"If they would just stop harassing our leased territory, we'd lift the travel ban. We've given sufficient warning and our messages to Ridua demanding withdrawal of military personnel from the territories have gone unanswered." Prince Tae spoke with a voice filled with irritation.

"Have they answered before?" Henry asked as he leaned back against a chair across from Prince Tae.

"Yes. Though delayed and usually lined with excuses and misdirection, there was still communication between Suna and Ashtar," Prince Tae replied. He shook his head and frowned. "I don't know what happened in the last few months, but it's as if communication ceased. Our messenger birds haven't returned; our envoys had been refused entry into Ridua and were escorted back to the border. How else can we take it?"

Henry pursed his lips and tapped his finger on the table. "Then, when he gets back, as him if anything happened in the last few months."

Prince Tae narrowed his eyes. "That would be the Crown Prince of theirs started traveling outside of the country. They seem to be building up a navy, or at least trying to repair old ships. There's also been significant movement of Ashtar military, though those questioned at the harassed sites claim there are only guards sent to stabilize the region."

Henry clicked his tongue. "I'm telling you, that fake is building military power under the Old Bastard's nose. It's either that the Old Bastard is deluding himself into thinking his precious son can do no wrong and isn't actively trying to usurp his power, or he thinks this is a way for his son to gain experience while not realizing the threat. He's an idiot, but he's not that much of an idiot."

Prince Tae was silent. "We're not talking a few handfuls of soldiers located in far flung regions, Henry. It may not be comparable to the established Ashtari armies, but it's enough to irritate the rest of us."

"Part of it could also be seen and push their visibility and strength," Henry replied.

"Or...." Prince Tae trailed off and leaned forward. "The Old Bastard is actually dead and Ashtar is hiding it."

An intense look of intrigue was in Prince Tae's eyes while Henry stared at him for a moment before giving him a deadpan blink.

"...I think if he was dead, we would've known at this point," he replied in a dull voice.

Prince Tae didn't seem unconvinced. "What if he's just not fit to rule at the moment? What if he's ruling through proxy?"

Henry lowered his eyes. From what he knew of his father, he clung to power like spiders clung to trees during a flood. That's why he married so many wives. That's why he surrounded himself with ministers who agreed with him. On one hand, it bolstered his ego, but on the other, knowing how to deal with the monster made it easier to fight it.

"That would certainly explain why he allowed Prime Minister Heigoren, the younger, to take this position," Henry said.

Prince Tae let out a small snort. "Heigoren isn't an idiot."

"I didn't think you'd give him such praise," Henry said with a slight smirk.

"I will give credit to where credit is due, even if I think he's a weak-willed scholar."

"Don't tell Talam that."

"I won't take out my irritation on uninvolved parties. I'm not tactless."

Henry chuckled and opened his mouth to reply, but tensed as he saw a flash of light in front of him. Light from the arena reflected off of something smooth and golden, fluttering in the air before landing in front of him, on to the lip of the cup he still had his hand around.

It was a beetle no larger than his thumbnail, with black legs, but a golden, metallic carapace that caught the light and drew his attention at once.

At once, his body tensed. His breath hitched before he released the cup and shot up from his seat with such force, that the chair tumbled backwards and hit the floor. The clatter made everyone else in the suite turn towards him.

"Hen-"

"Effie's in trouble!" He darted out of the room, throwing open the partially open door as the small golden scarab fluttered ahead of him.

He ignored the shouts behind him, as he seemed to focus solely on the scarab. People were all over the back hall, still moving around to fetch food and drink or go meet with friends. Amongst the loud chatter that blended together in hollow nonsensical murmurs, no one else seemed to notice the scarab flying just an arm's length in front of Henry.

However, several people cried out and a few cursed him as Henry darted between people passing in order to keep up with the scarab. He couldn't hear their yells or scolding as he wove around bodies, never taking his eyes off the scarab.

The family's ravens couldn't always stay with them. For example, they usually only remain outdoors. Normally, one of them would've followed Effie when she left the suite, but the guards would've tried to sweep them out, as birds were seen as pests when they entered the inner corridors of the arena.

But Effie was a beast master, like Nera. How could she go without animals? And like Nera, she was taught to keep one or two small animals with her at all times as a safety measure.

The small golden scarab was usually resting on a thin golden bangle around Effie's left ankle. This was Effie's 'insurance'. At Effie's command, it would come find them and lead them to his sister.

