Kire felt a bit more at ease in the woman’s presence as they waited for the boy to fetch this ‘Envy’. “Nobody likes being woken,” she conceded. At her request to touch the armor, Kire blinked, in parts amused and a little awkward at the genuine curiosity she showed over her. “Well-met, Ysaryn. Kire,” she replied, watching as the woman prodded her armor. [i]So she was called upon to help after the sacking. And stayed with them ever since?[/i] 

The boy returned, asking her to leave her weapon behind. Kire frowned at that. While she understood the reason, she didn’t want to part with it anyway. Relieved that the boy had changed his mind, she followed, hands on her sides as she walked behind him. [i]How much had this boy seen of Ziad’s pillaging?[/i] she wondered, even as she marveled at how absolutely quiet it had gotten. [i]More magic. Rulitus pointed me in the right direction, then.[/i] 

She almost jumped back a step, her hand on her sword, when she finally saw who this ‘Envy’ was. [i]Kartaian[/i]! And yet—her gaze quickly assessed the burn scars on his body, the way his body was slumped as he sat on his meager bed, Ysaryn and the boy. Kire had to make a conscious effort to relax her body and not think Rulitus had delivered her to Ikegai’s friends, after all. “I apologize—Envy. My name is Kire. You might have met someone who bore my face, half a year ago.” She paused, her mind burning with so many questions about Envy and Rulitus. “I’m looking for her and her maker, and I believe they’ve had a hand in what happened to Ziad. I met a man named Rulitus there, who brought me here so I could get help.” She unclasped her helmet and removed it. “Kartaians had been sent after me back when we were at the ruins. I don’t think they’ll be able to track me this far, we had only just dealt with the first three hunters they had sent.” She glanced at the boy Aeron, wishing he hadn’t been present for such conversation. “If that concerns you, I will understand. I just thought I would try my luck with a sorcerer native to this land.”