ã€ŠNINAã€‹


 NINA - Prologue

    Nina sighed as she looked through the window to the street below. As usual, a steady stream of umbrellas moved along the footpath, the rain that swirled in the breeze lashing down in sheets. As she watched the monochromatic procession of blacks and greys jostle amongst themselves, she frowned when she noticed the time on the clock in the reflection.

    That¡¯s the fifth day in a row, she thought to herself as she moved across her small living space. Swiping a set of keys from the kitchen countertop that was no more colourful than the scenery outside, she headed towards the door. Picking up an umbrella which looked no different from those already on the street, she exited the apartment and headed for the stairs which would take her to the street below.

    Thankful for the fact that it was finally Friday, she paused for a moment in front the mirror which was mounted beside the door. Checking the sparse application of makeup that she had quickly applied to her narrow face, Nina¡¯s appearance could be aptly summed up with one word.

    Average.

    A tad over 170cm tall, Nina¡¯s lithe build was complimented by thin black hair that stopped just above her shoulders. While the gaze from her blue eyes had often been described as frosty, she reasoned that her pale skin probably contributed. Rounded off with a thin jawline and a nose that turned up ever so slightly, Nina took some pride in her appearance as a professional.

    Although her co-workers often told her that a few small changes would really go a long way, standing out was never something that she had found interesting. Owning a wardrobe which consisted almost solely of conservative business suits, Nina¡¯s black hair was also a result of frequent visits to the hairdresser. She liked it because it was unassuming.

    Cold morning air danced across her face as she opened the door, the icy tendrils driving her remaining drowsiness away. For her, there was comfort in blending into society. If a nail that sticks up is hammered down, Nina was as flush with the board as possible. While she understood that significant things happened to everyone, she felt that being in the middle of the pile was the best way to keep her life under control.

    Not too successful and not too unfortunate either, she thought as she watched the flow of people from the alcove. The continuous stream of bodies merged together into a stream like the black and icy river which ran behind the building. If being at either end of the spectrum drew attention, she thought she could avoid it by hiding in the middle.

    In her life, routine was king.

    Opening her umbrella and moving out from the alcove, she merged into the drab procession of people and began her daily commute to work.

    After a short walk and quick train ride, Nina eventually reached the drab 15-floor office building where she worked. With a grey rectangular fa?ade that featured only a few small windows, the depressing structure was almost identical to the others which lined the street. Others would say that Nina spent far too much time here, and Nina herself would be inclined to agree. However, what else was she supposed to do? With only a few acquaintances and a lack of hobbies, Nina kept herself busy with work, much to her superior¡¯s delight.

    Her dedication to her job, fortunately, did provide her with some benefits. Having risen slowly through the organisation, Nina had developed a reputation as someone who would always get the job done. Sleepless nights in the office, a firm attitude, and a penchant for perfection had seen Nina pass through to the top of middle management on her way to a highly-coveted window office.

    The interior of the building was painted in a bleak range of whites and greys, the clacking of Nina¡¯s shoes carrying through the otherwise silent halls. Even lacking decoration, the sterile atmosphere felt more like a research lab than a corporate space.

    Entering her office and closing the door behind her, Nina sighed with relief. Like her own apartment, this small space was a world that she could control with everything fine-tuned to her preferences. From the pens that were organized by how likely they would be required to the arrangement of the drawers in her desk, her knowledge on every detail of the space was immaculate.

    Checking the small coffee table which sat in the centre of her office, she eyed the small stack of paperwork which had piled up. It was an unwritten rule within the building to leave paperwork for Nina on the coffee table as she had disliked people ruining the balance on her desk. ¡®Pain in the ass,¡¯ she had once heard from a co-worker after they had thought that she was out of earshot, but she couldn¡¯t have cared less anyway.

    After all, her value to the organisation meant that the higher-ups were willing to accommodate for almost any request. Making friends in the workplace was something that had never been a goal of hers, and although she had made a couple, they were hardly close.

    Friends were unpredictable, after all. Would they ring on a weekend and ask if you were free? Would they stop by your office at the end of the day and ask if you wanted to go for a drink? Friends brought unknown factors with them that could quickly pile up. Where would they go? When would they finish? Would there be anyone else?

    After making a coffee from her own personal machine, Nina selected the first page from the pile on the table before sitting down at the desk and powering on her computer. Studying her own reflection in the black screen before her, she waited for the computer to boot before beginning her morning routine.

    E-mails, financial reports, HR updates, the organisation¡¯s internal news system¡­ everything seemed to be slow in comparison to the rest of the week. Nina sighed, although she wasn¡¯t surprised either. Productivity always seemed to take a nose dive in preparation for Friday afternoon.

    Lazy, she thought as she turned her attention to the piece of paper she had carried over to her desk. After giving the document a quick read-through, she opened the organisation¡¯s CRM software and began to work. As she typed, she eyed the stack of paper which remained on the coffee table. While estimating the amount of work that she would have to do today, a smile crept on to her face. Barring unforeseen circumstances, she calculated that she would be able to leave the office at the regular time while still managing to eat lunch.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Settling into a steady rhythm, Nina only left her desk to collect a task from the pile once the old one had been completed. She reasoned that she could work faster if she was wholly focused on a single task and considering that they all needed to be done, the order was not important.

    At one stage, she found that a lunch had been placed next to the stack of papers. She had been so absorbed in her work that she hadn¡¯t even realised that it had been delivered. Taking it back to her desk, she ate while she read over the next task, mentally recording how to complete the task as quickly as possible while her hands were occupied. As soon as she was finished eating, she immediately dove back into her work.

    After working throughout the afternoon, Nina found that the pile of papers on the table had gradually been reduced to nothing. Glancing at the clock, she was pleased to see that she had only worked fifteen minutes past her supposed finishing time.

    Another week, she thought as she went through her end of the day routine. Switching the light off behind her, she closed the door to her office and headed down the hallway towards the elevator.

    ¡°Nina, wait,¡± came a voice from over her shoulder as she neared the landing. Holding in a sigh, she wiped the displeased look from her face before turning around.

    ¡°Jane, it¡¯s nice to see you. How was your week?¡±

    ¡°Horrible! The work just keeps piling up so quickly that sometimes I think I¡¯ll never get through it all!¡±

    Nina smiled before turning on her heel and resuming her trip to the elevator. Jane was carrying her personal gear so it was obvious that she was also leaving the office. Pushing the call button, she waited for the inevitable offer that she knew was coming.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to meet Manda at the Red Well for a drink. Do you want to join us?¡±

    The doors to the elevator opened before them, deflecting Jane¡¯s attention for long enough to miss the wry smile on Nina¡¯s face. Stepping in and selecting the ground floor, Nina¡¯s head cycled through a list of prearranged excuses.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Jane, but I¡¯m having a new table delivered in around an hour, I¡¯ll need to be home to let them in.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Where did you buy it from?¡±

    ¡°The Purity Gallery, it¡¯s nothing special.¡±

    The delivery team could always turn up late, she thought. Her excuse had covered for the entire evening.

    ¡°Aww. Maybe next week then?¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m not too busy, sure.¡±

    The doors opened and Nina watched as Jane skipped through the doors into the lobby before turning to face her.

    ¡°Next week then!¡±

    Nina watched as she disappeared out the door and onto the street. At least it wasn¡¯t raining, she thought as she strode across the lobby before also heading out onto the footpath. Again, she was met with a monochromatic procession of people, this time heading in the other direction.

    Merging into the mass of bodies which shielded her from the crisp breeze for the second time today, Nina thought about her dinner. Unsurprisingly, she had specific choices for different days which were also tailored to when she left the office. Leaving the office on a Friday at this time would always result in her picking up some takeout from a small place only a few streets from her apartment. This was because it wouldn¡¯t be busy until later in the evening.

    An uneventful journey to the station was followed by an equally uneventful train ride. Eventually closing in on her apartment, Nina turned onto the smaller streets away from the main road as she headed towards the takeout shop.

    Away from the main thoroughfare, few people strode down the narrow paths on each side of the road, the noise from the flood of people fading into the background. The cool breeze once again sent Nina¡¯s hair dancing as she rounded another corner, the familiar scent of rain making her smile. After only a short walk she reached the shop, escaping the chill by ducking through the alcove into the empty restaurant.

    Due to there being no other people in the store, Nina emerged again onto the street within 10 minutes, now carrying a rather large bag of takeout. Combined with what she had at home, this was enough for her to be able to spend the entire weekend in solace, not even having to leave her apartment. Thinking to herself as she strolled down the street, Nina was quickly brought to her senses as she started to slow down.

    Something felt wrong, but she couldn¡¯t put her finger on it. Continuing at a reserved pace, she looked past the open sign through the window of the store she was walking past.

    The store was empty.

    No customers, no staff, no sign of activity. It was a puzzling sight, but as the gears in Nina¡¯s head started to move, she realised what was wrong.

    Wherever she looked, there was not a single sign of life. Just like the store she stood in front of, the entire street was silent. It was a quiet street to begin with, but for there to be nobody at all in this eerie silence was unprecedented.

    Apprehensive, her feet turned as she broke into an awkward jog, the clacking of her shoes reverberating in the empty street. The dusty neon sign for the takeout store still flickered above the doorway as she now counted the number of storefronts until she would reach it.

    5, 4, 3, 2, 1¡­

    She stopped. Desperately glancing through the window, her fear began to rise as her thoughts were confirmed before her eyes.

    The shop she had just left was also empty. The display which had been full only minutes before was now just as empty as the area behind the counter where the staff had been standing.

    As she stood frozen in place, her mind began to reel. The situation was beyond reality, but that was not the thing that scared her the most. The feeling of being powerless had swept her instinct away as she realised that the situation was beyond her control.

    As if paralysed, she watched as a point of light appeared in the concrete before her. As though it was in slow motion, the point of light began to draw a line across the pavement. Turning 90 degrees, it continued past her as her eyes followed it along. Turning 90 degrees again, the line continued back up the other side of her before making a final turn towards the starting point.

    Motionless, Nina watched as the square of light around her was completed. She wanted to move, but her legs felt glued to the ground, her throat failing her when she tried to speak. She wanted to escape, but the sense of helplessness had already taken over.

    And then, without warning, the ground below her disappeared.

    On a quiet street in the depths of the city, the square of light vanished into nothingness.

    So had Nina.

 Chapter 001

    Freefall.

    Nina, who had closed her eyes in fear, began to process the information that was coming to her through her other senses.

    A heavy feeling of damp air had wrapped around her like a wet blanket as she continued to fall towards the unknown. Although her eyes were closed, she could tell that there was little light as her eyelids weren¡¯t tinged with the warm colour of her skin. Her hair flailed wildly above her as the oncoming sound rushing of air confirmed that she was accelerating into the darkness below. The bag of takeout which she had been holding was gone.

    What is happening to me?

    The rushing of air continued to increase in volume as it neared deafening. At this speed, she knew that colliding with just about anything would be fatal as she locked her arms to her sides. She tried to calm herself, but her breathing was escalating towards a ragged mess as the panic began to overwhelm her.

    Forcing an eye open slightly, she was horrified to confirm her fears that she was falling in absolute darkness. She wanted to look below herself, but the oncoming wind made it impossible as it stung her eyes. Above her was nothing but the inky black, any sign of where she had come from already erased by the darkness.

    What did I do to deserve this?

    Of all people, why her? She hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, she hadn¡¯t done anything different, and she certainly hadn¡¯t made any enemies. Although she understood that what was happening to her was completely outside of logical reasoning, her usual stress relief mechanisms whirred inside her head.

    However she tried to rationalize the situation, she couldn¡¯t. While she tried to calm herself down, it seemed impossible as another part of her continued to panic because she could be unwittingly turned into a pancake at any second.

    While her mind was engrossed in a mental tug-of-war, her senses began to tell her that the situation was starting to change. Although the change was gradual, the rush or air was now becoming less audible, the hard sensation of the wind pressing against her feet subsiding.

    I¡¯m slowing down? She thought to herself as she now managed to look below her. To her dismay, however, the scenery remained black as she couldn¡¯t make anything out in the darkness.

    The whipping of the wind became gentle as she continued to fall. Picking up the courage to extend her arms, she reached out into the darkness. Relieved that she couldn¡¯t touch a surface which could support anything to harm her, her descent continued at what felt like a more comfortable pace.

    I must have been falling for at least three or four minutes already, she thought to herself. Rolling the numbers in her head, she guessed that she had already fallen some fifteen kilometers. Although she could feel the density of the air increasing, she also guessed that she was no longer falling at terminal velocity due to how comfortable her descent had become.

    Does that mean I will survive?

    Resigned to fate, she waited for the fall to end. The fact that her hair and clothes were not flapping about as she would expect had given her hope. Passing what she guessed was around the five minute mark, she wondered exactly how far it was possible to fall.

    What was down here? If someone had simply wanted her to be crushed by a fall, it could have happened already. Building anything this far down also seemed like a waste of time. If you wanted to hide something underground, this was overkill. And besides, why would she be relevant in the first place?

    Breaking her mid-descent logical process, however, was what she had been waiting for. Looking down, she could finally see something that was different to the darkness around her.

    A pinhead of light.

    A wave of anticipation washing over her, she continued to look downward. Gradually, the tiny dot began to swell in size as she approached. Although apprehensive, she would finally have the chance to turn the unknown into something that she could plan around.

    But something wasn¡¯t right.

    What had previously been a small point of light that punctuated the darkness was quickly becoming larger. The rate of expansion was too sudden, which could only mean one thing.

    On the contrary to her initial conclusion, she had hardly slowed down at all.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    She was probably descending at what would normally be considered terminal velocity.

    Her body became rigid as the source of light rapidly swelled in size. She shielded her eyes from the sheer brilliance of the light below her as it filled her vision. As the darkness was finally replaced by the light, Nina hit the surface.

    And to her surprise, she kept falling.

    Opening her eyes, she looked upwards to see that the disc of light that she had passed through was now beginning to fade away. What had previously been the solitary feature in the middle a blue surface that stretched as far as she could see, the disc soon disappeared. As it vanished, the surface rippled like the breeze on a calm lake before it smoothed out above her like nothing had ever happened.

    The damp air had been replaced by what felt like a refreshing breeze, the quietness of her surroundings making her senses doubt how quickly she was travelling. As the sphere of light had disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, she turned her attention to what was below only to gasp in surprise.

    Stretched out before her like a rolling canvas was¡­

    The world?

    From her vantage point in the sky, she looked at the multicoloured fields that covered the surface. As though she was a skydiver, her attention turned to the horizon, the pale blue that sparsely littered with clouds reaching into the distance.

    A skydiver with no parachute, she thought to herself. However, she wasn¡¯t nearly as terrified as she thought she should be. Having already seen something inexplicably insane coupled with the fact that something was clearly wrong with how she was falling, she was somewhat at ease.

    It¡¯s not home, she realised. Looking at what looked to be a city below her, the surrounding landscape looked nothing like what it should have. The ocean which had been close to home before was nowhere in sight as she scanned the landscape below.

    What the hell is going on here?

    As if her brain couldn¡¯t process the situation, a dull thud began to reverberate inside her head. Even though it seemed to be slowly getting louder, strangely, it wasn¡¯t accompanied by the throbbing pain she expected.

    Wait a second¡­

    Blocking her ears, she realised that the source of the thudding wasn¡¯t from inside her head. Having been so detached from everything else in the last 10 minutes, she had just assumed that it was to do with her. But if the source wasn¡¯t herself, it would mean that the thudding was coming from somewhere else.

    As the sound became louder, Nina realised what the noise that was coming from above her was.

    Bass?

    Rolling backwards to stare into the sky, she searched for the source of the rhythmic thudding. High above her and off to her right, she counted five small dots that seemed to be slowly moving across so that they would be over her position.

    A melodic tune that accompanied the bass was now audible. As the music became clearer, the five dots above her grew larger and larger. Dropping like pins through the sky, Nina, who had her back to the earth below, could finally make out the objects above her.

    People.

    Dressed like a flying circus, the five descended with practiced motions, spreading their bodies out to reduce their speed as they approached. Leisurely tumbling, their speed now matched Nina¡¯s as they fanned out.

    Immediately attracted to the source of the sound, Nina was surprised to see that the music was coming from a portable stereo that a woman was riding through the sky like a board. With a blonde ponytail and an athletic figure which was hugged tightly by a bright orange tracksuit, the woman reminded her of a professional athlete. Rocking on her heels to the beat as they fell, her green eyes locked with Nina¡¯s.

    ¡°Yo,¡± she smiled, rolling on to her back in a slow arc as she flipped away from Nina before she could reply. The stereo, still playing what she guessed was some kind of trance music, rolled with her as though it was now glued to her feet.

    Confused, Nina looked over to the next person who was descending slightly faster than her. Flat on her back with one leg over the other and her arms behind her head, the woman¡¯s short silver hair rustled in the breeze. Despite her calm manner, however, a single word popped into Nina¡¯s mind.

    Soldier.

    A black tank top was stretched over her tanned skin, which was itself stretched over a powerful frame. Heavy black boots poked out from underneath a pair of baggy white combat pants, bulging pockets crammed wherever there was space. Although seemingly oblivious to Nina, her descent slowed to match her pace with perfect timing, the pair now falling at the same speed.

    Nina noted the futuristic looking assault rifle that was slung over the woman¡¯s shoulder before deciding that she was going to be ignored. Turning around, which was more difficult that she thought it would be, she saw two small women. To her, it looked as though they were engaged in some form of acrobatic routine. Facing each other, the pair suddenly twisted around, floating past each other in a coordinated manoeuvre which matched the beat that was still playing on the stereo.

    Long green hair and blue eyes were opposed by short pink hair and purple eyes. Although they both wore skirts, neither of them fluttered upwards as they fell. As though they detected Nina¡¯s gaze, the pair simultaneously broke out of their routine to face her.

    ¡°Hi!¡± they said in unison as they waved to Nina.

    ¡°What is going on?¡± she asked. This series of bizarre events had left her in desperate need for any information. She had seen that the people around her were not wearing parachutes and were completely at ease. The way they dressed was also just too different from her home. Therefore, she harboured hopes that they were familiar with this situation.

    Instead of answering her, however, the pair pointed upwards.

    Her gaze following the direction of their fingers, Nina looked upwards to sky above her. There, slowly descending, was the fifth figure.

 Chapter 002

    To Nina, some people just had that air about them.

    It was an aura that she never thought she would be able to exude. Even as someone who had her own way of creating a sense of control, she had always known that there was a better method.

    Instead of insulating yourself from outside factors to limit unforeseen events, there was always the option of changing the outside factors to suit yourself.

    Nina watched as the figure descended. Small grey boots supported a pair of slender calves which disappeared under a white pair of three-quarter pants. The top half of the graceful figure was covered with a pastel blue short-sleeved sweater, long wine coloured hair drifting across exposed shoulders.

    While the feeling that Nina had got from the others that had descended around her had been a mix of playful and relaxed, the woman before her gave her a completely different impression.

    With a pair of intelligent hazel eyes that were shaped like almonds, her tanned oval face was framed by the hair which danced across her shoulders. A thin mouth which was slightly upturned into a grin added a sense of mischief.

    But above all else, she had an aura that Nina rarely saw, and didn¡¯t particularly like either. It was the aura that you were a part of their game whether you wanted to play or not. Although it wasn¡¯t overbearing or cruel like she usually associated with such thoughts, the feeling was unmistakable.

    It was an aura of authority.

    She had felt this aura before in her working life. Usually, it came from people who were worlds away from her in corporate success, from people at the top of the food chain. CEOs, executives, company presidents, and other people that she felt would end up in similar positions soon enough sometimes gave her this feeling.

    ¡°Hello there,¡± the woman said as she gazed at her.

    ¡°What is happening to me?¡± Nina asked, recoiling at the inquisitive stare that seemed to be assessing her. Although they had been continuously falling through the sky for some time now, the ground was now noticeably closer.

    ¡°You¡¯ve fallen through Caecus, and are now at the Skywall.¡± The woman noticed Nina¡¯s questioning look and laughed. ¡°I know it¡¯s a little confusing, but right now we need to move. I can tell you more once we are past the Skywall.¡±

    ¡°Reiiiinaaaa!¡± a voice from above the pair rang out. Nina looked upwards to see a sixth girl plummeting towards them at incredible speed. Watching the girl who seemed to be the smallest of the group flatten herself out against the wind to slow her descent, she knew that she was falling too fast.

    ¡°She¡¯s going to miss it again,¡± said the soldier-looking woman with a sigh, a set of piercing blue eyes revealed as her eyes opened.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped,¡± said the leading woman with a chuckle.

    Nina watched on with interest as the woman named Reina stared into the sky at the figure that was approaching like a comet. With a practiced motion, her hand shot out like a snake.

    There, caught by a collar which protruded out from a pair of black overalls, was a young girl. With a smatter of freckles across a round face which has hidden behind a mop of blonde hair, Nina decided she was the closest to ¡®normal¡¯ looking in the group.

    ¡°Found it!¡± the girl said as Reina released her, letting her drift out of arm¡¯s reach. Curious, Nina looked to the bag that the girl was holding.

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s have a look,¡± laughed Reina as she took the bag from the girl¡¯s hand. After taking a quick glance at the contents, she looked over towards Nina with raised eyebrows.

    ¡°Do you usually eat this much?¡±

    There, in her hand, was the bag of takeout that Nina had purchased just before ending up in this mess.

    ¡°¡­It was for a few days.¡±

    ¡°Perfect. We can share it then.¡±

    ¡°By the way, when you caught that girl¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, Saela? She can¡¯t control her flight so well right now. She¡¯s new, after all.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but why didn¡¯t you fall with her? What happened to the momentum?¡±

    ¡°Shoes.¡±

    ¡°Shoes?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain later,¡± laughed Reina as she looked towards the ground below. With a clap of her hands, the group around them snapped to attention.

    ¡°The window is getting quite small, it¡¯s time we moved. Jade and Aline are on point. Svanda, bring the girl. Saela¡¯s with me, and Trim, turn it off.¡±

    With a series of affirmations, the group which had previously been descending in what had seemed to be a disorderly fashion, formed up and began to move. The music which had been playing the entire time was switched off by the athletic woman with a sense of reluctance as Nina felt someone grab her hand.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Spread yourself out like everyone else and don¡¯t let go of my hand,¡± said the woman who Nina had pinned as a soldier.

    Looking around, she saw that everyone in the group was now lying flat against the onrushing wind, all facing in the same direction. Mimicking their posture, she felt the hand which was interlocked with hers tighten like a vice.

    ¡°Everyone above seventy?¡± asked Reina. After receiving positive replies from everyone, she rolled onto her back to view the entire group which was falling just above her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±

    Before she could ask a question, Nina felt a tugging sensation from the hand interlocked with hers. Even though they were still falling through the sky, she also felt as though she was being pulled along.

    ¡°Umm¡­ we¡¯re moving?¡±

    ¡°Yep. You can call me Svanda,¡± replied the woman with a smile.

    ¡°How are we moving?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the shoes. You don¡¯t have any so I have to pull you along!¡± she laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything will be fine, we won¡¯t leave you behind. Oh, and don¡¯t ask me how they work, because I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°You trust your life to something you don¡¯t understand?¡±

    ¡°People live in tall buildings without understanding how they stand up. People ride in elevators without understanding how they are held up above tens of floors. People use cars without understanding how the motor runs, or planes without understanding lift. What¡¯s the difference?¡±

    Seeing Nina drop into thought, Svanda laughed again.

    ¡°If you want to know, you can ask Reina sometime. I bet you have a ton of other questions too, but it¡¯s better to wait until we are past the Skywall before we sit down and talk through it all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind then, thank you.¡±

    ¡°By the way, I didn¡¯t ask your name.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Nina.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡±

    ¡°¡­Working?¡±

    Nina watched as a grin crept onto Svanda¡¯s face, the first real change that she had seen in her expression since they had met.

    ¡°You¡¯re here because you¡¯re very good at something, right? Reina doesn¡¯t tell us until later, why people are selected,¡± she laughed. ¡°That¡¯s why we try and ask them earlier.¡±

    I¡¯m ¡®very good¡¯ at something? Nina thought to herself. While she would certainly class herself as capable at a number of tasks, she wouldn¡¯t class herself as the best at any of them.

    Her work was the only thing that stood out to her, but looking at the group of them flying across the sky, how would her office skills even be useful?

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m good at.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Nina wasn¡¯t sure if she could hear disappointment in Svanda¡¯s voice, of if she was just assuming it was there. A soldier and an office worker were at completely different ends of the spectrum, after all. Maybe they wouldn¡¯t have much in common.

    The pair flew on in silence. Nina could hear a discussion was taking place at the front between Jade and Aline, the two girls which she had seen mirroring each other earlier, but she couldn¡¯t make the conversation out. Reina was keeping a close eye on Saela, who she had said was new to this experience. Was her situation similar to her own? Looking at the odd assortment of clothing and hair colours, Nina had difficulty picturing these people living up above her. Where did they come from, was it the land below?

    More questions are stacking up, she thought to herself. Their flight path had caused the group to drift away from the city below them and out towards a forest some distance away. Approaching what Nina guessed was roughly a standard skydive height, she reasoned that her protracted descent would soon be over.

    She soon found out that her prediction was correct.

    As they approached the ground at a speed which was a little too fast for her liking, she suddenly found that the hand which had been tightly holding on to her own the entire time was suddenly detached. Before the initial shock that was preventing her from screaming had worn off, she heard Svanda chuckle behind her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the field will pick you up.¡±

    Confirming her words, Nina found herself suddenly decelerating. Feeling as though she was on a rollercoaster which was grinding to a halt, Nina closed her eyes. Opening them again, she found that she was now drifting towards the ground at a very slow speed.

    ¡°It will drop you the last metre, so don¡¯t roll your ankle,¡± Reina said with a yawn.

    The group coasted towards the earth for the last ten metres at a relaxed speed. Once her feet were around a metre from the ground, Nina felt the field lift as she plopped onto the surface.

    After a nerve-wracking experience, Nina finally had her feet on solid ground. However, without even a chance to rest, the rest of the group was in motion again as Reina called them to attention.

    ¡°Trim and Svanda, scout the area surrounding the hatch. Jade and Aline will go and pack up the field generator and then bring it to the hatch. Saela and¡­.¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s Nina,¡± she said in response to Reina¡¯s questioning gaze.

    ¡°Saela and Nina are with me. Let¡¯s get out of here as soon as possible.¡±

    Watching as the group split up for their assigned tasks, Nina found herself falling in behind Reina as she marched into the forest that they had landed next to. Although the forest floor was clear of growth, the dense foliage above them blocked out most the sunlight, leaving the air around them not only dark, but damp.

    Although she wanted to ask questions, Nina reasoned that this probably wasn¡¯t the time. She didn¡¯t even know who these people were, but she had already fallen into their rhythm. Not only had Reina ordered her around the second she met her, Nina had complied. She could hear Saela¡¯s footsteps following behind her, but she was just as quiet.

    Don¡¯t have much of a choice though, do I? She thought to herself. She was stranded in an incomprehensible situation and these people seemed to have the answers that she was looking for. Svanda had also said that she was selected because she was good at something, and that Reina knew what it was.

    How could Reina know her better than herself?

    Looking at the back of the woman who confidently strode between the trees in a seemingly random direction, she was unsure what to make of her. The wine coloured hair drifted back and forth across her exposed shoulders as she turned to the left and then to the right. As Nina was about to muster up the courage to ask her where in fact they were going, Reina stopped.

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± she said as she stopped in front of a large tree. Nina guessed that if the three of them all held hands, they still wouldn¡¯t be able to reach around it.

    Pressing her finger into a small hole hidden in a fold of bark, a small door opened to reveal the interior of the trunk. Much to Nina¡¯s dismay, another hole in the earth surrounded by a familiar glowing line sat before them.

    ¡°It¡¯s been tough trip, time to go home,¡± Reina said as she stretched her arms and neck. Looking at Nina¡¯s expression, her intelligent face broke into a smile.

    ¡°So, are you ready to go again?¡±

 Chapter 003

    Once they had grouped up, for the second time in quick succession, Nina found herself falling through a sky above an alien world. Like paratroopers jumping from a plane, Svanda had once again taken her hand and dragged her across the edge into the darkness.

    ¡°Welcome to Luem, the capital of Neo Luesa and the jewel of the three plates,¡± Svanda said as they emerged from the dark chute which had carried them through the earth. Below them, a massive city sprawled across the landscape and continued past the horizon, a patchwork jungle of colour.

    It¡¯s so big, Nina thought. It was as though the buildings were as numerous as blades of grass. Even if you had glued together a group of the largest cities from her world above, they would still not be able to compete with this city.

    A new song began to pump from Trim¡¯s stereo. Svanda, who had let go of her hand, reassumed her relaxed pose with her hands behind her head. Nina watched as her eyes closing as the trace of a smile appeared at the corner of her lips. As Jade and Aline shot past her in tandem, she was reminded of when the group had first descended on her.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to move that far this time, we¡¯re dropping reasonably straight,¡± said Reina who had appeared behind her like a ghost. With crossed arms and her hair fluttering in the breeze, she looked completely at ease as they descended. ¡°Practice moving around and controlling yourself a little, it will be useful later.¡±

    Nina nodded as she watched Reina glide off towards Saela with a practiced motion. Although remaining still was rather easy, Nina found that it was quite difficult to move around as she willed it. Thinking back to when Saela had approached them while being wildly out of control, she realised that it would probably be harder than it seemed.

    After trying to control herself to move around as she pleased with little success, she watched as Svanda approached her. Feeling the tug at her hand that had been gripped, she watched the group enter formation in silence. The descent had been rather uneventful when compared to the first one, and for that, Nina was glad.

    ¡°Suits?¡±

    Nina turned to see that Reina, who was off to the side, was speaking into what she guessed was a microphone, a finger pressed against her ear.

    ¡°Good¡­ Yeah, we¡¯re approaching now. See you soon.¡±

    Their speed reduced as they neared the rooftop of a building. Similar in height to essentially every other building as far as Nina could see, the sea of square and rectangular rooftops seemed like an endless tiled floor. The mixture of faded colours was littered with a seemingly random assortment of windows, signs, and other features. With only around 10 metres between each building, the city was a jigsaw of skyscrapers.

    It was an endless forest of concrete.

    ¡°Euris said that the Network is reporting no suit activity in the district, let¡¯s head down before that changes,¡± Reina said as she opened the door to one of the small roof access huts which protruded from the otherwise featureless space. ¡°Bands on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    As the group filed through the door into a dim stairwell, they each produced a band which was quickly placed on their left arm near the shoulder. Most of the group wore orange bands, while Reina and Svanda wore green. Each band had a barcode below stenciled text which read ¡®JE-22¡¯.

    ¡°Sorry, we don¡¯t have one for you yet because we need to put your biometrics through the system,¡± Svanda said as she pat Nina on the shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll sort it out when we get back.¡±

    Nodding, she watched as Trim punched a set of details into a rusted terminal by the top of the staircase. After waiting until a light turned from red to green, she hopped over the railing and into the central shaft, followed by Jade and Aline.

    ¡°No need to walk down, it knows where we want to stop,¡± Svanda said as she nudged Nina towards the railing before watching as Reina and Saela disappeared into the darkness below.

    Hopefully this is the last time, Nina thought before hauling her legs over the railing and dropping into the empty space.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    It wasn¡¯t until she had started falling that she realised how calm she had been as she had thrown herself into an unknown descent with no form of safety measure. It was almost as though she was in a dream and was just deciding to go with the flow until she was eventually dragged back to reality. The sheer absurdity of the recent set of events had almost left her desensitized to the truth of what she was doing, hauling herself blindly into the unknown without a sliver of control. From the moment she had met Reina, she had been rudderless. She had always tried to steer her own actions but now she was relying on an outstretched hand before letting it drag her wherever it decided to go.

    Dim lights appeared and disappeared in quick succession as the landings flew by. Nina didn¡¯t know how far she was falling, but she guessed that it was quite far when she considered how tall the building had been. Eventually, a series of pulsating orange disks of light appeared below her, slowing her gradually as she passed through them before coming to a halt on a plank that had been extended in to the middle of the stairwell. Seeing Jade beckon her off the plank, she walked off and turned to see that Svanda had dropped where she had just been standing.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said as she turned, only to realise that Jade had already disappeared through an orange door in the wall, ¡®JE-22/6-25¡¯ stenciled in large letters above it.

    ¡°This building is called JE-22,¡± Svanda said as she pushed through the door, walking into the dimly lit hallway beyond without turning to see if Nina was following her. ¡°The floor we are on is the 25th floor of the 6th layer, hence 6-25.¡±

    ¡°6th layer?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s 7 layers,¡± Svanda said as they rounded a corner and pushed through another door. This time, there was a small stream of people moving through the dimly lit concrete hallway. ¡°7th is the lowest, 1st is the highest.¡±

    Nina noted that everyone she passed was wearing a band around their arm which was similar to what she had seen everyone in the group put on before.

    ¡°Layers are usually referred to by colour; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and white. The band around your arm represents your clearance level.¡±

    Nina noted that people moved around Svanda in a respectful manner when they saw the green band around her arm. Almost all of the people that she had seen so far were either wearing red or orange bands.

    ¡°If this is the orange layer, why are there people with red bands here?¡±

    Svanda smiled as they emerged from the quiet hallway onto a busy thoroughfare. The thoroughfare was a wide airy space with a ceiling that was far above them in the distance, rows of shops and stalls lining the side of what seemed like an indoor street. A gentle breeze drifted past them which carried the laughter and chatter of the people throughout. Above the stalls, people watched over the main road from balconies which jut out from a range of floors above them.

    ¡°Although you can travel one layer above your clearance, red bands are an exception as they deal with the most basic tasks, and can travel up to the green layer without special clearance. Cleaners, farmers, unskilled workers, and other servants are almost exclusively from the red layer.¡±

    Nina half listened to what Svanda¡¯s explanation as she took in the sights around her. When she had first met the group in the sky, she had thought that their sense of dress was rather strange. Now, however, she realised that her own conservative style was the strange choice in this strange land, as a range of colours, styles, and accessories were on display before her.

    ¡°Svanda! Fresh meat?¡± asked a woman with a flaming red mop of hair and a skin-tight tank top as they passed by her seat behind a small stall on the side of the ¡®road¡¯.

    ¡°Reina finds some interesting ones, doesn¡¯t she?¡± Svanda laughed as they walked.

    Before she knew it, Nina had caught a round green fruit that had been tossed to her by the woman.

    ¡°Welcome to 22! Come see me anytime!¡± the woman said as they continued past.

    ¡°That¡¯s Sem. Jade and Aline like to hang around there sometimes,¡± Svanda said as she nodded towards another shopkeeper that waved to them. The combination of Svanda¡¯s armband and Nina¡¯s lack of armband drew attention as they walked down the street, although they soon turned off the main street and on a smaller one.

    ¡°That was Main West, one of the four main streets that form a square around each floor,¡± Svanda said as she stopped in the middle of the street. ¡°There are 2 sets of main streets on the orange layer; one on 6-05, and one on 6-25. The space above the main street on 6-25 stretches all the way to the bottom of the yellow layer, 20 floors above.¡±

    Nina noted the bright blue wall at the place where they had stopped, along with the large painted sign across it which read ¡®The Cloud Orchestra.¡¯ Following as Svanda stepped into the small courtyard which was set before a pair of doors, she gazed back towards the main street from where they had come.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost like it¡¯s a city within a building,¡± Nina said. Although it was true that they were within a massive structure, each individual space had its own design and flavor which gave it the sense that they were in a town instead.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what it is,¡± Svanda laughed as she opened the door for Nina.

    ¡°Welcome to The Cloud Orchestra.¡±

 Chapter 004

    Nina¡¯s gaze drifted across the room that they had stepped into.

    It¡¯s a bit messy, isn¡¯t it? She thought to herself as she eyed the unattended counter that was littered with paperwork, a withering pot plant dangling next to a rusted attendance bell. In the corner sat a green sofa setting that contrasted with the bare walls which were painted in the same shade of blue as the exterior. With a large coffee table that was covered with a random assortment of magazines sitting in the middle, it looked as though nobody had used this reception room in quite some time.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and see Euris,¡± Svanda said as she strode across the hardwood floor and through a door behind the counter. Nina noted the surprisingly fragrant air that strongly contrasted with the appearance of the reception room as she followed. Moving down a corridor, her gaze drifted through the open doorways which they passed, noting the similar appearance of the other rooms. What seemed to be an office, a break room, and a server room all sat in varying forms of neglect.

    Was it even possible to run an office this poorly? She thought as they reached the end of the corridor, turning into a room which sat next to a flight of stairs that ran up to a heavy steel door on the second floor. To her surprise, unlike the other rooms, this room was clean, with a small desk sitting in the centre of the room with two chairs.

    Sitting in one of the chairs was a short woman that she hadn¡¯t seen before. With a short mop of black hair, a short black lab coat which featured a few too many straps, and a pair of thin glasses to match, Euris looked like a cross between a back-alley doctor and a controversial fashion designer.

    ¡°Take a seat,¡± said Reina who was standing behind the other chair, nodding as Svanda left. ¡°This is Euris. She does most of the techy stuff here.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Euris said as Nina sat across from her. On the table between them sat a silver box which was covered in a series of tubes, some of which were connected to an armband which she passed to Nina. ¡°This is a biometric reader. We need your data so we can create an armband for you and slot you into the system.¡±

    ¡°Am I supposed to just agree to this?¡± Nina asked as she looked from Euris to Reina. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about you, anything about this machine, or anything about this world.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Reina replied, unfazed by Nina¡¯s response. She paused for a moment before Nina heard a small sigh emerge from Reina¡¯s lips behind her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it this way then,¡± she said as she walked around the chair to face Nina. ¡°Give me a fake,¡± she said to Euris as she outstretched her arm, watching as a red armband was given to her.

    ¡°You have two options. The first is to take this fake red armband and take it wherever you want. If you¡¯re lucky, you might find someone on the red floors that will take you in, although the fact that you are unregistered makes you a bit of a liability. If the suits find you with a fake, you can deal with the authorities yourself.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just send me home?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible for you to return to where you were, but to be frank, you probably won¡¯t be able to do it without us,¡± Reina said as she tossed the armband in Nina¡¯s lap. ¡°The second option is to work for me. I will cover the expenses of creating a legitimate identity for you and loan you the money required to upgrade your band to orange clearance. Once you¡¯ve paid it off, you can keep it and do whatever you want.¡±

    Walking to the door, Reina turned her head over her shoulder. ¡°Think about it, you should be fine outside with that armband for the rest of today at least. If you want to join us, ring the bell in the reception. Euris, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Nina sat and watched as Reina and Euris climbed the stairs that were just outside the room before disappearing behind the heavy door, leaving her in silence.

    I didn¡¯t even get any more answers, she thought as she remained in the chair. What was she supposed to do? She understood that Reina had put her in a position where she was dependent on others, but how was she supposed to escape from it?

    Before she knew it, she had pushed her way through the front door of The Cloud Orchestra¡¯s building and was on the street, the red armband wrapped around her bicep. Turning onto Main West, she idly gazed at the assortment of shops, stalls, and other establishments as she wandered by, oblivious to the strange looks that she was attracting.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    The more she thought, the more she realised that there were really no alternatives to accepting Reina¡¯s deal. Although she briefly considered taking the first option and disappearing into the depths below them that were the red floors, Reina¡¯s comment about The Cloud Orchestra being the ones that could take her home pulled her back.

    ¡°Yo, newbie.¡±

    Waking from her trance, she turned to see that she had stopped in front of the red-haired woman¡¯s stall that they had passed earlier.

    ¡°Name¡¯s Sem, take a seat,¡± she said as she pointed to a wooden crate which was next to the chair that she currently sat in. Watching as Nina sat next to her, the pair sat in silence for over a minute as they watched the people pass by.

    ¡°You said no, eh?¡±

    ¡°You can tell?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Sem laughed. ¡°You¡¯re out here in your original clothes with a fake band.¡±

    ¡°Is it that easy to see that this is fake?¡±

    Sem stood up as someone approached the stall, briefly ignoring Nina as she haggled over a few pieces of fruit. Completing the sale, she turned back to Nina, grabbing her hand before placing a collection of silver discs from the transaction in her palm.

    ¡°Most shop owners can¡¯t tell with a glance because they use band scanners during transactions. Stalls like this, however, don¡¯t use them so I can spot a counterfeit. I know you aren¡¯t an unsavoury character, but unfortunately, most of the people who use fakes are.¡±

    ¡°Why are you giving me this?¡± Nina asked, referring to the thin discs in her hand.

    ¡°There¡¯s fifteen credits there. I¡¯m not giving them to you, I¡¯m lending them to you. Walk to the north along the street until you see the Talewood Arms, then go inside and ask to see Hala and Cross. They can give you some of the answers that you are looking for.¡±

    Thinking that it was a better plan than nothing, Nina stood and thanked Sem before heading back into the street.

    ¡°Don¡¯t pay more than two credits for a drink!¡± Sem yelled from behind her, oblivious to the faintest of smiles that her comment had created at the corner of Nina¡¯s lips.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Nina to find the Talewood Arms. The fa?ade which stretched up for at least ten floors showed that they were all part of the same establishment. As the name had suggested, Nina pushed her way through one of the many doors to find herself in a tavern.

    One of the things that Nina had found strange about JE-22 was the combination of old and new. It was strange to the extent that it was difficult to even understand what kind of technology was in use. Futuristic looking machines and designs sat next to facades that seemed like they had been pulled from a medieval era. Neon signs that reminded her of the past were intermingled with rusted metal billboards and bright LED displays as she had walked down the street.

    Ignoring the curious gazes as she crossed the floor towards the bar, she placed her hands on the countertop and waited until the greasy-looking man which was tending it moved in her direction.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Hala and Cross.¡±

    The bartender swiped a casual gaze across her outfit and band before pulling an empty glass out from below the counter.

    ¡°It¡¯ll cost you a drink.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± she said as she watched the bartender fill the glass up with what seemed to be some form of ale from a tap.

    ¡°Five credits.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but I only have two.¡± Nina dropped two of the discs that Sem had given her on the countertop and waited for a reaction. With a nod, the man took the discs and placed the drink on the counter.

    ¡°Fifth floor. The pair with brown hair in the back corner.¡±

    With a smile as thanks, Nina took her drink and headed for the stairs. After climbing enough to make her break a sweat, she finally arrived on the fifth floor of the tavern. Unlike the lower floors, there seemed to be less people here. Fanning her vision out across the dim wooden interior that would have looked at home in a medieval fantasy movie, she looked for the pair. Hushed tones with occasional laughter traveled through the large space as Nina slowly wandered towards the back of the room. With not many people to look between, she soon identified the pair of women and headed towards them.

    Noticing her approach, the two turned to face her. With tanned skin and matching white shirts, the pair could have probably passed as sisters. Although both had shoulder length brown hair and blue eyes, one was a little taller while the other looked slightly more powerful.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this interesting,¡± the taller one said as she assessed the approaching Nina.

    ¡°No mistaking it is there,¡± the other one replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we saw someone from Caecus,¡± the pair said in unison to Nina.

    ¡°Caecus?¡±

    ¡°Caecus is what the people here call your home, a few floors up that way.¡± The shorter girl smiled as she pointed towards the ceiling, taking a drink from one of the few glasses on the table that still contained something.

    ¡°How do you know?¡± Nina paused as the two chuckled to each other before the taller one pulled out a seat between them.

    ¡°The way you dress, the way you talk, your hairstyle, and your band. You have fresh from Caecus written all over you.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Nina said as she sat down in the offered chair. She paused as she took a glance at each of them, noting the yellow bands that they wore. ¡°I was told that you could help me with some answers.¡±

    ¡°I would hope so.¡± The shorter one laughed as she pressed a button that sat in the middle of the table.

    ¡°After all, we¡¯re from Caecus too.¡±

 Chapter 005

    In a secluded corner at the back of the Talewood Arms, Nina looked at the pair of women before her with a hint of surprise in her eyes.

    ¡°We come from the same place?¡±

    ¡°Yup,¡± replied one of the pair as she leaned back on her chair, tucking her knees up to press her feet against the edge of the table. ¡°Hala and I both dropped through the Earth just like you did, although we had the fortune of screaming together as it happened.¡±

    Nina watched as the woman, who must be Cross, balanced with ease on the tipped chair.

    ¡°Can you tell me more about this place then? What is the relationship between here and the place you call Caecus?¡±

    ¡°We could,¡± Cross mused as she rocked back and forth with Hala watching on in silence. ¡°But I¡¯m pretty thirsty, you know?¡±

    Nina sighed as she watched Cross¡¯ foot nudge one of the empty glasses on the table before them. Fishing four discs from her pocket, she placed them on the table before sliding the pile in Cross¡¯ direction.

    ¡°Perfect! Gramps we¡¯ll take 8 more!¡±

    As the weathered man behind the bar began to pour the drinks, Cross turned her attention back to Nina. ¡°One question before I start. Who picked you up?¡±

    ¡°Reina.¡±

    ¡°Oh, not bad,¡± Cross mused as she watched the man behind the bar load the drinks on to a tray before passing it to a girl who was now heading in their direction. ¡°The Cloud Orchestra is a good place to end up.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Reina might be a little strict at times, but the girls there seem to have fun considering what they do.¡± As the waitress placed 8 glasses of ale on the table, Cross and Hala both walled off three each with their arms, leaving Nina with two. ¡°Reina carries some clout down here.¡±

    Watching as the waitress picked up the four credits and retreated, Nina sighed as she realised that even at two credits, she had overpaid.

    ¡°It¡¯s cheap because we are here all the time,¡± Cross said as though she had read Nina¡¯s mind. ¡°Come with those two from the Orchestra and you¡¯ll be a regular in no time. You know, the ones that are like opposites and the same together.¡±

    ¡°Jade and Aline?¡±

    ¡°Yep, them,¡± Cross said as she clicked her fingers. She had already finished half of the first drink and Nina hadn¡¯t even found any answers yet. If she was going to hear what she wanted to hear before her money ran out, she was going to have to press a little.

    ¡°So, the relationship between these planes?¡±

    ¡°Nobody is sure about it all. Well, maybe the officials up the top are, but not people down here. It¡¯s like when you were up on Caecus, right? You have a basic understanding of how the world works, but you don¡¯t know the specifics for yourself.¡±

    Cross paused while she drained the remainder of her glass. After glancing at Hala as if to question if she wanted to contribute, she sighed. ¡°Scientists can say this and that but people rarely prove it for themselves. The fact that you¡¯re down here should already be proof enough that what you think to be fact might not be. You can read things in a paper but can you truly say with confidence that it¡¯s right unless you¡¯ve seen it yourself?¡±

    ¡°So, people form their own theories?¡±

    ¡°There are things that everyone knows. The easy bits you could say.¡± Cross laughed as she added her empty glass to sizeable stack of empties in the middle of the table. ¡°The differences between theories are mostly how the rest of the gaps are filled up to make a complete picture,¡± she continued as she moved on to the next glass with a practiced motion. ¡°Even Hala and I don¡¯t agree on the specifics.¡±

    Nina looked to Hala, who had also finished her first glass. Machines, she thought as she looked at her own glass which had barely been touched. Deciding that she was going to have to speed up a little, she raised her glass.

    ¡°Everyone knows that there are 7 planes,¡± Cross said as she threw Nina a smile when she saw her attitude towards drinking the ale turn. ¡°Most people call them plates, but how they all sit together, we aren¡¯t entirely sure. What we do know is that while it¡¯s possible to go down, it¡¯s essentially impossible to go back up.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Then how am I supposed to return to Caecus?¡±

    ¡°Keep going down until you get there,¡± Hala said as though it was basic.

    ¡°But I thought Caecus was above us? If I have been falling downward, how could it be below?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why the theories are all different,¡± Cross laughed. ¡°Even we can¡¯t agree.¡±

    ¡°I think the plates are like the parts of a waterwheel in a stream,¡± Hala said before Cross could continue, as though the first idea to be but forward would be more valid. ¡°Instead of part of the wheel being in the water, some of the plates are submerged in darkness during the night as the wheel rotates.¡±

    ¡°But if the planes were in a wheel, wouldn¡¯t we feel like we¡¯re on an angle? What happens when it goes around to the other side? Wouldn¡¯t we be upside down?¡± Cross began to pick at Hala¡¯s theory while Nina watched the pair with a bemused look on her face.

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be upside down because of gravity, and we can only travel in one direction because a wheel in a stream can only follow the current,¡± Hala concluded.

    ¡°Then how does the plate elevator work?¡±

    ¡°A strong fish can swim against the current, can¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Nina said as she split the debate, ¡°but what is the plate elevator?¡±

    ¡°Ah, the plate elevator is the only place on the seven plates where you can go up,¡± Cross explained. ¡°It takes people up from this plate to the Skywall.¡±

    ¡°If people can travel up from here to the Skywall, why is it so empty compared to here?¡±

    ¡°Because the Skywall is a fortress. SuTSU personnel only.¡±

    ¡°SuTSU?¡± Nina asked as she finished her glass. The ale was surprisingly decent, she thought to herself. Then again, it seemed that the ale was the only thing that they served here, so it needed to be quite good.

    ¡°Seven Tiles Security Union,¡± Hala replied, her distaste evident.

    Cross laughed as she watched Hala drink as though she was trying to remove the bad taste of the words. ¡°SuTSU are in control of the three plates. This one, the Skywall above us, and the Luesa Badlands below. They have allies everywhere though.¡±

    ¡°So, they¡¯re like the government?¡±

    ¡°Yep!¡± Cross laughed. It was obvious that the two women had no appreciation for the group, which made Nina think. What types of people tend to have something against the government?

    ¡°Did Reina say anything to you about suits?¡±

    ¡°She said to avoid them.¡±

    ¡°Good advice, considering your armband,¡± Cross laughed. ¡°You¡¯ll end up in a jail somewhere in the Badlands as an illegal if you¡¯re caught without a proper ID.¡±

    I¡¯m at odds with the government? Nina thought. Not only had she been torn away from her stable day to day life, she had been dropped down here as something akin to a criminal?

    Unbelievable.

    To become a criminal was something that happened by choice, something decided when you chose to act against the law. If you do nothing wrong, there should be no way for you to become a criminal. Even if you are blackmailed into doing something, you can still be proven as not being responsible.

    Why me?

    The ceiling seemed to spin as Nina slumped back in her chair. Confusion turned to anger as she felt her hands tighten into fists, Reina¡¯s face appearing in her mind from when they had first met. Every detail, from her hair which was flowing with the breeze to the slight curve at the corner of her lips was etched in her memory like crystal. As she recalled the events from the day, pieces from the day began to fall into place.

    How the group had become quiet when they had approached the surface.

    How their path through the Skywall had seemed so remote.

    How Svanda had been carrying an assault rifle.

    Everything about their actions had screamed that they weren¡¯t supposed to be there.

    The sigh that had squeezed out from Reina when Nina had initially rejected her surfaced in her mind, that flash of disappointment that had lasted for only an instant.

    A wry smile appeared on her face when she thought about the position she was in. To Reina, her refusal must have seemed foolish. Where else was she supposed to go?

    ¡°Is Reina responsible for me being here?¡±

    The knowing smile on Cross¡¯ face showed that she had a clue about what was currently going on in Nina¡¯s mind, as though she knew that her answer would shape the future.

    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Hala said with a nonchalant face, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she had cut the tension at the table.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Instead of answering, Hala instead turned to her glass. Nina had thought that she had been clueless, but now it seemed that she almost enjoyed stretching the moment.

    ¡°Reina is responsible for you sitting right here,¡± Cross answered instead as she pointed at the table. While Nina had been thinking, she had moved on to the third glass and was already nearing the end of it.

    ¡°But Reina isn¡¯t responsible for you appearing at the Skywall.¡± Hala finished the thought before proceeding to finish her own glass.

    ¡°What do you mean? Reina was right there once I fell through from Caecus.¡±

    ¡°She knew you were going to be there,¡± Cross said as she stood up, stretching her arms behind her back with surprising flexibility. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean she was the one that was responsible for you being dragged below.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get something to eat,¡± Hala said as she mirrored Cross¡¯ movements, nodding towards Nina. ¡°We can continue talking.¡±

    ¡°And drinking,¡± Cross laughed. Nina watched as she moved off in the direction of the stairwell before turning to face her.

    ¡°You could say¡­¡±

    ¡°Say what?¡±

    ¡°That Reina saved you.¡±

 Chapter 006

    Standing up before finishing the remaining ale in the glass, Nina quickly trailed after the pair that had already hit the staircase and disappeared past the landing below. As the afternoon had been replaced by the evening, the number of patrons in the tavern began to noticeably increase, laughter tinged with a hint of tipsiness beginning to emerge from every floor as she passed. Ignorant of the intrigued gazes from the people on the staircase, she bounced down the stairs and weaved through the traffic that was making their way up before pushing her way out on to the street.

    Waiting outside the door stood Hala and Cross, the smiles on their faces evidence enough that they had enjoyed making Nina give chase. Without a word, they turned again and melted into the procession of people that moved up and down the now busy street.

    ¡°Wait up,¡± Nina exclaimed as she pushed her way past a rather fat man before stretching her arms out to squeeze through the middle of a pair of rough looking men in leather. Unlike Nina, Hala and Cross weaved through the throng of people before them like fish in a stream, occasionally turning to see that they hadn¡¯t lost her. Despite the chaotic nature of the procession of people, Nina noted that nobody seemed to be stressed or in a hurry.

    ¡°You will get used to it!¡± Cross laughed as she turned off from the main street and into an alley. Although there were not as many people in the alley, the fact that it was narrow in comparison ensured that Nina¡¯s pursuit didn¡¯t become any easier.

    The second leg of the brief pursuit came to an end as Nina found that the pair had stopped in front of a building. At four stories high, the exterior of the building was covered in orange sandstone, thick arches protruding at regular intervals as though they had been chiseled out. With a sleek modern building on each side, and a thick concrete wall above, Nina thought that the building looked as though someone had pasted an ancient tomb into a city of the future.

    ¡°The first of your many trips to The Sandbell,¡± Hala smiled as she beckoned for Nina to follow before disappearing behind Cross into the dim space beyond. Following them through the door, Nina found herself in an interior that matched what she had seen outside, an assortment of earthy stones and clay which sat upon a sandy floor. As the oil lamps which hung from the ceiling tried their hardest to illuminate the dim and deserted interior, she watched as Hala and Cross walked across to the unattended bar before Hala slapped the countertop.

    ¡°Dex, we¡¯re back again!¡±

    After a moment, a curtain behind the bar parted to reveal a short and burly figure. With curled black hair that looked as though it had been dipped in oil, Dex raised an eyebrow at the pair that stood before him.

    ¡°You¡¯re a bit early.¡±

    ¡°We brought someone new today,¡± Cross said as she pointed a thumb back over her shoulder towards Nina.

    Dex looked over Cross¡¯ shoulder with a murmur of interest as he sized her up, his eyes flicking across her armband and dress without a trace of emotion. ¡°Alright then, how much am I bringing out?¡±

    ¡°Hehe,¡± Hala smiled before putting her arms behind her back, spinning on her heel to face Nina. ¡°How many credits do you have on you?¡±

    ¡°Two,¡± Nina replied without hesitation. After Sem had given her fifteen, she had nine credits left. She remembered that she would have to pay Sem back, and she also had a good feeling that anything she declared now would never be seen again.

    ¡°Aww, really?¡± A tinge of disappointment flashed across Hala¡¯s face as she sauntered over, swaying from side to side while her hands remained clasped behind her back. ¡°Sem isn¡¯t that stingy these days, is she?¡±

    Busted, she thought as she saw Cross grin from the counter. Looking at the puppy dog eyes that were approaching, she fished four credits from her pocket with a sigh. Before she could blink, Hala had appeared right beside her, the previous expression replaced with a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s a start,¡± she laughed as she took the coins before placing them on the counter after adding some of her own. ¡°Dex! Usual for three!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± he sighed. Nina thought she saw a flash of resignation appear in his expression but it disappeared as he turned and passed back behind the curtain.Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°Up we go!¡± said Cross. Since Nina had pulled the coins from her pocket, the mood of the two had become even better than before. Wondering just how much the pair had already had to drink today, she followed them up a set of stairs until they reached the top floor.

    On the way up, she glanced out across each floor. Small wooden tables dotted the floors, with booths seemingly cut into the earth within the walls. It seemed as though they were in another tavern, but besides an amount of people that she could count with one hand, the place was empty.

    Unlike the bottom three floors, the top floor was light and airy. The early evening breeze stirred Nina¡¯s hair as she followed the pair across the dusty floor. Nestled amongst the sandstone arches that Nina had seen from the front, a balcony ran along the side which faced the street. Picking a table in the very corner on the balcony, the pair sat down and smiled as Nina followed.

    ¡°This place is very quiet,¡± Nina said as she sat down. As she looked across the void above the street to the old stone styled building which sat there, the contrast to the ancient-feeling tavern they sat in left her in contemplation.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t get busy until later here, dear.¡± A voice came from behind them as a tanned woman with charcoal hair appeared with a plate of ale mugs. Ignoring Nina¡¯s gaze at her revealing white dress that seemed to hang off her curves, she smiled at the pair. ¡°Dex told me not to bring it all out at once.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Naztra, you¡¯re back,¡± Cross smiled as she grabbed a glass before the plate could be set on the table. ¡°How was 27?¡±

    ¡°Not so chaotic. SuTSU presence is much more apparent so people tend to keep quieter.¡±

    Hala grabbed a glass with each hand before taking a tentative sip. ¡°Are you back for good then?¡±

    Naztra sighed as she finished placing what Nina would have considered too many glasses of ale on the table. ¡°Thankfully, Dex welcomed me back in, so I¡¯ll be here whenever the two of you want to stir up trouble here again. Or¡­ the three of you?¡±

    ¡°Ah, this is Nina. She¡¯s in with Reina.¡±

    Nina didn¡¯t say anything as she took her own glass of ale. It seemed that everyone was already grouping her together with Reina as though her decision to stay had already been made. She had initially met these two because she wanted to know more, but it seemed that the answers she received just opened the door for more questions.

    ¡°Enjoy your time at The Sandbell, Nina,¡± Naztra said with a smile as she withdrew. ¡°Don¡¯t try to keep up with them.¡±

    Watching the pair of them finish their first glasses of ale, she didn¡¯t need to ask what ¡®keeping up¡¯ was in regards to. Sipping her own glass, she decided to continue with questions.

    ¡°So, Reina saved me?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Saved me from what?¡±

    ¡°Being a SuTSU slave,¡± Hala sighed as she looked down from the table towards the street below, Nina detecting the bitterness in her tone. It felt like the general mood at the table had dropped at the mention of a slave, almost as though the ale at the table was there to counterbalance the nature of the conversation.

    ¡°A SuTSU slave?¡±

    As if her own turn was over, Hala turned to her glass after glancing at Cross. With a wry smile, Cross looked over to Nina.

    ¡°Nina¡­ You didn¡¯t have any friends on Caecus, right?¡±

    ¡°Wha¡­¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t see any family either, if you had one. You just kept to yourself and did your job, right?¡±

    ¡°How¡­?¡±

    ¡°Because that is the kind of person that SuTSU targets when they take people from above. They think that perfect candidate is a person who is good at a job, but is also easy to erase from the system.¡±

    Listening to Cross, Nina¡¯s mind was just as blank as her face. The room was silent as the pair across the table studied her expression as though she were a creature behind a piece of glass. Understanding that she needed a minute to process the information, they sighed as they picked up new glasses from the pile that Naztra had left in the centre of the table.

    As though she could taste the irony, a grim chuckle escaped from Nina¡¯s lips as she flopped back in her chair, her eyes glued to the featureless sandy ceiling above her.

    ¡°The fact that you didn¡¯t stand out at all, to SuTSU, what made you stand out the most. Fewer questions about your disappearance result in less of a mess to clean up.¡±

    Nina had thought that by blending into society, she had been staying away from change. Little had she known that by hiding from the big fish in front of her, she had backpedaled into an even bigger fish that was hiding behind.

    Naztra appeared again with a tray of plates, setting them down around the table. Casting a blank glance across the dishes, Nina felt that they looked essentially the same from what she would have expected from her home above. With a smile that seemed to read the mood, Naztra left them in silence.

    ¡°Well, after all that, maybe it¡¯s time to get drunk,¡± Cross sighed as she took one of the plates. Hala pushed a plate of what seemed like pasta in front of Nina before also pushing a second glass of ale towards her.

    ¡°You paid for it, might as well eat it.¡±

    For one of the first times today, Nina was inclined to agree as she grabbed the glass of ale and began to drink with a newly found conviction.

 Chapter 007

    ¡°My head...¡±

    Prying her eyelids open with reluctance, Nina was met with a green wall. Trying to ignore what felt like a percussion band practice going on in her head, she stared at the wall in confusion.

    Oh, couch. Paying attention to the rest of her body, she realised that she way in fact lying down. Reluctant to move, the wall before her materialized as the back cushions of the couch she was lying on.

    Where?

    Her mind going backwards, she thought about what had happened. Meeting Sem, heading to the Talewood Arms, going to The Sandbell with Hala and Cross, ordering food and drink¡­

    Being told about SuTSU, feeling dejected¡­

    Drinking all the ale on the table¡­

    Pulling out the rest of her money to the delight of Hala and Cross¡­

    Naztra¡¯s knowing smile as she carried away empty glass after empty glass¡­

    And that was it. The memories cut there as though she had been hit over the head, and judging by how she felt, it wouldn¡¯t have been too farfetched. Squinting to block the morning sunlight that poured through the windows, she rolled over to see that she was in a familiar place.

    A pile of magazines sat on the coffee table which was surrounded by the green couch. On the other side of the room, an unattended counter was covered with loose paperwork which featured a wilting plant and a rusting bell. The blue interior, she knew, matched the fa?ade of the building¡¯s exterior.

    It was the shabby-looking reception room of The Cloud Orchestra.

    Hauling herself from the couch, she noted the blanket that had been draped over her before heading across the room. After quickly inspecting the counter and noting the layer of dust upon the paperwork, she made her way down the corridor that she had been down the day before. Reaching the door to the room where she had sat with Euris and Reina, she grabbed the handle. Finding it locked, her eyes turned to the heavy steel door that sat at the top of the stairs. Making her way up to the door, she read the small sign which had been hung there.

    Staff Only.

    With a sigh, she knocked on the door, finding that it felt more like the entrance to a bank vault than a door. After waiting for five minutes, knocking three times in the process, she gave up and returned to the reception room. Although it was quiet, she could still hear signs of life from the street as people moved past the building.

    How does this place function if nobody is here to receive customers? She thought to herself as she sat on the couch, idly beginning to organize the sprawling collection of magazines that covered the coffee table. After she had finished organizing the magazines and had folded the blanket, she turned her attention to the front desk and moved towards it, stopping when her eyes passed over the rusted bell on the counter. Thinking that it couldn¡¯t hurt, she pressed the bell before picking up the first of many loose papers on the counter and had only put three pages together before she heard the heavy steel door at the top of the stairs open with a series of clunking noises.

    ¡°Hiiii, sorry, we¡¯re not open yet but¡­ Oh, it¡¯s you.¡±

    Nina looked up to see Saela standing in the doorway. Dressed as she had been the day before, Saela gave Nina¡¯s hungover appearance a quick look before folding her arms.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Stunned at her cold attitude, Nina gave her a wry smile. ¡°Umm, did someone here help me out last night? I don¡¯t remember coming back.¡±

    ¡°Nope, thank those girls from Dari Corp. Anything else?¡±

    Despite Saela¡¯s cute stature, her attitude had completely turned. The small girl who was struggling to guide herself through the sky with a dedicated attitude just yesterday now seemed like a child of ice.

    ¡°Would I be able to speak to Reina then?¡±

    Without responding, Saela turned on her heel and disappeared down the hallway. The fact that Nina couldn¡¯t hear the heavy door close indicated to her that Reina would probably be coming. Quickly attempting to fix her hair without a mirror, she sat to attention on the couch and waited.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    She didn¡¯t have to wait long as Reina soon appeared from behind the counter. With her wine coloured hair tied up over a black lab coat, Nina watched her bare feet padding across the floor. Although the business-like feeling from the day before had been replaced by a casual air, Reina¡¯s charm was still evident.

    Sitting down on the couch across from her, Reina¡¯s eyes swept over the organized pile of magazines without a flicker of emotion. It wasn¡¯t until her eyes met Nina¡¯s that a smile appeared on her face as she leaned back on the sofa before crossing one leg over the other.

    ¡°You wanted to see me?¡±

    Putting on a brave face, Nina thought for a moment before looking back at her.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me yesterday?¡±

    A gentle laugh escaped Reina¡¯s lips as she looked at Nina with amusement.

    ¡°Tell you what?¡±

    ¡°That you weren¡¯t responsible for me falling through.¡±

    Reina seemed to think for a minute before pausing as Saela appeared from the door with a tray. As she approached, Nina saw that two teacups sat upon it with a teapot. Watching in silence as Saela set the tray down, Reina gave her a curt nod before sighing as Saela once again disappeared down the hallway.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind her, she¡¯s just stubborn sometimes,¡± Reina said with a smile as she poured two cups of tea with a practiced motion. Admiring the elegant technique, Nina shook her head before accepting the tea Reina was offering her.

    ¡°So, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    Reina smiled before sipping the tea. Setting it down, she looked at Nina with an interested gaze.

    ¡°If I had told you, would you have believed me?¡±

    Pausing for a moment, Nina shook her head. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Well then, you just answered the question for yourself,¡± Reina said as she gazed into her cup. Nina felt that the aura surrounding her was still there, but it had morphed into a gentler form. If yesterday she was an army general, today she felt like the matriarch of a clan.

    ¡°Who are Hala and Cross?¡±

    Reina laughed at the question. ¡°You spent all night with them and you didn¡¯t even ask?¡± The mischievous hint of a smile from the day before had crept back onto her face as Nina¡¯s gaze drifted across to some dust dancing in a beam of light. She concentrated on the particles as she rifled through the events in her head from the night before, but still drew a blank.

    About to give up, Saela¡¯s comment from before came to mind.

    ¡°Dari Corp,¡± she recalled.

    ¡°Mmm, that¡¯s right,¡± Reina said as she poured more tea. Tilting the pot in Nina¡¯s direction, she set it down as Nina shook her head. ¡°You didn¡¯t learn anything else?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Nina¡¯s reply was weak, as though she knew that she should have asked more questions. She had initially left this very room the day before in search of answers, but had easily become sidetracked once only the surface had been scratched. She had been tossed into this world like a newborn child, ignorant to everything and with only one person to cling to, yet she had instead drowned herself. Not only in the ale last night, but also in the stream of events that began as soon as Sem had called out to her, following others that she had never met before as though it were natural.

    She wondered if she had been dropped a notch in Reina¡¯s eyes, then was surprised when she realised that she was concerned about whether she had or hadn¡¯t. Like yesterday, she felt as though Reina could see through her, while she couldn¡¯t see anything in the other direction. Despite giving her the answers that she was asking for, Reina seemed to give away little more.

    ¡°Dari Corp is a small organization that moves things through many of the buildings on this plate,¡± Reina said as she looked past Nina to the window behind her. ¡°For instance, we are in JE-22 right now, on the 6th layer. If you want to send something to for instance JT-12, they can arrange it.¡±

    ¡°So they¡¯re like a courier service.¡±

    ¡°They are, yes,¡± Reina smiled. ¡°But a normal courier service can only do so much. Sometimes you want something moved through a checkpoint with no questions, or maybe you want to move something to a level higher than a normal service would allow you to.¡± Pointing through the ceiling as though pointing to the top of the tower, Reina paused. ¡°If you have any other questions about them, maybe you can ask them themselves. You should already know where to find them.¡±

    Nina stewed on the information as she sipped her tea. Noting that it was actually quite nice, Hala and Cross were pictured in her mind.

    Smugglers, huh?

    Reina had glossed over it, but anyone with common sense could determine that doing things ¡®outside¡¯ what a normal service could do was probably illegal. Thinking about the pair¡¯s explanation before about how Reina had ¡®saved¡¯ her, she concluded that The Cloud Orchestra were probably not so clean themselves.

    ¡°So what does your Cloud Orchestra do?¡±

    ¡°Oh, are you interested?¡±

    ¡°I guess so,¡± Nina replied. Her pockets were empty after last night¡¯s adventure and she didn¡¯t have any other plan right now. Seeking out Hala and Cross was a thought that she quickly extinguished. Just the fact that they had dropped her back here was enough of an indicator on their opinion.

    ¡°We do quite a lot,¡± Reina smiled. ¡°Courier work is also included, but we do other odd jobs too. We have a rather diverse team, as you have probably realised already. We aren¡¯t a branch though. This is the entire group, right here.¡±

    ¡°You run errands?¡± Nina asked. Reina had usually kept her cards close, but this description was beyond vague. According to this description, they did pretty much anything.

    Finishing her tea, Reina placed the cup on the table before looking up.

    ¡°The Cloud Orchestra is less about the things we do, and more about the places we do them. It¡¯s true that Dari Corp can move a package from JE-22 to JT-12,¡± Reina paused as she crossed her arms.

    ¡°But we can move a package from JE-22 to your home on Caecus.¡±

 Chapter 008

    Nina''s eyes narrowed as she looked at Reina across the table.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you said that you could take me back.¡±

    ¡°It is, yes.¡± Reina¡¯s warm smile quickly disappeared to be replaced by a slightly more serious face. ¡°To be honest though, it cost me quite a sum to purchase your drop location,¡± she sighed as though lamenting her decision. ¡°When I saw your profile pop up on the Network, I thought you would fit in quite well here.¡±

    ¡°The Network?¡±

    ¡°The Network is an organization that handles most of the intelligence for other organizations that fly under SuTSU¡¯s radar. They tap into other systems to build a live database of the activity happening on the three plates.¡±

    Tap? More like hack, Nina thought. ¡°They can pick up on where SuTSU forces are?¡±

    ¡°Yep, it¡¯s their flagship product you could say.¡± Reina¡¯s attitude improved when she noted that Nina seemed to be unfazed by the fact that she had declared that she had essentially bought rights to her.

    It also explained the attitudes of everyone yesterday, she realised. She had been annoyed that everyone was already putting her under Reina¡¯s umbrella, but now she understood why they had. If Reina had paid to see where she was to be dropped and then picked her up, anyone else recruiting her would be seen as taking a slice of Reina¡¯s lunch.

    ¡°So why did you pay for my location after seeing my file?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re beautiful,¡± Reina replied. Seeing a tinge of red creep across Nina¡¯s face, she burst out in laughter. ¡°I¡¯m joking! We can¡¯t even see pictures on the files we look over. That¡¯s half the fun, seeing the person for the first time.¡± Waiting until her chuckles subsided, she added. ¡°You are quite beautiful though. If we could get you into some local wear, you would look great.¡±

    Reminded of the comments that she would occasionally receive from her coworkers above, Nina calmed herself and looked at Reina.

    ¡°OK. I liked your file because you¡¯re quite young for someone to be picked out by SuTSU. You¡¯re also a woman, and we don¡¯t have anyone in the team that is from Caecus yet either. Three out of three in my book,¡± Reina smiled.

    ¡°What makes you think I will join?¡± Nina thought that unlike what she had previously gathered, she might actually have a small amount of bargaining power. Reina had already invested to get her to this point, and it was clear that Nina was someone that she was interested in.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be sure of anything in life,¡± Reina said as she picked up the teapot once more. Seeing that it was empty, she set it back down with a sigh. ¡°That being said, I don¡¯t think you will find anyone around here that can offer you what I¡¯m offering you.¡±

    ¡°The chance to return home?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s only part of it Nina,¡± Reina leaned forward as though closing the distance between them could make their relationship closer. ¡°You¡¯ve already heard that you can only go down, there is no going up. People are reluctant to leave because chances are, they would never make it back. Some plates are easy to pass through, but others are impossible for normal people. Not only do you need a network of people that can help you all the way through, you need absolute trust in those people. Imagine if we dropped into the Luesa Badlands below only to find that our connection had disappeared and we were stuck. It isn¡¯t easy to make your way through the plates, otherwise everyone would be doing it.¡±

    Letting Nina think about it for a moment, Reina sat there. Then, reaching her hands out, Reina clasped Nina¡¯s hand between her own. ¡°Join us and I promise that if you still want to leave once you have paid off your dues, I will drop you back home myself. Between then and now, I can show you the world Nina. Not just the different countries on Caecus, but a million things that you would have never have known about. There¡¯s so much more to life than what you had before, so why don¡¯t you seize that opportunity to see things with your own eyes?¡±

    Seeming to snap out of it, Reina released her hands before leaning back against the couch once more. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, I can¡¯t force you. If you want to join Dari Corp instead, I can arrange for you to see Hala and Cross.¡± Standing up, Reina strolled across the floor before moving behind the counter. Standing in the doorway, she paused. ¡°Their work is safer, and the risk is lower. But honestly, once you have experienced moving from plate to plate, the rush of the freefall¡­ it¡¯s hard to forget it. That¡¯s why we are The Cloud Orchestra.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Leaving the room, Nina heard Reina¡¯s voice drift through the doorway as she left. ¡°Once you¡¯ve decided, the bell is there. Think about it.¡±

    Nina listened as the heavy door at the top of the stairs shut with a thud before a mechanism ticked over. Left in silence, she looked at her tea cup which was still half full. Ignoring it, she sighed and flopped back on the couch, arms limp at her sides.

    Really out of options, she concluded as she looked out the window. Deciding to go ¡®outside¡¯, she hauled herself off the couch before heading out the door. Worried that leaving The Cloud Orchestra would result in her getting lost, she instead chose to sit in the small courtyard between the building and the street. Unlike the main road, where the space above them stretched to twenty floors, it seemed that the ceiling on this street was only half of that. Nina guessed that the further from the main roads you travelled, the smaller the ceiling heights became until the areas descended into a collection of apartment-like residences.

    ¡°What to do,¡± she said to herself as the courtyard was empty. When she thought about it, it seemed that she didn¡¯t really have many options apart from joining Reina. Dari Corp was an option, but she reminded herself that Hala and Cross had dropped her back here themselves as though to say ¡®this is where you belong.¡¯

    Once you have experienced moving from plate to plate, the rush of the freefall¡­ it¡¯s hard to forget it.

    Sitting on the ground against the wall, Nina¡¯s thoughts drifted to the first time she had fallen through the earth. She smiled when she thought back on how scared she had been when she dropped through the horrifying black chute as though it had just been a bad dream. Pinching herself to make sure it really wasn¡¯t a dream, she thought about when The Cloud Orchestra had first descended around her.

    Trim riding on her stereo as though she were a DJ in the clouds.

    Jade and Aline twisting and turning as though they were one, smiles plastered on their faces.

    Svanda looking like the most relaxed person to ever skydive, complete with an assault rifle.

    Saela frantically trying to learn the ropes as her face switched between horror and determination.

    And then there was Reina. Drifting down in the centre of them all with unreal composure, she looked as though she was the queen of the sky.

    What a group, she thought. It was a scene that could have been pulled straight from a fairy tale - a circus in the sky. Travelling through the seven plates, the group saw the world. Evading danger and laughing as they went, even if what they did wasn¡¯t exactly in line with the law, they were a group of individuals that did what others couldn¡¯t do.

    And Reina was offering her a place in that story.

    She wanted to know more details, but concluded that she wasn¡¯t going to get anything else out of them unless she agreed to join. This wasn¡¯t signing a contract, so the print wasn¡¯t there for her to read. Although she had always buried herself in books that told these crazy tales while cooped up in her apartment, the thought of living it out herself made her feel uncomfortable.

    This wasn¡¯t Nina. Someone who had hidden away from the world, scared of change, was being thrust into everything she had spent her entire life running away from. She was an office worker, not a soldier. She was a negotiator, not a smuggler. Even if she thought her skills as a negotiator could have been useful, she was already completely outclassed by Reina.

    What did she have to offer? She felt like she had lied on a resume and then been offered a job that she was unqualified for. Her incompetence would show as soon as the waves began to build.

    She thought it would be nice if the world could swallow her up right now so that she could avoid the situation, but a wry smile appeared on her face when she realised that she was precisely in this situation because the earth had swallowed her up in the first place. She wanted to return to her apartment, climb into bed, and pull the blanket over her head so that the world could continue without her.

    Listening to her stomach rumble, she sighed. It seemed as though it wasn¡¯t going to be that easy. Her savings from Caecus were stuck on a piece of plastic in her pocket that was useless right now. She could run all she liked, but without any money, she was going nowhere.

    She knew that a girl with no identity and no money was a perfect target for unsavoury characters too. She didn¡¯t know what kind of crime happened in this place, but by how open everyone had been about illegal activity, she could come to her own conclusions. With criminals on one side and the authorities on the other, what she needed right now above all was food and security in this alien place.

    Walking back inside, she stared at the rusty bell that sat on the counter. The noises from the people on the street behind her became muted as she approached, the dust floating through the light as it moved around her. She felt like she had drawn a poor hand and then used all of her cards already, nothing to fall back on and only one direction to push forward in. For someone that had always shied from the unknown, the bell itself scared her as it represented a gateway into a series of events that she would have no control over. However, the door behind her to the street represented even more unknowns, a path that could lead her anywhere, and a path that could turn dark very quickly.

    It was the logical decision, wasn¡¯t it?

    Nina closed her eyes before taking a deep breath and ringing the bell.

 Chapter 009

    The noise from the mechanism behind the steel door opening traveled down the hall. Standing at the counter, Nina listened as she heard the footsteps of a person make their way down the stairs before moving up the hall. The light padding of the feet let her guess correctly that it was Reina who appeared in the doorway.

    ¡°I¡¯ll join,¡± Nina said before Reina had the chance to speak. Hearing her response, a smile appeared on Reina¡¯s face as she nodded her head to the side to indicate that she should follow.

    Nina followed her down the hallway before turning into the room opposite the stairs that she had sat in before. Euris, the girl from the last time, sat in a chair which faced an empty seat.

    ¡°Sit,¡± Reina said before standing behind Euris. The box connected to a series of tubes was again sitting on a small table between the seats. After watching as Euris turned the machine on and began to calibrate it through a portable keyboard, Reina turned to Nina.

    ¡°I¡¯ll cover the costs to create your identity as previously offered. I¡¯ll also loan you the credits to upgrade your clearance to the orange level interest free at 5,000 credits. Your base pay is 50 credits a week, without tax of course, but all jobs have their own bonuses which can be quite large, so you can clear a lot more than that. I¡¯ll also give you 100 credits as a joining bonus, although you¡¯ll want to give 20 of that to Sem. You take the jobs I assign to you, you work with who I assign to work with you, and you do it all without complaining. Do we agree?¡±

    ¡°Double my joining bonus and I¡¯ll agree,¡± Nina replied nonchalantly as she wondered how Reina already knew about Sem¡¯s loan.

    Reina raised her eyebrow as a low whistle escaped from her lips, a grin appearing on her face. ¡°What if I say no?¡±

    Nina didn¡¯t know where her boldness had come from. She didn¡¯t even care about the extra credits all that much, but was simply interested to see Reina¡¯s reaction. Would Reina give her an inch?

    ¡°An extra 25 then, and that¡¯s the final offer,¡± Reina laughed to diffuse the tension. They both understood that considering the negotiation, the amount was completely insignificant. It was the principle.

    ¡°I accept then.¡± Without being entirely sure of what she was getting involved in, Nina signed up.

    ¡°Great!¡± Reina smiled before patting Euris on the shoulder. ¡°Hook it up and do your thing.¡±

    Nina watched as Euris strapped a band around her arm before moving over to the machine. After pressing a few keys, Nina felt a sharp jolt from the band before the sensation turned into a dull throb.

    ¡°The first step is your official identity,¡± Reina smiled. ¡°This is what SuTSU and other legitimate organizations will see if they scan your armband. Because there are so many people on the three plates, finding someone with biometric traits that are close enough to your own to pass the system isn¡¯t a problem. We can create a dummy identity using their existing details while slotting a few of your own in.¡±

    A beep from the machine caused Euris to peer at the display. After a glance, she turned to Reina before holding up 4 fingers.

    ¡°Only 4 matches?¡±

    Seeing her nod, Reina sighed. ¡°Well, what are they?¡±

    ¡°Army lancer.¡±

    ¡°Nope, cross that one off.¡±

    ¡°Lawyer.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think SuTSU are going to believe that there are many lawyers down here, what else is there?¡±

    ¡°Chef.¡±

    ¡°Can you cook?¡± Reina asked. Seeing Nina shake her head, she looked back to Euris. ¡°The last one?¡±

    ¡°Garbage disposal.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a red occupation, so it¡¯s not happening,¡± Reina said without hesitation. ¡°Nobody here is going to be registered with a profession like that. What are the details on the chef?¡±

    ¡°Nothing that can¡¯t be fixed.¡±

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go with that then. You don¡¯t want your name changed, do you Nina?¡±

    ¡°Nina is fine.¡±

    With a smile, Reina walked over to the corner of the room before picking up a roll of fabric. Moving behind Nina, she unfurled the roll, holding the unfurled rectangle of fabric behind her head.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Mugshot,¡± she laughed as Euris pulled what looked like a smartphone from her pocket. Without prompt, the flash from the camera activated and the photo had been taken. Reina discarded the roll of fabric before pulling a small box from a pocket on her lab coat.

    ¡°Are you done?¡± she asked Euris. Seeing her nod, she squat down next to Nina before popping the small box open as though she were about to propose.

    ¡°This is your real identity that you will need when you¡¯re on a job. It confirms that you work as part of The Cloud Orchestra and has a few other details. You can also store data on it if needed.¡±

    In the box was a small pink chip, around half a centimeter square.

    ¡°So, where do you want it?¡± Reina asked. ¡°I¡¯d avoid anywhere near where you wear your armband, your wrists, and your face.¡±

    ¡°You have to put it under my skin?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s painless. We all have them.¡±

    The idea of someone putting a chip under her skin was not particularly appealing to Nina. While it was relatively common at her previous workplace, she had always rejected the offer, using an old keycard instead.

    ¡°Where are yours?¡±

    Euris pointed to her right foot, while Reina pointed to her left collarbone.

    ¡°Where your chip is placed also says something about you. It might not be apparent at first, but you¡¯ll learn to see it.¡±

    Nina thought in silence for a minute before saying ¡°I¡¯ll have mine on my collar also then, but on the other side.¡±

    With a raised eyebrow, Reina looked at her before tossing the box to Euris. ¡°You heard her, get the gun.¡±

    Euris pulled a small pistol-looking device out from a pocket before inserting the chip. Standing up she stepped over to Nina before pointing the device at her shoulder.

    ¡°Clothes.¡±

    Nina removed her jacket before awkwardly unbuttoning the top of her shirt. Ignoring Reina¡¯s curios gaze, she pulled the opening to the side to expose the skin.

    ¡°Same position as Reina¡¯s?¡± Euris asked, a smile creeping onto the face which had so far been expressionless during the entire process.

    ¡°Do it.¡±

    Without a warning, the trigger was pulled, pain shooting into the spot like a hot needle. Clenching her teeth and stifling a grunt, Nina glared at Reina.

    ¡°Yeah, I lied. It hurts a bit, but it will go away soon. There won¡¯t even be a mark by tomorrow.¡±

    Euris began to pack up the gear in silence as the initial sharpness of the pain at her collar began to subside. Tossing an orange band across to Nina that had also been connected to the machine, Reina clapped.

    ¡°Welcome, it¡¯s a pleasure to have you with us. You can come upstairs now.¡±

    Reina strolled out the room without waiting for Nina to follow. Looking at Euris, who was still packing up the gear, she stopped.

    ¡°Do you need help?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Rejected, she decided to follow Reina up the stairs to the thick steel door that she had seen before. It was painfully obvious by now that the downstairs areas were just a front for what actually happened at The Cloud Orchestra, so Nina was eager to see what lay behind the door.

    Through the door, however, was an empty office. Although this one was clean and neat with some sad looking computers, it was still empty. With white walls and timber flooring, it looked like a standard small office that Nina would have found on Caecus. With a kitchenette in the corner that was complete with clean glasses and marble benches, Nina was left confused.

    ¡°Just wait,¡± Reina said as she flopped down on a brown couch. Nina sat opposite her in silence before looking around the room, her eyes passing over some paperwork scattered on the coffee table. By the time she realised that they were cake recipes and not anything work-related, Euris had appeared with a case which must have been filled with the gear from earlier. Dropping the case, she began to haul the door closed.

    ¡°Consider this an airlock,¡± Reina explained. ¡°If SuTSU ever turns up, this is what we can show them after they ask us to open everything up.¡±

    It made sense to Nina as it was obvious that the real operations didn¡¯t happen downstairs. While this area didn¡¯t look too busy either, they would at least be able to claim that this is where daily business was conducted.

    After the steel door had shut and the mechanism had locked into place, Euris walked to the kitchenette in the back corner before pressing a combination of buttons on the dishwasher. Once the passcode was complete, a portion of the wall near the kitchen moved to the side, revealing another room beyond.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Reina said as she strode through the door which led to a wide hallway with plush cream carpet that was soft underfoot. Set into recesses at both the top and bottom of the walls, lights shined gently, creating lines of light down the space. Walking behind Reina, Nina saw that there was a dark wooden door on each side set into the grey walls.

    ¡°Jade and Aline were going to paint something along the hallway because it¡¯s a bit bland, but they haven¡¯t found the time yet,¡± Reina said as the door closed behind them. Euris had followed the pair and closed off the way to the ¡®airlock.¡¯

    ¡°Our space has three floors. You¡¯ve seen the ground floor already and we¡¯re now on the first floor. This floor is mainly work related ¨C there are some storerooms, Euris¡¯s office which also houses the servers, my own office, and then the group office at the end,¡± Reina said with a smile. As they reached the end of the hallway, Nina found that they were in an open office. Roughly square with similar lighting and the same plush carpet, a rectangular line of desks ran across the centre of the room. With 4 desks on each side that faced each other, together there were 8 stations.

    The stations, however, were all currently unoccupied. Nina soon learned that the reason for this was that everyone from the team she had met before was currently huddled around a printer in the corner of the room.

    Hearing that Reina was back, the group turned to face them.

    ¡°She¡¯s going to be responsible for the meals then, right?¡± Svanda asked as she pointed at Nina.

    Reina laughed. ¡°If you can convince her.¡±

    ¡°So what about it Nina?¡± Svanda winked as she held up the printout that the team had been looking at with interest. There, complete with the photo that Euris had taken only moments before, was Nina¡¯s ¡®official¡¯ identity.

    Occupation: Chef.

 Chapter 010

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I actually can¡¯t cook very well at all,¡± Nina apologized.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to practice a little to improve your cover identity then,¡± Svanda laughed as she placed the paper on the desk. ¡°Anyway, welcome to The Cloud Orchestra.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Nina thanked the group as a whole who were all smiles bar Saela, who had an unimpressed look on her face.

    ¡°There weren¡¯t many matches I guess then?¡± Trim asked Reina, who shook her head.

    ¡°Nope, only 4,¡± she sighed before heading to an office which was set into the wall. Pausing in the doorway, she looked over her shoulder at the group. ¡°I¡¯m giving everyone two days off to welcome our new member. Saela, show Nina around upstairs and point out the empty bedroom. Svanda, take her to The Eye of Iron before the break is over. Someone also help her find something appropriate to wear, something that doesn¡¯t scream Caecus.¡±

    With a murmur of agreement, the group dispersed, leaving Saela standing by the printer alone. After shooting Nina a hostile gaze, she turned and walked to the staircase which ran up along the wall at the back of the office.

    ¡°Come.¡±

    Following her up the timber staircase, Nina found that they had appeared in a lounge area with an open kitchen behind it to the side of a large dining table. At the back, between the kitchen and dining spaces, another hallway stretched away from them. Despite the fact that there were no windows, the white walls and creamy carpet combined to give the room a clean and bright feel. At regular intervals, framed photos of different members of the team were hung on the wall.

    ¡°This is the living area. Food shopping is supposed to be done on rotation but it never happens because nobody here cooks very often. The restaurants around here are quite cheap so people usually go out.¡±

    Saela walked to the middle of the room before pointing down the hallway, ¡°Bedrooms are on each side, everyone has their own bathroom. The second room on the left is empty so it¡¯s your room now.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your help, Saela,¡± Nina smiled. Seeing that her attempt at smoothing out whatever issue Saela had failed, she watched as Saela disappeared back down the stairs. Curious, she made her way down the hallway, checking the nameplates on the doors, before entering the room which was unoccupied.

    The size of the bedroom was very reasonable. At a guess, she judged that it was around four by five meters, which left plenty of space for her to add her own things around the double bed which sat in the corner. A door led to a bathroom that was small but more than adequate. Seeing that there were clean towels on the rack, Nina locked the door to her room before tossing her clothes on the bed and then hopping into the shower to wash away the cobwebs in her mind that remained from the night before.

    While Nina was showering, Reina sat in her office with her feet raised on the desk.

    ¡°Someone with some combat training would have been more useful, I think,¡± said Svanda who was sitting on a chair which faced the desk. Ignoring the bare feet raised in the direction of her face, she looked over to Trim who sat next to her. ¡°Don¡¯t you think so too?¡±

    ¡°Combat skills can be trained, although I don¡¯t think she looks like someone who is cut out for it,¡± Trim replied. Tapping her fingers on the armrest of the chair to her own rhythm, she yawned. ¡°What about just leaving her here with Euris?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t recruit someone from Caecus to leave them in the office,¡± Reina said as she looked at Nina¡¯s official printout which she held in her hand. ¡°We need her when we drop into Caecus, the two of you should know that.¡±

    ¡°Last time was fine though,¡± Svanda stated.

    ¡°That was only because we were passing straight through without doing any work,¡± Reina sighed as she dropped the printout on the desk. ¡°We¡¯ve been avoiding jobs on Caecus because we don¡¯t have good connections. I don¡¯t want to work through the Network¡¯s group of people over there or through those other people either, whatever their names were. The cuts they take are crazy.¡±Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t Nina dropped through because she doesn¡¯t have any connections though?¡±

    ¡°She knows more than us about how things work up there. SuTSU have high standards for who they select.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be sure that what she knows is relevant at all to what we will be doing. You can¡¯t even be sure that she won¡¯t try to run as soon as we take her back.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can but I can¡¯t be sure, no.¡± Reina stood up before walking to the sliding glass door which separated her office from the open space beyond. Seeing that their meeting was over, Trim and Svanda both rose before exiting the office.

    ¡°Maybe she will surprise us though,¡± Reina smiled.

    ¡°Maybe she won¡¯t,¡± Saela said, privy to the end of the conversation now that the door had been opened.

    Sitting at her own desk before picking up a pair of headphones, Trim sighed. ¡°She¡¯s been here for less than an hour and you already have a bone to pick with her?¡±

    ¡°If she didn¡¯t reject Reina to go and have a party with those girls from Dari Corp only to come crawling back the next day, there wouldn¡¯t have been a problem.¡±

    Trim flicked across the desktop of her computer before a dull thud began to leak from the headphones that she had placed on her head. ¡°I would be more worried if she had accepted straight away. You¡¯ve spent your life here Saela, you already knew what you were signing up for. It¡¯s incomparable.¡±

    About to reply, Saela stopped when she realised that Trim wouldn¡¯t hear her anyway. Seeing that Svanda planned on avoiding the conversation, she frowned  before getting up and leaving through a door which was placed in the corner of the room, under the staircase.

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here,¡± Svanda smiled as Nina made her way down the staircase moments later, looking at the door that had just closed with interest. Although she had showered, she was wearing the same clothing that she had on before as she didn¡¯t have anything else to wear.

    ¡°Where did everyone go?¡± Nina asked, seeing that only Trim and Svanda remained in the main office.

    ¡°Out,¡± was all that Svanda said in reply. After looking over Nina¡¯s attire, she sighed. ¡°I¡¯m probably not the best person to take you, but you really need something to wear. I¡¯ll show you a few shops.¡±

    ¡°That would be great,¡± Nina smiled before pausing. ¡°But I don¡¯t have any money yet.¡±

    ¡°We can fix that,¡± Svanda laughed as she tapped on the glass to Reina¡¯s office before sliding the door open. ¡°Give Nina a card.¡±

    ¡°Right here,¡± Reina agreed before sliding a card across the desk. The same size as a credit card and translucent in appearance, the card had a strange pattern running through it that shimmered in the light. ¡°The amount we agreed on isn¡¯t going to get you very far, so if you visit The Eye of Iron, put it on my account.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Watching as Svanda led Nina over to the door that Saela had disappeared behind before, Reina stood up.

    ¡°Pay Sem back first.¡±

    With a nod, Nina followed Svanda through the door, closing it behind her.

    ¡°This is the interesting part, isn¡¯t it?¡± Trim asked Reina after dropping her headphones around her neck.

    The corner of Reina¡¯s lips turned upward as she walked over to Trim¡¯s desk, leaning against it. ¡°Shall we bet then?¡±

    ¡°20 credits says she comes back with black clothes and a pulse pistol,¡± Trim laughed before ducking Reina¡¯s playful swing.

    ¡°She¡¯s with Svanda, isn¡¯t guessing like that cheating?¡±

    ¡°If you want to guess red leathers and a whip, feel free,¡± Trim shrugged.

    ¡°She¡¯ll dress in navy,¡± Reina said as she picked up a packet of candy lying on the desk. Taking one and popping it into her mouth, she thought for a second. ¡°She won¡¯t wear black because she will want to change to a different colour from what she is wearing now without going to far.¡±

    ¡°I think I lose these bets with you for a reason,¡± Trim sighed. ¡°Not a gun either?¡±

    ¡°A gun is reasonable, something small like Saela¡¯s¡± Reina replied. ¡°Nobody uses blades anymore.¡±

    ¡°Nobody?¡± Trim laughed. ¡°Maybe she won¡¯t pick anything yet.¡±

    Looking at the door from where they had left, Reina sat in thought. After a moment, she pushed herself off from Trim¡¯s desk and headed towards the staircase that led upstairs.

    ¡°Yesterday might have made it seem otherwise, but Nina is a decisive person. As long as she can see that there is value, she will accept.¡± Walking up the stairs, she yawned. ¡°I¡¯m taking a nap now so don¡¯t let anyone bother me for a while.¡±

    With a wry smile, Trim nodded before placing her headphones on her ears and returning her attention to the screen, the dull thud of bass leaking across the office once more.

 Chapter 011

    After following Svanda through the door, Nina found herself in what seemed to be a reception room. An unattended desk faced a pair of couches that sat on either side of a low coffee table, the four pieces of furniture filling up most of the space available.

    ¡°You could call this the real reception room,¡± Svanda said as she walked around the desk before striding over to a door set into the far wall. Opening it, she turned to Nina. ¡°Most requests are submitted by phone or internet though.¡±

    Following Svanda through the next door, Nina found herself in another living space. Relatively clean besides a thin layer of dust on table in the centre of the room, the dimly lit room felt dated. Walking past a kitchen, a bathroom, and then two bedrooms, Nina realised that they were now walking through an apartment.

    ¡°This apartment is the cover for the business on the back end, although you can hang out here if you really want to,¡± Svanda explained as they headed through the space to the front door. ¡°Use this entrance when you are out and about unless you are with outsiders. If they don¡¯t know this address, don¡¯t tell them.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    The pair exited the apartment to find themselves in a corridor, doors lining each wall like a standard apartment building. Unlike a normal apartment building, however, graffiti covered the walls to the extent that Nina couldn¡¯t tell what colour the original paint had been.

    ¡°Apartment 572,¡± Svanda said as they walked past a colourful piece that read ¡®$uT$U¡¯. Reaching the end of the hallway, the pair exited onto a small street which seemed more like a slightly larger corridor. With a ceiling only two floors above them, Nina quickly found herself disoriented as Svanda turned left and right.

    ¡°The apartment exits a floor higher than the main road you saw at the front of The Cloud Orchestra, and further away from the main street.¡± After descending a set of stairs, Nina found that they had reached what could be considered a larger road, similar in size to the one at the front of The Cloud Orchestra.

    ¡°There¡¯s a few clothing shops over there,¡± Svanda said as she pointed to a series of awnings that protruded out from a gothic style stone building. With a nod, Nina moved through the procession of people on the main road ducking inside the first shop.

    Triggering a chime upon entry, Nina sighed before triggering the chime again as she exited within ten seconds. Seeing Svanda¡¯s confused look, she tried to hide the unimpressed scowl that had crept onto her face. ¡°I¡¯m not going to wear military equipment.¡±

    Svanda¡¯s confused look was replaced by a smile as she scratched her head. ¡°Sorry about that, I shop there sometimes and forgot that nobody else likes it.¡±

    ¡°Are they all like this?¡±

    ¡°Just that one. Jade and Aline like the one down there if you want to look.¡±

    After checking five other shops, Nina had quickly found that most of the clothing that was on sale seemed to be rather eccentric. Ironically, the most ¡®normal¡¯ clothing she had seen was when she had taken a quick glance at the blacks and greys in the shop which Svanda had initially pointed them to.

    Despite her opinion, it seemed that everyone else thought that she was in fact the eccentric dresser. The business suit which she had worn to work that day, and was still wearing, had attracted many comments from the staff at the shops they had visited. In one case a shopkeeper had even asked to buy Nina¡¯s clothing, where she politely and quickly refused.

    Although she finally managed to find some basic shirts that she could wear while at The Cloud Orchestra, Svanda reminded her on multiple occasions that she needed to find ¡®work clothes.¡¯ What ¡®work clothes¡¯ actually entailed, however, was something that seemed rather vague. Twice already Nina had found clothes which she had found acceptable only for Svanda to ask her where she would put a weapon. When she tried to say that she didn¡¯t want to carry a weapon and didn¡¯t see a reason to, Svanda had scoffed. It was for work, she had said.

    ¡°When I saw you all the first time, you were the only one armed though,¡± Nina complained as they entered another shop. Walking to a rack of jackets, she began to leaf through the contents.

    ¡°Everyone was armed.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Nina stopped leafing through the jackets as she turned to Svanda. ¡°Jade and Aline were both wearing dresses, Trim was in a tracksuit, and Reina was wearing a sweater.¡±

    Svanda chuckled. ¡°And? Jade and Aline wear thigh holsters, Trim keeps a pistol in the back of her pants, and Reina¡­¡±

    ¡°And Reina?¡±

    ¡°Reina¡¯s is something you can find in your own time,¡± Svanda laughed as she held up a red leather jacket. ¡°What about this?¡±

    ¡°Put it away please,¡± Nina sighed as she returned to rifling through the contents of the rack. Finding nothing of interest, she moved onto the next.

    ¡°Oh, this?¡±

    Nina held up a navy blue jacket only to sigh when she saw it off from the rack. She had initially picked it off the rack as it had looked to her at least, quite normal. The more she looked at it, however, the further away from standard it seemed. With a thin fabric exterior, it had looked to her like a bomber jacket with a hood. Upon closer inspection, she realised that the jacket had no exterior pockets and also seemed to have two layers of zips, one sitting over the other. On the back of the jacket, between the shoulders, a lattice of crisscrossed fabric ran from the collar to the band at the bottom.

    ¡°Looks good,¡± Svanda said as she met Nina¡¯s eyes through the lattice of the jacket that was held up between them.

    ¡°How is this even practical?¡± Turning the jacket around, Nina examined the back.

    ¡°Interior pockets are good,¡± Svanda smiled as she examined the front which had been turned towards her. ¡°Try it on.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Nina sighed. About to put it back, she caught the flash of disappointment that crossed Svanda¡¯s face. Deciding to satisfy her curiosity in repayment for showing her around, Nina changed her mind and nodded before taking off her current jacket and putting the blue one on.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s great,¡± Svanda commented as Nina zipped up the outer zip, which finished slightly lower than the interior one. Agreeing that from the front it didn¡¯t look too bad, Nina turned around and examined her back in a mirror, her white shirt showing through the empty space at the back.

    ¡°How much is this one?¡± Svanda asked the employee a few racks over. Standing on her toes, the employee saw the jacket Nina wore before pausing.

    ¡°You can have it for 20 credits.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll take it for 15.¡±

    ¡°Svanda¡­ I di-¡±

    ¡°Deal,¡± the employee said before Nina could say that she would look at something else. About to speak up that she was changing her mind, she saw Svanda throw her a smile and a wink as though to say ¡®don¡¯t worry, I got you.¡¯ Not wanting to disappoint her, Nina nodded before using her card to pay in silence.

    ¡°Good deal,¡± Svanda said as they left the shop. Forcing a smile, Nina thanked her as they continued to shop. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t take long for them to find the last few pieces that she needed. Opting for a slim pair of maroon pants and some brown leather boots, Nina was thankful that she had picked up an outfit that would let her blend in on the street.

    Watching as the crowds parted easily for Svanda as they walked, she wondered if it was because of her intimidating frame or the green band on her arm. After a few more turns the pair made their way back onto the main street that Nina had walked down the day before, the bottom of the yellow floors loomed above them in the distance, an entire 20 floors up.

    ¡°The yellow level is up there, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep. It¡¯s not too different from here, just less people,¡± Svanda smiled as she raised her head to look above them. With buildings stretching up on each side right to the very top, the road had given Nina a strange feeling as though they were outside even though they were inside.

    ¡°You and Reina have green bands, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Svanda turned into the entrance of the largest buildings on the street which seemed to stretch at least ten levels above them. ¡°Reina occasionally has to go up there to take care of a few things, so I go with her.¡±

    The pair passed through a security gate where an employee scanned their bands, although from the friendly smile that was thrown in Svanda¡¯s direction, Nina guessed it was just for appearances. ¡°What¡¯s it like up there, on the green level?¡±

    ¡°More orderly, and a lot richer,¡± Svanda replied as they entered the building. A large lobby was spread out before them, elegant marble pillars stretching to the decorative ceiling from the polished timber floor. Leather couches sat in small groups around tables while an indoor fountain sat in the middle of the room, a long desk running across behind it.

    ¡°Is this a hotel?¡±

    Laughing as she led Nina over to an elevator, Svanda returned a curt nod to the attendant before stepping inside. ¡°This is The Eye of Iron, one of the most respected weapon shops at the orange level, even in the surrounding collection of buildings.¡± Hitting a button on the elevator panel, the doors closed before their ascent began.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t agree to carry a weapon when I signed up.¡±

    ¡°Hopefully you won¡¯t need it, we almost never do,¡± Svanda consoled her. ¡°It¡¯s just for self-defense, Reina isn¡¯t going to ask you to go out and shoot anybody.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    The elevator chimed as the doors opened before them. Stepping out, Svanda smiled.

    ¡°I am sure, because that¡¯s my job.¡±

 Chapter 012

    In a similar style to the lobby downstairs, the ceiling was again supported by pillars which sat on the polished timber floor. With large square windows that spanned the entire far wall, the room felt more opulent than almost anything Nina had set foot in before. Neatly arranged around the room, glass display cases sat in rows which stretched away from them. Along the side to their left ran a counter which was attended by a group of well-dressed employees, a massive display case sitting behind them.

    ¡°I just love it here,¡± Svanda said with a low whistle, and Nina could see why.

    Sitting in the display cases were guns. From pistols to assault rifles, and even guns that looked nothing like what Nina had seen before, the amount of weaponry on display was staggering.

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming you don¡¯t want to use a sword or something else,¡± Svanda said as she rested her hand on the first display case that they approached. ¡°Pretty much everyone uses a gun these days, for obvious reasons.¡±

    ¡°Svanda, good to see you,¡± a woman in a fitting black dress with a silver necklace said as she glided over. With flowing emerald hair and a developed figure, the woman wouldn¡¯t have looked out of place at a high society ball.

    ¡°Hey Julia,¡± Svanda replied with a warm smile as she approached.

    ¡°We had a couple of RRY-04¡¯s come in the other day, would you like to have a look?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love to,¡± Svanda laughed before patting Nina on the shoulder. ¡°But I¡¯m here to find something for her.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, another addition at The Cloud Orchestra?¡± Putting her hand on her chest, the woman eyed Nina with a curious gaze.

    ¡°I¡¯m Nina, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±

    ¡°You can call me Julia, dear. If you ever need anything, you can ask for me at the reception,¡± Julia smiled before turning to look out over the display cases that were spread across the room. ¡°So what are you looking for Nina, do you have any ideas?¡±

    Seeing Nina shake her head and look towards the floor, Julia smiled as though she understood something. ¡°Svanda, take her to the range and I¡¯ll organize some options, let¡¯s go with station ten.¡±

    ¡°Thanks Julia,¡± Svanda said before ushering Nina across the room to a door by the counter. Heading through, the pair entered what looked like a modern indoor shooting range, complete with thick concrete that lined the floor, walls, and ceiling.

    Walking down the aisle until they reached a door with a large ¡®10¡¯ painted on it, Svanda showed Nina inside. The space behind the door was around three by three meters, concrete surrounding them on three sides while the empty side looked out over the target area. Set into one of the walls along the side was a large display case, although it was currently empty.

    ¡°You ever shot a gun before?¡± Svanda asked as she looked over the range. It seemed that they were the only people here right now, although Svanda knew that there was a similar room on each floor. Seeing Nina shake her head, she smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there are some pulse pistols that are quite easy to use.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a pulse pistol?¡±

    ¡°I could explain it, but it would take a while,¡± Svanda replied as she looked at the display case in anticipation. ¡°Compressed energy cells are fired, basically. The range isn¡¯t as good as a Caecus style weapon due to dissipation, and they aren¡¯t as durable either because the energy does real damage to the insides.¡±

    ¡°Why use one then?¡±

    ¡°The recoil is much easier to handle, which is valuable when using an assault rifle especially. They¡¯re lighter too.¡± Svanda paused for a moment to listen to the clicking of heels echo down the aisle. ¡°Also, while the cells do end up wrecking your gun, they¡¯re also good at wrecking whatever you shoot.¡±

    The door opened as Julia stepped in. With a smile, she walked over to a small panel next to the empty display case before swiping an identification card and keying in some information. With a click, the display case before them disappeared up inside the wall before another one rose from below.

    Unlike the empty display case from before, this one was loaded with different weapons. There were fifteen different guns before them set in three rows of five. It seemed as though they were mainly a variety of pistols, while a couple even looked larger.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°This is a collection of weapons that you can try, most of which are quite small and easy to handle,¡± Julia said as the glass at the front of the display case slid upwards. Picking up a small purple pistol, she handed it to Nina who looked at the weapon in silence. Although it looked similar to the pistols she had seen in movies and on TV at home, there were still noticeable differences. The rectangular barrel was both wider than what she was familiar with, and there were a series of tubes that seemed to pop in and out of the gun at fixed intervals.

    ¡°That¡¯s a K-Point 200. They¡¯re popular with younger girls as they¡¯re very easy to shoot and quite light. It uses a five round magazine with W-12 cells, so the ammo is quite cheap,¡± Julia explained as Nina looked at the weapon.

    I¡¯m holding a gun, Nina thought to herself. She thought that joining Reina would have at least let her slow down for a minute and gain her bearings, but as soon she had joined, she was out shopping for a gun.

    After Julia hit another button on the small control panel, three large targets descend from the ceiling of the range before slowly moving toward them until they stopped around 20m away.

    ¡°Give it a try,¡± Svanda said with a smile as she looked up from one of the larger weapons from the case that she was inspecting herself.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    With a wry smile, Svanda pat her on the shoulder. ¡°You probably won¡¯t ever need to use it, but we all want you to stay safe. It doesn¡¯t hurt to be prepared for the worst.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you protect me?¡±

    With a smile, Svanda raised the gun that she had been holding. Larger than a pistol and with a reasonably sized stock, it seemed to be more the size of a submachine gun. Flicking a couple of dials on the side of the weapon, she turned to the targets that had dropped into the range and raised the gun to her shoulder, a stream of brilliant green flashes appearing as she squeezed the trigger. Controlling the recoil with ease, she drew a smooth line of fire evenly across the three targets, halfway up.

    With Julia¡¯s clapping in the background, Svanda laughed. ¡°Most of the time I can protect you. Like I said before, it¡¯s just insurance to have something yourself.¡±

    As Julia hit a button which replaced the targets that Svanda has decimated with new ones, Nina breathed deeply. The first thing that she had realised when Svanda began shooting was not the flashing green, but the noise. She was used to the loud bangs which seemed to puncture the air that she saw in the movies, not the high-pitched but surprisingly quiet whizz of the pulse rifle. Finally nodding, she walked over to the front of the space and looked again at the gun in her hand.

    ¡°Do I need to do anything or can I just shoot?¡±

    ¡°You can just shoot,¡± Julia smiled. ¡°It¡¯s very light so you should be able to use it with one hand quite easily.¡±

    After raising the pistol and agreeing that it was very light indeed, Nina fought the urge to close her eyes as her finger brushed the trigger area. Without taking serious aim, she winced before pulling the trigger. With a quiet zip, the pistol discharged before the round left a hole about 2 centimeters wide in the centre target.

    That¡¯s it?

    She admitted that it was very easy. The recoil felt like nothing at all, and the sound wasn¡¯t loud. The gun was small enough to put in a pocket and was light enough to swing around with ease. To Nina, it felt as though she was holding a toy.

    ¡°It¡¯s very easy, isn¡¯t it dear?¡± Julia smiled as she walked over. Looking at the result, Nina¡¯s shot was near the edge of the target, although she had still hit it.

    ¡°That would kill somebody, right?¡±

    ¡°If you can aim correctly, you can always trust the quality of what we sell at The Eye of Iron,¡± Julia confirmed.

    Putting the gun on a small table, Nina leaned against the wall in contemplation. She looked from the gun to the hole in the target before returning her attention to the gun as though she was drawing the connection in her head again.

    ¡°Saela has a model similar to this, I think,¡± Svanda said as she picked the gun up to inspect it. With a nod, she handed it back to Julia who placed it back inside the case.

    ¡°You gave one of these things to Saela?!¡± Nina was shocked. At a guess, Saela must have only been around 16. To knowingly hire someone of that age and then facilitate the process to put a gun in their hand was nothing short of insanity.

    ¡°She has to protect herself too,¡± Svanda sighed.

    Thinking that it didn¡¯t matter which way you put it, Nina¡¯s gaze drifted between the two women before her. No matter what excuses you gave, wasn¡¯t a child with a gun just a child soldier? Was Julia the person who had sold a weapon to Saela, equipped with the same warm smile that she was using now? Were a few credits worth it to put a girl in a situation like that? Did Saela have a family? Where were her parents?

    ¡°Monsters¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I said you guys are monsters,¡± Nina spat before pushing herself off the wall and storming out of the room. Heading down the lift by herself, she ignored the curious gazes as she pushed her way out of the elevator and strode across the lobby.

    Not only was the fact that they were putting such a weapon into the hands of a 16 year old appalling, the weapons themselves disgusted Nina too. Light as a feather, quiet, and with little recoil, Nina felt that they removed the psychological weight of using a weapon. The weapons even came in different colours as though you could match it to your outfit.

    It was killing made easy.

    Remembering that in the heat of the moment she had forgotten her shopping, she wished she had changed while she had the chance. Unwilling to go back, she stormed out of The Eye of Iron under the polite nods of the employees before turning onto the main street. With no idea of where to go and no idea of what to do, Nina pushed into the crowd without a plan and let the flow of people carry her away from the shop.

 Chapter 013

    Svanda let out a sigh as the door closed, Nina¡¯s hurried footsteps echoing up the aisle. Looking over at Julia, she shrugged.

    ¡°Sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± Julia smiled before taking the largest weapon from the rack in the case. Handing it out to Svanda, she nodded towards the rifle. ¡°I thought I¡¯d sneak in a RRY-04 so you could give it a try.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, I don¡¯t really feel like it after what just happened,¡± Svanda said with a wry smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s here for you anytime,¡± Julia said as she placed it back in the display case. Punching a few more buttons into the control panel, the entire case sank back down into the wall to be replaced from above with the empty one that had been there earlier. ¡°That girl, she¡¯s from Caecus right?¡±

    ¡°Mmm,¡± Svanda nodded before picking up Nina¡¯s random assortment of bags from their earlier shopping. ¡°Not hard to tell after that reaction, is it?¡±

    With a soft laugh, Julia shook her head. Opening the door to the aisle for Svanda, she ushered her through before falling in behind her. ¡°You¡¯re not going to go after her?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do for her right now,¡± Svanda said as she entered the elevator. Seeing Julia follow her inside, she looked over. ¡°Not staying?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like it after that,¡± Julia sighed. ¡°I think I¡¯ll take the rest of the day off.¡±

    ¡°If only I could do that when I felt like it.¡±

    ¡°Reina is quite a good employer though, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°She is, so I don¡¯t have any complaints,¡± Svanda laughed as the elevator doors opened. ¡°But maybe in the next life I¡¯ll be born a little higher like a certain someone.¡±

    Julia hit her with a playful punch. ¡°Would you like to go for a drink now with that certain someone?¡±

    ¡°I should take this back now, Nina can deal with it when she gets back,¡± Svanda said as she held up Nina¡¯s shopping. ¡°After that, sure.¡±

    Julia threw her a smile before peeling off towards a staff only area. ¡°I¡¯ll get changed and see you soon?¡±

    ¡°Sure, see you up there.¡±

    Svanda exited The Eye of Iron and headed back to The Cloud Orchestra. Reaching the apartment door, she remembered that she needed to get a key to the apartment for Nina. It was possible for her to use the doorbell, but that was generally used by customers who wanted to access the reception room as they were checked via video display before the door was unlocked from inside the office.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back,¡± Trim said as Svanda made her way into the office. ¡°Huh? Where¡¯s Nina?¡±

    Svanda explained what had happened at The Eye of Iron as she dropped Nina¡¯s shopping bags on one of the empty desks.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t chase after her?¡±

    ¡°What am I supposed to do? I¡¯m probably the last person she wants to see right now,¡± Svanda sighed as she shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not good with things like this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it.¡± Reina¡¯s voice drifted out from inside her office. ¡°Did Nina buy shoes?¡±

    ¡°She did.¡±

    ¡°Give them to Euris so she can modify them and leave the rest of the stuff upstairs somewhere¡­ Oh hi Hala it¡¯s Reina, can I ask you where you two went with Nina the other day? Talewood and the Sandbell¡­ No it¡¯s ok, you¡¯ve already been a great help¡­ Yeah thanks, bye.¡±

    Reina appeared in the door to her office and leaned against the frame. ¡°Can one of you hold down the fort while I¡¯m gone?¡±

    ¡°I was going to go and get something to eat and Svanda has been out today already, so that¡¯s settled,¡± Trim smiled.

    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m supposed to be meeting with Julia right now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s your problem, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s yours,¡± Reina said as she grabbed some keys and a card from her desk before heading towards the door. ¡°Julia is too important, so Svanda is going.¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°Euris is here so why does it matter?¡± Trim sighed.

    ¡°You both know what she is like,¡± Reina said as she looked over to Euris¡¯s office. With a black curtain covering the glass that separated her office from the main space next to it, Euris leaving her office to help with Nina¡¯s identity was the furthest she had travelled in the last few days.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll see if there¡¯s anything upstairs.¡± Trim stood up and walked to the stairs as Reina and Svanda both made to leave.

    ¡°Can you take Nina¡¯s stuff up while you¡¯re at it?¡± Svanda asked with a smile as she held the door open for Reina before following her through it, leaving Trim in silence.

    ¡°Unbelievable,¡± Trim muttered to herself before she began to collect the shopping bags. Remembering Reina¡¯s earlier comment, she dropped the one with Nina¡¯s shoes in it in front of Euris¡¯s office before flicking a small switch next to the door and then heading up the stairs.

    ---

    After losing herself in the crowd and following the flow of people down the main street, Nina had found herself standing in front of the Talewood arms again. Pushing her way through the door, she ignored the staff on the ground floor this time and instead headed straight for the stairs. Given the time of day, the place wasn¡¯t too busy yet, so while harbouring a hope, she arrived at the fifth floor.

    They¡¯re not here, she sighed inwardly as she looked out to where she had met Hala and Cross the day before. Feeling her stomach rumble she looked towards the bar area to see no sign of food. Remembering that they had left last time to get something to eat, Nina concluded that either the food here was not worth it, or that they didn¡¯t even serve food at all.

    Before she knew it, she was out on the street again. Following her memories along the road, she ignored the curious gazes of the people around her. Twisting through the procession of people before making a turn, she again found herself in front of a building from the day before.

    Considering that she was reluctant to try something she didn¡¯t know, this was the only place that had served her food. She didn¡¯t know the prices, the names, or if she would even like new foods, so she had opted for the one thing she did know. Entering the Sandbell, she walked up to the empty counter while looking around. The desk had no bell, and Nina remembered that Hala had resorted to hitting the countertop to get Dex¡¯s attention. Reluctant to do the same, Nina clenched her fists before asking.

    ¡°Umm, excuse me?¡±

    After twenty seconds of silence, Dex¡¯s head popped through the curtain. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. You need something?¡±

    ¡°I was wondering if I could get the same thing I had yesterday,¡± Nina replied with a meek voice as she looked at the counter.

    ¡°Just you?¡± Dex asked with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°No problem, go up and sit down,¡± he said before his head disappeared again behind the curtain.

    Walking upstairs to where she had sat before, Nina took a seat that looked out to the space below them. Gazing at the detail of the buildings on the other side of the street, she turned as she heard footsteps approaching.

    ¡°It really is you,¡± Naztra said as she placed two glasses of ale on the table. With her charcoal hair falling over a plunging blue dress which again didn¡¯t leave much to the imagination, Naztra examined Nina¡¯s face with a hint of interest.

    Wondering exactly how many glasses of ale she had ended up buying, Nina was surprised as Naztra sat next to her and took one of the glasses herself. ¡°Do you mind?¡±

    Nina shook her head as she sipped her glass in silence. With a smile, Naztra also opted to remain silent as she followed Nina¡¯s gaze out to the space beyond. For more than a minute, the pair sat in silence as they watched the world pass by outside.

    ¡°Do you have a gun?¡± Nina asked.

    Pausing for a moment at the question, Naztra shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t, no.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Because I have this,¡± Naztra said as she drew a thin blade out from the high slit in her dress. Reflecting the light, the silver blade was about the length of Nina¡¯s hand, a deep red grip with an intricate carving wrapped around it forming the hilt.

    ¡°Why do you need that?¡±

    ¡°Because bad people are out there Nina,¡± Naztra sighed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how good you want to be if the other person isn¡¯t interested.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why there should be a police force,¡± Nina said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what SuTSU is supposed to be?¡±

    Naztra raised the back of her hand to her mouth as she chuckled. ¡°You dropped here recently, didn¡¯t you?¡± Seeing Nina¡¯s nod, she continued. ¡°Think of how many buildings you saw, then think of how many floors are on each building. After that, think about how many people you have seen on the few floors you have been towhile realizing that you haven¡¯t even scratched the surface of what really happens here.¡±

    ¡°There are too many people,¡± Nina replied.

    ¡°There aren¡¯t too many people,¡± Naztra rejected her idea. ¡°After all, couldn¡¯t you just employ more? If the percentage of SuTSU staff to people is balanced, there shouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡±

    ¡°So what is the problem then?¡±

    ¡°The problem is that SuTSU doesn¡¯t care,¡± Naztra said matter-of-factly. ¡°SuTSU are interested in the people up there, not the people down here,¡± she continued as she pointed to the ceiling. ¡°Down here, the world is a maze. Alleys, apartments, abandoned shops, you name it. It¡¯s easy to hide and SuTSU aren¡¯t willing to invest the effort to help out.

    ¡°So people have to take matters into their own hands?¡±

    ¡°That is often the case. There are many organizations which fulfil similar roles, you will run into them soon enough.¡± Naztra finished her ale before standing up. ¡°It was nice to speak to you, but I have to get back to work.¡±

    ¡°Naztra.¡± Just as she turned, Nina called out to her.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Your knife¡­ have you ever used it?¡±

    Nina watched as Naztra paused. Even without her turning around, Nina could see her shoulders rise as she sighed.

    ¡°Once,¡± she said softly before walking back to the kitchen area.

 Chapter 014

    Lost in thought, Nina sat in silence as a waitress she didn¡¯t recognize placed a few dishes on the table along with another glass of ale. Wondering if she had upset Naztra, she idly picked at the food as she thought about what she had said. It didn¡¯t make sense to her that SuTSU would essentially leave the bottom few floors to fend for themselves, but many things didn¡¯t seem to make sense to her here.

    Realizing that someone else had approached her while she had been idly gazing out into the street, she looked up.

    ¡°Can I sit?¡± Reina asked.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Nina was nonchalant as she returned to picking at her food, glancing up as Reina sat across from her. Unlike Naztra who had sat to her side to allow her to gaze outside, Reina sat in the seat that occupied her view.

    ¡°How did you find me?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Reina waved her hand. ¡°I thought you would be hungry and I knew this place was familiar to you.¡±

    ¡°I could have gone somewhere new.¡±

    ¡°You could have, but you didn¡¯t.¡± Smiling as a waitress placed a glass of wine before her, Reina looked into Nina¡¯s eyes. ¡°I knew that you would be here, but I didn¡¯t know if you would want to see me.¡±

    ¡°Not particularly,¡± Nina replied as she looked down at her food to dodge Reina''s gaze.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have any questions that you want to ask me?¡±

    ¡°Not particularly.¡±

    Reina sipped her wine as she examined Nina from the other side of the table. ¡°You don¡¯t want to ask why I allow Saela to carry a gun?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I let her carry one because she should be able to protect herself if she needs to.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s only 16.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t Caecus,¡± Reina said as she swirled the wine in her glass. ¡°The time you spent in school there, the things you learned at work there¡­ how much of it is useful now?¡±

    ¡°I never asked to be here.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t, but Saela did ask to be here.¡± Reina sipped the wine again before lightly knocking on the table, causing Nina¡¯s gaze to move up to meet her own. ¡°Not only is this place unforgiving, but we¡¯re also near the bottom of the pile. Do you think academics are going to help these people put food on their plate?¡± Leaning forward, she placed her elbows on the table. ¡°This is what Saela wanted to do, and now is the perfect time to start learning.¡±

    Nina avoided her gaze yet again as she didn¡¯t have a response. Seeing that she had nothing to say, Reina continued. ¡°As the person that is responsible for you all, it is my duty to make sure that I do everything I can to ensure that you remain safe. If that means I have to force you to carry a weapon around, it means that I will force you to carry a weapon around. If I ever heard that someone else from the team was hurt or killed because you were too stubborn to carry a weapon around and provide support, I¡¯d wring your neck myself.¡±

    ¡°You never told me I would have to do this though.¡±

    Reina sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t, no. I know that your situation isn¡¯t ideal, but I¡¯m working with what we have.¡± Finishing her glass before standing up, she tossed a key and a slip of paper on the table. ¡°If you want me to contract you out as an office worker or something safe here instead, then fine, we¡¯ll do it that way. However, I cannot take you with us to the other plates if you haven¡¯t had any practice with a weapon as I don¡¯t want to put the team in any more danger than they need to be.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Reina turned before heading to the stairs, leaving Nina in silence. Thinking about what she had said, Nina agreed that some of it had made sense. Inside, she had already chalked off being contracted out as there was no opportunity to return home. Reina had saved her from being picked up by SuTSU before offering her the pay and training to help her return home, yet here she was questioning every decision before things had even started rolling.

    Wondering if she had been ungrateful, she examined the slip of paper that Reina had left behind. Roughly hand drawn, the slip contained a map which included some landmarks that she had seen before. The Sandbell, the Talewood Arms, Eye of Iron, and some of the shops she had visited before were all marked.

    Sighing as she realised that the map had been drawn specifically for her, she thought of how Reina had actually been quite good to her. After paying her outstanding tab and pocketing the key that Reina had left her, she left the Sandbell while following the map in the direction of The Eye of Iron.

    After an uneventful trip, Nina passed through the security and once again entered the luxurious lobby of the store. Walking to the counter, she was met by a young man at the reception counter and asked if she could see Julia.

    Looking at the band around her arm and the clothes that she wore, the receptionist looked skeptical. ¡°You¡¯re looking for Ms. Ruryn?¡±

    Nina assumed that this was just Julia¡¯s surname. Remembering her kind words about finding her anytime, she nodded.

    ¡°If this is a prank, there will be trouble,¡± the receptionist warned before picking up a phone. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Nina,¡± she replied as she watched the man dial a number on the phone, thinking that The Eye of Iron seemed to take asking for someone directly quite seriously. Wasn¡¯t she just a saleswoman?

    ¡°Yes, hello Ms. Ruryn, I¡¯m very sorry to disturb you but someone is asking to see you¡­ Yes, she said her name is Nina¡­¡± With a cold glance, the receptionist looked at Nina before his expression suddenly changed. ¡°Yes, of course¡­ Yes, I¡¯ll send her up straight away.¡±

    As soon as the phone call ended, the receptionist bowed to Nina. ¡°Please forgive my earlier rudeness. The miss will see you now, please follow me.¡±

    Although it seemed a bit strange, Nina followed the receptionist through a guarded door and down a hall to a small room that was separate from the lobby. In the room that was of similar design to the larger space, there were three elevators, one in the centre of each wall.

    ¡°Please take this elevator to floor 5. The miss will see you there,¡± the receptionist said as he called the elevator on the left before bowing again and leaving her alone in the room.

    The miss? Nina thought. It was sounding more and more like Julia wasn¡¯t just a saleswoman at The Eye of Iron, but she had already come this far and it seemed like Julia would see her anyway. After the elevator arrived, Nina stepped inside before pressing the button for floor 5.

    As the elevator shot upward, Nina guessed that the elevator she was in was traveling much faster than the one she had been in previously. Judging by the time it had taken her to travel this far and the speed of the elevator, she concluded that although the button read ¡®5¡¯, she was in fact travelling to somewhere much higher than the fifth floor of The Eye of Iron. When the elevator finally stopped, the doors opened to a tiny waiting room, around two meters square. With a white marble floor and white walls, the sole light hanging from the ceiling illuminated a black door before her.

    Stepping out of the elevator, the doors closed before she heard the mechanism move, sealing her inside the tiny space. Next to the door, a small panel was set into the wall, a camera lens protruding from the top. Taking a deep breath, Nina pressed a red button on the panel labelled ¡®doorbell.¡¯

    After waiting for ten seconds, the lock clicked open, the door swinging away from her to reveal the space beyond.

    Wow, Nina thought as she stepped through into the room. Like the waiting room, this room was also white and airy. Around five or so meters wide, the room stretched away from her, ornate marble arches crossing overhead every five or so meters. On her right, wide windows which featured operable panels ran the length of the room, semi-transparent white curtains dancing lightly in the breeze. On the left, a bookcase filled with thick books sat behind a white sofa and table. As Nina stepped further into the room, she noticed that the light coming through the windows felt natural in comparison to what she was used to below. Although it had still felt real when she had been below earlier, the air didn¡¯t have this lightness or breeze that reminded her of being outside on Caecus.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would ask for me so soon.¡± Nina looked upward to see that Julia had appeared at the other end of the room with an interested smile on her face.

 Chapter 015

    Julia¡¯s black dress from earlier had been replaced by a loose pair of white pants and a pink shirt, her emerald hair now tied up.

    Without a sound, her bare feet padded across the marble floor as she walked under an archway to the space that was in between them. Waving her hand in the direction of a pair of white sofas that sat on each side of a white coffee table, she smiled. ¡°Shall we sit?¡±

    With a nod, Nina walked under an arch before moving across to the sofa arrangement. Taking a seat, she watched as Julia sat on the sofa opposite her with a smile.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so guarded,¡± Julia hinted as though she could detect Nina¡¯s tension. While it was true that Nina had her guard up, she felt that it was a natural reaction. What she had thought would be a chat at The Eye of Iron had seemingly turned into something more, and she was still unsure why.

    ¡°I¡¯m just surprised, that¡¯s all,¡± Nina admitted as she looked around at the extravagant setting. ¡°Where exactly are we?¡±

    ¡°This is my home,¡± Julia said as she waved her hand about with a casual air. ¡°You can relax here.¡±

    Nina hid the surprise on her face before flinching as another person silently appeared without notice. Julia, who was amused at her reaction, smiled as Nina realised that the woman was a servant. Placing a tray of tea on the table, the woman withdrew under Nina¡¯s gaze before she turned to ask. ¡°We only just met, why would you invite me to your home?¡±

    Pouring tea into the two cups on the table, Julia laughed. ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural to invite a friend into your home?¡±

    Nina couldn¡¯t help but draw comparisons between Julia and Reina. Having sat with Reina earlier today to have a discussion over tea, she felt that the two of them gave off a similar vibe. Admittedly, her tea with Reina had not been in such extravagant circumstances, but it frustrated her that she could not put her finger on exactly what was similar.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that we were friends,¡± she replied as she accepted the tea, the aroma from the cup telling her that this was on another level from what she had been drinking with Reina before.

    ¡°Everyone from The Cloud Orchestra is my friend,¡± Julia smiled as she set her cup down, Nina observing the grace in her action. She seemed at a glance to be more refined than Reina, as though the air about her was gentler. It was almost as though the refinement had polished the edges off to leave a smooth gemstone behind. What was it exactly that made them similar?

    ¡°Is that so,¡± she replied after sipping her tea, finding that it was indeed excellent. After initially coming here on a mission with determination, it felt as though the atmosphere had been defused. Thinking that it was inappropriate to ask about a gun over a cup of tea, Nina wanted to push the idea to the back of her mind. However, despite feeling this way, she knew that as soon as Julia asked why she was here, she would have to steel herself.

    ¡°So how can I help you?¡± Julia asked as though she could see right through her. Seeing that the cup in Nina¡¯s hand froze, a smile appeared at the corner of her lips. ¡°Did you come for advice?¡±

    Again, Nina had the feeling she couldn¡¯t hide anything at all. When she saw the smile appear on Julia¡¯s face, it had reminded her of Reina when they had talked. Thinking that this similarity was the feeling that made her draw a line between the two, she sighed.

    She thought back to how she herself once had a reputation for being a skilled negotiator. Even in cases where she wasn¡¯t the main person responsible, in her previous work she had often been brought along to be a part of the proceedings. Although Nina knew that there were skills to negotiating, it was the other part that she thought was always more important, and it was this part that what had always made her valuable.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Knowing and using information.

    Nina could already tell that Reina and Julia were both skilled at these types of conversations, where it was possible to probe for details without giving away anything yourself. However, if you didn¡¯t have any cards to play, there was little to no chance of seeing any of the cards that your opponent had up their sleeve either.

    Right now, Nina didn¡¯t have any cards at all. Unlike her previous job where she spent so much time buried in paperwork that she knew the intricate details of everything that was happening, now she was blind.

    ¡°I''m only here because I don''t have a choice... so I need your help with a weapon,¡± she conceded after sitting in silence for a moment as her thoughts processed. Watching Julia sip her tea with an air of leisure, she wondered what it would be like if she had a conversation with Reina, two strong characters playing their own game against each other.

    ¡°Not a K-Point 200, right?¡± Julia smiled before leaning forward. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re from Caecus, right?¡±

    Noting that she smoothly glossed over how different her attitude was now from when she stormed out earlier, Nina silently praised her professionalism. ¡°Did Svanda tell you?¡±

    ¡°She did, yes.¡± Julia stood up and motioned for Nina to do the same. ¡°Come.¡±

    Nina quickly drank the rest of her tea as she didn¡¯t want to waste it before standing up and following her. Without looking behind, Julia walked under the series of arches which ran across the room, taking Nina through what seemed to be a sitting room, a dining room, and surprisingly, a conservatory. Trying to look out the windows as they walked, Nina realised that the buildings across from them seemed to be much further way in comparison to what she had seen before. Remembering that the main roads from the orange level weren¡¯t this wide, there was only one conclusion.

    We¡¯re above the orange level, Nina thought as Julia led her into the space at the very end of the series of rooms. With windows on her right and also in the wall on the far side, she guessed that they must have been in a room on the corner. In the wall to her left, a giant display case was embedded in the same fashion that she had seen at the range before. Sitting at a large wooden desk, Julia motioned for Nina to sit in one of the chairs opposite.

    ¡°So you want a weapon that you could find on Caecus?¡± Julia asked as she began to tap on a keyboard, her face glued to one of the six monitors that were fanned out before her.

    ¡°Not so much from Caecus¡­ just something that doesn¡¯t feel like a toy.¡±

    The tapping from the keyboard stopped as Julia looked up. Studying Nina¡¯s face for a second, she picked up a pen before leaning back in her chair, the pen spinning between her fingers. ¡°Tell me why.¡±

    ¡°Does it really matter?¡± Nina asked as she met Julia¡¯s curious gaze, the breeze from the open window sending the loose strands of hair swaying across her face.

