Eris was practically flying down the hallway. Sentry and Alaric were hauling ass behind her, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. When they burst into the room, Eris’s eyes lit up—the place was buried in clothing crates. She started ripping them open one by one like a kid on Christmas. Sentry backed off into a corner, keeping his expression stone-cold but his eyes moving, scanning everything. Alaric, being the suck-up he is, started sorting through the piles, acting like he was actually helping.

  But by the time she hit the last box, the light in Eris’s eyes started to flicker out. With every garment she pulled out, the same words kept slipping from her lips: "Where is it? Where is it?!"

  When the last crate was empty, Eris looked completely crushed. She barked for the maid, her voice sharp as a blade. The girl walked in, literally shaking in her boots.

  Maid: "Yes, My Lady?"

  Eris snapped: "Where is my pink dress? The one with the silver-stitched collar and the tulle hem? Out of all this junk, that’s the only one missing!"

  The maid scrambled for an answer: "I-I am so sorry, My Lady! The team we sent to the market just couldn't find it. They looked everywhere, but it was gone..."

  Eris crossed her arms, fuming. "How could they not find it? I told them exactly which stall to go to! I’ve been waiting days for this! Am I supposed to just sit around and wait for them to go back and forth again?"

  Maid: "I’m so sorry... I’ll tell them again. I’ll make damn sure they get it next time."

  Eris: "I can't wait that long! My friends are coming over, I was supposed to show them that dress!"

  While Alaric stood there looking like a confused puppy, Sentry’s deep, gravelly voice cut through the air.

  Sentry: "Princess... How about we just go to the market ourselves and grab the damn dress?"

  Eris’s eyes sparked again. "Really?!" she was about to shout, but Alaric cut in.

  Alaric: "No way! The market is way too dangerous. We can’t take the Princess down there. We’ll go get it ourselves, she stays here."

  Sentry turned his head, whispering just loud enough for himself to hear: "Like anyone asked you, dickhead..."

  Eris spun on Alaric, her voice turning ice-cold: "Alaric, have you ever bought a dress in your life?"

  Alaric stammered: "N-no, My Lady, why?"

  Eris: "The palace officials couldn't even find the dress I described perfectly. How can we be sure you won’t mess it up? Would you even recognize silver stitching if it hit you in the face?"

  Alaric’s face dropped. He had nothing. Eris continued with a smirk of victory:

  Eris: "I’ll go undercover. Besides, you two will be right there to protect me. That is your job, isn't it?"

  Sentry shot Alaric a smug grin. Alaric looked like he wanted to rip Sentry’s head off right then and there.

  Eris grabbed some commoner clothes from a maid around her age. A few minutes later, the door swung open; the silk gowns were gone, replaced by dusty but clean linen. Eris looked at the two of them waiting in the hall and said, "I'm ready."

  Sentry was in his usual low-profile, dark gear. He had his massive sword strapped across his back, hidden under a short cloak. Alaric, on the other hand, was standing there like a brick wall in his shining armor.

  Alaric: "Alright, let's move out then."

  Sentry stopped dead and let out a mocking laugh.

  Sentry: "You going out in that? You're literally glowing like the sun, man. Every thug in the city is gonna be on us the second we step outside."

  Alaric got defensive but didn't budge: "I can't take this off. This armor is a Royal Knight’s honor. It’s for protection!"

  Eris chimed in, sounding unsure: "I know you need it for safety, Alaric, but... we’re gonna stand out way too much."

  Sentry stared Alaric down. Finally, Alaric let out a frustrated huff: "Fine! I’ll take the damn thing off!" He bolted to his room, threw his armor aside, and came back in street clothes.

  The three of them snuck through the castle’s hidden tunnels and headed straight for the heart of the city—the massive market.

  The city... a chaotic mess of rust, sweat, and the smell of fresh bread. Street vendors screaming, carts rattling over cobblestones, and people whispering in every corner. Eris felt a rush of freedom she’d never known, ducking in and out of shops with a grin. Alaric, meanwhile, had his hand on his sword hilt, eyes darting around like an assassin was gonna jump out of every shadow.

