She noticed him before he understood she did.

Although his steps were careful, they couldn't escape Nora's instincts. She spun around, meeting two large brown eyes. Her fist came up, colliding with the figure's jaw and making a terrifying crack. The man stepped back but did not fall down. He swiftly grabbed Nora's forearm, hoping to throw her to the ground. She laughed sharply at his idiocy, twisting his arm behind his back and seizing his other shoulder to ensure he didn't get away. She shoved him against the wooden wall, lifting his elbow as high as possible until he let out a groan.

"I surrender! I surrender!" he said in Seyali.

Nora pushed him off the wall but didn't relax her grip in the slightest. She stomped out of the little room she had been ambushed in and lead the strangely slender figure towards the big space she had left Ailyn at. The Princess of Light was now at her feet, clutching the thin silk coat around her body with one hand. Her other palm was extended, a flare appearing once again in the familiar place, illuminating her petrified expression. Once the man -- or rather, the boy -- caught glimpse of her, he gasped and almost toppled over.

"Y-Your Highness! What are you doing in a humble peasant's barn?" he stuttered, eyeing her up and down to make sure she was real. Nora couldn't help but roll her eyes. You weren't very humble when you attacked a stranger.

Before Ailyn could talk, Nora let the boy's hands go and stepped between the two figures. "We need a ride. And some clean clothes."

The princess sighed grumpily, used to the comfort of her palace. "But you said we would leave tomorrow!"

Nora ignored her, looking at the boy's face. Just as she had guessed, he was far younger than he seemed when he attacked her; his features were still soft, like a baby's. His delicate fawn eyes hosted two sets of thick lashes, and his hair was the color of starch. He couldn't be more than a mere teenager. "It doesn't have to be pretty. We need to get to Frya, specifically Messo."

He hesitated at first, but looking back and forth from Nora to Ailyn he seemed to reconsider. "Are you together?"

"Yes," muttered Ailyn, upset that she would miss her beauty sleep. Still, she played the part of the damsel in distress just fine. "But someone is pursuing us. Nobody can know. We are desperately in need of a carriage to leave this country as soon as possible!"

The boy's chest swelled with pride, and despite Ailyn's warnings, Nora was sure he would go home when they returned and boast about the whole ordeal to his family. "Fine, then. I shall take you to Messo as soon as possible!"

Then they sat in silence. The boy stared at Ailyn dreamingly, as if he had met his future wife. It was true that she was beautiful, even soiled and drenched in sweat. Her eyes were like an exotic sea; deep blue with a touch of forest green. They contrasted with her pale white complexion and golden hair. Even in the dark, terrified, she managed to still resemble a princess, despite her title having been stripped from her.

Nora cleared her throat, pursing her thin lips together. "The clothes."

The boy shook his head furiously, as if he was previously in a trance. "I'll bring the best I can find from my sister. Please stay where you are!" he blurted out and disappeared behind the heavy doors, leaving the large room in silence once again.

While he was gone, Nora did her best to beat Ailyn at the staring competition they had silently agreed on, yet the latter kept looking towards the door, making it too easy for the spy. They had nothing to say anymore, especially after their previous conversation.

She killed her parents. She felt bad for it, yet Nora was jealous of Ailyn. She had done what Nora had wanted to do twenty-two years now; kill her mother, erase her from the world, or at least from her mind. She had failed at all three. The girl had always thought getting rid of the last thing that was holding her back from forgetting her past would somehow magically remove all burdens from her shoulders. Yet seeing Ailyn's state, and most of all the insanity her actions had spawned, made her imagine herself in the princess's situation. Would she go mad, too? Despite her hatred for her parent?

She almost laughed at herself. She only wanted to finish that woman to hurt her, emotionally and physically. That monster wouldn't care that her own daughter betrayed her, but that she got her nightgown all dirty. Besides, Nora was a mistake. A mere accident. A bastard child whose only purpose now was to snoop around and be dead weight.

And maybe that was why she had accepted Ailyn's offer. She felt useful, needed. When she would return to her base with the kingfisher, she wouldn't be the misbegotten girl who could never grow up anymore. She would be seen as mature and responsible, as a hero who saved the war.

