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“So should we still call you Silver?” Sera said when Kira appeared that evening. “Or would you prefer we call you Kira?” She positioned herself by the door to listen for anyone coming upstairs.

Kira shifted into her human form and shrugged. “Call me Kira in this form, other than that it’s up to you.” She sat down cross-legged on Sera’s bed. “I spoke to my family. They aren’t happy. Mother threw a fit and ordered me to ignore anything the key said. Gran and dad shut that down, but they are worried too. They don’t want Ophelia involved in a war with the Idri Council – it’s too dangerous. She can’t just banish Kithreiri like she can the Lost Ones, and no one wants a war on two fronts. But we can’t see any alternative – we don’t have anyone strong enough we can spare for the fight and Ophelia would have to go anyway because only the key knows where we are going.”

“Yes, yes, we know it’s a bad situation,” Ophelia said. “There’s no need to rub it in. But did you family have any insight on the fight?”

“Some,” Kira said. “Dad says Andarian-mirian trains his guards well so they tend to be well-rounded combatants. They’re both lethal hand-to-hand combatants and have strong ranged attacks. You’re going to have to keep moving because we don’t have an antivenom for their venom so if it even nicks you it could kill you. That also why dad says we aren’t going anywhere until I’ve taught you to shield.”

“Good idea, I’d like to stay alive, but how long will it take?”

“You’re a quick learner,” Kira said. “So not long – an hour or two maybe, if the Key cooperates. If you have to learn to shield without its help it’ll take longer.”

“It’ll cooperate,” Ophelia said. “It wants to help.”

“That’s good.” Kira’s tone suggested it wasn’t always so cooperative. “It’ll be draining so after you’ve learned that you’ll need a rest and one of mother’s brews. You don’t want to fight tired.”

“I’ll have a nap after dinner as well,” Ophelia said. “If this maths homework gives me time. But this guard is just a grunt, right? It’s this Andarian person who sent him?”

“Yes, almost certainly on behalf of the Idri Council.”

“I see. Did they have any idea why the Key is so angry with the Idri Council?”

“No, but he did say that Andarian had a hand in making it.”

“That’s interesting,” Ophelia said. “Because the sense I get from the Key is that it isn’t as angry with him as some of the others. It’s more a bitter regret than anger.”

“That would fit. Gran says Anarian is being forced into helping the others this time and she’s fairly sure he was forced into making the key as well. She says she always had the sense he was unhappy about it.”

“Hmm… we’ll have to figure out if we can help him later if he’s really under duress,” Ophelia said. “It’s not as urgent as dealing with that crystal. We’d best move out as soon as Sera’s family is asleep.”

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