The tavern in which Kaim and the insurgents operated was fairly inconspicuous if Seiren might say so herself. Kaim owned both the tavern and the two shops across the street, one selling fresh fruit and vegetables and the other decorative metalware. The members came and went, taking messages to and from contacts across Falnash and its surrounding cities and towns. Seiren and Madeleine accepted temporary jobs as cleaners of the five rooms the tavern had for guests in exchange for food and shelter in the attic with Hynn and a few of the other girls overnight, biding their time for when they could enter the palace again.

Kaim wasn't against their idea, but he also agreed with Madeleine it was a risky trip.

"If this Kristen Harred woman is as dangerous as I think — and I've seen the runes, myself, first-hand — then we definitely need to plan carefully if we are to get you two there again. Her magic is nothing I've ever seen or heard of before. That, coupled with the Daemonium's daemons, they are unstoppable."

Seiren didn't mention Kristen's powers being stripped. Madeleine had agreed any information they divulge to Kaim and the insurgents should be strictly on a need-to-know basis. Their alliance continued as long as they had the same goals.

Several days later, news arrived from the centre of Falnash. A boy from the metalware shop came over, carrying new decorations for Kaim to hang in the tavern. Buried within the silver was a slip of paper.

"The ancient library has had a break in." Kaim scanned the words, frowning.

"What's that got to do with anything?" Seiren said, raising an eyebrow. Hynn watched Kaim's mouth carefully.

"Ancient spells passed down the Tophalis for generations is stored there. The secrets to their battle successes, the sites of buried treasure should the family fall into desperation, the spells behind the sealing of the Tophalis family daemon — vital information is there. If there's a break-in, that means Fautos is moving ahead."

"Wait, but Fautos is king. He can't break into his own library, surely?"

"Unless you were never officiated as heir."

"What?"

Kaim glanced at Hynn, who nodded for him to continue.

"The inheritance — you know how the right to rule is passed from one generation to the next, right?"

"The royal siblings fight every year, right? And the king watches and decides who is best for the throne after however many years. But Mephis died before he could decide."

"Mephis was murdered before he could announce Magus," Kaim said in a quiet voice. "Fautos would never be chosen; his ideals were too different to King Mephis's. So the key to the seals of the ancient library never passed onto a new generation."

"So he broke in."

"Yes, but the question is what did he want there? There are numerous archives, secrets, the likes of which nobody like us can imagine."

Kaim paced back and forth, rubbing his beard, his brow knitted together in concentration.

"The break-in has just occurred, so it will probably be a while before he sets off. But we need to intercept him before he reaches his destination."

"I thought you wanted to rescue Magus," Madeleine said, confused. "Why are you going after Fautos?"

"We can't go into the palace any time soon, not after our breakout. Security will be an all-time high. Fautos on the move makes him vulnerable. It'll be easier for us to intercept him when he's moving from one place to another. If we capture him, we win the war." Kaim stared at the silk cloth on the wall. "But what could he want, though?"

Hynn tapped his elbow.

"The — daemon, maybe?" she said.

"The what?" Seiren said, missing the middle word.

"The royal daemon. But he has Kagori," Kaim said to Hynn. "Kagori is one of the most powerful daemons I've ever heard of. If Fautos gets the ancient royal daemon, nobody in the world can defeat him."

"What's the royal daemon?" Madeleine said.

"Legend states the Hannan royal family has a great beast sealed at a hidden location who will rise when the family is in danger. It's meant to be difficult to control and has high expectations of who can become its master. Legend states it has devoured many a royal family member for not meeting its requirements after being summoned."

"Sounds like quite the arsenal." Seiren exchanged an uneasy look with Madeleine. "He has the Daemonium, a huge-ass daemon, Kristen Harred, and now this ancient daemon. He's unstoppable. He's preparing to go to war with Karma, then."

"He doesn't need all that power, surely."

"The power-hungry never decides when enough is enough," Seiren said with bitterness.

"That is true."

Hynn tapped Kaim's elbow again and said a single word, which Seiren didn't catch.

"No, surely not?" Kaim said.

"What if, though?" Hynn said. "He was fascinated with it, in the past."

"Impossible." Kaim shook his head.

"What?" Seiren waved at Hynn and asked again. Hynn repeated the sign, but Seiren didn't know it.

"Hanna," Kaim said.

"The twin?"

"Hynn is wondering if Fautos seeks the body of Hanna, the originator of summoning magic."

Seiren pulled a face. "What will that achieve?"

"Magic. Fautos loves magic."

"The body of Hanna is still here?" Madeleine said in disbelief. "But she died thousands of years ago!"

