The few days it took to sail to Deorun passed smoothly. Because I still wasn't overly fond of the endless water to our left, I spent most of my time on deck watching the knights duel or staring at the golden dunes of sand to our right.

It felt odd sailing along this particular coast. It wasn't my first time, but it was my first time doing so without being captured. And then there was the coast itself. I couldn't help but imagine Tannix and the knights travelling along it with the army. Surely, it was something they all thought about as well. When we passed Deorun's second largest port, the city of Hoask, surely Mandell was thinking of his missing fingers.

The cove off which the city of Deorun stood was quiet the evening we arrived. Fishing ships darted around, as they seemed to in every port, but Deorun's navy had been destroyed. The frames of a few larger ships sat in the dry docks on the edge of the cove.

While Deorun remained a large, impressive city, it really wasn't the focal point of the area. The true marvels stood beyond Deorun, separated from the city by a wide river. The setting sun cast a golden light on Deorun's pyramids. Each of the imposing structures were covered in stone to give them a specific colour, and each was dedicated to one of our main deities. The largest, for the ocean god Roe, was encased in blue stone. Roe wasn't considered the most important god in Zianna, but he was Deorun's patron and so they held him in higher esteem.

Zianna's patron was Zianesa, and her pyramid was coated in sandy coloured stone to indicate her connection to the earth. Beside it, an identically sized pyramid was covered in bright white stone for Kitsa. The third of the smaller pyramids, built to honor Volava, was black. On my first trip to Deorun, I had been told that the stones used to decorate the pyramids had come from each of the three kingdoms. They were once a symbol of unity between us. Maybe they could be again.

As in East Draulin, a colourful canopy had been erected in the port, indicating where we were supposed to dock. Ender shouted orders and the crew responded swiftly. As they worked, Tannix waved to gather everyone, including the Navirians, on the quarter deck.

"We have to be careful in Deorun," Tannix said. "The people are still recovering from the siege and there are reports of mixed feelings towards Zianna and Navire. Yes, we broke the siege and brought food in for the people, but we also caused the siege. Most of these people weren't involved in the seizing of East Draulin. Most of them didn't want the war, but that doesn't mean they're particularly pleased that we won. Some of them thought Idavari was a good king, some of them are happy to see him gone. We have to constantly keep all of that in mind. Luckily, reports say that Valkiros is very popular, and he made sure to spread the news that we were the ones who rescued him."

Acen said what we were all thinking. "Is it safe for us to go into the city?"

Tannix nodded. "Trusting Valkiros is important."

"We will stay alert," Lady Branni said. "But we will show the Deorans that we intend no harm, and that we do not expect harm to befall us. We must show the Deorans that they are once again our brothers, and that our three kingdoms are once again strong together."

There were silent nods around the circle, only broken when Ender called over from his post at the helm. "We're docked."

King Valkiros stood under the colourful awning. His tunic was deep red, decorated with a vaguely floral pattern made of orange and yellow embroidery. His billowy pants were similarly decorated and held up by a wide gold belt. On his head, he wore Deorun's crown. Unlike Tandrin's crown, which consisted of many pointed peaks, the Deorun crown had only one in the centre of Valkiros' forehead. An oval of sparkling red stone decorated it, and matched one on the beaded gold collar he wore around his neck.

He looked a far cry from the young man I had first met, when he had been dressed in more casual clothing, with his long hair hanging freely to his shoulders. When he had been forced to serve the late King Idavari, his uncle.

In a matter of months, Valkiros' confidence had obviously grown quite a bit. He smiled at our approach and stepped forward to meet Tannix and Lady Branni.

"Welcome, ambassadors. Okia Branni," he said while bowing to her, which I assumed was her title in Deoran. Then he turned to Tannix, and used the name Deoruns and Navirians often used to address him. "Lord Jandor. It is a happy day for our kingdoms. This is Okia Hallis." He gestured at a nearby woman. She looked too old to be his wife. Grey strands of hair mixed with her dark braid, which hung over her left shoulder. She wore a fluttery beige wrap-around dress. "She is to help me. Teltish is..." Valkiros held up his right hand and wiggled it back and forth. "... not good."

