“Now would be a good time to hide us, Your Highness,” Krantz says, almost a demand. I tune into the aether surrounding me, flowing through the light of the bright day, then bend it around the group that’s now about a dozen strong. I keep us visible to one another, though that takes a larger amount of effort.

“I need to know where we’re going, Krantz,” I say. “I’ll need to drop the ability to show us to one another soon. Point me in the right direction, and I’ll make sure we’re all heading that way.” Krantz points to a tower only a few blocks up. I release the extra aether allowing our group to see each other, then focus my attention fully on the tower. It’s hard to concentrate with the screams I can still hear from the merchant district and my doubt that this was the right decision. Taking a deep breath, I tune out the noise, mind racing to come up with a plan for when we reach the refinery. I’ll need to see the storage space before I can hide any thayar from the rebels. Now that I’ve seen what they do with just a small supply of thayar, I’m even more determined to keep as much of it from them as I can. “To ensure I can hide us properly, I’ll need to go into the building first. I can’t hide this many people without knowing what the light will be like in there,” I whisper, praying he hasn’t been exposed to many light channelers to catch my lie. “But I should be able to keep you all hidden outside. It’ll only take me a few moments.”

Krantz doesn’t respond for a few beats, and I fear I’ve made a miscalculation. He looks skeptical, eyes searching, though he can’t see me. But he only says, “Okay, but be quick about it.”

When we reach the base of the tower, I briefly allow the group to see one another so that Krantz can signal to them to halt. I give him a nod before walking to the front doors. There are only two guards out front, who both seem glassy eyed with boredom. I kick a stone toward the rebels, then sneak inside when the guards turn their attention that way.

There are three more guards inside, though I thank the aether that they’re immersed in a game of Skran and don’t notice the door swinging open and closed. Krantz explained at the tavern that the supply room is on the first floor, to the right of the front door. I head that way now, finding the door blocked by another pair of guards.

Shit.