Realm of the Sun

Chapter 19

"What do you mean, taken hostage?"

"Just calm down, Sol-"

Roza and Solarie had arrived back earlier than first estimated, and as soon as the train's metal wheels could be heard screeching against the tracks, Gwen had rushed down and dragged Roza to her office, leaving a bewildered Solarie with Sylas and a very hyper Ashlee. The two narrowly escaped from Solarie's onslaught of questions, and left her poor fiance to deal with all of them.

"We have a problem."

"Funny," Roza kicked the door shut behind her. "I was just about to say the same thing."

Gwen sighed and leaned on her desk. "Trouble in paradise?"

"If you mean my supposedly uneventful trip to Nebesa, yes. A few things happened." she folded her arms across her chest. "We got interrupted by the Disciples of the White Blade, we got the documents for the allegiance, became mutual friends with the tsar's niece, and oh! I absorbed an ancient weather serpent. Your turn."

Roza's casual tone and deadpan delivery somehow made it seem like everything that had happened on their trip was just a regular day's work, and that nothing particularly peculiar had happened. If getting almost assassinated, becoming friends with royalty, claiming an alliance from another country in just a few days, and absorbing a syzmeiskazki was an everyday occurrence, it was going to be hard to imagine what an eventful day was. Gwen could not believe that her girlfriend could call all of these one collective problem, but she supposed it was part of her core personality.

Gwen picked up a crumpled piece of parchment off her desk and tossed it at Roza, with perfect aim. The Storm Witch unfurled it carefully, and Gwen watched as her eyes scanned the writing.

"Ariadne? How did she-"

"-Was protecting Nila, both got taken. Nicholas is seeing his father for the demands, but is putting a hostage rescue on lower priority. The coffers are going to be empty by the end of the prophecy. The royals are trying to save what they can."

Roza raised an eyebrow. "So what is the plan? It's not like they left any clues other than that note, and we don't have access to it. Nicholas definitely isn't going to get it for us, and I doubt Solarie has access either."

"... you realize you're talking to a person who makes no sound when walking, enhanced vision, and a variety of other gifts."

"Won't you get dishonourably discharged if they catch you stealing it?"

"Who says they're going to catch me?"

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It wasn't exactly the easiest heist she had ever pulled.

A few things: she was really only used to stealing things that weren't locked up. And those things were usually drinks for Roza. And those things were much larger in quantity, so nobody would know something was amiss unless they did an inventory count again after the initial theft.

After collecting intel from Aiko and Mariko, and some sleuth work, she deduced exactly where the letter was, and like she predicted, it was in possibly the worst place possible.

Nicholas' room.

Gwen supposed that King Magnus did not trust that the letter would be safe in his own chambers or office, and opted to hide it in his son's room instead. After all, nobody would look there, right?

Naturally, fate had it out for her and the moment she turned down the corridor to the prince's room, she spotted Yue standing in front of the door. She quickly ducked back behind the wall, and poked her head out ever so slightly to see what the Chang girl was doing.