All her life, Nyu had envied other families — they had always seemed less broken, less dysfunctional than hers, at least on the surface.

Now, however, she started to see a different side of it, like she had found the second volume to the book of her own history. Things had never been easy, but in hindsight, they had always had each other's backs, no matter how bleak the circumstances. Their mother had been ill for as long as Nyu could remember, but that had not stopped her from loving Senya and Nyu unconditionally. The fight they fought was against the outside world, never against each other — at least not until recently.

Seeing the dynamics of the Dor family had made her realize what she had that others didn't. And while wealth could fix a great many problems, Nyu started to realize that there were some things it could not solve — like the complete absence of care and love. It was not like her to get emotional about these kinds of things, but seeing how the Dor siblings got treated by their own parents stirred something deep within Nyu. She never imagined she could ever pity someone growing up amidst such wealth, heir to one of the wealthiest dynasties of Cylion — and yet, she saw what it had done to Kaelen and Elara. Of course, she still believed her own childhood had been worse than theirs, but for the first time, she wondered if she'd actually switch, given the choice.

With a mixture of tenacity and self-humiliation, the siblings had managed to convince their father to arrange for an audience with King Montis and his council the next day, without telling him the details of their request. Nyu figured that Vaelorian had given in not because he wanted to do them a favor, but so they would stop ruining his day. When the gatekeeper finally escorted them out of the salon, Nyu breathed a sigh of relief. She truly hated being around people who were all talk.

"We'd be honored if you stayed for the night." Ellisar offered as they walked down the hallway. "I will have your rooms prepared in no time, one for your guest as well. And breakfast would be something to remember!"

"That's very kind of you, Ellisar," Elara said with a faint smile, "But I don't think that's a good idea. I hope you understand."

The gatekeeper sighed, his head tilted forward in resignation.

"I'm afraid I do."

He accompanied them back to the gate, following the same path they had taken on the way in. The sun had set while they'd been in the Dor mansion, and only a faint red glow illuminated the night sky in the west. Distant stars were flickering above, and Nyu was once again captivated by their eerie sparkle.

The siblings said goodbye to the old gatekeeper, and even Nyu thanked him for not being as awful as his employers. Then, they were alone again, standing in between the neatly groomed trees that lined the street. A few lanterns dotted the cobblestones with spots of orange light, and a gentle breeze brushed against their faces.

"I'm afraid it's too late to go to the bank now," Kaelen said to Nyu, his voice strained.

She could tell the meeting had taken a toll on him.

"So you are saying I still can't get my gold?"

She frowned, slowly starting to feel like she was being played. She had heard of the concept of bank accounts, but it was way too elusive for her. In hindsight, she wondered why she'd even agreed to something so ridiculous, but at that moment, she'd preferred it over bloodshed. A part of Nyu worried she was starting to get soft.

"I'm sorry," Kaelen muttered, exhaustion seeping through his every word. "It will have to wait until tomorrow."

"We can stay at an Inn not far from here," Elara offered, gazing at Nyu with her pretty eyes.

It made her relax, even if she didn't like it.

"Fine," Nyu grumbled, and so they started wandering the busy streets of Cylion in the dim light of swaying lanterns.

Having grown up here, Kaelen and Elara clearly knew their way around the city, confidently leading her through the maze of alleys and squares, past tiny houses with small shopfronts and decorative fountains. Shopkeepers were busy closing down their business for the day, and pedestrians were hastily hurrying along the sidewalks on their way to a hearty dinner or last-minute errands. The streets were still buzzing with life, like a colony of ants under a tree trunk. More than once did busy strangers bump into them without even noticing, or wagons cross their path without slowing down.

The Inn Elara led them to was a large building with multiple floors and many brightly illuminated windows. The pointy roof was covered in orange shingles, and stained copper gutters followed the overarching eaves like snakes. Wild ivy was climbing the facade and weaving around the green shutters, dotting the white walls with green specs.

"Do I need to threaten the innkeeper to secure us lodging?" Nyu asked casually before they could cross the street.

