《The Ether Witch》


 Chapter 1: A Coerced Collaboration

    Tamlin Ashowan stared out over the Alcide Sea.


    The full moon illuminated the inky waters below from the window of his keep, and a magical dusting of stars glittered brightly against the darkness.


    Closing his eyes, he took in a deep, slow, breath.


    Everything was quiet, save for the gentle rush of water meeting the cliff far below, and there was even the delicious smell of spring in the air. Everything was peaceful in the kingdom of Daxaria, with no wars, droughts, or plagues for more than a decade. The monarchy served its people well, and as a result, its citizens flourished¡­


    So why did Tam, a future viscount and duke, brother to the future queen of Daxaria, feel anxious?


    He couldn¡¯t put his finger on it, but it was almost as though something big and important was about to happen.


    It didn¡¯t seem quite as charged as the day a little more than seven years ago when his sister had battled against a civil rebellion in a foreign kingdom¡­ An army that happened to be led by the first witch, also called Aradia. The daughter of the Gods who had been thought long dead after a battle with her brother, the devil.


    The first witch had been trying to cast the devil into a portal that led to the Forest of the Afterlife, and summon ancient beasts to try and help reduce the influence of witches, believing that she was setting things right.


    However, to open the portal she had required the death of thousands of men, and had even crafted a potent drug called Witch¡¯s Brew, that would eventually kill its users, but in exchange¡­ She could summon the ancient beasts to help her win.


    Ancient beasts were creatures aligned with the four elements that had long ago ruled the earth¡­ Until humans came to be, that is.


    Tam continued gazing out into the night, his thoughts idly turning over what could be making him feel so restless.


    The first witch was imprisoned in a secret location in Troivack after Tam¡¯s twin sister, Katarina, had helped the Troivackian king and queen win the civil war and stop the first witch. The devil had been killed during the battle; however, as the immortal son of the Gods, he had been reborn elsewhere. In an effort to find him, there were several children with mysterious backgrounds that had been apprehended in Troivack, but it was still hard to discern if any of them were the devil¡­ Meaning he could still be at large, albeit, in the form of a child.


    A soft knock sounded behind Tam, making him turn around.


    Standing in the doorway was his mother, Duchess Annika Ashowan.


    Once upon a time, she had been praised as the most beautiful woman in all of Daxaria even though she had been born and raised in Troivack prior to marrying an old Daxarian viscount. Viscount Jenoure had died a year after their marriage, leaving Annika to live as a widow for a time before she happened to meet a certain royal cook who just so happened to be a witch. And they just so happened to fall in love. Luckily, due to Finlay Ashowan¡¯s contributions to the kingdom and his impressive magical power, he had risen through the noble ranks, and had become a beloved hero of Daxaria.


    The infamous couple were still spoken of often amongst Daxarians, and while no longer heralded as the most beautiful woman in the kingdom, Annika Ashowan had aged gracefully throughout the years¨C despite all the stress her daughter put her through¨C and still was quite energetic for a woman nearing her sixties.


    ¡°Tam? What are you still doing awake?¡± Annika called out softly to her son.


    Tam gave his mother a half smile, and faced her. ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep.¡±


    The duchess smiled back and gestured for her son to return to the warmth of his room. ¡°Love, it¡¯s still technically winter, and firewood isn¡¯t cheap.¡±


    ¡°Since when are we concerned about money?¡± Tam asked wryly, though he did retreat back into the warmth of his chamber, and closed the glass balcony doors behind him.


    ¡°You build wealth by being careful with it. Remember, if you respect money, money respects you.¡±


    Tam nodded along to the phrase his mother had often repeated during their budgeting and finance lessons throughout the years.


    ¡°Why are you awake then?¡± Tam gestured toward the two armchairs in front of the crackling hearth.


    Annika lowered herself down into a plush navy blue armchair and touched her temple wearily.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been going over the coronation details for your sister. Your birthdays are a month away and a week after that she is going to be crowned queen.¡±


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe King Norman is entrusting Daxaria to her,¡± Tam lamented with a chuckle.


    Tam¡¯s twin Katarina had always been the wild child of the Ashowan family. She had an incredible skill for getting herself into trouble, and that hadn¡¯t seemed to change as she aged. Though she had learned to curb her more outlandish urges, and even channeled her abundant magical energy into studying swordsmanship, she was still too mischievous for her own good. Which meant when she and the prince of the kingdom had fallen in love and wed, many people had grown concerned for the future of Daxaria.


    ¡°Well, King Norman is trusting that the council will help her and Eric a great deal,¡± Annika recounted reasonably.


    Prince Eric Reyes. The man with more skeletons in his closet than a post-war cemetery, the one who had fallen hopelessly in love with Katarina seven years ago during their time together in the foreign court of Troivack¡­


    Their romance had been beyond shocking, but the pair had barreled forward in ways that kept them true to themselves, and despite all odds? They were managing quite well.


    Even with their three boys who were every bit as troublesome as their mother, despite being each a year apart in age, they worked together as a cohesive disaster to keep the world turning upside down as often as possible.


    ¡°Do you think Antony, Charles, and Asher will behave for the entire ceremony?¡± Tam wondered aloud after he and his mother had taken a few moments of silence to think about the fast-coming event of the Daxarian king¡¯s abdication of the throne.


    The duchess smiled but emitted a brief groan at the thought of her three grandsons. ¡°His Majesty assured everyone the ceremony would be kept as short as possible.¡±


    Tam laughed again and closed his eyes while settling back into his seat. ¡°I bet His Majesty King Brendan Devark will have an opinion on the princes.¡±


    Annika shook her head and sighed at the mention of the Troivackian king. ¡°I¡¯m given to understand his and Her Majesty Alina¡¯s two boys are remarkably well-behaved, which isn¡¯t a surprise at all, but I think they will definitely bring to light Antony, Charles, and Asher¡¯s¡­ delayed mastering of etiquette.¡±


    Tam grinned. ¡°Kat¡¯s in for an earful from Alina I bet.¡±


    Alina Devark, queen of Troivack, and best friend of Katarina, also just so happened to be Eric¡¯s younger sister, and as a result, there tended to be unfiltered opinions exchanged quite regularly whenever the couples were able to visit each other in person.


    ¡°Her Majesty Alina is more than welcome to try influencing the boys. Perhaps she has the energy to make a difference¡­ I admit I don¡¯t have quite the same amount of vigor I used to,¡± the duchess informed her son followed by an uncharacteristic yawn.


    Tam waved off his mother¡¯s words. ¡°You seemed perfectly fine the other night when that man tried to strangle you.¡±


    Annika raised an eyebrow at the mention of their joint espionage work. ¡°Lightly stabbing someone is not the same as teaching children. The latter is significantly harder.¡±


    Stretching his legs out in front of him, Tam eyed his mother¡¯s drawn features sympathetically. ¡°I¡¯ll probably sleep soon. You should go try to do the same.¡±


    The duchess didn¡¯t respond straight away at her son¡¯s gentle dismissal. Rather, she regarded him thoughtfully. Her brown eyes brightened as they keenly roved his face with the slanted almond eyes that looked like his father¡¯s save for the coloring that was like her own. His straight nose, his sculpted jaw¡­


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    ¡°Will you ever get married?¡±


    Tam¡¯s attention snapped back to his mother, then after a moment of shock he raised his eyebrows and rolled his eyes. ¡°Not this again.¡±


    ¡°A mother is allowed to wonder.¡±


    ¡°Can you wonder in the morning, and maybe only three times a year as opposed to eleven?¡±


    ¡°Tam, your father and I are going to go traveling once you are officially made the duke, and I¡¯d like to know that someone can be here with you. I know you always like being alone, but-¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re aware of your hypocrisy,¡± Tam interrupted dryly.


    It was the duchess¡¯s turn to look unimpressed. ¡°I at least had Clara as my assistant to rely on when I had no one, may she rest in peace. You haven¡¯t even gotten an assistant to replace Likon. It¡¯s been seven years¡­ You need someone to help you if you aren¡¯t going to get married.¡±


    ¡°I managed just fine when you, Da, Kat, and Likon abandoned me to go to Troivack didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you mean when you ¡®somehow¡¯ lost the wall of your father¡¯s office, part of the floor, and the desk full of paperwork that almost got us arrested because of the number of important documents on it?¡± Annika¡¯s tone sharpened.


    Tam¡¯s tongue poked his cheek as he looked away.


    Damn. He had really hoped that she had let that go¡­


    He dropped his chin down before responding to his mother. ¡°I can just wait until Likon-¡±


    ¡°Likon isn¡¯t coming home from Troivack for three or more years. You know it. I know it. If only he knew it¡­ Once he gets around to noticing he¡¯s fallen in love with Lady Dana Faucher he¡¯s going to marry her. I bet her mother Lady Nathalie they¡¯ll be married before the fall¡­¡±


    ¡°Somehow I doubt that it will be that easy given that Leader Gregory Faucher most likely will refuse to let a man who is serving a sentence for aiding a criminal marry his daughter.¡±


    Annika huffed. ¡°Oh, he will. We just need to be a bit creative with convincing him.¡±


    Tam laughed.


    He had no doubt his mother had devised several cunning, manipulative plans to sway the infamously gruff and protective military leader in Troivack to allow his beloved daughter to marry Likon, the Ashowan¡¯s adopted son. However, the handful of times Tam had met Gregory Faucher when he¡¯d come to visit Katarina, Tam had gotten the distinct impression that he was not someone who could be duped easily. He chose not to comment on this opinion for the time being though.


    ¡°Look, can this maybe wait until after my birthday? I¨C Wait. You haven¡¯t brought up the assistant thing in almost a year. And suddenly it crops us¡­¡± Tam¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Annika smoothed the cream silk of her skirt. ¡°Do you remember Eli? That boy that was helping Likon serve the Troivackian king¡­?¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Tam responded impatiently.


    ¡°Well, the matter of Duke Icarus¡¯s estate has finally been settled, and the lad wanted to become a citizen of Daxaria, but because he isn¡¯t revealing his parentage, and he doesn¡¯t want to get entangled with the Coven of Wittica, Likon suggested maybe he work for you for a while.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Likon bring this up to me himself?¡± Tam questioned while leaning forward and resting his elbow on the armrest of the chair.


    ¡°Because he wanted me to discuss with your da whether or not the coven would permit a witch to live in Daxaria without revealing their magic.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re offering to help and protect him when he starts the process of gaining Dxarian citizenship, and because Likon asked us, you¡¯re suggesting he works for me while we do this?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Again, Likon should¡¯ve asked me. He knows I¡¯d listen.¡±


    ¡°You are terrible at responding to letters, and you know it, and Eli needed to know before leaving Troivack for the coronation so he could pack and say his goodbyes.¡±


    Tam continued staring at his mother warily. ¡°He¡¯s already on the boat fully packed, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    Tam didn¡¯t believe his mother for a second.


    ¡°He¡¯s already in Daxaria. They arrived at the castle tonight. We¡¯re going to the castle tomorrow and you can meet him there,¡± Annika finally admitted though she still had the gall to act innocent.


    Tam let out a moan and rubbed his face.


    ¡°Love, I know you¡¯re terrible with change, but you¡¯re always complaining about the amount of work you have. I have no idea why you insist on making your life harder.¡± The duchess stood and stared down at her son.


    ¡°An assistant needs someone to the take time and explain things, and then they always want to know about my magic, and-¡± Tam started his well cited list of why he preferred to not hire a new assistant, but didn¡¯t get the whole way through.


    ¡°Neither you nor Eli ever want to talk about your magic. There. It¡¯s perfect.¡±


    ¡°That makes him suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Why are you being so difficult?¡±


    ¡°I have a stubborn father and meddling mother; I¡¯ve had to adapt.¡±


    Annika lowered her chin and stared disapprovingly down at Tam who stared up at her unabashedly.


    ¡°Likon vouches for him. You said you would hire him if Likon requested it, and he has. I¡¯m beginning to think complaining is just a habit of yours at this point.¡±


    ¡°I only complain when someone forces something upon me.¡±


    Annika bent down and kissed her son atop his head. ¡°You and your sister are more alike than you realize.¡±


    ¡°Surprise, surprise. We¡¯re both hard headed, don¡¯t like being forced into things, and neither of us wanted the responsibility of leading a noble house or, say, a kingdom.¡±


    ¡°You got the easier option, and yet you still complain more than Kat.¡±


    ¡°No, Kat still complains more, you just don¡¯t live with her.¡±


    Annika gently cuffed the back of her son¡¯s head.


    ¡°If Likon says Eli is good, then I think he¡¯s good. Try to be appreciative that you have so many people wanting to help you.¡±


    Tam gave a half hearted smile and rose from his seat to hug his mother.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try. But in exchange, you can¡¯t bring up marriage for another year.¡±


    Annika reached up and returned her son¡¯s embrace¨C it was a little tricky given that he had also inherited his father¡¯s impressive height and she was on the shorter side¨C but despite Tam¡¯s seemingly unenthused response to having a little extra help, the duchess had a good feeling about this new assistant.


    Tam, on the hand, was already starting to wonder if perhaps the uneasy premonition he had been having moments earlier was perhaps a bad omen for this newcomer that he had only ever really seen from a distance, and had only ever heard that the young man kept his secrets just as well if not better than the future duke of the Ashowan household.

 Chapter 2: A Breakfast Bombardment

    There was screaming, there was crying, there was maniacal laughter¡­


    Gods¡­ I didn¡¯t know Kat was going to bring the boys¡­ Tam groaned as he proceeded to plunge his head under his pillow.


    He could tell by the brightness of his room that he had slept in, but didn¡¯t care all that much. He had acquiesced to his mother¡¯s insistence of hiring an assistant after all.


    Determined to try and partake in a more leisurely morning, Tam made a very conscious decision to try and wait for his nephews to settle down before he would join them all in the dining hall¡­


    His efforts were thwarted before they could even commence by the sound of their pounding fists at his door.


    ¡°UNCLE TAM! UNCLE TAM! MY TOOTH IS GOING TO FALL OUT SOON! YOU HAVE TO SEE!¡±


    Well, there¡¯s Charles¡­.


    ¡°UNCLE TAM! WE NEED TO GO LOOK FOR STARFISH! YOU SAID LAST TIME YOU FOUND SOME!¡±


    Aah¡­ Antony¡­


    ¡°COME DOWN FOR BREAKFAST I¡¯M HUUUUNGRY!¡±


    Poor¡­ dear, Asher¡­


    Tam rose from his bed, not bothering to try and make himself look more presentable, his long hair hanging around his face as was the norm, wearing only relaxed trousers and loose sleep shirt, he ensured the pendant of the gold chain around his neck was hidden before he opened his door and stared down into the three eager faces of his sister¡¯s sons.


    Antony, the oldest, was growing out his red hair, and already had a small ponytail tied off at the back of his neck, much to his mother¡¯s displeasure. His bright blue eyes looked identical to his grandfather¡¯s, Finlay Ashowan, but the shape of his nose and mouth were entirely his father¡¯s, Prince Eric.


    Charles, had a mop of dirty blond hair, and could have passed for a small clone of his father were it not for his golden eyes that were identical to his mother¡¯s.


    Then there was Asher¡­ Asher had red hair already touching his shoulders, and hazel eyes like Prince Eric¡¯s that stared up impatiently at Tam, his head already fallen back from impatience.


    ¡°Is breaking down your uncle¡¯s door really the proper way to greet him?¡± Tam asked with a raised eyebrow as he leaned his arm against the doorway sleepily.


    ¡°FOOD!¡± Asher moaned while seizing Tam¡¯s hand nearest to him and tugging it.


    ¡°After breakfast, we see the starfish, right?!¡± Antony was very obviously trying not to bounce up and down and conduct himself with some measure of self control¡­


    Mum must¡¯ve chastised him downstairs. Tam thought to himself with a smile.


    ¡°LOOK!¡± Charles bared his teeth and stuck his jaw out, revealing a lopsided loose tooth.


    Tam slowly crouched down and squinted at the little pearl. ¡°Huh. Should we tie it to Harold and see if he¡¯ll yank that out for you?¡±


    The boys broke out in giggles at the mention of their mother¡¯s pet donkey that still lived at the keep she had grown up in with Tam.


    ¡°OY!¡±


    Tam looked toward the newcomer who had seen to adding a new shout to his morning.


    Katarina Reyes. Future queen of Daxaria, mother to three royal hellions, daughter of the house witch, hero in the foreign kingdom of Troivack, stood at the end of the hall wearing a pair of brown trousers, and a white tunic with her sleeves rolled up. Her long red hair was unbound, and a sword rested on her hip as she stared at her brother sardonically, her golden eyes glinting.


    ¡°Come on. I¡¯m hungry,¡± she said tersely with a jerk of her head.


    ¡°ME, TOO!¡± Asher wailed before flinging down Tam¡¯s hand and bolting to his mother. The young boy wrapped his arms around her left leg and pressed his face into her thigh.


    Kat watched her brother as he straightened and yawned and raised a judgmental eyebrow. ¡°Gods, you sure took some time to get your beauty sleep. Why aren¡¯t you better looking?¡±


    ¡°Your spawn interrupted the process,¡± Tam retorted as Antony latched himself onto his uncle¡¯s right leg. ¡°Is your husband here with you for breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Eric¡¯s downstairs with your new assistant, yes.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa made eggsin toast!¡± Charles informed his uncle excitedly before seizing Tam¡¯s other leg.


    Tam attempted to waddle into the hallway with both his nephews attached to his limbs, but found he was really only succeeding in having his pants pulled down.


    ¡°Eggsin toast, eh?¡± he asked as the boys giggled.


    Eggsin toast was a breakfast delight that Finlay Ashowan, in his infinite kitchen wisdom, had crafted ages ago. Cinnamon, nutmeg, egg, and cream whisked together, then thick slices of crusty bread soaked in the fare, before being pan fried in pools of melted, golden butter.


    He served it with thick whipping cream, and it often had his grandsons running laps around the keep shortly thereafter.


    ¡°I might be convinced to have a slice or two of your grandfather¡¯s eggsin toast. Though, mind if I get dressed?¡± Tam added as the boys continued to cling to his legs.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised Mum finally wore you down, by the way. You agreeing to a stranger as your assistant? Did she ask you when you were drunk?¡± Kat scoffed as Tam stopped a short ways in front of her.


    ¡°Close. Middle of the night, and she prefaced it by asking me about when I¡¯m getting married.¡±


    ¡°Pfft,¡± Kat grinned and put her hands on her slim hips. ¡°Makes perfect sense now. Well, come on down and meet Eli. He¡¯s a lot like you, so it¡¯s going to be interesting to see which one of you is able to make eye contact first. I might place bets with Eric¡­¡±


    Tam stared at his sister unimpressed and tried unsuccessfully to get his nephews to release him. Though Asher, who was grasping on his mother¡¯s pant leg, was starting to look a mite enticed at the prospect of clinging onto his uncle and making him drop his pants in the hall¡­


    ¡°Alright. Take these¡­ monsters¡­ downstairs and let me get dressed will you?¡± Tam sounded out while giving a more heartfelt effort into prying Antony¡¯s arms from his leg.


    Kat sighed while patting Asher on the head.


    ¡°You heard your uncle, kids¡­ He needs help getting changed.¡±


    ¡°THAT IS NOT-¡±


    Tam didn¡¯t get a chance to finish shouting as Asher took a flying leap, seized the front of Tam¡¯s pants, and dragged them down so that he only stood in his underwear.


    Kat turned around, and started to whistle while striding away.


    Tam, watching her go, proceeded to crouch down and draw his nephews closer. ¡°New plan. I take you all down to look at starfish, and maybe a few sea snails end up in your mother¡¯s bed later, hm?¡±


    The boys cackled and released their uncle at this proposed compromise that would spare him.


    Taking the moment of liberation, Tam yanked his sleeping trousers back up and gave them a nod.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be down for breakfast soon.¡±


    The boys turned and were about to bolt off toward the stairs when Tam called out. ¡°Oh, how does Eli seem?¡±


    The three of them turned back around, though instead of their usual rambunctious energy they turned pensive, and all wore identical expressions.


    ¡°Who¡¯s Eli?¡± Antony asked at last.


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    Tam pressed his lips together.


    Alright. Apparently the young man is very quiet¡­


    *


    By the time Tam was dressed in his usual black pants, vest, and white tunic, and was making his way down the staircase, he could already hear the great commotion in the dining hall. Kat was shouting at one of her sons, Annika was trying to console Asher about something, and all other voices that could belong to his father, Fin, or the prince, were drowned out.


    After making his way toward the dining hall, Tam paused outside the doors.


    Closing his eyes, he took in a deep breath, readying himself for the chaotic onslaught of a meal with his family¡­


    Stepping into the brightly lit dining hall that was taken up mostly by the long wooden table in the stone room, Tam didn¡¯t bother announcing his arrival or even venturing into the thick of whatever new disaster was unfolding at the far end of the table. Instead, he slipped into the seat nearest the door, and waited for one of the serving maids to discretely pass him some food.


    He had already completely forgotten about the fact that his new assistant was supposed to be there, and was tucking in to enjoy his father¡¯s eggsin toast, when the room suddenly fell quiet.


    Tam stopped eating.


    The maid to his left finished pouring his cup of coffee and returned back to the kitchen.


    Slowly, Tam looked down toward the end of the table where his parents sat with his sister, brother-in-law, and nephews.


    They were all staring at him wearing looks mixed with amusement, surprise, and confusion¡­


    Unsure of what could make them gape at him in such a way¨C and half concerned his nephews had pulled some new prank he hadn¡¯t noticed yet¨C Tam frowned and turned to see if anyone was behind him¡­


    Only he was surprised to find afterward that there was another person sitting across from him at his lonely end of the table.


    A Zinferan who perhaps had a Daxarian parent based on the softness of their slanted eyes, and pale complexion¡­


    But this person was staring at him, utterly transfixed.


    They had both chosen the seats at the far end of the table away from the others, and upon locking eyes with the young man, Tam felt his heart drop to his stomach.


    There was something¡­ familiar about this person¡­ As though they had at one point spent a summer together as children¡­ He felt like he could call out their name much in the same way he could call out Likon¡¯s, with the same assured knowingness¡­ Only he didn¡¯t know it.


    Distracted by this peculiar sensation, Tam tilted his head thoughtfully.


    The young man gulped, as though nervous to be scrutinized in turn.


    ¡°Godsdamnit. Fine. Eric, you win the bet,¡± Kat grumbled from the other end of the table. ¡°Eli made eye contact first.¡±


    ¡°Katarina language,¡± Annika warned. However, she was a mite too late as her youngest grandson, Asher, perked up.


    ¡°GODSDAMNIT!¡± he roared as though about to descend into battle.


    Kat winced and ran her tongue over her teeth as she sensed her husband, Prince Eric Reyes, slowly turn to stare at her with a very wry expression.


    ¡°Tam, that there, is Eli. The assistant Likon and Eric recommend,¡± Fin called out as Antony clambered out of his seat and tugged on his grandfather¡¯s sweater.


    Tam didn¡¯t bother trying to discern what the lad was asking his father as he returned his attention to Eli, who averted his gaze to his breakfast plate, and lay down his fork before picking up the napkin in his lap and wiping his mouth.


    He looked like he wanted to flee, and Tam couldn¡¯t have felt any more sympathy if he tried.


    ¡°Great to meet you. I¡¯m Tam. Feel free to go find your chamber if you¡¯re finished.¡± Tam pretended to sound flippant as he braced his forearms on the table and focused on cutting up his eggsin toast.


    ¡°If you are certain you don¡¯t mind, my lord, I shall retire for now.¡± Eli rose, bowed, and took his leave. His foot falls remarkably silent on the stone floors.


    Tam hated how he felt the burning eyes of everyone around him.


    Godsdamnit¡­ I would¡¯ve loved to have had a leisurely breakfast¡­


    Tam proceeded to utilize a skill he had learned out of necessity, and shoveled the rest of his eggsin toast in his mouth, downed his black, scalding coffee, and abandoned his seat faster than most people would¡¯ve taken to cut up their own food.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look at the revisions submitted to us by our merchants with regards to their profit shares with the new ship,¡± Tam managed after somehow managing to gulp down an entire meal.


    ¡°Er¡­ Tam, don¡¯t you want to know about your new assistant¡­?¡± Fin wondered aloud, his eldest grandson on his lap.


    ¡°I¡¯ll learn about him as we work together. Excuse me.¡±


    ¡°You said we¡¯d look for snail¨C I mean, starfish!¡± Antony burst out, betrayal bright in his blue eyes as he stared earnestly at his uncle.


    Tam paused at the door, and smiled at him. ¡°It¡¯ll only take me a little while. Besides, you aren¡¯t finished eating, and your grandmother wants to wash your face after. By then, I¡¯ll be ready to go. Alright?¡±


    Antony looked reluctant to agree, but a quick tickling from his grandfather had him forgetting any possible negative thoughts and reaching for his abandoned plate so that he might finish his meal from his new spot at the table.


    Tam retreated from the dining hall, already feeling indigestion clogging his chest¡­


    He was used to it.


    As much as he loved his family¡­ He loved them and served them best from afar. Or in one on one exchanges.


    He knew he was a constant source of worry for them with his withdrawn, introverted tendencies. Despite his efforts to combat it by being highly productive and working harder than any noble son in the kingdom, they still thought and spoke at length about how he could improve himself. Regardless, even though Tam refused to embrace his magic, and as a result held everyone at arm¡¯s length, he still wanted to be able to be worthy of being a part of the infamous, heroic family.


    The future duke had just begun climbing the stairs to the upper floors, when a voice called out behind him.


    ¡°Tam, mind if we talk alone?¡±


    His hands curled into fists in his pockets as he turned back around and gradually lifted his gaze to his brother-in-law, Eric Reyes. A flicker of anxiety and magic tugged at his chest, but he battled it back best he could in order to maintain eye contact.


    Eric surveyed Tam in his usual manner when no one else was around.


    Calculatively, emotionlessly, and distantly.


    Tam knew why his brother-in-law behaved that way, but it didn¡¯t make it any less awkward.


    ¡°Of course, Your Highness. Though if we could be quick that¡¯d be appreciated. I¡¯d hate to upset Antony.¡±


    Eric bobbed his head then gestured to the front doors that towered over them.


    Apparently, it was to be a very discreet discussion if it warranted leaving the keep altogether¡­


    Tam wordlessly descended the stairs toward the doors, and vaguely wondered if this had anything to do about his recent espionage work with his mother off in the city of Xava, or if the prince was going to want to talk about the new assistant, Eli.


    Either way¡­ Tam wasn¡¯t particularly excited about the conversation ahead.

 Chapter 3: Help or Headache

    Tam and Eric Reyes stood outside in the wintery air that was only just starting to soften its cold edges in favor of spring. The two were perched at the edge of the front courtyard of Tam¡¯s family keep where they could look down the cliff to the icy waters of the Alcide sea.


    ¡°I owe Eli more debts than I care to count,¡± Eric started casually.


    Tam stiffened.


    ¡°Try working with him for a year. By then, if you still don¡¯t think it¡¯s a fit, I¡¯ll find somewhere else for him, but it¡¯s hard with the coven already being displeased with Kat becoming queen. Witches aren¡¯t supposed to be in positions of power,¡± the prince reminded offhandedly.


    Tam didn¡¯t bother stating that he knew all this and had his own fair share of headaches surrounding the coven and his inheriting a dukedom¡­ Even if he had never disclosed the exact nature of his magical power as a mutated witch to them. Though he hoped as Katarina flexed her talents of being incredibly frustrating they wouldn¡¯t pay him much thought.


    ¡°Are they still trying to determine who succeeds you in the event of your death?¡± Tam tried to change the subject.


    ¡°Yes¡­ They still think Charles should take the throne. Apparently, despite his golden eyes, they think he has so little magical power he may as well be human¡­¡±


    ¡°Antony¡¯s abilities should become obvious soon.¡±


    ¡°We think so, too, but he honestly shows no disposition toward any specific element. We know he¡¯s a hellion like his brothers which some witches think could be indicative of a power, but with Kat as their mother, I¡¯m inclined to disagree and state that¡¯s just his personality.¡±


    Tam didn¡¯t need to laugh. The comment was more factual than joke by that point.


    ¡°Well¡­ Time will tell. I¡¯ll give Eli a fair chance. Though, I want to know his parentage.¡±


    Eric grimaced.


    Tam almost locked eyes with his brother-in-law as a result.


    ¡°He will reveal that eventually.¡±


    ¡°That is a great deal of trust in someone who works alongside kings and lords but doesn¡¯t have much to back him up.¡±


    ¡°The way Eli looked at you I would¡¯ve thought you two knew each other,¡± Eric mused lightly, though his hazel eyes were sharp on Tam¡¯s face.


    Tam gave his head a slight shake. ¡°I probably just startled him when I sat down across from him.¡± The future duke turned to face the prince more squarely, and spoke directly to him with his hands in his pockets. ¡°My concern about Eli is that there is something dangerous about him, or his history that will come back and give me more paperwork. I don¡¯t want to judge him. I just don¡¯t want any headaches.¡±


    Eric laughed while staring out at the sea. He looked tired, and his short beard gave him an even wiser appearance. ¡°With how quiet you try to keep your life, it¡¯s a miracle you survived a childhood with Kat.¡±


    Tam didn¡¯t say anything else in response. He wasn¡¯t asking for much in terms of credentials or background from Eli. Future dukes usually had a baron or trusted viscount work with them for the role¡­ Not that any would be employed under Tam, what with his social reclusivity, reputation for endless working, and his father¡¯s commoner origins¡­


    But he hadn¡¯t really wanted another noble working for him anyway.


    ¡°Your father knows a little bit about Eli¡¯s background, as does His Majesty Brendan Devark, and both think it¡¯ll be a good fit. I just promised Eli long ago he could tell who he wished barring extenuating circumstances or people on a need to know basis.¡±


    ¡°How am I not on a need to know basis when I¡¯m his employer?¡± Tam asked without bothering to hide his irritation at being left out of a decision and information that would directly impact him.


    Eric clapped a hand on Tam¡¯s shoulder, still smiling. ¡°Give him a bit of a break. He has even less say in his fate than you do right now. At least let him trust you on his own terms.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t trust him on mine?¡± Tam¡¯s eyes darkened, and Eric became momentarily taken aback.


    ¡°Gods¡­ Sometimes you¡¯re so much like your Da it¡¯s scary.¡±


    Tam said nothing, rather he turned and strode back to the keep without another look back.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time, nor would it be the last that his family did what they believed to be the right thing. Regardless of how he, the black sheep of the family, felt about it. They had never really overcome their impression of him that he was to be managed due to his struggles socially, and in large spaces and crowds, even after taking on much of his father¡¯s paperwork.


    He knew it came from a place of love and well-meaning, but it often made it all the harder to speak up more firmly¡­


    It didn¡¯t make it any less annoying though.


    *


    Tam sat in his father¡¯s office with his back comfortably resting against the well worn brown leather of the chair. The room was quiet, the flames in the stone hearth had dwindled low, but the late morning sunlight had warmed the room despite the tall peaked glass windows overlooking the sea and pale sky that let in a faint draft.


    A rustic mug of black coffee sat a short ways past Tam¡¯s right hand, its steam still curling prettily in the light.


    Taking in a slow breath, Tam felt the corners of his lips lift despite the letters in front of him coming from a viscount and a baron who were interested in arranging a marriage between Tam and their daughters whom he had never met.


    Peaceful mornings with coffee, the smell of parchment, and the sun shining outside¡­


    They were some of the small pleasures Tam allowed himself to openly enjoy while alone.


    Despite it usually only taking place when he was surrounded with work, the coiled tension in Tam loosened, and he felt more at ease.


    It was one of the many reasons he tended to enjoy his lunches there.


    Alas, the dark blue painted door with its black, squeaking latch and hinges wailed the arrival of an intruder.


    Tam quenched the urge to immediately tense, and dropped the letter back on the desk, already hoping whoever it was¨Cmost likely one of his parents¨C wouldn¡¯t ask about what it was he was reading.


    It turned out to be his mother. The odds of her coming in and not asking were next to none.


    ¡°My son, are you forgetting something?¡± the duchess greeted with a tight smile as she clasped her hands in front of her gold patterned skirts.


    Tam frowned and blinked.


    With Kat¡¯s coronation coming up it was entirely possible there was something he didn¡¯t know about¡­


    Was he supposed to send money to a moonshine merchant? Or was it that they required another letter from the Coven of Wittica he had forgotten to send¡­?


    Annika cleared her throat, and from behind her, out stepped Eli.


    The young man gave a quick bow to Tam and kept his eyes lowered.


    He wasn¡¯t exceptionally tall, though he was taller than the duchess¡­ Not that that said much.


    ¡°You forgot to tell your assistant what you need his help with,¡± Annika informed Tam still wearing a smile, but Tam could tell she wanted to wave a finger in his face.


    The future duke stood from his seat, his hands finding his pockets as he addressed his mother. ¡°I don¡¯t have any work he can help me with right now. I¡¯m just tending to¡­ personal correspondence.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t your assistant know about your personal correspondence. As your personal assistant?¡±


    Tam gave his mother a very firm look.


    She knew why he had reservations about trusting the lad, and she of all people should¡¯ve understood them. In all of their espionage work together she had always been the one reminding him to be very wary of people. The slight eyebrow raise she gave him argued that he should be able to get information out of Eli because of his secret outings and work. Tam¡¯s irritable, quiet huff said that he didn¡¯t need to have more work inspecting someone who worked so close to him.


    ¡°You were going to reject the viscount and baron anyway,¡± Annika returned the silent argument her son gave out loud, revealing she already knew exactly what he happened to be reading.


    ¡°Did you read my messages?¡± Tam asked, an edge entering his voice.


    ¡°No. I took a guess because the viscount and baron tried to speak to your father and I at the castle yesterday afternoon about whether you¡¯d seen their letters yet.¡±


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    Tam looked at the ceiling.


    Sometimes, he hated living and working in close proximity to his family.


    ¡­ Alright he hated it often.


    ¡°Eli, feel free to go have a seat by the fire, I¡¯ll have the maids bring you up a cup of tea. I¡¯m sure you and my son will want to familiarize yourselves with one another. Now, if you will pardon me.¡±


    The duchess gave a cordial smile to Eli, then swept out of the room, closing the door behind herself.


    Tam¡¯s gaze moved to the stone fireplace as he released a very careful breath that he hoped could maybe dispel some of his anger as it was starting to stir his magic up. Plunking himself down in his chair he rubbed the back of his neck, then his temple.


    ¡°Sorry, Eli. I don¡¯t mean to be an arse. I just don¡¯t like people I don¡¯t know being thrust at me,¡± the young lord acquiesced, though he couldn¡¯t quite bring himself to look at his assistant yet.


    ¡°It is no problem, my lord.¡±


    Tam grunted the instant Eli used the term ¡®my lord¡¯, and while he knew he should¡¯ve apologized, needed to take a moment to rub his eyes.


    ¡°Please¡­ have a seat¡­ by the fire. I will¡­ continue¡­ working.¡±


    ¡°If you like, my lord, I would be happy to write the rejection letters on your behalf to the viscount and the baron.¡±


    Shaking his head with his eyes still closed, Tam waved the young man into the room by the chairs.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re brilliant, and you probably don¡¯t want this job either¨C¡±


    ¡°I am grateful for Duke Finlay Ashowan¡¯s assistance.¡±


    Tam stopped, his gaze snapping up after Eli¡¯s wooden response, freezing the young man on his journey to the armchairs by the fire.


    ¡°Wait¡­ You¡­¡± Tam stood. ¡°You don¡¯t want the job either.¡± A smile broke out across the future duke¡¯s face that made Eli lean away, his eyes still averted.


    ¡°My lord, I am of course grateful that I-¡±


    ¡°No, no. No, no. You don¡¯t want to be here, correct? Then you don¡¯t have to be here! I¡¯d be glad to find you a place where you can do what you prefer! I know my Da said something about the coven giving you issues, but I don¡¯t mind creatively adjusting some paperwork and you enjoying a job you actually want!¡±


    Tam rounded the desk feeling absolutely elated.


    His father and mother couldn¡¯t object if Eli really didn¡¯t want the job!


    The assistant flinched and gripped his hands together tightly in front of himself.


    ¡°N-No, my lord. If I¡¯ve offended you, o-or you think I¡¯m unsuitable for the role, I apologize. I will work hard to make up for my shortcomings.¡±


    Tam stared at Elicarefully¡­


    The young man really hadn¡¯t sounded all that happy to be there, but he definitely was desperate to stay there.


    Odd.


    Tam dropped his head dejectedly.


    Perhaps he was becoming a little too secluded and difficult as he got older¡­


    ¡°Look, Eli, I-¡± Tam lifted his gaze to stare straight at the young man, and then was surprised into falling silent once more. He stared at the shape of Eli¡¯s jaw, the freckle dotting the top of his right cheekbone, his thick black hair and thin neck¡­ Then he looked down at his torso¡­


    Eli nervously glanced at Tam, and hastily looked away again when he realized how studiously he was being watched.


    ¡°Good Gods. How in the hell did no one catch on that you¡¯re a woman?¡±


    The Zinferan stumbled backwards in shock. ¡°W-What do you mean, my lord?  I am Eli, from Zinfera. I-I am eighteen years old, and I-¡±


    ¡°Does the prince know about this?!¡± Tam asked incredulously, his mind reeling with whatever these implications meant.


    Eli¡¯s wide eyes jumped upward. ¡°I¡¯m not a woman! I swear!¡±


    ¡°Eli?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a bobble in your throat, you still have a high pitched voice despite being eighteen, you don¡¯t have any facial hair-¡±


    ¡°That is not uncommon in Zinfera!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even have a mustache. Eli. I am absolutely certain you are a woman, and I¡¯m wondering how in the hell no one thought I¡¯d notice¨C wait. Is this a prank? From Kat? It is, isn¡¯t it? She bet her husband how long it¡¯d take me to notice you were a woman for fun. Of bloody course. Now that I¡¯ve figured it out, does this mean you actually have a position with Prince Eric and not me?¡±


    There was a tense moment of silence.


    Then Eli collapsed onto her knees, bowing. ¡°Please¡­ Please do not tell anyone.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re jesting. Everyone has to¨C¡± Tam stopped talking when he saw how Eli trembled.


    ¡°Oh. Godsdamnit. No one actually noticed? Shit. Please don¡¯t bow. Godsdamnit, I¡¯m sorry! I-I had no idea! My sister likes to play pranks, and I thought this was one of them!¡± Tam was already dropping down to a crouch as he rambled, while holding up his hands in surrender.


    ¡°Please¡­ Please do not tell anyone. Please. I¡¯ve hidden this since I¡¯ve left Zinfera¡­ If people find out¡­ it means it might be easier to find me¡­¡± Eli explained in a near shout.


    ¡°Okay! Alright! Not a problem! I won¡¯t tell anyone! Please just¡­ stop¡­ bowing.¡±


    The end of Tam¡¯s words were then punctuated by the brisk opening of the door.


    One of the maids, Olivia was her name¡­ She stopped dead in her tracks at the sight before her.


    She stared at Eli, who was still bowed on the floor, then at Tam who had his hands outstretched in the air.


    ¡°Erm¡­ is this a bad time¡­?¡± Olivia asked squeakily.


    Tam cringed. ¡°Just a bit. Leave the tea on the small table and that¡¯ll be all, thank you.¡±


    The maid gave an uncertain nod, then proceeded into the office, set the tea tray down on the table between the armchairs in front of the fire, and took her leave, her eyes already darting to the hall as she left.


    ¡°Godsdamnit she¡¯s going to tell my mother.¡±


    ¡°You think she heard us?!¡± Eli sat up, fear and desperation in her eyes.


    Tam¡¯s hands finally lowered as he stared at her. ¡°No¡­ but she¡¯ll think I¡¯m being a real dungpile to you.¡±


    Eli nodded in understanding, and while grimacing settled back onto her haunches.


    ¡°You¡­ You swear you won¡¯t tell anyone¡­?¡±


    Tam couldn¡¯t fully hide his sardonic expression. ¡°How¡­ in the world¡­ does no one see you are female?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I think the Troivackian king knew by the time I left, but Zinferan women tend to be a little easier to disguise¡­¡±


    ¡°Women who disguise themselves as men always decrease their age. Are you also older than eighteen?¡± Tam asked pointedly.


    ¡°You know a lot of women who disguise themselves as men?¡± Eli returned instead of answering.


    Tam gave her a tight smile. ¡°Stories for another time. So. How old are you really?¡±


    Eli¡¯s shoulders hunched. ¡°Twenty-five.¡±


    ¡°Mhm. Alright¡­ And¡­ Prince Eric does not know?¡±


    ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ Does the Troivackian king know all your secrets?¡±


    Looking to the ceiling, Eli frowned pensively. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ think¡­ so¡­¡±


    Tam started to rub his face again while Eli tried to sift through what appeared to be a great volume of secrets she was hiding about herself¡­


    Well¡­ so much for a tranquil morning.

 Chapter 4: An Outgoing Orientation

    Sitting in the carriage that bumped and squeaked its way up the hill that would enter back into the streets of Austice, Tam stared out the window. Though while most people would have been looking at the store fronts, with their colorful painted rounded doors and signs, or even the people who traveled alone along the sides of the streets, he looked at the moving road blindly.


    Across from him sat Eli¡­ If that was her real name¡­


    There had been an urgent missive sent to the dukedom, and both of Tam¡¯s parents were already at the castle in Austice, meaning that it was his presence that was being specifically requested though the note had been vague¡­


    He assumed it had something to do with his sister¡¯s coronation, but given the day he¡¯d had since discovering Eli was not a young man, but a woman, and that same damnable sense that an even bigger storm was brewing, he found himself already bracing for something awful.


    Tam wondered if they were going to ask him to take over as Eric¡¯s assistant. Gods knew the Daxarian prince had gone through a number of them ever since his and Katarina¡¯s eldest son Antony had learned to walk¡­


    The current king¡¯s assistant, Mr. Kevin Howard, had only managed to hang on and resist retirement as a result of King Norman emptying a staggering amount of gold into his possession¡­ And Finlay Ashowan agreed to supply the man with as much moonshine as he required. However, once Eric was crowned, both Norman and Mr. Howard were set to live out their days in peace, out of the court.


    ¡°If you reported to His Majesty or the coven the truth about my gender¡­ I¡­ I know I have no right to ask this, but could you please tell me now? I will accept whatever punishment is assigned to me, I just wish to mentally prepare.¡±


    Eli¡¯s quiet voice broke through Tam¡¯s anxious thoughts, making him look away from the blurring cobblestones to the woman who kept her eyes turned to the empty seat beside him. Tam took in a small breath, and almost made himself sneeze as a result of the dust the carriage wheels had stirred up along their journey.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell anyone that you¡¯re a woman. You have my word.¡±


    She swallowed, looking wholly unconvinced.


    Well¡­ At least she gives as much trust as she expects back¡­ Tam noted to himself wryly.


    Just why in the world had she been thrust into his care?


    No one ever paid him much mind, it was true¡­ At least outside the realm of What is wrong with Tam? Why can¡¯t Tam look up from his feet? Why does Tam hide from everyone and everything? Why are crowds and large spaces hard for Tam? Is Tam stupid? Is Tam touched with the power of the devil?


    Despite being wildly self conscious of how obvious he was being presently with his hands gripping into fists out of discomfort, Tam did his utmost to look at Eli as calmly as possible to try and ease at least some of the stress brewing between them in the vehicle.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t like the circumstances that brought you into my life, but I have no personal problems with you. Your business, and your secrets, I have no interest in getting involved with. I¡¯m more interested in staying out of them, and I don¡¯t say that to be callous. I don¡¯t think you really want me getting close to you either. I apologize if I¡¯ve been rude.¡± Tam bowed his head regally.


    There. He had used a combination of honesty and noble respectfulness to draw clear lines as well as clarify.


    As much energy as such an act usually took, it almost always paid off.


    ¡°I believe you. I do not know you well enough to have an issue with you either. I simply have my own reservations at this time that I¡¯ve formed out of necessity. Thank you for your understanding.¡±


    An equally painful, if not effective, response. Though Tam wondered if Eli¡¯s reservations were about everyone, or the Ashowan duchy in particular¡­


    Deciding that it wasn¡¯t his business either way, Tam nodded, and the ride resumed in silence.


    ¡°The Coven of Wittica and King Norman of Daxaria are both very reasonable and fair in their dealings. I¡¯m sure you will be able to build the life you wish.¡± Tam cleared his throat, and pulled his shoulders back as he resumed staring out the window as they neared the castle.


    Eli didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°You served under His Majesty King Brendan Devark for the past seven years indirectly, yes?¡± Tam asked next.


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°How¡­ How has Alina¨C Her Majesty, been doing?¡±


    The informal use of the Troivackian queen¡¯s first name had Eli¡¯s eyes homing in on Tam¡¯s profile.


    He seemed complacent despite the slip up¡­ But it still brought up a curiosity in Eli that she knew was better left unexplored.


    ¡°Her Majesty had a difficult year after Her Highness, Princess Katarina, departed, but she has become quite renowned in Troivack. There has been some civil unrest as a result of some of her work, but she seems to be managing it with His Majesty well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad she¡¯s doing alright¡­¡± Tam smiled a little as he said the words, his gaze already distracted.


    Eli raised an eyebrow at him, unconcerned about whether or not the future duke would see the expression, but eventually looked back away.


    It wasn¡¯t her place to speculate the nature of the Troivackian queen and his relationship.


    And so, the rest of the carriage ride proceeded on without another word shared between them.


    *


    The castle in Austice was filled with its usual amount of chaos by the time Tam¡¯s carriage pulled up in front of its front steps. Even without exiting the vehicle there were faint sounds of shouts from within the tall iron doors¡­


    Eli paused in moving to get out of the carriage, a blank, dazed expression on her face that made Tam smile knowingly. While the assistant didn¡¯t explicitly show or say anything, Tam had a hunch about exactly what her thoughts were.


    ¡°Yes. Ever since my sister was crowned princess? It¡¯s always been like this. Our keep is actually the quiet place by comparison. Unless of course the three princes join her when she visits.¡±


    Eli cleared her throat and lowered her eyes in an effort to once again appear politely indifferent.


    ¡°I see, my lord.¡±


    Tam¡¯s gaze lingered on Eli another moment while she kept her face turned down dutifully before exiting the carriage.


    Footmen awaited him outside and he bobbed his head in greeting before, without thinking, he turned back to the open carriage door, and offered Eli his hand.


    The two footman behind Tam balked.


    Eli had just been starting to clamber out of her seat when she realized there was a hand offered to help her out¡­ as though she were a lady¡­


    She stared at it, and then at Tam, whose eyes were growing round as he realized what he had automatically started to do with the newfound knowledge that she was a woman.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.He stared at her, frozen, as she started to recoil back into the shadows of the carriage.


    His mind racing, Tam cleared his throat, masked his dumbfounded expression, and said, ¡°Eli, did you not bring the paperwork I told you to? I needed to review it prior to the meeting today.¡±


    Relief flooded the assistant¡¯s face as she leaned forward in a bow. ¡°I apologize, my lord, the duke said he had already brought everything needed today to the castle. I was unaware there was more.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s not your fault. I know it¡¯s hard having to go back and forth between my father and I,¡± Tam added smoothly before dropping his hand and turning toward the castle doors.


    He waited for Eli to finish exiting the carriage before he started walking, and was relieved to see the footmen looking disinterested yet again.


    On the steps to the castle doors, before the guards could overhear, Eli murmured. ¡°My lord, you only found out my secret yesterday, was it really-¡±


    ¡°As of this afternoon I¡¯ve known you as a woman longer than I¡¯ve known you as a man,¡± Tam defended seamlessly.


    Unable to really refute that point, Eli dropped the topic, though the future duke had definitely heard the tiny grain of irritation in her tone.


    The two entered the castle that was bustling with servants all in the throes of hanging large emerald banners with golden edging in preparation for the coronation. Fortunately the staff had the help of Mage Keith Lee, the Royal Court Mage who was using magic to help straighten the material. While other servants were scrubbing the floors and walls.


    Tam hesitated after a few steps to gaze around the transforming room. While he normally wasn¡¯t able to do so for very long due to his magic, the excitement and liveliness of the room permitted it, though it was also a necessity for him to find an appropriate path in order to make his way up to the council room.


    ¡°Tam!¡±


    A familiar voice called out, and the future duke turned to see none other than a close friend of his father¡¯s, the Head of Housekeeping for the castle, Hannah.


    The older woman had silvery streaked blond hair that she wore piled atop her head with a few wavy wisps floating around her face, her dark blue eyes clear and wide, and she wore a tidy but sensible cream colored dress almost giving her a heavenly touch.


    ¡°Afternoon,¡± Tam greeted back with a smile.


    ¡°Are you here for the meeting?¡± Hannah asked, beaming back at him.


    ¡°That I am. Hannah, this here is Eli,¡± Tam continued, already noticing that Hannah¡¯s toes were turning toward the assistant who already was bowing to her.


    ¡°Ah, yes! We¡¯ve met once or twice before when you came with His Majesty King Brendan.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Hannah.¡±


    Hannah¡¯s eyes warmed fondly at the sight of Eli before turning a questioning look at Tam.


    ¡°My mother hired her-him to be my new assistant,¡± he corrected hastily.


    The housekeeper¡¯s eyebrows shot upward. ¡°Your mother wore you down?¡±


    Tam looked at the ceiling briefly before letting out a long breath. ¡°How should I get to the meeting without ruining any of your staff¡¯s hard work?¡±


    Hannah grinned knowingly before turning and pointing to the left where the banners were being hung. ¡°We aren¡¯t cleaning over there until after we¡¯ve finished decorating. Do you mind using the east stairwell?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. See you later!¡± Tam waved and set a brisk pace toward the perimeter of the entrance hall with Eli trailing behind him.


    ¡°Is there a reason you haven¡¯t had any other assistants since Likon?¡± Eli asked curiously while also having to jog to catch up to Tam¡¯s long strides.


    The pair were already crossing behind one of the largest coverings and almost stepped into the corridor that thankfully looked a little less busy.


    ¡°I told you the first day. I¡¯m not good with strangers, and I like working on my own.¡±


    ¡°Likon says you complain about how much work you have all the time.¡±


    ¡°I just wish there was two of me, but¡­ Not much I can do there.¡±


    ¡°I suppose one day you could have a son that would help.¡±


    ¡°Did my mother pay you to say that?¡±


    Tam could feel Eli¡¯s eyes snap up. ¡°No. Apologies if I¡¯ve-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Ah.¡± Tam suddenly stopped in his tracks, making Eli almost bump into his back.


    Tam then turned, and quickly, but quietly, pressed Eli out the nearby doorway, then down the stone steps, and, with his hand hovering just behind her back toward the castle wall under the windows.


    Eli was blinking rapidly, wondering what in the world had prompted the strange exit out by the castle¡¯s rose maze¡­


    The soggy ground beneath their boots was just starting to turn green with the promise of spring.


    Tam waited, and from above, the sounds of two people talking and walking by the window reached them.


    Sensing that this was the reason for hiding, Eli patiently waited in silence while Tam fixed his gaze on the earth.


    Once the voices were out of earshot, the future duke cleared his throat. ¡°Sorry about that, shall we?¡±


    ¡°Is there a reason you are avoiding His Majesty King Brendan and Her Majesty Alina Devark?¡± Eli had identified the speakers easily enough.


    Tam resumed his former pace without batting an eye at the question, and proceeded to jog up the stone steps. ¡°The king isn¡¯t fond of me and I¡¯m already late for the meeting. I don¡¯t need to add an awkward encounter to my day either¡­¡±


    Once they had returned to the castle corridor and resumed their journey, Tam lowered his voice then asked as casually as possible. ¡°I understand why when you were enslaved you would want to lie about your gender, but why did you keep lying about it?¡±


    Eli winced and glanced around quickly. ¡°It still seemed like the safest option to hide it. I know you¡¯ve heard I don¡¯t wish to be found or return to Zinfera¡­ And being a woman tends to make matters complicated.¡±


    Moderately surprised that he actually received the semblance of a straight answer, Tam decided not to push his luck any further as they reached the servant¡¯s discreet, winding stairwell, and started to climb.


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry. Even if we do not continue working together, I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t have to return to Zinfera under any circumstances.¡±


    Sadly, however, Tam¡¯s reassurance seemed to prod at fate in such a manner that it took exception¡­ Though he had no way of knowing this as they headed into the meeting with Prince Eric Reyes¡¯s inner council.

 Chapter 5: A Weigh in from the Wisers

    Tam and Eli sat at the farther end of the council room table that, as Eric¡¯s coronation neared, had grown more crowded.


    At the head still sat King Norman Reyes, the wise king of Daxaria, still with streaks of brown along his temple while his pointed beard looked much the same it had nearly thirty years ago save for its lack of color. Age spots had appeared around his cheeks in the past five years, and his hands had become whorled¡­ But there was a brightness in his hazel eyes that still spoke of his quick mind.


    On the king¡¯s left sat his assistant, Mr. Kevin Howard. The man was incredibly competent, but also had a distaste for the unpredictable and chaotic parts of life¡­ Meaning he had a special sort of relationship with the current duke of the Ashowan family, Finlay, the house witch, as the duke had a very special skill set when it came to stirring up all kinds of unprecedented occurrences.


    Kevin Howard in his older years had thinning white hair atop his head that still waved in places much as it did in his younger years. His dark blue eyes were still sharp and intelligent, but were placed behind a pair of round, gold spectacles when his vision had begun to blur with age.


    On the king¡¯s right hand side sat Finlay Ashowan, the duke was just past his mid-fifties, and yet looked forty at most. This was a side effect of the curse his mother, a healing witch, had cast long ago to bring him back to life¨C the steep cost of such a spell being both her life, and Finlay¡¯s vastly expanded lifespan. Fin¡¯s hair was still the same brilliant red it had always been, save for the white touching his temples, and his slanted almond eyes remained their electrifying light blue.


    Beside the duke sat Captain Taylor of the Daxarian military, a man with a bushy salt and pepper beard, with what hair did remain on his dome shaped head being a mere quarter inch long. He was a large man, and as he had aged, his muscles had given way to softness¡­ Talk of his retirement was growing more and more prevalent. While a bit socially clumsy, the man had a knack for rallying his men, and he also held a very long time friendship with Duke Finlay Ashowan, as once upon a time he had once been sent to the house witch¡¯s kitchen to serve as an aide as punishment for his formerly abysmal behavior.


    Beside the king¡¯s assistant sat the prince, Eric Reyes, who looked as serious as ever, his arms folded as he sat back in his seat listening to the proceedings. His dirty blond hair tidy, and his beard cropped short. He had grown strong and hearty since his time in Troivack seven years ago, and if anything, the soon-to-be-king had only trained harder thanks to his wife being overly enthusiastic with the sword.


    Beside the prince was his friend and temporary acting assistant, Marquis Morgan Linsey, a nobleman in his thirties with light brown hair, a lean face with freckles, and light brown eyes.


    Finally, there was the visiting leader from the Coven of Wittica, Louise Riddel. She had come into her position three years prior, and was a bespectacled woman in her early fifties, with chestnut brown hair and glinting green eyes. She had a kindly, round shaped face, but the tightness with which she pinned her hair hinted at a disposition that may be a little more fierce¡­


    ¡°Lord Tamlin, thank you for joining us,¡± the king called out regally.


    Tam bowed his head. ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡±


    He and Eli sat side by side at the farthest end of the table away from the rest of the council.


    ¡°The reason we summoned you today is to try and make some headway with the coven¡¯s concerns regarding you and Her Highness, Princess Katarina, taking over positions of leadership and power when that is outside of the lifestyle that witches should be following as is the will of the Goddess.¡±


    Tam nodded in understanding.


    ¡°It has been decided that Lady Katarina will no longer be a member of the Coven of Wittica after her coronation at the end of this month,¡± Louise Riddel informed Tam, her tone dignified and ambiguous about any personal feelings she might have on the matter.


    Tam straightened in his seat and frowned. ¡°Why is my sister not here when this decision is being made?¡±


    ¡°She was,¡± Eric replied calmly, drawing his brother-in-law¡¯s eyes to him. ¡°She left shortly before you arrived due to some¡­ issue¡­ with the princes.¡±


    The council became momentarily awkward. Everyone looked pointedly around the stone room with its many bookshelves and tapestries.


    Tam couldn¡¯t help but briefly speculate what his nephews¡¯ new source of mischief was. Surprisingly, it couldn¡¯t have involved anything happening with the banners in the front hall or else he would have seen them¡­


    ¡°So Her Highness agrees to not being a part of the coven?¡± Tam continued after taking in a quick breath and dragging his mind away from his sister¡¯s children.


    ¡°Yes. Of course the princes are not expected to forgo their education from the coven should they prove to have abilities themselves. However, come the time of abdication, and naming an heir, this may become the precedence henceforth. At this time however, the coven still holds the position that should any of the three princes prove to not carry any magical ability, that they by default should be the next king,¡± Louise explained.


    ¡°Are you wanting me to relinquish my place in the coven as well then?¡± Tam guessed. In all honesty he had never felt all that attached to technically belonging to the coven¡­ The only issue was that it subsequently brought up another important matter¡­


    ¡°Given that the Ashowan duchy gained its title in part thanks to its service to both the coven and the crown, that was not our first inclination, however,¡± Louise paused, and glanced at Finlay Ashowan, whose stony expression warned Tam that whatever was coming next would not be good¡­


    ¡°You have not disclosed what your magical abilities are, and while we understand that they are traumatic in nature, do insist that you disclose any details you have about them, especially given the fact that you would be acting as a diplomat between the coven and the crown.¡±


    Tam felt an iciness twist his gut. His teeth clenched, and it was a brutal battle within himself to look and sound cordial.


    ¡°I understand that I would be in a position of great importance and taking part in the affairs of both the coven and the court here in Austice, however, I don¡¯t use my magic. Why does it need to be disclosed?¡±


    ¡°For the sake of the sensitive information you will be tasked with, but also for the safety of your king and fellow witches.¡± Louise Riddel didn¡¯t look hateful, or suspicious when she answered Tam, but she didn¡¯t look sympathetic either.


    Tam felt his magic stir in his chest, and as a result a new inner conflict started to tear at him.


    ¡°And if I refuse¡­?¡±


    The tension in the air mounted, and Tam could sense Eli stiffening at his side¡­


    Louise Riddel¡¯s thin lips pursed. ¡°Then I am afraid we cannot condone you acting as the next diplomat of the coven. Sadly, this has other implications as well¡­¡± The coven leader looked to the king who was regarding Tam with an equally somber expression.


    ¡°Some council members are arguing that the dukedom should cease to be after your father retires.¡±


    Tam¡¯s right hand curled under the table as potent anger surged forward that was in no way helping his battle against his magical power which was already tugging painfully at the center of his chest¡­


    ¡°I have worked tirelessly for the dukedom since my father received the title. I have carried out all requests, been a part of several negotiations involved with the Coven of Wittica without his presence, and my preference to not reveal my abilities has never been an issue. Why is it only now? Has my contribution and work not been satisfactory?¡± Tam¡¯s gaze bore into the coven leader.


    The lines around Louise¡¯s eyes tightened as she felt, as she had before, the strange air around Tamlin Ashowan take on a darker edge. ¡°That is because up until your assumption of the title, your father would accept responsibility should anything happen. Once you are named duke and diplomat, however, that is no longer the case. Your abilities will be kept private between those that need to validate you are not only in control of your magic, but we need to know that they do not pose a threat should something like what happened to Her Highness Katarina Reyes in Troivack, happen to you.¡±


    The incident that Louise was referring to was when an elite knight in the Troivackian court had attacked Katarina by throwing a potent drug known as Witch¡¯s Brew into her face, drugging her into a state where she lost control of her abilities.


    Tam didn¡¯t bat an eye at this argument. ¡°My sister disclosed her powers and no one knew what to do even then.¡±


    ¡°But there was some understanding. Luckily, your father was able to intervene, however, we don¡¯t even know if your powers are something so great that even Duke Finlay Ashowan can combat.¡±


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a threat.¡± Tam¡¯s voice was hoarse as he started to feel his skin prickle the longer he resisted his magic that continued to rise in his being.


    He needed to leave. Immediately.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Lord Tam be stripped of all titles by that logic?¡±


    Everyone in the room was startled, as the interruption had come from none other than Eli.


    With everyone still momentarily stunned, she bowed her head and continued. ¡°You spoke about stripping his title of duke, would his mother¡¯s former viscount house also be stripped?¡±


    ¡°As that position was not specifically created to also bear the responsibilities to the Coven of Wittica, no. He would still hold Viscount House Jenoure,¡± Norman assured while eyeing Eli a little more interestedly.


    No one could ever recall hearing the young woman they believed to be a man speak, save for Eric, but even he was taken aback by Eli¡¯s uncharacteristic boldness.


    Fortunately, her interruption had given Tam enough time to get a hold of himself.


    ¡°Is this condition the only means of my being able to inherit the dukedom? Or is there something else the coven would accept?¡± he managed to say though he didn¡¯t bother hiding his displeasure.


    Giving a slight bow of her head, Louise responded. ¡°At this time, that is the official and firm position of the coven.¡±


    Tam already started sifting through all possible excuses he could use to get out of the meeting as his magic reached the confines of his skull and elicited an unholy buzzing¡­ when the king spoke.


    ¡°There is another matter that we were hoping to discuss with you today, Lord Tam¡­¡±


    Tam forced himself to look at the ruler, and instantly felt his furious emotions be ever so slightly stifled in the face of the man¡¯s gentle eyes.


    Norman had always treated Tam kindly, and did his best to speak with him more privately than in a group setting. It was a consideration that Tam had always appreciated, and he admired how observant and patient the king was¡­


    ¡°The Zinferan emperor has fallen silent.¡±


    Tam knew without looking that Eli had turned pale.


    ¡°He has been in poor health for years, and has outlived what all his physicians predicted¡­ However, as you well know, his court has become divided. There is talk that the entire empire of Zinfera will be separated into provinces once again. There is even talk of the capital moving.¡± The king stared at everyone present who waited grimly for the king to finish summarizing the poor state of the foreign empire. ¡°What is even more troubling is that his concubines are engaging in several horrific acts, and, unfortunately, we do not have the grounds to officially intervene without the risk of starting a war. And sadly, the emperor is too proud, and his mind too compromised from his sickness, to listen to reason. However¡­ we now have an excellent reason to become involved with the help of Troivack.¡±


    Tam was relatively certain Eli had stopped breathing¡­


    ¡°Ancient beasts have been spotted in Zinfera. Allegedly¡­ There is even a dragon.¡± Norman¡¯s gaze subtly moved from Tam, to Eli, then to Fin.


    Instantly, Tam looked to his father who gave his son an unreadable glance in response before returning his attention to the king.


    ¡°We need someone to investigate and gather proof of this, and to do so quietly.¡±


    With growing dread, Tam realized where the discussion was going¡­


    ¡°Lord Tam, Eli¡­¡± Eric started softly. ¡°I proposed the two of you be the ones to gather the evidence we need while learning more details about the state of Zinfera. Duke Finlay is too easy to recognize, and would be discovered quickly as he has traveled several times before to Zinfera¡¯s court. Tam, your black hair and the shape of your eyes¡­ You won¡¯t be as noticeable. You of course will have assistance from Lord Jiho Ryu, your father¡¯s friend.¡±


    ¡°Why does Eli need to return? Wasn¡¯t sh- he promised he¡¯d never have to return?¡± Tam demanded while his assistant¡¯s shoulders curled forward.


    ¡°Thank you for bringing that up, Lord Tam,¡± Louise Riddler interjected.


    Tam¡¯s gaze slid slowly to the woman.


    He was starting to not feel a deeper dislike toward the coven leader.


    ¡°Your new assistant, much like yourself, has requested that he never has to share what his magical ability is.¡±


    ¡°So? He doesn¡¯t hold a position of power.¡± Tam bit back sharply.


    ¡°It makes acquiring Daxarian citizenship difficult because he has also refused to share his parentage.¡±


    ¡°He worked alongside the Troivackian king and it wasn¡¯t an issue in the past seven years, why now?¡±


    ¡°He was little more than a prisoner as they investigated the former Duke Subastian Icarus,¡± Louise Riddel supplied.


    ¡°He was captured, enslaved, threatened, Gods know what else, and then proceeded to help in the investigation voluntarily, while also serving the king without having any real freedom, and you think this is somehow his fault and needs to be punished?¡± Tam¡¯s voice had risen and gained a deadly edge.


    Everyone leaned back in their seats.


    Even rarer than Eli speaking, was Tam speaking loudly to anyone that wasn¡¯t his sister.


    ¡°Tell me, who here has fallen off a horse head first recently?¡± he continued acidly.


    ¡°Part of the process to complete his citizenship is he serves as an assistant,¡± Eric started calmly. ¡°And so that means he needs to go with you, Lord Tam. We are also hoping he will be able to provide insight and information that will help you during your time in Zinfera. Neither of you will be expected to make a formal announcement of your arrival or attend court.¡±


    Tam said nothing.


    He could tell this wasn¡¯t a request.


    So he looked at Eli, and almost flinched.


    She was staring at the prince, her eyes filled with betrayal, and hurt¡­


    Eric at least had the decency to look apologetic toward his old friend.


    Furious, Tam lowered his eyes.


    He could still refuse, but that would also work against his case to still inherit the dukedom¨C especially as the new coven leader seemed determined to find out what his magic was one way or another¡­


    No one in the council room was feeling particularly good about the way things were going, and the king debated whether or not he should press the matter or change the subject, but was spared having to make a decision when the door slammed open amongst the loud objections of the guards.


    Everyone¡¯s heads whipped round to see¡­


    Lord Dick Fuks. The former chief of Daxaria¡¯s military¡­ The man who was as mad as he was brilliant.


    He stood with his arms out in his one hundred years of wrinkly glory¡­


    Completely nude.


    ¡°Fear not, Your Majesty! I¡¯m here for the council meeting!¡±


    Everyone truly was at a loss as to what to say¡­


    Though at least they were momentarily distracted from their woes when faced with the legendary Lord Dick Fuks and his low hanging fruit basket.

 Chapter 6: The Underestimated Underdogs

    Tam stood outside the council room with the other members of the meeting while Lord Dick Fuks¡¯s son, Les, tried to convince the elderly man to return to his chamber and put clothes back on. Lord Dick, who was wildly proud of his name as he believed it built character and notoriety, had ensured that the tradition of terrible names be passed down the line. With his son being named Les Fuks, and his grandson Aster, going by his nickname, Ass Fuks.


    While the new earl, Les, had loathed the tradition, his son, Aster, devoutly sided with his beloved grandfather.


    As Lord Dick Fuks had aged, he had grown even more outlandish in his behavior, and for a while, many weren¡¯t certain if it was simply the former earl being eccentric, or if he was perhaps falling into the terrible mental decay some men at his impressive age succumbed to. However, in the past year, it became clear that he wasn¡¯t cooking with all the ingredients¡­ Much to Les Fuks¡¯s dismay. Before, there had at least been some sliver of hope of keeping his father toeing the line of appropriateness, but recently¡­ That was not the case.


    So, as Les Fuks waged another long battle with his father, Tam faced off with an equally infuriating parent of his own while Eli stood off alone to give them privacy.


    ¡°Why the hell have I been working my arse off helping you run this dukedom if they are just going to take the title and lands right back? Does mum know that they are proposing this?¡± Tam demanded, his voice quiet, but angry.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t told her yet because I thought you should hear about it first,¡± Fin started softly. ¡°Tam, to be honest, I¡¯m a little surprised that you care this much about it. You hate all of the public appearances the role requires. Not to mention the work¡­ If you become a viscount, you still have a title, you wouldn¡¯t have to worry about traveling to check on the schools as the next diplomat would be taking over those duties, and you would have to be the worst gambler to ever live to squander the money your mother has saved.¡±


    Tam didn¡¯t say anything as he stared blindly down the hall where the other council members and the king milled about as they waited to resume the meeting.


    Emotions were burning in his throat, and he was considering gnawing on his tongue to try and force it to form words properly to better express his thoughts¡­


    ¡°Did you really think I¡¯d be relieved to hear that because I have a problem with my magic, I cost our family this title?¡±


    ¡°Tam, it isn¡¯t your magic that¡¯s the problem. It¡¯s that you aren¡¯t disclosing what it does. After what happened with your sister in Troivack, it makes sense for the sake of safety that they would want to know what your abilities are.¡±


    ¡°Despite all the work I already do and have already accomplished for the coven? Does my word that my abilities aren¡¯t a threat to anyone other than myself mean nothing?¡±


    ¡°Tam¡­ Are you absolutely certain that your abilities can¡¯t harm anyone? Without a shadow of a doubt?¡± Fin¡¯s blue eyes were intent on his son¡¯s face. Tam could hear the sincerity in his father¡¯s voice as well. He could tell that if he answered that he was absolutely positive he knew the range of his magic, his father would support him in fighting against the council¡­


    But he couldn¡¯t promise that.


    Tam swallowed.


    Seeing this reaction, Fin¡¯s expression filled with familiar pain that Tam could see out of the corner of his eye. It was the same, worried, loving expression he had seen countless times whenever the issue of his powers came up.


    ¡°I¡¯m on your side, Tam. I know you¡¯re a smart man, and that you just want to protect the family, but what if something happened while you were investigating the schools? You know we deal with vulnerable people all the time.¡±


    ¡°Right. I get it.¡±


    ¡°I will fight the council and the coven to ensure you keep the title of duke, and-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Tam turned, his magic in his chest rattling, wanting to be used¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out. It¡¯s me they have a problem with, not you. You just focus on your retirement plans with mum.¡±


    ¡°Tam, no matter what, I¡¯m your father. I am here to help regardless of title, or age, and it doesn¡¯t mean you aren¡¯t capable if you need help from others. Trust me, if it weren¡¯t for other people I know I-¡±


    ¡°You never would¡¯ve been able to be with mum. I know. I know you just want to help. I know everyone is just trying to figure out what¡¯s best for me, but I¡¯m not a child. I¡¯ll decide that for myself.¡± Tam didn¡¯t wait to hear his father say anything else and instead stalked away from the council room, not caring at all that he didn¡¯t ask to be excused by the king.


    *


    Down the hall, seeing that her employer was leaving, Eli nervously started shuffling after him, however, she had to pass Fin, and the duke held up a hand, stopping her.


    ¡°Maybe just give him a bit of time. I also was hoping to speak and apologize to you about asking you to return to Zinfera.¡± Fin gave a strained, sheepish smile.


    Eli fidgeted with the seam of her trousers as she bowed.


    ¡°May I request that I excuse myself from accompanying Lord Tam to Zinfera, and instead remain here in Daxaria to offer my assistance to you, Your Grace?¡±


    ¡°This is more Eric- His Highness¡¯s idea than my own. I understand that, like my son, you yourself have things you¡¯d much rather keep to yourself, and I can¡¯t imagine what you have lived through. I¡¯ve already argued these points with His Highness. I think right now the prince is desperate to have someone he can trust and that knows the Zinferan empire.¡±


    Eli didn¡¯t answer immediately, her eyes remaining lowered as it dawned on her then. ¡°Even if I wasn¡¯t serving Lord Tam¡­ His Highness would¡¯ve requested I go.¡±


    ¡°I think so. I can arrange for you and the prince to speak more privately tomorrow if you like,¡± Fin offered while raising his hands.


    The duke appeared to disagree with the idea of sending his son and assistant to spy on the Zinferan kingdom¡­ though as much as Eli appreciated that, doubted the duke was being considerate toward her and more so his son. After all, why would she matter when the greater powers of Daxaria said otherwise?


    That was always how it was. She was shoved around wherever anyone with more power willed it. She just had to survive and make the best of it until she could be free¡­


    ¡°Thank you, Your Grace, but I¡¯m sure His Highness will speak to me if he thinks it is worthwhile.¡±


    Fin stared at Eli as she bowed. A funny half smile tugging up the corner of his mouth.


    ¡°You know¡­ I think you and Tam might do really well together.¡±


    Straightening, Eli kept her chin lowered. ¡°I appreciate your confidence in me, Your Grace. I hope that Lord Tam feels the same way.¡±


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    Fin nodded idly, though his gaze remained studious on the assistant. The measured distance that Eli placed between everyone was peculiar¡­


    ¡°Pardon me, Your Grace, I will go see if I should call for the carriage to take Lord Tam home or not.¡±


    Blinking out of his thoughts, Fin slipped both his hands in his pockets and nodded before saying, ¡°Of course. I will see you back at the keep this evening unless my daughter invites me to dinner.¡±


    Eli bowed once more in response, then turned and proceeded to follow where she had seen Tam disappear.


    *


    Tam sat with his back against the knight¡¯s barracks with his eyes closed.


    It was one of his favorite places to have a moment to calm down, as it reminded him of Captain Antonio, the former Daxarian military leader who had been like a grandfather to him and his sister before his death more than a decade ago.


    With his magic no longer tearing at his insides, and his breath slow and even, Tam reluctantly started to turn his mind to the council meeting¡­ Until he sensed another presence.


    He didn¡¯t have to open his eyes to know who it was. ¡°You found me quite quickly.¡±


    Eli peered around and let out a small breath of her own. ¡°I would¡¯ve come faster, but your father wanted to speak with me.¡±


    The note that entered her voice prompted Tam to look up at his new assistant.


    There was grimness in her eyes, and a trace of anger given the way her jaw was clenched¡­


    ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to go to Zinfera, you won¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°The prince wills it.¡±


    ¡°Then he can go if he wants it so badly. I thought you two were friends.¡±


    ¡°As much as a prince can be friends with a refugee,¡± Eli countered mildly.


    Tam paused. As accepting as Eli was forcing herself to seem, he could tell there from the hardness behind her eyes her true thoughts¡­


    ¡°Daxaria isn¡¯t like Zinfera or Troivack. Commoners and nobility are quite close here¡­ I mean, just look at my father and mother. He was the cook.¡±


    Eli didn¡¯t say anything in response, but Tam could tell she didn¡¯t fully buy that for a second.


    Deciding not to prod at what was undoubtedly a sore subject, he instead rubbed his face while leaning forward.


    ¡°I¡¯ll probably be in Zinfera for a few months¡­ Could even be a year or more. Especially if they want me hunting down a dragon. Just tell me where you want to work and I¡¯ll find a way.¡± Tam pushed himself to stand while Eli continued staring out across the sea of lush green grass and at the pristine blue sky.


    ¡°My lord, I¡­ I wanted to say thank you earlier, but I didn¡¯t have the chance until now.¡± Eli turned suddenly and bowed.


    Tam cringed away from the action. ¡°Gods, for what? Or do you mean about not revealing one of your secrets?¡±


    ¡°I mean for objecting to my being forced back to Zinfera.¡±


    The lord momentarily balked as he then recalled what had occurred in the meeting¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just so you know, you could¡¯ve said the same thing. If you want something you need to say so.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not in a position to-¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yes, you are. You are not a slave. You are a person. A person who has done nothing wrong and has had enough forced upon you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a citizen of Daxaria. I can still be thrown out.¡±


    ¡°The instant you were placed in my family¡¯s care, that stopped being a possibility.¡±


    ¡°Unless you or your parents decide to send me back.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d have to do something remarkably terrible for us to do that.¡±


    Eli finally looked at Tam, and just like on the first day she had arrived at his keep, when it was hard for him to look away, he found his attention trapped. Why did she feel so familiar, and comfortable? It was easy to look her in the eyes¡­


    ¡°You know¡­ I¡¯ve been thinking¡­¡± Tam started clearing his throat and breaking off the moment. ¡°Battling against people shoving us around is great, but¡­ I think we could also maybe have a bit of fun in the meantime.¡±


    Eli frowned. ¡°What are you suggesting, my lord?¡±


    ¡°Please stop calling me that,¡± Tam insisted the second the words left her mouth. ¡°Tam is fine. If we¡¯re in proper company, I understand, but for the love of the Gods it is painful to hear.¡±


    She raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to finish explaining himself.


    ¡°As for a bit of fun¡­ My family, and the prince, threw us together because they don¡¯t know entirely what to do with us, and because we are both known for keeping secrets. Yes?¡±


    Eli nodded slowly.


    ¡°What if we, through our combined efforts, give them a bit of a headache using these reasons against them?¡±


    The assistant rounded on Tam, her head tilted. ¡°Why would we do something so pointless?¡±


    Tam looked to the sky with a sigh. ¡°Juvenile act of rebellion? It¡¯s rather cathartic, and furthermore¡­ I think it might help to stop people thinking they should be deciding our fates for us.¡±


    ¡°A mere prank is going to assert dominance over nobility¨C including the prince?¡±


    Tam grinned and lowered his gaze to look at Eli, startling her with his smile. She had heard rumors he was handsome, but hadn¡¯t paid much attention to that kind of information until she found out just how true it was in that moment¡­


    ¡°Come now, you have to know better than anyone that the prince is being a donkey. What I¡¯m suggesting is some harmless fun, where no one gets hurt, and better yet¡­ We both maybe get a little bit closer to what we want.¡±


    Eli opened her mouth to give a resounding no, when Tam leaned forward, his hands in his pockets, his face still smiling, and his eyes twinkling.


    ¡°So? How about it? As my assistant, do you think you can help me?¡±

 Chapter 7: A Beleaguered Bargain

    ¡°The Zinferan assistant?! He has five children back home?!¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t even look old enough to have one child let alone five!¡±


    ¡°What about the rumor about Lord Tamlin Ashowan? That he weeps any time he sees sunlight?¡±


    Tam and Eli sat in the well-hidden shadows of the second story window as they heard the excited discussions taking place between the laundry maids and the maids tasked with scrubbing the floors.


    ¡°See? Perfectly harmless,¡± Tam cited casually to his assistant.


    ¡°How does this help us be seen as less manageable and more capable? His Highness and your father know these are both fake.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Most of these servants will also know they are fake, but they also won¡¯t want to quash the rumor. They¡¯ll want to keep it going because people love gossip, so they¡¯ll twist it using something they know to be true.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s irresponsible. What if they guess something that is true or is hurtful?¡± Eli asked sternly.


    ¡°Lord Tamlin walks around in the daylight all the time! He¡¯s probably just going blind! That¡¯s why he doesn¡¯t look up very much!¡±


    The fervid retort of one of the maids down below echoed up to the future duke and his assistant.


    Eli stared at Tam flatly, as though expecting him to look regretful in the face of such a rumor.


    However Tam merely considered this speculation while nodding. ¡°It¡¯s better than people thinking I see death hovering over those who are about to die.¡±


    ¡°Are all the rumors that exist about you because you plant them?¡± Eli risked a quick look down at the maids while craning her neck over the stone window ledge.


    Tam shrugged ambiguously. ¡°Some. To be honest, it was usually Kat that would start things. I throw one out here or there¡­ But let¡¯s be honest. I am quite strange, and there is power in no one knowing a clear thing about you, and they will wonder where certain gossip stemmed from, and assume there has to be a seed of truth to it. If you think the king and his council don¡¯t listen to rumors with some measure of seriousness, I¡¯ll be the first to tell you otherwise.¡±


    The lord pushed himself away from the wall and proceeded to make his way down the castle corridor, his hands stowed in his pockets casually.


    Eli reluctantly followed while already thinking how maybe her new employer wasn¡¯t as serious and dour as she had heard he was. In a way that was worse. Even his idea of mischief was surprisingly lackluster¡­


    ¡°Did His Highness really summon me on his own?¡± Eli wondered skeptically while eyeing Tam¡¯s back.


    ¡°He did,¡± Tam affirmed while he continued striding ahead of his assistant.


    ¡°By the way, the chest you packed with your books weighed too much for you to take with you to Zinfera.¡±


    Tam didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Did you try taking out the-¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what I was going to say.¡± Tam stopped walking and waited for Eli to catch up to him.


    She stared flatly at him and squared her torso to him. ¡°You were going to ask if I had removed the texts about the fish that Zinferan¡¯s served that was occasionally could be poisonous.¡±


    Tam said nothing. Merely stared at Eli.


    ¡°Might I recommend removing the trilogy about the different soil types in Zinfera as well?¡± she prodded subtly.


    Sighing, Tam looked away. ¡°Damnit¡­ That means I have to read them this month before we leave¡­¡±


    ¡°Pardon me, my lord, but why do you need to know those things at all?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worth knowing if what you are being served is capable of killing you, and it¡¯s also worth knowing the types of soil so that if I learn about the various plights of the tenants and farmers under the concubines, I can tell if they are fabricating anything, or if they are hiding funds.¡±


    ¡°My lord. That is the type of information an assistant could be learning for you.¡±


    ¡°And is my assistant coming with me on this trip?¡± Tam asked in a mild, sarcastic tone.


    Eli¡¯s fingers on her right hand twitched as though wanting to curl into a fist.


    ¡°It is an order from the soon-to-be king of Daxaria. Of course I will have to go.¡±


    Tam scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m willing to bet you gold His Highness will offer you the chance to stay here in Daxaria.¡±


    ¡°That depends on his confidence in your ability to manage yourself in a foreign kingdom,¡± Eli returned evenly.


    Tam crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Believe it or not, despite my bit of fun with starting rumors, I am a reasonably capable person.¡±


    ¡°I never said otherwise, my lord.¡± Eli bowed her head.


    ¡°Besides, as rumors get twisted, it actually reveals their true perception of you. Sometimes it is actually quite funny.¡± Tam turned and resumed walking down the corridor.


    Eli considered his words briefly before jogging to catch up to him.


    She didn¡¯t have much time to say anything in return, as the two of them reached the prince¡¯s office once they rounded the next corner, and Tam wasted no time in knocking on the dark wood of the rounded door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Giving one final glance down at Eli, Tam noted that she had already smoothed her expression to one of neutral submissiveness, her eyes drifted to the floor. A tiny half smile tugged at his mouth for a lone breath of time before he opened the door and entered the office. At least she had stopped wearing such a look around him.


    There were three narrow steps that wound up from the door into the tower where the office was located. The room was stone, but the ceiling, while not at the peak of the tower, had wooden support beams above.


    A fire that had been lit hours earlier kept the space toasty warm, and the many books that filled the shelves around the entire perimeter of the room save for the fireplace helped insulate it.


    ¡°Ah, Lord Tam. My summons was more for a private word with Eli.¡±


    Eric was seated behind an ornate oak desk that was remarkably tidy with his paperwork, quills and inkpot¨C though Eli guessed that it was thanks to the prince¡¯s new assistant.


    ¡°I understand, Your Highness, but prior to you two speaking alone I did want to say again that I strongly disapprove of forcing Eli to return to Zinfera. Sh-He can stay back with my father as I suggested, and I can complete this journey on my own.¡±


    ¡°Your input is noted,¡± Eric returned shortly.


    Silence rested over the trio for a beat.


    ¡°Well then, I will wait for you to finish.¡± Tam addressed Eli politely, though he caught the flash of annoyance in her face, and knew it was because for the hundredth time since he had learned she was a woman, he kept almost revealing the fact.


    Once they were alone, Eric stood from his desk with a warm smile. ¡°Have a seat. I already have tea brewed for you.¡±


    Eli inclined herself politely and obeyed, already wishing she were alone in her room back at the Ashowan¡¯s keep¡­ Even if she technically didn¡¯t want to live in the same household as the duke¡¯s family, a quiet space to herself compared to having to spend her time around Tamlin Ashowan or Eric Reyes was the significantly more attractive option.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.Accepting the porcelain cup that the prince handed to her, Eli¡¯s nose twitched at the musty smell as the drink should have had a sweet, mellow scent from the fine, matured leaves the prince must have been privy to.


    He really had brewed it himself¡­ And being an avid tea drinker, Eli knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to sip it without making a look of disgust.


    She put the cup down.


    Eric watched her and laughed. ¡°Damn. Thought I¡¯d improved.¡±


    ¡°I should return to the Ashowan¡¯s keep soon so that I can continue helping Lord Tam pack for the voyage.¡±


    The prince¡¯s humorous look shifted as he glanced down at his own cup of tea in his hands. It was rare for him to appear so sheepish¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I made that request and didn¡¯t tell you about it sooner,¡± Eric started without looking at Eli.


    ¡°As I said to Lord Tam, I understand I am in no position to make demands.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a different attitude compared to when I found you at Duke Icarus¡¯s estate,¡± Eric pointed out, his eyebrows twitching toward a frown.


    Eli found herself regretting putting the teacup down as with nothing to occupy her hands, she started to fidget, then forced herself to stop.


    ¡°I had nothing to lose then and figured I¡¯d be killed soon anyway. Hope is a dangerous weapon that hovers over someone powerless like myself.¡±


    Eric¡¯s frown of uncertainty turned to one of concern. ¡°Eli, I really think you are in a much better position than you realize. The Ashowan family will protect you no matter what. I can¡¯t tell you everything about the type of challenges and battles they¡¯ve faced, but there are very few threats they can¡¯t manage. With them as your employers, even in Zinfera, you¡¯d be safe.¡±


    Eli bit her tongue. She didn¡¯t want to tell her old friend he knew nothing about what she was afraid of, or how her life had been controlled by influential people when she herself technically should have been powerful as well¡­


    ¡°I won¡¯t send you if you¡¯re going to hate me.¡±


    Eli¡¯s brown eyes snapped up.


    Eric stared back at her intently. ¡°I had honestly hoped that because you¡¯d been away from Zinfera for close to a decade that you¡¯d feel a bit safer¨C especially because I¡¯m not sending Tam to the capital. He¡¯ll be landing at the Ori harbor and traveling to Haesan from there.¡±


    Jolting in alarm Eli¡¯s look of incredulousness cracked open her previous cool demeanor.


    ¡°The land between the Ori harbor and Haesan city is almost as deadly as the palace itself! Why are you sending him there?!¡±


    ¡°Because Concubine Soo Hebin owns most of the towns in that stretch of land.¡±


    Eli involuntarily broke out in a cold sweat at the name. She felt nausea brew in her stomach¡­


    She swallowed back the telltale mouthful of saliva that rose as a warning that she was going to vomit¡­


    ¡°She is the most powerful concubine in Zinfera right now, and the only family that is powerful enough to keep her in check¡­ Are the Ashowans. I thought that you might want to help take away some of her power given that she was the one who arranged to have you sold.¡±


    Despite barely being able to think straight, Eli numbly realized that the prince either had learned something new about her past, or he was taking an educated guess at what had happened to her all those years ago¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here in Daxaria.¡±


    Eric blinked in surprise before tilting his head to study Eli. ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡±


    ¡°Fine. Your tea just has an unpleasant odor. Is that everything for today, Your Highness?¡± Eli forced herself to wait for the prince to dismiss her, when really she wanted to rush outside to be sick in private¡­


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry then¡­ You don¡¯t have to go,¡± Eric reassured slowly.


    Eli did her best to stand and bow in a calm fashion. The prince stood to walk her to the door.


    ¡°I admit, I was kind of hoping you¡¯d stay a bit longer and share your opinion on Tam¡­ He¡¯s hard to read, and I¡¯ve been trying to make heads or tails of him since resuming duties here in Daxaria,¡± Eric changed the topic smoothly, his tone more jesting than serious.


    ¡°He is a nobleman who has isolated himself and occasionally gets bored as a result,¡± Eli cast off without thinking it through.


    Eric halted his progress to the door and looked at Eli.


    She bit her tongue, forcing herself to try and get ahold of her chaotic thoughts. ¡°My apologies. I¡­ I must still be recovering from the long journey from Troivack.¡±


    While the prince nodded vaguely in acceptance, he didn¡¯t look entirely convinced. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Though if you think Tam acts out at all, just wait until you meet Duke Oscar Harris of the Iones household. His wife isn¡¯t much better either¡­ They stay with the Ashowans whenever they come to visit, but the amount of repairs the Ashowans have to do to their keep every time is alarming. You¡¯ll meet them soon.¡±


    Eli¡¯s hands curled into fists as Eric opened the door painstakingly slowly.


    ¡°Fingers crossed for you,¡± the prince added on as he waved her toward the door with a grin.


    As if her day wasn¡¯t bad enough. Eli stared stonily at Eric, and seeing this, his smile dropped.


    ¡°You¡¯re still superstitious about that? Alright, I take it back! Fingers are uncrossed!¡± Eric held his hands in the air in surrender.


    Pausing and steadying herself, Eli reached through the wretched anxiety that was storming her being¡­ She knew this request from the prince had all kinds of opportunities, even if she was scared beyond reason. The timing could work out for the better. And so before she could stop herself she said, ¡°You know¡­ Your Highness¡­ If you promise me Lord Tam and I won¡¯t have to go to the capital, Gondol, I¡¯ll go. But afterward? I want to be finished serving the Ashowans, finished with Troivack, and I want to go wherever I please in Daxaria and not be involved in royal politics ever again.¡±


    Eric moved his right hand to his pocket as his shoulders straightened and his gaze turned imperial. ¡°I see you¡¯ve found your motivation to negotiate.¡±


    Eli held out her hand. ¡°Do we have a deal?¡±


    Holding the prince¡¯s gaze, she waited, her heart in her throat.


    After a moment of him scrupulously eyeing her expression as though trying to glean what had inspired this sudden shift in her, Eric grasped her hand and shook it.


    ¡°You have my word. I¡¯ll deal with the coven while you''re gone and work with Lord Finlay to make sure you don¡¯t have to wait the full year before being freed from your duties.¡±


    Eli bobbed her head, and at last, was able to flee the office into the bright corridor, and was relieved when she heard the door close behind her.


    However she was a little surprised to see Tamlin Ashowan leaning against the wall with his arms folded, waiting. She had expected him to wait somewhere more comfortable¡­


    The two locked eyes.


    Eli could tell he had heard everything about her deal.


    Her right hand finally did grip into a fist.


    So what if he heard? This is better for the both of us. I¡¯ll stop him being murdered in Zinfera, and then we can both go our separate ways without owing each other anything.


    She wondered if Tam would take offense to what he heard, or pressure her for answers about her discussion with the prince¡­ She braced herself for either reaction from the lord. Instead he pushed off of the wall, and turned away looking completely disinterested.


    ¡°Come on, we might as well have lunch here before heading back to the keep.¡±

 Chapter 8: A Sisters Scruples

    ¡°TAM! Tam! Taaam, problem! Big problem!¡± Katarina burst into her brother¡¯s chamber, her long red hair flying around her.


    Tam had been in the middle of tying the black silk cravat around his throat that he was only wearing because of his sister¡¯s coronation happening that afternoon¡­


    So he was a mite startled by her presence in the keep when she should have been at the castle preparing.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked while turning away from the mirror, his mind racing through the possibilities of what could possibly have prompted her impromptu visit on one of the most important days of her life.


    ¡°Da wants to work as the Royal Cook when he retires from the dukedom!¡±


    Tam stared blankly at his sister.


    Was she jesting?


    He continued staring into her wide, desperate golden eyes.


    No. No she was not.


    ¡°Kat¡­ don¡¯t you have¡­ hundreds of people at your castle¡­ waiting for you to be crowned today?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they can wait! Good Gods, you know I love da, and his cooking, but he would technically be my employee and we both know he has an opinion about everything!¡± Kat started pacing frantically.


    Tam noted her untucked cream tunic and loose trousers¡­


    ¡°Did you come here wearing your sleep clothes?¡±


    ¡°Not important right now!¡± she barked in response.


    ¡°Kat, are you maybe overreacting to this because you¡¯re nervous about officially becoming queen?¡±


    ¡°Tell me, how would you respond if da skipped on over to you and said he wanted to be your cook? Actually, that¡¯s a great idea! Can you tell him you¡¯ll hire him?¡±


    ¡°We still have Raymond.¡±


    ¡°Raymond¡¯s going to retire in the next five years and you know it!¡±


    Tam put his hands on his hips and stared at his sister flatly. ¡°Kat¡­ Just tell him no, or ask mum to convince him that he should spend his time traveling with her, or helping with the boys.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ right¡­ But mum likes her alone time! If she decides she thinks it¡¯s a marvelous idea I¡¯m done for!¡±


    ¡°Kat, he¡¯d be busy all day, you really wouldn¡¯t have to see him.¡± Tam turned back to the mirror to take another run at tying the cravat that he loathed passionately.


    ¡°It¡¯s about boundaries, Tam! You of all people should understand that!¡±


    ¡°While I do, I¡¯m not sure you¡¯re familiar with the definition. Especially given how you barged into my room without knocking,¡± Tam pointed out with a raised eyebrow in the mirror directed at his sister¡¯s reflection behind him.


    The future queen of Daxaria scowled. ¡°You know, I¡¯m going to fill mum and da¡¯s heads up with all kinds of helpful ideas while you¡¯re away. Suggest things like how da should be the cook here and if mum wants a granddaughter so badly, she should start looking for your future wife herself to save you the headache.¡±


    ¡°You honestly think mum hasn¡¯t contrived a bunch of surprise courting dates before? I know you¡¯re not the sharpest sword in the armory, but do you not know our mother at all?¡±


    ¡°Did she really?¡± Kat snorted, ignoring her brother¡¯s insult. ¡°Gods, why didn¡¯t I hear about that?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯d be annoying about it if you did. Now, go back to your castle. Get in a dress. Or uniform, I don¡¯t care, and go become queen. Daxaria won¡¯t set itself on fire without your help,¡± Tam lectured glibly while finishing with the cravat rounding back to face his sister, grasping her shoulders, and steering her toward the door.


    ¡°Tam what if I¡¯m terrible at this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re walking perfectly fine on your own.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m serious.¡± Kat halted and spun round to look in her brother¡¯s eyes again. It was rare for the infamous wild woman to look so¡­ uncertain, and so Tam stopped his efforts in herding her from his chamber.


    Tam¡¯s arms dropped to his sides as he let out a long breath and his eyes softened. ¡°Kat, you¡¯ll be surrounded by the inner council, and they will have Daxaria¡¯s best interests at heart, and I¡¯m sure your husband will curb your more¡­ impulsive actions when it comes to acting as queen.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d think that,¡± Kat grumbled. ¡°But that¡¯s the problem with having a husband who is outrageously in love with me. I¡¯m relatively certain that if I wanted to pass a law that said people had to learn to walk on their hands, he¡¯d let me.¡±


    Normally Tam would be insulting her and making sarcastic remarks on her marriage as was their way¡­ But the way Kat slumped forward¡­ She seemed like a child terrified to try riding a horse for the first time¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re uncertain-¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Kat sniped, openly offended.


    Tam let out a snort and shook his head. ¡°Kat, it means you¡¯re taking this seriously and aren¡¯t being cavalier about this responsibility. You are in charge of everyone¡¯s well-being now, and while I know you say you¡¯re happy you get to protect everyone, it is going to be hard. There are going to be a lot of difficult choices. It¡¯s not a bad thing to look to others for input and advice. You¡¯ll get the hang of it, just don¡¯t ever stop taking time to self reflect.¡±


    Kat stared at her brother quietly for a long while, until she said. ¡°Gods you sound like such an old man.¡±


    Tam rolled his eyes to the ceiling. ¡°Right. I¡¯m absolutely convincing da to work as the Royal Cook before I go. Now, get out.¡±


    Kat stuck her tongue out at her brother and whirled back around toward the door, her bout of vulnerability already passed.


    ¡°Oh! How has it been the past month working with Eli?¡±


    Tam moved his hands to his pockets as he lowered his eyes back to the floor as he considered how best to answer¡­


    The truth was Eli had been barely around.


    Tam had more or less restricted her to working on the contributions the dukedom would make to the coronation, which had her running errands in Austice. Matters like receiving moonshine deliveries, helping Mr. Howard categorize gifts that noble families who couldn¡¯t attend had sent, and other tasks like that. Ever since he had overheard Eli¡¯s vehement desire to get as far from his family as soon as possible, he did his best to ensure she didn¡¯t have to deal with them.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Which also helped keep her gender a secret, as Annika Ashowan herself was busy, and whenever Eli was around, Tam ensured she was far away and that the duchess¡¯s reading glasses¨Cthat she swore she didn¡¯t really need¨Cwould go missing every now and again¡­


    Really, he just had to help keep her secret until they were on a boat to Zinfera and then at least Tam could rest a little before venturing into the foreign empire.


    ¡°Hello? Did you hear me? Are you ignoring me?¡±


    Kat interrupted Tam¡¯s spiraling thoughts, making him shake his head and force himself back to the present. ¡°Eli¡¯s fine, but there¡¯s no sense in getting attached as he is going to set off on his own once we return from Zinfera.¡±


    With a sigh, Kat reached out, intending to muss her brother¡¯s straight, long, silky black hair, only he batted her hand away easily.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to die alone at this rate, you know that, right?¡±


    Tam let out a long, groaning sigh, and proceeded to resume shoving his sister out of his room.


    ¡°Go get crowned, or don¡¯t, but at the very least, go make sure your children aren¡¯t doing something horrendous to the guests.¡±


    ¡°Oyy! I left my boys in perfectly capable hands!¡±


    ¡°No one has hands capable enough to handle your boys. Go save whoever you dumped them on. I¡¯ll see you later.¡± Tam gave a little more muscle into the final shove getting Kat out the door.


    Kat cackled, but when she straightened and looked back at her brother who braced his arms against the doorway blocking her from reentering, said, ¡°Thanks, Tam. I¡­ I really am glad you¡¯re going to be nearby while I rule. At least I know one person around me won¡¯t be afraid to tell me when I¡¯m being a dumbarse.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re always a dumbarse. Never forget it.¡±


    Kat flipped her middle finger in the air, then proceeded to skip down the corridor, clasping her hands behind her back as she went.


    Tam watched her retreat, shaking his head, but smiling.


    Daxaria was about to experience its most chaotic queen ever.


    A woman who possessed magical abilities that helped her see in the dark, inhuman strength, required little to no sleep, could ingest nearly all poisons and be unharmed, and if she ever absorbed too much power? She could enhance the capabilities of those nearby. And that was all before mentioning her familiar, Pina. A cat that ruled a stone golem, an ancient beast of the earth, that guarded the kingdom by standing day and night out in the Alcide Sea.


    Ah¡­ Kat¡¯s going to be an absolute menace to good society.


    Tam leaned his shoulder against the doorframe to his room and resumed adjusting his cravat that was already pressing uncomfortably against his throat, unaware that exiting the servant¡¯s stairwell to his right, was none other than Eli.


    ¡°Lord Tam.¡±


    Tam jumped, and half stumbled into his door frame nearly thunking his head against the solid wood.


    ¡°Good Gods! How do you do that?!¡±


    Eli stared nonplussed at him. ¡°Do what?¡±


    ¡°I can normally sense anyone approaching me, but I couldn¡¯t with you¡­¡± the young lord explained while willing his heart to resume a healthier beat.


    ¡°Lord Tam, everything is finished for the preparations for both the coronation and our departure tomorrow morning.¡± Eli ignored Tam¡¯s exasperation and plundered on, business as usual.


    ¡°Wonderful. Thank you for doing that. You should go get ready for tonight now. Maybe have a cup of wine or moonshine before you go. If I know my nephews, things are going to take a lot longer if they¡¯re present for the ceremony, so best to be relaxed going in.¡± While Tam had been talking, he loosened the knot from his throat with a subtle sigh of relief, and so didn¡¯t see the look of stricken horror on Eli¡¯s face until he looked up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Why would I be expected to go to the coronation?¡±


    Tam stared dumbfounded at her. ¡°Because you¡¯re my assistant. I need assistance in crowded, formal events more than any other time in my life.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡± The desperate pleading in Eli¡¯s tone mixed with her reluctance made Tam smile wryly.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m twenty-eight years old, a future viscount, possibly a future duke, and I don¡¯t have a betrothed. I want to be able to escape the reception without having to deal with any of the nobles that think I should marry their daughters, nieces, sisters¡­ You get the picture I hope.¡±


    ¡°What can I do about it?¡± Eli asked with a grimace.


    Tam bit back a laugh. He had come to know his assistant was wildly capable in hiding her true thoughts and emotions¡­ But when it was just the two of them, he marveled how upfront she was in her distaste for all manner of things¡­


    ¡°You, my dear assistant,¡± Tam started while reaching out to rest his hands on Eli¡¯s shoulders. He felt her tense, and noticed her cheeks turn a subtle shade of pink but ignored it when she didn¡¯t move away. ¡°You are going to keep talking to me about the most boring things imaginable to chase away any woman that gets within three strides of me. And if their father¡¯s try to talk to me, I need you to describe the most disgusting foods and smells you¡¯ve ever experienced in your life.¡±


    Eli scowled. ¡°I¡¯m not going to scare away women for you.¡±


    Tam raised his eyebrows, tilted his head, and smiled. ¡°Oh? Have it your way then. But just so you know, you still have to come tonight.¡±


    He turned back to his chamber and strode through the door without another look back, though he had the keen sense that Eli had opened her mouth to try and object further.


    Then once his door was closed behind him waited and listened.


    Sure enough he heard the soft muttering of: ¡°I don¡¯t even have anything to wear. The lout can repel women just with his awkward personality¡­¡±


    He grinned and then called out. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I already had clothes sent to your chamber!¡±


    Eli didn¡¯t speak again, and Tam took it to mean that she had cast a withering stare at the door, then gone to see if he had, in fact, prepared proper clothes for her to wear that evening.


    Making his way over to the floor length, gold rimmed mirror in his room, Tam plucked up the black jacket he had draped over one of the mirror¡¯s posts and slipped it on, humming a tune to himself as he did so.


    As much as he hated to admit it, it was fun having someone at his side who could be candid with him, and who also wanted even less than nothing from him.


    ¡°I wonder if Eli has heard the new version of our rumors yet¡­¡± Tam chuckled to himself as he imagined her trying to act unbothered by the outrageous turn their planted gossip had taken.


    Who knows? Maybe tonight won¡¯t be as awful as I thought it¡¯d be.

 Chapter 9: A Gussied Up Guest

    Tam stood almost completely squished into the back wall of the throne room. A woman with a light green gown and very bony shoulders pinched his left arm, while another rounder lord wearing a black jacket kept swaying back into Tam¡¯s front. Then on his right side, awkwardly shoved because there was no space to be elsewhere, was Eli.


    ¡°I thought this event was invitation only,¡± she murmured beside him irritably.


    Tam raised an eyebrow and slid a casual glance in her direction as a refreshing breeze brushed along the back of his neck from the stained glass window that had been propped open behind him.


    ¡°It was. However, the coronations in Daxaria are normally held at the castle in Sorlia. They are holding it here in Austice because this is where Kat grew up, but the throne room and banquet hall here in Austice isn¡¯t as big as Sorlia, so¡­ Here we are.¡±


    Eli winced as a young woman in a sunny yellow dress happened to crunch her toes with the low heel she wore. ¡°Do you think the ceremony will start soon?¡±


    Tam risked lifting his eyes to look over the sea of people toward the doors where the guards stood waiting, with sweat already rolling down their temples from under their steel helmets.


    ¡°Mm. Maybe. My guess is the boys are being difficult about wearing their official clothes.¡±


    Eli let out a long breath.


    Tam lowered his attention to the assistant who donned the powder blue vest with a fine silk coat to match that Tam had picked. There was a linen tunic underneath, and tan trousers.


    It was a complimentary color on her, only¡­


    Tam looked away hastily.


    To him, it was plain as day she was a woman in it. Her delicate neck, the glow of her skin, the high cheek bones, the full mouth¡­


    He cleared his throat and blinked.


    Gods. He always was terrible around women¡­ hiding the fact that Eli was one made it thrice as awkward.


    Tam was spared from dwelling on his poor capabilities pertaining to the fairer sex when some very poignant whispers seeped through the crowd.


    ¡°So he doesn¡¯t have seven children?¡± one young woman asked with a gasp.


    ¡°No! Have you seen him? He is obviously too young for such a thing. No, he is one of Reese Flint¡¯s children! But from his time in Zinfera! I hear our former bard pulled every string in the book so that Lord Tam¡¯s assistant could come work here in Daxaria. Of course with Reese Flint¡¯s influence the Ashowans would take him in!¡±


    Tam subtly chewed on the corner of his mouth as he felt Eli turn, ever so slowly, to stare up at him.


    ¡°My word! That does make sense! Though¡­ the Zinferan¡­ he does look rather feminine for a boy, doesn¡¯t he?¡±


    Tam looked to the ceiling and squinted, his magic only fluttering slightly over the desire to be used, as Eli¡¯s wide eyed stare scorched the side of his face


    ¡°My lord,¡± Eli managed through gritted teeth.


    Tam plastered an innocent smile on his face as he turned to look at his assistant. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Is this what you meant by harmless fun?¡±


    ¡°People were going to wonder about your parentage regardless!¡±


    Eli emitted a faint growl in the back of her throat before turning away to stare angrily ahead of herself.


    Tam fought off a laugh, but didn¡¯t succeed in stopping a smile as he looked toward the thrones in the hopes that Eli wouldn¡¯t notice how humorous he found her irritation.


    Unbeknownst to the future duke, however, two young noblewomen observed this interaction, and instantly started whispering even more quietly behind their fluttering lacy fans.


    ¡°Announcing the arrival of His Majesty, King Norman Reyes!¡± Mr. Kevin Howard, the king¡¯s assistant shouted over everyone, instantly silencing the room.


    All eyes swiveled to the doors that opened with a loud clack.


    Due to the king¡¯s shorter stature, Tam and Eli couldn¡¯t actually see him as he ascended the bright red carpet of the aisle that led to the thrones.


    That suited Tam fine.


    He closed his eyes, and simply enjoyed the feeling of the breeze behind him that was blissful due to the packed room¡­ Until Eli¡¯s elbow found his ribs.


    It had been subtle, but it made Tam¡¯s dark eyes slide back over to her with a wry curving of his mouth.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see anything,¡± he murmured back as explanation without needing to ask what had prompted such a thing.


    ¡°This is still not the time for a nap.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t napping. I was concentrating.¡±


    Another huff from Eli did succeed in motivating Tam to open his eyes again, and it turned out to be a good thing too, as Katarina and Eric arrived next, and they were significantly easier to spot.


    Kat wore her official knight¡¯s uniform, adorned with two gleaming silver and gold medals she had earned. One for her contribution to Troivack¡¯s civil war, and another for her protection of Alina, the queen of Troivack and her best friend, as she had guarded the monarch on several occasions while putting her own life at risk. Not that she ever saw that as a reward worthy endeavor¨C Katarina simply believed that was how things were meant to be.


    Overall, the coronation proceeded remarkably smoothly. Even with the three young princes following their parents without anyone physically restraining them from getting into trouble.


    At one point Antony yawned, earning a warning look from his grandmother, Duchess Annika Ashowan, and at another point, Asher started fidgeting until both Eric and Kat shot quick glances over their shoulders at him while they waited, kneeled, before the king as he began the process of abdicating his crown.


    Yes, everything was proceeding according to plan¡­


    That is until both Kat and Eric rose as the new king and queen of Daxaria, and faced their vassals with their prepared speeches, only to not even get as far as opening their mouths before there was a series of shrieks among the crowd.


    Kat and Eric dropped their gazes to their sons, their expressions flat.


    Antony, being the eldest, had long learned how to school his features to look as guiltless as possible.


    Charlie was still developing this skill, and so he instead made an expression that was remarkably like his mother¡¯s when she was in trouble by looking away with his tongue poking the inside of his cheek.


    As for Asher¡­ He was already fidgeting nervously.


    Tam immediately started scanning the crowd, pushing away from the wall.


    ¡°Do you see what¡¯s happening?¡± Eli asked while also trying to peer through the bodies of nobles that were starting to sidle toward them, away from the opposite side of the room from whatever trouble the three princes had caused.


    ¡°Nothing yet. My money is on them having accidentally released some mice, or-¡±


    ¡°Godsdamn¨C HAROLD! OUT!¡± Katarina roared while already descending from the dais toward the family donkey that was looking quite lovely with a wreath of white flowers around his neck with additional flowers in his mane, behind his ears and¡­ a bow on his tail.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s just Harold,¡± Tam finished with a grin as he observed the donkey start to nibble curiously on an older noblewoman¡¯s dress pockets. ¡°Huh. She must have brought snacks to the coronation.¡±


    Laughs and more awkward shuffling took place as Katarina started trying to wrangle the donkey out of the room.


    Eric was already standing in front of his sons with his arms crossed and eyebrows raised, making them squirm even more the longer he failed to say something.


    Tam slumped back against the wall comfortably, still smiling, though he closed his eyes to start laughing.


    It wouldn¡¯t have been a proper Ashowan event if there wasn¡¯t at least some kind of absurdity after all.


    *


    ¡°B-But-¡±


    ¡°No buts! Honestly, Antony! I told you, of all days, today really wasn¡¯t the day for pranks!¡± Kat informed her eldest son, her volume casual, if her tone was more than a bit incredulous. She had already removed the mantle from her shoulders as she spoke to her eldest son in a quiet corridor without anyone nearby to overhear.


    ¡°W-We thought you¡¯d find it funny!¡±


    ¡°And I do! You¡¯re making me regret not dressing Harold up for the day I was crowned princess, but¡­ he should have been left outside.¡±


    Antony started to sniffle, and his head dropped.


    With him looking away Kat didn¡¯t hide her look of anguish at seeing her son¡¯s tears.


    She slowly knelt down in front of him.


    ¡°Listen, my little ryshka, I know this is one of those times when you genuinely thought you were doing a kind thing. And, personally? I think this is wonderful, but¡­ Harold¡­ As marvelous as he is, isn¡¯t able to understand that eating a noblewoman¡¯s dress is frowned upon, and someone could have been hurt if Harold got frightened. And what is it people with the Ashowan blood do?¡± Kat asked gently.


    ¡°P-Protect people.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Remember, we have to consider what might hurt others. I understand it¡¯s hard to tell sometimes¡­ But especially when there is a crowd, you need to ask an adult if it¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Someone like Ass Fuks?¡±


    ¡°He is only thirteen. He isn¡¯t an adult. You can ask Les Fuks though, or your Uncle Tam!¡±


    ¡°What am I getting roped into?¡±


    Both Antony and Kat looked up to see Tamlin Ashowan striding over to them.


    Antony hastily wiped away his tears. ¡°Mam was saying that if we have an idea for a prank that involves a crowd we should ask you if it¡¯s safe.¡±


    Tam stared at his sister sardonically. ¡°You¡¯re making me be the voice of reason to your children?¡±


    Antony started to cry again, and it was then Kat¡¯s stare turned uncharacteristically angry at her brother.


    ¡°I just meant if they wanted to plan a surprise for a crowd for their father or myself to ask you!¡±


    Chastened, Tam flinched apologetically before looking back to Antony. ¡°Sorry, monster, absolutely you can ask me in the future. Though I will be away for the next while so¡­ Maybe ask someone else like¡­ Erm¡­¡±


    ¡°You honestly need more friends,¡± Kat remarked with a sigh while standing.


    ¡°There are a lot of people he could ask! I¡¯m just trying to think about who is going to be around him in the future once you move to Sorlia,¡± Tam defended while patting his nephew¡¯s shoulder affectionately.


    Kat rolled her eyes as, upon mention of their move, Antony burst out into fresh tears and hugged his mother¡¯s legs.


    Tam bit his tongue guiltily. He knew the eventual move was a touchy subject to the boys¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re really helping me out today,¡± Kat informed her brother sarcastically.


    Tam sighed. ¡°And here I was coming to share the good news that Harold is happily grazing outside, and that food is starting to be served.¡±


    Kat perked up brightly at the idea of feeding the bottomless pit she called a stomach, but was distracted from saying anything on the matter as a tail twitch drew her sight downward to where Pina, her muted calico familiar with a darling freckle upon her pink nose, was wrapping herself around Antony, who instantly crouched and hugged her as she nuzzled his tear soaked face worriedly.


    The familiar to the queen of Daxaria was as infamously cute as Kraken, Finlay Ashowan¡¯s own fluffy black cat familiar, was brilliant.


    ¡°Thanks for helping out, Pina,¡± Kat addressed her familiar sincerely, though instantly craned her neck to look around her brother.


    ¡°Is Sir Cleophus visiting for the coronation?¡± Tam guessed knowingly.


    ¡°Yeah, he arrived this morning¡­ I¡¯m surprised he let Pina out of his sight on the first day he¡¯s here¡­¡±


    ¡°PRINCESS!¡±


    The telling roar of the Troivackian knight who had grown more than a little enamored with Pina seven years ago in Troivack when Katarina had been serving her sister-in-law¡¯s court, echoed up to the siblings. His pet name for the cat being princess had only made things wildly confusing when Kat had until that very day, also been a princess¡­


    Cleophus was¡­ enormous. He was also utterly terrifying, and rarely ever spoke more than two sentences unless it was to, or about, Pina. He technically was serving Troivack as a diplomat while spending great lengths of time in Daxaria¡­ A role that was only granted in the sincere hopes of keeping such an invaluable warrior in Troivack¡¯s military as Cleophus would have abandoned his duties should Pina so much as meow in any meaningful way.


    The boulder sized knight appeared around the corner at the end of the hall, and started making his way up to the trio.


    Antony casually reached out and clutched his mother¡¯s pant leg.


    When Cleophus¡¯s booming steps halted in front of the new queen of Daxaria, he gave a quick incline before lowering down before Pina.


    Antony took the opportunity to slip behind his mother entirely.


    Cleophus held out his hand to the cat, who, while fully grown, had retained her small snout, meaning when she slept, she had a tendency to snore¡­ A trait that had in fact earned her an even greater loyal following. This even affected when she let out sighs, which was what she did when Cleophus happened to scare the very same little boy she had been trying to comfort.


    Frowning, the knight was caught between concern but also adoration by the cat¡¯s expression.


    ¡°Sir Cleophus, while I appreciate, as always, your concern for my familiar, we are having a bit of a family discussion right now,¡± Kat cited while gently reaching behind herself to pat her son on the back.


    Cleophus¡¯s gaze momentarily hardened, until Pina turned away from him and once again made her way over to Antony to brush against his legs.


    All at once the ferocious knight looked like an abandoned child as he rose and at last issued a proper bow to Kat.


    ¡°My apologies, Your Majesty. Lady Dana brought her dogs so I was concerned.¡±


    Kat gave her best understanding smile while Tam did what he did best and discretely backed away from the conversation.


    While he didn¡¯t have anything personal against the knight, he also did not envy his sister having to draw boundaries with the fanatical man¡­


    Antony stared after his uncle longingly.


    Tam gave a strained smile toward him, unable to think of a way to get his nephew out of the situation¡­ Kat had obviously been in the middle of trying to teach her son an important life lesson, and he really had no place impeding on that.


    Though of the various mischievous acts the princes had pulled, this one had at least been well intentioned¡­


    ¡°Ah, Antony!¡± Tam called out, his consciousness unable to let him escape alone.


    The young boy perked up.


    ¡°I need to go tell your father and brothers about the food being ready, mind showing me where they went?¡±


    Kat put her hands on her hips and stared at her brother wide eyed, as though wordlessly asking, ¡®Seriously? You¡¯re leaving me completely alone here?¡¯


    Tam gave a single shoulder shrug in response as Antony bolted for his uncle like a desperate soldier toward his own fortress with an army chasing him. The two wasted no time in putting a significant distance between themselves, Kat, and Cleophus.


    Having successfully escaped both his mother¡¯s lecture and the ferocious atmosphere that always lingered around Sir Cleophus, Antony let out a breath, almost doubling over in relief once they rounded the next corner.


    ¡°Thanks, Uncle Tam!¡±


    ¡°You owe me.¡± Tam cast a glance at his nephew with a raised eyebrow. ¡°If I weren¡¯t leaving tomorrow morning you best believe I would¡¯ve left you there.¡±


    ¡°Pfft, no you wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Tam chuckled as Antony succeeded in sounding exactly like his mother.


    ¡°Oh? If you keep up that ungrateful attitude in the future, I just might!¡±


    Antony let out an exaggerated moan. ¡°Fiiiine. I owe you!¡±


    Tam nodded, satisfied.


    ¡°Are you really going to stay for the whole reception?¡± Antony wondered aloud interestedly.


    It was in fact quite well known how seldom Tam attended official events¡­ and even more seldom did he stay the entire time.


    The future duke sighed. ¡°I think your grandmother would have me dragged by horses if I left early.¡±


    Antony smiled excitedly and gave a small skip.


    ¡°Why do you even want me there? We both know you¡¯re going to leave me to cause trouble with your brothers and the other children,¡± Tam figured while slowing his pace to help Antony keep up.


    ¡°Not this time!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Yeup! Because I might be king one day! So I should speak with the vessels!¡±


    ¡°Do you mean vassals?¡± Tam stopped in his tracks.


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    Uneasiness brewed in Tam¡¯s gut.


    Kat and Eric had not told their sons about the problem of Antony inheriting the throne with him potentially being a witch¡­


    As he peered down into Antony¡¯s face, and the boy beamed up at him, Tam could feel his former anger at the coven¡¯s opposition to his nephew¡¯s rise to the throne and his own right to inherit the dukedom resurface.


    Antony sensed the shift in his uncle, and tilted his head, curious. ¡°Everything okay, Uncle Tam?¡±


    Blinking away his dark feelings, Tam smiled down at  the young boy¡¯s face. ¡°Sure am. Just wondering what magic you¡¯re going to have one day.¡±


    The speculation of such a wonderful event had Antony¡¯s face splitting into a brilliant smile.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be an earth witch! But Charlie thinks I¡¯ll be a mutated witch just like you, an¡¯ mam, an¡¯ granda¡­¡±


    The uncle and nephew made their way back down the corridor, each completely forgetting about the rather exuberant celebration as they delved into thrilling speculations in Antony¡¯s case, and hardening resolve in Tam¡¯s.

 Chapter 10: An Assistants Assistance

    Grasping two goblets by their stems from a table so overloaded with food and drinks that it was a wonder it didn¡¯t buckle, Eli did her best to dodge and weave through the throng of nobility back to where the lord she served waited¡­ Or rather, hid from young unmarried ladies that had been eyeing him like a hungry house cat would eye a plump mouse.


    Keeping her head bowed, Eli was able to deftly make her way back, the smell of Troivackian moonshine, red wine, perfume, and sweat all lingering together¡­ It certainly did smell like a rousing good party.


    Only it reminded Eli of her days back in the Zinferan court. In Troivack, there hadn¡¯t been many parties that weren¡¯t handled with great dignity¡­ No¡­ Troivack didn¡¯t have the exuberance of the Daxarian court, nor the frivolous luxury of the Zinferan court¡­


    Eli looked to the thrones before she could stop herself, and felt her heart drop when she once again imagined someone from long ago with alarming clarity¡­


    Chin¡­ Why am I thinking about you now after all these years?


    A knight that was already laughing far louder than was necessary tumbled into Eli then, knocking her back and sloshing the drinks all over herself as well as the couple she ended up crashing into¡­ An older lord and lady who squawked in alarm.


    Eli pivoted nimbly, already bowing before the couple had righted themselves.¡°Apologies, my lord, my lady.¡±


    ¡°By the Gods, be careful!¡± the woman trilled while looking in dismay at her stained, bright green silk skirt.


    ¡°I am sincerely sorry, it seems the party is-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send the bill for the cost of the dress to house Ashowan.¡± The woman waved off Eli¡¯s words and straightened herself, already looking around the room utterly disinterested with the assistant.


    A deep rooted ire shook Eli, and when she lifted herself out of her bow and stared sharply at the woman, she noticed that before the lady could notice, her husband did, and he flinched.


    ¡°My lady.¡± Eli smiled, her teeth flashing, and then without bothering to look behind herself, she effortlessly grabbed the knight that had bumped into her who was standing right at her back guffawing with other party goers by the collar of his shirt and yanked him forward with surprising strength. ¡°This here, is the man who caused this situation. Please send the bill to him. Good evening.¡±


    Both the noblewoman and the knight blinked in confusion at each other, but they were unable to process what had happened in a timely manner before Eli pressed the two half filled goblets into the knight¡¯s hands, and stalked back into the crowd, her cheeks warm from anger.


    By the time she returned to Lord Tamlin¡¯s side, she didn¡¯t have to look at him to know he had seen the whole thing. However, despite wishing with all her mite to tell him to defend his own cowardly arse if he was going to say something glib, he surprised her.


    ¡°You almost lost control.¡±


    Eli¡¯s eyes snapped to him. ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Your magic.¡± Tam¡¯s voice was quiet, without an ounce of teasing in it. ¡°I saw the way that lord looked at you when you looked at his wife.¡±


    Her heart instantly quickened, but she pretended to still be annoyed and not display her panic. ¡°I might have been somewhat terse with the noblewoman. I can return and offer that you, my employer, pays for the dress that was ruined like she suggested if you prefer.¡±


    ¡°That is not what I¡¯m getting at. And I¡¯m not asking you about your magic either. I just need to know what sets it off. I¡¯ll avoid placing you in situations in the future where that might happen.¡± Tam lunged swiftly toward a servant carrying a tray of full goblets after he finished speaking, and managed to successfully pluck up two cups, though the contents were different.


    Stunned at Tam¡¯s reaction to what had just happened, Eli felt foreign emotion rise in her throat.


    When was the last time someone had tried to help her without forcing her to do something? Or asking for something in return¡­?


    ¡°I like things to be fair.¡± She heard herself say the words, and instantly pinched her mouth shut again. Why the hell had she even told him that? Of course he¡¯d have follow up questions!


    ¡°Ah. So you are fine when the exchange is straightforward and reward or punishment is assigned properly? Straight forward interactions, like when I had you accept shipments of moonshine, or categorize inventory and you received pay? Very well. I won¡¯t send you to negotiations where you¡¯ll be at a disadvantage.¡±


    ¡°No, I-¡± Eli found herself at a loss as to what to say.


    Her first reaction was to say that she would accept whatever work he needed her to perform, or that she was perfectly capable of managing her magic and emotions, but didn¡¯t get the chance to as he handed her a goblet of wine.


    ¡°If you want this cup of moonshine you better say so now. I¡¯m going to need a few of these to last to the end of this,¡± he informed her offhandedly.


    Eli squared her toes to face Tam, her mouth opening. Then closing.


    She wanted to thank him, but not in a heartfelt way¡­ More like¡­ A coworker? An equal?


    Instead what came out of her mouth was. ¡°My lord, everyone says you are quiet and do not speak often¡­ But you really are quite chatty.¡±


    Tam snorted as he drank from his goblet and had to cover his nose as the burning liquor threatened to come out his nostrils.


    Coughing, the future duke struggled to right himself, with his eyes watering, Eli was prompted into giving him a wary pat on his back.


    Tam lifted his glistening dark eyes to her with a light of humor in them despite the rest of his face looking mildly incensed.


    ¡°You know¡­ I¡¯m baffled how anyone found you easy to overlook. Nearly every word out of your mouth is insulting.¡±


    ¡°Being called chatty is insulting?¡± Eli countered defensively.


    ¡°Did you mean it as a compliment?¡± Tam wondered while giving his chest a final thump for good measure before going to take another drink. He didn¡¯t seem to care whether she had intended to taunt him or not.


    The assistant didn¡¯t get a chance to respond yet again because two noblewomen descended upon them.


    ¡°Lord Tam,¡± the first woman greeted with a curtsy, her smile hidden behind her lacey fan. She had pretty, auburn hair, and bright green eyes, though her dress was a mustard yellow and a few years out of fashion, it was made of superior quality¡­


    ¡°Lord Tam, are you having a nice evening?¡± The second woman had long, chestnut brown hair that she had partially tied back. She wore a modest plum colored dress, and kept her hands gently clasped in front of her skirts.


    Standing next to the auburn haired woman who must have rattled when she walked thanks to the pearls she had draped over herself, she almost looked as though she were of commoner origins.


    ¡°Good evening,¡± Tam returned tightly.


    Eli shuffled her right foot slightly, desperately wishing to flee, but the sharp jerk of Tam¡¯s head in her direction had her freezing in place.


    ¡°Congratulations to you and your family, Lord Tam, I am Lady Josephine Wrights, and this is Lady Ivette Davenshire. We are here from Sorlia,¡± the brunette named Josephine explained kindly, her warm brown eyes soft as she spoke.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Tam took in a very quiet breath, before turning to Eli who nearly recoiled when the two noblewomen did the same thing.


    ¡°Eli, you were just telling me about something quite interesting, what was that again¡­?¡±


    Any pretense of good feelings toward Tamlin Ashowan dissipated faster than a drop of water on hot coals, as Eli was reminded the primary reason he had forced her to join the coronation reception.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord, I¡¯ve completely forgotten. Pardon me, ladies, I must go take care of something very important for my l-¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.Eli turned and tried to flee, but Tam was quick, and seized the back of her collar and held her back. Reluctantly, she rejoined the discussion.


    ¡°No, no. Don¡¯t worry. As your lord I think it is perfectly fine that you stay! Now. What was that very interesting thing you were talking about?¡± Tam asked through a pained smile and flashing eyes directed at Eli as the two noblewomen behind him shared looks mixed of uncertainty and irritation.


    ¡°We were talking about how it¡¯s time you found yourself a wife.¡±


    Eli knew she shouldn¡¯t have done it. She knew she shouldn¡¯t have thrown Tamlin Ashowan under the metaphorical carriage¡­ Good Gods. He had been perfectly decent! He was helping her and being considerate far more than she deserved!


    So his murderous expression was entirely justified, as behind him Ladies Josephine and Ivette beamed.


    ¡°I think you have misspoken, Eli, we were talking about you getting married. You see, Lady Joesphine, Lady Ivette, there seems to be quite a damning rumor going around that Eli here has five children already!¡± Tam turned back, looking like a picturesque nobleman in the blink of time it took for him to look away from Eli.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Lady Ivette replied slowly, her excitement snubbed.


    ¡°I must confess¡­¡± Josephine addressed Eli, the warmth in her eyes dwindling. ¡°I have heard some strange things myself. Namely that you are the son of Mr. Reese Flint.¡±


    Eli bowed graciously. ¡°I am afraid that is not entirely true either.¡±


    ¡°But are you truly in a hurry to marry? You can¡¯t be older than twenty! Lord Tam here is twenty-eight, and he isn¡¯t even betrothed to anyone,¡± Lady Ivette¡¯s fan lowered to reveal a broad mouth and square jaw.


    ¡°Well, that is because I¡¯m committed to bachelorhood.¡± Tam inclined himself politely to them, his eyes becoming increasingly fixated on the floor.


    Eli had noticed him looking up more often compared to when she had first met him, but seeing him almost fold in on himself away from the women made her wonder again whatever it was his magic was¡­


    Feeling a pang of responsibility, particularly after he had been so considerate earlier, Eli reached over and patted Tam on the back.


    ¡°Yes. While I think Lord Tam should still marry, his lordship is only thinking of the future of the woman he would wed¡­ To be a part of such a curse¨C ah. Pardon me. I was not supposed to speak of it¡­¡± Eli feigned an apologetic expression toward Tam.


    Both noblewomen looked at each other, the reaction in their eyes ranging from disturbed horror to hungry curiosity.


    ¡°Whatever could be so-¡±


    Eli held up a hand, silencing Lady Ivette, while she kept her other hand on Tam¡¯s back. She could feel how still he¡¯d gotten.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I really have said too much already. My lord, would you like some fresh air?¡±


    Tam looked at Eli, gave her a remarkably convincing sad smile, and inclined himself toward the door in assent.


    They managed to make their way through the crowd that was filled with all manner of blaring colors and music, laughs and loud conversations. Once they broke free into the corridor, the cool air was both shocking and refreshing.


    Tam and Eli proceeded to walk away from the party, until at last they reached the front of the castle, where no one bothered to venture as the night¡¯s festivities were really just beginning¡­


    Feeling rather proud of herself for getting them out of the situation, Eli was surprised when Tam rounded on her, and looked concerned rather than pleased.


    ¡°Eli¡­ I know you were trying to help, but you just made my life very difficult.¡±


    ¡°How? It deterred those women, didn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Remember how the coven is already concerned about how I could harm people? You think they aren¡¯t going to be alarmed about a possible curse? Curses are one of the reasons that witches were hunted here in Daxaria, they are never taken lightly.¡±


    ¡°But everyone suspects something like that anyway!¡±


    ¡°We have always been very clear that my reservations with my magic had nothing to do with curses. I¡¯m probably going to have to have a meeting about this before we leave to clear it up¡­¡± Tam sighed and started rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°May as well go find Mr. Howard now. The sooner he knows to book something with the coven leader the better¡­ Morgan is already drowning in paperwork¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Eli dropped her face down, remaining perfectly still before she clasped her hands contritely in front of herself.


    ¡°I understand¡­ I do. After attempting to abandon me you were trying to make it up. I also know you did not grow up here in Daxaria, so you might not have learned about our history¡­ I¡¯ll handle it. Let¡¯s just find Mr. Howard, and then go back to the reception, hm?¡±


    Eli was feeling more uncomfortable than she had in her entire life.


    She had never been given any leniency when she¡¯d made a mistake¡­


    Not by her parents. Not by her tutors. Not by the Troivackian king. Not even by Chin¡­ Yet here was a stranger, being considerate, protecting her, and just being overall so¡­ so¡­


    ¡°Come on. Don¡¯t worry about it¡­¡± Tam patted her shoulder before striding past her back down the corridor, his hands finding their way into the pockets of his black trousers.


    Tam had already made it a good way down the corridor, when Eli finally was able to will her feet to move again.


    She sprinted down the hall after Tam, and tugged on the back of his long black coat that quite honestly fit him as well as a sheet despite the fine material.


    When he turned around his face partially illuminated by the nearby torch on the wall, Eli still couldn¡¯t bring herself to look up at him, she already felt completely at a loss as to how to handle him. He was the most lovely alone person she had ever met¡­


    ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± she blurted the words. She didn¡¯t have to meet his gaze to know his face had hardened, so she plundered on. ¡°You¡¯re nice. Generally. You have a decent sense of humor. Your wonderful with children, you¡¯re handsome-¡±


    ¡°Handsome?¡± Tam laughed, but Eli ignored him.


    ¡°You seem like you¡¯d at least have a group of close friends, so¡­ so why don¡¯t you?¡±


    Tam bent forward until he was eyeline with her. His dark eyes bore into her face until she finally looked at him.


    He didn¡¯t seem angry¡­ But he didn¡¯t look happy either¡­ It was a rather indescribable expression really¡­ But then he said,


    ¡°Why are you smart, funny, pretty, and isolating yourself?¡±


    Eli flinched.


    She hadn¡¯t been called pretty since-


    A thump in a nearby closet drew both Tam and Eli¡¯s attention.


    Frowning, Tam carefully reached for the door handle¡­ Pulled it open, and¡­


    His jaw dropped.


    ¡°Hannah?!¡± Tam spluttered as his father¡¯s lifelong friend, and the head of housekeeping for the castle hid her disrobed state behind the man she was with¡­ A man whose identity left Tam at a complete loss of words.


    Eli tilted her head and eyed Tam and the man, confused as to why neither of them were closing the door to give the couple privacy¡­


    So what if the king¡¯s assistant, Mr. Kevin Howard, was in a clandestine relationship with Hannah the Head of Housekeeping? Neither of them were married anyway!

 Chapter 11: An Errant Escape

    Tam sat, staring dazedly out at the courtyard, Mr. Howard was at his side while Hannah had already left to resume attending to her duties for the reception, and Eli waited back in the corridor out of earshot.


    ¡°Tamlin, I¡¯d like to think we¡¯ve become good friends throughout the years¡­ You¡­ You are diligent about your work, and we¡¯ve always had good rapport together, so if you could-¡±


    ¡°How long?¡± Tam interrupted the assistant with a deceptively light tone.


    ¡°Now, Tam, there isn¡¯t really a reason for me to share that with you.¡±


    The young lord turned and stared at the assistant.


    Mr. Howard cleared his throat and looked away. ¡°I don¡¯t exactly keep track but maybe a decade¡­?¡±


    ¡°A decade?!¡±


    ¡°SSHH!¡± Mr. Howard hushed frantically while eyeing their surroundings worriedly. ¡°Please, it is a private matter! I¡¯m only telling you as you and I have done good work together over the years, and I know you tend to keep things to yourself!¡±


    ¡°Hannah¡¯s like a sister to my father,¡± Tam reminded weakly.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware, but again, it isn¡¯t. His. Business. We aren¡¯t a couple. We have no designs to get married, this is simply an¡­ An arrangement that works for us given our chosen lifestyles!¡±


    ¡°You both think and do nothing but work?¡± Tam supplied while once again looking away.


    ¡°Yes. Exactly.¡±


    Tam closed his eyes and dropped his chin to his chest while starting to run his hand over the back of his neck. ¡°Mr. Howard, as you said, I do like to keep to myself, and I know I¡¯m like my mother in that I tend to not cause¡­ excitement in the way my father and sister do, but how can I not-¡±


    ¡°This is Hannah¡¯s preference as much as my own, and I will expect you to respect us both.¡± Mr. Howard¡¯s tone held firm, and there was a glint of seriousness in his eyes that was more severe than usual.


    Tam closed his mouth and took in a deep breath through his nose while opening his eyes again.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Absolutely. You¡¯re right¡­ And I suspect now that you are retiring that it won¡¯t continue¨C Never mind. I don¡¯t want to know.¡± Tam waved off the rest of his words despite it seeming as though Mr. Howard was going to say something on the matter. ¡°I¡¯ll have to tease you both though.¡±


    ¡°I can accept that,¡± the assistant nodded in acceptance.


    ¡°Also. My new assistant over there? Accidentally insinuated to a couple noblewomen that I¡¯m cursed.¡±


    ¡°What?! After all we went through assuring the coven that was not the case?!¡± Mr. Howard burst out in a far more typical manner.


    ¡°Sh- He didn¡¯t mean to. Eli has been in Troivack the past seven years, and before that, Gods know where. He had no reason to know about Daxaria¡¯s history with curses, so let¡¯s stay on top of this and have a quick meeting with Louise Riddel before I depart for Xava so it isn¡¯t a big deal.¡±


    Mr. Howard let out a groan. ¡°Here I thought I¡¯d finally get to rest properly in the morning¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry. But I have a feeling the king¡¯s current assistant is already too deep in his cups to take on the task.¡±


    Mr. Howard sighed glumly; wordlessly accepting that Tam was correct.


    ¡°See what you can do about filling Eli in about the situation with the coven. I know he heard a bit during that meeting¨C Sorry that things aren¡¯t looking to be going well with your inheriting the dukedom,¡± the assistant added sincerely.


    Tam¡¯s mood instantly darkened. ¡°About that¡­ Are they really going to refuse to permit Antony to inherit the throne because he is a witch?¡±


    Mr. Howard¡¯s expression turned stony, then sad. ¡°It is something that is being handled very carefully. I¡¯m sure you know your sister, Her Majesty, is not at all pleased with this. If it were up to her she would say all manner of things to the coven before insisting Antony should inherit the throne, but I will confess¡­ I can see it building a greater divide between people and witches if not only do they have the powers of the Gods, but they also rule the kingdom¡­ It can breed a great deal of contempt and unrest.¡±


    Tam considered this view.


    Mr. Howard was a cautious man, and he had lived through enough controversy to speak from experience¡­


    ¡°I understand. I think the boys need to start being told about what is going on, though.¡± Tam paused as a new idea struck him. ¡°What if we introduce a vote? If the people of Daxaria are made aware a vote could help gauge their feelings on the matter and we all go from there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a reasonable idea, though it would then open up the monarchy to criticism, and would subject your nephews to a great deal of hardship if I¡¯m to be blunt.¡±


    Tam¡¯s frustration cracked under the heavy weight of reason.


    Things really were a headache to sort out¡­


    ¡°What do the covens of Lobahl and Zinfera believe?¡±


    Mr. Howard¡¯s eyebrows lifted. ¡°Now that¡­ Is a wise idea. Perhaps they have insight into this dilemma. Tomorrow, why don¡¯t you discuss this idea with Louise Riddel. You¡¯ll be going to Zinfera regardless, so you may as well see if they have any texts or insight. Maybe we even have you venture to Lobahl before returning home.¡±


    Tam unsuccessfully tried to not grimace at the idea of spending even longer away from the comforts of home. Then again¡­ if it meant finding an answer for Antony, and solidifying his own position that could offer his sister and her sons support, then perhaps an extra year abroad would be worth it.


    ¡°Would Lobahl even accept my visit? I think I¡¯ve only ever met one nobleman who was welcomed into the kingdom. Though at least Lobahl has become more communicative in recent years¡­¡±


    Mr. Howard leaned back and folded his arms as the evening chill started to find its way through his thick coat. ¡°There is a chance that they will permit it as it pertains to the changing world and wanting to uphold the sanctity of the purpose of witches. Again, a question to ask Louise Riddel in the morning.¡±


    Tam felt drained just thinking about all the work that would need to go into such a widespread endeavor, and he hadn¡¯t even made it to the late night snack time¡­


    Pressing himself up to once again stand, Tam rounded his toes toward the courtyard exit, though, a streak of his Ashowan bloodline peeked through as he looked back down at his father¡¯s assistant and said, ¡°You know¡­ I can¡¯t help but wonder how the knights that used to serve in the kitchen with Hannah would feel about your relationship. I mean¡­ Captain Taylor may be getting on in years, but he¡¯s still quite strong¡­¡±


    Mr. Howard curled in on himself as Tam then stepped away from the assistant.


    The fact that the head of housekeeping was close friends with not only two dukes and the captain of Daxaria¡¯s military, but also two other knights with large families with sons that adored Hannah just as much was a sharp reminder that the assistant best be on his toes at all times.


    *


    Tam approached the coronation reception purposefully.


    Eli fell into step beside him, her footfalls impressively silent.


    ¡°New plan, Eli. We¡¯re getting out of here. I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯m ready for a glass of wine in my own chair in front of the fire with one of my books. You¡¯re welcome to stay if you like, but-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have a cup of tea instead of wine, but I would like that a great deal.¡±


    Tam shot a conspiratorial smile at her. ¡°Great. Now¡­ I didn¡¯t want to have to go this route, but we¡¯ll have to have a pretty drastic reason for leaving, so be prepared. Things are going to move quickly.¡±


    ¡°What is it you are going to do, my lord?¡± Eli asked, unable to hide her hesitation in her tone.


    Tam faced the nearing glow of the banquet hall with a smile and a disbelieving shake of his head. ¡°I¡¯m going to call on my last resort¡­¡±


    ¡°My lord, are you certain that it is absolutely necessary? Surely in a few hours-¡±


    ¡°I know what we just learned about Mr. Howard doesn¡¯t mean the same thing to you as it does me, but¡­ My father is very protective. Especially of Hannah. And he has far too much fun tormenting the king¡¯s assistant as is¡­ I¡¯ll be honest, it¡¯s beyond tempting to tell him just to see what will happen. So I have to do two things.¡±


    The pair stopped a short ways in front of the doors. ¡°The first? I have to make Hannah be the one to tell my father. The second? I need an excellent reason to leave after that news breaks.¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand your plan, my lord. What even is your last resort¡­?¡±


    Tam and Eli stopped in front of the packed banquet hall where everyone they laid eyes on save for the servants were absolutely knackered.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    Eli looked at Tam, confused, until she noticed he was staring straight ahead, and so followed his eyeline until she found herself staring at¡­


    The three princes. Who somehow were standing together in a line, and were already nodding their understanding at their uncle when he jerked his chin upward.


    Then, with the seriousness of soldiers marching to battle, they dispersed through the crowd.


    Eli slowly turned back to Tam. ¡°Do you know what they are going to do?¡±


    At least the future duke had the decency to look grim when he answered with, ¡°I don¡¯t. That¡¯s why they are a last resort. Whatever they do will be a success, but I never can ask how, or what. I just have to accept the consequences.¡± Tam then turned toward a discreet corner to the far right of the room, and made his way through the crowd. Eli stuck close to him, unsure of where they were going given that she was not blessed with his height.


    However, when they stopped in front of the duke and duchess, Eli was left once again baffled as to what her strange employer could have in mind.


    Finlay and Annika were dressed finely for the occasion, with Fin wearing a dark emerald coat and black tunic, while his wife wore a black dress with silvery embroidery and emerald jewels draped over her chest and earlobes. They appeared to be in the middle of a rather intimate conversation¡­ As though the duke had just been about to kiss the wife he infamously adored.


    ¡°Da, mum, are you aware that the boys are still here?¡±


    The duke and duchess pulled apart at the sound of their son¡¯s voice, blinking themselves back to the present.


    ¡°Then why doesn¡¯t a kind uncle put them to bed?¡± Annika asked patiently while facing Tam with her chin lifted expectantly.


    ¡°You know it isn¡¯t my place to say anything!¡± Tam was suddenly shouting the words, and Eli winced at his side, wondering just what in the Green Man¡¯s antlers he was doing that for, when an abrupt halting of movement drew her attention to the left, where she saw Hannah, the Head of Housekeeping, in the middle of loading up a steward¡¯s tray with fresh goblets of wine.


    She locked eyes with Eli, her face tensing before she hurriedly finished her task and then rushed over to Tam.


    ¡°While everyone is in here, Gods know what they are doing!¡± Tam shouted again, and both his father and mother frowned at his peculiar behavior, when Hannah reached them and placed herself directly in between them.


    ¡°Tam! Mind if we have a word?¡± Hannah insisted with a strained smile.


    ¡°Sorry, Hannah, not right now. They need to hear this!¡± Tam continued seriously while shaking his head.


    ¡°Tam, are you feeling alright¡­?¡± Fin¡¯s hands found his hips as he eyed Hannah and his son with growing suspicion.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine! But this needs to be dealt with sooner than later!¡±


    ¡°Tam! By the Gods¨C It isn¡¯t your business who I bed!¡± Hannah snapped furiously, her eyes flashing.


    Despite the music and revelry of the rest of the room, the five people present for Hannah¡¯s outburst fell quiet.


    ¡°What does your romantic life have to do with our grandsons being put to bed?¡± Fin wondered dazedly from behind Hannah.


    The head of housekeeping¡¯s furious expression froze, then slowly thawed to pure bloodthirst.


    ¡°You arse,¡± she bit out toward Tam, her voice low.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Tam murmured back. ¡°Though you have teased me quite often yourself. Remember, it was you who ousted me about the study wall incident.¡±


    ¡°They were going to figure out eventually you did something to an entire wall!¡±


    ¡°What is going on?¡± Annika¡¯s voice was sharp behind Hannah, drawing Tam¡¯s eyes upward to her.


    ¡°Ah, Hannah was misunderstanding our discussion,¡± he explained with a shrug.


    ¡°What did you think Tam was talking about?¡± Fin¡¯s blue eyes dropped to the back of Hannah¡¯s head, who cringed as she took her time turning around.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about it, Fin. I¡¯m a grown woman and I can handle myself.¡±


    Fin didn¡¯t look away from Hannah, but he addressed his son. ¡°Taaam? What did you see exactly?¡±


    ¡°I saw what I shouldn¡¯t have! But I¨C¡± Tam was shouting again, and Eli was about to tell him to knock it off herself, when Mr. Howard crashed into the discussion, seizing Tam¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You bloody traitor!¡±


    Annika¡¯s jaw dropped.


    Fin stared dumbly at the assistant, then back at Hannah.


    ¡°You¡­ You two¡­ Are¡­¡±


    ¡°For the record, Kevin, I wasn¡¯t the one who ousted you,¡± Tam informed the assistant who gulped as Fin¡¯s eyes practically crackled when they moved to look back at him.


    Hannah turned her chin over her shoulder to glance at Tam, and said through gritted teeth, ¡°I¡¯ll get you for this, Tammy. Mark my words.¡±


    ¡°Is something burning?¡± Eli spoke suddenly while wrinkling her nose.


    Startled into remembering that she was there, everyone stared at Eli, and then the first shout echoed out.


    ¡°LORD TAM! YOUR HAIR IS ON FIRE!¡±


    Jolting in alarm, Tam whirled around, though in doing so the flames spread and one licked his neck making him yelp.


    In the next instant, a bucket¡¯s worth of water was doused on him, putting him out entirely.


    The room fell collectively silent, and once he¡¯d wiped the water from his face, Tam looked down just in time to see his three nephews darting back into the crowd.


    The smell of burnt hair filled the room.


    Once he had overcome the shock of being aflame and then drenched, Tam returned his attention to his parents, and, with a sigh, said, ¡°I told you they should be in bed. Now¡­ I think I¡¯m going to go home to treat this burn and see how much hair I still have left. Eli, shall we?¡±


    Hannah, Mr. Howard, Fin, and Annika couldn¡¯t bring themselves to speak as Tam lowered his eyes to the floor, and then made his way out of the reception, dripping wet, and wounded¡­ But victorious.


    Once they had made their way back toward the front of the castle and sent for a carriage, Eli at last spoke.


    ¡°Are you¡­ alright¡­ my lord?¡±


    Tam let out a breath while reaching behind himself and pulling forward his long black hair that was more ash than hair at that point.


    ¡°Fine for now, though I¡¯ll be waking up one of the maids to cut my hair tonight when we get back. Sorry you have to wait for that cup of tea a little longer,¡± Tam added with genuine sentiment.


    Eli studied her employer once more without bothering to pretend she wasn¡¯t until he faced her.


    ¡°Honestly, it wasn¡¯t as bad as it could have been. Though it was painfully obvious I planned the whole thing, it was bold enough they couldn¡¯t say anything about my leaving. Though I¡¯m relatively certain Hannah is going to break one of my bones¡­¡±


    ¡°My lord, to be blunt, you are¡­ Very weird.¡±


    ¡°I told you I was, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s much worse than you led me to believe.¡±


    Tam chuckled. ¡°Well¡­ Sorry. You¡¯re stuck with a very strange person as your employer for a little while, but hopefully, you don¡¯t hold it against me.¡±


    Eli didn¡¯t say anything in response, her true thoughts unknown.


    So Tam allowed the silence to take over. Though he had to silently confess¡­ In a strange way, it was nice that someone could be an accomplice to his occasional bout of mischievousness. In the past it  had always been himself in a supporting role for his sister¡¯s pranks and wild tendencies¡­ And then she had gotten married and it hadn¡¯t been the same.


    This meant that his mother had been right about it being good for him having someone at his side¡­


    And it was bloody annoying to admit.

 Chapter 12: A Sisterly Scolding

    Tam stared at his reflection and let out a disgruntled sigh.


    It was the morning after the coronation, and after a long, remarkably undisturbed sleep, the future duke took stock of his new appearance in the light of day.


    There had been a number of reasons that he had kept his hair long since he was fourteen.


    The first of which being it helped obscure his sight. For another, it wasn¡¯t a popular style, and so it had done a wonderful job of deterring the first wave of young women who could become interested in him.


    As noblewomen had aged and married around him, however, and news of inheriting the dukedom spread, he had started to look incredibly appealing¡­ Though the rumors that circulated about his courtship with the current queen of Troivack back when she was a princess of Daxaria had briefly helped prolong his ineligibility as many people wondered how Alina could have chosen a gruff man like Brendan Devark over him, and therefore assumed something was terribly wrong with Tamlin Ashowan.


    Tam had known his hair wasn¡¯t going to be as effective a shield as it once had been now that it was far more imminent that he may be inheriting his father¡¯s titles, so he wasn¡¯t feeling too terrible about having to have it cut the previous night, but seeing himself without it felt¡­ exposing.


