Enoria is preparing for war with Irithara, and the team sans Kaleth are doing the best they can to put a stop to it before it progresses even further.
Their plan? Find Mereria, get her help with killing Relioth, and save Kaleth in the process. They...
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Standing on a cliff overlooking Aleara, Nira realized she had no idea how they were going to get to the palace. High up above the city, the gold-covered structure was glimmering in the setting sun, as was the jewel-encrusted statue of Irif at the top of it, stretching her wings and roaring. Nira used to think it was an architectural marvel, but after what Yorin had said, it felt more like a monument to Irif's ego.
"Ready to go?" Yorin asked, somehow managing to look both apprehensive and excited. "I hope Irif's in a good mood."
Nira frowned at the Eternal next to her. "Um, do you have an idea how to get inside the palace?"
Yorin copied her confused frown. "Can't we just knock on the front door?"
"No," Nira replied, not bothering to disguise her astonishment. "Not if you want to live. I know it doesn't look like it, but Enoria and Irithara are at war. And besides, there are snipers on the rooftops, all day, every day, wartime or not." Nira paused as she thought about it. "Well, I guess you could survive being shot, but I sure can't."
Yorin's shoulders slumped in disappointment. "I see. It wasn't like that before."
Nira was pretty sure those skyscrapers weren't there either when Yorin had last been here, but she decided to keep that to herself.
"And unfortunately, I don't think I would survive, either. Irithara controls the largest mines of othrin in the world. I have no doubt those snipers have been equipped with bullets deadly to me as well."
They stayed silent for a moment, trying to come up with something. A moment later, Nira got an idea and wanted to smack her forehead a little at how obvious the solution here was. "Just tell her through telepathy what's up, and she'll let us in."
Yorin suddenly looked like he was trying hard not to panic.
"Right?" Nira asked, frowning again.
Yorin made a series of uncertain noises while staring at anything but Nira. "N-no actually. You see, uh, the, uh, walls of the palace stop any kind of telepathic communication, so, I, um, can't actually talk to anyone inside like that."
"You're a terrible liar, you know," Nira commented, folding her arms at him. Yorin sighed miserably.
"I know, I've been told."
"What, are you afraid she'll kill you? If she wants to, she'll just do that anyway, won't she?" Okay, that sounded a little mean, but Nira was so tired of Yorin avoiding questions. She just didn't have the patience to be kind anymore.
Yorin looked a little hurt by how blunt the question had been, but then he hung his head with a defeated sigh. "I was hoping that me bringing you back to her would maybe change Irif's mind."
Oh, so that was why he'd agreed to help her. Nira wasn't angry, though. She hadn't thought Yorin had done it out of the goodness of his heart. Still, it would have been nice if he'd told her outright.