The siblings looked at her in bewilderment.

"What?" she added. "I already spent all my coins paying Ravik to send your stupid message. And since I didn't get my reward right away …"

She gestured with her hands, filling in the blanks. Knowing that the siblings had been stripped of all valuable belongings when they got captured, she was confident they were in the same predicament. Especially since they hadn't asked for more money from their parents. Come to think of it, she wondered how they afforded anything at all if not by virtue of their parents' financial aid, being the mere students that they were. The concept was entirely foreign to her — never had she been able to spend anything she hadn't earned herself.

Kaelen and Elara exchanged knowing glances.

"Don't worry about that," Elara said with what looked like an almost embarrassed smile.

Nyu raised an eyebrow and followed them across the street.

When they entered the Inn, a wave of warm air brushed against their cold faces, making their skin prickle. The taproom on the bottom floor was filled with a wide variety of people, most of them wearing cheerful outfits and smiles on their faces. Laughter and shouting filled the air, accompanied by a lute player at the far end of the large room. The jolly music underlined the scene like a comfortable carpet, accentuated by the thudding of full mugs clashing against each other.

The trio made their way to the counter, where an older woman with gray hair was in the process of filling a set of mugs with golden liquid. Without looking up at them, she engaged the newcomers.

"Evening," she murmured, foamy ale running over her callused hands. "What can I get you fine people?"

"Good evening," Elara said politely, "we were hoping you might have some rooms for us to stay in for the night."

"Sorry, lass," the woman muttered. "No can do. We are booked out for the night."

Elara let out a subtle sigh of disappointment, and the woman looked up at her guests. Narrowing her eyes, she gazed at the siblings without paying Nyu much attention.

"Do I know you?" she asked and let go of the beer tap.

"We used to come here from time to time when we were younger. My name is Elara Dor, and this is my brother Kaelen."

The woman's eyes widened, and she seemed to straighten her posture ever so slightly.

"Oh —" was the first thing to escape her mouth, "I wasn't expecting such esteemed guests tonight. Forgive my bluntness."

She inclined her head and gestured apologetically.

"No worries at all," Elara said hastily, her voice steady but tinted with guilt.

Nyu was sure Elara had known the impact her words would have, and she was taking full advantage of it. At the same time, it clearly made her feel uncomfortable. Nyu didn't judge, though — in her eyes, you had to use the weapons you were given.

"Of course you can stay here tonight," the woman declared, and her brown eyes scurried from Elara to Kaelen and back. "Three single rooms, I assume?"

Nyu wondered what poor soul had to sleep in the hallway now in order to accommodate them, but the prospect of a warm bed dampened her pity.

"Oh, that would be excellent. Thank you so much," Elara exclaimed with a little too much surprise in her voice.

The barkeeper nodded, looking pleased that the situation could get resolved that easily.

"I will have them prepared at once. Your stay is on us, of course."

She turned around and hissed at a younger woman in the back of the bar, signaling her to go upstairs and ready their rooms. Then, she folded her hands and gave them a courteous smile.

"Why don't I fix you up with some drinks while you wait?"

#

A few minutes later, they were sitting at a square table in one corner of the large taproom, encased by half-height wooden walls that gave them some privacy. A small pedestal elevated the ring of boxy seating arrangements along the walls, allowing them a good view over the lively crowd. It was like standing on a cliff overlooking a choppy sea down below, with waves of bodies and splashes of beer reaching for them. Three large mugs stood on their table, filled to the brim with liquid gold, and white foam slowly running down the sides.

"Well," Kaelen said eventually, "to us, I guess."

They grabbed their drinks and clinked their mug, briefly looking each other in the eyes as they did.

Dipping her lips into the cold beer made Nyu's muscles relax for the first time in days. She still wouldn't let her guard down, but moments like these were the closest to carefreeness Nyu could get. Letting the smooth drink run down her dry throat felt like a fresh summer breeze — the likes of which she had experienced for the first time only recently.

Nyu smacked her lips and put down her mug.