"You didn't hear?" Kaim glanced at Hynn. "It's common knowledge here — what little we know of it, anyway. About twenty years ago, the burial place of Karma and Hanna were found in Teirrin. There was something crazy to do with the original magic, and then Teirrin fell and became a rotting, uninhabitable piece of land. Your king's mages at the time negotiated with King Mephis for a new burial place. Hanna was moved into, well, here, and you guys kept Karma. But it was never announced where Hanna was buried because King Mephis didn't want anyone tarnishing the sacred burial site — the new one."

Seiren glanced at Madeleine and she knew her sister was thinking the same thing. The original twins' bodies were found and Teirrin successfully recreated celestial magic, resulting in the wastelands today. That must be what Kristen was after — Hanna's body, so she could repeat Benover again and succeed.

"Fautos has enough summoning magic in his circle without the need for meddling with Hanna, wherever that body is. No, I think he's after the royal daemon."

Seiren opened her mouth but shut it again without a word. They needed the insurgents' support, still. If the royal daemon was summoned as Kaim predicted, they would never catch Kristen, either.

"But we still know nothing. We don't know where the royal daemon is sealed. We don't know where Hanna is buried. We can't access the ancient library."

"I know someone who knows," Madeleine piped up. Seiren stared at her in surprise, as did Kaim and Hynn.

"Who?"

"Martel Solidor," she said simply.

"You weren't lying when you said you're from House Solidor!" Kaim said, mouth open.

"Well, we aren't from House Solidor, but we know Martel. He's... our Hannan contact. He's in Leitholm. He was the royal scholar, wasn't he? He would know everything about the secrets in your ancient library."

"Well, that's one lead," Kaim said, standing up. "We'll set off then. Today."

"Today?"

"We?" Seiren echoed. Kristen was in Falnash. If they left now...

"We have no time to waste. The sooner we catch Fautos and his group before he reaches the royal daemon's site, the better a chance we have of a peaceful future. Otherwise, there is no stopping him. Can you ride?"

****

They rode day and night. Seiren hadn't expected a spindly girl with a weak leg like Hynn could ride so well, but it was all she could do to not fly off the cantering horse. Madeleine gripped for her life the back of one of the two insurgents travelling with them and guarding their journey. When they stopped for breaks, which happened seldom, Seiren could barely stand. Her buttocks and thighs ached as if she had been the one running. Her legs shook even when just standing. She'd never slept so well since arriving in Hanna.

The sun continued to scorch from above during the day. Their long sleeves and headscarves prevented their skin from burns, but the sweat collecting in the folds of Seiren's skin soon turned to itchy patches and it was impossible to scratch when bouncing up and down on a horse trying not to get flung off. By the time they spotted the flags atop the sandy brick walls, Seiren's throat was as dry as the desert and her mind was frazzled from the constant itch and heat. Kaim instructed them to keep their hoods up. The sun began to set in the distance, staining the sky a violent orange. The townsfolk meandered about in their colourful clothes, taking no notice of the four trudging in from the desert. They left the horses at a stall, where a young boy fetched the animals buckets of water at once. Hynn hopped onto his back.

"Where?" Kaim said. Wordless, Seiren led them down the road and then off the main path as Ileida had done when they first arrived. The roads unfurled before her as she remembered. The stacks of building material that had sat near Martel's home had disappeared, replaced by the half-built foundations of more houses. Seiren paused outside a home with a pastel blue roof and dark-tinted windows.

Kaim nodded and rapped on the door, abruptly, twice. Hynn slid off.

A few moments later, the wooden door eased open with a squeak. Martel Solidor peered at them with suspicious, pale grey eyes. His white plait hung over his shoulder and dangled to the pouch, which contained summoning dust, at his waist. They swung to Hynn, whose chin rested on Kaim's shoulder, and then at the two insurgents behind him before landing on Seiren and Madeleine, whose faces were hidden behind their veils.

"You shouldn't be here." To Seiren's surprise, Martel Solidor's voice held a tinge of anger. He swung his plait over his shoulder, his wrinkled face colouring with fury.

"I can explain—"

"You have gone through with your threats. House Solidor still will not yield to traitors like you!"

Martel made to slam his door despite Kaim's protestations. Seiren stepped forward, one arm outreached. Martel's face contorted and his hand flew to his pouch, about to summon Aphriel, his daemon.

"Martel, wait!" Seiren pulled off her veil. "It's me! Seiren!"

He froze.

"Please, hear us out. Things... have changed."

After deliberation, Martel lowered his hand, but he still remained stiff with suspicion.

"May we come inside?" said Madeleine softly.

Glowering, Martel stepped back and jerked his head. Seiren went through first, followed by Madeleine. Hynn and Kaim brought up the rear, wordless.

Remember to vote!