    ¡°Of course it does,¡± Julia smiled in response as though her answer was obvious. ¡°To find what is right for you, we need to understand your feelings first. As an employee of The Eye of Iron, it¡¯s my duty to give you the best service possible.¡±

    An employee? Are you sure you don¡¯t own the place? Nina thought to herself as she was connecting dots together in her head. A normal employee would never live in something this luxurious, and they wouldn¡¯t have their house connected to their workplace either. No matter how you looked at it, it seemed like Julia was rather high up in the organization.

    She considered asking, but quickly shelved the thought. Thinking about how Julia had been quite friendly with Svanda, she decided that asking her instead would be better. After she had apologized for her earlier actions, that was. Seeing that Julia was content to sit back and wait for her response, she sighed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like how it feels easy to use a pulse weapon,¡± Nina said as she looked out the window. ¡°To hurt somebody else¡­ it should have feeling.¡±

    ¡°A feeling?¡± Nina looked back to see that Julia was scribbling in a notebook. As a scowl crossed Nina¡¯s face, Julia waved her hand in defense. ¡°It¡¯s valuable information to find what you need. Could you elaborate on this feeling?¡±

    Are you sure this isn¡¯t market research? Nina stopped to collect her thoughts again before continuing. ¡°The recoil that translates to that shock in your arm¡­ the sharp sound that punctures the silence¡­ the heaviness of lifting a weapon¡­ all of these feelings are heavy, heavy feelings that match the heaviness you should feel in your heart when you use a weapon.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Julia mused as she continued to scribble in her notebook. ¡°That¡¯s also why you don¡¯t like colourful weapons?¡±

    ¡°Weapons are cold, so they should look and feel cold too. They aren¡¯t a fashion accessory.¡±

 Chapter 016

    ¡°I think I understand now.¡± With a smile, Julia propped herself back up and set the pen down before her hands drifted over to the keyboard. As she began typing, she looked over at Nina. ¡°So, do you need all of those things?¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Nina replied. She realised that it was completely impractical for her to use a heavy weapon, but she still wanted something that carried some weight. ¡°As long as it feels like a real weapon, it¡¯s fine. It doesn¡¯t have to be too extreme.¡±

    Julia¡¯s hands danced across the keyboard as she continued to talk. ¡°I think that you would like a weapon from Terminus. They have access to better metals there, but limited access to energy weapons. They¡¯re quite rare here, but we do have some.¡±

    ¡°Terminus?¡±

    ¡°Terminus is one of the more dangerous plates,¡± Julia said as she continued to type. ¡°It sits right above Caecus actually.¡±

    ¡°Why is it so dangerous?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called Terminus for a reason,¡± Julia laughed as her fingers stopped, her eyes fixed on one of the screens before her.

    ¡°The end of the line?¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡± Picking up the phone on her desk, Julia punched in a number before pressing the phone to her ear. ¡°There are only a few points where it is possible to pass through to Caecus, and almost all of them are strictly controlled. Considering that you can¡¯t go back up, almost everyone that ends up at Terminus never leaves.¡± Twirling a pen around her finger again, Julia stared blankly at the screen. ¡°It¡¯s me. Send a T&TERM-022 up to my office please¡­ Yes, a 022.¡±

    Putting the phone down, Julia tossed the pen on the desk as she stood up and walked over to the display cabinet, motioning for Nina to rise as she walked past. After a brief moment, the empty display case slowly slid up behind the wall, the mechanism behind it reeling as another display cabinet soon rose to replace it. In the centre of the large display case sat a single pistol.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Julia asked as she pressed a button on the panel besides the case, retracting the glass. ¡°Pick it up.¡±

    Nina examined the pistol. Similar in size to the ones she saw in the movies she liked to watch, the pistol was made from a pale rose-coloured metal with a silver grip. A smooth, slightly longer than normal barrel with vents at the end was etched with a gigantic T&TERM-022 which ran down the entire side of the weapon.

    Picking it up, it was cold on her hand. Not only were the main elements of the gun made from metal, the silver grip was too. Unlike the K-Point 200 that she had held earlier, this felt solid too. It was lighter than she had expected it to be, but she could tell that it was well-made as she ran her fingers along the etching on the side.

    ¡°That¡¯s a T&TERM-022, manufactured on Terminus about a year ago,¡± Julia said as she stood by the now empty cabinet. ¡°The main parts consist of a scarletite alloy while the grip is made from feather silver. They only ended up making about 200 of these as almost everyone preferred the cheaper 092. Despite being lighter, it¡¯s much more durable that anything you will find on Caecus,¡± Julia explained as she stepped besides Nina. ¡°There¡¯s a built in silencer, which is why it¡¯s a little longer,¡± she continued as she dropped a finger on the end of the barrel. ¡°The mix of scarletite inside the barrel is rather high so you won¡¯t have any problems with degradation from continuous use.¡±

    ¡°Scarletite actually exists?¡±

    ¡°Of course it does,¡± Julia smiled as she held out her hand. ¡°All these stories and legends on Caecus, did you ever think that maybe some of them actually contained some truth?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Nina admitted as she placed the gun in Julia¡¯s outstretched hand.

    ¡°You will have to think twice about everything now, won¡¯t you?¡± Julia laughed as she flicked the magazine release with a practiced motion, catching the falling magazine with her other hand while her eyes were still locked with Nina¡¯s. ¡°There are 14 rounds in a magazine. They¡¯re only 10mm rounds, but because the whole setup can withstand a lot more than what you¡¯re used to, they make them much more powerful than a similar caliber from Caecus.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not going to break my shoulder then, is it?¡±

    Julia popped the magazine back in before offering the gun back to her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that either, the construction absorbs most of the recoil. It¡¯s still going to kick, but you can easily manage it with one hand if your posture is alright.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Nina looked at the pistol again. She wanted to comment that it was actually on the pretty side, but then thought about her earlier remark and decided to instead hold her tongue. Admitting that it was comfortable and not too heavy, she thought that she would have to actually give it a try before she decided on anything. Wondering if Reina and Svanda would stop asking questions because she bought a gun, she turned to Julia. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to try it downstairs then.¡±

    ¡°Downstairs? Just do it here,¡± Julia said as she took a couple of steps back.

    ¡°Here? This is your house though!¡± Nina shook her head. Was this woman crazy?

    ¡°Just aim inside the display case, it¡¯s no problem.¡± Julia leaned on her desk as she watched with an amused expression. ¡°Unless you miss, that would be a problem.¡±

    With a sigh, Nina faced the display case. With how large it was, missing would be essentially impossible from this range. The glass was still up so it would be the back of the case absorbing her shot.

    ¡°Can it withstand it?¡±

    ¡°Just do it, even a pulse rifle wouldn¡¯t go through it.¡±

    Nina nodded and raised the pistol, standing about four meters away. With a deep breath, she again winced before squeezing the trigger.

    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s stuck.¡±

    Julia laughed. ¡°Take the safety off, it¡¯s the lever by your thumb. You don¡¯t need to worry about chambering the first round either. It¡¯s automatic.¡±

    Nina followed Julia¡¯s instruction before lightly squeezing the trigger once more. This time, the trigger pulled with ease before Nina felt the jolt in her arm.

    ¡°Not so bad, is it?¡± Julia asked as Nina looked at the sizzling hole in the back of the display cabinet. While she had felt the kick, it was just as Julia had said earlier, easily manageable. The silencer was a nice surprise too, she found. While she had still heard the dull thud that had punctured the silence, it was a heavier and more profound sound than the whine from the pulse pistol.

    ¡°Keep going,¡± Julia said as her smile grew.

    Nina fired off another three rounds before deciding that it was enough. Even after she had found something that she was more comfortable with, the whole idea of owning and using a gun still made her uncomfortable. She knew, however, that Reina wouldn¡¯t get off her back until she had something to show.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said as she handed it back to Julia while noting that the barrel was still cold. Taking it from her, Julia smiled before placing it back in the display case, tossing the empty cases that she had picked up from the floor inside with it. Hitting a few buttons, the glass slid down again before the entire display case descended back into the wall to be replaced by the empty an unscathed case from before.

    ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Julia asked as she walked around her desk before sitting down again. Picking up the pen from before, it soon began to twirl around her fingers.

    ¡°It was ok,¡± Nina replied without sitting down. Enough guns for one day, she thought to herself.

    ¡°You¡¯re of course free to try anything else, but from your words earlier, I think that¡¯s the best fit for you,¡± Julia said as her free hand swung the mouse to her computer around. ¡°It¡¯s the only one we¡¯ve got, too. Terminus weapons aren¡¯t very popular here. We have a couple of 092¡¯s here, but they¡¯re louder and don¡¯t last as long because they don¡¯t use scarletite.¡±

    Julia seemed to know that Nina wanted this to be over and done with. Nina thought about it before Reina¡¯s words from earlier crossed her mind. ¡®If you visit The Eye of Iron, put it on my account,¡¯ she had said.

    ¡°Does this come with anything else?¡±

    Julia dropped her pen as her hands danced across the keyboard. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ It comes with a cleaning kit and three magazines. I¡¯ll throw in a hundred rounds of ammo as a Cloud Orchestra bonus, how about it?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the price?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ affordable,¡± Julia smiled. ¡°I have a deal with Reina and The Cloud Orchestra.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll accept then,¡± Nina said. It was probably expensive, but that would be Reina¡¯s problem. She thought about Julia¡¯s relationship with Svanda and concluded that it couldn¡¯t be too bad, there was a level of trust. Julia could have thrown out a random number and she wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell if it was a good or a bad price anyway. ¡°Can you bill it to Reina¡¯s account?¡±

    ¡°I sure can dear,¡± Julia smiled as she picked up her phone before dialing a number. ¡°Hi it¡¯s me again. That 022, can you box it up with the rest of the bits and pieces along with a hundred rounds of the 10mm scarlet? Just send it all up here when you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll sort the rest out¡­ Yes thank you, bye.¡± Putting the phone down, she smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll get it to you by the end of the day.¡±

    That¡¯s quick, Nina thought. The fact that Julia knew where to send it without asking also hinted that she was rather familiar with The Cloud Orchestra. ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough, you have been a great help.¡±

    ¡°The pleasure is mine, I always enjoy helping friends,¡± Julia said as she rose. Circling the desk, she guided Nina out from the office. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry but I have some other business to attend to shortly. If you like, we could have tea again in the near future.¡±

    ¡°That would be nice,¡± Nina smiled as the pair walked back through the arches to the door from where Nina had entered. When she knew hardly anyone at all, making friends outside of her work environment may actually be a good idea. Thinking about how contradictory her idea was to how she had felt when she had lived alone on Caecus, she almost laughed.

    ¡°You know where to find me, come and see me anytime,¡± Julia smiled as she called the elevator. Watching as Nina stepped inside, she waved. ¡°Until next time, I hope you enjoy your purchase.¡±

    ¡°I hope I won¡¯t need to,¡± Nina replied as the elevator doors closed between them. After a moment, she was whisked back to the ground floor of The Eye of Iron.

 Chapter 017

    As Nina left, Julia turned to see a figure approaching with a glass of wine in each hand.

    ¡°Reina is going to spit her drink out when she sees that invoice,¡± Svanda laughed as she handed one of the glasses over.

    A wicked grin appeared on Julia¡¯s face as she pictured Reina¡¯s reaction. Examining the glass, Julia took a sip as though signaling that it was adequate. ¡°You were so bored that you listened to it all?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard not to hear it when you¡¯re sitting just around the corner.¡± Svanda was nonchalant as she turned and walked back to the sitting area where Nina had shared tea with Julia just before. Flopping down on the couch, she looked up at Julia. ¡°It¡¯s a nice gun though, the 022.¡±

    ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it,¡± Julia sighed as she sat down opposite Svanda. ¡°It¡¯s almost a shame to see it go.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll just have to order another one.¡±

    ¡°If only it was that easy.¡± Shifting the teacup which she had been drinking from just before, Julia placed her feet on the table. ¡°Limited runs are always hard to find at this stage.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just ask your brother to send one down?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s so cheap that he would ask for more than I sold that one for. I don¡¯t want to owe him a favour either.¡±

    Svanda laughed as Julia pouted. ¡°We both know that you¡¯re going to ask him anyway.¡±

    About to respond, Julia paused as a bell quietly rang from down the hall. Standing up, she looked to Svanda. ¡°Seems like it¡¯s here, do you want to have a look?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll let her show me herself,¡± Svanda replied as she hopped off the sofa before following Julia back down the hall to the office, her wine swirling around the glass with each step. Entering the office, the pair found that the display area now contained an ornate wooden case, a giant T&TERM etched in silver across the front.

    ¡°Did I mention that you¡¯re taking this over there for me?¡± Julia smiled.

    ¡°I already guessed,¡± Svanda said as she waited for the glass to retract before grabbing the case by a handle that protruded from the top. Setting it on Julia¡¯s desk, she looked towards a small doorway at the back of the office. ¡°How about we get Alis to bring out another bottle of that red before I go?¡±

    ¡°Just for you,¡± Julia smiled as she pressed a small button on the underside of her desk before heading back to the sitting area.

    <hr>

    Meanwhile, Reina was busy cleaning the remainder of the coffee from her computer screen as Jade pushed her way through the door to the office, Aline sliding through behind her.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Jade asked as she dropped a bag of shopping on her desk before walking over to the entrance to Reina¡¯s office.

    Without a word, Reina tapped her keyboard. As the printer began to whir, Jade walked over and collected the still warm invoice before running her eyes over it, stifling a laugh as she finished reading.

    ¡°What¡¯s it for?¡± Aline asked as she peered over Jade¡¯s shoulder. Seeing the contents, she laughed before turning to Reina. ¡°You spat your coffee when you saw it?¡±

    ¡°I can imagine Julia¡¯s face as we speak,¡± Reina scowled as she tossed a coffee soaked paper towel into the bin. ¡°Well, it¡¯s about time she got me for something.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to make Nina pay for it?¡± Aline sat at her desk before putting her feet up. Fishing around in her drawer with one hand, she pulled out a lollipop and discarded the wrapper.

    ¡°I said it would go on my account, so it will go on my account.¡± Reina stood up and took the printout from Jade¡¯s hand. Folding it up before tossing it in the bin, she looked at the pair. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything to Saela. She¡¯s grumpy enough at Nina as it is.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the boss.¡±

    Reina returned to her desk before sitting down. Opening a search engine, she typed in the model number listed on the invoice to see a range of images appear on the screen. Quickly flicking through them, she sighed. ¡°It¡¯s really nice though.¡±

    ¡°For that price, you would hope so,¡± Jade said as she walked over to Aline¡¯s desk, fishing a lollipop out from the top draw while ignoring the scowl on Aline¡¯s face. Returning to her own desk which was opposite from Aline¡¯s, she flopped down. ¡°We have any jobs?¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°One came in this morning,¡± Reina said as she brought up a document on her computer. ¡°Some new chips came down from those people at Ember. They want them taken to the distribution point over at KF-14.¡±

    ¡°Sounds boring,¡± Aline said as she pulled the lollipop from her mouth. ¡°How¡¯s the full run looking?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re juggling about 4 right now. There¡¯s a couple of pending jobs from here to Zaffre¡¯s, and another pair through Terminus. Once we can add another couple that fit the schedule, we¡¯ll begin planning.¡±

    Jade propped herself up before looking at Aline. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have a while then, you want to take this run to KF?¡±

    Aline paused for a moment before turning to face Reina. ¡°The distribution point is still at Glass Heart, right?¡±

    ¡°It is, yes.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, yeah I think we can take it then, it should be pretty straight forward.¡±

    Reina smiled as she took a document from a tray on her desk. Holding it out, she waited for Aline to stand up and walk towards her before retracting the paper away from her outstretched hand. ¡°I have a condition.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±

    ¡°Take Nina with you.¡±

    ¡°I thought you were going to say that,¡± Aline sighed before reaching for the paper in Reina¡¯s hand. ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°The extra hands won¡¯t hurt, will they?¡± Flicking her mouse across the screen, Reina clicked a few times before leaning back in her chair. ¡°It¡¯s settled then. They¡¯ll expect you the day after tomorrow, so you still have tomorrow free.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the hands, it¡¯s the bonuses being split with an extra person,¡± Aline grumbled.

    ¡°I¡¯ll throw in a teaching bonus for the two of you, is that good enough?¡±

    ¡°Sure is,¡± Jade replied before Aline could speak. ¡°Thanks Reina.¡±

    ¡°Let Nina know when she gets back then,¡± Reina smiled as she stood up. Grabbing a keycard from her desk, she strode out of her office while waving a hand above her head. ¡°I¡¯m heading to the Network information session. Tell Svanda to meet me there if she comes back, I don¡¯t want to disturb her if she¡¯s still with Julia.¡±

    ¡°Even if she¡¯s drunk?¡±

    ¡°Even that pair from Dari Corp can¡¯t keep up with Svanda once she gets started, she¡¯ll be fine,¡± Reina laughed as she disappeared through the door.

    As silence descended on the room, Jade looked over to Aline. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°I think I need a snack,¡± she replied as she headed for the stairs. Seeing that Jade was following her, she sighed. ¡°I guess it can¡¯t be too bad. It¡¯s a pretty easy task.¡±

    ¡°Maybe Nina will be good to work with,¡± Jade said as they reached the top of the stairs. Watching as Aline walked to the kitchen, she instead chose to lie on one of the sofas. ¡°Did you look at pictures of that T&TERM?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it looks totally badass, doesn¡¯t it,¡± Aline smiled as she opened a cupboard and began to rifle through the contents. Finding a packet of biscuits, she brought them to the sofa setting and dropped them on the coffee table. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s bolder than she looks.¡±

    As Reina hadn¡¯t mentioned it since they had returned, the pair had no idea about Nina¡¯s actions earlier in the day. With the pair¡¯s discussion about to continue, they heard the door below them open again.

    ¡°Did Reina forget something?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s just me,¡± Nina said as she appeared at the top of the stairs. Glancing around the room, she looked at the biscuits on the table. ¡°Is it just the two of you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, unless you count Euris,¡± Jade said as she took a biscuit from the packet.

    Deciding to ignore the glance between the pair that seemed to be some form communication, Nina perched herself on the edge of the free couch. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I count Euris?¡±

    Aline chuckled before she looked towards the stairs. ¡°Euris is¡­ a unique case here. You¡¯ve seen how the glass to her office is blacked out, right?¡± Seeing Nina nod, she continued. ¡°Euris doesn¡¯t leave her office unless she needs to. Before she came out to help when you joined, we hadn¡¯t seen her in days. The sheet is to block out all light because she usually sleeps during normal hours.¡±

    ¡°How do you communicate with her then?¡±

    ¡°Just e-mail her,¡± Jade replied. ¡°If you need to give her something, leave it in front of her door and flick the switch on the wall, it lets her know that there is something waiting.¡±

    Nina was surprised. She remembered how Euris had been very quiet when she had helped Reina before, but this was extreme. To live in an office without leaving, how was that even possible?

    ¡°How does she eat?¡±

    ¡°We leave food for her regularly and she has her own fridge in her office.¡±

    She¡¯s not a pet, Nina thought. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have a room down the hall?¡±

    ¡°There are six rooms up here, right?¡± Aline said as she held up six fingers. ¡°There¡¯s Reina, Svanda, Trim, the two of us, Saela, you, and then Euris. That¡¯s eight people.¡±

    ¡°Even if Euris slept in her office, it still doesn¡¯t add up then,¡± Nina said.

    ¡°It does once you know that we share a room,¡± Jade replied with a smile.

    ¡°Alright, but she doesn¡¯t have a bathroom then does she? What happens when...¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s actually a bathroom downstairs. It¡¯s the office bathroom,¡± Aline said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really make much sense for us to always come upstairs to use our bathrooms in an office environment, does it?¡±

    ¡°Well, we have to now because Euris blocked up the main door to it,¡± Jade laughed. ¡°She took it for herself.¡±

    ¡°It is what it is,¡± Aline said as she picked up another biscuit before looking at Nina. ¡°Oh, by the way, we talked with Reina just before.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°You better get your work clothes sorted,¡± Jade smiled. ¡°We¡¯ve got a job.¡±

 Chapter 018

    ¡°We have a job?¡±

    ¡°Not tomorrow, but the day after that,¡± Jade replied. Flat on her back, she stared at the ceiling with a hand raised in front of her face to block the direct light. ¡°We¡¯ll need to leave pretty early in the morning, so leave your door unlocked.¡±

    ¡°You just want to jump in her bed to wake her up, don¡¯t you?¡± Aline asked. Ignoring the sly grin that crept onto Jade¡¯s face, she stood up. ¡°I¡¯m bored. Let¡¯s go out and do something.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t wanna,¡± Jade complained as she turned to face the back of the sofa, burying her face in a cushion.

    After gazing for a moment at her motionless figure, Aline sighed and turned to Nina. ¡°You want to go out somewhere?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to tell me about this job?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that.¡± Aline frowned as she thought for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s going to be really easy, I think, so we can tell you on the day.¡±

    You think? Although Nina had watched as Aline¡¯s frown turn into a confident smile when she mentioned the job, the problem was that she had no idea if the confidence was justified or not. Her faith in Reina had led her to that assume she wouldn¡¯t be thrown to the wolves on her first job, but after picturing that mischievous smile again, she wasn¡¯t so sure anymore.

    ¡°So, want to go out somewhere? I¡¯ll show you some places.¡±

    ¡°I was thinking that I might rest for a little while,¡± Nina apologized before standing up. ¡°It¡¯s been a tiring day, but I¡¯d be happy to go out a little bit later if that¡¯s alright with you.¡±

    ¡°You sure it wasn¡¯t a tiring evening?¡± Aline laughed as she watched Nina disappear down the corridor before entering her room. Hearing the click of the lock, she turned her attention back to Jade. Seeing that she still hadn¡¯t moved, she sighed before deciding to give up and go downstairs to play games on her computer.

    It only took a moment for Aline to move downstairs and logon to the game that she had recently been playing in her spare time. About to put her headphones on, she looked over as the door swung open, Svanda pushing her way through.

    ¡°Yo,¡± she smiled as Svanda approached.

    Setting an elegant case on her desk, Svanda looked around the empty office. ¡°Nina isn¡¯t here?¡±

    ¡°Upstairs,¡± Aline replied as she pointed a finger in the direction of the ceiling. ¡°Might want to catch her now, she¡¯s probably going to sleep soon.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Svanda smiled as she picked up the case again before heading in the direction of the stairs, Aline¡¯s gaze flickering over the etched T&TERM on the front.

    ¡°Oh, and Reina went to the Network session. She said you should go when you get back.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡±

    Climbing the stairs before ignoring Jade who remained motionless on the couch, Svanda knocked on Nina¡¯s door.

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s me, can you open the door for a second?¡±

    Nina, who had changed into a baggy white t-shirt and a pair of loose grey shorts, opened the door.

    ¡°Here,¡± Svanda smiled as she handed over the case. Watching as Nina grabbed the handle, she let go before turning on her heel. ¡°I¡¯ve got a few things to do, see you later.¡±

    Poking her head out the door, Nina watched as Svanda disappeared in the direction of the living area. With a sigh, she locked her door again before placing the case next to the bags of clothes that had been dropped there earlier. As soon as she had seen the silver T&TERM on the side, she knew what the contents of the case were without needing to open it.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Clean clothes feel so good, she thought to herself as she crawled into the bed again, nestling herself into the same position that she had been when Svanda knocked on the door. Finally presented with the quiet alone time that she usually craved, she was now however, at a loss. The effects of last night¡¯s events had still left her feeling slow, but to sleep now was to lose her own quiet time with her thoughts. Feeling full, feeling clean, feeling safe, and with time to herself, she was feeling satisfied as a whole for the first time since she had been dropped through the earth.

    While she was physically comfortable, her mind was still adjusting to everything that had happened to her over the past 24 or so hours. Having been carried away in a stream of events by people she had never met before, the initial shock that hadn¡¯t had the chance to resurface was now coming back to her as she had the time to let recent events sink in.

    When she thought about it, most of the big questions that she had been asking herself were now answered in one form or another. What had actually happened¡­ well, she had experienced the rollercoaster herself. How it had happened, she had already heard enough to form her own understanding too.

    Who was responsible? While that was something that she had an answer for, it was still something couldn¡¯t be entirely sure of. SuTSU had been painted as bad people since the very first step, but she hadn¡¯t even seen them yet. She thought back to Cross¡¯ words when they had first met, that you couldn¡¯t truly be sure of anything unless you proved it for yourself. She realised that she would just have to keep digging and see it with her own eyes.

    And the biggest question of all had been why. Hala and Cross had told her that it was because she was a useful but unassuming piece of a larger puzzle that was easy to remove, and she admitted that it made sense. It was as though she was one of those frustrating pieces that were just part of the sky or the grass. Required, but easy to lose and difficult to see exactly where it fit in amongst the rest of them.

    For now, she had enough answers to build a basic understanding of her situation. Filling in the gaps in between, however, was something that would need more time.

    The lack of distractions in the blank room left her with only inner thoughts. There was no TV, and her phone, which had been flat since she left the office yesterday, was now essentially scrap. While she knew that she would be able to use one of the computers in the office downstairs, it just wasn¡¯t as comfortable as being able to use a laptop in bed. Looking over to her collection of shopping from earlier, her eyes fell on the case that Svanda had brought to her. Curiosity getting the better of her, she slipped out of bed to retrieve the case before sitting cross-legged in the centre of the bed.

    Made from a dark red wood, the case had a spiraling design running along each edge while flowery swirls filled the centre of the panels. After running her fingers across the silver T&TERM etched into the front, Nina popped the latch as the case opened before her. Inside, the pale rose pistol sat nestled in white foam, the three magazines sitting horizontally below it. Running down each side of the pistol were bronze boxes which were filled with the ammunition that had been agreed upon. As her fingers ran across the texture of the silver grip, she sighed inwardly. She had scorned other weapons for their colourful appearance, and while this wasn¡¯t exactly colourful, she had to admit that she was attracted to the design.

    She rationalized that it was simply a result of the scarletite used, just a necessary part of the killing tool that she had now removed from the foam to hold in her hand. As she gazed upon the pistol with affectionate eyes, she paused for a moment as her gaze shifted to the bronze container full of ammunition.

    This is a tool for killing, nothing more.

    Putting the pistol away, Nina closed the case before sliding it under her bed. Lying on her back as she blankly stared at the ceiling, she felt confused at what was happening to her. The sense that the pistol was hers, and hers only, filled her with a smug sense of pride until another part of her remembered that it was a gun.

    She both loved it and hated it at the same time. Whether she interpreted it as a sign of independence and strength or as a sign of her descent into this madness that lacked humanity, she didn¡¯t know. She was upset over the fact that she was confused, and also upset that she didn¡¯t have complete control over not only what she was doing, but also now over who she was as a person. She felt like she was a square peg that was being smashed into a round hole, and the process wouldn¡¯t stop until she had permanently changed shape.

    Feeling a tear well at the corner of her eye before it ran down past her temple and dripped onto the sheet below, she clutched at one of the pillows. Wrapping her arms around it tightly, she pressed it to her face as she muffled a quiet sob. Independence was something that she had always clung to, but now more than anything she just wanted a shoulder to lean on. She knew that Reina or probably anyone else at The Cloud Orchestra would be able to offer that to her, but wasn¡¯t that the shoulder that had landed her in this mess in the first place?

    Deciding to run from the issue, she calmed her breathing and tried to reign in the thoughts that were swirling through her head. Her poor sleep from the previous night combined with the walking and stress from today had left her exhausted, so she was happy to let sleep take over and let her forget her problems for a while. Without caring about when she would wake up, she curled the blanket under her feet before postponing her issues until when she woke up.

 Chapter 019

    After sleeping away the rest of the afternoon, Nina woke to find herself in darkness. Thinking about how it had been light when she had dozed off, she hopped from her bed and padded across the floor to the light switch by the door.

    Not very bright, she thought after she flicked the switch. The light above her emitted a dull yellowish glow that gently illuminated the few bags of shopping as she pulled out a pair of pants and a loose grey sweater that she had bought earlier. Slipping into them before realizing that the shoes she had bought were nowhere to be seen, she put on a cheap pair of sandals that she had also picked up before pocketing her armband and leaving the room.

    Like her bedroom, the hall was dark. Thankfully there was enough light for her to see as she ran her hand along the wall just in case. Crossing the empty living area, she made her way to the steps before heading downstairs.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re up.¡± With her face lit up by the glow from her computer, Svanda smiled in the otherwise dark office.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Nina replied as she walked over. ¡°What are you up to?¡±

    ¡°Not much,¡± Svanda sighed as her gaze flicked between Nina and her screen. ¡°I might go to sleep, it¡¯s pretty late.¡±

    ¡°Is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s past midnight.¡± Svanda rose before stretching her arms above her head. ¡°You slept all afternoon, so you''re going to be up all night.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll manage,¡± Nina smiled before pausing in thought. ¡°Is there somewhere I can be outside?¡±

    ¡°Just go out the door.¡±

    ¡°I mean outside of JE-22.¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Svanda frowned as she looked at Nina with a hint of suspicion.

    ¡°I just feel¡­ stifled. It¡¯s like the air here is stagnant or something.¡±

    Svanda mused over Nina¡¯s statement before shrugging. ¡°It¡¯s possible, but you would need help. It¡¯s chaotic once you get further away from the main streets, and you have to travel through some confusing areas before you reach the edges of the building. I can show you sometime later.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡± Hiding her disappointment, she decided that she would just have to settle for the next best thing. ¡°Can I use the airlock?¡±

    ¡°You want to go out the front?¡± When Nina nodded in reply, Svanda didn¡¯t see why not. ¡°Follow the switches to get out. To get back inside, the code for the steel door is 6521. To open the second door, set the dishwasher to run a heavy cycle and then press cancel twice.¡±

    Nina ignored Svanda¡¯s amused expression as she took a pen from the desk and wrote the instructions on her hand. While she could always go back the long way, she didn¡¯t want to walk so far if she didn''t have to. After thanking her, she moved off down the hall before flicking a switch at the end of the hall that opened the way to the empty office.

    Closing the door behind her, curiosity got the better of Nina as she decided to have a look around the dark and empty office while she was alone. After peeking inside the drawers on the desks and checking the kitchenette cupboards, however, she realised that there wasn¡¯t anything of interest. Unfazed, she pressed a button on the wall and waited as the mechanism in the door slowly clicked open before pulling it open. Still in the darkness, Nina made her way down the stairs and walked up the hallway to see something that surprised her.

    Not far from the rusted bell she had used earlier was a lamp, the weak light highlighting the dust that drifted through the room. Looking around the rest of space to see if someone was there, she found that it seemed to be the same as how it was before. After debating whether or not to switch it off, she decided to leave it as it was and headed for the courtyard beyond the front door, which had been her target all along. If she couldn¡¯t find the edge of the building, the front courtyard of The Cloud Orchestra was the next best thing. She wanted to leave from the front and not the back because unlike the small corridors behind the building, the airy road at the front felt somewhat like it was outside. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    Surprised that the door was unlocked, she pushed it open and stepped out into the slightly cooler air. Looking for somewhere to sit, she instead found that in the corner of the courtyard was the reason why the lamp had been on and the front door was unlocked in the first place.

    Sitting against the wall was a small figure. With small feet exposed under a pair of ripped jeans, the person¡¯s knees were squeezed together in front of them. The glow of a cigarette poked out from the black hood that obscured the person¡¯s face as Nina¡¯s gaze flicked from the steadily ascending trail of smoke to the empty cans that were neatly lined up against the wall. About to kindly tell the person that they shouldn¡¯t be here, she was surprised when the figure turned to her.

    ¡°What now?¡± Saela asked without bothering to hide the scowl on her face. Removing the cigarette from her lips so that she could take a sip from the can that had been sitting beside her, she resumed her earlier posture.

    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know that you were here,¡± Nina stammered. Not only was Saela in a foul mood again, her plan of spending some time here had also just been squashed. Deciding that she was going to have to find somewhere else, she crossed the courtyard and headed from the street.

    ¡°If you know what¡¯s good for you, you won¡¯t tell Reina about this.¡± Flicking the ash from the cigarette into one of the empty cans, Saela shot her a cold gaze. ¡°Or anyone else for that matter.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Nina nodded before exiting the courtyard and turning behind the wall, her calm expression turning into a look of fright as soon as she rounded the corner. Hurrying her steps, she walked towards the main road without any goal in mind besides putting some distance between them.

    And she has a gun! Nina thought as she turned onto the main street, the pedestrian traffic still flowing despite the hour. She didn¡¯t know what she had done to get on the wrong side of Saela, but it certainly wasn¡¯t somewhere that she wanted to be. Thinking that she would need to ask someone else if she had done anything wrong, Saela¡¯s earlier threat reminded her that she would need to be delicate when the time came.

    Nina had always liked having dirt on people because it had added to how she could control others. Having dirt on someone who seemed to hold a grudge against her, operated somewhat outside the law, and owned a gun, however, was not something that she found particularly appealing.

    Finding that the number of curious gazes that were shot in her direction seemed to have reduced, she inwardly smiled at the effect that her new clothing had. She thought about how the air at the wide open main road felt cleaner than the dusty air of the smaller passages as her hair fluttered in the breeze. She then wondered where the breeze came from in the first place.

    Unlike her wish for cleaner air, her desire for peace and quiet to accompany it seemed like it would remain unfulfilled. With her eyes drifting up the building fa?ades that towered over each side of the street, she studied the assortment of different styles mixed together. Wooden balconies from different bars and pubs were full of people, while only floors above them were smooth marble arches of the next business. Walls of sheet metal studded with pipes would sit below wide tinted windows that ran for dozens of meters, neon signs hanging from other business to the side. She even spotted a large iron cage jutting out from a medieval-looking stone place, hanging some ten or so storeys above the street.

    Her thoughts crossed to how people got around on this plate. Getting up and down seemed easy enough with the amount of elevators around, and there was also the fact that they had simply jumped down the stairwell when they had first arrived. Getting from one building to another, however, was something that she had yet to come to any conclusions on. She hadn¡¯t seen any cars since she had been here, and she hadn¡¯t seen any public transport either. Was there a train station somewhere, and if there was, was it even a train in the first place? The technology in this place seemed to be such a mishmash of old and new, so on which side of that spectrum would such a thing fall?

    Dropping into a small store which seemed to sell food and drink, she found what she was looking for on the far wall. Like she would have expected from a corner store on Caecus, the fridge was filled with an assortment of cans and bottles, except these were all brands that she had never seen before. Quickly realizing that finding a label containing something generic like ¡®water¡¯ or ¡®cola¡¯ was not going to happen, she paused when she saw a can that matched what she had seen Saela drinking from earlier. Besides the stylized ¡®vrirt¡¯ in green that ran down the side of the red can, there were no other markings that gave her any idea of what was actually inside.

    Must at least be drinkable, she thought as she took the can from the fridge before taking it to the counter. For all she knew, some of the cans here could contain cooking oil or something. After waving her card over the small reader in front of a dejected looking cashier, she exited the shop and decided to head back to The Cloud Orchestra. Taking the back route, that was. Opening the can as she walked, she peered inside at the dark liquid within before sniffing the contents. Noting that it didn¡¯t smell so bad, she took a tentative sip as she turned the corner.

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    With a sigh, she dropped the can in a bin as she walked past, deciding to wait until she could drink from the tap when she returned. The drink in the can was something that she was familiar with, but even for her somewhat unrefined palette, the quality of the drink was horrible.

    Who puts red wine in a can anyway?

 Chapter 020

    ¡°Wake up.¡±

    Nina groaned as the dull banging on the door brought her to her senses. Wiping the mess of hair from her face, she rolled onto her back as her eyes squinted in reaction to the light which now filled the room.

    ¡°Wake up.¡±

    As Svanda¡¯s muffled voice called out from the other side of the door, Nina yawned before pushing herself out of bed. Crossing the bedroom in a manner which Reina would have described as ¡®like a zombie,¡¯ she opened the door and tried to focus on the figure that was standing on the other side of the door.

    ¡°Morning,¡± Svanda smiled as her gaze flicked over Nina¡¯s loose white shirt and lack of pants. ¡°Reina has called for a group breakfast. We¡¯re eating in an hour.¡±

    ¡°Oh, OK,¡± Nina mumbled as she moved to close the door. ¡°Wake me up in an hou-¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but we need you right away.¡± Sticking her arm in the door before Nina could close it, Svanda laughed. ¡°You¡¯re cooking it, after all.¡±

    Nina paused as she looked at Svanda¡¯s arm in a daze. As her mind began to work, she thought about what Svanda had said and her eyes widened when her thoughts settled. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to cook breakfast for everyone?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it, miss chef.¡± Thoroughly enjoying the situation, Svanda gave her a wink. ¡°Let me know what ingredients you need and I¡¯ll go and get them while you have a shower and get ready. There¡¯s almost nothing here right now.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t cook anything though.¡±

    ¡°What did you usually eat for breakfast?¡±

    ¡°Leftover takeaway.¡±

    ¡°How are you not fat then?¡± Svanda asked as a finger shot out to poke her stomach.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Ignore that question,¡± Svanda chuckled before she pat Nina on the shoulder ¡°We can start with something easy like bacon and eggs then, right?¡± Seeing Nina nod after pausing, she breathed a sigh of relief. Reina had asked her to convince Nina, but she hadn¡¯t been sure that she could do it. ¡°Most of the stuff here is the same as up there, do you need anything else?¡±

    ¡°Tomato and green onion,¡± Nina replied after thinking for a second before turning her attention to Svanda¡¯s arm that was still holding the door open. Seeing the unimpressed gaze that was fixed on her arm, Svanda withdrew before setting off down the hall.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back with it in twenty.¡±

    Closing her door with a sigh, Nina walked back to her bed before falling face first in the middle of the blanket. Stifling a yawn, she closed her eyes while silently complaining to herself about the predicament she was currently facing. She hadn¡¯t cooked anything in years, usually eating takeaway or oven-ready meals that didn¡¯t involve any preparation. Cooking for a group of eight was something she had never done before.

    As for her request for tomatoes and green onions, it was something that she had seen on a TV program once. As the side for the bacon, she would just have to chop everything up and throw it together while hoping that she didn¡¯t manage to poison anyone.

    Should have asked for cheese, she thought as she stripped off before jumping in the shower. Standing motionlessly there as the water washed over her face, her thoughts drifted to her short conversation with Saela from the night before. How was she supposed to handle that? She wanted to be proactive in resolving whatever issue there was, but she felt that pushing the issue might result in a bad reaction.

    Pushing it to the back of her mind, she finished showering before changing into a loose blue t-shirt and a pair of baggy white pants. Opting to keep her feet bare in order to enjoy the soft carpet, she made her way up the hallway to the kitchen to be met by a very pleased-looking Reina. Wearing a casual white dress with green stripes, she waved as Nina approached.

    ¡°Maybe you won¡¯t be smiling once breakfast has been served,¡± Nina grumbled as she walked into the kitchen. Like most of the interior at The Cloud Orchestra, the kitchen was mainly white. Regretting her choice of footwear as her bare feet stepped onto the large grey tiles, she tried to familiarize herself with the layout. She didn¡¯t know if she was annoyed, nervous, or even both, but she was certainly tired.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be great!¡± Reina said as she sat upon the island benchtop, the black granite with streaks of white running through appearing glossy in the light. On the other side of the kitchen, against the wall, the matching benchtops featured a frosted glass splashback sitting above it with a wide steel sink. An assortment of white cupboards with steel handles sat both above and below the benchtops.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    As her dangling feet bounced off a large drawer that was set in the island below her, Reina smiled. ¡°Pots and pans are in here.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Nina replied as she waited for Reina to lift her legs before removing the largest pan she could find once she opened the drawer. Assuming that she was also going to be responsible for cleaning up, she wanted to keep what she used to a minimum. Setting the pan down on what seemed to be an induction stovetop, she then began to open the cupboards and drawers in a methodic fashion.

    ¡°What are you looking for?¡±

    ¡°Cutting board,¡± Nina mumbled as she pulled a knife from a drawer. ¡°Oh, do we have any cheese?¡±

    ¡°I dunno, look in the fridge,¡± Reina said as she watched on with interest.

    Nina opened the large stainless steel fridge to find more or less what she had been expecting. Three of the five shelves were full of an assortment of bottle and cans which she correctly assumed were alcoholic. Under that sat a few half eaten boxes of chocolate biscuits on an otherwise empty shelf, while the bottom shelf contained a wilted vegetable that would have probably been unfit for consumption as far back as last month. The door of the fridge contained a single shelf full of wine bottles, the sticker placed above them letting her know that this was ¡®Reina¡¯s Shelf¡¯.

    ¡°Nothing?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Nina sighed. She wasn¡¯t surprised, but at least some sauce would have been nice. Thinking that she should have asked Svanda to buy some, her head turned as the woman in question appeared at the top of the stairs.

    ¡°Yo.¡± Dressed in a black tank top and olive cargo pants, Svanda dropped a paper bag of shopping on the bench next to Reina before hauling herself up onto the island. ¡°Stuff¡¯s here.¡±

    Nina watched as she pat the bag which now sat between Svanda and Reina. Deciding to instead continue her search for a wooden spatula, she stopped when she heard the rustling of the bag.

    ¡°Oh, you asked for these?¡± Reina asked as she fished a bunch of green onions from the bag. ¡°Are you really an amateur?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Nina decided to ignore the comment, chalking it up to Reina attempting to poke fun at her. That being said, she wasn¡¯t sure if Reina herself could cook either judging by her question, and she certainly seemed like the type to get others to cook for her. Regardless, she resumed the search for a spatula.

    ¡°What are you looking for?¡± Svanda asked.

    ¡°Spatula.¡±

    ¡°Down to the left.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Nina smiled as she found what she needed. Now that everything was together, she took the onions from Reina¡¯s hand along with the bag before setting it next to the cutting board. Emptying the bag one ingredient at a time, she pulled out a few tomatoes, a box of eggs, what she assumed was bacon wrapped in some white paper, and finally some stubby mushrooms.

    ¡°Thought you might want some,¡± Svanda said as she nodded her head in the direction of the mushrooms.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Nina didn¡¯t like mushrooms, but she could always add them to everyone else¡¯s food. She thought that the texture wasn¡¯t right, and she didn¡¯t particularly like the taste either.

    ¡°No mushrooms for me,¡± Reina said as she looked at the assortment of ingredients next to the cutting board. ¡°Saela doesn¡¯t like them either.¡±

    Nina took note of the comment as she washed the vegetables in the sink before slowly dicing the onion, tomato, and mushroom into semi-evenly sized pieces. ¡°When are we starting?¡±

    ¡°In about ten minutes,¡± Reina said as she pointed to a black clock on the wall, Nina following her finger to see that it was twenty past eight in the morning.

    Surprised that it actually wasn¡¯t that early, she leant against the cupboards as her prep was essentially complete. ¡°We do have salt and pepper, right?¡±

    ¡°Good question. We do¡­¡± Reina laughed as she looked over to Svanda. ¡°Right?¡±

    ¡°In the cupboard above the extractor,¡± Svanda replied as she pushed herself off the benchtop. Walking over to one of the couches that sat across from the kitchen area, she sat down before putting her black boots on the coffee table. Waiting until Nina had pulled the two shakers from the cupboard and set them down, she smiled. ¡°Show me your 022 while we wait!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see it too,¡± Reina said after she saw a trace of hesitation cross Nina¡¯s face. She knew that while Nina could reject Svanda¡¯s request, rejecting her own was difficult.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Nina nodded before heading to her room, reappearing a moment later not only carrying the T&TERM case, but also wearing a pair of white socks. Sitting down next to Svanda, Nina shuffled a little when Reina also came to join them, opting to sit on the other side of Nina instead of sitting on one of the other two empty couches.

    ¡°Nice,¡± Svanda exclaimed as Nina popped the case open. She wanted to reach for it, but instead waited for Reina to pick it up first. She was the one who had ended up footing the rather massive bill for it after all.

    ¡°It suits you,¡± Reina said as she took the pistol from the case. After stroking the etching down the side in the same manner that Nina had done, she raised it to examine the sight. Seemingly satisfied, she swung it lightly up and down as though she was gauging the weight before nodding. ¡°Very nice,¡± she said as she passed it over Svanda.

    ¡°Can I shoot it?¡± She asked with a grin as she examined the more intricate parts of the weapon. After seeing Reina¡¯s unimpressed expression, she shrugged. ¡°What? Just let me shoot at one of the walls downstairs or something.¡±

    ¡°You are not firing anything in the office,¡± Reina said as she took the pistol from Svanda¡¯s hand. Nina, who was sitting in between the pair, leaned back to avoid the confrontation as she watched Reina place the weapon back inside the case before shutting it. ¡°Take Nina to the range later today and make sure she gets a few shots in.¡±

    ¡°If you say so,¡± Svanda replied as she stood up. She tried to feign reluctance, but neither Nina nor Reina were buying it. ¡°Anyway, isn¡¯t it about time to start cooking?¡±

    ¡°I think it is,¡± Reina smiled as she pushed herself off the couch. Walking to the head of the dining table that sat on the other side, she sat down. ¡°Svanda, wake everyone up. It¡¯s time for Nina to get some practice in.¡±

 Chapter 021

    ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡±

    Nina breathed a sigh of relief as she dropped onto the couch before lying down and burying her face into the nearest cushion. Besides Euris, the entire team had turned up to eat, which had left Nina scrambling not only the eggs, but also to get everything done on time. To make matters worse, Svanda seemed to eat enough for three or four people, shoveling the food down like she was fueling a steam locomotive. Thanks to her earlier preparation, she had somehow managed to get everything together as she steadily scrambled her mix of egg, onion, tomato, and sometimes mushroom while the slices of bacon fried alongside.

    ¡°Good work,¡± Reina smiled after the group had taken their turns to thank her before either heading downstairs or back to their rooms. Trim had been kind enough to offer to clean up and had tossed everything, pan included, into the dishwasher.

    ¡°I¡¯m just glad that it¡¯s over,¡± Nina sighed, her voice muffled by the cushion.

    ¡°Did your cooking skill level up?¡±

    ¡°Skills?¡±

    Seeing Nina¡¯s confusion, Reina laughed. ¡°It was a joke.¡±

    ¡°Meanie.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that.¡± Sitting on the couch by her feet, Reina laid back as she yawned. ¡°What¡¯s on the menu next time?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, ask Svanda,¡± Nina mumbled before turning onto her back. Holding her hand above her face to block the light from the lamp which hung from the ceiling, she paused. ¡°Was it really alright?¡±

    ¡°It sure was,¡± Reina replied as she pinched one of Nina¡¯s toes. Smiling as she watched her legs recoil in response, she stood up. ¡°We¡¯re heading to the range at twelve, be ready.¡±

    ¡°I thought today was supposed to be a day off.¡±

    ¡°It is, for everyone but you.¡±

    Nina watched as Reina disappeared down the stairs, leaving her as the only person that remained in the living area. Pushing herself off the couch, she decided to head to her room in order to sort out the mess of bags on the floor that was yesterday¡¯s shopping.

    I need some books to read, she thought as she began to hang her new clothing behind a sliding door which she had since learnt contained a wardrobe. Sorting her clothing by type and then use, she stopped for a moment to gaze at the business suit that she had been wearing when her journey had started. It was only two mornings ago that she had been watching the blacks and greys that made up her life from her apartment window. The dreary mornings where the rain swirled through the streets were gone, it couldn¡¯t even rain here. She almost missed it.

    Now¡­ just about everything was different. It hadn¡¯t just been a spanner thrown in the works that was her life, it had been the entire system destroyed with the click of some fingers. She had surprised herself at how quickly she had adapted, now that she thought about it. She was still uncomfortable, but at least she had a safe space here. The atmosphere, while louder than what she was used to, was warm.

    Going out on a job, however, would be completely different.

    As she finished packing her clothes away, her eyes moved over to the bed, and more specifically, to the case which sat upon it. Sitting on the bed, she ran her hand over the lid before pressing on the latch.

    ¡°Nina,¡± Aline¡¯s voice traveled through the door to her room. ¡°I¡¯ve got something for you.¡±

    Opening the door, Nina instinctively held onto the bag that had been thrust into her arms. Before she knew it, Aline had disappeared back down the hall without a word. Looking in the bag, she found the brown boots that she had been searching for earlier, looking no different from when she had bought them. Closing the door before taking them back to her bed, she examined them in detail to find that she couldn¡¯t see anything odd at all.

    After idling away for a moment, Nina dressed in what Svanda would call her work uniform. The navy jacket she bought earlier sat over a fitting white shirt while her recently delivered boots sat under a tight pair of maroon pants. After fiddling with her hair in the bathroom mirror for a moment, she picked up the case before leaving her room and heading downstairs.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°You look good,¡± Svanda smiled from her desk as Nina descended. Looking at the clock on her computer, she paused for a moment before standing up. ¡°Are you ready to go?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not time yet, is it?¡± Nina asked as she looked at the arrangement of desks. Two lines of four faced each other to make eight stations, three of them currently unoccupied.

    ¡°We can go early if you¡¯re ready,¡± Svanda said as she knocked once on the sliding glass door that led to Reina¡¯s office. ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Your desk is the one next to mine, by the way.¡± Svanda pointed to a desk on the side closer to the stairs as she opened the door to Reina¡¯s office a fraction. ¡°We¡¯re ready to go when you are.¡±

    ¡°OK. Give me a moment,¡± Reina said as she looked up from her screen for a moment before her attention returned to the screen before her. Sliding the door closed, Svanda returned to her desk before patting the seat next to her.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Nina said as she sat down at the desk. Around a metre and a half long, the desk was empty save for a computer, two monitors, a keyboard, and a mouse. While there was no divider between Nina and Svanda, there was a partition that separated her side of the desk from the one facing it, although it was low enough for Nina to see over it if she sat upright. ¡°Who sits there?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s across from you?¡± Svanda asked as she looked over at the desk. ¡°Oh, Saela sits there.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Nina sighed. Of all the people at The Cloud Orchestra, Saela was the one person that she didn¡¯t want to be looking in the eye every time she looked up from her computer. Looking at the partition, she thought about Saela¡¯s height. Was she tall enough for them to lock eyes every time they looked up from their screens? She hoped not. It would save her from a lot of potentially awkward moments.

    ¡°Jade sits on the other side of you, by the way,¡± Svanda said as she pushed off from the ground with her feet, sending her chair rolling across the floor until it stopped besides Nina. ¡°It fits in your pocket, right?¡±

    Nina was confused before she realised that Svanda was talking about the pistol in the case before her. Opening the case, she withdrew the scarletite weapon before unzipping the outer zip on her jacket. Between the inner and outer zips there was a pocket on each side of the jacket which sat just below her breasts. Sliding the pistol into her left pocket, she zipped the outer layer back up before standing up and walking in a quick circle around the room.

    ¡°I can¡¯t even see it, not bad,¡± Svanda said with approval as she turned her attention to the rest of the bits and pieces in the case. ¡°You could put a backup magazine in the other pocket.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s quite comfortable actually,¡± Nina agreed as she sat down again. ¡°I can feel it¡¯s there, but it¡¯s not intrusive on my movement at all.¡± Removing the pistol from her pocket and then setting it on the table, she paused for a moment. ¡°Why would I need to carry an extra magazine?¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t hurt, would it?¡± Svanda asked as she inspected a round of ammunition. Returning it to the case with a nonchalant expression, she pulled out one of the empty magazines. ¡°Do I need to show you how to load this?¡±

    ¡°Please do,¡± Nina replied with the intent of dodging the first question. She was just carrying this around because she had to, not because she wanted to be a soldier. Carrying extra ammunition? If she ended up in a situation where she needed extra ammunition, she would probably be dead already, either shot or from shock. Watching as Svanda began to load the magazine with the ammunition from the case, she took another one from the case and began to replicate her movements.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± Reina said as she stepped out of her office. Having changed into the unbuttoned black lab coat that she had been wearing yesterday with a sky blue shirt sitting underneath, she looked around as she tugged at the orange skirt that stopped just above her knees. ¡°Did anyone else want to come?¡±

    ¡°Saela went back to bed and Trim didn¡¯t want to come. The other pair went out,¡± Svanda said as she stood up while placing the loaded magazine on the desk. ¡°I think it¡¯s just us.¡±

    Reina nodded as she inspected Nina¡¯s attire with an amused smile. ¡°It looks good,¡± she said as she walked over to one of the desks before scribbling something on top of the notepad that sat there. Looking to Svanda, she noticed her lack of equipment. ¡°You¡¯re not taking anything?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll use something there.¡±

    ¡°Foot your own bill then,¡± Reina smiled as she watched Nina place the pistol in her pocket before leading the other two out of the door. They walked through empty apartment that sat between The Cloud Orchestra and the backstreets before heading off.

    Moments after the door closed behind them, Trim made her way down the stairs before walking over to her desk. Sitting down and reaching for her headphones, she noticed the note that had been scribbled on her notepad.

    She¡¯s wearing blue, that¡¯s a win for me.

    Trim sighed as she read the note before a wry smile appeared on her face. Opening a locked drawer in her desk, she withdrew a collection of silver coins before taking them to Reina¡¯s office and leaving them in a neat pile on her desk.

    ¡°Every single time,¡± she muttered to nobody as she sat down once more before placing her headphones over her ears and starting a new playlist.

 Chapter 022

    The first thing that Nina realised as they were walking to what she assumed would be The Eye of Iron was the difference in attitude towards them from the people on the street. When she had walked by herself, she had weaved in and out of the crowd that seemed to ebb and flow at random. When she had walked with Svanda, she had found it easier as Svanda had essentially carved a path through the people for her to follow.

    Walking with Reina, however, was on another level.

    Flanked by Nina on one side and Svanda on the other, Reina strolled down the street as the crowd parted before her. The combination of her confidence, her green armband, and Svanda¡¯s presence hovering behind her gave the impression that she was important. Nina of course didn¡¯t know if these people could simply recognize Reina just by her face, but she was tempted to chalk it off. After all, if you¡¯re going to work outside the law, you probably didn¡¯t want to be famous.

    It was true that green armbands were a rarity down here, but they weren¡¯t impossible to find either. Like anything out of the ordinary, they often fueled gossip about the details that lay behind them. Children would ask their parents who the green people were, and dishonest business owners would speculate if they were tied to SuTSU. Some imaginative people even dreamed that they were professional mercenaries who had come to complete a job in the mess of concrete that SuTSU often didn¡¯t want to deal with.

    Ultimately, people tied the colour of an armband to a person¡¯s status. On the orange floors, a green band was likely the highest they would ever see. Someone that owned a blue band would have absolutely no reason to venture down here much like a noble wouldn¡¯t be interested in visiting a slum. Nina hadn¡¯t found it that bad, but little did she know that on the floors above, the orange and red levels had a reputation for being wild and rife with crime. The fact that SuTSU hardly showed up probably helped contribute to that, and people like Reina often didn¡¯t do anything to change the opinion as they found it useful.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t The Cloud Orchestra on the green floors?¡±

    Nina saw the edge of Reina¡¯s lips raise to a smile in response to her question as they walked.

    ¡°Why do you think?¡± she replied while still walking straight, looking ahead as the people parted before her.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s easier to hide from SuTSU?¡±

    ¡°Mmm, that¡¯s part of it,¡± Reina agreed as they reached their destination. As Nina had guessed, the trio turned into The Eye of Iron and walked straight through security under the courteous nods from the staff.

    I¡¯m carrying a gun in my jacket and I just walked straight through security, Nina thought with surprise as she realised exactly what she had done. Looking over to Svanda who chuckled at the look on her face, she sighed. Clearly her reaction had been expected. Pulling her thoughts back to Reina¡¯s answer, she thought about what else would be a good reason but couldn¡¯t think of an answer. ¡°So what¡¯s the other reason?¡±

    ¡°There are many reasons,¡± Reina said as they crossed the lobby. Approaching the elevator, an attendant smiled before opening the doors with a nod. ¡°SuTSU don¡¯t come down here very often, and it¡¯s also cheaper to run everything down here.¡± As the elevator doors closed, they were whisked upwards even though they hadn¡¯t pressed a button. ¡°The people I pick to work at The Cloud Orchestra also come from either the red or orange levels as they blend in easier while they¡¯re working and they¡¯re more receptive to the work. You saw it before, how green bands attract attention down here.¡±

    ¡°It makes sense I guess,¡± Nina said as the elevator doors opened to reveal a hallway. Unlike the swathes of white she had seen earlier, this hallway was dark. Black marble tiles ran down the length of the floor before rising up the walls on each side. Thin veins of pale blue rock snaked through the glossy surfaces like electric currents. White downlights were set every two or so meters causing the highlights to shimmer as though they were alive.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t the main reason though,¡± Reina smiled as Julia appeared at the other end of the corridor. ¡°When I started The Cloud Orchestra, I only had an orange band myself.¡±

    Wearing a strapless white dress that was a bit on the short side for Nina, Julia¡¯s footsteps echoed in the corridor as her heels clacked on the marble. Her loose emerald hair bobbed over both her shoulders and the thin silver earrings she wore as she approached. Meeting Reina¡¯s group in the middle of the hall, she extended her hand in the direction of a white door that sat in the wall beside them. ¡°Just two?¡±

    Seeing Reina nod, she smiled before opening the door. Reina followed her and Nina ducked in after Svanda motioned for her to follow. As Svanda closed the door behind them, Nina surveyed the new space. A thin rectangular room that reminded her of a private bowling alley, a small sitting area sat on the raised platform that they now stood on. Steps covered in thick black carpet ran down each side of the platform to two identical areas which were similar to the station that Nina had first fired a pistol in. Empty display cases sat in each wall, while on the other side of each station was a table covered in ammunition. Stretching away from them was a large concrete area which was lit up by a series of bright lights.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Have fun,¡± Reina smiled as she sat at the table that overlooked the range. Julia sat opposite her before pressing a small button on the desk. Svanda pat Nina on the shoulder and smiled.

    ¡°Let them talk, let¡¯s go,¡± she said as she led Nina down the steps and into one of the booths. Walking over to the empty display case in the wall, Svanda examined a touch screen before pressing a few buttons. After a moment, the display case retracted up into the wall before being replaced by another one which was full of ammunition. ¡°This is all for your pistol. Reina will pay for it as a training expense, so don¡¯t hold back.¡±

    ¡°What do you want to drink?¡± Reina¡¯s voice drifted down from the platform that overlooked them. Nina looked up to see Reina and Julia with matching smiles, reminding herself of when she had thought about what would happen if this pair was put together. Now that it was happening, she thought that maybe it wasn¡¯t a good idea after all. Who knew what this pair would scheme?

    ¡°Who¡¯s paying for it?¡± Svanda laughed as she entered her own booth before walking over to the touch panel. She thought for a moment before her fingers danced over the screen.

    ¡°I¡¯ll cover it, so ask for whatever you like,¡± Julia replied. Julia herself may not have seen it, but Nina certainly saw Reina¡¯s expression change to a thin smile at her response.

    ¡°Bring out a bottle of the 05 Macing and a bottle of the 03 Ehrenheart then,¡± Svanda said as the new display case rose in front of her. Filled with an assortment of assault rifles and submachine guns, she picked a heavy-looking rifle off the rack before taking it over to the bench on the other side of the station. Metallic green with what seemed to be three barrels and a long scope, Nina wondered if she would even be able to lift it.

    ¡°And you Nina?¡± Julia asked. Nina could see that Julia was inwardly sighing at Svanda¡¯s probably expensive selection, but she herself didn¡¯t know the name of any drink.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just have some water, thanks,¡± she said before taking her pistol out and setting it on the bench before fishing around in her other pocked for the extra magazines.

    ¡°Get her a bottle of the Macing as well,¡± Svanda said as she finished inspecting the rifle. Sliding a small clip of what Nina assumed to be pulse ammunition into the top of the weapon directly above the trigger, she fiddled with a few dials on the barrel of the rifle.

    ¡°Just wait until the screen is up before you start,¡± Julia said as she smiled at the attendant who had entered the room. Nina was amazed at how quick the service was as three bottles of wine with glasses were brought to them, the attendant leaving two at Svanda¡¯s station before leaving the other at Nina¡¯s beside a bottle of water. After retreating back up the stairs and beginning to pour wine for Reina and herself, Julia pushed a button on the table which sent a hazy blue screen of light down between them and the stations below.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Nina asked Svanda.

    ¡°A soundscreen, it reduces noise between each side.¡± Seeing that the barrier had finally reached from the floor to the ceiling, she stepped towards the edge of the station that looked out over the range. ¡°They can¡¯t hear us, and we can¡¯t hear them.¡±

    ¡°Nina, you need to score 750 points on the easy challenge by the time you leave.¡± Reina¡¯s voice came through a speaker that was set in the ceiling. ¡°You can select the challenge from the screen at the front.¡±

    ¡°Unless they use the speaker,¡± Svanda laughed.

    Nina was halfway across the floor to inspect the screen when she jumped as a steady flash of green burst out from Svanda¡¯s station. Looking across, she saw that Svanda had the rifle she had selected pressed to her shoulder as she continuously let off a steady rhythm of bursts across the range. The bright pulse ammunition shredded the groups of targets that were constantly appearing, disappearing, and moving around like they were nothing. Watching as she reloaded without taking her eye from the scope, Nina was impressed as a bright number on a large panel above Svanda constantly ticked upwards before stopping at 6,520, a red light flashing to signal that the challenge was over.

    ¡°Sorry, was that distracting?¡± Svanda sheepishly smiled before pressing a button that caused a barrier to slowly rise between the pair. ¡°This should help.¡±

    Nina turned back to the range to see that a barrier had also risen down the centre of the target area. This way, she wouldn¡¯t be distracted as the bright green flashes from Svanda¡¯s pulse rifle shredded the targets at a pace that she would probably never manage. Walking over to the touch screen at the front of the station, she placed the pistol on the small bench before her and studied the display.

    Behind her, after breaking their discussion for a moment, Julia smiled. ¡°So did you want to bet on this too?¡±

    ¡°350,¡± Reina said after pausing for a moment, glancing nonchalantly at Julia before turning her attention to her wine glass.

    ¡°The easy difficulty doesn¡¯t offer scaling points for accuracy, just 25 points per target,¡± Julia replied as her soft chuckle was hidden behind the back of her hand. ¡°14 rounds in the magazine at 25 points each is 350. You¡¯re assuming that she will take her time, hit each target, but not make it past the first reload.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to put a number forward or not?¡±

    Shaking her head, Julia pouted before turning her attention to her glass. ¡°I wanted 350 too.¡±

    ¡°Boring,¡± Reina sighed although she was inwardly pleased. Any chance to take a poke at Julia was welcomed. ¡°Let¡¯s just iron out the details of this proposal of yours then.¡±

 Chapter 023

    Only 350, Nina thought as she looked at the score displayed above her. Having selected the easy challenge from the touchscreen at the front, a countdown had started before targets that had been hidden in the ceiling descended. Taking steady aim, she had moved from left to right, holding the pistol with two hands as she systematically pulled the trigger until she ran out of ammunition. While she was fumbling for the magazine release to reload, however, the light at the top of the booth flashed red to signal that the time limit had expired. Although she hadn¡¯t missed a target, one still remained while her score was not even halfway to the 750 Reina had suggested.

    ¡°It¡¯s about speed Nina,¡± came Julia¡¯s voice from the speaker above her. ¡°The targets are close enough that they are easy to hit, so focus less on aiming and more on moving from target to target.¡±

    Nina turned around before nodding her head in Julia¡¯s direction. In response, Julia smiled on the other side of the transparent screen while giving her a thumbs-up. Changing her attention back to the magazines in front of her, she ensured that there were two spares in addition to the one that she had loaded. Going through the numbers in her head, she realised that only one reload was not going to be enough to get her to the score of 750 that Reina had mentioned earlier.

    25 points for each target, while one had remained standing during her last attempt. She would need to hit two complete waves of 15 targets, 30 in total, to reach a score of 750. The problem was that each magazine only had 14 rounds, leaving her with the need to reload not once, but twice.

    She didn¡¯t see the need for the practice either. If anything, she thought she would need to work on a quick draw like she used to see in the movies. Reina had said that the pistol was for protecting herself, but this was starting to seem a little more proactive than what she had been thinking of. She had pictured herself shooting a crazed attacker in a dark alleyway on the way home, not methodically mowing down a group of targets. What did so many targets represent anyway? If she needed to defend herself from 30 crazed attackers, she was confident that it wouldn¡¯t matter how good her reloading speed was anyway.

    Before starting the challenge again, Nina thumbed the magazine release and half-heartedly practiced reloading the weapon a few times. She sighed when she thought about how much faster she would need to be to meet Reina¡¯s expectations. Her small fingers had hurt as she loaded the ammunition into the magazines, but she persisted as she didn¡¯t want to ask Svanda to do it for her. The pair watching her from behind the screen would probably laugh.

    Positioning the extra magazines within reach on the table before her, she pressed the touchscreen in front of her before waiting for the countdown to begin.

    ¡°Seems like she¡¯ll pick this up quicker than I thought,¡± Julia said to Reina as the pair watched her hit targets one by one from their table above. They had both felt her reluctance, but they had also understood that Nina was someone who was good at doing what was asked of her.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good sign,¡± Reina nodded in agreement as she watched the score above Nina¡¯s head tick over. ¡°If she was fitter, she could be pretty impressive. Assuming her mind was in the right place, that is.¡±

    ¡°Fitter¡­¡± Julia murmured before pausing, lost in thought. Coming to her senses as Reina slapped her hand that was on the table, she scowled.

    ¡°Svanda isn¡¯t enough?¡± Reina asked as the light over Nina¡¯s booth turned red. Seeing that she had scored 575, she smiled at the quick improvement. Maybe she would pick it up in reasonable time after all, which would set her mind at relative ease considering that the group would probably drop below soon.

    Changing her attention over to the person in question, she smiled like a mother watching her child finish first at a competition. ¡°Impressive as always, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    Having swapped the green rifle she had been using earlier out for a smaller submachine gun, Svanda was now shooting purple bursts at targets that danced across the range in an erratic fashion. Enjoying something lighter, she easily kept up with the targets as the scoreboard above her head quickly ticked over.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°Mmm,¡± Julia nodded as her gaze lingered on Svanda¡¯s powerful frame that her usual black tank top was stretched over.

    Reina inwardly sighed while pretending that she didn¡¯t see Julia¡¯s teeth on her lips, changing her attention to finishing the wine in her glass. After pouring herself another from the bottle that sat on the table, she leant back in her chair and interrupted Julia¡¯s daydream. ¡°Well, this package that you mentioned then?¡±

    ¡°Oh, business now is it?¡± Julia smirked as her gaze moved from Svanda to a button on the table that she pressed. Moments later, an attendant entered before silently placing a manila envelope on the table. Waiting until after the attendant withdrew, Reina opened the envelope and glanced at the single sheet of paper within. After she skimmed the page, she set it down on the table.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°The Cloud Orchestra won¡¯t take this,¡± Reina said as she pointed at the piece of paper. ¡°You should have already known that before you asked.¡±

    Unfazed by her reply, Julia smiled. ¡°No is just your opening part of the bargain, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Reina frowned as she picked up the piece of paper again. Reading it in more detail, she looked over the top of it to meet Julia¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Alan taking this?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask him because I¡¯m sick of owing him favours,¡± Julia replied as she crossed her arms and stared into space for a moment as though she was remembering something. ¡°He doesn¡¯t buy the little sister card anymore.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t have started to compete for business with him then,¡± Reina shrugged as she placed the paper back inside the envelope. ¡°This is too dangerous. I don¡¯t want to put my team at risk, so I¡¯ll have to tell you that I¡¯m not interested.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t even seen my offer yet,¡± Julia pouted as she took the envelope herself. Extracting the page before glancing over it, she set it back down before picking up a pen. ¡°I admit there¡¯s an element of risk, but what about for this figure?¡±

    Seeing the amount that Julia wrote on the paper, Reina sighed as she took a second glance. ¡°And how exactly are we supposed to bring this stuff through?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t working that out part of the job?¡± Julia laughed even though she knew that she was asking for a lot. Contrary to her expectations, however, Reina ignored her and instead pressed the button that activated the speaker.

    ¡°Pack up, we¡¯re leaving,¡± she said as her voice was transmitted to the other side of the soundscreen. While Nina looked confused, Svanda seemed to understand as she quickly grabbed the second bottle of wine before leaving the discarded weapons on the bench. After taking a swig from the opened bottle that she hadn¡¯t had time to fully enjoy, she moved into Nina¡¯s booth before grabbing the other unopened wine bottle and picking up the magazines for the pistol.

    ¡°Put them away, let¡¯s go,¡± she said as she dropped the magazines in Nina¡¯s hand, who then stuffed them into her jacket. After sliding the pistol in her other pocket, Svanda guided her past the now rising soundscreen and up the stairs. With a curt nod in Julia¡¯s direction, the pair headed out the open door to find that Reina had already made it halfway down the hallway while clutching a manila envelope.

    ¡°Here,¡± Svanda said as she handed the bottle of wine she had taken from Nina¡¯s booth to Reina. After glancing at it for a moment, Reina snatched the bottle from Svanda¡¯s hand without a word after they had entered the elevator.

    Nina felt awkward as the three of them stood in the elevator. It was obvious that Reina was annoyed, but she didn¡¯t want to ask why. As someone that had always seemed so composed, what had happened? When she thought back to Julia¡¯s smile when they had left, she wondered if Julia had actually got one up on her.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t go well, did it?¡± Svanda asked, much to Nina¡¯s delight. While she couldn¡¯t ask what had happened, Svanda certainly could.

    ¡°She asked us to go on a suicide mission,¡± Reina said while waving the envelope around as the elevator descended. ¡°She thinks she can just throw money around and we will jump through as many hoops as she wants us to.¡±

    Svanda chuckled while Nina remained silent as the display on the elevator rapidly approached the lobby. Reina said that it was a suicide mission, but they could both see that she was still holding the envelope.

    ¡°What¡¯s worse is that she is trying to move me around like a pawn in some ridiculous game between her and Alan,¡± she added.

    ¡°A Ruryn family dispute,¡± Svanda whistled. ¡°That is something I would not like to get tangled up in.¡± Seeing Reina¡¯s expression change, she frowned. ¡°You¡¯re not getting us tangled up in it, right?¡±

    After the elevator doors opened to reveal the lobby, Reina stepped out between the respectful gestures of two attendants while Nina and Svanda both fell in behind her. Crossing the floor, Nina heard Reina laugh from in front before she turned to show the pair a mischievous smile.

    ¡°Actually, I was thinking about jumping straight into the middle of it.¡±

 Chapter 024

    ¡°Are you awake?¡±

    Nina pushed the blanket off herself as she stifled a yawn. Ignoring the tapping on her bedroom door, she swung her feet off the edge of the bed before standing up.

    ¡°Awake,¡± she mumbled as she took a quick glance in the mirror before looking at the door. About to walk over, she stopped as she heard the lock click before the door quietly opened.

    ¡°Huh? You¡¯re awake?¡± Jade asked as she spotted Nina after sneaking through the door. Slipping what looked like an improvised lock pick into her pocket, she scratched her head and stared at the floor. ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡±

    Obviously, Nina thought as she glanced at Jade. Like Julia, Jade had green hair. Jade¡¯s, however, was more of a sea-green colour that fell at random across her shoulders in waves. Wearing a sleeveless blue shirt that matched her currently downturned eyes and a pair or cream shorts, Nina thought Jade might have looked at home at a beach resort.

    That was if she removed the two thick brown belts that were strapped around her waist. With one sitting high on each hip before diving down to meet her waistline, the pair of them formed a shallow X shape with a thin silver buckle at the centre. Eyeing the orange armband that was wrapped around her bare bicep, Nina thought about asking what it felt like on bare skin before shelving the thought.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Nina asked.

    ¡°Umm, we need to leave in about half an hour, so be ready then,¡± Jade said as she raised her face to smile at Nina. ¡°Seeya.¡±

    Watching as Jade bounced out the door without giving an explanation as to why she would pick the lock to Nina¡¯s room, Nina sighed before locking it again. She didn¡¯t know if would even be useful anymore, but it still gave her a small sense of comfort. She doubted that it was a common skill amongst the team, and Svanda would probably rather just knock the door down anyway. With the door now locked, she retreated to the bathroom before stepping into the shower.

    After leaving The Eye of Iron yesterday afternoon, Reina had shut herself inside her office before spending the next few hours at her desk. Svanda had been kind enough to show Nina where to buy some books, where she had realised that she was rather lucky that the language was shared between Caecus and Neo Luesa. After buying a rather large stack and letting Svanda carry them home along with some food from a streetside stall, she had dropped them in a neat pile on her bedroom floor before opening the first story.

    Good writing, Nina thought back on the story as the hot water rained down on her. While Svanda had suggested that she read non-fiction on Neo Luesa and the other six plates, she had rejected the idea of study temporarily in favour of the chance to unwind. A nice book in bed with some takeaway food was probably as close to her old life as she was going to get, so any chance to step away from shooting a gun or dealing with people was something that she very much welcomed.

    After reading the evening away and sleeping early, she had found herself where she was now. Reina hadn¡¯t decided to change her mind, agreeing to send her on the job despite the fact that her practice had been cut short yesterday. ¡®It shouldn¡¯t be an issue,¡¯ she had said, but Nina didn¡¯t like the word shouldn¡¯t as it wasn¡¯t the word couldn¡¯t.

    Stepping out the shower and wrapping a towel around herself, Nina eyed the case which sat on the end of her bed. She knew that she was expected to take the pistol with her for her first job, but she was starting to have other ideas. Instead of walking to the office on a rainy morning with a suitcase, she was supposed to walk out into the unknown with a gun. As though her earlier fears of being twisted into a different person were materializing, she placed the case on the floor and put it out of her mind.

    Forget it, she thought as she changed into what Svanda had dubbed her work uniform. Pulling her boots over the maroon pants, she tossed the blue jacket over her shoulder before heading out the door and making her way downstairs. Once she had left, there wasn¡¯t much Reina could do about it anyway. Maybe she¡¯d get scolded, but the odds were that nobody would even realise that she wasn¡¯t carrying it.

    The office downstairs was quiet. Jade and Aline stood in silence by one of the usually empty desks, listening to whatever Reina who was sitting there had to say. Hoping that it wasn¡¯t about her, she cleared her throat as she hit the bottom of the stairs. Seeing that Nina had arrived, Reina smiled before glancing at the jacket slung over her shoulder.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°Go and get it,¡± she said before her attention returned to the duo that stood before her. While Jade and Aline didn¡¯t understand what Reina was talking about, Nina certainly did. Her plan to leave without carrying her gun had been seen through before she even had the chance to say good morning. With a dejected sigh, she walked back to her room before placing the pistol inside the jacket with a spare magazine. Throwing the jacket on, she slinked back downstairs after preparing for the incoming scolding.

    ¡°Better,¡± Reina smiled as though nothing had happened when Nina returned. Not going through a stern lecture first thing in the morning seemed to suit Reina just as much as it suited Nina, much to her delight. Seeing that the three of them were lined up and ready, Reina withdrew small package. Made from a black metal, the rectangular box was around 15 centimeters long and 5 or so centimeters wide. A tiny electronic display with a keypad was placed in the centre of the box, bright blue digits currently ticking over in a seemingly random order.

    ¡°One carries the box, one carries the key,¡± Reina said as she looked at Jade and Aline. ¡°Who¡¯s doing what?¡±

    ¡°Key!¡± Jade exclaimed as she raised her hand. ¡°Aline will take the box.¡±

    Unlike Jade¡¯s choice of shorts, Aline had opted for a black skirt that sat just above her knees and a striped orange and white hoodie. With deep purple eyes and a short bob of light pink hair that would have matched Nina¡¯s pistol, she had also run matching coloured ribbons in a fishnet pattern up her left leg. Contrary to Nina¡¯s early opinion that she was the more serious of the pair, the black smiley face that had been painted on her right cheek suggested that she might need to adjust her conclusion.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Aline sighed as she took the black container before tucking it away in her jacket. ¡°Is it an electronic key?¡±

    ¡°It is, so turn around,¡± Reina said to Jade in reply as she picked up what looked to Nina like a barcode scanner. Waiting for Jade to turn around, she pressed the scanner to the back of her neck and pressed a button. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s done. Good luck.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Jade said as she bounced in the direction of the door. ¡°We¡¯ll take care of Nina, so see you tomorrow sometime.¡±

    Reina waved as she watched the trio leave through the back door before returning to her desk. A wry smile appeared on her face when she remembered the look that Nina had given her when she had been called out. She had suspected from the start that she would try something stupid like not taking the pistol with her, and her blind guess when she had told her to ¡®go and get it¡¯ had worked out better than planned.

    ¡°Take care, Nina,¡± she muttered to nobody in particular as she leaned back in her chair in the otherwise empty office.

    <hr>

    Oblivious to the details of the exchange that had happened between Reina and Nina, Jade and Aline led the way in a direction that Nina had been before. Passing where Sem the street vendor usually sat, the group stopped slightly further up the road as Jade purchased some pastries filled with spicy meat on a stick.

    ¡°Do you usually eat something like this for breakfast?¡± Nina asked with doubt as she walked next to Jade while nibbling at the pastry. While she found it quite good, it wasn¡¯t something that she would exactly consider a usual fare for the first meal of the day. If she ate as fast as Jade did she would probably be breathing fire.

    ¡°It wakes you up,¡± Jade mumbled through a mouth full of food as she turned a corner which took them down a dim hallway that was relatively empty. Ignoring the interested gazes from the few people that were loitering around, Jade finished her pastry before tossing the stick into a passing bin with a practiced motion. ¡°Ah, we¡¯re here.¡±

    Standing before them was the heavy concrete door that Nina had passed through when she had first arrived. Like the other side, this side of the door was also stenciled with a large ¡®JE-22/6-25.¡¯ Pushing the door open, the group was met again by the dim disused stairwell that featured a black chasm in the middle.

    ¡°Why is it always so dark in here?¡± Nina asked as Jade began to tap away on the panel before them.

    ¡°It¡¯s illegal to be here, so few people use it,¡± Aline replied as she leaned over the rail and peered into the darkness below.

    ¡°Why is it still activated then?¡±

    Jade paused at the console before turning to Aline. ¡°That¡¯s a good question, do you know?¡±

    ¡°SuTSU use them occasionally. The entrances are usually locked, but someone busted the lock on this floor and it was never replaced.¡±

    Nina looked at Jade in suspicion before leaning over the railing to look down into the central void. The metal stairs that were coated in a combination of flaking red paint and rusted oranges spiraled around the outside of the shaft until they disappeared into the darkness below. It was almost eerie.

    ¡°What do normal people use then?¡± Nina asked before wondering if she had subconsciously categorized herself as abnormal.

    ¡°There are elevators.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we use them then?¡±

    ¡°They scan your armband,¡± Jade said as she finished entering the commands to configure the central chasm. ¡°It¡¯s not that much of a problem with these identities, but we still don¡¯t want SuTSU to be recording it in case.¡±

    ¡°¡­how do you get back up then?¡±

    ¡°The stairs,¡± Jade laughed as she vaulted over the railing into the darkness below, her laughter echoing around the shaft.

    ¡°And how many floors is that exactly?¡± Nina asked Aline.

    ¡°Only 95,¡± she said as she followed Jade over the railing.

    I am not looking forward to the return trip, Nina thought as she paused before hauling herself over the railing to follow Jade and Aline into the darkness below.

 Chapter 025

    After setting her feet on what seemed to be the ground floor of the tower, Nina followed Jade through the door marked ¡®JE-22/7-01¡¯ into a dark concrete hallway. Examining the few bootprints in the dust that covered the floor and the seepage in the walls, she guessed that this entrance was rarely used. Making their way through the damp air that filled the corridor, their shoes echoed in what was otherwise silence as Aline took the lead through a series of twists and turns.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± Nina asked as she watched Jade run her fingers along a series of copper pipes that had emerged from the wall. Jade turned her neck as they walked, but the dim lighting made it difficult to make out her expression.

    ¡°We¡¯re heading to the station,¡± she replied as they rounded another corner. ¡°You should try and memorize the route.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the reason that I¡¯m leading because you always forget?¡± Aline asked with a sigh.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to remember,¡± Jade complained as they turned another corner to find themselves in front of a heavy steel door. Ignoring the large red cross that had been roughly painted across the centre, she sighed as she took a keycard from her pocket before pressing it against a rusted control panel. After waiting for a moment, the panel flashed green as the mechanism in the door unlocked with a loud click that echoed down the corridor.

    What is this place? Nina thought as she followed the pair through the door to emerge in yet another dim hallway. Unlike the halls that they had previously been wandering through, the concrete floor here showed obvious signs of wear due to heavy use. Thin steel doors with small windows lined each side of the hall which stretched away from them. The protective glass that surrounded the dull lamps were either caked with dirt or smashed. The smell of filth made Nina want to pinch her nose as she set off after the pair, the thick air making it difficult to breathe.

    ¡°Is this a prison?¡± she asked as she noted that the doors featured stenciled numbers. Resisting the urge to peek through one of the small windows she ducked her head and moved in closer to the girls.

    ¡°They¡¯re residences,¡± Jade replied as she ignored the pairs of eyes that had begun to appear in the slots in the doors to investigate the noise. Clean, healthy, and well-dressed, it was obvious to the occupants that the three were outsiders. ¡°This here is the lowest of the low, the bottom of the red floors.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Nina said as she also ignored the gazes that she could feel on her. While Jade and Aline ignored the gazes because they didn¡¯t care, Nina was scared to meet the eyes of their silent observers. Thankful that they were nearing the end of the corridor, Nina jumped as a door ahead of them suddenly swung open.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay for a while?¡± a tall man dressed in rags asked as he stopped in the centre of the hallway. With patchy brown skin that was peeling and more fingers than teeth, Nina winced at the sight while the pair before her simply sighed.

    ¡°How about you get back inside?¡± Aline asked as she reached under her skirt before withdrawing a pistol. Entirely black, Aline¡¯s pistol was only around two centimeters wide. The short but tall barrel swung up until it locked onto the man¡¯s face as his expression froze. Seeing the gentle blue glow that slowly drifted through the thin tubes that were wrapped around the barrel, the man¡¯s gaze flicked between the elongated black interior of the barrel and Aline¡¯s cold expression.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said as he raised his hands in surrender before shuffling in the direction of his door. Upon reaching it, he quickly ducked through it before slamming it closed behind him. With a sigh, Aline led them past the door where it sounded as though he was piling what few belongings he owned in a makeshift barricade on the other side.

    ¡°Handy, isn¡¯t it?¡± Aline asked as she waved her pistol in Nina¡¯s general direction before placing it back where it came from. Nina guessed that she was wearing a thigh holster, but didn¡¯t ask. What she found even more confusing, however, was where Jade was supposed to be hiding something. If it was as thin as Aline¡¯s, maybe she just stuffed it in her pants.

    The group eventually wormed their way through enough corridors to end up on what seemed to be a main thoroughfare. Examining their surroundings, Nina found that the differences between the red levels and the orange levels above were rather apparent. While the orange levels had been a lively melting pot of peoples, styles, and d¨¦cor, the street that she now walked on was depressing. As her gaze drifted across the rotting wooden fa?ades of the businesses that lined the street, she tried to ignore the thick scent of body odor and filth that hung in the air. Dim and flickering lights illuminated the slow flow of people that was like a stagnating pond as eerie laughter and questionable soliciting reached her ears. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Trying to ignore the people that watched them from the front of run down pubs and restaurants with faded signs, she tried to stay as close to Jade and Aline as possible.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, nobody will try anything,¡± Jade comforted her as they moved through the crowd. Like Jade said, the people stared but didn¡¯t approach them, instead parting in a similar manner as Reina had parted the crowds above them before. Walking past what Nina thought was a group of prostitutes, she shuddered as they turned a final corner before their destination appeared before them.

    ¡°There it is, the JE-22 lower station,¡± Jade whistled as they approached.

    ¡°Lower?¡±

    ¡°Yep, the lower,¡± Jade smiled as she stopped before the large concrete wall that stood before them. ¡°There¡¯s a lower, middle, and a higher station.¡±

    ¡°Why are we using the lower one?¡± Nina asked as she looked at the wall. Unlike the rest of the floor, there were no buildings that backed onto the station. Instead, a pathway that was a few meters wide sat between it and the collection of run down businesses like a moat. How were they supposed to enter?

    ¡°The middle station is on the green level, while the higher station is on the purple level,¡± Jade responded as she looked over to their right to see a sign that pointed towards the entrance to the station. Ignoring it, however, she followed Aline who had set off in the other direction.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t we going in?¡± Nina asked as they began to walk along the wall.

    ¡°SuTSU manages the stations,¡± Aline explained as she turned away from the wall. ¡°Like the main elevators which can take you straight inside the station, the entry points here also record passenger details.¡±

    ¡°I thought SuTSU didn¡¯t care about down here?¡± Nina asked as Aline turned into what looked to be a clothes store on the opposite side of the path. As they entered, her gaze swept over the shades of browns and grey filled the racks under a cloud of smoke. Two old men played chess at the counter with an overflowing ashtray to the side.

    ¡°The stations are different, they¡¯re walled off and easy to manage,¡± Aline replied as she nodded to the men before walking through a curtain in the back wall of the store. ¡°The data is too good to pass up, and it makes criminals reluctant to use the system.¡±

    Nina followed her through the curtain and then past what seemed to be a few poor excuses for fitting rooms. At the end, she stepped into the final fitting room which was rather cramped once Jade closed the door behind them. As Aline swung the mirror from the wall to reveal a hatch in the floor behind it, she realised that they would be entering the station in a not particularly legitimate fashion. Wondering why she expected anything else, she followed Aline down a small ladder to find herself in a narrow passage that required her to hunch over.

    ¡°Hope you¡¯re not claustrophobic,¡± Jade laughed as she brought up the rear after returning the mirror to its original position. Barely wide enough for her shoulders to fit, Nina wondered how someone like Svanda would fare in such a tunnel. Following the dim light that came from the dull yellow bulbs above them, they passed under the path and then the wall before climbing up a small ladder.

    ¡°Be quiet and wait,¡± Aline whispered as she pressed a button on the wall before waiting in silence. Nina could hear muffled voices from the other side of the wall, but stopped trying to make out the words as she felt Jade press up against her. The landing at the top of the ladder was small, and when Jade had joined them there wasn¡¯t really space enough space. Squished together, Nina felt Jade¡¯s hands slowly wrap around her waist as she was pinned between her and Aline.

    ¡°Sorry to make you wait,¡± a voice came as the wall in front of them turned to bright light. Ducking out from Jade¡¯s grasp, Nina stepped through the opening behind Aline to find that they were standing in what seemed to be a small convenience store. A magazine shelf had been moved forward to allow them to step out while a young man with a mop of straw coloured hair smiled at them.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, thanks Hamiar,¡± Aline said as she helped the man push the magazine rack back into place, hiding the opening that they had appeared from. ¡°We¡¯ll be coming back tomorrow sometime.¡±

    ¡°No problem, see you then,¡± the man named Hamiar replied as he went back to the small counter that sat by the door before turning his attention to a small TV that was placed upon it.

    Nina glared at Jade before following Aline up the thin staircase and stepping out onto what seemed to be one of many platforms. Unlike the grim surroundings that they had walked through before, the massive station was a sleek combination of modern design and concrete. Nina guessed that the space was at least five floors high and some fifty meters across, and she wondered why the poor residents she had seen earlier didn¡¯t simply spend time here instead. It would make sense if they were denied entry. Concrete platforms ran alongside transparent tube-shaped tunnels that stretched away from them, shops like from where they had emerged lining the other side. It seemed that the platform they were on was far from the central lifts, so there were few people on this side of the station.

    Nina saw that white cylinders seemed to be gliding through the tubes before either stopping or leaving the station, with some stacked up at platforms while others lay empty.

    ¡°Suits,¡± Aline said as she nodded in the direction of the platform over before casually strolling in the direction of some of the white cylinders that were lined up at their platform. ¡°Take a good look, although I doubt you¡¯ll forget what they look like.¡±

 Chapter 026

    Nina¡¯s gaze followed the direction that Aline had nodded in to see a group of three men and two women walking along the next platform. Wearing armless grey cloaks that stopped at their thighs and black pants underneath, their white boots marched along in rhythm. The uniforms were surprisingly featureless besides a few pockets, only a small logo that looked like a collection of layered isometric squares printed on their chests. Although their builds were different, they all shared the same jet black hair that was dressed in a variety of styles.

    ¡°Attractive, aren¡¯t they?¡± Jade laughed as they moved towards one of the stationary cylinders.

    Nina continued to study the group to realise that Jade was right. While the thin cloaks on the women seemed to tantalizingly hang off their round figures, they also highlighted the powerful broad shoulders of the men. All featuring white skin that was close to being devoid of imperfections and sharp sets of piercing eyes, the group seemed almost celestial in comparison to what Nina had seen on the orange and red floors.

    ¡°And now imagine what kind of hardware they¡¯re packing under those cloaks,¡± Aline said as they approached the white cylinder that sat at the front of the line. Staring at the group, Nina was surprised to be caught as one of the suits turned to meet her curious gaze as though he had detected it. Seeing that she reacted by looking towards the ground in fright, the suit ignored her before continuing onwards.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re used to it,¡± Jade smiled as they reached the cylinder. Around two meters high and three meters long with a pointed nose, the white bullet-shaped tube shone under the bright lights that hung high above them. Sitting in the transparent pipe which had the centre of the cylinder sitting level with the platform, Nina wondered if it was made of some form of plastic or if it was metallic.

    ¡°In we get,¡± Aline said as the pressed a button on the exterior of the tube. Once pressed, a hole opened in not only the tube around it, but also in the white cylinder inside it. Watching as Aline ducked into the opening, Nina followed her to find that there were a couple of steps.

    Four black seats sat in pairs inside the bullet-like cylinder with a brown coffee table in the centre, reminding Nina of a small sofa setting. With grey carpet and a white wall that featured a single screen to the side, Nina watched as Aline flopped down on one of the seats underneath the single light that was mounted in the centre of the ceiling. The inside of the cylinder was only slightly smaller than it had appeared to be on the outside, which told Nina that there wasn¡¯t all that much space between the interior and the exterior.

    ¡°KF-14,¡± Jade said as the door closed behind her. Seeing that Nina had sat opposite Aline, she decided to sit next to Nina before smiling in response to her cold gaze. ¡°It was just a joke.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t grope her, did you?¡± Aline sighed as she lay back into the seat. Unlike the public transport that Nina was used to, the seats here were actually quite comfortable.

    ¡°Like I said, it was a joke,¡± Jade said as she mirrored Aline¡¯s action before closing her eyes.

    Nina sat in silence as she thought that she felt the cylinder begin to move, although the lack of windows left her unsure. While some of the technology she had seen had felt almost backwards, other things like the boots she had seen, the weapons, and being able to jump from such heights had been far beyond her imagination.

    ¡°So where is KF-14?¡± she asked before they could both doze off and leave her with nothing but questions.

    ¡°Oh, right, a map,¡± Aline said as she pressed a button on a small control panel in the armrest of her seat. In response, the screen on the wall flicked on to display a circle which seemed to consist of smaller circles. ¡°This is called a capsule, by the way,¡± she added, nodding in reference to the cylinder that the group sat in.

    A lot of circles, Nina realised.

    ¡°This is Luem, the capital city of this plate,¡± Jade said as she waved her hand in the general direction of the screen. ¡°Each dot represents a building, with AA-01 being in the centre and following buildings tightly spiraling outwards.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s so many?¡± Nina thought back to when she had first descended upon Luem and how it had seemed to be an endless forest of concrete. Now it was beginning to make sense why. The amount of dots that made up the circle on the screen was incredible.

    ¡°Well, you can count,¡± Aline replied as she pressed another button on the panel which caused the map to zoom in. ¡°AA-01, AA-02, up to AA-99. Then you have AB-01, AB-02¡­ you get the picture.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°So that¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Around 23,500 towers in the spiral between us and the centre, and then even more outside,¡± Jade answered her question before she could calculate. ¡°The distance isn¡¯t bad as the crow flies, but the lower transport system only goes outwards in a spiral.¡±

    ¡°So many,¡± Nina sighed as she looked at the map. Even now after it had zoomed to centre on their journey, dots still filled the screen as though they were simply large pixels.

    ¡°KF-14 is only 2,764 towers away, so it doesn¡¯t take that long,¡± Aline laughed as she adjusted her position on the sofa. ¡°Get comfortable though.¡±

    Not that long? Nina thought. Either the towers themselves were tiny or the capsule that they were travelling in was capable of traveling at insane speed.

    ¡°Here,¡± Jade said as she pressed a different button on her own control panel which replaced the map with a new set of information.

    Time to destination: 5h 5m :: Current speed: 925km/h.

    About to exclaim that they were traveling so fast, Nina paused as she saw that the current speed continued to increase past 1,000km/h. Watching with a mixture of unease and awe, she waited until the current speed seemed to reach the maximum.

    Time to destination: 5h 3m :: Current speed: 1202km/h.

    ¡°So fast,¡± she murmured as she watched the display bounce between 1,200 and 1,205. Despite the fact that they were supposedly traveling at a speed that was frankly insane to Nina, the ride was as smooth and as quiet as when they had first left the station.

    ¡°The systems up top are supposed to be even faster,¡± Jade sighed as she curled up on her chair before mumbling that they should have bought snacks. After Aline told her that they would stop for a break after an hour or so, she smiled before placing her feet on the table and closing her eyes.

    Aline¡¯s proposal had also pleased Nina as she had been concerned about being stuck in the small sitting space for five hours without a break. Although she hadn¡¯t had much to drink this morning, she had still been concerned that she was going to have to ask some awkward questions about what facilities were available. Relieved, she sat back and began to do some simple calculations in her head. At 1,200km/h, it told her that they were travelling around 6,000km away from JE-22. If there were around 2,750 towers in between them, each tower was probably only around 2km square.

    Only, she thought as she inwardly sighed. While it seemed small at first, she had to consider that The Cloud Orchestra was already almost 100 floors from the ground, and that was still considered low. Svanda had told her that there were yellow, green, blue, purple, and white floors above them, so if there were 70 red floors and only 45 orange floors, she guessed that higher colours had even less.

    ¡°How many floors are on each tower?¡±

    ¡°Usually 240,¡± Aline replied although her eyes were closed. It seemed that the pair of them had the intention to doze through the first leg of their journey and as Nina didn¡¯t want to disturb them further, she returned to her own thoughts.

    Although she understood that the pair was essentially walking her through her first job, she didn¡¯t have much of an idea about what they were exactly supposed to be doing in the first place. If it was as simple as dropping some stuff off somewhere else, she didn¡¯t see why The Cloud Orchestra were even needed. Sure they had dodged the security at the station, but Nina had a feeling that there had to be more to it than what she had been led to believe.

    What exactly that was, however, was a different question. Why wasn¡¯t this job assigned to someone like Dari Corp who specialized within Luem? She thought that maybe Reina was simply a shrewd businesswoman if she had started The Cloud Orchestra while she had been at the orange level, but chalked the idea off. Reina didn¡¯t seem the type to run errands, and she was going places. She was young and it was obvious that she had already climbed quite far, so would she end up heading in the direction of someone like Julia who was obviously a few cuts above the other people they had been dealing with?

    Probably not, considering that she seemed to enjoy the orange level. If it was nostalgia, that the crowds that split apart for her, or the ability to hide from SuTSU that kept her there, she could only guess. What she did know was that she needed to just do whatever was askedof her until Reina ended up taking her on their adventure through the plates. Once that happened, they would have to pass back through Caecus, and there she would have an opportunity to take matters into her own hands. Did Reina even know where she had lived anyway? If she lost them and disappeared home to bury herself under the blankets, would they find her?

    They might not, but SuTSU might if they had done it once before. The fact that SuTSU might find her while Reina couldn¡¯t wasn¡¯t something that sounded particularly appealing to her either. While Hala, Cross, and Reina had all told her that she would have been taken by SuTSU to be used as some kind of unpaid workhorse, Nina imagined for a moment that she had instead been recruited to be a suit. Her figure might not have been as fantastic, but with her hair and pale face, she thought that she could have passed with a little work. Would she inherit that lofty air that others seemed to be mesmerized by? Would she become someone with an air like Reina if she slipped that grey cloak over her head?

    Like I would be brought down here to be some cross between a soldier and a police officer, she thought as she closed her eyes. Unfortunately, it seemed like it was going to be a long trip.

 Chapter 027

    After stepping out from the capsule for the final time, Nina sighed in relief. Although she probably wasn¡¯t as happy as Jade that their journey had finished, she had still been fed up with sitting in the small but comfortable capsule regardless of how many breaks they had. The number of breaks for that matter had reached four due to Jade¡¯s regular complaint that she needed to step outside and stretch her legs. Nina thought about telling her that the coffee she purchased at each stop wasn¡¯t exactly helping, but decided to let it slide.

    Like JE-22, it seemed that getting outside without passing through a checkpoint was necessary. After all, suddenly appearing at KF-14 without registering any previous entry to another station might raise some interesting flags with SuTSU. Unsurprisingly, Jade and Aline knew where they were going as they headed straight for a teahouse. Away from the crowded main platforms and complete with collection of low tables which sat around a small pond, their feet padded across the bamboo mats as they stepped inside. After a quick word with someone working behind the counter, they were taken to a private room where a ladder was pushed against the ceiling. Removing the panel above them, a second ladder stretched away into the dim shaft above.

    ¡°It runs inside the wall for about twenty meters, so don¡¯t fall,¡± Jade laughed as she disappeared up the ladder. Leaving Aline to bring up the rear, Nina followed Jade as she began to climb. Luckily, the shaft was less than a metre square so Nina could lean back on the opposite wall if she needed a break.

    ¡°I prefer the tunnels,¡± Jade sighed above her as they continued to climb. ¡°Can¡¯t have ¡®em everywhere though otherwise they¡¯re too obvious for SuTSU.¡±

    ¡°Are there ways out at every station?¡± Nina asked as she felt her arms begin to tire. They were almost there, but she was reminded that if she was going to be travelling more instead of sitting at a desk, she would probably need to improve her fitness.

    ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be, but it¡¯s not like we know about that many of them either,¡± Jade replied as she reached the top before stepping on a small landing. ¡°They¡¯re hard to find information on, expensive to use, and highly exclusive. The more people that know about one, the higher the chance that whoever is responsible will land in very hot water with SuTSU.¡±

    Thinking that it made sense, Nina waited on the landing as Aline stepped up behind her. Jade pressed a button on the wall without sending her hands anywhere questionable as the group waited for whoever was on the other side in silence. After a brief wait, a woman opened a path for them as they emerged from the inside of an unused wardrobe. Finding that they were in a bedroom of an apartment, Nina smiled in thanks as the trio exited without a word.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to pay?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll bill Reina,¡± Aline said as she led them through another maze of hallways that surrounded the nearby residences. As they had climbed through the wall up the side of the station which spanned five floors, they had emerged on KF-14/7-05, a floor which Nina unfortunately found quite similar to JE-22/7-01.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t climbing that far, are we?¡± Nina asked as Aline swiped their way through another door with a painted cross on it before guiding them to another unused stairwell. Flickering lights illuminated the rusting metal stairs which were covered in a fine layer of dust. Without a breeze in the unused shaft, the air felt stale as Nina looked upwards while wrinkling her nose. Like the stairs in JE-22, they ran in a square pattern around the walls with a void in the centre.

    ¡°Glass Heart is on 6-32, so that¡¯s¡­ 97 floors from here,¡± Jade moaned as they began their ascent.

    After a short rest at halfway, the group eventually trudged up the final flight of stairs before staring at the concrete door that read KF-14/6-32. While Jade had suggested that they should take another quick break before heading out, Aline instead ignored her as she set off onto the streets beyond. Nina, who was examining their surroundings as they walked, decided that while the places were certainly different, the overall feel of the floor was rather similar to where The Cloud Orchestra were based. Like back in JE-22, the main thoroughfares were situated on 6-01 and 6-25, so the streets around 6-32 were quite thin and relatively empty. As they walked, the concentration of businesses seemed to decrease as they continued down increasingly narrow paths before Aline stopped to knock on the door of a residence.

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°A glassblower,¡± Aline replied before the door swung open in response. Strolling through the door, she smiled before heading through the living room of the residence like she owned the place.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Jade said as she pulled Nina through the door. With little choice but to follow Jade who still held her by the hand, Nina was led through what seemed to be a normal apartment with plain white walls and a concrete floor. As they passed a sitting room, Nina caught a glimpse of an old man watching a TV while smoking a cigarette before they passed a young girl who ran up the hallway in the other direction without a word.

    ¡°Why are we in someone¡¯s house?¡± she asked as her eyes drifted across a series of framed photos that were arranged in a spiral pattern on the wall. Not only did the household seem to be functioning normally, the occupants seemed to ignore their presence too. It was almost as though they were expected or that this was a common occurrence, but who would let just anyone walk into their home?

    ¡°To get to Glass Heart,¡± Jade said as she pushed through a door at the end of the hall that was slowly closing after Aline¡¯s passage. Following her through, Nina was surprised yet not so surprised at what lay before her.

    Glass Heart was a bar, and a surprisingly tidy bar at that considering where they were. In the shape of a cube with sides of around eight meters, the outside of the floor was surrounded in U-shaped booths that all faced a bar which sat in the centre of the space. With sleek black seating and brushed metal tables, the booths gave Nina a clean but cold feel as she followed Jade across the black and grey tiles of carpet to a set of steel stairs. Glancing at the cube-shaped lamps of different sizes that hung from the ceiling on strings, Nina climbed the stairs to realise that there was a second level of booths that sat above the first.

    ¡°Glass Heart is a hub for information,¡± Aline explained from one of the few previously empty booths as Jade and Nina slid in on each side of her. Watching as a screen rose from the centre of the table to face her, she withdrew the rectangular box that she had carried over before sliding it across to Jade. ¡°Bring some drinks back, will you?¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Jade replied before she took the container and disappeared back down the stairs before heading to the bar.

    ¡°It¡¯s unique here in that the network is completely closed from the outside,¡± Aline explained as she pulled out what Nina guessed was a memory drive of sorts before inserting it into a slot on the side of the screen. ¡°If you want information, you have to come and buy it in person.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°So it can¡¯t be accessed from the outside,¡± Aline replied as her fingers danced across a small touchpad that had appeared on the screen. ¡°Like how apartments completely surround this place for protection, the network is also completely insulated.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why we¡­¡±

    ¡°Why we entered through the apartment,¡± Aline pointed at a few doors on the ground floor after completing Nina¡¯s sentence. ¡°The only way inside is through a series of apartments with a password. It makes this place difficult to find.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Nina mused as she watched from the booth as Jade handed the rectangular box over at the bar below. After a quick conversation, she turned around and let the bartender scan the back of her neck in a similar fashion to how Reina had done it before they had set out.

    ¡°The key to unlocking the container is stored on her chip,¡± Aline said before Nina could ask, thinking for a second and then asking where Nina¡¯s chip was. Seeing Nina point to her collarbone where the chip had been inserted, she smiled. ¡°Just like her.¡±

    Just like Reina, Nina assumed was what she was referring to, but decided to ignore it as Jade climbed the stairs with three glasses. Unlike the ale that she had been used to drinking, these blue drinks in small glasses were clearly some kind of cocktail, something that Nina had never particularly been a fan of.

    ¡°Cheers to a job complete! Well, mostly complete,¡± Jade said as she passed two of the glasses over to Aline and Nina. Seeing that Aline was more interested in the terminal that sat before her, she sighed before turning to Nina. ¡°Well, not complete until we get home, but this is pretty close.¡±

    Aren¡¯t you just raising flags? Nina thought as she sipped the cocktail before wincing. Was this a cocktail or was it rocket fuel?

    Jade smiled at her reaction as though it was expected before turning to Aline. ¡°Anything interesting?¡±

    ¡°Interesting yes, but not so useful,¡± Aline sighed as she continued to flick through the available information. ¡°Most of the data doesn¡¯t have any relation to JE-22 or nearby towers. At this rate, it looks like we can just have an easy night tonight and then head back in the morning.¡±

    ¡°Works for me,¡± Jade smiled as she slouched in her seat while pointing at her glass. ¡°Are you going to buy the general news package?¡±

    ¡°Might as well while we¡¯re here. Reina and Euris usually like to read it,¡± Aline replied as she pressed a button on the touchpad before downloading the data onto her memory stick. Once complete, she turned her attention to the drink that Jade had placed next to the terminal, her face turning into a scowl when she saw the blue liquid sitting in the glass. ¡°You really got this crap again?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s great,¡± Jade smirked at she sipped her glass as though proving her point. About to follow up with another comment about how the cocktail was great, she instead paused as she reached for her pocket before bringing out a small phone. Reading what Nina assumed was a message, she watched as Jade¡¯s eyes widened before she stood up.

    ¡°We need to leave, now,¡± she whispered while turning in the direction of the stairs before quickly disappearing down them without another word.

 Chapter 028

    ¡°Go,¡± Aline hissed before the pair stood up and rushed down the stairs after Jade, ignoring the curious gazes from the onlookers. Nina had questions, but she certainly didn¡¯t have time to ask them. It was obvious that there was a problem and the only option she had was to trust in Aline¡¯s judgement. Hitting the bottom of the stairs, they quickly followed after Jade who had already pushed her way into the nearest apartment. Ignoring the surprised occupants, they raced down the hallway before bursting through the door to the street.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Nina asked as she followed the couple that walked in front of her at a rather quick pace. Watching as Aline checked the message on her own phone, she saw her frown before seemingly picking the pace up yet again.

    ¡°Just shut up and walk,¡± Aline replied as they turned a few more corners before slowing a little. Seeing that the atmosphere seemed to defuse ever so slightly as a result, Nina was about to ask again but changed her mind when Aline glared in response. It seemed like Glass Heart was the issue, and they were getting away from it as soon as possible.

    Nina didn¡¯t have to wait for long to have her assumption clarified. She was sure that she had found the answer herself when they rounded the next corner and came across another group of people walking towards them.

    Dressed in sleeveless grey cloaks and shining white boots, the group marched along the street in their direction. With black hair that looked almost glossy in the light and a collection of cold expressions, Nina instantly realised who these people were.

    Suits.

    This group of suits, however, was different from the group that they had seen back at the station on JE-22. Walking in the centre of the group, flanked by a man and a woman on each side, was a broad shouldered man who was dressed differently. Instead of a grey coat, a white coat covered his white pants and black boots, the golden logo on his chest complimenting his short black hair that was swept back in a wave. If Nina had described the suits from before as ¡®almost¡¯ celestial, with deep blue eyes and a strong jawline, this man was the real deal.

    Finding it difficult to take her eyes off him, the two groups closed in on each other. The suits were spread out in a V formation that filled the narrow street as Aline led Jade and Nina to the left hand side. Without breaking stride, the man in the centre looked at the trio with interest.

    ¡°You aren''t looking for glassware, are you?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Aline asked with a feigned look of confusion. Thankfully she had been there to reply as Nina would have surely given away some form of reaction. Hell, she was so entranced that she would have probably walked away with the man if he had extended his arm for her.

    ¡°Never mind,¡± he shrugged with a nonchalant expression as one of the suits to his side moved inwards to let the trio slip past. Resisting the urge to breathe a heavy sigh of relief, the group had only walked five or so meters before Nina heard what she had previously daydreamed about, but also dreaded.

    ¡°You, in the blue jacket.¡±

    Nina froze with panic as her body tensed. As Jade and Aline also stopped with caution, the group turned to look at the man who had stopped in the centre of the road.

    ¡°Have we met before?¡±

    Nina thought for only an instant before she had come to her conclusion. If she had met someone that had entranced her like this before, she certainly wouldn¡¯t have forgotten about it.

    ¡°N-No¡­¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± the man replied as he studied her face with interest before his eyes flicked over Jade and Aline. ¡°Good day then.¡±

    Nina politely nodded as the man turned before continuing up the road to what the she guessed would be Glass Heart, confirming to herself that this was the reason that they had left in such a rush. If they had been caught inside when the suits had arrived, they would have certainly been quarantined at best, and imprisoned at worst.

    ¡°Have to buy Euris a present for that one,¡± Jade sighed as she tapped her pocket in reference to the message that both she and Aline had received. Nina didn¡¯t have a phone yet, but she was now resolute to pick one up as soon as possible. ¡°Nina, you haven¡¯t seen that guy before?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m sure I haven¡¯t.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Jade laughed as they returned to one of the larger streets on the level. ¡°Yeah, I wouldn¡¯t forget a man like that either.¡±

    ¡°Enough messing around,¡± Aline scowled as she tried to drag the attention back to their situation. ¡°I¡¯m cutting the plan short, so we¡¯re leaving as soon as possible, which means now. We have to put as much distance as possible between us and KF-14. If someone at Glass Heart gives them a description of people who left in a hurry before they arrived, we¡¯ll instantly become the most wanted people in the tower.¡±

    ¡°Not the people at Glass Heart?¡±

    ¡°The bigger issue for them will be that we were tipped off. If they realise that, they will probably lock down the station.¡± Aline sighed as they passed through the security door that led to the abandoned stairwell. ¡°If that happens we¡¯ll have a real problem.¡±

    ¡°Is it even possible to get back without a capsule?¡±

    ¡°We could, but it takes ages and it isn¡¯t easy either,¡± Jade said as she finished configuring the panel at the landing. Satisfied with her work, she hopped up onto the railing before stepping off, disappearing into the darkness below. Nina and Aline nodded at one another before jumping down close behind her as they headed towards the station. They wouldn¡¯t know if they had a problem or not until they got there, not that Nina knew what would happen if a lockdown had already been enforced anyway.

    ¡°It should be fine,¡± Aline said as she knocked on the door to the apartment that contained the ladder that led to the station. The woman who had let them out from the fake wardrobe not even an hour ago was surprised when she opened the door, but nodded as she led the group back to the secret passage without asking any questions. Nina wondered why nobody ever talked or asked any questions, whether it was etiquette or that nobody wanted to know in the first place. Whichever it was, maybe it was for the best.

    The group made their way down to the station without any issues before emerging from the teahouse with caution. The cat was only one phone call away from being out of the bag, so they were relieved when the station appeared to be quiet. With the station under no more suit presence than normal, they jumped into the nearest capsule without a second thought before speeding off towards JE-22.

    ¡°Well that certainly didn¡¯t go as expected,¡± Aline sighed as she slumped back into the chair. ¡°At least we delivered what we needed to.¡±

    ¡°I missed out on the rest of the cocktails that were on special,¡± Jade pouted in response as though the drinks were more important than avoiding arrest. ¡°And I¡¯m not going to ever get one there again.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Glass Heart is finished,¡± Aline said softly with a tinge of sadness as the group sat there in silence for a moment. Even if the bar was somehow allowed to remain open, nobody would risk dealing information with a system that had previously been penetrated by SuTSU.

    ¡°How did SuTSU even know where they were?¡± Nina asked. Judging by how Jade and Aline had talked, Glass Heart had been operating for quite some time. While she knew it wasn¡¯t possible, she still linked her first trip there and the suits turning up at essentially the same time together. She didn¡¯t have a tracking device on her, did she?

    Realizing that it wasn¡¯t the answer when she considered the man¡¯s question about glass, she felt a little better. The suits had been equipped with more information than she had, so the issue couldn¡¯t have anything to do with her. The fact that the man seemed to recognize her, however, was strange. They were quite literally worlds apart. Not only because they sat on opposite sides of the fence, but also because she was from Caecus.

    ¡°That¡¯s the interesting question,¡± Aline mused. ¡°Someone on the inside has blown the whistle for SuTSU and nobody is going to be sure who it was. Thankfully Glass Heart isn¡¯t that close to JE-22, because business under the table is going to be very strained for trust around here in the future.¡±

    ¡°Reina is still going to comb through a list of everyone she knows that had something to do with Glass Heart,¡± Jade chuckled before stifling a yawn. ¡°She¡¯s going to be mad too.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Nina asked. Surely it was possible to get the information that they needed from elsewhere. In fact, if they were at the level that they could be tipped off about suit movement, why did they even need Glass Heart in the first place?

    ¡°The value of information on KF-14 will plummet,¡± Aline answered. ¡°The way in and out of the station, how to access the stairwell, the location of Glass Heart itself, none of it is as valuable if Glass Heart doesn¡¯t exist.¡±

    ¡°And Reina does not like it when something she has invested in loses value, even if she has got enough profit out of it in the first place,¡± Jade added. ¡°So do your best Nina.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Well, Reina invested to get you here, didn¡¯t she?¡± Jade answered with a smile.

    ¡°Way to put pressure on me,¡± Nina sighed in response as she closed her eyes. When she thought back on it, she comprehended just how lucky they had been. She didn¡¯t know if SuTSU fined, imprisoned, or even executed people that were caught on the wrong side of the law, but the three of them had been only moments away from finding out. Intrigued, she asked what would happen to the people who were caught at Glass Heart.

    ¡°The people caught?¡± Aline raised an eyebrow. ¡°They will probably get dropped in the badlands.¡±

    ¡°The badlands?¡±

    ¡°Underneath Neo Luesa is the Luesa Badlands, the lowest of the three plates controlled by SuTSU. Almost all of the passages through the plate are under their control, and there is no way back up here.¡±

    Nina thought for a moment before becoming slightly confused. ¡°So why do they drop people through then?¡±

    Aline grinned as she leaned forward. ¡°Besides the fortresses that were built by SuTSU¡­ the whole plate is a prison.¡±

 Chapter 029

    ¡°A prison?¡±

    ¡°Well, more or less,¡± Aline mused. ¡°Not anything like what you¡¯re thinking of, probably.¡±

    ¡°And we have to travel through there, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jade laughed. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ interesting. You¡¯ll see for yourself soon enough.¡±

    ¡°Not as soon as you would have if we had been caught in the Glass Heart though,¡± Aline joked before the group turned quiet. Maybe it was too soon to joke at the misfortune of the others.

    To break the awkwardness, Nina pressed the button by her seat to show them that they were indeed travelling at a fraction over 1,200km/h. She had been concerned during their escape from KF-14 that the capsules may be stopped and searched, but she relaxed once she saw how far away they had moved. As there were so many towers in Neo Luesa, it was impossible for them to increase the suit patrols at every station. Now that they had been whisked away, finding them would be like finding a needle in a haystack. Or so she hoped.

    Her thoughts turned to the weight of the pistol that she could feel against her ribs. If theywere caught, would she need to use it? Would Jade and Aline start firing, or was it better to give up and at least come out in one piece? Suretheywould havetheir weapons confiscated and be dropped to the badlands below, but wouldn¡¯t it be possible to wait for the rest of The Cloud Orchestra to come and pickthem up?

    ¡°It¡¯s possible, but easier said than done,¡± Aline replied when Nina asked her the question. ¡°We do have a hangout of sorts at a place called Juicer, but getting there isn¡¯t so easy. The badlands have their own societies, their own towns, and their own businesses. SuTSU don¡¯t care about what happens to anyone there, so it has developed all in itself. Just like the lower floors here, they don¡¯t bother with the people that live in the badlands.¡±

    ¡°You do not want to go down there by yourself,¡± Jade stressed. ¡°You can imagine what happens to a defenseless girl who lands in the middle of a pack of wolves.¡±

    Nina swallowed. Maybe it was better to be shot by SuTSU forces after all. There were plenty of fates that were worse than death, and it sounded like the plate below them had more than just a few to offer. Sticking close to Svanda when it was their time to pass through the badlands was starting to seem like a pretty good idea.

    Not wanting to take any more risks than needed, the group only took a single break during the return trip. While Jade complained that the already long trip was made even worse due to a lack of snacks, it was obvious that she agreed that they should be laying low at The Cloud Orchestra as soon as possible. Much to their relief, their capsule stopped in JE-22 without an issue before the trio made their escape through the tunnel from the small store on the far platform.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been this glad to be back for a while,¡± Aline said as they entered the apartment behind The Cloud Orchestra. After making their way to the office, Nina sighed in relief as they pushed through the door.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure glad to see you all,¡± Reina said as she glided out of her office. ¡°I was worried that we wouldn¡¯t get through to you in time.¡±

    Nina saw that everyone else from The Cloud Orchestra was sitting at their desks. Jade had already sent a message through that they had made it out safely, but the lingering concerns were washed away once they had stepped through the door. Even Saela was smiling, although she was sure that it was only because Jade and Aline had returned safely. Even if Saela wasn¡¯t completely genuine, seeing the smiles from the rest of the group made Nina feel warm. After having nothing to do with her own family from an early age and a consistent lack of friends throughout her life, this was the first time in a while that she felt as though someone cared about her wellbeing. Sure you could say that her superiors at her office job cared about her wellbeing, but that was because she needed to be well to work. Her issues as a person had always been something that they couldn¡¯t care less about.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Nina said as her hands fidgeted together in front of her. While this was usually the time where she would retreat to her bedroom before diving under the blankets, she strangely didn¡¯t feel like it. Instead, she walked past a beaming Reina before taking her place at her desk that Svanda had shown her before she had left.

    ¡°Welcome back,¡± Svanda smiled as she pat Nina on the shoulder. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a close call, was it?¡±

    ¡°Actually, it was,¡± Nina replied before quickly explaining their brush with the suits only a few streets away from Glass Heart. Reina sat down at the empty desk across from Svanda¡¯s before listening with interest to Nina¡¯s story, concern crossing her face as the suits were mentioned.

    ¡°They didn¡¯t check your bands?¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t ask us,¡± Nina replied.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°I had us walk on their right,¡± Aline replied with a different answer to Nina. ¡°It should be fine, I don¡¯t think it was possible for them to see from there.¡±

    ¡°On their right?¡± Nina asked.

    ¡°We walked along the left wall, remember?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, why does that matter?¡±

    ¡°Look at your band.¡±

    Nina took off her armband. She had never really paid much attention to it, besides that it was orange and had a big barcode on it. There was, however, one extra feature that she had forgotten about. Along with the barcode that could be scanned, there was another thing that she realised would have caused some problems. Printed above the barcode was text that read ¡®JE-22,¡¯ something which would have narrowed the gigantic haystack that was Neo Luesa down to only 45 floors of a tower.

    ¡°Good thinking, you should be clear then,¡± Reina breathed a sigh of relief, although she was clearly impressed by the quick thinking. They didn¡¯t want SuTSU snooping around any closer than they were now for any reason at all. ¡°Did you complete the delivery before SuTSU turned up?¡±

    ¡°By about five minutes,¡± Jade frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t even get to finish my first drink.¡±

    ¡°If the job was complete then I can charge the account regardless of what happened afterwards,¡± Reina smiled before her expression turned sour. ¡°The whole issue is going to be a headache that I don¡¯t want to deal with though. I¡¯ll have to cross check their associates and ours in case the source of the leak is somewhere in the middle.¡±

    ¡°I bought the general news package, it¡¯s here,¡± Aline said as she waved the memory stick above her head before dropping it onto her desk. Before Reina could respond, however, a different hand had leaned over to pick it up.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do,¡± Trim laughed as she slid the stick into her computer before trying to open the drive. ¡°What¡¯s the password?¡±

    Aline looked over to Reina for approval. Seeing her nod, she leaned back in her chair. ¡°gh03.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Trim replied as she clicked her mouse a few times before the files started to extract. ¡°Did you look yet?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t have time before we got the message from Euris.¡±

    ¡°Thank her later,¡± Reina smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t know what she was up to or how she got it, but I¡¯ll have to reward her.¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± Aline said as she remembered the close encounter. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind though, it¡¯s been a long day. I¡¯ll go and take a shower.¡± Seeing Reina nod, she stood up before disappearing up the stairs. Seeing that she was leaving, Jade hopped up from her desk before bouncing up the stairs behind her.

    Reina and the group watched them go before she turned her attention to Nina. ¡°Tell us more about this SuTSU squad that stopped you. They didn¡¯t give any clues to how they knew where they were going?¡±

    Nina explained about how the man that was leading the squad had been dressed differently before recalling his opening line about glassware. Seeing Reina frown, she continued to where he had stopped them while describing his features. When she added the last part about seemingly being recognized, Reina seemed to be lost in thought.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know who he is,¡± she said after Nina had finished. ¡°But differently coloured uniforms are worn by higher ranking members of SuTSU. The fact that he recognized you is strange though.¡±

    Nina didn¡¯t know why that would be an issue, especially after she had said no. He hadn¡¯t pressed the issue and seemed to take what she said at face value. Like Jade had mentioned, it would be almost impossible to forget someone that looked like that in the first place. She certainly wouldn¡¯t be forgetting about him any time soon.

    She thought that maybe she should ask for Reina¡¯s approval to spend a couple of days by herself while she was here. Surely she had been left feeling slightly guilty after her first job had almost ended up being her last. All Nina would have to do was reinforce the idea that the three of them needed to lay low for a while. It wouldn¡¯t be great if a SuTSU sweep ran into any of them after their descriptions were potentially handed out.

    ¡°Is there any way that Euris can see if there was a report submitted about us?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Reina sighed. ¡°It depends on whether they only keep it on one of their internal networks or not. Information from inside an internal SuTSU network is too expensive for us.¡±

    ¡°Loan Euris out to Network and get her to ¡®borrow¡¯ their files,¡± Svanda suggested with a smile.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what would be harder, borrowing the database of the most powerful non-SuTSU information network on the plate or getting Euris to leave her office.¡±

    ¡°Probably the latter,¡± Trim chimed in as she withdrew the memory stick from her computer before tossing it through the air to Reina. Seeing that she caught it, she got up and stretched. ¡°It¡¯s interesting reading, but there¡¯s nothing useful. Now that the girls are back, I¡¯m going out.¡±

    ¡°So am I,¡± said Saela as her head popped up from behind the partition. After quickly scowling when her gaze met Nina¡¯s, she turned on her heel and moved towards the airlock, using the front entrance as she usually did.

    ¡°She¡¯ll come around soon,¡± Reina smiled. ¡°Hopefully,¡± she added as she watched Saela disappear down the hallway before turning to Nina. ¡°But now you should get some rest,¡± she said as she stood up before stepping back into her office. ¡°We¡¯ll keep our eyes out for anything that might be a problem, so lay low for a couple of days.¡±

    Nina nodded in response before stifling a yawn. Now that the group had broken up, the muted atmosphere left her suddenly feeling tired. It had been a long day, and a shower and some rest would probably do her good. She didn¡¯t think that there would be any issues because they had escaped without leaving a trace, but being cautious wasn¡¯t a bad idea either. If what Jade and Aline had said earlier was correct, they would probably be leaving Luem soon anyway which would help keep them occupied while SuTSU looked in the wrong place.

    After taking a second glance at Reina who had inserted the memory stick into her work computer and was now reading the contents, Nina sighed before heading up to her room to have a shower. The book that she had started before she left was waiting for her, and something told her that now she might have a couple of days to get through it.

 Chapter 030

    Sitting on a plush burgundy sofa, Captain Ormain casually leafed through the report that had turned up on his desk at the conclusion of his trip to KF-14. After his team had entered Glass Heart through an apartment earlier today, he had directed his subordinates to block the exits while enjoying the silence among the horrified occupants. Once subdued, the group was taken into custody and he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

    He hated it when he needed to be anywhere below the green floors. They were a mess of commoners crammed into a depressing concrete prison where the only living things were the people themselves. Stagnant air and noisy crowds ensured that there was never a moment of peace, and any eyes for fine design were unsurprisingly nonexistent. It was an assault on every single one of his senses that he, unless ordered to, would avoid like a plague.

    At only 27, Captain Ormain was young considering his post, but nobody would say that he didn¡¯t deserve it. Not only had his striking blue eyes and charm set him apart from the crowd of already attractive SuTSU staff, his ability to solve problems and manage people had placed him on the fast track for promotion. It was common knowledge that SuTSU usually prioritized experience when promotions were considered, but they were also intelligent enough to see that real talent should be nurtured as soon as possible.

    If Nina had been standing in the office, she would have recognized this man as the suit who had left her entranced. What would surprise her even more, however, was that this man was currently lost in thought with her at the centre of it. Ever since their brief encounter, Captain Ormain had found it difficult to shake her face from his mind, even with seemingly bigger issues in front of him.

    There was something about her, he had concluded. What that was, unfortunately, was not something that he had worked out yet. Not that that was a problem for him, in fact maybe he would even say it was the opposite. Challenges were something that he enjoyed, and this challenge was mysterious. He had initially chalked it off as his own error, but the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to conclude that it hadn¡¯t been.

    Ormain¡¯s office was lavish, a mixture of dark woods and deep reds. The timber paneling which ran up the walls was covered with ornate tapestries while the dark floor was covered with thick red carpets. His desk, which was three meters long and carved from a single tree, had taken a team of twelve an entire day to get inside. Matching the intricate swirls that ran through the timber, pot plants with bending green ferns were randomly littered across the space to remind him that there was more to this world than concrete and steel. Sighing as he looked through the light curtains that fluttered in the breeze, the sound of approaching footsteps entered his ears. Unfortunately, footsteps usually resulted in him being pried away from the fresh air that he enjoyed so much.

    ¡°Captain,¡± a voice came from the other side of his door. Without waiting for a response, one of the heavy wooden doors was pushed open as a young man stepped inside. Dressed in the standard suit uniform, a gloved hand appeared from a hidden slot in his cloak as he gave Ormain a curt salute.

    ¡°Lieutenant,¡± he replied without raising his eyes from the document. The fact that the lieutenant was here told him that there was more work for him to do, which was something that he wasn¡¯t interested in right now. Not only did he need to rest after visiting such a horrible place earlier during the day, the answer to the mystery he had come across seemed to be on the tip of his tongue.

    ¡°The head would like to see you.¡±

    About nothing that this report couldn¡¯t tell you, Ormain thought as he looked up at the lieutenant. He had come across the young man during another mission and had quickly seen his value, bringing him into his own fold before anyone else could. Reliable and with good technical knowledge, the lieutenant had soon found himself becoming an assistant of sorts, not that that was a bad thing. Anyone with a decent head on their shoulders could see that Ormain was destined to climb further, and riding in his pocket as he ascended through the ranks was an opportunity that many would snatch without a second thought.

    ¡°Did you get a good look at that woman in blue from earlier today?¡± Ormain asked as he ignored the instruction. His lieutenant often followed him around, so if anyone else had also seen this woman, he was probably the best place to start.

    ¡°I did, but I didn¡¯t recognize her,¡± the lieutenant replied. ¡°Do you have any idea where you would have met?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t, but I feel as though it wasn¡¯t that long ago,¡± Ormain frowned as he thought. ¡°It¡¯s as though the memory is fresh, as odd as it sounds.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Hearing his response, the lieutenant shuffled awkwardly before looking to the ground. Ormain knew that there he probably had something to say, but didn¡¯t want to say it. Saying the wrong thing in the hierarchy at SuTSU could be disastrous if the wrong person took offense.

    ¡°Speak lieutenant.¡±

    The man paused before taking a breath. ¡°If that¡¯s the case captain, I believe you are mistaken. You have hardly left regional HQ during the last couple of weeks and therefore haven¡¯t had the chance to meet anyone new.¡±

    Ormain paused as he dropped the paper onto the sofa with a sigh. ¡°You¡¯re right lieutenant, thank you. I will see Grant shortly. Dismissed.¡±

    Watching as the lieutenant saluted once more before disappearing through the door, Ormain leaned back into the sofa. The lieutenant was correct, there hadn¡¯t even been a chance for him to meet anybody in the last couple of weeks. Thinking that his meeting with the head could wait for a moment, he closed his eyes while massaging his temples. He didn¡¯t enjoy it when he was wrong, but right now it was looking like that was the case.

    The woman herself had said that they hadn¡¯t met, although it was still possible that she had been lying. He had his suspicions about the three women that had been walking in the general vicinity of Glass Heart when they had dropped by, but if they were guilty they had hid it well. He could tell that the woman in blue had been nervous, but that was a common reaction to suits, especially below the green floors. She had also seemed genuine in her answer.

    And if she was genuine, then he was wrong. After all, it was impossible for two people to have a one way meeting. He thought he had met her, but she hadn¡¯t met him. Therefore, it should be impossible.

    But it wasn¡¯t impossible, he realised. Standing up, he walked over to his desk before sitting down and thinking at the keyboard. There was a way that he could have seen her, but she wouldn¡¯t have seen him. To reinforce his belief that he had found the solution, it would also fit in with the fact that he had hardly left the regional HQ in the past couple of weeks.

    He had seen her on file.

    Opening the filing system on the closed SuTSU network, he trawled through his previous file history for any types of reports that would contain photographs. Now that he was sure, the fact that he was supposed to be meeting the head could wait. Depending on which file he found the woman in, they would be having a completely different type of meeting anyway.

    Picture after picture flashed before him as he repeatedly tapped a key to flick to the next profile. After getting to the end of a file, he would open the next one before repeating the same process. Wanted criminals, SuTSU staff under investigation, known foreign spies, every folder continued to turn up a blank. The feeling that he was wrong began to creep in, but he shook it off as he continued. The dread that he was going to have to explain to the head why he had been left waiting was another point that he didn¡¯t want to think about. His fingers tapped faster as he opened the next file and he continued to rifle through it.

    And then he stopped.

    He had seen it. He had flown past it in his relentless tapping, but he had seen it.

    Back, back, back.

    He smiled as he sat back in his chair while breathing a sigh of relief. He had backed himself and his faith had paid off. There, on the screen before him, was a picture of the woman in blue that he had seen earlier during the day. Her appearance in the photo was plain. Black hair with a white shirt and a black jacket was matched by disinterested look on her face. He looked for the source of the photo and was surprised to see that it was the photo from a corporate ID card.

    From Caecus.

    Seeing that she was from the world above, he checked the title of the folder where he had found the file. Seeing the title, his mouth curved into a thin smile. He always thought that he would find something interesting, but this find was more than he had bargained for. This was a case that would, if he could solve it, propel him up the ranks of SuTSU faster than he had ever dreamed of.

    Abducted Calldown -Extreme Interest-

    Calldown¡¯s were relatively uncommon. As SuTSU had such a large pool of people to pick from, there was rarely a need to source someone talented from another plate. It did happen though, and when it did happen, the person almost never disappeared in transit. It had always been something that SuTSU didn¡¯t chase as the cases were few and far between, and finding information was almost impossible. People adapted to their new environments quickly, and the sheer amount of people on the plate made it easy to hide until your file was buried among a thousand more.

    This, however, was recent. He had only remembered the file in the first place because it was newly created. Printing the file and collecting it from the printer on his desk, he smiled as he thought about how this meeting with the head would now be going in a completely different direction. This woman was his ticket upwards, and he was going to find her no matter what it took. He was going to unravel the mystery of talented people disappearing when SuTSU needed them the most, and become a star in the process.

    Ormain strode out of his office with the piece of paper, ignoring the report on his coffee table that he was supposed to present.

    I¡¯m going to find you, Nina.

 Chapter 031

    With an eye on the silver clock that sat on his desk, the head of the regional SuTSU office was reminded about how little he liked to wait. Making others wait, well that was different. To be left waiting, however, and for your own subordinate at that, was something that he found rather unpleasant.

    His office was similar to Ormain¡¯s, although it was slightly larger and sat at the corner of the floor. Any space that had a window was valuable, and the head had ensured that his space had maximized his exposure to the grim outdoors on offer. Instead of ornate tapestries, his walls were decorated with an array of certificates, awards, and photographs from his earlier days. Anyone who stepped in here would have the immediate impression that he was successful, and that would mean that the desired effect had been achieved.

    His composure cracked as he watched the Captain stride through the door with a carefree swagger. If he had dashed in and profusely apologized, maybe the head would have felt a little better. Being on the receiving end of a groveling apology wasn¡¯t so bad after all. Maybe it was even worth it if he was only left waiting for a few minutes. But this time it seemed as though he had waited for too long and had also ended up with nothing to show for it.

    Like all staff at SuTSU, the head had black hair and a coat which was draped over his shoulders. Unlike most of the staff at SuTSU though, he needed to have his hair dyed at regular intervals to push back the signs that his age was catching up to him. As his sunken black eyes watched the Captain flop down on the sofa in the centre of his office, he decided that like usual, he would need to put his foot down.

    ¡°You better have a good excuse for this Ormain,¡± he said as he rose from his desk. Stepping around it, he moved over to the sofa setting before sitting opposite the Captain. The fact that the Captain had skipped any formalities wasn¡¯t lost on him, but he knew that Ormain wasn¡¯t stupid either. Before he could even ask what was going on, the Captain flashed him a smile before sliding a single slip of paper across the coffee table that sat between them.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the report I asked for,¡± the head growled as he looked over the printout. It was a profile of a woman, a recently abducted calldown. It was a relatively rare occurrence, but chasing them up had always been essentially impossible. The fact that the Captain had handed this to him in combination with his smile had left the head intrigued though. There was only one reason that he would have done this, and like the Captain, the head understood the implications.

    ¡°So, where is she?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the Captain smiled as he leaned back. ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re going to discuss, Grant.¡±

    Not many people had the nerve to call him by his first name, and almost all of them were either above him in the SuTSU hierarchy or family members. It was bold, but Grant decided to ignore it for now as the Captain had brought him something good. It wasn¡¯t the time.

