an open robe. As soon as he stepped through the threshold, a pillar of fire landed in the garden near the front of the courtyard. His eyes went wide as he stared with horrified awe at the swirling mass of flames twisting and moving across the yard.

He didn’t seem to notice that all his guards, including the ones who’d rushed in with the steward, had fallen.

He didn’t notice the maids behind him, running into the main house and crying to their mistress about a fire.

“Your Majesty!” The steward grabbed the cloth around his mouth and pulled it down before Beks could pull it tight again. He choked and cried out. “Emperor Tarkan!”

“What is that!?” Tarkan’s voice was choked as his wide eyes looked over the tops of the tiled walls, stunned to see a massive pillar of fire swirling down from the darkness. His hair flew around him as his loose pants threatened to fly off. He lifted his arms to try to block his eyes from the sudden brightness. “Someone! Put out the fire before it burns the courtyard to the ground!”

He should’ve been less concerned about the fire catching on the wooden buildings and more concerned about what he didn’t see.

Laz and Lucian darted from the shadows; their eyes fixed on Tarkan as the cold gleam of blades caught her eye. Against her, the steward was tense, his eyes red as Beks lowered her head and whispered.

“Wrong answer.”