  They finally hit the center. Eris spotted the stall she’d been dreaming about and bolted for it. Alaric started to chase her, but Sentry grabbed his arm and yanked him back.

  Alaric: "What? Why are we stopping?"

  Sentry: "That’s the women’s section. Both of us hovering over the Princess is gonna look suspicious. We watch from a stall away. That’s enough."

  Alaric: "Are you crazy?! What if someone jumps her?"

  Sentry narrowed his eyes: "Then fly in and save her, genius. Isn't that what we're here for?"

  Eris haggled with the vendor and bought the dress, looking like she’d just won a war. She came back hugging the dress to her chest, spinning around like a little kid. She was flying high. But that joy was cut short by a scream from down the street.

  "THIEF! CATCH HIM! STOP THAT BRAT!"

  A tiny, scrawny girl came sprinting past them, clutching a loaf of bread like her life depended on it. Sentry reached out and snagged her by the arm. The kid was sobbing, refusing to let go of the bread. Sentry looked at her with a blank stare just as the baker and a couple of thugs caught up. One of them raised his hand to deck the kid...

  Sentry yanked the girl behind him. When he looked up, that deadly glint was back in his eyes.

  Thug: "Step aside, pal! Give us the thief!"

  Sentry: "Why should I? What are you gonna do to her?"

  Alaric was watching from the side, praying this wouldn't blow up.

  Thug: "We're gonna teach her a lesson, obviously. Now give her here!"

  The vein in Sentry’s temple started throbbing, but he stayed quiet. That’s when Eris stepped up.

  Eris: "She’s just a child! What kind of 'lesson' are we talking about? Take the money for the bread and get lost!"

  The other thug smirked: "We ain't got no business with you, lady. Get out of the way. Hand over the brat and don't make this difficult!"

  Eris barked: "You want her? You gotta go through me first!"

  Back at the palace, no one ever crossed her, so she thought the whole world worked like that. But this was the streets. One of the thugs cursed and shoved Eris hard. She stumbled, shocked, and started to fall.

  Time stopped for Sentry. The split second Eris hit the ground, he shoved the kid aside and moved with a speed that didn't seem human, his hand clamping around the thug’s throat.

  Sentry squeezed so hard his fingers sank into the guy's neck. He lifted him off the ground with one hand; the thug’s feet were dangling, his face turning a nasty shade of purple. The others froze, some reaching for their blades. Sentry’s back was turned to them, but the sheer, raw violence coming off him was enough to paralyze the whole street.

  As the guy was about to choke out, Alaric couldn't take it anymore and yelled:

  Alaric: "SENTRY! STOP! WE’RE PALACE GUARDS, WE CAN’T ATTACK THE PUBLIC!"

  The second those words hit the air, Sentry’s eyes went wide. He dropped the guy like a bag of trash and slowly turned toward Alaric. The look he gave him... he looked like he wanted to kill Alaric more than the thug.

  Eris got up and went to the girl. One of the thugs stammered: "Y-you guys are guards? So this woman..."

  Alaric made it even worse, shouting: "That’s the Princess, you idiots!"

  The thugs dropped to their knees instantly. Some started begging for mercy, others just bolted for their lives. Eris shot them a glare that could freeze fire.

  Eris: "If you ever lay a hand on a child again, I promise you, what happens next will be much worse. Do you understand me?!"

  The thugs scrambled away, "Yes... Yes, My Lady!" Alaric walked up to the girl, his voice soft. "You okay?" The girl just nodded, terrified. They ducked into a quiet alley to get off the main street.

  Alaric was about to ask her something when...

  Sentry lunged, grabbed Alaric by the throat, and slammed him against the stone wall.

  Eris: "Sentry! Stop!"

  Sentry (Screaming): "What the hell were you trying to do back there, you moron?! Do you have any idea what you just did?"

  Alaric (Gasping for air): "I was... I was keeping the peace! What more do you want?"

  Sentry (Livid): "Oh, great job! You kept the peace by blowing our cover, you absolute dipshit!"