"Sir! Stop this instant!"

He heard people yelling, but didn't pay attention. He saw the entrance to the toilets up ahead, and the two guards turning around to look into the room, but not enter.

Henry ran right past them without a hint of pause, and into the room just as he heard Nanny Wu frantically asking other women if they'd seen a little girl and a toddler.

"Nanny Wu!" Henry nearly skidded to a stop and faced the rows of sinks and doors to toilet chambers.

Several screams rang out as soon as he caught the attention of the women. "Get out!" Someone shouted.

"This is the women's toilets!"

"Young Master!" Nanny Wu ignored the screaming as well and ran to him, pale and shaken.

"Where is my sister?" Henry demanded in a raised voice. In the back of his head, he knew not to yell at Nanny Wu, as it looked as if she'd just lost half her life, but at the same time, his sister was missing.

"She's gone! I went into a toilet chamber-"

"And you left her alone out here?" Henry's eyes crinkled up as he almost choked.

"She said she would stay and wait for me-"

"Where are the guards!" Henry turned around and rushed back into the corridor. Several city guards had come. Henry didn't know if they came because of the screaming or because they had seen him recklessly weaving through the crowd like a fleeing criminal. "Guards-"

"You there!" One of the city guards pointed at him, red-faced. "Come out-"

"Did Effie come out with the baby?" Henry asked without taking a step outside.

"No, Young Master. The Young Miss and Sir did not come out."

Henry grit his teeth. "Nanny Wu, did you check the toilet chambers?"

He rushed back in, ignoring the yells of the city guards and leaving their own guards to manage them. The women were scrambling to leave, but Nanny Wu had shoved open every individual door and stepped inside looking for the children.

"They're not here, Young Master!" Her voice was high, but shaking so hard, he was almost worried she'd collapse.

"Dammit-"

"Young Master! The Young Lord is missing!" The heavily Ashtari voice of one of Talam's escort guards shouted into the women's toilets, causing Henry to whirl around, almost dumbstruck.

"What?" Him, too? Henry's mouth dropped and he took a step forward, about to rush out of the toilets to question the escort guards, when he caught sight of the golden scarab against the wall, at eye level.

His movements slowed as he narrowed his eyes. Instead of rounding the corner to go down the hall and exit, Henry instead took a step closer to the wall. The entire lower half of the toilets had been laid with a dull gray, stone-colored tile while the rest of the walls and ceiling were stones.

The individual chambers where the toilets were located were separated by stone walls, but the doors were tall wooden panels that went from floor to ceiling. When all the doors were closed, the wood would appear as if framed by the stone.

On the wall facing the entrace was a set of wooden panels that mirrored the chamber doors, but it was wider and had a sign with an arrow that pointed where the actual toilets were. It looked like a piece of wall decoration or some sort of accent to tie the decor of the toilets together.

This floor was, after all, where many of the nobles and wealthy merchants came when watching events. Not to mention the luxurious suites and boxes, facilities like toilets also had to have a degree of fanciness.

The golden scarab remained on the wall, but fluttered its wings, making the light bouncing off the reflective carapace flash. It wasn't sitting on the wooden paneling decoration, but on the exposed stone brick work.

Henry narrowed his eyes. He could hear his heart beating in his ears; a low, steady beat that seemed restrained in order to avoid panic. Something was wrong with the wall. The panel was not flush with the wall, making it appear to have been a piece of hanging wall art. The golden scarab suddenly crawled behind the wall art.

Henry's eyes widened and he reached out and grabbed the sides of the wooden panels and pulled.

A dull creak was heard, and he felt a rush of cool air as a dark room appeared in front of him as the door was pulled open.

Several people gasped. He hadn't noticed the guards had come in behind him. Nanny Wu let out a horrified cry, as if her worst fear had come true upon seeing the hidden doorway. It snapped Henry out of his stunned daze.

"Effie!" He didn't stop to explain himself to anyone. He reached into his pocket and took out a small mulberry paper slip specially made for him. It began to glow, turning into a bright, warm light that filled the dark room hidden behind the wall panel.

His heart sank as he stopped in the room and looked around.

It wasn't a room. He turned to one side and found that the light didn't indicate a wall, instead, it eventually was swallowed up by a long, dark hall.

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

She couldn't smell the smell now, so much as she felt as if the inside of her nose had been assaulted so badly, that they almost burned. Effie scrunched her face in a visceral reaction to the unexpected paint she felt when waking up.

