Agernon and Corvinian were standing at the gate as Akna approached. She’d been called here because there had been some sort of disturbance, but everything looked normal—except perhaps for Agernon’s presence.

“Akna!” Corvin called.

“Hey squirt. What’s up?”

“I’m not a squirt! I’ve grown three inches since we came to Quorge.”

Akna eyed him for a moment. “No you haven’t.”

“Okay, maybe not three inches, but I’ve grown something.”

“Half an inch at most.”

“It’s not my fault I don’t have a way to measure it.”

Agernon loudly cleared his throat. “Enough childishness! Are you going to open these gates or what?”

Akna looked to the guard standing nearby. “What’s going on here?”

The guard snapped to attention. “This man has been demanding entrance. Screaming about it, more like.”

“Because you won’t listen to me!” Agernon blasted.

Ignoring him, the guard continued, “He claims he’s a friend of her Highness, Princess Felitïa, and demanded to speak to you when we wouldn’t let him in.”

“Why didn’t you just let him in?” Akna asked, though she had a good idea what the answer was.

The guard looked dumbfounded. “He’s a commoner, ma’am, and not in the service of anyone here.”

“He’s also a friend of Princess Felitïa, like he said.”

The guard continued to look dumbfounded. “He...he is?”

“Just open the fucking gate already,” Akna said.

“Yeah, open the fucking gate!” Corvin echoed.

She should probably tell him off for his language, but it brought a smile to her face, so she let it go.

The guard, on the other hand, jumped to attention and waved to the guards on the gate controls above. A moment later, the gate slowly swung open.

Agernon stomped forward, his cane clacking loudly on the roadway. Even though the guard backed out of his way, he turned towards the guard.

“Now, just a minute, sir,” the guard said. “I don’t want any trouble.”

“Pheh.” Agernon turned just before ploughing into the guard. However, he did bring his cane down on the guard’s booted foot.

Although it made a loud clang on the metal, the guard didn’t seem to notice, or wisely pretended not to notice.

Agernon stomped off down the path towards the palace.

“I’ll show you to Felitïa,” Akna called after him.

“I’ll find her myself!” Agernon yelled, not looking back. A few steps later, though, he stopped and looked back. “Sorry, Nin-Akna. I’m not angry at you. I’m angry at Felitïa. I’ll find my own way to her. Corvinian, stay with Nin-Akna.”

“Yes, sir!” Corvin said.

Akna watched Agernon go for a few moments, before turning to the guard.

Before she could say anything, the guard spoke up, “We can’t just let anyone who claims to be a friend of the princess in, ma’am. They could be anyone.”

She stepped up close to him, almost touching him. He was taller than her and probably stronger, but he wisely took a step back. She’d knock him on his ass in a moment if he tried anything. “You’re right. However, in future, check! It’s not hard to send a message to her Highness or her Ladyship, or anyone else. Then they can confirm the person’s story. Got it, asshole?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good. Come on, Corvin. Let’s take a walk.” She turned and walked out the gate.

Corvin hurried after her. “What an asshole.”

She glanced down at him without slowing her pace. “Let’s tone the language down, okay?”

“You called him that.”

“Yeah, I did, but I’m older than you.”

“I’m ten now! That’s almost an adult.”

Akna laughed. “No, it isn’t. You’ve got a ways to go yet. I’m barely an adult now and I’m twice your age.”

Corvin kicked at the ground as they walked. “It’s still not fair. You get to say whatever you want, and I keep getting told off. It’s hippo...hyper…”

“Hypocritical?”

“Yeah, that.”

She supposed it was. When she was Corvin’s age, she wasn’t holding back on any of the language she was using. Neither were the adults around her. They’d been speaking Ninifin, not Arnorgue, of course, but they were using the equivalent words. She sighed. “You’re right, it’s pretty fucking hypocritical.”

Corvin gasped mockingly. “You’re a fucking hypocrite.”

Akna laughed. “Yeah, I kind of am. Just don’t tell Felitïa, okay?”

“What? That you’re a fucking hypocrite?”

She rolled her eyes. “You know exactly what I mean.”

“Yeah, but it’s more fun this way.”

“You’re such a child.”

“At least I’m not a fucking hypocrite!”

What had she started?

She stayed silent for a moment. Then, once Corvin had stopped laughing, she said, “So, how are you doing, kid?”

“I’m doing okay,” Corvin said, kicking at a chunk of ice and sending it clattering down the road, almost hitting someone up ahead.

“Careful,” Akna said. “I don’t need you killing innocent bystanders.”