The inept boy entered the barn once again after an hour, a pile of dull clothes in his hands. He let them fall in front of Ailyn and then doubled over, panting. After a quick thanks escaped her mouth, Ailyn dived into the chunk and searched relentlessly, her freezing joints shaking. She grabbed a colorful dress with a proud smile, only to find out its waist was not cinched and that no corset had been sewn into the inside. She reluctantly kept it, an unsatisfied expression on her face. After choosing a random pair of shoes, she walked into an empty room to change.

Nora looked at the pile for a split second, thinking whether she should take some as well. She was still in the wet, too large riding clothes that were meant for Kage. She felt as if she could almost swim in the white shirt, and at least the thick fabric of the pants served as a bandage to her dried wounds. So she threw away the wool jacket and grabbed a large black trench coat from the horde of torn clothes. The boy flinched once she wore it, but he stayed silent.

When Ailyn came out, Nora could hardly suppress her laughter. The princess looked miserable, like a peasant on a night shift. Her fair hair was pulled up in a quick bun, lots of strands sticking out. Her dress looked like a potato shack, with brown and white fabric having been sewn together. The flat pumps she was wearing were a dirty beige, making an awful combination with her hair.

Her attire didn't stop the boy from drooling over her, but at least now he was trying to hide it.

After Ailyn grabbed the thickest coat in the pile, the boy escorted them outside. A carriage was waiting for them there, promising bumpy roads and lumps all over their bodies.

"Here it is! It's my father's best one, his only one with a folding top. We will arrive in two days if we take the shortcuts."

Meaning they would go through the war zone. Nora sighed.

The spy threw him Ailyn's former clothes, now a pile of silk and jewels. "Sell it, gift it, nobody cares. Just get rid of it."

His eyes widened, but he didn't speak a word. He simply nodded his head vigorously. After his hands were free of the clothes, he helped the princess up. Then he turned to the spy, eyeing her up and down suspiciously.

"Ugh, please." Nora shoved his shoulder to the side, jumping on the carriage. It seemed like a merchant wagon; spacious, hooded and secure. The holes on the yellowish fabric dome above them were slightly concerning, however. She collapsed next to Ailyn, who has awkwardly squatted in a corner, not touching her bare skin anywhere. Nora snorted at her disgusted scowl. "Sorry, your Highness, but this is the best we can get."

Ailyn bit her lip, nodding her head. "Yes, I am aware. That does not mean I should be happy about it, though."

Even though the spy laughed, she could understand how her companion felt. The Prince of Shadows had spared them in the forest, but he clearly stated Ailyn would be hunted down and captured or even killed the moment she tried anything against Seyal. The carriage's condition would be the least of their problems when the sun rose; what about the border checks? The war zone that lunatic wanted to ride through? What would happen when they found a princess gone rogue dumped in a wagon, dressed in a starch sack and chewing wheat heads?

Nora had no intention of starting the Sillich conversation once more. So instead, she touched the numb purple contusion forming on her left cheekbone and groaned, even though the pain had subsided long ago.

Ailyn jumped from her position, kneeling next to Nora. "I completely forgot about this! Are you feeling unwell? Perhaps some kesuma would do?"

The spy glared at her, but kept up her act nevertheless. "I think I may faint! A slap in the cheek is fatal to peasants, remember?"

Instead of picking up on the joke, Ailyn looked even more upset. "How did this happen?" she queried.

Kage Sillich had looked her dead in the eye. She could see the madness in his dilated pupils, the nervous sweat that had been dripping from his forehead. Still, after a moment of shock, she had smiled. "Pretty little Lacard won't be happy to know you've been lying this whole time," she had snickered. "Good luck getting laid after this."

His fist was stronger than she had anticipated. It had landed beneath her eye, and before she could recover or spew another insult at the ill-tempered prince, her feet were off the ground and her collar was snatched between his two hands. Being inches away from his face, she could diagnose his condition perfectly. Clenched jaw, veins pushing against his neck and temples, eyes that could murder anybody instantly. His pride had been damaged.

"You talk about her one more time," he had hissed, spitting the pronoun out like it was a curse, "and I'll cut your tongue with a spoon."