The last time she felt that way, she had a sinus infection, except this time, there was no runny nose, and the bridge of her nose hurt.

Without a word, she tried to focus as the sleepiness wore off. She wiggled her fingers and toes, then tried to move them to see if she felt any restraints. She didn't seem to have been tied up.

Effie barely restrained herself from taking in a sharp breath. Ranran! Her favorite baby had been in her arms when they were abducted. One of the last things she'd tried to do was keep a hold on him so they wouldn't be separated, but now, there was clearly no weight in her arms, which had fallen at her sides.

From what she could feel, she was on some cold floor, slumped against a wall.

She didn't know if she was being watched, or if there was even someone in the room with her, but she tried not to make too many movements. She swallowed hard.

"Where is Ranran?"

A small movement shifted around her neck. She felt something cool and soft move up, against the side of her neck and to her ear. "He is on your right, sleeping beside you."

Effie immediately slid her hand in that direction, not daring to open her eyes. She didn't have to go far. Their clothes were touching, and she could feel the familiar hot, fatty flesh of Prince Muran under his embroidered silk clothes.

"Is he all right?" She resisted the urge to gather the baby in her arms once more. "Can I open my eyes?" She should've asked that as soon as possible.

The creature against her answered. "Yes. They have left."

"Who are they?" Effie's eyes opened, but they were still heavy from the effects of whatever they used to knock her out. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Not long," the voice said. "We did not leave the arena. I did not sense sunlight inside the sack. Then, they put you three here."

Effie sniffed. It smelled a bit damp and musty. They were probably at some lower level, but the small golden snake that usually rested around her neck pointed out something unexpected.

"Three of us?" She looked around, but the room was dark, and she couldn't see anything. She frowned and felt around with both hands. On right was Prince Muran, and as Effie gathered him against her, she deduced that he was still knocked out. No fever, nothing sticky or smelling of iron.

As she pulled Prince Muran closer, her hands felt additional cloth. Effie nearly snatched her hand back if she hadn't been holding on to the toddler. His clothes were made of fine silks. They were soft, smooth, and somewhat cool despite the body heat of their wearer.

But Effie felt something warmer, rougher, and not as delicate.

She pulled Prince Muran away from the other body before she reached into her pocket for a light slip Ash had given her.

Instead of flashing with brightness at once, the mulberry slip began to glow and became brighter until a warm yellow light filled the room. Low ceiling, thick wooden door to the corner, not very big...almost like a cell.

And as for the third person, Effie couldn't help but be surprised. She kept the slip in between two fingers as she settled in her seat.

"Did he come to try to save us?" She didn't assess Talam as the heroic type. Having been raised with brothers who could fight and would only grow more physically imposing with age, Effie had marked Talam as a fragile man who'd bruise easily.

Her brows rose and she gave him an approving nod. Perhaps she misjudged him.

The snake rose once more and seemed to whisper in her ear. The approval on her face dimmed as she slowly turned her head back to the unconscious man who was slumped so awkwardly against the stone wall, it was almost just his shoulders and head that was propped up while his arms lay limp at his sides.

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"I see...." Effie replied. Never mind, she was right. Talam hadn't come to try to save them. He'd stumbled into the darkness where Effie had been pulled into. He saw the kidnappers as the door was closing, but to shut him up, one of the men rushed forward, hit him in the stomach, and knocked Talam unconscious as well.

It looks like he had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Talam Heigoren seemed to have just terrible luck.

She sniffed once more, and the overstimulated burnt part of her nose seemed to have eased. Effie examined Prince Muran's chubby body for any wounds, bruises, broken or dislocated limbs.

"You were holding him when they put you here. Your arms relaxed and he slid to the side. His Highness was not injured," the little snake told her.

Effie's eyes reddened. She hugged the baby. "But it's my fault he's here. He still hasn't woken up."

"The powder in the bag was very potent to humans," the snake said. "As a snow elf and Lunapsar, it doesn't affect you as much. The kidnappers left just before you woke. They likely don't know it wouldn't affect you much or they wouldn't just leave."

Effie sniffled and looked at Talam. He was a grown human man and was still knocked out. "When will he wake up?"

"I don't know, Young Miss. He didn't inhale any powder. Shall I wake him?" The snake's voice in her head sounded almost teasing and Effie felt her heart be squeezed. Her little chain snake was trying to make her feel better.