  Sentry shoved Alaric away in disgust. He was breathing hard, trying to keep his cool. Eris stayed out of it; she was busy tending to the little girl so she wouldn't be scared...

  Sentry turned back to Alaric. His voice was lower now, but way more dangerous.

  Sentry: "Pray that the place wasn't crowded. Or we’d be paying for that mistake in blood."

  Alaric (Low voice): "I-I'm sorry... I just thought it was the fastest way to get them to back off."

  Sentry mocked him: "The fastest way? If that square had been full, we’d have a hundred bounty hunters on our tail right now instead of five losers who can't even hold a sword. Learn the difference between protecting a Queen and putting a target on her back."

  Alaric finally felt the weight of how bad he’d messed up. He looked at the ground. "It won't happen again." Then, he walked over to the girl huddled next to Eris.

  Alaric wiped the tension off his face and put on a warm, friendly smile, kneeling in front of her. He held out a hand.

  Alaric: "Hey there, kiddo!"

  The girl looked up through her tears, hesitant, and took his hand. "H-hi..."

  Alaric: "What’s your name?"

  The girl wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "Cora..."

  Alaric (Standing up): "Nice to meet you, Cora. I’m Alaric."

  Cora looked at this weird group with wide eyes. First at Eris, then at Sentry, who was standing in the shadows like a ghost. Eris smiled: "I'm Eris... and that..." she pointed at Sentry, "is Sentry."

  Cora frowned, confused. "Sentry?"

  Sentry didn't say a word, just gave a slight nod.

  Cora: "Is that his real name? Is that what you always call him?"

  Eris paused, not sure what to say: "Oh, u-uh... yeah. That’s Sentry. They’re my bodyguards."

  Cora giggled. The pain in her face faded for a second. "That’s cool... Like a 'Sentry' duty, huh?"

  For the first time in his life, Sentry didn't get pissed off at someone making fun of his name. In the shadow of his cloak, a tiny, almost invisible smile touched his lips.

  Alaric kept the conversation going: "Where’s your family, Cora? Your mom? Dad?"

  The second he asked, Cora’s smile died. Her head dropped, her shoulders started shaking, and a scream of pure agony ripped out of her throat, louder than all the noise in the market.

  Cora: "T-they... they're dead! They’re all gone!"

  As the kid broke down, Eris pulled her into a hug, stroking her hair. She shot Alaric a look of pure rage, like Why the hell would you ask that?

  Stolen story; please report.

  Alaric’s face went white. He realized he’d just stepped on a landmine. He froze, whispering to himself: "I’m sorry... I’m so sorry..."

  Alaric panicked, seeing the mess he’d made. He tried to fix it the only way he knew how—by acting like a total clown. He started making funny faces, making farts noises with his armpits, acting like a complete idiot. The noble knight had turned into a street performer.

  Cora looked at him through her tears. Her sobbing slowed down, turned into a giggle, and then a full-on laugh. Eris couldn't help it either; she started laughing at Alaric’s ridiculousness.

  Sentry watched this "circus" from the side, arms crossed. He muttered under his breath:

  "Fucking clown..."

  We can't stay here any longer. After Alaric shouted "Princess," someone could be on top of us at any moment.

  Sentry knelt down (he still looked massive even on his knees) and asked Cora softly but firmly: "You got a place to stay, kid?"

  Cora nodded. "Yeah... I stay with a few other kids near the old warehouses. But it’s gross there... and we freeze at night."

  Eris’s heart broke. Hearing a kid say "we freeze at night" was too much for someone who grew up in silk sheets. She grabbed Cora’s hands. "Cora, come live with me. Come to the palace. I’m the Princess, I’ll make sure it’s okay."

  Cora’s eyes went wide. "Really?! Will I have a huge bed?"

  Eris smiled, "Yeah."

  But then Cora’s face fell. "But... I have stuff there. Important stuff. And I gotta say goodbye to my friends. I can't just leave them."