She had given up then. It was no secret he was capable of keeping his promises and in order to spread his secret, she had to have the means. He had let her shirt go, the chair clattering to the ground. He had stormed off, and a few minutes later, his girlfriend had entered the room and freed her. She had suddenly felt bad for saying all these things with her present.

Nora shook her head. She wanted to make Ailyn forget about that prick, not remind her of his cruelty. "It doesn't matter. I feel sleepy. Goodnight."

Ailyn almost protested, but the spy was quick to slump again her shoulder. Being the good citizen that she was, Ailyn let her lie on her lap, despite being exhausted herself. How noble of you, Nora thought and smiled as she let the dark veil of night shelter her.

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

Nora woke up abruptly. The faint sunlight was caught in her dark eyelashes, blinding her. She squinted and attempted to look around, searching for the cause of her sudden awakening. Only when her head hit the wooden floor once more did she realize Ailyn was gone.

The princess's absence made her jump up. She was wide awake now, and her head was pounding uncontrollably. The wagon didn't seem to be moving, and peering outside of the thin fabric, she realized nothing outside was either. Everything was static, and for a moment so was her heart.

She fell off the carriage, her legs still trembling with weakness. Surrounded by low golden grass and burnt trees, Nora's heart sunk. What the hell is this peasant thinking, making a stop here? Despite her calves begging to give out, she forced herself to plunge forward. She didn't know where she was going, but wherever that was, she wished that stupid noble was there, too.

A hand grabbed her forearm roughly, shoving her back. Her tailbone hit the wagon's wood, making a yelp escape her mouth. Black dots filled her vision. The exhaustion of the night before had just dawned on her. She felt alive back then, but now she had to suffer the consequences.

"Are you insane? Get back in!"

Speak of the devil. She looked up to meet a pair of terrified green eyes. "Where were you?" she managed to whisper.

"They shot one of our horses. Do you crave the same fate?"

A deep rumble caught her attention. Her ears rang wildly as an invisible force hauled her up, pushing her in her previous position. "Are you not tired of sleeping? And are explosions a lullaby to you?"

Nora sat up, observing Ailyn. Dark circles had started forming under her eyes, and her hair looked less shiny than usual. Her clothes were black, painted in charcoal gunpowder. The vibrant skin that Nora once admired was now pale, almost transparent. With terror, she realized that the time she had been sleeping, Ailyn had stayed awake to make sure they were both breathing.

"Did you stay up at night?" she inquired, peering at Ailyn suspiciously.

"Which of the two?" the princess sighed, slumping against the brown railing.

Nora could hardly believe it. "I've been asleep for two whole nights? Why didn't you wake me up, you idiot?"

Ailyn gasped, placing a hand on her chest. "Because," she exclaimed, "I've been taught good manners! Besides, I figured the gunshots and the screams of the damned would be enlivening enough."

"Well, at least we're almost there and not in caskets."

"Don't be a fool. They would use our ashes for their bombs."

Nora nodded her head. "True. Any border checks yet?"

"I don't believe they care about illegal refugees here."

The thunders filled the silence. The situation was quite self-explanatory, and Ailyn needn't spell it out for Nora. We're in the Fryan Fields. The bastion of war experiments. The two allied governments had used the Fields to test nukes and weapons, usually on criminals sentenced to death. Anybody who was caught stealing an apple was thrown in there, with no knowledge of where the nukes had been planted or where the new bomb would be thrown. She was surprised the carriage hadn't stepped on anything yet, despite the fact that they were on a perfectly safe-looking road.

They stayed there, curled up in tight balls. Countless minutes passed by, maybe even hours. They had so much to talk about, and Nora had so many questions, yet every time she tried to speak the silence consumed her words.

She tried to keep her mind at the kingfisher. Once and if they found the artifact, she wanted to bring it back to Flouorn. A glimpse of it from her higher-ups would be enough for her to be more than just a first-grade spy, more than just a paranoid child. She didn't know what her commanders would want to do with it next, and that was the very reason she refused to tell Ailyn. She had a crazy plan, one that would not only waste her entire life, but that was essentially impossible. They would never find every Ascended in the world, and they would never prevent others from becoming one, too. She wanted to go against her own gods, and Nora wanted nothing to do with that blasphemy.