"So, what was that about?" she asked with an inquisitive voice.

Elara gazed at her over the rim of her glass, her green eyes reflecting the light of the flickering candle on their table. When she lowered the drink to respond, a thin line of foam adorned her upper lip, making Nyu crack a subtle smile.

"What's what?" Elara replied innocently, offering a cheeky smile of her own.

"Why are they not asking for money?" Nyu said and nodded in the direction of the bar, then added: "Why are they treating us like bloody royalty?"

Kaelen chuckled, but there was a subtle bitterness to it.

"Believe it or not," he murmured, "but to them, we practically are."

Nyu explored the thought for a moment. Being treated like anything other than scum was not something she was used to, and it felt strange. All her life, people had been eyeing her with the same distrust and aversion she had shown them. It didn't bother her anymore — she didn't need their approval, nor did she want it. Mutual dislike was a form of pure honesty, where neither side felt the need to fake appearances. It usually came with more direct interactions that cut right to the point — and any success felt like it was earned, not given.

"I'm surprised you are taking advantage of your family name like that," Nyu finally said, knowing that her words might offend the siblings.

To her surprise, they didn't — instead, they ignited a spark of defiance in Kaelen's eyes.

"What they owe us in affection, they now get to pay in gold. At least of that, they have enough."

Nyu nodded approvingly.

"Our parents practically own this inn," Elara added quietly. "So if there are guests who don't pay, that's their loss."

"Seems like you and your parents really don't get along well," Nyu said and took another sip of her beer as she watched the siblings' reaction.

Elara sighed and looked away.

"We always tried to do our best," she said glumly, "but it was never enough for them."

"How so?" Nyu asked and gazed at Elara's soft face.

She shrugged. "They wanted us to be perfect at every step of the way, pass every test with flying colors."

"Which Elara did," Kaelen added.

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"You mean Gwynelara?" Nyu asked fiendishly.

Elara's cheeks flushed.

"Very funny," she grumbled, but couldn't hide a smile. Then, coming back to the original topic, she added: "Despite our best efforts, they always had something to critique, especially our father. It's like they chose to be dissatisfied."

"They do seem like people with high standards," Nyu murmured.

"It's not even just high standards — it's almost like they don't want us to reach them. Every time we come close, they raise them again." Kaelen's voice carried frustration that had aged over the years like fine wine.

Nyu tilted her head. "Guess they really want to push you."

"I guess so," Elara muttered, and started pensively tracing lines in the wooden tabletop.

Kaelen sighed and raised his glass. "Leaving home to become Fateweavers was the best decision we ever made."

"Even if that means wearing these hideous outfits all the time?" Nyu asked with a challenging smile, letting her gaze run over the siblings' robes of garish orange.

They followed her eyes, then looked at each other in a mixture of surprise and amusement.

"Says the woman with the all-black rags for clothes," Elara shot back.

"At least I know my color."

"Your color is orange, too," Elara said and pointed at Nyu's hair.

Both of them were struggling to keep a straight face.

"Guess we are all out of style," Nyu said and shrugged.

"Well … you know what they say," Elara said playfully, "nothing disfigures true beauty."

Her green eyes were beaming, framed scenically by her wavy black hair.

"I can see that," Nyu said and grinned, before taking another sip from her beer.

Elara followed suit, trying to hide her red cheeks behind the rim of the glass. For a moment, Kaelen stared at Nyu in visible confusion, but she didn't pay it much attention. Letting the cool beer sit in her mouth until the alcohol started to sting on her tongue, she leaned back and let her gaze drift through the crowded room. Still, more people were streaming into the alehouse, filling every chair and every corner with tipsy bodies in colorful clothes. The cacophony of voices was roaring in the background, but Nyu found it soothing — it reminded her of the tavern in Morathen she'd spent so many days of her life in. In its stuffy belly, she would just sit at the counter and pay Senya company as she waited tables, occasionally taking care of an unruly customer. It was also where she got hired for most of her jobs, at least before she started running errands for Malvorn.

The sounds of a mug making contact with the tabletop reeled in her thoughts.