    His high cheek bones could be seen, his almond shaped, cat like eyes, his mouth full, but shaped like his mother¡¯s, his nose long like his father¡¯s¡­ He ran his hand through his hair that was only a few inches long, pushing it back away from his face before he accidentally grazed the burn on the back of neck.


    Flinching, Tam was just making a mental note to keep a jar of salve on him when the door to his chamber opened, and given that there hadn¡¯t been a knock beforehand meant it could only be one particular person.


    Kat.


    She stared at him, her golden eyes glinting, and without a trace of any smile or mirth in her face. She wore brown trousers and a white tunic, as was her usual, though she wore her hair braided and pinned in a low bun which was not her norm.


    Kat closed the door quietly behind herself, which was all the more disturbing as she stepped over to him, and stopped before her brother, folding her arms.


    ¡°What the hell, Tam?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell them to set me on fire.¡±


    Kat didn¡¯t say anything.


    Which continued to make the situation increasingly unnerving. Kat rarely managed her emotions when it came to him, and she most definitely wasn¡¯t the shy type who¡¯d hold back on calling someone out or cussing at them¡­


    ¡°Why did you do that to Hannah?¡±


    Tam blinked. ¡°If you saw Mr. Howard and Hannah together would you have kept that to yourself?¡±


    ¡°Hannah has been a good friend to us. Yes, I would¡¯ve.¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t have to reveal it. She could¡¯ve just trusted me.¡±


    ¡°Why would she trust you?¡± Kat asked coldly.


    Tam frowned. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Because she doesn¡¯t know you. No one does. Not even me. Not really, and you wanted her to reveal it, you goaded her on and you were an arsehole about it. I thought you were the more mature one between the two of us.¡±


    It was the first time Kat had ever shunned Tam like that, and so he found himself unable to speak.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll apologize to Hannah.¡± He nodded his agreement, acknowledging he was in the wrong.


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t answered. Why¡¯d you do it? Did you honestly think it would be funny to laugh at something so personal getting ousted publicly?¡±


    ¡°Everyone is plenty fine sharing my own personal business and having a laugh or telling me what I should do. I¡¯ll admit I was in the wrong, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right that my own boundaries get disrespected and I¡¯m expected to just shrug it off either.¡±


    Kat raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. ¡°We do it because we care. You did it to be vindictive.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? Everyone talks about my every move, and judges my every word all the time and says what they wish about me. You and everyone else do it because I¡¯m easy to look down on¨C and I didn¡¯t oust Hannah to be vindictive by the way. I did it because I wasn¡¯t thinking and I can be an idiot. It runs in the family. You of all people should know.¡±


    The Daxarian queen¡¯s eyes narrowed, then she turned around and stalked toward the door.


    Tam didn¡¯t call after her, and instead looked toward his coat that he would pull on to go to the castle for his meeting with the coven leader.


    ¡°Da already talked to Louise Riddel, and she¡¯s aware that it was a slip of the tongue on Eli¡¯s side. You just head to Xava as planned to avoid anyone in Daxaria finding out and alerting Zinfera learning that you¡¯re on your way.¡±


    Tam squared himself toward his sister, even though she kept her back to him. ¡°Kat, I honestly might have had enough of Daxaria. If I don¡¯t come back, keep an eye on mum and da.¡±


    The queen didn¡¯t fully turn around, but she did meet her brother¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°I hope you grow up, Tam. And stop being such a coward. Just because you learned how to do paperwork hasn¡¯t changed that, and now you¡¯re dragging my boys into acting as your shield and excuse to run away like I used to be, so if you want to stay away? Go ahead. You have my blessing.¡±


    ¡°Yesterday you told me how glad you were I¡¯d still be here while you rule.¡±


    ¡°Yesterday you hadn¡¯t hurt my friend and endangered my children.¡± Kat¡¯s tone was emotionless. ¡°If you weren¡¯t my brother, you don¡¯t want to know what I would do to you.¡±


    ¡°I never knowingly put them in danger. I seriously never thought they would take it that far. Kat, you need to at least believe that about me. Make whatever assumptions you will about the rest of my flaws, but I would never put those boys in harm¡¯s way. I¡¯d do anything for them.¡±


    Kat continued gazing at her brother, and as she did so an ounce of her anger subsided.


    She didn¡¯t have to say anything, Tam could tell in her face she knew that he was being completely honest.


    ¡°Did you take a carriage or ride here?¡± Tam asked while retrieving his cream colored coat and pulling it on. ¡°I still have to go to the castle to talk to Hannah before leaving anyway.¡±


    ¡°Rode here,¡± Kat retorted tersely.


    ¡°Right. I¡¯ll take the carriage. I¡¯ll make it up to Hannah, Kat. I promise.¡±


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    The queen¡¯s hands clenched at her sides, and she at last chose to face him directly instead of storming out. ¡°I know you will. You¡¯re acting like an arse. You haven¡¯t completely turned into one just yet. But Tam, I am worried you¡¯re turning into a bitter old man the more you push people away. You¡¯re going to die alone at this rate.¡±


    Tam bit back his usual responses to such concerns, and considered his sister¡¯s sincere worries for a moment. Of everyone in his life, he had always felt closest with her¡­ His twin.


    ¡°Kat, you used to have trouble letting people in. You would only admit stuff to me, so¡­ How did you get past that?¡±


    The queen¡¯s face softened and she looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully. ¡°Eric wore me down? No. That¡¯s not it. I guess¡­ I kept being placed in vulnerable situations, and I couldn¡¯t get off with my usual tricks. If I was immature, I hurt those around me in a very serious way, and I started to see how closing myself off was hurting people I care about as opposed to protecting them like I wanted to. And when I let myself be open to them? I got stronger, too. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m still not the most forthcoming, but I¡¯ve found a balance.¡±


    Listening intently, Tam nodded along, even though there were already too many differences between his own troubles with being a part of the world and his sister¡¯s old ones for it to be of much help to him¡­


    ¡°I know you¡¯re different than me. You¡¯re hiding because you¡¯re scared of your magic. Whereas I had my own reasons. Though I do find it curious you only started acting out when that new assistant of yours joined you. Is Eli a bad influence?¡± Kat wondered while only slightly jesting.


    Tam snorted. ¡°I¡¯m in a bad mood because of the coven and my pride has taken a lot of beatings. Eli just happened to be nearby.¡±


    Kat gave a partial shrug as Tam made his way over to her side.


    ¡°I am sorry about last night, Kat. I really hope the boys are alright.¡±


    She sighed. ¡°They are. The mischievous good-hearted monsters are just worried about your juvenile arse.¡±


    Tam grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll write them as often as I can while I¡¯m away.¡±


    ¡°You better.¡±


    Tam reached out and opened the door for his sister, gesturing her through, but the Daxarian queen hesitated as she regarded Tam seriously yet again.


    ¡°Were you serious about not wanting to be in Daxaria?¡±


    Tam lowered his eyes, his slight smile turning sad. ¡°I might. Everyone here already has their impressions of me, and¡­ It¡¯d be nice not to already have everyone assume things because of our father, or you.¡±


    ¡°Or because of certain rumors that someone started all on their own?¡± Kat mused dryly.


    ¡°They already were thinking those kinds of things anyway, I just wanted confirmation.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Tam let out a defeated chuckle, and reached up to rub the back of his neck as he pondered the answer, only to accidentally agitate his burn and jolt as a result forcing him to drop it away again.


    ¡°I guess I was hoping I¡¯d changed their idea of me over the past seven years. Turns out first impressions are hard to shake.¡±


    ¡°You and I have that in common at least. Maybe this trip is exactly the opportunity you need to reinvent yourself!¡± Kat speculated cheerily while patting her brother on the back.


    Tam tilted his head, the familiar churn of anxiousness burbling in his belly.


    ¡°I hope so.¡±


    ¡°You may be a coward, but you¡¯re smart. I¡¯ll give you that. If I figured it out? You can, too.¡± Kat exited the chamber into the hallway and started heading toward the staircase with her brother close behind.


    While in the past when they¡¯d hurl hurtful words out of anger, justified or not, at each other and they¡¯d not speak for days, that was one way the siblings had grown up. They tried to not let the hardships of life come between them¡­


    Especially if the one or both of them were in the wrong, and owned up to it.


    It was a silent agreement they seemed to have developed in light of the birth of Katarina¡¯s children, though only Tam knew the reason for it.


    ***


    Tam yawned as the carriage rocked its way down the road out of Austice, night had already fallen by the time he had finished apologizing to Hannah and Mr. Howard. After that ordeal, he had then gotten reamed out again by his parents, and a colorful bruise on his arm from Hannah that still throbbed and reminded him not to lapse into inconsiderate behavior again.


    His parents were traveling to see him off in the carriage just ahead as they were going to begin their tour of the Daxarian offices they¡¯d established for the Coven of Wittica once he departed.


    He and Eli rode alone.


    All in all, it¡¯d been a terrible day, and Tam knew he had deserved it. Though he had received confirmation from Louise Riddel that she would also be interested to hear from the other covens whether or not they had any thoughts on witches taking positions of power in the kingdom.


    Kat had asked him earlier why he had done what he¡¯d done to Hannah. It was out of character to push the line so much¡­ And he truly hadn¡¯t done it to get back at Hannah for telling on him about the office wall incident¡­


    Tam stared at Eli¡¯s sleeping face.


    Luckily, Eli hadn¡¯t been privy to his many lectures and punishments, and it had been during his father¡¯s declaration of his disappointment during one of the many reprimands that it had dawned on Tam why he had done such a thing.


    He¡¯d always been overlooked, or taken lightly. Treated as though he were broken¡­


    But to have someone work closely with him and see how little power he had? How ineffective he was¡­? For someone to see and spend time with him before any of his other family members¨C which had almost never happened¨C and then for them to witness how people truly saw him, had Tam feeling awful. Pointless. And it had brought forward a repressed thought from long ago that had made him act without thinking. Which hurt good people and made him feel even worse.


    Tam closed his eyes and did his best to take a deep breath to calm down.


    While he wished his sister¡¯s optimistic thoughts would prove true and that he¡¯d be able to overcome his troubles, or at the very least he¡¯d earn a new reputation for himself where he could successfully live up to the Ashowan name, he was sincerely doubtful. As a result, the idea of starting over in a foreign land where there were no expectations of him, and he had no one to fail at protecting, started to sound incredibly idyllic¡­


    Besides, it wasn¡¯t like anyone really counted on him to be there anyway.

 Chapter 13: A Fond Farewell

    Tam leaned against a tower of crates that were already stacked and waiting to be loaded on the ship he and Eli were supposed to board. It had been a gray, drizzly day, and it was already late, but the captain insisted they could still sail by the evening and he¡¯d rather do so sooner than later. So even though it was growing dark, they were still to leave shortly.


    It was during Tam¡¯s wait to set sail that Fin made his way over to his son, hands in his pockets, and then he, too, slumped against the crates. Kraken was at the duke¡¯s side. Fin¡¯s fluffy familiar that had grown a white semi circle of fur around his face, making him look like a wisened old beastie, he even had some white fluff sprouting up throughout the rest of his fur making patches of his magnificent coat look ashy.


    The emperor was getting on in years, but, in fairness, he was twenty-nine, which was significantly longer than most cats got to live, and his prolonged life was most likely due to Fin¡¯s own curse of slow aging and healing.


    ¡°I sent a note to Jiho letting him know you¡¯ll be in Zinfera. I know you can¡¯t visit him while gathering information, but he¡¯s there if you need help, and he has sent you guides to meet you when you arrive.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Tam returned with a slow nod.


    ¡°I¡¯m hoping this goes without saying, but¡­ if you do find the dragon that people are talking about? Please don¡¯t try to take it on by yourself.¡±


    Tam bit his tongue. ¡°I get it.¡±


    Fin looked at his son with a sad half smile. ¡°Tam, it isn¡¯t that I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a capable person. You trained diligently with a sword, daggers, and even with that Zinferan combat teacher we hired years ago. I know you can take care of yourself. I¡¯m just saying, please spare your old da more stress. We¡¯re going to sort things out with the coven, and you¡¯re going to be duke, and everything will be alright. You don¡¯t have anything you need to prove.¡±


    ¡°I do for myself.¡± Tam locked eyes with his father, taking Fin aback by the intense emotion that sat heavy in his son¡¯s gaze. ¡°I need to step out of my comfort zone and away from everything I¡¯ve known. I feel like a spoiled brat whose never really made his own mark on anything,¡± he scoffed derisively at himself before turning away.


    Fin smiled as he looked forward. ¡°I get it.¡±


    Tam raised an eyebrow and glanced back at his father.


    ¡°I felt exactly the same way before I took the job at the castle in Austice. All I was doing was living in a cottage your grandmother paid for, cooking for her or her patients¡­ None of it was a life I built. And despite having been told my whole life that my magic wouldn¡¯t ever amount to much, something in me just said I could do so much more.¡±


    ¡°Did you think you¡¯d be doing this much more?¡±


    ¡°We both know the answer to that. I can¡¯t wait to retire,¡± Fin chuckled. ¡°But¡­ I have accomplished a lot that I am proud of, and while it was your mother who pushed me into this lofty position of duke, it would never have happened if I hadn¡¯t taken a chance on uprooting my life and starting a new adventure. I have no regrets about moving away. If I hadn¡¯t? Well¡­ I¡¯d have missed everything.¡±


    Tam listened to his father, while not exactly surprised by what was said, he did recognize some similarities¡­ Though everything he had heard about his da in the past indicated the house witch was far more confident in not only himself but his magic when he had moved to the castle all those years ago, unlike Tam.


    Kraken bonked his head against Tam¡¯s leg, prompting him to pick up the fluffy familiar and scratch his cheek.


    ¡°Is Kraken going to retire when you do?¡±


    The familiar let out a short chirp in between purrs.


    Fin grinned. ¡°He says an emperor rules for life. So I don¡¯t believe he will.¡±


    As he continued to scratch Kraken¡¯s salt and pepper fluff, Tam¡¯s mind turned to his tasks in Zinfera¡­


    Find a dragon. Figure out the state of the kingdom with the emperor on death¡¯s doorstep, which concubines were involved in abducting people, slave trading, and countless other possibilities¡­ Odds were high he may have to intervene here and there¡­ Though he wasn¡¯t quite sure how yet.


    ¡°Did you ever say hello to Alina and Brendan?¡± Fin asked softly.


    Tam smiled without humor and with a great amount of exasperation. ¡°No, and it¡¯s because His Majesty isn¡¯t a fan of mine and I¡¯m just avoiding an awkward situation. I¡¯m not avoiding Alina because of any kind of romantic feelings.¡±


    Fin pursed his mouth.


    No one ever fully believed Tam no matter how much he protested the question.


    If it were in any way true though, he would be a lot more bothered about it being a well circulated rumor.


    Kraken let out another chirp, making Fin look down at his familiar who cracked open his green eyes.


    ¡°Kraken says you never were that interested in Alina¡­ So I guess you really do mean it.¡±


    Tam felt anger stir in his chest, and sensing this, Kraken squirmed to be let down.


    ¡°Now the word of a cat means more than whatever I have to say?¡± Tam rounded on his father who pushed off from the crates.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­ You talk so rarely, Tam. It¡¯s hard to get a read on you sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Were the words ¡®I have no interest in Alina¡¯ not enough?¡±


    Fin held up his hands in surrender. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to disregard you.¡±


    Shaking his head, Tam¡¯s eyes moved toward the gangplank of the ship where Eli was already making her way up to board.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re right, Da. I do need this trip. I¡¯m not liking who I¡¯m becoming the longer I¡¯m here, and I think it¡¯s doing more harm than good all around.¡±


    Fin paused, watching his son¡¯s face. He had the same high cheekbones, the same eye shape as himself¡­ Tam was a handsome man, but no one had really been able to tell as he had always hid behind his hair. Seeing his bare face, the house witch could see clearly then just how much Tam was struggling to come into his own.


    His heart twisted, and so Fin reached out and lay a hand on his son¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I wish nothing but the best for you, Tam. I love you more than you¡¯ll ever know, and if you find where you belong is far away from your family¡­? I understand. But please remember how loved you are, and that we are always here for you.¡±


    Tam stilled and when he looked into his father¡¯s clear blue eyes again, he found that he was able to let go of his agitation as he realized that, judging from the shouts from the captain aboard the ship, he was about to depart, and he didn¡¯t want to leave his father on such a bad note.


    ¡°I love you, too, Da. Thank you.¡±


    The two men embraced, and when they pulled apart, Tam even managed to give a half smile to his father. As he stepped toward the gangplank, however, Fin turned suddenly with a finger raised.


    ¡°Ah¡­ One last thing¡­ If you happen to fall in love with someone and want to get married¡­ Mind making sure your mother and I can attend? I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d have to make the request, but after your sister-¡±


    At the mention of his sister¡¯s scandalous marriage seven years ago while in a foreign land to their future king, Tam at last laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll only invite you, mum, and my nephews. Kat never even apologized about me not being able to attend her own nuptials!¡±


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    Fin grinned at the jest and nodded. ¡°Right. Well¡­ Go say goodbye to your mum, and stay safe. No matter what is going on, remember you can always find your way home.¡±


    Tam paused, then smiled again and waved over his shoulder to head over and bid farewell to his mother.


    *


    With the ship clear of the harbor, and sailing south toward Zinfera, Fin let out a long breath and turned to look down at his wife in the golden glow of the setting sun.


    Annika Ashowan was staring after the ship wearing a knowing smile.


    ¡°Do you think he figured it out?¡± the house witch wondered while slipping his hands into his pockets.


    ¡°If he hasn¡¯t I¡¯m going to have to retrain him all over again, but I¡¯m confident he knows. Otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have been hiding my glasses from me since Eli started working for him.¡±


    Fin grinned. ¡°Tam really did a bang up job hiding her. I don¡¯t think Harris caught a glimpse of her even once!¡±


    ¡°That may have been more Eli¡¯s doing than Tam¡¯s. I had to warn her in great detail about Lord Harris and his wife¡­¡± Annika remarked with a shake of her head as she thought about their chaotic friends.


    ¡°How long until Eli stops pretending she¡¯s a man do you think?¡± Fin wondered as the couple turned and took their time striding back to their carriage.


    ¡°Not long. We were polite about it, and His Majesty Prince Eric has been too busy to properly consider that she isn¡¯t a young man, but once they start traveling more people will notice.¡±


    ¡°Did His Majesty King Brendan Devark have any other information about Eli that he was willing to share?¡±


    Annika shook her head. ¡°The Troivackian king thinks quite highly of Eli, so he didn¡¯t reveal anything. Though he conceded she was a woman when I pointed out how obvious it was.¡±


    Fin bobbed his head as he listened. ¡°And you think she and Tam are going to fall in love?¡±


    Annika froze in her tracks and stared up at her husband wide eyed.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to think I¡¯ve learned a thing or two about the way you work, love,¡± Fin¡¯s smile was slow and teasing when he noted his wife¡¯s surprise at his guess. ¡°You brought up marriage to Tam. Put it in his head¡­ You even got those lords to pester him about marrying their daughters to really make it prevalent. Then you put a woman who is as secretive as him, if not even more so, by his side. You think they¡¯re a good match because of their similar natures.¡±


    Annika folded her arms and tilted her chin up at her husband. ¡°And what if I said I just thought he could use a good assistant and friend?¡±


    Fin bent down so that his nose was a mere inch from his wife¡¯s. ¡°You want granddaughters. I¡¯m not buying it.¡±


    Unable to stop the blush in her cheeks that Fin was bringing to her face despite nearly three decades of marriage, she did the only thing she could think to do to stop his tormenting her¡­


    She kissed him. And the duke was all too happy to go along with his wife changing the direction of their conversation.


    ***


    Back in Austice, the king and queen of Daxaria and the king and queen of Troivack shared a quiet evening together. Catching up and reminiscing over cups of moonshine and wine, there was a bite to the evening air that gave the women an ideal reason to cozy up to their husbands.


    ¡°Tam¡¯s left by now then?¡± Alina asked thoughtfully, her cheeks rosy from warmth and drink as she rested her head on Brendan Devark¡¯s left shoulder.


    ¡°Probably,¡± Kat responded lightly while stretching out her legs to rest them on the low table between the sofas. ¡°He¡¯ll send a letter when he arrives in Zinfera, and then we should only receive news once a month or so.¡±


    Alina twisted her mouth, her hazel eyes falling to the cup in her hand.


    ¡°I hope our boys haven''t scared your two sons,¡± Eric added with an apologetic grimace toward his sister.


    Brendan took in a very long, slow breath as he stared at the Daxarian king bluntly. ¡°Your children are terrors. I would keep them separated until they are better behaved.¡±


    Both Kat and Eric stilled and gradually righted themselves. ¡°Our boys are good hearted, and they are still young. It¡¯s important to have fun as children. In fact, it¡¯s the most important thing that they do. It¡¯s why we work to keep the kingdom safe. So that children don¡¯t have to carry the weight of the world,¡± Eric returned with an edge in his voice.


    ¡°There is a line between having a fun childhood and setting people on fire,¡± Alina pointed out as she too lifted herself from her husband¡¯s shoulder in seriousness.


    ¡°And we punished them for taking it that far,¡± Kat interjected, her golden eyes glimmering. ¡°I didn¡¯t become disciplined until I was in my twenties, and things worked out. Now, we wanted a nice evening together as you both will be heading back to Troivack, so I suggest we don¡¯t talk about our children.¡±


    Brendan bowed his head in assent, as did Alina.


    It was true, throughout the years there had been many fights about their different parenting styles, and so they had learned at the end of the day that it was best to step away when emotions were getting a mite too heated.


    ¡°Do you really think there is a dragon in Zinfera?¡± Alina changed the topic smoothly, though the relaxed atmosphere did not return to the room as the terrifying idea of an ancient beast settled over them.


    ¡°Gods, if there is? It¡¯ll feel like the whole issue with the first witch and the devil is starting again¡­¡± Kat scoffed before taking a drink from her cup.


    ¡°To be honest¡­ With Tam leaving for such a long time it made me think how similar it was to when you and I left for Troivack,¡± Eric started to say carefully.


    Alina¡¯s eyes snapped to her brother. ¡°I was thinking the same thing.¡±


    Kat winced. ¡°No! Don¡¯t say that! Tam travels all the time for the dukedom, this doesn¡¯t have to be like that at all! I¡¯m sure everything is-¡±


    A knock on the door cut off the Daxarian queen¡¯s last words.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Eric called out, a frown already riddling his brow as they all considered the late hour.


    Mr. Kevin Howard burst in, with Morgan, the new king¡¯s assistant at his side. ¡°Your Majesties, we just received a missive from Troivack.¡±


    Brendan and Alina were on their feet in an instant, while Kat and Eric joined them.


    Mr. Howard swallowed as he stepped into the room and Morgan closed the door behind them. The man¡¯s face was pale, and his voice warbled as his hand clutched the missive. ¡°It¡¯s the first witch¡­ She¡¯s escaped.¡±


    Silence filled the room, until Katarina broke it by bursting out. ¡°Godsdamnit!¡±


    While the Troivackian king and queen still hadn¡¯t spoken, they too shared a very similar sentiment to the more outspoken Daxarian queen.


    It seemed the first witch wasn¡¯t through causing problems for them just yet.

 Chapter 14: A Bundle of Bafflement

    Tam leaned over the railing, willing with every ounce of strength and self-control he possessed, not to throw up his breakfast for a third time the first morning of their voyage after a less than ideal sleep the night before. At the very least, it was a sunny, blue sky above without a cloud in sight, and despite them being further out on the Alcide Sea, the day was moderately warm.


    ¡°My lord, I¡¯ve brought you a weak ginger tea. It should help you settle your stomach.¡±


    Eli stood behind her employer, cup in hand, wearing a simple white tunic and long button down black vest with brown trousers.


    Unable to answer right away, Tam slowly turned around, his eyes downcast, and his complexion more green than usual.


    Still, he accepted the cup that Eli pressed into his hands and sipped it gratefully as the boat continued to climb and descend each wave gracefully.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯d help to take your mind off of the boat,¡± Eli suggested helpfully, her hands clasped behind her back.


    ¡°I can¡¯t work below deck.¡± Tam shook his head, his voice rasping, prompting him to take another sip of tea.


    ¡°Her grace informed me that you normally train in the morning with her, would you like to train with me, my lord?¡±


    Tam¡¯s eyes flit upward to his assistant, who was regarding him perfectly seriously. He managed to straighten himself, set the tea cup down in a shallow crate that only had a rope occupying its interior, and tilted his head curiously at her.


    ¡°Do you know how to wield a sword? Or knives?¡±


    Eli shrugged ambiguously. ¡°I can manage.¡±


    A mystifying smile lit Tam¡¯s face, which did succeed in quelling the olive hues around his forehead. ¡°See, when my sister learned the sword, it was a rather remarkable thing because she was the first woman to have done so. I heard that one of her friends, Sir Hugo Cas remained behind to teach a group of women in Troivack, but given that you most definitely are not a woman¡­¡±


    Eli¡¯s polite expression fell flat in irritation at his obvious reference to her gender.


    ¡°Who would have taught you to wield a sword?¡± Tam finished airily, while folding his arms.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been trained with a sword, or knives, but I can manage well enough,¡± Eli began carefully. ¡°I am hard to hit, my lord.¡±


    Tam¡¯s eyebrows twitched at the thought of anyone trying to hit Eli. She was quite slim and petite¡­ He wondered if it was because she avoided eating on purpose to appear more androgynous.


    Giving his head a shake, he brought his mind out of his growing concern for his assistant, and instead stared at her somberly.


    ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I really am more competent with weapons than I may seem,¡± the future duke dismissed.


    Eli raised an eyebrow, and peered at Tam up and down, then gave a shrug.


    Tam stared at her with a mixture of disbelief and vague incredulousness at her obvious judgment of him, as the noises from the sailors below casually talking amongst themselves drifted up to them.


    While the future duke did vaguely recall hearing that Eli had once been tasked with attempting to assassinate Eric Reyes (albeit against her will), he had always assumed she had only been considered for the job because of something to do with her magic.


    ¡°We can try,¡± Tam conceded thoughtfully. ¡°Do you need knives of your own?¡± he asked while reaching behind himself and procuring two daggers.


    Momentarily caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the blades, Eli blinked several times with a frown as though confused about how she had not noticed he had those on his person¡­


    ¡°No. I won¡¯t try to attack, I¡¯ll just dodge,¡± she responded evenly.


    The lord and assistant eyed each other calculatively.


    Eli for the sake of watching him to see if he would move, and Tam due to his increasing curiosity in her¡­


    He had seemed completely detached and off in his own head as he did this, and so when he lunged abruptly, Eli flinched in surprise.


    The blade had stopped a breath away from her right ear.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t dodge,¡± Tam observed sternly with concern rather than condescension.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t aiming for me, you were aiming over my shoulder,¡± Eli defended while subtly widening her stance. ¡°I will concede, that was faster than what I was expecting.¡±


    Tam noted the way she scrutinized his build again, her eyes sharp.


    There were just as many reasons why he had worn clothes that didn¡¯t fit him as there were for him having long hair.


    They hid him.


    And his assistant was becoming rapidly aware that her employer may not have been boasting his competency, and that Tamlin Ashowan was significantly fitter than he seemed.


    Tam pulled back his left blade, and in another instant, had the one in his right hand flipped and cutting toward Eli¡¯s middle.


    She was able to move out of the way of it¡­ only the cold edge of his other dagger against the pulsing vein of her neck had her eyes widening.


    Tam watched the realization wash over her how he wasn¡¯t just competent with knives¡­ He was frighteningly deadly with them.


    She swallowed, lowered her gaze and took a breath that shuddered.


    Tam was about to ask if she was alright and if they should stop, when she gave a firm nod. ¡°I apologize for underestimating you, my lord. I will take you more seriously here on out.¡±


    The earnestness and keenness in her eyes told Tam that something had shifted in her¡­ His instincts prickled, and a knowing smile lifted the corners of his mouth.


    So her magic did have something to do with her confidence in defending herself.


    Despite the peculiar expression on her employer¡¯s face, Eli stayed alert, ready for his next attack¡­


    Which was a good thing because the blade that had been resting against her neck flipped again and was about to puncture her appendix while the other was about to gut under her stomach, when she leapt back, landing lightly on her feet.


    Tam¡¯s grin widened before he then dove low toward her right side, his right hand aiming for the inside of her left thigh, while he utilized his size over her to wrap his left arm around her back, the blade aiming to slip between her ribs to puncture a lung, however, Eli shocked him by backflipping over his arm. As a result the blade aimed at her thigh met dead air, and while the tip of the knife in his left hand scratched her vest, she got away unscathed, and even came close to kicking him in the face.


    When she sprung back from her hands onto her feet nimbly, Tam let out an impressed laugh.


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    This time he didn¡¯t give Eli the chance to steady herself as he slid forward fluidly, crowding her space, his right arm angling the blade upward toward her heart, his left once again wrapping around her shoulders to pin her in place. This time Eli ducked under his arm and away from the right knife, putting her to his left.


    She could have had the advantage in an attack of her own¡­ Or so she thought until she realized that in the time it had taken her to get out of his way, Tam had already switched the blade direction of the knife in his left hand like a compass finding its mark. Luckily she had put enough distance that when he jabbed, she merely leapt to her right, circling closer to Tam¡¯s back, and making him turn to keep his eyes on her.


    In a twisting motion, Tam both stabbed with his left and sliced with his right in a move that would have pierced Eli¡¯s belly and cut her throat, had she not doubled over and, in a short hop, spun her legs. Which placed her out of his reach again.


    Tam didn¡¯t waste a single breath watching or waiting for Eli to stop moving as he descended upon her, thrusting his blades toward her abdomen and throat again. The speed of the attack had thrown Eli off the rhythm that Tam had been following beforehand, however, and as a result when she darted backward, she wasn¡¯t as graceful, and it only took one quick, long step from Tam to have her pinned against the back railing overlooking the bow of the ship, his left hand pressing the flat of his blade to her throat, and the right at an angle near her middle. The directions of each knife opposite to each other, so if she tried to jump left or right, either way she¡¯d be cut.


    Eli¡¯s breath visibly caught in her throat as she gazed up into Tam¡¯s eyes that were calm, his own breath as even as ever, but¡­ He was close to her. Very close¡­ They were practically toe-to-toe.


    A very strong urge welled up in Tam as he stared down at Eli¡­ A feeling he hadn¡¯t had in a very long time that was wiping his mind perfectly blank as the intensity of the moment seized them.


    Tam wanted to be even closer. He didn¡¯t want to look away from her light brown eyes that had the same hue as fresh cinnamon¡­


    It wasn¡¯t until he felt a particularly large lurch from the sea beneath the ship that Tam snapped back to his senses.


    He heard a rush of air escape Eli¡¯s mouth and he wasn¡¯t entirely certain why that sound made the desire to hold her intensify, but it took greater effort than he would have estimated to step back from her.


    Once at a safe distance, Tam nodded and lowered his arms and said, ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Eli¡¯s hands fidgeted at her sides as she inclined herself to him, avoiding his stare rather pointedly.


    ¡°You¡¯re remarkably fast yourself, my lord.¡± Her voice sounded tight and awkward¡­


    Tam bowed in thanks. When he righted himself, he noted how Eli remained stiffly standing in place, her chin lowered as though hiding her expression, he opened his mouth to apologize for making her uncomfortable, but was interrupted.


    ¡°OYY! YOUR LORDSHIP! WE FOUND A RAT THAT SAYS HE KNOWS YOU!¡±


    The shout from a sailor summoned both Eli and Tam¡¯s attention, and prompted them to cross over from the back of the ship, and look down from the poop deck. Yet even standing by the top of the stairs that would lead down to the main deck, they couldn¡¯t see what the commotion was about as about five members of the crew crowded around.


    With his brows lowered, Tam made his way quickly down to whatever the fuss was about with Eli following close behind.


    As he approached the sailors, he tapped their backs to alert them of his presence. Though it took some time for things to settle, they eventually parted enough for him to see a young boy being restrained by three sailors. The child had a dirty gray tunic, a battered brown leather vest that was far too big for him, trousers that were too small, and woven shoes.


    While the boy struggled, he didn¡¯t speak or shout, and instead grunted against the holds of the sailors.


    ¡°Let him go. He can¡¯t run off anywhere,¡± Tam ordered with an edge in his voice. The men didn¡¯t look pleased by it, but did as commanded.


    Tam peered down at the top of the child¡¯s head and inwardly sighed sadly. The boy¡¯s hair was covered in what looked like dried paint, which is most likely how he had been discovered on board as some of the sailors had been touching up some of the crates that held ropes, pulleys, and other important items that they could need at night and would need to find easily¡­


    It wasn¡¯t the first time someone tried to approach a member of the Ashowan family asking for help, or wanting to serve the dukedom¡­ And while Tam and his family were always happy to do what they could, Tam was not at home with his connections and resources to help a child in need, and if he did try to reach out to anyone once he landed in Zinfera, that was risking alerting the Zinferan emperor and his court of his presence.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Tam addressed the child quietly.


    The boy wiped his nose with the back of his wrist, his chin pressed against his chest, and Tam noticed that he was clutching a folded letter.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± the boy croaked, then with his slim shoulders still hunched, he brandished the letter at Tam. The future duke was already worrying about what he could possibly do with the boy other than try sending him back with the ship to Daxaria after he was dropped off¡­ An option Tam wasn¡¯t fond of given the way the sailors were already cursing the child as some of them went over to clean the mess of splattered paint to the port side of the deck.


    Taking the letter, Tam unfolded it and began reading.


    All color drained from his face.


    The letter was from a woman he had known¡­ quite intimately¡­ a little over seven years ago¡­


    A woman named Rosaline Evans who ran a tavern he frequented when traveling. He had collaborated with her in order for her to gather and share information with him while inspecting the offices and schools in Rollom, and Tam had stayed at her establishment during his visits. He had liked her a great deal, but ultimately, she preferred to live an independent life, and Tam had agreed that they were better parting ways¡­


    Except, according to the letter¡­ It hadn¡¯t been as clean an ending as he had thought.


    Tam gaped at the top of the child¡¯s head, his entire body numb and his mouth slack.


    ¡°Can I¡­¡± Tam rasped the words, uncertain what he was even going to say as his heartbeat tripled in speed.


    ¡°Is everything alright, my lord?¡± Eli stepped forward curiously, eyeing the child and then her employer who was quite obviously shocked to his core.


    Tam didn¡¯t even register having heard her as he, on shaking legs, gradually lowered himself to a crouch in front of the boy. ¡°Can you please look at me?¡±


    The poor child trembled violently, and tears still dripped off his nose onto the boards of the deck¡­ But when he lifted his face, it was Eli¡¯s turn to jolt back in alarm.


    Tam, however, gaped, utterly dumbfounded into a pale face that was remarkably like his own. The same brown eyes¡­ And he then belatedly realized the true color of the boy¡¯s hair that was long enough to curtain his eyes¡­ was black.


    While the boy¡¯s lip quivered, he continued to stare back at the future duke who was utterly speechless.


    Of all the surprises Tam had wondered he¡¯d come across during his trip to Zinfera¡­


    Being faced with his illegitimate son had not once ever occurred to him.

 Chapter 15: Colossal Considerations

    Dear Lord Tamlin Ashowan,


    Hopefully you remember me even though it has been a few years since we last spoke, but my name is Rosaline Evans. I am the owner of the tavern and inn you frequented, The Rosey Glass.


    The child that delivered this message, well¡­ There is no easy way to say this, but he is your son.


    I learned about him two months after we last spoke, and because you had never given your real name, I did not know how to inform you.


    It wasn¡¯t until my brother, Liam, learned who you were when you were in Rollom with your father performing the inspection of the coven schools after the solstice that we learned your true identity.


    While I debated whether I could part with our son, I¡¯m ashamed to admit that I have not been the best of mothers. I never gave him a name at my brother¡¯s urging, as he believes it is a father¡¯s right, and it is important in order for the father to form a bond¡­ Even though I never knew if I¡¯d find you again.


    Our son looks just like you. He¡¯s quiet, like you are, and always seems to be thinking carefully. He doesn¡¯t smile often, but he is polite, and will not give you any trouble. From the bottom of my heart, I believe that you can provide him a better life than I ever will, and I think he needs you. I think you need him, too, to be honest.


    When my brother and I heard you were going to perform inspections again with your father, I sent our boy to meet you. I¡¯ve done the best I could for him until now, but please, please accept him. While he seems like he can bear the weight of the world with ease, I know he is a scared child that needs his father, and a mother¡¯s love, as great as it is, can¡¯t fill that void of another parent.


    I wish you my best,


    Rosaline Evans


    Tam reread the letter for the fifth time, then tossed it onto the small desk in Eli¡¯s cabin.


    After learning that he had an illegitimate child, Tam had dazedly seen that the boy had been fed, and a bath had been drawn for him in Tam¡¯s own cabin. The child had insisted he didn¡¯t need any help doing so, and so Tam had retreated to his assistant¡¯s own cabin to try and wrap his head around the situation.


    Eli stood with her arms folded leaning against the door, staring at her employer.


    ¡°You have something you¡¯d like to say?¡± Tam asked, finally lifting his somber gaze to hers.


    She stared back at him, devoid of emotion, and Tam felt a flicker of anger in his chest at seeing the coldness that had appeared in her countenance.


    ¡°Not at all, my lord.¡±


    Tam¡¯s voice sharpened. ¡°I¡¯d rather you not be hiding your true thoughts.¡±


    Eli swallowed, but didn¡¯t cower from his apparent displeasure. ¡°Were you ignoring the mother of your child to the point she had no choice but to send him to you?¡±


    ¡°No. I had a relationship with her while I was using a different name. I had to travel without alerting the local nobility or the coven where I was or what I was doing. So she had no way to contact me after we concluded our¡­ relationship.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think to check in just in case?¡±


    ¡°She is the kind of no nonsense type of woman who didn¡¯t want a clingy ex-lover. She¡¯s busy running her business, and her brother made it perfectly clear I shouldn¡¯t return.¡±


    Tam could tell that Eli felt her moral high ground starting to crumble, and watched she pushed herself off of the door as she struggled to settle into the conversation.


    ¡°What are you going to do about him?¡±


    Tam raised an eyebrow, then lowered his elbows to the tops of his thighs, his hands loosely clasped. Despite him being lower than Eli, shrunk under the intensity of his gaze.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little more complicated than I¡¯d like with him being here. For one, I can¡¯t just send him back to Daxaria alone, and I¡¯m concerned for his safety while we¡¯re in Zinfera.¡±


    A flicker of softness passed through Eli¡¯s eyes as he spoke¡­


    ¡°Then there is the obvious question: Is he the devil?¡±


    Eli jerked back in shock, and her eyes widened. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°How much were you told about the events of the war in Troivack?¡±


    ¡°Well I¡­ That is¡­ That is private information belonging to the crown-¡± she wiped her palms on her trousers, as though they had just begun to sweat profusely.


    Tam closed his eyes with a sigh. ¡°You know about the devil and the first witch. Good. Then you most likely also know that the devil was supposed to be reborn shortly after Her Majesty killed him. Seven years ago.¡±


    Eli gaped at Tam.


    He was right¡­ And it was true¡­ She had remembered the king and queen of Troivack discussing how much the devil had resembled Tamlin Ashowan¡­


    ¡°I thought the devil respawned from the ashes of his past corpses. How would he have been able to get this former love interest of yours involved?¡± Eli wondered aloud, which betrayed how well informed she was of the whole situation.


    ¡°I imagine the devil has connections¡­ If he is the devil,¡± Tam added while lowering his gaze, his moment of intensity dissipating.


    ¡°During questioning, the first witch claimed that she had disposed of many of the devil¡¯s connections and contacts.  And she seemed rather confident on the point,¡± Eli explained carefully.


    Tam gave a humorless chuckle and lifted his face once more. ¡°So you think that the boy really is my son?¡±


    Eli shook her head. ¡°I do not know for certain given your point about him being the devil, but he does look remarkably like you.¡±


    Tam nodded after eyeing his assistant a little longer, weighing whether or not she was sincere in her response. He stood while taking a long breath.


    ¡°Well, until we know for certain one way or another, I¡¯m going to treat him as though he is my¡­. My own. But we are going to be extraordinarily careful about revealing any information around him. Our time in Zinfera was supposed to be relatively low risk, and more about gathering information and if we do interfere it is to be as discrete as possible. I¡¯ll think more on whether I¡¯ll send him back to Daxaria earlier than later.¡±


    ¡°Pardon me saying so, my lord, but you are underestimating how dangerous the Torit Desert is. No one is safe traveling through them. Let alone a child.¡±


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    Tam grimaced. ¡°You tell me then. Which is safer? Sending him back alone to Daxaria, or bringing him with us? I¡¯m deferring to you on this, Eli, because you know Zinfera best.¡± Tam tilted his head as he stared down at his assistant, his hands finding his pockets.


    *


    A peculiar blush crept up Eli¡¯s face as she suddenly remembered earlier that day when he had had her pressed against the rail at the bow of the ship¡­ How he had cornered her, but rather than feeling frightened or panicked, she had felt drawn to her employer, his solid strength an odd comfort as opposed to a threat¡­


    She lowered her eyes, unable to look at him while forming her answer. She thought about both options regarding keeping the boy with them while they traveled keeping her sights fixed on the pale planks of the deck beneath her feet.


    On one hand, sending a child back with strangers was terribly risky, even if Tam revealed the boy was his son. There were pirates, slave traders, even the weather was a danger¡­


    Then there were the bandits that roamed the desert, and the elements that could possibly kill them as well¡­ Not to mention there was talk of a dragon being sighted on the other end of the capital, which was also risky, but at the same time, Lord Tam would be there, and his family had their own connections. Besides, if the child was the devil reborn, it¡¯d be best to keep him close.


    ¡°I suppose he should join us,¡± Eli agreed at last.


    Tam jerked his chin down. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Her employer then moved to step around Eli, making her entire body flush with awareness once more, causing her to shrink away from him. Tam paused when she did this, his brows twitching in concern¡­


    Not wanting to address the dragon in the room, Eli quickly blurted. ¡°What will you name him?¡±


    Caught entirely off guard by the question, Tam balked. ¡°Er¡­ I¡­ I was going to ask his opinion. If I¡¯m being honest? That detail made me particularly suspicious about his story¡­ Though when I remembered Rosline¡¯s brother it did make a kind of sense. He was wildly controlling at times, and most likely wasn¡¯t all that kind to the boy. Rosaline is a strong woman, but when it comes to her younger brother she lets him sway her and doesn¡¯t address his anger¡­ Anyway. You don¡¯t need to hear about that.¡± Tam blinked away the memories and reached for the cabin door. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to the boy and see what names he likes.¡±


    ¡°My lord?¡±


    Tam glanced over his shoulder at Eli who was fidgeting as she always did when uncomfortable and attention was directed at her.


    ¡°I¡­ I believe you are commendable for handling this as well as you have.¡±


    Tam straightened, and even though Eli wasn¡¯t looking at him, she could tell she had surprised him.


    ¡°I believe it is an assistant¡¯s duty to both provide criticism and praise to their employers, as they see them in ways that no one else does.¡±


    A soft smile curved Tam¡¯s mouth as he turned to face his assistant better and she stole a glance to see his reaction. ¡°You sound like you¡¯re the one in charge here. You¡¯re doing a fine job yourself, Eli.¡±


    ¡°At least with everything going on your sea sickness has eased off!¡± she burst out when she was once again faced with the alarmingly attractive smile that her employer gave her when he was being a mite mischievous.


    Tam¡¯s lightened expression disappeared then. ¡°Oh, I still feel like hanging over the rails, but I just don¡¯t have time to right now.¡±


    ¡°Most people can¡¯t control seasickness,¡± Eli pointed out, her timid tone turning wry.


    ¡°Most people don¡¯t find out they have a seven year old son in the middle of the sea, either.¡±


    The assistant looked dubious at his reasoning, but decided to let it go, and so, with a final wave over his shoulder, Tam exited the cabin to go to presumably face the child who may be his son¡­ Or may be the son of the Gods¨C the child responsible for the evil of all mankind.


    *


    Either possibility of the child¡¯s identity brought with it a world of complications, though if Tam were honest¡­? He couldn¡¯t help but already think of the boy as his own. It was hard to think otherwise when he had never seen the devil in person, and furthermore, the boy looked alarmingly like himself.


    As Tam walked through the narrow galley of the ship toward his own quarters, he idly thought how excited his nephew Antony would be about having a cousin his own age.


    In fact, all three of the boys would be over the moon excited to have another person to play with.


    When Tam caught himself smiling at the thought he felt his heart jolt in alarm. Was he already deluding himself into thinking that he was fit to be a father?


    He couldn¡¯t even handle crowded rooms for an entire evening!


    What if his powers got the best of him again, only this time, instead of an entire wall and desk being the victims, it was his own son?


    Tam¡¯s gut churned as his anxieties mounted.


    Rosaline had said she thought their child would be better off with him, but she didn¡¯t know how little people thought of the future duke¡­ To bring in an illegitimate child and subject him to even more judgment than would be the norm in such cases¡­?


    Tam arrived at the cabin door and hesitated.


    His heart skipped several beats, and a cold sweat started to spread along his back.


    Amazingly his magic wasn¡¯t adding to his problems in that moment, but who was to say if that would last?


    Tam reached up and patted his chest where he could feel the pendant under his tunic. The one he kept hidden from sight, but that brought him immeasurable comfort.


    Closing his eyes, Tam did his best to shelve his fears.


    If the child was his, then it was reasonable to assume that the boy was most likely frightened, and uncertain. And he would of course deserve kindness, patience, and room to feel however he needed to in that moment. Tam¡¯s own insecurities needed to wait.


    So, reaching to the door handle, Tam faced his new responsibilities while also making the firm decision to press the possibility of the boy being the devil to the back of his mind. Even if there was a strong likelihood it was the son of the Gods? If there was the tiniest of chances that was not the case? Tam was not going to risk scaring a child who had done nothing wrong.


    The door opened, and Tam stepped in, albeit he did have one final thought before focusing on whatever scene would greet him.


    Gods¡­ My parents thought Kat eloping when she traveled was bad¡­ Coming back home with a new, illegitimate grandson might even have her beat for outrageous surprises¡­

 Chapter 16: An Unintentional Unveiling

    Tam entered his cabin, paused, then closed the door as quietly as possible behind himself.


    It wasn¡¯t the most spacious of rooms, as any extravagant ships pulling into the harbor in Zinfera would¡¯ve attracted a lot of attention, but there was still a built in bed with the headboard on the same wall as the door, enough room for a set of low shelves along the back wall, and a round table that could comfortably seat three to four people. There was a window on the port side of the room that tended to let in the evening sun as they sailed south, and so the warm light had only just begun to creep along the weathered boards of the room as the early afternoon started to settle in.


    His son was standing by the window next to the foot of Tam¡¯s bed, his black hair damp from his bath, and he was wearing the white tunic that Tam had laid out for him despite it being too large. The child was holding the brass sextant Katarina had bought for him back during her time in Troivack, and the future lord watched as the boy turned the tool over carefully in his hands, admiring its interesting shapes and the way it gleamed in the light.


    Because the boy¡¯s back was to him, Tam couldn¡¯t see the look in his eyes¡­


    If they were keen and understanding, it could indicate a wisdom beyond his years¡­ Hinting at perhaps a Godly parentage¡­ But if it were childish innocence, perhaps¡­


    The boy stilled, then turned around abruptly and jolted in alarm at the sight of Tam, prompting him to drop the sextant.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± he shouted, panicked, dropped to his knees and picked it up frantically, his hands trembling.


    Tam strode over, and held out his hand.


    With his head already hanging, the child carefully handed the instrument to his father.


    Picking up the sextant, and peering through the eyepiece, Tam found it was intact. Though even if it had cracked it wouldn¡¯t have been the first time. Asher had done almost exactly the same thing to it the year before.


    Looking back down at the boy, Tam lowered the instrument. ¡°It isn¡¯t broken. It¡¯s alright. Though in the future please ask before touching things.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, my lord. I-I¡¯m sorry, m-my lord!¡± the child¡¯s words warbled, and his shaking grew more noticeable.


    Tam took in a slow breath as he lowered himself down to a knee.


    ¡°I¡¯m not upset. I just also happen to own things that could be dangerous if not handled with the proper care,¡± he explained softly, but firmly.


    The boy nodded hastily.


    ¡°Now, you mentioned that you didn¡¯t have a name, and your mother¡¯s letter confirmed this. So¡­ Is there a name you yourself like?¡±


    The topic change did seem to succeed in stopping the boy¡¯s quivering, though his hands came in front of himself and he began to pick at his thumbnails.


    Tam¡¯s heart twisted.


    Rosaline had the same habit.


    ¡°I-I-I want you to pick one!¡±


    Silence rested between them for a time before Tam spoke again. ¡°Really? Even if I wanted to name you something silly? Like Artichoke?¡±


    The child was so stunned he temporarily forgot his shyness and looked at Tam, and even though the fearful look in his dark eyes made it seem as though he was going to immediately look away again, the gentle smile on Tam¡¯s face froze the boy and he couldn¡¯t help but stare in surprise at the kind expression.


    ¡°If you¡­ If you think that¡­¡± he swallowed. ¡°If you think that¡¯s the right name for me¡­ then that¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s fine.¡±


    Everything about the child¡¯s tone and body language screamed the opposite of his words.


    ¡°Oh, really? Have you ever heard of the former earl, Lord Dick Fuks and his son Les? Or about his grandson, Ass?¡±


    Despite his nerves, a brief laugh escaped the boy¡¯s mouth, though he quickly pressed his lips together to stop himself from doing so again as he averted his eyes.


    Which was a good thing as thoughtful alarm struck Tam¡¯s face. The boy¡¯s astonished laugh was like Katarina Reyes, Tam¡¯s sister¡¯s, the Daxarian queen¡­


    Am I imagining things? Trying to find proof he is my son and not the devil¡­?


    ¡°Tell you what, I won¡¯t name you something funny, but you have to tell me the truth about if you do or don¡¯t like one. Deal?¡±


    Smiling, the boy looked up again, albeit shyly. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­ Here is what I¡¯m thinking. Tonight, you and I are going to do something together. It¡¯s something I don¡¯t do with anyone else other than my family.¡±


    Unable to resist the allure of a secret activity, the child leaned closer.


    ¡°We are going to use this sextant, and tonight I am going to show you constellations. Maybe as we do that, we¡¯ll find a name for you together. What do you think about that?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I like that idea.¡±


    Tam smiled, and the boy smiled back happily.


    ¡°Wonderful. Now, there is one other very important thing I need to ask you.¡±


    The child¡¯s shoulders hunched in preparation of hearing some sort of somber request¡­ Gods knew what it was he was expecting¡­


    ¡°I need to ask you to stop calling me ¡®my lord¡¯, on this ship, you can call me Tam. Are you comfortable with that?¡± The future duke received a shy nod in response. ¡°Fantastic, and we can even use this device here to find the constellations.¡±


    Eyes wide, Tam¡¯s son eyed the instrument with obvious excitement, which in turn brought another smile to Tam¡¯s face. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to go do some work with my assistant, are you able to read? I don¡¯t have many books that you may be interested in, but I do have one about the legends of the constellations.¡±


    The small face tensed. ¡°I¡­ Can read, but¡­ Not very well.¡± His cheeks burned.


    Tam mentally kicked himself. Of course his son hadn¡¯t had a lot of opportunity to read. Rosaline was busy all day and all night running her business. She didn¡¯t own many books back when Tam knew her either¡­


    ¡°Not a problem! I¡¯ll buy you as many books as you like in the future. For now though, how about¡­ Erm¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me, my lo- T-Tam. I-I can just sit quietly in the corner.¡±


    Tam frowned but decided not to comment on the boy¡¯s behavior. He had known Rosaline to be a stern independent woman, but her alleged son¡¯s reactions were that of an abused child¡­


    ¡°Who did you spend most of your day with, if you don¡¯t mind my asking¡­?¡± Tam raised the question, though he already felt like he had a good answer.


    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡°M-My Uncle Liam.¡±


    Tam grit his teeth. He should have guessed as much earlier. It was obviously Liam¡¯s harshness had also prevented Rosaline from even naming her own son. Tam felt a mixture of rage and disappointment. He had thought Rosaline a fair, just woman, even if she was blinded by her affection for her brother at times.


    To think that her opinion of her brother outweighed the love of her child?


    Tam did his best to remind himself that this young boy could still be the reincarnation of the devil, in which case this may all be an act¡­ But¡­ The boy was so convincing. There was no trace of deception in his words or face.


    And in the event that it was the truth; that Tam had sired a son¡­ Then he was not coming from a place of moral high ground when it came to rearing children.


    As a result, Tam forced himself not to say anything that would make the lad become defensive.


    ¡°Tell you what, do you like to draw?¡±


    A wary nod was his response.


    ¡°Wonderful, I would appreciate it, if you could draw some pictures for me, and if you feel like writing, I would love to read about what kind of things you like. Your favorite color, your favorite food¡­ Your birthday. All of those things.¡± As Tam spoke he made his way over to the round table made of oak in the cabin and pulled a fresh stack of paper in front of the chair, along with an inkwell and quill.


    The cabin floor rocked beneath their feet, as the nameless boy watched Tam work.


    When he¡¯d finished, Tam turned and smiled while gesturing to the chair. ¡°I can see about a cup of tea being made for you. Do you like tea?¡±


    The child began to fidget again. ¡°Can¡¯t I stay with you?¡±


    Guilt seized Tam¡¯s heart.


    Of course someone so young and in such a frightening situation would want to stick by the person who had been kind to them¡­ And also happened to be their father¡­


    ¡°Why not? I¡¯ll handle my work in here, but I hope you won¡¯t mind that I¡¯ll be reading and I may have to go out for some fresh air often¨C To be honest; I get seasick a lot.¡± Tam added the last part in a whisper.


    ¡°I know,¡± the boy smiled sheepishly. ¡°I watched you this morning from my hiding place.¡±


    Tam put his hands on his hips and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. ¡°Damn. I guess it wasn¡¯t as big a secret as I¡¯d hoped.¡±


    The boy laughed. His brown eyes bright, and warm as he stared up with glowing admiration at the future duke.


    Excusing himself to go tell Eli the change of plans, and see about getting a few cups of tea for the three of them to all sit around the table, Tam left the cabin feeling as though things were tentatively going well. Though he knew a lone conversation couldn¡¯t be what determined how everything would unfold, he was clinging to whatever positives he could.


    Upon returning to Eli¡¯s cabin, Tam knocked on the door. He didn¡¯t hear a response, and so he turned to check above deck to see if she had simply gone up to get some fresh air, when the ship suddenly tilted. Tam was thrown into the wall beside the door, and from within the cabin, he heard a loud thump that sounded like a body hitting the floor, followed by a slight groan.


    Concern seizing him, Tam threw open the door, his body tensed in preparation for whatever he might find, except¡­


    There was Eli.


    Without a tunic or vest.


    Her chest was mostly covered by bindings, but there was a long swath of cloth that lay over her lap undone from the rest of her wrappings.


    She was slumped against the desk of her room, and was clutching the back of her head with her face scrunched up. Evidently the lurch of the deck beneath her feet had sent her careening back to the point of stumbling and thwacking her skull soundly.


    Tam figured this out while he stared rather dumbly at her¡­ Though something that was far less passive started to rise in his being. Something akin to protectiveness and¡­ perhaps that same compelling feeling he had experienced earlier when he¡¯d stood close to her¡­


    While the future duke remained frozen in place, Eli, still clutching the back of her head slowly opened her eyes, and realized she was no longer alone in her room.


    When her eyes met with Tam¡¯s, it was her turn to go still.


    Her eyes widened a fraction, as though she could see the mysterious well of feelings coming up behind her employer¡¯s dark eyes¡­


    But then a cool draft swept across her middle, prompting her to look down to see her bare stomach, and remembered what she had been in the middle of doing when she had fallen and hit her head.


    Thanks to living with the infamous house witch who had cooked meals that tasted beyond what anyone could even attempt to expect, she had found she had to loosen her bindings more regularly¡­


    Eli¡¯s eyes darted back up at the same time Tam began to come back to his senses, and was opening his mouth to begin apologizing and holding up his hands when the sound of small feet pounding down the corridor interrupted him, making him turn abruptly in time to see his son careening toward his side.


    ¡°Tam, I¡¯m so sorry! The-The ink! It spilled everywhere when the ship¨C¡± the child skidded to a halt, then looked into the cabin where Eli still sat on the floor.


    He stared at her. Then back up at Tam.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know Eli was a girl!¡±


    Tam instantly cringed as he dove for the door handle, fumbled, and at last yanked the door shut just in time for Eli to drop her face to her hands.


    Still in a state of confusion as to what had just transpired, Tam continued staring at the closed door while his son peered up at his stunned profile.


    ¡°Should I call her Miss Eli? I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know¡­¡± the child apologized bashfully.


    ¡°Ah¡­ About that¡­ Come on. Let¡¯s go back to my cabin and¡­ We need to have a quick chat about Eli.¡± Tam gently grasped his son¡¯s shoulders and steered him back toward his own cabin, while still trying to get his mind to work.


    ¡°O-Okay¡­¡± the boy looked over his shoulder uncertainly. ¡°But is she your betrothed or something¡­? Why were you there when she was getting dressed?¡±


    The sound of footsteps belonging to the crew thudded down the stairs behind Tam, prompting him to gently cover his son¡¯s mouth as he hurried them even more quickly back to the cabin.


    While the future duke had always prided himself at being exceptionally good at hiding his nonsense in almost every area of his life (a skill his father had never seemed to master), he was starting to wonder if maybe it was an affliction that developed with age¡­

 Chapter 17: Star Struck Stories

    Eli climbed the stairs to the top deck, her employer¡¯s son at her side.


    She hadn¡¯t looked at him, nor said a word to the boy since he had discovered her secret, and this was because she worried that a child wouldn¡¯t be able to stop asking her questions about why she would hide her gender¡­


    As it was, the boy hadn¡¯t breathed a word, though Eli wasn¡¯t certain that that was any better as she was constantly tense, waiting for it to begin. Even though she assumed Tam must have said something, she knew people¡¯s curiosities often got the better of them.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Eli jumped at the lone word the boy had uttered, then realized why he had when she looked to the port side of the deck, and saw Tam sitting at a small round table with two other chairs pulled up, that, under the light of a brass three candlestick holder they could see was ladened with tea and cakes.


    The future duke sat with his back to them, a book in his lap as he gazed up at the sky, a far off glint in his eyes and a smile on his face. For some reason, Eli couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Tam¡¯s profile at that moment¡­ The gentle rise and fall of the ship beneath their boots, the brilliant starry sky above them¡­ There was something about the moment that struck her¡­


    A gentle tug on Eli¡¯s hand snapped her out of her thoughts.


    ¡°He¡¯s waiting for us,¡± the boy whispered, excitement in his eyes.


    Blinking past her distracted moment, and bowing her head to the child, they proceeded on to the table.


    ¡°Good evening, Lord Tam.¡± Eli bowed.


    Tam looked over his shoulder with a smile and stood from his seat to gesture to the other two chairs. ¡°Hello to you both. Sorry I had to leave you be for a few hours, I had to brush up on some of my constellations.¡±


    More like you are struggling to wrap your head around either being a father or being close to the devil. Eli thought to herself knowingly.


    Though she couldn¡¯t really blame her employer for needing to take time to process his present circumstances¡­ Very few people would handle it even as well as he was¡­


    Once the trio had seated themselves back down, Eli reached over to the tea pot and started pouring out whatever her employer had brewed, though she was unaware her arched eyebrow was betraying her dubiousness.


    Tam grinned knowingly. ¡°I selected a rooibos tea. I know it¡¯s more forgiving for oafs like myself who aren¡¯t as refined with their tastes.¡±


    Eli¡¯s face flushed, as the familiar scent of rooibos wafted up to her¡­ Only¡­


    ¡°Rooibos isn¡¯t really a tea and- Is there¡­ dried orange in this?¡± she asked interestedly, her brown eyes falling to her white porcelain cup interestedly.


    ¡°Yes, there is,¡± Tam returned with a smile. ¡°And yes, rooibos tea is not like black tea, or herbal teas--¡±


    ¡°It is more like an infusement than a tea. Rooibos tea comes from Lobahl¡­ though I¡¯ve never tried any that had orange mixed in¡­¡±


    ¡°That would be because this is from my father¡¯s friend, Mr. Jelani. He is an earth witch and he loves to see what food combinations my da can come up with with the fruits and plants he grows from his home,¡± Tam explained while also slipping some buttery cookies onto a plate and placing them in front of the boy who had been listening attentively until he was faced with a cup of warm tea and treats.


    Eli didn¡¯t say anything in response as her slim fingers wrapped around her cup, and she allowed the comforting warmth to send goosebumps up her arms as the sea breeze tried to chill her. Lifting the cup, she sipped it tentatively¡­ Then perked up.


    ¡°Aside from the fact you still oversteeped this, it has quite a lovely flavor!¡±


    Tam smiled as he then turned his attention to the boy who sipped it dubiously.


    ¡°I thought so, too. My father always pairs it with lighter flavored snacks. Things like scones, butter or nut cookies, and they are always a nice light bedtime snack to have with the tea,¡± Tam recounted fondly as he picked up a cookie himself and sat back in his chair to enjoy the food.


    After polishing off most of the cookies and tea, the trio were feeling quite content with their sated states, and so Tam set his book on the table, opened it to a page he had bookmarked with a red ribbon, and then reached down to his side where an open case sat with his sextant.


    ¡°Now, the first constellation I¡¯m going to be showing you today,¡± Tam addressed his son. ¡°Is The Three Fish.¡±


    Both the dark haired child and Eli stared blankly back at him, but Tam didn¡¯t mind as he set to lifting the sextant to his right eye, and peered southeast of the ship.


    ¡°Now, with all constellations, there are stories.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± the child asked before he could stop himself.


    ¡°To make it more fun to remember which stars are where. You see, stars help sailors and travelers on land navigate where they are going. But if you¡¯re going to use them to figure out where you are, you need to remember what they look like, and so, people thought of stories. However¡­¡± A delighted enigmatic spark twinkled in Tam¡¯s eye. ¡°There are some that think the Gods used the stars to show the history of our world.¡±


    Both Eli and the boy leaned closer, completely entranced.


    ¡°Whether you choose to believe that or not is entirely up to you, but more people think that way than you know. Astrology has fallen out of interest in nearly all the kingdoms in the past two hundred years or so, but, around a hundred years ago, a Troivackian scholar decided that we couldn¡¯t lose these stories¨C he sincerely believed that the Gods had given us these stars for a reason. So he traveled every kingdom¨C¡±


    ¡°Even Lobahl?¡± the boy interrupted with wide-eyed wonder.


    Tam nodded. ¡°Especially Lobahl. You see, Lobahl is far more advanced than any other kingdom, and a large pillar of their beliefs in their society involves the stars.¡±


    ¡°How do you know this?¡± Eli wondered aloud, her curiosity getting the better of her.


    ¡°My father¡¯s friend, Mr. Jelani. I wheedled it out of him with the help of his two children. Though the both of you need to keep it a secret. Alright?¡±


    While the boy smiled, Eli¡¯s gaze darted uncertainly to her employer. Should he really be sharing any kind of secret with the possible devil?


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Now, the first story of The Three Fish, is one of the oldest, and yet not many people have heard about it.¡±


    Tam held out the sextant to the boy, and pointed southeast. ¡°Do you see the grouping of stars that look like three whirls connected? Almost like a windmill without its base?¡±


    The boy squinted, his mouth pursing and twisting until at last it split back into a smile. ¡°I think so!¡±


    ¡°Excellent. Those three whirls signify the three times of day in the Goddess¡¯s pool that each of the fish swim. And depending on the fish that is swimming, the holy properties of the water changes. In the morning, the fish that sees the past, present, and future swims. It is said the Goddess and Green Man drink from this pool when this fish swims in order to see all that has been, that is, and what will be. The second fish arrives after the high sun while the first fish returns to the streams underground to rest. The second fish knows magic both innately and its spoken language.¡±


    The boy lowered the sextant and stared at Tam, his eyes wide, and his bum on the edge of his seat.


    ¡°The Goddess and Green Man use the water this fish swims in when they create a new witch, and it is only during this time, that the crystals that line the bottom of this sacred pool, can be plucked out.¡±


    ¡°Are those the mage crystals?¡± Eli speculated while she, too, had huddled closer with her tea cup still clasped in her hands.


    Tam tilted his head. ¡°They are indeed. In this tale, while witches were made of the water, the first mage was given a vial of the water to drink after begging the Green Man, and so that is how he learned the language of magic, and so, he wrote it down for others to learn as well. Though he can only summon magic from the Goddess¡¯s pool through their crystals.¡±


    The helmsman steering the ship handed the wheel off to his crewmate then, and for a moment, the sails fluttered and the candles on the trio¡¯s little table flickered as it took a few breaths for the new helmsman to find the winds again.


    Despite this slight interruption, neither Eli nor the young boy had lost focus for even an instant, and so, Tam took another sip of his tea, and continued.


    ¡°The third, and final fish¡­ Is the chaos fish.¡±


    Eli let out a giggle.


    It was so uncharacteristically feminine of her that it made Tam laugh a little while she cleared her throat awkwardly.


    ¡°What¡¯s a chaos fish?!¡± The poor child couldn¡¯t handle any delays getting between himself and the answers.


    ¡°The chaos fish¡­ Well, she swims at night, and it is said that when the balance of the world is in danger, the Gods creates chosen beings to be molded with its waters,¡± Tam explained while leaning forward in his seat to rest his elbows on his knees, bringing him closer to his son.


    ¡°Have they ever given the water to someone to drink like they did with the magic fish?¡± Eli pondered aloud.


    ¡°Some Lobahlans think so; however, the Troivackian astrologist I mentioned before? He doesn''t believe that is the case, nor does he really think that the Gods create beings with the water¨C as that would be cruel in a way¡­ What he hypothesized in his work, was that whenever the world needed a change, the Gods would simply fling a cup of water over us, and thunderstorms, tidal waves, or earthquakes would reset what had grown uneven.¡±


    ¡°What do you think, Tam?¡± the boy asked, hanging off every word that fell from the future duke¡¯s mouth.


    Tam leaned back in his seat thoughtfully. ¡°I think¡­ The Gods decided to use chaos water to make my father and sister¡¯s familiars, Kraken, and Pina. I mean, I¡¯m sure even you know about those two, right?¡±


    The child nodded with a laugh visibly bubbling up his throat, when his shoulders suddenly slumped forward. ¡°I like the story a lot, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡± Tom prompted gently.


    ¡°There weren¡¯t any names in it.¡±


    Tam jolted in surprise, then was awash in guilt.


    The poor boy had to be eager for a name, and here he had dragged on a story where they couldn¡¯t find one¡­


    ¡°What was the name of the Troivackian astrologer?¡± Eli interjected with moderately forced brightness; her hint obvious.


    ¡°Ah, it was Luca Bilgin¡­¡± Tam looked down at the child¡¯s crestfallen expression and a knowing warmth spread in his chest. ¡°Luca.¡±


    The child looked dazedly up at his father.


    ¡°What do you think of being called Luca?¡± Tam¡¯s voice was gentle, and he did his best to hide his preference in his tone in case the boy had an aversion to it¡­


    ¡°I¡­ I like it a lot,¡± the child¡¯s face broke into an excited smile, and tears started to fill his eyes in the glow of the candlelight. ¡°Luca! My name is Luca!¡± His hands curled into fists as he then lowered his head. ¡°Thank you, Tam¡­ Thank you so much!¡±


    Mortified in every sense of the word that his own son should bow to him, Tam reached out and gently clasped Luca¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t ever bow to me. I¡¯m sorry I made you wait before finding you a name.¡±


    Wiping his eyes with his sleeve, Luca shook his head. ¡°I-It doesn¡¯t matter! I now have a name!¡±


    Tam smiled and gently rubbed the top of the boy¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re happy with your name, Luca. How about we finish our tea for the evening, and tomorrow night, I¡¯ll tell you a new story about a different constellation.¡±


    With tears still overflowing, and clear fluid leaking from his nose, Luca nodded, unable to hold back his emotions, forcing Tam to embrace his son for the first time since they met.


    Eli watched from her seat feeling alarmingly overwhelmed with emotion due to how touching the scene was, but also because¡­ She had anxiety brewing in her gut. While Luca had done absolutely nothing to be suspicious of, and had behaved every bit the way a normal seven year old would behave given the circumstances¡­ She found she couldn¡¯t quite free herself of the doubt that the devil was somehow tied to him¡­


    And if he was?


    Her heart ached terribly as she stared at her employer¡¯s face as he still held the boy in his arms¡­


    She had a feeling it would destroy Tam¡¯s heart, as, despite his better judgment, in the span of a day, he had already started to love the child that he had named.

 Chapter 18: A Boundary Bend

    ¡°An arrow pierced through the imp¡¯s eye, and he released his hostage, meanwhile, the golem was overwhelmed with familiars, stumbling about the perimeter of the castle trying to battle against the mighty Kraken and the elusive Pina-¡±


    ¡°You forgot to mention Reggie the raccoon¡¯s contribution.¡±


    Eli had just interrupted Tam¡¯s vivid retelling of Troivack¡¯s civil battle that his family, with their familiars, had been instrumental in winning.


    However, no one should overlook Reggie the raccoon, as he was quite infamous in his own right for being unfathomably large, yet somehow healthy, belonging to a Troivackian witch who aided the king¡¯s army in the war.


    Tam let out a long sigh.


    He had never seen Reggie the raccoon, but he had most certainly heard about him in great detail throughout the years from his father, sister, and brother-in-law¡­


    He didn¡¯t understand the fascination with the rotund beastie.


    ¡°But¡­ Which are imps and golems again?¡± Luca sat at the edge of his chair as was his norm when listening to his father speak about the ancient beasts that had been summoned from the Forest of the Afterlife to aide the first witch, daughter of the Gods, in banishing the devil to another realm, and assisting her in taking power in the Troivackian kingdom.


    ¡°Imps are the ancient beasts associated with water. They are seven feet tall and usually have purple, black, or blue hair. Their eyes are similar colors, and they have three pupils in each eye that spin,¡± Tam explained, pointing at his own eye and drawing circles to illustrate his point. ¡°My father¡¯s familiar says that they can turn into sea creatures in water, and wield their element as well as the most powerful water witches.¡±


    ¡°And golems are the giant rock men tied to earth power? Taller than some keeps?¡± Luca started to recall.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. They don¡¯t talk much, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard about the stone golem that is loyal to the new Daxarian queen¡¯s familiar. He stands off shore of Austice and guards the harbor,¡± Tam confirmed.


    Luca nodded along, though a line had formed between his eyebrows as he sifted through the information. ¡°Sirins are associated with air magic. They fly, have pointy teeth, white or gray hair, and red, blue, or even white eyes, can sing the most beautiful song you¡¯ve ever heard, or scream and drive you mad.¡±


    Luca shuddered at the imagery just as a particularly biting wind whisked through the trio.


    Their vessel was two thirds through their journey to Zinfera, and every night since the first, Tam, Eli, and Luca had sat on the deck with tea (that Eli insisted on brewing), snacks, and the sextant, as Tam told the fantastical stories of the stars, or, on a night such as that one when the clouds above blocked the moonlit sky, legendary tales of the Ashowan family.


    The future duke was an exceptional storyteller, and it didn¡¯t take long for both Eli and Luca to look forward to their evenings together above any other time of the day.


    ¡°As for the last of the ancient beasts associated with the elements. Dragons. Dragons¡­ well¡­ They¡¯re giant lizards that burp fire,¡± Tam concluded bluntly, making Luca laugh. ¡°We know the least about them as they rarely show themselves, but they are associated with the fire element, and are thought to have superior intelligence.¡±


    The group fell into an amicable silence, as Tam leaned back into his seat, his hands folded over his belly as he stared out over the inky sea.


    ¡°Tam?¡± Luca asked suddenly.


    ¡°Mm?¡±


    ¡°My Uncle Liam said you¡¯re a witch¡­¡±


    Tam¡¯s easygoing expression tensed, and he did not hurry looking back at his son.


    ¡°And¡­ I heard one of the crew members say that Eli¡¯s a witch, too.¡±


    Both Tam and Eli looked at each other, hardness entering their eyes as Luca continued speaking.


    ¡°What¡­ kind of witches are you?¡± Luca finished, though he was looking increasingly uncertain about asking as the tension in the air was as taught as a harp string.


    Neither Tam nor Elie answered at first, instead they stared at each other in wordless communication.


    ¡°Luca¡­ Both Eli and I aren¡¯t like most witches,¡± Tam began carefully. ¡°Neither of us like to talk about our magic. No one knows what mine is, and Eli¡­ Eli does not like her magic. I understand why you are curious, but, in the future please do not ask about it.¡±


    ¡°But wh-¡±


    Tam stared firmly at his son, and though there was an apologetic turning of his mouth, the set tone of his eyes left little room for debate.


    Luca, looking horribly chastened, gulped, and started fidgeting with his thumbnail.


    Burning shame scorched Tam¡¯s chest. The boy hadn¡¯t fidgeted in days¡­ However, despite starting to squirm, Luca still went on to ask. ¡°What if I¡­ I¡¯m a witch though? What if it¡¯s like your magic?¡±


    Tam felt his heart drop to his stomach, a moment of panic seizing him at the thought that Luca should inherit his magic, before he managed to come back to his senses.


    ¡°It has never happened that mutated witches have children with the exact same abilities. So you aren¡¯t in danger of that, and to you most likely would¡¯ve already noticed some kind of magic by now. It¡¯s not very often magic to come any later than seven years old.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re a mutated witch?¡± Luca latched onto the tidbit hopefully.


    Tam drew himself straight at the question, and his gaze sharpened, making the boy shrink back.


    ¡°Luca, how about you go to bed now?¡± Eli interjected smoothly, already sensing that the situation was about to escalate.


    ¡°O-Okay,¡± the child stammered before nervously sliding to his feet.


    As he did so, Tam took the opportunity to mask his emotions, and resume a more relaxed posture. ¡°Have a good night, Luca. I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡±


    The boy gave a shy wave, but couldn¡¯t bring himself to meet Tam¡¯s eyes as he made his way back to their cabin, where he had a hammock hung up for him in his father¡¯s quarters.


    Once Eli and Tam were alone, the assistant looked expectantly at her employer.


    He stared back unimpressed.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one saying I needed to exercise more caution around Luca?¡± Tam pointed out cooly. ¡°Was that line of questioning Luca was pursuing not something to be wary about?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re normal questions for a child to ask, my lord. Especially one who hasn¡¯t grown up around a lot of witches,¡± Eli defended calmly.


    ¡°Luca normally doesn¡¯t push boundaries when they¡¯re set. That was strange.¡±


    ¡°Or it¡¯s a sign he is getting more comfortable with you.¡±


    Tam let out an irritable breath. ¡°How should I have handled that then?¡±


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.¡°A lot of people know you¡¯re a mutated witch. You could have confirmed that and let it be. Furthermore¡­ It isn¡¯t a bad thing if Luca is the devil for him to start showing his agenda,¡± Eli reasoned, holding her ground.


    The future duke didn¡¯t respond to that argument immediately, and instead turned it over in his mind while looking back out over the water.


    ¡°My lord, I know I¡¯ve said this a few times, but we still don¡¯t know if he is the devil or-¡±


    ¡°I know. But there is still the chance he isn¡¯t, and if he isn¡¯t the devil¡­?¡± Tam shook his head, at a loss at how to proceed.


    Eli sighed. ¡°If you would be so kind as to indulge me, my lord, but how about we switch sides of our argument. Why did you get so upset about your own son asking about your magic? He has every right to be afraid when it¡¯s clear you yourself are terrified.¡±


    Tam¡¯s eyes widened, and he recoiled as a spectrum of emotions struck him. He was grimacing, his face full of pain, but he still looked like he was going to respond to his assistant¡¯s astute observation, when he froze. His gaze locked on to something in the water.


    ¡°My lord?¡± Eli frowned, then followed his line of sight, and felt icy dread fill her being when she noticed what he was staring at.


    A loud bell clanged from the helmsman of their ship before Tam or his assistant could move or say another word.


    ¡°PIRATES!¡± the captain roared while emerging from below deck, his emerald coat with the brass buttons still undone as he proceeded to dash up to the helmsman


    Tam rose from his seat at the table, and without looking, reached over with his left hand and pinched out each flame from their candlesticks.


    ¡°Eli, you are going to go to my cabin, and you are going to stay there with Luca until I come get you. There will be two passwords. If I say that everything is clear, that means someone is holding me at knife point, and you are going to hide Luca immediately. If I say everything is fine, it¡¯s safe. Understood?¡±


    The assistant bobbed her head.


    When Tam was finally able to tear his eyes away from the long lifeboats that had crept up along the ship, he discovered that despite the imminent threat, Eli appeared perfectly calm.


    Tam lowered his gaze in thanks and she turned to see to his orders, leaving him to look back over the water to try and find the vessel the pirates must have come in on.


    Inside his pockets, Tam¡¯s hands curled into fists as his magic started tearing urgently at his chest.


    He swallowed with difficulty and closed his eyes.


    This was precisely what he was worried about happening while trapped on a boat¡­


    A situation arising that meant he may lose control over his magic, and not only would there be witnesses, but there would be a chance that someone could get caught up in his power, and he could do nothing to help them.


    *


    ¡°Captain Pinnel, the pirates are just bobbing around the ship while their own vessel draws closer, we¡¯ve got Basque and Torrie on either side of the decks prepared to fire off the crossbows at them, but we don¡¯t want to waste resources.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re anticipating taking no survivors if we jump in the water¡­¡± the captain rumbled ferociously as he stared at the lifeboats.


    ¡°Why are you allowing their captain aboard ship?¡± the first mate who stood with the captain, Declan, had his dark brown eyes intent on his superior.


    The captain, a fit man in his early forties, stared at the pirate¡¯s ship that was pulling up alongside their own. ¡°Because Lord Tamlin Ashowan said it would be fine if we did.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± the first mate turned the toes of his boots to face his superior squarely.


    ¡°He said he would defer to me, but that he believed he could manage the negotiation, as long as we didn¡¯t reveal who he was.¡±


    ¡°He is a pampered noble!¡± the first mate declared angrily. ¡°He is well-known for being adept at paperwork and useless everywhere else! He is not capable like the rest of his family!¡±


    ¡°Have you seen him train with his assistant?¡± the captain asked softly, his eyes gleaming when they rested on Declan.


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t,¡± the first mate confessed before perking up interestedly. ¡°Why? Did you see his magic?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ But he is skilled. He can handle himself far better than you think. I only watched for a short while before he noticed me and stopped, but truthfully? I sincerely doubt anyone in the Ashowan family is useless.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re gambling our crew getting slaughtered on barely any-¡±


    The sound of a gangplank slamming down on their deck stopped Declan from making another furious comment.


    The two men turned toward in time to see the Zinferan pirate captain sauntering across the gangplank without a care in the world, the yellow plume in his hat matching the yellow of his baggy pants. He wore a well made black coat that he had obviously stolen from a nobleman who was a different, larger size altogether, and a crisp white tunic that signified he was a rather wealthy pirate¡­ And of course, no one missed the curved sword on his hip.


    He had long black hair threaded with white, but as for his facial features, they were hidden by his hat, though a silver hoop in his right earlobe flashed in the faint light of their torches and lanterns¡­


    ¡°Where is Ashowan?¡± Declan asked suddenly as he glanced around the ship deck, expecting to find the future duke standing, wearing his usual black vest and pants, hands in pockets, waiting.


    Instead he was nowhere to be seen.


    The captain said nothing, but there was a peculiar calm about him¡­ Almost as though he knew something Declan didn¡¯t.


    One of the Daxarian crew members approached the Zinferan pirate as he stepped on board with five other men under his command at his back.


    ¡°Did you tell Roberts to greet them?¡± Declan asked the captain slowly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Captain Pinnel craned his neck to see that his crew member was gesturing toward the bow of the ship, still looking remarkably unperturbed.


    ¡°Why would Lord Tam want to meet with the man up there?¡± Declan wondered with growing exasperation.


    Captain Pinnel paused, tilted his head, then glanced over to the port side of his boat as he listened to shouts and orders to move the lifeboats drifted up, which drew a smile up from the captain¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°By the Gods he guessed right.¡±


    Declan looked at the captain, puzzled.


    ¡°Lord Tam just forced two of the boats to have to move to keep an eye on the pirate captain. We have less eyes on us on this end of the ship. Declan, start quietly letting the men know that my cabin is empty and¡­ if they happen to have those steel spears, they should be able to add some¡­ renovations to the pirate ship beside us from my window.¡±


    Momentarily stunned by the turn of events, the first mate gave a quiet chuckle of awed disbelief before saying, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

 Chapter 19: A Pivotal Parlay

    Tam stood at the bow of the ship, the sea breeze cool when it brushed along the back of his neck, a sensation he was still getting used to since cutting his hair¡­


    His hands were tucked into his pockets and he leaned against the railing, feigning a casual air as the Zinferan pirate captain sauntered the rest of the way over to him.


    ¡°Good evening, sir,¡± the pirate called out. ¡°I am Captain Kwon.¡± He tilted his head, a smug smile on his face, revealing a gold eye tooth that glinted in the lantern lights that Tam had seen to hanging up to better light the space.


    ¡°I am Mr. Voll. I¡¯m a scholar who is hoping to revive the study of astrology in Daxaria. I was hoping I might persuade you that there is nothing of value on this ship aside from the men.¡± Tam bowed his head.


    Captain Kwon ran his tongue over his golden tooth, the short goatee around his mouth shifting in the light to reveal it was spackled with white.


    ¡°That could be believable if you weren¡¯t looking so¡­¡± he considered how to finish his sentence while eyeing Tam up and down. ¡°Calm. Or if there wasn¡¯t any notice given to the Gondol harbor that you¡¯re arriving.¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t going to Gondol. We¡¯re sailing around the south of Zinfera and docking in Junya. As the oldest city in Zinfera, they are more likely to have old texts on the constellations,¡± Tam lied easily about their destination while mixing in a bit of truth about the city Junya. ¡°And I¡¯m not overly worried because like I said, there isn¡¯t really anything to steal.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about that. This is a fine boat.¡± Captain Kwon looked around with an appraising eye.


    ¡°You¡¯d spread your crew thin sailing two ships,¡± Tam stated bluntly.


    Captain Kwon¡¯s slanted eyes drifted back to Tam, and after a moment of silent evaluation, he scoffed. ¡°See, there¡¯s that superior attitude that tells me you aren¡¯t just some scholar, and I don¡¯t like being lied to in my waters. Now, how about you let me know who you really are, or¡­¡± the pirate pulled his sword, and Tam could tell by the way he gracefully angled his feet that he was damn good at using it. ¡°I¡¯ll kill everyone on this ship and take whatever I find. It won¡¯t be hard to steer a ship to Ori and sell it off anyway. Not since the creature has been lurking around.¡±


    ¡°Creature?¡± Tam frowned.


    Captain Kwon began stretching the wrist of his hand holding his sword, making the blade weave lazily closer to Tam.


    ¡°Ah, you haven¡¯t heard about ships disappearing around Zinfera? Gone without a trace¡­ No survivors. The only reason anyone knows it isn¡¯t liberal sailors such as ourselves, is a young deckhand happened to see it happening one day from another merchant ship. After alerting his captain, well¡­ Every spyglass was spoken for.¡±


    Tam felt his heart skip several beats. ¡°What did it-¡±


    With a quick jolt, Captain Kwon¡¯s sword tip dove forward, and stopped abruptly, hovering an inch from Tam¡¯s left eye.


    Tam¡¯s hands had seized the rail behind him, prepared to launch himself off the back. His magic surged in him, and the wretched sensation felt like it was trying to tear apart his skin from his muscles¡­


    The captain smirked, and opened his mouth to most likely say something along the lines of how he didn¡¯t feel like talking about the mysterious sea creature plaguing the Alcide Sea near Zinfera¡¯s shores, when he noticed a flicker by the lantern to Tam¡¯s right¡­


    His eyes swiveled to it¡­ And discovered black wisps streaked with silver in the light, fluttering from Tam¡¯s skin.


    ¡°What-¡±


    It was Tam¡¯s turn to interrupt Captain Kwon as his left forearm came up in a flash while the captain was distracted, knocking the blade aside and before the captain could recover, Tam had shot his heel into his lean gut.


    There were shouts from the pirate ship, and the pounding of boots on the deck of their ship thundered like a coming storm¡­


    But the captain held up his hand, halting the ruckus, his eyes intent, and wide on Tam as he slowly brought himself to standing after recovering from being kicked.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t a normal human, are you?¡±


    Tam¡¯s insides graduated to sharp prickles thanks to his magic to the point that it made his brain feel like it was crawling with ants.


    ¡°You should go back to your ship and say there is nothing of value here,¡± the future duke¡¯s voice came out a rasp, and he didn¡¯t dare move in that moment.


    He could feel the power leaking from him against his will.


    The pirate captain tried to smile with his former bravado but failed horribly. The grip on his sword turned unsteady.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving until I get something of value from this ship.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t value your own life?¡± Tam locked eyes with the captain, and the man paled.


    ¡°This Daxarian crew can¡¯t hold up against-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need the crew to deal with you.¡± Tam knew it was dangerous to take a step closer to the captain. Knew he was hanging on by a thread to his magic¡­ but he needed to wrap things up quickly. He needed to go to a small, safe room, and get his magic to stop trying to tear him, and anything around him, apart.


    The captain made the grave error then, in interpreting Tam¡¯s desperate gaze, to mean that he had the upper hand.


    Unbeknownst to Captain Kwon, over his shoulder, Tam noticed someone emerging from below deck¡­


    Luca.


    Eli was scrambling up behind him¡­ The boy must have thought he could run up and help. He had probably heard the earlier commotion on the boat beside them and thought the fighting had started.


    The five men that the pirate captain had boarded with all looked at Luca and Eli, and their swords lifted.


    Tam¡¯s grasp of control dissolved.


    ¡°Men!¡± the captain roared, intending to follow up the call with orders¡­


    However, he discovered his sword was on the ground, and his attention was suddenly consumed with the sight with Tam¡¯s pale face, with eyes filled with obsidian, and black and silver smokey tendrils fanning out from his body, seemingly consuming the world around him. How had he moved so quickly¡­?


    Captain Kwon soiled himself, and then he was thrown overboard before he could even recognize that he¡¯d done so.


    Tam swallowed with difficulty, still battling against his power¡­


    The pendant underneath his shirt glowed as he started to utter guttural words and turn toward the stairs that would take him back down to the main deck where four of the captain¡¯s men that had previously been heading toward Eli and Luca had bolted up to help their captain.


    Tam pulled out his two knives from behind him, still murmuring under his breath, making the glowing crystal under his shirt gleam brighter, and brighter.


    By the time the pirates had reached his deck, Tam had successfully battled back the darkness that had poured from him, but his eyes remained filled with inky pools that, when they fixed on the first two pirates, made them falter. Their murderous expressions falling to fearful ones.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.He approached them, fluidly flipped a blade in his hand, and when they attempted to return to their senses in order to lunge at him, found they were too slow, and they, too, joined their captain in the cold waters of the Alcide Sea¨C alive, thankfully.


    The next two on the stairs following their crewmates happened to be more seasoned in skirmishes, and so, when Tam¡¯s black gaze turned toward them, while they were taken aback, they recovered in an instant.


    Gripping either side of the railing, Tam swung his legs up, and when the pirate in front tried to slice Tam¡¯s leg off just below the knee, had his blade kicked aside with Tam¡¯s left boot heel, and his chin smashed with his right, sending him tumbling back into his fellow pirate.


    Tam glanced over where he had last seen Eli and Luca, and was momentarily relieved to see that his assistant had somehow managed to shove Luca back below deck despite her not being all that large herself, but when Tam saw Eli staring up at the pirate that easily had more than a hundred pound advantage approaching her, he leapt over the pirates that were still recovering on the deck at the bottom of the stairs, and sprinted toward her.


    He wasn¡¯t successful in getting to Eli, however, before more of the pirates had stormed the gangplank. Luckily, some of the crew on Tam¡¯s ship had sprung into action to stop the entire pirate crew from coming on, but the ones that had made it over had already seen what Tam had done to their fellow pirates, and identified him as the biggest problem to handle.


    Three of the pirates appeared in front of Tam. Unbeknownst to the future duke, his eyes had temporarily returned to normal, but three obstacles with poor hygiene appearing in his sights between himself and Eli had them flickering back to blackness.


    ¡°Gods¡­ it¡¯s the devil¡­¡± One of the pirates gasped while his two accomplices standing on either side of him shared nervous glances.


    ¡°Get off this ship.¡± Tam couldn¡¯t tell what he looked like in that moment, but he hurriedly reasoned out that if they already looked terrified of him and were calling him the devil, there was a chance he could get them to flee without having to fight them.


    Sadly, the seasoned sea dogs were determined to uphold their dignity as pirates, and so with gritted teeth, the two Zinferan pirates lunged toward Tam with their curved swords.


    Luckily for Tam, neither of them were quite as skilled as their captain, and so he was able to step back, then to the side out of their reach, his eyes darting to Eli just in time to see her dodge a swipe of another pirate¡¯s sword, followed by Captain Pinnel¡¯s arrival and interference to save her.


    The time it took Tam to see this had distracted him long enough that the next slash that came directed toward his middle, he wasn¡¯t quick enough in dodging, and as a result he felt the awful, stinging pain of getting sliced across his abdomen.


    Stumbling back, his free hand seizing his wounded gut, Tam saw the sword swinging back toward him a second time, but he was able to move quickly enough that he dodged it, and succeeded in plunging his knife into his assailant¡¯s kidney.


    The pirate crumpled onto his side, taking Tam¡¯s blade with him, and giving the two other pirate comrades a better opportunity to strike him.


    Fortunately, Tam had been trained for such circumstances, and so he lowered his head, leapt over the body of the man he had just stabbed, and rammed his shoulder into the nearest pirate, toppling the two over together much in the same way he had with the other two pirates on the stairs.


    By the time this happened, the first mate of Tam¡¯s ship, Declan, appeared and was able to give the killing blow to the pirate that had fallen as a result of his crewmate being shoved at him, but the one Tam had shouldered had already recovered and drew a knife from his boot, shot upward, and thrust the blade toward Tam¡¯s throat.


    Seeing this, Tam seized the pirate¡¯s arm with his left hand, then elbowed back with his right arm, breaking the pirate¡¯s nose.


    Declan ran the final man through right in time for them to hear shouts from the pirate ship beside them that they had already steering away from.


    ¡°WE¡¯RE TAKING ON WATER!¡±


    Tam released a breath of relief to see that the pirate ship had already moved far enough away that no one could jump or throw hooks that could reach them. After a quick scan around himself, Tam saw that the other pirates that had managed to get on board had been dispatched by the crew, though there was a Daxarian man Tam had seen on deck of his own ship managing the sails that was lying quite still near the railing where the gangplank was¡­


    Closing his eyes in both pain and guilt, the future duke tried to steady the world around him as it began to spin.


    Only, it occurred to him then that the first mate wasn¡¯t saying anything despite his passenger being quite obviously injured¡­


    Opening his eyes again, Tam squinted and peered at Declan who flinched in response.


    If he hadn¡¯t been focused on the throbbing pain that was radiating from his middle, Tam would¡¯ve felt his stomach churn at the fear in the man¡¯s eyes.


    However, Tam decided that was something he could worry about later as, with shuffling steps he made his way toward the stairs that would take him below deck, where he would first check on Eli and Luca, and then maybe see about bandaging his wound.


    The stickiness of his blood and the metallic smell grew stronger in Tam¡¯s nose, and while it was far from his favorite scent, he was at least somewhat used to it.


    With a shaking right hand, Tam seized the railing, and started to descend down below deck.


    ¡°My lord! My lord, I brought bandages, a needle, and thread! I put Luca back in your cabin¨C I¡¯m so sorry he came above deck, he heard the commotion and got worried about you and-¡± Eli had rushed up the stairs to his side, but when she noticed the blood staining his shirt stopped talking abruptly.


    Tam halted on the second step and leaned his head against the wooden wall. He shook his head slowly, and immediately regretted it as the urge to be sick started to build.


    ¡°Not¡­ Your fault¡­ You¡¯re fine? He¡¯s fine?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Eli assured with a firm nod, though she was looking a mite shaken herself.


    ¡°Good¡­ Good. Let¡¯s go to your cabin. I don¡¯t want Luca seeing this¡­¡± Tam swallowed and then resumed his journey back down the stairs, wondering if he was going to vomit or faint first.


    ¡°My lord, I¡­ Luca did not see it, but I¡­ I saw something when you faced the captain¡­ It was like everything around you and he went black¡­ Was that-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t ask about your magic, you don¡¯t ask about mine,¡± Tam managed as he touched down on the corridor deck that would take him to Eli¡¯s cabin.


    ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t sure if it was your magic. My apologies, my lord¡­ I was confused. Especially when it seemed like that necklace you¡¯re wearing was glowing like a mage crystal.¡±


    Tam halted his progress, and looked at Eli.


    Surprisingly, she didn¡¯t flinch.


    ¡°If we¡¯re asking questions now, does your magic somehow make you lighter on your feet?¡±


    Eli¡¯s lips pressed shut, and Tam, having expected this reaction, proceeded forward to her cabin.


    He just wanted to deal with the pain of getting stitched over with so he could go to bed.


    Hopefully the following day he could have some time to rest and think about everything that had transpired.


    Though unbeknownst to him, the surviving pirate crew and even the members of the vessel he rode were all discussing how the mysterious passenger with dark power, had to be none other than the devil, son of the Gods, creator of evil. Though the pirates still hadn¡¯t the faintest idea what Tam¡¯s true identity was.

 Chapter 20: A Straightforward Stitching

    Sitting on the edge of Eli¡¯s bed, Tam did his best to pretend that sweat wasn¡¯t beading along his hairline.


    He knew what was about to happen was going to hurt, and so he tried thinking about anything other than getting sewn up on a rocking boat by his assistant who most likely hadn¡¯t sewn up that many people, particularly at sea, while he waited for her to retrieve the bottle of moonshine that was absolutely necessary at that moment.


    For one thing, Captain Kwon of the pirates they had just evaded had mentioned a creature that was sinking boats along Zinfera¡¯s northern border¡­


    Was it the dragon?


    No one had mentioned anything about it on board this Daxarian ship¡­


    I¡¯ll ask around the harbor when we arrive. We¡¯ll rest for a couple of days and stock up on supplies for crossing the desert¡­ Mum said our guides will meet us at the docks. Hopefully they don¡¯t quit when they find out Luca is with us¡­


    The cabin door opened a crack and Eli slipped in, the bottle of moonshine, thankfully, in hand.


    ¡°Alright, my lord, we should hurry. Luca is getting restless the longer you are away.¡±


    Tam nodded, not bothering to muster the strength to speak, then proceeded to strip off his torn black vest, followed by his tunic.


    Due to his injured state, he was unaware that Eli¡¯s eyes went round, and her cheeks started to burn as she took in his bare torso.


    As she had suspected during their training, Tamlin Ashowan had a build that he kept well hidden, and with no oversized tunic to hide behind, Eli no longer needed to speculate what kind of physique he sported.


    Oblivious to his assistant¡¯s reaction, Tam tossed his bloody clothes onto the cabin deck. ¡°Sorry about the mess.¡±


    He lifted his chin and stared at Eli, who was then subjected to a surprising and disarming wave of tingling throughout her being when he did so.


    She was spared from him noticing her flustered state as he reached desperately for the moonshine in her hands. Though it took her another moment to realize that was what he was doing¡­ She, in a spell of madness, briefly thought he was trying to hold her hand.


    Awkwardly, Eli thrust the bottle at her employer, and he gratefully took it, uncorked it, and proceeded to lift it to his mouth and take steady gulps.


    ¡°M-My lord?! You said that was to clean the wound!¡±


    Tam finished his consumption and lowered the bottle to stare at her, looking moderately more at peace with his circumstances.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m going to sit perfectly still while you jab me with a needle twenty or more times in a row without anything for the pain?¡±


    ¡°Some men do!¡± she blurted before noticing what she had accidentally inferred.


    Tam took no offense, but he did raise his eyebrows and give a quiet chuckle when it showed on her face that she belatedly realized she¡¯d insulted him.


    He blinked leisurely. ¡°I¡¯m willing to bet that if these men you know had the option to take some moonshine every time they were injured, they would. And if I were to lose that bet? I still don¡¯t see why I should suffer pointlessly because someone else is willing to. Now, would you prefer me to lie down on the bed or the floor?¡±


    Eli swallowed.


    It was probably just because Tam knew she was a woman that she felt so uncomfortable to begin with¡­ But the idea of him laying half naked on her bed was making it very hard not to squirm, and so she jerked her chin downward.


    ¡°Floor. It looks like they cut you straight across so it¡¯ll be easier to reach over you,¡± she explained shortly.


    Tam nodded, then with a rumble in the back of his throat, eased himself off the edge of the bed with its dull blue, wool coverlet, and onto the floor, prompting Eli to sidle over to her desk, pluck up the needle and thread, and then slip the needle through the flame of her lantern to sterilize it.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky that it doesn¡¯t look like they punctured any important organs,¡± the assistant noted conversationally.


    ¡°True enough. Though I¡¯m starting to think my family is cursed when it comes to boats and traveling. My sister had her own incident when she was sailing to Troivack, and then she got stabbed a few times while there¡­ And now I¡¯m here¡­ Almost gutted by pirates.¡±


    ¡°Did your sister discover she had an illegitimate child as well?¡± Eli questioned drolly, in hopes of distracting herself from Tamlin Ashowan¡¯s muscular torso as she turned around from the lantern.


    ¡°No¡­ Though she did have a scandalous marriage.¡±


    ¡°I remember,¡± Eli said with a sigh as she proceeded to thread the needle.


    ¡°Do you miss Troivack?¡± Tam asked abruptly.


    Eli scoffed. ¡°Why yes, of course I miss enforced labor while being under investigation for crimes against the Troivackian crown.¡±


    Tam stared at the ceiling of the cabin and gave a slight wince¡­ Until she proceeded to slosh the moonshine on his wound and he cringed for a whole new reason.


    ¡°Godsdamnit that¡¯s¨C Shit,¡± Tam¡¯s fists clenched at his sides as he tried to take deep breaths through his nose.


    Eli refused to look at his face from then on. The less distracted she was the sooner she could finish.


    And so without waiting for the evident throbbing pain from the moonshine to stop, she started to work on closing the wound while ignoring the flexing abdomen beneath her hands.


    ¡°Zinfera!¡± Tam gasped out. ¡°Tell me about Zinfera!¡±


    Due to her attention being focused on her task at hand, Eli actually answered before calculating her words.


    ¡°Zinfera¡­ If there is a corner of that kingdom where its people aren¡¯t selfish or self serving, I¡¯d be shocked. I wasn¡¯t born into a poor family by any stretch of the imagination, but they still sold me off to the emperor because they could acquire even more prestige and wealth.¡±


    Tam¡¯s body relaxed as he listened.


    ¡°What did you think about the Zinferan food?¡±


    ¡°The food was¡­ Food. I didn¡¯t think much about it.¡± Eli squinted, unsure if she was looking at a wide spot of Tam¡¯s injury, or if it was just blood smeared more heavily in that area. ¡°The tea is the only thing I truly miss about it.¡±


    ¡°Was your family¡­ involved in the tea trade¡­?¡± Tam wondered with a faint grunt as Eli worked closer toward the space below his navel.


    ¡°They weren¡¯t until after I was sold off. They actually invested in the rooibos distribution. Not many Zinferans thought it would be successful because it technically comes from Lobahl.¡±


    ¡°How old¡­ Were you?¡± Tam bit down on his tongue until he drew blood as the needle sifted through him.


    ¡°When they handed me over to Chin? Eight.¡±


    ¡°Chin?¡±


    ¡°The emperor¡¯s mother Chin Taejo. She was the one who insisted that the emperor should adopt me.¡±


    ¡°That must¡¯ve been¡­ Hard.¡± Tam voiced slowly. He wondered if she realized she had just revealed that rather than being a mere servant at the emperor¡¯s palace, she had been one of the adopted children¡­ He decided not to draw attention to the fact in an effort to keep her talking.


    Especially as this profound discovery was distracting him magnificently from the pain he was in.


    Eli¡¯s mouth twitched, her mood turning brittle. ¡°It was a blessing in a way that I left my mother and father¡¯s home. I was happier with Chin than I was with them.¡±


    ¡°You lived with the emperor¡¯s mother? Instead of the other children?¡±


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    ¡°The emperor¡¯s adopted children are usually sponsored by other concubines or officials in his court. If it means they can increase their odds of having someone they can control inheriting the throne; most people jump at the chance.¡±


    ¡°But they didn¡¯t with you? Was it because your family aren¡¯t nobility?¡±


    ¡°No. They are. But my mother complained about my magic to the other nobles and it influenced everyone¡¯s opinions of me.¡±


    Tam¡¯s gaze slid from the ceiling to Eli¡¯s profile and saw the weary irritation in the set of her mouth.


    ¡°I take it when the emperor¡¯s mother died a few years ago that was when you were abducted and sold off?¡±


    Eli knotted the end of the thread, and looked around for a knife, but when she didn¡¯t find one, shrugged and set to biting off the ends of the thread, which put her mouth a breath away from Tam¡¯s abdomen, and he suddenly was in a whole new world of discomfort.


    He sincerely hoped she didn¡¯t notice as he closed his eyes firmly and started thinking of Lord Dick Fuks striding around the castle in Daxaria nude in order to alleviate his troubling symptom of distress.


    Once finished with her task, Eli leaned back onto her haunches, though Tam could still feel the goosebumps near his hip where she had hovered moments before.


    ¡°It took a few months after Chin died, but yes. Without Chin looking out for me, and the emperor not having his mother there to manage his concubines, I was abducted by people working for one of the more influential women. They intended to have me die slowly in slavery, but¡­ well¡­¡±


    ¡°You used magic?¡± Tam guessed without moving, he wondered if he continued laying there if the conversation would naturally proceed.


    ¡°Yes. And the slave traders figured out I could be useful.¡±


    ¡°How is it you met Eric Reyes?¡± Tam wondered, his mind turning over to his brother-in-law¡¯s, the Daxarian king, history.


    ¡°He was abducted for ransom a year into my stint with the traders. It was thanks to him I was freed for a while,¡± Eli let out a long steadying breath. ¡°My lord, I¡¯ve shared a good amount about myself. I¡¯d say I¡¯ve earned a few answers.¡±


    Tam¡¯s eyes snapped to her poised expression.


    So she had shared some of her secrets intentionally to leverage him.


    Pushing himself up with a subtle groan of pain, Tam eased himself back to lean against the planks of the cabin wall. ¡°I never agreed to that exchange.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a fair man,¡± Eli argued, her eyes sharp. There was a hint of panic in her composure that betrayed the fear that he wouldn¡¯t allow her underhanded negotiation to pass.


    And if it weren¡¯t for the moonshine that was making Tam¡¯s face flush, it might not have.


    ¡°You should know better than anyone, when it comes to survival, things aren¡¯t always fair.¡±


    Eli¡¯s eyebrows twitched and the flash of hurt and anger that moved through them motivated Tam¡¯s concession even faster.


    ¡°Fine. My magic¡­ Part of the reason I don¡¯t talk about it is because I don¡¯t understand it myself, and if I say as much to any of my family members or the coven, they are going to suggest experimenting and I do not want to try anything with my ability. What happened today was because I couldn¡¯t control it.¡±


    ¡°Then your power is that you¡­ Emit darkness? Or¡­ Night?¡± Eli speculated with a frown.


    Tam¡¯s head flopped forward. ¡°I disappear, and anything I happen to touch or am near goes with me.¡±


    Silence flattened the air between the pair.


    ¡°Where do you disappear to exactly¡­?¡±


    ¡°No idea. It¡¯s nothing but blackness, and I don¡¯t have a body if it completely overtakes me. I have no sense of time, place¡­ anything. It¡¯s just me, but lost in a void.¡±


    Eli tried to imagine what he was describing. Being in absolute black nothingness¡­


    ¡°Why do you have a mage crystal?¡± she plunged on instead of fully comprehending his previous answer.


    Tam looked at her dumbly, then back down at his chest where the crystal hung on its gold chain blatantly against his chest.


    ¡°It helps me not disappear when my magic starts getting the best of me. Kind of like¡­ Well¡­ the stars. It¡¯s something I can hang onto and keep an eye on to make my way back¡­ even though it¡¯s a feeling I¡¯m chasing. I always found constellations and their stories interesting, but I think they¡¯re comforting because they tell you where you are when everything is gone. I got the idea about using a mage crystal years ago after I had an¡­ an outburst.¡±


    ¡°Was the outburst the time you made an entire wall and desk full of important paperwork disappear?¡±


    Tam stared at Eli blankly. ¡°Who told you about that?¡±


    ¡°Her Majesty Queen Alina heard about it from Her Grace, your mother, when some important documents regarding the coffee trade went missing.¡±


    ¡°-And you found out because you were working alongside Likon, who you most likely had to work together with to draft whatever paperwork needed to be resent,¡± Tam surmised with a grunt of irritation before closing his eyes and rubbing his face.


    ¡°By the way¡­¡± Eli hedged, already angling her tone so she could maybe yank free one more answer from her employer¨C even though she had just been told secrets that no one else knew about Tamlin Ashowan. ¡°Are you aware that your eyes turn black with your magic? Are you able to see when that is happening? Or is it like when Her Majesty, your sister, is overcome with her own abilities? Not that I¡¯ve seen her use her power, but I¡¯ve heard multiple accounts about what it¡¯s like when she does.¡±


    Tam¡¯s attention snapped back up at the description of his eyes during his magic incident.


    Apparently he hadn¡¯t been aware of that¡­ And unfortunately the question broke his streak of direct responses.


    Tam looked around the cabin. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to have a tunic that would fit me in here, would you?¡±


    Not bothering to mask her disappointment that she was not going to uncover more about him, Eli stood. ¡°No, my lord, but I¡¯ll go get you one. I¡¯ll let Luca know you¡¯re on your way back to him.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Tam reached for the bottle of moonshine that remained half filled, and took another mouthful while Eli slipped out of the cabin.


    He stared blindly ahead of himself, his head light and his body throbbing in pain, but warm from drink.


    He already regretted revealing the truth about his magic.


    Why the hell had he confided in Eli? He barely knew her, and she could be a spy for someone. She could have made up her entire back story! Besides, if she let it slip about his power? The Coven of Wittica would be breaking down his father¡¯s door, insisting they learn more about his abilities, and saying it was just to ensure he wasn¡¯t a threat¡­


    Anxiety wormed its way through the throbbing in his gut and the alcohol.


    Why had he lost control of his power when faced with the pirates to begin with? He had been in far worse situations thanks to his more secretive line of work with his mother¡­


    Had it just been because he was trapped with nowhere to go in the middle of the sea?


    Or was it that now that he had a child, his sense of responsibility and frayed emotions had cost more than he realized? After all, he wouldn¡¯t have been so sloppy during the fight and gotten hurt if he hadn¡¯t been watching out for Luca and Eli¡­


    Tam allowed his head to thump back against the cabin wall.


    He hadn¡¯t even arrived in Zinfera, and already, everything had spun far out of his control.


    Maybe I should¡¯ve been more understanding of Kat growing up¡­ Things really do just happen sometimes.

 Chapter 21: Curious Questions

    Tam shuffled his way to his cabin after being sewn up by Eli, wondering if perhaps he should have accepted her help in getting there as the ship started to a rock a little more violently beneath his feet.


    By the time he finally reached the end of the passage, his hand resting on the door handle. The future duke was forced to swallow down the bile that burned the back of his throat, and hoped the sheen of sweat over his forehead wasn¡¯t all that noticeable in the dim light of the night.


    His mental preparations were interrupted, however, when the door to his cabin swung open, and there stood Luca, breathing hard, and tears already falling down his face.


    Tam blinked down at him, caught by surprise, but when the child saw his father standing before him, burst out into fresh sobs.


    Instantly forgetting about his pain and nausea, Tam hurriedly stepped forward, knelt, and hugged Luca.


    He could feel the boy¡¯s tears soaking through his tunic as he held him, and he could smell the wind in Luca¡¯s tangled black hair from having spent most of his time outside that day¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Tam murmured with a grand attempt at sounding comforting.


    Luca still couldn¡¯t bring himself to speak, and so Tam didn¡¯t release him from the embrace. He simply allowed his son to cry as long as he wished, though the longer it did carry on, the more uncomfortable Tam¡¯s right knee became, and thus it began wobbling on the wooden planks of the deck.


    Just as he was about to gently tell his son he really needed to lie or sit down, Luca pulled away, hastily wiping his tears from his face with the sleeve of his tunic.


    ¡°S-Sorry for crying, Tam,¡± Luca managed while sniffling.


    Tam tousled the lad¡¯s hair and gave a half smile he hoped didn¡¯t betray any of the pain he was feeling from his injury or his knee¡­ Or the fact that he was moderately inebriated¡­


    ¡°You have nothing to be sorry about. It was frightening. Even I wasn¡¯t sure what would happen.¡±


    Luca¡¯s hands gripped his own pant legs as his brows stroked downward to a frown. ¡°Why didn¡¯t the captain take care of them on his own?¡±


    The future duke pushed himself back up to a standing position, doing his best to make his expression appear pensive rather than anguished from the action.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m a lord, and as the highest ranking person on this ship, I should be responsible for everyone. Especially because I¡¯m the whole reason they¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°My Uncle Liam said you don¡¯t have a title yet, but that you¡¯ll be a duke one day,¡± the boy recalled offhandedly.


    Tam pursed his lips while guiding Luca to the table and chairs in his cabin. ¡°The first born sons in noble families are still lords. They don¡¯t have official titles until they inherit, but¡­ There you have it. And I might just be a viscount. Not a duke.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Luca asked while plunking himself down in the chair across from Tam while giving his nose another cursory wipe with the back of his sleeve.


    ¡°Mm, that¡¯s a bit complicated to explain right now.¡± Tam¡¯s head was already hurting, making his thoughts sluggish thanks to his need for sleep. Despite this, he knew he had to address one particular thing before going to bed. ¡°Luca, in the future, I need you to swear to me that you¡¯ll listen if myself or Eli tell you to stay put. You could have been hurt today, or seen things you shouldn¡¯t have.¡±


    At this, Luca¡¯s shoulders widened, and his chest rose as he locked eyes with his father. ¡°A man doesn¡¯t back down when his family is in a fight.¡±


    Tam didn¡¯t respond straight away.


    Instead, he pondered this reaction¡­


    He thought back to Rosaline¡¯s brother, Liam¡­ He had been all about family loyalty, so it did make sense that he would have hammered in a principle like that one. But it still didn¡¯t add up that he wouldn¡¯t have even named Rosealine¡¯s child the more he thought about it¡­


    But, that was a problem for a sober, rested, Tam to figure out¡­


    And so, Tam looked at his son levelly, and said. ¡°Promise me, Luca. Or I¡¯ll have to find a way to send you back to Daxaria without me. I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t have you putting yourself in danger. I¡¯ll be too worried. Then again, maybe you¡¯d prefer going back. I can arrange for you to be received by my father, Duke Finlay Ashowan, and he will take care of you until I return.¡±


    As Tam spoke, he wearily rubbed his left eye as his mind stumbled through everything he would need to do to arrange for Luca to make safe passage home¡­ Perhaps he would send Eli back with him. That wouldn¡¯t be an issue either, and she would probably prefer staying out of the kingdom that had given her nothing but pain¡­


    Then the sound of Luca¡¯s rapid breaths through his nose reached Tam¡¯s ears and registered in his clouded mind.


    Looking up, Tam saw that Luca¡¯s eyes were shining once more with tears.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Luca croaked, his hands fidgeting under the table. ¡°I-I promise I won¡¯t get in the way again¨C I¡¯m sorry I-I-I didn¡¯t listen, I¡¯ll be better, I promise, I¡¯ll¨C¡±


    Tam stood, even though it made the sharp agony bite hard into his flesh, rounded the table, and crouched down to be eye level with his son. He was relatively certain he broke a stitch doing it, but he didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°I want to be with you, Luca. I only just got to meet you, and I¡¯ve loved having our nightly meetings where we get to stargaze. But that also means that I hate the thought of something happening to you. You scared me today more than you could ever imagine when I saw that you came up when those pirates were on board.¡±


    Luca didn¡¯t stop fidgeting, nor was successful in preventing a fresh wave of tears, but at least his anguished expression had eased a little¡­


    ¡°I thought you were gonna die today,¡± Luca confessed, his nose already dripping again, prompting Tam to reach over with the sleeve of his own tunic and wipe Luca¡¯s face.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to die today, and I don¡¯t plan on dying tomorrow either, and most importantly, I don¡¯t want you dying today, tomorrow, next month, or even in twenty years. You have to live until you¡¯re a hunched over old man. The kind of old man that farts without knowing it, and even if he did? He wouldn¡¯t care.¡±


    At this, Luca let out a burbling laugh.


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    Tam smiled encouragingly at the reaction. Fart jokes always went over well with his nephews, he was glad it seemed to be the same way for Luca.


    ¡°So, you promise me that you¡¯re going to listen if I tell you to hide?¡±


    Luca¡¯s mouth flattened and he looked down with obvious displeasure. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Tam squeezed Luca¡¯s upper left arm. ¡°It¡¯d be a shame to not get to spend as much time as possible together, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    All troubling feelings that had moved across Luca¡¯s face during their conversation melted away then, as he nodded with a smile already sprouting, the left corner of his mouth lifting first, followed by a brief pursing, as though he weren¡¯t sure he were allowed to grin.


    Seeing this, Tam smiled blatantly, reached up and rested his hand on top of Luca¡¯s hair, and said, ¡°How about we go to sleep for tonight, and tomorrow¡­ What do you think about cutting your hair?¡±


    Luca paused, staring at him. ¡°My¡­ My mother said my eyes scared people.¡±


    Tam had to fight off the alarmed and agitated reaction he was having to the news, and decided to not try and make the lad feel bad in any way about his upbringing.


    ¡°Well, they don¡¯t scare me. Or Eli. We all have brown eyes, isn¡¯t that interesting?¡±


    ¡°My mother had dark blue eyes.¡±


    Nodding, Tam stood back up. ¡°That she did. I remember when I met her they reminded me of dark sapphires.¡±


    Luca leaned forward. ¡°She says you had a nice voice and she didn¡¯t expect it.¡±


    Tam chuckled while also subtly gesturing Luca toward his own hammock that had been added the first day he¡¯d been discovered in the corner close to Tam¡¯s bed.


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have been the first person to say that about me.¡±


    ¡°Did you love her?¡± While Luca may have wondered the question using an easygoing tone, there was a fragility in his face that told Tam it was far from casual. And so he prayed to the Goddess that his drunken mind could come up with an appropriate response.


    ¡°I¡­ I really liked Rosaline. And I think she really liked me, but your mother is very committed to running her business¨C as she should be! She¡¯s wonderful at it, and I was young at the time, she was a bit older, and it just wasn¡¯t meant to be more.¡±


    Luca climbed into his hammock, an earnest glint in his eyes when he said, ¡°If she wasn¡¯t as focused on her business, would you two have loved each other then?¡±


    Tam felt his insides curling and writhing. A mixture of guilt and empathetic hurt for his son not knowing the same happy, wholesome upbringing he had had wrangled any notion that he should be judgmental of how Rosaline parented Luca


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Luca, but¡­ I will say¡­ regardless of how we ended, I¡¯m glad you exist.¡±


    Luca froze. Foreign emotionlessness taking over him as he stared blankly at Tam.


    ¡°Luca¡­? Luca are you alright?¡±


    Then just as abruptly as it had come on, it ended, Luca blinked and stared up at Tam with the same nervous adoration he had from the very first day they had met.


    ¡°Yeah, everything¡¯s fine¡­ Do you think there¡¯ll be any more pirates though?¡±


    Tam chuckled and almost flinched from the clawing sensation he felt in his abdomen. ¡°I sure hope not. Let¡¯s cross our fingers that we have a peaceful time throughout the rest of our trip.¡±


    ¡°Eli says crossing our fingers isn¡¯t good because it confuses fate on whether it should give you good or bad luck.¡±


    Tam balked. ¡°As in¡­ She thinks fate is a person¡­?¡±


    Luca shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but she got upset about it when I said the same thing! Also!¡± Luca dropped his voice to a whisper. ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to keep saying Eli¡¯s a boy?¡±


    Fighting off a smile at the mention of such a funny superstition, Tam nodded, and lowered his voice to match Luca¡¯s. ¡°Yes. You¡¯re absolutely right.¡±


    ¡°Why does she want to pretend to be a boy though?¡± Luca proceeded to whisper even more quietly.


    ¡°She feels safer pretending to be a man than being a woman.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Luca paused thoughtfully, then nodded to himself as he reasoned out how practical it was. ¡°Are you and Eli in love?¡±


    Tam¡¯s eyes bulged and his mouth went taut at the surprise turn in questions.


    ¡°No we are not, why do you ask?¡± he forced out calmly.


    ¡°Because you are always together, you keep secrets for each other¡­ And¡­ And you smile more when she¡¯s around.¡±


    This observation succeeded in stunning the future duke. Fortunately for him, Luca was already turning over in his hammock preparing to go to sleep. When Tam eventually returned to his senses enough to notice he was standing staring at the cabin wall, he turned around and proceeded to his own bed, snuffing out the candles and lanterns as he did so, his thoughts fluttering around aimlessly.


    The longer Tam found himself on the ship with Eli and Luca, the more mysteries cropped up.


    What creature was terrorizing Zinfera¡¯s ships? What had happened to Luca earlier that had him react so bizarrely when Tam had said he was happy he existed? Why was Luca so fixated on love? And lastly¡­ Why in the world was Tam finding himself smiling more and more around Eli?


    Laying down in his bed without bothering to turn down the covers, Tam stared at the ceiling above, and with a breathy laugh out his nose, turned over the most obvious of reasons.


    Maybe I¡¯m getting a little more interested in Eli because I know she¡¯s a woman and maybe it¡¯s because I haven¡¯t been this close to someone¡­ well¡­ ever.


    Tam closed his eyes with a sigh, and fought off a louder laugh.


    I might be getting a crush because I¡¯m in a lot of new situations and am needing someone to rely on. Or because I¡¯ve been thinking about marriage a lot more with Luca being around. It makes sense that it¡¯d happen, but¡­ I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get over it.

 Chapter 22: Family Friends

    By the time Tam¡¯s ship pulled into Ori harbor, he was well aware that his confrontation with the pirates had sparked a new reputation for himself.


    Sadly, it was not one he liked any better than his old one as a mentally unwell, possibly blind, cursed, or scared of his own shadow, lord.


    No, unfortunately, everyone that had borne witness to his fight with the pirates that fateful night instead had concluded¡­


    That Tam was the devil.


    Even the captain barely managed to appear cordial and unruffled in the future duke¡¯s presence.


    Luca, who thankfully hadn¡¯t witnessed the moments of Tam¡¯s leaking magic, noticed the way everyone but himself and Eli were treating his father. He had asked both of them why this was, and Tam had explained that everyone was simply worried that the pirates would come find them again.


    Though Tam could see the uncertainty in Luca¡¯s eyes with that answer.


    At the very least, Luca was aware that it seemed to be a sensitive topic, and amazingly, he was able to stop himself from asking questions.


    Eli and Tam stood, both leaning against the railing of the ship as it was unloaded onto the dock, while Luca had gone to the upper deck to marvel at the harbor town from a better view.


    ¡°My lord, we should leave as quickly as possible before the rumors about you spread throughout Zinfera,¡± Eli murmured to her employer while eyeing the sailors as they hauled out Tam¡¯s trunks filled with books.


    ¡°And we will. I doubt Luca is ever going to see Ori again, so might as well let him take his time looking out.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing much to look at,¡± Eli commented under her breath irritably while turning her face toward the sea that sparkled in the early afternoon sun.


    Tam lifted an eyebrow and shot her a sidelong glance, while stowing his hands in his pockets. ¡°Are you going to be alright being back home?¡±


    Eli¡¯s jaw clenched and unclenched. ¡°It¡¯s been years. People have probably already forgotten about me.¡±


    ¡°I doubt that,¡± Tam gave a snort of disbelief and pushed off from the railing to go holler at Luca, unaware of the stricken look Eli was giving his back.


    The trio gradually made their way down the gangplank to touch down on the dock, taking in their surroundings as the harbor master spoke with the ship¡¯s captain.


    Ori was small, and it wasn¡¯t what most would call an attractive town.


    While the roofs of the buildings had the classic Zinferan tiles with their curved shape and peaked roofs, the walls of the structures were layered in thick coats of dust and salt from the sea, as were the pillars that were painted a bright red with black, whirling designs that marked the end of the dock.


    Beyond Ori, was leagues of desert that Tam, standing in the thick, roasting day, was in no way looking forward to traversing.


    ¡°Your mother mentioned that our guides are well known to your family,¡± Eli recalled while already craning her neck to look along the rocky beach to see if anyone was waving to them.


    ¡°Yes. She tried to keep it a secret, but they¡¯re from Lord Ryu¡¯s family and-¡±


    ¡°Lord Ryu?¡± Eli spun around abruptly. ¡°Is he going to be here?¡±


    Both Tam and Luca halted in their tracks, and unbeknownst to them, they wore identical facial expressions in response to Eli¡¯s outburst.


    ¡°Er¡­ No. I believe he was sending his sons. Bong and Jeong,¡± Tam explained while watching the potent panic in Eli¡¯s face.


    The assistant swallowed, and started nodding to herself, visibly calming herself back down.


    ¡°Do you happen to know¡­ Lord Jiho Ryu¡­?¡± Tam ventured delicately.


    Eli¡¯s eyes darted down to Luca, then back to Tam.


    Ah. She knew him when she was a princess in the emperor¡¯s court. Tam interpreted seamlessly.


    ¡°Well, Bong and Jeong should be here already waiting for us at the local inn. I can ask some of the crew to see if they know where we can find-¡± Tam stopped talking, frowned at something over Eli¡¯s head, then leaned to peer around around his assistant, while Luca did the exact same thing in the opposite direction; a puzzled Eli followed suit.


    There, coming down the dock, were two Zinferan men.


    Both had their black hair tied in buns atop their heads, one was wearing a silk teal coat with white lapels that was tied closed at his waist, while the other wore a royal blue coat. Both wore white, loose pants that fluttered in the wind as they proceeded to leapfrog over one another.


    The one in the teal coat was giggling exuberantly as the other one in the royal blue coat launched himself over his companion¡¯s back, making the sailors filing down the dock give them a wide berth and bewildered stares.


    ¡°What in the-¡±


    Eli¡¯s words were cut off as the man in the blue coat spotted Tam, and instead of going down into a crouch, straightened.


    ¡°TAMLIN!¡± the man shouted with a bright grin, his white teeth flashing¡­ Until the young man behind him leapt at his back, unaware that there was not a lovely little frog in front of him, but a tall obstacle¡­


    An obstacle that was pitched forward by his companion headbutting his spine.


    The two men lay in a heap on the dock seven feet from where Tam and Eli stood.


    Luca was laughing.


    Eli on the other hand¡­ ¡°My lord¡­ Are these men¡­ Our guides?¡±


    ¡°Tamlin!¡± The man in the blue coat hollered up once more, though it was mixed with a grunt as he tried to right himself enough to look up at Tam. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Bong!¡±


    The Zinferan in the teal coat lifted his hand from his face planted position on Bong¡¯s back. ¡°Jeong!¡± he shouted, though the introduction was muffled. He proceeded to push himself off his brother while trying to stretch his nose that was red from the impact.


    Freed, Bong leapt to his feet energetically, his short goatee spreading with his smile as he bowed and held out his hand. ¡°It is an honor to finally meet you! My father has spoken endlessly about your family!¡±


    Tam, caught between amused and wary, slowly reached out and shook Bong¡¯s offered palm.


    Bong, with his high cheekbones, and pointed chin, was a delicate kind of handsome, with a smile that was filled with unbridled happiness.


    Behind him, his brother finished tapping his nose experimentally as though feeling for a break in it


    ¡°This will be a wonderful opportunity for us to get to know each other better, Tam! We¡¯re here to take yo-oooouuu¡­ Why is there a little version of you here?¡± Bong pointed at Luca when he suddenly noticed the boy, who blinked, and went cross eyed while staring down at Bong¡¯s finger. ¡°We heard about your lovely assistant¡­¡± Bong continued while tilting his head in confusion.


    At this, Jeong lunged past his brother and grabbed Eli¡¯s hand, plucking it up and kissing it. ¡°Marvelous to meet you.¡±


    She stared horrified at him, prompting Tam to gently grasp her wrist with one hand, place his other palm on Jeong¡¯s forehead, and shove him away.


    Tam knew Eli was probably reeling behind him at being recognized as a woman, and also for the untoward greeting, but he kept his gaze locked with Bong.


    ¡°This is my son, Luca. And this here, is Eli¨C¡±


    ¡°Your wife! My apologies for my brother, Lady Eli! Here in Ori there aren¡¯t many women you don¡¯t pay to share company with-¡± Bong started to bow to Tam¡¯s assistant while rambling, until Tam cleared his throat loudly, interrupting him.


    ¡°Eli is my assistant. Not my wife.¡±


    Both Bong and Jeong regarded each other, eyes narrowed thoughtfully.


    ¡°So¡­ She¡¯s the mother of your son¡­ and your assistant. By the Goddess are things ever different in Daxaria!¡± Bong shook his head in wonder, while Eli¡¯s jaw dropped, caught in a state of apoplectic embarrassment that had her ears and cheeks burning red while Luca grinned up at her and decided to be a little like his father in being a bit of a mischievous arse, and grasped her hand as though to confirm the Ryu brothers¡¯ speculations.


    ¡°No¡­ No¡­ She¡¯s just my assistant. Luca¡¯s mother¡­ Is not joining us on this trip,¡± Tam explained vaguely, intending to plunder onto a preferred topic such as where they were staying, or what was going to be their strategy for surviving the desert, but both Bong and Jeong were still struggling with the introductions.


    ¡°Wait¡­ So you are¡­ single?¡± Jeong asked, leaning forward once more with the start of a hopeful smile curling the corners of his mouth upward.


    Eli shifted backward, her brows lowering¨C though she hadn¡¯t realized she was holding Luca¡¯s hand, when Tam side stepped between her and Jeong.


    ¡°She is my assistant, nothing more,¡± the firmness in his tone as well as his movements deterred Jeong from making any further advances.


    Bong smiled affably. ¡°Very well¡­ Congratulations on your marriage back in Daxaira though! My father will toast to the good health of your-¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m not married.¡±


    ¡°Oh my.¡± Both Jeong and Bong lifted their hands at the same time to touch their chests. Though instead of disgusted or upset by Tam¡¯s explanation of his illegitimate son¡¯s presence, they looked more enthralled by the notion of such a scandal.


    ¡°Shall we go to the inn to discuss when we are departing?¡± Tam¡¯s eyes were hard, but despite that, neither of the Ryu men looked chastened or worried.


    ¡°Absolutely, Tam! Would you like to leapfrog back? Because of the bounce of these planks you get far more height to your jumps!¡± Bong clapped a hand on Tam¡¯s shoulder and thumped the dock beneath his black boot as proof.


    At first, the future duke opened his mouth to say no, but then he paused and tilted his head, the hint of a smile lighting his face.


    ¡°You know¡­ Luca, I¡¯m sure you would enjoy trying it!¡± Tam swung around and stared at his son, whose eyes widened at being put on the spot.


    Luca looked at Tam in wordless wonder as to why his father would do such a thing, but Tam glanced down at his hand that was still clasping Eli¡¯s, and the knowing smile on his face had Luca blushing and hanging his head in acceptance while letting go of Eli at last.


    ¡°Come along, little Tam! Or, sorry, what was your name again?¡± Jeong proceeded to babble while crouching down into a frog position expectantly.


    As the game resumed, the Ryu brothers hopping over one another and Luca in between asking all sorts of questions, Eli and Tam loitered behind.


    ¡°They knew I was a woman instantly¡­ I need to cut my hair,¡± Eli whispered more to herself than Tam.


    He looked down at his assistant with a sympathetic smile. ¡°Pretending to be a boy might have been something that worked when you were younger, but I think you¡¯re better off owning the fact you are a woman¡­ The choice is up to you, though.¡±


    Eli lifted her face to stare grimly at the Zinferan shore as they walked, her dread visibly growing.


    ¡°It¡¯ll spark rumors about you, my lord.¡±


    ¡°For one, I¡¯ll remind you I am not traveling as a lord, but as a scholar, and for another, even if my identity is found out, my traveling with a woman I think will be overshadowed significantly by Luca¡¯s existence.¡±


    Eli¡¯s sulky expression faded then, as she stared at Tam. ¡°Why did you tell them the details of his birth?¡±


    Tam shrugged. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be hard to find out if I lied, and it could make a lot of things more complicated later on. If I lied and said I was married, my parents would hear about that and I¡¯d have chaos waiting for me at home. If I lied and said he wasn¡¯t my son¡­ That¡¯d hurt Luca.¡±


    Eli fell silent in the face of such reasonable answers.


    ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯m personally more worried about dying of thirst in a desert with you and Luca.¡± Tam touched his chest and made his eyes comically wide when he stared at Eli, trying to bolster her sour mood.


    ¡°Is it the company you¡¯re worried about dying around, or the thirst part?¡±


    ¡°That depends. Are Bong and Jeong perfectly hydrated asking me invasive, personal questions when it¡¯s happening?¡±


    At last, Eli cracked a smile, which instantly made Tam smile and let out a breath he didn¡¯t realize he had been holding.


    ¡°What do you reckon¡­ Three weeks in the Torit Desert?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s if we don¡¯t run into problems¡­ It¡¯ll be hard on Luca.¡± Eli lifted her chin in the direction of the boy whose infectious laugh could be heard echoing back to them.


    Tam sighed. He thought about his idea the night he had fought with the pirates¡­ Sending Eli and Luca back together would definitely put his mind at ease while investigating matters in Zinfera, but¡­ He subtly stole a glance at Eli¡¯s profile as they walked. She had a funny bounce in her every day walk Tam had come to learn. Like she exerted more effort in springing upward as opposed to propelling herself forward.


    He felt that fluttery, warm feeling in his chest that he¡¯d noticed occurring from time to time as a result of his crush, and recognizing this prompted him to give his head an errant shake.


    There were more important things to do or think about.


    Though he didn¡¯t have the audacity to lie to himself and say it wasn¡¯t making the entire trip feel a lot more pleasant and fun regardless of a surprise son, pirates, and gaining the mistaken identity of the devil.


    ***


    Eli stepped over the bench and seated herself beside Tam, her attention hovering around the bartender who was giving her an equally suspicious stare.


    She had just come from ensuring Luca was in bed, along with organizing Tam¡¯s own room in the inn they were to stay in for the night.


    In the morning they were going to find proper footwear and clothes for Luca and Tam in order to blend in better, and afterward, they would ride in a carriage on the treacherous desert road that was known for having an alarming number of bandits. The kind ones simply lightened you of your valuables, the more nefarious kidnapped and sold people, and the worst kind killed you and took whatever they pleased afterward.


    ¡°We are going to take you on a detour from the original plan,¡± Bong began once Eli had settled down, even though she wasn¡¯t mentally present for the meeting between herself, Bong, Jeong, and Tam.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for detours. Detours are risky. I need information on the person your father told you about, and I need to tour the mountains on the other side of the kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and while I agree that traveling the Torit Desert and sledding down dunes could be a good time,¡± Bong countered, sounding alarmingly serious. ¡°You are going to find more about your¡­ person¡­ in Junya. Rumor has it she wants to make Junya the capital of Zinfera again once she manages to wrestle a certain child of hers into a position I don¡¯t need to name,¡± Bong expounded carefully and with remarkable insight. ¡°If she¡¯s already begun taking action, then that means she has those she trusts the most in Junya. It¡¯s better than talking to those towns under her thumb in the desert, and you have more people to converse with about the¡­ mountain¡­ occupant.¡±


    ¡°More people can recognize me in Junya,¡± Tam argued back, leaning his forearms on the table and lowering his voice.


    Bong grinned and looked at his brother.


    Despite only having met the Ryu brothers that afternoon, both Tam and Eli knew it wasn¡¯t a good thing when they looked at each other like that.


    ¡°To be perfectly honest, you already have the perfect disguise.¡±


    ¡°Someone who looks partially Troivackian claiming to be a scholar is still going to stick out-¡± Tam interjected, but Jeong was too excited to bother hearing the future duke¡¯s perfectly reasonable argument.


    ¡°Not if you¡¯re there because your wife¡¯s family is sponsoring your research!¡± Jeong looked at Eli with glittering eyes.


    Both Eli and Tam turned to breathing stone figures.


    ¡°Are you¡­ Suggesting¡­¡± Tam started to say, already cringing as Jeong practically vibrated in his seat with delight.


    ¡°You, Eli, and Luca can be a happy family! You¡¯ve been raising your family in Daxaria, but your wife¡¯s family is funding your research in Zinfera! It means you can research the dragons without suspicion and you, Miss Assistant, can inquire about Junya becoming the capital as you would be very interested to hear about how Zinfera has been changing!¡±


    Tam didn¡¯t bother hiding his frustration. ¡°I¡¯m not forcing my assistant to do that. Besides-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it. It does make sense. It¡¯s safer to travel with Luca, we can learn more, and we don¡¯t have to worry about dying in the desert. We can stay put in Junya for two months. Do you already know where we can acquire accommodations in Junya? There will be the assumption we¡¯re staying with my family.¡±


    ¡°Just say they live in the capital, or Haeson, and you¡¯re joining them later. Junya is best known for their astronomy records which explains why you aren¡¯t staying with them while your scholarly husband studies!¡± Jeong waved off Eli¡¯s worry easily.


    ¡°They also have great astrology books,¡± Tam added, though his voice sounded like it came from a distance as he processed the dramatic shift in plans.


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference again?¡± Jeong wondered aloud while looking to the ceiling, his round, clean shaven face illuminated in the lantern lights.


    ¡°Astronomy is the positioning and rotation of the world, sun, moon, and stars. Astrology is about the stories associated with the stars,¡± Eli clarified before her employer could.


    Both Tam and Eli seemed more than a little determined to not look directly at each other.


    ¡°With your assistant on board, it sounds like we have a new plan!¡± Bong concluded brightly, leaning back in his seat.


    The future duke audibly swallowed.


    ¡°Now all that¡¯s left will be to tell your son, Luca in the morning,¡± Jeong chattered. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll mind?¡±


    Tam had no idea.


    Nor did he know if he himself minded. And that particular elusive answer was making his palms already start to sweat.

 Chapter 23: A Distracting Disguise

    ¡°So? What do you think?¡± Jeong¡¯s face was bright and eager as he clutched Luca¡¯s slim shoulders.


    The boy¡¯s dark eyes were fixated thoughtfully on the wooden floorboards of the inn they had slept in the first night in Zinfera. Jeong had just finished explaining his plan on having Tam and Eli pose as a married couple, with Luca as their son. Tam sat off on his own in a corner, pouring over a Zinferan map so that he could best understand the new route they would be taking to Junya as opposed to the wide expanse of the Torti Desert.


    The future duke was far enough away that he couldn¡¯t overhear the conversation, and it most likely was for the better. While he intended to talk to Luca about their revised travel plans, he would not have been able to explain the plan with the same enthusiasm as Jeong.


    Thanks to Jeong¡¯s exuberant delivery method, Luca cracked a smile. ¡°Does that mean I get to call Tam, father?¡±


    ¡°Of course! It¡¯d be strange if you called him anything else! You¡¯ll have to call Eli mother as well¨C hopefully that doesn¡¯t bother you!¡± Jeong responded sunnily while dropping his hands back to his sides.


    Luca hesitated, his smile fading as his eyes rounded.


    Jeong, seeing this, changed his mood swiftly to match. ¡°Oh Goddess! I¡¯m terribly sorry! You must miss her! I¡¯m sure we can-¡±


    Blinking rapidly, Luca gave his head a firm shake. ¡°N-No, it¡¯s fine. I¡­ I want to.¡±


    Jeong started to wince and inch back from Luca as he noticed the telling gleam of tears in the boy¡¯s eyes that he was battling against.


    ¡°Would¡­ Would you like a dumpling? It¡¯s hard to be sad with a dumpling! Here!¡± Jeong reached over to the table where he had been eating breakfast before Luca had come downstairs, and shoved two dumplings into his own cheeks. Making his round face bulge like a chipmunk hoarding his entire winter supplies in a single mouthful.


    ¡°THee?! Har¡¯ ta b¡¯ thad!¡± Jeong waved his hands out demonstratively, and Luca couldn¡¯t help but giggle in the face of such absurdity.


    ¡°Everything alright here?¡± Tam¡¯s voice sounded behind Jeong, making him jump.


    The Zinferan was unable to respond still as he struggled to finish consuming the dumplings.


    Seeing this and raising his eyebrows in bemusement, Tam didn¡¯t bother waiting for a coherent answer from Jeong, and instead looked to Luca who, by that time, looked right as rain.


    ¡°Luca, mind joining me outside? I have to go over a few things before we leave today. I ordered breakfast for you, so it should be ready for you once we return.¡±


    Luca nodded tentatively, and so his father reached out and gently started to guide him toward the door, though the boy still stole a glance over his shoulder at Jeong and gave his best conspiratorial wink, and Jeong responded by giving him two thumbs up with as much of a grin as his bulging cheeks could spare.


    *


    ¡°You really don¡¯t mind having to be involved with this¡­?¡± Tam asked his son carefully as the pair stood just outside the inn. Despite being no more than a foot or two from the thick wooden door with its black grate window, the father and son were already on the hem of the morning traffic of the port town. Though the clientele that filed by them were not of the cleanly or refined walks of life.


    Luca wrinkled his nose as one particularly odorous fellow stumbled past them, his jaw jutting forward revealing more missing teeth than remaining, and his clothes tattered.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine with it¡­ But¡­ I¡­ I can really call you¡­ father?¡± Luca had been excited when he¡¯d first realized that this was a possibility with the new plan, however, having to think about it on his own or with Jeong was entirely different than bringing it up to Tamlin Ashowan.


    Tam stiffened, his shoulders broadening as a result. ¡°No.¡±


    The tears were instantaneous, and so Luca directed his gaze to the tips of his crude, woven shoes, his lips quivering, his heart aching¡­


    ¡°Being called ¡®father¡¯ sounds far too awkward. I call my own father da, so that might be odd as well¡­ Dad works. What do you think?¡±


    Luca¡¯s face snapped upward, and it was the second time that morning that Tam jolted in surprise.


    ¡°Wh¨C Oh¡­ Shit. I¡¯m sorry, Luca! I should have clarified sooner!¡±


    ¡°N-No! I¡¯m stupid for crying!¡± Luca breathed angrily before wiping his eyes on his right sleeve. ¡°I don¡¯t cry like this! Not all the time! It¡¯s- it¡¯s really really stupid!¡±


    Tam slapped his own face before rubbing his hand over it in vexation for his own blunder. ¡°No, Luca, I¡¯m the stupid one. You¡¯re getting dragged across a kingdom with your estranged father who you¡¯ve never gotten to meet until a few weeks ago, and you¡¯re now getting involved in matters I can¡¯t even fully explain. The fact that all you¡¯re doing is occasionally crying is¡­ Both incredible and worrisome from my point of view.¡±


    ¡°S-Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be, Luca. I¡¯m sorry. Again. The reason I didn¡¯t want you calling me dad or father before was-¡±


    ¡°THERE¡¯S BONG¡¯S CARRIAGE!¡± Jeong exploded from the inn, his left cheek still stuffed full, and another dumpling in his right hand that he expertly shoved into Luca¡¯s mouth while pointing at the black peaked carriage approaching them.


    Tam turned around to see the vehicle approach, the two horses pulling it stomping to a stop, and casting clouds of dust up into hot, morning air.


    Bong opened the door and bounded out of the carriage with a bright smile.


    ¡°We got everything for the trip fooor a young Mr. Luca,¡± he bowed to the boy who was struggling to chew through the dumpling that had been delivered forcefully into his mouth, and produced a pair of black leather boots.


    ¡°Fank oo!¡±


    ¡°Do not mention it, Mr. Luca,¡± Bong reassured happily while then stepping to the side. ¡°But I also have the great privilege of introducing you to your wife, Tam!¡±


    Tam opened his mouth to object to the theatrics, before Bong swept his arm out, and Eli stepped from the carriage, looking wildly grumpy that she was forced into going along with Bong¡¯s antics¡­


    She wore a icy blue top that tied to the side, with pink flowers embroidered near the shoulders, a long, full, white skirt that Luca instantly thought should be nowhere near the dirty road¡­ Her short hair had been slicked back with water, but a silver hair pin with a dainty white flower rested near her right ear.


    Tam was struck speechless.


    Luca gaped at Eli as well, even noting that she had painted lines on her eyelids and a flattering blush on her lips¡­


    She looked incredibly pretty, and despite having a face full of food, it made Luca smile, then it made his smile grow when he looked up at his father and saw how red his ears were.


    ¡°Goddess¡¯s pool, did you ever make her lovely!¡± Jeong complimented his brother who grinned and turned his nose up proudly in response.


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    ¡°I thought so! Turns out our sister does have excellent taste after all. I never would¡¯ve thought listening to her talk about trends would ever result in me learning anything!¡± Bong informed Jeong distractedly.


    Meanwhile, Luca, having swallowed his dumpling, peered up at his father as he continued staring at Eli who, by that time, was blushing herself.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she pretty?¡± Luca pressed quietly.


    Tam cleared his throat and managed to spare a glance at his son. ¡°Er. Yes. Yes, Eli you look¡­ Quite nice.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s ever had to compliment a woman before?¡± Jeong whispered loudly to his brother.


    ¡°Not one he wasn¡¯t related to. It¡¯s obvious,¡± Bong returned, his whisper even less subtle.


    Both Tam and Eli turned to stare at their Zinferan guides to give near identical flat looks.


    The brother¡¯s merely smiled, as though they hadn¡¯t allowed their conversation to be overheard.


    ¡°Well! Shall we let mini Tam change into the clothes we got him and start journeying toward Junya?¡± Bong stepped over to Luca, and without waiting for an answer, ushered him back into the inn, leaving both Tam and Eli alone in the street.


    Tam cleared his throat and moved them into his pockets. ¡°You do look-¡±


    ¡°My lord it is unnecessary,¡± Eli dismissed firmly before holding out her hand to him.


    Tam stared at it, completely befuddled.


    When he did at last reach out his palm to her, she huffed. ¡°Your left hand.¡±


    Tam still had no idea what was happening, until his assistant proceeded to shove a gold band over his wedding finger, and it was then he noticed that she was already wearing one.


    Eli still had not yet been able to meet her employer¡¯s eyes, and when she turned to the inn doors, it seemed she didn¡¯t intend to say anything else to him either.


    ¡°Eli?¡±


    She turned, and it was plain to see that while she was trying to look composed as usual, there was discomfort and vulnerability storming beneath her mask.


    Tam understood all too well how to handle the situation.


    ¡°Do you think you can finish packing my books, but leave out the maps and the letters that my father shared with me from Lord Jiho Ryu? I want to review what he has said in the past about the state of Junya while we travel today.¡±


    Lowering her chin obediently, her shoulders relaxing, she responded. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Eli. For¡­ All of this. You¡¯re a loyal assistant, and dedicated to your employer. I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t have any problems in the future finding work with any magistrate you wish to learn under.¡±


    Eli bowed again. ¡°Of course, my lord.¡±


    Was there a hint of a smile on her mouth just then?


    Tam gave a quiet laugh as he then reached for the door handle. At least they both understood nothing had really changed between them. Even if they were pretending to be married.


    When Tam opened the door for both himself and his assistant to re-enter the establishment, however, he found their way blocked by Jeong and Bong, who had quite obviously been listening to the entire conversation through the grate.


    They remained comically frozen. That is until Jeong looked to Bong and said, ¡°You know, I don¡¯t hear any termites in this door, I think the innkeeper has nothing to worry about!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s truly excellent news for the man! I¡¯ll go share this with him while I pay our bill!¡± Bong cleared his throat and hurried over to the innkeeper who had just set a plate down filled with rice, fermented cabbage, and a rolled omelet in front of Luca who stared at the fare uncertainly.


    ¡°Yes! Wonderful thinking!¡± Jeong rushed after his brother.


    Tam closed his eyes while taking a very long, slow breath.


    He was having a hard time reconciling the wise, calm Jiho Ryu having sons that were so carefree and energetic¡­


    ¡°Do you think they are going to be like this the entire time we are here in Zinfera?¡± the future duke asked with a subtle note of good humor, and a more pronounced level of exhaustion.


    ¡°I¡¯m inclined to think so, my lord. Oh¡­ I¡­ I forgot to tell you,¡± Eli spoke up, her voice oddly high pitched all of a sudden.


    Tam looked down at her at his side, while also feeling several eyes swivel toward her from the dim shadows of the inn, and feeling himself grow somewhat agitated as a result¡­


    ¡°Because I now¡­ look like this¡­¡± Eli said haltingly. ¡°You probably should call me by my name.¡±


    Tam rounded on her so abruptly that she staggered back a half step.


    ¡°Eli, you really don¡¯t have to if you don¡¯t want to. We can make up another-¡±


    ¡°Elisara.¡±


    Tam¡¯s mouth hung open as he had been in the middle of speaking, but he closed it¡­ Then casually folded his arms across his chest.


    ¡°Elliesara? Ellie?¡±


    ¡°Less E sound. More of a¡­ A ¡®eh¡¯, and¨C You¡¯re making fun of me aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Tam held up his hands in surrender. ¡°I would never. I was just thinking it¡¯s a very Daxarian sounding name.¡±


    Eli¡¯s eyes narrowed as though she didn¡¯t quite believe him, but she was tired from having to wake up early and go shopping at Bong¡¯s unrelenting insistence, and so she abandoned any further accusations and stalked over to where Luca sat to take a seat.


    Tam watched as she gracefully maneuvered the skirt, how her back had straightened, and her movements became gentler¡­ It was as though the instant she had put on those clothes some unconscious part of her remembered how to act.


    Closing the inn door behind himself, Tam was distracted from his drifting thoughts by the glint from the ring on his finger, and as a result, his stomach somersaulted.


    Opening his palm up, he stared at the gold band.


    It was a strange, uncomfortable sensation¡­


    But at the very least when he was busy talking with Eli he hadn¡¯t noticed it.