    Ormain chuckled at the lack of response. ¡°I did see her though, today actually.¡±

    Grant sighed. If this woman was anywhere near as smart as her file suggested, she would be long gone by now. He wanted to ask the Captain why he didn¡¯t pull her in the second he had the chance, but understood that he would have done so if it were possible. The woman was a walking promotion, and if you could use her to dig even deeper into how a calldown disappears, the sky was the limit.

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°Glass Heart, outside the party that we crashed earlier today.¡±

    ¡°She wasn¡¯t arrested?¡±

    ¡°They were outside,¡± Ormain sighed. ¡°Three of them, probably just leaving now that I put two and two together. We could have stopped them but I decided that it was more important to get on with the job, not to stop a woman I had a vague recollection of.¡±

    ¡°Oranges?¡± He asked referring to their armbands.

    ¡°Yeah, which is the hard part. I didn¡¯t get a good look, which was probably intentional on their part.¡± Picking up the printout that his superior had dropped back onto the table, he looked at the picture. ¡°We can find her though. No, I¡¯ll find her.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Grant had a wry smile on his face as he stood up and walked to a cabinet against the wall, taking a bottle of liquor and a pair of crystal glasses from behind the glass door and bringing them back to the sofa. Sitting down, the sound of liquor on crystal filled the silence as they both thought over the situation.

    ¡°You need manpower,¡± he finally said after the second glass was poured. Setting the bottle down before taking a glass for himself, he took a casual sip. ¡°But you don¡¯t want to advertise internally that you¡¯ve found her, do you?¡±

    ¡°Keeping it under wraps would be the hard part,¡± Ormain agreed. ¡°If other captains get wind of it, it¡¯ll be a race to find her. She could even be in a different jurisdiction by now and we¡¯d just be giving someone else a head start.¡±

    ¡°And so?¡± Grant raised an eyebrow as he watched Ormain take a sip of the liquor without a word of thanks. Sometimes he felt as though the Captain had been born for such a role. When to push, when to pull, and when to let go, he always seemed to get it right. If it was anyone other Captain that was acting like this, he would have punished them by now and thrown them out. Ormain was different though. Grant could see the spark in his eyes when something caught his attention, and once the fire in him was lit, it was impossible to put it out. ¡°How are you going to find her then?¡±

    He was sure that the idea was probably going to be overboard, but decided to humor him. He needed people to search, but at the same time he needed to keep the knowledge from spreading too far. They would be in this together, and if Ormain ended up having the woman snatched out from under his nose, he would suffer too. After all, keeping this kind of information off the table so that you could pursue your own interests was asking for trouble with the top brass.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the lieutenant and do it with my own team, I don¡¯t need anyone else.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll never find her,¡± Grant laughed at the idea. Ormain had a team of five, including himself. Even when you added the lieutenant who wasn¡¯t officially part of the squad, combing thousands of towers with six people? Even if they did find themselves in the right spot, the locals probably wouldn¡¯t cooperate with them either.

    ¡°You¡¯re thinking about this the wrong way,¡± Ormain smiled. ¡°We have smaller haystack full of people who would do anything for a few credits or weapons right below our feet. We can advertise it here and let everyone else do the hard part.¡±

    Grant paused as he processed the words for a moment until the realization hit him. He thought that Ormain would come up with something outside the box, but this wasn¡¯t just outside the box. It was a gamble that would either go well, or very, very wrong. He leaned back and sipped the liquor as he thought about the probability for success. The chance was there, but he didn¡¯t know if it was high enough to lose one of the best teams under him for an undetermined amount of time.

    ¡°And say you do find her,¡± Grant mused.  ¡°What will you do? Are you going to drag her kicking and screaming all the way back?¡±

    Ormain smiled before he drained the rest of his glass. Placing the crystal on the coffee table, he stood up. ¡°If I find her, I won¡¯t have to drag her anywhere because she will come with us through her own choice.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to charm her into a cell?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to offer her a job,¡± Ormain laughed as he walked to the door. ¡°Think about how we can make this work, and sort out Shalan¡¯s probation because I need her. I¡¯ll be back tomorrow.¡±

    Grant sighed as the door closed. He was the superior here, but Ormain made it feel as though it was the other way around. He¡¯d have to ignore it, however, because this wasn¡¯t the time. Ormain was right, this was something that needed their attention and he was going to have to work out the fine details. If the plan did succeed, he could start to think about how to take the limelight away from Ormain as his superior when the time came.

    At least things would be getting interesting. He wasn¡¯t pleased that the plan would require Ormain to be out of reach for a while, but that was a sacrifice that he¡¯d need to make. While the Captain had been described as a loose cannon earlier in his career, his ability and newfound maturity had fixed that up when the time called for it. While it was also true that his squad was made up from his old troublemaking friends, getting them mostly into line had turned out to be one of his finer achievements. It would be a shame, after all, to see great talent wasted by a lack of discipline. Ormain¡¯s team was his trump card, and he didn¡¯t want to lose it.

    Grant finished his own glass as he ran his eyes over the page that he now held in his hand. They hadn¡¯t even discussed the report concerning the operation earlier in the day, but like the Captain, he didn¡¯t feel like it anymore. There was something big in front of him, and once you had your eyes set on a grand prize, routine operations and paperwork didn¡¯t seem to cut it anymore.

    He knew that this plan suited Ormain. It would be dropping him out of sight where nobody could control him, leaving him and his team to do as they pleased. Although it sounded like a terrible idea, it was something that he was just going to have to take responsibility for while crossing his fingers that the group of suits didn¡¯t stir up too much trouble.

    He didn¡¯t like it, but he was going to have to cut the leash and see what the Captain brought back for him at the end of it all.

 Chapter 032

    If Nina were asked to sum up her last few days in one word, she would probably answer with ¡®relaxing¡¯. She would have even said that the days had been blissful, but the fact that Reina had asked her to cook twice readjusted her opinion.

    Like how her apartment on Caecus had things that her room in The Cloud Orchestra couldn¡¯t offer, it was also the same the other way around. The rainy days tucked up in bed with the cool fresh air were something that she missed from Caecus, while the books and food in Luem were quickly growing on her. The fact that Svanda often acted as a free delivery girl didn¡¯t hurt either, meaning that she often got to lounge around in comfort without heading out onto the chaotic streets that surrounded her.

    Reina hadn¡¯t even been asking her to visit the range, which she was surprised at. Maybe it was just that she didn¡¯t want anyone to see Julia for the time being, but Svanda had probably been seeing her anyway. Nina had her own questions about that too, but it wasn¡¯t something that she could just walk up and ask about. In time, she guessed. Reina had said that it was fine for her to lay low for a few days, but Nina knew that Jade and Aline were already out and about again. They were too active to keep pinned down in the office anyway.

    Nina stifled a yawn as she padded down the stairs. She hadn¡¯t bothered changing out of the loose white t-shirt or grey shorts that she had slept in; it wasn¡¯t like she was going anywhere.

    ¡°Morning,¡± Trim said as her eyes opened. Wearing a green tracksuit, her feet were propped up on her desk as she flicked through a news website. Blonde hair that wasn¡¯t tied in a ponytail for once hung out from underneath a black beanie, a set of grey headphones on top. As the dull throb of bass disappeared when she turned her headphones down in courtesy, Nina wondered why Trim was so sensitive to movement in the room. She didn¡¯t know how, but Trim always seemed to know if someone appeared even when her eyes closed. The headphones certainly wouldn¡¯t help either.

    ¡°Morning,¡± Nina echoed as she sat at her desk and powered on her computer. Most of the team had passwords on their computers, but Nina didn¡¯t bother. It wasn¡¯t like she had anything interesting on there anyway, she just used the internet to browse around. Jade had shown her some websites, but unfortunately she couldn¡¯t access any of her old favourites from Caecus.

    Maybe I should just ask her, she thought on Trim¡¯s sensitivity as she opened a news page from her bookmarks. Focused on news for the orange levels from JA-01 to JZ-99, Jade had configured her account to pick news from close to home. She frowned she didn''t see anything that interested her, but that was expected. The real juicy stuff wouldn¡¯t be on there, Jade had said. You needed to pay to see that.

    She typed a few details into the search box before clicking on an article that she had already visited twice. There wasn¡¯t a picture, but her eyes scanned the text under the big headline which she was familiar with:

    Glass Heart Finished: SuTSU Smash Private Information Ring in KF-14

    She skimmed through the article before her eyes flicked over the list of names at the bottom. She felt sorry for them even though she wouldn''t be able to put a single name to a face. Reina had said that there wasn¡¯t anyone of interest there, but it would probably help narrow down who the sellout had been. Whoever it was wouldn¡¯t have wanted any of their own operations to be compromised through the bust, so looking at who wasn¡¯t there was at least a starting point.

    She was disappointed that there wasn¡¯t an update on what happened to the people on the list, as it was the main reason she was revisiting the article. She had a sliver of hope for them, but maybe it was information that she would never find. It was easy for news like this to become public as the bust couldn¡¯t exactly be hidden from bystanders. Once the people had been taken into SuTSU custody and disappeared, however, well that was a different story.

    ¡°Where is everyone?¡± she asked. Trim was the only person in the office, which was strange for this time in the morning. Even Reina¡¯s office was empty, and Nina had already learned that leaving early was something Reina was not particularly fond of.

    ¡°Reina took Svanda somewhere that was apparently important. Jade and Aline went for breakfast,¡± Trim yawned as she dropped her headphones down around her neck. ¡°Saela¡¯s still in bed.¡±

    She was probably drinking again all night, Nina thought. ¡°Reina went somewhere important?¡±

    ¡°Svanda was complaining about the job from Julia, so Reina said they would go and fix it,¡± Trim answered as she looked over at Nina. ¡°It was strange, really. You were there, weren¡¯t you? Do you know what kind of job it was?¡±

    Nina shook her head as she thought back to their encounter with Julia. Reina had seemed frustrated when they were with Julia, but her mood improved when they exited the elevator. When she thought about it, Reina had even seemed rather happy when they left The Eye of Iron.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Either Reina had come up with a perfect plan in the elevator, or she had been leading Julia along from the beginning.

    ¡°She said she was going to jump into the middle of a Ruryn family dispute.¡±

    A low whistle escaped from Trim¡¯s lips before she dropped her headphones on the desk and stood up. Walking around the desks towards Nina, she sat backwards on Svanda¡¯s empty seat and gave her a curious stare.

    ¡°She went to see Alan?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Nina replied. She had heard the name Alan pop up when they had left The Eye of Iron, but knew nothing more about him besides the fact that he was related to Julia. ¡°Reina didn¡¯t say much.¡±

    ¡°Alan¡¯s the real deal,¡± Trim said as she pulled her beanie off, tossing it onto Svanda¡¯s desk. Her hair that had been kept in order underneath now hung just past her shoulders, shining in the light as she tossed it around with a shake of the head. Nina watched as she pulled a hair tie off her wrist before collecting it into her usual ponytail. ¡°The Eye of Iron is big, but Ruryn Company is massive.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Julia a Ruryn too?¡±

    ¡°She is in name,¡± Trim sighed. ¡°She used to work under Alan as part of the Ruryn Company, but decided to start The Eye of Iron with a few of Ruryn Company¡¯s old suppliers. She¡¯d had enough of her older brother, and they¡¯d had enough of him forcing prices down.¡±

    ¡°And now they compete,¡± Nina finished. Like she had imagined, Julia was among the top at The Eye of Iron. What was interesting though was that her older brother Alan was apparently yet another cut above in society.

    ¡°Alan humored her at the start. He let her use Ruryn Company resources to expand her business and develop connections, but Julia began to take more and more. He¡¯d had enough when he saw that his profits were suffering, and closed the Ruryn Company doors to her. The pair have maintained an uneasy relationship ever since.¡±

    ¡°I thought The Eye of Iron was very popular here though,¡± Nina mused. ¡°I¡¯ve never even heard of Ruryn Company.¡±

    Trim pointed towards the ceiling in response. ¡°Ruryn operate above us, and The Eye of Iron operates on the orange floors. The scraps, really,¡± she smiled. ¡°Julia tried to push into the yellow floors but it didn¡¯t go very well. Not that she would tell you that, she doesn¡¯t like to advertise her failures.¡±

    Nobody does, Nina thought as she mulled over what she had learned. It seemed as though Reina was off to see Alan, but she didn¡¯t know enough about him to know what the meeting would entail. If Nina had seen Reina as similar in standing to Julia, Alan was probably on another level. She wouldn¡¯t have any advantages in negotiation there, unless what she knew about Julia was of any value. Probably not, she thought. If Alan was as successful as she had been led to believe, he would be keeping tabs on her.

    Her thoughts were interrupted when the sound of a bell rang out across the room. Trim wiped the confused expression from her face before quickly standing up and walking to her own computer, leaning on the desk before tapping a few keys. Nina saw a frown appear on her face as she stared at the monitor.

    ¡°I wonder what they¡¯re here for,¡± she mused as she walked to the door that led to the apartment. Pressing a button on the wall that Nina had never asked about, she opened the door and turned to Nina. ¡°Coming?¡±

    Nina shook her head while pointing to her shirt. She was still wearing her sleeping gear, she wasn¡¯t about to go outside.

    ¡°We¡¯re not going outside,¡± Trim laughed. ¡°I just let your friends in.¡±

    Nina wasn¡¯t sure if she had any friends that couldn¡¯t walk in by themselves, but decided to go with her despite her current attire. Following her through the door, they appeared in the small reception room that she had always ignored. It wasn¡¯t like anyone ever used it anyway.

    ¡°Lucky you¡¯re here Nina,¡± Cross said as she walked through the archway into the room. Hala followed her in with a smile, the ale bottle in her hand not escaping Nina¡¯s attention. It seemed as though this pair were the friends that Trim had mentioned. Were they friends? They had only spent one night together, and Nina couldn¡¯t even remember half of it.

    ¡°Cross, Hala. Good to see you,¡± she smiled. She did, however, remain behind the reception desk. ¡°Are you doing well?¡±

    ¡°We always are,¡± Hala laughed as she leaned on the counter. ¡°Is Reina around?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s out,¡± Trim replied, her tone flat. It wasn¡¯t unwelcoming, but it wasn¡¯t a particularly nice tone either. It was businesslike, as though they should just spit out whatever reason they had come here for. Nina frowned when she saw how Hala ignored the hint, but her attention quickly changed to focus on a piece of paper that had been dropped onto the counter.

    ¡°Reina needs to know about this, and Nina does too for obvious reasons. Well, you all do,¡± Hala said as her finger tapped on the paper. ¡°Not looking great, is it?¡±

    Trim and Nina both scanned the page as Hala rotated it to face them. Nina felt Trim tense up, but she couldn¡¯t blame her because she did exactly the same thing.

    ¡°Where did you get this?¡± Trim asked.

    ¡°We were shown a copy when we were at KB-54 yesterday. It seems to be spreading out from somewhere in the K towers,¡± Cross explained before turning to Nina. ¡°You¡¯ve been there recently haven¡¯t you? Somewhere in the K towers.¡±

    Nina nodded as her fingers touched the page. Her gaze flicked from the photo to the details, a large SuTSU stamp above them. She felt as though time had slowed down, as though the blood in her veins had begun to freeze. ¡°This is what I think it is, isn¡¯t it?¡± she mumbled.

    ¡°Yup,¡± Cross sighed. ¡°That¡¯s a wanted poster, a wanted poster for you.¡±

 Chapter 033

    Nina had already tuned out before Hala and Cross expressed their apologies. Patiently waiting with a thin smile until they left, Trim examined Nina¡¯s dead expression as she guided her back into the office and up the stairs. Sinking into the sofa, Nina looked at the ceiling as she exhaled in resignation.

    ¡°This is bad,¡± Trim sighed as she dropped the page onto the table. ¡°It will be hard for them to find you, but you¡¯ll have to be on your toes for a while.¡±

    ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡±

    Trim dropped on the couch beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Reina will work something out, don¡¯t worry. It will disappear once they realise that they can¡¯t find you.¡±

    ¡°Who can¡¯t find you?¡±

    Nina and Trim both paused as Saela appeared at the top of the hallway. With a mess of blonde hair hanging over her tired eyes, she looked as though she had just crawled out of bed. She wore a black sweater and ripped jeans, a look which reflected the scowl that was on her face. Nina watched as her eyes flicked over to the coffee table. As dazed as she seemed, Saela was the last person that she wanted to see right now. Well, second last after a suit.

    Walking over, Saela grabbed the copy of the poster from the coffee table before taking a glance. After reading it, she dropped it back on the table with a sigh.

    ¡°This is great, just great,¡± she said as she looked at Trim while pointing at Nina. ¡°She¡¯s been here for what, not even a fortnight? And look what happens, we have SuTSU combing the entire city for a trail that leads right up to our door.¡±

    ¡°You know that this isn¡¯t Nina¡¯s fault,¡± Trim growled as she stood up, rising a full head over Saela as she stared down at her. ¡°Reina decided to pick her up, Reina brought her here, and Reina sent her to KF-14. Stop twisting things to suit your agenda.¡±

    ¡°If she wasn¡¯t here, then we wouldn¡¯t have this problem,¡± Saela retorted. ¡°I said before she joined that it was a bad idea, and I was right.¡±

    The comment stung. Having an issue with her was fine, but saying that her being part of the group was a bad idea? They hadn¡¯t even said anything to each other from when they had met to when Nina had left for the night. By the time Saela answered the bell the next morning, she already seemed to have had a problem. How could she form such a strong opinion over nothing?

    ¡°Enough,¡± Reina said as she appeared at the top of the stairs. Svanda followed behind her with a wry smile pointed in Nina¡¯s direction as Reina sat on the couch opposite Trim. Picking up the paper, she scanned it quickly before passing it over her shoulder to Svanda who stood behind her.

    ¡°See? I told you,¡± Saela smirked. Nina could almost sense the smugness that crept into her voice like a child that enjoyed seeing others punished. Punching her in the face would probably make her feel better, but it certainly wasn¡¯t appropriate. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t know how to throw a proper punch either. Maybe a nice and crisp slap would suffice? The urge to make a comment on her courtyard habits also arose, but she quickly pushed it down with the other urges. Acting on any of her thoughts would bring nothing but trouble, and she certainly hadn¡¯t forgotten that Saela was armed.

    ¡°I said enough,¡± Reina cut her down with a glare. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time, and it¡¯s not Nina¡¯s fault either. Making a fuss here does nothing but criticize my judgement.¡±

    Saela glared at Nina once more as a parting shot before heading for the stairs with an angry pout on her face. The rest of the group listened in an awkward silence as the door below them opened and closed as she left the office. Nina felt uncomfortable when Saela was around, as though she was intruding in someone else¡¯s home even though this was her home too. She had thought about how to fix the issue, but couldn¡¯t come up with any ideas. They didn¡¯t have to be friends, but she couldn¡¯t continue like this either. She had sighed in relief that Saela was gone, but this was just the beginning

    ¡°Wish I had one of these,¡± Svanda broke the silence as she dropped the wanted poster back into Reina¡¯s lap. ¡°I¡¯d frame it.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°They could even give you a cool nickname,¡± Trim laughed as she looked at Svanda. ¡°How about Steel Svanda?¡±

    ¡°Steel?¡±

    ¡°It would match your hair!¡±

    ¡°Probably match the strength of your muscles too,¡± Reina added as everyone but Nina laughed. She smiled and glanced at the page again before dropping it onto the coffee table. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Nina, this isn¡¯t a problem.¡±

    ¡°How can you say that this isn¡¯t a problem?¡± Nina asked as she fought not only to control her voice, but also to look Reina in the eye. She was angry because Reina was correct that this wasn¡¯t her fault, and she didn¡¯t even seem to be taking the situation seriously. She was upset because she was uncomfortable because she felt powerless with where current events were taking her. Above all else, however, she was afraid. She thought that she had found some stability in this crazy place over the last few days but yet again the rug was being pulled out from under her feet. What small inroads she had made were still there, but the mountain in front of her had just become that much bigger.

    She looked at her picture on the poster, her black suit and a blank expression. She even remembered when it had been taken, sitting in a featureless grey room in her old workplace. She had just been a number that was a nameless cog in a greater machine, a thankless task. People rarely bother looking at the inner workings of a machine unless something is broken, but that was fine by her. Although it was thankless, a cog turned in a reliable routine and more importantly, it fit in snugly with the surrounding pieces. A cog was interchangeable, but she had worked hard to put herself in a position where it would have been difficult. Had someone filled her old role already?

    She understood that the group was trying to cheer her up, but there was only so much that words of reassurance could do. If she was going to truly feel confident, she would need to see evidence or at least a feasible plan. Sticking her away in her room for a few months wouldn¡¯t be enough. There were people out there, people that she had interacted with, that would maybe be able to point SuTSU in the right direction. Most would pretend that they hadn¡¯t seen anything, but she knew that money talked and all they needed was one person to spill the beans. Even if they didn¡¯t know where The Cloud Orchestra was, friends who stood out like Reina and Svanda were people that they would be able to point to instead. The trail was there, and unless all the different bits and pieces involved managed to disappear at the same time, she couldn¡¯t see how the issue could be confidently resolved.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem because SuTSU won¡¯t find us,¡± Reina replied with a casual wave of her hand. She looked over her shoulder to Svanda and asked for a cup of tea before refocusing. ¡°SuTSU can issue thousands of wanted records at a time. I¡¯ll admit that you¡¯re on a different level from the killers on the red floors, but so much noise means that it¡¯s a wide casting net and they often don¡¯t have much to show for it.¡±

    Nina rejected Svanda¡¯s offer for tea while thinking about how casual Reina¡¯s statement was. She had placed Nina above killers with a casual wave of her hand like it was an easy feat. If the magnitude of her situation hadn¡¯t crashed down on her already, it certainly would have now. She found it insane that the issue could be deflected so easily, but on the other hand Reina¡¯s casual attitude was the thing that was helping her the most. She wasn¡¯t just calm, her expression oozed confidence. It wasn¡¯t lost on Nina that her capture could spell disaster for not only her, but also The Cloud Orchestra. Reina had nabbed her from straight under SuTSU¡¯s nose and they would be very interested to know how it happened. The Cloud Orchestra was everything to Reina, so she must have been confident that Nina would be fine.

    ¡°So what do I need to do?¡± she asked. Maybe she wouldn¡¯t need to do anything, just hide in the office like it was a nuclear bunker for a few months. Euris seemed to do it without an issue, so maybe she would survive too. Unless Saela strangled her in the middle of the night or something, she could even take it easy. She pictured Svanda hauling piles upon piles of books into her room complete with some takeaway. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t be so bad after all.

    ¡°It¡¯s a little earlier than I was planning for, but that¡¯s alright. You just need to come with us,¡± Reina smiled as she accepted the cup of tea that Svanda handed her. She sipped it and paused for a moment as she set it down on the table before spreading her arms. ¡°Come with us and everything will have sorted itself out by the time we get back.¡±

    Nina immediately realised where this was going when she saw the smile on Reina¡¯s face. This was it, the reason why this organization was called The Cloud Orchestra. This was why the group had looked so composed when she had met them in the sky on that fateful day, and this was why they had looked so at home with the earth stretched out like a canvas below them.

    Trim clenched her fists as she stood up, bouncing on the balls of her feet as though she was warming up for a fight. Watching on, Svanda chuckled as she rubbed her palms together while Reina¡¯s smile continued to grow as she examined the look on Nina¡¯s face. Nina hadn¡¯t said anything, but her curious gaze had asked Reina for the confirmation without any need for words.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she nodded. ¡°Our schedule has been filled, so get ready because we¡¯re dropping through tomorrow. It¡¯s time for your first tour.¡±

 Chapter 034

    Instead of getting swept up in the excited mood around her, Nina instead analyzed Reina¡¯s decision and came to see how her idea would actually work. She had been concerned that having members of The Cloud Orchestra walking around in JE-22 could potentially end up leading back to her, but this plan solved the problem. If they dropped below for a series of jobs, the entire team besides Euris would disappear from the city and wouldn¡¯t be back for weeks. The people who knew where their office was were close enough acquaintances to feign ignorance over who they were, and by the time they returned, the situation should have settled.

    Killing two birds with one stone, it seemed. Reina was planning on evading the SuTSU sweep and clearing her list of jobs at the same time. Nina liked that, but she was still apprehensive about their drop. They would be traveling through environments that she was unfamiliar with all over again just as she had started to learn a little about Luem. There was, however, one very important factor for her that was a shining light amongst an uncomfortably large number of uncertainties.

    To return to this plate they would have to pass through Caecus. She would be passing home.

    If they were passing through Caecus, she knew that she would have an opportunity. She didn¡¯t know how the opportunity would present itself, but it would be there if she was alert and was ready with a plan. Reina had said that she would be allowed to return in her own time once she had paid off her debt, but what was stopping her from disappearing earlier? She had come to like the people at The Cloud Orchestra over the short period of time they had spent together, but was this really her?

    Maybe she would leave, maybe she wouldn¡¯t. She did, however, need to have a plan in case the opportunity was there to take. She knew that whatever feelings she had would probably be thrown out the window once her feet touched down on Caecus, but she could try and factor that in. She thought about the cool air and the icy black river, about the morning jostle on the way to work. People would say that she was downgrading, going back to the simple life of greys that she had before, but wasn¡¯t that stability what she had craved?

    ¡°Pumped?¡± Svanda asked as the three glanced at Nina. She had lost herself in her own world for a moment, but shook it off as she managed a smile.

    ¡°Yeah, it will be nice to see some new places and get away from SuTSU.¡±

    It was a weak response, but everyone knew that there was a lot on her mind right now. They looked at her with reassuring smiles, but little did they know she was planning how to run away from it all. Reina was smart enough to have considered it, but Nina knew that she didn¡¯t have a choice but to place a certain level of trust in her. What Nina would do with that trust was yet to be seen, so Reina would probably be keeping a close eye on her.

    ¡°So what did you talk about with Alan?¡± Trim asked as she sat back down, looking in Reina¡¯s direction. ¡°I¡¯m assuming that the issue is fixed now that you¡¯ve declared that we¡¯re good to go.¡±

    Reina glanced at Nina, who shied away after being outed as the source of speculation. ¡°We lined a route up. It was expensive, but it¡¯s necessary unless you feel like dodging a pulse barrage or ten from the Skywall.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no thanks,¡± Trim sighed. ¡°So Alan is helping you haul stuff for Julia? There¡¯s some conflict there, right?¡±

    ¡°Nothing that Julia has to know about,¡± Reina smiled as she finished her tea before standing up. ¡°She said that it was our job to sort it out, and that¡¯s what we¡¯re doing. Our cut will be pretty lousy in the end but I¡¯ll consider it an investment into working with Alan in the future.¡± Trim and Nina watched as she headed for the stairs with Svanda falling in behind her. ¡°Get yourselves ready for when we leave. And no Nina, don¡¯t pack like this is a holiday, we travel light.¡±

    Nina watched as she descended the stairs before turning to Trim. ¡°What, I can¡¯t even bring a change of clothes?¡±

    ¡°No bags,¡± Trim smiled. ¡°If you can¡¯t fit it in your pocket, don¡¯t take it. Don¡¯t worry, we have safehouses on most of the plates where there are supplies and facilities.¡±

    Nina was unimpressed. Traveling light was smart, but you had to draw the line somewhere. She could live with wearing the same jacket, but there were small necessities like toiletries and underwear that she wouldn¡¯t feel comfortable going without. It just wasn¡¯t the same if you borrowed them or used something from a store room. She thought about raising a complaint and was about to stand up when a small backpack landed in her lap. Calling it a backpack may have been generous actually, as it looked as though it couldn¡¯t carry much at all. It was entirely black, with a single zip at the top and two thin straps that would run over her shoulders.

    ¡°The first trip bag,¡± Svanda said. She had appeared at the top of the stairs and nodded in the direction of the bag. ¡°You can only take it once, so don¡¯t think about using it next time. Take things that you want to leave at the safehouses along the way.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Nina looked over at Trim to see that she was chuckling. She had been played, it seemed. Moving her attention to the bag, she opened the top and placed her hand inside to get a feel for the space she would have to work with. After concluding that there wasn¡¯t much space at all, she set the bag down before thinking about what she would take.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t we all take small bags like this?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Reina¡¯s rule,¡± Trim replied. ¡°You can do some of your own shopping on the other plates, Reina likes the mobility.¡±

    ¡°You consider flying through the sky with a stereo on your shoulder travelling light?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s tactical.¡±

    Nina thought about asking how exactly a portable stereo was tactical, but decided to let it go. She didn¡¯t need the explanation and she didn¡¯t know how long it would keep Trim talking either. It was better to change her approach.

    ¡°What did you take when you had the bag?¡±

    ¡°Headphones,¡± Trim said as she stood up and stifled a yawn. ¡°I took a pair to leave at one stop because I didn¡¯t know if they would sell anything good down there. I can carry memory sticks in my pockets.¡±

    Nina sighed. She wasn¡¯t even surprised. ¡°You didn¡¯t take any clothing?¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± Trim said. ¡°I used them as protection for my headphones.¡±

    Nodding in response, Nina began to think about how she would fill the bag. It was tiny, really, almost like a small hydration pack that a cyclist would wear. Even fitting in what she would consider basic necessities for a few days would be a challenge, but it seemed that this was all she would be getting.

    ¡°Speaking of phones, I¡¯ll ask Reina to sort one out for you,¡± Trim said as she stood up. ¡°Don¡¯t expect anything fancy.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Nina smiled before pointing in the direction of the hall. ¡°I¡¯m going to go and see what stuff I need to get into this bag.¡±

    Trim smiled before disappearing down the stairs to the office, with Nina heading in the opposite direction to her room. After closing the door, she tossed the bag onto her bed before sitting down. What had initially seemed like a relaxed morning had turned into a rollercoaster ride and she hadn¡¯t even had time to strap herself in. The wanted poster was still lingering in the back of her mind but she knew that she would have to block it out and just keep moving without dwelling on the problem.

    Reina had told her before she joined The Cloud Orchestra that she could show her the world, and it seemed that she had been speaking the truth. The problem was that Reina hadn¡¯t told her that they would be doing it while armed to the teeth. Would they be passing through hostile territory? People like to travel, but they like to travel to beaches or to places of cultural significance, not a war zone. She rued her decision to dive into the new world of fiction from Luem instead of reading something more practical. It had been a great release, but now it looked like she probably should have spent a little effort learning more about the worlds below her.

    Thinking that there was no use crying over spilt milk, she decided to read first and pack later. It was early so she had the day to prepare, assuming that Reina didn¡¯t take up any of her time by asking her to run errands or cook. The former probably wouldn¡¯t happen because leaving the building with the wanted poster out there wasn¡¯t the smartest idea. As for the latter, she would just have to cross her fingers.

    Digging through the pile of books that sat in the corner of her room, she pulled out one of the larger ones. Titled ¡®The Seven Plates,¡¯ it seemed like this was a good place to start. She had five plates to learn about, considering that learning more about Neo Luesa could wait for later and that she already knew enough about Caecus.

    ¡°Nina, can I come in?¡±

    Already standing in the corner near the door, Nina opened it to find Reina standing before her. She hadn¡¯t changed, but she had dropped her lab coat which left the simple white tank top she was wearing underneath exposed.

    ¡°Sure,¡± she replied as she stepped to the side to let her past, closing the door behind her. She watched as Reina¡¯s gaze flicked from the stack of books in the corner to the open wardrobe before flopping down on her bed. It was strange to see her like this, without her coat that seemed to keep her guarded and without the knowing smile on her face. Reina was her boss, but right now she looked like a friend who had been invited over for a pajama party.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about earlier,¡± she said to break the silence. Nina hadn¡¯t been expecting an apology, but she didn¡¯t know what exactly it was for either. There were a million reasons why Reina could be apologizing right now - for bringing her here in the first place, for sending her on a job that had left her a high priority target, or for anything in between. The strangest thing for Nina was that she felt like apologizing for any of that wasn¡¯t something that she needed to do. She disagreed with some of it and had certainly been thrown out of her comfort zone, but Reina¡¯s intentions had always been for her benefit.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Nina didn¡¯t know what exactly Reina was apologizing for, but the response would catch everything. She would simply press onwards because she didn¡¯t have a choice.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t fine,¡± Reina replied. Her voice was quiet, almost unsure. Nina had never seen Reina crack or even show a shred of vulnerability, but now as she sat there on the bed it was as though she was showing a side that she hadn¡¯t seen before.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Saela,¡± she continued with a sigh. ¡°I know that she has a problem, and I feel like you¡¯re owed some answers.¡±

    There are a lot of questions that I¡¯d like answered, Nina thought.

    ¡°You just need to understand a little about her,¡± Reina began.

 Chapter 035

    ¡°Saela isn¡¯t like the rest of us,¡± Reina sighed as she clasped her hands in front of herself. ¡°You could say that her upbringing was¡­ a little different.¡±

    Nina waited as Reina searched for the right words, a wry smile creeping onto her lips. While she had been thinking about how Reina had seemed human after all, she had taken control of the situation before Nina even realised. Reina had occupied her bed in the corner of the room like it was natural, and now Nina had no choice but to wait for her to continue.

    ¡°The rest of us are from here, higher, or even other plates,¡± Reina said as motioned with her hands. ¡°Few of us have family, and those who do cut their ties a long time ago.¡±

    Nina decided to sit on the floor, crossing her legs like a school student would do in front of their teacher. The carpet was comfortable on her legs, her mind wandering to how cleaning the thick thread was going to be difficult.

    ¡°Saela is from the red floors of this very tower,¡± Reina continued. ¡°Her parents are still down there, down on 7-12.¡±

    Low, Nina thought. She recalled what it had been like when they had made their way to the station on 7-01, among the filth and the unwelcome atmosphere. From the people that leered at them to the rusted fa?ades, the heaviness in the air had left a lasting impression on her and it was one that she would rather forget.

    ¡°I never planned to take anyone in from that far down,¡± Reina admitted. ¡°They¡¯re¡­ instinctive, wild. The Cloud Orchestra has a reputation to protect and the people I bring on board need to have values that reflect that. Professionalism, dedication, motivation, you name it. But the important thing is that at the same time as all of that, they need to be strong.¡±

    Nina couldn¡¯t see how Saela demonstrated any of those values, but decided not to comment.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be strength like Svanda¡¯s,¡± Reina continued. ¡°Trim is mentally strong, while Jade and Aline have strong personalities that will show themselves when we travel through the plates. Even Euris has her own strengths, although that is something you can ask her yourself if you ever get the opportunity.¡±

    She probably wouldn¡¯t, and she still couldn¡¯t see how Saela fit into any of this. The more Reina talked, the more Saela seemed to drift away from the ideals that were being described.

    ¡°I first met Saela around four and a half years ago,¡± Reina smiled as though she was thinking back. ¡°She was so small back then, just a fragile child that was wandering around outside the station below us. It was early days at The Cloud Orchestra - Trim, Svanda, and I, and we obviously caught her attention because unlike the others who warily stood their ground, she stuck to us like a magnet.¡±

    Nina didn¡¯t know how old anyone in the team was, now that she thought about it. She had pinned an age of around 15 on Saela, and early twenties on both Trim and Reina. She guessed that Svanda was a little older, but had no idea about Jade and Aline. The youthful way they dressed seemed to conflict with their developed features. Twenty, maybe.

    ¡°It was hard to shake her, the grubby little thing,¡± Reina chuckled. ¡°She kept asking if she could come with us, but we were heading back to the office after a job. We were tired, and her persistence was getting on our nerves. I eventually told her that we could play the next time we passed by, fully knowing that it would be weeks before we returned to the station.¡±

    ¡°So she would give up,¡± Nina said as she analyzed the sad smile on Reina¡¯s face. She was staring into space as though the memory was playing through her head, a window back in time. Not only would she be picturing a different Saela, Reina herself would have been different. What had she seen, where had she gone, what had she done that had shaped the Reina that sat before her today?

    ¡°I forgot about her,¡± Reina continued. ¡°We were so busy growing The Cloud Orchestra at the time. The amount of networking and reputation building we did during that period ended up being what set the foundations of what we are today. It was only a month or so later when we returned to station that I remembered what had happened, and I only remembered because we found her waiting for us in the very same spot she had been the time before.¡±

    ¡°She couldn¡¯t wait for a month¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how she did it,¡± Reina agreed. ¡°People need to sleep, need to eat, and need to get on with their lives. I¡¯ve asked her before, about what she did during those days, but she won¡¯t tell me,¡± she paused with a soft sigh. ¡°Maybe it was luck, or maybe she truly tried to be there as often as she could. Sometimes I like tell myself that it was fate, but I¡¯ve never believed in destiny.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t shrug her off again?¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    Reina smiled as she looked Nina in the eye. ¡°That was the plan, but we didn¡¯t know how to do it without forcing her. We couldn¡¯t just have her hanging around in the shop where the tunnel to the station is.¡±

    Nina could picture it. She had always had problems shrugging off persistent coworkers, and she didn¡¯t know if she could do that to a child. Thankfully, Adults had a tendency to eventually take the hint.

    ¡°So what did you do?¡±

    ¡°Blame Trim,¡± Reina chuckled. ¡°If she had asked me beforehand I would have shut her down without thinking twice, but I didn¡¯t get the chance. Before I knew it, she had squat down in front of Saela and started to describe a place a few floors above us. We were supposed to collect a package from this¡­ rather unsavoury place.¡±

    ¡°Unsavoury?¡±

    ¡°A shady place, gang activity,¡± Reina sighed. ¡°A vile place that none of us wanted to step foot in, but we didn¡¯t have the luxury to pick and choose jobs back then. Trim described the place and asked her if she wanted to help by picking up a package for us, and that she should bring it back to where we were standing at the same time the next day. Surprisingly, she was off like a rocket.¡±

    Nina frowned as she thought about it. ¡°So you dropped a job on her, sending a child to a place that you didn¡¯t want to visit yourself.¡± Her voice was deadpan as she searched Reina¡¯s expression for a sign of guilt. ¡°Doesn¡¯t really line up with the values you described earlier, does it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not proud of it,¡± Reina admitted. ¡°But I¡¯ve worked hard to move past that, to move us all past that. I¡¯m not going to say that we¡¯re saints, but The Cloud Orchestra is moving further away from that past with every job.¡±

    Tell that to the wanted poster, Nina thought.

    ¡°She was happy, you know? Saela,¡± Reina continued with a softer voice than before. ¡°We returned to JE-22 the next day and there she was, package in hand.¡± She tried to smile, but it seemed to get stuck halfway. Nina watched as she brushed a loose strand of hair over her ear. ¡°It wasn¡¯t until we returned to the office and found the apologetic voicemail that we realised what had happened. They hadn¡¯t given it to her, saying that The Cloud Orchestra wouldn¡¯t be employing a grubby little girl to run errands for them. It struck a nerve with her, because she returned later that night and stole the damn thing.¡±

    ¡°It must have really struck a nerve,¡± Nina whistled. She wouldn¡¯t steal something from a shady gang den in any circumstance.

    ¡°That¡¯s how Saela works,¡± Reina replied. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that they said she was dirty, or that she couldn¡¯t have it. It was because they told her that we wouldn¡¯t employ her, that she didn¡¯t belong. We were stars to her, people from the mysterious world above and she desperately wanted to be a part of that.¡±

    Nina wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t find the words. She hadn¡¯t been born with a golden spoon in her mouth, but she hadn¡¯t had it badly either.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen the looks we get when we walk in public, the way the crowds part before us,¡± Reina continued. ¡°Saela wanted in. She wanted it so badly that she declined the money we offered her even after we had sent her on ten, twenty jobs because all she wanted was to walk beside us.¡±

    ¡°She could have taken both.¡±

    ¡°She could have, but she didn¡¯t see it like that,¡± Reina agreed. ¡°Maybe she felt that she would be more valuable to us that way, or maybe she thought she would be harder to replace. Whichever way it was, it worked. She wormed her way in and before we knew it she was running almost all of our jobs on the red floors in JE-22.¡±

    ¡°So you took her in,¡± Nina said. ¡°You made it official.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to send her to other towers,¡± Reina sighed. ¡°I couldn¡¯t do that without bringing her into the fold, sharing information and setting her up with proper equipment. She had worked whenever we asked her to, while rejecting pay, for four years before we finally took her in. The smile on her face the day I gave her an orange armband made me realise just how far that grubby little girl from the bottom of the pile had come. She hasn¡¯t shaken the rough edges off, but I doubt she ever will.¡±

    Reina¡¯s earlier comment about having your own strengths surfaced in Nina¡¯s mind, noting the tinge of admiration in Reina¡¯s voice like a proud parent discussing their child. Maybe Saela had some positive qualities after all.

    ¡°And that is the issue that she has with you,¡± Reina said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much trouble she went through during those four years. Balancing her work for us without pay and all the other problems that come with day to day life down there, it must have been hell. She worked for her position here, and she probably worked harder than any of us for it.¡±

    Nina was silent as pieces started to fit together, about the swing in attitude after she had walked out on the first night.

    ¡°And then in you come, invited through the front door,¡± Reina smiled. ¡°Everything Saela had ever worked for, everything she had always dreamed of, I offered to you on a plate on the first day we met.¡±

    And I rejected it, Nina sighed. She had even been unceremoniously dumped on the couch before waking up with a massive hangover. She had accepted the offer in the end, but the damage had already been done by the time Saela had responded to the bell that morning to see her in disarray.

    ¡°What¡¯s worse for her is that your transition has been pretty seamless, so she still feels like the odd one out,¡± Reina said as she pushed herself off the bed before stretching. ¡°Just like you¡¯re not going to tell me that Saela has been smoking out the front, you¡¯re not going to tell her that this conversation happened, okay?¡±

    Nina nodded as Reina crossed the floor before opening the door. She wasn¡¯t surprised that Reina knew about Saela¡¯s courtyard habits. She probably would have been more surprised if she didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Enjoy packing,¡± Reina said with a wink before closing the door behind her, leaving Nina to stew over her new thoughts.

 Chapter 036

    After smiling in the direction of the dining table, Nina watched as the various members of The Cloud Orchestra stood up and broke off towards the stairs and the sofas.

    ¡°Dishes?¡± Trim asked as she approached.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she replied before heading in the direction of her bedroom.

    As if her earlier fears had been written on her face, Reina had asked her to cook breakfast for the group. It was celebratory, apparently, and Nina didn¡¯t have much of a choice but to oblige. Saela wasn¡¯t present, and she had to admit that it had helped the morning atmosphere. Visiting her parents, the rest had speculated, although her prolonged absence was beginning to cut it fine with their supposed departure time which was in roughly an hour.

    Not my problem, she thought as she dropped onto her bed before burying her face in the pillow. Her hand landed on the open book that lay beside her, the book that she had spent yesterday trying to get through after her conversation with Reina. The Seven Plates showed an interesting view into the worlds below her, but filtering through all the content in one evening had proved to be too much for her to handle. Normally she could drink up information with ease, but yesterday she had been unfocused and as a result the words didn¡¯t stick. After reading the same page three times in a row, she¡¯d settled for looking at the pictures, but while pictures were interesting, they could only educate her so much on what she was getting herself into.

    There were just too many things on her mind. Her packing had fared a little better, but that was probably because there wasn¡¯t much room to use in the first place. She had thought she would be able to cram the bag full of necessities until the seams were about to burst, but was dismayed to find that the internal structure was rigid enough to prevent it from stretching. Even the bare necessities had struggled to fit.

    ¡®Reina¡¯s rules,¡¯ as Trim had put it, were not quite what she had hoped for. After investigating the pockets in her jacket, she thought about squeezing some clothing in there, but shelved the thought when she realised that carrying underwear around in her pockets might seem a little strange. The two main pockets on the inside were already reserved for her pistol and ammunition, and clogging them up with other bits and pieces was not an option. ¡®Reina¡¯s rules¡¯ had also covered that, apparently.

    Svanda¡¯s cargo pants, which she had initially chalked off without a second thought, were starting to look like a pretty decent idea. That being said, Svanda probably didn¡¯t fill the extra pockets with underwear and toiletries in favour of packing something a little more explosive. Her pockets had been bulging the first time they met in the sky, so maybe she would have to add it to the ever growing of list of questions to ask when she had the time.

    She paused as she listened to the voices that drifted into the hall. If she was hearing correctly, Saela had returned and wouldn¡¯t be given any extra time to prepare. Not that there was much for anyone besides her to prepare, their gear would be nothing different from any other time they left the office besides a couple of small bits and pieces.

    She¡¯d be nervous, stepping outside the office. It would be the first time that she had left since Hala and Cross had dropped the wanted poster off and she didn¡¯t know what to expect. The rest of The Cloud Orchestra had been keeping their eye out for any signs that the posters had spread this far, but the fact that nobody had come across anything did little to ease her fears. Hopefully she would be able to duck out of sight before it became an issue and her heart would be able to slow down a little.

    ¡°Nina?¡± Jade¡¯s voice came from the other side of the door.

    ¡°It¡¯s open,¡± she replied, purposefully louder than before. She didn¡¯t need her lock picked again.

    ¡°Ready?¡± Jade asked as her head popped out from behind the opening door. Her eyes flicked from the open book on the bed to the packed bag that was ready to go.

    ¡°Do I look ready?¡± Nina pointed to herself, more to the loose grey shirt that she had been cooking in. ¡°I haven¡¯t changed yet.¡±

    ¡°Change then,¡± Jade smiled as she stepped inside the door. ¡°Reina wants to go over a few things with everyone before we leave.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be down in a moment.¡± Nina walked to her wardrobe before pulling out her maroon work pants and a white shirt, unbuttoning the top to let it slide off the hanger before taking it to the bed. She paused for a moment before turning around. ¡°Is there something else?¡±

    ¡°Umm, no?¡± Jade replied. Nina noted that while she didn¡¯t have anything else to say, she wasn¡¯t leaving either.

    ¡°Out, I¡¯m changing.¡±

    Jade frowned before slinking out the door in disappointment. Nina thought about locking the door before changing but realised that it probably wouldn¡¯t help anyway. Quickly throwing on the shirt and pants, she stepped into her boots and threw the blue jacket on. Popping open the T&TERM case, she pocketed the pistol and magazines before swinging the bag over her shoulder and sitting on the bed.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t been so bad after all,¡± she murmured to herself as she pat the bed. Her gaze flicked over the room¡¯s few features as though saying goodbye to each before she stood up and marched out the door. Maybe she would see this room again, maybe she wouldn¡¯t. Either way, there was no point looking back now.

    She closed the door behind her and made her way to the stairs before descending to the office. Fanned out in a semicircle around Reina who sat on an empty desk was the rest of the team, geared up and ready to go. ¡®Geared up¡¯ might have been overkill, but Nina could feel that the atmosphere that surrounded them was sharper.

    ¡°Ready?¡± Reina asked as Nina joined the group, standing beside Saela who had been left at the end. She ignored the bitter look on Saela¡¯s face as her gaze flicked over her black overalls, the same pair that she had been wearing when they met. A yellow collar popped out from the top which was a few shades lighter than her hair, the two together framing her grumpy expression.

    ¡°Ready,¡± she confirmed. Like Saela, Reina was dressed in a similar fashion to how she was the day they had met. The labcoat had been replaced by a pale blue sweater that sat over her white three-quarter pants. Even the boots were the same, but Nina guessed that they could only outfit so many pairs with whatever Euris did to them.

    ¡°Great. First up then,¡± Reina smiled as she picked up a wooden box that sat beside her. ¡°Abysswort seeds going to the Inin Estate on Zaffre¡¯s. Svanda, you¡¯re carrying.¡±

    ¡°Can I have a couple?¡± Jade asked as Svanda caught the box that Reina had tossed to her, her hands clasped behind the back of her short black and white checkered dress in a demonstration of innocence. Aline wore the same dress, but with inverted colours. ¡°They won¡¯t notice if a few go missing.¡±

    ¡°They counted last time,¡± Svanda laughed as Nina watched her drop the box into one of the pockets in her pants. Like Reina, her choice of attire was the same as the last time. Nina noted that the box was a similar shape to a hip flask, wondering if it was intentional for ease of carry.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need any,¡± Reina smiled. ¡°You just want to sell them.¡±

    ¡°I want to grow one!¡± Jade replied with a pout.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Reina raised an eyebrow at the remark. ¡°Do you want to grow the rest of the forbidden four while you¡¯re at it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Jade punched into the air with enthusiasm before pausing. ¡°Well, maybe not a drearwood plant. Drearwoods are ugly.¡±

    ¡°Agreed, but the answer is still no,¡± Reina said as she picked up the other item that sat beside her. ¡°This is also going to Zaffre¡¯s, to those weirdos at the NNZ.¡±

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t call them that, right?¡± Trim smirked as she stretched a hand out. Like usual she was dressed in a full tracksuit, this time it was pale red with a white stripe. ¡°I¡¯ll take it, and I won¡¯t look at what¡¯s on it either.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°Considering they didn¡¯t ask someone from the Network to take it, you probably don¡¯t want to look at what¡¯s on it anyway.¡±

    ¡°Eww,¡± Trim frowned as she grabbed what Nina realised was a hard drive before sliding it into a small compartment on the stereo which sat in front of her. ¡°I¡¯ve got bad images now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s your own problem. It¡¯s probably just data that they don¡¯t want anyone seeing anyway. The Network are cheap, but anything run through them is going to be logged in their system somewhere,¡± Reina replied with a casual wave of her hand before she pushed herself off the desk. ¡°We¡¯ll pick up the rest of the work when we get to Zaffre¡¯s. Shall we go then?¡±

    The members of the group nodded before Reina led them to the door. Nina, who fell in at the back, thought she saw movement at the corner of the curtain that protected Euris¡¯ office, but wasn¡¯t sure.

    ¡°Is Euris going to be okay?¡± she asked as they filed through the door, Trim waiting beside it to close up.

    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine, we prepared.¡± Trim closed the door and walked beside Nina. ¡°She probably likes it, the quiet.¡±

    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s already dancing on our desks to celebrate having the entire place to herself for a while,¡± Jade laughed.

    The group exited the apartment and moved onto the wider streets. Reina and Svanda walked at the front, while Jade and Aline flanked them on each side. Saela walked in the centre of the group while Trim and Nina brought up the rear, forming the group into a rough hexagon.

    Watching as the crowds moved out of their way with admiring gazes, Nina thought back to the conversation with Reina from the day before. She had to admit, it did feel good. It was unlike anything she had ever felt during her office life on Caecus because she felt important. Maybe it wasn¡¯t the smartest idea to attract this much attention while a wanted poster was circulating with her face on it, but she was standing at the back and was hopefully flying under the radar due to the others around her.

    ¡°What are the forbidden four?¡± she asked Trim as they walked, recognizing the route that they were on as the way to the abandoned shaft.

    ¡°Plants,¡± she replied. ¡°Declared illegal by the respective authorities on every plate besides Terminus, which is where they¡¯re all from. Abysswort, fisherleaf, drearwood, and the thirty days flower.¡±

    ¡°Why are we carrying abysswort seeds?¡±

    ¡°Abysswort is poisonous. It¡¯s also easy to make lethal poisons from that are tasteless with a delayed onset of symptoms. Nasty stuff, really.¡±

    ¡°How lovely,¡± Nina replied as she eyed Svanda¡¯s pocket, wondering why Jade would be comfortable with such a plant lying around. It certainly wasn¡¯t something that she would want Saela to have access to either.

    ¡°Some freaky stuff comes out of Terminus,¡± Trim laughed. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a unique place, but you will see that for yourself.¡±

    Nina became aware of the pistol that sat against her ribcage, which was also from Terminus. Her thoughts were quickly dragged away however as the group pushed through the heavy door and filtered into the abandoned shaft. Svanda worked at the control panel without a word as Nina examined Reina¡¯s expression in the dim light. The knowing smile had returned, but Nina was beginning to wonder if that was really how she was feeling inside. She herself had been calmer than she thought she would be as they walked through the streets, but she had still been nervous. How much of Reina¡¯s smile was a mask placed over her own concerns?

    It was obvious that Svanda had gone through the calibration process a few times as she gave them a thumbs up in about half the time it had taken Jade to do the same thing. The panel flashed green as the group then took turns to haul themselves over the railing, dropping down in a silent descent. It was almost eerie, Nina thought as she rocketed downwards towards the bottom of the shaft, how she felt about what she was doing. She was more comfortable with the process now, but it was still frightening. Falling through a shaft lined with rusted steel and dilapidated lighting was something she would never completely embrace.

    She touched down at the base of the shaft and moved aside as Trim landed behind her, eyeing the stereo that sat on her shoulder. She was reminded of how Trim had called it tactical, but having a few slots to carry stuff wasn¡¯t exactly tactical. She would find out why it was tactical sooner or later, but maybe she didn¡¯t want to. If Trim was using it tactically, their situation probably wouldn¡¯t be that ideal in the first place.

    The group moved through the maze of narrow corridors in pairs. Svanda and Reina walked at the front, guiding the group without a word as the sound of their footsteps echoed through the passages. Jade and Aline followed behind them, with Saela the only member of the group who walked by herself. Nina¡¯s opinion on her had adjusted since her conversation with Reina, but not by much. Reina would let them sort the issue out by themselves, because if she stepped in and fixed it herself, the relationship would never truly mend. Actions spoke louder than words.

    They exited the maze of corridors to find themselves in the damp and dark corridor that Nina had confused for a prison on her last visit. Unlike her last visit, however, Svanda turned in the other direction and the group followed.

    ¡°We¡¯re not going to the station?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Trim replied. ¡°Why do you think The Cloud Orchestra is based on JE-22?¡±

    It was a question that Nina had never thought about. There were so many towers that together made up Luem, so why this one? The answer, she found, was quite obvious.

    It was here because their way to the worlds below was also here.

    ¡°We know of three locations to jump,¡± Trim said. ¡°JE-22, IX-78, and OL-40. The other two are backups, and Reina doesn¡¯t need to pay for any more information than that anyway.¡± She waved her hand in what seemed to be a random direction. ¡°OL-40 is ages away too.¡±

    Nina did some rough calculations in her head as she studied Saela''s posture while she walked in front of them. If JE-22 to KF-14 took as long as it did, travelling all the way to OL-40 would have been painful. Saela¡¯s shoulders had seemed to prop back and rise a little higher, she thought. They had entered a dusty street that had a reasonable amount of pedestrian traffic, was she showing off? It was as though she was saying to the people look at me, look how far I have come.

    Admittedly, after looking at their decrepit and dirty surroundings, Nina agreed that she had a reason to be proud. She watched as Saela nodded in the direction of a pair of women who sat on the railing at the front of a pub, and they nodded back. Their exchange didn¡¯t require a single word, but Nina could see that the recognition was there. Saela was feeling validated.

    The group turned off the main road and Nina followed them through a door into what seemed to be a carpet shop. Dim light filtered through an array of rugs that stretched across string hung above them while a small man smoking a cigarette sat at a desk in the corner. Considering all the dust that was drifting through the air, she assumed that this place didn¡¯t actually sell very many carpets, but that was obvious because she knew that this shop held a secret.

    ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± the main spoke in a bored tone as he looked up from the book he was reading. His gaze flicked over each member of the group, pausing on Nina for a moment before his attention turned back to Reina. ¡°A new one, is there?¡±

    ¡°There is.¡±

    ¡°The cost goes up,¡± he shrugged.

    ¡°Euris has already sorted it out, the credits are there.¡±

    Instead of responding, the man placed his hand under the desk. Nina assumed he pressed a button, because after a moment three men stepped out from behind a carpet hung on the opposite wall. Unlike the majority of people she saw down here, they were clean. Clean black clothing, clean shaved, clean haircuts.

    Clean weapons.

    She hadn¡¯t seen many people carry weapons as openly as Svanda did, but this group did. Futuristic assault rifles like Svanda¡¯s were slung over their shoulders while matching pistols dangled from their hips. Despite the fact that Nina had found most of the people they had run into flying under SuTSU¡¯s radar quite friendly, the gazes from this group were cold.

    ¡°Seeya next time,¡± Reina smiled at the man with the cigarette before walking over to the armed group. Like the rest of her team, Nina followed as they ducked behind the carpet to find themselves in a small concrete room that featured a fourth man. A table covered with playing cards sat in the centre with four chairs around it, a solitary light dangling from the ceiling. A door in the far wall, however, which looked more like a bulkhead, was what drew the group¡¯s attention.

    The three men from earlier followed them through before sliding a block of concrete that was on rails back into place, sealing them inside. Without acknowledging them, they sat back down at the table and continued their game.

    ¡°You Network guys must be great at parties,¡± Jade chuckled as Svanda hauled the bulkhead open. Seeing that she didn¡¯t get a reaction, she sighed before stepping through the door. Nina followed after her and Trim came through behind. Sitting in the middle of the small square concrete room was a dark hole in the floor, around two by two meters.

    After walking over to the other side, Reina turned to face them with a grin stretched across her face. ¡°So, are you ready?¡±

    Nina didn¡¯t know if she was ready or not, but she nodded like the rest of the group as they fanned out around the hole in the floor and stared downwards into the darkness. She couldn¡¯t see a thing, but here she was again, jumping into the unknown. It wasn¡¯t just one world below here, but many. Reina had said that they would be travelling the plates, and now her first real journey was about to begin.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± Reina cheered before stepping off the edge, Svanda mirroring her as they both dropped away into the darkness. Jade, Aline, and Saela immediately followed them, Jade diving headfirst as though she was entering a pool.

    ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± Trim laughed as she stepped off, leaving Nina standing there at the edge.

    What the hell have I got myself into? She thought as she took a deep breath before stepping over the edge and following the rest of the group into the unknown.

 Chapter 037

    As Nina¡¯s speed of descent continued to increase in the darkness, the familiar sound of rushing air entered her ears. The voices that she had heard drifting up the chute from below were soon drowned out, and the rippling on her jacket became frantic. Again, the air was damp and uncomfortable, but at least she was calm enough this time around to process her thoughts in a cohesive manner.

    Svanda had called it the rush, the initial part of a descent to a lower plate where the fall felt real. Don¡¯t look down was the only advice she had offered as they weren¡¯t equipped with goggles, but the temptation was difficult to resist. Nina wondered how Jade and Aline¡¯s dresses managed to make it out unscathed, but then remembered how Jade had dived in head first. Head first with your eyes closed was something that Nina wasn¡¯t brave enough to do, but then again she would probably develop a sense of faith in not being turned into a pancake after a few more attempts.

    Almost as quickly as the rush had sent her hair flailing wildly above her and pressed her cheeks upward, the roar in her ears began to subside. Gradually, she managed to straighten her clothing and breathe a relative sigh of relief as she heard Jade¡¯s laughter echo up the chute as though confirming that the worst was over. As she had jumped last, she opted not to spread herself out and instead remained vertical to catch up with the rest of the group, her eyes now glancing downward to spot a familiar pinhead of light below.

    As for exactly why the rush was replaced by the comfortable feeling after a certain amount of time, she hadn¡¯t found the answer. She had asked Svanda, but her response had been that she didn¡¯t really understand it herself. It didn¡¯t matter, apparently, as long as it worked. Nina wasn¡¯t particularly satisfied with the answer as she wondered if it could change, so she had asked Trim instead who pointed her in the direction of a book which proved to be just as confusing as it was thick. Aline couldn¡¯t clarify the contents for her when she asked, and Jade didn¡¯t even care how it worked. After passing on asking Saela, she had finally ended up stepping into Reina¡¯s office only to be told that she couldn¡¯t explain it very well either. ¡®I might wear a labcoat, but I¡¯m not a scientist¡¯, she had said while eyeing the book with a sense of unease before adding that Euris could help. Having a conversation with Euris, however, would probably be more difficult than deciphering the book herself.

    The circle of light below began to swell in size as she observed shapes slowly drifting across it, members of the team as they neared the exit to the badlands. She could hear voices as an animated conversation reached her, although she couldn¡¯t make out the words. A cheer came as a familiar rhythm began to play, the switching on of Trim¡¯s stereo signifying that it was time for yet another circus in the sky.

    Nina hadn¡¯t spent much time looking at pictures of the Luesa Badlands in the book that she had, mainly because there hadn¡¯t been many to look at in the first place. They had seemed almost alien, like drawings from a fantasy novel that she would read while the rain hammered against her window on Caecus. A land of red earth and white sand that destroyed everything but the hardiest of survivors, the Luesa Badlands were just as unforgiving as the SuTSU employees that dropped people there.

    As though filling in the blanks in her mind, Nina shot through the disc of light at the bottom of the chute to see the land from the pictures below her. A canvas of reds, oranges, and whites was stretched out across her vision as her eyes locked onto the group below her. Both Svanda and Trim were relaxing with their backs to the scenery, Svanda already with closed eyes while Trim had her head on the stereo. Jade and Aline, both descending head first, lazily rolled against the gentle breeze that masked how quickly they were descending. In the centre of the group stood Reina, arms crossed and with her feet shoulder-width apart as she surveyed the scene below.

    Nina was unfortunately in the same boat as Saela, drifting higher above the group as they were less familiar with maneuvering themselves through the air. In a repeat of what Nina guessed she had tried last time, Saela flattened her arms by her sides to form a pin now that she could now use her vision to orient herself, her speed increasing as she dropped towards the group. Remembering how she had wildly overshot the last time, Nina decided to instead move headfirst while spreading her arms out to ensure that she didn¡¯t pick up too much speed. She surprised herself with her decision to drop head first, but the ability to survey her surroundings was invaluable.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Reina mused as she watched Nina drift down before flattening herself out a little to curb the extra speed.

    ¡°Is the air always this dry?¡± Nina asked as she righted herself before staring at the ground below them, now close enough to make out features. Long snaking canyons of sea-green water lined with sparse vegetation cut through the dusty red plateaus that were topped with white sand, a desert stretching away in the distance. Along the river below them she made out a collection of regularly shaped objects, reaching the conclusion that it was a town. Despite how far she could see, the rest of the plate below her was stretches of the same reds and whites, as though someone had copy-pasted one design over and over.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Inhospitable.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit different from the chute, isn¡¯t it?¡± Reina smiled at her question. ¡°That¡¯s the badlands for you, and you¡¯ll start to feel the heat too once we get closer to the surface.¡± Once she saw that Nina was left in thought, she turned her shoulder slightly and drifted off in the direction of Saela who was now rising to meet them. She had overshot again and was now stretching out like a starfish to try and return to the group''s altitude.

    ¡°Ready to meet some of the baddest people on seven plates?¡± Jade joked as she glided over, Aline following her with a practiced motion before stopping beside her.

    ¡°Should I be worried?¡± Nina asked in reply. She had thought about it before, the fact that they were dropping into what was essentially a lawless prison. The dismissive mood of the group, however, had left her feeling as though it wasn¡¯t a big issue. They had obviously been through this plate quite a few times already, so she reasoned that their confidence was at least well-founded.

    ¡°Nobody is going to cause any trouble with us,¡± Aline smiled. ¡°Weapons are rare in the badlands because SuTSU confiscates what it can find. Even if people are armed, nobody is going to start anything because it¡¯s not worth having a pile of wardens swarm out of an anthill.¡±

    ¡°An anthill?¡±

    ¡°The SuTSU wardens here hide in their own fortresses unless someone goes and starts a ruckus,¡± Jade explained. ¡°They¡¯re super nice inside apparently, probably because nobody would agree to work down here if they weren¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not suits?¡±

    ¡°Suits are too good for this place,¡± Aline laughed. ¡°If you¡¯re talented enough to become a suit, you¡¯ll be living a much better life than these guys.¡±

    Suit rejects then, Nina thought. It reminded her of how someone who was angry with the world could seek power in a police force or prison on Caecus. Would a failed and angry SuTSU employee take their problems out on the unfortunate prisoners in the badlands? The repercussions here would probably be non-existent too.

    ¡°Let¡¯s form up, we don¡¯t have far to move,¡± Reina cut their conversation short as her voice rang out over Trim¡¯s stereo. ¡°Nina, curl your toes upward in your boots to boost, and stay close to someone.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°Is everyone above seventy?¡±

    Nina looked around as there was a murmur of confirmation and nodding. It was the same question that Reina had asked the group the very first time they had met, but she hadn¡¯t thought to ask about it.

    ¡°Nina, you should be at one hundred unless you¡¯ve burnt it all without realizing,¡± Reina smiled. ¡°Boost a little and watch your boots.¡±

    Nina stared at her boots before raising her toes inside. At the same time as she felt a light nudge from the booster kicking in, a red ¡®100¡¯ appeared on each shoe above her toes before changing to ¡¯99.¡¯

    ¡°That¡¯s the stored energy,¡± Reina said as she observed the rest of the group moving in towards her. ¡°It recharges the fastest when it¡¯s over fifty, so always try and land with each boot above.¡±

    ¡°In case we need to drop a few times in a row,¡± Svanda explained. ¡°Don¡¯t want to be out of energy when you¡¯re above the wrong tower or the Skywall, after all.¡±

    ¡°Or in the middle of nowhere on Zaffre¡¯s,¡± Jade added.

    ¡°Yeah, that would suck actually,¡± Trim laughed as the group entered a loose formation while all descending parallel to the surface. Nina watched as an array of red lights appeared on their boots, an indicator that they were using their shoes, and followed suit. It was gentle, but it felt similar to when Svanda had grabbed her hand the first time, a sort of dragging sensation against the breeze as though it were water. The readings were something that she had missed when they had met, but it was probably because she¡¯d had bigger issues to worry about than looking at people¡¯s shoes. She tried to read the numbers on Svanda¡¯s shoes, but even though she was the closest, she couldn¡¯t make it out.

    ¡°We¡¯re heading straight for the settlement?¡± she asked as she saw that they were moving in the direction of the town she had seen earlier.  Sitting in between the wall of the canyon and the river that had carved it, the town looked like something she would have expected to see in a western movie. Wooden houses sat in varying states of disrepair along the canyon wall while larger buildings sat between them and the main road that ran along the riverbank.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the Skywall or Luem, nobody here can do anything to us,¡± Trim smiled. Nina realised that while they were now directly above the town, Trim hadn¡¯t turned her stereo off and seemed to have no plan to do so. No longer using their shoes, the group dropped like pins before the sudden deceleration of the field kicked in, sending Nina¡¯s stomach rocketing upwards.

    Like moths to a flame, curious onlookers began to appear from doorways and windows all over the town as Trim¡¯s stereo rang out above them. Coming to a stop around ten meters above the main street, the field then slowly dropped the group the rest of the way before setting their feet on solid ground.

    ¡°Yep, these entrances are the best,¡± Jade chuckled as she stretched her arms over her head. ¡°Where¡¯s the carrier guy?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here, it''s hard not to hear that stereo¡± a man with a dirty mop of brown hair replied as he stepped out from behind one of the larger buildings. Like many of the residents that Nina could see, he wore loose brown pants and a ragged shirt. His sunken eyes scanned the group quickly before he scratched at a straggly beard. ¡°I¡¯ll be ready to go in ten.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be right here,¡± Reina smiled.

 Chapter 038

    ¡°Who was that?¡± Nina asked as her eyes scanned the curious crowd. As they were dressed in a variety of colours, clean, and in good health, the members of The Cloud Orchestra cut a very different picture from those around them. It reminded her of the red floors when she thought about it, how the people, buildings, and state of disrepair were all products of the same poverty that plagued the people above. She did, however, note that although they were still a collection of people who had been dealt a poor hand in life, these people seemed to have something that the people above them didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Graye the mechanic,¡± Jade replied as she took off her armband and stuffed it in a pocket before watching as Aline did the same. ¡°He¡¯s going to drive us to Sandscale Pass, the largest settlement in the badlands.¡±

    ¡°People have cars here?¡± she asked as she turned to face the gentle breeze that was passing through the canyon. The air was hot, but the lack of moisture made it bearable.

    ¡°You probably have more fingers on your hands than there are non-SuTSU vehicles on this plate,¡± Reina smiled as she also removed her band. ¡°Graye¡¯s family built this one and has maintained it for generations.¡±

    Nina paused in thought as she tugged her band off like the rest of the group had before dropping it in a pocket. If Graye was going to risk driving them to another city, he was probably a decent person. How did a decent guy keep hold of something so valuable in what was essentially a gigantic prison? She was about to ask, but then it clicked into place all by itself. If Graye¡¯s family had maintained it for generations, that would mean that Graye was born here.

    Graye wasn¡¯t a criminal, and he probably didn¡¯t know anything besides the life that he had. He would have never seen Luem, Neo Luesa, or any of the other plates. If that was the case for Graye, it was probably the same for most if not all of the residents in this town. She had found it odd when she had sensed a difference in the atmosphere compared to the red floors, but now she could put a finger on it.

    It was a sense of community.

    On the red floors in Luem, moving up in the world was a difficult but attainable reality. Life was a struggle where stepping on somebody else¡¯s shoulders to climb even an inch higher was just par for the course. It was step on, or be stepped on. Reina had accurately described it when they had been discussing Saela¡¯s past, it was wild. Here, however, not only were the conditions harsh, there was also nowhere to climb. Stepping on someone else wouldn¡¯t let you climb anywhere, it would just result in ostracism in a town where everyone needed to work together.

    Her attitude towards the crowd softened slightly as she relaxed her guard. A community like this probably didn¡¯t have any criminals, or at least troublesome ones, as they would likely be turned away.

    ¡°These people were all born here?¡±

    ¡°Either that or vetted by Graye and the mayor before being brought here,¡± Reina replied as she waved her hand at Trim to turn the music down. ¡°This town was intentionally founded far away from Sandscale Pass so that nobody could reach it without a vehicle. The open desert is a wonderful people-filter in the end,¡± she smiled. ¡°It¡¯s on a different river too.¡±

    ¡°And so all the people with¡­ issues, are at the pass,¡± Nina concluded.

    ¡°Most of them,¡± Svanda agreed as she pat the assault rifle that was slung over her shoulder. ¡°Not a problem for us though.¡±

    Nina gave her a weak smile in reply before her ears pricked up as she caught the sound of an engine approaching. After waiting for brief moment, Graye and his vehicle appeared from behind a corner before steering through the curious onlookers and coming to a stop before them.

    She had thought that the vehicle might be unorthodox, but Graye¡¯s truck was unlike anything she had seen before. With a six meter long flatbed at the rear, Graye sat on the front edge of it, his feet resting on two of the pedals that dangled in the empty space below. In front of him sat a large wooden cube which housed the engine, two rusted wheels with degrading tires poking out from underneath. A large iron rod and a steering wheel protruded from the cube to sit in front of Graye while two wheels that matched those at the front were fixed underneath the rear of the flatbed. There was no roof, no windshield, no mirrors, no lights, and certainly not a single safety feature on the truck, something that Nina was cautious about as she watched the members of the team climb up onto the shaking tray. What worried her the most however was that the entire thing was held together by a single iron beam that ran from under the tray at the rear to somewhere inside the cube.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Tires are almost gone,¡± Graye commented as Nina grabbed Svanda¡¯s outstretched hand before being hauled up onto the tray. She watched as a second man who had been standing in the crowd walked over with two containers of water, pushing them onto the tray before hauling himself up to sit beside Graye. Nina raised an eyebrow, but the lack of reaction from the rest of the group assured her that this was normal.

    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Reina sighed as she sat down in the centre of the tray. ¡°Tires are a pain to move, but I¡¯ll bring some for you next time.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± he smiled before he grabbed the large iron rod and pushed the truck into gear, the vibration of the tray turning into a steady throb as the truck slowly accelerated through the parting crowd. Nina watched as Jade and Aline sat down on the back of the tray, their legs dangling off the edge as they waved at the crowd. Seeing that the crowd waved in return, Nina also tentatively waved in their direction as they passed the last of the buildings and turned in the direction of a road that stretched away into the open desert.

    She didn¡¯t know why she waved. She had never seen these people before, so why was she filled with a sense of melancholy as they left? Reina had told her that she would see the seven plates, and this tiny insignificant speck in the desert was just the first stop. She wouldn¡¯t be able to continue like this. Svanda, Trim, and Reina had done this plenty of times, yet they chose not to wave and instead looked ahead with confident gazes.

    ¡°There are different reasons to wave,¡± Reina spoke. Nina heard the words as she was standing right next to her, but over the loud throb of the engine at the front and Trim¡¯s stereo at the back, it seemed that nobody else had. ¡°It¡¯s also easy to see which type it is when you think about it for a while.¡±

    Nina sat down next to her, their shoulders touching as she brought her knees in to her chest. Reina was instead stretched out, her upper half supported by her hands which were planted behind her.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°By the facial expression, of course,¡± she smiled. ¡°I couldn¡¯t see it, but I know that Jade and Aline were smiling when they waved, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±

    ¡°Mmm,¡± Nina nodded as she looked at their backs. She couldn¡¯t hear their conversation, but Jade¡¯s excited laughter filtered through the rest of the sounds as the truck hit a new gear and the speed picked up once more.

    ¡°Waving at someone with a smile is a way to say that it is, or it was, good to see you,¡± Reina said as her gaze drifted over the pair. ¡°We spend some time here occasionally, bringing supplies or waiting for a storm in the desert to blow over. They¡¯re lovely people and the fact that we appear over the badlands near this town is fortunate.¡±

    Nina was silent in return. She knew that Reina was going somewhere with this because she always did. She just didn¡¯t know where.

    ¡°Think about if someone waves at you with a panicked expression,¡± Reina continued. ¡°They¡¯re usually looking for help, or they¡¯re looking to attract your attention.¡±

    "..."

    Reina sighed as she looked upwards at the sky, her hair swirling around her face in the breeze that the lack of windshield provided them with. ¡°The reason I don¡¯t like waving is because I don¡¯t like how people use it with an expression of loss or sadness.¡±

    Nina frowned because Reina¡¯s comment was true in that her expression had been empty. It was the same feeling that she had when she had sat on her bed before leaving The Cloud Orchestra, a sense of finality even though she wasn¡¯t sure about what the future would hold. So many possibilities had tumbled through her head since she had first appeared above Neo Luesa. Futures with The Cloud Orchestra, futures on Caecus, even other futures like something with Dari Corp had all crossed her mind. She had tried to narrow them down, but every time she chalked one possibility off, it seemed as though another one appeared to replace it. As a result, she had just started accounting for all possibilities in a hope to end up with the least amount of regrets when her path finally became clear. Saying goodbye was just a part of that coping mechanism in case it turned out to be a reality.

    ¡°You know that we will be back soon on a new trip,¡± Reina stated as she stood up before looking down at her. ¡°So why do you wave as though you¡¯re never going to see this again?¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Nina mumbled in reply. She smiled but it was hollow, Reina probably knowing just as much as Nina did.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long trip to the pass, take some time to think on it,¡± Reina said before she turned and left Nina to herself to collect her thoughts.

 Chapter 039

    ¡°Would you mind looking intimidating for a moment while I pick some materials up?¡± Graye asked as the truck approached the pass. ¡°We should be fine, but you never know what will turn up in this forsaken place.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the least we could do,¡± Reina smiled as she looked over at Svanda and Trim. ¡°Alright with that?¡±

    Nina watched as Svanda hauled the assault rifle off her back before moving to one side of the flatbed, perching on the edge with one leg dangling over the side. Trim, to Nina¡¯s surprise, turned off the stereo before opening yet another compartment at the rear, withdrawing a silver submachine gun with T&TERM etched down the barrel. After loading a magazine with a practiced motion, she sat down on the opposite side. It wasn¡¯t a pulse weapon like the pistol that she carried in her tracksuit, and Nina was relieved to see that someone else also carried something a little more orthodox.

    It¡¯s tactical, she had said when asked about the stereo. Just what else was hidden in there?

    She turned her attention to the pass which had appeared in the distance. Any scenery at all was welcome after they had driven for what had seemed like hours across an endless desert, Trim¡¯s playlist still rolling when they reached a river that snaked through a series of rocky red hills. After stopping for quick a break they had continued, following the flow of water in the direction of the pass.

    From what she could see, Sandscale Pass dwarfed the settlement they had left behind. Straddling the river that the road was following, the inner city of earth-coloured stone buildings was surrounded by a ring of dilapidated wooden structures. She guessed that the largest of them was still only three or so stories, but there were quite a few of them. People walked on rickety bridges that stretched across the river which was about ten meters wide, while crudely crafted barges and boats lined each shore. On the opposite bank from the road they travelled on was a group of tough looking men tending to a small herd of livestock, their skin baked brown by a desert sun that was now on the return trip towards the horizon.

    ¡°I hate this place,¡± Aline moaned as she withdrew a pistol from underneath her dress before standing up to face the town. ¡°So many creepy people.¡±

    ¡°Want to visit the local anthill instead?¡± Jade laughed as she nodded off to the side. Nina followed her gaze to see a large hill in the distance, a black structure emerging from the top. She guessed it was a couple of kilometers from the pass - close enough to keep an eye on what was happening, but far away enough to be clear of the rabble.

    Aline frowned but decided not to respond, shifting her weight from one foot to the other as her gaze scanned the approaching town. Like the town had attracted their attention, their approaching vehicle had also attracted the attention of many people who were in and around the shanties on the fringe of the pass. Cold and curious gazes were aimed in their direction as their activities stopped to investigate the strange truck and the equally strange passengers.

    Nina pressed her elbow against her ribcage, the solid feeling of the pistol in her jacket comforting her. She wouldn¡¯t have thought it a few weeks ago, but she was glad to have it with her. Svanda, Trim, Jade, and Aline were all openly carrying their weapons now, an imposing deterrent to anyone who had any thoughts about the truck or its occupants. Reina looked unfazed, a confident smile still hanging on her lips as she stood with her arms folded in the centre of the tray.

    When the smell hit her nose as they arrived at the edge of the structures, Nina tried not to react. It was horrible, a stifling mix of decay and waste combined with the heat of the late afternoon. The dry breeze had been carrying it away from them before, but there was no escape now. Jade pinched her nose before shrugging when Aline glared at her. People lived in this, but it seemed like she didn¡¯t care about offending them.

    ¡°Where are you headed?¡± Reina asked Graye. If the conditions were bothering her, her expression didn¡¯t show it.

    ¡°Need wood,¡± he responded as he nodded in the direction of a barge that floated on the side of the river in the distance. Nina assumed she was looking at the correct one because it was stacked high with logs.

    ¡°You always seem to need wood,¡± Reina sighed.

    Graye shrugged in response as the truck continued to pass by a series of huts and tents, although hut was generous term in some cases. Cloth and whatever other scrap people had managed to find was shoved in gaps, draped over ropes, and stretched over crude frames in the large majority of them.

    ¡°Where does the wood come from anyway?¡± Nina asked as she looked around. Since they had been here, she hadn¡¯t seen a single tree.

    ¡°There are dead forests upriver, relics of the past from when the land wasn¡¯t so bad.¡± Reina explained. ¡°They cut them down and then float the logs downstream on barges.¡±

    Nina nodded before examining their surroundings. Jade had removed her fingers from her nose as the quality of the residences improved a little, at least they now looked solid and functional. The throbbing of the engine still drew curious gazes from the windows as they passed, but Nina had begun to ignore them as her eyes focused on the barge that was now only some fifty meters up the road.

    ¡°Graye,¡± a man with large muscles and tanned skin said as the truck pulled up beside the barge after turning around. His straggly black hair that was caked with dirt seemed to compliment his bent nose and the fact that he was missing a few teeth. ¡°Back again with some interesting cargo I see.¡± His eyes scanned over the group, leering as much as he thought he could get away with before Svanda openly clicked the safety on her rifle.

    ¡°Fifteen at the usual rate, take it or leave it,¡± Graye responded while ignoring the silent exchange between the two groups. He fished around in a pocket inside his shirt before withdrawing a group of coins and dropping them on the tray.

    The man¡¯s eyes moved from Graye¡¯s face to the pile of coins before quickly glancing at Svanda¡¯s rifle. He nodded before sliding the coins off the tray into his outstretched hand and whistling to a group of men in black rags who sat under a shade cloth on the other side of the road. Springing into action, they headed for the barge and began to carry logs to the truck, Nina and her group stepping off onto the dusty street to vacate the space.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Want us to hang around?¡± Reina asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re fine from here now that the price is sorted,¡± Graye shook his head as he tapped his pocket, Nina realizing that he was also carrying a gun. ¡°We¡¯ve got our own tricks if we need them, thanks for the escort.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Reina smiled as she signaled to the rest of the group. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head to Juicer then. Eyes peeled for anything funny please.¡±

    ¡°Tires,¡± Graye reminded her.

    ¡°Tires,¡± Reina nodded before turning on her heel and leading the group up the street.

    Nina fell in behind Reina who casually strolled up the centre of the street with a hand in each pocket, Svanda and Trim on each side of her with their weapons hanging loosely by their sides. Jade and Aline flanked them in turn, forming a V-formation of sorts with Nina and Saela tucked in behind. Saela had been noticeably quiet during the trip, but Nina wasn¡¯t going to be the one to try and coax her out of her shell. She instead turned her attention to the streets which were becoming increasingly busy as they moved closer towards the centre of town. Peddlers along the river presented fresh fish while shopfronts on the other side displayed a variety of baked goods, stone trinkets, cloths, and other homewares. If nobody had told Nina that this plate was a prison, she would have thought it to be a normal town. A technologically inferior town, but still a normal town.

    ¡°Where does all this stuff come from?¡± she asked.

    ¡°People are surprisingly adaptable when they need to be,¡± Trim said. ¡°You have to remember that Sandscale Pass has been here for over a thousand years, and with that remember that the vast majority of people here aren¡¯t actually from the plate above.¡±

    In other words, not criminals.

    Jade, who was walking on the side furthest from the river, idly tossed a coin to a person sitting at a stall before grabbing a pair of what looked like bread rolls from the pile that sat before him. She passed one to Nina before taking a bite of the other herself.

    Nina followed Jade¡¯s example and took a tentative bite of the roll. It was bland with a slightly sour taste, the texture grainy as though sand had been mixed in.

    ¡°Still as bad as I remember them to be,¡± Jade frowned as she tossed the roll to a child who was sitting on the edge of the road as they walked. ¡°That¡¯s a sandscale roll, made from ground sandscale husks. Tastes like crap but they¡¯re nutritious enough to keep you going, and sandscale plants grow everywhere. This place is called Sandscale Pass for a reason.¡±

    Nina took a second look at the roll before passing it to a hopeful child that had been trailing in their wake since they had seen Jade discard her roll. She smiled as she saw the child wheel away in delight at the free meal before turning her attention back to where they were heading. The group turned a corner and continued to walk down the centre of what seemed to be a main street as they neared the centre of the town.

    ¡°We¡¯re back,¡± Reina said to two men that flanked the door they were approaching. It was a large building on the corner made from heavy red stone, ¡®JUICER¡¯ painted in a decorative fashion above the door with white paint. Nina immediately noticed the pistols that openly hung from their belts.

    ¡°The Cloud Orchestra,¡± one of the men smiled as his gaze passed across the group before stopping on Nina. ¡°She one of yours or are you vouching?¡±

    ¡°One of us,¡± Reina replied as she pushed her way through the door, the rest of the group filing in behind her. Nina observed the interior of the building, which was surprisingly clean compared to what she had seen during their walk over. The red stone had been polished on the inside, and tiles made of wood covered the floor in a zigzagging pattern. Lamps that were covered by yellowed glass hung from the ceiling, although there were only a few of them which left the interior dim.

    ¡°Electricity?¡± she asked as her sweep around the room continued. It seemed like a hotel lobby of sorts, or a bar. Nothing like the lavish settings she had seen in Luem, but comfortable. Small round tables dotted the floor while a stone counter ran along the back of the room next to a staircase. The man behind the counter looked half asleep, but she couldn¡¯t blame him considering that they were the only people there.

    ¡°Generators,¡± Svanda replied as they crossed the floor in the direction of the staircase.

    ¡°Barkeep,¡± Reina smiled as they neared the counter. ¡°Seven of the special, we¡¯ll be upstairs.¡±

    The man nodded and watched with disinterest as the group climbed the stairs. Once they reached the top, Nina stepped out to see that the top floor of Juicer was an open rooftop sitting area. With views over parts of the city that weren¡¯t obstructed by taller buildings, a roof was supported by columns of red stone which left the space open to the breeze.

    ¡°I¡¯m starving,¡± Trim sighed as she took a seat at the largest table which sat in the centre of the empty space. ¡°The drive across really takes it out of you.¡±

    ¡°At least the kitchen isn¡¯t busy,¡± Svanda smiled as she sat beside her.

    The group half chuckled and half breathed a sigh of relief as they all sat down before stretching out, watching as the man from downstairs appeared with a tray of cold drinks. After he set them down, he withdrew while ignoring Nina¡¯s curious glance.

    ¡°Who are these people?¡±

    ¡°Network, of course,¡± Reina replied. ¡°Nobody else that I know of is bold enough to install generators down here and keep the fuel supply running.¡±

    ¡°How does Graye keep his truck running?¡±

    ¡°Biodiesel. He makes it himself from¡­¡± Reina paused as an animated discussion drifted up from the street below.

    ¡°What do you mean, no?¡± came a voice. ¡°You think you can openly flaunt a few pistols around and nobody will do anything? I think it should be pretty obvious to you who we are.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s very obvious who you are.¡± Nina recognized the voice of the guard at the door. ¡°And that¡¯s why I¡¯m warning you to not try anything.¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to go and knock on the door of the anthill over there and tell them that I have a problem?¡±

    Nina¡¯s ears pricked up. It was as though the second voice was also familiar, but she didn¡¯t know where it was from. She watched as Jade stood up and quietly walked in the direction of the railing.

    ¡°I can tell from your dress that you aren¡¯t on official business,¡± the guard sighed. ¡°That means you don¡¯t want them to know that you¡¯re here either.¡±

    ¡°It also means that I can knock down the¡­ oh? You! Yeah, you up there!¡±

    Nina had a bad feeling about this.

    ¡°See? I told you they were here,¡± she heard the man say. ¡°You, up there! If you¡¯re here, that means Nina''s here right?¡±

    She saw Jade tense, her hand gripping the railing as she looked down to whoever was having the conversation below. Before she knew it, she had stood up and walked over to the railing, placing one arm on Jade¡¯s shoulder while looking at the people on the street below.

    ¡°That¡¯s who I wanted to see,¡± Captain Ormain smiled. He was dressed in casual desert gear, as were the five other people that stood behind him. The fact that they all had varying styles of hair in the same black, however, confirmed that this was a group of people she was supposed to be avoiding.

    Ormain chuckled as he examined her expression.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have a chat, shall we?¡±

 Chapter 040

    ¡°How did you find us?¡± Nina asked as she tried to prevent her voice from wavering. This person was the one who had no doubt started the chain of events which had resulted in the wanted posters with her name on it being circulated.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Ormain smiled as he turned his palms up. He wore a sand-coloured cloak with a white shirt underneath, a small black submachine gun dangling from each hip. With long brown boots and khaki pants, he was clearly equipped for the desert. ¡°I was never going to find you in Luem, so I decided to change the stage. If you can¡¯t find a rat in a haystack, just set the haystack on fire and wait until it comes out.¡±

    They had been played, she realised as Reina appeared beside her. Setting the haystack on fire was the circulation of the wanted posters, and as soon as they had seen the smoke, they had fled. Instead of hiding in an impenetrable maze of a city, they had instead moved to a small desert town where they cut a striking contrast to their surroundings. Ormain hadn¡¯t been looking for them, he had been waiting for them.

    ¡°The people here are also a bit more desperate for¡­ just about anything,¡± he laughed. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised at what people here are willing to do for even a few coins.¡±

    Like watching out for them and running to Ormain as soon as they had seen the truck approaching, probably.

    ¡°You found her, but you can¡¯t do anything about it,¡± Reina replied. ¡°We both know that you aren¡¯t going to force your way in here, so stop interrupting our lunch.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t just find her,¡± he smiled as he looked up at them. ¡°I also found you. You¡¯re the one in charge here, right?¡± They watched as he bowed without hiding his mocking expression. ¡°My name is Ormain, a captain at the Security Union. You are?¡±

    ¡°Ignore him,¡± Reina said to Nina before turning on her heel. ¡°They can¡¯t do anything, let¡¯s eat.¡±

    ¡°The captain asked for your name,¡± a woman¡¯s voice spat from below as Nina and Jade turned to follow Reina back to the table.

    ¡°Shalan,¡± Ormain barked at whichever member of the group it was. ¡°Ignore it. They have to come outside sooner or later.¡±

    Hearing his response, Reina¡¯s lips curled into a thin smile as she sat down. Nina and Jade also sat, but Nina couldn¡¯t wipe the troubled expression from her face. She didn¡¯t want to admit it, but Saela was correct in a sense. If she hadn¡¯t joined The Cloud Orchestra, they wouldn¡¯t be in this mess. It wasn¡¯t just Nina who was in trouble now, it was the entire group.

    She had no doubt that Ormain''s group would open fire on them if they thought he could get away with it. She didn¡¯t know why they were operating outside of usual SuTSU protocol as the man on the door suggested, but she would take any advantage that she could get right now. He had used the anthill as a threat, but it seemed that he didn¡¯t want to get them involved for some reason. Did the higher ups at SuTSU even know that they were here?

    Either that or Ormain saw them as a treasure that he didn''t want to share with anyone else.

    The general mood of the group had gone from carefree to muted while she had been lost in thought. Nina could feel Saela¡¯s glare as the man from earlier began to bring dishes out one by one, but she chose to ignore it. Things were bad enough already.

    ¡°Is everything fine?¡± Reina asked the man as he dropped the final couple of plates on the table, her confident smile returning.

    ¡°Not a problem,¡± he reassured her. ¡°I won¡¯t discuss specifics, but we have more than enough people here to deal with them if we need to, even if they decided to bring the anthill down on us. I assume your travel plans haven¡¯t changed?¡±

    ¡°They haven¡¯t,¡± Reina replied as she examined the dish in front of her. ¡°Thanks for the food.¡±

    ¡°Customers like you are a charm compared to most of them,¡± he said as he walked back towards the stairs. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare for your departure.¡±

    Eating in the warm but gentle breeze on the roof, Nina found the food to be surprisingly good considering what she thought would be available. The dishes were mainly fish, although that was to be expected because it seemed that the river was the main source of food in the badlands. There were some dry cakes of a sort which suspiciously reminded her of the sandscale roll from earlier, and after a bite she realised that it was probably why they were loaded with spices. Another bowl contained some knotted roots which were boiled in a salty soup until they became a deep red colour, and a rather normal plate of biscuits and cheeses sat to the side.

    ¡°So what do we do about that?¡± Trim asked after they had finished eating while nodding her head in the direction of the street. ¡°Something tells me that they aren¡¯t going to be leaving us alone anytime soon.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°Ignore them,¡± Reina casually waved her hand. ¡°We¡¯ll beat them to Zaffre¡¯s and disappear before they know what happened.¡± She paused for a moment as her gaze swept across the empty plates on the table. Satisfied, she stood up. ¡°If they want to play their own tricks, then we can play ours too. Nina, come.¡±

    Nina stood and followed Reina as she walked to the railing.

    ¡°We just need them to think we''re staying here for a while, so be quiet,¡± Reina murmured before they both looked down to the street below to see that Ormain and his group had parked themselves on the other side of the street under a shade cloth. There was, however, one person missing.

    ¡°Hoped that we would leave already?¡± Ormain smiled as he stood up before strolling into the centre of the street, ignoring the hot sun that shone down on him. ¡°I¡¯ve got someone covering the back door too, so why don¡¯t we just talk it out? You don¡¯t want to be stuck in there forever, and we don¡¯t want to sit here waiting for you either.¡±

    ¡°You need supplies and you need to sleep, you can¡¯t stay here forever,¡± Reina replied in a cool tone. ¡°Save us the effort and leave, you can try and pick up the trail again later.¡±

    Ormain and a couple of the suits behind him chuckled at her suggestion. He had brought three men and two women, all but one of which Nina recognized from the day outside Glass Heart. Like Ormain, none of them made any attempt to hide the collection of weapons they carried. Dressed in an assortment of browns and whites, pistols protruded from pockets and sat in holsters while submachine guns dangled from their belts.

    ¡°I don¡¯t trust anyone from Network,¡± he smiled as he eyed the two guards which stood by the door. ¡°That should be understandable for you, shouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Is it?¡± Reina replied dismissively. ¡°I think it¡¯s a bit rich for anyone at SuTSU to talk about trust.¡±

    Nina noted that usual smile was nowhere to be seen, a cold expression now plastered on her face. Reina had said that it was a trick, so she hoped that the reaction was simply part of the act and not a true representation of how she felt right now. She had only seen something close to this expression once, and that was when she had stormed out from Julia¡¯s place. It wasn¡¯t something that she wanted to see a repeat of.

    Ormain shrugged, seeming completely unfazed. ¡°Maybe so, but we both know that you¡¯re not so good yourself,¡± he smiled as he turned to Nina. ¡°Say Nina, what did she tell you? Do you know why you were really called down to Neo Luesa?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him,¡± Reina said.

    ¡°They were going to make you a suit Nina.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Reina laughed. ¡°With zero combat experience? There are thousands of applicants every year, yet you want to pull one from Caecus?¡±

    ¡°Oh, surprised you would know that,¡± Ormain smiled in return as he put a hand on the shoulder of a woman who had stepped beside him. With a thin white headband in her black hair that ran just past her shoulders, her fiery gaze locked onto Reina as though any distrust in Ormain was an offense. Nina noted how close she stood to Ormain, her brown leather jacket opened not only to reveal her impressive figure, but also two pistols that sat in matching shoulder holsters.

    ¡°But if you knew that, you should know exactly why Nina was called down,¡± he continued. ¡°Combat experience can be trained, and I can see by the bulge in her jacket that you¡¯ve already started your own work on her. The thing that draws the line between a pass and a fail where suits are concerned is their skill outside of combat. Being a suit is just as much a game of office politics is it is about being good in the field. It¡¯s a role where the pen is just as mighty as the sword, and the ability to thrive in a bureaucratic machine is vital.  The very same strengths that you look for in your own people, I would assume.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll admit that you¡¯re quick on your feet with your stories,¡± Reina replied. ¡°But nobody is going to buy it.¡±

    ¡°The vast majority of suit applicants pass combat tests with ease but fail miserably with office duties,¡± Ormain shrugged has his hand on the woman¡¯s shoulder moved up to run a finger through her hair. ¡°It¡¯s the necessary work behind the scenes that they just can¡¯t understand. Ask yourself what the common factor is between the army lancers on The Skywall, or the wardens in that anthill over there. The answer is that while they¡¯re all good in combat, they¡¯re useless outside of it.¡±

    ¡°Still doesn¡¯t explain why SuTSU would invite an outsider into a prestigious position,¡± Reina smiled. ¡°Your story is lacking.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s as simple as we can¡¯t find talented enough people for the office that can also function in combat, but the truth in my story is for Nina to decide herself,¡± Ormain said as his eyes turned back to her. ¡°Speaking of truths, I wonder what kind of story your boss told you? Why did you end up wasting away as a criminal down on the orange floors when you could have been a part of something greater on the blue floors, or even higher?¡±

    ¡°Nobody starts that high,¡± Reina cut in. ¡°It might sound plausible to someone who is new to the plates, but anyone with a sliver of knowledge about SuTSU would know that you¡¯re just making this up as you go.¡±

    Ormain raised an eyebrow. ¡°You seem to know more than you should, boss lady. Who are you really? I¡¯d say failed applicant, but you¡¯re too talented. Family history with the Security Union? A deserter?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d never have anything to do with the likes of you,¡± Reina smiled. Nina noticed that the confident expression had returned as she turned to face her. ¡°Let¡¯s go, nothing good will come from this.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see you when you decide to leave then,¡± Ormain chuckled. ¡°Oh and Nina, the offer is still on the table if you want to join SuTSU and be a part of something meaningful. I saw your file and it¡¯s very impressive, I can fix the paperwork up like nothing happened.¡±

    Nina glanced at him and the woman beside him one more time before turning around and following Reina back to join the rest of the group at the table.

 Chapter 041

    Without a word, the group stood at Reina¡¯s instruction and followed her towards the stairs. Nina had questions to ask after Ormain¡¯s story, but she also knew that now wasn¡¯t the time. Filing down the stairs with the group before setting foot in the lobby, she looked out over the dim interior to find that there were now quite a few people sitting around. Soldiers, she realised, all dressed in the same attire as the guards who had been standing on the front door. They were surprisingly relaxed, loitering around and joking with each other while playing cards with their weapons sitting on the tables, occasionally glancing at the door.

    ¡°There¡¯s like¡­ thirty of them,¡± Aline muttered as Reina ignored the small army in the lobby and continued further down the stairs. Following them down, Nina found herself in the basement where the gentle hum of the generators rang through the passage. While walking through a cool corridor with a grey stone floor, Nina began to see just where all the soldiers had come from.

    It seemed as though they were in a Network barracks of sorts. A series of sleeping and dining areas sat on each side, some of which were still occupied. Nina guessed that there was another twenty or so men as she roughly counted them while the group moved past, most of them gearing up and filing out in the direction of the stairs that they had come from. It seemed that their server¡¯s comment about Ormain not being an issue wasn¡¯t baseless after all. Even if they decided to bring the anthill down upon them, they¡¯d be met by a small army.

    ¡°Why does SuTSU leave these guys alone?¡± she asked Aline who walked in front of her. They turned a corner at the end of the hall and began to descend another set of stairs, the air becoming cooler yet again while the lights were fewer and further between. Nina now understood why Reina hadn¡¯t been concerned about Ormain¡¯s presence - they wouldn¡¯t be leaving the building at all. Well, not at ground level at least.

    ¡°Wardens aren¡¯t going to risk their lives for the trouble,¡± Aline replied. ¡°As long as Network don¡¯t openly try and take control of the town, they¡¯re actually doing them a favour by essentially policing it for them. Less work for them and they don¡¯t even need to leave home.¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯re dropping through from here, right? Isn¡¯t that something they would want to have for themselves?¡±

    ¡°The shaft isn¡¯t here. SuTSU would have found it first if it was,¡± Aline said as they continued to descend. They must have been at least ten meters underground by now, the red stone walls from before now replaced by rammed earth. ¡°They would know that it¡¯s connected, but again, they wouldn¡¯t care. Unless some SuTSU bigwig comes down and cracks the whip, nothing will change. And I can sure as hell say that no SuTSU bigwig is going to want to come down here.¡±

    ¡°No responsibility at all?¡± Nina grumbled as the group filed through one last door to find themselves in a long rectangular space that stretched away from them. It was a tunnel, she realised. With a dim light set into the wall every five or so meters, the tunnel which was around two meters wide and equally as high stretched away from them. A set of thin rails ran down the centre which disappeared into the darkness, while a makeshift carriage of sorts sat on top. It was more a row of seats in a single file mounted to a set of axles than anything else, but Nina had come to realise that just about everything in the badlands was crudely made but functional.

    ¡°Not really,¡± Aline said as her eyes focused on the carriage. ¡°Anthills are mainly for appearances as SuTSU don¡¯t really care about what happens below Neo Luesa. They can essentially dump whatever they want on Zaffre¡¯s as there isn¡¯t any way for people to come back up. The Skywall on the other hand¡­ well you saw how seriously they take that.¡±

    ¡°Why does Network want to control them then?¡±

    ¡°So you can charge a fortune to use them, obviously,¡± Jade chimed in, although her expression straightened as the man from the counter appeared behind them.

    ¡°Take a seat,¡± he said as his gaze stopped on Jade. She pretended to ignore it as he moved to the corner of the room to stand by a lever which protruded from the wall. ¡°You know how it works, enjoy your trip and we¡¯ll see you again soon.¡±

    ¡°Are you guys still going to be here next time?¡± Trim asked as she slid into one of the plastic seats, almost like something Nina would have expected to see in a school. ¡°It¡¯s pretty obvious that the way through is here.¡±

    ¡°We already have a reserve tunnel, but I doubt we¡¯ll need it,¡± the man replied dismissively as he watched them climb into the seats. There were ten seats in total and the group left the first three empty, filling the rest with Svanda at the front. Nina, who had been at the back of the group as they filed into the tunnel, sat in the seat at the rear.

    ¡°See you next time then,¡± Reina smiled as she sat behind Svanda, the last to take her seat. ¡°Thanks for everything.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all part of the service,¡± the main said as he threw the switch, watching in silence as the vehicle rolled away from him into the distance, carrying the members of The Cloud Orchestra with it.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ---

    ¡°They¡¯re not coming out,¡± Shalan said to Ormain as her eyes remained locked on Juicer¡¯s front door. ¡°There must be another exit.¡±

    ¡°They could be waiting inside,¡± he offered in response before sighing. ¡°But I doubt that, they¡¯re not stupid.¡±

    ¡°A tunnel then,¡± Shalan concluded. ¡°Should we interrogate someone?¡±

    ¡°No point,¡± Ormain waved his hand with a dismissive gesture before turning to face the rest of his group. They had only been waiting at the front of Juicer for around two hours since his conversation with Reina, yet his team had already had enough. Besides the lieutenant who didn¡¯t seem to mind waiting, nobody else in the rest of his group had the patience to sit around among the degenerates that walked the streets, Ormain included.

    ¡°Lysalya, go and collect the lieutenant, I¡¯ve had enough of this,¡± he said before pointing in the direction of the SuTSU base which sat on the hill in the distance. ¡°We¡¯ll take that sorry excuse of a car back to them and try again on Zaffre¡¯s, Network won¡¯t be able to do anything there.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to mess with Network, but you don¡¯t mind messing with the Royal Guard?¡± Lysalya asked as she stood up. ¡°Most people would tell you that you¡¯re crazy, you know.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but this team isn¡¯t made of most people is it?¡± he asked in response before the grin on Lysalya¡¯s lips provided him with the answer. ¡°The Royal Guard isn¡¯t going to follow us back to Luem, while Network will. Easy call if you ask me,¡± he shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m going to bring that woman back with us one way or another.¡±

    Lysalya smiled before crossing the dusty street and disappearing down the side of the building. Ormain had hoped to intercept The Cloud Orchestra before they had contacted Network, but unfortunately their contacts had been too slow. He wasn¡¯t surprised that the people in the badlands were just as useless as they looked, but he could wait. It was disappointing, but at least he had achieved one goal, which was to pitch a role at SuTSU to Nina. Their work would be simple if she accepted and even if she didn¡¯t, his offer would have unsettled her. Sowing distrust amongst the group had value.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we just kill them all?¡± Shalan asked as she dropped her head onto Ormain¡¯s shoulder. He smiled, although he knew she couldn¡¯t see his reaction. It seemed her lengthy probation ¨C which Grant had to get her out of, hadn¡¯t done her any good at all.

    ¡°You¡¯re that worried about me bringing another woman home?¡± he chuckled before wrapping an arm around her waist. ¡°Unfortunately, a corpse isn¡¯t going to give us the answers that we¡¯re looking for.¡±

    The two suits that sat behind them stood up as Lysalya reappeared with the lieutenant in tow, following Ormain as they fanned out across the street. Moving at a leisurely pace, he eyed the local fortress which sat upon the hill in the distance, smiling to himself as he noticed that the people before him scattered as they approached. It felt good, parting the crowd without needing to rely on a uniform that stirred fear in the majority of people for once.

    ¡°They¡¯re not going to be happy to see us again so soon,¡± Shalan said as she took a roll from one of the stalls that they passed. She didn¡¯t bother paying, as nobody was going to ask her to when her shoulder holsters were easily visible. She frowned after taking a bite, tossing it over her shoulder while muttering that the food in the badlands was just as sour as the people that made it.

    ¡°They¡¯ll live,¡± Ormain shrugged as they turned a corner and entered a small stone building which was a disused SuTSU relay. After filing though the empty living area, they stepped into the adjoined garage before climbing into the oversized dune buggy that sat there. Painted brown with a large SuTSU logo on the front, SuTSU buggies were famous in the badlands as being synonymous with the wardens, and trouble by extension. Ormain watched as the lieutenant keyed the ignition and thumbed the garage release before easing them out onto the street and accelerating in the direction of the nearby fortress.

    ¡°So what¡¯s the plan then?¡± Lysalya asked as she looked back on the pass once they hit the outskirts with a look of distaste on her face. Like Shalan, she had smooth shoulder length hair, the submachine gun that dangled from a shoulder strap a matching black. With a modest frame that was covered by a white long sleeved shirt and olive green cargo pants, she was the second-highest ranked member of Ormain¡¯s group. Not that rank seemed to mean anything to Ormain, his blatant favouritism for Shalan despite her controversial antics was well known.

    ¡°They won¡¯t skip through Zaffre¡¯s,¡± he replied. ¡°Pretty much everyone that runs through the plates spends at least a week or two there doing work so we¡¯ll have time to find them, although we won¡¯t be able to use SuTSU channels - it will raise questions about what we¡¯re doing there and I don¡¯t want anyone else even getting a sniff of what¡¯s going on.¡±

    SuTSU had built a road between the fortress and the pass, but it clearly didn¡¯t see much use as the buggy bounced across a couple of stones. Ormain found the heat rather unpleasant, and there was probably sand in his hair too.

    ¡°Well, I certainly won¡¯t be upset to see the back of this place,¡± Lysalya echoed his thoughts as she turned back to face the SuTSU fortress that they were rapidly approaching. ¡°One visit to Sandscale Pass is enough for this lifetime and the next one too.¡±

    ¡°Too true,¡± Ormain chuckled as they reached the fortress. The group smiled as the lieutenant impatiently banged on the horn a couple of times before the heavy steel door before them began to raise into the ceiling.

    ¡°Alright then,¡± Lysalya smiled. ¡°Nina one, Ormain zero.¡±

    ¡°Luck,¡± Shalan spat. ¡°We were handicapped.¡±

    ¡°That was just the warmup,¡± Ormain consoled her with a pat on the shoulder. Shalan may have been volatile, erratic, and difficult to control, but he knew that their meeting with Nina had pushed her in the right direction. He wouldn¡¯t tell her, but besides pitching his offer to Nina, their confrontation had also ticked off another box. A bloodhound was what he needed right now, and Reina¡¯s dismissive attitude had lit a fire underneath her.

    The stage had been set. It was time for the real hunt.

 Chapter 042

    So green, Nina thought to herself as her gaze drifted across the land that was spread out below her. Thick like heavy brush strokes of paint, gigantic swathes of grassland stretched away to the horizon. Besides a few sparse forests and the city that she saw in the distance, the varying patchwork of green filled her vision as though a blanket had been draped over the earth.

    ¡°Zaffre¡¯s Moat,¡± Reina said as she eased beside her. It still amazed her how good Reina was at maneuvering through the air with hardly any visible motions, but she guessed that the amount of practice she¡¯d had was just as impressive. She had tried to flick her foot to slide against the wind before, but it seemed that even her small movements ended up with spectacularly ungraceful results.

    Nina could see that the city in the distance was quite literally surrounded by a moat - three of them in fact. Therewere twoinner moats which surrounded the grey city walls, and then an outer moat which surrounded the walled farmland around it. The fact that the rings of blue were so easily visible from their vantage point led her to believe that they would be impressive features up close.

    ¡°Zaffre is the only city on the plate,¡± Reina continued with a twinge of annoyance on her face as Trim changed the song. ¡°Any other settlements on the plate are forbidden, and the Royal Guard has systematically searched the entire plate and destroyed all shafts to Areinis besides the three in the city.¡±

    ¡°You can destroy them?¡±

    ¡°Apparently so,¡± Reina shrugged. ¡°Fill them up, cover them over, I don¡¯t know what they did but it seemed to work. Either way, most of the people at Zaffre¡¯s are not very fond of people from the plates above.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard not to be skeptical when it could start raining prisoners at any time,¡± Jade laughed as she passed them headfirst, spiraling around loosely as Aline shot after her. Were they playing tag?

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not a problem,¡± Reina said as she leaned backwards, lazing against the wind that rushed around them. ¡°They¡¯re familiar with us.¡±

    Do they know that we¡¯re bringing contraband in? Nina thought as her eyes flicked over to one of Svanda¡¯s bulging pockets. Either they didn¡¯t, or there was some kind of corruption going on. Neither of them were scenarios that Nina was particularly comfortable with either.

    Apparently the city was a no fly zone. As a result, the group descended on the outskirts of the larger moat that surrounded the farmland, where Nina finally began to grasp just how large the city was. As if it were something out of a medieval tale, the city was comprised almost entirely of wood and grey stone, towering walls crisscrossing the city and wrapping around an imposing castle which sat at the centre. In a ring around the castle grounds were large stone mansions complete with a variety of gardens, lakes, and plazas ¨C the homes of the nobility. In a further ring around them was a collection of buildings and houses that strongly reminded her of paintings she had seen of medieval towns.

    ¡°There are three factions on Zaffre¡¯s,¡± Reina explained as she judged the distance between themselves and the ground. ¡°The Royal Family in the centre controls the city through the nobility and the Royal Guard, but their power is kept in check by the Farmer¡¯s League and the Merchant Guild. The relationships between the three are complex, and it¡¯s difficult to avoid picking a side.¡±

    Nina observed the farms that surrounded the city. Unlike the circular wall that ran around the city, the wall that surrounded the farmland was octagonal, the area inside walled into eight equal portions. Together they formed a wheel of colour around the city, as a variety of grains, fruits, and vegetables were grown in large plots. Two of the areas on the far side seemed to be dedicated to livestock.

    ¡°This is... huge,¡± Nina said as the city began to block out her sight of the farms on the far side. Even though they were still descending, the city now seemed far in the distance, the tall stone walls that surrounded each area stretching away from them for kilometers. The group stopped their conversations as Trim flicked her stereo off, their feet touching down on the grass below after they coasted the final few meters.

    ¡°The land around the city provides everything they need,¡± Reina said as she looked up at the gate they had landed near. ¡°Although they do have a moving lumber camp to provide timber and a quarry somewhere, almost everything is constructed from stone.¡±

    ¡°A lot of it,¡± Jade smiled as they moved towards the gate. She wasn¡¯t lying either - Nina guessed that the wall surrounding the farmland was at least five or six meters tall. A wide stone arch with a drawbridge sat at the meeting point of the two areas they had landed beside, the wooden bridge currently retracted. Nina turned around and looked behind her to see an endless field of grass in every direction, the land flat without a hint of elevation. After they had been on the move constantly since they had dropped into the badlands, Nina welcomed the change of pace.

    It was idyllic, to a certain extent. The sky was blue, the rolling fields were green like what she would see on a postcard, and the air was clean. It wasn¡¯t cold, but the gentle breeze was cool enough for Nina to smile as the scent of the grain crops on the other side of the wall reached her nose. She brushed a strand of hair over her ear as she listened to the gentle movement in the moat below, wondering where the water was from. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that they were carrying pulse weapons and had quite literally dropped from the sky, Nina would have almost thought that they had gone back in time.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    Until the crackle of a loudspeaker switching on interrupted her thoughts, that was.

    ¡°Please state your identity, origin, and affiliation. Failure to do so will result in arrest.¡±

    ¡°Arrest generally means execution,¡± Jade whispered to Nina. ¡°They just don¡¯t tell you that.¡±

    ¡°The Cloud Orchestra, Luem, Inin Estate,¡± Reina replied, quite loudly as her voice traveled across the moat. Nina guessed it was around ten meters wide, did the drawbridge extend somehow?

    ¡°Please wait.¡±

    Nina thought that the response would be timely, but judging by the reaction of everyone else it seemed that it wouldn¡¯t be the case. Trim and Svanda both lay back on the grass, while Jade and Aline moved to sit at the edge of the moat, their feet dangling down above the water that was swirling around a few meters below them. Saela, as silent as ever, simply sat where she had been standing, while Reina folded her arms and continued to stare blankly at the drawbridge.

    ¡°There won¡¯t be quarantine?¡± Nina asked as she sat between Svanda and Trim.

    ¡°There would be if we were associated with the farmers or the merchants,¡± Trim yawned. ¡°But the Royal Guard isn¡¯t going to ask any questions because we¡¯re with the Royal Faction.¡±

    ¡°It only makes sense to stop contraband getting in if it isn¡¯t on your side of the fence,¡± Svanda added. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t on your side of the wall in this case.¡±

    Nina sighed as she lay back on the grass, matching Svanda and Trim as the three of them stared at the cloudless sky. ¡°You don¡¯t feel bad that they might use the abysswort seeds to poison someone?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± Svanda said as she pat the rifle she had put down beside her. ¡°People don¡¯t feel bad when they sell someone a weapon, isn¡¯t it the same? What they do with it is their business, not mine.¡±

    Nina paused in thought as she listened to Jade complain about getting grass stains on her dress before returning her attention to the sky. ¡°You don¡¯t poison someone in self-defense,¡± she said before turning her head to see that Svanda had her eyes closed, but a smile had appeared at the corner of her lips.

    ¡°Hmm, I guess so,¡± she mused. ¡°But still, it doesn¡¯t bother me. I don¡¯t need to know what happens. Doing stuff like this is just part of our job, a job that I happen to like quite a bit.¡±

    ¡°You could always go and work for Julia,¡± Trim smiled as she examined the scowl on Svanda¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m sure she would quite literally welcome you with open arms.¡± She laughed until her gaze flicked over to Reina, the cold expression she received in response causing her to flop back down on the grass with a sigh.

    ¡°Work is work, Julia is Julia,¡± Svanda replied. ¡°It also happens to be my business, not yours. Why don¡¯t you worry about your own relationships?¡±

    ¡°Like I have the time,¡± Trim sighed as she pushed herself up before climbing to her feet. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll get married to Reina so I can be your boss too.¡±

    ¡°A woman?¡± Svanda raised an eyebrow as she looked up with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone is going to believe that.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m going to have to decline,¡± Reina said as she walked over before turning her attention back to the drawbridge. ¡°They¡¯re here.¡±

    Nina¡¯s attention focused on the drawbridge as the rumble of a mechanism rang out across the moat. Stepping back from the edge, the group fanned out around the bank as the bridge began to lower. A hinge in at the top of the bridge revealed itself as the bridge unfolded, a second half of the platform folding outward to reveal the stone archway behind it. Waiting on the other side stood two guards in neat green uniforms, gold buttons and chains complimenting the gold helmets that they wore. While each carried a long pike against their shoulder, Nina guessed that they were only for appearances as their rifle straps were clearly visible.

    ¡°At least they brought two this time,¡± Aline said, not referring to the guards, but the two carriages that sat behind them. Black with silver trimmings, they also reminded Nina of something that should have been left in the past. Although there were no horses to draw them, each carriage had a seat at the front which was manned by a driver in a black suit. Stenciled into the side of each carriage was an intricate silver design, ININ written in flowery text at the centre.

    Nina watched on as the drawbridge¡¯s descent was completed, the edge of the unfolded form settling on the grass before them.

    ¡°Welcome to Zaffre, members of The Cloud Orchestra,¡± one of the carriage drivers said as the group strolled across the bridge. ¡°The count has been expecting you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s always nice to spend time here,¡± Reina smiled as they stepped onto land. ¡°Thank you for the timely reception.¡±

    The driver nodded before waving his hand at the other carriage before gesturing in the direction of his own. ¡°Please get comfortable while we transport you to the estate.¡±

    ¡°Not like there¡¯s much scenery to look at unless you like stone walls,¡± Jade sighed as she unceremoniously opened the door to the closer carriage before stepping up and disappearing behind the curtain. Aline followed her, while Nina noted that Saela followed Reina into lead carriage.

    Watching as Saela stepped up into the lead carriage, Nina moved towards the closer carriage in response. Stepping up and pushing her way past the curtain, she perched herself on the long leather seat that sat opposite Jade and Aline.

    ¡°I thought you would want to have a chat with Saela,¡± Jade smirked.

    Nina sighed, not bothering to hide the deadpan expression on her face. It looked as though it was going to be a long trip after all.

 Chapter 043

    ¡°Wake up.¡±

    Nina rubbed her eyes as she stretched her arms over her head, a yawn escaping her lips as she looked at Jade with a dazed expression. She didn¡¯t know how long she had been out for, but when she brushed the curtain away from the window she could see that they were finally approaching the tall stone wall that was surrounded by the inner moat. It seemed they had reached the city.

    While Nina had woken up, Aline¡¯s head still rested on Jade¡¯s shoulder, her closed eyes and soft rhythmic breathing suggesting that she was still asleep. It had been a surprisingly comfortable ride, now that she thought about it. She had expected the carriage to bump around as they rode over the stone road below, but she hadn¡¯t felt any disturbance or vibrations at all. The wheels hadn¡¯t looked particularly fancy when she had examined the carriage before, so it was probably that the roads were simply of exceptional quality.

    ¡°I thought you would want to have a look,¡± Jade said as she looked out the window. ¡°It will still take us a while to reach the estate though, so if you want to sleep again there¡¯s still time.¡±

    ¡°I''ll look. Thanks,¡± Nina smiled. She felt groggy and the comfortable seat wasn¡¯t helping her ambitions to stay awake, but at the same time she was excited to see the city. It had seemed so impressive from the sky, almost like what she would read about in a fairy-tale at home. Naturally, she wanted to take the chance to learn what she could.

    Taking the chance to learn what she could would require pulling the curtain aside, but her gaze stopped on Aline. She looked peaceful with a smile at the corner of her lips, and Nina didn¡¯t want to disturb her. Jade seemed to have other thoughts, however, as she drew her own half of the curtain aside to send sunlight streaming into the interior.

    ¡°She sleeps like a log, don¡¯t worry,¡± Jade said as she tapped the tip of Aline¡¯s nose, a smile appearing on her face when Aline¡¯s nose wrinkled in response.

    Nina gingerly opened her side of the curtain, her gaze drifting over to the archway in front of them. Clearly the people at the gate had been informed of their arrival as the drawbridge had already been lowered, the carriages rolling across the chasm and into the city. The Royal Guard presence here was much higher than the first gate, and Nina counted around fifteen of them loitering around the gatehouse. Just as she curiously stared at the group of guards, they also stared back though the glass with the same expression.

    ¡°They¡¯re wondering who we are, for sure,¡± Jade chuckled as she waved at them. ¡°Outsiders invited by the Inin Estate will be juicy gossip.¡±

    ¡°Just how many people pass through here?¡± Nina asked in return. It was something that had always been at the back of her mind - was travelling the plates just uncommon, or was it rare? It wasn¡¯t like it seemed to be an incredibly difficult process, and she wasn¡¯t shallow enough to just assume that The Cloud Orchestra was somehow special. Other people would be doing it, so why hadn¡¯t she seen any other travelers yet?

    Besides Ormain, that was.

    ¡°They would get a group every couple of days, probably,¡± Jade said as she gazed at the people who were walking on the street. ¡°Solo travelers are pretty rare, but the groups aren¡¯t that big either. People start to get intimidated when you fly around with a small army.¡±

    Nina sighed. She had hoped that there had been more people moving between the plates because what they were doing right now wasn¡¯t exactly inconspicuous. Reina had said that they would lose Ormain and his group while they were on the plate, but according to Jade, their presence was ¡®juicy gossip.¡¯ If the suits were at all competent, they would be able to follow the lead which was essentially a giant red arrow pointing to the Inin Estate. As the curtains to their carriage were pulled back, anyone on the street could see them through the tinted glass, although it wasn¡¯t easy. Jade and Aline¡¯s matching dresses, however, were quite hard to miss.

    ¡°Oh, that doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Jade replied after Nina voiced her concerns about being found. ¡°They¡¯ll know where we are, but much like in the badlands, they can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± She smiled as she drew a small circle in the air in front of her. ¡°We¡¯re heading to the centre ring, the Royal District,¡± she said before drawing a bigger circle around it. ¡°Outside of the Royal District is the outer ring where we are now, which is split in half,¡± she continued as she cut an imaginary line down the middle. ¡°Half of the outer ring is controlled by the Farmer¡¯s League, and the other half is controlled by the Merchant Guild. They¡¯re relatively friendly towards each other, and both factions controls their respective half farmland that surrounds the city. By the way, we¡¯ve entered through the Merchant Guild¡¯s district.¡±

    ¡°How does this relate to Ormain finding us or not,¡± Nina frowned.

    ¡°The Royal District is exclusive, you can¡¯t enter without an invite or being part of a noble family,¡± Jade explained as she waved a finger. ¡°As you can imagine, SuTSU and the Royal Family don¡¯t get on very well after SuTSU decided to make their front doorstep a prison. The entire plate is holed up like this for a reason,¡± she said as she pointed to the wall behind them. ¡°They don¡¯t have the resources to build a fortress like the Skywall, so walling themselves in is all they can do.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Surely the prisoners couldn¡¯t do that much damage.¡±

    ¡°Probably not,¡± Jade agreed. ¡°But SuTSU can. They have both the army and the technology to wipe this plate clean. As you¡¯ve already seen, this plate is a beautiful place which still has a lot of untapped resources. Nobody would be surprised if SuTSU turn their eye to it one day.¡±

    Nina sank into thought as she processed what Jade had said. She had always just assumed that the government ruling the plates had done so for however long their history went back and that it was just naturally accepted. Why did SuTSU control three plates while nobody else controlled more than one? Reina had told her earlier that that the Luesa Badlands were once a prosperous place, so was the plate¡¯s current state a result of a prior invasion?

    No wonder the people here were so cold towards outsiders.

    Her mood now sombre, she looked at their surroundings with renewed interest. The carriages were traveling down a wide stone street, generous footpaths on each side hosting a variety of stalls which sold fresh produce. Most of the buildings were two or three stories high, wooden beams and glass were surrounded by the thick grey stone that made up the shops and houses. Residents sat at tables outside a tavern with a variety of beer mugs as the afternoon sun shone down upon them, their laughter echoing down the street as a pair of Royal Guards watched on with longing expressions. Even the clothing that the people wore seemed outdated, a general mix of tunics and simple cloth in a variety of drab colours. Nina had asked Jade if the helmets that the Royal Guard wore were made of gold, but she had laughed it off. They would be too heavy and too expensive, apparently.

    It really did seem quite like a medieval town, but the streetlamps and occasional electronic sign reminded her that underneath the fa?ade there was more than what met the eye. Like the Luesa Badlands, she hadn¡¯t spent much time reading about Zaffre¡¯s Moat, which again she regretted. While Reina and Jade had both shed some light on the plate for her, she knew that she understood only a little piece of the bigger picture. Her first impression was that it seemed to be a peaceful place, for which she was glad. Besides the Royal Guard, she couldn¡¯t see anybody openly carrying any weapons, and the general mood of the population seemed to be much more festive than in the badlands.

    ¡°Oh, that time already?¡± Jade mumbled as the carriage stopped. Nina followed her gaze to see Trim step out from the lead carriage with Saela appearing behind her. Trim had changed into a long cream skirt that almost touched the ground and a simple yellow shirt that matched her hair, while Saela was unsurprisingly dressed in loose black cloth. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that Trim¡¯s features would make her stand out in most crowds, Nina probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to pick her out as an outsider.

    ¡°They¡¯re off to NNZ,¡± Jade answered before Nina had the chance to ask, smiling in Trim¡¯s direction as she waved to them. They watched she led Saela across the road before they disappeared down a side street and their carriage continued on. ¡°NNZ are here in the Merchant District, so we want to get it out of the way before Ormain and his friends turn up.¡±

    ¡°Because we¡¯re going to hole up in the Royal District?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Jade nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll be spending a few weeks here depending on what Reina has to negotiate, so we don¡¯t want to leave if we don¡¯t have to, especially because the suits will be staying here. SuTSU have better ties with the Merchant Guild than the other factions because the information that they have is valuable.¡±

    ¡°Not because they want to be in the front seat if SuTSU decide to send an army down?¡±

    Jade looked out the window as they continued to roll down the street. ¡°It would be pretty disastrous for them if SuTSU took control of the city. Ninety percent of people who drop through to Areinis do it from the shaft that the Merchant Guild controls because they¡¯ll sell passage to just about anyone. It¡¯s significant income from outside of the plate which is incredibly valuable when the Royal Family is trying to monitor your finances. That and you know... the whole SuTSU taking over thing.¡±

    Probably why the relationship between the factions is so uneasy, she thought. It was a strange balance where the Royal Family needed subjects to survive, but the other two factions would band together to shut them down if they tried to impose too heavily. Neither the Merchant Guild nor the Farmer¡¯s League wanted the other to become too strong either, so they continuously worked to balance each other out to the Royal Family¡¯s benefit. On top of the entire situation was the fact that they all needed to reluctantly stand unified as any form of weakness or division would give SuTSU a perfect opportunity to descend on them in a situation where they would all lose.

    ¡°This trip takes too long though,¡± Jade groaned. ¡°I just want to get the Inin Estate out the way so we can go to the safe house and relax. Aline and I left some neat high society clothing there that I want to go out in.¡±

    Nina wondered what high society clothing would look like, but shrugged the thought off when she realised that she would see for herself soon enough. She imagined that the style would be pompous and overly decorated, but plenty of things had surprised her since her time at The Cloud Orchestra had begun.

    ¡°Have you always matched everything with her?¡± Nina asked as she nodded in Aline¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Not when we first met,¡± Jade replied as she pat Aline¡¯s knee with a warm smile. ¡°It didn¡¯t take us long though.¡±

    ¡°How did you meet?¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Jade raised an eyebrow at the question while making no attempt to hide the sly grin on her face. ¡°You¡¯re interested in that?¡±

    ¡°I guess so,¡± Nina admitted. ¡°It¡¯s strange, you know? I¡¯ve been with The Cloud Orchestra for long enough to get in trouble and to carry weapons around with you all, but at the same time I hardly know anything about any of you. I don¡¯t know how old you are, where you¡¯ve come from, or if Jade is even your real name. It isn¡¯t that I don¡¯t trust you, it¡¯s just that I¡¯ve been so caught up in the flow of things and learning enough to keep me going that there hasn¡¯t been any time to ask. Isn¡¯t it natural to want to know more about a friend?¡±

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m a sneaky monster who is here to steal you away from a glorious career at SuTSU,¡± Jade joked as she looked out the window before a light sigh escaped. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell you. We still have some time before we reach the estate anyway.¡±

 Chapter 044

    ¡°I guess the first thing to note is that Jade isn¡¯t my real name,¡± she said as she rested her head against Aline¡¯s. ¡°Aline¡¯s name isn¡¯t real either, although honestly I don¡¯t think our real names even matter anymore. If anything, the Jade and Aline that sit before you now are more real than then people we once were.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nina apologized. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡±

    ¡°To pry?¡± Jade asked with a smile, although Nina couldn¡¯t tell if it was genuine. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, this story isn¡¯t exactly a secret or anything. I met Aline for the first time when I was nine, back when we both lived on the outskirts of Luem. My father was a clothier that was looking to strike deals with the tailors in the area, one of which happened to be Aline¡¯s family.¡±

    ¡°And so you became friends?¡±

    ¡°It was hard in the beginning,¡± Jade sighed. ¡°My family was from the orange floors while Aline¡¯s was from the yellow. Her parents didn¡¯t like me very much because they thought I was a bad influence, but the fact was that Aline and I had so much in common so we just¡­ bonded. She was a year older than I was, but we were third and fourth daughters respectively and largely ignored in the family business. Nobody is going to pass down any inheritance to a child that far down, especially if it¡¯s a daughter.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Nina stopped her. ¡°Does what I think happens actually happen to daughters down the line like that?¡±

    ¡°Yup,¡± Jade smiled. ¡°You¡¯re married off to god knows where at the earliest possible opportunity because establishing relationships is all you¡¯re useful for. Obviously neither of us were going to let that happen though, so we made a promise to run away together as soon as one of us was to be handed off.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ rough,¡± Nina said as she looked at the pair. Whether it was Aline¡¯s content expression or Jade¡¯s smile, it seemed as though they had gone through quite a bit to get to where they were now. She was almost jealous of them, to have a partner that you could always rely on. She knew that she had pushed people away in the past, but it was just a coping mechanism to deal with her life where she so desperately clung to control. She didn''t think her approach had been wrong, but she still wondered what things could have been like if she hadn''t always been so distant. ¡°And so Aline was to get married?¡±

    ¡°It was me, actually,¡± Jade frowned. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even sixteen when my father found some slimy creep from the yellow floors that asked for my hand as part of a long term business deal, and he agreed there and then. Alright, I don¡¯t know if he was a slimy creep or not,¡± she admitted with a chuckle. ¡°I never saw his face because I ran crying to Aline that very night.¡±

    ¡°Well, it must have turned out alright if you¡¯re here now,¡± Nina said as she tried to smile. While she understood that it wasn¡¯t even an uncommon occurrence to marry a daughter off like that, she still couldn¡¯t agree with it. If she was put in their shoes, would she have done the same? She thought about it and concluded that she probably wouldn¡¯t have, simply because she doubted that she would have had the strength to stand up to her father if that¡¯s what it had come down to. Could she, at fifteen, run away into the unknown?

    ¡°I was scared about what she would say,¡± Jade continued. ¡°I had always been ready to go with her, but I thought she would have second thoughts about it if it was the other way around. Aline had a lot more going for her than I did, and running away for my sake was almost guaranteeing that she would end up worse off.¡±

    ¡°Mmm, don¡¯t say that,¡± Aline mumbled although her eyes remained closed. ¡°I promised.¡±

    ¡°Alright, sorry,¡± Jade smiled as she pinched her cheek. ¡°I know you¡¯re the best.¡±

    Nina¡¯s smile was genuine this time as she watched the pair. She almost felt bad for interrupting the moment, but like a child with a new book, she wanted to know how the story ended.

    ¡°So you left?¡±

    ¡°Aline grabbed a bag and we left right away, never to see our families again,¡± Jade said as she stroked Aline¡¯s hair. ¡°We knew that they would come looking for us, so we took a capsule for a few hours before starting to move from tower to tower the hard way. We worked in clothing shops when we ran low on money, and once we had enough we continued onwards.¡±

    ¡°Do you remember that pink dress you made on SL-96?¡± Aline giggled.

    ¡°That story is for another day,¡± Jade said as she tapped Aline on the nose before returning her attention to Nina. ¡°Anyway, soon enough we ended up coming to the attention of a group that was interested in how easily we were managing to move around under SuTSU¡¯s radar. It was a group that you¡¯re familiar with actually ¨C Dari Corp.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°You worked for Dari Corp?¡±

    ¡°Sure did,¡± Jade replied. ¡°We were far enough away from our families, Dari Corp was fine with letting us move how we wanted to, and we wanted to settle down somewhere. Dari Corp was perfect for that, although we were only there for a couple of years before Reina found us and gave us an offer that was impossible to refuse.¡±

    ¡°It must have been a pretty good offer,¡± Nina mused aloud as she wondered if she could glean any information. What was Reina paying them in comparison to what she was paying her?

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this an impossible offer to refuse?¡± Jade asked as she pointed out the window to the gate that they were approaching. ¡°Traveling the plates is an experience that you can¡¯t buy without connections. You get to meet so many people and see so many places, and have fun while you do it. You also get paid, and most importantly, there¡¯s eating all the different types of food too.¡±

    Nina nodded with a smile as her attention turned to the guards at the gate. They were clearly a cut above the ones she had seen earlier, their uniforms now a deep blue instead of green and they didn¡¯t bother to carry the pikes either. Instead of loitering around in small groups, they stood neatly to attention as the carriages approached before waving them through as the heavy portcullis before them retracted into the top of the gate.

    ¡°These guys are the real deal,¡± Jade said as she examined them curiously from her seat. ¡°Blue uniforms are for Royal Guards recruited from within the nobility and are the only guards allowed within the Royal District. They like to call themselves knights, but it sounds a bit ridiculous if you ask me.¡±

    ¡°Why would a noble sign up to be a Royal Guard?¡± Nina asked.

    ¡°If you¡¯re a third or fourth son, there usually aren¡¯t that many options I¡¯d say,¡± Jade replied as she watched Aline detach herself from her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s considered to be a respectable position, and some prefer it to working in a shop.¡±

    Nina shrugged as she examined their surroundings. Almost as though they were traveling further from the city centre, the bustle of people had disappeared, as had the buildings. Neat lawns rolled away on each side of the road while small groups of trees and flowers dotted the area.

    ¡°There¡¯s parkland on this side of the wall that surrounds the estates,¡± Aline yawned. ¡°After that you find the smaller estates, and then the larger estates that surround the castle grounds are inside that. The Inin Estate is around a square kilometer and is quite close to the castle.¡±

    ¡°Which means they¡¯re near the top of the pile,¡± Jade added. ¡°I think the current head even has a daughter betrothed to one of the princes.¡±

    ¡°It sounds less impressive when you add that there are six princes,¡± Aline said as she leaned back on the seat and stared into the ceiling. ¡°The marriages in the inner circles of nobility are basically a game of musical chairs.¡±

    ¡°Where the men are the seats,¡± Jade laughed before dodging Aline¡¯s playful swat with a mischievous grin. Nina hid a smile by looking out the window to see that the street was now turning into something that looked more like what she expected.  Shops constructed with ornate stone designs and large windows ran along each side of the pavement, a series of restaurants with large umbrellas and other mixed-use spaces occasionally placed in between. A large fountain sat in the centre of the street as the road curved around it on each side, other lavish carriages like their own also traveling along. From where they sat, Nina watched on as women in large dresses and wide hats gossiped in groups while men in fine clothing drank coffee in the sunshine.