“It was just a little piece of ice. It wouldn’t…” He paused and laughed. “Oh, you’re just fucking with me, aren’t you?”

Akna groaned. “Would you quit it with the language?”

He skipped up ahead, picking up the piece of ice he’d just kicked. “Fine. How are you doing?”

“I’m fine too.” It wasn’t exactly the truth, but he didn’t need the full details. He was too young to burden with the trauma of having your mind invaded and manipulated. Though, to be fair, she was feeling a lot better. Just being able to sleep again had made a huge difference, and talking to Meleng yesterday had helped a little more.

“Do you like being the head of security at the palace?”

Akna sighed. “It’s fine.” That was another thing he didn’t need to know all the details of, though in this case, because it would probably bore him. The guards they still had were poorly trained, undisciplined, and low in morale. If she had a few years, she might be able to whip them into shape, but she doubted she’d be around that long. As much as she cared for Anita and didn’t want to leave, she would be going back to Ninifin eventually, and that was hopefully not years away.

It had been Anita’s idea that she take charge of palace security. Akna hadn’t really wanted it, but Anita said it would give her something to do, since she was so obviously lost in the palace. She had to agree Anita was right about that. Akna loved Anita, but she didn’t love the palace life of Foliths.

“Woah, that guy’s tall!”

“Huh?” Akna looked where Corvinian was pointing, but there was no one there.

“He went around the corner there,” Corvinian said. “You should have seen him. He was tall!”

“Lots of people are tall, Corvin. Especially Foliths.”

“Yeah, but this guy was super tall! Like taller than Rudiger tall! And he was bald.”

“Like that has anything to do with being tall.”

“I’m just telling you about him!”

“Well, he’s gone now.”

“Do you think I’ll be that tall when I grow up?”

“I definitely hope not.”

“I want to be as tall as Rudiger. Then… Look over there!”

“Corvinian, you don’t have…” She trailed off and stopped walking, as this time, there actually was someone where Corvin was pointing.

Standing at the far side of an alley they were passing was an Isyar. A young Isyar, maybe twelve? Definitely younger than Hedromornasta, though he was apparently older than he looked, so maybe this Isyar was a little older too.

The Isyar raised a hand and waved.

“Woah!” Corvin said and waved back. “I’ve never seen an Isyar so young before. She’s like my age.”

“Neither have I,” Akna said, also waving back. “And are you sure she’s a she?” It was difficult to tell with adult Isyar sometimes and this one being so young, Akna didn’t want to make any assumptions.

“Let’s ask!”

Corvin started towards the alley, but a loud voice yelled out, “Lisanacora!”

At the far side of the alley, another Isyar—this one an adult—came around the corner behind the young one, grabbing them by the shoulder. The new one pointed a finger towards Corvin and shook his head. Then he lead the young Isyar out of the alley and around the corner. For a brief moment, yet another Isyar, this one even younger than the first peeked around the corner, then also ducked away.

Corvin broke into a run.

“Corvinian, maybe you should…” Akna started, but he was already most of the way down the alley. She started after him.

Reaching the end, Corvin looked in the direction the Isyar had gone in. Then he went round the corner, coming back round a moment later and looking around the other direction.

He came back round as Akna reached the end of the alley. “They’re gone.”

Akna looked both ways. There were lots of people on the street, but no Isyar. “That was fast.”

“Did you see where the Isyar went?” Corvin called to a person on the street.

The person stared at him oddly, shrugged, and continued on their way.

Corvinian began running about the street, asking everyone if they’d seen the Isyar. Most of them shrugged him off and shooed him away. Eventually, he came back, head hanging low. “Nobody saw them. How is that possible?”

“I don’t know,” Akna said. “Magic, I guess.” Mentalism magic, she supposed. Felitïa could hide from other people. Presumably these Isyar could too.

But why? Maybe because there were children and they didn’t want to be gaped at? Arnorins had a way of gaping at Isyar. Yes, that was probably it.

Though that first young one had waved at Akna and Corvinian. No, Akna got the impression the Isyar had been waving at only her, not Corvin. A child acting up, she supposed, and the parent coming to tell them off.

But this wasn’t the first time a strange Isyar had watched her. There was that elderly Isyar back in Dorg. And that Isyar had disappeared mysteriously too.

Akna sighed. She was being paranoid. The two events were almost certainly unrelated. “Come on, Corvin. Let’s get back to the palace. I’m tired of walking.”

“Okay.” Corvinian dashed off.

Akna followed slowly along, knowing he wouldn’t go too far ahead. Before she left the alley though, she took several looks back, but there was nothing there. The whole way back to the palace, she couldn’t get her mind off the three strange Isyar.