ã€ŠThe Great Hero is a Schoolteacherã€‹


 Chapter 1: Clerical Error

    At first, all I saw was pure white light.

    What just happened?

    As my eyes adjusted to the brightness, I half-expected to see a comforting message written on the wall in front of me, welcoming me to this new place I didn¡¯t know. But there was no wall, or roof, or sky. I was sitting on soft nothingness, in the middle of what looked and felt like a giant cloud, with no memory of how I¡¯d gotten there.

    And then, someone talked behind me.

    ¡°Excuse me, Alicia Lebel.¡±

    The voice was soft, indefinite. Unexpected, for sure, but not enough to startle me. There had to be someone who could explain what was happening, and why my mind was such a blur, right? But who could it be?

    As I turned my head, I looked into the eyes of a floating creature that had way too many of them. They were all wings and eyes and flickering glow, a shape I recognized from books. I frowned.

    ¡°You¡¯re an angel, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    They shifted a little, like a human looking down at their feet.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s what I¡¯d be called in your culture, indeed. And I want you to know that we¡¯re sorry.¡±

    ¡°Sorry for what?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s been a terrible mistake. You shouldn¡¯t be here.¡±

    Out of their many wings, they produced what looked like a small piece of cream-colored paper. Parchment, maybe?

    ¡°We were requested to summon a hero from another world, in order to fulfill a prophecy, but as it turns out, we collected the wrong person. Please accept our apologies.¡±

    A hero. A prophecy. From the sound of it, I¡¯d just stepped into a fairy tale, and even with the angel besides me, it was too much for me to accept. Was it all a dream? Was I about to wake up?

    I pinched myself. Ouch. All right, I¡¯m not dreaming. But why do they look so embarrassed?

    ¡°What are you apologizing for?¡± I asked.

    They turned more eyes to me, but I could only stare at them in confusion. In the end, they leaned a little to the left, and one glowing feather brushed against my arm.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember anything, Alicia Lebel?¡±

    All of a sudden, I did. I remembered everything.

    I was three days away from celebrating my fortieth birthday with my friends, after a long year going through a complicated divorce. My ex-husband Stan was out of the picture at last, and this, too, deserved a celebration. Being single again felt like a blessing after months of bitter fighting over petty things.

    I supposed I¡¯d date someone else after a while. Maybe I¡¯d try my chance with a woman, for a change. It wouldn¡¯t even be a first for me: as a student, I¡¯d been with a girl for a few weeks, and I kept a fond memory of our short-lived story.

    But right now, I didn¡¯t feel ready to commit again. I had a whole life to get back first.

    It had been an ordinary day at kindergarten. Teaching young children was a choice I didn¡¯t regret. Unlike bigger kids, four-year-olds were eager to learn everything, even though they usually didn¡¯t realize it. They were a source of joy, while also being walking trouble. They needed to be shepherded and entertained, not only taught, and I loved the challenge as much as I loved them as individuals.

    After school, I¡¯d bought a bunch of groceries, wishing to bake my favorite cakes and share them with my favorite people. When I drove back to my house, my neighbor Alberto was consolidating his fence. He lived right across the street from me, and yet we shared nothing in life, except for our initials: Alberto Lin, Alicia Lebel.

    As soon as he saw me, he looked up from his fence with a mocking grin.

    ¡°Hey, look, little Ali and her cute little carrot cakes!¡±

    I wasn¡¯t ¡°little¡±. I was of average height and build, with brown hair and eyes, and fitter than most people. Yet, as a schoolteacher who¡¯d never learned to shoot a gun, I was a weak little thing to him.

    Even before Stan got out of my life, Alberto and I had always enjoyed sniping at each other. As a survivalist, he didn¡¯t understand why I lived in the moment, instead of preparing for a possible collapse of civilization. He stocked on all kinds of goods and trained for battle, while I baked and danced and drank coffee on my porch. But if the world did end and we ran out of gas, at least, I could ride a horse and move around. Alberto, on the other hand, would be stuck in his useless pickup.

    I looked at him with a smirk.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure my carrot cakes taste better than your horrible canned food, big Al. Do you want one, once they¡¯re baked?¡±

    He shrugged and went back to his fence.

    A few minutes later, having left the groceries in the kitchen, I brought out festive garlands from my garage. The party was in three days and I wanted it to be perfect, so even though it was a bit early to put up all the decorations, I wanted to devise a first plan of what they¡¯d look like. I walked to the middle of the street to get an overview of the house. I waved my hands in the air, thinking where this garland would go and what that light would illuminate. The whole place would look amazing on the big day.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    My neighbor Alberto was still on the sidewalk, adding a metal frame to his already robust fence, but I didn¡¯t care. I was single again, still young, and ready to have fun!

    Behind me, Alberto let out a muffled scream of terror.

    I turned around. He was white as a sheet, shaking so much that he had to lean on his fence to stay upright. And then, out of the corner of my eye, there was that old white van speeding at me. It looked dilapidated, and a cloud of black smoke trailing behind it suggested it hadn¡¯t seen the inside of a car repair shop for a long time.

    Oh no, it¡¯s accelerating!

    I tried to move out of the van¡¯s way, but I tripped, and as I struggled to retain my balance, I noticed two things: the panic in Alberto¡¯s eyes, and the logo on the hood. Turac¨²n.

    It sounds Spanish¡­

    It was my last thought before the crash.

    The angel looked at me with concern.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± they asked softly.

    ¡°Disoriented.¡±

    How did that incident with the van connect with the rest? The bright white light? I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on it.

    ¡°You say you summoned me to fulfill a prophecy?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly. We were hired, sort of.¡±

    They took a look at their parchment.

    ¡°Sorcerers from the Brealian kingdom requested our services to summon the legendary Great Hero Al, who, according to a local prophecy, will defeat the Demon Lord. But their chosen hero didn¡¯t behave as expected, and he backed away from his destiny. As a result, you were killed instead.¡±

    I leapt to my feet, my heart pounding.

    ¡°Killed? What do you mean?¡±

    I can¡¯t be dead when my own heartbeat is threatening to deafen me!

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m alive! I¡¯m panicking right now. Do dead people panic? Do dead people have tachycardia?¡±

    The angel waved their wings and their glow took on a rosy tint. Were they trying to appease me?

    ¡°You are dead, Alicia Lebel. This place is, how can I put it in your words? An office that processes souls.¡±

    ¡°But my heart¡­¡±

    A wing brushed against me again, and the soft touch calmed me down a little.

    ¡°We¡¯re in a different plane of existence,¡± the angel said. ¡°This heart is not the one you used to have, even though it feels identical. You don¡¯t really exist right now, materially speaking.¡±

    ¡°All right, I need to sit down.¡±

    I looked for whatever I¡¯d been sitting on, and found nothing. My head was spinning. I¡¯m dead at home, and yet I¡¯m alive here. Is that right? How is it possible?

    It took me a moment to catch my breath again. I was standing in front of my murderer, more or less, and it felt emotionally overwhelming.

    ¡°Look, you made a mistake, you just admitted to it! You must take me back!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t. Your original body was crushed. We don¡¯t have the power to restore it to its previous state, so if we sent your soul back to your native world, you¡¯d just be dead, with no second chance left.¡±

    That¡¯s not right. I was about to celebrate my birthday and I got killed by mistake. They robbed me of my party, they robbed me of my happiness, they robbed me of my life! How dare they?

    ¡°What second chance are you talking about?¡±

    The angel patted my back.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. As far as I know, this incident has never happened before, so we don¡¯t have a procedure ready. My manager should get back to me in a minute, and we¡¯ll see what we can offer you.¡±

    ¡°Your manager?¡±

    They crush my life and they treat it like another administrative mishap.

    Now that the panic had receded, I was feeling angry, and eager to regain at least some control over my own life, or what was left of it.

    ¡°You¡¯d better come up with a suitable compensation,¡± I uttered between my teeth. ¡°Right now, I should be at home preparing my birthday party, not in some celestial waiting room with no future to look forward to. By the way, what did you expect? Who were you hired to summon by these¡­ sorcerers?¡±

    How can I admit so easily that magic users from some fantasy kingdom were able to summon people from Earth? Well, being stuck in a cloud with an angel certainly helps expanding my notion of what¡¯s possible.

    ¡°The Great Hero Al should have pushed you of the way and been elevated through his sacrifice.¡±

    I frowned.

    ¡°You mean you were after Alberto?¡±

    ¡°The big strong man whose house faced yours, yes.¡±

    Alberto Lin. AL. Really? Some of my anger calmed down, and I even smiled at the absurdity of the situation.

    ¡°Let me get this straight,¡± I said, running my hands down my face. ¡°A prophecy states that a hero will save some kingdom, and of all available people, these sorcerers ask you to summon Alberto Lin?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Why do I sense irony in your voice?¡±

    I chuckled.

    ¡°Alberto Lin, the survivalist, who stocks on canned food, slowly turns his house into a fortress and keeps ten years¡¯ worth of toilet paper in his basement? All he cares about is himself. He was never going to rescue me from that van, let alone save a whole kingdom from a Demon Lord!¡±

    ¡°This is most unfortunate,¡± commented the angel, floating up and down in the cloud of light. ¡°However, the Brealian ritual directed us to this man, and it didn¡¯t even do so properly, given what happened. We can¡¯t exactly send you there and make you the Great Hero, can we?¡±

    I crossed my arms in defiance. Are they trying to imply that I¡¯m less worthy than Alberto? I can keep a whole kindergarten class under control. If this isn¡¯t hero material, I don¡¯t know what it is! Maybe that Demon Lord just stole someone else¡¯s toy and I can sort it out.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure I fit the description,¡± I answered. ¡°My name is Alicia Lebel. I¡¯m an AL too.¡±

    ¡°But not the one they were asking for.¡±

    This time, it was a matter of pride. I couldn¡¯t let them tell me I was a worse choice than my neighbor.

    ¡°Can they tell I¡¯m not the person they wanted?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Besides, whatever the situation is over there, Alberto would have messed it up.¡±

    At this point, we were interrupted by the sudden appearance of a bigger, brighter angel. The first one bowed in respect, insofar as a large ball of wings and eyes could bow. I tried my best to look them straight in the eyes, but there were only so many I could see in one glance.

    It¡¯s time to be a Karen, just this once.

    ¡°Are you the manager here?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, I am the team manager. You can call me Cherub, human.¡±

    I pursed my lips.

    ¡°Cherub? Is it really your name? Isn¡¯t that a rank or something?¡±

    They straightened. If they¡¯d been human, they¡¯d have pulled their stomach in.

    ¡°This is how I kindly ask you to call me. Names are irrelevant to us.¡±

    Oh, are they playing this game? I smiled.

    ¡°Well, Cherub, you can call me Al.¡±

    Their eyes looked me up and down. ¡°Al, really? The Great Hero Al? Weren¡¯t you collected by mistake?¡±

    ¡°I was. But I was just telling your subordinate that I¡¯m ready to fill in the other Al¡¯s role and help everyone keep face, including you.¡±

    Do you understand me, minor supervisor? I¡¯m doing you a favor by filling in for my neighbor. Please show some gratitude and help me in return.

    ¡°Oh.¡± They turned to the other angel. ¡°Is the case sorted, then?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, manager. Can we really send her to Brealia and hope the difference goes unnoticed?¡±

    ¡°Come on, sorcerers never know what the hero they summoned will look like! Besides, the human here says she wants to do it. So all we have to do is finish the ritual, and it¡¯ll be over.¡±

    I held out my hand before me, index finger raised.

    ¡°Wait a minute, Cherub. You took my life from me. I wasn¡¯t prepared, I wasn¡¯t chosen, I¡¯m not a warrior. Surely there¡¯s something you can do for me, before I go to this place I¡¯ve never seen and become someone else¡¯s Great Hero.¡±

    ¡°There is no procedure for such a case, human.¡±

    I grinned.

    ¡°Well, then, it sounds like we should start working on one.¡±

 Chapter 2: Only Your Body

    ¡°What kind of compensation do you want?¡± asked Cherub. ¡°As a Great Hero, you¡¯ll be blessed with a gift for all common languages of your new world. If this isn¡¯t enough¡­¡±

    They looked me up and down again.

    ¡°Perhaps you would like a younger body. It might be deemed more suitable for your upcoming role.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    I¡¯m three days shy of forty, I have a healthy body and a face that looks much more interesting now than it did in my early twenties. I¡¯m about to set foot in a world I know nothing of, so if everything looks alien to me, for the sake of my mental health, please let me recognize myself in the mirror!

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to look younger,¡± I said. ¡°I like myself as I am¡­¡±

    I stopped mid-sentence, as an idea had popped into my mind. I raised a finger between the angels and me.

    ¡°However, remember you stole the rest of my life. I¡¯m sure I wasn¡¯t supposed to die so young. I¡¯m about to set foot in a new world, and it¡¯ll probably take me years to adjust. Can I get these years as a bonus?¡±

    Cherub turned around me. I could swear their gaze was critical.

    ¡°A longer lifespan? As in, not age for a few years, to make up for the time you¡¯ll be losing in the beginning?¡±

    ¡°Exactly! Can you do it?¡±

    They nodded. The ball of glowing wings oscillated slightly.

    ¡°Freeze her aging process for the equivalent of five of her years,¡± they told their subordinate.

    The other angel plucked one feather from their wings and used it to write something on the parchment.

    By that time, Cherub was behind me. They gently pushed me forward, through the cloud of light, to a vertical glimmering surface.

    ¡°This is a magic portal. Now walk through it and meet your summoners in Brealia.¡±

    Already?

    ¡°You mean, that¡¯s it? You¡¯re showing me the door? I know nothing yet! Tell me about the world I¡¯m going to, the kingdom I¡¯m supposed to save¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll learn along the way. In order to fulfill your role, you can now speak and read all common languages in your world of destination. Besides, I¡¯ll keep an eye on you.¡±

    Sure. These angels have eyes to spare, after all.

    ¡°This portal was tailored to only let your body go through it,¡± said the other angel. ¡°Nothing else can cross. Neither us, nor the people awaiting you on the other side.¡±

    I squinted.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    I¡¯d seen most Terminator movies. I knew what this ¡°body only¡± limitation implied and I wasn¡¯t happy with the consequences, but at this point, it was too late for me to back away. The nondescript white clothes I was wearing wouldn¡¯t follow.

    ¡°Once a day,¡± Cherub added, ¡°you¡¯ll be able to call me, either to ask me a question or to require a small miracle.¡±

    ¡°How small? And what do you mean by ¡®once a day¡¯? Does the counter reset at midnight? What if I change time zones?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re out of time, human! Now go, and meet your destiny!¡±

    They pushed a little harder and I went through the portal.

    I stepped into my new life with an intact body, the same one I¡¯d had before the van hit me, and nothing to cover my skin save for a strategic placement of hair and hands.

    There I was, feeling a cool breeze on my skin. There was a burgundy carpet under my bare feet, a smell of incense in the air, and as I looked up, I saw I was in a round hall topped by a golden dome, with high wooden panels separating it in two halves. The place where I stood was actually a portion of one half, set apart by a hunter green velvet screen embroidered with complex patterns. Daylight flowed in through high windows.

    There were happy sounds of a crowd cheering not far away, possibly in the other half of the dome.

    This is real. This is happening! I¡¯m in a different world I know nothing about. Don¡¯t panic, Alicia.

    Five people in rich purple robes, three men and two women, were standing around me, forming a circle. They were just a little too far away from one another to touch hands.

    The sorcerers who summoned me.

    They kept their heads bowed and they gazed at the floor, probably in an effort to respect my dignity, or whatever was left of it.

    Right in front of me were three ornate wooden seats that looked like mahogany. Not proper thrones, but still meant for people with power. A pale man in his mid-forties sat in the middle one, dressed in blue and red robes over a pearly white shirt. A big crown rested upon wavy brown hair that, like his well-trimmed beard, had a few grey streaks.

    Boy, that crown looks heavy! I hope he doesn¡¯t wear it every day.

    On his right side, and on my left, was a slender teenage girl. Her light blue dress, heavy with ruffles and ribbons, seemed tailored to add structure to her delicate figure, but she mostly looked lost in it. She was about sixteen years old, with blond hair expertly styled around a silver tiara, and blue eyes that looked just like her father¡¯s. A true princess, straight out of a fairy tale.

    The seat on the king¡¯s left was empty. Someone was obviously missing from the family picture.

    A king, a crown princess, and someone who¡¯s not there. Away? Or dead? Am I supposed to go looking for them? To avenge them?

    There was nobody else around. Probably someone right behind the velvet screen, but my summoning was a private event only the king and princess witnessed. They must be absolute rulers. Otherwise, there¡¯d be someone else here, a Prime Minister, a government of sorts.

    Unlike the sorcerers, the royals didn¡¯t look away from me while I detailed their appearances. They remained still and silent. Did they even notice that I was naked?

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ¡°Senior Magi!¡± said the king. ¡°This woman needs clothes!¡±

    It wasn¡¯t English, but as Cherub had promised, I felt at ease with the language, as if I was a native speaker.

    All right, he noticed.

    At his command, one of the female sorcerers, a dark-skinned woman with silver hair in a bob, ran behind the screen and came back with a large white gown that she handed me without a word. I put it on swiftly. It was too large for me, but it came with a sash that allowed me to adjust it a little.

    ¡°Welcome to Carastra,¡± said the king once I was decent. ¡°I am Esthar, sovereign of the Brealian kingdom. This is my daughter, Crown Princess Nigella. Who are you?¡±

    I smiled.

    ¡°I am the Great Hero Al.¡±

    The princess grinned in disbelief, and a murmur ran among the sorcerers. They had tried to summon Alberto, after all. They¡¯d expected a big chunky guy to materialize in their circle, and I¡¯d appeared instead. It¡¯d take them some time to get used to me.

    Now, Alicia, pretend it¡¯s the first day of class and introduce yourself properly.

    ¡°I am Al, killed in my native world and reborn in yours to fulfill a prophecy. Would you be kind enough to tell me what it is, exactly? I heard about a Demon Lord.¡±

    ¡°Faur.¡± The name seemed to burn Esthar¡¯s lips as he pronounced it. ¡°For centuries, we had a prophecy saying that the Great Hero Al would be summoned from another world, defeat the Demon Lord and bring prosperity to Brealia. Faur is the current Demon Lord. Can you defeat him?¡±

    That was blunt, to say the least. I¡¯d just died and come to him across dimensions. I knew nothing of this world. How could I promise anything?

    But this king was likely to have absolute power. He¡¯d commissioned my summoning, and he could probably have me executed, too. Upsetting him moments into my new life was certainly not a good idea.

    I ran a hand on my nape.

    ¡°Give me some time to analyze the situation, and I¡¯m sure I can come up with the best solution for your kingdom, Your Majesty.¡±

    Preferably one that doesn¡¯t involve an actual fight. I can ride a horse if you like. Do you even have horses here?

    Princess Nigella rose from her seat. She looked too shy to be crown princess.

    ¡°What are your abilities, Great Hero Al?¡± she asked. ¡°Natural magic? Fighting skills?¡±

    Drinking coffee, baking cakes, and asking a biblically accurate angel one question a day. I¡¯m not sure it counts in her book.

    I bowed my head.

    ¡°I only just arrived here, Princess. Please let me figure things out first.¡± I pointed to the empty seat. ¡°Is anyone missing here?¡±

    King Esthar gave a sad look to his left side. ¡°The queen consort, my beloved wife Epona. She and Crown Prince Sorosiel joined the Almighty last year.¡±

    ¡°There was heavy rain that night,¡± added Princess Nigella. ¡°Their carriage fell into a ditch. They were both dead by the time our men found them.¡±

    Her voice was trembling. This is why she looks out of place. She wasn¡¯t brought up as a future ruler. She only rose to this status by losing her mother and brother, and she still needs to grow into the part.

    Esthar stood up, a solemn look on his face.

    ¡°Today is not a day for mourning. Thanks to the Senior Magi¡¯s intercession with the Almighty, we finally summoned the Great Hero Al. Before we celebrate, the ceremony should take place.¡±

    The Almighty? All I saw over there was a couple of subaltern angels who didn¡¯t know what to do with me.

    I smiled anyway. Esthar gestured at me.

    ¡°Please come and meet Archbishop Terru.¡±

    I followed the king and princess behind the velvet screen, where an elderly man was praying before a marble column that I supposed was the local version of an altar. He stood up as we arrived. He was short and plump, and his ceremonial attire, high headdress, large robes and an overabundance of gold and embroideries, made him look like an expensive candy box.

    He looked me up and down.

    ¡°Great Hero Al. Is that your name?¡±

    I squinted. How was I supposed to address him?

    Go for something simple, Alicia. If I get it wrong, someone will correct me.

    ¡°It is, Archbishop. I¡¯m Al.¡±

    No sign of surprise or anger. The little man only nodded solemnly.

    ¡°Do you swear to do good and to honor Brealia and the Almighty?¡±

    So this is what they call their deity. Judging by the look of things, they must be monostheistic. The Almighty it is, then.

    ¡°Yes, Archbishop.¡±

    ¡°Then I shall anoint you. Kneel, please.¡±

    Archbishop Terru prayed over my bowed head, in a melodious voice, then rubbed perfumed oil behind my ears. And then that was it. The religious ceremony was over and we could move on to the celebration.

    One Senior Magus opened a hidden door in the wooden panel and let us in.

    A crowd of richly dressed lords and ladies awaited us in the other half of the dome, in a flood of bold clothing and bright colors.

    Most people would have been considered white in my native world, but not all of them, and unexpected hair colors coexisted with more common ones. Some guests had green or pink hair. Some even sported short horns or cat-like ears. Paired with their colorful outfits, the general feel wasn¡¯t that far from a baroque-themed drag show.

    Everyone applauded when I appeared, but I could hear exclamations of surprise.

    Yes, I know I¡¯m not quite the person you expected. Not all heroes are bulky. Get over it.

    I was handed a glass of bubbly drink. It was purple, but it smelled and tasted like pineapple.

    ¡°Thank you! What is it called?¡±

    Princess Nigella frowned.

    ¡°Fermented solael juice, of course. Do you not have them, where you come from?¡±

    She sounded genuinely surprised, rather than annoyed. I smiled.

    ¡°Indeed, Princess. It looks like your world has many other things that don¡¯t exist in mine.¡±

    ¡°Interesting.¡± She nodded and turned to other guests.

    There were guards around, but they didn¡¯t look too worried.

    Is this kingdom really at war with a Demon Lord? If so, they should fear an attack on a day like this. No tyrant in their right mind lets an enemy summon a legendary hero without trying something. At least, not in my book.

    I met hundreds of gazes, some doubtful, most just happy to see me. They must have placed high hopes in me. If only I knew what they really expected of me.

    ¡°Great Hero Al,¡± said King Esthar, ¡°meet my younger brother, Irmel, Duke of Sottarn.¡±

    I curtsied as best I could to a man who looked a lot like the king, minus the crown and the gray hair. His eyes were a darker shade of blue, almost navy. He wore a knee-length teal tunic with a month¡¯s work of embroidery at the hems and all along the sleeves, over wide dark pants and black velvet shoes.

    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you,¡± he said in a pleasant, deep voice.

    ¡°The pleasure is shared, Duke Irmel.¡±

    Esthar smiled. ¡°The duke came all the way from Zerta to attend the celebration.¡±

    Does he realize I¡¯ve no idea where Zerta is? I suppose it¡¯s in Sottarn, but I don¡¯t know where Sottarn is either, and I¡¯m too busy trying to remember names right now. I¡¯ll focus on geography later.

    I just drank another sip from my solael juice, and let the king lead me through the room. He had so many people to introduce me to! Men and women, nobles and scientists¡­ Mostly nobles, though. I noticed some prominent names, Berg, Gimon, Torren, without remembering every face. Some were royal advisors.

    Everyone looked happy to meet me, but I suspected some of them had come to this place ¨C the royal chapel ¨C mostly for the appetizers.

    After I finished my glass and politely smiled to half the people in the room, we reached a massive verdigris double door. Guards opened it, and we walked outside.

    It was spring, the same season as in my native world. The chapel stood next to a large white building that was probably the royal residence, with a courtyard, stables on my right, and a pleasant garden ahead, where the old fortifications used to stand. Two massive corner towers were still standing in front of me, marking the edges of the castle. In between them, a paved bridge led to the city, across a dry moat.

    It looks like one of these medieval fortresses turned into comfortable palaces during the Renaissance, when the threat of war receded. I wish I could see what the other side of the main building looks like.

    The grass felt cool under my bare feet. Below us, the old dry moat was covered in lawn, and accessible from the city by a number of straight stairways. Only a parapet kept us from falling into it. In the moat, and in the streets around, a compact crowd cheered as soon as they saw me. King Esthar raised both arms.

    ¡°People of Carastra, meet the Great Hero Al, future savior of the Brealian kingdom!¡±

    The noise made me dizzy. Never before had I been acclaimed by so many people, let alone strangers who saw me for the first time. The smell of roasted meat floated in the air, as did distant music.

    The celebration wasn¡¯t just a buffet for the Brealian who¡¯s who. Ordinary people were gathered too, enjoying what looked, sounded and smelled like a huge party. Were they really here for me? But then, where was the war I was supposed to save them from?

    I walked along the parapet. The crowd filled the moat and the streets around it.

    There must be thousands of people gathered here. This is unbelievable!

    As I tried to wave at everyone, a guard pointed at the sky.

    ¡°Your Majesty, isn¡¯t it Kossi?¡±

    King Esthar and I both looked up. A majestic figure with huge wings and a long tail was flying above the city.

    ¡°Is it a dragon?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It is. We have a pact with Gold Dragons, and Kossi is the youngest to grace our kingdom. We had not seen him for some time, but I guess he wants to welcome you, too!¡±

    A dragon. I was about to meet a dragon! I felt as overexcited as a little girl on Christmas day.

    Until the beautiful creature plunged at us and breathed fire at the elegant garden.

 Chapter 3: Face the Dragon

    That¡¯s it. That¡¯s the Demon Lord¡¯s attack!

    We ducked, and the guards swiftly shielded king Esthar. They helped him retreat to the chapel. Two of them offered to shelter me under their shields, too, but I was too fascinated by the long strip of scorched lawn and smoking bushes. It all felt like it was happening to someone else, somewhere else, in a fairy tale.

    I couldn¡¯t move, so I stayed there, crouching by the parapet, smelling the fire. Screams of terror rose from the moat below when the dragon flew in a half-circle and breathed a long flame at the golden dome.

    Is he after me or after the king? What a magnificent creature!

    Kossi, if that was him, had a long tail, four legs tucked under him as he flew, and the noble triangular head of a dragon from a picture book. Most of his body was a rich metallic dark brown that shimmered in the sunlight, but the underside of his wings looked like pure gold. He was as beautiful as he was deadly. And after failing, twice, to melt the dome, he looked at the moat, possibly pondering an attack.

    Oh no, the people!

    Given the density of the crowd, a stampede could kill even if the dragon didn¡¯t. I¡¯m pretty sure safety regulations haven¡¯t been invented yet. Maybe it¡¯s time for me to step in. I sprang up and tried to assess the situation.

    ¡°Great Hero Al, what are you doing?¡± asked a guard.

    ¡°Thinking!¡±

    All nobles and other distinguished guests had sheltered in the chapel, with the heavy verdigris doors now safely closed. Only a handful of guards remained around me, and crossbowmen shot at the dragon, who dodged most of the bolts and didn¡¯t seem to notice the ones that did reach him. No siege engines in sight. There really hadn¡¯t been a battle around here for a long time.

    The five Senior Magi carefully poked their heads out of the chapel. When they saw the dragon, they began casting spells at him, and I witnessed true magic for the first time: glowing bolts of pure energy, iridescent and majestic, shot at the sky. The dragon had to gracefully twist and somersault mid-air to avoid them. He breathed other flames at the scenery, setting fire to new bushes.

    No movie SFX gets even close to how beautiful this is.

    The moat, however, was another story. People rushed to the stairs in an effort to flee the dragon, panic funneling them, their sheer number preventing them from reaching safety. The streets were emptying, so whoever reached the top of the stairs could run away ¨C but to get there, the pressure was unbelievable. The stairways were too narrow. The place clearly wasn¡¯t designed for emergency evacuations.

    Some people must be suffocating already.

    Kossi burned a tree right over the parapet, causing another round of screams and stampede. I grabbed the nearest guard by his tabard.

    ¡°Please!¡± I begged. ¡°Is there a way to make my voice louder, so everyone can hear it?¡±

    He lifted his helmet to scratch his temple.

    ¡°Well, I remember Sir Pernel once used a spell for that. He¡¯s one of the Senior Magi over there. Shall I go get him?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please! Bring him here, quick!¡±

    The guard ran to one of the five sorcerers who¡¯d summoned me, said a few words to him, and brought him back.

    Sir Pernel looked my age, give or take a few years, with a round face and steel-gray eyes. He still wore his ornate purple robe from the ritual, and his shoulder-length straight hair was the color of rose gold. From the look on his face, he was annoyed at being pulled out of his spectacular, if useless, display of magical power.

    He glared at me.

    ¡°Great Hero Al? Shouldn¡¯t you be fighting the dragon, like us?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± I pointed a finger at the creature. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching him. He could have burned down a dozen houses by now, but all he¡¯s done so far is breathe fire at vegetation. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s trying to destroy the city. He just wants to scare us.¡±

    Pernel looked at the sky and frowned. ¡°What do you want from me, Great Hero Al?¡±

    ¡°Please, I need your magic, so everyone can hear me.¡±

    I¡¯m no dragon hunter, but I conducted my share of evacuation drills in my school, and if these people do think of me as their hero, they¡¯ll listen.