    It was truly an elegant scene. Unlike the simple palette of colour that she had seen in the Merchant District, here there were a variety of colours on display including rich blues, reds, and purples. There were even servants that walked with umbrellas beside some women to shade them from the afternoon sun as they moved from shop to shop. The atmosphere that surrounded the street felt just as airy as the breeze that she had enjoyed before stepping into the carriage ¨C the feeling that there was nothing to worry about at all.

    The small shopping precinct disappeared behind them as quickly as it had arrived, the carriage continuing on through the idyllic scenery. After waiting for a short while, Nina sighed in relief as they turned off from the main street to stop at an ornate black iron gate.

    ¡°High walls,¡± she noted as she examined the stone wall that ran along the road. Around three meters high, the wall seemed to be a mini version of the one behind the moat, although these walls didn¡¯t have a walkway running along the top. Fashioned into the centre of the iron gate was an intricate design that matched the one on the side of their carriage, complete with the large ¡®ININ¡¯ in the middle. A single Royal Guard clad in blue stood to attention inside a small guardhouse on the other side, activating the mechanism as he saw them which caused the gate to slowly open.

    ¡°About time,¡± Jade yawned as she stretched her legs by placing them on Nina¡¯s seat, one on each side of her. She smiled at the guard as he welcomed them to the estate before peering out the window to the large manor that stood on the hill in front of them. ¡°I¡¯m hungry after all.¡±

    Nina sighed at her comment before following her gaze in the direction of the manor as the carriages began to make their way up the slope, wondering what the next few days would bring.

 Chapter 045

    Nina had spent the time during their final approach to the manor wondering about what kind of reception they would receive. Just about everything from being welcomed by two neat rows of maids to being ushered in the back door out of sight had crossed her mind, but when she finally stepped out of the carriage she found that their reception was somewhere in the middle.

    The manor itself was large, but not as large as Nina was expecting from something that sat on such lavish grounds. Two storeys high and made from grey stone like just about every other building she had seen, the manor stretched away on each side of her before turning away from them at ninety degrees to form a U shape. Large glass windows with ornate steel framing sat on each floor at regular intervals overlooking the well maintained gardens, while a red tiled roof capped the entire thing off.

    The carriages peeled away from the driveway as a neatly dressed butler stepped out from the pair of large wooden double doors that served as the front entrance to the manor. His pale blue eyes scanned the group as Nina examined his thin grey hair and matching beard before he turned to Reina.

    ¡°Welcome to the estate,¡± he said with a curt bow. ¡°Is there only five of you? I was led to believe there were seven in your group.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re correct,¡± Reina smiled as she made her way up the stone steps that lay before them. ¡°The other two are taking care of some other business and will be with us shortly.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± the man replied, although Nina felt that she could detect a trace of displeasure in his response. She guessed that it was because they were also dealing with a group from the Merchant District. ¡°Kromald will see you now.¡±

    Reina nodded as she followed the butler through the door, Nina joining the rest of the group once she realised that the invitation seemed to extend to all of them. Once inside she found that the light pouring in through the massive windows created a pleasant atmosphere in the square space, although the layout inside rather typical. A large wooden staircase sat in front of them, running up the centre before joining on to walkways that ran along each wall. A couple of maids attended to decorations around the room which included portraits that sat on the walls and some sparse furniture that was littered around the otherwise quiet space. Following as the butler ignored the maids and led them to a door on one side, she hid a frown as she had hoped that Reina would deal with these kinds of meetings by herself. Or with Svanda, at least, but it seemed that her hopes would not be realised as she filed into a sitting room behind the others to be met with a few new faces.

    ¡°Sit,¡± said a man who sat at the centre of a large red sofa. Like the butler, he had grey hair with a neat beard that framed a square face, his heavyset jaw clamped down on a cigar as his dark eyes examined the group. Wearing a clean blue suit with a flowing white cravat around his neck, Nina guessed that this man was the head of the Inin family, Kromald.

    ¡°Thank you again for having us,¡± Reina smiled as she sat down before motioning for the rest of the group to follow her. The sofas seemed to be set up in some form of arrangement for negotiations, with two central seats facing each other while others were angled in at each side. Kromald sat in one of the central seats, and now that Reina had filled the other, the remaining members of the group sat behind her in pairs on each side.

    ¡°I prepared an extra seat, but it seems you don¡¯t need it,¡± Kromald said as he nodded in the direction of the final seat on their side which sat directly behind Reina. ¡°I was told that there were seven in your group.¡±

    ¡°Attending to business in the Merchant District sir,¡± the butler chimed in. He hadn¡¯t taken a seat, instead choosing to stand off to the side. That wasn¡¯t to say that Kromald hadn¡¯t brought anyone to his side of the table, however, as there were still two more faces that Nina was now studying while trying not to be caught doing so.

    She snuck a look at the person who sat to Kromald¡¯s left, a youngish man in a black suit with dark eyes like Kromald himself. With a wave of blonde hair and high cheeks, Nina noted his casual smile as he calmly examined their group. He was attractive, but Nina thought it was partly because of the slightly mysterious air about him. Not for her, mysteries were not something that she was fond of.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Do you mind if I ask who you¡¯re doing business with?¡± Kromald asked, although his tone had noticeably hardened as he flicked ash from his cigar into a tray that sat on the table between them. It seemed that unlike the butler, he didn¡¯t particularly care if his displeasure was evident.

    ¡°NNZ,¡± Reina replied with a casual wave of her hand. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± he mused as he examined the ember at the end of the cigar. Apparently NNZ weren¡¯t a problem because after a moment his expression returned to normal as though nothing had happened. ¡°By the way, this iseldestson Andus and myeldestdaughter Rucille. The pair have been taking on added responsibilities at the estate lately.¡±

    ¡°Congratulations,¡± Reina said with a smile while the pair nodded in response, Nina using the distraction to turn her attention from Andus to Rucille. With a lithe figure, she was noticeably plain compared to the other two, although she shared their dark and intelligent eyes and wore the same casual smile. With a slightly upturned nose and light brown hair that was pulled behind her head in a simple pony tail, Nina wouldn¡¯t have thought much of her if she wasn¡¯t wearing a simple but exquisitely made grey dress that ran down to her ankles. Unlike the nobles that she had seen from the carriage earlier on, she wasn¡¯t weighed down by a mountain of jewellery either, instead opting for a simple silver chain around her neck.

    ¡°So, you have them?¡± Kromald asked to change the topic.

    Reina didn¡¯t reply, instead placing an open palm out over her shoulder and waiting for Svanda to place the wooden box in her hand. Once she had, she dropped the box onto the table between them and sat back in the chair. Nina watched as Kromald took the box and wordlessly passed it to Rucille, who clasped it tightly with a smile.

    ¡°Count them,¡± he growled before pausing as she fumbled with the latch. ¡°After you get back to the lab.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re there,¡± Reina smiled. Nina looked over to Jade to see that she had a small frown on her face, probably thinking that she was lucky to not have removed any when she wanted to. Kromald seemed to be a hard man, but also a fair man if you did the right thing. That was her first impression at least.

    ¡°So, will you be staying long then? What are your plans?¡±

    ¡°A couple of weeks, depending on if we need to play hardball over anything,¡± Reina shrugged. ¡°As our backer I was hoping that you could put some feelers out to the other estates to let them know that we¡¯re around for a while. We¡¯ll pay introduction fees, of course.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Kromald agreed. Nina didn¡¯t know if that was ¡®of course we will put feelers out¡¯ or ¡®of course you will pay introduction fees,¡¯ but it probably didn¡¯t matter in the end. ¡°I will send Andus with you. As my successor, you¡¯ll be dealing with him a lot more in the near future, so starting now will be good for you.¡±

    And now a leash? Nina thought.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t agree to that,¡± Reina smiled. ¡°Confidentiality between us and our customers is important in this line of work. I assume you wouldn¡¯t want everyone to know what exactly is in that box either, would you?¡± she asked as she nodded at the box of seeds in Rucille¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Kromald conceded after thinking for a moment as he stood up. ¡°Your place is untouched from last time, so if you want someone to clean it just ring the bell. Like always, you¡¯re free to use the estate grounds as long as you don¡¯t go near the laboratory or the family quarters, and you know how to call a carriage. Rucille is heading in that direction so she will escort you most of the way.¡±

    ¡°Thanks as always,¡± Reina smiled as she stood up. ¡°If you or any of the other houses would like to organise something, you know where to find us during the next couple of weeks.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Kromald said as he followed the butler to the door, waiting for him to open it before stepping through and disappearing into the hallway beyond. Andus followed him after giving the group a curt nod, leaving Rucille standing with the rest of the group.

    ¡°He¡¯s such a bore,¡± she sighed once the door had closed behind them. ¡°Dragging me to these meetings, not bothering to serve any tea, and then he even cuts it short once he¡¯s seen what he wants to see.¡±

    ¡°Short and to the point isn¡¯t so bad,¡± Reina smiled as her gaze lingered on Rucille¡¯s dress. ¡°It¡¯s better than the people who try to talk all day to knock the price down by a few percent. Usually they¡¯re just wasting everybody¡¯s time.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡± Rucille thought for a moment before walking to the door and pushing it open. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right after all. It¡¯s more reasonable than any of the advice that father has given me since we started this farce.¡±

    ¡°Glad to be of help,¡± Reina replied as she stepped through the door and looked over her shoulder at the group. ¡°Shall we head to the house then?¡±

 Chapter 046

    As they stepped out from the rear entrance of the manor and onto a neat path that stretched away across the estate grounds, Nina learned that The Cloud Orchestra¡¯s safehouse was in fact on the estate grounds itself. Such a large estate had never been short of servant quarters, guest lodges, or even family retreats, so turning one of the smaller buildings on the fringe of the estate into their permanent lodging hadn¡¯t been an issue. For a fee of course, but Reina had said that it wasn¡¯t so bad. She liked the estate because they were one of her most valuable customers, while the Inin family also understood the value of keeping The Cloud Orchestra close.

    ¡°Wait, like SuTSU suits? That is so cool,¡± Rucille exclaimed after Aline mentioned why they weren¡¯t interested in visiting the Merchant District. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re on a great escapade!¡±

    ¡®Cool¡¯ was certainly not the word Nina would have used to describe their predicament, but it was hard not to smile at Rucille¡¯s enthusiasm. She had been expecting an uptight and somewhat snobby noble daughter but had instead been met with an open and bubbly character armed with an infectious smile.

    ¡°I think this is pretty cool, actually,¡± Jade said as they walked between beds of colourful flowers on each side of the path. ¡°A noble family with an estate like this? A life of luxury sounds pretty good compared to what we have.¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± Rucille rejected her idea as she placed her hands behind her head while strolling at the head of the group. ¡°You can probably tell already, but the life of a noble isn¡¯t for me,¡± she sighed as she looked at the sky. ¡°Our culture is so primitive. We have the technology to move away from manual farming, nobility, estates, and stone castles, but everyone is too busy clinging to what we had instead of seeing the bigger picture. You must laugh in secret when you see us like this, I mean just look at how you all dress,¡± she continued as she eyed Reina¡¯s pants which left the bottom half of her calves exposed. ¡°Father would kill me if I tried to wear something like that.¡±

    ¡°I think Zaffre¡¯s Moat is a beautiful place,¡± Reina said to console her. ¡°I always enjoy spending time here because it¡¯s so peaceful, so different from what we have. I¡¯m sure Nina is enjoying it even more than us because this is her first time here too.¡±

    ¡°Even Luem gave her a culture shock, I don¡¯t even want to know what she¡¯s thinking about Zaffre,¡± Svanda smiled.

    Nina was preparing to deflect the incoming question about her opinion on Zaffre when a face filled her vision. It seemed that Rucille had not only stopped, but also turned back to stare at her quite curiously while getting a little too close in the process.

    ¡°Not Terminus?¡± she asked as her gaze ran over Nina¡¯s features. Wait, did she just sniff her?

    ¡°Caecus,¡± Nina replied while trying not to look awkward, although her expression faltered when Rucille grabbed her hand.

    ¡°You¡¯re from Caecus?¡± she asked, perhaps a little too enthusiastically. ¡°Like, born on Caecus?¡±

    ¡°Umm, yes.¡±

    ¡°Wow!¡± Rucille cheered while the rest of the group looked her with mix of expressions ranging between Nina¡¯s horror and Reina¡¯s amusement. ¡°I¡¯ve spent some time studying people from the different plates but I¡¯ve never met someone from Caecus! Could you tell me about it sometime?¡±

    If you let go of my hand, Nina thought. Instead of saying that aloud, however, she simply nodded.

    ¡°Awesome!¡± Rucille punched the air with her spare hand, the box of abysswort seeds still tightly grasped within. Nina thought she might drop it, but she clung to it with ease. Nobody wanted to be searching for the seeds if they went everywhere.

    ¡°There¡¯s plenty of time,¡± Reina smiled. Nina silently thanked her for stepping in to draw the matter to a close, sighing inwardly as Rucille let go of her hand before examining the simple silver watch wrapped around her wrist.

    ¡°Ah! I¡¯m going to be late with my report on the seeds!¡± she exclaimed before turning back to the path. ¡°I¡¯ve gotta run to the lab, you know where you¡¯re going, right? Seeya!¡±

    The group watched as Rucille tore up the path before turning left onto another, heading in the direction of a large stone building that loomed in the distance. How she managed to do so while wearing her dress was anybody¡¯s guess.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°She¡¯s quite the bundle of energy, isn¡¯t she?¡± Svanda said as they continued on their way. ¡°It¡¯s strange though, that we haven¡¯t ever seen her before. I think we¡¯ve bumped into most of the children, but not her.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because she doesn¡¯t seem so¡­ ladylike,¡± Reina chuckled as they walked straight instead of following the turn that Rucille had taken. ¡°Kromald probably saw her as an embarrassment.¡±

    ¡°Why bring her into the fold now then?¡± Aline asked as she eyed a small blue lake which sat among the rolling green hills. ¡°Andus I understand, but her?¡±

    Nina didn¡¯t know either, but thought that she would simply follow the conversation much like how she followed the group down the path. Rucille¡¯s overwhelming attention had been a little intense for her, even if it was just for a brief moment. She would have to start thinking about what to say when she was asked about what Caecus was like, preferably something that wasn¡¯t boring. Frankly, she had more interesting things to talk about from her time on Neo Luesa than she did about her time on Caecus. Paperwork and a daily office grind within an eternal season of greys didn¡¯t make for many good stories.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Kromald has his reasons,¡± Reina waved dismissively. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s decided that it¡¯s time to bite the bullet and teach her something while putting her in the shop window at the same time. Someone will marry her, even if it¡¯s just because of her family.¡±

    Jade scowled, reminding Nina of her earlier story. She would probably always have a sore spot around arranged marriages, and that was just something that she would have to learn to deal with in her own way. After admiring the collection of flowers that were planted in loose groups around the path, she stepped over the crest of the hill behind the group, finally allowing her to see their safehouse below.

    It was a cute little thing. Built entirely of stone with a red roof that matched the manor, small round windows were set into the single storey building looked back in their direction. Placed just inside the fence of the estate, the cottage of sorts had its own access to the street behind it, while a small wooden deck with a sitting area was placed at the front in the sun. It was out of the way, out of sight behind the hill, and quite unimposing. Essentially, it was exactly the type of place that Nina needed right now.

    ¡°We¡¯re back!¡± Jade laughed as she jogged down the hill in the direction of the front door. To their surprise, it opened before Trim stepped out, her skirt and shirt from before swapped out for her usual tracksuit.

    ¡°Back already?¡± Reina asked as the rest of them reached the front porch.

    ¡°Yeah, no problems,¡± Trim smiled with a nod as she sat down on one of the wooden seats that surrounded the outdoor dining table. ¡°Go change up.¡±

    ¡°Finally,¡± Jade replied as she pushed her way through the door. ¡°I need to get this dust out of my hair.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re with me,¡± Trim smiled as she looked at Nina. ¡°Third door on the right.¡±

    Nina smiled before following the group inside. Despite the outer shell of the building comprising of stone, it seemed that the interior was almost entirely made of wood. She admired the thick carpet runner that stretched down the short hallway before watching as Reina pushed her way through the first door on the right. To her left, opposite Reina¡¯s room, was the open door to what seemed to be her office, a simple desk and stack of paperwork sat there collecting an impressive layer of dust. Trim had opened the windows which sent a gentle breeze through the space, but the air still held traces of the musty scent from an extended period of disuse.

    There were four bedrooms along the right wall. Reina¡¯s was first, which was followed by a room shared by Svanda and Saela. Trim¡¯s room which was now also Nina¡¯s was the third room, while Jade and Aline shared the final room at the end. Opposite the doors to the three last bedrooms was an open kitchen and living area that featured a stone benchtop surrounded by stools and also a simple brown sofa setting. It was homely, although she wondered if having seven of them living there would prove a little tight.

    ¡°Why do you bunk with Saela?¡± Nina asked Svanda as they both ignored their respective rooms and moved into the kitchen area. Nina did so because she wanted to examine the place a little more, while Svanda had probably guessed that Saela was using the bedroom.

    ¡°Think about it,¡± Svanda said as she ran a finger along the benchtop before examining it for dust. ¡°Reina, Trim, and I were the first group to come here, so we took the first three rooms.¡± Seemingly satisfied with the cleanliness of the bench, she unslung the rifle from her shoulder before placing it down. ¡°Jade and Aline came after that and shared the final room, so by the time Saela joined, she could only pick between sharing what was left.¡±

    ¡°Not Reina?¡±

    ¡°Do you really think Reina is going to share a room?¡± Svanda laughed. ¡°Even if we took on three more people tomorrow, we¡¯d be tripling up before she dropped an extra bed in there.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have a look at what we have then. I could do with a wash,¡± Nina smiled as she walked over to her room, pushing the door open before stepping inside. It was a simple layout, with a single bed on each side of the room and a door in the far wall which led to a small bathroom. There were a couple of small paintings of some flowers hanging around, and also a small wardrobe by the foot of each bed. Seeing that Trim¡¯s stereo and clothes from earlier were strewn over the bed on the right, Nina dropped her bag on the left bed before shrugging off her jacket and entering the bathroom to take a much needed shower.

    Zaffre¡¯s Moat hadn¡¯t been so bad, but she hadn¡¯t had a proper chance to wash herself since they had left during the morning and the Badlands had been somewhat unpleasant. Stepping under the hot water and tilting her head back, she smiled as she recalled the series of events that had led to her being here. It had been crazy, but it seemed that she would be able to take some much needed rest over the next few days. That was unless Reina had the idea to drop them into another fiasco at short notice.

    Hopefully not.

 Chapter 047

    After riding out the next week in bliss, Nina was beginning to believe that everything might actually go as smoothly as Reina had planned after all. Jade and Aline had taken her shopping for some sorely needed spare clothes the day after they had arrived, and from then on she really hadn¡¯t had that much to do. She had initially feared that Reina would decide to surprise her with a cooking request or two, but she was relieved to find that the estate would cater for their meals on request. If she wasn¡¯t sitting out on the street in one of the shopping areas enjoying the afternoon with Jade and Aline, she was usually eating a sandwich or some other combination of freshly delivered food down by the lake.

    The small lake which was not too far from their cottage had steadily grown on her over the past week. It was close by, quiet, and importantly she could sit just under one of the small rolling hills so that she was out of sight from the surrounding buildings. Today she was here yet again after politely declining Jade and Aline¡¯s offer to join them for lunch, instead laying back against the hill in the sunshine. With her jacket spread out underneath her and a simple white hat over her face, she was enjoying the gentle lapping of the water against the bank while dozing in and out. Unfortunately for her, however, it seemed as though the peace and quiet would be short lived.

    ¡°I was told I might find you here,¡± Rucille said as she appeared at the top of the hill. Nina removed the hat from her face and tried to look in her direction, but even after shielding her eyes from the sun with her hand it was difficult to see. She thought she saw Rucille smile, but it was hard to tell.

    ¡°Do you mind?¡± Rucille asked before stepping down the hill and sitting herself next to Nina without waiting for an answer, although it provided Nina with the chance to get a proper look at her. She still had her hair tied back in a simple fashion, but the grey dress had been swapped for a red shirt and a white cravat that matched her pants. Rucille in turn smiled after running her gaze over Nina, noting her casual dress as she lay against the hill. ¡°Were you sleeping?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Nina replied quietly as she finished her own examination. She hadn¡¯t seen any of the women out in the street dressed like Rucille, but at the same time she thought it looked quite good. A little tomboyish if anything, but in comparison to the noble ladies in the shopping district anything but a dress would probably qualify as such.

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Rucille laughed with a carefree response as she lay back to mirror Nina¡¯s posture. As they both stared up to the empty blue sky above them, Nina resisted the temptation to place her hat back over her face. She had initially been irritated by being disturbed, but Rucille¡¯s attitude and genuine smile were almost infectious. Even without any extra words, she already felt as though they were almost in sync.

    ¡°Are you here to ask some questions?¡± she asked after closing her eyes to block out the sun. She¡¯d had a week to think of something interesting to say about her time on Caecus, but the more she thought about it the more she was beginning to realise that her previous life had been empty. It was almost laughable when she thought about it now, how she had tried to isolate herself from the world so that she could control her fate. She had thought that she was playing the role of a puppeteer, but ultimately she had never realised that what she thought was the bigger picture was only the surface after all. An important cog in her organization had been a laughable thought - it had truly been closer to a random grain of sand crushed underfoot by someone who could actually see the horizon.

    ¡°Not today, although if you want to talk I¡¯m all ears,¡± Rucille mused. ¡°Father said I spend too long indoors and that it hurts my complexion, so I thought I¡¯d relax outside for a while to shut him up. I don¡¯t get it though, why does it matter if my complexion is poor? Shouldn¡¯t he just care if I¡¯m happy or not?¡±

    Probably because he thinks that it dents your value as a wife, Nina thought to herself. ¡°Maybe he just wants you to be healthy. You¡¯re his daughter after all.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t care about my health,¡± Rucille scoffed as she pulled out a tuft of grass before gently scattering it in the breeze. ¡°He only cares about results.¡±

    Results?

    ¡°But enough about that,¡± she sighed. ¡°I¡¯m here to relax, not vent.¡± Nina heard her shuffle around beside her but didn¡¯t look over, instead yawning as she placed her hands behind her head. She wondered if Rucille was waiting for her to start a conversation about something mundane like the weather so that she could forget their earlier discussion. Why was she here in the first place? Surely she had her own friends or siblings that she could spend time with instead of her, and while she knew that Rucille was interested in Caecus it didn¡¯t seem that she was planning to ask anything yet.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°The sky is so blue,¡± Nina finally said. ¡°It¡¯s always like this, an endless stretch of blue without a trace of cloud.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t always like that,¡± Rucille answered with a chuckle. ¡°We do get rain sometimes.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡±

    ¡°Of course we do, although it¡¯s a rather¡­ quick process,¡± she said before pausing to think for a moment. ¡°Once a month clouds will quickly build over a couple of days until the sky is black, and the rain will pour down during the next. After another two days the clouds are usually gone and then we wait under clear skies until the next time.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± Nina replied. ¡°It always rains exactly once a month? Shouldn¡¯t the cycle be a little more unpredictable?¡±

    ¡°Why would it do that?¡± Rucille asked with her own question. ¡°The sky isn¡¯t thirsty all the time, so it drinks once a month when it is time.¡±

    Nina ignored the temptation to sit up with an incredulous expression on her face and instead sank into thought. Surely there was a more scientific explanation as to why the rain would cycle in such a fashion, but again she was reminded of how many of her earlier ¡®scientific facts¡¯ from Caecus had been blown wide open when she had fallen to the plate below. She knew that taking an approach similar to Jade and the others by simply not questioning things would be the easiest in the long run, but she had always been someone who wanted to understand things.

    ¡°I¡¯ve studied the rain here quite a lot, actually,¡± Rucille said as she interrupted Nina¡¯s thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s quite useful when it functions so predictably.¡± She smiled before standing up and wiping the grass off her pants before stretching her arms above her head. ¡°Anyway, I was actually here to ask you if you would join me and a friend for lunch tomorrow. I¡¯ll have my questions about Caecus ready for you too. Is noon alright?¡±

    ¡°A friend?¡±

    ¡°Ah, you want to know who it is?¡± Rucille smiled. ¡°Sorry, but it¡¯s a secret,¡± she said while placing a finger over her lips. ¡°You¡¯ll be surprised though, promise.¡±

    Nina thought about it for a moment before sighing. It wasn¡¯t like Rucille was going to invite Ormain to lunch or anything, so it probably wasn¡¯t going to be an issue. A noble from another estate was her best guess, it didn¡¯t seem like there were many other possibilities.

    Rucille smiled in response when she saw Nina nod. ¡°Great! I¡¯ll have a carriage ready in front of the manor at noon tomorrow, wear something nice okay? Seeya!¡±

    Nina watched as Rucille disappeared over the crest of the hill before sitting up and staring at the lake. She didn¡¯t have any plans tomorrow, so that wasn¡¯t an issue, but wearing something nice? That would have to be a question for Jade and Aline. Pushing herself up, she stepped up the slope and looked out over the estate, Rucille¡¯s red and white figure standing out against the green as Nina watched her walk back in the direction of the lab. She seemed to spend a lot of time there, but it wasn¡¯t something she had talked about. Some kind of research, obviously, but what exactly was anyone¡¯s guess. Stepping back onto the path and walking in the direction of their cottage, the image of Rucille tightly clutching the box of abysswort seeds with a smile on her face drifted into her mind.

    Who was she really?

    ¡°Welcome back,¡± Reina said as she made it to the bottom of the hill. Stepping up onto the deck, she joined Reina, Trim, and Svanda at the small collection of wooden seats that looked back up the hill. Not much of a scene compared to the view from the top, but at least it was private.

    ¡°Anything interesting?¡± she asked them as she eyed the loose collection of papers that sat on the table.

    ¡°Tracking Ormain¡¯s movements,¡± Reina replied as she casually tossed one of the papers to Nina. She took a brief glance at the page to see that it contained timestamped entries of where members of his group had been seen. ¡°Seems they came down the day after us and have holed up at a hotel in the Merchant District. They know that we¡¯re here, but judging by their movements I¡¯d guess that there information is delayed by at least five or six hours which would rule out any informants within the estate. Matching it all up, my best guess is that their information is coming from someone in the shopping area.¡±

    ¡°Should we stay away then?¡± she asked as she dropped the paper back on the table.

    ¡°No need to tip them off that we know,¡± Svanda said. ¡°The other thing to consider is that Trim, Reina, and I have been wrapping up negotiations over the last week and haven¡¯t left the estate. Unless Ormain has someone inside one of the visiting parties, he doesn¡¯t know how many people we have or even what we all look like.¡±

    ¡°Whichever way it is, we¡¯re safe here,¡± Reina concluded. ¡°I¡¯ve got another few meetings to handle over the next few days and then if everything goes smoothly we will use the shaft in the castle to drop to Areinis. Our safehouse down there isn¡¯t as secure as this one, so we¡¯ll use the time we have on Ormain to duck under the radar while we can.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of meetings, we should head over to the manor,¡± Trim added as she stood up. ¡°It¡¯s almost time to meet the people from the Oyan Estate.¡±

    ¡°Hopefully they¡¯re not as frustrating as last time,¡± Reina sighed as she also stood up before glancing at Nina. ¡°Want to join us?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll pass,¡± she smiled before pausing. ¡°Could I ask if you know where Jade and Aline are though? I need some advice on some¡­ clothing.¡±

 Chapter 048

    ¡°You look great,¡± Rucille smiled as Nina stepped into the foyer of the manor. Following Jade and Aline¡¯s advice, she had gone for a combination of her usual gear and something closer to what the nobility would wear, keeping her maroon pants and white shirt on while adding a matching maroon cravat around her neck. She was essentially copying what Rucille had worn yesterday with the colours mixed up, but the style had won approval from Jade, Aline, and now Rucille as well.

    ¡°Thanks, you look nice too,¡± Nina smiled as she returned the compliment. Rucille had opted for a more feminine approach by wearing a silky green dress that left her shoulders exposed, the hem hanging just above the floor. Her hair was tied up as usual while she wore the simple silver necklace from earlier. ¡°Who are we meeting?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still interested are you?¡± Rucille smirked as she turned on her matching green heels and headed for the front door. ¡°They¡¯re in the carriage already, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Nina followed her outside to see that there was indeed an Inin Estate carriage waiting for them. What was odd, however, was that the black curtains were closed which prevented her from seeing inside despite the perfect weather. Seeming to think nothing of it, Rucille simply opened the door before stepping up through the curtain, waving behind her for Nina to do the same.

    She paused as her hand brushed across the pocket where Jade¡¯s small pistol sat, confirming that it was there. As she was unable to fit her usual pistol anywhere without her jacket, Jade had insisted on lending her a slim pocket-sized pulse pistol. After quickly running her through a crash course on how to use it, Jade had jammed it in her pocket before pushing her out the door. ¡®Tell me who you meet,¡¯ she had said with a smile as Nina had set off in the direction of the manor.

    With her hand floating over her pocket, Nina stepped up into the carriage as she pushed the curtain aside to be met with two faces. One of course was Rucille, but sitting opposite her was in fact a young man. Pulling the door closed behind them, Rucille knocked on the roof of the carriage and sat back down next to Nina as the driver smoothly pulled them away from the curb.

    ¡°Selius, meet Nina,¡± Rucille smiled as she waved her hand in Nina¡¯s direction. ¡°Nina, meet Selius Zaffre, the second prince.¡±

    That explains a lot, Nina thought as she relaxed the hand by her pocket before examining Selius with renewed interest. Unlike most of the young nobility who went for longer styles, Selius sported a clean cut of dark brown hair and cold blue eyes. The small amount of stubble that covered his pronounced chin and strong jawline gave him a somewhat rugged appearance, a look that was only reinforced by a powerful frame that couldn¡¯t be hidden underneath his neat brown suit. Sitting noticeably higher in the carriage than them, Nina guessed that he must have been a decent hand width taller than the both of them.

    ¡°Good afternoon, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± Selius nodded as he extended a hand across the carriage, leaving Nina slightly surprised at his well-mannered introduction. Reaching out gingerly, her hand was engulfed as the pair shook while she replied with a natural smile.

    ¡°The pleasure is mine,¡± she replied, happy with how smoothly she had handled the introduction. Unknown to the other two, her brain was now working overtime as she recalled what she had learned about the royal family.

    ¡®A secretive bunch,¡¯ was what Aline had called them. Apparently they didn¡¯t feel the need to meet outsiders and were rarely spotted away from the castle, only venturing out to attend social events as part of the inner circle. It made sense considering that they could simply summon anyone that they wanted to talk to, so why leave?

    Her thoughts turned to Selius in particular. She could at least see why the curtains were closed now, because if anyone realised who was actually travelling in the carriage, it would undoubtedly lead to gossip. Traveling outside the castle was one thing, but traveling to lunch with an outsider and an unmarried daughter of the Inin family? That was juicy.

    To be honest, Nina was asking herself the same questions. She was relatively sure that nobody from The Cloud Orchestra had met with a member of the Zaffre family before, so how did she manage to end up here? Jade and Aline would be jealous, while Trim and Svanda would probably find a joke or two to throw at her. Reina would probably just smile, but what Reina was thinking when she wore a casual smile was anybody¡¯s guess.

    It seemed that Rucille had more influence than she had initially credited her with.

    The pair had eased into a casual conversation while Nina had been engrossed in her thoughts, although after listening in she could tell that they were not discussing anything interesting. It was clear that they were simply skirting around each other by covering a few relatively mundane topics, and she was sure that they didn¡¯t really care about when certain events were being held or who would be in attendance. Selius asked about how the Inin family was faring, and in response Rucille answered in a relatively vague fashion. The tables were then turned as the questions flowed the other way and while Selius was equally as vague, he was forthright in saying that there were things that he couldn¡¯t discuss.

    ¡°I really want to ask you about Caecus,¡± Rucille said as she leaned over to Nina, their shoulders touching as she smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll wait until lunch though, which you¡¯ll love.¡±

    ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°Somewhere fit for a prince,¡± Rucille winked. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±

    The rest of the journey consisted of Rucille and Selius asking Nina a few questions about Neo Luesa, SuTSU, and the Luesa Badlands along with a few questions about what she thought of Zaffre¡¯s Moat. In a similar fashion to how Reina had responded earlier, Nina truthfully replied that she had very much enjoyed her time on the plate and thought that it was a peaceful place. When Rucille and Selius both rued the fact that they would never be allowed to leave Zaffre¡¯s Moat to see the world, Nina consoled them by telling them that frankly they had it very good compared to most of the people that she had seen on the seven plates so far.

    ¡°Ah, we¡¯re here,¡± Rucille cheered as the carriage finally stopped. ¡°It¡¯s about time, I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    Selius chuckled as Rucille pushed the door open and stepped through the curtain, motioning with a hand for Nina to follow her. Nodding in thanks, she pushed through the curtain and stepped off the carriage to finally take a look around at where they were. What she saw, however, was worrisome, as she realised very quickly that this was certainly not where she thought that they would end up.

    ¡°This is the Merchant District, isn¡¯t it?¡± she asked as she grabbed Rucille¡¯s wrist. With thin streets, taller stone buildings, and even the wall looming above them some twenty meters away, Nina had summed up their location in an instant. ¡°You know that I shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± she hissed quietly.

    ¡°Relax,¡± Rucille replied with a smile. ¡°We¡¯re with a prince. Do you see how many royal guards are here?¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Nina looked around to see that she was right. Royal Guards were everywhere, and they were the real ones in blue too. In fact no pedestrians would even make it anywhere near them without moving past a carefully placed filter of blue. Casually shifting her hand away from her pocket, she tried to relax while cautiously scanning her surroundings as Selius stepped beside her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your SuTSU friends can¡¯t get close,¡± he told her. ¡°I come here occasionally and have never had a problem with the security.¡±

    Although she was apprehensive, Nina didn¡¯t have many options but to nod and follow the pair through the front door to the restaurant. Selius wasted no time in asking the staff to clear out the entire top floor of the restaurant so that they could dine, and his request was quickly carried out as a group of customers were soon brought downstairs and reissued new seats. Some of them had been grumpy at first, but their hateful glares disappeared as their attitudes changed when they saw Selius standing at the entrance. Surprisingly, Nina found that one of the unfortunate customers kicked from the top floor was actually Saela, although when the pair locked eyes she simply ignored her as though they were strangers.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Rucille smiled as Nina watched Saela sit down in the far corner of the floor while nursing a drink. She wasn¡¯t supposed to be out here, but then again neither was Nina. At least Saela had the benefit of Ormain having no idea what she looked like - she could probably walk past him in the street and he would be none the wiser. Besides, she¡¯d probably need all the help she could get if Nina had correctly guessed that she was already drinking.

    Heading up the stone stairs, Nina turned back to see a column of Royal Guards file through the door. She soon learned why, as the restaurant was actually three storeys tall, and while they would be dining on the third floor, the guards would be occupying the second.

    ¡°Must be good to get this all the time,¡± Rucille said to Selius as they reached the third floor to find an army of staff clearing the floor as quickly as they could. Tables were removed, chairs were stacked, and any remnants from the previous customers were whisked away in a heartbeat until only a single table was left.

    ¡°It¡¯s not bad,¡± he mused as Nina looked around the room, quickly understanding why he liked the place. The interior was a spacious mix of stone walls and columns, dark timber flooring, and wide glass windows. Decorative metallic piping which was seen as a rarity on the plate ran along the walls and up the columns, the sparkling brass tubes twisted in patterns around an array of green potted plants. Both the sounds from the city below and a gentle breeze drifted up through louvered windows behind them, but they were nothing compared to the centerpiece of the floor which was a large rectangular window that framed a view over the entire district.

    ¡°Beautiful,¡± Nina murmured as Selius sat at the seat in the centre of the table with a nonchalant expression. Joining him at the table which was covered in a neat red and white tablecloth, she marveled at how their position at the centre of the window provided them with a perfect backdrop for their meal.

    Before they had even started a conversation, Nina found that there was an endless stream of food pouring out from the kitchen without even needing to talk to the staff. Shrugging while equipping herself with a knife and fork, she listened to Selius¡¯ brief description of the restaurant¡¯s history as she began to gingerly sample the dishes before her. It seemed that this restaurant was a soft spot for some of the nobility in the city. Not only was the scenery and atmosphere both fantastic, Nina found the food to be equally as delightful.

    Although she tried to make her way through as much as she could while keeping up with the informal conversation, it eventually proved to be too difficult as she found that she couldn¡¯t eat anymore. Selius, obviously used to such treatment, occasionally waved dishes away after a single glance, while Rucille used the time to pepper Nina with questions about her time on Caecus.

    ¡°Apartment living would be so useful here,¡± Rucille sighed as she looked out over the city. ¡°The people would never approve of it though, even if we could build such tall buildings.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good and bad,¡± Nina mused as she sat back in her chair and followed Rucille¡¯s gaze out the window. ¡°Besides, Luem has much taller buildings. It¡¯s crazy actually, now that I think about it. What SuTSU has built is on a completely different level.¡±

    Rucille frowned in response as she stabbed a slice of meat in manner that wasn¡¯t particularly fitting for a noble. ¡°Too bad I¡¯ll never get to see it, unless¡­¡±

    ¡°Not going to happen,¡± Selius said as he neatly sliced a green vegetable that Nina couldn¡¯t identify. ¡°We both know the rules, it¡¯s taboo.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why you can help me!¡± Rucille smiled as she looked at Selius with anticipation. Unfortunately for her, however, he ignored her and continued to eat at a leisurely pace while examining the cityscape through the window.

    ¡°Nina¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do to help you,¡± Nina sighed. ¡°I¡¯m an outsider, remember?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I guess,¡± Rucille frowned before leaning back in her chair. ¡°Argh, this is so frustrating!¡±

    Nina hid a smile as she watched Rucille pout before deciding that she could probably squeeze a little more food in. It seemed a waste to not at least try everything that was brought out, although it was that very mentality that had left her feeling as though she was about to explode in the first place. Despite all the nerves that she had brought into the restaurant about appearing in the Merchant District, talking with a prince, and answering Rucille¡¯s questions, the lunch flew by rather smoothly. Maybe even too smoothly in fact, as before she knew it she was following Selius and Rucille back down the stairs and out onto the street.

    ¡°A different carriage?¡± she asked as she saw the deep blue vehicle that was waiting for them. She had thought that the Inin Estate carriage was fancy, but this carriage was equally as graceful. With a large golden ¡®Z¡¯ painted on the door and matching curtains, she immediately realised that this was most likely Selius¡¯ carriage.

    ¡°My driver had some things to attend to,¡± Rucille apologized. ¡°Royal treatment is even better though, right?¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Nina smiled as Selius opened the door for the two women before stepping up into the carriage behind them. As soon as the door was closed, Nina felt the vehicle sway as it moved off from the curb of the restaurant before taking them down the street under the watchful eye of the Royal Guard. She wanted to look out the windows to the scenery around them, but again the curtains were closed.

    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot,¡± Rucille said with a smile before she withdrew a pink handkerchief from a hidden pocket in her dress. ¡°Nina, what do you think of this?¡±

    While Nina¡¯s attention was fixated on the handkerchief, she was completely unprepared as the cloth rocketed towards her like a bullet. Stars exploded across her vision as the handkerchief slammed into her face, pain also stabbing into the back of her head as it snapped back into the top of the seat. Crying out in a daze, her expression quickly turned to horror as she realised that Rucille¡¯s hand was now wrapped around her face, the handkerchief she had been holding now wedged in front of her nose.

    Trying to scramble for the pistol in her pocket, her blood ran cold as she realised that her hands were locked in place. Flicking her gaze over, she saw that Selius had moved to sit opposite her, each of his hands now tightly gripped around her wrists. She tried to kick and scream in a panic, but the heel of Rucille¡¯s palm was now firmly pressed against her mouth while her other hand had gripped the top of her skull.

    It didn¡¯t take long before the substance on the handkerchief began to play havoc on Nina¡¯s system, her struggle against Selius becoming noticeably weaker while Rucille didn¡¯t even have to hold her head still. After waiting for another ten seconds to be sure, Rucille withdrew the handkerchief and watched with a smile as an unconscious Nina slid down the seat before her head dropped into her lap.

    ¡°Hook, line, and sinker,¡± Rucille said as she examined Nina¡¯s blank expression. ¡°She certainly wasn¡¯t prepared.¡±

    ¡°Are you happy now?¡± Selius asked in response with a mildly frustrated expression as he looked at her. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I was asked to get involved in this mess.¡±

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t want to get involved in Inin affairs, you shouldn¡¯t have decided to marry my sister,¡± Rucille smirked. ¡°Besides, your father asked you to do this, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Whatever,¡± he sighed as his gaze lingered on Nina. ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over and done with.¡±

    Rucille nodded as she took a quick peek out from the curtains to the street. Seemingly satisfied, she knocked a few times on the ceiling of the carriage before her attention returned to the unconscious Nina who lay in her lap.

    ¡°I¡¯ve finally found you,¡± she whispered with a loving gaze as she stroked Nina¡¯s hair.

 Chapter 049

    Oblivious to what had happened in the Merchant District, the remaining members of The Cloud Orchestra had been enjoying a peaceful afternoon at the safehouse when a group of Royal Guards had descended upon them to shatter the peace. After opening up with a brief salvo of verbal harassment, the guards had sternly ordered Reina and her group to march to the manor under escort to meet with Kromald. It was quite clear at this stage that something had gone very wrong.

    ¡°I¡¯d like an explanation, and I¡¯d like it quickly,¡± a red faced Kromald barked with clenched fists after the group had been filed into the same meeting room as before. Noticeably, the sofas on their side of the room had been removed which left them with no choice but to stand.

    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯d actually like one too,¡± Reina replied with a neutral tone as she examined the creases on Kromald¡¯s face before her gaze flicked over Andus¡¯ smile. ¡°It seems that you know more about this situation than we do.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb,¡± Kromald growled as he pointed a finger at them. ¡°You brought a new outsider with you and didn¡¯t think to tell us that she was being actively hunted by SuTSU? If that wasn¡¯t enough, she then suddenly has the brilliant idea to go to the Merchant District. Guess what? She goes missing.¡±

    Reina felt a chill down her spine when she heard Kromald¡¯s words. She knew that Nina had been heading out for the day, but she had gone to the Merchant District? And the reason that Kromald was so angry was¡­

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about her,¡± Kromald clarified. ¡°What I do care about is that she had the nerve to drag not only my daughter into it, but also a goddamn prince. His carriage was found abandoned in a backstreet not too far from the walls.¡±

    Reina paused to collect her thoughts, holding her expression together as she understood that now was the most important time to keep a cool head. This meeting was a powder keg waiting to explode, and Kromald was almost certainly trying to provoke her into setting it off. She hadn¡¯t missed the fact that the manor was swarming with Royal Guards, so if Kromald really wanted to twist the screws then there wouldn¡¯t be much that they could do. Underneath Kromald¡¯s accusation, however, she had also realised that something just didn¡¯t add up.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Nina wouldn¡¯t leave the Royal District of her own accord,¡± she said as she looked Kromald in the eye. ¡°Your daughter was aware the issue with SuTSU, and neither of them are stupid. Why don¡¯t we just put this all down for a moment and actually focus on trying to find them?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you will find them,¡± Kromald glared at them in response, his fingers trembling as he fished a cigar out from his breast pocket. ¡°The king has revoked all your rights to the Royal District until you do so, which includes entry and your privilege to deal with any of the estates. You have half an hour to clean up your accommodation, so get out of my sight.¡±

    Reina hid her frown as the group was marched out of the manor and escorted back to the safehouse in silence. The tranquil scenery that surrounded them seemed to taunt their feelings that they currently harboured as their expressions were glum. If it would ever be their safehouse again after the next hour or so was another question, but Reina¡¯s mind was currently focused on something more important.

    Nina.

    Reina knew that she wouldn¡¯t head to the Merchant District if given the choice. She had already concluded that Nina was almost certainly in trouble, and as her boss it was her job to get her out of it. Both how she had ended up in the district and what had happened after she arrived were questions that she would need answers to, as without them she wouldn¡¯t be able to solve the bigger puzzle. No matter what had happened, Reina was responsible for her, and she would pull her out of trouble either with or without help from the nobility. If something happened to her then it would ultimately be Reina¡¯s own failure, and that wasn¡¯t a burden that she was prepared to live with.

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Svanda asked as they stepped into the cottage, finally far enough away from the Royal Guard to have a conversation.

    ¡°That it has to be Ormain,¡± she sighed in response as she sat down on the sofa. ¡°He¡¯s the only one that makes any sense.¡±

    ¡°Nobody else would try something?¡± Trim asked as she opened the door to her room and began to pack things up. ¡°Surely there are people who have a bone to pick with the Inin Estate or the Royal Family.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I think it¡¯s him,¡± Reina concluded. ¡°Nobody else is brazen enough to kidnap royalty besides SuTSU. A local group would just be asking to get wiped from the plate, while a group of travelers would be shut out of Zaffre in the future which just isn¡¯t worth it. SuTSU, however, wouldn¡¯t care at all because they¡¯re problems that they can manage.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°What about the prince,¡± Svanda suggested.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t make any sense,¡± Reina sighed. ¡°If he wanted something from Rucille, her family wouldn¡¯t be able to say no in the first place. It¡¯s not like Nina has anything to offer him either.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he wants Nina as a concubine,¡± Jade offered. ¡°He could have pitched the idea to her when they went out and then lost his temper when she rejected him.¡±

    ¡°Unlikely, but it¡¯s possible,¡± Reina mused before looking at the door to Svanda and Saela¡¯s room. ¡°Is Saela back?¡±

    ¡°Saela,¡± Svanda called as she opened the door. ¡°Oh she¡¯s back. Saela, get up.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t wanna.¡±

    ¡°Get up Saela. Now,¡± Reina growled as she glared in the direction of the bedroom, watching as a sleepy figure appeared in the doorway wearing nothing but a shirt. ¡°We¡¯ve been kicked out of the district until we find Nina, so you¡¯ve got fifteen minutes to sort out your belongings.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Saela asked as she casually yawned. ¡°Nina¡¯s with the prince, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Reina paused for a moment as Saela¡¯s words sunk in, although by the time she went to say something Svanda had already beaten her to it by picking Saela up by the collar. Flailing around while trying to drag her shirt down to cover herself, Saela was finally dropped on the sofa opposite Reina.

    ¡°What was that for?¡± she scowled before realizing that the atmosphere in the cottage was icy. Svanda, Trim, Jade, and Aline all simply looked at her with blank expressions while Reina leaned back on her sofa and draped one leg over the other.

    ¡°So you saw Nina today,¡± Reina stated with a cold expression.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Saela replied with caution. ¡°She was with that Rucille chick and the second prince.¡±

    ¡°The second prince?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what everyone in the restaurant was saying,¡± she shrugged.

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°A restaurant.¡±

    ¡°Where was the restaurant?¡±

    The group watched as Saela paused for moment before sighing. ¡°The Merchant District.¡±

    ¡°Did you speak with her?¡± Reina asked.

    ¡°Nope, they kept to themselves,¡± Saela replied, almost surprised that she hadn¡¯t been grilled for leaving the Royal District. ¡°They came in, they ate, and then they left.¡±

    ¡°Together?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, they all left together,¡± Saela answered as though it were obvious. ¡°I thought she would have come straight back, the restaurant is like¡­ twenty meters from the gate.¡±

    Reina¡¯s attention hung on Saela¡¯s final words as she sunk into contemplation, waving Saela away without a second thought when she asked if she could put some pants on. After she had closed the door behind her, Svanda and Trim both sat on the sofa while Jade and Aline dragged two dining chairs over to form a crude circle around the coffee table.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t add up,¡± Reina sighed. ¡°The gates in particular are crawling with Royal Guards. I don¡¯t see how Ormain could have pulled anything.¡±

    ¡°They could have gone elsewhere afterwards,¡± Trim suggested. ¡°Maybe Ormain was waiting to strike and they gave him a perfect opportunity.¡±

    ¡°Can we backtrack a little bit please?¡± Jade asked. ¡°Is nobody else here wondering why Nina was having lunch with the second prince in the first place?¡±

    It was a question that left the group in silence for a moment as they considered the question. As Nina had guessed earlier, nobody from The Cloud Orchestra had even seen a member of the Zaffre Family before, let alone met one. If the family had ever needed anything from them, they wouldn¡¯t know in the first place as the family would have simply asked one of the estates to submit a request in their stead.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll admit that it¡¯s odd,¡± Reina conceded. ¡°It¡¯s not completely implausible though. If I remember correctly, the second prince is actually engaged to Rucille¡¯s younger sister.¡±

    ¡°No wonder Kromald is pissed,¡± Svanda chuckled before her expression hardened under Reina¡¯s glare. ¡°I still feel like we¡¯re missing something though.¡±

    ¡°Pack your things!¡± a voice yelled from outside. ¡°You¡¯re being moved in ten minutes!¡±

    ¡°They really want us gone,¡± Aline sighed as she looked in the direction of her room. ¡°At least there isn¡¯t much to pack up, but I don¡¯t really feel like doing it when Nina might be in danger.¡±

    ¡°It would be nice if they gave us a little more information,¡± Svanda mused as she stood up. ¡°If we could talk with someone who knew a little more information about what had happened, it would really help narrow things down.¡±

    The group followed Svanda¡¯s lead by standing up and slowly making their way to their rooms to pack up the few belongings that they had with dejected expressions. Reina, however, was a step behind them as she crossed the floor with Svanda¡¯s comment in mind.

    Someone with information.

    Suddenly, an outrageous plan was forming in her mind. There was in fact someone out there that would almost certainly be well informed on what had actually happened this afternoon. If they would cough the information up or not was a different story, but as risky as her idea was, it was all that they had right now.

    ¡°Everyone, I¡¯ve got a plan,¡± she announced. Watching as the group turned around to face her, she found that for the first time since being called into the manor today she was wearing a smile on her face again.

 Chapter 050

    Nina¡¯s mind surfaced as she was pulled from her sleep only to find herself surrounded by brilliance. Even with her eyes closed the brightness was painful, and while she wanted to raise a hand to shield them she quickly found that it wouldn¡¯t be possible.

    So white, she thought as she opened her eyes a fraction to examine the bindings around her wrists.

    Everything around her was white. The floor, the ceiling, and all four walls were the same slick colour, glossy like plastic as the surfaces reflected the bright lights that hung above her. It was a clean, almost sterile feeling that she got from the cold room as she tried to piece together her surroundings. Not finding a single speck of dirt on the floor or detecting any particular scent in the air, she frowned as the drowsiness from her sleep was quickly pushed from her mind by the chill.

    Her chest began to throb as the events from before came rushing back to her. Rucille¡¯s smile, the sudden attack, and then how Selius had held her still before she had drifted away into nothingness. The scene in the carriage played through her mind on repeat as she tested her restraints, a newfound sense of alarm rising as the pieces began to fall into place. She was seated, but her wrists were tightly bound to the armrests by metal cuffs while her ankles were shackled to the base of the chair. Both her shirt and cravat must have been removed because she could feel the chill of steel on her back, while a loop of leather around her neck prevented her from inspecting herself. She shuddered with a deep breath, partly in response to the cold on her bare upper half and partly to steady herself as she thought about how she was essentially pinned in place.

    She had no idea where she was, or even how long she had been out. Her neck had almost no movement due to the strap, but she also found it strange how her surroundings were such a stark contrast to the stone and wood that she was used to. The chair she sat on was mainly comprised of cold steel, while she could have sworn that the walls were some kind of plastic or other synthetic substance. It was unlike anything she had seen before, and if she had to draw comparisons to something, she thought of the sterile atmosphere in her office building from Caecus.

    Just what had she been dragged into?

    She received her first answer as she heard a door opening behind her, listening to it close before she heard footsteps cross the floor in her direction. When the smiling face of the person behind the footsteps appeared in her vision, she didn¡¯t know whether she was really surprised or not. She had always known that there was something different about her, but this certainly wasn¡¯t something she could have predicted.

    Wearing a thin white coat that ran down to her knees over a blue shirt and a black skirt, Rucille gave her a quick eye over before a look of surprise crossed her face. ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± she smiled as she opened Nina¡¯s eyelid with her thumb before peering at her pupil. ¡°Not bad to only be out that long, that was some pretty strong stuff.¡±

    ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Nina asked as she fought to control her voice. What had she ever done to deserve something like this? First it was getting thrown into Luem with nothing but the clothes on her back, then it was having wanted posters with her name on it circulated around the city making her look like some kind of criminal. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, she was chased through a desert prison by one of the scariest groups on the seven plates, and now just when she thought she had found some temporary peace and quiet¡­ this?

    ¡°Nina,¡± Rucille said softly as she watched a tear roll down her cheek. ¡°Nina, it¡¯s alright.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not alright!¡± Nina sobbed. She wanted to wipe the tears from her face but she couldn¡¯t because her hands were bound. She wanted to look at the ground so that Rucille couldn¡¯t see her face in such a mess but her neck was strapped to the seat. She wanted to run, to hide in a dark corner where nobody could find her, to hide under the blankets in her apartment on Caecus and never come out. Instead she was here, vulnerable and weak while being surrounded by bright lights and shackled to a chair with nowhere to hide.

    It was humiliating.

    ¡°I¡¯m here for you Nina,¡± Rucille said as she straddled her, sitting on her legs while staring deep into her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re special to me, you know? Ever since I started working on this project I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±

    Nina could feel Rucille¡¯s breath on her face. It was moist and slightly erratic, slowly accelerating as she examined Nina¡¯s features from only a few centimeters away.

    ¡°I was told that you were like a unicorn from a fairy tale,¡± she whispered as she licked a tear from Nina¡¯s cheek. ¡°Just like the people who worked here before me and then the people that worked here before that, I was told that you were something we could only dream of, the key.¡±

    Rucille pressed her chest against Nina¡¯s as her face snaked around to her ear. ¡°But then I found you,¡± she said slowly as she hung on the words, her heartbeat steady against Nina¡¯s own. ¡°When I heard that you were from Caecus - that you were my unicorn¡­ I knew that you were mine.¡±

    Nina¡¯s sobbing had stained Rucille¡¯s coat as her shoulder was pressed against her face, her legs weak as Rucille¡¯s weight pressed down on her. Listening to her words, she paused for a moment as she processed Rucille¡¯s comment through her intermittent sobs. ¡°This is all because I¡¯m from Caecus?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Rucille replied as she jumped off her before a sly grin appeared on her face, her mood turning chirpy at the flick of a switch. ¡°You¡¯re the final piece in the puzzle that is the future of Zaffre¡¯s Moat.¡±

    ¡°Why me?¡± she asked with a sniffle, trying to ignore the mucus from her nose that was now running down towards her lip. ¡°I have nothing to do with Zaffre¡¯s Moat.¡±

    Rucille locked her hands behind her back as she shook her head while casually strolling out of sight. ¡°It isn¡¯t about you in particular,¡± she said as Nina heard her rummage around on what she assumed was some kind of desk for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s about this.¡±

    Nina cried out as Rucille stuck a syringe in her defenseless arm without warning. Before her shock had even subsided, Rucille was already drawing on the plunger, the pair both watching as the tube began to fill with blood.

    ¡°This is the final piece of the puzzle,¡± Rucille smiled as she withdrew the syringe before displaying it to Nina, pointing at her blood inside. ¡°Let me ask you; has anyone ever asked you about how the plates work? About how you can go down, but not up? About how even though you seem to always go down, it ends in a loop?¡±

    Nina thought back to her first night in Luem when she had ended up drinking with Hala and Cross. Hala had suggested that the plates were like the blades of a waterwheel, and that people could only travel in one direction in the same fashion as a wheel can only turn with the current. It hadn¡¯t been a particularly solid theory, but it had helped her understand a little about how the plates functioned together.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t think that any of that matters,¡± Rucille said as she examined the blood in the syringe. ¡°Nobody will ever find the answer, so what¡¯s the point in wasting your time?¡±

    ¡°Are you going to let me go?¡± Nina asked.

    ¡°Instead we thought about differences that we can measure,¡± Rucille continued while ignoring Nina¡¯s question with a wave of her hand. ¡°How am I different from you? How are you different from my research subject next door? He¡¯s from Terminus by the way. Doesn¡¯t talk anymore, but being braindead tends to do that,¡± she sighed.

    Braindead?

    ¡°You see, we can¡¯t make artillery like the people on Terminus can,¡± she said as she walked behind Nina again before rummaging around on the desk. ¡°We don¡¯t have as many people as SuTSU do either, and we¡¯re not in a shielded position like Caecus is.¡± When she entered Nina¡¯s vision once again she saw that she was carrying another empty syringe. ¡°But secretly, we¡¯re quite good at something Nina. We¡¯re good at figuring out how different people work. I don¡¯t want to brag, but we¡¯re even better at it than SuTSU are.¡±

    ¡°I asked if you were going to let me go,¡± Nina repeated.

    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s so valuable about understanding how different people work?¡± Rucille asked as she continued to ignore the question, sitting herself down on Nina¡¯s lap before tracing the veins on her arm with the tip of the needle. ¡°It¡¯s because if you can understand what¡¯s different, you can work out ways to attack that. Take my subject next door ¨C it took a while, but he helped me create a virus that only infects people from Terminus.¡±

    Nina winced as Rucille plunged the second needle into her forearm.

    ¡°It¡¯s because I found a weakness in them,¡± she smiled as she slowly drew a second round of blood from her arm while savouring the moment. ¡°It¡¯s hard to make a lot of the virus, but that¡¯s a problem I¡¯ll work on later. The problem I have now is how to attack everyone else.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± Nina murmured before grunting as Rucille unapologetically pulled the syringe from her arm. ¡°You¡¯re talking about genocide.¡±

    ¡°No, no, no, I¡¯m talking about national defense,¡± Rucille waved a finger before placing her elbow on Nina¡¯s shoulder, staring down into her eyes. ¡°Why do you think Selius was there today? It¡¯s because this is bigger than me, and it¡¯s bigger than the Inin Estate too. It¡¯s a royal project sanctioned at the highest level, you know?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how you sugar coat it,¡± Nina spat as she glared at her. ¡°It¡¯s still genocide.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not attacking anyone with it,¡± Rucille shrugged. ¡°We just want to ensure that we can protect what we have. The problem with having such a backward culture is that it¡¯s not very good when it comes to defending yourself. It might seem like desperate measures to you, but it¡¯s the easiest solution when you think about it.¡±

    ¡°You would still be attacking people if they came down from above.¡±

    ¡°In fact it¡¯s perfect,¡± Rucille continued as she ignored the comment. ¡°All we need to do is make it waterborne, and then when the time comes we just dump it in the moat.¡±

    ¡°The rain,¡± Nina frowned.

    ¡°Bingo,¡± she smiled again as she hopped off Nina, much to her relief. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d get it though, considering I already told you that I studied people and you didn¡¯t catch on to that. One out of two isn¡¯t bad I guess.¡±

    Nina recalled how Rucille had indeed said that she studied people from the different plates. This certainly wasn¡¯t what she¡¯d had in mind when she had heard it though. She thought that Ormain¡¯s group had a few screws loose, but this was far worse. Despite everything Rucille had said, however, there was still something that didn¡¯t quite seem to add up.

    ¡°Why do you need someone from Caecus then? Why is it not someone from Neo Luesa?¡±

    ¡°Luesans are the easiest to find,¡± Rucille chuckled as she dismissed Nina¡¯s comment with a wave of her hand. ¡°But they¡¯re annoyingly resilient, unfortunately. I needed someone from Caecus because the current theory is that people from Caecus have a makeup which is somewhere in between those from Terminus and those from Neo Luesa.¡±

    ¡°How can you make such a theory if you didn¡¯t have a research subject?¡±

    ¡°Deduction,¡± she answered like it was obvious. ¡°People from Zaffre¡¯s Moat have similarities with people from Areinis and Rimeria, just like how people from Areinis share their own similarities with people from Zaffre¡¯s Moat and Terminus. Parts of your makeup, your¡­ race, are generally shared by people from the plates above and below you. Considering that the Skywall has always been uninhabited, people from Neo Luesa should share similarities with people from Caecus and Rimeria, but the problem is that SuTSU wiped all the Rimerians out centuries ago.¡±

    ¡°And so you want to use me to work out how your Terminus virus can be modified to work on someone from Neo Luesa, like a bridge.¡± Nina concluded.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s going to work or not, but that¡¯s right!¡± Rucille said as she raised a finger. ¡°But finding someone from Caecus has been impossible so far. They¡¯re so ignorant to the concept of the seven plates that very few of them fall through to Neo Luesa in the first place, and even fewer fall this far down. That¡¯s why you¡¯re my unicorn Nina.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just go and kidnap someone yourselves?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s forbidden by royal decree to leave the plate if you are born on Zaffre¡¯s Moat,¡± she shrugged. ¡°I told you already, they cling to history and leaving the plate is seen as abandoning our way of life. Selius said it was taboo, remember?¡±

    ¡°Then pay someone to bring one down for you, or even bring a limb down.¡±

    ¡°I need a live sample, and getting someone from Caecus is apparently too expensive,¡± she scoffed. ¡°Even on national defense, the Royal Family cuts corners. Network is the only group that could do it anyway, and they don¡¯t seem to like human trafficking so much.¡±

    ¡°Surely I¡¯m not the first person from Caecus to drop through,¡± Nina continued. Why, out of every possible scenario, had it been her?

    ¡°You probably aren¡¯t,¡± Rucille agreed. ¡°But people don¡¯t usually announce that they¡¯re from Caecus, and they also don¡¯t end up in the Royal District either. On top of that, they certainly don¡¯t give us an excuse to get away with it. You¡¯re just lucky Nina, it all lined up perfectly.¡±

    ¡°You mean unlucky,¡± Nina retorted. She had calmed down a little due to their conversation, but her mind was still frantically working overtime as she tried to think of a way to escape the situation. She had tried to wiggle in her seat a little but found that she couldn¡¯t feel the pistol in her pocket when she moved her hip against the side of the chair, concluding that Rucille had confiscated it. ¡°What do you mean an excuse?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s perfect! Your SuTSU friends were looking for you right?¡± Rucille grinned. ¡°Think about how poorly it¡¯s going to look for Reina when you go missing with a noble daughter and a prince,¡± she added as she looked at the silver watch on her wrist. ¡°In fact, they¡¯re probably being kicked out of the Royal District as we speak. Even if they did somehow work out that you were actually sitting right under their noses, they¡¯ll never be allowed back in to prove it.¡±

    ¡°People would have seen you returning.¡±

    ¡°We changed carriages in the Merchant District,¡± she said as she disappeared from Nina¡¯s vision as she strolled to the door. ¡°Selius is hiding in the castle until your friends give up and leave, and honestly I don¡¯t feel like leaving the lab anytime soon now that I¡¯ve got my hands on my unicorn.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± Nina glared at her as she felt the tears returning. ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me.¡±

    ¡°I think the word you¡¯re looking for is genius,¡± Rucille laughed as she opened the door. ¡°I¡¯m going to go and run some tests on your blood because I really can¡¯t wait, I¡¯ll be back for more soon.¡±

    As the door closed behind her and left her in silence, Nina shut her eyes as though it would help block the returning tears from pouring down her cheeks.

 Chapter 051

    Trim pushed her way through the door to the hotel lobby while ignoring the glare from the plainly dressed attendant that stood inside. Stifling a yawn while readjusting the plain dress that she had worn the week before, she casually ran her eye over the interior. The hotel was a reasonably small place with heavy wooden beams that ran in neat rows above her while a pitched ceiling that stretched upwards sat on top. A fire crackled inside a stone hearth which was set in the corner of the room despite the warm late afternoon air, the pattern in the stonework merging into the walls before fanning out around them like petrified tentacles. There was only a smattering of people that sat in small groups around the lobby, but that was to be expected. Travelers seemed to rotate through the plate rather quickly as the locals were often openly hostile to their presence.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡± the attendant asked for the second time, pausing with a tinge of nervousness as Trim turned to face him with a cold gaze.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for the group that turned up last week,¡± she said as she looked around the lobby, disappointed that she hadn¡¯t found who she was looking for. Before being kicked out from the Royal District, Reina had quickly flipped through her notes before telling her that this was where they would find who they were looking for.

    And Reina was usually right.

    ¡°The bar,¡± he replied with a nervous nod in the direction of a door which sat in the far wall. Without another word he disappeared, quickly making himself scarce which left Trim chuckling. It seemed like who she was looking for had left the staff rather nervous.

    ¡°Ready?¡± she sighed as she looked back over her shoulder to see that Svanda was admiring a small stained glass window which was set into the door. It was quite fancy for the Merchant District, although at the same time it seemed that the people on Zaffre¡¯s Moat were much better in general with such outdated techniques. Like Trim, Svanda had changed out from her usual utilitarian gear into a loose-fitting grey shirt and simple brown pants. It was still obvious that they were travelers due to the rifle that Svanda kept slung over her shoulder, but that was unavoidable.

    ¡°Ready,¡± she nodded as she ignored the curious gazes from the rest of the staff in the lobby. Moving behind Trim to the small door in the far wall, she glanced at the signboard which read ¡®BAR¡¯ hanging above it before taking a deep breath and following her through.

    Stepping inside the bar, the pair found themselves in a dimly lit rectangular space that stretched away from them. The smell of smoke and liquor hung in the air as a testament to the nature of the hideaway, although the surfaces were contrastingly clean. A wooden countertop ran along the entire room to their right, while a line of wooden booths sat on their left. Most of the booths were empty, in fact they were all empty besides the booth at the very end of the room. This booth, however, contained exactly who Trim and Svanda were looking for.

    ¡°Mind if we have a chat?¡± Trim asked as her feet padded across the stone floor, walking the length of the bar before stopping in front of the table at the end of the room. She turned to gaze at the man who sat in the middle of the group with a practiced smile on her face, trying not to seem nervous. She could feel Svanda¡¯s presence behind her, and although she wouldn¡¯t admit it, it was helping her to remain relaxed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see what there is to chat about,¡± Ormain replied blandly as he studied the pair with little interest. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you before.¡±

    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen you before either,¡± Trim lied with a shrug. ¡°But it¡¯s hard not to hear about you when we¡¯re looking for the same people.¡±

    Unlike Reina¡¯s group, Ormain and his team hadn¡¯t bothered to change into even slightly discreet clothing. Although they had shed some of the heavier jackets that they had worn in the Badlands, the basic shirts and pants that they had worn underneath remained the same. While that wasn¡¯t an issue in itself, the now openly flaunted array of uncovered weaponry was rather intimidating.

    Ormain paused as he mulled over Trim¡¯s response, thinking for a moment before motioning with a nod of his head to the two men and the woman who sat opposite him. After watching on as they stood and then moved off in the direction of the bar, he gestured with his palm in the direction of the newly vacated bench.

    ¡°Sit.¡±

    Reina¡¯s plan had been outside of the box. If anyone knew what had happened to Nina, Ormain and his sources around the district were almost certainly the group most likely to know. If they themselves were actually the ones that had picked her up, Trim and Svanda would not only be able to confirm what had happened to Nina but also try and glean some information about the situation that they could take back to Reina. If they really did need to plan an assault on Ormain and his group, the more information they had to work with the better. If they were really lucky, they might even be able to find out where Nina was and consider staging a rescue on the spot.

    After Reina had outlined the plan, they had all agreed that it was a risky move which was unfortunately their best option. Trim and Svanda would go and ask them directly what had happened, hoping that their descriptions hadn¡¯t been provided to Ormain in detail by people from the Badlands. It was likely that they hadn¡¯t, as he had probably thought that he just needed to be pointed in the direction of the flying circus before filling in the rest of the details himself. The fact that Trim and Svanda had been sitting out of sight on the roof of Juicer now provided them with an out that they would have never thought possible.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Ale,¡± Trim said to the bartender as she ignored the urge to admire Ormain¡¯s enchanting features, sliding into the seat before Svanda sat beside her. Although their side of the seat had been vacated, Ormain still wasn¡¯t alone. Shalan, the irritable woman from their previous encounter, hung off his arm while openly shooting a hostile glare in their direction.

    ¡°Before we start anything I¡¯d like to clarify a few things,¡± Ormain said as he leaned back against the seat rest while examining the assault rifle that Svanda had left resting against the seat. ¡°Firstly, who are you? That thing isn¡¯t cheap.¡±

    ¡°Does that really matter?¡± Trim asked as she watched the bartender place two glasses of ale on the table. ¡°What matters is that we¡¯re looking for the same thing.¡±

    ¡°Think of it as a trust thing,¡± Ormain replied casually before pointing at his hair. ¡°It isn¡¯t like you don¡¯t know who we are, is it?¡±

    Trim smiled at his response, not surprised at the question. Reina had run them through this scenario as quickly as possible before they had been kicked out of the Royal District, trying to predict how the meeting would flow if they weren¡¯t recognized. To keep their image up, Trim and Svanda had even asked to be dropped through a different gate so that the group wouldn¡¯t be seen together. Thankfully it looked like they had done enough to get them through the door, but they both knew that it was still a delicate situation. Pushing for the wrong information, having holes in their cover stories, or showing that they knew too much could all leave them exposed.

    ¡°We¡¯re bounty hunters,¡± she replied vaguely before taking a sip from her glass. ¡°There¡¯s a private bounty out on one of the members, one that they don¡¯t know about.¡±

    ¡°Do you mind if I ask which member?¡±

    ¡°One of the pair, is that specific enough?¡± Trim replied before she placed her glass down. They had already agreed to use Jade and Aline as the opening bait because it was information that Ormain already had. If their guess that Ormain¡¯s eyes were in the shopping district was correct, there would be no doubt to him that this recent information was at least believable, while he had also seen them on KF-14. Furthermore, her statement was also vague enough that it would seem as though Trim didn¡¯t want to give away information for free.

    ¡°It¡¯s plausible, but it doesn¡¯t explain why you¡¯re here. Why not just wait in Luem?¡±

    He¡¯s really trying to trip me up, Trim sighed internally. Thankfully Reina had told her to expect questions like this.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know Luem very well,¡± she said as she nodded at Svanda. ¡°Finding them there would be difficult.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is,¡± Ormain shrugged in response as he glanced at Svanda. ¡°Fortunately for you, I know how you feel. So what do you want to know and what can you offer in return?¡±

    Trim kept her poker face up even though she was smiling inside. They had wormed their way in, but this was where the conversation would become dangerous to navigate. It would only take one mistake to leave the pair of them surrounded by a group of suits without backup, and that was a situation which they wouldn¡¯t be able to escape from.

    ¡°We want to know anything you¡¯ll give us about four of the members,¡± Trim began while trying to sound casual. ¡°Anything on either of the pair of course, but also anything you have on the leader or the newest member.¡±

    Ormain raised an eyebrow at the request before his eyes flicked to the bartender, nodding his head before his attention returned to Trim. ¡°You don¡¯t know their names?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s information,¡± Trim smiled as she watched the bartender place another pair of glasses before Ormain and Shalan. ¡°It isn¡¯t free.¡±

    ¡°How about you tell us if you don¡¯t want a hole in your skull?¡± Shalan asked as she casually withdrew a pistol from her shoulder holster before placing it on the table. ¡°You don¡¯t think you can just walk out of here, do you?¡±

    Even though Trim was nervous inside, she chuckled lightly before taking another sip of her ale, using the pause for dramatic effect. ¡°Let¡¯s be honest here, shall we? If we had enough information to solve our problems, we wouldn¡¯t be here asking you for help. If you had enough information, you wouldn¡¯t be entertaining this conversation in the first place. If we work together, we can both take what we want and then split up like we never met. It¡¯s the easiest solution isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Calm down,¡± Ormain said as he put a hand on Shalan¡¯s shoulder before looking back at Trim and Svanda. ¡°You don¡¯t care about information on the others?¡±

    He¡¯s fishing here, Trim thought to herself. If their information was correct, Ormain didn¡¯t even know how many people there were in the group. He knew about Nina, Jade, and Aline from their meeting on KF-14, while he knew about Reina from the Badlands. Anything past that, unless their intel was wrong, was new ground for him. The most encouraging thing, however, was that Ormain was talking to them in the first place. If they already had Nina and were satisfied with what they had, he probably would have told them to get lost.

    ¡°No, we¡¯re not interested,¡± she replied. She was throwing him a bone by letting him conclude that there were at least two more members, but she needed to make concessions. It was better to let him think that he had the upper hand anyway as she had no idea how he would react if he felt pressured. Faking the weak hand wasn¡¯t such a bad position to be in if it dropped his guard.

    Ormain looked at her before pausing for a second. ¡°Is there a reason why you don¡¯t need their information?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not close enough to drag who we¡¯re looking for out,¡± Trim sighed. The sigh was partly a fa?ade, but also partly genuine as she was inferring that she herself didn¡¯t care about Jade and Aline. It was a lie, naturally, but this had always been their intended method of approach. It would be impossible for Ormain to have recent information on Reina as she hadn¡¯t left the estate, while Jade and Aline had been out of reach in the Royal District. He wouldn¡¯t know that they were trying to funnel his thoughts, but after chalking off the other members, the only person that he would have left to provide any information on was Nina.

    If he didn¡¯t have everything he wanted already, that was.

 Chapter 052

    ¡°So you want to either find this person directly or use one of the other three as bait to lure her out, correct?¡± Ormain asked as glanced at the table, his fingers casually tracing the lines on the grip of Shalan¡¯s pistol. ¡°Are you going to kill her?¡±

    ¡°If we need to,¡± Trim shrugged as she continued to make her way through her glass of ale. Svanda, who hadn¡¯t been talking, had finished a while ago.

    ¡°I¡¯ll consider that as probably,¡± Ormain smirked as he held a hand up to the bartender before dropping it back on Shalan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much I can help you with. Like us, you¡¯ve probably realised that they don¡¯t seem to be interested in leaving the Royal District at all. It isn¡¯t somewhere that we can just stroll into either.¡±

    Trim stewed on his words while she finished the rest of her drink, the table sitting in silence as the bartender brought over four new glasses for them. She wanted to press, but at the same time she knew that pressing too hard would instantly put Ormain on alert. They were already treading a fine enough line, so taking risks with not only Nina¡¯s life but also their own was something she wanted to avoid.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± she asked Svanda, who seemed to be surprised that she had been brought into the conversation. From the beginning she had played the role of the guard in the same fashion that Shalan had done for Ormain, so Trim¡¯s prompt had made it difficult for her as it wasn¡¯t part of the plan.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen anything in the Merchant or Farmer¡¯s District at all?¡± she asked, fully knowing that her question was dangerous. Ormain was either looking for Nina or had already found her, so if he decided that they were actually interested in the same person he would shut up shop and they would be left with no hope at all.

    ¡°Nothing interesting,¡± Ormain sighed as he finished his glass of ale before sliding Shalan¡¯s glass in front of himself, ignoring her glare as he took a sip. ¡°Nothing that you can use, that is.¡±

    Trim fought the urge to clench her fist and kept a straight face as she feigned casual interest. ¡°But there¡¯s been something? I¡¯ll be honest, we haven¡¯t even caught a sniff of what we¡¯re looking for short of asking the girl from the restaurant, but I think it¡¯ll scare them off,¡± she said, knowing fully well that she had just dropped her trump card.

    ¡°Girl?¡± Ormain asked as his ears pricked up. ¡°What girl?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a girl from the group that visits the Merchant District¡­¡± Trim stopped as Shalan snatched for the gun at the table, her action mirrored by Svanda as she tipped her rifle up from the seat to face across from them.

    ¡°If I say so, you aren¡¯t leaving here alive,¡± Shalan spat as she glanced at Trim before refocusing her attention on Svanda and the rifle in her hands. ¡°Spit it out if you want to live.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t make a lot of sense does it?¡± Svanda smiled as she looked over to Ormain while ignoring the scowl on Shalan¡¯s face. ¡°If this doesn¡¯t end amicably then neither of us are going to get anywhere.¡±

    ¡°Not now Shalan,¡± Ormain sighed, watching on with a slightly frustrated expression as she reluctantly placed the pistol back onto the table. Trim didn¡¯t miss the fact that ¡®not now¡¯ could also mean ¡®later,¡¯ but it could also be a technique that he used to calm her down. The tension in the air seemed to settle a little as Svanda placed her rifle down again and the chair once more, but it was evident to everyone inside the bar that their discussion was volatile.

    ¡°And so? What are you offering?¡± he asked as he sat back. ¡°Remember that there isn¡¯t much I can do for you if you can only use information from outside of the Royal District.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Trim assured him. ¡°We¡¯d like to know just about everything you have on them. Even if we can¡¯t catch up to her now, we still have the next couple of plates so anything we can learn now would be helpful.¡±

    ¡°You want to know everything? Just who do you think you are?¡± Shalan growled as she slammed her hand on the table. ¡°Do you know how much it costs to keep this many ears to the ground?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your call,¡± Trim replied with a frosty expression. She¡¯d had enough of this woman¡¯s interruptions, but letting it show wasn¡¯t the wisest choice considering that she seemed crazy enough to pull the trigger without a second thought. She was close to what she needed, and as soon as she had it then she would never need to have a conversation with these people again.

    ¡°And what are you going to tell me in exchange for this?¡± Ormain asked.

    ¡°A member of the group visits the Merchant District quite often,¡± Trim finished what she had tried to say earlier. ¡°We¡¯ll give you a description and where she¡¯s usually seen.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Not enough,¡± he replied almost as soon as she had finished. ¡°Even if what you say is true, it seems she¡¯s of no use to you. Why would she be of use to us then?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re after the leader, right?¡± Trim said as she used the opportunity to throw down a little misdirection. ¡°Surely she would come out to make a deal for her. On the other hand, we don¡¯t think our target would appear because apparently they¡¯re on bad terms.¡±

    Ormain raised an eyebrow when Trim mentioned disharmony. It has been a side goal of his to create a rift in the group when he had talked to them earlier, so he was now wondering if he had been successful. Regardless of how it had occurred, he was inwardly pleased as any disharmony was a benefit to him that he would use as soon as he saw an opportunity to leverage it.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said as he leaned forward with both elbows on the desk. ¡°We¡¯ll tell you about the movements we¡¯re aware of in exchange for the details on this girl,¡± he concluded with a sigh. ¡°That¡¯s it though, and your information is first. I¡¯m going to verify it first before you get anything in return.¡±

    Trim paused for a moment as though she was considering the deal before nodding and providing Ormain with a brief description of Saela. It was reasonably accurate of course, as she knew that the details would be verified. After adding a brief description of the restaurant that Saela had been frequenting, Ormain nodded to two of the male suits that stood at the bar and watched as they left to confirm the information. Trim hadn¡¯t missed the flicker in his eyes when she mentioned the restaurant, and she took it as a sign that it was also a place of interest for them due to Nina being seen there.

    ¡°Should I consider this as an opening exchange between us?¡± Ormain asked to pass the time while they waited for the men to return. It made sense from his perspective that they should keep exchanging what they could if neither of them could get what they wanted straight away, and Trim knew that he was thinking it was almost guaranteed. While he thought that they would be cooped up in the Royal District the entire time, Reina and the rest of the group were in fact now hiding in the Farmer¡¯s District.

    ¡°That would be ideal for us,¡± Trim agreed with zero intention of actually upholding the deal. ¡°We¡¯re a little short on hands, so we¡¯re thinking of dropping to Areinis soon to beat them there. It seems like we won¡¯t catch them here.¡±

    If she could convince Ormain to do the same it would work out well for them, assuming that they didn¡¯t already have Nina locked up somewhere. It would give them time to regroup, find Nina, and then repair their relationship with the Royal Family before finally preparing to tackle the next hurdle. Without their walls to hide behind and their safehouse within, the members of The Cloud Orchestra were essentially sitting ducks right now.

    ¡°Info seems good,¡± one of the men from earlier said as he pushed his way through the door. ¡°Talked to a few of the people there and they said that the girl is there almost every day while nobody had seen her before the last week or so. I left Artel hanging around in case she turns up again.¡±

    Every day? Trim sighed. Reina was going to kill her when she heard that.

    ¡°Good,¡± Ormain smiled as he turned back to Trim and Svanda. ¡°Alright, a deal is a deal,¡± he said before he began to reveal what he had learned over the past week.

    It was interesting for Trim and Svanda to hear a group reveal information concerning their own team, but also incredibly valuable to see just how much they had given away. While they both knew that he was holding some finer details back, it was obvious that he had managed to get someone relatively close to Jade, Aline, and Nina while they had spent time in the shopping district. Their timings, activities, and habits while out were all thrown on the table as Trim became more and more surprised at just how much Ormain had managed to learn.

    ¡°My conclusion is that they¡¯ll be leaving the plate in around three days,¡± he concluded at the end of his talk. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can touch them, but I will wait until they have gone down before chasing them. I know that they will have their eyes on us, so if we drop early, they will wait us out from up here.¡±

    Trim resisted the urge to slam her hand on the table. Ormain hadn¡¯t once mentioned anything about Nina in the Merchant District, and that was concerning as if he had indeed captured her then he might not want to show it. Quickly formulating a question that wouldn¡¯t make it blatantly obvious that they hadn¡¯t found what they were looking for, Trim was about to speak when Svanda spoke instead.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there was something from this district?¡± she asked with a blank expression.

    ¡°Come and gone,¡± Ormain said with a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s useless, she was under such heavy guard that there was no point trying.¡±

    ¡°What, the boss?¡± Svanda continued to pry as though it were nothing. Trim could have kissed her at this stage.

    ¡°No, the new one,¡± Ormain said as he placed his empty glass back on the table. ¡°Her group changed carriages and went back to the Royal District though, and I doubt she¡¯ll return.¡±

    ¡°Shame,¡± Svanda sighed before glancing at Trim with a frown. Who would have thought she could act like this when she needed to? ¡°I guess we¡¯ll leave you to it then, good luck with finding the little one. How about we come and see you again tomorrow to see if it paid off?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Ormain shrugged as he watched them stand. ¡°Extra hands are always useful.¡±

    Trim resisted the urge to smirk at Shalan before nodding politely and leaving the bar with Svanda in tow. Immediately stepping outside and setting off down the street in the direction of the Farmer¡¯s District at a brisk pace, smiles blossomed on their faces as they breathed a sigh of relief. Not only had then escaped the SuTSU den alive, they had also managed to snag what they had risked it all for.

    ¡°She¡¯s still in the Royal District,¡± Svanda mused as they turned a corner to see a large stone arch which separated the districts loom in the distance.

    ¡°Unless he¡¯s lying,¡± Trim added. ¡°Nina is probably still in danger either way.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Svanda nodded as they skipped past a group of surprised locals before picking the pace up. ¡°Let¡¯s talk this over with Reina.¡±

 Chapter 053

    ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Shalan grumbled while examining the clear liquid that swirled around in the bottle before her. ¡°There¡¯s something about them.¡±

    After Trim and Svanda had left the hotel, Ormain spent the next hour relaxing as he discussed the meeting with Shalan and Lysalya. While the meeting had been brief, that didn¡¯t necessarily mean that it hadn¡¯t been fruitful. Whether the two women from earlier knew it or not, he had gained much more than they would have thought from the exchange so now he was simply using his time to string the pieces together.

    ¡°Of course there is,¡± he replied with a dull expression as he watched Shalan pour herself another glass of liquor. After deciding that the ale ¡®wasn¡¯t strong enough,¡¯ she had taken a bottle of liquor from behind the bar. Understandably the bartender didn¡¯t have the nerve to stop her, and Ormain hadn¡¯t bothered to do so either. It was fortunate for her, but he sighed to himself when he thought about how he maybe should have stopped her after all. He would be the one that had to keep her in line if she indulged in more drink than she should have.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say something then?¡± Lysalya asked as she reclaimed the seat that Trim had used earlier before pouring her own glass from the bottle. ¡°We could have kept them here and roughed them up a little.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better for Vechse to follow them while they''re unaware,¡± Ormain dismissed her idea with a casual wave of his hand, instead referring to the second male suit that had returned after visiting the restaurant. ¡°If there¡¯s something suspicious we can go and¡­ ask some questions.¡±

    ¡°If you say so,¡± she replied with a wry smile before glancing over at Shalan. ¡°What, I wasn¡¯t supposed to have any? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to pay for it.¡±

    Instead of answering, Shalan snatched the bottle back with a scowl before pouring herself another glass. Ormain smiled when he thought he heard a sigh escape from the bartender¡¯s lips, but ignored it as his attention turned to the door which had just been pushed open. To their surprise they found that it was actually a Royal Guard that had stepped inside, and a proper one clad in blue at that. The gold on his buttons and helmet reflected the dim lighting as he walked down the length of the silent bar, his obscured figure pausing at their table for a moment before reaching for his pocket. Fishing out a neatly wrapped roll of paper, he dropped it in front of Ormain before leaving the bar without speaking a word.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Ormain mused as he slowly reached for the paper. With a practiced motion, his fingers untied the small black ribbon that was wrapped around it before he unfurled the document and scanned the contents.

    ¡°Well?¡± Shalan asked as he set the paper down before him with a smile on his face.

    ¡°Very interesting,¡± he grinned as he slid the piece of paper across the table to her. Picking it up, she scanned it just as Ormain had:

    the cloud orchestra - expelled from royal district

    reina ¨C deep red hair, long. brown eyes. 170-175cm.

    svanda ¨C v/short silver hair, bright eyes. 180-185cm.

    trim ¨C long blonde hair, green eyes.  175-180cm.

    jade ¨C long green hair, blue eyes. 170-175cm.

    aline ¨C short pink hair, purple eyes. 170-175cm.

    saela ¨C short blonde hair, dark eyes. 160-165cm.

    ¡°Someone wants us to find them,¡± Shalan concluded as she slid the paper over to Lysalya. Her earlier scowl had hardened into a serious expression as she watched Lysalya read the page before turning to Ormain. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Three things,¡± he said as Lysalya dropped the paper on the table between them. ¡°The first thing is that whoever wrote this is claiming that they¡¯ve been kicked out from the Royal District. We don¡¯t know what happened, but whoever wrote this obviously knows that we¡¯re looking for these people and wants us to tangle with them.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°We¡¯re not going to say no to a gift are we?¡± Shalan smirked as she rolled her shoulders. ¡°They won¡¯t have anywhere to hide yet either. Rats without a nest should be dealt with before they make one.¡±

    ¡°The second thing is the descriptions,¡± Ormain said as he brushed off her statement. ¡°The second and third ones seem to be the two that we met just before, which itself raises a lot of questions.¡±

    He watched as Shalan snatched at the piece of paper before reading it again, a low growl forcing its way out of her mouth once she connected the dots. Unlike her, he wasn¡¯t particularly fazed by being duped. It was a loss, but he was more focused on trying to put the bigger picture into perspective. It seemed easy to look back on it and think that he should have seen through them, but at the same time he realised that the thought should have never crossed his mind. After all, what kind of group sells information on themselves in exchange for information they should already know?

    ¡°Which leads to the third thing,¡± he continued.

    ¡°Nina,¡± Lysalya concluded.

    ¡°Nina isn¡¯t on this list,¡± he said with a nod as he pointed at the letter. ¡°It means that whoever wrote this either doesn¡¯t know about her, or they are telling us that she hasn¡¯t left the Royal District. I think it¡¯s pretty obvious as to which one it is, and they''re telling us that she isn''t included. Nina was spotted with a prince, and then her own group comes asking questions about her. I thought it was strange why they asked about what I considered useless information, but it would fit if this is the case. Something has happened between Nina, her group, and the Royal Family.¡±

    ¡°So now they¡¯re looking for her too?¡± Lysalya mused before standing up and stretching her arms over her head. ¡°This seems like a mess if she¡¯s been taken by the Royal Family. Getting to her in the first place was hard enough.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to give up?¡± Shalan asked.

    ¡°Not entirely, but I think we can shift our attention to Reina for now as she¡¯s the bigger catch,¡± he replied as the door to the bar opened again. Watching as Vechse skulked into the room, he frowned. ¡°You lost them, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°The Farmer¡¯s District is a shanty town compared to this,¡± he complained. ¡°From how they moved, it isn¡¯t the first time they¡¯ve dropped a tail either.¡±

    ¡°Well we know why they¡¯re good at it now don¡¯t we?¡± Ormain smiled as Shalan handed Vechse the list. ¡°Is the lieutenant still sleeping?¡±

    ¡°He is.¡±

    ¡°Wake him up,¡± Ormain said after Vechse dropped the paper back on the table. ¡°And then get Artel back here. That girl isn¡¯t going to show up at the restaurant anymore.¡±

    It was obvious that the restaurant was as good as dead as far as leads were concerned, but despite that Ormain was feeling confident. The Cloud Orchestra would surely disappear among the endless stretches of stone that was the Farmer¡¯s District, but he knew that the tables had now been turned on them. If Reina and her team wanted to find Nina, they would have to be active, and that was when he would have the perfect chance to strike. He considered the possibility that Nina had been abandoned, but shrugged it off. The fact that the women from earlier had played such a risky hand led him to think that they wouldn¡¯t be giving up.

    He pushed his way out of the bar before stepping out on to the street, breathing in the cool air that accompanied the late afternoon breeze. He wouldn¡¯t admit it to his team, but there was a little part of him actually wanted Reina to succeed in taking her back. Planning to pull Nina out from the Royal District after they themselves had been thrown out? That was something that he wanted to see. Not only did he have had no idea how someone was supposed to infiltrate the district in the first place, he also knew that their success could potentially deliver Nina right into his waiting grasp.

    Or Shalan¡¯s, he thought as his gaze flicked over to her. She had followed him outside like a loyal dog before leaning against the stone wall of the hotel, watching passer-bys with an icy gaze as they stepped around her. He knew that she had been left seething after their first encounter with The Cloud Orchestra, and two women slipping through their fingers just before would do nothing but agitate her further. Like cooking a grenade, Ormain was going to have to throw her at something in the near future if he didn¡¯t want to pick up the pieces of whatever mess she decided to create when she¡¯d finally had enough.

    ¡°We¡¯ll get them,¡± he said, unsure of whether he was saying that to Shalan or himself. ¡°We didn¡¯t come this far for nothing.¡±

    Without responding, Shalan glanced in his direction before her interest returned to examining the unnerved pedestrians that walked around them. She acted as though what he had said was a given, and inside he wondered if she was actually more confident than he was. Ormain was good at getting what he wanted, but this was a different game from what he was familiar with. While Luem was his home ground where SuTSU¡¯s might left the population at his fingertips, this time around they were playing as the away team. SuTSU might have had connections, but he himself wasn¡¯t as knowledgeable as Reina and her team were about their surroundings. Like chasing a fish in water, all he could hope to do was either catch them with some bait or predict where they would be so he could wait for them to stumble into his grasp.

    ¡°You¡¯re frowning,¡± Lysalya said as she poked her head out the door. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±

    Ormain paused to look at the sky for a moment, composing himself before walking back in the direction of the door. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± he said as he stepped past her. ¡°Get everyone together. Tonight is when they''ll move.¡±

 Chapter 054

    ¡°And so?¡± Kromald asked Rucille as withdrew a cigar from his breast pocket, watching with a steady gaze as the end was clipped before bringing it to his lips. ¡°Will it work?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe?¡± she responded with a tinge of annoyance. Perched on the edge of the same couch that Reina had sat on during the previous week, she had quickly found that she didn¡¯t like to be on this side of the room. It was mainly because she saw these discussions with her father as an unnecessary chore, but she wouldn¡¯t tell him that. If he wanted results, why did he pull her away from her work? It was easier to just let him know when she was done.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to tell you how much is riding on this,¡± he said after he had finished lighting the cigar. Pausing for a moment as a lazy tendril of smoke rose in to the air, he sat back in his chair. ¡°If we can do this, our place as the number two estate in the district will be secured.¡±

    You mean if I can do this, your position will skyrocket, she thought to herself as she resisted the urge to roll her eyes and stood up. ¡°If that¡¯s all, I¡¯ll return now.¡±

    ¡°Sit,¡± Kromald barked. ¡°We¡¯re not finished.¡±

    This time around Rucille didn¡¯t bother to hide a sigh as she again perched herself on the edge of the seat. She had experiments to conduct and a nation to save, yet her father seemed to be more interested in working out how to claim as much of the glory for himself as possible. Surely he didn¡¯t need regular status updates to conclude how he could make that a reality, so why didn¡¯t he just let her do her work and think of something in the meantime? It wasn¡¯t even like she herself cared that much about recognition, so he should know that she wouldn¡¯t object either way.

    In fact, she hardly cared at all. Ever since Kromald had singled her out for being different as a child and pulled her from the public eye, she had grown to like the life away from the spotlight. Instead of playing with the same toys as her sisters, she had been scolded for playing with the pretty liquids that she found in the lab. While her brothers had admired the powerful estate representatives that had passed through their front door, she had instead asked why they wore such impractical clothing. Eventually, her father had realised that he could kill two birds with one stone by installing Rucille as the head of the estate lab instead of a third or fourth son which had been the custom. She eventually stopped landing him in embarrasing positions, and in return he found that she was talented in her role. She knew that she was unpredictable, not as serious as she should be, and also difficult to communicate with, but they were things that he would have to live with.

    Her tired gaze drifted over to Andus who sat in his usual seat behind Kromald with a smirk on his face. It was probably difficult for him not to smile now that she thought about it, as all three of them knew that he stood to enjoy the most benefits from her work in the long run. Kromald may head the estate now, but the creases around his eyes showed that age was ultimately catching up to him. If Rucille¡¯s project was a success, the currently unmarried Andus would instantly shoot to new heights which would be second only to the first few princes.

    ¡°So how is your progress?¡± Kromald asked while ignoring her frustrated expression.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Rucille sighed as she repeated herself. ¡°You can¡¯t expect answers this early in the process as there isn¡¯t enough data to work with.¡±

    ¡°Try,¡± he replied as he exhaled a cloud of smoke, not bothering to direct it away from Rucille who sat opposite him. She thought that he saw the corner of his lips curl upwards as her nose wrinkled, but she knew that saying nothing about it was the quickest way to leave.

    ¡°I took some blood and ran some tests,¡± she shrugged. ¡°It looked similar to what I expected, so I jabbed her with the virus that I prepared earlier. Early signs are positive, but it hasn¡¯t broken her yet so I¡¯m waiting to see how it plays out.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    The first results from the blood testing had been promising when she analyzed the structure, but she knew from experience that unforeseen circumstances seemed to crop up from just about anywhere. After a short discussion with some of her assistants, she had instead decided that the easiest way to crack through the middle of all the uncertainty was simply to inject her with the Terminus virus and see how she fared. She had already tested it on subjects from Neo Luesa with disappointing results, so how Nina fought against the invasion would be critical to working out how she could break down further subjects.

    ¡°I see,¡± Kromald frowned at her explanation. ¡°What are the chances of success?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you twice already, I don¡¯t know,¡± she sighed. Instead of answering the same question three times, why not just let her go back to work? ¡°She¡¯s delirious right now, but that doesn¡¯t mean that she won¡¯t recover. It¡¯s certainly more effective against her than the subjects from Luesa, so I¡¯ll have to do some study on how exactly her body resists.¡±

    Kromald nodded before being interrupted by a knock at the door.

    ¡°Enter.¡±

    The three sat in silence as the door was pushed open by a royal guard who had adopted a formal posture. Stepping inside after taking a cautious look around the room, he walked over to where they were sitting before stopping behind Rucille and placing a fist across his chest. ¡°I¡¯ve delivered the message.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Kromald grinned with an expression that left Rucille unnerved. ¡°Dismissed.¡±

    Waiting until after the guard had excused himself, Kromald turned his smile in Rucille¡¯s direction as he placed the cigar on the tray which sat in the centre of the table. ¡°You can forget about Nina¡¯s friends now, they won¡¯t be coming back.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± she replied casually while her eyes narrowed. If she was truthful, she didn¡¯t have a problem with Nina¡¯s team at all. She could even say that it had been enjoyable to listen to their stories about the plates she would never see for herself. Unfortunately for them, however, Nina wasn¡¯t something that she could let slip through her fingers. She had hoped that the rest of them would eventually be able to move on from her in time, but it seemed like her father didn¡¯t even plan on letting that happen. Frankly, it was overkill. They wouldn¡¯t be able to make it back inside the district, so why not let them do their own thing in peace? If her idea of pinning the blame on SuTSU had worked in the first place, they might even be able to continue business with Reina¡¯s team in the future. If they were none the wiser to the real truth, their anger would be directed elsewhere.

    ¡°The suits will deal with them, so don¡¯t get distracted.¡±

    Kromald¡¯s attention turned to the liquor cabinet which was off to the side of the room, indicating that she was free to leave. Springing up without a word, she strolled towards the door before her father¡¯s voice called out to her one more time.

    ¡°I¡¯d like a daily report submitted at the end of each day. You can have one of your assistants bring it over.¡±

    Would you even understand what you were reading?

    Without acknowledging his request, she pushed the door open before slipping into the foyer and then stepping outside into the cool breeze that swirled around the manor. Not bothering to admire the perfectly maintained flower beds that surrounded the path that she walked along, she sighed to herself as she gazed at the lab which loomed in the distance. Although the late afternoon had still not surrendered to the evening, bright lights already shone from each window like torches.

    Images of Nina strapped to the chair flashed across her mind as her thoughts returned to the task ahead. Nina had called her insane, but she didn¡¯t think that there was any truth in it. She was used to shrugging off insults as anyone from her other subjects to her previous assistants had called her a range of things. The common factor that these people all shared though was that they were now dead. One of her sisters had even called her a monster once, but Rucille was glad that she did it privately. That way, it didn¡¯t become suspicious when she mysteriously died three weeks later.

    She smiled as she wondered if Nina had already joined the group of people that had cursed her before becoming stepping stones in her life. She may never have the chance to leave this plate, but she thought that when you considered it she was actually the most travelled of all. She may only see the seven plates through the eyes of others, but in exchange she was allowed to peer deep into their eyes in return. Others might see things, but she saw inside things. What was the point of living if you didn''t understand how anything truly worked?

    ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me Nina,¡± she muttered to herself before turning onto the path that snaked across the lawns in the direction of the lab.

 Chapter 055

    ¡°She¡¯s at the lab,¡± Reina concluded with a sigh as she sat back on the torn leather armchair that she occupied, picking idly at a scar in the brown hide that was stretched over the armrest. ¡°It¡¯s the only scenario that makes any sense.¡±

    After being unceremoniously kicked out from the Royal District, the remaining members of The Cloud Orchestra had dispersed amongst the mess of stone and timber that together was known as the Farmer¡¯s District. In truth, the district wasn¡¯t any worse off than the Merchant District as a whole, although it was evident that the distribution of wealth wasn¡¯t as balanced. You can¡¯t have the rich if there were no poor after all, and the poorer parts of the district in question were currently providing Reina¡¯s group with some much needed cover.

    The group had eventually reconvened in the sitting room of a small house which was close to the outer wall. Having decided to avoid public spaces such as inns and taverns, Reina had selected an unassuming family home before borrowing their living space for the evening in exchange for a few coins, much to their delight. Small and comprised of bare stone walls and an uncovered stone floor, wooden slats ran above them while a small fire crackled in the corner. Apart from the old leather chair which Reina sat in, the rest of the group was forced to sit on either the few crude stools available or the floor.

    ¡°What about the prince?¡± Aline asked. ¡°Why was he there if Rucille was the one that was interested in Nina?¡±

    After Trim and Svanda had returned, they had quickly spilled the results of their discussion with Ormain. Since then, the group had been running through theories and discussing appropriate responses until Reina had eventually come to her current conclusion that Nina was at the Inin Estate lab. It was a conclusion that unsettled the entire group, however, as infiltrating the Royal District was something that not even the suits had considered to attempt. To be honest, they even thought that rescuing Nina from the Inin Estate may be even more difficult than rescuing her from Ormain¡¯s clutches.

    ¡°He was there because they¡¯re in on whatever is happening at the lab,¡± Reina frowned. ¡°The Royal Family would have been the people that organized the guards to facilitate the process, and only their people would be able to keep the entire thing under wraps.¡±

    ¡°Why not take her to the palace then?¡± Svanda asked. Hunched over a small wooden stool that looked like it was about to break under her weight in the corner of the room, she stared into the fire. ¡°Surely they have their own facilities.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m actually not so sure if that would be the case,¡± Reina frowned. ¡°There¡¯s no need for the Royal Family to keep anything that could go wrong close by as they can simply leave it to others around them. It¡¯s like how SuTSU just dumps criminals into the badlands. The problem is moved out of sight and the responsibility is moved to the wardens.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still lost,¡± Jade sighed. ¡°How does that all add up to Nina ending up at the lab?¡±

    ¡°Rucille works at the lab and she was the person who was clearly interested in Nina,¡± Reina replied matter-of-factly, although it seemed as though she was trying to convince herself just as much as anyone else present. ¡°Also, why would they risk suspicion to kick us out of the district if she was in the castle?¡±

    The rest of the group sat in silence as they thought over Reina¡¯s logic. It had been obvious to all of them that Rucille had an interest in Nina, but they had chalked it off as a friendly interest as Nina could tell her stories about Caecus. Abducting her was the last thing on their minds when they pictured the bubbly and carefree girl running up the path in the direction of the lab, but Rucille had ended up proving to them that looks could be deceiving. Unfortunately, her deceiving looks were what had let her isolate Nina from the rest of the group without them ever questioning her intentions. It wasn¡¯t like The Cloud Orchestra had a policy on traveling alone as they all did it all the time, but if they had been a little more suspicious of Rucille¡¯s overzealous interest in the first place, maybe they wouldn¡¯t have landed in this situation at all.

    For once, Reina had been careless.

    ¡°So she was right under our noses while we were being marched out,¡± Svanda sighed as she glanced at the small black bag which sat on the floor in the corner of the room with Nina¡¯s rose-coloured pistol placed on top. ¡°I guess it makes sense why they were so eager to send us packing then.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Reina nodded. ¡°But let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves. Remember that there¡¯s also an uncomfortably large problem sitting on this side of the wall too.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    A collective sigh sounded out across the room as the group thought about how Ormain and his team were also searching for them. Their current situation was truly a nightmare, as any form of altercation with the Royal Guard would cause his team to come running. What was worse was that the Royal Guard would probably be more than happy to sit back while he took the issue out of their hands too. She hadn¡¯t mentioned it to the rest of the team yet, but Reina also had to consider that there was the frightening possibility that if alarm was raised while rescuing Nina, Ormain¡¯s team would be waiting for them with open arms as the fatigued group made their escape.

    ¡°Talk about being between a rock and a hard place,¡± Jade frowned as she sat on the floor with her back to the fire, idly picking at her nails. ¡°We haven¡¯t worked out how we¡¯re going to leave the plate either.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll arrange the exit, so don¡¯t worry about that¡± Reina said in an attempt to instill some confidence in the group. ¡°Right now we need to focus on getting Nina out of the lab, and then out of the district.¡±

    ¡°Which raises the question of how we¡¯re going to get into the Royal District in the first place,¡± Trim said as she methodically checked over the different parts of the submachine gun that were sitting in her lap. ¡°Or have you worked that out already?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m open to suggestions,¡± Reina admitted with a wry expression. She had her own idea, but she didn¡¯t want to put it forward yet as she didn¡¯t particularly like it. She didn¡¯t mind putting ideas forward, but she often found that if she put her own idea forward first then the group would become reluctant to suggest something else. Reina appreciated the borderline blind faith that they had in her ideas, but it was at times like these where she needed to draw on everyone.

    ¡°Steal a carriage?¡± Jade mused.

    ¡°They¡¯ll check the occupants at the gate.¡±

    ¡°Hide on the underside then?¡±

    ¡°How exactly would you get on there?¡± Reina raised an eyebrow while rejecting the idea. ¡°There isn¡¯t really anywhere you can hide under most of them either.¡±

    Jade turned quiet after she heard the logic behind the rejection. It was true that some of the carriages may have let one or two people hide underneath, but knowing when and where such carriages would be was something that they couldn¡¯t afford to gamble on. There was also the fact that they would be performing their attempt late at night, and during that time the number of carriages entering the district would be few.

    ¡°Blast through the gate?¡± Svanda suggested as she pat her rifle before frowning. ¡°Wait, forget I said that.¡±

    Loud isn¡¯t an option, Reina thought. Not only would they be instantly surrounded by royal guards, Nina would probably be whisked away to another location before they could reach the estate. Even if they did somehow blast their way through, secure Nina, and then blast their way back, they would still have to deal with Ormain and his waiting group that had been attracted by the noise.

    ¡°How about bribing some of the guards?¡± Trim offered.

    ¡°Also not possible,¡± Reina sighed. ¡°They¡¯re nobles with their prestige to protect. Capturing us would be a much better option for them.¡±

    Not only that, there was also the fact that the wall would be lined with guards and they certainly couldn¡¯t afford to bribe the entire gate. Reina wouldn¡¯t even be surprised if they had subtly increased the number of guards on the wall after what had happened today, but she was hoping that they wouldn¡¯t need to find out.

    ¡°If we can¡¯t go through it, are we digging under it?¡± Aline asked. ¡°Oh! Maybe there is an underwater passage from the moat.¡±

    ¡°Nobody is getting wet,¡± Reina frowned. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to dig a tunnel under the wall or search for a passage either. There¡¯s probably some kind of underwater passage, but it¡¯s too dangerous. I¡¯m not risking the chance that someone might end up stuck in a grille or something underwater.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Aline shrugged. ¡°So if we¡¯re not going under the wall and we¡¯re not going through the wall, I guess you have an idea on how we are somehow supposed to go over the wall?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just an idea,¡± Reina sighed before pushing herself out of the chair. After she had listened to the ideas from the rest of the group, it seemed like that she would have to pitch her idea after all. Looking at the ever quiet Saela who sat in a corner of the room, she smiled. ¡°Saela, how much do you weigh?¡±

    ¡°You are not catapulting me over the wall somehow,¡± she scowled when she saw Reina¡¯s smile. Her expression darkened even further as Jade and Trim both stifled a giggle. Was picturing her being slung over the wall really that amusing?

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it isn¡¯t that extreme,¡± Reina consoled her before she withdrew a notepad and a pen from her pocket, quickly scribbling down a few things. Tearing the sheet off, she wrote a second page before also tearing it off, handing the first sheet to Trim while handing the second to Aline. ¡°We need everything on these two lists. Jade, go with Aline. Saela, you¡¯re with Trim. Watch out for the suits and be back here in thirty minutes. Pay whatever it costs to get what I¡¯ve listed.¡±

    Aline took a quick look at the list before nodding and ducking out from the room with Jade close behind her. Trim on the other hand looked at the second list before glancing at Reina with a confused expression.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Reina nodded. ¡°Hurry, we don¡¯t have much time.¡±

 Chapter 056

    ¡°Are you sure this is going to work?¡± Saela asked with a grim expression as she studied the stone wall through the gloom. ¡°This thing doesn¡¯t seem stable at all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because it isn¡¯t,¡± Trim smiled as she checked the object in front of them for the final time before placing a hand on Saela¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You can do it though, so good luck.¡±

    Jade, Svanda, Trim, and Saela had all dressed in black before snaking their way through the night to their current location. Crouched on a rooftop across the street from the moat, they ignored Saela¡¯s frown as they huddled around the makeshift device that they had assembled for their rescue mission. There was a range of expressions across their faces as they examined their handiwork, but according to Reina it would get them over the wall and into the Royal District.

    Well, Saela at least.

    ¡°Svanda and I will watch for guards down here,¡± Trim whispered in reference to the regular patrols that walked along the street in front of the moat, trying not to raise her voice so that it would travel through the silence that hung in the air. ¡°Jade will keep an eye out for anyone on the top of the wall while you cross the moat. Once you¡¯re against the wall you should be pretty difficult to see so just keep it steady.¡±

    Saela pushed her nervousness down with a nod before the group eased their away across to the edge of the roof. If she was honest she didn¡¯t want to do this at all, but Reina had made it clear that she was the only person who could fill the most vital role for their operation. Saela didn¡¯t even like Nina, but she knew that if she was going to maintain any form of harmony with the rest of the group, tonight she was going to have to be a team player. If she could make Reina happy, maybe she would earn some praise too which was a plus.

    When it came down to it, Reina¡¯s plan had actually been quite simple. The six of them would split into three teams of two where each would have their own role to play. Reina and Aline were currently off negotiating with the Farmer¡¯s Guild about using their exit to the plate below, while Trim and Svanda were responsible for maintaining a presence at the wall. Firstly they were to help Saela and Jade get inside the district, and after that they would cover their escape after they returned. If Ormain and his team did appear for some reason, Trim and Svanda would be the pair to face them.

    That left Saela and Jade to form the actual rescue team.

    Saela thought it would have been more logical to bring the other pair over the wall with them, but Reina had rejected the idea for two reasons. The first reason was because she argued that a smaller team would be more effective in sneaking through the Royal District. Not only were Jade and Saela quick on their feet, they would both be harder to spot than the much larger Svanda. Reina had also highlighted how Jade and Saela¡¯s combined skillset alone actually resulted in a rather frightening ability to break into just about anything. Most of The Cloud Orchestra had already learned firsthand that locks weren¡¯t really an issue for Jade, while Saela¡¯s history of stealing what she really shouldn¡¯t have been able to get her hands on was more than enough to leave Reina confident in her ability.

    The second reason that they would be staying behind was because Trim and Svanda were too heavy.

    Svanda had laughed when she heard the second reason, but Trim certainly hadn¡¯t. She did, however, eventually accept the fact that while she wasn¡¯t heavy, she was heavy in relation to what they needed to do. Due to how the guards patrolled the top of the wall, the group wasn¡¯t going to have much time to get everyone up the wall and then over it before the next guard moved past. Hauling Trim and Svanda up would simply take up too much time and risk their cover being blown, so Saela would instead pull Jade to the top of the wall before they set off themselves.

    How Saela herself got up the wall¡­ well that was what Reina¡¯s idea was about to help them accomplish.

    ¡°When we give you the all clear, go for it,¡± Svanda smiled as Saela nervously picked up their hastily assembled device. Watching as she dropped off the edge of the wall and hid herself behind a small wooden screen on the side of the road, she instead sighed quietly before looking over at Trim. ¡°She must be pissed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d do it,¡± Trim smiled while her attention remained fixed on the road that trailed away along the moat. ¡°It would be good fun.¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Too bad you¡¯re too heavy,¡± Svanda chuckled while turning her attention to the road in the other direction. After waiting for only a few minutes, she perked up as she looked into the distance. ¡°Oh, this side looks good.¡±

    ¡°So does this one,¡± Trim replied. ¡°Jade?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re still good in about ten seconds, then I think we¡¯re good,¡± she replied while her gaze remained fixed on the top of the wall. Thankfully for them, the top of the wall was lit at frequent intervals which allowed her to see the movement of the guards.

    ¡°In ten seconds,¡± Svanda hissed down to Saela after confirming that their side of the wall would remain clear. It was lucky that they had run into an opportunity so quickly, and they weren¡¯t about to reject it. The odds of there being both zero guards and zero pedestrians around were not high after all. ¡°Three, two, one, go!¡±

    Like a sprinter out of the blocks, Saela launched out from her hiding spot and dashed across the road in the direction of the moat with surprising pace. Orienting Reina¡¯s device in front of her, she held it out before reaching the other side and stepping onto the meter of grass that ran alongside the drop into the inky blackness below. Under Jade, Trim, and Svanda¡¯s awestruck gazes, Saela jumped into the chasm without a second thought before jamming the device under her feet.

    Suddenly, she was floating.

    ¡°It worked,¡± Trim breathed out a sigh of relief as she watched Saela awkwardly glide through the air, her momentum from earlier carrying her across the moat in the direction of the wall. She felt like cheering, but unfortunately this was probably the most delicate part of the mission. Attracting any attention wasn¡¯t exactly an intelligent idea.

    Reina had yet again surprised them all - her idea actually seemed to be working.

    While the three watched on from the roof with smiles on their faces, Saela expression was currently a depiction of pure terror. With a coil of black rope slung over her shoulder and a second length of rope in her hand, she bent her knees in an attempt to stay balanced on Reina¡¯s makeshift device. Straightening herself out from a slight wobble, she breathed a sigh of relief as she now steadily soared across the remainder of the moat before gently banging against the stone wall that towered above her.

    Reina¡¯s idea to get over the moat had been simple in principle, but crude in execution.

    Her idea had been to build a hoverboard. Or, in Saela¡¯s case, a board which could even send her to the top of the wall. Constructed from a piece of thin lightweight wood which Trim had purchased and a piece of string that Saela now held one end of, the board had managed to not only take her across the moat, but it was now also helping her steadily rise in silence while she balanced herself by using a hand against the stone wall.

    The board¡¯s lift, of course, was being generated by six mismatched pairs of shoes which had been haphazardly strapped to the bottom of it.

    Reina had asked Jade and Aline to buy replacement shoes along with their black gear so that she could borrow their usual ones for this exact purpose. After tying a rope around the toe of each shoe, she had then connected them to a single string which was pulled through a hole in the centre of the board. When the rope was pulled up, the toe of each shoe was raised which activated the thrust. While the shoes were usually only useful for reorienting themselves in the air due to their weak level of power, strapping twelve of them together and placing the lightest member of the group on top of them had actually managed to generate a tiny but significant amount of lift.

    That lift was currently raising Saela up against the outside of the wall at an agonizingly slow rate.

    As nobody expected anyone to be floating along the outside of the wall in the darkness, Saela went unnoticed as the next round of guards passed along the road. Those on top of the wall were also incredibly unlikely to look straight down, so Saela¡¯s slow but steady climb continued in silence as she balanced herself by keeping one hand against the stone while the other kept the thrust activated. Unfortunately, the wall surrounding the Royal District was almost twice as high as the six meter walls that surrounded the farmlands, so the group was simply praying that the shoes would hold out until she made it to the top.

    Eventually, to their relief, she did. After taking almost five painstaking minutes to slowly edge her way up the ten or so meters of stone that formed the walls of the Royal District, she finally approached the top of the wall. Slightly easing her grip on the rope before waiting for Jade to signal that the top of the wall was clear, a triumphant smile finally appeared on her face. Thankfully it didn¡¯t take long before she received the signal that she had been waiting for, and much to her relief she was able to grip the edge of the wall with her gloves before hauling herself up onto solid ground.

    Although she was so relieved that she could have almost kissed the stone walkway that she was sprawled out on, she shrugged off the smile as she knew that her time was short and she certainly didn¡¯t want to get caught. The board needed to be returned to Svanda and Trim, while at the same time she needed to use the long length of rope coiled over her shoulder to help Jade up onto the wall.

    When Reina had first raised the idea, Saela had thought that it was insane. True to her history of terrible ideas that worked, however, it seemed as though the first step of their plan been alright after all.

    She was in.

 Chapter 057

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we made it,¡± Jade sighed as she placed her hands on her knees and slowly caught her breath. ¡°Just give me a second.¡±

    Saela frowned but opted not to speak, instead crouching low in the bushes that they were currently hiding behind while looking back in the direction of the wall. A routine patrol had already passed by where they had made their way over the wall without seeming to notice that anything was out of the ordinary, so she was quietly confident that they were in the clear.

    Watching Jade slowly recover, she fought the urge to flop down herself. After she had made it to the top of the wall, she had first tied her rope to the board before tossing it out across the moat to Svanda. Not only had this taken Reina¡¯s cumbersome invention off her hands, it had also acted as an anchor to carry the end of the rope to Jade who had been waiting. From there, it had been a complex task of dodging the patrols while pulling Jade up in between passes, while Jade hauled herself up the final part of the way. Thankfully there were unguarded stairs and ledges which had allowed her to hide when required, as it wasn¡¯t like the guards were expecting anyone to be on the inside of the wall. After Jade had joined her at the top it had been as simple as racing down one of the unlit stone staircases and then dashing across a small path before taking cover in the sprawling gardens that lay beyond.

    ¡°Okay, I need another minute actually,¡± Jade said as she sat down on the grass. ¡°My arms are dying.¡±

    You think mine aren¡¯t? Saela thought as she decided that she might as well take the time to rest if Jade was going to, sitting down while rolling her shoulders. She checked over what little gear she had once more to make sure that she hadn¡¯t lost it, although her usual pistol and a knife were the only things she had brought besides the rope. Like Jade, her collection of black clothing was topped off by a woollen black hat that was stretched over her hair, and currently it was making her feel rather hot despite the cool evening breeze.

    It was quiet in the district, where only the sound of crickets could be heard in the darkness. If someone was to listen very attentively, however, they would have heard two sets of footsteps fumble their way through the centre of the gardens in the direction of the Inin estate grounds. Avoiding the roads, most of which were well lit, the pair quickly found that there was essentially no traffic at all as they weaved their way through the trees and flowerbeds before crossing a road and then scaling a stone wall that was only a couple of meters tall.

    ¡°It¡¯s this way, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    The pair had already agreed that it would be easier to move within the private estates rather than on the streets that surrounded them. The walls would provide some cover from the public lighting, while the infrequent patrols by the Royal Guard also seemed to be concentrated outside. As long as they didn¡¯t run into any guards placed inside the estates, they should theoretically be able to hop from estate to estate until they reached their destination. They would eventually have to skip over a few roads to reach their destination, but they were bridges that they would cross when they got there.

    ¡°We should have just brought a change of clothes,¡± Jade whispered as they slowly walked along the inside of a stone wall while listening for any approaching noises. ¡°We could have got changed and then just walked right up to the back door.¡±

    ¡°And what if¡­¡± Saela frowned before crouching down. Jade mirrored her action before the pair sat in silence as a carriage rolled past on the other side of the wall, the solid timber wheels rattling on the stone underneath. After the noise faded into the distance, Saela turned to Jade. ¡°What if someone recognized us? You have green hair, remember?¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Jade realised before looking at the ground with a bashful smile. While similar colours of hair were common on Neo Luesa, the citizens of Zaffre were much more conservative and usually stuck to basic shades of blonde, brown, and black. While she didn¡¯t know it, her appearance along with Aline¡¯s had actually been the source of much gossip between the noble women who frequented the shopping streets in the past week. Both their features and dresses had been hot conversation, and some ladies had even made discreet enquiries as to how they could acquire something similar.

    Saela ignored her reaction and instead continued along the wall until they reached the far side of the small estate. Clambering over the wall and waiting behind a small shrub, she waited for Jade to join her before the pair scuttled across the road and threw themselves into the neighboring residence.

    ¡°Do you think there will be guards at the lab?¡± Jade asked quietly as they followed the inside of the wall until they approached a stone security booth that was placed next to a gate. Cutting further inside the estate in the direction of a well-lit manor that sat in the middle of the lawns, the pair skipped across the driveway before returning to the wall on the other side and continuing onwards.

    ¡°Of course there will be,¡± Saela finally replied after they reached the edge of the second estate. If their earlier judgement was correct, they would have to skip through another three estates before they finally reached their destination. ¡°Do you think Rucille is going to leave her unguarded?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Jade shrugged. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the guards be doing their job before we get there in the first place?¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°If we¡¯re here, obviously they aren¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t know that.¡±

    Ignoring Jade¡¯s logic, Saela sighed as the pair approached yet another fence. She didn¡¯t know if she would eventually be proved correct, but she was certainly beginning to think that their infiltration of the district had maybe been a little too easy. While getting over the wall had indeed been difficult, since they had passed over it they had not had any problems at all. Saela reasoned that it was due to a number of factors, especially the fact that most guards probably had no idea about what had happened with Nina. In addition, the Royal District seemed unprepared for an infiltration as the Royal Guard had likely announced to residents that passing the wall was impossible. It was simply their fortune that anything that made it through the net which was the district wall could move about uninterrupted.

    The rest of their journey to the Inin Estate was thankfully uneventful. Only having to stop twice more for patrols and carriages, Jade and Saela soon found themselves at the small gate which was placed next to their old safehouse at the corner of the grounds. Deciding that was too risky to use the gate, they instead moved down the road for a short distance before climbing over the wall and then lying flat on a hill which overlooked their old residence. Like their surroundings during their trip over, the small cottage was surrounded in darkness.

    Jade and Saela were surprised, however, to see that there was a light on inside.

    ¡°Someone is inside?¡± Jade whispered. ¡°At this time?¡±

    ¡°Maybe someone just forgot to turn it off,¡± Saela reasoned as they both peered through the window into the living area. Her theory quickly fell apart though as a figure moved out from one of the bedrooms before tossing what they held onto the dining room table.

    ¡°It¡¯s her,¡± Jade frowned as they watched Rucille leaf through a collection of clothing that she had collected from their rooms. As they had been kicked out from the estate at such short notice, they hadn¡¯t wanted to burden themselves with anything unnecessary while avoiding Ormain. The unfortunate result of this was that much of their gear had been left behind.

    ¡°That¡¯s my dress!¡± she hissed.

    They watched on as Rucille quickly examined the dress before tossing it onto the floor. While they couldn¡¯t make out her expression from their vantage point, it seemed as though she hadn¡¯t been impressed. Moving onto what seemed to be one of Reina¡¯s sweaters, she held it out in front of herself for a moment before neatly folding it and then setting it aside.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t like your taste,¡± Saela smiled as they watched her throw a pile of Svanda¡¯s utilitarian gear on the floor without a second thought. ¡°We should move. If she¡¯s here, she isn¡¯t going to be with Nina.¡±

    ¡°We should kill her while we have the chance,¡± Jade frowned while grinding her teeth. ¡°She won¡¯t see it coming.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too risky,¡± Saela hissed. ¡°There could be someone else in there too. Also what would we do if Nina isn¡¯t actually at the lab?¡±

    ¡°We would have one less person to deal with.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not risking my life by raising the alarm just so you can kill someone that didn¡¯t like your dress,¡± Saela scowled as she set off in the direction of the lab. ¡°What happens if someone investigates before we find Nina? Problems that I don¡¯t want to deal with happen, that¡¯s what.¡±

    Jade sighed before crouching low and following Saela through the foliage that sat between them and the lab. Reaching the other side, they paused for a moment to examine the building which was ablaze with light in the distance. While they would have to cross around a hundred meters of open lawn to reach it, it seemed as though there was very little presence around the building.

    ¡°No guards?¡± Jade asked.

    ¡°Seems like it,¡± Saela mused in reply as she studied the large stone building. Long and rectangular, the lab was almost like a single storey version of the manor without the added wings. High glass windows allowed the light from inside to stretch in patterns across the lawns that surrounded it, something that Saela and Jade were not particularly comfortable with. It seemed that whichever way they approached from, they would be visible if anyone decided to look in the correct direction at the right time.

    ¡°Inside?¡± Jade asked as the pair focused on the windows. They were looking to see if they could spot regular movement past the windows, but from how far away they were it was difficult. They would have to either approach the building before stopping in open ground to reexamine their approach, or simply dash forward and hope that the lab was quiet at this time of night despite the lighting.

    ¡°We¡¯ll stop halfway,¡± Saela stated as she began to circle around in the direction of one of the building¡¯s corners. It might not help, but she thought that approaching from a corner may give them a slight chance of evading any curious glances outside.

    Any advantage was something that she would use.

    Deciding that she had lined it up well enough, she suddenly cut onto the lawn and quickly scuttled across the open ground. Without even bothering to look up in the direction of the lab, she focused on not stepping on any stones or tripping before eventually throwing herself prone when she had covered enough distance.

    ¡°Give me a warning for these things,¡± Jade complained as she flopped down next to her. ¡°Otherwise you¡¯ll leave me behind.¡±

    ¡°Just check the left side,¡± Saela growled as she ignored Jade¡¯s complaints before scanning the windows on her right. ¡°It looks pretty quiet.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not expecting us at all,¡± Jade mused before her gaze sharpened. ¡°I can see someone. Looks to be a scientist or something, but it¡¯s certainly not a guard. They¡¯re not looking outside so I don¡¯t think it will be an issue.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± Saela said as she sprang up before dashing for the building, not bothering to look behind her as Jade frantically followed suit. Nervously glancing at the windows as she ran, she covered the final fifty or so meters of lawn as quickly as she could before her feet hit the stone pathway that ran around the building.

    Breathing a sigh of relief, she was quickly joined by Jade who began to catch her breath as quietly as possible.

    ¡°I said¡­¡±

    ¡°Quiet,¡± Saela shushed her as she listened carefully for any signs of alarm. Waiting for thirty or so seconds, the fact that she still hadn¡¯t heard anything led her to believe that they had in fact made it to the lab without being spotted after all. After throwing Jade a cold glance, she set off down the path in the direction of the lab¡¯s rear entrance. ¡°We¡¯ll talk after we find her.¡±

 Chapter 058

    ¡°Seems like it worked,¡± Trim sighed as she stared at the sky above them. ¡°If the peace and quiet is any indicator, that is.¡±

    ¡°Touch wood,¡± Svanda said with a frown before yawning. ¡°Well, as long as you¡¯re prepared for the worst.¡±

    The pair had remained on the rooftop across the street while they waited for Jade and Saela to return with Nina, occasionally checking to see if there was any increase in activity among the Royal Guard. Ultimately they would be powerless if Jade and Saela were caught deep inside the Royal District, but Reina had predicted that the wall would be the most likely location for conflict so that was where they would stay. Staying, however, left them without anything to do besides wait. Passing the time, the pair had sat back near the centre of the roof where they could quietly talk while being out of sight.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± Trim replied. With her hands behind her head to serve as a cushion on the stone roof, she idly counted what few stars there were as she fought to keep the drowsiness away. ¡°They probably won¡¯t even be that long.¡±

    ¡°Mmm,¡± Svanda nodded as she lay back next to her before staring upwards at the same sky. Grateful for the quick break, the pair lay in silence for a minute to enjoy the stillness of the night around them and it soon seemed that neither of them wanted to end the moment. Occasionally they would hear the crunch of footsteps on gravel or the sound of wheels on stone, but overall the night was ominously still.

    ¡°You were good today,¡± Svanda eventually murmured. ¡°I thought you would have trouble remaining so¡­ calm.¡±

    When she didn¡¯t get a response, she sighed and returned her attention to the sky. Stargazing, even with the few stars that she could see, was something that she still enjoyed. It wasn¡¯t like it was really possible back at their home on Neo Luesa where they were inside a giant shell of concrete and steel, so she took the time to enjoy herself while she could. Watching over the bright stars that hung above the rocky cliffs of her hometown was something that she wished she had done more once she had left, but she wouldn¡¯t admit to missing it any time soon.

    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t going to bring that up,¡± Trim finally scowled. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying not to think about it, so the last thing I need is for you bringing it up.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just a sign of maturity?¡± Svanda shrugged as she slowly sat up and glanced down at the road. ¡°The old Trim wouldn¡¯t have been able to do that.¡±

    ¡°The old me is still there somewhere,¡± Trim sighed. ¡°You know that.¡±

    Svanda looked over to her with a wry smile as though she was searching for the old Trim that had been mentioned. ¡°Maybe so, but I was still worried when we met them today. I wasn¡¯t worried because I thought that we couldn¡¯t do it, but I was worried because I didn¡¯t know if you would be able to keep it together. Being able to leave like we did today was the result of your maturity I think, so it¡¯s nice to see that you¡¯ve at least come to terms with things a little bit.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t come to terms with things at all,¡± Trim admitted while closing her eyes. ¡°If anything, it eats at me more now than it ever did before. Back then we were useless and it hurt to be useless because I couldn¡¯t do what I wanted to do. I was such a small speck of dust in the bigger picture that all I thought I could do was drag someone down with me and go out thinking that at least I did my part.¡±

    Svanda paused with a curious look in her eyes. ¡°And now?¡±

    ¡°Now I feel like I can make a difference,¡± Trim sighed. ¡°I might still be a speck of dust, but I¡¯m a slightly larger speck of dust. The important thing though is that together with everyone else at The Cloud Orchestra we can be more than that. We can do something.¡±

    ¡°Sounds kinda romantic,¡± Svanda chuckled before shutting up once Trim glared at her. ¡°That¡¯s still maturity though, being able to step back and see that now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not maturity,¡± Trim groaned as she sat up and stretched. ¡°That maturity was just me thinking about how getting angry wasn¡¯t going to let me do as much damage as possible. My goals haven¡¯t changed, they¡¯ve just become bigger.¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°What, you want to blow up SuTSU HQ or something now?¡±

    Trim¡¯s gaze returned to the sky above them. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ The only thing that I do know is that taking a couple of unrelated suits with me isn¡¯t going to be enough anymore. I can do better, but exactly how I can do better is something I won¡¯t know until the time comes.¡±

    Svanda paused while she thought about what Trim had said, shaking off the slight discomfort before sighing. She knew that Trim¡¯s issues from the past were a constant thorn in her side, but at the same time she had thought that the scars were slowly healing. Nina didn¡¯t know it, but her appearance had brought them closer to SuTSU than they had been before and while it wasn¡¯t her fault, it was something which had unsettled issues that Reina had previously tried to sweep under the rug. Ormain himself wasn¡¯t the problem, but his demeanor and what he stood for were close enough by association to cause a problem.

    Trim and SuTSU didn¡¯t mix.

    ¡°Reina wouldn¡¯t like it,¡± Svanda said softly as she tried to reason with her. ¡°She has already lost enough without losing you.¡±

    ¡°And I haven¡¯t?¡± Trim scoffed in reply. ¡°Reina this, Reina that. We both lost Lantas that day, so why is it always about her? What about how I feel?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say¡­¡±

    ¡°I bet she doesn¡¯t even care anymore. His death is probably just another tool now that she can use to climb a rung higher in life,¡± Trim quietly fumed. ¡°Me? I¡¯m reminded of it every single time I see a SuTSU uniform, every single time I see a poster with a SuTSU logo, and even every time I see that stupid graffiti on the wall when we leave the office.¡±

    Trim¡¯s voice wavered, and Svanda became scared that her volume would unintentionally increase before attracting attention. Trim, however, didn¡¯t seem to care.

    ¡°With every passing day I feel like I¡¯m one step further away from what happened. It¡¯s as though I¡¯m losing it to the past where the only inevitability is that my heart will eventually glaze over,¡± she spat while somehow managing to keep her voice down. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get over it because getting over it will mean that I¡¯m forgetting what I promised to myself back then, that I would do what I could to get back at them. But Reina¡­ does she even remember how she felt that day?¡±

    Whack.

    Trim saw stars as Svanda¡¯s fist connected with her forehead, her neck snapping backward as her arms which were supporting her buckled. Falling back onto the stone rooftop, she went to groan before Svanda¡¯s hand was suddenly placed over her mouth.

    ¡°The only reason I didn¡¯t slap you is because it would be too loud,¡± she hissed as she stared into Trim¡¯s eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t even think for a second that Reina is over what happened, because she isn¡¯t. Have you ever thought that maybe she doesn¡¯t bring it up because she¡¯s still as bitter as you are about what happened that day?¡±

    Trim tried to mumble in response, but instead of letting her do so, Svanda tightened her grip.

    ¡°Why do you think Reina does this?¡± she asked, her low voice unable to mask her anger. ¡°Why do you think she pushes herself so hard to climb this ladder that you speak of? It¡¯s because instead of moping around and being satisfied with what damage she could do, she wants to go further. You even said it yourself, that your goals have changed because you are in a position to do more, so who do you think is behind that?¡±

    She removed her hand from Trim¡¯s mouth before glaring at her to ensure that she didn¡¯t say anything loud enough to attract attention. She knew that this wasn¡¯t the time to fight, but Trim¡¯s comment had left her fuming and she couldn¡¯t help but correct her on the spot. It was true that Reina and Trim weren¡¯t as close as they had been, and anybody who knew the history between them would have agreed that without finding closure, it was inevitable. They were still good friends, but Svanda knew that an invisible wall had been built between them and she wasn¡¯t even sure if it was possible to knock it down.

    Time would eventually tell, but what happened between them for now would remain a delicate subject.

    ¡°That hurt,¡± Trim mumbled. ¡°You don¡¯t think you could have held off a little? How could I shoot straight if I needed to right now?¡±

    ¡°If I held off any more than I already did, you wouldn¡¯t have got the message,¡± Svanda shrugged. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for this.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to thank you or anything,¡± Trim scowled. ¡°Especially if I get a bruise.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that will bruise for sure,¡± Svanda casually replied as she scanned the wall for signs of movement. ¡°But I think it¡¯s time to focus now. They¡¯ll probably be back soon.¡±

    The pair looked towards the wall, but their ears suddenly pricked up when the noise of bells rang out across the district before spreading to the wall. Soon, the entire wall was crawling with Royal Guards as they seemed to disappear and head in the direction of the Royal District¡¯s interior.

    ¡°I certainly hope that they¡¯re back soon,¡± Trim frowned. ¡°Because that¡­ that is the alarm.¡±

 Chapter 059

    ¡°Nina, can you hear me?¡±

    It hadn¡¯t taken Jade and Saela long to find Nina. After entering the building by sneaking in through a rear door, the pair had quickly realised that the ground floor of the building wasn¡¯t going to be where she was held. Spacious, elegantly decorated, and furnished in a similar fashion to the estate manor, it was clear that what Rucille had described as a lab was actually much more of an oversized residence.