  Sentry was about to say "Forget them, we gotta move," but Eris beat him to it: "Fine, let's go get your stuff right now!"

  Alaric and Sentry shared a look for the first time. They both had the same thought: Yine ba??m?za bela al?yoruz.

  Sentry knew exactly how filthy that area was, and what kind of scavengers lived in those warehouses. But seeing the look on Eris’s face, he kept his mouth shut.

  Cora led the way, with the others trailing behind. They left the relatively safe crowd of the market and headed toward the old warehouse district—a place where the sun was afraid to shine, smelling like rotten wood and misery...

  In the alleys, homeless people were curled up in corners, fighting hunger even in their sleep. Every miserable soul Eris saw felt like a needle to her heart. Finally, they reached the warehouse with the rusting hinges.

  Cora pushed the door open and ran inside. Alaric followed, with Sentry right behind him, scanning the room like a wolf. The place was a hellhole. The dim light from the cracks in the ceiling didn't illuminate dust—it showed the heavy smell of rotting meat and waste. In the corner, on some filthy straw, were two kids who looked half-dead, and three more deep in sleep.

  Eris felt the bile rise in her throat from the stench, but seeing those kids turned her disgust into pure pity and rage. When Alaric stepped toward them, one of the kids screamed and backed away, shielding his head. He whispered: "N-n-no... Not again! Please... D-don't touch me!"

  Eris transformed. The shy girl was gone; a wounded lioness took her place. She sat next to the boy and pulled him into a tight hug. "No one is going to touch you!" she barked, her voice echoing through the warehouse. "We’re here to get you out of here! We’re leaving!" She held him with such fierce protectiveness that the boy felt safe for the first time in his life.

  Just then, another kid looked at Eris with teary eyes: "B-but... My mom and dad? Can you bring them back? He said he could."

  Eris looked confused, while Sentry, towering in his ragged clothes, asked: "Who’s 'he'?"

  The answer came from the shadows in the form of a sickening sound: Screeeeeeech...

  The sound of a rusty blade scraping against stone echoed. Sentry turned around to see a massive guy with a disgusting grin, limping as he walked. Behind him, more than ten filthy thugs crawled out of the darkness.

  Their leader, the limping man, let out a laugh: "Well, well... Saving kids from my turf, huh? And you brought such a pretty lady with you..."

  Alaric’s eyes looked like they were gonna pop out of his head. Everything the kid had said was spinning in his brain, but he grit his teeth and stood his ground next to Sentry. Sentry just gave the guy a mocking look: "Hey, Gimpy... Why the hell are you feeding these kids lies?"

  The leader’s face twisted. "Look at this little shit, acting tough!" he barked, and his goons burst out laughing. "I ain't lying to 'em. I told 'em once, and they believed what they wanted to believe."

  Alaric was at his breaking point. He could feel the blood boiling in his veins. "I’m gonna take that limp leg of yours and shove it up your ass!" he roared. "You fat sack of shit! THEY'RE KIDS, MAN! How the hell can you tell them something like that?"

  The guy just gave a greasy smirk: "We didn't force the brats, kid... we just had a little fun with 'em."

  Alaric went for his sword, but Sentry blocked him. "Wait," he whispered. Then he turned back to the leader. The guy was staring at Eris now: "I won't kill you guys right away. We're gonna have some fun with that girl first, and I’m gonna make sure you two watch every second of it!"

  Eris was starting to get spooked, but she didn't let go of the kids. Sentry leaned in and hissed to Alaric: "Take Eris and the kids, break through that back door and get out. I’ll handle this."

  "Are you out of your mind? There’s more than ten of them!"

  Sentry’s voice went dead quiet, deadly: "Take Eris and get the hell out. I don't want her seeing this."

  Alaric didn't want to, but he grabbed Eris and sprinted for the back. He kicked the door open with one heavy thud. Eris scooped up the boy who was half-fading. "Come on, you get the other one!" she yelled at Alaric. Alaric snatched up the kid, and the rest of the group scrambled out behind them.

  The leader laughed again: "Don't think they’re getting away. You made a huge mistake staying here alone."

