Of course she’d say that, Kire thought with a grunt. Kire listened to them explain the safeguards they would work into the wards and nodded, remembering that frantic moment when the Gemini mage instructed them to destroy the ward in a specific sequence. She began entertaining another possibility then of perhaps having such a ward permanently around the Palace, or even the Capital, for protection. Because of the Gemini, there had been a ban on such magic, and there wasn’t much guarantee it would work, but if they pulled this off, Kire would seriously consider it now.
The question about her death gave her pause, though she did smile, amused, when Envy forbade her to die. If it were only that easy. “I can’t die. Who’ll send your sorry asses home?” She smirked at them, though only briefly. Joke though it may be, it was still an uncomfortable truth. If she fell, the three of them couldn’t go back, not unless they found some other errant gate to take them home. “Either way, whatever is necessary for the wards to work, I’ll do it. I wouldn’t have had much of an issue with my own magic being negated within the wards, but I’d rather have the option open in case an emergency happens.”
“Hang on,” Gavin put in, “just to clarify, if the ward’s intent is to negate the magic inside, does that mean you two can’t Shadow Walk, either?”
That definitely was a cause for concern. “My assumption would be that once the wards are set, the rest of our forces would enter, and the heaviest fighting would be directed at the army,” Kire put in, “the infiltrators should ideally be in and out. But we’ll hash out the details when we’ve met up with the others. As for how much or how little you’ll be involved, we’ll have to discuss whether or not you’ll even need to be anywhere near this.”
Gavin frowned at that, but decided that whatever objections or details needed to be discussed might be better when they everybody else was gathered. “Fine.”
Kire sighed. “Alright. If we’re ready. Let’s go.” She wanted to say more, some words of comfort or promise to Envy that she would do all in her power to make sure all three were returned whole and safe. But she knew the only real comfort would come once this is all over. “Thank you, Envy.”
When they emerged in Elva’s manor, Gavin doubled over, clutching his head. “Need a bucket?” Kire asked. Gavin shook his head, then closed his eyes, the movement making his motion sickness worse.
“I was wondering when you lot will show up,” Elva said, entering the great hall, her eyes on Ysaryn and Ruli, before settling on Gavin. She looked at Kire, her gaze questioning, pipe between her teeth, which told Kire she had been anxious while waiting.
“Elva, this is Gavin,” Kire said simply. Elva’s brows raised for only a moment before she smiled.
“Ah. I see.” She stepped closer, observing him, and Gavin stood ramrod straight before giving a well-practiced bow.
“Good day, my lady,” he said before straightening up; the healer blinked, not expecting the sudden formality.
“Huh. Well. Good day to you, too, Gavin.”
Kire could see that Elva didn’t quite know what to make of this young man yet. She wondered if the lad’s age had anything to do with it, especially given how Earnest had been that age, or roundabouts. Elva cleared her throat and turned to Ruli.
“Daryll is in the library. We’ve put together everything in the list we talked about.” She glanced at Gavin. “Is he going to join us?”
“Yes,” Kire said, a hand on Gavin’s shoulder. “He’s agreed to help us. Did my request arrive?”
“Ahh,” Elva said, grinning at Ysaryn. “It’s in the armory.”
--
“Ed isn’t here, he’s currently where the war council will be held,” Kire said, leading her to the armory, “we’ll see him and Maika too. Now, here we are.” She went inside, towards one of the tables, “I know you only asked for blades, but if you need anything else, like armor or shields, you’re welcome to it. Now this is for you.” She unfolded something wrapped in leather, revealing two sabers, slightly more curved and slenderer than Ruli’s. The handle had the same level of intricacy, with a stylized wave motif winding around the hilt. But the blades themselves were impressive even without the handle, whorls forged into the metal. “Are they satisfactory?” Kire asked, grinning.
--
Daryll looked up as Elva, Ruli, and Gavin entered. “You’re back. And that’s him, then?” He said, gesturing at Gavin.
“Mmhmm,” Elva said. She had put out the embers in her tobacco before she had entered the library, though now she was itching to smoke more. Daryll stepped closer, extending his hand to Gavin, who took it.
As soon as he did, Daryll pulled him closer, his hand tight around Gavin’s. “You better not screw us over,” he muttered.
“Daryll,” Elva warned.
Gavin kept steady, though his voice trembled slightly when he spoke. “I promise you, I want them to bleed.”
Daryll let him go. “Well. If this works. There will be plenty of that.”