When she spoke, her accent reminded me of Lady Branni's and Valari's, albeit with the rougher edge of Deoran. "His majesty's Teltish is very good. However, when we get to speaking of the more intricate details of your journey, he will need my assistance."

Tannix smiled. "We appreciate your assistance. I apologize for not being able to speak any Deoran myself."

Valkiros shrugged. "It is not... We do not think Teltans will speak Deoran. This—" This time he gestured at a portly, balding middle-aged man with a friendly smile. "Is my ambassador, Okio Darios."

"Hello." Okio Darios stepped forward and grabbed Tannix's hand. Shaking it vigorously, he said, "I am excited to embark on this trip with you both. It is important to show the Northern countries that Deorun has allies once again. Idavari did unmeasurable damage to our relationships with our neighbours. Seeing us together will show other countries that we three are still united, despite the war."

"Of course," Tannix agreed. "We are always stronger as allies."

Okio Darios dropped his hand and bowed to Lady Branni. He spoke, and the language sounded too soft to be Deorun, leading me to believe it was Navirian. She smiled and said something in return, then Okio Darios spoke in Teltish again. "I have chosen two fine young guards to accompany me. Neither of them were posted in Deorun during the war, so I hope there is no... what is the Teltish phrase?" He scratched his short beard. "Ah, bad blood. I hope there is no bad blood. Pyos, Erios."

From the line of guards behind the pavilion, two stepped forward. They looked very similar, wearing the exact same brown uniform and metal amour. Curved swords, similar to Karian's, hung from each of their belts. The only difference was their faces. One had short hair and a beard, while the other was clean-shaven with shaggy hair very much like my own.

Tannix nodded towards the men. "It is a pleasure to meet you both. Your majesty," he turned back to Valkiros. "Apologies. But I expected to see Kassia."

"She is... she make anger?" Valkiros looked at Okia Hallis, who carried on pleasantly.

"Okia Kassiandra made a lot of enemies. She twisted her orders and disregarded others, acting on her own scheme as she worked to give King Valkiros his throne. She told us that she had unfinished business with her people."

"You don't know where she is?" It was proof of Tannix's competence as an ambassador that the words didn't sound accusatory. Nearby, Acen wasn't quite as good at hiding his alarm, and his hand went to the pommel of his sword.

Valkiros cleared his throat. "There will be time to explain better at the castle. We will eat and talk. Come."

***

What first grabbed my attention, as it usually did, was the food.

A long table along the right side of the room was covered in platters and pots. The room was filled with the delicious scents of so many different dishes, mingling together and making my stomach rumble. In his stiff Teltish, Valkiros invited us to grab whatever we wanted to eat before the discussions started.

I had just enough self-control to hold back at let the nobles pile food onto their plates first. Once they had, they crossed to a large round table on the other side of the room. I trailed along with the knights when it was our turn to get food. My plate wasn't big enough to hold some of everything, so I had to be regretfully selective. Fragrant yellow rice, chunks of meat in a thick brown sauce, some sort of skinny green plant sprinkled with herbs, a piece of fish coated in melted butter, and on top of it all, a crispy piece of flatbread.

There was room at the table for all of us. Just as in East Draulin, I settled down with the knights, only now we were joined by Pyos and Erios. The nobles, ambassadors, and Okia Hallis were discussing things loudly enough for everyone to hear, and so there wasn't much opportunity for the knights to try to talk to the Deoran guards.

While eating with as many manners as I could manage, I listened to the conversation while also admiring the table. It was painted with a map, although not just a map of the three kingdoms like I was used to seeing. This one went much further North, and much further South. I couldn't read the labels, as they were painted in Deorun, but my eyes traced the coastline. It was an image I would never forget. For whatever reason, maybe a blessing from Zianesa, Jute or Mysma, once I looked at a map I could always recall it perfectly.

"Of course," Okio Darios' jolly voice carried over the table. "Valmuss is worth the visit. Not only for their charming bridge ceremony to cross over into Falmuss, but for the temple. The city of Deorun lacks a large great temple, like Navire's. The kingdom's largest temple is in Valmuss. The historic records claim that Valmuss and Falmuss were originally a single religious complex. It didn't become a pair of normal towns until Morcea claimed the land North of the Muss River."

