The moment the butterflies stepped into the grand meeting chamber, roughly a dozen soldier ants rushed in behind them.
The soldiers spread out quickly, surrounding the three Monarchs from every direction.
The two guardians supporting Luminara immediately released her. With a sharp flick of their wrists, thorned whips slid into their hands.
Luminara raised a hand.
"No... that won't be necessary. We are here to form an alliance, not provoke conflict and create more enemies."
"Take one more step, and you die," Ignatia said.
Her eyes narrowed.
Several soldiers immediately stepped back.
Lieutenant Tavian moved at once, placing himself in front of the Queen. His hand snapped to the hilt of his sheathed weapon. Beside him, Sergeant Cassian bared his mandibles and stepped closer to the Monarchs.
This is bad... I have to do something...
Ari swallowed.
"Ignatia..."
Valeria folded her arms.
"That was quite the entrance."
Near the throne, Princess Emilia sat completely still.
Her heart hammered against her ribs.
Her gaze flicked between the thorned whips and the exposed mandibles.
Her body trembled.
The color of their wings...
They're beautiful.
Her eyes lingered on the three Monarchs.
If they're truly asking for our help....
What could have driven them this far?
Her thoughts drifted to Ari.
And why is Ari trying so hard to help them?
There has to be more to this...
Nearby, one of the ant soldiers gripped his weapon so tightly his hand shook. Sweat slid down from his chin.
I have to defend the Queen.
"Ahhh!"
He charged forward and swung at Ignatia's flank.
Ignatia didn't move.
A blur crossed the space between the two groups.
A rapid series of metallic impacts rang through the chamber, followed by the sharp whistle of displaced air.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The charging soldier stumbled backward.
"My arm!"
He winced and grabbed his wrist.
His weapon hit the floor with a loud clatter.
At the same instant, eleven more weapons spun through the air and crashed across the chamber floor.
The surrounding soldiers froze.
"What the..."
Several took an uneasy step back.
Seraphina smiled as she guided a long segmented barbed whip back into the housing at her side.
"Oh my... it seems you failed to understand my sister's statement."
Her smile remained.
"Do you value your lives so little that you'd challenge us?"
The chamber fell silent.
"I see. Then all of you have a death wish."
She glanced across the disarmed soldiers.
"Go ahead and attack us again if that's what you truly want."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Or return to your posts like good little soldiers."
Lieutenant Tavian could only stare at the weapons scattered across the floor.
She gave a quiet laugh.
"Relax."
"If we'd truly come here seeking blood..."
Her smile widened.
"None of you would still be standing."
"This is outrageous!" Junon shouted. "How dare you threaten our soldiers!"
Seraphina's gaze shifted toward him.
"Hold your tongue, old fool. This matter doesn't concern you."
The meeting chamber seemed to grow quieter.
"Unless..."
A cold glint appeared in her eyes.
"You wish to be silenced."
Junon's breath caught.
He staggered back a step.
"You threaten me inside the Queen's chamber..."
His jaw tightened.
"Very well."
He turned sharply.
"Captain Valeria. Remove these infiltrators."
Valeria did not move.
"Spare yourself the effort, Junon."
"I do not answer to you."
"Least of all now."
Junon clicked his tongue.
Queen Celeste looked between the Monarchs before clearing her throat.
"Silence."
The chamber fell quiet.
"You entered my colony seeking refuge, and yet you chose to raise your weapons within it."
"If I remember correctly, your soldier was the one who pointed his blade at me."
Ignatia folded her arms.
"Fortunately for him, I did not kill him."
"My pride wouldn't allow it."
Her eyes shifted briefly toward Ari.
Then she looked back at the throne.
"While you waste time deciding the fate of a mere lance corporal over a minor altercation, our chances of victory continue to slip away."
"That aside, this was the only way left to get your attention, Queen of this colony."
Ignatia's eyes narrowed.
"You need to know about Magnus."
"And what he's planning to do to this region."
Queen Celeste raised a hand.
The ant soldiers stopped at once.
"Very well."
"All soldiers, stand down."
One by one, the soldiers retrieved their weapons.