    Lifting his attention to both Luca and Eli¡¯s backs, Tam felt a larger emotion stirring¡­ One that sparked more anxiety than he had ever known in his life, and as a result, he started to feel that damnable surge of magic in his being. It was pulling at his being, making his movements feel leaden, as it tried to summon him into the black void he feared terribly, and that forced him to lower his eyes as he focused on his every step carrying him over to Eli and Luca, hoping that the feeling would not last long.

 Chapter 24: Perfecting Plans

    ¡°If human trafficking is involved, wouldn¡¯t she want to keep the capital in Gondol?¡± Tam asked Bong, who sat with his hands clasped loosely over his flat belly.


    ¡°Either she¡¯s hoping to not rely on the trafficking to maintain control, or, she is trying to appease powerful supporters who never liked Junya being changed to Gondol as the capital to begin with,¡± Eli answered on behalf of the Ryu brothers as she kept her gaze on the letters exchanged between Finlay Ashowan and Jiho Ryu.¡°Which lords could Soo Hebin be trying to win over? Any that would be surprising?¡±


    ¡°Kim, Soon, Bak, and Guk to name a few. That isn¡¯t including the low level untitled officials,¡± Jeong explained in a rare show of seriousness.


    ¡°None of those lords care about human trafficking? Even after Troivack cut their trade in light of the case with Duke Icarus where they discovered hundreds of people he had illegally acquired?¡± Tam didn¡¯t disguise his disgruntlement as he kept his arms folded while the carriage jostled them.


    ¡°Lord Kim definitely does not approve, and Lords Soon and Bak are uncomfortable with it, but won¡¯t speak out. And Lord Guk is a greedy soul; he doesn¡¯t care as long as it benefits him. He probably has been a helping hand to Soo Hebin smuggling people in and out,¡± Bong recounted with a sad shake of his head as the arid land outside the window raced by on his right.


    ¡°How can we convince Lords Soon and Bak to take a stand against her? What is it they¡¯d gain from Junya becoming the capital again?¡± Tam queried.


    ¡°Lord Soon has a good amount of real estate that hasn¡¯t performed as well as he¡¯d hoped, but with Junya becoming the capital, the value of the land would triple. As for Bak¡­ It¡¯s hard to figure out a way to sway him either way as he is in the tea trade. He would be more heavily taxed for exporting his goods if Junya were to be the capital again, but his profits within the city due to the increase of demand for his high end leaves could overcome those losses¡­ If he secures a deal with the next emperor. Which I imagine is the angle Soo Hebin is going to take when she broaches what her son, Jum, could accomplish on the throne,¡± Bong concluded.


    ¡°The easiest solution would be to cripple Lords Soon and Bak¡¯s power,¡± Tam reasoned before letting out a sigh. ¡°But they don¡¯t sound absolutely evil. Would it be possible that Kim could persuade them?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­¡± Bong searched for the right words to describe the nobleman.


    ¡°Prudish. He¡¯s a member of the Acker religion and it hasn¡¯t boded well for him amongst several of the other nobles. Most of them have a friend or loved one who prefer the same gender, and so he has alienated himself in a lot of ways,¡± Eli supplied bluntly.


    Tam cringed.


    It had been a long time since he had encountered someone that still followed the religion of Acker. It had been started by a jilted woman, Valerie Acker, who believed that homosexuality was a sin for mortals. She had preached that the Goddess and Green Man, who expressed interest in both genders, only had that privilege due to their divinity¡­


    It wasn¡¯t a sound religion. Which was why its popularity hadn¡¯t lasted long.


    ¡°What if we simply make an example out of Guk?¡± Tam speculated, earning a look of wariness from Bong and Jeong.


    ¡°How would you do that¡­?¡± Jeong dared to wonder aloud though he was already eyeing Luca who was staring dazedly out the carriage window from his spot on the carriage bench between Eli and Tam.


    ¡°What is Guk¡¯s business?¡± Tam questioned instead of answering.


    ¡°Lord Sang Guk has a diverse portfolio of investments. It isn¡¯t easy tampering with his means of income. He¡¯s a smart man¡­¡± Eli began, her stare drifting to an empty space on the plum colored upholstery of the bench across from her that Bong and Jeong were seated on. ¡°He has ships importing wine from Daxaria, farms near the capital, some real estate in Gondol, and he breeds horses. Food, land, transportation, and luxury. He also buys debts, and I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the people who have no hope of earning enough to pay the interest or the debt itself off he forces to work for him for free. Not to mention who knows what kind of connections he has now that he has been a part of the human trafficking going on.¡± The assistant lowered the pages in her hand, the set of her jaw revealing her anger.


    ¡°Unfortunate,¡± Tam agreed. ¡°I guess that just means I¡¯ll have to be more base in my approach to dealing with him.¡±


    Eli looked at him, a fleeting bout of discouragement passing through her eyes before she managed to begrudgingly ask. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Get to him through those he¡¯s close to, or¡­ simply attack him outright.¡±


    The carriage fell silent.


    Jeong slowly reached over and covered Luca¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Tam, are you¡­ Are you suggesting harming Lord Guk?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I was trying to be vague for Luca.¡±


    ¡°I think that was far less vague than you thought it was.¡±


    ¡°Goddess, I thought you Ashowan¡¯s were wholesome!¡± Jeong let out in a quiet, high pitched voice.


    ¡°That would be my father. I don¡¯t have his charm.¡±


    ¡°You can be charming when you want to be,¡± Eli rebutted with a scoff.


    Tam shot her an indescribable look. ¡°I suppose being dour can have its charms, but I just meant I don¡¯t have his ability to charm people to become better.¡±


    ¡°You find Tam charming?¡± Bong asked Eli interestedly.


    ¡°Bong! Focus!¡± Surprisingly this outburst came from Jeong. ¡°Luca is about to hear that his father wants to K-I-L-L!¡±


    ¡°He can spell,¡± Tam pointed out dryly. ¡°And for the record, it is only my last resort.¡±


    ¡°Tam!¡± By this point, Jeong had his arm fully wrapped around Luc¡¯s head and was smothering the poor lad against his chest. ¡°You aren¡¯t setting a very good example!¡±


    Tam looked to the ceiling of the carriage, caught between wanting to save Luca as the boy struggled in Jeong¡¯s arms, and changing the topic all together. ¡°Would you like to hear about my non-lethal plan to start?¡±


    In the end, it was Eli who gently pried Luca from Jeong¡¯s hold, the boy¡¯s hair was sticking up at funny angles, and one of his eyebrows was standing upright.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Jeong sniffed while straightening his coat and ignoring the incredulous look Luca was giving him while Eli tried to fix his hair.


    ¡°We make him paranoid, and think he¡¯s losing his mind. We make him act so outlandishly¡­ That either his wife leaves him and divides his assets, or his businesses fall to pieces.¡±


    ¡°I have several follow up questions,¡± Jeong declared, his skepticism obvious.


    ¡°How would you make him paranoid?¡± Eli wondered interestedly.


    ¡°You expect to do that in just a few months?¡± Luca was the one who asked the last question, and at the very least Tam had the decency to look a mite guilty about saying such things in front of a child.


    ¡°I¡¯d aim to create three incidents with his behavior that are beyond explanation, and tamper with his correspondence. Eli, you mentioned his wife lives in the capital earlier, right?¡± Tam responded carefully.


    ¡°Yes¡­?¡±


    ¡°We make him have an incident in front of a party or two filled with nobility and word will spread to the capital. Lady Guk gets humiliated, and Soo Hebin gets concerned that she is sinking her efforts into the wrong person. She¡¯ll refocus one of the other two men to her cause, but ideally by then they will be warded off.¡± Tam paused thoughtfully. ¡°Bong and Jeong, you will spread rumors that Lord Guk is behaving irrationally, and this will also help. In the end, she will be forced to continue dabbling in the risky business of human trafficking and her son doesn¡¯t gain any more supporters in his fight for the throne and she wastes resources in the meantime. I¡¯ll see what we can do to deal with that issue once we leave Junya. I¡¯ll make contact with Lord Kim and ensure he isn¡¯t interested in supporting Soo Hebin just to be sure.¡±


    The inhabitants of the carriage remained silent for a time as they pondered through this new plan.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just try baking cookies? At least once?¡± Jeong pleaded after wading through the information with a headache inducing frown.


    ¡°You want me to bake cookies to¡­ solve all of this?¡± Tam asked glibly.


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    ¡°What about poison cookies?¡± Luca wondered while looking up at his father.


    Tam avoided everyone¡¯s eyes at that point.


    ¡°Not to kill them!¡± Luca clarified bashfully. ¡°Just¡­ Make them sick¡­¡±


    His head tilting and his eyebrows raising, Tam started nodding. ¡°Entirely possible! Other than dosing some moonshine and wine I¡¯ve never really tried with food tampering¨C my father gets really sensitive about it.¡±


    ¡°I wonder why!¡± Jeong exclaimed, his tone a near squeak by that point.


    ¡°Eli, with you posing as my wife we could induce his incidents with laced baked goods you bring him. Or, you give them to me and I¡¯ll get him to eat them.¡±


    ¡°How would you make Lord Guk eat the cookies¡­?¡± Bong questioned while idly patting his younger brother¡¯s back.


    ¡°I¡¯d observe his behavior for a few days and figure it out, but I have a few options.¡±


    ¡°The initial obstacle will be getting close to Lord Guk and Lord Kim. You can do it in three ways-¡± Eli started to say when Tam held up his hand, stopping her.


    ¡°I won¡¯t have any problem with it. The only one I¡¯ll struggle with is Lord Kim, but if he¡¯s a follower of Acker, he¡¯s going to want to talk about the Gods at great length and I can get close to him with my studies of the stars.¡±


    ¡°How are you getting close to Lord Guk then? Are you going to kidnap him? Throw him down in a deep hole?¡± Jeong cast out flopping back in his seat.


    Tam cleared his throat, then very carefully reached over and covered Luca¡¯s ears again.


    ¡°My family owns a few brothels and taverns with your father in Zinfera. Did you honestly forget?¡±


    Jeong¡¯s face fell as he then looked at Bong. ¡°Right. We do own those don¡¯t we¡­?¡±


    Bong laughed, and Tam let his hands fall away from Luca¡¯s ears.


    ¡°What if they don¡¯t go to brothels?¡± Luca asked, revealing that there hadn¡¯t been a point to covering his ears at all.


    Tam dropped his head and hands, feeling a fresh wave of parental shame.


    ¡°Then that means they most likely are part of the other social groups that play chess, sample fine teas, or gamble. That should be relatively easy to access with my knowledge of tea, and chess. My lord, do you gamble at all¡­?¡± Eli regarded Tam, her previous unrest over the state of royal affairs evolving into focused determination.


    ¡°I have. I¡¯m terrible.¡±


    ¡°That would make you popular with the lords then,¡± she pointed out.


    ¡°I may be of assistance there,¡± Bong volunteered.


    ¡°You¡¯re good at gambling?¡± Tam¡¯s assistant asked interestedly.


    Bong merely laughed in response, and said nothing else.


    Tam and Eli regarded Jeong, and the younger man was at least smiling again, and giggling to himself. ¡°We¡¯re known for being a lot of fun. Please leave the frivolous activities to us.¡±


    Luca, Tam and Eli looked at each other, then back at the Ryu brothers who continued giggling mysteriously.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Tam trailed off. ¡°Do you two know which brothels we could go to to find some drugs then?¡±


    The two Zinferan men did cease laughing at this question, though surprisingly they still smiled.


    ¡°Of course. We don¡¯t go to those ones often for that very reason, but we still know about them.¡±


    Tam nodded. ¡°Alright. Then we have a plan.¡±


    Bong stretched his arms above his head then cradled his head in his hands. ¡°Excellent. No one dies, and we rescue Zinfera from corruption. I like this new venture as opposed to simply gathering information. I have a good feeling about our time together this next year!¡±


    ***


    Tam stared down the sword that had its tip touching the bobble in his throat. The hot midday sun bore down on him as the rush of the Ho river surged beneath the stone bridge he stood on.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? I said give me your valuables!¡±


    Glancing down at the bandit¡¯s torn light brown pants, then his thin dirty face with his wide frantic eyes, Tam leaned over slightly to his right where Jeong stood with his pudgy hands in the air, breathing rapidly. ¡°Remind me to explain to your brother what a jinx is when this is over.¡±


    Jeong whimpered.


    ¡°You should look more fearful,¡± Eli whispered from his other side, Luca safely hidden behind her.


    Tam spared a brief look at the other three men standing in front of their carriage in a bored fashion. ¡°Why¡­ Exactly?¡±


    ¡°Because your son and wife are in danger right now, my lord,¡± Eli informed her employer through gritted teeth.


    Tam stared at the man who held him at sword point, who was also trembling ferociously. ¡°Eli¡­ Elisara, you know I will panic if I need to-¡±


    ¡°Do I, though?¡± she turned on him angrily.


    Tam stared at the bandit again, and watched as he licked his lips and looked at his friends standing in front of the carriage nervously.


    ¡°Pardon me, sir.¡±


    The man cowered at Tam¡¯s voice, making the future duke¡¯s suspicions grow¡­ However, there¡¯d be more time to figure out what that was about later.


    ¡°I said, give me your valuables!¡± the bandit shouted up at Tam¡¯s face, though he had backed up enough that Tam no longer could feel the tip of the sword.


    ¡°I understand what you asked me, but I was wondering if you recall that we had another person in the carriage with us.¡±


    Alarm and distress at this news snapped the bandit¡¯s attention to the opposite side of Jeong where Bong had been standing when he¡¯d been first forced out.


    And that was all the opening Tam needed to kick the man in the groin and send him to his knees, his sword clattering down beside him.


    ¡°See? Perfectly fine,¡± Tam pointed out to Eli who still looked irritated.


    ¡°What about the other three men?¡± she snapped back.


    A commotion behind Tam that prompted Jeong and Eli to try and peer around the horses sounded off, but Tam merely beckoned Luca to himself as he opened the carriage door and ushered him back inside.


    ¡°Did Bong finish up, Jeong?¡± he called over his shoulder as he did this.


    ¡°Not quite! He¡­ Oh, yes. There he is. All finished!¡± Jeong turned around, looking his usual cherub self.


    Which was a stark contrast to Eli¡¯s less than impressed expression.


    Tam closed the door behind Luca and smiled pleasantly down at her, making her roll her eyes.


    ¡°Luca, stay in the carriage. We need to ask these men a few questions.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to kill them are you?¡± Jeong whirled around as Tam ambled over to the bandit he had kicked and picked up his sword.


    Tam held his arms out and shot Jeong a ¡®seriously?¡¯ expression before jerking his chin in Luca¡¯s direction.


    Jeong let out a groan of annoyance, and started shaking his head while wrenching open the carriage door for himself, but before he climbed in after Luca, he made sure to lean over to Eli and say.


    ¡°I understand that he¡¯s handsome, but you have very strange tastes in men.¡±

 Chapter 25: Revealing Rankings

    ¡°Now¡­ Tam¡­ Dear, reasonable, Tam. Think about what your father would do, there is no need-¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know what it is that makes you so concerned about my violent tendencies given that it was your brother who just beat these men into the road.¡± The future duke gave Jeong a significantly more irritable retort than he had in the carriage prior to the robbery attempt.


    ¡°My brother wasn¡¯t the first one to jump to murdering a person, that¡¯s why!¡±


    ¡°I said it was a last resort!¡± Tam defended before turning away from Jeong and giving a long sigh.


    The group of four men that had tried to take the carriage knelt on the road in front of Jeong, Tam, and Eli. Their swords safely apprehended and stowed in the secret compartment under the seat in the carriage Bong and Jeong had been occupying during the trip.


    By the time Bong was returning from finishing doing this and gave a bow of his head to confirm everything was fine in the carriage with both the weapons and Luca, Tam was more than ready to get the questioning started.


    ¡°None of you,¡± he began while sweeping his finger through the air at them. ¡°Are bandits. None of you have held a sword in your life, and you¡¯re more terrified of us than we are of you.¡±


    Jeong looked back and forth from the men on the ground to the future duke, his round face dumbfounded. Eli blinked and raised an eyebrow, but otherwise didn¡¯t react as dramatically.


    Bong merely watched the men as though he, too, had come to the same conclusion.


    ¡°My question is this; is it that you¡¯re all desperate to feed your families? Or did you target this carriage specifically?¡± Tam¡¯s hand fell back to his side as he awaited their answer.


    However, none came.


    The bandits kept their eyes and chins lowered.


    Tam said nothing as he continued studying them in their stoic silence, until he eventually crouched down in front of them.


    ¡°We can either strip you and leave you by the edge of the road while we ride on to the next town and report you there, or you can tell us the truth, and we might be more forgiving.¡± Tam¡¯s tone was even, but not necessarily kind¡­


    The man that had been the one to press a sword to Tam¡¯s throat was still visibly quaking, and he was the first to slip a glance at his fellow bandits as though asking permission to speak.


    ¡°You have until I count to five to let me know what you¡¯ve decided. One¡­ Two¡­¡±


    ¡°Forgive me, sir!¡± the bandit caved, falling forward to the ground so that his forehead could press against the road. ¡°We were forced out of our village! W-We had no other options-¡±


    ¡°Who gave you the swords?¡± Bong asked softly.


    The bandit fell silent again.


    ¡°Three¡­ Four¡­¡± Tam continued counting, his volume rising with each number.


    ¡°The traders!¡± the bandit burst out, his voice breaking. ¡°T-They said they wouldn¡¯t take our women and children if we worked for them.¡±


    It was Tam¡¯s side of the road that quieted then.


    The duke barely resisted looking at Eli to gauge how she was reacting to the news.


    ¡°Do you happen to know any names of these traders?¡± Bong spoke up, and while he still sounded gentle, there was an edge in his words that could be heard¡­


    ¡°Who else?¡± one of the other bandits on the ground uttered darkly while lifting his face to stare at the nobles, the sides of his head shaved. ¡°The one who is friends with Lord Yangban.¡±


    Tam watched Bong¡¯s reaction to the news, and saw a steeliness enter into his face that was wildly unlike his usual happy self¡­


    The Zinferan nobleman stared at the bandits, his thoughts unknown, and just as Tam was about to ask who Lord Yangban was, Bong turned and strode to the carriage while calling over his shoulder.


    ¡°I will give you all silver. You will pay the traders, and when they leave, you will take your families, and you will flee to Haeson. You will report to the magistrate there that you are to work for the Ryu family.¡±


    All the bandits looked up with a start. ¡°R-Ryu¡­ family¡­?¡± the bandit who had been the first to speak asked faintly. ¡°S-Sir are you¡­¡±


    ¡°I am a servant of the Ryu family. However, I am capable of hiring men to work for their fishing businesses. You will tell the magistrate Daeba sent you,¡± Bong cited the lie stiffly.


    The bandits stared at the back of Bong, too stunned to move as this information sunk in¡­ But by the time Bong was returning with a small satchel that clinked with coin, two of the men began to cry, though they didn¡¯t make a sound as they gazed up reverently at Bong.


    ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± the bandit who had revealed which traders were responsible for their present fate rasped.


    The four men, from their knees, all bowed to Bong, who laid the silver in front of them.


    ¡°Pardon us, but we must be on our way,¡± was all Bong said to them as he then returned to the carriage.


    Tam could tell something had greatly disturbed the Zinferan nobleman, and so he didn¡¯t bother saying anything else to the bandits as he, Eli, and Jeong followed Bong back to the vehicle, climbed in, and alerted their driver that they were ready to resume their journey.


    Bong didn¡¯t speak at all or look at the group when the carriage lurched into movement, and sensing that he wasn¡¯t quite ready to explain what had him becoming uncharacteristically serious, Tam turned his attention to Luca.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure you¡¯re alright?¡± Tam asked quietly.


    Luca nodded. ¡°It was a bit scary¡­ But I guess I have to get used to that, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Jeong jumped in fiercely. ¡°That is not at all what you should get used to! We will get to Junya, and you are going to spend your time like any child should! Playing games! Eating! Maybe a bit of studying¡­ Tam, have you thought about hiring Luca a tutor to continue his studies?¡± Jeong directed at the future duke earnestly.


    Tam opened his mouth but no sound came out.


    Right¡­ Tutors¡­


    They would be in Zinfera for months, it¡¯d make sense that Luca would study while there. It¡¯d probably help him when they went back to Daxaria as well¡­.


    ¡°My lord I can see to arranging for a tutor or two for Luca once we reach Junya,¡± Eli volunteered.


    Turning to his assistant gratefully, Tam was just about to issue his thanks when he noticed the tension in Eli¡¯s face¡­


    His gaze flit back to Bong, and seeing how the nobleman was still staring out the window at the scenery distracted, Tam resolved to ask for details about this trader who was apparently affiliated with a noble.


    Tam knew Eli had either heard of Lord Yangban or dealt with him directly, and perhaps she was far more closely acquainted with the trader in league with the nobleman than she¡¯d like¡­


    So what grudge did Bong have against them as well?


    ***


    That night, when they had all set up camp at a breakpoint where several other travelers had set up camp beside the Ho River by the road to Junya, after Luca had been put to sleep in Tam¡¯s tent with a lantern lit to keep him warm, Tam sought out Bong and Eli.


    Only Bong had retired abnormally early for the night, and Eli¡­


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    Tam found Eli sitting on a flat rock beside the river, the brilliant starry sky spreading its cloak over the desert land and exhibiting its unapologetic beauty for any lonely souls to confide in.


    The air had cooled considerably since that afternoon, as Tam had been warned would happen when traveling in the desert. And so when he approached Eli, who sat in nothing but the clothes that Bong had purchased for her that very morning that felt like a week ago, he carried with him a blanket.


    Dropping it over her shoulders, Tam proceeded to plunk himself down a few feet away from Eli at her side without a word.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said awkwardly.


    Tam nodded vaguely. ¡°If you get sick we¡¯ll have to figure out where to find a physician. Better you stay warm.¡±


    ¡°People don¡¯t instantly get sick  just because they get a little cold,¡± Eli countered stubbornly, though she still pulled the dark green blanket around herself.


    ¡°Maybe. Maybe not. Why take a chance when you don¡¯t have to?¡± Tam shrugged.


    His assistant let a loud breath through her nose out while returning her attention to the river that rushed by, the sounds of the other travelers behind them talking and laughing wafting over to them.


    ¡°I take it you know the trader and Lord Yangban?¡±


    Eli swallowed. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Tam paused. ¡°Is there anything I should know about him?¡±


    ¡°He is the one backing the traders and supporting Soo Hebin.¡±


    Tam feigned a casual, receptive air to the news. ¡°Why didn¡¯t Jeong or Bong mention his importance when citing the influential lords we had to sway?¡±


    ¡°Because there is no swaying him. He wants Junya as the capital, and he is most likely the one who gave Soo Hebin the idea to begin with to help her gain power in his excellency¡¯s court. The trader he works with that oversees everything is named Captain Woo. He¡¯s¡­ He¡¯s the one who I spent time with when I was first taken,¡± Eli explained vaguely.


    ¡°Is there anyone, or any combination of people that could be powerful enough to destroy both Lord Yangban and Captain Woo?¡±


    Eli¡¯s upper lip curled disdainfully. ¡°The court is a mess right now, and I haven¡¯t been a part of it in years, so I haven¡¯t a clue.¡±


    Tam pondered this information while gazing up at the Goddess¡¯ Pool constellation.


    ¡°Alright. So Lord Yangban is another possible threat while we are in Junya?¡±


    Eli nodded. ¡°He¡¯ll recognize me if I see him.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m guessing he and Lord Guk get along well?¡±


    ¡°Surprisingly, no. They compete with each other for power in Junya. It¡¯s one of the reasons Lord Guk could theoretically still be swayed to go against the change. That said, if they both stand to gain a lot by working together, they might.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­ And I thought hearing about Troivack¡¯s court problems was a headache. This isn¡¯t even all of the palace¡¯s affairs.¡±


    Eli closed her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Hearing the tight irritation in Eli¡¯s voice, Tam felt disgruntlement sprout in his chest, making his index finger tap slowly against the stone they sat on.


    ¡°How highly ranked is Lord Yangban?¡±


    ¡°Rank four.¡±


    Tam winced.


    In Zinfera, as opposed to marquis, duke, or another kind of title, the nobility knew where they were in the pecking order based out of twelve ranks assigned to them either from the emperor himself, or by family inheritance¨C which the emperor could change if he wished.


    Those ranked five and higher could attend court, and weigh in on official matters prior to public announcements. Ranked four meant they could live in court, had access to some of the more exclusive palace buildings and parties, and were most likely distantly related to the royal family. If not, it was assumed they were going to have daughters that married into the family.


    Ranks three and two meant you were related to the royal family as parents or half siblings, or lower ranked princes and princesses, and rank one meant you were close in line to inheriting the throne, or on the throne. The higher one¡¯s rank, the more difficult it¡¯d be to fight them¡­ If they had someone as an ally who was a higher rank, there was a far better chance that even a level four could beat, say, a level three or two.


    ¡°Rank four is high¡­ but not the worst¡­ Technically by the Zinferan standard, I am ranked between two and four in Daxaria. What was your ranking before you were taken?¡± Tam pressed carefully. He was well aware he was requesting more information than Eli may be comfortable sharing at the moment¡­


    ¡°I was in the first rank.¡±


    Tam¡¯s head whipped around.


    If he had been in the midst of taking a drink when he had heard Eli¡¯s response, he would¡¯ve spit it out.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Eli¡¯s grip on the blanket around her shoulders tightened. ¡°I was favored by Lady Chin. I was rank one.¡±


    ¡°Even though you were adopted?¡± Tam asked bluntly, his astonishment overcoming his sense of manners and restraint.


    Eli bobbed her head wearily.


    ¡°Then the entire reason you have been scared of returning, and why they want you dead¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. Soo Hebin saw me as a legitimate threat, but really, I wasn¡¯t. I had no ambition to take over the throne, and furthermore, last I heard, the emperor hadn¡¯t ever broached the subject with the coven here in Zinfera. So really, I was given the first rank because his mother insisted. He never was going to name me empress.¡±


    Tam found himself at a loss for words.


    His mild mannered¨C though occasionally disgruntled¨Cassistant¡­ Had been named as a highly viable heir to the Zinferan throne.


    ¡°Why the hell did you come back?¡±


    At last, Eli turned to look at Tam, her eyes rife with pain and anger. ¡°Someone would¡¯ve found the truth if I¡¯d stayed in Daxaria and then they¡¯d be obligated to tell your king. The only reason I was overlooked in Troivack was because everyone was too busy learning about the extent of Duke Icarus¡¯s crimes, and not many Zinferans wanted to go to Troivack in the first place¡­ Which meant no one knew me there. Aside from Duke Icarus who must have heard from the traders who I was.¡±


    ¡°Then he found out you were kidnapped¡­ Knew about your abilities¡­ And figured you would be useful.¡± Tam pieced together Eli¡¯s history sluggishly.¡°Why are you so certain that if you stayed behind in Daxaria someone would¡¯ve remembered you?¡±


    Eli fidgeted, then, reaching some sort of defeated conclusion, gave a bitter laugh.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m related to a close family friend of yours.¡±


    While Tam had felt like he was making progress with wrapping his head around Eli¡¯s royal lineage, his thoughts collapsed back into a baffled heap.


    ¡°What? You are? Who?!¡± he blinked, sitting up straighter and leaning forward to stare at his assistant¡¯s face, already his mind racing with who it could possibly be that she was related to¡­


    Somberly, Eli stared back at her employer, prepared to reveal yet another well guarded secret of hers to a man she had only known for a few weeks¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m related to Lord Oscar Harris. Duke Iones.¡±


    Tam¡¯s jaw dropped.


    ¡°My mother is Marigold Nam. Formerly, Marigold Iones. Lord Harris¡¯s half sister.¡±

 Chapter 26: Bedtime Bonding

    After hearing the astonishing news of Eli¡¯s parentage, Tam excused himself to retrieve a bottle of moonshine and two cups.


    When he passed by Jeong who was seated around the fire with five other travelers, the future duke happened to overhear him exclaiming very loudly to those joining Jeong for a drink that he was capable of spitting fire. Tam briefly slowed down to try and assess whether Jeong was in need of an intervention¡­


    However, upon being spotted, the boisterous Zinferan called out to him.


    ¡°Ta¨C Mr. Voll!¡±Jeong belatedly remembered to refer to Tam by his alias. ¡°Where are you off to?¡±


    ¡°Just having a drink,¡± Tam retorted briefly while inching away.


    Unfortunately, Jeong noticed the second cup Tam was holding and instantly his face broadened with a grin. ¡°Aaah, Mr.Voll, it¡¯s wonderful you and your wife still enjoy sitting and having a drink together! Isn¡¯t it wonderful, Song?¡± Jeong nudged one of the other travelers that was seated beside him in the ribs. ¡°This friend of mine and his wife are inseparable.¡±


    Tam stared at Jeong¡¯s smug, glassy gaze for a lone beat, and during that beat he decided that the next morning he was going to find two pans and beat them together to wake Jeong up.


    Just as he was about to turn and resume his journey back to Eli¡¯s spot on the rock, his revenge plan set, the fluttering of a skirt drew his eyes, and he found that she had instead returned to the camp.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired. I think I¡¯ll head to bed,¡± she informed her employer quietly.


    Tam¡¯s expression gentled, and he was about to say of course she should get a good night¡¯s sleep, when Jeong decided that he also needed to be a part of the conversation.


    ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Voll! Heading to bed after all? Don¡¯t worry! I set your sleeping rolls up in the tent with Luca, so you¡¯re aaaall set!¡±


    The slow speed with which Tam and Eli rounded on the Zinferan left lots of time for Jeong to repent and maybe feel a little guilty for what he had allegedly done.


    But when they both faced him, glaring daggers, it was evident he was feeling nothing but the highest form of glee.


    ¡°My lord¡­¡± Eli ground out while trying to keep her voice down. ¡°Is he serious?¡±


    Tam didn¡¯t respond, as he slipped his head back into his tent, and squinting in the low light, peered at Luca¡¯s sleeping form close to the lantern, and then, gradually, as his eyes adjusted¡­ He did indeed see two bedrolls side by side.


    When he pulled his head back out of the tent, he didn¡¯t need to say anything.


    Eli could tell by the look on his face the answer.


    ¡°I¡¯ll speak to him about this tomorrow morning,¡± Tam murmured as an apology. ¡°Right now if I say or do anything it¡¯ll seem strange to the other travelers.¡±


    Unable to meet her employer¡¯s gaze, Eli ducked into the tent without another word.


    Tam returned his attention to Jeong who was giving him the thumbs up while the rest of the men he drank with all turned and shot Tam encouraging smiles.


    The future duke looked to the sky once more and wondered how it was possible that there was someone else in the world that loved tormenting him seemingly more so than his sister did¡­


    Stepping back into his tent, Tam found that Eli was already dragging a trunk to lay between her bed roll and his.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I obviously had no-¡±


    ¡°I understand, my lord. Thank you for agreeing to talk with Jeong in the morning,¡± Eli interrupted briskly as she worked.


    ¡°Er¡­ I was going to say I can just leave and fall asleep by the fire outside instead. I can say I¡¯m just there for a drink.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Eli snipped.


    Despite not having the most well-rounded of social experiences growing up, Tam knew better than to believe someone when they said ¡®I¡¯m fine¡¯ in the same tone Eli had just used.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Eli, I¡¯m not going to make you-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine! It¡¯s probably safer this way!¡±


    The extent of Tam¡¯s wisdom on how best to navigate the situation had been exceeded.


    ¡°So you¡­ want me to stay¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡±


    ¡°You keep saying that, but it really doesn¡¯t sound-¡±


    A muffled moan followed by the rustling movement of Luca rolling over in his sleep interrupted Tam.


    Once Tam and Eli had waited long enough to ensure that Luca truly was asleep, Eli returned her attention to climbing into her bedding.


    Moving uncertainly, Tam lowered himself down to a single knee, and half crawled, half slid over to his own bedroll.


    Once he¡¯d situated himself, and lay staring up at the tent ceiling, he realized then that his heart was pounding.


    It was loud¡­ and it was fast¡­ Was it always that fast?


    ¡°Why are you risking getting involved in Zinfera¡¯s politics? His Highness really only wanted us to be gathering information,¡± Eli asked quietly in the dark, making an excited rush surge from Tam¡¯s stomach.


    Godsdamnit this crush is something. Maybe it¡¯s because I keep learning more about her and it¡¯s all so¡­ different? Surprising?


    ¡°My lord?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Tam coughed. ¡°I¡¯m interfering more because¡­ I only promised not to do anything if I found the dragon, and if I simply report everything as it is right now there is too much uncertainty for it to be useful information. If I change things I can report more, and¡­ besides. Everyone kind of expects that my family would do some amount of meddling.¡±


    Despite Tam not being able to see it. Eli shrugged and nodded beside him.


    It did make sense.


    The two fell back into a moderately more amicable silence.


    ¡°Do you happen to know why Bong reacted the way he did earlier?¡± Tam wondered aloud.


    ¡°Not really¡­ He might just be disturbed by what is happening in his kingdom. I didn¡¯t even know that the traders were coming so far inland to take over villages¡­ It really does show how unstable Zinfera has become,¡± Eli theorized as she gripped and relaxed her hold on her blanket.


    The night air was starting to chill the tip of Tam¡¯s nose, and he knew that if he were to turn onto his side and pull the blanket up over it he would be able to be warm through and through in no time, however he was a little reluctant to stop talking with Eli¡­


    ¡°Have you ever met Lord Harris before?¡±


    ¡°Once. A long time ago¡­ Back before I was adopted by the emperor.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d ever gone to Zinfera.¡±


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    ¡°He didn¡¯t. We went to Sorlia. We visited briefly¡­ Back after my brother was born, my father paid for my mother to spend a summer there. As a thank you of sorts.¡±


    ¡°You have a brother?¡± Tam turned his head, expecting to see Eli¡¯s profile, but instead finding himself staring into the scratched leather of one of his trunks.


    ¡°I do. Chul. And then I have two sisters¡­ Chul will be¡­ twenty now,¡± Eli recalled after taking a moment to think about it.


    Tam found himself at a loss for words.


    To think she had an entire family that wasn¡¯t in poverty¡­ They were nobles. And they had simply handed her off.


    ¡°They sent you away¡­ Just because you were a witch?¡±


    Eli didn¡¯t reply for a long time, and when she did, all she said was. ¡°Good night, my lord.¡±


    And Tam could tell that while she was trying to sound polite and unbothered their betrayal had hurt her horribly¡­


    That same unpleasant agitation Tam had felt earlier when talking with Eli down by the river started shaking his insides, making the future duke feel far more awake than he had just moments before.


    Gods¡­ if my father heard this I¡¯m relatively certain he¡¯d offer me up on a silver platter to officially make her family¡­


    The thought brought a measure of giddiness to Tam, prompting him to give his head a shake.


    As if I should even be thinking about that¡­ I need to first figure out how the hell to father a seven year old.


    Despite this very down-to-earth thought, Tam found that the rest of the night was a fitful one as his mind raced with the information that he had learned about his assistant, and how he could help her build the happy life she deserved at long last, while also being a good father to a child who, he still wasn¡¯t sure, but who could be the devil.


    ***


    The rest of the journey to Junya was, thankfully, uneventful. The day following the robbery attempt Bong was back to his usual self¨C particularly after getting to witness Tam awaken his brother after a night of heavy drinking by bashing together two steel pans he had borrowed from another group of travelers.


    The younger Ryu brother had taken the impromptu wakeup call all in stride, and bore his scolding from Tam later on looking perfectly contrite.


    That said, from that night onward, the sleeping arrangements had never changed¡­ It really did make the most sense that Tam and Eli be in the same tent to avoid anyone becoming suspicious.


    Though he didn¡¯t allow himself to even think about what would happen when there was an actual home to sleep in where beds became a factor¡­


    As the carriage started to pass by more trees and rice fields, the city gate pulled into view. A large bell hung over the road, while massive trees that had been stripped of their bark made the pillars. A ribbon of white plaster walls wrapped around the north side of Junya, and went all the way down to the sea on the south side of the city.


    ¡°I rented us a home in a respectable area. Not in the most expensive, or popular, but it¡¯ll only have residential traffic which will help things stay private,¡± Bong explained, jolting Luca awake¨C the poor boy had fallen asleep leaning against Tam¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°How did you find this residence?¡± Tam questioned while pretending not to be aware of the patch of drool on his shirt sleeve that Luca was only just noticing and starting to blush about.


    ¡°One of my sister¡¯s former tutors lives there, but my father invited her to our land to visit, so she agreed to let us use her house in exchange,¡± Jeong jumped into the dialogue while perking up when the city wall could be seen from the window.


    Tam nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll settle in for tonight, and tomorrow I¡¯ll go to the records library to request information about the stars, and introduce myself. Lord Kim loves knowing about everyone and everything according to your father, so I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll approach me quickly. After the library I¡¯ll hang around a few of the tea shops you told me about and start to become familiar with the area. Eli, you¡¯re fine organizing a tutor for Luca?¡±


    Eli was in the middle of bowing her head dutifully in response, when Luca turned abruptly to Tam.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t need school! I¡­ I just go with you to study the stars!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t do that, Luca. I have to do more than just research constellations¡­ Besides, if you want to help, it¡¯s best to learn lots of things so you know what to do in all kinds of scenarios!¡± Tam encouraged brightly. ¡°I know it might seem like a lot at first, but trust me, once you start learning, you¡¯ll find out you have all kinds of interests and things you love that otherwise you¡¯d have no idea about.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Luca, I¡¯m sorry, but this is non-negotiable,¡± Tam cut the boy off firmly, while reaching up to muss his hair.


    As it turned out, Luca¡¯s hair grew incredibly quickly, and so it was already almost the same length it had been weeks before when he¡¯d first appeared on the ship, but at the very least he looked better fed, and his long hair was cared for as it should have been.


    Turning to his best ally, Luca tried to plead his case. ¡°Jeong, don¡¯t you think that-¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Luca,¡± Jeong shook his head. ¡°It was my idea, remember? You know I¡¯m on your side, but on this matter, your father is right. You need an education.¡±


    It was the first time Tam had ever seen Luca scowl, and he found that rather than feeling angry or exasperated by it, he was biting back a laugh.


    Tam looked at Eli, who was watching Luca with equal astonishment.


    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll find you a great teacher,¡± she reassured calmly.


    ¡°My mother said I was smart enough¡­¡± Luca said under his breath, his heel tapping the back of the carriage bench irritably.


    ¡°You can be smart but not knowledgeable,¡± Eli argued back. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to understand what your father does so you can help him?¡±


    Not having a retort to such a sound point, but still feeling displeased over having to be made to study for hours at a time, Luca sulked in silence.


    The adults all shared knowing looks in the carriage, just as the sounds of Zinferan guards asking their driver questions reached their ears.


    Reaching over, Jeong tapped Luca¡¯s knee. ¡°Cheer up! This afternoon I¡¯ll take you for the street vendor snacks! I¡¯ve been to Daxaria, and I can say with certainty that they can¡¯t compare even a little bit to what Zinfera sells! You like dumplings, yes?¡±


    Sensing that he was being bribed and distracted, Luca gave a reluctant nod.


    ¡°Wonderful! Now what about dumplings, filled with berries and cream?¡±


    Luca sat perfectly straight. ¡°Berries and cream? You aren¡¯t fooling me?¡±


    ¡°I would never!¡± Jeong slapped a hand on his chest in mock indignation. ¡°I haven¡¯t even mentioned the flavored whipped creams!¡±


    Luca¡¯s jaw dropped open, and as was becoming the norm on the trip, everyone¡¯s mood started to lighten when they had the excellent distraction of a child getting to experience the world for the first time.


    It gave them all a sunny disposition as they passed under Junya¡¯s great bell, even though they knew the coming months would bring no small amount of stress, and excessive work.


    Ah, well. Maybe they would all make a point of having tea with Luca to remember the simple happy pieces of life.

 Chapter 27: Roles Review

    The stone streets of Junya were lined with cherry trees already budding with the progression of spring, though the plum trees sprinkled about were much closer to opening their flowers, the curved, peaked tile roofs were coated in a metallic paint that burned bronze under the sun that brightened the entire world. White washed walls with thick wooden beams made up most of the homes the carriage carrying Tam and his traveling companions could see. Though as they passed some of the more luxurious shops and homes they noticed rounded, painted pillars of bright reds, greens, and blues. Musical chimes tinkled against the breezes, low stone garden walls revealed front yards where neighbors talked, shared tea, or sampled fermented foods and homemade liquors or wine¡­


    Luca watched the scenery with his jaw agape, his eyes round as he observed women dressed similarly to Eli with their beautiful and colorful silk skirts passing by.


    ¡°Do you notice the people wearing orange?¡± Jeong asked while smiling fondly at Luca¡¯s reaction to one of the largest cities in Zinfera.


    Luca blinked himself back to reality, then swept his eyes through the throng of people that flowed along the sides of the road.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Those people are important servants of lords. It gives them priority in shops so that they can conduct their business more quickly. If anyone is seen wearing orange that is not employed with a noble house? They will be fined. And if they are doing it with the intent of preferential treatment, in other words, fraud, they could even be charged and jailed.¡±


    Luca looked back at Jeong fearfully.


    Tam, from his cross-armed position in the middle of the bench that he had slid to in order to give Luca the better seat, leaned forward.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t wear orange. You¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Luca gulped.


    ¡°If you see any women wearing white like our lovely Eli here? That means they are either incredibly wealthy, or nobility. So be especially careful around them,¡± Jeong warned.


    ¡°Most noblewomen will be traveling in carriages, so it won¡¯t come up often,¡± Tam interjected again when Luca started looking even more stressed.


    Jeong tilted his head side to side. ¡°Better to know these things early on.¡±


    Tam sighed. Jeong wasn¡¯t wrong, but he had been enjoying seeing his son¡¯s excitement¡­


    ¡°In a month there will be the blossom cherry festival here in Junya, the streets are filled with lanterns, performers, and vendors, there is dancing, and games¡­ It¡¯ll be wonderful fun,¡± Bong jumped into the conversation, smiling at Luca.


    The boy nodded at the information, but the wariness in his face revealed his persistent stress over how easy it would be to be arrested in Zinfera.


    At the very least Jeong didn¡¯t mention any other worrisome things for the remainder of their carriage ride, as they made a right turn around a particularly large gingko tree, and the carriage ascended a gradual rise in the road of a quiet street, with beautiful homes that were not ostentatious or massive like some of the ones they¡¯d seen on their journey through the city, but the trees were nicely pruned, the yards tidy, and best of all, there were only one or two people milling about the road¡­


    The carriage stopped, and Tam and Eli shared a look of mutual curiosity as on either side of the narrow road were two lovely, traditional Zinferan-styled homes unlikes some of the more recently built homes that featured multiples stories to their homes which was more similar to the Daxarian houses.


    ¡°That is where we will be staying.¡± Bong smiled and gestured with his chin out the window Luca was seated by, making the child turn with renewed excitement. The steadfast driver that had taken them through the desert without a word of complaint, then appeared to open the carriage door for the newcomers to see.


    Luca sprung out of the carriage without a second thought, followed by the rest of the carriage occupants, though they relieved themselves of the vehicle in far more dignified manners¨C particularly Eli who was handed down from the carriage by Tam. A new normality in their lives that she had eventually stopped blushing over.


    The house was a single floor, with a higher wall than most other homes on the street. Two large wooden doors had been opened and blocked from closing by two terracotta pots that already had fresh green sprouts pushing through the soil. It had a beautiful plum tree in the middle of the yard, a red roof, and sliding doors with a wooden porch wrapping around the three sides of the home that faced the  courtyard. Manicured gardens ran along the ends of the house, with rain barrels and covered pots lined up efficiently.


    Once they all stood in a line staring at their home, Tam looked down toward Luca. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a strange looking house, but¡­ It¡¯s where we get to live together¡­ right¡­ dad?¡±


    Tam felt his world stop and all air be squeezed from his lungs as his heart fluttered in his chest.


    ¡°Yes. We will live here together.¡± Reaching out, Tam grasped Luca¡¯s shoulder, which only prompted the boy to wrap his arms around Tam¡¯s waist and hug him tightly.


    Tam swallowed and felt a firm lump form in his throat.


    He felt¡­ happy beyond words in an instant.


    Was that normal?


    A sniffle sounded beside Luca where Jeong stood.


    Everyone looked to see the man pulling a white, silk handkerchief from his pocket in order to dab his teary eyes. ¡°The pollen this time of year is quite¡­ Something.¡±


    ¡°As is the beautiful moment between Tam and his son,¡± Bong contributed helpfully.


    Jeong¡¯s shoulders began to quiver as he covered his mouth with his hanky to theoretically stop any sound he might start making.


    Not wanting to make Luca feel awkward as the child released Tam, shifting awkwardly, the future duke turned to Eli. ¡°Any thoughts on your end?¡±


    However, when he looked to his assistant, Tam found her staring toward the neighboring wall where two older women stood watching them, then, upon realizing they¡¯d been spotted, they quickly huddled together and continued to whisper to one another animatedly.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to be careful. This looks like a street filled with well-meaning, curious neighbors,¡± Eli informed her employer quietly.


    Tam nodded knowingly. ¡°We can use it to our advantage to establish ourselves¡­ Anyway. Shall we go inside to unpack before finding some dinner? Perhaps we¡¯ll even purchase some fresh tea for you.¡±


    Eli perked up and relief filled her eyes, making Tam smile at the sight.


    Until Jeong blew his nose with a loud, prolonged honk.


    ¡°Right, in we go everyone.¡± Tam proceeded to herd Luca through the doors of their temporary home with his hands clasped on his shoulders.


    Though Tam would soon remember that he was going to have to handle the rather delicate matter of how and where he and Eli would be sleeping¡­


    *


    As it turned out, the house was managed by a quiet, older woman by the name of Haewon, and she supervised one maid and a cook whom Bong had seen hired for the duration of their stay.


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    Haewon had a kind, round face, with a small chin, and an age spot that dotted her left cheek, but the manner with which she carried herself was elegantly beautiful. Her hair in its low bun didn¡¯t have a wisp out of place, but it didn¡¯t make her appear severe in nature. Though Haewon barely spoke past the introductions.


    After she showed Luca to his room, Bong and Jeong to theirs, she stopped at the final one, and pulled it open to reveal a bed built low to the floor, and said. ¡°Your room, Mr. and Mrs. Voll.¡±


    Tam didn¡¯t know it was physically possible to sweat as much as he did in a single moment.


    Eli stood just in front of Tam, frozen.


    Only vaguely aware that he must have given some sort of nod of dismissal, Haewon bowed her head, then pardoned herself.


    ¡°Godsdamnit¡­ I knew this would happen¡­ I¡¯ll sleep on the floor. There is a screen there we can put between-¡±


    ¡°If she comes into the room at night, or the maid does to light the candles, they¡¯ll see. Just sleep in the bed.¡± Remarkably, Eli sounded perfectly calm.


    She even proceeded into the room and remembered to step back as their driver could be heard coming down the hall to deliver their luggage.


    Tam on the other hand wondered if he were experiencing puberty a second time with how flustered he had become.


    He managed to step farther into the room to investigate a painting on the wall of a pond and pergola with pointed interest as the rest of their belongings were brought in.


    Once that task was finished, and the door with its paper covering slid shut, he turned back to his assistant, well aware that it felt as though all the blood was rushing to his face and southward.


    At the very least, in the tent Luca had been there, and so it really hadn¡¯t felt so¡­ personal.


    However, Eli apparently wanted to try and give her employer a heart attack as when Tam laid eyes on her again, he found she was removing her shirt.


    ¡°Woah wha- What?! Pardon me- Ah, sorry, what are you doing?!¡± Tam shielded his eyes and looked away.


    Eli blinked at him, the corners of her lips twitching. ¡°My lord, pardon me saying this, but it¡¯s hard to believe you have a child when you act so¡­ coy.¡±


    Tam didn¡¯t comment on the subtle slight. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he repeated instead


    ¡°I¡¯m wearing a white tunic underneath. We need to finish writing your thesis on the constellation Gatral Dragon to show the record keeper of Junya, and I¡¯m not getting ink on silk,¡± she explained, prompting Tam to risk a quick glance to confirm she was decent.


    Seeing Tam¡¯s boyish reactions, Eli let out a disapproving breath and squared herself to him. ¡°My lord, we will need to adapt to behaving as a couple. I understand it is unpleasant for you, but I am professional, and I promise you don¡¯t need to worry about treating me as-¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t unpleasant.¡± Tam almost cringed at his outburst, but instead his tongue continued working against his will. ¡°And I¡¯m going to treat you with the respect you deserve.¡±


    ¡°I am not deserving of the respect of nobility. Forget what I told you about my past. In Daxaria, all I am is a lowly assistant. With no title. So, please, my lord. You are making me feel¡­ uncomfortable.¡±


    Tam slowly straightened. His bashfulness fading as he studied Eli.


    He noticed how she shifted under his gaze¡­ How she couldn¡¯t help but fidget a little with the powder blue shirt in her hand.


    ¡°You feel like if you are seen and held up on a pedestal there is a greater chance you will be hurt.¡±


    Eli reared back as though he had slapped her.


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to convince me you aren¡¯t worth something, because you think if I see you as someone worthwhile, I¡¯ll use you like you are, or people will come and tear you down. Or both.¡±


    ¡°I am powerless, my lord. I am worthless.¡±


    ¡°Not as a human you aren¡¯t. It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t have power, wealth, or support. You¡¯re a thinking, feeling, being. I will treat you with respect. When have I ever said you can¡¯t say no? When have I said your comfort and boundaries should be ignored? If I have crossed them at any point and you want to leave my employ right now, go right ahead. I will pay you a handsome severance. I¡¯m almost certain I¡¯ve said this before.¡± Tam stepped closer to Eli and he could see the tension in her shoulders, and her wide eyed hesitation as he neared.


    ¡°My lord, I just mean if¡­ If you keep treating me like a woman then there could be a misunderstanding, or it could be unnecessarily stressful for you. It is a unique situation we are finding ourselves in and if we have to keep boundaries in mind at all times it could make things more difficult or inefficient.¡±


    ¡°Common decency is not something that should be trumped in priority by efficiency.¡±


    Eli opened her mouth to argue again, but Tam was stopping inches away from her, and her breath caught in her throat.


    ¡°And what kind of misunderstanding are you worried will happen between us?¡±


    Tam knew he shouldn¡¯t have asked that question. Why was he risking making things even more awkward? What the hell would he say if she said what she was implying more directly? He was going to be crossing boundaries he had just been preaching about! How could he let the urge to touch her overrule his level headedness?


    Eli gripped the shirt in her hand even more tightly, then slowly lowered it to her side.


    ¡°My lord, please¡­ I wish you would stop.¡±


    Tam blinked in surprise.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t lived as a woman in more than a decade. I don¡¯t feel like myself when you keep treating me differently. It is bad enough that I have to pretend to be a lady and a mother in public¨C I don¡¯t even know what a good mother should be. So please, when we are alone, treat me as a man.¡±


    The heated well of pure unreasonable instinct disappeared, and Tam could feel disgust curl his insides.


    How could he have been such an idiot?


    ¡°My apologies, Eli,¡± Tam lowered his eyes, his tone dignified and restrained. ¡°I will do my best to respect your wishes. Though I will still look away when you are undressing in any capacity¨C please accept this shortcoming of mine, but I can¡¯t help but feel conscious of it. Again, I apologize for the inconvenience.¡±


    Tam gave a bow of his head, only, he was still standing near enough that the bow brought him even closer to her. He caught a faint scent from her¡­ A perfume that smelled of citrus and something else he couldn¡¯t identify¡­


    He righted himself and left the room as quickly as possible.


    And in doing so, he failed to realize how much Eli was blushing, or the fact that her knees had buckled a little at that very moment.

 Chapter 28: A Timely Tea Talk

    The records regarding the astronomy charts Tam was interested in obtaining happened to be located in the very same official records hall that a certain, prudish, Acker following Lord Kim tended to frequent to review complaints filed by his tenants, and where he himself also would draft his reports on his many opinions on the laws of Junya and Zinfera on the whole.


    The library with its offices built at the back of the building weren¡¯t far from the sea side, where off the beaches, Zinfera¡¯s multiple small islands dotted the distant waters, adding a beautiful scenic view from certain vantage points in Junya.


    The library was three stories tall¨C one of the tallest in Junya¨C its floors and pillars were made of dark stained wood, white washed walls, and light papered sliding doors that divided the rooms. Much like the place Tam was staying in with his companions.


    On the first floor, shelves lined the walls, and in the middle, long tables ran with benches tucked underneath.


    The entire building smelled of books and scented wood polish¡­ And Tam instantly loved it.


    Approaching the official who sat behind a large ornately carved desk filled with dragons and laurels, Tam clutched the thick manuscript he had crafted as his thesis to his chest, hoping he appeared timid and uncertain.


    ¡°Pardon me, sir?¡± he called out.


    The official, with his long, straight salt and pepper beard touching his chest, and his fine, tall black hat, didn¡¯t so much as glance in Tam¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Tam tried again.


    The official turned the page of the large volume in front of him.


    Tam had worked with many types of difficult people in his time gathering information for his household and the crown of Daxaria, and even though he was in a foreign land with buildings, art, and clothing he had never seen the likes of before in his life, he still knew how to handle people when it came to getting information .


    ¡°I¡¯m here to request the records for the Gatral Dragon constellation?¡±


    The official, again, gave no sign of having heard the request.


    Tam smiled, sighed, and then moved to step around the desk, as though to go rummaging about on his own to find what he needed.


    A long cane appeared, coming down with a crack in front of him.


    It was roughly the reaction he had been anticipating.


    He turned to look back at the official, still wearing a polite smile, but the man, despite wielding the cane, still hadn¡¯t looked up from his book.


    Squaring himself back to the desk, and also noting the amount of Zinferan men that either ignored him entirely or only bothered sparing him a brief look of annoyance as they continued to pour over their own studies.


    ¡°I am new to Zinfera. My wife is from here, and her family has sponsored us so that I might continue working on my thesis. Is there something I need to do or have in order to see these records?¡±


    ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Voll.¡±


    ¡°Your wife¡¯s maiden name?¡±


    Tam tilted his head. ¡°Goe.¡±


    At long last the official lifted his wrinkled eyes to Tam. ¡°There are no Goe¡¯s in Junya.¡±


    ¡°They reside in Haeson and Gondol, but everyone knows Junya has the best records of the stars,¡± Tam replied with his most charming smile.


    The official was not impressed.


    ¡°You should stay with your wife¡¯s family if they are funding your studies.¡±


    Tam quickly recalled how important the hierarchy of family was in the Zinferan society.


    ¡°We have traveled with her cousins, her father wishes us to join them in another month or two.¡±


    The official sniffed disapprovingly before turning back to his book, his wiry eyebrows raised.


    Tam waited patiently.


    The official turned the page of his book once more and then called out. ¡°Po, records on the Gatral Dragon. Case twenty three, shelf four.¡±


    A younger man who had been seated nearby at one of the long tables who had an inventory ledger laid out in front of him sprung up from his seat, and took off down the left side of the room.


    If anyone thought this was odd, they didn¡¯t show it.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Tam bowed his head.


    The official said nothing.


    Following where the young man disappeared, Tam pretended to be eyeing the room as any foreigner would; with undisguised interest, while also pointedly not gaping at the people.


    That didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t take note of everyone there¡­


    No one was dressed in a manner befitting a lord who could be Lord Kim, but then again, neither was he.


    Tam wore a simple black, Zinferan wrap style shirt, but still donned his boots and trousers from Daxaria.


    The young Zinferan man named Po who had led Tam to the very back left corner of the room, proceeded to pull out four books, hand them to Tam briskly, and then immediately hurry back to his seat he had been in moments before.


    Tam stared down at the texts, made a show of shrugging and looking pleased, then sat down and started working in the quiet room, with nothing but the sound of pages turning and quills scratching.


    *


    By the time Tam was closing the last book, the sky outside the front doors had dimmed, and he was the only one still in the library¡­


    Aside from the official who guarded the door who was standing directly beside Tam staring him down.


    ¡°We are closing. Leave.¡±


    Tam stood up, forcing himself to be clumsy as he did so. ¡°Of course! My apologies! I get too involved in my studies and-¡±


    The official was already walking away.


    Tam sighed with a smile, his eyes fluttering closed as he proceeded to stretch his neck.


    ¡°Dongu is a brilliant man, but unless you are made of paper and ink he will have very little interest in you.¡±


    The voice that sounded at Tam¡¯s side would have surprised him, had he not heard the subtle nasally breath moments beforehand.


    Opening his eyes, Tam turned to find himself staring at a stout, Zinferan man, with a closely trimmed goatee, and royal blue robes smiling up at him.


    ¡°My name is Lord Kim,¡± he introduced with a smile.


    Tam blinked, gave a convincing gasp of astonishment, and bowed. ¡°My lord! My apologies! I had no idea! I-¡±


    Lord Kim chuckled. ¡°Not to worry. I have a room in the back, and I don¡¯t usually herald my presence. I noticed you are quite a serious scholar, and you are very clearly not from our shores. I confess that I am curious about you and your studies. Would you mind having a cup of tea with me, mister¡­?¡±


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Tam pressed his hand over his heart and bowed again, making sure that while proper, it was a bit too sloppy so as to not betray his own nobility.


    ¡°Mr. Voll! And of course! I¡¯d be honored! My wife is used to me forgetting the time, but I don¡¯t want to get back too late¨C our son loves to hear about my studies before bed time.¡±


    Lord Kim¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°A scholar and a committed family man! The first round of tea is on me, hm?¡± The Zinferan nobleman clapped a hand on Tam¡¯s back, steering him toward the doors where the official named Dongu waited, his nose wrinkling in displeasure at their slow departure.


    ¡°Have a good evening,¡± Tam bowed to Dongu, who, as predicted, said nothing, and instead slammed the doors behind Lord Kim and Tam hard enough to make the two large handle rings bang against the doors.


    ¡°Did I offend him?¡± Tam asked with feigned worry.


    ¡°Oh no, no, dear boy. He doesn¡¯t like anyone. Now, tell me, what kind of tea would you care to have this evening? Black tea? Fruit tea? Milk tea¡­?¡±


    ¡°I best have a citrus. If I drink black tea I¡¯ll be up all night and won¡¯t be able to get a full day to study.¡±


    Lord Kim laughed again and gestured at a quaint store with its windows already aglow just up the road in the same direction Tam would¡¯ve had to head if making the journey home.


    Its pillars were painted a mint green, and its sign gleamed with gold lettering that read, Lang Tea.


    Upon entering the shop with its low tables, all crowded around by men, painted porcelain pots sitting in the middle over lit flames, and cups that matched the pots without handles to match for each table, Tam watched as Lord Kim waved to a man behind the counter who hurried over.


    ¡°My room upstairs,¡± Lord Kim informed the tea house attendant quietly.


    The attendant bowed, but shot a curious glance in Tam¡¯s direction, prompting the future duke to smile in thanks.


    ¡°You¡¯re tall¡­ I¡¯m sorry to say that it really does not help you blend in, and not everyone is happy to see foreigners in the kingdom these days. Particularly those from¡­ Troivack?¡± Lord Kim ventured a guess as he proceeded to follow the attendant down the left wall toward the staircase that led them up to the balcony that circled the ground room, but had private rooms built off the top with different colored round lanterns hanging in between the rooms.


    ¡°I¡¯m from Daxaria,¡± Tam clarified while hunching his shoulders.


    ¡°Ah, that is better. Though you don¡¯t exactly look Daxarian.¡±


    ¡°I had a Troivackian grandparent.¡± Tam wasn¡¯t really lying. Duchess Annika Ashowan¡¯s mother had been Daxarian herself, and it was only his grandfather that was Troivackian¡­


    ¡°I see. How is it you happened to meet your wife?¡± Lord Kim continued to ask as they reached the second floor and proceeded down and to the right to what appeared to be the largest room that sat open with three women wearing fine, jade colored tops and orange skirts¡­


    ¡°Is this tea house yours by chance¡­.?¡± Tam ventured after remembering what Jeong had said about the color orange and those who wore it.


    Lord Kim looked over his shoulder at Tam, his eyes sparkling. ¡°What a quick mind you have. Yes, I do, please. Come in and sit.¡±


    Tam bobbed his head in thanks, and proceeded into the room as Lord Kim finished giving the women their tea orders.


    Once the door had slid shut, and the lord seated himself, Tam joined him in sitting cross legged on the floor. A beautiful painting of a woman in a red dress standing on the shoreline took up most of the wall behind Lord Kim, drawing Tam¡¯s eyes as the rest of the room was made up of white and brown colors.


    ¡°Ah, it is a beautiful piece is it not? This was quite a popular style back when grand lady Chin Taejo first earned the emperor at the time¡¯s favor. Have you heard of the mother of our emperor?¡±


    Tam nodded, his eyes still fixed on the red dress.


    ¡°A fearless woman not to be trifled with¡­ It is a pity that Zinfera has fallen on such uncertain times,¡± Lord Kim shook his head with a sigh. ¡°But enough of such thoughts. You were reading about the constellation of Gatral. You aren¡¯t one of those foolhardy men who think they can find a dragon and a golden treasure horde are you?¡±


    Tam held up his hands and shook his head. ¡°Not at all! When I was a boy, I found some old books in our family¡¯s library about the stars, and I have been dreaming of the day I could come and study the texts here in Zinfera.¡±


    Lord Kim nodded along. ¡°That reminds me, young man, you never mentioned how it is you met a fine Zinferan woman?¡±


    Tam looked at the table bashfully. ¡°My¡­ My brother-in-law introduced us. I am often reserved in nature, and our families happened to know each other, and well¡­ We¡¯ve practically been inseparable since the day we met.¡±


    Lord Kim laughed good naturedly as the door to their room slid open and in shuffled the three serving women, their faces tilted to the floor as they set the table and poured the tea for the two men.


    Lord Kim and Tam waited quietly for them to finish, Tam thanked them, and the lord waved, and then once again, they were alone.


    ¡°How long have the two of you been married?¡± Lord Kim persisted.


    Tam, making sure to still be smiling and bowing answered. ¡°My lord, you must have so many more important things in your life to worry about than my own marriage. Have you always lived in Junya? Forgive me if that was impertinent!¡± Tam added urgently while bowing so low that his hair grazed the table.


    Lord Kim sighed and reached for his tea cup that had beautiful, delicate cherry blossoms painted on them. ¡°I apologize, Mr. Voll. It must seem I am prying into your life unnecessarily. As I said earlier, we seldom get many foreigners visiting. I have been living in Junya many years, though I did spend a bit of time in Haeson. I find Junya to still be a traditional place, and one finely steeped in Zinfera¡¯s history. I do hope you find the charms of this city during your stay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already enjoying it a great deal,¡± Tam proceeded to pick up his own cup and sip it tentatively, then perked up. ¡°I should take Eli here, she would be able to tell me all about this tea.¡±


    Had he just said that outloud?


    ¡°Eli?¡± Lord Kim pressed leaning forward.


    ¡°Ah. Ellie. My wife. She is exceptionally knowledgeable about tea,¡± Tam clarified. Though he mentally kicked himself for not using his assistant¡¯s alias nickname¡­


    ¡°Your wife sounds like a quality woman. If you are interested, I¡¯d be happy to have her come to my tea house here. Perhaps I may even bring my own wife should she join me here in the city¨C our eldest daughter has children of her own and requested my wife¡¯s help for a time.¡±


    ¡°We would be honored, sir!¡± Tam gushed.


    Lord Kim chortled, pleased.


    As they fell into other topics regarding popular stores and politics of Junya, Tam took another sip from his tea, only to have the citrus scent tickle his nose, and remind him of his exchange with Eli the night before¡­ The night where she had ensured a very clear boundary remained between them¡­ And Tam, as a result, had taken a very long walk around the side streets of Junya, trying to clear the emotional haze that was clouding his mind.


    He had realized then that he was toeing a far more dangerous line than a simple crush on his assistant, and so when he had returned to go to bed that evening, he had gone and slept on the balcony, and left early the next morning before Eli awoke.


    While everything else was going along splendidly with his new plan to assess what was happening in Junya by hanging around the local haunts of the nobility they needed to convince and torment, the matter of him falling into a one sided love for Eli was making his wins tinged with anxiety that were not helping his peace of mind in the least.


    Hopefully Eli was able to find Luca a good teacher today¡­ Then maybe I can stay in his room with him saying I¡¯m helping him study and learning to stick to a good schedule for school without suspicion.

 Chapter 29: The Fall and the Follow Through

    Standing in front of the doors to the house he was to stay in for the next approximate month or so, Tam stalled entering as he, at the very last moment, remembered the troubling awkward state of his relationship with Eli.


    Gods¡­ What the hell do I say to her? Do I say sorry I¡¯m an idiot? Sorry I¡¯m acting like a juvenile, hormonal child rather than a respectable employer? Do I just come out with it and say the reason I¡¯m being an arsehat? No. Godsdamnit, no. ¡®Hey Eli, remember how you were worried about misunderstanding me? Well, there isn¡¯t a misunderstanding. You¡¯re fantastic. And I¡¯m having the best time of my life being here in Zinfera with you¡­¡¯


    Tam rubbed his eyes. ¡°When¡­ did I become such a twit?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Voll! Mr. Voll! Heeey! Mr. Voll!¡±


    Turning exceedingly slowly toward the slurred shout that sounded down the street, Tam knew even without being able to see well in the darkness that Bong and Jeong were approaching.


    He waited until they were beside him before asking in a murmur. ¡°Did you find Lord Guk?¡±


    ¡°We did! He is very well known at three particular brothels. We introduced ourselves, and got invited to his party that is happening in three days at his home here in Junya,¡± Bong explained with a grin while he stumbled despite standing still.


    ¡°Mr. VOLL!¡± Jeong burst out unexpectedly.


    Tam turned and stared at Jeong who, thanks to the lit torches by the front doors, he could see was alternatively closing each of his eyes as he struggled to see only one of Tam.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°When¡¯s the first incident supposed to be?¡± Jeong asked in a strained, loud, whisper.


    Tam pursed his mouth, then looked at Bong, but Bong looked like he was falling asleep on his feet, so instead, Tam turned to the front doors and shoved them open. They could have that conversation when both the Ryu brothers were a little less sotted.


    But the sight that greeted the trio of men as they took stock of the courtyard¡­?


    Eli, Haewon, and two Zinferan women they¡¯d never met before standing in the courtyard.


    Eli stood wearing a white top with a dark emerald skirt, and a shawl around her shoulders despite the balmy temperature of the night.


    One of the women that Tam didn¡¯t know, who wore a rose colored shawl, gently elbowed Eli in the back.


    Tam, frozen in confusion, watched Eli¡¯s uncomfortable expression and her inability to meet his eyes.


    ¡°You¡­ All¡­ Are home late. And¡­ You missed dinner.¡±


    Tam blinked. He looked at the other women present, then back at Eli, who looked like she wanted the earth to open up and swallow her whole.


    ¡°Luca¡­ missed you at bedtime¡­¡±


    A loud hiccup sounded beside Tam from Jeong. ¡°Mr. Voooooll! How could you?!¡± he slurred indignantly.


    Tam¡¯s lips flattened as he fought against a sigh.


    ¡°Yeah! Mr. Voll! Luca¡­ is¡­ a growing¡­ boy!¡±


    Tam turned to Bong who situated himself on Tam¡¯s other side. His position wound up only being temporary however as he proceeded to faint face down in the courtyard.


    Fin stared at Bong¡¯s back long enough to ensure he was breathing and then looked back at Eli who was no less pained over the situation unfolding.


    At the very least, the unhelpful interruptions from the Ryu men had bought Tam enough time to get the gist of what was happening.


    The two women were neighbors who had shown up, and nosily wanted to meet himself, had insisted on staying until he was home. He guessed they kept telling Eli how furious she should be with a no good husband who kept his loving wife and son waiting.


    The solution to the dilemma came to him a little too readily¡­ but¡­ he couldn¡¯t quite fault the logic¡­ though he would later admit it may have been biased.


    Crossing the courtyard to Eli, he reached out and gently grasped her hands in his own, and ducked his head closer to her. That same heart stopping smell hit him of citrus and another sort of floral that he couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I was late. You know how I get while studying, and then I happened to have tea with a kind lord who was curious about what had me so busy. I bought you some of the tea we had¡­ Would you like to go inside and have some now?¡±


    Eli had looked utterly mortified when Tam had initially grasped her hands, but at the mention of tea he saw the glint of interest take over her awkwardness.


    ¡°Pardon me, Ms. Haewon, and¡­?¡± Tam looked pointedly at the neighbor women then, the one in the rose colored shawl had her hand to her chest, while the other, who had a royal blue shawl, still scowled in his direction. Seeing this, Tam wasn¡¯t surprised when she cleared her throat pointedly.


    This managed to snap Eli out of her trance and she turned to Jeong. ¡°You are drunk, go inside and stop making a scene.¡±


    That much at least sounded natural coming from her, but then she stared back up at Tam and he damn near had to kiss her.


    ¡°These are our neighbors, Lu and Sosa.¡±


    Tam nodded politely to the two women. The one with the blue shawl named Sosa raised an eyebrow at him, and the one in the pink named Lu was still eyeing him dazedly.


    ¡°It is lovely to meet you both. But if you wouldn¡¯t mind, I would like to go inside with my wife and maybe check on our son.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look like a scholar,¡± Lu blurted suddenly.


    Tam tilted his head, as he started to realize just what the older woman was getting at.


    ¡°Looks aren¡¯t everything,¡± Sosa scoffed. ¡°He shows up late, and tells his wife she should know how he is and should just put up with it! How is that right? Don¡¯t you agree, Haewon?¡±


    The housekeeper didn¡¯t answer, nor did she emote in any way that could indicate what she thought on the matter, and Tam was rather grateful for the fact as he moved around Eli to face the two neighbors with his arm around her shoulders.


    ¡°While I appreciate you commenting on my shortcomings. I will ask that you please leave the premise for the evening as it is late, and I would like to hear from my wife herself what she has to say. Good evening.¡± Tam, once again grasp Eli¡¯s hand, then proceeded into the house, not wanting to look back at her as he led her down the hall to their room.


    He didn¡¯t say a word until they were safely behind closed doors before he let go of her hand, and placed some distance between them.


    ¡°I apologize for the untoward touching,¡± he started bluntly, not quite able to meet her eyes as he wasn¡¯t all that excited about what kind of angry or disappointed face she might¡¯ve been making.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, my lord. As I said before, I understand what our jobs are, and that touching and comfortability is inevitable.¡±


    Tam decided not to drag out the conversation. ¡°I take it those neighbors are the local gossips?¡±


    Eli sighed, and at last the future duke felt it safe to look up. ¡°They are. Annoying, but informative. Apparently Lord Guk¡¯s wife is adamant that Junya should become a capital again. Even though she isn¡¯t here, she still is in constant communication with the household staff here.¡±


    Tam straightened. ¡°That is incredibly useful information, thank you.¡±


    Eli cleared her throat in response. ¡°You mentioned having tea with a lord, was it Kim?¡±


    Tam nodded. ¡°It was, and he invited both you and I to his tea house. I figured you wouldn¡¯t mind,¡± he added with a grin.


    Fidgeting, Eli busied her hands by starting to untie her white top while responding. ¡°I don¡¯t. But I care about more than just tea you know¨C Oh. I¡¯m sorry, my lord.¡± She had just noticed that Tam had turned around so that his back was to her as she undressed.


    ¡°Eli¡­ I have to ask, but¡­ Just as you aren¡¯t certain how I could father a child, I am equally as clueless as to how you did not reveal you were a woman for so long given that you keep casually undressing in front of me.¡±


    There was a beat of silence, and with his back turned, Tam had no idea if his words had upset his assistant in any way¡­


    But then he heard it.


    The gentle, whimsical quiet laugh, and before he could stop himself, he turned around and saw her smiling. Her eyes were closed, her teeth flashed¡­ She seemed to glow¡­


    And that was when he knew.


    That somehow, someway, he had gone and wound up in love.


    Despite all his reasonings and best efforts.


    He¡¯d fallen for his assistant.


    Completely.


    *


    Tam sat at the breakfast table the morning following his troublesome realization, sipping his coffee and avoiding looking in Eli¡¯s direction while Haewon continued setting the table.


    He had managed to escape sleeping in the same bed with Eli again by giving a barely coherent excuse that he¡¯d sleep in the sitting room so that the their housekeeper Haewon and the local gossips would think Eli had given him an earful for his tardiness¨C Of course this was to ensure no one thought he was disrespectful of his wife or that she was a push over.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    But he doubted he¡¯d be able to keep avoiding sharing a bed with her for long.


    A stack of papers appeared in front of Tam, forcing his mind back to the present where there was the morning light warming the dining room in a hazy gold hue as sounds from the street and birds singing drifted in through the open sliding door.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Tam asked, looking over the papers with his eyebrows twitching toward a frown.


    ¡°The information on the tutors I looked into for Luca,¡± Eli retorted. There was a shortness to her tone that prompted Tam to spare a glance in her direction.


    But she didn¡¯t look at him.


    Tam looked toward Haewon, but the woman didn¡¯t let on a thing as she finished setting down the teapot.


    So after she left the room, he took the opportunity to lean closer to Eli.


    ¡°Are you pretending to be angry with me because of yesterday¡­? Or are you actually angry with me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry, my lord.¡± Eli bit out, her eyes flying up to his face a little too sharply.


    Tam leaned back in surprise.


    All I did yesterday after making her laugh was go sleep out here¡­ Did I do something else¡­?


    The future duke was opening his mouth to ask more questions, when in stumbled Jeong, clutching his head, and moaning. ¡°I should have said no to the sweet wine¡­ Never say yes to the sweet wine,¡± he muttered nonsensically.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Bong?¡± Tam wondered, though he already suspected the eldest Ryu brother was still unconscious.


    ¡°He¡¯s outside meditating,¡± Jeong answered in a manner far grumpier than anything anyone had ever heard from him. ¡°In three days we have the party at Lord Guk¡¯s residence, which is the perfect place for the kind of¡­ event¡­ you were thinking of. Bong will take you shopping for a dress,¡± he added to Tam¡¯s assistant.


    ¡°I can take her.¡± Tam cut in a little too quickly.  ¡°It¡¯ll be better for us to be seen together.¡±


    Jeong was too hungover to even bother teasing him.


    ¡°I can go on my own, my lord. I-¡± Eli¡¯s firm insistence was interrupted by Luca entering the room, still yawning, that is until he saw Tam sitting in a white tunic and black pants, holding his coffee cup and perked up.


    ¡°Morning, dad!¡± he greeted sunnily.


    Tam smiled back at him. ¡°Good morning. How did you sleep?¡±


    ¡°I slept alright¡­ It¡¯s a bit hard because it¡¯s a new place and¡­ It¡¯s weird having a room all to myself.¡±


    Tam perked up, this was exactly the excuse he needed to sleep in a different room than Eli!


    However, Jeong clapped a hand on Luca¡¯s shoulder as the boy sat down beside him and said,


    ¡°You can bunk with Bong and myself. He usually can¡¯t sleep anyway, so I¡¯m alone in the room often while he sits outside or reads elsewhere.¡±


    Luca nodded, looking more than a little disappointed, as though he, too, had hoped Tam would be sleeping in the same room as him.


    ¡°As I was saying, my lord, I can go alone-¡±


    Eli was cut off yet again by the return of Haewon who placed a plate in front of Luca before quietly leaving the room again.


    ¡°You need to stop calling me ¡®my lord¡¯,¡± Tam whispered seriously. ¡°Just call me Joe¨C that¡¯s what I¡¯m going to tell people once we get to a first name basis seeing as Tam is too notable a name given my mixed heritage.¡±


    ¡°Actually you should call him a pet name. Like ¡®dear¡¯, or ¡®love¡¯, or ¡®my everything¡¯,¡± Jeong added, though without his usual buoyancy as he reached for the rice on the table.


    Eli didn¡¯t say anything.


    Her mouth remained screwed shut, but Tam could see by the way her jaw moved that she was angry as hell.


    And so when she stood up from the low table abruptly and stalked out of the dining room, it didn¡¯t take Tam long to follow.


    He failed to see Jeong shoot Luca a knowing smile before he left¨C which was most likely for the better.


    Tam managed to catch up to Eli just before their room, without any kind of plan, but he tapped her on her shoulder and made her swing around so quickly that it caught him off guard.


    She stared at him expectantly, her head tilted, and her nostrils flaring ever so slightly.


    ¡°Why¡¯re you angry¡­?¡± Tam managed once he overcame the astonishment of seeing her so enraged.


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry, my lord, I-¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡± Tam waved his hand, his expression hardening. ¡°And I said to stop calling me ¡®my lord¡¯. I said it back in Daxaria, too, come to think of it.¡±


    Tam noted the way her right hand fidgeted, then gripped her burgundy skirt.


    ¡°Is it because Jeong took the teasing too far¡­? You seemed upset before he got there, so was it something I did?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Eli exclaimed, though her volume had risen which told Tam he was on to something¡­


    ¡°So I have done something¡­? Was it because I forgot to give you the tea I said I bought? I have it just in the other room if you-¡±


    Eli turned around and started walking away again, but Tam grasped her arm.


    ¡°Eli, you know I¡¯m sinfully awkward. I¡¯m not going to know unless you tell me.¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Is. Wrong. You are just being irritating!¡±


    Eli tried to leave again, but this time Tam took three steps and his arm shot out in front of her stopping her. He also happened to be quite close to her as he was doing this¡­


    ¡°Yes. I am irritating. And I am terrible at pretending you are not a woman, I¡¯ve apologized and I¡¯ve stayed away from you to try and be more considerate and distant so I make less errors. Is there anything else I can be doing for you?¡±


    Eli leaned back against the wooden panel behind her, not all that far from where Tam¡¯s hand was. Her cheeks were pink and she couldn¡¯t seem to lift her eyes to meet his.


    Tam felt himself starting a losing battle in that moment¡­


    ¡°Eli, please? Can you look at me and tell me what I did?¡± Tam¡¯s voice had quieted, and he found himself physically struggling to stop himself getting any closer to her.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep beside me. And you¡¯re avoiding me, and you¡¯re just¡­ You¡¯re not¡­ You just¡­¡± she stammered as she became more and more frustrated.


    But her words had sent a mind numbing rush through Tam and his self resolve was crumbling.


    ¡°You want me to sleep beside you?¡± His voice was hoarse.


    Eli¡¯s fidgeting worsened and she licked her lips while seemingly trying to figure out how to explain what she meant, little did she know she was destroying any hope of coherent thought from her employer.


    ¡°I just¡­ I¡¯ve actually been sleeping well with you beside me, and I¡­ And I haven¡¯t slept¡­ I have never slept well. Not since I was a child, and I don¡¯t know why. I hate that I trust you. I don¡¯t trust you, I mean, but I-I-I find you reasonable, and-¡±


    Tam lowered his face to hers, and at last her eyes raised to his, only they widened in surprise when she saw the intensity of the look he was giving her. His dark gaze was steady, too steady.


    Tam noticed a small breath leave her mouth.


    ¡°Eli¡­ Do you know why I might not be sleeping beside you any more?¡± While Tam¡¯s tone may have sounded patient, the tension in his body betrayed the fact that he most definitely was not feeling particularly easy going.


    ¡°You¡­ You don¡¯t find me appealing like that, and¡­ You don¡¯t want me-¡±


    Tam kissed her.


    His hand against the wall flexed, while his other found her waist and he relished in the heady sensation he experienced from kissing the particular, grumpy woman he¡¯d fallen for. There were no thoughts, and despite the voracity of his emotions, his magic was silent in his being.


    He pressed into her, and could feel her hands gripping the bottom of his tunic and he found himself thinking how near their room was, when she made a small sound.


    He stopped kissing her, his breath rough, as he stared down into her eyes, his arm, still braced beside her, quivered.


    ¡°Eli, I need you to tell me to stop or keep going, but whichever it is, have mercy and say it quickly.¡±


    She swallowed, and her lips parted, but no sound came out, and Tam decided then and there the woman was a bloody master of torture.


    But he waited¡­ He waited and hoped to the Gods he hadn¡¯t gone and just made a terrible arse of himself.

 Chapter 30: The Way to Want

    Tam, with every bit of self restraint he possessed, continued to suspend his previous activity of kissing Eli senseless, as she had yet to say a word to him about whether they should stop or resume.


    However, with every breath he scraped together, the more obvious his next decision became despite how much he hated it.


    Pressing himself off from the wall, Tam took a step back, leaving Eli slumped there on her own, her expression still dazed.


    ¡°Pardon me, I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll step outside for a while. You don¡¯t need to say anything if you don¡¯t want to, and I won¡¯t do something like that again. If you would like an apology, that will be as much of an answer as I¡¯ll need. I hope you¡¯ll understand my avoidance in the future.¡±


    Then, he turned and walked away, even though his feet felt leaden and his heart was racing, he forced himself to give as much distance as possible from his assistant, and left the house entirely.


    He did manage to stop in the courtyard, right beside Bong who sat with his legs crossed and his eyes closed facing the tree.


    Tam didn¡¯t announce his arrival as he took a steadying breath, and focused on the sound of the warm breeze rustling the budding plum tree, and the sound of the birds¡­


    ¡°Everything alright, Tam?¡± Bong asked peacefully.


    ¡°It is. I hope¡­ But¡­¡± Tam let out an agitated sigh as tension bunched up in his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I don¡¯t seem to be as capable and cautious as I usually am.¡±


    Despite his eyes still being closed, Bong smiled. ¡°Have you ever wanted something for yourself, Tam?¡±


    The future duke stilled, then squared himself to Bong and stared at his profile. ¡°Of course I have. Who hasn¡¯t? It¡¯s why I have more books than shelf space.¡±


    Bong finally looked over at Tam, a calm knowingness settled around his features.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never wanted something that required you to open yourself up, or meant a lot to you.¡±


    Tam didn¡¯t answer as he frowned. That didn¡¯t sound right¡­


    ¡°I used to be like you in a lot of ways,¡± Bong continued. ¡°I believed I had to do everything in my power to live up to my father, or to even surpass him. I had the honor of our family to uphold, and I will one day have to manage everything.¡± The Zinferan sighed. ¡°Since childhood I have keenly felt how little time I had to learn and improve. It seemed an impossible goal.¡± Bong¡¯s eyes drifted thoughtfully down to the ground. ¡°And then¡­ One day, when I was twenty-three, after years of studying endlessly, pushing myself to a breaking point time and time again, I was running to one class or another, and I saw children in the street playing a game with a leather bound ball. They were so¡­ free. I realized that¡¯s what I wanted right then in perfect clarity. I wanted to feel happy, and unburdened. For the first time in my life, I found something to burn for that was only for myself. And so I had to think for a long time about what a happy free life looked like in my mind. For once not caring how others believed it should be.¡±


    Unable to bring himself to say anything, Tam listened, identifying in many ways with what Bong was saying, only¡­  he recognized that he hadn¡¯t figured out what he wanted. He didn¡¯t know what he wanted his life and future to be, only what he wanted to try to live up to.


    ¡°Luca finding you now, I think was quite by the hair of the Goddess. Fated. I think children in general are wonderful reminders to enjoy beautiful, simple things in life. Like a warm spring day outside.¡± Bong smiled and looked up at Tam, though he had to squint against the sun as he did so. ¡°I also think you are working out how to provide a happy life for him, as a good father should, but you have no idea, because you have not made a happy life for yourself, Tam. But now that you are trying to? You¡¯re going to find yourself making all kinds of exceptions to situations you previously may have handled more cautiously and capably.¡±


    Tam turned over everything that Bong had to say, and slowly seated himself down beside him.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried I¡¯m making another person uncomfortable with what I want.¡±


    ¡°Eli would have said something. She is quite good at being blunt.¡±


    All pretense of pretending it wasn¡¯t his assistant Tam was talking about was swiftly abandoned.


    ¡°She¡¯s in a tough situation and I¡¯m in a position of power over her.¡± Tam shook his head at himself.


    ¡°From what I can tell you¡¯ve made it clear she is welcome to tell you where she stands with you. Your fault lies in not telling her what meaning she has in your life.¡±


    ¡°I think she¡¯s got the picture,¡± Tam added, meaning for the comment to be more to himself than Bong.


    However, the Zinferan raised an interested eyebrow and glanced over his shoulder back to the house.


    ¡°Are you aware she suffers from significant trauma?¡±


    Tam cringed. ¡°I am. Which makes me even worse.¡±


    ¡°Your self-hatred is a waste of time.¡± Bong closed his eyes again. ¡°Make yourself clear to her, and then adhere to whatever she wishes to do about the situation. As you have been. She may need more time to recover before she can even entertain the thought of a wholesome relationship. Assuming of course that is what you want.¡±


    Tam gnawed on his tongue.


    He was in love with Eli, absolutely, but¡­ What if they simply were happier living their own lives?


    Just because you loved someone didn¡¯t mean you had to marry them.


    ¡°I¡¯m already tired of moping and agonizing over this.¡± Tam reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°She knows how I feel now, and that¡¯s that. Thank you for helping me figure myself out, Bong.¡±


    The Zinferan bowed his head gracefully.


    Tam grinned down at the Zinferan and then recalled he he passed out face first in the dirt completely drunk the night before. ¡°Honestly, after your escapades last night I thought you¡¯d be in significantly more pain today.¡±


    ¡°I have spent a great deal of time out here trying my best not to vomit.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense.¡± Tam nodded. ¡°Would you like to come inside for breakfast?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t move yet.¡±


    ¡°Still might vomit?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Tam¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Would you like me to get you some water?¡±


    ¡°That would be appreciated.¡±


    Laughing Tam clapped a hand on Bong¡¯s shoulder earning the quietest of whimpers from the man before Tam stood up and turned back to the house.


    He really was living a strange life where he was kissing his assistant one instant, in terrible inner turmoil the next, and then perfectly at peace again with his own lot in life all before breakfast was really over.


    Upon re-entering the dining room, Tam found Luca and Jeong in deep conversation.


    ¡°Sorry about leaving like that,¡± Tam announced, drawing their attention to himself.


    Both Luca and Jeong looked up at the same time, both looking more than a little curious.


    ¡°Is Eli alright?¡± Jeong asked worriedly.


    ¡°I think so. Though she might want to go shopping with Bong after all. She¡¯ll let us know.¡± Tam reached over and plucked up the papers that his assistant had handed him before with information about the various tutors they might be able to hire for Luca.


    ¡°Luca what did you do yesterday?¡± Tam inquired as his son slowly started to inch closer to him.


    ¡°Oh, I¡­ I helped Eli unpack your books, and we talked about what I might like studying¡­¡±


    Tam gave an encouraging smile at Luca then looked over the tutors.


    ¡°Dad?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Can I¡­ go shopping with you if¡­ if you and Eli are going?¡±


    Tam looked up, momentarily stunned. ¡°Is there something you need?¡±


    ¡°N-No.¡±


    Tam glanced with an arched brow at Jeong but the man was allowing his attention to be completely captured by his cup of tea.


    ¡°I just¡­ want¡­ to spend time with you,¡± Luca finished awkwardly.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.Tam paused, then reached over and rested his hand on Luca¡¯s head. ¡°How about, even if Eli wants to go shopping with Bong, you and I go out, hm?¡±


    Luca¡¯s entire face lit up as he nodded enthusiastically.


    Tam smiled, ruffled Luca¡¯s recently cut hair, and returned his attention to the tutors.


    All was peaceful, until both Eli and Bong stepped into the room.


    Eli seated herself down beside Jeong where Luca had previously been sitting, which wasn¡¯t the farthest she could sit from Tam, but it wasn¡¯t exactly close either¡­


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll go shopping with Bong today,¡± she informed everyone evenly, though she couldn¡¯t look in Tam¡¯s direction.


    Tam masked his emotions the best he could and addressed Luca. ¡°Guess that means it¡¯ll just be you and I out today.¡±


    Luca smiled with his mouth closed and his right cheek filled with the dumpling he had just shoved into his mouth.


    Tam returned his attention to getting some tea, while Bong proceeded to down several cups of water.


    ¡°Sorry I wasn¡¯t able to bring that out to you quicker,¡± he called out.


    ¡°It is fine. I didn¡¯t give you much time.¡±


    Tam smiled and reached for the cup of coffee he had abandoned earlier, but caught Eli staring at him discreetly and froze.


    She looked away immediately.


    While Tam¡¯s heart started to sink he noticed that she actually happened to be blushing¡­


    He wasn¡¯t entirely certain of the reason for it, but¡­ Maybe it wasn¡¯t a bad sign.


    *


    Tam and Luca spent their day looking at the various vendors that revealed their goods on the street side. And once Tam had spent a good amount of money on the various snacks that Luca was interested in trying, he found himself relaxing in a way he hadn¡¯t in a long time. He wondered why his magic wasn¡¯t acting up, but whatever the reason for it, it was a blissful reprieve.


    Staring up at the clear blue sky, Tam let out a breath that seemed to take with it years of tension¡­


    He was outside on a beautiful day. No one was cringing away from him or whispering behind their hands, he already was right on schedule with making contact with the lords, he was gathering information, and¡­


    He was getting to know Luca.


    His son who did not like fish. In any capacity. Which was tricky when Junya was a seaside city.


    Tam also learned that Luca liked the color red, and that he was really quick on his feet as he dodged and wove through the crowds between stalls.


    Luca was conscious of people, but uninterested¡­ His eyes followed food, toys, and even the buildings with their unique designs¡­


    ¡°Luca?¡± Tam summoned his son back to his side as he started to get a little farther ahead.


    Once the boy was back by his side, still chewing on a chicken skewer, Tam asked the question that had occurred to him. ¡°Did you have any friends in Daxaria? Back when you were living at the tavern?¡±


    Luca paused, his carefree expression turning serious and wary.


    ¡°Not¡­ really. I was either helping mother clean the tavern, or helping my uncle keep track of inventory¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Tam frowned.


    ¡°Jeong¡¯s my friend now!¡± Luca reminded with forced energy


    ¡°That he is, as is Bong, and Eli¡­ But you should have friends your own age, too.¡±


    His mouth twisting to the side, Luca looked disappointed.


    ¡°Is there a reason you don¡¯t want to have friends your own age?¡± Tam pressed casually.


    Luca busied himself with finishing off his chicken skewer, but Tam waited, and after Luca had disposed of the skewer in an outdoor oven fire, he eventually answered.


    ¡°I¡¯m different from other kids. I don¡¯t know.¡± He shrugged but there was an evasiveness in his answer and a nervousness around him as he shoved his hands in his pockets. A move that was a lot like Tam¡¯s.


    ¡°Different how¡­?¡± Tam persisted.


    ¡°Well, I just¡­¡± Luca stopped, his chin lowering to his chest. ¡°I have weird dreams, and¡­ I can¡¯t focus sometimes. I only talk to adults, I don¡¯t know any games, and I didn¡¯t have a dad, and¡­ I¡¯m just different.¡±


    ¡°You have a dad now, and it¡¯s fine to get distracted. It happens to everyone,¡± Tam assured while also subtly directing their journey down a quieter side street.


    ¡°But I¡­ I sometimes feel like a different person when the distraction happens.¡±


    Tam felt his insides turn to ice. ¡°How do you mean, Luca?¡±


    There must have been something in his tone that frightened the boy, as he stopped in his tracks and shuffled backward uncertainly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly¡­ I just. Sometimes it¡¯s like I¡¯ve heard things before, or I feel some way because I¡¯ve seen something, and it doesn¡¯t make sense. Or¡­ Or I suddenly think I remember something that didn¡¯t happen¡­¡±


    Tam ushered Luca to the side of the road where no one else walked and crouched down. Fear was crawling up his belly.


    ¡°Luca, what kind of things do you remember?¡±


    The boy¡¯s distress worsened. ¡°I don¡¯t know! Scary things, and they are like my dreams so I don¡¯t know if they are memories or, or-¡±


    Tam saw the tears in Luca¡¯s eyes and without being able to help himself he pulled Luca in to hug him.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Luca. I promise. I promise everything is alright¡­ I just¡­ It is really important you tell me as much as you can about this.¡±


    ¡°Why though? Mother said I shouldn¡¯t! It scares people!¡±


    ¡°Because I¡­ I might be able to help.¡± Tam knew he was lying, but¡­ how could he tell Luca the truth? What even was the truth?


    Was Luca the devil? But he genuinely didn¡¯t seem evil, or conniving¡­


    Did it mean that he simply didn¡¯t remember he was the devil?


    Tam pulled away, and did his best to put his own concerns away and just focus on Luca.


    ¡°I dream about¡­ About big creatures and¡­ I dream about people. Some of them are scary, and some I think are witches,¡± Luca explained with a warbling voice.


    Tam listened seriously, though nothing of what he heard really helped shed any light one way or another. He opened his mouth, to console Luca, only¡­


    He spotted something in the corner of his eye, and turned with Luca at the same time to see¡­


    Eli. Strolling down the street, by herself. She had on a white shirt, and a pale pink skirt, her back was straight, her expression neutral¡­


    She looked beautiful.


    But that wasn¡¯t what caught Tam¡¯s eye.


    There were two men following her that he noticed as she finished passing the front of the road he had just turned onto.


    ¡°Where the hell is Bong?¡± Tam stood up. ¡°Luca, you stay right here. If anyone approaches you and tries to move you, you scream.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Luca replied firmly, his previous moment of vulnerability passed as he, too, gauged the danger his father¡¯s assistant was in.


    And that was it. Tam was setting off in pursuit of them¡­ His long strides easily closing the distance, though the two men pursuing Eli were gaining as well.


    Seeing this, Tam felt his magic surge.


    It was as though for all the peace it had given him recently, it was returning with a roar that had him internally scrambling to maintain some measure of control¡­ But he couldn¡¯t stop. He couldn¡¯t fail to protect Eli.


    And so he kept walking, even though he was relatively certain he noticed one or two people leap back from him in surprise¡­


    He didn¡¯t want to know what he looked like.


    Though he strongly suspected his eyes had turned black just like Eli had described back on the ship when facing off with the pirates.


    It didn¡¯t matter. He just wanted to get Eli and Luca to safety, and hopefully, whatever happened, whatever amount of magic he wasn¡¯t able to contain, it wouldn¡¯t swallow him whole once and for all.

 Chapter 31: A Distressing Departure

    Eli lowered her chin elegantly at the vendor who accepted the payment for her new dress from Bong, and then allowed her eyes to drift down the sunny, bustling street.


    The fine weather had everyone outside, and in fine spirits, though Eli herself was feeling far from fine.


    ¡°That should be everything you need for the party,¡± Bong interrupted her thoughts, as he took the carefully wrapped parcel from the vendor with a grateful bow.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Eli managed to say, though her voice sounded tight.


    Bong didn¡¯t comment on it, and instead saw to passing the package to Haewon who had joined them to help manage their purchases by delivering them to their carriage, and seeing to any other of her employers¡¯ needs.


    The pair walked on leaving the housekeeper behind. Though Bong, rather than having his usual dignified movement, trudged, his complexion still not quite right after the rousing good evening he had sussing out Lord Guk in the brothels¡­


    ¡°Shall we return back to the house, Mrs. Voll?¡±


    Eli jerked to a halt as she gave Bong a highly disgruntled glance before continuing on.


    The abrupt reaction startled Bong into almost vomiting.


    He took a moment to breathe deeply, settle his stomach, then hurried his strides to catch up to Eli.


    ¡°Is there a reason you have been¡­ ill at ease since this morning?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Bong nodded along, pretending that he believed Eli¡¯s answer for at least another store front or two.


    ¡°I had an interesting conversation with Tam while I was meditating out in the courtyard this morning.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean when you were too hungover to walk?¡± Eli¡¯s clipped tones didn¡¯t phase Bong.


    ¡°I happened to be doing both of those things.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lord.¡±


    Bong sighed, and stared at Eli¡¯s serene face.


    ¡°I see you feel better now that you have the upperhand.¡±


    Her serenity twitched back to irritation.


    ¡°Tell you what¡­ I will share a few thoughts I gleaned from the future duke, hm?¡±


    Eli didn¡¯t say anything in response.


    ¡°Tam is aware you have a troubling history, and he is also aware he is in a state of great upheaval what with lovely little Luca¡¯s presence.¡±


    Bong paused as he paid for two cups of water and some chilled dumplings from a nearby vendor, and proceeded to hand one of each to Eli. She was too impatient waiting for him to continue talking to decline the fair, and so she held both and started walking after he gratefully sipped from his cup.


    ¡°Good Goddess¡­ My brother says there is nothing better than spicy food when hungover, but I say cold foods are the best for quelling the heated storms inside.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a very poetic description of the consequences for overindulging.¡±


    Ignoring her, Bong continued his original speech while also nodding at some pretty older woman dressed in pale pinks and blues that passed by him.


    ¡°Tam is not entirely his own person just yet, and so you both have a ways to grow, and intentions therefore won¡¯t always be clear. His feelings in the romantic sense are quite sincere, but he of course wishes to only ensure you know you are respected.¡±


    When Eli still didn¡¯t add to the conversation or reveal any of her own feelings, Bong took a little more liberty with sharing his thoughts.


    ¡°I believe it is best that you are aware of the situation so you might understand Tam¡¯s actions and thoughts as he figures things out. Though I¡¯m curious if you know your own mind on this particular matter.¡±


    ¡°That is not your business, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Of course not, I am simply willing to share my own thoughts. It is important that we all work well with one another during this time here in Zinfera. Particularly if we are going to be meddling rather than simply¡­ listening while here.¡±


    ¡°My lord.¡± Eli turned to face Bong who had just finished his dumpling and set down his empty cup of water on a barrel outside an eatery. ¡°If everyone simply follows the plan, then there is no need to delve into any personal matters.¡±


    ¡°Pardon me saying this, but that¡¯s just silly.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Bong smiled warmly. ¡°Any plan that involves humans is bound to be imperfect. That is why no matter what large scale endeavor people take, we are advised to plan for human error. And what is it that makes us human? Emotions.¡±


    ¡°I thought it was higher consciousness and thought.¡±


    ¡°That too,¡± Bong chuckled but stared interestedly at Eli. ¡°You¡¯ve studied philosophy. That is unusual for someone of no rank or title¡­¡±


    Eli stormed off once more, leaving Bong to once again move quickly to catch up to her.


    ¡°Eli, I do not bring these things up to have you tell me your inner thoughts. I bring them up to help you gain perspective on yourself.¡±


    ¡°My lord?¡± Eli turned around sharply once more, her voice louder, and Bong cringed at the sudden movement and assault on his headache yet again. ¡°Stop speaking to me like you are a seventy year old man. We are near the same age. I might even be older.¡±


    ¡°I feel quite old today, does that help?¡± Bong leaned forward, his brow arched seriously.


    ¡°No, it does not.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Bong nodded. ¡°Are you afraid to turn Tam down? Or are you afraid to start a relationship with a man who already has far too much control over your life?¡±


    Eli looked as though the wind had been knocked out of her.


    ¡°Go away.¡± The words came out a whisper, but her eyes were wide and touched with a frantic energy as she stared at Bong.


    ¡°Eli, I-¡±


    ¡°For the love of the Gods, no one listens to me! Am I-I-I to be a bloody pawn at all times?! Do I really have absolutely no power?! Why?! What have I ever done to deserve this?! I¡¯ve worked, and I¡¯ve worked, and I do my best to accommodate, and everyone just wants more! They want things I don¡¯t have, and because I don¡¯t have them? I am punished! If I am not what they expect me to be I am also punished!¡±


    ¡°I understand that-¡±


    ¡°You understand absolutely nothing. All I want¡­ is to work. And I will do my job damn well, but why do people think they are owed more than that?!¡± Eli was crying. Her nose was running, her voice was hoarse and choked, but she did not relent. ¡°You, Lord Bong, who were born into privilege might understand heavy responsibility, and having to make tough decisions that affect others¨C oh yes. I¡¯ve served a king, I already know what is involved in being a leader! But you have never had your dignity dragged through the mud for another person¡¯s amusement. You¡¯ve not had your life tossed around as though you were nothing. Like a thing. You¡¯ve never been at the mercy of the world and wanting to die, with no one on your side, and you claw and you fight, and you drag yourself out of those hells, only to find not much has really changed at all. It doesn¡¯t matter what you do, or who you¡¯re with, people want more. I don¡¯t want to share my feelings, they are mine! Can¡¯t they just stay mine?!¡±


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Bong¡¯s look of sadness and pain on Eli¡¯s behalf in no way placated her feelings.


    ¡°Go to hell, my lord. Don¡¯t ever try to push me to do or feel or question anything. You are not a friend to me. You are a friend to Lord Tam.¡±


    ¡°Is Lord Tam a friend to you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Eli bit back. ¡°No. He isn¡¯t a friend he¡­ he¡­ Never mind. I¡¯m going for a walk. Do not follow me.¡±


    She had wanted to say Tam was like everyone else. He was just an employer, and she wished she could say for the point of winning the argument that he treated her as though she were inconsequential, so why should he be more to her?


    But he didn¡¯t treat her that way.


    No. He, more than anyone she had ever met, had always honored whatever she wanted. The only time when he didn¡¯t? Was when he didn¡¯t want to risk hurting her. He had ignored her wish to sleep beside each other, because he apparently was attracted to her and didn¡¯t think that was something that was a decent thing he should continue doing.


    He had respected her from the day they met. And even now, when he wanted something from her, what he wanted was to add distance to ensure she stayed as comfortable as possible.


    Eli kept her teary face lowered. She didn¡¯t know if Bong was behind her or not, and she frankly didn¡¯t care if he was. She pulled free a silk handkerchief from her skirt and blew her nose, though as she cleaned her face, she noticed the glint of the wedding band on her hand¡­


    I wonder when he started to be attracted to me¡­ Probably being stuck in a carriage for days on end with only men didn¡¯t help, but¡­ Developing amorous feelings because of lust doesn¡¯t seem like Tam. Then again he does have an illegitimate child, so maybe it is exactly what he is like.


    Eli was deep in thought about her predicament, while willfully ignoring her confrontation with Bong moments before, when an unpleasant churn in her stomach and a prickling along the back of her neck alerted her that something was off¡­


    Pausing briefly, Eli pretended to be interested in some framed mirrors that were for sale just off the side of the street, but as she did so, she noticed the two men following her.


    Of course. Of course that is what happens the instant I try to take time for myself. She lamented to herself bitterly.


    Noticing two streets she could turn onto up ahead, Eli did her best to keep an eye out for any signs of respectable stores or taverns, even though she knew she was on the frayed edges of the upscale store area of Junya.


    She spotted one that said: Side Street Tavern, and aimed there. If she was able to flag down the owner she could have a carriage sent for, and taverns typically had hired muscled ¡®helpers¡¯ to handle any unsavory characters.


    Eli had just taken the second left down the street, her panic rising as she walked¡­


    That is until she sensed something new.


    Something familiar. Comforting.


    Relief washed over her.


    Tam was nearby.


    She didn¡¯t need to look over her shoulder, or listen for the sound of his footsteps that were as quiet as her own.


    She simply knew. Regardless of the fact that they had both gone on outings that day with other people¡­


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± an unfamiliar voice called behind Eli.


    She tensed but kept walking.


    ¡°Are you Elisara Nam?¡±


    She stopped and spoke over her shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are talking about. Please leave me alone.¡±


    ¡°We were hired by Chul Nam to find his sister, Elisara Nam¡­ Are you¡­ certain you are not her?¡±


    Eli took her time turning around. She faced the two men, and found them wearing matching periwinkle shirts, with black pants and boots. The one that had called out was a little older than his companion, with wrinkles creasing the skin under his eyes, as he gazed at her studiously.


    The taller of the two was unable to mask his excitement as he stared at Eli, and she felt herself want to cringe away from them when¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but get the hell away from my wife.¡±


    The two men jumped, and swung around to find Tamlin Ashowan standing behind them at the mouth of the shaded street they stood on with tall walls boxing them in.


    Tam stared at them, his eyes filled with pure blackness that had the two men taking large steps backward.


    ¡°Mr. V- my-my, dear one!¡± Eli called out awkwardly as she rushed forward past the two strangers. ¡°Thank the Gods you found me! I was looking where you wanted to meet for lunch with our son, but got lost.¡±


    Tam continued to stare at the men, and his eyes were already regaining some of their whites back¡­


    ¡°Where is your escort?¡± Tam rumbled.


    ¡°I¡­ I wanted to be alone-¡±


    ¡°Leave us!¡± Tam barked at the supposed investigators who were starting to edge toward the couple once more, but the sharp ring of Tam¡¯s voice sent them bolting past him fearfully.


    Once they were out of sight, Eli let out a breath, her shoulders sagging forward. ¡°Thank you, my lord. I¡¯m sorry I- My lord?!¡±


    When Tam rounded back, to her, his eyes were once again consumed with darkness.


    ¡°Eli, get the hell away from me,¡± he ordered, his tone a mix of frightened and insistent.


    But she didn¡¯t.


    ¡°My lord, what about your crystal? I¡¯m sure you can-¡±


    Tam stumbled past her and started heading toward the back of the street, alone. Dark, silvery mists were emanating from his body, as the toes of his boots scraped against the stones.


    ¡°My l- Tam! Tam, it¡¯s alright you-you don¡¯t need your magic to-¡± Eli¡¯s words were cut off as an anguished grunt echoed from Tam, and as it left him, his shoulders curled, and the wisps proceeded to consume him entirely until¡­


    He was gone.


    Eli stared in shock at the place he had been standing. Where the blackness and silvery magic had just been¡­ but there was nothing.


    It was as though Tamlin Ashowan had just¡­ dissolved.

 Chapter 32: A Rough Reeling

    Eli¡¯s legs felt like they didn¡¯t want to move. She had stayed on that side street, looking around every nook, cranny, and store that was in the vicinity. She whispered, calling Tam¡¯s name over and over, until her throat dried up and she couldn¡¯t whisper anymore or she¡¯d cough.


    What was she supposed to do? What could she do?


    Tam had said he disappeared into a void when his magic overtook him¡­ So where exactly was the void? Did he just turn into nothing? Did he go to the Forest of the Afterlife?!


    Eli started to fidget. She debated using her magic. Debated seeing if it could do anything¡­


    People will see though. She pointed out to herself as she glanced back at the still crowded main road of Junya a short distance from where she stood.


    Surprisingly the tavern that was nearby had been closed most of the day¡­ A fortuitous thing in the end given how Tam had disappeared.


    Maybe if I come back after dark and use my magic. Maybe then I¨C


    ¡°Eli?¡±


    Swinging around, Eli found herself staring at Luca, who looked pale and frightened.


    Right. Hadn¡¯t Tam gone shopping with him?! Where had he been the whole time?!


    ¡°Luca!¡± she called. ¡°Is everything alright? Where were you?¡±


    ¡°I-I was just around the corner of the next street over. Dad said¡­ He¡­ He said not to move until he came back, but it¡¯s been so long, and he was going after the men who were following you. Where is he?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Well¡­¡± Eli glanced over her shoulder a final time, hoping to find her employer standing there again. ¡°I¡­ Don¡¯t know. He scared off the men following me, but I¡­ uh-¡±


    ¡°Eli! Luca! Thank the Goddess I found you!¡± Bong darted over to the pair from the street.


    ¡°Hi, Bong, did you happen to bring the carriage?¡± Eli questioned quickly, with the hope that Luca wouldn¡¯t ask her again where his father was.


    ¡°Wha¨C Yes¡­ Yes, I did, but what is-¡±


    ¡°Luca, please go to the carriage,¡± Eli ordered without sparing him another look as she continued to peer around the street desperately.


    Luca looked like he wanted to argue, but he was also exhausted having been out all day, and then waiting in the sun for so long as well, and so he dragged his feet all the way to the carriage without bothering to argue.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Bong asked slowly.


    ¡°Yes. Everything. Tam just disappeared, and there were two men who were following me that say they were hired by my brother and I don¡¯t know what to do. My lord, do you know any witches who could maybe-¡±


    ¡°Pardon me, Eli, I am not certain I am understanding what you are saying,¡± Bong attempted to soothe the woman who was turning back around with mounting distress.


    ¡°Tam disappeared. His magic¡­ He¡­ I know he doesn¡¯t want me to talk about it, but he just vanishes, and I don¡¯t know where he is, and he doesn¡¯t know where he is, and I just¡­ He¡¯s gone. He came to help me, he got worried, and he¡¯s gone.¡±


    Bong blinked rapidly and opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again when he realized he had no response despite his two attempts.


    ¡°Does he do this often?¡± he wondered aloud for his third try while watching Eli lift up a potted plant and look under it.


    ¡°No! He usually stops it from getting this far! But then I came along, and¡­ Good Gods, why do these things keep happening? Why in the world do things keep going wrong!¡± Eli shouted angrily while whirling back around and spotting a crate that she dove for and picked up to peer under.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe our dear Tam can fit underneath the crates,¡± Bong reasoned gently.


    ¡°Do you have a better idea of where he is then?!¡± Eli demanded while chucking down the crate.


    Bong moved carefully over to Eli. ¡°What is everything you know about Tam¡¯s power?¡±


    ¡°I already told you everything!¡±


    ¡°So he has no control over where he goes once he disappears?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What has happened in the past when he has returned?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea! Please, can we just go back, and get in touch with Zinfera¡¯s coven?¡± Eli insisted, peering up at Bong desperately.


    ¡°It would be days until we heard anything, and all requests like this one go through the emperor. It would alert everyone to Tam¡¯s presence, and then Daxaria¡¯s coven would be summoned as well.¡± Bong held up his hands. ¡° I believe we should only do that if we don¡¯t hear or see Tam for a bit more time? It¡¯s entirely possible he reappears here later! I¡¯ll pay the staff of those stores on the main road to keep watch for him, alright?¡±


    Eli looked like she wanted to object, but as she stared into Bong¡¯s concerned, yet calm face, the fight left her, and her shoulders came forward in defeat.


    ¡°It is not your fault,¡± Bong informed her quietly.


    ¡°It is. It is my fault that I didn¡¯t just go shopping with Tam in the first place. It¡¯s my fault that I¡­ I¡­ I was followed, and that I-¡±


    Bong laid a hand on Eli¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the house. There¡¯s nothing we can do here, and it is getting late.¡±


    ¡°How can you not be worried?¡± Eli snapped, her defeat swiftly turning into a fiery accusation.


    Bong didn¡¯t react to her mood change. ¡°I am worried. But the longer we are outside talking about it, the more risk we create. We need to manage the situation and regroup best we can. I¡¯m sure that is what Tam wants.¡±


    ¡°Tam wants to get out of a void,¡± Eli informed Bong coolly.


    Bong¡¯s lips flattened, then relaxed. ¡°What would you like us to do right now?¡±


    Eli stared at Bong, emotion starting to make her throat close.


    Sure, the situation was bad¡­ but she¡¯d been in worse. Why was she so upset? She normally was fantastic at being resourceful and figuring out what to do. There wasn¡¯t a reason to be afraid really¡­ She was in no imminent danger¡­


    Eli lowered her eyes. I need to stop being like soggy tea leaves. Like a useless lump¡­ I¡¯m better than this. We need Tam back or our plans aren¡¯t going to work. Tonight, I¡¯ll return here and try to find him using my magic. If I can¡¯t find him after a few days, I¡¯ll force Bong to write to the coven, or we can subtly ask around for any other witches that may be living in the city.


    Nodding to herself, Eli started walking to the carriage, completely ignoring Bong as she did so.


    She¡¯d figure things out. And even if Tamlin Ashowan had disappeared for good, she¡¯d survive.


    She¡¯d always survive.


    ***


    It was the same, vast, black nothingness it had been before.


    Tam felt as though he were trembling the same way he had as a child. He tried to scream¡­


    And he did.


    The fact that he could hear his own shout echoing out into the distance startled him into stumbling back¡­


    Stumbling.


    He looked down.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.There were his hands.


    His feet.


    He was in his body!


    Relief washed over Tam as he grasped his forearms, and felt they were solid under his touch.


    The last time he had been in the void had been seven years ago, and that time he didn¡¯t have a body¡­


    This was significantly better.


    Tam turned around, looked up, looked down¡­ only to find there was nothing under his feet. He wasn¡¯t even sure how it was possible he could see his hands and legs. It seemed like the light was coming from above, but when he¡¯d look up, the source would shift.


    ¡°Hello?¡± he shouted out, and listened to his voice echo once more¡­ ¡°If I echo, that means my voice is bouncing off of something solid,¡± he explained to himself.


    Taking a few tentative steps, Tam found doing this was wildly disconcerting as he didn¡¯t feel like he was moving, and yet the way his muscles worked in his thighs he felt like he had crossed some kind of distance. Closing his eyes, Tam reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose.


    The two times he had disappeared in the past, he had disappeared for half a day at most¡­ He just hoped that that was all it was. He was sure he¡¯d frightened Eli. And Luca¡­ Gods¡­ Luca would be especially terrified.


    Sighing, Tam felt his guilt mounting, which in turn inspired him to try making headway walking again.


    He held out his arms as he did so, wondering if he could feel anything¡­ But, after what seemed like half of an afternoon went by and nothing changed, he eventually stopped.


    Gradually he lowered himself down to sit on the mass of nothing surrounding him to rest.


    ¡°I hope Eli¡¯s alright. And Luca¡­ What if Eli doesn¡¯t see Luca, or he waits on the street without anyone finding him?!¡± Fresh panic washed over Tam, prompting him to jump back up.


    ¡°IF THERE IS ANYONE THERE! PLEASE GET ME OUT! PLEASE! I NEED TO GO BACK!¡±


    Tam felt air be pulled from his lungs as he gasped and felt the familiar dread seep into his being.


    He¡¯d been able to stay calm far longer than he ever had in the past thanks to the fact that at the very least he was in his own body this time¡­


    Wait. My body. Every time I¡¯ve vanished before my body has always disappeared with me. Why is it only appearing now? What is different now?


    Tam¡¯s mind raced with possibilities.


    Was it that he was older? Had his magic grown stronger? Why would it be stronger? Did Luca have something to do with it?


    He frowned. Then he did something he had avoided since his magic had first manifested¡­ He turned his attention inward¡­ and examined his power. Tam Allowed it to flow freely through him, even though it made his vision turn black again, making him lose sight of his body once more.


    Tam let out a yelp as chaos filled his senses.


    He heard sounds¡­ So many sounds all whirling around him¡­


    Voices, animals, music, things banging around, crying, laughter¡­


    But that wasn¡¯t all. He could smell things. He could smell smoke, cold night air, he could smell fish cooking, and incense burning¡­


    He tried to free himself from the onslaught, except something else was happening.


    He started¡­ To feel things. The brush of a cold stone under his left fingers, the uneven road beneath his feet¡­ Then it changed and it felt like he was touching the inside of a wooden coffin, then a porcelain one¡­ What was happening?


    Tam felt like he was being strangled by senses, and it was overwhelming him until he started shouting, unable to think clearly¡­


    When a violent yank dragged him to the ground from his chest.


    What the hell was happening now?


    The chaos overwhelming Tam lessened bit by bit, and when he was able to focus again on the tug he was feeling, it happened again.


    It was like a rope had been knotted inside his chest, and it was pulling him.


    Tam was dragged again, and again¡­


    When he finally flipped onto his back, he stared down at his chest, not sure what he should expect to see.


    Perhaps the mage crystal that had refused to work for him in the void was acting up¡­?


    No.


    Tam¡¯s eyes widened.


    There was a red thread coming out of his chest.


    And everytime it went taut, he was dragged.


    Tam started to hear sounds again.


    Only it wasn¡¯t a cacophony of noise, he could hear someone rummaging about¡­ He could sense someone¡­


    Looking around, Tam still saw nothing. The thread that was attached to his chest seemed to drift off and disappear into the void.


    Reaching up to grasp it, Tam watched as the line once again went taut, only this time¡­


    Something jerked on the other end, and Tam watched as the wavering line in the distance became as tense as a violin string, and he had the keen sense that someone, or something, was on the other side.


    The question was, who, or what was it?


    Holding firm, Tam rose back up to his feet once more and shuffled forward, making sure to not let go of the thread for an instant, or else he could tell he¡¯d find himself getting hauled along to Gods knew where¡­


    While things still weren¡¯t exactly great being lost in the void, at the very least, there was some kind of thread of hope he could, quite literally, hang on to.


    Please Eli¡­ Luca¡­ I hope you¡¯re alright.


    ***


    ¡°Welcome to Zinfera, Your Magnificence.¡± The hooded figure knelt on the dock, amongst the mist and dull lantern lights.


    Handed down from the ship by a young man with sandy brown hair and brown eyes, a woman approached her greeter.


    ¡°It¡¯s been some time. Tell me, has there been any word about my brother, the devil?¡±


    ¡°No, Your Magnificence. However, by the time we reach the palace in Gondol, there may be news.¡±


    The woman tilted her chin and smiled. Her olive skin and black hair were pristine, but the coldness in her dark eyes made her appear more terrifying than attractive.


    ¡°Very well. I look forward to meeting with that concubine again¡­ She was most gracious in funding my escape.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Magnificence. Shall we?¡±


    The woman laughed. Surprisingly, it didn¡¯t sound as cutting as her smile indicated it could be.


    ¡°Come, Ansar. It¡¯s been years, but you have been loyal. Call me Aradia. I doubt many people know the true name of the first witch, so it should be safe to use, don¡¯t you think?¡± She held out her gloved hand to the hooded figure who rose back up.


    He took it and kissed the back, then peered up at the daughter of the Gods reverently.


    ¡°As you wish, Aradia.¡±

 Chapter 33: Galling Guidance

    Tam felt sweat drip down the side of his head as he continued to hold the red thread that had once again gone taut.


    He had no idea how long it had been since he¡¯d entered the void, but he could tell with great certainty that he had been there longer than he ever had been before.


    Shouldn¡¯t I have a limit to how long I can be in here?! I¡¯m using magic, and all magic has limits¡­


    Tam thought to himself as he had to readjust his grip on the thread again.


    The magical line that was tied to something deep in his being had come and gone since he¡¯d been in the void. He wondered about simply letting it drag him to wherever it was trying to take him, but he wanted to try and understand what the hell it was to begin with.


    Lobahlans think that it is the hair of the Goddess when they see a red thread. That it is connecting them to their fate, and even Kat says she sees or senses something like this with her magic when she is bolstering people¡­ But not a lone thread¡­ She says there are several.


    Though the devil apparently was tied to her with a red thread¡­


    Am I tied to the devil?!


    Tam grunted as his muscles strained, and he felt his grip weakening¡­


    And then, just when he was about to allow himself to be yanked forward all over again, the thread disappeared yet again.


    Collapsing to his knees, Tam panted heavily, his hands red and swollen from holding on for so long¡­


    ¡°Why am I still in here?!¡± he shouted upward desperately. ¡°People need me out there!¡±


    With his throat parched, Tam didn¡¯t bother saying anything more as he dropped his chin to his chest and closed his eyes in frustration.


    ¡°Why do you think people need you?¡±


    Tam jolted in shock.


    A voice had come from behind him making him roll instinctively and face the newcomer.


    Who appeared to be a simple, harmless, older man.


    He was bald on top of his head, with a few short white hairs prickling the sides, with a droopy nose, and a long wrinkled chin. The man definitely didn¡¯t appear threatening at a glance¡­ He wasn¡¯t very tall, and he wore humble clothes. A tattered tan vest, a white shirt, dark brown pants, a red kerchief around his neck. But his bright, ethereal shining blue eyes were something else entirely, and while they weren¡¯t warm¡­ or necessarily kind¡­ they were sharp.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± the future duke rasped.


    The man tilted his head, studying Tam interestedly. ¡°I am a friend and enemy to all. You must be Tamlin Ashowan.¡±


    Tam¡¯s hands shook, and his legs felt weak as he was unable to take his eyes off the man in front of him.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been here a while¡­ That means you must¡¯ve found them.¡±


    ¡°Found who?¡± Tam summoned the last vestiges of his strength and stood tall once more, which allowed him to stare down at the peculiar man.


    The stranger did not answer, he only continued staring at Tam in that unnatural way, with a white light moving behind his eyes that instantly made Tam say:


    ¡°You¡¯ve been to The Forest of the Afterlife. Your eyes are like my da¡¯s.¡±


    The man smiled, and it was the first glimpse of friendliness in him that he revealed; however, Tam still felt nothing but wary.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve met your father¡­ He¡¯s a funny sort. I look forward to seeing him again.¡±


    Tam swallowed. ¡°You aren¡¯t¡­ You aren¡¯t human.¡±


    The man shook his head in confirmation.


    ¡°Are you one of the Gods¡­?¡±


    The man crossed his arms and stared at Tam patiently, though his smile from before faded away.


    ¡°In a way. Yes. I came into existence with them, and I will disappear one day with them as well.¡±


    Tam knew who the man was. It was on the tip of his tongue, but the realization was making it harder to speak¡­


    ¡°I am death¡¯s carriage driver. Or simply Death, if you will.¡±


    Tam felt his face go pale. ¡°Am I dying?¡±


    The carriage driver shook his head. ¡°Do you see my cart with me?¡±


    Despite this affirmation, Tam did not feel all that calmed. ¡°What are you doing here then¡­?¡±


    ¡°Do you know where ¡®here¡¯ is?¡± Death asked with a chuckle.


    Tam¡¯s hands moved to his pockets. ¡°Not really.¡±


    Death nodded knowingly. ¡°This is a place of everything¡­ and nothing. You¡¯ve probably heard the noise and found some smells, as well as the feeling of things around you. And it is also a place where there is nothing. Nothing but you¡­ and me presently.¡±


    ¡°Why does a place of nothing exist?¡± Tam wondered while feeling a swell of emotions rise within him as for the first time in his life, he was learning about this void that had haunted his dreams.


    ¡°Sometimes lost souls need time to rest in a nothing place. It is not unlike the Grove of Sorrows where those who lived a terrible life will spend time repenting their actions after dying.¡±


    ¡°I come here because of my magic¡­ Is that my ability? To travel to a nothing place?¡±


    ¡°In a manner of speaking. There is more to it than that.¡± Death smiled again though it was more to himself than to Tam as he started to pace. ¡°You¡¯ve been struggling with your magic pulling you here for some time.¡±


    Tam watched Death move, but remained rooted to his spot. ¡°I have. It¡¯s been hell.¡±


    Death laughed at that. ¡°You have no idea about hell.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it reliving your own worst days over and over again until you understand what you did wrong? Isn¡¯t that what happens in the Grove of Sorrows?¡± the future duke speculated with a frown.


    ¡°That is hell, yes¡­ But you haven¡¯t had to do that, have you? You simply rest here for a while.¡±


    ¡°Why do I get dragged here?¡± Tam could hear his heartbeat in his ears.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Was he really going to get all the answers to his magic? Without having to subject himself to testing and Gods knew what else¡­?


    ¡°If not here, where do you want to be?¡± Death returned instead of giving a direct answer.


    Tam couldn¡¯t even bring himself to answer for a while as the question incited outright fury in him. ¡°Out in the world where my friends and family are! Where my son is! People are counting on me and¨C Godsdamnit I wanted to do things right! I wanted to be able to do things alone, and not have this happen for once!¡±


    Death stared calmly up at Tam. ¡°Do you really?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Do you really want to be out there?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do! Of course I-¡±


    Death held up his hand then continued his pacing. ¡°Tell me, do you feel absolutely certain, without a shadow of a doubt, that you want to be back where you were?¡±


    Tam opened his mouth to loose another long litany of reasons why he absolutely wanted to stay return to the normal world, but his voice died in his throat as realization dawned on him.


    Everytime he struggled with his magic¡­ was when he wanted to disappear.


    To hide from people for one reason or another. Whether it be an awkward public event with his parents, or an uncomfortable one on one encounter¡­ He would focus on the floor to stop feeling overwhelmed by everything around him.


    The very first day he had disappeared into the void, he had been playing hide and seek with Kat, and she had always been able to find him, and as a result, she¡¯d taunt him endlessly. Tam had wanted to disappear then. He hadn¡¯t even wanted to play. He had just wanted to sit in the shade with a book and some snacks, and not be teased¡­ And then he¡¯d simply appeared in the void.


    The only time he could say that he didn¡¯t want to disappear had been this time. Right after he had scared off those men that were following Eli. His brows twitched to a frown.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to be here right now. I want to be back with everyone¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh? You want to be back alone with the woman who seems to have rejected your advances? In the street after you saved her? After she saw your black eyes and would be forced to take care of you or pity you?¡±


    An awful feeling spread through Tam¡¯s chest.


    ¡°But¡­ But Luca¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah. That child. That child you are afraid of loving because you worry what he may be, and yet you do all the same.¡±


    Tam¡¯s eyes snapped up. ¡°Is Luca the devil?¡±


    Death stopped pacing, but he didn¡¯t turn around to look at Tam, whose gaze bore into Death¡¯s frail back.


    ¡°That answer shouldn¡¯t matter.¡±


    Tam strode over and faced Death, his eyes flashing. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. The devil has tortured and hurt people. He has done horrible things, and might be plotting to do even worse. Wasn¡¯t it the Gods who told my father that Kat or myself would help a being they care about?¡±


    ¡°They never said that being was the devil,¡± Death pointed out, unbothered by Tam¡¯s impassioned questioning.


    ¡°Then is it the first witch? Or you?¡±


    Death didn¡¯t reply at first as he stared at Tam, his ethereal eyes unblinking. ¡°Is there anything you aren¡¯t afraid of?¡±


    Tam chewed the side of his tongue before he looked away from Death. He could tell that he wasn¡¯t going to get a straight answer.


    ¡°So I should just live impulsively like my sister? Love a child who could be the devil despite what might happen down the road?¡±


    Again, Death did not offer a response.


    ¡°How do I get out of here? I just decide I don¡¯t want to be?¡±


    ¡°That helps¡­. But have you decided where you would like to be?¡±


    Tam paused. ¡°How much time has passed outside of this void?¡±


    Death shrugged ambiguously and Tam wanted to grab him by the lapels and shake him into being less infuriating, but knew this would be futile.


    Instead he reached up and rubbed the back of his neck while letting out an aggravated breath.


    ¡°Why did I never see you in the void before? Or my own body?¡±


    Death smiled, but said nothing. He then turned around, and started walking away from Tam.


    ¡°What am I supposed to do now?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a smart man, Tamlin Ashowan. You¡¯ll figure it out.¡±


    Taking two long steps with the intention of sprinting after Death, Tam found that he wasn¡¯t able to, as at one point or another, he had blinked, and Death had disappeared in that short time as though nothing had happened, and he¡¯d never been there at all.


    ¡°Damnit¡­ Damnit¡­ Damnit¡­¡± Tam grasped his face and doubled over.


    After allowing himself to agonize over his situation for another few moments, however, he pushed himself back up straight.


    ¡° Given what he told me, I need to want to be back with everyone. Completely¡­¡± Tam closed his eyes, and tried to envision the house he, Eli, Luca, Bong, and Jeong were staying in, but the instant he imagined it he felt anxiety gnaw at his gut.


    He already had an inkling about what his assistant would say to him about their kiss. She had started to trust him, and she wanted to sleep beside him because she most likely had been living in unsafe places for years¡­ She had been trying to say she felt safe with him, and he¡¯d gone and betrayed her.


    Knowing Eli, she wouldn¡¯t even be angry with him. She¡¯d merely apologize for not being able to return his feelings (when she most definitely did not need to), and that would be the end of it.


    Tam instantly felt his insides recoil at the mere thought of facing such awful moment.


    Giving his head a shake, he refocused his mind onto Luca. Luca who¡­


    Was thoughtful, and kind¡­ and who obviously idolized Tam when he shouldn¡¯t. Luca who was just a little boy in a situation no child should have to be in¡­


    Tam lowered himself onto the ground with a long breath out.


    He was starting to understand that it was going to be a lot harder to sincerely convince himself how much he wanted to face his troubles. Even if he did want to be responsible, fair, and good¡­ The part of him that wanted to scurry away and hide in a room with his books lingered.


    ¡°Gods¡­ I really am such a coward.¡±

 Chapter 34: A Desolate Duo

    Eli finished tying her black shirt with quick, tight movements. The smell of the freshly lit fire in the room gently coaxing her to not rush out into the night, as the promise of a warm, quiet room all to herself beckoned with all the inviting comfort as a new mother¡¯s voice to her newborn.


    The comforter on the low wooden bed had been fluffed and warmed in the sun that day. It was a wonderful weighty thing, and Eli hadn¡¯t been able to have such a luxury and truly enjoy it since she was a child¡­


    But she was only getting a taste of such peace thanks to the very man she needed to go find.


    The crescent moon had almost crested the peak of the night sky, and the air was colder than it had been the past few evenings.


    She was wearing black pants that she had managed to stow away out of the keen eyes of Ms. Haewon, and while her hair was growing incredibly quickly, it was still too short to fully tie back. Luckily, she managed to keep it out of her face successfully with a black ribbon she tied at the back of her head.


    Everything was set, but while turning toward the ground level balcony that she intended to leap over to escape the house unnoticed, Eli halted in her tracks at the sound of the door being slid slowly open.


    Her heart leapt to her throat as she expected Tam to appear¡­


    Only it was Luca instead.


    The boy had been completely silent throughout dinner, and when he¡¯d asked where his father was, had only been told that Tam would be away studying for a while, but he¡¯d come back as soon as possible¡­


    It had been obvious that Luca had wanted to ask more, but despite his young age, even he had noticed the grim atmosphere that hung over Jeong, Bong, and Eli.


    Eli had barely eaten the entire meal.


    Bong and Jeong still left that evening, though they didn¡¯t say what they were doing, Eli knew Bong was going to continue to make an impression on the local nobility and build a reputation, while Jeong would look more for Tam.


    But Jeong had returned not long ago, and if Eli strained to listen, she could already hear the Zinferan man¡¯s snores echoing down the halls, from her room.


    Despite the deepness of the night, Luca proceeded into the room, and closed the door behind himself.


    But then, in the dull glow of the firelight, he saw Eli, awake, and dressed.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± he asked fearfully.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to see your father.¡± Eli faced the child and answered quietly, already listening to see if Bong or Jeong were aware that Luca had snuck out of bed.


    Luca stepped forward. ¡°Can I go with you?¡±


    Eli shook her head. ¡°I am sorry, Luca, but your father would want you to stay safe. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    ¡°Is¡­ Is my dad lost?¡± Luca questioned next, his voice coming out a croak.


    The assistant could see in the faint light the tears glistening in the boy¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°He isn¡¯t studying¡­ is he?¡± Luca whispered.


    While she debated lying to Luca again, a foreign ache in her chest stopped her¡­ Until she reminded herself Tam would most likely ask her to try to be honest, but not to the point of revealing anything worrisome.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He might be.¡±


    Luca blinked quickly, forcing his tears back. ¡°Can I wait here until you get back?¡±


    While she wanted to say no, Eli discovered her compassionate side enduring a rapid growth spurt, and so she answered. ¡°Fine. But sleep in the meantime. Your tutor is going to start lessons with you tomorrow.¡±


    Luca¡¯s face wrinkled, making him look more like his usual self.


    ¡°Do you promise, Luca?¡± Eli folded her hands behind her back as she waited sternly.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I promise.¡±


    Satisfied with his word, she turned on her heel and strode toward the balcony door.


    ¡°Eli?¡±


    The assistant stopped and looked back over her shoulder.


    ¡°You won¡¯t leave me, too¡­ right?¡± Luca looked shy and timid in the firelight, but the way he set his chin showed her he was determined to hear her answer.


    Eli let out a breath, her eyes moving to the floor before facing the child again.


    ¡°One day I probably will, but not today. Probably in a year.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we all stay together?¡± Luca¡¯s voice increased in volume as he was unable to hide his emotions from his face any longer.


    ¡°No one stays together forever. Not even families.¡± Eli was unaware there was a streak of pain and bitterness in her tone as she responded.


    ¡°But¡­ why not stay together as long as possible?¡±


    A funny old memory was stirring in Eli¡¯s mind¡­ One where she was screaming at her mother¡­ Begging her to not make her leave for the palace. That she wanted to stay home¡­ And then the way her mother had turned away from her without a word as the emperor¡¯s men grabbed her arms and hauled her away.


    Eli had escaped the luxurious inn she had been dropped off by her father at earlier that day only the one time¡­ She never tried again.


    The day she had been officially made a princess, she¡¯d been unaware it was happening. She had simply thought she was on a fun outing with her father, and had naively started to think that her parents were going to forgive her for what she¡¯d done in her mother¡¯s quarters when her magic had surfaced¡­


    Eli shoved the memory aside.¡°Life isn¡¯t kind, and everyone is doing what they believe is best to survive. Being together and relying on people, family or not, is hard.¡±


    ¡°My dad is kind.¡±


    Unable to say otherwise, Eli nodded. ¡°He is.¡±


    ¡°And I won¡¯t leave you¡­ You¡¯re¡­ You¡¯re my mom now. I mean¡­ I have a mother back home, too, and I know with you it¡¯s pretend, but still. Even if you are my dad¡¯s assistant, you talk to me a lot nicer than my mother did anyway.¡± Luca looked away, pain in his young eyes that rattled Eli to her core as she felt herself resonate with it and recall what made such a look appear.


    Rejection, and apathy from someone you loved more than anything or anyone¡­


    Some small instinct in her told Eli that the right thing to do was to hug Luca, but that was for someone who was willing to love others and rely on them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going now. Get under the blankets. It¡¯s cold tonight,¡± was the only stiff farewell she could manage, and so she slipped out into the night trying to pull her thoughts from her horrible past and onto the present.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    *


    The moon had lowered in the sky, and a bird or two chirped in question as a sprinkling of stars started to fade while Eli snuck back into her room.


    It had been a frustrating night¡­


    For one, it had been years since she¡¯d used her magic, and letting it loose once more was very disconcerting. Though Eli counted herself lucky she hadn¡¯t really felt an urge to use it in the years she¡¯d chosen not to. She¡¯d never had the troubles Tam evidently did, or the way his sister was rumored to.


    That said¡­ it had twinged a few times since Tam had been missing.


    Eli blamed the fact that she was so focused on finding a witch just like herself, which automatically made her think about magic.


    Though she now doubted using her magic would make all that much of a difference in finding Tam even if it were another witch with different abilities searching for him. She gathered this as even when she used her magic in the street where he had first disappeared, she could sense him, but¡­ she could also sense that he wasn¡¯t quite in their world anymore.


    Then, his presence would suddenly disappear. Eli would wait silently, and sometimes he would flicker back, but no matter how hard she looked, or flexed her abilities, she was left clueless and frantic again and again, trying to find some shred of Tamlin Ashowan.


    Undressing herself quickly, and slipping back into her shift, Eli crawled into bed and almost yelped when she felt the small body there.


    Then she recalled she had told Luca he could wait there, and with her hand still clamped on her mouth, she stared down at him.


    He looked so helpless.


    His mouth was open, his face slack, and his dark lashes sharp in contrast against his pale cheeks¡­


    Eli finished climbing into bed beside him, and lay staring at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be a better mother figure for you, Luca¡­¡± she whispered. ¡°I just¡­ never really had a mom either.¡±


    Swallowing down the lump that had formed in record speed as she said the words, Eli cleared her throat and turned onto her back to hopefully get a bit of sleep before she had to wake up.


    Only she was unaware that when Ms. Haewon came in later to wake her up, Luca¡¯s hand was holding her own as they slept deeply beside one another.


    ***


    Eli continued scrawling down her summary of the day¡¯s events, her eyes heavy as she struggled to stay awake. The evening wind rustled the plum tree, and slid across the back of her neck, making her reach back and gently scratch the spot. She had started logging everything that happened while Tam was gone. That way it would be easier for him to catch up once he returned¡­


    It was the night of the party at Lord Guk¡¯s house, and Eli had been forced through a day of skin care and massages in preparation. Of course Jeong and Bong weren¡¯t of any help when she had insisted she didn¡¯t need it. Really she just wanted to keep trying to track down another witch in Junya, and searching for Tam¡­


    Days had passed without any sign of the future duke. Despite this, every day, Jeong and Bong would search through Junya for him, and at night, Eli would sneak out and look for him herself using her magic.


    Unfortunately, she had yet another negative driving factor to her dogged attempts at tracking down her employer¡­


    She couldn¡¯t stand it if one day she had to tell Luca that Tam wouldn¡¯t be coming home.


    And so she dreaded going to a party of all things, and yet again seeing Luca¡¯s slim shoulders sag as he¡¯d be left alone once more.


    Though his initial foyer into formal lessons and their subsequent homework weren¡¯t really helping his spirits much, remarkably he didn¡¯t seem to be holding them against Eli. Which she was grateful for, though she¡¯d never admit to it.


    She couldn¡¯t quite explain what had changed between them in those three days since Tam had vanished, but she did know that she had come to expect returning to her room to find Luca asleep under the feather stuffed duvet, and on occasion, if he had one foot sticking out from under the blanket, she would make sure to get it pulled back into the cozy warmth¡­ And maybe one of the nights she gently rested her shin against his toes when they felt cold.


    ¡°Eli?¡±


    She jumped. Had she been sleeping sitting up?


    Blinking rapidly, Eli realized the last sentence she had written made no sense, and so she cursed softly to herself.


    ¡°Eli.¡±


    She startled a second time, and then belatedly recalled that someone had to be with her to be calling her name.


    Looking over her shoulder where Bong and Ms. Haewon stood, she was not obtuse or sleep deprived quite enough to miss their disapproving expressions.


    ¡°You should try to sleep before we go tonight,¡± Bong suggested softly.


    Eli made a disgruntled noise in the back of her throat that she knew wasn¡¯t like her usual polite self, and that must have disconcerted Haewon as the woman shifted back subtly.


    ¡°Fine. I also won¡¯t stay long at the party. Just until we make the proper introductions.¡± Secretly Eli intended to slip out again to keep searching for Tam later on.


    As Eli stood, Bong waved away Haewon, and fixed his somber gaze on her, drawing her bleary attention to him.


    ¡°I know you¡¯ve been going out every night to look for Tam.¡±


    Eli straightened her posture and schooled her expression the best she could with burning eyes.


    ¡°You need to take better care of yourself. I know you¡¯re worried about Tam-¡±


    ¡°Pardon me, my lord, but I should go sleep.¡± Cutting Bong off curtly, Eli inclined herself to him and excused herself.


    Nothing had really improved between them since Eli¡¯s outburst the other day when shopping.


    Not needing yet another reason to stress, she yet again pushed it out of her mind as she entered her room and eyed the fluffed blankets hungrily.


    Without bothering to change out of her day dress, Eli crawled onto the bed, and fell unconscious almost instantly.


    As always since her employer had gone missing, her dreams were filled with blackness¡­ and images of Tam as he wandered and called out in the vast empty space. Sometimes he was talking to a peasant man, sometimes he was pulling on something, sweat pouring down his face as he struggled¡­


    Seeing him in this dark world alone, Eli jerked and tossed in her sleep as was the norm over the past few days, only this time a certain boy who would hold her hand through the dreams wasn¡¯t there to comfort her quietly. And so, as her frustration rose, from the depths of her subconscious she uttered,


    ¡°Tam¡­ come back.¡±

 Chapter 35: A Wickedly Late Witch

    Unlike all the other times Tam had reappeared back into the world, he didn¡¯t find himself in the same spot he had disappeared.


    No.


    He was in the room he shared with Eli back at the house.


    Tam sank to his knees with a shiver.


    What the hell had happened¡­?!


    He¡¯d been struggling to get out of the blasted void, and trying to convince himself that he was ready to face his problems. When that damn red thread suddenly felt like a chain and hauled him out of the void. He had tried to fight it, but in the end he¡¯d had very little strength left to resist.


    Rubbing his face as he struggled to adapt to being around colors and light again, Tam could feel that he was slick with sweat, but he tried to focus on his breaths, even though he was already trembling.


    Outside he could hear the sounds of the night¡­ the fluttering of bat wings, the hum of bugs¡­


    ¡°D-Dad?¡±


    Tam dropped his hands and his gaze shot upward to see Luca sitting up sleepily in his and Eli¡¯s bed¡­


    Luca¡¯s eyes were round as he stared at his father, but then as he registered that he was actually there and it was not all a dream, tears welled up and he scrambled across the covers.


    ¡°DAD!¡± Luca flung himself into Tam¡¯s arms.


    His slim arms clutched Tam tightly, his desperation and relief seeping into Tam¡¯s bones, washing away his shock as he returned Luca¡¯s embrace, slowly stroking the boy¡¯s head.


    ¡°Luca¡­¡± he rasped. ¡°How¡­ How long have I been gone?¡±


    While the child pulled free of the hug, he didn¡¯t release Tam¡¯s shirt sleeves.


    ¡°T-Three days¡­ Mom¡­ Eli¡­ She¡¯s a-at the party with¡­ with Jeong and Bong.¡±


    ¡°Damnit,¡± Tam cursed. ¡°Luca, I need to go see them right away, I¡¯m so sorry, but I¡¯ll be back tonight, and-¡±


    ¡°Eli went out every night looking for you! She¡¯s¡­ She¡¯s so tired, dad!¡± Luca whispered.


    Gods¡­ He really had made a bloody mess of everything.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get her, and make sure she doesn¡¯t leave bed for three days. Sound good? I¡¯ll even make her eat in bed.¡±


    Luca nodded seriously.


    ¡°Have you¡­¡± Tam trailed off for a moment, unsure if it was a bad idea to ask the question. ¡°Have you been sleeping in our room since I¡¯ve been gone?¡±


    Lowering his chin as though he were about to be reprimanded, Luca nodded again. ¡°I¡­ I knew you¡¯d come here when you got back and I¡­ I wanted to make sure I saw you.¡±


    Tam¡¯s heart swelled. ¡°I¡¯m glad I got to see you right when I got back, Luca.¡±


    The boy smiled nervously.


    ¡°But I do have to get to Eli and the others, alright? So go to sleep, and we¡¯ll have a nice breakfast together.¡±


    ¡°Okay, dad.¡±


    Tam ruffled Luca¡¯s hair again for good measure, making the boy smile more genuinely, then stood, feeling calm once more, which allowed him to pull on the very last deep reserves of his strength and stamina to keep going.


    He wasn¡¯t even sure what it was that Luca had done that had restored his sense of self, but at the moment, he couldn¡¯t spend any time working that out. He needed to order a bath and change into appropriate clothes as quickly as possible. He¡¯d make up some story to explain how he got into the house without anyone noticing, and then he¡¯d hire a hackney to get him to the party.


    Tonight was important, and he had been gone making everyone worry for far too long.


    And if Eli really had been exhausting herself day in and day out looking for him?


    Resolve solidified in Tam¡¯s being.


    Regardless of whether she loves me or not, I¡¯m going to take damn good care of that woman.


    *


    Eli had thought she would enter the Lord Guk¡¯s party and be able to do as she always did. Find a place along the wall and stay there. She would find a position not too far from the food table, or the door, and observe the going-ons around her. Usually she was able to understand a lot more about the guests at such an event simply by watching the way they interacted with one another and the snippets of conversations she was able to eavesdrop on¡­


    However, her typical method, as it turned out, was shot to hell.


    The second the doors opened, and her presence was announced alongside Bong and Jeong, she found herself the subject of everyone¡¯s attention.


    Lord Guk owned a lavish home, and on a warm night such as that one, he had spared no expense in decorating his gardens with lanterns, and even hiring musicians to play as the guests intermingled among the shrubs and trees, that were just starting to flower in delicate white and pinks blossoms. Fountains dotted the courtyard space, and were complimented by nearby golden swan statues¨C evidently a symbol of the noble house Guk.


    This meant that even Lord Guk¡¯s guests were adorned in expensive fabrics and jewelry.


    Eli had assumed because she had chosen a modest gold hair pin with white flowers, plain gold earrings, rings, and a bracelet, she would be the most unassuming one attending.


    She had forgotten, however, that the wealthy were commonly bored, and with the weather only turning warm more recently? That meant there weren¡¯t as many events to preoccupy them. And she was a very mysterious newcomer from a foreign land¡­


    ¡°Tell me, Mrs. Voll, where is your husband these days?¡±


    ¡°You look quite tired! It must be so difficult raising your son when your husband studies so intently.¡±


    ¡°Were you married in Daxaria, or here in Zinfera? Do you think you¡¯ll move here permanently?¡±


    By the halfway mark through the party, Eli hadn¡¯t been able to move more than five feet from where she had first been stopped, and her throat was completely parched.


    Bong and Jeong had taken turns remaining by her side. Often they were not addressed, as many of the guests that wished to speak to Eli were in fact women. Furthermore, Jeong and Bong had already made themselves familiar to the nobility attending the party in the short time they had been in Junya, and so they were less of a novelty to those in attendance. Particularly as they had painted themselves as party-loving hedonists.


    Bong¡¯s falsified identity as Daeba had been taken well, and Jeong¡¯s as Eun wasn¡¯t far behind.


    However, Eli was on the final, frayed thread of her patience thanks to her newfound popularity.


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    Whereas Bong and Jeong bore it spectacularly¡­


    What was irking Eli in particular, was that they were there to force Lord Guk to make an outrageous scene, which was supposed to spark the first wave of destruction to his reputation. And they were still going to try, but Bong was nowhere near as adept at such things as Tam had claimed to be, and furthermore¡­


    Bong hadn¡¯t been able to get close enough to Lord Guk to tamper with his food or drink. And given that the night had already progressed a good deal, people were inebriated. They wouldn¡¯t think much about Lord Guk acting outlandishly.


    As Eli basked in the brief moment of silence she was gifted thanks to her latest inquisitor being pulled away by a ladened food platter, Bong pressed a glass of cool water into her hand. She couldn¡¯t help but feel like an utter failure. She sighed and took a sip from her glass.


    ¡°Elisara?¡±


    Turning in alarm toward the quiet voice who had called out to Eli using her real name and not ¡®Ellie¡¯ like she had been telling people to refer to her as, she found herself staring at a young man she did not recognize.


    Frowning, Eli felt Jeong pull his shoulders back, making himself appear all the larger, and subtly more threatening.


    ¡°I beg your pardon, but my name is Ellie. Mrs. Ellie Voll, sir¡­?¡± Eli gave a polite but frosty smile as she waited for the person to speak.


    Though she very suddenly recalled the men that had been following her the day Tam had disappeared¡­ She hadn¡¯t had time to really think about it since she¡¯d been searching for her employer, but she could feel panic eagerly welling up in her being.


    The young man looked to be in his early twenties, was clean shaven, and had his black hair slicked back, even though it was long enough to touch the tops of his ears. He had high cheekbones, pale skin, and¡­. Eli kept staring with a frown. He was wearing a bright red coat with gold trim and pants to match. He had a snowy silk shirt that was buttoned to his throat, and his fingers were adorned in gold rings¡­ He had a more Daxarian style in his clothes¡­


    And he seemed familiar.


    The young man looked around nervously as he shuffled forward.


    ¡°That¡¯s close enough,¡± Jeong called out softly, but the glint in his eyes had the young man freezing in place.


    ¡°Elisara it¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s me. I¡­ I¡¯m Chul?¡±


    Eli¡¯s eyes went wide, and she felt like she was going to be sick.