"It sounds fascinating," Tannix said. "When we were in Navire, Queen Avaloni gave us a tour of the Great Temple. It was breathtaking. I hope to make time for plenty of important religious and cultural monuments on our trip."

Valkiros spoke up slowly. "If you can wait to leave in the morning, we can visit the pyramids. There is no... to go inside. It is closed. But to go close, to touch them. It is..." he paused and spoke in Deorun.

Okia Hallis translated. "It feels like touching something built by the gods themselves."

"We can certainly delay our departure for such an experience," Tannix agreed.

***

Early the next morning, after a quick breakfast, we were each given a horse to ride out of the city. I was shocked at how different the horse felt beneath me, compared to the calmer one I had been riding in West Draulin.

"It's a desert breed," Evrik said unprompted, coming up beside me. "They're faster than ours. More high-strung. You'll be fine if you just let her follow along."

I believed him and tried to relax. The rest of the ride went easier, especially when I stopped thinking about my horse to admire the huge structures ahead of us.

We rode around the city and South along the river, until coming across a wide stone bridge. The crumbling stones looked ancient, but at the beginning of our procession, Valkiros rode across without hesitation. One after another, the horses crossed the bridge. They would know if it wasn't safe, I assumed, and so I ignored my concerns as my horse's hooves clicked over the old stones.

There was a straight road from the bridge to the pyramids. Low walls marked the edges, with small statues standing at regular intervals. Hundreds, if not thousands, of years of sand had worn away at the edges of the statues, making them look blurry and soft. But still I could make out that they were animals. Some sitting up, some standing, and some lying down. I saw cats with outstretched paws, single hooves of horses and cloven hooves of cows, goats or sheep, and wings. Some of the wings may have been on birds, some were on the cats or horses.

The closest of the pyramids was the largest, blue one. It loomed ahead, casting a shadow over the desert. Having grown up beside the Cliffs of Loth, I was somewhat used to towering rock. But this was different, because it had been made by people. How could something so large have been made by people?

As we neared it, I realized there were other buildings clustered around it. They were low to the ground, half-buried in wind-swept dunes of sand. Some, closer to the road, were dug out and looked maintained, but most were being lost to the desert. I understood then why, from a distance, the pyramids seemed to be standing alone in the sand.

Valkiros dismounted when we reached a clear space in front of the pyramid. It might have been a courtyard or meeting place once upon a time, but now the paving stones were covered in a fine layer of sand, and most of the buildings around us were empty. Everyone else dismounted and the horses were tied off to a series of wooden poles. With a wave, Valkiros indicated that we were to follow him to one of the maintained little buildings.

He called out in Deoran as we neared it, and after a moment and old man in sandy robes opened the wooden door and stepped out. Valkiros greeted him, then turned around. He began speaking in Deoran, and Okia Hallis repeated his words in Teltish.

"Many years ago, people lived around the pyramids and all along the Ady River. We can see ruins of their homes all the way to Dusyt, which sits at the fork in the Adymuss River, where it becomes the Ady and the Muss. Old stories tell of two decades of drought. The Ady dried, and the people abandoned their homes to travel to Dusyt or the city of Deorun. The buildings were lost for many years. But, our ancestors knew better than to abandon the gods. Priests from all over the kingdom travelled here, to become the Keepers of the Pyramids. They live in these old houses, sustained by donations from across the country. It is said, as well, that the drought occurred around the same time Valmuss became a regular town. Possibly the priests who once lived in the Valmuss complex moved here."

The priest began to speak, his voice creaky with age. Okia Hallis translated. "Many Keepers of the Pyramids passed during the Deorun siege, as supply lines were..." she trailed off, looking uncomfortable. "I apo—"

"No," Tannix spoke up. "Don't apologize. We won't be offended by truth, and it's important for us to hear."

She nodded curtly and continued. "As supply lines were blocked. In normal times, the city collects supplies to pass along, but with the blockades, King Idavari chose to halt the deliveries."

