The hideout

There was silence for about an hour during which Aria scanned the hideout from outside.

She used wind and earth bending and it was almost like she could see the hideout with her own eyes, but she did not dare to to scan inside of the hideout.

From what Aria gathered, the hideout was simple, a rather big but simple house.

"Hmm. I'm guessing this is not their main hideout. Probably a home of one of the members and used as a makeshift hideout until it's safe to move me to their main hideout " Aria thought to herself as she hit the barrier on the walls of the house once again.

A powerful wind bendor was using his power to maintain a barrier throughout the house, and Aria wasn't willing to risk breaking it until she was sure she could do it undetected.

Aria was brought out of her thoughts at the sound of the door opening.

Aria heard a person walk into the room and waited. But when the person didn't speak, her lips curved into a smile and she spoke, "What? Is Edmond too scared to come to meet me himself?"

Aria heard the deep voice of a man the next instant, "You are not worth his time."

"Oh please! Am I really not? Well, if I wasn't, he wouldn't be here, so far away from his main hideout, waiting for me." Aria replied, and she would have rolled her eyes had they not been covered.

She had taken far too many wild guesses in a single statement, and as luck would have it, they all turned out to be true. Aria figured she had hit the nail right on the head when the man was speechless for a minute.

"At least now I know Edmond is here. And this is not their main hideout. Let's proceed with this information." Aria nodded to herself and spoke again, "Anyway, who are you?"

The man seemed a bit smug as he replied, "You shouldn't be asking questions."

Aria mentally rolled her eyes, "What do you want me to do then? Sit here and tremble like a poor princess?"

"Well that is what you were doing the whole time while you were brought here." The man spoke.

So the people that brought her here answered directly to this person. It probably meant he was the leader of the night warriors in this area. Aria mentally checked off another piece of information as she spoke, "By the way, I'm really impressed with your barrier. Must be exhausting, continuously maintaining such a strong repulsive barrier."

"It's not as impressive as your barrier around the Scott mansion." The man spoke.

He seemed to be slowly letting down his guard. Aria smirked. She knew the person who flew in Jacob and the note was not the one who flew her here. Now she had confirmed that it was the man standing in front of her.

Aria straightened her back. It was time to start.

"You seem like an intelligent person. I have a proposition." Aria spoke.

"You are in no position to make propositions." the man spoke. Through he tried not to show it, Aria caught a hint of interest and amusement in his voice.

"Maybe not. But wouldn't it be easier for you guys if we worked together?" Aria asked.