ANDORRA WAS jittery by the time she went to return to the castle. Unfortunately, on the return, neither her thumb nor Oberon's was coded into the elevator, which of course denied them access to where they'd hoped to return.

Instead, both of them stared at each other silently in the small space, silent, brains whirling with options.

"Ero will come find us, right?" Andorra suggested, her tone slightly hopeful, but even she knew that was a long shot. This was the perfect chance for the King and his son to get rid of Andorra completely without doing anything.

"If Ero wants us found, he'll find us, I'm sure of it." Oberon wasn't voicing what they were both thinking: Ero probably didn't want them found.

"In the meantime, we could go to the market district. Look around for a bit? What other choice do we have?" Andorra pressed the second level and the elevator lurched to a start, moving them before either were ready. Oberon flattened his hand on the wall to balance himself.

"You're right, we don't really have anything else going on. What do you think you're going to do about the astrai?"

That was a question she had been asking herself since Larson had mentioned the potential location. What was she going to do? Snooping was the obvious answer, but how was Andorra going to snoop in a palace she didn't know anything about? Even worse, what if she was caught?

She swallowed thickly, gears spinning in her brain. Even if she did find the astrai, how was she going to get the fae out of Averotho? And how was she going to do it undetected?

"I don't know. I don't know. Even if we do find the astrai, how are we going to smuggle her out of here? I'm pretty sure she's probably heavily guarded, just like everything else here. And I'm pretty sure they aren't going to just let us take her." Andorra nibbled on her thumbnail. "I'll think of something."

When the elevator doors slid open, Andorra wasn't surprised to see the hustle and bustle of the street. Everyone was moving around, some with bags and some without. Andorra stepped out, her hand finding Oberon's, and she gave it a tentative squeeze.

"Let's look around for now. I'll start thinking of a plan as well." Oberon took a moment to think, his eyes darting across the streams of fast moving fae, rushing from one place to the next. "Andy, whatever happens, you're not alone. We'll figure this out."

She gave a stiff nod, and the two of them walked with the traffic, eyes catching the different merchant signs. Some stalls had delicious smelling foods, the sounds of cooking and grilling almost louder than the voices around them. Some stalls had clothes and bags. Most stalls were filled to the brim with happy shoppers.

It was unlike anything Andorra had ever seen. The chaos didn't feel stressful, not like Andorra had expected. People moved around them, like water flowing by a stone, and no one shot her a nasty look, or muttered an impatient curse under their breath. Everyone seemed very content just to be there, shopping for whatever items called their names.

Oberon and Andorra ducked into a few stalls that held Averotho styled clothing. The handmade items looked professional enough to be sold anywhere in the world, even the human realm. Not that Andorra should have been surprised; her clothing back in Anlithamy were made of the same quality. Only, she hadn't really been clothing shopping, not since the incident with the masks in the Royal Court. Everything else had been a personal order to her seamstress.

She jolted, holding a simple-made shirt. Since when did I become so accustomed to the high fae life? So accustomed that anything but a personal order to my seamstress is weird? She felt an odd pit grow in her stomach at the thought that she was losing herself, her human self.

"What is it?" Oberon asked when he noticed she was frozen in place.

"Nothing. I'd just forgotten how normal it feels to shop like this. We don't get to do a lot of this back home."

"Hmm, so a trip to the city is in order, then. You always go to see Vulara. Maybe next time, you take a few pit stops."

Andorra nodded, but she found herself suddenly craving more. Something about Averotho felt so human to her. The fishermen, the market streets, the way the fae interacted here. It was all so human.

"Can I help you?" The stall owner asked, noticing the lull in their shopping. "That is quite a beautiful blouse you hold."

Andorra dropped the shirt, smiling sheepishly at the stall owner. She had no money to buy anything; it was better to just move along. "Oh, no thank you. But you're right, it is beautiful. You're very talented."

The woman smiled, and Andorra excused herself from the stall as quickly as she could. The sudden bout of homesickness was sudden and jarring, and she almost hated herself for letting it affect her in such a way.

"Hey, slow down," Oberon called out, his hand latching onto Andorra's shoulder to pull her to a stop. "Why are you running?"

