The orange light over the trees was already fading as they turned around to look, but rotten holes yawned in Liya's memory, conjuring images of smoke and blazing fires.

"W-what," she managed, trying hard to keep her voice from shaking.

"Oh," Yoshi said, seeming distinctly unruffled, "the training grounds are over there. They are probably holding auditions again."

Liya forced herself to ease her grip up on her arms, unhooking stiff fingers. She closed her eyes and drew in a breath, before asking, "For what?"

"The Cynn is hand-picking people for a new effort to fight the slave trade," Yoshi answered, watching the light recede over the trees, leaving them in relative darkness again. He pulled his ponytail over one shoulder. "He watches the auditions sometimes."

Liya's heart rate had almost gotten back to normal; she buried the thoughts of flames underneath the sight of the blue lights hovering gently around her knees. "Slave...?" she murmured, half-listening.

Yoshi seemed to finally notice her behavior. "Are you all right?" he asked worriedly, leaning forward to look at her face. She turned away from him self-consciously.

"Yeah, I--wait--" she turned round to look at him again, blinking. "The Cynn? He's over there right now?"

Yoshi tilted his head to one side and shrugged, holding up a palm full of blue lights. "It's possible--"

"Can we go see?" Liya interrupted.