It took two and a half more days of travel to get to Glinburn, the capital of Kavendash.

Illnyea spent long hours with Arnold, occasionally coming out of the cheese and now meat wagon to drape her weight against whoever she found first. Her eyes closed immediately upon contact, going limp like a rag doll.

"Don't wanna think," Illnyea mumbled as she nearly took both her and Priscilla to the ground. Luckily Priscilla was able to readjust herself so that neither of them took a tumble, unlike what had happened when Illnyea had done the same thing to Kavil. Kavil had yelped as gravity dragged them down. Illnyea barely flinched, making herself comfortable on her new pillow, much to Kavil's irritation as he tried and failed to push her off.

The night before they arrived at the capital, Illnyea let out a shout that rang over the camp.

Everyone tensed, ready for another battle, but Illnyea didn't look alarmed as she barreled towards them. Sulaiman barely caught her by the shoulders before Illnyea knocked them all down like a bowling ball.

"I did it!" Illnyea said with a grin splitting her face and stars in her golden eyes as she held something up in her gloved hand.

It took a moment for Priscilla to recognize it, a tiny sliver of the purple gem that had been shattered.

"I purified it," Illnyea continued to babble. "It was so much math and the runes are so annoying, but, but I did it! It doesn't stink of rot anymore and Arnold says that since it's been purified, I might be able to try and design a small artifact and use this as its power source. Nothing complicated, but maybe, like, a portable light like the things on the walls in the restaurant in Roydorn."

"Breathe, brat," Arnold said as he finally caught up with Illnyea. Perry rested on his shoulders like a particularly judgemental fur scarf.

Illnyea took a deep breath, but she was still bouncing with giddiness.

"This is just a first step," Arnold continued, "as you only had to deal with two rune sequences to purify that sliver. If you want to use anything with real power, you're going to have to hit the books when we hit the capital."

That took some of the wind out of Illnyea's sails and she let out a dramatic groan, collapsing against Kavil's shoulder to fake cry. Kavil just barely managed to stay upright, glaring at Illnyea and failing to dislodge her, and Priscilla didn't bother to hide her smile. It was so fun to see their relationship develop right in front of her eyes, to see how Illnyea became increasingly comfortable bothering Kavil and Kavil adjusting to the position of being the older one in the relationship. The friendship wasn't the same as it was in TDE, but it was softer as it was developed under kinder circumstances rather than one steeped in trauma and violence.

Illnyea's success buoyed all of their spirits as they approached Glinburn just around noon.

Glinburn was a city that reminded Priscilla of Venice at first glance because of its series of interconnecting canals. But instead of being surrounded by ocean on all sides, Glinburn was safely enscorned in a protected port where a mountain range dipped low to meet the edge of the Thesian Sea. The mountains had once held prosperous gold mines but they had long been exhausted of all minerals, and now served more to protect the city from the elements than a source of profit.

The city was arranged in six circular districts, with the center being the royal castle that was surrounded by a deep moat. Each district was connected with bridges that rested high above the water to allow boats to travel underneath, but there were gates on certain river pathways that barred entry.

The noble district curled around the castle like a snake, packed in as close as it could get to the moat without risking going into the drink. Then the holy district that housed the churches surrounded that, then the scholar district where the city's foremost minds gathered. The artisan district nipped at the scholar's heels, containing almost every shop in the city, and finally, the residential district where all the regular folk lived encompassed the city.

Lucilla excitedly babbled all that information to them as they approached the city gates, but Priscilla's eyes drifted towards the outskirts of the city hidden in the shadow of the mountains. It was difficult to see, but she thought she saw some sort of ragged settlement there.

"What's over there in the outskirts?" Priscilla asked, gesturing towards it with her head.

Lucilla faltered for a moment, her eyes uncertainly skittering towards Sulaiman, who was talking in low tones with Mr. Ordan in front of them.

"Ah," Lucilla cleared her throat, "as far as I know, that is where the Muloians who survived the rebellion make their living. It is… not a welcoming city for them, but…" She faltered again, shame weighing heavily on her brow. "They have nowhere else to go."

Priscilla didn't feel like placating Lucilla, as much as she liked the woman. She should feel shame about the Muloians treatment and let that shame drive her to become better, to do more to help. Priscilla made a mental note to neutrally mention the encampment to Sulaiman without pushing him in any direction. The choice to interact with them would be entirely Sulaiman's and no matter what he chose, Priscilla would support him.

She did notice that as they grew closer to the gates that Sulaiman had found himself a cloak and pulled it low enough over his face that it was almost entirely obscured. Lucilla and Priscilla moved towards the front of their caravan to join Mr. Ordan as Sulaiman drifted towards the middle to stand in between Kavil and Illnyea.

With Lucilla acting as their face, speaking to the guards with a beatific smile and flashing proof of her noble lineage, they had no trouble entering Glinburn. They bid goodbye to the other survivors, who were either going to their lodgings or to the Holy district to bless their dead before burial.

"I want to see Peli's body consecrated," Lucilla said as she gently squeezed Priscilla's hand, "and then I will come back to take you and Kavil to update your wardrobes."