"No, he might panic," Effie decided. She sniffled once more and then tried to regain her composure. Crying wouldn't help her now. She had to protect Prince Muran as a big sister. She looked at Talam and scrunched her face as she battled with the dilemma of also trying to protect a grown adult man despite her being just a child.

Effie cradled Prince Muran and talked to him in a quiet voice. "Let's just wait...Keph. He'll bring Brother to us." She rocked the sleeping child in her arms. "Don't worry," she said as she leaned back against the wall and bit her lower lips. "Brother always comes."

A dull groan came from the body just a few arms lengths away. Effie stayed quiet as she watched Talam raise an arm and wince as he tried to rub his neck. They woke in a strange position; of course, his neck and the back of his head were sore.

Talam blinked as he caught sight of the light that was in his eyes as soon as he opened them. He turned his head and jerked it back, forgetting that he was leaning against a wall. His head bounced off the stone wall, causing him to let out a low hiss and grab his head before leaning forward.

Effie squinted and shook her head. No wonder he got kidnapped, too.

"Miss Effie?" Talam's reddened eyes looked at her with horror. He lifted his head and looked around. Effie watched his expression carefully as it went from surprise to dismay to heartbreak as he realized the situation they were in.

"Don't panic," Effie replied in a measured voice.

Talam shifted his body and immediately let out a hiss before grasping his stomach and curling over. He leaned to the side sliding to the ground as he grit his teeth. "They…they hit me…." He seemed to try to recall. "And then…." He squinted and looked up, eyeing the dark, cramped room once more. "We've been kidnapped?"

Effie crinkled her eyes at him. "First time?"

"What?" Talam's face paled as he looked at her. "Have you been kidnapped before?"

"A lot of families of successful merchants get kidnapped or are targeted. At the very least, threatened," Effie replied. "Our school even teaches us how to spot danger and be aware of our surroundings, but usually Merchant Cities are safe." Thinking of this, Effie couldn't help but frown.

Merchant Cities had many busy congested areas, were a hundred things were happening at once at any given moment, but for the most part public safety was particularly good. Children, even those who would be targets for kidnapping and ransom, went about their business without a problem. She went to and from school and dance class by herself.

It was a point of pride for Merchant Cities to be safe for children, so she didn't expect this to happen in Shae. Then again, there were so many people present for the Invitational that there was no way for the city guard to really ensure that there was no trouble. Something was bound to happen.

It's just that the something Effie thought would happen was perhaps a fan riot if a particular favorite lost or traffic congestion on the main streets. Perhaps a few pub brawls over bets, but not her own kidnapping. The security was troubling.

"I didn't know it was you in the sack. As the door closed, I saw these two figures carrying in a bag with some children's legs hanging out, so I called out, but the next thing I knew…." He rubbed his stomach and winced. "How long was I out? Where are we?"

"I don't know. I just woke up, too," Effie said. She looked back at Prince Muran. "Ranran is still asleep."

"Are you both all right?" Talam asked. Though he grimaced as he sat up, he still looked over the children with concern. "Don't worry…." He let out a hiss as he settled against the wall. "I'll…I'll figure a way out."

Effie bit her lower lip. She didn't have the heart to tell him that her record told her otherwise. She took a deep breath. "In such a scenario, where we are not in any immediate danger, we should wait for rescue."

"Wait?" Talam considered it, but shook his head. "We don't know where we are. How will they find us?" He looked around the room once more with a defeated expression. "There isn't even a window."

"I've taken care of it," Effie told him. "Don't worry." He looked at her with confusion and she sighed. "I am a beast master. Didn't Brother tell you before? I sent my insurance to get Brother, so Brother will come to find us."

"Are you sure?" Talam asked. There was clear doubt on his face.

Effie didn't like his pessimism, but considering that this appeared to be his first time in a situation, she told herself that it was normal for him to be worried and uncertain about what was going to happen. After convincing herself that Talam's doubt was due to his naivete, Effie didn't say much else about their impending rescue.

"I wonder where we are. I don't think we've gone far." She didn't want to reveal the existence of the snake posing as a thin gold chain around her neck, which told her she hadn't gone far.

She didn't often wear jewelry on a daily basis because it was a hassle to put on, take off, and she was worried she'd lose something valuable. At most, it was a simple trinket or only worn during special occasions. In place of jewelry, she wore animals.

