149 Companions...

By the time the sun was high in the air, everything was cleaned out of the Vlacca clan, and they were half to the Udava clan.

Prince Ailwin drove a strict steady pace across the Steppes. Mika thought it would take at least five days to reach the Udava clan, but under Ailwin's direction, they would make it in three.

On the second night, they stop to set up camp. Mika pulled Kaze away from Saavi and Jonas to speak with him privately. At the edges of their tents, she told Kaze he will be staying with Prince Ailwin, to learn from him and to be their middle man.

"Miss Mikaela, are you doing this because I let you get kidnapped by Lord Kendel?" Kaze has never been relieved of his duties in his life. To know that Mikaela felt the need to send him away for training, took a hit to his pride.

"Yes." Mika didn't try to hide nor denied her actions. Kaze made mistakes the only way for him to overcome them, were to learn from them.