Davina could tell they were nearing the ship when she was seeing signs of water. The silence of the cave was starting to be filled with chirps and tweets. Later on, she could see glimpses of light on the other side. She thought they reached the end of the tunnel.
"We're getting closer," Quinn said when he saw the lights.
Quinn stopped walking, confusing Davina. "Before we get there, I have to warn you about Arlo."
"Why?" she asked warily.
"He may not be open to having you in the group." He continued walking again.
Well that makes two of us.
When they got there, she saw that the lights she saw were all small balls of golden lights floating around the cave. There seemed to be millions of them floating around. Along with the lights, there were many birds flying around as well. It was a beautiful and curious sight. She was too focused on the lights that the huge ship docked in front of her was the last thing that caught her attention.
"Beautiful," Felix said right beside her.
His face held the same expression of awe that she had. A small smile formed on her face. If Felix was the one in this situation, he would've been enjoying himself while she would still act the same paranoid way she is.
"That's also a light spell, but Arlo placed his own twist on the spell so it could do that," Quinn explained.
"Quinn!" A male voice echoed through the walls of the cave.
Davina turned her head and saw a blonde haired boy getting down from the ship. His long hair was fixed in a ponytail and it reached his back. He was wearing a brown long sleeved shirt, pants, and boots. There was a dark chain wrapped around his neck which was supposed to be a necklace, but it had no pendant. So it only looked like a piece of rope. He was taller than Quinn by a few inches and had a sturdier build than him.
There was an eagle flying right beside him which then turned into a small silver pendant of an eagle spreading its wings that completed his bare necklace. Davina took a step back after seeing the transformation.
"How's the ship?" asked Quinn.
"It's almost fixed. Just maybe a day or two then we'll leave."
Davina looked at the ship. She couldn't see any signs of it being broken in the first place. So she was confused with what needed to be fixed.
"Good. Kira's there?"
"She's there. And she told me what you did the other night."
Quinn sighed. "Not again. I don't want this conversation."
"But Quinn you-"
Quinn moved to show Davina who was behind him. Arlo didn't realize she was there at first. The strand of words for Quinn that was supposed to leave his mouth got stuck in his throat when he saw the scarred and malnourished girl in front of him.
"I see you brought her." The hostility was evident in his voice.
"Kira already filled you in?"
"She did. I'm not thrilled to have a human to be a part of this. Much more an Erisian."
"The feeling's mutual," Davina crossed her arms.
Arlo didn't give a reply.
"Why does he remind me of someone?" Felix gave Davina a knowing and teasing look. Davina prevented herself from rolling her eyes.
"Oh good, you're already here."
Kira came down from the ship and walked over to them. She waved at them and Quinn was the only one who waved back. Quinn let out a sigh of relief when he saw her. She unknowingly broke the terrible tension.
"We can finally talk about what to do with Dana," she continued. "I went here first to prepare her room. I'm so excited to have a human with us," she linked her arm with Davina's once again.
"I'm not sure that was necessary," Davina tried to pry away from the girl. The way this girl was so comfortable around her scared her.
"What? Why?"
"I don't want to have her with us."
"But the message!" protested Kira.
"You said the message says that she was going to be useful. Not that she should stay. We have a choice if we want her or not."
So that's what it said.
If Rianne was the one who wrote that message, she was going to be useful, how?
What plan did she have in mind for me?
"She already knows about us too," Quinn added. "We have to take her with us."
"Then we'll kill her," said Arlo nonchalantly.
"Arlo!" Chorused Kira and Quinn with looks of horror in their faces.
Quinn wore the same look on his face when she asked him if she killed the guard with the dust the other night. He and Kira acted as if killing wasn't such a normal occurrence during these times of war.
Arlo sighed. Davina almost felt sorry for him if he wasn't suggesting that they'll kill her. Although she agreed with his methods, there was no way she was going to let herself be killed by him.
"How much does she know?"
"Only that you're all Inarians and you're scheming something," Davina spoke up. She was tired of them acting like she wasn't there.
"That's enough information for me to kill her."
"Not if I kill you first." Her hand landed on the hilt of her sword.
Arlo positioned himself in a stance that was ready to attack. Davina did the same.
"Wait," Kira placed her hand on Arlo's chest to stop him. She and Quinn were currently in between Davina and Arlo.
