Moonlit Ride (3rd month of Autumn, 23rd day ?)

  Aya rode alongside her squad. Evening patrols were a new routine — Kemi's response to a recent village raid — and this was the first time Aya's squad had taken part. It was nearly midnight, the moon already high, casting silver light over the snow-covered land. The night was perfect for riding. The frosty air was sharp and invigorating, rare snowflakes sparkled in the moonlight, and even Aya's unruly mare seemed content to trot. Somehow, this ride through the cold night felt freer than anything Aya had experienced in the mansion. Ixi rode on Kiki's back in front of Aya, calm and quiet.

  "Stop," the sergeant ordered, interrupting her thoughts. "Aya, scout."

  "Yes," Aya replied. "Ixi, let's scout."

  Ixi turned toward her. Aya pointed upward.

  "Fly up, scout around," she said, tracing a circle in the air with her finger.

  Ixi took flight immediately. Watching the lone fairy ascend in the bright moonlight was oddly surreal. Aya wondered if such a sight had ever occurred naturally — and what the bandits might think if they saw it. Ixi completed a wide arc and returned.

  "Radara," she said, pointing southeast.

  Aya hopes for an unevenfull night vanished. "Are you sure? How many?"

  "Fiva," Ixi said, showing four fingers.

  "Four or five?" Aya clarified, holding up both hands, one with four fingers, the other with five.

  "Fora," Ixi said, pointing to the hand with four.

  It took a minute to determine the riders' exact position and movement. Ixi, running out of words, resorted to gestures. The riders were to the northeast, hidden from view behind a hill. They were moving north — boldly trespassing into Vemer's territory. Aya turned to the sergeant, who eyed them suspiciously, as if they were conversing in a foreign tongue.

  "Four riders over there," she reported. "About half a league away. Heading north."

  The sergeant nodded. "We'll ride south, circle the hill, and intercept. Let's see how they run when we threaten to cut them off from the border. Stay sharp. Stick close."

  They moved out, skirting the hill. It all still felt a bit unreal — Aya hadn't seen the riders herself and wasn't even sure she'd understood Ixi correctly. But soon enough, they spotted the group. The riders saw them too and veered sharply, picking up speed. Now they galloped southeast, heading for the border.

  "Drive them, but don't rush," the sergeant barked.

  The squad shifted to intercept and accelerated. Ixi took to the air again, as she always did when Kiki galloped. Aya wasn't worried. It was supposed to end with the bandits chased off. She just savored the ride — the heat of the muscular beast beneath her, the cold wind biting her cheeks, the sharp air filling her lungs. It was thrilling in a violent sort of way.

  Then a scream tore through the night sky.

  Startling as it was to Aya, it was worse for the bandits. It came out of nowhere — along with the shadow of a fairy wooshing above their heads. The suddenness of it must have been especially terrifying. Their mares panicked. Three of them galloped even faster, scattering slightly, each rider choosing a different escape path. The fourth stumbled and fell, throwing its rider to the ground. When the squad reached him, the others were already far ahead. The man didn't resist and let himself be tied up.

  His frightened mare ran away, so the prisoner rode back with Aya, seated awkwardly in front of her on Kiki's back. Ixi circled above, clearly annoyed to have her usual spot taken. She hovered over the stranger, peering down at him. The poor man couldn't take his eyes off her darting shadow. Did he really think she'd eat him right there? Stupid bandit.

  Back at the mansion, they put him with the other captives. The sergeant gave Aya a stern lecture about acting without orders. She apologized, said she hadn't intended for things to go that way, and promised to train Ixi better. The sergeant admitted that Ixi's abilities were useful — but emphasized the need for discipline. Aya agreed. Ixi listened, as she always did when Aya spoke to someone.

  When they were dismissed, Aya draped her cloak over Ixi and snuck back to their room without anyone noticing. She tried to tell Ixi what she'd done wrong but struggled to explain what "an order" even meant. It all boiled down to Ixi's speech, so Aya spent the next hour teaching her new words. They went to sleep after that.

  Xerens (3rd month of Autumn, 24th day)

  Kedi examined himself in the mirror. A maid adjusted a fold at his waist and stepped back, satisfied. This was the most casual of his celebratory outfits, and even it felt too gaudy for his taste. Still, it looked good enough — and at least it wasn't uncomfortable.

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  Xia entered. Her dress, trimmed in red, had clearly been chosen to complement his attire. Elegant and not too flashy — he liked it. She always dressed perfectly for every occasion. Kedi sometimes wondered if that was some kind of womanly magic common to all wives, or if he was simply fortunate to have married her.

  "They're coming. Are you ready?" she asked.

  "Yes. Have you hidden Aya?" he said, turning to her.

  "I've sent her on patrol for the night. She'll stay discreet if they return early."

  Kedi didn't argue, though he thought it would've been safer to just lock the girl up.

  "You look beautiful," he said, brushing her hair lightly. "Let's go meet our guests."

  In the yard, snowflakes danced, sparkling in the early-lit magical lamps. Xenwi Xeren — formally addressed as Master Xeren since becoming the head of his house — rode through the gates, followed by his wife. Behind them came a pair of nobles and a group of servants. The guests dismounted.

  "Master Xeren. Welcome to my home," Kedi said.

  "Master Vemer," the tall elf replied with a nod. He had slender features, lilac hair, and pale blue eyes. "Allow me to introduce my wife, Lady Arza."

  The woman at his side curtsied. She shared her husband's lilac hair and stood nearly as tall, but her rare ruby-red eyes set her apart.