"So …," Elara said conspiratorially, "what are you going to do with all that gold you are about to have?"

Nyu considered the question for a moment. She could've said that she wanted to go home — but was that really it? Her home was her family, not the place they lived in. And yet, the two seemed inseparable as of late, always forcing her to dive back into the darkness of Morathen. Except now, Malvorn and his henchmen were looking for her, making it all the more difficult.

"Truth be told," Nyu said slowly, "I'm not sure yet."

She could sense that her hesitation surprised the siblings.

"I figured you'd want to get out of here as soon as possible," Elara whispered while drawing circles on her mug's rim with her slender fingers.

"I don't care much for your Fateweavers and high kings," Nyu admitted, "but I can't say where I come from is any better. Malvorn made sure of that."

Kaelen nodded. "I doubt that lunatic is going to forget what we did to him any time soon."

For a split second, a queasy feeling took hold of Nyu. A part of her couldn't help but wonder if her family would ever suffer the consequences of her actions. She quickly drowned the thought with another sip of ale.

"Maybe there is just no place where I belong anymore," she said slowly.

"I don't think that's true," Elara mused. "And I don't think that's what you believe either."

Nyu gave her a tired smile.

"That's sweet of you to say, little bird, but I've never been one to fit in. Lately, it's only gotten worse."

Elara frowned but didn't respond. Her mouth was half open as if to say something, her lips forming a smooth frame for her marble white teeth — a sign of a wealthy life, Nyu thought without resentment.

"Maybe I'll linger for a while," she said and chuckled. "See what more the surface has to offer when you have a little coin to spend."

She knew that wasn't going to happen, but she still enjoyed the thought of it. Careless freedom sounded too good to be true, and yet, whatever happened, Nyu would still try to get the money she scored back to her family.

"You wouldn't regret that, for sure," Elara exclaimed eagerly. "There are so many great things you can do around here, so many things you can try and experience."

Nyu tried to contain her amusement.

"You forget I've been to the surface before."

It only slightly dampened Elara's excitement.

"Well … but still. I'm sure you haven't seen everything," she gestured theatrically and rolled her eyes.

She was right, Nyu thought. There was still plenty more she wanted to see in this world full of open space.

"Maybe I'll climb one of your tall mountains," Nyu mused. "Or maybe I will go for a swim in the ocean."

"You don't need money for that," Elara pointed out.

Nyu chuckled. "True. So maybe I will buy a cabin in the mountains. Or a house by the sea, with a beautiful view of the never-ending horizon."

"I can't really imagine you as one who sits on a porch enjoying the view."

Elara examined her as if trying to process the mental image of Nyu sitting in a rocking chair with a blanket on her lap and a mug of warm tea in her hands, watching the sun rise on a cool fall morning.

"Maybe there are sides of me you just haven't seen yet," Nyu whispered mysteriously.

Elara smiled her soft smile, her eyes interlocking with Nyu's for a couple of seconds.

"If all this mess gets resolved," Kaelen said pensively into the silence that followed, "we might even be able to take you to the Great Library."

Nyu felt a sudden sting in her side and instinctively pursed her lips. While she started to be more open with the Dor siblings, she did not intend on telling them everything — especially not the part where she snuck into the Great Library to steal a fate tome right from under Kaelen's nose. She had a feeling that would throw a wrench in whatever this social interaction was.

"I would love to see it," she said quietly and went for another sip from her beer, only to find her mug fully depleted.

She noticed that the other two had also done a number on their drinks in the brief time they'd been sitting there.

Elara chuckled and flagged down a waiter to order another round. Nyu figured this one would be on the house as well — the part of her that wasn't constantly on guard didn't mind at all.

A few moments later, the waiter fixed them up with another set of foaming drinks, filled to the brim and beyond. They clinked their mugs like old friends and embraced the moment, discussing the pros and cons of surface life versus life underground. It wasn't a fair comparison, Nyu knew, and the perks were stacked in favor of Cylion and its surroundings. But it was the kind of casual talk Nyu had come to miss as of late. It didn't take them long to blow all caution to the wind, and they casually chatted about the Fateless, Morathen, and Malvorn as if they were discussing the weather. Either way, no one in their vicinity paid them much attention — to them, they were just a group of young adults having a drink and a good time.

