Nyxis's scream joined the roar of the wind against his ears as he grappled for something to hold on to. A hand gripped June's collar while the other clung into the krou's neck fur for dear life.

Sahili sped for the clouds with the winged girl closely at their tail. The girl rose a few feet higher and flapped her wings, sending a great gust of wind that drove Nyxis's hair off his face. His form almost slipped off Sahili's back but the krou adjusted her body enough to steady him.

"Fly towards Eldan, Sahili," Nyxis glanced at the mass of colorful canopies dotting the whole expanse of Dwanzeig. "He will know what to do."

The cat yowled in agreement, flapped her wings, and sped north. A haze of green whizzed towards Nyxis. He threw a shield up just as the spell exploded against it. Hurry, Sahili.

Nyxis ran through the list of offensive spells he knew and crossed them off one by one. The air crackled and the smell of cloth burning wafted in the air. The girl folded her wings as she skillfully evaded his spells with twirls and maneuvers. Nyxis cursed. She's trained for both aerial and terrain battle and for both magical and weapon-aided combat.

Had she battled a human before? Probably not, considering she fell for the vial-throw. It's the oldest trick in the book for humans. Nyxis grinned.

He'd fight like a human then.

His mind scrolled through the list of jinxes, hexes, and curses he had learned over the years. Some of them were harmless like most jinxes while some could be destructive like most curses. Something to buy them time, maybe. Nyxis still had to keep his hands clean.

The girl flapped her wings again. Something metallic glinted in the air as it sped towards Nyxis. His awe dried when one dart slammed into his shield and shattered it to pieces. Whoa. Okay. Wasn't expecting that.

Damn, what a woman.

Nyxis flattened himself on Sahili's back as the krou swerved left and right to avoid the torrent of darts from the girl's wings. What in Pidmena's breeches were those? Nyxis chanted faster than he normally would. A spell formed on his fingers, bright and swirling. The clause sped out of his lips and with a grunt, he lobbed it at the girl.

As expected, she tried dodging it but it followed her flight. Nyxis grinned. Adding a homing clause—another old trick in the human book.

The spell hit the girl in the shoulder. She hissed then moved to attack when she exploded in a mass of feathers. A squawking vulkraine replaced the girl's airspace. It tried flapping its short wings.

Vulkraine couldn't fly. Nyxis wagged his fingers as the vulkraine dropped from the sky and rushed towards the bulging canopies. A fading cluck almost sounded like a curse being screamed at him. Good riddance.

Sahili dove and Nyxis left his stomach in the sky. His grip on the krou's fur tightened. The wind tore at his hair as Sahili tucked her massive wings. Gods of Calaris, Nyxis's hair was going to be worse than Pidmena's punishment when he disembarked.

Sahili broke through the clouds with a roaring cry. Acosa's chasm-and-waterfall scenery zoomed closer. Nyxis narrowed his eyes, making out a light-haired nature fairy hurrying through the bridge along with a pink-haired woman and a man with a nimba draped around his neck.

Eldan looked up just in time for Sahili to roar the second time. A series of expressions flashed across the nature fairy's face. Sahili's paws slammed into the bridge and Eldan ran up to them.

Nyxis slid off Sahili's back and the krou deflated back to her compact size before scampering to rub her neck against Eldan's shins. "What are you doing here?" the nature fairy demanded.

Nyxis swallowed against his racing heart. "The Crown Princess attacked us at your house," he braced his knees, wheezing. "I had to turn her into a vulkraine to get here safely."

Eldan blinked. "A vulkraine?" he breathed. Then, his eyes widened. "You turned the heir to the High Queen into a vulkraine?!"

"Well, she is set to kill me," Nyxis straightened. "I had to."

Eldan massaged his forehead. "Come with me," he said. "We will have to make an appeal for protection from the Grand Monarch."

"Dwanzeig can offer protection to refugees from other kingdoms," Eldan began walking briskly across the bridge. Nyxis had to jog to catch-up, half-dragging, half-carrying June. "For a price."

The double doors towards the same room where Nyxis had met the Grand Royal swung open to reveal a different person seated on the throne made of woven branches.

"Grand Monarch," Eldan stopped a few paces away and dipped his head in a rigid stance. The doors to the hall closed behind Nyxis with some sort of finality. "I invoke the Protection Law to Refugees. It cannot wait longer as their lives are in danger."

The Grand Monarch twined his hands together, his ivy-colored irises digging into Nyxis's person. "From who?" he asked. His light green moustache and beard moved along with his mouth as he spoke. He looked about a year older than Nyxis but with fairies, it's impossible to pinpoint their age just by their appearance.

