Things did, in fact, move far smoother for Aurora on the upper level. The space allowed her to glide about without having to dodge any moving bodies, and she busied herself helping where she could. For a long while, she heard nothing of true consequence—discussion of the recent storms, speculation about the Stormlord and the rebellion, but curiously no mention of the missing Locke prince. None of it was new information, merely idle chatter among friends of a wealthier and more influential set. Aurora wondered if she was wasting her time. She had left her mother alone to be out here, and she could pass an entire night without hearing anything of importance. Maybe Zephyr was right. Maybe she was being foolish to insist on involving herself in these aspects when it was clear her role in this revolution lay elsewhere. She got lost in the busywork of cleaning up an empty table while she contemplated these thoughts, the soothing atmosphere of the tavern providing a calm backdrop for her wandering.

She picked up the last empty glass from the table, fitted it between her forearm and her breast along with the others, and then straightened to leave, nearly toppling into a man wearing a blue Locke admiral uniform. Then she let her eyes lift up to see him, and she found the familiar face of one of her former guards.

Aurora quickly lowered her eyes, and mumbled a quiet apology.

“Is this table free?” the man asked.

Aurora nodded and tried to flee, but he called after her, “Grab me an ale, will you?”

She nodded again, and then hurried off. She only let herself glance back when she reached the stairs, and she saw him shaking hands with another man in Locke uniform whom she vaguely recognized as someone who had kept close to the royal family. She descended the stairs before Merrin could set eyes on her again.

He had been her other primary guard, often playing the foil for the far-too-serious Taven. But gone was the cheery-eyed, curly-haired Merrin that she remembered. His hair had been cut short, all the curls gone, and his expression had remained flat, his voice too.

Aurora returned the empty glasses to the kitchen, then thought of taking herself straight up to her mother as she had promised. Then she remembered that Merrin had asked for an ale. She did not want to make things more suspicious by disappearing without his order. She would take him his drink, then disappear.

She requested the drink at the bar, and while she waited, she decided to do the responsible thing and tell Zephyr she would be leaving. But she could not find her in the back where she had left her, nor was she behind the bar. So she told the woman behind the bar to tell Zephyr that the new girl needed a word.