    ¡°Is this your¡­ Is this your husband?¡± Chul cleared his throat and looked up at Jeong who had an eyebrow raised.


    ¡°No. No¡­¡± Eli cleared her throat before turning and gulping down the rest of her drink. ¡°I think you are mistak-¡±


    ¡°AH! There she is!¡± A loud, bawdy voice from her right side interrupted Eli right as she was about to insist to her younger brother, the boy she hadn¡¯t seen since she was eight years old, that she was not his big sister.


    Torn between feeling grateful and annoyed that someone was interrupting them, Eli looked over in time to see none other than the party¡¯s host, Lord Guk, approaching her.


    He was a wide man, and was not particularly tall, but his eyes wide eyes were were observant, and intelligent. His hair and beard were long, and he was dressed almost as flashily as Chul in a bright lime green silk coat and matching pants, both embroidered with gold.


    ¡°I have not had the pleasure of meeting my most interesting guest of the evening!¡± Lord Guk seized Eli¡¯s hand without waiting to see if she would accept the gesture, and planted a wet kiss on the back of her knuckles. ¡°Pity your husband couldn¡¯t join us this evening, but his loss is my gain!¡±


    Eli forced a smile on her face and hoped it didn¡¯t look as pained as it felt. ¡°Lord Guk, thank you for inviting me to your wonderful home.¡±


    She curtsied as much as her dress would allow her.


    ¡°Of course! Your cousins said you could use a night away from the house. I must say, I can¡¯t believe your husband would leave such a remarkable woman such as yourself alone on such an occasion!¡±


    Eli felt her right cheek start to twitch from the strain of forcing her smile in place. ¡°My husband is very diligent with his work.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course! I¡¯d love to hear more about his studies when I get the privilege of meeting him.¡± Lord Guk smiled, and despite him being older and not in the finest shape, it was charming. Though the way his gaze roved over Eli¡¯s face, there was a gleam of knowingness in his eyes. As though he could tell she was forcing herself to be pleasant¡­


    Eli wanted to cringe away. She hated it when people could smile so fondly yet be so awful underneath.


    ¡°Your cousins here were telling me that your husband is interested in studying the constellations to learn about dragons or something to that effect, hm?¡± Lord Guk persisted, not caring that Eli was hardly a participant in the conversation. ¡°I happen to have a very good friend here who would love to pick his mind about it. He has great interest in the alleged dragon sightings by Gondol¡­ Lord Yangban! Ah! There he is!¡±


    Eli¡¯s knees buckled.


    Her magic just about tore out of her in a way it hadn¡¯t ever before as blind terror filled her.


    She needed to run away. She could not see Lord Yangban, or he¡¯d recognize her instantly.


    He was the one who had orchestrated her abduction from the palace in the first place all those years ago! He would absolutely recognize her!


    ¡°No need to trouble yourself on our behalf, Lord Guk¡± Jeong jumped in. ¡°Say, I haven¡¯t had a rematch with you at cards since the first night we met!¡±


    Jeong¡¯s words fell on deaf ears. He sensed something was very wrong with Eli, and when he noticed that Lord Guk wasn¡¯t going to surrender her company easily, he started looking around for Bong, only things were even more complicated than they¡¯d realized¡­


    ¡°Ah, Lord Yangban is speaking with your other cousin it seems, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll come over soon. Now, I hope you don¡¯t mind my asking, but your hair is quite short. Is there a particular reason for that?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, I need to refresh myself¡­¡± Eli started backing away, only she belatedly remembered her brother was still standing behind her, waiting to talk to her.


    She was trapped. If she went inside claiming she needed to relieve herself, her brother would wait until she was on her way back to talk to her again, and if she rejoined the conversation with Lord Guk, Lord Yangban would be upon them in an instant. If she tried to leave then they wouldn¡¯t have accomplished anything!


    Her heart raced, her hands wanted to fidget¡­ On trembling legs she tried to move back again.


    What the hell could she do?!


    And that was when she bumped into something very firm¡­ Or rather¡­ Someone.


    Warm hands clasped her upper arms, and the smell of frankincense and peppermint filled her nose¡­


    Her entire body flushed with relief.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late¨C Lord Guk? My name is Mr. Joe Voll. I¡¯m this beautiful woman¡¯s husband.¡±


    Tamlin Ashowan was back.

 Chapter 36: A Hard Homecoming

    Tam leapt out of the hackney he had hired in front of Lord Guk¡¯s home.


    The houses and estates in Junya all tended to be directly off the streets, with their front steps leading to the courtyard space at the front of the houses.


    Lord Guk¡¯s house had exceptionally large wooden doors, with red pillars with green leaf like designs outlined in gold paint that glimmered from the two torches that were lit in each one.


    Two guards holding spears stood in front as music and chatter wafted over the white plaster wall to Tam as he approached.


    The guards crossed their spears instantly upon his approach, blocking his entrance.


    ¡°Hi there! My name is Mr. Joe Voll, I-I was invited to this event? My wife and her cousins are already inside,¡± Tam introduced while feigning a look of nervousness.


    It was never a good idea to show your true self to anyone, no matter their station, when entering into a dangerous situation with a fake identity¡­


    The guards glanced at each other, then back at Tam, not saying a word.


    Their like of verbal reaction reminded the future duke a little of the record keeper named Dongu he had had to deal with¡­


    However, unlike that time, an older, hunched over man dressed in an emerald green coat with a black sash stepped out clutching a board with parchment pinned on it.


    ¡°Good evening, sir, please repeat your name for me?¡± the servant called out in a high pitched, creaking voice.


    ¡°Mr. Voll. Joe Voll. My wife Ellie is already here.¡±


    At the mention of Eli¡¯s alias, the man perked up. ¡°Why, yes! She is an exquisite woman! She has been the talk of the party all night!¡±


    Tam barely resisted a wince.


    Eli must be having a Gods awful time¡­


    Thankfully, the servant didn¡¯t see reason to bar Tam from entering the party, particularly when he was allegedly married to the star of the evening, and so the guards permitted Tam to slip inside.


    Fortunately, the night¡¯s festivities were already well underway, and so even though he should¡¯ve stood out due to his height and pale skin, Tam was able to go unnoticed as he got his bearings and slipped to the side wall to study the surroundings.


    Overall everyone attending the party seemed¡­ Drunk.


    Damn. If Eli and the others are still here, it means they weren¡¯t able to drug Lord Guk while everyone was of sound mind¡­ Then again it could make it seem more of a natural descent into madness.


    Tam sighed, and nearly triggered a yawn.


    While in the void it hadn¡¯t felt as though he hadn¡¯t slept or eaten for days, it did still slowly eat away some of his energy. Almost as though he¡¯d been awake without food or water for one day as opposed to three.


    Tam adjusted his sights to try and locate the host of such a debauched party, and found him¡­ Talking to a woman in a stunning dress, even though it wasn¡¯t quite the style that most Zinferan women wore. It had a mix of Troivackian and Zinferan styles with its dark brassy shimmer in a velour material that would help stave off any chill in the night air. It was the long plain sheath of the dress and the way it rose to a halter at the back, exposing her shoulders that aligned more with the newer trends in Troivack¡­


    Tam balked when he then noticed the short hair of the woman wearing such a garment.


    Was that Eli?!


    His heart lurched almost painfully into his throat and his knees buckled a little.


    He was glad no one was around to see his reaction at the very least.


    It gave him time to come back to his senses.


    Which was good because he then noticed the way a young man wearing a bright red coat was loitering just behind her, and an older man who couldn¡¯t be anyone other than the host in lime green stood in front of her.


    Even though Tam had never met Lord Guk, the way he commanded the room left little room for mistake.


    However, the way Eli looked pinned in between both Lord Guk and the strange young man irked Tam. He could tell by the tension in her spine she was uncomfortable, and that Jeong wasn¡¯t sure how best to get them out of the situation.


    Then Lord Guk waved to someone who Tam could see from his vantage point that was talking with Bong, and he saw Eli take a step back.


    Something was very, very wrong.


    Tam moved.


    He knew without an ounce a doubt he needed to get Eli out of there.


    As he passed by more and more of the guests, he could feel everyone¡¯s eyes and whispers following him as closely as his own shadow, but he didn¡¯t care. He normally would¡¯ve wanted to hide, but now knowing that it was such a sentiment that would send him back to the void, he avoided such a thought like the plague, and made Eli his sole focus.


    Tam moved quietly past the young man with the red coat who lingered just behind Eli, who jolted in surprise when he looked over and up at Tam, and saw the sharp warning glare he was giving.


    Then, in an act Tam knew was sparked from a possessive and protective urge, he reached up, and gently grasped Eli¡¯s arms.


    Lord Guk¡¯s eyes drift upward in shock at the size of Tam, who, for once, wasn¡¯t hunching his shoulders trying to make himself smaller in a crowd, but rather utilized his size to stare down the host.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late¨C Lord Guk? My name is Mr. Joe Voll. I¡¯m this beautiful woman¡¯s husband.¡±


    Tam didn¡¯t look down to see what kind of expression Eli was making, but he could see Jeong beaming while closing his eyes and letting out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Ah! Right! Of course! I was only just now saying how odd it was that she should be left unattended at such an event.¡± Lord Guk took a few moments to recover, but he eventually reclaimed his charming smile. ¡°I was just saying to Mrs. Voll here that you should speak with Lord Yangban over there¨C he lives in the capital, and is very interested in anything related to dragons what with the rumors flying all over the place. Pun unintended.¡±


    Tam smiled, though there wasn¡¯t any warmth in the expression. ¡°I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to speak with Lord Yangban in the very near future. I¡¯m sorry to say, however, that part of the reason I was late to the event tonight was that when I went home to change, I learned that our son is feeling unwell. You know how Luca is.¡± Tam said the last part while looking down at Eli, his eyes softening the instant they locked with hers. ¡°He won¡¯t stop asking for you when he gets like that.¡±


    Eli wasn¡¯t able to speak as she stared up at her employer, and fresh pink warmed her cheeks.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you back at the house?¡± Tam looked at Jeong who was openly crying.


    Jeong nodded with his eyes closed, and when Lord Guk raised an eyebrow at his peculiar emotional display, said, ¡°I¡¯m just so¡­ distressed to hear about their son¡¯s illness. I also am a bit gassy. It¡¯s the clams.¡±


    Tam gingerly patted Jeong¡¯s shoulder while subtly turning Eli away from Lord Guk, and shielding her from view from both Lord Yangban, who was starting to turn in their direction, as well as the young man in red.


    He ushered her then off the gravel path that they had been standing on, and around a golden statue of a swan to avoid another group of party guests as they headed toward the entrance.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t been able to cause a scene,¡± Eli¡¯s voice cracked as she whispered to Tam.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± he returned softly, ignoring her lament.


    As they passed a large three tier burbling fountain and were completely alone, Eli pushed his arm off her shoulders and rounded on him, her eyes fixed on his face.


    ¡°No! We have a job to do! This is your plan, and we need to see it through!¡± The ferocity in Eli¡¯s voice made Tam hesitate.


    He had a hunch she was angry about more than just their plans for Lord Guk going sideways, and so he folded his hands in front of himself and waited, all the while both marveling at how beautiful she looked¡­ And how horribly exhausted she looked.


    Guilt sunk its relentless jaws into his gut.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re here now,¡± she spat. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go handle this with Bong and Jeong?¡±


    Tam tilted his head and said nothing. But he also didn¡¯t move an inch.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Tam¡¯s voice was low, and even. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying you, Eli.¡±


    While he had apologized countless times before to his assistant, this time¡­?


    This time tears sprang to her eyes despite the look of anger she shot him.


    She gave a breathy laugh.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t worried about you!¡± she declared, though she was starting to croak.


    ¡°I know you weren¡¯t worried about me. You were worried that your job and how your well-being would be affected. As your employer, it was my shortcoming that led you to have such anxiety. When we return I want you to take three days off. You¡¯ll rest in your room, and you aren¡¯t going to do any work. Understood?¡±


    Tam watched as she opened and closed her mouth, three tears falling in quick succession as her hands fidgeting at her side became more and more aggressive.


    ¡°My lord, with all due respect, fuck you.¡±


    The words hurt. A lot. But Tam knew he deserved them.


    He¡¯d put Eli through Gods awful hell so far, and she¡¯d only been under his employ for two months¡­


    ¡°Fair enough. If you¡¯d like to return home without me, I will arrange your passage to Daxaria. I do have another way we can be successful this evening, but I think you have more than earned a night off, and I understand you don¡¯t want to run into Lord Yangban, so-¡±


    ¡°You understand Godsdamn nothing! Stop assuming you know me! You don¡¯t know me! Stop apologizing and stop just guessing what I mean or want!¡±


    Tam recoiled slightly, but he carefully avoided the thought of wanting the ground to swallow him up whole, even though it made a knot tighten in his chest.


    ¡°Then please tell me what you want. Whatever it is, you¡¯ll get it.¡±


    ¡°Because you want to bed me?¡± Eli bit out viciously.


    Horror filled Tam, and he didn¡¯t hide it in his face for an instant. ¡°No. I only want to do what you wish because that is the least I can do after everything you¡¯ve had to put up with. I¡¯d apologize again but you¡¯re a little terrifying right now.¡±


    Eli¡¯s nose began to run as she continued to fight against the tears that kept falling, reddening her eyes in the process. ¡°Ha! That¡¯s ridiculous! What could I do to you?¡±


    ¡°Everything.¡±


    The weight of Tam¡¯s response turned her into living stone, but Tam didn¡¯t shy away from the truth of it.


    Nor did he elaborate.


    He knew some of her unleashed anger must¡¯ve come from her confusion, and another large amount from her bone dead exhaustion, but in a way it was better she was letting it out.


    She had a tendency to hold onto her anger for far too long.


    ¡°I want you to carry out your new plan, and then I want you to return to the house.¡±


    Tam nodded, then turned and strode off toward the covered walkway of the house that lay in the shadows, as the nearest corner would most likely lead to the servants quarters.


    Eli followed him after a moment¡¯s hesitation, and matched his quiet footfalls.


    They reached the next corner of the house, the one that marked the largest part of the courtyard where everyone was mingling.


    Tam stopped then, and reached down into his boot to procure¡­


    A slingshot.


    ¡°Wh-¡±


    Eli didn¡¯t finish the words as Tam slipped a small, sharp pellet into the pad of the slingshot, lifted it up, drew back the pad all the way to his ear, aimed¡­ and released.


    Tam watched as his target, Lord Guk seized the back of his neck in confusion right as he was starting to say something to Lord Yangban. At first the Zinferan nobleman looked around himself curiously, then he pulled his fingers away and studied them. Lord Guk noticed the faint drops of blood, and looked around the courtyard again just as Tam flattened himself against the wall and waited.


    Then after a count of ten breaths, he retreated.


    ¡°We should leave now.¡±


    ¡°But¨C¡±


    ¡°I dosed the missile. It would¡¯ve just felt like a mosquito bite. He¡¯s going to start acting quite unlike himself very soon.¡±


    ¡°How did you-¡±


    ¡°I had several back up plans for tonight.¡± Tam continued heading toward the doors without looking to his side where Eli was struggling to keep up with him due to his longer legs. ¡°I didn¡¯t know if I¡¯d have many vantage points to hide with this method, which was why we were going to rely on dosing his cup. This was much easier though.¡±


    ¡°Easier for you maybe. I can¡¯t believe with a slingshot¡­ A child¡¯s toy no less¡­ Not even a real one,¡± Eli laughed weakly in disbelief.


    ¡°My nephews showed me how effective they are long ago.¡± Tam shrugged as they freed themselves from the darkened walkway and crossed the gardens to the front door.


    He stopped before the doors and bowed to Eli while gesturing her through.


    She faltered at the gesture, but upon noticing the guards and servants hovering a little ways down the path, she swallowed and proceeded to exit the premises without commenting on his behavior.


    As the couple descended the front steps, and Tam waved to one of the hackneys that sat outside the house waiting expectantly for wealthy, inebriated guests to require their services, he didn¡¯t look at Eli¡­ Until in grumbling tones she said.


    ¡°At least this time you didn¡¯t have to get set on fire to leave early.¡±


    Caught by surprise, Tam burst out laughing.


    Even if he knew there were far more horrible conversations and situations he was going to have to suffer through in the near future, in that moment, he at least was sincerely relieved to be back in the world where his assistant could knock him senseless just with a look, and her grumbling quips could make him laugh easier than the most talented of jokesters.


    She may have been mad at him, but¡­ it was hard to feel down when she made him so happy.

 Chapter 37: Breaking Barriers

    Tam slid the door to the room shut behind himself, Eli had already stomped in ahead of him and was in the middle of removing her earrings as she did so.


    The future duke didn¡¯t say anything as he slipped the black silk coat from his shoulders, and started rolling up the sleeves of his white tunic. He knew Eli¡¯s tenuous silence in the hackney ride home was born mostly out of her still reeling from the harried events of the night.


    ¡°Who was the man in red that was lurking around you?¡± Tam asked innocuously.


    Eli whirled around. ¡°Why? Why do you need to know that?¡±


    Tam blinked and stared at her flatly. ¡°Because I need to know everything that¡¯s been going on since I¡¯ve been stuck in a void.¡±


    Eli huffed and turned back around to the dresser where she had put down her earrings, and proceeded to take off the rest of her jewelry as well.


    Tam wondered fleetingly if she¡¯d noticed she¡¯d left the wedding ring on, but decided he didn¡¯t want to point that out just yet.


    ¡°Did you really go out looking for me every night?¡±


    Eli chucked the bracelet she had just removed from her wrist down onto the wooden top of the dresser with enough force it might¡¯ve chipped the wood.


    ¡°Who told you that? Luca?¡±


    Tam said nothing, but his frown did deepen. ¡°Eli¡­ is there something you¡¯d like to say?¡±


    Her hands flew to her hips as she stared up at him more intensely and unabashedly than she ever had before. Tam was suddenly finding it rather difficult to think coherently¡­


    ¡°You make complicated plans, and then disappear! You saved me, and then vanished into thin air! You¡­ You kissed me! And have been gone for days! Everyone was counting on you, but I can¡¯t be angry with you because it¡¯s due to your magic that you can¡¯t control!¡± Eli made a remarkable combination of a grunt and a hiss and then turned away from him.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been nothing but angry since seeing me again,¡± Tam pointed out slowly.


    Despite his cautious tone, his assistant still reacted explosively.


    ¡°HAVE YOU NOT BEEN LISTENING?!¡±


    Tam was so shocked at her shout he stumbled back. He recovered swiftly, but he still couldn¡¯t believe she was actually yelling at him¡­


    He realized then and there, that there was nothing he could say or do, nothing but let her rage at him. He hoped that maybe he wasn¡¯t too tired by the end of it to go find something to eat¡­


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here in Zinfera! You shouldn¡¯t be doing anything important if you¡¯re just going to disappear! You should be at home in Daxaria, with your books, and causing silly little rumors. You should be where you can be safe and just get over your damn pride about it! Because you cause problems when you try to do more! All kinds of problems, and now you have someone who needs you to be a father!¡±


    Tam rescinded the notion that simply taking Eli¡¯s furious words would be a matter of patience, and realized it¡¯d be more a matter of whether or not he had the emotional fortitude to deal with it.


    ¡°Eli. I¡¯m sorry you were placed in a-¡±


    ¡°Stop apologizing!¡± She breathed while whirling back toward the dresser.


    ¡°You¡¯re a liability, my lord, and you have people who care about you. You can¡¯t¨C¡± She looked at Tam as she began slipping the halter of her dress back over her neck, and she must¡¯ve seen the look on his face because she stopped talking and moving at the same time.


    The tension in the air mounted, and Tam wasn¡¯t betraying a single thought in his face as he folded his arms over his chest, and leaned back against the door behind himself.


    He stared at her expectantly.


    But it wasn¡¯t the same gentle, patient look he usually had¡­ It was hard.


    And while there wasn¡¯t any sign of a ferocious argument like there could have been for another man getting torn apart by his assistant, there was a challenge in the set of his jaw and certainty in his eyes.


    Tam wondered what she would continue to do. Berate him or undress.


    Either way, he was doing everything he could to turn his insides into iron for her next decision.


    Eli swallowed. He watched her do it.


    ¡°You¡­ You can¡¯t¡­ You shouldn¡¯t¡­ Come and go¡­ You have a job to do and-¡±


    ¡°The job is done. I came back in time, and I intend to explain things to Luca about how I might disappear from time to time and he shouldn¡¯t worry.¡± Tam¡¯s voice was even, and he noticed Eli draw herself straighter upon hearing it.


    ¡°He shouldn¡¯t worry?¡± Eli¡¯s voice rasped, and Tam could tell it was a sign of renewed rage sparking. ¡°You dissolve into a void, and it terrifies you more than anything else in this world and you can¡¯t find your way out. Of course he should worry! We all should!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever said it terrifies me more than-¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to!¡± Eli snapped.


    Tam knew she was stubborn, and when it mixed with her exhaustion he knew he shouldn¡¯t have been surprised that she¡¯d explode at him.


    Tam closed his eyes.


    If he kept staring at her and her bare shoulders he wasn¡¯t going to get a hold of his thoughts, even if he stood there the rest of the night.


    He put himself in Eli¡¯s position. His mother always said if you want to best help or hurt someone you had to see things from their perspective, and Tam was very firmly in the former category in that moment.


    She would¡¯ve been scared about not being able to poison Lord Guk, and she would¡¯ve been uncertain of her future if he should disappear for good. Of course she¡¯d not trust that she¡¯d be safe even though Bong and Jeong would vouch for what happened. She¡¯d still be the subject of scrutiny, and the Coven of Wittica would most definitely reject her citizenship barring some very serious intervention from Finlay Ashowan and the new king.


    Then she would also have to comfort Luca¡­


    And of course there was the matter of him kissing her.


    Not to mention the men following her saying that they were hired by¨C


    ¡°The man in red was your brother, wasn¡¯t he?¡± Tam spoke before thinking.


    He should have been working on how to best calm her down, but he found he was unable to stop himself.


    Eli paled, and instantly Tam mentally cursed himself for being so careless.


    He shook his head and tried to change the topic. ¡°I learned more about my magic while I was in the void. I can manage to avoid it a bit better going forward. Though if I do get trapped there again, I can¡¯t say for certain how long I¡¯ll be gone. I¡¯ll have to think about it more to get a better handle of things.¡±


    He waited in the tense hush that followed to see if he was successful in negating any more rage from his assistant. When she didn¡¯t shout or say anything else, he decided to press a little in a different direction.


    ¡°You should go to sleep.¡± Tam lifted his chin in the direction of the bed.


    ¡°What¡­ Are¡­¡± Eli couldn¡¯t fully speak.


    Tam didn¡¯t rush her, and thankfully he felt more in control of himself at that point. The quiet also helped him grasp what state his assistant was in after giving it some more thought.


    Though he didn¡¯t dare let himself broach the topic of how she may or may not feel about their kiss, because he had absolutely no idea, and he wasn¡¯t sure he wanted an idea either.


    However, Eli proceeded to exceed his non-fixed expectations as she frowned, and blinked¡­


    Tears were gathering in her eyes for the second time that night, and his iron core started crumbling. He still managed to hold his tongue and not move, but his expression had turned pained, worried, and gentle once more.


    Eli reached up and pressed the heels of her palms into her eyes as she then crouched to the ground and released a quiet, breathy sob.


    Tam felt his heart rip itself apart.


    He slowly walked over to Eli, then lowered himself down to a crouch. He clasped his own wrist, to stop himself from touching her in case it wasn¡¯t something she wanted.


    ¡°You made me¡­ count¡­ on you,¡± Eli said brokenly between weak, shuddering breaths.


    The lump that rose in Tam¡¯s throat nearly choked him.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.¡°And it¡¯s my fault¡­ You disappeared.¡±


    Alarm rushed through Tam as he stared wide-eyed at her.


    ¡°Wh- No! No, no, no it was not your fault! Not for an instant!¡± Tam¡¯s grip on his wrist tightened painfully.


    ¡°You¡­ You saw those men following me¡­ and-¡±


    ¡°Gods, Eli. No. Absolutely not. I disappear when I¡¯m being a Godsdamn coward, not when I¡¯m stressed.¡±


    Eli lifted her bloodshot eyes to him, and Tam found his head start to ache from the effort it took not to reach out and touch her.


    ¡°I go to a place that is connected to everything and nothing. When I get overwhelmed, or I don¡¯t want to be somewhere, or¡­ Or maybe I want to make someone else disappear I suppose, that¡¯s when¡­ That¡¯s when I disappear. You have done nothing wrong. I¡¯m just going through a bit of a late in life growth spurt when it comes to interacting with the world.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ understand,¡± Eli whispered.


    Tam gave a halfhearted smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay. The point is. It is no one¡¯s fault but mine. You are right to be concerned, and angry. I know you don¡¯t want to hear it, but I am sorry, Eli. I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m not a better or stronger person that you can count on properly.¡±


    ¡°You arse!¡± Eli¡¯s voice rose a fraction. ¡°You¡¯re the best person I know, and¡­¡± she paused to swallow. ¡°It isn¡¯t fair to you that I started relying on you..¡±


    Tam let out a frustrated breath of his own. ¡°No. I want you to be able to count on me. I¡¯m going to be better, I promise. I¡¯m just terrible at personal relationships and¡­ I¡¯m am working it out. That¡¯s why I¡¯m always apologizing all the time. But I really do want you to feel you can trust me, Eli.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± she asked while revealing her utter bafflement.


    Tam smiled again, his eyes warming.


    Gods help me how can she be so worldly and yet so clueless?


    ¡°Aside from the fact I think life has been far too unfair to you and you deserve better? That you deserve to have someone help you and not want anything in return? Well¡­ I had kind of hoped I¡¯d made myself clear when I kissed you.¡±


    Tam watched Eli¡¯s eyes go round and her breath stop. For a moment she allowed herself to react vulnerably to his words as her expression softened, but Tam didn¡¯t let his hopes go up. And sure enough, he saw her walls erect themselves once more behind her eyes.


    ¡°You want to bed me.¡±


    Tam gave a wearisome chuckle before rubbing his mouth and resting the side of his face in his palm. He¡¯d have to be honest and direct with her if he wanted to resume building any kind of trust with her.


    ¡°I want to do that, yes. But it¡¯s because I happen to be in love with you.¡±


    Tam watched as the shock of his words froze Eli¡¯s face and made her eyes go round.


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect anything from you. You don¡¯t have to return anything to me, and I know I¡¯m a big enough arse for feeling this way as your employer.¡± Tam paused to sigh then smile . ¡°If you didn¡¯t keep trying to take your clothes off in front of me I¡¯d keep it to myself, but you¡¯ve left me with no choice. You need to know everything if we are going to work well together.¡±


    Silence hung in the air between them. Tam dropped his hand from his face and waited patiently for whatever his assistant¡¯s reaction would be. He also resolved to spare her and change the topic if the quiet dragged on too long.


    Though thanks to his rushing heartbeat he wasn¡¯t sure he had a great grasp of time¡­


    ¡°You¡­ You really¡­ Don¡¯t want anything from me?¡± Eli looked like the idea was more than a little foreign to her.


    The briefest flicker of violent urges drifted through the back of Tam¡¯s mind as he considered who would have made such a notion strange to her.


    ¡°All I want, Eli? Is what you are willing to give.¡±


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t feel the same and never will?¡±


    ¡°I never expected you would.¡±


    ¡°But you kissed me.¡±


    Tam winced and looked at the ceiling. ¡°I did. I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to ask me how I feel¡­ About you? Or about the kiss?¡± Eli asked carefully.


    ¡°Do you want me to?¡±


    Eli paused and considered this question. ¡°I liked it.¡±


    It was Tam¡¯s turn to be stunned. He blinked and his lips twitched as voracious joy tingled and rushed through his blood.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t like anything else.¡±


    Tam didn¡¯t bother hiding his look of incredulousness. ¡°Holy antlers, Eli. You really aren¡¯t afraid of torturing a person.¡±


    The assistant made a grumbling noise of frustration that sounded much more like herself.


    ¡°I¡­ I like things to be fair¨C¡±


    ¡°I know you do.¡±


    ¡°Shush¡­. My lord,¡± she added after snapping before she continued on. ¡°I am¡­ No one. With nothing but problems, and I would feel like I am submitting everything to you if I were to entertain the idea of¡­¡±


    Tam raised his eyebrows and smiled roguishly at her, daring her to finish the thought. Even though his insides were a mess of screaming and awkward excited nerves he was trying to settle.


    ¡°The idea of something more. If you tired of me, you would hold even more power over me than you already do.¡±


    ¡°I understand¡­ But I don¡¯t think you do.¡±


    Eli blinked.


    ¡°You have far more power over me than I do of you. You see, I know you don¡¯t feel quite the same way.¡±


    The assistant opened her mouth but Tam raised his hand to request he be able to finish.


    ¡°If I¡¯m getting this right, you do like me, but you don¡¯t know in what way yet.That said, if you continue to take that stunning dress off in my presence, I may interpret it to mean you want to bed me.¡±


    Eli blushed scarlet.


    ¡°I sincerely predicted an outright rejection of my feelings, but you¡¯ve decided to play an even more dangerous game and give me a bit of hope. So, here is what I will say. If you want more? You will have to say so. I¡¯ve made it somewhat clear what I want, and however much you are or aren¡¯t willing to give, you are going to have to be the one to initiate or communicate that.¡±


    Tam dropped his hand, signaling he was finished speaking.


    Fidgeting, Eli dropped her eyes to her lap. ¡°You have terrible taste in women, my lord.¡±


    The future duke laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. Pretty, capable, and prefers a quiet night with some tea and books? You seem like the ideal woman.¡±


    Eli couldn¡¯t meet his eyes, and Tam struggled against the urge to reach over and wipe the tears from her cheeks.


    ¡°Will you sleep in bed with me tonight?¡±


    Tam¡¯s heart stopped.


    Eli lifted her watery gaze to him at last. ¡°I still¡­ Feel safer and sleep better when¡­ When you¡¯re there.¡±


    Unable to speak thanks to all of his blood rushing away from his brain, Tam cleared his throat, and leaned closer to his assistant.


    ¡°I will, but¡­ Eli?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ my lord?¡±


    ¡°You better build one hell of a barrier between us in that bed if all you want is my presence.¡±


    Finally catching on to what her words had hinted at, Eli managed a faint, ¡°Oh.¡±


    Her lips stayed parted and waves of powerful urges flooded through Tam, but he did his best to battle them back.


    ¡°Do you need me to leave while you finish taking off that dress?¡± Tam heard himself ask, his voice gravelly.


    So much for controlling himself.


    ¡°U-Um¡­ Yes? Yes.¡±


    Tam cleared his throat, cast another tightlipped but adoring smile at Eli, and then pushed himself back up to standing even though it physically pained him.


    He then turned and strode out of the room while doing his utmost to redirect his thoughts to the less dangerous matter of food while praying to the Gods that he would be able to manage himself better in the coming months.


    Even though he knew that would entirely depend on whether or not Eli decided to torment him into utter madness.

 Chapter 38: A Well Rounded Return

    Tam awoke with a gasping jolt.


    Then had to flinch at the bright sunlight filling his vision, and regarded the white ceiling while trying to relish each quick breath of fresh air he indulged in.


    His mind gradually shifted out of panic.


    I¡¯m not in the void anymore. I made it out¡­ Somehow.


    Tam reached up and rubbed his eyes, but he didn¡¯t do so for long¡­ It was too nice to see the sunlight. Even if it made his eyes ache.


    Forcing a slower breath out of his lungs, Tam turned over to his right side, the tension in his shoulders starting to ease away¡­ Until he found himself staring at Eli.


    Asleep.


    Beside him.


    Without so much as a pillow between them.


    Tam felt his eyes bulge.


    She was¡­ breathtaking.


    Quite literally.


    Tam had to remind himself to inhale when he found himself getting lightheaded.


    He wasn¡¯t certain if his apoplectic state was due to the shock of seeing her, or if he was still readjusting to being back in the world with everyone¡­


    Then again maybe it didn¡¯t matter if he breathed regularly.


    Maybe he died and was being given a glimpse of something he had found himself wishing to see during the journey to Junya when Eli had slept just on the other side of him.


    Studying her, Tam noted that the dark lines under her eyes were already improving, but he could tell she¡¯d require a little more time to rest to fully recover¡­


    One question he had wanted to ask the night before, was whether or not she had used her magic when she¡¯d looked for him.


    Part of the reason being that he could feel a streak of anxious frustration in his chest at the idea that she was wandering around the streets of Junya at night without any protection¡­


    Not that Eli would listen to him or take kindly to the implication that she of all people would need or be worth protecting.


    Tam let out a weary sigh, though he smiled.


    Stubborn as a mule and single minded in her work ethic. Gods¡­ I didn¡¯t stand a bloody chance. Not when she¡¯s cute on top of all that.


    Tam flopped back onto his back and allowed himself to enjoy the quiet peacefulness of the morning.


    He could smell coffee brewing, and eggs frying, and while there was the unfamiliar tangy scent of the foreign sauces and spices that his father didn¡¯t use as often back in the keep in Daxaria, that morning felt more like home than¡­ well¡­ home.


    Tam slowly slid from the bed, the plush comforter giving off soft crinkling rustles as he did so.


    Dressing himself in his trousers, but leaving his loose sleep shirt on, Tam cast another look at his assistant, his face aching with a smile.


    The room was filled with the scent of lemons and florals, and the air was muffled in the glow of the sunshine¡­ Tam pressed the sight firmly into his memory.


    It was the best morning of his life.


    Gods¡­ If Eli ever does decide to properly seduce me, it might actually kill me with happiness.


    Slipping out of the room, Tam padded down the hall, and angled left into the dining space to find Jeong, Bong, and Luca already seated at the table that Haewon was just finishing setting.


    ¡°Dad!¡± Luca jumped up from his cushion at the table and shot over to Tam flinging his arms around Tam¡¯s hips.


    Wrapping his arms around his son, Tam looked up at Jeong who was already beaming, and Bong, who smiled, though it didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes.


    Tam¡¯s good mood stalled. Something was wrong.


    He gave Bong a quiet nod of acknowledgment.


    Jeong, if he noticed, ignored this.


    ¡°Welcome back, Mr. Voll.¡± Haewon lowered her chin, her words stiff.


    Tam knew he had firmly nailed shut the coffin of his chances of Haewon ever liking him after having disappeared for so long.


    ¡°Thank you, Haewon. And thank you for helping my family while I was away.¡±


    The housekeeper said nothing else as she bowed and exited the room, leaving them alone.


    ¡°Well, well, well. Our quiet, dignified lord made quite the dramatic entrance last night,¡± Jeong chortled as Tam patted Luca on the shoulder then lowered himself down to his place at the table. Luca, not wanting to leave his father¡¯s side, sat down on his right.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about being gone for so long.¡± Tam bobbed his head.


    Jeong slid a very quick glance at his brother who was acting completely nonplussed as he sipped his tea.


    ¡°We¡¯re glad you¡¯re back. Eli¡­ She¡­ Wasn¡¯t doing well. Not to mention everything that has been going on.¡± Jeong cleared his throat, his eyes drifting to the top of Luca¡¯s head as the boy worked on devouring his bowl of rice topped with eggs and kimchi.


    ¡°Yes, how was the rest of the party last night?¡± Tam asked vaguely while pouring himself a cup of coffee from the tall glass pot in the middle of the table.


    Any semblance of good natured fun in Jeong¡¯s face disappeared.


    ¡°It went well enough. Our host suddenly started talking to the golden swan statues around his garden and shouting at them, saying they were laughing at him. He also started screaming into some of the faces of the women¡­¡±


    Tam smiled humorlessly. ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°At that stage in the evening most attendees of the event saw it as a drunken escapade, albeit far from acceptable or appropriate.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see how the lord manages the consequences. If he¡¯s overly prideful, it could work in our favor as he¡¯ll act out angrily,¡± Tam explained while filling his own plate with eggs.


    He had managed to find some leftover chicken the night before after his talk with Eli, but he was absolutely ravenous and looking forward to a hot meal right then.


    ¡°He might. He isn¡¯t a foolish man, and with Lord Yangban here, he will most likely be on his best behavior,¡± Bong interrupted, his words hard and bitter.


    Tam¡¯s gaze cut to the eldest Ryu son. He had never heard such a tone from him before.


    Rather than commenting on the fact, he nodded slowly, then said, ¡°By the way, Bong, I haven¡¯t had any proper training since arriving in Zinfera, would you mind indulging me?¡±


    Bong inclined himself in assent.


    ¡°Can I watch?¡± Luca asked excitedly. ¡°My dad¡¯s really fast with knives!¡± He explained to Jeong before he mimed stabbing forward multiple times, his brows furrowed like Tam¡¯s.


    Bong managed to smile genuinely at the child¡¯s obvious pride and excitement.


    ¡°Sorry to say, you are going to have to go to your lessons like usual.¡± Tam rested a hand atop his son¡¯s hair.


    Luca dropped his head back and let out a loud moan. ¡°But you just got home! Can¡¯t I miss class?!¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Tam laughed. ¡°Not a chance. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be here all day, and I won¡¯t be going back to the archives for another day or two.¡±


    That bit of information mixed with Tam¡¯s resolute look succeeded in placating the child, and so the rest of the breakfast passed by peacefully.


    As the men rose from the table and Haewon returned to clear away the dishes, he sidled up to the housekeeper.


    ¡°Could you please see to delivering a tray to my wife? She¡¯s not going to be leaving our room today under any circumstances.¡±


    Haewon¡¯s lips pursed, her thoughts unclear, but she tilted her head dutifully and left.


    With Luca having scampered off to prepare for his lessons, and Jeong venturing off to bathe as he had returned too late the night before to do so, Bong and Tam headed to the courtyard.


    ¡°Did you and Eli make amends?¡± Bong asked casually as they walked.


    Tam continued inspecting one of his daggers to see if they needed to be sharpened. ¡°More or less. I¡¯m giving her space.¡±


    ¡°That is wise from what I could tell. While I know less than you do about her past, it is easy to discern that romance is one of the farthest matters from her mind.¡±


    ¡°Might not be as far as you think,¡± Tam murmured more to himself than Bong, but the Zineran raised an eyebrow in his direction in response all the same.


    ¡°Mind telling me what your history is with Lord Yangban?¡± Tam transitioned the discussion smoothly.


    Bong paused as they reached the plum tree, its white flowers blooming prettily.


    ¡°He¡­ Has harmed more people than you could ever imagine. It has been particularly bad in recent years.¡±


    He kidnapped a princess who was a strong candidate to be empress and is walking around without any repercussions. It¡¯s not hard to guess he feels untouchable.


    ¡°My father has tried to save the people he pushes under his thumb and controls with the pirates and traders, but it¡¯s like staunching a wound while the dagger still keeps cutting a bigger and bigger hole.¡± Bong paused to let out an angry breath. ¡°The amount of people I have seen and tried to comfort after they¡¯ve lost their loves ones due to his machinations¡­ I have to confess. This goal we are working on to cripple Lord Guk, is proving to be far harder for me than I anticipated now that I have to smile at that man who is nothing but a poison in this world.¡±


    Tam knew then that if he happened to casually mention just what Lord Yangban did to Eli, that there would be a very large chance that Bong would not be able to compose himself in the lord¡¯s presence for an instant.


    Hell, even Tam hadn¡¯t had to face the man directly yet to see if he could restrain himself.


    ¡°Before I leave Zinfera, Lord Yangban will be dead and his power crippled. You have my word.¡±


    A rueful half smile lifts Bong¡¯s mouth. ¡°If your last name were any other than Ashowan, I¡¯d say it was impossible.¡±


    ¡°When there is no higher power to hold someone like him accountable, it doesn¡¯t take long for an empire to collapse. I¡¯ll be doing my best.¡±


    ¡°Well said. Now, before we start to train, I of course have to ask¡­ Where did you go?¡±


    Tam dropped his chin while he reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. He had known it would come up sooner or later¡­ Quite honestly he was shocked it hadn¡¯t already.


    ¡°My magic takes me to a place that doesn¡¯t technically exist and I¡¯ve been trapped there for a while.¡±


    Bong¡¯s eyebrows flew upward. ¡°Your magic creates a¡­ a prison?¡±


    ¡°No, it¨C¡± Tam stopped.


    A prison.


    The first witch¡­ The devil¡­


    Was he supposed to send them to the void as though it were a prison?


    Power suddenly flushed Tam¡¯s being as though he were getting closer to an answer.


    ¡°It could be like a prison,¡± the future duke began to say carefully, while also deciding not to mention the fact that he had a discussion with death himself. ¡°But I¡­ I could leave. I just didn¡¯t know how to before. And even though I now know, it isn¡¯t simple¡­¡±


    ¡°Where did you reappear? Was it back in the street?¡± Bong asked interestedly.


    ¡°No, I¨C¡± Tam stopped again. He hadn¡¯t really considered why he had reappeared somewhere else.


    Everything had happened so quickly.


    Had it been that he¡¯d traveled in the void?


    Could he do that? Disappear one place and reappear to another?


    Tam remained silent as he thought through this possibility. But he hadn¡¯t been the one to pull himself from the void. The red thread had done that, even though he had fought it out of concern, he was being pulled by someone or something he didn¡¯t want to meet¡­ He had wound up in his and Eli¡¯s room.


    Where Luca had been sleeping.


    More and more questions and theories started to pour into Tam¡¯s head, until Bong clapped his hand on his shoulder, jarring him free of them.


    ¡°It seems as though you have a great many things to think about. But I confess, I was actually quite happy that you requested to train with me. It might help work out some of my agitation about Lord Yangban.¡±


    Tam did his best to swim through his thoughts back to the present. ¡°Ah, sorry¡­ Of course.¡±


    Giving his head a shake he squared himself to Bong.


    However, he did not anticipate the man instantly pummeling him in his gut without any further ceremony.


    Luckily, Tam had been trained in combat by his mother, and while she was a good woman¡­ When it came to combat and training? She was far from gentle.


    So despite being winded, Tam seized Bong¡¯s shoulder, braced his knee, and tried to flip the Zinferan onto his back.


    While Bong was caught off guard by how fast Tam had recovered, he managed to wrench himself free of Tam¡¯s grasp and spin off to the future duke¡¯s side. Bong¡¯s elbow was winding back to jab Tam in the ribs, but he already saw where Bong was moving, and with his back still exposed, he tracked the movement out of his peripheral, and managed to catch the elbow. Tam proceeded to then drag Bong forward with it, and elbow the Zinferan in the chest, knocking Bong back several feet.


    Tam turned, and cracked his neck while raising his hands and lowering his head.


    He didn¡¯t bother drawing out the blades stowed at his back.


    Bong touched his chest, coughed, then gave an impressed incline of his head toward Tam before reaching up to the tie of his purple silk shirt, and shrugging it off to reveal that he was made of pure, lean muscle.


    ¡°I confess. I knew you were a capable man, Tam. But I¡¯m starting to think you may be a step farther than that and are in fact quite deadly.¡±


    Tam gave an innocent quirk of his mouth that turned into a smile, but didn¡¯t respond.


    Bong widened his stance, and lifted his open palms upward.


    A sparkle of interest lighting his eyes. ¡°Shall we?¡±


    Tam responded by ducking, darting forward. Swinging his leg out in a long roundabout kick that, while slower than a quick one made just swinging his knee, it had enough power behind it that even though only the heel of Tam¡¯s boot caught Bong¡¯s side, he could hear a fraction of breath be crushed out of the Zinferan¡¯s lungs.


    Despite stumbling as a result, Bong was quick to round back, his hands still raised defensively, and seeing this, Tam smiled.


    It¡¯d been a while since he sparred for fun.


    As a result, the back of his mind continued to slog through the endless questions he found himself with pertaining to his magic, but at least he found the movement helping hone them.


    Who knows? Maybe my magic will be more useful than I originally thought¡­

 Chapter 39: The Might of the Meddlesome

    Soo Hebin lightly outlined the smooth slope of her neck with her finger tips, her oval face tilted in the mirror as she peered at her skin with satisfaction.


    Despite being in her forties, she looked remarkably young, but that of course was thanks to all of her painstaking efforts. Frankincense, rose oils, creams¡­ Only the best.


    Lowering her eyes, she stood from the silk cushion of her stool causing her four ladies¡¯ maids to rise behind herself.


    ¡°What word have we received from Lord Nam about the silk shipment?¡±


    ¡°He said that it is on time, Your Highness, and that there are even some other items on the vessel that will please you.¡±


    Soo scoffed, but she smiled. ¡°I¡¯d say he was being impudent, but he does seem to know my taste.¡±


    Lifting her chin despite the incredible weight of her bejeweled hair that was ladened with stiff gels and perfumes, the concubine glided toward the doors of her quarters, when a knock stopped her in place.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡± an unfamiliar voice called out. Not that Soo Hebin, mother to the next emperor, really took note of her servants. ¡°A¡­ A Mr. Julian is here to see you with two guests?¡±


    The corners of Soo Hebin¡¯s mouth curved upward. ¡°Already? This day is full of good news. Tell them I will see them now.¡±


    The two doors slid open, and in stepped a man with sandy brown hair, brown eyes, and pale skin. He wore Daxarian clothes of a dirty black coat that had four heavy buckles, and dulled black trousers and a tunic underneath that was faded. He bowed to her, and then stepped aside for the next man, another brunette, but one in his late thirties who wore a plum colored silk coat, with a fine cream vest embroidered in gold underneath. The material was without a doubt Zinferan, but the cut and style was also Daxarian.


    ¡°Your Highness, my name is Ansar,¡± he introduced calmly.


    When he straightened, he met Soo¡¯s gaze, and a trickle of coolness ekked out of her expression.


    Those beneath her did not meet her eyes, but she would take it up with his mistress.


    Speaking of the daughter of the Gods¡­


    In swept the final guest, but she stood with her hood drawn, and did not say a word.


    Soo raised an eyebrow, her displeasure growing as she lifted her left hand.


    ¡°Leave us.¡±


    The serving maidens filed out without a word of protest, their slippered feet gently wooshing over the polished dark wooden planks. The doors slid shut once more.


    Soo Hebin waited as the figure slowly lowered her hood.


    A redheaded woman stood in front of her who was quite short, with wide hips and a slim torso in her early twenties, with steel, colorless eyes.


    ¡°Glad to see you have arrived without incident,¡± Soo greeted, her smile not quite meeting her gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you succeeded in growing your power,¡± the first witch returned calmly.


    ¡°I confess your beasts were quite helpful. Particularly with convincing the coven to stay out of my affairs.¡±


    Tilting her head, Aradia looked toward Ansar, but whatever the look was supposed to mean, Soo had no idea, and it was already grating on her nerves.


    ¡°I appreciate the lengths you went to to help me escape Troivack,¡± the first witch continued, though there was an air of superiority in her voice as her gaze roamed over the large room with its white walls, thick wooden beams, painted screens, plush red carpets, gilded mirrors, and exquisite Zinferan paintings.


    ¡°Yes, well, I would like your assistance in ensuring my son takes the throne. Daxaria has been far too quiet as of late, and I had a hunch that your escape would help keep them busy.¡±


    Aradia didn¡¯t respond as she moved farther into the room. ¡°I made sure to change my appearance multiple times on my journey here so you will be free of suspicion.¡±


    Soo scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t fear Daxaria¡¯s influence. They won¡¯t want to risk a war, and I¡¯ve ensured chaos is reigning here in Zinfera. Even if they wanted to, they would struggle to figure out who is the enemy, and who is innocent.¡±


    The first witch continued to peruse the room, as though inspecting it.


    Soo knew better than to lash out at the first witch, and instead looked sharply at the man called Mr. Julian.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember you.¡±


    At least this one hadn¡¯t made eye contact and had bowed as he should have when addressing her.


    ¡°I was recruited by the first witch in Troivack when I served the crown prince of Daxaria more than seven years ago,¡± he explained as though distant from the mention of his betrayal, but the stiffness that came into his shoulders made Soo¡¯s eyes glitter.


    ¡°You mean Eric Reyes? The one who now sits on the Daxarian throne?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    Soo strode over to the young man, and reached out to lift his chin with her index knuckle. His eyes seemed innocent, and yet there was a keenness to them¡­ A shiftiness that betrayed his true nature.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Soo whispered.


    ¡°I take it since you asked that there is more you believe I can do for you?¡± Aradia called out idly as she nearly finished her stroll around the concubine¡¯s room.


    Once again reminded that the daughter of the Gods was making herself far too comfortable in her quarters, Soo inclined her head regally and turned around.


    ¡°Yes. Take that dragon of yours and make it stop attacking my ships.¡±


    Aradia¡¯s eyebrows pulled together as her eyes lowered.


    ¡°Wixim has been sinking ships?¡±


    The concubine couldn¡¯t hide the twitch in her upper lip. She didn¡¯t like repeating herself.


    The first witch saw this and held the concubine¡¯s eyes, looking entertained, then dragged her sights over to the corners of the room in thoughtful silence for a moment, then dared to laugh.


    ¡°I see. Well, I can help you with Wixim, of course. However, you will need to help me first.¡±


    ¡°I have already helped you.¡±


    ¡°Not quite. You paid your debt to me for the sirins and having access to Witch¡¯s Brew both for profit and for consumption. I hear the emperor has been declining in health¨C Quite impressive that he lasted so long while being dosed,¡± Aradia noted as she rounded the concubine to stand before her with Ansar. ¡°Now you want me to move the dragon, and I¡¯m saying I will require your assistance, though to be perfectly honest, what I¡¯m asking for is beneficial for you as well.¡±


    Soo waited, feigning patience.


    ¡°The devil is in Zinfera. You will help me locate him, and I have no doubt that if we find him, we¡¯ll happen to find an Ashowan or two nearby.¡±


    Unable to hide her shock, the concubine widened her eyes, then looked away as her mind spun through the implications of arguably the most powerful family in Daxaria getting anywhere near her.


    ¡°The devil has not been found in years, however, amongst the sailors out there, they say a man who wields darkness that can swallow you whole was on a vessel.¡±


    Soo composed herself. ¡°Rumors.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, but it is interesting that around the time of my escape that they started. And now you say ships are being attacked by an ancient beast¡­ I¡¯m inclined to think that all this chaos is starting to bring everyone, and everything, crashing together.¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Wordlessly, the concubine turned and moved toward the short ornate wooden desk on the floor near a darkened window.


    ¡°I will contact my informants around Lord Jiho Ryu¡¯s household and see if he has any visitors, or if he is traveling. That peasant playing dress up has been the Ashowan¡¯s source of information for years,¡± Soo explained while lowering herself down to the white pillow and reaching for her ink well.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need soldiers. Soldiers skilled in stealth and capture,¡± Aradia declared evenly.


    Soo Hebin paused.


    One day, she would make the daughter of the Gods bow before her and rue the day she ever thought she could dominate her.


    ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡­ But for now, Soo needed to guarantee her son¡¯s ascension to the throne. The first witch was the ticket, but who knew? Maybe if some Ashowans were lured to her, she¡¯d find uses for them, too.


    ***


    Tam stood quietly with his shoulder pressed against the door frame as he watched Luca with his tutor.


    He could see by his son¡¯s slumped shoulders and sway of his head that he wasn¡¯t paying attention at all as the stern Zinferan man continued to explain the mathematical equation he had written down on the piece of slate in his hands.


    ¡°He¡¯s the best tutor in Junya,¡± Eli informed Tam, almost startling her employer into physically jumping.


    Tam he had grown used to getting caught off guard by her.


    ¡°I read your notes.¡± Tam nodded. ¡°He¡¯s smart, but¡­ I think Luca hasn¡¯t learned to focus while sitting down. It¡¯ll take some time.¡±


    The pair continued to watch the lesson for another while until Luca let out a long yawn and both Tam and Eli wordlessly decided that it was best if they moved back into the house before either of them felt the need to interrupt.


    ¡°Jeong and Bong say there is a boat launch ceremony in two days and both Lord Guk and Yangban will be there,¡± Tam started seriously. ¡°Would you prefer to stay back?¡±


    Eli sighed. ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to say no, it is too risky for me to go.¡±


    Tam slid a discrete glance in her direction. ¡°And your brother most likely will be attending.¡±


    Eli stopped in her tracks and looked up at Tam, her expression hard as stone, until¡­ it cracked.


    The future duke hoped he hid his surprise quickly enough to prompt her to keep talking.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what he wants or why he¡¯s looking for me. I was legally removed from the family. They owe me nothing, and I can ask for nothing.¡± A breath of annoyance rushed out of her nose.


    ¡°It¡¯d also be problematic for you if I talked and acknowledged him.¡±


    ¡°It might be riskier not to at the rate he¡¯s pursuing you,¡± Tam pointed out gently.


    Eli fell quiet, her brown eyes in the light erring toward the color of light cocoa powder as her mind flit through the possible reasons for her younger brother¡¯s presence and the solutions she could choose from¡­


    When Haewon appeared.


    ¡°Mr and Mrs Voll, there is a young man who is here to see Mrs. Voll.¡±


    Both Tam and Eli stared dumbfounded at the housekeeper.


    ¡°Did¡­ Did he give a name?¡± Eli closed her eyes as though mentally kicking herself for stammering.


    ¡°He did not, but he did say he tried to speak with you at the party last evening?¡± Haewon supplied helpfully.


    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Eli tried to smile but she didn¡¯t succeed, and her eyes were fixed on the ground and already filled with dread.


    ¡°Mrs. Voll, shall I tell him to come back another time, or¡­?¡±


    ¡°He can¡­ He can come in for a cup of tea.¡±


    Haewon nodded and smiled encouragingly at Eli. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare a pot of tea for the two of you.¡±


    ¡°My husband will be there as well,¡± Eli blurted in a rush.


    Haewon froze, then, remembering herself, bowed respectfully and left.


    Tam looked after the housekeeper and once he was certain she was no longer within ear shot shook his head. ¡°Gods she really hates me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    He turned, startled toward Eli.


    ¡°For making our time here more complicated, I¨C¡±


    ¡°I disappeared for three days thanks to my magic. You are the least problematic of anyone in this house.¡±


    ¡°Bong and Jeong aren¡¯t problematic.¡±


    ¡°Bong when drunk is a bloody nuisance. He fell asleep in the tree when he got home last night. Jeong had to get him out and bruised his shoulder. And speaking of Jeong? Do I really need to elaborate on why he absolutely is a menace? A loveable one, of course, but¡­ do I?¡±


    The last comment rendered a small smile from the assistant.


    ¡°Besides,¡± Tam slipped his hands into his pockets and leaned on the wall behind himself staring with his eyes soft on his assistant who was wearing the powder blue shirt that he always felt she looked the most stunning in. ¡°I¡¯m your husband. I need to look out for you.¡±


    Eli blushed, started to fidget, then stopped. ¡°I¡­ I thought you said you¡¯d wait for me to say-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just stating facts. It¡¯s what a husband does.¡±


    ¡°W-While that may be¡­ Technically, while we pretend¡­ You¡­ You are saying it while looking at me like that.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± Tam raised his eyebrows innocently.


    ¡°Like you¡­ You really think of yourself as my¡­¡± she trailed off, evidently unable to find the words.


    ¡°Would you like me to act indifferently?¡± Tam¡¯s voice lowered, but the question was sincere.


    He watched Eli squirm and her cheeks flush. ¡°Not¡­ Really. Maybe?¡±


    Tam smiled, and lowered his chin. ¡°Message received. Now¡­ We spoke of the devil, let¡¯s go face him.¡±


    All pretense of bashfulness fell away as Eli¡¯s eyes snapped up in alarm, which in turn caught Tam off guard as well until he realized that during his subtle flirtation she had completely forgotten about their impromptu guest.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go greet your brother,¡± he clarified, his smile lightening.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Oh, right. Yes. Yes, let''s do that! I promise I won¡¯t reveal your identity, my lord.¡± Eli turned and hurried ahead of him as voices sounding down the hall drifted back toward them, signaling that Chul Nam was already in the house.


    And while Tam was worried about how the exchange could affect Eli, he had to silently confess that his mood had been difficult to dampen, especially when he had noticed an ever so subtle smile when he had first referred to himself as ¡®her husband¡¯.


    Who knows¡­ Maybe if I¡¯m patient, I can say it without it being a lie.

 Chapter 40: A Familial Flourishing

    Tam sat across from the future successor of the Nam household, and eyed him with a schooled expression before regarding the man on Chul¡¯s right, who had been introduced as Chul¡¯s assistant, Yun Shik. Yun was a man perhaps a few years older than Chul, handsome, poised¡­ His features cat-like, his hair long.


    Yun had been perfectly polite, but there had been a reverence in his eyes when he¡¯d seen Eli, and Tam had barely managed to resist glaring at him as a result. At least Eli hadn¡¯t seemed to notice. Though she had kept her own eyes mostly on the ground during the greetings and even seated at the dining table she couldn¡¯t seem to look up. Tam was relatively certain she had not once met her brother¡¯s gaze.


    Funny enough, Chul was exactly the same way even while Tam looked him over, the younger man sat staring awkwardly at the table while Haewon continued pouring tea.


    This was odd behavior given the blaring, bright red coat that Chul was wearing that would¡¯ve hinted toward a louder personality in Tam¡¯s mind¡­


    Once Haewon had finished pouring tea and quietly exited the room, Tam waited for Chul Nam to start talking.


    But he didn¡¯t.


    And Eli didn¡¯t.


    Tam moved his sights over to Yun who was gazing with a glint of longing at Eli.


    The future duke¡¯s index finger started to slowly tap the table, which succeeded in drawing Yun¡¯s attention to him. The assistant was handsome, with a long neck, a heart shaped face, and hair swept to the side and treated to shine, with a unique indigo colored shirt and white trousers.


    ¡°Forgive me, but the two of you have come on a day when my wife is supposed to be resting, and I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve ever met you before.¡± Tam decided that if he didn¡¯t get the ball rolling, then they¡¯d be there all day.


    ¡°Are you sick?¡± Chul¡¯s face finally snapped up, and Tam could tell by the shape of his cheeks that there was even more family resemblance than he had originally noticed at the party the previous night.


    ¡°No, I¡­¡± Eli cast a sidelong glance at Tam as though wanting to chastise him, but he ignored her.


    He had told her to stay in bed all day.


    She had only finished bathing when she had sought him out while he was observing Luca.


    ¡°I was up late due to the party last night and my husband insisted I rest today. That¡¯s all,¡± Eli finished explaining stiffly, her eyes briefly darting to her brother.


    ¡°You were introduced last night, sir, as Chul Nam. I¡¯m sorry to say I think you have me mixed up with someone else-¡±


    ¡°El, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Both Tam and Eli¡¯s attention snapped to Yun who was leaning forward earnestly.


    ¡°You used to tutor me when we were children. Don¡¯t you remember? Elisara was already ahead of all the other children her age¨C myself included, and I was the smartest child in Bani until she caught up.¡±


    Eli opened and closed her mouth, her eyebrows twitching together.


    Tam could tell she was confused, and felt some modicum of relief that while this man had remembered her and still thought about her ardently¡­ She hadn¡¯t a clue who he was.


    Despite her confusion, and Chul looking at Yun while appearing a mite mortified, the assistant plundered on while shaking his head with a chuckle.


    ¡°You have those two beauty marks behind your left ear, Elisara. I know it is you.¡±


    ¡°I sincerely do not know who you are, I''m afraid,¡± Eli informed him while shaking her head.


    Yun at last seemed as though he believed her, and his cheeks deepened in color as a result.


    ¡°Do you know¡­ me¡­ though?¡± Chul ventured a careful guess.


    Eli looked at Tam nervously, but¡­


    The way he saw it, it was her brother, and he trusted her judgment.


    He gave a subtle shrug of his right shoulder, and relished in the way she understood him perfectly before facing Chul.


    ¡°I do. Somewhat. Though you are five years younger than me, and I left when I was eight.¡±


    Chul¡¯s face brightened with relief and then he perked up excitedly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for so long! Ever since I turned eighteen and father gave me properties to manage and a ship to start building my own fortune, I-¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Eli interrupted stiffly. ¡°Why have you been looking for me?¡±


    Chul¡¯s joyous energy dwindled when he saw the dread in Eli¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What do you mean why? You¡¯re my sister.¡±


    ¡°Did they not tell you what they did?¡±


    Tam noted that she hadn¡¯t referred to their parents directly¡­


    ¡°They said that you were in the palace doing important work! But I went to Gondol looking for you with father when I was fifteen, and I couldn¡¯t find¨C¡±


    ¡°Chul, they sold me.¡±


    Both Chul and Yun balked.


    Licking her lips, Eli leaned forward. ¡°Chul¡­ I understand why they tried to shield you from this, but father and mother gave me away to Chin Taejo. I was adopted by the emperor.¡±


    ¡°What? Why would they¨C¡± Despite being an assistant, Yun was the one to speak.


    Evidently Yun and Chul had a very equal footing in their partnership, which was raising several questions for Tam¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m a witch and our parents didn¡¯t like that,¡± Eli explained tersely. ¡°I was in the palace for eight years, and then I was sold. I was in Troivack for a time, and then I¡­¡± Eli paused, blinking herself back away from the truth as she finished with, ¡°I met Joe Voll. My husband. We have our son together, and I want nothing to do with either families that handed me off. So forgive me, but I can¡¯t say I¡¯m interested in fostering much of a relationship. I just wanted to ask that you stop approaching me or sending people after me.¡±


    Yun paled and Chul appeared too stunned to speak.


    ¡°I had¡­ I had no idea. That¡­ That can¡¯t be right! It can¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°That is something you can discuss with your parents.¡± Eli cut Chul off firmly. ¡°And if they answer differently, you can choose what you want to believe, but I¡¯d like to finally be happy in my life.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ No, I just¡­ You¡¯re my sister! And I couldn¡¯t believe you never sent a letter, or visited, and Yun, he¡­ He said you¡¯re so incredibly smart, and I¡¯m starting to take over more of father¡¯s ventures¡ª-he and mother are wanting to go on another trip to Daxaria, and¨C¡±


    Tam held up his hand. ¡°So you only wanted to find her because you thought it was strange she wasn¡¯t in contact with your family?¡±


    Chul stopped his rant and nodded.


    Yun on the other hand was staring rather coldly at Tam, and the future duke didn¡¯t have to guess why.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright, Chul,¡± Eli started softly. ¡°And¡­ Thank you. For¡­ For wanting to find me. I¡¯m well. But to me? You are a stranger. I have my own life now.¡±


    ¡°You in particular, are a stranger,¡± Tam added helpfully with a nod toward Yun.


    Eli evidently had no idea why he had felt the need to add that one as she shot him a brief look of questioning.


    The corners of Yun¡¯s eyes twitched while Tam held the gaze firmly.


    ¡°If you were sold, does that mean your husband bought you?¡± Yun questioned loudly.


    Whatever reaction Tam had been expecting at the accusation, it was not the one Eli gave.


    ¡°How dare you,¡± her voice rasped quietly, but her eyes flashed with rage. ¡°You have men follow me down an alleyway, frighten me, worry my husband, and make me concerned that our son is going to be approached, and you have the gall to ask if he is the one of a questionable character?! Of course he didn¡¯t purchase me! He¡¯s the only one who has ever given me any measure of freedom!¡±


    ¡°Freedom is not something that should be measured,¡± Yun responded somberly.


    Eli¡¯s hand banged on the table as she rose and pointed to the door.


    ¡°Get out of my house.¡±


    ¡°Elisara, I¡¯m sorry! Yun, apologize!¡± Chul ordered though it was obvious he wasn¡¯t used to issuing any kind of command to his assistant. He turned desperately back to Eli. ¡°Of course I don¡¯t want to scare you, or make matters difficult! I¡¯m happy that you¡¯ve found a life for yourself, I-I was so worried, and wondered what happened, and¡­ and I just wanted to tell you that if you ever wanted to come home you could! Even if I ask mother and father about this and they say they don¡¯t want to see you, please tell me! Family is supposed to take care of each other, and-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what family raised you, but that isn¡¯t what I learned in the Nam household,¡± Eli bit out coldly. ¡°You are to be beautiful and useful. That is what it is to be a Nam child. You must be impressive and add prestige to the house because that house did not accept anything less than perfect, and if you deviated from perfect? You were sent away.¡±


    ¡°Elisara, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Chul choked out, tears gathering in his eyes. ¡°Please¨C¡±


    ¡°Mom?¡±


    Chul was once again stopped from talking as Luca entered the room nervously.


    Turning abruptly at the interruption, Tam gave his son a reassuring smile and gestured forward to come sit with him.


    Chul fell silent, and Yun¡¯s eyes bulged.


    ¡°Luca,¡± Eli greeted breathily, while blinking herself back into a calmer state and straightening. ¡°Are your lessons finished for lunch?¡±


    The boy nodded while eyeing Chul and Yun uncertainly. ¡°I¡­ I brought this for you,¡± he proceeded to produce a small branch with white plum blooms on them.


    Eli stared at them dumbfounded, but eventually reached out and accepted them.


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    ¡°Thank you, Luca. These are beautiful.¡± Her words were awkward, and her movements halting, but the way her eyes gentled¡­ Tam could tell she liked the gift.


    Flowers. She likes flowers. Tam smiled at Luca proudly.


    The boy, not knowing what precisely he had done to earn such a look, smiled back.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to be giving your mother flowers because your tutor has something to say to us would you?¡± Tam asked while ruffling his son¡¯s hair.


    Luca straightened and his eyes widened with shock. ¡°What? No!¡±


    Amazingly, a soft laugh sounded behind Tam and he looked back to see Eli unable to help herself from finding the scene a little bit funny.


    ¡°I think we should leave now¡­ My¡­ My apologies again, Mrs. Voll.¡± Chul stood, tears suddenly falling from his eyes as he did so, which reminded Tam, Luca, and Eli that he was still there and evidently struggling with what he saw.


    Yun stood as well, though there was a sharper edge in his expression. ¡°It is good to present flowers to your mother, though if the plum tree does not keep its flowers, no fruit will come.¡±


    Tam was about to tell the man he could leave with his jaw intact if he begged for forgiveness over the implied chastisement, but Eli¡¯s response was significantly better than any vengeance he could¡¯ve doled out on his own.


    ¡°Those flowers were a gift from my son, and therefore have more value to me than the seven plums that would¡¯ve come.¡±


    Tam noticed the way Luca¡¯s eyes shone at Eli¡¯s words, and felt his heart swell. Though he did worry just a bit that Luca was maybe starting to like the idea of having Eli as mother and they be a family¡­


    But he chose to instead focus on the fact that the annoying assistant was still loitering by the doors to the walkway, and so Tam pushed up to stand, and made sure to draw himself up to his full height, which brought him an inch or two above Yun.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you out.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Yun replied while belatedly remembering to bow farewell.


    ¡°Oh no, I insist. Luca, would you kindly go ask Haewon for lunch, and you,¡± Tam pointed at Eli, drawing her stormy gaze to him. ¡°Get. Back. In. Bed. You still look exhausted.¡±


    Eli opened her mouth to protest but Luca leapt in front of her and grabbed her hand. ¡°You have to! And you¡¯ll eat lunch there too, like you did for breakfast!¡±


    Tam didn¡¯t wait to hear Eli¡¯s response as he clapped a heavy hand on Yun¡¯s shoulder and started pushing him out.


    And while he did remove his hand once they reached the courtyard, he still walked the two men out the two front doors, and closed them behind himself, making Chul and Yun turn to face him.


    Chul¡¯s eyes were red rimmed, but Yun was simmering with anger.


    Tam slipped his hands in his pockets but made a point of still standing as tall as possible.


    ¡°Is there something else you¡¯d like to say?¡± he asked the question directly to Yun.


    ¡°That child,¡± Yun started, his voice rasping. ¡°She would¡¯ve only been eighteen, possibly even younger when she fell pregnant with him.¡±


    Tam¡¯s face hardened, and fought against the urge to clarify that Eli didn¡¯t give birth to him¡­


    ¡°Elisara Nam is the eldest daughter of the Nam family. A descendant of a Daxarian duke, and a Zinferan lord who-¡± Yun¡¯s righteous rant was cut off by Tam.


    ¡°Oh, the Zinferan lord who was nearly bankrupt before his marriage to Marigold Iones?¡±


    Yun¡¯s mouth clamped shut, and Chul¡¯s eyes snapped up to Tam. ¡°You¡­ You know of us?¡±


    ¡°I happen to have met His Grace Duke Oscar Harris. Marigold Nam¡¯s half brother.¡±


    ¡°Lady Marigold! And your wife is Lady Elisara Nam! And yet she is saddled to a mere scholar?¡± Yun seethed.


    Tam didn¡¯t bother trying to defend himself, but he did continue watching Yun who visibly wrestled his atrocious mood and attitude back, having at least some awareness of the scene he was causing.


    The man was quite earnest in his admiration for the Nam family¡­ Elisara in particular¡­


    ¡°Mr. Voll, with just us being here, I will ask you, as I know Elisara would never betray a vow or contract, but did you force her to marry you?¡± While Yun attempted to sound mild, the ferocity in his expression still betrayed his true emotions.


    ¡°Hardly. It was our friend¡¯s idea and she was more in favor of our marriage than I was at first,¡± Tam watched the way his words made Yun¡¯s ears turn red, and relished in the fact that it was, in fact, the truth.


    ¡°She is exactly where she wants to be, can do whatever she wants, and I will support her¨CAfter she rests for the next three days in bed of course. I¡¯m discovering that she tends to work herself past her limits,¡± Tam voiced more to himself with a sigh.


    ¡°She would¡¯ve been a candidate to marry the crown prince of Zinfera!¡± Yun exclaimed passionately, still not willing to back down as Chul drew out a silk hanky and blew his nose.


    Tam felt a cool smile curl his lips. ¡°And do you think she wants to be the next empress?¡±


    ¡°Of course she would! She¡¯s brilliant!¡±


    ¡°Brilliance doesn¡¯t mean she wants power. Which is a foreign concept to you, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°She wants to make the world fair,¡± Yun rumbled.


    Tam paused.


    For someone Eli had no memory of, she certainly had made an impression¡­


    ¡°She does want things fair. She might even want to become a Daxarian magistrate at some point, but we are still working out the legalities with the coven there.¡±


    ¡°Can I help?¡± Chul asked, stepping forward eagerly.


    To him, Tam¡¯s gaze softened.


    Chul Nam seemed the warm hearted type, and Tam genuinely believed that all he wanted was his sister to be well taken care of and happy¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know, Lord Chul, but thank you.¡±


    Chul nodded firmly in response.


    Tam offered the young man his hand, and Chul took it.


    And it was during the handshake that Tam leaned forward and whispered. ¡°Mind Yun. An ambitious, intelligent assistant can make even the best of lords marionettes.¡±


    Chul swallowed, and stared up at Tam. There was something behind his innocent wide-eyed stare that struck the future duke¡­


    ¡°Chul, would you like to have a cup of tea or coffee with me tomorrow? Alone?¡±


    While Yun at least had enough sense not to outwardly object he did square himself to his employer.


    ¡°Yes, I¡­ I would appreciate that very much,¡± Chul¡¯s eyes darted nervously toward Yun.


    ¡°Wonderful. Do you know Lord Kim¡¯s establishment? Lang Tea?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find it.¡± Chul nodded, his watery gaze determined.


    Tam bobbed his head back. ¡°Then I will see you there.¡±


    Releasing Chul¡¯s hand, Tam watched as a discreet carriage pulled forward until it stopped in front of them.


    A footman jumped down and opened the door for Chul, bowing.


    Once the young lord had climbed into the vehicle and seated himself, Tam called out.


    ¡°Yun.¡±


    The assistant turned, already frowning at the casual way he had been called.


    Tam beckoned him forward, and laid a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Disparage my son, or upset my wife again? And you will regret it.¡±


    Yun laughed. ¡°My family has worked with the Nam household for generations, yet you think you, a mere scholar¨C¡±


    Tam leaned forward, and for once, he didn¡¯t fight his magic.


    He allowed shadows to flicker from his being, his vision to fill with blackness¨C a sensation he hadn¡¯t known how to feel prior to his time in the void¨C and leaned forward watching Yun¡¯s mouth shudder in horror. ¡°I¡¯m a man content with my life right now, but if someone upsets Elisara or my son? That will change. Understood?¡±


    Yun didn¡¯t respond as he grasped the carriage door with a shaking hand and clumsily clambered into its discrete yet extravagant interior.


    Tam watched as the carriage pulled away, and he continued to stand outside of the house with a feeling of pride welling within himself.


    He had threatened someone¡­ And that wasn¡¯t a good thing¡­ But¡­


    There was the sudden realization that he had something that was his own to protect. Something his family hadn¡¯t given him. Even with Jeong and Bong there¡­ He actually felt like he belonged.


    Even if Eli remained nothing but an assistant to him¡­


    She was in his family.


    As if sensing his thoughts, the doors behind Tam opened, and out stepped Jeong and Bong.


    Jeong was fully dressed, in a dark green shirt tied at his waist with white lining, but he was looking far more serious than was normal for him, and his cherub face turned after Chul¡¯s carriage with his thick fingers slightly curling at his sides.


    Bong had only put a coat back on after their spar that morning, but his bow staff was in hand as he, too, stared after their surprise guest.


    ¡°Anything we need to worry about?¡± Bong asked pointedly.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Tam answered shortly.


    The future duke could feel the intensity of strength at his sides from the Ryu brothers, and so, he rounded back to re-enter the courtyard with the knowledge that the more he noticed the great people he had surrounding himself, the more steady he felt.


    He needed to warn Chul about Yun, and then hopefully, they wouldn¡¯t meddle in Eli¡¯s lives anymore¡­


    But in the meantime? He¡¯d have a lovely afternoon with his friends and family that made him feel like he had at long last, finally found his own home.

 Chapter 41: Turning A Leaf

    ¡°This is ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to stay in bed for¨C¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tire yourself out trying to argue with me,¡± Tam cut Eli¡¯s protest off as he proceeded to roll up the sleeves of his white tunic while looking in the full length wood rimmed mirror.


    ¡°My lord¨C¡±


    ¡°Tam.¡±


    ¡°Fine! Tam! There! Tam, I¡¯m bored! There has to be something I can be doing!¡±


    The future duke turned around and lifted an eyebrow as he stared at Eli in silence.


    It was the morning after her brother¡¯s visit, and she was sitting upright in their bed wearing a cream satin long shirt with faint silvery flowers in its print, and were it not for the fan of hair that stuck straight up and waved about in the air with every movement, she would have looked terribly lovely.


    Instead she looked hilariously lovely to Tam.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any hobbies?¡± he asked with genuine curiosity.


    ¡°When would I have had time for hobbies?¡± Eli demanded with unbridled irritation.


    Tam barely resisted smiling. She had become completely unguarded with him in showing her irritations and it made him far happier than it should¡¯ve.


    ¡°Well then it sounds like it¡¯s a great opportunity to find some.¡± Tam couldn¡¯t resist the smile any longer at her exasperation. ¡°And don¡¯t go hovering around Luca during his lessons. He¡¯ll figure out how to pay attention once they start giving him tests. The tutor will communicate with us if he thinks we need to intervene.¡±


    Eli¡¯s shoulders slumped forward. ¡°My l¨C Tam. Tam, we need to figure out how you can induce a bout of madness for Lord Guk. If you are around him too obviously then someone could suspect you.¡±


    Tam¡¯s gaze drifted up to the ceiling.


    ¡°Bong will charm the serving staff and lace the mead. I¡¯ve already decided to switch the drug from the first one to make it harder to trace. This one will involve two doses. So even if others around Lord Guk drink the same thing, they won¡¯t have any side effects. Neither will he until he gets pricked with the other drug.¡±


    ¡°What drugs are these¡­?¡± Eli wondered while blinking intently with a frown.


    ¡°The last time we used a basic mushroom infused oil, this time we are using a hearty nutmeg mead. Everyone else will feel like they are in great moods, but once Jeong or Bong shake hands with Lord Guk, they will transfer marij to him both topically and with a prick to ensure he gets the full effects.¡±


    ¡°Marij? Isn¡¯t that a common pipe tobacco?¡±


    Tam cleared his throat sheepishly. ¡°Yes, though my mother has managed to oversee that its more potent oils are harvested, and when mixed with the nutmeg ingredient, it will heighten the hallucinogenic effects while also making him less prone to violence. I happened to have brought some with me for this trip.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t people be suspicious about Bong and Jeong given that they were around for the two other poisonings? Also why would your mother do such a thing to pipe tobacco?¡±


    ¡°Well they¡­ They own brothels she was just trying to figure out what was being sold to her patrons.¡± Tam cleared his throat before plundering on. ¡°And people might be suspicious of them¡­ Until the third incident. We¡¯ll make sure they are on their way to Gondol and couldn¡¯t possibly be able to poison anyone. In the meantime, I¡¯ll have to break into Lord Guk¡¯s home and tamper with his space a bit to help the gossip amongst the servants.¡±


    Eli got up from the bed hastily, despite Tam staring at her disapprovingly.


    ¡°You¡¯re breaking into his house?! That¡¯s far too dangerous to do by yourself!¡±


    Tam shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve done it before in significantly better guarded places.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Eli scoffed in disbelief. ¡°Is there anything you can¡¯t do?¡±


    ¡°Be socially adept?¡±


    Eli snorted, unable to help herself.


    Seeing this, Tam decided to extend his list. ¡°Command a room? Make moving speeches? Eat while keeping my back straight? Be ambitious?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think you¡¯re ambitious?¡± This time Eli¡¯s laugh wasn¡¯t as humored as it was skeptical.


    Tam blinked at her seriously. ¡°I¡¯m doing all of this because this is expected of me. Not because I really want to.¡±


    Eli¡¯s expression turned enigmatically still. ¡°What ambitions of your own do you have?¡±


    Tam¡¯s gaze lowered thoughtfully, though he still smiled. ¡°I¡¯m working that out for myself, but the first thing that comes to mind is a peaceful paperwork position, a house where every wall is a bookshelf¡­ A life with more time for¡­ for my own family, in a space of my own.¡±


    He turned hesitant at saying the words of ¡®his own family¡¯, but Eli caught on quickly enough, and blushed instantly.


    ¡°Are there any personal ambitions of your own? Aside from becoming a Daxarian magistrate so that you can make the world a better, more fair place?¡± Tam folded his arms as he asked the question, his head tilted as he waited to hear her answer.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Eli trailed off. There was that same hardness in her features that, while not exactly illuminating as to her emotions, did show Tam that there was some bigger meaning behind the question¡­


    The silence and distress in her eyes prompted Tam to interject carefully. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You don¡¯t need to tell me.¡±


    Turning to the door Tam¡¯s mind had already started shifting to his tasks for the day, when Eli stepped in front of him, the back hairs on her head fluttering like a bird¡¯s almost making Tam laugh¡­ But given her determined gaze he could tell that was a bad idea.


    ¡°When are you planning on breaking into Lord Guk¡¯s house?¡±


    ¡°Tonight.¡±


    ¡°What?! That¡¯s too soon!¡±


    Tam reached for the door around her. ¡°We lost too much time with my absence.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Tam¡¯s eyes cut to her. ¡°Do you have a lot of experience breaking into heavily guarded homes?¡±


    ¡°No, but I could be waiting with the carriage to take you away. That way you won¡¯t have anyone to worry about hiding you, and besides, Jeong and Bong will be keeping Lord Guk busy tonight, correct?¡±


    Tam let out a breath of agitation. ¡°You have worked enough to earn some time off. I¡¯ll¨C¡±


    ¡°My lord,¡± Eli enunciated through her teeth. ¡°I will rest for today, but I will be doing this with you as your assistant tonight.¡±


    Tam¡¯s eyebrows rose, but could tell that there was no point in arguing with her anymore or he¡¯d be late for his appointment to meet with her brother¡­ And given that he had not disclosed he was doing such a thing, he couldn¡¯t quite explain to her the importance of his timely departure.


    ¡°Fine. But if there is any trouble, you will leave immediately. That¡¯s an order for my assistant understood?¡±


    Eli nodded reasonably and offered her hand to him as though to shake in agreement to the deal.


    Chortling, Tam took her warm palm in his own, and noted that while her palms were small, her fingers were long¡­


    He felt that damnable urge to hold her, kiss her¡­ Gods. Everything. He wanted to do everything to her, and she must have seen it in his eyes because she swallowed, and stepped aside so he could leave.


    ¡°I hope you have a successful day studying.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Tam returned, sounding a bit more gruff than he meant to.


    Luckily, Eli didn¡¯t seem to notice as she was focused on averting her stare and fidgeting.


    Clearing his throat, Tam finally was able to leave the room, though it suddenly felt like there were weighted shackles around his ankles as he did so that tried to keep him there.


    Giving his head a shake, Tam shoved an impressive amount of force into his focus and willpower and managed to return his attention to the matter of Eli¡¯s brother, and Chul Nam¡¯s assistant, Yun, who was more than a little obsessed with her.


    ***


    Lang Tea, as it turned out, was busy every minute of every day.


    With its serving staff trained better than any other in Junya on the proper way to prepare the wide selection of teas they offered, and the bright, friendly atmosphere, it wasn¡¯t hard to understand why.


    Though Tam had been correct in his foresight that booking a room for his discussion with Eli¡¯s brother was going to be the only way to have a more private discussion with him.


    For their meeting, Tam had made a point of dressing simply, and in Daxarian clothes.


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.While he wouldn¡¯t have made the choice if he were meeting with Yun as well, when he considered the gentle nature of Chul Nam, had a hunch he¡¯d need to appear more approachable and harmless.


    One¡¯s wardrobe is like their armor. It will subtly set the tone for your daily battles. His mother had always counseled him¡­


    And while his sister, Kat, had made a point of ignoring the advice, Tam on the other hand had leaned into it.


    For years it had only been to hide himself from anyone who could become interested in him, but for this particular trip, he found himself using the advice in all kinds of situations.


    ¡°Name?¡± A pretty server of the tea house asked, breaking through Tam¡¯s thoughts as he stepped up to the glowing oak podium that had previously been blocked from view by a couple that were waiting to be seated.


    ¡°Voll. Joe Voll. I¡¯m meeting a friend.¡±


    The hostess smiled again, peered at the scroll in front of her, then nodded. ¡°Wonderful. Your guest is already here, please follow me.¡±


    Tam nodded, and moved toward the stairs that would take them above the crowd of patrons filling the middle of the room.


    One extravagant detail of the building that Tam had not noticed during his first visit with Lord Kin as it had been nighttime when he had been there, but the slanted ceiling that climbed to a paneled point¡­ Was made of glass.  It allowed the entire building to be flooded with bright sunlight that cast the plants on the walls in a magical glow, and illuminated the beautiful swirling steam from the various tea pots and cups, and tasty snacks on the tables before the patrons.


    Tam marveled the sight, and found himself once again thinking that he needed to make a point of bringing Eli there. He also found himself feeling a twinge of jealousy over having a sound roof made of glass¡­ He wondered if he could speak to Lord Kim about receiving the designs of how it could be done¡­


    ¡°Here you are, Mr. Voll,¡± the woman called Tam¡¯s attention back to his present objective as she smiled and inclined herself to him while gesturing him through the sliding door, though standing just behind the hostess was Yun, looking wildly unhappy to see Tam.


    ¡°You¡¯re late to meet Lord Nam,¡± the assistant informed him curtly.


    ¡°I was delayed while tending to my wife,¡± Tam returned breezily as he watched Yun¡¯s eyes narrow fractionally.


    Apparently the assistant was trying to stay in better control of his emotions this time.


    Ah well, Tam simply took pleasure in being able to refer to Eli as his wife. Even if it was pretend.


    Ignoring him, Tam proceeded into the room, and smiled at Chul who looked up from the table that was already set with a white teapot decorated with delicate yellow flowers that matched the cups.


    ¡°Mr. Voll! I hope you don¡¯t mind, but I already ordered us some citrus ginger tea!¡±


    Tam noted that the Zinferan nobleman was wearing a bright plum silk shirt with glittering gold designs patterned on the material, and while this color suited the young man better than the garish red outfits he had worn before, it still seemed far too ostentatious for his nature.


    ¡°Not at all, my apologies for being late.¡± Tam closed the sliding door with its white paper smartly, catching one last look at the disgruntled expression Yun wore as he loitered outside.


    ¡°I overheard you say you were tending to my sister, is she alright?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. If you recall yesterday I said she has a tendency to overwork herself, and so I was making sure she didn¡¯t start straining herself today¡­ She¡¯s stubborn, you see.¡±


    ¡°Both our parents are stubborn,¡± Chul informed Tam with a kind smile. ¡°She comes by it honestly. Though, her work ethic must come from our grandfather. The previous Lord Nam.¡± Chul¡¯s eyes lowered, and Tam didn¡¯t need to ask to know that the man must have passed more recently.


    ¡°Did Yun serve your father before serving you?¡± Tam switched the conversation while pouring his own tea. He didn¡¯t want to intrude more than he already was into Eli¡¯s history¡­


    ¡°No, his father serves my father. But he¡¯s been studying to become my assistant since before I was born.¡±


    Tam nodded without revealing his thoughts. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Yesterday, you¡­ You more or less said I should be careful of Yun. I-I know I¡¯m not as dignified as he is, or, or as well spoken, but I am doing the best I can to become a worthy successor of my family!¡± Chul¡¯s hands had curled into fists on his lap, and his thumbs rubbed the sides of his index fingers nervously¡­ As though he were fighting off the urge to fidget¡­


    ¡°Eli fidgets non stop,¡± Tam blurted without thinking.


    Chul blinked, and sat up straighter. ¡°R-Really? I was punished all the time for doing it.¡± He smiled, his eyes fixed on the teacup in front of him. ¡°I guess we are a little alike even without us growing up together.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that your visit with her did not go as planned,¡± Tam said kindly.


    Chul swallowed with difficulty. ¡°It¡¯s strange. She¡¯s absolutely right about how we don¡¯t know each other anymore, but I¡¯ve always felt like I¡¯ve missed her. I suppose I¡¯m odd like that, but¡­ I¡¯d do anything for her. I just hope she is happy.¡±


    Tam gave him a sympathetic smile. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to make it so.¡±


    Chul nodded then sniffed. He was obviously about to start crying again and so he reached for his teacup, but Tam noticed the tremor in his hands.


    ¡°Is there any other reason you would want Eli to return with you to your parents home¡­?¡±


    Chul blushed tellingly.


    Despite having asked on a whim, Tam straightened in alarm. Perhaps the young man was craftier than he let on.


    ¡°There is¡­ A small reason, but of course, whatever she wants I have no problems abiding by¡­ but¡­ well¡­ I-I won¡¯t have children of my own. So-So I just wanted her to know her eldest son¨C Luca? He¡­ He can inherit the title if he¡¯d like.¡±


    Whatever Tam had been expecting, it wasn¡¯t that.


    And then it all came together.


    Yun wanted Eli and the title that would come with it¡­ no wonder he had been after her so aggressively.


    Only Tam and their supposed offspring now stood in the way.


    A sense of ominous foreboding crept into Tam, and so perhaps he didn¡¯t have quite as much tact as he should have when he asked.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you have children?¡±


    Chul ducked his head. ¡°My¡­ My preferences don¡¯t¡­ They don¡¯t align with the gender that would be condusive to-¡±


    He was gay.


    Tam blinked.


    ¡°O-Of course I have two other sisters, so it really is not in any way to pressure Elisara, but she deserved to have the first say. I haven¡¯t told my parents yet about¡­ About this, and I guess I didn¡¯t want to say anything yet, but I had always wanted to talk to Elisara, and just felt as though she might understand.¡±


    Letting out a breath, Tam realized that he couldn¡¯t keep Eli from having this information, and resolved to tell her everything that night.


    Though there was still one thing he needed to do.


    ¡°Chul, I will communicate with my wife about what you have told me, and I wish you nothing but the best. I bear absolutely no ill will to you¡­ but that said, there is one thing I will recommend you do.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Chul looked at Tam hopefully, his eyes still shining.


    If only he knew the weight of Tam¡¯s next words¡­


    ¡°You need to fire your assistant.¡±


    Chul¡¯s jaw dropped, and Tam proceeded to reach for his own cup. ¡°I think he might be an even bigger antagonist than you realize.¡±


    ¡°His family has served ours for three generations! I can¡¯t just turn my back on that kind of loyalty.¡±


    ¡°If he were truly interested in maintaining loyalty he wouldn¡¯t push you around. He¡¯s using you. And I think he wanted to use Eli, too, if he knows your secret about passing along the title to her son.¡±


    ¡°No, that can¡¯t¡­ That can¡¯t be!¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to say you haven¡¯t noticed how obsessed he is with her?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ He just wants¡­ Just wants what¡¯s best¨C¡±


    ¡°Chul, I¡¯m not trying to make things difficult, and by all means, think about this for yourself, but¡­ I will say this, because I have a hunch; ask Yun¡¯s father directly if he knew anything about Eli getting sent to the royal family. Hell, Yun might know already.¡±


    The young man¡¯s lips trembled, but he didn¡¯t look angry¡­ at first.


    ¡°If they¡­ If they did? Then I won¡¯t only fire Yun,¡± Chul started quietly. ¡°I will drive their family into the ground then salt the earth.¡±


    Tam spilled some of his tea.


    The whispery threat coming from Chul had startled him soundly.


    But when the words registered, Tam couldn¡¯t help but smile in respect.


    Perhaps Eli¡¯s brother had secret sides to himself he didn¡¯t like showing people¡­ Just like she did.


    ¡°If my guess turns out to be true, Chul? You let me know, and you best believe I will be helping you however I can.¡±

 Chapter 42: A Catastrophic Cornering

    Tam clapped a hand on Chul¡¯s shoulder as they exited their private tea room.


    ¡°Thank you for agreeing to meet with me,¡± Tam addressed Chul warmly.


    The young man smiled up at him. ¡°Thank you for your wisdom, Mr. Voll.¡±


    Yun was just starting to push off from the wall¨C the fact that he was taking his time to do so gave the action a palpable attitude which spoke volumes of the hierarchy between Chul and Yun.


    Tam¡¯s steady gaze met with Chul¡¯s.


    If the young man had no idea when he was being slighted, he had no hope.


    But Tam watched as he bristled¡­


    He did know.


    So all that was left was for him to gain the confidence that allowed him to stop it.


    I wish I could do more for him, but I have my hands full as it is with-


    ¡°Mr. Voll! My goodness! I haven¡¯t seen you in days, how have you been?¡±


    Tam¡¯s stomach somersaulted as he turned around to see none other than Lord Kim striding along with three attendants wearing linen shirts and pants trailing behind him.


    ¡°Lord Kim,¡± Tam bowed. ¡°Apologies for keeping away. I had some business I had to attend to.¡±


    As if on cue, Tam felt his magic flush through his being¡­ And it was strong.


    Stronger than it ever had been before.


    Tam swallowed with difficulty, he hoped none of the black, smokey tendrils were visible yet. He needed to get out. He needed to go home¡­ He wanted to be home.


    His magic tugged harder.


    ¡°Of course I know you¡¯re a busy man, Mr. Voll, what with your family matters and research.¡± Lord Kim smiled good naturedly then glanced at Chul. He raised an eyebrow at the brightness of his clothes. ¡°And you are¡­?¡±


    ¡°Right. Sorry,¡± Tam blinked rapidly trying to fight off the power. ¡°This here is Lord Chul Nam from Bani.¡±


    Chul inclined himself politely, but Lord Kim paused, and a coolness Tam had never seen before entered his gaze. ¡°Ah yes. I¡¯ve heard of the Nam family.¡±


    Tam¡¯s mind raced.


    Even though Chul had claimed that not many people knew he was gay, was it possible Lord Kim knew¡­? As a follower of the religion of Acker they did not take kindly to those that preferred the same gender¡­


    ¡°How is it you two know each other?¡± Lord Kim¡¯s next question sounded more like an accusation, and Tam knew he¡¯d have to answer incredibly carefully.


    ¡°Lord Chul and I met the other night at an event and I¡¯m afraid I was a bit rude, so I invited him out to your fine tea house to apologize.¡±


    Tam could see Yun out of the corner of his eye tilt his head and narrow his gaze.


    Lord Kim didn¡¯t say anything to Chul, but he did clear his throat and lean forward to Tam. ¡°Would you be able to spare a moment for a private discussion?¡±


    ¡°Of course! I hope you don¡¯t mind, Lord Chul,¡± Tam felt relief wash over him, which in turn helped his magic ebb back.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Chul smiled uncertainly at Lord Kim, then Tam. ¡°Will it be alright if I call on you and my sister again?¡±


    Tam felt his heart drop.


    Evidently, Chul had forgotten the bit about Eli not wanting to be associated with the Nam family, and also was blissfully unaware that he had just risked Tam, Eli and the Ryu brother¡¯s entire objective in Junya.


    ¡°Have a good day, Lord Chul,¡± was all Tam could say as his magic once again pounded in his ears, making him dizzy with the effort it took to resist it.


    The young lord cast one last bewildered look at Tam, then with a slow nod, proceeded to turn back to the stairs and make his way down with Yun following, though the assistant paused on his way when he was just beside Tam, and leaned in to whisper.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I have forgotten about your magic trick yesterday. We aren¡¯t finished, you and I.¡±


    Tam¡¯s right hand trembled as he struggled against his power. ¡°Trust me, Yun. You don¡¯t want me to finish you.¡±


    The assistant hesitated for only a moment before giving a scoff and heading down the stairs after his master.


    Once they were gone, Tam was able to turn to look at Lord Kim. He had to salvage his relationship with the man, but there was nothing he could do until he learned what it was exactly about the Nam family that had clearly upset him.


    Lord Kim gestured back down the balcony he had just come. ¡°Mind joining me in my office?¡±


    Tam inclined himself and proceeded to follow Lord Kim at a respectful distance.


    Lord Kim had chosen to wear a tasteful pale green satin coat tied across his wide stomach, and linen pants that looked airy and comfortable¡­ And yet, as one could expect of a lord, his presence filled the space.


    Tam tried to home his thoughts on the conversation he was about to have, but the power welling up in his chest was making it hard to breathe.


    I want to be here. I want to be here. I want to be here.


    He repeated the mantra over and over, trying to convince himself he wanted to stay put, and not be sucked into nothingness


    Though Tam couldn¡¯t help but wonder why it felt like his abilities had grown stronger. Had his time in the void increased their potency¡­? But why?!


    Tam¡¯s panicked thoughts were interrupted when Lord Kim showed him into a discreet corner room that turned out not to be another tea room, but an office.


    The two walls across from the door were lined with windows overlooking the streets of Junya and its tiled rooftops. Its ledges were mostly free from clutter save for a Jade tree in one corner, and a stack of books in the other.


    Aside from that, the room was warm and welcoming, with two comfortable armchairs in front of a large oak desk and a matching chair behind it with emerald cushions¡­


    It struck Tam as odd that the furniture was all Daxarian.


    Another reminder of the fact that Lord Kim was a follower of the Acker religion¡­ As the woman who had started it had been, in fact, Daxarian.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Mr. Voll, please take a seat.¡±


    The door closed behind Tam, and he noted that the attendants stayed outside.


    Stiffly, he made his way over to one of the chairs in front of the desk, and the moment his backside grazed the cushion Lord Kim started to talk.


    ¡°I was under the impression that your wife was from Haeson.¡±


    Venturing a careful guess, Tam could reason that a portion of the truth would serve him well.


    ¡°They are, but her brother resides in Bani.¡±


    ¡°Which is where Lord Geun Nam lives with his wife, son, and two other daughters. So there is something not adding up to these stories,¡± Lord Kim¡¯s eyes were cutting, and if Tam truly were a powerless scholar, he¡¯d probably start to feel more than a little concerned.


    As it was, Tam hung his head with a sigh. ¡°My wife had¡­ a bad history with the Nam family, and she has not been considered part of their family since she was eight.¡± Tam watched as the lord frowned. It had been a gamble that Eli¡¯s past wasn¡¯t widely known. ¡°Might I ask why you seemed¡­ concerned about Lord Chul¡¯s presence?¡±


    Tam hoped to the Gods it wasn¡¯t about Chul¡¯s romantic preferences¡­


    ¡°The family is rotten,¡± Lord Kim responded bluntly. ¡°They currently support the concubine Soo Hebin and all of her duplicitous dealings that include human trafficking.¡± The Zinferan nobleman shook his head, and as a result missed Tam¡¯s shocked reaction. It wasn¡¯t often that nobility spoke openly about such things. ¡°All the Nam family care about is being seen as the most lavish and highly elevated.¡±


    Overcoming his surprise, Tam bobbed his head. ¡°My wife did mention¡­ A few things like that¡­ She doesn¡¯t want much to do with her former family. However, her brother, Lord Chul, was worried about her, and sought her out.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t trust him,¡± Lord Kim warned. ¡°Your wife is wise to want to avoid them.¡±


    Lord Kim sighed, and Tam was relieved to see that the Zinferan looked like he believed him and was easing back into his chair.


    ¡°I understand. I only wished to alleviate Lord Chul¡¯s concerns without having his presence upset my wife.¡±


    Lord Kim shot Tam a kind half smile. ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Mr. Voll.¡± He leaned forward and pressed the tips of his fingers together while resting his elbows on his desk. ¡°I take it the family you were referring to that lived in Haeson is the one that adopted your wife¡­ Ellie? Was it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tam smiled back and nodded without clarifying her family background.


    ¡°Well, I am sorry to hear she had such a troublesome past. I must confess, I had heard whispers about the Nam family having an elder daughter that was adopted by our emperor, but that must have been a rumor they made up to seem more prestigious,¡± Lord Kim scoffed. ¡°There is nothing but greed and toxic pride in their hearts.¡±


    Tam lowered his head without offering any more elaboration.


    ¡°Was it because she was a witch?¡±


    Tam¡¯s gaze snapped back up and noticed the way Lord Kim watched him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen her use any kind of magic,¡± Tam insisted quite honestly.


    The lord tilted his head back and forth thoughtfully before leaning back in his seat. ¡°That was the rumor back then. That the eldest Nam daughter was a witch, and her powers were dangerous, so the emperor took her in to use as a weapon. I happen to have friends in court who saw her there, though she wasn¡¯t seen often. I¡¯m given to understand that the emperor¡¯s mother took a liking to her.¡±


    Tam¡¯s heart was slowly increasing its pace.


    ¡°If your wife is who she says she is, and the rumors are true, then it must be quite a story of how she went from the Nam family, to the palace, to allegedly another noble family in Haeson. Especially given that only four or five princes and princesses remain in the palace last I heard while the others have either disappeared, or married into other families.¡±


    Tam remained silent, but inwardly he cursed Chul¡¯s slip of the tongue brutally.


    Then again, it had been his own fault for having tea with him in the first place¡­


    ¡°So¡­ Tell me. Is Princess Elisara here in Zinfera to claim her place as a successor to the throne?¡±


    Tam¡¯s magic stuttered in his head as he himself wavered on how best to handle this spiraling situation.


    If he revealed his true identity, then they were stuck with everyone¡¯s eyes on them. If he tried to lie more, there was a chance Lord Kim could order an investigation¡­


    ¡°You aren¡¯t simply a scholar, are you?¡± The nobleman¡¯s voice was soft.


    ¡°If my wife is who you think she is, then I would be inclined to inform you that she truly did only return here due to circumstances outside of her control, and she wishes to leave as soon as possible,¡± Tam started carefully, hoping to glean some ounce of insight based on Lord Kim¡¯s reaction to the news on whether he would keep his mouth shut or if he¡¯d be a big problem.


    Gods¡­ My mother was always the one who was great at handling these confrontations. My strengths were always to hide in the shadows and observe¡­ What would she do now? Hell. What would my father do to get out of this?


    ¡°I am here to study, and I will protect my family.¡±


    ¡°That was an interesting response. Now, I have another question¡­ I recently heard whisperings that the devil has landed here on our Zinferan shores, as stories have spread from not only a crew of pirates, but a reputable crew belonging to Daxaria. It¡¯s interesting given how the description of such a man aligns so well with none other than yourself. I didn¡¯t think much on it, but if you are connected with the Nam family¡­ well. It only makes sense.¡±


    Tam¡¯s magic felt like it was swelling under his skin until it ached as he watched Lord Kim stand.


    ¡°I¡¯d say sorry, Mr. Voll, but I don¡¯t think the devil gives two wits about an apology, and nor does he deserve one.¡± The fire in the Zinferan¡¯s eyes left Tam with little imagination as to how wrong everything was about to go given the assumption Lord Kim had just leapt to.


    Tam stood up, and upon doing so, Lord Kim halted, eyeing him warily as he reached behind himself¡­ Tam wasn¡¯t certain if it was for a weapon or something else, but he could tell blackness was consuming his vision, he knew he was barely hanging on to his power, and it didn¡¯t help when Lord Kim drew out a dagger.


    ¡°Gods¡­ there is the true you, I see the princess has recruited some dark forces to seek her revenge¡± the gruff hoarseness of Lord Kim¡¯s voice was filled with horror, and while inwardly Tam recoiled from it, he knew he had no choice.


    He lunged for the lord across the desk right as Lord Kim thrust the blade forward to defend himself. But Tam had been trained, and he was faster. He caught the hand that wielded the blade, and with his other hand clasping Lord Kim¡¯s shoulder, he felt darkness consume them both in a wispy black, silvery rush that stole them both from the world.

 Chapter 43: The Trick to Travel

    Tam landed with so much force in the void that his ankles jarred painfully, but he was still clasping Lord Kim¡¯s wrists¡­ And he still held his knife.


    ¡°Wh-What did you do?! Where am I?!¡± The fear and horror in Lord Kim¡¯s voice rang out into the blackness.


    Underneath his touch, Tam could feel the man start to tremble.


    Sighing and closing his eyes, he released Lord Kim, and watched as he collapsed onto his knees, the dagger falling to the ground.


    Lord Kim¡¯s hands clasped together, and his eyes squeezed shut as he started murmuring prayers to the Goddess.


    ¡°Prayers don¡¯t work. Trust me. I¡¯ve tried.¡±


    Tam turned around and took a few steps away from Lord Kim, though he thought better of turning his back on the Zinferan noble when he realized he might not be able to hear a sneak attack from behind in the void.


    Unsurprisingly, Lord Kim¡¯s fervent prayers continued.


    ¡°I¡¯m a witch, not the devil,¡± Tam tried again, not bothering to disguise his growing exasperation. ¡°And if you knock that off I can try to figure out how I can get you and I out of here.¡±


    Lord Kim only cracked an eye to quickly glance at Tam, then continued praying as though he hadn¡¯t been interrupted in the first place.


    Great. Now I need to decide I don¡¯t want to be here. But wait¡­ If I appear back in the office with him he¡¯s going to have me arrested. Shit. My only shot at resolving this, is if I  tell him more of the truth¡­ Tam groaned inwardly while also doing his best to stay calm.


    He knew revealing a large portion of the truth was going to be problematic.


    At the very least it was distracting Tam from his anxiousness about being back in the void.


    ¡°Lord Kim, I¡¯m really not the devil. But it is true I lied about my identity.¡±


    The nobleman finally stopped his utterings and opened his eyes, already looking like he was preparing himself to attack Tam with his bare hands.


    Tam sidled a little bit closer, mostly to make sure the Zinferan didn¡¯t lunge for the knife that glinted on the ground between them. Its gilded handle was still rocking a little from having been dropped.


    ¡°Well? Who are you going to claim to be this time, Satan?¡± Lord Kim snarled gutterally.


    Tam sent a silent prayer of his own up to the Goddess that he wasn¡¯t making a massive mistake.


    ¡°My name is Lord Tamlin Ashowan. Son of Duke Finlay Ashowan. The House Witch. From Daxaria. My mother, Duchess Annika Ashowan, was part Troivackian, hence my black hair and dark eyes.¡±


    At the very least the introduction visibly stunned Lord Kim into silence as Tam held his gaze and straightened his shoulders.


    ¡°I¡¯m here in Daxaria to investigate the state of the Zinferan court from a distance. Eli, who is posing as my wife, came with me as she knows this kingdom, and is currently working for my family while she is trying to obtain Daxarian citizenship.¡±


    Lord Kim sank back onto his haunches as his expression grew even more dumbfounded.


    ¡°Then we received information regarding Lord Guk and Lord Yangban¡¯s work with human trafficking and how the concubine Soo Hebin is working to build her own power to place her son on the throne, and we decided to try and help tip the scales a little out of their favor¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Lord Kim managed as he stared at Tam, his thoughts racing behind his eyes. ¡°You made me approach you. You knew I was opposed to Her Highness Soo Hebin.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You wanted to work with me, even though your family openly disapproves of those of the Acker religion,¡± the Zinferan continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s a ridiculous religion and it¡¯s born to feed people¡¯s hatred that came from some sort of personal pain. The Goddess does not hate any creation she makes, and if you think she isn¡¯t aware of who their propensity to love is¡­? Then you are insulting their divinity.¡± Tam shrugged, but watched how his words once again incited rage in Lord Kim. ¡°However, aside from your terrible beliefs pertaining to those who don¡¯t have straight forward sexual preferences¡­ You are not an evil person. There is bad in all of us, but it¡¯s rare that that is all we are.¡±


    Lord Kim glared at Tam. ¡°I suppose you feel you can lecture me when you have the upper hand. Where are we?¡± he asked scathingly.


    Tam dropped his chin and released a breath fueled with agitation. ¡°My ability¡­ Makes me able to move to a place of everything, and nothing. It¡¯s very difficult to find my way out, and I¡¯ve never been able to bring anyone else in with me before.¡±


    ¡°You are death.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not¨C¡± Tam paused.


    Was that why the carriage driver had come? Was he like him¡­? Wasn¡¯t the carriage driver death?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve avoided wielding my magic because I don¡¯t know how to use it, or the nuances of it.¡±


    Tam crouched down wearily, then proceeded to sit cross legged and slouch forward while continuing his explanation. ¡°Eli¡­ Or Elisara, as you know her¡­ She didn¡¯t want to come back here. She only did it because the Daxarian king promised her citizenship in exchange for her help. She does not want anything to do with the Zinferan throne. All we are doing is investigating, and trying to stop human trafficking. You just happened to try and stab me and my magic brought us here.¡±


    Lord Kim arched an eyebrow, his expression softening fractionally. ¡°What about the boy?¡±


    Tam winced. He¡¯d hoped this question wouldn¡¯t come up. ¡°He is my son.¡±


    ¡°Now I know you lie,¡±  Lord Kim scoffed coldly. ¡°If he is your son then you are not Lord Tamlin Ashowan.¡±


    ¡°Aaah,¡± Tam reached up and rubbed his face. ¡°No, no. He is. I found out I had an illegitimate son who stowed away on my boat here to meet me. I had no idea he existed prior to this journey and I¡¯m doing my best to navigate this new complication.¡±


    Lord Kim was once again so appalled that he was shocked into momentary quiet. ¡°I doubt the great Ashowan household would ever have something as scandalous¨C¡±


    ¡°Wow. First time in my life I¡¯m considered the scandalous one in ym family,¡± Tam looked upward as this new development struck him and let out a dry laugh of disbelief.


    Lord Kim¡¯s face twitched as Tam¡¯s face and tone sounded far more sincere than it ever had.


    ¡°If everything you said is true¡­ What now?¡±


    Tam leaned back and rested his palms against a solid surface that felt like cool glass, but really just appeared as more darkness. ¡°Well, I can start trying to get us back out of this place¨C which I¡¯d like to. Last time this happened I was stuck in here for three days.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you were gone for so long from the records hall,¡± Lord Kim jumped in while referring to Tam¡¯s recent disappearance as he started to lean forward earnestly as he pieced everything together.


    ¡°Yes. And I¡¯d like to get back sooner than that, but I need to know what you will do once we return,¡± Tam explained softly, his dark eyes trained on the nobleman in preparation to spot any lies.


    Lord Kim tilted his head, his gaze moving to the side thoughtfully.


    Tam watched as his chubby index finger would occasionally tap his thigh as he moved his thoughts through the information he had just had thrust upon him.


    ¡°What did you mean when you said this is a place of everything and nothing?¡± he questioned, succeeding in catching Tam off guard.


    The future duke opened his mouth then closed it.


    He got the sense it was a bad idea to mention his encounter with death¡¯s carriage driver¡­


    ¡°How I¡¯m understanding it¡­ and experiencing it¡­ Is if I focus? I can feel, hear, and smell my surroundings. But there are spots in here, where there is nothing.¡±


    ¡°Like the Grove of Sorrows?¡±


    Tam could tell by his leading tone that the Zinferan nobleman was once again trying to argue that he was death.


    ¡°Apparently the Grove of Sorrows is worse.¡±


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.Blinking, Lord Kim frowned. ¡°How often does your family converse with the Gods to have such knowledge? I thought it was only your father who-¡±


    Tam looked toward where the sky theoretically should have been. ¡°If you think everything about my family is flawlessly transparent and reported to everyone, you concern me.¡±


    At the wryness of his retort, Lord Kim gave a vague nod of concession after considering Tam¡¯s words. ¡°Your magic then means you can possess people?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe so.¡±


    ¡°You can banish people to this place?¡±


    ¡°Not sure. You¡¯re the first to come here, remember?¡±


    ¡°Peculiar¡­ As someone who, lord or not, I identified as having a scholar¡¯s mind, I¡¯d think you¡¯d have more of an investigative spirit for such a gift.¡±


    Tam felt an old wound in his heart resurface. ¡°You were scared when you first got here, right? Well, imagine being a child and being stuck in a void where you had no body. And there was no sense of time. You simply ceased to exist.¡±


    Something remarkably similar to compassion welled up in Lord Kim¡¯s eyes. ¡°That sounds frightening.¡±


    ¡°It was. I didn¡¯t want to learn more about it until more recently, and to be quite honest, there hasn¡¯t been a great deal of time to think about it.¡±


    ¡°Does time move slower here¡­?¡± Lord Kim asked, peering around curiously.


    ¡°It feels that way. Or like¡­ It¡¯s a space between time.¡±


    Lord Kim carefully lifted the right corner of his mouth. ¡°Well¡­ Lord Tamlin Ashowan. If that is the case, then in the answer to your earlier question on what I will do once you free me from this place is this: Let us explore your magic in here as much as possible, and once we return to the land of the living, I will try to help you stop Lord Yangban gaining anymore power, and I will keep your secret. But¡­ I want you to promise me you will not grant any favors to the Nam family. Not ever.¡±


    ¡°Elisara better be excluded from that detail,¡± Tam warned, his expression turning cold.


    Lord Kim balked only for a moment at the shift in the future duke¡¯s disposition, but then smiled genuinely. ¡°Ah. So it wasn¡¯t entirely a lie that you care deeply for Elisara.¡±


    Tam said nothing. ¡°I do not believe Chul Nam is like his father, but I will concede that I think his assistant is corrupt.¡±


    ¡°Like attracts like, Lord Tamlin. But in the scenario where that boy is pushed around by a bully? You cannot be the one to reach out a hand to save him. Lord Chul must learn to save himself or you will get dragged under. Lord Chul already has a wealth of support, why should he need yours?¡±


    ¡°If he does start trying to free himself, will I be able to help without you considering it a nullification of this agreement?¡± Tam asked instead of commenting on Lord Kim¡¯s observation.


    Lord Kim considered this proposal carefully before responding. ¡°No. He is well connected enough, Lord Tam. Do not give him any tie to you, and if you think you are doing it for Princess Elisara, you are mistaken. It was a blessing she was freed from that family. You keep her as far from them as possible.¡±


    Tam wanted to object more, but Lord Kim held out a hand, letting him know this was the deal. And he had no choice but to take it.


    The future duke recognized that he may gain an ally, but he also would gain a very risky liability.


    Though once they¡¯d leave Zinfera, it wouldn¡¯t really matter¡­


    Tam shook the man¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Wonderful, now¨C¡±


    ¡°Before we get started, I do just want to confirm you are aware that if Soo Hebin finds out about any interference on your end you could find yourself charged with treason.¡±


    ¡°For what? Helping exterminate the vermin infestation of human traffickers we have?¡± Lord Kim wondered mildly. ¡°If we cripple Lord Yangban, she will claim to know nothing about it.¡±


    Tam chuckled. There wasn¡¯t anything else he could say on the matter he supposed.


    ¡°Alright, Lord Tamlin, can you transform into objects, or is this the middle ground to that end?¡±


    ¡°I doubt that.¡±


    ¡°What do you feel or smell right now?¡±


    At first Tam was going to dismiss this question, but¡­ He had to admit it wasn¡¯t a bad idea to try and learn more about his abilities.


    So, he closed his eyes, and reached out with his senses.


    At first there was nothing¡­ but as he waited, there was a faint clamor that started wafting closer¡­ As though he were still in Lord Kim¡¯s office and the bustling streets of Junya were just outside¡­ What did he smell?


    Varnish? Fresh paper?


    He repeated his findings to the Zinferan nobleman who nodded excitedly.


    ¡°Then we must be in a pocket of magic within my office still!¡±


    Tam was grateful when Lord Kim didn¡¯t press on into another line of questioning as he too pondered this discovery.


    The last time he had been in the void, he had wandered around a lot, was that why he wound up somewhere else? Or¡­ Could he choose where he reappeared?


    A buzzing sensation sprang to life in Tam¡¯s chest, and it started to spread.


    ¡°You know, if you ever do happen to find the devil, this would be a marvelous way of holding him hostage, unless of course he is more powerful than yo¨C¡±


    ¡°Why would you say that?¡± Tam demanded abruptly, his thoughts snapping to the present in alarm.


    Lord Guk didn¡¯t react to Tam¡¯s disturbance, and continued down his line of thought. ¡°The devil¡¯s power is to extort fear from people. If he is trapped in a place without people, then really, it is the perfect prison. One that no one other than the Gods could¡¯ve made.¡±


    Tam felt a droplet of cold sweat run down his back as Luca¡¯s smiling face flashed through his mind¡­ Then of the mysterious, magical red thread that had dragged him out of the void last time¡­


    ¡°I have another idea,¡± he said gruffly, not wanting to dwell on the dangerous possibilities of such a future. ¡°Stand.¡±


    The Zinferan nobleman obeyed.


    Tam reached out and grasped Lord Kim¡¯s arm.


    He then proceeded to close his eyes once more, but this time, instead of searching for what was around him and what he could feel, hear, or smell, he thought of his and Eli¡¯s room back at the house.


    He thought of the bed with the fluffed duvet, the warm color of the wooden floors, the papered sliding door, the dresser with Eli¡¯s new bangles, he remembered the smell of the polish Haewon used when dusting the ledges and bed frame that gave the room its lemon scent¡­


    Then Tam allowed all his desire to return to that room flood his being. How, without a shadow of a doubt, he wanted to be back in the house with Eli and Luca¡­


    It was just after lunch time, and it was usually when Luca¡¯s tutor had him meditating out in the plum tree, so the inside of the house was quiet. Maybe Eli was taking a nap.


    Unlike when Tam¡¯s magic leaked out in black shadows and silvery wisps, a different sensation bore down on him then¡­ It was the feeling of weightlessness as he then whipped through nothing, and yet not nothing. He heard sounds blare, he could feel all kinds of things bump into him, he even thought he felt sunshine at one point on his face, but that driving flow of magic that he allowed to rush from himself pulled him forward as he clung to the image of the room until¡­


    ¡°Tam?! W-What¡­ What just¡­ Who¡¯s that?¡±


    Tam¡¯s eyes snapped open to find himself standing exactly where he imagined he would, still holding Lord Kim¡¯s arm.


    He turned, dumbfounded to stare at Eli as she sat up in bed staring at him with her eyes bulging out of her head.


    Tam noted there were fading, silvery wisps around him that eventually disappeared into the air¡­


    He swallowed.


    He did it.


    His magic¡­ allowed him to travel to in between places. To a nothing place. To an everything place¡­ And places in the land of the living.


    Opening his mouth, his head spinning, Tam looked at Eli and said, ¡°You¡¯re hair¡¯s sticking up at the back of your head.¡±

 Chapter 44: An Encouraging Evolution

    Tam was seated on the bed beside Eli, who had been woken up from her nap by Tam¡¯s magical reappearance¡­


    With Lord Kim.


    Who was still in their room.


    Pacing.


    And talking to himself.


    ¡°Remarkable. One with all things, and yet nothing¡­ in between life and time itself. Death but not¡­ A new god? No¡­ No, probably not¡­¡±


    ¡°Er¡­ Lord Kim. I greatly appreciate that you have agreed not to alert anyone about our true identities, but¨C¡±


    ¡°The implications of such a power¡­ What distance? How often¡­?¡±


    Tam stopped trying to draw the man back to the present as he felt a deep weariness settle in him that threatened his consciousness severely.


    He lowered his forehead to his hand, and sluggishly wondered if traveling such a distance used up more of his magic. He¡¯d heard Kat could strain her own power to the point of exhaustion in such a way after days of no sleep and rigorous activity. Admittedly Lord Kim¡¯s questions were exceptionally insightful, but he simply did not have the energy to answer or investigate them, and furthermore¡­


    Did he have to ask them in the bedroom right then?


    ¡°Lord Kim,¡± Eli¡¯s voice was sharp and imperial.


    It took even Tam aback who, with heavy eyes, forced himself to look at her as she stared imposingly at Lord Kim. ¡°You are in our room, and my husb-, my lord, would like to sleep.¡±


    That certainly succeeded in making Lord Kim halt.


    He then suddenly remembered Eli¡¯s history, blinked several times, and swept into a bow.


    ¡°Your Highness! Welcome back¨C¡±


    ¡°I am not a princess anymore. I am¡­ an assistant. To the Ashowan duchy. Please call me Eli.¡±


    ¡°You are a princess! No matter what others say, you¨C Did you say this room was for the both of you?¡± Lord Kim¡¯s reverent tone fell flat once he¡¯d interrupted himself.


    Tam inwardly groaned. He could tell where this was going, and he had the unpleasant prediction that he was going to have to act aggressively to get the man off the premises as a result.


    ¡°It is. We are playing husband and wife for safety and must have even the servants believe it.¡±


    ¡°That is not proper! Surely, Lord Tam, you sleep on the balcony, or behind a screen or¨C¡±


    ¡°I asked him to sleep in the bed with me.¡± The sharp edge Eli used in her voice to cut off the Zinferan carried a note of foreboding.


    Yet another side of her Tam hadn¡¯t ever seen before.


    Even so, Lord Kim managed to recover. ¡°Regardless, Your Highness, this is not dignified for any young woman, let alone someone who, in my opinion, should be one of the strongest candidates to take the throne!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not taking anything. And I am not a princess. I will not tell you again.¡± The force behind her words that remained quiet once again succeeded in forcing back Lord Kim.


    Tam slowly sat straight again.


    ¡°Lord Tam, might I speak with you outside¨C¡±


    ¡°His lordship is exhausted. No doubt from magic use. He will rest and then seek you out for a meeting. I will escort you out,¡± Eli commanded smoothly while gesturing toward the door.


    It didn¡¯t matter that she was in a robe and the back of her hair still fluttered in the wind, she was an impressive force to be reckoned with.


    Tam had to rub his mouth to hide his smile.


    Lord Kim openly struggled not to say anything, but after Eli continued to stare him down with no signs of budging, he let out a grunting breath through his nose.


    ¡°Until next time, Lord Tam.¡± Lord Kim bowed, and proceeded to exit with Eli following closely behind.


    Once the door slid closed, leaving Tam alone once more, he lowered his eyes to the floor and chuckled. ¡°Gods, she¡¯s impressive.¡±


    He then slowly slid back onto the bed, and continued to slide back until his head grazed the pillow.


    He knew Eli would be back soon, and she¡¯d most likely have questions, but Tam couldn¡¯t help it.


    Sleep smothered him in its embrace, and by the time Eli returned, he was far from the world of the conscious.


    *


    Eli let all the tensed air that had built in her lungs out as she stared at Tam¡¯s still face.


    She wanted to know what the hell had happened. Wanted to ask her employer just how the hell did Lord Kim get pulled into the void. But truthfully, she had been in a sound sleep herself when she had simply¡­ Jolted awake.


    Yawning, Eli eyed the spot in the bed she tended to occupy at night beside Tam, and decided she may as well nap with him.


    She had explained Lord Kim¡¯s presence off to Haewon by saying the lord had kindly brought Tam home when he was ill, and they had simply managed to come in without being noticed.


    Scratching the back of her neck, Eli¡¯s hand drifted up to the back of her hair.


    Did it really look that weird? It was the first thing Tam had commented on¡­ It was true he had seemed quite dazed upon appearing, but even so¡­


    Shaking her head at herself for even bothering with such a pointless thought, Eli climbed back into bed and settled down¡­ Until she realized she had started smiling at some point.


    When?


    Had it been when she¡¯d re-entered the room?


    Or when she¡¯d stood for longer than she wanted to admit watching Tam rest. His mouth slightly open, his right hand at his side, palm up, his left hand resting across his abdomen¡­ His abdomen that Eli knew happened to be quite muscular¡­


    She felt heat streak across her cheeks and so she turned onto her side quickly, pressing her face into the cool pillow, grateful that he couldn¡¯t see her right then.


    Oh Goddess¡­ Do I want to be with him? He¡¯s made it abundantly clear I can if I want to. And if he decides he tires of me¡­? What then? He could ruin me¡­ Then again, his last ex-lover he simply left alone and vanished from her life.


    Eli¡¯s thoughts started to spiral until she heard the discrete, yet recognizable sound of the sliding door opening a crack.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Sitting up, she found herself looking at Luca who stared nervously back at her.


    She tilted her head in question, but when the child didn¡¯t answer and instead his eyes darted to the bed, Eli knew exactly what he wanted. She remembered wanting the same thing as a child¡­ Though she had only been allowed until she was four years old when her mother couldn¡¯t stand putting up with it anymore.


    Swallowing past the lump in her throat, Eli gave a short nod, and a single pat on the bed in the space between herself and Tam.


    Luca¡¯s face split into a grin, and he shuffled in hurriedly, forgetting to close the door behind himself.


    Eli didn¡¯t bother pointing it out as he scrambled up into the bed and nestled himself between them. She simply turned on her back and closed her eyes.


    Why did I let him do this? Tam might not want-


    And then she felt it.


    Luca¡¯s hand reaching into her own and grasping it.


    And something in her, very abruptly, broke.


    She pressed her eyes tight, hoping that Luca wouldn¡¯t notice the tears slipping out.


    When she didn¡¯t hear him comment, she squeezed his hand back, and for whatever reason, that made the tears come all the more.


    She dared to crack open an eye, and was grateful to see that Luca was already fast asleep, and, funnily enough, his small face, with the mouth slightly open, and the shape of the still growing cheek bones, he looked just like his father beside him.


    Only Luca¡¯s left hand wasn¡¯t lying on his stomach, he had grabbed Tam¡¯s hand as well.


    And the enormity of the situation ravaged Eli¡¯s well-guarded heart that she thought couldn¡¯t feel anything fractionally as intense to what she felt right then.


    She had a family.


    This could be her family.


    This could be her everything, and the fact that the mere daring thought of it made her feel more whole in a way she hadn¡¯t in years¡­


    Scared her soundly.


    ***


    ¡°There has been news, my liege.¡±


    Aradia turned away from the mirror in front of her with an arched brow.


    Ansar and Thomas knelt before her. ¡°We received word from an innkeeper that he believes the man thought of as the devil was headed for Junya.¡±


    A ruthless smile ventured halfway up the first witch¡¯s face. ¡°Excellent. What contacts do we have in Junya?¡±


    ¡°The concubine has her cousin Lord Yangban staying in the city presently. And she has recently received word that an heir to the throne may be there as well, so she will most likely be quite willing to lend us funds and manpower,¡± Ansar explained evenly.


    Aradia nodded thoughtfully. ¡°That concubine has a burdensome amount of pride.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my liege.¡±


    ¡°Ansar. We¡¯ve talked about this. Call me Aradia.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Aradia.¡±


    The first witch smiled warmly at her devoted servant momentarily before her expression melted back to seriousness. ¡°


    ¡°How big of a threat does this princess or prince pose to the concubine. Truly?¡±


    ¡°That is difficult to say¡­ It is a princess. Princess Elisara. And she may wish to find revenge, but have no design on the throne. According to some servants that remember her, she was quite resolute while she was being raised here in the palace not to assume any power, but that could have been something she was taught to say in order to survive.¡±


    Aradia considered that suggestion momentarily. ¡°Alright. I don¡¯t know what state my brother is in. Or how powerful he is right now. This world is breaking free of the laws my parents set, and the longer it grows wild the more complicated things become. We will send five of the men the concubine gifted us. But don¡¯t send the best. Send one experienced man, and the rest with varied levels of competence. We will start to assess my brother from afar, and make judgments accordingly. If he tries to flee Junya, only then will we make contact.¡± Aradia gave a lone cursory glance at the mirror then stood.


    ¡°Thomas, what news from Troivack and Daxaria about my dagger and Chronos?¡±


    ¡°Chronos remains with the Coven of Wittica, and the dagger has been moved to another location.¡±


    Aradia¡¯s eyes moved to the ceiling. ¡°Another location¡­ Have someone investigate the home of Troivack¡¯s Captain. Leader Gregory Faucher¡¯s keep was rebuilt around the time I was imprisoned. It¡¯d make sense knowing what they know that they¡¯d tried to build an extra room of protection of sorts. Particularly asGregory Faucher is one of the few men that the Troivackian king trusts.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Aradia placed her hands on her hips that were wrapped snugly in black lace. ¡°If all else fails, at the very least I can summon the dragon, but I will not fail this time. One way or another, my brother is being sent to the Forest of the Afterlife. No matter what stands in my way.¡±


    The two men that knelt before her remained silent.


    ¡°Anything else to report?¡± she asked more as an afterthought.


    ¡°Is there anyone in particular you¡¯d like to sit on the throne?¡± Ansar asked much in the same way a butler would ask his master if she¡¯d like tea or coffee.


    The first witch smiled again, but unlike before, this one was more calculative. ¡°Definitely not that brat that shares blood with Soo Hebin. Check the other princes and princesses and their reputations. I¡¯ll make a decision afterward.¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± Thomas¡¯s nervous voice pulled Aradia¡¯s eyes to his bowed head. ¡°What if members of the Ashowan family are here? And they come when they hear about the chaos brewing?¡±


    Aradia ran the tip of her tongue over the jagged edges of her teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll plan for them accordingly this time. Don¡¯t you worry. Ansar? Make sure we hear about any and all passengers coming into Zinfera that could match any of the Ashowan¡¯s descriptions.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Aradia turned back to the quarters she had been granted in Soo Hebin¡¯s palace.


    They weren¡¯t small¡­ But they were far from dignified or extravagant. Though Aradia knew she wasn¡¯t in a position to do anything about it yet, she would soon show the concubine that it was a grave error to treat her, the daughter of the Gods, lightly, or with any measure of disrespect.


    Because that is what she saw in the concubine¡¯s eyes, and she knew that Soo Hebin could have given better accommodations, but this was her passive aggressive, childish way of showing her dominance.


    Aradia smiled coolly to herself as she rested her hand on the back of the chair she had just been sitting in.


    ¡°Oh¡­ One more thing¡­ Contact the Coven of Giong. It¡¯s time they started serving their ancestor; particularly in light of the very generous benefactor I¡¯ve given them.¡±

 Chapter 45: A Sweet Surrender

    Yun kicked the basket that held his crumpled correspondence over.


    His hands gripping into fists as he glared at it in the flickering light of his quarters.


    Everything had been perfect! His father had every detail plotted out ages ago¡­


    Yun was supposed to swoop in with the useless Nam son and rescue Elisara after she¡¯d spent years getting that stubbornness beaten out of her¡­


    They¡¯d paid that wretched Duke Icarus a hefty sum to seize her after helping Soo Hebin abduct the princess from the palace, but the useless Troivackian noble had been caught and she¡¯d been out of his grasp again.


    Until lo and behold, he heard whisperings from one of his connections at Ori harbor about a half Zinferan woman called Eli traveling with some suspicious men.


    Why the hell hadn¡¯t Icarus mentioned that Elisara had had a child?!


    Then again¡­ It was probably right around the time that the duke had been captured that she¡¯d fallen pregnant.


    That ruddy scholar, Joe Voll, probably slipped in and got his hands on her while traveling in Troivack or something to that effect.


    Yun grit his teeth, his eyes cutting to his desk that was typically kept flawlessly neat, but he had bashed it out of his way in a fit of rage, and so its contents lay across it askew.


    I thought if I could marry her and simply associate myself with the royal family at a distance like that concubine suggested, it¡¯d be enough, but now I could rule over the Nam family. She is far too valuable to leave her to rot in a marriage to that man¡­ Who is most likely a witch¡­


    Pausing his furious pacing, Yun¡¯s emotions settled abruptly as they often did.


    ¡°There are rumors about the devil¡­ I doubt Soo Hebin is unaware that Elisara is here.¡± Yun muttered to himself. ¡°All I¡¯d need to do is say that I met with the princess and that she is plotting to return and take over the throne, and I¡¯m sure she¡¯d then be willing to lend me some help¡­ If I could have a powerful witch or two help me kill off her husband and son, I can tell Her Highness that Elisara will no longer be a threat. I¡¯ll make it known that I only want to become the head of the Nam household and we¡¯d be loyal to her son once he takes the throne¡­ Yes. That should be enough to convince her.¡±


    With this new plan, Yun sat down at his desk, a new spark of hope igniting once more.


    I¡¯ll fix this, and after I do? Everything will be even better than I had ever planned.


    Father will be proud.


    ***


    Tam awoke with a start, though his mind tried to hold him back under the blanket of slumber. He rarely fell into a deep sleep¡­ Once or twice growing up he had momentarily appeared in the void due to some horrible nightmare, and so he had managed to train himself to wake should a dream start to become stressful or during the slightest of changes to the environment around himself.


    So he was more than a little shocked to see not only Eli in bed beside him¡­ but Luca.


    He stared down at the two of them, utterly awestruck; his panic abated only a little as the situation was processed.


    Eli¡¯s eyes were red and swollen, and her cheeks were flushed too¡­


    She¡¯d been crying.


    Tam barely fought off the urge to wake her up right then and there and ask why she had been upset, but what helped him win this fight was the sudden realization that Luca was holding his hand.


    He stared at the small hand clutching his own dumbly¡­ Then noticed that Luca was also holding Eli¡¯s hand, and instantly Tam felt emotions well up. He laughed, though he did his best to do so quietly.


    I guess I understand why she might have been emotional¨C I¡¯m going to start weeping here in a moment myself. Though I might just be an obtuse arse in assuming that¡¯s what it was¡­


    Tam sighed, wondering to himself how someone could ever cross the chasm of trauma that was as large as Eli¡¯s in terms of family and relationships, when he noticed the rosy evening sky just outside the window.


    The future duke knew he needed to start getting ready to break into Lord Guk¡¯s house.


    Tam looked back at Luca¡¯s hand, then at his son¡¯s sleeping face, and the task suddenly seemed next to impossible to motivate himself to do.


    Gods¡­ Is this what a normal life would be like? A life where I¡¯m not trying to live up to a hero father and a spy master mother? Or in fear of my magic¡­?


    The idea was utterly intoxicating, and while he didn¡¯t want to acknowledge it, a small seed was planted at the idea of a quiet family life of his own.


    Tam gave Luca¡¯s hand a gentle squeeze before carefully sliding his fingers free from his son¡¯s hold, and eased himself off of the bed.


    Then he idly sniffed under his arm.


    He could use a bathing, but that would have to wait. It was a better idea to prioritize eating before leaving. Besides, he¡¯d see about splashing some water there and that should be enough to¨C


    A quick, whispering movement drew Tam¡¯s eyes upward. Eli had risen from the bed, her left foot braced on the bed frame, her right hand lifted back as though she were about to cast a powerful magic.


    Tam watched this dumbly, but once he overcame his startle, waited for the sleepy confusion to drift from Eli¡¯s eyes as her mind joined the conscious land and understood there was no imminent danger.


    When Tam felt certain he wasn¡¯t about to be attacked, his mind started to whir into motion.


    Eli¡¯s power¡­ He hadn¡¯t really given it much thought, but if it was strong enough that she¡¯d learned to brace for it? He was inclined to suspect she had wind magic.


    But she wouldn¡¯t be scared of it if it were simple wind magic, and furthermore, the Giong Coven would¡¯ve helped train her. Especially if she were close in line to the throne¡­


    Tam was pulled from his thoughts by Eli as she placed both feet on the ground and glanced just past Tam at the sky outside.


    Her eyes widened. She then moved closer to Tam before giving him a short, affirming nod that she knew it was time to get ready, then padded her way over to the dresser and started quietly working to pull out a black shirt and pants.


    Tam barely fought off a smile at the way those funny hairs at the top of her hand fluttered about.


    Then he pulled his own shirt off and moved toward the wardrobe in the back left corner, only Eli turned around and was starting to take off her own shirt, and when her sights landed on Tam, they both froze.


    Momentarily stunned, self consciousness flooded Tam¡¯s being, he felt his face heat, as he watched Eli¡¯s eyes rove over his bare torso¡­ But his embarrassment ebbed when he saw a glint in her expression that told him¡­


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    She was having a reaction to seeing him without a shirt.


    A cheeky smile rose on Tam¡¯s face as he squared himself to her and raised his eyebrows in a questioning manner.


    It was Eli¡¯s turn to flush red when she met his gaze, but she proceeded to return the favor by mirroring Tam¡¯s position and resumed sliding her shirt over her head.


    Shock bolted through Tam and he found himself rooted to the spot¡­


    Because Eli had been living openly as a woman, she didn¡¯t have her bindings on.


    She was standing half naked in front of him.


    Tam felt his knees weaken.


    What the hell is she doing?!


    Taking a shuddering breath that did little to help his stuttering control, Tam tried to force himself to turn around, but then he made the mistake of meeting Eli¡¯s gaze.


    The look in her eyes¡­


    His heart thudded violently in his chest.


    She looked shy and vulnerable, but when he again gave her a questioning look of alarm that let her know he hadn¡¯t a clue why she was standing there, baring herself to him without a care in the world when she knew how he felt¡­


    Gods help him.


    She gave a nod.


    Delirious panic, hope, excitement, and thought-stopping want drowned Tam¡¯s senses.


    He rubbed his face with his right hand, and let it rest over his mouth, his eyes never leaving Eli¡¯s, save for when she glanced briefly at Luca who, without Tam or Eli on either side of him, had allowed himself to flop over onto his stomach, his face turned to the other side as he slept, unaware of what was happening behind him¡­


    Tam dropped his hand.


    It then took three steps for him to stand nearly toe-to-toe with Eli, and she had to tilt her head back to keep looking up at him¡­


    His heart skipped a beat when he noticed her trembling and her quick, quiet breaths that accompanied the look on her face.


    The look of tentative opening, a look that risked a trickle of bigger emotions toward him, a look of nervous trust¡­


    Tam¡¯s head swam as he struggled to force himself to confirm that he was understanding her.


    Lifting his right hand to gently grasp her neck, his thumb pressing lightly against her cheek, Tam¡¯s eyebrows twitched once in silent question as he lowered his face closer to hers. He stopped, mere inches from her mouth, and waited.


    Was she certain?


    Eli¡¯s breath caught in her throat, and it nearly undid Tam right then and there as he held still.


    She was shaking under his touch, but Tam knew by the way she leaned into his hand, it wasn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t want him there.


    Windchimes from outside gently rung out into the quiet.


    Eli looked at his mouth, and then back at Tam¡¯s eyes, and again, she nodded.


    Tam was done waiting.


    He dropped his mouth to hers and kissed her, pure happiness pouring from even the darkest reaches of his being.


    Especially when he felt her warm hands rest on his hips, and she kissed him back.


    Tam pulled her into himself, needing her to feel the intensity simmering in him, needing her to understand what she was doing to him¡­


    He broke away only when he had to breathe, his eyes opening in the haze of heady emotions to see that her own had darkened, and the dazed longing in her he watched start to edge toward urgent desire¡­


    A muffled sleepy moan sounded from Luca.


    Both Tam and Eli sprang apart, and Eli threw her shirt over her head in the blink of an eye, while Tam flew across the room and threw a fresh black shirt over himself.


    The pair then turned in unison to see that Luca was still sound asleep, and had only grabbed more of the comforter to hug while he slept on his side with his back to them.


    Seeing this, Tam¡¯s attention darted back to Eli, who had managed to fully change while Tam had been busy dressing himself.


    Though the way her cheeks were still blushing¡­ She looked beautiful.


    Tam swallowed. Then straightened.


    Knowingness steadying him.


    He drew his shoulders back and stepped back over to Eli, though this time he moved slower, and he watched as she fidgeted, uncertain what he was about to do.


    When he once again was right in front of her, Tam let out a breath, then got down on his knees.


    Panic flooded Eli¡¯s face. Tam managed to give her a half reassuring smile as he gave his head a small shake to let her know that proposing marriage wasn¡¯t what he was doing¡­ Not quite yet.


    Instead he took her right hand, kissed her knuckles, and rested her palm against his chest so she could feel the thrumming weight of his heartbeat.


    Her eyes widened, and Tam smiled up at her before covering her hand with both of his, and bowing his head so that it rested against her middle.


    Despite not a word having been spoken, Tam felt as though she understood exactly what he was trying to say¡­


    Remember what I said. You can do, and have, everything.


    Tam basked in the moment, hoping she wasn¡¯t already regretting what they were in the middle of, but his worries were quieted as her left hand softly brushed through his hair, making him tilt his face back up to look at her.


    Eli crouched down, her expression shifting toward wary concern, and Tam took it to mean¡­


    Slowly. Please. Go slowly.


    He smiled, and bowed his head briefly to her in assent.


    Whatever she wanted.


    Eli smiled back, albeit she still looked unnerved, there was a spark in her eyes that hadn¡¯t been there before that lightened her entire face, and somehow made her all the more stunning. As a result, Tam found himself thinking how the woman had absolutely no idea the lengths he was willing to go for her.


    But perhaps, for the time being, that was for the best, because the truth was that there were no limits to what he would do for her, and he could tell that she would need to discover this on her own.


    Eventually.


    When she was ready to accept that he was planning on giving her absolutely anything she wanted that was within his power to give.

 Chapter 46: A Disastrous Discovery

    Jumping down from the carriage, Tam gave a cursory glance up and down the street to ensure there really was no one around.


    He was pleased to see that all that greeted him were shadows from the walled yards with their trees fluttering in the nighttime wind.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be here unless someone comes and asks questions. Then I¡¯ll go two streets down to the left and wait there,¡± Eli whispered from the driver¡¯s seat.


    Tam gave her a short nod of his head while avoiding looking directly at her.


    He needed to focus, and any glimpse of her in that moment given what had happened only a little earlier, would have him bumbling around in a haze of drunken happiness.


    Moving swiftly along the wall on his left, Tam made his way to the corner, paused and listened, then risked a quick glance around the bend to see the guards standing a short way down in front of Lord Guk¡¯s doors.


    Tam eyed the branches of the cherry tree that extended over the stone wall, then took five measured steps back¡­ Followed by another three¡­ Then one step forward before turning to the stone wall, jumping, grasping its top, and hoisting himself up and over.


    He landed where he had hoped to: right behind the golden swan in the garden.


    Staying in a crouch behind the statue, he waited to make sure there were no sounds of alarm.


    Then he waited even longer just in case someone glimpsed him and was still watching.


    Tam continued to stay low and crept forward under the servant¡¯s walkway, the sounds of the night all he could hear¡­


    Eventually he reached the very same corner he and Eli had stood at barely a week ago.


    It was a fantastic vantage point, and so, Tam slowly came to stand, while continuing to observe around himself.


    All he needed to do was get into Lord Guk¡¯s room, then once he knew which was his, the next time he came, all he¡¯d have to do would be to break into that balcony.


    No one was in the garden, and that made perfect sense. Lord Guk was supposed to be out with Lord Yangban, Jeong, and Bong at a local tavern or brothel, which meant they wouldn¡¯t return for a long time, so most likely the staff would be resting before preparing late night food and libations.


    Taking a left into the nearest darkened hallway, Tam stopped after five steps as soon as the scent of cooked fish and spices overcame his senses.


    This must lead back to the kitchen. Which means there should be a hall to lead to the dining room. Too risky¡­ If only I¡¯d had more time at the party to learn the layout¡­ Bong and Jeong couldn¡¯t even see much as they were reluctant to leave Eli¡­


    The thought of her name brought a smile to Tam¡¯s face as he rounded back toward the exit.


    Though upon noticing this he gave his head a firm shake.


    No. He could be happy later.


    He paused at the doorway to the courtyard, again checking the garden surroundings, and proceeded to walk along the wall, though he lowered his head in a subservient manner in case anyone glimpsed him from afar, while trying to keep track of his surroundings out of his peripheral vision¡­


    Let¡¯s see¡­ A house this size¡­ and the best view would undoubtedly be on the south side toward the sea¡­


    Tam lamented that from this guess, he¡¯d have to cover more distance while trying not to be noticed.


    He had guessed that Lord Guk would¡¯ve placed his quarters on the north side as someone who tended toward nightly excursions. It stood to reason that someone who went to bed late, rose late, and would want to avoid being awoken by the sun and to have better control over the temperature of their room, but Lord Guk proved to prize the luxury of the view over his own comfort¡­


    Well, while indulgent, he was still a competent man. If he knew to appreciate the view, then he could put his discomfort aside.


    Tam managed to find a doorway that led to an unlit hall, and he was relatively certain he spotted a set of stairs on the far end.


    Slipping into the shadows, he continued padding farther into the house, his ears honed for any small noise that could signal someone coming.


    Once he got to the end of the hall, and found that he had successfully located the stairs, Tam started his careful climb up, tentatively testing each stair for squeaks and creaks that could pierce the silence and reveal his presence.


    It took him far longer than he would¡¯ve liked, but it turned out the stairwell he used was the servants in a bad state of disrepair. The second step had a nasty squawk, and the fourth and fifth sounded like they were about to collapse¡­ Following that, the seventh had a small whine, and the eleventh, while it didn¡¯t make a sound, had a loose nail popping up.


    The man should spend a fraction of his decorating costs and get this death trap sorted. Tam grumbled in his mind upon reaching the top of the stairs.


    However, he didn¡¯t get to think about this for long as voices sounded out just a few doors down from where Tam stood.


    Quickly, Tam reached for the first door across from the stairway, but found it was locked.


    Then the second door was also locked.


    Turning back around, Tam risked going closer to the voices to reach the next door, but he was rewarded and relieved to find not only was it open, but dark and empty as well.


    Which was perfect, because no sooner had he dropped down behind the wooden paneling, when the glow of a lantern moving past the papered door appeared coming from another room, and drifted by as two maids talked amongst themselves about how they hoped they wouldn¡¯t have too much to clean up in the morning after Lord Guk brought back some new party with him¡­


    Tam kept himself pressed against the solid wood of the wall, and waited until he heard the Gods awful stairs herald the descent of the two maids.


    Letting out a steadying breath, Tam then took stock of the room he found himself in.


    It looked to be a guest room.


    But not just any guest room¡­


    He eyed the lavish furniture and wall hangings. The gold goblet by the bed that had a purple silk coverlet¡­


    Then he spotted the desk that sat right in the middle of the room.


    Glancing once more over his shoulder to make sure he didn¡¯t see or hear anyone nearby, he made his way over to the desk, and took in the start of the letter that rested there in the faint light from outside¡­


    Your Highness,


    Junya remains as we hoped. Busy, and mostly unconcerned by the increase of activity in the desert¡­


    Tam¡¯s heart bounced.


    He was in Lord Yangban¡¯s room.


    Tam¡¯s hands flew to the stack of letters, and immediately began reading through them while also grateful to the white moonlight that came in through the window.


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    At first, he intended to glance through them looking for any specific mention of incriminating actions.


    But given the regular dates of many of the letters, there were some missing.


    Tam scoffed. Of course they were hidden¡­ At least he had learned where they should be hidden thanks to his mother.


    He started knocking under the desk, excitement and intrigue heightening the tension with his every breath.


    There wasn¡¯t a secret compartment there¡­


    He eyed an ornately carved box with a golden latch and hinges sitting atop a dresser, and while casting another cautious glance at the door, he stood and plucked it up.


    It turned out to be an easy puzzle box that Tam figured out to open by pressing the eyes of the two panthers on either side of its length, releasing the bottom latch in the shallow, narrow compartment which, sure enough, revealed the rest of the letters.


    Dropping back down, to the patch of moonlight, Tam resumed reading, only he found so much more than he was ready for¡­


    A soft laugh of disbelief escaped his lips as he read one particular missive that had clearly been read and reread multiple times¡­ But as Tam reached the bottom of the page, his face paled, and his gut churned.


    There was a very big problem¡­


    And he needed to alert his family in Daxaria as soon as possible.


    ***


    Tam hadn¡¯t explained anything to Eli when he had climbed into the carriage. Nor had he said anything at all other than,


    ¡°We need to get back, and we need to have a meeting with Jeong and Bong as soon as possible.¡±


    He could tell that she had wanted to press the matter but there was an air of panic and grave worry Tam knew he must have been revealing that stopped her from doing so.


    Even once they had returned and Eli had changed into a dress just in case Haewon had woken up, she didn¡¯t ask any questions as she had waited at Tam¡¯s side while seated at the dining table.


    It was late by the time Bong and Jeong stumbled in. Tam momentarily worried they were too drunk to talk to, but it was too important to hold off.


    ¡°Mr. Vooooolll,¡± Jeong whispered in a near whine. ¡°Can we have snacks for this?¡±


    Tam didn¡¯t say anything as he waited for Bong to quiet down, as he was emitting a prolonged, labored grunt as he exerted the effort to sit down at the table.


    ¡°Did everything go *hic* as planned?¡± Bong asked, his eyes fluttering.


    ¡°It did, but I learned something that makes this entire venture significantly more dangerous. We might have to return to Daxaria on the next boat out.¡±


    Eli sat upright, her eyes blinking wide.


    ¡°The first witch has not only escaped Troivack with the help of concubine Soo Hebin, but she is now here in Zinfera.¡±


    The stunned silence dragged on, and no one could bring themselves to say a word.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that I can trust the coven here either¨C there was mention that the first witch may have helped Soo Hebin earn their loyalty.¡±


    Tam felt Eli recoil at his side, the fear in the air around her palpable.


    Bong cleared his throat and struggled to enunciate his words. ¡°How¡­ Did you learn this?¡±


    ¡°I found Lord Yangban¡¯s letters between himself and the concubine, but that isn¡¯t the only thing I discovered.¡±


    Jeong leaned forward, his red face filled with wild panic. ¡°What more could there be? That¡¯s awful enough!¡±


    Tam swallowed. ¡°While we wondered if it were just rumors¡­ It sounds as though there really is a dragon here in Zinfera. And Soo Hebin knows where it is because the first witch told her.¡±


    No one could speak under the crushing weight of what seemed like a sound win for the evil woman who was aiming to take over Zinfera¡­


    Bong leaned forward, resting his arms on the table, his glassy eyes somber.