    Until they saw the stairs leading down into the earth, that was.

    If the ground floor of the lab was a perfect image of what Nina would have considered medieval style nobility, the basement of the lab would have been a perfect image of anything but. By the time they had reached the bottom of the stairs, stone and timber had given way to steel and plastic as Jade and Saela found themselves in what they swore could have been a different world. Completely devoid of decoration, the actual lab was bright, sterile, and functional. White corridors crisscrossed the space in a grid pattern, while polished steel doors reflected the light from the fluorescent lamps which hung above.

    Thankfully it seemed as though despite the light which filled each and every crevice of the basement, the majority of the people that worked here followed regular sleeping patterns. An unforeseen advantage to attempting their rescue at night seemed to be that that the majority of the staff who worked at the lab weren¡¯t around. Any person who was currently asleep was one person less that they would have to avoid.

    The pair hadn¡¯t even found that many locked rooms as they scuttled through the maze of white hallways with caution, but when they did come across them Jade would quickly open the lock with a practiced motion. After checking the contents of the rooms, some of which left them feeling rather apprehensive about Nina¡¯s fate, they had continued on until they had arrived at a door in the far corner of the basement.

    While they had only been in the lab for around five minutes, they had still needed to dodge two researchers who had been walking together through one of the halls. Worried that Reina had been wrong and they were actually searching the wrong place, Jade quietly pushed the door open after picking the lock to breathe a sigh of relief when she saw that they had found who they had been looking for.

    Her condition, however, was worrisome.

    ¡°This is awful,¡± Jade quietly murmured as she walked over before placing her hands on Nina¡¯s cheeks. Raising her head slightly to look into her eyes, she frowned. ¡°Nina?¡±

    She watched as Nina¡¯s eyes slowly rolled in her direction, her expression glassy as she seemed to look straight through her. Opening and closing slowly, her jaw flapped as though weak while no words emerged. Forced to support her head to stop it from lolling over to the side, Jade brushed a few strands of hair out of her face as she bit her lip. If Nina could even tell who was talking to her right now, Jade didn¡¯t know. Fighting back a combination of anger and sadness, she fumbled with the restraints that kept her in place with shaking hands.

    As a result of Rucille¡¯s earlier handiwork, Nina¡¯s bare arms were both covered from shoulder to wrist with large purple bruises that ran down them in a steady pattern like an animal hide. Further crisscrossed with streaks of dry blood from where Rucille had constantly drawn blood, the dark splotches were a complete contrast to the sickly yellowness in her face. Saela and Jade examined what seemed to be a murky green circle which was sprawling across the centre of her chest as they released the shackles, and while they didn¡¯t know what it was, it clearly wasn¡¯t good. Supporting her from flopping over as the neck restraint was removed, Jade watched as Saela removed the final restraints around her feet before looking to Nina again.

    ¡°Nina, can you stand?¡±

    Nina¡¯s eyes sluggishly followed Jade¡¯s face, although a response seemed impossible as her mouth simply hung open, lifelessly flapping. Quickly realising that there would be no way at all for Nina to stand as her body was weak like a ragdoll in her embrace, Jade looked over to Saela before nodding in the direction of the bench behind them.

    ¡°Get her shirt.¡±

    Saela¡¯s expression was cold as she grabbed the white shirt from the desk before helping Jade thread Nina¡¯s arms through the sleeves. Holding her steady as Jade worked her way through the buttons, she wrinkled her nose before looking down.

    ¡°She wet herself.¡±

    ¡°Do you think she could help it?¡± Jade hissed as she finished with the buttons before kneeling down in front of Nina. Placing a hand on each of her shoulders to prevent her from slumping forward, she looked into her eyes once more. ¡°Nina it¡¯s Jade. Can you hear me?¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Obviously she can¡¯t,¡± Saela frowned as she folded her arms. ¡°Or she can¡¯t respond. Either way, we are in way over our heads.¡±

    ¡°So help me then,¡± Jade said as she pulled Nina to her feet before confirming that as she had feared, Nina¡¯s legs were useless. There was simply no way at all that she was going to walk out of this, and carrying her was only going to make their escape even more difficult than it already was.

    ¡°We both know that this isn¡¯t going to work,¡± Saela replied with a cool gaze as she eyed Nina. ¡°Admit it, we¡¯ve failed.¡±

    Jade paused for a moment as she processed what Saela had said before she ran an eye over her posture. After flying over the wall, dodging Royal Guards across the Royal District grounds, and even breaking into the Inin Estate lab , Jade suddenly realized what Saela wanted to do. After coming all this way to rescue her¡­

    ¡°You want to leave her here,¡± Jade accused her as she fought to contain the rage inside her that was already at a light boil. ¡°After she has been through all of this,¡± she spat as she pointed at Nina. ¡°You want to leave her here.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave her here,¡± Saela replied with a frustrated expression as she ran an eye over Nina¡¯s pitiful state. ¡°I¡¯m just being realistic. How do you suppose we¡¯re supposed to get her back to Reina? Not only do we have to escape the lab, we also have to make it all the way back across the District while carrying a ragdoll in a shirt that might as well be a big white flag. Even if we do manage that, we would still have to get her over the wall somehow, pass her down to Svanda or Trim, and then dodge Ormain and his gang of crazies before we can even look at leaving the plate in one piece.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t come all this way to give up now,¡± Jade hissed as she hauled Nina, with quite some effort, onto her shoulder. ¡°And I¡¯m certainly not leaving her with that monster.¡±

    ¡°Well I¡¯m not risking my life for a lost cause,¡± Saela replied before she looked towards the door. ¡°If you want to give yourself up to Rucille, that¡¯s your call.¡±

    Jade clenched her fists as she watched Saela stroll through the door without looking back before disappearing down the corridor from where they had come. Pushing down the urge to scream at her for being so heartless, she instead grit her teeth before following her out.

    Nina wasn¡¯t heavy, but Jade wasn¡¯t particularly strong either. Traversing flat ground wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but she was already thinking about how she would have to change her return route to accommodate for the walls. She knew that she could easily jump and then climb over some of the three or so meter walls as she had done on the way here, but managing to haul Nina over some of them would probably prove to be impossible. Even if it wasn¡¯t, she would probably spend too much time exposed on the side of the road.

    Poking her head around a corner was also something that had now become difficult. Nina¡¯s head lolled around while she tried to balance the weight, and if she leaned to look around a corner, Nina¡¯s body would also stick out. She hadn¡¯t heard Saela raise any alarms yet, so running on the assumption that she had retraced their earlier route she was beginning to think that it might simply be best solution to risk it and go. She didn¡¯t want to admit that what Saela had said had an element of truth to it, but she also knew that throwing caution to the wind right now was probably her best chance of making the rescue successful. Carrying Nina was alright for now, but it would soon begin to drastically reduce her stamina and she didn¡¯t want to run out of steam half way through.

    The fact that Nina was slung over her shoulder made it impossible to look to her right, so while awkwardly turning about, she retraced her route to the exit. Walking as quickly and as quietly as she could, her heartbeat thumped as she carried Nina through the corridors before finally managing to make it onto the stairs. She had expected someone to cry out at any moment, yet the cry had never come.

    Stopping to think about her good fortune was something that she knew she couldn¡¯t afford, so she quickly turned her attention to scanning the ground floor for any human presence. Finding it clear, she took a short breath before quickly scuttling back in the direction that she had come before opening the door and stepping out into the air.

    ¡°You¡¯d be lighter if you didn¡¯t make such good food, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Jade mumbled to herself as she readjusted Nina¡¯s position on her shoulder before slowly making her way to the corner of the building. ¡°You have to cook for me again when we get back, okay?¡±

    Nina didn¡¯t respond, but Jade could still feel her weak breathing against her back where Nina¡¯s chest was pressed against it. It was comforting, and she was glad that Nina didn¡¯t look to be in pain despite what she seemed to have been through. Gazing out across the seemingly endless stretch of uncovered lawn, she sighed to herself when she realised that running across the grass while carrying Nina unfortunately wasn¡¯t a possibility. Dragging her across by the feet wouldn¡¯t be any better, and Nina¡¯s white shirt hanging off her back would also act like a flag in the night.

    ¡°This is it, huh,¡± she sighed to herself as she wondered if their escape would have been any easier if Saela hadn¡¯t decided to give up. Maybe they could have carried her together, but that was something that she wouldn¡¯t ever find out. It was up to her alone to get Nina out of there, and that was what she was going to do.

    Without any time to think over the potential repercussions, Jade simply steeled herself and then did the only thing that she could do.

    She walked.

 Chapter 060

    One step at a time, Jade steadily walked out onto the hundred meters of lawn that stretched between the lab and the gardens beyond.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, right?¡± she asked the lifeless Nina who hung over her shoulder with a wry smile. ¡°If I could make it in, we can make it out.¡±

    Her nerves told her to look back, but doing so would have been a waste of time. Her cargo made it very difficult to do so anyway, which was fortunate. With little choice left, Jade simply focused on placing each foot down after the previous as she began to make her way across the open expanse. Anyone looking in her direction right now would realise that she was completely out of place on the exposed lawns, but she didn¡¯t have time to care about it. Reina had trusted her to bring Nina back, and unlike Saela, she would do everything she could to ensure that it happened.

    ¡°See? We¡¯re going to make it,¡± she said after she had crossed the first twenty or so meters. She smiled inwardly at her own comment, although she didn¡¯t really know if she was talking to Nina or simply trying to console herself. Anything that could take her mind away from the absurdity of what she was doing right now was a welcome distraction, so she occupied her mind with whatever fleeting thought passed through it while waiting for the seemingly inevitable cry of alarm.

    By the time she had made it halfway across the lawn, the cry she had been expecting still hadn¡¯t come. Already, however, her shoulder was beginning to feel the strain as she readjusted Nina¡¯s position while staggering sideways to maintain her balance. Alarmingly, her breathing had already become ragged. The path that she was cutting across the grass had even started to weave noticeably like a drunkard¡¯s would, and while she wanted to increase her pace, doing so would have probably resulted in her falling over.

    Nina moaned. It had been the first sound to escape from her lips since Jade and Saela had found her, but instead of taking it as a positive sign it was the last thing that she wanted to hear. The night was still after all, and any sound would surely travel across the open space and attract the attention of anyone in the vicinity. Her task had already been hard enough before they had found Nina in her current state, and Saela walking out hadn¡¯t made it any easier. The handicaps she had already were enough, so Nina moaning through the night was not something that she wanted to deal with.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Jade quietly consoled her, absentmindedly stroking her back as she continued to cross the grass. ¡°We¡¯re almost there, so hang tight.¡±

    Her vision focused on her target which was the darkness at the end of the lawn. If she could make it to the safety of the gardens, at least she would then be able to set Nina down and have a quick rest while she planned out the rest of her escape. Saela would have been a rather welcome hand right now, but Jade knew that she didn¡¯t have the time to rue her unfortunate situation. Using what few cards she had, she would have to engineer their escape single-handedly.

    Three quarters of the way.

    She wondered what the time was as she quickly glanced up to the dark sky above her. Their operation had started late in the night and it had taken a reasonable amount of time to get through the Royal District, but they had still planned for enough time to make their escape by daybreak. Rucille was sure to notice that Nina had gone missing sooner or later, and crossing the district once day broke was also out of the question. The problem that Jade had, however, was that while their plan hadn¡¯t accounted for Saela disappearing, it certainly didn¡¯t plan for the fact that Nina was incapable of moving about on her own.

    Carrying her was a slow and tiring process, and without anyone to help share the load, Jade didn¡¯t know if her escape was a realistic possibility at all. Saela certainly wouldn¡¯t ever hear her voice the thought, but Jade was seriously struggling with ideas to get both herself and Nina out of the mess that they had found themselves in.

    What she needed was a Reina-style plan. If she couldn¡¯t think of one, then she¡¯d have to just resort to something desperate.

    Reaching the edge of the lawn without hearing anyone raise the alarm, she breathed a sigh of relief as she dropped down behind a tree and unslung Nina from her shoulder. She had somehow made it without a single person looking in her direction, but she knew that this was just the beginning. If anything, what she had just accomplished was the easiest part of their escape where all she had to do was walk straight across flat terrain with a full reserve of stamina.

    Panting, she flopped back onto the dirt while quickly thinking through her next move. She didn¡¯t want to admit it, but Saela was right in that Nina¡¯s shirt would probably end up being a massive problem unless she could find something to hide Nina inside. She needed something dark, and she needed it before she ventured out into the district.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Luckily, their old safehouse was only a stone¡¯s throw away. If Rucille was still there or not was another question, but that was something that she was going to have simply cross her fingers on before finding out. Covering Nina¡¯s shirt with mud was an option, although it was something that she¡¯d rather not have to do.

    Leaving Nina slumped against the tree, she crouched low before scuttling through to the other side of the garden and appearing at the top of the hill which looked down to their safehouse. Seeing that the lights were off, she breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Rucille wasn¡¯t there anymore after all.

    That however, raised its own questions as Rucille not being there could turn out to be a massive headache. If she wasn¡¯t in their safehouse anymore, there was a frighteningly high chance that she would either be in or be heading to the lab where she would surely find that Nina was missing and raise the alarm.

    There was no time to rest.

    Not bothering to crouch anymore, she dashed back through the foliage, her indiscriminate steps crushing a path through the plants as she ran. Reaching Nina to find that she had somehow slumped over onto her side, she put an arm under her shoulder before hauling her up with difficulty. Taking a deep breath, she set off as quickly as she could while retracing the route that she had just carved out. Stumbling over a root but managing to somehow not fall over, she reached the top of the hill before easing her way down the slope to safehouse.

    There was no time for caution now, and if Rucille was still in the cottage then she would realize what was going on very quickly. Unfortunately, Jade was just going to have to find out the hard way. Dumping Nina¡¯s lifeless figure onto the outdoor table, she reached for the door handle before twisting it open and stepping inside.

    Even in the darkness she could tell that the living area was a mess, where clothing was indiscriminately strewn around on the floor and furniture. Rucille for once had even done her a favour as Jade found a pile of Svanda¡¯s clothing piled up close by which included a long black sweater. Tearing it out from the pile, she flew back out the door before sitting Nina up and pulling the sweater over her head.

    It was on backwards, but she didn¡¯t care. Lifting Nina up, she winced as she lifted her over her shoulder before making her way past the cottage towards the gate as quickly as she could manage. Jade didn¡¯t have the time or the stamina available to scale the wall, and while she knew that using the gate would be awfully conspicuous, she didn¡¯t have a choice. If Rucille found that Nina was missing, this was the exact spot that the Royal Guard would search first.

    Once she reached the black iron gate, she wrapped one arm around Nina¡¯s waist while she opened the latch with the other. Squeezing the pair of them through, she stepped out onto the street before stopping in her tracks when she saw what sat before her.

    She had hoped that nobody would have seen her exit out onto the empty street, but it seems that she hadn¡¯t even taken a single step before she had run into somebody.

    She could make out the glossy burgundy paint that covered the ornate carriage, while large black wheels sat as high as her waist. A silver emblem that she was unfamiliar with reflected the street lighting, although she couldn¡¯t see inside as the black curtains were drawn.

    ¡°Are you getting in or what?¡± Saela asked as her head appeared from the driver¡¯s seat. Wearing the dress that they had seen Rucille discarding earlier, Jade was momentarily shocked. Her short bob of hair matched the open shoulders on the deep blue dress, while the thin silk strap that ran up around her neck clung to her collarbone as though it was her own clothing. Jade was almost jealous that she pulled it off so well, although at the same time she knew that this was be a sight that she would probably never see again.

    ¡°Hurry up!¡± she spat, snapping Jade out of her stupor as she opened the carriage door before tossing Nina inside. Grabbing the rail and stepping up onto the footboard, she fought back a cry of surprise as Saela set the carriage off before she had even closed the door behind her.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked Saela as she opened the small sliding window which was used to communicate with the driver. ¡°You know a noble would never drive a carriage themselves, right?¡±

    She thought back to when she had jokingly suggested that they dress up like they belonged before simply walking to the Inin Estate. Saela had shot the idea down instantly, yet here she was dressed up as she drove the carriage down one of the smaller back roads in the direction of the Royal District wall.

    ¡°It just needs to buy us some time to react,¡± Saela replied as she steered the carriage around a corner. ¡°Did you have a better idea?¡±

    Jade¡¯s silence was an admittance that she didn¡¯t, as Saela¡¯s solution had fixed the two issues that she had been the most concerned about. Not only would there be no need to carry Nina while using a carriage, the carriage¡¯s speed would also help them get as far away as possible from the Inin Estate in the shortest amount of time. The disadvantage, however, would be that they were quite conspicuous as they traveled through the district. Saela¡¯s dress might buy them a moment of hesitation from the Royal Guard, but any proper scrutiny would blow their cover as a noblewoman driving a carriage was completely out of place.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t think so,¡± Saela continued with a scowl as the carriage picked up speed. ¡°We¡¯ll ditch this somewhere close to the wall and then go from there.¡±

    Jade smiled in response and was about to thank her when she heard the clanging of a bell which pierced through the night. Originating from somewhere within the Inin Estate, it wasn¡¯t long until the ringing was joined by a second bell, and soon the clanging of bells was ringing out across the district.

    ¡°Be ready for anything,¡± Saela sighed as she placed her pistol on a small tray beside the steering wheel. ¡°That¡¯s the alarm.¡±

 Chapter 061

    Jade gripped the rail that was fixed to the inside of the carriage door as Saela steered them around the corner of another estate. Quickly glancing down to check on Nina before drawing her own pistol, she took a moment to steady herself as she drew one of the curtains to look outside. They wouldn¡¯t know how long it would be before they encountered anyone from the Royal Guard, but every second that they could remain in the carriage was precious. If they were caught out early in their escape and forced to leave it behind, Nina would more than likely end up costing them their lives.

    One thing that was going for them was that the Royal Guard didn¡¯t have a barracks. Confining nobility to such a space was apparently improper, so the members of the guard were allowed to live at home and report for duty when required. Jade assumed that there was a response protocol in place for this type of situation, but the fact was that if they could remain in the carriage they would likely beat most of the guard to the wall.

    She figured that the reinforcements would be split between fortifying the wall to stop their escape and actively hunting them down. Reaching the wall before the bulk of the guard did was one thing, but completely evading the net that would be slowly closing in on the Inin Estate was something that she didn¡¯t think they could manage. It was true that they were using the smaller streets that ran between the estates instead of the main thoroughfares, but one chance encounter could be enough for the search to be redirected in their direction.

    ¡°How are we going to get past the wall?¡± she asked over the ringing bells while nervously glancing through the rear window. Saela was driving quickly now, and the wooden wheels of the carriage were loud as they rattled over the stone below them. Expecting their now conspicuous attempt at escape to attract attention at any time, she tightened her grip on the pistol in her free hand.

    ¡°Just shut up and do what I say,¡± Saela replied without taking her icy gaze off the road before them. ¡°No questions, there isn¡¯t time.¡±

    Jade frowned, but didn¡¯t respond. She felt apprehensive over the fact that Saela had taken their lives into her own hands, but at the same time she didn¡¯t have any other ideas on how to escape either. She didn¡¯t even want to think about how much trouble she would have been in if Saela hadn¡¯t turned up with the carriage in the first place, and on top of that she seemed to have a plan. If it was a good plan or not was something that she would find out sooner or later, but anything was currently better than nothing.

    The carriage continued to race down the stone street as it snaked through a curve between a pair of grassy hills before shooting across an intersection with abandon. Looking out from the small window at the front, Jade eyed the lights at the top of the wall that loomed in the distance, gauging the distance from their position. While trying to make out exactly where they had climbed over, however, she suddenly ducked back inside the carriage as she saw a light appear in the middle of the road before them.

    ¡°Halt!¡±

    Jade held her breath as she felt the carriage begin to decelerate. Thumbing the safety release on her pistol, she quietly eased her way over to the door before gripping the handle in case she needed to spring into action. She had thought that Saela may have actually just charged through them, but apparently that wasn¡¯t the plan.

    ¡°Help me!¡± Saela cried out with a voice that sounded more distraught than anything Jade had ever heard escape from her lips before. ¡°My driver, h-he¡­¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, please tell me wh-¡±

    Jade sucked in a breath as the unmistakable whir of a pulse handgun cut off the man¡¯s offer for help before a second shot immediately followed it. Saela hadn¡¯t even stopped the carriage, and now she increased their speed again as the wheels bounced along the street. Giving into temptation, Jade looked out the rear window of the carriage to see two Royal Guards collapsed in an unnatural heap by the side of the road, their bodies soon fading into the darkness behind them.

    ¡°Saela!¡± Jade cried. ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°I said shut up,¡± Saela spat as she focused on the road. ¡°Just do what I say, when I say.¡±

    Jade wasn¡¯t exactly unfamiliar with death, but the ease in which Saela had brushed off what she had done had left her startled. The Cloud Orchestra had of course run into trouble before, and many times at that, but Saela was a relatively green member and this was the first time that she had seen her placed in such a situation. Svanda or Trim would have been able to do it, but Jade didn¡¯t know if she herself would have been able to deceive someone as such and then simply leave them to die. Shaking her head as though brushing off the thought, she pictured Nina¡¯s pathetic figure sitting in the chair at the lab.

    She too would have to be cold if she didn¡¯t want to share that fate.

    It seemed as though the reinforcements were using the main corridors of the district to move about, as neither their carriage or what they had done seemed to attract any attention. What they had just run into was probably a routine patrol, so she hoped that they wouldn¡¯t run into any more in the immediate future. The bigger problem, however, would be that sooner or later they were going to have to abandon the carriage as they organized their approach to the wall. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    The gate obviously wasn¡¯t an option, and once the Royal Guard had successfully tightened the net around them their chances of escape would become even slimmer. Fortunately they had already made it about three quarters of the way to the wall from where they had started, and now she was ready for action as surely it would soon be time to work out their final approach.

    ¡°Can you run with Nina?¡± Saela finally asked as they reached the T-junction that sat at the end of the fringe estates. Turning onto the road that ran in a circle around the inside of the gardens by the wall, she looked ahead and frowned when she saw that the lighting on the street was now much more generous.

    ¡°I can, but not for very long,¡± Jade replied as she looked out through the small window at the front to examine Saela¡¯s expression. It was a mixture of concentration and displeasure, which was an expression that she seemed to show more often than she should. Jade wouldn''t say anything though, as right now she was probably wearing something similar.

    ¡°Good enough,¡± Saela nodded as she scanned the street in front of them for movement. It seemed that there were a few people who were now trickling towards the main artery that ran to the nearest gate, but that wasn¡¯t stopping them from driving straight in their direction. Thankfully, the gardens that ran between the road and the wall were giving them some cover on one side for now, but Jade¡¯s main concern was that the main road would act like a funnel. Lined on each side by high trees, fountains, and luxurious arrays of flowers, the carriage would have nowhere to go but straight to the people waiting for them.

    ¡°Miss?¡±

    Saela didn¡¯t even bother with a story this time as she quickly whipped her handgun up from behind the front dash and shot the puzzled man who was jogging in their direction. Opening his mouth in horror as the carriage whipped past him, he tried to cry out only to find that no sound would emerge. Unable to even fumble for the weapon that was slung over his shoulder, his eyes looked up to meet Jade¡¯s gaze as she stared out from the back of the carriage that was rapidly speeding away. Fear plastered across his face, he reached out to her in a final gesture before falling to his knees and then keeling over.

    ¡°I can¡¯t reload while I¡¯m driving,¡± Saela stated nonchalantly as she ignored what had happened. ¡°Give me your pistol and reload this one.¡±

    Jade passed her pistol through the small window to Saela without a word, who in return tossed hers inside. Both of them were currently using the same K-Point model which was a variant of what Nina had once tried with a five round magazine, so Jade reloaded the pistol from her own reserves before returning her gaze to the rear window. Due to the street lighting she could still see the hunched over guard who had been left to die, but she couldn¡¯t let herself become unsettled over it. This was Rucille¡¯s fault, not hers, and she was going to make it back to Reina no matter what she had to do.

    Putting what had happened into the back of her mind, she again changed her focus to the front window. Soon they reached the intersection of the street that they were on and the main road which ran through the centre of the district, and through the ringing of the bells overhead she could hear shouting behind them. Saela whipped the speeding carriage to the left without warning and pulled them onto the open stone, and as a result Jade had to hold Nina to prevent her body from banging into the side of the interior.

    Ahead of them she could see a carriage speeding along in the direction of the wall. If she had looked behind, them she would have soon seen another. Considering that it would be a waste of time to have the members of the Royal Guard cross the interior gardens on foot, carriages were currently transporting them from the edge of the estates to the district wall as quickly as possible.

    The fact that there weren¡¯t foot patrols was a good thing for them as everyone traveling in the same direction at similar speeds would mean they wouldn¡¯t directly encounter anyone. Jade, however, was getting nervous as they were rapidly approaching the heavily guarded main gate. If Saela had a decent plan, now was probably a good time to tell her about it.

    ¡°A grenade would have been nice,¡± Saela muttered as she eased the carriage away from the centre of the street. Now running close to the edge of the gardens, she looked up to judge the distance between them and the gate before turning her head in Jade¡¯s direction.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to jump,¡± she said as she fumbled with something under the wheel that Jade couldn¡¯t see. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to jump with Nina, so try not to hurt yourself on the landing. We need to be quick, so follow me as fast as you can once we¡¯re up.¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Jade asked as she looked out the window to the shrubs and trees that were whipping by her. ¡°This is too fast!¡±

    Saela ignored her complaint as she placed Jade¡¯s pistol in her pocket before examining the streetlights that hung at regular intervals. ¡°The fifth gap in the lights. It¡¯s dark and there seems to be some shrubs. Get ready.¡±

    Realising that Saela was going to ignore her, Jade quickly put her pistol away before wrapping her arms around Nina¡¯s chest. She didn¡¯t have any idea what the best way to avoid injury was while carrying someone else, so she was simply going to pray that she didn¡¯t incapacitate herself upon landing. Opening the door slightly, she frowned as the air rushed past her face, but still kept her foot wedged in the gap.

    ¡°Two sets to go,¡± Saela said.

    The brightness around her faded once more as they passed through the darker space between streetlights. Watching a tree fly past her, she gulped when she thought about what would happen if she had jumped out into it. They weren¡¯t traveling fast enough to seriously injure themselves just from the landing, but if she managed to wrap herself around a tree she certainly wouldn¡¯t be getting back up.

    ¡°One set to go.¡±

    Being inside the carriage didn¡¯t help her nerves either. Saela would be able to judge where she was going to land by eye, but she would essentially be blind. The fact that she would also have to cling onto Nina as she jumped wouldn¡¯t help her odds of landing safely, but there wasn¡¯t much that she would be able to do about it. Saela was already single-handedly dragging them out of a potential disaster, so her faith in her would just have to persist for a little longer.

    ¡°It¡¯s coming,¡± Saela said as she moved from the driver¡¯s seat to the side of the carriage. ¡°Three, two¡­¡±

    Banging the already ajar door wide open with her knee, Jade tightened her grip around Nina¡¯s chest as she grit her teeth.

    ¡°One, jump!¡±

    At Saela¡¯s call, Jade pushed herself off the edge of the platform and threw herself out into the darkness.

 Chapter 062

    Jade took a hurried glimpse at her surroundings as she gripped onto Nina while sailing through the air. She had wanted to orient herself, but it was difficult to make anything out in the darkness and the ground was already upon them. The floor of the carriage hadn¡¯t been very high at all in the first place, so before she knew it her feet had awkwardly hit the grass which sent her tumbling. Flailing out of control, she clenched her eyes shut while gripping Nina as tightly as she could, and soon the air was knocked out of her lungs as her back cannoned into the earth.

    Tumbling over and over, Jade¡¯s battered body and Nina¡¯s lifeless figure rolled together through a series of shrubs while Jade resisted the urge to scream. Skittling through an unidentifiable plant of some form had torn a shallow gash across her thigh, but she simply had no choice but grit her teeth and pray that the ride would eventually end. Her bearings had been thrown completely out the window as soon as her feet had touched the ground, but fortunately their jump ended almost as quickly as it had started. Sliding to a stop with her back pressed against grass, she lay back in a daze before her senses were assaulted by pain.

    ¡°Get up,¡± Saela hissed as she slapped her in the face before tugging at her arm. ¡°Now.¡±

    Wincing as it felt like Saela was trying to tear her arm out of her socket, she frowned when the crispness of Saela¡¯s slap begin to sting before realizing that it was pushing the grogginess from her mind. Ignoring the pain which was shooting out from just about everywhere on her body, she pushed herself up before crouching down while Saela helped to haul Nina over her shoulder. Standing upright and taking a deep breath, she oriented herself in the direction that Saela was pointing in before gazing out into the dark garden before them.

    ¡°Go.¡±

    Saela, who had already ditched her shoes, immediately tore off into the darkness which sent her dress fluttering behind her. Gripping tightly onto Nina with one arm, Jade was left with no choice but to follow her as she kicked into motion. Throwing away any concerns that she previously had about conserving her stamina, she carefully balanced Nina¡¯s weight as she skipped around a tree and then dashed across a short clearing which ran around a fountain. The bells from earlier still rang out across the district as they ran in the direction of the wall, but for once she was glad. Their trailblazing through the darkness wasn¡¯t exactly quiet, so the alarm which rang out across the district would help disguise their movements.

    Even though it was dark, it wasn¡¯t as difficult as she had thought it would be to navigate through the maze of trees, shrubs, and flowers. Initially she had been concerned about tripping over stray roots, but as the gardens were well maintained she hadn¡¯t come across any that could have been an issue. Saela wasn¡¯t following one of the few pathways that led through the gardens, and as a result Jade found that she would occasionally need to crash through a neat row of small hedges or tread across a flower bed, all of which was made more difficult by Nina hanging off her shoulder. She was thankful that Saela knocked most of the problems out of the way before she got there, but she almost scowled when she saw a loose piece of fabric that had been torn from her dress hanging from a branch. Soon enough, however, she saw that they were approaching the small service road that ran along the inside of the wall and her optimism began to build.

    She could hear shouting off to their right which was coming from the gate. Realizing what they were yelling about, a small smile cracked her expression as she flew past a stone statue before locking her eyes onto Saela¡¯s back. While she hadn¡¯t initially realised why they were jumping from the carriage at such speed, it was obvious now that their leftover carriage had been sent careening into the group of Royal Guards at the gate. What damage it would actually do, she didn¡¯t know. She did know, however, that Saela¡¯s stunt would be attracting quite a lot of attention right now and that was exactly what they needed.

    Saela was the first to burst out from the tree line as she raced across the service road. Skidding to a halt in the darkness next to the same stone stairwell which they had initially climbed down from, she turned and watched on as Jade followed her across. While the pair both knew that the carriage would have attracted the attention of most of the guards, they were still surprised that nobody up on the wall had seen them cross the service road until a familiar sound reached their ears.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Gunfire?¡± Jade asked quietly as her chest heaved up and down. She wanted to put Nina aside to catch her breath, but putting her down now would just make it that much harder to pick her back up again. Ignoring the pain and fatigue, she focused. Not only did they have to get over the wall, they would also have to avoid the Royal Guard and make it all the way back to Reina in one piece too.

    And that wasn¡¯t even mentioning the wildcard in play that was Ormain and his team.

    ¡°That¡­ would be our backup,¡± Saela replied as she looked up the stairs into the darkness. ¡°It looks like we didn¡¯t just catch the attention of the Royal Guard.¡±

    A steady chorus of pulse rifle fire drifted down to their ears as the Royal Guard at the top of the wall returned the incoming shots. Jade was immediately worried as if she was assuming correctly, Svanda and Trim would be their targets. Looking over to Saela, she saw that she currently wore a bemused expression as she continued to look upwards to the top of the stairs.

    ¡°What now?¡± she asked as she heard a man from the top of the wall cry out in pain. Trim and Svanda would have to stop soon if not already, as now that their position was revealed they would need to escape before they were surrounded. If Saela wanted to capitalize on the distraction, they were going to have to do it now.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Saela smirked as she examined the hole torn out from hip of her dress before placing her bare foot onto the first step of the stone staircase. ¡°We¡¯re The Cloud Orchestra, so we¡¯re good at jumping from high places, right?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jade frowned in response as her eyes went wide. ¡°No, no, no. That drop is over ten meters, and I¡¯m also carrying Nina if you didn¡¯t remember.¡±

    Saela looked at her for a second before returning her attention to the stairs before them. ¡°If you want to hang around, it was nice knowing you. Our distraction, however, is about to come to an end and I don¡¯t want to be here when it happens. Seeya.¡±

    Jade swore under her breath as Saela took off up the stairs before forcing her legs into motion. With little choice but to plant her foot on the first step and begin to climb, she pushed herself upwards as she focused on the stone that was now disappearing underneath her feet. Carrying Nina this far had already left her legs aching, and it wasn¡¯t long until the flight of stairs had turned into a torturous ascent as she pressed herself to keep moving.

    Her foot wobbled which almost caused her knee to buckle as she pressed herself past the halfway point. Ahead of her, she could see that Saela had started to pull some distance out between them as she raced along without anything to weigh her down. Cursing for once that she was the bigger of the two, she forced out a grunt as her arm gripped onto Nina even more tightly than before. It seemed as though the guards at the top of the wall were still shooting, but then again it had probably been less than a minute before the gunfire started.

    Passing the three quarter mark, she looked up once more to see that Saela had reached the top of the stairs. What surprised her, however, was that instead of dashing across the wall and jumping into the moat beyond, she actually seemed to be waiting for her to catch up. Steeling her nerves, Jade dragged one final burst of pace out of herself as she flew up the stairs towards Saela¡¯s position.

    Seeing that she was closing in on the top, Saela drew her pistol out of her pocket before poking her head over the lip of the floor. Raising the weapon, two quick shots hissed out although they were largely drowned out by the fire around them, and Jade realised that Saela was clearing the immediate area so that she could jump without being shot as she appeared at the top of the wall.

    ¡°Go!¡±

    Jade pushed herself up the final few steps without slowing down as she burst out onto the top of the wall. Now exposed to her surroundings, the sound of gunfire immediately became louder and it was joined by screaming and shouting from the guards in the direction of the gate. She could have sworn that a round even sizzled over her head somewhere, but there was no time to process what was happening as her eyes were fixated on the empty space beyond them. Saela had appeared beside her, but there was little that Jade could do but surrender herself to the momentum that she had crashed onto the wall with and she charged across the top and flew off the other side.

    In the end, she didn¡¯t know if she had actually jumped or her legs had simply given out. Either was fine, however, as Jade found that she was now dropping through the air like a stone. Grabbing onto Nina as tightly as she could in what she hoped would be the last insane thing that she had to do tonight, she took a deep breath before closing her eyes. She hadn¡¯t thought about it before, but now she realised that she would have to hope the moat was deep enough to arrest their fall.

    Whistling through the air, Jade, Nina, and Saela all shot past the lip of the moat under the shocked gazes of the few onlookers that were present before crashing into the moat below.

 Chapter 063

    Jade desperately clung to Nina with all her remaining strength as the pair plunged into the moat. Piercing the surface feet first, their speed caused them rapidly sink out of sight as Jade kept an arm tightly wrapped around Nina¡¯s waist. Nina was incapable of walking, so swimming was obviously not possible either. If she let go of her now, Nina would drown.

    Under the surface, the sound of gunfire from above had faded away. A tranquil silence had replaced it, and it was almost eerie as it reminded her of earlier in the night when she had made her way to the Inin Estate. While she could picture it clearly, the events now seemed distant. The feeling of disconnection was odd, but she knew that she didn''t have time to dwell on it. Forcing her eyes open with some discomfort she found that the water was surprisingly clear, although the darkness prevented her from seeing very far.

    Her biggest problem, however, was that there was a current.

    If she was going to escape in one piece, she knew that she would have to be getting out of the moat immediately. The Royal Guard would be swarming over her location within a minute, and Trim and Svanda¡¯s covering fire couldn¡¯t last any longer either. Right now she was a sitting duck, and after she had worked so hard to get this far she didn¡¯t want her efforts to end up being in vain.

    She tried to kick upwards, but the darkness around her had left her disoriented. Was she really swimming towards the surface, or was she just uselessly fighting against the current? It wasn¡¯t something that she had factored in as she thought that the water in a moat would be relatively stagnant. It seemed as though her observations from a few days ago were wrong, as now she realised that the depths seemed to have their own story to tell. Unfortunately, it was a story that was currently dragging both Jade and Nina away from where she needed to be.

    She cursed inwardly as she felt Nina¡¯s weight tugging her in the direction that the water was flowing. Not only was she making it difficult to reach the surface so that they could escape, she was also preventing her from breathing. If Jade was finding things difficult, she didn¡¯t know how Nina would manage to survive. In her state, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to take a proper breath before they hit the water either and so soon she would run out of oxygen.

    Kicking frantically, Jade swam in the direction that she thought was away from the current as she tried to spot any sign of the surface. If the flow was traveling in a circular pattern around the moat, swimming perpendicular to it should lead her to the surface. Her legs, however, were burning from her earlier push up the stairs, and she soon found that her stamina was essentially spent and her kicking was becoming weaker. For a split second she considered letting go of Nina to save herself, but she immediately scolded herself for having the thought.

    The current that she had failed to escape from was picking up speed. She was truly frightened now, but there was nothing she could do as she was sucked along with it. Feeling herself swerve erratically through no motion of her own, she panicked as the current in the depths of the moat was now audible as it rushed around her. Clamping a hand over Nina¡¯s face to prevent her from inhaling water, she almost screamed out what air she had left as her back collided with solid stone. The water had been dark before, but now her surroundings had turned into an absolute black as she felt herself scrape across a mossy stone surface.

    Her mind flicked back to Reina¡¯s comment when she had said that she didn¡¯t want anyone to get stuck in a grille underwater. If she had guessed correctly, she had indeed been sucked into a chute of some form and her heart was now thumping as fear gripped her. If there was indeed a grate here, she would become stuck against it and drown. Alternatively, if this chute was too long she would also run out of oxygen and she would meet the same fate. Even if the chute discharged somewhere but didn¡¯t offer her anywhere to breathe or escape to, it would also end up with her drowning.

    And not only would she be dead, Nina would be too.

    Fighting tears, Jade shot through the chute in darkness as her lungs began to ache. She had wanted to remain calm, but she couldn¡¯t fight the panic back as she desperately clung to Nina''s lifeless body. She needed to find the surface, and she needed to find it quickly. If anything, however, she was heading downward.

    As though her prayers had suddenly been answered, the pitch black that surrounded her disappeared as the pair shot out from the end of the chute. Still underwater, Jade noticed that the current had noticeably slowed now however as a dim shade of brown crept into her vision. Finding it easier to orient herself now that the flow of water had relaxed its grip on her, she righted herself before drifting with the gentle flow and desperately kicking herself upwards.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Ending her brush with death, her head broke the surface as she sucked in the musty air around her. Already she was finding it difficult to raise Nina¡¯s head above the surface as she had no footing underneath her, but thankfully the water soon pushed her against a set of mossy stairs that led upwards. Slipping on them as she tried to haul Nina from the water, her arm was suddenly gripped from above which caused a short shriek to emerge from her mouth. Slipping backwards, she felt that Nina was being tugged away from her, and as a result she clung onto her with all she had.

    ¡°Do you want her to breathe or not?¡± Saela scowled as her voice echoed around the chamber. Watching as Jade processed what she had to say before letting go of Nina¡¯s body in response, she grabbed the lifeless figure by each armpit before hauling her top half out of the water.

    ¡°You too?¡± Jade finally asked after she had pulled herself up and out of the water. The lighting down here was rather dim due to there only being a single light hanging from the centre of the stone room, but she could still see how the wet dress tightly clung to Saela¡¯s body. With her short bob of hair in a sopping mess and a scowl on her face, she currently looked like a drowned cat of sorts. Not that she would tell her that.

    ¡°She¡¯s breathing,¡± Saela finally sighed as she withdrew her finger from under Nina¡¯s nose. ¡°Somehow.¡±

    Jade breathed a sigh of relief as a thin smile appeared on her face, but her gaze quickly hardened. It would seem that they had managed to escape from immediate danger, but she already needed to focus on what their next move would be. Their situation wasn¡¯t ideal as not only were her legs aching, their clothes were also saturated which would weigh them down further. They didn¡¯t have anything to change into either, and their appearances would certainly attract a lot of unwarranted attention if they tried to walk through the city. She didn¡¯t think it would take that long for the Royal Guard to piece together what had happened to them, so it was likely that they would arrive soon. As much as she wanted to sit down and rest for a moment, they had to move.

    ¡°What is this place?¡± Saela asked, causing Jade to look around. Large, rectangular, and entirely hewn from stone, the room that stretched away from them into the darkness was silent besides the gentle the lapping of water on the stairs. Stone columns ran in neat rows as they plunged down from the ceiling into the water below them, and a series of intricate spirals that were carved into them were barely visible in the dim light. Besides the stairs that they sat on, it seemed that the entire room was simply filled with water as though it were a giant swimming pool, which had left Saela puzzled.

    ¡°It¡¯s a cistern,¡± Jade replied as she examined a series of smaller holes that she could see under the surface near the bottom of the stairs. ¡°There¡¯s probably a series of them which are all linked to each other.¡±

    ¡°Why would that matter?¡± Saela asked as she shook herself off before frowning at the dress which still clung to her skin. Jade and Nina weren¡¯t faring much better, but Jade had at least taken the initiative to peel Nina¡¯s black sweater off before tossing it to the side.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s why we were sucked through,¡± Jade said as she frowned at Nina¡¯s saturated white shirt before looking around for the exit. Spotting a small steel gate in the corner of the room, she pointed towards it before returning her attention back to the water. ¡°Someone is drawing water from further out which is causing the cisterns to level. Anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter because we need to get out of here. Can you carry her?¡±

    ¡°I could pick her up, but I probably couldn¡¯t walk anywhere with her,¡± Saela replied as the pair looked down at Nina. Lying on her side against the stone staircase that rose up from the water, Nina¡¯s eyes were closed but the pain she was in was clearly expressed on her face. It was true that neither Jade or Saela had any idea what kind of condition she was in, so all they could do was take her back to Reina and hope that she had a solution. If anyone would be able to shed some light on Nina¡¯s current state, it would be her.

    ¡°Alright then,¡± Jade said as she wearily stood up. ¡°Get Nina over to the gate and I¡¯ll get ready to take her from there. We¡¯ll get out of this place and hide a short distance away so we can rest out of sight, I can¡¯t do much with Nina over my shoulder right now.¡±

    Saela nodded before picking Nina up with a noticeable struggle. Slowly pacing up the remainder of the stairs, she moved over to the door before dropping Nina beside it with a sigh of relief which caused Jade to frown. Was carrying her that far really that difficult?

    ¡°Easy lock,¡± Saela smiled as she looked back to see the scowl on Jade¡¯s face. ¡°I left my wires in my old clothes, do you still have yours?¡±

    Jade nodded, and was about to step over to the door when the pair of them turned in surprise as the lock clicked open by itself. Swinging open with a shrill screech, the door was pushed aside and the pair could now see that in the dark space beyond it there was a man standing there as he scanned the dim interior.

    Saela hadn¡¯t seen him before, but Jade certainly had. Wearing a neat set of brown pants and an olive green jacket that looked completely out of place in the city, not only was this man one of Ormain¡¯s, he was also currently pointing a rather mean-looking submachine gun in their direction.

    ¡°Looks like I was right,¡± he smiled as he glanced at the pair before his gaze flicked over Nina. ¡°Thanks for picking her up for me.¡±

 Chapter 064

    With a neat crop of black hair and a pair of blank grey eyes, Artel was a person who had often heard himself being described as the least interesting character in Ormain¡¯s group. Ormain¡¯s great looks and leadership skills were qualities that were beyond him, while Vechse¡¯s ability to seamlessly integrate with any group of people was also something that he could never do. Sure he was good looking, intelligent, and fit, but as a suit that was simply par for the course. Apparently he was lacking in defining features, and unfortunately the trait seemed to seep into his working life. Even the lieutenant who wasn¡¯t a proper member of the team seemed to be getting assigned more interesting tasks than he had been recently, and as a result he had become frustrated.

    Forget about Shalan or Lysalya paying him any attention, even the female suits from other squads didn¡¯t seem to be interested in him. At first he had wondered why, as Ormain¡¯s team had quite a reputation, but it hadn¡¯t taken him long to realise that it was because of his role. As the cream of the SuTSU crop, suits were prideful people, and if people perceived him to be a glorified errand boy then he was never going to get the recognition that he thought he deserved.

    He knew that there would be women who were willing to throw themselves at him if he started to look outside of the suits, but at the same time he knew that he would simply be cementing his status. After all, it was generally seen as a failure if someone couldn¡¯t find a partner from within their own arm of the organization. Looking elsewhere did nothing but confirm to everyone that you couldn¡¯t find someone who was interested in you.

    Now, however, he had found a chance to prove himself.

    As soon as the alarm bells rang out through the night, Ormain had quickly thrown his group into action. While ordering each member to fan out around the Royal District, Artel had been assigned a position near one of the main gates in the farmer¡¯s district. He wasn¡¯t stupid, so after realizing that he had been given this position because Ormain thought it was a low priority, he frowned. It seemed logical that they wouldn¡¯t escape through a heavily guarded gate, so yet again he was left to grind his teeth over the fact that he had drawn the short straw.

    Or so he had thought.

    From his vantage point on a nearby street he had clearly seen the trio of young women drop into the moat amidst a heated exchange of gunfire. Knowing that he wouldn¡¯t be able to pull them out from the moat under the watchful eyes of both the Royal Guard and The Cloud Orchestra, he instead decided to bet that they would end up in one of the cisterns that he had heard about while questioning the public earlier in the week. Not only would be able to beat the Royal Guard and The Cloud Orchestra to pick Nina up, he would also beat the members of his own team.

    Once he delivered Nina into Ormain¡¯s outstretched hands, his fortunes would turn.

    He knew how valuable this woman was to not only Ormain, but also to his boss Grant. Sure he wouldn¡¯t draw the same plaudits from the higher-ups that they both would in the end, but it would be inevitable for his role in the legendary capture mission which spanned the entire seven plates to spread. Grant and Ormain might become the stars on the surface, but everyone who was in the know would view him as a central character in the story that was spread about their subsequent rise within SuTSU.

    He sneered when he pictured the look on Wahla¡¯s face when she saw Ormain reward him lavishly. Maybe even Cinida from Captain Hamral¡¯s team would see him in a different light after he became one of the stars under Ormain. Soon everyone would know who he was, and his status among the suits would skyrocket.

    ¡°Hands above your heads,¡± he spoke coldly as he shook off the thought, motioning up and down with the barrel of his weapon as he tried not to smile. ¡°Step back and don¡¯t try anything funny.¡±

    He watched as the two women before him followed his orders, which pleased him greatly. Waiting until after they had backed away a reasonable distance, he cautiously stepped forward until he stopped next to Nina. He knew that he had found the right people because he had seen the girl with the green hair at the badlands, while the other one seemed to be the one that he was looking for at the restaurant. His gaze lingered on the wet dress that clung to her skin for an extra moment, but unfortunately there wasn¡¯t much for it to cling to.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± he asked as he gently kicked Nina in the thigh. ¡°Is she dead?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with her,¡± Jade replied. ¡°She needs medical attention as soon as possible. Please don¡¯t do this.¡±

    Artel smirked but remained quiet as he mulled over what to do next. Ormain had said that Nina was important to the people in the Royal District, so he couldn¡¯t just carry her out or else she would almost certainly be confiscated. The fact that she was incapacitated wasn¡¯t something that he had planned for, but it was also something that he could work with. The moment he tried to pick her up and leave, however, the two women who had their hands up would almost certainly turn on him. Pulse weapons were usually useless if they were waterlogged, but it wasn¡¯t something that he was willing to gamble on. Killing them before escaping with Nina seemed like it would have been the best solution, but unfortunately he was carrying a traditional weapon and he was worried that the noise would attract too much attention.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Get back in the water,¡± he said after spending a second to consider his options. ¡°Swim away from me, towards the back.¡±

    He watched closely for signs of disobedience as Jade and Saela both stepped back down into the water with frustrated expressions. Without any way to retaliate, they simply had no choice but to slowly paddle towards the darkness at the back of the cistern. Attacking them with his combat knife briefly crossed his mind, but cornered animals tended to fight with all they had and right now that was something that he didn¡¯t want to deal with. Removing them from the picture by sending them away wasn¡¯t a bad solution in the end. Not only was it quiet, he would be able to escape with Nina before they managed to swim back to the stairs.

    Smiling inwardly at his own quick thinking, he edged away from the stairs that ran down into the water before stepping over to where Nina was slumped against the wall. He frowned when he thought about how he was going to have to carry her while he made his way to Ormain, but his options were limited and he needed to escape from the cistern as soon as possible. Crouching down beside her, he placed his weapon on the floor and reached out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±

    Artel grasped for his weapon on the floor but it was already too late. A bright flash appeared in the corner of his vision and immediately he felt the round of compressed energy enter his shoulder. His mind fizzled, but the round had already torn into the side of his ribcage and ripped a ragged hole straight through his chest from one side to the other. Dead before his body hit the ground, smoke rose from each end of the hole that had been bored through his corpse while a sizzling sound filled the air.

    ¡°This is why I hate pulse weapons,¡± Trim frowned as she appeared in the doorway while her nose wrinkled at the smell of burnt flesh. ¡°It smells terrible.¡±

    ¡°Trim!¡± Saela said as she swam back to the stairs with renewed vigor. Jade, who was exhausted, trailed in her wake.

    Trim ignored them as she crouched over Nina with a concerned expression. Through the wet white shirt she could already see both the bruising on her arms and the discoloured patch on her chest, and combined with her weak state which seemed to be a borderline coma she had already pieced together all that she needed to know.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong,¡± Saela said as she finally hauled herself out of the water. ¡°We need to get her to Reina.¡±

    Trim nodded before looking up, pausing briefly with a look of surprise on her face when she saw Jade¡¯s wet dress clinging to Saela¡¯s skin. ¡°Alright, questions later. Help me strip her off, she needs dry clothes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll help,¡± Jade said as she finally staggered up the steps. Trim could see that she was on the verge of exhaustion, so she was glad that she had made it in time to support them. It seemed like they had been to hell and back to get to where they were now, but hearing about it would have to wait until later.

    ¡°You strip him off,¡± Trim said as she nodded in the direction of Artel¡¯s corpse. The sizzling noises had subsided along with the smoke as the wound cauterized, but unfortunately the smell of charred flesh still lingered over them. ¡°See if he¡¯s carrying anything useful too.¡±

    Jade grit her teeth but complied as she crouched down next to the body. Trim would take charge from here, and to Jade it was a relief. Trim was not only a quick thinker, she was also ruthless when she needed to be and Artel¡¯s lifeless corpse that she was now pulling the jacket off was a testament to that. Saela had done well to get them this far, but she could also tell that she was fatigued and so a fresh mind was what they needed.

    It only took the group a minute to reorganize their gear, although she was already worried that Royal Guards would be pouring down the stairs to the cistern at any moment. Artel¡¯s clothes had been too big for both her and Saela to wear so his pants, undershirt, and jacket had instead been loosely put on Nina despite the gaping holes through the sides. Trim had given her dry black sweater to Jade which revealed that she was wearing a simple cream t-shirt underneath, while Saela had to make do with wearing Artel¡¯s white shirt over the wet dress.

    ¡°Good work so far,¡± Trim said as she hauled Nina on to her own shoulder, much to Jade¡¯s relief. ¡°It¡¯s not over yet though, so follow my lead and hopefully we¡¯ll all make it out in one piece.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s Svanda?¡± Saela finally asked the question that had also been playing on Jade¡¯s mind. ¡°She isn¡¯t here?¡±

    ¡°We split up to look for you, so she¡¯ll meet us back where Reina is,¡± Trim said as she nodded at Jade. ¡°You¡¯re on point, so follow my directions. Saela, you¡¯re covering the back.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Jade stepped through the door to the cistern and began to climb the thin stone staircase which rose away from them. Not only had they managed to get over the wall to the Royal District and take Nina back from right under Rucille¡¯s nose, they had also managed to escape from her tightening grasp while also dealing a serious blow to Ormain. Somehow they had got this far, and now all that was left was the home stretch as they would head across the district towards Reina and their escape route from the plate.

    ¡°Morning is coming,¡± Trim said as they reached the top of the stairs before walking through a narrow stone corridor that could only fit one person at a time. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here before the sun rises.¡±

 Chapter 065

    ¡°How did you even find this place?¡± Jade asked as she stepped out from the end of the narrow passage to find herself in a thin back alley that ran off from a main street. There was no signage for the inconspicuous yet shabby entrance to the cistern, although she could see that the lock over the gate had recently been broken. If she had to sum it up in one word, she probably would have gone with ¡®uninviting.¡¯

    ¡°Left,¡± Trim instructed her before they set off at a relatively quick pace. ¡°I asked the right questions to the right people. Less chat, more focus. Turn right at the next corner.¡±

    As they moved away from the stream of people that passed across the mouth of the alley in the gloom, the sounds of the city beginning to stir drifted through the streets. A cool breeze which carried a hint of morning cooking swept down the narrow space, although it was cold on the few pieces of wet clothing that Jade and Saela still wore. Rest was the one thing that they craved right now, but with Trim taking up the burden which was Nina they knew that it was better to push on while they could.

    Jade didn¡¯t bother to respond to Trim¡¯s instructions and instead followed them without question as they moved further and further away from the wider streets. Thin, dirty, and confusing, the alleys in the farmer¡¯s district were a maze so she was surprised that Trim was managing to guide them without referring to a map. Hardly any people were outside in the depths of the district at this time besides some drunken remnants from the previous night, but the few people that they did encounter examined their motley appearances with interest as they flew by. Trim¡¯s decision to give Nina¡¯s shoes to Saela quickly became a valuable demonstration of foresight, as shards of stone and glass were sometimes scattered in the dirt among a mess of other debris.

    ¡°In the door on the left,¡± Trim said after she had directed them around another couple of corners. Jade had almost wanted to knock, but she knew that Trim would probably scold her for wasting time. Grabbing at the handle before pushing the door open without bothering to slow down, she stepped into the dark and dilapidated space before marching across the dusty stone floor.

    ¡°Who is it!?¡± came a man¡¯s voice as he appeared from a side room with a rusty dagger in one hand and a small lamp in the other. Wearing a tattered brown gown that matched his straggly grey hair, fear appeared on his face when he saw the glint of light reflect off Artel¡¯s submachine gun which now dangled from Jade¡¯s hip.

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Trim said as she fished a pair of small coins from her pocket before dropping them onto the ground. ¡°You didn¡¯t see us, alright?¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course,¡± the man repeated himself with a light nod and a smile as the group marched past him without looking back. Quickly bending down to search for the coins that had rolled away from each other in the darkness, a toothy grin quickly appeared on his face once his back was turned to them.

    ¡°Go straight through to the back,¡± Trim said to Jade as they disappeared from his sight down the hall. Three quarters of the way down the thin stone passage, however, Trim grabbed Jade¡¯s shoulder with her free hand and forcefully turned her into a room on the side.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t¡­¡± Jade said before Trim shushed her. The room that they had entered was an empty bedroom of sorts with a stained heap of hay which was piled up in the corner. A single window that was fortunately large enough to ventilate the neglected space was set in the far wall, and Trim silently pointed Jade towards it.

    ¡°Through,¡± Trim said softly before watching as Jade slipped through the opening. After dropping down into the morning gloom, Jade turned around to receive Nina¡¯s unresponsive body as it was passed through before waiting for Trim to follow behind her. By the time Trim had reclaimed Nina and made herself comfortable, Saela had already hopped through the window and now they set off in a different direction.

    ¡°He¡¯ll sell us out as soon as possible, but we were still leaving tracks in the dirt,¡± she explained as she looked to each side. ¡°Go left.¡±

    The group continued to snake their way through the dark district without any issues as morning drew closer. Already they could see a gentle glow along the horizon, so soon enough the streets would become full of people going about their daily lives. Trim, however, didn¡¯t want to see it. It was true that a busy morning could help them to blend in with the crowd, but at the same time she was concerned that every extra pair of eyes out there would be one extra possibility that they would be reported to the authorities.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to cross a main road now,¡± she said while frowning as she instructed Jade to turn down an alley that would take them there. ¡°It¡¯s inevitable, so keep your head down and keep your pace steady.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Jade nodded as she continued to jog towards the street. She could already see figures crossing the mouth of the alley from one direction to the other, and she swallowed when she felt that her heartbeat was beginning to accelerate. People here were carrying a range of lamps and torches as it was still dark outside, so together they lit the street up which would only highlight their strange appearances for any interested observers.

    Reaching the opening to the road, Jade steeled her nerves before slowing herself down to a brisk walk. Stepping out into the open, she quickly glanced around at the random assortment of civilians before setting her eyes on the alley opposite them.

    She hadn¡¯t even made it halfway across the street when she saw a small group of Royal Guards pacing in their direction. Almost instinctively, she turned her head towards them but it seemed as though making eye contact was a mistake. Immediately a guard¡¯s eyes widened, so before she could see him reach for the rifle on his shoulder she simply kicked into motion. If her green hair hadn¡¯t been enough to tip them off, the fact that Trim carrying Nina and then Saela had stepped out behind her certainly would be.

    ¡°You!¡±

    The man dropped the lamp that he had been carrying and cried for them to halt, but Jade had already shot off in the direction of the opposite alleyway. Ducking past a confused farmer, she then darted through two unsuspecting merchants who were having a quiet discussion. Ignoring the colourful mess that was sent flying when she knocked over the basket of fruit that they had prepared for the morning, she tore past their roadside stall without looking back. She even didn¡¯t need to look confirm that Trim was right behind her, so instead she put on a burst of speed that caused her legs to scream. Flying into the narrow alley opposite which was enshrouded in darkness, she could hear the scuffle of footsteps behind her as Trim and Saela also shot through the gap.

    Unfortunately their cover had blown.

    ¡°Drop it Saela!¡± Trim shouted before she barked at Jade to take a right turn. She had already been struggling to see some of the corners in the darkness among the grey stone walls and whatever junk was piled up near them, but thankfully she could finally see where she was going. They would need to turn frequently now as leaving long sight lines down the winding alleys could leave their backs exposed to rifle fire, and they also needed to stay out of sight to avoid a net being tightened around them.

    As tired as her legs were, Jade was surprised at how light she felt without the weight of Nina on her shoulder as she flew around another corner. Skipping past a confused old man who was standing in their path, she chanced a look behind her to see that they were thankfully still together. Trim was somehow keeping up even though she was carrying Nina with one arm, while Saela didn¡¯t even seem too worn out.

    An explosion rang out behind them as a grenade which they had stolen from Artel detonated. Saela had dropped it in the darkness at the mouth of the alley, and as they had turned the corner they were safe from the fire and debris that was sent shooting out into the street. Jade heard the pained cries from both guards who had charged in after them and the civilians from the street, but she didn¡¯t have time to feel sorry for them as the clock was ticking. Unfortunately Artel had only carried one grenade, but their pursuers didn¡¯t know that and so hopefully they would be having second thoughts.

    With their cover quite literally blown to smithereens, the group threw all caution to the wind as they charged through the alleys while following Trim¡¯s directions. The explosion would soon attract just about everyone to their location, which unfortunately would include Ormain. Time was of the essence as they hurtled through the final stretches, but according to Trim they were close to their destination.

    Jade was wondering how they were supposed to make their escape now that they would practically be under the microscope, but she didn¡¯t raise the question as she instead blindly followed the instructions that were periodically barked out over her shoulder. Rounding the corner of a large stone house that had clearly seen better days, she looked down as she skipped over a broken barrel that had been knocked onto its side before seeing that up ahead of her there was a pair of guards headed in their direction.

    ¡°Through!¡±

    Fully aware that there wasn¡¯t any time to dwell on the potential consequences, Jade raised Artel¡¯s weapon as she ran. Lightly squeezing the trigger of the unfamiliar weapon, she immediately felt the stubby submachine gun kick upward and she wondered how anyone could manage to fire it accurately with only one hand. With the alleyway being as narrow as it was, there was no room for either party to hide. The unfortunate reality, however, was that while Jade¡¯s group had to keep moving to escape what was coming behind them, the two Royal Guards ahead of them had the luxury of crouching down and taking aim.

    Jade panicked as she saw the pair drop to their knees and reach for their rifles. Slowing herself down a fraction so that she could grasp her weapon with two hands, she lined up her aim as she ran before squeezing the trigger once more. Seven shots rang in her ears, but after that she heard nothing but the familiar click of an empty magazine.

    So few? She thought.

    She saw the puffs of dirt kick upwards in a steady line towards one of the guards until the final two rounds struck him in the torso. Unlike searing punch from a pulse weapon that would simply tear a neat hole in someone, she saw the wet spray of mist fan out behind the man as he staggered for balance. Panic appeared in his eyes as his grip on his rifle relaxed, and Jade immediately knew that he would be out of action.

    His partner who hadn¡¯t shared the same fate, however, fired back.

 Chapter 066

    Before Jade could even register that the guard had pulled the trigger, brightness filled her vision as his burst of fire lit up the alleyway. Pain immediately flared from her shoulder as the first of his rounds skimmed over it, and while the rest of his shots recoiled upwards the impact was still enough to send her tumbling. Instinctively placing her hands in front of herself to protect her face from the fall, Artel¡¯s empty weapon was sent flying as her palms grated on the rough dirt on the floor of the alley.

    ¡°Up!¡± Trim yelled as she flew over Jade¡¯s rolling body while raising her own pistol to return the fire. Even while carrying Nina she didn¡¯t seem to have a problem lining the man up, and as a result she easily put a neat hole straight through his chest before he had managed to correct his aim. Not even bothering to look back to see if Jade was alright, she surged onwards before skipping over the two dying guards and disappearing into the darkness.

    Jade winced as she slid across the dirt. Not only could she feel the burning pain from where the guard¡¯s shot had skimmed her shoulder, her palms that had been used to arrest her fall were now badly scraped. Dirt and small stones mixed together with the fresh blood on her hands which caused them to sting, and the scent of burning from both her clothes and flesh had finally reached her nose. Deprived of her momentum, she cursed inwardly as her body screamed for her to stop. Her already weak legs smashed against the dirt as she rolled over once more, but she knew that stopping now simply wasn¡¯t an option.

    To stop now was to die.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say a word,¡± Saela spat as she as she appeared beside her. Grasping her collar as she ran, she hauled Jade up with a frantic tug before letting her go. The process had clearly slowed her down, but Jade was thankful as her feet found purchase once more on the dirt beneath them. Picking herself up off the ground would have taken too much time, and by the time she had managed to push herself back up to speed she would have lost the others in the dark.

    Satisfied that her job was done, Saela kicked her pace up a notch once more as she skipped over the two bodies before them in her pursuit of Trim. A gap was pulled out between them, but at least Jade had managed to keep them both in sight. For once she was glad that Trim had been wearing a cream shirt underneath her sweater instead of a black one.

    Each step for her was bordering on agony now as her thighs burned, but she knew that they were close. Her shoulder was going to have to be fixed and it would probably leave a nasty scar, but right now all she could focus on was escaping from the clutches of Rucille and the Royal Guard.

    Turning another corner, she looked up to see that Trim and Saela were dashing through the thin alley some fifteen meters in front of her. Fortunately, it seemed that Artel¡¯s grenade had bought them enough of a buffer against their pursuers, and if Jade was in their shoes she too would have been concerned about a second trap. Her current condition was enough of a handicap to begin with, so any advantage to offset it was something that she would grasp with both hands.

    Trim and Saela disappeared around another corner up in front of her, so she immediately began to scan the stone walls in the darkness for the opening. What she thought was the shouting of the Royal Guard as they coordinated a sweep through the district was creeping into her ears, and she instinctively swallowed before finally finding what she was looking for. She couldn¡¯t be sure in the dark, but it seemed that the space was thinner in comparison to the other alleyways. It was almost as though it was an alley within an alley, but without time to think she simply threw herself into the opening.

    She cursed as she almost tripped over the remains of a wooden box which sat just around the corner, but when she raised her head up she froze inside as she realised that Trim and Saela were nowhere to be seen. The alley was even thinner than where they had been previously with space for only two people to walk side-by-side, but it was also as straight as an arrow which was what caused her to be concerned. There was simply nowhere for them to have gone, so if she had made a wrong turn it would become incredibly difficult to them to be reunited in the dark.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Turning back into the jaws of their pursuers wasn¡¯t an option, so instead she pressed on. If she was lucky she would be able to catch sight of either Trim or Saela as she crossed through the maze of paths, so all she could do was simply head in the same general direction that they had been traveling in and hope for the best. The fact that the maze of dilapidated stone was tightening, however, left her worried. A small tight area like this was most likely where Trim was planning to lose the guards for good, and if she wasn¡¯t there to find it with them she could potentially be left behind.

    What she was looking for, however, found her.

    Fighting the urge to scream as Saela¡¯s head popped out from behind an old wooden door which was only a couple of meters in front of her, Jade reacted by digging her heels into the dirt. While skidding on her feet down the alley, she hadn¡¯t even come to a stop before Saela reached out and pulled her into the room beyond. It was already so dark inside that Jade had difficulty making out Saela¡¯s features, so she frowned once the door was closed behind them as now she was totally enshrouded in darkness.

    ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± Saela said as she let go of Jade¡¯s arm before stepping away from her. When her soft footsteps scuffled across the dusty stone floor in a direction away from the door, Jade realized that if she didn¡¯t follow her she would end up being just as lost as before. Questions could wait for later, so she silently padded across the room as she followed the sound of Saela¡¯s footsteps.

    The air in the room was surprisingly free of dust despite what Jade thought it should have been like, although admittedly she couldn¡¯t see anything right now. She was listening carefully to see if Saela would step around anything that she might trip on, but it seemed that she was simply making her way across the room in a straight line. Apart from the sound of their footsteps, all she could hear right now was the occasional yelling from the Royal Guard, sometimes it was closer and sometimes it was further away. It did seem to be coming from all around them though, so if this wasn¡¯t in fact the final part of their exit strategy she would quickly become concerned.

    The scuffling on the floor in front of her was replaced by the creaking of timber, and Jade immediately wondered why someone would bother with wooden floorboards in such an impoverished area of the town. She was imagining how people would pull them up to be used for more practical reasons, but her attention focused when she realized that instead of moving away from her, the creaking noise from the timber was moving upwards. She initially thought that there must have been a staircase in front of her, but very soon she realized that the noise was coming from right above her. At that moment, her hands which she had been fanning out in front of her touched the answer to her question.

    When she gripped onto the rough rungs of the ladder she had come across, the gentle swaying motion from Saela climbing above her was passed through to her hands. She frowned with a hint of pain when she herself began climbing as both her aching legs and injured shoulder protested along with her bloody hands, but she clamped her teeth shut with a grunt as she hauled herself up the rungs which she soon lost count of.

    ¡°Surprised you¡¯re still with us,¡± Saela said casually with a blank expression on her face once Jade had eventually reached the top of the ladder.

    Jade ignored the bait as she hauled herself up onto the landing before realizing that she could make out Saela¡¯s expression. Lit by the moonlight that poured in from an open window that looked out over some of the smaller buildings in the district, she found that they were in a small room which was only around three by three meters. A single wooden chair sat by the opening, although it was currently empty.

    ¡°Trim?¡±

    ¡°Out,¡± Saela replied as she nodded towards the window before walking over to it. After stepping out over the sill, she quickly disappeared off to the side without saying another word.

    Jade followed her out to find that she was standing on a flat stone area that was only slightly larger than the room she had been in. Ignoring the temptation to look down, she instead took a glance at the gentle glow which was creeping across the horizon before she followed Saela around the corner platform. Once she had made it to the opposite side from the window, she saw that there was a thin wooden plank placed between where they stood and the building across from them.

    Jade wasn¡¯t bad with heights considering what they did for a living, but a poorly maintained piece of wood which hung three storeys above a dirt road didn¡¯t particularly appeal to her. Saela didn¡¯t seem to mind though as she skipped across the plank, so Jade had no choice but to both reluctantly and carefully follow her.

    Surely they were close.

 Chapter 067

    ¡°Drag it over here,¡± Saela said as soon as Jade had stepped onto solid ground. Thankfully the timber was light, so together they quickly retracted the plank so that nobody could follow them across. After admiring their handiwork for a split second, Saela set off across the roof while Jade fell in behind.

    ¡°Trim?¡± Jade asked for a second time as she examined her surroundings. The roof that they were on now seemed to merge with those that also ran along the alley, and together they formed a neat strip that was easy to traverse while staying out of sight from those below. Occasionally there was a small rise or drop where the height of the building didn¡¯t match the one next to it, but conveniently placed ramps and ladders were already in place as though the route was often used.

    Saela answered Jade¡¯s question by pointing across to a nearby roof as she jogged. Jade¡¯s gaze followed the direction of her finger, and soon she found that Trim was waiting there while Nina remained slung over her shoulder. The fact that both Trim and Saela were rather unhurried now left Jade believing that they had finally made it to safety, so as she stepped across a second timber plank to join Trim and Nina on the roof, she couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°The window with the red and white flag,¡± Trim replied as she pointed to a small stone balcony around the corner from where they were. ¡°We¡¯re safe once we make it inside.¡±

    Smiling with a relatively relaxed expression, she set off at a brisk walk to the corner while Jade and Saela wordlessly followed behind her. Now that they were seemingly out of danger, Saela¡¯s attitude had quickly reverted to her usual distant self which Jade was almost glad for. A cold Saela might be frustrating to deal with, but at least she was easy to read.

    Soon they were standing on the roof above the window. After taking a quick look below them, Trim passed Nina over to Jade before lowering herself down off the edge. After that it was simple. Nina was carefully passed down, and once that was done both Jade and Saela followed behind her before they finally stepped through the open window into the room beyond.

    ¡°This is?¡± Jade asked nobody in particular as she examined the interior of the room. It looked like a fairly regular living space with a casual assortment of furnishings and painted cream walls, although in contrast to the darkness of the early morning the room was filled with the warm glow of light. A few sparsely placed candles were set on a couple of the pieces of furniture, and it made her wonder who would use them so wastefully. A timber floor was also something that surprised her, while there was even a worn rug placed under an old green sofa which sat in the centre of the room. While still a far cry from the living conditions that they were used to in the Royal District, the room that they were in at least seemed habitable unlike the majority of the spaces she had seen in the area.

    ¡°So you¡¯re the ones, huh?¡± said a short man with thin white hair and a pockmarked face as he appeared in a doorway on the far side of the room. Jade cautiously examined his movements as he stepped towards them, and she could see out of the corner of her eye that Trim was gripping her pistol tightly with a finger hovering over the trigger. The man, however, paid them no attention as he casually strolled across the room before stopping in front of a faded brown tapestry that was hung on the wall. Turning to face them, his eyes flicked over Jade¡¯s ragged state and the incapacitated Nina before he lifted the corner of the tapestry away to reveal that there was a space behind it.

    ¡°Are you going or not?¡±

    The three of them stood in silence for a moment before Trim stepped over to examine the space behind the tapestry. After quickly glancing past his hand which was holding the cloth to the side, she sighed when she saw that he had a wry smile on his face.

    ¡°It¡¯s about fifteen metres,¡± he said as he glanced once more at Nina. ¡°Sorry, but it¡¯s all we¡¯ve got here.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± Trim replied before looking back over her shoulder to Jade and Saela. ¡°You two are first.¡±

    Jade saw that Saela seemed intent on hanging back a little, so she walked over to see the reason for why the man had been apologizing. In the space behind the wall was yet another ladder shaft that plunged into darkness, although at least the rungs were of good quality this time. She guessed that the man was apologizing as Trim would have to carry Nina down the ladder for around fifteen meters, but it was obviously unavoidable.

    Frowning at the pain when she placed her injured hands onto the tape that was wrapped around the metal rungs for grip, she began her descent into the darkness. The shaft was around a metre square with a gentle breeze traveling through it, and when she looked down she could see the soft glow of light far below her at the bottom. At least it was something to aim for instead of blindly climbing down until her feet hit solid ground, and her aching limbs soon found themselves in a regular pattern once again.

    ¡°We¡¯re safe right?¡± Saela asked from somewhere above her. She could hear the sounds of their feet on the rungs, but it was difficult to see them as the replaced tapestry blocked the light from above.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Trim replied. ¡°Unless I drop Nina on you, she¡¯s getting pretty heavy.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Jade chuckled as she heard Saela breathe a sigh of relief, but at the same she secretly did the same thing. Everything that she had been through after being summoned to Kromald¡¯s sitting room had melted into a continuous adrenaline-fuelled blur that was a high she was still yet to come down from. Not only had she trespassed on Royal territory, broken into a laboratory, destroyed a vehicle, and been a complicit party when innocent people were shot, she had also rescued a friend, escaped from an enemy, been shot herself, and almost drowned along the way.

    Aline isn¡¯t going to believe this, she thought to herself as she reached the bottom of the ladder. Now finding that she was in a thin passage that stretched away from her, she turned her attention to the source of soft lighting which she had previously seen from above. It was electric, to her surprise, and she used the steady glow to examine the clean stone beneath her feet which must have been cleaned recently. The air was also pleasantly cool down here although a little thick, so despite how well the passageway seemed to be maintained she reasoned that they were underground.

    Without waiting for Saela or Trim to join her in the narrow confines of the passage, she walked along it until she found that there was a wooden door placed at the other end of a shallow curve. Trim had said that they were safe now, and considering that the man from earlier had also helped them she felt that it was alright to gingerly reach for the handle before pushing it open. Cautiously stepping through into the room beyond, she looked up at the contents of the room for a moment before collapsing onto her knees and trying to fight back the rapidly oncoming tears. She was done, and although her body was about to fall forward due to the fact that she was completely out of strength, a figure appeared before her with two arms that locked her into a tight embrace.

    Jade wouldn¡¯t mistake these features anywhere. Whether it was the slender fingers on her back, the soft scent from the hair that dangled in front of her nose, or the intimate feeling that she got when that cheek was pressed against hers, Jade knew each and every detail as though they were her own. Despite knowing where she was and that she was safe, however, she couldn¡¯t find the words that she wanted to say.

    ¡°You¡¯re hurt,¡± Aline said softly as she leaned back a little so that she could examine Jade¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Mmm.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re alright, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡±

    Jade and Aline¡¯s reunion was interrupted as Saela pushed her way through the door before holding it open as Trim followed her through. Jade hadn¡¯t really been paying attention to her surroundings, but she heard the murmur from the rest of the group when they saw that Nina was slung over Trim¡¯s shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she looked up but felt warm when she saw that Aline was ignoring the rest of the group as she examined her wounds.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Jade heard Reina say with noticeable concern in her voice as her footsteps crossed the room. Her smooth calves that popped out from under her usual white pants entered her vision as she approached Trim, and when Jade looked up she saw that Reina¡¯s usual composure was nowhere to be seen. If anything her expression was a mixture of anger and concern right now, and Jade was wondering if she had ever seen anything like it before.

    ¡°It was Rucille,¡± Saela replied bluntly as she stepped past Reina. The room they were in was a small round dome with a single bright light that hung from the ceiling, and Saela immediately took the opportunity to sit on the round sofa that was placed in the centre of it. After stifling a yawn and then flopping backward, she shrugged. ¡°What were we supposed to do? She¡¯s unresponsive to communication, incapable of keeping herself upright, and essentially mute. Do you know how hard it was to bring her here?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not her fault,¡± Jade said quietly as she glared in her direction. ¡°How hard? You wanted to abandon her when you first saw her to the point where you walked out on us.¡±

    ¡°I was preparing a way out,¡± Saela replied with a tinge of frost to her tone. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for that carriage, what do you think would have happened?¡±

    ¡°Enough,¡± Reina cut in despite the fact that she was busy examining Nina¡¯s condition. If she was to be honest, Jade was actually glad that she had cut them off because she knew that she didn¡¯t have an appropriate response to what Saela had said. It was true that she wouldn¡¯t have had a plan if the carriage wasn¡¯t there, and she also knew that carrying Nina any further than she already had would have been essentially impossible.

    After what they had been through together, Jade had been beginning to see Saela in a slightly different light. Sure she was prickly, but the fact that she had made some very difficult decisions in order to accomplish her task was admirable. Words of thanks had already been circling through her mind as soon as she had stepped through the window to safety, but Saela¡¯s seamless return to her usual self had quickly changed her mind.

    If that was how she wanted to be, then that was how it would stay.

    ¡°Looks like poison,¡± Svanda said with a serious expression on her face. After Trim had placed Nina onto the couch, Artel¡¯s loose clothing had been quickly discarded so that Reina, Svanda, and Trim could begin the process of methodically wiping her down. The large splotch of yellow-green on the centre of her chest had quickly drawn their attention, but while they all wanted to help her there was little that they could currently do.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to assume there¡¯s an antidote for whatever this is,¡± Reina sighed as she examined the bruises on Nina¡¯s arm. ¡°We¡¯ll have to find a doctor on Areinis.¡±

    ¡°You want to take her down like this?¡± Trim asked with a frown. ¡°She needs to rest.¡±

    Reina frowned before walking over to the side of the room and collecting a pair of small bags which sat by the wall. Turning around before tossing one to Jade who was still on her knees with Aline, she looked over at Saela before tossing her the other.

    ¡°Get changed,¡± she said to them before picking up a third bag and tossing it to Trim. ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to stay so that she can rest, we¡¯re already overstaying our welcome here and I¡¯m not going to give them time to change their mind. Dress Nina up and then grab your shoes, it¡¯s time we put this mess behind us.¡±

 Chapter 068

    After squatting down to examine the body before him, Captain Ormain clicked his tongue in disappointment.

    had been correct in expecting that Reina¡¯s group would try something that night and that it would happen along the wall of the Farmer¡¯s District, but he had never expected that they would be brazen enough to attempt their escape beside the heavily fortified gate.

    Stolen novel; please report.

 Chapter 069

    ¡°I still don¡¯t see how this is my fault,¡± Rucille said with a pout as she folded her arms. ¡°How did the guards let a bunch of girls run off with her in the first place?¡±

    ¡°Mind your manners,¡± Kromald replied with a frosty tone. ¡°You¡¯re in the presence of the king.¡±

    Rucille¡¯s eyes flicked over to the man who sat on the throne at the top of the stairs, but her expression remained the same. She was annoyed, and the king sitting around in the same room as her certainly wasn¡¯t going to change that. If she really thought about it, he was the reason why she was so annoyed in the first place anyway. Not only did he oversee the Royal Guard who had utterly failed to do their job which resulted in her precious research subject escaping, he then had the nerve to call her to the Royal Court at daybreak which was when her usual nap was due to commence.

    She was already furious when she learned that Nina had disappeared from right under her nose, but once she had been accused of being the main culprit in what was already considered a national disaster, she was livid. She initially thought that killing the researcher who had told Kromald about her discussion with Nina would have helped her cool off, but watching him squirm under the needle before his face turned purple hadn¡¯t helped her at all. Now, of all things, she had to sit through whatever useless complaints the family heads had about the situation. Words weren¡¯t going to solve anything, so why didn¡¯t they focus on action?

    At least the Royal Court itself was interesting. Rucille didn¡¯t get many opportunities to walk around in the castle, so even if this visit was for all the wrong reasons, she was still trying to enjoy what she could. The long rectangular room had a shiny wooden floor with a thick red carpet on top of it which ran down the centre of the room. After snaking its way up the fifteen or so shallow stairs to where the throne sat, it fanned out behind it in a swirling pattern across the floor. The large wooden throne itself was framed by a backdrop of burgundy curtains which hung behind a giant metallic Zaffre Family Crest, and all together she had to admit that the scene was quite imposing.

    It would have been more imposing of course if there was more than just the twenty odd people that currently either stood or sat around the giant room, but the sensitive nature of the meeting resulted in most of the floor space being empty. Even the viewing balconies that ran between the ornately decorated white ceiling and the large glass windows on each side of the room were devoid of people, and the resulting silence in the cavernous space was almost unsettling.

    While there was only a few of them, the people called to the emergency meeting were surprisingly from three very different groups of people. First was the smattering of Zaffre family members who sat on chairs behind the king which included the first, second, and fourth princes. Selius, who had helped Rucille capture Nina in the first place, was one of them. Currently he watched her with an amused expression as though he could see through the mask on her face, and the fact that he could easily see the frustration that she was hiding irked her further.

    At least it didn¡¯t frustrate her as much as her father did right now. Seated off to the side among the seven most influential family heads which formed up the second of the groups, he had been quick to lash her with criticism in front of the other nobility. Rucille thought that he should have been shielding her from blame by placing the fault onto the Royal Guard, but instead he seemed very eager to distance himself from her in order to curry favour with the king.

    ¡°You revealed the details of a top secret project to an outsider,¡± a balding man with a thick moustache who sat a couple of seats over from her father pointed out. ¡°And then you let her escape.¡±

    This time she didn¡¯t bother to hide the sigh that escaped from her lips as she rolled her eyes. She had already said the truth on who was at fault, and there was obviously no point repeating it if they weren¡¯t planning on listening. How such a useless group of people ended up in charge of the plate escaped her, but there was little that she could do about it besides ignore them for now. All they were good at was taking credit for the work of others while they lived a life of luxury, so how would they know what to do?

    Any form of common sense, it seemed, was absent.

    Insulting the Royal Guard once more was also a poor idea for a completely separate reason. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but apart from herself who stood at the front of the pack, the rest of the third group in the room who had been summoned to stand with her were all members of the Royal Guard. There were only six of them present and they were all around her age, but Rucille could already see why these particular guards had all been called. Generally third, fourth, or fifth sons, each and every one of the guards who stood around her was directly related to someone who currently sat with her father.

    ¡°Silence,¡± the king finally said as he raised a hand. His voice wasn¡¯t loud or powerful, but it didn¡¯t need to be considering that there were so few people in the room. With crinkles at the side of his weathered blue eyes and shoulder length brown hair which featured the occasional streak of grey, Rucille could see a lot of similarities with Selius despite his smaller frame. Unlike the neat formal dress that the majority of the nobility liked to wear, he instead wore a simple burgundy robe with a golden sash around his waist that matched the jewellery which dripped off his fingers. Rucille didn¡¯t have much of an opinion on the king, but not that many people did in the first place. His array of sons already took care of the majority of his business, and as a result he could live a sheltered life in peace away from the public eye.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Travelers from above have learned of our secret plan to protect ourselves from SuTSU invaders,¡± the king said slowly as he looked over both Rucille and the members of the Royal Guard which stood at the bottom of the stairs. ¡°If SuTSU was to learn of this plan, they would undoubtedly launch an all-out offensive against us to crush our livelihoods before our day of safety could arrive. Zaffre, and all of us with it, would be destroyed.¡±

    The lack of surprise from the people around her indicated that they had already been briefed, so Rucille instead turned her consideration to where the king¡¯s speech would be going. There was no use crying over spilt milk, she thought, and following Nina to the plate below was taboo. The best outcome she could hope for was that the king would somehow manage to find her a replacement research subject so that she could finish her work before SuTSU came knocking.

    Maybe this wouldn¡¯t be so bad after all.

    ¡°After consultation with the family heads,¡± the king continued as he casually waved his hand to the group of people where Rucille¡¯s father was sitting. ¡°We have together decided that in order to protect our great city, we will need to do the unthinkable.¡±

    Rucille suddenly felt her heart begin to race.

    ¡°For generations we have protected what we have,¡± the king said as he stood up. As soon as he did, everyone who had been sitting down in the room immediately shot to their feet as quickly as possible with respectful gazes. Rucille and the Royal Guards were already standing, and now the king stared down at them with a strange light in his eyes.

    ¡°Too big a group and it will be evident to the outsiders that something is clearly amiss,¡± the king said steadily as he took turns to lock eyes with each member of the group who stood around Rucille. ¡°Word of what has happened cannot spread past our eight great families, and hence you have been selected to be our hope¡­ to restore peace to our city by soothing this newfound turmoil in our hearts.¡±

    We¡¯re actually going, Rucille thought to herself as she tried to stop the corners of her mouth twitching upwards into a grin.

    ¡°Selius Zaffre,¡± the king said without turning to face his son.

    ¡°Father.¡±

    ¡°You will lead the expedition to the plates below,¡± the king said. ¡°Your mission is to eliminate every member of The Cloud Orchestra, and if they have fallen into the hands of the SuTSU forces, you are to eliminate them as well. Word of what we are planning cannot reach The Skywall. Once it has, all will be lost.¡±

    ¡°As you command.¡±

    Rucille¡¯s expression turned from a grin into a troubled expression. Clearly Selius hadn¡¯t thought that the king would order one of his own sons to take part in such a dangerous mission, and neither had she. Selius becoming her superior was not something that she wanted to happen, and despite her burning desire to travel to the plates below, she didn¡¯t want her experience to be marred by such a restriction.

    ¡°Your majesty,¡± she said as she quickly corrected her posture before bowing slightly. ¡°May I ask why I have been selected for such an important task? Frankly, I am unskilled in combat and am worried that I will bring the rest of the team down.¡±

    Seeing that the king paused for a moment, she smiled inwardly. Any mention of jeopardizing the mission would surely cause the king to have second thoughts about her selection. If she could get out of this now, she could hopefully convince the king to let her travel on her own later. Once the rules were already broken, they could never be truly mended. Maybe she could pretend that she had suddenly discovered some important information after they had left and selflessly volunteer to take it to them.

    ¡°Father,¡± Selius said before the king could come to a conclusion. ¡°Rucille not only has some of the most detailed book knowledge on the seven plates, she also knows our targets better than anyone here which I believe will be the key to tracking them down. While she may not be as useful in combat as the rest of the team, surely the knowledge she possesses will prove to be a vital asset.¡±

    The king couldn¡¯t see Selius¡¯ smirk as he was standing behind him, but Rucille certainly could. He knew exactly what he was doing and she certainly wasn¡¯t happy about it, but all she could do right now was smile at the ¡®compliment¡¯ and hope that the king had other ideas.

    ¡°Your foresight is admirable,¡± the king said as he turned to face Selius, missing the grin on his face as it was quickly replaced by a serious expression in the process. ¡°I agree with your analysis, Rucille will remain on the team.¡±

    Rucille sighed inwardly but could do nothing but flash the king a polite smile. In her head, however, she was already running through what she would be doing as soon as they left the plate. Selius probably thought that she would roll over in defeat now that she had been confirmed on the team, but she knew that the seven plates were something bigger than he could have ever imagined. Sitting in the castle for days on end would have left his mind narrow, and Rucille didn¡¯t mind taking advantage of that.

    Once they had left the plate, who would truly know what actually happened?

    ¡°The castle will provide anything you need for the mission,¡± the king said as he looked out over Rucille¡¯s group once more, pausing for a moment when he saw that a thin grin had appeared on her lips. ¡°You have an hour to prepare, time is of the essence.¡±

    About to disperse, the group was suddenly stopped by the first prince who cleared his throat for the first time during the meeting. Rucille didn¡¯t know much about him, but it was rumoured that he didn¡¯t get on with Selius or any of his other siblings either for that matter.

    ¡°Remember, everyone in this city is relying on you to complete your mission,¡± he said with a smile as he looked directly at Selius. ¡°Come back with their heads or don¡¯t bother coming back at all.¡±

 Chapter 070

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to enjoy the view, isn¡¯t it?¡± Svanda sighed as she gazed out over the clear blue water that stretched towards the horizon. From her vantage point on the balcony of the house that they were occupying she could see hundreds of islands that dotted the ocean¡¯s surface, many of them surrounded by white rings of sand while others were a stark contrast of imposing grey rock. She didn¡¯t know which it would be yet, but one of the islands out there would be their eventual destination. For now, however, they had a bigger issue at hand.

    ¡°A little,¡± Trim agreed as she looked back through the window to the interior of living room. It was a small square space with varnished wooden walls and a thick thatched roof which felt appropriate for the warm and breezy coastal climate. The open kitchen and sitting area were segregated by a pair of timber columns that supported the structure, while two large ceiling-mounted fans rotated lazily overhead. The wooden floor, although well-worn, was also covered with a variety of mismatched rugs, but none of these features were the subject of Trim¡¯s interest. What she was concerned about was the small group of people that were huddled around the old sofa which sat in the centre of the sitting area, and in particular, Nina who lay upon it.

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°All we can do is wait to see what they say,¡± Trim replied as she looked away from the scene behind the glass and instead focused on her own reflection. The bags under her eyes seemed to be getting bigger by the day, while her usually neat ponytail had also turned into a disheveled mess. She knew that she looked terrible, but then again so did the majority of the team right now. At least the smell of the ocean was somewhat stimulating, although she had already dozed off twice before in the small hammock which hung in the corner.

    She watched as Reina spoke quietly to one of the two doctors that were currently in the room, trying to glean any information she could from their expressions. The general atmosphere among the group was somber, but at least she hadn¡¯t seen him shake his head with an apologetic frown yet.

    ¡°Say, do you think it¡¯s cowardly to wait out here?¡± she asked Svanda before turning back to face the ocean which lay at the bottom of the mountain far below. She could hear gulls squawking in the distance which mingled with the general noises of day to day life from the houses around her, but despite the peaceful atmosphere around them she still felt isolated as though they were living in a bubble.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s smart,¡± Svanda replied as she sunk further into the outdoor sofa that she sat back on while propping her feet up on the small table. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do for her right now, so just give the doctors some space. If there¡¯s something that we can help with, Reina will let us know.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make me feel any less guilty,¡± Trim sighed. ¡°She¡¯s new and it was her first time on the plate. We were supposed to guide her, protect her. We failed.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fa-¡±

    ¡°It is our fault. Just by looking at her you can see that she¡¯s been through something that we probably can¡¯t even begin to imagine. Don¡¯t you think that there¡¯s a chance that she might hate us for that? That we weren¡¯t there when she needed us?¡±

    ¡°It was just unlucky,¡± Svanda finally said after a brief pause, although she didn¡¯t answer the question. ¡°Rucille fooled all of us, Reina included. Don¡¯t beat yourself up over it.¡±

    ¡°Unlucky?¡± Trim asked with a wavering voice. ¡°This isn¡¯t a once off. Reina also sent her to KF-14 and look at how that turned out. This trip was about protecting her from the fact that her mugshot was posted up around a few thousand different towers in Luem, for her to de-stress so that she could forget about what happened. Instead the three of us got too tied up in the business side of things and now this is the result.¡±

    Trim took a breath and was about to continue until a light knock on the window stopped her. Turning her head, she saw that Aline stood on the other side of the glass with a serious expression on her face, and the two words that she mouthed to both her and Svanda were easy to lip read.

    Shut up.

    Reina, who was in the background, had also looked up. Her usual smile was obviously absent, but her face right now was still a mask which Trim couldn¡¯t see through. Maybe her words to Svanda had struck a chord with everyone inside, or maybe they just didn¡¯t want what had happened to be the catalyst for an even greater fallout. Nina¡¯s condition was putting pressure on them all right now, and as a group they weren¡¯t familiar with how to manage it. It was true that many of them had experienced loss before, and most of them had been through dark times at one stage or another too, but juggling the group¡¯s feelings as a whole instead of managing them as isolated cases was difficult.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Usually there was at least one person who could be positive, someone who hadn¡¯t been involved in whatever had happened and as a result they could put out a much needed hand for support. This time, however, there were all in the same boat together and unless Nina¡¯s condition improved significantly, Trim didn¡¯t think that there would be anything that could pull them out of their current mood besides time.

    Reina¡¯s attention turned back to the doctor as he spoke a few more hushed words before beginning to pack up his suitcase. The second doctor who had been leaning over Nina also began to pack up while speaking a few words to Jade about what Trim assumed was her heavily bandaged shoulder. Typical of doctors, they packed up quickly and efficiently, and after only a minute Reina was already leading them to the door which would take them out to the street behind the house. When Reina finally opened the front door for them, Trim also opened the door between the balcony and the living area and stepped inside with Svanda close behind her.

    ¡°So?¡± she asked Jade and Aline who both sat on the couch. As it was a large L-shaped setting, Nina had room to lie on one side while they could sit on the other. Trim had asked the question with the intent to read Aline¡¯s expression like how she had tried to read Reina¡¯s, but unfortunately, she had just as much luck as she did before.

    ¡°Wait,¡± was all Aline had to say before closing her eyes. Jade¡¯s head was on her shoulder, and together the two of them looked as though they were at least doing slightly better than Trim was. Aline was still relatively neat in the dress that she had initially worn down to Zaffre¡¯s Moat, while Jade had changed into a small pair of blue shorts and an oversized white singlet. Brown bandages were wrapped all the way from her shoulder up to her neck, and currently she was breathing lightly with a peaceful expression on her face.

    Saela, as usual, was doing her own thing, although her own thing right now was probably sleeping in one of the bedrooms downstairs. While her frosty attitude had returned once Nina had been rescued, it was clear to the rest of the group that the series of events had taken a toll on her despite her best efforts to hide it. As a result, Reina had left her to do her own thing within the house over the last two days since they had arrived and they hadn''t seen much of her since. To avoid Ormain finding them they had even left their usual safehouse vacant and had instead rented this house which was on a different mountain. Between sorting that out and this morning they had been frantically searching for a doctor that would visit them, and it was by chance that they had eventually succeeded.

    ¡°It¡¯s viral,¡± Reina said without waiting for Trim to ask the question as she reappeared. "Highly likely that it¡¯s synthetic. Unfortunately there isn¡¯t a whole lot we can do besides keep her comfortable and hope she can fight it off.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that we just have to sit here and hope she doesn¡¯t die?¡± Trim asked incredulously. ¡°They¡¯re not even going to try something?¡±

    ¡°The doctors said that trying something might jeopardize the situation,¡± Reina replied bluntly, although it was obvious that she wasn¡¯t happy with the verdict that the doctors had given her either. ¡°All we can do is make sure that she is comfortable, fed, and hydrated to the best of our abilities so that she can focus on fighting whatever is going on in there right now.¡±

    The group was silent as they all looked down at Nina who was drawing shallow breaths on the sofa. She didn¡¯t look to be in pain like before which was a good thing, and the doctor had also drawn a small series of dots around the sickly-yellow splotch on her chest. Apparently if the mark started to shrink it would be a good sign that she was winning the battle.

    ¡°I know it sounds a little dark,¡± Reina continued. ¡°But the doctors said that because she hasn¡¯t died already¡­ her chances of surviving are promising.¡±

    Trim breathed a sigh of relief, although she didn¡¯t know if she should really be doing so just yet. Any good news, however, was something that she would gladly take right now. She had noted that there was a big difference between simply surviving and making a full recovery, but that wasn¡¯t something that she was willing to dwell on right now.

    ¡°Duties then,¡± Reina said with a light clap of her hands as she looked around the room to everyone present. ¡°Aline and Trim, you¡¯re on the shopping. Don¡¯t stray any further away from the house than you need to and come back as soon as you¡¯re done. Dress appropriately while you¡¯re out of the house and try not to attract any attention.¡±

    Aline looked down at the dress that she wore with a wry smile before nodding in Reina¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Svanda, you¡¯re on meals.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Svanda frowned before chuckling. ¡°I¡¯ll try to make something edible.¡±

    ¡°All three of you are on Nina duty too,¡± Reina added. ¡°Take her down to the empty bedroom and make sure she gets plenty to eat and drink. You can feed her with the equipment that the doctors left behind. I don¡¯t care how you split up the workload, but I want at least one person with her around the clock, so make it happen.¡±

    ¡°What about me?¡± Jade asked.

    ¡°Your duty, like Saela¡¯s, is to rest,¡± Reina replied as she folded her arms. ¡°You¡¯ve earned it, so follow the instructions from the doctor and wait for your shoulder to heal.¡±

    ¡°That will heal?¡± Trim asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Didn¡¯t you have like¡­ a trench dug out from your shoulder?¡±

    Jade scowled at Trim as her eyes narrowed. ¡°It was shallow, alright? I just need to keep applying whatever ointment this is from the doctor apparently and it will heal over, although it will probably leave a scar. Stuff stings like hell though.¡±

    ¡°Consider yourself lucky,¡± Reina said as she glanced at the bandages over Jade¡¯s shoulder once more before turning to face Trim and Svanda. ¡°Alright, get Nina downstairs and comfortable, it¡¯s time to wait this out and hope that she regains consciousness before Ormain and his friends come knocking on the door.¡±

 Chapter 071

    ¡°Been a while since we shared a room like this, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Svanda chuckled as she looked over to Reina who lay in the bed on the other side of the room, a grumpy expression on her face. ¡°Rise and shine.¡±

    a long time since they last shared a room. It had been a long time since she had shared a room with anyone. The thought caused her mind to wander back to the past as she tried to recall when it had been, but the details escaped her. It had been years, at least. Back then business wasn¡¯t so good, and together with Trim they had just been a few young women trying to find a foothold on the gigantic pile that was Neo Luesan society.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

 Chapter 072

    ¡°You¡¯re writing?¡± Svanda asked a couple of hours later as she sat down at the small dining room table. ¡°To who?¡±

    Reina pushed the piece of paper across the table instead of replying, using the break to flex her fingers a couple of times with a clawing motion. The house didn¡¯t have a computer, and as a result she had ended up resorting to a pen and paper. She didn¡¯t write by hand much these days, nobody did, but a short letter was easily manageable.

    Getting the letter to its intended recipient would be the hard part.

    ¡°He¡¯s here?¡± Svanda asked as she quickly ran an eye over what Reina had written before sliding it back to her. ¡°I thought he¡¯d be on Terminus.¡±

    ¡°Not yet. He¡¯ll wait until the last minute¡± Reina replied as she picked up the page before looking over her own writing for what felt like the millionth time. ¡°The view¡¯s a bit nicer here, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Svanda smiled but didn¡¯t respond. She could see where Reina was coming from, but part of her also didn¡¯t necessarily agree. Terminus certainly didn¡¯t have a reputation for being a scenic place, but that didn¡¯t mean that it was lacking its own sense of charm. Many people said that they couldn¡¯t see it, but in her opinion it was their own loss.

    ¡°You can take the woman out of Terminus, but you can¡¯t take the Terminus out of the woman, huh?¡± Reina smiled after examining Svanda¡¯s expression, seemingly clued in on what she was thinking. ¡°It¡¯s an interesting place.¡±

    The fact that the word ¡®interesting¡¯ could mean just about anything wasn¡¯t lost on Svanda, but she couldn¡¯t think of a decent response. Instead, she changed the topic back to the letter. ¡°How are you going to get it to him?¡±

    ¡°I was thinking of giving it to one of the doctors actually,¡± Reina replied as she folded the piece of paper in half before rummaging around in a small box beside her. Pulling out an envelope, she placed the letter inside before tearing off the thin film that protected the glue and then neatly sealing it up. ¡°I¡¯m sure that they can pass it onto someone who will deliver it if I throw enough money at them, discreetly too.¡±

    ¡°This would be a lot easier if he didn¡¯t change his phone every second week. You¡¯re not even sure if he¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll find out soon enough,¡± she smiled as she scribbled some details on the envelope before leaving it in the centre of the table. ¡°He¡¯ll come to us if he¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°You mean he¡¯ll come to you,¡± Svanda replied with a smirk as she leaned back in her chair.

    Reina didn¡¯t think that what Svanda had said was true, but it would be difficult to argue against it. She was, after all, the spearhead of The Cloud Orchestra, but her role as the lead negotiator couldn¡¯t attribute for everything. The man that she was contacting usually wouldn¡¯t bother with people at their level, so it would have been common sense that Reina herself would have to go to him. In what Julia had once described as ¡®truly privileged treatment¡¯, however, The Cloud Orchestra had quickly developed a relationship where they were the ones who ended up playing the role of the host. Svanda thought it was because Reina was both attractive and unmarried, and while she may have been partly right, Reina thought that it was more about the fact that everyone at The Cloud Orchestra was attractive in their own ways.

    ¡°Hopefully we won¡¯t still be here,¡± she finally said as she tapped the tabletop with a fingernail. ¡°The sooner we¡¯re off the mountain, the better.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Svanda sighed. ¡°Sitting around without being able to go outside is boring.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you could trade places with Nina,¡± Saela suddenly said from the couch. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be so boring, would it?¡±

    Her comment caused an awkward silence to descend upon them where even Reina was momentarily lost for words. They hadn¡¯t even thought that Saela was listening, but it seemed that she wasn¡¯t as absorbed in whatever was on TV as they had believed. Regardless, it still seemed out of place for her to assert herself on the conversation as she usually tried to avoid them, so Reina was wondering if the comment had struck a nerve.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that,¡± Svanda replied as she held up her hands in a casual gesture of surrender. ¡°Not at all.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    A cold snort escaped from somewhere under Saela¡¯s hood as she stood up. Reaching for the remote so that she could turn off the TV, she then dropped it on the sofa before heading for the stairs without bothering to look either of them in the eye. ¡°If you saw what she was really like that night, you¡¯d be giving her as much time as she needs instead of trying to get us out of here as soon as possible,¡± she said as she stopped on the top step. ¡°You¡¯re lucky that the fall into the moat knocked her senseless, because before that it was horrible. She was conscious, you know?¡±

    Reina and Svanda watched in silence as Saela disappeared down the stairs.

    ¡°Kind of, at least¡­ if you could call it that,¡± she added from somewhere below. After another moment her footsteps were no longer audible, and finally Reina and Svanda looked over the table to one another in the silence.

    Svanda frowned while Reina wore a complicated expression. As Jade, Saela, and Trim had said nothing about it, they truly hadn¡¯t known the finer details on what had happened. Trim wouldn¡¯t have known either judging by Saela¡¯s comment, which would match up as Trim had already talked the two of them through what had happened from her perspective. Aline may have also known, but she was also the kind of person who would have reported it to Reina if she thought that the information was critical. That was especially true where Nina was concerned, and now Reina was frustrated but wary at how Jade and Saela hadn¡¯t passed this information over to the doctors.

    She was frustrated because the doctors needed all the information they could get, and if they had described what state she had been in before, it could have shed additional light on her condition. Jade, however, was busy being treated and let Aline do the talking for her while Saela had disappeared to sleep. Reina, like everyone else, had simply assumed that she had been in the same state when they found her and was only finding out now that they had been wrong.

    On top of being frustrated, however, she was wary because if Jade hadn¡¯t mentioned it, it must have been bad. Not just a little bad either, but bad enough that she probably wanted to ask Nina before she said anything to the group as a whole. She didn¡¯t even want to begin to think that she had been violated, but Jade¡¯s reluctance to speak up combined with Saela¡¯s uncharacteristic hard-headedness about the issue were leading her into thinking that it was plausible.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think anymore,¡± Svanda sighed as she put her forehead on the table. ¡°Should we go and check on her?¡±

    ¡°Not now,¡± Reina replied as she stood up. ¡°It will just look like a sympathy visit after what Saela said.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that exactly what it would be?¡±

    ¡°Just give it some time, it¡¯s going to be your shift to watch her soon anyway,¡± Reina reminded her as she crossed the living room before pushing her way out onto the balcony. While the breeze drifted around inside through both the fans hanging from the ceiling and the large open windows, it was stronger on the balcony. The scent of salt was also more noticeable, but despite the pristine view and the sunny weather that bathed the plate in light, Reina was brooding.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to ask me if she said anything, aren¡¯t you?¡± Aline asked with a yawn as she tilted her head to look into Reina¡¯s eyes. Obviously she had also heard what Saela had said, and as a result she was in an awkward position. Aline was expressionless, but Reina didn¡¯t know if that was just a reflection of the fact that she was drowsy after sleeping away the morning in the hammock or not. It was true that she wanted to ask, but being second-guessed had caused her to change her mind so instead she stepped up to the railing.

    ¡°No,¡± she finally replied after pausing for a moment as she looked out across the ocean. ¡°I trust that everyone will tell me the things that I need to hear.¡±

    Aline¡¯s expression turned into one of amusement after she heard the reply before she leaned back into the hammock once more, staring at the thatched roof above them. ¡°If it makes you feel any better, I don¡¯t know anything either. Does that help?¡±

    ¡°Maybe a little.¡±

    ¡°A little is better than nothing.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡±

    The two sat in silence for a while as time passed, each occupied by their own thoughts. That¡¯s what Reina thought at least, although she didn¡¯t know if Aline had fallen asleep again or not. She didn¡¯t have anything to discuss anyway, so instead she examined the islands in the distance one by one to the best of her ability. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t have any binoculars and as a result she couldn¡¯t see further than the closest few islands, and as interesting as they were to look at, they weren¡¯t where she wanted to go. When the time came, she wanted to move far away from the hustle and bustle of the mountain and set up on a small island in the distance. Ormain hopefully wouldn¡¯t be able to find them once they had disappeared into the island maze, and they could also be a little more comfortable while Nina recovered at the same time.

    Her ears pricked up when she heard a clattering downstairs. She didn¡¯t know what it was, but she hoped that nobody was causing a racket that would disturb Nina. Saela, Jade, and Trim were all downstairs right now, and while she thought that Trim was asleep, anything could happen right now considering how tense everybody was.

    The clattering, however, seemed to move instead of stop. Up the hall it went before it hit the stairs, and soon it had already made its way up as a rather stressed-looking Jade appeared in the kitchen. It only took her a moment to see that Reina was outside, so while ignoring Svanda who had a confused expression on her face, Jade dashed across the living area at a pace which certainly wouldn¡¯t be doing her wound any good before she threw the door open.

    ¡°Reina,¡± she said between pants as she clung to the door handle. ¡°She¡¯s awake.¡±

 Chapter 073

    ¡°I¡¯d like you to clear out the entire restaurant for the next two hours,¡± Selius said with a blank expression as he leaned on the counter while tapping his foot on the tiles that surrounded the front desk. ¡°Now.¡±

    ¡°Twenty thousand,¡± replied the stout woman with bronze skin that stood behind the counter after she had spent a second to process what he had said. Chewing gum lazily with a disinterested look, she examined Selius and his group before sighing. ¡°What, you can¡¯t afford it?¡±

    ¡°Of course I can afford it. Do you know who I am?¡±

    Selius¡¯ statement caused her to raise an eyebrow, but Rucille wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of the first or the latter half of what he had said. He¡¯d already tried this spiel in three other places only to be met with a range of similar responses, and it looked like this was about to be the fourth.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know who you are,¡± the woman said it as though it were obvious. ¡°Pay up, sit down like everyone else, or get out.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll sit thanks,¡± Rucille said quickly before Selius dug himself into an even deeper hole. At this rate he would stubbornly lead them around the entire mountain before they eventually died of hunger, and she certainly didn¡¯t want to be a part of it. With a meal in mind, she purposely ignored the heated glare from Selius that she could feel on her back as she walked across the restaurant floor and sat down at a large round table.

    ¡°I¡¯m in charge of this trip,¡± Selius reminded her as both him and the rest of their group sat around the table beside her. One of the first things that they had done was change into an assortment of clothing that was more appropriate for the climate than what they had brought with them, but the thin and often revealing clothing didn¡¯t do much to conceal the rifles that most of them carried. People didn¡¯t seem to be particularly afraid of them however, which led Rucille to believe that openly carrying weapons wasn¡¯t an issue.

    Selius himself carried an ornate metallic pistol that was probably more decorative than it was practical, wearing it as though it were a piece of jewellery over a neat white shirt and a pair of clean black pants. He must have been rather warm considering the sun, but apparently his image of the well-dressed leader of the group was more important than his own comfort.

    The rest of the group had dressed more practically. Rucille had opted for a lime-green skirt which hung just below her knees and a peach shirt with short sleeves. A thin white shawl had been draped around her neck, but it did nothing to hide the pair of small ivory pistols that were clipped to her white belt, one on each hip. She had also found a pair of thin brown sunglasses which she was quickly becoming attached to, but they were something that nobody else in the group seemed to understand even after she explained that they weren¡¯t just cosmetic.

    The other six members of their team, all members of the Royal Guard, had settled for basic combinations of short sleeved shirts and shorts in a variety of colours. Rucille had found herself explaining to one what a palm tree was when he pointed to his shirt, but the rest of them had fortunately opted for either solids or basic patterns made up of pastel colours. Besides their white skin and the standard Royal Guard issue rifles slung over their shoulders, they actually looked rather unassuming.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re in charge,¡± she replied as she casually picked up a menu. ¡°I¡¯m just showing you how things work here so that you can make better decisions in the future.¡±

    Selius snorted while Rucille hid a smile in turn. The fact that she had said ¡®better decisions¡¯ in reference to his choices so far obviously wasn¡¯t lost on him, but at the same time his lack of response was an indirect way admitting that he needed the assistance. Her role in the group as some kind of advisor was something that she certainly found quite entertaining, but she also knew that as soon as Selius thought he had a grip on things, he would immediately try to put her back in place.

    ¡°Decide on what you want to eat,¡± she said to everyone while tapping the menu in front of her. ¡°Let me know when you¡¯re done.¡±

    She used the time while they were occupied to examine the restaurant. It was a breezy open space due to the arches that were set into the walls, while thin white curtains danced in front of them with the breeze. Behind them she could see the vast ocean which continued to amaze her, especially how it was a light shade of blue before gradually turning dark as it stretched away to the horizon. An array of wicker seating was spread out across the wooden floor which had traces of sand on it, while white cloth was draped over much of the furniture which was probably to protect it from the weather. The roof was steeply pitched so that it rose up high above them, and as a result the fans overhead were mounted to a lattice of timber which hung five or so meters overhead. Considering that it was lunchtime it probably wasn¡¯t bad that they only had some forty or so people scattered around the space, and while they were mainly dressed in unassuming summer wear Rucille did note that about half of them were armed.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°What are zenberries?¡± Selius asked Rucille as he examined the menu with an unimpressed expression.

    ¡°You won¡¯t like them,¡± she replied with a light smile. ¡°Sour.¡±

    He didn¡¯t seem to like the fact that he was being told what he would and wouldn¡¯t like, but the menu was largely alien to all of them. Rucille was subsequently rattled with a series of questions as though she were an encyclopedia, so eventually she explained that much of the produce on the menu was native to Areinis and therefore she didn¡¯t know either. Perishables could often survive the trip through a few of the plates, so they had tried many foods from Neo Luesa and the Badlands but moving goods through all seven plates was both difficult and expensive.

    After managing to coax the group through the ordering process Rucille could finally sit back and relax as drinks were served. It had been a new experience for all of them, and she still grinned when she thought about when they had dropped through to the plate below. The rush of the freefall, the view of the horizon in the distance, and the reverent gazes that they had attracted from the commoners upon landing were all things that she would never forget. After they were on the ground, however, Selius seemed to be intent on making the remainder of their experience as forgettable as possible. It still hadn¡¯t seemed to sink in for him that he wasn¡¯t royalty here who could simply do as he pleased, and as a result the general public attitude towards him had left him irritable.

    ¡°Tell us about Areinis,¡± he finally said after he was served a drink that he actually liked. It had only taken him three tries, so Rucille hoped that he stuck to it instead of trying to find something better. He¡¯d probably be bitter when he learned that he had also been charged for the two he had rejected, but learning things the hard way would be good experience.

    That¡¯s if he even read the bill.

    ¡°Areinis is known as the sunshine plate,¡± she shrugged. She thought about what they would want to know and what they wouldn¡¯t, but eventually decided to just give them the basics. ¡°All human settlement is built around a ring of five mountains which are known as the Five Fountains: The Wind Fountain, the Earth Fountain, the Fire Fountain, the Water Fountain, and the Light Fountain.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re on one of them now, right?¡± asked one of the guards. Although they had all introduced themselves to her already she had immediately forgot who was who. Was that Graslich or Lucan? Maybe it was Piore.

    ¡°Right now we¡¯re on the Earth Fountain,¡± she replied. She hadn¡¯t known that either when they had arrived considering that they all looked very similar from the air, but asking a local hadn¡¯t been hard. ¡°Each Fountain has a fairly similar social standing and is governed independently, although as a general rule it is more expensive to live higher up on the slopes.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the powerful want to live at the bottom?¡± Selius frowned. ¡°Flatter terrain, closer to the other mountains, and it¡¯s also closer to the ocean.¡±

    ¡°Mmm, you would think that,¡± Rucille smiled. ¡°But there¡¯s a reason they¡¯re called the Five Fountains and not the Five Mountains. You all know what a volcano is, right?¡±

    Seeing the general nodding from the group, Rucille continued even though she wasn¡¯t sure if they were being honest as Zaffre¡¯s Moat didn¡¯t have any. ¡°The Five Fountains are similar to volcanoes, but instead of magma they channel fresh water up from an aquifer beneath the seabed. Each Fountain has a large crater lake at its peak, and the fresh water flows down through rivers which support life on the plate.¡±

    ¡°What about the islands?¡± another guard asked. Was that Traval, or was it Fenm?

    ¡°Everyone on both the islands and the boardwalk settlements around the fountains needs to purchase water or collect it themselves, as far as I know. I¡¯m not sure if it rains regularly or not here, but that would also be an option.¡±

    The group paused in thought for a moment as their food was brought over. Rucille aside, they had all ordered relatively similar dishes which used ingredients from their home above, so it seemed that they weren¡¯t planning on being adventurous just yet. It wasn¡¯t that surprising that there was so much of their local food available, now that she thought about it too. It would be easy for travellers to buy produce from the farms around Zaffre before transporting it to Areinis below, and they could probably make a neat profit while they were at it.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve heard enough,¡± Selius said with a raised hand. ¡°How do we find Nina?¡±

    Rucille smiled inwardly as she wrapped some pasta around her fork. Mixed into the sauce were a bunch of ingredients that she had never tried before, but to her, trying new things was one of the finer things in life.

    Looking up at Selius with a grin on her face, she raised the fork to her lips. ¡°Isn¡¯t that your job?¡±

 Chapter 074

    ¡°We need to talk,¡± Selius said to Rucille as they stepped out from the restaurant. His tone was surprisingly calm considering the icy expression that he wore, but if he thought that a glare was all it would take for her back down then he was sorely mistaken. She had probably pressed a few of his buttons already while carefully probing her way through their recent discussions, but the unveiled attempt to poke fun at him during lunch was quickly looking to be the final straw.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    What surprised her next, however, was that instead of concluding their transaction and leading the group outside, Selius instead turned and looked back to them.

 Chapter 075

    Nina sighed as she looked through the window to the street below. As usual, a steady stream of umbrellas moved along the footpath, the rain that swirled in the breeze lashing down in sheets. As she watched the monochromatic procession of blacks and greys jostle amongst themselves, she frowned when she noticed the time on the clock in the reflection.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, does it?¡± a voice behind her asked. ¡°You¡¯re not going to work today.¡±

    Nina¡¯s gaze moved along the reflection. The clock, her anchor of sorts, was now replaced by a woman who was sitting at the dining table with a casual smile on her face. Nina couldn¡¯t see below the tabletop, but she already knew what was there. White pants that were tight on the woman¡¯s calves and a pair of brown leather boots to match. Above the table, in a stark contrast to the greys and whites of Nina¡¯s life, the woman wore a red shirt that was buttoned up high on her neck while a flowing white cravat was wrapped around it.

    Rucille.

    ¡°I can make it,¡± Nina replied as she turned to face the interior. Like she had been in the reflection, Rucille sat unmoving at the table with an unreadable expression, although her dark and intelligent eyes slowly tracked Nina across the room when she set off. They didn¡¯t have to move far, however, as Nina¡¯s trip to the bathroom soon stopped in the centre of the room before she dropped to her knees.

    ¡°We both know it,¡± Rucille said as Nina slumped to the floor. ¡°That you¡¯re sick.¡±

    Nina, who was clad in a simple black t-shirt and shorts, felt as though her limbs were turning into stone. At this rate she would quickly turn into a statue at the centre of her own living room, and Rucille seemed content to simply sit there and watch it happen. Not only was she being kept from fleeing, the enemy had also invaded the safe space which was her apartment.

    It was already obvious that she was dreaming. Rucille of course wouldn¡¯t simply turn up in her apartment as though nothing had happened in any sane series of events, so the conclusion wasn¡¯t particularly hard for her to reach. The problem, however, was that Nina couldn¡¯t escape it no matter what she tried. Forcing herself to wake up had been fruitless, and what was more worrisome was that she couldn¡¯t bend the events of the dream to her will either. Control, something that ultimately governed her life, had not only been pried away from her, it had been snatched from her in a place where she was supposed to be god.

    ¡°Get out of my head,¡± she growled as her forehead touched the floor while both of her palms pressed against the floorboards. ¡°You don¡¯t belong here.¡±

    Rucille smiled before placing her elbows on the table, clasping her hands together and then resting her chin upon them. The air about her was casual, almost dismissive as though Nina were simply an animal on the other side of the glass. It was strange to be looked down upon in such a manner, and thoroughly unpleasant too. This was her world inside her own mind, so where was her confidence?

    ¡°That¡¯s a little rude, isn¡¯t it?¡± Rucille asked, seemingly unfazed by the statement. ¡°You invite me here and then suddenly I don¡¯t belong?¡±

    ¡°Why would I invite you?¡± Nina replied to the question by spitting out her own. She felt that her strength was gradually returning, although lifting her head from the floor was already difficult enough. It was almost as though invisible weights were slowly being retracted from her limbs, but she still couldn¡¯t work out why.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be asking yourself that?¡± Rucille fired back with a smile. ¡°Or do I need to tell you?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t believe anything you said, not anymore,¡± Nina groaned as she pushed herself back up to her knees. She wanted to stand, but the weight upon her seemed to prohibit her from moving further. It was almost like there was some kind of cap on what she could and couldn¡¯t do, but the main problem was that she didn¡¯t understand how it worked at all.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need me to tell you why I was invited because you already know the truth,¡± Rucille said as she raised the back of her hand to cover a soft chuckle. ¡°You might not want to admit it, but we both know that I¡¯m here because I¡¯m important to you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡±

    ¡°Not important? You¡¯re in a coma that you might never wake from Nina, all because of me,¡± Rucille said with a grin as she pointed to her chest. ¡°You think that your own life isn¡¯t important?¡±

    Nina ignored her words and instead used her arms to push herself up once more. The heaviness that she had been feeling had eased up slightly and as a result she somehow managed to get her bare feet flat against the floor. From there she managed to eventually stand, although she felt woozy like a drunkard as she staggered off to the left with very little control over her movements. After looking around for something to support herself on, she plodded erratically over to the closest available piece of furniture which also happened to be the table that Rucille was sitting at.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± she finally said to Rucille as she eyed the door. She didn¡¯t need to dress, didn¡¯t need to check the mirror, and certainly didn¡¯t need to remember the keys or anything else as she was only dreaming. Right now, the only thing she wanted was to escape the apartment, even just to feel the cold concrete walls of the fire stairs.

    Anywhere that Rucille wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°You can¡¯t leave,¡± Rucille replied with a light smile. ¡°I already called your boss to say that you were recovering. Wouldn¡¯t look very good if you went out and risked yourself in such terrible weather, would it?¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    Nina paused as she thought back to her boss from her old work. Balding, greasy, and ruthless when it came down to managing staff, he hadn¡¯t been a pleasure to work for at all even though he had seen the value that she had to offer. She never held it against him, however, as it was to be expected. Members of staff were just a number with an associated amount of capacity for work, nothing more.

    It was impossible for everybody to be somebody.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± she replied as she let go of the table and took a step towards the door. ¡°I quit.¡±

    If it was a dream, it didn¡¯t matter. She wasn¡¯t on Caecus, she didn¡¯t have her old job, and she was never going to see Rucille again either if she could help it. This room wasn¡¯t something that she wanted to feel uncomfortable in right now, and so any attempt to change the scenery was welcome. Maybe it wasn¡¯t even the usual hallway behind the door, and instead there was The Cloud Orchestra¡¯s office in Luem. It was a dream, after all.

    ¡°You can¡¯t quit,¡± came a voice as the door to her apartment opened. Initially Nina had wanted to look past the figure to see what lay beyond, but when she saw who was standing there her focus locked onto a very familiar expression.

    Wearing her usual black lab coat over a neat white shirt and a pair of cream coloured pants, her current boss turned to face her. Deep red hair that reminded her of wine flicked over her shoulders as her head rotated, while the pair of brown eyes that it framed met her own.

    ¡°Reina¡­¡±

    ¡°Sit down, you look horrible,¡± Reina said as she closed the door. Crossing the room while acting like there was nothing wrong at all, she took the seat at the dining table which was directly opposite from Rucille.

    ¡°Thanks for coming out so quickly,¡± Rucille smiled. ¡°Would you like some tea?¡±

    Reina rejected her offer with a shake of the head before she turned her attention to the window and the dreary weather beyond it. Nina felt better after seeing her in the dream and it was reflected through the fact that she was feeling lighter, although it still hadn¡¯t done enough to settle her nerves. Rucille and Reina were being amicable, and that was something that shouldn¡¯t be happening even in a dream.

    ¡°I¡¯m just here to make sure she¡¯s alright, I was concerned after your call,¡± Reina finally said as her attention returned to Nina. ¡°On that note, it seems that she¡¯s fine. Good to see you Nina, get well soon.¡±

    Reina rose from her seat to Nina¡¯s alarm before making her way back across the living space towards the door. Nina saw Rucille grin while she remained at the table, and as a result she suddenly had a bad premonition. Awkwardly dragging her legs across the floor towards her, Nina found herself doubled over and wheezing by the time Reina had reached for the handle.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go,¡± she managed to spit out between breaths. ¡°You can¡¯t leave me here with her.¡±

    Reina turned to face her with a smile before she casually stepped over and placed a hand up on her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Rucille is a doctor who knows a lot more about your condition than I do. Rest up and I¡¯ll see you soon.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Nina mumbled as she felt a tear begin to pool at the corner of her eye. ¡°You can¡¯t leave us here alone.¡±

    ¡°Alone?¡± Reina asked before pausing for a moment. ¡°If you¡¯re concerned about being alone with the doctor, I can arrange for security.¡±

    Before Nina could respond, she was already tapping on a phone that she had pulled from her pocket. She was quick, and after only a moment she smiled before pocketing the device and stepping back over to the door. Nina was still uncomfortable with Reina leaving, and ¡®security¡¯ could mean basically anyone considering how dreams usually panned out. Hopefully Svanda or Trim would step through the door, but anyone who she could consider as a friend would be welcome right now.

    ¡°Take care,¡± Reina said with a smile as she reached for the door handle. ¡°You too, doctor.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Rucille replied, although Nina remained silent. Staring at the floor, she simply nodded but didn¡¯t look up as she heard the ever-familiar creaking of the door to her apartment. Her desire to see what lay beyond the door had evaporated the moment that Reina said she was abandoning her to her fate, and now all she could do was hope that the dream would end.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± a voice said as the door opened the moment after it had closed. It was as though it was revolving, where one exits the stage only to be immediately replaced by another. This, however, was a little more frightening than a regular performance. Who would her mind end up dragging through the door?

    The man¡¯s black boots sounded heavy on the floor as he stepped inside. Unlike Rucille, his dress of white pants and a heavy white coat actually complimented the d¨¦cor, something that was further highlighted by his neat black hair that was swept up in a wave. Deep blue eyes which quickly scanned the room before resting on Nina and a strong jawline rounded off a person that Nina would have called the perfect security if it wasn¡¯t for who he was. Charming, attractive, and just as dangerous, the man strode over to the paralysed Nina in the centre of the room before placing a single finger underneath her chin.

    ¡°Ormain,¡± Rucille said with a tone which carried a hint of dissatisfaction. ¡°You¡¯re late.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect her boss to turn up. Are we still on?¡±

    ¡°We are, let¡¯s get started,¡± Rucille smiled as she stood up for the first time since Nina¡¯s dream had begun. ¡°Hold her.¡±

    Already petrified at being so close to Ormain, Nina was helpless as he quickly spun her around before grabbing her at each elbow. Unable to resist his immense strength, her feet kicked and dragged as he pulled her across the floor before unceremoniously dumping her into one of the chairs at the table. While he had been doing so, Rucille had smoothly withdrawn a slim white briefcase from under the table and had popped it open to reveal an array of both syringes and glass vials full of liquid.

    ¡°Cut her shirt open,¡± Rucille said to Ormain casually as she ran a finger along a row of syringes before smiling in Nina¡¯s direction. ¡°It¡¯s time we continue, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Feeling her heart begin to race, Nina struggled but only found that Ormain¡¯s grip was like iron. Even if her legs could move and kick the underside of the table, the points where Ormain had gripped her on the elbows failed to move even a centimetre. Locked into the chair, tears now began to flow freely as she managed a single question through the sobs.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Rucille frowned with a puzzled expression on her face as she sat on top of her, pinning her legs to the seat. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask this last time? You¡¯re special to me Nina, I need you.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Nina managed to spit out as her chest heaved. ¡°Not this.¡±

    ¡°Exactly this,¡± Rucille replied with a smirk. ¡°This is your dream, remember? You invited me here, and you also invited him here. That¡¯s pretty messed up, isn¡¯t it? Imagine having to tell your friends that when your mind dredged through whatever pitiful memories you have locked up in here, it picked the two of us.¡±

    ¡°Get out of my head.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s flattering, really,¡± Rucille hummed as she reached for one of the syringes that sat on the table. Briefly turning her attention to Nina¡¯s chest for a moment, she then lined up the needle before looking into her eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll have to tell the real me what you thought.¡±

    With a smile, Rucille drove the syringe into the centre of Nina¡¯s chest.

 Chapter 076

    When Nina¡¯s eyes fluttered open, the first thing that she saw was a boring brown ceiling above her. It wasn¡¯t glossy and white, for which she was certainly glad, but at the same time she knew that there was no reason to be optimistic. Rucille, for all she knew, could be standing right behind her.

    The first thing that she felt was an intense cramping pain in her chest.

    Groaning as she struggled to reach for it, her hand weakly fought against the weight of the blanket as she dragged it across her stomach. Her sense of touch told her that she was in a bed, but it looked like her eyes weren¡¯t going to be helping her any time soon as she felt even weaker than she had been in her dream. Calling it a dream was probably a bit generous, maybe nightmare would be more fitting, but either way it seemed that whatever had been going on in her head was finally over.

    ¡°Nina?¡± Jade asked as she quickly appeared in her vision. Half of her chest and most of her shoulder had been bandaged, and now she only wore some light summer gear over the top. ¡°Can you hear me?¡±

    Nina¡¯s weak nod in response sent Jade flying for the door. She wondered why she would be moving so fast while her arm was bandaged up like that, but she didn¡¯t have the strength to ask. The fact that she didn¡¯t have the strength to ask questions right now was quite unfortunate too, as there were about a million of them currently swimming through her head.

    ¡°Relax,¡± Saela said from somewhere off to the side. Nina recognized the voice but couldn¡¯t see her, although the squeaking of a chair from the same direction as the voice led her to assume that she was sitting in the corner. What Saela was doing at her bedside was another question that quickly added itself to the steadily increasing list, but right now there was one burning question highlighted at the very top of it that she desperately needed an answer for.

    ¡°Nina,¡± Reina said with noticeable relief in her voice as she pushed her way through the door. ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    Following her into the small bedroom was Svanda, Aline, and Jade. Trim was the only one missing right now, but that was just another question that would be answered in due time. Reina had asked how she was, but answering with anything more than a nod or a light shake of her head was probably beyond her right now. Instead, after waiting for them to surround the bed, she mustered up her strength and forced out the question that she most wanted to know the answer for.

    ¡°Ru¡­cille?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s gone,¡± Reina quickly consoled her as she reached for Nina¡¯s forehead. ¡°You don¡¯t have to see her again, it¡¯s safe now.¡±

    Nina didn¡¯t see how avoiding Rucille, however they had managed it, would also sort out the very large safety issue of Ormain and his team. She wouldn¡¯t point it out though, firstly because they might be dead already if she was lucky, and secondly because she didn¡¯t have the strength to refute them anyway. Her head was throbbing rather painfully and it felt like there was an elephant sitting on her chest right now, and that was also before she mentioned how it felt like she was lying in a pool of sweat.

    At the same time, Rucille being out of the picture was a lot of stress off her shoulders. What had happened between them in that glossy white room was something that she might not ever fully come to terms with, and her recent nightmare had done nothing but compound her fears. Rucille was nothing but a demon in disguise, a demon that hopefully she would never meet again. Even in a dream.

    ¡°Can we get you something?¡± Svanda asked as she leaned over the bed. Nina¡¯s gaze slowly rolled over to her, her eyes scanning the grey shirt and olive pants before she looked up to see the genuine concern on her face. Suddenly, however, she realised something. Svanda was from Terminus, and if what was running around in her system now was truly what Rucille had said it was, there certainly wasn¡¯t any point in taking any risks.

    ¡°A...Away,¡± she managed to whimper, although the breath which carried her voice felt like it had been squeezed out from her chest. It hurt to inhale anything more than a shallow breath right now, so speaking was a rather excruciating experience. Getting anyone from Terminus away from her right now in case she could somehow infect them, however, was surely the priority.

    ¡°Me?¡± Svanda asked with a hurt expression as she leaned further forward over the bed. She quickly withdrew, however, as a pained wail escaped from Nina¡¯s lips as soon as she did.

    ¡°Give her some space,¡± Reina said as she put her arm out between the pair of them. Svanda, who was noticeably upset, withdrew to stand behind Jade with a strange expression on her face despite the fact that she seemed intent on staying in the room. Nina hated to do it, to sow some kind of doubt in her head that she had done something wrong even temporarily, but when the truth was finally revealed they would see that she had their best interests at heart.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    Revealing the truths was a different problem to tackle. There was a mix of urgency to tell the group about everything she could, but stretching herself while she was in this condition would probably end up hindering them in the long run. Judging by the group¡¯s evident concern for her, she¡¯d already concluded that they hadn¡¯t really known what to do with her and they obviously hadn¡¯t found a cure either. If even Saela of all people was here looking after her, there must have really been some panic.

    If her thoughts were correct, her fate had simply come down to a battle between herself and whatever Rucille had decided to attack her with. It was downright frightening now that she thought about it, as the chance that she would have never woken up had been a real possibility. She was, however, alive. No heart rate monitor quietly beeping in the corner, no doctor or nurse in scrubs leaning over her, no tubes strapping her to the bed, and no whitewashed room that reeked of disinfectant either.

    Right now she had exactly what she needed - a comfortable bed in a comfortable room surrounded by the few people on the seven plates that actually cared about her. She didn¡¯t know how long she had been out, what had happened after she had fallen unconscious, how she had escaped from Rucille¡¯s clutches, or even where she was right now, but despite all the other concerns that lingered in the back of her mind she had faith that everything would turn out alright.

    The Cloud Orchestra? They could do it, and they would do it. Ormain could be left clutching at straws if he was still alive for all she was concerned, while Rucille was apparently already out of the picture. Reina was reliable, so maybe it was alright to be feeling a little optimistic even though her chest still felt like it was about to collapse.

    ¡°Is it just Svanda?¡± Reina asked. Nina was appreciative that she had asked her question in a basic yes or no format, but despite her good intentions she couldn¡¯t answer. It wasn¡¯t because she was incapable of moving her head, but simply because she wasn¡¯t completely sure if Svanda was the only person on the team who was originally from Terminus.

    She tried to speak, but little more than a hiss managed to escape from her mouth. Reina quickly saw that she was struggling, and immediately leaned over the bed and placed her ear by Nina¡¯s lips. It surprised her, to suddenly be so close where her smooth skin was only centimetres away from her face, and her eyes instinctively ran down her neck as the soft fragrance from her hair entered her nose. It was relaxing in its own kind of way, but Nina wasn¡¯t sure if she felt like that because she had been starved of close relationships or Reina was simply enchanting. Maybe it was a combination of the two, but what she did know for sure was that now wasn¡¯t a time to be side-tracked.

    ¡°Term¡­¡± she managed to say. It would have been nice if she could have been a little more forceful, but a raspy whisper was all she was capable of right now. She would get there eventually, even if she needed to take one syllable at a time.

    ¡°Term?¡± Reina asked. Nina couldn¡¯t see her lips move as her vision was filled by the side of her head, but at least Reina could understand what she was trying to say.

    ¡°Nus¡­¡± she finished after taking a few shallow breaths. Done, her head sank back into the pillow, although it wasn¡¯t like she had been able to lift it very far at all in the first place.

    ¡°Term. Nus,¡± Reina mused as she stood back up. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°Terminus, obviously,¡± Saela said matter-of-factly. ¡°Which would mean that the problem isn¡¯t Svanda, it¡¯s where she is from.¡±

    Nina managed to nod slowly, thankful that someone had managed to fill in the blanks so that she didn¡¯t have to. If Svanda or anyone else for that matter ended up catching what she had, she wouldn¡¯t be able to live with herself. She had survived somehow, but if what Rucille had said contained any truth then it was highly likely that someone from Terminus wouldn¡¯t be as fortunate. Hopefully it wasn¡¯t contagious, but she wouldn¡¯t be risking it until she was sure.

