Chloe sprinted down the street, dragging Sierra behind her with one hand as the inquisitors chased after them. They were way faster than Chloe would ever consider reasonable.

  “Nope! Nope! Nope!” Chloe yelped, swerving around a stall full of fruit.

  Sierra barely managed to follow her, and one of the inquisitors skidded straight into the stall, knocking baskets over and sending colorful fruit rolling down the street.

  “Chloe, slow down!” Sierra yelled.

  “I can’t!” Chloe shouted back. “Those bird guys wanna poke us!!”

  Raenof ran just ahead of them. Somehow he looked completely unfazed. He slipped through crowds, leapt over crates, and dodged every obstacle like he had been in this city before. Chloe stared in disbelief even as she ran.

  “That is cheating!” she yelled while chasing him. “I thought you were a fancy elf, not a running elf!”

  “I’m both,” Raenof replied over his shoulder.

  Chloe puffed her cheeks in frustration but kept moving. She focused on keeping a firm grip on Sierra’s hand and avoiding anything she might trip over. It baffled her how Raenof was still pulling ahead. She was supposed to be the super zombie, yet somehow a pretty normal elf was the one outpacing everyone.

  Well, whatever. If Raenof stayed in front, she only had to focus on keeping Sierra close behind her. That made things a little easier.

  An inquisitor screeched from somewhere very close, “Stop, traitors to Aetherion!”

  “No thanks!” Chloe yelled back.

  Feathers rustled as the guards shoved their way through the crowd. Chloe ducked just in time when a spear tip sliced through the air beside her ear. She yanked Sierra along, and the two of them burst into a busier street, nearly colliding with a cluster of merchants carrying trays piled high with food.

  “Sorry!” Chloe called while dragging Sierra past them at full speed.

  “You are definitely not sorry!” one merchant shouted after her.

  Chloe didn’t argue. She didn't really feel like she was in the mood to be apologetic when she was getting chased by some angry bird men with pointy sticks.

  They darted between two statues, jumped over a cracked stone step, and barreled past a startled Avian couple whose feathers puffed out like they were about to explode. Raenof glanced back, signaled sharply to the right, and Chloe swerved after him into another alley.

  Crates were stacked nearly all the way up to the rooftops. Clotheslines hung from every direction, sagging under cloaks, robes, and feather-trimmed garments. Chloe ducked under a drying cloak that nearly slapped her in the face, while Sierra stumbled over a wooden bucket someone had left right in the middle of the path. Behind them, armored boots clanged louder and louder, echoing as the inquisitors closed in.

  “They’re still coming!” Sierra cried.

  “I know! I can hear the angry clanky sounds!”

  They dashed deeper into the twisting alley, turned a sharp corner, and almost ran past a gray-feathered old Avian waving both arms from a half-open door.“Inside! Quickly!”

  Chloe skidded to a stop so suddenly Sierra bumped straight into her back. Chloe blinked at the old bird man. She had absolutely no idea who he was.

  For all she knew, he could be a trap, a weird collector of lost travelers, or some kind of secret bird villain. But the inquisitors’ footsteps were getting louder, and she definitely didn’t want to get poked.

  Raenof nudged her forward with a firm shove. “In. Now.”

  “Okay okay okay!” Chloe squeaked, dragging Sierra through the door.

  The old man slammed it shut behind them just as the inquisitors stormed into the alley outside. Chloe flattened herself against the door, clutching Sierra’s hand.

  Raenof dusted off his sleeves. “Well, that could have gone better.”

  Chloe nodded hard, still buzzing with leftover adrenaline. “Yeah… but at least we didn’t die!”

  The old Avian gave a short snort. “You will if you don’t stay quiet.”

  All three of them froze instantly. Chloe listened as the armored footsteps thundered outside, pausing near the door. The old man lifted a finger to his beak-shaped nose, signaling silence. They held still until the heavy footsteps faded down the street and the alley grew quiet again.

  Only then did the old bird man relax, letting out a long, tired breath. He turned toward them properly, and up close his face looked much gentler than Chloe expected. His feathers were a soft gray-blue, and his yellow eyes held a quiet warmth she didn’t know how to describe. “My name is Finchfeather. Finch, for short.”

  “Thank you for the help, Finch.” Raenof said.

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  Chloe loosened her grip on Sierra and finally stepped away from the door. She still wasn’t sure what was happening, but at least they were safe.

  Sierra stood close to Chloe, hands clasped nervously in front of her. “W-why did you help us? You don’t even know us.”

  “Yeah, that's kinda suspicious honestly." Chloe added.

  Raenof gave her a look, the kind that said he really wished she would whisper quieter. But Finch didn’t seem bothered. “I helped you because those inquisitors would not have stopped at questioning. Especially not with a Luphian in the mix.”

  Sierra’s ears lowered again. Chloe felt a spark of anger return, but she kept it simmering instead of letting it all out this time.

  “You speak as if you know their behavior well.” Raenof said, looking at the Avian man.

  Finch nodded. “I do.”

  He walked past them, pulling a shutter closed over a window before continuing. “The Church of Divine Light controls Aetherion more tightly each year. Their Inquisition is quick to punish, and even quicker to judge. Especially those who are not Avian.”

  Chloe frowned. “So they’re just big meanies?”

