2412, Tull 30, Velpa

Xanthy's butt hurt from being cooped up in the carriage for too long. The last three days blurred in her mind in a snapshot of people, carts, and an explosion of fairy dialects being spoken around. Blue flowers fallen from snedil trees lined the clearing as the carriage entered the Nobility region through the Magic Road.

Xanthy wrinkled her nose at the apparent arrogance the nobles didn't bother hiding. The Magic Road, as it was used by fairies and Common businessmen, was flanked with groves of trees that formed the forest that once covered Cardina.

Now, the trees' only purpose was to make sure that the nobles would have less chances of encountering people from the lower class or from a different race, altogether.

Xanthy sighed and looked at the hands folded atop her skirt. Not too long ago, these hands and the magic now burning inside her had torn a man to death. Whenever Xanthy thought about it, her blood froze and nausea gripped her head.

She could say that the man deserved what came upon him. He was part of a repressive system that attacked innocent half-bloods based on prejudice. Xanthy was there to deliver the punishment.

But was she, really? What if it was something that would doom her in Pidmena's realm?

Xanthy took a shaky breath. Her head pulsed with questions as well as the dread that came with them. She shook her head.

Vikara shifted from her seat. A frown was etched deep in the woman's aging face as she glanced at the outside world through the glass window. Klaire trunks, with their alternating stripes, blazed through the trail and were interwoven within the mass of yellow green Snedil leaves.

It was a charming view. The wind outside blew, rustling the hair-like leaves of the klaire trees. Shrill tinkles like small bells ringing echoed in the silence of the forest.

Vulkraine, with their colorful plumage and their fluffy antennate between their eyes, strutted at the forest floor and pecked at rocks, the fallen flowers, and the trees' trunks. The varying animal cries and the occasional chatter could be attributed to these creatures who were known to mimic everything they hear.

Xanthy bit down on her tongue before she could ask how long they were supposed to remain on this Road. Judging from the volume and the timing of their departure, it wouldn't take long for the Civil Guards to pinpoint Xanthy's location.

A sigh escaped her lips, making Nyxis glance her way from his seat opposite hers. She smiled and shook her head at him. Even though they've just met three days ago, Nyxis had warmed to everyone, including Vikara. What charm this boy had.

From beside Xanthy, Reeca massaged her wrists after having spent the whole day yesterday weaving trailcloakers for everyone per Vikara's request.

"Civil Guards probably have memorized your trails," Vikara had explained to quiet Reeca of her whinings. "It is best to be safe by cloaking our trails."

"And using less magic," June suggested to which Vikara had agreed.

Xanthy fingered the new cloaker Reeca had designed for her in the carriage. She had burned through her previous cloaker when she let the Virtakios rage. Just the thought of being able to destroy an inherently indestructible cloaker sent a large rock in her gut.

Gone was the butterfly pendant. Instead, Xanthy got a random pebble Reeca picked up from the ground in one of their numerous relief breaks.

Her eyes drooped against her will. She shook her head and slapped her cheeks. Wake up. They could disembark any time and Xanthy couldn't afford to be sleeping. Alert. She must be alert.

In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she had slept. As for eating, Vikara passed Xanthy a vial of fairy potion and so far, Xanthy's stomach still hasn't been burned through nor was she addicted to the substance. All she felt was a calming sensation in her stomach and a fullness she never got from eating ajilte fruits and Aunt Becky's pastries all day.

Xanthy raised her hand to her hair and paused. She's... a fairy. One who happened to have a powerful and destructive brand of magic under impossible circumstances.

Xanthy yawned which brought a bout of tears to her eyes. She sighed. In their journey, they haven't seen Jarvik anywhere. Was he in the Palace already? Was he even alive right now?

Worry twisted her intestines as she eyed the newly-risen sun after a whole night of watching the moons zip through the star-dappled sky. With five people to share the humid and stuffy air, it was harder to breathe regardless of the wind rustling the leaves outside.

Suddenly, Vikara tensed and moved to the carriage's door. What—

"Out," Vikara hissed.

Before Xanthy could react, Vikara pushed the carriage's door open without stopping it. In a swift motion, she jumped out with a grace Xanthy didn't expect from a middle-aged woman. Wait, that means...

Reeca's cloak billowed as the varichria launched straight through the open door. Wait, wait! June followed and then Nyxis. Both boys thumped into the ground. With bile on her throat, Xanthy gripped the doorframe and threw herself out.

