The unmarked two-wheeled carriage traveled from the West Borough through Cherwood Borough. As it neared the East Borough, just as Angel had expected, the wheel on the front right came off its axle and rolled a long way down the cobblestone road, throwing the carriage into a brief bout of chaos.
Suppressing her laughter, she watched Sevillea furiously berate the outer member of the sect driving the carriage. When another nearly identical carriage arrived, Sevillea took Angel aboard it.
"Good thing we had planned to switch carriages nearby. Otherwise, we would have had to hire one to take us out to the suburbs."
Sevillea explained with a dark expression, but Angel suspected that she had summoned this other carriage at the last minute. The coachman was unfamiliar with their destination and had to keep correcting his route under Sevillea's instructions.
The carriage circled along the outskirts of the East Borough and reached a small road in Backlund's eastern suburbs. It did not stop beside a small town until the Sun hung high overhead. Led by Sevillea, Angel left the town on foot from its other side, wound along mountain paths for some time, and entered a hidden cave beside a rushing tributary of the Tussock River.
"At first, I thought I would be meeting Lady Despair in some luxurious villa in the Queens Borough. Then I thought a secluded alley in the East Borough would work too, but I never expected..."
Angel looked around the primitive cave, which bore no traces of artificial excavation, and said with a teasing lilt:
"...that it would be in such a damp, cold cave."
"You can say that to me, but when you meet Lady Panacea later, you'd better rein in those thorns."
To her surprise, Sevillea did not refute her. Instead, she offered