The next step Kaz took was a steady one. That didn't help the fact that when his suurrounding changed to white marble walls and polished stone floor, decorated with gold detailing in a long corridor with heavy wooden doors along one side of the corridor, his foot slipped. His bad leg, aching from the strenuous activity of the last few hours (days, weeks, years; how long had it truly been since hed been able to rest?) gave out under him. Before he could crash down, hard, on the sparkling floor his Wraith swooped in to balance him. Inej caught him before he could hit the floor.
Then Kaz looked around properly and noticed there were upwards of 15 other people in the corridor with them looking as confused as he felt. A side glance at Inej confirmed that she also hadn't a clue what had happened; the Wraith not knowing something was worrying at the best of times, mildly threatening when he had just been teleported into what looked to somehow be the Little Palace.
Two doors down Jesper and Nina had converged looking worried. From the other end of the corridor by two Shu soldiers Matthias and Wylan were making their way over to Jesper and Nina. Before Kaz could do anymore observing Inej was swiftly making her way over to the group and Kaz could only follow to this odd little group he had come to trust.
Kaz saw Matthias do a double take when he saw Inej before she raced over and was swept up into a hug by Jesper and Nina. When Kaz caught up to them he made a quick check and it seemed no one was anymore injured than when he last saw them. Looking up he saw Wylan staring at him - thankfully with his own face again - and raised an eyebrow.
"As truly touching as all the cuddling is, does anyone know where we are or how we got here?"
"We're definitely in the Little Palace" Nina grimaced releasing Inej "Half way across the world in less than a second".
Parem maybe? Although Kaz didn't know what order of Grisha could be corrupted into making teleportation possible he also knew after what he'd seen and done not many things were truly impossible. Just highly improbable.
"I almost want to blame the Khurgurd but at least one of us would be dead by now if that were the case". Jesper added helpfully.
Calmed down now they were away from the chaos of the auction, Kaz took a good look at the people assembled.
There was the two Shu soldiers Matthias and Wylan had been near a few doors further down along with Genya Safin, Zoya Nazyalensky and two others. There was a durast in his purple kefta, round dark glasses and messy hair and who Kaz assumed was King Nikolai with his blond hair and regal pose. Strategically positioned so the two Shu were between the King and any potential danger all 6 of them were in deep discussion, occasionally sending concerned glances their way. Kaz caught the shorter Shu's eye and held it, only looking away when her eyebrow raised and he heard Nina impatiently calling his name.
"What?" Kaz snapped.
Nina straightened up with an outraged scowl before Inej whispered quietly,
"Rollins is here, over the side we came from with Tante Heleen".
Without thought Kaz' head began to turn toward them before Inej stopped him with a small tug on his jacket and he could see her fear and anger. He had to be smart. He couldn't just go over to them when for all he knew this could all be an elaborate plan of theirs. Although, that wouldn't explain what Kaz assumed was the Triumvirate being here.
"Someone else I think we should be mildly concerned about is Van Eck over there glowering at us" Matthias added and Kaz saw Jespers hand clasp Wylan as their demolitions expert sucked in a breath and his eyes hardened.
Nina, on the other hand, was more interested in what these groups had in common, something Kaz would also very much like to know.
"So we have Heleen, Rollins, Van Eck - makes sense, evil villains we have defeated valiantly. But the Triumvirate? Kuwie is over by them too with Colm and Wylans mum and Haskell is in the other corner. I'm pretty sure they have never interacted before".
"Nina has a point, the only thing these people have connecting them is association with us, which means it's probably partly our fault we're here." Matthias frowned. "Doesn't look like Rollins is having much look with the doors either".
Just what they needed after a manhunt against them. The possibility of another.
"So...now what?" Jesper lamented.
Nina stepped out of the little circle they had formed, "Now, I reintroduce you to the Triumvirate" she declared before spinning around and dragging Matthias by the hand over to the other group.