"Take your time," Priscilla said with a glance towards the sky, "we have plenty of daylight left."

Mr. Ordan was the only person who actually knew where they were going to stay, so he led the way down over bridges and down winding, narrow streets. The house actually ended up being in the artisan district, sandwiched in between a glass emporium and a watchmaker, but standing much taller than either of its neighbors. It was nowhere near as ostentatious as the Thornewood manor, reminding Priscilla of a Brownstone from New York with the amount of windows it had on the front.

According to Mr. Ordan, this building had originally been owned by three businesses that all squished into the singular building before the Thornewoods bought it and had it converted into living quarters. It was meant to house the elder Thornewoods and all of their employees when they visited the capital, not that they did that very often. It seemed more like a status symbol by Priscilla reckoning, the type of thing you held over your rivals' heads.

Oh, you own an entire bolt of silk from Thelatia? Well I own real estate in the capital large enough to house me and my staff so I can go brownnosing with nobles.

Mr. Ordan led them around to the back of the house where a stable resided, and they began to unload their cargo.

The back entrance was narrow, but once you got past the doors, it widened into a surprisingly roomy area. There was a large coat rack and what looked like a shelf dedicated entirely for shoes by the door. The kitchen had two ovens, a walk-in pantry, and an enchanted ice box, which sparked Kavil to start excitingly chat with Mr. Ordan about all the meals that they had to make now that they had the tools to create culinary magic.

Once the cheese and meat was safely stored, they each grabbed their packs and luggage to go claim rooms of their own. Arnold and Mr. Ordan chose rooms on the first floor, Sulaiman and Illnyea on the second, and Kavil the third.

Priscilla's feet brought her higher and higher until she stood at the top of the fifth floor. Surprisingly, the four flights of stairs only barely winded her, which was probably due to all the conditioning she had been doing.

The room was dusty as she walked into it and let the door shut behind her, housing only a double bed and a vanity that were both covered in a white sheet. It was chilly in the room, but it wasn't as bad as it could be considering the building hadn't been designed as a house.

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Priscilla placed her things atop the bed and walked to the window, resting her hands against the cold sill.

From this high up, she could see over the tops of the shops across the way into the rest of the city. There were few buildings that were as tall as this one, a few churches in the distance and the castle, and she could see straight out to the Thesian sea. Afternoon sunlight glinted off the seawater, highlighting the ships that were still out in hopes of catching fish.

The view was not what a part of her had secretly hoped it would be — one that could remind her of the view her thirty-fifth story apartment had over a twinkling city that never truly went to sleep.

"Are you alright, Master?" Asha asked quietly.

"Just a little homesick," Priscilla admitted just as quietly, "but there's nothing I can really do about it."

Silence stretched between them as Asha felt a soft sort of sadness and grief.

"It is hard," Asha said, "to long for a home that no longer exists for you."

Priscilla let out a shaky breath at the unexpected emotion rising in her chest over something as stupid as the view from her window.

"I…" Priscilla swallowed around the lump in her throat.

"I like it here," she said truthfully, "I love the people and this world and all the crazy fucking monsters that live in it, but… I can't help but miss what I used to have sometimes."

"Is it what," Asha asked gently, "or a who?"

Priscilla leaned her forehead against the cool glass.

Mr. — had helped her pick out that apartment.

She had actually wanted an apartment closer to the ground in case the elevator ever went out, but Mr. — had been insistent she at least tour the apartment on the thirty-fifth floor because, "You never know what you can fall in love with until you give something a chance."

And, like always, Mr. — had been right because the moment she looked out those windows, she knew it was a view she wanted to see for the rest of her life. He had the graciousness to not be smug, though he did send texts every few days asking for a picture of the view at sunrise. She had moaned and groaned at having to be up that early, but she had pulled herself out of bed because she knew it'd make him smile.

"It's a who," Priscilla said as she stared at her hand, "and I can't even think his fucking name anymore."

"Do you want to talk about — "

Asha fell silent at a knock at the door.

Priscilla immediately straightened, taking a deep breath as she rubbed her eyes. Her face in the reflection didn't look too bad, and when she pasted on a smile, you could barely tell she had been close to tears.

"I've barely had enough time to sit down," Priscilla complained as she yanked open the door. Illnyea's hand was raised as if she was about to knock again and she grinned, completely unrepentant.

"I wanted to see your room before I get dragged off to go learn math from Arnold's acquaintances," Illnyea said, bouncing on her heels.

Priscilla allowed Illnyea in and her sister immediately started inspecting the room. She opened up the closet, revealing two long rows of metal where things could be hung up and a dresser, and then yanked the sheet off the vanity. The mirror was large and ornate, with running wolves carved into the wooden frame and along the desk part.

"I suppose I'll be spending a lot of time here dolling myself up," Priscilal said, glancing at herself in the mirror, "before I go trouncing about like a show pony in front of the nobles."

Illnyea popped her head up over Priscilla's shoulder and grinned.

"I'll do what I can to help," Illnyea said. "Though I don't really know how to do hair or make up, I'm sure I can learn."

Priscilla snorted. "As long as your first attempt isn't when I'm about to go out."