  Sentry asked with an ice-cold tone: "Gimpy... You got more men outside, right?"

  "Yeah, why?"

  Sentry mimicked the guy's laugh, a dark, haunting sound: "If I show 'em your head, you think they'll be scared?"

  One of the thugs drew his blade and lunged at Sentry. Sentry didn't even flinch; he drew his own sword in one clean motion. The guy didn't even have time to scream when he saw his gut ripped open and his organs hitting the floor. He just choked on his own blood and collapsed.

  The others froze, but then a hand touched the shoulder of the guy on the far right. Before he could turn, his head was gone. Sentry swung his blade to the right with so much force that four men were sliced in half at once. The sheer pressure of the swing shattered the massive stone pillar next to them.

  The ones left tried to run. Sentry said, "You got three seconds," and let out that sick laugh again.

  "1... 2... 3!"

  He moved like a shadow, cutting them down one by one, a second apart. Finally, only the limping leader was left. The guy tripped and hit the dirt. "P-p-please! Women, money... whatever you want, it's yours!"

  Sentry looked down at him: "You want me to let you live?"

  "Y-yes!"

  Sentry made like he was turning away, then suddenly brought his blade down on the guy’s legs. The legs were sliced clean off. The guy didn't even process it for a second, then a scream ripped through the warehouse that sounded like a soul being dragged to hell. Sentry gave another mocking laugh: "You were limping before... now you're just a cripple."

  A few seconds later, Sentry’s face went back to that soulless mask, and he took the guy's head with one final strike.

  Alaric, Eris, and the kids were hauling ass toward the woods. But the darkness of the warehouse was breathing down their necks. Alaric looked back and saw about ten thugs hunting them like a pack of hyenas. His heart was hammering against his ribs; Sentry was gone, he was alone, and he had a whole group to keep alive. "Shit!" he hissed through his teeth.

  Eris, terrified and out of breath, screamed: "What are we gonna do now?!" Her voice was trembling. For the first time, her money and her title meant nothing in the face of this butchery. Alaric could only shout back: "I don't know!"

  Right then, a shadow shot out from the bushes like a bullet. Alaric dodged it, but the thug snatched one of the kids who’d lost their balance. The other men surrounded them.

  The thug breathed heavily: "Oh, you little shits... You really made us run for it!" He pulled a rusty dagger from his belt and pressed it against the sobbing kid's thin neck. Alaric drew his sword and roared, "Let him go!" but his hand was shaking. One move and the kid was dead.

  The thug smirked, showing yellow teeth: "You want him back? Give us the kids." Alaric’s brain was stalling. Give these kids back to these monsters? The guy looked at Eris’s noble beauty, his eyes gleaming: "And the woman, too!"

  Eris felt the hopelessness sink into her bones. The other kids were clinging to Alaric’s legs, shivering. No way out. Alaric yelled "No!" but the thug pressed the blade harder, bruising the kid's skin: "Then the brat dies!"

  Eris took a deep breath. I have to do this... I can't let them die, she whispered to herself. She was ready to sacrifice herself. She stepped forward, staring the thug down. "Stop!" she said.

  The thug paused. Eris was thinking fast; she knew this guy saw the kids as nothing but "tools." "Let's trade," Eris said, trying to hide the shake in her voice. "Let him go and take me." She pointed at the kids. "And let them go."

  Alaric looked at her in horror: "No way! Eris, stop!" But the thug laughed. "Sacrificing yourself, huh? Alright, I'll take the deal. You come here, the kids go."

  Eris whispered to Alaric, her voice like ice: "Alaric, take the kids and go! If they realize I'm a Princess, they won't touch me, they'll just want ransom. That’s an order! Save the kids!"

  Alaric felt paralyzed. His honor on one side, the kids' lives on the other... Right then, a blood-chilling roar echoed from the deep woods:

  "HEY! YOU PIECES OF SHIT!!"

  The thugs spun around. Out of the shadows came Sentry, carrying the severed head of their leader. The head was still dripping.