"I will say," Nyu declared after a while, "your city and countryside are nice and all, but what's really doing it for me is your sky. It's so open, so … wide. Where I come from, it's always the same gray rock all around you." She scoffed and chugged some more beer, feeling her thoughts slowly lose clarity.

"I feel like people here have gotten so used to it, they don't even notice it anymore," Kaelen said, gesturing with his spilling mug.

"A real pity, isn't it?" Elara added, her gaze aimlessly drifting through the room. "All these people just don't know how good they have it."

Nyu scoffed quietly. "I think that's a shortcoming that plagues humans all around the world. They only realize the value of things once they are gone."

Elara's eye returned to the table in a swirl, then rested on an indiscriminative point between Nyu's eyebrows, while she absently started to twist a strand of hair below her left ear.

"A real pity," she repeated, seemingly not even hearing her own words.

Through her own mental fog, Nyu noticed that Elara's cheeks had taken on the color of ripe apples, making her look like a fairy princess.

They fell silent for a moment, and the noise of the crowd consumed them.

"Do you think you would actually rather live up here? If you could start it all again?" Elara asked with a sudden soberness.

Nyu considered the question for a moment.

"Does it matter?" she finally responded, avoiding the question.

Elara shrugged. "I'm just curious."

The honest answer was yes. Had it not been for her mother and sister, she would've left Morathen behind long ago. And that was even before she started to realize that surface people tended to be a lot nicer than the Fateless she was used to being around. What she had previously brushed off as gullible and naive started to grow on her.

"Probably, yeah," Nyu admitted, watching little muscles twitch around Elara's mouth. "Still doesn't mean I would live an honest life."

They chuckled and looked down at their empty mugs. Slowly, but surely, the noise in the taproom started to quiet down. Some guests had already left into the pitch-black night, and here and there, deserted tables presented the remains of joyous gatherings as trophy hoards of empty mugs. The lute had gone silent, and the laughter and shouting around them had turned into hushed conversations and deep discussions.

"I guess we should call it a night," Kaelen said and stretched his interlaced fingers.

"Big day tomorrow, hm?" Nyu asked. "I just hope your king is less crazy than ours."

Kaelen frowned. "I sure hope so. I've never met the man, but his reputation precedes him."

"Either way," Elara added, her chin resting on her palm, "it's not just him we'll be talking to, but his entire council — our father included."

"Sounds awful," Nyu said lightly, "but I'm sure you guys will be fine. After all, you've even managed to wear me down."

A smile tugged at Elara's lips. "If you want, we can go to the bank after our meeting with King Montis to get your money."

Nyu studied her for a moment. It had been a long time since she'd relied on the help of others, let alone accepted it — it wasn't just the alcohol that made her go soft.

"Sure, let's do that. Gives me some time to roam the city," Nyu said and nodded, pushing away her empty mug and getting ready to get up. Once standing, she realized how drunk she actually was, and by the looks of it, the others felt the same way. With shaky legs, they walked through the taproom and over to the bar, where the tired-looking owner gave them one key each for rooms on the third floor. Slowly, they made their way up the stairs, clinging to the guardrail like their life depended on it. They said good night in the dimly lit hallway, then unlocked their adjacent rooms with clumsy fingers.

When Nyu staggered into her room, her mind was lulled into a sense of ease by too much alcohol. Stretching her arms, she began to rid herself of her heavy jacket and the various weaponry she carried in and underneath it. Leaving the many short knives and daggers she usually treated so meticulously in a pile in front of the comfortable-looking bed, she walked over to the small window across the room and opened it. Crisp night air filled her lungs and sharpened her senses, breaking the tipsy shroud that had engulfed her mind. She closed her eyes and let the fresh breeze tickle her skin. Many voices were still echoing through the busy streets and alleys, and here and there, a dog barked in the distance. The sounds reminded her more of Morathen than the journey through the woods had. Wildlife was quieter here, nature less prevalent — she liked the urban flair, though she couldn't tell if it was personal preference or simply what she was used to.