The scrape of metal echoed through the chamber.
Seraphina watched them leave until the last of them disappeared from sight.
Celeste rested her arm on the throne.
"Before we continue..."
"What happened to the soldiers guarding the boulders outside?"
"They're unharmed," Ignatia said.
"I made sure of it."
Before anyone else could speak, Draven stepped forward.
"I was the one who ordered the guards to stand down and allow the Monarchs to enter."
The chamber stirred.
"Chief Warden Draven," an elder said.
"On whose authority did you make that decision?"
Draven didn't flinch.
"I wasn't informed of the full situation."
"However, Lieutenant Brooks instructed me to ensure they were granted an audience with the Queen immediately."
Ari blinked.
Wait...
Didn't Brooks say he wasn't getting involved?
He let out a quiet breath.
Seriously...
The guy acts like he wants nothing to do with any of this, then goes and pulls something like that.
A small smile appeared on his face.
...Thanks, Brooks.
Draven continued.
"He also warned me that something dangerous is moving behind the scenes."
"He's already investigating it himself."
Celeste's eyes narrowed slightly.
"I see."
"Brooks has served this colony for many years."
"He's never been the type to make reckless judgments."
"If he believes something is wrong, then I'll trust his instincts."
She gave a small nod.
"You have my thanks, Chief Warden."
"You may leave."
"My Queen."
Draven bowed and stepped away.
Once the chamber settled, Celeste turned back toward Ignatia.
"Now then."
"You have my attention."
"So start talking."
"Tell me everything you know about this Magnus... and the threat he poses to my colony."
Ignatia was silent for a moment.
Then she answered.
"Magnus is the leader of the moths."
"He's the one who brought down my guardians."
"The one who left me on the brink of death."
A few soldiers shifted.
"And he's only gotten stronger since then."
The chamber fell silent.
Ignatia's voice hardened.
"Magnus isn't just another enemy."
"He's darkness itself."
Nobody spoke.
"Our original plan was simple."
"We would rest within your territory and strike the moths at dawn."
"That plan is dead."
She clenched her fist.
"We've run out of time."
"If we don't form an alliance before the full moon in two days..."
The chamber grew tense.
"...this entire region falls."
"They'll all end up under his control."
A murmur spread through the chamber.
"And if that happens..."
Her eyes sharpened.
"Not even the Tyrant Hopper will be able to stop him."
"What?!"
"That's impossible!"
"M-More powerful than the Tyrant Hopper?"
"Enough."
His glare settled on Ignatia.
"There is no creature in this region capable of surpassing the Grasshopper Chief."
Queen Celeste raised her hand partway into the air. The motion alone stilled Junon.
"You claim this threat will spread across the entire region... yet something doesn't add up."
Queen Celeste kept her gaze on Ignatia.
"In two nights, beneath the full moon, this Magnus is meant to surpass even the Tyrant Hopper."
A brief silence followed.
"How is that possible?"
"And why should my colony become involved in your conflict?"
Ignatia clenched her teeth.
This is getting nowhere....
A pale hand rested gently on her shoulder.
She turned.
Luminara gave her a small smile.
"It's all right, Ignatia."
"I'll explain."
She stepped forward.
Ignatia's hand caught her wrist.
The firm grip stopped her in place.
"Don't... Luminara."
Luminara turned her head slightly, a few strands of blonde hair shifting against her cheek.
"We don't have any other choice."
Her voice remained calm.
"If we expect his Queen to believe us... then she deserves to know everything."
"Our reasons."
"Our mistakes."
"And why this danger concerns more than just the Kaleidoscope."
Ignatia's grip remained for another moment.
Her eyes lowered.
"Once you tell them..."
Her voice was quieter than before.
"...there's no taking it back."
"Once they learn about a power like that... there's no telling what they'll do."
"I know."
"But they deserve the truth."
Her fingers slowly loosened.
Then she let go.
Luminara faced the throne.
"Queen Celeste..."
She bowed her head.
"I am Luminara, High Monarch of the Kaleidoscope."
"I beseech you."
She lifted her head once more.
"I will tell you everything..."
"From the very beginning."