Chapter 22

As the light of a new day was breaking through, Rui led the group through the quiet, windy desert grounds toward a small town surrounded by cacti and date palm trees.

"We're stopping in town, right?" Fiona asked. "Whichever town this is... I think it'd be best for Keira to rest in a real bed."

"She's doing okay, right?" Rui asked.

"Well, she's starting to sweat a bit again... but the wound hasn't gotten worse or anything."

Rui glanced over at Aki. "Do we need to worry about the poison? Is it possible you didn't get rid of it all?"

"I-I don't think we should worry. I can't say I've had a lot of experience with poisons, especially one from a scorpion demon, but we poured a lot of magic into healing her. It's possible the neutralized poison is being forced out of her body now."

"Okay, I guess that makes sense. It doesn't magically vanish..."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For not working faster. For not having an instant heal. For not being able to extract all traces of the poison—"

"Aki! Cool it. You healed her and neutralized the poison; you did plenty."

"But..." He swallowed his words, trying to shake off his dark thoughts. "Okay..."

"I know a good place for us to rest." Malik took the lead through the quiet town with a few shops open in the market and people busy before the sun fully hit.

A couple of civilians watched them wide-eyed and started to bow.

"What's going on?" Aki asked, a little unsettled. "Is it you, Rui?"

"While I have been way out here with Keira before, years ago, I don't think it's me." Rui turned to Malik. "Right, Mr. Kingliness?"

Malik chuckled. "I suppose even in these parts they recognize me, though I haven't been here in a while now. I usually come by once in a new moon to check on things. I'm glad the town wasn't overrun with demons as well."

"That's unusual, isn't it?" Aki asked. "Since your seals were broken, I was expecting more chaos everywhere."

"Demons are attracted to highly populated areas, generally," Aria said, scanning the area with her eyes. "Though I suppose you can find them anywhere, and this town got lucky."

"Many have tried to figure out the logic to demons, but there is such a large variety of them that you can't lump them together for it," Malik said.

More people noticed him. Some bowed, while others tried to offer him food.

"Thank you," Malik accepted a bowl of fruit. "Your generosity knows no bounds."

"I've never understood people giving anything to people who are already rich and can fend for themselves." Aria shook her head. "Never mind the rich person accepting it."

"In my culture, it's rude to refuse a gift as such. And giving in general is seen as something that will bring you more prosperity. Would you have rather I told her no? She would've been insulted and heartbroken, wondering what was wrong with her."

"If you say so..."

"Ugh..." A groan came from the carriage.

"She's waking up!" Fiona said, kneeling beside Keira. "Hey, can you hear me?"

"Let's hurry to my friend's place so she can rest properly."

Ugh, what's all that noise? Why is it so hot?

"Keira?" Fiona called out to her again.

"What?" she groaned, wincing as her eyes opened a sliver.

"Oh gosh. I'm so glad you're alive." Fiona hugged her.

"Ugh."

"Sorry."

"Where are we?" Keira forced herself to sit up.

"Stay lying down."

Keira glared at her.

"Please?"

Keira pointed at Fiona's spot across from her, telling her to sit, and looked out the carriage window. I've been out for a few hours at least if we're in Belmora. A brief stop should be fine, but I'd rather not stay too long... Ugh, stupid heat. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. Why couldn't it have been a trip to a cold climate?

Neigh. Sora trotted closer to the carriage as soon as she noticed Keira was awake.

"Hey, girl." Keira rolled down the window and reached out to her.

Sora nuzzled up against her hand.

"You're probably hungry." Especially since she's used to me feeding her more often than I should.

"I fed her," Rui called out from ahead of them. "And she almost bit my hand."

"Good girl."

"Hey!"

Keira sat back, and her expression fell. Fiona was staring at her, wide-eyed. "What?"

"N-nothing." Fiona looked away, fiddling with her thumbs.

What's with her? Keira frowned.

The carriage turned down a long road lined with date palm trees leading to a large, gated house. The guard at the front spotted Malik and bowed before opening the gate.

Guess we're not staying at an inn.

"Being a king comes with perks," Rui grumbled.

"Of course it does, and I'm glad for it now more than ever," Malik said as they entered the gate and headed to the shaded stables to the side.

Keira got up right away and slowly got out of the carriage, her legs shaking. Dammit.

"What are you doing?!" Rui complained, rushing up to her alongside Aki and Malik.

"We're heading inside for now, aren't we?" Her hand on the side of the carriage, she made her way toward the front entrance, where a couple of women in white robes came out to greet them.

"Ugh, you never learn, do you?" Rui waved Malik and Aki off, for them to go ahead. "I'll handle her."

"Good luck," Malik said and approached the women, who bowed to him.

Damn, it must've done a lot of damage to me. At least Aria seems okay. Keira watched Aria follow right behind Malik. Wakaru, you saved me, and I saved your sister, but it's not enough for what you paid...

Rui lifted Keira's arm over his shoulders.

"What are you ah—"

"Up you go." Rui picked Keira up, cradling her in his arms.

"Tch, what are you doing?" She gritted her teeth.

"What does it look like I'm doing? Carrying the injured person inside."

