I finally spot Ahren at the steps of the museum. Then I trip and fall into the mud.
"Are you okay?" Kaden asks.
"Yup. Let's get Ahren. I can clean up later," I reply.
Like several others, Ahren turns around to see what made the splattering noise.
"Celeste? Kaden? What are you doing here? And why are you covered in mud?" he asks, clearly shocked.
"We came to tell you a piece of news. I'm covered with mud because I tripped over there," I say, gesturing towards he patch of mud.
"Well, what's the news?" Ahren asks.
"Not here. Sorry to cut your vacation short, but this is serious, and-- hang on, Eady's calling me," I say.
"Hello? Ce-Celeste?" a clearly stricken Eadlyn asks.
"What's going on?"
"Another one. Another... another heart attack," she manages to get out before sobbing.
"What?!?"
"It was triggered by a rebel attack."
"But how?" Kaden asks in disbelief.
"Isn't it supposed to be nearly impossible to have two heart attacks not even a week apart?" I ask.
"HEART ATTACKS?!" Ahren asks.
"Mom."
"What?"
"That's the piece of information."
"How? And why?"
"You left."
"Let me talk to Eady."
"Can't."
"Why?"
"She thinks we're in New Asia."
"What?"
"Well, we couldn't just tell her we were tracking you down."
"Why?"
"She would have wanted to come."
"Guys? Eady wants to know when we can get back," Kaden tells us.
"Tell her as soon as we finish this meeting," I reply.
"Okay," he says.
"And you're managing to do all this without lying to her?"Ahren asks.
"Yup," I reply.
"We didn't specify location. She was told we were in New Asia on business, but we only told her we were going away for BUSINESS. We didn't say where or what," Kaden explains.
"We're craftier than you think," I add, giving my twin a high five, "We'll need to get back to Illéa soon or Eady'll start wondering where we are."
"Coming or not?" Kaden asks.
Ahren looks extremely conflicted.
"Fine," I say, ready to bargain,"if Eady asks you to take her crown..." I look over at Kaden.
"One of us will take it for you if you want," he finishes.
"I can't let you give away your carefree existence!" Ahren exclaims.
"It probably wouldn't come to that, though, but, like you, we'd do anything for any of you," I reply.
"Now, come on, we need to get back to Illéa," Kaden says.
