Chapter Thirty-Three

Royo wakes in Vashney with Aeri in his arms, conflicted between desire and distrust. He wrestles with whether Aeri’s shock in the throne room was genuine, fearing he is being duped again. Aeri’s cheerful greeting rekindles his attachment, but Royo forces distance, focusing on their mission.

Aeri spots Dia, a moon owl she fed in Quu, perched at their window. The tenderness of the moment intensifies Royo’s attraction and frustration, so he redirects to logistics—clothes, food, and leaving the room. Aeri proposes selling a diamond to fund them; Royo insists Mikail already gave enough, but relents.

They walk Vashney’s gem district, passing the Sky King statue and the frozen port. In a gem house, Aeri haggles confidently and sells a diamond for three thousand marks, even managing basic Khitanese. The windfall underscores how out of place Royo feels with keepers and keys after Lake Cerome.

Concerned about theft after the sale, Royo asks to hold some of Aeri’s money. She hands over nearly all of it with simple trust, which rattles him as much as it steadies him. He accepts the responsibility and leads them to find breakfast and clothes.

As they leave, Royo admits to himself he likes Aeri and will keep her safe, but silently warns that if she lies again, their fragile reconciliation will break—and he may not forgive it.