Later that night when both Laela and Arianna had fallen asleep in the bed they shared in their chambers, Aiden stood quietly from that midst and warped into his Pocket Domain.

The familiar expanse stretched out around him and he called out, "Syra."

Her translucent form appeared beside him almost immediately.

I'm sure you know why I called," Aiden said.

Syra nodded. "You want to know if there's a way to suppress the effects of the Dragon Curse."

Aiden exhaled slowly. "I knew I was going to lose my humanity eventually," he admitted. "But I didn't think it would be like this."

Syra smiled gently. "What you're experiencing is normal," she said. "It's going to feel that way until you start finding a balance. You have to constantly remind yourself what you value most about your human life and hold on to those thoughts and feelings."

Aiden let his mind wander a bit. He thought of Laela and Arianna first, with their pretty faces smiling at him.

Then he thought of the members of the guild

He thought of Alaric and his family, of Mira and Kira's laughter. He also even thought of Lysandra and Grandal even though it was complicated with those two.

He smiled faintly and nodded.

But then Syra's expression grew more serious.

"There's something else you need to be careful about," she said. "The gods. Most of them are cunning, never straightforward."

Aiden tilted his head. "You're referring to what the High Priestess said earlier."

She nodded. "Yes. I don't know exactly who this Lucina is, but one thing's certain, gods always want something."

Aiden considered her words for a moment before nodding without saying anything further.

————

The next morning, just outside the palace gates, two horses stood ready with a decent-sized cart tied to their backs.

The sitting space atop the cart had been prepared for Aiden, Laela, and Arianna while the back was loaded with supplies for the journey including beddings, tent setups, and provisions wrapped carefully in cloth.

Myrenne, the guide sat on a different horse entirely. She checked her saddle straps one last time and glanced back at the cart.

Laela and Arianna climbed up first and took their seats while Aiden approached last.

He paused for a moment beside the cart, glanced at the supplies with a faint smile, then climbed up to take his place.

Lady Thalyra stood near Palace's entrance with High Priestess Selara beside her. "Safe travels," Thalyra said formally. "May the gods watch over you."

Aiden gave a single nod in acknowledgment and with that they began their journeys as Myrenne led the way

—

Myrenne rode ahead on her horse while Aiden guided the two pulling the cart where he and his companions sat.

They had already traveled far from the main city of Yul'thera when Aiden spoke without turning around.

"Surely, you intend to come out sooner or later?"

Arianna and Laela looked at him in surprise, wondering what he was talking about.

Myrenne had also turned slightly back toward them with a puzzled expression.

Then some of the sheets in the back of the cart began to unruffle and Aeris peeked her head out with a shamed expression on her face.

She was smart enough to know it was she who was being talked about.

The ladies gasped in surprise while Aiden smiled.

"How long have you known?" Aeris asked quietly.

But before anyone could answer, Myrenne stopped abruptly which prompted Aiden to stop the horses as well.

She dismounted quickly and walked over to the cart angrily, with her eyes fixed on Aeris.

"What do you think you're doing?" Myrenne demanded. "You know that without the lady's or the high priestess's consent you cannot leave the Amazon. Do you realize the amount of punishment you've just brought upon yourself?"​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Aeris climbed out of the cart fully and stood before Myrenne with her head lowered slightly. "I know what I've done," she said, then raised her head to meet Myrenne's gaze directly. "But I won't be going back to Yul'thera."

Myrenne's expression shifted to shock and her eyes widened. "Have you gone insane?" she demanded. "Do you understand what you're saying?"

"I'm not insane," Aeris replied firmly. "I really won't go back."

Myrenne opened her mouth to argue further but Aiden raised one hand from his seat on the cart. "Enough," he said simply. "She's already here and we're not turning around to take her back."

Myrenne turned to face him with frustration clear in her eyes. "You don't understand what you're asking," she said sharply. "If I allow this then I'm complicit in her disobedience."

"Then be complicit," Aiden said flatly. "Or go back and report it if you must, but we're not wasting time on this."

Myrenne stared at him for a long moment, with her jaw clenched, before letting out a sharp breath and shaking her head. "Fine," she muttered.

Her foremost instructions were after all to see that Aiden and his companions were guided accordingly. So she couldn't afford to abandon that duty over this complication.

Aeris looked up at Aiden with surprise and gratitude in her eyes but said nothing as she climbed back into the cart and found a proper seat among the supplies.

Myrenne mounted her horse again without another word and urged it forward.

The group continued down the path in silence for a while.

Then Laela leaned closer to Aeris after a few minutes and spoke gently. "But why are you coming with us and hiding in the cart?"

Aeris hesitated before answering, her hands twisting together in her lap.

"In truth I don't actually want to go to the forsaken continent with you people" she admitted quietly. "But I've never been outside Yul'thera. The only ones who leave are the warriors and the lady and I've always wanted to see what the outside world is like. When the opportunity presented itself I couldn't help myself."

She paused and looked down at her hands. "Now that I'm outside I realize I have no plan for what comes next but regardless I don't plan on going back."

Arianna glanced at her with sympathy, and a softened expression.

Laela said nothing but the look in her eyes showed she understood.

Aiden said nothing either but a faint smile crossed his face as he kept his eyes on the road ahead.

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