Luciana's mind hadn't left the wolf. Losing it the day before only meant having to go back out that night. She just hoped the trail hadn't gone completely cold the last 24 hours. 

"You're out of it today." Sehun commented, calling her from out of her thoughts.

"Isn't she always?" D.O replied, his attention seemingly fixed on the people in front of them.

She grimaced. Vuelva a la Tierra.

"I think it's cute." Tao said.

"You think everything she does is cute." Sehun rolled his eyes. 

Tao looked at him. "I think everything you do is cute, too."

He looked away. "Whatever." Luca could see his blushing ears. 

They were back in the throne room, Lux sitting at the very end, next to Tao. 

D.O had gone to fetch her in the morning just as soon as she had finished being dressed. As he escorted her, he explained that the original peoples of the island the palace was on were extremely superstitious. Even though the Empress stripped their high priests of their political influence when she conquered them, as she did in every other region with their respective religious leaders, she allowed her subjects to continue their rituals and worship, albeit informally. 

"Does she follow any religion?" Lucy had asked him.

He frowned. "She often prays. But I'd never really questioned who to." 

She stared at him for a moment. "Wouldn't that be a natural question?"

The eyebrows pulled further together, but, after a minute, he just shook his head and kept talking. 

Apparently, every time the new moon comes around, the locals get antsy. So, the Empress set up monthly meetings for their dukun, or shamans, to come in. Because she was abroad, conquering countries, Lucy assumed, the task of placating them fell to her sons. The dukun liked this even more, rumors of the princes being gifted by the gods abounding even in the furthermost reaches of the islands. 

By the time they got to the throne room, all princes were already in their places. 

"You're late." Luhan hissed at her. 

"You're not." Xiumin contradicted, his tone particularly chirpy. 

"Just have a seat." Kris commanded, cutting his brothers off. 

She bowed, then followed D.O, who was already several steps ahead of her. 

After settling down in the open seat, she was only able to pay attention to one of the islander's issues before her mind started drifting. If she recalled correctly, the villagers feared a demon boar, born from the practice of black magic, was stealing their valuables. 

Now, though, as she glanced at the man entering, she found him to be looking straight at