Shine, her gold snake pretended to be her necklace in the daytime. Keph was the little gold scarab her mother gave her when she was younger. Her mother told her that golden scarabs had excellent senses of direction and were smarter than other scarabs, so if she got lost or was taken somewhere, send Keph out to fetch one of them and lead them back to her.

Thankfully, when the sack was pulled over her head, half of her legs were hanging out, which made it easy for Keph to fly away. Effie had no doubt that Henry was on his way, so she wasn't panicking. At most, this incident was a minor distraction.

There was no need to tell her mother and make her worry.

She looked at Talam, who seemed resigned to his fate and tilted his head back. "Don't be scared. It'll be all right."

Talam shut his eyes and seemed as if her comforting words were a blow to him.

"I'm the adult," he said, sounding a bit embarrassed. "I should be the one telling you that."

"But I'm more experienced than you. It's your first time being kidnapped," Effie replied. He winced.

"You've lived quite an…exciting life." Talam appeared to be gently pressing on his stomach, as if assessing his injury. Effie made a mental note to call for a cleric or healer when they got back to check his injury.

"Yes, and I'm only eight," Effie nodded. "What about you? What do you do in Ashtar?"

Talam waved his hand weakly in front of him. His brows knit together, as if he weren't sure how to explain it. "I used to work in the office of the Imperial Secretariat."

"What does that do?"

"Administrative work and record keeping for the Imperial Court, both the private sector for the imperial family and the public sector, which is the court with ministers and courtiers," Talam replied.

"You do a lot of writing to keep records and file them away?" Effie asked. She'd seen that in business. Record keeping was necessary. Talam nodded. "That's sounds boring."

Talam slumped forward. "I know it's not a particularly impressive office, but I studied hard and my exams to earn a place in the secretariat were praised. It's a good chance to review court policies and sessions without having to be involved in dozens of arguments amongst ministers."

"Isn't your uncle one of those ministers?" Effie asked, raising a brow. From what her brothers told her; his uncle was the man who broke her mother's heart. Talam she could accept, because he was still little when it all happened and had nothing to do with the situation.

Talam released another heavy breath. "My uncle didn't plan on being the Prime Minister. He said it happened out of necessity."

Effie waited for him to say more, but Talam went quiet. Effie searched her head for another topic to talk about to get their minds off their situation. "Brother said you married a princess?"

Talam's face lit up at once. Effie silently thought that she hit the jackpot of conversation topics with the man. Talam shuffled in his seat, pushing him up further. Though he winced, it was through a bright, eager smile.

"I was surprised when I was told of the arrangement. In Ashtar, particularly amongst the noble families, it's common for marriages to be arranged early. Those arrangements don't always end up going through, but it's common. What's uncommon is that my uncle and grandparents didn't arrange for me when I was young," Talam told her. "Uncle said he didn't want me to be forced into marriage like he was. I was going to be allowed to choose." Talam's smile fell a bit. "But then, one day, Uncle told me that he wanted me to marry someone. I, of course, said no at first."

Effie nodded. His reaction was natural after being told he could choose his own spouse his entire life, only to be told never mind, you will marry this person. "Did you know who he picked?"

Talam shook his head. "No. He was being quite secretive about it, saying he was still working on the details. I protested, but my grandparents told me to listen to my uncle. I thought about it. Uncle never did anything to harm me, so agreed. He never had children to ensure I'd be the only heir to the family."

Effie's brows shot up "He said that?"

Talam shrank a bit. "Well…not in those exact words, but the understanding was there. He had planned to marry someone he fell in love with before he was forced out of it."

Effie perked up. She'd never heard that before. "Forced out of it?"

"He didn't get into any details, but he said that something happened, and he couldn't marry my aunt, that is, the woman he wanted to marry," Talam told her. He lifted his head and met her eyes. He blinked, as if suddenly realizing something. "Sorry, Effie." He gave her a wry smile. "This is such a…disappointing topic. It's not suitable for children."

It was suitable! Effie bit her lip from shouting. "Who did he end up marrying?" She tried to sound calm despite already knowing the answer.

Talam sighed. "The half-sister of my aunt. It was a formal, simple ceremony from what I can remember, but he actively avoided her. He didn't even let her into his courtyard. I once heard him tell her that he would never have children with her. I think that's one of the reasons why she didn't like me, because my uncle was assuring my succession by not having children of his own."

Effie nodded her head, engrossed. She didn't like Talam's uncle from what she heard her brothers talk about, but she was very curious about the man. "Did he not like her?"