    ¡°This sounds pointless,¡± he sighed.

    He still muttered strange words I couldn¡¯t understand.

    Cherub told me I was able to speak all common languages of this world. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d bump into an uncommon one half an hour into my new life, but I suppose that¡¯s magic for you.

    Pernel traced odd shapes between us, a glowing symbol appeared inside his palm, and he finally held out his cupped hand in front of my face. ¡°You can talk now.¡±

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    I took a deep breath, then shouted over the increasing echoes of panic. ¡°People of Carastra, listen to me! This is the Great Hero Al speaking, and I need you to remain calm!¡±

    My voice seemed to come out of every stone of the old fortifications at the same time. It was fully audible, yet not deafening. I smiled briefly at Pernel while the citizens calmed down a little.

    ¡°Please stop pushing, everyone will get out of the moat eventually!¡± I added. ¡°Only run once you reach the top of the stairs, and try to spread across the whole space in the meantime! I was summoned to bring you peace. I don¡¯t want you to get crushed to death on the day of my arrival!¡±

    The crowd slowly unpacked around the stairs.

    Suddenly, the dragon¡¯s body jerked mid-air, as if he¡¯d been hit by lightning. Kossi seemed to wrestle with an invisible opponent. Had one of the sorcerers finally managed to put a spell on him? Pernel was busy helping me. When I looked at the other four, they were pointing at the dragon in confusion.

    They don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, either. It¡¯s not them.

    Kossi¡¯s head looked held at a weird angle by a hand we couldn¡¯t see. He struggled, but the next fire breath shot directly at the moat. Panic increased in a blink, with terrified screams and a stampede to the other side of the fortifications.

    What happened? They won¡¯t listen to me anymore, they¡¯ll run for their lives, and there still aren¡¯t enough stairways to get them all out before some people get crushed to death¡­

    Pernel gave me a look of disbelief, his hand still held in front of me like a megaphone.

    ¡°Just scaring us, really?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on and we have no time to think of it now.¡±

    I turned away from him. Talking was pointless, now. We needed a way to get everyone out, quick.

    I ran to the nearest guards, waving frantically. ¡°Please, we need to get these citizens to safety! Can we let them in the yard?¡±

    If centuries of peace turned the curtain walls into a simple parapet, perhaps there¡¯s a way to get inside the old fortress from the moat.

    ¡°What will King Esthar think?¡± asked a guard.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s his subjects we¡¯re talking about. I don¡¯t think he¡¯d like them to die today. Besides, as the Great Hero Al, I take full responsibility!¡±

    I pointed at the dragon, who was still dodging physical and magical attacks, and possibly gathering energy for his next fire breath.

    ¡°Tell me, is it possible to let people in, directly from the moat to the castle yard?¡±

    They shared uneasy glances, obviously not knowing whether they should trust me. It took another dragon flame in the moat for an older guard to explain there was a way.

    ¡°Filio Tower and Marandas Tower have posterns at moat level.¡±

    He showed me the two round corner towers in front of me.

    ¡°We always keep them closed, but we can open them if you ask us to, Great Hero Al.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go and save as many people as possible!¡±

    I was barefoot and dressed in an oversized white robe, but I still ran through the yard into the nearest corner tower, while a second group of guards went into the other. The spiral stone staircase felt cold and slippery. The thick walls still sported defensive arrow slits that hardly let any light in. I almost fell in the dark, but the terrified screams were too loud to ignore. I ran all the way down with the guards.

    We unbarred the door, told everyone to come inside, and I stood there, watching people pour in, as a guard led them up to the yard. There were children and elders, pale skins and dark skins, dresses and tunics and sashes and shirts. The overall diversity looked greater than the one I¡¯d seen in the chapel. I could swear some animal ears weren¡¯t cat-like, but these people ran too fast for me to really make out what they looked like.

    As they went past me, I kept thinking.

    The dragon is still out there, so all these people won¡¯t be much safer if we just pack them in the castle courtyard. We should shelter them in buildings, preferably ones that can resist fire like the chapel, but the chapel is already full, and it¡¯s too dangerous to go there, right under the dragon¡¯s nose. What¡¯s our best option?

    ¡°Mama! Mama!¡±

    The call, though barely audible amidst all that noise, immediately caught my attention. A small child was crying for help, not far.

    ¡°I¡¯m scared, Mama, don¡¯t leave me!¡±

    Some heads turned, but everyone was caught in the flow, and it was too late for people to go back and get the child. I couldn¡¯t do much, either.

    Or could I?

    Will it be easier for me to go against the general movement, now that I¡¯m someone important and not just another teacher?

    ¡°I¡¯m the Great Hero Al and I need to get out!¡± I shouted at the top of my lungs.

    A few surprised glances showed that I¡¯d gotten the crowd¡¯s attention. I walked, and the miracle occurred: the flow parted. I was able to head out to the moat, drawn to the cries.

    A few steps away from the postern, a little boy stood against the tower base, too scared to follow the general movement. I held out my hand to him, and he looked up at me in confusion. He had dark green hair and a short horn on his forehead.

    ¡°Where¡¯s my Mama?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you find her. I¡¯m the Great Hero Al.¡±

    I took him in my arms and held him firmly.

    He¡¯s too small. Someone will step on him if I let him flee on his own.

    Now, I had no choice but to take him to safety myself. I followed the crowd back into the tower and walked up the stairs, careful not to trip on my robe.

    In the yard, guards made sure the crowd remained on the path and didn¡¯t set foot in the garden, or what was left of it. The chapel with its golden dome stood untouched behind a thick curtain of smoke, and hopefully, all the distinguished guests were safe in there.

    The people we were helping out of the moat either went to the stables, or ran across the main bridge into the city.

    Stables. Good. The guards opened them for people to shelter in.

    Many citizens stopped, looking for relatives. There had to be one woman in there who¡¯d lost her son.

    ¡°Where¡¯s your Mama?¡± I asked.

    The boy shook his head and clung to my robe. He didn¡¯t know. He was too scared to go on his own and I couldn¡¯t leave him unattended in the middle of a confused crowd, so I walked to the garden, still carrying him. While the guards stopped other commoners, they let me through. They knew who I was.

    Now, the moat was emptying fast, and the dragon¡¯s breath only burned the grass that grew at the bottom, but I could see motionless bodies scattered here and there. Were they lifeless or just hurt?

    Please, let them be alive. They gathered here to celebrate. Nobody deserves to die like this.

    I held the little boy closer in my arms. I didn¡¯t know his name or anything about him, but I couldn¡¯t help fearing that his mother might be lying down there, too.

    As I walked towards the chapel, Kossi turned to me, the beating of his wings keeping him stable above the two of us. The Senior Magi had stopped sending bolts at him and were now inside some kind of bubble.

    A forcefield, just like in superhero movies. They must have run out of attack spells, so they¡¯re protecting themselves.

    ¡°Go away, dragon!¡± I shouted. ¡°I was summoned to be this kingdom¡¯s Great Hero, these people are under my protection, and you¡¯re doing no more harm today!¡±

    I didn¡¯t think these words would make much of a difference, but I needed to get them out. I was supposed to help people and the first attack I stumbled upon found me helpless. The frustration hurt so much that I just had to vent.

    Much to my surprise, Kossi bowed his head, turned around and flew away.

 Chapter 4: Whatever Happened to Uncle Kossi

    The whole place was left in an eerie state, between relief that it was over and fear that the dragon might come back. While firefighters put out the flames, I walked across the castle yard, looking for someone who knew the little boy I¡¯d rescued.

    After a while, a woman recognized him and called him Velm. She was dark-skinned and lavender-haired, she wore a light blue laced shirt over dark brown pants, and she told me she was a neighbor.

    ¡°It is true?¡± I asked the child.

    He nodded in silence.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring him home safely,¡± promised the woman.

    ¡°He¡¯s looking for his mother. Could she be one of the victims lying in the old moat?¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, and even if something happened to her, Velm has other relatives in our district. I¡¯ll leave him with them. Can we go now?¡±

    Nothing in her body language suggested she was lying or had bad intentions, so I let her carry the boy out of the castle yard.

    As the place slowly emptied, all noble guests ventured outside of the chapel, including the king.

    ¡°Did you run out of attack spells?¡± I asked the Senior Magi.

    Sir Pernel narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Well, I thought you could cast a limited number of each spell every day, and¡­¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! Is it how magic works in your world?¡±

    I bit my lips. It¡¯s how it works in D&D.

    King Esthar interrupted the awkward dialogue by asking us to report to him, one by one. He heard the sorcerers, me, and a few other people who¡¯d stayed outside during the attack and could testify.

    When my turn came, he was no longer wearing his heavy crown, but he certainly didn¡¯t need it to look regal.

    I told him what I¡¯d seen and done, and he looked at the moat with a deeply pensive face.

    ¡°It was a bold move, inviting commoners inside the castle yard without my permission.¡±

    There we go. Nobles and commoners. The former looking down on the latter, when they wouldn¡¯t survive one day without them.

    When he turned back to me, I didn¡¯t bow or look down. Not this time.

    ¡°I acted according to my conscience, Your Majesty. Too many lives were at stake. I couldn¡¯t just stand by while the crowd was panicking.¡±

    The king closed his eyes for a second.

    ¡°Is it what being our Great Hero means to you?¡±

    ¡°It is, Your Majesty. Saving lives and improving what I can.¡±

    Only then did I bow to show respect. King Esthar could certainly understand my stance.

    He nodded, sighed, and took a long painful look at his scorched garden.

    ¡°I do not understand why Kossi, a Gold Dragon, would betray our pact and join Demon Lord Faur¡¯s evil legions, but I must accept that it happened, and it casts a great danger upon the Brealian kingdom.¡±

    He took a step, then another, with his hands in his back.

    ¡°There should have been a banquet tonight. Given the circumstances, it will be canceled, and the food will be redistributed to the citizens.¡±

    ¡°It sounds wise. But there¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand, Your Majesty. May I ask you a question?¡±

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    I scratched my nape.

    ¡°When I learned about Demon Lord Faur, I thought this kingdom was at war. But it¡¯s not, is it?¡±

    The king sighed.

    ¡°Not yet, indeed, but I will tell you more in the morning. You should rest, now, Great Hero Al. I have matters to attend to. We will speak again tomorrow.¡±

    He dismissed me, gathered an escort and left the palace in a white carriage.

    The afternoon was coming to an end and the sky had taken rosy hues above the wounded city. Two young female servants brought me to my apartments on the second floor of the west wing. The place consisted of a bedroom, private bathroom, and an antechamber.

    There was wallpaper with dark red floral motifs on a light blue background. The large wardrobe overflowed with clothes, someone had left a fruit basket on the round table, the wooden floor smelled of oil, and the thick blue curtains looked brand new. I sat down on the wide bed, which was also very soft, and I realized how tired I was.

    The girls offered to help me wash, but I raised a hand to stop them.

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    ¡°This is very nice, thank you, but I can do it myself. I wasn¡¯t born in a noble family and I¡¯m not used to having people do things for me.¡±

    They looked shocked, as if I¡¯d rejected them.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want us to heat your bath?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes of course, you can heat the water, and then you can go to the antechamber, eat a fruit or two, and pretend I had you rub my back and I was a hassle.¡±

    I winked at them, and they put to work with a giggle.

    ¡°By the way, what are your names?¡±

    They were Olga and Vera. I swore to myself I¡¯d never need to ask them again.

    The soap smelled of lavender and the water was pleasantly hot. After washing and resting a little in the bath, I put on clothes that I thought were both stylish and comfortable: a white shirt, a teal bodice with orange brocade cuffs, flowing pants gathered in my boots, and a belt with an ornate buckle that looked a bit like a Celtic knot. I gathered my brown hair in a loose bun.

    The person in the mirror looked exactly like the Alicia Lebel who¡¯d taught four-year-olds. I¡¯d been dead and reborn, yet I had nothing to show for it, except I was in a palace, treated like a distinguished guest by a king who¡¯d summoned me by mistake.

    Had Alberto been in my place, what would he think? What would he do? Would he have fought the dragon today?

    Maybe this was all a dream. Maybe I¡¯d wake up in my own bedroom, in the house I hadn¡¯t finished paying off, and laugh at my own distress.

    ¡°Great Hero Al?¡±

    I wiped my tears and turned to the door. Vera was waiting for me.

    ¡°Princess Nigella wants to talk to you. Are you ready? I can take you to her apartments.¡±

    I¡¯d never be ready, but I accepted nevertheless. Vera led me to another wing of the palace, with wooden coffering on the ceilings and painted flower patterns on the walls. The crown princess¡¯s antechamber looked a lot like mine, only with more ornaments and paintings.

    Princess Nigella, too, had changed into other clothes: in her case, a simpler dress in shades of white and blue. No tiara, no complex bun, only a light blond plait behind her back. In the dim light, she just looked like a fragile, sad and tired teenager.

    ¡°Thank you for coming, Great Hero Al. With the banquet being canceled, I ordered a light supper. Would you like to share it with me?¡±

    ¡°Please just call me Al, Princess. It¡¯d be an honor.¡±

    ¡°Be my guest, then, Al.¡±

    We sat down to a light green soup that smelled like peas, with mushroom slices in it. I tried a spoonful. The soup could have used more seasoning. Nigella looked at me as I tasted, and then gave me a sad smile.

    ¡°Do you think this soup is bland? It is meant to be. This is food for a wake.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    As ritual foods go, I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s worse out there.

    We sipped our soup in silence, thinking of the lives lost in the attack.

    When our bowls were empty, Nigella looked out of the window, where we could make out the night lights of Carastra.

    ¡°I wish your first day among us could have been better,¡± she sighed.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. You couldn¡¯t foresee such an attack.¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°The more I think of it, the less I understand it. Kossi was around since before I was born, so why would he join forces with our enemies? This is so unlike him!¡±

    ¡°How well do you know Kossi, Princess?¡±

    Better than I thought. He wasn¡¯t just some distant ally, as I¡¯d assumed. He was present at official ceremonies, he often paid unplanned visits, he was more like a friend of the family. Nigella told me how he¡¯d take her shopping in Potions¡¯ Corner when she was a child.

    I raised a hand to ask a question.

    ¡°How can a huge dragon like him go shopping?¡±

    She chuckled.

    ¡°Gold dragons have a human form, Al.¡±

    How is it possible when he¡¯s so large and majestic? What about conservation of mass? Oh, whatever. It¡¯s a fantasy world.

    I nodded. Nigella had a dreamy smile.

    ¡°Hardly anyone in Carastra knows him in his human form, and I was easy to disguise back then, so we could buy sweets and walk around. It was a getaway for me, and for him as well, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°What was he to you? Some kind of uncle?¡±

    ¡°I suppose so, but it all stopped after the accident.¡±

    She put her chin on her hand. Her eyes lost focus as she relived the memory.

    ¡°Kossi showed up at the vigil, after my mother and brother died. He stayed for the funeral, but it was the last we saw of him. That was one year ago. Nobody reported seeing him since, neither in Carastra nor anywhere in the Brealian kingdom.¡±

    I nodded. There could be a million reasons for him to stay away from humans for a while, so I could understand why nobody thought of a betrayal.

    And yet, there¡¯s this girl overwhelmed by sorrow, who could have used a loving uncle by her side.

    ¡°Are you alone, Princess?¡± I asked. ¡°Last of your line?¡±

    ¡°No, Al. Did you meet the Duke of Sottarn?¡±

    ¡°I think I did. He¡¯s your uncle, isn¡¯t he? King Esthar¡¯s brother. He lives in another city¡­ I can¡¯t remember, starts with a Z.¡±

    ¡°Zerta. The main sea port of the kingdom, at the mouth of the river Rekario.¡±

    Nigella looked out of the window again.

    ¡°I have two younger sisters, Adalyn and Zinnia, but they live in Zerta with my uncle Irmel. Our father wants to keep them away from all the hustle and bustle of Carastra.¡±

    ¡°It means you have no siblings around, and maybe no one close enough to understand what you were going through when you became crown princess. A friend of the family like Kossi should have stood by you.¡±

    She sighed.

    ¡°What matters today is not his absence, but his attack. Without the magic that protects the dome of the chapel, we would probably be dead. Thank the Almighty for keeping us safe.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Unlike you, I didn¡¯t know Kossi before, but I was outside today, and something was off with his behavior. At first, he only attacked the garden. The dome, too, but someone close to your family must know that it¡¯s protected, so at this point, he probably wasn¡¯t trying to kill anyone. Then he seemed to fight against something invisible, and when he did turn his fire against the people, it looked like he was coerced into it.¡±

    Nigella looked at her empty bowl, then at me.

    ¡°Coerced? By a spell, for example?¡±

    ¡°Possibly. But are there spells strong enough to subdue a Gold Dragon?¡±

    ¡°Kossi is quite young, fifty or sixty years old. He is powerful, but not as much as ancient dragons, so such a feat, though difficult, is probably possible.¡±

    She put her hands over her face.

    ¡°This is a nightmare, Al. I lost my mother and older brother, I became crown princess while half the aristocracy of this country deemed me too weak for the task, the dragon who could help me through this ordeal vanished, and when he finally came back, he attacked my capital city!¡±

    I expected her to cry, but she didn¡¯t.

    ¡°You¡¯re probably stronger than you think,¡± I said softly. ¡°I¡¯m a teacher, you know, and what I see in you is a clever young person who needs to find confidence and grow into her responsibilities.¡±

    And learn to delegate them to competent people, as being born into a royal family doesn¡¯t necessarily make you able to rule everything.

    ¡°Is this why you were summoned?¡± she asked. ¡°To teach us wisdom from your world?¡±

    I laughed.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t count on my world¡¯s wisdom if I were you! To be honest, I still need to figure out what I can bring you and your kingdom, but now that I¡¯m here, I¡¯m not letting you down. You have my word, Princess Nigella.¡±

    ¡°Will you find out what happened to Kossi?¡±

    At this point, I remembered I had a question to spend. I only had one a day, and it was time to use it up. I wiped the corners of my mouth with a white linen napkin.

    Now, how does this work? How do I call Cherub? Do I just close my eyes and think hard?

    ¡°Hello there! Cherub, I have a question! Did the dragon Kossi really turn up against Brealia, or did he attack against his will?¡±

    The answer popped into my head, along with the certainty that I could get no more information on that day: ¡°Against his will.¡±

    I opened my eyes and smiled at Nigella.

    ¡°Kossi¡¯s controlled by someone else. I think he¡¯s still your friend, Princess. And I¡¯ll do my best to understand what¡¯s going on.¡±

 Chapter 5: Of Coffee and Demons

    I awoke with my head stuck between two pillows, anticipating the morning alarm that was probably about to ring.

    I¡¯m still sleepy, can¡¯t I stay in bed just a little longer? Tell my pupils I¡¯ll be late for school.

    Then I realized the bed was far wider than it should be, and my situation came back to me. I sat up, holding back a scream: that life was over. My pupils had probably learned about my death by now. Ms Lebel was run over by a van and passed away. What a shock for these young kids! I could only hope the event would encourage them to watch for traffic when they stood in the middle of a street, instead of carelessly staring at their house like I had.

    It seemed my teaching days were past me. I had a new life to adjust to, and two missions. One, understand why the Senior Magi had summoned me if the country wasn¡¯t at war. Two, handle the situation better than Alberto.

    That one shouldn¡¯t be difficult: he¡¯d rush ahead to fight the dragon and get himself killed without having solved anything.

    I got up, walked to the window, and opened the curtains.

    Two seconds later, a servant opened the door and asked if I needed anything. She was neither Olga nor Vera, but a completely different person, with a slender figure and a tight dark red bun. When I asked her why the personnel had changed, she answered in a shy voice that I hadn¡¯t been assigned a personal maid. My room would be cared for by whoever worked in the west wing on that day.

    ¡°Is it a problem, Great Hero Al?¡±

    ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s fine.¡±

    It¡¯s good news. It means I won¡¯t be pampered like a spoiled kid.

    Her name was Maya. She cleaned the room while I got ready, then showed me down the stairs to the small dining room. As we walked to the first floor, she talked in a low voice.

    ¡°This is where you will have most of your meals, Great Hero Al. The main dining room is only used for important events.¡±

    ¡°Like the banquet that got canceled?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Exactly. There will be other ones, so you¡¯ll get to see the place eventually. By the way, you have an appointment with King Esthar after breakfast.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes, I remember he said we¡¯d talk in the morning. Thank you, Maya.¡±

    I let her resume her activities and asked a cook for his name. He awkwardly looked at his feet.

    ¡°I¡¯m Arwan, my lady.¡±

    Do I look so impressive?

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Arwan, I¡¯m just new to this place and I wanted to know what hot beverages I could have for breakfast.¡±

    To my great horror, they had no coffee, or anything that tasted remotely like it.

    ¡°Really?¡± I protested. ¡°It¡¯s made by brewing roasted beans, it¡¯s dark, slightly bitter¡­ There must be some equivalent here!¡±

    Arwan, who had dark brown skin and what looked like cat ears covered by a wide headband with geometric patterns, apologized profusely. Over the next half hour, he made me taste every hot drink he could find, until I chose some kind of black tea. I needed something to properly start my day, and if this cup was the best thing a cook could find in a royal palace, it¡¯d have to do.

    There wasn¡¯t any puff pastry, either, but I had very decent biscuits.

    After breakfast, a valet led me to King Esthar¡¯s personal office. The place was adorned with gorgeous maps, and it smelled of old wood and balsam. I loved it as soon as I entered. The king sat at his desk, both hands resting on a large leather pad. No crown, no ample robes. Over his white shirt, he wore a collarless yellow vest embroidered with a floral pattern. He gave me permission to sit down.

    ¡°How was your night, Great Hero Al?¡±

    ¡°Complicated, Your Majesty. Please call me Al.¡±

    I spent half the night dreaming I¡¯d grown big muscles like Alberto, and I was wrestling in the sky with a dragon who looked more like a gargoyle than like Kossi.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    King Esthar nodded.

    ¡°I wish I could allow you more time to set foot in your new life, but the circumstances are pressing. Let me roughly explain Brealia¡¯s current situation. You will learn the details with time. Right now, you need to know where you are standing while we deal with the current situation.¡±

    Standing¡­ or sitting.

    I repressed a smile as the king showed me one of the maps on the wall.

    The Brealian kingdom was smaller than the average American state or Western European country. Its shape looked like a warped square on the map, and with a good horse, one could ride from one end of the territory to the other in about a week. The northern border followed a ridge in the local mountain range, while the southern border was a coast. On the eastern and western sides, the natural boundaries were less obvious.

    At first glance, it looked to me like the heart of the kingdom was the river Rekario. It flowed southeast from Lake Mera, at the foot of the mountains, gathered several tributaries, passed through Carastra, and then it went straighter to the south, flowing into the Kiro sea at the port city of Zerta.

    Brealia had a varying number of neighboring countries, depending on the current state of the alliances. Our closest ally was Alam, east of Brealia if one followed the coast.

    We weren¡¯t at war with any of these countries, even though diplomatic relations were tense with some of them.

    Then what am I doing here?

    After a while, I raised my hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty, but I don¡¯t get it. Where does Demon Lord Faur fit in this picture?¡±

    ¡°He does not. His empire is right there.¡±

    King Esthar walked to another map, behind his desk, and pointed to an area which I recognized as the northern edge of the mountain range.

    ¡°This is Elkodunar, also known as the demon empire. This map is not exactly up to date, and you will understand why in a moment.¡±

    There was no direct border between Elkodunar and Brealia. A buffer zone of sorts separated the two countries. It was made up of a handful of smaller mountain lordships, the main ones being Inabar and Bamir.

    Faur would have to walk through these places if he wanted to invade Brealia. What would he want it for, anyway?

    ¡°You may wonder why I decided to summon you,¡± the king said.

    I nodded.

    ¡°Indeed, Your Majesty, I do.¡±

    He looked at the map again.

    ¡°You may think there is no direct threat to the Brealian kingdom, but it would be wrong of you to assume that. We both saw what happened yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Kossi¡¯s attack? Do you think Faur caused it?¡±

    ¡°Quite probably. He conquered his throne ten years ago. Conquered, not inherited.¡±

    Esthar sighed.

    ¡°Elkodunar¡¯s barbaric rules of succession state that pretenders to the throne must fight for it. They gather alliances and fight a civil war, usually for years.¡±

    He stopped for a second, his blue eyes looking into mine. What was he waiting for? I just wanted him to get to the point. He eventually resumed his speech.

    ¡°Faur¡¯s victory, however, was quite swift. In a matter of three months, he rallied most of his opponents under his banner and got rid of the others. I don¡¯t think a succession war was ever won so fast in the history of the empire. Faur¡¯s first decision as Demon Lord consisted in expanding his territory, at the expense of his neighbors. His armies conquered whole regions, here, and there, incorporating them into the empire as protectorates. To this day, I am not sure of the exact extent of Elkodunar.¡±

    He pointed to areas east and west of the original country.

    ¡°This is all on the other side of the mountains,¡± I observed. ¡°What makes you think he could want to conquer Brealia, too?¡±

    ¡°Many disturbances over the past years. A fire destroyed half of Potions¡¯ Corner, the alchemist district in Carastra. In the mountains over Sanajec, near the border with Inabar, herds were decimated by a mysterious disease. Some expeditions never returned.¡±

    Not to mention the queen and crown prince¡¯s death, but they said it was an accident. So was the rest, perhaps. None of it sounds like a good reason to summon a hero from another world. Either Esthar is assuming a lot just because Elkodunar is known as the ¡°demon empire¡±, or there¡¯s something else he won¡¯t tell me.

    However, a dragon, who was also a friend of the family, had showed up at my summoning celebration and attacked the palace. I¡¯d overheard a conversation between cooks, while I was having breakfast. The tragedy had claimed no less than thirty victims.

    I should have saved them all. This is what they summoned me for, and I failed.

    ¡°Yesterday¡¯s attack proves that I was right to be worried,¡± said the king.

    Is he reading my mind?

    I looked at the desk with its beautiful leather pad. ¡°You think Faur is behind Kossi¡¯s attack.¡±

    Esthar nodded.

    ¡°It takes a Demon Lord to either seduce or overpower a Gold Dragon.¡±

    I could check that. I closed my eyes.

    ¡°Cherub, my friend, is Kossi under the domination of Demon Lord Faur, or of someone else?¡±

    ¡°Someone else.¡±

    ¡°Then who¡­¡± but there was no angel left to answer.

    I clenched my teeth. Why hadn¡¯t I asked for the enemy¡¯s name straight away? One question a day was a tricky gift. I needed to be more careful what I asked, or I¡¯d keep losing days, and maybe lives.

    ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯ll have to take my word for it, but I think there¡¯s something else to this attack. Someone else might be involved.¡±

    He frowned.

    ¡°Really? You arrived yesterday. How can you possibly know such a thing?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Your Majesty. It¡¯s more of a gut feeling so far. Let me investigate. I¡¯m the Great Hero Al. I may not know how to fight, let alone how to hunt a dragon, but I have other assets and I intend to use them for the greater good of Brealia. Will you trust me?¡±

    I reached out over the desk, offering the king a handshake. He gave me a puzzled look for a second, then he ignored my arm and looked at my face again.

    ¡°I am the one who summoned you, so I will trust you, for now.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡±

    I grabbed his hand and pressed it for half a second before remembering who he was. If the Brealian royal family was anything like the British one, my gesture was extremely improper. I let go of his hand and blushed.

    ¡°Sorry, this is a sign of agreement in my culture.¡±

    King Esthar pulled his hand against his chest as if it hurt.

    ¡°No matter what world you were born in, you now live in ours, Great Hero Al. Try not to forget it.¡±

 Chapter 6: Of Burials and Butter

    After my meeting with the king, Archbishop Terru led a ceremony in the royal chapel, praying for the souls of those who had died in the moat.

    The wooden panels that had separated the place in two halves were pushed against the stone walls, allowing the building to accommodate several hundred people in one space. The pillar that served as an altar was roughly in the middle, protected by a handful of guards in official tabards. All worshipers were standing in concentric circles around the priest, with a few seats for the elderly. Not all of them looked noble or rich.

    They do let commoners into the castle after all.

    The king and crown princess sat in the same ornate wooden chairs as for my summoning, on the day before. I stood in a group of advisors, most of whom I remembered from the celebration. Which one was Lord Berg, which one was Lord Gimon? I couldn¡¯t tell.

    Archbishop Terru¡¯s melodious voice named every person who fell in that absurd dragon attack. With each name, someone sobbed in the audience. But the bodies weren¡¯t there, neither in the chapel nor anywhere else in the castle. It was a memorial service rather than a proper funeral.

    ¡°May they rise to the Almighty,¡± I repeated with the crowd.

    As we walked out of the chapel and most worshipers were led back to the city by the guards, I asked the nearest advisor about funeral practices. Did Brealian people bury their dead? Cremate them? Choose other options?

    He frowned. ¡°What do people do in your native world?¡±

    ¡°It depends on the place and culture. Look, I¡¯m not here to judge. I just have a lot to catch on, as far as common knowledge is concerned.¡±

    ¡°If you say so.¡± He sighed. ¡°Most citizens in Brealia are Almighty worshipers, and we cremate our dead. It helps the soul rise to the Almighty.¡±

    ¡°What about people with other religions?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask them? I have other things to do.¡±

    He had an annoyed gesture, as if to sweep away some fly. I let him get back to whatever urgent activity he had, and wondered what to do next.