Valkiros spoke again, but this time in Teltish, his voice bitter. "Idavari take from all Deorans. He was a bad king. He wanted Talidor and did not care to listen to Kalvahi."

Talidor was the original name for East Draulin, and what the Deorans and Navirians still called the city. As much as I hated Kalvahi, in this he had clearly been right. The war had been a bad idea from the start, and everybody had suffered because of it.

Tannix took a deep breath before speaking, cautiously. "Our history is a complicated one, and it can't be changed. I hope that by learning from our history, and maintaining our friendships, we can work to avoid such tragedies in the future. I apologize," he was speaking to the priest now, and Okia Hallis translated quietly for the old man. "The siege hurt your people, just as we knew it would. It does nothing to make up for the losses you suffered, but I hope it can be some comfort to know that the people of Deorun were never our enemies. Idavari and Kalvahi were. And had we known that you were living here, we would have given you goods from our own camp. We wrongfully believed that everyone outside of Deorun's walls had retreated inside, or fled to Dusyt. I am sorry."

It took a moment for Okia Hallis' translation to catch up, but when it did, the old priest nodded.

He didn't seem like he was going to speak again, so Tannix did. "I am learning about your gods. Finn has taught me their Zian names, and I have heard a bit about their Navirian ones. I would be very grateful to learn about their Deoran names."

"I will tell," Valkiros said. "To us, Deor is the greatest of all gods. We live in land empty of water, and so we know the power of water. Come." He turned and began to stroll towards the blue pyramid. Everyone followed him, and I was about to when Okia Hallis spoke.

"Finagale?"

I didn't even realize she knew my name. I paused, stomach jumping with nerves, and turned to her. "Yes?"

She indicated, with a tilt of her head, that she wanted me to step closer. When I did, the old priest reached out for my hands. His skin was dry, and although his fingers looked frail his grip was strong. When he started speaking, I couldn't help but glance at Okia Hallis.

"Even here, we have heard of you," she translated. "The one who saved King Valkiros. The one who asked Queen Avaloni to fight. The one who told King Tandrin to train the Zians. Now, I hear that you are teaching Lord Jandor the ways of our gods. The gods are working through you to bring balance to our kingdoms."

It was uncomfortably similar to what Baisan had said to me about Kassia, but coming from the old priest, it sounded far more real. His words felt huge. I didn't want to hear them, but neither could I pull away from his firm grip. Tannix and the others were following Valkiros further away. The pyramid, looming above us, was overwhelmingly large, making me feel smaller than ever. My heartbeat started to race.

Okia Hallis lay a gentle hand on my shoulder, drawing me back. My panic receded. I took a deep breath.

"I... I can't," I stammered. "I'm not special."

The old priest looked at me curiously as Okia Hallis repeated my words. Then he replied.

"Men who think they are special are the men who break our world," Okia Hallis said. "Idavari and Kalvahi thought they were special." She paused as the priest let go of my right hand to reach into a pocket of his robes. He pulled something out, and held out his hand flat to reveal a gold bracelet. It was a solid loop of metal, engraved with what I recognized as very tiny Deoran letters. Using his firm grip on my left hand, the priest twisted his wrist, in turn twisting mine. The shiny pieces of shell in my Navirian bracelet caught the light.

"You wear a Navirian bracelet to represent Navena," she said, using Kitsa's Deoran name. "This old Deoran bracelet will be your symbol of Deor. Do you have a token for Ziassa?"

I thought of Tannix's Zianesa amulet as I swallowed and shook my head. "No."

"You must find one," Okia Hallis said a heartbeat after the priest. He slid the bracelet over my wrist to hang beside the Navirian one. Then, he let go of me and gestured towards everyone else with a wave while speaking.

"Do not forget to honor the gods on your journey," Okia Hallis said. "Now, you may go."

Just turning around and running after the others didn't seem proper, so I dipped my head in a quick bow. "Thank you."

The priest nodded, and finally I rushed to catch up with Tannix and the others at the base of the blue pyramid. I didn't want to think about the priest's words, or a new bracelet dangling around my wrist. I just wanted to be near Tannix.