"Why don't you lead the way?" Franz said, smirking at Wren. "You did great last time."
"Don't tease," Sisre said, hardly able to contain her own smile. "We need to come out of this in one piece and with the key. Let me do the talking."
Wren allowed the guards to take her weapons and this time they checked her more closely before letting her pass.
"What a way to get a reputation," Franz whispered before falling into formation behind Sisre. Wren took her place on the other side and they approached the Queen, her brother with his back to them.
"It is alive," she said and Uldren turned to them. "And it still has its ball."
Kiran shot Wren a look. They stood before the Queen and Uldren's face twisted into a look of triumphant arrogance.
"There is no shame in running away, Guardians," he said with mock sympathy. "Apart from the cowardice and failure of it, it's an excellent strategy."
Wren clenched her fists. "We didn't run," she said, keeping her tone even.
"We did as we were instructed," Sisre said. "We killed a Gate Lord."
Her Ghost flew forward a little and dropped the Gate Lord's head at the Queens feet. It rolled down the stairs and stopped between her throne and the Guardians.
"We need to find the Black Garden," Sisre said firmly. The look of shock and annoyance on Uldren's face made Wren stand a little taller.
"They don't even know where it is," Uldren scoffed, but Wren picked up on the deflated tone of his voice.
"Then let us tell them," the Queen said, her voice soft and quiet. "Search the Gate Lord for that which gains them entrance."
"Why?" Uldren snapped, turning on the Queen so fast it made Wren flinch. "If you wish them certain death, why not kill them here?" he demanded and Wren tilted her head a little. Was he trying to spare them somehow? She didn't understand.
The Queen didn't blink when she turned her gaze to him. She lifted her chin and said, "Often when we guess at the motives of others, we reveal our own."
"My motive is simply loyalty… to the people," he said, moving to block her view of the Guardians before taking a knee before her. "A queen… and a sister."
"Then please," she said, her voice edged with impatience, "take what is required."
Wren got the feeling she would not ask a second time and apparently Uldren knew better. He bowed his head, defeated, then stood, walking down the steps, never taking his eyes off the Guardians as he unsheathed his blade. He cut a glance at Wren, twisted the blade in his hand, and drove it into the Gate Lord's head, ripping away wires as he dug in to pull out a red light which quickly flickered and died.
Uldren held it up and smiled smugly. "Too bad, it's dead. Unfortunate really. A wasted journey."
"Perhaps. But I think these ones are resourceful. Gift it to them," the Queen said. "In sympathy for their Traveler."
Uldren's shock was clear but he turned to the Guardians with no argument. "Mars. Eighty-two North, thirty-two East. Meridian Bay." He tossed the eye to Wren who caught it and held it to her side.
The Queen stood and looked them over once more. "I have shown benevolence. Should the Awoken need an ally in the future, I will call on you and I expect you to answer."
Wren didn't like that. The feeling of owing the Queen of the Awoken didn't set well on her stomach and she could feel a glance from Franz though she didn't look back at him.
"She means you owe us," Uldren said.
"We understand," Sisre said before bowing to the Queen, Wren and Franz following her motion. "Your grace."
They turned to leave and as they walked away, Uldren called out to them "Goodluck" but the words that followed were lost on Wren. She peered over her shoulder at him one last time before the doors closed behind them and they were given their weapons and allowed to leave.
"What now?" Franz asked.
"Home for now," Sisre replied, holding out a hand for the eye. "We'll have to regroup and let the Vanguard decide what to do next."