“You’re not leaving me enough air, Nari,” Al said.

I snorted but loosened my hug slightly. “If your cultivation couldn’t even stand up to a little hug from your big sister, I’d really have to worry. Besides, you can obviously give me cheek just fine.”

He laughed and hugged me back before letting go. I took a step back and gave him another assessing glance. I was glad he’d made it out of the siege alright, without being in any danger. He still wore armor, even though that really wasn’t necessary anymore. Not a full suit, but a breastplate, grieves and vambraces of dark, qi-touched metal. Maybe he just thought he looked dashing in them. If pressed, I might admit that wouldn’t be entirely wrong, but not to him.

“The city seems to be putting itself back together again quickly,” he commented.

I stepped over to the window and glanced out. “Yeah, it really does. I guess cultivation is almost as good at building things up as it is at battering them down.”

Al had arrived with a company of soldiers from an outpost to the east that had lost its tactical value, now that the city was back in our hands. I could see a few airships in the sky outside, and soldiers moving below. Taking the city hadn’t stopped our troop movements.

“This is only the start, isn’t it?” he asked, following my gaze.

“General Poteri said we’ll keep pushing, move the rest of the frontline,” I said. “Apparently, with the city ours and the Zarian defense here broken, that should be a lot easier than before. But it’s still only one location, and we don’t want the frontline to be stretched too far.”

“But aren’t they also sending soldiers south from here?” he asked, frowning.

I nodded. “They’re clearing the area around the city and preparing for us to move further south. I want to reach the Yellow Graves quickly, if we can.”

Al whistled. “That’s basically all the territory they took from us in the first place. Ambitious.”

I shrugged. “We’ll see how it goes.” But the Zarian had lost quite a few of their elites here, and with the help of the Terbekteri, I didn’t think it was overly ambitious.

The door to the room we were standing in opened, and Aston looked inside. “My lady, we found who you were looking for.”

I nodded and turned around, glancing around the room again. It was elaborately furnished and decorated, but I didn’t spare the tapestries any attention as I looked at my companions. Elia was sitting on one of the seats, bouncing her toes and scribbling on what looked like three sheets of paper at the same time, while Yarani was half-lying on one of the divans with her eyes closed. Tenira and Lei were still with what remained of our siege engines, or maybe one of the other projects by now.

When I left, Al accompanied me, while the other two stayed behind. I noted the guards surrounding us and watching the door. The Imperial Guard was out in force. Probably a good thing, and I definitely wanted my friends and family protected. They saluted when they saw me looking, and I nodded at them before I walked down the corridor.

Once we stepped outside into the courtyard of the keep at the center of the city, I slowed down. It was bustling with soldiers, but a few of them in black uniforms caught me eyes. I couldn’t tell if they were actually supposed to be there or just loitering around. But I recognized a few of the faces from the Lighters who had escaped the Zarian elites. No wonder one of them, a young man, kept nervously darting his gaze about.

They noticed when I came closer. Half of them snapped to attention while the other half bowed or knelt. I bit off my grin at the sight. It wasn’t like regular soldiers were very consistent about that, either.

“Good morning, soldiers,” I said, ignoring the way Al straightened up and stood still at my shoulder.

“Good morning, Your Highness,” a few of them answered, looking cautious. Well, it was probably known that I didn’t usually try to engage with the soldiers.

“Your units did very well in the battle,” I said. Which was true; they’d shown their worth fighting Zarian regulars on the streets of the city. “I’m pleased at the way you handled yourselves.”

I could see the effect my compliment had in the way they stood straighter, lifting their shoulders and heads slightly, their eyes smiling at the praise.

“Thank you, Your Highness, we are honored,” one of the men said with a bow. Probably the most senior one, though only a corporal, if I read the uniform markings right. They differed a little from the regular army.

“What were your impressions of the fight and your performance against regular soldiers? Did your equipment hold up well? Anything you noticed regarding the weapons?” I saw their surprise and hesitation, and smiled. “You might not know it, but my team and I are responsible for the tech the Lighters are based on. I’d like personal feedback, especially if there is room for improvement.”

The corporal’s eyes sharpened a little. I could guess what he was thinking. Their performance reflects on me, and I’m going to take their successes for my own.

“They worked quite well, Your Highness,” he answered. “Clearly not as powerful as a proper attack technique of a Zarian soldier, but shots have a higher throughput.”

“Plus, the fact that you can’t dodge them is pretty good,” another soldier added. “Though you need to pay a lot of attention to where you’re aiming.”

Over the next few minutes, I received some good feedback, once they got over their hesitation and started talking with a bit more enthusiasm. I nodded and tried to seem encouraging. There were no groundbreaking suggestions, but I still found it useful to get the opinions of those who’d actually tried to use the things in combat. I made a mental note to talk to the generals about choosing a few of them as instructors for training new recruits.

Then I bid them goodbye and continued on my way, Al following me. He’d listened to our conversation with strained patience, but at least he’d waited and hadn’t interrupted.

“So, who are we going to talk to?” he asked.

I shot him a look. “Ideally, you’re not going to talk much. But to answer your question, you’ll see. We should be almost there.”

I didn’t actually know where I was supposed to go, but it wasn’t hard to figure out. There was a building beside the main keep where both our intelligence efforts and some general odds and ends had ended up. Aston didn’t speak up to correct me as I walked there, but when we reached the building he turned to the left, so I slowed down and let him guide us.

The room we ended up in was pretty bare, just a table and a few chairs between beige walls. When we entered, the people inside rose from the chairs and knelt. I took a moment to look them over, before I stepped further inside and told them to rise. Beside me, I could feel Al tensing up.

