Trial by Flame

Chapter 4

"Are we sure sneaking around is a good idea?"

Elyria's concern didn't go unheard as they stalled outside the doors of Everhold Keep, relying on the night to go unnoticed.

"It's a terrible one. But it's the best of our options," answered Quinn. She released a shroud beneath her feet, a blow to her recovering mana reserves, but a step she viewed necessary. She didn't want to risk anyone but Maenas finding them first. He had to hear the story come from her before anyone else. "Besides, it's not so much sneaking around as preventing unwanted attention. It's not like we've got bad motives."

"If that's what you tell yourself," Elyria sighed, defeated. "I guess I'll try to believe it, too."

Quinn muted the door as Sysevenie pushed it open, leading them into the vaguely familiar north wing of the keep. It was the part of the castle she'd spent the least time in, but still enough to know her way around.

"Maenas switched his workroom to the second floor, since the top few are being used as conference halls right now," Sysevenie whispered. Quinn focused more mana on hushing her voice, limiting the space that it could travel with material darkness. "Do you think we can get up without being noticed?"

"It'll be hard as a group, but I think I can manage it." Quinn started leading them towards the side hall, hoping to avoid the centralized stairways. "Just avoid making noise, and stay close. That'll reduce how much energy I've got to use."

Sysevenie nodded and followed closer, easing Quinn's reserves slightly. Of course, for every ounce of mana she saved from everyone else, there was double to expend on Clariya. Quinn wasn't sure if she'd actually made any progress dimming her auroral glow, or if the light was just eating away her magic. It was the main reason she was opting for the farther path, keeping a sharp watch the whole way.

Quinn held out a hand to pause them as they reached a corner, peering over to see a group of three head towards the dining hall. Two she knew as guild members, with the last one likely an assimilated soldier. She waited until they disappeared to bring the others around, curving into the nearest stairway.

"...I think so. I'll check the stock we've got left over and see what we can send." It was an older woman's voice, one Quinn knew almost as well as her own. "Yes, no problem. Just keep me updated when you find out, okay?"

It took so much restraint not to sprint out and greet Mara, to instead wait patiently behind the wall until her footsteps faded to nothing. Quinn saw Trelisti tense too, the tiny bit of recognition throwing him off.

There was a subtle creak, then thud, and the space where the hall met the stairway darkened. Quinn inched over and found the source, where a sliver of orange poured out from beneath a door. She pointed and raised a brow to Sysevenie, who nodded and started to walk away.

Right, then. The hall was empty. There was no reason to delay.

So Quinn let go of her shroud and knocked on Maenas' door.