QUARTET ALLIANCE: LEND A HAND (Wild Duty & Judgement)

Chapter 54: Welcome Back Micheal

     "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I promise, I'll make things right."

     Cicero could see the sincerity in her eyes, but he was more curious as to what brought her here.

     "What's done is done," he said and took off his jacket before handing it to her. "What are you doing here, though?"

     Aria wore the jacket and took a deep breath, her eyes darting around nervously before she spoke. "I had to escape," she confessed, her words rushed. "Prince Veldra—he's free. He's more evil, more merciless than ever. I couldn't stay there any longer."

     Dread settled like a stone in Cicero's stomach at her words. Prince Veldra couldn't possibly become worse than what he was, but then again, Aria was standing in front of him in this state. Surely she wouldn't be making empty statements. If he did become more evil then everyone was in grave danger.

     It was a chilling reminder of the darkness that lurked beyond their realm, a darkness that threatened to consume everything in its path.

     "What?" Cicero asked, a strong breeze brushing past their frames, "What happened?"

     Aria's voice trembled as she recounted the harrowing events that had driven her to seek refuge. "He..he," she began, her words faltering with fear. "He's amassed a huge army of men, and he's planning to attack. He wants a war."

     Cicero's eyes widened in alarm at her revelation. The implications of Veldra's actions were dire, threatening to plunge the entire dimension into chaos and bloodshed. "What about the armed forces that arrested him?" he asked, his voice tense with concern.

     Aria shook her head, her expression haunted. "He ordered them to be executed," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "And he plans to burn down Slater's castle next week."

     "That's horrible," Cicero frowned, the gravity of the situation sinking in with each moment. "We can talk about this with the others tomorrow. It's really late now." he eyed her for a few seconds, "do you have a place to sleep in?"

     Aria shook her head, her exhaustion evident as she wrapped Cicero's jacket tighter around herself. "No," she admitted softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't have anywhere to go."

     Cicero thought about letting her in for a second, but remembered that he wasn't even staying at his own house tonight. He knew very well that Zen would not have the best of reactions if he just woke up and saw Aria in his house.  

     Cicero hesitated for a moment, torn between wanting to help Aria and being mindful of Zen's feelings. "How about," he began slowly, "I book you a room at a nearby hotel. It's safer that way."

     Aria nodded understandingly, a flicker of disappointment crossing her features before she masked it with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Cicero," she said softly, her voice tinged with admiration.

     Cicero offered a strained smile, with his lips pressed together in a thin line, an attempt to maintain a polite demeanor while also feeling uncomfortable or hesitant.

     Cicero quickly dialed the number for a nearby hotel, his fingers tapping anxiously on the screen as he made the arrangements. "Alright, I've booked you a room," he said. "It's not far from here. Just head straight there and check in under your name."

     Aria nodded. "Thank you," she said. "I appreciate it."

     Cicero gave her a nod in return, his expression tight with uncertainty. He watched Aria turn to leave, disappearing into the night with a heavy heart.