    ¡°Alright¡­ Here *hic* is the plan. Tomorrow. You¡­ And you, dear¡­ dear Eli. Get on a boat, and go to Daxaria. Tell them¡­ What is happening. We will¡­ Write about everything and sign our official names so there is proof for your king. Jeong¡­ And I¡­ Will finish crippling Lord Guk best we can, and then return to our father. He *hic* Godsdamnhiccups¨C¡± Bong muttered to himself before continuing. ¡°Will contact¡­ the coven. If they lie about things¡­ Or if the coven is divided in their alliance, he will¡­ figure it out.¡±


    Tam nodded. That plan made the most sense.


    Especially if the first witch had, like Lord Kim, happened to hear about the rumors about Tam¡¯s incident with the pirates that led to the rumors starting about him being the devil¡­


    If he was in danger, Eli and Luca were also in danger, and he would not take any risks with their safety.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wake Haewon and let her know,¡± Eli said, bowing her head. ¡°Then, my lord, I¡¯ll join you in our room to start packing.¡±


    Tam gave her a nod of affirmation, and the two of them stood.


    Jeong and Bong struggled to do the same, and at one point Bong fell onto his back and couldn¡¯t get up¨C much like a turtle, and so Tam and Jeong stayed behind to try and help him to his feet, but deemed it a thankless task when they heard the first snores echo from the man.


    ¡°The world might as well be ending and he will still sleep through it,¡± Tam murmured while setting Bong¡¯s arm down by his side.


    ¡°Aah.¡± Jeong, hearing Tam¡¯s lament, waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Better to be rested than stressed as you die.¡±


    Tam blinked at Jeong who blinked back in response, and with a sigh that did bring with it a begrudging smile Jeong clapped a hand on Tam¡¯ shoulder.


    ¡°You know¡­ I will miss you two. Once this is all over, you should move back to Zinfera,¡± Jeong lamented.


    ¡°Ah, I would, but my nephews would kill me.¡±


    ¡°They sound wonderful,¡± Jeong said sincerely. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll love Luca.¡±


    Tam smiled genuinely. That was true.


    At the very least, while he was gravely concerned about everything he had learned, he was looking forward to seeing Antony, Charlie, and Asher again.


    With another wave, Jeong took his leave, and Tam managed to quietly make his way back down the hall toward his own room to start packing.


    Though in the cool, silence of the night, uneasiness was settling into Tam¡¯s mind¡­ And there was something else in the air that made him think that things may not go quite as smoothly as Bong planned.


    But without any idea of what else could be done, Tam pressed on with the necessary tasks to prepare to leave Zinfera in order to call for help as there didn¡¯t seem like there was anyone they could fully trust when the stakes were as high as the heavens themselves.

 Chapter 47: An Early Escapade

    Gently shaking Luca awake, Tam sat on the edge of the bed in the quiet room with Eli standing at his back.


    The birds outside were only just starting to chirp and the sky had barely lightened¡­


    ¡°Mm?¡± Luca murmured groggily.


    ¡°Luca,¡± Tam whispered. ¡°We need to leave now, alright? We¡¯re getting on a boat.¡±


    ¡°Mmwhat? Boat¡­? Again¡­? Sleep¡­ I just¡­ Food?¡±


    Despite the precarious situation they were in, Tam couldn¡¯t help but smile as Luca struggled to rejoin the land of the waking.


    So, with a glance at Eli over his shoulder who wore a similar expression, he scooped Luca up in his arms, and pushed himself up to standing.


    ¡°You have his coat? Or a blanket?¡± Tam asked softly.


    Eli nodded, lifting the black coat in her arms that had been fitted for Luca.


    Tam gave a half smile in appreciation, then, with his free arm, he reached out and grasped Eli¡¯s hand, and gently guided her from the room to outside where Haewon waited. The housekeeper¡¯s long hair was for once not styled into a bun at the back of her head, but in a long braid that was draped over her shoulder, as she still only wore her robe and nightshift underneath that.


    ¡°I am sorry to hear that family matters have called you away, Mr. and Mrs. Voll.¡± The housekeeper bowed dutifully.


    Tam bobbed his head in acknowledgment. ¡°Thank you for all of your attention and diligence to us during our stay.¡±


    Haewon lowered her chin in a dignified manner. ¡°I will alert Luca¡¯s tutor that he will no longer be requiring his lessons.¡±


    From his sleepy spot on Tam¡¯s shoulder, Luca suddenly mumbled. ¡°I carried¡­ the two¡­ no, it¡¯s not three¡­ Not the cabbage. Please not¡­ cabbage¡­¡±


    Even Haewon wasn¡¯t immune to the bit of humor to the child¡¯s incoherent sleep mumblings as she worked to suppress the smile on her face.


    ¡°Thank you again,¡± Eli said politely.


    Tam lowered his head once more in thanks, and then they proceeded to the front of the house, and down the steps to the front courtyard doors where Jeong was waiting with a carriage to take them to the docks.


    Bong was still collapsed and fast asleep by the table where Tam had left him.


    Tam wished he could¡¯ve said a proper goodbye, but knew there was no chance of waking the man¨C he had tried and failed too many times before on previous nights.


    As they climbed into the carriage, Eli was the one to pound the ceiling, alerting Jeong they were ready.


    ¡°I instructed Haewon to ship the rest of your books later today,¡± she explained as Tam adjusted Luca so that he was slumped at his side, with his father¡¯s arm around him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Tam said with a smile directed at Eli in the faintest of lights that ebbed in through the gauzy curtains. The smell of morning dew hung thick in the air. ¡°How¡¯re you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Glad.¡±


    Tam¡¯s eyebrows drifted upward in surprise.


    ¡°I worried you would be like your sister, Her Majesty, and want to stay behind and find a way to fight everything on your own,¡± Eli expounded bluntly.


    Tam laughed quietly and shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t take down a dragon, widespread corruption, and the daughter of the Gods on my own. I¡¯m not Kraken or Pina.¡±


    Eli tilted her head in serious acknowledgment of the two familiars. The one belonging to the Daxarian queen, Pi?a Colada, or simply Pina, was known to have a way with the hearts of people to the point where it bordered on obsession. While Finlay Ashowan¡¯s own familiar, Kraken, somehow managed to rule the beasts he came across and had long ago dubbed himself emperor. Though the extent of his command when it came to the human realm was murky at best.


    ¡°Knowing your family legacy, you¡¯ll wind up with the dragon as your familiar,¡± Eli scoffed while being only partially serious, and leaning forward to glance at Luca who somehow remained deep asleep.


    Tam released a sigh mixed with a laugh and shook his head.


    ¡°And how are you feeling about¡­ Other matters¡­?¡± he ventured carefully, while noticing Eli had not pulled her hand free from his with no small amount of gladness.


    Her grip on his hand tensed, and Tam could tell she wanted to fidget.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ nervous.¡±


    Tam raised his eyebrows and tilted his head. ¡°You didn¡¯t say that you¡¯re horrified, so I¡¯m tentatively optimistic.¡±


    Eli slid a flat expression his way, then gave her head a shake. ¡°Can you please promise me something?¡±


    ¡°Anything.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. Don¡¯t say that kind of romantic garbage that has no meaning.¡±


    ¡°You know, most people who say that sort of thing, say it to convey the gravity of their feelings. I¡¯ll have you know that is not why I said it.¡±


    Eli scoffed. ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯d promise you anything because I will promise you anything.¡±


    ¡°What if I asked you to kill someone?¡±


    ¡°Depends who it is.¡±


    ¡°See?¡±


    ¡°And who do you want me to kill?¡± Tam asked interestedly while flashing her that mischievous smile of his.


    Eli¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Tam laughed before persisting. ¡°What is it you wanted me to promise?¡±


    ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t tell Luca about us until I say it¡¯s alright.¡±


    Tam¡¯s good humor faded from his face, and he lowered his chin seriously. ¡°Of course. Whenever you¡¯re ready, we can tell him. I have a question of my own though.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Eli managed without masking her suspicion.


    ¡°Well now I¡¯d like to ask why you seem so suspicious of me, but we¡¯ll circle back to that.¡±


    Eli rolled her eyes at his jest.


    ¡°How do you want us to be in Daxaria? And at night? And do you want to still be my assistant? Knowing you, I¡¯m assuming so, but I¡¯d just like to know what your thoughts are and your boundaries.¡±


    An indescribable look filled Eli¡¯s face as her eyes widened and she turned to stare ahead of herself. ¡°Good Gods, how the hell anyone didn¡¯t get romantically attached to you beforehand I¡¯ll never understand.¡±


    ¡°I want to take that as a compliment, but I know with you I should double check.¡±


    ¡°It is a compliment. Just¡­ Anyway,¡± Eli shook herself free of her amazement. ¡°I want to continue being your assistant, and for the time being, I¡¯d like our relationship to remain private between the two of us.¡±


    ¡°And the sleeping arrangement¡­?¡± Tam wondered with a mild tone that he paired excellently with an innocent expression.


    ¡°We should most likely only keep sharing a bed to keep up the facade of us being a married couple until Daxaria.¡±


    Tam nodded reasonably, though the playful shine in his eyes shifted to one of a very different nature when he looked back at Eli.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to be very clear about what you are and are not alright with when I¡¯m in your bed. And if you can¡¯t be? I¡¯ll sleep on the floor.¡±


    At first Eli blushed scarlet, but then let out a breathy laugh of disbelief. ¡°Honestly¡­ It is baffling that you are unmarried with your respectful charm¡­¡±


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    ¡°I think my dear son¡¯s presence does continue to serve as proof I¡¯m not quite as pure as fresh snow as you seem to think I am,¡± Tam reminded wryly.


    Eli opened her mouth to say something but was forced to stop when the carriage halted. Both Tam and Eli glanced out the window and discovered that they had successfully made it to the harbor.


    The two once again remembered that they were about to try and sneak out of Zinfera and report back to the Daxarian monarchy that there were serious threats present, which snapped them free of their flirting.


    Fortunately by this point, Luca was lifting his head up, and blinking dazedly around himself.


    ¡°Wh- Where are we?¡± He sat up straighter, his head turning every which way right before the carriage door opened and Jeong appeared.


    ¡°Ah! Good morning Luca!¡± Jeong greeted with a smile, his eyes darting briefly to Tam and Eli.


    Tam gently touched Luca¡¯s back drawing his son¡¯s gaze. ¡°Luca¡­ We need to go back to Daxaria. I have an important message for my family that I have to deliver.¡±


    Luca¡¯s face tensed in panic. ¡°W-Why?¡±


    Wincing a little, Tam rested his hand on Luca¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Because it is a really important message.¡±


    The young boy slumped forward but held Tam¡¯s gaze. ¡°Are Bong and Jeong coming too?¡±


    Behind Luca, Jeong¡¯s hand rose up to clutch his chest out of emotion as he stared at the boy.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but they can¡¯t. We¡¯ll see them again though. I promise.¡±


    Luca¡¯s eyes welled up, but he blinked furiously while trying to keep them at bay.


    He then swung around, and upon seeing Jeong, crumbled into a sob before throwing his slim arms around Jeong¡¯s neck.


    Caught off guard momentarily by the suddenness, Jeong¡¯s beefy arms encircled the young boy and he began gently patting his back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you too, Luca, but we¡¯ll see each other again, just as your father says.¡±


    ¡°You were my first real friend,¡± Luca croaked as he continued clutching onto Jeong.


    Jeong blinked, his bloodshot eyes looking suspiciously wet.


    Tam and Eli decided to not hurry them and exited from the other side of the carriage, and came round the back of the vehicle while noting the scant number of people milling about the docks that were coated in moisture with a thick fog whirling around the hulls of the ships a foot or so off the ground.


    Upon approaching Jeong who was murmuring comforting words to Luca, Tam was forced to interrupt.


    ¡°Which ship is ours?¡±


    Jeong gave Luca a final mussing of hair before stepping back and nodding down the line of ships toward one that had a figurehead sea serpent carved in her bow that could be seen thanks to the braziers that were still lit along the dock edge.


    ¡°That one there. The captain was out drinking with Bong and I last night, but his first mate will be the one casting off this morning. They should be here soon,¡± Jeong¡¯s eyes drifted up toward the quiet decks while Tam did the same in the hopes of seeing someone that would lower the gangplank for them to climb aboard.


    ¡°My lord,¡± Eli whispered quietly while gently tugging on Tam¡¯s sleeve.


    ¡°Mm?¡± he asked with a frown as he observed how oddly quiet it was, but then reasoned to himself that the drizzly weather was most likely delaying most of the ships from leaving.


    ¡°Something is wrong.¡±


    The future duke turned to look down at Eli who was peering into the shadows with still alertness.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I keep seeing men drifting closer, and¨C¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re over there as well,¡± Jeong interrupted as he glanced over his shoulder behind them.


    Tam turned and spotted four men casually meandering closer to them.


    ¡°Four on this side as well,¡± Eli whispered while inching backward toward the carriage.


    ¡°There might be more on the other side of the carriage¡­¡± Tam speculated softly, his senses prickling. ¡°Luca, get out here right now.¡±


    The sharpness in his father¡¯s tone had the boy springing from his seat to Tam¡¯s side.


    ¡°Luca, I want you to climb under the carriage, and lay under there in the middle. If someone that isn¡¯t myself, Jeong, or Eli tries to grab you, scream.¡±


    Luca¡¯s eyes rounded, and he turned his head to try and see what threat was making his father give such a frightening order, but Tam knelt down in front of Luca, filling his vision and resting his hands on his shoulders.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look, Luca. Alright? Do you promise?¡±


    Behind Luca, Jeong undid the tie of his green coat, and tossed it into the carriage while rolling his shoulders.


    Tam could feel Luca starting to tremble.


    So he pulled his son into a hug, waited for him to nod, and then watched as Luca sank down onto his belly and crawled under the carriage.


    Tam stood and stripped off his coat and tossed it into the carriage as well in anticipation of a fight.


    ¡°Eli, do you need to be under the carriage with him?¡± Tam asked evenly as he stepped over to stand back to back with Jeong.


    ¡°Who would have ordered this?¡± she responded with instead, the hushed dread in her voice threaded with a rasp of dread.


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep one alive and ask them,¡± Jeong replied with surprising ferocity.


    ¡°My money is on your brother¡¯s assistant,¡± Tam speculated grimly while pulling his daggers from their sheaths at his back. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it past him to have us followed.¡±


    ¡°But why¨C¡±


    ¡°Chul wants to name any son you have as the next heir to the Nam household.¡±


    Eli rounded on Tam instantly. ¡°What? Who told you that?¡± The warning note in her voice was not lost on Tam, but he was a mite fixated on the men drawing closer to them that were near enough for him to see that they were all Zinferan¡­


    But then Tam noticed that one had the peculiar physical characteristic of black nails¡­


    ¡°Damnit,¡± Tam breathed and flipped the blade in his hand. ¡°Witches.¡±


    Eli¡¯s tentative anger toward Tam morphed to shock. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The safest thing might be to reveal my identity,¡± he explained quickly. ¡°Even if they are in the pocket of the first witch, to attack me is to start a war with the Coven of Wittica.¡±


    ¡°Then she¡¯ll know you¡¯re here,¡± Eli argued, her voice mounting in volume.


    ¡°I know. But we need to survive this.¡±


    Eli fully faced Tam, desperation bright in her eyes. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine! You¡¯re capable and-¡±


    A flame erupted in the palm of one of the Zinferan¡¯s that stood in front of Tam.


    The fire witch smiled excitedly while revealing flashing gold teeth.


    However, it was a man wearing a fine, dark blue coat that Tam could see on the right in the light of the fire witch¡¯s flames that spoke first.


    ¡°By the authority of the Coven of Giong, I hereby arrest you, Mister Joe Voll, under suspicion of your identity being Satan, son of the Gods.¡±


    Tam¡¯s stomach plummeted.


    While he had already known things weren¡¯t good, he hadn¡¯t known they were going to take quite as dramatic of a nose dive.


    Well¡­ Shit.

 Chapter 48: A Dalliance with Darkness

    Tam noted that the rest of the men surrounding them all wore plain black with a half hearted attempt at finding some measure of hope. Perhaps they weren¡¯t all witches¡­


    ¡°There seems to be a mistake,¡± he called back to the Zinferan who had addressed them. ¡°I am not Satan, but, I confess, I am not Mister Joe Voll, either.¡±


    One of the plainly dressed men behind Tam facing Jeong drew a bow out, and pulled out an arrow from a quiver.


    Tam¡¯s head jerked back to look over his shoulder at the sound of the creaking bow wood, and felt his blood fill with ice when he saw the arrow directed at Jeong who glared at the archer, his thick hands at his sides balling into fists.


    Turning quickly back to the man who addressed them, Tam felt his magic seep forward¡­ And a strange other knowingness started to overcome him. He wasn¡¯t sure how, or why the idea occurred to him, and it required trusting the sudden instinct that sprouted from his magic in a way he never had allowed himself to before.


    It¡¯d be a blind leap into the darkness, and he¡¯d be risking everyone¡¯s lives.


    He fought back against the urge, opted for the less riskier option, and instead continued talking.


    ¡°My name is Lord Tamlin Ashowan, I am traveling here in Zinfera with my assistant here, Eli, and a family friend.¡±


    Barely anyone dared to breathe.


    Tam watched the Zinferan who had spoken to him lower his brows, and vaguely noted that the fire witch¡¯s eyes had grown round and his smile disappeared.


    ¡°If that is the case,¡± the man who appeared to be in charge strode forward confidently. ¡°Then you are traveling without issuing proper notice to both the Coven of Giong, or to the Zinferan emperor.¡±


    ¡°That is because I am not traveling on official business,¡± Tam explained hastily, every muscle in his body taut. He noticed the way Eli shrunk back against the carriage, her attention fixed on the fire witch.


    The man in charge had a short beard cropped close to his face, and an oval shaped face that he lifted imperiously to stare up at Tam as he approached calmly.


    Pretty bold if he genuinely thought I was the devil¡­ Tam thought to himself suspiciously.


    ¡°I see. And you are able to prove your identity?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I have papers that I¡¯ve brought with me, as well as other tokens belonging to my family that should be recognizable.¡±


    The man raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Might I ask who I¡¯m speaking to?¡± Tam ventured warily, while still well aware of the arrow still being primed for release behind him.


    ¡°You can ask.¡± The man said nothing more.


    Tam continued staring down at the man for a breath of silence.


    ¡°Is there a reason there is still an arrow aimed at us?¡±


    ¡°Is there a reason your knives are still drawn?¡±


    Tam felt aggravated anger start to burn in his being¡­


    They were being mocked and toyed with.


    ¡°Put down the arrow,¡± Tam ordered, his voice soft  as he felt his magic build from the soles of his feet, up his chest, down his arms, and was working its way to his head. He could tell any moment his eyes were about to blacken.


    ¡°I will once we are finished asking questions. It is highly suspicious that you travel with your identity hidden, and with a missing princess who belongs here in Zinfera, no less.¡±


    Jeong stiffened and Eli froze.


    Tam sensed the two reactions while his own heart skipped a beat.


    This was bad.


    Very bad.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked while forcing his fingers holding the hilt of his blade not to flutter in preparation.


    The man smiled, and the cold look in his eyes made Tam¡¯s stomach churn.


    ¡°Lord Tamlin, we are happy to let you board your ship after you meet with one of our superiors, and the princess agrees to return to the palace. Her Highness Soo Hebin has been worried for her.¡±


    ¡°And you are aware that forcing someone who is working under the protection of my family to do something against her wishes will invoke consequences from Daxaria?¡±


    That at least succeeded in making the man¡¯s slyness dim, if only slightly.


    ¡°She does not have the emperor¡¯s permission to leave the royal family.¡±


    ¡°She is not property. She is a person. Unless the laws have changed since I last checked. Princess Elisara Taejo left Zinfera nearly a decade ago and is now under the protection of Viscount House Jenoure, Duchy of Ashowan, the Daxarian king, and my father, the Coven of Wittica¡¯s diplomat, and,¡± Tam cited his presence growing larger around him as the back of his neck prickled and his power pushed against the confines of his control.


    ¡°Tam¨C¡± Eli tried to insert herself between Tam and the representative who was holding his ground, though he was looking increasingly uncertain despite Tam not moving a muscle.


    ¡°--She is under my protection,¡± Tam¡¯s voice came out a rasping growl thanks to the effort it was taking to fight off his magic.


    The fire witch shifted closer, but a single flitting of Tam¡¯s eyes in his direction had him stopping in place.


    ¡°You will be coming with us, Lord Tamlin, or you will be charged with espionage and aggressive acts against the emperor and our coven.¡±


    Tam leaned forward slowly. ¡°Are you going to put down that fucking arrow, or am I going to do it for you?¡±


    The man¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and his right heel slid backward half an inch. ¡°This aggressiveness does not warrant peaceable treatment of¨C¡±


    Tam let the power consume him, and unlike any time before in his life¡­


    He chose to trust his magic.


    In a rush of black and silvery smokey aura, Tam disappeared.


    ¡°W-What is¨C Where¡¯d he go?¡± The man demanded turning to Eli, whose wide eyes were shining in the light.


    The archer turned his sights to her out of sheer panic as the rest of the men couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in surprise and nervousness.


    Before Eli could even think of some kind of response, Tam reappeared¡­


    Behind the archer.


    He wrapped the man¡¯s head and shoulder in a hold that forced the arrow to be redirected to the ground in a flash, and with a quick jolt, he pulled the shoulder out of its socket, making the archer shout in pain.


    The other assailants instinctively began to retreat as Tam jerked the archer¡¯s head, and then released the body onto the ground, but that was all they had time to do, because Tam disappeared again.


    And just as the fire witch started to square himself to Eli, Tam reappeared behind him and slid a dagger into his back.


    Before the fire witch¡¯s body had even hit the ground, Tam disappeared, and reappeared behind another man¡­ And another¡­ And another, until in a rush of smoke and fog, every single one that had encircled them lay lifeless on the ground.


    The one who had cockily taunted Tam stumbled back, his voice caught in his throat before his eyes darted desperately toward Eli.


    As though sensing the line of his thoughts, Jeong¡¯s hand shot out and he grabbed the man by the throat and slammed him against the carriage to stop him from acting on any unsavory ideas about grabbing Eli and using her as a shield to escape.


    Tam reappeared in front of him, standing beside Jeong who jolted at his reappearance.


    The future duke bore down on the man, his eyes filled with black, pooling magic¡­


    ¡°Who sent you?¡± Tam asked, his voice seeming to echo from everywhere.


    ¡°T-t-t-the first witch! S-She is who you will answer to! She is¨C¡±


    ¡°Soo Hebin didn¡¯t order you to take Eli? She just wants me?¡±


    ¡°S-she wants the devil.¡±


    ¡°And who are you?¡± Tam persisted, his eyes gradually returning to normal.


    ¡°Garam. I serve Her Highness.¡±


    ¡°So concubine Soo Hebin is aiding the fugitive, the first witch, and the coven knows about it. Does everyone in the coven know?¡± Tam demanded while leaning forward, his breath coming out as vapor in the chilly morning air.


    ¡°M-most. Not all.¡± Garam swallowed. ¡°You can¡¯t leave. The coven will come after you. They¡¯ll sink your ship. You have no choice but to come to the palace, and¨C¡±


    ¡°No. I have a choice. And that is to leave no witnesses and find a different way home. Though I appreciate the input and information.¡±


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    Tam lifted his blade.


    ¡°You cannot possibly be an A-Ashowan! The family represents goodness and-¡±


    ¡°Goodness has a cost, and I happen to be the outlier who pays it.¡± With a short jab, Tam ended Garam¡¯s life, and Jeong held him until the last wisps of strength left his being, then released Garam to fall to the ground in a heap.


    Tam turned to look at Eli.


    She flinched.


    He recoiled at her fearful response, his grip on his blade tightening before he busied himself wiping them clean and sheathing them.


    Jeong stared for a long while at Tam, then he looked at Eli, his thoughts indiscernible. Tam could tell he was trying to process everything he had just learned about them.


    Tam could disappear and reappear¡­ and he had no qualms about killing very quickly and efficiently.


    Not to mention Eli was a princess.


    ¡°Luca? Close your eyes and crawl out okay?¡± Tam called while crouching down.


    ¡°What are we going to do now, my lord? Garam was right. They can sink our ship if we try to leave from this port. The coven resides on an island nearby. If we take a ship we only have half a day before they come looking for us,¡± Eli implored, a barrier forming behind her eyes and tone as Tam lifted Luca into his arms before gently setting his son back in the carriage and closing the door.


    ¡°I killed these men so that they can¡¯t reveal my identity. That will keep my family, Jeong¡¯s family, and Daxaria safe from any accusations of espionage or treason. It was the only way to stop a war breaking out, but we do need to get back¡­ Right now they will just assume it¡¯s the devil who did this. You will also be kept out of this better than if they learn you are serving my household.¡± Tam thought out loud as Jeong retrieved his coat from the carriage and tied it back on.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t answer the question, what now? They know where to look for Mister Voll. We can¡¯t go back to the house or use that name.¡±


    Tam nodded wearily and reached up to rub the back of his neck.


    ¡°We could go to my brother,¡± Eli said suddenly.


    Tam¡¯s eyes snapped up. ¡°No.¡±


    Eli blinked then stood taller. ¡°Why not? And how did you know about him planning to leave the title to any son I bear?¡±


    ¡°He told me when we had tea today.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Tam watched anger spark in Eli¡¯s face.


    ¡°Your brother¡¯s assistant was obviously using him and I just wanted to warn him about it. I was going to tell you about it after I went to Lord Guk¡¯s, but things got¨C¡±


    ¡°Tam, Eli, we need to leave. It¡¯ll be daylight soon,¡± Jeong interrupted softly.


    Tam sighed then held open the carriage door for Eli.


    She gave him one last steely look, then climbed into the vehicle and sat beside Luca.


    Tam closed the door, and then went to join Jeong on the bench.


    Once the two men were ready, Jeong slapped the reins gently onto the horses¡¯ backs and set them into motion once more, right as heavy rain drops started to drop from the sky as they navigated their way out of the harbor in silence.


    It wasn¡¯t until they had found a suitable, quiet side road that conversation started.


    ¡°Eli¡¯s a princess?¡± Jeong ventured quietly.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Jeong¡¯s eyes lowered thoughtfully, then lifted once more.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    Tam leaned his head back against the carriage and pinched the bridge of his nose as the way Eli flinched under his stare replayed in his mind.


    ¡°I think I know someone whom we can stay with while we reorganize. We¡¯ll go there, and then you¡¯ll go get Bong. We¡¯re going to have to leave from some other port, or find some safe way to send the message.¡±


    Jeong nodded in assent, though he did shoot a look of surprise and uncertainty at Tam when he said who they were going to go to.


    Tam sighed and closed his eyes to try and sort through his thoughts.


    The way he had used his magic when fighting¡­ It had been¡­


    Exhilarating.


    Freeing even


    It had felt so effortless weaving in and out of the void like a needle and thread between places, and directing where he wanted to be.


    He also realized there was a difference from all of the times he wanted to disappear into the void, and the times when he¡¯d be fighting under duress where he¡¯d felt his magic, and he realized his magic had been beckoning him to trust in it¡­ To trust in himself¡­


    ¡°Eli has probably seen worse things than what happened back there,¡± Jeong started to say carefully. ¡°And I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll forgive you eventually for having tea with her brother.¡±


    Tam sighed as he faced this new issue. ¡°She has definitely seen worse, but betraying her trust¡­? She doesn¡¯t take that lightly. And I think while she¡¯s seen more gore, seeing my magic was¨C¡±


    ¡°That was incredible,¡± Jeong shook his head, awe in his voice. ¡°Terrifying¡­ but¡­ As soon as you disappeared I knew we¡¯d be fine. I had this sense that you became¡­ bigger than the situation, and that you controlled it.¡±


    Tam allowed himself a half smile that didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s funny, I¡¯ve been terrified of my magic for years, but I never thought it¡¯d terrify other people the same way.¡±


    Jeong didn¡¯t say anything to this.


    Instead they continued through the quiet streets of Junya, as the cloudy sky above held darkness over them, preventing the light of dawn from reaching them.


    Which was probably a blessing.


    ¡°What happens if the covens discover what you did?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be on trial,¡± Tam answered easily, even though his mind was starting to feel like it was turning to stone and exhaustion was starting to make itself at home in his limbs. ¡°I¡¯ll argue it was in self defense, but honestly until things get sorted with the concubine, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll go over well.¡±


    Jeong winced.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve gotten you involved in a lot more than just touring me around Zinfera and drinking with nobles¡­¡± Tam said sincerely while turning toward the Zinferan he had come to think of so highly.


    Jeong smiled. ¡°My father did warn Bong and I that things get messy when the Ashowans are involved. But he did also say everything will turn out for the better, and that your bloodline has a way of making everything work out.¡±


    Guiltily, Tam winced and looked ahead of himself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say, Jeong, but¡­ I don¡¯t know that I inherited that ability. If I had, I probably wouldn¡¯t be the one in the family who creeps around in the shadows and occasionally kills people.¡±


    Leaning to the side, Jeong bumped his shoulder into Tam. ¡°Time will tell.¡±


    Tam would¡¯ve argued, but he didn¡¯t have the heart to in that moment, and so he simply allowed Jeong¡¯s comforting sentiment to rest between them.


    ¡°I hope Luca didn¡¯t see any of it,¡± Tam lamented next.


    At this Jeong grimaced. ¡°I hope that, too.¡±


    The two men fell into pensive silence as they continued to ride through the streets, though the were becoming increasingly soaked from the rain.


    Tam didn¡¯t mind, though. If anything, it helped him stay grounded and not spiral as his energy was focused on not shivering¡­ Until they pulled up to their destination.


    Jumping down from the driver¡¯s seat, both Jeong and Tam approached the two guards who stood at the doors.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to see Lord Kim,¡± Tam called out. ¡°Please tell him that his scholarly foreign friend is here to see him.¡±


    One of the men bowed, and opened the door to call out to a steward to inform their master as Jeong and Tam stood out in the rain in front of the grand wooden doors with large, brass ring handles that blocked the way into Lord Kim¡¯s home.


    The world started to spin in Tam¡¯s vision, and his right knee trembled.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Jeong asked, noticing that his companion was looking quite pale.


    ¡°Fine¡­ Just tired.¡± Tam grit his teeth as he battled against the lightness in his head.


    Perhaps between spending three days in the void, dragging Lord Kim there, and then fighting using his abilities when he had barely ever used his power before was too much.


    Despite his efforts, a particularly violent spin sent Tam down to his left knee on the hard cobblestones, his left hand catching him in time so that he didn¡¯t bash his nose.


    He could distantly hear people¡¯s voices calling around him as colored spots closed around his vision, but he couldn¡¯t tell who they belonged to as unconsciousness seized him against his will. The draining of his energy happened to be so thorough that as it happened, that Tam couldn¡¯t even think of anything other than how he hoped he was right, and that Lord Kim would be willing to host and protect them for a few more days¡­


    At least until he could formulate a new plan that would keep everyone he cared about as safe as possible.

 Chapter 49: A Plea for Peace

    Petals slowly drifted down from the plum tree. Its boughs swayed back and forth in the air toward the square of grass surrounding it.


    A fountain burbled on the opposite side of the courtyard, with a bamboo lever occasionally thunking against the stones artfully placed around it.


    Eli sat staring at the tree, her heart thrumming against her chest while she did her best to remain as calm as possible.


    It was the morning of the second day since they¡¯d arrived on the doorstep of Lord Kim.


    Tam was still unconscious, and Luca was beside himself with worry¨C though it was a blessing that Jeong and Bong were with them and able to take turns distracting the boy.


    Especially because¡­


    Lord Kim was on a devout mission of convincing Eli to become the next empress of Zinfera.


    She had firmly refuted him over and over again¡­ And yet he persisted.


    And she couldn¡¯t flee.


    Not until Tam awoke.


    Her hands curled into fits against the pretty ivory skirt she wore that was more than a decade out of style, but was far more conservative than the tight skirts that had become the trend more recently. Of course this reflected Lord Kim¡¯s nature¡­ Being a follower of Acker, they tended toward more conservative outlooks.


    Though the one particular detail of their religion that served Tam, and Eli well¡­?


    Acker followers believed witches to be closer to the Goddess and Green Man and deserved the utmost reverence and respect.


    Depending on the degree of devoutness, some even believed it acceptable for witches to take same sexed partners as they were believed to be capable of balancing any terrible imbalances in such a preference.


    The soft tap of porcelain being placed on the boards of the raised walkway around Lord Kim¡¯s house made Eli turn her head, effectively pulling her from her spiraling thoughts.


    ¡°I heard you are quite fond of tea.¡± Lord Kim was in the process of sitting beside Eli, while his manservant was setting up a short table behind them with maids waiting behind him to finish placing it, one was holding a white teapot with a wicker handle, and the other, a three tiered tower stacked with cakes.


    However, Lord Kim had set an already filled cup beside her.


    It had a lovely, soft orange hue, and had steam curling up invitingly¡­.


    Eli raised an eyebrow at it, then allowed her eyes to drift upward to meet Lord Kim¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°A white tea with peach?¡± she asked as the sweetness of the fruit melted into the softness of the white tea in her nose.


    It instantly made her mouth water.


    Lord Kim didn¡¯t mask his surprise before letting out a chuckle. ¡°Lord Tam was not jesting that you are an avid tea drinker.¡±


    Her gut twisted, but Eli masked her emotional reaction by plucking up the cup and lifting it to her lips to sip.


    It was smooth, and its sweetness wasn¡¯t overpowering, but rather light, and pleasant. It was perfectly balanced with the softness as she suspected it would as it glided warmly over her tongue.


    ¡°I know he cares for you, very much,¡± Lord Kim continued.


    Eli¡¯s posture straightened and her eyes slid to the nobleman in silent warning.


    Lord Kim held up a hand as though conceding to stop commenting.


    ¡°I know I have argued my case for you to inherit the throne a good deal the past two days, but I realize I have failed as a scholar by not approaching the matter from the very obvious point¡­ Why do you not wish to take the throne?¡±


    The tea suddenly tasted bitter, and so Eli set the cup down¨C albeit a little harder than she meant to as the servants behind them worked.


    ¡°The expectation that I would aim to succeed the throne was foisted on me as a child, and my fate since then has always been at the mercy of others. Out of curiosity, If I were still the eldest daughter of the Nam family, would you still have such expectations of me?¡± she questioned while struggling to keep her voice even.


    Lord Kim¡¯s face stiffened.


    ¡°Our emperor¡¯s mother thought you were deserving of far more than what your former family could provide you.¡±


    Eli bit back a horrible laugh.


    But her silence and the twitch of her lips told Lord Kim just how she felt about that thought.


    ¡°Then, Your Highness, what is it you do want?¡±


    ¡°I have already said it, if I say it again, will you listen?¡±


    Lord Kim frowned. ¡°You are unmarried. You will not share a bed with Lord Tam, and I ask about your greater ambitions.¡±


    Eli gave a huff of a breath then leveled the Zinferan nobleman with a hard stare. ¡°As a self appointed scholar you should review your philosophy. Look beneath my answer.¡±


    Yet again, Lord Kim was stunned.


    He continued staring at Eli; however, his thoughts gradually climbing to her point.


    ¡°You¡­ Wish to be the next duchess of the Ashowan duchy.¡±


    Forcing herself to acknowledge that Lord Kim was finally trying to understand her point of view, Eli indulged him.


    ¡°In your time coming to know Lord Tam, what is he like?¡±


    ¡°He was pretending to be someone else most of the time he was in my company,¡± Lord Kim pointed out flatly.


    Eli shook her head, while a genuine smile started to sprout at the thought of Tam. ¡°He was more himself as Mr. Voll than he ever was as a nobleman. So who was he?¡±


    Lord Kim gave the question another moment of thought before a fond smile of his own lifted a corner of his mouth and he looked out at the flowering plum tree.


    ¡°A man who loved the study of the stars, adored his wife and son, and was excited to talk about ideas¡­ He found adventure by exploring the mind and its possibilities.¡±


    ¡°And at home? When he didn¡¯t have to do work for his family, he stayed up with Luca and I telling us stories of the stars, and in the morning we had long breakfasts with Jeong and Lord Bong, talking, jesting¡­ During the day, I reviewed expenses, studied, and managed paperwork with my choice of tea. I went on walks, became overly invested in Luca¡¯s education¡­¡± Tears started to tingle in Eli¡¯s eyes as she thought about their time in Junya. ¡°I finally felt¡­ Happy.¡±


    The confession made her throat close, and her heart ache.


    ¡°You want a peaceful life with Lord Tam¡­ You wish¡­ For simplicity,¡± Lord Kim concluded gently.


    Eli lowered her chin and nodded, tears falling from her eyes. She flicked her thumbnail against the other one and clenched her teeth together to stop her jaw trembling.


    ¡°All my life I have been directed and forced into roles others wanted me in. I¡¯ve let it happen¡­ And even Chin warned me that those without ambitions of their own will be swallowed by others that hunger for more.¡± Pausing at the vivid memory of the day Chin has said this to her, Eli licked her lips and forced herself to continue.


    ¡°Perhaps in another life, I would have been passionate or¡­ Whole enough, to want to change the world. But I¡¯m tired, and the world has taken enough from me already. Can¡¯t I just¡­ Be happy? Can¡¯t I make Tam and Luca¡¯s life better and make my own decisions? Can¡¯t I have peace? If this is what I want, is it enough to stop being eaten by others?¡±


    She dragged her eyes back to Lord Kim, and she saw the pained compassion and understanding in his eyes. ¡°Or do I not deserve to have what I want?¡±


    Lord Kim looked back at the plum tree in the courtyard, and allowed silence to drift effortlessly between them.


    Eli was rather glad for it as well as it gave her a chance to blink back tears and get ahold of herself once more.


    Tam¡­ I need you to wake up.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    *


    It was midday, and Eli stood with her hands braced on the table in front of her that had a map of Zinfera unfurled and weighted down at the corners.


    She stared at Bong and Jeong who gazed back seriously.


    ¡°Imperial soldiers and witches are patrolling the streets, and all exits leaving Junya are blocked. Even the ships are stuck at the docks. We should have left the first day¡­¡± Bong lamented with a shake of his head, his eyes trained on the map.


    ¡°The first witch could even come herself given that everyone thinks the dead men on the docks were killed by the devil,¡± Jeong worried openly.


    Eli nodded as she listened, but her eyes remained fixed on the map. Her mind whirring through possibilities.


    ¡°You two could leave easily enough,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Only Tam, Luca, and I are the problem¨C how are things with Lord Guk going?¡±


    ¡°Lord Kim says his reputation is sinking faster than a gem cargo ship filled with holes. Apparently he keeps blurting out random truths, then complaining about how his skin itches. Whatever did our dear Tam do to him I wonder,¡± Bong chuckled thoughtfully to himself.


    ¡°He used a form of itching powder in his clothes, and sheets. He then replaced some of the soaps in the lord¡¯s quarters so it¡¯d have the same component, only more potent. As for the blurting of true thoughts, he infused a drug derived of the silo mushrooms into the lord¡¯s hair oil. As a result, Lord Guk is hallucinating regularly.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the maids also be affected as they are applying it to his hair?¡± Jeong wondered worriedly.


    Eli shook her head. ¡°They apply it with a comb.¡±


    Both the Ryu brothers gave a breathy, impressed laugh.


    ¡°You could have disguises and try to leave that way,¡± Bong suggested.


    Eli shook her head, and lifted her face up.


    ¡°No. All we need to do is wait until Tam wakes up. We can escape with Lord Kim¡¯s help, but we need Tam to be able to disappear and reappear again for it to work.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t trust Lord Kim,¡± Jeong mumbled.


    ¡°Beggars can¡¯t be picky,¡± Eli reminded him grimly.


    The two men sighed and nodded, then Bong spoke. ¡°I agree that your plan to get the three of you out of Junya could work, but where would you go from there?¡±


    Eli¡¯s eyes narrowed and her finger tapped the table. ¡°We travel south of Gondol, go around it, and then try to find a fishing boat or low ranking merchant that¡¯ll take us to Daxaria once we round up to the far west side of the kingdom.¡±


    Both Jeong and Bong tensed. ¡°You want to go near Gondol?¡±


    ¡°I do not want to. But it will be a very confusing path to track. Because any of the people chasing us will either think I¡¯m avoiding Gondol, or heading straight for it. But going around the long way? It makes so little sense they won¡¯t bother with it. And it will take so long, that you two will be able to go contact your father, and ideally get the message out about what is happening to Lord Finlay Ashowan. Then even if we can¡¯t get a fishing boat, at the very least we know help is on the way.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a tricky plan¡­ And the longer you¡¯re traveling, the more likely it is that you¡¯ll be captured,¡± Bong pointed out seriously.


    Pushing off from the table Eli folded her arms and glanced out the window of the second story they were on, only to be met with the sight of fresh green leaves that brightened up the otherwise unremarkable room they were standing in filled with maps and books on shelves that lined the beige walls.


    ¡°It will be the less traversed road, so there will be fewer patrols. We will just have to be careful to not alert anyone of our presence.¡±


    Jeong and Bong glanced at each other uncertainly. ¡°That¡¯ll be difficult. Tam is a tall man, and being of Troivackian descent he definitely sticks out.¡±


    Sighing, Eli silently agreed. ¡°True. In that case, we most likely will have to travel off road, and I¡¯ll have to go into the towns on my own for supplies.¡±


    The two Zinferan¡¯s frowned. ¡°That¡¯s too dangerous. I¡¯ll come with you,¡± Jeong proposed firmly.


    Eli gave a half smile. ¡°While appreciated, wouldn¡¯t that leave Bong too exposed?¡±


    Bong shook his head and lifted his somber gaze to hers. ¡°If anything it¡¯ll be better. No one would think of me traveling on my own.¡±


    Thinking about this briefly, Eli eventually bobbed her head in assent. ¡°Very well.¡±


    While she didn¡¯t want to show it, Eli was secretly glad to have Jeong join them. If Tam were to disappear, she¡¯d be worried about guarding Luca sufficiently on her own.


    ¡°Alright. So all we need to do is have Lord Guk experience his big bout of madness at the festival, and we can utilize the imperial soldiers¡¯ presence. The more witnesses, the more word will spread. With Lord Guk out of the way, the figurehead for naming Junya a capital removed, ideally Soo Hebin will be stopped from expanding her power anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°Lord Yangban¡¯s presence is a problem,¡± Bong reminded. ¡°He could most likely pick up where Lord Guk leaves off. Which is probably why he is here in the first place. To make sure the remaining lords agree to the change in capital no matter what.¡±


    Hearing the nobleman¡¯s name had the familiar effect of making Eli¡¯s gut roil.


    ¡°It¡¯s too bad we can¡¯t kill him,¡± she commented darkly.


    Both Jeong and Bong looked up startled, but after a moment of processing shrugged and nodded in agreement.


    The man was a key figure in pushing human trafficking in Zinfera, and because of that, had amassed power and used it to support his equally rotten family member, Soo Hebin¡­


    ¡°If Tam were here, there might be a chance we could make that happen. The way he dealt with those men the other night? It was¡­¡± Jeong trailed off, his eyes losing focus as the memories of the recent attack playing in his mind.


    ¡°It was like he was death itself. Snuffing them out,¡± Eli said aloud, her expression cool.


    Both the Ryu brothers looked at her, at each other, then back to her.


    ¡°Are you alright with what happened the other night¡­?¡±


    Eli¡¯s hand tightened around her sleeve, then released. ¡°I don¡¯t enjoy violence, but I was more so just¡­¡± she trailed off.


    What had she felt when Tam kept disappearing and reappearing, dropping lifeless bodies on the ground as he moved? She had been frightened at first. She wouldn¡¯t pretend otherwise, but then she had then felt¡­


    Electrified.


    As though rushing excitement and giddiness had filled her.


    Why was that?


    Was it just the awe of seeing such power?


    Was it shock?


    Or was it simply gladness that Tam had at last seemed to master the void¡­


    Eli gave her upper left arm an idle rub as though chilled.


    ¡°I think what we all are feeling is¡­ hopeful.¡±


    Her eyes snapped up to Jeong who had a subtle smile quirking his bow shaped mouth. ¡°I think we all have heard countless stories about the abilities of the Ashowan family, and how they are capable of turning the tides however they choose. And yet Tam always seemed to fall through the cracks. The rumors always said he was strange and troubled, but¡­ It feels like we are starting to see the start of great power in him, and it¡¯s hard not to feel like we may have a chance. A chance to fix Zinfera.¡±


    Jeong¡¯s words left both Bong and Eli in stunned silence.


    But once she had overcome the heavy insight into what they were all feeling, she added.


    ¡°Fix Zinfera, then Luca, him, and I are getting out of here, and then¡­ Forgive me, but the only problems I want to deal with from then on, is how to stop Luca getting influenced by the three hellion Daxarian princes.¡±


    Jeong and Bong couldn¡¯t help but grin at this. ¡°What? You don¡¯t want farm animals finding a way into Tam¡¯s home?¡±


    ¡°Or for Luca to experiment with setting people on fire?¡±


    ¡°Or try putting sea slugs in someone¡¯s bed?¡±


    ¡°No. No I would not like any of that,¡± Eli snapped. ¡°You haven¡¯t told him those stories, have you?¡±


    The two brothers were suddenly unable to look her in the eye.


    ¡°I think I¡¯d like some lunch now, hm?¡± Bong nodded hastily to his brother, then moved quickly over to the door with Jeong scampering behind him. Eli¡¯s glare bore into their backs.


    With a final grumble she cast one last glance at the map.


    I can do this. I can get out of Zinfera after getting rid of Soo Hebin, and then¡­ And then I¡¯m going to get what I want. No matter what.

 Chapter 50: The Elegance of Ether

    To Tam, it had felt like an hour at most. The spots drowning his sights as he tried to weakly battle them back¡­ Then darkness¨C not his void, but the darkness of sleep had claimed him, and the instant he regained the ability to think again, his eyes flew open, and he sat up.


    With his heart already pounding, Tam¡¯s attention whipped around his surroundings, taking it all in.


    He was sleeping in a single sized bed, in a room that was very sparse, with everything around him either wood toned or white.


    Swallowing, Tam reached up and idly dabbed at his forehead, and noted that he had been changed at some point as he wore a light, cream sleep shirt, and loose brown pants to match.


    Raking a hand through his hair, he tried to stand, but became horribly dizzy, and was forced to take slow breaths and wait for the sensation to pass.


    In the room there was a desk beside the single bed he was in and a dresser with an oval mirror perched on top.


    Overall, it looked like a senior servant¡¯s room¡­


    Tam swallowed and eyed the door.


    It had a paper covering, and was the type to slide, so he doubted he was barred from leaving¡­


    Unless there were guards outside.


    Craning his neck, Tam looked over the edge of the bed to see if there was anything he could use for a weapon, or shoes.


    But there was nothing.


    At the very least there was a porcelain bowl and pitcher on the desk that had water so he was able to rub some on his face and even drink a little as he realized how parched his mouth felt.


    After doing this, Tam stared at himself in the mirror and discovered two things that startled him.


    The first was how badly he needed another haircut.


    That is if he wanted to keep having short hair as opposed to long, and the second¡­


    Was the changes he saw in his eyes.


    He didn¡¯t look timid or frightened.


    Back in Daxaria he had struggled to even look his own reflection in the eyes¡­


    But now?


    In a way Tam reminded himself of his father with his newfound calm and direct stare¡­


    But there was another funny thing lurking behind Tam¡¯s vision that was somewhat like Finlay Ashowan¡¯s own ethereal light behind his eyes, only Tam felt as though the flicker that moved behind his own was darker. His brown eyes were not quite as deep in color as the shadow that waved through his vision¡­


    Dropping his gaze, Tam seized the towel that was beside the basin and dried himself off. There were more important things to worry about.


    He ran his hands through his hair again, making it slick itself back. Then he set his sights on the door to the room.


    If someone were outside, he would¡¯ve heard them move or react to the noises he was making.


    And so Tam pressed forward cautiously, and slid the door back two inches, then another three, and after a glance outside into the hall, he realized no one stood there.


    And so he exited and after looking both ways down the hall, opted to go left.


    Padding carefully down the narrow space, Tam did his best to push his mind back into a sharpened state.


    The last thing he remembered was reaching Lord Kim¡¯s house.


    He had fought off the men sent on behalf of concubine Soo Hebin back at the harbor, and discovered that the Giong Coven was loyal to the first witch¡­


    Voices wafted gently down the hall to him, stopping Tam in his tracks.


    He listened, but couldn¡¯t make out any particular words, and so he eased himself closer to the wall and continued down until he found some stairs that most likely belonged to the servants.


    When he could see the sand toned stones he paused, and leaned forward enough to recognize a kitchen¡­


    And there, standing with a pout on his face, but wearing fine black pants, a silk shirt and black vest, was Luca.


    ¡°--Why not?!¡± Luca shouted up at a maid who was standing with her arms crossed looking down at him.


    ¡°Because he must rest.¡±


    ¡°I napped with him before!¡± Luca argued.


    Tam¡¯s tensed face instantly started to ease into a smile.


    From his position on the stairs he could see a cooking table and the edge of a stone oven that had tables lined with fresh vegetables and sacks of rice organized, and just behind Luca was a door that led outside¡­


    A thrilling magical instinct filled Tam.


    And he didn¡¯t cringe away from it or lower his eyes to make it stop.


    He smiled, let out a breath of a laugh and¡­ fell back into his void.


    But only for a moment.


    He brushed across the stones of the kitchen, touched the table, smelled the remains of an omelet in the air¡­


    And reappeared behind Lua, making the maid scream, and just before Luca could do the same, Tam plucked him up and tossed him in the air, catching him so that his son could see him.


    The boy¡¯s dark eyes were wide, but Tam grinned, and the next thing he knew, his son¡¯s arms were thrown around his neck.


    ¡°I kept my eyes closed the whole time! Just like you told me to!¡±


    Tam blinked, confused, and then remembered the orders he had given Luca right before dispatching their assailants at the docks and felt relief flood through his being knowing that his son hadn¡¯t witnessed him killing people.


    ¡°That was absolutely the right thing to do, Luca. Thank you for listening.¡±


    Tam hugged his son back, and relished in the way his heart warmed, when a throat clearing pulled his attention upward.


    He had already sensed his presence, but Tam at last locked eyes with Lord Kim who was seated at the kitchen table with a fan of parchment on its surface while an older woman with a large mole above her lip and gray streaked hair continued to stare in shock at Tam.


    The Zinferan nobleman didn¡¯t rise from his seat, and there was a peculiar glint in his eyes as he looked over the future duke¡­


    Slowly putting Luca back on the ground, Tam righted himself and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Eli?¡±


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.Lord Kim¡¯s eyebrows raised and he tilted his head. ¡°Most likely in her room. Your other friends are busy getting ready.¡±


    Tam frowned.


    ¡°They¡¯re going to the festival tonight before they leave,¡± Lord Kim clarified.


    Faltering, Tam struggled to process that he had been unconscious for days, and not simply a few hours.


    ¡°Leave us,¡± Lord Kim ordered over his shoulder quietly.


    The older woman and the maid Tam had frightened, inched out of the room out another doorway that led to the outdoors that was across from where Tam stood, and revealed a lush expanse of colorful flowers.


    Luca slipped his hand into Tam¡¯s, and pressed himself into his father¡¯s side.


    Lord Kim smiled gently at the child. ¡°I¡¯ll only be a moment, perhaps you should go tell Her Highness that your father is awake, hm?¡±


    Tam could feel Luca stiffen at his side. ¡°I already told you! She¡¯s not Her Highness, she¡¯s Eli! Or mom! Tell him, dad¡±


    Lord Kim¡¯s soft gaze turned to Tam and hardened instantly.


    ¡°Luca, go let Eli know I¡¯m awake, alright?¡± He looked down at his son, who at first looked like he was going to argue, but nodded and turned to the other doorway to step outside, leaving Tam alone with Lord Kim.


    The Zinferan gestured toward a stool across from himself, and Tam made his way over to it, plunking himself down while also eyeing the kitchen¡¯s details¨C he knew his father would ask about it one day.


    Folding his arms, Tam leaned back, he had a hunch on what was going to be said, but decided to not be an ungrateful boor and stated the conversation with,


    ¡°Thank you, for taking us in. I¡¯m guessing Jeong filled you in on everything?¡±


    Lord Kim arched an eyebrow and bowed his head in acceptance of the sentiment.


    ¡°If there is any way I can repay you, I¡¯d be more than happy to arrange something once I return to Daxaria, and¨C¡±


    ¡°Her Highness and I have already come to an agreement.¡±


    Tam¡¯s shoulders straightened. ¡°What agreement?¡±


    Lord Kim shook his head. ¡°You will have to ask her and see if she wants to share that with you. I have two other things to say to you, however, Lord Tam. The first being, do not confuse your child and have him address Her Highness in such a manner. Not unless you are married should he be given such thoughts as to call Her Highness ¡®mom¡¯. I say this not to be prudent, but because I worry for both his and Her Highness¡¯s hearts. It is a complicated, beautiful love between a child and their mother, and to start in a hurry or on uncertain footing can be harmful.¡±


    While Tam would¡¯ve been more dismissive if this advice was given with any note of condescension, the sincerity in Lord Kim¡¯s eyes stopped him. The man genuinely was suggesting what he thought would be best with pure intentions.


    ¡°The second thing I have to say¡­ Is I know what your magic is.¡±


    Tam reared back. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ether.¡± Lord Kim turned excitedly to the papers on the table in front of him and pointed at them. ¡°I¡¯ve been reading and thinking about your void, and how you described being around everything, and yet nothing¡­ And now, when I just witnessed you appearing, I feel as though I¡¯ve confirmed my theory.¡±


    Tam tried to think of how best to express his confusion, but couldn¡¯t and so he waited for the Zinferan to continue.


    ¡°When you disappear, you essentially are a part of everything around you. It is why you could sense things in your surroundings that were there when you disappeared. You travel through these things, disperse through them, and then reassemble yourself. Only, when you go into that ¡®nothing space¡¯, or your void as you say, you are in a state between life and time itself.¡±


    There was a hum that was starting to build in Tam¡¯s body, and some deeper part of himself recognized that Lord Kim was absolutely correct. He didn¡¯t know quite how, and it was more than a little bit of a frightening notion¡­ But it sounded right.


    An ether witch.


    That¡¯s what he was¡­ And hadn¡¯t the Coven of Wittica identified the strongest element in his being as air despite being a mutated witch back when they first examined him as a child? Wouldn¡¯t it make sense as air travels?


    ¡°How did you figure this all out?¡± Tam asked, not bothering to disguise the awe in his voice.


    ¡°Well¡­ You had said something interesting when you took me with you¡­ Something about it being a nothing place, and as you should know, the Goddess believes in balance. And so I started to ponder the balance of having such a power, and it taking you to such a place.¡± A small smile started to creep up Lord Kim¡¯s face. ¡°I struggled with it until it dawned on me quite simply. All or nothing. You are all, and you are nothing.¡±


    Tam wasn¡¯t too proud to admit he could barely wrap his head around the reasoning, and yet, he couldn¡¯t argue with the fact that it resonated as truth to him.


    ¡°There is a great amount of chaos happening in Junya since you fell unconscious,¡± Lord Kim¡¯s tone shifted at mention of this, and he leaned in closer. ¡°There are rumors of the devil here, and concubine Soo Hebin has of course jumped in to send imperial soldiers to scour the streets to find the being who killed not only her own men, but a member of the Coven of Giong.¡±


    Closing his eyes, Tam let out a quiet groan.


    If he hadn¡¯t been asleep for so long they could¡¯ve possibly escaped the city before it had gotten swarmed¡­


    ¡°Her Highness has a plan to get you all out, and find a way to return to Daxaria,¡± Lord Kim eased back in his seat with a smile.


    Tam gave a weary look in response. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy, will it?¡±


    ¡°No. But, Her Highness is intelligent and the Ryu brothers are capable despite their reputations.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Again.¡± Tam lowered his head respectfully while also making note that Jeong and Bong had revealed their true identities to Lord Kim as well.


    Lord Kim gave a short, wry laugh. ¡°I¡¯m not doing this for nothing, Lord Tamlin Ashowan. I wouldn¡¯t risk my life and the lives of my household just out of the goodness of my heart. I¡¯m doing this to better my own situation and Zinfera. Now, I imagine Her Highness is just about here now,¡± the Zinferan nobleman pushed himself to standing, as his gaze drifted over to the sunlit doorway behind Tam where the faint sound of feet galloping down the boards could be heard drawing closer.


    Eagerly, Tam turned, intending to jog to meet Eli halfway, when Lord Kim added,


    ¡°You better marry her soon, Lord Tamlin. Otherwise I¡¯ll find it difficult to support you.¡±


    Tam cast an apologetic glance over his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can, but I did promise my da I wasn¡¯t getting married without my family being there. My sister kind of ruined it for me.¡±


    The nobleman opened his mouth as though to argue the point more, but Tam was already moving toward the door, and right as he rounded the corner, he was hit by the rebellious princess he was in love with, who, upon realizing it was him she had crashed into, threw her arms around him, startling Tam soundly for a lone breath before he returned the embrace.


    Everything would be alright.


    They¡¯d find they¡¯re way home, and whatever Eli had promised in exchange for Lord Kim¡¯s help? Tam would make sure she could get out of it, or that he could share the burden as best he could.


    At the sound of light panting he looked back up to see Luca.


    Sensing this, Eli turned as well, and then, having the exact same thought at the exact same time, both she and Tam opened their arms to him, and he bolted into them to join the hug,


    Regardless of how bad things were, Tam had Eli¡­ and his son.


    He had everything.


    And so everything was going to turn out just fine one way or another.

 Chapter 51: An Improvised Imparting

    Tam stood with his back pressed against the stone wall as the festival party goers drifted by on the other side from his position.  It was hard keeping to the shadows when the street was so brightly lit with paper lanterns that had been strung up between the houses. Though aside from this complication, the added benefit of the crowds at the very least would help him disappear, or for any sounds he¡¯d make to be swallowed up by the music that played over everyone¡¯s heads and frothing chatter that whirled around the festival.


    As Tam listened to said music, he found himself feeling his heart start to hammer a bit harder.


    There was a twang to the instrument that was being plucked and reverberating as a solo, but it was the occasional thud of a drum that made the mood intensify.


    Giving his head a shake, Tam tuned this out to the best of his ability, and resumed creeping down the wall.


    After a quick debrief from Jeong and Bong earlier that day on the plan to make Lord Guk have a public episode where he acted outlandishly, Tam had changed the method they were going to use to try and minimize the risk for Jeong and Bong.


    So instead of having the brothers get anywhere near the poison and risk one of the imperial soldiers discovering them, all they needed to do, was give Lord Guk a particular drink that had only just started to become popular in Daxaria, but its effects would not be well known in Zinfera.


    Espresso.


    A potent beverage made from coffee grounds, only more potent in terms of jolting the human body into a state of wakefulness.


    Tam had been a part of its development, and thanks to Lord Kim owning a tea house, he gained access to tools and coffee grounds that the future duke could use to create it.


    Particularly in this case, where Tam recommended doubling the serving.


    With this, Lord Guk would be jittery and nervous already, and all it would take would be one more little pellet dosed with the drug fired by Tam to launch him into a spectacular scene that would alienate him.


    Though Lord Yangban was a whole other issue¡­ Tam had an idea on how best to deal with him that didn¡¯t resort to murder.


    Despite Eli having casually suggested it to him, Tam confessed he wasn¡¯t much on the idea of assassination. Killing in self defense was one thing, but to make a point of going out to kill someone was another entirely.


    Tam¡¯s mind briefly grazed on these varying thoughts as he moved painstakingly slowly along the wall.


    Technically he was passing through people¡¯s front yards, but the majority of the population were attending the festival, and even if they weren¡¯t, most front yards had tall clay barrels of fermenting pastes and beans that Tam could duck behind and continue to get closer and closer to the seaside where the more wealthy lords were preparing to climb aboard their boats for the fireworks show that would begin when the crescent moon hit the highest peak in the starry night sky.


    The window of time was small, and technically it was the most simple, but the real hurry would be rushing back to Lord Kim¡¯s house while remaining unseen so they could make their escape from Junya.


    A detail Eli had emphasized as she worked with Lord Kim to get everything ready.


    At long last, Tam reached the final house in the particular stretch of road that rested on two roads, and it was there, wedged in the corner behind a walnut tree, beside a tall clay pot, and a broken statue of a frog, Tam crouched waiting for Jeong and Bong¡¯s signal.


    And the cough followed by the low whistle came much sooner than he expected. He had barely arrived in time.


    ¡°Lord Guk! You must try this! It is a new beverage from Daxaria and¨COh.¡±


    Jeong¡¯s hesitation in his voice made Tam¡¯s ears perk up and even start to debate risking a glance over the wall before he was meant to shoot at the nobleman.


    ¡°Have you heard about the dragon? You know, the dragon in Gondol?! Is it the monster attacking ships? Could it be my ships? Do you think¨C¡± The harried, paranoid stream of questions was stopped by another speaker.


    ¡°Lord Guk, do you perhaps think you should cease imbibing for tonight and go to bed,¡± the voice was smooth and authoritative.


    Without even hearing a name, Tam guessed this person was Lord Yangban¡­


    And the hairs on the back of Tam¡¯s neck prickled. Particularly when he reminded himself this was the man who was instrumental in selling Eli off.


    ¡°Ah! Lord Yangban! This beverage my brother is offering for you to try is not alcoholic, in fact some people find it aids in speeding up the processing of alcohol.¡±


    There was Bong, helping things along, and even taking on a more formal tone with the Zinferan nobleman.


    Tam couldn¡¯t resist, he lifted himself slightly, and glimpsed the back of a man¡¯s head with a patchy, receding hairline, and what did remain on his head was black and sheared short, he also wore a long indigo coat, with black pants that Tam could only make out thanks to the lantern lights.


    Lord Yangban stood under a raised canopy beside Lord Guk, who wore his customary light green coat,while facing Jeong and Bong.


    Though during that quick glimpse Tam understood what had startled Jeong.


    Lord Guk¡¯s hair looked greasy, and the long sides stuck straight out as though he had been pulling on his hair, and his coat was untied, revealing a rumpled shirt underneath, and the man¡¯s eyes were wide and shifty, there was a patch of red, scratched skin on his neck that had been clawed at until it drew blood¡­


    Tam instantly started to suspect that perhaps the lord had begun partaking in drugs that had nothing to do with his intervention, but most definitely had not helped.


    ¡°Would you mind if I had a sip of this drink you are offering?¡± Lord Yangban¡¯s careful question made Tam duck down again.


    ¡°Of course not, my lord!¡± Jeong retorted cheerily.


    Tam waited with baited breath to see what would be said. ¡°Mm. It is quite bitter and sharp on the tongue, but I agree, it does seem as though it might help Lord Guk feel¡­ more like himself again.¡±


    Tam inwardly celebrated and waited as rustling sounds and porcelain changing hands could be heard.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it! It tastes like acid mud! It¡­ It¡­ Oh, I¡¯ve finished it. At least it is over quickly. Do you think the dragon will be summoned by the fireworks?¡±


    Tam heard Lord Yangban sigh.


    ¡°You know, I recently heard that the devil is here in Junya!¡± Bong interrupted quickly. ¡°Which is why Her Highness has increased the imperial soldiers¡¯ presence here. What do you make of this?¡±


    Lord Yangban took his time answering, but Tam was happy to find after another quick cursory peek, that his attention was fully affixed to Jeong and Bong.


    ¡°There is some speculation about that, but of course the concern lies mostly in catching whoever is responsible for killing Her Highness¡¯s men and a member of the Coven of Giong. I¡¯m sure they will be apprehended soon, so pay it no mind. We have more important matters regarding rumors that the disgraced princess Elisara Taejo has been seen once more.¡±


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.Unbidden rage overcame Tam so instantaneously that it was suddenly incredibly difficult not to vault over the wall and beat Lord Yangban to a pulp.


    ¡°Disgraced? I thought she was simply missing?¡± Bong speculated loudly, his tone light.


    Tam was willing to bet money that Jeong was feeling relatively violent himself.


    ¡°Why, yes. She ran off with a servant boy to get married, but now it seems like she wants to stake a claim on the throne now that she has had her fun.¡±


    ¡°What a strange rumor. I¡¯ve heard nothing like it¡­ In fact, I thought I¡¯d heard that she was somewhere in Troivack.¡± Jeong¡¯s voice was tense, and as much as Tam appreciated him for trying to find a way to defend Eli, he also knew saying such a thing was making them seem suspicious.


    ¡°Oh? Where did you learn of such a thing?¡± Lord Yangban may have sounded mild, but there was a frostiness in his voice that even Tam could identify without seeing his face.


    ¡°Not sure to be honest. Where is it you happened to hear that Princess Elisara ran off with a servant boy? It would certainly seem less likely given the kidnappings that have taken place around-¡±


    ¡°Forgive my brother, Lord Yangban, he gets too nosy for his own good,¡± Bong cut off Jeong swiftly.


    Meanwhile Tam had a new plan in mind as he pulled free the slingshot and counted the number of pellets in the slender glass vial that he had withdrawn from his pocket.


    Standing up slowly, Tam took aim¡­


    And fired at Lord Yangban.


    ¡°It is fine, however, I do recommend that your brother mind himself. As Her Highness¡¯s cousin, I happen to know a little bit more accurately what goes on behind palace walls. Unlike, whatever sailor or drunkard your brother may cross paths with.¡±


    Despite knowing Tam had hit Lord Yangban, the man gave no sign of it.


    Tam felt a tight grin lift his mouth.


    Well, that was for the better. He stood one more time, and with a quick creak of wood by his ear, hit Lord Guk, though he momentarily noticed Bong¡¯s eyes flit to his and his eyebrows twitch in question, but the look was so brief, Tam didn¡¯t even bother trying to linger.


    ¡°BUGS! BUGS AGAIN! WILL THEY NOT STOP?!¡± Lord Guk burst out, slapping a hand to the back of his neck just in time for Tam to hide himself once more, and, without wasting a breath, for him to start shuffling carefully down the wall.


    He knew Bong and Jeong would meet him seven houses down and then he could tell them the change to the plan he had just made.


    Though he didn¡¯t celebrate just yet.


    He knew better.


    His mother had taught him that things can go especially wrong right when you grow confident that everything is over, and so to never stop being in a state of alert.


    And so he waited in the yard of the seventh house, until he heard a particular pattern of coughs, that had him easing up slowly in the shadows of two plum trees, though he didn¡¯t allow himself to stand to his full height.


    Jeong and Bong stood face to face with each other, feigning a discussion between the two of them that would make their responses to Tam appear natural.


    ¡°Why did you shoot Lord Yangban?¡± Bong asked immediately upon Tam¡¯s head clearing the wall.


    ¡°Because remember how I suggested we start more rumors about him to discredit his influence?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we simply tie him to Lord Guk. The madness he is experiencing? Is contagious.¡±


    Bong and Jeong fell silent. ¡°That is brilliant, though, what will we do? One instance of madness is not enough to-¡±


    ¡°We have Lord Kim, who just so happens to run the most influential tea house in Junya. We leave his staff some of the drugs and, well¡­ Soon Lord Yangban¡¯s position could become¡­ uncertain.¡±


    ¡°I must caution you again about putting so much stock in Lord Kim,¡± Bong insisted.


    ¡°He made a deal with Eli. And remember how you said he was adamantly against Soo Hebin¡¯s rise to power¡­? Don¡¯t trust that he will help out of the goodness of his heart. Trust that he is doing it out of self interest.¡±


    ¡°That is a very risky thing to bet on,¡± Bong persisted.


    ¡°Also remember that as a devout follower of the religion of Acker, he will be more inclined to think highly of me as a witch. But all that aside¡­ He already has the power to destroy all of us. He knows almost everything. He knows who I am. He knows who Eli is¡­ We¡¯re already beholden to him. May as well see it through.¡±


    ¡°Handing him drugs to distribute is another matter entirely,¡± Bong pointed out bluntly.


    ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡± Tam countered.


    Bong fell silent.


    ¡°I will give him the chance, and if he wants to say no, he can, but if there is any chance he will agree and will help weaken the human trafficking group, or trying to destroy Eli¡¯s reputation through gossip? I want to take it.¡±


    At this reminder of the lord¡¯s horrific offenses as well as his new obvious plan to discredit Eli to stop her from gaining any kind of power, Bong acquiesced.


    ¡°Alright. We will start the rumors in the crowd tonight, You go back. Though I do believe that this is now our goodbye. I thought we would get to say our final farewells with Luca and Eli, but with us needing to spread the word now that changes things.¡± Bong sighed.


    Tam lowered his chin appreciatively. ¡°I hope we cross paths again. Thank you for everything, Bong. I know we have not seen eye to eye at all times, but you are a wise friend.¡±


    ¡°Tam, I¡¯ll catch up with you and Eli later,¡± Jeong said with a serious nod to Tam.


    He gave a half smile of appreciation.


    ¡°Tam, if I may make a request next time we see each other¡­?¡± Bong asked, his mood seeming to lighten.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Can we have a lot more fun next time? I sincerely think you, Eli, and Luca could all spend some time being less serious.¡±


    Tam grinned more openly. ¡°I think I could be persuaded¨C though you¡¯re on your own when it comes to sledding down desert dunes.¡±


    Bong¡¯s shoulders slumped forward. ¡°That¡¯s a pity. Well¡­ Until next time, and Tam?¡±


    The future duke raised his eyebrows expectantly.


    Bong grinned. ¡°Good luck with your new family. I think you two will be quite happy together.¡±


    Tam¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°I certainly hope so, though I¡¯ll miss your guidance when I inevitably mess things up.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll be there!¡± Jeong reminded happily.


    Tam chuckled. ¡°Well¡­ I best be off. Take care, Bong.¡±


    The Zinferan bowed his head with a subtle smile, then turned to melt back into the festival crowds with Jeong at his side.


    Tam watched them disappear, and despite the seriousness of what was still happening, made sure to take a moment to appreciate how wonderful the Ryu brothers were, and how lucky he was to have them at his back during the most bizarre time in his entire life.

 Chapter 52: A Familiar Friend

    Clutching Luca to his chest, Tam hoped the boy wouldn¡¯t feel how hard his heart pounded as the carriage rocked to and fro on the road.


    He tried to mentally tally where they were by how long they had been riding, but with the stop and start of the vehicle¨C most likely thanks to the festival clogging the streets¨C it was a hopeless task.


    ¡°Dad?¡± Luca whispered.


    ¡°Ssh,¡± Tam murmured.


    His son shifted against him as they traveled.


    In a way, Tam hoped he wouldn¡¯t be able to tell when they were stopped at the gates of the city, because that would mean he wouldn¡¯t have to disappear into his void and his poor child wouldn¡¯t be forced to come along with him.


    Sadly, it was easy for Tam to sense.


    The carriage stopped, and he could feel the latch of the carriage lift as it reverberated down the wood into his shoulder.


    He could hear the murmur of voices.


    One rumbled, one spoke tersely, and one softly.


    The soft voice was most definitely Lord Kim.


    The carriage bounced.


    Someone had gotten off.


    It bounced one more time.


    Judging by the silence, Tam gathered that everyone save for one person remained in the carriage.


    Now it was a waiting game of whether or not the person searching the carriage would check in the seat where Luca and Tam were scrunched up hidden together.


    The instant someone touched the bench, Tam knew to disappear with Luca into his void.


    He waited¡­ And waited.


    And nothing happened.


    Until Luca¡¯s heel accidentally tapped the back of the wall.


    Tam heard a slight shift in the wood of the carriage and the hair on the back of his neck stood up, his instincts screamed, and so he whisked away both Luca and himself into the void without bothering to wait and find out what had been about to happen.


    *


    ¡°Is there a particular reason you are leaving the city during the spring blossom festival, Lord Kim?¡± the imperial soldier asked, his demeanor calm, but his dark eyes appraising.


    Behind the lord with his footman and maid, three guards scoured the carriage for any stowaways.


    Lord Kim inclined himself respectfully to the guard clad in a long loose red shirt who wore a chest plate and matching helmet, a sword at his hip, and a spear in his hand.


    ¡°The noise is unacceptable and the number of drunkards vomiting on our beautiful streets leaves me no choice but to flee for my home in Gondol. Perhaps by the time I arrive there things will have regained some sense of order and propriety!¡± Lord Kim huffed.


    The man¡¯s moralistic reputation served his claims well, and Eli had no doubt that he was actually quite sincere about his thoughts on the festival¡­


    The soldier appeared to have not have heard of Lord Kim¡¯s pure reputation however, as he raised a doubtful eyebrow before sliding his gaze over to his comrades and lifting the torch in his hand higher, further illuminating the north gate of Junya.


    One of the other soldiers circled to the back of the carriage and started pulling off trunks from the back of the vehicle.


    ¡°I beg your pardon? What do you think you are doing?!¡± Lord Kim seethed openly while rounding toward the guard.


    ¡°Inspecting what you are taking from the city,¡± the imperial guard who had been questioning the Zinferan lord answered without a hint of emotion.


    Lord Kim whirled back around, fury bright in his eyes. ¡°On whose authority do you have to search a noble¡¯s things? Her Highness Soo Hebin? If so, then you have grossly overstepped your bounds, as this is not an order from our emperor himself!¡±


    At the very least, this point did make the soldier pause, and even raise a hand to stop the men from opening the trunks.


    ¡°Her Highness¡¯s men were murdered, along with an esteemed member of the Coven of Giong. Her Highness is to be commended for being so proactive in retaining good relations with the coven. Do you not agree?¡±


    ¡°I do not agree with orders issued behind our emperor¡¯s back. It almost sounds like treason.¡± Lord Kim loomed over the guard, who, while wiry, was at least half a foot shorter than the nobleman. He was particularly small for a soldier¡­ But given that he seemed to be in charge, that only meant he was that much more intelligent.


    A soldier within the carriage suddenly held up a hand, drawing every soldier¡¯s attention.


    His gaze was fixed on the seat cushion where Lord Kim had been sitting.


    The nobleman rounded, as did his footman and maid¡­ who happened to be Eli in disguise¡­


    The soldier then lifted his sword, took aim, and plunged it into the seat.


    ¡°Honestly!¡± Lord Kim threw his hands in the air in exasperation. ¡°I am fining you! You will pay for the upholstery of my carriage!¡±


    Everyone ignored him.


    The guard lifted the cushion with the lid to the compartment underneath, his blade at the ready, only everyone could see him relax as he realized he was staring at an empty space.


    He continued to kneel down onto the carriage ground and start knocking on the walls of the compartment while frowning.


    During that time, the commander who had been dealing with Lord Kim strode over to the vehicle purposefully.


    When it was concluded they had found nothing suspicious despite stabbing through the seat with its cushion, the soldier who was investigating the carriage shook his head at his commander.


    Lord Kim waited with his arms crossed and unmasked disapproval.


    The guards all shared glum expressions.


    ¡°Well?¡± Lord Kim insisted irritably.


    ¡°We still have to go through your luggage.¡±


    Lord Kim took a deep breath in, looked to the stars, and then proceeded with his tirade of fury.


    Eli waited behind him.


    She was certain much of his rage was coming from his impassioned upset pertaining to Soo Hebin, but at the same time, it was also doing a marvelous job of aggravating and distracting the guards from wanting to bother taking a closer look at herself or the footman.


    And so she waited, and hoped that Tam would be able to find his way out of the void with Luca again, and that he had indeed mastered his magic enough to appear back in the carriage, and even more importantly¡­ That his magic wouldn¡¯t run out.


    Tam had explained to her that the reason he had fallen unconscious was he had overexerted his power as of late, and so he didn¡¯t have a great deal to muster¡­


    Eli¡¯s pulse raced to the point of making her dizzy, but there was nothing she could do other than keep her hands clasped in front of her plain gray skirts, and stare down as the imperial soldiers tore through Lord Kim¡¯s belongings.


    *


    ¡°Keep your eyes closed, Luca,¡± Tam ordered the moment they appeared in the void¨C though he did release his son from his firm hold against his chest.


    He didn¡¯t want Luca feeling the tremors running through his body that felt akin to the end of a gruesome workout that left his muscles weak.


    Tam knew it was a risk letting go of Luca in that moment as he felt his control slipping and his exhaustion growing.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Luca asked, fear making his voice come out a croak.


    While Luca was able to come up to his knees, his eyes firmly closed, Tam remained laying down as he tried to regain some measure of strength.


    In a way he had hoped that returning to the void would help him restore some power, but unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t the case.


    It would seem his magic needed to recover the good old fashioned way.


    By resting.


    ¡°We are just somewhere safe for a little while, but we will be back in the carriage soon, alright?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s safe, why can¡¯t I open my eyes?¡± Luca¡¯s hands started to fidget, and Tam wished he could force himself to sound calm and comforting, but his vision was starting to spin.


    He didn¡¯t know how much longer he could keep himself awake.


    But if he fell unconscious in the void, would he just reappear somewhere, and Luca would be stuck there?


    Would they both reappear in the world where trouble awaited them?


    His teeth started to chatter as the trembling worsened.


    ¡°You have to keep them closed because it¡¯s a hard place to see. Just¡­ Just¡­ wait,¡± Tam managed.


    ¡°Dad, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Very tired¡­ It¡¯ll be alright, Luca. I promise.¡±


    ¡°I really want to open my eyes, dad.¡±


    ¡°No, Luca. I¡¯m serious. Do not open your eyes.¡±


    Luca fidgeted even more, and even in his weakened state Tam could see his son¡¯s eyes moving under his eyelids.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Summoning some of his remaining strength, Tam managed to roll onto his side and start pushing himself up.


    Why was he so drained? He had been perfectly fine before! Was it like an overextended muscle he had accidentally pulled again before it had time to properly heal¡­?


    ¡°Luca, I¡¯m going to hug you again, and really soon, we are going to return to the carriage,¡± Tam repeated while taking the time to enunciate his words so that he could successfully keep the warble from his voice.


    Luca¡¯s fidgeting turned to outright pant gripping. ¡°Dad, I''m scared.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I understand that it is scary, but everything is going to be okay. Do you trust me?¡±


    A peculiar look overtook Luca¡¯s face then.


    It was not unlike the time aboard the ship coming to Zinfera that Tam had seen it in his cabin after the attack of the pirates, or the time in the street when he¡¯d been talking about his odd dreams¡­ Though at least Luca still didn¡¯t open his eyes.


    ¡°Luca, are you alright?¡±


    There was a moment as though Luca struggled to come back to himself, and Tam gingerly reached forward to rest a hand on his shoulder. Only this had the very bad effect of making Luca¡¯s eyes snap open.


    Seeing this, Tam grabbed him, pulling Luca into his chest, blocking his sight in a panic, but the movement made him completely lose grip on his power. Tam felt both himself and Luca be snapped out of the void. Belatedly, Tam attempted to grasp where they were going to reappear by paying attention to the feelings and smells that flooded by him in a rush.


    Fresh air¡­? The cool touch of stones?


    But it was all over too soon¡­ And then he was on his back.


    Luca was still in his arms as he lay in the grass, his boots stretched over the edge of the road.


    Tam opened his eyes and saw the wide expanse of starry skies but also noted the glow of torchlight a short ways to the left.


    He could hear voices, and he fought against unconsciousness to sit up, and turn his head toward the sounds.


    There was the gate of Junya.


    There were the imperial soldiers.


    Tam¡¯s heart slammed against his chest, which unfortunately did nothing to help his waning energy.


    At least they were far enough away that there was a chance that the guards couldn¡¯t see them in the darkness!


    But¡­ Where was the carriage?


    Tam¡¯s stomach roiled, and he did his best, regardless of the cold sweat sprouting along his brow, to ease his feet off the road while laying low in the grass.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t we in the carriage?¡± Luca at the very least had the good sense to speak softly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do something right. Just a moment¡­ I¡¯m trying to spot the carriage, but we need to be very, very quiet.


    Luca, being the smart lad that he was, nodded for his response, then managed to move onto his belly then in the grass, he slowly moved away.


    Meanwhile, Tam¡¯s mind raced.


    Had Eli and Lord Kim left already? Or had they been apprehended?


    Taking long, steadying breaths, Tam mimicked his son¡¯s movements and continued to crawl on his stomach into the grasses. There was the start of a forest just over a nearby slope, and so Tam directed their efforts there.


    Though he was hoping he could rest for a little while once they¡¯d slid over the ledge before continuing to move deeper into the darkness away from Junya¡­


    And so he did.


    Thankfully, it seems the soldiers stationed at the gate were too busy keeping an eye on things in the city to give any special thought to what was happening farther away from the gate, and as the lights from Junya faded in the distance behind them as they carefully climbed down the hill through the trees and reached the bottom, Tam felt comfortable enough to rest.


    ¡°Wake me if I¡¯m not already up by dawn, alright?¡± Tam ordered softly while still holding onto his son to keep the poor child warm in the chill of the night.


    ¡°Okay¡­ What are we going to do if mom and Lord Kim are gone ahead of us though? How did we get out of the carriage? Where did we go? Was it magic?¡± Luca¡¯s questions grew brighter in tone with excitement, but Tam had to gently stroke his head in response.


    ¡°Sorry, but¡­ I will have to answer¡­ your questions¡­ In the morning¡­ Alright?¡±


    Luca obediently fell silent, and Tam started to relax enough that he felt his body start to turn unbearably heavy, even though he wished he could¡¯ve continued walking well into the night until they caught up with the carriage¡­


    ¡°Dad?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°I know things are kind of scary right now¡­ But I know you¡¯re going to make everything okay.¡±


    Tam smiled sleepily and resumed gently rubbing Luca¡¯s head.


    ¡°Wake me before dawn if you can, alright?¡±


    Tam felt Luca nod under his palm, and so he broadened his tightlipped smile, though he was already half asleep


    Everything else had been going according to plan aside from Tam¡¯s inability to wield his magic properly during their escape, and being the perfectionist he was with his work, that should have troubled him a lot more, but at the very least, Luca was safe.


    I¡¯ll find Eli and Lord Kim tomorrow, and we¡¯ll continue traveling until the next town to meet up with Jeong¡­ Today is just a slight hiccup. It isn¡¯t that bad. I can still fix this. Eli¡­ Wherever you are¡­ Please¡­ if you can¡­ Come find us.


    And so Tam at last succumbed to sleep, his body twitching and his forehead perspiring, but he hoped that a simple good night¡¯s rest would be all he needed to rally again for the next day. They still weren¡¯t out of danger yet¡­ but with any luck, Eli and Lord Kim had escaped without a problem.


    *


    Tam awoke with a jolt the next day, and found that despite his fervent wishes that things would start on a smoother note, learned that he may as well have hoped for the rumored dragon of Zinfera to walk up and introduce itself.


    As upon feeling Luca¡¯s hands tug at his arm, jolting him awake, Tam discovered himself surrounded by guards with lowered spears and another bunch with four torches raised above their heads.


    Tam bit back a curse word as Luca was shrinking to the size of a ball at his side.


    Sitting up and clearing his throat, Tam plastered an easy going smile on his face.


    ¡°Good morning!¡± he greeted brightly while also wrapping an arm around Luca. ¡°How are you fine¡­ armed¡­ gentlemen doing today?¡±


    ¡°Sir you will be coming with us to Junya for questioning,¡± one of the soldier¡¯s informed Tam calmly.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Tam didn¡¯t bother reaching for his knives. He could tell a single wrong move and everything would go horribly wrong.


    ¡°There have been several murders in Junya and we are going to investigate anyone suspicious who¨C¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ve never been to Junya. I was with a traveling troupe until¨C¡±


    ¡°On your feet,¡± the soldier ordered again.


    Tam held his hands up in the air to show he was unarmed. ¡°I will be glad to, but my boy here is a bit afraid, mind lowering your weapons?¡± He tried relaxing his formal pronunciation to make himself seem less threatening and peculiar.


    The group stared at him and didn¡¯t budge.


    Tam felt stress grip his chest as his mind raced.


    He couldn¡¯t risk using his magic. He might pass out and instantly condemn himself. And without anyone to look out for Luca it was out of the question.


    Slowly rising to his feet with his hands in the air, Luca slipped behind him, burying his head into Tam¡¯s lower back.


    ¡°Now, sirs, there really isn¡¯t a need for¨C¡±


    A flash of black fur and a loud, snarling growl was all that proceeded before a massive animal tackled two of the soldiers to the ground.


    Tam flinched back, his right arm reaching back protectively for Luca, and yet¡­ He felt oddly calm after the initial startle.


    The beast continued swiping with massive paws at the men that had them scatter, forcing them to defend as individuals rather than a cohesive group.


    Which was perfectly fine for the beast what with each of its claws being the length of a man¡¯s finger and its fangs being almost the same size if not longer.


    It systematically darted and leapt between the men, powerful muscles rippling with each attack.


    Tam watched the long, ropey black tail swish right before it pounced on the remaining two men that had started to run away, completely transfixed.


    The soldiers littering the ground were either unconscious or dead, and yet Tam waited with a thudding heart as the beast turned and stalked back over to him, a low rumble in its great chest.


    It looked like a giant cat¡­ A panther of some sort? Or something even bigger. Then again Tam had never seen a panther himself in real life.


    He knew he should¡¯ve been frightened. Especially without his magic. Luca was letting out shivering sobs behind him, and yet when the animal lifted his face, and its large, glittering yellow eyes met with his, a rush surged through Tam.


    Knowingness filled him, electricity hummed throughout his being¡­


    My familiar. He thought dumbly to himself as he beheld the creature that stared back at him as though in equal awe.


    Tam had no idea how long they stared at each other, but he relished in the potent happiness of at last finding his familiar, already sensing what a powerful connection it was¡­


    But then the back of the beast twitched, and it¡¯s legs shook¡­


    Tam frowned, what was wrong with¨C


    It transformed.


    And in front of him, kneeling on the grass staring up at him in open shock, remarkably fully clothed once more¡­


    Was Eli.

 Chapter 53: Familiar Feelings

    ¡°What¡­ What was¡­¡± Tam stammered, the shock flooding his being rooting him to the ground.


    ¡°Tam we need to leave. Now. The carriage is about half a day away on foot, but when these men don¡¯t return to report where they are we are in trouble.¡± Eli rose and clasped her hands in front of her skirts.


    ¡°Eli¡­ Are you¡­ Are you aware that you are my-¡±


    Her eyes widened before she stalked forward toward Tam, then continued walking right past him in a hurry.


    Tam almost bolted after her to continue his line of questioning, but first he turned to double check that his son, Luca, was safe behind him.


    ¡°D-Dad, where did the big cat go?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t answer that right now¡ªdon¡¯t look at them, look at me,¡± Tam gently cupped Luca¡¯s cheek and redirected his gaze to him when the seven year old¡¯s eyes started to wander over to the bodies littering the ground. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll give you a piggyback ride. Climb on.¡± Crouching down, Tam managed to angle his offered back in the same direction Eli was moving hastily away, which offered a clear sight of the hilly terrain with its sparse vegetation.


    Once he felt Luca¡¯s slim arms wrap around his neck, Tam slipped his arms under his son¡¯s knees and stood, then darted after Eli¡ªwhich had the delightful result of making Luca give a surprised giggle.


    Despite the alarming discovery he had just made, Tam spared a smile when he heard his son laugh¡ªit meant he probably hadn¡¯t seen much during the attack. That or he was in shock¡­


    Tam shoved aside that issue to be dealt once they made it back to the carriage.


    ¡°Eli¡­ What was that?¡± the future duke panted upon reaching his assistant¡¯s side.


    Eli kept her eyes fixed ahead of herself, her arms barely swinging as she moved through the brush with an impressive amount of grace given that she was in a long gray maid¡¯s skirt. Her hair was also being a bit pesky. While still short, it had grown significantly since they¡¯d come to Zinfera, and she was often trying to sweep what she could of her hair behind her ear out of her eyes, but was often unsuccessfully. She had been given an orange ribbon by Lord Kim, the Zinferan nobleman helping them escape Junya after Tam had been forced to kill a number of people in self defense at the docks, but still the flyaways of her hair persisted.


    ¡°That was my magic. Did Luca see anything?¡± Eli replied shortly.


    ¡°A little¡­ Dad told me to look away. So I just saw the big cat¡­¡± Luca answered for himself while issuing a yawn.


    Daylight had only just begun to lighten the world around them as they moved.


    Which was helpful for Tam, but it also created a new question.


    ¡°Are you able to see in the dark?¡± he wondered aloud carefully, while also hoping that the less direct question would warrant a response from her.


    ¡°What went wrong with your magic?¡± Eli countered instead.


    Tam slid a firm glance in her direction that was meant to communicate the fact that sooner or later they were going to be having the discussion. Regardless of how uncomfortable it may be. However, not wanting to start a fight when they had to travel expediently, and couldn¡¯t have privacy from Luca, Tam conceded to leave the matter alone for the time being.


    ¡°I need more time to rest and recover my magic thanks to the last few days. It takes time to train up magical endurance, and some witches need more time to build their ability and learn about it. How long were we gone for?¡±


    ¡°Only the night. If you weren¡¯t back by mid morning, Lord Kim would¡¯ve had to continue without us and I¡¯d have to wait until Jeong joined me.¡±


    Tam nodded to himself. ¡°At least it wasn¡¯t longer.¡±


    Eli said nothing.


    ¡°Were there any other problems with you and Lord Kim leaving the city?¡±


    ¡°No. After they went through his things they let us leave.¡±


    Tam eyed his assistant¡¯s profile.


    She wore a stony mask, and her back held itself impeccably straight.


    Knowing that there was nothing else to say until they had a chance for more privacy, Tam turned over the discovery that his ornery assistant, also happened to be his familiar.


    Had there been signs?


    Had he simply been obtuse and missed all of the hints that could¡¯ve revealed this mind blowing truth sooner?


    He thought back to when they¡¯d first met, and how instantly, he had felt like he¡¯d met her before. How she was familiar to him¡­ But later, when she had revealed that she was the niece to Lord Oscar Harris, a dear family friend of his parents, he had assumed it was because of that relation.


    But then there had been all the times she had been light on her feet. How nimbly she moved. How easy it was between them almost instantly. How she was herself more with him than anyone else, and how she felt better at his side.


    Uneasiness brewed in Tam¡¯s gut as he started to suspect what Eli might be thinking in that moment¡­


    Had she begun to like Tam in a more romantic nature of her own free volition¡­? Or was it because she was his familiar?


    Tam swallowed with difficulty.


    How in the world was it possible?


    Technically, if she was a witch, wouldn¡¯t she be able to have a familiar of her own? Or was it that she wasn¡¯t a witch at all? Was she technically a new kind of familiar or beast? What if she was a variant of an ancient beast?


    His thoughts drowned Tam¡¯s sense of presence, and so, they continued to make their way through the brush the rest of the morning. The heat of the day climbed rapidly in the maturing summer, making the shade of the trees a lovely reprieve from the sun, until at last, Eli turned and started moving toward the road.


    While Eli¡¯s sense of direction amazed Tam, he also couldn¡¯t help but wonder how she knew exactly where to go. Was it an animalistic instinct?


    ¡°Do you have a cat¡¯s sense of smell?¡± he blurted the question before he could help himself.


    Eli¡¯s head snapped around, her eyes wide, and her mouth pursing as though she were almost angry with him.


    Luckily, Tam was spared from whatever reaction was on its way out of her when a familiar voice called out.


    ¡°Ah! Lord Tam! Thank you kindly for joining us again!¡± Lord Kim stood beside his carriage that had pulled off to the side of the road, and beside the vehicle the lone footman he had brought with him for his journey was boiling a pot of water over a small flame he had built.


    Tam bowed his head in acknowledgment, and lowered himself down to let Luca off his back. The boy¡¯s movements were clumsy and heavy, and Tam could see the exhaustion in his face.


    ¡°Luca, I¡¯ll get you set up to sleep in the carriage. I¡¯ll wake you up when we have lunch ready,¡± he informed his son gently, yet firmly.


    Luca couldn¡¯t object or agree as his mouth stretched into another big yawn while he rubbed his eyes. His father¡¯s hand pressed gently into his shoulder and redirected him to the carriage.


    Eli wordlessly turned to the vehicle, opened the door, and climbed in to set a pillow down. She then pulled out Luca¡¯s coat that had been stuffed between the bench and the cushion. Once Luca had laid down, his eyes already fluttering, Eli proceeded to tuck his coat over his small body.


    Tam watched from the door of the carriage. His right arm braced against the frame, his left resting on the open windowsill of the door as he watched Eli gently brush back a lock of Luca¡¯s hair. When she eventually risked a look back at him, she only did so momentarily before she looked away and exited the other side of the carriage.


    Frowning, Tam closed the door quietly then rounded the back of the vehicle. He stared at Eli who stood beside Lord Kim and kept her attention fixed on the pot of boiling water.


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    ¡°Eli, a word?¡±


    Lord Kim, who was standing to Tam¡¯s left and Eli¡¯s right, regarded first the future duke, then Eli. ¡°Everything alright?¡±


    ¡°I think so, but I¡¯d like to speak to my assistant privately.¡±


    Lord Kim raised a curious eyebrow, then nodded back into the trees away from the dirt road. ¡°Do so over there just in case you need to get out of sight or we need to move.¡±


    Tam nodded his approval, and when he looked at Eli he saw her hands fidgeting with her skirts and her eyes filled with anxiety.


    Despite obviously not wanting to have a private conversation, she still made her way over to Tam, and they ventured into the woods until they were out of earshot.


    Eli still refused to meet Tam¡¯s gaze, and kept her hands clasped in front of her skirts. She was the epitome of emotionally distant.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tam asked softly. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    The gentleness of his tone at the very least succeeded in making Eli¡¯s eyes snap up to him.


    At first it looked like she was about to start shouting at him, but after a moment of battling against whatever her instinctive reaction may be, she allowed her shoulders to relax.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± she began awkwardly.


    ¡°Being my familiar?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It now feels like I¡¯m enslaved to you.¡±


    Tam recoiled. ¡°Gods no. You most definitely are not.¡±


    ¡°I have to come whenever you call, and I will forever be connected to you,¡± Eli argued, feelings thickening her throat as she once again moved her eyes from him.


    Tam saw the terror and agony that shook her to the core before she did though, and his gut dropped upon seeing it.


    ¡°Ignore me then. You think Kraken does everything my dad wants him to?¡±


    Eli swallowed and didn¡¯t respond, but he could sense that she wasn¡¯t in any way convinced.


    ¡°Did you know before today¡­?¡± Tam asked quietly.


    Eli shook her head. ¡°When we met I thought you felt¡­ safe. And I found it easy to be around you. Like I¡¯d known you for years already. But I didn¡¯t¡­ I had no idea.¡±


    ¡°Is it only the panther you can transform into, or is it other animals? What did the Giong Coven think of your abilities?¡±


    At first, Eli recoiled from the inquiries, but Tam could see her mind starting to sink a little more easily into the more logical questions as opposed to the emotional ones.


    ¡°I have never tried to transform into anything else. Though I did wonder why I was experiencing a growth spurt shortly after we met. I had assumed I was fully grown, but I¡¯m now twice the size I used to be when I transform. As for the coven¡­ They simply dubbed me a mutated witch and said it was straightforward. I could turn into an animal.¡±


    ¡°Are you able to talk to other animals?¡± Tam wondered next.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t really tried before, but I don¡¯t believe so.¡±


    Tam pondered this in silence for a minute before adding. ¡°When my father and his familiar first bonded it wasn¡¯t until their relationship deepened that they could communicate. Given that you are a witch¡­ human¡­ maybe that is something that happens as you and I become closer.¡±


    ¡°Possibly.¡± Eli gave a subtle shrug.


    ¡°What would you like to do about this?¡± Slipping his hands into his pockets, Tam dipped his knees, lowering his face down closer to Eli¡¯s level, prompting her to once again look at him. He made sure that she could see the sincerity and concern in his expression. He truly did need her to communicate with him in that moment. Otherwise his worries for her would consume him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Eli burst out in frustration. ¡°What if I don¡¯t want it to change anything, can we do that? Can I just not be your familiar?¡±


    Tam nodded instantly. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Eli balked, then continued. ¡°What if I don¡¯t ever want to use my magic again?¡±


    ¡°Do you really think me, of all people, is going to argue with you on that point?¡± Tam asked wryly.


    For a moment it looked like Eli was fighting off a smile at his retort.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to tell anyone about my magic, or that I¡­ I could possibly be your familiar.¡±


    ¡°You were my familiar,¡± Tam corrected. ¡°But you quit. Which is fine. Having you as my assistant and significant other sounds like more than enough. And I don¡¯t think other people need to know about it either.¡±


    Tam watched as Eli¡¯s posture started to relax, even if there was still a wary air about her.


    ¡°What if I want to stop being anything to you. Assistant or¡­ Or someone you¡¯re in a relationship with, and I want to instead go off on my own?¡±


    This question made Tam hesitate. Fear and sadness started to dig through his chest.


    ¡°What right would I have to stop you if it is what you really felt was right?¡±


    A shuddering breath of relief left Eli¡¯s body.


    As much as Tam wanted to instantly dive into ensuring that wasn¡¯t what she wanted to do, he forced himself to hold back.


    He knew exercising her freedom and choice over her life was of the utmost importance to Eli¡­ Even if it was physically painful for him in the present.


    ¡°I¡¯m still angry you went to meet with my brother without telling me,¡± Eli blurted suddenly.


    Tam stood straight once more, making Eli tilt her chin up to stare at him more directly.


    ¡°It was from one noble to another. I had no intention of meddling in your business, I just thought he should know about his assistant.¡±


    Eli reached up and touched her forehead wearily. ¡°Just promise me you won¡¯t do something like that without telling me again?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking me as my assistant or my romantic partner?¡±


    Pink flushed into Eli¡¯s cheeks, and she barely resisted fidgeting. ¡°The latter.¡±


    ¡°The latter? Which was the latter?¡± Tam wondered teasingly, his eyes rolling to the sky as he secretly relished in the fact that Eli didn¡¯t seem to be calling off their relationship.


    She scowled up at him. ¡°You know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I haven¡¯t a clue. I think I need you to put it simply for me.¡± Tam grinned mischievously and leaned closer.


    Eli continued to glare until she shocked Tam by lifting herself up on her toes to press a quick kiss on his mouth.


    The rush of tingling and the wonderful warmth that spread through Tam turned him into a dazed fool.


    Seeing this effect as a result of her actions Eli turned with a bashful smile, and scurried back toward the carriage, leaving him behind to gather his wits.


    Eventually, Tam¡¯s mind whirred back to life.


    It had been the first time that Eli had initiated something more with him, and the potent happiness that filled him had him feeling lighter than a cloud as he turned and made his way back to the camp with a little swagger in his step.


    So what if she didn¡¯t want to be his familiar?


    He already had everything he needed anyway.

 Chapter 54: Quick Fire Questioning

    ¡°But why?¡±


    ¡°Because we have to figure out a way to get home safely to Daxaria.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡±


    ¡°Because we keep getting attacked.¡±


    ¡°Why do we keep getting attacked?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡±


    ¡°Why is it¨C¡±


    ¡°Luca,¡± Lord Kim interrupted the back and forth dialogue between the father and son, while his right hand fingertips pressed into his temple. ¡°Perhaps you should try to get a bit more sleep, hm? Soon you will have to leave the carriage with your father and Her Highness, and it will be some time before you are able to sleep comfortably again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not tired,¡± Luca returned stiffly, then looked back at Tam who was stifling a yawn of his own before Eli reached over and gently tidied an errant lock of hair back behind Luca¡¯s ear.


    The move drew a very sharp look from Lord Kim, but he didn¡¯t comment on it as Tam gave Eli an appreciative smile then settled back into the carriage while folding his arms.


    ¡°Again, thank you, Lord Kim. I know you said that you and Eli have a deal already worked out in exchange for your help, but if there is anything I can do, I¡¯m more than happy to.¡±


    Lord Kim raised an eyebrow, his attention sliding to Eli who stared back coolly in response but said nothing otherwise.


    ¡°What I have asked for from Her Highness is more than enough. Will you gather any more evidence of the palace trying to control the rumors about the dragon?¡±


    ¡°If we can, but surviving and not being discovered takes priority,¡± Tam responded wearily.


    Lord Kim leaned forward. ¡°I must confess, I did not expect you to plan to go so close to Gondol, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Concubine Soo Hebin won¡¯t expect me to take a route that is so wasteful of time.¡±


    ¡°Soo Hebin is a bad person, right?¡± Luca interjected.


    ¡°Yes, she is,¡± Lord Kim confirmed hastily. ¡°Though she is also powerful and frightening, and she dislikes Her Highness Elisara here very much.¡±


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t she like you?¡± Luca turned to Eli with a frown.


    ¡°She¡¯s worried I will take away the power she has,¡± Eli answered calmly.


    ¡°Do you want to take away her power?¡± the child pondered next.


    ¡°No, I do not.¡±


    ¡°Then why does she still not like you?¡± Luca looked around at everyone in the carriage, openly wondering if they were as befuddled as he was.


    ¡°Because she doesn¡¯t think I¡¯m telling the truth that I don¡¯t want her power.¡±


    Once he¡¯d considered this answer for a while, Luca¡¯s mouth twisted and he slowly nodded. ¡°That¡¯s annoying.¡±


    Surprised at the response, Eli cracked a smile. ¡°Very much so.¡±


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t she believe you?¡± Luca plundered on.


    Lord Kim was starting to get a glazed look in his eyes, and Tam forced back a grin at the sight of it. He was willing to bet that the elder Zinferan noble had forgotten the way children could be what with his own daughters fully grown and married off.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t believe me because a lot of people do lie. Especially when they want something.¡±


    ¡°Why would they lie about what they want? Isn¡¯t it easiest to tell people what you want?¡±


    ¡°It is, but there are all kinds of reasons not to tell someone what you want. For instance, you might want something you know a person is not going to give you. Or something that if you point out, will make other people want it as well, which means more competition.¡±


    ¡°I must say, it is both refreshing and concerning that a child of his age has no duplicity in him,¡± Lord Kim chuckled to himself while giving his head a shake.


    ¡°What does duplicity mean?¡± Luca adjusted his attention to Lord Kim, who looked at Tam, with a silent plea to end the long line of questions.


    Tam was already turning toward his son. ¡°Duplicity means to hide something. To be sneaky and clever about it.¡±


    ¡°People said I was sneaky all the time when I lived with my mother¡­¡± Luca trailed off, his chin lowering as though shameful memories were replaying in his mind.


    ¡°Why did they say that?¡± Eli pressed gently.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I never did anything or said anything bad, they just said I was creepy.¡±


    Tam noted the way Luca was starting to fidget, and the way he visibly struggled to swallow.


    Resting his hand atop his son¡¯s head he ruffled the black hair that was just like his own and said, ¡°People said that about me all the time. Don¡¯t worry. You aren¡¯t creepy, Luca. You¡¯re just like me.¡±


    Luca turned and stared up at his father, appreciation and happiness welling up in his eyes.


    With the promise of peace being restored to the carriage, Lord Kim settled back, his eyes starting to close¡­


    ¡°Dad, are you going to have another baby?¡±


    Lord Kim¡¯s eyes flew open and he looked at Eli in frantic alarm.


    ¡°Erm¡­ I don¡¯t¡­ know¡­?¡± Tam looked at Eli with a wince, but she gave him a wide eyed glance of panic in response with her eyes hastily darting in Lord Kim¡¯s general direction.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t really thought about it,¡± Tam concluded while clearing his throat uncomfortably and trying to not look horrendously awkward down at Luca.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Well¡­ I think it¡¯s okay if you do. Because then I¡¯d have a brother or sister that looks like me, and then maybe more people won¡¯t think I¡¯m creepy.¡±


    Tam smiled at his son while giving a nervous laugh. ¡°That is¡­ I don¡¯t¡­ Oh look, trees!¡± Tam gestured out the window desperately.


    Sadly, Luca was already latched onto this idea and so he stared at the carriage roof quite seriously while turning over this new idea.


    ¡°I heard some kids don¡¯t like their siblings, but I think it¡¯d be fun¡­ As long as they¡¯re nice. I think girls might be nicer, so a sister could be good. Dad, do you have a sister?¡±


    Lord Kim looked questioningly at Tam, and the future duke could tell it was because he wondered how Luca couldn¡¯t know that Tam¡¯s twin sister just happened to be the queen of Daxaria.


    In a way, this look was good as it helped distract Tam from the uncomfortable nature of the conversation.¡°I do, yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you like having a sister?¡±


    ¡°Most of the time.¡±


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    ¡°Is she nice?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Did you play together growing up?¡±


    ¡°All the time.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Luca paused his rapid fire questioning as he processed this information. ¡°Does she look like you?¡±


    Tam chuckled. ¡°Not really. We¡¯re both tall, and she has slanted eyes like I do, but she has red hair and golden eyes.¡±


    ¡°Golden eyes?!¡± Luca perked up. ¡°Like they say the queen does?!¡±


    Tam opened his mouth, then closed it again. He guessed Rosaline Evans, Luca¡¯s biological mother, hadn¡¯t explained much about him and his family, and what did a seven year old who lived in a tavern care about the monarchy?


    ¡°Er¡­ Luca¡­ My sister is the queen.¡±


    Luca¡¯s eyebrows shot upward¡ªmaking him look incredibly like his father¡ªbefore they crashed straight into a frown. ¡°You¡¯re teasing me aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Katarina¡¯s last name before she married His Majesty Eric Reyes, was Ashowan,¡± Tam assured.


    Luca looked at Lord Kim who nodded in confirmation.


    Then Luca turned to Eli who did the same, though everyone was smiling at the hilarity of the situation.


    After reasoning out whether or not the adults in the carriage were having a bit of fun at his expense, Luca turned with yet another question for Tam. ¡°Do I have to call her Aunt Queen?¡±


    Tam snorted, and then succumbed to complete hysterics, followed shortly by Eli, and eventually even Lord Kim was chuckling along.


    ¡°You made it up didn¡¯t you!¡± Luca accused somewhat irritably. Unfortunately for him, no one could placate him as they continued to laugh at the image of Tam¡¯s illegitimate son strolling up to the Daxarian queen who was known for being outrageous and blunt, and calling her ¡®Aunt Queen¡¯.


    *


    Three days following their escape from Junya, and it was time to say farewell to the prudish Lord Kim. The nobleman would continue on the main road heading toward Gondol, and they would be forced to travel off the roads in an effort to avoid the imperial soldiers who were looking for Eli and Tam.


    They had stopped at an inn that should have been far enough away from Junya that they wouldn¡¯t be on the lookout for them, and of course Luca¡¯s presence helped as it wasn¡¯t well known that they were traveling as a family just yet¡­ Or at least they hoped that to be the case.


    At present, it wasn¡¯t only the royal concubine who wished her son to be the next emperor that was a threat, there also happened to be an assistant working for Eli¡¯s birth family in Zinfera who was after her as her brother wished to pass the title and wealth of her family to whatever son she bore.


    Oh, and the daughter of the Gods, the first witch named Aradia, was interested in them because of the rumors of her brother, the devil, being alive and prowling through Zinfera.


    The cause of those rumors being Tamlin himself. Not only did he supposedly bear an uncanny resemblance to the devil, but his magic emitted wisps of black and silver, and the devil was known to wield a fearful darkness that filled everyone around him with terror unlike anything they¡¯d ever felt before.


    Though the ones who knew the most doubted a grown man to be the real devil. As the devil was known to reincarnate from a pile of ash upon his death as a newborn babe¡ªand the piles of these ashes were none other than the remains of his previous self that appeared after his death. In his past lives however, the devil had arranged it so that the ancient beasts that remained to serve him would save some of the ash piles and leave them in safe locations. If they did this, when their master died, he could be reborn from any of the ash remains. Making the devil hard to track.


    Meaning, because the devil had last been slayed by the Troivackian queen seven years ago¡­


    It was also the reason Tam worried that his surprise illegitimate son could be the devil. As the devil would¡¯ve reincarnated from an ash pile as a newborn.


    But Luca hadn¡¯t ever felt like he was hiding something or like he wasn¡¯t exactly what he was.


    A child.


    Innocent without any guile, and furthermore, a letter from Tam¡¯s former paramor confirming he was his parent also made it difficult to think that he could be the devil.


    All of this meant¡­


    Ever since Tam had left Daxaria, he had found himself laying awake at night for more than one reason.


    That didn¡¯t even include the problem that Eli was technically a high ranking member of the royal family, and he had fallen in love with her as she worked as his assistant¡ª and surprisingly, she seemed to like him well enough that they had taken up some sort of relationship.


    Only now everything had the extra layer of complication, as it turned out her own magical power allowed her to turn into a large cat.


    A cat that wound up being Tam¡¯s very own familiar.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Eli¡¯s voice interrupted Tam¡¯s thoughts as they sifted through the plethora of stressful topics he found himself a part of.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking I should start drinking more seriously.¡±


    His assistant frowned in concern as the footman handed Tam a large gray sack loaded with supplies they had packed.


    ¡°Developing a drinking habit now of all times¡­?¡± Eli asked quite seriously.


    ¡°It sounds like a lovely alternative to having a sort of breakdown.¡±


    ¡°Developing a bad drinking habit is a breakdown.¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± Tam murmured thoughtfully while gently ushering Luca toward the inn, and giving a final farewell wave to Lord Kim as the carriage had finished changing over its horses and was set to resume traveling.


    ¡°There is such a thing as high functioning alcoholics you know,¡± Tam pointed out helpfully.


    Eli stared up at him flatly.


    ¡°Back in Daxaria,¡± Luca interrupted while tilting his head back to stare at his father in the dim light. ¡°Mum used to say alcoholics with jobs were good for business and bad for lovers.¡±


    ¡°There is some wisdom to that,¡± Tam agreed thoughtfully.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we should continue educating Luca on the pros and cons of alcoholism,¡± Eli interjected sharply.


    Tam grinned at her. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll stop. Luca, never become an alcoholic, okay?¡±


    Rolling her eyes, Eli reached for the door handle of the inn. The building was a perfect square that sat between a road that went straight, and one that ran to the right. There was even a third option that veered toward the left.


    The inn had three stories, and three windows were already casting an inviting glow out into the night as darkness settled over the land.


    Upon opening the door to the inn, the mouthwatering aroma of sizzling marinated beef wafted out. Well aware that they wouldn¡¯t be eating anything so tasty for a long while after that night, Eli, Tam, and Luca exchanged excited looks for the meal ahead. They were going to stuff themselves silly and have absolutely no regrets.

 Chapter 55: A Turbulent Transformation

    Stretching in a most luxurious fashion, and subsequently groaning with the pleasure of the movement, Eli felt herself smile as she allowed her body to once again become limp against the starched sheets.


    Tam was beside her, and as a result, she had once again experienced a good night¡¯s rest after their forced separation while hiding in Lord Kim¡¯s keep back in the city of Junya.


    A quiet grumble off on the other side of the room broadened the smile on Eli¡¯s face as she heard Luca struggle to wake.


    Somehow, being on the run from the royal concubine, the coven, and even the daughter of the Gods failed to dampen Eli¡¯s mood.


    Why was this?


    Her eyes cracked open against the pale light of the day.


    It was a muted light which meant there was a chance that rain was on its way.


    Staring out the window, Eli listened to the rustling leaves in the wind and pondered the shift from her usual tense mood.


    The truth was that with her magic revealed, and their successful escape from Junya, Eli felt¡­ free.


    At last, completely, and truly free.


    Tam had seen her in her magical form, and given her the choice to make her own life. Even when it would have been a large asset and unbearably easy for him to force her into servitude.


    As much as she logically knew it was not in Tamlin Ashowan¡¯s nature to take advantage of another person, particularly one close to him, Eli¡¯s past wounds pertaining to betrayal ran incredibly deep. But yet again, as was his way, Tam had responded perfectly.


    Besides, wasn¡¯t it a two way relationship being a familiar to a witch? She would have an intimate knowledge of Tam¡¯s true nature. Which explained how she had instantly felt like she¡¯d understood him when they¡¯d first met, and how easily she could focus on him and his life. How when he had used his magic to defeat their assailants the night at the dock, she had felt more alive¡­ Excited, even. At the time Jeong had reasoned it was because they were starting to feel hopeful that the legendary power of the Ashowan family was coming through, but to Eli, she had a deeper sense of how this was only the beginning of his power growth, and she was looking forward to seeing what he could do.


    Maybe this was why for the first time in Eli¡¯s life, despite being hunted by every powerful sort one could imagine, she felt safe. Because at last, she had someone behind her that let her be exactly who she was, and make her own choices.


    And she chose to be with Tam.


    Trying out a relationship with him, and having more power over her own self and life than she¡¯d ever had before¡­


    It was addictive.


    Sitting up, Eli found her reflection smiling back at herself thanks to the floor length mirror placed a few feet from the foot of the bed she and Tam slept in.


    Only her smile disappeared when she saw the state of her hair.


    ¡°Gods¡­ damnit¡­¡± With its increasing length, her hair was prone to being more stubborn and fwicking upward and sideways from her scalp in the mornings.


    ¡°If I weren¡¯t trying to make it obvious I¡¯m a woman I¡¯d just cut these ruddy hair bits off¡­¡± Eli grumbled to herself before slipping out the bed and stepping over to the wash basin to give her face a good scrubbing.


    Today was the first day they¡¯d start on the walking portion of their journey to make their way toward Gondol.


    Dread simmered in her belly, but Eli pressed it aside the best she could.


    She wanted her good mood to last as long as possible when nothing in her present was imminently wrong.


    After dabbing her face dry, and a couple half hearted attempts to wet down the hairs that were devoid of gravity, Eli stared at her reflection in the mirror.


    She had never given much thought to whether or not she was pretty.


    She had always assumed it wasn¡¯t the case given that everyone had been convinced for years that she was a man.


    And yet Tam had said she was pretty and identified her as a woman instantly.


    She tilted her head.


    Her jaw was narrow, and her cheek bones were high giving her a proud look. Her eyes were dark, and her skin was pale thanks to her Daxarian mother¡­


    ¡°I guess I¡¯m not atrocious to look at¡­¡± she muttered to herself then pushed back to stare at her body.


    ¡°Average.¡± She shrugged while pretending not to feel uncomfortable. Admittedly, she still wasn¡¯t used to no longer binding her breasts, and what with no longer trying to avoid putting on weight, well¡­ The results spoke for themselves. Her hips were wider and she had finally taken on a distinctly female shape.


    Still, she wasn¡¯t any raving beauty, or striking, but she was passable.


    Then a new curiosity crept up¡­


    Glancing beside herself at Luca¡¯s sleeping form, and then over her shoulder toward Tam, she turned to grab the folding screen that rested against the wall that they had used the previous night while they all took baths.


    Setting it back a safe distance, Eli shook out her arms, cracked her neck and allowed her power to flow.


    It was a strange feeling.


    Kind of like being turned inside out without any pain.


    Also fuzzier.


    With more muscles.


    Opening her eyes again, Eli peered up, and up some more to see her new reflection.


    She had to admit¡­ She was a majestic yet menacing looking beast.


    Her fangs were long and sharp, her paws massive, her long ropey tail swished gracefully through the air.


    In this form, all her senses were heightened, and she felt powerful. Like she could defeat anyone or anything, though that hubris had been proven wrong before. Despite having learned this hard lesson in the past, with her sudden growth spurt, Eli was starting to feel the old indomitable sense start to return.


    As she continued silently appraising her appearance, something else caught her attention that had her massive paws quietly padding forward to get a better look in the mirror.


    Squinting her golden eyes, Eli noticed two nubs had appeared on her back.


    They looked black and fleshy¡­


    What in the world are those¡­ Tumors?!


    Eli wiggled her shoulders a little to try and see them in a better light.


    One¡­ unfurled.


    A limp, fleshy little bit of skin waved about in the air and it almost looked like¨C


    IS THAT A WING?!


    Eli leapt back in shock, only, she was a lot bigger than she usually was and as a result she crashed into the screen, knocking it over, which only made her flail about in a panic.


    Then she turned and saw Tam sitting up in bed, staring at her wide eyed.


    She froze.


    Until a shrill shriek from beside her snapped her head round to see Luca scrambling back against the wall his bed was pressed against in terror.


    Eli immediately shifted back to her human form thinking this might calm him down.


    It. Did. Not.


    ¡°IT¡¯S INSIDE ELI!¡± the cry rang throughout the inn, and thus, their inconspicuous presence became¡­ Well¡­ conspicuous.


    *


    ¡°Everything is alright, you know how children are,¡± Tam explained after his initial exuberant apology to the innkeeper¡ªan older man who had been polite the day before, but who presently revealed that he was not a morning person. ¡°My son just had a nightmare.¡±


    Tam smiled awkwardly, while behind him Eli patted Luca¡¯s head and murmured soothing words.


    The innkeeper only grunted about keeping quiet until a reasonable hour, and turned with his lantern in hand to amble back down the hallway of the inn toward the stairs.


    One or two other guests had poked their heads outside to see what the commotion was about, but Tam made sure he was still standing farther back in the room during the exchange and was quick about closing the door once the innkeeper left.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Turning back to gaze at Eli and his son, Tam sighed while his hands found his hips.


    ¡°Luca, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I-It¡¯s such a big cat¡­ Eli, you¡¯re not big! H-How can you be so huge?!¡± Luca mumbled while Eli handed him a handkerchief to blow his nose.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either¡­¡± she admitted weakly while shooting Tam a quick look of guilt.


    To which he gave her a shrug to say ¡®it¡¯s fine, it is what it is¡¯.


    ¡°Come on you two, we need to get ready to leave. Jeong will be with us soon!¡± Tam tried to say brightly in the hopes of improving his son¡¯s shaken state.


    ¡°W-Why can¡¯t Bong come with us?¡± Luca wondered before blowing his nose noisily.


    ¡°He has to go give an incredibly important message to his family, but we¡¯ll see him again one day,¡± Tam assured while tugging off his sleep shirt and moving over to the sack filled with their things to pull out a fresh tunic.


    Though he stopped moving when he realized both Eli and Luca had gone very still when he did this.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Eli blushed, cleared her throat, and averted her eyes, while Luca continued staring with keen interest.


    ¡°Dad¡­ Will I get muscles one day¡­?¡±


    Tam snorted awkwardly. ¡°Um¡­ Maybe? If you¡­ If you train?¡±


    ¡°I wanna train.¡±


    Tam coughed. ¡°Er. Sure. We can¡­ We can definitely look into that once we are back in Daxaria.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get the scar on your belly?¡± he asked next.


    Tam glanced down. He had forgotten about the pirate wound that was still bright pink as it continued to heal. ¡°I¡­ Uh¡­ Slipped.¡±


    ¡°Daad?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°That looks like it hurt.¡±


    ¡°It¡­ It did. Yes.¡± Tam then looked at Eli and felt his eyebrows rise at the scarlet hue on her face while her eyes were most definitely not staring at his face. ¡°Anything you¡¯d like to comment on?¡±


    Eli¡¯s gaze jumped back up and she pressed her lips into a thin line while shaking her head, the color in her face deepening to a near purple.


    ¡°Right¡­ Right. I think I¡¯ll just pop behind this screen to finish getting dressed.¡±


    ¡°Eli?¡± Tam heard his son address his assistant as he busied himself getting changed as quickly as possible behind the screen, hoping he would feel significantly less embarrassed.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Do all men have hair on their chests?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Unless they shave or wax it.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Do they have to brush it?¡±


    Tam heard a garbled noise that was most definitely Eli struggling not to laugh too much at his son¡¯s question.


    ¡°No. No, they don¡¯t have to brush it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I hate having to brush just the hair on my head.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Tam stepped out from behind the screen wearing his usual outfit of a white tunic, a black Zinferan style vest that buttoned on a diagonal, and black pants. Though it was strange wearing clothes that actually fit him correctly¡­ Eli had seen to updating his wardrobe in Zinfera, and she had had the clothes tailored exactly, which was unlike how Tam dressed in Daxaria.


    ¡°Luca?¡± Tam asked while rolling up his sleeves. ¡°What do you think about me growing a beard?¡±


    The boy smiled while Eli leaned back looking dubious.


    ¡°That¡¯d be awesome!¡± Luca cheered excitedly.


    ¡°Men and facial hair¡­¡± Eli sighed.


    Tam grinned at her.


    ¡°Eli?¡± Luca turned to the princess suddenly.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Why were you jumping around when you were the big cat? Did something scare you?¡±


    The sudden shift in discussion caught Eli off guard and so it took a breath of time for her to answer.


    ¡°Oh, I¡­ In that¡­ form¡­ I¡¯m still growing I guess, and I was¡­ startled.¡± She fidgeted a little while avoiding eye contact with anyone.


    Tam tilted his head curiously. She had mentioned that she seemed to be growing more ever since they had met, which made sense as a familiar¡¯s potential increased once they found their witch, but there was a shiftiness in Eli that told Tam there was another reason she had woken them all up so abruptly that morning.


    ¡°Was everything alright¡­?¡± Tam looked at Eli carefully.


    Her ability to transform into a large cat was still a fresh topic. He was already surprised that she had transformed at all that morning, and that she seemed fine with Luca asking her about her other state. Overall, she seemed a lot more relaxed. Which was both nice, but¡­ odd for Eli.


    ¡°Well, I¡­ I think¡­ I¡­¡± Eli trailed off; she was visibly struggling to find the words.


    However, she was spared from answering when a knock on the door interrupted them.


    ¡°Joe! It¡¯s Jeong!¡±


    The familiar voice belonging to Jeong Ryu called out using Tam¡¯s alias name.


    Tam turned to the door, stepped over swiftly, and opened it to reveal the beaming Zinferan who wore a plain peasant shirt and brown pants¨C a sharp contrast to his normally very colorful attire. However, his expression was entirely the norm; his round face was bright with unbridled happiness and goodness.


    ¡°Good morning! Are we ready to head out?¡±


    Tam nodded and moved back so that Jeong could enter, then closed the door behind him just in time, as Luca launched himself off the bed and threw his arms around Jeong excitedly.


    Jeong chortled and lowered his sack on the ground. ¡°What a fantastic way to start my morning!¡±


    Tam smiled back at the sight of his son¡¯s exuberant greeting of their friend.


    ¡°I¡¯ll finish getting dressed myself and then we¡¯ll be ready to go,¡± Eli announced while pushing herself off the bed.


    Tam nodded and gestured politely toward the screen.


    ¡°Eli?¡±


    Everyone looked down at Luca.


    ¡°When you¡¯re a cat¡­ Do you think¡­ I could¡­ I could try riding on your back?¡±


    Startled, Jeong looked up at Eli¡ªunaware of what the child was talking about¡ªwhile she became flustered all over again as she looked nervously back at him.


    Tam rubbed the back of his neck and casually moved over to tap his son¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Right¡­ So a very important thing¡ªForgot to tell you earlier. That¡¯s my fault¡ªbut¡­ The fact that Eli can turn into a giant cat¡­ is a secret.¡±


    Luca blinked up at his father while Jeong¡¯s jaw dropped.


    After several moments of silence had passed, Luca leaned around his father to stare at Eli while slowly shaking his head.


    ¡°Eli? I think our family has too many secrets.¡±


    Tam snorted before he could stop himself and even Eli couldn¡¯t help but give a weak smile at the sweet mention that he considered her family.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any other secrets?¡± Luca asked, sounding hilariously exasperated.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Luca sighed, sounding far too much like an adult at that moment. ¡°I still like you, but you''re really confusing. Dad? Even you¡­ It¡¯s getting ridiculous.¡±


    Eli bobbed her head in acknowledgement of Luca¡¯s opinion before ducking behind the screen. Meanwhile, Tam looked at Jeong who met his eyes and in a low voice whispered, ¡°I have to admit. I agree with Luca on this matter.¡±


    Tam clapped a hand on the man¡¯s shoulder at a loss as to how to defend himself and Eli, and so instead said, ¡°How about we go see about finding some coffee?¡±


    And so the two men and Luca left the room without any other mention of how Eli was capable of transforming into a large cat, and instead focused on how this was most likely their last chance to get a good cup of coffee for a very long, long time.

 Chapter 56: Encroaching Elements

    The doors slammed opened.


    Golden aura sparkled with red instantly began to flood into the room, its source stalking furiously toward the long table of the council room where seven people sat waiting.


    ¡°What¡­ in the absolute hell is happening in Zinfera?!¡± Katarina Reyes shouted, her eyes glinting as she stared at each waiting face.


    There was her husband, Eric Reyes, his assistant, Morgan Linsey, her parents, Fin and Annika Ashowan, the former king, Norman Reyes, the former king¡¯s assistant, Mr. Howard, and the Coven of Wittica leader, Louise Riddel.


    ¡°We¡¯re trying to figure that out,¡± Eric informed his wife grimly. ¡°How¡¯s Antony?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still struggling to control his magic¨C he almost roasted his teacher this morning.¡±


    Louise Riddel leaned forward. ¡°It is confirmed then? His Highness is a mutated witch?¡±


    Kat¡¯s eyes narrowed on the coven leader.


    The two were barely on cordial terms on a good day. ¡°Yes. He¡¯s a weather witch according to his teacher. Can call a bloody storm on, or clear skies¡­ He¡¯s going to be wildly popular with the farmers, that¡¯s for damn sure.¡±


    The queen plunked herself down gracelessly in the seat on the right side of her husband, her hand casually resting on her sword hilt. ¡°Now, what is happening with Tam? Captain Taylor said it had something to do with imperial soldiers getting mobilized¡­?¡±


    Eric¡¯s eyes briefly darted to Fin before responding. ¡°Kat¡­ Do you remember when Tam said he would send his first letter?¡±


    The queen paused as she cast her memory back and her aura started to dwindle. ¡°It should¡¯ve been a fortnight ago.¡±


    ¡°No. Longer. A month,¡± Fin interjected somberly.


    ¡°And the sailors tasked with delivering Lord Tam had¡­ alarming things to report,¡± Annika added. ¡°They came back terrified of Tam, and kept saying he was the devil. Apparently they were besieged by pirates at one point on their journey, and his eyes filled with blackness, and he had shadows all around him.¡±


    Kat¡¯s eyes rounded in alarm as she leaned forward. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What is even more concerning however, is that they said there is a boy with him. A young boy, around the age of seven, that he insisted stay by his side that looks remarkably like him.¡±


    ¡°Holy¡­ shit.¡± Kat looked at Eric who nodded. ¡°It sounds like the devil found Tam, and is using him by taking over his mind. Is that even possible?¡±


    ¡°You and His Majesty have more experience with the son of the Gods,¡± Louise Riddel interrupted. ¡°You tell us.¡±


    Kat leaned back in her seat, once again falling into pensive quiet.


    Eric responded for the both of them.¡°I don¡¯t think it is possible. During our encounters with the devil he simply made us all terrified beyond reason. Maybe he¡¯s making people frightened of Tam and forcing Tam to do as he says.¡±


    Kat tilted her head back and forth. ¡°That sounds close to what I would¡¯ve thought.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more,¡± Louise Riddel pressed sternly. ¡°The Coven of Giong has reported a death of one of their witches, along with a number of concubine Soo Hebin¡¯s men at arms when they went to investigate a group of people attempting to leave Zinfera by the cover of night.¡±


    The room fell into a deathly quiet.


    ¡°Whoever committed these murders escaped, and Her Highness, Soo Hebin, has men scouring Junya trying to find them.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Eric said slowly. ¡°We still don¡¯t know where the first witch is, now the devil is allegedly with Tam, and I don¡¯t trust concubine Soo Hebin at all. Something is very, very wrong.¡±


    ¡°Da, what about the guides that were supposed to be with Tam? They should have reported to Lord Ryu, too, has there been any word?¡± Kat questioned her father, her anxiety rising.


    Fin hesitated, then answered with. ¡°Nothing yet.¡±


    Kat¡¯s eyebrows twitched.


    That was a lie.


    Why had her father just lied?


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± the former king of Daxaria, Norman Reyes, asked calmly.


    ¡°Someone needs to go over there and find Tam and figure this out, and it has to be someone with power. So I¡¯ll go,¡± Kat announced firmly.


    ¡°Kat¡­¡± Eric started to say, already wincing at the expected reaction.


    ¡°Your identity will be too obvious,¡± Annika informed her daughter softly. ¡°And it will be the same with your father. Red hair in Zinfera? The second you stepped off a ship every eye would be on you.¡±


    ¡°So I shave my head! I¡¯ve always wanted to try it!¡± Kat announced flippantly and a bit of a mischievous glint in her eyes.


    ¡°Please no,¡± Eric jumped in a little too hastily.


    ¡°Oh, now we get to have final say on each other¡¯s chosen hair length? Why the bloody hell do you have long hair again? And trim your beard!¡± Kat snapped irritably before looking to her mother. ¡°Who the hell else can we trust to go?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, the coven is able to send assistance to Lord Tamlin,¡± Louise Riddel informed the queen patiently, while lowering her chin in a dignified manner.


    Kat¡¯s eye twitched, and Eric gingerly reached over to brush her hand as a gentle reminder to not curse at the woman too much.


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re absolutely confident the coven can handle the devil? Who are you thinking of sending?¡± The acid in Kat¡¯s words made the coven leader¡¯s lips purse.


    ¡°It would of course need to be discussed amongst the other coven elders to discern¨C¡±


    ¡°And how long would that take?¡± Kat interrupted sharply. ¡°The way I hear it, people are dying, my brother is missing, and the children of the Gods are on the loose. How long do you think it¡¯ll be until the first witch hears about the devil being spotted? We don¡¯t have an abundance of time.¡±


    ¡°But we can¡¯t charge in recklessly either,¡± Annika Ashowan¡¯s eyes rested heavily on her daughter, the duchess¡¯s dark gaze bored into Kat¡¯s profile until the queen looked back at her.


    Kat straightened and let out a very loud breath through her nose.


    ¡°Your Majesty, we did just receive word this morning that Leader Gregory Faucher has sent Sir Hugo Cas to investigate along with Mr. Kraft officially with the Coven of Giong.¡±


    ¡°Sir Cas has blond hair and he gets to go¡­ Wait. Why can¡¯t I just go and not worry about who the hell recognizes me? I¡¯m going because concerning things are happening with the coven!¡± Kat perked up.


    ¡°Sir Hugo Cas is going as an escort to Mr. Kraft. A member of the Coven of Aguas from Troivack. Given that you are no longer technically a member of the coven of Wittica, Your Majesty, that cannot be the reason for your visit.¡±


    ¡°Rumors of the devil damn well could be though,¡± Kat growled in warning at the coven leader.


    ¡°I agree with Kat.¡±


    Every head snapped over to look at the house witch, Finlay Ashowan. ¡°As much as I want to go and find my son, I think to leave Daxaria unguarded right now when we have no idea where the first witch is would be foolish. My apologies, coven leader, I know this falls under my duties as the diplomat for the coven and given that this is my son involved in the matter it would be ideal if I were the one going to Zinfera.However if I need any kind of power to help him, then that can lead to more tensions and issues with Zinfera as I would have to declare Zinfera part of the home in some manner. I think Kat accompanying whoever the coven of Wittica selects as their representative is the best way of figuring out what is happening, and Kat knows what to expect when it comes to facing the children of the Gods.¡±


    Louise Riddel did not look at all pleased by this suggestion, but the fact that she was unable to find a good reason immediately to refute it made Kat¡¯s lips start to quirk upward in a satisfied smile.


    ¡°Who else should go with Her Majesty?¡± Morgan, the king¡¯s assistant interrupted the quiet in a businesslike tone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with Kat and make sure she doesn¡¯t accidentally start a war,¡± Eric declared with a sigh.


    ¡°Eric¨C¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¨C¡±


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Both the former king and the coven leader spoke at the same time, though after a brief bow to Norman from the coven leader, he continued.


    ¡°Eric, you two were just recently crowned. It is a bad idea for both of you to leave the kingdom at a time like this. Not to mention, as wonderful as their grandparents are (myself included of course), I do worry about your sons being left alone. Particularly now during a dangerous time,¡± Norman cautioned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¨C¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Annika volunteered, cutting off the king.


    Eric cast her a firm glance.


    ¡°I think that would make the most sense. Your Grace has a marvelous sense of tact and¡­¡± Louise Riddel trailed off when Kat¡¯s glittering stare turned to her.


    ¡°Her Grace also knows Lord Tamlin well, and has always contributed a very calming presence whenever she has been included in our meetings,¡± the coven leader finished awkwardly.


    ¡°I want someone else. Someone else we can trust to go with them,¡± Eric insisted. Everyone could see the king¡¯s mood had blackened when he was prevented from joining his wife.


    ¡°I have an idea on who could join them,¡± Norman started to say carefully. ¡°But I will leave it for everyone here to discuss.¡±


    Looking toward the former king who had agreed to come to weigh in on the concerning turn of events, the group waited to hear who he had in mind, though judging from his hesitancy, they weren¡¯t sure it would be a good idea or not.


    ***


    ¡°Here.¡±


    Tam drank from the cup, then shot his assistant a narrowed-eyed look.


    Eli turned her attention back to drying off the breakfast dishes innocently.


    Swallowing the contents of his cup, Tam set it down on the table and folded his arms. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to win the argument this way.¡±


    ¡°We have to ration what we have left of supplies, and your lordship has a high standard. We have to make adjustments.¡±


    ¡°Do we now?¡±


    Luca who was sitting beside his father working on writing out the math problem Eli had set for him leaned over to look in his father¡¯s cup.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, dad?¡±


    ¡°Eli here, thinks she can convert me to a morning tea drinker.¡±


    Jeong, who had just finished piling dirt over the remains of their fire, looked up in alarm. ¡°Gods, Eli. There are some things you do not try to change in a person!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been drinking coffee since I was thirteen years old. You can¡¯t change me now,¡± Tam challenged while rising to his feet.


    ¡°Coffee stunts your growth,¡± Luca jumped in helpfully, then instantly second guessed himself as he stared up at the great height his father stood at. ¡°Could I start drinking coffee now?¡± he asked Jeong who grinned down at him.


    ¡°We have been walking through the wilds of Zinfera for two weeks, and we won¡¯t be anywhere near a town for another two days! You have next to no coffee left!¡±


    ¡°We have enough for two days!¡± Tam argued back as Eli crossed her arms and lifted her chin imperially.


    ¡°You enjoy tea the other times of the day, I don¡¯t understand why you struggle to adapt to enjoying it in the morning!¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t strong enough to wake me up in the morning. Besides, do I seem like I have an overabundance of energy?¡±


    Eli arched an eyebrow. ¡°Black tea is just as strong.¡±


    ¡°Like hell it is.¡± Tam scoffed.


    ¡°Coffee drinkers are all so aggressive,¡± Eli informed Tam with a sigh.


    ¡°At least we aren¡¯t pretentious about it and try to convert others to the beverage¨C I said it!¡± Tam cut himself off to make sure she knew he was not going to back down when he saw Eli¡¯s jaw drop in shock and fury.


    ¡°Every coffee drinker tries to convert someone!¡± Eli started to shout.


    ¡°Have I tried to convert you?¡± Tam ducked his head closer to her, his eyes wild, but a barely restrained smile in the right corner of his mouth hinted that he was rather enjoying this little fight of theirs.


    ¡°Just kiss already.¡± Luca gave a sigh of undisguised disgust.


    Jeong let out a booming laugh and finished packing away the last of their things.


    During the two week journey hiking through the Zinferan forest known as the Kaphe Forest, the nature of Tam and Eli¡¯s relationship had become increasingly obvious to both Jeong and Luca, and while nothing had explicitly been said, there was a great amount of assumptions made.


    Eli didn¡¯t even blush at Luca¡¯s interruption as it had become so commonplace for little comments and moments of teasing to take place. Nor did she look away from her employer in shyness as much as before.


    Instead, doubling down on her resolve she peered up at Tam and said, ¡°Coffee makes your breath smell rancid. I couldn¡¯t stand kissing him in the morning after he drinks that stuff anyway.¡±


    While it was the new norm for Luca and Jeong to tease Eli, it was a whole thing altogether for her to acknowledge the relationship.


    In a fit of disgruntled surprise, Tam grabbed her and hoisted her up, making her let out a squeak and her arms be forced to go around his neck to steady herself.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± he asked while Luca mimed puking on the ground behind him.


    Jeong ushered the boy to stand up so that he could break down the small stools to add to Tam¡¯s pack.


    Eli stared down as haughtily as she could at Tam, though she had once again discovered how to blush.


    ¡°Put me down, we need to start walking.¡±


    ¡°Mm. Well. I haven¡¯t had any coffee this morning because my helpful assistant,¡± Tam pretended to drop Eli, making her grip onto him even more firmly, her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Made me tea. So¡­ how is my breath? Still too gross for you to kiss me?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ are¡­ incorrigible!¡± Eli ground out around her embarrassment.


    Tam¡ªafter stealing a quick look around her to make sure neither Luca or Jeong were watching¡ªkissed her very quickly before setting her down on the ground and walking confidently over to where his pack lay.


    ¡°Dad that was gross,¡± Luca informed his father flatly.


    Tam grinned down at his son. ¡°One day you¡¯ll understand.¡±


    Luca shuddered then plundered on ahead of all of them, leaving Tam to smile after him while pulling his own pack on his shoulders.


    He was enjoying getting to see Luca act more comfortably and confidently around him as they settled into their routine of traveling. Even though it meant his son was starting to develop more attitude, Tam took it as a good sign that he was feeling secure around them.


    Looking toward Jeong, Tam¡¯s smile grew as he discovered the man was still giggling to himself.


    ¡°Guess the cat¡¯s out of the bag,¡± Tam surmised with a sigh.


    ¡°I think there is already a very large cat out of the bag stalking behind us,¡± Jeong joked. ¡°You two can hang back and hold hands, I¡¯ll quiz Luca on his homework for a league before you two take over.¡±


    Tam nodded appreciatively then loitered until Eli caught up to him, and once the two had fallen into step, he took Jeong¡¯s advice and reached over and grasped her hand.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be hard to climb the terrain like this,¡± Eli pointed out practically.


    ¡°Just for a little while, this way you can help support me in case I¡¯m too tired from a lack of coffee.¡±


    Eli scowled at mention of this, but Tam could tell it was a facade in the name of her competitive nature not wanting to back down.


    He had to admit, he never thought hiding from a coven and imperial army could be such a lovely time, and in a way, he was wishing that their long journey was in fact a little longer.


    Oh well, at least I¡¯ll have another few weeks of traveling with them. That¡¯s still a while yet.


    Unfortunately for Tam, he was unaware that his blissful reprieve from stress was coming to an end far sooner than he had originally guessed¡­


    And he would soon be longing for the simple days of hiking and flirting followed by nights of teaching and stories with his son.

 Chapter 57: Parenting Pains

    ¡°How many times was that?¡±


    ¡°Twenty-three.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an improvement!¡±


    Tamlin Ashowan nodded silently at the praise Eli had heralded, his eyes closed as he rubbed them wearily.


    Jeong and Eli stood a short ways back observing him disappearing and reappearing throughout the forest surrounding them while Luca waited even farther away at the camp. He was still within sight, but the lad had to work on his reading abilities with the limited books they had.


    After taking a moment to rest, Tam gradually straightened.


    Ever since he had recovered some of his stamina, he had been practicing appearing and disappearing into the void, and gradually working at increasing how often he could do so without bringing himself to the point of fainting.


    In the beginning it had been only around ten times, and Tam had quickly learned what exactly was the most draining part of using his abilities. It was the entry and exit. It didn¡¯t matter once he was in the void, but it was the process in which he left and re-entered the world that took the most effort.


    Though he also discovered that the greater distance he traveled the more tiring it was, and he either had to have been to the place before, or, he had to see where he was going.


    At one point he had reappeared at one of their old camps they¡¯d stayed at the night before, but when he returned to the current one, he had gone unconscious instantly and stayed asleep until late the next morning.


    ¡°Alright! Eli¡­ You¡¯re up.¡± Tam pushed himself to a stand once more, though his left knee buckled for a minute, making both Eli and Jeong reach for him out of concern.


    He held up a hand, signifying he was fine, then gave a playful half grin at Eli.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to rest?¡± she asked while ignoring the mischievous look on his face.


    ¡°You¡¯re not getting out of this that easily. We haven¡¯t checked since almost a week ago.¡± Tam reminded while adding a little more emphasis to his authoritative tone.


    This made Eli scowl openly at him. ¡°I doubt they¡¯ve grown!¡±


    ¡°Only one way to find out,¡± Tam said with a shrug before slipping his hands into his pockets.


    Jeong raised his eyebrows at Eli expectantly.


    Eli¡¯s eyes narrowed in response, but after a moment of quiet stubbornness, she sidestepped a short way from the two men, and with a tilt of her head and a crack of her neck, the massive black cat surged forward.


    While they had successfully kept the fact that Eli was technically Tam¡¯s familiar a secret, Tam had to admit, it was hard to not react when she transformed.


    The switch from when she was a human to when she was his familiar felt like suddenly gaining a whole other person that Tam was aware of and that was weirdly a part of himself. He could sense where she was, roughly how she was feeling. While he liked to think he was always aware of Eli because of his romantic interest in her, in her familiar form, it was a whole other matter entirely.


    Tam gaped at her form, slowly drawing himself back to the matter at hand.


    Eli had grown bigger; she was nearing the size of a pony.


    As Tam and Jeong moved up to her shoulders, Tam had to remind himself not to casually pet her again. He had done that once, and when she transformed back she had been wildly indignant.


    Leaning closer, Tam and Jeong inspected the fleshy wings on her back, and the two shared a look.


    ¡°They are absolutely bigger. Just like the rest of you,¡± Tam called out to Eli.


    ¡°Mrr?!¡± She turned her great head in his direction, her golden eyes wide.


    Tam showed her by the serious look on his face that he was in no way jesting. ¡°I¡¯m going to run my hand down one so you can feel how big, alright?¡±


    Tam hadn¡¯t even known it was possible for a cat-like animal to scowl until that moment. Seeing her reaction, he squared himself to her.


    ¡°Do you not want to have a sense how big those things are?¡±


    ¡°Hrrrg.¡± Eli dropped her head begrudgingly, and so Tam took that as consent as he removed his hand from his pocket, and brushed down the part of the wing that looked like it was growing a bone, or cartilage¡­


    Tam noted that it felt similar to the pads of Eli¡¯s feet that he had been granted permission once to prod.


    A low grumble emanated from Eli when Tam finally had worked his way to the tip of the wing.


    ¡°I would say these are about three feet long now,¡± Jeong nodded to himself without disguising the awe he was clearly feeling. ¡°It definitely looks like whatever species of beast you are in this form is supposed to be able to fly. Though I wonder why you are only experiencing the growth now. It makes no sense¡­¡± the Zinferan man tilted his head thoughtfully.


    Tam cleared his throat while Eli shifted forward to give herself more space from the two men before she shifted back to her human form. ¡°Let¡¯s head back. I¡¯m already feeling drained, and tomorrow is when we get to a town. It¡¯ll be better if I¡¯m rested in case something happens.¡±


    Eli lifted her hand and carefully swept the front of her hair out of her eyes as they moved to return to the camp without comment.


    Jeong set off walking at a far brisker place, leaving Eli and Tam behind to talk on their own.


    It was something he was doing more and more often, and it was earning all kinds of favorable feelings from Tam.


    ¡°Any new theories or developments on understanding your own power?¡± Tam asked quietly while watching Eli¡¯s profile.


    ¡°Not really. I¡¯ve never understood how hard it was to restrain magic. When you initially described your issues, I just assumed it was either because your magic was more powerful, or you simply had poor control.¡±


    Tam¡¯s eyebrow arched as he looked at her with a wry expression.


    Eli ignored him. ¡°I¡¯m doubting that I¡¯m a witch. Both my mother and father were quite adamant that neither of them had witches in the family. And though I¡¯ve heard that sometimes the magic is so weak it is undetected, there were other things. You know that every witch has a unique symbol that marks a place or person touched by it?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Tam nodded. The symbols could only really be seen in most cases by one particular revealing spell a member of the coven could perform. It was the one bit of magic that could be taught, and only selected coven members knew how to wield it


    ¡°I never had a symbol.¡±


    Tam straightened and blinked at this. ¡°Huh.¡±


    ¡°What does yours look like?¡± Eli asked interestedly.


    Tam moved his hands through the air haltingly. ¡°Lots of whirls, and¡­ Flowing¡­ Flowing lines¡­ I can try to draw it for you?¡± Tam squinted one eye as his voice jumped up dubiously.


    ¡°I take it you are not artistically inclined?¡±


    Tam blew out a long breath. ¡°Erm¡­ Luca is already a lot better than I am at that kind of thing.¡±


    Eli smiled and looked at the ground as they slowed their pace even more. ¡°Here I was beginning to worry you didn¡¯t have enough flaws.¡±


    Snorting in disbelief and surprise, Tam looked at Eli more directly, his face practically aching from the smile he wore. ¡°The socially awkward man who had to be reminded by a child to compliment you? I don¡¯t have enough flaws?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ you¡¯re the idyllic employer.¡±


    ¡°Very romantic,¡± Tam teased, making Eli laugh.


    ¡°You¡¯re respectful, and attractive. You¡¯re intelligent, you read a lot, you aren¡¯t the worst at brewing tea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve forgiven my coffee habit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll break you one day,¡± Eli added quite seriously.


    The intensity of the look in her eyes had Tam faltering in his steps before giving a tentative chortle.


    ¡°I¡¯m terrible at idle conversation with strangers, I have an illegitimate son, I¡¯m not artistically gifted-¡±


    ¡°Tam?¡± Eli cut him off abruptly while her hands started to fidget in front of herself nervously.


    Tam had noticed that she had fidgeted less when she had been wearing skirts, but since they were traveling and she was once again wearing pants, the habit became far more pronounced.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°What should I¡­ We¡­ What should I call what we are?¡±


    Tam blinked, dumfounded. ¡°Er. That is¡­ I¡­ Well I did say that you can¡­ It¡¯s up to you how fast you¡¯d like us to go.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying if I wanted us to get married right away you would?¡± Eli challenged next, sounding far more like herself once the skepticism entered her tone.


    ¡°I mean¡­ Back before I left Daxaria my da made a point of having me promise him I wouldn¡¯t get married without him or my mother there¡­ But if you wanted to when we got back¨C¡±


    ¡°You already think we¡¯ll get married soon?¡± Eli burst out.


    Tam leaned back. ¡°Did you think we were having a fling¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡­ I guess I did know that you were serious about where it¡¯d end up. It just¡­ It feels big, and¡­ This is my fault. I asked. I asked and I¡¯m the one who wanted to go slow, you¡¯ve always been clear about where you¡¯re feelings are at. I guess I¡¯m¨C¡±


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Eli? Eli, Eli.¡± Tam reached over and grasped her upper arms, cutting off her spiraling tangent. ¡°We are going to move at whatever pace you want.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t know what to call you! That¡¯s all! I¡­ I suppose we¡¯re technically courting, but then people would say you¡¯re my intended? Gods that sounds awful though. And strange. And¨C¡±


    Tam quieted Eli by pulling her into himself, wrapping his arms around her, and slowly rocking side to side as he did this.


