Crimson and Gold

After leaving the fort, Saria hesitated whether she should take Drusus directly to the Palace or hide him somewhere while she brings Lysandra to him.

Fortunately, the problem was solved by the man in question himself, who told her about a secret hideout in the city that the Princess had prepared a long time ago.

On the way back, Saria explained how she and Lysandra met and started working together without getting into too many details. It still took her half an hour to finish explaining.

During that time, Drusus hardly asked any questions. He mostly listened to what Saria had to say with a serious expression on his face.

Noticing that he wasn’t talking much, Saria didn’t try to keep the conversation going either.

Everything important in that moment had already been told, and everything that still needed to be said could wait for when they were in a better shape.

Avoiding the fight saved both of them a lot of energy, but it didn’t mean they were completely fine either.

Severely fatigued after days of sleeping for no longer than an hour at a time and with little supplies, Saria could feel her body growing heavier and heavier with every passing minute.

Still, they weren’t completely out of danger, so she forced herself to stay alert for the time being.

Drusus, being held captive for weeks in terrible conditions, was also in a rather poor condition.

Being a spy for so long and having all sorts of experiences gave him a small advantage of being somewhat more resistant to harsh situations like this, but even then, his body had limits that no amount of training could surpass.

As they were nearing the city, Drusus suddenly told her to leave the main road and take a turn into one of the branching, narrow paths.

“I thought we were going back to Aervelis?” Saria questioned, but still followed his directions.

“We are, but entering through the main gate is dangerous,” Drusus answered. “The Princess isn’t the only one who has eyes all over the city.”

Saria’s eyebrows furrowed. “How deep is Loukios’ influence?”

“Very deep,” he answered honestly. “As the next Emperor, he already garners a lot of ‘fans’ who are eager to get on his good side. Being a man also helps.

“A lot of politicians and nobles still believe that a woman can’t be a good leader. While they treat Lysandra with respect in public, behind closed doors, they are secretly hoping for her downfall.”

Saria quietly listened to everything Drusus had to say.

She already somewhat realized that Lysandra’s position and authority she had were, in a big part, illusory, but having Drusus confirm her suspicions made her even more worried.

“I told Lysandra many times that without proper action, things will only get worse,” Drusus continued.

“She’s not doing anything about it?”

Drusus shook his head. “Not exactly ‘nothing’, but with pests like this, there’s no place for finesse. Lysandra still believes that goodness will eventually outweigh the evil, that good deeds are enough to change people’s minds.”

Hearing this, Saria thought of the moment when Lysandra found her taken by Sulla. It was the first time she saw her merciless, unwilling to yield to pleas.

“Maybe things have changed,” Saria said, more to herself than Drusus.

“I hope you’re right. In an ideal world, being good and doing good would be enough to win people’s hearts. But we don’t live in an ideal world,” he sighed. “It’s not always possible to keep your hands clean. That’s the real cruelty of life.”

The rest of the way, they stayed quiet, with the occasional directions given by Drusus.

Before long, they entered Aervelis through a secret passage in the city’s sewer system.

Seemingly knowing the path like the back of his hand, Drusus led them in the dark towards one of the exits located in the scholar district of the city.

The secret hideout turned out to be one of the many bookstores on the street. Everything from the interior to the book selection it offered had been nothing but ordinary. Not even a single thing was made to stand out.

If not for Drusus guiding her, Saria would have probably walked past the store without ever acknowledging its existence.

When they walked in, the woman inside opened her eyes wide and dropped the broom she used to sweep the floor.

“Drusus!” she exclaimed, rushing to them. “We were losing hope of ever seeing you again!”

“Mira,” Drusus welcomed her with a smile as she helped him to the seat. “Turns out these old bones still have some resilience left in them.”

The woman, whom Drusus referred to as Mira, rushed to the upper floor of the store, only to appear again a mere moments later, leading two young men and a boy downstairs.

“Boys, help Drusus go upstairs and start preparing medicine. Adi, you run to the Palace and inform Her Highness!” she instructed, then quickly added before the boy left, “But remember to make sure that nobody sees you.”

Adi rolled his eyes. “I know, I know! I’m not a child anymore!” he argued, then darted from the store.

Mira shook her head helplessly, then turned her gaze to Saria. The surprise in her eyes made it seem like she had completely forgotten there was someone else in the room.

“I don’t know who you are, but you have my eternal gratitude for bringing him back to us. If there is any way I can repay you, please tell me,” she said. Despite her words, her eyes watched her intently, as if deciding her fate.

Saria didn’t mind. She understood better than others that in this line of work, there was no place for unwavering trust.

What surprised her, however, was how this seemingly defenseless middle-aged woman showed signs of proper military training.

Everything from her watchful gaze to the way her stance gave her an easy way to draw the dagger hidden under her apron was telling her that this was not an ordinary shopkeeper.

“There’s no need for repayment,” Saria said, a faint knowing smile tugging at the corner of her lips, “I was only doing what Lysandra told me to do. You can call me Saria.”

Just for a second, a glimpse of surprise followed by realization crossed Mira’s face. “You’re the daethri,” she said and visibly relaxed.

“I am.”

“Come with me. There’s clean water upstairs, you can refresh yourself before Her Highness arrives.”

Following Mira to the upper floor, Saria familiarized herself with the place. Posing as an unassuming bookstore, the building was actually a headquarters for an elaborate spy network.

Filled to the brim with scrolls, maps, letters, and papers, it was a perfect hiding spot for those needing to obtain and redistribute large volumes of information without raising suspicion.

Naturally, all of it was ciphered and incorporated into the contents, so the message could only be received by those who knew what to look for and how to understand it.

The depth and complexity of the operation gave Saria the idea that this place must have been at work for far longer than during Lysandra’s time.

“How long have you been operating?” Saria asked.

“The bookstore has been here for the past fifty years,” Mira answered, then added, “If you’re asking about the ‘other’ business, before Princess Lysandra, we served the late Empress Arvatii.”

“Empress Arvatii? Lysandra’s mother?”

Mira nodded. “And before her, her mother, her mother’s mother, and so on.”

“So how far back does it go?”

“Very far,” Mira smirked and placed a basin in front of Saria. “Now, wash yourself. You can’t meet Her Highness while being so stinky. Everything you need is in the cabinet,” she said, then quickly left the room.

During the time Saria was busy getting herself to a state acceptable to be in the presence of the royalty, Lysandra arrived at the bookstore and met with Drusus.

Seeing him, tears welled in her eyes as she hugged him tightly. “How are you feeling? Are you hurt anywhere? Should I arrange a healer?”

“Just a little tired and a few bruises here and there. Nothing serious. It would be much worse if not for the friend you sent.”

At the mention of Saria, something shifted in Lysandra’s expression. She tensed up and her eyes darkened. “Where is she?”

“I’m here.” Saria came back just in time to answer. She couldn’t see the Princess’ face, but she noticed the weird, heavy mood the moment she entered.

Lysandra stood up. “Come with me,” she said and left the room without looking back.

Saria couldn’t shake the feeling that, for some reason, she was in trouble.