"Youdidn'tnotice if they went toward Starnborough?" I growl the question, beyond frustrated by his lack of cooperation.
"Whywould I watch which way they went?" He bites back. "Itisn'tmy business!"
"How, pray tell, did you manage to go undetected by these peculiar folk?" Thrane drawls lazily, running the tip of his thumb along the panes of his iced arm.
"W-w-whatdo you mean?" the man stammers, eyes on Thrane's iced hand.
"An eyewitness to an odd group who might have committed a crime?" Thrane tsks. "Surelythey would have dispatched of you as well to ensure silence." He tilts his head. "But they did not know you were here, did they?"
The merchant swallows and shakes his head. "WhenI noticed them, I ducked behind my booth and watched through a crack in the wood. Igota family. I have no business getting involved."
"Tell me, where did the ship they disembarked go?" Thrane motions around the harbor. "I do not see Hydran ships anywhere."
"The Hydran ships left this morning."
"This morning?" I spit. "That's not possible."
"It's what I saw," he hisses. "I'm here trying to help you, and you're calling me a liar."
"She's not saying that at all," Thrane huffs in frustration. "Which direction did the ships go?"
"I assume they went back to Hydra. Where else would Hydran ships go?"
"Thankyou for your time." Thrane shifts his hand back to normal.
That can't be the end of his interrogation. We clearly saw Astrea and her husband and daughter at the wedding. There's no way they were both on ships headed south and at the ceremony. I open my mouth to further question the man, but I'm yanked away by Thrane. Nyx is following closely behind us.
"They were involved," I insist and Thrane bobs his head once we're out of earshot.
"I know."
"We have to do something. They couldn't have been on those ships. We need to get to our dragons and scout the southern border – "
"I agree."
"You agree?"
Thrane once again shakes his head in the affirmative. "Are you hard of hearing, Aurelia? Yes, we need to get to our dragons."
"And if we don't find them?" I ask at the same time Nyx questions, "How will the Soul Eaters escape if they're here?"
"My guess is the Hydrans only supplied a way into Tronovia," Thrane answers Nyx first. "The Soul Eaters will most likely commandeer one of these ships since everyone has left for cover." He swivels toward me. "We will find them. There's no other choice."
"And when we catch the Hydran Queen?" I pose the question with curiosity. "What do you plan to do? Take her captive and accuse her of sanctioning a Soul Eater attack? She will deny it."
"I was going to say we would ask her, but your plan to accuse sounds much better." Thrane stops when my mother and Kamari come into view.
"There's a good deal of smoke coming from the north." My mother points and sure enough, it looks like the sky itself has opened up and –
"Holy shit!" I motion to the clouds. "Is that a ball of fire?"
Everyone turns to look and Nyx slaps a hand to his mouth. "That's my mother's Transcendent ability. It's called Hellfire. There must be something wrong if she used it in the city."
"We need to help them," I insist. "Thrane, take my mother and Kamari and get to your dragons. Find the Hydrans. Nyx and I will provide back up support."
Thrane raises a brow as if he wants to argue but thinks better of it. "Fine. Be careful. I don't want to be the one to explain to your precious Harland why you didn't have more protection."
"Leave Atlas to me," I motion them toward Draakstan. "Go!"