    ¡°What do you want to call me?¡± He could feel her rapid heartbeat with her chest pressed against him. Which temporarily gave him very improper thoughts that he had to battle back to stay focused on the moment.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ You¡¯re¡­ Not my friend. But I don¡¯t know that I want to agree to marrying you. I hate when people say that they have a lover.¡±


    ¡°Then make up a new word.¡±


    ¡°No one will know what it means though.¡±


    ¡°Who are you talking to about me that doesn¡¯t know our situation?¡± Tam wondered with a laugh before leaning back to stare down at Eli better.


    ¡°Well, eventually I will!¡±


    Letting out a breath, Tam proceeded to pluck up Eli¡¯s left hand and tap the gold band she still wore on her ring.


    ¡°How about while you¡¯re here in Zinfera, I¡¯m still your husband, and when we¡¯re on our way back to Daxaria we revisit this.¡±


    Eli stared up at him, her expression unreadable. ¡°That¡¯s stupid.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but it isn¡¯t making you as uncomfortable as calling me lover or intended or betrothed.¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Eli cringed away from Tam¡ªor rather she tried to. He gripped her harder and lowered his face to hers, making her laugh and blush.


    Cupping her face, Tam proceeded to kiss Eli soundly. Upon doing so, she stopped squirming, and instead leaned back into him.


    The kiss was turning deeper, and Tam discovered that by the time he felt Eli¡¯s tongue over his bottom lip, he didn¡¯t have any thoughts to spare.


    Time blurred away, and at one point or another, Tam found the bark of a tree underneath his hand, Eli pinned beneath him, which was when he started feeling encumbered by clothes¡­


    ¡°Dad?¡±


    Luca¡¯s small voice was the equivalent in that moment to a bucket of icy water getting dumped on both Tam and Eli as they sprung apart. Tam¡¯s breath was a little uneven, and his hair that had just before had Eli¡¯s hands running through it, was looking incredibly unkempt.


    ¡°Ah, yes? Yes, Luca? Everything alright?¡± Tam cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck while Eli wiped at her mouth with the back of her wrist and then rubbed her palms on her black pant legs awkwardly.


    Luca stared up at them skeptically.


    First he looked at Eli, then his father. ¡°Am I going to get a little brother or sister?¡±


    Tam choked, then proceeded to cough as Eli covered her face as her cheeks burned red and let out a soft groan.


    ¡°Luca that¡­ This wasn¡¯t how¡­ Why do you ask?¡± Tam placed his hands on his hips and tried to school his expression to be more calm and collected.


    Luca was looking even more dubious when he turned his attention to Eli while wearing the same expression.


    ¡°You and Eli are together now. And¡­ And you share a bed at night. I know babies can be born even when people aren¡¯t married. Like me.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ Uh¡­ Right. So¡­ that isn¡¯t¡­ That isn¡¯t exactly how¨C¡±


    ¡°A brother would be nice. Sisters could be good, but if it is a sister, I think she¡¯ll need more sisters. If there are a few of them they can play together, which would be good, because I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll want to play with babies, and if it¡¯s just one sister she might be lonely. I mean I was lonely, but¨C¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll go help Jeong with¡­ Laying out the¡­ The bed rolls,¡± Eli announced haltingly.


    ¡°Coward,¡± Tam whispered as she started to move away.


    She didn¡¯t bother arguing that point and continued heading toward Jeong who was just getting the campfire lit.


    Tam knelt down in front of his son, a smile managing to riddle his face. He then proceeded to cast a single, mischievous glance at Eli¡¯s back before saying, ¡°We aren¡¯t having any babies right now, and won¡¯t for a while. Though when we do, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have a lot of siblings. Six. Maybe seven, who knows!¡±


    The speed with which Eli rounded back and stalked over to Tam, her eyes wide and wild, almost had him laughing, but he kept his face serious.


    Which was perfect because Luca¡¯s wide-eyed response was, ¡°Woah. That would be a lot of babies. Do you know when they¡¯re getting here?¡±


    ¡°If there are babies, there will be one! Only one!¡± Eli nearly shouted.


    ¡°Luca is worried they would be lonely because he¡¯ll be so much older,¡± Tam pointed out perfectly reasonably. ¡°Besides, just imagine, with nine children, my nephews might actually get tired out.¡±


    ¡°Nine?!¡± Eli squawked, her expression mortified.


    Luca on the other hand seemed to catch on to what his father was doing. ¡°What if we had five boys and five girls? Then I could be the captain of their teams!¡±


    ¡°What teams?¡± Tam asked good naturedly while Eli became apoplectic behind Luca.


    ¡°Snow ball fights¡­ Um. Tag? Hide and seek?¡±


    ¡°Hm, you know, what if you ran multiple games at once? Maybe we should just say twelve siblings and¨C¡±


    Eli exploded, her hands beating the air adamantly punctuating each word. ¡°Stop raising the number!¡± Then, when she finally noticed Tam¡¯s glittering eyes, barely suppressed grin, and the way Luca was already giggling, she dropped her hands from the air.


    ¡°Luca you might stay an only child.¡± Turning on her heel, Eli stomped back to the camp without allowing either Tam or Luca to goad her into another reaction.


    Ruffling Luca¡¯s hair, Tam decided he probably should take this opportunity to explain a few facts of life to his son. So, he did.


    Luckily, Luca was a smart child and grasped the basic understanding of how babies were made, the importance of asking consent, and that neither the man or woman controlled what gender baby they had. Though the poor boy was more than a little horrified when he learned about a woman¡¯s monthly courses.


    By the end of the explanation, he looked like he was about to go cross eyed, and with nighttime falling around them, Tam was feeling a whole new level of exhaustion.


    The father and son picked their way back to the tents, though during that time, Luca figured out some new questions to ask.


    ¡°So it¡¯s impossible that you and Eli could be having a baby right now?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Just so you know, I¡¯m okay if I stay an only child,¡± Luca added conversationally.


    Stifling a snort, Tam slid a curious glance at his son, right as the first fireflies started to flicker in the greenery around them.


    The summer heat had been rising steadily during their journey, but this only helped them as there was more foliage to hide in and behind.


    ¡°I thought you said you were lonely growing up?¡±


    ¡°I was, but, but now I have you, Dad. And I already have to share you now with Eli,¡± there was a faint glum note in Luca¡¯s voice that prompted Tam to frown and face his son directly.


    ¡°Luca, am I not spending enough time with you? If so, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t complain! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Luca burst out suddenly.


    Tam¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and then he recalled that his birth mother, Rosealine Evans, had probably scolded Luca if he tried to ask for more time with her while she worked.


    ¡°Luca, it¡¯s okay to tell me if you aren¡¯t happy about something. We can try and find a way to fix it together. Even if I maybe can¡¯t do anything about whatever it is, it¡¯s important that you can still talk to me, alright?¡±


    Luca¡¯s chastened expression shifted to one of uncertainty.


    ¡°How about, tomorrow morning, just you and I walk together? Then, when Eli and Jeong go to the village, instead of school work, you and I play games. Would you like that?¡±


    Luca nodded instantly, his smile bright enough that Tam could see it clearly in the night right before his son threw his arms around his waist and hugged him.


    Tam embraced him back, and smiled down at the top of Luca¡¯s head.


    He felt guilty that he hadn¡¯t been noticing Luca feeling left out, and already started mentally planning ways to avoid it occurring again in the future.


    When the hug eventually ended, Luca peeked up at his father with admiration and love bright in his eyes.


    ¡°Dad, I-I¡¯m okay if I¡¯m an only child or, or if there is a baby, or even multiple other babies. So do you¡­ Do you want me to start sleeping in Jeong¡¯s tent?¡±


    Mortification and appreciation for his son¡¯s consideration filled Tam.


    The embarrassment outweighed the other emotion, sadly, but after a moment of overcoming this terribly uncomfortable moment, Tam managed to reply with, ¡°That¡¯s okay, Luca. I think it¡¯ll be a while before you have a sibling.¡±


    Silently Tam confessed to himself, Though with my family¡¯s tendencies and fertility, it will be entirely in thanks to Eli and her wonderful boundaries.

 Chapter 58: The Forlorn Fugitives

    Slipping her pack on her shoulders, Eli stifled a yawn.


    They had gotten up outrageously early to reach the town in good time, and while it had been brutal, particularly as her calf muscles still screamed at her for all the walking they had endured over rough terrain, it was a very good thing, as by the time she and Jeong set foot in the town called Dahg, the stores were only just opening.


    It was the ideal time to make purchases while remaining unnoticed.


    The first shop they visited was the tea merchant, who did in fact have a couple bags of ground coffee to sell them. Though Eli had tried to talk Jeong down from purchasing both bags, the Zinferan held his ground for both his own and Tam¡¯s sakes.


    After that, was the bakery for some traveler¡¯s bread.


    Which was why Eli had removed her pack, in order to stock up, their next stop was going to be a local herbalist who allegedly also sold salt, when the first two imperial soldiers meandered by.


    Jeong tensed as he stood in front of Eli, blocking her from view as they had just stopped to rest out front of a butcher¡¯s shop. Luckily there was a barrel of fish that Eli could casually crouch behind as she finished loading her bag.


    ¡°Do you want to risk getting the salt?¡± Jeong asked quietly.


    The imperial guards didn¡¯t pay him much mind. They looked barely awake as they moved, their shoulders slumped, their spears being used more as walking sticks than weapons.


    ¡°If we get a bag of salt we can make it all the way to Noksa if we portion properly,¡± Eli murmured.


    ¡°Then you get back to Tam and Luca, and I¡¯ll go. I¡¯m the least suspicious of any of you,¡± Jeong responded while moving his lips as little as possible.


    ¡°Alright. Where are the soldiers right now?¡±


    ¡°They are almost at the end of the road, and¡­ they¡¯ve just turned left. Leave down by that alley to the right, circle round on the farside, and head back north. I¡¯ll try to get back to you all as soon as possible.¡±


    Eli nodded, pulled the thread to her bag tight, and then smoothly rose and ducked down the nearest alleyway.


    She had just reached the back corner of the butcher shop and was going to peek around to see if there were any other patrols, when something out of the corner of her eye stopped her dead in her tracks.


    There, on the wall, was a poster.


    With her face on it.


    Her heart plummeting to her stomach, Eli¡¯s eyes swept across the page.


    MISSING


    PRINCESS ELISARA TAEJO


    REWARD


    FOR RETURNING HER HIGHNESS


    TO THE PALACE:


    $25 000.00 GOLD


    Cold sweat prickled along Eli¡¯s back.


    The picture that had been used showed her with short hair which was damn close to how she presently looked.


    How the hell do they know what I look like now?! Soo Hebin hasn¡¯t seen me in years!


    Eli didn¡¯t have a chance to figure this out as from behind her a shout echoed.


    ¡°HEY! YOU THERE! COME IDENTIFY YOURSELF!¡±


    Her heart surged into her throat and she jolted into motion.


    The voice had come from back near the main road, and so she rounded the corner of the butcher¡¯s hastily, not thinking to check around the corner¡­ Which resulted with her crashing into an imperial soldier who had another partner.


    Wiry arms wrapped around her, pinning her in place.


    ¡°Sir, you need to¨C¡±


    Eli was grateful that she had worn pants to the town. It meant that even with her longer hair, at a glimpse she was still thought to be male¡­


    Using this moment of confusion, she kneed the groin of the soldier with his arms around her. When his comrade tried to grab her, she bent herself over and rammed her shoulder into his middle, tackling him over.


    She could hear the soldiers running down the alley behind her.


    She needed to get into the trees as quickly as possible so she could transform into the beast and outrun them. Or hide.


    Barely scrambling to her feet before the other soldiers descended on her, Eli bolted. Panic and adrenaline propelling her forward, her strength surging.


    She knew it wasn¡¯t enough though; she could hear two men closing in too quickly. She was weighed down and awkward with her pack, and her muscles were already fatigued.


    She was at a severe disadvantage.


    ¡°Damnit.¡± Swinging the pack from her shoulders, Eli tossed it to the right side, lunged to her left to barely avoid getting speared by the soldier that had gotten the nearest to her, then leapt backward just in time for the spear from the second soldier, aimed at her middle, to miss.


    She couldn¡¯t wait any longer.


    The beast exploded out of her.


    The soldiers gave shouts of shock and terror.


    Not wasting an instant of their surprise, Eli leapt over the men as they cowered, her new size making this an easy feat. She grabbed her pack in her jaws and galloped into the woods. A rumbling growl in the back of her throat as she moved. The forest blurred around Eli, and yet her eyes, nose, and ears guided her easily through the trees, over hills and rocks.


    She ran west for a while to prevent the soldiers from discovering Tam and Luca too easily. When she was certain she couldn¡¯t hear anyone after her for at least a league, she resumed moving northeast. Though to make it even more difficult on anyone tracking her, she made a point of taking massive pounces, then would splash in any river she came across on the way back to the camp.


    The smells of the forest were intoxicating, and a thrilling enjoyment started to coarse through her in a way she had never experienced before¡­ Then again she had never run free in this form before either.


    By the time Eli could hear Tam and Luca¡¯s voices she slowed down until they were just in sight so that she had time to drop her pack, change back into herself, pick the pack back up and run the rest of the way on her own two legs that resumed their protests against her continued physical exertion.


    When she approached Tam, she saw that he had smothered and buried their fire, and was ready to resume traveling with Luca at his side.


    ¡°I had to¡­ transform¡­ back in the town. There were soldiers¡­ and there¡¯s¡­ a poster with my face on it offering¡­ a reward if I can be delivered to the palace,¡± Eli gasped the message.


    Ironically it was the last quarter mile running as a human that had winded her the most.


    Tam nodded. ¡°I know. Jeong isn¡¯t back yet. We¡¯ll wait only a short while but let¡¯s at least start moving away from the camp.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean you know? How could¨C¡± Eli stopped talking, her eyes rounding.


    Familiars and witches could share images to one another.


    Particularly when there was a stressful or dangerous situation.


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    Clenching her teeth, Eli battled back another wave of dread and anger.


    Apparently it didn¡¯t matter if she didn¡¯t want to be Tam¡¯s familiar, and he agreed to not having that kind of relationship. It seemed that regardless, it would remain fixed in place.


    But it was not the time for that. Right now, what was most important, was finding Jeong and deciding what they were going to do from there.


    Her heart still pounding in her chest, Eli kept training her ears to listen for sounds of anyone pursuing them from the west, but nothing could be heard.


    They waited, while gradually drifting eastward away from the campsite.


    Any snapping of twigs or rustling of the underbrush had Tam and Eli¡¯s heads turning every which way to ensure no one was sneaking up on them.


    Luca merely held Tam¡¯s hand and kept his eyes trained on the south, as though willing Jeong to appear.


    At long last, the Zinferan did come into view, and relief instantly filled Eli from head to toe.


    Her biggest worry had been that because of her transformation and fleeing, that anyone who didn¡¯t live in the town would¡¯ve been apprehended.


    As soon as Jeong was close enough to speak, Eli noted the heavy perspiration along his brow.


    The Zinferan had gone through nothing less of a drastic change since their journey. His round soft middle had shrunk during the two weeks of walking, and even his rounded cheeks had thinned. That said, he was still prone to softness.


    ¡°There is a search party looking for Eli. They think she¡¯s either an ancient beast, or the devil,¡± Jeong explained without even managing a greeting. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I got cornered while leaving,¡± Eli returned shortly. ¡°We need to get moving. I went west for a while before coming back here, but if they have horses to follow us we¡¯re in trouble.¡±


    Jeong only paused for long enough to take a deep drink from his waterskin before then saying, ¡°I was lucky. They believed me when I told them I was running an errand for a merchant that was traveling nearby but didn¡¯t want to get off the main road. When I was leaving I overheard that the imperial army has set up checkpoints along all roads to Gondol, and they have regular patrols between all of them¨Cincluding through the woods or fields.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± Tam cursed, his brows furrowing. ¡°Thank the Gods you were able to learn that.¡±


    Jeong nodded seriously in agreement.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to switch to plan b,¡± Eli informed them all as they started to move even more quickly at the news.


    ¡°What¡¯s your¨C¡±


    ¡°The imperial soldiers will be even more present in Bani,¡± Jeong interjected, cutting off Tam worriedly.


    ¡°We¡¯ll aim for the town beside the city that Bani hasn¡¯t absorbed by the city yet. It¡¯s called Eusa, and it has its own harbor. We¡¯ll have to sail around Zinfera¡¯s east side to get to the fishing town on the opposite side of Gondol.¡±


    ¡°Hang on, so we are going to take an even longer route?¡± Tam frowned.


    Luca moaned at the mention of their travel plans getting extended.


    ¡°Yes. The imperial soldiers are not an infinite resource. If Soo Hebin has a ring around Gondol, and most likely a large number of men still in Junya, that means she is spread thin everywhere else. Eusa is so far away, and seemingly inconsequential, it¡¯s unlikely she¡¯ll send any more than a handful of men.¡±


    ¡°What about the other concubines? What if some of them are persuaded to lend their family¡¯s own reservoirs of fighters?¡± Tam speculated next.


    ¡°Soo Hebin is the most powerful of the concubines, and given the number of children she has taken from the other concubines? She has lost a lot of leverage, and some may be wanting revenge.¡±


    ¡°What about the coven? They are hiding the first witch, and the first witch is allied with the concubine,¡± the future duke pressed.


    ¡°Other than her connections, the first witch herself is powerless, yes?¡± Eli ventured thoughtfully.


    ¡°She is unless she got her hands on the dagger or Chronos. Besides, if the coven is now adding people to search for us¨C¡±


    Eli looked at Tam sharply. ¡°Do you have a better plan?¡±


    Tam let out a very long breath, his eyes staring blindly ahead of himself as they walked.


    ¡°Luca, are you alright?¡± It was Jeong who asked the question as he glanced over his companions, and noticed the young boy clutching his head.


    ¡°I have a bad headache,¡± Luca replied faintly.


    Alarmed, Tam stopped walking and immediately pulled free his waterskin.


    ¡°Drink some water. We were playing a lot and you weren¡¯t drinking enough.¡±


    Luca obeyed and took a long, deep draught, but everyone could see by the way he was squinting against the light of the day that it was incredibly painful.


    Lifting his hand up, Tam pressed his palm to Luca¡¯s forehead. ¡°Godsdamnit. He¡¯s burning up.¡±


    ¡°That came on so quickly!¡± Eli dropped to a crouch, her face tensed with concern as Luca closed his eyes with a wince. ¡°Does anything else feel wrong, Luca?¡±


    ¡°Head¡­ And I¡¯m tired¡­¡±


    ¡°When did you start not feeling well?¡± Tam persisted, making his voice gentle despite the panic he was visibly seized with.


    If they needed a doctor, they were in a world of trouble.


    ¡°Just¡­ while we were waiting for¡­ For Jeong.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Tam took back the waterskin that Luca handed him and placed the cap back on while not looking away from Luca¡¯s pale face for an instant. ¡°Luca, I¡¯m going to carry you on my back.¡±


    ¡°I can take some of the items from your pack to make it a bit lighter,¡± Jeong offered.


    Eli shook her head.


    ¡°No. Luca, you will ride me, alright? Just like you wanted to try when we first started walking!¡±


    Tam¡¯s eyes snapped to her. ¡°Are you sure you can handle it?¡±


    Eli nodded. ¡°I can carry my pack in my mouth. I¡¯m a lot stronger than either of you in that form.¡±


    Tam looked at Jeong who nodded at the idea.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Standing back, Eli shook out her arms, dropped her pack, and for the second time that day, shifted into a beast.


    Which wound up revealing how even more serious Luca¡¯s condition was, as he barely managed to crack open an eye to look at her.


    Tam carefully lifted Luca onto Eli¡¯s back.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Jeong asked with forced jubilance, as though trying to lighten everyone¡¯s grim moods.


    Luca managed to wrap his arms partially around Eli¡¯s thick neck then nod.


    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll head to Eusa. We don¡¯t have any other choice. It¡¯s the closest and safest option given Luca¡¯s state,¡± Tam acquiesced to Eli¡¯s earlier suggestion though the idea still made him visibly uneasy.


    ¡°Dad?¡± Luca asked with a faint croak as they once again began to move.


    Eli¡¯s ears perked up at the sound of his voice, already worried about how weak his grasp was around her neck.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°What happens to Eli¡¯s clothes when she transforms?¡±


    Eli snorted, which instantly drew Tam¡¯s gaze to her as hearing a giant cat snort was not something one heard everyday, but she didn¡¯t react to his look.


    The truth was she didn¡¯t know the answer either. They seemed to just get absorbed in her being, and then reappeared. The only thing that didn¡¯t was her pack.


    ¡°Not sure¡­ I guess we¡¯ll ask her when we make our next stop.¡±


    Eli heard the laughter in Tam¡¯s voice, and even spotted Jeong grinning out of the corner of her eye.


    Well, at the very least, Luca was not sick enough to stop asking really interesting questions, which had to mean he¡¯d be okay.


    Though she knew that she was perhaps leaning into hopeful optimism more out of desperation than sincerely believing everything would be alright.

 Chapter 59: Power Plays

    In concubine Soo Hebin¡¯s palace there were three gardens.


    While all of them were spectacular, maintained immaculately, and often a source of envy for the other concubines in the palace, there was one of the three that was more hidden than its sisters.


    This particular garden lay on the west side of Soo Hebin¡¯s palace, and while it was still well cared for, it tended to embrace overgrown beauty more than the others.


    Lattice walls with climbing star jasmine vines created all sorts of secluded seating areas. Some of these areas had small round tables with wooden chairs. Others had large marble daises with tall vases filled with fresh flowers every day. Others had fountains, and some had statues.


    As whimsical and delightful as the garden was, its beauty was more or less a secret. As when one first stepped outside, they would merely be met with a tall row of leafy hedges that did nothing to boast its wonders at a glance unlike the other two that, with a single step out the double doors, sprawled its wonder out for whoever gazed upon it.


    Soo Hebin respected that her secret garden was the best area for her to meet with officials, lords, and other people under her employ that she didn¡¯t necessarily want anyone to know about, but¡­ It irked her a little to not be able to show it off.


    At least, that was what Aradia, the first witch, daughter of the Gods surmised as she sat in a particular corner far away from the remote wing of the palace that Soo Hebin had stashed her in.


    It was a beautiful, sunny day. The wind rustled the leaves, it was neither too hot nor too cold, and Aradia was reading a very interesting missive from the Coven of Giong¡¯s leader.


    ¡°There was a symbol of a witch left at the crime scene by the docks. A symbol that there is no record of¡­ Wasn¡¯t that princess that Soo Hebin disliked odd for not having a symbol? Isn¡¯t it possible that she developed one?¡± Aradia asked aloud while lowering the missive and lifting her icy eyes to Ansar.


    Her faithful servant still knelt on the gravel in front of her. ¡°You would know best.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Aradia set the page beside herself on the wooden bench she was seated on. ¡°Sit over there, Ansar. I want to speak my mind to you before Her Highness seeks me out.¡±


    There was a subtle twitch in Ansar¡¯s mouth before he raised his warm gaze to Aradia.


    He then proceeded to obey and seat himself down in the chair she had gestured to with her chin.


    ¡°My brother is here in Zinfera. I feel it. And that incident at the docks tells me he has another witch helping him. The assistant that sent a missive to Soo Hebin¡­ Yun? He said there was a dark mysterious man married to Elisara, and that they had a son.¡±


    Ansar¡¯s eyebrow arched. ¡°Which is the devil? The man or the child?¡±


    Aradia shook her head slowly, her eyes drifting downward. ¡°I don¡¯t know. What was reported to the coven and to the emperor, was that the devil had been reduced to ash and disappeared, which leads me to at first think it is the child. However¡­¡± the first witch paused while settling back comfortably in her seat and crossing her legs. ¡°They could have lied. Maybe they said he died and kept him as a prisoner for information. I couldn¡¯t see what happened when he was allegedly killed in Troivack.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think it¡¯s a lie?¡± Ansar leaned forward interestedly.


    ¡°The descriptions of the shadows. If he¡¯s a child, he can¡¯t use his abilities yet. He probably can¡¯t even re-¡±


    ¡°Your Holiness?¡± The distant call came from none other than the very concubine Aradia had been hoping to avoid.


    As a result, she rolled her eyes, shared a telling look with Ansar, and responded, alerting the concubine to her location.


    A few short minutes afterward the concubine appeared, dressed as extravagantly as possible.


    Soo Hebin wore a long white dress with gold leaf patterns. The skirt underneath that added volume was black, and peaked out from underneath, while the sleeves were cut wide and loose so that the concubine could slip her hands in the sleeves as she walked gracefully.Her hair was piled high and adorned with an assortment of gold pins with rubies and diamonds¡­


    In contrast, Aradia was clad in all black. The loose pants she had acquired, the long silk coat, and even the black corset she wore, were black, and unlike the concubine, she didn¡¯t wear a speck of jewelry.


    The concubine regarded Aradia¡¯s unconventional appearance and relaxed posture with only the barest of eyebrow raises before she proceeded over to the other chair in the space, and lowered herself down.


    ¡°I have news,¡± she announced coolly.


    Aradia knew the concubine hated not having anyone to prostrate themselves for her; it was amusing. It was times like this she occasionally had a vague inkling of missing her brother¡­ As much as Aradia defended humanity, even she wasn¡¯t blind to some of the worst characters. They used to laugh together at some of their awful antics.


    ¡°Princess Elisara was spotted in a town north of Bani. She escaped using her magic and headed west. They tracked her for two days, but couldn¡¯t tell where in the Kaphe Forest she wound up going. She may have rerouted to try to go to Haewon, or simply decided another long route to take to Bani. She most likely thinks she can go to her former family for assistance,¡± Soo Hebin explained with a nearly indiscernible stiffness.


    Aradia almost smiled.


    She hadn¡¯t been told the full details about the princess, but something about her certainly made the concubine nervous. It was quite interesting¡­


    ¡°She was alone. So either her husband and child fled somewhere else, or were waiting for her in the forest.¡±


    Aradia considered this. ¡°The edge of the Kaphe Forest north of Bani is more or less in the middle of Zinfera. Your princess is leaving herself a great many options, and forcing you to spread your resources thinly.¡± The first witch didn¡¯t hide her high appraisal of Elisara.


    The more she irritated the concubine, the more the woman was prone to letting things slip.


    Sure enough upon hearing praise for the princess that Soo Hebin had tried to destroy countless times, Soo Hebin grew even paler, and her nostrils flared. ¡°I am keeping the imperial soldiers in a ring around Gondol. If that brat thinks she is going to come and claim the throne, devil at her side or not, she will not succeed. However¡­¡± Soo Hebin trailed off, a superior glint in her eyes appearing. ¡°I have also heard that there has been an official notice that Her Majesty Queen Katarina Reyes and her mother, Duchess Annika Ashowan, are on their way from Daxaria.¡±


    Aradia stilled, then smiled widely. ¡°Oh, how interesting that is. Why isn¡¯t her father coming in light of my escape?¡±


    ¡°It is because of your escape that he is staying behind in Daxaria. In the event you attack their kingdom personally.¡±


    Aradia scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m shocked they aren¡¯t aware I¡¯m here. Though it makes perfect sense for them to send the Daxarian queen here what with our history. I take it the Coven of Aguas is sending their own representatives?¡±


    Soo Hebin took her time answering, and Aradia could tell it was because she was attempting to assert dominance in the conversation.


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    ¡°They are sending their former coven head Mr. Kraft, and a knight who is allegedly going to return to Daxaria in three years to begin the process of taking over as the Captain of Military for Daxaria.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Aradia¡¯s eyes drifted toward the midafternoon sky with its brilliant blue hue and the fluffy clouds drifting by. ¡°I¡¯m expecting the coven leader of Giong to come visit me soon. Together we will start talking about collaborating with your men to look for my brother.¡±


    Soo Hebin¡¯s outrage seared forward in her expression. ¡°Why did you summon them without speaking to me first?¡±


    Aradia¡¯s eyebrows shot upward in mock surprise before she let out a soft laugh.


    ¡°Soo Hebin.¡± The concubine¡¯s teeth grit at being addressed so casually by the first witch. ¡°Those are not your people. The covens were my creation, and they obey me. And the only other entities that would have authority over me, would be my parents, the Gods themselves.¡±


    There was an eerie note in Aradia¡¯s voice that sent an ethereal echo through the air.


    While she couldn¡¯t see it, Aradia was quite certain that Soo Hebin¡¯s hands were trembling within her sleeves. Regardless, she resumed speaking to finish her point. ¡°You are a mortal. You do not command me, and while you may have thought you commanded my people, that is a very serious misconception I¡¯m afraid was born out of your ego.¡±


    Soo Hebin¡¯s eyes bulged, but after a moment of staring murderously at Aradia¡¯s calm expression she lifted her chin.


    ¡°If I am nothing to you, then leave. I do not need your help.¡±


    Aradia¡¯s smile was toying. ¡°Gladly. I¡¯ll go to the coven, reveal my presence, and alert everyone you helped free me.¡± Aradia stood, her hands finding her pockets as she stepped lazily over to the concubine. ¡°I¡¯ll also share the fact that you have been abusing my creation, Witch¡¯s Brew, and have been dosing your dear emperor for years in an effort to control him. Then I¡¯ll even go an extra league and talk about how the only one you truly feared as she was the rightful one to the throne¡­ Was Elisara Taejo.¡± Aradia inclined herself ever so slightly as she stared down at Soo Hebin. ¡°Shall I show myself out now?¡±


    The concubine was visibly struggling not to shrink back into her chair, when a voice called out.


    ¡°Mother! Mother your servants said you are out here! Whatever could you be doing here?¡± A male voice called out, and Aradia straightened just in time for a young man in his early twenties to appear. He wore a long plain royal blue coat that he had tied around his waist, and had a tidy bun pinned atop his head.


    While he didn¡¯t have any adornments, the quality of the silk spoke of his wealth.


    ¡°Mother, I was wondering where we decided we were going to host my birthday this year!¡± the young man all but whined to his Soo Hebin.


    Aradia cocked her head to the right.


    The young man was handsome¡­ As long as he didn¡¯t talk. With a sharp, square chin, broad cheekbones and wide, brown eyes.


    ¡°Jum, I told you to wait for me in the center garden. I have business to finish up here.¡±


    At being reminded that his mother was in fact talking to other people, the prince at last noticed that there was a seemingly young Daxarian woman standing over his mother, and a Daxarian man lounging in a nearby chair.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked bluntly.


    Aradia squared herself to the prince her stare unblinking. ¡°I am a guest of your mother¡¯s. And you?¡±


    The look of confusion mixed with indignation brewed on the young man¡¯s face as he glanced to his mother questioningly before responding.¡°I am Prince Jum! The next emperor to the throne! Son of Her Highness Soo Hebin, and¨C¡±


    ¡°Ah. Jum it is,¡± Aradia turned on her heel and glided back over to the bench before seating herself down.


    She looked at Soo Hebin, still smiling pleasantly while she glared back at Aradia.


    At least she hasn¡¯t tried to stab me outright yet.


    ¡°My dear,¡± Soo Hebin looked away from Aradia with great difficulty. She may have been wanting to see if she could simply kill the first witch with the acidity in her stare. ¡°Please go inside and wait for me there, I need to finish this meeting.¡±


    ¡°But that woman¨C!¡±


    Soo Hebin raised an eyebrow at her son, silencing him instantly, making him turn with slumped shoulders to trudge away.


    Aradia would¡¯ve bet money watching Jum behave like a petulant child was irking the concubine horribly.


    ¡°What is it you want Zinfera¡¯s coven for, exactly?¡± Soo Hebin fired at Aradia, her gaze once more boring into the first witch.


    Aradia let out a long suffering sigh as she looked at Ansar who merely bowed his head under her attention.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to announce that witches have no business being nobles or leading countries, and then I am going to use the coven¡¯s influence to find my brother and send him home.¡±


    ¡°The last time you did this you started a civil war and still failed,¡± Soo Hebin reminded with no small amount of satisfaction in her derisive tone.


    The first witch remained unflappable. ¡°True. But I wasn¡¯t only trying to accomplish those two things back then. Back then I was trying to lend power to the Troivackian queen to improve the gender inequality of the kingdom, while also crippling her effort to restore the coven in court. I was also busy trying to overpower my brother with blunt force and magic with humans and beasts.¡±


    ¡°So then how do you plan on returning the devil to the Forest of the Afterlife?¡±


    Aradia looked at Ansar, and again, smiled while answering. ¡°We¡¯re working on that. But I¡¯ll need the coven¡¯s full cooperation.¡±


    Soo Hebin rose to her feet, her body angled toward the exit.


    Aradia watched the burning ire simmering in every inch of her proud being.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡± Aradia called out politely¡ªas a small gentling gesture of peace.


    The concubine didn¡¯t look in any way placated.


    ¡°You will be free of Princess Elisara, and by the time I am finished, Daxaria¡¯s economy will be weakened. You can boast spearheading the resuming trades that will happen as a result. Remember, this is a partnership.¡±


    Soo Hebin turned back to face Aradia directly, her shoulders straight as she peered down at the first witch with every ounce of superiority she possessed.


    Unbothered, Aradia continued. ¡°If you start attempting to be a tyrant, you will have the same end as Aidan Helmer. I¡¯ve seen it time and time again. In life you will have partners, and you cannot lord over them all. Tread carefully.¡± Aradia loosely clasped her hands in front of herself and watched the concubine¡¯s emotions flex in complication before she turned on her heel, and stalked away without another word.


    Aradia looked back at Ansar who was rubbing his mouth while hiding a smile.


    ¡°I never knew you to have a sense of humor,¡± Aradia noted wryly.


    At this Ansar smiled more obviously at her. ¡°My apologies. I simply am¡­ euphoric to have you back with us.¡±


    Aradia looked tenderly at the man, then stood to make her way over to him. Once in front of Ansar, she lifted a hand and gently touched his cheek. He stared up at her adoringly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t feel love, Ansar. But if I could, you would have all of me. As it is¡­ Guard yourself, my darling.¡± A shadow of pain passed through Aradia¡¯s eyes as her mouth quirked regretfully.


    ¡°Now, tell me what you¡¯ve learned about the other princes and princesses. That idiot son of Soo Hebin¡¯s shouldn¡¯t so much as breathe on that throne.¡±


    Ansar bowed his head, his warm expression dimmed, but not entirely dissolved, as he then proceeded to relay his findings to his mistress.


    Aradia eventually seated herself as she listened to his voice, and while still absorbing the information, leaned back her head to enjoy the birds that sang around her¡­


    It was a rare moment of peace, but with the arrival of Katarina Reyes, she knew she was going to have to prepare quite a bit to properly receive the queen of Daxaria.

 Chapter 60: A Concerning Condition

    Tam cradled Luca against his chest, and continued to feed him a spoonful of vegetable broth. His face tense and pale as he stared down at his son¡¯s bleary eyes.


    Eli picked at her thumbnail from outside the tent as she watched Tam huddle near the lantern they had risked lighting to try and warm Luca up¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s been two days, and he is getting weaker,¡± Jeong¡¯s grave voice sounded beside Eli.


    ¡°We need to stop traveling and let him rest somewhere warm¡­ Maybe even find a physician,¡± she responded without moving her gaze from Tam and Luca.


    ¡°Do you think Eusa is a big enough town to have a physician?¡± Jeong wondered worriedly.


    ¡°Absolutely¡­ The problem is, unlike in Daxaria and Troivack, physicians here in Zinfera can sell what they know about another person. And with the imperial soldiers looking for us¡­¡±


    Jeong nodded with a grimace.


    It wasn¡¯t all physicians that acted so greedily of course, but there were enough instances of noble or wealthy families being torn apart by the discovery of a diseased partner, or a pregnancy that could not have come from the husband.


    ¡°I know a few teas that could help him, but we¡¯d need to buy the ingredients, and like I said¡­ we need a place to rest,¡± Eli added, her fidgeting becoming more frantic before dropping her hands to her side.


    ¡°Perhaps we should try imploring help from some farmers. They rarely leave their land and may not have heard all of the rumors, and any earth working man and woman I know at the very least let poor travelers use a barn,¡± Jeong said before turning to look at Eli with gentle eyes and a sympathetic smile.


    Eli gnawed on her tongue, then let out a long breath as she watched Tam put down the bowl of soup, and start to rock Luca while murmuring something she couldn¡¯t hear. He then picked up his son, wrapped a blanket around him, and set him down near the lantern before stepping outside, his countenance grim.


    ¡°This is bad. He needs a proper bed and a fire at the very least. Gods¡­ if he has an infection of some kind¡­? There is no option but to find a physician,¡± Tam lamented before reaching up and rubbing his face. He then allowed his hands to rest over his mouth as he stared blindly into nothing as his anxiety and fear visibly tortured him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s give it another day. We can reach the outskirts of Eusa tomorrow morning and I was just suggesting to Eli that we perhaps ask some more remote farmers for assistance,¡± Jeong explained softly before moving closer to Tam and patting him on his back reassuringly. ¡°It¡¯s risky, but I can¡¯t think of any other way. And if we get reported, you may just have to take Luca and myself into your void, and Eli will have to run away.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that I can take more than one person into the void,¡± Tam said with a rasp.


    ¡°You took an entire wall and a desk once, according to you. I¡¯d like to think I¡¯m a bit smaller than that,¡± Jeong reminded with only a hint of humor.


    ¡°People are different though. I care a lot more if I can¡¯t hold onto you in the void. With Lord Kim we weren¡¯t in there for very long, and when I did it with Luca, I couldn¡¯t hold him there,¡± Tam argued, his voice rising slightly.


    ¡°Tam,¡± Eli¡¯s voice was hushed, and Tam¡¯s eyes snapped to her as she drew closer. ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice. If he needs a physician because of an infection we¡¯ll deal with it then, but he needs a proper day of rest. I think Jeong¡¯s idea is a good one.¡±


    ¡°What if they¡¯ve seen your poster? The one with the reward?¡± Tam pointed out next, a sheen in his eyes only faintly visible thanks to the last vestiges of daylight.


    ¡°We¡¯ll run. We should be close enough to the harbor that maybe we steal a boat and leave that way. We¡¯re far enough from the coven that it¡¯d take them a few days to catch up to us and find us,¡± Eli countered as her index finger tapped the back of her hand quickly.


    Moving his hand back up to his eyes, Tam lowered his chin. ¡°This is all my fault. I should have sent him straight back to Daxaria with you when I got here. Now you both are in danger as well, and I don¡¯t know¡­ I don¡¯t know what I can do¡­¡± Tam trailed off. Shaking his head as he licked his lips.


    Eli and Jeong could see he was trembling.


    ¡°I¡¯m going for a walk. I just¡­ I need some time. We¡¯ll find a farm and ask for help tomorrow morning.¡±


    Jeong didn¡¯t say anything in response, and while Eli opened her mouth to try, Tam turned and strode stiffly off into the trees.


    Eli watched his back until he disappeared in the darkness and foliage, then looked toward the tent. ¡°I¡¯ll get ready for bed and stay with Luca.¡±


    Jeong nodded and gestured her past himself as he darted his eyes back and forth between where Tam had disappeared, and Luca¡¯s sickly complexion.


    Once Eli had crawled up beside Luca with her own blanket, she threw half of it over him and, very carefully, moved closer.


    If I can give him some body heat it¡¯ll be better than nothing.


    Sensing her presence, Luca shifted in his sleep, turned over onto his side facing Eli, and slowly opened his eyes.


    ¡°Eli¡­?¡± he asked dazedly.


    ¡°Go back to sleep. You¡¯re still sick,¡± she ordered awkwardly.


    ¡°Am I¡­ dying?¡±


    The tears that came instantaneously at the question surprised Eli, and she tried to blink them back as a result.


    ¡°No. No, you are not dying.¡±


    ¡°Dad¡¯s scared though.¡±


    Eli found herself falling into a familiar debate she had argued before regarding how much of the truth she should share with the boy.


    ¡°Of course he is scared. He¡¯s never had a sick child before. All parents are scared when their children are sick.¡±


    Luca¡¯s eyes fluttered closed at this, and for a moment, Eli thought that he had simply fallen back to sleep with remarkable speed¡­ But then he opened his eyes again.


    ¡°Were your parents scared when you got sick?¡±


    If Eli had thought she had any chance of controlling her tears before, she found that there was no such reality where that was possible after his question.


    ¡°No¡­ No, they never got scared. But that¡¯s because they weren¡¯t good parents. Not like your father.¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Luca stared blearily at Eli as tears fell from her eyes, and her right hand gripped the blanket over them tightly.


    ¡°My mother never got scared when I¡¯d get sick. She always said it wouldn¡¯t matter if I died,¡± Luca confessed sadly.


    Eli drew herself up onto her elbow in alarm. ¡°That is just not true, Luca. It does matter!¡±


    Luca smiled a little. ¡°Thanks, Eli. If you get sick, I¡¯ll tell you¡­ the same thing.¡± Pausing, Luca appeared to struggle to stay conscious. ¡°Eli?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± She tried to remove all the tears on her face with the back of her wrist.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here with me. Don¡¯t tell my mother, but¡­ I wish you were my mom. Even if you¡­ do¡­ make me study a lot¡­¡±


    Eli broke. Her sobs overtook her as she lowered her face to her hand.


    ¡°Luca, it¡¯s my fault we can¡¯t get you a doctor,¡± she managed through the tears. ¡°I¡¯m barely a decent person, let alone¨C¡±


    Luca shifted closer, then wrapped an arm over Eli¡¯s middle, and pressed his burning cheek into her collarbone. ¡°We have to stay together¡­ For as long as possible,¡± Luca insisted. While he had clearly tried to deliver the words with great, forceful meaning, they were still weakened, and desperate. ¡°And¡­ It isn¡¯t your fault. I can tell.¡±


    With shaking arms, Eli carefully returned Luca¡¯s embrace, and continued holding him as she wept until eventually sleep claimed both of them.


    *


    Despite Tam joining them in the tent after his walk, the two didn¡¯t stir, and so when he came in, he saw Eli and Luca clinging to each other, and somehow, the scene offered Tam¡¯s troublesome heart some solace.


    ***


    It was a cloudless day when the rows of raspberry bushes came into view. By this time, Luca was already slumped on Tam¡¯s back, and Eli walked alongside them in her human form; they hadn¡¯t wanted to risk her being seen.


    ¡°How are you this morning, Luca?¡± Tam called over his shoulder as he felt his son start to stir.


    Thus far on the trip Luca had been mostly half awake, but Tam¡¯s heart soared when he felt Luca fully lift his sweaty head off of his back.


    ¡°Where are we?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to go talk to some people and see if we can get you a proper bed to sleep in.¡±


    ¡°And maybe some tea leaves that will help bring your fever down,¡± Eli added while reaching up to gently brush Luca¡¯s damp hair off of his forehead.


    ¡°I think I feel a bit better,¡± Luca informed them with a yawn.


    Tam, Eli, and Jeong exchanged tentative hopeful looks, prompting Tam to heft Luca with a little more muscle, making Luca laugh, only for it to be followed by a cough and a stream of snot from his nose.


    Eli hurriedly produced a handkerchief and wiped his face before they set off once more down the rows of raspberry bushes.


    It took a little longer than they had anticipated to find the house on the farm, but when they did, they were greeted with the sight of a wide expanse of pristine blue water stretched before them, as on the south shores of Zinfera, lay the Tinoo Ocean.


    It was a peaceful day, and so the water almost looked still under the bright, early sunshine.


    The house in comparison to the grandiose view, was humble. With a brown tile roof, and it¡¯s length perhaps only four carriages long with three small windows dotting its white washed sides.


    As they approached, they could see an old woman wearing a faded green wool sweater and a long flimsy white dress that most likely was her night shift. She tossed feed on the ground with fingers bent from arthritis to a cluster of chickens and roosters. Her hair was braided with a loose tendril floating about her downturned face as she worked.


    Seated under the shade of the house, fanning himself with a large ginkgo leaf in one hand and holding a cup of tea in his other, was an older man. Both of them had hair that was more white than black. The man¡¯s hair, what little he had of it, stuck up on the left side of his head, and his white shirt was loose, his feet bare, and he also appeared to be wearing his sleepwear.


    They looked meek enough that they wouldn¡¯t pose an imminent threat, but Tam knew that there was the chance for nosey neighbors or grown children to be nearby.


    ¡°Should I go and introduce us?¡± Jeong offered kindly.


    Tam shook his head and moved forward. ¡°They need to see that Luca isn¡¯t well so they don¡¯t think we¡¯re trying to con them.¡±


    ¡°Most people wouldn¡¯t think¨C¡± Jeong started to object, but Tam was already setting off toward the couple.


    The moment he set foot onto the dirt patch of the yard and off the thick grasses of the raspberry field, Tam spoke out, hoping that his respectful distance would help him seem more trustworthy.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    The old lady turned with shuffling feet to look in surprise at Tam¡¯s appearance, while the old man under the eaves of the house leaned forward in his seat.


    ¡°Hi there, I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry I¡­ Um¡­¡± His voice was a rasp as tears suddenly warmed Tam¡¯s eyes.


    In his life he had felt powerless and pointless many times before, but never¡­ Never had it ever been like this.


    ¡°My son is sick, and¡­ the imperial soldiers keep wanting to arrest anyone who isn¡¯t Zinferan, and we¡­ He can¡¯t keep going. He has a fever.¡± Tam knew he wasn¡¯t making a ton of sense, but at the mention of his son the woman¡¯s eyes moved to the top of Luca¡¯s head that was once again resting against his shoulder.


    She stared into Tam¡¯s eyes as her husband stood and made his way over to observe beside his wife. He was shorter than she was, and Tam towered over her.


    The woman reached out a hand, and gestured him toward her.


    He obeyed on legs that felt like they had rusted.


    The old man shot a frown at his wife, but she merely pressed the basket of chicken feed into his hands, and reached up with her thin arms to touch Luca¡¯s forehead.


    The old woman¡¯s attention briefly turned to Eli and Jeong, then back to the boy.


    Her mouth pursed.


    Luca coughed, then coughed some more.


    The distrustful expression changed to sincere worry.


    ¡°Please, all we ask is a place where he can rest. We can pay you. We¡­ We can pay for food, or tea leaves, but can you¡­¡± Tam¡¯s remaining composure crumbled. ¡°Please help my son.¡±


    He was crying.


    He hadn¡¯t cried in years, but the frustration, desperation, and fear that had been gouging his heart wrangled it from him.


    Tam had handled everything that had happened on his journey since leaving Daxaria the best he could. The most logically he could. He had questioned himself, and grown stronger. He¡¯d made friends, and opened himself up in ways he hadn¡¯t ever thought possible¡­


    But Luca was too sick, even if he said he was feeling better.


    And there was no one to save them.


    No one they could count on for help.


    The old woman gently touched Tam¡¯s cheek, her wide brown eyes warm, and kind.


    ¡°My name is Sua. Come inside. I¡¯ll make some tea.¡±

 Chapter 61: A Fatherly Fear

    ¡°Have you heard any word?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Have you eaten dinner yet?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Any news about Antony making it stop raining any time soon?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still early, I¡¯m sure Kat has arrived safely,¡± Fin said with a sigh while lowering the paperwork in front of himself and slouching back in his seat.


    He was sitting in the council room with Eric, the report on the first witch¡¯s escape as well as the report regarding the last time they defeated her was spread out on the table in front of them so as to help them begin to strategize should another war break out.


    However, the new Daxarian king had been in a Gods awful mood ever since his beloved wife had set foot aboard a vessel set for Zinfera with his mother-in-law.


    Of course it didn¡¯t help that there was the looming threat of the daughter of the Gods hanging over them.


    Fin leaned his head back until it hit the back of the chair. The relentless downpour that washed the windows was starting to become a concern.


    The riverbanks were buckling, and the farmers worried about their crop roots rotting¡­


    ¡°Eric, maybe you should take a half day tomorrow and spend time with Antony. I¡¯m pretty sure he would feel a lot better if you and him got some one-on-one time.¡±


    ¡°Fin¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that simple.¡± Eric¡¯s bloodshot hazel eyes reluctantly drifted up from the pages in front of himself. He hadn¡¯t slept well since Kat had left. ¡°We only told Antony two weeks ago that Charlie would most likely be the only one to take the throne. He needs time to sort out his feelings.¡±


    ¡°He needs guidance,¡± Fin corrected, trying to keep his tone as gentle as possible.


    ¡°I tried to talk to him and be there for him, but all he did was scream and tell me to get out because I wouldn¡¯t understand as a human.¡±


    Wincing, Fin inclined forward again to better rub the back of his neck. ¡°He didn¡¯t want to talk to me either. Just said I got to become a duke¡­ And that at least I was given a choice.¡±


    ¡°So you see my dilemma,¡± Eric pointed out wearily.


    ¡°He still needs to know we are there for him.¡±


    ¡°Fin! I¡¯m¨C¡± Eric¡¯s voice was loud, and aggravated, but upon hearing how it came out, he paused. Closing his eyes, the king took a breath, and then in a quieter tone, continued. ¡°I¡¯m doing the best I can. With Kat being away everything is three times more difficult. For more reasons than one. I¡¯m just¡­ Gods. I¡¯m not right right now.¡± Eric reached up and rubbed his eyes.


    Fin gave a resigned half smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know how hard it is for you right now. Well. I don¡¯t exactly, but I know you are struggling a lot¡­ Honestly, I really wish Tam were here. He¡¯d be the perfect person to talk to Antony.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. Tam wasn¡¯t all that thrilled himself that the coven is planning to take away the duchy from him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯d put his own feelings aside to help Antony. I know he would,¡± Fin affirmed.


    Eric tilted his head over his right shoulder and didn¡¯t comment.


    While Fin noticed the pointed lack of response, he once again chose not to bring up Eric¡¯s wariness over both his Tam and Annika. He had sensed it for years, but never addressed it directly¡­ He had his suspicions on what it was with regards to, but knew Eric had still yet to finish making up his mind. Which was rare for him, and showed that there was a great deal for


    him to try and process.


    A rumble of thunder crescendoed to a guttural growl outside the window.


    ¡°I find it odd that the coven has become so particular about witches in power. I thought we should be able to take whatever role we wished, so long as we counseled others on the balances of our element.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to counsel the balance of a mutated power,¡± Eric pointed out swiftly, as though he had had the argument one too many times.


    ¡°True¡­ But even so. It seems oppressive.¡±


    ¡°They are drawing a clear divide between you and humans. Differences should be noted. I don¡¯t begrudge them for making that point. I mean, Antony struggling to control his mood is resulting in Austice getting drenched. Not many seven year olds can say that,¡± the king argued reasonably.


    Fin¡¯s mind drifted through the arguments for a few moments longer quietly, until he eventually shook his head.


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. I mean¡­ I hate being noble¨C¡±


    ¡°Oh really? No one¡¯s noticed.¡±


    ¡°--My real love is cooking and keeping a house happy. The only reason I can manage any of this is with constant reminders that this is all part of my home,¡± Fin plundered on, ignoring Eric¡¯s interruption. ¡°But maybe that¡¯s just it. Politics might be something we need to keep more separate from witches.¡±


    ¡°The only problem with that? It starts to sound like religion. And religion building power is¡­ tricky.¡±


    Fin cringed. ¡°Definitely.¡±


    Shaking his head, Eric sighed. ¡°Can you convince your wife and my wife to abandon our lofty roles so we can go farm or something?¡±


    Fin grinned. ¡°I wish. I didn¡¯t even win in the battle to keep my beard.¡±


    Eric nodded at the memory, though his shadowed eyes twinkled a little, which encouraged Fin to say more. ¡°Who knows, maybe Tam finds an insight into things that we are missing while he¡¯s away. He did say he was going to talk to the Zinferan coven and possibly even travel to Lobahl after.¡±


    The two men rose to their feet, Fin¡¯s hands finding his pockets, and Eric looking a little more relaxed, when all of a sudden, the duke¡¯s sights filled with white and his knees buckled. His palms slammed blindly against the surface of the table, stinging his palms.


    ¡°Fin?¡± Eric moved hastily to his father-in-law¡¯s side, terror lacing his tone. Whenever this happened, it meant that one of Fin¡¯s family members was either terrified, or dying.


    Fin¡¯s legs started to give away under himself, and he felt his face contort with pain¡­


    With Eric¡¯s arm going round his back, Fin teetered, as though about to fully collapse.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is something happening on the ship to Kat? Or to the duchess? Or¨C¡±


    Fin shuddered, and as he closed his eyes, the white light disappeared and he felt his own tired blue eyes gazed out once more.


    Slowly lowering himself back down into his seat, Eric tentatively backed up, anxiety and fear bright in his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s Tam.¡± Fin¡¯s voice rasped


    Eric¡¯s tensed expression eased fractionally. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Someone is sick¡­ He¡¯s terrified they¡¯re going to die¡­¡±


    ¡°What exactly did you hear and see?¡± Eric pressed while trying to keep his own apprehension from becoming too burdensome.


    ¡°A Zinferan woman was saying something about someone named Luca having an infection in his lungs¡­ Eli was beside Tam¡­¡±


    Eric straightened and rubbed his mouth. ¡°Was there anything about Tam¡¯s surroundings that could tell you where he might be?¡±


    Fin squinted as he strained his mind that was already growing sluggish from using such a powerful part of his ability. ¡°They were in a small cottage¡­ I think they were by the sea or ocean¡­ I could smell the salt in the air.¡±


    Blinking in confusion Eric couldn¡¯t help but blurt. ¡°Tam isn¡¯t supposed to be anywhere near the sea or ocean while in Zinfera. He was supposed to be in the desert.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Interlocking his fingers, Fin dropped his gaze to the table, and struggled to swallow down the hard lump in his throat. ¡°He¡¯s more terrified than he¡¯s ever been in his life¡­ Whoever isn¡¯t doing well¡­ Is incredibly important to Tam.¡±


    Eric was quiet for a breath, as Fin felt his insides rattle with emotions of concern, fear, and sadness¡­ His son was not doing well, and he wasn¡¯t anywhere nearby to help.


    ¡°He¡¯s an Ashowan. Things will be alright,¡± the king said in an obvious attempt to bolster his friend¡¯s spirits.


    ¡°Eric, imagine one of your own sons¡­¡± Fin trailed off and shook his head, unable to finish the thought. ¡°I wish I could be there for him. And Tam is different¡­ Everything is harder for him because of his magic, and he just¡­ Never seemed to find his own place. I was hoping this trip would help him, but now he¡¯s in some kind of trouble and is terrified about losing someone close to him.¡±


    The king said nothing.


    Fin knew given this new insight into Tam¡¯s present, that that had been exactly what he¡¯d gone and done, but still¡­


    Eric rested a hand on Fin¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to bed. Hopefully we¡¯ll hear word that Kat has arrived in Zinfera, and then she should be able to find Tam.¡±


    ***


    Tam sat outside the cottage, staring at the Tinoo Ocean. His elbows braced on his knees, and his hands loosely clasped in front of himself.


    They needed a physician.


    Which meant they¡¯d have no choice but to steal a boat, and try and sail around Zinfera once Luca was better, even though Jeong barely knew how to sail a boat, and both he and Eli hadn¡¯t the faintest clue how to do it either.


    Tam dropped his chin to his chest, and tried to force another solution into his mind. But it was difficult to think of anything else when the old woman who was kindly letting Luca rest in one of her own children¡¯s old beds had told him if Tam didn¡¯t get help for Luca, the boy was going to die.


    It consumed all of Tam¡¯s thoughts no matter how hard he tried.


    Jeong was already off in the town of Eusa getting the physician.


    Eli, after resting a cold cloth on Luca¡¯s head, had gone to harvest vegetables for dinner with the old man named Hajun who had begrudgingly accepted them into his home.


    The bench that was pressed against the wall of the cottage¡¯s front where Tam had parked himself, was just below the bedroom window where Luca was sleeping. It gave him both a moment to himself as well as a place to keep a close ear out for Luca if he woke up or needed something¡­


    The sound of the front door gently closing snapped Tam¡¯s attention over to see Sua standing fully dressed for her day in a plain cotton dress, and a vivid red apron tied around her waist with chickens embroidered on the bottom edge.


    Tam¡¯s mouth almost twitched at the sight.


    ¡°Your son sleeps well. The physician will have him recovering quickly. He is a very good healer,¡± she informed him bluntly.


    Sua¡¯s matter of fact way of talking was both hard to take and yet simple enough that it was easy to digest what she had to say.


    ¡°Thank you¡­ Again. For helping us.¡±


    ¡°He is a kind child.¡±


    Tam¡¯s throat felt swollen as he nodded and looked back toward the ocean.


    The old woman rounded Tam to sit beside him.


    ¡°It is frightening when the little ones get sick¡­. He will recover though.¡±


    Tam nodded again, but felt the threat of tears building back behind his eyes.


    ¡°It is a different empire than it used to be,¡± Sua started to say idly, seemingly changing the topic. ¡°There is much fear, and people are not certain what is happening to the emperor.¡±


    Tam held his tongue.


    ¡°Have you been in Zinfera long?¡± she ventured mildly.


    ¡°A few months.¡±


    Sua didn¡¯t respond straight away as gulls cried overhead drawing her attention upward.


    ¡°You should return home swiftly,¡± she informed him abruptly, and yet still matter of factly.


    ¡°I know. It isn¡¯t safe for my son here.¡±


    ¡°Do you need a boat?¡±


    Tam¡¯s head whipped around and she stared somberly at him.


    ¡°My son is a fisherman. He can take you to Bani if you need to find passage home.¡±


    Tam¡¯s expression stilled, and Sua¡¯s sharp eyes caught it.


    Whether or not she assumed they were wanted criminals, or that they could not risk traveling out of Bani, he wasn¡¯t certain, but he didn¡¯t feel like it was a good idea to offer clarity anyway.


    ¡°I see.¡± Sua became quiet once more.


    Nothing more was said.


    Tam could practically hear the soldiers feet pounding down the dirt road, when in actuality it was just his heart pounding against his chest.


    If he wanted any chance of getting home, he¡¯d have to hurt a lot of people and he would, without a doubt, have to be put on trial and possibly jailed as a result.


    Or.


    He let them take him, and risk Eli and Luca getting hurt.


    Something stirred inside Tam at that second option, and he discovered that if forced to choose, he knew what he would do.


    ¡°I am sorry we had to burden you,¡± he said while trying to turn away from the very dark thoughts that started to swell in his mind.


    Sua regarded his profile then looked out over the sea.


    ¡°I do not know much, but I do know you are a good father, and I can appreciate that. I hope whatever it is you choose to do going forward, it is a choice your son would be proud to see you make.¡±


    Tam¡¯s head slowly turned to gaze at Sua who didn¡¯t bother looking back at him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen my fair share of desperate men. And they are not nearly as fearsome as a desperate father,¡± she explained distantly.


    Tam couldn¡¯t comment, though he felt some unpleasant whirling guilt and dread in his gut.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go check on Luca.¡± He stood.


    ¡°There is only one beast more fearsome than a desperate father that you should know of.¡±


    Tam looked back at Sua, though it was surprisingly harder than he would¡¯ve liked.


    ¡°A desperate mother is by far the most vicious of beasts. So whatever it is you choose to do, try to make it so that Luca¡¯s mother does not reach that point. Whatever sins you are willing to commit for your son, I guarantee your wife would go farther. Empires collapse under such creatures. Just as ours is about to do.¡±  Unable to process the warning and profound insight Sua had just given him in light of his emotional turmoil, Tam proceeded back into the cottage, though he doubted he would be forgetting her words any time soon.

 Chapter 62: Dinner Time Drinks

    Chapter 62


    Dinner Time Drinks


    Tam stared at the table ladened with freshly washed carrots, bok choy, green onions, and celery. Beside the vegetables was some ginger root, and sitting in a pot, freshly caught and plucked, was a chicken.


    The physician had only recently left, meaning Tam had just come back from hiding behind the shed, and Luca was apparently fast asleep.


    ¡°You know how to cut vegetables?¡± Sua asked crisply, her hands on her hips.


    A wry smile pulled across Tam¡¯s face before he darted a brief look at Jeong and Eli. They pointedly looked elsewhere as they, too, fought back knowing grins.


    They were all feeling significantly better knowing that Luca had received medicine, and Jeong had relayed to everyone that the physician believed within a few days Luca would be feeling right as rain, though would most likely have a lingering cough for another week or two.


    ¡°Sua, I was planning on making the whole dinner for you and your husband to show my thanks.¡±


    Sua¡¯s gaze narrowed. ¡°You can cook?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be incredibly strange if I didn¡¯t.¡±


    The woman¡¯s mouth pursed as she looked at Eli. She clearly wanted to ask about why Tam would say such a thing, but instead said to her, ¡°What about you? Do you cook?¡±


    Eli shook her head. ¡°Not at all.¡±


    Sua fell silent.


    ¡°How about you and Hajung sit outside with a glass of rice wine, or whatever liquor you have, and enjoy the evening,¡± Tam proposed with a tired, yet appreciative half smile.


    Sua frowned, but Hajung, who was still drying his neck off after washing it with a damp towel by the back window, interjected. ¡°Come, Sua. It¡¯s not like there is anything to steal,¡± Hajung called to his wife before a yawn claimed him.


    Sua¡¯s finger tapped her upper arm once, then turned toward the door to leave without another word. Though she did reach into a cabinet beside the front door and pull out a stack of cups before following her husband outside where the sun was casting its final moments light over the water; promising a brilliant sunset.


    When the door closed both Eli and Jeong turned to Tam who was already picking up the knife on the table.


    He looked at Eli. ¡°Did you see where she keeps the garlic?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°It¡¯s in the bowl behind you.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± Tam located it quickly, and then laid everything out before himself.


    ¡°Is there anything we can do to help?¡± Jeong asked with a faint chuckle.


    Tam shook his head. ¡°Oh no, I¡¯ve been trained how to cook since I was seven years old. You two could probably just go join Sua and Hajung outside.¡±


    Both Eli and Jeong looked at each other and shrugged.


    Jeong bowed to Eli and gestured toward the exit. ¡°Might as well,¡±


    Hesitating only a moment, Eli proceeded out of the cozy cottage, the rushing waves on the beach a short ways over becoming momentarily louder as she opened the door and stepped over the threshold.


    Jeong cast a wink at Tam then followed behind her.


    Tam smiled back and started to work on peeling the garlic.


    It was a nice, familiar task. Cooking a meal was something Finlay Ashowan had made his children do at least once a week for years. Sometimes they¡¯d all cook as a family¡ªsave for the duchess who instead sat nearby with a stiff drink in hand. Tam recalled how his father had always believed cooking to be a rather spiritual experience¡­


    While not quite as reverent about the act as Finlay Ashowan, Tam did find it the perfect way to occupy his mind, and busy his hands¡­ Something more like a meditative act.


    And so he lost himself to the task, humming on occasion or uttering things like ¡°Oops, get back in there.¡± Or, ¡°Get¡­ Off¡­ of¡­ that¡­¡± when his chopped green onions felt like sticking stubbornly to the knife¡¯s blade.


    The repetitive crash of the waves outside, and the lowering of the sun all played into the helpful atmosphere that allowed Tam to breathe again. While it took a little bit of time, after a while, Tam felt significantly calmer than he had in days, and so he allowed himself to turn over his present situation, as well as how best to plan for the future.


    The physician may have alerted someone about a foreign boy being there, and so everyday from then on was a risk. Hell, soldiers could already be on the way.


    Tam¡¯s anxiety stirred in his chest with renewed vigor


    Until the potent aroma of the broth he was stirring changed, and he was prompted into removing the pot from its place over the fire using two towels that Sua had set out.


    He stared at the colorful hearty soup with a satisfied smile before he grabbed a ladle and eased some liquid and vegetables into it. The sweetness of the carrots, the zing of the ginger, the savory of the chicken¡­


    His mouth watered.


    After weeks of roasting whatever wild animal Eli had hunted for them, to have such a well seasoned meal was heavenly.


    Steam curled off the broth, and so, after blowing on the liquid to cool, Tam took a sip.


    ¡°Hm. Needs more salt.¡±


    ¡°Dad?¡±


    Tam nearly leapt out of his skin.


    ¡°Luca!¡± he gasped when he registered his son¡¯s pale face staring up at him in confusion.


    ¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡± Luca asked before reaching up to rub his right eye.


    ¡°Making us all dinner, how¡¯re you feeling?¡±  Tam hurriedly put the ladle back in the pot and gave Luca his full attention.


    ¡°Better!¡± Luca smiled up at Tam, and the future duke felt like he could cry again out of pure relief.


    Lowering himself down to a crouch, Tam wordlessly pulled Luca into a hug, then kissed the side of his head.


    ¡°Thank the Gods,¡± Tam¡¯s voice hitched.


    It took a while, but eventually the father and son were forced to part when the front door stuttered open, and in stumbled Jeong.


    ¡°Smells good in here! Is uh¡­ Is dinner¡­ Luca!¡± Jeong greeted after slurring most of his words with his cheeks pink.


    Tam could tell the Zinferan was a tad inebriated.


    ¡°Dinner is ready, yes. I take it you all are enjoying the sunset?¡±


    ¡°We *hic* are!¡± Jeong¡¯s smile suddenly turned devious. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen Eli drunk before either, but Sua keeps making her drink even though we haven¡¯t even been out there that long.¡±


    Tam barely fought off a snort of laughter as he straightened. ¡°She¡¯s drunk?¡±


    ¡°Come see for yourself. Luca, how about you help me bring out bowls for everyone, hm? You look like you¡¯ve got a bit of strength back!¡±


    Sheathing his mouth with his elbow, Luca loosed a terrible and wet cough before nodding, and following Jeong over to the cooking table where Tam had set the pot while he proceeded out the front door.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    As it turned out, the group had not been enjoying their beverages on the front of the house where they could watch the ocean, but were in the backyard sitting on a low table they must have moved over for the occasion.


    Upon finding them, Sua waved happily to Tam, which surprised him as the woman had generally been quite standoffish.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you come join us for a drink! Your wife here is holding up quite well!¡± Hajung chortled as he tossed a handful of raspberries into his mouth.


    Tam¡¯s eyes moved to Eli and found that she was incredibly flushed, swayed where she sat, and her hair was sticking up oddly as though she¡¯d been running her hand through it.


    ¡°Dinner is ready,¡± he informed Sua and Hajung as Eli turned to face him, then squinted.


    He guessed she was maybe seeing two or three of himself.


    ¡°Help yourself to the drink. We usually make too much anyway,¡± Hajung said with a grunt as he pushed himself to his feet before he shuffled past Tam. Sua followed closely behind him wearing a coy smile.


    Tam bobbed his head in thanks, then strode over to Eli who was struggling to uncross her legs and set her feet on the ground. He watched her do this, and, once he was absolutely certain he heard the front door close, signifying that it was only them outside, he drew closer.


    ¡°Are you a little drunk?¡± Tam couldn¡¯t keep the smile from his face.


    Eli¡¯s head flopped back so that she could stare up at him, and her eyebrows twitched. ¡°I¡¯mm fiiiiine!¡±


    ¡°Are you now?¡± Tam casually sidled over and plunked himself down on Eli¡¯s left. ¡°Luca¡¯s awake and feeling a lot better.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ss so¡­. So good! I¡¯m so relieeved!¡± Eli declared exuberantly.


    ¡°Mhm. I¡¯m glad for it as well¡­ I¡¯m hoping if no soldiers come for us we can take off still heading east and track down a fishing boat along the way.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be good.¡± Eli reached up and scratched the side of her head clumsily before turning her head to stare at Tam again. ¡°You¡¯re¡­. Really handsome.¡±


    Tam laughed then met her gaze. ¡°Why do you sound annoyed by that?¡±


    ¡°Because it is annoying.¡±


    Unsure how to handle receiving such a strange compliment Tam awkwardly reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t help it. But it¡¯ss¡­ It¡¯s sso annoying.¡± Eli gave a derisive snort.


    ¡°Ah. I¡¯ll try to do better on that front. Is there anything else about me that annoys you?¡± Tam ventured while planting his palms on the table so that he could lean back and stretch his legs out.


    ¡°A loooot of stuff, but I shouldn¡¯t¡­ Shouldn¡¯t tell you that, because people who¡­ Who love each other don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t do that!¡±


    Tam¡¯s humored expression froze as he looked in surprise at Eli. ¡°Eli¡­ Are you saying you love me while being wildly intoxicated?¡±


    ¡°There you go¡­ Being annoying! Can¡¯t just let me¡­ Let me sssay stuff¡­ You have to¡­ To be the kind of¡­ Kind of guy that listens to women. Puh.¡± Eli tossed her head derisively.


    Tam blinked and pressed his lips together in another effort not to laugh again. ¡°I¡¯ll work on that flaw as well. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re juss¡¯ so¡­. So¡­ Respectful! Don¡¯t you want to¡­ To have sex?!¡±


    Tam was instantly grateful that he wasn¡¯t drinking anything as he was certain he would¡¯ve spit it out when Eli launched that question at him like an arrow straight for his heart¡­ Or maybe it was an arrow directed elsewhere¡­


    ¡°Uh. Yes. Yes, I do want to do that. With you. A lot. But you asked me to go slow. We are going slow.¡±


    ¡°YOU want a thousand babies! So why won¡¯t you¨C¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Oh, no. No, no. I do not want a thousand babies. I was teasing you before with Luca!¡± Tam leaned forward and tried lowering his voice in the hopes that Eli would maybe to do the same, though as he did this he could feel heat warming his cheeks.


    ¡°Nooo! You want that! Admit it! You looove having Luca, an¡¯ you want more. You¡¯re the type!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a type?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The good dad type. The happiest being a father¡­ type.¡±


    ¡°Eli? Look at me.¡±


    The Zinferan princess took her time, but eventually she did manage to roll her head in Tam¡¯s direction and stared at him.


    Well¡­ kind of stared.


    It looked like she was about to go cross eyed.


    Tam decided to help her and so he lowered his face to hers and cupped her cheeks in his hands gently.


    ¡°I will have as many children as you want. And yes, I want you in my bed one day, and not with Luca between us. But we are on the run from an empire¡¯s army, a coven of witches, and we have only just started this relationship. So I am not rushing you. Especially when we have no¡­ contraceptive measures.¡±


    Eli leaned her face a little more heavily in Tam¡¯s left hand as she tilted her face to the right.


    ¡°What if I want a bunch of children?¡±


    ¡°Then Gods help you, you''ll get them very quickly,¡± Tam assured, though he was starting to feel his struggle with reason and desire resurface as the conversation progressed.


    ¡°Well. I do. I want five.¡±


    Tam¡¯s mind went blank. ¡°You want five children? Even though you are wildly particular and a bit of a perfectionist?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Yeah. Yeah I do. Though Luca counts as one.¡±


    Tam sighed. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to ask you about this when you¡¯re sober.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead! It¡¯s what I want!¡± Eli straightened herself up and lifted her nose into the air indignantly.


    Tam couldn¡¯t help it, he chuckled.


    ¡°You think that it¡¯s funny?!¡± she accused.


    ¡°A little! Not that I won¡¯t be happy to oblige you, but¡­ Can I ask why specifically four more?¡±


    Eli stared up at the darkening sky and didn¡¯t answer straight away.


    Tam wondered if she had maybe forgotten the question and was about to suggest they go grab some dinner, when she finally responded.


    ¡°I¡­ Didn¡¯t think¡­ I could be a good mother¡­. ¡®Cause of my mother bein¡¯ awful. An¡¯ then¡­ Then I spent time with Luca, and I think I could. And my¡­ my parentsss had four kids, an¡¯ I just think¡­ I could have the¡­ The right family. Finally.¡±


    Tam listened, his heart aching as he recognized the longing, and wistfulness in Eli¡¯s voice.


    But then she decided to utterly undo him by saying.


    ¡°Besides¡­ There should be more¡­ more people like you in the world.¡±


    Feeling both uncomfortable, but also incredibly appreciative of the compliment, Tam reached over and gently rubbed Eli¡¯s back.


    ¡°You are an amazing woman.¡±


    ¡°Tam?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I think¡­ I might¡­ vomit.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± It was all Tam had time to say before Eli bent down at her waist, and was sick on the ground.


    ¡°Aaah¡­¡± Tam kept rubbing her back as she retched. ¡°When you''re finished we¡¯ll get you some water and soup and I¡¯ll put you to bed with Luca. Sound good?¡±


    She vomited some more.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Yeah I think that¡¯s the best idea for now.¡±

 Chapter 63: Pushing for Progress

    Still not enough!


    You aren¡¯t enough!


    You think you deserve the Ashowan name?


    Why?


    A peasant given a fraction of your opportunities could do what you do!


    You¡¯ve killed people! Sure, you say it¡¯s only in defense, but those are entire worlds you destroy. They all had a mother! A father! Family! Friends!


    Your own father saves people!


    You are nothing but a problem to the world.


    Why aren¡¯t you more?


    Why aren¡¯t you enough?


    So many people do more with less!


    Your own son was shunned and scorned and you weren¡¯t there for him!


    Be better!


    Look at you!


    You¡¯re pathetic!


    Your power could help someone, and you ran from it for years!


    You are nothing like your father. He worked to grow his power, and you avoided it like a coward.


    No wonder your own family doesn¡¯t even take you seriously.


    You expect to protect your child? You can barely protect yourself!


    Tam jolted awake.


    Tears flowed freely down his cheeks as his eyes widened against the darkness; his entire body clammy.


    Outside of Sua and Hajung¡¯s cottage, crickets performed seamlessly while Tam slept alone in the darkness of the tent he had erected near Luca¡¯s window.


    His mind struggled against the drowning nightmare as he gasped.


    It had been years since he¡¯d dreamed of being trapped in the void with the worst of his thoughts and fears whirling around him¡­


    Sitting up, Tam reached for his waterskin, his throat dry from heavy breathing.


    After gulping down several mouthfuls, he stared at his trembling hands in the darkness.


    It¡¯s a dream. I¡¯m different now¡­


    Reaching up. Tam pinched the bridge of his nose, though he was not successful in stopping the shivering that wracked his body.


    ¡°I need to be better. My magic needs to be stronger.¡±


    His mind flitted to the image of Luca¡¯s pale, sick face, and then he dwelled on the knowledge that the Giong Coven was hunting him¡­


    Taking a deep, steadying breath, his arms wrapped around his knees, Tam grasped his wrist.


    ¡°Alright. I guess I¡¯m not getting any sleep tonight. Might as well think this all through. Starting with my magic.¡±


    *


    The cool porcelain pressed against Eli¡¯s cheek, drawing her back to her senses, and as a result, making a pained groan crawl out of her throat as the dull pounding in her head greeted her.


    Then a heavens sent cold cloth was pressed to her forehead, and her groan turned to one of relief.


    ¡°I figured you¡¯d be in a state this morning.¡± Tam¡¯s gentle, chuckling voice sounded beside Eli.


    She scrunched up her face and rolled onto her side with a grumble while reaching up to clutch the cloth to her head.


    ¡°Eli, I need you to be up soon. I want to try something with my magic, and I need you there. Jeong is off in the fields with Hajung helping him with his farm work. Do you think you can manage to come with me?¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s Luca?¡± she mumbled instead of answering.


    ¡°He¡¯s helping Sua in the kitchen. He still has a cough but his fever is staying down. I¡¯ll give him a bath later.¡± Tam reached up and gently stroked Eli¡¯s hair as he spoke. Feeling this, Eli stilled as the soothing movements helped to further quell some of the nasty pains plaguing her. ¡°Sua made a spicy pork bone soup for you. Hajung swears it helps you get through the worst of the hangover.¡±


    Eli¡¯s mouth instantly watered.


    Something in her revealed that this savory spicy treat was exactly what would help set her to rights.


    ¡°I also made a cup of ginger tea for you.¡±


    ¡°Did you-¡±


    ¡°Yes, I boiled it in the pot. I did not just add boiling water to the cup. You taught me well.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still a tea heathen,¡± Eli grumbled while sitting up, and instantly regretting it as the world briefly spun around her.


    ¡°There is no pleasing you,¡± Tam teased while reaching out to rub soothing circles on Eli¡¯s back.


    At first she wanted to bark at him to not touch her, but after she considered how good it felt, conceded to hold her tongue on the matter.


    Though she still gave a faint rumble.


    ¡°I almost feel like¡­ Since you¡¯ve been turning into your other form more often, your cat-like tendencies have become more apparent to me.¡±


    Turning her head slowly, Eli¡¯s eyes narrowed, even though it pained her to do so, she wanted Tam to see her annoyance.


    He merely grinned at her response.


    Which made her thoughts temporarily sputter as she was confronted in her weakened state with his handsomeness.


    Him and his stupid good looks¡­


    ¡°What is it you want to try with your magic?¡± Eli asked, hoping to stay in her indignant state for the sake of her pride.


    ¡°Well, last night I was thinking how Lord Kim raised a very interesting line of questions when he identified my magic as ether.¡±


    ¡°Such as¡­?¡±


    ¡°Such as, shouldn¡¯t I be able to control matter around me? Or the void? What if I can make people or things disappear through it? Is it still as taxing to me? Or can I move things rather than opening and stepping into the void?¡±


    Eli¡¯s head throbbed, but her heart fluttered with excitement. ¡°That¡­ would make sense if he was right about what your magic is.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain¡­ But I get the sense that he did find the appropriate title of my power.¡± As he spoke, Tam¡¯s hand casually found its way into Eli¡¯s. She gripped his hand tightly in response.


    She normally wouldn¡¯t do such a thing¡­ But she blamed the hangover. ¡°I see how this would make your abilities wildly powerful and helpful¡­ So, yes. Yes, I will get up¡­ And¡­ Go outside.¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°After you¡¯ve eaten,¡± Tam assured firmly.


    ¡°After I¡¯ve eaten,¡± Eli agreed while closing her eyes with a weak smile.


    ¡°And after your tea.¡±


    ¡°After my tea.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Tam pushed himself halfway out of his crouch, making his knees crack, but he still paused nonetheless to brush a kiss against Eli¡¯s forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll see you out there. Love you.¡±


    Caught off guard, Eli blinked, then stared dumbly up at him, his hand still clasped in her own as she lowered the cloth from her forehead.


    ¡°Gods¡­ I don¡¯t think I deserve you.¡±


    ¡°You deserve someone even better than me,¡± Tam murmured sincerely before once again kissing the top of her head. ¡°How many other women would let me drag them through the wilderness with a seven year old, help me plan escape routes, battle corrupt covens¡­ Should I go on?¡±


    ¡°You forgot putting up with your lack of tea knowledge.¡±


    Tam chuckled, the warm sound emanating from his throat and his breath tickling Eli¡¯s forehead. ¡°Ah. My greatest sin aside from my alleged attractiveness according to you.¡±


    Eli¡¯s eyes rounded. ¡°Oh¡­ did I say that outloud yesterday?¡± Tam chortled again in response. ¡°Oh no. Gods¨C No!¡± Eli proceeded to bury her face in the damp cloth.


    ¡°Mhm. I¡¯m still curious to hear confirmation about these four extra children you¡¯d like to have.¡±


    ¡°Nnngah!¡±


    Tam, laughing heartily, gave his poor lady a kiss on the head then headed toward the door.


    ¡°See you outside, dear one.¡±


    Eli flopped back on the single bed and turned on her side, her cheeks burning against the cold cloth. She wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if there were steam coming from it.


    Gods¡­ And to think I chose the milder mannered Ashowan¡­


    *


    Standing outside amongst the rows of raspberry bushes, far enough from the cottage and from where Hajung and Jeong were working so that they would not be able to see anything, Eli faced Tam, and between them, sat an empty steel bucket.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯m going to first try to topple the bucket over,¡± Tam announced, his skepticism of his own abilities betrayed in his tone.


    ¡°How¡­ exactly are you planning on doing it¡­?¡± Eli asked slowly, her eyes moving from the bucket up to Tam¡¯s uncertain face.


    ¡°When I¡¯m moving through the void, I often feel, hear, and smell things in the surrounding area. It¡¯s how I slowly started to figure out where to go the first few times. But I¡¯ve never tried interacting with any of the things I¡¯ve felt.¡±


    Eli nodded thoughtfully. ¡°That makes sense. Alright. Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your permission.¡±


    Eli shot Tam an unimpressed glance while he grinned at her, and then in a fluttering of black, silvery wisps, he disappeared.


    She watched the silver bucket, patiently.


    Nothing happened.


    She waited.


    And then¡­


    It shuddered.


    Tam reappeared laying beside it gasping on the ground, but otherwise unharmed.


    ¡°So it was harder to do than you thought?¡± Eli speculated casually.


    Tam managed to look up at her, still breathing heavily, and unable to answer as a result.


    Eli scratched her nose idly as she waited.


    ¡°You know¡­ Some¡­ Assistant¡¯s¡­ Offer their¡­ employers water when they see them¡­ like¡­ this,¡± Tam finally said while pushing himself up into a sitting position.


    ¡°Most assistant¡¯s don¡¯t serve a lord with magic that is still a little unpredictable,¡± Eli reminded curtly.


    Tam draped his arms over his knees and shook his head. ¡°Holy antlers, that was difficult. Did it move at all?¡±


    ¡°It trembled a little, but that was it.¡±


    ¡°Damn. I was really hoping I could do more with it.¡± Tam hung his head, his breathing still quick.


    Eli stared pensively at the bucket. ¡°Can you make other things disappear without touching them?¡±


    Squinting against the sun as he stared up at Eli, Tam processed her question before responding.


    ¡°Never tried.¡±


    ¡°Could you try?¡±


    ¡°Now?¡± Tam¡¯s note of exasperation was not lost on Eli.


    ¡°Unless you¡¯re too weak of course. My lord.¡±


    ¡°How many people know that you are actually a very cold-hearted woman?¡±


    Eli¡¯s mouth twisted to the side briefly before saying, ¡°Two? Everyone else just thinks I¡¯m the perfect professional.¡±


    Tam gave a breathy laugh, then pushed himself up to his feet before looking back down at the bucket. Closing his eyes, Eli waited. She knew he was centering himself. Feeling out his power¡­ A deeper sense in Eli suddenly bristled.


    Then, a small black dot appeared in the air six feet to her left.


    Stepping back in alarm, Eli watched as it started to expand. It stretched wider, and wider, it¡¯s blackness consuming her view.


    ¡°Tam, Tam whatever you¡¯re doing stop!¡± She grabbed his arm.


    Tam¡¯s eyes snapped open, and he jolted at the sight of the gaping hole in front of himself.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know exactly how to-¡±


    ¡°Do something!¡±


    ¡°Give me a moment!¡± Tam closed his eyes.


    The hole spread an additional two feet wide.


    ¡°You just made it bigger.¡±


    Panic rose in Eli, there was a very alarming sense that the fabric of the world around her was about to dissolve entirely.


    ¡°Tam!¡±


    The void rushed at them, and Eli gave a short shriek as she flinched against it. Her body hummed with tingling as the adrenaline made her prepare for the worst. When they were consumed however, Eli merely felt as though a cool breeze ruffle her air, though the loss of her surroundings made her dizzy, and her stomach clench¡­


    Looking around herself, Eli gaped at the void she had heard so much about.


    Nothing was beneath her feet, and she was surrounded by blackness¡­ A light from an unknown source however illuminated Tam at her side. And he was also glowing. His eyes now open, his face shocked as he realized where they were, then he turned to look at her, appearing dumbfounded that he had managed to drag her there.


    Eli cleared her throat that suddenly pooled with saliva as her head ached. ¡°This is the strangest thing I¡¯ve ever seen. And that¡­ felt¡­ disturbing. Almost like being squeezed through a tube and then evaporated. Oomph. The hangover isn¡¯t¡­ Helping matters¡­¡±


    Tam seemed to only be half listening, however, as he looked down at himself.


    A golden, almost orange hue encompassed his entire being.


    ¡°Gods. I almost look like my sister,¡± he murmured to himself softly.


    Eli would¡¯ve asked what he meant, but a cold, telling flush swept over her. ¡°Tam¡­ If I¡­ vomit¡­ in here¡­ Where will it go?¡±


    Evidently caught off guard by the question, as well as the fact that he was just jarred out of his thoughts by an unexpected question, Tam didn¡¯t give any kind of reply.


    Sadly, Eli couldn¡¯t wait for one either as she doubled over, and emptied the contents of her stomach all over the nothing-ground.


    *


    And that was how both Tam and Eli learned first hand, that puking in the void was somewhat like getting sick in the normal world, only you then knew that in some corner of everything on a Zinferan raspberry farm, there was a splatter of sick that was really difficult to find and clean up.


    Eli also learned that spicy soup going down, actually hurt quite a lot coming back up.

 Chapter 64: A Hellish Hello

    ¡°Anything?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s alive.¡±


    ¡°Thank the Gods.¡±


    Katarina opened her eyes, as she listened to her mother¡¯s sigh of relief and the sound of crew member¡¯s boots pounding down the gangplank as they unloaded the ship.


    An impressively ornate carriage sat waiting, along with a long line of servants sent from the palace to receive the Daxarian Queen.


    It had been a particularly expedient journey to Zinfera, with help from three wind witches from the Coven of Wittica and a water witch to ensure that any storms they encountered could be managed.


    ¡°Have you received word from Jiho?¡± Kat asked as she turned away from the ship¡¯s rail to make her way over to the gangplank.


    The moment the ship had docked she had been trying to feel throughout her threads of magic her connection with Tam, as she struggled to feel it before.


    ¡°I did. He did not disclose everything in the missive for safety purposes, but it sounds as though your brother and Eli are in a significant amount of danger. His second son, Jeong, is still with them as well.¡±


    Kat bobbed her head. ¡°Will Jiho come to Gondol?¡±


    ¡°That would not be wise for Jiho, so I doubt it very much.¡±


    ¡°Why is it not wise?¡±


    ¡°Her Highness Soo Hebin does not like him, and if we remind her that we are close with his family it will not serve us well as we try to learn what is happening. From all accounts, Soo Hebin is prideful. It will be bad enough that she will have to lower herself to you.¡±


    A wolfish smile tugged at the corners of Katarina¡¯s mouth. ¡°I do love terrible people with too much pride. They¡¯re easy to torment. And with him traveling to Zinfera to help us, it isn¡¯t like we¡¯ll be her favorite people anyway.¡±


    ¡°You are a queen now,¡± Annika reminded sharply. ¡°The fate of Daxaria¡¯s people, whom you protect, rests on how well you can conduct yourself. As for the man the king had join us¡­ He is someone outside of my hands. It is good we traveled separately, and that he is in Bani now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to be a pushover to this Soo Hebin woman,¡± Kat interjected, drawing her mother back to the topic of the corrupt concubine.


    ¡°You leave Soo Hebin to me. Acknowledge her, but say as little as possible,¡± Annika counseled, her voice still carrying an edge at the thought that her daughter would maybe lapse into her more mischievous antics.


    ¡°You really do know how to douse my fun,¡± Kat said with a sigh as she touched down onto the dock then turned to offer her mother her hand.


    The duchess¡¯s gaze narrowed at the gesture.


    Kat waggled her eyebrows. ¡°I get to wear trousers and help my aging mother down a gangplank. Deal with it.¡±


    ¡°I will shove you into the sea and make it look like an accident,¡± Annika informed her daughter coolly.


    ¡°Pfft. I¡¯d just grab a bit of seaweed and wear it as a scarf the rest of the trip. Try me.¡±


    Annika closed her eyes wearily. ¡°I forgot what a calming influence your children have been.¡±


    ¡°Yeup. And now I¡¯m a free woman on the hunt for your own favorite child.¡±


    ¡°I have no favorites. I love you both.¡± Annika¡¯s eyes snapped open furiously to scold her daughter for saying such an awful thing, but the sudden look on Kat¡¯s face stopped her.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Kat slowly moved over to a young dockhand handing out flyers to sailors as they passed him.


    Snatching one of them, Kat¡¯s eyes bore into the page intently before looking up at her mother.


    ¡°Kat¡­?¡± Annika ventured, her brows furrowing with worry.


    ¡°Mum¡­ Did¡­ Eli¡­ Or Brendan Devark, happen to mention that she was actually a princess?¡±


    The duchess¡¯s stricken reaction answered her daughter¡¯s question. Then Kat brandished the WANTED page at her mother, who gripped it with her eyes flying over the picture and the text beneath it.


    ¡°I think my brother and his assistant are in a great deal more trouble than we bargained for.¡±


    ¡°Godsdamnit,¡± Annika managed breathily. ¡°That was why¡­ That was why she didn¡¯t want to come back.¡±


    ¡°Why did she come back here if this was a risk? Eric offered her the chance to stay,¡± Kat whispered urgently as she noticed out of the corner of her eye a royal Zinferan attendant drawing closer to greet them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Bloody hell. This is¡­ Godsdamnit we need to find them quickly.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, Katarina Reyes, and Your Grace Annika Ashowan. I greet and honor you on behalf of our Zinferan emperor.¡± The steward stopped a few feet in front of the mother and daughter and bowed deeply before them, his bright orange shirt eye-catching amongst the sea of dirty cream, white, and black tunics flooding around him.


    Regardless of the shock Annika Ashowan had just received, her face transformed miraculously quickly into one of calm composure as she lowered her chin in acknowledgment at the man.


    He then gestured to the carriage awaiting them.


    Giving her mother another look, Kat stepped forward her hand gripping the hilt of her sword, her mood thoroughly blackened.


    It also didn¡¯t help that she could feel unseen eyes following her, and a little voice in the back of her mind started to warn her that things were going to be incredibly, terribly, messy during her stay in Zinfera.


    ***


    ¡°Thank you, again, for helping us.¡± Tam bowed to Sua and Hajung, who stood in their kitchen.


    Sua with her arms crossed, a wooden spoon in hand, and Hajung, appearing to only just be waking up.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t help you. We just ignored a couple of strangers and took their money,¡± Sua argued curtly.


    ¡°Bye, Sua.¡± Luca darted forward from Eli¡¯s side and wrapped his arms around the woman¡¯s waist.


    Tam, Eli, and Jeong all smiled as they watched Sua¡¯s resolute stoniness crack as she lifted her wrinkled hand to pat Luca¡¯s silky black hair.


    ¡°I¡¯ll miss your tart¡¯s,¡± the boy murmured into her middle.


    ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯re leaving. You¡¯ve eaten through most of our stock. I take it you¡¯ll be as tall as your father one day.¡± Sua gave a suspicious sniff as Luca finally released her then moved over to hug Hajung.


    ¡°Truly. Thank you. We¡¯ll continue our journey and steer clear of your village so as not to bring you any trouble,¡± Tam added warmly.


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    Sua gave a short jerk of her chin in acknowledgment as Luca returned to Eli¡¯s side and grasped her hand.


    ¡°I do appreciate you helping Hajung with his crop,¡± Sua addressed Jeong who smiled and bowed in appreciation of her words. ¡°Now get on. And good luck getting home.¡±


    Tam turned to the cottage exit, cast a smile at Jeong to confirm he was also ready to go, and opened the door for Eli and his son.


    ¡°Are we going to do a lot more walking?¡± Luca asked, drawing Eli¡¯s attention at the faint whine in his voice.


    ¡°Yes. We already told you that¨C¡±


    ¡°Well.¡±


    A breathy, indignant voice stopped Eli dead in her tracks.


    Iciness filled her blood.


    ¡°Elisara, to think a child of mine should wed a peasant and bear his child¡­ Gods¡­ The shame.¡±


    Eli sensed Tam stepping out behind her, with Jeong following as they took in the scene.


    A Daxarian woman with auburn hair heavily streaked with gray stood wearing a bejeweled purple dress that was very much so like the styles worn back in Daxaria. Though the older Zinferan man standing behind her wore a matching color, his own clothes were distinctly Zinferan.


    Behind them was a giant cage on wheels fit for moving something the size of a horse, and twenty armed men that stood lined up at the ready in front of the pure white carriage that sat waiting.


    ¡°Pardon me, but who are¨C¡± Tam started to say, but was interrupted by Eli who croaked.


    ¡°Mother.¡±


    *


    Tam stiffened at Eli¡¯s side, and he turned to look at her. He instantly saw the soul sickening pain wracking her being as her watering gaze didn¡¯t leave the woman¡¯s face.


    ¡°Come along. If you come peacefully you can ride in the carriage with us. You,¡± Marigold Nam then lifted her nose disdainfully at Tam. ¡°Take your runt and forget she exists.¡±


    ¡°He is not a runt!¡± Eli suddenly shouted. ¡°He¡¯s my son, and you can go to hell! You aren¡¯t my mother any more, remember? You sold me off to the emperor!¡±


    Tam had never heard Eli speak so vulnerably, or emotionally. He realized the intense shock and trauma from her past had managed to break through the fortress she had around such feelings and thoughts¡­ And being able to witness a true portion of her brokenness broke him a little inside to see.


    ¡°I made you a princess in a palace. Cry about it in the carriage. I brought a silk dress for you to change in. Her Highness Soo Hebin is very generous in allowing you to return to court. Now come along.¡± Marigold waved her daughter¡¯s impassioned words off as though they were mere fruit flies.


    ¡°Soo Hebin is the one who sold me into slavery!¡± Eli moved forward, furious tears gathering thickly in her eyes as her eyes bore into her mother with blind emotion.


    ¡°Enough with your theatrics. It¡¯s bad enough we had to leave Bani to come get you,¡± Marigold sighed before leaning to the side to stare at Jeong. ¡°You look familiar. Why?¡±


    Jeong said nothing, but his eyes did move to Tam out of concern.


    Back in the kitchen, Tam could hear Sua and Hajung whispering.


    This was bad.


    Horribly bad.


    Tam immediately started trying to calculate if he could magic all four of them into the void, but he was still pretty tired from his experiment with the bucket from the previous day¡­


    Oh Gods. He actually might have to reveal his identity.


    Dammit. I could lie and say I wanted to elope with Eli¡­ Or that we already got married¡­ Or¨C


    Marigold let out another irritated huff, then curled her finger lazily, drawing her husband forward.


    Lord Geun Nam looked every bit as irritated as his wife did, and he couldn¡¯t seem to even bring himself to look at his daughter despite not having laid eyes on her in more than a decade. ¡°Elisara, you will do as your mother says and get in the carriage, or we will make you ride in the cage.¡±


    Rational thought left Tam¡¯s head as he drew himself up to his full height and stared daggers at Lord Nam. He was preparing himself to tell Eli¡¯s parents that they could try to force her into the cage, but they wouldn¡¯t be alive shortly thereafter, when Eli spoke again.


    ¡°Gods. How can you be so awful at something so easy?¡± Her voice rasped.


    Marigold scoffed, but her eyes glittered with cruelty. ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ You are the worst parents I have ever met. You once said you couldn¡¯t love me, father, because I was a girl. And because I was your first born? I¡¯d shamed you. Then you, mother, said you couldn¡¯t forgive me for making father angry at you. And when I got my magic, you said I was an animal and not allowed to be around my siblings.¡±


    Tam¡¯s murderous impulses were becoming quite potent.


    ¡°You said loving me was hard. And so you sometimes let yourselves forget to do it, because otherwise¡­¡± Eli paused, licking her lips that were becoming dehydrated from the tears and snot that streamed down her face as she cried in pain over the decades of pain and anger. ¡°Otherwise you¡¯d leave me in a street somewhere and hoped I¡¯d die without adding dishonor to the family.¡±


    Luca looked up at Eli, tears rising in his own eyes, and behind Tam, he could hear Jeong¡¯s sharp intake of breath.


    Tam was barely able to notice over the intense buzzing in his being how Luca leaned his head against Eli¡¯s side. The boy¡¯s grip on her hand tightened, drawing her gaze down to him briefly.


    Upon seeing Marigold roll her eyes in response to her daughter¡¯s words, Tam brought himself back to stand at Eli¡¯s side.


    He watched the way Eli¡¯s breath came out more slowly, and he could tell she wasn¡¯t through with them just yet.


    ¡°I have Luca now, and because of him, I see it isn¡¯t hard. It isn¡¯t hard at all to love a child. It¡¯s the easiest thing in the world. Unfortunately you two are just some of the worst people I know.¡±


    An impressive steadiness settled over Eli when she next looked back at her mother.


    ¡°I have Luca, and his father. I have my family. Don¡¯t ever say you¡¯re related in any capacity to me again.¡±


    ¡°Are you quite finished with your tantrum?¡± Marigold tilted her head, as Lord Nam jerked his chin at the armed men behind him, setting them into motion.


    Lord Geun Nam reached out as though to seize Eli¡¯s arm. ¡°Elisara, you really should¨C¡±


    Tam¡¯s hand shot out and caught the man¡¯s throat in a vice grip.


    ¡°You will tell them not to move a step closer,¡± he informed Marigold softly, his dark eyes ominously calm.


    Marigold stumbled back in surprise and fear. It took her a moment to heed Tam¡¯s order, but it didn¡¯t really matter. The armed men seemed to have a decent enough understanding of the situation, and had already stopped their advance.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to be taking Eli anywhere,¡± Tam continued calmly. ¡°I will be taking her, my son, and our friend here with me. You can leave as well, and pretend you never saw us. Or. Things are going to get very, very unpleasant.¡±


    Lord Nam was turning purple as he tried to claw at Tam¡¯s hand.


    Marigold gave a single nod, and Tam released the nobleman.


    Coughing and gasping, Lord Nam stumbled back while waving his arm forward at the men, ushering them to attack.


    Tam kept his sights on Marigold. ¡°I¡¯m assuming it was Yun, your son¡¯s assistant, who is responsible for alerting the concubine about Eli¡¯s presence. And I¡¯m guessing it is because he thinks he can get something as a result. I¡¯m also guessing that he told you I¡¯m most likely a witch. So. I will say this again. We will leave here without any problems. Or I will be your last problem.¡±


    Marigold sidled over to her husband, and rested a hand on his back as he gradually managed to straighten and regained his breath.


    The Zinferan nobleman openly seethed at Tam.¡°We did not come alone either,¡± Lord Nam spluttered haughtily. ¡°Daxaria sent their own coven members, and as I hear you are from there, I know you will have to answer to them. Besides, if you hurt a duke, that would immediately give you the death penalty.¡±


    Tam had started getting excited at the news that members of the Coven of Wittica were coming. It meant they were saved! But then he balked. ¡°Duke? Finlay Ashowan is here?¡±


    Marigold¡¯s nose scrunched up as though someone had wiped poo on her upper lip.


    ¡°No. It is Duke Os¨C¡±


    ¡°Well, well, well. I¡¯ll be damned. Fancy. Meeting. You. Here. And on the day after I arrive no less!¡±


    Tam¡¯s head snapped round to look to his right.


    It turned out that there happened to be an additional twenty men surrounding the cottage that he hadn¡¯t seen drawing closer from both of their sides of the cottage.


    But he couldn¡¯t even make himself worry about them, because swaggering casually over to him away from the soldiers, with his sword sheathed and resting against his shoulder, was none other than Duke Oscar Harris.


    One of Finlay Ashowan¡¯s closest friends, who also happened to know Tam very well.

 Chapter 65: Hark the Harris

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lord Nam barked as his technical brother-in-law stopped in front of Tam, wearing his usual shit-eating grin.


    ¡°Taking in the sights!¡± Oscar Harris called breezily over his shoulder. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen this fine fellow in what feels like years! Goodness! Do you know the commotion you have caused?¡± The Daxarian duke bopped Tam on the head with his sheathed blade, his hazel eyes glittering with fun.


    Eli was staring skeptically at the shorter man in his early fifties with white, curly hair, a slight paunch in the middle, wearing the most ridiculous set of mismatching clothes she had ever seen in her life. He wore mustard yellow baggy pants, with a bright red and blue striped shirt, that for some odd reason had small bells sewn on the lapels.


    Was he an idiot?


    ¡°You know this man?¡± Marigold wondered in domineering tones as she overcame her earlier alarm. Her vulturish gaze locked back on Tam with newfound agitation.


    Lord Harris didn¡¯t shift his attention from Tam an inch.¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯ve known this dear man since he was a babe. Glad to see you¡¯ve gotten into a bit of trouble! I was worried you¡¯d miss out on life the way you always kept to yourself.¡±


    ¡°My sister lived enough for fifty people,¡± Tam managed while staring dazedly at the nobleman who had dubbed himself Tam and Kat¡¯s godfather long ago.


    ¡°Nonsense! She¡¯s as docile as a newborn lamb!¡±


    The absurdity and strangeness of the situation was still baffling Tam¡¯s senses to the point where he couldn¡¯t even laugh at such an outrageous statement.


    Though knowing Oscar Harris¡¯s antics, the man was most likely sincere.


    ¡°What¡­ Are you doing here¡­?¡± Tam asked faintly.


    ¡°Ah. Well, our dear former king made a special request of me to accompany a few important family members to Zinfera seeing as I have my own dear relations here, don¡¯t I, Marigold?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ You¡­ Stop being aggravating and tell me who this person is!¡± Marigold all but shrieked before addressing their armed entourage. ¡°Take them!¡±


    Duke Harris held up his hand, making it so that the forty armed men around them only took a single step.


    ¡°Dear, darling, sister. That would be the stupidest thing in the world you could do. Do you really have no idea who this is?¡± Lord Harris pointed at Tam while casting a beaming smile at Marigold.


    ¡°No, because you won¡¯t tell me!¡±


    ¡°Really? You don¡¯t see the familiar resemblance he has to some of your favorite people in the world?¡± Lord Harris taunted joyfully.


    The look on both Marigold and Geun Nam¡¯s face almost succeeded in making Tam laugh.


    Lord Harris truly did love enraging his half sister, and in that moment, Tam was enjoying it quite a bit as well.


    The Daxarian duke turned back to Tam, then looked down at Eli.


    ¡°I take it you are my niece? Elisara? Ah¡­ That¡¯s why you avoided me like the plague back in Daxaria! No one knew who you were, and there was a possibility I would¡¯ve recognized you. And here I¡¯d felt bad that my godson¡¯s new assistant was too terrified to meet me, but now it makes all the sense in the world!¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon, did you say godson?¡± Marigold interrupted, her eyes wild as she bent forward to try and listen to what Lord Harris was saying.


    ¡°Ssh. I¡¯m catching up with my beloved niece who you heartlessly abandoned. You wench. Anyway!¡± Lord Harris regarded Tam again, then dropped his eyes to the seven year old boy holding both Eli and his hands.


    ¡°Aah¡­ Ooh. Uh¡­ Tam. I did not think I¡¯d have a whole lot of fun on this trip, but I have to offer you my heartfelt thanks in advance. I think I was woefully wrong. Who is this young chap who just so happens to look just like you, hm?¡± Lord Harris batted his eyelashes at Tam expectantly.


    Tam swallowed with difficulty.


    Of all the things he had anticipated doing that day¡­


    Officially revealing he had an illegitimate son to Lord Oscar Harris was not one of them.


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ Mine.¡±


    ¡°Aah! I see, I see. Yes. Well. Trouble I¡¯m having with that is, last I saw you, say¡­ What? Two months ago? Three, perhaps? You not only were unmarried, but you didn¡¯t have any children to speak of.¡±


    ¡°He¡­ tracked me down on the ship with a letter from a former¡­¡± Tam trailed off and cleared his throat.


    Even the infamously flippant Lord Haris¡¯s eyebrows shot upward. ¡°Oh. Oh my. Oh¡­ Oh, this is. By. The. Gods. Your father will¨C No! No, it is your mother! She will be the one to kill you! I¡¯ve always suspected she was capable of outrageously awful things!¡±


    Tam winced then looked down at his son who looked ten different levels of confused. ¡°Luca¡­ This is¡­ Duke Oscar Harris. He is a very good friend of our family.¡±


    ¡°Oscar! What in the Gods is happening?!¡± Marigold exploded and stormed forward. Eli backed away from her and wrapped her arm protectively around Luca¡¯s shoulders.


    Lord Harris shot Tam a wry look over the move. ¡°It¡¯s always the quiet ones that surprise people the most¡­¡± he murmured before holding an arm to stop his sister from advancing any closer.


    Marigold was practically frothing at the mouth. ¡°Are you jesting about things again? Trying to catch them off guard? If so, stop this! We need to-¡±


    ¡°Woman!¡± Lord Harris cut off Marigold¡¯s tirade. ¡°Show some respect! You¡¯re looking at the future duke of the Ashowan duchy, brother to the queen of Daxaria, and¡­ Probably your son-in-law? I¡¯m lost on the state of your relationship. We¡¯ll talk in a moment,¡± Lord Harris added to Tam and Eli at the end.


    Lord Nam drew closer as well, his eyes bulging as he looked at Lord Oscar Harris, then at Tam in disbelief. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Come now, I know you¡¯re not deaf. You run from my bells every morning when I try to join you for coffee. You hear me just fine. This is Lord Tamlin Ashowan!¡± Lord Harris swung back to address Tam who was starting to feel a bit queasy. ¡°By the Gods everyone is worried about you! And here you are galavanting around Zinfera on a backpacking trip with your new paramor, your son, and¡­ I¡¯m sorry, who are you?¡± Oscar squinted at Jeong, having finally noticed him standing just behind Tam and Eli.


    Jeong looked at Tam, who gave his head a shake.


    ¡°From an important family I take it? Don¡¯t want to be associated with whatever disaster this,¡± Lord Harris waved his hand vaguely around Tam¡¯s face. ¡°Has most likely caused?¡±


    ¡°Lord Harris. I wasn¡¯t supposed to let anyone know that I-¡±


    ¡°Dear boy,¡± Lord Harris cut Tam off and reached up to clap a hand on his shoulder. ¡°This kingdom, and everywhere else for that matter, is in utter chaos. The fact that you¡¯re suddenly here is not even going to stick out in anyone¡¯s memory.¡±


    ¡°I doubt that very much,¡± Tam responded weakly.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Marigold Nam¡¯s weak voice drew everyone¡¯s attention once more. ¡°You are¡­ The son¡­ The¡­¡±


    ¡°--The future duke of the Ashowan house and also viscount of the Jenoure house. That¡¯s right. He is. He is also a member of the Coven of Wittica, and last I heard, Elisara is under his protection, yes?¡±


    Tam somehow remembered how to nod.


    ¡°Wonderful. Happy for you both. However, that also means,¡± Lord Harris looked back at his sister, ¡°that unless everyone here wants to make an enemy of the Coven of Wittica, the Ashowan family, plus the king and queen of Daxaria (which, you know, it¡¯s somewhat a packaged deal if you make an enemy of monarchs, their kingdom is involved, too), we should all conduct ourselves very nicely.¡±


    Silence hung heavily over everyone.


    Lord Harris kept looking back and forth between everyone involved, still grinning, and his bells jingling with every turn of his head.


    ¡°If¡­ If you are¡­ an Ashowan boy¡­ Then you must be a Ryu boy,¡± Marigold nodded in Jeong¡¯s direction, but he didn¡¯t move an inch.


    ¡°You will still have to go to the palace, and see-¡± Lord Nam started to say, but Lord Harris turned around shaking his head.


    ¡°Mm. No, no. We are going to have a lovely luncheon right here. And I am going to have a nice, long, uninterrupted chat with my godson, and I will decide from there where he goes.¡±


    Lord Harris then made a shooing gesture with his hands, and Tam watched as Lord Nam¡¯s teeth clenched. ¡°He tried to kill me.¡±


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°You did kind of start it,¡± Lord Harris tilted his head side-to-side.


    ¡°He should have identified-¡±


    ¡°By the Gods, shut up. Go away. You¡¯re amazingly lucky all he did was give you a break from breathing! I¡¯ve seen this man with a sword! He once beat the Troivackian king in a duel!¡±


    That claim to fame was not at all true, but Tam didn¡¯t see the point in saying otherwise just then.


    Incredibly, the Zinferan nobleman did close his mouth.


    Geun Nam cast one last scathing look at Eli, a look she met head on, and then he rounded back toward the carriage while gently tapping Marigold¡¯s shoulder to make her follow him.


    Once they were out of ear shot, Lord Harris let out a whoosh of air. ¡°Gods. I¡¯m sorry, Elisara. Marigold really is a cow. I should¡¯ve figured out how to adopt you ages ago!¡±


    Oddly enough, this sentiment brought another wave of tears to Eli¡¯s eyes. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Harris?¡± Tam called out, summoning the duke¡¯s attention to him again.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°I have never been so happy to hear you talk so much.¡±


    The duke¡¯s unbearably sunny smile returned. ¡°That¡¯s the nicest thing you¡¯ve ever said to me. I will tell your father all about it, too! Assuming my sister doesn¡¯t kill me in my sleep while I¡¯m here.¡±


    Tam glanced at Marigold Nam, and he sincerely doubted that she would be docile with her brother after being publicly humiliated.


    ¡°So, Tam, care to tell me what you¡¯ve been up to?¡±  Lord Harris started bouncing on the balls of his feet.


    ¡°Er¡­ Well¡­ I was supposed to¨C¡±


    ¡°I know what you were supposed to do, but what did you actually do?¡±


    ¡°Got an army after Eli and I and uncovered deep corruption in the Coven of Giong.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Okay. So it wasn¡¯t all fun and games. I take it the ¡®devil¡¯ rumors have something to do with you as well?¡±


    ¡°That would be correct.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm¡­ Mm-hm¡­ Okay. Men! Set up a table for me and my godson! And please pour four goblets of wine!¡± Lord Harris hollered over the crowd that was gathering as confusion and uncertainty only continued to rise.


    ¡°Harris?¡± Tam cleared his throat. ¡°Harris, they are probably going to alert Soo Hebin I¡¯m here. It¡¯ll be problematic. Especially with Eli.¡±


    ¡°Very true. But you¡¯re an Ashowan! You¡¯ll figure it out! Besides, this outcome is probably better than you doing whatever it was you were thinking of doing before I revealed myself.¡±


    Tam wasn¡¯t sure about that, but he didn¡¯t say so as he watched three servants that lightened themselves from the carriage and start to set up the table that Lord Harris had requested.


    Eli tugged on Tam¡¯s sleeve, her gaze intent on the back of Lord Harris¡¯s head as he started asking what sort of libations had been brought along. ¡°Are you sure we can trust him?¡±


    ¡°Completely. He owes my family a lot,¡± Tam confirmed. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Eli¡¯s watery gaze turned up to him. ¡°I think so¡­ Though we need a new plan now. My parents aren¡¯t going to sit still.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    Tam and Eli jumped.


    Sua had appeared in the doorway, her wrinkled face shadowed with a frown. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Tam winced at the mess of people loitering in front of the cottage. ¡°It seems¡­ As though¡­ We might need the use of your front lawn for a little while more. Apologies, Sua.¡±


    The woman¡¯s mouth pursed and Tam couldn¡¯t blame her.


    Clearing his throat, Tam held up a finger then walked over to Lord Harris who was pulling out golden goblets from a mahogany box. ¡°Do you have any coin on you, Harris? The owners of this land are a bit¡­ Concerned.¡±


    Lord Harris¡¯s mouth quirked upward ruefully. ¡°Of course! And don¡¯t worry! I will only charge a modest interest rate to my only godson.¡±


    Tam sighed, but didn¡¯t argue as the man reached into his oversized pants and withdrew three silver coins.


    Bobbing his head in thanks, Tam returned to Sua and Hajung and handed them the coins.


    Looking only slightly mollified, Sua gave Tam a lingering skeptical look, then turned back into the cottage with her husband, and closed the door.


    Evidently they were going to be taking the day off from work what with all of the strange people milling about their property.


    By the time he was returning to Lord Harris, he found Eli and Jeong already taking a seat as he gestured them into the folded out chairs.


    Luca sat a short ways away with one of his geography books, though Tam could tell by the way his eyes were darting nervously at the armed men, he wasn¡¯t doing much actual studying.


    ¡°Now, then, dear Tam,¡± Lord Harris started while uncorking a wine bottle that Tam could tell was outrageously expensive. ¡°Tell me, are you aware that in light of the first witch having escaped from her cell in Troivack, that your sister and mother are now here in Zinfera?¡±


    All color drained from Tam¡¯s face. ¡°I was not.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense. Don¡¯t you feel better about having to go to the palace now?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    Lord Harris¡¯s hazel eyes drifted upward in confusion, until his gaze slid over to Luca sitting on his own on the lush grass. ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Kat is going to assume he¡¯s the devil,¡± Tam explained.


    Lord Harris tilted his head as he finished topping up Jeong¡¯s cup. ¡°Possibly. But he does look incredibly like you, and he doesn¡¯t seem like the source of all evil. He¡¯s reading that book upside down.¡±


    Eli straightened in her seat instantly. ¡°Luca! Chapter four! And turn the book around!¡±


    Lord Harris¡¯s eyebrows shot up at the mothering tone that exploded from his niece, then he proceeded to watch as Luca nodded hastily and turned the book in his hands right side up.


    The duke leaned his elbows onto the table. ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m really not feeling all that threatened by him.¡±


    Tam couldn¡¯t help it, he smiled at Eli over the appraisal of Luca, who blushed as a result.


    ¡°He is smart. He¡¯s just struggling with reading! I thought geography would be a bit easier for him because of the maps,¡± Eli defended.


    Lord Harris held up his hands with a knowing look on his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t say a thing. Anyway. Tam, Elisara, and¡­ You¡­?¡± Lord Harris raised an eyebrow in Jeong¡¯s direction, but he didn¡¯t receive a response. ¡°We have a problem.¡±


    ¡°We have more than just one,¡± Tam pointed out glibly.


    ¡°We have a more immediate problem,¡± Lord Harris clarified while lowering his voice even more. ¡°Please tell me you actually married my niece.¡±


    Tam looked at Eli, a mixture of guilt and uncertainty in his eyes.


    ¡°Shit.¡± Lord Harris sighed regretfully. ¡°I can¡¯t protect her as easily without her being tied more¡­ in depth to you. Soo Hebin can deny her involvement in Eli¡¯s abduction, and as a princess, regardless of her next move as an heir, she needs to go to the palace. As your wife, that¡¯s a whole other matter.¡±


    Tam saw the outright panic in Eli¡¯s eyes, but luckily, so did Lord Harris.


    ¡°So¡­ Here is what I¡¯m going to propose to the two of you.¡± He leaned in closer and made his voice so soft that it was almost drowned out by the Tinoo Ocean¡¯s waves lapping at the beach. ¡°You have informed me you had a whirlwind romance, and got married in Junya. There will be an investigation on this claim, but while that happens¡­ Go get yourselves actually married. And I will sing my ignorance of anything to anyone who will listen to it.¡±


    Tam grimaced. ¡°Eli doesn¡¯t want to marry me, Harris, and I promised my father I wouldn¡¯t get married like my sister did without him present.¡±


    ¡°I think your father would acknowledge these are not our usual circumstances,¡± Lord Harris pointed out before turning to Eli. ¡°And you, dear Elisara, I am sorry for all you have suffered and endured. For being jerked around and trampled. No one deserves what you¡¯ve had to put up with, and I do say that from some measure of experience.¡±


    It was the first time that day that Jeong, Tam, and Eli could tell he was being utterly serious.


    ¡°However, if you are getting out of this kingdom safely and alive? Marrying Tam is the best option for you. Yes, you are under Tam¡¯s protection as his assistant, so they won¡¯t put you in that cage. But once Tam goes to the palace there are a lot of larger powers that will be sure to separate you. With Katarina Reyes here, it doesn¡¯t matter if you were a princess as long as you are married to her brother, because then you are the next duchess of the Ashowan household, and with the marriage, you become an automatic citizen of Daxaria. Our queen will therefore have every legal tool at her disposal of keeping you safe.¡±


    Eli swallowed with difficulty.


    Tam could see the hesitation in her eyes, and hated it.


    He hated how she was once again being forced into something.


    He hated even more that it was something that tainted their relationship.


    Things had been proceeding perfectly well. Slowly, yes. And sure they talked about their future children¡­ But talking and teasing in the happy early days of a relationship was very different from going and getting actually married.


    But Harris wasn¡¯t wrong.


    And Eli knew it too.


    So she lowered her chin, and with a croak said, ¡°Alright.¡±

 Chapter 66: Possible Paths

    ¡°Harris, I can¡¯t marry her.¡±


    Lord Harris turned slowly from his horse. He had been inspecting one of his saddle bags for a corkscrew to help them with their second bottle of wine for the afternoon lunch, and Tam had taken the opportunity to speak more privately with him.


    The duke looked briefly stunned at the sight of Tam¡¯s uneasiness. ¡°Tam, you know that is the best way to help her. You know you¨C¡±


    ¡°No. She has¡­ She has so much pain, Harris. She has so much grief, and anger. You heard, a fraction of it today,¡± Tam paused. His throat was becoming uncomfortably tight. ¡°I can¡¯t be a part of that pain. I can¡¯t be a part of that trauma. Because that will make things so much harder for her, and it will take that much longer for her to heal and grow in our relationship. And she has taken some very big steps. With Luca in particular. And if she starts to resent him? After she has made him come to think and rely on her like she is his mother¡­? Harris, that¡¯s¡­ I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t live with myself with that.¡±


    The soberness in Oscar Harris¡¯s eyes would¡¯ve terrified most who knew him as he turned from his horse and faced Tam.


    ¡°When will her trauma be something you no longer have to manage, Tam?¡±


    Anger flashed across Tam¡¯s face, until the duke¡¯s next words.


    ¡°Tam, you are taking care of a seven year old you had no idea about. You are in a tricky spot with not only the covens, but a foreign kingdom. You need a partner in this, Tam. Or at the very least someone who can manage their own lives.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not her fault that-¡±


    ¡°Sometimes in life, the disasters we find ourselves in aren¡¯t our faults. But it¡¯s still up to us to figure it out. And sometimes, the best person to save us is ourselves. Look¡­¡± Stepping closer, Lord Harris rested a hand on Tam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m not saying she doesn¡¯t deserve time to heal. I¡¯m not saying that she has suffered a life that doesn¡¯t deserve a bit of grace. What I¡¯m saying is that it isn¡¯t your job to take her burdens from her.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s thrown herself in with me, Harris. And I have messes everywhere. I don¡¯t want to make her take on more. And marrying me before she¡¯s ready? It¡¯ll hurt Luca as well.¡±


    ¡°Tam, realistically? Everything you have going on compared to her? You have a child and some explaining to do with two covens. She has armies and royalty wanting her dead. You can¡¯t take all of that from her. You can support her, and can even help her set a few fires, whatever helps¨C¡±


    ¡°Who sets fires to deal with problems?¡±


    ¡°Anyway.¡± Lord Harris cleared his throat, but rolled his eyes in mock innocence. It wasn¡¯t really a surprise. Amongst the Daxarian duke¡¯s many oddities, his particularly passionate and dramatic relationship with his wife was one of them.


    ¡°You had help when you had to face your own family. My da helped you. And my da had you and the other kitchen staff when he wanted to be with my mum, then he had the king when he went to war.¡± Tam resumed his argument.


    ¡°Fin then went off to face his father alone.¡±


    ¡°A rescue team went after him and my grandmother saved him!¡±


    ¡°This is what I mean about helping her, Tam. Some things you have to step back and let her face. Or do you not think she is strong enough?¡±


    Tam felt his insides turn to iron. ¡°She¡¯s plenty strong, but a whole kingdom is against her, and¨C¡±


    ¡°You know who you remind me of right now?¡± Harris chuckled, but it didn¡¯t sound in any way good humored. ¡°Your father. But the way you¡¯re talking about Eli? That¡¯s the way he talks about you.¡±


    The horrific shock that rushed through Tam froze him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told your da for years that you have to face things on your own terms. He kept trying to decide for you and help you. To carry your burden for you, and I don¡¯t say that because he thought you were lesser, or weak. He did all of that, because he loves you. It¡¯s a terrible side effect of the affliction, I tell you.¡±


    Tam¡¯s hands were trembling in his pockets as his insecurities crawled through his veins.


    ¡°Sometimes, Tam. We have to grip on bloody tight when our backs are against the wall, and sometimes we just have to say ¡®Godsdamn I¡¯m going to get myself out of this because I have no other choice.¡¯ And sometimes that isn¡¯t a bad thing. It helps you learn what you¡¯re made of.¡±


    ¡°So I shouldn¡¯t be accepting your help right now? I should save myself?¡±


    ¡°To save yourself without help right now, would result in¡ªI¡¯m guessing¡ªyou killing a person or two if you¡¯re lucky. You¡¯ve grown up pretty sheltered from any real skirmishes, Tam. And do you really want to start killing people when you can just as easily spare everyone?¡±


    Tam almost laughed before he could stop himself.


    He had been living relatively openly about his abilities while in Zinfera, that it honestly shocked him to hear that Harris thought that he wasn¡¯t strong enough to be an actual threat to more than one or two unaware soldiers¡­


    And that pricked his fragile nerves worse than it should¡¯ve.


    Sensing that his ego was going to make him do something stupid, prompted Tam to start turning away and leaving the conversation all together. But before he did, Harris dropped his hand from Tam¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Tell you what, Tam. Let me play devil¡¯s advocate. Say you fight your way out of this. Make a real name as a dangerous fellow. You defeat all of Eli¡¯s enemies for her, she stays safe, and you have had to become some kind of monster that toppled an empire. Do you think that¡¯s the kind of father Luca deserves?¡±


    ¡°Get help. Don¡¯t get help. What are you telling me?¡± Tam¡¯s voice was rough.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you to take my help today. Then I¡¯m saying let Eli decide how she wants to deal with this. She can either marry you, or face the concubine unmarried and without Daxaria being able to interfere. No one really knows how everything is going to wash out.¡± Harris sighed wearily but then renewed his grin. ¡°Though I will advise that you remember to have fun when you can because, who knows, you might find that after going through all this you¡¯ve made some good friends, or had some good memories despite the shit storm. I know I did when I found myself in the middle of it. Farts and all.¡±


    An ominous air settled over Tam despite Harris¡¯s attempt at levity. ¡°What if Eli wants to topple an empire?¡±


    The Daxarian duke got a funny look on his face as he slowly took a step back. ¡°You¡¯re a bit scary right now, Tam.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that farmers sometimes burn the fields to get rid of disease or insects?¡± Tam started to say, his dark eyes flitting to the ground. ¡°Maybe-¡±


    Harris grabbed the front of Tam¡¯s shirt and shook him. Hard.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about some dark things there, lad. You¡¯re an Ashowan. You protect people. What the hell has gotten into you?¡± The duke¡¯s face hardened, and Tam noticed the way his free hand had moved instinctively toward his sword that was once again clipped at his hip.


    Tam blinked, a subtle frown between his brows. He looked completely nonplussed by his family friend¡¯s reaction. ¡°I guess I should ask Eli first.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean? So help me Gods, Tam. I¡¯ll put you on the ground myself and cart you to your father gagged and bound if you start doing something stupid.¡±


    The sudden calm that had come over Tam had him simultaneously relaxing his shoulders, and straightening them.


    Harris¡¯s eyes flit hastily over him. ¡°You¡¯re a big man, Tam. You¡¯ve always hidden it, and you are good at dueling with a sword. But¨C¡±


    ¡°I will not hurt anyone who doesn¡¯t attack first.¡±


    The words were chilling.


    ¡°Tam!¡± Harris shouted, whilst again shaking the young man desperately. ¡°There are better ways! Harder, yes, but so much better! Ways that will leave you whole!¡±


    Tam turned and looked over to where Eli sat beside Luca, her arm around him, as she eyed her mother and father warily in the distance, unaware of Tam¡¯s gaze on her.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.¡°Harris¡­ Luca and Eli? They¡¯re my family. Mine. And there is so much nonsense trying to destroy it. I just found them. We don¡¯t want power. Hell. I¡¯ll even give up my titles. I¡¯ll give up being a member of the coven if I can just¨C Wait.¡±


    His face lightened, and the frightening visage Harris had been witnessing before seemed to disappear, as though it had simply been a silly joke.


    ¡°If Kraken or Pina got in trouble with a foreign kingdom, would the coven have to help them?¡±


    Flummoxed, Harris¡¯s grip on Tam¡¯s shirt slackened. ¡°Err¡­ I¡­ think¡­ so. Why¡­?¡±


    Tam¡¯s heart pounded, and his eyes went wide. ¡°Lady Marigold said there were coven members from Wittica here, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Some will be here shortly, and a couple others traveled with your sister.¡±


    Tam smiled. ¡°Great.¡±


    ¡°Tam¡­ Did you¡­ Eat something odd recently? Did Marigold give you something that tasted funny? Don¡¯t ever eat something she offers you.¡±


    Shaking his head, Tam patted Harris¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I have to go ask Eli what she would like to do.¡±


    As he strode away, the Daxarian duke watched him go, feeling uneasy.


    Tam seemed like a whole other person¡­ And it was more than a little concerning.


    Though at the very least his attitude at the end of their talk seemed less frightening than it had a moment before.


    *


    ¡°So, my choices are: Reveal I¡¯m technically your familiar, or get married,¡± Eli repeated thickly.


    She had stopped crying before lunch but her eyes were still red.


    ¡°Well, there is a third option. But it involves a lot of¡­¡± Tam trailed off, his eyes dropping briefly to Luca. ¡°Creative approaches to vanquishing obstacles.¡±


    Luca looked up with a frown. Internally Tam cheered that it hadn¡¯t been obvious to his son what he was suggesting. Eli on the other hand understood¡­ To a point, and so blurted out.


    ¡°What¡­ Everyone?¡±


    ¡°Just the ones who say we can¡¯t leave.¡±


    ¡°Tam!¡± Eli reached up and covered Luca¡¯s ears. ¡°Are you suggesting we kill Soo Hebin?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really like what I¡¯ve heard about her so far, believe it or not.¡±


    ¡°Tam that¡­ That would¡­ That¡¯s a lot.¡±


    ¡°I know. And I¡¯m sure it isn¡¯t what a good person would do. But¡­ Aren¡¯t you sick of everyone just¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Eli locked eyes with Tam.


    She most definitely understood.


    ¡°If we fail, we¡¯re dead.¡±


    Silence hung between them.


    ¡°Or I could just marry you,¡± Eli pointed out mildly.


    Tam¡¯s heart stuttered. ¡°You could also show the Coven of Wittica that you¡¯re a familiar¨C¡±


    ¡°Then the debate of whether or not I have human rights would be brought up by some nasty people. It¡¯d be even more complicated. And it very well might change nothing¡­¡± Eli trailed off, her emotional distress fading to thoughtfulness. ¡°To be honest, I think our best card is the one you used to play all the time back home. No one knows anything about us. Not for certain. They know that you are rumored to be the devil, but they don¡¯t know why. They know I am a witch, but only a few people know I can turn into an animal. And only four of us know now that I¡¯ve¡­ grown.¡±


    Tam nodded along to her reasoning.


    ¡°So, what are we going to do?¡±


    Eli dropped her hands from Luca¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Well¡­ I have an idea.¡±


    ***


    Katarina paced in her room.


    She was waiting for her mother to come join her.


    Despite having arrived earlier in the day, neither she nor her mother had seen hide nor hair of any royal family members, and the unnerving sense of being watched only buzzed louder in Kat¡¯s senses.


    Part of her wanted to start wandering around and poking her head behind closed doors to investigate this strange new place, but her mother had said to be patient.


    Kat¡¯s fingers fluttered against the handle of her sword.


    Maybe just a quick stroll would be fine¨C


    A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Katarina called, while turning to stand with her feet braced apart.


    She knew she looked like she was about to attack whoever walked through the door, but couldn¡¯t bring herself to respond any differently when it felt like any second she was about to be surrounded.


    The door opened, and in came four Zinferan maids that had a tea cart with a squeaking wheel.


    The table was ladened with a plain porcelain tea set, and some simple pastries¡­ Kat masked her expression as she watched the maids pour the tea all without a word, and when they were finished they bowed to her.


    ¡°Your Majesty, we hope this will satisfy you for the time being, given that you arrived closer to the dining hour we hope this lighter refreshments won¡¯t spoil your appetite.¡±


    Despite politicking and its many nuances being her weakness, even Kat knew that based on the plain tea set that there was a subtle snub being given.


    Kat raised an eyebrow.


    The maids waited with their heads bowed to be dismissed.


    Moving over to the tea, while intentionally putting more weight into her steps to make her presence seem even bigger, she plucked up one of the pastries and pretended to examine it.


    ¡°Who ordered this for me?¡± she asked airily.


    ¡°Her Highness Soo Hebin has¨C¡±


    ¡°A lowly concubine thinks she can cater to me?¡± Kat watched as the maids collectively flinched, and they almost seemed to shrink in fear at such words.


    ¡°Where is the emperor¡¯s stewards and maids?¡± Kat allowed her aura to start to simmer off of her skin.


    ¡°Th-the emperor¡¯s servants are tending to¨C¡±


    ¡°Not all of them will be. Go fetch me his closest assistant or ally, or I¡¯ll go and find accommodations with the Coven of Giong.¡±


    Kat doubted these women knew that technically the covens would no longer receive her as upon taking the crown she was ceremoniously booted out of the Coven of Wittica.


    Predictably, the women sprung into action, and scurried out of Katarina¡¯s chamber.


    She grimaced.


    Evidently she¡¯d be engaging in her least favorite kind of battle.


    A battle of egos.


    She could also guess that two of those maids would be alerting Soo Hebin. Kat braced herself for the concubine to come herself to run interference, and most likely attempt to distract her guest from insisting on speaking to any of the emperor¡¯s people.


    Sighing, Kat drew out her sword and stepped back two paces.


    ¡°Alright. It¡¯s just the two of us now. Come out.¡±


    The tea tray remained perfectly still.


    Kat regarded it flatly. ¡°I¡¯ll start taking test stabs if you don¡¯t come out.¡±


    Sure enough, a hand appeared from under the tea cart, followed by an arm, then a torso, and finally the young man stood straight and stared at Kat whose eyes went wide with shock.


    ¡°Hi¡­ Your Majesty¡­ It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s been a little while.¡±


    ¡°Thomas Godsdamn Julian,¡± Kat wheezed.


    The young man before her was barely like the fifteen year old lad who had served under Eric Reyes, her husband, seven years ago before he betrayed them in Troivack. He had committed this awful sin in order to work for the first witch¡­


    But since then he had grown more than a foot, his face had grown sharper, and his shoulders broader.


    Kat lifted her sword. ¡°What the bloody hell are you doing here? And you better explain quickly. I¡¯m not really in the mood to give a warm reception to treasonous arsehats.¡±

 Chapter 67: A Traitors Testimony

    Tam stood with his hands in his pockets, Eli at his side with her arms folded stubbornly, and Luca, Gods bless him, tried to imitate his father though he added a threatening scowl.


    ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous! Why would we travel by boat to Gondol? It¡¯s faster to take the carriage!¡± Lady Marigold trilled at the coven member¡¯s face.


    Odette Gilly, the Daxarian Coven of Wittica representative that had joined the group shortly after the luncheon hour, shrugged coolly, ¡°The coven doesn¡¯t want anyone escaping while they travel to Gondol. We have to investigate whether or not Lord Tamlin¡¯s claims are true regarding his marriage with Her Highness.¡±


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t mentioned to us before,¡± Duke Harris noted, his eyes narrowing suspiciously at the Daxarian coven member. ¡°Why now?¡±


    ¡°Because now it is a whole other matter that Her Highness is allegedly married to Lord Tamlin! If they are lying¨C¡±


    ¡°A very dangerous accusation,¡± Tam observed evenly.


    The Daxarian coven member¡¯s eyes flit in his direction only briefly before addressing Duke Harris.


    Tam¡¯s gut churned.


    Something was wrong.


    Very wrong.


    The Daxarian coven should be acting protectively of him¡­


    ¡°A ship is the safest place to prevent escape,¡± Odette repeated dismissively. ¡°Now, I have sent word with a member of the Giong Coven for two vessels. In the meantime, Lord Tamlin, Your Highness, you will wait here under heavy guard.¡± She then proceeded to swing back around to give orders to the armed men that still milled about in the confusion.


    Tam felt Eli stiffen at his side, and even Harris was frowning.


    Odette was a water witch, though she wasn¡¯t one of the witches with unique physical attributes. She had shoulder length black hair, and clear blue eyes, with a sprinkling of freckles over her nose. She was near the same age as Eli, perhaps a little younger, but her haughty confidence worried Tam for a multitude of reasons.


    Harris sidled back over to his nephew while Lady Marigold and her husband started to whisper back and forth to each other. ¡°Tam, I don¡¯t like this. I hadn¡¯t noticed it on the ship when I traveled with the coven members, but¡­ Things don¡¯t feel right.¡±


    ¡°Now you see why I started talking about a revolt. The corruption in the Giong Coven might only be a fraction of what¡¯s going on,¡± Tam said in a murmur.


    ¡°Easy there, Tam. Bloodshed is not a fun thing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡±


    ¡°Do you, though?¡± Duke Harris didn¡¯t mask his dubious tone.


    Tam didn¡¯t comment further on his expertise with fighting, and instead went on to say, ¡°Soo Hebin has ties to the slave trade, they might be trying to get us on the water to corner us and kill us.¡±


    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t plot murder around you or myself lightly, Tam. Though I admit, it is questionable; this order that you be placed on a ship.¡±


    Movement halted both the duke and Tam¡¯s discussion. They turned to watch as Lady Marigold and her husband returned to their carriage, said a few words with the Daxarian coven member, then stepped into the vehicle.


    Concerned, Harris tilted his head and started walking toward the carriage.


    Tam looked over his shoulder where Jeong loitered innocuously. ¡°I think we might be making a run for it sooner than later.¡±


    The Zinferan cringed. ¡°I don¡¯t know how good of an idea that is right now.¡±


    ¡°Getting on a ship isn¡¯t the worst thing depending how close to shore they stay,¡± Eli contributed.


    ¡°You told me about one of the traders that worked closely with Lord Yangban, aren¡¯t you worried they¡¯ll contact him to come?¡±


    ¡°Of course I am. In fact it is almost too obvious.¡± Eli sighed.


    ¡°Well, we can still try to escape by jumping in the water,¡± Jeong suggested.


    ¡°Not with the water witch accompanying us. Not to mention the air witch,¡± Tam reminded while eyeing Harris an the aforementioned air witch who had hungback during Odette¡¯s confrontation.


    Harris appeared to be in a heated discussion with his half sister at that moment.


    ¡°That leaves my original plan, too.¡± Eli looked at Tam expectantly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like your plan. A lot can go wrong,¡± he retorted firmly. ¡°Besides, even if we all go into the void, when we eventually come back out, this area will most likely be crawling with guards.¡±


    ¡°Tam you took Lord Kim into your void and moved from his office to our room in Junya. We¡¯ve never officially tested how far you can move with someone.¡±


    ¡°There are four of us!¡± Tam interjected. ¡°I had to fall asleep immediately after when it was just Lord Kim I was moving!¡±


    Eli made an agitated noise. ¡°Right now, it looks like the Coven of Wittica and the Coven of Giong are in cahoots. And they are taking their orders from Soo Hebin.¡±


    ¡°And or the first witch,¡± Tam added helpfully with a grim note.


    Eli nodded. ¡°The first witch wants ¡®the devil¡¯, Soo Hebin wants me dead. I¡¯m tricky right now because I¡¯m tied to you. But they can¡¯t prove how I¡¯m tied to you¡­ Even if they summon Captain Woo to kill me, it opens up all kinds of vulnerabilities to Soo Hebin. The only threat that we would have no real safety against would be if there are any of the other concubines who would see my death as an opportunity to partner up with the Ashowan family and bring Daxaria into the fold.¡±


    Luca stared between Eli and Tam, utterly lost as to what in the world was happening.


    ¡°Do you think Soo Hebin will risk exposing herself like that?¡± Tam asked next.


    ¡°I think she will bide her time to double check if we are or are not married. If she finds out we aren¡¯t, there is less risk, and she hates me enough to go forward with having me taken out of the portrait. She¡¯d probably send a bird to Captain Woo to do away with me while we travel to Gondol,¡± Eli explained.


    ¡°We can become the pretentious nobles that we somewhat are and dig in our heels, demanding better treatment and refusing to get on the ship,¡± Tam suggested next.


    ¡°That¡¯ll go over better for you than it will with me what with the well planted rumors that I eloped with a peasant boy. My character is dubious to the Zinferans at best. Even with our alleged marriage. The other rumor has gained traction already. So I doubt people are placing much stock in this new claim.¡±


    Tam made a grumbling sound in the back of his throat.


    ¡°Alright. We get on a ship. We try and make a break to shore at some point. I can try practicing vanishing into the void with all of you while on the ship.¡±


    Eli nodded glumly.


    Jeong cleared his throat in assent.


    ¡°What if they try to split us up?¡± Luca voiced aloud suddenly.


    Both Tam and Eli looked down then back up at each other at the same time.


    ¡°Then I have to resort to plan a,¡± Tam said softly.


    ¡°What¡¯s plan a?¡± Luca wondered with a tilt of his head.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Plan a means you close your eyes and hide with me,¡± Jeong grasped Luca¡¯s shoulders, his defeated tone undisguised.


    Tam gave an apologetic half smile at Jeong, who reluctantly nodded in understanding.


    Even he realized how precarious their situation was.


    Reaching over, Tam grasped Eli¡¯s hand, and gave a reassuring smile. ¡°If only I could tell them how seasick I get. Then maybe they¡¯d think again about being trapped on a boat with me.¡±


    Eli laughed. ¡°Do you think you¡¯d be able to aim while getting sick?¡±


    ¡°Only way to find out is to try!¡± Tam grinned.


    ¡°Eww!¡± Luca slapped his hand over his eyes, though he was giggling.


    Little did they know, Duke Oscar Harris was eyeing them from afar.


    The Daxarian nobleman noted the way Tam interacted with his niece, and the way they looked at each other.


    Despite the nefarious schemes they were caught in, Harris gave a chuckle.


    Gods, Fin. The coin I would pay to see your reaction to what your son has found here¡­


    ***


    ¡°You expect me to believe that you¡¯ve been lying in wait for the first witch to escape this whole time?¡± Katarina scoffed as she stared down at Thomas Julian who knelt before her.


    She still had her sword drawn, though she had its tip resting against the wooden planks of the floor.


    ¡°It¡¯s true! I didn¡¯t want to betray His Majesty! But when I met Ansar, he told me how even if she failed, she had done enough work that once freed again, she would be able to finish executing her plans!¡± the young man argued passionately.


    Kat rolled her eyes to the ceiling. ¡°I have no reason to believe you, and I don¡¯t. You want something. Or you¡¯re trying to play both sides in the event things don¡¯t work out. Get up. I¡¯m having you arrested.¡±


    ¡°No! Please! Please, I really¡­ I just want to help! I can tell you what the first witch is trying to do!¡±


    ¡°Not interested.¡±


    ¡°No, Your Majesty, it is so much worse than you think! Even the Coven of Wittica has been corrupted!¡±


    Kat had been on her way to alert the guards that there was an intruder in her room, but froze.


    ¡°The first witch long ago worked with Louise Riddel to gradually start persuading coven members to separate from serving the king, and instead create its own sect. A temple for the covens to reside in and operate under that would govern its own independent land, and hold records of all witches. The temple hierarchy would be in charge of sending out witches as they deemed fit. Not under the control of the king!¡±


    Kat slowly turned her body toward Thomas as he spoke.


    ¡°It¡¯s already in motion! She¡¯s arranged for this in Zinfera regardless of whoever takes the crown. She knows Troivack follows Daxaria closely¡­ It¡¯s all set for this take over.¡±


    ¡°Then why¨C¡± Kat cleared her throat that felt thick. ¡°Then why are you telling me? It sounds like a lost cause.¡±


    ¡°Look I¡­ I¡¯m not a witch. I know I have no say over how this should go, but the kind of take over she is describing will not be a peaceful one, and if your husband, His Majesty, refuses? It¡¯ll be a war against all the covens and humans. Especially if Zinfera sides with the covens, things will be¡­¡± Thomas Julian looked around the room as he searched for the words. ¡°It¡¯s going to be bad.¡±


    ¡°Not all witches can be in agreement with this. Otherwise they would¡¯ve already brought this up to my father,¡± Kat pointed out, her grip around her sword hilt tightening.


    ¡°Not all, no. Mostly it¡¯s the younger members that have sided with the first witch.¡±


    ¡°How did the first witch do this?¡±


    ¡°She has followers, and she helped get them positions as teachers for the covens. And well¡­ If you control the education, you can control their point of view. She plotted this out for years.¡±


    Kat pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°Godsdamnit. So she wants the covens to lead some sort of religion? That¡¯s ridiculously dangerous to the balance of their existence amongst the people!¡±


    ¡°She thinks as the daughter of the Gods that she is more than capable of helping the kingdom¡¯s transition to this new era.¡±


    Cursing, the Daxarian queen dropped her hand. ¡°So, how do we stop her?¡±


    Thomas Julian turned sheepish, and it was like he was the same fifteen year old boy Kat remembered.


    ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re you, Your Majesty. And you have your family, and then there were sightings of the devil¡­¡±


    Kat¡¯s head dropped back. ¡°My family is great, don¡¯t get me wrong, and we battled this twit before, but now we¡¯re talking covens full of witches and kingdoms! That isn¡¯t just a couple of people we have to¡ª¡±


    ¡°But it is! If you can somehow defeat the devil and the first witch again things will be alright!¡±


    Kat sighed. ¡°What if I agree that witches should be separated from the monarchy or government¡­? It¡¯s true it¡¯s a whole difficult matter to manage. It would open a lot of tax coin back up to help support the other citizens¡ª Gods, I¡¯m so boring now¡­¡± Kat lamented at the end to herself.


    ¡°But what if there are witches that don¡¯t want to belong to the temple?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying she would enforce that witches obey the temple?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Like a monarchy forces its people to obey?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡ªit¡¯s worse though, because the hierarchy she is proposing would most likely surpass the human leaders, the covens would act as overseers to all areas! And the covens would use magic to enforce it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I agree that that is not good. But those are terms that can be dealt with during negotiations. If there is one annoying lesson I¡¯ve had to learn, it¡¯s that a deal with teeth often turns to a gummy old dog by the end of a hellish amount of paperwork.¡± Kat shrugged.


    ¡°Do you really think the first witch is going to bow to any conditions you make? She¡¯ll tell you it will have to be her way, or none at all!¡±


    Kat¡¯s gaze rolled to the ceiling. ¡°This woman just had to be a pain in the ass.¡±


    Thomas Julian stared at Kat. At first, he looked angry¡­ and then bewildered. ¡°Your Majesty, I thought you of all people would¡ª¡±


    ¡°Would what, Mr. Julian?¡± Kat asked sharply. ¡°Charge around this palace looking for the first witch? Declare war and rile the stakes even higher as I look for this bloody woman and the devil?¡±


    ¡°I expected you to do¡­ something,¡± he finished wistfully.


    Kat lifted an eyebrow. ¡°I will do something. But I¡¯m not going to be an idiot.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to¡ª¡±


    A knock interrupted whatever it was Thomas Julian was about to say.


    He attempted to dive back under the tea cart, but Kat had moved closer as they talked and seized the back of his collar in a vice grip.


    ¡°Come in!¡±


    He tried to struggle until Kat¡¯s aura flared and she kicked out the back of his knees, sending him to the floor.


    When the doors opened, a Zinferan woman dressed head to toe gems glided through the door.


    Kat felt a growl building in her throat.


    It could be no one else than Soo Hebin.


    Despite feeling as though she¡¯d been behaving herself, Kat wondered why it was that everyone felt like testing her patience all at the same time?

 Chapter 68: Impressive Impositions

    ¡°Your Majesty, I am Concubine Soo Hebin, it is an honor to meet you.¡± The concubine lowered herself gracefully, the rubies in her hair catching the lit candles around the room.


    Her long dress was white silk. Its hems and collar sewn together using glimmering silver thread.


    Kat stared, unimpressed.


    The outfit and its accompanying bangles looked heavy and annoying. By comparison, in her tan trousers and navy blue shirt that she had tucked in, Kat looked like a commoner. But Kat had never really relied on clothes to make her presence felt¡ªno matter how many times her mother tried to change this.


    ¡°Your Highness. I¡¯m glad to meet you. Though we have an unfortunate set of problems already. This,¡± Kat hefted Mr. Julian up by his scruff as though he weighed little more than a sack of apples. ¡°Snuck into my room.¡±


    The concubine¡¯s eyes had been downcast demurely, but at Kat¡¯s words she lifted her gaze.


    It was brief, but Kat saw the hesitancy cross her face. ¡°How disturbing.¡± The woman sounded perfectly calm as she gave the barest of waves over her shoulder that summoned the guards to take Mr. Julian away.


    Kat stepped back with a shake of her head. ¡°Oh no. This man is wanted for treason in Daxaria, and is Daxarian born himself. If your guards could go retrieve one of the elite knights I brought with me, that would be best.¡±


    Soo Hebin¡¯s thin eyebrows twitched. ¡°Your Majesty, he broke into my palace where¡ª¡±


    ¡°Which brings us to our second problem,¡± Kat¡¯s voice rose when she interrupted the concubine. ¡°I asked to speak to one of the emperor¡¯s attendants. Your serving staff had the balls¡ªgall! The gall, to serve me inferior dishware to insult me.¡±


    Soo Hebin slowly brought her hands together, making the wide sleeves of her dress fall to cover them.


    ¡°Ah, my apologies, Your Majesty. I will see to¡ª¡±


    ¡°And you yourself now insult me?¡± Kat¡¯s eyes flashed as her heavy boots thudded closer to the concubine. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m so unaware that an apology from a lower rank should be done on your knees?¡±


    The barest of tremble ran across the concubine¡¯s lower lip as Kat bore down on her.


    The maids surrounding the concubine even leaned farther away from her.


    ¡°A man breaks into my room, your maids insult me, and now you add to the offense. Since it seems there are all kinds of ridiculous, childish games afoot, I will have no choice but to seek the emperor¡¯s people out myself. Guards!¡± Kat barked. ¡°You damn well better bring me one of the emperor¡¯s people now. Or I will be forced to take matters into my own hands. With the Gods, and this¡ª¡± She gave Thomas Julian another shake. ¡°As my witness.¡±


    The two guards looked nervously at one another, then tried to catch the eye of the concubine, but Kat¡¯s hand shot out and she gripped the woman¡¯s chin holding her gaze with her own.


    ¡°Oh no. You aren¡¯t going to be telling them a thing. Especially while you still. Aren¡¯t. Godsdamn. Kneeling,¡± the rumble in Kat¡¯s voice and her rising aura brought the maids behind Soo Hebin fall down to all fours in front of her.


    The concubine¡¯s eyes widened, and Kat could see by their tightening corners she was furious.


    When the guards came back to their senses, they clumsily rushed into each other, then had to sort themselves out before dashing out the doors.


    ¡°Well?¡± Kat tilted her head as she stared at the concubine, still holding her chin.


    She could tell that while the woman was trying to continue looking composed, she was starting to struggle with her rage.


    ¡°Your Majesty, to cause such a¨C¡±


    ¡°That does not sound like an apology from your knees. Are you aware that this alone can have you imprisoned while I negotiate your punishment with the emperor¡¯s officials?¡± Kat gave a cold smile. ¡°Gods, listen to me. Preaching to a Zinferan concubine about Zinfera¡¯s laws.¡±


    Soo Hebin gently pulled her chin out of Kat¡¯s hand and proceeded to lower herself to her knees. She bowed her head. ¡°I apologize on behalf of my maids, and for permitting a criminal to break into your room, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful. Get up.¡± Kat ordered the maid who had been the first to lift her gaze from the floor.¡°You. Go bring me proper tea.¡±


    The maid scrambled to her feet and left.