"I can walk." She wiggled around.

"For how long? More than likely you would fall over because you're too drained and end up crawling inside."

"So?"

"Tch. You'd rather crawl than let me carry you again?"

"Yes."

"Harsh. I'd let you carry me if I struggled to walk."

"That would be... quite a sight, considering how much bigger you are." Keira held back a laugh.

"True! But you could totally do it. You're also more likely to drag me than carry me..."

"True."

"Way to enforce it."

Ugh, I hate feeling... weak. I should be fine. Aki healed me. She huffed and shifted her focus to their new surroundings. "Whose place is this, anyway?"

"Friend of the king is about all I know. He assured us it's more secure than the only inn in town."

Keira looked down at the hole in her clothes, showing her healed stomach. "Not sure I should meet anyone like this."

"Oh, so you do care about decorum sometimes."

She glared at him, her eyes glowing. "I'd smack you if you weren't carrying me right now." She held her hand over the wound. Doesn't even hurt anymore... Her eyes drooped.

"Are you falling asleep again? So much for you could've walked in yourself." He hummed.

"I'm not..." Falling asleep...

By the time he caught up with the others, they were inside a wide office with several seats, full bookcases all around, and a large desk by the window.

"This must be the hero. We'll have a doctor look after—"

"I can do it," Aki said, cutting off Malik's friend, Asher, who wore gold and black robes and tied his long black hair back in a pony.

"Shouldn't you rest, too?" Fiona whispered to him from the side.

Malik patted his friend on the back. "I appreciate it, but she'll be fine. If anything, we could use a good blacksmith to repair some high-class armour. Or perhaps make something even better?"

"I know just the person to help with that," Asher said, nodding to Malik. He snapped his fingers. "See His Majesty's friends to rooms upstairs and help them with anything they need," he instructed the two guides.

They bowed to him and motioned for the others to follow.

"I'll stay here and chat with Asher for now. It's been too long," Malik said, sitting down on the chair near Asher's desk. "Any chance we can see that blacksmith soon?"

"Of course."

---

"You can let the Ice Queen rest in this room," one woman said, opening the second door upstairs.

Rui's eyes twitched. "You recognized her?"

"Right away. Don't worry; we won't let anyone know she's injured. We know how to handle delicate situations."

"Thank you, that'd be a great help." Rui laid Keira gently on the large bed with plush purple blankets. "Now, you better get some sleep and rest up. We need you in top shape to face what's ahead."

She gazed up at him, barely awake. "Sure, but just resting won't get me—"

Rui held up his finger to her lips, half-worried she'd bite him. "Yes, right now all you need to do is rest. And if I find you wandering the halls after I leave, I'll drag you back here, later consequences or not."

"Tch." What's gotten into him? She glared at him, and he pulled his hand away.

"It's for your own good, Keira. I know you don't like to take care of yourself, so someone else has to."

Keira rolled her eyes.

Rui threw his hands in the air. "I know, I know. I hate resting when things need to get done too, but look at it this way: if we got into another fight right now, you'd be a hindrance to the rest of us, not a help."

With her jaw tightened, Keira looked away from him, out the window at the blue sky above. Ugh, that's the last thing I'd want. She gripped the necklace.

"By the way, just because Wakaru saved you doesn't mean you have to get yourself killed saving someone else, even if it's his sister."

"You would've preferred I let her get stabbed with that stinger? She doesn't even have proper armour; I doubt she would've lived."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it."

"Then what was your point?"

"That you should care more about yourself."

"Not if I'm risking someone else." She threw a pillow at him.

Rui caught it and shook his head. "That's my cue to leave. Try to get some sleep. I'll come by with food later." He tossed the pillow back and closed the door.

"Ugh." Keira hugged the pillow, cuddling up to it as she lay on her side. Who knows what would've happened if I didn't jump in the way? Would Aria have been able to protect herself? At the very least, I should've used ice to limit the damage... Maybe Rui has a point.

---

Rui met back up with the others downstairs. "Where's His Kingliness and Aria?" he asked the other two relaxing in the living room with a plate of peeled and sliced prickly pears.

"Malik is still talking with his friend," Aki said. "Her armour has also been sent for repairs. And I think Aria is still upstairs."

"I've never had this fruit before. It's sweet." Fiona held up a piece. "You should try some."

"Sure thing." Rui took a bite of the one in her hand, and Fiona's face burned. "Mmm." He nodded. "It's good."

"There's a plate... Never mind."

"How's Keira?" Aki asked. "I can't imagine she went to bed easily."

"She didn't want to go to bed, that's for sure." Rui ran his hand through his hair roughly. "It's like pulling teeth."

"But why wouldn't she want to rest? I was thinking about taking a nap, too." Fiona pouted, poking at another piece of prickly pear. "All this travelling has been exhausting, never mind the actual fighting! I hope everyone back home is okay. What if the seal was attacked again? Can anyone else repair it?"

"They've put extra guards around both seals while we're gone, so we can only hope everything's okay." Rui flopped back on the couch beside her. "I think we have enough to worry about without thinking about home right now."

"I guess..."

"Maybe you were right; it'd be better to nap right now."