Yet she was still there. She stood next to the princess, who tried hard to suppress her fear. She almost felt bad for using her.

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

The carriage rolled to a stop. Ailyn juddered, slowly opening her eyes to look around her. She looked nearly disappointed to see it wasn't all a really odd dream. Nora shot up, pushing the disgusting fabric of the carriage's hood to the side.

Messo Harbour looked like what the spy had expected. A pearl sky with circling birds for a crown, gloomy sailors, depressed buildings. It looked like the kind of place someone would avoid if they valued their sanity, yet Nora felt a small grin creep up on her lips. She took a deep breath of the dull air and skidded out of the even duller wagon. Soon, Ailyn's head popped out from the carriage's hood.

"Do we have to?" she whined in despair, her squinted eyes begging for another five minutes of peace.

Nora snorted. "Yes, your Highness. Waking up early will be the least of our problems from now own." If the princess was so quick to forget their objective, Nora would not have a hard time getting the relic for herself. Still, Ailyn could blind people. She was a candle that wouldn't melt. There were many uses for someone like her, and Nora needed her.

Ailyn yawned one last time and stepped out of the wagon. Before she continued, she turned to the peasant in the driver's seat, screaming at least five phrases of gratitude and waving frantically at his direction. Once he was out of sight, she turned to Nora, a fresh expression on her face. "Okay. I'm ready."

The Queen's Jewel was the best inn in town, and that insinuated a lot about the rest. The walls hadn't been painted in decades and the wooden furniture seemed like they would collapse at any given moment. The employees seemed spent, ready to finally go home. All except the man who greeted them in the dimly lit reception.

"Welcome to the Queen's Jewel! What may I do for you?" he exclaimed, making a dramatic bow.

"You make it sound like a brothel," Nora jested, leaning on the brown counter. "Halim Terko. Which room."

The man -- a young man, in particular -- smirked, his already slanted eyes narrowing. "I doubt a peasant would be familiar with it, but there's this thing called privacy policy. You don't get something for nothing here."

"These are two different things," she clarified. "And if you don't tell me where this man is, I will go find him myself."

"Funny," the boy laughed. "Two men told me the exact same thing just a minute ago."

Nora's head snapped at Ailyn, who copied her frightened expression. Two other people had come to see Terko? The mere thought that another team was already ahead of them made her clench her fists. She raised one of them and slammed it on the desk.

"Cut the bullshit and tell me which room he's in!" she screamed in the receptionist's face. He didn't even blink.

Ailyn clicked her tongue. She seemed irritated more than scared, a state which came to contrast her previous burst of energy. She pulled Nora's arm back and, with a sigh that sounded more like an apology, she raised her hand. Before the spy could stop her, a hint of light appeared on her palm, traveling up and wrapping her fingers like an elaborate ring.

The boy's smile never faltered. He raised his eyebrows in amusement, staring at Ailyn's hand. "Very impressive, miss. We've got cookies on the table right there. Help yourself."

Ailyn gasped. She placed a hand on her chest, her features occupied with a haughty expression. "Excuse you, sir! I know I am sleep deprived and stress-ridden, but this is going too far! I command you--"

"Your command means nothing to me." His eyes suddenly turned serious, his smile shrinking into a straight line. "If I'm going to help you, I need a favor in return."

"What kind of favor?"

"I can't tell you yet."

"So I have to do it anyway afterward, huh?"

"Exactly."

Ailyn rubbed her chin, closing her eyes tightly. "Let me think about it."

Nora huffed, grabbing Ailyn's shoulder and shaking it vigorously. "No time for thinking!" She turned to the receptionist, who was now smiling like an idiot. "Yes, she'll do your favor. Now, what room?"

He tossed her a key and, once she caught it, she looked at the label. Room 3. Without bothering to grab Ailyn along, she ran up the stairs, into the long corridor.

The hallway was surely beautiful, coming in contrast with the reception. The walls bore a golden pattern of diamonds to match the bronze and silver furniture next to every door. Vases adorned the long room, with young flowers inhabiting them. The floor was covered with crimson carpets, which was great, depending on what or who she saw inside Room 3.

