“No.” Jared shook his head. “I’m going alone.”

Lydia’s brows drew together. “Why?”

Jared met her gaze. “The Celestial Palace has always stayed hidden. That means they don’t want to be disturbed. If I bring too many people, they’ll take it the wrong way. If they think I came to provoke them, they might not even let me in.”

He paused, then gave a faint, crooked smile.

“Besides, news about the Celestial Basilica’s destruction will reach them sooner or later. Once they learn I was part of it, they’ll already be wary of me. If I show up with a group on top of that… they’ll assume I came to wipe them out too.”

Lydia fell silent.

She understood.