"Deal!" Illnyea said. "Do you — "

"Oi brat!" Arnold's voice suddenly rang out, startling both of them. "Stop being such a wuss about equations and get your ass down here!"

Priscilla blinked as she realized that the voice was coming from the hallway, more specifically from a previously unnoticed metal pipe that stuck out slightly from the wall. The building had a goddamned fantasy intercom system. Handy, though based on how loud Arnold just was, could become very annoying, very quickly.

Illnyea sighed, shoulders drooping only for a moment before she squared them.

"I'm off to go talk about math with people that even Arnold calls nerds," Illnyea said, stone-faced.

"Good luck," Priscilla said solemnly, squeezing Illnyea's shoulder before she went down the stairs.

Priscilla wasn't really in the mood to talk about the past with Asha at the moment and decided to unpack as quickly as possible before going back downstairs so she wasn't left alone with her thoughts. She wasn't technically alone, since Asha was there, but as much as she loved Asha, having someone physically in the same room as you was different.

Sulaiman had found himself a comfortable position on the couch near a window. A gentle sunbeam streamed in through the glass, perfectly illuminating the book within his hands and the undertone of dark blue within his hair.

"Reading anything good?" Priscilla asked as she flopped onto the couch next to him. Kavil and Mr. Ordan's voice drifted in from the kitchen as they discussed the possibility of cooking deer steak for dinner that evening.

Sulaiman glanced up from his book, giving her an unreadable stare before sighing. He held up the book higher so Priscilla could read the title.

"How to Control the Inferno," Priscilla read aloud. "Is that related to all the poor leaves you've immolated?"

Sulaiman rolled his eyes and looked back down.

"I did find that exercise within this book," Sulaiman said.

"And what else is there?" Priscilla asked, scooting a little closer. She couldn't read anything from this angle, but she stared expectantly at Sulaiman.

He sighed again and closed the book.

"I haven't gotten more than a third of the way through yet," Sulaiman said, the edge of frustration in his voice, "but everything else is mostly discussing how to properly meditate so that 'the embers still smolder without threatening to burn down your foundations,' or whatever in the blazes that means."

Priscilla made a face. "Meditation is no fun unless it's guided, and even then, it's not great."

Sulaiman stilled in surprise.

"You've meditated before?" he asked, voice bordering on incredulous.

"You don't have to sound so damn disbelieving," Priscilla said, throwing a dusty pillow at him, "but yeah, I've tried it out."

Mr. — had gotten really into using meditation as a means of self-reflection and 'sorting through the complicated shit life throws at us,' so she had tried it out. It wasn't really her thing, but she had seen why Mr. — enjoyed it so much because it suited his thoughtful personality.

"What does it mean to be guided through meditation?" Sulaiman pressed like a dog gnawing at a bone.

"Exactly what it sounds like," Priscilla said, poking Sulaiman between the eyebrows since he had leaned too far into her space. He scowled, only shifting back slightly to show he wasn't backing down.

She sighed, flopping back onto the cushions and decided Sulaiman made a fantastic leg rest because he was bothering her.

"So basically," Priscilla said, wondering how she of all people got stuck explaining this, "whoever you've chosen to guide you will sit in front of you and you close your eyes. They'll speak in a soft voice and tell you where to focus your attention, reminding you to breathe and relax as you stew within the ideas and visuals they're creating. Usually you pick a topic ahead of time so you both know what you're working towards. I haven't done it a lot, but that's the gist of it."

Sulaiman made a humming noise like he understood Priscilla's shitty explanation.

Before Sulaiman could ask any more questions about a topic Priscilla didn't really have a lot of experience with, Kavil was suddenly standing near the couch, staring down at Priscilla with amusement.

"I was thinking about asking you to be our taste taster," Kavil said with a wry smile, "but it looks like you're comfortable right where you are."

"We were just wrapping up," Priscilla said, rolling ungracefully off the couch in her hurry, "and that sounds like a wonderful idea."

"Want to join, Sulaiman?" Kavil asked as he helped Priscilla to her feet.

Sulaiman opened his mouth, thought better of it, and then nodded, rising in a smooth motion that Priscilla was envious of. Together, they went into the kitchen and enjoyed rather delicious cheese as they waited for Lucilla's return.

The noblewoman arrived an hour later, with crisp knocks ringing through the foyer. Lucilla was dressed to the nines and looking immaculate once more. Her hair was finely piled atop her head, held in place by black lace that matched her long black dress and silver stole. The only hint of her ordeal with deer was the make up carefully applied to hide the bags under her eyes.

Lucilla eyed Kavil's and Priscilla's outfits. They had changed out of their traveling clothes into something nice but not overly fancy.

"It'll have to do for now," Lucilla finally said, "as I am sure neither of you have formal casual wear."

"That sounds like an oxymoron," Kavil said with a chuckle. "Can casual wear even be formal?"

"I can assure you, young Kavil," Lucilla said primly, "it most certainly can. Come, I've arranged for a water cab to take us to the boutique, and the nice young man is waiting for us to get into the boat."

Kavil and Priscilla shared a smile as they followed Lucilla out, excited for what lay in store.

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