    I had promised to investigate Kossi¡¯s attack, but I wasn¡¯t sure where to start. Cherub could give me a clue; however, I¡¯d used up my daily question, so I had to wait until the next day. What could I do in the meantime?

    If I want to be their hero, I must get comfortable in my new shoes. For a start, I¡¯d love to have croissants for breakfast.

    The cooks startled when I entered the kitchen after lunch. They tried to convince me that the Great Hero didn¡¯t belong there, but I stayed among them, breathing in all the smells, some familiar, others totally unknown. I looked at the pantry, trying to recognize as many ingredients as possible.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite cool in here,¡± I noticed.

    The senior cook, a middle-aged woman named Sirit, nodded proudly.

    ¡°Cold magic. The market hall was the first place in Carastra to have permanent cold spells, but the royal kitchen was a close second. It keeps the food fresh.¡±

    On the walls behind the furniture, a handful of symbols glowed faintly. I nodded.

    ¡°I can see that. It¡¯s impressive. Is it high-level magic?¡±

    ¡°Not that high, I think. An instructor from the University of Magic Arts came with half a dozen second-year students, and it took them an hour or two to cast a permanent spell. They come back every fifteen days or so, to charge it with magic.¡±

    Sirit enthusiastically told me the names of several foods I pointed out to her. Solael, the fruit whose juice I¡¯d had at my summoning, looked like grapes, only with a thicker skin. I had one grain. It tasted like pineapple. There were also datils, plums that could be sweet or sour, but there was no way to know before cutting them open.

    I nodded, remembering as much as I could.

    They have flour, I think it¡¯ll do, but there¡¯s something missing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see any butter.¡±

    Sirit ran a hand over the discolored red scarf that held her auburn hair back.

    ¡°We used it up yesterday, for the banquet, you know. What we had left went into today¡¯s biscuits. We¡¯ll buy some more next morning.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a pity. I wanted to bake pastry from my native world.¡±

    ¡°Feeling nostalgic, my lady?¡±

    ¡°A little.¡±

    She sighed.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯d be happy to bake whatever you like, but we only run errands early morning here. During the day, we need everyone in the kitchen. I shouldn¡¯t even be slacking in here right now. So, if you say you need butter for that pastry of yours, I¡¯m afraid someone else¡¯ll need to go to the market hall for you. Is it all right, my lady? I¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    She added the last two sentences as an afterthought, probably realizing she wasn¡¯t supposed to act too familiar with the Great Hero Al. I smiled to make her more comfortable.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Sirit. I¡¯ll see what I can do, and I¡¯m not a spoiled child. If I don¡¯t find a way to buy butter, I can wait another day.¡±

    To be honest, I¡¯d feel really frustrated if I didn¡¯t get my croissants made. But I was an adult, wasn¡¯t I? I knew better than to throw a tantrum.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    There was noise in the courtyard. Duke Irmel and his entourage were leaving the palace. I craned my neck in the crowd and noticed the king and crown princess busy saying goodbye and embracing their relatives. There were guards everywhere. So much for asking for money, so I walked back into the main hall.

    Come on, I just want a little money and someone to help me find the market hall. How difficult is it?

    After getting lost in the hallways, I found a steward and asked for his name.

    ¡°Olio, Great Hero Al.¡±

    ¡°You know I was summoned without any possessions. Is it possible to get money for a small errand? And someone to show me the way?¡±

    He turned pale. ¡°Great Hero Al, it¡¯s not only a guide you need, it¡¯s an escort!¡±

    I squinted.

    ¡°Am I in danger?¡±

    He bit his lips.

    ¡°You might be. Some people might think you¡¯re responsible for what happened yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Yesterday?¡± I gasped. ¡°I did no harm. I saved as many people as I could!¡±

    He had a gesture of apology.

    ¡°I know, Great Hero Al. But not everyone does. Who knows what could happen to you in a narrow alley?¡±

    A man stopped by us as we were talking. I¡¯d seen him at the celebration. If I remembered correctly, he was Lord Torren, one of the king¡¯s advisors.

    ¡°What is the matter here?¡± he asked.

    The steward told him I needed an escort. The advisor smiled.

    ¡°Undoubtedly, you do, Great Hero Al. But if I may ask, what business do you have in Carastra? Can¡¯t you just send someone to buy whatever you need?¡±

    I crossed my arms. ¡°Maybe I could, but I want to know this city and this kingdom. What kind of hero just stays within the castle?¡±

    Lord Torren looked thoughtful for a second. ¡°I think we can borrow a cadet. Follow me.¡±

    After Olio gave me a small purse, we went through the royal residence and out the back fa?ade, the one that faced north. We walked through a flower garden arranged around an ornate fountain. The statue in the middle looked like a mythological figure.

    Who this statue is must be basic general knowledge here. It¡¯s hard to get dropped somewhere without knowing anything about the local culture. Do they even have books in this palace? I only saw a handful of them in the king¡¯s office. Is there a library?

    We got out through another bridge, narrower than the main one, with remnants of a drawbridge mechanism still visible in the stone walls. I didn¡¯t take us long to reach a cobblestone square and a brick edifice with a concave fa?ade. Sculptures of horses adorned the last floor.

    ¡°Welcome to the Royal Sword Academy!¡± said Lord Torren.

    He showed me around high-roofed rooms, then to a dirt backyard where young swordfighters were training, all wearing the same blue tabard, a simpler version of the one the palace guards wore.

    Lord Torren asked a few masters if they had any students available for a mission. Finally, a woman in leather leggings, her gray hair in a very tight bun, scars across her left ear, her lips and her neck, turned to a pale-faced student who was working hard against a mannequin.

    ¡°Chess!¡± she called. ¡°Can you come here?¡±

    The cadet ran to us, sword still in hand.

    ¡°Yes, Mistress Jemos?¡±

    ¡°Enough training for today. Change clothes and escort this lady to town, will you?¡±

    Emerald green eyes peered at me from under straight black hair whose ends brushed the cadet¡¯s collar.

    ¡°Escort?¡±

    I smiled.

    ¡°Yes, please. I have an errand to make and people at the palace fear I might get assaulted.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever I¡¯m asked.¡± The student¡¯s voice had a foreign accent. ¡°Wait for me in the hall, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll be there in a moment.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Chess.¡±

    As the advisor and the student both left the backyard, Mistress Jemos smiled at me.

    ¡°Chess has a hard time blending it, because they¡¯re foreign and a bothandnone, but they¡¯re a fine kid, reliable, good with a sword.¡±

    ¡°Bothandnone?¡±

    ¡°You know, feeling neither like a man nor like a woman. They left their native Bamir because they couldn¡¯t live as a bothandnone there, and it¡¯s a good thing they did. They¡¯re one of my best students.¡±

    I see. A refugee of sorts.

    Mistress Jemos smiled. ¡°Some nasty cadets tried the hard way to know what¡¯s in their pants, but the kid¡¯s good at bathroom brawls, too. As far as I know, none of them ever achieved their stupid goal, and I reckon they¡¯d brag about it if they did!¡±

    When I met Chess in the hall, they had traded the school¡¯s blue tabard for a dark green doublet. They escorted me through the wide streets around the palace, then into a network of narrow alleys packed with a colorful crowd.

    Jettied upper floors cast a shadow over the shops that opened on street level, each one spreading a different smell. Every shop sign claimed to sell the best alchemical goods in the kingdom. The occasional charred beam reminded me of King Esthar¡¯s words: this was Potions¡¯ Corner, the district that had been partly destroyed by a fire a few years earlier. I listened to the various languages and accents spoken around us.

    ¡°How long have you lived here, Chess?¡±

    They shrugged. ¡°Four years. I¡¯m seventeen, it¡¯s my last year at the Academy.¡±

    ¡°What will you do when you graduate? Will you be an officer?¡±

    ¡°Hopefully. But I don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    They looked sideways, their black hair partly hiding the sad look on their pale face.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a Brealian citizen, ma¡¯am.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°So I heard. You¡¯re from Bamir, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    They sighed. Apparently, they didn¡¯t like being reminded of their origins.

    ¡°The only reason why I could join the Academy in the first place was Prince Sorosiel¡¯s influence. Now that he¡¯s gone, will they trust me to lead Brealian troops?¡±

    ¡°Mistress Jemos says you¡¯re talented.¡±

    Their green eyes brightened. ¡°Really? She never said that to my face.¡±

    ¡°I bet she didn¡¯t. She¡¯s not the kind of instructor who pays her students a compliment, and believe me, I know my teachers: I was one myself, until yesterday.¡±

    They smiled. At least, now, they no longer looked bored.

    After our stroll through Potions¡¯ Corner, Chess led me to another district. That part of the city looked less medieval and more modern, with wider streets and a covered market hall with wrought iron pillars. The smell of livestock and fresh meat lingered in the air, softened by a draft of icy air.

    The cold spell Sirit told me about.

    I looked everywhere for the glowing symbols, but I didn¡¯t find them. They were probably hidden behind the stalls. I walked along the aisles, marveled at all the groceries, and compared several butters before choosing the one I¡¯d bake my morning croissants with.

    The precious ingredient was stored in a small thick-sided box. Chess decided to carry it.

    ¡°Do you need anything else, ma¡¯am?¡±

    ¡°No, thank you. We can go back now.¡±

    The street that led to the palace was lined by houses on one side and by a park on the other. We walked along the wrought iron fence. I could make out the roofs of the royal residence in the distance.

    ¡°Thank you for carrying my errand, Chess,¡± I said cheerily. ¡°People at the palace worried that someone might recognize me and blame me for yesterday¡¯s attack, but none of it happened.¡±

    They shrugged.

    ¡°Hardly anyone saw you up close yesterday, ma¡¯am. To most people, including me, you were just a person who ran along the palace parapet in a flowing white robe. With your hair up and your trousers, you look like a random traveler. No wonder you go unnoticed.¡±

    Excellent! Now, all I need to do is go back to the kitchen, prepare my puff pastry, and get up early tomorrow to bake my croissants. After a good breakfast, I¡¯ll be happier and ready to choose the right question for Cherub.

    ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, my lady,¡± said a man¡¯s voice in my ear.

    Chess drew their sword, but the stranger put his arms around me and dragged me into the park. I hardly felt any resistance when we went through the wrought iron fence, as if we¡¯d been a plane flying through a cloud.

    This guy has magic abilities? Who is he? What does he want with me?

    Left on the other side of the fence, Chess could only watch us disappear in the park. My heart raced, both in fear and in anger at my inability to defend myself.

    The man finally put me back on my feet and took a step back. He was human, probably in his mid-twenties, with dark blue hair and eyes, a blue jacket and a red scarf. He exchanged glances with other men around us.

    He¡¯s not alone. Don¡¯t do anything stupid, Alicia.

    ¡°Great Hero Al,¡± he said, bending on one knee.

    So much for the people of Carastra not being able to recognize me in this outfit.

    I opened my mouth, but the man spoke first.

    ¡°Let me introduce myself. My name¡¯s Vilo Jozin and I believe we should have a word. Why don¡¯t we have a nice stroll through Lexas Gardens and speak?¡±

 Chapter 7: Talking About a Revolution

    I tried not to panic. Chess couldn¡¯t just walk through a fence, but they would come for me, or they would warn guards. I¡¯d be free eventually. Besides, Vilo¡¯s relaxed attitude made the whole think look like a date rather than a kidnapping. Hero-napping. Whatever.

    ¡°How did you do that?¡± I whispered. ¡°Get me through that fence?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know who I am, do you?¡±

    ¡°Should I?¡±

    He looked around us. His men kept a respectful distance, like mafia henchmen. They guarded the place from afar, sitting on benches or walking along the paths. Only their watchful attitude made them stand out from the rest of the walkers, who strolled along, a little more carefree, in colorful attires that suggested the park mostly attracted wealthy people.

    Nobody else paid attention to us. I briefly considered screaming for help, but I decided against it. It would only get me into more trouble.

    For the Almighty¡¯s sake, I just wanted to buy butter, and now there¡¯s this guy staring at me as if I should know him! All right, let¡¯s give him what he wants.

    I sighed.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Vilo offered me his arm with a smile. After a short hesitation, I reluctantly put my hand on his wrist, and he led me on a path that wound between rows of elaborate topiaries.

    ¡°When the town criers announced that the Senior Magi were summoning the Great Hero Al, I didn¡¯t remember the old nursery rhyme was based on an actual prophecy. I imagined a big strong man wielding a shiny sword, because that¡¯s the imagery we were fed when we were young.¡±

    There¡¯s a nursery rhyme about the Great Hero Al?

    ¡°Nobody expected someone like you,¡± added Vilo. ¡°Not even King Esthar. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°What makes you think that?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯d never have summoned you on purpose. He wanted a charismatic warrior who could lead his armies, not a resourceful woman who¡¯d go out of her way to save unimportant people.¡±

    What did he just say?

    I pulled on his arm, making him face me, and stood on tiptoe to match his height.

    ¡°No one¡¯s unimportant!¡±

    Then I remembered where I was, the park, the mafia henchmen, and I let go of his arm in a panic. He smiled.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need convincing, Lady Al. But I think King Esthar does. Did he tell you about his current situation?¡±

    ¡°He did tell me why he got me summoned.¡±

    I explained what I¡¯d learned in the morning, the Demon Lord, the recent expansion of Elkodunar over neighboring territories, and how the king feared an attack on Brealia. Vilo listened with an amused look on his face.

    ¡°Faur is dangerous all right, but he¡¯s been around for ten years, now. Do you know who wasn¡¯t around ten years ago? Me.¡±

    Yes, but who are you exactly? You wanted me to ask you, so I did, and you¡¯re still not answering the question!

    I breathed hard. I didn¡¯t know him, or how far I could push him before he or his men retaliated, but I was tired of being played with.

    ¡°Please come to the point, Vilo Jozin! Who are you?¡±

    ¡°The leader of a party King Esthar may be more worried about than the Demon Lord, because unlike Faur, we¡¯re here, not over the mountains. And we¡¯re vocal.¡±

    ¡°How vocal?¡±

    He puffed out his chest.

    ¡°I formally created the All One Party last year. We protest regularly in Carastra and Zerta, and we gather more and more people each time. Still, the king won¡¯t meet me or my closest associates.¡±

    ¡°I wonder why.¡±

    If I was King Esthar, a guy gathering protesters every week under my windows would look more like a dangerous lunatic than like a respectable political force.

    Vilo must have heard the sarcasm in my voice. He frowned.

    ¡°Lady Al, this is no joke. This is about the people of Brealia!¡±

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Over the past year, he explained, the All One party had set up protests in the main cities of the kingdom, asking for equal rights between nobles and commoners. Vilo pretended he¡¯d pursued this goal all his life, but All One had really taken off during the winter. Due to bad harvests all across the continent, the prices of several basic goods had risen, driving hundreds to walk the streets, asking for public action.

    Classic story. It takes an economic emergency for ordinary people to get over their fear of protesting. The French Revolution began that way. But unlike this gentleman, I know how it ended, and it wasn¡¯t pretty.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised King Esthar even lets you walk free,¡± I commented.

    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t if he had a choice. But as you experienced, my natural magic makes me hard to catch.¡±

    To demonstrate his ability, he stepped right through a pillar topped with a statue of a young child carrying an amphora. His figure looked slightly blurry for a second and the stone opposed no resistance.

    ¡°Natural magic?¡± I frowned. ¡°How common is that?¡±

    ¡°Uncommon, but not so rare. And definitely not reserved for nobles, or any special kind of population.¡±

    After I got summoned, Princess Nigella had asked me whether I had magical abilities, but so much had happened in the meantime that I hadn¡¯t given it a second thought. However, Vilo¡¯s demonstration suggested that it could be a thing. Perhaps calling Cherub for help wasn¡¯t the only supernatural feat I was capable of.

    This still doesn¡¯t tell me why this man abducted me.

    I put my hands on my hips.

    ¡°What do you want from me, Vilo?¡±

    ¡°I want you to keep both eyes open. The prophecy was around for centuries, so why did King Esthar choose to summon you now, when the country¡¯s not at war?¡±

    I¡¯ve been wondering, too, but I have no more reason to trust this mad dog of a political leader than to trust the king.

    ¡°Are you suggesting it¡¯s not about Faur?¡±

    He smiled.

    ¡°Maybe the threat King Esthar wants you to defend him from isn¡¯t some Demon Lord from outside the country. Maybe it¡¯s a man standing next to you right now.¡±

    And maybe you¡¯re just giving yourself more power than you really have.

    We¡¯d walked to a grotto where the basalt statue of a dragon watched over a small spring. It reminded me of a question I ought to have asked at the beginning of our discussion.

    ¡°What kind of threat are you, Vilo? Did you have anything to do with the dragon¡¯s attack?¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°Not in a lifetime! That was Kossi, right? He¡¯s been known as a protector of Brealia for as long as I can remember. I have no idea what went through his mind, but of course it wasn¡¯t me! First, I don¡¯t know where to find him, let alone how to make him do anything, and second, his act of madness caused the death of thirty people. I want to grant everyone the same rights, Lady Al, not to get innocent people killed!¡±

    His jaw was clenched and his navy blue eyes had gotten so dark that they looked black. He was sincere.

    Besides, you can¡¯t be the people¡¯s leader when they¡¯re dead, can you?

    I nodded. ¡°I believe you, Vilo. This is my main concern right now: find out who made Kossi attack the city of Carastra, because whoever did this is the actual danger I intend to fight.¡±

    ¡°And then? What will you do once you stop them?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out later. You have no idea how much I¡¯m dealing with right now.¡±

    He raised his eyebrows and gave me a long curious stare. I gestured at the park around us and sighed.

    ¡°There are so many things you take for granted, because they¡¯ve always been around in this world, so no one even thinks I need to learn them! But I do. I have to ask how common natural magic is, or what you call these people with the triangular ears on top of their heads¡­¡±

    ¡°Tibuns. They¡¯re called Tibuns.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    We¡¯d followed the spring to its end, where it flowed into a wide river that marked the edge of the park. Boats sailed up and down its stream.

    That must be the river Rekario, the one that flows from Lake Mera to the sea.

    On the other bank, tall narrow houses were aligned, their front doors facing the river. They reminded me of a postcard from Amsterdam that my parents kept stuck to their fridge with a magnet.

    ¡°Your escort is looking for you,¡± said Vilo. ¡°It was a pleasure to meet you, Lady Al. You might be the hero that we need after all, so please, keep your eyes open and your mind alert. Sooner or later, you¡¯ll have to take sides.¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°Look, Vilo, if I must choose between hereditary monarchy and democracy, I know where my heart lies. However, in my native world, there have been revolutions, overthrown kings, and I know it¡¯s always a messy, ugly process. Not to mention that new tyrants usually end up replacing the old ones.¡±

    He frowned.

    ¡°This is not who I am. Anyway, I¡¯m not asking for your support right now. I just wanted to warn you that King Esthar wasn¡¯t telling you the whole truth.¡±

    ¡°No one ever does.¡± Not even me. I¡¯m certainly not telling anyone I came into this world with a cheat code named Cherub. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you won¡¯t stop at abolishing privileges. You¡¯ll want to be a head of state yourself. So I must warn you, out of my knowledge of my own history, that it may not end well.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your honesty, Lady Al.¡± Vilo bowed and handed me a folded piece of paper. ¡°Now, you¡¯ll know how to find me if you need me. The palace is this way. My men will be watching, in case you get in trouble, but Lexas Gardens is a quiet place, as you must have noticed.¡±

    He pointed upstream, to the north, then walked away in the other direction.

    The paper contained directions and a password. I put it in my pocket, in case it came in handy later, then I followed the path upstream. A short while later, Chess appeared, running towards me.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am! What happened? I¡¯ve been looking for you!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Chess, it¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t blame yourself, there was nothing you could do.¡±

    The cadet looked around us. ¡°We¡¯re being watched.¡±

    I nodded. I didn¡¯t see or feel them, but I just knew there were people out there.

    ¡°Men from the All One party. Vilo Jozin asked them to keep me safe until you found me.¡±

    Chess clenched their teeth for a second and their emerald eyes glowered at the bushes.

    ¡°So that was Vilo Jozin. I knew it! I don¡¯t know anyone else with the same natural power.¡± Their hand tightened on the hilt of their sword. ¡°What did he do to you?¡±

    Nothing bad, kid. He mostly questioned my loyalty.

    I took a step on the path, deliberately looking as relaxed as possible. Part of me felt scared, but I didn¡¯t want it to show.

    ¡°He tried to convince me that he didn¡¯t want the power for himself.¡±

    ¡°And you believed him?¡±

    I shrugged.

    ¡°No. He¡¯s probably not a bad man, but he¡¯s a leader at heart.¡±

    I smiled at Chess, who looked like they were just waiting for an occasion to get in a fight with Vilo¡¯s men.

    ¡°Let¡¯s pretend it didn¡¯t happen, all right? I¡¯m the Great Hero Al, and this conversation was quite enlightening. You didn¡¯t fail in your mission. After all, I see you¡¯re still carrying my butter.¡±

 Chapter 8: The Princess and the Architect

    Sirit assigned me a spot in a corner of the kitchen so I could prepare my dough undisturbed, and without disturbing the cooks around me. Then she went from one person to the other, supervising operations and giving the occasional hand. When I began rolling and folding, though, she came back and looked over my shoulder.

    ¡°Oh, interesting! They have meat pies made with a similar technique in Niras.¡±

    She watched me add flakes of cold butter, fold the dough over it, press it with a rolling pin and start again. She nodded with a smile.

    ¡°To make the pies, they cut the dough instead of folding it, though. Where did you learn this recipe?¡±

    I wanted to bake my own puff pastry, so I looked up a video tutorial on the internet. But I need another way to state it.

    ¡°I found a baker who was ready to share the knowledge, back in my native world.¡±

    ¡°Are you ready to share it too, Great Hero Al?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll give you the recipe once I¡¯m sure it¡¯s perfect. It should be easy for someone as experienced as you. As you must know if you¡¯ve heard of similar pies, the butter must be cold during the folding.¡±

    Sirit looked a little longer, then she left.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave an ice box for you in the pantry.¡±

    I put more butter on top of my dough and folded the pastry again. I¡¯d done it a hundred times in my native world. I could let my mind wander while I worked.

    Cat-people are called Tibuns.

    Fold. Turn. Roll out into a rectangle. Fold again.

    Vilo believes I wasn¡¯t summoned to protect the kingdom against Demon Lord Faur, but against a political change that may come from inside the country.

    The dough was beginning to stick to the rolling pin. I sighed and wiped my brow.

    ¡°I must take a break now.¡±

    I walked to the pantry and found the ice box Sirit had put on a shelf for me. Puff pastry always took time. As soon as the dough got warmer, it became sticky, and had to be left to cool again before resuming the rolling and folding.

    I stayed there for a moment, enjoying the cold air provided by the spell.

    Poor Chess. When they left me in the courtyard, they seemed to think they did a terrible job at escorting me. But I don¡¯t think anyone could have done anything against someone with Vilo¡¯s power.

    I turned around and got back to the kitchen. Sirit looked up from the poultry she was stuffing.

    ¡°Dough got warmer?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Sticky?¡± she added.

    ¡°Indeed. I¡¯ll leave it in the ice box for a while, and I¡¯ll work on it again when it¡¯s colder.¡±

    ¡°How many times will you fold it?¡±

    ¡°The more, the better. I think I¡¯ll have two more sessions like this one, before I let the dough rest for the night.¡±

    Sirit nodded, her eyes bright with excitement.

    ¡°I must say I didn¡¯t expect the Great Hero Al to teach me new breakfast recipes! I imagined you¡¯d be fighting demons, forging new blades, that kind of thing.¡±

    ¡°King Esthar told me I was supposed to bring prosperity to the kingdom,¡± I smiled. ¡°But what is prosperity without proper food?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a hero after my own heart!¡±

    Just as I reached the kitchen doors, a blond-haired teenage girl in a gray dress burst in and snitched a grain of solael from a basket. She startled at my sight, then relaxed. I squinted in disbelief.

    ¡°Princess Nigella? Why are you stealing from the kitchen?¡±

    She signaled me to hush.

    ¡°Please, Al, I know I could just ask for a snack, but where would the fun be?¡±

    I nodded.

    She has a lot on her plate, at an age when I wasn¡¯t the last to act stupid for the sake of feeling alive. A little play can¡¯t hurt.

    Nigella put another solael in her mouth and slipped out of the kitchen. I followed her into the small dining room, only to catch a glimpse of a person I wasn¡¯t expecting.

    What? Leda? What are you doing here?

    I stopped dead in my tracks. The young woman sitting at a table in a corner looked terribly familiar, with her dark reddish-brown skin, gorgeous curly black hair and curves impeccably harnessed in a green and burgundy gown. Could she be Leda Gatilla, my old friend from high school? But if she was, how did she come here across the worlds?

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    No, she wasn¡¯t. When she looked up from the leather-bound book she was reading, I realized her face was different. She was younger than Leda. Her face was more oval than round, and her lips were fuller.

    Still, I stood there, unable to take my eyes off her. That brief surge of hope, taken away from me after a second, only left despair in its wake. I¡¯d been ripped away from my life the day before. No matter how enthusiastic I was at discovering this world, there were things, and people, that I could never get back.

    Princess Nigella narrowed her eyes. What did she see, in that moment? What did she believe I was feeling?

    ¡°Al?¡± she asked. ¡°Great Hero Al?¡±

    I blinked.

    ¡°Yes, Princess?¡±

    I wanted to run away and cry, but I couldn¡¯t do that in public, while the crown princess of the Brealian kingdom was talking to me, could I?

    Leda was invited to my birthday party. I hadn¡¯t seen her in months, and I was excited to share a good time with her. Now, there would be no party for her or for me. Perhaps she got invited to my funeral.

    I closed my eyes, imagining my parents and my friends around the casket. The vision was too vivid. I struggled to breathe normally.

    ¡°Are you all right?¡± asked the princess.

    I tried to smile, but tears blurred my vision.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m fine. This person over there reminded me of someone from my native world and I got carried away in my own memories.¡±

    Nigella looked at the beautiful young woman in the corner.

    ¡°Cristolia Valmar? The architect? She is from Alam. Come with me, I will introduce you to her.¡±

    I followed the princess across the room and we both sat opposite the young woman. Her skin reflected the light from the lamps, and a hot beverage was cooling by her side. She had watched us with a smile as we came closer to her.

    ¡°Good afternoon, ladies.¡±

    Her voice didn¡¯t sound like Leda¡¯s at all, but it was strange to look at her and almost see a younger version of my friend, dressed in a gorgeous Renaissance gown and a dark green muffin cap.

    The princess pointed to the book.

    ¡°Good afternoon, Cristolia. May I ask what you are reading?¡±

    ¡°A treatise on the resistance of various woods. Some of them have interesting properties, but I wish I could design structures that don¡¯t require wood at all.¡±

    ¡°You were present at the Great Hero Al¡¯s summoning celebration, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    The young woman nodded.

    ¡°I was, Princess, even though I didn¡¯t have time to speak to her before¡­ Well, we all know what happened.¡±

    ¡°May their souls rise to the Almighty.¡±

    Nigella pointed to her.

    ¡°Al, Cristolia Valmar is our youngest, and probably boldest, Royal Architect. I look forward to seeing her creations come to life in Carastra.¡±

    ¡°What kind of creations?¡± I asked.

    Cristolia Valmar had traveled from the neighboring country of Alam to study architecture in Carastra. Her talent had attracted the king¡¯s attention and she had recently been promoted to Royal Architect. She was tasked with renovating existing buildings, as a way to prove her worth before she went on to design her own.

    She told me of her dreams, high smooth walls and tall glass windows, structures that didn¡¯t need pillars or any visible support. Could such buildings be built without modern materials from my native world? I raised a hand to ask a question.

    ¡°Do you use magic when building things?¡±

    Nigella shook her head.

    ¡°Magic is rare and precious. Only about twenty students graduate each year from the University of Magic Arts, and as you know, Brealia only has five Senior Magi.¡±

    ¡°But there are permanent cold spells in the kitchen and in the market hall¡­¡±

    ¡°These are useful. Why would anyone waste magic to build structures that we can get with skill and sturdy materials?¡±

    All right. Magic isn¡¯t something you find around the corner, here.

    Cristolia smiled. She was warm and friendly, a bit like Leda, but Leda belonged in the past now, as did everyone and everything I¡¯d ever loved.

    ¡°Of course, if someone was born with natural magic allowing them to erect perfect walls, I¡¯d love to work with them! But as far as I know, there¡¯s no such person.¡±

    I leaned over the table, eager to learn more.

    ¡°How common is it? Natural magic?¡±

    I already asked Vilo, but a second opinion can¡¯t hurt.

    Princess Nigella rested her chin on the palm of her slender hand.

    ¡°Some people are born with it. I would say¡­ One in a hundred?¡±

    ¡°But the powers are random and not always very useful,¡± added Cristolia.

    The princess nodded.

    ¡°Natural magic is both positive and negative. For some unknown reason, a person born with it cannot learn spells.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± I let the architect have a long sip of her hot drink. ¡°Who can learn spells, then?¡±

    ¡°Theoretically, anyone with a scholarly mind. However, it does require a lot of theory and practice, so it takes a long time and a lot of dedication. Most students drop out of the University of Magic Arts after the first year, only knowing the most basic spells.¡±

    Cristolia finished her mug.

    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯d be glad to be able to summon a ball of light and study everywhere. Some places can get really cramped and bringing a lamp there is cumbersome.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you?¡±

    She tilted her head to the side with a smile that dared me to understand by myself. I frowned for half a second before finding the answer.

