The hotel room was larger than expected; two beds in a bedroom, an entirely separate living room with a couch that had a pullout bed, a bathroom and a small kitchen. There was even a table that could seat the five of them, which was where Ayela found each of them sitting and staring at her and Kacyn in disbelief. She expected it to be worse than it was, if she were being honest.

  “…This girl is another divine logician like you, from Songriveii, and knew of our plans and wants to help?” Asher restated. Ayela exhaled all of her anxious tension.

  “I stand by what I said.”

  “And we’re just supposed to trust you two? You realize that it looks as though you broke away from us to specifically meet with this girl, right?” He pointed out. She hid her flustered expression well. He was too accurate in his guessing. “Why should we trust her? We trust you well enough, which is why we didn’t outright deny any ties to you, but this is a stranger.”

  She wanted to tell them everything, but kept her mouth shut. She wanted to tell them about the stranger at the pub, but she wasn’t sure how they’d react. She was stuck in a place where she was lost, unsure of her next action or the results of any decision she would make. Then, in her moment of distress, Kacyn gently placed a hand on her arm and smile warmly.

  “It’s okay, Ayela,” she cooed.

  That was all the confidence she needed.

  “There was a stranger at the pub in Shamol after you all went to bed. I couldn’t see any details, but he stood outside the door and waited for me. When I approached, he held up a phone with a message from Kacyn telling me to meet her alone. So, I needed to make sure I’d truly be alone, and I kept it a secret from you guys. I know you all well enough; you’d have followed me and watched from a distance,” she explained.

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  Thillan snickered. “You’re not wrong, I’ll give you that.”

  “And if this were some sort of trap, it’s better I be alone when it was sprung. If all of us were caught, the darklings would lose their strongest leadership. So, I went and met her. At first, I was as skeptical as all of you. Then she told me something that I’d never told anyone before… Something I kept very close to my heart… And because of that, because she was able to tell me that secret so plainly, she won my trust,” she finished explaining. The others wore their contemplation like masks, and after a few tense and silent minutes, Asher stood to his feet.

  “Then she will have a chance to prove herself and her abilities to us as well,” he began. Kacyn threw up her hands in protest.

  “Please, I know I can’t change your mind in what you’re about to say, but know that I would never cross a dancer. Their kind is so powerful, I would be a fool to challenge one. Our own prince levels battlefields with his power against your empire. With your challenge, keep that in mind. Ayela is your guarantee that I am no threat, even if I wanted to be,” she explained. Kamille kept her stern expression, but stood up and approached her.

  “Make sure you take care of our crimson princess here, or she won’t be the only threat you have to worry about,” she warned. Kacyn gulped.

  “Great. Now that we’re done threatening everyone, Kacyn is the one who will go with Ayela to steal the data,” Asher said. “If she’s as she says, her abilities will come in handy more than anyone else. Kacyn, you steal the data for us, you’re one of us. That’s my test. If you betray us, we make sure you pay for it.”

  Kacyn smiled, and Ayela was sure she was glad to finally be among friends…