A few minutes later, the two of them were far from that area and stopped to catch their breath. After finding a cave deep in the forest, Ashiya grabbed a few branches to light a fire.

Kiyeri bandaged Ashiya's hand, "From the way they're trying to protect Zeni, it seems as if his participation is necessary in the merging process. I don't believe they would save him just because of kinship ties."

"Or he knows something necessary and isn't telling them, using the information as leverage to survive."

"Maybe”.  Kiyeri pondered., “And that dagger... One way or another, we need to get answers or the dagger, but how?"

If before they were in danger of dying on the spot AND they couldn't change anything, then now they still can't change anything, they just postpone their death. Kiyeri thought of Zarine, who cursed him, "If we don't think of something, all those lives will be lost for nothing..."

Ashiya lowered his head, bringing his forehead to Kiyeri's and grabbing his hands. Tone clear but quiet, "Not for nothing. You know it's not for nothing."

Surprised by such a sudden gesture, Kiyeri froze, but then a soft, affectionate smile adorned his face. He carefully removed Ashiya's hand from his but didn’t pull away his face.

"I know," he said quietly, continuing to work. Although he always reminded himself to avoid such situations and not to encourage Ashiya, Kiyeri didn't think about it now, it seemed as if his soul needed such comfort, as if he were so tired and someone was offering a resting point. He didn't even try to use his usual logic.

Ashiya spoke quietly, his face was not visible, "What kind of pendant was Zarine talking about? Why is it so scary to get hit by it?"

Kiyeri chuckled, "It would really hurt, that's a fact. When the Solarians attend official meetings, they wear massive stone medallions, have you seen them?"

"Yes, I have."

"Zarine was also at such a meeting once. She is so petite and that medallion seemed to be pulling her to the ground. I laughed at her in a friendly way, and told her that her pendant weighed more than her, I didn't expect her to remember this after so many years.", Kiyeri explained.

Ashiya fell silent, then commented, "It's not like her at all. Not only does she never waste small talk, but in a situation like this..."

As the one who had been cursed, Kiyeri didn't want to say anything. He pulled his forehead away, “The hand is fixed.”

Ashiya looked him straight in the eye gently, “Thank you.”

A sudden voice from the cave entrance made them grab weapons jumping up, “It’s nice that our deaths bring you closer. But if you’re going to hide and talk, then know - acoustics in caves are too good.”

Both Kiyeri and Ashiya recognized that voice and looked at each other. Kiyeri asked, turning to the source, “Why are you here?”

The man snorted, “I’m saving your asses. I’m coming closer.”

The echo of footsteps was heard, the sound getting closer and closer until Seyre’s face appeared in the light. Kiyeri didn’t give up, “How did you find us?”

Seyre sighed, “Anyone would have! Were you so busy that you didn’t even look around or listen?”

The question made those, who weren’t looking or listening, turn their faces in different directions.

Seyre cleared his throat and explained, “I heard a struggle upstairs, then silence. Not knowing the situation and who would come to me next, I spent a long time trying to free myself from chains. When I finally succeeded, the ceiling collapsed. I barely managed to roll myself into a ball of rocks. When the tremors stopped, I crawled outside and saw you running towards the forest.”

“Anyone else would have been crushed alive,” Ashiya mumbled.

"Don't underestimate me, young man, no matter what, I'm still an Earth Sigil." Seyre shot back. "When I ran into the forest, I just chose a straight direction until I heard voices from somewhere." He explained, glancing at Kiyeri as if scolding him for his recklessness.

Kiyeri, of course, felt guilty, but that wasn't the most important thing right now. Without taking his eyes off Seyre, he asked again, "Then why are you here?". It’s just, something felt off for him, but he could not pinpoint it.

It's unclear whether Seyre felt offended or was pretending, but he certainly didn't shy away from showing it on his face, "Why do you think they didn't include me in their plans from the very beginning?"

Of course, no one offered him an answer. Who would give a way out to the one they were interrogating?

“Because my loyalty belongs to the King.”  Seyre answered himself. “If his Majesty’s grandchildren asked me to betray him, there was only one answer – over my dead body! But if those same children asked for asylum, what would I do? I would protect them. I had not received any new instructions since the last one when I was ordered to accompany them.”

It sounded logical. Ruki’s story about the dagger killings was rubbish and Kiyeri had known it from the beginning, Seyre didn’t care whether it was true or false, if the King ordered him to search, he would search, if he ordered him to protect, he would protect, when he ordered him to lay down his head – he would. He simply followed those siblings because the King said so, but if Seyre found out something was threatening the King...

"Wait. So they were going to overthrow the throne?! - Kiyeri connected the dots, “If the King doesn't know anything, that would be the only explanation. Zeni is his younger brother, we all know what that means. And then the grandchildren - the most unloved of all the grandchildren."

"Probably.” Seyre furrowed his brows, “And I can't let this happen".

Kiyeri started waving his hands, "Let's get out of here first, before they found us too."

"Sure, but they ran the other way," Seyre said.

"The other way? What’s there?" Kiyeri asked as he moved, but then the answer came to him, and Ashiya at the same time and they both spoke at once:

- Zarine!

- Stone!