    ¡°You have a natural power!¡±

    She laughed.

    ¡°Exactly! Not one I¡¯d dream of having, though it can be¡­¡±

    Her voice was drowned by shouting and stomping. We couldn¡¯t make out the words, but at least one voice sounded distressed. Princess Nigella stood up as if she had a spring on her chair. In the blink of an eye, there was nothing left of the playful teenager who¡¯d stolen solael grains from the kitchen.

    ¡°I should go check,¡± she whispered before rushing out of the room.

    So should I, probably.

    ¡°Thank you for the conversation, Cristolia! I¡¯ll be happy to talk again.¡±

    I followed the princess into the main hall, where other people were already gathering. A man in tattered clothes was arguing with the guards at the door. His ample gestures seemed to mimic the path of a flying object. Nigella cut through the crowd and asked him for explanations.

    ¡°Do something!¡± the man shouted. ¡°You can¡¯t let honest people lose their homes because of your dragon!¡±

    Although she was facing away, I swear I could see the blood drain from her face.

    ¡°Our dragon?¡± she repeated in a shaky voice.

    Oh no. What did Kossi do again?

    The man glared at her, shaking his firsts.

    ¡°I¡¯m from Rabal, Miss, do you even know where it is?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Nigella answered with more confidence in her voice. ¡°It is a little under two hours west of Carastra.¡±

    ¡°Well, that monster of yours burned down the whole village! We lost everything! What are you going to do now, little rich girl?¡±

    The guards pushed him away. Of course, he had no way to guess that the frail teenage girl in front of him, in her simple gray dress, was actually the crown princess of Brealia. However, someone else¡¯s steps made him kneel. King Esthar had put on his regal mantle before showing up in the hall.

    ¡°Do not speak lightly in this palace! The Gold Dragon is no pet that we can unleash. He is his own person, and if he did destroy your village, we will take action. But first, guards, give this man better clothes and bring him to my office. Princess Nigella, come with us.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the princess answered, looking down at the dark red carpet underneath her feet.

    The father and daughter walked up the main stairs together, the man was led to another room, and the rest of us were asked to disperse. When I entered the small dining room, Cristolia Valmar was gone, and a cook was picking up her empty mug from her table. I pushed the door to the kitchen, my heart thundering in stress.

    What¡¯s happening? Why do I have to wait another night before I ask Cherub who¡¯s behind these attacks?

    I still had puff pastry to fold, but I¡¯d lost a considerable amount of enthusiasm.

 Chapter 9: How to Kill a Dragon

    I went back to the kitchen with shaking hands. Baking usually calmed me, but this time, there was too much at stake.

    Kossi attacked Carastra yesterday. He burned down Rabal today. Where will he be tomorrow, and is there a way to stop him?

    Roll. Add butter. Fold.

    The more I think of it, the less sense it makes. All I can do is hope we know more in the morning. Cherub will help, but will I have the patience?

    While I was waiting for the sticky dough to cool down again, the king and crown princess left Carastra in a carriage escorted by guards on horses, to see the damage with their own eyes.

    I asked a few questions around me. Most people in the palace were worried, down to the youngest servants. Kossi was a celebrity. Even though he hadn¡¯t shown up much in the past few years, he was still thought of as a protector. Everyone had seen him at least once. He was a bit strange, but kind.

    Then I took the dough out of the ice box to work on it one last time.

    ¡°Dinner will be served soon,¡± said Sirit.

    I nodded.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to taste what you and your team prepared. Just let me finish this, I won¡¯t be long.¡±

    The head cook leaned on the counter next to me.

    ¡°I heard you asking around about the Gold Dragon. Can you protect us, Great Hero Al?¡±

    I took a deep breath.

    ¡°I can¡¯t shield the whole kingdom against his flames, but there¡¯s something fishy about these attacks and I promise you I¡¯ll find out what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°And stop him?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll put an end to whatever¡¯s making the dragon attack.¡±

    I looked down at my dough.

    ¡°I think we folded it enough. I¡¯ll get up early next morning to roll the croissants.¡±

    ¡°No, Great Hero Al!¡± Sirit waved her hands in front of me. ¡°Get some rest, you¡¯ll need it. We¡¯re always up early in the kitchen. I usually go to the market, but I can send someone else and do the baking myself. Just tell me what I should do.¡±

    I explained she had to cut the dough into rectangles, every rectangle into a triangle, gently roll them into crescent shapes, let them rise for an hour or so, then brush them with egg wash and bake them until golden brown.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll remember it?¡±

    Sirit tapped her forehead. ¡°Of course I will! I didn¡¯t become the head cook by accident. Now go have dinner.¡±

    She pushed me out of the kitchen, and I sat down to stuffed poultry with turnip and spinach, or very close equivalents. I wanted to go look for a library after dinner, and read about this new world I lived in, but I felt too nervous to read. I just took a walk in the flower garden, around the fountain, and went to bed early.

    Knocks on my bedroom door startled me awake. I sat up, wondering what time it was. No light came from the slit between the curtains, and I still felt quite sleepy.

    ¡°Great Hero Al!¡± a voice called.

    ¡°Yes? Is it morning already?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s still night, but King Esthar returned from the village of Rabal. There will be an emergency meeting in the council room at half past eight. Do you want a maid to wake you up?¡±

    I can¡¯t decide whether I hate the king for waking me up in the middle of the night, or if I appreciate knowing that I¡¯ll have to get up early. In any case, this person isn¡¯t responsible for what¡¯s happening, so the least I can do is to be polite.

    ¡°Yes, please. At the person¡¯s convenience, as long as it¡¯s before eight o¡¯clock.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Great Hero Al. I¡¯ll be leaving now!¡±

    I lay back in bed, my eyes already closed but my mind racing. Who was invited to this meeting? I couldn¡¯t be the only one. What did the king want with us? What had he seen in that village? I hoped Kossi had managed to resist whoever controlled him, and to avoid killing people.

    What if I got up now and asked Esthar about it? No. He must be in bed, too, and he needs to sleep as much as I do. Let go, Alicia. I¡¯ll get answers soon enough.

    I was already half-awake when a maid gently knocked in the morning. I washed my face, got dressed, put my hair up, and since it was still early, I went downstairs for breakfast. The smell of croissants filled the air, raising a lot of curiosity among the people eating in the small dining room.

    ¡°There you are, Great Hero Al!¡± said Sirit, who was standing by the kitchen door. ¡°These gentlemen wanted to taste your recipe, but I wouldn¡¯t let them come near it before you saw it!¡±

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    ¡°It¡¯s not my recipe, Sirit. It¡¯s commonplace where I come from. But thank you.¡±

    I bit through my first croissant with an audience: a handful of cooks wanting to make sure that I was satisfied, and half a dozen gentlemen eager to have a bite. Due to the use of ingredients from a different world, it didn¡¯t taste exactly the same as my old breakfasts, but it was close enough. I sighed. Unlike Cristolia Valmar, the architect, who only happened to look like my friend Leda Gatilla, this croissant was real, not just a reminder of things lost. At the same time, it still faced me with the reality of my situation: I couldn¡¯t go back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± asked Sirit.

    I realized there was a small tear at the corner of my eyes.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just as good as I hoped. Thanks for everything.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s excellent!¡± added one of the gentlemen. ¡°Can we have more, one of these days?¡±

    ¡°If Sirit wants to make more, she has my blessing.¡±

    Now, if I can lay my hands on a hot drink that tastes like coffee, my breakfast mission will be complete.

    Perfect on a first try. As I promised the day before, I gave Sirit the exact recipe. Then I basked in the general appreciation of my croissants, gathering as much strength as I could before moving to the king¡¯s council room.

    I had expected some kind of boardroom with advisors sitting around a large table. Instead, I found myself in a place that looked more like my idea of a chapel than the actual chapel of the palace. Its columns rose above a rectangular stone floor to a high vaulted ceiling. All along one wall, large stained-glass windows represented a field under a sunny sky. There was a row of dark blue velvet seats, but not enough to accommodate everyone in the room, and the only writing desk was used by a scribe in a corner. The king was mostly here to talk, and we were mostly here to listen.

    Esthar and Nigella were the only ones seated, and they both wore their crowns. Apart from them, I recognized Archbishop Terru, the five Senior Magi in their purple robes, some advisors, including Lord Torren, who¡¯d taken me to the Royal Sword Academy, and a few officers in outfits that looked fancy enough to be ceremonial uniforms. Most of these people were men. Apart from the princess and myself, only two Senior Magi and one advisor were women.

    When a valet closed the door behind us, King Esthar stood up and talked.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I gathered you here this morning because of a pressing situation. When Kossi, the Gold Dragon we thought of as a friend, attacked Carastra two days ago, we worried and we mourned our dead, but nobody imagined that he would burn down a whole village on the very next day. Crown Princess Nigella and I went to Rabal last night. We found no building standing. All that is left is a pile of ashes.¡±

    The assembly kept silent. What was there to answer, anyway?

    Princess Nigella opened her mouth, but her father raised an arm to silence her.

    ¡°Two attacks in two days,¡± he added. ¡°We must expect Kossi to strike again this afternoon.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we wait for him and strike as soon as he attacks again?¡± asked an officer.

    One of the Senior Magi shook his head. It was Pernel, the man who¡¯d helped me talk to the population two days earlier, the one with the rose gold hair.

    ¡°We could if we knew where to expect him, but we don¡¯t. He probably won¡¯t reach the sea from his lair, but he may attack any place, from the mountain tops to the fields south of Carastra.¡±

    I raised a hand.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± All heads turned to me and I felt myself blush. ¡°Forgive my ignorance. I come from another world and my question might sound stupid to you, but out of curiosity, I¡¯d like to know. Yesterday, you fired bolts and spells at Kossi and he didn¡¯t seem to feel them. Is it really possible to wound a Gold Dragon?¡±

    Pernel bit his lips. From the look on his face, he did think I was stupid. Another Senior Magus, an elderly bald man with dark brown skin and eyes like peridot, stepped forward and talked to me in a soft voice. His name was Naenar.

    ¡°It is possible, Great Hero Al. One missile may not pierce the dragon¡¯s scales, but it does weaken them, so by concentrating fire on a single target, we can wound him, or even kill him.¡±

    Senior Magus Malin, the woman with the silver bob, sniffed.

    ¡°He kept moving yesterday and we couldn¡¯t aim at a single place on his body, which is why we eventually stopped attacking. But if we knew where to find him, and if we could restrain him just long enough¡­¡±

    She sighed. For a second, silence hovered in the council room.

    Then the king¡¯s voice rose again.

    ¡°Sadly, as Sir Pernel said, we do not know Kossi¡¯s whereabouts. But I will not let a Gold Dragon betray a centuries-old pact without retaliating! Today, I brought you together to make a common decision. Will we let Kossi terrify and murder the people of Brealia, or will we strike in return?¡±

    Arguments were raised. Hands were raised too. I tried to follow the debate, but everyone talked at the same time, and in the end, a large majority of voters, led by the five Senior Magi, approved the idea of a counterattack. I didn¡¯t, and neither did the princess, but we had a majority against us. Instead of finding out what was really happening, they wanted to slay the dragon, like in a fairy tale for children.

    Dread built up like cold stone inside my body. Couldn¡¯t these people see how unfair and oversimplistic their solution was? And why didn¡¯t they respect their own crown princess?

    ¡°How do you intend to proceed?¡± I asked when the chattering voices went down.

    An officer gave me a contemptuous look, as if I was a stupid child bothering grown-up people who were trying to mind serious business. ¡°It¡¯s obvious, Great Hero Al. We may not be able to locate Kossi, but we know he¡¯ll go back to his lair eventually. All we have to do is go there, wait for him, and put an end to his rampage by killing him.¡±

    ¡°All you have to do,¡± I commented. ¡°You make it sound so simple.¡±

    The whole assembly was staring at me. I could literally feel the weight of their disapproval, but I couldn¡¯t just stand there and let them decide to slaughter a creature who was acting against his will.

    Pernel, the Senior Magus, had a weird sad smile. ¡°Of course it won¡¯t be simple. As we told you, it will require complex coordination between soldiers and sorcerers. But it must be done.¡±

    Lord Gimon, an advisor whose white beard reminded me of Leonardo Da Vinci, nodded sadly.

    ¡°Kossi has obviously lost his mind. Slaying him as soon as possible is the only option we have.¡±

    King Esthar walked toward me through the crowd, a living picture of dignity and cold anger.

    ¡°Great Hero Al, you do not seem to understand what is at stake right now. I have known Kossi since I was a child and I considered him a friend. Do you think I choose to put him to death light-heartedly? I will do what it takes to protect my people. So should you.¡±

    Given our respective authorities, I should have looked down. Esthar was the king who summoned me, and I had yet to prove my worth as Great Hero. However, bowing down to unfair authority wasn¡¯t my idea of heroism, so I returned his stare.

    ¡°Will you join us?¡± he asked. ¡°Will you go to Kossi¡¯s lair and become the protector of Brealia you were summoned to be?¡±

    It¡¯s not a question, it¡¯s an order. He summoned a Great Hero who was supposed to support his power, not undermine it. I must tell him someone else is behind this and going after Kossi is a huge mistake, but I have no proof, just Cherub¡¯s word!

    I bit the inside of my lips.

    ¡°Great Hero Al!¡± shouted Esthar.

    What should I answer?

    The stained-glass window shattered, taking my breath away. I ducked. So did everyone else. King Esthar grabbed his crown with both hands as if to protect it from the large creature who had just flown into the room and hovered above us, the underside of his wings shimmering like pure gold.

 Chapter 10: The Rightful King of Brealia

    As soon as they saw Kossi, all five Senior Magi cast shining bolts of lightning at him, but every single one hit the ceiling as the dragon dived to the floor. His dark brown figure shrank when he hit the ground, magic flowing, matter reorganizing; when the blur cleared, the creature who stood alone in the middle of the room, with everyone else packed along the walls, looked like a human. And not just an average-looking one.

    Oh dear, he¡¯s so beautiful!

    Kossi certainly didn¡¯t look fifty or sixty in human years. Had I walked past him in the street, I¡¯d have thought he was in his twenties. He had warm dark ochre skin, black hair kept in well-defined coils flowing down to his shoulders, a full mouth, golden eyes, and the subtle glaze of scales on his high cheekbones. He wore all black: pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and a knee-length vest where the alternance of matte and shiny fabric suggested a fern pattern.

    ¡°Where did he find his clothes?¡± I whispered.

    The advisor next to me frowned. ¡°He can turn from dragon to human form in the blink of an eye, and it¡¯s the clothes you ask about?¡±

    Well, he¡¯s right. Forget about conservation of mass, unless it turned into energy, but¡­ oh, whatever.

    Kossi turned around, facing everyone in the room, surrounded by murmuring voices and by the sound of broken glass. When his gaze met mine, he stared at me for a second before moving on to the next person and finally turning his back to me. Why did I get special attention? He didn¡¯t know me, did he?

    He must remember that moment, when I faced him with the little boy in my arms and shouted at him to go away.

    ¡°King Esthar!¡± he finally said, and of course the voice matched the look, warm and youthful, a treat to the ear.

    The king, now protected behind a row of guards, gave him a look that wished it could kill. ¡°Dragon Kossi. How dare you show up in Carastra after taking innocent lives?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡±

    Kossi stopped mid-sentence, not so much searching for his words as fighting to get them out of his mouth. He finally shook his head.

    Something¡¯s not right. He stormed into the room, he could probably kill us all in one fire breath, he should be standing on higher ground here, and yet, he looks so uneasy!

    ¡°It was only a warning,¡± he added in a bitter voice.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Princess Nigella.

    Kossi looked at her with a sad smile. Look at his attitude! He may accept her father¡¯s anger, his hate even, but he hates having to disappoint her. ¡°I mean I came here to deliver a message from¡­ From my master.¡±

    The whole audience gasped. I exchanged a short glance with the princess. We both knew he wasn¡¯t acting of his own free will, and now, he was admitting it to everyone¡¯s face. Would it change the general decision? Would these officers in their shiny uniforms decide not to storm his lair after all?

    ¡°Speak!¡± ordered King Esthar. ¡°Who is your master?¡±

    I¡¯d wanted to ask Cherub the exact same question. In fact, if it wasn¡¯t for the whole early morning council and the breakfast adventure, I¡¯d done it earlier. Now I was glad I didn¡¯t. No need to use up my daily miracle. The dragon was about to reveal the name himself.

    Kossi looked down at his feet, and for a couple of seconds, he ran his hand behind his neck. Was something bothering him there?

    ¡°My master is Lord Saegorg of Inabar.¡±

    Inabar. I knew the name.

    Esthar told me about it yesterday. It¡¯s one of the small mountain lordships that stand north of the Brealian kingdom. It also shares a border with Elkodunar, so we can¡¯t rule out the possibility that this Lord Saegorg is allied with Faur¡¯s demon empire.

    The uneasy silence around me suggested that nobody expected such a revelation. King Esthar frowned.

    ¡°How did Saegorg become your master?¡±

    Kossi rubbed his nape again. I should have been in a perfect position to see it, but a couple of tall officers got in my way, so I shifted to the left. I had to know what was going on. The gesture looked out of place and it had to mean something.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know how it happened,¡± the dragon said. ¡°Here is the message I must deliver: Lord Saegorg is the rightful king of Brealia.¡±

    What is he talking about?

    The king gave the dragon an unimpressed look.

    ¡°So he claims, as his family always has, but we both know better.¡±

    Kossi stared at him with a sad look on his face. Then he startled, as if pricked by a needle. When he spoke, he sounded slightly out of breath.

    ¡°My master tamed me, a Gold Dragon, as proof of his might, and he wants me to warn you. Step down from your throne, King Esthar, and let Lord Saegorg rule Brealia. He will show kindness by letting you live, and he will keep your bloodline in his dynasty by marrying Princess Nigella, or one of her younger sisters, should something happen to her.¡±

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    Outraged cries rose around the room. Of course they did. Nobody could hear such a bold demand without reacting. What would I think if someone stepped into my living room and claimed my house was theirs, but they¡¯d let me live on a mattress in the laundry room, out of kindness?

    Princess Nigella¡¯s eyes were wide with shock, but she didn¡¯t move or say a word. She stood among the angry assembly, either too dignified or too stunned to react.

    Kossi put a hand behind his neck and lifted his hair once more. This time, no one was blocking the view, so I saw what he¡¯d been trying to show us all along. There was a complex pattern on his skin, glowing so faintly that one had to look for it to notice it. It was probably an important clue, but I had nothing to draw it on. What should I do?

    Then I remembered I had my own cheat code to overcome that inconvenience. I quickly closed my eyes.

    ¡°Cherub? I need a small miracle today. Let me keep a perfect memory of this pattern on the dragon¡¯s neck, and be able to draw it at will.¡±

    ¡°Granted.¡±

    I took one last look at the pattern. It was all clear to me, engraved in my mind, as if I¡¯d always known it.

    Meanwhile, the king gestured at his advisors to calm down. He waited for silence to come back before speaking again.

    ¡°What will Saegorg do if I refuse?¡±

    Kossi looked at his feet, then at the princess. He let out a sigh.

    ¡°Then I will destroy your towns one by one, until you surrender. If you care about Brealia, you will give it up before I burn it all to ashes. As I said, the first attacks were only a warning. I was holding back. You know how considerable my power is.¡±

    His voice, though still warm and melodious, shook a little. Even though I didn¡¯t know him, I could tell he hated being coerced into speaking those words. His body language spoke for him.

    King Esthar shook his head. There was hard resolve in his blue eyes.

    ¡°You know this is unacceptable.¡±

    ¡°Lord Saegorg thinks you¡¯ll come to your senses and understand you have no other option.¡± Kossi let his last sentence linger in the air. His beautiful face was a picture of guilt and sadness. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­ Ugh!¡±

    His whole body jerked. Whatever his master was doing to him, it looked painful.

    ¡°Think, King Esthar,¡± he added in a panting voice. ¡°I¡¯ll come back in ten days. If you refuse Lord Saegorg¡¯s offer, my attacks will resume, and his assault will begin. Brealia won¡¯t stand a chance.¡±

    He looked up at the ceiling, his figure became blurry, and in under a second, the gorgeous man was a dragon again and flew out of the shattered stained-glass window. A magic missile hit him, but he didn¡¯t slow down. Before anyone else could react, he was out of sight.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I saw the¡­¡± I began, but my voice was lost in the deafening noise of the entire assembly shouting over one another.

    ¡°How dare he?¡±

    ¡°A dragon weak enough to be subdued by the likes of Saegorg doesn¡¯t deserve our mercy!¡±

    ¡°This outrage cannot be forgiven!¡±

    My eyes met Archbishop Terru¡¯s across the room. The small bald priest didn¡¯t speak. He just looked at the assembly with a sorrowful look on his face.

    Maybe, just maybe I can get him on my side.

    As I elbowed my way through the crowd, Lord Gimon took my arm.

    ¡°Great Hero Al, you agree, don¡¯t you?¡±

    I looked him up and down.

    ¡°Why would I? There¡¯s obviously¡­¡±

    He let go of my arm and turned to an officer.

    ¡°General Lassentia, you agree, don¡¯t you?¡±

    I frowned. The experience felt painfully similar to many situations I¡¯d lived in my native world. Most people in a position of power just didn¡¯t listen. But hardly anyone ignored dissenting voices as blatantly as this advisor did.

    Slowly, painfully, noisily, a majority decided that, even though the attacks weren¡¯t Kossi¡¯s initiative, he still was the weapon. Saegorg was the enemy. However, he would be much easier to repress if he didn¡¯t have a dragon by his side, so the most obvious choice was to slay the dragon first, and to march on Inabar later. Fighting one enemy at a time. It sounded almost sensible. Almost.

    King Esthar looked terribly sad. He knew he was about to make a terrible decision, but he thought there was no better option. Should I try to speak?

    I¡¯m the newcomer here, they won¡¯t trust me. At least, not enough to change their minds entirely over a minority opinion.

    I still opened my mouth.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I¡­¡±

    ¡°We must strike Kossi as soon as he comes back in ten days,¡± the king interrupted. ¡°Can we have your blessing, Archbishop Terru?¡±

    The priest had remained silent throughout most of the meeting, listening more than he spoke. He didn¡¯t look too talkative anyway, possibly saving his voice for prayers. With a sorrowful look on his face, he nodded slowly.

    ¡°May he find redemption and rise to the Almighty.¡±

    What¡¯s in your minds? Kossi¡¯s a victim in this scheme, not as much as the ones who died in the moat the day before yesterday, but a victim, still!

    I wanted to shout at these men. I wanted to slap some sense into their little brains, one by one. Perhaps they could focus all physical and magical fire on one spot and get to kill the dragon, but how many fighters would die in the process? Kossi was under Saegorg¡¯s control. When he came to Carastra at the end of the ultimatum, he wouldn¡¯t hold back. There would be a bloodbath. And he¡¯d probably end up dying too.

    King Esthar listened to his advisors and officers while Princess Nigella kept her head low. Was it a tear she was trying to blink back?

    From what the officers were saying, I understood that Brealia¡¯s army was far superior to Inabar¡¯s, so the kingdom would probably win the war in the end.

    But at what price?

    We can go to war if we really have to. But please, only as a last resort! We must try another solution first!

    King Esthar finally nodded.

    ¡°It is agreed. We will wait for the dragon¡¯s return. We have ten days to prepare the deadliest ambush we can think of. We must be ready by the time Kossi comes back to Carastra. We will not leave him a chance.¡±

    A row of approving murmurs later, he turned to me.

    ¡°Great Hero Al, I will insist. You must take a prominent part in the operation, for the sake of the Brealian kingdom.¡±

    Excuse me? I don¡¯t know my way around, I can¡¯t fight and I probably have no magical abilities, remember? What use would I be?

    ¡°With all due respect, Your Majesty, why don¡¯t we first try to undo whatever makes Kossi obey Saegorg¡¯s orders?¡±

    The king looked up at the shattered stained-glass window.

    ¡°There was a vote. We made a choice. We agreed to kill the Gold Dragon.¡±

    ¡°But no one let me speak before we voted! Besides, I saw¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you a coward, Great Hero Al?¡±

    King Esthar glared at me with all his regal cold anger. He¡¯d summoned me. He¡¯d torn me away from my life. And now he was belittling me, because I dared to suggest we try another method before resorting to war.

    I breathed hard, my fists clenched against my hips.

    I¡¯m no coward. I just want to save as many lives as possible, and if it means I must save the dragon who got innocent people killed in the first place, then I will!

    Princess Nigella walked to her father.

    ¡°Let me talk to her, Your Majesty. The Great Hero Al is new to this world. She cannot understand what is really at stake here, so I will explain the whole situation, and talk her into doing what is right.¡±

    I narrowed my eyes, looking at how pleading her delicate face was in that moment.

    If I¡¯m not mistaken, she carefully avoided saying that she¡¯d talk me into joining forces with the army. She said I¡¯d be doing what¡¯s right, and I¡¯m pretty sure it doesn¡¯t involve the slaughter of her beloved dragon uncle. I like this girl.

    ¡°Crown Princess Nigella, I trust you,¡± King Esthar answered. ¡°Great Hero Al, do not disappoint me. For the sake of the Brealian kingdom, I expect you to be the one who brings down Kossi.¡±

 Chapter 11: How to Not Kill a Dragon

    The princess took me to a small office of the second floor. The office was probably not hers, given its small size and lack of decoration. The walls were simply painted light green, and the window had a view over the flower garden and the brick fa?ade of the Royal Sword Academy. She nodded at a servant who closed the door behind us.

    ¡°You will not kill Kossi!¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t kill Kossi!¡±

    Both of us had talked at the same time. We stared at each other for a moment, puzzled at our synchronicity, and then we giggled. Princess Nigella¡¯s face now looked less distressed. She glanced at the window, then she showed me the desk and chairs.

    ¡°It feels good to understand I have an ally in this council. Sit down, Al, and first of all, let me explain why Saegorg believes he should be king of Brealia.¡±

    Good. I was wondering about that.

    I took a seat. Unlike me, Princess Nigella just leaned on the wall next to the window, her crown reflecting the light from outside. She looked into the distance while she talked.

    ¡°The story begins generations ago. You may have heard of King Lexas, my great-grandfather.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I heard the name, and I had a stroll through Lexas Gardens, too.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°His grandfather¡¯s name was Esthar, just like my father. For the sake of simplicity, I will refer to this king of old as Old Esthar. Are you all right with it?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°No problem. In my world, too, royals are often named after their ancestors.¡±

    She looked at me and sighed.

    ¡°Old Esthar, like many kings, had a mistress. He even had several of them over the years. But I will only focus on one of them: Maitura, Maitura Ordonbadet. She was a remarkably clever woman who gained considerable influence, becoming some kind of power behind the throne.¡±

    Princess Nigella could have talked of that woman with admiration in her voice. Instead, she looked and sounded uncomfortable. She even shifted her position against the wall.

    I frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good position?¡±

    ¡°Not good enough for her. Old Esthar¡¯s wife, Queen Rothilde, was of lower birth than she was, and she began to think that she, Maitura, should have been queen consort in her place. That feeling became an obsession when she found out she was expecting.¡±

    Oh, now it gets interesting.

    ¡°The king¡¯s child?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We will never know, but it was quite probable.¡± Nigella shook her head and looked up at the ceiling. ¡°So Maitura tried to poison Queen Rothilde. She paid a cook to add arsenic to her food, but the cook denounced her.¡±

    ¡°After accepting her money?¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    We both smiled. Of course, they¡¯d taken the money first and blown the whistle later. I looked around us, at the beautiful light green paint on the walls. Speaking of arsenic¡­

    ¡°At her trial,¡± Nigella added, ¡°Maitura Ordonbadet claimed that she was within her rights. She was only securing a position she deserved, and the king would have married her after his wife¡¯s death.¡±

    Ouch! This story sounds like a true crime podcast with a criminal who committed murder out of delusion. But how does it connect to the current situation?

    The princess waited for me to stop cringing before she went on.

    ¡°Of course, Maitura¡¯s arguments did not convince anyone. However, her pregnancy saved her life. Although she was convicted of high treason, she was only banished and brought to the north border, up in the mountains.¡±

    ¡°Let me guess: she settled in Inabar, married the local lord, or became the local ruler herself, and fed her offspring the delusion that they should have ruled Brealia.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. She had a fortress built in Malo, overlooking a high cliff, and she ruled over Inabar for the rest of her life. The family has had claims over the Brealian kingdom ever since. Maitura¡¯s child was older than Queen Rothilde¡¯s eldest, so every once in a while, an Inabarian lord claims their due.¡±

    ¡°Did they ever declare war?¡±

    Princess Nigella shook her head.

    ¡°Never. Apart from the occasional threat, ever since Maitura Ordonbadet became ruler of Inabar, there was no concrete action against Brealia, until today. Kossi¡¯s revelations and ultimatum took us all by surprise.¡±

    I bet they did! And Nigella remains exceptionally calm, for someone who¡¯s threatened with a forced marriage. She may look shy, but she¡¯s really strong, once you scratch the surface.

    Princess Nigella moved away from the wall and put a hand on the back of a chair.

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    ¡°That was my story, Al. Now you know why Lord Saegorg of Inabar believes he should be on my father¡¯s throne. How he subdued Kossi, however, is a mystery.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°But we both refuse to kill Kossi, as your father would have me.¡±

    ¡°He deserves none of this! We must devise a way to save him!¡±

    Now there was panic in her eyes. She keeps cool when facing forced marriage, but murdering her dragon uncle is too much for her. My shoes are uncomfortable enough right now, but I still wouldn¡¯t like to be in hers.