Nyxis opened his mouth when the doors opened and in came Vulkraine Girl squirming between two burly nature fairies with flat expressions on their face. "Unhand me, you honey-brained witches," she growled. Her gaze landed on Nyxis and her eyes widened. "You! Foreign kings will not save you!"

"Ah, April Sylkrana," the Grand Monarch brought his hands together and propped his chin against his twined fingers. He grinned at the heir. "Nice of you to drop by."

Nyxis's blood drained from his face. They're friends? Oh, he's so doomed. The Grand Monarch inclined his head at April. "What prompts this visit?"

"That boy," April, the Vulkraine Girl, jutted her chin at Nyxis's direction. "Killed the High Queen, my mother. I am here to avenge her and take my throne."

The Grand Monarch waved a hand in the air. "I cannot allow that," he shook his head. "They got here first."

April stomped her foot. The guards holding her wisely slid their toes out of the way. "Where is your sense of justice?!" her voice bounced along the walls. "These people should die!"

"They requested protection," the Grand Monarch's voice was gentle yet stern. He sounded like how Nyxis's grandfather would. "I cannot break my promises to my charges, especially if they are going to pay hefty prices."

Nyxis's throat dried up at the mention of the hefty prices. What was it this time?

"I am the High Queen, you old man!" She attempted to take her arm back but ended up growling to no avail. "You need to heed me!"

The Grand Monarch raised an eyebrow. "Last I checked, that silly throne in Edgerift is still empty," he scratched his chin before leveling his gaze at April. "You are not High Queen and in case your politics tutors forgot to tell you, Dwanzeig attains its right to rule on its borders apart from Lanteglos. We only follow the Imperial call if there is a war that threatens the island from beyond our island. Beyond that, Lanteglos cannot touch us."

"Your demands will fall on deaf ears in this court," The Grand Monarch narrowed his eyes before gesturing at Nyxis. "Do not attempt to harm a single hair on this human's head or you will face Dwanzeig's wrath," he waved his hand in the air again. "Kindly escort her out of my sight. Do refrain from destroying any felmisais on your way out."

April was dragged backward while she thrashed and screamed curses. Her shrill voice faded when she and her guards were already halfway through the bridge. Nyxis turned his attention back to the Grand Monarch who now massaged his forehead. "Did you seriously kill the High Queen?" he asked.

"I did not," Nyxis shook his head. "Her son did."

The Grand Monarch's eyes widened and his nostrils flared. "And Jonadrin let you live?"

"The Virtakios was with us the last time," Nyxis nodded to Eldan whose grim face did nothing but drive sweat from turning his palms clammy. "Right now, we just want a safe place to stay while we wait for her."

"Wait for her to do what?"

Nyxis pursed his lips. "I prefer to not disclose that information just yet."

"You do know that I am the only one who could help you right now and yet you are keeping secrets?" The Grand Monarch's eyes narrowed while his tone turned scratchy. Oh, dear.

Nyxis gulped. His mind ran through all the diplomacy lessons he took in the palace in Cardina. He licked his lips. "The Virtakios requested it," he said.

The Grand Monarch sighed, leaning back against his chair. "What can you do to contribute to this territory?"

"Grand Monarch," Eldan stepped closer to Nyxis and faced the fairy seated on the throne. "Nyxis is skilled in the art of healing and potion-making. He will be useful to us as we prepare for the battle ahead."

Nyxis whirled to Eldan. "Battle?"

Eldan's withering stare told him to shut up. So, he didn't. "What do you mean there's a battle coming up?" he turned to the Grand Monarch whose frown could almost be etched in stone with its hardness. The robed nobles flanking either side of the throne muttered among themselves.

The Grand Monarch raised a hand and a new batch of guards sandwiched Nyxis. His grip on June's cloak tightened. "You will speak of this to no one," the Grand Monarch warned. "You will help us in the infirmary as payment for our protection. You are dismissed."

Nyxis's eyes widened. "Wait—"

"Eldan," the Grand Monarch turned to Xanthy's father having lost all interest in Nyxis. "Do not indulge the boy for further details."

Eldan only dipped his head and touched his chest. "Yes, Grand Monarch."

The guards dragged Nyxis away from the throne room before he could think of what to say next. One even slung June over his shoulder like the half-blood was made of a sheaf of grass.

Nyxis's heart sank to his toes as he was prodded past the familiar walls and corridors with Eldan a few steps ahead of him. There's a battle coming up and he's caught in the middle of it. He cursed. He was just that lucky.