Could it be the crystals? Zov’ha knelt down and hugged Efiros, who looked a little shaken, and she whispered to him, ‘Go back to Farianvale, Efy. I promise I’ll come.’ 

She didn’t waste anymore time. She left Efiros where she knew he would make it back safely, and darted to the nearest wall. She could not use the streets to make a dash towards the explosion — she would have to use the rooftops. 

She easily navigated through the labyrinth of buildings, making her way up to the roofs and down ladders, through terraces and porches — surprised at her own agility. At one point she had reached the top of one of the highest buildings in the neighbourhood, and she could clearly see the site of the explosion below. It was a dome shaped building, a quarter of which had collapsed. The streets around it had emptied and she made her way towards it — climbing down pipes and window sills.

Within a few minutes she had reached the ruptured building. Looking around, she found a body lying on the ground. She sprinted towards it, heart racing. The body moved as she reached and the person screamed as she turned it over — it wasn’t Sinovan. More bodies lay around — all injured and moaning. She heard the sound of sirens, which meant help was coming. 

She decided to move closer to the dome-shaped building. Carved into the building in large letters were the words, ‘The Knights of Evalon.’ Now she was more than sure that it was the crystals that had caused this blast. Was this all Sinovan’s doing? Where was he? Did he take the brunt of it and turn to dust? 

Soldiers and paramedics of the Knights of Evalon had appeared in squads and were digging out survivors from the debris. They had started zoning off anyone who tried to enter the vicinity of the blast. 

Zov’ha kept to the shadows and sneaked her way into the building, where the walls had collapsed. After a thorough search, which lasted about an hour, she was ready to give up as there was no sign of Sinovan. I should have gone with him. But how could she have prevented all this destruction? The only person she knew — gone in a single instant. And what about Segran? Who would take care of him now?    

She was about to turn to leave when she heard a clang from an inner chamber. Racing towards where she thought the sound came from, she called out to Sinovan. She heard a voice… Sinovan’s voice! She spotted him in a crumbling chute. He was sitting huddled, uninjured, but terrified. The moment he saw Zov’ha he found his strength and pushed away the fallen debris. She helped him up and examined him. He was still shaking.

‘Are you alright?’ she whispered. 

‘The crystals…’ he said, coughing as the dust swirled around him. ‘They let out a loud screech just as I was showing them to the High Knight. He didn’t know what they were… but he did it, Zov’ha! He took the box and ran towards the outer wall… away from us all.’ 

Zov’ha looked around and saw the fallen bodies of the Knights around her. They were all intact — injured and unconscious — but not dead. She also recalled that none of the bodies outside were very badly injured. The High Knight had saved everyone by sacrificing himself.   

The crystals were gone. There was no evidence of what happened. Zov’ha realised that there was no use lingering here. 

‘Come,’ she said at last. ‘Let’s head back to the inn.’   

‘No,’ Sinovan said, a little dazed now, realising there was a ringing in his ears. ‘I have to tell the Merchants of Ro of what transpired here.’ 

‘Not today,’ Zov’ha pressed. She heard the squads from outside moving into the building. ‘You need to rest. Let’s head back to Farianvale.’ 

Zov’ha helped the ailing Calcar to the courtyard as stealthily as she could manage, and the two of them disappeared into the city.