    I straightened on my chair.

    ¡°You know Kossi better than I do, Princess. Do you have a plan, an idea, anything?¡±

    ¡°Not yet. Do you?¡±

    ¡°As a matter of fact, I might. May I have something to write on?¡±

    Bold hope brightened the princess¡¯s face. She leaned before the desk, opened a drawer, and handed me a sheet of paper, ink, and a dip pen.

    My memory of the pattern on Kossi¡¯s neck was a true miracle. I could remember every detail of it, and it didn¡¯t take me long to reproduce it with ink. Then I pushed the paper to the other side of the desk, where a curious Nigella stared at it. She squinted. She turned it to the side. Then she looked up at me.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    I pointed at my own nape.

    ¡°Kossi had this on the back of his neck. It was slightly glowing and he kept touching it, either because it felt unpleasant or because he wanted someone to notice it.¡±

    ¡°And you did.¡± Her cheeks turned pink with excitement. ¡°I did see he often put a hand behind his neck, but I failed to notice the symbol, so I assumed he was simply feeling uncomfortable.¡± She took another look at the paper. ¡°Are you sure it looked exactly like this?¡±

    I nodded. An angel granted me a miracle.

    ¡°I used a little personal trick to remember it with precision, so I can assure you it¡¯s the exact same pattern as the one on his neck. Do you know what it is?¡±

    She put the paper on the desk and took another long look at it.

    ¡°I am afraid not, Al. It looks like a magic glyph, but I cannot tell if it really is one, let alone what kind of magic it contains. An enchantment of sorts, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°I trust you, Princess. My knowledge of magic is terribly limited.¡±

    I¡¯d feel less ignorant if spells worked the same as in D&D, but now that I know they don¡¯t, my student years are no use to me here.

    Princess Nigella pursed her lips. ¡°It is odd. A wizard strong enough to subdue a dragon should be able to cast a spell that does not leave a visible mark.¡±

    ¡°I suggest we worry about it later. What matters is that we have a lead now. What should we do next? Should we ask the Senior Magi about the symbol?¡±

    Nigella waved her hand over the desk.

    ¡°No, no! They are involved in the military operation and they could tell my father about our plan. There was a vote and, by custom, we should not be going against it.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t King Esthar an absolute monarch?¡±

    She glared at me.

    ¡°My father respects his council and knows what it costs to go against custom. This is too important. He will abide by the vote.¡±

    Of course. He may have power, and he may be a stubborn king, but there are still rules.

    ¡°I understand, Princess Nigella. I¡¯m sorry for doubting your father¡¯s integrity. But what do you suggest?¡±

    She folded the paper.

    ¡°Here are my orders as crown princess, Great Hero Al. I put up a brave face and I pretend to go along with King Esthar¡¯s plan. In the meantime, you go to the University of Magic Arts, you search their library for the symbol you saw on Kossi¡¯s neck, and you report to me tonight. Then we will devise a plan.¡±

    She¡¯s standing up to her dad. Good. It¡¯s too early for her to do it in the open, but the more I know this girl, the more I like her.

    ¡°I will do as you ask, Princess. Only, I don¡¯t know where to find the University. Can you give me directions?¡±

    She sighed. ¡°The best way for you to get there would be to go with an escort. Who were you with when you visited Lexas Gardens?¡±

    ¡°A cadet from the Royal Sword Academy, named Chess.¡±

    It¡¯s a small lie, but it¡¯ll do.

    ¡°Chess¡­¡± she repeated. Her blue gaze became distant, some elusive sorrow wiping all traces of smile away from her face. ¡°They were a friend of Sorosiel¡¯s. The two of them were very close, they would spend hours practicing their sword skills, and then chatting about all kinds of subjects. Chess was left to themself after the accident.¡±

    ¡°A little bit like you?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°I was never truly alone. My brother¡¯s death brought new responsibilities upon me and canceled my engagement to Prince Rory of Niras, but I was always surrounded with teachers and advisors and courtiers trying to get my favors. Chess, on the other hand, lost their friend and protector, with no one to take over from there. I heard they are a good student, however, and if they can be as loyal to you as they were to Sorosiel, they might become your best ally.¡±

    ¡°Should I go to the Academy and ask for them, then?¡±

    Princess Nigella stood up.

    ¡°We will act more subtly. We will tell my father you accept to participate in the operation, but you need someone to protect you, and I will suggest Chess¡¯s name. Besides, we still do not know whether you have magical abilities. If you have to be the one who defeats the dragon, for the sake us all, you should take tests as soon as possible. The best place for it is the University of Magic Arts. So we will get Chess to bring you there this afternoon. What do you think, Al?¡±

    Wow. She devised it all on the fly. She really is good.

    I smiled. ¡°To be honest, Princess, I wish I¡¯d have come up with it myself.¡±

    As I stood up to follow her, she blushed a little.

    ¡°This is nothing, really. I know my father. You, on the other hand, have been among us for under two days. You have everything to learn and hardly any time to do so. I wish your summoning had been a better time for us all.¡±

    Princess Nigella took a step towards the door, and then stopped.

    ¡°Before we leave, I forgot to ask you if you have anything to add.¡±

    ¡°No, I mean, yes.¡±

    I pointed at the light green walls around us.

    ¡°If you allow me one totally unrelated digression, your mention of arsenic poisoning brought it to my mind. Do you know, by chance, what this beautiful green paint is made of?¡±

    ¡°I do not. Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°There may be one, if it¡¯s what I know as Paris green. That pigment was banned in my world because it contained a lot of arsenic. We have reports of houses that made their inhabitants sick, or even killed them.¡±

    She ran a hand down her face.

    ¡°Al, Great Hero Al, today is not the day to worry about this¡­¡±

    ¡°I know! I just noticed it today and I need to mention it before I forget. This paint¡¯s been here for a while. It can stay a little longer, but please, don¡¯t ignore it.¡±

    Princess Nigella squinted in disbelief. ¡°Can people even get killed by paint?¡±

    ¡°Or by wallpaper. Do you remember, yesterday, when you mentioned wisdom from my world? This is it. We learned the hard way that arsenic is toxic even if you only breathe it. Please let your people benefit from our experience, Princess. Don¡¯t let them get sick or die if you can help it.¡±

    She looked at the green walls with a thoughtful face, then she nodded.

    ¡°Thank you for your words, Al. Once the situation is solved and Inabar no longer threatens Brealia, I will take your comment into account.¡±

    And that was it. We now had a plan of our own: find out what the symbol was, understand how to counter the spell that forced Kossi to obey Lord Saegorg, and give him back his free will before he came back to Carastra.

    I followed Princess Nigella down the stairs, ready to meet her father again, trying not to stress out too much at the thought that we had under ten days to succeed.

 Chapter 12: Beautiful, and Bold, and Sick

    If King Esthar saw through our game, he didn¡¯t show it. He nodded when his daughter told him how painful it was for her to make me slay someone who felt like a relative to her.

    ¡°What do you think, Great Hero Al?¡± he asked.

    I watched my body language as I pretended to be convinced by the whole story. Saegorg was a madman and Kossi was too dangerous. For the sake of the Brealian kingdom, we had to get rid of both. No matter how much I hated the idea of killing a dragon who clearly loathed what he was made to do, I understood it was our only option.

    Be convincing. Stand straight. Don¡¯t look away.

    As a hero without fighting skills, I said, I suspected I might have natural magic, so I wanted to seek advice at the University of Magic Arts.

    At this point, the king sighed.

    ¡°Had Kossi not been under terrible influence, he could have told us. Gold Dragons can sense native magic in humans.¡±

    He sounded so sad that I almost felt sorry for him. Had he not decided to murder his friend, I could have shown compassion.

    ¡°Your Majesty, we can¡¯t risk running out of time. I wish to go to the University today and learn how I can sort out the situation.¡±

    Princess Nigella nodded.

    ¡°I suggest we make it look as casual as possible. This operation is secret, is it not?¡±

    ¡°Of course. We need the element of surprise.¡±

    ¡°Then, Al should go with a simple escort. Chess would be a good choice.¡±

    ¡°Chess?¡± King Esthar looked into Princess Nigella¡¯s eyes. ¡°Of all available cadets, why choose them?¡±

    She sighed. ¡°Because they are loyal, competent, and do not get along well with their class. They have no one to share gossip with.¡±

    Heartbreaking as it was, that last argument convinced the king. When I walked out of the palace after a light lunch in the small dining room, Chess was waiting for me in the courtyard. They stood straight, but their teenage features showed incomprehension. We walked out of the main bridge together, then we headed west.

    ¡°Why did you ask for me specifically, ma¡¯am? I was a terrible escort yesterday.¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°No, you weren¡¯t. Vilo Jozin cheated with his magical ability. There was nothing you could do to prevent him from taking me away.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your kindness.¡±

    Why can I hear a ¡°but¡±, even though they didn¡¯t say it?

    ¡°Look, Chess, your name sounds just like a strategy game from my native world. If you¡¯re uncomfortable with my choosing you, you can pretend it¡¯s the actual reason.¡±

    The cadet walked next to me, looking everywhere for a potential threat. They showed me across the river Rekario, then along wide cobblestone streets, until we found the University.

    The building stood by a bridge that crossed a narrow tributary of the Rekario. It was made of cream-colored stone, not overly large, but obviously designed to make a statement, with ornate pillars and sharp blue roofs. Only about twenty students graduated each year, I remembered. At least they studied in a majestic place.

    As soon as we reached the double door, a sorcerer with a brown beard pointed at Chess¡¯s scabbard.

    ¡°Wait a second, young man! You¡¯re not drawing this in here. Let me fix that.¡±

    Chess winced at the word ¡°man¡±, but kept silent.

    The sorcerer spoke a few words of the same strange language Sir Pernel had used after my summoning. Then he nodded.

    ¡°What business do you have here?¡±

    I gave him my best business smile.

    ¡°We want to check the library, sir.¡±

    ¡°End of the hall, corridor on the left, last door on the right. Do not walk into classrooms or amphitheaters.¡±

    He waved us away, seemingly convinced he had better things to do than to help visitors find their way inside.

    ¡°What did he do?¡± I asked once we were out of earshot.

    Chess didn¡¯t even look. Their eyes had a look of been there, done that.

    ¡°He sealed my sword, to make sure I do not draw it. He¡¯ll free it when we walk out.¡±

    I squinted at the scabbard and made out a symbol that glowed faintly.

    ¡°Oh, I see the spell now. Nice shape.¡±

    ¡°Do you? I don¡¯t¡­¡±

    Angry voices interrupted them. At the end of the hallway, we should have turned left, but a group of five teenage students in identical gray robes stood in another corridor, near a closed door. They were the ones shouting, and I cringed at their aggressive attitudes. Gestures, voices, words, everything screamed bullying to me.

    A white-haired boy stood one step away from the other four, like a supervisor.

    ¡°I knew you were a thief, like all of your kind!¡±

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    There was a faint protest, some shoving and a little kicking. I looked around. No teacher, no adult.

    ¡°Mind if we interfere?¡± I asked Chess in a whisper.

    The cadet shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m following you.¡±

    ¡°What can you tell me about their uniforms?¡±

    ¡°Gray robes are first-year students, ma¡¯am.¡±

    So, statistically, most of them will drop out soon. Good to know.

    I walked straight to the students. The white-haired boy made a show of ignoring me, until I cleared my throat and caught his friends¡¯ attention.

    ¡°Hello, what¡¯s going on here?¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the Great Hero Al. Nice to meet you.¡±

    The students moved away from a thin red-haired girl I hadn¡¯t seen before. She was curled up against the wall, her arms shielding her face. Her gray robe was the same as the others¡¯, but it was too big for her frame and showed years of use. The leather bag she carried over her shoulder had seen better days too. She wore a very simple necklace, made of a braided string with two identical wooden pendants.

    ¡°She stole my bottle of green ink!¡± claimed another girl, pointing at her.

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, you did! You¡¯re a thief, just like all other Zimeons! You don¡¯t belong here!¡±

    Zimeons? I took a better look at the girl. In her thick mane of bright cherry-red hair, two rounded ears protruded, similar to those of a mouse. Or maybe a rat.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I asked.

    She lowered her delicate hands, revealing a triangular face with big terracotta eyes and a nose with a rosy rounded tip. It wasn¡¯t a teenager¡¯s face. Rather a young adult¡¯s. And this face smiled at me.

    ¡°I¡¯m Catalin, Great Hero Al. Catalin Robi.¡±

    A colleague from my first life had a pupil named Catalin, but I think it was a boy.

    ¡°What happened, Catalin?¡±

    ¡°The bottle of ink fell into my bag during a lesson. I gave it back, but they won¡¯t believe me¡­¡±

    ¡°Because she¡¯s a Zimeon and Zimeons are liars, everybody knows that!¡± snapped the white-haired boy. ¡°Go back to your factory and steal from the likes of you!¡±

    Catalin coughed, fists clenched. I extended my arms to symbolically push the others away and give her some air.

    ¡°Factory?¡± I asked.

    She nodded. ¡°To pay my tuition.¡±

    All right. This must be why she¡¯s older than the others. Her family couldn¡¯t afford to pay her tuition, so she worked for some time, to set money aside. In such a context, stealing is possible, but I wouldn¡¯t bet on it. She¡¯d risk exclusion and she certainly doesn¡¯t want that.

    I turned to the white-haired boy who apparently led the group.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name, young man?¡±

    ¡°I am Loenn Gimon, Great Hero Al.¡±

    Like Lord Gimon, the advisor? The one who didn¡¯t listen to me this morning? It¡¯s best to pretend I don¡¯t know the name.

    I drew closer to him. ¡°To be honest, Loenn Gimon, I only arrived here two days ago and I¡¯m not familiar with this world yet, so please, I need an explanation. Why do you claim that Zimeons are liars?¡±

    His face turned red. ¡°Because they are, of course!¡±

    ¡°Did a Zimeon ever lie to you?¡±

    ¡°No Zimeon ever dared to speak to a Gimon, until she did!¡± he protested, pointing a finger at Catalin.

    ¡°So that¡¯s it.¡± I turned to every teenager, one by one, in a half-circle. ¡°What I see here is five people ganging up on another one, who may, or may not, have stolen a bottle of ink, which I guess could be easily replaced. Why didn¡¯t you report her to the headmaster, instead of being brutal to her?¡±

    Loenn Gimon clenched his teeth. I shook my head.

    ¡°If having to share a class with someone from another community is enough to outrage you, you should get tougher, quick, because life has way worse than that in store.¡±

    At this point, I suspected only Chess¡¯s presence and my Great Hero status kept the teenagers from jumping at my throat. The five of them glared at me as if I was trespassing every social norm they knew. Which I might be doing, but I didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°Report her if you want, but don¡¯t touch her again.¡±

    Catalin coughed once more and took a step. Nobody moved.

    Good. She¡¯s probably not safe from them, but at least, they¡¯ll leave her alone for a while.

    Just as I thought my job was done, another student extended a leg and tripped her up. As she tried to regain her balance, Loenn Gimon pushed her hard. Catalin fell to the floor with a cry of pain, and her necklace snapped. One of the pendants slipped and fell near her hands. The other one bounced a bit further down the corridor.

    Chess jumped at the boy and pinned him to the wall with both hands.

    ¡°I tried not to interfere, but you¡¯re going too far!¡± they said in a low voice, heavy with barely contained rage.

    ¡°I¡¯m all right¡­¡± said Catalin, grabbing her bag.

    I shook my head. ¡°No, you¡¯re not. Let me help you.¡±

    I picked up the pendant that had bounced away and kneeled on the stone floor to give it back to her.

    She stared at me. The rest of the group, Chess included, gazed at us, holding their breaths. I could have heard a pin drop. Did I do something wrong?

    Then Catalin smiled the brightest smile I had ever seen, with rat ears twitching and tiny tears at the corners of her terracotta eyes. She took the wooden pendant from my hand. Then she picked up the other one from the floor and dropped it in my palm, as if trading it for the one I¡¯d returned.

    ¡°Yes!¡± she said.

    I blinked. ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Great Hero Al, I accept your proposal! I will be your wife.¡±

    I looked at Chess, searching for a confirmation. They nodded with an uneasy face.

    ¡°Zimeon tradition,¡± they explained.

    The five teenagers in the gray robes were grinning at me. Undoubtedly, they¡¯d chuckle as soon as I walked away. Was it all a trap? Did they all set me up? I sprang up in panic, and it took all my will to stay there and not run away.

    ¡°How is it¡­ We don¡¯t know each other, Catalin! Surely you don¡¯t¡­¡±

    She coughed.

    ¡°I do, but let¡¯s talk about it somewhere else. What brought you here, Great Hero Al?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to go to the library.¡±

    ¡°Then follow me.¡±

    As she took my hand, the girl who¡¯d accused her of theft giggled. ¡°Invite us to your wedding!¡±

    Is that all it takes? One faux pas and I go from threatening to ridiculous. How could I guess that handing her back a simple wooden pendant counted as a proposal?

    Catalin led me to the corridor the first sorcerer had talked about, the one that branched at the end of the main hallway. Her hand was thin, but her grasp was strong.

    ¡°Wait!¡± I protested. ¡°The others can¡¯t hear you, now, so you can talk freely. I understand there¡¯s a tradition, but I can¡¯t get engaged to someone I don¡¯t know. This is just not how things work in my culture. Besides, how old are you?¡±

    ¡°Twenty-two.¡±

    ¡°I could practically be your mother!¡±

    Catalin¡¯s pace slowed, but she didn¡¯t stop. She clenched her second wooden pendant in her hand with a stubborn look on her face.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand, do you?¡±

    I frowned.

    ¡°What should I understand? What do you really want, Catalin?¡±

    She looked over her shoulder, at the other students who were spying on us from a distance.

    ¡°I want to keep learning magic, even after the other ones drop out! I worked hard for it. They think I don¡¯t belong here and they want me to break down, but with someone like you to back me, I¡¯ll be stronger! Who¡¯d abuse the Great Hero Al¡¯s fianc¨¦e?¡±

    She¡¯s using me. Of course she is. But I have no time for this, I have a dragon to save and a war to avoid!

    I opened my mouth, but Catalin was faster.

    ¡°Great Hero Al, I didn¡¯t plan for you to pick up my pendant. I didn¡¯t even know you were unaware of the tradition. Everyone knows a Zimeon who carved two identical pendants expects to have them used in a proposal!¡±

    ¡°Everyone except me.¡±

    She nodded and coughed. She was beautiful, and bold, and sick. And she¡¯d trapped me. I knew I should be mad at her, but something was holding me back, and I couldn¡¯t put my finger on it. Why did I get that gut feeling that she was sincere?

    ¡°What do you expect from me, Catalin?¡±

    She had a sad smile.

    ¡°Not much. A little support, maybe? I know it sounds like a trap, but I didn¡¯t expect someone like you to propose to me. It¡¯s not just a solution to my problems, it¡¯s a dream come true. I didn¡¯t set you up, but I¡¯m so happy things are turning out this way, Great Hero Al.¡±

    Her smile got warmer. Was it true happiness shining in her eyes? I shook my head.

    ¡°Look, you seem like a nice person, but I¡¯m on a mission right now.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Before you decide what to do with me, let me help you first. What are you looking for?¡±

    We¡¯d reached a wooden double door with carvings that would be considered Art Nouveau in my native world. Catalin opened it with a flourish.

    ¡°Welcome to the library!¡±

 Inspiration sheet: Carastra Royal Palace (pictures)

    The main reference period for The Great Hero is a Schoolteacher is the European eighteenth century. However, the world has a history, just like ours, and while the Brealian kingdom is at peace when the story begins, it wasn''t always the case. The name of the capital city itself is quite influenced by the Latin word castrum, meaning "fortified place".

    This is why the royal palace in Carastra doesn''t look like a typical chateau, but rather like a fortress that was altered and expanded into a royal residence fit for times of peace.

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    The west wing (where Al lives) and the east wing (where Princess Nigella lives) were built as later additions, so their walls aren''t quite as thick as the main building''s.

    My main reference for the general look of the palace was Chateau du Lude, in France.

    The flower garden is inspired by Kilkenny Castle, in Ireland.

    The idea of turning a former moat into a public area with lawn comes from Nantes, France, where the old moat is now a popular sunbathing place. One main difference, though: when it was in use, the moat in Nantes wasn''t dry. It was directly connected to the river Loire.

 Chapter 13: Silence in the Library

    The University¡¯s library was a bookworm¡¯s dream: rows of books, smelling of old wood and leather, ran from the floor to the ceiling, with walkways halfway up. All these bookcases surrounded a central rotunda where students read quietly, seated at dark wooden desks under a glass dome. Catalin walked to a huge book, possibly heavier than her, chained to a frame near the center of the room.

    ¡°This is the index,¡± she whispered, respecting rules that I suspected were a fixed point in time and space, in all the libraries of all possible worlds across the multiverse. ¡°Can you describe what you want to see? I¡¯ll look it up.¡±

    Why did I let Princess Nigella keep the copy of the symbol? I should have brought it with me.

    ¡°There¡¯s a drawing that we think might be a magic glyph. The pattern¡¯s quite complex, so I don¡¯t think I could describe it, but I can draw it if it¡¯s all right to you.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Great Hero Al.¡±

    Catalin fumbled through her bag and pulled out cheap-looking paper and a thin graphite stick. I drew the symbol from memory, then handed everything back to her. She gave it a long thoughtful look.

    ¡°How close is it to the original?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s the exact same one. Absolutely accurate.¡±

    She raised an eyebrow, but she didn¡¯t comment.

    ¡°Let me take a look,¡± she just said.

    She gave the sheet of paper to Chess, who kindly held it in front of her while she opened the heavy index with both hands. She looked at my drawing a few times, checking parts of it, then moving to another page, shaking her head and starting again. Sometimes, she coughed softly.

    Then she pointed a line with a cheerful ¡°Aha!¡±, looked around us, extended a hand towards a bookcase, and said there was only one known occurrence of a similar symbol, in a book, over there. We followed her to a massive bookcase and helped her go through every row until we found the right volume.

    ¡°Now, I have to flip through it and hope the reference is easy to find,¡± she concluded.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the index tell the page number?¡±

    She had the sweetest soft laugh. ¡°Every book in this library is referenced in it and that¡¯s enough of a feat! Do you know how many times new pages had to be magically added to this index?¡±

    ¡°You mean it wasn¡¯t always that big?¡±

    ¡°It keeps growing.¡±

    A librarian shushed us from the other side of the room, so we sat at a desk and Catalin began to read, coughing every now and then.

    Some time passed. Students came and left while Chess and I chatted in low voices.

    ¡°Am I really expected to marry her? We¡¯re both women and all¡­¡±

    ¡°If the union was frowned upon, it¡¯d rather be because you¡¯re a human and she¡¯s a Zimeon.¡±

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t even mean to¡­¡±

    Chess shook their head.

    ¡°There were witnesses and the proposal was valid according to Zimeon tradition. I understand this is an awkward situation for you, ma¡¯am, but I have no easy solution to offer.¡±

    I looked sideways at Catalin, who was deeply focused on a book, studying for my sake.

    She didn¡¯t need to do it. She could have shown us the place and left us, or just watched as we looked up our own information. How seriously is she taking this whole engagement thing?

    ¡°I¡¯m not ready, Chess. I only just got divorced, and I must relearn to be my own person, before I end up married again.¡±

    They shrugged.

    ¡°An engagement can always be broken, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°But at what cost?¡±

    I put my chin on my hand. Five brats had seen me propose to Catalin, and at least one of them was probably related to one of King Esthar¡¯s closest advisors. I could only imagine the damage on my reputation if I abandoned my fianc¨¦e. What sort of hero would I be, then?

    ¡°There it is!¡± exclaimed Catalin.

    She showed me a page filled with text. Even though I was technically able to read it, it took me an effort, either because the writing system was new to me or because the print was really small. I squinted over the book.

    The description of the symbol seems to match what I saw on Kossi¡¯s neck. But what does it say here? A stained-glass window in¡­ a house? By Lake Mera?

    I looked at Catalin.

    ¡°Are you implying the only known occurrence of this glyph is a decoration in a private building?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°It seems so. May I know what it is?¡±

    We may have been engaged according to Zimeon tradition, but I couldn¡¯t trust her with such crucial information. Even Chess, who had Princess Nigella¡¯s trust, had no idea of the real nature of my quest. I bowed my head.

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    ¡°Look, Catalin, I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s a secret. Many lives depend on it. Right now, I can¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    She wrote down some notes on her cheap paper, then sighed.

    ¡°You¡¯re the Great Hero Al, after all. You have demons to hunt and a kingdom to protect. I can¡¯t expect you to share everything with me.¡±

    Catalin¡¯s bright red hair hid her face as she looked down at the desk. Was she sad, or just trying to trick me? I put a hand on hers, and she startled.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been very helpful and I appreciate that. But as you said, I¡¯m on a mission to protect the kingdom, and to be honest, I can¡¯t answer your question. I don¡¯t know what this glyph is. That¡¯s why I¡¯m investigating.¡±

    I took another look at the page.

    ¡°I saw Lake Mera on a map and it looked quite large. Does the book mention a more precise location?¡±

    Catalin flipped the pages, her face bright with excitement.

    ¡°Yes! It belonged to Turoch Garnet.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°A famous wizard. He¡¯d go there to study in peace and quiet, so I guess it¡¯s rather secluded, north of the lake, across from Merumo and the main commercial roads. But the book was printed forty years ago. The building may not be standing anymore.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Catalin.¡± I stood up. ¡°Chess, will you take me back to the palace, please?¡±

    The young woman paled as I left my seat.

    ¡°Can I come with you, Great Hero Al?¡±

    I frowned.

    ¡°Because of what happened earlier? You don¡¯t have to stick with me, Catalin. You said you wanted to keep studying, so study and become an expert at magic, all right?¡±

    She stood up, with fists under her pointy chin and pleading terracotta eyes.

    ¡°Please! I have a final assignment to submit, but I¡¯m ahead of schedule, and if you¡¯re going to a house that used to belong to Turoch Garnet, I want to see it too! I beg you, don¡¯t leave me behind!¡±

    ¡°Silence in the library!¡± interrupted a librarian¡¯s voice.

    As Catalin mouthed the word ¡°please¡± once more, I wondered how much magic she already knew, as a freshman. Could she help me on my quest?

    And then a new coughing fit shook her thin body.

    She¡¯s sick. Maybe fresh air will help.

    ¡°Come with me,¡± I said in a soft voice.

    Alicia, you¡¯re a softie. It¡¯ll be the death of me someday.

    Chess had the seal on their sword removed, then the three of us walked back to the palace. We did get into the courtyard, but the guards barred Catalin from entering the royal residence. She was unknown, and a commoner, and a Zimeon.

    ¡°She¡¯s a student at the University of Magic Arts!¡± I insisted.

    ¡°Gray robe means first year. Anyone who can pay the tuition is allowed to attend first-year courses, Great Hero Al! We can¡¯t just let in all freshmen from the University!¡±

    Catalin put a hand on my arm.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I can stay outside. I¡¯m used to it.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not. Chess, will you stay with her, please?¡±

    ¡°Of course, ma¡¯am.¡±

    I left them both, walked in through the main door as my status allowed, and went straight up the east staircase to Princess Nigella¡¯s apartments. I knocked. A servant opened. It took me a few minutes to get a promise that the princess would come down to help me with a little situation that even the Great Hero Al couldn¡¯t sort by herself.

    I went back outside. We waited together, on a bench, in what was left of the garden burned by Kossi¡¯s flames.

    Catalin¡¯s looking at me in awe again. This is getting ridiculous. And yet¡­ She does have a beautiful smile.

    After a while, Princess Nigella walked out of the palace and straight to the bench. We stood up to face her, and she glanced at us with a severe face.

    ¡°Let us walk.¡±

    She went to the chapel, and then followed the parapet where I¡¯d caught my first glimpse of Kossi. Catalin, Chess and I went after her. If we kept walking, the guards behind us would stay out of earshot, provided we didn¡¯t speak too loudly. That was probably what the princess was looking for: minimum privacy she couldn¡¯t have inside the palace.

    As we walked, her gaze lingered on Catalin, who shuddered and came closer to me, possibly for protection. I reached for the young woman¡¯s hand as if she was one of my four-year-old pupils. Princess Nigella immediately frowned.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°This student¡¯s name is Catalin Robi. She helped us find a reference at the library.¡±

    ¡°Only one reference?¡±

    ¡°There was nothing else in the index. It leaves us with one lead, that we¡¯ll need to check on location.¡±

    I told her about the wizard¡¯s house near Lake Mera. At first, Catalin was too intimidated to speak, but once the princess encouraged her to provide additional information, she was happy to add details. The approximate location of the house, on the northern shore of the lake. The person it had belonged to.

    ¡°As far as I know, Turoch Garnet died without an heir.¡±

    ¡°You are correct,¡± confirmed Nigella.

    She looked at the sky. The sun was setting behind the roofs of Carastra.

    ¡°We should not ponder for too long. Time is scarce if we want to avoid a bloodshed.¡± Then she seemed to remember we weren¡¯t alone. ¡°Miss Robi, I suggest you go home now. I need to discuss important matters with the Great Hero Al.¡±

    Catalin shook her head.