The carved number came into view soon after. The lock looked unharmed, yet the door was slightly open. She took a deep breath, dust filling her lungs, and she gave the door a small push.

A small peek inside was enough to make her hold her breath. She stepped inside and trod quietly, heel first and then toes, just like she had been trained to do. Some low mumbles were audible in a room to her left, but what really caught her attention was the pungent smell that had conquered the room.

She scrunched her nose. The room smelled of burnt feces. Or dead rats. Either way, Nora had no option but to advance deeper into the nest she had entered. The whispers were getting louder, and an exasperated huff made the spy inch closer to the small room's door.

"Gah! Why won't this old geezer wake up?"

"Be careful, you'll step on the vomit."

"He could be someone's grandpa! Don't you feel bad for killing him in cold blood?"

"I didn't kill him, idiot. He's drunk."

Nora flinched. The other search party had found Halim Terko sleeping, which gave her only a few minutes before they left. As silently as she could, she stepped back and scanned the room. It was full of black and grey clothes, thrown around like they were confetti. Sheets and blankets framed the double bed, and the scratched window was stuck together with white glue.

She stepped toward the desk. If she couldn't talk to him, at least she had to see what was meant to be said to her, or someone else of significance. After she wiped the multiple trivial objects on the table, she spotted several papers and even some unopened envelopes beside them. Without thinking twice, she grabbed them all and clutched them to her chest. She ran as discreetly as she could towards the door to the hallway, yet despite her best efforts, the voices ceased.

"Did you hear what I heard?" said someone, now completely conspicuous.

Nora didn't need to hear the end of it. She darted out of the mess of a room and sprinted down the corridor with all her might. Yells and curses followed her, along with two pairs of feet banging on the wooden floor. Some letters managed to fall out of her grasp. She didn't care. She couldn't afford to. All she could focus on was the treasure in her hands.

After she stumbled down the stairs, she looked around. Ailyn hadn't followed her; instead, she was laying on a couch, her palm covering her forehead. Once she caught sight of Nora, she sat up with a slightly nervous expression. "So how did it go?"

"Stand up! They're after us," she panted, but by the time the words left her mouth the stairs gave a long creak and the voices reached the bottom floor.

It was the first time she got to look at her pursuers. Two boys around the same age as her, maybe even younger. One had bright eyes, his skin kissed by the sun, and had almost collapsed at the root of the staircase. The other stood straight, with dark fawn hair and eyes so icy they could be considered metal. Those eyes studied Nora and the letters in her hands, ready to grab them and run.

"Well, well. Isn't this a delightful encounter!" the receptionist beamed, clapping his hands together. "Why don't we discuss this over food? If we stay here any longer, I think--"

Instead of jumping on Nora to snatch the letters in her hands, the boy with the metal eyes whipped a small revolver out of his back. He pointed it directly at the receptionist, his hand steady and trained. "Who are you? What is this?"

The receptionist's face shifted for a fraction of a second. For a moment he seemed panicked, caught off guard. He regained his posture as soon as he had lost it. "My name is Don."

"Lies," blurted out Ailyn, whose face had paled in sudden realization. She shot up from the couch, taking a few cautious steps forward. Her jade eyes moved around frantically, but at last, they landed on him. "I know who you are. I was in the port when he helped you escape." Her voice was trembling. She took another deep breath, steadying herself. "You are Zhao. And a threat."

Zhao Koroka, Nora recognized. The infamous runaway. The ghostbringer.

The master of illusions.

***

Hmmmm, I hope the crossroad looks as smooth as I intended ♥ I'll come back and edit if I change my mind, but ya know.

Also, I've got some tests next week so I'm not sure if I'll be able to publish. There are a lot of prewritten chapters but none of them are edited and I don't know if I'll get the chance to :(

T w o  h u n d r e d ? Seriously. I applaud yall's patience. I really appreciate all the kind words, too!

If you enjoyed, please vote and comment! It takes a fraction of a second, it's free, and it motivates me so much, even if the comments are strictly constructive! Thanks for reading ☼

PUBLISH DATE — 19/05/27

EDIT DATES — 19/07/15