Rise

Adara

They have me call them by their real names now, at least in private. Carter is now Zander, Powell is now Jaxson, and Kennedy is Harper. Good, I hated calling them by their last names. It would be confusing in situations where I would talk to Christine's brother Jasper or one of Jaxsons many cousins.

We make your way to the border where I can see Aleron. It's small compared to Caleo but overall a large city. On top of the hill, the place looks like a map. I see the small alleys and streets that connect to the main road. It lets convoys pass through to get to Novias or any other city in Ignis.

The people bustling through are quick, they don't have time to take a stroll or relax. Too busy running off to a war that will get them killed.

Smoke billows from the north, it smells like burnt skin and gasoline.

"it's from The Ridge," Zander says, stuffing the map into his bag. He hides in the trees, keeping watch from Mia Sano. I nod agreeing with him. Christine sighs, laying in the grass, watching the people walk by. She's a burner, like me, but what I think is worse is that she is non-royal. All she has seen are the spoils of war and the pain that families have had from losing loved ones from some shiver soldier that knew nothing of their son or daughter. She cracks her knuckles, looking up at the bright blue sky, her head resting on Jaxson's legs. I don't know much about Jaxson, he's a healer, I don't know from where. Though his tawny skin says he is from Ignis.

"Zander, can you see her?" Jaxson speaks, looking up into the trees above. Zander shakes his head, his eyes squinting.

"I do, she's on the outskirts of the city, talking to some of the officers about something. I believe she is trying to grab a convoy. Rise must have gotten the wrong city again, or Mave is on the move." Harper relays the information to us while it happens, she has a pair of binoculars around her eyes and sits on a branch a few feet above Zander

"You can only see because of those things on your face" He sneers. Harper pulls the field glasses from her face, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Don't get snippy with me because you have the eyesight of an old man." She snickers as does everyone else. Zander stops squinting and looks at Aleron, Harper presses the binoculars against her eyes once again.

"She has the convoy and on her way now." She begins to make her way down the tree, passing Zander and hopping down next to me. We walk to Christine and Jaxson that now stand together, one staring at Aleron and the other walking to us.

"Mave probably is on the move again, some better information in some other city," Jaxson says, standing next to me. When I talked to the Laius family, they boasted about their daughter, saying how she was an amazing delegator. They would talk about how she would travel all over, making negotiations with the high houses of Ignis or other families from Unda, Silva or Ventus. Anyone who is willing to help them keep their status.

The Laius's home is in Novias, they keep hold on the soldiers at the warfront. The reason is that they are duo's, at least that's what Nari called them a week ago. Their other ability being strength. Generals, the whole lot of them leading legion after legion into the fray only to die a warrior's death. Mave is different, more logical than her brute of a father. She plans and plots out every single word, like their her weapon, she draws her sword and cuts their throats by the time she is finished. By negotiating they mean bully. Though Mave is carefree and lively, at least that's how I remembered her, I've heard she could be deadly, bringing down politicians with her words. Leaving their lives to ruins.

The sound of tires running over gravel snaps me to attention.

I see Mia Sano through the front window. The last time I saw her was during our luncheon so many months ago, her and Ella Haise were interrogating me about Rise. I don't know if Ella is also involved in this, if not them Mia certainly played her part.