Kire listened as Envy, Ruli, and Ysaryn made their own observations, though when the latter commented about how she could smell Etta’s blood as well as Ruli’s, she paused, observing Ruli’s reaction. She knew he didn’t want Ysaryn having any inkling at all to who his bloodkin were, so if the elf’s senses were keen enough, that might pose a problem for him. But she didn’t pursue the matter further, and Ruli had turned his attention back to her. She listened to Envy this time, weighing the option of warding the forest or the camp. 
“Yeah, warding the camp seems like the wiser choice at the moment,” she replied to them. “Alright. Myka and I will meet with the leaders of the town and the lady of the province to let them know what options we have at the moment so none of them get tempted to do anything rash, then come back here before the hour is up. Narda, if anything comes up here before the meeting is over, come get me.” 

As Kire and Myka stepped out of the camp, the pirate captain turned to Kire, curiosity in her features. “You’re taking all of this rather well—or, well, better than I thought you would. All this magic stuff.” 
Kire shrugged. “The ‘magic stuff’ is going to happen whether I allow it or not. I’m frustrated, sure, but better also to accept that things are going to get much weirder over time than keep my head buried in the sand.” 
Myka smirked. “Definitely sounds like a different Kire. ‘Frustration’ for you usually means you gotta punch a tree or two. Or a face or two.” 
“You know I’ve learned I can’t rule that way.” Kire smirked. “Besides, who told you I wasn’t doing any of those things when nobody’s looking?” 
“Mm.” The captain’s expression turned somber. “Other people have been noticing the change in you, too. They’re wondering if this has anything to do with your new friends, or if you’re becoming more of a Gemini, yourself.”
Kire frowned at that. “They’re going to love the fact that I had wards put up around the Palace then.” She wondered, though, if she should be worried about what Myka had just said. But people always feel fear around the new and the unknown, and she was no stranger to people talking about her behind her back. Until it presented itself as a problem, Kire resolved not to put too much stock into these rumors. She had larger problems to face. 

While Kire and Myka were off to the meeting, Narda oversaw the camp, letting Gavin, Ruli, and Envy work on what was needed and coordinating for if any of them require additional supplies. Given the temperature, water and other drink was supplied to them frequently. Daryll, too, made observations, asked the sorcerers about the enchantment process, comparing it with the notes he had made when Ruli and Gavin had first made the wards for the Palace. Nothing much yet had happened to the patients themselves, and from the look of things, the leaves and stone were effective. 

The hour passed without much incident yet, and Kire and Myka returned looking satisfied at how the meeting had gone. “Nothing like a little sweet-talking,” Kire said. Myka rolled her eyes.
“It’s rather hard to say ‘no’ to the Empress, you know,” she put in, to which Kire smirked. 
“Fair point. Alright. What’s our status here?”

Before anyone could answer, however, the boy let out a cry as flames leapt up from his bed.