    ¡°You can infect people from Terminus?¡± Reina asked rather impatiently as she glared at Svanda. Svanda, however, had also clearly realised the implications of Saela¡¯s conclusion rather quickly and was already half way to the door. Opened and then closed, the room was left in silence, only this time there was both one less person and a whole lot more tension.

    Seeing that Nina wasn¡¯t answering with a nod or a shake of her head, Reina sighed before turning to look at the rest of the group. It was almost as though she was asking them what to do with her, but again it seemed that Saela beat the rest to the punch.

    ¡°How could she be sure?¡± she asked as though she could read Nina''s mind. ¡°Who knows what Rucille jabbed her with?¡±

    Reina frowned, which made Nina feel guilty. She didn¡¯t want to cause problems, and she certainly didn¡¯t want to create a rift in the group where two of the members couldn¡¯t work together. She hadn¡¯t asked for this, but right now all she could do was pray that whatever Rucille had done to her was something that she would be able to fully recover from. If it wasn¡¯t, not only would her time in The Cloud Orchestra more than likely be over, her time working in any role which could come into contact with people from Terminus would be over.

    ¡°It just gets better and better, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Saela finally said with a sigh. Standing up, she placed her hands in the pockets of her hoodie before casually strolling over to the door. Pausing at the handle, she suddenly turned back to the rest of the group, although her eyes were locked with Reina¡¯s. ¡°If she¡¯s going to infect anyone from Terminus with whatever is going on inside her right now, how are we supposed to get through the next plate?¡±

    Saela stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her. Nina, Jade, Aline, and Reina were the only people who remained in the room, stewing over what Saela had said in the silence. It was a massive obstacle to overcome if what they feared turned out to be true, but at the same time they knew that it was still only an ¡®if¡¯.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get in touch with the doctor,¡± Reina said as she looked to Nina with an expression that was difficult to read. Maybe it was pity, maybe it was concern. She seemed pensive, so maybe it was even a combination of the two. ¡°Aline, look after Nina. Jade, you¡¯re still supposed to be resting, so take it easy.¡±

    Seeing the pair both nod, Reina gave Nina a weak smile before she headed for the door. ¡°Rest, everything will be fine.¡±

 Chapter 077

    ¡°So you don¡¯t remember?¡± Jade asked with what seemed to be a tinge of relief in her voice. Sitting on a chair beside Nina¡¯s bed, she placed her hands on her knees as she leaned forward with a look of contemplation. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s for the best.¡±

    After waking up, Nina had laid in bed while hardly moving for an hour or so before finally falling asleep once more. It was frustrating as she felt lethargic due to her lack of strength, but at the same time the pain kept her in a state of semi-alertness. Jade and Aline had stayed with her until she fell asleep, but once she had woken up a short while later she found that only Jade remained.

    After Jade brought Saela downstairs, something that Nina had initially been surprised by, the pair of them had talked her through the series of events that had taken place between her abduction and when she had woken up. Nina had already learned beforehand that she had been unconscious for days, but what scared her most was when they told her about her initial condition in the lab. Apparently she had been responsive to a certain extent until they had crossed the wall, so was she awake at the time? If she had been conscious, there was a chance that the memories might return to her eventually, although maybe she didn¡¯t want them to return in the first place.

    Memories of her escape with Jade and Saela would be welcome additions so that she could see exactly what they had to go through to rescue her, but memories from before they had found her strapped in the chair were not.

    What she could remember was already more than enough to have a profound impact on the rest of her life. Reina and the rest of the team had already profusely apologized for leaving her alone while Rucille abducted her, but deep down she knew that if anyone was to blame it was herself. She had known that leaving the district was against Reina¡¯s instructions, and she had also known that the prince¡¯s appearance was strange. Ignoring the warning signs, she had put her faith in two people who she hardly knew and as a result she had paid an exorbitant price.

    Saela¡¯s role in the rescue mission fascinated her. By the time Jade finished narrating their daring escape which Saela had singlehandedly orchestrated, Nina was already seeing her in a different light. It was difficult to look past the oversized hoodie, the confrontational attitude, and her bitter expression, but maybe she had given Saela less credit than she deserved. She certainly hadn¡¯t forgotten about the time when she had threatened her in the office courtyard, however, so her final verdict on their relationship would have to wait. It was a step in the right direction, sure, but it wasn¡¯t enough to paper over all the cracks just yet.

    After her mind wandered back to the present, Nina finally shook her head in response to Jade¡¯s question although she felt like it was cheating. To just forget what had happened while everyone around her had launched a rescue effort to pull her out of a situation that she was responsible for wasn¡¯t something that sat well with her, but there wasn¡¯t much else that she could do. Right now she had to focus on things that she could do, so her current goals were to rest up, get out of bed, and tell the group about what Rucille was planning. It probably wouldn¡¯t end up being in that order, but as long as she could somehow check off all three boxes then she would at least feel like she was making progress.

    The pain subsiding would be a nice way to start things off, although it seemed like she was asking for a little too much. Her chest felt as tight as it did when she had first woken up while her head still throbbed steadily, but apparently among all the pain there was some good news. A doctor, which Nina had no recollection of, had drawn some marks on her chest around the sickly splotch that was there and apparently it had started to contract. A sign of recovery, Jade had said it was, although Jade had been doing so much talking during the past hour Nina was beginning to forget parts of it. Saela had been relatively silent during their session, while Nina herself couldn¡¯t talk. Jade didn¡¯t seem to have an issue with it though, although Nina was surprised that Saela hadn¡¯t walked out. Maybe she felt obligated to stay.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Reina said that the doctor will be around as soon as possible,¡± Jade continued as she leaned back in the chair and stared at the ceiling above her. Maybe it was her way of subconsciously connecting with Nina on another level where they were both looking at the same thing, or maybe her neck was just sore from staring at her for so long. Nina¡¯s surroundings had certainly been bland since she had woken up, although the drab brown of the ceiling was a lot better than either the white of the lab or the reddish-black from the inside of her eyelids.

    ¡°Do you think we could sit her up?¡± Jade asked Saela with a contemplating expression. ¡°We could get Svan¡­ I mean Trim to prop her up against the bedhead. At least she would be able to look around a little bit more.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t try anything until the doctor has seen her,¡± Saela said as she dismissed the idea before standing up. ¡°I¡¯m going to go and get some fresh air, see you soon.¡±

    Nina heard the door open and close before a low snort came from where Jade was sitting. Even if Jade was displeased, Nina didn¡¯t have any complaints and she was surprised that Saela had managed to stay with them for so long. She would have to properly thank her once she was able to, but it wasn¡¯t something that she was looking forward to either. Just the thought of the two of them sitting down together to have a conversation left her feeling anxious, but that was just another hurdle that she would need to overcome. If anything, it was a chance to build a relationship with Saela and furthermore it would probably be her one shot at it. If she didn¡¯t thank her now, Saela would surely see her as unappreciative and withdraw even further.

    ¡°I tried,¡± Jade said with a wry smile as she leaned back in her chair, rocking the front two legs off the ground. ¡°If you managed to survive a high dive from the district wall and the subsequent swim, I don¡¯t see what sitting up is going to do.¡±

    A smile cracked Nina¡¯s lips. It was very welcome right now as they had been in short supply, but laughing was something she¡¯d rather avoid. Thankfully Jade hadn¡¯t tried to crack any jokes, which was uncharacteristic, but then again Reina had probably told them not to.

    ¡°And if that that wasn¡¯t enough of a high dive, I could also mention the real dive. The drop to Areinis, that is.¡±

    Nina hadn¡¯t heard much about Areinis from the discussions that happened in her room, but she had picked up a few titbits. The warm weather was something noticeable due to both her thin blanket and the clothing that everyone else wore, but she hadn¡¯t been able to see outside yet. Would it match up to the pictures from the book she had back on Luem? The scent of the ocean also hung in the room, but while she occasionally heard the sounds of birds she couldn¡¯t hear the crashing of waves below them. Were they far from the beach? Was there even a beach in the first place? Her list of questions was beginning to rival the amount that she had when she first met The Cloud Orchestra, and that wasn¡¯t something she was looking forward to checking off. Some of the questions she had back then hadn¡¯t even been answered yet.

    ¡°An unconscious skydive,¡± Jade mused. ¡°At least it will make for a good story.¡±

    The pair sat in silence for a moment as Jade thought. Saela wasn¡¯t around to at least provide curt responses anymore, and Nina wasn¡¯t exactly the best partner for a conversation. The fact that Jade had managed to keep going for so long already deserved credit, but as Nina was unable to steer the conversation it was difficult. Jade had to second guess what she wanted to know about, and while she had done a pretty good job so far it seemed like she had run out of steam.

    She was finally saved as the door opened to reveal a rather tired-looking Trim. Nina had learned that she was asleep when she had initially woken up which explained her absence at the time and judging by the discussion from before she couldn¡¯t have slept for more than a few hours. She was awake now though, and it seemed like Nina¡¯s room had been her first destination.

    Nina expected words, but none came as Trim simply pulled over the chair that Saela had been using before sitting down next to Jade at the bedside. When her face finally entered Nina¡¯s vision she immediately saw the bags under her eyes and the tired expression, although currently a light smile played at the corner of her lips.

    ¡°Welcome back,¡± she said quietly after pausing for a moment as she placed a hand on the blanket above Nina¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re still with us.¡±

    As though Jade could sense that she had been cut out of the moment, she stood up and stretched with a yawn before stepping in the direction of the door. After opening it, however, both her and Trim looked over to see that standing on the other side was Reina, her hand still outstretched for the door handle which was no longer there. Straightening herself up with a wry smile on her face, she looked over to Nina. Not that she would know that.

    ¡°I managed to get through to the doctors,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯ll be here in half an hour.¡±

 Chapter 078

    It had only taken the doctors twenty-five minutes to arrive in the end, but Reina could have sworn that the wait had been longer than an hour. Still dressed in clean white shirts and equipped with the same briefcases as before, they had given Reina a curt nod before she brought them downstairs to the bedroom. Fortunately Nina had still been awake, and so with a methodical approach the pair of doctors rattled off a series of yes no questions as they conducted their examination.

    Stern-faced and silent besides a few quiet questions and some jargon that Reina couldn¡¯t understand, the doctors were impossible to read, and the subsequent lack of hints left her with nothing to do but wait for them to finish. She had initially cleared the small room out so that the doctors could have some space, but the result was that she had been left alone to fruitlessly watch their expressions for any clues on Nina¡¯s condition.

    Thankfully the wait wasn¡¯t too long. Most of the groundwork had already been done on their previous visit according to the doctors, and so besides asking Nina a few questions there wasn¡¯t actually that much else for them to do. The fact that their questions were a lot more concise than anything they had been able to ask her certainly helped, and as a result they were probably able to form a decent picture of her condition in a short period of time. Only twenty minutes after they had first stepped into the bedroom, the final briefcase was latched shut as the doctors both stood and gave Reina a brief rundown of the situation as she led them back to the door.

    ¡°So?¡± Jade asked as Reina stepped back into the bedroom. The group had piled in to check on Nina as soon as the doctors had left only to find her asleep, so now their attention quickly turned to Reina as she was the only person who would be able to shed some light on the situation. She wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if they had tried to listen in on the conversation when the doctors were leaving, but she would only be able guess what they had and hadn¡¯t heard.

    ¡°Well I guess that¡¯s a good sign at least,¡± Saela said with a blank expression as Svanda stepped into the room behind Reina. It was evident to everyone present due to the smile on her face that she was relieved, and it was almost certainly due to the fact that Reina had probably just told her that Nina didn¡¯t pose any risk to her.

    It was looking like Terminus wouldn¡¯t be so much of a problem after all.

    ¡°She¡¯s sedated at the moment, but she should recover,¡± Reina finally said as she stopped at the foot of the bed. ¡°If everything goes to plan, she¡¯ll be a bit more comfortable by the time she wakes up tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Get out of bed comfortable?¡± Jade asked.

    ¡°Be carried out of bed comfortable, if we¡¯re lucky,¡± Reina replied as she looked around at the group. ¡°The doctors have given me some serious painkillers for her if she feels the need, but I¡¯d rather not use them. Something tells me she¡¯s going to want to keep away from medicine for a while, but we¡¯ll wait and see. Who¡¯s going to watch her for now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Svanda said with a slightly sheepish expression as she raised a hand. ¡°I haven¡¯t had the chance yet.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Reina nodded as she turned for the door. ¡°Everyone else, there¡¯s nothing to see here unless you¡¯re keeping Svanda company. As Nina¡¯s sedated, she won¡¯t be waking up until tomorrow morning.¡±

    Ignoring the orderly shuffle of chairs behind her, she exited the room before heading upstairs. Early evening light filtered through the shutters to create strips of shade across the living room floor, but she didn¡¯t pay them any attention as she pushed her way through the door to the balcony. It was slightly cooler outside than it had been downstairs, but it was still warm enough to warrant the loose summer clothing that they had all adopted. ¡®Pleasant¡¯ was probably the word she would have used if she needed one, but how she felt was irrelevant right now as she sat down on one of the canvas chairs that was by the window before looking out to sea.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    The sun would set on the other side of the mountain, but that worked for her. Sure, she would miss the moment when the sun dipped below the horizon, but now she had an unimpeded view of the sky which stretched across the horizon with a tinge of pink running through it. Like a gradient it continued upwards as a seamless blend of colour, and no matter where she was, it was always something that amazed her no matter how many times she looked at it.

    It was amusing to think that she was often up there, high in the sky above the world, but at the same time it was strange because you couldn¡¯t fully appreciate it unless you were below it.

    What she admired was ultimately intangible.

    ¡°Nice, isn¡¯t it?¡± Trim asked as she opened the door. Instead of sitting, she walked to the railing before placing her hands upon it and leaning forward, staring out across the ocean. ¡°Don¡¯t get skies like this in Luem.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we do, and you just don¡¯t see it,¡± Reina replied as she leaned back in her chair. ¡°How about we camp out on the roof of JE-22 and find out?¡±

    ¡°If SuTSU caught us up there we¡¯d be admiring the sky in the Badlands before we knew it.¡±

    Reina chuckled before letting out a sigh as she closed her eyes, enjoying the gentle breeze that drifted across the balcony. It was relatively quiet now as the hubbub of the day was behind them, although she could still hear muted voices from some of the nearby houses. Somebody close by must have been grilling meat on the balcony as the scent reached her nose, and the thought suddenly made her remember that they hadn¡¯t organized dinner yet. Svanda was usually responsible, but if she was going to be looking after Nina then something else would need to be arranged.

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± Trim said at almost the same moment before pausing. ¡°Svanda isn¡¯t cooking?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to figure something out. Do you have any ideas?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    Reina frowned as she thought about what to do. Maybe she would just send Trim and Aline out to the shop as usual and tell them to buy whatever they felt like. Surely someone could put something edible together using whatever they brought back, even if it wasn¡¯t amazing. Trim, however, was clearly tired.

    As if on cue, the door to the balcony opened as Saela¡¯s head appeared, her black hoodie still pulled up over her head. Reina didn¡¯t know how she survived in the heat, but if she was comfortable then she reasoned that it didn¡¯t matter. What did matter was that Saela was here, and if Saela was here then she probably wanted something.

    ¡°Can I go outside?¡± Saela asked quietly. ¡°Just for a little while?¡±

    Reina paused as she studied Saela¡¯s expression before a slight smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She knew what Saela wanted, and she wouldn¡¯t particularly feel bad about using it to her advantage either. Maybe it was even a win-win if you looked at it from the right angle, although Saela¡¯s poor habits were something that she would have to iron out sooner or later.

    ¡°On two conditions,¡± Reina finally said after she pretended to think it over for a moment.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°First, get changed before you head out. Go with something that¡­ fits in a little more.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    ¡°Second, bring some food back, enough for everyone. I¡¯ll give you the money for it after.¡±

    Saela frowned when she realised that she had just been roped into food duty, but quickly straightened herself up before nodding and disappearing back inside. Through the window, Reina watched on as she crossed the living room while taking an absentminded look into the kitchen before heading down the stairs.

    ¡°You know she wants to go and have a smoke,¡± Trim said quietly as she turned around and leaned back against the railing. Running a hand through her hair before she began to idly play with her ponytail, a wry smile appeared on her face as she looked at Reina. ¡°She didn¡¯t have a choice but to say yes.¡±

    Reina shrugged in response as though she was the one who hadn¡¯t had a choice. ¡°I have to let her vent every once in a while. It¡¯s killing two birds with one stone as far as the food is concerned, and this way I can leave my window open at night without hearing her duck down the side of the house.¡±

    ¡°Ooh,¡± Trim chuckled. ¡°Busted.¡±

    ¡°It will only turn awkward if she realises,¡± Reina replied as she pushed herself out of the chair. ¡°She¡¯s still young, so there¡¯s time to work on things.¡±

    ¡°Hard to think of her as young when you heard about what she did during the rescue,¡± Trim shrugged. ¡°But maybe I shouldn¡¯t be so surprised after I think about what she usually gets up to in her spare time.¡±

    Reina grasped the door handle before opening the door to the living area. ¡°She¡¯ll come around eventually. Come on, let¡¯s get the table ready and we¡¯ll see what she turns up with.¡±

 Chapter 079

    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into her?¡±

    ¡°Who knows, maybe this is what she¡¯s really like.¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s even wearing an apron¡­¡±

    Rucille ignored the muted voices coming from the living area as she hummed a carefree tune. It was understandable if they thought she was putting on a brave face in the wake of Selius¡¯ recent announcement, but the truth was that she was genuinely happy. Selius might have pulled a fast one on her earlier today, but once they had arrived at their rather lavish accommodation he had immediately put her on food duty and for that she was glad. His logic that ¡®it¡¯s a woman¡¯s job¡¯ didn¡¯t sit particularly well with her, but the end result was more important so decided not to correct him.

    The kitchen was a rectangular space consisting of about six or seven square meters of timber floor with a U-shaped bench of black granite running around it. There were plenty of clean white cupboards with shiny steel handles, and the appliances were clearly a lot more modern than what the people were using on the plate above them. An open window at the end of the room let the warm summer breeze drift inside while giving her a view of a neatly trimmed lawn on the other side, and to her left was a wide serving window that looked out to the dining area. It was open enough for her to be able to have an idea of what was going on in the house, but at the same time closed enough so that she could mind her own business.

    A well-maintained kitchen wasn¡¯t that different from a lab when she thought about it. Clean benchtops, cupboards full of whatever utensils she would need, and an extractor fan above a stove. Cooking a meal and making a basic concoction like she used to when she was young shared a lot in common, and for that reason she felt rather comfortable. This would be her space from now on, and she wasn¡¯t about to allow anyone else to get their dirty hands on it.

    The only downside was the general consensus of the group indicated that should stick to ingredients sourced from their home plate above. She had stopped by the shop before and was amazed at the range of local ingredients on offer, but randomly throwing them together was something that wouldn¡¯t be earning her any plaudits. Trying different combinations of ingredients back at the lab was what got her to where she was today, but her opinion that trying new things was one of life¡¯s pleasures inevitably fell on deaf ears.

    ¡°Spatula, spatula, spatula¡­¡± she sang as she rifled through one of the drawers. The main difference between the kitchen and her lab was that in this kitchen she didn¡¯t know where anything was. It reminded her of her mother back when their relationship had been reasonable, although it had quickly soured when she tried to set her on the path of a homemaker. ¡®The difference between a house and a home is that you know where everything in your home is,¡¯ she had often said. Maybe there was some truth to it after all.

    ¡°Are you done?¡± Selius asked as his head appeared in the doorway, probably attracted by the aroma that had filled the dining room. Now that he was out of public view he had ditched his tight-fitting clothes in favour of casual summer shirt like the rest of them, although he still opted for pants for some reason. One step at a time, she guessed.

    ¡°Sorry, not yet,¡± she smiled as she finally found what she was looking for before turning her attention back to the pot on the stove. ¡°Soon though, could you set the table?¡±

    Selius looked at her with a strange expression that seemed to ask why he of all people would do any actual work. Left with no choice but to sigh inwardly and reach for a stack of plates, she placed them in the serving window before dropping a pile of cutlery on top.

    ¡°Get someone else to do it then,¡± she said while trying to hold her smile. ¡°It¡¯ll be ready soon.¡±

    True to her word, Rucille finished her cooking around five minutes later. The large pot of traditional Zaffre stew was complete, and proud of her handiwork she brought it to the dining room to find that everyone was already present and seated. The men were talking idly as she entered the room, but her entrance attracted their attention. First it settled on her, but quickly it settled on the pot that she placed at the centre of the table.

    The dining room was rather basic in comparison to the kitchen with a hardwood floor and a large rectangular table for eight in the centre. The only ornamental features were a decorative cream rug which sat under the table and a small but tasteful chandelier which hung from the centre of the ceiling, but the open double doors which also led to the lawn outside provided some welcome contrast. The seating, however, was a little strange. Usually there would be three seats on each of the long sides of the table and one at each end for a total of eight, but Selius had apparently decided to change that. While he himself sat at one end, the seat from the other end had been removed and squeezed in on one of the sides instead. The resulting setup was that while four of them would be crammed into a space designed for three, Selius wouldn¡¯t have someone sitting opposite him.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    A typical head of the table.

    ¡°Sit,¡± he said in reference to the only available chair, which just happened to be the one directly to his left. It wasn¡¯t lost on her that at a traditional Zaffre table this seat was reserved for the wife, but there were no other options and she knew that Selius would hold it against her if she commented. Obediently taking her place at the table, she paused before looking up as she realised that the room had turned silent. It seemed that Selius¡¯ declaration about their relationship-to-be was finally sinking in for the rest of the group, but quickly one of the men cleared his throat before reaching for the ladle.

    ¡°So you can cook,¡± Selius finally said as Rucille ladled stew into his bowl. She had done it without being asked as she assumed that he wasn¡¯t planning on dishing up for himself, and his lack of thanks proved that her assumption had been correct. It wasn¡¯t a problem, however, as she was quickly done and so she proceeded to serve herself before sitting down.

    ¡°I guess so,¡± she replied as she reached for her spoon. ¡°It¡¯s not that hard if you follow a recipe, quite like science.¡±

    About to dip her spoon into the stew, she stopped as Selius reached for her bowl. Swapping their dishes over without a word, he gave her a wry smile before proceeding to sit there with an expectant look on his face, ignoring the strange gazes from the rest of the group. Rucille resisted the urge to grin, and instead pretended as though nothing had happened as she dipped her spoon into what had been his bowl.

    ¡°Can¡¯t be too sure of things, right?¡± he asked with a smile as he patiently waited for her to take a mouthful.

    His question was awkward. She assumed that it was his way of intentionally causing the rest of the group to have second thoughts about trusting her, but at the same time it was a game that she didn¡¯t mind playing. His comment had caused the table to fall into silence as the group waited to see her reaction, so she simply shrugged in response before giving him what he wanted by continuing to eat as though there wasn¡¯t an issue. If Selius had concerns about her to the extent that he would swap their plates around, he could have simply gone to a restaurant or had someone else do the preparation instead of wasting their time. Instead, he was using this as an opportunity to drive a wedge between her and the rest of the group that he could take advantage of.

    Selius smirked as he placed a spoonful of stew in his mouth, obviously satisfied with the tension that he had fabricated. By drawing a line between Rucille and the rest of the group, he could not only monopolize her but he could also permanently damage her chances of becoming a leader at the same time. Apparently he had already identified the fact that she was the strongest personality among them apart from himself, so knocking the competition down a peg while he could was a logical step that she would have taken too.

    The group ate in silence for a minute or so, but as a result Rucille was finding it hard to keep a straight face. She could already see the opening signs of what was to come, but she pretended to be unaware as she innocently continued to make her way through her bowl. Someone would tip them off soon enough, and when they did she would be interested to see their reactions.

    She didn¡¯t have to wait long.

    ¡°This¡­?¡± one of the men asked. Lucan, Fenm, or maybe Graslich, she didn¡¯t know who it was. His arm was slow, almost mechanical as he tried to raise his spoon from the bowl. Halfway up to his mouth, however, it slipped out of his hands as it crashed onto the table, the noise distracting the rest of the group as they too began to panic.

    ¡°What is going on?¡±

    ¡°My arms?¡±

    Already too late to act, the men quickly found that their legs were also rapidly losing functionality in the same fashion. The colour quickly drained from their faces, and most of the horrified gazes made their way across the table to where she sat with a leisurely expression. One moment they had been fine, yet the next they had lost control of themselves before they even had a chance to react.

    Rucille finally cracked a smile as one of the men topped from his chair, his limbs frozen in place at awkward angles as he came to rest on his side. Dropping her spoon onto the table rather audibly now that the moment was finally hers, she breathed a sigh of relief as she stood up from the table.

    ¡°You¡­¡± Selius hissed through clenched teeth. His limbs were now largely unresponsive like the rest of the group, and his attempt to claw for the pistol that was strapped to his hip was in vain as Rucille took the chance to walk around behind him.

    ¡°Did you really think it would be that easy?¡± she asked with a tinge of condescendence in her tone as she placed her hand on top of his head. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who worked out that positions mean nothing here.¡±

    Selius tried to respond, but he was having difficulty forming sounds now. Rucille didn¡¯t care, however, as she felt that there was very little to be said between them. From the moment that they had dropped through to Areinis and abandoned their home above them, only one of them was destined to survive as the person that they currently were. Rucille, however, wasn¡¯t going to let go of her dreams. There was a whole world of experiments out there waiting for her. Selius could be damned for all she cared; she wasn¡¯t going to give herself up as soon as she had been let out of her cage.

    ¡°You lose,¡± she said with a smile before she gripped Selius¡¯ skull and then smashed his face down into the half-empty bowl of stew that sat before him.

 Chapter 080

    Selius¡¯ face smashed into the bowl before him with a crash, although Rucille wasn¡¯t sure if the sickening sound from the impact came from his nose of the tableware breaking. Maybe it was both, but she didn¡¯t particularly care either way as she eyed the remaining stew that had splashed across the table with a look of contempt.

    ¡°Did you think I was going to just lay back and take it?¡± she asked Selius, fully aware that he was incapable of replying. A guttural moan of sorts escaped from his lips, although his nose was still buried in what remained of the stew at the bottom of the shattered bowl. ¡°What made you think that I was going to do nothing while you treated them like servants, and me like a whore?¡±

    She paused to look up for a moment, her gaze returned by the horrified looks from the paralysed members of the Royal Guard around her. It would have been easier if she could have left them out of this, but Selius was slippery and she didn¡¯t want to give them a chance to interfere. The toxin would eventually wear off, and hopefully by then they had decided that following her wasn¡¯t the worst idea after all. All she had to do was treat them a lot better than Selius did and she would hopefully be able to earn their loyalty.

    In the end they would realise that it was better to have the monster on your side of the fence.

    ¡°The rest of you will be fine. It will wear off soon enough and we¡¯ll continue as we were like nothing happened,¡± she said to console the group with a dismissive wave before her attention turned back down to Selius. ¡°With one less person, that is.¡±

    Selius was completely incapable of resisting as Rucille tightened her grip on his skull before yanking his head upwards. Stew which mingled together with the blood from his nose dripped down his face, while small pieces of vegetable dangled from his fringe and brows. It was a sorry sight considering who he had once been, and now that Rucille thought about it, she was getting excited. Selius Zaffre, the second prince, was now completely at her mercy and there was nothing that anybody could do about it.

    The king was powerless here, and her father could keel over dead tomorrow for all she cared after how he had thrown her to the wolves during the investigation. Her sister could easily find a new husband, and she should probably even thank her while she was at it for ensuring that she didn¡¯t have to marry such a poor excuse for a man. It would be perfect, now that she thought about it. After completing her mission she would return triumphantly to the fanfare of the nobility, and Rucille Inin would soon become a legendary figure in Zaffre¡¯s history.

    The only unfortunate side to the tale would be that each and every one of her team sadly died along the way to protect their way of life, and Selius¡¯ sacrifice had been the most valiant of all.

    ¡°Being a prince left you na?ve, Selius,¡± she said coldly. ¡°You¡¯re not used to games with real consequences, to politics where your father can¡¯t just bail you out when you screw it up. The castle coddled you into thinking that you were so damn good that nobody could outsmart you in the long run, and it also hid from you the fact that sometimes there aren¡¯t second chances.¡±

    She smirked as she tightened her grasp, feeling the thick strands of hair strain against her fingers. Selius had thought that the world would bend for him, but a title wouldn¡¯t earn you respect while money couldn¡¯t bring you back from the dead. It wasn¡¯t about the world bending for you, it was about bending the world yourself.

    Her research would achieve that.

    ¡°I have an entire plate of people to test my virus on right beneath our feet, and you wanted to turn me into a housewife?¡± she spat as she slammed his head back into the table. A pained grunt escaped once more as his face smashed into the broken remnants of ceramic, but Rucille didn¡¯t care as she ripped his head back again to leave him stiffly leaning back in his chair.

    ¡°But why aren¡¯t you like this Rucille?¡± she asked with a mocking tone as she guessed the question that was in his head. ¡°Why, why, why¡­ it was the same food, right?¡±

    Selius¡¯ movement was limited to his eyes and a twinge in his neck, his chin now sinking down towards his chest. He watched on helplessly as Rucille strolled out of the room, although he certainly wasn¡¯t optimistic enough to believe that this was over. Rucille wouldn¡¯t let him live, not after this, and even if he could get on his knees and beg right now he didn¡¯t think it would do him any favours.

    ¡°It¡¯s because of this,¡± Rucille said as she returned with a sleek white briefcase in her hands. Placing it on the table before Selius, she popped it open to reveal a line of syringes nestled in foam packing, the liquids inside them a variety of colours. Two slots in the foam, however, were empty.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Leaning through the serving window to the kitchen, Rucille opened one of the few draws she could reach before withdrawing the two missing syringes. One was empty besides a few drops of a clear purple liquid, while the other still contained a reasonable amount of a milky golden substance. After placing the pair back into their vacant housings, Rucille lightly tapped her finger on the empty syringe.

    ¡°This is what¡¯s in the stew,¡± she said with a smile as she bent her knees so that she could look into Selius¡¯ eyes, trying hard not to laugh at the chip of ceramic that was now embedded in his forehead. ¡°Fast-acting paralysis after a brief delay, my own recipe as a matter of fact.¡±

    While Selius had been careful, he hadn¡¯t been careful enough. If he had instead decided to wait for five minutes while the rest of the table ate, maybe he would have discovered what she was planning before it was too late. It was true that he had pushed Rucille into a corner where she had been forced to act before he attacked her in the bedroom, but his plan to crush her attempt at resistance when it came had spectacularly backfired when he had let her slip under his guard. Selius had known it as well as she did, that only one of them could survive as the person that they currently were. The difference between them, however, was that while he simply wanted to crush her into submission, she was willing to completely wipe him from the equation.

    The fact that he¡¯d tried to swap their bowls told her that he had been expecting this. The problem was that while he thought he was being clever to catch her out, he had instead ended up playing straight into her hand.

    Rucille chuckled softly as her finger slowly moved over to the other syringe that she had replaced before lightly running her finger along it, the milky golden liquid within slightly rippling. ¡°This is what¡¯s in me, added before I sat down of course. Naturally, it counters what I added to the pot.¡±

    The room was silent as Rucille stood back up and stretched her back, the gentle sigh from the breeze that drifted in the only sound to accompany the tired yawn that escaped from her lips. She still had work to do though, so while ignoring the frightened eyes that looked on from around the table, she clicked her briefcase closed before taking another look at Selius¡¯ sorry state with a thin smile on her lips.

    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s about time for me to wrap this up,¡± she said as her eyes quickly scanned the table. ¡°The toxin is probably going to wear off soon, and I don¡¯t think I ever want to hear another word from your pathetic mouth again.¡±

    Picking up one of the larger shards of broken ceramic from the table, she inspected the sharp edge with her finger before testing it for flexibility. Seemingly satisfied, she turned back to Selius and gripped him by the top of the head before dragging it back.

    ¡°I would have liked to run some tests on you, but I don¡¯t have the time,¡± she said with a slight tinge of regret as she tightly gripped the piece of ceramic with her free hand. ¡°It wasn¡¯t fun Selius. Not at all.¡±

    With a small cry, Rucille stabbed the shard of ceramic high into Selius¡¯ exposed throat.

    ¡°Guess that¡¯s that,¡± she sighed as she removed the shard of ceramic, pausing for a moment to admire her handiwork. He would die well before he could move again if the unpleasant gurgling sounds emerging from the bloody hole in his throat were anything to go by, so she finished up by pushing his head forward so that he flopped down on the table. Stepping back with a smile on her face, she paused as she thought about what was next.

    ¡°Now¡­. where was I?¡±

    Rucille¡¯s thoughts clicked together before she turned and disappeared from the room, leaving the rest of the witnesses at the table paralysed by not only the toxin, but also fear. The cheerful tune that she had been humming in the kitchen earlier drifted back through the halls of the house, and soon it gradually became louder once more as she reappeared in the doorway.

    ¡°Nobility is worth nothing here,¡± she reminded them as she casually stepped around the blood which was beginning to pool on the floor. Ignoring Selius who was slumped over and making sounds that she¡¯d probably rather not listen to, she placed a shimmering card in the centre of the table along with an empty glass vial. ¡°There¡¯s money on here, and it¡¯s quite a bit too considering that the king issued it. The toxin should wear off in around fifteen minutes, so once you¡¯re mobile you can spend what¡¯s here as you wish.¡±

    After making sure that at least a few of them had heard what she said, she turned for the door. ¡°I¡¯m in charge now, but I don¡¯t care what you do in your own time. Whores, booze, fighting, whatever, as long as it doesn¡¯t happen in this house. Try not to spend it all at once, and don¡¯t kill each other.¡±

    Selius had finally been taken out of the picture, so now she could finally breathe a sigh of relief. She was the boss now, and if anyone from the Royal Guard didn¡¯t like it she didn¡¯t mind sending them in Selius¡¯ direction.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few hours,¡± she said over her shoulder as she stepped out of the dining room. ¡°Make sure this mess is cleaned up by the time I get back and fill up the vial with his blood too. I might need it later.¡±

    A grin appeared on Rucille¡¯s face as she walked up the hallway before stepping out of the house, her finger running over the second shimmering card she had found which was now in her pocket. She was out of the cage, her leash had been cut, and she had also managed to secure a bankroll that was larger than what a small company would have. Life had never been better, and now that the distractions were out of the way she could begin to plan a new strategy to find Nina.

    After she spent a couple of days putting her feet up, that was. She had earned it.

 Chapter 081

    ¡°It¡¯s nice, isn¡¯t it?¡± Trim asked as she leaned back on a canvas chair, smiling absentmindedly as the ocean breeze drifted over them. The sun was already hanging high up in the sky despite the fact that it was only mid-morning, while the residences and businesses around them were slowly springing to life.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Nina replied softly. Lying back in the hammock which hung in the corner of the balcony, her head was propped up by a cushion from the sofa so that she could look out over the ocean. Her joints remained stiff and her head still throbbed occasionally, but at least the tightness around her chest had loosened a little. It was a significant improvement.

    After she had told Reina that she was feeling up to it, she had finally been given the OK to be carried outside.

    Areinis had turned out to be something that the pictures in ¡®The Seven Plates¡¯ couldn¡¯t accurately portray. The warm salty air, the blue skies, and the mesmerising stretches of blue water all combined together to form something that had left her entranced. It was fascinating when she compared it to the blacks of Caecus, the greys of Luem, or the reds of Sandscale Pass, while even the endless green plains of Zaffre¡¯s Moat fell significantly short when it came to impressing her. If someone right now had asked her to pick a plate to live on for the rest of her life, she would have been very, very temped to pick here.

    And that was before she had even taken a step out of the house.

    She lamented the fact that she had been unconscious when they had dropped through from Zaffre¡¯s Moat. Trim had already told her that the view from above was stunning, and Nina believed her without a doubt. The islands that dotted the ocean as far as she could see already formed such an impressive sight from where they were up on the mountain, so from high in the sky it must have been incredible. She was already thinking about the next time she would have the opportunity to drop through so that she could finally see it for herself, but she also knew that she couldn¡¯t get too far ahead of herself. Coming back for a second time wasn¡¯t even something that was set in stone.

    ¡°Can I get you anything?¡± Svanda asked. She was sitting beside Trim, as was Reina, while Aline stood by the railing. Saela was watching TV again, while Jade was probably still asleep.

    Nina shook her head. Talking wasn¡¯t really a problem anymore, but she reasoned that it wasn¡¯t a bad idea to avoid it where she could until she felt a little better. She had taken up Trim¡¯s earlier offer to help her change though, so now she was wearing a simple black singlet and some navy shorts that only ran halfway down her thigs. The white sheet that Aline usually used when she was occupying the hammock had also been thrown over her, and now as she swayed back and forth gently she found that she was actually quite comfortable. A lot better than yesterday, that was for sure.

    Despite the fact that Nina was outside and somewhat functional, the mood that hung over the group was somewhat sour. It was almost strange considering the turn in their fortunes and the pristine weather, but the reason for the atmosphere was because Nina had brokenly relayed what Rucille had been talking about when she had been stuck in the lab. Svanda had of course been immediately alarmed at the thought of a lunatic being on loose with a weapon that could be used for genocide on her home plate, but at the same time she had been kept in check by Reina who had reminded her that they wouldn¡¯t be leaving Zaffre¡¯s Moat. The bigger problem, she had concluded, was that if Rucille managed to somehow complete her goal of developing a virus that would infect people from Neo Luesa, the power across the seven plates would shift drastically.

    They would be out a job too.

    The best solution that they had come up with, as crazy as it sounded, was to seek out Ormain. He would be intelligent enough to understand the implications of what Rucille was planning, and so there was a high chance that he would abandon his pursuit of Nina and hastily return home to report the news. It sounded ideal when they thought about how it would get Ormain off their back and deal with Rucille at the same time, but as a long-term solution to their problem it would create significant difficulties. SuTSU would almost certainly invade Zaffre¡¯s Moat when they learned of the news, and they probably wouldn¡¯t wait to verify if the information was true either.

    In fact, an excuse was probably just what they were looking for.

    There was also the problem that Ormain¡¯s team wouldn¡¯t just consider the death of their teammate as water under the bridge. Nina herself obviously wouldn¡¯t be relaying the information, but whoever did would be at serious risk of becoming a target for retaliation. Even sending the news indirectly through a letter or message had risks as it would be drawing a line between the two parties, and leaving any trails that could be traced wasn¡¯t something that they wanted to risk.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The biggest problem of all, however, was that SuTSU taking control of Zaffre¡¯s Moat would be disastrous for not only The Cloud Orchestra, but also for every other non-SuTSU party who wanted to travel through the plates in the future. If SuTSU managed to take control of the Royal District, the Merchant Guild, and the Farmer¡¯s Guild, they would instantly have a complete monopoly on the paths through to Areinis and wouldn¡¯t hesitate to use it for strangling anti-SuTSU activity.

    Unfortunately, it was another scenario which would also leave them out of a job.

    Going after Rucille themselves was probably impossible too. Not only would they have to do an entire loop through the seven plates to get back to Zaffre¡¯s Moat, they weren¡¯t even sure how reliant the whole program was on her in the first place. Nina had made it clear that she was the person in charge of the lab at the Inin Estate, but had Rucille already done enough work so that someone else would be able to take over if she was removed?

    That was if they could even get into the Royal District.

    ¡°Are we going to move soon?¡± Aline asked. ¡°Nina¡¯s better.¡±

    ¡°Not better enough,¡± Reina replied with a sigh as she looked over from the chair. ¡°We still need to work out where we¡¯re going too.¡±

    ¡°Have you even found anyone reliable to take us there yet?¡± Svanda asked. It would be useless if they took a boat out to a faraway island only to have their driver tell Ormain where they had been dropped off, so finding someone who wouldn¡¯t turn their head at a bribe was vital. Finding a trustworthy driver was more difficult than it had first looked, however, as they were usually fisherman or water transporters that didn¡¯t get paid too much to begin with. Money turned heads, especially with the less fortunate, and Ormain had already proved to them in the Badlands that he didn¡¯t mind using it.

    ¡°Just rent a boat and drive it yourself,¡± Trim said to Svanda with a playful smile. ¡°It couldn¡¯t be that hard, right?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell Jade,¡± Aline joked. ¡°She¡¯ll want to drive it.¡±

    ¡°Can I?¡±

    The group turned their heads as the door opened to reveal that Jade was standing behind it. Wearing a loose green shirt and a pair of orange shorts, she stepped out onto the balcony before walking over to Reina with a glint in her eye, the small skip in her step evident for all to see before she came to a stop.

    ¡°So-¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Reina replied flatly before Jade could even start her attempt to sell herself. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about driving a boat, and you don¡¯t know anything about the maritime traffic regulations either. An out of control boat with a group of women on it being stopped by the authorities would make for some interesting gossip for Ormain to hear, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    Jade frowned as her shoulders sank, turning around before slinking over to Aline who stood at the railing without a word. It had been a rather brutal shutdown even for Reina¡¯s standards, and therefore there was usually no point pushing for a different outcome. She was right after all. Jade had no clue what she was doing just like the rest of them, and there would also be more than usual at stake when Nina¡¯s fragile condition was factored in.

    ¡°Just let her learn,¡± Svanda said as she nudged Reina. ¡°We¡¯re going to have a few more days at the minimum before we¡¯re ready to go, so she can read up by then.¡±

    ¡°She has no experience driving a boat.¡±

    ¡°So does everybody else when they start,¡± Trim chimed in with a thin smile as she enjoyed the moment. ¡°It would be handy for someone on the team to be able to do it too.¡±

    ¡°One of you two should lea-¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t drive and shoot at the same time,¡± Svanda shrugged. ¡°Sticking someone else behind the wheel is our best option when you think about it. We¡¯ll pick up someone who can drive a boat for any other time we need, and it¡¯ll save us money in the long run because we won¡¯t be hiring drivers. It¡¯s more secure, and we won¡¯t have anyone second guessing what we¡¯re carrying around on a job either. It would open up a lot of work on this plate for when Ormain isn¡¯t breathing down our necks, and it¡¯s not like hanging around here for a little longer is that bad, is it?¡±

    Trim smirked at Svanda¡¯s comment. Saving money, developing skills for future use, and opening up avenues to more work were all priorities for Reina, so it would be difficult for her to argue her way out of agreeing to the proposition. Jade seemed to think so too, because her smile was gradually getting wider as Reina sat there in contemplation, her eyes occasionally drifting from Svanda to Jade and back.

    ¡°Alright, fine,¡± she finally sighed, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. ¡°If you can sufficiently read up on what you¡¯re doing by the time Nina recovers enough to leave, we¡¯ll do it that way.¡±

    Jade was already halfway across the balcony before Reina had even finished her sentence. Throwing open the door to the living area, she turned back to face them with a glint in her eye that the group would have associated with trouble more than anything else.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go buy some books,¡± she said, ignoring the fact that they weren¡¯t supposed to leave the house without Reina¡¯s permission. ¡°Just you watch. I¡¯ll be an expert before you know it.¡±

    Instead of reminding her that she needed permission to leave, Reina for once simply smiled as Jade disappeared in the direction of the front door.

 Chapter 082

    Three days later, Jade finally got her wish. Easing the boat away from the dock without even making an attempt to hide the grin on her face, she tested the throttle a little before steering the boat in the direction of the open water.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you sometimes, you know?¡± Svanda sighed as she looked over at Reina before taking a second quick glance around the interior. ¡°If you¡¯re usually such a miser, what was going through your head when you decided to buy a boat?¡±

    It was the question that everyone else had been thinking, although nobody had been brave enough to ask. It was as though they thought she would suddenly realise what she was doing and change her mind as a result, but now that they were out on the water it seemed that Svanda¡¯s inhibitions had evaporated. Not that any of them were complaining about Reina¡¯s choice, far from it, but they were still surprised at her sudden and unprompted decision.

    It wasn¡¯t a cheap one either.

    Straight from one of the many waterfront stores along the coast and into the water, the boat was just under twelve meters long and four meters wide. With a sky-blue hull that matched the clear ocean and a thin grey stripe to separate it from the pearly white interior, most ocean traffic would probably pin them as a rich group of friends out for a cruise. Trim had already seen one group of shirtless men steer a boat in their direction, but she was left chuckling when they quickly changed course after seeing Svanda¡¯s assault rifle casually slung over her shoulder.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long-term investment,¡± Reina replied from the second of the two seats up front. Wearing a wide straw sunhat and a casual grey dress, she was currently examining the series of instruments and dials on the woodgrain dashboard before her with what was probably feigned interest. Jade, who was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat beside her, was probably the only one who could read them all anyway. Well, half of them maybe, she would just have to learn the rest as she went.

    The rest of the group was seated around the wide U-shaped seat that sat behind the cockpit. Covered with light brown leather that proved to be an elegant contrast with the blue of the hull, there was a surprising amount of room for them to relax as they enjoyed the ocean breeze. Instead of looking inward at the boat¡¯s features, however, most them now looked out over the water in admiration as boats of all shapes and sizes cut in one direction or another. Trim¡¯s initial comment was that it looked to be completely at random, but Jade had assured them that there was actually some form of order to the chaos.

    The gentle hum of the inboard motors beneath them kicked up a notch as Jade experimented with the throttle a little more, soon settling the boat into a steady pace as they cut across the relatively flat surface. The sun which hung high above them reflected off the surface of the small waves as though they were glistening, and unlike the rest of the seats, Jade and Reina had a tinted windshield and a sunroof to keep the elements at bay. If it did decide to rain there was a smaller area in the front of the boat down a small flight of stairs, although currently what little gear they had was hastily strewn about down there in the relatively cramped space.

    Overall, the boat was much more than any of them had expected, but at the same time the reason for Reina¡¯s purchase lingered in the back of their minds. Svanda¡¯s comment that they could open themselves up to more work on the plate seemed to have gone much further than they had expected it to, and so the next time they returned without Ormain on their backs they would likely be worked to the bone. It wasn¡¯t exactly a bad thing to be out on the water, especially when the weather was this nice, but Nina in particular had her concerns about what kind of work they would get themselves tangled up in. Svanda had said that they could avoid questions now that they didn¡¯t need a driver, but avoiding questions in the first place was something that left her feeling sceptical.

    Running a hand through her hair, she turned back to look at the towering mountain behind them. She was sitting at the back beside the small gap in the seating which led to the swim platform, so now she had an uninterrupted view as she studied the rugged behemoth that had been their home for the last week or so. Aline had called it the Fire Fountain, although Nina didn¡¯t really understand why. It wasn¡¯t like she could see anything that resembled fire from where she sat, and she had been told it wasn¡¯t a volcano either. Maybe after earth, water, and wind they had just run out of other names that fit with the theme. It was certainly pretty though, like a multicoloured mosaic as houses, roads, and other structures littered the slopes at random. Apparently if Jade steered the boat around it to the other side, Nina would see that there were four more mountains that were equally impressive too.

    Their current destination, however, was as far away from the Five Fountains as they could get.

    ¡°If you buy it you get to name it, right?¡± Aline asked with a contemplative expression. ¡°What are you going to call it?¡±

    ¡°How about Jade of the Ocean?¡± Jade suggested as she steered around a sailboat that was leisurely drifting in front of them. ¡°It¡¯s fitting, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Reina raised an eyebrow at the suggestion but didn¡¯t reply as she instead sunk into thought. Her pause told the rest of the group that she either hadn¡¯t considered a name or couldn¡¯t come up with a good idea, and so while Jade¡¯s idea had might have been rejected, it didn¡¯t mean that theirs would be too.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Call it Sea Princess,¡± Aline suggested.

    ¡°Too generic.¡±

    ¡°Ocean Queen?¡±

    ¡°Not any better.¡±

    Aline frowned before leaning back on the seat, unfazed as the wind sent her hair dancing about behind her. Impressing Reina would probably be difficult. Especially when it came to naming something that she had just spent a lot of money on.

    ¡°Go with our theme,¡± Svanda smiled as she raised a finger. ¡°The Ocean Orchestra.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Reina replied after mulling over the suggestion for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s too similar, and there¡¯s no orchestra here either, is there?¡±

    Trim smiled as she stood up, using her knees to get a feel for the movement of the boat beneath her before she walked up to the two seats at the front. They soon found that her true destination was the panel of instruments before Reina, but her smile quickly turned into a frown.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the stereo?¡± she asked as she examined a few of the small screens one by one. ¡°This has a stereo, right?¡±

    ¡°Over here,¡± Jade replied as she tapped one of the many different screens that sat around her without taking her eyes off the water. ¡°There¡¯s a slot for a memory stick underneath it somewhere.¡±

    ¡°The Ocean Orchestra fits now, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Trim smiled to Reina as she fished a memory stick out from her pocket and started up the stereo. Nina didn¡¯t know why she always seemed to have one on her, but she wasn¡¯t exactly surprised either considering some of the places Trim had decided to pull her headphones out before. Her thought was quickly shelved though, as the familiar throb of bass emerged from a group of speakers that she was yet to locate.

    ¡°Turn it down,¡± Reina said with a scowl as she looked over. ¡°The name¡¯s rejected too.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re getting warmer though, right?¡± Trim smiled without missing a beat as she dialled the stereo down a little before returning to her seat. ¡°I could see you thinking about it.¡±

    Reina shrugged as she turned her attention to the ocean before them. There was less traffic now as they moved beyond the shipping routes which ran between the Five Fountains, but there were still quite a few boats that passed them in each direction. The islands that dotted the ocean were often quiet with picturesque scenery, but what they wouldn¡¯t tell you was that they needed a frantic supply chain to support them. Most basic necessities needed to be shipped from one of the Fountains, and fresh water was the most important of them all considering that attempts at desalination had proved to be economically unfeasible.

    The lack of fresh water, in fact, was the main reason that people didn¡¯t end up straying too far away in the first place.

    ¡°Symphony of the Seas,¡± Aline said as she turned her head to watch a sparkling green speedboat cruise past them. ¡°Fits the theme, not too different.¡±

    ¡°Too verbose.¡±

    ¡°Fine, you suggest something then,¡± Aline replied with a pout as she ignored Reina, instead turning her attention to Saela. ¡°What about you, got any ideas?¡±

    Nina didn¡¯t know how, but Saela still managed to wear her black hoodie despite the sun shining down on them. The wind in their faces would help, but there was only so much it could do if you were clad in a thick layer of black cotton. Despite her concerns, however, Saela seemed fine. At least she had decided to pull the hood down so that her mop of blonde hair could finally catch some sun.

    ¡°No,¡± she replied with a blank expression before she stood up and walked towards the stairs that led down to the small indoor cabin area. ¡°Tell me when we get there.¡±

    Aline sighed at her response but said nothing as the group watched Saela disappear down the steep flight of stairs that was more like a ladder than anything else. After she had disappeared out of sight, she looked over to Nina with a shrug as though asking her if she had any ideas either. She didn¡¯t unfortunately, although she thought that Aline¡¯s idea hadn¡¯t been too bad in the first place. If it was too verbose, why not shorten it?

    ¡°Sea Symphony,¡± she said quietly, although she managed to say it in between the kicks from the stereo. Reina heard it, or at least she thought she did, because her ears pricked up and she turned around to look at them. If her suggestion was great or terrible, she didn¡¯t know. It sounded a little short to her, but maybe that was what Reina was looking for after all.

    ¡°Seaward Symphony,¡± Reina said after she thought for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s go with that.¡±

    Nods from all around suggested that the consensus was in favour of her choice. Not that it mattered, because once Reina had decided on something it was usually rather difficult to change her mind. A stubborn streak wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing if you could see the writing on the wall when you needed to, however, and the fact that Jade was driving a brand-new boat for them was a sign that Reina had that quality.

    ¡°By the way, where are we going?¡± Nina asked. She was feeling a lot better than she had been over the past few days, although she still felt a little stiff at times. The pain in her head had stopped which was the thing that pleased her the most, although sometimes it would reappear in brief flashes that she hoped would eventually disappear. The tightness in her chest had also subsided, much to her delight, and the dark splotch which had previously stretched across it was now limited to a smallish mark which looked more like a regular bruise. She was over the worst of it, that was for sure, and while she wouldn¡¯t want to stand up in the centre of the moving boat, she could get around by herself now with relative ease.

    ¡°Where we¡¯re going?¡± Reina asked. ¡°It would ruin the fun if I told you, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    Nina frowned but decided not to respond. She didn¡¯t particularly mind if Reina didn¡¯t want to tell her, as it wasn¡¯t as though she could change their destination and she would find out sooner or later regardless. The islands all looked the same to her anyway besides the fact that some were sandy while others were rocky, so just giving her a name or a description probably wouldn¡¯t do much for her in the first place either.

    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you, but I can show you,¡± Reina smiled as she looked over towards the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Jade, we¡¯re far enough away from the Fountain now. Let¡¯s see if I got my money¡¯s worth.¡±

    ¡°Aye aye captain,¡± Jade smirked as she quickly checked her surroundings. ¡°You should hold on though.¡±

    Satisfied that they were clear of any immediate obstacles, Jade accelerated as the Seaward Symphony rose out of the water and sped towards the islands in the distance.

 Chapter 083

    The first thing that Nina saw when the Seaward Symphony began to slow down an hour or so later was the island in front of them. It looked as though it was only large enough to support a small group of people, while it was surrounded by a ring of pristine white sand that slowly disappeared into the clear waters around it. Thin and tall trees lined the grassy slopes which were a little higher up, and she could already see a small caf¨¦ on the shore that some children were currently running towards. If Areinis had coconuts, this was probably the scene where they were handed out before the children returned to their homes which lined the only street on the island. It was an idyllic setting, and Nina was already convinced that she was going to love it.

    It was then that Jade turned the boat.

    Nina¡¯s dream holiday destination was suddenly replaced by a finger of black rock that rose out of the ocean. Surrounded by steep cliffs on what seemed to be all sides, the peak of the island towered some fifteen meters above the gentle waves that lapped against it below. After turning her attention towards the top, she could see a few wooden buildings dotted around amongst what seemed to be dense foliage, but it was difficult to be certain from where she sat. There wasn¡¯t any sign of life either, from what she could see, and so suddenly she was hoping that Jade would turn the boat back in the other direction once more.

    ¡°I like it,¡± Svanda said as she looked out towards the island while shielding her eyes from the sun. Nina quickly confirmed that she was indeed looking towards what could have easily been described as a sea fortress, and her heart sank a little as a result. This was their next destination, and while they would surely be safe from Ormain, she was already beginning to wonder if their living conditions would be worse than before. It didn¡¯t exactly look like a comfortable place to recuperate, but she also had to remind herself that judging a book by the cover was probably unwise.

    ¡°A place like this won¡¯t attract Ormain¡¯s attention?¡± she asked. Surely it would be more unassuming to base themselves on something a little more¡­ inconspicuous rather than a giant slab of black rock, but at the same time she knew that Reina would have had her own logic behind the decision. At least they would be able to see him coming if he did, although if he was actually approaching with his team she would probably have a lot more questions on the tip of her tongue.

    ¡°There are hundreds of islands like this,¡± Reina explained as she focused on the peak for a moment before returning her attention to the water in front of them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t find us here. Jade, take us around to the left. The entrance should be over there somewhere.¡±

    Jade followed her instructions and steered them to the left a little as they approached the island. The closer they got, the larger the sheer black cliffs seemed to become until eventually they towered over them as the sun was blocked out. The water was both deep and clear which aided their navigation, so at least their passage was straightforward as they followed the cliff at a safe distance. It didn¡¯t take long at all for an ominous looking hole in the rock to appear in accordance with Reina¡¯s prediction, so after she pointed towards it Jade steered them through the opening.

    ¡°This is pretty neat,¡± Jade remarked as they found themselves in a sea cave after sailing through, the surface of the water now tranquil as it was shielded from the open ocean outside. Light from a set of lanterns above them reflected off the water as it danced around the interior, while streaks of red moss hung from deep scars in the stone. The noises from outside were muted now, and the gentle hum of the motor took over as it reverberated around the cavern. It wasn¡¯t a particularly large space, just over fifty meters long and thirty or so meters wide by Nina¡¯s guess, but it was spacious enough to play host to a well-maintained dock which ran in a U-shape around the cavern.

    ¡°Looks busy,¡± Trim commented as they eyed the collection of boats which were already moored. A series of individual docks on the left-hand side that were clearly for larger boats were mostly full, with seven of the ten berths already occupied. On their right, several smaller boats that Nina didn¡¯t bother to count were scattered around a series of smaller platforms that stuck out from the main dock. It wasn¡¯t anything like the docks down by the shores of the Fire Fountain, that was for sure, but it seemed that there was still more activity on the island than what she had initially assumed.

    Jade guided the Seaward Symphony into one of the larger berths with surprising ease before Svanda and Trim jumped off to tie them up. Nina found herself distracted by the large boat they had pulled up next to, or rather the obnoxious candy-apple red paint job that it was sporting, but Reina soon placed a hand on her shoulder before guiding her over to the side.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    ¡°We¡¯ll bring your gear up for you, don¡¯t worry,¡± she said with a smile before she paused, looking around as though searching for something. ¡°I hope there¡¯s an elevator, because lugging everything up to the top would be a pain.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re in luck,¡± said a man as he stepped out from an alcove which had been chiselled into the dark stone, his sharp green eyes quickly skimming over the group before he took a second glance at the Seaward Symphony. Black curls of hair hung down past his shoulders, although it looked like they were a little stiff after seeing too much salt in their time. Nina¡¯s first guess was that he must have been in his early fifties, but then again it was hard to tell with people from Areinis. Weathered brown skin from days in the sun wasn¡¯t exactly a rare trait, but it tended to make people seem older than they really were.

    Like most of the locals on Areinis he was wearing a singlet and shorts, this time a white one with a round blue logo of what was probably a local company plastered all over it. A necklace of crude wooden beads hung around his neck, and Nina also noted that he was barefoot. She certainly wouldn¡¯t want to be walking around in a stone cavern without any form of foot protection, but the man¡¯s casual demeanour and disarming smile had already left her with a favourable impression.

    ¡°The new group¡¯s a tough crowd, huh?¡± he mumbled to himself after he realised that Reina wasn¡¯t planning on responding. Shaking the setback off, however, he instead smiled. ¡°Welcome to Moonglass Isle. I¡¯m here to guide you to where you¡¯re staying.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been watching us, have you?¡± Reina asked nonchalantly as she watched Trim and Svanda drop what was left of their gear against the wall to the side. ¡°Is that something we should be concerned about?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± the man chuckled as he took a second glance at the rifle that was slung over Svanda¡¯s shoulder without seeming concerned. ¡°It¡¯s just how we do things here, a lot of eyes out on the water when we see someone we¡¯re not familiar with. That¡¯s probably good for you thought, right?¡±

    Reina¡¯s decision not to answer only caused the man¡¯s smile to grow even wider. It wasn¡¯t malicious or scheming, however, instead seeming more like he was enjoying a prank. Even Nina knew that it wasn¡¯t particularly hard to put two and two together to work out that Reina had chosen this location for a reason, so their intent was rather clear even if the words remained unspoken.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to ask any questions,¡± the man smiled. ¡°Moonglass Isle rule number three, no questions about why you¡¯re here.¡±

    Svanda raised an eyebrow. ¡°Even if we¡¯re at odds with the authorities?¡±

    ¡°Moonglass Isle rule number four,¡± the man smirked in return. ¡°Rule number three doesn¡¯t cover people who are wanted by the Fountain League. You¡¯re not wanted by the Fountain League though, are you?¡±

    Nina guessed that the Fountain League were the local authorities or the police of sorts. Each fountain was independently governed, although they did work together underneath the one umbrella in some cases. Security just happened to be one of them, and it was put in place so that people were dissuaded from causing trouble before fleeing to another jurisdiction.

    ¡°No, we¡¯re not,¡± Reina replied as she picked up one of the bags after seeing that they had finished unloading the boat. ¡°You can lead the way now¡­¡±

    ¡°Joolah.¡±

    ¡°Alright Joolah, lead the way.¡±

    The group grabbed what gear they could carry before setting off after Joolah who had quickly disappeared back into the alcove. Nina was the only member of the group who didn¡¯t carry anything, so she used the opportunity to be the first person to duck into the thin stone passage in pursuit. It was damp inside, much to her displeasure, and also a little stifling even though they were so close to the open ocean. At least it was well lit with a series of bright lights in the roof of the tunnel every five or so meters, and Joolah wasn¡¯t particularly quick either which made him easy to follow.

    ¡°What¡¯s rule number one?¡± she finally asked after she had caught up with him. She knew that it was what he had wanted to hear, but it wasn¡¯t going to stop her from asking either. Throwing rules three and four out there was obviously going to raise their curiosity about rules one and two, but Nina wasn¡¯t prideful enough to pretend that she wasn¡¯t interested.

    ¡°Moonglass Isle rule number one,¡± Joolah said over his shoulder as he continued to walk. ¡°Don¡¯t kill anyone who lives on the island.¡±

    Killing people that didn¡¯t live on the island was alright, apparently.

    ¡°And before you ask, Moonglass Isle rule number two,¡± he continued. ¡°Residents of Moonglass Isle will protect Moonglass Isle.¡±

    Unbeknown to Joolah, a small smile cracked Nina¡¯s expression. If she was interpreting rule number two correctly, it would mean that everyone who was living on the island could be roped into fighting against Ormain if he turned up at their front door. Not finding them in the first place was obviously the preferable solution, but it certainly wasn¡¯t a bad backup for the worst-case scenario.

    Now she just had to hope that there wasn¡¯t anyone else on the island with more skeletons in the closet than they had.

 Chapter 084

    Standing in front of the ¡®elevator¡¯ that Joolah had mentioned, the dismay was evident in Nina¡¯s expression as she found that it was little more than a large steel cage attached to a winch. The steel itself was rusted in places, although it was hard to tell apart from the flaking orange paint that must have been at least twenty years old. One side had been removed to serve as an entrance which didn¡¯t seem safe, although Nina had learnt a long time ago that workplace health and safety wasn¡¯t a thing outside of Caecus. At least the cable that stretched up high above them looked to be in good condition, because if it hadn¡¯t been she would have reluctantly asked where the stairs were.

    The cage sat flat against the stone floor in the centre of a cylindrical shaft, a platform near the top indicating where they would be making their exit. Joolah had already moved off to the side to stand before an old panel fixed into the stone wall, and the only two buttons were crudely labelled with arrows pointing up and down respectively. It was a simplistic setup, maybe even a little too simplistic when Nina considered that their lives would be dependent on it, but Joolah seemed to be nonchalant about things which at least left her feeling slightly better.

    ¡°Take two trips,¡± he said with a laugh after he watched Svanda toss a few of the bags through the open side of the cage. ¡°The cable¡¯s good, but it¡¯s not that good.¡±

    Nina resisted the urge to ask for three trips just to be safe and instead shuffled towards the back of the pack that had formed around her. Reina, however, seemed to see what she was trying, gently placing a hand on Nina¡¯s shoulder before giving Svanda a sharp look. It was only for a moment, but something between them that Nina couldn¡¯t work out had clicked, and the result was that Svanda stopped loading their gear and instead stepped inside.

    ¡°Saela,¡± Svanda said before motioning with her head to the cage. ¡°In.¡±

    Saela followed the instructions without a word, stepping inside the cage with a blank expression before Trim followed behind her. Joolah understood that the trio would be the first group up without needing confirmation, so he was quick to press one of the buttons on the panel which lifted the cage into the air. Trim, Svanda, and Saela were all caught unaware, and Joolah chuckled over the low drone of the mechanism that reverberated through the shaft as they were forced to scramble for something to hang on to.

    ¡°Hang on,¡± he joked as they watched the group ascend in silence. At least the winch was reasonably quick, reaching the top after only a moment before their gear was unloaded so that it could be brought back down. Nina was still uncomfortable about stepping into something which looked so¡­ crude, but as soon as they had stepped inside, Joolah hit the button once more which sent the cage rising into the air.

    ¡°At least we don¡¯t need to take the stairs,¡± Jade said with a wry smile. ¡°Maybe Reina could put one of these in the old shaft on JE-22.¡±

    ¡°I assume you¡¯re the one who will explain it to SuTSU, right?¡± Reina asked as she looked up to the platform that they were rapidly approaching. Joolah had remained below so it was only the four of them, although he had been nice enough to give them directions to their new accommodations before he sent them up.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that your job?¡± Jade replied with her own question and a smirk to match as the cage stopped once it became level with the platform. ¡°The leader has to fight on the frontlines, it¡¯s good for morale.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go and do that now then,¡± Reina said with a smile as she stepped out of the cage, placing a foot on the platform before looking across to where Svanda, Trim, and Saela were waiting by the exit. ¡°Which leaves you to carry the bags, right? Nina, let¡¯s go and have a look at what exactly we¡¯ve gotten ourselves into.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Nina hid a smile as she ignored the low grumble which emerged from Jade¡¯s lips before she stepped out from the cage, thankful that the rather unnerving ride had been short. There wasn¡¯t time to dwell on it even if she wanted to anyway, as she now followed closely behind Reina as they passed by Svanda and Trim who fell in behind her, while Saela hovered about at the rear. Stepping through the exit of the stone shaft, however, she was surprised. The rough stone was gone, and instead they found themselves standing in what looked to be a concrete bunker of sorts.

    ¡°Warm welcome,¡± Svanda said as she eyed the pair of long steel benches that ran around the edges of the square room. Footprints in the dust between where they stood and the door in the far wall were easily visible under the bright LEDs that were set into the ceiling, and Nina¡¯s first thought that the interior was quite like something she would see on Caecus. Clean-cut and practical, it reminded her of an underground railway station without the people and the usual smattering of graffiti.

    ¡°For keeping unwanted visitors in, I assume,¡± Reina said as she set off across the floor towards the door, her footsteps leaving a new trail in the dust. ¡°The rest is quite nice, I¡¯m told.¡±

    ¡°I sure hope so,¡± Jade said as she appeared behind them with a pair of bags under each arm. Aline stood behind her with the rest of the gear, so now that they were together once more they set off after Reina. Entering the sea cave had left them detached from the elements outside, but now as they filed out through the steel door they were finally able to get a proper glimpse of Moonglass Isle, and also why Reina had chosen it.

    Or not.

    Nina¡¯s eyes ran along the wide stone road that stretched away from them, dense green foliage on each side jammed between the few stained buildings that sat on each side of it. She guessed that they were derelict shops or something - at least they weren¡¯t residential, but the lack of signage prevented her from drawing any further conclusions. It would have helped if there were people milling about it too, but the street was deserted. If there was more to it further up around the shallow curve of the road, she didn¡¯t know, although she was certainly hoping so. As it stood, the boats below certainly didn¡¯t match what was happening up top.

    ¡°From the map I¡¯ve seen, the island is shaped like a teardrop,¡± Reina said as she took the lead, ignoring the buildings on each side as she walked in the centre of the road. ¡°The island isn¡¯t particularly big, but most of the settlement is on the south-eastern side. If you haven¡¯t guessed yet, we¡¯re on the Northern cliffs at the moment, which would be the bottom of the drop.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it just make sense to live on this side?¡± Jade sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to carry this stuff too far.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s some two hundred meters long, the island that is,¡± Reina replied with a smile. ¡°So not too big.¡±

    Nina would have offered to help carry some of the gear, but she wasn¡¯t feeling up to it. Instead she wondered why there wasn¡¯t a vehicle to help them move everything around, but then again they were probably all down at the other end of the road. She could see marks on the stone from what she guessed were rubber tyres, so there was surely at least some form of transport on the island. Hopefully it was a little more sophisticated than Graye¡¯s truck from the Badlands, but she wouldn¡¯t get her hopes up either.

    With the range of tropical greenery on each side of them, there was a distinct lack of breeze which had previously helped to keep the direct sunshine comfortable. Saela would surely be suffering now in her hoodie considering that she was also carrying a pair of bags full of equipment, but Nina thought that she would probably grit her teeth and push through it before she admitted that she had made a mistake. It didn¡¯t matter to her, although it did make her wonder if there were any shops that sold clothing on the island. Most of the inhabitants probably did that kind of irregular shopping on the Fire Fountain, but that was a bridge that they would cross once they got to it.

    ¡°There better be a decent pool here,¡± Trim mused as she glanced over at Reina, looking for a reaction. ¡°One with a nice view out over the ocean. I¡¯d settle for a bath right now though.¡±

    ¡°You can dig one out the back,¡± Reina said without turning around. ¡°The bath¡­ well that can be arranged.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that,¡± Trim replied. ¡°And don¡¯t even think I¡¯m going to forget before we get there, because that up there looks like the main settlement to me.¡±

 Chapter 085

    ¡°Well, this certainly wasn¡¯t what I was expecting,¡± Svanda said with a bemused expression as she ran a finger along the concrete wall of their new accommodation. ¡°It¡¯s a little¡­ cold, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°I like it,¡± Nina replied as she looked out across the living area, her eyes glancing at the sky which she could see through the large windows at the far end. ¡°It¡¯s modern.¡±

    ¡°Like it or not, you¡¯re stuck with it,¡± Reina said as she walked towards a second set of stairs after taking a quick glimpse around the space. ¡°Bedrooms are downstairs, so sort out your arrangements and meet me back here in ten.¡±

    The group¡¯s arrival at the main settlement of Moonglass Isle had been somewhat uneventful. A single street was lined on each side by a collection of both old and new buildings built from timber and concrete, while only a few people loitered around outside in the midday heat. The couple of people that they did come across simply nodded and went back to whatever business they were preoccupied with, so thankfully Reina knew where they were headed. Questions could come later, probably once they had settled in and had taken time to learn a little more about where exactly they had ended up.

    In what seemed to be a common trend on the island, the accommodation that Reina had organized was underneath the row of shops that sat close to the edge of the cliff. Clean straight lines of polished concrete dominated the interior, and most of the walls, floors, and ceilings were bare. Like the landing station where Joolah had winched them up it felt utilitarian, although Nina couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by the modern feel. Someone from Luem might not see the charm in such a style, but the small features of dark wood and steel that were tastefully dotted around the place told her that there was more to the picture than just practicality.

    It was quiet at the bottom of the next set of stairs as they ventured further into the rock, Reina¡¯s footsteps puncturing the silence as she was the first to make her way down the curving concrete hall. There were four doors for four bedrooms, and Nina quickly realised that the jostle for position when they had all followed her down was intentional. Reina was closely followed by Svanda and Trim, while Jade and Aline had been more than happy to wait around for everyone else so that they could bring up the rear. The result was that Reina took her own room as usual, while Svanda, Trim, Jade, and Aline paired up and took the second and fourth rooms.

    Nina, it seemed, would be sharing a room with Saela. It wasn¡¯t the end of the world, but she would have preferred to share a room with literally anyone else in the group if given the choice. The fact that she was quiet and kept to herself was the only positive thing she could think of, although she also had a sneaking suspicion that the periods of silence would feel awkward to her. One way or another she would find out, so instead of dwelling on it she simply pushed open the door and stepped inside to see that room was much like the rest of the place. The neat rectangle of space which was encased in concrete featured a thin bed on each side of the room with immaculate white sheets, while matching bedsides and wardrobes were the only other feature besides the round window in the far wall. It was plain, but Nina didn¡¯t particularly mind. If the amount of time Saela usually spent in the bedroom was anything to go by she probably wouldn¡¯t be seeing that much of it anyway.

    The girl in question appeared behind her, stepping around Nina who stood near the door before casually tossing the two bags which she was carrying onto one of the beds, staking her claim. Nina half expected her to leave without a word now that she was done, but instead she flopped down onto the bed before tightening the string around her hood to close it up. It didn¡¯t look particularly comfortable, bending around a bag and lying over the covers while fully clothed, but Nina knew that there wasn¡¯t any value in commenting on it. Conversation with Saela was a delicate thing for her, so it was better to let it slide.

    ¡°Yo,¡± Jade said as she appeared in the door, flashing Nina a smile before she quickly glanced over at Saela. She sighed when Saela turned to face the wall, but her expression quickly brightened as she held up the bag that she was carrying. ¡°Got your stuff, is on the bed alright?¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Jade dropped the bag onto the bed before peering out the window to the ocean beyond. ¡°Kinda weird being in the cliff like this, don¡¯t you think? Must have been a pain to build.¡±

    Nina shrugged in response. She wasn¡¯t an engineer, and she didn¡¯t really understand what kind of technology was available here either. Every time she thought that something outside of Caecus was primitive she would manage to find something else ten minutes later that surprised her. Throw wealth into the mix and it would probably be even more surprising too - the technology on the white or purple floors in Luem were something that she probably couldn¡¯t even imagine.

    ¡°Oh well,¡± Jade said as she took a quick glance at Saela before heading for the door. ¡°Ten minutes Saela.¡±

    Saela grunted in response, leaving Jade with a smile on her face before she placed a hand on Nina¡¯s shoulder and nodded towards the hall. Nina certainly wasn¡¯t about to hang around and watch the girl in the corner take a ten-minute snooze, so she accepted Jade¡¯s invitation without a word before joining her in the hall and heading back towards the stairs. The whole stairs thing was something that Nina was slightly annoyed by considering that she would probably be seeing a lot of the two flights, but at the same time it might end up helping her rehabilitation process. What the plan was once she was finished recovering was a different question, but that was something which Reina was probably about to address.

    ¡°At least it¡¯s cool in here,¡± Jade said as she reached the top of the stairs. Nina had to agree, it was certainly one of the perks of living underground if they could escape the heat during the day. She would have thought that natural light would have been the trade-off, but the window which ran along the entire far end of the living area provided plenty of it and a stunning view too. She hazarded a guess that the open living area was of a similar size to the four bedrooms downstairs, sitting on top of them to provide a wall of concrete between them and the busy street above. There was a sleek kitchen of brushed steel with a timber bench, while a large black sofa sat around a squat coffee table made of glass. She did note that there was a complete lack of greenery, although it didn¡¯t bother her. Plants needed to be maintained, and so it probably wasn¡¯t the best idea for temporary accommodation.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to need something to eat,¡± Svanda said after she opened the fridge to check the contents. Lack of contents was probably more correct, and her subsequent search of the cupboards didn¡¯t seem to be any more successful. Trim and Aline had also made their way upstairs already, both seated at the long wooden dining table with a steel plate running through the centre of it, which left only Saela and Reina downstairs. Saela would probably turn up at the last possible minute, while Nina guessed that Reina was collecting her thoughts. This was the first time that they were probably going to be able to relax for a while and she would need to take advantage of the time to not only plan their next move, but also to plan every move between now and their return to Luem. Ormain might have been given the slip for now but dropping to Terminus would kick-start another frantic bout of cat and mouse.

    Nina¡¯s thoughts drifted to Caecus. Her home which had initially seemed so far away was now beginning to feel within reach. Had anything changed? Maybe her apartment was still there like nothing had happened, the leftover fruit in the fridge brown from neglect while her television continued to record her favourite show on a nightly basis. It wasn¡¯t like her bank account would have been drained by the automated billing process yet, so there was a chance that she could literally walk back in the door as though nothing had happened. She as a person couldn¡¯t go back as though nothing had happened though, and that was the most important thing in the end. Settling back into any form of daily rhythm wasn¡¯t something that she would ever be able to do again, no matter how much she willed herself to do it. The knowledge that she now had wasn¡¯t something that she could simply push to the back of her mind.

    ¡°You alright?¡± Reina asked as she placed a hand on her shoulder. Nina was still standing at the top of the stairs, and it seemed like she had completely spaced out as she had been lost in thought. She hadn¡¯t even heard Reina climb the stairs behind her, and she hadn¡¯t felt her presence either. Maybe she had a strange expression on her face too, as the rest of the group was staring at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied with a smile before dropping her chin, running a hand through her hair. What would happen when they got to Caecus was something that she would never be able to predict. Reina would have her own plans for Caecus when the time came, and Nina had a sneaking suspicion that she wouldn¡¯t be privy to the entire picture until then.

    ¡°Good,¡± Reina said as she breezed past her, heading for the table before dropping a manila envelope on it. ¡°Let¡¯s get this started then, it¡¯s time I talked everyone through our next few moves.¡±

 Chapter 086

    The tapping of Reina¡¯s finger against the table was the only sound in otherwise silent living area as she looked towards the stairs with a bored expression. She had already considered starting without their final participant, but her tapping was eventually joined by the sound of footsteps on the stairs before Saela appeared. She was late, although it wasn¡¯t particularly surprising. Managing to do it when they had only been given ten minutes to rest, however, was something that Reina wasn¡¯t particularly pleased about.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go through this one step at a time,¡± she said while ignoring Saela who took a seat without a word. The scolding, if it was going to happen, could wait. ¡°First is Nina¡¯s recovery. Everyone else, Jade included, is in good condition so we¡¯re almost clear on that front. We¡¯re not running any risks on Terminus if we don¡¯t need to, so I¡¯m going to make sure that we¡¯re as prepared as we can be. Sorry Svanda, but Terminus can be¡­ messy.¡±

    ¡°None taken,¡± Svanda said with a smile.

    ¡°As for the other things that we need to tick off on Areinis before we go, they¡¯re a little more problematic,¡± she said with a sigh before motioning for the jug of water on the table. After pouring herself a glass and taking a sip, she paused for a moment with a frown on her face. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to pick up some gear from an art dealer on the Light Fountain, but I¡¯m worried about Ormain. He has no idea where we are at the moment, and I¡¯d like it to stay that way. As a result, paying someone to courier the goods out to us is the easiest solution, but then I¡¯m running the risk of them disappearing into thin air. It¡¯s not ideal, because if that happens then we¡¯re left with nothing but an angry customer and a debt I¡¯d rather not have to settle.¡±

    ¡°What goods?¡± Jade asked.

    ¡°Swordshark ivory,¡± Svanda said with a bitter smile after it seemed that Reina wasn¡¯t going to reply.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Jade frowned. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d be guarding that like it was my firstborn child.¡±

    Trade in swordshark ivory, like many other products poached from larger marine life around the Five Fountains, was illegal. Attracted to the Five Fountains by the massive quantities of fish that lived among the reefs which sprawled across the island landscape, sharks and whales in particular were disappearing at an unprecedented rate. Their teeth, tusks, and leather continued to support a thriving underground trade that was just as dangerous as it was lucrative. Crackdowns were harsh, but the soaring demand for such products among Terminus¡¯ elite below them continued to fan the flames. The risk of being caught, however, was not something that Reina was worried about. What she was worried about was that whoever they paid to bring the goods to them would have second thoughts about fulfilling the delivery. Areinis was an easy place to lose yourself, especially when you were carrying goods that were valuable enough to cover your wages for the next few years.

    ¡°Pass on the job,¡± Aline suggested. ¡°It won¡¯t hurt our reputation that badly if we make excuses. They¡¯re for Runa, right? She¡¯ll understand.¡±

    ¡°She might if we didn¡¯t make excuses for two jobs,¡± Reina said. ¡°Svanda and I already picked up a couple of paintings on Zaffre¡¯s which are also for her. Delivering on one promise but not the other raises questions that I¡¯d rather not answer.¡±

    ¡°Paintings?¡± Jade asked before frowning. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re thinking, but I certainly didn¡¯t see any paintings flying around in the sky when we dropped through.¡±

    ¡°Which is why they¡¯re rolled up in the tubes at the bottom of Trim¡¯s stereo,¡± Reina said with a sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t want to pass on them either, they¡¯re expensive you know?¡±

    Nina glanced around in search for the stereo, but she couldn¡¯t see it. Trim must have left it in her room, probably because it seemed to be more and more like a suitcase with a stereo attached to it. She had initially scoffed when Trim had called it tactical, but then again she had eventually been proved wrong. Just what else was she hiding away in there? It wasn¡¯t even that large to begin with.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°They should just paint their own damn paintings,¡± Jade grumbled in response. ¡°If someone can do it on Zaffre¡¯s, someone else can do it on Terminus.¡±

    ¡°People on Terminus aren¡¯t exactly known for their creativity,¡± Svanda said with an almost self-depreciating smile. ¡°Besides, a painting stolen from Zaffre¡¯s nobility is a lot more impressive than something painted locally.¡±

    ¡°You stole them?¡± Saela asked. Half the group hid smiles, but Nina instead stifled a sigh. Of course she would be interested as soon as theft was discussed, probably wondering why she hadn¡¯t been in the loop. She already pictured Saela as someone who would get a kick out of sticking it to the nobility, and that was even if she didn¡¯t get paid for it in the process. It was probably ingrained, for someone born into her social standing. Any opportunity to get over someone else was something that they tended to snatch at regardless of significance.

    ¡°The Tygstiad Estate was selling them,¡± Svanda said to dispel the doubt. ¡°Who they stole them from, we don¡¯t know. Typical nobility politics if you ask me, smiles at the front and knives behind their backs.¡±

    ¡°The Tygstiads?¡± Jade asked after a low whistle escaped from her lips. ¡°Never would have picked them for it, to be honest.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s off topic,¡± Reina said to drag the conversation back on track. ¡°As much as I think it¡¯s in poor taste to roll such expensive work up in a tube, it¡¯s what we¡¯re getting paid to do so I¡¯m not going to argue with it. The problem that it creates, however, is that when we deliver them to Runa the first thing she¡¯s going to ask is where her ivory is.¡±

    ¡°So we¡¯ll split up,¡± Trim said with a casual wave of her hand as she leaned over to take back the jug of water. ¡°Nina does her thing here, and a couple of us can go and pick up the goods. The boat can take us as close as possible, and it¡¯s not like we¡¯re going to be staying long. Since when have you been so averse to taking small risks?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not small risks,¡± Reina replied as her eyes narrowed. ¡°Ormain¡¯s out there with enough money to reward half the fisherman on the plate for spotting us, and he¡¯s also got a bone to pick after we left his subordinate dead in a cistern. I¡¯m not even going to mention how Jade, who will stick out like a sore thumb, would also have to drive past not only the Fire Fountain, but also the Wind Fountain. Even if Ormain doesn¡¯t catch us in the act, it wouldn¡¯t be hard for someone to follow us back and report to him, would it?¡±

    ¡°It has to be on the way out then,¡± Aline said with a shrug. ¡°Pick it up as we¡¯re leaving so he doesn¡¯t have time to receive a report. We¡¯ll be gone before he knows it and it¡¯s not like there¡¯s a shortage of places to drop either.¡±

    Areinis was unique in that there were no restrictions on dropping through to Terminus. Locations to do so were both generously scattered around the plate and unguarded, so engineering the final leg of their journey was the least of their concerns. As for why they were unrestricted and unguarded, there was no need to do so. It was common knowledge that Terminus was both a miserable place to live and incredibly difficult to leave, so people were simply not interested. Who was going to willingly trade a life of sun and warm weather away for what Terminus had to offer?

    ¡°Alright,¡± Reina said after mulling over the suggestion in her head for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s the best plan we¡¯re going to get, and I like it simple. I¡¯ll tie up the rest of the loose ends before we leave and then we should have time to disappear on Terminus before Ormain can pick up our trail.¡±

    Nina assumed that the group¡¯s silence was their show of approval to the plan. She certainly couldn¡¯t have come up with anything better, and it seemed like the logical decision to make instead of wasting time over a return trip. She did, however, wonder if their jobs usually had so many obstacles to overcome. Probably not, considering that a rogue group of suits and a backstabbing royal faction were certainly outliers, but at the same time she wondered if the group attracted trouble in one way or another regardless. It wasn¡¯t like they were doing honest work, and that in itself was something that tended to create problems.

    ¡°It¡¯s smooth sailing from there, right?¡± Aline asked hopefully.

    Svanda chuckled at the question, while Trim simply flashed her a smile. Reina, unfortunately, didn¡¯t share their enthusiasm as she shot the pair a curt glare before letting out a sigh. Reaching for her glass, she took a small sip while the rest of the group watched her in silence. It was almost eerie when it was compared to where they had been staying on the Fire Fountain because the concrete blocked out the surrounding noise, leaving the space in a strange state of tension. Nina could practically hear her own heart for a moment, but the crisp sound of Reina¡¯s glass coming into contact with the table punctuated their thoughts.

    ¡°There¡¯s still Julia¡¯s job,¡± she said softly.

    Oh, Nina thought. She had forgotten about that.

 Chapter 087

    When Nina thought back to Reina¡¯s declaration that Julia¡¯s task was akin to a suicide mission, her desire to participate was naturally lacking. Unfortunately, she was quite certain that whatever the task was, it wouldn¡¯t be something that anyone would be able to worm their way out of. They were in this together, and even though Nina had already been to the brink of death and back once before during this tour of the plates, it looked like she might be heading for round two.

    Surely it couldn¡¯t get that much worse.

    ¡°It¡¯s for hardware, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jade asked with a tinge of disbelief as she rocked back on her chair, pressing her knees against the edge of the table so that she could balance on the two back legs. ¡°From Terminus to JE-22.¡±

    Reina¡¯s silence suggested tacit confirmation, which this time got more of a reaction than Nina was expecting. Jade, Aline, and even Saela frowned at the news, while both Svanda and Trim sat there with blank expressions on their faces. Obviously the two of them already knew the finer details, but that didn¡¯t necessarily mean that they also agreed with whatever had been put forward. Ultimately, Reina was in charge, although Nina had to wonder just how deep the friendship between the three ran. If she really wanted them to follow her headfirst into a fire, would they?

    ¡°One Rule, Reina,¡± Jade said as she glared across the table. ¡°One-¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Reina cut her off. ¡°We can do this though, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±

    Jade shut her mouth, although Nina could still see the flicker of fire in her eyes. Whatever Reina had done, it had clearly irked the three of them who weren¡¯t in the loop. Whether it was because they weren¡¯t in it to begin with or because of whatever rule Reina had ignored, she didn¡¯t know. Maybe it was both. Nina herself was also out of the loop, to a certain extent, although she didn¡¯t know what lines had been drawn and what had therefore been crossed. She had been privy, however, to a couple of brief discussions earlier when Reina, Svanda, and Trim had discussed their recent dealings with Julia.

    ¡°Is this about that Alan guy?¡± she asked Reina while also trying to read Svanda and Trim¡¯s reactions. Trim had told her earlier that Alan was Julia¡¯s brother, while Reina herself had said that she planned on getting involved in their family dispute. They had been butting heads recently over a supply of arms apparently, or at least something along those lines, so the thought caused Nina to assume that Reina planned to bring Alan into the fold. Whatever Julia had asked The Cloud Orchestra to do, apparently they weren¡¯t capable of doing it. At least doing it and coming out in one piece, that was.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point then?¡± Jade asked before Reina could respond. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Julia just ask Alan instead of dragging us through the middle? We¡¯re not pawns, Reina, and if they want to bicker over whatever it is they¡¯re bickering over I don¡¯t see why we should be volunteering to put ourselves on the line for it.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s offeri-¡±

    ¡°Money for our funerals, yeah,¡± Jade continued before she stood up. ¡°Not that it would work anyway, because it¡¯s all going to end up in Alan¡¯s pocket isn¡¯t it? You¡¯re pissed off because Julia has it better than we do, I get that, but putting everyone at risk just so you can get one over her, whether she knows it or not, isn¡¯t worth whatever dregs of the deal we¡¯ll be left with.¡±

    Nina watched as Jade strode for the stairs that headed to the surface, Aline standing up behind her before following her to the exit. She had almost expected Reina to say something, but instead her eyes drifted over to the windows that looked out over the ocean. Maybe she wanted to wait for Jade to cool off, or maybe she felt guilty. It was probably the latter, because even if Nina didn¡¯t know all the details it wasn¡¯t hard for her to see how Jade¡¯s speech had resonated with the rest of the group. Reina wasn¡¯t infallible, although she often seemed to be, but Nina didn¡¯t see how anything was going to change her mind. She felt like Reina was committed to this, and if that was truly the case then all she could do was focus on taking one step at a time.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The first of which was her own recovery.

    ¡°We¡¯ll continue this later,¡± Reina finally said after she turned her attention back to the table, making no comment about Jade¡¯s exit. ¡°Take some time to settle in and have a look around, just keep yourselves out of trouble.¡±

    Everyone knew that the last part of the statement was directed at Saela, but she didn¡¯t say anything and was the first to rise, also taking a quick glance out the window before heading in the direction of the surface. She still hadn¡¯t changed clothes, to Nina¡¯s surprise, but at least the cool temperature of their new accommodation would suit her. Outside was a different story, but from what she had seen during their brief stroll down the main street she guessed that most of the island¡¯s inhabitants preferred the shade anyway. No point toiling away in the heat when you didn¡¯t need to.

    It wasn¡¯t lost on her that she had been left with an awkward situation. Politics within The Cloud Orchestra had never seemed to be divisive before, as they all understood that deep down they were still on the same page. Reina, Svanda, and Trim were obviously something of an entity in themselves, however, while Jade and Aline formed their own. Saela was¡­ Saela, and Nina didn¡¯t know enough about Euris to pin her anywhere if she even counted to begin with. That was all fine as she wasn¡¯t exactly unfamiliar with office politics from her previous life, but what she did need to do was work out exactly where she stood.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Reina asked her. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about, I promise.¡±

    Nina looked over to see that she was idly running a finger around the rim of her empty glass, a knowing smile plastered across her face once more. She didn¡¯t know if it was genuine or not, but she still had faith, even if Reina was simply putting on a front until she could work out how to steady the group. The fact that she had been left out of the loop was the real problem, even if she hadn¡¯t been expecting to be included in their little leadership trio in the first place. The by-product of leaving her out was that there was a clear line drawn in the sand between her and the three she currently shared the table with, but there wasn¡¯t really anywhere to turn to either. Jade and Aline were their own unit as much as she enjoyed their company, and she couldn¡¯t see herself teaming up with Saela anytime soon either.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she finally replied as she stood up. Her pause had offered Reina a chance to invite her into the fold, but it seemed that she wouldn¡¯t be extending one. All she had wanted were some details, a reason to believe in Reina¡¯s vision, but instead she had been given a reassuring smile and a promise that everything would be fine. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t believe her, it was just that she didn¡¯t see why the details needed to be glossed over if there was nothing to be concerned about in the first place.

    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself,¡± Trim said as Nina walked towards the stairs that would take her up to the street above. She had initially wanted to use the time to get changed and have a shower, but she didn¡¯t feel like it anymore. Jade, Aline, and Saela had already taken their leave and Nina suddenly felt like a guest that had overstayed their welcome. She knew that the three at the table would never feel that way, but it didn¡¯t stop her from thinking it. They needed their own time to talk through whatever they were going to do without a wayward pair of ears milling about, and Nina was going to give it to them.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just hungry,¡± she replied before grabbing onto the handrail and making her way up the stairs. At least she wasn¡¯t overdressed for the heat like Saela was, so she would have time to idle about while she cautiously assessed the array of restaurants and shops from the street before she made any commitment. Her pistol wouldn¡¯t have been a bad idea, now that she thought about it, but the last thing she wanted to do was turn around and face the trio downstairs once more. She would manage somehow, she always did.

    Pushing her way through the front door which was buried into the earth just below the shop above them, Nina shielded her eyes from the sun as she climbed up the final few stairs before stepping out into the afternoon heat.

 Chapter 088

    ¡°It¡¯s flattering, really,¡± Rucille hummed as she reached for one of the syringes that sat on the table. Briefly turning her attention to Nina¡¯s chest for a moment, she lined up the needle before looking into her eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll have to tell the real me what you thought.¡±

    Nina¡¯s eyes fluttered open as she sucked in a breath, a hand quickly reaching for the spot at the centre of her chest. Instead of a textured patch of sickness, however, her fingers were met with a racing heartbeat which thumped underneath her sweaty skin. It was the result that she always ended up with when that rather unpleasant dream decided to resurface, and her mind was always dragged back to reality as the syringe was about to puncture skin. Thankfully it hadn¡¯t been haunting her too regularly, although it was still frequent enough for her to wonder if it was going to have any lasting effects. She could brush a dream off if she found something else to be distracted over, but sheets that were soaked in sweat were a little harder to ignore.

    Her eyes ran along the patterns in the concrete ceiling above her as her mind settled, the polish reflecting the morning light which poured in through the window. She hadn¡¯t taken in any of the details when she had climbed into bed the previous afternoon, and by the time Saela woke her up as she returned it was too dark to make anything out. The person in question was still asleep, if the heavy breathing on the other side of the room was anything to go by, so Nina was quiet as she pushed the blanket off her before sitting up.

    While being encased in concrete had its perks, the morning chill on her feet was one thing that their new accommodation certainly didn¡¯t have going for it. A pair of socks was a quick solution, however, and soon she had thrown on her usual work gear before slipping out the door and into the hall. Pants and boots with her usual jacket might have seemed like overkill at first, but she had spent more than enough mornings out on their balcony at the Fire Fountain to know that the heat would wait. What she wanted right now was to feel comfortable, and even if she would never admit that she had come to like them, the outfit had become a part of her no matter how small it was.

    If she had told an earlier version of herself that the weight of a pistol in her jacket was somewhat reassuring, her sanity would have surely been questioned.

    Apart from the sound of her boots against the concrete, the hall was silent. Her quick glance at the other doors along the hall told her that she was probably the first to wake, but she wasn¡¯t surprised considering that she had gone to bed so early the day before. After leaving the previous day she had aimlessly wandered down the street for a little while, but even though she had eventually found a small restaurant that she rather liked, her mind had wandered. She had felt out of place, stuck between returning too early which would have been uncomfortable and running into another member of the group on the street. Left with no options, so she¡¯d simply stayed put until she couldn¡¯t take it anymore. The afternoon tucked away in the corner with a borrowed book and an endless stream of iced tea had been pleasant, but she couldn¡¯t put her return off forever.

    The one thing that she hadn¡¯t been expecting was to return to an empty house. Not that it was a bad thing, as she could escape from what would have been an awkward conversation by returning to her room and not coming out. Everyone else must have been out eating or exploring what the island had to offer, so she took the opportunity to wash up before sliding into bed. Waking up early would give her the chance to spend some more time to collect her thoughts, and by the time she returned after breakfast she hoped that the tension among the group would already be defused.

    So far, her plan was running smoothly. She had climbed the stairs to find that the kitchen and living areas were empty, although she did note that there were a few empty bottles of wine on the counter. Reina and Svanda¡¯s handiwork, judging by the amount, although she wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if they had managed to rope Trim in despite her general disinterest. Jade and Aline would have gone for ale if they had been responsible, while Saela wouldn¡¯t drink anything that expensive. Nina didn¡¯t blame her, to be honest, as she couldn¡¯t really taste the difference anyway.

    As predicted, the morning air was cool when she stepped up onto the street. A quick glance at her surroundings returned little, and she was already crafting a theory on how the island¡¯s inhabitants were mostly late risers. Warm and airy evenings tended to keep people out and about for longer, and it wasn¡¯t like trading away a crisp and quiet morning for them was a bad idea. It did, however, give Nina the opportunity to stroll down the centre of the street at leisure, only joined by the birds squawking overhead. She already knew where she was headed, considering the service that she had received yesterday, and so the only remaining obstacle between her and the next stage of her morning plan was if the restaurant was open yet.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    While sleepy was an adequate term to describe the surface of the island in the mornings, she also knew that that there was another world below. Houses, shops, and even bars took advantage of the ability to escape from the afternoon heat, and as a result the only street in town was condensed. Getting around was easy, although Nina didn¡¯t know what many of the residents did for a living. Customers for all the shops had to be getting their money from somewhere, and they certainly weren¡¯t all out catching fish. She was one of them, although she didn¡¯t know if she was technically at work now or not. It wasn¡¯t a question that she had ever bothered to ask Reina, and she probably wouldn¡¯t raise it either as long as she kept getting paid. Her bonuses were something that she was certainly looking forward to once they got back though, considering what she had been through, but to collect she would have to make it back alive. It wasn¡¯t that she thought she wouldn¡¯t, but yesterday¡¯s discussion was still concerning. She wouldn¡¯t be going in blind, but she certainly didn¡¯t have a good idea of what she was in for either, especially if Reina was going to remain tight-lipped.

    ¡°You¡¯re early,¡± said the heavyset woman who had served her the day before as Nina pushed her way through the door, the light ring of chimes filling the otherwise empty space. She had a striped white and cream cloth wrapped around her head which contrasted well with her wrinkled dark skin, a matching apron wrapped around a waist that probably saw a fair share of the leftovers. A thin smile hung on her lips, but Nina thought it was because she was done with her morning preparations. The broom in her hand swept a final pile of sand under the railing before she breathed out a sigh of relief, and her dark eyes glanced out across the ocean for a moment before she turned back to face her guest. Nina couldn¡¯t smell coffee, nor could she see any steam rising from the kitchen behind the counter though. Maybe she may have been too early after all.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, if-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± the woman said as she leaned the broom against one of the timber pillars that stretched upwards to the ceiling, leaving it there before walking over to the counter. ¡°Your timing is perfect, actually. What can I get you?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­¡±

    The woman smiled at the response, nodding her head in the direction of the seats. ¡°Sit down and I¡¯ll bring something out for you. Is coffee okay?¡±

    Nina nodded before heading for the seat she had occupied last night, thankful that someone else was happy to make the choices for her. Choosing food was often a game of lucky-dip when she dined by herself on a new plate, although thankfully she hadn¡¯t had to do very much. Aline had been excellent at suggesting things she would like so far, while she had also learned to ignore Svanda¡¯s recommendations. At least her poor endorsements didn¡¯t go to waste, as Svanda herself was always on hand to finish off whatever was left.

    The restaurant was cosy, with only a loose smattering of tables strewn about at random over the hardwood floor. Like many of the restaurants that were somewhat open to the elements it had a thick thatched roof, and currently there were heavy plastic sheets that dangled from it to protect them from the cold breeze outside. The sun wasn¡¯t too far from the horizon yet as though it was still sluggish from a long night¡¯s sleep, but Nina still had a good view as she sank into one of the cushions that lined the wicker seats. The smell of coffee drifted across the room moments later, and soon it was joined by sizzling sounds from the fryer.

    Closing her eyes, Nina leaned back and relaxed her shoulders. The warmer atmosphere of the restaurant felt much homelier than their concrete accommodation did, even if she was alone. A morning of peace was exactly what she needed before she re-joined the fray that was The Cloud Orchestra, and her newfound escape was going to provide it.

    At least she had thought it was.

    The door chimed as it was pushed open once more, Nina¡¯s eyes opening slightly at the interruption to examine the two men who had just stepped inside. One of them seemed to be more interested in loitering by the door than anything else, but Nina had already relegated him to the back of her mind as her full attention was occupied by the man who was currently strolling across the floor towards her. With flowing emerald hair that hung below his shoulders and a thin neat beard to match, Nina didn¡¯t even need to look at his sharp blue eyes or neat navy suit to understand who exactly she was looking at. It was true that they had never met, but the resemblance between the siblings was striking. How herecognized her was an entirely different question, but before she could even say anything he had pulled out the chair opposite her before taking a seat.

    ¡°Do you mind if I join you?¡± Alan asked with a smile. He¡¯d already signalled to the woman behind the counter that he¡¯d also eat breakfast, so apparently it was a rhetorical question. ¡°I¡¯m early for a meeting today and Rop over there doesn¡¯t like to eat in the mornings, as ridiculous as it sounds.¡±

    It seemed like the peaceful morning Nina had been chasing would have to wait.

 Chapter 089

    Nina¡¯s posture didn¡¯t change as she lay back against the seat, her demeanour casual as she examined the man who sat before her. Alan¡¯s features were rather feminine, now that she had the opportunity to take a good look, and it was probably why he looked so similar to his sister. Appearance wouldn¡¯t fool her though; she knew that it would be dangerous to assume he was anything like Julia behind the mask of his carefree smile. Trim told her once before that Alan was a world above his sister, and if she was perfectly honest, Julia¡¯s influence was already enough to scare her.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± she eventually asked. The room was quiet besides the occasional clattering of dishes from the kitchen now, and the resulting tension caused her to instinctively raise a front. Not a confrontational one, but more of an unconcerned fa?ade. She was worried about why he was here, but letting it show was the last thing she wanted to do. No use in throwing scraps to a potential predator.

    Alan didn¡¯t respond immediately, instead studying her with a thin smile on his lips. She knew that he would be used to these games much like his sister was, and while Nina wasn¡¯t a bad negotiator herself, she had no illusions as to who had the upper hand. Negotiation only worked when there was a desired result and a bottom line to work with. Probing of a more social nature with no specific frame for the picture, however, was something that she found a little more difficult.

    ¡°To meet with Reina,¡± he finally said, stating the obvious. How he had turned up on the island wasn¡¯t something that she was going to ask about as Reina could have contacted him for all she knew, but the fact that he was on Areinis itself was a different story. If Julia was anything to go by, Alan was a busy man that didn¡¯t have time to just drop in when it was required, especially if he had to move through the plates to do so. Why he wasn¡¯t sitting in a cushy office somewhere high above where they operated in Luem was more what she had been aiming for, but he probably knew that and decided to answer how he did anyway.

    ¡°This, however, was coincidental,¡± he continued as he motioned to the table between them with a hand gesture. ¡°A welcome coincidence, I¡¯ll admit, because my curiosity was piqued when I heard that Reina had picked up a new pet.¡±

    Ignoring the comment, Nina¡¯s attention turned to the woman who had appeared with her breakfast. Setting Nina¡¯s plate down, the woman then gave her a quizzical glance to see if Alan¡¯s presence was acceptable, serving him only after Nina nodded in reply. The two plates were quickly followed by mugs of coffee, and Nina didn¡¯t bother with any formalities before turning her attention to the meal before her. It was heavier than what she had been expecting - red rice that was topped with thin slices of fried meat, but despite her initial concern she found that she was quite happy with the subtle but spicy flavour.

    Alan¡¯s presence, however, annoyed her. Not only had he thrown her morning of peace out the window, he had also stomped on it by following up with a lazy effort to bait a reaction out of her. To label someone as a pet only moments after meeting them wasn¡¯t particularly polite, but she knew that he could do it because she couldn¡¯t afford to offend him. Reina needed his help if her earlier statements were anything to go by, but if he was also this sour with her then she might just consider sticking her foot in it when the opportunity arose.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite talkative,¡± he said after taking a few mouthfuls of the rice before him with a practiced manner. If it was low-class fare for him, he didn¡¯t show it, although Nina had already marked him as someone who ate meals that were more expensive than her monthly salary. At least there was a small win for her, that the woman had made it clear that Alan was seated at Nina¡¯s permission, but if it had irked him he didn¡¯t show it. She¡¯d have to thank her later, both through a polite word or two and by being a repeat customer.

    ¡°I¡¯m eating,¡± she replied without looking up, deciding not to bite at his earlier bait. Despite his appearance and standing, her initial opinion of him was that he was rather petty. Nothing good would come from their conversation if it kept going in the direction it was, so the easiest thing to do was just move on. If he decided to have a change of heart in how he was acting or not, the jury was still out. She wouldn¡¯t, however, play his current game. She was hungry, and someone waltzing in and taking the seat across from her wasn¡¯t going to change that.

    His decision to forgo a reply surprised her, instead shrugging before focusing on the plate in front of him. The tension at the table began to ease with the rhythm of cutlery on ceramic, but Nina had already found that she was slowing down. To finish her plate was to end the brief respite, and while it was an unfortunate inevitability that the conversation would continue, she still wanted time to refocus.

    ¡°Your fuse isn¡¯t as short as the last one,¡± Alan finally said as he finished his plate before she finished hers, wiping his mouth with a practiced motion before setting the cloth aside. ¡°Which means you aren¡¯t from the lower floors, are you? You haven¡¯t fallen from the higher floors either. Your etiquette isn¡¯t right.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Guessing where I¡¯m from, huh? Nina thought to herself. The urge to smirk was something that she quickly stifled, no point in giving away any hints now. He could easily chalk off a few plates just judging by her appearance, but if he would be able to guess Caecus was a different story.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look like someone from Terminus,¡± he continued, ¡°so¡­ you¡¯re from Caecus.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Reina told me,¡± he replied with a wink. ¡°Sorry, couldn¡¯t help myself. It¡¯s a poor habit, I¡¯ll admit, but I don¡¯t get the opportunity to have a little fun very often. Rop over there tells me that it¡¯s unprofessional.¡±

    Nina¡¯s eyes flicked over to the man who was leaning against the wall by the door, his hands stuffed into the pockets of a neat navy suit. A bodyguard, she guessed, judging by muscular frame and hard grey eyes that were partially hidden behind a blonde fringe. Being tidy enough to be in Alan¡¯s retinue while still looking mean must have been a difficult line to tread, although he managed it somehow. Props to him, she thought, as he certainly did it a lot better than Svanda did.

    ¡°It¡¯s not entirely coincidental that you¡¯re here though, is it?¡± she finally asked him as she tapped a finger on the table, setting her fork down before reaching for what was left of her coffee. Being on the island to meet Reina was feasible enough, but running into her over breakfast were odds that she wasn¡¯t fooled by considering how many places were scattered along the street. He could have been somewhere busier or somewhere more expensive, but instead he had come here, and the only thing that was in it for him was Nina herself.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he replied as he raised his hands in surrender. ¡°I saw you heading out and thought that it would be a good chance to join you. I never get to meet with anyone from your team outside of a working environment, so it¡¯s a nice change of pace, especially when it¡¯s the newest member.¡±

    ¡°Maybe so,¡± Nina said nonchalantly. Whatever tension she had felt earlier had dissipated, although if Alan had done it intentionally or not, she didn¡¯t know. She didn¡¯t particularly care either, because she was certainly a lot more comfortable now than she had been five minutes ago. ¡°I think you¡¯ll be disappointed though, I¡¯m not very interesting.¡±

    Her recent history had been very interesting by her standards, although she wasn¡¯t about to tell him that. Reina would have a much better grip on what he could and couldn¡¯t know, so remaining tight-lipped until then was just common sense. She was painfully aware that her label as the newest member in The Cloud Orchestra might be something that he was angling for, and leveraging information out of her that the rest of the group wouldn¡¯t have given up was a clever strategy. Until she was back under Reina¡¯s wing, she wasn¡¯t going to risk it. She didn¡¯t want to compromise anything, and she certainly didn¡¯t want to be scolded either.

    ¡°Shame,¡± he said with a smile, although she didn¡¯t know if he was sincere or not. ¡°But surely you have some interesting opinions on The Cloud Orchestra, being new and all. What¡¯s it like to work for Reina?¡±

    ¡°Good, I guess,¡± Nina replied, mulling over what other details she could reveal without saying too much. ¡°She¡¯s both smart and full of ideas with the confidence to back it up too. Dependable, which I think is important for a leader, although I can¡¯t tell what is going on in her head sometimes. Maybe that¡¯s for the best though.¡±

    ¡°And?¡± he probed.

    ¡°And¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to say much else about that until I know what I should and shouldn¡¯t be saying.¡±

    The comment deflated Alan¡¯s previously upbeat expression, a wry smile appearing at the corner of his lips before he signalled to the woman in the kitchen for more coffee. Nina hadn¡¯t particularly wanted more, but she wasn¡¯t against it either. The conversation had mellowed out somewhat and she was feeling a little more comfortable now, so now she wondered if she could learn a little about the man who sat across from her. Jade hadn¡¯t had a good impression of him, apparently, and his comment about her fuse being longer than ¡®the last one¡¯ led her to believe that Saela felt similarly. What was someone who was apparently so powerful doing here, and could she glean anything from him without giving up anything in return?

    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± he said before pausing for a moment as their second mugs of coffee were served. ¡°Consider it a trade. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s plenty of things that you want to know about, and I¡¯ve got answers. Perhaps something you want to know about Reina, or information on what Julia¡¯s planning. I could even tell you where your SuTSU friends are right now¡­ or maybe you would like to know the details on the new group from Zaffre that have appeared?¡±

    Nina felt a chill run through her, and she was pretty sure that Alan could see it as his smile grew just a little bit wider.

    ¡°Oh, that struck something,¡± he said with a smile as he idly ran a finger around the rim of his mug. ¡°I was curious about a link between your group and the people that arrived from Zaffre. It¡¯s been a few hundred years since it happened, as far as I¡¯m aware, and they dropped through straight after you. I¡¯m onto something, right?¡±

    She¡¯s here, Nina thought to herself, realizing that a hand had subconsciously moved up to the centre of her chest. She had thought that it was over, that Rucille was a bad dream that she wouldn¡¯t have to face again unless she decided to drop into Zaffre once more on her own terms. Apparently, however, she had been wrong. She couldn¡¯t know for certain if Rucille would even be in the group that had dropped down, but at the same time she just knew that she was. Ormain had already been enough of a headache, but now she had two, and as much as she didn¡¯t want to admit it she was terrified by the second.

    Ignoring the smile on Alan¡¯s face and the steaming mug of fresh coffee which sat before her, Nina pushed herself out of her chair and bolted for the door.

 Chapter 090

    ¡°Hey, calm yourself down,¡± Reina said after racing across the living area, placing a hand on Nina¡¯s shoulder before looking down at her doubled over figure with a stern expression. ¡°You haven¡¯t even recovered yet, what were you thinking?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ here,¡± Nina managed to say between heaving breaths, her hands slipping down off knees before she plopped onto the cold grey floor. Tightness had returned to her chest, although she didn¡¯t know if it was because she had actually pushed herself or if it was just her imagination. Even the thought of sharing the same space with Rucille was enough to send her heart racing, but furthermore she was in the dark. Unknown quantities were something that she desperately wanted to avoid right now, and the fact that a monster could be lurking on any one of the islands around her was terrifying.

    ¡°Who?¡± Reina asked. Nina¡¯s hurried appearance had obviously caused a disturbance in the household, as Svanda and Trim were also now huddled around her while Jade had appeared at the top of the stairs. It was, after all, not very difficult to see that something was wrong.

    ¡°Rucille.¡±

    That certainly got their attention. Svanda and Trim both shot into action as if she¡¯d pressed a panic button, Svanda dashing for her rifle which was currently leaning against the sofa while Trim grabbed a pistol that had been lying around on the table. Reina was equally as quick, grabbing Nina under the armpits before dragging her away from the stairs that led to the surface, and while she wasn¡¯t as strong as Svanda she made up for it by being half as gentle. Nina tried to blurt out that Rucille wasn¡¯t necessarily here, as in on the island, but her surprise on how fluid the team had been left her choking on words.

    ¡°No,¡± she finally managed to squeeze out through heaving breaths. ¡°Not yet.¡±

    Her comment, however, fell on deaf ears. Not because she had been drowned out by the hustle around her or because she hadn¡¯t been loud enough, but because the unmistakeable sound of the front door opening echoed down the stairs for them all to hear. Svanda raised her rifle after flicking off the safety in reaction while Trim moved behind the kitchen counter, both aiming in the direction of the staircase which led upwards. Jade, among all the commotion, had also returned from below with a pistol in hand as she hugged the wall, and suddenly the entire room had descended into silence where the only thing that Nina could hear was her own heartbeat.

    ¡°It¡¯s rude to shoot the messenger, you know,¡± Alan said from up the stairs, out of sight. ¡°We¡¯re coming down, there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±

    Reina¡¯s serious expression was replaced by a flash of confusion before it was quickly covered up, a small sigh escaping her lips as she connected the dots over what had happened in her head. Motioning for Svanda and Trim to both stand down, she glanced at Nina who still sat on the concrete before returning her attention to the door.

    ¡°Get up,¡± she said quietly before moving over to the sofa, sitting herself down before reorganizing her posture into something presentable. A casual smile quickly appeared on her face as the sound of footsteps on the stairs reached them, while Trim casually pocketed her pistol and Svanda dropped her rifle on the table. Jade had already disappeared back down the stairs just as silently as she had appeared in the first place, and before Nina knew it a pair of clean brown shoes had appeared on the stairs.

    She made it to the sofa just as Rop set foot in the living area, his eyes flicking over the interior in a systematic scan before giving the group a curt nod. Alan followed behind with an expression that was something between a smile and a smirk, palms up with his hands out in mock surrender before he steered himself in Reina¡¯s direction. To Nina¡¯s surprise, there was a third person who followed the pair into the room, a lithe woman with a short bob of brown hair and a friendly smile. Like Rop she was dressed in navy business wear, although the way that she had armed herself was much less subtle. Nina didn¡¯t even need to look twice to see that there was a shiny silver submachinegun strapped to each of her thighs, her jacket not even hanging low enough to cover them while her hands hovered in their vicinity. Soon satisfied that it was clear, however, her attention turned to not Reina but Trim as she moved over to join her.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again,¡± Alan said to Reina as he stopped before her. Nina didn¡¯t know if he was waiting for Reina to stand up and shake his hand or something, but if he had been he was left disappointed. Instead of replying, she simply smiled, extending her hand out to the sofa which sat opposite them in a gesture for him to sit. If he felt snubbed, he didn¡¯t show it, casually sitting before draping one long leg over the other before tucking a lose strand of hair behind his ear. Nina was now painfully aware that she was sitting in the middle of something that she probably shouldn¡¯t be privy to, so after clearing her throat she gave Alan a polite nod before pushing herself upward.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°Sit,¡± Reina said before she could get any further, placing a hand over her own. Apparently her assumption that she shouldn¡¯t be here was misguided, the idea supported by both Jade and Aline appearing at the top of the stairs. The room was quickly filling up now, with everyone from The Cloud Orchestra besides Saela present along with Alan and his two guards. Trim and the woman who Nina didn¡¯t recognize were already having a hushed conversation in the kitchen, but Rop unsurprisingly hovered by the door. She did catch him taking a second glance at Svanda¡¯s rifle which lay on the table where Jade and Aline had just seated themselves, but Svanda herself wasn¡¯t interested as she flopped down in the empty space on the sofa next to Alan.

    ¡°Yo,¡± Svanda said to Alan with a smile. ¡°I hear you¡¯re digging us out of a hole.¡±

    Nina saw Reina frown, but she didn¡¯t respond. Now that she thought about it, Svanda seemed to have a better relationship with Julia than Reina did as well. If it was history or something else she didn¡¯t know, but that was something that could wait. She would probably be able to get some of the answers she was after just by sitting and listening to the conversation that was about to unfold.

    ¡°A rather large one, apparently,¡± Alan replied casually before his attention turned to Reina. ¡°Sorry, I know I¡¯m a little early, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Nina,¡± Reina said after she saw that Alan was looking in her direction.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he continued. ¡°But Nina and I had breakfast together which ended on a rather sour note. I thought that it would be better for me to come and clarify what happened before there were any misconceptions.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you did, after what happened with Saela,¡± Reina said drily in reply without elaborating, which was much to Nina¡¯s disappointment. If she was interested in what had happened in the restaurant, she certainly didn¡¯t show it though, instead cutting to the heart of the matter. ¡°Enough of that though. Where¡¯s Rucille?¡±

    ¡°Rucille?¡±

    ¡°The girl from Zaffre¡¯s,¡± Reina said after she quickly glanced at Nina.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Alan smiled. ¡°So you do know who they are. Yes, there is one woman with them. Brown hair, average features.¡±

    ¡°Where is she?¡± Reina repeated with a sigh. ¡°How many people did she bring?¡±

    The room was silent as Alan and Reina studied each other for a moment, the smile on Alan¡¯s lips stretching slightly before he shrugged. ¡°I can tell you what I know, but I want to know how they¡¯re related to you in return.¡±

    Reina frowned before signalling for Trim to bring over something to drink. Nina wouldn¡¯t have even been surprised if she brought over a bottle of wine despite how early in the morning it was, as being told that there was a gigantic problem on your doorstep tended to make people reach for one. Water, however, was the drink of choice as Reina poured herself a glass once Trim had set some down, taking light sip as she thought about Alan¡¯s offer. It seemed like a no-brainer to Nina, but that was probably why she wasn¡¯t the one doing the talking.

    ¡°Include what you have on the SuTSU group as well,¡± she finally said. ¡°Then we have a deal. You first though.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Alan chuckled without pausing as he poured a glass of his own. ¡°The group from Zaffre¡¯s is the woman you talked about and a bunch of soldiers, seven or eight strong by what we¡¯ve heard. They landed on the Earth Fountain just after you appeared, waving some guns around like a typical group of people who don¡¯t know what they¡¯re doing. Pulled their heads in soon enough though, and I haven¡¯t heard anything about them since. What they¡¯ve been up to for the last week or so and where they¡¯ve ended up since, I wouldn¡¯t have a clue.¡±

    ¡°Not particularly helpful then, is it?¡± Svanda said with a frown. ¡°You¡¯re basically telling us that there somewhere out there, which isn¡¯t much more than we had already.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you any more than what I know,¡± he replied with a shrug. ¡°As for the SuTSU group, they¡¯ve been a bit easier to follow because they were sticking their fingers in as many pies as they could. Expensive pies too, if you want to look at it that way, and I don¡¯t think I need to state the obvious but they¡¯re looking for you.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to,¡± Reina said without a shred of humour. ¡°So, where are they?¡±

    ¡°They were at the Light Fountain, all five of them,¡± Alan said after he placed his glass back on the table. ¡°Dropped down a couple of days after you guys did.¡±

    Nina frowned, while both Reina and Svanda did too. The Light Fountain was where they needed to go before they dropped to Terminus, and waltzing into wherever Ormain had set his team up was not something that they wanted to deal with. If Alan was more specific as to exactly where they were on the mountain it might still be feasible, but they had no idea just how far his influence has spread.

    ¡°No need to look so glum,¡± he continued after seeing their bitter reactions. ¡°They left yesterday.¡±

    The mood in the room seemed to shift at the news.

    ¡°Talk about timing,¡± Reina said as she breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Do you know where they are now?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Alan laughed as he checked his watch, an ornate golden piece that would have easily been worth more than all of Nina¡¯s possessions combined. ¡°Considering I got in touch with them about six hours ago, I¡¯m guessing that they¡¯re probably just around the corner by now.¡±

 Chapter 091

    Lysalya frowned as she sat in the seat which had been moved to the edge of the deck, a pair of binoculars glued to her eyes as she stared at the hulking black monolith in the distance. Recon duty had never been something that she particularly liked, but then again nobody else in the team had a fondness for it either. The fact that she had an umbrella over her head and a cocktail by her side made it slightly more bearable, but constantly staring at the same scenery was almost as mind-numbing as the contents of her glass. At least she was comfortable, her combat gear discarded in favour of a white singlet and a pair of yellow shorts so that the salty breeze could finally run over exposed skin. Ormain hadn¡¯t said anything about her choice which was all the approval she¡¯d needed, and the fact that Lieutenant had to begrudgingly cart her gear around made it that fraction sweeter too. The group needed a replacement Artel for mundane tasks now that he was dead, and if Lieutenant already knew his place then it would save them all from Shalan having to teach him the hard way.

    ¡°So, was it worth it?¡± she finally asked without turning around.

    ¡°Do you think it was?¡± Ormain replied with a question of his own after stewing over it for a moment. Unlike Lysalya he didn¡¯t have an umbrella over his head or a pair of binoculars either, instead lying shirtless on a sunbed as he gazed at the clear sky above them. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips when he thought about how their fortunes had turned, but at the same time the gears in his head were continuing to whir. It was true that he had paid a lot for them to be out here, but the payment had given them a seat at the table where the game was about to play out. Whether the opposing side made their move today or a week later he didn¡¯t know, but whichever way it was, now that they were here they would be ready with a move of their own.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s like you rented a metal detector only to find that what you dug up didn¡¯t cover the fee,¡± she said before dropping the binoculars into her lap, looking over her shoulder before scowling when she saw him casually relaxing without paying her any attention. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have picked something a little closer where I wouldn¡¯t need to strain my eyes so much? The island over there would have been perfect.¡±

    ¡°If we were that close you¡¯d need a sniper rifle, not a pair of binoculars,¡± he said with a sigh. ¡°And considering the fast one that our informant over there has pulled on us, it¡¯s not something that I want to risk.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡±

    The question didn¡¯t come from Ormain, but Shalan instead as she stepped outside with a cocktail glass in her hand that could probably double as a fishbowl. Lieutenant may have already told Lysalya that she was dressed inappropriately for combat if they needed to mobilise at short notice, but Shalan had simply laughed in his face by opting for a black bikini. Ormain and Vesche certainly hadn¡¯t complained, although the latter had been understandably subtle about his appreciation because he valued his eyes being where they were. Lieutenant, however, hadn¡¯t been moved in the slightest by her figure on display, but as surprising as it was the others weren¡¯t going to waste time on dwelling on it. If anything, the amount of alcohol she had guzzled her way through during their stay on Areinis was the primary concern, but it didn¡¯t seem like Ormain was going to stop her from treating the expedition as a holiday any time soon either. Whether she was drunk or not when it was time for them to move would, unfortunately, probably come down to chance.

    ¡°He¡¯s playing both sides,¡± she continued as she sat down in the seat next to Ormain, fiddling with the lever behind her for a second before reclining down to a comfortable angle. A thin silver necklace which was against SuTSU regulation hung around her neck while her glossy black hair was tied up in a ponytail, a smile appearing on her face as Ormain shot her an openly admiring glance. ¡°He already made a fortune from us by selling them into a problem, and now he¡¯s going to try to make another one by selling them a way out of it.¡±Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°If we set up on that island like you were suggesting, we¡¯d only have one rifle that can hit anything at that kind of range,¡± Ormain added as he pointed to the closer island in question. ¡°It¡¯s the first place they¡¯ll look for us, and I¡¯ll bet you that right now that the guy is trying to sell them a one-up on what we¡¯ve got. That¡¯s if he hasn¡¯t managed to do so already. For all we know he could have armed them to the teeth by now and they¡¯re out there waiting for us to walk up to their front door.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a bluff,¡± Lysalya said with a frown.

    ¡°He¡¯s an arms dealer Lys,¡± Shalan scoffed. ¡°He plays both sides of a conflict like this for a living, and don¡¯t forget that his boat had a damn turret mounted on the front either. A few rifles are nothing to him, and if he¡¯s been engineering this from the start like we think he has, I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s going to have what they need on offer.¡±

    Shalan¡¯s words were sobering, although the reason that they were was because she was right. Their informant, now that she considered the situation from all angles, had played them like a fiddle. Ormain had already forked over enough money to ensure that they would remain committed to playing a hand, but their need to do so was exactly the thing that would enable the man to drive a harder bargain with the other side.

    ¡°If they cut a deal, we¡¯re outgunned,¡± Ormain said with a yawn, reaching for Shalan¡¯s glass before taking a sip. His nose wrinkled at the taste, but maybe something strong was what he needed after he¡¯d put the pieces together. ¡°And if they don¡¯t cut a deal, it¡¯s probably because they think that they can still give us the slip without any help. Whichever way it is, they¡¯re going to come out on what they think are their own terms.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that there¡¯s nothing we can do?¡± Lysalya asked with a tinge of frustration. She was sick of playing catch up, although she had felt the same way since their first encounter with the group in the Badlands. Being outplayed once was difficult enough to swallow, but twice had left her nothing short of bitter. ¡°Why am I watching out for them then, so we can wave goodbye as they leave?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re watching them because we¡¯re still going after them,¡± Shalan stated matter-of-factly as she hid a smile behind her glass. Lysalya didn¡¯t like it when she played the role of superior considering that her own rank was technically higher, but she also knew that there wasn¡¯t much she could do about it. Ormain didn¡¯t say no to Shalan very often, and her half-naked figure sprawled out in the chair beside him probably wasn¡¯t going to help change his mind either.

    ¡°Stop bickering,¡± Ormain said with a sigh. ¡°Yes, he caught us out, but this isn¡¯t over yet. We¡¯re right between them and where they need to be, and we still have cards to play. By now our ¡®informant¡¯ has probably told them that he invited us to the party, but how they react to that is something that nobody can predict. Knowledge that the net is tightening tends to make people panic, so stay vigilant. The moment that a boat leaves the island, I want to know about it.¡±

    Lysalya considered pointing out that their target had escaped his net twice already but held her tongue. Third time lucky was what they usually said, and for once she was inclined to agree. Not because she was superstitious of course, but simply because you could only flip heads on a coin so many times in a row before things finally went the other way. Soon enough they would have the stroke of luck that they needed, and one chance was all that they needed for their hard work to finally pay off.

    ¡°Shalan, it¡¯s your turn on watch,¡± she said with a hint of satisfaction after taking a glance at the clock. At least her shift was over for now, and the nearby pool wasn¡¯t looking so bad. Their equipment was set out neatly inside in case their target decided to make a break for it, so if Shalan was going to use the opportunity to relax, she was too.

    ¡°I¡¯m not watching anything,¡± Shalan said with a smile as she took another sip of her cocktail before turning her head in the direction of the restaurant behind them. ¡°Lieutenant, bring out the boys. It¡¯s time for them to earn that meal.¡±

    Ormain smiled, while Lysalya grimaced. Not because she thought that it was the wrong thing to do, but simply because she was bitter over the fact that she hadn¡¯t thought of the idea in the first place.

 Chapter 092

    ¡°You¡¯re a snake, you know,¡± Reina hissed as she looked across to the sofa opposite her, eyes narrow as she sized Alan up with evident frustration on her face. His admittance to revealing their location to Ormain and his team had sent the atmosphere in the already cold room down to freezing, but despite Reina¡¯s insult he didn¡¯t seem concerned. Trim¡¯s hand hovered by her pistol which sat on the kitchen counter, while Jade had also casually reached for her own. Both Rop and the other woman, however, didn¡¯t even move, instead acting as though nothing had happened. Alan¡¯s team seemed to be so calm over the situation that it left Nina confused. Where their confidence was coming from, she didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Maybe so, but you should have known that this could happen,¡± Alan said with a shrug. ¡°Ruryn Company is everywhere, it¡¯s not something that you can go up against even if you wanted to.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re getting pretty good at avoiding organizations these days,¡± Svanda said as she stood up before strolling over to the table, reaching for her rifle unopposed. ¡°What makes you think that you¡¯re harder to dodge than SuTSU?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not,¡± he conceded with a casual wave of his hand. ¡°But right now you can¡¯t really afford to have any more problems stacking up on the other side of the fence, can you? What¡¯s the point in making an enemy out of us when we can still be friends?¡±

    ¡°Funny kind of friendship this is,¡± Reina retorted. ¡°I think the word you¡¯re looking for is extortion.¡±

    Alan sighed before uncrossing his legs, clasping his hands together instead as he leaned forward and looked Reina in the eye. Nina felt slightly uncomfortable now that Svanda had left the table, and the chill from Reina¡¯s glare seemed to radiate out across the sofa. The tension in the room was thick, and even she of all people could see that Trim and Jade were ready to reach for their weapons. One word from Reina was all it would take to send this meeting in one of two wildly different directions, and for once she didn¡¯t know which path was the better one.

    ¡°You need us,¡± Alan said as though he could see the crossroads in her head. ¡°Whether it¡¯s getting away from your SuTSU friends next door or cleaning up the mess that my sister has landed you in, I¡¯m the only person who can get it all done on time for a price that you can afford. I¡¯ll make concessions as I admit that this whole SuTSU part wasn¡¯t in the original script, but I¡¯m not going to apologise either. Think of it as a lesson, albeit an expensive one.¡±

    A lesson to never trust you again, Nina thought as she stood up and moved towards the window. Her move immediately attracted the attention of everyone in the room as the moment was balanced on a knife¡¯s edge, but she couldn¡¯t stand being so close to the exchange of barbs. Alan was speaking the truth in at least some form, as The Cloud Orchestra was a drop in the ocean compared to Ruryn Company if what she had heard was anything to go by. Alan had practically nothing to lose right now, and his attitude showed it. Reina trying to drag them all down together was probably the only thing that could go wrong for him right now, but even Nina herself knew that Reina wouldn¡¯t be so self-destructive. He didn¡¯t need their trust because not only did he have what they needed, he would also continue to have what they needed in the future if they were trying to grow as an organisation.

    ¡°And so how do you propose we get out of this?¡± Reina finally asked with a frown. Alan smiled at the concession, and Nina found herself irked at the sense of smugness. It was similar to Julia, that unspoken impression where they wanted to make everyone aware that they were driving the negotiation. Again, little they could do, because as usual they were unfortunately correct.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got three rifles with me. KeyRound S-250¡¯s,¡± he shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll sell you one, two, or even all three if you want to be safe about things. At a discount of course considering what I¡¯ve put you through, but in the end I¡¯ve still got to make a margin.¡±

    ¡°You came prepared,¡± Svanda said with a low whistle. ¡°Ormain couldn¡¯t afford to carry anything that heavy-duty around, and you know it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment,¡± he replied with a smile. ¡°Knowing what my customers need is just part of the job.¡±

    Nina held her temptation to make a snide comment about forcing a customer¡¯s need and could see from the corner of her eye that Jade had done the same. It wasn¡¯t their place to step into this conversation, although she hoped that it would soon move in another direction. She hadn¡¯t forgotten that Rucille and her team were yet another wildcard in this situation, and while they might not be on their doorstep they were a problem that they couldn¡¯t underestimate. Ormain might be a more immediate threat, but Rucille had more men behind her and probably also a healthy balance from the Zaffre Royal coffers above to work with.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°What¡¯s the timeframe?¡± Reina asked.

    ¡°We¡¯ll leave tomorrow morning,¡± Alan replied before pausing for a moment. ¡°Your SuTSU friends are probably somewhere in the vicinity by now, however, so I¡¯d suggest that you come to a decision soon.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll think about it and let you know,¡± Reina finally said before turning her attention to the window. ¡°Between now and then, get out of my sight.¡±

    Alan smiled at the comment, hiding whatever offence he had taken before rising from the sofa. After offering Reina a shallow bow instead of words, he then headed across the living area towards the stairs after throwing Nina a smile. Rop lead the way out while the other woman brought up the rear in what seemed to be their usual formation, Alan ignoring the rest of them as he ascended. The room was silent besides their footsteps on the concrete, and for a moment Nina could have sworn that the entire group was holding their breath. It was only after the door above them closed that she finally breathed out, and judging by the tension suddenly diffusing around her it seemed that the rest had done the same.

    Alan was gone, for now.

    ¡°What audacity,¡± Reina said with a sigh as she flopped back, sinking into the sofa. Her head tilted back in resignation as she stared at the ceiling above her, a difficult to read expression appearing across on her face. ¡°Unbelievable.¡±

    Nobody said a word as they all remained where they were, each member of the group clearly lost in thought. Nina knew that Reina would have worked through a solid game plan before going into her meeting with Alan, but his declaration which forced them into a corner had thrown everything out the window. Being back to square one was bad enough in itself, but somehow they had managed to do it while also picking up an Ormain-sized handicap to go with it.

    Svanda was the next to move, dropping her rifle back on the table with a wry smile before pulling a chair out for herself. Jade¡¯s pistol soon joined it, while Trim¡¯s hands returned to her pockets. The trouble was over for now, but their respite would be short lived. Ormain certainly wouldn¡¯t be brazen enough to stage an assault on the island just yet, but each passing hour would be nothing but extra time for him to set up whatever he was planning to do.

    ¡°How expensive are they?¡± Aline finally asked, breaking the silence before it dragged on for too long. It was a question that Nina wanted to know the answer for too, but any mention about Reina unwillingly spending money tended to be a sensitive subject. The fact that her calm fa?ade showed cracks was enough to let everyone know that she was seething below the surface, so as a result Nina silently gave praise to Aline¡¯s nerve.

    ¡°Out of our price range expensive,¡± Svanda said, answering instead of Reina. ¡°Nothing that we should ever have a need for, it¡¯s serious hardware. Fully assembled, they¡¯re probably taller than you are.¡±

    Aline frowned before looking up into space beside her, probably trying to picture just how large the rifles would be. Nina certainly wouldn¡¯t be handling one, and to be honest she would be surprised if any of them besides Svanda and Trim could anyway. Jade and Aline were both capable people, but they weren¡¯t soldiers. Saela of all people, wherever she was, might have a trick up her sleeve to surprise her yet again, but learning to use equipment like that generally didn¡¯t happen overnight.

    ¡°We¡¯re not buying them,¡± Reina said before her thoughts could continue. They watched as she stood before pacing in Nina¡¯s direction, finally coming to a stop beside her while she gazed out the window. The anger that had shown in hints on her face just before had already been buried, and Nina already knew that she was calculating their answer. Hopefully it wouldn¡¯t be as farfetched as the wall stunt she had heard about from the rescue mission on Zaffre¡¯s, but when it came to Reina her ideas always seemed to be from somewhere inexplicable. It was probably a good thing when it all boiled down, her ideas had dragged them through a series of close shaves while managing to somehow keep them all in one piece.

    ¡°We can¡¯t take the fight to Ormain with what we¡¯ve got,¡± Trim pointed out. ¡°Two rifles aren¡¯t enough. They¡¯ll have better equipment and they¡¯re probably better shots than we are too.¡±

    Nina didn¡¯t know where their second rifle was supposed to come from, but she didn¡¯t ask.

    ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Svanda smiled. ¡°Although I don¡¯t think we should buy them either. A KeyRound would be nice, but they¡¯re as good as anchors if Ormain doesn¡¯t come to us. Don¡¯t forget that we have to leave eventually while they can afford to wait around.¡±

    Reina nodded as she folded her arms, eyes still locked on the ocean. Nina hadn¡¯t thought about what Svanda had said, but it made sense. A rifle like that wasn¡¯t useful if they needed to break out from containment, and it would be impossible to get use out of it if they were on a rocking boat too. If they were planning to dig in and wait Ormain out it might have been an efficient strategy, but time was something that they didn¡¯t have. Rucille being added into the mix was another concern, but she wouldn¡¯t say that just yet. Reina was probably about to make a decision, and her choice would almost certainly have a profound impact on the rest of their stay on Areinis.

    Her soft chuckle was a stark contrast to the mood before she turned to face the group. Nina noted that a smile had returned, and just for a moment she thought that everything might just somehow turn out alright. How it would happen she would find out soon enough, but then again moments like were starting to become common fare with The Cloud Orchestra.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she finally said. ¡°Let¡¯s go and strike a deal with that bastard.¡±

 Chapter 093

    ¡°You know he has no reason to accept whatever you¡¯re going to offer, right?¡± Svanda said as they filed out from the house and stepped onto the street. It had only been around twenty minutes since Alan had left them stewing over his ¡®deal¡¯, but despite their meeting Reina now seemed buoyant. It was a mood that left the rest of them walking a fine line, however, stuck between asking her what the plan was and ruining her mood if they decided that it wasn¡¯t any good. Raining on her parade was the last thing that any of them wanted to do right now, especially as there wasn¡¯t anyone else around to be the target of her subsequent frustration.

    ¡°He¡¯ll accept,¡± Reina said as she spearheaded the group that set off down the road. Everyone bar Saela followed behind her, and the fact that Reina hadn¡¯t dragged her out of bed said quite a lot about her optimism. Missing the earlier meeting was excusable as Alan had suddenly dragged it forward, but not being ready at the planned time was something that she usually wouldn¡¯t let slide.

    ¡°What¡¯s the rush then?¡± Trim asked as she looked out towards the sun, the golden disk steadily ascending upwards. It was still low enough to be considered morning, but the cold edge that hung around like cobwebs from the previous night had already dissipated. Nina had ditched her jacket, while most of the others wore casual collections of shorts and shirts. Not formal and certainly not combat ready, but that hadn¡¯t stopped them carrying a few pistols either. Evidence that they had shifted gears now, Nina thought. Ormain wouldn¡¯t be coming for them right away as it would be stumbling in blind, but it wasn¡¯t hard to see that they were alert.

    ¡°There¡¯s no rush, we¡¯re eating first,¡± Reina said as though it were obvious, scanning the street as they walked. A few more people were around now, easing into the day as they spared the group a disinterested glance before going about whatever they had been doing before. Nina preferred it that way as attracting attention was never something that she had felt comfortable with, but despite her thoughts she found that she was attracting one person¡¯s attention after all.

    ¡°Where did you eat?¡± Reina asked her.

    ¡°Up there, the green sign,¡± she replied while pointing to the restaurant that had sheltered her both yesterday and this morning. She didn¡¯t particularly like the fact that she was revealing her hideout to the entire group, but at the same time she knew that they would probably be leaving soon. The extra business would just have to be her way to say thanks. If she was wrong and Reina decided to dig in, she¡¯d just have to find somewhere new. A problem for a future Nina.

    ¡°Any good?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Good enough for me then,¡± Reina said with a smile as she steered the group over, pushing her way through the door and strolling inside as though she owned the place. Nina squeezed in behind Svanda to see that the place was still empty, while the woman at the counter raised an eyebrow when she saw her.

    Forgetting to pay when you storm out probably does that.

    ¡°Ah, sorry I-¡±

    ¡°He paid,¡± the woman said before running an eye over the remaining members of the group. ¡°Sit anywhere, is coffee alright?¡±

    ¡°Wine,¡± Reina said as she walked over to the largest table which sat in the centre of the room, pulling a chair out before turning back in pause. ¡°For me at least.¡±

    ¡°Make it two,¡± Svanda said with a chuckle before joining her. The rest of the group didn¡¯t feel the same, however, forcing awkward smiles when the woman took a second glance at the clock with a frown. Coffee was ordered for the rest of them, while Nina hadn¡¯t even sat down before Reina rattled off a series of dishes from the menu.

    Oozing confidence yet again.

    ¡°He¡¯s going to accept because it¡¯s perfect,¡± the woman in question said as she swirled her glass around, briefly admiring the red liquid which was only a shade or two darker than her hair. ¡°Alan¡¯s a miser. All business people like him are. The secret is just working out how to make use out of that.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t see how not buying anything from him is going to work out in his favour,¡± Trim said.

    ¡°Are you going to pay him to go and waste Ormain?¡± Jade asked. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t see it coming. Hello and then bang.¡±

    Aline stifled a chuckle while Svanda frowned. It was a legitimate question when Nina thought about it, but it didn¡¯t sit comfortably with her either. She had no solid understanding of what was considered acceptable on Areinis from either a legal or moral perspective, but then again it wasn¡¯t like she was operating on the right side of the law to begin with. Hired guns, feasible or not, would be expensive though. It also wasn¡¯t hard for Nina to have her own conclusions about whether Reina would ever fork out for that kind of thing when they didn¡¯t need to.

    ¡°Do you really think he¡¯d put his own skin on the line?¡± Svanda asked. ¡°You think too much of him.¡±

    ¡°Go and distract him then,¡± Jade pressed. ¡°Or pay him to sell them the wrong information or something.¡±

    ¡°His reputation is just as valuable to him as his own skin is. He¡¯s never going to sell misinformation, not for any price that we can afford. Why don¡¯t you just skip the theories and listen to Reina¡¯s idea?¡±

    As if on cue, the food that Reina ordered at what had seemed like random began to pour out from the kitchen, an array of dishes that Nina had never seen before soon sitting in the centre of the table. I hadn¡¯t escaped her that Reina took it as a welcome distraction to revealing her plan, but the attention was short-lived as Svanda sighed after loading up her plate.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the idea then?¡± she asked with a tinge of seriousness as she dropped her cutlery onto the plate. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be going into this conversation blind, and I don¡¯t think anyone else here does either. This isn¡¯t going to be a game Reina. Losing twice in a row wouldn¡¯t have sat well with a bunch of SuTSU prissies like that, and don¡¯t forget that that they¡¯re a man down either. This has gone way past having a chat outside the restaurant or risking it up close and personal. They¡¯re going to be out for blood, and they¡¯re good at it too. If you mess this up, someone¡¯s going to die.¡±

    Even if she hadn¡¯t wanted to kill the mood, she did a good job of it. It was needed though, and it served as a sobering statement that dragged Nina back to reality. Areinis, she realised, was deceptive. Warm summer evenings over the beach and a glass of wine in your hand were ultimately just veneer over a poorly policed mess of islands which she ultimately knew very little about. This wasn¡¯t a holiday. Alan had already been a great example of how everyone would take a piece from you if they could, even if you were supposed to be on the same side. Reina had said herself during their brief conversation about Saela; people would have no hesitation to step on you if they could use you to climb even one rung higher.

    It was true that she hadn¡¯t had it easy, far from it considering the lasting damage that Rucille had done to her. Despite that, there was also a little part of her that wanted to take a breather now that the hurdle had been cleared. The next hurdle, unfortunately, wasn¡¯t going to wait for her and stopping for even a second could be fatal. Never before had the pistol which was jammed into her belt felt so heavy, but it also served as a reminder of the reason she had bought it in the first place. It was heavy, not like one of the toys that Jade or Saela were waving around, and for once she needed to treat it for what it was.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not confident, we¡¯re all happy to delay,¡± Trim said softly. ¡°I know that putting on a brave face is what you¡¯re good at, but if it¡¯s too much of a risk to go for it then let¡¯s not. Don¡¯t worry about our pay or losing the jobs either. We can always piece a reputation back together, but you can¡¯t bring someone back from the dead.¡±

    ¡°Can you not start raising flags?¡± Jade asked. ¡°If you raise any more I¡¯m going to quit right here and live out my life as a fisherwoman. Sorry Reina, but Aline¡¯s coming too.¡±

    ¡°The only thing we¡¯re going to be fishing for is a deal with Alan to get us out of here,¡± Reina said. ¡°But you¡¯re right, everyone deserves to know, besides Saela I guess if she doesn¡¯t want to get out of bed. It¡¯s going to be a bit of a rollercoaster from here on though, because I don¡¯t plan on staying on Terminus for very long. It¡¯s going to be short and sharp ¨C Terminus, Caecus, Skywall, and then back home. We know now that Ormain was just stabbing in the dark before with the wanted posters, so we should be safe if we can make it back.¡±

    Nina hid a frown. She knew it was unrealistic but stopping on Caecus for even a moment was something that she had been hoping for. It was true that her attachment was a liability as Ormain was aware of it, but it still couldn¡¯t stop her from wishing that Reina would be a little sympathetic to her cause. She needed an anchor in her life now that everything had gone out the window, and just knowing that her home was real and out there would be enough. A strong enough pinch on the cheek so that she could fully focus on looking forward instead of dwelling on what was behind her would be more than welcome.

    There was still time for an extended stay on Caecus to become possible, she reminded herself. Ormain could be dealt with somehow between now and then, as could Rucille. Every plate was a new challenge, but before getting to the next one she still had another massive hurdle to overcome.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan then?¡± she asked.

 Chapter 094

    Hours after The Cloud Orchestra had met with Alan for the second time, Ormain stood underneath the same umbrella that Lysalya had used earlier in the day. The sun had already fallen behind the horizon, and for once the moon had brought with it an army of dark clouds to smother the sky. Rain wasn¡¯t common on Areinis despite the massive stretches of open water which spent long days baking in the sun, but every now and then the umbrella would be used for its less common purpose.

    ¡°Not good,¡± he muttered, hands on his hips as he stared out into the gloom. Keeping watch at night wasn¡¯t usually so bad if the moon was out, but tonight would prove more difficult than he would have liked it to be. Not only was the moonlight blocked by the thick and angry clouds that clumped together above them, the light sheets of rain which swirled around in the evening breeze further hampered the visibility.

    If Nina and her team were going to make a break for it, tonight would be the perfect opportunity to do so.

    ¡°S¡¯alright, aint it?¡± asked the man who sat beside him. Short and built like a barrel, Ormain¡¯s new companion was the head of a small group of pirates who operated along the outer reaches of the Five Fountains. Pirate was probably a generous term considering that they usually seemed to terrorise defenceless civilians, but their collection of filthy beards, missing teeth, and penchants for booze might have just dragged them over the line. It wasn¡¯t hard to see that they were incompetent, but you get what you pay for and there weren¡¯t exactly a lot of volunteers lying around on short notice. They would be useful enough as meatshields at least, not that Ormain would tell them that. It was probably better if they died in the end anyway as he wouldn¡¯t have to pay them.

    ¡°Get your men ready,¡± he replied, ignoring the question. It was easier to just treat idiots like idiots, and the best part was that they usually wouldn¡¯t realise. ¡°I want to be able to move out at a moment¡¯s notice.¡±

    Beishall, as the ¡®pirate¡¯ called himself, had another eight men with him. Their weapons were of poor quality from what Ormain had seen, but at least they had three small boats that would prove to be a nuisance in the water. Quick and small but low on armour, they would hopefully be able to draw their enemy¡¯s attention until his team could do some damage themselves. Their own boats weren¡¯t much better off when it came to defences, two slightly larger models which sat low in the water with only a minimal amount of plating. It would be enough to stop the momentum of some light arms fire, but not enough to dissipate a pulse round. Anything to take the heat off them was therefore more than welcome, and Beishall was stupid enough to provide.

    The man in question frowned, but followed the orders, ducking out from the umbrella¡¯s protection and stepping into the rain as he moved off to collect his crew. Ormain knew he couldn¡¯t afford to say no, the money that was on offer would have dwarfed what they were used to. Fools either way, he thought. They hadn¡¯t even asked for a down payment which could have acted as some insurance. Accidents could always happen, especially if they happened before you were paid.

    ¡°You really think they¡¯re going to move?¡± Lieutenant asked. He was the only other person who currently sat under the umbrella, shielded from the rain as he stared in the direction of the island with binoculars raised to his eyes. Ormain didn¡¯t know what the visibility was like at that distance, but it must have been enough. Lieutenant would let him know if it wasn¡¯t, unlike Shalan who would have slacked off if given the opportunity. She had already become a problem that he would have to work around as her drinking had continued throughout the day, and the only thing that had eventually stopped her was sleep. Irritable, groggy, and probably still half drunk when she was dragged out of bed was the best he could hope for, so for now he simply crossed his fingers and hoped that they would have some more time for her to shrug it off.

    ¡°It¡¯s an option,¡± he answered. ¡°If they¡¯re not planning on taking the fight to us, now is when they¡¯ll break for it. Weather like this isn¡¯t going to come around again unless they dig in, which they won¡¯t.¡±

    Lieutenant didn¡¯t ask why he was so sure, instead taking his word for it as he continued to observe. Ormain was already beginning to think that maybe Artel¡¯s death wasn¡¯t so bad after all if he could bring Lieutenant in permanently, as squads were limited to five and this was an upgrade in almost every department. If he didn¡¯t crack under Shalan¡¯s constant goading, that was. The team needed a punching bag, and if they didn¡¯t have one it was difficult for him to keep them in line. Shalan¡¯s prematurely concluded probation was already evidence enough, although it almost certainly wouldn¡¯t be her last either.

    ¡°Speak of the devil,¡± Lieutenant sighed, pulling Ormain from his thoughts. ¡°Eyes on one ship, grey, ten to twelve meters at a guess. Heading at¡­ around one-tenish.¡±

    Ormain frowned at the news. Not because the boat was moving out at a poor time for them, but because he knew whose boat it was. If his guess was correct it was the arms dealer¡¯s boat, and it was not something that he particularly wanted to get into a scrap with. Not only did he have no idea on how well it was armoured, the turret on the front would serve as a rather strong deterrent to going anywhere near their bow. Their extra hands on board would be another chip on the wrong side of the table, while he couldn¡¯t even begin to speculate over what arms were at their disposal either.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    Not good, but it wasn¡¯t the end of the world either. One boat versus five could be considered odds that he was happy to roll the dice with, especially considering that three of them were expendable.

    ¡°Keep your eyes on them, but also look out for a second boat,¡± he said before jogging out into the rain, crossing the slippery deck before pushing open the door to their resting area and clapping his hands loudly. ¡°Get up people, it¡¯s time to hunt.¡±

    Ignoring the subsequent flurry of activity that resulted, he swiped his jacket off the table before throwing it over himself, clipping two submachine guns to his belt before stepping back out into the drizzle. Beishall had already assembled his group of crooks under an awning that sat just off to the side, so Ormain took the opportunity to walk over before quickly glancing at their gear. Cheap pulse pistols for the main part, but it would do. Not only would the bright rounds do a welcome job of painting targets on themselves, there was also the chance that one of them could get lucky and punch a hole through their hull.

    ¡°There are either one or two targets,¡± he said to Beishall. ¡°The first is probably a dummy, a grey boat that¡¯s about ten meters long. They¡¯re non-combatants, so all you need to do is pull up beside them and verify that they aren¡¯t carrying the cargo. Stick to the radio and we¡¯ll fall in on the second ship once we¡¯ve checked off the first.¡±

    Beishall and his men nodded, scuttling off towards their boats as Ormain hid a smile. The grey ship moving out in this weather had quickly narrowed the possible scenarios down to three, and he was already pretty sure on which of them was correct. The first was that the arms dealer had been kicked off the island and was now leaving through no choice of his own, while the second was that he had been paid to run a distraction for the others to make their escape.

    Neither was likely.

    ¡°Ready?¡± Lysalya asked as she appeared beside him, geared up and ready to go. Shalan trailed behind her, but the dazed expression on her face caused Ormain to frown. She¡¯d managed to get pants on somehow, but she still wore nothing but a bikini top above it while she was also barefoot. No time to waste, however, and at least she had armed herself.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said before looking at Lieutenant. ¡°Take Vesche and go. Stick to the radio, remember the plan.¡±

    The third scenario, Ormain thought, was that they were all on the same boat. There was no distraction, and there would be no second boat as a result. They would all be together and armed, unfortunately, and their idea would be to simply punch through with what they had before Ormain had collected his pieces together.

    ¡°Send one over to verify the dummy,¡± Ormain said into a radio that he had pulled up from his hip. Beishall¡¯s boats had already been launched and were now cruising through the swirling rain in the direction of their target, and after processing his instruction one suddenly surged ahead. The scene caused him to chuckle as he stepped into his own boat, flopping down beside Lysalya who had taken the wheel while Shalan somehow made it aboard behind them. He hadn¡¯t even told Beishall what they were truly up against, and the fool thought they were out to steal a shipment of swordshark ivory. It wouldn¡¯t matter if he realised that they had been deceived in the end, however, because if Ormain was correct in his earlier logic then he was about to have a pair of very angry pirate boats for partners.

    Out of the three scenarios, there was a very easy way to see which was correct - send a boat over and see if it was met with a storm of bullets or not. If it wasn¡¯t, Nina and her friends weren¡¯t on the boat. It would actually make his life easier, which is why he thought that it was unlikely. The arms dealer would have been out the way, and he was confident that he could wait the rest of them out or simply beat them in a straight up firefight. Nina¡¯s team was alright, but his was better. Once they left the safety of the island they would be nothing but easy prey.

    If the boat was shredded before it could come close, however, well then he¡¯d have some meatshields to help with the hunt. Shooting people¡¯s friends tended to piss them off.

    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Lieutenant¡¯s voice came through the radio. He was keeping a steady distance parallel to them in his own boat, Vesche sitting beside him as they cut through the shallow waves. There wasn¡¯t a roof on either boat which left the rain free to lash down on them, but Ormain didn¡¯t care. The hunt was on, and for once there wouldn¡¯t be anywhere for Nina to hide.

    Before he could reply, rifle fire cracked out over the open ocean from up ahead which provided his answer. Taking a pair of binoculars, he looked up to see that the first of Beishall¡¯s boats had already been reduced to a fiery wreck, the grey boat now kicking up a spray of seawater as it angled away from them and fled. There had certainly been more than three rifles too, the boat reduced to scrap in only moments due to the sudden broadside.

    ¡°After them,¡± he said, lips parting to reveal a sharp set of white teeth. The hunt was on, and his smile only got wider as Lysalya opened the throttle. The nose of the boat rose up out of the water in response, and soon they were cutting through the darkness in pursuit. Beishall would be fuming at his loss, and all Ormain would have to do is radio in that they had fallen for a trap. The pirates would buy it, and Ormain would offer to hunt them down together for revenge.

    What he wouldn¡¯t tell them was that his own boats would be the only two left afloat once they were done.

 Chapter 095

    Nina was almost sent tumbling as the boat¡¯s twin engines roared, the sudden change in angle to the floor coming as a surprise. Not as much of a surprise as how loud the sudden salvo of rifle fire had been, but at least she had been expecting that. Clinging to Aline who sat beside her for support, she felt an arm snake around her waist before it gave her a tight squeeze. The floor wasn¡¯t her place of choice to be sitting right now, but the amount of people crowded on board Alan¡¯s boat hadn¡¯t left them with many options. Room to fire back at their new pursuers was in short supply, and as a result the two of them had been relegated to sitting where they were.

    ¡°I thought you said there would only be one boat,¡± Alan yelled to Reina over the combination of both the motor and the intermittent rifle fire behind him. ¡°Not five!¡±

    ¡°Looks like I was wrong,¡± Reina replied. ¡°Guess you better call those reinforcements of yours in.¡±

    Hours earlier, Reina had marched their group over to Alan¡¯s temporary accommodation after their meal, offering him a generous sum to taxi them to the Light Fountain before escorting them to Terminus. In Alan¡¯s eyes it had been an even better deal than what he had offered to them before. Not only did he need to travel there anyway, Reina¡¯s offer would see him paid for it without losing any stock. Money in exchange for looking tough, essentially. Ormain was obviously a problem, but Reina had assured him that their vessel would remain unmolested. Considering Alan¡¯s reputation, it was something that he had perhaps too hastily agreed with. He was an arms dealer, who knew what he was carrying around?

    Unfortunately, Ormain didn¡¯t seem to care. Not only had he decided to chase them across the ocean through a dark and miserable night of swirling rain, he had also managed to find a partner which could be used to probe their defences with little risk to his own team. Both Reina and Alan weren¡¯t foolish enough to think that the captain placed any value on his new friends, and the fact that he had sent one straight into their maw was evidence enough. Even more concerning was that he was about find out that they didn¡¯t have as much firepower as they had been pretending to have. Not quite a paper tiger, but if their opponents didn¡¯t come at them head on then their fangs weren¡¯t anywhere near as sharp as they were cracked up to be.

    ¡°No long-distance comms out here,¡± Alan said with a scowl. ¡°You should know that.¡±

    ¡°Must have slipped my mind,¡± Reina replied.

    Nina frowned at Reina¡¯s attitude. She didn¡¯t doubt that Alan was good at saving his own skin, but she certainly wasn¡¯t comfortable with their current position either. She had already counted three wayward pulse rounds sailing over their heads, and the bright streaks of coloured light that shot through the night sky didn¡¯t leave much to the imagination. Their boat wouldn¡¯t be able to take many of them, if it could take any at all, yet through it all Reina continued to smile at her small victory.

    Beside the bickering pair at the controls sat Zhannah, Alan¡¯s second guard who had previously been happy to remain unintroduced. Nina had only caught her name after Alan had told her to stop joking around with Trim a little earlier, but now her face was a mask of concentration as her hands gripped the wheel. Nina was rather glad that she was the one driving as Jade¡¯s inexperience was not something that she wanted to gamble with, especially when their lives were on the line. The new pilot in question was currently stationed at the small turret which popped out from the bow of the boat with a pair of binoculars, although Nina doubted that she would see any action. The mount for the light machinegun couldn¡¯t swivel to face the rear, and even the most unintelligent of adversaries would avoid steering into its line of fire. It was a welcome deterrent, at least, as it allowed the rest of their group to be focused where it counted.

    Where it counted was at the boat¡¯s stern, using the apparently armoured seating at the rear for cover. A mess of magazines were strewn about around them, Nina and Aline both watching on as Saela picked one up before jamming it into a loaned rifle. Alan certainly hadn¡¯t had time to argue over it, although he would probably find the time to complain about it later. He could probably complain about it now actually, as the exchange of fire was still sporadic. Their pursuers were wildly inaccurate at this range as they skipped over the waves, while keeping them from pushing up was their main priority. The clock was on their side as Alan could eventually radio for reinforcements, although how long it would be until then was something that Nina could only speculate over.

    Nothing but a passenger in the conflict for the moment, she wished that it would stay that way. Why her and Aline were both placed just in front of their main defence wasn¡¯t lost on her, however, and she fought a shudder as possibilities ran through her head. A medic or a replacement in the line of fire were the two options she would be left with if someone currently up there was hit, and in her current condition she didn¡¯t know if she was fit enough to reliably serve as either.

    ¡°Might as well be shooting mosquitos at this range,¡± Svanda said as she fired off a shot, one of few as she focused on conserving ammunition. ¡°You guys don¡¯t have any rockets or anything lying around, do you?¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°If we had some, we would have brought them out by now,¡± Rop replied as though it were obvious. Paired with Svanda, he¡¯d ditched his formal look in favour of protection from the elements, the two of them alternating between putting light fire down to keep the two boats that zipped around behind them at bay. Ormain¡¯s two were even further back, seemingly satisfied to wait until they picked a favourable moment to turn the screws on them. Islands already flew by on each side, dark and often unlit lumps of black in the darkness, and sooner or later Ormain would find terrain that he wanted to attack around. At least the miserable weather ensured that the ocean was exclusively for their chase, as civilian traffic would cause nothing but extra problems to consider.

    ¡°Some arms dealer your boss is,¡± Svanda joked before raising an eyebrow at a muzzle flash from one of Ormain¡¯s boats far behind them. Trying a sniper rifle was a futile effort on a moving boat with this wind, although she didn¡¯t know what else it could be. She didn¡¯t doubt that the suits would open fire on their friends if they felt that it was advantageous, but now wasn¡¯t the time. Goading them into a push maybe, although surely even they weren¡¯t stupid enough to move up individually.

    ¡°Change,¡± Rop said, ignoring Svanda¡¯s barb while ducking behind cover to reload. Trim quickly replaced him, a rifle which she had somehow pulled out from her stereo on her hands. The thing had looked more like a jigsaw puzzle than anything else when she had first started to assemble it, and Nina was really starting to wonder just how much junk she could fit in there. When they had some downtime she would have to ask Trim to go through the contents with her, just to satisfy her curiosity if nothing else. Now was not the time to think about such things though, there were people to escape from and it certainly wasn¡¯t going to be easy.

    Or kill, she mused. Three nameless men had already been slaughtered before they knew what hit them and Nina was thankful that she hadn¡¯t been watching. It had driven home the fact that the stakes were the highest they had ever been before Zhannah even hit the throttle, and Nina wryly smiled at the fact that they were now quite literally all in the same boat. This wasn¡¯t like her versus Rucille, or Jade and Saela versus the Zaffre Royal Guard, it was a showdown between The Cloud Orchestra and Ormain¡¯s entire team, and this time they had both brought backup to the party.

    ¡°Not good,¡± she heard Reina mutter behind her. She and Alan had thankfully dropped their petty feud in exchange for pouring over a map in the darkness, but their reluctance to use a light hindered their progress. Alan¡¯s hands pressed the paper against the dash while Reina followed their location with a finger, and her subsequent instructions were occasionally passed over to Zhannah who eased them left or right without losing speed. The map might as well have been leopard print to Nina when she had caught a glimpse of it earlier, nothing but a motley spread of green circles on blue with a few labels. Somehow Reina had managed to not only make sense of it, she had also managed to identify that there was a problem was ahead.

    ¡°What?¡± Alan asked, frowning at the map in the gloom. At least the windshield had kept it dry, something that couldn¡¯t be said about his long green hair which now clung to his face. They group was at least relatively well dressed for the conditions, with a collection of dark waterproof jackets that they had rounded up at the last minute. They had known what they would be in for after all, and any advantage they could take was something that they would grasp with both hands.

    ¡°They¡¯re splitting up,¡± Jade said, answering his question. Visibility must have been terrible for her, but at least the water was relatively calm. ¡°Two are cutting around the island to our right.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we just go left then?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no room,¡± Reina said. ¡°The island there runs parallel to our path for too long, unless you want to drive us up the beach. Jade, don¡¯t miss if they get overzealous on approach, we can¡¯t afford to let a gift slip if they give us one. Aline and Nina, guns over the side, whatever you¡¯ve got.¡±

    Nina felt the arm around her retract as Aline gave her an encouraging smile, moving over to the side of the boat while picking her pistol up off the floor. Nina followed behind, fighting nerves as her knuckles turned white from gripping her own weapon. It hadn¡¯t felt any lighter since she had thought about what she was doing earlier, although now her hands shook too in a new addition. If it was from the cold due to the rain or from fear she didn¡¯t know, but now she had little choice but to peek over the side and take a glimpse at the dark collection of trees on the island beside them.

    ¡°Deep breath,¡± Aline said, elbowing her in the ribs. ¡°Just like at the range but with the difficulty turned up a few notches. The distance is going to be a lot further than you¡¯re expecting, so lift your aim a little. If you¡¯re ever hesitant, just remember that they won¡¯t be, alright? I don¡¯t like this either, but it¡¯s us or them.¡±

    Nina swallowed before nodding, not that Aline would have seen it. Still on one knee to balance against the steady rocking of the boat, she brought her pistol up towards the rail and focused on the pistol¡¯s sights. It was just like Aline had said, either fight them off or suffer the consequences. She didn¡¯t wish death on anyone, but she knew that she would be distraught if someone from The Cloud Orchestra ended up being the sacrifice. Her life had already been saved by this group, more than once too depending on how she looked at it. The journey had already hit rock-bottom once, and she wasn¡¯t going to let it do so again for either her or anyone else with her.

    Before she could finish her thoughts, the island before her disappeared only to be replaced by a collection of muzzle flashes in the distance. A chorus of their own deafening fire rang out in reply, and suddenly she was in the middle of a fight for her life.

    Aiming roughly in the direction of the flashes in the distance, Nina winced before squeezing the trigger.

 Chapter 096

    ¡°Closer!¡± Shalan yelled as she emptied what must have been half her magazine in the instant that the island no longer separated them from their target. ¡°I can¡¯t hit anything from here.¡±

    Ormain smiled as Lysalya ignored her request, letting loose a few rounds of his own before gauging his accuracy using the subsequent kicks of spray on the surface. It was difficult see if he was overshooting or not due to the poor weather, although the wayward streak of rounds off to their side were most certainly Shalan¡¯s and not his own. She would have been a lot better off if she hadn¡¯t had so much to drink, but there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it now. Regrettable, but it was starting to look like he was going to have to put his foot down on her misbehaviour in the very near future.

    Furrowing his brows, he guessed that the distance between them and their target was roughly four hundred meters, a sweet spot considering that their traditional rifles were within their effective range while pulse weapons would struggle. Beishall and his remaining men would have to stray a little closer to get any value out of the junk that they were carrying, while anyone on board Nina¡¯s ship with a pulse weapon would also have issues hitting a target. There were so many guns aboard her ship that it was practically a floating pillbox, and as long as it remained that way he was more than happy to take his chances from where they were. Difficult to hit the target sure, but ultimately they were the cream of the SuTSU crop. Hitting the hard shots was what they were about.

    Firing in bursts of three, he lamented the fact that he hadn¡¯t brought a better scope. If he was honest he would have said that he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d need a rifle at all when they had started out, but his favourite submachine guns remained holstered on his hips as nothing more than decoration. Up close and personal was where he would have preferred it to be, in a street shootout or inside a busy tavern perhaps, but this miserable excuse for a night on Areinis would have to suffice. Victory without any casualties on his side would make it worth it in the end, and if Beishall¡¯s men ended up on the ocean floor in the process it would be perfect.

    ¡°Are we moving in?¡± Beishall asked as if on cue, his voice sounding out from the radio attached to Ormain¡¯s jacket. ¡°If we all go at once, we can finish them off.¡±

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Ormain replied as he ejected an empty magazine before reloading, ignoring the evident anger in Beishall¡¯s tone. ¡°We don¡¯t know what other tricks they have up their sleeve, getting too close to them might be writing ourselves off. Don¡¯t throw your life away.¡±

    Pretending not to hear the insult that Beishall muttered out of frustration in response, he fired off another burst and was satisfied to see that he was getting close. Close enough to throw his opponents off their game through nerves hopefully, and he was yet to see them fire with any accuracy in return that would cause him concern. Beishall was at least proving to be useful for something then, attracting the unwanted attention after he had ordered his own boat in around fifty meters or so closer. Their constant pistol fire lighting them up like a multi-coloured chistmas tree certainly wasn¡¯t helping, but Ormain would be the last person to tell them that.

    ¡°This sucks,¡± Shalan grumbled as she haphazardly fired off a burst which was too long for the second half to have any chance at hitting a target. He¡¯d have to tell her to slow down before she chewed through all their ammunition, although in the beginning he had though that it would be impossible. ¡°Can¡¯t hit¡­ Oh, I think I hit something.¡±

    ¡°Someone, or something?¡±

    ¡°Dunno, too hard to see in the dark. Can¡¯t hear any screaming though.¡±

    Ormain shook his head with a wry smile before taking a glance at her. Soaked hair was splayed across her face, but it didn¡¯t hide the grin on her lips as she stood in the middle of the boat with an eye down the rifle¡¯s sight. How she managed to keep herself steady considering how many cocktails she had chugged down was a mystery, and if he was in her position he would probably be bringing them back up over the side. She was an enigma, although a rather troublesome one at that. At least she was his enigma, because he wouldn¡¯t ever want to see such an impulsive bundle of talent and unpredictability on the other side of the fence. If she was even remotely straight-laced she could have qualified as a captain, but apparently the image of her being in charge of a group of suits horrified the higher-ups just as much as it did him.

    ¡°The pulse rifle they¡¯re using off the back is going to be a problem,¡± Vesche said through the radio, interrupting his thoughts. On board with Lieutenant, Vesche had remained behind the target with Beishall¡¯s other crew while Ormain had moved up the flank. They were still wary of the mounted machinegun at the boat¡¯s bow, but boxing them in would hopefully prevent them from using while limiting their options. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is but I¡¯m not confident against it, even at four hundred. The other group isn¡¯t going to last long at this rate, so if you want to make use of the extra boat, it needs to happen soon.¡±

    Frowning at the information, Ormain fired off another couple of measured shots only to see them fall drastically short. Back to square one. The constant moving up and down made it incredibly difficult to steadily correct his aim, but he wasn¡¯t ready to put their skin on the line just yet by narrowing the distance. Getting up close to Nina¡¯s boat would result in casualties, and if possible, he¡¯d rather wait until the casualties on their side were guaranteed to be Beishall and his crew.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°They¡¯re turning, heading is slowly moving northward,¡± Vesche continued. ¡°Ninety¡­ seventy¡­ straightening out at around sixty. Pirates are cutting the curve, do we leave them?¡±

    ¡°Leave them,¡± Ormain sighed before quickly flicking his radio over to communicate with Beishall. ¡°Pull your men back, they¡¯re getting too close.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean too close?¡± Beishall asked in return. ¡°First you say they¡¯re unarmed, and now you wanna sit and watch as they cruise towards the Fountain? They shredded three of my men, captain, and I¡¯m planning on taking due compensation for it.¡±

    Ormain sighed as Beishall¡¯s boat changed course to follow the new heading, making no comment as Lysalya turned their nose to do the same. Once more they were directly behind their target, but the smaller profile to hit was the least of his new concerns. Lieutenant had followed the wake in pursuit which would quickly place him at their side in a moment, but Beishall¡¯s men were becoming a third party in the conflict instead of a tool that could be used and discarded. The stupidity that he had valued before they had set off was quickly becoming a burden, and if he couldn¡¯t convince them that their numbers were their most valuable asset then he was going to lose them.

    A curse exploded from the radio as Ormain watched a trio of pulse rounds rip through the middle of the wayward boat, three streaks of green light burrowing into the bow without emerging from the other side. It was impossible to tell from this range what damage had been done, but it was evidently enough to stop them in their tracks as the craft flailed to one side before momentum rolled it over. Once and then twice the boat tumbled without grace before the out of control craft crashed back into the water on an awkward angle, Beishall¡¯s pained roar into the night audible even without the radio. The odds that someone would have survived the impact were miniscule, and the fact that Beishall made no attempt to slow down and check on his comrades showed that he also thought the same.

    ¡°Idiots,¡± Ormain sighed, watching as debris from the shattered craft was flung over the surrounding area. Was listening to him that hard? It was true that he was using them, but at least he was trying to keep them alive so that he could use them in the first place. You couldn¡¯t use dead people, not for this purpose at least. Instead he had been robbed of a boat for nothing in return, although if he was optimistic he could hope that some sense had finally been knocked into his last remaining partner. It was still a terrible trade, but there weren¡¯t exactly many ways to put a positive spin on it. Ormain¡¯s hopes of neatly pulling in around Nina with one of Beishall¡¯s boats to eat up fire on each side had quickly evaporated, and so back to the drawing board it would be. If Shalan could just pick them off it would be nice, but things tended to be a little more difficult when he didn¡¯t want to risk getting shot in return.

    ¡°Something¡¯s coming up,¡± Lysalya informed him, taking her eyes off the ocean to peek at a map which she had pressed against her knee. ¡°It¡¯s a big rectangle of grey on the map, no idea what.¡±

    Ormain looked in front of them to see that there was indeed something ahead of them, their target speeding directly towards it. The silhouette seemed too orderly to be an island considering how large it was, while he could also see the glow of lights at intermittent intervals from further in. Whatever it was, Nina¡¯s group thought probably that it was going to play to their advantage, and that told him that he needed to know about it. He¡¯d had enough setbacks already, and another one was the last thing that he wanted to deal with.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked Beishall through the radio after squeezing off another quick burst. Lieutenant had already fallen in beside them, each boat cutting across the waves with around ten meters between them. Beishall had also thankfully had some newfound sense after his second boat was destroyed right before his eyes, and as a result he kept steady some fifty meters in front of them. Hopefully he would be a little more malleable when it came to following orders now, because if he wasn¡¯t then Ormain wouldn¡¯t hesitate to gun them down himself before they had a change of heart.

    ¡°It¡¯s a floating solar plant,¡± Beishall replied. ¡°Nothing but countless rows of solar panels which track the sun across the sky, all strung together with some cables.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming you can fit a boat in there then,¡± Ormain said as he watched their target continue to speed towards the plant. ¡°There aren¡¯t any obstacles?¡±

    ¡°Private property, wouldn¡¯t have a clue. It stretches for quite a while though, rows as straight as an arrow.¡±

    Ormain frowned as he thought about what their plan would be. They were still quite some distance from the Fire Fountain, but he couldn¡¯t discount their target calling for reinforcements either. Backup would scupper their plans, and outward conflict so close to any of the Five Fountains would draw a lot of attention from the types of people that he wanted to avoid. Sooner was quickly becoming better than later, but the fact that they were heading into the plant blind caused him concern. It was somewhat mitigated by Beishall, of course, but now was probably the time to play the card and see what would happen. Taking another loss would be difficult, but Beishall was expendable and things weren¡¯t over yet. Not by a long way.

    ¡°Take the centre and hold them at arm¡¯s length,¡± he radioed to Beishall, watching as their target disappeared between two rows of solar panels that were now possible to make out. Neat rows of blue like a futuristic vineyard that stretched away to either side of him, all they could do was dive in and hope that there weren¡¯t any obstacles hiding in the distance. ¡°Vesche, take the row to their left, we¡¯ll take the right.¡±

    Ignoring Shalan¡¯s suggestion to follow behind Beishall and shoot both him and Nina at the same time, Ormain chewed at his lip in a rare show of frustration as their boat shot into the adjacent channel.

 Chapter 097

    Nina breathed a sigh of relief as she slumped to the floor, her body rocking with the momentum of the boat as it sliced through the water. Feeling as empty as the magazine in her pistol was, she looked up as a hand found her shoulder before giving Aline a wry smile, wondering if the mental exhaustion was mutual. Mutual or not, however, the intermittent fire from the four behind them served as an unwelcome reminder that things were far from over. Ormain wouldn¡¯t rest until the balance had been tipped in either direction, yet at the same time he seemed too hung up on risking his own losses to try and force the issue.

    She didn¡¯t know why Reina had directed them into the stretching rows of solar panels that looked so eerie in the dark, but it seemed as though it would at least give them a brief respite. On their right she could see the glossy blue patchwork which shimmered in what little light was available, the massive panels bent at a forty-five degree angle in wait for the rising sun. With the bottom sitting only just above the waterline and the top some three or so meters above the surface, the array was matched by one of its many copies to their left, although on that side they only saw a bland protective backing.

    Spaced far enough apart to leave them with some seven or eight meters of clean water, Nina thought it looked like a hallway which had been tipped to one side. The walls were welcome even if she didn¡¯t know how much of a beating the panels could take, as anything between them and Ormain¡¯s guns was better than nothing. They couldn¡¯t be flanked if they had protection on each side, and she was quite sure that they had the upper hand on the boat which had followed them in too. The fact that it was keeping a wary distance between them helped her come to the conclusion, but then again she was well out of her depth when it came to those kinds of calculations.

    ¡°Will this take us close enough?¡± Trim asked Alan, using the moment that she had for reloading to assess their condition. Relatively unscathed would be an appropriate term as it could have certainly been worse. Two rounds had pierced through the bow close to where Jade sat, while another three had dented the armoured seat at the rear. Nothing but shaken nerves on their end yet while Svanda had scored an impressive hit of her own. A repeat against one of Ormain¡¯s boats would probably be out of her reach if they continued to hang as far back as they had been, but at least they had whittled down the numbers once again while the clock remained on their side.

    ¡°No, we¡¯re still going to have to cover more ground,¡± Alan replied, implying that the clock would be running for a little longer than they had been hoping for. Nina resisted the urge to groan, instead focusing on warming up her hands. Cold and wet while hanging off the edge of a speeding boat weren¡¯t pleasant conditions for them, and she certainly wasn¡¯t under the illusion that she wouldn¡¯t have to do so again. Reloading while her hands shook had already been difficult enough as the cold metal was harsh on her fingers, but at least she¡¯d saved herself from embarrassment by managing to do it without help. Two magazines, she¡¯d managed to somehow chew through ¨C twenty-eight rounds. Much more difficult in practice once compared to how comfortable everything had been at Julia¡¯s shop, but the sound of bullets whizzing over your head probably did that to anyone at first. She¡¯d almost had a heart attack when the first few bullets had screeched against the armoured seating at the rear, and when the bow was struck she almost had a second. Even Jade had seemed to take it better than her, and she was only a meter away. Not cowardice, she told herself, but just common sense. She wasn¡¯t cut out for being in the line of fire, although she wondered if Jade and Aline had once felt the same way too.

    Desensitisation did strange things.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we just slow down?¡± Saela asked. ¡°The guys behind us won¡¯t stand a chance.¡±

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t,¡± Svanda agreed. ¡°But one pulse round straight up our guts would turn us into sitting ducks for the rest. Reina, you have a plan, right? This cover is pretty flimsy, and we can¡¯t keep eyes on the others either. They might try to come up close and hit us from each side as we exit.¡±

    ¡°I thought we could knock some of these panels down,¡± she replied before turning to Alan. ¡°Surely you¡¯ve got something in the hold that we could use.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t, so I hope you have another idea,¡± Alan said with a frown before watching as a wayward pulse round drifted over their heads, the colour muted as the round was already dissipating. Cheap weapons would do that, the compressed energy not holding together as well at a longer distance before breaking apart and harmlessly scattering. It demonstrated just how far behind Ormain¡¯s hired help had fallen, although nobody would blame them. There wasn¡¯t much room to move from side to side in the corridor and pushing up would do nothing but present themselves on a platter. ¡°This is a delivery boat, not a floating armoury.¡±

    ¡°Grenades?¡± Svanda asked.

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Anything at all that could be used to collapse some of these panels?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Alan replied with evident frustration. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just shoot out the support struts?¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Svanda mused as she eyed the posts which rose out of the water to support the panels fly past them, thin mixtures of concrete that wrapped around steel. ¡°That isn¡¯t a bad idea.¡±

    Nina, along with most of the rest of the crew, turned to watch as Svanda tried to hit a few of the posts which flew by. The speed at which they were traveling made it difficult to hit such a thin target, but at least they were close and so it didn¡¯t take long for her to succeed. Watching with anticipation as her handiwork was quickly left in their wake, however, they were disappointed to see that the panel in question only sagged to the side a little.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Would need to hit both sides,¡± she thought aloud with a frown. ¡°Difficult.¡±

    ¡°Can you focus on shooting the people behind us instead of inanimate objects?¡± Rop asked with a sour tone, not bothering to spare her any attention as he focused on the pirate boat behind them in the distance. It was a valid concern considering that they were being chased by three boats full of people who were out to put them on the ocean floor, but it didn¡¯t stop Svanda from scowling in return.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s gotta get us out of this mess,¡± she said before redirecting her attention to the boat behind them once more. ¡°If you¡¯ve got any ideas, feel free to voice them.¡±

    ¡°How about we just shoot them?¡± he asked before turning silent, regretting his words when he realised that Svanda had already hit the target while he hadn¡¯t. A wolfish grin was all he got from her in reply, but as a response it was more than anything that words could portray. Left with no choice but to return his attention to the target behind them in resignation, he busied himself by reloading his rifle and checking their reserves. Still plenty of ammunition to go around, although the magazines that remained were now surrounded by spent casings in a testament to just how many pot-shots they¡¯d been taking. Reina had been right when she said that they only needed a few to hit though, the bullets which had pinged off the armoured seat which he had been hiding behind proving her point adequately.

    ¡°The second idea it is then,¡± Reina sighed before looking up to the night sky above them. The rain hadn¡¯t ceased yet, although it hadn¡¯t turned for the worse either. More of a light annoyance than anything else, although cold hands were never pleasant. Regretting her lack of forethought to bring gloves, she quickly looked over her crew with a frown. Risking people wasn¡¯t something that she felt comfortable with, but a smaller risk now was probably going to be better for them than gambling on Ormain¡¯s lack of accuracy over the next stretch of open water. Ultimately, she was responsible for them, and in return they put faith in her because they trusted her to make the right decisions. That was what being a leader was about, and she would never be one to shy from tough decisions.

    ¡°Are we going to drive up the panels and drop in on Ormain?¡± Jade asked to the ire of Alan¡¯s group. Even Nina could see that they wouldn¡¯t be able to build enough momentum to carry them up and over, and that was even assuming that the panels could support the weight. They couldn¡¯t, by her assumption, and so the only thing that would happen is that they would end up wrapping themselves around one of the many concrete posts that they were currently flying past. Silently thankful once more for the fact that Zhannah was the one in control of the boat, Nina watched on as the puzzle pieces were clearly falling into place inside Reina¡¯s head.

    ¡°Svanda and Aline,¡± she eventually said, ignoring Jade¡¯s comment as she sized up the panels beside them. ¡°I want suppressing fire off to our left¡­ so your right I guess if you¡¯re facing backwards. Just guess where about Ormain¡¯s second boat is, whatever it takes to stop them from pushing up.¡±

    ¡°Ammo?¡± Svanda asked.

    ¡°Burn through it, I don¡¯t care,¡± Reina replied. ¡°Keeping them back is the priority.¡±

    Svanda shrugged before setting to the task without asking questions, indiscriminately firing rounds off at an oblique angle into the solar array beside them. Aline soon followed suit, and soon the two of them together were systematically destroying so much of the array that it made Nina cringe. The pulse rounds wouldn¡¯t just eat through one row, countless more behind them would also be riddled with holes before the energy had sufficiently dissipated. It wasn¡¯t exactly wanton destruction if Reina had a proper reason for it, but she certainly didn¡¯t want to think of the cost of repairs either.

    Not that Reina would be sticking around to claim responsibility.

    ¡°There better be a reason for this,¡± Alan said with a frown. ¡°We have to wrap this up before we close in the Fountain now because I¡¯m not paying for damages when the authorities turn up, and something tells me that you don¡¯t plan on doing so either.¡±

    ¡°Of course there¡¯s a reason,¡± Reina replied before tapping her temple. ¡°Out of the three boats following us, who do you think is the weakest link?¡±

    ¡°The one right behind us,¡± Alan replied immediately. ¡°Crap weapons, crap skills. No questions.¡±

    ¡°Mmm,¡± Reina smiled. ¡°But then think about which boat would be the weakest link in a close-quarters shootout.¡±

    ¡°The sam-,¡± Alan started before pausing. ¡°No, it¡¯s not the same. It¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Ormain¡¯s second boat to our left,¡± Reina finished. ¡°The guy¡¯s a good shot and the rounds against the seat show that, but he¡¯s only one guy if the other one needs to drive. They don¡¯t have a pulse rifle either.¡±

    ¡°You want to broadside them as soon as we emerge,¡± Alan sighed. ¡°Your ¡®suppressing fire¡¯ is just ensuring that you have enough time to be able to get into place before Ormain can join the party.¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t push up if his partner can¡¯t,¡± Reina agreed. ¡°The last thing they¡¯ll expect is for us to hit the brakes.¡±

    ¡°Alright then,¡± Alan said, the tone in his voice suggesting that even he couldn¡¯t believe what he was agreeing to. ¡°What about the boat behind us?¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t be expecting the turn either. If we turn at ninety and then race along the edge of the plant, we¡¯ll be close to out of range before they swing around. From there we can hold them at a distance, although I don¡¯t know if Ormain will let them go to begin with.¡±

    ¡°And the captain himself?¡±

    Reina frowned at the question, although it didn¡¯t stop her from relaying her instructions to Zhannah. They had shot through about three quarters of the array now, but they would need to slow to a crawl if they were going to turn as tightly as she wanted them to. Rop, Saela, and Nina were collected up on the left-hand side of the boat at her instruction, and while they said that they were ready to welcome Ormain¡¯s second ship with a storm of bullets she could see that Nina wasn¡¯t. Poor girl, but she would learn. Everyone at The Cloud Orchestra needed to pull their weight, and that weight included protecting the rest of them. At least Svanda was placed at the back corner of the boat so that she would also be able to join in, and even Jade could probably get a shot in from where she was. Three to five guns versus one to two were the best odds that they were going to get, even if they only had one second to make it count.

    ¡°The captain himself?¡± she finally replied. ¡°I just hope that he has enough sense to stop for his own men if they¡¯re met with trouble instead of continuing against the odds.¡±

    She didn¡¯t voice it, but she also hoped that her team would emerge unscathed.

 Chapter 098

    As Nina loaded her last spare magazine into her pistol, she ignored the discomfort while her thoughts drifted elsewhere. While only a few days ago she was enjoying the warm afternoon breeze from the hammock which overlooked the ocean at their accommodation on the Fire Fountain, her current situation might as well have been from a different life. It wasn¡¯t just a second one either ¨C the sudden changes in just about everything around her besides Reina and the crew were beginning to read like something akin to a flip book.

    You couldn¡¯t have high points in life without low points, she got that. The problem was that the low points were more often than not a little too close to bedrock for her liking.

    Not to mention how frequent the dips seemed to be becoming. It wasn¡¯t like a series of rolling hills that eased upwards before letting her down softly, instead playing out like a rollercoaster which had been designed to terrify her. While it was doing a good job of it too, it was a more exhausting experience than she could deal with right now and the only thing she was left with was a wish for the ride to end. Considering that her life on Caecus had been so steady that it might as well have been drawn out using a spirit level, frequently losing control over aspects of her new life was strenuous. For the umpteenth time she reminded herself that she wasn¡¯t cut out for this, but there was no getting off until the ride had reached the station and it certainly wasn¡¯t just smooth sailing from here on.

    Land on a new plate, enjoy the fresh take on life, and sample a slice of the life that was on offer. Check. Have a close encounter with someone out to turn her into a tool to further their own careers while chasing after her in a potentially deadly encounter, also check. Once was nerve-wracking, while twice was concerning. Three times she had been through this now, however, and she was seriously re-evaluating her employment options. The debt that Reina held over her was the least of her worries right now, and if she got back to Luem she would really have to think about quitting or taking a permanent office role. If Euris could do it, so could she, right? Rinse and repeat was supposed to accustom her to the process, but the only thing that Nina felt was an increasing concern that each dip would be her last.

    The fact that their escapes had been escalating in difficulty was also something that alarmed her. While the first time had been somewhat casual as Ormain thought that he held all the cards, the second time had been downright horrifying. Even if she had been unconscious for what had apparently been the real escape, her time with Rucille was more than enough to leave her with mental scars that would take years to heal. At least the physical wounds which lingered would fade with time, but she would be na?ve to roll with the assumption that Reina¡¯s new plan couldn¡¯t leave her with any new ones. It wouldn¡¯t surprise her, as terrible as the thought was. Suffering through her second escape hadn¡¯t been enough, apparently, because this time she also got to dish some out herself.

    For now, she would just conveniently forget that there were more plates to come.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hang around,¡± Reina said to Zhannah for the third time. Being told once would have been enough as nobody wanted to wait around in the line of fire, but Reina was practically repeating it like a mantra. It was obvious to everyone that she was concerned about what the results of her decision would be, but nobody was going to fault her for whatever came to pass. Could Nina have placed a team that she was responsible for in clear danger with a roll of the dice? Even if she could have, she was glad that she wasn¡¯t the person who had to make the call. She agreed that if they were going to gamble then now was the time to do it, but at least she wouldn¡¯t be the one losing sleep at night if something went wrong because she wasn¡¯t the one who had called it.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Zhannah replied, seemingly at ease as she stared forward. From her place at the side of the boat Nina could finally see what she was looking at in the distance, the open ocean which served as the exit to the passage stretching away from them. How Zhannah was supposed to slow and then turn at exactly the right place was a mystery to her, but then again, she had no idea exactly how experienced she was. A common occurrence, when she thought about it. She didn¡¯t even have a great handle on how much experience the people in her own team had. Learning about your co-workers on the job might have sounded practical, but it was difficult to pay attention when your attention was instead focused on saving your own skin.

    A shoulder bumped into her own which shook her from thought, looking up to find that Saela had appeared beside her. The girl had a stern expression on her face, while her usual hoodie had been replaced by a slick black raincoat. It hadn¡¯t kept the rain from soaking her fringe despite how well she usually managed to hide herself under a hood, and Nina didn¡¯t need to look hard to see the look of distaste as Saela glanced at her pistol either. So what if she couldn¡¯t fire an assault rifle, there wasn¡¯t even a spare one for her to use anyway. She was trying her hardest to help protect everyone aboard including Saela herself, so why was there the need for snark? It was true that she had no idea if her shots had even landed anywhere near the target, but she wasn¡¯t a soldier and so she was just doing what she could. It wasn¡¯t a quest for praise or an attempt to prove herself indispensable, so why couldn¡¯t her efforts just be accepted in earnest instead of snubbed?If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Slowing in five,¡± Zhannah said before counting down, cutting off any chance to vocalise her thoughts. Nina was thankful for the instruction as it enabled herself to brace for the sudden deceleration, and instead of being sent tumbling when it came she would be saved from the embarrassment. She couldn¡¯t exactly shoot at someone else if she was busy flailing around with her legs in the air, and so after gripping the cold steel rail before her she hunkered down to wait. Breathe in, breathe out. They were only going to have a moment to make something stick, and if they didn¡¯t then it would be boat chase round three which was something that she simply didn¡¯t have the energy for.

    ¡°Three,¡± Zhannah said as Nina felt a slap on her other shoulder. Turning to see that Reina was smiling at her with an almost apologetic look was enough to make her heart twitch, but the dice had been rolled and all that was left was to see what the results were. She thought about telling Reina that there was no need to be sorry, but it could wait. She¡¯d done the right thing, as terrible as it sounded, and the fact that it gnawed at her was more than enough. It would be fine anyway, right?

    ¡°One,¡± Zhannah finally said, and before she knew it Nina was gripping the railing as tightly as she could. Almost thrown off her feet even though she had braced for it, she winced as Saela¡¯s shoulder smacked into hers before the boat swayed out to the right. There wasn¡¯t much room to manoeuvre, but apparently Zhannah was going to use every centimetre available to swing Alan¡¯s craft around. It was a good thing that she did too, because only halfway through the turn Nina saw a pulse round sail over their heads, an unwelcome reminder that there was still a boat full of angry mercenaries behind them with a rather large bone to pick.

    A smaller boat was not something that she had ever thought would be preferable, but tonight had decisively changed her mind.

    ¡°Up,¡± Reina said, galvanizing Nina¡¯s unsteady hands as she rose to look back down the dark stretch of water that was appearing before her. In the distance she could make out Ormain¡¯s second boat with little difficulty, the white water which was being split by the bow acting as a makeshift target in the dark. She didn¡¯t know if Reina said anything after that, because before she could see the muzzle flash of a rifle in the distance she grimaced before pulling the trigger, the gunshot punctuating the roar of the engine before it was joined by the three rifles to her left. Twice and then three times she fired, but before she could fire a fourth she was sent sideways before barging into Saela as the boat leapt out of the water once more.

    Ignoring the hiss that escaped from Saela¡¯s lips, Nina dropped her pistol to balance herself before looking around the boat to see if everyone had made it through in one piece. Svanda and Rop still sat off to the side with stony expressions on their faces, while Trim and Aline looked at each other as though confused. Jade was still in one piece although she had been using the light machine gun as an impromptu shield, while the three sitting at the controls were just as silent. Zhannah hadn¡¯t even turned to check on them, although the lack of screaming by now probably told her all that she needed to know. They were fine, and it was time to put as much distance between them and Ormain as possible.

    ¡°They didn¡¯t shoot back?¡± Alan asked to break the silence. Considering that he had been huddled in cover with his arms over his head he wouldn¡¯t have known, although to be honest neither did Nina. She didn¡¯t even know if she had come close to hitting the target, let alone if they had fired back. It had been nothing but a blur for her, and it was probably a good thing. If things had been any different, she didn¡¯t know if her already thumping heart would have survived.

    ¡°They jumped as soon as they saw us,¡± Svanda chuckled as she kept watch behind them to see if the chase would continue. ¡°I don¡¯t blame them either. It was the smart thing to do.¡±

    ¡°At that speed?¡± Aline asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that hurt?¡±

    ¡°Depends on how they landed,¡± Rop shrugged. ¡°Probably better than being shot though.¡±

    Nina saw Reina breathe a sigh of relief out of the corner of her eye before she straightened herself up and smiled at the group. Easy to smile now that they had come through without even a hitch so far, although her expression was soon replaced by a thin frown as she glanced over to Zhannah.

    ¡°Get us out of here before Ormain picks them up, he isn¡¯t going to take this lying down and his patience has probably run out too.¡±

 Chapter 099

    ¡°We made it,¡± Jade said with a sigh of relief as she looked down towards the jumble of browns and greys below them, arms spread out as she shot through the sky. It was the first thing that anyone had said since they stood in a circle around the gaping hole which served as the exit from their most recent mess, but for once Nina didn¡¯t mind. Her sombre mood was the main culprit, but it wasn¡¯t like she was the only one who seemed downcast either. Jade and Aline simply lounged around during their descent instead of performing their usual routine while Trim hadn¡¯t even turned the stereo on. Nina thought that it could have been a process specific to Terminus, but then again it could have simply been weariness. It was definitely weariness on her part, but if that extended to the rest of the group or not she didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here,¡± Alan said, Nina looking over to see that he was already speaking on the phone. So much for waiting until they landed, she thought, but then again his time was probably a lot more valuable than hers was. ¡°Southstone, the western pad. Send a car¡­ wait make that two.¡±

    ¡°How generous,¡± Reina said with a smile. Like the rest of the group she had returned to wearing her standard gear, the blue sweater and white pants painting a stark contrast to the bland palette below. The deep purple sky which featured a permanent writhing mess of angry black and grey clouds above them, however, couldn¡¯t be more different. Nina had read about it briefly while she had been back at the office, but being up close to the real thing was a little more harrowing than she thought it would be. Even now she could see intermittent streaks of lightning fan out through the rolling clouds as though they were alive, but strikes against the ground were thankfully infrequent.

    ¡°Nothing like home,¡± Svanda said as she fell in beside Nina, torn between observing the urban sprawl below them and the natural wonder above before eventually rolling onto her back. ¡°It¡¯s always like this, a constant reminder that nature can be truly terrifying if it wants to be. Not that you¡¯re going to get struck by lightning or anything.¡±

    Nina thought that it was very possible considering the luck she was having but decided not to comment in favour of surveying the land below. Underneath them was what seemed to be an orderly city which was studded with bright lights, a large red circle which they had positioned themselves above seeming to be their target. Off to what she guessed was the north was a jagged brown mountain range which was also bathed in a generous amount of light, while far off in the distance she could see another patch of urban development. She didn¡¯t know why they were so far apart, but Svanda would probably be able to fill her in if she asked later. For now she was satisfied to make out what she could on her own, however, and despite her initial scepticism she was quickly reaching an interesting conclusion.

    It really wasn¡¯t that different from Caecus.

    Unlike the gargantuan towers of Luem that challenged the skies, the sprawl on Terminus was much more modest. Buildings of concrete and steel which she guessed were between ten and twenty stories high were clustered around a centre, while the surrounding buildings slowly decreased in size like a gentle gradient. Between the orderly rows of grey were what seemed to be roads, and the orderly processions of white and red lights which travelled along them was comforting. Alan had asked whoever was on the other end of his call to send cars, and as a result she was cautiously optimistic. She could do this, this was her element. Orderly, monochromatic, and functional, even the dark weather reminded her of home. It was a good start at least, but the fact that she was carrying a pistol which was manufactured here served as a quick reminder that everything wouldn¡¯t be as it seemed. If she was to believe the stories she had heard about the plate before, Terminus was a grim industrial powerhouse which favoured traditional technologies over the technological wonders that she had seen in Luem.

    ¡°At least it isn¡¯t raining, for once,¡± Trim joked, lazily spinning around as she sat on her stereo. It was just about the only piece of equipment that had made it this far besides their weapons considering that everything had been abandoned on Zaffre¡¯s before they had skipped their usual accommodation on Areinis. Considering what it carried, it was probably the most vital piece of equipment too. Nina would have killed for a day off and some clean clothing right now, but she was under no illusions that Reina would be hitting the brakes for a breather. Alright, maybe not kill, but something close to it.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    The rest of the descent was uneventful, Nina satisfied to take in the sights with a lack of enthusiasm that surprised even herself. The large red circle which she had spotted from above turned out to be their eventual destination after all, and after shrugging off the disinterested gaze of what Svanda told her were the local police they stepped out onto the street. It didn¡¯t look too different from Caecus, although the differences were still noticeable. More steel and less concrete made up the buildings which were a jumble of straight edges adorned with glass, while the atmosphere felt a little cruder. The cars that whizzed by were certainly modern though, mostly polished metal lozenge-shaped vehicles in a range of blacks and greys. She couldn¡¯t see anything through the heavy tint on the windows as they cruised past, but she¡¯d already guessed that they were self-driven. Too orderly and precise to be human controlled, the traffic seemed to ebb and flow as a single organism in an almost eerily smooth manner.

    At least it wasn¡¯t cold. Her jacket was more than enough to keep her comfortable despite the grim-looking weather, while the air was also surprisingly clean. She had thought that it would have been dusty or polluted considering the plate¡¯s reputation, but it seemed as though she was wrong. If anything, it was crisp, although she did detect a hint of something in the air. Metal, maybe, if that was even a thing. Maybe it was just the moisture.

    ¡°Considering that the rest of our negotiations have already been agreed upon,¡± Alan said as he watched two cars detach themselves from the procession on the street before pulling up beside them, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving you to it. You know where to find me when the time comes.¡±

    Nina and the group watched as Zhannah opened the rear door of the lead car for Alan, a sleek black bubble-shaped sedan with dark tinted windows. The first thing that she noticed was how quiet it was, no visible vibration or thrum from a motor at all as it sat motionless even when Alan climbed inside. Zhannah and Rop hopped in after him, and after closing the door the car peeled away from the curve, effortlessly gliding along the slick black road before seamlessly merging into the procession of traffic.

    It would seem that Caecus still had a long way to go.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± Reina said before opening the door to the second car, disappearing inside before anyone could reply. Nina was initially sceptical about how seven people were supposed to fit in what she considered to be a normal sized car, but her questions were soon answered as she ducked inside. Apart from where the door was, a long C-shaped seat ran around the interior, the cream leather with timber trim simple but tasteful. The lack of driver as she suspected gave them plenty of space to move around, although she was still intrigued about how the vehicle was powered. Her initial search for an engine bay had proved fruitless, but she was already suspecting that the car was electric. It was either that or some other foreign kind of propulsion that she hadn¡¯t heard of, which wasn¡¯t as farfetched as it sounded. New technology was nothing surprising to her anymore, and every new plate seemed to have secrets that she couldn¡¯t have ever dreamed of.

    ¡°Congratulations, traveller,¡± Trim said with a smirk as she slid in beside her. ¡°You¡¯ve seen every plate.¡±

    ¡°Does it really count as seeing them all?¡± Jade asked as she ducked inside before closing the door behind her. ¡°Isn¡¯t it more like¡­ scratched the surface?¡±

    Nina would have almost missed the car peeling away from the side of the road if she hadn¡¯t been looking out the window, the ride just as smooth on the inside as it looked to be from the outside. Jade¡¯s comment caused her to briefly think about what experiences the rest of the group had from the different plates, and also if any had been as dangerous as this one. Not that Reina would tell her they had been, probably. She probably knew that Nina was already concerned enough without any more worries being heaped upon her.

    ¡°How many times have you all done this?¡± she asked, turning her attention away from the street outside. There was hardly any pedestrian traffic out, although the few people she did see had silver hair like Svanda¡¯s and wore drab black jackets. If getting around by car was as easy as it seemed to be, she understood why it was that way too. No point walking if you didn¡¯t need to. At least the buildings that lined the street seemed to be reasonably familiar, glass windows framed by a familiar mix of concrete and steel. It seemed to be more office space than residences, but she would find her answers sooner or later. As industrial as Terminus might be, such a well-oiled machine required administration just like any other.

    ¡°You forget,¡± Reina answered. ¡°It¡¯s nothing new and nothing special, just work. Do you remember how many times you travelled to work? How many times you caught the train?¡±

    ¡°¡­No.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just like that,¡± Reina continued with a smile. ¡°The travel becomes routine. This is who we are, what we do. These trips are our specialty. And if you stick with us, sooner or later, you¡¯ll feel the same way too.¡±

    As the car eased into the procession of traffic and whisked them away into the bustling city beyond, Nina tuned out before staring at the streets beyond, silently wondering if that was what she wanted.

 Chapter 100

    It didn¡¯t take long for Nina to become bored with the lack of scenery along the road, instead turning her attention back to the group before asking where they were headed. ¡®To Runa¡¯s¡¯ was the reply, and the answer caused her to think back to when their plans were discussed on Moonglass Isle. Runa was an arts reseller of sorts if she recalled correctly, and she was also one of the reasons that their escape from Areinis had been a lot more difficult than it should have been. A poor first impression of the woman had subsequently formed in Nina¡¯s mind even though she was still yet to meet her, but it was inevitable. Reina might have cared about some paintings or some other antiques, but she certainly didn¡¯t. Reputation wasn¡¯t worth much if SuTSU had already caught up to you, and that was if you were lucky enough to still be alive.

    ¡°She¡¯s useful,¡± Reina replied once Nina asked about Runa. ¡°People like her have a lot of connections, both in Terminus and elsewhere. Keep an ear to the ground if you want to stay ahead of the pack, they say. People are spoilt for choice these days and there isn¡¯t much loyalty left either.¡±

    Nina¡¯s reaction was muted, acting nonchalant as Svanda then gave her a brief description of Terminus. With three major urban centres which formed a loose irregular triangle around a rugged mountain range, the major components of Terminus were segregated. Southstone, the city which they were currently in, was mostly comprised of offices, shops, and residences, acting as the administrative heart of the plate. Close by was East Terminus, the secondary centre that Nina had seen from the air on approach. Svanda described it as ¡®a poorer Southstone¡¯ which was comprised of mostly residences, but Nina didn¡¯t detect any distaste in her tone. It could have been Svanda¡¯s home for all she knew, so she would tread lightly until she had filled in the rest of the blanks. No risk offending anyone just yet, whether they were in The Cloud Orchestra or not.

    ¡°The Westworks are on the other side of the mountains,¡± Svanda continued, pointing out the window in what to Nina might as well have been a random direction. ¡°That¡¯s where the heavy lifting is done, where all the manufacturing takes place. That pistol in your jacket? Made over there. It¡¯s also where we¡¯ll be picking up Julia¡¯s... rather large problem.¡±

    ¡°I still say we pull the plug on it,¡± Trim chimed in, idly picking at her nails. ¡°She¡¯ll understand, and if she doesn¡¯t I¡¯m not really concerned either. Tell her that she can run the Skywall herself if she wants them so badly.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going ahead,¡± Reina replied, killing the argument with a scowl. ¡°The agreement with Alan is already in place. After we drop this stuff off at Runa¡¯s we can head over to the factory and see what exactly we¡¯re dealing with. From there, we¡¯ll meet up with Alan again before he escorts us to their drop point.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the fee?¡± Jade asked. ¡°For using their drop, that is. It must be pretty expensive if Alan uses it to push his own goods through.¡±

    Reina winced at the question, looking as though she had just sucked on a lemon. Despite her reaction, however, she chose not to respond. It was none of their business, apparently, although Nina didn¡¯t mind either way. It was already hard enough for her to get a grip on some of the smaller numbers tossed around, so whatever figure Reina threw out would probably just confuse her. It was poor etiquette to ask the boss about finances in her opinion anyway, no matter how friendly they were. She would admit that Reina did a good job of blurring the line there, but it wasn¡¯t an excuse to overstep the boundaries either.

    ¡°Along with the route through the Skywall, let¡¯s just say you don¡¯t want to know,¡± she finally admitted before turning her attention to the scene outside. Nina guessed that they must be close as the streets were gradually becoming quieter, but she didn¡¯t know if it was a good thing or not. Not only was the car comfortable, she was also safe right now. A quick nap would be delightful, but unfortunately there were other priorities. The whole Runa thing was first, of course, but her hair also needed a good wash after the salty spray from Areinis had unpleasantly wormed its way in.

    ¡°Alright, this is it,¡± Reina said after a moment, her gaze locked on a building across the street from where the car was stopping. Three storeys tall and about ten or so meters wide, Runa¡¯s shop looked almost identical to the countless others that lined the street. A large glass fa?ade was framed by crisscrossing streaks of steel, while the concrete structure behind it was polished so that the street lights reflected from every surface. There were few actual windows if Nina was seeing correctly, although Terminus¡¯ preference for heavy tint was evident once again. Why they needed such windows was a mystery to her considering that the entire plate was enshrouded in an eternal state of semi-darkness, but she also had to admit that the futuristic feel was tasteful. Drearier than Caecus, that was for sure, yet the plate somehow felt more together.

    The group filed out of the car before wandering across the street, Reina taking the lead as she pushed her way through a featureless grey door before disappearing inside. Nina couldn¡¯t even work out how they knew that this was the right building until she spotted a small green sign above the door, ¡®Runa¡¯s¡¯ simply written by a flowing hand. Following the procession through the door, she stepped inside to find herself in exactly the opposite of what she had been expecting. Instead of cold grey concrete and steel, the interior of the building was decorated with burgundy walls and timber framing, thick green carpet stretching across the floor beneath her feet. A seemingly random assortment of statues, paintings, and other goods were scattered around the place, while a worn brown leather sofa setting sat in the middle of the room underneath a gold chandelier. After briefly examining a statue of a deer carved from what looked to be a single piece of wood which stood by the door, Nina¡¯s attention was finally drawn to the other side of the room when she heard a cough.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Reina,¡± a woman said, stepping around the counter that she had been sitting behind before making her way over to them. Short, round, and old enough to justify her long silver hair that was the same shade as Svanda¡¯s, Nina guessed that the woman before them was Runa. The fitting black dress that she wore was thankfully hiding under a thick brown jacket which had clearly been sourced from a poor animal or three, while her eyes darted back and forth across the members of the group with thinly veiled suspicion. Nina was surprised that she could even lift her arms considering how much gold seemed to be hanging of her pale fingers and wrists, but it did explain the slight jingle as she walked. Runa was unforgettable for all the wrong reasons, and Nina was forced to quickly turn her attention elsewhere to prevent herself from gawking.

    ¡°Runa, it¡¯s good to see you,¡± Reina smiled as she met the woman in the centre of the room. ¡°Trade been good?¡±

    ¡°So-so,¡± Runa replied as she guided Reina towards the sofa setting in the centre of the room, smiling as Trim and Svanda followed behind. Probably smiling because she knew that Trim¡¯s stereo contained what she wanted, but business was business. The rest of the group wasn¡¯t senior enough to join the discussion apparently, Saela loitering by the door while Jade and Aline both examined a marble sculpture of a winged man with interest. Nina busied herself by stepping over to a wall of paintings that hung from the far wall, listening to the conversation on the sofa while half-heartedly trying to make sense of what seemed to be a few random splashes of paint. Maybe she should have been an artist. Throw some paint around before labelling it as neo contemporary and watching the ¡®experts¡¯ fawn.

    ¡°Demand never wanes,¡± Runa continued as she sat, sighing as though it was a problem while she sunk back into the sofa. ¡°There¡¯s always someone new. Business owners, clan heads, or even kids who strike it lucky on the frontier and suddenly think they¡¯ve made it. They¡¯re insatiable. A lot of money spent on a useless pissing contest, if you ask me.¡±

    ¡°Not that you¡¯re complaining,¡± Svanda smiled.

    ¡°It pays well,¡± Runa admitted with a shrug. ¡°But it¡¯s tiring. Almost every single customer that walks through the door to my store thinks that if they just wave some money around I¡¯ll bend over backwards. They¡¯re antiques for a reason, you know? If every clan head¡¯s third son could waltz in here and find what they wanted, this stuff wouldn¡¯t be worth anything to begin with. What¡¯s worse is that the pissing contest does nothing but slowly up the stakes. Mister ¡®I got lucky in the mines¡¯ sees that his neighbour has a new statue, so suddenly he wants a bigger one, and an older one while he¡¯s at it. That¡¯s fine and I¡¯m happy to accommodate, but there¡¯s only so far you can go before you hit a ceiling. One day someone is going to come in and ask for the ancient Rimerian crown jewels or something, and then they¡¯ll have the nerve to get snarky when I say I can¡¯t do it.¡±

    ¡°Retire,¡± Trim suggested as she glanced around the room. ¡°Looking at this, you¡¯re probably sitting on enough of a fortune for both this life and the next.¡±

    ¡°Bah,¡± Runa replied with a wave of her hand, Nina frowning at the audible jingle that came with it. ¡°Retirement would be the end of me. The trade is my life and I still enjoy it, but we¡¯re not here to talk about that. Do you have them or not?¡±

    Nina watched as Reina nodded, Runa¡¯s eyes lighting up as Trim reached for the one of the many compartments on the stereo. Eyes on the prize while she hadn¡¯t even served them a glass of water, Nina was already becoming to see why Runa was probably as rich as Trim had suggested. If her appearance hadn¡¯t been enough to cement Nina¡¯s initial opinion of Runa at somewhat unpleasant, she was also a miser.

    ¡°Have a look over them and then we¡¯ll sort out the finance,¡± Reina said as Trim placed the rolled-up paintings onto the table before moving onto a second compartment, looking for the ivory. ¡°We have to head over to the Westworks after this, and we¡¯re trying to make good time.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t heard?¡± Runa asked, staying her hand that had been reaching for the paintings as she raised an eyebrow. ¡°The Westworks are in quarantine. Nobody allowed in or out without special clearance. Some nasty illness apparently, people over there getting infected at random and nobody seems to know what hit them. Whether it spreads to the mountains or not, I don¡¯t know, but production at least has been halted for the time being until there¡¯s an official announcement. They¡¯ve been tight-lipped so far, but their silence has done nothing but fuel the rumour mill. Impossible to separate fact from fiction at this stage, but the people are understandably nervous.¡±

    ¡°When did it start?¡± Svanda asked, probably a little too quickly.

    ¡°Three, maybe four days ago,¡± Runa replied. ¡°If the reports are truthful, that is.¡±

    Silence descended on the room as the group paused in thought for a moment before Svanda muttered a curse. Nina didn¡¯t know if they were all thinking the same thing or not, but she had certainly come to a conclusion the moment she had heard the news. It was too perfect to be a coincidence, and the thought made her blood run cold.

    Sitting down on the floor to steady herself, Nina wondered if it was her fault that a monster was now truly out of the cage.

    Rucille was already here.

 Chapter 101

    ¡°So the trains aren¡¯t running, checkpoints have been setup on the roads, and they¡¯re also patrolling the mountain border?¡± Jade asked with a sigh as she leaned against the car¡¯s window, idly watching the buildings fly past as it took them away from Runa¡¯s shop and into the city beyond. ¡°It seems pretty tight.¡±

    ¡°It makes sense,¡± Trim offered with a shrug. ¡°The panic would have created a flood of people if they couldn¡¯t contain the outbreak. The last thing they need is for whatever Rucille has dropped to spread out of control.¡±

    Their ride was so quiet that was almost unsettling, the silence offering nothing that could pull their attention away from the problem. If there was a hole that they could curl up and hide in on offer, Nina would have firmly placed herself at the front of the line. How responsible she was for the whole issue was something that gnawed at her. It was easy to argue that this wouldn¡¯t have happened if the two hadn¡¯t met, but then again, Nina couldn¡¯t control that. Was there blood on her hands or not? Even if she didn¡¯t think so, maybe someone else would. Emotion tended to make people irrational.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s difficult, but is there anything else you can think of?¡± Svanda asked her with a frown. ¡°Anything more than what you¡¯ve already told us?¡±

    Shaking her head in response, Nina¡¯s vision was locked on her feet as a million thoughts stampeded through her head. She¡¯d been so concerned about Rucille finding them on Areinis that she hadn¡¯t even considered the fact that she might not have even been there. It made sense when she considered the logic, and now she was kicking herself for not thinking of it. Rucille was ultimately driven by her research, and a whole plate of test subjects for her virus right beneath her feet would have been difficult to pass up. Too difficult, apparently, and it left Nina feeling somewhat foolish. Even when Ormain had set off after them she had constantly been thinking about Rucille¡¯s sinister smile, putting her on a pedestal as the bigger issue which loomed over the immediate problems to address. In the end, the feeling hadn¡¯t been mutual. Rucille had shown that her priorities lay elsewhere, and Nina had been left afraid of nothing but what turned out to be an impossibility.

    ¡°We need details,¡± Reina said after it became obvious that Nina wasn¡¯t going to reply. ¡°She couldn¡¯t bring a whole lab down with her, so her resources must be limited. We don¡¯t know how she distributed it or how well it spreads either, so let¡¯s just take a step back and collect what we can. Svanda?¡±

    Svanda¡¯s eyes narrowed as she looked across the car¡¯s interior, eyes focused on Reina in what seemed to be protest. Nina didn¡¯t know what kind of exchange was happening, but something was obviously going on. She would have withered under the hard gaze if she was on the receiving end, but Reina instead met it with ease before shrugging. Apparently it was enough, because Svanda eventually sighed before slumping back in her seat with a look of resignation.

    ¡°Fine,¡± she said, closing her eyes before placing her fingers on her temples. ¡°You¡¯re coming with me though.¡±

    Nina caught Reina¡¯s sour reaction to the counter offer, but it was quickly hidden as her attention turned to the window. Nina followed her gaze to see nothing but a bland procession of blacks and greys, so maybe it was just her way of hiding the complicated expression on her face. Not that anybody else besides Svanda seemed to notice. Saela had her eyes closed while Jade and Aline spoke to each other in hushed tones. Even Trim seemed to be lost in thought. It was an easy place to be at when you could partly blame them for Rucille¡¯s latest stunt, but Nina wasn¡¯t about to let it consume her. They were in a position to make a difference, and they would need to do something about it if they were going to get what Julia needed anyway. Keeping their role in the whole ordeal under wraps while doing what they could was necessary, but also difficult. It would be a fine line to tread if they didn¡¯t want to take on any pitchforks from locals that blamed them for what had happened. They had enough people coming after them as it was.

    The first step was getting into the Westworks.

    Well, getting out of it to be precise. Runa had told them that it was relatively easy to secure a one-way clearance to enter the quarantine zone, but getting out was a different story. Two-way clearances wouldn¡¯t be issued from within if her information was correct, while they were also incredibly difficult to come across outside. How they were supposed to get their hands on one, Nina didn¡¯t know. Alan was an option that they could explore, although she was sure that Reina didn¡¯t want to be any deeper in his pocket than she already was. What other connections The Cloud Orchestra had within Terminus was still a mystery to her, but she had a suspicion that she would be finding out sooner rather than later.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°I think our safehouse here should be secure enough,¡± Reina said once she turned back to the group. ¡°Finding somewhere new isn¡¯t going to make it any more difficult than it already is for Ormain or Rucille to track us down.¡±

    The news was well received, leaving Nina wishing that she had some clean clothes waiting for her. At least she would be able to take a break, however short it ended up being. She¡¯d also have to ask about how she was supposed to help the group over the next few days, but it could wait until everyone had settled down a little. Being a passenger all over again was something that she desperately wanted to avoid, and her relatively clean bill of health for once put her in a position to make that a reality.

    The thought about her health caused her to pause for a moment, wondering about Rucille¡¯s latest victims as she subconsciously raised a hand to her chest. If what Rucille had injected into her was also the cause of the trouble at the Westworks, she had sympathy for each and every individual who ended up on the wrong end of it. Her experience had been something that would haunt her for the rest of her life, but the people of Terminus had always been the true target of the strain. How much worse was it for them?

    If they survived, that was.

    Nina was wondering if a quick death would actually be doing them a favour when Jade opened the door, stepping out onto the street without a word. She hadn¡¯t even realised that the car had come to a halt due to being lost in thought, but now she took the opportunity to look up at their destination. The street wasn¡¯t dissimilar from where Runa¡¯s shop was with a string of three storey townhouses that stretched away on either side of them, but it did have charm. Painted concrete, occasional greenery, and even some timber features were all on display as Nina looked up and down the road, while there were even a few people loitering about. The buildings had their own sense of individuality, thankfully, a nice change from the bland swathe of offices they had been driving past before. If the weather was sunny she would maybe even have said that it was ideal. Clean and functional, the fa?ades were devoid of clutter while still managing to look like homes.

    The Cloud Orchestra¡¯s slice of real estate among the array of colour was a neat strip of sky blue concrete, white steel framing the few dark windows which were spaced out across each floor. The entire design was punctuated by a bright red door that Reina was currently pushing her way through, and Nina smiled when she saw the small painted cloud sitting above it. Following the procession into the stuffy interior she was met by a staircase which took them up to the second floor, a collection of shiny grey cabinets and white benchtops forming a clean kitchen. Beside it was a simple living and dining space with a few desks pushed against the far wall, while a second flight of stairs stretched upwards to what she guessed were the bedrooms. Trim was already reaching for the windows to grant the space some much needed fresh air, but what surprised Nina was the fact that Reina had chosen to hang back by the top of the stairs.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯re in, we¡¯ll leave you to it,¡± she finally said before Svanda stepped beside her, a grim expression on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t go poking into anything, it¡¯s better to keep your head down. Just wait for us.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t want to come?¡± Svanda asked Trim with a wry smile. ¡°Maybe you¡¯d enjoy it.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I wouldn¡¯t,¡± Trim scoffed as she opened a window before pausing. ¡°Actually, I most certainly wouldn¡¯t. Don¡¯t say hi for me either.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Svanda chuckled. ¡°We¡¯ll see you guys soon then.¡±

    Nina watched as Reina and Svanda went back downstairs, stepping onto the street before ducking into the waiting car. Peeling away from the curb, the vehicle quickly disappeared around the corner, after which an audible sigh escaped from Trim¡¯s lips.

    ¡°Is it really that bad?¡± Jade asked. ¡°I thought it would be kinda interesting to go.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Trim replied as she sat down on the couch, shaking the fine layer of dust off the TV remote before frowning when it didn¡¯t work. ¡°It¡¯s not worth it, so be thankful that you got a few days off.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll be gone for a few days?¡± Nina asked. ¡°Where are they going?¡±

    Trim sighed as she picked a fresh battery out from a drawer in the coffee table, replacing the old one before finally switching the TV on. Looking over at Nina who stood by the staircase, she smiled to herself before patting the spot on the couch next to her.

    ¡°To get answers,¡± she said as Nina sat down, using the moment to put her feet up on the coffee table and sink back into the sofa. ¡°The unfortunate part is that the answers come from a group of people who are notoriously difficult to deal with, even on Terminus. Don¡¯t ever go along with Reina unless she asks, alright? They¡¯ll chew you up and spit you out before you can even open your mouth, and that will only be the start.¡±

    ¡°Who are they?¡± Nina asked. She¡¯d already guessed that The Cloud Orchestra had connections, but Trim¡¯s comment made it seem like they were already scraping the barrel. ¡°Why deal with them?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t deal with them if we don¡¯t have to, but there aren¡¯t many people that can pull the right strings in a situation like this,¡± Trim said with a shrug. ¡°As for who they are¡­ they¡¯re the Daerx Clan, one of the oldest and largest of Terminus¡¯ traditional clans who operate their own slice of territory in the mountains. Together with the other top tier clans, they¡¯re a powerhouse that could rival even the government if they wanted to. Not that they would ever form a united front, but you at least get the idea.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you ask a different clan then?¡± Nina asked after she thought about Trim¡¯s statement, pausing to watch as Saela headed up towards the bedrooms for what she guessed would be one of her usual naps. ¡°Why the¡­ Daerx Clan?¡±

    ¡°Oh. Yeah. About that,¡± Trim said with a wry smile. ¡°The Daerx Clan? They also happen to be Svanda¡¯s family.¡±

 Chapter 102

    A day later, Nina stood between two racks of clothes with a blank expression on her face. Things around her had slowed down to a surprisingly normal pace ever since Reina and Svanda had left them to their own devices, but the thoughts in her head hadn¡¯t received the memo. Just being in public was draining, and the worst part was that she knew she had nobody to blame but herself for it. Ormain wasn¡¯t around the corner, and the woman behind the counter at the shop wasn¡¯t Rucille in disguise either. It should have been simple logic, but Nina couldn¡¯t help but feel tense to the point where it was almost laughable. She¡¯d been praying for a break for so long, yet when she finally got it she couldn¡¯t even unwind.

    ¡°This one¡¯s cute,¡± Jade hummed as she pulled a white shirt from the rack, twirling it around by the hanger as she admired the lace design on the sleeves. ¡°Try it on?¡±

    Nina¡¯s gaze slid from empty space to the shirt in Jade¡¯s hands, her expression revealing nothing about her first impression. It was alright, she guessed, simple along both the front and back where it would be visible underneath her jacket. The lace wasn¡¯t going to do anything for her besides add to the price tag, however, and she wondered if she could make it through the day without burning a hole in her pocket. Probably not, considering that she was with Jade. Nina did admit that she had a good eye for design, but practicality wasn¡¯t exactly her strong suit. Almost like an opposite to Svanda when she thought about it, and for once she probably wouldn¡¯t have minded shopping with her.

    ¡°She just needs something comfortable,¡± Aline said with a sigh as she appeared before them, a light t-shirt draped over her shoulder. ¡°She can wash her other gear in the meantime, so just let her take something to relax in.¡±

    ¡°Not cute at all,¡± Jade said with a pout as she examined Aline¡¯s selection, folding her arms without discarding what she had chosen. ¡°Maybe Nina wants something nice to wear out for lunch tomorrow, how do you know?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask her then?¡± Aline replied before smiling in Nina¡¯s direction. ¡°You just want something to relax in at home, right?¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t,¡± Jade answered for her. ¡°She wants to look cute when she goes out so that she feels better!¡±

    Nina¡¯s thoughts slowly drifted as she glanced at the two offerings before her, wondering why she felt like she was picking between the people instead of between what they held. It was a trap that she wasn¡¯t about to fall for, however, and so instead of selecting a favourite she randomly reached into the rack beside her. Finding that a checkered shirt of white and pastel blues had appeared in her hand, she glanced over it quickly for size before stepping past the confused pair beside her.

    ¡°This¡¯ll do,¡± she said as she walked towards the cash register, silently praying that it wasn¡¯t too expensive. At least the fabric felt nice, but at the same time she knew that she wasn¡¯t out of the woods just yet. She¡¯d avoided picking a side for now, but her choice of when to wear her new addition would do that anyway. Wear it at home and Aline would surely claim victory, while if she wore it next time they headed out then Jade would do the same. It was unavoidable, it seemed, until she had an idea. It wasn¡¯t an idea that she was particularly happy with, but at least it would let her keep the balance in check.

    Rueing her finances, she swiped a faded yellow shirt off the rack on the way over to the register. Why couldn¡¯t Reina pay their bonuses now instead of when they returned to Luem?

    Asking that very question after the trio had clambered into the car, she found that Jade wholeheartedly agreed with her opinion while Aline seemed indifferent. Euris helped calculate it all through a series of complex processes, apparently, although it sounded like a poor excuse for delays. Surely there was a minimum ¡®kidnapped by a crazy woman under your watch¡¯ bonus or something similar, and Nina wouldn¡¯t mind seeing it before she was killed by the persistent captain on the other side of the fence. At least she had defused the clothing dilemma smoothly, her yellow and blue shirts marked for indoor and outdoor use respectively. It was the best of both worlds when it came to pleasing the pair, but Nina would have been happy under a blanket in her room where clothes weren¡¯t even required. Instead, she¡¯d put a hole in her pocket for clothes she couldn¡¯t take with her to the next plate while managing to get roped in for lunch tomorrow at the same time.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    She really needed a bath.

    ¡°I wonder how Svanda¡¯s doing,¡± Jade mused, one of Nina¡¯s new shirts held up as she ran her eyes over it. It seemed to pass the initial test at least, because before Nina knew it she had reached for the other. ¡°I know Trim said to avoid it, but I¡¯m still interested. They¡¯re super rich right? I wonder if they have a castle or something.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t expect me to go with you if you get the chance,¡± Aline said before frowning. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should go in the first place. Keeping your mouth shut isn¡¯t exactly your forte, and who knows what kind of trouble it would land you in.¡±

    Nina smirked as Jade hit Aline on the shoulder with a light punch, pouting before turning her attention to the window. Nina watched her blue eyes in the reflection as they followed the scenery which flew past them, noting the hand that idly moved up through her hair as though she had lost herself in thought. It was a familiar sight over the last couple of days, and it wasn¡¯t just Jade who had been drifting off either. They all had, and is she was frank, Nina didn¡¯t like it. As terrible as it was, the pressure that they had been under over the past few weeks had always given them direction. It had aligned them, and in turn it had integrated Nina as a part of the group. When there was no time to think, all they could do was just¡­ do.

    With the pressure now off, however, the tight-knit group was beginning to drift apart. Reina and Svanda were off doing their own thing, while she felt like walls had suddenly appeared overnight around the rest of them. It was silly, really, but Nina wanted to know what was going on in Jade¡¯s head. If Ormain was right in front of them she would have known that the focus was on the problem at hand, but what was Jade thinking about now? When everyone else was lost in thought, where were they?

    A light cough from Aline disturbed her thoughts, causing a wry smile to appear on her lips at the irony of her plight. She¡¯d been the same recently, lost in thought with nothing to show for it. If they asked her what she had been thinking about, what would she say? It would be embarrassing to admit that she had been hung up to such an extent over something so trivial, and so instead of waiting for the question she decided to go on the offensive.

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± she asked Jade, the question pulling her attention away from the window. She didn¡¯t know if she was stepping on anything that she shouldn¡¯t be, but Jade was probably more open about this kind of thing compared to anyone else. It certainly wasn¡¯t a question that she¡¯d try with Reina or Svanda, for instance, but that was something that she could work towards with time. Baby steps were fine for now, she could chip at the walls before going after any of the larger chunks.

    ¡°About the first time I came here,¡± Jade eventually replied, her expression pensive. ¡°It was similar to this time around I guess, where Reina, Svanda, and Trim left the two of us for a few days while they went to see the Daerx Clan. They told us that we wouldn¡¯t want to come, but I just couldn¡¯t believe them at the time. They were heading off to meet one of the most powerful groups of people on the plate, and in their place we¡¯d been left with dropping a bunch of packages off around Southstone.¡±

    ¡°It was fun, just the two of us in a whole new city,¡± Aline said with a smile as she placed a hand over Jade¡¯s. ¡°Our families would never find us on a different plate, so it was the first time that we truly had time to just ourselves without worrying about the people behind us. It was time that we needed, and Reina gave it to us while only expecting a day¡¯s work in return.¡±

    ¡°It was nice,¡± Jade admitted with a shy smile. ¡°But it didn¡¯t last. A few days after that they returned, and the moment that they walked in the door I realized that they hadn¡¯t been lying when they said leaving us behind was for our own good.¡±

    ¡°Why was that?¡± Nina asked.

    ¡°Reina was fine,¡± Aline continued with a shrug. ¡°She always seems to be fine. Svanda and Trim though¡­¡±

    ¡°Looked terrible,¡± Jade concluded.

 Chapter 103

    ¡°Terrible?¡± Nina asked with a frown. How bad could it really be? It was Svanda¡¯s own family if what Trim had said was correct, so why would she of all people come out worse for wear?

    ¡°They looked¡­ gaunt,¡± Aline replied with a shrug. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me why, they never tell us anything besides the fact that we were lucky not to go. We asked the first time, and we asked the next time too. Not that they visit every time we¡¯re here, far from it, but after a while we just stopped asking. No point when you already know what the response will be.¡±

    ¡°Deflection,¡± Nina guessed.

    ¡°Yup,¡± Jade nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible to find out anything about the clan, but details about what goes on outside of the public sphere are scant at best. There are always people who are willing to talk about the Daerx Clan over ale in the tavern, but they¡¯re never people of any significance. It¡¯s always a miner, a tailor, or perhaps even a trader who once set up shop over there, but that¡¯s it. Even if you scrape together a few tidbits on how they¡¯re tough negotiators or how they¡¯re unfriendly towards outsiders, what goes on behind closed doors is still largely a mystery.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be willing to bet that Reina and Svanda will be stepping behind more than just one door too,¡± Aline added.

    ¡°Guaranteed,¡± Jade replied with a sigh as she leaned back into the seat, crossing one leg over the other before folding her arms. ¡°We don¡¯t even know how Svanda is tied to the clan either, besides that she is truly from the Daerx Clan and not just one of the branch families. It¡¯s significant weight to throw around if she wanted to, but she doesn¡¯t even tell anyone. She obviously hasn¡¯t been disowned considering that she can still go back there, but my guess is that they don¡¯t receive her very well either. Whatever the problem is, we don¡¯t know. One thing¡¯s for sure though, Svanda doesn¡¯t like going to see them and neither does Reina.¡±

    ¡°Or Trim,¡± Aline added.

    ¡°At least she doesn¡¯t go with them anymore,¡± Jade replied before turning to Nina. ¡°She stopped going a while ago, and she also seems intent on keeping it that way. Reina was pushy about it at first, but it¡¯s just normal now. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d take Trim if she wanted to go, but I don¡¯t see it happening.¡±

    ¡°You could ask her about it if you want,¡± Aline said before glancing out the window to see that the car was pulling up beside the house. ¡°At your own risk though. You certainly didn¡¯t hear anything from us, alright?¡±

    Nina nodded before Aline opened the door, stepping out before holding it open for them. The weather hadn¡¯t changed much since yesterday, although Nina did note the humidity in the breeze that drifted down the street. It wasn¡¯t raining at least, although the ever-present mass of clouds above them constantly threatened to do so like a temperamental deity. No tantrum for now though, thankfully, and the three of them made it inside before the storm could change its mind. Ignoring the ground floor which Nina had guessed was largely a storage area, the three moved up to the living area before throwing their shoes in a heap by the couch and settling down around the room.

    ¡°How was it?¡± Trim asked, her back still turned to them as she sat at the dining table with a laptop open. Her hair wasn¡¯t tied up, which was surprising, although she did wear one of her usual tracksuits. Nina noted both her bare feet and the couple of empty soda cans beside her with a raised eyebrow, but decided not to comment on the uncharacteristic decisions. Jade would do it if it was appropriate, so if she didn¡¯t then Nina should almost certainly take a leaf from the same book.

    ¡°It was alright,¡± Jade mused as she flopped down on the couch. ¡°Got what she needed at least. Thought we¡¯d wait for opinions about dinner before we committed to anything though. Don¡¯t know if Reina will be back yet either.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    Trim murmured some kind of reply, but Nina didn¡¯t catch it. Instead she strolled over to the kitchen before pouring herself a glass of water, thankful that Terminus had decent plumbing. Areinis hadn¡¯t been terrible, but Moonglass Isle was a significant downgrade from the Fire Fountain. Zaffre¡¯s wasn¡¯t that much better when it came to water quality either, while both were better than the Badlands. How something as basic as clean and cold water on tap impressed her these days was somewhat amusing, and she was comforted by the fact that the worst of it was over. Caecus had more than adequate infrastructure, while they wouldn¡¯t be spending any more time than necessary at the Skywall. After that, her first tour would be complete and she would be safe to hole up in The Cloud Orchestra offices for as long as she needed. Reina wouldn¡¯t be dragging her away from her bed anytime soon once she got there, that was for sure.

    Maybe not Euris levels of hiding away, but not far from it either.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Saela?¡± Aline asked as she took a seat beside Jade, placing her feet up before resting back against her shoulder. ¡°In bed?¡±

    ¡°No idea,¡± Trim replied with a shrug. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen her this morning, you could always go and check if you want to.¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± Aline said with a shake of her head. ¡°I¡¯ll leave her until Reina gets back.¡±

    Nina watched as Trim went back to her work before glancing over at Jade and Aline, the two resting against each other on the sofa. No space for her here, it seemed, but she was happy for the opportunity to slip away for a bath. A problem that she had quickly learned with The Cloud Orchestra was that there wasn¡¯t exactly a lot of time to spend in the bathrooms while they were away from the office. While on tour they had to share one or two showers unlike their own rooms in Luem, and even if there was a bath there was never time to use it. Mornings and evenings were practically peak hour traffic when there were so many people flying about. A quiet afternoon was just about the only time she would ever get, and she certainly wasn¡¯t about to pass it up.

    Maybe being the boss wasn¡¯t so bad after all. At least Reina usually got her own ensuite.

    Entering the bathroom that she shared with Jade and Aline, Nina opened the taps to the small ceramic tub before stepping back out into the hall. The mention of a ¡®spare bedroom¡¯ upon their arrival had been music to her ears, and for what felt like the millionth time she silently thanked Jade and Aline for their habit of sharing a room. Noticing that Saela¡¯s door was open, she shrugged to herself before poking her head inside. An empty bed and some scattered clothing sat in the corner of the room in an answer to Aline¡¯s earlier question, but Nina was unconcerned as she instead continued down the hall before ducking into her own room. It wasn¡¯t much of a sight with only a single bed and practically nothing else, but it was soon joined by Nina¡¯s latest shopping purchases before she returned to the bath.

    It wasn¡¯t the largest bath that sat in the small white room, but at least it filled quickly. Checking the water temperature and finding it satisfactory, her attention turned to her own reflection in the mirror as she waited for it to fill. She¡¯d seen better days, that was for sure. Her thin black hair which she had constantly kept hovering above her collar on Caecus looked worn, its usual shine nowhere to be seen while it also now brushed against her shoulders. A few days outside on Areinis had done little to fix her pale complexion, but she didn¡¯t mind. It suited her attempt to look somewhat icy, she thought, but the darkness around her eyes was beginning to suggest that she was a tad more irritable than she would have liked. Not a great look when they were supposed to be meeting people, but there was only so much she could do.

    Pushing her lacklustre appearance to the side, Nina stripped off without ceremony before slipping into the bath. The warmth of the water quickly enveloped her, and a contented sigh escaped her lips as she eased backwards. She¡¯d needed this, probably more for her mentality than anything else, and so she soon set about emptying her mind in favour of the pleasant sensation. Here, there was nothing to worry about. No Ormain, no Rucille, no Reina to put her to work, and no Saela to deal with either. Right now her life was about being inside a box of plain white tiles, a locked door and a wall of water separating her from the outside world. After stretching her toes and then rolling her shoulders, Nina allowed herself to sink downwards, waiting for her chin to touch the water¡¯s surface before tilting her head back so that her ears dipped below the surface.

    Closing her eyes as the world turned silent, a small smile crept onto Nina¡¯s lips.

 Chapter 104

    ¡°You know, I don¡¯t really see what¡¯s so good about it,¡± Jade said as she stabbed at a piece of ravioli with her fork, adding a second to the stack before bringing it towards her mouth. ¡°Runa talks as though you can see the plates through a bunch of antiques, but isn¡¯t it just¡­ voyeuristic?¡±

    Nina stifled a laugh at the comment, but Aline didn¡¯t fare so well. Spitting ale from her lips, she wiped her chin with a sleeve before scowling, reaching for a napkin to clean up the mess. Trim, the fourth and final person at the table, only offered a sigh. Nina didn¡¯t know whether it was because of Jade¡¯s comment or Aline¡¯s reaction, but the disappointed expression only added to her amusement.

    ¡°What? I¡¯m serious,¡± Jade continued. ¡°She¡¯s never even left Terminus, so how can she say that?¡±

    ¡°Can you please not put Runa and voyeuristic in the same sentence?¡± Aline said as she dropped the napkin back on the table. ¡°Bad images, alright?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Jade replied before pausing, placing her fork down before closing her eyes and frowning. ¡°Eww.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    After deciding that they had waited long enough to see if Reina and Svanda would return for dinner, the four had walked to a nearby restaurant to avoid cooking. It was a simple place with a polished concrete floor and a few wooden tables scattered around a central fire, but it was comfortable enough for the group to order a few dishes before easing their way into the ale. Saela was still nowhere to be seen, but none of them really cared. Saela was Saela, she¡¯d be back soon enough.

    ¡°You know what I mean though,¡± Jade continued while reaching for her glass. ¡°She always tries with that crap, yet there¡¯s no appreciation for the people who go out and make it happen. Reina should jack the prices up, it¡¯s not like Runa can¡¯t afford it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a sales pitch,¡± Trim said as she picked at the salad before her, the only person at the table who wasn¡¯t drinking. ¡°Her customers are usually people who can¡¯t leave Terminus. It¡¯s easier to sell them a story where the products are just as good as traveling to different plates when you yourself also want to believe in it.¡±

    ¡°Not like we¡¯d know,¡± Jade said with a wave of her hand. ¡°None of us are important enough to sit in on the conversations.¡±

    Nina smiled at Jade¡¯s mock displeasure before returning to her meal, a collection of local vegetables baked inside a pocket of bread. She¡¯d opted for it at Aline¡¯s recommendation, and despite the haphazard appearance it was actually pretty good. Nothing poisonous, Aline had clarified. Why clarification was needed in the first place was a little unnerving if she was to be honest, and next time the warning would hopefully come before she had already made a start.

    Maybe she¡¯d just have to be more careful.

    ¡°You say that as though it¡¯s a bad thing,¡± Trim shrugged as she eyed the empty glasses on the table. ¡°Nine times out of ten, meetings like that are just a pain.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the one out of ten then?¡± Jade asked, finishing her glass before sliding it over to the collection in the corner of the table. Reaching for a replacement, she took a sip before picking up the fork up once more and resuming her attack on the ravioli. ¡°You hear something interesting?¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°You hear something interesting more often than that,¡± Trim answered with a frown. ¡°The problem is that more often than not, dealing with the person on the other side of the table isn¡¯t worth it.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just not as good with people as the other two are,¡± Aline offered with a shrug. ¡°Reina and Svanda never seem to have any problems.¡±

    ¡°Reina can deal with anyone,¡± Trim agreed. ¡°Svanda¡­ well, you can picture it. You think anyone really wants to give her a hard time when she¡¯s got that monstrosity slung over her shoulder?¡±

    ¡°The Daerx Clan does,¡± Jade quipped as she finished off what was left of her plate, the comment causing the table to descend into an awkward silence. Nina could already see the slight flush on Jade¡¯s cheeks which indicated that she had been drinking too quickly, and the loosening tongue did nothing to convince her otherwise. It couldn¡¯t be helped, she reasoned. They needed to unwind a little now that they had the opportunity, and it wasn¡¯t like Nina¡¯s current state was any better either. She was still reserved enough to keep her mouth shut at least. The Daerx clan were a touchy subject when Reina, Svanda, or Trim were around, and so instead of getting involved she decided to duck under the tension by busying herself with what was left of her meal.

    If there was a hidden agenda behind Jade¡¯s comment, it didn¡¯t work. Trim¡¯s expression remained nonchalant much to Nina¡¯s relief, but at the same time she had been hoping to glean at least a sliver of information from a response. She didn¡¯t know what she wanted to hear, but anything would have been better than nothing. Pushing for answers about what went on over at the Daerx Clan was risky, but an isolated Trim was where they would see their best chances. Svanda wouldn¡¯t give them anything if that¡¯s how Reina wanted to play things, while Reina herself would be unshakeable.

    Unfortunately, being the weakest link in the chain didn¡¯t mean that you would also be easy to crack.

    ¡°The Clan is an exception,¡± she finally said with a bland expression before tossing her napkin onto her plate. Pushing herself out of her chair, she scanned the table once more before zipping the top of her tracksuit up and then turning on her heel. ¡°Thanks for the meal. Don¡¯t stay out too late.¡±

    The three watched on in silence as she strode out the door before turning down the street, melting into the evening beyond. Fortunately the restaurant was easily within walking distance to the house, as a debate over what to do with the car was the last thing that Nina wanted to deal with. She was tempted to say that Jade had crossed the line with her remark, but thankfully Trim didn¡¯t seem to care. Her own earlier use of the word deflection came to mind, but then again, she could just be reading into things too deeply. Jab at the Daerx Clan or not, Nina wouldn¡¯t have wanted to hang around with three others who were drinking a little too much for their own good either. Restraint was one of Trim¡¯s finer qualities and while Nina applauded her for it, the glass of ale in her hand was a reminder that she hadn¡¯t had any success convincing herself to follow in the same footsteps.

    ¡°No fun at all,¡± Jade said with a pout as she pushed her plate to the side before moving her glass to the centre. Lazing back in her chair, her gaze lingered on the door for another moment before she shook off the disappointment, replacing the pout with a smile. ¡°It was worth a shot.¡±

    ¡°Just don¡¯t try it with Reina,¡± Aline reminded her. ¡°It¡¯ll just end up like last time.¡±

    Jade¡¯s smile lasted for seconds before being replaced by a sour expression. Nina was tempted to ask about what had happened, but she decided to err on the side of caution just in case. Jade was usually pretty good about being upfront when she was happy to share, so the fact that she hadn¡¯t led Nina to believe that prying wasn¡¯t the wisest option. Answers would come with time if she was fortunate, and so for now she would just have to go with the flow. It wasn¡¯t an ideal solution as Terminus seemed to be throwing up new questions for her at every turn, but that wasn¡¯t something she was unfamiliar with either. Reina would probably call it character building, but Nina wasn¡¯t too sure. There were elements of it, sure, but the constant stress had probably prevented anything of value from sticking.

    At least she was learning.

    ¡°Ah, she got you after all,¡± Aline noted with a chuckle before tapping on the tabletop. ¡°Guess you deserved it though.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Jade asked with a frown.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t pay,¡± Aline replied with a smirk, pointing a finger in the direction of Trim¡¯s now vacant seat.

 Chapter 105

    ¡°Nina.¡±

    Prising her eyes open, Nina looked to the end of her bed to find that Aline was sitting by her feet with a wry smile on her face. Any hangover that she might have had from the previous night seemed to be long gone, and the fact left Nina rather jealous. Her own head felt as though there were a few too many marbles bouncing around inside of it, and it was already taking most of her willpower to keep her eyes open instead of just returning to her dreams. Aline wouldn¡¯t be waking her for no reason though, and right now Nina could only think of one reason that would qualify.

    ¡°They¡¯re back,¡± Aline said once she saw that Nina was awake, confirming her suspicions. ¡°Get yourself cleaned up and ready to move out, they¡¯ve found a way in.¡±

    After watching Aline slip back out into the hall, Nina struggled with a yawn before off pushing the covers. She¡¯d have to dawdle a little if she wanted to make herself even slightly presentable, but before anything else she needed to wash away what lingered from the previous night. Throwing a towel over her shoulder, she winced at the cold air as she eased out into the hall. It wasn¡¯t even that bad if she was being realistic, but anything besides being underneath her blanket was a clear downgrade as far as she was concerned. Marching from the warmth of her bed to the warmth of the shower as quickly as possible, she bounced down the hall before stepping into the bathroom. Flinging her clothes to the floor as soon as the water had reached a satisfactory temperature, she jumped into her next comfort zone without ceremony.

    Sighing at the warmth of the water, she steadied herself by placing a hand against the wall. Cobwebs from last night still stubbornly clouded her mind, and the fact that she hadn¡¯t really had the time to wake up yet didn¡¯t help her balance either. Eventually, she decided to sit down. The cold tiles against her back warmed up quickly, and after wrapping her arms around her knees she simply closed her eyes. The heavy water that beat upon her neck and shoulders was actually quite therapeutic, and the small smile that appeared on her lips as a result was genuine. If she didn¡¯t have to be downstairs to meet with Reina as soon as possible, it would probably have been difficult to move her from this spot at all.

    Last night had been her first chance in a while to push recent events to the back of her mind. It was short lived, but it had at least served as an opportunity for her to recharge before their final push towards Caecus. Jade and Aline had both been social, and the pair were also good at making her feel included. Nobody wanted to feel like a third wheel, and Nina was thankful for them as she couldn¡¯t see herself fitting in better elsewhere. Reina, Svanda, and Trim were almost like an entity themselves, while Saela was out of the question. She knew that she would never completely integrate with the duo, but for now she was content with what she had. Learning more about the people around her was only the first step of many, and in turn they would learn more about her too.

    Her thoughts continued to wander. Jade and Aline reminded her of Hala and Cross, not only because both pairs seemed so close, but also because of their attitudes. Jade and Cross were both free-spirited, and they often required Aline or Hala to bring them back down a little when they stepped too far. They did, however, both seem to enjoy that sense of recklessness that their respective partners provided whether they would admit to it or not. They were, after all, fun to be around.

    One day it would be her turn, she thought. Whether that was in either the near or distant future she didn¡¯t know, but she wasn¡¯t in a rush by any means either. There were much bigger fish to fry right now, and stepping out of the shower would be the first step to addressing them. It was regrettable, but her time in the warm water had to end after she gave herself a quick scrub. Throwing the towel around herself after shutting the water off, she stepped out of the bathroom before dancing down the hall so that she could clothe herself as quickly as possible.

    Business as usual, she threw her blue jacket over a white shirt before pulling on her maroon pants, carefully adjusting her damp hair in the mirror. Makeup would have been a lifesaver right now, but to her chagrin, she didn¡¯t have any. Thinking that she would have to ask Jade or Aline if she could borrow some before they set off for the Westworks, she picked up her boots as she exited her room before heading downstairs. She wasn¡¯t ready for it, but it would have to do. Reina wasn¡¯t someone that she wanted to keep waiting, especially when she felt partly responsible for the entire mess in the first place.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°You look tired,¡± Reina said as soon as Nina touched down in the living room. Seated on the couch with one leg crossed over the other and a smile on her face, Nina¡¯s boss didn¡¯t show any signs of weariness that she had been half expecting. Seeing that attention flicked to the laptop which sat on Trim¡¯s thighs beside her, Nina stood there as Reina¡¯s gaze paused for a second before returning to her, a hand extending as she motioned towards the second sofa.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Svanda?¡± Nina asked as she sat on the sofa, taking the opportunity to quickly scan the room. Aline sat on the other side of Trim, while Saela was surprisingly already seated at the dining table. It hadn¡¯t taken Nina long to notice that Svanda was missing, she¡¯d been looking out for her after all. Jade and Aline had spent so long hyping up how drained she usually looked upon return that Nina couldn¡¯t help but be curious. Speaking of drained, Jade wasn¡¯t around yet either. She had been a lot less responsible than Aline with the ale last night, and so Nina¡¯s conclusion wasn¡¯t hard to reach. If she was feeling better than Nina was, she¡¯d be disappointed. It wasn¡¯t something that should be wished on anybody, but anything to deflect Reina¡¯s attention from her rather lacklustre state right now would certainly be more than welcome.

    ¡°Getting her things together,¡± Reina replied before nodding in the direction of an envelope that sat on the coffee table before her. ¡°We got what we needed so we can head off soon. We¡¯ll stop back here on the way back so don¡¯t worry about leaving things behind, but I do need you to be armed.¡±

    Nina shrugged at the request before leaning back, closing her eyes in the process. Being tired was a feasible conclusion for Reina to come to if she played her cards right, and it would be better than her concluding that she had a hangover. Aline somehow looked as though she¡¯d had an early night last night, and Nina was already regretting her decision to keep up with Jade at the restaurant. No use crying over spilt milk, however, and hopefully Reina would simply let things slide.

    ¡°Morning,¡± Jade said as she appeared at the bottom of the stairs. Nina opened her eyes just enough to see her partner in crime from the previous night slinking across the living room floor, but once she realised that there wasn¡¯t any space to sit next to Aline, she changed her destination. Flopping down beside Nina before she had the opportunity to protest, Jade¡¯s head quickly found purchase on her shoulder as the room¡¯s latest addition sprawled out over the remainder of the sofa.

    Stifling a sigh, Nina glanced over to Reina where she saw a knowing smile spread across her lips. Busted, apparently, although it probably wasn¡¯t as bad as the time she had been out with Hala and Cross. She hadn¡¯t officially been on board at the time which did count for something, but she was also comforted by the fact that this time she wasn¡¯t the only guilty party. Jade might have sunk her, but she was also technically her senior. It was a poor defence and she knew it, but Reina¡¯s amused expression was thankfully giving her the impression that there was nothing to be feared. It was Aline if anyone that looked unimpressed, although it was probably more akin to mild disappointment. Whether it was because she knew she had just been implicated by association or because Jade hadn¡¯t managed to keep it together, Nina didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°At least the ride over will be smooth,¡± Reina eventually said with a smirk, her ears pricking up as Svanda¡¯s heavy footsteps appeared on the stairs. ¡°Alright. If you¡¯ve got everything, let¡¯s go. The usual trains aren¡¯t running, but this here should be able to get us on board a private shuttle. I¡¯ll discuss the rest of the plan on the way over.¡±

    Swiping the envelope off the table, Reina marched for the stairs. Trim, Saela, and even Aline fell in behind her in an orderly manner, but Nina found herself pausing. She¡¯d probably get to see it in the car anyway, but waiting was something that she just couldn¡¯t do. There was too much secrecy about what went on at the Daerx Clan, and this was about to be her first taste of even just a fraction of an answer. It would probably raise even more questions that Nina would never find answers for, but that was something she was prepared to deal with. What, in the end, was so bad?

    ¡°Hey,¡± Svanda said as she stepped into the living room, a weak smile on her face. Without waiting for a reply, she immediately moved towards the second set of stairs, stepping down and out of Nina¡¯s vision as she made her way to the street.

    Pulling Jade up and off the sofa, a frown appeared on Nina¡¯s face as she recalled Svanda¡¯s expression.

    Maybe what everyone had been saying wasn¡¯t too farfetched after all.

 Chapter 106

    ¡°My back isn¡¯t going to thank me for that,¡± Jade said with a frown as she stepped out of the train carriage and onto the platform. Stretching her arms over her head as she strolled along the concrete, her wandering eyes passed over the neat stacks of supplies that sat beside them. A few workers in orange jumpsuits scuttled among the boxes as they organized what must have been the relief effort, but The Cloud Orchestra¡¯s arrival didn¡¯t seem to concern them. Better things to do than gawk at whoever was happy to jump into the ongoing mess, Nina guessed, and for that she was glad. No need to attract attention when Ormain or Rucille were potentially nearby, although the fact that things would potentially be the other way around this time caused a wry smile to appear on her face.

    Where was Rucille?

    After the group had headed to the train station at Southstone, Reina had shown the group a written pass that would serve as their ticket into the Westworks. She didn¡¯t seem as pleased as she should have been considering her success, but then again Nina didn¡¯t know what kind of concessions she¡¯d made to get her hands on it in the first place. Svanda, the only other person who knew what had happened, was subdued. Nina quickly found that it was difficult to get more than a few polite words out of her along with a weak smile, so she¡¯d simply decided to err on the side of caution by giving her space. The fact that Svanda fell asleep as soon as the train left Southstone proved that her decision was correct, but it didn¡¯t do much to answer the latest bunch of questions swimming around in her head either.

    The train ride had been¡­ uncomfortable. Nina had been expecting to board one of the shiny steel passenger lines that stood motionless in the somewhat desolate Southstone railway station, but unfortunately it wasn¡¯t meant to be. They weren¡¯t responsible for running supplies up to the quarantine zone, apparently, and so the group was ushered off to the warehouse instead of riding past the mountains in style. The line of steel boxes on wheels that they were met with hadn¡¯t looked too bad from the outside, but they quickly found that the inside was a different story. Clean sheets of steel made up every surface, but the utilitarian carriages offered nowhere to sit and no windows to look out from either. Reina¡¯s query about sitting with the driver was also rebuffed as there wasn¡¯t any space, and after a brief protest, the group had been forced to sit amongst the supplies. Even Reina looked frustrated as she tried to make herself comfortable atop a pile of grain sacks, but there was nothing they could do as the door was closed before their journey began.

    ¡°Would have helped if the trip wasn¡¯t so long,¡± Trim said as she mirrored Jade¡¯s stretch. ¡°At least the rails were smooth.¡±

    Nina hummed in agreement as she studied the workers on the platform. There weren¡¯t that many of them, but she had already noted an interesting fact. Silver haired workers, Terminus natives, wore masks over the lower halves of their faces while the others didn¡¯t bother. The detail led her to believe that they were aware of how Rucille¡¯s virus targeted them specifically, but it didn¡¯t mean that everyone else was certainly immune. Nina herself was proof enough of that, but then again, she didn¡¯t know the whole story either. People who were from plates further away from Terminus might have been alright after all, or Rucille could have also spread something different this time around. How the virus spread was also something that she was still in the dark over, but at least she had suspicions. The water had been her first guess, but the masks on the quarantine workers suggested an airborne threat instead. Something didn¡¯t add up somewhere along the line, but at least now they would have the opportunity to get some answers.

    If anybody had any, that was.

    ¡°Got one of these?¡± Reina asked the train driver as he stepped out onto the platform, drawing a circle around her nose and lips before nodding in Svanda¡¯s direction. ¡°She¡¯s going to need one.¡±

    The driver¡¯s gaze quickly flicked over Svanda¡¯s hair before he stepped back onto the train, reappearing after a minute with a mask in his hand before handing it to Reina. Offering the group a curt nod now that his job was done, he turned on his heel before walking towards the rear of the train to supervise the unloading of the supplies.

    ¡°Here,¡± Reina said as she tossed the mask to Svanda. ¡°Don¡¯t know if it¡¯s effective or not, but it certainly can¡¯t hurt.¡±

    Svanda nodded as she caught the mask, putting it on before fiddling with the strap to tighten it. Nina thought that it suited her surprisingly well once she¡¯d finished adjusting it, although it was probably because it looked mean when paired with her soldier-like attire more than anything else.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°You should have stayed in Southstone,¡± Aline said to Svanda as the group followed Reina away from the platform and out into a hall that would take them to the street. ¡°There¡¯s no need to risk anything, and a few days of rest would really help. We could have just tied everything up on this end before picking you up afterwards.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t,¡± Svanda replied with a shrug as they walked down the empty passage. Nina guessed that this area was usually a thriving strip of activity, but business had probably dried up as soon as the trains had stopped. The collection of shops that lined each side of the corridor seemed to prove her theory too, as their current state was somewhat lifeless. Not even half of them seemed to be open to begin with, and the ones that were probably didn¡¯t see many customers if any at all. Rucille¡¯s stunt, Nina realised, was suddenly beginning to have many more implications than she first thought.

    She hadn¡¯t even stepped outside yet.

    ¡°Her name is on the paperwork,¡± Reina said as she tapped her pocket, indicating that it was where she kept their pass. ¡°Can¡¯t go in or out without her. It¡¯s unfortunate, because I too would rather leave her behind if possible.¡±

    Nina expected a retort from Svanda but was instead met with silence, their footsteps across the polished concrete floor the only sound around them as they headed for the exit. Four pairs of large wooden double doors were lined up across the wall to accommodate for the usual traffic, but today they were able to push their way through at their own leisure before stepping out onto the street. Well, kind of a street, Nina found. It was more like a large concrete plaza or something that they had to cross before they reached a car, and the unexpected revelation drew a frown on Nina¡¯s face. Normally she wouldn¡¯t have minded, but the slight chill in the air was being swept across the square by a breeze that she wasn¡¯t particularly fond of.

    Surrounding the square were large concrete buildings that stretched some ten or so stories above them, the relatively orderly array reminding her of Luem. Both functional and completely devoid of decoration, the grey pillars that were studded with glass seemed to stretch into the distance on three sides. Behind them on the remaining side, however, was what Nina found to be the most interesting feature of the Westworks so far. Climbing out from behind the city skyline were the towering black mountains that she had seen on their initial approach from the air, and the swirling dark clouds above them clinging to the peaks. It was fitting, somehow, a surreal pairing of monstrosities from both the earth and the sky. Lights could be seen occasionally on the slopes, although Nina didn¡¯t know what they were for. The fact that people would be up close with the clouds surprised her, but the plates had never been short on surprises to begin with. Not her cup of tea, but people did strange things.

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty empty,¡± Jade mused, her attention darting between the few people who lingered about outside. ¡°Usually it¡¯s busy out here.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be wandering about either if I was at risk,¡± Aline replied. ¡°No point going outside and getting sick when you don¡¯t need to.¡±

    ¡°People do need to,¡± Reina said as she led them towards the street, hands in pockets as she frowned at the breeze. ¡°The Westworks are the engine of the plate, it can¡¯t just stop or else the whole thing falls apart. People have to go about their daily lives whether they¡¯re at risk or not. Your job isn¡¯t going to wait.¡±

    ¡°You can still be cautious though,¡± Trim said.

    ¡°Which is why there¡¯s nobody out here where they don¡¯t need to be,¡± Reina continued with a shrug. ¡°Besides non-natives, that is. Have you noticed that almost everyone who is out and about has coloured hair?¡±

    Svanda was the only person that nodded as they finally reached the road. Much like Southstone, the roads here were occupied by the same cars in varying shades of black and grey, the seamless traffic sweeping along like a river. A car was already waiting for them, fortunately, and Reina opened the door before climbing inside without hesitation. Nina guessed it was a taxi of sorts, and so after waiting for her own turn she ducked inside. The interior was almost identical in design to the previous car they had been using around Southstone, although this one had a darker grey trim. Reina was already tapping away at a small display in the centre table by the time she sat down, and so after Saela slipped inside they were whisked away from the curb.

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Trim asked as she looked over towards Reina. ¡°And why only tell us now? You could have said something when we were on the train, but instead you left us to stew over it. I¡¯m assuming there¡¯s a reason for it, so what¡¯s up?¡±

    Reina chewed on her lip for a second before her expression returned to her usual calmness. It was uncharacteristic, and if Nina caught it then the rest of the group would have too. Apparently, she had something to say that wasn¡¯t going to sit very well with everyone, and it left Nina wondering who would lose out. Unless it was all of them, of course, but that didn¡¯t make a whole lot of sense either.

    ¡°We¡¯ll stay at the Westworks for two nights,¡± Reina finally said. ¡°After organizing the transport tonight, we¡¯ll go to the factory tomorrow. It would be perfect if we can get the goods onto the train¡¯s return trip, but bribes will only take us so far. If not, we¡¯ll have to go by car.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Svanda said. ¡°What about Rucille?¡±

    ¡°¡­We¡¯re ignoring her,¡± Reina replied with a sigh. ¡°She isn¡¯t a direct threat at the moment, so we¡¯re going to get out of here as soon as possible.¡±

    As Reina shrugged to the silence that followed her statement, Nina could have sworn that she heard Svanda¡¯s fists tightening inside her pockets.

 Chapter 107

    ¡°You¡­¡± Svanda hissed through her teeth. ¡°There is a crisis going on, one that we¡¯re partly responsible for. But you¡­ you want to turn our backs on this and just act like it isn¡¯t our problem?¡±

    The stifled rage that seemed to roll through the car¡¯s interior sent a shudder up Nina¡¯s spine. Svanda already looked frightening enough when she wanted to, but once the mask had been thrown on she could look downright terrifying. How Reina hadn¡¯t already withered under the gaze was inconceivable to her, but then again if anyone could do it, Reina was the one. Simmering in the silence, everyone present snuck a glance at their leader. Her calm demeanour suggested that she was prepared for this reaction, Nina realised, and so now there was nothing to do but wait for her justification.

    ¡°And what exactly do you want us to do?¡± she finally asked, crossing her arms before leaning back into the seat. ¡°Go doorknocking and hope that somebody has the answers? Face it, we¡¯re looking for a sentient needle in a haystack and it doesn¡¯t want to be found. If Rucille had even a sliver of intelligence, which she most certainly does, she would have been on the first train out of the Westworks before everything blew up. Now you want us to comb three entire cities, just so you can go after someone who wouldn¡¯t mind sticking another needle in Nina¡¯s neck?¡±

    ¡°We can support¡­¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t support the relief effort,¡± Reina sighed. ¡°I know you want to tell everyone as much as you can about whatever Rucille has let out, but doing so will do nothing but paint a target on our backs that we can¡¯t afford to carry around. At best the authorities will take everything on board while keeping us under their thumbs, and at worst we¡¯ll be arrested. Knowing anything at all about the situation raises suspicion, and if they find out that we¡¯re partly responsible they would never let us go. I know it¡¯s difficult, but the best thing that we can do in this situation is just get on with it and hope that Rucille comes after us once she¡¯s finished.¡±

    Svanda¡¯s silence in response suggested that deep down, she knew Reina was right. It was a bitter pill for her to swallow, and the fact that she looked like she was about to let it go left Nina feeling awful. While it was true that everyone had a level of investment in what Rucille had put them through, her latest attack had struck closer to Svanda¡¯s heart than any of the rest. Terminus was her home plate, and the fact that the damage was done by an outsider only intensified the emotion. You didn¡¯t have to know the victims to feel a part of the bigger picture, and you didn¡¯t have to care about them either. You did, however, have to care about an uninvited guest turning up on your plate before trying to set the entire thing on fire.

    For Svanda, it was a matter of pride.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll go back to the clan,¡± she said after a pause, her mask failing to hide the falter in her tone.

    ¡°And do what?¡± Reina replied with a shrug. ¡°Do you really think that they¡¯ll care? You know just as well as I do that they¡¯ll be happy to watch this from afar, ready to reach for whatever valuables they can get their claws into the moment they smell weakness. This benefits them, and you have nothing that you¡¯re willing to offer to change their minds either. So, tell me, why would they help you?¡±

    ¡°Rucille is a threat to the entire plate,¡± Svanda answered. ¡°The clan needs the Westworks, for processing if nothing else. Raw materials are useless if there¡¯s nobody to buy them.¡±

    ¡°The fact that none of the clans have moved suggests otherwise,¡± Reina retorted, clearly losing patience. ¡°Think about it. If anyone on Terminus understands the risks associated with the crisis, it would be them, yet they¡¯ve done absolutely nothing. If they¡¯re still sitting up there in their manors, it means that they¡¯ve decided that the threat isn¡¯t troublesome enough for them to mobilize.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°Let it go,¡± Reina said to cut her off. ¡°Don¡¯t make this any harder for me than it already is. There¡¯s a bigger picture here, for all of us, and I¡¯m not going to lose sight of it because a single woman decided to let a nasty cat out of the bag. End of discussion.¡±

    Nina wanted to check on Svanda, but she was afraid to. Instead she avoided the awkward silence by staring out the window to the drab scenery that flew by. The Westworks weren¡¯t too different from Southstone in the end, but there was still variety. She didn¡¯t know if it was because they were in a specific part of town or not, but here at least the buildings seemed to be wider. It seemed more practical in comparison to the neat rows of offices from Southstone which hinted at warehouses or something similar, but it also raised more questions. How was everything moved around? She hadn¡¯t seen any trucks on the road. In fact, she hadn¡¯t seen anything on the roads besides the same few variations of the car that they currently sat in. Nothing flew overhead either, although she didn¡¯t blame them for that. She certainly wouldn¡¯t want to be up in the sky too often considering the weather up there, and her initial drop to the plate had been more than enough for the time being.

    ¡°We¡¯re staying relatively close to the dispatch centre,¡± Reina said in an attempt to refocus them. ¡°Rest up once we get there and be prepared for tomorrow.¡±

    Letting them linger on her and Svanda¡¯s disagreement was clearly something that she wanted to avoid. The comment did bring Nina¡¯s attention back to the interior of the car if nothing else, but she also found it difficult to resist peeking at the results of the fallout. It might have been easier if she was sitting on the other side of the car, but unfortunately, Svanda was sitting right beside her. Would she be annoyed if Nina suddenly craned her neck so that she could have a look at her face? Maybe she would. Svanda didn¡¯t exactly seem like someone who would take losing very well.

    As though her mind had just been read, Svanda¡¯s hand suddenly dropped onto her thigh. Feeling the light squeeze of fingers stretching against her pants, Nina¡¯s expression became melancholic as she stewed over her latest realization. In all of the mess that was currently going on around them, Svanda considered Nina to be her closest ally. While it was true that everyone in the group had been a victim of Rucille¡¯s actions to at least some degree, Svanda would have seen Nina and herself as the two people who had the most to lose.

    Running with the thought, it suddenly wasn¡¯t hard for Nina to see how Svanda thought that the two of them shared a similar sense of betrayal. Reina¡¯s refusal wasn¡¯t just a rejection of their wishes, it was also a block on their attempt to find closure. If she was perfectly honest, Nina didn¡¯t know what to think of the precarious position between Reina and her number two. Losing Rucille for good would obviously put her mind at ease, but at the same time she didn¡¯t want to jump back into the flames if that¡¯s what was required to make it a reality. Call it cowardly, but Nina thought that running away and avoiding the issue wasn¡¯t a bad plan.

    That was, at least, until Rucille had upped the stakes by putting a whole lot of people through the same thing that she had painfully endured.

    Putting a smile on her face in response to the attempt to comfort her, Nina rested her head on Svanda¡¯s shoulder before closing her eyes. She didn¡¯t know what exactly had happened to her logical and orderly former self, but for once Nina was thinking that she wanted to go against the grain. They didn¡¯t know where Rucille was, and just by looking for her they would be sticking their necks out at a time when Ormain was completely unaccounted for. Rucille herself was just as dangerous if they managed to corner her, and Nina was fairly certain that the woman would have some horrifying tricks up her sleeve if she needed them.

    Reina had, as usual, been correct in saying that there was no value in going after Rucille. It just didn¡¯t make sense, and the woman in question would more than likely come after them again once she had worked out how to leave Terminus. Julia¡¯s task was already enough of a problem for them, so taking extra trouble onto their plate was something that they should be avoiding at all costs. Reina would undoubtedly keep her eye on them anyway, but Nina was beginning to think that Svanda didn¡¯t care. If she truly planned to go against Reina¡¯s orders, Nina would be left in a difficult position. Did she stick with the orders and her head, or did she push it all away in favour of following her heart?

    Ignoring the muted chatter around her as the car sped in the direction of their next destination, Nina realised that once again, she didn¡¯t know which path to take.

 Chapter 108

    ¡°What number was it again?¡± Jade asked as she skipped down the hall, examining the shiny silver numbers on each of the doors. Behind her, albeit with nowhere near as much enthusiasm, the rest of the group followed in silence. The awkwardness from the car ride still shadowed them despite Jade¡¯s attempt to lighten the mood, and Nina didn¡¯t think that it would be leaving any time soon either. Despite the tension, she had remained under Svanda¡¯s wing for the time being. Maybe Reina would see it as her picking a side, but Nina still thought that she was doing the right thing. Even if she didn¡¯t necessarily agree with everything that Svanda had said, Svanda was clearly isolated and in turn needed support.

    ¡°Nineteen,¡± Reina replied, hands in her pockets and she led the remainder of the group.

    Contrary to just about everyone¡¯s expectations, Reina had organized for them to stay in an apartment. Nina had almost groaned when she first heard about it, but fortunately she managed to shut her mouth before her displeasure was vocalized. Space to collect their thoughts was what they needed right now, and so squeezing them into an apartment was a simple yet effective way of denying it. Perhaps it was an intentional decision. If it was, Nina didn¡¯t know if she should praise Reina¡¯s foresight or curse it. It wasn¡¯t lost on her that their new arrangements would also make it easy for Reina to keep an eye on them, and the fact caused her to wonder if Svanda would really persist.

    Apart from developing an irrefutable argument, Nina didn¡¯t see how Svanda was supposed to break through Reina¡¯s stubborn streak and change her mind.

    ¡°Keys!¡± Jade said as she turned to face them, pointing at the door she had stopped beside. With a wry smile, Reina pulled them from her pocket before tossing them in Jade¡¯s direction, watching as she snatched them out of the air before unlocking the door. Everyone knew that Jade¡¯s current mood was just a veil over her desire to snatch a good bedroom, yet nobody complained as they watched her disappear inside. As for Nina, she didn¡¯t really care. She still viewed herself as being at the bottom of the pecking order anyway, so she was happy to simply take what came her way. It would probably be slim pickings anyway, considering that the two best rooms were already gone. Jade would have picked her room of choice before they even set foot inside, and it didn¡¯t even need to be said that Reina took the best for herself.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Trim said as the rest of the group filed into the apartment. Immediately to their left was a small square kitchen, while behind it sat a living room with floor to ceiling windows which looked out onto the street. A few streaks of orange were littered through the largely grey and white space to provide it with some contrast, and the modern touch was something that Nina didn¡¯t mind. The hallway that sat in between the two spaces, however, was the focus. Stretching away into the depths of the apartment, it housed the bedrooms which would serve as their private spaces for the next three days.

    In a surprise move, Svanda quickly stepped around Trim and Reina before walking to the corridor, disappearing down it before either could say anything. The decision caused the two to take a second glance at each other, although they only shrugged before following her. Nina, who was at the back, frowned at her prospects. After Reina took a room to herself and Jade shared with Aline, Svanda and Trim would almost certainly share another room which would leave her with Saela. It wasn¡¯t ideal, but it was manageable. Waking up in the middle of the night when Saela returned from whatever she usually got up to was a bit of a pain, but at least the evenings were peaceful when she wasn¡¯t around.