Andorra rubbed at the tightness in her chest. "Nothing, no reason. I just, I needed to get out."

"Well, we're out now. C'mon, let's keep moving. We could always go somewhere else, somewhere more calm. Like the residential district."

She shook her head. But, she did pull Oberon into a less busy side street. Upon first glance, Andorra had half expected the main street to be the only street, with alleyways that were dead ends. But this street wasn't a dead end; no, it had an opening on the other side.

"Wait, let's look down there." She moved towards the other side of the alley, curiosity tickling at her nose. She knew this city was more than the river and the streets that ran alongside it. She was suddenly very eager to explore it.

When the two of them burst out of the other side, Andorra was pleased to find another street, this one slightly less busy, and definitely more spacious. Shops, not stalls, were lined on either side of the road. Unlike back in Anlithamy, there didn't seem to be any taxis about. Instead, people walked right in the middle, not a care in the world for any sort of vehicles.

This part of the city looked a little more like Anlithamy. Andorra and Oberon veered to the right, reading the different signs. A clothing store, a food market, a bar. On and on, they walked, peeking into windows and smiling at others walking beside them.

Oberon twisted his head around. "I don't know, something doesn't feel right. In what world would the king just let us wander about?"

"Maybe he has guards trailing us," Andorra suggested, looking around as well. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but who knew what the King was up to.

"Quick, duck into here with me." Oberon pulled Andorra into a shop, quickly moving her behind a rack of small shoulder bags. Oberon crowded the window, looking for anything strange. Andorra wanted to ask if he'd seen anything, but instead, her eyes caught that of another patron in the store.

The girl was a Serpent Rider. Andorra knew it immediately with the head covering she wore, only her eyes visible and blinking back at her. Blue hair fell around her face like a shield, and the girl wore head to toe leathers.

She tightened her grip on the cross body bag that was slung across her back.

Andorra didn't think as she stepped forward. "Is there a back entrance to this place?"

The girl didn't move, but her eyes darted to the left. "Who's asking?"

There was a certain bite in her voice, a hint of uncertainty and distrust. The girl tightened her hold again on the bag as she took a little step backwards. Her eyes darted a second time to the left. Andorra caught the movement, and she too looked over to the left.

Another Serpent Rider stood in a corner of the shop, the wrap covering his head tighter than the girl's. His body was tense as he watched them both, his eyes narrowing in a threatening nature. And Andorra was sure he meant it too; he was a hulking mass of a man that would take Andorra down.

Or, he'd try. She was pretty positive she'd win regardless, even if she needed to call on Pyatt.

"I think I'm being followed. Well, me and the guy in the window. We're testing a theory of sorts."

"Not a theory. I've spotted them. One of them is approaching the store, actually. Do you think he wants to take us back to the castle?" Oberon's voice was a little too guarded for the white haired fae. Andorra had to admit that something about Averotho made Oberon more serious than she was used to.

"Royal Guards?" The girl asked. Her chin ducked down low. "Royal Guards are coming here?" She turned to her friend, something quick in the movements of her hands. Andorra watched, transfixed, as the man also signaled to her with his hands.

"Is that sign language?" The question slipped from her mouth without much thought. Andorra didn't know how to sign, but it was so human, it took her by surprise.

The girl was startled as she looked back at Andorra. "Not sign language. We call it-"

"No time. Let's go, Hinne." The man was moving stealthily towards the back. "If you're bringing your friends, now is the time."

The girl, Hinne, looked back at Andorra. Her eyes narrowed. "You're not from Averotho, are you?"

Hinne lead them towards the back. The shop owner made eye contact with Andorra, nodding her head in a go ahead motion right as Andorra ducked under the curtain that hid the back hallway. It was dark, but the light from the store front leaked under the curtain, allowing Andorra the ability to see. She followed Hinne, and Oberon followed her, and they made their way to a seemingly hidden door.

When it opened, muted light nearly blinded her. Andorra held her hand up to block the light, and she seemed to falter for a moment. Oberon dragged her forward when she hesitated, and right as soon as the door shut behind them, Hinne and her friend turned on them.

"Who are you?" The man barked. He grabbed Hinne, tucking her under his arm tightly. "And what are you doing, dragging the Royal Guards after you?"