    Judging by the tension in her shoulders, Kat wagered that ordering Soo Hebin¡¯s maid to do anything without her consent was inciting an even deeper ire in the woman.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡±


    Kat looked up from the concubine lazily when her mother entered the room. ¡°Yes, Your Grace?¡± she greeted lightly.


    The Daxarian queen noticed the faintest of winks from Annika Ashowan.


    Evidently she had been listening to the exchange and was quite pleased with her daughter.


    ¡°Has there been some trouble¡ªOh, dear, Your Highness!¡± Annika gushed in a mothering tone when she noticed the woman on her knees. ¡°Your Majesty, what is happening?¡± When the duchess¡¯s eyes landed on Thomas Julian she momentarily froze and her eyes flashed with all the sharpness of an executioner¡¯s blade.


    She gave a very quick look to her daughter, and the two of them shared an instantaneous grim conversation.


    ¡°You may stand,¡± Kat cast off lightly to the concubine, who rose swiftly.


    ¡°Whatever happened?¡± Annika used a breathy, delicate tone, casting her brown eyes wide as she dipped into a low curtsy to the concubine.


    The show of reverence did little to placate the woman, and Kat just about grinned when she saw the subtle clenching of Soo Hebin¡¯s jaw.


    ¡°There seems to be a bit of misunderstanding on etiquette,¡± Kat replied to her mother, keeping her tone imperial.


    ¡°Oh dear. Is it perhaps just because with everything going on they are worried¡ª¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no excuse for lax security.¡± Kat hoisted Mr. Julian up once more. The young man didn¡¯t so much as lift his eyes.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Leave us,¡± Kat ordered with a wave of her hand.


    Soo Hebin bowed dutifully, and didn¡¯t linger for any longer than necessary before taking her leave.


    Once the doors had closed, Annika stopped wringing her hands in false worry and stared down at Thomas Julian emotionlessly.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been looking for you for quite some time,¡± she informed him softly. ¡°The pain you have caused Likon is immeasurable. Are you aware he has been forced to serve time under the Troivackian king because of you?¡±


    The two women noticed the way the young man¡¯s ears burned bright red, and the way his shoulders hunched forward, Kat proceeded to release him to kneel on the floor.


    ¡°I never meant for anything to happen to my uncle. I was just trying to make him proud¡­¡±


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.Annika looked at Kat questioningly.


    The Daxarian queen¡¯s lip curled scornfully.¡°He claims he stayed with the followers of the first witch to gather information.¡±


    With her mouth pursing, the duchess considered this, then gradually crouched to be at eye level with Thomas Julian. ¡°We will see what to make of you in the near future.¡±


    The duchess¡¯s words succeeded in sending a chill down the young man¡¯s spine, and when the Daxarian knights showed up, they sent Thomas Julian off without another word.


    Kat looked at her mother expectantly.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t handle the concubine like I told you to,¡± Annika began slowly. ¡°But you handled her perfectly as a queen. I¡¯m impressed.¡±


    A rueful smile climbed Kat¡¯s face. ¡°I knew I had to act out of character. Especially once I heard what the first witch is allegedly up to.¡±


    The duchess frowned in concern as her daughter proceeded to relay to her everything she had learned from the nephew of their family member.


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm. He obviously was anticipating a reaction, but I remembered how you taught me that whenever someone is trying to lead you somewhere, try pulling them in an unexpected direction.¡±


    Annika smiled. ¡°My Gods¡­ To think my daughter would listen to me. And it only took twenty-eight years.¡±


    Kat rolled her eyes with a sigh. ¡°What should we do now? The first witch is here. In these walls. We have no idea what she looks like thanks to her being able to change appearances any time she dies.¡±


    ¡°Well hold on now.¡± Annika held up a finger. ¡°She always becomes a young maiden again when she dies. So that eliminates anyone older.¡±


    Kat tilted her head. ¡°True.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m inclined to believe what he said the first witch is trying to do to be true. It is inline with what we last heard about her when she wanted to mold Troivack¡­¡± Annika continued.


    ¡°Why would he tell us that though? He wants me to do something.¡±


    Annika looked around the room thoughtfully. ¡°If I were to guess? I would assume the first witch wants you to take care of the devil for her. She sees him as a bigger threat than we could ever pose to her. The most valuable variable to any plan is time. And both she and the devil have infinite amounts of it.¡±


    ¡°So she doesn¡¯t know Tam is around the devil,¡± Kat realized, her eyes bright.


    ¡°Most likely not. Though it¡¯s only a matter of time, what with everyone on the lookout for Eli so we can¡¯t count on that fact remaining unknown.¡±


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe Eric never realized Eli was a woman,¡± Kat snorted.


    ¡°She lied to him when she was younger, and it would¡¯ve been easier to disguise back then. And need I remind you, that you didn¡¯t have any idea either until your father and I told the two of you.¡±


    Kat¡¯s tongue poked her cheek as she scuffed her boot against the ground. ¡°Well it¡¯s incredible that she¡¯s also a princess, and you had no idea about that!¡±


    The duchess made a funny noise in the back of her throat. ¡°I¡¯m surprised myself.¡±


    Kat smiled smugly. Her mother always knew everything, so learning something as big as Eli being royalty must have really irked her.


    ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll actually send for one of the emperor¡¯s attendants?¡± Kat changed the topic while eyeing the doors.


    ¡°One who is in Soo Hebin¡¯s pocket, yes.¡±


    ¡°Right. Well. Mind sending out invitations to all the concubines?¡± Kat looked at her mother. ¡°I think it¡¯s time we start tipping some scales.¡±


    Annika reached out and plucked some lint off her daughter¡¯s shirt. ¡°Any thoughts on how you would like to handle the first witch?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Ignore her.¡±


    Blinking, Annika tilted her head. ¡°Really?¡±


    Nodding, and moving her hands to her hips, Kat¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°Yeup. Because I am queen of annoying. And I am quite certain that ignoring the daughter of the Gods is going to drive her up the bloody wall.¡±


    ***


    ¡°So Katarina took the bait,¡± Aradia tapped the tip of her finger on the garden table after listening to Ansar¡¯s report. ¡°She has Mr. Julian under lock and key?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ansar confirmed with a bow of his head.


    ¡°Then I suppose all I need to do is wait and¡ª¡±


    The sound of rapid footsteps stopped the first witch from saying anything more, as she waited with her eyes transfixed on the entrance to her lonely square of the garden for Soo Hebin¡¯s appearance.


    Sure enough, the concubine arrived, her cheeks flushed and the air around her crackling with tension.


    ¡°That lowly wench,¡± the concubine spat.


    Aradia raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°She made me bow¡ª in my own palace! Tell me, I¡¯ll make her pay soon, yes? You are going to have the covens gather here and ransom her to force the Daxarian king to sign the new division of witches and the monarchy?¡±


    Aradia¡¯s eyes ventured casually to Ansar. ¡°Once I have the devil in my grasp. Yes.¡±


    Soo Hebin closed her eyes and took a steadying breath, which brought with it a sinister smile on her red lips. ¡°I have good news then. We have located the man and boy who is believed to be the devil. They happened to be traveling with Princess Elisara!¡± Soo Hebin laughed triumphantly.


    Aradia didn¡¯t rejoice as openly as Soo Hebin, but she did lean forward in her seat. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°And guess what?¡± the concubine continued in dulcet tones that nearly had Aradia¡¯s teeth on edge as she continued putting up with the noblewoman¡¯s grating personality.


    Aradia took her time answering, and she didn¡¯t hide how tiresome she found the concubine¡¯s petty villainy.


    ¡°The man that was traveling with her? Is none other than Tamlin Ashowan, and apparently, he married that twit of a princess!¡±


    Aradia¡¯s expression turned stony as she looked to Ansar who was already watching her expectantly.


    ¡°You can eliminate the pesky Ashowan children, get your hands on your devil, and I can disintegrate whatever remains of the sham of a princess.¡±


    ¡°Leave us,¡± Aradia ordered.


    The concubine opened her mouth in shock. ¡°Excuse me¡ª You. Yes, you, you are in my palace, you¡ª¡±


    A great surge of wind came out of nowhere and blasted against the concubine, forcing her to close her eyes and mouth and turn away as her dress flattened against her figure in the powerful wind.


    When it died down, the concubine rounded slowly to see a Zinferan witch she had been introduced to a week ago¡­


    ¡°Her Magnificence has ordered you to leave.¡± The witch was an old man, with a long white beard and hair, wearing pants and a coat as white as Soo Hebin¡¯s own clothes.


    She gaped in outrage at him, but when he lifted his hand again, presumably to summon back the wind, she made an aggravated noise, turned on her heel, and stalked away.


    Once blissful quiet had settled back over the garden, and the wind witch retreated back to his discreet guard post, Aradia spoke.


    ¡°Tamlin Ashowan beside my brother¡­ By chance. With the missing princess. This reeks of divine tampering,¡± Aradia said to Ansar without commenting on the concubine¡¯s dramatic exit. ¡°Have we found anyone from the seer bloodline?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. The last known one was in Troivack, but she died a year ago. There is the child that our people cared for that we presume to carry on the legacy, but I have not inspected her myself.¡±


    ¡°Damn. I want to know what the hell my parents are playing at¡­¡± Aradia shook her head, her eyes growing lost in thought. ¡°No matter what, my brother will pay. He will leave and I will set the world right, and everything¡ª¡±


    ¡°Aradia,¡± Ansar¡¯s warm hand gently covered hers. ¡°Everything will be alright. I¡¯ll make sure of it. I know you repeat these things like a mantra, but¡­ Trust me.¡±


    The first witch gazed at her assistant for a long while, her emotions unclear.


    Eventually she spared a smile. ¡°I trust you as well as I can trust anyone, Ansar. Now, let¡¯s find out where exactly my brother is and the soonest he can get here.¡±

 Chapter 69: Parting with Peacetime

    Tam stood with his arms crossed, Eli lingering just behind him, and Luca at his side.


    ¡°Ms. Odette Gilly, could you please repeat that?¡± Tam¡¯s tone was polite but there was a sharpness in his eyes that should¡¯ve given the water witch pause.


    ¡°We have sent an order for two ships to come. You will travel with myself. As for Luca¡­¡± She eyed Luca disapprovingly, her lips curling in the same manner one did when biting into a lemon. Tam¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°The child and Her Highness will travel on the other vessel with her uncle, Duke Harris,¡± Odette repeated coolly.


    ¡°I told you they might do that!¡± Luca called up to his father, a frown already wedged between the child¡¯s brows.


    ¡°You¡¯re a very smart kid.¡± Tam nodded down at his son.


    Luca scowled back up at Odette. ¡°Does this mean I should cover my eyes and hide?¡±


    The water witch raised a quizzical eyebrow in Tam¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Maybe. Stay close to Eli while I sort this out with Ms. Odette here.¡± Tam stepped closer to the woman who stared up at Tam defiantly.


    ¡°Nothing you can say will change this decision. It was agreed upon by both covens, and¨C¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know about that. I¡¯m also a member of the coven, and I didn¡¯t agree to that. Furthermore. I have to wonder at being treated like a criminal. My wife and I have been hunted across a kingdom with our son. Why in the world would we need to be separated?¡±


    ¡°Lord Tamlin,¡± Odette¡¯s tone was thick with insultingly forced patience. ¡°There was a murder of a Giong Coven member, and an unfamiliar witch¡¯s symbol was found at the scene. Furthermore¨C¡±


    ¡°And why is that related to us?¡± Tam asked, still looming over the woman.


    ¡°Because the covens have logged every witch¡¯s symbol. The only two in any coven that hasn¡¯t been registered are your own as well as Her Highness¡¯s, and you both confirmed for yourselves that you were in Junya around the time of the murder.¡±


    ¡°Not all witches report themselves to the Coven of Giong, or the Coven of Wittica, and are you telling me you also have every witch¡¯s symbol from Lobahl¡¯s own coven?¡±


    Odette opened her mouth to say more, but Tam plundered on.


    ¡°I already know you don¡¯t. What you are doing is a gross abuse of power. If you attempt to press this matter, I will be forced to make things incredibly difficult.¡±


    Odette closed her mouth as she stared at the ominous warning in Tam¡¯s face. Then she sighed and rolled her eyes.


    Tam tilted his head in astonishment. The fearlessness. The lack of respect and concern for any consequences¡­


    His gut twisted in trepidation.


    The water witch shrugged regardless of the close appraisal Tam was clearly giving her. ¡°Like I said before. Nothing you say or do can change this order.¡±


    ¡°And who gave this order?¡± Tam asked while folding his hands loosely in front of himself.


    ¡°Myself and¡ª¡±


    ¡°And are you my superior in any capacity?¡±


    Tam watched as at last the woman ruffled a little at his words.


    ¡°Well I am a current coven member working for the coven. You most likely won¡¯t¡ª¡± Odette stopped herself as her lips pressed themselves shut.


    ¡°Oh? I most likely won¡¯t¡­ What? Become the official diplomat for the coven like my father? That¡¯s strange. That was a confidential matter between the head of the coven, the Daxarian monarchy, and my family. The fact that you not only have knowledge of this but are also acting as though the decision has been made when I know for a fact it has not, is grounds for treason. Do you realize that?¡±


    Tam noted the way Odette¡¯s hand curled into fists at her sides. And then her face twisted into a visage of anger and hate. ¡°Who¡¯s going to believe you?¡±


    He straightened.


    ¡°You Ashowans¡­ You all think the world revolves around you and that you have the final say in everything. Well, guess what? Your time is over. You were favored by a king. Then you wormed one of your own into the bed of the current king. You¡¯re nothing but greedy, entitled, awful¡ª¡±


    Luca lunged forward and shoved the woman off the grassy ledge they stood on and into the shallow water a foot or two down, making her squawk in surprise.


    Tam snorted and slapped a hand over his mouth to stop it from coming out.


    It wasn¡¯t a good thing to laugh at, and he knew it. Even if the woman was revealing just how corrupt the coven had become.


    ¡°Luca,¡± Tam managed to say while sounding stern.


    Eli moved closer to peer down into the water. However, Odette was a water witch, so she was already rising up from the ocean with a water rope around her waist, her eyes burning.


    Luca wasn¡¯t impressed with the magical display as he glared up at her. ¡°Stop saying mean things about my family! You¡¯re just a bully!¡±


    Tam gently rested a hand on Luca¡¯s shoulder and pulled him back. ¡°Luca, go stand with Eli, everything will be alright.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening over here!¡± Lord Harris¡¯s loud voice sounded just behind Tam as Odette ran her tongue over her teeth, her feet touching back down on the grass.


    ¡°It would seem the Coven of Wittica¡ªafter a very lackluster attempt¡ªis revealing its true colors,¡± Tam explained. ¡°They are attempting to separate Eli and I and saying there is nothing I can do about it.¡±


    Harris turned toward Odette, but the witch had her glower fixed on Tam.


    Regardless, the duke was the first to speak. ¡°Really? Are we now done with this political intrigue nonsense and finally just saying what we mean? Odette, you¡¯re a stuck up wench and you were a nightmare to travel with¡ª-Gods that is lovely to get off my chest. I was trying so hard to be pleasant.¡± Harris sighed with a smile while looking up at the sky. ¡°Oh. One more thing. Do you ever wonder how the coven of Wittica is able to afford to feed, clothe, and house witches? Or how they seem to have no trouble getting a magistrate to process qualms and other issues? Or how when there is a magical outburst or fight between witches that there is never a bill for the repairs or settlement costs in the event of damages or injuries?¡±


    Odette at last rounded on the duke, her nostrils flaring. ¡°Your monarchy uses witches! It is the least they can¨C¡±


    ¡°Ah-ah! We hire witches. That apply for these jobs. I really must ask how much it is to feed that remarkably high horse you find yourself on.¡±


    ¡°We can grow our own damn food! We have earth witches who¨C¡±


    ¡°Oh? On whose land will they be doing this? I don¡¯t know that myself or, say, the Ashowan duchy will be feeling quite so generous as we have been with these resources in the very near future.¡±


    The water witch¡¯s expression darkened, but the duke kept grinning. ¡°Young lady¡­ It is wonderful to have such passion. You have my sincere compliments on that trait¡ªIt¡¯s one of your only few that I can say anything good about¡ª but as you get older, you¡¯re going to find that things aren¡¯t so black and white, and you are also going to find that actions have consequences. Particularly the threatening kind of actions.¡±


    Odette seemed to be having an apoplectic event that stopped her from being able to speak. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°So, how about, we keep my niece and godson together, as they have been most cooperative in agreeing to be hoisted off on a ship.¡±


    The water witch practically quaked.


    ¡°I dare you to try and mess with us!¡± Luca hollered, shoving his finger up at the woman¡¯s face.


    Eli hastily shushed Luca, but Harris turned a sparkle in his eye in their direction. ¡°Love the little thug you¡¯re raising there, Tam!¡±


    ¡°We really should be more careful talking about things around him,¡± Eli muttered from Tam¡¯s side as she too reached out to touch Luca¡¯s shoulder before casting the boy a chastizing look.


    Luca did not look chastened, he merely crossed his arms and continued glowering at the water witch.


    However the interruption seemed to help Odette recover her ability to speak. ¡°You all will regret not being more-¡±


    ¡°Oh, for the love of the Goddess!¡± Remarkably the outburst came from Eli. ¡°You are more or less trying to take us as hostages! Did you really expect us to say ¡®why thank you, of course we will listen¡¯?¡±


    A surge from the Tinoo Ocean rose up, and Odette¡¯s eyes glowed with flickering blue. ¡°Yes. Because you are not in the position to negotiate.¡±


    ¡°OH. Oh, no, no.¡± Tam moved in between Eli and Odette. ¡°Knock it off or you¡¯re going to find out how wrong you are.¡±


    Odette gave a derisive laugh. ¡°I already know you can¡¯t manage your power! Stop thinking that¡ª¡±


    ¡°What is that over there!¡± Tam burst out in falsified shock and horror as he stared at a spot just over Lord Harris¡¯s shoulder.


    The duke and most people near them turned, hands flying to their weapons.


    And that was all the time Tam needed.


    He reached out, flicked Odette on the back of the head.


    And suddenly, a seam of black appeared behind her, opened like a mouth, and swallowed her whole.


    Having witnessed this sneaky maneuver, Eli¡¯s jaw dropped.


    But by the time everyone else was looking back at Tam, the water that Odette had magically risen up like a threatening wall ready to crush everyone, had collapsed back into the ocean with a magnificent splash.


    ¡°What the¡ª¡± Harris blinked, and looked around at the empty space Odette had been occupying just a moment before. Then he looked down at Luca. ¡°Did you shove her into the water again?¡±


    ¡°She just jumped in herself,¡± Tam volunteered breezily.


    The duke looked at the ocean for a long time. Then he slowly turned back to his godson.


    ¡°Tam. Did you happen to do something perhaps a wee bit magical?¡±


    He shrugged ambiguously in response. ¡°Did anyone see anything?¡±


    Harris looked around then lowered his voice. ¡°Tam, is she dead?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Can you¡­ bring her back¡­?¡± Harris asked carefully while squinting at the grass, as though he suspected that Tam had merely shrunk the water witch.


    ¡°Probably? Do you want me to?¡±


    Harris emitted a soft groan then looked around at the Giong Coven member, an air witch that was already stalking toward them. Then just beyond the witch the armed men Lord and Lady Nam had brought with them started to move warily toward them.


    The duke looked back at Tam. ¡°Are you able to do whatever you did again?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Harris wrinkled his nose as he visibly braced to hear the answer to his next question. ¡°Does this mean you are starting a rebellion against the covens and a war against Zinfera?¡±


    Tam looked at Eli.


    She sighed in resignation. ¡°It looks like despite our best efforts, yes. That is what we¡¯re doing.¡±


    The Daxarian duke reluctantly drew his sword as the armed men caught on that something suspicious was happening, and therefore started to move more purposefully.


    ¡°I¡¯m too old for this kind of thing,¡± Harris all but moaned.


    ¡°Luca,¡± Tam looked down at his son.


    ¡°Go hide with Jeong?¡± Luca looked a little too happy with the way things were developing.


    ¡°Yes. And we¡¯re going to have a very serious chat about your behavior later,¡± Eli chided sternly.


    ¡°As much as you want to help, it isn¡¯t good to shove people,¡± Tam contributed.


    ¡°Tam, you really are your father¡¯s son,¡± Harris called over his shoulder as he widened his stance and faced the nearing soldiers and air witch. ¡°You still have time to lecture your child before a fight.¡±


    Ignoring this, Tam turned quickly to where Jeong was standing in front of the cottage. The Zinferan had been debating with them earlier whether he should try to slip away during the confusion and return home to update his own family on what was happening. But upon catching Tam¡¯s eye, he gave a nod of understanding.


    Tam gave a somber smile of appreciation before sending Luca running over to him.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?!¡± the air witch shouted as he neared them.


    ¡°We¡¯re rebelling! What does it look like?¡± Harris hollered back indignantly.


    The air witch, a man in his early fifties with short well-tended hair and a goatee, raised his hand as though intending to blow away the Daxarian duke. He didn¡¯t get the chance to do this, however, as he was a bit surprised when a massive black cat with leathery wings suddenly launched itself over Harris, and crushed him into the ground.


    ¡°HOLY BALLS!¡± Harris stumbled back, nearly dropping his sword while the armed men that had been drawing closer shrieked and either fell over or backed away quickly.¡°T-Tam? Is that you?¡±


    Tam clapped a hand on Harris¡¯s shoulder from behind, making the duke give a short scream of surprise.


    When Harris realized who it was, his eyes rounded and his mouth attempted to form some kind of word, but he was interrupted by the utterly terrifying snarl that emanated from the black cat that was almost the size of a carriage.


    Eli really is going through a hell of a growth spurt. Tam observed idly to himself before realizing how jaded he was being about sparking a rebellion. I wonder if I¡¯m going a bit mad from everything that¡¯s happened. I feel oddly alright with bringing down two covens and a corrupt kingdom¡­


    ¡°Tam,¡± Harris pulled him from his thoughts. ¡°W-what is that?¡± the duke pointed at Eli who was prowling closer to the men who were scattering like spilled apples.


    Smiling, Tam looked at the silkiness of Eli¡¯s fur in admiration and pride. ¡°That, Harris, is your niece.¡±


    The Daxarian duke stared dumbly at Tam. Then, he swallowed, and looked back at the impressive beast before him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be damned. Well¡­ You two probably have this in hand. I¡¯m going to go¡­ Go open another bottle of moonshine.¡± The duke sheathed his sword, and walked hastily over to the abandoned lunch table just as the cage that had been brought to imprison Eli was flung into the ocean.


    ¡°That¡¯s for the best,¡± Tam said aloud thoughtfully. ¡°It¡¯s also nice to know they wouldn¡¯t have fit her in there anyway.¡±


    As he watched Eli bolt after each and every armed man, Tam briefly wondered what Eli¡¯s parents would think when they eventually received word on what had happened. In a way, he was glad they had already left the scene, as with his mind made up on destroying the kingdom that had been a curse on his beloved¡¯s happiness, he was seriously considering having them join Odette in the void.

 Chapter 70: Piecing Together A Plan

    Lord Oscar Harris sat swaying in his seat.


    The infamous nobleman of Daxaria known for his utterly unserious nature, his problematically passionate relationship with his wife, and also¡­


    His effectiveness in battle.


    And yet when faced with the initial clash that was the spark of war and rebellion between two covens and the kingdoms Daxaria and Zinfera, he was busy ensuring a bottle of moonshine didn¡¯t feel lonely.


    ¡°You alright, Harris?¡± Tam asked as he looked down at the nobleman who was squinting to see the last soldier sprinting away from Eli. He had tried to wield a spear at her, and all it had taken was one swat of her giant paw to nullify the danger.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡­ I uh¡­ Need some time to think this through.¡±


    Tam lowered himself down into the seat across from the duke. ¡°That is fair. Starting a war was probably not on your list of things to do today.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Yes. I had: Pick up my niece, tell Marigold she¡¯s a cow, enjoy some moonshine and wine¡­ I mean¡­ It was a packed day.¡± Harris had counted down his list on his fingers, but having reached the end, dropped his hand into his lap and at last looked at Tam. ¡°How did things get to this point?¡±


    ¡°My money is on the first witch and Louise Riddel having something to do with all of this.¡±


    Harris nodded grimly. ¡°Sounds about right.¡±


    Tam watched as Eli loped back having successfully dealt with the last of the armed men, which signaled Jeong and Luca to make their way over to where Harris and Tam sat.


    ¡°What happens now?¡± Jeong wondered, his hand still resting on Luca¡¯s shoulder.


    As she approached the table, Eli shifted back to her original shape, prompting the boy to run over to her and wrap his arms around her waist.


    ¡°Well, those ships are coming from Bani. Geun and Marigold are going to find it strange when their men don¡¯t return, and the covens will most likely be alerted in short order. This means the army is going to swarm here. Most likely over the next two days,¡± Harris speculated airily.


    ¡°What¡¯re the odds they relay to my sister that I¡¯m here do you think?¡± Tam wondered while Jeong picked up the bottle of moonshine and gave it a sniff.


    ¡°Not very high if they want her to remain¡­ calm,¡± Harris replied after searching for the right word. ¡°Your sister is practically an army on her own, and everyone knows it. No use getting her riled up.¡±


    Tam lowered his eyes. ¡°Gods. If I were them¡­ No. Well¡­ Maybe¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Eli asked while gently patting Luca¡¯s back.


    ¡°The first witch knows that Witch¡¯s Brew makes Kat¡¯s abilities unstable, and she uses her power up quickly and then becomes weakened. If the first witch is now in control of the covens, in league with Soo Hebin, and she now has my sister in a vulnerable position, she has very little real opposition.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like they¡¯ve already won,¡± Jeong voiced aloud somberly.


    The group fell into a troubled quiet.


    ¡°What would happen if we got rid of Soo Hebin and the first witch? Is Soo Hebin¡¯s son as capable and problematic?¡± Tam looked up at Eli.


    She shook her head in response. ¡°He is not a good person, but he is more¡­ placid. He isn¡¯t as conniving as his mother, and is pretty immature. Most likely it¡¯d be Lord Yangban who¡¯d step up to take over manipulating him.¡±


    ¡°Lord Yangban, Captain Woo, Soo Hebin, Louise Riddel, the first witch¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget the Giong Coven leader, Hei Park,¡± Eli contributed.


    ¡°Hei Park. Got it. Anyone else a problem?¡± Tam opened the question up to everyone.


    Harris sighed.¡°Probably Elisara¡¯s parents. They¡¯ve been in support of Soo Hebin for a long time,¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. And most likely Yun Shik and his family,¡± Tam concluded.


    No one spoke as the large number of powerful people they just cited as their enemies weighed on them. Jeong reached over and started to inspect the bottle of moonshine with great consideration.


    ¡°Now, we can circle back to this discussion, but I would very much like to know what you did to that unpleasant woman, Odette Gilly, Tam.¡± Harris reached for the bottle of moonshine in Jeong¡¯s hands and the Zineran dutifully returned it.


    Tam looked at the sky pensively. ¡°I don¡¯t know that Lord Yangban will still be a problem, we did start drugging him before we left Junya. If Lord Kim is true to his word then the man may even be in shambles as we speak.¡±


    Harris raised his eyebrows, amused. ¡°Did you just ignore me?¡±


    Tam tilted his head innocently. ¡°Will the ships arrive first, or the army do you think?¡±


    Harris scoffed. ¡°Marigold will probably order them to come as soon as they return. So as of dinner time they are already on their way. The army is on foot, so they will take a while.¡±


    Tam nodded then looked up at Eli. ¡°Do you think Captain Woo is with them?¡±


    She regarded him bleakly. ¡°If Soo Hebin had any say in the matter, most likely.¡±


    Tam then turned to Jeong. ¡°Are you going to return to your father?¡±


    Jeong nodded. ¡°He¡¯s most likely being observed. The alliance between our families is well known. I want to check on them and let them know what is going on. We¡¯ll start rallying our allies and hiring any mercenaries to bulk up the number of soldiers serving our house.¡±


    Tam stood, and offered his hand. ¡°Thank you, Jeong. You¡¯ve been¡­ An incredible friend.¡±


    Hearing the events unfolding, realization dawned on Luca, who instantly bolted to Jeong. ¡°You can¡¯t leave yet!¡±


    Jeong smiled down at the young boy who was hugging him tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Luca! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll see me again soon.¡±


    As Luca and Jeong exchanged their farewells, Tam locked eyes with Eli.


    They knew where they needed to go, but that didn¡¯t mean it¡¯d be easy.


    ¡°Harris, are you going to stay with us, or return to Bani?¡±


    The duke slouched a little. ¡°I guess I have to go with you and help, or your father might kill me.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be a lot more excited about the prospect of all the chaos. You could probably even set a fire or two,¡± Tam mused.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°That¡¯s only fun if my wife is here,¡± Harris lamented.


    Tam gave the man a sympathetic half smile.


    ¡°So how exactly are you going to win?¡± the duke plundered on.


    Tam looked at Eli, then at Luca, still smiling, but allowing his thoughts to venture off on their own. ¡°I¡¯m working on that, but I think we¡¯re going to have to go to Gondol. We have ships kindly provided for us, we might as well use them.¡±


    Harris leaned back in his seat to look up wryly at Tam. ¡°And how do you think you¡¯re going to commandeer a ship? Are you going to take over both of them?¡±


    Tam waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Of course not. I was going to burn the spare one once everyone was off of it, but apparently you aren¡¯t up to that task.¡±


    The duke balked, then rediscovered his smile. ¡°What kind of godfather would I be if I left my godson when he had such a difficult goal to achieve?¡±


    Eli raised an eyebrow. ¡°So we lure them to land and fight them all?¡±


    Tam shook his head. ¡°We lure them, give them a great chase, and then maybe one of their ships happens to drift away on its own with us on it.¡±


    ¡°But then someone is left behind if they are acting as bait,¡± Harris pointed out.


    Tam shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. It¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    The duke¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Mhm. I see¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you just going to leave Odette¡­ As she is¡­?¡± Eli asked while carefully avoiding any specific mention of Tam¡¯s void.


    Tam looked over to the edge of the water where the woman had last been seen.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see about getting some rope and tying her up before¡­ Bringing her¡­ out of¡­ uh¡­¡±


    Eli nodded in understanding while the duke¡¯s incredulous expression only became more dramatic.


    Crossing her arms Eli squared herself to Tam.¡°Alright. Well, that¡¯s the plan for getting to Gondol. How are we going to deal with all of the other people that are hunting us?¡±


    ¡°Get as many of them in one room and then I¡¯ll just¡­ give them a little nudge,¡± Tam announced simply.


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Harris¡¯s voice was starting to take on a subtle hysterical edge. ¡°And what happens when you ¡®nudge¡¯ people, Tam?¡±


    Tam stared blankly at the duke. ¡°We should probably talk to Sua and Hajong about us camping out on their lawn for a few more days. Did Marigold mention how they learned about our whereabouts? Was it the couple we were staying with, or the physician?¡±


    ¡°The physician!¡± Harris snapped. ¡°Now I need a straight answer from you, Tamlin!¡±


    Tam¡¯s eyes drifted toward Jeong after purposefully avoiding eye contact with the duke.¡°I¡¯ll try to explain it a bit later, but for now, let¡¯s get Jeong on the road. The more of a head start he has the better it¡¯ll be for him.¡±


    The Zinferan bowed in response, though Duke Harris threw his hands in the air in irritated defeat as Tam already started sidling away.


    After grabbing Jeong¡¯s travel pack, the two men proceeded to stroll toward the raspberry field behind the cottage that would take Jeong back into the Kaphe Forest.


    Birds chirped, the sun shone, and the sound of the gentle waves behind the two men echoed up to them¡­


    ¡°It feels oddly peaceful given we¡¯ve just started a war,¡± Jeong noted with a faint hint of awe.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The two men looked at each other.


    And both let out long streams of air at the same time.


    Tam gave a slight smile. ¡°Sorry. I never did try just baking cookies.¡±


    Jeong opened his mouth, caught off guard by the reference to a request he had made months ago that felt like an entirely different life.


    Then, he burst out laughing.


    Doubling over, Jeong gasped, and continued descending into hysterics, which eventually made Tam start laughing.


    They knew it was fuelled out of some residual adrenaline, but suddenly the insanity of the entire situation crashed down around them.


    Tam barely managed to speak as his eyes watered. ¡°Gods¡­ I just wanted¡­ to stay home¡­ and read! I didn¡¯t even want to get married!¡±


    ¡°And now you¡¯re practically begging a woman to marry you!¡± was all Jeong could get out.


    They continued howling, unable to get a grip on their emotions for a long while.


    When the pair eventually did, both of them clutched their aching guts.


    ¡°Thank you again, Jeong. You¡¯ve been¡­ I don¡¯t know how I would¡¯ve done it all¡ªespecially with Luca¡ªwithout you.¡±


    The Zinferan smiled. ¡°He¡¯s a wonderful boy. I¡¯m sure you two will be fine. I have learned a great deal from my time with you as well, Tam. As fun as I like life to be, I¡¯ve come to realize my expectations of things were quite naive. I think Bong protected me from a lot of these lessons¡­¡±


    Tam shifted his feet as he listened. He felt guilty for exposing such harsh situations to Jeong who had been a pillar of sunshine when they¡¯d first met.


    Jeong continued speaking, however, without an ounce of resentment in his tone, but rather, appreciation. ¡°I understand now how hard it is for our elders to keep things fun and happy in our lives. It¡¯s much more complicated than I realized.¡±


    An ache seized Tam¡¯s heart as he thought how as time went on Jeong had become quieter and more reserved as they had traveled from Junya. This prompted him to say, ¡°We still have to try though. As hard as it is, I think I should work on being more fun.¡±


    The Zinferan smiled once more. ¡°It would be nice to have fun. I always found it helped with stress.¡± Jeong gave a small, forlorn chuckle. ¡°Well¡­ I wish you the greatest of luck. We will see each other one day soon, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Tam shook Jeong¡¯s hand again, but this time, he used the move to pull Jeong into a hug.


    The two embraced, and Tam gave him another pat on the back. ¡°Be safe.¡±


    ¡°You as well.¡±


    The two men parted, and gave a final wave.


    Tam watched Jeong disappear in the greenery, then turned to make his way back to Eli, Luca, and Harris.


    As he walked, he started to think how he could possibly make starting a war and rebellion fun¡­


    If he thought about the prospect of stealing a ship and burning another one down as new experiences he¡¯d learn from, it wasn¡¯t such a bad thing.


    But it still wasn¡¯t fun.


    Being absurd is how my da got to where he was. And if I¡¯m stuck in an absurd situation, it might just be the best way to go¡­ Everything is so chaotic already, what would happen if we tried fighting chaos with chaos?


    Biting on his tongue briefly as he pondered how he might be able to pull off absurdity in an outrageously magnificent manner. As he sifted through his thoughts that ranged from unleashing a flock of ducks for some reason, Tam did concede that approaching the imposing size of his problems from this angle was already doing an impressive job at diminishing his stress.


    Well¡­ I guess we¡¯ll find out if my da passed along his talents for inciting madness that bears goodness in short order.

 Chapter 71: A Salty Siege

    With his hands stowed in his pockets. Tam stood on the grass as the two ships dropped their anchors.


    Eli, Luca, and Lord Harris were safely hidden from sight, and the elderly couple Sua and Hajung were off visiting their son. They had been grumbling about Tam and his friends¡¯ extended stay and the noisiness it brought until Lord Harris revealed two gold coins. The couple had then welcomed them with hot meals and even the occasional smile from Sua was spared. Supposedly with the amount of money they received they could retire without a care in the world.


    The lifeboats dropped into the Tinoo Ocean, and Tam could tell from the canary yellow plume tucked in a quality made dark purple hat that the captain was coming ashore for his ¡®passengers¡¯.


    The air was salty and fresh, the sound of the waves rushing toward land was only interrupted by the shouts of the sailors drawing closer. The heat was quite uncomfortable. Tam looked at his booted feet. If he wasn¡¯t about to battle some pirates it would¡¯ve been a nice day to dip his feet in the water. Tam rocked back and forth from the balls of his feet to his heels as he waited, occasionally blowing a lock of black hair out of his eyes.


    He had tried to cut it a day or so ago, but Eli had insisted he grow it out a little more, and he didn¡¯t really feel the need to say no. Apparently she liked men with slightly longer hair that could be partially tied back. Though she hadn¡¯t liked his hair quite as long as it had been before, she had explained casually.


    Her preference wasn¡¯t in line with Daxaria¡¯s current styles, but as long as she was happy he didn¡¯t really care.


    Tam watched the progress of the pirates and noted that they had just about reached land.


    It¡¯ll most likely take Harris and Eli even longer to get to the sip given that they aren¡¯t used to rowing. I¡¯ll have to try and drag this a little.


    ¡°You there!¡± a grimy sailor¡ªmost likely a pirate¡ª called out to Tam from the front of one of the three boats.


    ¡°Who?¡± Tam hollered back while shielding his eyes from the sun.


    ¡°Who else? You!¡±


    Tam looked around himself pointedly before responding. ¡°Hello!¡±


    ¡°Where is the member of the Giong Coven? Or the Coven of Wittica member?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Tam shouted.


    Two men from each longboat splashed into the water to guide the boats the rest of the way to the shore.


    ¡°Are you an idiot or just looking to get a beating?!¡± the sailor-pirate barked.


    ¡°Sir, I am just here to watch two boats come up to a remote spot on the shoreline!¡± Tam declared heartfully as the grimy man stalked up to him before any other of his crew members.


    The Zinferan sailor was quite short, perhaps only five feet tall, and had no muscle on his body. His jaw jutted forward, revealing that he had large gaps between his teeth, but that he took care of them¡­


    Tam tilted his head staring down at the man. ¡°Morning!¡±


    ¡°Where. Are. The. Coven. Members!¡± the sailor-pirate repeated while narrowing his eyes.


    ¡°What coven members?¡± Tam asked in return.


    In truth Odette Gilly was back in the void.


    Tam had tried to free her saying as long as she didn¡¯t attack them he¡¯d happily let her run off and rejoin her treasonous friends, but he hadn¡¯t even been able to finish the sentence before she had tried to kill him by filling his lungs with water.


    Luckily Tam had reacted quickly enough that all he had had was a lot of coughing for the rest of the night. If he hadn¡¯t responded so swiftly he would¡¯ve been killed incredibly quickly.


    As for the air witch from the Zinferan coven who had charged them on the first day of their rebellion¡­ He was in a shallow grave back in the woods thanks to being crushed by a giant cat-like animal, who just so happened to be Eli.


    ¡°Hoy, enough.¡± The captain with his extravagant hat stepped up to Tam, and even the future duke wasn¡¯t immune to the chill in the man¡¯s eyes.


    It made Tam feel nauseous as he was faced with someone whom he knew instinctively was evil.


    He had no doubt that this was Captain Woo.


    The urge to kill him instantly was potent when Tam recalled that this man was in large part responsible for everything that happened to Eli.


    ¡°Hi!¡± Tam plastered a dumb smile on his face.


    His mother had trained him. He would not let on his true feelings or that he recognized the pirate.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± The pirate didn¡¯t quite match Tam¡¯s height, but he still tried to stare him down.


    ¡°Me? I¡¯m Tam.¡±


    The captain raised an eyebrow. ¡°I am supposed to be picking up Princess Elisara Taejo. You said your name is Tam? That¡¯s interesting. That means that you resemble the half-breed noble Tamlin Ashowan not just in looks, but also in name.¡±


    Tam didn¡¯t bother rising to the insult about his commoner blood. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the future duke before?¡± he wondered instead.


    The pirate captain didn¡¯t answer. Merely continued staring at Tam.


    ¡°You¡¯re Tamlin Ashowan I see.¡±


    Tam blinked. ¡°Oh? That¡¯s odd¡­¡± By then the rest of the crew in the lifeboats had started gathering around.


    The captain didn¡¯t take his eyes off Tam. Instead he lifted his hand.


    ¡°Search the area.¡±


    ¡°Why would you do that?¡± Tam glanced at the men leaving the group briefly, but by the time he looked back at the captain, found he had a sword pointed at his face.


    ¡°You¡¯re toying with me.¡± The captain sounded bored. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m stealing your ship and burning the other one. Do you have a preference on which is the one we burn and which we steal?¡± Tam leaned to the side away from the sword point so he could continue holding the captain¡¯s eyes.


    The man didn¡¯t blink. In fact, he blinked so seldomly, it was incredibly perturbing.


    The captain gave a quiet snort. ¡°I see. Judging by your attitude you must have something planned. Hoy. Rope and a blindfold for¡ª¡±


    The captain¡¯s eyes went wide as Tam smiled congenially.


    Behind Tam was a slowly widening black hole, and as it did so, his eyes filled with inky darkness.


    ¡°Pardon me, captain, but I am not simply Lord Tamlin Ashowan¡­¡±


    The men surrounding him were drawing their swords and readying themselves, but out of the corner of his eye, Tam could see how stiff and fearful they were. Despite their terror and their weapons, Tam didn¡¯t look away from the captain who was already winding back his arm, prepared to strike.


    ¡°You see, I recently have also been called ¡®the devil.¡¯¡±


    The sword dove toward his gut, but all Tam did was allow himself to fall back into his void that surged forward hungrily.


    Just as suddenly as the black hole had appeared, once it had wrapped its lips around Tam, it disappeared.


    Tam shifted back into the physical realm farther away from the pirates that were all still staring in confusion at the space he had just vacated. He gave a humorless half smile before he retrieved from the ground the sling that he¡¯d placed in preparation earlier beside the pile of rocks. It wasn¡¯t only a child¡¯s sling shot he was reasonably skilled with.


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    He launched the rock, and watched as the pirate he struck in the back of the knee collapsed down with a shout. His kneecap was undoubtedly shattered. Tam grabbed another rock as everyone turned to stare at him while drawing their weapons.


    When everyone registered his new position a reasonable distance away behind a small hill, Tam chose then to launch the second stone, and proceeded to expertly hit another man in the knee. The pirate crumpled to the ground beside his companion. By this time, everyone had overcome enough of the shock.


    Tam watched all of this calmly, though he could feel sweat prickling his neck.


    He could see the rowboat that Lord Harris and Eli had acquired the day before sidling up to the ship on Tam¡¯s right out on the water¡­ That was the one they were going to set ablaze.


    He knew things were going to start moving quickly at this rate.


    The pirates were already charging toward him, and so Tam released another missile that cracked against another sailor¡¯s head.


    Tam eyed Captain Woo.


    He had been so close to him. He could¡¯ve ended him right there. But Tam knew that the pirate would¡¯ve gutted him if he¡¯d tried to attack. Even if he had disappeared and reappeared behind the captain, there were too many members of his crew surrounding him in close proximity.


    However, as the fighting proceeded, Tam knew he¡¯d have another opportunity.


    While Tam waited for the crowd of pirates to reach him, he knocked down three more men, mostly after the first bunch he¡¯d been aiming for the groins or chests.


    The group bore down, coming closer, and closer, until¡­


    The first twenty pirates tripped and landed in the shallow trench Tam, Eli, and Harris had spent the previous day digging.


    His shoulders and back were still screaming at him over it.


    Tam idly wondered if he could convince Eli to give him a back rub or if she would assume he was trying to make an advance on her¡­


    Five more men fell into the trench, and Tam tried not to look too hard at them. They¡¯d filled the bottom with broken crates, glass, and nails that were haphazardly hammered into boards¡ªcompliments of Luca¡ª and the screams told Tam that more than a few of them were not feeling all too special.


    The pirate captain skidded to a halt. As did the rest of the men.


    About fifty started to reroute around the trench to reach Tam, but the captain merely tilted his head. Then shouted, ¡°STOP!¡±


    The crew halted obediently in their tracks.


    Tam arched an eyebrow. He watched as Captain Woo slowly turned around, and sure enough, discovered that one of his ships happened to be on fire. The remaining crew on board were either frantically trying to smother the flames, or diving off the ship¡ªdeeming it a lost cause as the flames spread.


    Seizing the moment of distraction, Tam stepped back into the void.


    He rested his arms for a moment. Rolling his shoulders and stretching his neck; the physical activity really wasn¡¯t helping his already aching muscles. He then dropped the sling, and drew his daggers. Since learning that time moved significantly slower inside the void, Tam had taken more and more opportunities to recuperate in the space when he practiced.


    Letting out a breath that brought his heart back to a steady, even pace, Tam felt his way through the blackness. He pictured the space right behind Captain Woo. Felt the wind, heard some groans from the injured men, smelled the ocean¡­


    He reappeared behind the pirate captain, put his arm around the man¡¯s throat, and in the next instant, stuck a knife in his back.


    ¡°This is for Elisara,¡± Tam whispered.


    He heard the wet, shuddering gasp from the man, and time seemed to stall in a way that had nothing to do with magic. Yet before any of the crew members could process what he had just done. Tam vanished again.


    Not wanting to risk winding up stuck in-between ship boards, Tam didn¡¯t try reappearing on the deck of the boat.


    He had found that he could more easily move to a place he could see, or, to a space he knew very well less than a league away. He still couldn¡¯t do long distances without passing out instantly. Though he was sorely tempted to try disappearing and reappearing back home in Daxaria¡­


    But that too risky to attempt. He¡¯d most likely get lost in the void and wind up somewhere else.


    At present, Tam reappeared by the edge of the ocean. He spotted Eli, Luca and Harris climbing the side of the second boat.


    But the crew aboard this other vessel  had already noticed they were gaining new passengers, and that sent them dashing off¡ªpresumably for weapons. Panic seizing him, Tam fixed his sights on the rat lines and made the trip through his void to reappear there.


    Once on the boat, he peered down at the men scurrying like cockroaches toward the side of the ship Harris, Eli, and Luca were climbing up.


    There were fifteen pirates.


    Grimacing, Tam hoped that he¡¯d have time to toss them off the side of the ship before Luca could see their injuries. He¡¯d try to keep them alive at least.


    If I want to have any hope of that, I better get moving¡­


    *


    ¡°HARRIS! MOVE YOUR ARSE!¡± Tam roared as they at last hoisted the anchor enough that they could feel the natural current of the water start to pull them away.


    He had dispatched of the remaining fifteen pirates hastily with the help of his void. Which was a good thing, as Luca, Eli, and Harris were just finishing climbing on board.


    ¡°YOU TRY CLIMBING THE SIDE OF A BOAT IN YOUR FIFTIES!¡± the duke shouted back.


    Tam bolted for the sail lines, sweat pouring down his face.


    Eli bolted to the other side of the ship to help pull up the sail. Though within moments she found she was struggling, and Luca wrung his hands worriedly had her side.


    ¡°Harris!¡± Tam called back over his shoulder toward the duke who was slowly clambering up toward the helm. ¡°Can you get to the wheel?¡±


    ¡°I *wheeze* can *gasp* but¡­ You aren¡¯t¡­ That isn¡¯t the¡ª¡±


    The sound of longboats hitting the water pricked everyone¡¯s attention to see that the pirate crew had made it back to the shoreline, and they looked ready for blood as they started rowing toward their remaining ship.


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    ¡°Language!¡± Eli hollered at Tam as she tried again to tug the sail up, only for it to slide down just as much as she had managed to pull.


    ¡°Not the time for manners!¡± Tam argued as he also worked to get the sail half raised.


    He looked at Eli still struggling and felt his heart sink. He¡¯d have to run over to fix the sail so it wouldn¡¯t be lopsided.


    Seeming to sense that a greater effort needed to be made, Eli suddenly snapped out,¡°To hell with this!¡±


    Eli proceeded to transform into her massive familiar self, seized the rope in her teeth, and yanked.


    Luca backed away quickly to give her room.


    The sail came up and matched Tam¡¯s side.


    Letting out a breath of relief, Tam got back to work, and soon, they were putting increasing distance from the lifeboats.


    Of course the other fiery vessel was starting to spray all kinds of smoke and ash, and one of the masts creaked ominously as the pirates in their longboats pulled closer.


    Tam¡¯s lungs burned as he continued pulling the sail up, but as they continued moved farther away from shore, and the light breeze that touched his forehead bellied the sail, he finally allowed himself to collapse onto the deck.


    He was drenched in sweat, red in the face, and desperately trying to get more air.


    Eli was in slightly better shape than he was when she turned back to her human self, though she was still breathing heavily while resting on her knees.


    Tam was just about to try and roll over to make his way up to the helm to speak to Harris about where they were going, when Luca skipped over to him.


    ¡°DAD! THIS WAS THE MOST AMAZING DAY EVER!¡±


    Closing his eyes, Tam silently congratulated himself.


    He¡¯d managed to successfully carry out step one of their plan, and he¡¯d also been able to avoid Luca seeing anything too terrible aside from setting a boat on fire¡­ Though he imagined his standard of what was ¡®too terrible¡¯ might not have alined with most other parents in the world.

 Chapter 72: A Reminiscent Reoccurrence

    The boat that Tam, Eli, and Lord Harris had stolen, turned out to be stocked for a journey of seven days.


    However, it was a journey of seven days for approximately fifty men as opposed to three adults and a child. So there was a favorable chance that they would be able to make the supposed three week trip to Gondol without having to worry about any restocking. Though the summer storms that occasionally plagued the land were known to add complications to even the best planned voyages. Particularly along the mountain range that cluttered the eastern side of Zinfera¡¯s shores.


    Knowing that there was a great deal to strategize not only in terms of sailing, but also when it came to food and water, Tam and Eli were taking inventory of the ship¡¯s cargo, while Harris manned the helm. The pair were attempting to work through the crates hastily, as the duke was very clear about the fact that he expected both Tam and Eli to come up to learn so that they could all take turns in shifts.


    Eli nodded as she lifted the last crate lid up. ¡°Beets in this one.¡±


    ¡°Beets? Again? Those don¡¯t even grow here in Zinfera, do they?¡± Tam speculated while carefully moving a box of moonshine back in place. In total they had found five crates worth of the root vegetable.


    ¡°They don¡¯t, but they keep a long time. So even if they received these in Troivack, it makes sense to have them aboard a ship.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Given how much there are, I guess I¡¯ll make some beets for dinner. Do we have any perishables I should cook sooner rather than later?¡±


    Eli turned back to Tam, opening her mouth to respond, when Luca¡¯s pounding steps echoed down to them.


    ¡°Girl!¡±


    The couple glanced toward the doorway of the hold, and saw Luca panting heavily, doubled over. He must have been exploring the ship.


    ¡°There¡¯s a girl! In a cage! A human girl!¡± Luca gasped, lifting his face to them.


    Tam and Eli looked at each other in alarm.


    ¡°A girl? How old is she? Is she alive?¡± Eli burst out worriedly.


    ¡°Where is she, Luca?¡± Tam added more gently.


    ¡°Captain¡¯s¡­ room!¡± Luca panted.


    Tam and Eli shared a look of tenuous dread, then both moved in sync toward the door.


    ¡°Luca, please show us where this room is,¡± Tam ordered seriously.


    Nodding his head, Luca turned and tried to resume running, but his steps were heavy and sluggish.


    Eli caught up easily to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°You haven¡¯t fully recovered from your cold. Don¡¯t push yourself.¡±


    Luca slouched. ¡°But I feel fine!¡±


    Eli cast a stern look down, making him groan in exasperation. Regardless, he did listen and trudged onward.


    To get to the captain¡¯s quarters they had to climb back up through the vessel, the heat rising as they did so, making Tam and Eli break out in sweat as the summer heat outside roasted them.


    When they reached the end of a particular passageway with the doorway framed in ornate Zinferan style carvings of sharp angles, Tam and Eli signaled Luca to wait outside. Tam took the lead, and gently eased open the door that opened quietly on well oiled hinges.


    The Zinferan pirate¡¯s room, despite it not being on a particularly large vessel, still sported three walls of windows overlooking the water. There was a large comfortable bed, and a heavy carved desk ladened with papers and gold bobbles. Built just below the windows were bookcases squared away tidily with rolled up parchment and maps as well as some navigational devices. To add a touch of comfort to the space was a thick carpet with blue flowers and silvery thread outlining flourishing designs. It could have been a stylish cabin for a wealthy captain of a respectable ship¡­


    But there, in the far left corner, just as Luca had said, was a cage. A cage holding a little girl with her knees pulled up to her chest.


    Blood roared in Tam¡¯s ears and he wished he had pummeled the pirate captain a few more times for good measure before ending his life.


    ¡°Gods,¡± Eli breathed the word while Tam rushed over to the desk, grabbed a silver tipped quill and a backstaff, then hurried over to the cage.


    ¡°Hi there, are you alright? What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked quickly while identifying the heavy lock.


    The little girl raised wide brown eyes to Tam, then to Eli, but she said nothing.


    She had black hair, and tan skin¡­


    She was Troivackian, and she looked malnourished.


    Tam pressed his mouth together and tried to swallow past the emotion that rose in him when he observed the hollowness behind the girl¡¯s eyes. He refocused his attention on picking the lock to help take his mind off of the palpable pain surrounding the girl.


    Luckily, despite the rocking ship, the lock wasn¡¯t tricky, just large and awkward, and so with two satisfying clicks a moment later, he was able to yank it free and throw open the top door to the cage.


    ¡°Come on out,¡± Eli coaxed, her voice soft.


    The little girl stood, revealing a dirty shapeless long dress or tunic¡ªit was hard to discern which¡ª but she kept her hands clasped in front of herself and didn¡¯t take a step out of the cage.


    Her hair was straight, but while a little mussed, was not matted, and she had a freckle a couple of inches below her right eye.


    Tam crouched down so that he was lower than she was, and seeing this, Eli followed suit; it would seem less intimidating that way.


    ¡°My name is Tam, and this is Eli, we are¡­. Borrowing this ship, and we are heading to Gondol in Zinfera. Where are you from?¡± Tam proceeded to ask using his gentlest, friendliest tone.


    The little girl¡¯s eyes moved to Tam, but she didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°If you have family, we can try to find them,¡± Eli said while making her expressions as serene as possible.


    The little girl¡¯s gaze shifted to Eli, but otherwise she didn¡¯t move.


    Luca suddenly charged in, bolted right up to the little girl with a steamed bun in his hand. ¡°Here! It¡¯s good!¡±


    The little girl¡¯s eyebrows twitched at the sight of the food, then slowly drifted to Luca¡¯s beaming face.


    He tilted his head.


    Tam opened his mouth to calmly tell Luca to maybe take a step or two back to give her some space, when she gingerly reached out and accepted the food.


    As the little girl took a tentative bite of the bun, Tam watched the way her eyes lit up, and she proceeded to scarf down the rest of the bun without much trouble thereafter.


    ¡°Thank you for bringing that, Luca.¡± Tam smiled at his son, who gave his father a thumbs up in response with a grin of his own.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name? I told you my name¡¯s Luca before when I first found you! I¡¯m seven. You look younger than me. Are you younger?¡± Luca chattered excitedly while the little girl wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. ¡°My dad says I should make friends my own age, but we haven¡¯t met a lot of kids. Do you want to be friends? I mean, I do have a friend. Jeong! But he¡¯s grown up. He can grow a beard. He¡¯s pretty great, but he had to go home. Where is your home?¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes moved to Tam. The look on her face was oddly mature, and it said ¡®what do I say to this kid?¡¯.


    ¡°Do you have a name? I could give you a name! My dad gave me a name! After an astronomer! Or an astrologer? Which one, Dad?¡±


    ¡°Erm. Technically, he was both.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s even better!¡±


    The girl seemed to realize that if she didn¡¯t start talking she was going to be subjected to more of Luca¡¯s rambling mixed with questions, and so she finally spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m Penelope.¡±


    ¡°Can I call you Penny?¡± Luca asked brightly.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ But your name is long. It¡¯s not short like mine is. Though I guess I could be called Lou¡­¡±


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    ¡°Penelope,¡± Eli interrupted while lightly grasping Luca¡¯s arm and pulling him back toward her. ¡°You look like you¡¯re from Troivack. Are you aware you are in Zinfera?¡±


    Penelope let out an irritated huff. ¡°I guessed as much. That captain was Zinferan. Even if he was in Troivack when I met him.¡±


    ¡°I see. Penelope, do you know where your mother or father are¡­?¡± Tam ventured carefully.


    ¡°My father¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I¡¯m very sorry to hear that. That¡¯s really¡ª¡±


    ¡°He died three years ago. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    The quickness of her words as she cut Tam off paired with the tightness in her tone told Tam it was not at all fine.


    ¡°And your mother?¡± Eli proceeded to ask regardless of this.


    ¡°Probably dead. She was sick the last time I saw her.¡± There was a shiftiness to the girl that hinted at a half truth there or maybe just pure discomfort¡­


    ¡°Well, we can try and find her or your other family members if you like. We¡¯re heading to Gondol like I mentioned.¡±


    ¡°You stole a boat. You aren¡¯t really trustworthy,¡± Penelope pointed out with an appropriate amount of dubiousness.


    ¡°Well, uh¡­ I mean¡­ We stole the boat from the bad person who put you in the cage if that makes any difference,¡± Tam offered bashfully. The little girl had the same directness and steadiness that put him on the spot the same way his mother could.


    ¡°You¡¯re still criminals.¡±


    ¡°Well, that is technically true¡­ We are more the kind of criminals who just wanted to be left alone and found ourselves wrapped up in a bunch of trouble,¡± Tam knew he had done a terrible job of explaining that, and yet remarkably, the young girl seemed to understand perfectly as she gave a slight shrug of her left shoulder and a tilt of her head.


    ¡°Are you still hungry? Want me to go get more buns?¡± Luca offered while squirming under Eli¡¯s touch. He was impatient to move again.


    ¡°I¡­ guess I could eat anoth¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait. Luca, where did you get that bun?¡± Eli asked sharply.


    Luca turned and smiled freely up at her. ¡°The galley! The men that were on the ship before had some left out!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t eat other people¡¯s food! Especially bad people!¡± Eli lectured.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t eat it though! She did!¡± Luca defended while pointing back at Penelope.


    ¡°That¡¯s worse!¡± Eli chastised, then realized Penelope was staring at the two of them like they had started meowing at each other and she hadn¡¯t a clue what was happening. Which, in fairness, she probably didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Penelope, I will lift the tub out and fill it with water and leave you alone if you¡¯d like a bath. Eli, would you be able to help her?¡± Tam turned to Eli who was still staring in exasperation at Luca.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need help! I¡¯m eight!¡± the girl exploded indignantly.


    ¡°Eight?¡± Luca looked utterly crestfallen. ¡°Awe. I thought I was older¡­ You look younger! Are you making it up?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Penelope then folded her skinny arms and rolled her eyes while giving her head a bit of a toss.


    Tam looked at Eli, and the two barely managed to suppress a laugh at the child¡¯s attitude. She must have started to feel safe and trust them a little whether she realized it or not if she was willing to act out.


    Ideally they could continue easing her into talking more with more patience and kindness. They didn¡¯t have any clue as to why she was there in a cage, or why she was aboard the ship, or how long she¡¯d been there.


    Neither Tam nor Eli needed to communicate this joint feeling, and so they proceeded to set to work.


    ¡°Penelope, can you climb out of the cage by yourself?¡± Eli offered her hand. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to move when you¡¯ve been cramped like that for a while.¡±


    The momentary lightening of the atmosphere dissipated at the reminder that Eli would¡¯ve been treated similarly, and Tam was once again in a blackened mood as he experienced more violent, vengeful urges¡­


    Until the sound of cracking knuckles had Tam looking down at Luca who was scowling as he balled his right hand into a fist, his left palm easing the cracks free from his small knuckles while he stared off at nothing. He, too, appeared to be having some serious qualms about what he¡¯d just heard.


    Torn between proud and concerned right about now¡­ Tam thought to himself wryly.


    Unaware of what was happening behind her, Eli proceeded to carefully help Penelope clamber out of the cage, the little girl winced as she did so.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t in there all the time,¡± Penelope explained. ¡°It¡¯s just when they go ashore that they put me in there so I don¡¯t cause trouble. Usually I¡¯m washing dishes.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t exactly positive news, but it was better than many alternatives at least.


    ¡°Washing dishes is awful!¡± Luca declared seriously. ¡°Back with my mother¡ªnot my mom here¡ª¡± he gestured toward Eli. ¡°My mother in Daxaria, she would make me do dishes a lot. Sometimes my hands would bleed and they¡¯d get really dry.¡±


    ¡°And there are always more dishes,¡± Penelope lamented with a sigh that someone many years her senior could¡¯ve issued. She didn¡¯t comment on the oddity of Luca¡¯s history with his mother.


    ¡°Always! Just when you think it¡¯s done, oh no, there¡¯s a fork! There¡¯s a frigg¨C stupid glass!¡± Luca caught himself and cast a sheepish look in Eli¡¯s direction as she was already looking at him in warning.


    Putting his hands on his hips, Tam decided to stop the runaway dialogue before the two children wandered out of the cabin. ¡°Alright, kids, let¡¯s go get some food. Afterward, Penelope I¡¯ll get the bath ready for you so you can wash alone. When I do that, we can let Harris know that we have another passenger.¡±


    Eli gave a bob of her head in understanding. Luca and Penelope gave vague nods of understanding before continuing their conversation.


    Amazingly, Luca¡¯s experience as a dishwasher back at his mother¡¯s pub had earned some begrudging camaraderie from Penelope, and so the two proceeded to walk out of the cabin talking.


    ¡°Cheese that was melted then hardened is the worst,¡± Penelope said with great exasperation.


    ¡°Not as bad as a forgotten bread dough bowl where parts of it are still dough and other parts crust!¡±


    ¡°What about burnt cheese¡ª¡±


    When the two children had moved far enough ahead that they couldn¡¯t hear the grown ups, Tam looked at Eli as she took in a long breath. ¡°Tam, do you think that you might have a jinx? Or an odd fate that makes it so you always find abandoned children whenever you travel on a boat?¡±


    Tam stopped in his tracks. ¡°Huh. Two times in a row¡­ That is strange¡­ Penelope isn¡¯t mine though!¡±


    ¡°Mm, she wasn¡¯t entirely forthcoming about her parentage, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Oy!¡± Tam exclaimed in mock offense. ¡°I don¡¯t casually go around¡ª¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one telling me all the time how you aren¡¯t as pure as you seem?¡±


    ¡°Well that¡¯s different!¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t slept with any Troivackian women!¡± Tam at last declared.


    Eli stared at him flatly. Her thoughts weren¡¯t a mystery. ¡°Dare I ask every nationality, as well as the number¡­?¡±


    Tam felt himself turn a decadent shade of ripe strawberry red. ¡°Do I¡­ Do I have to answer?¡±


    Eli¡¯s jaw fell open.


    And just when Tam realized how his words could¡¯ve been interpreted, Eli turned and stalked off.


    ¡°Wait! That¡¯s not what I meant! It isn¡¯t a lot! Really! Only like¡­ two? I think.¡± Tam paused. Then once again, very belatedly, realized how that sounded. ¡°It¡¯s bad that I¡¯m not certain, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It is!¡± Eli shouted back.


    Tam grimaced.


    And to think, he had presumed that the rest of the day following a battle with pirates, setting one ship on fire and stealing another would, literally, be smooth sailing¡­

 Chapter 73: The Nuances of Niceties

    Harris stared at the two children over the table. Blinking very slowly.


    ¡°Tam?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°When¡­ Were there two of them?¡±


    Penelope¡¯s gaze shot up from her meal and she eyed the duke much in the way she would an idiot.


    When Tam had tried to explain to Harris earlier that they had discovered a child below deck, he hadn¡¯t gotten very far in the explanation before getting bombarded with lessons on steering.


    Then Eli had come and she¡¯d had to learn.


    Until eventually it was nearly dinner time and Tam had to cook while Eli steered and Harris helped himself to more moonshine nearby. Only the children hadn¡¯t come up to greet Harris as Penelope had been having a bath, and Tam had kept Luca nearby to make sure he wouldn¡¯t try to eat any other random food they hadn¡¯t cleaned up.


    All of this meant that it wasn¡¯t until the freshly scrubbed Penelope¡ªwho wore a clean white long tunic with a rope around her waist¡ª was seated across from the mildly inebriated duke that Lord Oscar Harris laid eyes on her.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t notice her before? She¡¯s Luca¡¯s sister,¡± Tam lied just to see how inebriated the duke was.


    Penelope revealed how quick-witted she was as she stared at Tam flatly, and Luca grinned excitedly.


    ¡°Why is it everytime you leave my sights you have another child? I swear that one wasn¡¯t here before.¡± Harris squinted at Penelope. ¡°Though your mother, Tam, will be over the moon to finally have a granddaughter¡­ She might even forget to kill you for having them while unmarried.¡±


    Chuckling and shaking his head, Tam proceeded to spoon out the cooked beets and sausages he had prepared with some kimchi he had located below deck.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Harris asked, curling his lip at the brilliant red beets.


    ¡°Vegetables,¡± Penelope contributed while looking disapprovingly at the Daxarian duke.


    Harris pointed a fork at her. ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Penelope.¡±


    Harris squinted at her. ¡°You¡¯re feisty. I like you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re drunk.¡± Penelope gave a derisive scoff and rolled her eyes.


    Harris grinned. ¡°Yeup. You¡¯re exactly the kind of kid that goes places. Though dial down the rudeness just a bit around strangers.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s testing us, Harris. To see if we really are as harmless as we say we are,¡± Tam reasoned while leveling Penelope with a knowing look.


    She frowned back at him.


    From her place at the helm, Eli glanced over her shoulder at them and gave the back of Penelope¡¯s head a very tense look.


    Tam bit back a smile. He had a hunch that Penelope would soon be hearing the same lectures Luca had about manners and respectfulness somewhere down the line¡­


    ¡°We found Penelope below deck as a prisoner. We¡¯ll try and get her back to her family. Kat can probably help,¡± Tam said while cutting into his dinner.


    Harris didn¡¯t answer straight away as he was sniffing the beets dubiously.


    ¡°Penelope, do you have anyone that you know in Zinfera? If not, you might have to come to Daxaria with us while we sort out where your family is in Troivack.¡± Tam directed the question at the little girl who had tucked into her meal without complaint, and also revealed surprisingly polished dinner etiquette.


    But at the mention of Daxaria, Penelope recoiled.


    ¡°Something wrong¡­?¡± Tam asked carefully.


    ¡°My¡­ My mother and father hate Daxaria. And all Daxarians.¡± Her dark eyes turned intent as her brows lowered into an ominous look. ¡°Are you all¡­ Daxarians?¡±


    ¡°Eli is originally from Zinfera, but both Lord Oscar Harris and myself are from Daxaria, yes,¡± Tam responded, keeping his tone even.


    The little girl turned to Luca. ¡°When you were talking about your mother¡¯s pub¡­ You meant back in Daxaria?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Luca looked perfectly confused as to why that came as a surprise. It didn¡¯t help that he had one cheek stuffed to the point of nearly bursting.


    Penelope¡¯s nose scrunched up in disgust.


    Tam leaned back in his seat and observed the child in silence for a time. ¡°Have you ever met any Daxarians before?¡± he decided to try and turn the discussion onto a more positive route.


    Penelope¡¯s jaw worked and her attention grew fixated on her plate. ¡°Maybe.¡±


    The future duke finished swallowing his food. ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to think I¡¯m not the worst.¡±


    ¡°That one¡¯s annoying,¡± Penelope grumbled while pointing her fork at Harris whose lips were stained red as he made a healthy dent in his serving of beets.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t very kind of you,¡± Tam said quietly.


    She squirmed.


    Evidently she wasn¡¯t used to being reprimanded by a stranger in front of more strangers. All of whom were Daxarian.


    ¡°So what? I only need to be nice to my family.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t true.¡± This time it was Luca who interrupted. ¡°Unless people are mean first, then you should be nice.¡±


    ¡°Not everyone who is mean acts mean,¡± Penelope retorted sharply while rounding on Luca.


    ¡°That may be true, but do you want to be mean?¡± Tam continued staring levelly at the little girl.


    He watched as she lowered her fork and shrank back in her seat. ¡°I¡¯d rather be mean and alive than nice and dead.¡±


    No one spoke.


    The hurt and bitterness in Peneleope¡¯s voice sobered the mood drastically.


    Lowering his fork slowly, then plucking up his black napkin up to wipe his mouth, Harris turned to the little girl.


    ¡°There are times to be mean and times to be nice. Being nice makes things happy. But you are right that sometimes it is better to be mean, Miss Penelope.¡±


    At this, the girl relaxed fractionally.


    Seeing this, the duke leaned his forearms on the table and continued. ¡°For example¡­ There once was a young woman I loved very much. Her name was Hannah.¡±


    Tam tilted his head. Where in the world was he going with this?


    ¡°When she first got hired at the castle in Austice¡ª that¡¯s in Daxaria¡ª she was the opposite of you, Penelope. She tried to be nice and sweet to everyone so that other people would be nice and sweet to her back. It was her own way of trying to survive, because you see, sometimes when you¡¯re mean it draws meaner people to you.¡±


    Penelope stilled as she listened.


    ¡°But then¡­ Some not very nice knights started thinking they could do whatever they wanted to her, say anything they wanted to her, and she would just keep being nice.¡±


    Penelope glowered at this part of the story.


    ¡°Well. Tam there¡ªyes that man sitting over there¡ªhis father told off those knights. And he explained what they did wrong. At first, they didn¡¯t care, and wanted to bully him.¡±


    Penelope looked at Tam only briefly before she continued fixing her attention on Lord Harris.


    ¡°But when they were mean first? Tam¡¯s da was meaner back, and they still thought it was okay to be mean to Hannah because, well, she wasn¡¯t ever mean back to them like Tam¡¯s father was. Until one day, she had enough, and she screamed at them and threatened them, and she was utterly terrifying.¡± A dreamy smile took over Harris¡¯s face. ¡°Soon, everyone was mean. But being mean takes a lot of energy, and so, eventually, the knights started being nice, and then Tam¡¯s father started being nice, and Hannah¡­ Well, she was nice, but she had learned to be mean at the right time.¡±


    The little girl gaped at Harris, her eyes wide, and her feelings unclear.


    ¡°So. Hearing this story, there are two things you need to learn. The first: being mean typically has two outcomes. Someone is going to be meaner, or you are going to scare someone off. Just like being nice means sometimes people are going to be nice back, or they are going to be mean.¡±


    Penelope waited patiently for the second point.


    ¡°The second lesson here is, depending on what you want from other people, you have to determine what you¡¯re going to be.¡±


    Tam wasn¡¯t sure how this wisdom was going to go over with an eight year old, no matter how mature she may seem.


    ¡°How do you want us to treat you?¡± Lord Harris continued. ¡°Do you want us to be nice to you? Or do you want us to be scared off by you?¡±


    Penelope¡¯s mouth pursed and twisted in thought. She didn¡¯t share her answer, but she didn¡¯t cuss out the duke, either.


    The rest of the dinner passed by mostly in silence, until everyone¡¯s plates were scraped clean, and Tam started to fix a plate for Eli before taking over the helm of the ship to give her a break.


    ¡°Thank you for dinner. And for letting me out of the cage,¡± Penelope said softly to Tam.


    He smiled at her. ¡°You are most welcome. Did you like the food?¡±


    Her face scrunched up. ¡°I don¡¯t like beets.¡±


    Tam laughed. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll try and cook other things for you in the future. Besides,¡± he leaned down and lowered his voice to a whisper. ¡°I think Lord Harris loves them. So we can just make him eat them.¡±


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    Before she could stop herself, the little girl let out a giggle.


    Tam straightened just in time for Luca to skip up beside Penelope. ¡°Dad! Are we going to hear about the stars tonight?¡±


    He glanced up at the darkening sky to see that there were indeed two constellations already rising above them.


    ¡°We could do that. But it will have to be later. I¡¯m going to be steering soon.¡±


    ¡°Awe¡­¡± Luca¡¯s shoulders slumped.


    ¡°Do you want to play a game?¡± Penelope ventured while feigning a careless air.


    Luca rounded on her eagerly. ¡°Yeah! What kind of game? I only know how to play hide and seek and tag.¡±


    ¡°You also know how to leap frog,¡± Tam reminded his son fondly.


    Luca grinned. ¡°Oh yeah! Jeong and Bong taught me! Here, I¡¯ll show you!¡±


    Penelope didn¡¯t look particularly enthused about this new game, but she still followed Luca down to the main deck¡ª-though it wasn¡¯t at the breakneck pace Luca took on.


    Smiling, Tam felt yet another knot in his chest loosen as he watched the two children depart.


    It was hard to believe seeing his son find a playmate would bring him any measure of peace given the day they¡¯d had.


    Giving his head a shake, Tam turned to Eli who didn¡¯t look back at him, and was reminded he should be feeling a lot more tense.


    They still hadn¡¯t resolved their earlier discussion about past romantic partners¡­


    Ducking his head in what he hoped would appear a contrite look, Tam made his way over to his assistant.


    ¡°I got you some dinner. I can take over for the next while.¡±


    ¡°The winds are changing,¡± Eli informed him cooly.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯ll watch out for that. Thank you for letting me know.¡±


    She said nothing, nor did she let go of the wheel spindles.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my jokes earlier.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t joking. You genuinely couldn¡¯t remember every woman you¡¯ve bedded,¡± Eli reminded him curtly.


    Tam coughed and started to rub the back of his neck with his free hand. ¡°Er¡­ Three. I¡¯ve been with three women. Luca¡¯s mother was the first¡­ I courted a girl a few months later who wanted to get married and have children, and it was around the time my first nephew was born. After seeing my sister give birth I was relatively certain I was nowhere near ready for that kind of thing so that relationship ended. Then years later I¡ªuh¡ª I¡¯m not proud of it, but I had a one night encounter with a woman.¡±


    ¡°So you could have other children out in the world?¡±


    ¡°No, no. I occasionally cross paths with the second lady. She works as a merchant in Austice. She¡¯s married with her own two children now. You actually would¡¯ve met her when picking up moonshine for the¡ª¡± Tam stopped talking as Eli¡¯s head whipped around at this new information. He decided the only way to make the moment end quicker was to conclude his sexual history as efficiently as possible while giving out very few details. ¡°The last woman was¡­ Erm¡­ Older. She couldn¡¯t have¡­ children¡­ anymore¡­ when we¡­¡±


    Eli frowned at him.


    ¡°She lives in Sorlia?¡± Tam finished awkwardly.


    ¡°Did you love any of these women?¡± Eli questioned.


    Tam knew a smarter man would¡¯ve lied. But he wanted to be a good man more than a smart one.


    ¡°I loved the second woman. Mary. We courted for seven months.¡±


    Eli looked ahead of herself again.


    ¡°Have you ever loved someone?¡± Tam dared to ask.


    ¡°Not really. I had an infatuation or two, but nothing like love.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± He couldn¡¯t think of anything else to say.


    ¡°It¡¯s intimidating enough¡­ The idea that you¡­ we¡­ do¡­ that. But it is even more unpleasant to think how you have something to compare it to,¡± Eli explained stiffly.


    Tam moved around the helm to place himself directly in front of Eli, his expression stern. ¡°Every person and relationship is different. And the differences in ours has made it so that you¡¯re the first woman I actually have wanted to marry and have children with.¡±


    Eli blushed.


    ¡°Now, go eat dinner. I¡¯ll take the next shift.¡± Tam jerked his chin toward the table where Lord Harris was already asleep beside the lantern he had lit.


    Nodding, Eli stepped back and accepted the plate Tam offered to her while he took the wheel.


    He gave her a warm smile, and adjusted his focus to the compass on top of the wheel¡¯s post to ensure that the hand off hadn¡¯t put them too off course.


    ¡°Tam?¡±


    ¡°Mm?¡±


    ¡°What if we¡­ What if we shared a bed without Luca later.¡±


    ¡°Ah, was he kicking you in his sleep? He did that to me a few times on our way here and I had to make him cut his toenails.¡± Tam sighed at the painful memory.


    ¡°No¡­ I¡­ Maybe I want to¡­ To try being closer with you.¡±


    Tam went rigid.


    His eyes widened.


    How did breathing work again?


    He cleared his throat, and slowly turned to look at Eli.


    She was fidgeting something fierce, but she locked eyes with him.


    Tam vaguely recalled to inhale and exhale before speaking. ¡°Uh¡­ Are you¡­ Uh. Are you sure?¡±


    She considered the question, then nodded.


    Tam felt his face flush, then the blood started to make its way elsewhere.


    ¡°What about¡­ Um¡­¡± Tam glanced over his shoulder at Harris who was snoring soundly, but still dropped his voice. ¡°What about contraceptives?¡±


    Eli inched closer to Tam. ¡°I know my cycle and¡­ it¡¯d be safe.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ Right¡­. Ah. Right. Well. Later? Tonight?¡±


    ¡°I-if that¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°More than alright,¡± Tam reassured swiftly. ¡°But can I ask¡­ why¡­ now¡­?¡± He sincerely hoped he wasn¡¯t slapping a gift horse in the face, but he really wanted to be sure she was ready for what she was asking.


    ¡°It feels like we just took in another child and we haven¡¯t even gotten intimate yet. It just seems to me that we are all¡­ backwards.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to adopt her. She probably has family.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­ But it is also that I¡­ I¡¯ve wanted to do that with you for a while, and I guess I¡­ I don¡¯t have a better reason than that. I just want to.¡±


    Tam took in a heavy breath of air. ¡°I am¡­ very happy about this, really. But I just want to¡­ to remind you that my family has¡­ err¡­ a strong propensity to have an easy time conceiv¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Tam licked his lips, searching for his next words. ¡°And if that does happen¡­ You¡¯re okay¡­ with¡­ it?¡±


    ¡°Like I said we should be fine with my cycle, but if it happens we can¡­ We can deal with it then.¡±


    Tam opened and closed his mouth. ¡°We are in the middle of a war and a rebellion, so I just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you not want to?¡± Eli started to shy away and Tam instantly panicked.


    ¡°No! I do! I promise I very much so do!¡± Realizing his voice had risen in volume inadvertently, Tam brought it back down to its previous hush. ¡°I just want to make sure we are on the same page about everything.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re already parenting a child through this whole event. It wouldn¡¯t be ideal, but we seem to be doing just fine. Besides. We could always abandon our plans and run off to Lobahl and start a new life there.¡± Eli shrugged.


    Tam slid a knowing glance at her. ¡°You¡¯ve actually thought out a plan like that, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I hear once you convince the Lobahlan government to let you in, it¡¯s a wonderful place to live,¡± she answered innocently.


    Tam grinned. ¡°Alright. We share a bed. And if we wind up having a child, we leave the political fire we started and just start a new life. Sounds like a plan with no consequences or problems whatsoever.¡±


    Eli drifted closer to Tam, rose up onto her toes, leaned in, and whispered. ¡°You know how adept I am at planning.¡±


    Gods help him.


    Tam¡¯s right knee buckled.


    Only Eli could make talk about careful planning so seductive.


    Tam coughed, and Eli smiled as she slid away from him. Apparently she knew exactly what she was doing.


    With his head swimming with all sorts of incoherent thoughts, Tam struggled to keep his eyes and mind on the very crucial task of steering the ship. Sensing that he was struggling to keep his attention fixed on his present task, Eli left Tam to find a seat at the table to eat.


    Gulping down a much needed dose of cold air, Tam wasn¡¯t all that surprised to discover that as adventurous as his day had been thus far, he suddenly found that he was brimming with newfound energy.


    It was almost impressive¡­ Though it wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected.

 Chapter 74: A Certain Connection

    Tam was relatively certain by the time he let go of the wheel and passed it off to Harris, his hands were mildly paralyzed by the cold and the strength it took to grip the wheel through changing tides and winds.


    The duke was bleary eyed at first, but after spending a few minutes chatting with Tam and discussing how they were easing round the edge of Zinfera¡¯s east shores headed north he looked alert enough to take on the task. This next leg of their journey would see them climbing up along the eastern mountain range of Zinfera known as the Emperor¡¯s Crown due to its placement near Gondol.


    As Tam turned toward the stairs that would take him to the main deck, he felt his nerves scrambling together in his gut as he headed to the cabin where Eli was waiting for him to share a night together. He felt hyper aware of every one of his movements.


    Gods¡­ He¡¯d never been so nervous before.


    Even when he had had his own first night, it had been with Rosaline, and she, being the more experienced one on that night, had been incredibly patient and instructive.


    The wind surged, and a chill ran over Tam.


    By this time, he was blindly making his way around the main deck to head down toward the room they had claimed as their own, when a very loud voice interrupted his thoughts saying:


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying!¡±


    ¡°You are! You¡¯re just saying that because I said my secret!¡±


    Tam stopped his journey and, squinting through the shadows, spotted two small figures sitting on the steps that led up to the poop deck.


    Right.


    How could he have forgotten he promised to tell the children stories about the stars?


    Gods. How base can I be?


    Shaking his head, Tam stowed his still freezing hands into his pockets and headed toward Luca and Penelope.


    ¡°I¡¯m never telling you anything again!¡± Luca hollered.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious! That¡¯s just¡­ But it isn¡¯t normal!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Tam¡¯s voice was sharp.


    He was prone to being a bit more sensitive to terms like ¡®normal,¡¯ especially when directed toward his son and how he may not be just that.


    ¡°Dad! She¡­ I told her¡­ I told her about my dreams and she doesn¡¯t believe me!¡±


    ¡°You told your father? That isn¡¯t a secret then!¡±


    ¡°I bet you told your mom your secret!¡± Luca argued.


    By this time both children were on their feet, and Luca had his hands balled into fists at his side.


    ¡°She¡¯s probably dead now, so it doesn¡¯t count!¡± Penelope defended bitterly.


    Tam stopped before the children and folded his arms.


    ¡°Who is going to tell me what exactly has just happened?¡±


    Despite the dark, it was a clear night sky above the ship, and so in the faint light of the waning moon, Tam could see Penelope drop her chin to her chest stubbornly. So he looked to Luca instead.


    His son squirmed, making Tam think of his nephews back in Daxaria whenever they had gotten in trouble.


    ¡°Well¡­ I had told her about my dreams¡­ And¡­ And I had only ever told you about it. Even my mother in Daxaria didn¡¯t want to hear about it¡­ And¡­ And then she said¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Penelope shrieked, turning on Luca, and revealing that tears had started to roll down her face.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Tam called out softly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me your secret, Penelope, but do not tell Luca to shut up.¡±


    ¡°My dad¡¯s a witch! He knows stuff! You¡¯re probably just a witch too!¡± Luca sniffed as he struggled to meet Penelope¡¯s watery gaze.


    Tam very much so wished he could have asked what the secret was if his son was saying something along those lines.


    ¡°Kids,¡± Tam started to say, but was cut off when Penelope whirled on him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a kid!¡±


    Frowning, Tam lowered himself down to be eye level with her. ¡°You are a kid. And there is nothing wrong with that, and you know what?¡±


    Penelope¡¯s lower lip quivered as she shook her head.


    ¡°Just because you¡¯re a kid doesn¡¯t mean you are powerless.¡±


    Both Luca and Penelope stilled.


    ¡°You have two very powerful things as a kid that you might not know about,¡± Tam explained, holding up his two fingers. ¡°The first is that there are more people than you know in the world who are out there waiting to fight for you.¡±


    Penelope¡¯s shoulders sagged, unimpressed.


    ¡°The second thing, is that when you are a kid, you learn faster than adults. And that means, if you put your mind to it, you can outsmart any adult. It might take time and hard work, but you can figure it out. Even if an adult hurts you, you can learn how to heal yourself. You can learn how to be strong enough so they can¡¯t ever hurt you again.¡±


    Tam watched as both children seemed to struggle against tears, and he wished with all his might that his words did something to help whatever hurt they¡¯d experienced in the past. Or at the very least made them feel a little better.


    ¡°Did anyone ever hurt you, Dad?¡± Luca croaked before wiping his nose on his sleeve.


    Tam gave a half smile and reached up to brush away his son¡¯s tears.


    ¡°Lots of people. But to be honest? Both of you might have had more people hurt you than I ever did. But it isn¡¯t about how many people hurt you. It¡¯s about how you learned from it. How you learned to heal and become stronger.¡±


    ¡°How is it going to make me stronger if I just hurt all the time?¡± Penelope asked, traces of anger reappearing in her voice.


    ¡°Well¡­ I bet you now know more about pirates than a lot of other eight year olds, right?¡±


    Surprised by this point, Penelope slowly blinked.


    ¡°And I bet you would spot one really quickly.¡±


    ¡°I know where they like to hide knives¡­ You hide knives too.¡± Penelope gave a subtle sly smile that made Tam smile back at her.


    ¡°I do. And see? Even Eli didn¡¯t know I had knives on me when we met.¡±


    The little girl bit her lip and twisted back and forth evidently proud of herself for knowing such a thing.


    Tam could tell she liked this new awareness of her own capabilities.


    ¡°You got one thing wrong though¡­¡± Penelope trailed off, her movements stopping. ¡°No one cares about kids. People only respect and listen to adults.¡±


    Tam shook his head. ¡°There are a lot of adults that aren¡¯t respected or listened to. But I can guarantee you that I care. Eli cares. Lord Harris cares¡ªI grant you it¡¯s harder to tell with him, but if you were ever in danger? He would do everything he could to keep you safe.¡±


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    As though sensing he was being talked about, a very long, echoing belch echoed from the stern of the ship. ¡°Those beets are making a ruckus, Tam!¡± Lord Harris boomed bawdily.


    Tam pretended he didn¡¯t hear anything.


    ¡°So look, you had three surprise people in the world I bet you didn¡¯t know would protect you. And I can name a lot more off the top of my head. Remember that woman Harris was talking about? Hannah? Phew¡­ If anyone messed with you? They would be terrified. She is indestructible when she has a frying pan!¡±


    Luca giggled. Penelope did not look convinced, so he changed his tactic a little bit.


    ¡°Penelope, I¡¯m not saying there aren¡¯t horrible people, and I¡¯m willing to bet quite a lot of coin that you have experienced things no child should have because of them. I also think you¡¯ve met more bad people than good. So you can doubt me as much as you want and question me; feel how you feel, but I am still going to protect you.¡±


    ¡°I thought¡­¡± The little girl swallowed, struggling to maintain her strong front. ¡°I thought the whole point of earlier was that if I¡¯m mean no one will help me,¡± she said in reference to their dinner conversation.


    ¡°Mm, there¡¯s a difference in wanting to have a nice conversation with you, and the fact that regardless of how much attitude you give me, I am going to protect you.¡±


    Silence rested over the trio.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t believe you,¡± Penelope whispered.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. It doesn¡¯t change that that is how things are now, and I hope I can prove that to you.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t say anything to that.


    ¡°I won¡¯t ever tell you my secret,¡± she added, as though testing him.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay, too. Just don¡¯t speak disrespectfully to Luca like that.¡±


    Giving a sniff, Penelope¡¯s mouth swiveled to the side for a moment before she leaned her head in Luca¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. But I was telling the truth.¡±


    Sensing that Luca¡¯s comment could reopen up the possibility for arguments, Tam stood up.


    ¡°Alright kids, let¡¯s get to bed.¡±


    Penelope glanced at Luca then Tam. ¡°Where am I sleeping?¡±


    The three of them started walking back toward the stairs. ¡°There are five people on a ship for fifty people, I¡¯m pretty confident we can find you something all to yourself,¡± Tam assured with a grin.


    As they neared the stairs down, Tam looked back up from the kids, but found Eli standing, leaning against the railing, her eyes warm on his face.


    The look in her eyes in the moonlight made his heart thud against his chest. Blinking quickly, he remembered there were children present. ¡°I¡¯m getting these two to sleep¡ª Penelope, you can pick wherever you want to sleep, but just make sure it¡¯s just a few doors down from everyone else at the farthest, alright?¡±


    ¡°O-okay. I¡¯m going to lock the door.¡±


    ¡°Go right ahead, but I¡¯ll make sure your lantern is blown out before you do that,¡± Tam explained as he pulled out fresh stills from his pockets that he had kept on hand after stumbling across them during their inventory check.


    Penelope nodded in agreement, took one of the stills, and then they all proceeded down together.


    The mood was still a little fragile, but not necessarily in a bad way¡­


    Rather there was the sense amongst the group that there was something rather wonderful that was just about to start.


    *


    Eli closed the door quietly.


    Tam swallowed.


    ¡°Luca was a little upset about not being in the same room¡­¡± he began conversationally.


    ¡°Mhm. He seemed alright by the end of your story.¡±


    ¡°You mean dead asleep?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Tam chuckled, and looked down at his fingers that had at last thawed from his time steering as Eli crossed the small room and lit the lantern beside the bed in their cabin.


    Given that Lord Harris had been roped into the whole adventure, they had decided he could have the captain¡¯s cabin, and they had managed to have found a relatively comfortable one that must have been for the first mate two doors down. Meanwhile Luca and Penelope were in rooms that had been for the navigator and the quartermaster.


    Tam started to rub the back of his neck as the weightiness of the quiet settled over them. ¡°We won¡¯t have a lot of time¡­ After¡­ Together¡­ Just so you know. We really will need to sleep for a bit with us steering in shifts. I can take the next shift so you can rest more, and¡­ uh¡­ I¡¯ll wake you up when¡­ When it¡¯s time for yours.¡±


    Eli slowly rounded the double bed that had a mint toned blanket tucked in at its corners, and approached Tam.


    His heart leapt to his throat.


    ¡°Yes, that scheduling makes sense.¡±


    She stood a mere inch from him.


    If she leaned forward, her lips could¡¯ve brushed his collarbone.


    Tam leaned back a little. ¡°Are you¡­ certain that this is how¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why is it,¡± Eli¡¯s voice was a mere hush. ¡°You seem more skittish than me?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to¡­ To mess anything up?¡± Tam tried to smile confidently down at her¡ªthough it was wildly difficult to meet her eyes right then¡ª and could tell he didn¡¯t quite pull it off.


    She gazed at him calmly in the faint light of the lantern. ¡°You have given me absolute power over you. If something goes wrong, I¡¯ll have to be the one to take responsibility.¡±


    Tam¡¯s knees were going weak.


    ¡°Eli, once I stop¡­ Stop talking¡ª¡±


    ¡°Which I hope is soon,¡± Eli murmured as she leaned closer and brushed her lips lightly against his neck.


    Thoughts and words became next to impossible for Tam. Especially as Eli leaned into him. The smell of sea air and citrus lingering around her¡­ He still hadn¡¯t quite figured out what that floral scent of hers was¡­


    It was a struggle to finish his earlier thought.¡°It¡¯s going to be very hard to stop.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t say stop, Tam.¡± Eli paused her careful work of moving her lips around his throat and inclined back a little. ¡°You¡­¡± She sighed and settled back on the flats of her feet. Then she decided to torment him a little and started carefully sliding his vest from his shoulders.


    ¡°You are my favorite person, Tam. And everything is safe and good with you. The entire world seems to be falling apart around me, but I am steady here with you. With our family. And I know now that my feelings aren¡¯t about feeling indebted to you, or out of respect, or¡­ lust¡­¡± she added a little self-consciously. ¡°I love you because you would become the devil himself for me and Luca. And even then, with you, a devil, I¡¯d still feel like everything was perfectly right as long as I was with you.¡±


    ¡°You love me?¡± Tam rasped.


    Eli stripped her tunic off, then her bindings. ¡°Yes. I do. Even if you are being a little wasteful with the time we have right now.¡±


    Giving a breathy laugh of disbelief, Tam didn¡¯t bother saying anything else. He kissed Eli deeply, a hand cradling her neck and another grasping her waist, pulling her closer to himself.


    There were no other hesitations or words spared on how good of an idea what they were doing was, and so, suffice it to say, there was no further wasting of time on either of their parts for the rest of the night.

 Chapter 75: Nighttime Navigations

    Tam and Eli had their backs to the headboard as the ship continued to rock back and forth¡ªalbeit with a little more noticeable of a rise and fall as the night progressed and the winds shifted.


    ¡°That was¡­¡± Tam started to say, then found himself unable to complete the sentence.


    ¡°It was unexpected,¡± Eli contributed dazedly.


    ¡°Good unexpected?¡± Tam asked, turning to her with a frown creasing the space between his eyebrows.


    ¡°You were there. Yes. Good unexpected.¡±


    ¡°You never know¡­¡± Tam said with a light chuckle, still in awe of the experience they had just shared.


    ¡°Is it always like that?¡± Eli wondered while looking over at Tam as he continued to stare dumbly at the opposite wall.


    ¡°No, it is not.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ That¡¯s disappointing.¡±


    ¡°I mean it has never been like that in my experience in the past.¡±


    The sharp look Eli was giving Tam¡¯s profile motivated him to turn and apologize.


    ¡°I just mean it was more with you! More¡­ meaningful, more intense¡­¡±


    Her expression softened again. ¡°I can live with that assessment.¡±


    ¡°Oh good.¡± Tam laughed again before rubbing his face with his hand.


    ¡°So you said we should try and sleep now?¡±


    ¡°You can sleep after that?¡± Tam rounded on Eli who was already reaching beside the bed for her clothes.


    ¡°Sure I can, and I bet you can, too. It¡¯s been a long day,¡± she retorted casually.


    Tam gaped at Eli as she sorted out her tunic and bindings, and then set to work getting herself clothed again. When she failed to acknowledge the look he was giving her, Tam sighed, dropped his chin to his chest, and went about grabbing his trousers off the floor.


    The pair had just finished setting themselves to rights, when a knock on the door sounded.


    Exchanging a brief look of uncertainty, Tam opened the door to find Lord Harris standing there looking bone dead exhausted.


    ¡°One of you needs to take over. I wedged my coat in the wheel to keep it on course to come get you, but I¡¯m going toooo¡­¡± The duke trailed off.


    He looked at Eli, then he looked at Tam who was masking his feelings best he could.


    ¡°So it¡¯s like that now is it?¡± A slow smile grew on the duke¡¯s face.


    Tam blinked once, but otherwise didn¡¯t falter. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, Tam. You don¡¯t survive the life I¡¯ve had by being stupid.¡± Harris¡¯s eyes glimmered in good humor. ¡°Look, probably for the best. If we can¡¯t get you married. Her expecting your¡­ Second or third child, I don¡¯t even know any more¡ª it¡¯s probably for the best.¡± Harris waved his hand


    ¡°It isn¡¯t like that!¡± Eli tried to defend, despite her entire face and neck turning a shade of red usually reserved for cardinal feathers.


    ¡°Come now. You¡¯ll make a lovely Lady Elisara Ashowan. I¡¯m sure Fin¡¯s parents will be thrilled! Eventually!¡±


    ¡°Harris?¡± Tam began, placing his hands on his hips.


    ¡°Yes, godson?¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    The duke gave a dramatic gasp. ¡°By the Gods! It¡¯s like your father is here in the room with us!¡±


    ¡°I thought we weren¡¯t supposed to tell people to shut up.¡±


    The three adults turned to find a sleepy Penelope standing and staring up at them with her hair mussed, and her eyes not fully open.


    ¡°Yeah, Tam! You shouldn¡¯t tell people to shut up!¡± Harris chortled. ¡°Thank you for coming to my defense, Miss Penelope. Now, if you all will excuse me, I¡¯m going to sleep. One of you go steer the boat before we hit something.¡±


    Tam nodded, then addressed Eli over his shoulder. ¡°You sleep, I¡¯ll get us through the rest of the night.¡±


    ¡°The whole night? That¡¯s too long,¡± Eli argued sternly.


    ¡°I¡¯m used to working all night. Penelope, Eli can give you help if you need something,¡± Tam gentled his voice for the little girl who didn¡¯t look like she was fully back into the land of the waking.


    She frowned up at him. ¡°I don¡¯t need anything. You¡¯re all just loud.¡±


    Tam smiled and mussed her hair making her growl at him. He laughed then continued on past her to take over steering the boat.


    Issuing a long, loud yawn that sounded like a satisfied hound curling up in front of a crackling fire, Harris made his way down the passage to his own quarters. ¡°Night, everyone.¡±


    *


    Once the door to the previous captain¡¯s quarters closed, Eli looked down at Penelope.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that we were too loud. Is there anything else I can get for you? Water?¡±


    Penelope shook her head slowly while staring at Eli.


    ¡°Are you heading back to bed then?¡±


    The little girl didn¡¯t answer. Instead her mouth twisted and she bounced on the balls of her feet awkwardly.


    ¡°Are you scared to be alone?¡± Eli ventured next.


    ¡°No!¡± Penelope shouted heartfully.


    Eli tilted her head patiently. ¡°Then what?¡±


    Penelope scowled up at her. ¡°You aren¡¯t nice like that Tam guy is.¡±


    Unable to help herself, Eli laughed. ¡°Not really, no. But I do want to help you.¡±


    Penelope considered this. ¡°I don¡¯t always like nice people. They can be annoying. And of course I don¡¯t trust them at all.¡±


    A melancholy weight fixed itself over Eli¡¯s face. ¡°I used to feel that way, too.¡±


    The sound of another door opening made both girls look to see Luca emerge, right in time for the boat to give a larger lurch.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Luca asked before a yawn overtook him.


    ¡°Oh great,¡± Penelope muttered at his appearance.


    Eli stared down at the two children, and came to a very clear realization. ¡°Would you both like to sleep in bed with me? It might help us all stay warmer,¡± she offered while making it seem like an afterthought.


    ¡°I guess if it helps me keep warm,¡± Penelope sniffed indignantly. ¡°Boats are too wet. All the time. It always smells damp, and it¡¯s awful.¡±


    Luca didn¡¯t say a word of complaint, merely skipped through the doorway and hopped into Eli and Tam¡¯s bed.


    ¡°Luca, go bring your blanket before you settle down. With three of us there won¡¯t be as many blankets.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you hog them all!¡± Luca pointed out with a faint whine.


    Eli rolled her eyes to the ceiling. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. It happens in my sleep. Go get your blanket. You, too, Penelope.¡±


    The little girl nodded dutifully and disappeared to retrieve her own bedding.


    Eli watched her slip back into her room and felt a smile tug at her face. She remembered being terrified around strangers. And she also remembered that she never would¡¯ve admitted she was terrified of being alone. Especially shortly after being freed.


    Back when Captain Woo had been on board with Penelope, his presence would¡¯ve meant that he¡¯d be the target of any threats that appeared and he¡¯d be the one dealing with it.


    Things were different now, and while it was a good change, odds were it left Penelope feeling more vulnerable.


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    Eli had had those exact feelings and experiences back when she¡¯d been taken.


    When the children returned with their blankets, and they¡¯d crawled into bed, Eli joined them on the other side after making sure that each little foot was properly wrapped in a blanket.


    ¡°I¡¯m turning the lantern off, are you ready?¡± She asked, her eyes already growing heavy and her blanket still warm from Tam and her time there.


    ¡°I have to pee,¡± Luca announced.


    ¡°I think I do want water after all,¡± Penelope added.


    Eli¡¯s hand dropped away from the lantern as she stared at the kids. She wanted to snap at them and tell them too damn bad as exhaustion started to settle over her, but instead some hidden trove of patience unearthed itself and she instead said. ¡°Luca, go use the chamberpot in your room. Penelope, wait while I get you a cup.¡±


    And thus began the second wave of bedtime preparations.


    *


    It wasn¡¯t quite morning, but there was a lighter hue coloring the sky, hinting at its approach. Eli had been dead asleep, but then the high pitched gasp had jerked her awake and she found herself staring at Penelope.


    The little girl was crouched on her knees, holding Eli¡¯s hand, sobbing.


    Sitting up, alert, Eli seized the girl¡¯s shoulder with her free hand, while vaguely noting the pain in her lower back from her activities the day before. ¡°Penelope? What¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s dead! If y-you adopt me, she¡¯s dead!¡± she sobbed nonsensically.


    ¡°What? Who¡¯s dead?¡± Eli felt a dull headache pound behind her eyes.


    ¡°M-my mother! If y-you adopt me she¡¯s dead!¡± Penelope burst out in fresh sobs.


    ¡°Uh¨CI-I don¡¯t understand. Can you try to explain it better?¡±


    Looking around the chamber desperately for a towel that the child could use to wipe her face, Eli spotted one laying over a small trunk in the corner she hadn¡¯t noticed the night before. Only she couldn¡¯t go retrieve it, because the little girl had her hand in a vice grip.


    ¡°I-I can see things! And they always happen! No matter what! A-and you and, and Tam are going to adopt me!¡±


    Flummoxed, Eli tried again at soothing her. ¡°It was just a nightmare. You don¡¯t know for certain that your mother is dead. Everything will be¡ª¡±


    ¡°You used to be in a cage, too. B-but they had a collar on you. And when-whenever you tried to fight they¡¯d t-tighten it, and it hurt¡­¡±


    Eli felt her gut churn.


    A cold, horrific memory came to her mind¡¯s eye. Back when she¡¯d first been taken by Captain Woo and she¡¯d first shifted into beast form, he had slapped a collar exactly like Penelope described on¡­ But he¡¯d probably told Penelope that story.


    ¡°Y-you told Tam you loved him last night!¡±


    Eli opened and closed her mouth. Had Penelope been listening at the door?


    ¡°Penelope, look at me.¡± Eli ordered quietly. She was mildly surprised Luca hadn¡¯t woken up.


    The little girl listened.


    ¡°I want you to breathe with me. In¡­¡± Eli took in a deep breath through her nose. ¡°And out.¡± She released the breath. ¡°Let¡¯s do that three more times.¡±


    At first Penelope¡¯s breaths were stuttering and mixed with sobs, and she couldn¡¯t stop shaking, but by the third breath, her face had at least stopped looking so anguished.


    ¡°Alright. I need you to tell me again what is happening, because I still don¡¯t understand. If you can¡¯t do that right now, we can wait until later.¡±


    Penelope performed an extra deep breath in and out of her own accord, then nodded slowly.


    Eli gave her hand a gentle squeeze, then released it, and retrieved the towel from the chest and offered it to her.


    Penelope accepted it and set to wiping her face clean of the tears and snot, looking infinitely more weary and aged than a mere eight year old.


    ¡°Lie back down,¡± Eli instructed softly.


    Again, Penelope listened.


    ¡°Close your eyes.¡±


    She did this, too.


    Eli then gently stroked her hair, very slowly, while pulling her dark hair free from her face.


    And eventually, Penelope¡¯s body relaxed back into sleep, and Eli could stop brushing her hair.


    Though she herself couldn¡¯t let herself fall asleep, there was too much to think about¡­


    At least that¡¯s what Eli thought until she found herself being gently shaken awake by a very haggard Tamlin Ashowan when the sun had fully risen, and her two wards for the evening were nowhere to be found in bed.


    ***


    Aradia stared at the missive the air witch had just handed her.


    She then raised an eyebrow at the man¡¯s bowed head.


    ¡°So now they are headed Gods know where on a ship they¡¯ve commandeered?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Magnificence.¡±


    ¡°And the concubine is handling this¡­?¡±


    ¡°By sending out as many ships she can spare.¡±


    ¡°And is that a lot?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid they are limited. Her Highness Soo Hebin has great power in Zinfera, but her strength lies in her controlling the Torit Desert, the Ori Harbor, and¡­ Captain Woo¡¯s men.¡±


    ¡°So now that the Captain has been killed¡­?¡±


    ¡°There is great upheaval and a lack of organization.¡±


    Aradia stared at the air witch blankly before closing her eyes and giving a scoff. ¡°Either the Gods love the Ashowan family a little too much, or they got damn lucky.¡±


    The air witch cleared his throat. ¡°If I may offer my¡­ insight?¡±


    Aradia waved her hand. She knew she should remember his name at some point, but she wasn¡¯t sure how often he would be around her to bother with it.


    ¡°I believe there is a grander plan behind this than a simple escape.¡±


    Aradia leaned forward, and slid a brief glance in Ansar¡¯s direction who was sitting confidently across the wrought iron table from her.


    ¡°Oh?¡± the first witch propped her chin up in her palm.


    ¡°Yes. Princess Elisara was¡­ Is¡­ Known for her intelligence. And planning. It was one of the reasons Her Highness Soo Hebin felt threatened by her. I wonder if this is perhaps the princess declaring war, or, starting to campaign for the throne.¡±


    Aradia smiled. ¡°Well that would be wonderful, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± She looked at Ansar. ¡°That would mean she¡¯s on her way here with the Ashowan son in tow and with the devil. How tidy is that? The only problem being that we aren¡¯t exactly sure the nature of his magic and will have to start making preparations. Hers sounds interesting as well¡­ To transform into a giant animal¡­¡±


    ¡°What shall you have us do, Your Magnificence?¡± the air witch implored reverently.


    The first witch slumped back in her seat with a smile. ¡°Prepare a ship. I want to intercept them before they get anywhere near the capital and the concubine gets her claws into them.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t have the dagger or Chronos yet.¡± Ansar tensed worriedly.


    Aradia kept her smile as she answered him. ¡°But unlike in Troivack, I have a very helpful coven at my back, and some of these covens have familiars, don¡¯t they?¡±


    The air witch nodded carefully.


    ¡°Then I will be able to make all the necessary preparations. Please send for the witches that have familiars to me. The ones who have the strongest bonds if possible.¡±


    ¡°Is there a particular number of witches and familiars you require?¡± the air witch wondered helpfully.


    Aradia rose to her feet. ¡°Let¡¯s say ten to be safe.¡±


    If the air witch found this number high he did not show it as he instead remained bowed, and backed out of the garden to obey her orders.


    Ansar looked up at Aradia curiously. ¡°Is there something you haven¡¯t told me?¡±


    Regarding her follower fondly, the first witch bent down until she was nearly nose-to-nose with him. ¡°Ansar, I¡¯ve lived more lifetimes than I can count. You can¡¯t live long enough to hear everything I haven¡¯t told you.¡±

 Chapter 76: A Slight Snag

    Tam sat with his head propped up against his fingers, and his right ankle resting atop his left knee as he watched Eli.


    After waking her up to take over the helm, Tam had gone and slept most of the day away, and had only woken a short while before he had to make dinner.


    So he took the few brief moments of freedom he had to watch the woman he loved.


    Oddly enough, she hadn¡¯t seemed to notice he was doing this as she stared off into the distance with a line deepening the space between her brows.


    Tam wondered if she¡¯d want to wear a wedding dress when the time came to get married.


    He then envisioned her wearing a proper white gown and found a half smile pulling his mouth up. Though something about the image didn¡¯t quite seem like Eli¡­


    Maybe there was a different type of formal wear Zinferan¡¯s wore during their weddings? Tam was surprised with himself that he didn¡¯t already know this.


    Wait¡­ After they got married, Eli would have to live with him at the keep he grew up in?


    Tam scrunched his nose. The dark keep with its damp smell didn¡¯t fit her. She would probably be happier with lots of light, and a forest nearby she could run through unencumbered when in her beast form¡­


    Tam¡¯s mind turned to the keep his mother¡¯s first husband, Hank Jenoure, had loved in Sorlia. That would be perfect. The woods weren¡¯t large, but there were plenty of deer to hunt and a pond filled with fish, an apple and a pear orchard¡­ Maybe they would add a corn field. Luca had seemed to really enjoy corn the past few times Tam had cooked with it.


    Living in Sorlia also meant Luca could grow up near the three princes, his cousins¡­


    Excitement swelled in Tam.


    The library at the estate in Sorlia was in a state of minor disrepair there, but that only meant they could reconstruct it to their liking and¡ª


    ¡°The winds are changing. They¡¯re blowing us inland,¡± Eli suddenly announced, revealing that she was in fact aware of Tam¡¯s presence and attention.


    It took a great deal of effort for Tam to free himself from his lovely daydream. His mind was slow and sluggish as he moved to standing, and joined Eli at the helm. Her eyes were bloodshot from having to be so fixated on the compass and horizon.


    The mountainous range to their left soared majestically along the skyline. The sun, as it lowered toward the edges of the world, cast streaks of pale oranges and pinks that set the snow atop the mountains ablaze.


    The skies had been clear at least for the first two days of their journey, which was very fortunate given how much Eli and Tam had had to learn about sailing. It truly was a miracle and a blessing that Lord Harris knew as much as he did, and this was entirely thanks to his beloved duchess.


    Duchess Mackenzie Harris of the Iones Dukedom had been the middle daughter of a wealthy baron who had earned the majority of his wealth thanks to the ships he owned. And so when Harris, with all of his eccentricities and illegitimate birth, declared his sincere love of the man¡¯s daughter, the baron hadn¡¯t agreed at first. The old baron had believed Harris was a madman, and so announced that he would only agree to bless their wedding if his future son-in-law knew everything possible about the ships that would come as a part of Mackenzie¡¯s dowry.


    Well, the baron had underestimated the sincerity of Lord Oscar Harris, and they were wed within a year and a half of the stipulation.


    ¡°I guess this is when we start tacking.¡± Tam sighed as he stowed his hands in his pockets and looked out at the vast expanse of the Tinoo Ocean to their right.


    The water still looked calm. Though some time over the next fortnight they¡¯d enter into the storm season¡­


    ¡°PROBLEM!¡± Lord Harris¡¯s shout made both Eli and Tam jolt.


    They¡¯d never heard Harris sound any measure of panicked.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Tam started walking toward the steps the duke was sprinting up with impressive speed.


    ¡°Three ships behind us. Luca spotted them,¡± Harris explained before thrusting the spyglass at Tam.


    He instantly lifted it to peer off their bow, and after a couple of sweeps over the horizon found that there were indeed three tall masted ships.


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°Is there any chance that they are merchant ships?¡± Eli asked though her grim tone indicated she didn¡¯t have much hope.


    ¡°No. Their v-formation tells us they¡¯re military,¡± Harris responded ruefully.


    Tam continued squinting. ¡°The speed they¡¯re moving tells me they have air and water witches on board helping. If I were to guess? I¡¯d say they¡¯ll catch up to us within a day. A day and a half at most.¡±


    Eli¡¯s grip on the spindles of the wheel tightened. ¡°We could do what we did before. Hide and sneak aboard their own ship, or lure them here and take care of them that way?¡± She didn¡¯t sound certain of that plan.


    ¡°They probably brought more witches this time,¡± Tam guessed before looking to the distant rocky beaches. ¡°I wonder if going on land would give us a better chance.¡±


    ¡°If we get trapped on land we won¡¯t have enough supplies to navigate our way through the mountains on foot. It doesn¡¯t look like a lot grows there.¡± Harris shook his head.


    ¡°There are some forests about a week and a half on foot due west,¡± Eli pointed out. ¡°And the maps in the captain¡¯s quarters I found are up-to-date. So we wouldn¡¯t be guessing where we would be going.


    ¡°It would give us some coverage, and they¡¯d have to split up as well,¡± Tam added.


    ¡°They will torch the ship to stop you from leaving. They won¡¯t be making the same mistake twice about leaving their own vessels unguarded. And all they have to do is see where we anchored to guess roughly where we landed on shore.¡± Harris stared in the direction of the ships that were barely visible to the naked eye.


    ¡°What do we do then? Go ashore, or wait here like a sitting duck?¡± Tam asked both in irritation at this new problem as well as genuine curiosity.


    Lord Harris, a seasoned warrior, pondered this conundrum.


    ¡°There are a few other options,¡± Eli interjected, her gaze homed on Tam.


    Tam raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°One relies a lot on you, but¡­ What if you simply appeared on their ships at night when they pull closer and sink them? Or at the very least damage them enough to slow them down.¡±


    Tam tilted his head, a subtle grimace on his face. ¡°They¡¯d have to be a lot closer for me to be able to do that. I can only travel longer distances if I know the space really well, and even then it would still mean they¡¯d be a lot closer than I¡¯m comfortable with with their air and water witches on board.¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Sometimes, in war and desperate times, there isn¡¯t a perfect plan. You just pick one of your best ones and pray to the Goddess it works out,¡± Harris informed them somberly.


    Both Tam and Eli fell quiet, both trying to find some magical solution to the coming threat, but found that their weary minds couldn¡¯t come up with much else.


    That is until at last, Eli spoke up. ¡°Alright. Here¡¯s another plan that I think gives us the best chance of avoiding any fighting with the children on board. We just have to make it a little more north to not hinder our travel time, and it is not an elegant plan in any way.¡±


    Harris and Tam faced her earnestly, both hoping that she had indeed found the best possible option available to them¡­ Otherwise things were going to get even messier.


    ***


    Katarina had draped herself over the ornate chair she found herself in and stared over the faces before her.


    There were four concubines present, along with their attendants. The concubines were seated around a large, ebony table in Katarina¡¯s quarters. The table had been ladened with baked delicacies, on beautifully painted porcelain. The windows and shutters were closed, and all screens and long drapes had been removed from the room as per Katarina¡¯s orders.


    This resulted in two successful occurrences.


    The first being the room was cooler despite the roasting summer heat outside. The second being Kat had managed to remove most of the spots someone could hide or attempt to surprise her with an attack.


    Soo Hebin was not amongst the women present, but that didn¡¯t mean the woman wouldn¡¯t try to send spies.


    Even amongst the attendants accompanying the concubines there could be someone in Soo Hebin¡¯s pocket, which was why Kat had limited the number of serving women permitted to join the event. One maid, one concubine. And the reason for this was because the concubines would of course pick their most trusted women to remain by their sides. While it didn¡¯t completely eradicate the threat of Soo Hebin still having one of them under her command, it did minimize the risk.


    After a particularly infuriating exchange with someone who ¡®allegedly¡¯ served the emperor after Thomas Julian had been discovered, Katarina wasn¡¯t feeling fond of the concubine Soo Hebin, and she wasn¡¯t afraid of letting it be known.


    ¡°Your Majesty, thank you for inviting us to this meal.¡± The concubine that sat the farthest on Katarina¡¯s left spoke first, bowing her head as she did so.


    Kat regarded her with an eyebrow raise, then looked around at the rest of the women present who kept their faces lowered.


    They looked tense.


    ¡°Do you know why I¡¯ve invited you here?¡± Kat tapped her finger against the ornate armrest of the chair she sat on.


    The women didn¡¯t speak, but maintained a dignified quiet.


    ¡°Do you know why I¡¯ve been summoned here to Zinfera?¡± Kat wondered if they were ever even told what really was happening in the outside world. The emperor¡¯s concubines were always so well guarded that it was a difficult thing to discern.


    ¡°Your Majesty is either here because of the rumors, or because of the dead coven member,¡± the same concubine that had spoken before responded.


    Kat fixed her attention on the woman.


    Her name was Deoh Rin. She was in her early forties, and wore a periwinkle silk shirt and bright pink glass flowers on her hair pins.


    ¡°What rumors would draw me here?¡± Kat wondered with a feigned air of laziness.


    ¡°The rumor regarding how the coven exploited an ancient beast and has now incurred the wrath of the Gods.¡±


    Kat¡¯s cool demeanor cracked.


    What? I didn¡¯t hear anything about this!


    Blinking rapidly she shook herself back to the present and hoped the women merely thought she was surprised by the blunt response.


    ¡°And what sin is it that the coven committed against an ancient beast?¡± Kat did her best to make her voice sound confident, hoping Deoh would keep revealing the details of this rumor the monarchy in Daxaria had most definitely not heard about.


    ¡°There are rumors of the coven and nobles associated with Soo Hebin experimenting on a sirin. Even going so far as to brew tea from her hair or drops of her blood to see if any humans could gain power.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s gross as hell,¡± Kat blurted before schooling her expression again with a grunt. ¡°Where did this sirin come from?¡±


    The room once again fell silent.


    This time no one answered.


    Sensing that she was about to get stonewalled, Kat sighed and leaned her forearms on the table in front of her.


    ¡°I¡¯m here because of the dead coven member, but also because there are a lot of alarming rumors going around. This news that people are tormenting an ancient beast is newer information to me¨C¡±


    ¡°That happened decades ago. The reason we say we¡¯ve angered the Goddess is because of the beast attacks on our ships.¡±


    Kat¡¯s golden eyes glinted in the candle light. ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°The beast has destroyed most of the merchant vessels that try to leave out of Gondol. It¡¯s one of the reasons Her Highness Soo Hebin argues we should make Junya the capital once more as the attacks have not been occurring at that end of the kingdom.¡±


    ¡°And you do not believe it should be the capital?¡± Kat ventured.


    The women didn¡¯t reveal their thoughts in even a twitch of their eyebrows.


    Which wasn¡¯t all that surprising. Doing so would reveal their own alliances and self-interests.


    ¡°The beast must be stopped or we will have no choice. Junya will have to become the capital. Supplies in Gondol I¡¯m told are running low, and several merchant families are nearly penniless because of the attacks. Even Soo Hebin¡¯s own ships have been attacked, so it is happening indiscriminately,¡± Deoh informed the Daxarian queen, an edge of passion coming into her voice.


    Kat was willing to bet some respectable amounts of gold that this woman was one of Soo Hebin¡¯s most powerful and outspoken adversaries.


    ¡°Tell me more about this creature, and who knows? Perhaps Daxaria can offer some kind of help. Assuming of course that there isn¡¯t something far more rotten going on here.¡± Kat settled back into her chair, her fingers clasped over her toned belly.


    The women exchanged looks with each other, but after a while, most likely came to the conclusion that the Daxarian queen would hear about what was happening one way or another, and so, they proceeded to relay the very detailed information they themselves had gathered.


    By the end of the discussion, Kat was pale.


    She bade the concubine¡¯s farewell, and then waited in her chamber, her hand lightly covering her mouth as her gaze bore into the ebony table.


    When Annika Ashowan eventually entered the room having completed her own secretive tasks for the day, the duchess tilted her head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Kat slowly pushed herself to her feet, the air practically crackling around her. ¡°We need to write to Da. Now. Things are much worse than we thought.¡±

 Chapter 77: A Waste of Waves

    ¡°The ship is no longer traveling north,¡± the air witch relayed with a frown.


    Louise Riddel raised an eyebrow and lowered her hand, waiting for the spyglass to be passed to her.


    Once the cool brass touched her palm, she lifted it to her eye and discovered that, sure enough, the vessel carrying Tamlin Ashowan, and the wayward Zinferan princess had changed course sometime during the night¡­ And now they were heading in a very straight line to the west.


    ¡°They are riding quicker on the wind,¡± the air witch, a Zinferan woman with milky eyes, that could still see perfectly fine, relayed.


    ¡°They will be harder to catch. I suppose with the amount of supplies that would¡¯ve been on board their ship they aren¡¯t afraid of waiting us out.¡±


    ¡°Do we chase them? Or do we patrol these waters?¡± Another Zinferan witch asked. He was a fire witch with thick lips and a long face.


    Louise Riddel lowered the spyglass and squinted after the ship thoughtfully.


    Tamlin Ashowan was a soft noble who had had everything handed to him on a silver platter. He most likely thought he could outrun them and wait for his father to catch wind of what was happening to save him.


    Letting out a breath of disapproval, Louise lifted her chin. ¡°No. We don¡¯t engage in this childish game of catch-me-if-you-can. This ends today. Let us reach them by this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°But Coven Leader¡ª¡± A Daxarian water witch stepped forward, their expression tense. ¡°That will use up the majority of every air and water witch¡¯s magic. We still need to be able to restrain the princess, and we aren¡¯t certain what magic Lord Tam carries. We saw his symbol all over the land in Eusa, and the pirates that saw him say he moved around abnormally quickly. They say he seemed to disappear and reappear at will with darkness swallowing him¡­¡±


    Louise took in a deep breath, working to maintain her calm demeanor. ¡°We have twenty witches aboard this ship. The fire witches and the earth witches will be perfectly fine to help restrain Lord Tam. While we don¡¯t know the exact nature of his magic, we do know that it is more strongly aligned with air, and that he has not been using it much, so he will not be as strong or powerful. So fighting against his anti-elements works in our favor.¡±


    ¡°The princess should not be underestimated either,¡± the highest ranked Zinferan coven member interjected, stepping forward. A water witch. ¡°Magic aside, she is clever. This is probably a trap.¡±


    That gave Louise pause. She looked out over the sparkling water.


    ¡°The devil is also with them, it would not be wise to rush a capture,¡± the older Zinferan water witch named Ganum pressed gently.


    Louise folded her arms over her chest. ¡°They are assuming that we are going to catch up to them in perhaps another day or two. Which gives them more time to plan. I say we cut off any chance of escape or evasion, and simply get within firing range, and set their entire ship ablaze. When they jump out we can simply pluck them up from the water.¡± She turned toward the Zinferan pirate that was manning the helm. ¡°Hold steady. We are going to be moving much faster.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Coven Leader.¡± Ganum had remarkable blue eyes with dark flecks and streaks of lighter blue making his eyes appear like magical whirling pools. ¡°What if something happens to the devil when setting the ship ablaze? Her Magnificence will not be pleased.¡±


    Louise rounded back to stare at the man levelly. ¡°I may think the Ashowan¡¯s have too much power for their own good, but I can say with the utmost confidence that they will protect a child. Even if it is the devil.¡±


    ¡°You have said before that this particular Ashowan family member is not quite like the rest of his family,¡± Ganum recalled.


    ¡°Lord Tam still wouldn¡¯t leave a child to die.¡±


    ¡°What if it is Lord Tam that ends up in danger and he cannot save him? This is a very dangerous plan and we should be proceeding more warily.¡±


    Louise pursed her mouth. ¡°There is danger no matter what the choice is. This plan, however, gives us the element of surprise. And we eliminate any means of escape. We will proceed as per my orders.¡±


    The water witch stared at Louise, his blue eyes somber as his disapproval permeated the space between them far more efficiently than any further argument would have.


    But he did not try to stop her again.


    Louise nodded to the captain, then looked to the nearest witches.


    ¡°See it done.¡±


    *


    It took nearly the entire day, but at long last, they caught the ship carrying Lord Tamlin, Princess Elisara, Duke Harris, and the devil.


    As it turned out, it had not been as simple a feat as they had originally expected. The ship had gone on many impressive detours during the chase. By this point they had almost moved in a full circle, as though trying to come up behind the three ships.


    ¡°They must be nervous,¡± the new pirate captain steering the ship announced with a cold smile.


    He had been one of the pirates that had witnessed Captain Woo be slain by Tamlin Ashowan, and the man had more than just a small amount of bloodlust for him.


    With another magnificent effort from the air witches and water witches, the ships rounded about to pull their bows up to face the stolen vessel where the Zinferan Princess and Lord Tam were located.


    ¡°Alright, are we ready to go aboard?¡± Eloise called to the witches that had lined up behind her.


    The majority of the witches taking part in this phase were fire witches, with only some earth witches who carried satchels of dirt and plants.


    There were three mutated witches as well. One with the ability to command their ankle length hair to act as limbs to grab, tie and bind as they wished, another with the magic to make someone suddenly feel as though their body weight had doubled, and the last one with a very odd ability to turn people into chickens. Though it had its limits on how many people she could turn, particularly if she was transforming witches.


    ¡°We are ready,¡± the group chanted back in unison.


    Louise nodded to the bedraggled air witch that stood by the rails, who was already sweating from having pushed the ships as quickly as possible, then she looked to the fire witch at his side.


    A stream of fire ignited in his hands, and he raised it carefully high above his head, letting the flames spread and surge, until sudden shouts interrupted the process.


    ¡°THEY AREN¡¯T TURNING!¡±


    ¡°WHY AREN¡¯T THEY DROPPING ANCHOR? AT THIS RATE WE¡¯LL ALL CRASH! WITCHES, STEER AWAY!¡±


    Louise¡¯s gaze snapped back to the ship that was indeed driving straight for them.


    Frowning, she snatched the spyglass she had stowed away in her skirt pocket, and lifted it to her eye.


    She tried to find whoever was manning the helm. Most likely it was the machinations of the borderline mental Duke Harris that Louise had always found a headache to speak with¡­


    ¡°What¡ª¡± Louise felt her blood turn to ice as she squinted, hoping she was imagining things.


    ¡°What¡¯re they doing?¡± Ganum asked softly from behind Louise¡¯s left elbow.


    She grappled heroically with her ire.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see anyone on deck. There is a¡­ A dummy tied to the wheel.¡±


    And this dummy was a stuffed coat, and a burlap sack packed with some kind of cloth that acted as a head with a hat attached.


    The arms of the coat were tied at the halfway point under the spindles, so that the wheel could turn one hundred eighty degrees at most in the direction of the winds.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Fire at the ship,¡± Louise ordered.


    If this was a trap to make them go on board so that a fight could break out while Lord Tam, Lord Harris, and the princess fought them all, she wasn¡¯t going to fall for it.


    The fire witch that had been holding his hand up in the air, sweat pouring down his face from the heat of his flames, released the stream with the help of the air witch. There was a direct hit to the main sail. But it only sparked, not fully catching thanks to the change of the winds that came as their own captain tried to swing their vessel to the starboard. The nearest ship on their port side, swung port, and the other one on their starboard swung starboard as well to do their best to avoid a collision.


    ¡°AGAIN!¡± Louise roared, her knees buckling against the rocking of the deck beneath her feet.


    The fire and air witches both took a moment to steady themselves with the help of the rail, then issued another attack.


    Though the more pressing danger came when they realized that the speed they were turning, and the speed the other vessel was moving was not quite the same. Turning ate up time. Time that brought the bow of the stolen pirate ship closer to the bare side of their own vessel.


    ¡°WIND WITCHES, BUFFET US AWAY!¡± Louise barked as the sound of sails snapping in the wind echoed around them and sailors darted to the ropes to help the captain find the winds again.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have enough power to completely change course!¡± A Zinferan wind witch hollered back, the edge in her voice undisguised.


    ¡°EVERY FIRE WITCH TO THE RAILS!¡± Louise rounded on the witches behind her. Dutifully, they obeyed.


    In the next few moments, a storm of fire blazed through the sky at the ship. The heat was powerful enough that Louise could feel it sting her cheeks, but it also had the added benefit of generating enough hot air to fill their sails, propelling them out of harm¡¯s way.


    ¡°HOLD!¡±


    When the last of the fire witches ceased fire, Louise moved over to the rail to see if they had been successful, and felt a great measure of relief when she discovered they were.


    ¡°Excellent work. That succeeded in both slowing them down, and giving them nowhere to run. Now we simply have to watch for when they abandon ship.¡±


    And so they did wait.


    Circling the burning vessel as evening descended around them¡­


    At first everyone waited, tensed and ready to attack, but by the time the first twinkling star appeared in the pale sky, and the bow of the ship was producing foaming bubbles as it sank beneath the surface of the Tinoo Ocean, everyone knew something was greatly amiss.


    ¡°Either we just killed the son of the house witch, or he isn¡¯t on the boat anymore,¡± the witch who could turn people into chickens supplied helpfully.


    Louise gripped the railing until her knuckles were white.


    ¡°I put that together, Henrietta,¡± she retorted tightly.


    One of the water witches stepped forward. ¡°I can see about getting into the water and sensing for any life.¡±


    Louise nodded. ¡°Please do.¡±


    ¡°Erm¡­ Miss Riddel?¡±


    The Coven of Wittica leader was beginning to regret bringing Henrietta the chicken witch along.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that over there?¡±


    ¡°Over where?¡±


    The coven leader turned, and found that the captain and majority of the crew was already lining up on the opposite side of the deck.


    As she walked, however, a low, terrifying, echoing groan echoed so loudly that the wood of the ship even hummed.


    She slowed her steps to listen.


    Then the deck beneath her feet rose on a sudden swell of water.


    Holding her arms out to steady herself, Louise looked to the captain, about to ask if he could see anything from the helm, but when her sights landed on him, she found that he had turned as white as their sails.


    ¡°Captain¡­? Is that the¡ª¡± one of the sailors called out uncertainly.


    ¡°Ssh!¡± The captain was looking at the water, his eyes round with fear.


    There were similar shouts from the other ships, and Louise desperately wanted to know just what in the world was happening, when the sound of rushing water, akin to a waterfall splashing back into the ocean reached her ears, and a sonorous cry that rumbled up to the heavens made her turn slowly around.


    And, as proud and capable a woman as Louise Riddel was, she was not too proud to admit that she screamed in utter shock and terror at what she found looking back at her.


    ***


    ¡°Well?¡± Tam asked, his back resting against the stone wall.


    ¡°It worked. I can¡¯t even see them any more, they must have used the air and water witches to increase their speed,¡± Harris confirmed with no shortage of relief.


    Tam turned to Eli with a beaming smile. ¡°Another wonderful plan that worked. Gods you are amazing.¡±


    Eli blushed, but scoffed. ¡°We got lucky. Now, we better move farther into the mountains. Once they figure out that there¡¯s no one on the ship they will most likely fan out and start plotting out the most strategic paths we could take.¡±


    With a sigh at her usual business-like tone, Tam rose to his feet with a grunt. He hadn¡¯t minded getting to rest after rowing ashore in the middle of the night. He had been pushing himself to the limits quite regularly as of late.


    ¡°Luca! Penelope! We¡¯re going to walk until it¡¯s completely dark!¡±


    ¡°Awe! But we just started playing!¡±


    ¡°You can play a little at the camp,¡± Eli informed Luca who had just been about to embark on a riveting game of hide and seek with Peneleope.


    The little girl popped up from behind a very discreet boulder and rounded it dutifully.


    Tam eyed the shoes that were far too big for the little girl and hoped they didn¡¯t give her too much trouble. Not that they could do much about it right then and there¡­


    Giving his head a shake, he decided to try and keep morale high. ¡°Alright, everyone, how about we tell stories to pass the time!¡±


    Luca whooped and skipped into the air, while Eli reached over to Penelope and tucked an errant lock of hair behind her ear making the child squawk in irritation.


    ¡°I have a fantastic story!¡± Harris informed them all brightly.


    ¡°You always exaggerate your stories. Like how you told everyone I bested the Troivackian king in that duel. I didn¡¯t at all. So is this one real?¡±


    ¡°God son, I was trying to give you more clout when you were surrounded by enemies!¡± Harris pressed a palm to his chest. ¡°I was only looking out for you.¡±


    Tam sighed and rolled his eyes with a smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this story is about how I single handedly stopped your sister from assaulting not one, not two, but three esteemed and capable Troivackian men who annoyed her while in depths of labor with the second prince!¡±


    The children turned to look at Harris wide-eyed, then Tam to see if he was telling the truth.


    Tam pressed his lips together. ¡°That one might be a little bit true¡­¡±


    With that, the group proceeded to journey deeper into the mountains, relieved that they managed to evade capture yet again, and hopeful that perhaps things would be a little easier now that they were back on land.

 Chapter 78: Learning Lengths

    Tam adjusted Penelope on his back, before glancing behind himself to ensure Luca was doing alright.


    The children, like the adults, were drenched in sweat and exhausted to the bone.


    They¡¯d been walking from morning until dusk in the mountains for almost two weeks, and while the journey hadn¡¯t been all terrible, they were running horribly low on water, and the vegetation was bare.


    Eli was in her beast form carrying most of their things, but Tam could tell by the heaviness in her powerful legs that she was struggling as well.


    ¡°Hopefully we reach the woods soon.¡± Tam tried to smile at Luca but the boy had his eyes fixed on the ground ahead of himself in a daze.


    Tam looked at Harris who shared a look of concern.


    They couldn¡¯t keep going like this.


    At the very least they had been able to stay on their designated path that Eli had mapped out, and there hadn¡¯t been anyone coming after them, but even so¡­


    They needed time for rest and recovery.


    Tam was about to suggest they stop for a little while to catch their breaths, when Eli¡¯s head lifted abruptly.


    Everyone stopped walking as the great cat¡¯s nose twitched and her ears twisted forward.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Tam asked worriedly.


    Eli gave no indication of what was making her react in such a way, but she trotted forward, her steps once again light.


    Penelope gave a soft groan from Tam¡¯s back, but she didn¡¯t fully wake.


    Adjusting his hold from under her knees carefully, Tam followed Eli while increasing his speed.


    Harris placed a hand on Luca¡¯s shoulder, making him wait.


    Tam continued following Eli, until he caught up with her ropey tail swishing back and forth.


    There, spread out before them like the divine afterlife itself¡­ was a lush forest that wove its way through the mountains like an emerald ribbon.


    Tears warmed Tam¡¯s eyes. ¡°Thank the Gods.¡±


    He looked up into Eli¡¯s slitted golden gaze, and they shared in their relief.


    ¡°Can you smell water anywhere?¡±


    ¡°Hrm.¡± Eli swung her head back to look out over the cliff, her nose and whiskers twitching. She stiffened abruptly, and her tail started to swish a bit more enthusiastically.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Tam wondered if there was perhaps some large animal they¡¯d be able to kill and eat for dinner. Thus far they¡¯d been surviving off of dried salted jerky, cheese, and beets.


    His thoughts were interrupted, however, when Eli did something she¡¯d never done before¡­


    A low, rolling purr echoed from her, and Tam found himself caught between a laugh and shock.


    Just what had made her so happy?


    *


    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ I¡¯ve only ever read about these. Is it safe?¡±


    ¡°I tested it earlier, it isn¡¯t too hot.¡±


    ¡°It looks like it¡¯s too hot!¡± Penelope announced warily.


    Eli smiled down at the little girl, the excited gleam in her eyes just as bright as when she confirmed what she had smelled before. ¡°You don¡¯t have to get in, and it might take a bit of time to get used to the temperature, but once you do I bet you¡¯ll like it a lot.¡±


    Tam, Eli, and the children all stared down at the steaming pool of water that sat nestled at the foot of the mountain they¡¯d been climbing that also just so happened to exist on the edge of the forest they had been hoping to find. To make matters even better, there was an icy blue, clear river gushing a short ways away that would allow them to refill their water supplies.


    Luca was on all fours in front of the water, raising a nervous finger to prod the gently burbling surface, when a shout alarmed all of them into looking up.


    Harris came scrambling out from behind a boulder and some shrubs he¡¯d found while still doing up the tops of his trousers and waddling awkwardly.


    ¡°Tam! Tam, I might be dying!¡±


    Tam and Eli both turned, frowning to see that the Daxarian duke did indeed look quite pale.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tam¡¯s panic was already climbing. They were in the middle of nowhere. Gondol was a week and a half away on foot. In other words, there wasn¡¯t going to be a physician around for a long time.


    ¡°Blood! I¡¯m¡­¡± Harris looked down at the two children then back at Tam and Eli. ¡°I seem to be¡­ producing blood when I¡­ Relieve myself,¡± he cleared his throat, his hazel eyes shifting.


    Tam¡¯s panic melted away.


    He closed his mouth, and turned around with shuddering shoulders.


    ¡°I know! I know this is at a horrible time. I feel fine now, but if that changes, you can all leave me, and I will find my way. Or you can send for help when you find a town.¡± Harris turned to Eli who had her lips pressed into a thin line, her expression unreadable. ¡°I know my wife said I should start drinking less¡­ I suppose I didn¡¯t want to think I was that old yet! Gods¡­ My youngest son is only eleven. There is still so much I¨C¡±


    A peculiar snort sounded from Tam.


    The duke stopped his grave speech and stared at Tam¡¯s back.


    ¡°Are¡­ You¡­ Laughing?¡±


    Tam held up his hand over his shoulder without turning around, though the rise and fall of his shoulders becoming more dramatic.


    Harris then looked at Eli then, and found that there was the telling twitch at the corners of her mouth¡­


    ¡°What is so funny about a dying man?¡± Harris snapped.


    Unable to control himself any longer, Tam let out a very loud ¡°HA!¡± before doubling over and laughing uncontrollably while clutching his middle, gasping for breath.


    Even Eli had lowered her forehead to her head as she succumbed to her own quiet laugh.


    ¡°Will someone please tell me just what is going on?¡± Harris demanded. Having finished belting his trousers again, he put his hands on his hips.


    Penelope stepped forward looking thoroughly disappointed in the eldest member of their group. ¡°Beets make you pee red. Everyone knows that.¡±


    ¡°H-how,¡± Tam wheezed from the ground. ¡°How have you¡­ only just noticed, Harris?¡±


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    ¡°I was only going to pis¡ªto take care of my business in the dark! And always off the side of the ship, or in the dark in some hedges!¡±


    ¡°You only pee twice a day? That isn¡¯t healthy,¡± Eli noted sternly.


    ¡°I beg your pardon, but in case you haven¡¯t been aware,we¡¯ve been busy!¡± the duke defended loudly. ¡°And we didn¡¯t have a ton of water to go around! Good Gods! You laugh in the face of someone terrified for their life, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Have you pooped yet?¡± Luca interrupted, smiling up at the duke who fell silent at the question.


    ¡°Not¡­ where¡­ I can see¡ª Good Gods, is that red too?¡±


    Luca burst out in a fit of giggles.


    By this time, Tam was lying down on the ground, unable to stop laughing, and even Eli was trembling fiercely.


    Only Penelope was staring flatly up at the duke. ¡°You¡¯re old. You should take better care of yourself.¡±


    Harris threw his hands in the air. ¡°We¡¯re fugitives on the run! I don¡¯t exactly have the healthiest choices available right now.¡±


    Penelope sighed and shook her head before turning back around to investigate the hot spring they had discovered. She proceeded to step over Tam, who was only then regaining his breath while laying flat on his back and wiping the tears from his whiskered cheeks.


    Harris glared down at him. ¡°A little warning would¡¯ve been nice.¡±


    ¡°S-sorry, Harris. I warned the children, but thought you¡¯d have heard.¡± Tam allowed Luca to seize his hand and help him up into a sitting position.


    ¡°I don¡¯t buy it. This is exactly the kind of thing your father would¡¯ve done.¡±


    Tam smiled up at Harris. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one just saying how busy we¡¯ve been? I genuinely thought you would¡¯ve already heard what it does.¡±


    Harris¡¯s eyes remained narrowed. He didn¡¯t seem to have much faith in Tam''s claims of innocence.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about the rest of you,¡± Eli began a little louder. ¡°But I am more than a little excited to wash.¡±


    ¡°You and the children go first,¡± Tam called out, bringing himself up to his feet. ¡°Harris and I will go after. I¡¯m going to go scout the woods for firewood and any edible plants.¡±


    Eli nodded. ¡°See if you can also find a spot by the river that would be good for us to make camp.¡±


    Tam waved in acknowledgment and set off to do exactly that.


    Meanwhile Harris turned to look at the steaming water with an arched brow. ¡°I¡¯ve read about this kind of thing. Legend has it they came to be because of a fight between a nymph and a dragon long before humans walked the earth.¡±


    Both Penelope and Luca¡¯s heads snapped round. The two children, despite having polar opposite personalities in most regards, shared a deep love of stories.


    Eli gave a weary half smile as she set to removing her boots and socks. Her feet already had scars from the blisters she¡¯d ignored during her multiple weeks of traveling on foot.


    Slowly, she dipped her toes in the water, and the rush of heat and relaxation that coursed through her body from the small interaction inspired a hunger in her to feel such a thing all over her body.


    Stripping off the majority of her clothes, Eli left her undergarments on, and then turned to see that Luca and Penelope were  intrigued enough to do the same without additional questions.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Eli to ease herself into the water, and let out a soft moan of appreciation.


    Luca sat on the edge with his feet dangling in, and was soon after joined by Penelope.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to come in?¡± Eli asked, though she was suddenly finding it incredibly difficult to not fall asleep.


    Both Penelope and Luca peered over the stone lip at the water, then at each other.


    ¡°Can we stand up in it?¡± Penelope wondered in a business-like tone.


    Eli glanced down and noticed that the water nearly came up to her collar bone. ¡°It¡¯d be a little deep, but you can lean against the edge or float.¡±


    The children again looked at each other shyly, then pointedly away.


    ¡°Can either of you swim?¡± Harris guessed wisely from his spot a short distance away where he had started clearing space to build a fire.


    Luca shook his head first, and then Penelope followed suit.


    ¡°Well alright. I guess we know what we¡¯re going to be doing until Tam returns,¡± the duke announced as he, too, removed his boots and rolled up his pant legs.


    He sidled over to the children who, despite the cloudy day, still had to squint when they stared up at him.


    The duke grinned down at them, then in one quick swoop he shoved both kids into the water, making them both shout.


    Eli dove for them immediately, right as they came up spluttering.


    ¡°LORD HARRIS!¡± she roared as soon as she was certain she had both children out of the water, clinging onto her shoulders.


    The duke continued smiling down at her. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°There are kinder ways of doing that!¡±


    ¡°This was a lot more fun.¡±


    Luca slowly turned in the water to stare up at him, while Penelope continued coughing out the water that had found its way into her mouth.


    The duke proceeded to slowly sit himself down, looking entirely too pleased with himself to bother feeling guilt for an instant.


    ¡°Alright, Luca, You are going to kick your legs as hard as you can, and you are going to reach forward to scoop the water backward first with your left hand, and then your right. Eli, be a dear and stand on the far edge. We¡¯ll have these two swimming like two daring carp¡¯s in no time!¡±


    Penelope was scowling ferociously, but Luca seemed to be rather interested in the idea.


    Not knowing what else to do given that the children weren¡¯t outright objecting to the idea, Eli obeyed the duke¡¯s orders, and made her way back to the other side of the pool while Harris slipped his legs in the water and let out his own breath of relief.


    When everyone was set, Harris held out his hands. ¡°Alright, Luca? Are you ready?¡±


    The duke¡¯s exuberance was difficult to resist, and so despite the unceremonious introduction to the lesson, Luca smiled hopefully.


    And thus began the two children¡¯s swimming lessons where they learned to kick and hit the water as hard as they could, propelling themselves back and forth between the duke and Eli until the two barely needed any help at all.


    As a result, when Tam returned, he had the great surprise and joy of getting to see both Luca and Penelope beside themselves with elation over their new skill, and even more thrilled to be able to tell Tam what they had accomplished.


    All in all, it had been the best day any of them had had in a very long time, and it allowed them all a well deserved wash and rest that eased the tense, worrisome journey they had embarked upon.

 Chapter 79: A Future Fret

    Breathing in through his nose, Tam held his chest full of air. He listened to the din of bugs whirring and chirping in the summer forest around him. He exhaled while focusing on the rushing water from the river off to his left. Then he inhaled and repeated the process of alternating his focus on his surroundings, to what was happening in his body.


    A snap of twigs alerted him to Eli¡¯s presence. He didn¡¯t have to look to know it was her. He could sense her. His blood filled with electricity and his heart started to race in excitement. How much of those sensations were because of their status as lovers and how much was because of their connection as technically familiar and witch, he wasn¡¯t entirely certain.


    ¡°Breakfast will be ready soon,¡± Eli informed him.


    He could hear the grogginess in her voice.


    They¡¯d all slept far longer than had become their norm.


    After the soothing soak in the hot spring the previous day, they had enjoyed a dinner of rabbit and wild carrots that had filled them perfectly, along with several waterskins full of icy, refreshing water. By the last few mouthfuls of all their meals, everyone had almost been dead asleep where they sat around the fire, but Tam and Eli had herded the children into their tent under their blankets. Though they hadn¡¯t been quick or determined enough to do the same for Lord Harris. The man must have slept outside half the night.


    Despite the haphazard bed time preparations, everyone had slept a good portion of the next day away.


    Tam was the first to wake up, and he had quietly formed the opinion that they should stay and rest another day or two before moving on through the woods.


    Being the first one up, and not wanting to disturb anyone else¡¯s sleep, he had ventured off a short distance to try and center his mind again. It had been a long time since he had time to process his own thoughts and plans¡­


    Despite the fact that Eli had arrived shortly after he had even started settling in his thoughts, he didn¡¯t mind.


    Tam cracked open an eye and gave Eli a gentle smile. He was still feeling the weight of exhaustion in his own limbs. It had been an incredibly taxing adventure they¡¯d found themselves on.


    Recognizing what he was doing, Eli folded her arms and tilted her head curiously. ¡°Who taught you how to meditate? Was it Bong?¡±


    Tam chuckled. ¡°No. Captain Antonio. The former Captain of Daxarian Military was like a grandfather to my sister and I. He studied the Zinferan combat style and this was one of the training methods he was forced to learn. Antonio would say it made all the difference in the world when a person knows their mind and stops to take stock of their place in the world.¡±


    It had been a skill and habit Tam had found easy and enjoyable to add to his daily life. His sister, unfortunately, had never been able to implement the practice into her own life. Not that anyone was surprised.


    Eli strode over to standing in front of where Tam sat on the ground cross legged. ¡°He sounds like a very capable and level headed leader.¡±


    ¡°He was.¡± Tam didn¡¯t add on to the sentiment. He still missed Antonio greatly. The military leader had always had words of wisdom for Tam, and had been a wonderful teacher back when he¡¯d learned to fight with a sword. ¡°He was like family¡­ It¡¯s why Kat named her first son Antony.¡±


    Eli smiled at this family detail and proceeded to lower herself into a crouch in front of Tam.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I haven¡¯t had a chance to talk to you about,¡± she began carefully.


    Tam¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Gods, are you pregnant?¡±


    Eli¡¯s expression fell flat. ¡°No. Are you always going to be this paranoid?¡±


    Tam let out a whoosh of air and dropped his head before looking back up to respond. ¡°Probably. Kat had a problem stopping getting pregnant after Antony. And allegedly my da and mum it only took one time¡ª¡±


    ¡°You and your family share too many details about your personal lives.¡±


    Tam winced then laughed. ¡°When you grow up close with a lot of people, it happens. Everyone knows everything and is in your business.¡±


    Eli¡¯s nose scrunched up.


    Tam chuckled again while reaching up to rub the back of his neck. ¡°Yeah. I figured you wouldn¡¯t be too happy to hear about that. After getting married I thought we¡¯d move somewhere that¡¯s away from my parents and a bit of a longer ride to the castle in Sorlia for some space and quiet.¡±


    Eli blinked. ¡°You¡¯ve decided where we¡¯ll live after getting married? Already?¡±


    Tam froze and dropped his hand. ¡°Er¡ªIt¡¯s occurred to me, yes¡­¡±


    Eli sighed and looked at the sky. ¡°And everyone says it¡¯s the women who are desperate for matrimony.¡±


    ¡°Wait. You don¡¯t want to get married? At all? Ever?¡±


    Her gaze drifted back down to Tam. Then, Eli reached over and cradled his face in her hands. ¡°Can we finish burning down a kingdom before planning something as stressful as a wedding?¡±


    ¡°Wow. You actually might have more in common with Kat than you realize,¡± Tam teased.


    Annoyed, Eli moved to take her hands back when Tam gently grasped them in his own. He proceeded to gently kiss the inside of her wrist and hold her gaze.


    Eli¡¯s cheeks flushed, prompting her to stand abruptly, forcing Tam to release her.


    Taking two steps away, Eli sat back down, as though to stop Tam from being able to distract her again.¡°Something happened on the ship I haven¡¯t told you about.¡±


    Tam¡¯s flirting ceased when he recognized the seriousness in Eli¡¯s face, and so he stilled and listened to the story she told about Penelope.


    His alarm and surprise grew as the story went on, and by the end, his right index finger was gently tapping his knee.