    ¡°I¡¯m sharing with Nina,¡± she suddenly heard Svanda say from the hall, her attention drawn by the words. Stepping into the corridor, she saw Svanda leaning against the doorframe closest to them with her arms crossed, Trim standing before her with a thin frown across her face. Pausing where she was so that she didn¡¯t get involved, Nina stood where she was for a moment until she saw Trim¡¯s expression finally reset.

    ¡°Fine,¡± she said before continuing down the hall, pushing her way into the final room on the left which sat opposite Reina¡¯s. Saela, who was last, followed Trim before disappearing inside, the door closing behind her to leave the corridor in silence.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Hope you don¡¯t mind,¡± Svanda said as she scratched her head before disappearing inside, leaving the door open for her.

    Nina didn¡¯t mind at all. In fact, she was rather glad that she didn¡¯t have to share a room with Saela. Stepping inside before tossing her jacket over the end of the available bed, she sat down on the thin mattress before laying back. The ceiling, like in the rest of the apartment, was a boring grey. Not that Nina cared, but her sensitivity to detail had definitely reached another level since she had joined The Cloud Orchestra. How many different interiors had she even seen since they had started their tour of the plates? Considering that her previous life had consisted of her home, her office, and three or four different takeaway shops, her recent experiences were something that was sometimes difficult to put into perspective.

    She was also beginning to find it much easier to deal with.

    ¡°Got any ideas?¡± Svanda asked, causing her to feel a little guilty. Svanda had clearly been racking her brain for a solution ever since Reina had denied them, yet Nina¡¯s thoughts had often been elsewhere. She had, of course, tried to think of something, but she would also be lying if she said that she¡¯d put real effort into it. To her, Reina was undefeatable. Any attempt to change her mind would be a futile exercise and therefore a waste of time. The result was that she¡¯d usually ended up with her mind elsewhere, ideas fluttering through her head before disappearing as though they were dreams. Funnily enough, her mind had often ended up on Svanda¡¯s own thoughts. Nina knew that she was at least trying to hatch something, but after all her guesses as to what it would be she couldn¡¯t even come up with something feasible.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she eventually replied, wondering if Svanda would feel let down.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she replied with a light smile before placing her arms behind her head, staring at the ceiling. ¡°There¡¯s still time.¡±

    Not that she would tell Svanda, but even without considering that she hadn¡¯t come up with a way to change Reina¡¯s mind, Nina didn¡¯t know if she even wanted to do so in the first place. Rucille was a touchy subject for her, and a small part of her hoped that she could just leave the plate to never see her again. The woman was whimsical, and as terrible as it sounded, Nina thought that maybe her newfound toy would cause her to forget about the old one. Even if she didn¡¯t, there was always Caecus below them which was full of capable replacements for her tests. The entire ¡®mass genocide on the other plates¡¯ thing was obviously still something that needed to be addressed, but it was also a problem that could be passed on to people who were a lot more capable than she was. Ultimately, The Cloud Orchestra was relatively small in the bigger picture. They were simply trying to climb a few rungs on a ladder which stretched upwards to dazzling heights, but Rucille¡¯s goal to tear the entire thing off the wall had much broader consequences. She was SuTSU¡¯s problem, not theirs, and if Rucille could also find a replacement for her on Caecus while she was at it, Nina might stand a chance of shrugging off the demons that still clung to her after all.

    ¡°What about you?¡± she eventually asked absentmindedly, her thoughts wandering between her sense of guilt and apprehension. What role was Svanda expecting her to play over the next few days, and could she even fill the shoes required? Svanda might be tough, but Nina wasn¡¯t. A little tougher than she had been when this had all started, sure, but she wasn¡¯t about to get carried away just because she¡¯d dodged a few bullets either. Complacency was something that she strived hard to avoid, but sharpness could only do so much when the foundation you started with was poor.

    ¡°I might be able to do something, but I¡¯m not sure,¡± Svanda said with a sigh before rolling to face the wall, pausing for a moment before turning back over to face her. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much trouble it will make for us, but Reina will eventually understand that we did the right thing.¡±

    ¡®Eventually¡¯ was not a word that Nina wanted to hear. Svanda might have had her longstanding friendship with Reina to draw on as insurance if they pushed the envelope a little too far, but Nina didn¡¯t have the same luxury to fall back on. It didn¡¯t sound like Svanda planned on achieving what she wanted to just by throwing a good argument down either. Everything was pointing towards action, and despite the alarm bells going off in her head, Nina was still torn. Svanda was alluding to insubordination, and Nina knew Reina well enough to know that she didn¡¯t want to end up on her bad side.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know tomorrow,¡± Svanda said before Nina could say anything, sitting up before pushing herself off the bed. Reaching for the door, she turned to give Nina a smile before stepping out into the corridor, leaving Nina to stew over her thoughts once more. What was Svanda thinking?

    More importantly, would she agree to it?

 Chapter 109

    Despite the fact that the rest of the afternoon had passed without further tension, Nina¡¯s mind had never lulled into a false sense of security. Svanda may have shared a couple of surprisingly normal conversations with Reina over mundane subjects as they made themselves comfortable in the Westworks, but while it had seemed as though everything was back on the path towards normality, Nina knew that it wasn¡¯t to be. She didn¡¯t think that anyone had really bought Svanda¡¯s fa?ade either if she was being honest, but she¡¯d also come to understand that it might just have been part of the plan. Being able to see the bigger picture for once was a nice change, but despite her apprehension over what was to come, Nina was intrigued to see where things would go.

    On the surface, Svanda looked as though she was trying to hide her frustration. A wry smile, a curt nod, and a couple of polite words helped her breeze through the afternoon, but her wistful attitude suggested that she was only going through the motions. Even Nina had almost been fooled into believing that she was simply waiting for an opportunity to dump her feelings out away from prying eyes, but the earlier discussion between the two had allowed her to remain grounded. Svanda wasn¡¯t just buying herself time to plot out her next course of action, she was also buying herself space to do so through the sympathy from the rest of the group.

    Nina had spent the entire evening wondering about what conclusion Svanda would reach in the end, but surprisingly she ended up waiting for far less time than she thought to get her answer.

    ¡°Nina.¡±

    Opening her eyes, Nina frowned. Why was it so dark?

    ¡°Nina.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± she croaked, waiting for her eyes to adjust. It was pitch black in the bedroom save for the small clock which sat on the dresser, but the soft red light from the display was enough for her to see that Svanda sat at the end of her bed.

    ¡°Get dressed, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Nina groaned as Svanda stood up before taking a glance at the clock. Ten minutes past one in the morning wasn¡¯t exactly her favourite time to be getting out of bed, and so for a moment she considered ignoring Svanda¡¯s request. Even just a few more hours of sleep would have been enough, but the jacket suddenly landing on her face told her that Svanda wasn¡¯t about to take no for an answer. It was time to get up, apparently, and while it wasn¡¯t what she wanted to do, at least it would be the first step on the path towards the answers that she had been looking for.

    ¡°What are we doing?¡± she asked as she pushed the covers off, stifling a yawn as she swung her legs out of the bed. ¡°Why so early?¡±

    ¡°Keep your voice down,¡± Svanda hissed, slinking over to the door before pausing. Nina realised that she was listening for any hints of disturbance in the hallway, but the brief moment of silence that followed seemed to be enough to satisfy her concerns. Clicking her tongue as she turned back to see that Nina still sat on the bed, she jerked her thumb towards the remaining pile clothes in the darkness.

    Shrugging off the chill before standing up, Nina paused. The fact that the lights were off told her that Svanda¡¯s plan hadn¡¯t been approved, and being carried along with it before she knew the finer details was troubling. It was true that she agreed with Svanda that they should be able to do what they could to help out, but at the same time she didn¡¯t want to put herself at odds with Reina¡¯s wishes. Which one of them was the rock and which one of them was the hard place she didn¡¯t know, but right now she was stuck between them which left picking a side an inevitability.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she said softly before reaching for her clothes. It seemed like she wasn¡¯t going to get any answers before they made it outside to begin with, and as a result she was left with little choice but to follow Svanda¡¯s lead. At least having so few possessions worked in her favour for once, and before she knew it she was slipping out into the hallway and heading for the door. As she had predicted, the apartment was silent. A single light remained on in the kitchen, but that was usual so the pair crept through the living area before quietly unlocking the door.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°So?¡± Nina finally asked after they had traversed the hallway and stepped out into the cool night air. It wasn¡¯t the most concise question, but anything out of Svanda¡¯s mouth right now would be welcome. She was already doing a lot by putting herself this far out without even knowing what she was getting herself into, and Svanda should have known it. She at least deserved an answer or two, and if she didn¡¯t get one, she would seriously have to reconsider what she was about to do.

    Seeing that Svanda planned on ignoring her question, she sighed before following her down the deserted footpath. The Westworks may have been a shell of what they usually were due to Rucille¡¯s latest experiment, but the lack of activity around them was nevertheless unsettling. Street lighting could only do so much when there was a rolling storm above them which seemed more out of a fantasy novel than anything else, and even just a few cars on the road would have gone a long way to making the place seem more human.

    At least it wasn¡¯t raining.

    ¡°We¡¯re heading for the mountains,¡± Svanda said abruptly as she fished a piece of paper out from her pocket, wedging it between two fingers before showing it to Nina. ¡°The clans are the only people who can help us now.¡±

    Nina frowned when she saw the paper which Svanda held. She hadn¡¯t seen it out of the envelope before, but it wasn¡¯t hard to tell that it was their written pass for the Westworks. How she managed to pinch it out from under Reina¡¯s nose without her realizing was another question that she would have to ask eventually, but for now there were bigger fish to fry. She¡¯d been warned enough about the clans already over the past few days, yet now it seemed as though she would be voluntarily delivering herself to their doorstep. Even Reina had said that it was futile, and without trying to discredit the others, Nina didn¡¯t think that anybody else would have a better grip on the situation than she would. Did Svanda even have a plan, and if she did, why couldn¡¯t she have told Reina?

    ¡°Reina can¡¯t follow us,¡± Svanda continued as she slipped the paper back into her pocket. ¡°They¡¯ll be stuck in the Westworks, either until we return or until the quarantine is lifted. She won¡¯t like it, but it¡¯ll give us the breathing room that we need to do things properly. I want to stop this for good, and I know that you do too.¡±

    Nina forced out a nod as she watched Svanda punch some details into a small phone. Organizing a car, if what she saw was correct, and the brief moment or space allowed her to consider her options. It was clear to her that Svanda was a lot more invested in the entire situation than she was, but at the same time she still wanted to help, to ease her guilt over the entire situation if nothing else. Maybe not as extreme as visiting the Daerx Clan to beg for assistance, but unfortunately it was becoming obvious that there would be no middle ground on offer. Nina was either going to have to pull out right here and risk damaging her friendship with Svanda, or she was going to have to push through with things and instead risk her relationship with Reina.

    And if it wasn¡¯t already too late to decide, there certainly wasn¡¯t much time left.

    ¡°Car will be here in a minute,¡± Svanda said as she pocketed the phone, looking over her shoulder as though she suspected that Nina would run. ¡°It¡¯ll be a long ride, but it¡¯s unavoidable. The roads through the mountains aren¡¯t very direct.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Nina replied out of instinct. It was more of a reflex than anything, but the one word had practically signed her up for the ride. She wasn¡¯t exactly used to saying no to Svanda, or even anyone else in the group now that she thought about it. It was part and parcel of being the newest member, she had always thought, but her unwillingness to fight was now having bigger implications than they had ever had before. Not that she was that displeased, however. Just uneasy. She was out here because she had wanted to make something happen in the first place, but their course of action was quickly becoming unpalatable. Was it worth it?

    She didn¡¯t know.

    Rounding the corner so that they were out of sight from the house, Svanda finally stopped before casting a glance towards the sky. Nina came to a halt beside her, and under the lighting from the lamp above she finally had a chance to examine the woman¡¯s face. Well the part that wasn¡¯t under the mask at least, but the first thing that Nina realised was that Svanda¡¯s eyes were narrowed as she stared ahead of them.

    Following her gaze, Nina¡¯s eyes came to rest on a solitary figure that was resting against the wall. With a foot up against the concrete and the glow of cigarette lazily hanging out from the depths a black hood, the figure turned in their direction before blowing out a thin cloud of smoke and revealing a face that Nina certainly hadn¡¯t been expecting to see.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this interesting?¡± Saela asked as the flicked the rest of the cigarette into the gutter before jamming her hands into her pockets. ¡°Something tells me that Reina would just love to hear about this.¡±

 Chapter 110

    Silence hung in the air as Nina stepped into Svanda¡¯s shadow. It wasn¡¯t far enough to block her view of the smirk underneath Saela¡¯s hood, but the physical presence between them was comforting enough. Had they been caught? Not necessarily. Saela was also outside after all, although that wasn¡¯t exactly a surprise. She had her reasons, as inappropriate as they were, but Nina didn¡¯t think that a similar excuse would be enough to sweep their appearance under the carpet.

    ¡°Something tells me that Reina would also love to hear about you being out here, drunk in the quarantine zone at such a time,¡± Svanda replied after taking a nonchalant glance at the empty bottle by Saela¡¯s feet. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with being outside. If anyone here is in the wrong, it¡¯s you.¡±

    Nina felt a tinge of relief at Svanda¡¯s response, although it quickly evaporated as a crisp chuckle escaped from Saela¡¯s lips. The laughter seemed to echo down the dark and deserted street, and the subsequently eerie atmosphere reminded Nina that their escape wouldn¡¯t be so straightforward. Saela may have been a loose cannon at times, but she wasn¡¯t stupid. ¡®Fresh air¡¯ wasn¡¯t about to cut it as an explanation, and unless Svanda had a more convincing pitch up her sleeve, there would be very little that they could do to prevent Saela from raising the alarm.

    As though their situation wasn¡¯t bad enough already, the car that Svanda had organized appeared from around the corner. Headlights illuminated the darker patches of the street where the lighting didn¡¯t reach, and the trio watched in an awkward silence as the sleek black vehicle glided towards them. This time, even Svanda was lost for words. The fact that the car had stopped right before them was all the evidence needed to prove that they weren¡¯t simply out for a walk. Turning back to Saela, the pair saw that she had now pushed back her hood. A raised eyebrow and an even larger smirk were all that they were met with, but all three of them knew that words weren¡¯t required. This was disobedience, and Saela wouldn¡¯t even need two guesses to nail exactly what it was about.

    ¡°Oh, it just gets better,¡± she finally said to break the silence, her eyes darting back and forth between Svanda, Nina, and the car beside them. They were fully armed too, if everything else wasn¡¯t convincing enough, and Nina realized that panic was slowly building up inside of her. Not only had they been caught in the act before they could take a single step towards their goal, she had also thrown her relationship with Reina in the trash for it. A dismal defeat considering what she had put on the line, and the fact that Svanda had dragged her into it further soured her mood. For a brief moment, she wondered how things would have been if she¡¯d simply said no. Svanda might have been annoyed for a while, but at least she would have been able to fall back on the excuse that she was simply doing her job. Hindsight, however, was useless now, and no amount of apologizing would be able to paper over the cracks that would form between her and her superior.

    ¡°Get in the car,¡± Svanda said, keeping her eyes on Saela while motioning to Nina with her hand. Nina glanced at the waving hand for a moment before numbly processing the instruction. Were they really about to be so flagrant?

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Saela asked, her eyes moving from Svanda to Nina.

    ¡°Out,¡± Svanda replied in a cold tone, taking a glance behind her to see that Nina remained rooted to the pavement. A tinge of frustration crossed her face, although it was quickly hidden as she stepped towards the car before opening the door. Internal lights flicked on in response, and the three stared at the plush cream interior for a moment before the tension enveloped them once more. Facing herself squarely in Saela¡¯s direction once more, Svanda reached back to place a hand on Nina¡¯s shoulder before giving her a small nod.

    ¡°Everything¡¯s fine,¡± she said, patting her twice before motioning once more towards the door. ¡°Remember, they can¡¯t follow us once we¡¯re out.¡±

    Nina nodded in response, considering her options as she did. Regardless of whether she left or stayed, she had already landed herself in hot water with Reina and the realization nudged her in the direction of flight. If the cat was already out of the bag, all that was left was to see what kind of value she could get out of her admittedly poor decision. As for Reina¡¯s reaction, she would only find out if she was forgiven, fined, or fired once they returned, and for that reason she needed to produce results. Pushing the future implications to the back of her mind, she stepped towards the open car door before taking a glimpse at Saela, her glance met with a mix of amusement and contemplation.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Rucille was now her priority.

    ¡°Stop.¡±

    Nina paused with her hand on top of the car¡¯s roof, her head turning in Saela¡¯s direction to see that she now stood with her arms folded. A sour expression had appeared across her face, and Nina wondered if it was because Svanda had treated her presence with such disregard. It was hard, Nina admitted, to look past the drunken girl with a hood to see the backing which stood behind her. If that mattered now or not, however, Nina didn¡¯t know. Saela was a loyalist, sure, but Svanda¡¯s earlier comment had reminded everyone that it was in fact them that held the upper hand. Saela, quite frankly, had no cards to play. By the time she reported anything to Reina it would be too late to stop them, and she didn¡¯t have the means to keep them from leaving either.

    After thinking it through, Nina gave her an apologetic smile before placing her foot on the thin carpet which lined the car¡¯s floor, pulling herself inside before Saela had a chance to continue. It wasn¡¯t her problem if Saela was held responsible for letting them escape, and she wouldn¡¯t be staying around to find out if she was either.

    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you.¡±

    Nina almost tripped over the seat when Saela¡¯s comment reached her ears, the surprised cough from Svanda outside showing that she felt the same way. Nina had just been thinking that Saela was without any cards left to play, but in reality, the thought was wrong. She did have one, and while it seemed like an unimaginable scenario, she had played it. A joker of sorts perhaps, but a card was a card and Saela¡¯s declaration had now tipped everything upside down.

    ¡°You¡¯re drunk, Saela,¡± Svanda chided. ¡°Go back to the apartment, there¡¯s nothing in this for you.¡±

    ¡°I have my reasons,¡± Saela replied before withdrawing her small pistol from a pocket. Slinking over towards the open car door which Svanda now blocked with her body, she glanced at the car¡¯s exterior before returning her attention to the obstacle in front of her. ¡°If you try to leave without me, I¡¯ll put a few holes in the bodywork. Won¡¯t look so good when the damage shows up on the detectors, will it?¡±

    Svanda watched as Saela lightly tapped the barrel of the pistol against the smooth black paint, frowning as she weighed up her options. Not only was Saela making life difficult for them, she also had to consider that their absence from the apartment could be discovered at any moment. The agenda that Saela brought with her wasn¡¯t that difficult to work out for the most part, but she also had the ability to become a shackle which would drag them down. Saela was, however, seemingly adamant in her decision, and whether it was intentional or not, her digging in of heels was costing them time that they didn¡¯t have to spare.

    Svanda needed to make a decision, and she needed to do it quickly.

    ¡°Get in,¡± she finally said with a sigh, stepping aside to allow Saela to climb inside the car. Her drunkenness was evident enough as she stumbled over the edge of the seating, but eventually she flopped down beside Nina before flashing her a smile. Placing her feet up onto the table which sat in the centre of the interior, she pulled her hood up once more.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to the clan, aren¡¯t you?¡± she asked as Svanda stepped inside the car, watching as the door was closed behind her. ¡°Reina said that there¡¯s no point.¡±

    ¡°As much as she seems to, Reina doesn¡¯t know everything,¡± Svanda replied as she set their destination, quickly glancing out the window as the car peeled away from the curb. ¡°But you¡¯ll report that to her anyway, won¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°If I feel the need,¡± Saela said with a nonchalant shrug, placing her pistol on the seat beside her before easing herself backwards. ¡°Sometimes a leash has its uses.¡±

    Watching the conversation play out with a frown, Nina glanced at Svanda to see that she was met with a shake of the head. She knew that it wasn¡¯t Svanda¡¯s fault, but Saela tagging along was more than they had bargained for and she didn¡¯t know where it would take them. Saela had not only played a joker on them tonight, the rash and unpredictable girl was also a joker herself. The Daerx Clan wasn¡¯t a group of people to be trifled with if anything she had heard was to be believed, yet now they would be bringing a liability straight through the front door with them.

    Watching the street lamps glide past from her seat by the window, Nina¡¯s mind receded into her own world. What exactly had she just gotten herself into?

 Chapter 111

    Nina woke to find herself sprawled out across a stretch of the car¡¯s interior, a dull pain running through her neck. Stretching it as she stifled a yawn, she silently cursed her poor sleeping posture before taking a glance at her surroundings. Svanda, who sat opposite her, snored lightly with her rifle placed across her lap. How she managed to sleep in such a rigid sitting position was a mystery, although Nina didn¡¯t know if her size left her with any other options. At least her neck would remain intact, a fact that Nina found herself a little jealous over.

    Judging by the light which filtered in through the windows, she guessed that it was morning. It was still rather dim, however, and the constant cloud cover above them made it difficult for her to confirm her thoughts. It wasn¡¯t bright enough to wake either of the pair that she shared the car with at least. Saela, much like Svanda, was motionless. Her expression was hidden by the black hood which was pulled up around her face, while the pistol which she had set down before was gone. Back within a pocket somewhere, no doubt. Not that she minded. Svanda¡¯s assault rifle was already enough of a reminder about what exactly they had gone through to get here.

    Was Ormain even on the plate yet? And just where in all of this mess was Rucille hiding?

    Turning her attention to the window, Nina looked outside to see that the car was gliding down a narrow road, a single lane in each direction cutting through the scenery around them. She was yet to see any other vehicles to share the series of shallow curves with, and the fact only accentuated the gloomy sense of isolation. Rising away from each side of the road were sweeping hills which were dotted with modestly sized trees, straight trunks supporting dense swathes of deep blue leaves which were also littered across the ground. What few of the leaves that had settled on the road were whipped up into the air as the car breezed past them, but their scattering was the only signs of movement across the otherwise silent landscape.

    The forest, if she could even call it that, looked dead.

    ¡°Valewood,¡± Saela said, causing Nina to jump. ¡°Fickle plants, always following the rivers that carve their way down the slopes. The course eventually changes, and the woods are left to die. Again and again, uprooting whatever was already there before eventually leaving the landscape as a barren waste.¡±

    Nina turned, taking a glance at who she thought had been asleep. Saela¡¯s face was still hidden beneath her hood, although Nina could tell that she was looking out the opposite window. It was surprising that she knew anything about such a remote place considering Saela¡¯s usual behaviour, but Nina¡¯s appetite for information pushed the question to the back of her mind. Svanda¡¯s straightforwardness often made her a poor teacher, and so the opportunity to learn what she could from elsewhere was not something that she was about to reject.

    ¡°Not that it¡¯s all bad,¡± Saela continued before a small yawn escaped from underneath the hood. ¡°Eventually something else will rise from what remains, forbidden or not. Most often not, but you never know. Not like the clans have the resources to manage all of this anyway.¡±

    ¡°Forbidden?¡±

    ¡°You forgot already?¡± Saela sighed. ¡°Abysswort, fisherleaf, drearwood, and the thirty days flower. We took Abysswort seeds to Zaffre¡¯s, remember? This is where they¡¯re from, Terminus¡¯ old frontier.¡±

    Nina resisted the urge to ask another set of questions, ignoring the barb before turning her attention to Saela herself. She was being surprisingly normal considering what had happened last night, and her openness left Nina feeling puzzled. She¡¯d initially thought that her attitude could be attributed to the fact that they were essentially in the same boat now, but in the back of her mind it still didn¡¯t make sense. Saela would never go against Reina if her earlier hostility was anything to go by, so her decision to get in the car seemed to be nothing but paradoxical. Drunkenness could maybe have played a role, but Nina wasn¡¯t about to believe that logic either. Saela seemed too composed to have just woken up with a serious case of alcohol-fuelled regret, especially considering the magnitude of what they had just done.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Svanda might have worked it out already, although Nina didn¡¯t want to wake her. She certainly didn¡¯t want to ask Saela directly either. The smirk that she would have to face if she did wasn¡¯t worth it, even if she couldn¡¯t see it properly from underneath the hood.

    ¡°I remember, it¡¯s just that there could have been more to it,¡± Nina replied, unsure if even she herself believed the excuse. It was at least semi-baked considering that she didn¡¯t know if what she had been told earlier would have covered everything, but Saela probably wouldn¡¯t give her the credit. Unfortunate perhaps, but Nina didn¡¯t mind. Making assumptions was dangerous considering that just about everything changed from plate to plate, and errors had a wider range of consequences than she wanted to ever have the privilege of knowing about.

    Saela ignored the comment before easing away from the window, leaning back into the chair before stuffing her hands into her pockets. Not wanting to press, Nina instead focused on the stretch of trees which lined the road, searching the scenery for anything of interest. Maybe she would see an animal if she was lucky, or at least some form of bird. The meat which ended up on her plate had to come from somewhere, although her first tour of the plates had proved to be surprisingly fruitless. If meat was farmed in a similar manner as to which it was on Caecus she didn¡¯t know, but there should have always been at least a few exceptions. She¡¯d have to ask Svanda. Not only was she the Terminus expert in the team, she was also a much more palatable alternative to Saela at the moment regardless of whether she was an inferior teacher or not.

    As though her prayers had been answered, Svanda stirred before her eyes slowly opened. Nina watched her blink a few times as she took in their surroundings; her steady gaze flicking around the car¡¯s interior before moving outside. A small frown soon formed across her lips when she did so, although Nina wasn¡¯t particularly sure why. They were well out of Reina¡¯s range by now, and so their progress shouldn¡¯t have been an issue. The clock wasn¡¯t ticking anymore, or at least she thought it wasn¡¯t, and it wasn¡¯t like the car was being held up in traffic either.

    ¡°Something wrong?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Besides our last-minute passenger, no,¡± Svanda replied as she placed her rifle on the seat, using the opportunity to stretch her legs out. Rolling her ankles around a few times before locking her fingers together, Nina watched as she completed her impromptu routine with a few more stretches.

    ¡°I¡¯m wrong, am I?¡± Saela chuckled. ¡°You should be thanking me. After cutting so many strings between you and Reina last night, a thread like me should be treated as a treasure. A good word or two from me when we get back might just be the thing that keeps your relationship intact, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to twist this into you doing us a favour,¡± Svanda snarled in response. ¡°The only thing you¡¯re here for is you. If you want to put yourself in Reina¡¯s good books by being her lapdog through this, fine, but don¡¯t try to sell it as anything else.¡±

    Svanda¡¯s comment caused Nina to look up, her eyes focusing on the pout which she could now see underneath Saela¡¯s hood. She¡¯d had questions about Saela¡¯s motives earlier, but now Svanda had answered them without her even needing to lift a finger. Things quickly fell into place as she connected the dots. Saela wasn¡¯t even particularly interested in where they were going, instead she was simply interested in keeping Reina informed. It was quick thinking, Nina had to admit, and clever thinking too. Instead of reporting them after it had become too late to give chase, she¡¯d decided to cling on to function as Reina¡¯s eyes and ears. Saela wasn¡¯t in the same boat as them at all; in fact, she had probably done the right thing as far as Reina was concerned.

    Glancing at Saela once more, Nina now saw her in a different light. She was a separate party for all intents and purposes if that was the case, and her earlier decision to describe herself as a leash seemed apt. Whether she would yank at it or not, Nina didn¡¯t know. A familiar situation, she mused, as her knowledge of just about everything on Terminus was severely lacking. Pieces would fall together over the next few days, but she remained apprehensive. They were travelling to the Daerx Clan after all, and the earlier comments from Jade and Aline were not something that she was about to forget.

    ¡°If you insist,¡± Saela finally said, her pout turning into a thin smile as she looked up at Svanda. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get along splendidly over the next few days. Please take care of me.¡±

 Chapter 112

    After asking Svanda how much longer there was left for the umpteenth time, Nina decided to give up and simply wait for their destination to appear. What had seemed like an entire day had in truth been not even half of that, and being regularly informed of their slow progress did nothing but further frustrate her. She¡¯d even tried to sleep a little more to pass the time, but despite the unnaturally smooth ride, rest proved to be elusive. At least both Saela and Svanda seemed to have the same issue, although they rarely traded words which often left the atmosphere rather awkward. Thankfully, their conversations with Nina had been better. She¡¯d asked a few questions about both their surroundings and their destination, and the responses had been surprisingly informative. Svanda had provided most of the answers, although Saela occasionally added finer details. Only once had they disagreed upon something, and the resulting tension had been thick enough to cut with a knife until Nina had changed the subject.

    Currently they were traveling through what was simply known as the mountains. It wasn¡¯t as descriptive as the less commonly used term ¡®The Old Frontier¡¯, but it wasn¡¯t exactly hard to mistake the towering peaks of earth and stone for anything else. Nina didn¡¯t know if there were other similar ranges elsewhere, but she had learned that these mountains at least formed the nucleus of what was Terminus today. As for why it was sometimes called The Old Frontier, Svanda told her that it was because the mountain region was the location of the initial settlements where everything on the plate began. Access to water, timber, and most importantly ore, however, had sparked a bitter and bloody feud between miners which had eventually given birth to the clan system that had survived up to today. Not that there were many similarities between the hierarchies of then and now. Centuries of mergers and annexations within the clan system had slowly morphed the land into a melting pot of war-driven industry, and only as recently as a few hundred years ago had things begun to settle.

    The catalyst which had ground the clan warfare to a halt was, of course, the rise of the surrounding territories. After the rapidly developing fringe settlements of Southstone, East Terminus, and the Westworks aligned themselves under a single government, the clans suddenly found that they had more pressing concerns. Not only was the modern Terminus attracting swathes of citizens who were happy to cast off their archaic clan-system shackles, unprecedented hordes of new arrivals were also descending onto the plate to steadily swell their numbers.

    Apprehensive over the future and desperate to protect their traditional clan values, the bickering factions within the mountains had eventually been forced to call an uneasy truce.

    ¡°They still don¡¯t like each other though,¡± Svanda mused as she stared out the window at the passing scenery. Her eyes followed the rows of thin wooden stakes which lined the slopes, dense clumps of thick green vines causing the wires which ran between them to sag. Cloudroot was a staple on the mountains, although it generally ended up on the plates of the less fortunate. Named for the fact that they were drawn aboveground to grow at a faster rate underneath the turbulent skies above, they were notoriously bland despite their nutritional reputation. Not fit for the qualified families, Nina had been told, although the qualified families were yet another concept that she was still struggling to wrap her head around.

    ¡°And you¡¯re from one of these families, right?¡± Nina asked. If she had understood correctly, each clan was made up of many families which all jostled for their own positions within. Except for one, that was, as the main family was always the head of the clan. The Daerx Clan was led by the Daerx family, and the numerous branch families and commoners who were fanned out below them were positioned so that they would never be able to reach the top. The best talent and resources were always brought within the central fold to prevent that, of course, a process which was usually facilitated through marriage or exorbitant payments. Either way, the Daerx Clan had gripped onto their lands for centuries, while the other clans around them had done the same. Nina wondered if they would still be fighting if it wasn¡¯t for the surrounding government bonding them together in their uneasy truce, but that was a question that they could only ever speculate over.

    ¡°Yeah, all head and branch families are qualified,¡± Svanda replied with a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s useful, I guess. Not that there¡¯s any joy in returning though, I¡¯d rather be just about anywhere else.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Nina refrained from pushing further on the sensitive subject as they cruised along the road, the meandering curves slowly bringing them higher up the slopes as they went. Redcold Clan territory, Nalhne Clan territory, and finally Ahgat Clan territory all fell behind them before Svanda softly declared that she was home. On home soil at least, as the Daerx Clan¡¯s lands were a sprawling stretch of slopes which even included a few of the peaks which towered high above them. Nina hadn¡¯t asked what the balance of power was like between the clans, but she¡¯d been able to make her own assumptions based on what she¡¯d seen so far. They¡¯d naturally skirted around the main settlements which were run by the other clans out of caution, but their relative prosperity had naturally bled into the surrounding lands. Nina¡¯s conclusion hadn¡¯t been difficult to reach either because the steady increase in apparent wealth was rather obvious. If the Redcold Clan¡¯s territory on the fringes had been a lacklustre grouping of valewood forests and cloudroot plantations, the Aghat Clan¡¯s levelled farms and heavy machinery had been in a completely different class.

    Proximity to the centre of the region was clearly an indication of power, and the Daerx Clan was right there in the thick of it.

    Despite the conclusion, Nina was torn by what she felt was contradictory. The increase in affluence as they ascended was obvious, but it was also partnered by what she could have described as a journey into hostility. Sweeping forests of blue had been steadily replaced by hulking grey crags of stone, while neat and organized farms had given way to well-worn structures of steel and concrete. The fact that they were also climbing closer towards the angry swirl of dark clouds that blanketed the sky didn¡¯t help either, while intermittent strikes of lightning onto the shrouded peaks capped off the surprisingly bleak setting.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t how I imagined it,¡± Saela murmured, echoing Nina¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t how anyone imagines it,¡± Svanda replied, not surprised at all by the comment. ¡°It¡¯s nicer than it looks though, I promise. Working conditions are good, and the infrastructure provided is also some of the best in the mountains. Honest work, but rewarding.¡±

    Nina frowned at Svanda¡¯s explanation, but hid it by staring out the window. What Svanda said made enough sense, but it also sounded a little too similar to life on Caecus for her liking. Employee benefits, bonuses, and ¡®better conditions than most¡¯ were all words that were often thrown out there by management, but Nina knew that ultimately they were just a tool to keep the workers complacent. Sure she had been lucky enough to climb far enough up the ladder to be clear of that pile in her previous corporate life, but it had also left her in a position where the magnitude of difference between the top and the bottom was all that much clearer.

    This, it seemed, wasn¡¯t all that different.

    ¡°We¡¯ll head straight for Daerx,¡± Svanda continued. ¡°It¡¯s the clan¡¯s largest settlement, and also the seat of power. When we get there, follow instructions. Don¡¯t try anything stupid, because even I won¡¯t be able to save you if you do.¡±

    Nina nodded in a weak response to Svanda¡¯s statement. Follow instructions? Wasn¡¯t this just a town? Surely they would be free to roam and do as they pleased while Svanda organized whatever business she needed. Jade and Aline¡¯s warnings resurfaced in her mind, however, and she started to wonder just what exactly was so stressful. Nobody had ever filled her in on any specifics because Jade and Aline themselves didn¡¯t know, while Trim was reluctant to talk. It was understandable considering that they wouldn¡¯t have ever imagined her needing the information, but now she was frighteningly short on details. The thin frown that she saw on Saela¡¯s face suggested that she also felt the same way, and so all that she could do was simply take a deep breath and then ask.

    ¡°Why does everyone hate coming here so much? Is there something that we need to know before we get out of the car?¡±

    Silence hung in the air as the car glided towards the noticeably larger settlement in the distance, lights from a countless number of different buildings dotting the grey slopes. Above it, the mountain raised sharply in elevation, fingers of stone jutting out from a cliff face which soared upwards like a tidal wave ready to wash the people away. There was a pleasant lack on industry here, Nina thought, although it made sense. As usual, the heavy plants and factories were situated away from the residential area, the thick black exhausts which poured from their smokestacks mingling with the clouds above. How luxurious the living conditions were so high up on the mountains was something that she was eager to find out, but her thoughts remained distracted by the pensive expression that Svanda wore.

    ¡°Things are¡­ strict,¡± Svanda said, her eyes focused on the town before them. ¡°The difference in treatment between classes is a bit hard to get used to, and if you don¡¯t follow the system, you¡¯ll be punished. It¡¯s unfair, really, but things are the same within all the clans, not just Daerx.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Saela asked with a frown. ¡°Well it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for us because we¡¯re with you, right? Aren¡¯t you the highest?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± Svanda said with a small nod before frowning. ¡°But you aren¡¯t.¡±

 Chapter 113

    ¡°Listen carefully,¡± Svanda continued as the car entered the fringes of the town. Neat rows of squat concrete buildings ran along each side of the road, while people in tidy but basic clothing went about their daily business around them. ¡°There are three types of people here: Daerx, Qualified, and Unqualified. White badge is Daerx, while a grey badge is Qualified. Stick close to me and there shouldn¡¯t be any problems, but watch yourself around anyone with a badge. You¡¯ll have little to stand on if you get into trouble with one.¡±

    Nina nodded absentmindedly as she surveyed their surroundings. It was surprisingly clean considering the grim atmosphere that the desolate mountain scenery provided, but then again, she was at the Daerx Clan¡¯s seat of power. The people she¡¯d managed to get a glance at as they breezed by seemed happy enough, but whether their expressions were genuine or not was probably a different story. Smile and nod was a tool she had quickly picked up for appeasing the upper management while she¡¯d worked on Caecus, and the same skills almost certainly applied here if you were considered a second-class citizen. It was a shame that Svanda¡¯s influence wasn¡¯t something that they could always lean on, but unfortunately it was unavoidable. Not only did they lack even a single drop of Daerx Clan blood in their veins, they also weren¡¯t even from Terminus to begin with. Outsiders, Svanda had called them, and Nina could only cross her fingers and hope that her status wouldn¡¯t be too much of an issue.

    ¡°You¡¯re not like a princess or anything clich¨¦, are you?¡± Saela asked as Svanda withdrew a large white badge from a pocket. Round and about the size of Nina¡¯s palm, the badge featured three golden mountains with a purple crown around the largest of them in the centre, the stylized design more crude than regal. Sticking it above her breast so that it contrasted starkly against her black fatigues, Svanda chuckled at the question before glancing out of the window to the towering building at the end of the main street. Set into a cliff face which rose away towards the troubled skies above, the building looked like a modern castle of sorts. Ornate stonework twisted its way up around each of the ten or so floors, while both steel and glass filled in what space remained. The light from the wide and evenly spaced windows almost seemed like a swathe of eyes, and Nina pictured the structure as a haunting yet elegant guardian which oversaw the rest of the town.

    ¡°The head of the Daerx Clan is my grand uncle,¡± Svanda finally said with a weak smile, adjusting her badge before taking a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m not close enough to be at the centre of anything, but I guess you could still say that I¡¯m valuable.¡±

    ¡°Valuable as what?¡± Saela probed. ¡°A wife?¡±

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s that,¡± she admitted as her eyes turned to the gates which separated the streets beyond from the castle grounds, tall spikes of uninviting black steel twisting together across the road. ¡°But there¡¯s more to it. Even just my knowledge is valuable to them. Travelers aren¡¯t too common, especially within the clan. Trust is in short supply these days, especially for outsiders bringing news.¡±

    ¡°Sounds boring,¡± Saela said before taking a glance outside. ¡°Don¡¯t see why anyone would want to live here either. Everyone flocking to Southstone and East Terminus is starting to make a lot more sense, and this is supposed to be one of the better ones.¡±

    Nina ignored Saela¡¯s barb and considered Svanda¡¯s words. Marriage? Not Svanda. Julia¡¯s face floated into her mind for a moment, but she quickly shelved the thought. She had suspicions about the two, but suspicions were never going to get her anywhere without asking, and that wouldn¡¯t be wise now either. The more intriguing question, she thought, was why Svanda had ended up with Reina in the first place. If the stories were right, they had already known each other for years before Nina had dropped into their lap. What was Svanda doing in Luem when she met Reina, and why was Svanda allowed to leave Terminus to begin with?

    ¡°Not now,¡± Svanda said after Nina voiced her thoughts. ¡°We¡¯re here. Stay close to me when you can and keep your mouths shut when you can¡¯t, alright?¡±

    Nina nodded as the car came to a halt at the gates, ignoring Saela¡¯s scowl as the window beside Svanda eased downwards. Standing ready to greet them was a thin man in a grey uniform, his short silver hair which was typical of Terminus locals combed over in a neat wave, while a grey badge featured on his chest. Nina also noted the compact submachine gun dangling from his hip, the T&TERM etched in large letters along the barrel catching her eye.

    Opening his mouth to speak, the man¡¯s gaze flinched as he saw the badge which Svanda wore. Changing his mind, he instead gave her a shallow bow before retreating to a small concrete guardhouse by the road, opening the gate for them without a word. Svanda seemed unfazed by the reception, but it did leave Nina a little awestruck. No questions, no identification, no nothing, yet the respect that Svanda had been shown was completely genuine. Sure, she was important, but what had left Nina the most impressed was the power of the badge. The fact that it had been taken at face value without a second thought told her that the badge was law, regardless of who wore it. Trying to counterfeit one probably had unimaginable consequences, though Nina didn¡¯t plan on asking if there were any examples.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    The car eased through the gate before beginning the journey around the large loop which approached the castle. Neat lawns stretched away from them on either side, while the crisp crunch of gravel underneath the tires proved to be the loudest leg of their trip so far. Nina watched with interest as a few people wandered about the grounds, some maintaining the fountains or rows of hedges while others sat at ease. The large white badges on those that loitered about were not hard to miss, but she was also surprised to see that a few people working wore grey badges of their own. If people who were considered Qualified were fit to maintain the castle grounds, where exactly did that leave both her and Saela?

    Realising that her thoughts would have to wait, she swallowed as the car came to a halt before the castle¡¯s front doors. Two storeys high and carved from heavy black timber, the doors seemed not like an entrance, but more like the maw of a gigantic stone beast. Below them sat a flight of shallow stone stairs which ran down to where they had stopped, the stonework forming a striped design which drew her eyes upwards. Thick slabs of white marble ran up the very centre, while polished grey slate flanked it on each side. Finally, thinner streaks of black stone ran up along the very outsides, framing the way up to the entrance while completing the monochromatic theme in what seemed to be intentional design.

    Opening the door, Svanda pushed her way out of the car as an almost inaudible sigh escaped from her lips. Saela followed her out while managing to seem relatively unfazed, while Nina stepped out last after shrugging off her lingering reluctance. It seemed colder up here, she thought, although the elevation almost certainly played a role. This was mountain territory, and the calm but steady breeze that chilled her cheeks made sure that she wouldn¡¯t forget it.

    ¡°Do not step on the marble,¡± Svanda said as she held her arm out to block them, nodding her head in the direction of the path which ran up the centre towards the doors. ¡°Or the slate for that matter either. Outsiders are forbidden to walk on anything but the jetstone while inside the castle. Over there.¡±

    Nina frowned as she looked over to one of the thinner strips of black which ran up the outside of the staircase. She hadn¡¯t realised it from where she sat in the car, but now that she stood she could see that the path wouldn¡¯t even take them through the front doors. The white marble path that stretched straight through the middle of the doors did leave a small amount of room on each side, but the strips of grey slate filled up what was left. With nowhere else to go, she followed the jetstone path¡¯s route, hiding a thin frown as she watched it instead disappear behind two smaller doors off to each side. They weren¡¯t even allowed to walk through the main doors if what she was seeing was correct, and Svanda¡¯s steady arm across her chest suggested that she shouldn¡¯t even consider it.

    Unqualifieds had it rough.

    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine Reina taking that kind of insult without a word,¡± Saela mused from where they stood as she came to the same conclusion. ¡°Though a side entrance? No way.¡±

    ¡°Reina doesn¡¯t need to,¡± Svanda said quietly in reply as she focused on a single woman who had appeared on the top of the stairs. ¡°She was given a grey badge under the table to keep up appearances. Doesn¡¯t look so good for the family if my boss is an Unqualified outsider, does it?¡±

    ¡°No wonder why Trim doesn¡¯t come anymore then,¡± Saela said with a thin smirk. ¡°Something tells me that the invitation wasn¡¯t extended to her.¡±

    Svanda frowned, but quickly wiped it off her face as the woman made her way down the stairs. With long silver hair which hung down to her waist and pair of bright green eyes that studied them with interest, the woman kept her feet firmly in the centre of the two or so meter wide strip of grey slate as she descended. Nina noted the thick silver chain which hung around her neck before she studied the plunging cream dress that she wore as it rippled in the breeze, a large green gemstone in the shape of a teardrop hanging between her breasts. The last thing Nina glanced at was the grey badge fastened to one of the two thin straps which wrapped around the woman¡¯s neck, and before she had a chance to look at anything else the woman had stepped onto the gravel before them.

    ¡°Back so soon, Svanda,¡± the woman said with a shallow bow, her voice crisp over the breeze. ¡°Your mother will be delighted.¡±

    ¡°At least one of us will be happy,¡± Svanda replied with a wry smile. ¡°For now, take us to my rooms.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± the woman replied with a smile before her gaze flicked over Nina and Saela who stood behind her. ¡°Follow me. I¡¯ll have Ethel see to your attendants.¡±

    Svanda nodded before stepping onto the wide marble path which ran up the centre of the stairs, the woman who had greeted them quickly stepping onto the slate beside her. Turning as she went, Svanda gave them an apologetic smile before making her way up towards the slowly opening doors above, her sigh evident even from the movement of her shoulders.

    ¡°Just wait for a moment and someone will be out. Remember, the jetstone,¡± she said over her shoulder. ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯ll see you up there.¡±

    With that, Svanda marched up the centre of the stairs, entering the castle through the slowly opening doors before disappearing into the blackness beyond.

 Chapter 114

    ¡°You might as well just tell us now,¡± Jade said as she balanced on the two back legs of the dining chair, her tongue stuck out in concentration. ¡°Nina¡¯s going to tell us when she gets back anyway.¡±

    Sitting on the sofa in the corner of the room, Trim frowned. The glass of wine in her lap was a rarity, but nobody was about to raise any eyebrows considering what had happened last night. Unfortunately, it did little to diffuse the unpleasantly sombre atmosphere. Jade was trying to be positive at least, but so far her attempts at spreading the enthusiasm had been futile. Her chances at success wouldn¡¯t improve unless Reina¡¯s mood did either, so they were at least thankful that she¡¯d also opted for the bottle. A few glasses certainly wouldn¡¯t do her current attitude any harm, although they might have to be wary if she went any further than that.

    ¡°Ask her then,¡± Trim finally said, taking a sip of the wine with a wistful expression. ¡°Maybe she¡¯ll fare better than expected.¡±

    ¡°I doubt it,¡± Reina scoffed. Sitting across from Trim, she sat with her feet on the coffee table as she turned her attention to the glass in her hand, swirling her wine with disinterest. ¡°They¡¯re always the same, so mired in tradition that they¡¯re blind to the bigger picture. Society moves on without them, yet instead of embracing change, they try to take the easy route by holding everything back. The unknown is frightening to them because it suggests a future where their power eventually wanes, and dragging everyone else through the dirt in the process is an unfortunate by-product of that rejection. Not that it makes it acceptable, but they develop at a glacial pace.¡±

    What little work Jade had done to improve the atmosphere was wiped away as silence descended. It wasn¡¯t particularly awkward, but the four of them who sat in the Westworks apartment proved to be more of an unlikely group than perhaps they had first thought. If any of them could even recall the last time the four of them had done something together as a group, they certainly hadn¡¯t said so. Svanda¡¯s absence was the biggest contributor to that, but factionalism also played a role that they were all acutely aware of.

    ¡°Even you?¡± Aline asked. Sitting beside Reina on the couch, she picked up a half-empty bottle which sat before her. It wasn¡¯t the first bottle that the three had made their way through, and it almost certainly wouldn¡¯t be the last either. Jade had decided to abstain for reasons that she kept to herself, although having someone that was sober was certainly never a bad idea. Refilling her glass before offering the bottle to Reina, she leaned back into the cushions before yawning. None of them had slept well after Reina had been alerted to Svanda and Nina¡¯s flight, while Saela¡¯s role in the whole ordeal was still unclear. Did Reina feel outsmarted, or was she simply regretting her carelessness? None of them knew if she would see it as betrayal or not, but none of them were brave enough to ask her either.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t get dragged through anything,¡± Trim said with a frown, a slight trace of bitterness in her tone. ¡°You really think that she would let someone treat her as a servant?¡±

    ¡°A servant, huh?¡± Jade mused, a light smile forming on her lips their progress. ¡°But they can¡¯t actually make you do anything, can they? You aren¡¯t actually servants.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll test you for weakness, the one-peaks especially,¡± Reina offered with a shrug. ¡°Svanda is pretty good at keeping everyone under her wing while she can, but there are times when she can¡¯t. Meals and the Evening League are the two standouts, but if you can get through them, you¡¯re fine.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to explain this all or not?¡± Aline asked.

    ¡°Maybe if some more wine manages to find its way onto the table,¡± Reina replied, nodding to the now almost empty bottle before her. ¡°That¡¯s unless Trim wants to answer your questions, of course. I don¡¯t mind. There¡¯s no point keeping secrets if it¡¯s all going to be revealed in the near future, and it¡¯s an effective way to pass the time if nothing else.¡±

    ¡°We could always try to find another pass out,¡± Trim offered. ¡°You haven¡¯t even looked.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t looked because there¡¯s no point in looking,¡± Reina replied before looking up, smiling while Aline sighed. Jade was already out of her chair and halfway across the kitchen floor, the few remaining bottles of unopened wine clearly in her sights. ¡°We don¡¯t have enough clout to get another one. Passes issued inside the quarantine zone defeat the purpose, don¡¯t they? The only people who would be able to organize something like that are way above us, and there wouldn¡¯t be a shortage of people who would be willing to part with a small fortune to escape from here either. Unlike them, we don¡¯t have our lives on the line.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing Svanda knew that too,¡± Trim conceded. ¡°How did you let the pass out of your sight anyway?¡±

    ¡°I have to shower every now and then,¡± Reina grumbled, taking the bottle from Jade¡¯s now outstretched hand before opening it and pouring Trim another glass. ¡°I¡¯ll admit it though; I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be that rash.¡±

    ¡°Back on track please,¡± Jade said as she flopped down on the couch beside Trim. ¡°You asked, and you received.¡±

    Reina frowned as she remembered where she was, taking a sip from her glass before resting it on her thigh. ¡°The Daerx Clan uses a tiered hierarchy within the basic Daerx, Qualified, and Unqualified system. Both Daerx and Qualified badges have one, two, or three mountains which are reflective of your rank within the tier. The more the better, obviously, but a one-peak Daerx badge is still on a completely different level from a three-peak Qualified badge.¡±

    ¡°What badge do you have?¡± Aline asked.

    ¡°One-peak Qualified,¡± Reina said with obvious displeasure. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to get anything higher without being folded into a proper Qualified family, especially considering that I¡¯m an outsider. Better than nothing, sure, but one-peak badges are generally frowned upon because in truth they aren¡¯t much more than glorified servants. Just being born into a Qualified family will usually guarantee you two-peaks, so anything less is seen as contemptible.¡±

    ¡°And they know it too,¡± Trim added with a sigh. ¡°At first they think they¡¯ve finally made it as a Qualified, but soon they learn that they¡¯ve hardly gone anywhere. They¡¯re still looked down on despite a shiny new badge, and what¡¯s worse is that their tasks don¡¯t really change. If anything, they get worse. Unqualifieds can¡¯t go to a lot of places within the castle, and so one-peak Qualifieds make for perfect attendants. The result, unfortunately, is a rather bitter group of people, and there isn¡¯t much to take it out on besides the very same crowd of people from where they came.¡±

    ¡°Unqualifieds,¡± Aline finished.

    Trim nodded but remained silent. It wasn¡¯t hard for Jade or Aline to infer the rest of the story though, and their conclusions left them feeling rather sour. Nobody wanted to be subjected to any kind of mistreatment, and doing it under the guise of authority was particularly distasteful. The Cloud Orchestra were a proud collection of people, and so Trim¡¯s reluctance to visit the Daerx Clan was beginning to make a little more sense. It also explained why Reina seemed to fare much better than Trim when they returned, as Reina would have been able to dodge most of the ire. What it didn¡¯t explain, however, was why Svanda always seemed to be so drained after their visits. Why did it always seem so bad for her if she was essentially at the top of the food chain?

    ¡°Maybe I should have warned Nina about it,¡± Reina sighed. ¡°I never thought that she¡¯d be bold enough to disappear in the middle of the night. Telling her how it really is might have changed her mind.¡±

    ¡°Blame Svanda,¡± Jade said with a shrug. ¡°We both know that Nina wouldn¡¯t make that decision by herself.¡±

    Reina smirked in reply as she set her glass down, clasping her hands together before leaning forward to look Jade in the eye. ¡°You just want to get her out of trouble, don¡¯t you? It can¡¯t be insubordination if she didn¡¯t make the decision or something along those lines, right? Don¡¯t deny it; I can already see the argument forming on your lips.¡±

    Jade sat back with a pout, but didn¡¯t press. Whatever Reina had decided for both Svanda and Nina would be something that they would have to wait for, and nobody in the room though that they would have much success at changing her mind. If the punishment was serious or not was a different question, but they did know that Reina had to draw a firm line and then stick to it. There was no place in The Cloud Orchestra for what Svanda and Nina had done regardless of what the stakes were, and if Reina didn¡¯t call them out on it then it would set a dangerous precedent that she couldn¡¯t afford.

    ¡°If it¡¯s so bad over there, isn¡¯t whatever happens going to be punishment enough for Nina?¡± Aline asked. ¡°Issue a fine, sure, but don¡¯t kick her out or anything. I like her, and she¡¯s still learning. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll become a good asset sooner or later, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Reina sat there unmoving as the rest of the group eyed her warily, stewing over her thoughts before a wry smile stretched across her lips. Reaching for her glass once more, she let them hang on her next words as she took a small sip before settling back into the sofa. Glancing at the contents of her glass, her expression was replaced by one which seemed resigned.

    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that her time with the Daerx Clan will be a lesson that she won¡¯t forget anytime soon,¡± she said before turning her attention to Trim. ¡°But as tough as it might be, she¡¯s got the best guide that she could ever hope for.¡±

    ¡°You mean¡­¡± Trim frowned.

    ¡°You never had anyone to lean on while you were there. I¡¯m sorry about that, but there was only so much I could do,¡± Reina said with a small bow of her head. ¡°Nina, however, does have someone.¡±

    ¡°Saela,¡± Jade murmured.

    ¡°Saela,¡± Reina nodded before continuing. ¡°She¡¯s perfect for this, now that I think about it. Not only is she someone who¡¯s got a bit of fight, she¡¯s also someone who¡¯s familiar with being looked down upon. The lower floors of Luem are scrappier than anything they¡¯ll ever find in the castle, so surely she¡¯ll ensure that Nina doesn¡¯t get rolled over by too much pressure.¡±

    ¡°She will, won¡¯t she?¡± Trim sighed in agreement with a shake of her head.

    ¡°As long as she doesn¡¯t get them into too much trouble during the Evening League, I¡¯ll be looking forward to what she has to say.¡± Reina smiled. ¡°Believe it or not, Saela might actually be rather good at this.¡±

 Chapter 115

    ¡°What kind of second-rate reception is this?¡± Saela grumbled as she stared upwards at the peaks which towered above them, facing away from the breeze as a thin frown stretched across her lips. ¡°Not a shred of formality.¡±

    Nina shrugged as she examined the stonework which made up the front of the castle. The fifteen or so minutes that they had been left waiting on the gravel had given her plenty of time to examine the intricacies, and now she had resorted to picking out her favourite parts. From what she could see of it, that was, as what she guessed was the back two thirds or so of the structure must have been embedded in the solid rock behind it. Maybe the interior penetrated even further into the mountain than that, but she didn¡¯t hold any hopes of ever finding out. Much of the castle would be forbidden to them, and she certainly wouldn¡¯t be given a free rein to explore either.

    Perhaps the two towers which flanked the front wall were her favourite feature. The one to her left was round with snaking streaks of black running through the dark stone, while bas-relief patterns of different abstract shapes littered the lower floors. Higher up, above the few modestly sized windows below it, a wide screen of glass and steel seemed to stretch from floor to ceiling for an entire floor. The panoramic views of the town that it provided must have been breathtaking, and Nina had already made a mental note to ask Svanda to take her there. If she was allowed to or not was something that she would just have to cross her fingers on, although there also seemed to be many more windows even further up. The tower was eventually rounded off by a row of squat crenellations at the very top, although she couldn¡¯t make out if there were any finer details from where she stood. At least it was a feature shared by the imposing square tower to her right, although besides a few similarly shaped windows, it was about all that they had in common.

    Carved of the same stone, the right tower was functional. It didn¡¯t feature any massive windows which might have been a liability in a time of conflict, instead reinforced by giant steel plates which were riveted into the rock. At least whoever designed them had taken consideration into their appearance; the largely square plates that were taller than Nina were arranged in an orderly fashion, while there was still room for decorative flourishes of steel around the windows. Saela¡¯s comment that it was ¡®like putting a dress on a pig¡¯ had made her chuckle, she¡¯d admit, but it didn¡¯t mean that she shared the same perspective. It wasn¡¯t as fancy as the round tower to her left, sure, but it had a certain air to it that left her in an uneasy awe.

    The fact that both towers stretched some ten storeys above her also played a significant part in that.

    ¡°Oh, finally,¡± Saela said as Nina examined the section of stone which stretched between the two towers above the doors. It was plain in comparison to what flanked it, but the many regularly-set windows were framed by black steel which reached to the windows both above and below. The continuous metalwork created a lattice of black which seemed to reinforce the entire structure, but despite finally being up close, they still reminded Nina of a somewhat eerie collection of eyes which acted as the guardian of the town.

    The crunch of gravel underfoot reminded her that there was also a new set of eyes for her to worry about. Clad in a simple grey robe which hung down to his ankles, a man with a messy mop of black hair stood before them, a thin yet weathered face directing his small dark eyes in their direction. Sizing them up for a moment with a dismissive expression, he rather-noticeably rubbed the sleeve of his robe over his badge before turning on his heel and setting off towards the strip of grey slate that he had appeared from.

    ¡°Follow me, outsiders.¡±

    Saela shrugged before setting off after him towards the right side of the castle, Nina following behind. Careful to step only on the jetstone pathway beside the slate, they followed him up the stairs while being all too aware that he was paying attention to where they trod. Unlike the jetstone and white marble paths which had only a single path, the grey slate spread out to cover the space in between the central and side doors, the subsequently forming wedge allowing a Qualified to enter either. In this case, the man stepped towards the smaller door before pausing in front of it, turning to wait until the pair had caught up. It was strange, Nina found, that the three were essentially walking together yet not allowed to tread the same route. Half of the doorway was occupied by the streak of jetstone which disappeared underneath it, while it was mirrored to its left by slate. Maybe strange wasn¡¯t the word; stupid would probably have been more appropriate, but she wasn¡¯t about to insult their hosts before she had even walked through the door.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Hopefully Saela had come to the same conclusion.

    ¡°Open the door.¡±

    Nina opened the door and was about to step through when the man strolled past her, arms folded behind his back as he did so. Fighting the urge to say something about his lack of manners, she followed him through while remaining on the jetstone path to find that they were now inside a narrow corridor. Maybe a semi-corridor would have been a better way to explain it after she took a quick glance around them, because she soon realised that it was simply an extention of the main hall. Instead of leaving everything open, however, a series of white arches ran down the entire left side of the passage that they stood in, a chest-high fence segregating them from the larger space. It felt more like a viewing gallery than a corridor, and the incredible sight beside them was blocked by a reminder that it wasn¡¯t for them.

    Intricate silver chandeliers hung above the cavernous space which must have been at least three storeys high, while white marble columns wrapped with steel shot up from the edges of the central marble path. Paintings, some of which must have been some six or seven meters tall, lined the opposite wall. Depicting a wide range of scenes from nature to what must have been Daerx Clan family members, Nina could only assume that they were matched by more which hung above where she stood. Past the few attendants in grey which scuttled about the room, she spotted the matching passageway on the other side. Her attention didn¡¯t linger on it for long, however, as her eyes were drawn to the trio of staircases which sat at the end of the room. In the centre sat a wide and imposing flight of white marble stairs, steel railings stretching up each side in a flowing floral pattern, while it was flanked on each side by two smaller versions. Both flights were of grey slate, which wasn¡¯t surprising to her anymore, and while they were tasteful, they nowhere near as impressive. At least Qualifieds could walk through the space, she thought ruefully. Such an astonishing welcome sat seemingly within reach, yet at the same time she knew that she would never be able to step inside it.

    ¡°Neat,¡± Saela murmured as she stepped in behind them, her desire to step on the slate so that she could walk up to the railing obvious. It seemingly wasn¡¯t the first time it had happened though, as the man turned to face them with a glare before shaking his head with evident distaste. The dismissive gesture caused Nina to think that Saela might just try it to see what would happen, but then again, Svanda had been adamant about where and where not to step. Very adamant, when she thought about it, and so she wasn¡¯t about to see what the logic behind it was.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even dream of it,¡± the man said as he continued down the corridor, not even bothering to see if they were following. ¡°Considering that your feet would be a stain on the great hall, being able to see it is a gift in itself that you don¡¯t deserve.¡±

    Nina felt a steady stream of rage begin to well up inside of her, but it quickly evaporated as a chuckle escaped from Saela¡¯s lips. The reaction seemed to surprise the man in front of them too, as Nina noted the slight misstep in his stride. Turning, she saw that Saela now strolled down the passage at a leisurely pace, her hands behind her head as she ran an eye over each passing detail. Her expression now constantly swung between mild interest and ignorance, and Nina found that Saela had essentially become impossible to read by the time they reached the end of the corridor. At least there was no door this time, but instead an archway which led to a staircase that spiralled upwards.

    ¡°Laugh at me again and I¡¯ll send you to the hanging press,¡± the man finally said as he paused in the archway, turning to face the pair. Nina tried to keep her face at a blank expression with only moderate success, but Saela somehow seemed to be completely unfazed. Svanda had told them not to rock the boat, yet they were already on the verge of doing so before they had even made it to their room. They would need to have a talk about everything with Svanda in finer detail, she concluded, or else they would land themselves in much hotter water than they could cope with.

    ¡°Laugh at you?¡± Saela asked with a wave of her hand. ¡°I wasn¡¯t laughing at you. Nina¡¯s pants were just riding up her ass.¡±

    Almost choking as Saela¡¯s words reached her ears, Nina wondered if her face had turned as red as his.

 Chapter 116

    Standing in yet another hall within the depths of the castle, Nina began to wonder if Saela¡¯s comment had pushed the man just a little too far. It had certainly shut him up while making a somewhat reasonable excuse for her lack of respect, but the result was that it hadn¡¯t taken long for him to leave them waiting. If he was simply collecting his thoughts or making them stew for his own satisfaction was a question in itself, but considering that they had been waiting for fifteen minutes, his claim that ¡®I¡¯ll just be a minute¡¯ was obviously a lie. The temptation to wander a little had already come and gone despite the lack of supervision, but Nina knew that there was not much choice in the first place. Being limited to the jetstone within the halls felt like being a train on rails, and people passed by regularly enough to ensure that she wouldn¡¯t try her luck with setting her feet elsewhere.

    ¡°Would have been nice if there was something better to look at,¡± Saela said from where she sat on the floor, her back against the stone wall as she drummed her fingers across her knee. They had attracted some strange looks as they loitered across from a door for Qualifieds only, grey robes both coming and going at a steady pace, and Nina wondered if it was the entrance to their quarters. Well, some of them, at least. It hadn¡¯t taken her long to recognize that there was a separate hierarchy within the Qualifieds themselves, and the overwhelming majority of the people that passed before them were clearly at the bottom of the pile. Only twice had she seen a badge with two mountains on it since they had first stepped inside the castle, their owners dressed lavishly in contrast to the collections of grey robes, and the only three mountain badge she¡¯d seen had been worn by the woman who greeted Svanda. Worlds within worlds, she thought, although unfortunately they all shared the same tendency to look down on her with unreserved scorn. It was unsettling if nothing else that they hadn¡¯t even made it to their first destination before the thinly veiled hostility left her feeling uncomfortable, but there wasn¡¯t much she could do besides roll with it. Treating guests in such a manner was in poor taste she thought, perhaps unless it was Rucille, but at least then she would have had a reason that wasn¡¯t just using tradition as an excuse.

    No wonder Trim had said that she wasn¡¯t interested.

    ¡°I had important things to do,¡± the man said as he finally pushed his way through the door, continuing off down the hall without waiting to see if they would follow. Nina noted his lack of apology over the delay, and his implication that they weren¡¯t important wasn¡¯t lost on her either. The trace of a sneer in his tone led her to believe that he was rubbing things in just to get a kick out of it, so in turn she wondered if he truly knew who they were visiting with. Shouldn¡¯t Svanda as their backer be enough to scare him into treating them with a little more respect, or did he genuinely not care about any chance for repercussions?

    ¡°I wonder what Svanda¡¯s up to,¡± she mused, clearly loud enough for the man to hear as she followed the jetstone path which ran alongside the slate. ¡°It must be nice, always being able to see the good stuff.¡±

    ¡°She probably couldn¡¯t care less,¡± Saela replied, hands in her pockets as she slinked along behind them. ¡°You know Svanda, fancy stuff doesn¡¯t interest her.¡±

    Nina smiled when she realised that Saela¡¯s comment had been right on the mark before mentally noting that the man hadn¡¯t flinched. Maybe he didn¡¯t care after all, which was disappointing, but it wasn¡¯t particularly surprising either. It simply wouldn¡¯t have added up if they didn¡¯t brief him on what he was up against before they had arrived, outsiders or not. The Daerx Clan had not only survived for a long time in what was apparently a very difficult period of history, they had also thrived. Having at least a shred of tact at the minimum was expected.

    The more concerning deduction, she thought, was that the man continued to treat them in such a manner despite what had been said. Clearly he didn¡¯t think that they were capable of going over his head to land him in trouble, and that was something that surprised her. Cronyism was surely widespread within the clans on the mountains, and so she didn¡¯t see why she shouldn¡¯t be able to pull Svanda down on top of someone who was only a low ranking Qualified. Perhaps there was another obstacle for Svanda that she didn¡¯t know about which would prevent her from doing so, so for now she would simply bide her time. Svanda, unlike anyone else, would answer her questions so that she could finally see if her first few conclusions were correct.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    If they weren¡¯t, she¡¯d be complaining about their guide right there and then.

    Until that happened, however, their journey continued. Up winding flights of stone stairs, through bleak passages of nothing but jetstone while their guide waited for them on the other side, and even down stairs which seemed to be no different from what they had climbed before. It all seemed so pointlessly roundabout to Nina that by the time they finally stepped into a normal corridor her legs were aching, and she had even resorted to asking Saela why she thought it was so.

    ¡°Because we can¡¯t cross the other paths, I guess. Just a maze just to get us where they need to without offending anyone,¡± she said with a shrug while eyeing the white marble path that stretched down the centre of the corridor. The path occasionally branched off towards large double doors which were placed down one side of the wide and airy passage at every twenty or so meters, while smaller doors were also placed between them. The occasional tapestry or vase which dotted the space told them that they had finally made it out of the tiring string of service halls which hid behind the main corridors, although the foot traffic here was surprisingly quiet.

    Nina was about to continue with her line of questioning when she saw that the man in grey had gestured towards a small door, paths of both slate and jetstone stretching underneath. Initially she thought that it was his own way of asking them to open it for him, but before she could move he had already turned around and set off once more. Feet glued to the floor as she watched him stride away from them, confusion briefly surfaced over what to do until she realised that she didn¡¯t have a choice. There was no continuation of jetstone in his direction at all, and so while he headed for a small stairwell not much further down, the only path available to them was the one which disappeared underneath the door.

    ¡°We should ask for someone useful next time,¡± Saela said with clear intent for her words to reach the man¡¯s ears. If he heard it, however, he didn¡¯t show it, so with a small sigh at her small victory being denied, she instead pushed open the door to be met with a very welcome sight.

    ¡°Carpet,¡± Nina said as she stepped inside, her eyes glued to the deep blue wool beneath her feet. Ignoring her surroundings, she hopped from side to side a little before turning to watch as Saela followed behind her, the expression on her face unreadable. She certainly wasn¡¯t as happy as Nina to see that they could finally step where they pleased, and her cautious scan of the room reminded Nina that she should have probably done the same.

    Looking up, she found that the room was deserted. Small and rectangular with unfinished stone walls that stretched away from them before stopping at the far wall, Nina guessed that the room was about three meters by five. Neat but narrow beds sat in each of the distant corners with a pile of sheets on top, while a single dresser sat underneath a small round window through which she could see the dreary skies outside. The rest of the room was almost as featureless as it was spotless; a second door in the wall to their left attracted her attention, while a cupboard sat against the opposite wall to their right. Saela had already opened it to see that it contained nothing but a few brooms and some cleaning gear, so Nina instead stepped to the door before reaching for the handle.

    Opening the door, she blinked twice at the brightly lit room before her. The same blue carpet stretched away beneath her feet, but that was just about the only thing that the two rooms shared in common. Larger than the entire top floor of their office at The Cloud Orchestra, the room featured smooth creamy walls with decorative marble inlay instead of featureless stone, flowing swirls containing flowers and birds stretching up towards the white ceiling above. Wide arched windows ran along the wall to her right, but drawn silk curtains hanging limply across them blocked the view to the town beyond. Underneath two of the windows in the centre of the wall sat a large bed obscured by a thick swathe of sheets which hung from the posts surrounding it, while beside it was a sitting area complete with small trays of untouched food. Much of the remaining space, however, to Nina¡¯s amazement, was simply empty. A small timber desk sat across from her on the far side of the room, while an ornate and much larger dressing table was placed beside it. It was here that Nina was attracted to the large oval mirror which was the central feature, but before she could even take a single step, her eyes widened as she saw a face in the reflection that she would have recognized anywhere.

    With a twist.

 Chapter 117

    ¡°Svanda¡­¡± Nina said as she strode towards her, eyes locked on the subdued expression that was reflected in the mirror. Svanda¡¯s eyes flicked up to meet hers when she heard the words, but instead of a reaction that Nina would expect, her gaze seemed distant. It was almost as though the person in the mirror was someone that Nina had never met before; a secret twin that had been locked up in the castle while Svanda had been left to freely roam the plates. The discarded black fatigues which were hanging on the back of the chair beside the dresser, however, told her that it wasn¡¯t the case. This was Svanda, and although she looked a little different, it was still the same person who she had last seen not even an hour ago.

    Apparently, a lot could happen in an hour.

    Wearing a sleeveless black dress of satin that hung down to her ankles, Svanda slouched in the ornate timber chair. Streaks of purple streaked across her torso before plunging down towards the hem, and the effect reminded Nina of the angry skies just outside the windows. Exposed arms that usually accented Svanda¡¯s powerful build now featured purple armbands of lace that were wrapped around each bicep, while on her wrists she also wore thin but intricate silver chains. What Nina found most surprising, however, was Svanda¡¯s face. While her short silver hair had been swept back in a more formal manner than usual, her face had also been powdered white to contrast with two thick purple wings of eyeshadow that swept upwards towards her temples. Matching them were two thin streaks of paint which stretched down from the corners of her eyes before stopping in line with the tip of her nose, her lips also painted the same shade. It was an almost haunting appearance, Nina thought; one that she would probably never forget.

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to laugh, now is a good time,¡± Svanda said with a tinge of sourness, eyes returning to her own reflection in the mirror. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t go down very well if you did it in front of someone else.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s cool,¡± Saela said as she appeared beside Nina. Nina had been so focused on Svanda¡¯s new appearance that she hadn¡¯t even sensed her approach, but now that she was here, Nina was glad that someone else had found the words that she had struggled for. Svanda¡¯s current demeanour made it painfully obvious that she wasn¡¯t pleased about her new makeover, and Nina suddenly felt compelled to give her all the support that she could. It did raise yet another set of questions about Svanda¡¯s relationship with her family, but that would have to wait for another time. No point kicking something home if she was already feeling down about it, especially when Nina had no clue about what she would be getting herself into.

    ¡°A bit intimidating though,¡± Saela added after a brief pause. ¡°But I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s the point.¡±

    Svanda nodded absentmindedly before standing up, her dress on full display as she walked over to the sofa setting which sat by the bed. Two small cream loveseats were placed on each side of the low coffee table; the plates of cakes and sandwiches that Nina had spotted earlier somehow looking even better than they had before. The setting was rounded off by two smaller armchairs that were placed at each end, and Nina noted that Svanda¡¯s feet were bare before she joined her at the table. If anyone else had been present she would have thought twice about sitting unannounced, but Svanda was still Svanda, not some snobby aristocrat. Saela soon flopped down on the loveseat opposite them with a yawn, and while Nina struggled to find the right words, Svanda beat her to it.

    ¡°It¡¯s a remnant from the clan wars,¡± she said with a sigh as she pointed to her face before reaching for a bottle of cloudy liquid, pouring the contents into an empty glass before sitting back. ¡°Ridiculous, isn¡¯t it? Warpaint from another era, yet we still wear it in tribute to how our ancestors fought for what the clan is today. That¡¯s what they say, at least, but I don¡¯t believe it. Everyone who fought for Daerx back then wore this mask, Qualified or not, yet for some reason it is only us that can now be remembered for it. Hundreds would have died for every member of the clan during those times, and now their contribution is ignored so that we can wear it around like we¡¯re better than the rest. I never wanted to play a part in it, but what can I do?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to play a part,¡± Saela replied nonchalantly, reaching for a small cake on a silver tray without asking. ¡°The quicker you get what you¡¯re here for, the quicker we¡¯re out of here. Speaking of which, do you have any guesses for that? Can we get out tonight?¡±

    ¡°Not tonight,¡± Svanda said with a shake of her head before taking a glance towards the large door that separated them from the hall, her unease evident. ¡°The morning session is the only time to make official requests, and we¡¯ve already missed todays. Assuming negotiations go well in tomorrow¡¯s session, we could be out of here at this time tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°And if they don¡¯t?¡± Nina asked.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to wait until the day after that, or perhaps even the following one,¡± Svanda answered with an apologetic shrug. ¡°There¡¯s only so much that I can do.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Great,¡± Saela mumbled through a mouth full of cake, the sarcasm in her tone impossible to miss. ¡°A sleepover in a creepy castle full of people that hate me was just what I always wanted.¡±

    ¡°We could hide in here the entire time,¡± Nina suggested before Svanda felt the need to apologise once more. ¡°It¡¯s quite comfortable and we wouldn¡¯t be disturbed, would we?¡±

    Svanda frowned at the question before reaching for a cake of her own, buying a moment by taking a small bite before resting it on her knee. Nina wouldn¡¯t have risked it if she was wearing such a nice dress, but Svanda didn¡¯t even seem to notice. There was probably a hundred more if it got dirty, now that she thought about it, so she decided to just let Svanda think through whatever was going on in her head without interrupting her. Saela didn¡¯t seem to want to push the issue either, which she was thankful for, although Nina suspected that it was more because it allowed her to squeeze in a second helping of cake instead of genuine concern.

    ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± she finally said with a sigh. ¡°Not because I say so, but because there are customs that need to be followed.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡± Saela asked.

    ¡°Meals, for one,¡± Svanda replied. ¡°Everyone has to be at the hall, guest or not. Unless, you¡¯re in the kitchens, that is, but you won¡¯t be, will you?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s just a meal, we¡¯ll manage,¡± Saela said with a dismissive wave of her hand. ¡°What else?¡±

    ¡°The Evening League,¡± Svanda continued with a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s a nightly session for Daerx Clan members where internal issues are discussed, along with a few other bits and pieces. That in itself is fine, but the problem for you is that Unqualifieds are kicked out of the castle while it runs. You¡¯ll be on your own for at least a couple of hours, but sometimes it can run late into the night before the gates reopen. I¡¯m sorry, but there isn¡¯t much I can do until the session is complete.¡±

    Nina frowned, but remained silent. There was no point complaining if she wouldn¡¯t be able to change anything, so instead she considered her options for how to pass the time. At least she wouldn¡¯t be alone, although Saela wasn¡¯t exactly the best company. What went on inside that head of hers was anybody¡¯s guess at times, and at other times she wondered if anything went on up there at all. Despite that, however, it was certainly better than being thrown out on the street by herself. Someone confrontational like Saela also dragged attention away from her, and she planned to take advantage of that fact right up until the castle was out of sight.

    Until then, she¡¯d simply keep her wits about her and take things one step at a time.

    ¡°Hiding in here isn¡¯t an option?¡± Saela asked, pointing towards Svanda¡¯s bed. ¡°We could just hide in the bed, or behind the curtains if somebody came. There¡¯s the cupboard in the err¡­ our bedroom as well.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll check,¡± Svanda replied. ¡°Especially considering that you¡¯re both new Unqualifieds. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they had the cleaners turn these two rooms upside down, to be honest, and you certainly don¡¯t want to be caught where you shouldn¡¯t be. I certainly don¡¯t want you caught either, because ultimately, I¡¯m responsible.¡±

    ¡°That much effort?¡± Saela scoffed. ¡°You¡¯d think they had better things to do.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing better than enforcing the rules,¡± Svanda said before turning her attention to her glass. ¡°In their eyes, at least. Small infringements are the first step towards progress.¡±

    About to open her mouth, Nina paused as the door to Svanda¡¯s room was thrown open to reveal three women who stepped inside without a word. The two women with grey pixie cuts and simple purple dresses were not people that she recognized, but the woman who walked in the centre of them was. Dressed in the same outfit that she had been wearing when they met at the entrance to the castle, the woman in cream didn¡¯t even spare Nina a glance as she crossed the room, her elegant yet cold demeanour seeming to freeze the atmosphere as she approached. Nina thought that she heard a small sigh escape from Svanda¡¯s lips, but she wasn¡¯t sure. There wasn¡¯t any time to ask any questions either, because before she knew it, the trio had stopped before them.

    ¡°It never ceases to amaze me, you know?¡± the woman said as she took a quick glance at the food which sat at the table, her eyes flicking over the empty cake wrappers in front of Saela. ¡°How you share your table with people like this without concern. Your mother said that it¡¯s poor for your League prospects, if you didn¡¯t need any more convincing, and that¡¯s including what damage limitation she¡¯s already applied.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in the League,¡± Svanda said with a wave of her hand, turning back to face the table instead of their visitors. ¡°What are you here for, Celine?¡±

    ¡°This one isn¡¯t bad,¡± Celine replied, ignoring the question as she turned her eyes to Nina, the intelligent pools of green seeming to peer right inside of her. ¡°She¡¯s young enough, so maybe she¡¯d be acceptable after she learns her place. Certainly a better prospect than that other trash you used to bring.¡±

    ¡°She isn¡¯t trash,¡± Svanda said with a noticeably firm tone. ¡°Tell me what you¡¯re here for before I report you for entering without permission.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t report me,¡± Celine smiled. ¡°And you know that just as well as I do. To humour you, however, I will say that I am here to see if you needed my help again. I don¡¯t even need to look under the sofa to know that you¡¯re still in bare feet, and I thought that you might want to be briefed on tonight¡¯s proceedings too. You¡¯re not particularly good at these things, after all.¡±

    ¡°Then shoot,¡± Svanda replied nonchalantly.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Celine said as she rounded the sofa to stand by the corner of the coffee table. ¡°But first, surely you understand that this information can¡¯t be shared with outsiders.¡±

    Nina and Saela both frowned at the same time as a thin smile curled up at the edge of Celine¡¯s lips.

    ¡°Dismiss your attendants. Only then will we talk.¡±

 Chapter 118

    Nina was already halfway out of her seat before she saw that Svanda had raised her hand. Closed eyes shaded in purple hid half of her expression, but the thin frown on her face did little to mask the other. Saela hadn¡¯t even moved despite what Celine had said, instead stretching lazily over the sofa while stifling a yawn. How she managed to seem so relaxed in what Nina felt was a tense atmosphere would always be a mystery to her, but right now she only had eyes for Svanda.

    ¡°It¡¯ll have to wait then,¡± she said before nonchalantly glancing at the clock, a large round circle of dark wood with a silver inlay that hung above the desk. ¡°There isn¡¯t much time before the strike, and I still have a lot to cover with these two before then.¡±

    Nina fought the urge to smile as Celine¡¯s expression turned from an arrogant smile to that of someone who had just sucked on a lemon. Bitter was a surprisingly apt way to describe it, she thought to her own amusement, but Nina also knew that now was hardly the time to gloat. Svanda may have done them a favour in the short term, but the snub had also quickly driven a wedge between the two groups of women that would be difficult to remove. Not that Svanda would see it that way. Celine couldn¡¯t take her quietly simmering anger out on someone above her in the hierarchy anyway, so in all likelihood Svanda would remain oblivious to the implications. Saela and Nina, however, would quickly prove to be a different story as soon as they were outside of Svanda¡¯s sphere of protection. Nina didn¡¯t even want to think about how much easier it would be for Celine to pull the necessary strings in comparison to their earlier guide either, and as a result she was sternly resolute to mind her own business and make amends if possible.

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°After,¡± Svanda cut her off. ¡°I¡¯ll also sort out my own shoes. See you in the hall, Celine.¡±

    If the temperature in the room hadn¡¯t seemed to drop enough already, it certainly did now. Celine¡¯s eyes smouldered as her gaze flicked over Nina, but the majority of her thinly veiled spite was clearly reserved for Saela. Not that the girl in question seemed to notice, her expression carefree as she reached for yet another cake, but that very attitude was also undoubtedly the reason why she was singled out. At least Nina had tried to show a shred of respect by opting to stand at Celine¡¯s earlier request, but Saela hadn¡¯t even flinched. Not only was she disregarding Celine herself, she was also disregarding the entire hierarchy that surrounded the clan which Celine stood for.

    Not good.

    After watching Celine and her two attendants leave without another word, Svanda sighed before standing up and walking over to the dresser. Sitting in front of the mirror once more, she examined the reflection that stared back at her with mild distaste before glancing down at her feet.

    ¡°Can you find something for me?¡± she asked Nina, pointing to her feet. ¡°You know I¡¯m no good at this. There should be shoes in the robe.¡±

    Nina walked over to the small robe which was placed against a wall by the bed, opening the two timber doors to see what was inside. There was surprisingly little considering Svanda¡¯s status within the clan, although Nina was sure that she could have had more at the click of her fingers if she wished it. Only three dresses hung from the rail, two of them simple dark grey cuts while the third was a short black dress that shimmered like oil on water. There were no combat fatigues or even any regular pants for her to wear while she was comfortable in her room, so Nina instead turned her attention to the shoes below. Four pairs sat there, and even with Nina¡¯s poor eye for fashion she could see that each pair was tailored for one of the outfits above. Swirls of both silver and gold on the two pairs in grey matched what hung above them, while the casual pair in black matched the other. Selecting the final pair without a second thought, she closed the wardrobe and walked back to where Svanda sat. Even Saela would have seen that the thin lines of purple stones which ran down the centre of the simple black design were the appropriate match, and Nina was inwardly happy that the decision had been so easy. Their start to life in the Daerx Clan castle had been poor enough without messing up Svanda¡¯s choice of dress for all to see.

    ¡°Celine always picks these ones too,¡± Svanda mused as she dropped them at her feet, sliding them on with a sigh. ¡°Reina did too, now that I think about it. Maybe you all have the same taste?¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Nina shrugged while wondering if Svanda had ever looked inside her own robe, pushing the thought to the back of her head as Saela joined them at the dresser. At least she¡¯d managed to wipe the crumbs for the corners of her mouth by now, although Nina wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if she¡¯d just scraped them on the floor. Not that it mattered considering that there was probably an army of cleaners around, but Nina didn¡¯t want to rock the boat any more than they already had. She¡¯d eventually have to talk to Saela about her attitude if this continued. Confronting the scowl under the hood wasn¡¯t something that she enjoyed doing, but it was certainly something that she enjoyed more than falling on the wrong side of the Daerx Clan if they hadn¡¯t already.

    ¡°Who is she anyway?¡± Saela asked as she took a glance at the door. ¡°I don¡¯t like her.¡±

    Svanda chuckled as she readjusted her fringe, pinching the hairs between her thumb and forefinger before angling them across her forehead. ¡°Celine is my attendant while I¡¯m in the castle, which as you know, isn¡¯t very often,¡± she said before judging that her hair was satisfactory. ¡°We¡¯re both the same age, while her family has been attached to mine for generations. Her mother is also my mother¡¯s attendant, you see, so I guess you could say that Celine was destined for her role whether she wanted it or not. Sometimes I think she hates me for it; that our positions aren¡¯t the other way around, but at the same time she¡¯s probably the only person within these walls that I could call a friend.¡±

    ¡°She must have it easy if you¡¯re not around all the time,¡± Nina said.

    ¡°She does,¡± Svanda admitted. ¡°She has too much time, and she uses it well to entrench herself with a lot of important players in the clan. I can¡¯t even begin to count the number of people that have wanted to take her away from me, but she¡¯s intelligent enough to use me as a shield to ward them off. She doesn¡¯t want to leave either, of course, not yet. The freedom that I offer her is too valuable, and while I don¡¯t admit it, we both know that I don¡¯t want to let her go.¡±

    ¡°So, what¡¯s she waiting for?¡± Saela asked.

    ¡°Marriage, of course,¡± Svanda said with a wry smile as she stood up, pacing back to the sofa where she poured herself another drink before sitting down. ¡°The right one, that is. She¡¯s had her fair share of offers already, but she¡¯s more ambitious than most would think.¡±

    ¡°She wants an offer from the Daerx family,¡± Nina mused as she joined Svanda once more, deciding to pour herself some of whatever Svanda was drinking. Her first sip told her that it was juice, although it wasn¡¯t like anything she¡¯d tasted before. Tart yet refreshing, she thought over the flavour before finding that she¡¯d taken a second sip before she even realised. The subsequent smile on Svanda¡¯s face grew steadily as watched Nina¡¯s reaction, and Nina in turn smiled when she realised that it was the most relaxed Svanda seemed to be since they had stepped out of the car.

    ¡°Leurang juice,¡± she said. ¡°Not very popular around here, but I like it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Nina replied as she sat down. ¡°Maybe I¡¯d like it more if it was mixed with some water.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for some next time,¡± Svanda replied before leaning back. ¡°But anyway, Celine goes further than that. She¡¯s already knocked back a couple of offers from members of the Daerx family because they were only one peak. She wants to go even higher than that, if you can believe it.¡±

    ¡°Can she?¡± Saela asked.

    ¡°Probably,¡± Svanda admitted. ¡°But it all depends. Despite how stubborn she is, she can¡¯t wait around for the right one forever.¡±

    Nina resisted the urge to ask Svanda about suitors of her own, instead watching as Saela walked over to one of the curtains before brushing it aside. Nina couldn¡¯t see much besides an angry sky from where she sat, but Saela was clearly looking down at the town which stretched out below them. If they were that high up, that was. Nina had lost count of how far they had actually ascended due to the countless flights of stairs they had gone both up and down, but she guessed that Svanda must have had a pretty nice view. She was top brass after all, even if she rarely seemed to live up to that. The badge that she wore, however, was all that anyone needed to see.

    ¡°By the way,¡± Svanda added. ¡°You¡¯ll need this.¡±

    Nina stretched her hand out to take the scrap of paper that Svanda was waving in front of her, a confused expression appearing on her face as she tried to make sense of the contents that were scribbled on the scrap of paper. Four letters were written there, although they were each written many more times than just once in what seemed to be a nonsensical order.

    ¡°Left, Right, Up, and Down,¡± Svanda explained. ¡°Directions from here to the hall. You¡¯ll need them, because once you hear the strike, you won¡¯t have long to get there.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the strike?¡± Nina asked.

    Svanda was about to reply when a light shudder rocked the floor, the accompanying crack of lightning reaching Nina¡¯s ears as she jumped in surprise.

    ¡°That is the strike,¡± Svanda replied with a bemused expression before her face turned serious. ¡°Listen now. What I¡¯m about to say is important. Don¡¯t forget it.¡±

 Chapter 119

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that they use an actual strike of lightning,¡± Saela said as she strolled down one of the many thin strips of jetstone that crisscrossed the castle halls, Nina following behind with Svanda¡¯s scrap of paper in hand. ¡°Which way?¡±

    ¡°Left.¡±

    ¡°I mean, can¡¯t they just use a bell or something? What¡¯s the need for everything to be so dramatic?¡±

    ¡°Down,¡± Nina said before Saela could ask, stepping into the stairwell behind her as they made their way towards the hall. Why they weren¡¯t given a guide when they needed it the most was something that irked her, but Svanda had dismissed it as a disappointingly common ploy. Getting lost in the maze of halls and then turning up late to the meal had consequences regardless of whether they were familiar with the route or not, so there was little doubt that their current predicament was orchestrated by Qualifieds who wished to see them fail. Nina had considered asking what would happen if that became a reality, but she¡¯d shelved the thought in favour of setting off as soon as possible. They wouldn¡¯t be in a rush to make it in time if what Svanda had told them was correct, but taking chances wasn¡¯t something that they should really be resorting to.

    ¡°Down again?¡± Saela asked.

    ¡°Err¡­¡± Nina mumbled as she studied the letters before her. ¡°I think so. Would have been nicer if her handwriting wasn¡¯t so bad, this D kinda looks like an R.¡±

    Saela shrugged before passing the landing, continuing downwards as instructed while Nina¡¯s boots echoed throughout the stairwell. Since leaving Svanda¡¯s room they had hardly seen a soul in the somewhat eerie halls, although that was also something that they had been told to expect. Unqualifieds usually didn¡¯t have a reason to set foot in the upper reaches of the castle, while both the Daerx family and Qualifieds would take a much more direct route to their destination. At least they could make their way there in relative peace, a small victory but a victory nonetheless. Saela had been hoping that they would find someone to follow the entire way, but trust in any other person in the castle besides Svanda was something that Nina was planning to avoid.

    ¡°What happens when the mechanism that sends the damn thing up and down breaks?¡± Saela continued while unaware of Nina¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Makes you wonder who had more screws loose - the guy who came up with the concept of extending a lightning rod into the clouds whenever they needed to get everyone¡¯s attention, or the other guy who thought it was a good idea and approved it.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they were both the same person,¡± Nina suggested with a shrug, stuffing her hands into her pockets as they stepped out of the stairwell to find themselves in a long and dark passage. Twin streaks of grey and black snaked away from them across the floor underneath a couple of plain chandeliers, while modest stone statues sat along one side every ten or so meters. Again, there was nobody to be seen, but what had previously been a blessing was now a cause for concern. Surely the pair should have seen at least a few other people around by now as they closed in on the hall considering that everyone had the same destination, yet despite walking for some time there had been hardly an inkling of traffic.

    If they weren¡¯t on a rarely trodden path, then they were nowhere near where they were supposed to be.

    ¡°Good point,¡± Saela mused as she led the way. ¡°Then there would have only been one stupid person instead of two. But the clan head would surely have had to approve it. So¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t go around saying that a previous clan head was stupid,¡± Nina said with a frown. ¡°People want us out of here enough as it is.¡±

    ¡°No point denying the truth.¡±

    Nina dropped the conversation in favour of paying closer attention to the scrap of paper in her hand, directing Saela through a series of quick turns before they found themselves in yet another staircase. This time they were headed upwards, and when they reached the next landing she was relieved to see a stream of grey robes heading in one direction down the wide and airy passage.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°We found a friend,¡± Saela joked as she nodded in the direction of a young man hurrying down the jetstone path, his black jacket fluttering above a pair of jeans as he went. Nina could almost sense the scorn radiating from the groups of Qualifieds as he passed them, but she also knew that a portion of that would quickly refocus on her. If it was easy to tell that they were outsiders or not, she didn¡¯t know. At least all Unqualifieds dressed casually which would help them blend in, but that didn¡¯t mean that there weren¡¯t trends that they were failing to follow.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with,¡± she mumbled as they set off down the path which ran along the side of the hall, ignoring the heated gazes from the Qualifieds which strolled across the grey slate in the centre. There was no white marble floor for the Daerx family here, although Nina thought it was still reasonable. She probably wouldn¡¯t see any white badges until they were inside their destination itself considering that they wouldn¡¯t be able to use the same door. Ushered in through some small hole at the back where nobody could pay attention was her best guess, although it also made her question why they would be in the same room at all. Wouldn¡¯t they want to dine in peace?

    Rounding a corner, Nina found that there was a line of people in casual dress forming up by a door at the end of the passage, the dark timber arch that stretched over it seeming out of place. Confirming that it was their destination by checking off the final few instructions from the scrap of paper with a small sigh of relief, she pocketed it before joining Saela at the back of the queue. At a guess, there were some sixty or so people already waiting, muffled discussions reaching their ears in snippets before melting once more into the crowd. A slow but steady stream of people rounded the corner before joining up behind them, and very soon the pair were just two more faces in the crowd.

    Off to the side, Qualifieds marched past them in a sea of grey robes towards a destination unseen, an array of sneers mixed in with other dismissive glances as they passed. Some simply pretended that they weren¡¯t even there, their animated conversations continuing as they disappeared out of sight. That was fine by Nina, although the upbeat attitude that seemed to be shared by both Qualifieds and Unqualifieds left her deep in thought. Svanda had said that the meal time ¡®wouldn¡¯t be that bad,¡¯ but she also had a notorious tendency to drastically understate things. Some advice from Trim would have proved to be invaluable for them right about now, but everything soon flew out of their hands as the door before them eased open.

    ¡°Time to see what this is all about,¡± Saela sighed as they shuffled forward with the crowd, her comment attracting a couple of stray glances. She might as well have put a sign on her head which read ¡®outsider¡¯ at times, but Nina wasn¡¯t about to distance herself from her only ally. Instead, she ran through what Svanda had told her in her head, mentally picturing the processes to the best of what she could piece together. Unqualifieds would be seated first, followed by the Qualifieds, and finally the members of the Daerx Clan.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a meal,¡± Nina replied with a calmness that surprised even herself as they passed through the door. Beyond it was not the dining hall, but instead a thin and dark corridor of stone, the meagre amount of light that shone from the ceiling obscured by the steady procession. The atmosphere was muted now, the optimistic attitude from before nowhere to be seen as hushed whispers drifted through the room. Nina found it almost claustrophobic with all the people around her, but thankfully it soon it opened up into a plain square chamber of stone where everyone milled around once more.

    Nina wondered what the wait was for until the door they had entered through closed behind them, the signal that they had arrived on time. Even Saela breathed a small sigh of relief this time which seemed to be shared by many others, and Nina considered saying something until the next door opening stopped her thoughts in their tracks. This time, light flooded in from the room beyond, and the steady shuffle of people jostling for position seemed to suggest that everyone suddenly wanted to be out there. Nina wasn¡¯t any different, trying to glimpse over the sea of heads that crowded her vision, and suddenly she was even forced to grab onto Saela¡¯s forearm as the crowd threatened to pull them apart.

    ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± Saela growled as she stepped closer to Nina, the two of them slowly shuffling towards the light. Animated conversation suddenly surrounded them as they neared the opening, and before they knew it they had been pushed through the door into the room beyond. Blinking twice to adjust while forgetting to move forward at the sight that met them, Nina felt an elbow in her back as the procession of people behind her pushed their way through and suddenly she could see why.

    ¡°If whoever designed the lightning rod was crazy,¡± Saela murmured. ¡°Then the person who designed this was insane.¡±

 Chapter 120

    After being pushed to the side of the procession that was still streaming in through the door, Nina and Saela both struggled for words as they took in the entirety of the dining hall before them. Svanda casual comment that the room was ¡®pretty big¡¯ before they had set off through the maze of halls had seemed offhanded at the time, and now Nina was wondering why she hadn¡¯t decided to elaborate. Any further detail would have been welcome if it had helped them prepare for the scene they had just stepped into, but as it stood, her nonchalance had left them completely unprepared for something which was truthfully overwhelming.

    This wasn¡¯t just a dining hall, but a physical testament to clan principles.

    Around eighty meters long and equally as wide, the space that must have been dug back into the mountain was cavernous. Massive rectangular tapestries of dreary mountain scenery stretched their way along the pale white walls, some as wide as twenty meters and at least ten tall, their edges adorned with delicate patterns in silk. Silver chandeliers hung at regular intervals from the celling that stretched away some fifteen meters above them, while four thick columns of white marble streaked with black and purple were configured in a square to support the weight of the floors above. Nina wondered how many people it would take to wrap around one of them if they linked their arms together, but she soon gave up after she had difficulty picturing any more people than five. Perhaps seven or maybe even eight if they were on the small side, but despite how impressive they were, Nina¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t even linger on them as her eyes were drawn to the main feature which sprawled out from the centre of the room.

    Filling up the majority of the space was a domineering stepped pyramid. Each of the four corners swallowed the columns at their bases as they reached out towards the corners of the room, sharp edges of both stone and marble capped with silver as the steps ascended. Nina counted a total of seven tiers above ground level as her gaze steadily moved upwards, each step sitting around a metre higher than the previous while also running about four meters deep. Grey stone much like the Qualified slate formed the cladding for the first three steps, while the three levels placed on top of them were a dazzling white. Thin flights of railless stairs climbed up the centre of each face to provide access to every tier, and the deep purple carpet which was rolled down them proved to be a bold yet tasteful contrast to the monochromatic surroundings.

    Finally, at the peak, was the smallest step of all. The platform was carved with a high-relief floral pattern from what seemed to be some variety of purple stone, although it was so high up that Nina had difficulty making out the finer details. She couldn¡¯t even judge how large it was from her place at the base of the structure, although the solitary square white table placed upon it was difficult to miss. Only two chairs were set around it, to her surprise, both intricately carved from white marble with multiple thick cushions already waiting on the seats. The extravagance made the tables on the white steps below seem rather plain in comparison, although Nina would have still labelled the fine lace tablecloths and silverware as lavish if they had been placed anywhere else.

    Further down the steps, functionality seemed to replace flourish. The tables seemed to be mainly comprised of steel instead of stone, although there was still noticeably delicate work on both the tableware and the chairs which blended in with the grey cladding behind them. The number of available seats was also noticeably higher, the total number seeming to almost exponentially increase with each step down from the one table at the top to the hundred plus on the lowest step. Each seemed to seat a random number of people, some seating four while others seated six or even eight, although Nina didn¡¯t know if the seats were prearranged or not. The observation led her to examine their own seating once she was finished taking in the scene before her, and while unfortunately in line with her expectations, she found that their own arrangements were indeed quite different.

    Each and every seat for Unqualifieds faced the centre of the room.

    Instead of tables designed for social interaction, the Unqualified seating was a series of long timber benches that ran around the base of the pyramid, the clean concrete floor unassuming. Simple three-legged stools were tucked beneath instead of proper chairs, and they were also all placed on one side so that nobody could sit face to face. Nina guessed it had something to do with not turning their backs on the privileged, although for once she realised that she didn¡¯t care. She wouldn¡¯t want to turn her back on anyone in the castle in the first place regardless of if they saw it as a snub or not, and as a result she was happy to silently oblige.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I guess we join them?¡± Saela asked as she nodded towards the people who had entered beside them, watching as they took up places behind their seats before resuming their idle chatter with those beside them. The fact that they remained standing caused one of Svanda¡¯s earlier comments to pop into Nina¡¯s head, and so with the thought in mind she followed Saela before joining her at the bench.

    Don¡¯t sit until everyone else is seated.

    After taking her place she looked over the lip of the first step, through the sea of table and chair legs to see that a similar procession was taking place on the other side of the room. More Unqualifieds in casual wear were filtering in through another entrance not unlike the one that they had used, and the scene led her to guess that there were probably also more. How many people she had seen in relation to the size of what they had stepped into hadn¡¯t really seemed to add up at first, but if it was suddenly multiplied by three or four then it would become a rather reasonable estimation. Five hundred Unqualifieds? A thousand? A figure somewhere in the middle was probably more accurate, although that in itself was a little scary considering that they weren¡¯t far from an army of servants that now neatly formed up around the pyramid. It was almost cultish in a sense when she thought about it, although at least there was a noticeable lack of fervency in their eyes. Many of them weren¡¯t even focused on anything besides their conversation with the person next to them, although if what Svanda had said was correct, that was all about to change.

    Light applause as others are entering.

    At the sound of new doors opening, the conversations around Nina disappeared. The attention of the Unqualifieds around her quickly moved towards the steady stream of grey robes that began to file into the hall, and before Nina knew it the sound of applause began to swell. It wasn¡¯t deafening, more polite than anything else, and instead of wondering why she simply followed along with the rest. No point getting into trouble now, she reasoned, although when she looked to her side she was dismayed to see that Saela had a tired expression on her face while her hands still hung limply by her sides.

    ¡°Do it,¡± she hissed, trying to remain quiet while getting her words across the noise. The frown that tugged at the corner of Saela¡¯s lips showed that the message had been received, and while retaining her sour expression, to Nina¡¯s relief she raised her hands.

    Despite the applause, the one-peak Qualifieds largely ignored the reception. Chatting amongst themselves as they streamed up the stairs before fanning out to take their seats in an orderly manner, Nina used the opportunity to attempt a rough count. If the scene from her seat was mirrored on the opposite side of the pyramid, she estimated that there was perhaps around four or five hundred of them. None of them sat yet either, she noted as the applause died down, and hushed conversation soon returned among both groups of people. Saela used the opportunity to stifle a yawn that did little to hide how bored she already was at the whole procession, and regardless of Svanda¡¯s words, Nina found herself fighting the temptation to mirror her.

    At least the lull was brief. The two-peak Qualifieds entered to light applause which now sounded out from both the Unqualifieds and the one-peak Qualifieds above them, and Nina found herself urging them to hurry up so that she could finally sit down. In a repeat of the earlier scene they took their own places with minimal fuss, and then they themselves turned to applause as the three-peak Qualifieds began their ascent. Nina and Saela both spotted Celine at the same time, elbowing each other before offering wry smiles. It wasn¡¯t exactly hard to miss her striking features and demeanour as she breezed up the stairs, her presence attracting even more attention than the string of men behind her who wanted to jostle for a place at her table. Nina almost laughed when she glided across the step before suddenly slipping behind the final empty seat at a table full of women, the move so obviously rehearsed that the dejected men who slinked off were probably the only ones who didn¡¯t realise. Not that Nina faulted her for it. If she was trying so hard to land herself a husband a few rungs up the ladder, the last thing she would have wanted was to be seen wasting her time with men she deemed unworthy in front of the entire clan.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see what the fuss is about then,¡± Saela said with a frown as the last of the three-peak Qualifieds took their places, her eyes moving over to the largest of the doors which remained unopened.

    She didn¡¯t have to wait long, as moments after her comment the doors were thrown open to reveal a sea of white waiting behind them.

    The Daerx Clan.

 Chapter 121

    Ignoring the steady applause from the four tiers of people who still remained standing, the first members of the Daerx Clan entered the hall with grace. Faces painted in white stared mostly ahead with a range of expressions from haughty to disinterested, streaks and twists of purple paint splashed across their skin in a range of different patterns. The collection of flowing white robes, creamy silk skirts, and even a few white jackets that they wore caught Nina¡¯s interest as they began their ascent, and she in turn wondered how stringent the dress code was. Some personalized their looks with flourishes of black, grey, or purple on their clothing for contrast, while others instead used only jewellery to achieve the same effect. All of them without fail shared the same silver hair which was typical of Terminus natives, most women wearing theirs either tied back or braided while the men wore it short to accompany their close-cropped beards. Together the effect was almost haunting as they climbed the stairs, almost as though they were not really present but instead ghosts of the past. It would have at least explained why they were so rooted in their traditions, Nina thought with a smirk, but her newly opened mind after travelling through the plates still thankfully had limits. Ghostly, sure, but their presence was at least tangible.

    ¡°Nothing special,¡± Saela said over the applause, perhaps a little too loudly for Nina¡¯s liking. Despite her words, however, Nina found herself sharing the same view as she looked up to the steps above. There was, after all, only so much that face paint and nice clothing could do. She¡¯d easily admit that some of them were quite striking, men and women both, but at the same time there were only a few that she¡¯d consider comparable to Celine. If they had ability or not was something that she would err on the side of caution with as their education was almost certainly immaculate, but at the same time it didn¡¯t earn them her respect either. These people were blind to the bigger picture in the same way that the Zaffre Family had been as far as she was concerned, and the position was one she¡¯d known very well before The Cloud Orchestra had appeared before her in the sky that day.

    Dwelling on the thought, she found herself frustrated. These people had the power to quite literally move mountains, yet the only thing they seemed interested in using it for was to ensure that they protected their own little slice of the plate. People were dying over at the Westworks due to a threat which they should have recognized as unprecedented, yet here they sat on the top of a pyramid so that they could, for the most part, flaunt their luck of birth. What was the point? Why did people like her have to struggle to make a difference while having nothing to work with, just so the people who already had it all could sit back and profit from it?

    The second-peak Daerx Clan had already started their ascent now, but Nina¡¯s mind was elsewhere as she subconsciously clapped. Sure, she could be frustrated over the Daerx Clan failing to act, but she also realised that the situation probably wasn¡¯t too different from her previous life on Caecus. Business and the competition that came with it was a similar beast when it all boiled down to the essence, and she briefly wondered why she had enjoyed being so entrenched in it. Probably because she¡¯d never known the true scale of the wider picture, she supposed. When Caecus was her entire world she thought that¡¯s she¡¯d managed to haul herself up to a decent rung on the social ladder, but The Cloud Orchestra had blown that out of the water by teaching her that the ladder stretched even further above her to simply unfathomable heights. Much further below too, she thought as she stole a glance at Saela. The fact that the girl had made it to where she was despite the hand that life had dealt her was admirable, but that didn¡¯t mean that Nina¡¯s opinion of her was about to change either. She had her value, at least, but Nina had to constantly remind herself that they weren¡¯t even on the same side right now. Just how much of this would end up in Reina¡¯s ear, and how would Saela paint it for her?

    ¡°They¡¯re all wearing white,¡± Saela mused as though she had detected Nina¡¯s gaze, her applause obviously half-hearted as the sixty or so two-peak Daerx Clan took their places behind their seats. Their clothing and facial decorations weren¡¯t too different from the one-peaks who had preceded them, although that was to be expected. Svanda had explained earlier how families tended to contain a mixture of one, two, and sometimes three-peak members depending on a range of factors, and so the hierarchy was a little more complex than the structure within the Qualifieds. Nina had said at the time that it was nothing but senseless politics as far as she was concerned, and despite Svanda¡¯s standing, she had been quick to agree.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°White makes sense, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Nina asked.

    ¡°Svanda was wearing black,¡± Saela reminded her with a shrug.

    An image of Svanda sitting on the sofa in her room appeared in Nina¡¯s mind, her black dress with streaks of purple crystal clear. Realizing that Saela was indeed correct, Nina frowned but soon realised that there wasn¡¯t exactly anything that she could do. Celine was intelligent enough to realise that any plot to drag Svanda down could have easily been traced back to her, so she ruled out the possibility but had difficulty in thinking of anything else. Perhaps the three-peak members wore black. She hoped so.

    She didn¡¯t have to wait long for her answer, as not a moment later the three-peak Daerx Clan procession entered the room. There weren¡¯t enough of them to need more than one entrance as Nina estimated their number to be about thirty, so thankfully they entered from the closest door where she could see them. Unlike the other groups, not a single child was among the pack that walked towards the stairs with poise that seemed to demand respect, many of them older with only handful of young adults sprinkled in. Their faces were also painted in a much more uniform pattern than the groups that preceded them, every single one of them with purple wings of eyeshadow and painted lips in the same style that Svanda had worn, the lines that stretched down from the corner of their eyes also the same. Svanda herself wasn¡¯t difficult to pick out in the crowd either, both her taller frame and hairstyle that seemed to be unique among Daerx Clan women easily establishing her from the pack.

    The fact that she was the only person present among the entire Daerx Clan wearing black certainly didn¡¯t hurt either.

    ¡°She¡¯s back,¡± Nina heard someone say over the applause. Whether the comment was about Svanda or not she didn¡¯t know, but she would certainly have bet on her being the focus of the majority of the two thousand plus that were in the hall. Well, at least the focus of those that could see her from where they currently stood. Many were on the other side of the pyramid out of sight right now, but more and more would see her as she climbed towards the pinnacle. Why she was dressed in black instead of white was something that Nina would have to ask about when she had the chance, although it didn¡¯t seem to be making as many waves in the crowd as she had expected it to. Maybe it wasn¡¯t that surprising after all, and if that was the case she might even be able to ask the person who sat next to her when she had the chance. For now, however, there was nothing that she could do. Playing her part by staying out of trouble was the reach of her ability at the moment, although unfortunately Saela didn¡¯t seem to share the same concerns.

    Watching as the procession reached the top of the stairs, Nina felt conflicted. Svanda seemed to have an arranged seat with a few older members of the clan at least, but even to the untrained eye it seemed obvious that she didn¡¯t quite belong. The smooth dress and delicate touches to her face should have given her some confidence to fulfil her role as a senior member of the clan for the duration of their stay, but her demeanour seemed to form a barrier between her and those that surrounded her. Apprehension, Nina thought. She had always admired Svanda because she was a person that twisted her environment to suit her own desires, to create her own sphere that she felt comfortable within. Whether that was through dressing like she usually did, upholding her no-nonsense manner with people or power like Runa or the Ruryn siblings, or even bringing Nina to the Daerx Clan against Reina¡¯s wishes, Svanda had always just¡­ done Svanda things. Now, however, the Daerx Clan was trying to not only squeeze her into a Daerx Clan-shaped mould, they were also parading their result around for everyone to see.

    Svanda, for once, seemed fallible.

 Chapter 122

    Nina¡¯s frustration over Svanda¡¯s situation was temporarily put on hold as her attention turned to the last two figures that finally entered the hall. One was an older man with a receding hairline and a silver beard which was tied into a thinning plat, while beside him was a woman with long straight hair and wrinkles around her eyes that the white paint on her face could do little to hide. Both wore silky white robes with decorative purple trim and thin concentric rings of black thread which hung close to the hem, the threads seeming to shimmer in the light as they stepped. Five silver rings with both black and purple gemstones glimmered on the man¡¯s gnarled right hand, something that Nina found odd considering that his left featured none at all. At least the woman who trailed behind him by half a step had a little more sense for balance, a jumble of silver bracelets around each of her wrists which poked out from the sleeves of her robe. No crown or tiara or any oversized sceptre or whatever else they could have thought of, at least. Not that they needed them. Their position at the table on top of the pyramid already said more than enough.

    Saela mumbled something again, but Nina couldn¡¯t make out the words over the applause that filled the hall. It wasn¡¯t something that they wanted anyone to hear either if the accompanying expression on her face was anything to go by, so Nina simply stifled a sigh before turning her attention back to the figure in black who stood high up on the pyramid above. Svanda¡¯s expression was difficult to make out from this distance, but Nina could at least tell that she wasn¡¯t smiling. Her applause seemed just as half-hearted as Saela¡¯s too, and the display left Nina wishing that for once she could have scolded her. Saela might have been able to get away with such a flagrant disregard for etiquette due to the fact that she was among the throng of Unqualifieds which were largely out of sight, but Svanda was no doubt attracting much more attention than she obviously thought she was. Keeping up appearances regardless of how she felt for the minute or so that it would take the pair to ascend to their table would have been far wiser than risking the ire of just about everyone else in the hall, and Nina was already wondering why Reina hadn¡¯t given her the same guidance. Maybe she had, only to see her advice swept under the rug. Maybe Svanda just didn¡¯t care.

    Only sit once everyone else is seated.

    Immediately after the pair at the top eased themselves into their seats without fanfare, each tier of people followed them like dominoes, a cascade of human movement from the peak of the pyramid down towards the bottom. A few of the one-peak Qualifieds dawdled with thin smiles on their faces for a moment before they leisurely slipped into their seats, although Nina wasn¡¯t about to give them the reaction that they seemed to be fishing for. It was more pitiful than anything else from her perspective, the fact that they wanted those below to hang on their actions for what was ultimately only a few seconds. Everyone else above them had got on with things without a fuss despite their standings, and so the notion did little beside highlight the yawning gulf in class between them and those above. Turning her nose up in a meagre display of defiance, she seated herself in between Saela and another man before idle chatter sprung up around them.

    ¡°Hope the food is at least alright,¡± Saela said, leaning back in her chair. Her hood was pushed back for once due to an earlier request from Svanda, the short blonde mop of hair that it usually hid away now on display amongst a sea of silver. Nina¡¯s own head of dark hair had also attracted a few cursory glances that she was instinctively aware of, although thankfully outsiders weren¡¯t as uncommon as she had first thought. Perhaps one in four of the Unqualifieds had hair in a colour other than silver, many of them sitting in small groups by themselves. If the other Unqualifieds looked down on them or not was something that she would probably find out about soon enough, although for now she would simply bide her time.

    Terminus was a sieve, Svanda had once said. A sieve for outsiders that caught many more people than it let through.

    ¡°Something tells me that our food won¡¯t be the same as theirs,¡± Nina said while nodding towards the pyramid. ¡°I just hope that it¡¯s edible.¡±

    ¡°Should¡¯ve had more cake in Svanda¡¯s room,¡± Saela replied, a frown stretching across her lips while her eyes followed the latest stream of people to pour through the door. The kitchens were a poorly understood entity according to Svanda, although Nina assumed that it was more related to her never bothering to learn about them. She could at least tell that they were categorized into tiers that matched the seating arrangements, as an Unqualified ascending the pyramid to even serve a plate would have caused outrage. Not that Nina would have cared. Maybe some drama would have even been interesting provided that she, Saela, and Svanda weren¡¯t involved for once.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°Why the black?¡± she eventually asked the man sitting next to her after plucking up the courage, motioning in Svanda¡¯s direction with a nod. Unlike many of the others that sat around them he had kept to himself instead of engaging in conversation, his pale grey eyes which were partially obscured underneath long silver hair staring at the table in front where his pale fingers drummed out a slow pattern.

    ¡°New, are you?¡± he asked with more enthusiasm than Nina had expected, pushing a few loose strands of silver over his ear before giving her a thin smile. His face seemed almost as pale as the fingers which still tapped on the table now that she had a proper view, although he still seemed young. Early twenties, she guessed, although his thin nose and sharp jawline may have added a few years in her mind despite his lack of facial hair. At least he was dressed like a youth, wearing only a black t-shirt and a pair of loose beige pants which were tied halfway around his calves. Worn leather sandals tapped silently against the floor to the same rhythm that his fingers did, the two iron anklets on his right ankle jangling as they were thrown about.

    Nina nodded slowly, acting unfazed as the man scanned over her features. His gaze lingered on her lips for perhaps a little too much longer than she would have liked, but before she knew it he was already fixed on Saela. Not that she noticed, instead occupied with trying to see what the Unqualifieds were being served further down the table, and so by the time she turned back to face them he had already returned to his earlier posture.

    ¡°The mark of the traveller,¡± he said after a brief pause, his fingertips coming to a rest on the table. ¡°A reminder that she has spurned duty to the clan in favour of a different path.¡±

    A black sheep, Nina thought. Was this their way of humiliating her, of showing everyone that she was different from the rest of them? Perhaps it was a thinly veiled warning to others. Receiving such treatment would surely cause whoever that harboured the thoughts of trying the same to think twice.

    ¡°Why is she still sitting up there then?¡± Saela asked with a shrug. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be embarrassing for them to have her up there if she rejected them?¡±

    ¡°She will return soon enough,¡± the man replied nonchalantly as though it were fact. ¡°Return to reembrace the clan, as all Daerx must do. Only then will she wear white again.¡±

    Nina ignored the plate that was placed before her, instead studying the man¡¯s expression for any signs of uncertainty. The fact that she couldn¡¯t find any was slightly unsettling, but again she reminded herself that these people weren¡¯t to be trusted. Svanda would voluntarily come back to live out the rest of her life here? Not a chance. Nina hadn¡¯t even been here for a day yet and she¡¯d already had enough, and Svanda hadn¡¯t exactly made her opinion of the place ambiguous either. Svanda wouldn¡¯t leave Reina, Trim, or anyone else in The Cloud Orchestra. Not if this was the alternative on offer.

    ¡°You guys eat this every day?¡± Saela said as she examined the plate before her, reaching for the fork. Nina quickly elbowed her to stop her hands in their tracks, and once she did realization soon appeared on Saela¡¯s face.

    Don¡¯t start until everyone has been served.

    Nina sighed as Svanda¡¯s final instruction popped into her mind, taking the opportunity to glimpse at the army of kitchen staff who swarmed around the base of the pyramid. It seemed to her that much like seating, the food would gradually be served by tier until dishes made it to the very top. Not that she was particularly eager to get started on what was in front of her. The collection of steamed vegetables with a few thinly sliced pieces of meat seemed to be haphazardly dumped onto the plate before a watery sauce had been splashed on top. What seemed to be a boiled brown root of some variety also took up about a third of her plate, and judging by Saela¡¯s unamused expression after giving it a tentative sniff, it wasn¡¯t going to be very good.

    ¡°It really is your first time,¡± the man chuckled to himself as he studied their reactions, his amusement evident. ¡°It¡¯s not so bad once you get used to it, depending on how long it takes them to serve everyone. See these kittersprouts? Not so good once they get cold.¡±

    Nina frowned.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± the man reassured her. ¡°Most Unqualifieds don¡¯t finish their food anyway. The Evening League will start soon, and when it does, the taverns in town will fill to the brim before you know it. Better food there if you ask me, and most others would also say the same.¡±

    Nina politely thanked the man, who eventually introduced himself as Ysarle as they waited for the remainder of the hall to be served. At least the process was efficient, although the steam which had initially poured from Nina¡¯s dish had long since disappeared. Saela seemed to be in a sour mood again, although that wasn¡¯t particularly surprising. Being forced to wait like a pet was something that clearly frustrated her, and Nina¡¯s reminder that it was at least free proved to be of little consolation.

    After thanking Ysarle for his offer to show them around during the Evening League, Nina sighed in relief as the two at the top of the pyramid were finally served. A clatter of cutlery soon rang out through the hall, and finally it was time for them to make a start on their first proper meal within the Daerx Clan.

    Before she could even bring her fork to her mouth, however, Saela had already spat a thin slice of meat back out onto her plate.

    ¡°It¡¯s already cold,¡± she groaned, pushing her plate forward before tossing her cutlery on top in resignation.

 Chapter 123

    ¡°So?¡± Svanda asked from where she sat at the dressing table, frowning as she examined the reflection in the mirror that stared back at her. ¡°Have you worked out what you¡¯re going to do?¡±

    After the meal, Nina and Saela had been forced to wait as the people sitting on the pyramid gradually filtered out of the room in the reverse order from when they had entered. At least retracing their earlier steps once they had finally managed to leave had been simple thanks to their directions, so it wasn¡¯t long before they found themselves back in the safety Svanda¡¯s room. Only a few of the withering gazes from the Qualifieds had managed to make Nina feel uncomfortable when they moved deeper into the more exclusive areas of the castle, but by the end Saela seemed intent on dishing them straight back out with just as much distain. Svanda blamed the palatable tension on the time of day once they had made it back to ask her, but a reason was ultimately something that didn¡¯t matter. If time was the only remedy for the hustle of preparation on the other side of these doors, Nina would simply stay put until she was pushed out the door.

    At least Celine wasn¡¯t around.

    ¡°We¡¯ll get something to eat, I guess,¡± she eventually replied from where she sat on the couch, throwing a thin smirk in Saela¡¯s direction where she sat across from her. ¡°Saela hasn¡¯t eaten.¡±

    ¡°Not like you ate much either,¡± Saela grumbled, her hood drawn up once more as she sat with her feet up on the cushions. Nina wouldn¡¯t have dared to considering that the sofa was probably worth more than everything she owned put together, but thankfully Svanda didn¡¯t seem to mind.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t even that cold.¡±

    ¡°It was on the wrong side of lukewarm,¡± Saela continued with a pout. ¡°And I thought that there would be leftover cake here to make up for it.¡±

    ¡°Seems like you managed if you can still bicker,¡± Svanda said as she rose, glancing at the clock before joining them at the table. ¡°I was worried that someone would try to make trouble for you.¡±

    ¡°At least it wouldn¡¯t have been so boring then,¡± Saela replied with a shrug. ¡°Although the one person we did talk with seemed friendly enough.¡±

    Ysarle¡¯s face popped into Nina¡¯s mind as Saela mentioned him, his hair hanging low across his face in the image that she conjured. It was true that he had been amicable during their time together, but she wasn¡¯t about to place even a sliver of trust in him either. It wasn¡¯t that he seemed sly or deceitful or anything else unsavoury, but Nina¡¯s experience with Rucille had left her knowing better. Until it was time to leave she would remain sceptical of everyone in the castle that wasn¡¯t currently standing in this very room, and only on the day that the Daerx Clan faded into the distance behind them would she finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief.

    ¡°They seemed to think you¡¯ll move back in, eventually,¡± she said to Svanda to change the subject. ¡°If only they knew.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Svanda murmured with a frown. She seemed pensive for a moment before the expression on her face transformed, a quick smile flashing across her teeth before she placed one leg over the other with no regard for the dress that she still wore. Sinking back into the cream cushions, she smiled once more at Nina as though trying to force the impression before asking Saela what she thought about the dining hall. Nina almost laughed when Saela said it was only ¡®alright¡¯, but soon she began to elaborate on details that even Nina had missed.

    Dwelling on Svanda¡¯s earlier reaction for a moment, Nina decided that now wasn¡¯t the time to press. It was obvious that her comment had caused Svanda to feel uneasy for at least a moment, so maybe there was still some lingering attachment to the clan despite how they seemed to ostracise her. Family was family whichever way you wanted to look at it, and Nina thought that perhaps Svanda still harboured a soft spot for them deep down. Well, soft from Svanda¡¯s perspective. Her version of soft was probably only a few hairs shy of rock solid, but Nina wasn¡¯t about to mention that either. Biding her time was her best option considering that they would be on their way soon enough, and once the Daerx Clan had fallen out of the spotlight she would then be able to think about digging for the answers that she wanted. If Svanda was willing to give them up, that was. Maybe it would be easier to go to Reina instead.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Then he offered to show us around,¡± Saela said to Svanda with a shrug as Nina¡¯s attention returned to the conversation. ¡°No idea where though. He said it would be busy.¡±

    ¡°It will be,¡± Svanda nodded. ¡°The streets will be full of both Qualifieds and Unqualifieds, so don¡¯t think that you¡¯ll be able to just walk into anywhere that catches your eye. My advice? Try to see where the Unqualifieds are headed and follow them. They have their own areas where you should be reasonably safe from anyone who tries to start something.¡±

    ¡°Why do the Qualifieds leave the castle?¡± Nina asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just Unqualifieds that can¡¯t stay?¡±

    Svanda smiled before nodding with her head towards the window that would look out over the town. ¡°The Evening League is the only time the Unqualifieds all have time to relax. You think that the Qualifieds want to miss out on the party?¡±

    ¡°And the Daerx Clan is all locked up in the castle too,¡± Saela mused. ¡°Not a bad time to be a two or three-peak Qualified.¡±

    ¡°You get the gist,¡± Svanda said as she stood up once more, idly strolling out across the carpet before stopping with her hands on her hips. ¡°So try not to get in trouble. I¡¯ll find you as soon as the League is over, but until it is, there isn¡¯t much I can do. Drop my name if it helps, but remember that there are a lot of Qualifieds who won¡¯t mind starting something if they think they can get away with it. Safety in numbers isn¡¯t a bad plan, so stick with a group if you can.¡±

    ¡°What did Trim and Reina usually do?¡± Nina asked.

    ¡°You¡­ can ask them yourself,¡± Svanda sighed before she gave them a weak smile. ¡°I¡¯m not going to give you any ideas. Let¡¯s just say that you don¡¯t want to follow in their footsteps.¡±

    ¡°Someone said the wrong thing to Reina,¡± Saela suggested.

    ¡°Someone definitely said the wrong thing to Reina,¡± Nina agreed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother speculating,¡± Svanda said with a frown as she returned to her dressing table, sitting down before examining her reflection once more. ¡°I¡¯m not going to say anything.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Nina said with a shrug. ¡°We¡¯re ready then, but what about you? You¡¯ve been staring at your reflection an awful lot since we¡¯ve returned. What are you worried about?¡±

    Despite the apparent significance of the event, Svanda had been coy over details concerning the Evening League. Nina had naturally been curious over what took place during the sessions, but there wasn¡¯t exactly anyone else that they could ask if Svanda didn¡¯t want to talk. Even Celine wasn¡¯t privy to a lot of what went on behind the League¡¯s closed doors, so unfortunately they were left with hoping that Svanda would open up in due time. Her obvious nerves, however, suggested that it wasn¡¯t to be. Nina didn¡¯t think that she would divulge anything useful at all unless the situation turned for the worse, and so she instead decided to simply offer her their unconditional support. She¡¯d thought that a three-peak Daerx would surely have some weight to throw around, black dress or not, but politics weren¡¯t exactly her or Svanda¡¯s strong suit.

    They certainly weren¡¯t Saela¡¯s either.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Svanda dismissed the concern with a wave of her hand. ¡°Just want to make sure nothing on my face has run.¡±

    Nina decided not to mention that she didn¡¯t need to check for that every two minutes, and instead looked over to Saela who shrugged in return. No help there, although she wasn¡¯t about to act surprised over it. Advice from Saela seemed to be more like playing the lottery than anything else; sometimes she was uncharacteristically logical, yet at other times she seemed to ooze the immaturity that you would expect from someone her age. Which side of her they would see tonight would be a mystery until it was too late for Nina to plan around it, although Saela¡¯s reliability often seemed to be linked to how bad their situation was. Cool when she needed to be, Nina guessed. Better than never.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t get on with some of the people there very well,¡± Svanda suddenly said, unprovoked. ¡°Nobody sees me for who I am, they just see me as a three-peak badge that is disconnected with the everyday happenings on the clan.¡±

    ¡°Manipulators,¡± Nina guessed.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to just ignore it all,¡± Svanda agreed. ¡°You can¡¯t say no to everyone because there are only so many sides of the fence that you can stand on. Ignoring everyone can only go on for so long.¡±

    ¡°Quit then,¡± Saela suggested. ¡°Just leave and never come back. There¡¯s always a place with us.¡±

    Nina flinched as the crash of thunder struck the castle, signifying that the Evening League was about to start.

    ¡°I can¡¯t quit,¡± Svanda sighed as she stood up with a shake of her head, heading for the door. ¡°I just can¡¯t.¡±

    Watching as Svanda strolled away from them, Nina wondered if their night would really be the worst one after all.

 Chapter 124

    ¡°Thanks for helping us out,¡± Nina said to Ysarle as he threaded his way through the crowd outside the castle gates, ducking and weaving through the flow of people with ease. It reminded her of when she had first walked the streets of JE-22 in Luem, the indiscriminate current of bodies which seemed like they would take a lifetime of practice to read. She certainly hadn¡¯t had enough experience yet to breeze her way through without difficulty like the others did, but at least keeping close to whoever was in front of her would suffice for the time being. Hopefully she¡¯d learn eventually, it was a skill that she would need to if she was going to ever truly fit in at home.

    It felt strange to even consider The Cloud Orchestra as her home now, despite Caecus being only one plate below. Her old life was down there somewhere, playing itself out right beneath her feet. Had things changed since she had gone, or did the same streams of blacks and greys pour down the side of the road each morning under the lashing sheets of icy rain? At least things were orderly on Caecus, unlike this disorderly throng of people that swirled about around her. Qualified badges brushed across her gaze every now and then before melting back into the jumble of colour, but she didn¡¯t have time to worry about staying out of their way. For now she was simply focused on the man in the black shirt before her, because if he managed to disappear, she didn¡¯t think that she would find him again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± he replied over the hum of the crowd as he stepped around a pair of Qualifieds in grey robes before easing between two women who had stopped in the centre of the street to quarrel. ¡°People need to look out for each other around here, especially during the Evening League. The more the merrier, I say.¡±

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Saela asked. Her hood was still pulled up as she trailed behind, her hand occasionally reaching out to tug at Nina¡¯s jacket when the crowds got particularly dense. Nina had initially thought that she would have been the first to follow Ysarle, but it seemed that she was content to stay at the rear. Whatever worked for her, Nina thought. As long as they got there in one piece before she managed to offend someone.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Ysarle said with a smile, content to remain vague as he started to drift towards the left side of the main street. Nina would have rathered a little more elaboration, but instead she looked up to the sea of heads that bobbed around before her.

    The main street which their car had arrived on earlier during the day was now flooded with people, not a single vehicle in sight. Nina could see that there were still people pouring out from the castle gates which had simply been thrown open, the snaking trail which emerged stretching some hundred or so meters down the road. Already she could see that the squat concrete buildings she had breezed past earlier during the day were now awash with light; the few balconies that she could see beginning to fill with people before her eyes. The atmosphere was certainly festive despite the familiar storm of dark clouds hanging high up above them, but Nina was just glad that the evening weather was pleasant. Slightly humid if anything, which she thought was odd, although her jacket was still comfortable in the lazy breeze that drifted up through the centre of town. Music and laughter occasionally caught her ears as the sounds were carried along with it, only to be replaced moments later by what she thought could be shouting. Better to just stick to Ysarle, perhaps. The pistol in her jacket knocked against her ribs as if to remind her that it was there, but pulling a gun on someone wasn¡¯t exactly what she had in mind. Their confrontation with Ormain on Areinis had been enough guns for one lifetime, she thought. Hopefully it would stay that way.

    Ysarle finally breached the stream of people flowing down the centre of the town and guided them into a side street. It was still busy here, although the traffic was at least rather manageable. Businesses on each side of the road seemed prepared for the onslaught of people with beaming smiles on their faces, restaurant menus and a variety of wares neatly arranged to catch the eye of anyone who wandered by. Those in the castle probably had more to spend than anyone else in the town, Nina realised, assuming that the Unqualifieds in the castle were paid more than those in the streets. Either way, it seemed like even the local residents were out and about to take advantage of the time of day, although they were probably even more wary of the Qualifieds that flocked to the central restaurants and shops in droves than she was.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    Rounding another corner, the streets thinned once more, now a maze of passages that were perhaps wide enough for five or six people. Not wide enough for one of the sleek black cars that were nowhere in sight though, although there wouldn¡¯t be room for one now anyway. Most of the buildings were square blocks of painted concrete with small windows which faced the street, a neat line of multicoloured two storey cubes only broken up by the occasional taller structure. Faces sometimes peered down at them from the other side of the glass as they walked, although Ysarle ignored them much like he ignored the shop keepers who continuously called out to him. The crowds continued to ease the further they walked, people drifting about in small groups as they continued to fan out further from the castle gates. Nina thought that it made sense considering that there was probably a touch over a thousand Qualifieds in the castle; those that did gather in the town would instead choose to stay closer to the main street. It was Unqualifieds who would melt into the backstreets here, disappearing into the maze of concrete before re-emerging once they were allowed to return.

    After leading them down a flight of stone stairs that cut between two buildings before turning once more, Ysarle walked some fifteen meters before stopping underneath a green awning which prodded out from one of the town¡¯s many concrete cubes. Nina could hear muted voices drifting down from above as she examined the buttery yellow paint that the building had been painted in, thick streaks of white framing the two windows which sat on each side of the door. Light flooded out from more windows up on the second floor above them, but before Nina had time to study the rest of the building, Ysarle had already pushed his way inside.

    After looking back at Saela only to be met with a shrug, Nina followed him inside to find herself in a dim interior, the sounds from the street fading as Saela closed the door behind them. A yellow hallway which matched the paint outside stretched away in front of them, and Ysarle was already halfway down it as he strode for the flight of wooden stairs at the end. Nina followed behind him while she glanced at their surroundings, a line of dim exposed bulbs hanging from strings above their heads which illuminated the few paintings which were hung on the wall. They were obviously cheap judging by the worn timber frames that seemed to be just as scuffed as the floorboards beneath their feet, but the muddled scenes of green pastures and yellow fields somehow fit the mood. Painted by a traveller, she guessed, or at least someone who had heard enough stories. There certainly wasn¡¯t anything that pretty here on Terminus, or if there was then Svanda was going to have some explaining to do.

    After walking past what looked to be a deserted common room and then an equally as quiet kitchen, Nina hit the stairs. The noise which she had heard from outside found her once again over the sound of her footsteps as she ascended, and after following a sharp corner she found herself standing on the second floor. Well, not really a second floor now that she saw it, as besides for a small section of roof that covered the stairs, the rest of the space was open to the sky above. Four yellow walls which were the same as those below still surrounded them, lamps mounted along them at regular intervals to make up for the lack of lights overhead. It made sense why the windows had seemed so bright from below, at least, but what she had imagined was up here from the street couldn¡¯t have been further from the truth.

    ¡°Aleaviel¡¯s,¡± Ysarle said with a smile as he gestured in the direction of the mainly empty array of wooden tables and chairs that were casually scattered across the concrete floor, a thin layer of dust swirling about in the light breeze. A group of three people that Nina hadn¡¯t seen before were already waving to Ysarle, and when after Nina glanced at them with a suspicious glare, he simply laughed before beckoning for them to follow him.

    ¡°Come and sit, I¡¯ll introduce you,¡± he smiled. ¡°Time for some real food.¡±