  "An honor, my lady. You're always welcome in my house. This is my wife, Lady Xia."

  Xia curtsied and offered, "Please make yourselves at home. If anything isn't to your liking, let me know and I'll do my best to accommodate you."

  "How very polite, cousin — not quite how I remembered you," Xenwi said wryly.

  "Oh, don't tease like that, Xenwi," his wife interjected with a guilty smile. "He always speaks fondly of you, Lady Xia."

  Kedi half-expected Xia to say something sharp, but she only smiled and replied, "I know, Lady Arza. Please, let's go inside."

  Xeren's group included his younger brother — a tall, timid youth — and a cousin from the western branch. Inside, cloaks came off, and they made their way to the dining hall. Conversation stayed pleasant, if formal, until a servant entered and whispered to Kedi.

  "It seems we have an unexpected guest," Kedi said. "Lord Negli Idewald has come to visit. I'll invite him to join us, if our guests don't mind."

  "Of course," said Xenwi, watching his wine cup being filled. "I haven't seen him in ages."

  "How do you know him?" Arza asked her husband.

  "He's a friend of Kedi's. We met during my studying years in Bizenki. A tower warlock, no less."

  "How intriguing," Arza said. "You do keep interesting company, Master Vemer."

  "Please, call me Kedi, Lady Arza — we are family, after all," Kedi said. "Xia, would you invite our guest?"

  Xia returned a few minutes later with Negli, dressed in his black and red warlock robes.

  "My apologies for the intrusion. I hope the honored company will forgive me," he said with a nod.

  "Forgiven. Come, drink with us," said Xenwi.

  "I see you're well, Xenwi — and that must be your lovely wife, Lady Arza," Negli said, bowing politely. Arza returned the gesture with a slight bow and a warm smile.

  "Ah yes, the lovely Lady Arza," Xenwi said with a chuckle. "And I'm just Xenwi, it seems."

  "Oh, forgive me, Master Xeren. I meant no offense," Negli said, sounding indifferent, if not a touch ironic. He took the seat Xia offered and signaled a servant to pour him wine.

  "Glad you're in good humor, Lord Negli. Though the situation itself is no joke. How does the winter look from Bizenki?"

  "We're stocked well enough, but we're a small house," Negli said. "As for the city overall — dire. Though you'd get a clearer answer from the Magistrate."

  "He doesn't answer to the likes of us country nobles. But what am I doing, questioning a weary traveler? Let's enjoy our dinner — serious matters can wait."

  "As the latecomer, Lord Negli owes us a toast," said Arza, smiling.

  "To interesting and pleasant meetings," said Negli without hesitation, raising his cup.

  "The pleasure is ours," Arza replied, clinking hers. She barely tasted her wine before putting her cup down. "So what has brought an arcane scholar to our quiet rural neighborhood — and so suddenly?"

  Negli was still finishing his wine when Kedi answered for him. "I sought Lord Negli's advice on the very same matter we're about to discuss with your lord husband."

  "Quite so," said Negli, putting the cup down. "As to why I arrived earlier than expected — that's just a shift in my schedule. I realized I could spend more time with my friend if I rode tonight."

  After dinner, Kedi, Xenwi, and Negli retired to the study to discuss the plan. By nightfall, they'd agreed on the general outline.

  "Have the Tezir agreed yet?" Xenwi asked, as the conversation shifted from legal matters to neighboring lords.

  "Tentatively. But his attitude is strange," Kedi replied.

  "How so?"

  "He wants more lords to sign on, asks strange questions. For example — do I have a guarantee that our actions are defensible in court? How am I supposed to 'guarantee' that? Provide bribery checks? But when I pressed him for a better idea, he just said the situation is dire and he fully supports the plan. It appears almost as if he's stalling for time."

  "Maybe he's just wary of you?"

  "Wary of what, exactly?"

  Xenwi raised his palms in an I-don't-know gesture. "Something like you pinning the blame on him if things went badly."

  "That would be impossible, given the plan. Still — that's not the only strange thing about him. There are also the raids. We're seeing more raiders on his border. One of my villages was sacked."

  "On his border? You suspect he's behind the raids?"

  Kedi shrugged. It was a serious accusation — not one to throw lightly.

  "We have no proof yet, but Kemi is almost sure. He showed it on the maps, argued it couldn't have happened without Tezir knowing. Asked for permission to question Tezir's villagers — as in, go into the village and whip peasants until they talk. Imagine that? I forbade it, of course."

  "Fiery as ever, your brother. By the way, where is he?"

  "He went to Bizenki to sign a contract with a lawyer. Wanted to meet the man in person."

  "Or maybe he just wanted a break from his duties," Xenwi said, stifling a yawn. "And what of you, Negli — how come you're in this? Didn't you say your house is good for the winter?"

  "My house has nothing to do with it. I'm here as a friend. And the lawyer is my friend too."

  "So, he's a friend of a friend then? Well, whatever it is, it's good to have someone from the Tower on our side," Xenwi said, standing up. "I'm in, Kedi. I brought silver. I'll even add a bit more, in case Tezir backs out. And now — while it's a pleasure talking to you, my lords — I'd rather retire for the night."

  Kedi wished him good night, and Xenwi left, led by a servant. The two stayed alone in the study. Negli was visibly tired, and Kedi himself must have looked no better, but the question hanging in the air had to be asked:

  "We didn't expect you. Something happened?"

  "Yes. It's about your girl. But it can wait until tomorrow. Finish your dealings with Xenwi — then we'll talk."