Kira and Quinn shared a look. If Davina was going to join them, it could be this troublesome everyday.
"Killing doesn't have to be an option here," Quinn said. "We could just erase her memories of us."
Davina's eyes widened. They can do that?
Maybe that's what happened to her. That's why she couldn't remember anything of Felix's death. There must've been an Inarian who came in and erased her memories. So that she had nothing to defend herself with. There was no alibi she could give.
"No!" She protested. "I don't want my memories erased. I don't want to forget anything."
"The alternative is to stay," said Quinn.
"Or die."
Quinn and Kira glared at Arlo.
Davina couldn't believe she got into this mess. Just a few days ago, she was stuck in her cell and now she was betraying her kingdom by siding with the Inarians. She was supposed to be searching for the person who killed Felix and avenge him.
No, I'm not betraying my kingdom. This is all part of my plan to find Felix's true murderer.
If she sides with them, she could find out about their secrets. She's only been with them for a few days and she's already discovered a lot of their powers that she hasn't known before. The information she could get from them after staying with them for a long time must be worth a lot. It could possibly bring victory to her kingdom.
"She could stay and protect us," Quinn suggested.
Davina almost laughed. Protecting Inarians? She'd rather die than side with the enemy and betray her kingdom.
Although her kingdom thinks she already betrayed them.
"Protect you?" Arlo said in disbelief. "How could you trust someone who just threatened to kill me to protect you?" Davina wanted to say he threatened to kill her first.
"She protected me when we were running from the palace guards. She was really good."
That was before she knew he was an Inarian. Neither she or Quinn added that last part.
"Why do you need her to protect you? I can protect the two of you just fine and you can protect yourselves."
"Yes, but with magic," Kira said. "If we do that, we'll give ourselves away."
Arlo tried to think of an argument, but it looked like he was out of ideas. He also couldn't fight against the determined look on both Quinn and Kira's faces. In the end, he gave in. Davina was now part of the group of Inarians.
"So, what's your decision?" Quinn asked Davina.
Everyone's eyes were on her.
"Fine, I'll stay."
"Now that that's settled," Kira tried to take away the tense atmosphere around them, "we should discuss the other part of the message."
"What other part of the message?" Davina asked.
"The one where we're going to the Kingdom of Eris and since you're our protector, you're coming with us."
This was already turning out to be fantastic for Davina.
~~~~~
The four of them moved to talk about this inside the ship. They were now in the captain's office. The room had a desk on one side of the room. There was a table and a few chairs in the middle that was cluttered with maps and books. There were cabinets filled with books around the room.
Quinn made himself comfortable on one of the chairs. Kira was leaning in on the walls and Arlo was sitting on the captain's desk. Davina was the only one standing.
Turns out, the reason why these Inarians were here was because they were trying to find a map. But where the map leads and further information about it was prevented from being shared to her by Arlo.
"Why can't I know? Am I not part of the group now?"
"I don't trust you," he simply stated. "I have to stay and work on the ship. So Quinn, Kira, and...you will have to go."
Davina didn't even bother to react.
The person with the information on the map is going to give it to them in the Kingdom of Eris. Davina sighed. Of all places they could go, it had to be where she's hunted.
"I'm not sure that me going with you is a good idea," she said. "It might bring you trouble."
Arlo wanted to share something another thing he didn' think was a good idea, but Kira glared at him before he could open his mouth.
"Why?" Asked Kira.
"The kingdom and I aren't on good terms." They asked her to elaborate. She couldn't exactly say that they think she's a wanted murderer of the prince. "I'm known as a wanted thief in the kingdom."
The words escaped her mouth before she had time to process it. It was the first thing that came to mind.
Arlo didn't look surprised when she said she was a thief. There was a part of her that wished she just said she was a murderer so that Arlo wouldn't give her that condescending look. Yes, she could see her getting along quite well with the group.
"I don't care if you stole something," Arlo said, surprising Davina, "your job is to be Kira and Quinn's shield. So you're the one who'll get hurt instead of them."
"We can hide you," said Quinn, ignoring Arlo. "I mean, you saw how we made that illusion earlier."
The memory of the rocks disappearing still sent shivers in her spine.
"Besides, the alternative is to stay here in the ship with Arlo," continued Quinn.
No one wanted that.
"When are we going there?" Davina asked.
"Tomorrow."