She landed face-first into the dirt. Air was knocked out of her system as her stomach hit the soil. Ugh.

"That is the most graceful landing I have ever seen," Nyxis teased as he helped her up. Xanthy backhanded him on the chest.

"Shut up," Xanthy hissed as she dusted herself off.

The corners of Vikara's mouth curled into a smile as she spoke. "The Temple of Magic is just beyond this forest," she pointed somewhere due north.

Then, began the long walk.

By the time a pointed dome of a roof on the distance, Xanthy's ankles burned inside her boots. Sweat poured from her skin and stained her tight dress. She clicked her tongue. She wanted to rip the bodice then and there.

Her lips were chapped and her head swam either from the heat, the lack of sleep, or the fatigue slowly clamping on her muscles. Onward, they walked. The leaves howled every time the wind blew. Fruits as hard as a pebble hit Xanthy on the head as they fell multiple times. When she asked Vikara if she could at least eat the trees' blessings, the woman raised an eyebrow at her.

"Unless you want to have your intestines twisted, do not even think about eating it," Vikara said, Xanthy had never tossed a fruit vigorously all her life.

"I wish they would stop pelting me," Xanthy muttered as their group tore through the line of trees. Like a slap to the face, the wide roads of the Nobility region greeted them.

Roads as wide as five Commons streets put side-by-side bustled with activity. Carriages made of slick, painted lumber plodded past. A reined Kephras pulling an ornate carriage hissed at Xanthy as it spotted her from the opposite side of the road. Damn, what an eyesight.

With a body like Harriet and a dappled black and corn yellow coat, the Kephras seemed to be the substitute for dagrine in this part of the city. Vikara gestured at them to hurry and they began crossing the road. There were a few Nobles milling about the paved sidewalks, either getting back to their carriages or just stepping out of it.

Xanthy tugged at the hem of her bodice. She felt out of place upon seeing the Noble's sweeping, velvet gowns and their tailored suits. Here, buckled, leather shoes made from the Commons were the ordinary sounds of scuffle.

No one gave them a second glance and Xanthy could guess why. Most of the Nobles here probably thought they were servants carrying errands. Whether that's a good thing or not was debatable.

They reached the paved sidewalk. Xanthy craned her neck at the sights greeting her as she followed Vikara's lead. Estates bigger than Vikara's textile business in the Commons sprawled in vast spreads of land. Unlike the Commons, there were no two buildings built with the same style. Xanthy squinted her eyes at the mansions crowding inside the metal gates fencing the estates. Walls were made from quarried rocks that could have only been imported from some fairy territory.

Xanthy inhaled a draft of light air. Even though it was humid and the sun bore down on them, for once, she didn't feel like she was breathing underwater. Was this what a lesser population would do to a place?

Lush gardens with walls boasting intricate mosaics and murals waved at Xanthy. A marble statue erected at an intersection glared down at her as Vikara led them west. Xanthy stuck her tongue out at the statue depicting a figure astride a rearing dagrine. That's probably the Queen in riding breeches but whatever. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Nyxis wince. Xanthy rolled her eyes.

Her breath hitched when she turned and acknowledged the building looming over her. Columns twenty times Xanthy's height rose from the ground up, supporting a triangular roof. The gable depicted some sort of battle between dagrines and wind. Xanthy shrugged. She wasn't an art appreciator.

Steps made from polished marble reflected Xanthy's face back at her as they approached. Xanthy inclined her neck. Her vision swam with the wave of stairs leading up to an open courtyard sporting a single doorway.

Xanthy inhaled sharply as Vikara and the others began tackling the stairs. Oh, why wasn't she a fairy with wings?

A brief glance at Reeca told Xanthy enough. Wings were no use if they're in a territory that hates anything more privileged than them.

The stairs were a pain to clear. Her shins turned into half-baked dough by the time she stepped off the last stair. She had to brace her knees to stop them from going numb. If not for the Draswists being in more danger as each day passed, she wouldn't even dare walk that much again.

From behind, Vikara sidestepped Xanthy's bent frame and walked towards the doorway without breaking stride. Xanthy wrinkled her nose and knitted her eyebrows. Queen's breeches. Were Nobles trained to walk fifty-two flights of stairs when they were young?

With a loud exhale, Xanthy used the last of her energy running after her group as they went through the doorway. A woman dressed in dark, floor-length robes stepped from out of nowhere making Xanthy yelp. Without glancing at Xanthy's direction, the woman stared Vikara dead in the eye and said, "Welcome to the Temple of Magic, travellers."