Talam let out a small cold laugh. "No one in our family liked her. We didn't treat her badly; it's just that she wasn't given all the influence and authority of a madam of the family. Our servants used to whisper that during the time my aunt lived with us, everyone treated her like she was the next madam even though they hadn't married yet. I think everyone saw my uncle's ex-wife as someone who stole the position from my aunt."

Effie was fairly certain that's what happened. "There are dramas less intriguing than this…." She said aloud without thinking and flushed as she covered her mouth with her hand and looked way.

Talam chuckled and nodded. "I agree. There was a lot of tension while she was there. Thankfully, she messed up and Uncle had a reason to divorce her and send her away."

"How'd she mess up?" Effie asked.

Talam opened his mouth, but froze. "It's…inappropriate for little children to hear."

Effie gasped. "She had another man!"

"How did you know? Wait! How did you even come to that solution?" Talam's face flushed as he looked at the child with disbelief.

Effie rolled her eyes. "I watch a lot of plays and theater," she said. "You'd be surprised how many have this plot line. Betrayal, death of a loved one, revenge, manipulation, children swapped at birth for some reason."

When she was five, she thought that children being swapped were such a common occurrence that she asked her mother with tears in her eyes how she was sure her children were hers.

Nera had crinkled her eyes and looked at Effie strangely before telling her that, first, Henry wasn't a child she birthed and she already knew that, second, reminding Effie was adopted and there hadn't been a day where she wasn't with Effie when Effie was an infant to a toddler since they found her, and lastly, no one else had been near her who was pregnant or allowed in or out of the Court of Imperial Wives when Ash was born.

Not to mention that Ash looked like her. Nera then had to sit her down and explain that what happened in plays didn't happen nearly as often in real life, otherwise, why would people go to watch plays to be entertained with such fantasy if they could observe it in real life.

Afterwards, Nera had become stricter on what kind of plays Effie could watch. However, the damage had already been done.

Talam stared at the child, dumbfounded. "Well…she…she said she was going to have a baby, but my uncle said it was impossible for the baby to be his, so he had our people investigate and found out the baby was with her cousin."

Effie's face twisted with disgust. Lover's betrayal she could handle. Affair with a cousin is were she drew the line. "Ew…."

"I know," Talam nodded, sympathetic. "It was solid grounds for divorce, so my uncle hurried to have it done. Then, he focused on his career. Now he's the Prime Minister."

Effie tilted her head to the side and wrinkled her nose. "Why did he wait so long to work? Work is important, especially when you're young and able." Cio's grandfather often said that while one was young, that was the best time to work hard, as one's body was still healthy. Effie took that to heart.

"I don't know," Talam said. "But he's been much more active, even more social than when he was with my aunt. Many ministers who secretly disapprove of the Crown Prince have shown support for him."

Effie nodded. "This is to try to mitigate the damage and balance power."

Talam's brows shot up. "You're very smart, Effie."

"I know."

He laughed, but quickly winced and groaned as the laugh aggravated his injured torso. He leaned back against the wall.

Effie turned her head to the door and narrowed her eyes. The thud of Talam against the wall didn't completely drown out the sound of voices coming from outside. She frowned. Perhaps she should've chatted it up with Talam if their voices carried through the door.

From a sliver of a gap around the door, she saw a faint light. She looked down at the light slip she'd placed on the floor and reached out to snatch it with her free hand and deactivate it.

Just as it went out, plunging the small cell in darkness just before the door swung open and the dim glow of a lantern was shone into the room.

"You're awake?" At first, Effie wasn't sure they were asking as she and turned her squinted eyes away from the light. The surprised woman's voice continued. "You said this would knock her out until after the event ends tonight!"

"That amount of powder should've knocked her out!" A flustered man replied. "I put the amount prescribed into the bag. Look, the baby's still knocked out!"

"Effie, stay back." Talam shifted, sweat on his brows as he moved to shield her and Prince Muran from the kidnappers. "What do you want from us?" He tried to glare at the kidnappers, but it was difficult to take him seriously when he was almost cowering in his efforts to keep the children behind him.

The two kidnappers looked at him with distain. The woman then looked at the man. "Why did you bring him?"

"We couldn't leave him in the service corridor. It'll cause alarm," the man replied with a heavy sigh.

"Why did you kidnap me?" Effie's voice was light and laced with her sincere curiosity. She narrowed her eyes. "Are you one of those people who is trying to casue trouble for Momma, so she doesn't win the all-around?"

