"The Alarie..."  Asahi said as they rode, his arms were wrapped around Raimu, and Satsuki was tucked in front of Katsuo on his antelope.  The boys were dozing, and Misaki felt a smile creeping up their face.

Alarie, rip them apart, tear them apart, devour--

They shook their head, pressing down the voice by force of will. It had a name, but they did not care to speak it now. Rot-thing, be still.  The Alarie are just visitors.

They seek us. The voice bubbled up and roiled in their psyche. 

So?  Let them come, and meet Asahi's swords.  Or the guns.  Alarie hate guns. They thought, and that ancient, brooding voice fell silent. 

Misaki sighed after that and shifted in the saddle to rest their hands on the rump of their antelope and stretch out.  They slipped into a meditation, feeling the magic here as it rippled and rolled over the twisted stones, echoing up from the corpses of buried empires.  Once a land of grand empires that rose and fell, that lived and died between the Peacekeepers and the Dragonspine Ranges. Once lush and verdant, now a vast desert.  The land had been turned against conquerors, and the magic had been poisoned, and now pooled in decaying ruins. 

And, for most, only whisps of magic could be conjured forth-- heal up a flesh wound, or sing for days to shape the trees and stones. But, for Misaki and for the rot-thing that lived in the tattoos that covered their flesh-- a thing that was never physical, born of incomprehensible ritual, conjured forth from spaces that could not be fathomed by most minds-- this place was a feast of power. And, sometimes, it was overwhelming.  But, then again, people were overwhelming, speaking was overwhelming.  They just wanted to get back to their quiet work, either locked up in their study, or out in the field where no one would bother them.

"Why can't we sleep at Val's house?"  Raimu muttered. Bringing Misaki back to the moment, and their heart softened.  Their husbands, their boys, though sometimes still overwhelming, were an anchor. But, they still didn't open their eyes, content to simply observe the way the threads of magic moved over the road.

"We wanted to get mom home--"  Katsuo's voice-- bright and clear-- answered. but Asahi cleared his throat.

"It's not as if they won't hear from others, beloved."  Asahi rumbled, as deep as a roll of thunder. There was a pause, and they were certain there would be a knowing look between the two men. "The Alarie, Rai."

"Mom works with an Alarie, I've met him.  He's nice." Rai-- he was a little deeper in voice than his twin, but only just.

 "Yes, but strange Alarie must be approached with caution. It is uncertain why they crossed the Peacekeepers-- they are not exiles or criminals.  And, there are rumors that Alarie kidnap children, especially twins, to take back to their lands to raise as their own." Asahi answered, and Misaki opened their eyes, and found their larger husband looking to them for a moment, his silver eyes were tinged with worry, the pupils wide and flashing in the moonlight. It was his way of asking them to stay alert, and not doze off.  He knew well what they were capable of.

"They are not near."  Misaki stated, answering the question that hadn't been asked. Alarie magic, like all fae magic, had a different feel to it.  The threads of magic curled around them and were reshaped by them, whereas the magic born of dragons and their kin was inhaled, changed within them and exhaled. Or at least, that is how they could feel it.  They had lived among the Cynri for years, and had encountered other travelers from over the Peacekeepers.

Asahi nodded, some of his black and silver hair slipping out from under his hat. "Well, we should be able reach Karse's Stand by dawn, and we can get a room there."

"Won't the Alarie catch us?" Satsuki asked, he sounded tired and scared. Mikasi pushed their antelope to ride up alongside Katsuo and Satsuki.  

"No, they won't, you are safe."  They said, reaching out a hand, which Satsuki reached out to touch. He smiled, and then tucked back into his dad's chest.  

Katsuo nodded to Misaki, mouthing 'thank you', before turning back to Asahi, "Isn't Sayomi in Karse's Stand?"

"She is-- she was there on recovery.  I was thinking it would be the fastest way to get all of you home." Asahi said, taking off his hat and tucking loose strands of his silver-frosted black hair.

"Us."  Katsuo corrected.  "She's the fastest way of getting all of us back home."

There was a silence between the men, only filled by the sounds of hooves on stone and sand.  Then, Asahi looked over, his silver eyes flashing in the dim light.  "Right, us, we are all going home."

"We are all going home."  Katsuo stated, "And I don't want to hear arguments about it.   The two of you just need to be home for a little while-- you've been running around the province dealing with dangerous work for months.  I see you maybe a few days at a time and then you are gone again."

Shamed silence filled the space between the riders. Misaki nodded and cleared their throat, "My surveys are done for the year, I will be home doing reports."  

Katsuo nodded, but his eyes were on the sheriff. 

"I... I can trust more to my deputies, and... with Sayomi recovered, I won't be traveling as long-- if I have to travel, that is."

Katsuo nodded, "Good."

The riders fell into silence, and Misaki pondered the situation.  It never ceased to surprise them how small, thin Katsuo could bring the ferocious Asahi to heel with a word.