The first man was a young NCO in the fifth stage, who I actually recalled from my first campaign, though I hadn’t heard his name. The other one was more interesting, since his orderly Imperial clothes contrasted with the bits of shells and carved wood he’d put on them as decorations in Zarieni fashion. He was older, probably at least eighty, but only in the early part of the fourth stage.

“Thank you for answering my summons so promptly,” I said. “I see you’ve moved up the ranks since I last saw you, Sergeant …?”

“Sergeant Lin, my lady,” he answered. “This is Elder Jin, one of the heads of the largest settlement of Zarieni outside the camps.”

Probably a good sign that he’d assumed an Imperial name. I nodded. I’d known where they were from, of course, or they wouldn’t be here. Just like I was aware that the half-Zarieni Lin had been assigned as a liaison

“I hope you’ve integrated well,” I said. “If you have any concerns or grievances, I’d be happy to hear them.”

The elder shook his head, his expression guarded but not hostile. “Thank you, Your Highness. We have indeed settled into the Empire as well as could be expected. I have nothing to complain about.” His Common had a noticeable accent, but he spoke fluently.

“Good,” I said. “I won’t waste too much of your time with niceties. As I’m sure you’ve guessed, I wanted to talk to you because of the war, and the way it promises to head towards the Yellow Graves.”

The Zarieni frowned. “We live in the Empire now, not the Graves, and we know little about what has gone on there recently. But hasn’t the Empire allies among the People that could prove more helpful, Your Highness?”

I nodded. “Certainly we do, and we are also talking to them. But the reason I wanted to talk to you, or someone knowledgeable from your camp, is that the rising Storm Tribe was, as far as we know, the last tribe to occupy the western reaches of the Yellow Graves. As well as the paths it is said to know in the region.”

They exchanged a look. “Your Highness, another tribe could have moved in over the last months,” Lin said.

“Please allow me to speak openly, Your Highness,” Jin said. At my nod, he continued, “The remnants of our old tribe, our new village, are workers, not warriors. We don’t have the strength or skill to fight against the other tribes, even if we were so inclined. Most of us just want to build our new life in the Empire in peace.”

I smiled, happy with that attitude. “I know. I only seek information, I will not draft your people as fighters.”

That seemed to satisfy him, and he relaxed slightly. “We will, of course, be happy to help,” he said after a look from his companion. “I cannot guarantee that the paths are still there and usable, as things have a tendency to change quickly in the jungle.”

“I realize that,” I said. “We’ll also have the help of others, and our own scouts are good. Plus, we can come from the sea.”

The elder looked at me thoughtfully, then nodded. “Of course. When the time comes, I will accompany you and do my best to guide your forces, Your Highness. I was once one of the best foragers in our tribe.”

I smiled at them. “That would be perfect.”

We talked for a few more minutes. Somewhat to my surprise, I got the impression that they really had settled in well. Of course, there was huge social upheaval, since not only had they lost most of their stronger members and warriors, but their whole situation had changed. But I suspected the warriors were those more enamored with their previous dangerous, bellicose lifestyle, surviving in a jungle full of qi and spirit beasts and raiding each other or the Empire occasionally. The ‘civilians’, who had less status in their society, but presumably still had to bear the burden of the raids, probably appreciated the peaceful life more.

To be fair, no other people had as high a fraction of cultivators in the higher stages as the Zarieni. And it probably wasn’t only because of all the qi and natural treasures in their home. Still, would that be worth it?

Eventually, I bid goodbye to the two men and left the room, Al with me. He looked thoughtful. I was a little surprised that he hadn’t said much of anything during the entire conversation, but he’d clearly listened.

“I guess your decision to take them with you after the war paid off,” he finally said as we left the building.

“Maybe. They could have been a lot of trouble. I guess they still can.”

“There aren’t that many of them, Nari.” Al shook his head. “I didn’t expect them to be so respectful and eager to integrate. I guess that’s what I get for judging them by the reputation they get from raiders …”

He trailed off, half-turning his head. After a moment, I realized it had to be the clamor coming from outside the compound. I’d been tuning it out, but now that I focused, I could make out the shouts and jeers.

“It looks like Zun Chao is dead,” I commented quietly.

Al’s eyes widened. He glanced in that direction, than back to me. His expression turned considering. “And how long did that take, Nari?”

I shrugged. He’d been bled to death. Cultivators were very hardy, but even they couldn’t just create new blood out of thin air. At least without techniques. Blood loss would kill even a seventh-stager, especially with their qi suppressed. It wasn’t a nice way to go. Although it could be worse. I guess he can count himself lucky that I didn’t demand impalement, or the cross.

“You didn’t want me to see it, did you?” Al asked, eyes narrowed.

I snorted. “Come on, we’ve still got stuff to do.”

He was right. I hadn’t wanted him to see it. Even if, or especially because, Lord Zun had been in part responsible for Mother’s absence and the mess with his father. That was why I’d taken Al along today and taken my time. I hadn’t invited him, but I’d known he’d be curious enough he would want to come along.

“You know it was probably recorded,” he pointed out.

I sighed. “If you really need to see him die, I guess you can go ahead and get a recording crystal.” Although I would quietly let people know I disapproved of that idea, so it wouldn’t be easy. “Now let’s get back.”

He watched me in silence for another moment, then sighed and shook his head. “Alright, Big Sister. Could we have a spar, maybe?”

I smiled. “Okay.”

His expression brightened, and he started walking more quickly.