She opened her eyes and let her gaze wander across the pointed rooftops and towers that sprawled out in front of her. They were mere silhouettes in the dark, illuminated by flickering lanterns in what looked like an ocean of fireflies. Above it all was the marvelous night sky, with not a cloud in sight. The stars were less bright than in the countryside, dimmed by an orange glow that radiated from Cylion, but they still captivated Nyu like few things ever had. But so did many things on the surface — with every minute she spent away from Morathen and the damp caves and tunnels of their forsaken sanctuary, she could feel herself mentally leaving it behind. Had it not been for her mother and sister, she probably never would've even tried to go back. Except for her family, there was nothing down there for her — but of course that alone was reason enough. Maybe some day she could convince them to join her, now that she scored a big enough bounty to start a life up top. Maybe the doctors here would have a cure for Alva's ailments. Maybe Senya could finally find a decent job. They could finally have a better life — the one they deserved after all these years of hardship. But of course, she realized, all of that was wishful thinking, brought on by the strange sentimentality that came with too many drinks and too little sleep.

Nyu stared at the firmament for a long time, standing perfectly still like a hunter watching a deer, until a loud noise in front of the door brought her mind and thoughts back to the present.

Quietly grabbing a dagger from the pile next to the bed, she sneaked closer to the entryway, pricking up her ears to listen for sounds of danger.

But the only thing she could hear was a quiet moan of pain.

Nyu let her dagger disappear in a side pocket and opened the door, only to find Elara sprawled across the floor a few steps away.

"You okay there, little bird?" she asked in surprise and stepped over.

Elara murmured something inaudible, before heaving her upper body against the railing of the staircase next to her.

"Oh, I'm delighted," she blurted out, her fingers moving clumsily through the air.

"Are you now?"

Nyu examined the other woman for a long moment. Elara was wearing a simple white shirt and shorts that had probably been hidden under her long Fateweaver robes. She emanated the pungent smell of alcohol, and a sly smile played on her lips. She looked proper drunk, but her sparkling green eyes were still sharp as ever.

"You know what?" Elara asked into the quiet.

"Tell me."

"I think you can be nice," the woman on the floor said cheerfully.

Nyu snorted. "Oh yeah? Can I have that in writing?"

"Like," Elara continued without even hearing her, "you always act tough, but I think you are actually quite, you know, nice." Her eyes stared at nothing in particular, then she smiled.

"Well," Nyu said, slightly confused. "Thanks, I guess."

When Elara's limbs remained unable to support their owner, Nyu extended her hand. Elara grabbed it after missing it twice, then let herself be pulled up by Nyu like a sack of grain.

"Easy, there," Nyu whispered when Elara tried to stand on her own and almost fell over.

"You are soooo strong." Elara groaned.

"Excuse me?"

Their faces were only a few inches apart now, and Nyu could smell the familiar scent of alcohol.

"How do you do it?" Elara muttered and stared cross-eyed at Nyu's nose.

"I'm not sure I'm following—"

She was slow to react when Elara's lips pressed against hers. They were soft and warm, and everything she needed in that moment — and yet, she gently grabbed Elara by the shoulder and pulled her back.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Hi?" Elara asked in a state of drunken confusion.

"Let's try that again when you're in control of your actions, yeah?"

Elara stared at her for a long moment.

"Okay," she said pensively and shrugged.

Then, she awkwardly turned around and stumbled across the hallway, where the door to her room stood open.

"Where did you mean to go?" Nyu asked before she disappeared in the entryway.

Elara chortled. "Oh, I think I wanted to knock on your door."

Nyu found herself at a loss for words — something that hadn't happened since she was ten.

"Anyway," Elara fluted, "good night!"

Nyu shook her head in mild disbelief.

"Good night, little bird."

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