  While the thugs were in shock, Alaric didn't miss his chance. In a fit of rage, he lunged at the guy holding the knife to the kid's throat. He buried his sword in the guy's neck without a hint of mercy. Blood sprayed everywhere as the thug collapsed, staring into Alaric’s eyes. Alaric felt his stomach turn, but he didn't back down.

  The rest were about to attack when Sentry tore into them. He wasn't even using his sword this time; he was finishing them with his bare hands. Sentry punched the first guy so hard his nose caved into his skull. They swarmed him, but Sentry was just playing with them. He snapped one guy's arm like a twig, then folded another in half with a gut punch. He beat them until they were all unconscious heaps and tossed the severed head on top of the pile.

  Eris saw Sentry and felt the weight lift off her. She was relieved, but all she did was take a deep breath. The kids were watching with a mix of terror and hero-worship...

  The sound of more boots and cursing coming from the woods meant the rest of the gang was closing in. Sentry looked at the pile of bodies and then at his friends: "We gotta move!"

  Alaric looked at the fresh blood on his sword and swallowed hard. "What about these guys? Aren't we gonna kill 'em?"

  Sentry gave Alaric a look like he was beyond help: "Idiot... we aren't assassins. The others are getting close, move!"

  Alaric huffed but turned to the kids. He scooped one weak kid into his arms and threw another onto his back. The others huddled around Eris and Cora. They dove into the pitch-black woods, where the trees looked like giant monsters reaching for them.

  As the kids clung to Alaric’s legs, Cora wouldn't let go of Eris’s hand for a second. Alaric kept seeing that guy's last look in his head—the light fading from his eyes made his stomach churn and his head spin. Sentry moved like a shadow in the back, his eyes locked on Eris. Alaric thought he was on high alert, but Sentry was actually watching Eris without even realizing it.

  Suddenly, a deer bolted through the brush in front of them. Eris, startled, pushed Cora back to protect her and stumbled right into Sentry’s rock-solid chest.

  Sentry caught her by the waist. They were inches apart. Eris went bright red and looked up into Sentry’s deep, expressionless eyes. "A-ah... u-uh... I..."

  Sentry cleared his throat slightly and let her go. He sounded almost embarrassed: "I think... we should keep moving." Eris could only manage a "Y-yeah," looking at her feet. The kids in the back started whispering and giggling: "Did you see that? They’re totally in love!"

  Meanwhile, back at the castle, all hell was breaking loose. The second they found the Princess’s room empty, the sound of armor clanking joined the screams of panic. Lord Barnaby, the King’s most trusted advisor, was sweating bullets. He knew if the King found out, his head was on a platter.

  "Search everywhere!" Barnaby roared, his hands shaking. "Send soldiers into the city! If anything happens to that girl, none of you are keeping your heads!"

  Our group slipped into a quiet alley just before the soldiers flooded the streets. The kids in Alaric’s arms were fading fast. One whispered: "I’m so hungry..."

  Alaric looked at their pale faces and turned to Sentry: "Sentry, these kids are running out of time. They need to eat, now." Sentry saw the desperation in the kids and let his guard down. "Fine," he said.

  They ducked into a small family shop that smelled like fresh bread and soup. Eris, ever the lady, talked to the old baker and ordered the food. When they sat down, the kids attacked the food like they’d never seen anything smell so good. But the two badly injured ones couldn't even lift their hands. Eris took a spoon and gently fed them herself. Slowly, they started coming back to life.

  Eris found herself enjoying the meal more than the fancy silver platters back home. Alaric tried to lighten the mood: "So, Princess? You like city food?" Eris giggled: "It’s not home... but it’s delicious."

  Alaric turned to the kids: "What about you guys?" With their mouths full, they shouted: "Best thing ever!" Alaric felt a bit of peace. Then he cautiously turned to Sentry: "W-what about you, Sentry?"

  Sentry actually went easy on him: "Old man knows how to cook," he said. "Ask yourself, clown." Alaric smiled: "I grew up in a village... these flavors remind me of the old days."