    ¡°What do you think that¡¯s about? I haven¡¯t asked her about it since that night, but that was suspicious, right?¡±


    Tam shook his head. ¡°No. No to me? It sounds like she¡¯s a seer.¡±


    Eli straightened. ¡°A seer?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Seers are rare. And the last known one was in Troivack. My sister met the seer while there. Her name was Esther. She claimed that she could see a bit of someone¡¯s past, their present, and then no more than a year into their future.¡±


    Eli¡¯s hands curled into fists as she remembered Penelope¡¯s frantic rant about Eli¡¯s past chained with a collar, how she had known that she¡¯d confessed her loved to Tam that very night and¡­


    ¡°Tam, are seers ever wrong?¡±


    Half of his face grimaced. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard it happening.¡±


    ¡°It could still have been just a dream! Captain Woo could¡¯ve told her about my time on board the ship, and she could have overheard us talking¡ª¡±


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    ¡°Did they really put a collar on you?¡± Tam¡¯s voice was soft, his eyes pained.


    Eli¡¯s mouth clamped shut, and her eyes shuttered. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Seeing her reaction, Tam didn¡¯t pry any more than that.


    ¡°I suppose it could be a dream¡­ We¡¯d have to talk to her. I remember the report on the seer and it sounds similar to what you experienced with Penelope. We could maybe see if Penelope has seen anything for the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°If she is a seer¡­¡± Eli started to say slowly. ¡°She might be able to tell us whether Luca is the devil or not.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to know.¡± Tam¡¯s firm tone gave Eli a small jolt.


    ¡°What? Tam, we¡ª¡±


    ¡°No. He¡¯s my son. That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°We should still know even if we aren¡¯t going to acknowledge it or mention it to others!¡± Eli argued intently.


    ¡°No. If he is, then we¡¯ll find out, but I don¡¯t want there being any risk of it changing a thing. We¡¯re happy as we are.¡± Tam¡¯s dark eyes were steely.


    It was Eli¡¯s turn to recognize that this was not a matter she could press right then.


    ¡°Alright. That aside, Tam, she says we adopt her,¡± Eli reminded, slapping the tops of her knees.


    ¡°And?¡±


    Eli¡¯s eyes widened before she threw her hands in the air. ¡°What do you mean ¡®and¡¯ are we adopting every lost child in existence?¡±


    Tam gave Eli a hard look, and he didn¡¯t reply straight away as he visibly battled against anger. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯m sorry to hear that. But if she needs a home by the end of this, we¡¯re probably the best one. She¡¯ll have bonded with Luca, and will hopefully feel the most comfortable with us by then. And Luca is not a lost child; he is, and always has been, mine.¡±


    ¡°Tam, you¡¯re talking about parenting two kids! Two! One of which you have no idea the family she is from, or if someone is looking for her!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying I won¡¯t try and find her family,¡± Tam informed Eli heatedly. ¡°I¡¯m just saying if that was the future she saw, I have no issue with it and it makes the most sense.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that easy! Taking care of two kids for the rest of your life is a massive amount of work and responsibility and¡ª¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m okay with that, Eli. Are you?¡± Tam¡¯s voice was sharp, and it was abundantly clear from the set of his shoulders that there wasn¡¯t an inch he was willing to budge on the matter.


    The two stared at each other in a stalemate, not saying a word, until the sound of rustling foliage sounded up to them from the camp, and out popped Luca, still yawning with his hair sporting two cow licks.


    ¡°Harris says breakfast is ready,¡± the bow announced groggily.


    Shoving his emotions aside, Tam forced a smile on his face and moved to his feet.


    ¡°Thank you for letting us know. Did you sleep well?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡± Luca started picking the crust of sleep from his eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I was thinking that maybe you, Penelope, and I could play some games today. What do you think?¡± When Tam reached Luca¡¯s side, the boy easily slipped his hand into Tam¡¯s.


    Looking over his shoulder Luca smiled at Eli. ¡°Are you going to play too?¡±


    She took a little longer to get ahold of her emotions, and so while she couldn¡¯t quite manage a smile, she did nod, making Luca beam.


    The child held out a hand to her. ¡°Come on!¡±


    Staring down at his small palm, Eli hesitated, her cloud of thoughts taking her someplace else for a moment before she eventually accepted his hand, and proceeded to walk back to the camp.


    It would seem there were going to be more than political battles ahead for them, and they were the kind that unnerved both Tam and Eli the most.


    ***


    ¡°Are you certain?¡± Soo Hebin asked, wearing a dazzling smile.


    Louise Riddel and five other witches remained kneeling on the ground, with their heads bowed toward the first witch who sat beside the concubine looking significantly less pleased at the news.


    ¡°We saw no signs of them. We are assuming that they were hiding aboard the ship to attack us, but got trapped.¡±


    The first witch¡¯s gaze bore into Louise Riddel, her annoyance barely contained. ¡°Is it not possible that they simply went ashore?¡±


    Louise Riddel hesitated upon hearing the stern tone of the first witch. ¡°We looked all along the shore and saw no signs of any lifeboats. It¡¯s also doubtful they would have maneuvered it into any hiding points in the mountains.¡±


    The first witch stared over their heads without speaking.


    ¡°So the devil, Princess Elisara, that annoying Daxarian duke, and Tamlin Ashowan are all dead. This is quite the day for dramatic news.¡± Soo Hebin eased herself back into her seat, not even bothering to look the least bit concerned over the deaths of such prominent figures.


    ¡°There is nothing the Ashowan family or the Daxarian monarchy can say on the matter either, as we were barely able to save ourselves from the monster,¡± Louise expounded gravely.


    Soo Hebin nodded to one of her maids. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve had a treacherous journey. Rooms have been prepared for you all as well as some meals. Go rest, and we can speak more on this later.¡±


    The group of surviving witches stood, and, still bowing, proceeded out of the concubine¡¯s quarters, leaving Soo Hebin alone with the first witch who stared ahead of herself.


    Soo Hebin bristled with mild irritation. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you dealt with all the places the devil could be reborn? Doesn¡¯t this mean he¡¯ll simply spawn in the belly of the beast? Meaning he¡¯ll most likely die again and again and again for years to come?¡±


    Aradia turned to stare at the concubine slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t think they are dead. I think those witches are trying to give you the news you want to hear so that you are pleased and they are not held accountable for making a gross error in their work.¡±


    Soo Hebin¡¯s smile dwindled. ¡°Where are they, then? In the mountains? There is next to no known sources of water or food there. Even if they did make it onto land, the likelihood of their survival is minimal. Besides, aren¡¯t you glad you heard the news before you yourself had to go? At times it is best to look at the blessings we¡¯ve received, hm?¡± Soo Hebin glowed with smugness.


    Aradia looked ready to beat the woman to death with the nearest object she could lift. Which was most likely the wooden chair she was seated upon.


    She briefly longed for the days when all she had to do was drink an unholy amount of moonshine and occasionally say odd things back when she was disguised as a handmaiden to the Troivackian queen seven years back.


    ¡°There is one way we might be able to glean some insight on their survival,¡± the first witch pushed herself out of her chair.


    Soo Hebin visibly struggled not to roll her eyes in a most unbecoming manner, then forced herself to ask the obvious question. ¡°And what way might that be?¡±


    Aradia gave a humorless smile to no one in particular as she smoothed the black silk skirt she wore.¡°We tell Tamlin Ashowan¡¯s mother and sister he¡¯s dead, and see how they react.¡±

 Chapter 80: A Power Push

    Soo Hebin gazed at the Daxarian queen, Katarina Reyes, who stared back with undisguised dislike, while her mother, Duchess Annika Ashowan, wore a mask that was far more difficult to discern.


    They were alone save for the three maids accompanying the concubine.


    ¡°Your Grace, Your Majesty, I regret to tell you, Tamlin Ashowan perished on his way to Gondol due to an attack of the beast that has been plaguing our shores for the past few months. Your coven leader, Louise Riddel, was a part of the search team along with a handful of Daxarian witches, and they were not able to find any evidence that he was alive. I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±


    During the speech, Katarina had stiffened and whereas before some part of her usually shifted, tapped, or twisted, she currently sat completely still. Which was a large marker of concern to those that knew her.


    However, the guttural, feral cry that came from Duchess Annika Ashowan was earth shattering in more ways than one and drew everyone¡¯s attention.


    Annika clutched her abdomen, as though someone had just ripped her stomach out, and her free hand grasped her mouth, her back hunching as she coiled in on herself.


    Katarina stared unblinkingly at the concubine whose head bowed respectfully to her, her face serene.


    ¡°Why are you the one telling us this horrific news?¡±


    The concubine didn¡¯t flinch despite the venom in Kat¡¯s words.


    ¡°As you are staying in my palace, the duty falls to me to relay this grave information to you.¡±


    ¡°No. It doesn¡¯t. It falls to the emperor.¡± Kat stood, her presence filling the room as her hot, red aura started to flare out from her. If Soo Hebin had had her eyes open she might be feeling a little bit worried¡­


    ¡°As the advisor you spoke to the previous day told you, Your Majesty, the emperor is unwe¡ª¡±


    The deafening sound of something heavy and wooden smashing into the wall made Soo Hebin throw herself against the back of her chair in panic.


    When she finally looked up at the seething Daxarian queen, she instantly started to tremble.


    ¡°Go get the emperor. Or I will single handedly reduce your palace to rubble.¡±


    ¡°Guar¡ª¡±


    Kat lowered herself down, her hands gripped the armrests of the chair the concubine sat in. A primal growl cut off the concubine as her eyes glowed. ¡°With the amount of dancing you¡¯ve done with the rules and etiquette, Soo Hebin, I am well within my rights to kill you right here. So do you want even more people getting slaughtered on your behalf?¡±


    Tears were involuntarily welling up in the concubine¡¯s eyes as her sights were consumed with the demon-woman in front of her. She grit her teeth and glared up at Kat.


    Lunging to the concubine¡¯s left, Kat made Soo Hebin shriek as she seized the empty chair beside her, and threw it against the same wall as before with an explosion of splintering wood. The amount of effort Kat had exuded was the same as though she were tossing aside a dandelion.


    ¡°Get. Out. And pass along the message that if anyone bothers me, they better have their will already prepared.¡±


    Soo Hebin was panting where she sat. The Daxarian queen didn¡¯t move as she bore down on the concubine, forcing the woman to try and sink into the wood of her chair even more like a frightened rodent.


    The concubine¡¯s maids were hanging onto each other, quaking in fear.


    Once they had all fled the room, and the door had closed, Kat turned her sights to her mother who had her forehead lowered in her hand. The duchess was nearly doubled over, her hand to her forehead, her small body the exact visage of the owner of a broken soul¡­


    Kat rose back up, her aura dwindling down as she stared at her mother expectantly. ¡°She¡¯s gone, you know.¡±


    ¡°Just making sure no guards come in,¡± Annika Ashowan explained quietly without lifting her gaze.


    ¡°After the ruckus I just caused I doubt they¡¯d creep on in,¡± Kat pointed out with a scoff before stretching her neck. ¡°Gods. Do you think she honestly believes Tam is dead? Or is she trying to do something to us?¡±


    Annika drew up in her seat, then leaned back and crossed her legs calmly, her former distress no where to be seen. ¡°It is difficult to say. I think she wants all of us dead, but it could just be that she is testing us to see if we know anything about his whereabouts.¡±


    Kat nodded at this. ¡°Did Da¡¯s last message say when he was leaving to come?¡±


    Annika tilted her head disappointedly. ¡°He says it¡¯s difficult with the princes right now, and there is a lot of discussion on how wise it is to leave Daxaria undefended.¡±


    Giving a quiet grumble, Kat looked around the chaotic room. ¡°Do you think that vase over there is expensive?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Excellent work, by the way, in pushing to see the emperor,¡± Annika added with a bow of her head.


    Kat managed a tired smile at this. ¡°Does Soo Hebin have any idea that you¡¯ve already been able to see the emperor?¡±


    Annika shook her head. ¡°She¡¯d be a lot more careful if she did. Have you been able to discern if anyone is fit to be a ruler after the emperor?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, his concubine Deoh Rin is smart enough to do it. She has three daughters, though two of them went ¡®missing¡¯ so she is more than ready to kill Soo Hebin with her own hands. Her youngest daughter is still a child so she sent her to live with her own parents in Haeson, but she misses her and fears for her safety.¡±


    Frowning, the duchess considered this. ¡°What power does Deoh Run have that could help her hold on to the throne?¡±


    ¡°Not much aside from the fact that she cares a lot, has a lot of energy, is perceptive, and knows what to do with what she sees.¡±


    Annika winced a little. ¡°Wonderful qualities, but not enough to rise to the throne and restore stability.¡±


    Kat sighed.


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely certain your brother is still safe?¡± Annika asked suddenly, the quiet tension in her voice drawing Kat''s gaze to her brown eyes.


    Pressing her lips together in understanding, Kat closed her eyes to check. She couldn¡¯t imagine if one of her own sons were lost with a slew of powerful people piling firewood to burn him alive¡­


    Searching for Tam¡¯s thread had always been easy. It was one of the strongest Kat had, and its presence alone gave Kat a great deal of comfort.


    And there it was, waving away peacefully in the darkness.


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    She studied its glow. Did it seem brighter? No? Kat pushed a small bit of power down that thread. Tam had at one point told her not to do that as it made his magic become unstable, but somehow doing it gave her some sense of comfort. It meant that he could feel her supporting him wherever he was. Maybe if his magic got a bit of an extra push, he¡¯d be a little safer¡­


    ¡°He¡¯s still alive,¡± Kat reassured her mother, who, upon opening her eyes, Kat watched let out a breath of relief.


    ¡°I am beyond grateful that you are able to check on him everyday,¡± Annika Ashowan confessed, her face looking far more aged than usual.


    ¡°My dumb baby brother is probably fine,¡± Kat insisted while looking around the room. In truth, her brother was only a few moments younger than herself, but that didn¡¯t stop her from lording it over him any chance she got. ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to smash a few things. Are you going to keep pretending to weep?¡±


    The duchess peered the room, spotted the dainty teapot at her side, and casually backhanded it off the table to smash on the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start my show again. Eventually.¡±


    Kat¡¯s eyebrows shot up in surprise.


    Annika shamelessly met her daughter¡¯s look and shrugged. ¡°Soo Hebin¡¯s an utter bitch.¡±


    Laughing, the Daxarian queen delighted in this new side of her mother, then set to work trying to find the most expensive items that the concubine owned to destroy.


    The act was more than just a simple one of defiance to Kat. If she were honest with herself, it was a welcome way to workout her many stresses and annoyances that had been building for a long, long time, and it was lovely to know that the act would have the perfect result of angering and insulting the concubine whom Kat already had silently promised to herself, had limited days left of her comfortable palace life.


    ***


    Tam flinched and halted in his tracks.


    The group had just started their venture into the woods while following the river, when Tam felt a very familiar jolt run through him.


    ¡°Penelope I have to put you down now.¡± The edge in Tam¡¯s voice stopped any protests from the child as he crouched down and let her slide off. The poor girl was still building muscle and endurance after being malnourished for weeks, and had no other choice but to make the long journey in shoes that did not fit properly.


    ¡°Why are your hands shaking?¡± Penelope wondered, which in turn made Luca, Harris, and Eli in her large cat form turn around.


    Tam wished he could answer her question. He could hear the disguised note of fear in her voice, but he couldn¡¯t get anything over the dull roar of power that was filling his being.


    Why is Kat sending me power now? Is this some kind of message? Is she just making sure I¡¯m alive? His shaking worsened.


    He knew he could simply disappear into his void, but oddly enough, the notion didn¡¯t seem to offer any alleviation to the discomfort he was feeling.


    ¡°Tam? What¡¯s happening? I can feel something is wrong,¡± Eli¡¯s voice sounded beside Tam. She must have shifted back to her human form and set down their things¡­ How long was this shaking supposed to last?


    ¡°It¡¯s Godsdamn Kat,¡± Tam offered in between pants as sweat rolled down his brow. ¡°She pushed a power surge at me. Now my magic doesn¡¯t know what to do with it.¡±


    Eli looked around herself, and spotted a nearby fallen tree branch that would¡¯ve made for terrific kindling. ¡°Try moving something again. Maybe it¡¯ll use it up?¡±


    Tam tried to lift his head to look at Eli, but found he couldn¡¯t. His body felt trapped in tremors.


    And so he instead closed his eyes.


    He needed an outlet of some sort, so attempting to move a tree branch could help¡­ Only his magic warred inside of him. It wasn¡¯t the answer it wanted¡­


    Ether. My power is ether. Ether is a part of everything, and in nothing¡­ Reaching out with his awareness, much in the same way Tam would while in his void, he found he could sense everything around him in a way he didn¡¯t quite understand.


    He could feel the finest droplets of water moving through the trees, he could feel the worms tunneling deep down in the dirt beneath him, he could feel the rush of the air around them, the flowing of flowing of water in the plants through their roots into their leaves¡­


    He was a part of all of these things, too. He could allow himself to get swept into the wind, he could join the droplets of water circulating through the trees¡­


    The strain in his muscles reached a peak, and suddenly, Tam collapsed into his void. Only he didn¡¯t exactly.


    He found himself feeling encased in wood.


    He was inside a tree, or maybe even the stick.


    But if he was a part of it, then why couldn¡¯t he move it? They all were a part of one another, and so they shared the same will.


    Tension released in Tam, even though he didn¡¯t have his body in the peculiar void space he found himself in.


    He wanted to spin, and jump while encased in this piece of wood that upon further reflection, he did confirm was the very stick Eli had been talking about. It was an instinct and deep knowing¡­


    It was amazing.


    The very fact that Tam became conscious of it, meant they had a relationship together, and therefore they could move together as one¡­


    Something deep in Tam¡¯s soul stirred.


    He jumped, he spun¡­ He felt free. The trembling stopped. The roaring power stopped, and then Tam started to feel a little tired, and so he tumbled back out of the void.


    He found himself sprawled over some ferns and tree roots.


    The wind rustled the leaves above him.


    Incredibly he felt at complete peace. Sure he was a little tired, but it wasn¡¯t because of the way he¡¯d used the magic. It was because some part of him had let go of a barrier that had stood between himself and, well, the world.


    A barrier that had taken a great deal of energy to hold in place, and so with it down, Tam only wanted to sleep.


    Closing his eyes, Tam knew he should¡¯ve gone to check on the others, he could tell they were nearby just by extending his senses through the earth¡­


    ¡°How did he make the stick dance?¡± Penelope¡¯s shrill voice cut through the air, making him smile, but Tam couldn¡¯t rouse himself just yet. Sleep was beckoning him in an all too alluring way.


    And so, feeling completely at ease with his present state, regardless of the fact that he was technically lying upside on a sloping rocky hill, Tam fell unconscious.


    It¡¯d just be a quick nap. He¡¯d feel more refreshed once waking back up again.


    He was sure of it.

 Chapter 81: The Duties of Daughters

    ¡°We¡¯re sitting ducks if we don¡¯t get moving,¡± Harris informed Eli quietly.


    It had been two days since they¡¯d found Tam asleep near the stick he had made dance.


    Evidently he¡¯d used too much power.


    They¡¯d decided to wait instead of having Eli carry him, but if he stayed asleep for much longer, it could become problematic.


    ¡°No one knows exactly where we are, they don¡¯t know how quickly we are moving, and the army was already spread too thinly before we left. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Despite the vehemence of Eli¡¯s words, there was a stress behind them that the Daxarian duke could hear and interpret perfectly well.


    He didn¡¯t respond just then, however, as they looked off to the distance to see Luca and Penelope attempting to skip stones off the frothing river. He glanced at his niece, and watched the cacophony of emotions that plagued her before turning back to the children.


    ¡°In a way, I always felt better when Fin had to go unconscious after using his magic.¡±


    Eli¡¯s head snapped round, her gaze boring into the side of her uncle¡¯s face¡ªthough he pretended to ignore it.


    ¡°It made Fin feel more human. Like he wasn¡¯t all powerful. He wasn¡¯t perfect. He was just someone who was amazingly strong sometimes and amazingly weak during others. Like if he truly annoyed me, I just had to wait until he exhausted his power, and then a feather stuffed pillow could be his undoing, you know?¡±


    ¡°Do you often think of ways to kill your close friends?¡± Eli inquired with only the faintest hint of sarcasm.


    ¡°It¡¯s a man thing. We consider how we kill all of our friends.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that I believe that.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Harris shrugged. He waited another moment or two before springing into a new topic. ¡°So what have you two been fighting about?¡±


    Elie tensed at his side.


    ¡°That is not your business.¡±


    ¡°Of course it isn¡¯t. But you need someone to bounce your thoughts off of, and who better than your favorite uncle?¡±


    Eli emitted a soft grumble.


    Harris smiled. ¡°You¡¯re persnickety like your mother, but your kindness? Gods know who you get that from.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not kind. Even Penelope noticed that.¡±


    ¡°Mm. That¡¯s true. A better description would be to say you¡¯re fair. And decent. Kindness is a luxury and despite being a lady and a princess, you have not had much of that. At least not the type that counts.¡±


    Eli said nothing.


    ¡°Did your mother ever tell you the details of my birth and uprising?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you trust her version of events, or would you like the honest truth of it?¡±


    Eli¡¯s arms that had been crossed over her chest tightened around her middle, her fingers curling against her shirt sleeves.


    Harris took her silence as an agreement. ¡°I was a bastard. And not a bastard that was kindly taken in by his father. Or even one that was supported from a distance. As far as my father was concerned, he could care less if I lived or died. The only reason he left any road of possibility for me inheriting his title, was he never had a legitimate son. Only Marigold. Your mother.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t count as a skip! It bounced off another rock!¡± Penelope¡¯s indignant shout interrupted the duke¡¯s story. Both he and Eli waited and listened to see if the children would manage the disagreement amicably or if intervention would be required.


    ¡°Did it? Oh. I didn¡¯t see. Where¡¯s the rock?¡±


    ¡°Aside from the one inside your skull in place of your brain? There.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Luca¡¯s innocent response made Penelope¡¯s shoulders visibly relax as she then proceeded to point to the subtle point of rock that jutted out of the river.


    Seeing that the two were still managing to get along, Harris resumed his story.


    ¡°Marigold¡¯s mother burned my home down. My mother died. And all sorts of events managed by members of the Daxarian court saw that I met the wildly difficult criteria for me to inherit the dukedom would be met. I lived as a mercenary for a while. In another duke¡¯s household. As a soldier. As a knight. As a kitchen aide¡ªFin still doesn¡¯t trust me to peel potatoes. I thought I made rather charming sculptures.¡±


    Eli rolled her eyes, and Harris grinned while continuing. ¡°Some of us don¡¯t get the luxury of waiting for good times to find joy. Sometimes we have to make it ourselves. And I¡¯ll be honest with you in a way I have only been honest with my wife and children because you are family, and you desperately need family.¡±


    Eli¡¯s eyebrows twitched in response, but she didn¡¯t object.


    ¡°I¡¯m angry. I¡¯m so damned angry at so many people. It¡¯s so easy for me to be angry because I¡¯ve felt it more than a normal person should. And you want to know what pisses me off the absolute most? When people get mad at me for making a joke.¡±


    Eli rounded on him, most likely prepared to argue on why humor had a time and place, but the foreign look of iciness the duke allowed on his face stopped her.


    ¡°I get mad at people who don¡¯t recognize I¡¯m doing the best I can to cope with how I¡¯m feeling. Or the ones that think the best way to handle things is to be angry and hateful and unkind. To be quite honest? I¡¯m constantly angry.¡±


    Eli¡¯s breaths stuttered, and the duke noticed it. He knew she empathized with how he felt¡­ He could see it in her eyes. Despite the lack of warmth in the moment he could feel a deeper connection building between them.


    ¡°I still love, and I still try to be better every damn day. But it¡¯s harder for me, I think, than it is for others. It¡¯s hard to let go of what has been said and done to me. Because why should I? There are people who need to pay, and injustice¡­? Gods. It makes me want to rip apart the world.¡±


    Harris felt his throat start to close. He hadn¡¯t had this sort of conversation in a long time¡­


    ¡°If I try to be funny? Or try to find the joke? It¡­ It helps. I¡¯m looking for good. Not looking for destruction. It¡¯s my way of looking for a way out of my anger. It¡¯s just something I have to live with. Despite the efforts, I know I¡¯m a quarter of the man I should be. Especially for my boys. I descend into chaos with their mother because she is the same as me. Angry. And we find comfort in chaos¡ªeven though we both are working day in and day out to be better. It¡¯d be unhealthy if it weren¡¯t for the fact we are both working to help each other and be supportive of healing our anger.¡±


    ¡°Do you ever take your anger out on your boys?¡± The hardness in Eli¡¯s face made Harris turn a somber look to her.


    ¡°Over my dead body would I ever lay hands on my boys. Same for my wife. My wife and I will fall apart in anger together about the world. Never toward our children. But they have ears. And they see what we are¡­ Children have glimpses of clarity no adult can rival.¡±


    ¡°I also heard you traumatized some cows.¡±


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.¡°That was unfortunate. The poor animals¡­¡± Harris trailed off with a wince before continuing. ¡°Look. I can tell, Tam makes you feel safe, and happy. It¡¯s good. You have found solace in each other, but I also know that when you have even a small fight, it can feel much deeper on your side. That it¡¯s easier to feel angry, and to stay angry.¡±


    Eli was quiet. She weighed her next words; her jaw moving as she did so. ¡°I¡­ Tam¡­ Tam says if Penelope has lost her family he wants to adopt her.¡±


    Harris¡¯s eyebrows shot upward, but the rest of his face was still. Mildly surprised, but not entirely.


    ¡°I know¡­ I feel¡­ Toward Luca¡­ I can be a mother. I feel close with him, and I feel a bond. I thought about stepping into that position for Luca for a long time. It wasn¡¯t easy. I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t think about having others close to me as easily as most.¡± Eli let out a breath and dropped her head, her arms unfolding as she instead clasped her hands together. ¡°Logically, I know I¡¯m perfectly reasonable in not wanting to choose to parent another child. I¡¯m not even married or betrothed¡­ I¡¯ve just started being¡­ With Tam I¡ª¡±


    ¡°No details. Please.¡± Harris held up his hand and cleared his throat.


    Eli gave a brief half smile of relief before continuing. ¡°It¡¯s new. With Tam. And yes, I¡¯m angry. But I¡¯m also broken, and I barely know how to be good in a relationship let alone a mother figure to two children. One of which may be the devil, and the other who has enormous trauma. While I know it¡¯s logical that I¡¯m hesitant, I feel especially guilty because Penelope is like me. I don¡¯t want to be like my mother. I don¡¯t want to turn away and be cold toward her. Hell. I even shouted at my mother before all of this about how easy it was to love a child¡­ Right now, though? Gods, I¡¯m just¡­ A damn hypocrite. A horrible person.¡± Tears of frustration welled up in Eli¡¯s eyes.


    Harris stared at her. His own eyes warming. ¡°You aren''t a horrible person. Even if you were to choose to walk away now, you would not be a horrible person, Eli. You would be cruel, but cruelty can be kind in the long term. Better the children and yourself don¡¯t suffer your regrets and resentment. You wouldn¡¯t be like your mother for choosing to leave. Your mother chose to have you. You merely chose to be in a relationship with Tam and his illegitimate offspring who may be the sweetest devil spawn imaginable¡ª-Honestly. Kat¡¯s children and my own make better candidates for the devil. It worries me at night.¡±


    Eli choked on a laugh at that.


    ¡°Tam needs to consider you in this decision. You signed on for who he was and his son. Which was already magnificently kind of you. But if he pushes adopting Penelope on you while you are partners, he is in the wrong. You are not.¡±


    Eli took a shuddering inhale. She couldn''t bring herself to speak, but she did nod.


    ¡°Tam wishes to be kind. But as I have long since believed, be kind to your home first, and then if you can spare the luxury of kindness elsewhere, spend it. Penelope will be put with a loving home should we be unable to find her family. She will be well looked after no matter what the choice.¡±


    Silence rested between the duke and his niece. A thoughtful, timidly warm quiet that eased some of the tension in Eli¡¯s posture.


    Harris couldn¡¯t resist a small smile. ¡°You know¡­ Daughter¡¯s are¡­ the greatest challenge and accomplishment.¡±


    Eli laughed and turned imploringly toward Harris.


    ¡°People like to say women compete with each other naturally in order to be appealing to men, but you know what my wife clarified for me?¡± Harris was glowing at the mere mention of his dear duchess. ¡°Women are wildly critical of themselves, and so they hold other women to the same standards they hold themselves. They are as cruel to others as they are to themselves. Which makes them doubly more accountable than men. They encourage each other, yes. But they are quick to call fault. Whereas men will, for the most part, shy away from anything but joviality. Which makes us pleasant company, but troublesome partners and fathers at times.¡±


    Eli eased herself back on the rusty rose wool blanket they had laid out on the ground for lunch a while ago. ¡°You know, you would have enjoyed the study of philosophy here in Zinfera.¡±


    Harris chuckled. ¡°I would¡¯ve made a great many philosophers quit their profession. It¡¯s my wife who would thrive with them.¡±


    ¡°Is it wrong that I think Tam loves me more than I love him?¡± Eli asked suddenly.


    Harris chuckled. ¡°No. But remember this time. Because to be honest, love always changes. It grows and ebbs. There will be times you adore him more than the air you breathe, and he will love you, but more in a content way. Then there are magnificent moments where it matches beautifully and lo¡¯ and behold you will find yourself with an army of children as a result. It¡¯ll rise and fall. Effort is required, and thought, and struggles. And humility¡­ All of it comes together to create the highest highs and the lowest lows of humanity.¡±


    ¡°You should write a book,¡± Eli noted quite seriously.


    Harris snorted. ¡°Ah. I¡¯d fill it with terrible innuendos. I¡¯m just sleep deprived, missing my wife, and a nice dose of moonshine. It¡¯s making me strange.¡±


    ¡°You mean wise and endearing.¡±


    ¡°How insufferable.¡±


    ¡°Even your complaints are dignified.¡±


    ¡°Should I tell you the exact shade of red my poop has become? Will that break this awful streak of compliments?¡±


    Eli laughed more readily than before. She looked significantly more at ease than she had before the conversation. ¡°Thank you for agreeing with me about Penelope. I do like her. I like her a great deal, but I just worry empathy over trauma is the only thing bonding us.¡±


    Harris blinked rapidly at this astute assessment. ¡°Trust yourself. Tam is generous in love and wanting to help people. It¡¯s the way of his family. Don¡¯t hold it against him, but¡­ It isn¡¯t what is best for everyone. He needs to hear you. Really hear you as his partner. You are smart, and the way you proceed with caution is admirable. The Ashowan family desperately could use someone like you. Duchess Ashowan used to be remarkably good at maintaining some restraint in the family, but the poor woman deserves support or retirement.¡±


    Harris watched his niece¡¯s smile. Feeling perfectly pleased with his efforts, he sat back up. ¡°I think I need to tell the kids that they need a flat stone to make them skip on the river.¡±


    Eli rounded on him. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell them that when you told them to go skip rocks?¡±


    Harris grinned. ¡°I needed to have some bonding time with my niece. Is that a crime?¡±


    ¡°I believe I would be interested in seeing all official documentation you¡¯ve contributed to the Daxarian court when we return to double check on things.¡±


    Harris pushed himself up to his feet with a grunt. ¡°Suit yourself! My wife will most likely be thrilled to have someone else nagging me to behave. We are sorely without daughters, you see.¡±


    ¡°I notice that the Ashowan family and your own all seem to be missing daughters,¡± Eli observed casually.


    ¡°Yes. Which means that we are destined for feisty daughters-in-law, or Tam will give us women to rule all of us¡ªWhich, you know. Whenever you feel ready, but us poor rambunctious souls most likely need some guidance time to time.¡±


    With a scoff, Eli set off toward the children, leaving the Daxrian duke to stare after her before turning toward the tent they had placed Tam in.


    Sighing to himself he found himself saying. ¡°Gods. Just as your sister discovered she was much more like your mother than she knew, I bet you will discover you are terribly like your father. Wanting to do so much good even to a detriment to yourself¡­¡± Harris squinted against the sun back toward Eli, Luca, and Penelope. The backdrop of the mountains, forest, and river with the brilliant blue sky above something out of a heavenly visage. ¡°I hope you can hold on to it, Tam. I hope you can find your peace. I don¡¯t even think your father ever fully found that balance. But maybe, just maybe¡­ You will.¡±

 Chapter 82: Aligning the Animals

    The first witch stared at the line up of familiars and witches before her. She had originally intended for them to act on her behalf during the ship voyage to intercept Tamlin Ashowan and the devil. However, the plan had changed.


    She did not believe for an instant that the son of the house witch and Zinferan princess was dead.


    Sure, Katarina Reyes was kicking up a wild fuss and destroying a staggering amount of valuable pieces in Soo Hebin¡¯s palace, but Aradia was willing to bet money the Daxarian queen was merely using the alleged death of her brother to act as she pleased.


    The first witch barely suppressed a smile at this thought.


    Regardless of the fact that they were technically enemies, Aradia actually quite liked Kat. She wished she could join her in being a bloody nuisance to Soo Hebin, who had gone on a short, hasty vacation to her villa located only half a day¡¯s carriage ride away from the palace.


    It seemed that Katarina was going to be successful in laying eyes on the emperor despite the concubine¡¯s best efforts. A notable feat indeed.


    Aradia couldn¡¯t be bothered worrying about that though. Frankly, an official meeting helped her plans tremendously.


    Pulling herself back to her present task, Aradia lifted her chin.


    ¡°I need three familiars who can carry out my orders in the Forest of the Afterlife,¡± she announced. ¡°This important work is not for the meek hearted or dull minded. So if anyone has any hesitations about such an endeavor, I suggest you remove yourselves from the room.¡±


    Three witches turned with their familiars and sidled out.


    Aradia took stock of the ones that remained.


    There were a number of cats, a few snakes, some birds¡­


    Her eyes landed on a small monkey that perched easily on his earth witch¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You.¡±


    The earth witch already had his eyes downcast, but at being addressed by the daughter of the Gods, he lowered himself into a bow.


    ¡°What is your name and your familiar¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°I am Kwang, Your Magnificence, and my familiar is named¡­¡± Kwang trailed off and cleared his throat. ¡°His name is Ban.¡±


    The monkey grabbed a fistful of Kwang¡¯s hair and yanked while holding Aradia¡¯s gaze.


    Kwang yelped. ¡°Banana! His name! Is! Banana! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    The corners of Aradia¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Banana. I am glad to meet you. Are you prepared to venture to the other realm?¡±


    The monkey chirped his response.


    Aradia tilted her head gracefully in gratitude. Her gaze slid over to the next beastie¡­


    A white dog that was so fluffy he looked like a cloud, with a dashing black nose and eyes.


    She stared at the dog. She stared for a very long time.


    It wasn¡¯t until one of the witches stifled a cough that she continued her perusal of the animals.


    ¡°That one,¡± she pointed at a red panda that had been sitting quietly on the floor, but at hearing her address, they rose up on its hind legs to a stand. ¡°What is your name?¡±


    The fire witch at the panda¡¯s side curtsied. ¡°Her name is Copper.¡±


    Aradia bobbed her head and issued another formal greeting before proceeding on down the line until she came to the second to last familiar belonging to a water witch.


    She stared at the animal.


    It had sapphire blue eyes¡­ That stared in opposite directions. Neither of those directions were at Aradia.


    The cat¡¯s tongue stuck out a little, and his face seemed too wide and smooshed to be a proper cat. Its nose looked like it had been rubbed with coal, along with its tail and paws, while the color of its fur was akin to a milky tea. It had a small paunch, but still looked nimble.


    Aradia continued looking at the creature for a long, long time. Even longer than when she had stared at the dog¡­


    ¡°This familiar¡­¡± she started to say, her finger tapping the air over its face. ¡°Is integral to the task I am about to set for them.¡±


    Every witch stared at the cat with its vacant, naturally stupified expression with abundant confusion.


    Aradia didn¡¯t clarify what she meant.


    ¡°What is this cat¡¯s name?¡± she asked the water witch who was a mite twitchy, as though she couldn¡¯t tell if the first witch were being serious or not.


    ¡°U-um. H-his name is¡­ Is Oyster.¡±


    Aradia opened her mouth. Then closed it as she looked back at the cat that may or may not have started drooling.


    Ignoring this, she lifted her head regally to speak once more.


    ¡°The three familiars and the witches I have selected, you will return to this room this evening, and I will give my instructions to you all then. The rest of you, I want you to focus your efforts on finding the missing Zinferan princess, Lord Tamlin Ashowan, and the devil. They would¡¯ve had to row ashore, most likely at night. They were not quite at the halfway point moving from the south of Zinfera, so I imagine they are heading in a straight line near the middle to reach the forest and have water. If you are able to search around the river, I¡¯m certain you¡¯ll find signs of them.¡±


    The witches all inclined themselves, and wordlessly proceeded to file out.


    ¡°You. Hold on.¡± The first witch waved her hand toward the air witch who owned the dog.


    She stopped, turned, and curtsied. Her familiar sat back down, and panted happily at her side.


    ¡°I will ask that your familiar stay here with me until this evening, and I will most likely make similar requests again in the future.¡±


    The air witch¡¯s eyes widened, but she didn¡¯t object or question the order.


    ¡°What is your familiar¡¯s name?¡± Aradia tilted her head elegantly.


    ¡°His name is Goodo.¡±


    Aradia¡¯s eyebrows twitched closer together in confusion.


    The air witch cleared her throat. ¡°Because he¡¯s a Good-o boy.¡±


    A very quiet snort sounded from Aradia, though she didn¡¯t smile. ¡°Very well. Leave Goodo here with me. I have an important matter to attend to with him.¡±


    The air witch curtsied again and slowly made her way out of the room, risking only a quick look over her shoulder at her familiar who stared after her until the doors closed.


    Once alone, Aradia peered down at the dog who had moved his attention back up to her.


    ¡°It is lovely to meet you, Goodo. I am the first witch, daughter of the Gods.¡± Aradia knelt in front of the dog. ¡°And you¡­ are the fluffiest dog I have ever met.¡±


    She held out her hand for him to sniff, a smile already lighting up Aradia¡¯s face.


    The dog¡¯s tail wagged, and so, unable to hold herself back any longer, Aradia wrapped her arms around the dog and buried her face in the piles of floof.


    ¡°You are the bestest boy, aren¡¯t you? Such a good, sweet, soft boy!¡± she murmured happily into the fur, making Goodo¡¯s tail wag even more furiously.


    ¡°Did you forget I¡¯m still in the room?¡± Ansar asked from his discrete seat in the corner.


    Aradia stiffened. ¡°No, I did not. But how can I not tell Goodo what a sweet boy he is!¡± Her voice rose a half pitch up as she scratched behind the dog¡¯s ears.


    Ansar stood from his seat. ¡°You never cease to surprise me.¡±


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°I¡¯m calculating and without certain emotions thanks to a curse. I¡¯m not a monster,¡± Aradia reminded lightly.


    Smiling, the assistant drew closer. ¡°Are you going to tell me what you are sending the familiars to do?¡±


    Goodo proceeded to lay down and present his belly, which Aradia was more than happy to nuzzle and comb through with her hands.


    ¡°No. You¡¯ll see soon enough. Do we have a leather ball we can toss for Goodo?¡± Her left hand paused over a spot on Goodo¡¯s belly that sent his right leg twitching vigorously.


    Ansar¡¯s smile could be heard in his voice. ¡°I can see about acquiring one.¡±


    ¡°And a bowl of water,¡± Aradia reminded as Ansar moved to carry out her orders.


    ¡°Thomas Julian is still being held in the Zinferan cell,¡± Ansar announced abruptly.


    Aradia paused. ¡°We¡¯ll see about getting him out when Katarina Reyes isn¡¯t in the midst of destroying anything she can lift. Otherwise she may notice and his absence might lead her straight to me.¡±


    Ansar lowered his chin respectfully. ¡°It isn¡¯t like him to fail in his assignment. If he had been able to tip off Katarina Reyes sooner about your presence that would have been best.¡±


    Aradia returned her attention to Goodo, unbothered. ¡°We¡¯ll ask him what happened when we see him again.¡±


    Ansar didn¡¯t say anything else on the matter. It was quite obvious his mistress simply wanted to have a relaxed day before she sent off the familiars, and it was his duty to oblige her. Though even he had to admit, he never would¡¯ve expected the first witch to have the sort of endearing soft spot for a fluffy animal. Not that it changed the way he thought about her in the slightest¡­ If anything, it made her feel more human.


    Which made him love her even more.


    Ah, well. It wasn¡¯t like he could help it.


    ***


    Kat paced furiously in her destroyed quarters, her heart pounding.


    What the hell was happening to Tam?


    The red thread of magic between them kept disappearing and reappearing.


    Was he dying? Sick? Hurt?


    The Daxarian queen hadn¡¯t told their mother about the change in Tam¡¯s state. She didn¡¯t want to worry her just yet.


    Kat wondered with growing dread if the fact that she had pushed another two spurts of magic Tam¡¯s way over the past three days had done something horrible to him.


    Her meeting with the Zinferan emperor had really just been her looking down at the face of a sleeping man. According to Annika Ashowan, he would wake again thanks to the herb concoction they had crafted back in Daxaria that lessened some of the immediate effects of Witch¡¯s Brew¡ªthough it wouldn¡¯t be enough to undo the years of damage.


    However, seeing the man had left Kat feeling more restless than ever.


    Gods¡­ Everything was a mess.


    Kat started to experience a potent urge to hunt down the first witch and abandon her initial plan of ignoring her.


    She needed to start doing something.


    Her eyes glanced toward the letters on the desk she hadn¡¯t flipped over.


    Back in Daxaria, Antony had managed to stop wrecking havoc on the weather, so that was good news. But the bad news was that anytime a member of the Coven of Wittica got near him it would start all over again.


    Her heart ached.


    She hated being stuck in the middle of a web of politics. She just wanted to draw her sword, and start solving problems in the most base of ways.


    She wanted to go home and see her boys¡­ and Eric¡­


    The door opened to her quarters, making Kat¡¯s head snap up to see her mother entering, a bright glint in her eyes.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Kat asked without bothering with a greeting.


    Annika pressed her lips together thoughtfully. ¡°There¡¯s someone commanding the coven from within the palace.¡±


    ¡°The first witch is still here? She didn¡¯t leave with the concubine?¡± Kat¡¯s eyes shone hungrily.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem that way. A group of witches just left as well, but they are heading east¡­ If I were to guess? It sounds as though for whatever reason, Tam abandoned his ship, and must have made it to land. He¡¯s either hiding in the woods or the mountains.¡±


    Kat¡¯s throat fluttered. She really should tell her mother the concerning development in her connection with her brother¡­


    ¡°There¡¯s more.¡± The duchess looked wildly pleased about something. ¡°Lord Yangban, a cousin of Soo Hebin¡¯s and her greatest supporter, has gone mad. Rumors are circulating that the concubine is losing her most powerful allies left right and center.¡±


    Kat drew herself to her full height. ¡°Things are about to explode.¡±


    Annika nodded. ¡°People are saying that the Gods are angry with her. It¡¯s only a matter of time before one of the other concubine¡¯s makes their move and either has Soo Hebin and her son killed, or deposed.¡±


    Kat folded her arms over her chest. ¡°I could get her deposed just fine, but I still don¡¯t know who would be a better match for the throne, or what the first witch is angling to do here. Are there any sightings of ancient beasts? Remember the concubines talked about a sirin.¡±


    The duchess stepped farther into the room, maneuvering carefully around some glass shards of what had once been a particularly lovely wine goblet. ¡°There have been no sightings. As far as I¡¯ve heard, that sirin the coven harbored died sometime in the past few years.¡±


    Kat grimaced. While she wasn¡¯t particularly fond of the ancient beasts, she didn¡¯t believe they deserved cruelty. ¡°Alright. Any word from da coming to deal with that monster I told you about?¡±


    ¡°Yes I received a missive this morning. He can¡¯t come. Eric refuses to leave Daxaria defenseless with everything going on, but your da did send us the next best thing,¡± the duchess relayed with a bit of a weary sigh.


    Kat lifted a quizzical eyebrow at her mother.


    ¡°He¡¯s sending us Kraken and Pina.¡±


    Kat¡¯s face fell. ¡°We can¡¯t even talk to Kraken without da.¡±


    The duchess slowly crossed her arms. ¡°Are you really going to stand there and argue the fact that the two familiars are some of the best chances we have when it comes to dealing with mystical beings?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ No. No, I won''t argue against that. I just worry that they are going to make things even more¡­ chaotic.¡±


    ¡°They normally just make more paperwork for your husband¡¯s assistant and father.¡±


    Kat squinted. ¡°Are you forgetting that I now have to have Cleophus Miller in my castle for half a year, and go to scheduled visits with the rock golem that is obsessed with Pina?¡±


    Annika smiled. ¡°You know¡­ I can¡¯t say I can feel much sympathy for you, my dear daughter. You now are all grown up and able to handle the consequences of your life all on your own.¡±


    ¡°This is Pina¡¯s fault, not mine,¡± Kat grumbled.


    Annika laid a gentle hand on her daughter¡¯s cheek. ¡°You¡¯re only grumpy because you are going stir crazy. And you¡¯re jealous because the cats are going to go out and do things, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Kat¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Of course not! I understand¡ª¡±


    ¡°And something else is bothering you. What is it?¡±


    Kat¡¯s indignant response was cut short, as she stared into her mother¡¯s keen brown eyes¡­


    Of course she knew everything.


    She always knew everything.

 Chapter 83: Pleas and Promises

    Luca stared at Eli¡¯s stony expression. Then he looked at his father¡¯s slack, pale face matted with sweat. Then he turned to the funny duke. He didn¡¯t look funny right then. He looked frightened.


    His stomach turned nauseous and tingly. It felt like something really, really bad was happening. Kind of like when he had been sick.


    But Eli kept saying that his dad wasn¡¯t sick.


    Maybe she was lying?


    Luca balled his hands up into fists before he started fidgeting with his pant leg.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll die,¡± Penelope announced while attempting to sound casual.


    Luca¡¯s head swung round to stare at her. She always tried to pretend she didn¡¯t care and was confident, but Luca knew that she wasn¡¯t exactly sure of her own words just then either.


    ¡°You said you see things before they happen. Did you see my dad alive later on?¡± he asked quietly.


    Penelope shuffled her feet in the dirt and twisted her mouth.


    ¡°I saw¡­ I saw me calling Eli mom. And I¡­ I saw her smiling at someone. I thought it was Tam.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t know for sure?¡± Luca¡¯s voice turned desperate and panicky.


    Penelope grabbed his shoulders, forcing his wild eyes to meet with hers.


    ¡°People die, Luca. My father died. My mother was sick and is probably dead. I couldn¡¯t see her future the last time I saw her. It just¡­ Happens.¡±


    Tears welled up in Luca¡¯s eyes and his throat ached. ¡°But I just found him. I don¡¯t want¡­¡± he trailed off, emotion choking him as tears spilled over. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back to my mother in Daxaria. She didn¡¯t like me. No one liked me. She said I wasn¡¯t normal. Said she never wanted me, and I just had to be understanding that she wasn¡¯t¨C¡±


    Penelope pulled him into an unexpected hug, and began to gently stroke the back of his head. It felt like something she¡¯d seen others do, but she herself had never done. Awkward; but not the worst feeling.


    ¡°What if this is happening because of me?¡± Luca croaked into her shoulder. ¡°My uncle used to say I had devil eyes and I¡¯d make bad things happen.¡±


    Penelope snorted, Luca pulled back, instantly angry by her reaction; his tears still running down his face. Before he could shout at her for laughing however, she spoke.


    ¡°You have your dad¡¯s eyes, and he¡¯s nice. Why would your eyes be the devil¡¯s?¡±


    Luca stilled, a peculiar warm tingling filling him in the wake of surprise.


    He fidgeted some more, but not because of bad feelings. ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m scary or creepy?¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t your mother and uncle the ones who also said you¡¯re smart enough and don¡¯t need school? I wouldn¡¯t trust them,¡± Penelope scoffed.


    Luca¡¯s cheeks reddened. ¡°I am smart!¡±


    ¡°Why do you think you¡¯re smart?¡± Penelope probed snidely.


    ¡°My uncle says I¡¯m people smart. He used to make me watch customers to see who would be bad, or if they are rich, or-¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell if someone is bad just by looking at them,¡± Penelope interrupted confidently.


    ¡°Maybe you can¡¯t, but I can. I know my dad¡¯s a good person. I know Eli is good. I know Harris is good. So are Bong, and Jeong, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Am I good?¡± Penelope thrust her chin up with a superior air.


    Luca let out a short breath. ¡°I know that you¡¯re scared I¡¯m going to say you aren¡¯t so you¡¯re acting like you¡¯re better than me.¡±


    Penelope flushed, and her composure wavered.


    ¡°You are good, though. You care, you¡¯re just mad and scared a lot of the time. That¡¯s why even when you¡¯re mean I¡¯m nice to you. Because I know you like all of us, but you kind of don¡¯t like that.¡±


    Penelope blinked rapidly. ¡°That¡¯s stupid. You¡¯re stupid!¡± she shouted.


    Luca didn¡¯t react to her insult, and instead leaned a bit closer. ¡°Everyone is a bit stupid, I think. My mother didn¡¯t know how to be a good mom like Eli. And my uncle didn¡¯t know how to be nice. And Harris¡­ He¡¯s pretty smart actually.¡±


    At that Penelope shot Luca a look of utter disbelief. ¡°What about the whole thing with the beets?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s dumb about beets. But not much else.¡± Luca shrugged.


    Silence rested between the two children.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Penelope started slowly. ¡°You can tell people¡¯s emotions. Like I can see bits of their past, present, and future?¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    Penelope nodded in understanding.


    A loud grunt followed by gasping echoed from Tam within one of the tents, snapping both Luca and Penelope¡¯s attention over to him to see him straining against some unknown pain. Dark shadows wavered from his skin, and the trees, tents, and even rocks around them all trembled as though an earthquake was setting in.


    However, it seemed to only be in a circle around their campsite.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time this had happened, though each time it did the area that was affected widened.


    Luca watched as Eli gently laid her hand on his father¡¯s forehead and held his hand.


    It didn¡¯t make Tam¡¯s straining better, but it didn¡¯t make things worse, and eventually, as was the norm, he did settle back down to a dead sleep.


    Swallowing with difficulty, Luca held out his hand.


    ¡°Do it.¡±


    Penelope looked at his offered palm, then back up at him, stunned. ¡°You said you never wanted me to try with you.¡±


    ¡°Because I¡­ I was scared you¡¯d tell me I was evil. Now I¡­ I really need to know if my dad is¡­ If he is¡­¡± Luca couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. Every inch of him longed to crumble into a sob.


    Penelope grabbed his hand, her face scrunched up, and her eyes closed.


    Luca waited.


    At first he didn¡¯t feel anything. Just Penelope holding his hand in a vice grip.


    Then a tickle started in his chest, and a buzzing in his skull.


    Luca gave his head a quick shake.


    Something strange was happening, and whatever it was, it was oddly familiar.


    He cleared his throat to stop himself from making a sound of discomfort. He didn¡¯t want Penelope to stop. Though the buzzing increased until his brain started to ache and colored dots crept into his vision.


    Please see something¡­ Please don¡¯t tell me my dad dies¡­


    As the buzzing started to overflow into a numbing drone, Luca didn¡¯t let go of Penelope¡¯s hands, though he did wonder if he might faint.


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    At last Penelope released him.


    Luca swayed on the spot, until Penelope grasped his face between her two palms.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have a headache. You¡¯re probably a witch or something like that because they usually feel it worse, and you don¡¯t look good right now.¡±


    Luca swallowed, wanting the next words out of his mouth to sound in control. ¡°What¡¯d you,¡± he broke off in a cough. ¡°What¡¯d you see?¡±


    His vision had mostly returned to normal, but there were some patches of his vision that were still bright spots.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re weird. I only saw blackness at first. It wasn¡¯t easy, and it was almost like I had to force it, until it just popped up.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯d you see?¡± Luca repeated more irritably as his impatience and desperation got the best of him.


    ¡°I saw your uncle. He was¡­ Uh. He threw things at you. Your mother told him to be quiet, and you went out to help with customers, but-¡±


    ¡°What about my dad?¡± Luca cut Penelope off from reminding him of such an awful memory.


    ¡°I saw that last night he said your name in his sleep.¡±


    Luca swallowed. That was also true. He¡¯d woken up hearing it, and had been filled with hope until he realized his father was neither better, nor awake. ¡°And the future?¡±


    ¡°I saw Tam, and Eli,¡± Penelope relayed carefully.


    ¡°What? What is it?¡± Luca could hear the hesitancy in her words, and he could feel her uneasiness.


    ¡°Someone is trying to hurt us. Someone strong wants us, and Tam and Eli are going to try and protect us.¡±


    ¡°Does something happen to them?¡± Luca implored frantically.


    Penelope shrugged helplessly. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I couldn¡¯t see that far. I can¡¯t make myself see what I want or you want. I just get glimpses here and there.¡±


    Luca sat down on the ground, and rubbed his eyes using the heels of his palms.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, you baby.¡± Penelope attempted to scold Luca, though she sounded more caring than insulting as she said it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. My head just hurts. At least my dad¡¯s going to be alive later so he¡¯s not dying,¡± Luca affirmed seriously while dropping his hands away.


    Penelope crouched to be eye level with Luca before seating herself down. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± The little girl paused, a foreign look of hesitancy and discomfort tightening the skin around her eyes. ¡°Are you going to be okay when they adopt me?¡±


    Luca lifted his head and the right corner of his mouth and cheek hoisted up with a mixed grimace and smile. ¡°Eh. I guess. I¡¯d wanted a baby sister. Not a big sister.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you want a brother? My Uncle Thomas says boys usually want brothers.¡±


    ¡°You have an uncle, too?¡± Luca asked interestedly.


    Penelope didn¡¯t usually like to talk about her family, and so Luca couldn¡¯t help but be curious.


    ¡°Kind of. He¡¯s not really my uncle. We all lived and traveled together since I was a baby, so I just call him Uncle Thomas.¡±


    ¡°Oh. You traveled together? Like as bards? Or performers?¡±


    Penelope avoided his eyes. ¡°No. We just¡­ Had to hide. My mother, father, Uncle Tomas, Mr. Ansar, and I.¡±


    ¡°Like my dad, Eli, Harris, and I are hiding and traveling?¡±


    At the comparison, Penelope perked up. ¡°Yeah! Exactly!¡±


    Luca nodded reasonably. ¡°Is your uncle or Mr. Ansar alive?¡±


    Penelope¡¯s enlightened mood was short lived as the question brought her shoulders and face back down. ¡°Yeah, but they needed to leave for a job, and then Captain Woo found my mother when she was trying to take me to find my grandmother. She was too sick to take care of me by herself.¡±


    Luca leaned forward and put his hand on her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡± Penelope asked flatly.


    ¡°My dad does this to me and I feel better.¡±


    ¡°Your hand is probably dirty, take it off my head.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not dirty! I just washed it!¡±


    Penelope batted his hand away. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you go tell Eli that you know Tam¡¯s going to be fine?¡±


    Luca looked over Penelope¡¯s shoulder at Eli¡¯s back. ¡°Am I allowed to tell her? I thought you told me to keep it a secret.¡±


    ¡°I already told her a little bit about what I can do. So it¡¯s fine,¡± Penelope declared with her usual attitude paired with an impressive eye roll.


    Luca leapt to his feet, staggered to catch his balance, then darted off toward Eli without needing to ask for any more assurances.


    He couldn¡¯t wait to make her feel better. He could feel how terrified she was.


    So he did just that, and while at first when she heard the news she seemed unmoved, as the the moments drifted on, Luca watched her face soften, and he could feel the tiniest bit of relief.


    Luca watched Eli glance over at Penelope, and give a nod of thanks.


    Penelope nodded back.


    Luca grinned.


    Harris was off in the distance out of earshot, but he must have noticed the change in Eli¡¯s demeanor, as he straightened from his leaning position against a tree to look hopefully at Tam.


    Yes¡­


    Everything would be fine.


    Tam would wake up, and then they could all start traveling again.


    Maybe one day, when Penelope was adopted, they could live together like a real family.


    Jeong and Bong could visit, and maybe Luca could meet Harris¡¯s kids, though they sounded a bit scary.


    Who knew? Maybe he¡¯d even like meeting the queen and his cousins, though he was a little worried they¡¯d hate him for being a bastard. That had been something his Uncle Liam had said over and over. How nobles hated bastards.


    Luca looked at his father¡¯s face, once again still, and his complexion still sickly.


    Despite having Penelope¡¯s reassurance that everything would be alright, he couldn¡¯t help but do something he had only ever tried once before in his entire life.


    He tried praying to the Goddess.


    Please Goddess. Can we all be a normal happy family together? Can I have that¡­?


    I¡¯m sorry I was born without your blessing, but¡­ I promise I¡¯ll be good. I¡¯ll take really good care of my dad and Eli¡ªI¡¯ll even be nice to Penelope as my older sister! Even though she can be kind of a jerk. So even if it takes a little while, I hope we all can have a nice life. I¡¯ll work hard to make sure I earn it, so please, please, please, don¡¯t take them away from me.


    Please. I need them. I love them. They don''t have to love me back, but... that¡¯s okay, as long as we¡¯re together. And happy.


    Please?

 Chapter 84: A Rough Rising

    Tam struggled against his dreams that varied from endless blackness to anxiety inducing nightmares. When he wasn¡¯t fully unconscious, he was wracked with a tearing sensation that reverberated down to his soul. It was only a matter of time before he went mad with the pain.


    What was even more taxing was how just when he would think it was getting better, another surge would overtake him.


    At times he felt hyper-aware of everything around him; how connected everything was. The spaces between the tiniest bits of natural matter where his void existed. Where nothing and everything rested. He could flex in these spaces, and then be a part of more and more of them. Spaces between bark, between leaves, between rich soil, between the mist off the river¡­


    Over and over he bore the sensation of being shattered, ground to dust, then flung far and wide. It only improved when he would snap back together, becoming one with himself. Though the violent reassembly itself was hellish, when it was finished, Tam could relax. Briefly. Before it¡¯d do it again, and again. Each time he¡¯d be flung farther and farther.


    At the back of his mind, he knew this was all happening because of Kat.


    She was sending him magic, and it was bolstering his own, making it unstable as it surged in power and growth that he sensed should¡¯ve taken far longer to happen.


    He could occasionally make out Eli¡¯s presence through the haze of torture, her worried mood, her cool hand, her occasional murmurings¡ªnot that he could understand what she was saying; only that she was talking.


    Tam didn¡¯t know how long it had been since he had originally fallen unconscious. He wanted to wake up from the nightmare and start moving again, but every time he tried he felt his soul dissolve all over again.


    It seemed endless, and Tam began to wonder¡ªwhen he could spare any moment of clear thought¡ªif perhaps he had accidentally released a curse and he was dead.


    When at long, long last, he opened his eyes, and found himself staring at a cool gray sky.


    The light felt like a knife going through his eyes, making him wince and let out a garbled yelp.


    In an instant, he felt Eli¡¯s reassuring hand on his forehead.


    Only shortly after she did this, and his eyes fluttered back open, she burst out saying, ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡±


    Tam cringed away from the loudness of her voice, nausea brewing in his gut as a result.


    ¡°He¡¯s awake?¡± Harris¡¯s voice sounded distant, but it made Tam roll over to his right side, trying to get away from the pain.


    ¡°Tam¡­?¡± Eli¡¯s uncertain tone made his heart ache, but all Tam could do was focus on breathing through the agony pulsing through his head.


    ¡°Can I get you water?¡± Eli lowered her volume, as though sensing what was plaguing him.


    Tam barely managed to nod, and the movement almost had him throwing up. Though he doubted he had anything to throw up. His stomach felt horrendously empty.


    He thanked the Gods that Eli¡¯s footsteps were silent.


    A cold sweat broke out along his brow as he waited, and he barely resisted a shiver.


    ¡°Here.¡±


    The soft leather of a waterskin brush against his knuckles.


    He took it in shaking hands, and even though it caused blinding pain when he lifted his head up, he took several gulps of cool water, then lay back down, his sense of balance as even as a ship deck in a storm.


    Another lapse of time sagged on, but Tam was conscious through it. The wind, the birds, the dull rush of the river¡­ He could hear it all¡ªthough he tried to ignore it. He managed a few more sips of water. Eventually the pain lessened enough that he could open his eyes, but it still made him squint.


    ¡°I have a broth for you.¡±


    After a fortifying breath, Tam slowly push himself up to a sitting position, then reached blindly for the wooden bowl she offered him. Accepting it gratefully, he sipped as much as he could before his nausea flared again.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he managed. He swallowed back a tiny bit of bile. ¡°How long has it been?¡±


    ¡°Nearly seven days.¡±


    Tam¡¯s heart thudded against his chest. ¡°Gods.¡±


    ¡°I know. We need to move. Do you know what happened? Was this just some kind of sickness that affected your magic?¡±


    Tam would¡¯ve shaken his head if the mere notion of doing so didn¡¯t frighten him.


    ¡°Kat,¡± he paused to lick his lips. ¡°Kat can¡­ bolster other people¡¯s abilities. Human and witch alike. For some reason, she sent three surges to me. It¡­ Did things. It made me lose control, and I suddenly am able to do more with my magic¡­ It¡¯s like I went through artificial growth that¡¯s permanent. I think.¡±


    Tam dropped his head between his knees and took several deep breaths. Saying all of that had cost him.


    Eli rested a hand on his back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. Please.¡±


    She withdrew instantly.


    Tam struggled to inhale and exhale as his nausea plagued him for a few moments longer.


    When he could bring himself to speak again, he informed Eli why he¡¯d made such a request. ¡°Sorry. I just¡­ If I start feeling attracted to you right now amongst¡­ everything else¡­ it won¡¯t be good.¡±


    He didn¡¯t have to look to know she was blushing.


    In less dire situations, he knew she would be saying something along the lines of how base men were. He almost smiled over the fact he knew this.


    ¡°How are the kids?¡± he asked after taking another drink from the waterskin.


    ¡°Mostly good. Penelope confirmed she can see the past, present, and future, and said she saw you alive and well, so we at least knew you weren¡¯t dying.¡±


    ¡°Someone should¡¯ve told me the news,¡± Tam noted dryly.


    Eli didn¡¯t respond to that. ¡°How long do you think until you can travel again?¡±


    Tam closed his eyes, despite it being evening as the light of the sky was already dimming.


    ¡°We can try for a bit tomorrow, but I think¡­ No. I¡¯m certain I won¡¯t be able to use any magic for a while. It¡¯s been overextended. I¡¯m shocked I didn¡¯t die and cast a curse.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. To be honest I¡­ I¡¯ve been affected by this as well.¡±


    Tam managed to turn and at long last lock eyes with Eli.


    He could see the way her brown eyes softened and her shoulders eased down from the deep relief she felt at being able to talk with him.


    ¡°I¡¯m even¡­ Bigger. Now.¡±


    Tam blinked in alarm and he lifted himself a bit straighter. ¡°Even bigger? How big are you now in that form?¡±


    ¡°A lot bigger.¡±


    ¡°How big though?¡±


    Eli bristled a little. ¡°Bigger than a small shanty?¡±


    ¡°What¡ªow.¡± Tam¡¯s shout had rendered another burst of pain behind his eyes.


    ¡°I tried flying.¡±


    Tam desperately wanted to ask more on that, but had to focus on breathing again before he could. ¡°How did that go? Wait, if you experienced a growth spurt, did you have any pain?¡±


    ¡°A bit. I was able to transform back to my human form though.When I¡¯d shift back the pain would be better.¡±


    Tam still didn¡¯t like that she experienced any kind of hardship because of him, and, seeing this, Eli gave a tentative half smile. ¡°It really wasn¡¯t bad.¡±


    Sighing, Tam continued rubbing his face. His migraine was steadily improving, but he started eyeing the river as he became increasingly aware of how pungent he was.


    Seeing this, Eli rose and offered her hand. ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll go with you to make sure you don¡¯t drown.¡±


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    Tam grasped her hand with a raised eyebrow and, on trembling legs, managed to stand, though the world spun violently, and he needed to grasp one of Eli¡¯s shoulders to help steady himself.


    ¡°You¡¯re just¡­ Saying that so you¡¯ll see me¡­ without my shirt,¡± Tam stuttered while shooting a boyish smile at her.


    Rolling her eyes, Eli turned and started moving toward the river. ¡°You¡¯re skin and bones right now. There¡¯s not much to look at.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a tender woman.¡±


    ¡°If you wanted tender you should¡¯ve bought a rib eye steak instead of opting to court me.¡±


    Tam allowed himself a light laugh as they neared the river bank.


    ¡°I thought I heard Harris earlier,¡± he commented while observing the fireflies that were already dancing in the trees around them.


    Eli lowered herself to help him sit.


    ¡°You did. He saw you weren¡¯t well enough to talk yet and took the kids on a walk to get firewood for tonight.¡±


    ¡°Is a fire a good idea?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, but you need a good night of rest and a hot meal if we¡¯re going to even attempt traveling tomorrow.¡±


    Tam gave a disgruntled grunt before he tugged his shirt off, then his boots¡ªall in a very slow fashion¡ª then tentatively dipped a toe in the water.


    ¡°Holy antlers that is freezing,¡± he gasped while snatching his foot back.


    Eli shrugged.¡±Dunk yourself then come out.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m doing that I¡¯ll need a blanket right after.¡±


    Tilting her head, the Eli seemed to acquiesce with his point, and made her way back to the campsite to find just that.


    Taking the opportunity of being alone, Tam stripped his pants off next, and before Eli could see him embarrass himself horribly, he pushed himself into the icy water that instantly induced a new world of pain and earnest teeth chattering. He was barely able to haul himself out as goosebumps riddled his body. Luckily a blanket fell over his shoulders in an instant.


    ¡°As someone who has to smell you a whole hell of a lot, I thank you,¡± Eli declared while managing to sound cavalier.


    Tam grinned. The shock of the cold water had cleared his head somewhat. Though there was still a dull throbbing behind his eyes.


    As they neared the campsite, Tam spotted Harris, Luca, and Penelope lighting the fire.


    Luca, unable to contain himself for another instant, bolted over to his father and wrapped his arms around him.


    Tam smiled down at his son and ruffled his hair.


    Penelope sidled closer, looking like a wary kitten trying not to show she cared too much when, in reality, she too may have been a little worried.


    ¡°Tam, my boy! Wonderful to see you up and about! We were worried we were going to have to leave you to the bears!¡± Harris called out jubilantly as he pulled out a pot that looked quite heavy. ¡°We have some venison stew here, and we even sacrificed some ginger root to make you a nice tea. Eli, don¡¯t worry, I haven¡¯t made the tea. I won¡¯t make that mistake again,¡± the duke assured with a brief traumatized shadow passing through his eyes.


    ¡°She¡¯s a bit particular about tea,¡± Tam agreed while locating his traveling bag and pulling out a tunic and pants that smelt significantly better than his previous ones. He then utilized his blanket to hide himself while dressing.


    ¡°You don¡¯t say,¡± Harris called out sarcastically.


    Eli crossed her arms. ¡°I barely burned you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll scar.¡±


    Eli made a tsking sound before setting about grabbing the kettle;  presumably go fill it with water.


    ¡°Can I chop the ginger?¡± Luca asked excitedly.


    ¡°A little bit. I¡¯ll do the first cut,¡± Eli acquiesced.


    ¡°What about me?¡± Penelope hollered indignantly.


    ¡°If you¡¯re careful, I will let you put the tea ball in.¡±


    The two children beamed happily and then trailed after Eli like ducklings after their mother as she returned to the river.


    Alone, Harris looked at Tam, his typical jubilance fading to seriousness.


    ¡°You alright?¡±


    Tam lowered his head with a half wince and a shrug. ¡°I have next to no magic right now. It¡¯ll take a while to recover, but I want us to get moving tomorrow morning as soon as possible.¡±


    Harris nodded. ¡°Good. The hairs on the back of my neck are standing up these days, and I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    Seating himself by the fire, grateful for any extra warmth he could absorb in that moment, Tam shared the details of what had caused his recent problems. At the end of the story, Harris pressed his lips together thoughtfully.


    ¡°It sounds like your sister is getting worried.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°But what exactly is making her worried?¡±


    ¡°There are a few things one could be worried about right now,¡± Tam reminded drolly.


    ¡°Yes, but why now? Something has to be happening in the capital. Odds are all hell is breaking loose, and your sister is a part of the reason that is happening.¡±


    Tam reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°Sounds about right. If only we knew more of what was going on exactly¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, we don¡¯t. And we won¡¯t. Not for a long time. You won¡¯t know if we are going to be met with armies, or if the emperor is ransoming your sister, or¡ª¡±


    Tam snorted at the idea of anyone attempting to ransome Kat. He almost pitied them.


    ¡°Or if the first witch has managed to find some magical powerhouses again to help back her.¡±


    That certainly would be a problem. Especially if she tried to take Luca.


    ¡°I wonder if we should just leave straight to Lobahl and staying there for a while until things calm down once we get out of these woods,¡± Tam announced suddenly.


    Harris stared at him.


    ¡°Eli and I joked about it before, but, what can we do in this war? I don¡¯t even know that we could make all that much of a difference unless someone forces Eli to take the crown, and they use her connection with me and Daxaria to do it.¡±


    Harris considered this point. ¡°So you wouldn¡¯t support your sister? As she tries to make Zinfera better? End slave trading? None of that sounds like something worth helping?¡±


    ¡°Not everyone is meant to save the world, Harris,¡± Tam argued sharply. The duke looked at Tam levelly, prompting him to continue. ¡°Look¡­ We all get a choice. My da chose to protect the position and home he found. He hadn¡¯t wanted to be relied on by an entire kingdom. He¡¯d wanted to be a cook and have a quiet life. He chose to seek more because of my mother. Then my sister seemed crafted for the role of protective leader. I feel different from my sister, and my mother.¡±


    Harris¡¯s eyebrows twitch. ¡°You can take part in something bigger that doesn¡¯t consume your life.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t half-ass fighting in a war, Harris. Besides, things might be made worse if we get involved.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°What if Luca¡ª¡±


    ¡°Dad! Dad, it¡¯s a full moon!¡± Tam¡¯s words were cut off as Luca and Peneleope bounded over to him excitedly.


    Shoving aside the heavy topic he had been discussing, Tam drew up a smile and peered up at the night sky Luca was pointing to see he was indeed correct. The moon was rising and was large in the sky.


    ¡°Dad, are there any stories about the moon?¡±


    ¡°Lots.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the best one?¡± Penelope asked while settling herself down in front of Tam. Luca did the same thing as he looked incredibly eager to hear another story.


    Smiling in spite of the anxiety in his chest and aching in his head, Tam leaned his back against a nearby tree trunk.


    ¡°Well¡­ My favorite one has to do with the story of the air witch and a sirin who tried to become friends with the moon¡­¡±


    As the familiar story wrapped around the group, and a hot dinner was served, everyone relished in Tam¡¯s return to the land of the waking.


    Even though there was the creeping sense that danger was closing in around them, and it was closing in quickly.

 Chapter 85: A Disastrous Day

    ¡°There I was, staring down five armed men with nothing but a big stick and a hangover from hell, and the biggest of them¡ªreal odd looking fellow with no neck and skinny legs¡ªshouts at me to give him my money.¡±


    ¡°But I bet you didn¡¯t!¡± Penelope hollered with both indignation and excitement over the story Harris was telling the children that skipped alongside him.


    ¡°Well, I told him the truth; that I didn¡¯t even own the shirt on my back so unless he was looking for a pointless beating he should pick on a plump nobleman instead.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a duke?¡± Penelope asked sharply.


    ¡°I¡¯m not plump, and I wasn¡¯t a duke back then,¡± Harris explained without batting an eye.


    ¡°Then what happened?¡± Luca was starting to fidget from excitement.


    ¡°Then one of the gutless ones behind me tried to lunge at me, but I heard his boot in the mud and one shot to his family jewels with my stick had him down on the ground.¡±


    ¡°Family jewels? Why was he robbing you if he had jewels?¡± Luca looked to Penelope to see if she was having the same confusion.


    She was indeed.


    Harris glanced forward where Tam and Eli were walking ahead of them. ¡°Family jewels is another name for testicals.¡±


    ¡°What are testicals?¡± Luca insisted next.


    Harris cleared his throat. This time when he looked at Tam¡¯s back, he was somewhat hoping the man would turn around and answer his child¡¯s question.


    When that didn¡¯t happen, the old duke sighed. ¡°Behind a man¡¯s shaft is a sack with a line running through it. Those are testicals.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you mean balls!¡± Luca perked up in understanding while Penelope made a disgusted face.


    ¡°That¡¯s what balls are?¡± Her voice was shrill enough that it at last alerted Eli and Tam to the nature of the conversation taking place behind them.


    Both Eli in her large cat form, and Tam swung around.


    ¡°Just what are you lot talking about?¡± Tam demanded seriously.


    He still looked pale from his time unconscious, and he wasn¡¯t moving as swiftly as he had been before, but the warm glint in his eyes was the same as ever.


    ¡°Harris is being gross!¡± Penelope shouted while darting over to Tam.


    Harris watched as she grabbed Tam¡¯s hand, and he briefly wondered when she had started doing such a thing naturally.


    ¡°Harris?¡± Tam called out while drawing out the name.


    ¡°They asked me the meaning behind ¡®family jewels¡¯!¡±


    Tam sighed.


    ¡°He¡¯s making it up, right? Men don¡¯t have balls like that, right?¡± Penelope demanded seriously.


    Wincing, Tam shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s not lying.¡± He didn¡¯t elaborate further.


    ¡°Yuck.¡± Penelope stuck out her tongue and gagged.


    Tam smiled and looked back ahead.


    Harris sighed, then turned to Luca. ¡°So, after I felled the first one, another two lunged at my sides. I held the stick out, bashed the left one in the stomach, and then the right one with either ends of the stick.¡±


    ¡°But there were two more!¡±


    ¡°Very right!¡± Harris grinned down at the boy. ¡°Your math skills are really coming along, Luca!¡±


    The boy beamed.


    ¡°So, there I was with two more robbers to take care of so I could get back home and jump in the lake.¡±


    ¡°What lake?¡±


    ¡°The lake just outside of Sorlia. It¡¯s crystal clear, and I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve been able to swim to the bottom of it. It has lots of fish to eat, and is wonderful to jump into in the summer. Or, as in this story, when your head feels like it¡¯s being smashed open with a red hot fire poker due to a heavy night of drinking.¡±


    ¡°Does it always hurt like that when you drink?¡±


    ¡°No, no. Now. Back to the story. The next one that came at me¡ª¡±


    Eli stopped walking, and her great head came up, ears twitching.


    They all halted.


    *


    ¡°What is it?¡± Tam lowered his voice and scanned the area around them.


    A low, growling rumble echoed from Eli. Tam gently pressed Penelope behind himself and withdrew two of his knives.


    Harris gave Luca a nudge in the back and sent him darting toward where Penelope was.


    Tam carefully sidled over to Eli. She lowered her great body (that was in fact a little bigger than a shanty), and Tam slowly reached under her to release the straps they had fashioned so that Eli could carry their gear-¨Cin truth it barely fit her anymore.


    She allowed the packs to slide off of her back, but then flexed her powerful body in a pre-pounce position.


    ¡°Where are you hearing them?¡± Tam murmured quietly.


    Eli¡¯s ears twitched a few more times, her golden eyes staring behind them and a little to their left into the trees.


    ¡°Can you tap your paw on the ground to let me know how many you smell?¡±


    Eli didn¡¯t quite do this, but she did extend two massive claws.


    By this time, Harris was at Tam¡¯s side with his sword drawn.


    ¡°Tam,¡± he whispered. ¡°You really should¡¯ve acquired a sword of your own on the pirate ship. Knives are only good in fights when the person is unsuspecting, or otherwise unarmed.¡±


    ¡°These were lighter which was better for traveling. And it¡¯s not the time for this conversation. There are two people coming toward us.¡±


    ¡°Are they witches? Can you tell?¡± Harris asked, glancing over toward Eli.


    She shook her head.


    ¡°Dad? Should Penelope and I go find somewhere to hide?¡± Luca whisper-shouted from where he and Penelope had backed away.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tam called back softly over his shoulder.


    The three adults could hear the children¡¯s footsteps grow more distant, and so readjusted both their attentions and grips on their weapons.


    It was difficult to listen to any sounds coming from the forest over the roar of the river at their side.


    But still they waited.


    Tam¡¯s face paled the longer he waited crouched; his endurance waning quickly.


    Licking his lips, he then asked, ¡°Are they coming closer or moving away? One claw for coming closer, and two for moving away.¡±


    At first, Eli extended one claw, but then a second.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°Are they separating?¡± Tam guessed.


    Eli bobbed her head.


    And that was when the screams echoed out.


    Tam, Eli, and Harris whirled around to see a Zinferan man with long white hair, and long white beard grasping Luca and Penelope by the back of their necks, and was already starting to rise up in the sky from behind a large rock they had been hiding behind before.


    ¡°NO!¡± Tam roared.


    He darted toward the air witch, adrenaline pumping through him. Eli had already taken two massive bounds toward the Zinferan, when a massive wave of water rose from the river, and crashed into Tam and Harris, dragging them into its icy depths.


    Eli pounced into the air, her wings pressed tightly against her body, when another massive wave of water grabbed her midjump, and plunged her in the the river, pushing her back and down as the air witch continued to ascend into the sky with the two shrieking children who kicked and screamed against his hold.


    The water witch stepped free of the trees, her hands flexing and sweat beading on her brow with the effort of pushing not only Tam and Harris down the river, but also Eli who was significantly larger than they had been led to believe.


    When she was certain they were long gone, she stopped forcing them against the current, and merely allowed the river to flow as it should.


    They would all eventually wash back¡ªif they didn¡¯t drown of course.


    The water witch then ventured back into the woods to meet up with one of the others to find another air witch to bring her back to Gondol.


    The first witch should be happy. They¡¯d found the boy, and confirmed that Tamlin Ashowan and Elisara Taejo were alive.


    It was work well done, and hopefully signified that the beginning of the end could commence.


    *


    Eli hauled Tam out of the water, her fur soaking wet.


    Harris, who she had managed to pull out of the river first, was shivering on the ground and already rifling through his pack to find a blanket.


    Tam on the other hand, was in the fetal position, shivering and coughing, trying to draw a clear breath.


    Eli shifted back to her human form, and dropped to her knees beside him, her own skin tinged with blue from the cold.


    ¡°H-here,¡± Harris tossed a folded wool blanket at them weakly.


    Eli reached for it with trembling fingers that didn¡¯t want to fully straighten, but she grasped it and hauled it over Tam, then herself as she huddled beside him.


    ¡°Godsdamnit,¡± Tam sputtered at last, his voice hoarse. ¡°Gods fucking damnit!¡± he seethed, his hands closing into fists. ¡°If only I wasn¡¯t weak right now. Godsdamnit they have them. They took them!¡±


    Eli could see the tears in his eyes as he managed to sit up.


    Her own throat was starting to constrict as she then looked at Harris who appeared equally grim.


    ¡°At least we¡¯re alive,¡± Eli started to say slowly. ¡°It¡¯s a miracle we weren¡¯t bashed on any of the rocks.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather be bashed to pieces with the kids still with us,¡± Tam remarked bitingly.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to get them back, Tam,¡± Harris called out, though he was looking far worse for wear himself.


    ¡°What if the first witch leaves Zinfera the instant she grabs Luca?¡± Tam speculated, his hand running through his hair anxiously, his eyes wide with fear.


    ¡°We will find them,¡± Eli repeated firmly. Something was brewing in her own chest. Something hot, and prickly. Something with teeth that wanted to start tearing the world apart despite her calm outward demeanor. ¡°We are going to get our kids back safe and sound, or so help me I will burn more than just Zinfera to the ground.¡±


    Harris stared at his niece, knowingness and understanding in his eyes, but she ignored him. He didn¡¯t try to calm the obvious rage simmering in Eli, nor the soul shaking terror and panic that had clearly dug its claws into Tam.


    At the very least, the heated emotions were chasing away the last of the shivering from the river¡ªthe hot sun above also lending a passive aid to this.


    ¡°We need a plan,¡± Eli ground out, her mind already racing. ¡°I can try and improve my flying. Tam you need to recover your magic as quickly as possible. Once back in Gondol, we¡¯ll see what we can find out about where they¡¯ve been taken, and or if the first witch has left Zinfera. We can contact your sister, but not directly¡ª¡±


    A shrieking, monstrous roar echoed out amongst the mountains and forest.


    The three of them fell silent.


    Harris¡¯s eyes went wide.


    ¡°Good Gods.¡± He slowly rose to his feet, his eyes transfixed on the mountains, horror filling his face in a way that made him look like someone else entirely.


    ¡°What? What was that?¡± Tam demanded turning in a full circle to look around.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that sound only once before in my life,¡± Harris started to say while looking at the nearest mountains that lay to the south. ¡°It was twenty-nine years ago. But there are some things you just don¡¯t forget.¡±


    ¡°Harris, what are you¡ª¡±


    Eli stumbled back, grabbing Tam¡¯s upper arm, her face turned upward to the sky in distressed awe.


    A great shadow passed over them on the ground.


    ¡°Oh. Oh, no, no, no! What is happening? Why today?¡± Harris shouted.


    Neither Tam nor Eli could say anything, as gliding toward them, its form only growing larger and larger as it neared, was a dragon.


    A golden dragon, whose scales glinted in the sunlight, blinding them as its great wings, the length of nearly six horses for each wing, flexed against the air, sending a blast of wind at them.


    Despite its size, the dragon landed softly on the ground.


    It lowered its long, glimmering neck, until its snout was close enough to Tam¡¯s chest that he could reach out an arm, and touch it if he dared.


    The dragon breathed in deeply. Then continued to snuff Tam interestedly.


    Its eyes were green. Dark green toward its edges, with faint white lines tracing through them until the bright green in the middle where an inky black slit for pupils stared down at them.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve pissed myself,¡± Harris choked.


    The dragon growled, making the earth rumble.


    Instead of intimidating Eli, however, something in her snapped.


    They had enough problems, and she wasn¡¯t going to let a Godsdamn dragon become another one.


    With a shout that sounded like a barbaric war cry, she shifted into her cat form and threw her head back, her shout transforming into a terrifying roar. Her wings snapped out, and her claws dug into the ground.


    The dragon reared backward in surprise, rising up on its hind legs.


    Snarling, Eli prowled closer, power coursing through her muscles that still ached from her growth spurt. She didn¡¯t care. This was one of the worst days of her life, and it had gone downhill so fast, and they¡¯d been completely powerless. And that wretched feeling of helplessness ignited something in her that smothered any exhaustion, wariness, or fear in her.


    Eli drew closer to the dragon. She noted its black claws, and the scales that looked like closely woven sheets of armor while trying to find a weakness.


    The dragon dropped back down to stand on all fours. A peculiar expression on its long face before its lips stretched back, revealing teeth as long as Tam¡¯s forearm that looked quite pointy.


    Eli glowered; until a voice suddenly echoed from the dragon. A voice she heard inside her head.


    ¡°Well, hello, little one. I confess I¡¯ve not met an ancient beast quite like you before. How is it you are a beast, a human, and have the smell of chaos belonging to familiars in your blood?¡±


    Eli¡¯s head came up, her mind wiped blank in utter shock.


    What¡­ was happening?

 Chapter 86: An Ancient Acquainting

    Tam, Eli, and Harris stood in awe in the gigantic cavern the golden dragon had led them to.


    As it turned out, the lair hadn¡¯t been far from where they had clambered out of the river. It had appeared less than a quarter of a league into the woods, in the base of what had seemed like a solid rocky wall of a mountain. The entrance had been a discrete lopsided triangle of blackness amongst thick foliage, and it had been quite narrow when Eli, Tam, and Harris had entered. They weren¡¯t even sure how the dragon was going to follow in behind them.


    However, that mystery was solved when they stepped out into the massive open space where several holes in the rocky walls let in pale streams of daylight, illuminating the space, and also providing a perfect dragon sized entrance to the cave.


    Speaking of the scaly ancient beast, a great flapping of air sounded from above a moment before a swath of light disappeared during the dragon¡¯s entrance into the cave, where he glided in a neat circle before landing before the trio.


    The dragon stared at them.


    They stared back.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he can talk unless I¡¯m in my beast form,¡± Eli guessed slowly.


    Tam nodded in understanding, his face still pale and grim from the events of the day.


    Stepping forward, Eli shifted back into her own beastly form and approached the dragon.


    ¡°You are correct. I can only speak with you in this form,¡± the dragon confirmed.


    Seating herself down, Eli lifted her furry chin expectantly. ¡°You said I am an ancient beast?¡±


    The dragon let out a rumbling chuckle. ¡°You carry the blood of one, yes. Yet that is not all you are.¡±


    ¡°I quit being a familiar. So you were wrong about that.¡±


    ¡°Little one, you cannot quit being a familiar. To quit is to die. You are soul bound to your witch. If you are perhaps worried that you will be enslaved to them, or that this somehow takes from your free will, you could not be more wrong.¡±


    Eli felt iciness course through her blood at the dragon¡¯s words; he had guessed her fear so quickly and astutely.


    ¡°You have a witness and an ally for your life, and one who is incapable of being someone that you do not trust.¡±


    Her gut roiled.


    ¡°I see my words are not easing your concerns.¡± The dragon let out a warm huff of air while settling down onto his haunches, and wrapping his long tail around his body.


    The gold of his scales glinted in the sunbeam he had placed himself, the winking rainbow of lights that shone off of him occasionally made Eli wince from its brightness.


    ¡°You also said I¡¯m a human. How can I be a beast and a familiar as well as a human?¡±


    ¡°It seems you shift into each role.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m also an ancient beast?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Eli¡¯s head was starting to hurt. ¡°How can you know all this?¡±


    ¡°Your scent and from watching you shift from one figure to the next.¡±


    ¡°So am I only an ancient beast when I shift into this form?¡±


    The dragon tilted his great head and then extended his neck, his nostrils flaring.


    ¡°No. You always have the blood. The smell is only stronger when you shift. It is as though you have extra veins in your being. You are fully human, but your connection to the ancient beast is never far.¡±


    ¡°I suppose I should be relieved that I¡¯m only a familiar in this form.¡±


    ¡°I am less certain on that. It is still possible for you to feel the echoes of such a powerful status in your human state. It is a connection and power that rivals even the greatest of ancient beasts such as myself. To be both? I must confess, you are nothing short of a mighty wonder.¡±


    Swallowing proved to be a more difficult move that called Eli¡¯s full attention in order for her to do so successfully.


    ¡°Why are you willing to tell me this? What do you want?¡± she managed, her overwhelming emotions making the words taste bitter in the back of her throat, even though she did not speak them aloud.


    ¡°Ancient beasts are loyal to each other. We help one another. Even if we are on the opposing sides of the feud between the children of the Gods, we will still offer some help, barring a battle, of course. Though even during a war, we do our utmost to avoid opposing each other and focus on threats more human or witch centered.¡±


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t said what you want in return,¡± Eli pointed out sharply.


    ¡°I want nothing, but should I need help, and you able to give it, you will.¡±


    Eli thought back to the reports she had read on Troivack¡¯s civil war. The only time ancient beasts actively fought one another was when Katarina Reyes¡¯s familiar had become involved and somehow charmed a stone golem.


    The fact that Pina was a familiar and somehow overrode these ancient rules became all the more impressive, Eli thought to herself silently. Her ears twitched and she allowed her mind to increase the scope of her questions.


    ¡°You¡¯re the rumored dragon of Zinfera. Why have you appeared?¡±


    The dragon before had seemed elegant, and wise. Not really emoting much outside of a sort of weary fondness for Eli, but at this question, he seemed even older. Grief made his eyes seem to droop, and pain filled their brilliant green depths.


    ¡°I heard of the death of one of our kind. An ancient beast was killed at the hands of the coven here in Zinfera. Not in self-defense, but for greed, and cruelty. I know Aradia has only just recently come to Zinfera and it is not her fault, but the people must know their leaders,Tte royalty they exalt, are being punished for this sin. For one such sin shall come thrice the consequence. I wield my presence as the threat of pending doom that awaits them.¡±


    A shiver ran down Eli¡¯s spine, and some uneasy part of her started to wonder if she would play a part in this vengeance for the ancient beast¡¯s.


    ¡°Can you help us?¡± she ventured quietly.


    The dragon¡¯s gaze moved over to Tam, then Harris, who looked on the verge of soiling himself. ¡°I cannot help you save the devil.¡±


    Shock rocked through Eli, followed by potent dread. ¡°The¡­ The devil?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I can smell him all over the three of you.¡±


    ¡°The little boy with us. Was he¡ª Does that mean he is-¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I do not know what stage of life the devil is in now. Only that Aradia searches for him. She is about to set the world to rights, then send him home to serve his penance.¡±


    ¡°We were traveling with a boy. He had a letter from one of Tam¡¯s former lovers, claiming to be his son. Is it possible¨C¡±


    ¡°The devil¡¯s followers arrange for his safe upbringing in each of his lives. Aradia thought she had dealt with all of his contacts, but I believe she discovered an imp that managed to convince a raccoon of all things to save some ash from the devil¡¯s last death to be safely reborn. The imp most likely threatened or bribed the human to claim the devil as his own and name¡ªTam, you called him¡ªthe father.¡± The dragon cut Eli off, staring gravely at her. He seemed to be able to sense her distress. ¡°I am aligned with Aradia, and therefore cannot help you retrieve the devil.¡±


    ¡°But he isn¡¯t like a devil! He¡¯s a normal little boy! He¡¯s happy, and sweet, and¨C¡±


    ¡°Happy?¡± This second interruption from the dragon would¡¯ve irked Eli, were it not for the quiet surprise tinged with emotion in his voice. ¡°This boy you know, is¡­ Happy?¡±


    Eli managed to nod.


    The dragon lifted his head, his eyes shining. ¡°He¡­ Our devil¡­ Has not been happy in centuries. Even with his many rebirths, he is never truly happy. There is an otherness about him that alienates him from others. A power that humankind senses. It turns them from him, even though he does not regain his abilities or memories until he is older.¡±


    ¡°So he himself wouldn¡¯t know he is the devil?¡±


    ¡°Not if he is a child.¡±


    Eli¡¯s heart ached in her chest.


    So Luca really was the devil.


    How could she tell Tam?


    Should she even tell him at all?


    He had claimed he didn¡¯t want to know.


    ¡°If the devil is happy as you say, then you have my greatest thanks. While I serve the first witch, it does not mean I do not love the devil. I side with Aradia merely because I believe our devil has suffered enough here on earth, when all he wanted to do was defend us. To keep this world safe for us ancient beasts. I believe he should go home to the Forest of the Afterlife to at long last be at peace.¡±


    Eli felt numbness overtaking her being as the weight of the knowledge she had just been given settled in her bones.


    ¡°If he is happy, then this Tam witch,¡± the dragon nodded his head toward Tam who was watching the golden dragon keenly. ¡°Is remarkable, and I can see why a remarkable ancient beast like yourself would be loyal to him.¡±


    Unable to say anything, Eli¡¯s head lowered.


    ¡°What is your name, child?¡±


    ¡°Elisara. Eli. For short.¡±


    ¡°That is your human name. What is your beast name? If you wish to rise in your power, you will need a name gifted to you by your witch.¡±


    Conflicting emotions ranging from ire to grief continued to thrum against the protective barrier Eli had erected in her heart during the conversation.


    ¡°I am Wixim, and my hope is that one day perhaps we may speak again, and at that time you will have embraced all of your magnificence, and will be able to see it as the gift it is rather than a burden.¡±


    ¡°Can you help us return to Gondol? Or at the very least help us get closer?¡±


    The dragon¡¯s magnanimous countenance fell flat. ¡°No. That¡¯d be helping the devil. Not Aradia. I feel I¡¯ve been very clear.¡±


    ¡°You also said you have to help fellow ancient beasts,¡± Eli argued.


    ¡°I have answered your questions and helped you realize your potential and the worth of your uniqueness. You are not in danger. You can return on foot. Or fly yourself. Your wings look large enough.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to fly yet,¡± Eli grumbled.


    Wixim stared at her for a long, thoughtful moment. ¡°I will help you learn to fly. That is all. By that time, if you have been given a name, I imagine you should be able to carry these other two on your back.¡±


    Pausing, Eli considered such an offer.


    Would it be more expedient to spend time learning to fly and not traveling?


    ¡°How long will it take to learn to fly?¡±


    Wixim lowered his head, his eyelids closing slowly. ¡°That depends on you. I¡¯ve never seen a beast like you before. It takes dragon hatchlings a week to a month once their wings have fully grown.¡±


    Eli considered the fact that they were already most likely two weeks from Gondol on foot¡­


    She shifted back into her human form and turned to Harris and Tam. Harris jolted when she did this; caught off guard by the abruptness of it.


    ¡°He can teach me to fly and I can take us back to Gondol, or we continue on foot. What do you think?¡± Eli looked first at Tam, then at Harris.


    Tam¡¯s arms were folded over his chest, and his eyes moved to the dragon studiosly. ¡°He won¡¯t take us himself?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll explain why later.¡±


    ¡°I imagine it might cause some distress if he¡¯s seen,¡± Harris speculated with forced casualness. The duke was quite obviously still petrified of the dragon.


    Ignoring this, Eli kept her eyes fixed on Tam. ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    The future duke continued staring at Wixim, who, upon sensing Tam¡¯s gaze, had cracked open an eyelid to stare back.


    ¡°Do you think you can learn to fly quickly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to try my absolute best.¡±


    Tam locked eyes with Eli, and she could tell that he read her sincerity.


    ¡°Alright. You¡¯ll learn how to fly. Then we¡¯re going to go find out where that woman took the kids.¡±


    Eli twitched her chin down in understanding, then in the same movement of her turning to face the dragon again, she returned to her beast form.


    ¡°If you are willing to teach me, I will greatly appreciate you teaching me to fly.¡±


    Wixim made a low noise of approval, then, his slitted eye swiveled up to stare intently at Eli.


    ¡°Your witch is powerful. His power may even rival that of the children of the Gods themselves. I¡¯m afraid I will have to forewarn Aradia of this should I see her, but I confess¡­ I hope we never will have to cross paths as enemies in a battle.¡±


    As though Eli hadn¡¯t had enough distressing news for the day, this new tidbit made her glance over her shoulder at Tam.


    He was strong, sure, but was he really as powerful as Wixim said?


    ¡°I see now how the devil could be happy. He was put in the care of a being who would never become afraid of him. Only for him. The Goddess truly does work in wondrous ways. May his good heart never bring out his power in the name of destruction.¡±


    Eli leaned forward, wanting clarity, and yet already sensing the reason for such a comment, when the dragon closed his eyes.


    It would seem even the greatest of beasts required naps.


    Moving back into her human form, Eli staggered, only to have Tam reach out and steady her.


    ¡°Well? What¡¯s going to happen?¡± Harris asked after Tam had checked and ensured Eli was alright from changing back and forth so much in a day.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to learn to fly. Probably once he wakes up I¡¯ll start my lessons,¡± Eli explained, her voice a croak.


    The worry in Tam¡¯s eyes tripled when he spotted the tears rising in her eyes.


    Eli almost couldn¡¯t tell him the truth about Luca. He had said he didn¡¯t need to know! But in her heart, in her gut¡­ She knew she had to tell him. Especially if it meant they had to battle the first witch to get him back.


    ¡°Tam there¡¯s¡­ There¡¯s something I have to tell you.¡±

 Chapter 87: The Kids Make a Kerfuffle

    Sniffles sounded in the corner of the otherwise quiet room.


    Aradia stared at the two children huddled together in the corner feeling pleased, but also a mite annoyed.


    She always was when her brother, the devil, was in his child form.


    He had no memories of any of his previous lifetimes, or his Godly parentage, and he couldn¡¯t even use his abilities.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± the little girl Ansar had told Aradia was named Penelope shouted.


    Aradia rolled her eyes to the ceiling.


    She had been hoping to go enjoy some lunch in the garden before spending the rest of her day watching two kids.


    Stepping over to the children, she noted the way Penelope had her arms wrapped around the devil. As though she were the one minding him. Pulling out a chair, Aradia sat down a short distance from where they crouched, and loosely clasped her fingers together.


    ¡°Penelope, you saw Ansar. You know I¡¯m a friend of his. I¡¯m not sure why you are so upset. Hadn¡¯t you wanted to be rescued?¡±


    The little girl scowled boldly at Aradia, her arms still wrapped protectively around Luca. ¡°Well I didn¡¯t! I was fine! And you didn¡¯t need to take him anyway! He should be back with his parents.¡±


    Aradia tilted her head interestedly her eyes darting back to her brother. ¡°His parents, hm? And is one of these parents Tamlin Ashowan by chance?¡±


    Upon hearing this name, the little boy lifted his tear stained face.


    ¡°So what if it is?¡± Penelope snapped.


    Aradia stared at her brother; he stared back only a moment before he had to turn away and continue crying in Penelope¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Lord Tamlin isn¡¯t your real father. You are the devil. You are my brother. The son of the Gods. And you,¡± Aradia¡¯s eyes slid to Penelope. ¡°Are the only remaining seer alive right now. The blood of your father saw to it that you inherited such a gift. I¡¯m sorry to inform you your mother passed away while in your grandmother¡¯s care.¡±


    ¡°LIAR!¡±


    Aradia regarded her little brother who had shouted and at last released Penelope as he glared at her with intense fury.


    Aradia gave an unbothered shrug. ¡°You don¡¯t have your memories yet, brother. When you start going through puberty, they will start coming back, and you will remember every horrible thing you¡¯ve ever done. You will remember our feud, and that I am your twin sister whom you wronged.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the devil! My dad is Tam! My mother is Rosaline, and my mom is Eli! You are just¡ªYou are just a bad woman!¡± the boy declared while pointing at Aradia with a trembling finger.


    The first witch gave a long sigh. ¡°I will be sending you back to the Forest of the Afterlife as soon as possible so that you can start paying for your sins.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere with you!¡± the little boy roared as snot dribbled down his nose and he rose to his knees.


    ¡°You no longer have a choice. I admit, you were wildly clever¡ªor perhaps it was your loyal imp who I should be commending¡ªfor placing you in the care of an Ashowan.¡±


    ¡°I am an Ashowan!¡±


    Aradia blinked. Her cool mask not budging an inch.


    ¡°What name did he give you?¡± she asked softly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell her.¡± Penelope¡¯s voice was like steel. ¡°She needs your name to do anything to you.¡±


    Aradia¡¯s attention snapped to the girl. ¡°And who told you that?¡±


    Penelope stuck her tongue out in response.


    Shifting her jaw, Aradia was reminded of how she didn¡¯t have an abundance of patience for children.


    Well, she didn¡¯t mind them exactly, but Soo Hebin had returned that morning and Aradia was already in a bad mood as a result.


    ¡°Penelope, I¡¯m going to be sending you away first. My brother and I will be joining you shortly once we get things wrapped up here in Zinfera.¡±


    ¡°Where are you taking her?¡± the boy demanded passionately while moving protectively in front of Penelope.


    Aradia balked.


    Had her brother ever been so thoughtful toward a human before?


    Whenever she had seen him in his child form, he had always been stoic. Emotionless. World-weary. Tired. Wise beyond his years. Yet this time, he seemed like a genuinely frightened, good-hearted little boy.


    The Ashowan son must have really done a number on him.


    Giving a scoff of disbelief, Aradia rose from her seat.


    No sooner had she done this, than a loud commotion echoed out in the hall. Something broke, someone screamed. Then there was a great deal of shuffling feet and men¡¯s voices.


    It sounded like Katarina Reyes was wrecking some new havoc. Most likely she had learned of Soo Hebin¡¯s return and wanted to gift the woman a welcome home headache.


    Aradia smiled despite herself, and turned to the door.


    ¡°My dad¡¯s going to come get us, and you¡¯re going to be sorry you took us.¡±


    Rounding slowly back to face her brother, Aradia stared down unsurprised at his wrathful expression.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been sorry for many things in my life, brother. But I¡¯ve never been sorry for trying to restore the balance of the world, regardless of what doing so requires me to do. I¡¯ll be back shortly. There are no windows, and two guards will be standing inside this room to keep an eye on you.¡±


    Things were proceeding exactly as she had planned.


    Which meant that in a fortnight, she would be heading to Daxaria, and by the time the autumn chill set in, she would have cast her brother back to the Forest of the Afterlife. The covens would be properly positioned as the religious powerhouses of the kingdoms, and with this all done, perhaps her parents would break her curse and allow her to go home at long, long last.


    *


    Penelope sat slumped against the wall, her eyes staring blindly ahead of herself.


    She had already been told by Tam and Eli about her abilities as a seer, but what good were those when she was being abducted again?


    Luca wiped his face with his sleeve, his breaths still coming out in shudders. ¡°She¡¯s lying, right?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like it,¡± Penelope admitted grimly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the devil! And why did she need my name?¡± Luca asked vehemently.


    Penelope brought her knees up to her chest and pressed her forehead to them. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have normal magic, and if she is using you to do something with or to you, she needs your name. That¡¯s what my Uncle Thomas told me,¡± she explained quietly so that the guards couldn¡¯t overhear her and tell the woman who¡¯d taken them.


    ¡°Oh... I¡¯m sorry about your mom,¡± Luca added while leaning back so that he could press his shoulder a little more into Penelope¡¯s while resting his folded arms on his own knees.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Did you know we were going to get taken?¡± Luca wondered carefully.


    Penelope shook her head. ¡°What I saw was us standing behind Tam and Eli in a room.¡±


    ¡°Then that means we¡¯re getting out of here!¡± Luca perked up, his eyes filling with hope.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Penelope barely managed a half smile.


    A particularly loud bang thundered outside the doors to the room the children sat in, making both Luca and Penelope look at the guards who were grimacing.


    ¡°That Daxarian queen is disgraceful,¡± one of the guards muttered to his companion disapprovingly.


    ¡°I heard she has cost Her Highness over a thousand gold coins in repairs by now.¡± The other guard shook his head in disbelief.


    Luca stiffened at Penelope¡¯s side. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± he whispered.


    ¡°What?¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°The Daxarian queen! That¡¯s my aunt! She¡¯s close by!¡±


    Penelope¡¯s brow furrowed as she turned to stare at Luca. ¡°Do you really think she¡¯d want to help us? We haven¡¯t ever met her.¡±


    ¡°My dad likes her! And he loves my cousins, so she can¡¯t be all that bad.¡±


    Not looking quite as certain about this assessment as Luca was, Penelope scrunched up half her face doubtfully. ¡°How could we possibly find her?¡±


    The sound of something delicate shattering made the two guards wince, and Luca smiled.


    ¡°We just follow the noise.¡±


    ¡°Are you forgetting about the guards? Or about the other people who will stuff us all back in this room the second we run for it?¡± Penelope reminded warily. Though she was starting to look more quizzical than dismissive.


    ¡°We can always distract them. Or hit them in the family jewels!¡± Luca¡¯s dark eyes were sparkling.


    Penelope couldn¡¯t resist a smile at hearing the idea¡ªespecially as it reminded her of Harris¡¯s funny story from earlier. ¡°They won¡¯t let us get that close to them. Besides, if we do that, they¡¯ll tie us up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I could just go up and ask for a bathroom. Or say my stomach hurts! What do you think? Will you help me?¡±


    While Penelope was far from confident in their getaway scheme, she had to confess, the sounds of destruction nearby really did seem close enough that it wouldn¡¯t be hard to reach.


    ¡°Even if we don¡¯t find the queen, we can scream for her,¡± Luca persisted, making sure his voice was as quiet as possible.


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.Penelope tilted her head. That did increase their odds a great deal¡­


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s do it.¡±


    Luca grinned excitedly while hiding his expression behind his knees from the guards. Penelope couldn¡¯t help but smile in return. Despite the present circumstance and the fact that she had heard the confirmation of her mother¡¯s death, she had mourned her mother for weeks on the ship, and already felt like she had come to most of those terms ever since she¡¯d had to say goodbye.


    The only reason she wasn¡¯t completely hopeless after that, was entirely thanks to the annoying kid she had come to like despite herself. And if he was going to go and get himself in trouble, she wasn¡¯t going to let him do it alone. Especially if it meant that maybe she could go back with him to Tam, Eli, and Harris, who she had also maybe just grown to be a little bit fond of.


    *


    Kat kicked over a bucket filled with dirty water the maids hadn¡¯t had a chance to empty after washing Soo Hebin¡¯s silk sheets.


    The Daxarian queen stood with her hands on her hips, her fingers fluttering against her hip as she stared down the crowd that had thickened around her.


    ¡°Where oh where is Soo Hebin,¡± Kat hollered out over them. ¡°I have been trying to get in touch with Troivack¡¯s delegation to discuss the recent commotion in Zinfera, and yet again I have been told no information, and stopped from leaving. Which makes me wonder if I am a prisoner here in this palace, which makes me rather annoyed!¡±


    No one answered Kat, nor did anyone approach her as her frightening gaze swept over them.


    Duchess Annika had gone to nap claiming to have a most unpleasant headache¡ªat least that is what was told to the palace staff¡ªand she was the only one capable of calming down the Daxarian queen.


    In actuality the emperor had awoken at long last, and she was in a private meeting with him. Which meant Kat had to create all sorts of distractions and commotions to ensure their discussion was not interrupted. It was doing wonders at aiding Kat in working out some of her aggravations over the fact that her brother¡¯s connection with her, after days of flickering in and out of existence, had turned steady once more, though was visibly weaker.


    Kat looked around the small courtyard, her eyebrows raised. She needed something else to smash. Maybe she¡¯d rip up a shrub or two¡­ Though she felt bad for the gardener of the palace. It was bad enough she had had to terrorize a number of the maids who, while they worked for Soo Hebin, were forced to clean up after Kat¡¯s bouts of destruction.


    The queen was starting to wonder if perhaps she should start to be more creative in her approach to aggravating Soo Hebin, when a shrill shout pierced the air.


    ¡°KAT! AUNT KAT! KATARINA! TAM¡¯S SISTER!¡±


    Kat¡¯s head snapped round.


    It sounded like a child.


    Her aura burst outward, and without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Kat bolted straight toward the sound.


    ¡°KAT! PLEASE HELP US! KAT!¡±


    She skidded to a halt at the far side of the courtyard; just in time to see some sort of scuffle taking place near the second floor balcony.


    Bending her knees, her eyes filling with golden light, Kat leapt up, and soared inhumanly high. She seized the wooden railing of the second floor balcony, and swung herself nimbly over and down. She drew her sword out when she spotted two guards wrestling back what appeared to be two children.


    ¡°AUNT KAT!¡± The little boy wrenched his body against the guard¡¯s hold as soon as he saw her, though she saw the nervous fear in his face at the sight of the blazing light in her eyes and her aura.


    ¡°HALT!¡± Kat boomed, her voice sending shudders through the air.


    The guards, at last noticing her presence, faltered at the sight of the Daxarian queen.


    ¡°Put the children down.¡±


    The guards tried to readjust their grips on the children while sharing a nervous glance with each other, but the little girl bit down hard on the hand of the one man who held her, and the little boy dropped a firm fist into the man¡¯s groin shouting. ¡°FAMILY JEWELS!¡±


    Kat pressed her lips together as she found she suddenly had to struggle against laughing. The boy then darted away from the guards behind the little girl, and they both skidded around to hide behind her.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± The guard who had been bit bowed while his injured hand clenched into a reddened fist, while the other one was still doubled over on the ground.


    Kat could¡¯ve sworn she could¡¯ve heard the man on the ground weakly utter ¡°Why¡­ Again?¡±


    ¡°These children are special guests of¨C¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Tam¡¯s son!¡± the boy interrupted staring up at Kat with all the urgency and sincerity a child in danger could muster.


    ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± The little girl shouted. ¡°We were with Harris, Eli, and Tam, and were kidnapped yesterday!¡±


    Kat¡¯s heart pounded.


    They¡¯d been with Tam?


    Wait¡­ Didn¡¯t that mean that this little boy was the devil¡­?


    Kat gazed down into the child¡¯s face, and felt herself still.


    He looked so much like Tam, but then again, the devil had looked very similar to her brother back when the devil had been a fully grown man in Troivack all those years ago¡­


    Both guards were on their feet and stepping closer to Kat and the children. ¡°These children are going to be returned to¨C¡±


    ¡°Touch me or these children and you will lose a hand each.¡±


    The terrifying aura around Kat surged, and the guards flinched back.


    ¡°These children are coming with me, and if Soo Hebin, or a certain bitch named Aradia wants them, tell them they can come see me.¡± The demonic, hungry smile Kat gave the guards with a tilt of her head had the men paling in fear.


    They shuffled backward on trembling legs, until they abandoned trying to leave the queen¡¯s presence with their dignity intact, and instead bolted away as quickly as possible.


    With her aura shrinking back down, Kat peered around their surroundings, then, slowly put her hands on each child¡¯s back protectively.


    ¡°You two come with me. I¡¯m going to take you to my quarters, and I do not want you leaving my side for an instant. Understood?¡±


    The two children looked at each other, then up at the Daxarian queen happily before nodding.


    Kat let out a long breath of air.


    Well, this was a surprising turn for the day.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    Dropping her gaze down to the young boy, Kat waited expectantly.


    ¡°My dad says when I saw you I should call you Aunt Queen and that you¡¯d think it was funny.¡±


    A snort escaped Kat before she could stop herself.


    ¡°He¡¯s right. I like it,¡± she admitted with a grin. A welcome bout of relief wormed its way into her heart. That was exactly something Tam would¡¯ve said.


    Then she remembered that the child she was now protecting was most likely the devil.


    Though it was strange¡­


    He didn¡¯t seem like the devil at all.


    Which then brought up a whole other disturbing possibility.


    ¡°Erm. Hey.¡± The two kids looked up at her. ¡°You called Tam your dad¡­ Did he tell you to call him that?¡±


    The little boy smiled timidly, his cheeks blushing, startling Kat with his innocence.


    ¡°Uh. Yeah¡­ I¡¯m a bastard. My dad used to court my mother back in Daxaria, and I finally got to meet him when I snuck onto the boat going to Zinfera.¡±


    ¡°W-wait,¡± Kat spluttered just as she reached one of the rooms to her quarters and pushed the doors open. ¡°You¡­ Wait. Tam had a lover, and she had you?¡±


    The boy nodded slowly, his uncertainty palpable as he visibly shrank back from Kat¡¯s reaction.


    The girl darted into the room while calling over her shoulder. ¡°They also found me on a boat.¡±


    ¡°A different boat!¡± Luca added swiftly as he too entered into the room.


    Kat¡¯s mouth hung open. Unable to form words.


    ¡°Tam¡¯s not my dad,¡± the girl contributed helpfully. ¡°Well. Not yet really. He and Eli are going to adopt me.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Kat squawked while moving into the room, then closing the doors firmly behind herself.


    ¡°Yeah. That won¡¯t happen for a while though,¡± the girl explained reasonably.


    ¡°Can I say you¡¯re my sister now, or later?¡± the boy asked the girl with genuine curiosity.


    Kat¡¯s mind flailed in its effort to grasp what was happening.


    ¡°Ugh. I guess saying it now is fine,¡± the girl sighed irritably, then fixed her big brown eyes up at Kat. ¡°Can you help Tam, Eli, and Harris? They¡¯re probably worried about us. They were trying to get here to Gondol. They¡¯re in the woods.¡±


    Kat¡¯s mind spluttered. How does this girl even have my mother¡¯s eyes? Just what the hell is going on?


    ¡°Aunt Kat, are you okay? Oh. Sorry. Aunt Queen?¡± the boy asked worriedly before grasping his thumb and fidgeting.


    ¡°Are you allowed to say the word ¡®bitch¡¯? I thought it was a bad word,¡± the little girl speculated as she drew closer to Kat with the boy. ¡°I heard you call that bad woman Aradia a bitch.¡±


    The Daxarian queen stared at the two of them.


    ¡°Right¡­ Right¡­ I¡¯m going to have a drink, and uh¡­ You two better start preparing yourselves.¡±


    The children shared nervous looks as Kat stumbled over to a discarded red dress, where she fished out a flask from a discrete pocket, unscrewed its cap, and proceeded to take several gulps.


    ¡°Prepare for what?¡± the boy wondered nervously.


    Kat lowered the flask, wiped her mouth with the back of her wrist and said, ¡°For meeting your grandmother. This is going to be a lot, even for her.¡±

 Chapter 88: An Age of Agony

    Annika stared, unmoving.


    Her expression unreadable.


    Whether or not she was breathing, was also questionable.


    ¡°Mum?¡± Kat called from her seat at the round table where she lounged with her head propped up by three fingers with her elbow resting on the table.


    Annika continued staring blankly at the two children standing before her.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re going to be adopted later, and you don¡¯t call Tam dad or Eli mom, but will you call her Grandma?¡± Luca whispered to Penelope curiously as they waited.


    Penelope was gazing back up at the duchess with a little frown riddling her face.


    Annika¡¯s attention had been homed in on the little girl from the moment she had stepped in the room, her breath hitching.


    Kat slowly pushed herself to sit up a little straighter. ¡°Mum, are you going to faint?¡±


    The duchess still didn¡¯t speak, nor did Penelope as Luca eyed the pair, then eventually he became bold enough to stare more blatantly up at the older woman.


    ¡°Huh, you kind of look like her, Penelope. It¡¯s the eyes I think.¡±


    ¡°I thought the same thing!¡± Kat chimed in behind the children, making Luca turn around and grin at his aunt.


    ¡°Who is your mother?¡±


    All eyes save for Penelope¡¯s¡ªthey were already locked on¡ªsnapped to the duchess.


    Penelope bristled a little. ¡°That¡¯s not your business.¡±


    Annika slowly lowered herself down, her knees visibly trembling. ¡°You¡­¡± the duchess cleared her throat. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to be Caroline¡¯s daughter, would you?¡±


    Penelope stumbled back as Kat rose to her feet. ¡°What?¡±


    Luca looked at Penelope with a tilt of his head. ¡°Who¡¯s Caroline?¡±


    While Annika didn¡¯t turn away from Penelope, she still answered Luca. ¡°Caroline was my niece, and she had a daughter. She went missing shortly after the end of the war in Troivack.¡±


    ¡°Woah, woah, woah, now,¡± Kat burst out, moving closer to the children. ¡°That¡¯d be too weird. This kid pops up and just happens to be¡ª¡±


    ¡°I almost caught them. Three years ago,¡± Annika explained breathily. It was starting to seem as though the duchess really was about to faint. ¡°I have been looking for them ever since they disappeared, and at one point, Her Majesty Queen Alina, thought she had found them. They¡¯d sent me a picture of Caroline and her little girl. Her little girl who looks¡­¡± she trailed off.


    Penelope swallowed loudly, and pressed her lips together tightly.


    ¡°Are you really telling me this girl is Caroline Levin¡¯s daughter, and that we¡¯re related?¡± Kat spluttered in open awe.


    Luca¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°You¡¯re my cousin?¡± he asked earnestly.


    ¡°Technically you¡¯d be second cousins,¡± Annika explained faintly.


    ¡°Are you¡­¡± Penelope¡¯s voice croaked, tears glimmering in her eyes. ¡°My aunt that my mother hated?¡±


    Blinking rapidly as though she, too, were struggling not to cry, Annika responded with, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°She hates you. I hate you!¡± Penelope shouted at the end, backing away.


    Smiling sadly, Annika¡¯s next words were soft, and vulnerable. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t hate you, Penelope.¡±


    The little girl kept backing up, and most likely would¡¯ve retreated all the way to the far wall in the room were it not for the fact that she bumped into Kat¡¯s legs, and the Daxarian queen gently touched her shoulders.


    ¡°Penelope? Do you want to sit behind the screen away from the duchess for a little bit?¡± Kat asked gently.


    Penelope didn¡¯t respond, only turned on her heel and stormed off toward the aforementioned screen, her mouth stretching in a silent sob as she did so.


    The duchess sank back from her knees onto her backside, suddenly looking far older and more fragile than she had at the beginning of their introductions.


    Luca lowered himself down to sit cross legged across from her. ¡°Penelope just found out her mom died,¡± he announced solemnly.


    Annika¡¯s eyes flew to him.


    Luca¡¯s mouth lifted in sad sympathy. ¡°That mean woman who stole us from my dad told her.¡±


    The duchess looked up to her daughter who grimaced, then took in a long, deep breath.


    Kat proceeded to join Luca on the floor, placing herself beside both Luca and her mother. ¡°Hey kid, you didn¡¯t tell me your name.¡±


    Luca fidgeted. ¡°Penelope said I shouldn¡¯t tell people my name because the bad woman could send me somewhere if she knows it. So if I tell you, do you promise not to tell her?¡±


    Kat raised a puzzled eyebrow, which suddenly made Luca smile brightly. ¡°You look like my dad when you do that!¡±


    Caught off guard by this, Kat leaned back, while the duchess gave a quiet laugh.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. You do,¡± Annika agreed with a subtle smile before returning her attention to the boy. ¡°We promise not to tell others your name.¡±


    The boy stared at the duchess then the queen carefully, before hollering, ¡°Penelope do you think I can tell them?¡±


    ¡°Do what you want! I don¡¯t care!¡± she shouted back.


    Luca¡¯s chin dropped to his chest; he was openly wounded. So he stood, and made his way over to the screen to peer in at Penelope who was curled in a protective ball, crying.


    His mouth twisting, Luca approached her slowly, then bent down onto his knees, and hesitantly put his arms around Penelope.


    When she didn¡¯t pull away he hugged her tighter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry again about your mom,¡± he said quietly.


    ¡°S-she said that my great-aunt was a bad woman. Said that¡­ that my grandpa died because of her!¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask her?¡±


    ¡°Because my mom¡¯s dead!¡±


    ¡°Not your mom, the duchess lady.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to her right now.¡±


    ¡°Okay. But she doesn¡¯t seem like a bad lady. Remember my secret? You know¡­¡± Luca lowered his voice to be as quiet as possible. ¡°About sensing feelings?¡±


    Penelope stilled.


    Luca smiled, ¡°She really loves you.¡±


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Penelope shoved Luca off of herself, making him fall on his backside and almost flat on his back. ¡°Go away!¡±


    Luca stared at Penelope, first in surprise, and then with watering eyes. His palms were smarting from catching himself from her shove.


    ¡°Okay¡­ I¡¯m here when you want to talk, though.¡± Luca stood back up, still looking at Penelope who kept her face buried in her arms, then turned to leave her alone again.


    The Daxarian queen and her mother were still seated on the floor. Neither of them spoke as Luca returned to them.


    ¡°I¡¯m Luca.¡± He held out his hand to Katarina.


    Blinking herself free of whatever thoughts she¡¯d been mired in beforehand, Kat loosed a half smile. ¡°Nice to meet you, Luca.¡±


    He bobbed his head at her. ¡°Can we save my dad now?¡±


    Kat glanced at her mother, who was beginning to regain her composure, before responding. ¡°We¡¯d like to, but can you tell us a little about what has been going on since you¡¯ve gotten to Zinfera with Tam?¡±


    Luca twisted his mouth and cocked his head over his right shoulder. ¡°What kind of stuff do you want to know?¡±


    Sighing, the queen seemed to be struggling with how to word her answer, when her mother took care of it for her.


    ¡°Everything, Luca. We need to know absolutely everything.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Again.¡±


    Eli launched herself into the air, her wings flapping desperately to keep her body off the ground¡­ Only she plummeted back down onto the rocky river bank only a moment later.


    ¡°Stronger beats, not more beats. The objective is to rise up quickly so that you can find the air current and glide on those.¡±


    A low growl emitted from Eli¡¯s throat.


    It was the day after the children had been taken, no one other than Wixim had been able to get a proper night¡¯s rest.


    Tam had gone off into the woods, claiming he needed to think, while Wixim had reluctantly granted permission to Harris to explore his cave with his various treasures and artifacts.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think my wings are strong enough,¡± Eli informed the dragon bitterly.


    ¡°They are. Your wings are simply not accustomed to being used yet. Try a running start this time.¡± Wixim yawned.


    Lowering her head wearily, Eli stared down the beach.


    And that was when it chose to hit her.


    To settle in her bones and muscles¡­


    The thought, Why won¡¯t this struggle and bad luck ever end? I¡¯m so¡­ tired.


    ¡°Your witch seemed to handle the news about the devil well.¡± Wixim¡¯s voice interrupted Eli¡¯s thoughts, making her look over where the dragon was watching her with his eyes only partially opened.


    ¡°He¡¯s not doing well. None of us are.¡± Somehow, even though the conversation was happening in their minds, Eli¡¯s words still sounded choked with emotion.


    Wixim lifted his long neck. He stared at Eli while sitting motionlessly.


    ¡°You know¡­ I wasn¡¯t alive when the devil and first witch first came to this world, but my father was.¡± Wixim looked off into the woods to his left. ¡°He said the devil was so scared, and nervous to meet the humans he was to help¡ªthe first witch comforted him as best she could. Kept telling him he¡¯d feel natural doing it, because their parents had given him his gift for that reason.¡±


    Eli lowered herself into a sitting position.


    ¡°The first time he met a bad human, it did more than scare him. It made him mourn. He mourned for all the souls that that one human had hurt. And he kept mourning anew every time he¡¯d meet a new human that would be equally bad or worse. Aradia kept telling him it would get easier, but it never did.¡± A breeze rushed over Wixim and Eli, making the dragon lift his head and close his eyes, as though relishing in the gentle touch of the wind before continuing his story.


    ¡°Eventually the devil became angry. Angry with his parents for putting him in such a painful position, and for creating humans that could be so vile. Then, when the humans turned their cruelty to us, the ancient beasts, we were told by the Gods we could return to the Forest of the Afterlife. The devil heard we were going to leave¡­ And quite bluntly, he broke.¡± Wixim¡¯s gaze saddened.


    Letting out a great huff, however, he continued. ¡°My father and other beasts were the ones who had stayed by the devil¡¯s side during all of those years of heartache. He couldn¡¯t stand such a thing happening to us. When he went to Aradia, he wanted her to join him in appealing to their parents. He wanted humans to die out, one by one¡­ But Aradia¡­ she had met and loved many humans. She even had children of her own. She didn¡¯t want to go against her parents. And so¡­ They fought.¡± Wixim lifted his great body up from his stone, and made his way closer to Eli as he continued the story.


    ¡°He wielded the feeling of fear over her. Tormented her with it. He wanted her to understand the kind of horrible feelings humans caused others. She tried to stop him. They couldn¡¯t finish the fight. They were too evenly matched. So the devil started warring against the humans all on his own. Again, Aradia tried to stop him, and this time¡­ They both lost. He managed to take away her feelings of love, and subsequently, fear. Whereas he lost the ability to return home.¡±


    Silence rested between Eli and Wixim for a while, but eventually the dragon locked eyes with her.


    ¡°I have never heard of any story where the devil was genuinely happy. I mentioned it before, but I don¡¯t know that you really understood the significance. Even in his very first life, before anything happened to him, the devil was never at ease. Never warm. Never understood.¡±


    ¡°Why did you tell me all of this?¡± Eli asked, her heart aching in her chest as she imagined Luca scared and alone with no one to comfort him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t side with Aradia because I disagree with the devil. I side with Aradia because I want the devil to go home, and to no longer be sad, and in pain. I also don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad thing that the humans and witches be separated a little more. They need to have a healthy respect for the balance that is nature and their world.¡±


    Eli¡¯s tail twitched. She didn¡¯t quite agree with that last part¡­


    ¡°If the devil is safe, and happy with you? You and your witch mean more to him than you could ever fathom. It is my hope¡­ and sincere wish, that you reunite, and are able to live in peace once more.¡±


    ¡°I want to. I want to just live in peace with them. I want this whole thing to be done. To hell with the Gods and terrible humans. None of that matters. Why did the Gods abandon a child like him? He needed them! He needs parents!¡±


    ¡°Because the devil is more human than a God. And I believe it took the Gods a lot of time to create two other humans who could possibly be what he needed. I can tell that life has not been kind to you or your witch in many ways, but you two, have what the Gods envy. An understanding of their beloved son, and the ability to give him what they failed to. They will be watching out for you. They want you to have the life you crave. So¡­ Try again. You have the greater powers that be wanting you to succeed, and so now it¡¯s simply a matter of finishing the work to achieve it. It is hard, but by the end, you will have something remarkable, and something that is only yours.¡±


    Eli shifted her paws on the stones.


    She let the story and the insight steady her.


    She didn¡¯t feel less tired, exactly, but she did remember her resolve back when she had stayed in Lord Kim¡¯s home¡­


    She would get the life she wanted more than anything, and she was going to make sure Luca and Penelope never had to experience loneliness without someone by their side again.


    So when she looked down the rocky beach again, Eli took a deep inhale, and charged.

 Chapter 89: A Magnification of Magic Maturation

    Tam sat with his legs crossed in the middle of a small clearing amongst a copse of maple trees.


    He tried to settle his thoughts.


    Tried to breathe through the ache in his chest.


    But he could only succeed for brief moments of time before fresh waves of anger and panic would overtake him.


    His hands clenched into fists, his aggravation rising.


    What if Luca was banished to the Forest of the Afterlife before he could get to him?


    What if he was being tortured?


    Then the recent confirmation of his identity of him being the devil crept up.


    The intensity of emotions in Tam¡¯s chest stormed more violently.


    He was angry that the damn dragon had told him the truth.


    He was angry that the Gods left their son in a childlike state to fend for himself.


    And he was livid that he had no doubt that the first witch was probably going to tell Luca his origins and that his heart would break. Luca would feel the guilt of it. Because that was who he was.


    Tam knew Eli had relayed from the dragon that the devil had no memories from his previous lives in his child state, but how could he change so much? He had a good heart, and to think that centuries of horrible situations¡ªsituations created by the Gods¡ªcould turn him into the literal representation of evil, was doing horrible things to Tam¡¯s own good nature.


    Then there was Penelope¡­ why did they grab her?


    Or was it that the coven and first witch already knew she was a seer and wished to use her for her abilities?


    Tam had promised her he¡¯d protect her, and he hadn¡¯t been able to do anything. Would he ever see her again? What if she never forgave him? Never trusted anyone again, all because he had failed her?


    All these horrible thoughts drenched him in fresh fury.


    It was endless.


    He reached for his magic, and felt the world around him shudder ominously. The leaves shook, the grasses bent away from him¡­


    The cry of birds fleeing the area reached Tam¡¯s ears, forcing him to cut off the connection with his power that was barely starting to return. He had only awoken from his long magic induced rest two days ago. He¡¯d need longer to recover, and meditation wasn¡¯t doing much to help him. Which only fueled his impatience. What if when they left he still couldn¡¯t do anything? What if he needed months to properly recover?


    A sudden tingling of awareness skittered down Tam¡¯s spine.


    Eli was approaching in her human form.


    Interestingly enough, ever since Kat had shoved magic at Tam and he¡¯d been unconscious, he¡¯d been able to sense Eli more keenly than before. Previously she used to be able to sneak up on him and surprise him, but it seemed now if she was within fifty feet he knew about it.


    ¡°Tam?¡± she called out.


    He could hear the weariness mixed with hesitancy in her voice.


    Opening his eyes, Tam looked over his shoulder, sparing a half smile. ¡°How did flying lessons go?¡±


    Eli grimaced. ¡°I was able to glide a few feet off the ground after a few running starts, but it¡¯s been a slow process.¡±


    Tam stiffened. ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll still be able to try flying all the way to Gondol in a week?¡±


    Sighing, Eli folded her arms over herself as she stood in front of Tam who remained seated on the ground. ¡°Wixim thinks I¡¯ll be fine. He says the hard part will be getting all of us up in the air, but once I¡¯m able to find the currents of air on a good day, I should be able to glide mostly there. I¡¯ll be tired, but¡­ Apparently it¡¯s still feasible according to him. I¡¯m hoping I can get high enough to clear the tree tops in three days and stay up.¡±


    Tam managed a polite nod. ¡°Thank you. Thank you for your hard work when I¡¯m sure you¡¯re already tired.¡±


    Eli stared down at him tilting her head over her left shoulder. ¡°I know we said we¡¯re starting a rebellion, but I want us to set ground rules so that we understand each other.¡±


    Tam raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°We do not kill civilians unless they attack,¡± Eli started to list firmly.


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    ¡°You are not careless with your magic. Like opening a void for example if a crowd of people get in the way of us at some point.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been careless like that.¡±


    Eli kept watching him, her thoughts unreadable behind her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re desperate, and we both know desperate people get reckless.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re not desperate?¡± Tam retorted with feigned calmness.


    Eli¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°I am, but I¡¯m not as emotional as you are. Being emotional will get us nowhere.¡±


    Tam rose up from his spot on the ground. He looked down at Eli, his intense feelings bubbling higher. ¡°I know. You might notice how right now I¡¯m not currently shouting and smashing things. But I am allowed to have emotions about everything that has happened.¡±


    ¡°I never said you weren¡¯t allowed. I just said that when we go to retrieve the children, we have to maintain said control.¡±


    Tam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Why are you suddenly worried about this?¡±


    Giving a small jolt, Eli faltered in responding straight away, but eventually admitted, ¡°Wixim mentioned something.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Tam slipped his hands in his pockets.


    ¡°He mentioned that you¡¯re incredibly powerful, and he hoped that you wouldn¡¯t use your power in a fit of anger or for anything else dark like that.¡±


    ¡°Glad to see your faith in my character is so unwavering,¡± Tam remarked coolly. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Tam, I know you¡¯re a good person, but even good people can do terrible things in bad times,¡± Eli argued, her own anger apparent by the frown pulling her brows down.


    Running his tongue over one of the sharp peaks of his teeth, Tam held back saying anything. He wasn¡¯t confident he¡¯d be able to stop himself from showing just how much Eli¡¯s concerns had hurt him.


    He had thought she¡¯d understood him better than anyone.


    Yet there she was, worried he wasn¡¯t going to be able to control himself and would casually hurt people¡­


    He turned away from her. ¡°I¡¯m going for a walk.¡±


    Eli made a noise of irritation behind him, but he didn¡¯t bother commenting on it. He needed to sort through his feelings of betrayal, hurt, and all the other nasty emotions before speaking again.


    And then it happened.


    Again.


    The intense, hot burn of magic in his chest that sent Tam to a knee, his hand clutching his chest as he let out a yelp of pain.


    ¡°What is it?¡± The sound of Eli¡¯s feet hurrying around Tam distant in his ears.


    The heat rose up into Tam¡¯s throat, and pulses of tingling magic rushed down his limbs to the very tips of his toes and fingers. Blood roared in his ears as his power swelled in him.


    ¡°It¡¯s Godsdamn Kat. I don¡¯t know what the hell she¡¯s doing,¡± Tam grunted, closing his eyes to try and ground himself.


    Eli¡¯s hand rested lightly on his back.


    While Tam knew she was merely offering a gentle comfort like she had the last time this had happened, at present it only added a sting to the pain he was feeling. His earlier frustrations had not dwindled regardless of Kat overwhelming him with magic.


    However, one thing was becoming clear to Tam as the intoxicating and potent power from his sister flowed into him¡­


    Kat was being careful how much magic she sent him. It was a smaller amount. A careful distribution unlike before where she had simply sloshed out a bucket of power down their connection. This time, she was dribbling it in, bit by bit, and Tam could feel exactly what it was doing.


    It was restoring his own magic.


    But it was still making his head buzz. Whereas the magic before had simply broken down the walls of his magic¡¯s limitations, now it filled the freshly expanded magical stores that existed in Tam. It was an intense, heady sensation that Tam had never had before in his life. He hadn¡¯t even been entirely aware of just how much Kat¡¯s previous magic contributions had done to him until this moment. It expanded his awareness of the world around him; to the point he started to feel the connections not just between the miniscule spaces of the plants themselves, but also how the soil under his boots was conscious of the roots of every growth in the immediate vicinity.


    Tam tried taking a deep breath, tried to focus on the texture of the grass beneath his palm, tried to focus on the scent of earth and the plants around him. To focus on the whir of cicadas in the forest¡­


    It wasn¡¯t enough. He needed something more. Something to hold him in the world. He couldn¡¯t go unconscious again. But he already felt dizzy, his mind a little drunk on the power.


    Eli¡¯s hand slid from his back to his shoulder, making Tam shiver.


    His eyes snapped up.


    He didn¡¯t know how he appeared to her right then, but there was a crackling awareness between Eli and himself when they locked eyes.


    ¡°Run,¡± he growled.


    She needed to get away from him, or he would do something just as reckless as she had been worried he would be moments before, and he would never let that happen.


    ¡°What do you need?¡± Eli asked quietly, though there was a glint in her eyes that suggested she already knew.


    That understanding from Eli could have been a trick from Tam¡¯s desperate mind needing to hold on to the most solid anchor he had to the world.


    ¡°Get away from me, Eli,¡± Tam¡¯s volume increased, and while her eyes rounded in surprise, she didn¡¯t budge. ¡°If you stay it¡¯s a yes.¡±


    Tam gave her two breaths.


    Two breaths to realize she needed to leave him the hell alone or be a part of whatever coping method he chose.


    Her shoulders relaxed.


    The subtle consent was given.


    Tam roughly grabbed her around the back of her neck and kissed her.


    The feel of her warm mouth against his settled his heart for an instant, but then another trickle of power came from Kat. His mind flitted to the image of the thick maple trunk just behind Eli he had seen before.


    He had barely thought of it when he had the sense of shifting through his void, only when he had exited the void he had Eli pinned against the tree, his knee between her legs.


    He was still kissing her, and the intensity of the kiss was battling back the magic.


    As though sensing he was regaining control, another surge of power came.


    Tam hoisted Eli up, her legs wrapping around his waist as he tore off her tunic.


    A strange sensation started to take over then.


    The sensation of the power filling him starting to leak over.


    Whereas before this would¡¯ve brought Tam to a state of unconsciousness, the power seemed to leave and find its way down the intangible connection he held with Eli.


    An animalistic noise sounded out of her, and her thighs clenched Tam more tightly.


    He felt a maddening half smile pull at the corner of his mouth.


    ¡°Void,¡± Eli gasped insistently before she sank her mouth back onto Tam¡¯s, one hand gripping his tunic in a bunched fist and the other clutching his hair.


    Tam gave a low, dark chuckle, then fell backward, Eli on top of him as he pulled her into the void with him where they proceeded to manage their way through the deluge of overwhelming power.


    Tam happily shared with Eli this surplus for what felt like an eternity in the void. Thoughts nor self-restraint were activities they indulged in during that time, but neither of them could be brought to care as they lost themselves in the flood of absolutely everything, in a place of absolutely nothing.


    *


    They did not leave the void for the rest of the afternoon.


    Or the early evening for that matter.


    It wasn¡¯t until dinner time that Tam and Eli came out of the woods to return to the dragon¡¯s lair.


    Both carried an energy about them that crackled with power, and a healthy glow to their faces.


    Harris took one look at them from his place by the fire with his dinner and decided it was one of the rare times to not ask any questions or make any comments.


    The dragon, Wixim, who lay curled by side, emitted a low stuttering grumble that sounded suspiciously like laughter, but otherwise, he didn¡¯t react to the state of Tam and Eli either.


    Sometimes that was simply the best way to go about things.

 Chapter 90: A Bending Bond

    With a book laying open in her lap, Annika Ashowan rested her head on her fingertips as she stared blindly ahead of herself.


    ¡°Alright. So. he beat off the pirates. Then the thieves. Then scared off the two men following Eli. Then the people who attacked the carriage by the docks?¡± Kat repeated back to Luca who nodded while gulping down some sweet milk tea. ¡°Wow. The lucky bugger. Sounds like he¡¯s been having a great time.¡±


    Luca giggled.


    ¡°Wait. You also said you found Penelope on a boat. What happened there?¡± Kat leaned her forearms on the table that was ladened with food and drinks between herself and Luca.


    ¡°Oh. Well, I got sick, and then Eli¡¯s parents came, and they got in a fight. They wanted to take her away, and my dad said no, and then I think everyone was going to fight, but Harris came. Then more pirates came, and my dad tricked them on land while we set fire to a ship!¡±


    Kat gaped at the boy, then slowly lifted her goblet to take another mouthful of moonshine.


    She had started playing a drinking game with herself as she listened to everything that had been happening to her brother since leaving for Zinfera. Any time Luca said something that shocked her, she took a drink. She¡¯d gone through three gobletfuls already, and were it not for her superior metabolism that was enhanced by her magical ability, she¡¯d most likely be falling out of her chair drunk.


    ¡°Who set fire to the ship?¡±


    ¡°Harris. I helped though.¡±


    ¡°Mhm. Mhm¡­ Then what happened?¡±


    ¡°We climbed on board the other pirate ship. That¡¯s where we found Penelope!¡± Luca explained happily.


    ¡°Right. And¡­ When did Eli and Tam start courting?¡±


    At this, the little boy twisted his mouth to the side. ¡°Um¡­ Um. My dad said she was pretty when we first got to Zinfera. Then they were always sleeping together.¡±


    Having just taken a sip in light of hearing that Harris had involved a child with arson, Kat sprayed out the liquor in her mouth. Even Annika, who had entered into a brief catatonic state turned to look at Luca with wide eyes.


    ¡°S-sleeping together? With you in the room or tent?¡± Kat asked incredulously.


    ¡°Oh! Not in the way where they could make babies¡ªmy dad explained how that works. No, they just slept beside each other!¡±


    ¡°There were a few nights on the ship you weren¡¯t with them.¡±


    Kat jumped as Penelope appeared beside the table. She hadn¡¯t heard the little girl approach.


    Luca smiled at her appearance. ¡°Yeah, but how can I know what they were doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying.¡± Penelope shrugged, her gaze fixed on the food.


    Kat gingerly slid an empty plate closer to Penelope.


    Luca looked back at Kat. ¡°Anyway. They were kissing and holding hands by the time we left Junya and were in the woods,¡± Luca concluded before turning to Penelope and pointing at the food on the table. ¡°The dumplings have raspberries in them. These ones are honey cakes. They¡¯re really good!¡±


    Slowly, the little girl started adding items to the plate.


    Annika watched from her spot on the chair without moving a muscle, as though trying not to frighten off a fawn in the woods.


    ¡°Aunt Queen? I have a question.¡± Luca settled back into his chair while Penelope started nibbling away on the deserts.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°What if the bad lady comes looking for us? They had guards.¡±


    ¡°Mm. Well¡­ I¡¯m stronger than them.¡±


    ¡°The first witch is smart, though,¡± Penelope interjected. ¡°Mr. Ansar used to talk about her a lot.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Well, my mother is pretty smart, too. Plus, we should have other strong friends from Troivack here to help,¡± Kat replied while leaning back to cross an ankle over her knee.


    ¡°Like Bong and Jeong?¡± Luca asked excitedly.


    Annika interjected quietly at this,¡°The Ryu family has to be very careful, so they can¡¯t help us much more than they already have.¡±


    Penelope stiffened at the sound of the duchess¡¯s voice, and didn¡¯t look up from her plate. But Kat and Luca looked over at the duchess who then continued to say, ¡°We are hoping our allies in Troivack have arrived in Zinfera and we can confer with them.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Luca¡¯s disappointment over not getting to see the Ryu brothers in the near future was palpable.


    ¡°Any other shocking events to tell us?¡± Kat asked Luca while whirling the contents of her goblet.


    The boy pondered the question seriously. ¡°Your coven has bad people in it.¡±


    ¡°Louise Godsdamn Riddel,¡± Kat growled, though she did so with a smile. ¡°I knew I disliked that bitch for a reason.¡±


    Penelope sighed disapprovingly. ¡°Language.¡±


    Kat¡¯s head snapped round to look wryly down at the child. ¡°Good Gods you sound exactly like my mother.¡±


    Penelope froze, and everyone instantly knew Kat¡¯s careless words could have a very bad effect on the child.


    Everyone save for the little girl held their breath as Penelope slowly lifted her face to the Daxarian queen. ¡°If you really do become my aunt, you should be a better role model in the future.¡±


    Kat maintained eye contact with Penelope as she slowly drained the rest of her drink in a single mouthful, then said, ¡°You get what you get, kid. Welcome to the family.¡±


    The air was filled with tension.


    Penelope continued gaping at Kat, Luca kept looking back and forth between them, and Annika¡¯s mouth had fallen open.


    Then a snort of laughter erupted from Luca, snapping everyone¡¯s attention to him.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Annika stared in wonder at him, as did Kat¡­


    His laugh was just like the Daxarian queen¡¯s.


    Even the duchess wasn¡¯t immune to a smile then.¡°Yes¡­ it would seem¡­ we have a couple new additions to the family. Penelope, I must say that I am most grateful to have you as a new voice of reason to the Ashowan house.¡±


    ***


    Tam sat with his elbows braced on his knees, his hands loosely clasped as he stared at Eli; his expression hard.


    She finished buckling the belt of her trousers and tying back her hair into the two inch ponytail she was finally able to create.


    With this finished, she looked over her shoulder at him.


    He didn¡¯t say anything when they locked eyes.


    It was the day before they were to leave for Gondol. Eli had successfully hit her flying milestones. Including climbing into the air with Tam and Harris on her back, and gliding around the nearby mountain peak for longer and longer intervals.


    And when Eli wasn¡¯t training? She was with Tam; helping him stay grounded as he adjusted to his surplus of magical ability. He used it sparingly so that he had plenty in store for whatever they would need to do in Gondol, but he did train separately when Eli was away so as to get a better sense of what he could and couldn¡¯t do.


    Despite the intimate nature involved in keeping Tam anchored to the physical world, there was still unresolved tension running between the couple.


    They hadn¡¯t brought up their fight again, and had both stubbornly refused to speak much past what was necessary every day.


    At present, Eli faced Tam, her own countenance somber.


    ¡°We leave tomorrow before sunrise. Will you need us to do this again before we go?¡± she asked in a cool, business-like tone.


    Tam didn¡¯t bat an eye. ¡°I won¡¯t. If you feel the need, however, just let me know.¡±


    Just as often as Tam had partnered with Eli in order to steady himself, she had sought him out in fits of wordless frustration and anger that they¡¯d work out together in his void or in the woods.


    ¡°I¡¯m nearing my cycle soon. So it won¡¯t be likely.¡±


    Tam swallowed and gave a short nod in understanding.


    A humorless half smile curled Eli¡¯s lips before she started to turn away from her employer.


    ¡°Do you know why I¡¯m upset?¡± Tam called at her back.


    She swung back around, anger and hurt glinting in her eyes. ¡°With me? Not particularly.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Tam¡¯s eyes searched her face skeptically.


    ¡°Is it because I advised you to be cautious in how you use your powers?¡±


    Tam rose to his feet, his hands moving to his pockets. ¡°It¡¯s because you trusted a random dragon more than me. When you know me. Intimately.¡±


    ¡°A random dragon who is hundreds of years old, magical, and knows more than we can ever fathom,¡± Eli reminded frostily.


    ¡°So if Wixim said you would betray me in order to serve the first witch, I should believe him?¡± Tam shot back, an edge entering his voice.


    ¡°That depends if I¡¯ve been behaving in a way that gives you reason to think that that could happen.¡±


    Tam¡¯s eyebrows shot up, his anger and hurt doubling. ¡°I see. And when was it that I abused my abilities or took the lives of innocent people lightly?¡±


    Eli opened her mouth, then closed it.


    Tam clenched his teeth and looked away before speaking again. ¡°I understand why you have trust issues. I just thought by now you would at least trust in how well you know me¡ªeven in the face of a dragon¡¯s speculation. I guess you don¡¯t know me as well as I thought you did.¡±


    Frowning, Eli looked like she wanted to say a whole hell of a lot in response to that remark, until Tam moved his gaze back to her.


    ¡°If you weren¡¯t sure how I¡¯d react or behave when things escalated in Gondol? You could have asked me how I was feeling or what I was thinking of doing before jumping to assumptions about my character.¡± He paused, letting out a breath that made his shoulders slump forward. He could feel the anger ebb out of him. He was tired of holding onto it. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, Eli. I might need some space in our relationship.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overreacting,¡± Eli retorted sharply.


    Tam¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. He shook his head slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± he said evenly.


    Eli waved her hand out and her voice jumped in volume. ¡°Then that¡¯s it? You¡¯re leaving me?¡±


    ¡°I just said I need space.¡±


    She scoffed. ¡°We¡¯re about to incite a rebellion, and war with divine beings. How do you propose we take this ¡®space¡¯?¡±


    Tam felt his expression morph as creeping discomfort made its presence known.


    ¡°Eli, you doubted my character when I gave you no reason to. I¡¯m telling you that you hurt me. And you¡¯re saying I¡¯m overreacting and being dismissive. Just because you don¡¯t understand it, doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s wrong. Others often make misjudgments about me without talking to me, or just flat out disregard what I say. You know this. It isn¡¯t a small matter to me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, for the¡ªI just wanted to be on the same page when we faced conflict! Battles are messy and you are protective to a fault of the children! It was worthwhile to discuss! I didn¡¯t come out accusing you of anything!¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t make it a discussion. You came here and said ¡®here are the rules¡¯ because you doubted I¡¯d act reasonably. You said I am emotional, unlike yourself. Do you not hear how demeaning that was?¡±


    Eli hesitated. It was the first flicker of understanding Tam had seen in her since the discussion. ¡°Tam, we¡¯re all tense, and there is a lot at stake. Can we shelve the discussion of space?¡± she said more calmly.


    Tam stared at her for a while. ¡°We don¡¯t have to talk about it, but maybe we should just sleep separately for a while.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Eli¡¯s indignation sprang back up.


    Again, Tam stared at her in surprise. Her complete disregard for his emotions and perspective alarming in more ways than one.


    ¡°Yes. Seriously. I don¡¯t know why you think it¡¯s fine to talk to me condescendingly or dismiss my own feelings and thoughts, or to question my abilities. But I will say I have never and would never do that to you. If you can tell me what made you think this as an acceptable thing in a relationship with me, I¡¯d like to hear it.¡±


    ¡°Tam! I wasn¡¯t trying to be condescending! And you have to admit the inner workings of our relationship are not our most pressing issue right now!¡±


    ¡°Eli, trust is important.¡±


    ¡°I do trust you! I just thought I should be clear¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that I can trust you right now,¡± Tam interrupted softly. He felt his heart squeezing in his chest, as he watched her anger be replaced with shock. ¡°You doubted me the instant someone suggested you should. I¡¯m not alright with that. So, yes. Space. And we can think and talk about these issues after the kids are back with us safely.¡±


    ¡°Tam¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go start dinner. I¡¯ll see you back at the cave.¡±


    Striding out of the clearing, Tam didn¡¯t allow himself to look back over his shoulder as he felt the chaos of his emotions darken his world¡ªThough his surroundings were also quite dark as the day had been shrouded with thick cloud cover, and the descending evening dimmed what little light remaining there was.


    What the conversation with Eli had revealed to him was that while he had thought she had come to trust him and rely on him like no other, that still didn¡¯t mean she trusted him very much.


    And he foresaw a world of trouble with that fact.