233: Hidden

Wyatt went off to show Jen the way to reach the roof while I looked outside, worried we’d somehow done something by putting the skull up. The dragon wouldn’t know, would it? There would be no way it could detect it, surely.

I pushed that thought out of my mind. Even if it were the dragon, that wouldn’t explain the bright sky. If he had arrived, there would be a storm, not a sun-like glow. The only time I had seen the sky light up like this was at the arrival or departure of Alira.

We sat in silence, staring out the window. It was getting darker, so whatever happened seemed like it might be passing. Even Crisplet came over to see what was happening when both Jen and Wyatt came back in.

“Something is going on. I think in the capital?” Jen said.

“Capital?” My mind raced. Had the sea creature attacked? Sylverith assured me that she’d keep my friends safe, even going as far as to include Clifford in that.

“Well, there’s what must be a giant pillar of flame going high into the sky.” She looked concerned.

“Should we go back?” I asked.

Hari immediately shook his head. “No. If it is what we fear it might be, there is absolutely nothing we could do. We’d be like the villager against the galvonson.”

That image came to my mind immediately and I recoiled. He was killed so effortlessly.

“That said, it doesn’t look like a fight. It’s hard to say from this distance, but outside the initial glow, that pillar of flame is still there,” Jen added.

Not sure what to do, I took my scarf off from around my neck and looked into it. “Lily, are you there?” I asked.

An eye lazily opened and stared at me. “Is everyone okay in the capital? It looks like something is happening there.”

The second eye opened before they both vanished. I had to assume she was checking. I knew she liked me, but she was incredibly close to Sylverith.

“I think Lily is checking,” I said to everyone as they watched me.

“They’ll be fine. We have protocols in place if the capital comes under attack,” Luis said from the corner.

Everyone stopped.

I actually jumped. Since entering the inn, my memory of him even being here was gone, and I don’t recall seeing him at any time. I wasn’t the only one either, as everyone stared at him surprised, but none more so than Wyatt.

“Who are you! When did you get here?” Wyatt asked, pointing.

Luis smirked. “I’m Lewie. I apologise, I’ve been here the entire time.”

Milo let out a laugh, which considering the dire situation happening outside, was strange.

“Those are incredibly powerful relics you’re wearing there. I had completely forgotten you were even with us until just now. When did you activate them?” Milo asked.

Wyatt was just looking between them. “Wait, hold up, no! You’re telling me he’s been here the entire time? We’ve been talking for hours. Who are you?”

“Truthfully, I would have introduced him, but even now thinking about it, I don’t remember him even being with us in the city at all,” Milo commented.

“That’s about right. I activated most of them as we were about to enter,” Luis said with a laugh.

“Amazing,” was all I could mutter.

“I need whatever those relics are,” Liane smirked.

“You already have stealth!” I retorted.

I was interrupted by Wyatt. “Wait, we’re not just glossing over this. A guy shows up in the room’s corner, who has been here for literal hours, apparently. Who is he, really, or I’m getting my sword, because something is not right.”

Hari looked over, getting a nod from Luis. “Well, this is Lewie, publicly. Or Prince Luis.”

Wyatt’s eyes widened. “Pr…”

Hari literally put a hand over the giant man’s mouth. “Lewie publicly. If you were anyone else, it would be Lewie. Even Coral. It will be Lewie.”

“What’s going on?” Wyatt said, staring hard at Hari.

“I can’t tell you what he’s doing, but he’s travelling with us. Though, as we’ve just discovered, he’s able to fade from our thoughts and sight without us even realising it. Just accept it’s important, old friend,” Hari said.

Wyatt seemed to study Luis. “You don’t look like any of the others in your family.”

“That would be the phoenix’s fault,” Luis laughed.

“She gave him a gift before we left,” I said, not elaborating more than that.

“And are you going to fade away again?” Wyatt asked.

“Yes, most probably. Not tonight though. I’ll stay out of the public eye, and you might not see me tomorrow until the night. I have a few things to do. Though back on topic, something happening in the capital is concerning,” Luis said.

Wyatt fell back into his chair.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“Wyatt, it’s important that you don’t speak a word of this,” Hari said seriously.

Wyatt raised his hand. “On my inn.”

“You said you had protocols?” Milo asked.

“Yes. It won’t be comfortable, but there are relics in place that if the capital was ever truly under attack and looking to fall, every single resident would be relocated to a location I can’t reveal, to escape,” Luis explained.

“I never knew…” Hari said.

“Most don’t. The royals, the nobles, those who need to know, know. Those who don’t, it won’t matter until it happens, but it’s a last resort,” Luis said.

The conversation was interrupted as Lily appeared next to me. “Is everything okay?” I asked.

She looked over at Crisplet, who just let off a large burst of sparks.

“Was it an attack?” I asked, now realising I was going to have to force information out.

There was a single spark from Crisplet in response before Crisplet came out of the fire and put up a wall of ash, which formed to take the appearance of Alira, and then burst into flame which shot straight up.

“Ah, so it’s Alira doing something?” I got a burst of sparks as a response.

“And the city and all our friends are safe?” I asked.