  The peace broke when some thugs kicked the door open, their foul breath filling the room. Sentry and Alaric shoved the kids under the table and covered them with a thick cloth in a heartbeat.

  "Old man! You see two guys and a woman with a bunch of kids?"

  The baker knew trouble when he saw it. "No, haven't seen 'em," he said, his voice trembling. "Why do you ask?" The thugs bought his fear and left, grumbling. Alaric peeked under the table: "Kids! They're gone... come on out."

  They finished in silence. Sentry dropped a gleaming gold coin into the baker's hand as they left. "Thanks, old man," he said shortly. The baker stared at the gold, stunned. "I-I can't take this!" he stammered. Eris closed his hand over the coin: "It’s a gift from the Princess, please." The man’s eyes went wide. "My Lady, you..." Eris gave a tired smile: "Yes, it’s me." He bowed low, and Eris just said, "Please, stand up."

  By the time they left, midnight had swallowed the city. Sentry led them through back alleys that didn't even exist on maps. Muddy streets, crumbling walls... the only sound was the soft snoring of the kids on Alaric’s back. Eris’s feet were killing her; the jump from silk to linen to mud was brutal. She had one goal: get these kids safe and find her own soft bed.

  Back at the palace, Lord Barnaby was tossing and turning. The King is gonna kill me, he whispered to the dark. Then his door was hammered. He bolted up and opened it to find the Commander.

  "Lord Barnaby! Princess Eris is back! She brought a whole pack of kids with her!"

  Barnaby let out an "Ohhhh!" so loud it felt like he’d just dodged the Grim Reaper. The Commander asked, "What do we do?" and Barnaby just laughed: "Whatever she wants! She’s back, that’s all that matters!"

  The Commander gave a small smile. "Understood, My Lord," and turned away.

  When they entered the palace, Eris was exhausted but she didn't lose her edge. She called her maids instantly. Her voice was shaky but firm: "Get these kids cleaned up, now! Give them the best clothes we have! And call the nurses for the two injured ones, immediately!"

  As the maids took them, Cora clung to Eris’s skirt. "Don't leave me," her eyes said. Eris knelt and stroked her hair: "Don't worry, I’m here. Get cleaned up and come back to me." Cora smiled and followed.

  Eris went to her room and remembered how this all started. She ran to the door and shouted at Sentry and Alaric as they were leaving: "H-hey! My dress!"

  Alaric spun around, his eyes bugging out. He started biting his nails—the thought of going back to that market made his knees shake. Eris saw his face and her heart sank. All that fighting, the filth, almost dying... was it all for nothing? All she had were muddy linens. "N-never mind... go rest," she said, sounding totally defeated.

  Right then, a rustle came from Sentry’s belt. Eris looked, and Sentry was holding out a wrapped package—the dress, spotless. Alaric looked at Sentry and then the dress like he was seeing a miracle.

  Eris lost it. She was so happy she just ran and hugged Sentry. "Sentry, thank you so much!" she yelled. She pulled back, opened the dress with shaking hands, and put it in her wardrobe like a holy treasure. She turned back to him: "S-Sentry... how is it still okay?"

  Sentry looked into her eyes and gave a tiny smirk. "How could I lose it? We’ve been through hell for this damn thing."

  Eris saw that rare smile and felt something shift inside her. Her face went bright red. "A-ah... I’ve kept you. You must be exhausted, go get some rest."

  Sentry nodded slightly and headed out. Alaric barely had the strength to say "Yes." As they walked down the hall, Alaric muttered: "Thanks, Sentry... if you’d forgotten that thing, she would’ve sent us back into that hellhole."

  Sentry gave a quiet laugh. "Nah... I snagged it when Cora was running toward us and tucked it into my belt so it wouldn't get trashed. I actually forgot it was there... don't tell her."

  Alaric couldn't help but laugh. As they hit their rooms, Alaric crashed instantly. Sentry laid back, staring at the ceiling before drifting off. Everything that happened today was the start of something between him and Eris; but that rough warrior didn't even realize the small crack that had just opened in his heart.

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