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As they left his bedroom, Ryziel saw Xilya talking with Nar by one of the wings. On the grated table nearby was an iron-bowl filled with a sort of stew he had seen Nar make before, along with a pot of hot water and tea infusions. He followed Aly over and sat beside her. Not long after, Xilya and Nar joined them.

"Conversion is going smoothly," Nar said, settling himself on a high stool next to Xilya. "At this rate, we will be out of here in, I'd say, maybe two, three weeks tops."

"At least we never have to return to the Keep or the cave systems surrounding it. Now, it's just a waiting game," said Xilya, curling her tail around her chair.

"It was good timing too. You were right," Ryziel said to Xilya. "The waters have risen down below."

"What did you go back down there for anyway?" Xilya asked, her eyes shifting over to Aly then back to him.

Ryziel looked to Nar. "I used the map and found Yurza's treasury."

Nar's eyes widened. "Nihl's hide," he breathed.

"The way in is probably underwater now. But I will give you the map if you ever wish to return."

"Did you at least take anything?"

Ryziel looked at Aly then took the pearl-like orb out of one of his side-packs. "This." He handed it to Nar, who took it in both his little hands and turned it over.

"This is..."

"Some sort of star-map."

Nar grunted. "Strange thing to take..."

Ryziel shrugged. "Strange thing to have locked away in a treasury."

Nar nodded and handed it to Xilya so that she could also examine it. When she squeezed it, the gold flecks shot out, spreading across the room.

"See there." Ryziel pointed to the brightest and largest gold speck, flickering every so often with blue light. "There's no known system there, yet this map claims there is."

Xilya squeezed on it again, and the gold flecks returned to the orb. She handed it back to Nar.

"Interesting," Nar said. "Mind if I hold onto it to examine it some more?"

Ryziel shook his head. " Not at all."

Nar pocketed the orb then got up and began to set several cups on the table.

"What's this?" Aly asked, pointing to an iron bowl.

"It's calledLoshi.It's an urken meal made for celebrations," Nar explained. "I figured, now that we know we will have the ship ready soon, this was a good enough time as any to, well, celebrate."

"And I couldn't agree more," said Xilya. She poured hot water into the little cups for each of them while Nar distributed the stew in steel bowls. Ryziel gave a tea infusion to Aly while dropping one into his own cup. As the pills soaked, Xilya took up her bowl carefully in her sharp hands and lifted it. "To the ship. May it safely fly us out of this hellscape and away to better worlds."

"Couldn't have said it better," Nar said, lifting his own. "To the ship."

Ryziel glanced at Aly, who met his eyes. She smiled at him and lifted her bowl. "And to home."

Ryziel smiled, lifting his. "To home."

They ate in silence for a short while until Ryziel noticed Xilya watching Aly with curious intensity. Her gaze eventually flicked over to his and their eyes locked. They stared at one another for a long moment before Xilya spoke.

"Speaking of home," she said, with a suspiciously casual air. "I am told you will return with Nihl Ryziel to his home world. Is that true, Aly?"

Aly swallowed her mouthful of stew and set her bowl down. "Ah, yes." She glanced at Ryziel then back at Xilya. "It's true."

"Hm." The vrisha female scratched at the side of her jaw indifferently. "And I take it, then, you aren't worried about being the only human left on Xolis?"