The two didn't answer her question. "Just sit here and wait. When the event is over, we'll take you out. Don't think about screaming- "

"Are you kidnapping me for money?" Effie asked. She looked them up and down. Even though the light wasn't very bright, she could still see their clothes were similar to the cleaning personnel uniform at the arena. She'd asked one for extra napkins the other day because Terry and Cio spilled their drinks in the midst of an argument. The uniform meant they either sneaked it pretending to be cleaning staff, or they were cleaning staff that was hired.

"That's none of your business!" The woman snapped at her and scowled.

Considering they fumbled with the amount of powder to put her to sleep, they weren't very professional, so she'd bet on the latter.

"Whatever it is, I bet I can pay you more."

Talam's head snapped in her direction with a look of shock. "Effie!"

Effie dared bargain, not because she thought they'd agree to her terms, but because it would confuse them. A confused enemy wasted time and was unfocused, and an enemy's wasted time was an advantage.

"Little girl, you don't know what you're talking about," the man said with a frown. He looked at the woman. "We'll give them more powder before we leave to keep them quiet." The woman nodded and Effie rolled her eyes.

"Are you sure your powder works?" she asked. "I'm awake. I don't think it's very strong."

"Then, we'll add more- "

"I think you've been cheated," Effie said, lifting her chin. "I'm just a little kid, but I woke up so fast. Are you sure the people who hired you are trustworthy?"

"What are you talking about- "

"This isn't my first kidnapping," Effie said as she leaned forward and gave them a knowing look. "First rule of kidnapping, never leave the abducted unattended."

"There are rules?" Talam whispered, appearing both stunned and concerned.

"Second rule of kidnapping, keep your victim contained," Effie continued on. "And third…know your victim." She held up three fingers. "You already broke one and two," Effie said. She gave them a slight look of pity as she shook her head. "And now I know you didn't follow the third rule, either."

"What do you mean- "

"Do you know who I am?" Effie asked, raising a brow.

"Euphemia Atractas. Daughter of Nera Atractas- "

"And do you know who my brothers are?" Effie asked.

The two people looked at her strangely. "You have brothers?"

For a moment, Effie felt more pity for them than expected. "The red-head and the Lunapsar."

The two kidnappers glanced at each other, then back at Effie. "Aren't they your bodyguards?"

Effie took a deep breath and released it slowly. "Whoever hired you really couldn't be trusted. Listen, if you tell me how much they're paying you, I can pay you fifty percent more to let us go."

"Only fifty percent?" the man flushed and scowled at her as if she'd insulted him. "You're not even going to offer us double? Do you think you can negotiate in this situation?"

"Sixty percent."

"You- "

"Okay, okay," Effie held up her hands and nodded. "You've talked me into it. Seventy-five percent.

The cell went quiet. After a few moments, the woman leaned closer to the man. "I think she's crazy."

Effie tried to think of a good retort to keep them from leaving and getting away. Before she could, she caught a little golden scarab flying past the door, behind the two kidnappers. If its carapace didn't reflect the light from the lantern, she would've missed it.

Keph the golden scarab floated behind and above the kidnappers, as if making sure to stay out of their sights. It took all Effie's strength not to break out in a massive grin.

"Well," she said, allowing a slight smile to escape. She could see the frost starting to spread at the kidnapper's feet. "I gave you an offer and you refused. I guess now, you'll get nothing."

Talam shuddered and raised his arms. "Do you feel cold?"

"You're being…." The woman shuddered. "Why is it so cold? Today is supposed to be another hot day."

The sound of ice cracking began to reach their ears. The woman leaned closer to the man and brought the lantern closer to her in a subconscious attempt to get warm from the small flame.

"They may be trying to increase the cooling in the arena to combat the heat, so it's spreading down here," the man said. "If you're cold, let's go-" He tried to turn around, but the leg he raised didn't move off the ground. His movement was so sudden that he couldn't balance himself in time and fell to the side with a cry.

"What are you doing?" the woman frowned and turned, only to find that her feet were frozen to the ground. Her eyes went wide as she looked down. The blood drained from her face. "What's going on?"

She tried to help her partner in crime stand, but froze in place when she looked down the hall. Her hands hovered in place as her eyes seemed to shrink.

Effie didn't need to know who they saw. Instead, she beamed and cradled Prince Muran in her arms. "Ranran," she said in a gentle voice. "Brother is here."

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