Andorra looked at Oberon, but she didn't really need his go ahead. She cleared her throat, rubbing her suddenly chilly arms. "I'm Andorra, Queen of Anlithamy. We're here meeting with the King about... well, about stopping a war. We think the guards are here to take us back to the castle." Which, she realized, wasn't a bad thing.

Why had they run? Why did something in her gut tell her that the Royal Guards weren't there to make friends. No, something about being cornered in the street and forced back to the castle felt like bad news.

And, she hadn't figured out yet what she was doing about the Astrai.

"You can't be seen with us. This is where we part ways, Queen of Anlithamy." The man grabbed Hinne, pulling her down the side street with him. Andorra wanted to say something else, anything else, but she kept her mouth shut. If they were also running from the guards, she wasn't going to get them caught.

"Strange," Oberon noted. "Why do you think they were running?"

"Well, Ero did say they were like the seedy underbelly of the city. Maybe they're wanted for something."

"Andy, maybe we shouldn't have run. Maybe the King has the contract ready." Oberon looked beyond her, towards the street where the two Serpent Riders had disappeared to. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know why, but seeing them chase us made my adrenaline spike."

"Obe," Andorra started, turning his body to face hers. "What's going on with you lately? Are we... okay? I know what happened last night was weird, but you've been quiet all day, and this entire trip has been-"

"We're fine!" Oberon interrupted her. He placed his hands on her shoulder and leaned forward so that their noses were almost brushing. His classic Oberon smile found its way onto his face. Something about him softened in that moment, and Andorra didn't realize how stressed she had been until her shoulders relaxed at seeing it.

"I'm stressed because it's up to me to get you back safely. I love being your guard, and I trust myself to take the best care of you, but sometimes... well, let's just say shadow boy knows his stuff. He'd be way more apt to take Ero down."

"Obe," Andorra huffed out a laugh, "I know you're not comparing yourself to Callum. My god, he'd love to hear you say that."

"I know you like the back of my hand, Andy. I think I deserve being your head guard. But Callum, I don't know. He's so serious. And he wouldn't hesitate to cut a bitch that looks at you for too long. Honestly, and don't you dare tell Noah this, but if Callum didn't have Win, I'd think he was your soulmate."

Andorra burst into another round of laughter. She hugged Oberon to her tightly. "I won't tell Noah that if you don't." She pictured Nohx hearing those words, the way his expression would darken immediately, the way he maybe wouldn't let Andorra in Callum's presence. "And also, Callum is a little too cutthroat. It surprises me how serious he takes his job."

"He cares about you, just like how I care about you. While we've been here, I guess I just figured Callum would know what to do with Ero. And I... don't."

Andorra's grin turned a little dark. "Yeah, because you want to get into his bed-"

"Oh my god, shut up!" Oberon pushed Andorra back a step with a choked laugh.

"It's just the truth. I see the way you look at him. That shove against the wall last night was personal-"

"I am going to strangle you myself." Oberon grabbed Andorra by the neck, pretending to wring her neck. Andorra couldn't stop laughing as she gripped onto him, her best friend in the whole world.

"Do you think you'll at least kiss before we leave? A little parting gift for the Prince-"

"Andorra, you're insane, and not in a good way." But he was laughing, and so was Andorra, and for a moment, both of them could convince themselves that everything was going to be alright. That the two of them would make it back to Anltihamy in one piece, despite this King wanting their heads.

"Okay, but seriously. What is our game plan for the asrai? Are we just going to sniff around, see what we can find, and hope for the best? Or like, are we going to really come up with something of substance."

The laughter in Oberon's eyes seemed to dull as he thought about it. Thought about what it could mean that the King had an asrai trapped within his castle, and why.

"Andorra, holy shit. Holy shit. How did we both just conveniently forget you can create gates. We find her, we create a gate, badda bing, badda boom. We're back home."

"Oh my god. And that's how we get back to the stupid castle. We're idiots. I can't believe that slipped my mind." Andorra held out her hand. "Are we ready? Or are we still going to goof around out here?"

Oberon took her hand, a grin on his face. "I'm so ready. Ready to kick some ass."