    ¡°Please, Your Majesty, I would like to come along!¡±

    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±

    ¡°Turoch Garnet was a great wizard and visiting his place would be like a pilgrimage to me. I¡¯m sure I can make myself useful!¡±

    Princess Nigella rand both hands down her face. ¡°Why would you, a freshman at the University of Magic Arts, participate in a dangerous operation?¡±

    ¡°Because¡­¡±

    She¡¯s about to tell the princess that we¡¯re engaged! Disaster incoming!

    ¡°Because she knows where I¡¯m going and she knows it¡¯s secret!¡± I said as quickly as possible. ¡°This is my fault, Princess. I got Catalin involved, and now, it¡¯s better for her to stay with me, for the sake of our mission.¡±

    Princess Nigella squinted at me. ¡°Do you think these words you just said, Al?¡±

    ¡°I do. I promise Catalin won¡¯t hinder me in any way.¡±

    Besides, I wouldn¡¯t be in this situation if someone had taken the time to tell me about Zimeons and their traditions. Now, we have to roll with it.

    The princess walked in silence for a while. Possibly upset, quite probably thinking. Then she slowly nodded.

    ¡°If you need to reach Lake Mera soon, I think I have a solution. I know someone from Merumo who is currently staying in Carastra and who claims to be my friend. He comes from a family of Tibun merchants, but he has a boat of his own, and it is much faster than the commercial ships his father operates. I will ask him for a favor.¡±

    ¡°Does he owe you one?¡±

    Princess Nigella shook her head. ¡°I can only hope he will accept to leave tonight, out of friendship. I will probably pay for this sooner or later, but this is for Brealia, and for Kossi, and for you, Al.¡±

    The way she gazed at me suggested that I¡¯d be in serious trouble if her friend¡¯s favor cost her too much.

    Don¡¯t be mad at me! I didn¡¯t summon myself, nor did I cast a spell on a fire-breathing dragon! Right now, I¡¯m using all my limited power to try and save everyone. If a Tibun merchant extorts tax benefits from you after giving us a lift to Merumo, it¡¯s a small price to pay.

    ¡°I won¡¯t disappoint you, Princess. Thank you.¡±

    She raised a hand to silence me.

    ¡°You will thank me later. Chess, will you escort the Great Hero Al and her new friend?¡±

    ¡°To Merumo? Why not, Princess? If it can help me prove my worth¡­¡±

    ¡°There lies the problem, Chess.¡± Princess Nigella smiled sadly. ¡°This mission has to remain swift and secret, as it goes against my father¡¯s decisions. He must not hear of it until it is over, and depending on the outcome, you might never get any recognition for your sacrifice.¡±

    The cadet drew their sword and looked at it for a while. Then they sheathed it again, a determined look shining in their emerald green eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it, Princess. Even if the king disapproves. I¡¯ll go on this mission for you, for the Great Hero Al, and for Prince Sorosiel.¡±

 Chapter 14: Twin Blades

    Princess Nigella nodded.

    ¡°Thank you, Chess. I suggest you three pack for the trip and meet tonight at the upstream port. Miss Robi, do you know what you need for a few days¡¯ journey?¡±

    Catalin looked at her feet.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, Your Majesty. Most humans expect Zimeons to be travelers, but I was born and raised in Carastra.¡±

    ¡°You should ask Chess, then. Great Hero Al, please follow me.¡±

    We went back inside the palace while my two companions left the courtyard. Princess Nigella brought me to her antechamber and rummaged in her desk.

    ¡°I shall give you a letter bearing my personal seal. I must attend a play tonight.¡±

    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°A play?¡±

    She sighed. ¡°King Esthar decided we would go despite the current situation, as to avoid alarming the whole city. My duty is to stand by my father while you go and save us. You were supposed to show up at the theater too, and for our mission¡¯s sake, I have every intention of pretending not to know why you are missing.¡±

    She¡¯d found paper and her seal. She dipped her pen in ink and began writing, in an elegant handwriting quite fitting for a princess.

    ¡°What can you tell me about your friend?¡± I asked.

    She smiled, but she didn¡¯t look up from her desk.

    ¡°The Sapps have been merchants for generations, trading between Merumo, Carastra and Zerta. They hardly ever venture out at sea, but they know the river Rekario by heart. Kuoto Sapp is a supplier of the court. Taiki is his youngest son, and he will probably not take over like his older siblings.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    Princess Nigella blew on her letter and took her seal.

    ¡°Taiki Sapp is used to getting away with improper behaviors, like telling jokes to the crown princess under improper circumstances, just because he thinks she looks sad.¡±

    She sealed the letter and handed it to me.

    ¡°Here you are. My father will be furious when he finds out.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Of course. I can live with it, but can you?¡±

    ¡°I have been through worse. Moreover, no matter how angry he gets, I know he will not disown me.¡±

    Her smile didn¡¯t fool me: for all her courage, Princess Nigella was a teenager disobeying the most powerful person in the kingdom, who was both her king and her dad. Fear and sadness shone in her blue eyes. She gave me a purse with some money.

    ¡°Now go, Al.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Princess. I won¡¯t disappoint you.¡±

    I walked through the main building, back to the west wing and into my room. I found a bag and stuffed it with clothes and a blanket. There was a knife on the antechamber table. I took it and added it to my luggage, along with the princess¡¯s letter.

    And then I walked downstairs unnoticed, or so I thought.

    ¡°Great Hero Al!¡±

    I turned on my heels and saw a dark-haired maid.

    ¡°Yes¡­ Olga, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    She blushed and smiled. ¡°Great Hero Al, King Esthar would like you to be in the courtyard tonight at half past seven. A carriage will take you to the theater.¡±

    I looked at the massive clock in the hall. ¡°That¡¯s soon. Thanks for telling me.¡±

    Olga nodded. ¡°Also, the first strategic meeting will take place tomorrow at eight, at the Royal Sword Academy.¡±

    ¡°Why not in the council room?¡±

    ¡°It will be unavailable until the windows are repaired.¡±

    It makes sense. The dragon Kossi considerably damaged that beautiful stained-glass scene.

    Olga didn¡¯t ask whether I intended to see the play. Apparently, Brealian common sense dictated that no one could refuse an invitation from the king. Well, Esthar was about to find out that said common sense didn¡¯t apply to the complete foreigner that I was. I had better things to do and I couldn¡¯t afford to lose hours because he wanted, not so much to let me enjoy a play, as to display me next to him at a local theater.

    ¡°Thank you for everything, Olga. Have a good evening.¡±

    ¡°You too, Great Hero Al!¡±

    I walked out of the palace, then through the courtyard. Grooms were busy in the stables, possibly taking care of the horses that would draw the king¡¯s carriage later that night. I sped up a little. I had to be out of sight before anyone noticed I¡¯d never be back in time for the play. Or for anything.

    My heart raced as I set foot on the other side of the bridge, but no one tried to stop me.

    It seems I simply walked out of Mordor.

    I followed one of the main streets out of the remnants of the city walls, which had long been swallowed by its growth. It was my first time out without an escort, and night had fallen, so I kept looking around. Would anyone recognize me? Or not recognize me and decide to rob me? But nothing happened. I was of average height and build, after all. I didn¡¯t stand out and nobody seemed to pay attention, so I located the river Rekario, and following it upstream, I reached the port safely.

    Chess and Catalin were standing on a quay, chatting in low voices. My fianc¨¦e had changed out of her student robes and into brown and orange clothes that fit her thin figure closely. Her mid-calf pants were tight, and watching her from a distance, I noticed the tail that moved with every word she said. Her previous outfit had kept it hidden.

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    She wasn¡¯t just born with rat ears, it seems.

    I stayed in the shadows for a short while, enjoying how the two of them got to know each other. If we were to work as a team, they¡¯d need to know and trust each other, so their conversation was precious.

    ¡°Good evening, friends!¡± I finally said, stepping onto the quay.

    Catalin¡¯s ears twitched. She left her bag at Chess¡¯s feet and ran to me, thrusting her arms around my neck. For a split second, I thought she was going to kiss me, but it was only a hug.

    What¡¯s in her mind? People around us don¡¯t know we¡¯re technically engaged!

    I gasped and she released her embrace.

    ¡°Great Hero Al?¡±

    I breathed hard. ¡°Just Al, please. I¡¯m getting tired of all that hero decorum.¡±

    ¡°Al. All right. Is something wrong?¡±

    ¡°No, I mean¡­ You don¡¯t need to display affection here. Or anywhere, if you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    She put her hands on her hips. ¡°But what if I do?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°Do you? Really?¡±

    Catalin coughed. ¡°Of course I do. Why don¡¯t you trust me?¡±

    ¡°Because I have a hard time believing you have true feelings for me after meeting me this afternoon.¡±

    Chess cleared their throat.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, ma¡¯am, but we shouldn¡¯t linger here. The Sapp family¡¯s ships are over there.¡± They were pointing at boats further upstream.

    I scratched my nape. ¡°Yes, Chess, you¡¯re right. Sorry. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    We walked past a couple of boats, observed by a handful of sailors who were probably on night watch.

    There¡¯s no way we can go unnoticed. One of these guys will remember us and spill the beans.

    We had to be quick. King Esthar would find out we¡¯d set sail from this port, so we needed to be one step ahead of his army.

    The two-masted trading ship was not as big as I expected, being used to gigantic cargo ships from my native world, but it made sense. She was designed to sail on a river, not across oceans. And she certainly couldn¡¯t block a whole canal by getting stuck in a bank.

    Next to the trading ship was a smaller, narrower one that looked like the fast boat Princess Nigella had told me about. I approached, looking for a sign of presence, but there was no sound or movement.

    ¡°Hello?¡± I tried.

    No answer. I came closer on the pier, in an effort to see the inside of the cabin. Chess and Catalin both followed me two steps behind. Nothing seemed to move.

    If the man is having a drink somewhere in town, I won¡¯t be able to ask him anything and the king may find us in the morning. What can I do?

    I could almost touch the hull now. I turned to my right, where the boat was, and reached out.

    A shadow jumped from the deck, over my head, and landed right behind me. Twin blades crossed against my throat. I could hardly see them, but they felt cold and sharp. Chess drew their sword at lightning speed, but they couldn¡¯t attack the stranger without hurting me in the process.

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± said a youthful but ferocious voice in my ear.

    Fear threatened to make me forget what I¡¯d come for. I swallowed with difficulty.

    ¡°Taiki Sapp?¡±

    ¡°What do you want from him?¡±

    My heart raced. I could be dead in a second. What if that man wasn¡¯t Taiki Sapp? Or if he was and he decided to act more improperly than usual?

    Alicia, think, and act fast!

    ¡°There¡¯s a letter in my bag, if you want to read it,¡± I muttered.

    ¡°If it¡¯s a trap, then let me tell you¡­ Ouch! What¡¯s that?¡±

    I got splashed with a few drops of icy water. Catalin was standing next to Chess, her arm extended towards us, a fierce expression on her face.

    ¡°This woman is the Great Hero Al and my fianc¨¦e!¡± she said. A coughing fit interrupted her, but she lifted her hand again. ¡°Will you look at her letter? Or should I refresh you once more?¡±

    The man shook his head, spreading more droplets around him. ¡°Did you throw cold water at me? And did you just say she was your fianc¨¦e?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did, and yes, I did.¡±

    ¡°The Great Hero Al got engaged to a Zimeon girl?¡±

    He let go of me and let me turn around to face him.

    Taiki Sapp was undoubtedly a young Tibun man, about eighteen years old, with pointy cat ears and a furry tail the same color as his thick grayish hair. In the light from the quay, it didn¡¯t look like a mix of brown and gray, like King Esthar¡¯s regal curls, but more like a very ashy light brown. He wore a blue wide-sleeved jacket with a standing collar. The design looked oriental to me, but I was beginning to understand my fashion references were irrelevant in this world.

    The water Catalin had summoned to stop Taiki was still dripping from the top of his head. A scar went across his straight wide nose and his right cheek. Whatever had happened, he¡¯d narrowly escaped disfiguration on that day.

    ¡°You look quite ordinary for a hero,¡± he said in a sulky tone. ¡°Stop staring at me and show me that letter.¡±

    I opened my bag and handed him the sealed paper. As soon as he saw Princess Nigella¡¯s seal, his face changed. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s serious! Come inside.¡±

    He lit a lantern. The cabin was small, probably designed to accommodate one person. We gathered along the two wooden benches that filled one corner of the room. From the cushions and blankets, I guessed it was where Taiki slept. He broke the seal and read the letter, his tail curling like a curious cat¡¯s. Then he looked up at me.

    ¡°A matter of life and death, really? Whose life is it about?¡±

    It felt too early to mention Kossi, but I didn¡¯t want to flat out lie to my companions, so I decided to draw the line at not totally accurate.

    ¡°Possibly hundreds of people. Someone¡¯s threatening the whole kingdom. I can¡¯t tell you who right now, but if they get what they want¡­ Well, even if they don¡¯t get it, both ways, there will be terrible consequences. I¡¯m trying to prevent that.¡±

    Taiki wrinkled his nose.

    ¡°This is quite vague, you know. I¡¯m not sailing all night without a good reason.¡±

    ¡°But this is¡­¡±

    ¡°Princess Nigella? I know. She¡¯s my friend, but I¡¯m not giving up a good night¡¯s sleep for her gratitude. I need to know why we can¡¯t wait here and set sail in the morning like civilized people.¡±

    I sighed. How could I explain without giving away too much detail?

    Chess talked before I had a chance to devise an answer.

    ¡°We¡¯re acting on Princess Nigella¡¯s behalf, but King Esthar doesn¡¯t know about our mission. To be honest, we¡¯re in direct contravention of his orders.¡±

    Taiki¡¯s eyes sparkled and he came closer to the cadet.

    ¡°Really? This is getting interesting.¡±

    Chess blushed and pulled at a strand of their black hair.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we should¡­¡±

    Taiki put an arm around their shoulders.

    ¡°Come on, you can tell me! Nigella setting up a secret operation under her father¡¯s nose is funny enough on its own, but I want to know more.¡±

    I looked at him, then at Chess, and finally at Catalin who was sitting close to me. Should I tell them? If I want to solve the mystery, I need Chess to watch my back, Catalin to handle magic, and Taiki to get me to Lake Mera! I can¡¯t lose any of them!

    ¡°Please, Al,¡± Catalin insisted. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you no matter what.¡±

    Yes, and that¡¯s another problem. You should be working on your final assignment, not putting your life in danger for my sake. But we¡¯ll sort this out later. I guess I must spill the beans now.

    I cleared my throat. ¡°What do you think of the dragon Kossi?¡±

    My companions looked at one another, possibly waiting for someone else to speak up. Finally, Taiki scratched his ears.

    ¡°Dunno. I always reckoned he was nice, being a Gold Dragon and all, but either he went evil or he went mad.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t jumping around, swearing he¡¯d kill the dragon if he could. I decided it was encouraging.

    ¡°What if I told you Kossi is under a powerful spell that forces him to obey an enemy of Brealia?¡±

    They all looked thoughtful for a moment. I could hear a pin drop in the boat.

    ¡°It would make sense,¡± Catalin commented after a while. ¡°No change of heart, but a strong coercion.¡± Her ears twitched and she pointed at me. ¡°Is it why you¡¯re looking for a glyph? To counter that spell?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°It might be painful to you, given what he did to the city, but Princess Nigella sent me on a mission to save Kossi.¡±

    ¡°But why?¡±

    ¡°Because the enemy who cast the spell on him will cause a war if we don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Catalin bit her lips. ¡°I stand by what I said. I¡¯ll help you.¡±

    Chess pushed their black hair away from their face. ¡°The Gold Dragon¡¯s a powerful ally. We want him with us, rather than against us.¡±

    Taiki stood up and crossed his arms. He didn¡¯t look as enthusiastic as I hoped. His face even showed worry. Would he kick us out of his boat?

    He looked us down for a long couple of seconds.

    ¡°Count me in,¡± he finally said.

 Chapter 15: Close To Our Hearts

    ¡°I need to warn my family before we go. Wait for me here.¡±

    Taiki ran to the deck and jumped directly from one hull to the other. He disappeared in the other boat, leaving us inside the cabin. When he came back after a few minutes, he told us to join him on the deck.

    ¡°We¡¯re leaving, Lady Rekario,¡± he whispered, the palms of his hands turned to the dark surface of the river.

    He asked Chess to unmoor the boat, he showed me how to sheet the mainsail, and then, he gave a critical look at Catalin.

    ¡°What can you do apart from wetting people, Zimeon girl?¡±

    She put up her cute round-tipped nose.

    ¡°What about lighting the way?¡±

    She turned her fingers up, focused, and a glowing ball appeared in mid-air. Taiki nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯ll do. Put it ahead of the bow so I can maneuver.¡±

    We left the port, slowly, smoothly. Once the course was set, I was free to walk to the bow and join Catalin there. I¡¯d been cold enough to her. Perhaps it was time to break the ice a little. I put both hands on the edge of the hull.

    ¡°I know someone who wishes she could cast a ball of light.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s one of the first spells we learn. Spheres are stable shapes. It makes them easy to master.¡±

    Catalin was quite lively as she spoke, moving her head and her tail, smiling, gesturing with her hands.

    ¡°I was quick to figure out how to create other kinds of balls. Water, fire, salt¡­ This one I can sustain for a few hours. Then I¡¯ll need to rest.¡±

    ¡°How many balls can you sustain at once?¡±

    ¡°This size? One. I¡¯m only a freshman. But I can control a dozen of tiny ones, this small.¡± She held her thumb and index finger close to each other.

    I nodded. ¡°I hardly know anything about magic, but it doesn¡¯t sound bad for a freshman.¡±

    Catalin¡¯s bright smile remained imprinted in my eyes as I looked away, at the quiet darkness of the countryside surrounding the river Rekario.

    Night finally caught up with me. I yawned and got back into the cabin, sitting in the corner of the two benches, with my head on the backrest. I shouldn¡¯t sleep for long, but I needed some rest.

    Someone sat on the bench on my left. I realized I¡¯d been sleeping.

    ¡°Can I stay here?¡± asked Catalin in a low voice.

    I nodded, not fully awake, and she came closer to me. In the shadows, I saw her eyes flutter, and she coughed softly before gradually sliding onto my left side. Was it all a dream? Was I really engaged to this young woman and on a trip to a wizard¡¯s country house, trying to save a dragon right under my employer¡¯s nose?

    My thoughts strayed.

    I awoke to the first lights of dawn with a sore neck. Catalin was still asleep, her head resting in my lap. Trying not to awake her, I massaged my neck with both hands.

    Chess walked in as I tried to see the landscape outside.

    ¡°Did you have enough rest, ma¡¯am? Taiki says you should swap positions. With the day rising, he thinks you can take the helm, and he needs to sleep a bit.¡±

    I stretched and shifted slowly, letting Catalin rearrange her position on the bench. She coughed in her sleep, so I pulled the blanket a little tighter around her. Then I got out of the cabin.

    It was a bit cold on the deck and I furrowed in my bag to fetch a plaid. The river Rekario looked black in the dim light of dawn. There was no sign of a city or town around us, but I could make out the first hills in the distance. Lake Mera was at the foot of the mountains, after all.

    ¡°There you are!¡± said Taiki from his position at the stern. His pale blue jacket, whose color matched his eyes, was thick enough to shield him from the cold. ¡°Can you operate my baby for a couple of hours?¡±

    ¡°Sure, if it¡¯s simple enough.¡±

    ¡°Of course it is! The river is calm, and we should sail past few other boats while I take a nap.¡±

    I came closer to the helm. ¡°Does this boat have a name?¡±

    Taiki winced. ¡°Should she?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Where I¡¯m from, it¡¯s common for ships to have names.¡±

    ¡°That sounds weird. We don¡¯t do this here, she¡¯s just my baby. Ready?¡±

    ¡°Just a sec, please. How do I¡­ I mean, I just woke up and I¡¯m not equipped with male plumbing.¡±

    Taiki laughed softly.

    ¡°There¡¯s a spot behind me where you can squat over the water. Nobody will see you, and certainly not me.¡±

    I did as he said. After I finished, he showed me how to operate the helm, assured me Chess could help me with the sails if the wind changed, and left me alone.

    Another sunny day was beginning. I was yet to see some rain fall on the Brealian kingdom, even though the green vegetation proved that it did rain often enough. The first rays reflected on the river in shades of copper and gold. Then I realized what day it was.

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    It should be my birthday.

    I should have been cleaning the floor and baking carrot cakes, not manning the helm of a sailboat on an unknown river. I¡¯d been looking forward to chatting with my friends, laughing and dancing. Yet, on that sunny Spring morning, I was on the run, on a hopeless quest to save a dragon because¡­ The princess liked him? He was majestic as a dragon and gorgeous as a human? Was any of it a valid reason to disobey a monarch and jeopardize a military operation?

    No, it¡¯s more than that and I know it. King Esthar told me Gold Dragons can sense a human¡¯s natural power. Maybe I do have one and Kossi noticed it on the first day, when I faced him in the courtyard, with that boy in my arms. He stopped and acknowledged me, then. In any case, I was the only one who noticed what he was trying to show us yesterday, when he burst into the council room. He trusted us with his life, and now, only I can help.

    ¡°Al?¡± Catalin¡¯s voice was soft and heavy with worry. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    I focused on the young woman¡¯s figure, her thick red hair flowing in the breeze. I hadn¡¯t noticed her coming out of the cabin. What did she see? What did she think? I shook my head.

    ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m alright.¡±

    She tilted her head to the side.

    ¡°You look sad.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not sadness,¡± I protested. ¡°It¡¯s nostalgia.¡±

    Catalin came closer, one step from me, close enough to touch me, but she didn¡¯t. There was a look of concern on her beautiful face.

    ¡°Do you miss the other world? The one you were summoned from?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do! It was my world, the only one I knew, and I thought my life was ahead of me! The future I was looking forward to is lost forever, and I don¡¯t know what to expect from this new life I was given.¡±

    ¡°I wish I could say you have me, but¡­¡±

    She bit her lower lip. And now she¡¯s pouting. Is she trying to make me feel guilty?

    I sighed. ¡°You accepted my proposal because it grants you protection. You don¡¯t owe me moral support in exchange.¡±

    ¡°You told me that already, and I think I¡¯m old enough to choose what I¡¯m ready to give you. But really, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    I ran a hand down my face. ¡°I realized it¡¯s my birthday and the party I planned will never take place.¡±

    Catalin held an arm out as if to touch my shoulder, but I moved back. She frowned. ¡°Can¡¯t I comfort you and wish you a happy birthday?¡±

    ¡°Look, I¡¯m forty today. Twice your age.¡±

    ¡°As far as this world¡¯s concerned, I¡¯m twenty-two years older than you, so I really wish you¡¯d trust me!¡±

    Her eyes look fiercer now.

    ¡°I¡¯m not giving up everything for your sake, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re afraid of! I want to graduate, maybe even become a Senior Magus. But is it wrong of me to wish you could be a part of my life, too?¡±

    ¡°Please give me time, Catalin. I¡¯m uncomfortable with the situation.¡±

    I still accepted a quick hug from her, and a ¡°Happy birthday¡± whispered to my ear. It felt more comforting than I was ready to admit. And then she had to turn away, because of a coughing fit.

    Taiki came back after a few hours, then Chess took over in the end of the afternoon. We ate cheese, salted biscuits and some fresh fruit. I noticed Taiki used his twin blades for cutting food. They didn¡¯t look like daggers, like I¡¯d imagined when they were pressed against my throat. They were long sturdy knives with a thick spine and a sharp edge.

    We didn¡¯t talk much, except to try and locate our destination. Taiki had sailed on Lake Mera, but he¡¯d never seen the house we were going to. He supposed it was in the wildest part of the lake, where small islands dotted the surface, covered with miniature forests. There were fishermen¡¯s huts over there. Why not a wizard¡¯s retreat?

    When the next day dawned, mountains were clearly visible in the distance. Fog swallowed them within hours, as the first raindrops pierced the surface of the river. Yet, when the red roofs of Merumo appeared, they looked bright, retaining an impression of sunshine in the warmth of their color.

    The harbor, located at the outflow of Lake Mera, was bustling with activity when we approached, in the middle of the afternoon. The city itself extended along the shores. Its facades ranged from white to yellow to orange under its signature red roofs, and all sorts of vehicles crossed the river over a high white bridge.

    Taiki maneuvered expertly to a pier. He never seemed to wonder where to go.

    His family probably rents the spaces full-time, if they live here and keep sailing up and down the Rekario. He must have moored here a hundred times.

    ¡°Welcome to Merumo!¡± he said triumphantly, attaching his twin knives to his belt and jumping onto the pier. It¡¯s a little late, so I suggest we spend the night at my family¡¯s place and get up early to go exploring at dawn. Is it okay to you?¡±

    I had to nod. I didn¡¯t want to end up stranded all night on the wildest side of the lake.

    We followed the lakeshore, where palaces and expensive shops faced the calm water. The upper floors sported ornate balconies and every window had white wooden shutters. In the distance, partly blurred by the rain, I could see the small islands we¡¯d be navigating around on the next day. I¡¯d thought there¡¯d be green trees on them, but the dominant color seemed to be pink.

    ¡°You look surprised,¡± commented Taiki. ¡°Don¡¯t you know about the Mera trees, the ones Lake Mera, and the city of Merumo, are named after?¡±

    I grinned.

    ¡°You have no idea how much I don¡¯t know, Taiki Sapp. I was taught the basics of local politics, I even met Vilo Jozin¡­¡±

    ¡°The wannabe revolutionary?¡±

    ¡°Himself. But I didn¡¯t have time to learn much about the world itself. Are these trees pink?¡±

    He nodded with a proud look in his pale blue eyes.

    ¡°They are. Some other trees are pink when in bloom, but Mera trees have pink foliage. Here in Merumo, we¡¯re extremely proud of them. They¡¯re part of our identity.¡±

    I squinted. ¡°Can¡¯t they grow anywhere else?¡±

    Taiki smiled. ¡°They can, but they never grow as tall as they do around the lake. You¡¯ll see them better tomorrow, but in the meantime, I can show you their blossoms. Follow me.¡±

    He took us to a small shop, near the waterfront, that sold all kinds of trinkets decorated with delicate white flowers. Their shape was quite simple, six petals and a crown of white stamens. There was only an elderly woman at the counter, in a red dress and white apron.

    ¡°The blossoms are magically stabilized, and then dipped in resin,¡± she explained in a perfect seller¡¯s voice. ¡°If you keep them close to your heart, they will bring good luck.¡±

    I looked at Catalin, at the lone wooden pendant she now wore, while the other one was safe in one of my pockets. She¡¯d defended me against Taiki. She¡¯d comforted me on my birthday, even though I tried to discourage her.

    Now was the time to make up for my own lack of good will. Not all prices were displayed, but the ones I could see didn¡¯t look too high. I could certainly afford a little something out of the money Princess Nigella had given me for the trip.

    ¡°May I take a better look at these two flowers?¡± I asked the woman.

    ¡°Of course, Madam.¡±

    I held one in my hand. They looked delicate and beautiful, and similar enough to be a nice equivalent of the pendants Catalin had carved. If we kept them around our necks, they¡¯d be close to our hearts, and supposedly bring us luck.

    ¡°Do you want this one?¡± I asked her.

    Catalin blushed. ¡°Would you¡­¡±

    ¡°I would. You¡¯re my fianc¨¦e.¡±

    She frowned, but I could understand why. I insist on keeping my distances, so she has every right to be doubtful.

    She looked at the flower, at the counter, then at me. I was beginning to feel quite nervous when she finally nodded. ¡°Yes, of course! Thank you, Al!¡±

    The woman pursed her nose, either because we were both women or because I was a human and Catalin was a Zimeon. However, she still sold us two pendants and one chain. Soon, we walked out of the shop, wearing near-identical necklaces.

    ¡°There are old maps of the lake at my place,¡± said Taiki. ¡°We should study them. Maybe there¡¯s a reference to that wizard¡¯s house.¡±

    I sighed. For a moment, in that shop, I¡¯d forgotten what I was there for. I¡¯d actually enjoyed the moment without thinking of the dragon, the king, or anything else than my unexpected fianc¨¦e¡¯s bright smile and terracotta eyes.

 Chapter 16: The Heros True Power

    Taiki brought us to the arched main door of a wealthy house. The knocker was shaped like a fat fish. When the boy knocked, an elderly valet in an elegant uniform let us in, welcoming ¡°Master Taiki¡±. He was human.

    Inside, wooden beams crisscrossed on the ceiling and the walls were covered in fabric, with portraits of Tibuns on either side of the doors. The royal palace, with its colorful wallpapers, was more modern, but everything in this hall looked expensive.

    The Sapps are wealthy merchants all right.

    Taiki introduced us to his uncle Asko and his aunt Kiru. Both were polite Tibuns in their late forties, who didn¡¯t pay much attention to our presence. Apparently, Taiki often brought friends for dinner.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re staying the night?¡± said uncle Asko. ¡°This is new. Gario, please, prepare three guest rooms.¡±

    The valet nodded and disappeared in a corridor.

    We had fried fish with onions, peas in a creamy sauce, and a vegetable called palgo, which looked a lot like asparagus. No one complained at the stress that four unexpected guests brought on the kitchen staff, but I suspected the menu was simpler on purpose, to accommodate our presence.

    After dinner, Taiki brought us to his father¡¯s office, where many maps were kept in a high bookcase, individually wrapped in leather tubes. He found one of Lake Mera and spread it over the desk. The city of Merumo was easy to spot, with its streets and bridges, and the large roads that went east and west. Some villages were spread around the shores, except on the north side, where the mountain was, and more islands dotted the lake.