  “That is… one way of putting it." Finch said.

  Raenof raised a brow. “You seem unusually willing to speak against your own city’s officials.”

  “Because I’ve seen too many things done in the name of ‘purity’ and ‘light.’ Children punished for wandering into the wrong district. Outsiders accused of crimes they didn’t commit. Entire neighborhoods watched like cages. Of course, the Luphians who used to live in Aetherion have suffered the worst.”

  Chloe didn’t really like how Finch used the words “used to,” and it seemed Sierra noticed it too. Sierra hugged her arms tighter around her middle. Chloe gently nudged her with her own shoulder, trying the best to comfort the wolf girl.

  “But why risk helping us?” Raenof asked.

  Finch looked at each of them slowly. “Because you ran. And none of you strike me as hardened criminals. People like you only flee like that when they’re desperate. And considering how furious the inquisitors were, I assumed one of you must have done something rather daring to provoke them.”

  Chloe perked up instantly. “Oh! I punched one of the inquisitors because they were bullying Sierra!”

  Raenof closed his eyes. “Chloe…”

  “What? It was a good punch.”

  Finch blinked, clearly surprised, then let out a quiet huff that almost sounded like a laugh. “Yes. I gathered. Someone who protects their friends that fiercely is someone worth helping.”

  Chloe froze for a moment. Her smug grin faded into something softer and warmer. Wow… he’s nice.

  Raenof inclined his head politely. “We’re grateful. Truly. But we didn’t come here to cause trouble. We’re looking for someone. A Sage named Maeve.”

  “Maeve the Joyful?” Finch asked.

  “Yes! We wanna find her! Before more bird jerks try poking Sierra again.”

  Finch studied them for a moment before sighing. “If that is truly your goal, you’ve stepped into something far more dangerous than you think. And if you seek Maeve, there are things you must understand first.”

  He led them down a narrow hallway lined with old paintings of very cool looking Avians. They were all soaring, fighting, or posing on mountaintops. Chloe poked one of the frames as she passed, unable to resist how shiny it looked.

  Eventually, they ended up in a modest sitting room with worn cushions arranged around a low table and shelves stuffed with scrolls and old books. Chloe plopped onto one of the cushions. It was so fluffy she bounced a little, which made her like it even more. Sierra settled beside her, still shaking slightly, while Raenof chose the seat closest to Finch with a serious look on his face.

  Finch folded his wings neatly behind him and sat on a wooden stool. “If you are truly seeking Maeve the Joyful, you must understand the situation is difficult.”

  Chloe leaned forward. “How difficult?"

  “Maeve is currently believed to be mad and imprisoned within the Sanctum of Dawn.”

  “Oh, that sounds super fancy.”

  “It is, and also nearly impossible to reach. No one knows the exact route except the highest-ranking priests."

  “So, is there no other way to get to Maeve?"

  "Not that I know of. Which means your best hope is the Grand Archives.”

  Finch pointed a wing toward a distant window. “The Grand Archives hold knowledge on nearly everything. If there is any hint about reaching Maeve, it will be there.”

  Chloe raised her hand. “Okay, but how do we get in?"

  "Entry is restricted to scholars, clergy, or those sponsored by an Avian noble house. And you three are neither scholars nor clergy. Nor nobles.”

  “So we’re doomed?”

  “Not doomed, but this is certainly no walk in the park." Raenof said.

  "Then do you have a plan?"

  "I'm trying to think of one right now."

  They spent the next few minutes tossing around ideas. Raenof suggested forging or stealing a pass. Sierra suggested sneaking in after dark. Chloe suggested punching the building until it opened up for them, which earned her a horrified look from Finch.

  For a moment, they even thought the forged-pass idea might work, until Finch explained that the Archives didn’t accept passes at all. You could only enter if someone important vouched for you.

  “So we need a sponsor. An Avian noble or scholar willing to vouch for us.” Raenof said.

  Finch looked doubtful, though not completely hopeless. “Possible, but risky. Most nobles avoid outsiders, and the Church watches anyone who associates with them very closely.”

  Chloe tapped her chin. “So… we need a bird person who’s not a jerk.”

  “That is the general idea,” Raenof replied dryly.

  Before they could plan anything else, heavy footsteps echoed from the street outside. Inquisitors were sweeping the area.

  Finch’s feathers stiffened. “We have little time. Looks like the inquisitors are coming back around this area to search..”

  "Okay, I guess I'll have to punch them again." Chloe said.

  Finch shook his head firmly. “You must not fight them here. That would drag every inhabitant of this street into trouble.”

  “Then we need somewhere to hide.” Raenof said.

  Finch motioned for them to follow him. “Just go hide in my basement. Stay there until nightfall or until the search ends.”

  Chloe blinked in excitement. “You have a secret hidey-hole? That’s awesome.”

  Finch gave a tired, thin smile. “It is less ‘awesome’ and more ‘necessary.’ Now come. Quickly.”

  Chloe grabbed Sierra’s hand, Raenof followed close behind, and the three hurried after Finch down another hallway. He pushed aside a shelf to reveal a hidden door, then guided them down a narrow staircase into a cool, quiet basement.

  Whatever happened next, Chloe could already tell one thing. Things were about to get even more complicated.