Psychic

10. Palace

After a few hours of sleep, while it was still dark, they were back out in the desert sand again. Ken led the way since he could navigate using the stars. Rai and Lestat had never been to Laridion before and Kiyo did not know how to get there from Clement.

When they arrived at their destination, the sun was just beginning to peer over the dunes outside the city. Within the stones wall surrounding it, all was still and quiet. They stood just outside one of the stone arches of the gate around the city, which separated the nearly modern oasis from the hot desert sands around it.

Kiyo walked up beside Ken, who was studying the arch thoughtfully. "Should I try going in the easy way first?" Kiyo asked quietly.

"What's the easy way?" Ken asked him. "You're going to just ask them to let you in?"

"I'll go alone," Kiyo nodded, "if things get crazy, I'm one person. I can get out easily enough."

"Then why did you bother hiring me?"

"Cliff told us to and what do you care? If I can do this without you, you're getting paid to do nothing." Kiyo turned away from Ken and threw his hand up. "I just don't think we all need to go in there."

Ken's eyes narrowed with suspicious as he watched Kiyo. "Why?"

"The idea sounds good to me," Lestat shrugged, calling their attention to him. "We could save a lot of time if Kiyo can find the kids on his own. If he wants to go, let him."

Ken held up his hands as though he were surrendering, "I didn't tell him not to go. You want to go? Go."

Kiyo took his sword from its belt and held it out to Rai. "Watch it for me."

When Kiyo released it into her hands, she nearly dropped it. "Oh! Shit... that's heavy." She heaved it back up and tucked the sheathed blade under her arm. She turned her eyes up to Kiyo with a sweet smile.

He seemed disappointed but that expression instantly faded. "Not like that," he told her. "Hide it."

"Oh sure. I'll just stick it in my skirt. No one will suspect a thing," she nodded, smiling exaggeratedly.

Kiyo looked through the arch into the city in the direction of the palace. "I don't want them to think I'm coming in as a threat. If they do let me in, they'll take my sword and I won't be able to get it back but no one will suspect you of having a weapon." He smiled cheerfully, patting the top of her head condescendingly.

"I hate you."

"You and me both. Don't follow me into the city. We don't want to be seen together. Give me one hour in the palace. If I make it back out, I'll meet you at this exact same spot, under this same arch. If I don't come back, it's because I'm dead but we'll see. If I don't come back then it'll be Ken's turn."

Kiyo pulled his hood over his head with a smile before walking into the city. He looked up at the structures around him and was surprised to find that nothing was different. He was not sure why he expected anything to look different since he had only been gone a little over two months. It felt like as though it had been years since Laridion was his home. Everything about his life had changed. His old life in the palace was so opposite of the new one, it felt like a distant memory.

When Kiyo approached the stairs to the palace, he looked up at it. His distant memories suddenly felt much closer. He pulled his sweater tighter around his body and looked over his shoulder toward the arch where the others were waiting. He could not see them but he knew they were there, depending on his results. He would never have faced the Emperor or the other Generals for his own reasons but he could do it for the people who helped him.