    ¡°There are cliffs over there,¡± Taiki explained, pointing to the map. ¡°The two main tributaries, the Esonti and the Rudan, enter Lake Mera in the form of waterfalls, here and there. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll find any house there. It¡¯s too damp and remote for anyone to settle.¡±

    It was time to use my daily power. I closed my eyes and asked Cherub to help me pinpoint the place where a wizard named Turoch Garnet had built his secret lakeside house.

    ¡°Granted.¡±

    The location appeared clearly in my mind, and I put my index finger on the map. The area was away from all villages, in-between natural canals created by the countless islands, just far enough from the waterfalls to look inhabitable.

    ¡°I suggest we take a look there. I may not know much about this world, but I have a talent for guessing things.¡±

    They all gave me a doubtful glance.

    ¡°Why there?¡± asked Chess.

    ¡°Let¡¯s call it a gut feeling.¡±

    Taiki shrugged. ¡°The location makes sense. Al¡¯s guess might be wrong, but it¡¯s as good a place as any to start looking. Does anyone have a better suggestion?¡±

    Catalin and Chess shook their heads in silence.

    ¡°You know what?¡± Taiki added. ¡°I¡¯ll ask aunt Kiru. Gossip¡¯s her thing, so if anyone in Merumo ever knew about a wizard who built a house over on the lake, she¡¯ll tell me. In the meantime, I¡¯ll show you the guest rooms. You make yourselves comfortable while I chat with my aunt.¡±

    Judging by the colorful toys in a corner, the room I got assigned was, or used to be, a children¡¯s room. It shared a tiny bathroom with the bedroom next door, where Catalin would sleep. We decided I¡¯d wash first and she¡¯d take the next turn.

    As I brushed my hair in my nightgown, there were gentle knocks on the door. Taiki partly opened it, leaving it just ajar enough for him to talk to me in a low voice.

    ¡°Aunt Kiru knows about Turoch Garnet. He was quite famous in his time. But she never heard anything about him, or any wizard, having a house on the far side of the lake, so we¡¯ll try your location first. Sleep well. We¡¯ll rise early tomorrow.¡±

    Having a real bed to sleep in was a nice upgrade from the past two nights, and I felt quite tired anyway. I pulled the blanket over my face, and I fell asleep.

    The light was still dim and gray when I awoke to Taiki¡¯s voice at the door. Catalin and I left our rooms with sleepy eyes, while Chess already looked more alert.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make loud noises!¡± Taiki warned us. ¡°My aunt and uncle are sleeping!¡±

    We had a quick breakfast, got equipped, packed snacks for the days, and we went back to the port. I¡¯d lived my share of departures at dawn, usually to catch an early flight for a week¡¯s holiday, and this felt quite similar. I breathed in the crisp morning air, walking among dockworkers and delivery people, while the rest of Merumo was still asleep.

    We helped Taiki unmoor his boat, and then, he skillfully avoided fishing boats and larger ships, sailing upstream into Lake Mera.

    The sun rose while we were in the middle of the lake. I stayed at the bow and admired how the morning light gave warmer hues to the pink Mera trees. Their unusual foliage was fascinating. As it moved with the wind, part of my mind expected the pink color to fall like snow, or like cherry blossoms, but it didn¡¯t. It was made of sturdy leaves. I could make out a few white flowers, like the one I wore at my neck.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    It''s Spring, these trees should be covered in flowers, but they¡¯re not. Perhaps it¡¯s why Mera flowers are supposed to bring good luck. They¡¯re like four-leaf clovers. Rare and therefore considered lucky.

    The more we sailed, the more the lake looked like some weird mangrove, continental rather than tropical, with colors unseen in any part of my native world. Birds flew from one miniature forest to another, and although I couldn¡¯t see any animals on the islands or in the water, I got a feeling that the place was full of wildlife.

    Forget everything, I want to spend a holiday here! Turoch Garnet chose the place well.

    After another couple of hours, we had to reef the sails and row along the natural canals, under a canopy that looked like the vault of some surreal pink cathedral. Between some of the islands, the water was too shallow for the boat, so Taiki needed to double-check his map and take detours.

    ¡°This is the place you were pointing to, Al,¡± he said. ¡°Keep your eyes open. These waters are tricky to navigate.¡±

    We tried to follow the shoreline, but the depth of the vegetation made it hard to see where it was. Islands of all shapes and sizes rose here and there, so it didn¡¯t feel like we were on a lake anymore, but on a network of tiny rivers running through an enchanted forest.

    This is even more beautiful than the open lake. A wizard could totally spend his whole summer here, or work on a secret project, provided he¡¯s safe from mosquitoes. Are there mosquitoes in Brealia?

    ¡°Look!¡± shouted Chess, pointing portside. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a fence?¡±

    I could barely make out the shape of what did look like a fence on one of the islands, covered in moss and probably quite moldy.

    ¡°Don¡¯t row too fast,¡± said Taiki. ¡°I¡¯m not beaching my baby in the middle of nowhere.¡±

    We slowed down and moved forward very carefully.

    When we went past the island where Chess spotted the fence, we discovered what we were looking for: a two-storied house, just a stone¡¯s throw from the bank. Vines grew on the roof, and the small wooden pier that had once allowed mooring had crumbled, only half of its structure remaining above water level. As we approached, we noticed a small sunken boat next to it. By the look of it, it¡¯d been underwater for years.

    ¡°Nobody¡¯s been here for a long time,¡± commented Taiki. ¡°It¡¯s definitely the house you¡¯re looking for, but is it safe?¡±

    Chess took a long thoughtful look at the place.

    ¡°The structure looks sound. It¡¯s not going to collapse on us.¡±

    ¡°Well, then, let me anchor the boat. We¡¯ll get our feet wet, I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    It doesn¡¯t matter. The symbol on Kossi¡¯s neck is also somewhere in there, and I want to take a better look at it!

    I removed my boots, laced them around my neck, and I jumped first. I had water up to my knees. Shivering from the cold water, I waited for Catalin and Chess before walking up the bank. The muddy ground made the task easier said than done, and I almost fell into the lake before I managed to get out and look at the front facade.

    If there had been a path to the main door, it was long gone. The whole place was eerily peaceful. There were green shuts on the first-floor windows and the vine framing the door looked like it was there on purpose. Perhaps it had been, but how could it not overgrow over the course of decades?

    There was no sign of intrusion anywhere.

    Nobody robbed the house, or even touched it, since its owner left. Is it because it¡¯s so remote? Or is there another reason?

    ¡°This is a wizard¡¯s house all right,¡± whispered Catalin.

    ¡°How do you know?¡±

    She reached for my hand. ¡°I sense a magical vibration of sorts. It¡¯s subtle and I can¡¯t quite know what it is, but I know it¡¯s there.¡± Her ears twitched and her eyes shone with excitement. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m standing right in front of Turoch Garnet¡¯s retreat!¡±

    I pulled away from her grasp, as gently as I could, while Taiki walked to the right, where high rocks blocked some of the light. Why go round the back? There was a front door and I intended to use it.

    Catalin raised a hand.

    ¡°Be careful, Al! I don¡¯t know what magic this is.¡±

    ¡°I will. But if there¡¯s a way to counter the spell that was cast on Kossi, the secret lies in this house.¡±

    I walked two steps, and then I froze. Some buzzing at the back of my mind.

    It doesn¡¯t feel right. Is it the vibration Catalin talked about? It feels like it¡¯s warning us. My feet almost want to run away on their own.

    ¡°It¡¯s uncomfortable,¡± said Chess.

    ¡°You feel it too?¡± Taiki drew his twin knives. ¡°For the love of all, is this house threatening us?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything!¡± protested Catalin. ¡°Turoch Garnet was a powerful wizard. If he cast a spell to protect his house, I don¡¯t think he stopped at making trespassers uncomfortable. There must be a real danger out there.¡±

    Anyway, now, we know why no one ever broke into the house.

    I sighed. ¡°Okay, house, I didn¡¯t come this far to let you give me the stink eye. I¡¯m a teacher, I¡¯m the one who does this.¡±

    One more step. Nothing moved. As I realized a second later, the whole forest had gone silent, all of a sudden. I could hear the water, the wind, but not the tiniest animal, as if every single living creature around me was holding its breath.

    It really wants me to go, but I can be more stubborn.

    ¡°Let me take a look, will you?¡±

    Catalin gasped in anguish when I took another step, but I had no intention of touching the door. I just looked all around for the origin of the magic. And there it was, right above the middle of the door, partly hidden by the vine. I pointed to it.

    ¡°Do you see it, Catalin? The sign that glows?¡±

    ¡°What sign?¡± She squinted, but she shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s nothing here, Al.¡±

    But I see it! It looks like the infinity symbol from my native world, with a wave going through it and ending in a question mark!

    Chess, then Taiki, confirmed that I was the only one who could see anything above the door. I frowned at them.

    ¡°Then what? Am I hallucinating?¡±

    ¡°You may have a special power,¡± said Catalin. ¡°You know about natural magic, right? Perhaps yours is the ability to see a physical representation of a spell.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think¡­¡±

    But I did.

    It made sense. I¡¯d noticed a glowing symbol on Chess¡¯s scabbard at the University, and in Sirit¡¯s kitchen at the palace, and of course, I was the only one who noticed the symbol behind Kossi¡¯s neck. What if I was the only person in the room who had the ability to see it, and Kossi knew it because he¡¯s a Gold Dragon?

    And if I could see a spell, maybe I could understand it. Although it also meant that I could never learn how to cast one.

    Come on, tell me your secrets. How were you traced? How do you work?

    I squinted. Now that I knew what I was capable of, there did seem to be some logic behind this symbol.

    ¡°Al?¡± asked Catalin.

    I held out a hand behind me.

    ¡°One second, please. I think I can read it, if I may say so.¡±

    The more I concentrated, my eyes watering with the effort, the more the mechanism unveiled before me. First, this curve, then this line, and the door was sealed, ready to strike any trespasser with a deadly blow.

    ¡°You were right, Catalin. It doesn¡¯t just threaten strangers. If anyone opens the door, there will be a massive blast, going this way, straight from the entrance to the lake.¡±

    Catalin frowned. ¡°How many blows?¡±

    ¡°Only one. The spell¡¯s designed for a single use.¡±

    She smiled and cracked her joints.

    ¡°Then everyone, stand aside. I may only be a freshman at the University of Magic Arts, but I can certainly turn a doorknob at a distance.¡±

 Inspiration sheet: Lake Mera (pictures)

    One of my goals this year is to plant a dappled willow (Salix integra) in my backyard. There are a few in my town and I love them.

    So why not go further and imagine trees with fully pink leaves?

    This is how Mera trees were born. If they grew on islands in the middle of a lake, it''d certainly look like candy clouds. And of course, the lake would be named after them. Lake Mera. "Shut up and take my money."

    This may look cheap, as inspiration goes, but in real life, most landmarks are named after something else.

    Nachtimmel did a great job at suggesting the whole environment of Lake Mera with these graphic brushstrokes.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    The main inspiration for the city of Merumo is Pore?, Croatia. Just make the roofs an even brighter red, forget the belltowers (temples of the Almighty are preferably round with domes) and keep the touch of Venetian Renaissance architecture.

    The people of Merumo are extremely proud of Mera trees. The pink trees are a major part of their cultural identity, so they keep them close to their hearts by wearing Mera flowers on them.

    I wanted the flowers to look inconspicuous, so their structure is deliberately quite simple. A single crown of white petals, a single crown of pale stamens. What makes the flowers precious is their scarcity rather than their look.

    Will they really bring good luck to Al and Catalin?

 Chapter 17: Inside the Wizardéˆ¥æªš Retreat

    We found bushes on either side of the main door, reasonably far from the upcoming blast. We hid behind them as best we could. Then Catalin looked at her hands and whispered strange words that I couldn¡¯t understand. It felt weird to be the only person able to decipher magic signs that were invisible to everyone else, and yet, not to catch a single word of an incantation. Weren¡¯t both related to magic? Weren¡¯t they different parts of the same language?

    Apparently not. Or perhaps I don¡¯t understand the words because they¡¯re part of a spell, and my natural power prevents me from ever using them.

    Catalin held out her arm as if to catch something, and turned her hand slowly. Over there, the doorknob moved as well.

    There was a loud noise, like a supersonic shockwave, and everything in front of the door flew away as if ripped by a storm. The combination of sounds was deafening. Branches torn from a shrub fell into the water, and our boat danced on a sudden wave.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt my baby!¡± complained Taiki.

    We stayed still for a while, lest something else happened, but that part of the pink forest came back to normal. The buzzing at the back of my head was gone. Even the birds started singing again.

    I stood up from behind our bush, relieved that I¡¯d been right about the spell, but I still needed one last check before we stepped inside.

    ¡°Can you try again, Catalin, please?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    This time, she could push the door open without causing any unpleasant effect. The spell that had protected the house for so long was no more. I let out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°It was easier than I expected. I guess we can put our shoes back on and begin searching the place.¡±

    We gathered in front of the entrance. With all shutters on the first floor closed, it was too dark for me to see inside.

    ¡°It looks calm,¡± commented Taiki.

    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°Can you see in there?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°Not very well, of course, but I¡¯ll always be amazed at how blind you humans get, as soon as the light dims a bit.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not blind,¡± answered Chess. ¡°We just have a different sense of sight.¡±

    Of course, if Tibuns look like cats, it makes sense for them to have cat-like night vision. But it is true of Zimeons as well?

    I turned to Catalin. ¡°What about you? What can you see?¡±

    She smiled. ¡°The entrance hall is narrow, there are doors on either side, and no stairs in sight.¡±

    ¡°Okay. You¡¯re better than us, both of you.¡±

    ¡°May I still summon some light?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course. Thank you, Catalin.¡±

    The little ball of light flew before us in the corridor, revealing whitewashed walls that were barely damaged by the ambient dampness. There were dark traces in the corners of the ceiling, but nothing more alarming. A minor case of black mold.

    I crossed the threshold with Chess at my heels and the others following. There was no sound inside, save for the occasional creaking of wood. A smell of mold completed the impression that no one had come for decades, and that the house was being slowly reclaimed by nature.

    ¡°This place looks so normal!¡± commented Catalin in a disappointed voice.

    Taiki snorted. ¡°What did you expect?¡±

    ¡°Something grander. Turoch Garnet was rich and powerful, so why is this house so ordinary?¡±

    We found a kitchen behind the door on the left. The stove had certainly not been used for decades and the cupboards looked about to become home to a new form of intelligence. Chess tried to open a drawer, but Catalin shook her head.

    ¡°If it¡¯s stuck, leave it in place! It¡¯s certainly not what we¡¯re looking for.¡±

    So we went back.

    On the other side of the corridor, we found the dining room, complete with a long table, chairs and a large cabinet. Paintings were hung on the walls, but they were moldy, so even though we could see which were portraits and which were still lives, we couldn¡¯t recognize anyone.

    ¡°Can you sense any magic? ¡°I asked Catalin.

    She coughed softly.

    ¡°No. Can you?¡±

    I shook my head. To be honest, this feels more like plain old urbex than like an adventure through a wizard¡¯s hidden place in search of a secret spell.

    Taiki crossed his arms and waited as we opened every drawer and lifted every cushion we could find.

    ¡°Are you done looking for clues?¡± he asked after a while.

    I chuckled. Is this urbex or an escape room after all?

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Catalin frowned. ¡°Al? Is something funny?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s hard to explain¡­ There¡¯s a form of entertainment where I come from, where you must find clues and solve puzzles in a given amount of time.¡±

    ¡°And if you don¡¯t?¡±

    I was taken aback by the question. My mind stayed blank for a second, and then I answered. ¡°You lose, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound very fun.¡±

    That¡¯s probably because nobody faces real danger in an escape room, whereas, here, we don¡¯t know what dirty tricks the old man left to protect his place.

    As I was about to look under the cabinet, I realized I probably wouldn¡¯t find the code to a hidden padlock there. We were here to save the Brealian kingdom. I couldn¡¯t let my mind slip away.

    ¡°Let¡¯s visit the rest of the place.¡±

    The last door, at the end of the corridor, was locked. Chess tried to force it open, but it resisted.

    ¡°Catalin, is the key on the other side?¡± they asked.

    My fianc¨¦e focused, muttered strange words, and then she shook her head. ¡°I can find nothing to operate, sorry.¡±

    ¡°Can you pick the lock?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not experienced enough.¡±

    Taiki hit the door with the palm of his hand. ¡°Then what good are you?¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    He startled and I realized I¡¯d shouted. I needed to make my intentions clear.

    ¡°Please, we¡¯re in this together and I just can¡¯t let you snap at Catalin like this!¡±

    ¡°Okay, Great Hero Al, but what do we do now?¡±

    I had three clueless faces in front of me. Three companions, all younger than me, who were expecting me to make a decision, since I was the one who brought the team together in the first place. I was the adult. I was the teacher. I was the hero.

    I sighed. This door looked just as ordinary as the others.

    ¡°Is there magic around?¡±

    Catalin shook her head.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s assume the door¡¯s not trapped,¡± I decided. ¡°We¡¯ll hit it until it breaks.¡±

    We took turns kicking the door near the lock. Chess asked if they could ram it with their shoulder, but I refused. It was too hazardous. I didn¡¯t want to deal with a dislocated shoulder in such a remote place.

    When the wood was damaged enough, Taiki used his sturdy twin knives to finish the job. He broke the lock and opened the door.

    ¡°For the love of all, what the¡­¡±

    I looked around and understood why he was so confused.

    The room was a workshop. A woodworking workshop that ran all along the back of the house, with high windows and a raw wooden staircase leading to the upper floor. The shutters only hid the lower half of the windows, so I could see all the woodworking tools lying around, as well as a collection of saws, planks, and unfinished metal frames. Half-disassembled chairs and tables lay in the corners, in such a chaotic pile that if one of us pulled out a beam, the rest would probably fall over us. I frowned.

    ¡°And what did a wizard do with all these tools?¡±

    Chess shook their head. ¡°Perhaps he liked a bit of manual work in his free time. What I don¡¯t understand is, why was the door locked? There¡¯s nothing valuable in this room!¡±

    ¡°No, but this room leads to the upper floor.¡±

    I looked at the raw staircase. According to the book in the University of Magic Arts, the symbol on Kossi¡¯s neck was reproduced in a stained-glass window in this house. We¡¯d seen no stained glass, so it had to be upstairs.

    Catalin ran her round-tipped nose over the metal frames. ¡°There¡¯s magic around, but I can¡¯t pinpoint it. I wonder what it is.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Catalin. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The corridor on the second floor had three doors, but only the one on our left was open. Daylight flooded into a room with a wooden floor, filtered by the pink canopy, and also by stained-glass windows. My heart pounded when I found out that one of the patterns was very familiar.

    ¡°Hello,¡± I said to the window. ¡°There you are.¡±

    It was the exact same symbol I had seen on Kossi¡¯s neck and memorized with Cherub¡¯s help. I stepped into the room before anyone had had time to tell me otherwise.

    Something intangible shifted. I couldn¡¯t tell what, or how, or why, but the reality I was standing in was slightly different from the one before. I turned around. My three companions were still here, and none of them had turned into a more exotic creature than they already were. The change had to be more subtle than that.

    ¡°Did I trigger a spell or something? I didn¡¯t see any glyph, but I wasn¡¯t looking for one.¡±

    While Chess and Taiki shook their heads, Catalin winced. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. There¡¯s magic energy in this place and it¡¯s not very stable.¡± She stayed at the threshold for a second, then her eyes brightened and she joined me in the room. ¡°This must have been Turoch Garnet¡¯s study. Look at these books!¡±

    There were bookcases on either side of the windows, magnifying glasses, several chests along the walls and a writing desk. A faint smell of beeswax remained in the air, although the room hadn¡¯t been cleaned for a long time.

    Well, symbol on the window! What can you tell me about the spell I¡¯m trying to dispel?

    Apparently, nothing. It was just a nice stained-glass pattern. How could I read a glyph over the door, that nobody else could see, and fail to understand another one that was clearly visible to everyone?

    All right, Alicia. I¡¯m not letting mild confusion stop me. Just think!

    I breathed slowly and deeply.

    The person who¡¯d ordered this specific pattern had to know what it meant. Therefore, Turoch Garnet¡¯s work had to be instrumental in understanding how to free Kossi.

    ¡°If we can find anything about the spell that subdues the dragon, it must be in this room. Now, how do we proceed?¡±

    Catalin looked at the shelves. ¡°Not every tome in here is a spell book. Let me check.¡±

    She began inspecting the bookcase on our left, removing one volume at a time and putting it on the floor after a quick look. ¡°History treaty, plants of the mountains, lives of renowned sorcerers¡­¡± At this rate, it would take her a long time to inspect everything.

    I wish I could help her, but I don¡¯t think I can tell a spell book from a regular one. What can I do while she works?

    I exchanged an uneasy smile with Chess. Taiki, on the other hand, was already checking a map displayed on the wall. I felt useless and I hated that. This was my quest, my power, my mission. I couldn¡¯t let a magic student do all the work for me.

    Are there any books in the chests aligned near the wall?

    I opened the first one and found a bunch of pens and ink. Perhaps they could still be used, but I doubted it. Was there any paper on the writing desk? I turned around and looked.

    Hey, what¡¯s that, at the bottom of the desk?

    I knelt down and looked closer. That was magic all right: a symbol that glowed softly, right there on the wood, neither engraved nor painted, just¡­ there.

    ¡°I found something!¡± I told my companions.

    I looked hard at the symbol. Come on, little spell, tell me your secrets, what are you here for?

    A secret drawer, invisible to the human eye. A hidden mechanism that could only be triggered by saying the right words, woven into the spell by the wizard himself. What were they? They were hard to read, even with my power. I double-checked before saying:

    ¡°Dona Sasinth, Turacor Liu!¡±

    Chess gave me a strange look. Catalin startled. But the drawer slid open, revealing its content: a precious-looking book, bound in leather and engraved with leaves. I held out a hand, ready to take it, but Catalin screamed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±

    As I looked at her in astonishment, she rushed towards me and gave a long look at the book.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s his personal grimoire. Given Turoch Garnet¡¯s rank, he must have cursed it, to make sure no one got away with touching it.¡±

    I squinted. ¡°Excuse me? Isn¡¯t it terribly dangerous?¡±

    ¡°Not to him. Let me get something¡­¡±

    She looked around her, but before she could move, Taiki handed her a piece of fabric.

    ¡°This should help,¡± he said. ¡°As my dad says, ¡®Always keep a handkerchief¡¯!¡±

    Catalin used the fabric to take the grimoire, wrap it and slip it into her bag. Then she took a look around. ¡°It may not be the only spell book in this room. Al, do you allow me to check a little longer?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Loud thud. We all jumped on our feet.

    What was that?

    The sound came from downstairs, and whatever made it sounded quite heavy, and possibly quite angry too.

 Chapter 18: Goodbye Index Finger

    Catalin¡¯s light went out and the four of us stayed frozen, as silent as we could. Chess drew their sword very slowly, eyes on the open door of the room. There were other sounds downstairs, and no matter how hard I tried, the only way I could explain them was the presence of something, or someone, big and heavy, walking in the workshop.

    If we didn¡¯t move, would we stay unnoticed? Terror made my stomach feel as if I''d swallowed a stone. I wished I¡¯d never been summoned, or accepted that foolish quest¡­ Had I not died over there, I¡¯d be relaxing on the day after my birthday party, possibly with a light hangover. Now, I was trying to hide from a threat I couldn¡¯t see, every fiber of my body infused with high-octane fear.

    I could hardly breathe and now I heard wood creak.

    Oh no, the stairs! It¡¯s walking up.

    Too frightened to move or make a sound, I tried my best mimes to tell Chess, who was closest to the door, that they should shut it. They didn¡¯t understand. Quite the contrary, actually. They risked an eye in the corridor, and whatever they saw made them jump back.

    They¡¯re moving quite silently on the wooden floor, I¡¯ll give them that.

    We all backed up behind the writing desk, trying to hide behind it. I wanted to disappear. I wanted the threat to be gone. I couldn¡¯t even ask Chess what they¡¯d seen in the corridor, lest the noise should attract more danger.

    Whatever it was, it walked straight into the study, as if it¡¯d known where we were from the start.

    Maybe it did know we were here. I did trigger something when I entered the room. Clumsy me, I¡¯m the only one here with the ability to see spells, and I can¡¯t even stop to look for one before stepping into a wizard¡¯s working place!

    I peeked from behind the desk. I had to know.

    When I saw the creature¡¯s face, or lack thereof, my blood froze. Its head was an egg-shaped block of wood, and its whole body looked made out of various parts of furniture, assembled by someone who wasn¡¯t a woodworker, but who included oversized fists in their design. Hinges and springs allowed its vaguely humanoid shape to walk and close the door behind it.

    We were trapped.

    ¡°For the love of all, what is it?¡± whispered Taiki.

    Catalin shook her head. ¡°I have no idea.¡±

    ¡°It looks like a golem,¡± I said.

    ¡°A what?¡±

    I winced. She¡¯s a Magic Arts student and she doesn¡¯t know what a golem is?

    ¡°It¡¯s not moving,¡± commented Chess. ¡°Can we try to get past it?¡±

    Indeed. The wooden creature was standing perfectly still, imperfect and asymmetrical. It looked like a lifeless, harmless sculpture, now, and I could understand why we¡¯d failed to notice it. It¡¯d probably stayed hidden in the workshop for years, indistinguishable from the various pieces of furniture piled in the corner.

    Chess stood up.

    In the blink of an eye, the wooden creature lifted its huge fists. As soon as Chess tried to walk to the door, it attacked them, its hinges creaking. It was much faster than I thought.

    Taiki sprang out from the other side of the desk, possibly to try and surprise the opponent, but the golem managed to throw punches at both fighters while keeping its back to the door, blocking the exit.

    Chess and Taiki narrowly dodged their respective blows. Given the size and speed of these fists, if any of them got hit, they might be badly hurt.

    They crouched behind the desk again. We needed a way out.

    ¡°The window?¡± I suggested.

    I was far enough from the golem to give it a closer look, so I stood up. A fist almost hit me. I felt the blood drained from my face and I fell back on my knees, while the creature¡¯s arm shrank to its initial size. It has fluid cylinders! How far can it stretch?

    ¡°It didn¡¯t move because we stayed still,¡± said Catalin. ¡°If we try anything, it¡¯ll attack.¡±

    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t stay here forever!¡± protested Taiki. ¡°We need to get out of this place. At the count of three, we try again!¡±

    With his twin knives firmly held in his hands, and Chess¡¯s sword on the other side, they tried to attack together. Both fighters were very mobile and fast, but with different styles. On one side of the room, Chess ran and changed directions like a world-class tennis player.

    Not exactly. A tennis player wouldn¡¯t keep their hips facing the opponent, or hold their racket the way Chess holds their sword. But still.

    On the other side, Taiki jumped and somersaulted, his long tail helping him keep his balance. His speed made up from his lack of reach, and his knives looked better suited to cutting wood than Chess¡¯s one-handed sword.

    The creature faced the two of them in a fast spin, parrying one blade after the other. They exchanged a quick glance and switched sides. They tried again, and again, changing angles. They lunged. Taiki rolled, but couldn¡¯t reach the creature. Only one of Chess¡¯s expert cuts hit its target. The sword left a notch in the golem¡¯s right arm without hindering its movements.

    The fighters caught their breath after the assault. While they stayed still, so did their opponent. Once again, it could be mistaken for a lifeless collection of mismatched wooden elements.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    There has to be a way.

    ¡°I have an idea!¡± I said. ¡°What if we moved very slow?¡±

    I tried to slide my feet on the wooden floor, but the creature reacted at once. It slammed the planks, leaving a hole just where I was trying to go. Its other arm slapped Chess, who had decided to attack at the same time. This time, the cadet couldn¡¯t dodge the hit. They collapsed against the wall with a groan of pain, then stood back up, but stayed in place, panting.

    This is not going to work. Come on, Alicia, think! I¡¯m not letting these brave young people die here because some vintage robot made of table legs crushes something every time we move. But what can I do? Can I make it smash the stained-glass window for us?

    I looked behind me. We were still at the second floor of the building, and if I remembered correctly, there were rocks on this side of the house.

    Even if we manage to jump, won¡¯t we get hurt in the fall? If I had one precise question to ask Cherub, maybe I could get us out of there, but right now, I have too many of them and I don¡¯t know where to start!

    ¡°Al?¡± asked Catalin, still crouching by the writing desk.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°That word you said, golem, is that right? What is it?¡±

    It was a strange moment to ask such a question, but with all of us staying right where we were and our opponent as motionless as a statue, I could take the time to answer.

    ¡°It¡¯s a legend from my native world. Originally, it¡¯s a crude representation of a human being, sculpted out of clay and brought to life by a divine word hidden inside it. It doesn¡¯t have a mind. It only obeys its creator.¡±

    She made a critical face. ¡°This creature isn¡¯t made of clay, so why did it make you think of a golem?¡±

    Because this world feels too eighteenth century for me to think of a robot!

    I sighed. ¡°The original legend spawned many variants, and popular culture imagined other kinds of golems. They¡¯re always constructs with artificial life, but depending on the author, they can be made of pretty much anything, from rocks to dead bodies¡­ or wood.¡±

    And at least one author wrote that they can have free will if you state it on the sacred paper you place inside their heads.

    Catalin frowned. ¡°Strange. Did you ever see any of them?¡±

    ¡°In countless stories, but as far as I know, they were never real in my world.¡±

    Taiki sneered. ¡°Well, that thing¡¯s real and it deserves a taste of my Tibun knives!¡±

    He attacked again, followed by Chess. Their synchronization was better this time. They moved at the same pace, lunged together from opposite sides, and they cut more splinters. However, they were getting tired, while their opponent only suffered minor cosmetic damage, and could possibly go on forever.

    Catalin clenched her teeth.

    ¡°I can¡¯t let them defend us and stay behind doing nothing!¡±

    A little ball of fire appeared at her fingertips. It was a freshman¡¯s spell, fast and easy, and in no roleplaying game would it ever qualify as a proper fireball, but it could certainly burn wood. She shot it at the creature. The fire went out before it touched its target. I covered the bottom of my face with both hands, watching the fight, seeing my friends risking their lives, and thinking as hard as I could.

    That thing resists magic. Golems do, in most stories. Which means the more I see Mr. Wooden here, the more similarities it shares with my world¡¯s golems. In other words, it must have a weak point, so we might have a chance. I just need to find the key.

    ¡°Chess, Taiki, Catalin!¡± I shouted. ¡°Mr. Wooden only has two arms, so it can fight two of us, but probably not four! Try to move as erratically as possible, to confuse it and make it less accurate!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Wooden?¡± Taiki gasped.

    ¡°We¡¯ll discuss names later! Just go, and don¡¯t synchronize this time!¡±

    Catalin and I sprang out from behind the desk, joining the fighters in an eerie dance around the room. We jumped, spun and ran like mad, but the golem reacted to every movement. The only thing that saved us was that, as I supposed, it only had two arms and thus couldn¡¯t aim at all of us.

    Crash! A chest broke. Thud! Books scattered all over the floor. The golem almost looked like a cat playing with mice, barely hurting us, but punching holes in the floor and breaking furniture. Even by scattering all over the room, we could barely dodge its various slams. The place was a mess, and none of us had a chance to open the door. At least, my companions didn¡¯t. I was looking for another kind of opening.

    This is tough! That creature¡¯s blind, so there¡¯s no attacking it from behind. It just doesn¡¯t need eyes to know where we are.

    Yet, my chaotic path drew me closer and closer. I wouldn¡¯t have time to dodge a punch, now. My human brain¡¯s response time would be too long. I could only hope I¡¯d be quick to find what I was looking for, or the next hit would break my ribs.

    A golem is brought to life by a divine word¡­

    Turoch Garnet wasn¡¯t a priest, but a wizard. To animate his creation, he¡¯d probably used a spell. And as the Great Hero Al, blessed with the ability to read magic, I should be able to see its trace somewhere on the wood.

    I jumped and rolled and jerked. A fist brushed against my back, making me scream in pain. I wasn¡¯t badly hit, though. Taiki took the most part of the blow. The shock made him let go of one of his knives, and I saw blood out of the corner of my eye. If this fight went on, someone would die.

    There it is!

    The symbol was hidden inside a hinge. Its shape reminded me of alien writing from some science-fiction movie I couldn¡¯t remember. But as soon as I saw it, I knew what I had to do. Just like in the legend from my world, the word that gave life to the golem could be erased.

    I held up my hand and brushed the magic away. The hinge closed on my finger.

    It¡¯s going to crush it! Goodbye index finger, I liked you¡­

    But the movement slowed down and stopped. The hinge never closed completely, so I was only slightly bruised, and I fell on the floor, hitting my head. The whole world spun around me. I stayed there, lying, unable to get up for a moment. I couldn¡¯t believe it was over. I thought I¡¯d sacrifice a finger to save the others¡¯ lives, but we were barely harmed after all, and my hand was still whole. I closed my eyes, catching my breath.

    ¡°That was close, but I think Mr. Wooden¡¯s gone for good!¡± commented Taiki.

    I opened my eyes. He was getting back the knife he¡¯d dropped in the fight. There was blood in his ashen hair, but I felt relieved to see he didn¡¯t have a new scar on his face.

    Catalin and Chess gently prodded the now motionless creature. No reaction. With the animation spell gone, it was only a collection of cylinders and table legs. The kind of sculpture one would expect to see in a museum of contemporary art, in my native world.

    Catalin knelt near me.

    ¡°How did you stop it, Al?¡±

    ¡°I erased the symbol that made it move. Like in the legend, you know. Hiding a divine word inside the golem makes it alive, and removing it turns it back into an oddly shaped planter.¡±

    She giggled and coughed a little. ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t. I only hoped some things would work the same from one world to another.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, thanks for saving us.¡±

    She helped me sit up. I still felt dizzy, my back was a mess, and I¡¯d probably have a nasty bump on my head, but I still looked better than the devastated room, formerly a peaceful study, now a chaos of splinters and glass shards. There was nothing left to save here, not even the stained-glass pattern that had brought us all the way from Carastra.

    What a waste of good books.

    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll find what we want in the grimoire?¡± I asked.

    Catalin nodded. ¡°The spell has to be in there. Just give me some time to decipher it.¡±

    The last two rooms were a bedroom and a bathroom, both modern for a baroque-era house in the woods, but otherwise quite ordinary. We checked them quickly before making our way out. We were relieved not to stumble upon a new threat.

    Mr. Wooden didn¡¯t move as we left the house.

    Turoch Garnet probably made this wood golem himself, in the workshop downstairs, to protect his precious study when he was away. Then he died, decades ago, and nobody ever came here to warn the golem that its master wasn¡¯t coming back. I¡¯d feel sad if I thought this creature was sentient.

    Or was it?

    We pushed Taiki¡¯s boat away from the moldy pier, and rowed back out of the forest, where we could hoist the sail again.

 Chapter 19: Possibly Buns

    While Taiki sailed back to Merumo, I leaned on the hull, thinking. The danger was gone for the day, so I wouldn¡¯t need to use Cherub¡¯s power in an emergency. I could ask a question that had been on my mind ever since I saw the stained-glass design in the wizard¡¯s study. I closed my eyes.

    ¡°I need an answer, Cherub, please. The symbol on the window was exactly the same as the one on Kossi¡¯s neck, so why couldn¡¯t I understand the magic behind it, just as I read three other symbols today?¡±

    ¡°Because you don¡¯t read the symbols. You read the magic itself.¡±

    The angel¡¯s faint presence vanished from my mind again. The answer made sense. There never was any magic in the window. But I couldn¡¯t help feeling a little disappointed.

    I can understand and alter existing spells, but I¡¯m unable to ever cast them. What a strange situation.

    Behind me, Catalin insisted on using a healing spell on Taiki¡¯s scalp wound, but he kept waving her away like an annoying bug.

    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ve seen worse! How do you think I got the scar on my nose?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but right now, you need care. I may only know the most basic cure spell, but it can ease your pain.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d only make things worse. You know it as well as I do, even high-level magic can¡¯t do miracles, so I don¡¯t trust your freshman tricks.¡± As she tried once more to put her hand over his head, he caught her wrist. ¡°Stop! If I ever need your help, I¡¯ll tell you.¡±

    Catalin¡¯s tail whipped the air. She didn¡¯t reply, but she looked upset.

    Of course she feels bad. She wants to help and he turns her down. But Taiki said something interesting. Healing magic doesn¡¯t sound as powerful here as in D&D.

    I waved.

    ¡°Catalin, my head is still ringing, so you can tend to it if you want.¡±

    It was true. My head still hurt after hitting the floor so hard, right after deactivating the golem. My back was also sore, but I was more used to it.

    Catalin turned away from Taiki with a bitter smile, tail wiggling, ears low.

    ¡°Are you doing this to comfort me?¡±

    I winced. ¡°Partly. But also because pain¡¯s not my thing.¡±

    ¡°All right. I¡¯m coming.¡±

    She moved her hands around my skull, her fingertips brushing my hair. Her magic wasn¡¯t powerful, but it did relieve me. Did Taiki refuse her help because she was inexperienced, or because she was a Zimeon? Judging by his general attitude, he might just be too proud to admit he was hurt. After almost losing my companions to a golem, I didn¡¯t want to start another fight, but unspoken conflict inside the team was the last thing I needed.

    I spent the rest of the journey trying to cheer everyone up, focusing on the unbelievable work we¡¯d done and how we still had a few days left to try and save everyone.

    I could even say ¡°everyone and their dragon¡±.

    At the end of the day, we were back in Merumo. We walked to the Sapps¡¯ house, tired and aching, just happy to sit on comfortable seats and move as little as possible.

    Taiki washed the blood out of his ashen hair. As it turned out, he only had a minor scalp cut that didn¡¯t need stitching. Then he found gloves for Catalin to study Turoch Garnet¡¯s grimoire without touching it.

    Chess rested against a big pile of pillows to relieve the pain from the fight. They, too, had refused Catalin¡¯s healing spell, probably because they didn¡¯t want Taiki to think they were weak. There was some sort of competition between the two fighters. They were both young, after all. They had yet to learn that feeling better was more important than hanging on to misplaced pride.

    We didn¡¯t do much that evening. We focused on recovering from our expedition. Catalin squinted at some pages, complained that the text made no sense, and whenever I looked over her shoulder, I could only agree. The grimoire was undecipherable to me.

    What if I¡¯d refused to bring Catalin along? I¡¯d be stuck with a book I can¡¯t read. Just let her do what she¡¯s good at.

    I¡¯d saved the day, after all. I could leave some achievements to the others.

    But on the next morning, the idea of just waiting uselessly became too much for me.

    It¡¯s been four days since Kossi crashed into the council room. We¡¯re nearly halfway to our deadline. How long will it take Catalin to find the right spell? I need to do something in the meantime.

    The Sapps fed us very well, but they didn¡¯t appear to have a sweet tooth. We hadn¡¯t had dessert, or anything sweet, since we arrived in Merumo. Yet, there had to be local specialties, pastries of some kind, that I had yet to discover. This sounded just like the kind of side quest a hero like me could complete during the morning.

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    I put my hair up and grabbed my bag.

    ¡°Where are you heading, Al?¡± asked my fianc¨¦e from the armchair where she tried to read Turoch Garnet¡¯s grimoire, her hands protected by the gloves Taiki had given her.

    I smiled.

    ¡°Shopping, breathing fresh air, getting to know this world. If I¡¯m going to live here, I must learn to feel at home. And I¡¯d love to taste local delicacies. I won¡¯t be long.¡±

    ¡°If you like, but be careful!¡±

    She waved at me while I left the house.

    I blended in the bustling activity of Merumo, with its horses and pedestrians, carts and wheelbarrows. One street would smell of soap because of an open shop. The next would be busy with people removing piles of manure. Every building was slightly different and yet in harmony with the next, round arches made of stone or simply painted on the facades, white shutters, stone balconies. I felt like a tourist, rather than a hero on a mission.

    Careful not to get lost, I followed the general course of the shore, never straying too far from the lake. Nobody paid attention to me. Right then, right there, I could remain anonymous. The people of Merumo didn¡¯t know my face yet.

    ¡°Wait for me, ma¡¯am!¡± called a familiar voice.

    I slowed down. Chess walked up to me at a fast pace, looking left and right as if there was anything to fear. From the way they moved, I could tell they still ached from the fight with the golem.

    ¡°Thanks for coming. I really appreciate your wanting to escort me, but you should be resting. You got nasty blows yesterday and we may have to fight again soon.¡±

    Chess shook their head.

    ¡°I had a good night¡¯s sleep, ma¡¯am. It¡¯s more than enough to get me back on my feet.¡±

    ¡°I suppose I should just ignore the limp, then? You¡¯re only doing it to confuse the enemy?¡±

    They blushed and looked down at the cobblestones, their face hidden by strands of black hair. I crossed my arms and added:

    ¡°Look, Chess, I¡¯m grateful for your dedication. You¡¯re brave, you¡¯re strong, you¡¯re admirable. But I want to keep everyone alive and as safe as possible. Good as you are, you need to give yourself time to heal.¡±

    ¡°Time is a luxury we can¡¯t afford, ma¡¯am.¡±

    The phrase was so unexpected, coming from them, that I couldn¡¯t find a suitable answer. In the end, I rolled my eyes and sighed.

    ¡°You can come with me if you think I need protection. Just don¡¯t do anything too heroic, okay? We¡¯ll be heroes when we free Kossi from the spell and watch him put Saegorg¡¯s pants on fire. Today, I¡¯m just strolling through Merumo, and possibly buying a cake or two.¡±

    A man chuckled at the corner of the street. I gave him a furious look before realizing he probably couldn¡¯t hear us talk from where he stood. He was literally across from us, with several bystanders in-between. His laugh had to be a coincidence.

    ¡°Come on, Chess. Let¡¯s try and look inconspicuous, if such a thing is still possible.¡±

    We walked past the other man in silence. I couldn¡¯t help eyeing him in passing. Despite having silver hair that curled to the side of his face, he looked young, with a thin figure, a straight nose in a heart-shaped face, tan skin and olive-green eyes.

    He must be rich, with his embroidered vest and that jewel on his forehead. Is that gold? It looks like gold. What¡¯s a wealthy man like him doing alone in the kind of busy street where he¡¯d most likely send his valet?

    I must have stared at him a bit too hard, because he smirked and walked away. When I turned around, the crowd had swallowed him. He was nowhere to be found.

    A few steps later, a delicious smell caught my attention. Somewhere around, someone baked¡­ possibly buns. Sweet or savory? I had no idea, but I needed to know. My love of cakes would be the death of me. The second death, at least, the first having been caused by my love of party decorations. I raised a hand.

    ¡°Wait a second.¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡±

    ¡°Just follow me, Chess.¡±

    I walked on the cobblestones, avoiding a wheelbarrow, looking at all the shops around. I just had to locate the one that smelled so good. And I found it. I pointed a finger, borderline ecstatic.

    ¡°There it is! I knew there was a bakery somewhere around here! Will you come with me and buy a few samples?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a real question. I wanted to taste this new food no matter what, so I didn¡¯t slow down as I spoke. But Chess grabbed my upper arm. I froze.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am!¡± they warned me in a low voice.

    Just a few feet past the bakery, the street opened into a small square, with a handful of food stalls. None of them smelled as good as the buns did, but I did catch a nice smell. I frowned.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Over there.¡±

    The square was busy with customers and passers-by, but Chess pointed at a group that stood out. For one thing, the armors they wore reflected the daylight; for another, the gray-haired woman who led them was showing a piece of paper to every shopkeeper on the square. She seemed to be asking questions. Even though I couldn¡¯t quite remember who she was, I thought she looked oddly familiar.

    ¡°I know this woman, don¡¯t I?¡±

    Chess nodded. ¡°She¡¯s Mistress Jemos, my instructor at the Royal Sword Academy. She shouldn¡¯t be here, unless¡­¡±

    They left the sentence hanging, but I didn¡¯t need the last words to know we should get out of sight as quickly as possible. I turned around, grabbed Chess¡¯s arm and pretended to be chatting with a friend.

    ¡°She¡¯s looking for us, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°Not just her. She¡¯s leading a squad of ten soldiers.¡± They gave a quick look over their shoulder. ¡°She¡¯s not following.¡±

    Chess relaxed a little. We kept walking together, pretending to pay attention to the shops. I couldn¡¯t help feeling angry at the soldiers for standing between me and the possibility of a delicious second breakfast.

    Maybe I¡¯m a bit of a hobbit inside. Are there hobbits in this world? Or halflings, in case of a copyright issue?

    I sighed.

    ¡°What do you think? Is it possible for these soldiers to be here for a reason unrelated to our presence in the city? Could they be gathering intelligence about the dragon Kossi, for example?¡±

    Chess shook their head.

    ¡°Merumo¡¯s not on the way from Carastra to Kossi¡¯s lair. It¡¯s not on the way to Inabar either. So, wherever Kossi is right now, there¡¯s no reason for them to be here if they¡¯re investigating.¡±

    They looked over their shoulder again.

    ¡°I can¡¯t pretend to know everything, ma¡¯am, but I see no reason for Mistress Jemos to be in Merumo right now. She¡¯s an instructor, not a spy or anything. She hasn¡¯t been on an away mission for ages.¡±

    ¡°Then what is she doing¡­¡±

    ¡°She can recognize both of us, which is more than can be said of most officers.¡±

    I looked at the other streets. We should aim for the busiest ones, but what if we get lost? We must warn Catalin and Taiki as soon as possible!

    I turned right, and Chess didn¡¯t protest. I could almost feel the whole city staring at us.

    ¡°We both think Mistress Jemos can¡¯t be here by accident. Right now, we must assume she knows we¡¯re in Merumo and she¡¯s looking for us.¡±

    ¡°But how would she know?¡±

    ¡°We weren¡¯t exactly discreet when we sailed from Carastra¡¯s upstream port, in the middle of the night, with a ball of light to guide us! We chose to be fast rather than unnoticed. Now, this is the result.¡±

    Why did we decide to spend a second night at Taiki¡¯s house? It gave King Esthar time to catch up. But we were so sore and tired¡­ Look how Chess still has a slight limp, and they¡¯re a healthy seventeen-year-old kid!

    I walked faster.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid Mistress Jemos knows we left with Taiki''s boat, so if she doesn¡¯t find us in town, she¡¯ll go get us at his family''s house. We must leave now.¡±

    Chess nodded, but their pale face was tense.

    ¡°Leave? Where to?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve no idea. I just hope Taiki will be more inspired than me.¡±

 Chapter 20: The Chase

    When the valet Gario let us in, Taiki was coming down the main stairs. Seeing our faces, he brought us to his father¡¯s office without a word. As soon as Catalin joined us, he closed the door.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± he asked.

    Chess told him about Mistress Jemos and her squad. They insisted that the instructor had no business in Merumo, unless she was there on a special mission.

    Taiki¡¯s tail curled one way, then the other.

    ¡°Why do you think her mission is about us?¡±

    ¡°Because why else would she be here? She¡¯s been my instructor for two years, out of the four I spent at the Royal Sword Academy. I know her!¡±

    Taiki rolled his eyes and looked at me. I crossed my arms.

    ¡°I trust Chess. If they say Mistress Jemos usually doesn¡¯t go on away missions, I believe them, and it means I owe you all an apology. I¡¯m the one they¡¯re after. I¡¯m the one who ran away and dragged you along.¡±

    He had a slight frown.

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Catalin shook her head. ¡°I believe we all freely chose to follow you. I wanted to see Turoch Garnet¡¯s house and I still can¡¯t wrap my head around the fact that I¡¯m studying his grimoire! Do you think I regret it?¡±

    ¡°All right, I¡¯m glad I did it too!¡± Taiki smiled. ¡°We had a good fight over there. But I¡¯m not waiting here for an armored squad to scare the whole household. Everyone, pack your things, we¡¯re leaving!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to¡­¡± I began.

    He pointed a finger at me. ¡°Of course I¡¯m coming! I don¡¯t want to miss any fun! Now hurry before they show up here!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m packing the grimoire,¡± decided Catalin.

    Our bags were hardly undone, so it didn¡¯t take us long to pack them again, grab a few snacks in the kitchen and wave uncle Asko and aunt Kiru goodbye.

    As soon as we were out of sight, Taiki scratched his ears.

    ¡°Now it gets complicated. What if we bump into them? I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re no match against ten soldiers.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even want to try, if it¡¯s all right to you,¡± said Chess, their head bowed down. ¡°I spent the past four years training hard at the Royal Sword Academy. I¡¯m aware that by now, I lost all my chances of ever becoming an officer, but I¡¯m not fighting my own instructor, not right now.¡±

    ¡°Right. So now, we head to the port and we find my baby.¡±

    I looked around us. There was nothing unusual, just the normal activity of the city. People walking, people working, people talking.

    ¡°Al? Why do you look thoughtful?¡± asked Catalin.

    She¡¯s been watching me again. I sighed.

    ¡°I¡¯m worried about our situation. If we encounter Mistress Jemos and her squad, we might get arrested, but if we don¡¯t, she¡¯s likely to go to Taiki¡¯s house and cause trouble.¡±

    Taiki looked as me over his shoulder, as he led the way to the port.

    ¡°Trouble? To my family¡¯s reputation? No chance. I¡¯m already known as the odd one, the one who hangs out with thugs in the worst taverns of Zerta and walks home with a slash across his face. I can get away with more minor mischief.¡±

    ¡°But can you get away with making soldiers bother your aunt and uncle in their own home?¡±

    He winced. His ears moved to the sides, then back to the front. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Maybe we should make sure Chess¡¯s instructor stays clear of the house. Just give me time to think¡­ For the love of all!¡±

    We were finally in sight of the port and Taiki stopped, both arms extended to prevent us from walking past him. He pointed a finger to the pier where his boat was moored. Two armored figures were standing there.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! They¡¯re guarding my baby! You were right, Al, they know we came together. They knew we¡¯d want to sail away, so they set a trap.¡±

    We should have expected it. Then again, this city isn¡¯t a dead end. It¡¯s a trade hub.

    ¡°We can try another route,¡± I suggested. ¡°There are roads leading out of Merumo, and they probably won¡¯t expect us there.¡±

    ¡°Leave by the road and let them keep my boat?¡±

    Taiki looked as distressed as he sounded, his hair standing on end, his tail raised behind his back, his blue eyes wide open.

    It looks like it¡¯s time for me to be the adult in the party, again.

    I tried to smile.

    ¡°Taiki, I understand your concern, but even if we manage to sail away, how far can we go before they get to us? When we left Carastra, it was the middle of the night, and nobody knew what we were up to. Everything¡¯s different today. Horsemen will catch up in no time.¡±

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    After a second of awkward silence, Chess spoke up.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid Al¡¯s right. If we had a chance to get away, I¡¯d be all for taking on these two soldiers and unmooring the boat, but I don¡¯t see how we can avoid getting caught. We¡¯ll sail down the river, and then what?¡±

    Taiki shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t know the Rekario as well as I do. You have to trust me, okay? I know where to hide my boat. Then you can hop off and go save the Gold Dragon.¡±

    Catalin frowned.

    ¡°Do you mean you won¡¯t follow us?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving my baby alone,¡± Taiki answered with a sad smile.

    Is there a way to convince him to go with us? I¡¯m afraid not. This boat is like a student¡¯s first apartment to him. He won¡¯t part with her unless we physically pull him out.

    I nodded. ¡°I guess you can deal with two soldiers, but I don¡¯t like the idea of fighting them.¡±

    Chess tilted their head. ¡°You won¡¯t kill, will you, ma¡¯am?¡±

    ¡°Not if I can help it.¡±

    They smiled. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought, but you shouldn¡¯t worry about it. They¡¯re wearing armor and we only have light weapons. They¡¯ll get no serious injuries, I promise.¡±

    I looked the cadet up and down. That doublet is no armor and they¡¯re still sore from yesterday¡¯s fight. If anyone gets a serious wound, it¡¯ll be them.

    ¡°Will you be all right?¡±

    Taiki put an arm across Chess¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Of course we will! We¡¯re strong and we fought together yesterday. We know each other, now.¡±

    My heart tightened. They¡¯re kids, they want to face soldiers, and I can¡¯t stop them. All I can do is make sure I don¡¯t get more people into trouble.

    ¡°All right, then. Taiki, Chess, Catalin, I trust the three of you. Get the upper hand as soon as you can. In the meantime, you know I¡¯m the only one who can¡¯t fight, so I¡¯ll do my part on my own.¡±

    Catalin frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    I pointed behind me. ¡°I¡¯ll lure Mistress Jemos and her squad away from Taiki¡¯s house.¡±

    ¡°But what if they catch you?¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°They won¡¯t. They¡¯re wearing armor, remember? I¡¯m fit enough to outrun them.¡±

    ¡°Then may the Almighty protect you.¡±

    I went back, dodging carts and pedestrians along the way. I had to locate the squad before they saw me, and yet, I couldn¡¯t keep my mind from racing. I didn¡¯t thank Chess enough for insisting on coming with me. Without them, I¡¯d be caught already, because the bakery distracted me and I didn¡¯t notice the soldiers in the square. Maybe, one day, I¡¯ll be less driven by my love of cakes, but not today, obviously. Oh, here they are!

    I flattened myself against the nearest wall. Mistress Jemos was leading her squad in the street that led to Taiki¡¯s house, turning her back to me.

    It was close! Two minutes later and she was knocking on the door.

    She glanced around, and so did her soldiers, but they weren¡¯t scanning the crowd too precisely. Perhaps they thought we moved as a noticeable party. Or perhaps they just expected to find us inside the house, although I couldn¡¯t imagine why. In any case, I had to get their attention.

    Okay, now think. Is the way reasonably clear?

    It was. I climbed onto a crate and called ¡°Mistress Jemos!¡± at the top of my lungs.

    She turned around and startled when she recognized me. I immediately jumped down from the crate and ran away, but I saw her gesture in my direction, out of the corner of my eye. The squad was following.

    Good! They wouldn¡¯t bother Taiki¡¯s aunt and uncle, or at least, not for a moment. But now, I needed to make sure they didn¡¯t catch me.

    I jumped over a wheelbarrow, ran past two crossroads in the crowded street, then hid behind a large barrel and risked an eye behind me. As expected, the soldiers were slightly slower than me, my comfortable clothing making up for my relative lack of training. When they stopped at a crossroads and looked left and right for me, I showed myself again.

    One soldier pointed at me. ¡°There she is!¡±

    I smiled and darted to the port.

    Don¡¯t overdo this, Alicia, they¡¯ll start thinking I¡¯m making fun of them, and if they do catch me, they¡¯ll make me pay for it! Then again, I am playing with them. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d enjoy it that much.

    Fun as it was, I was getting out of breath sooner than expected. Mistress Jemos¡¯s squad still weren¡¯t catching up, but I wasn¡¯t losing them, either.

    Then, from the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of metal reflecting the sun. I risked an eye over my shoulder. There were more soldiers, coming out of a narrow alley! Were they another team joining in the chase, or men and women from the initial squad who¡¯d taken a different route to block my way? I had no time to think. I couldn¡¯t turn to count them. They were nearly on me, and my life depended on my ability to keep outrunning them.

    I¡¯d nearly reached the port, but my lungs and legs were on fire. At least, when I went to the gym, I could warm up before giving my all on the treadmill.

    ¡°Catch her!¡± shouted Mistress Jemos.

    Of course, like in a cloak-and-dagger film, people around got out of their way to let me escape, rather than hinder me.

    It¡¯s good to know there¡¯s casual rebellious spirit in this world too.

    As I turned around the last corner, my foot slipped on a cobblestone. No, I¡¯m not falling now! I grabbed the nearest person to regain my balance, nearly knocking him over.

    ¡°Sorry!¡±

    I ran as fast as I could, sweating heavily and wishing I¡¯d removed my green bodice before deciding to sprint across half the city. On the other hand, run around in just a white shirt? Forget that. Hey! Wasn¡¯t that guy¡­

    Yes, he was. I had no time to ponder on that, so I kept that information for later and focused on finding the last sparks of stamina that would lead me to freedom.

    The pier was right ahead, and two armored figures lay near Taiki¡¯s boat, which was being unmoored. Chess stood next to a bollard, Taiki was at the helm, and I could make out Catalin¡¯s bright red hair near the sails. All of them were safe! But with the little slipping incident in the last corner, Mistress Jemos¡¯s squad had caught up and I could nearly feel their hands on my clothes.

    No, I can¡¯t, they¡¯re a few steps behind, it¡¯s just my imagination! Come on!

    I thrust all my remaining energy into the last sprint.

    ¡°Al!¡± shouted a relieved Catalin. ¡°Thank the Almighty, you¡¯re safe!¡±

    A few more strides along the pier. Chess held out a hand to help me on board, but I had enough momentum to jump onto the deck. The cadet followed me, kicking the bollard in the process to push the boat away on the river. We were out of reach right on time.

    When the squad reached the end of the pier, a soldier drew a crossbow from behind his back, but Mistress Jemos stopped him.

    ¡°Too dangerous!¡± she said. She pointed at the other boats around. ¡°We¡¯ll catch them sooner or later, so don¡¯t risk hurting someone in a busy port. Tend to the wounded instead.¡±

    And then we were gone. Taiki maneuvered us out of the port and down the river, skillfully avoiding the many other boats that were sailing in the area. I sat down on the deck with my back leaning on the hull. Sweat ran down my face and down my back.

    ¡°You¡¯re out of breath,¡± commented Catalin.

    I smiled.

    ¡°Indeed. I may need more cardio exercise after all.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°Cardio?¡±

    ¡°Yes. To make my heart stronger.¡± I looked up at Chess, who was sheeting the sail. ¡°Do you remember the silver-haired man who laughed at us in the street, a little before you noticed Mistress Jemos near the bakery?¡±

    They nodded. ¡°What about him?¡±

    ¡°I met him again. I slipped on the cobblestones while I ran, I grabbed someone to avoid falling, and there he was.¡±

    ¡°It must be a coincidence.¡±

    ¡°I suppose so. I just hope he doesn¡¯t think I have a crush on him. After all, I¡¯m already engaged, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    Catalin sat down next to me and put her head on my shoulder. I was too breathless to protest.

 Chapter 21: A Ride North

    Catalin went into the cabin to study the grimoire. Chess kept a worried watch at the stern. Boats were sailing up and down the Rekario, but none of them looked like it carried a squad of soldiers coming at us.

    ¡°Stop worrying, no ship can catch up with my baby!¡± bragged Taiki from the helm.

    I looked at the banks. There was no real road along the river, only towpaths. And then forests, and the valley began to look a little too steep for pursuers. We were safe, for now. However, as Mistress Jemos knew where we were, it was only a matter of time before she, or other soldiers, caught up with us.

    I came close to Chess, whose black hair blew in the wind.

    ¡°They¡¯ll never accept me again,¡± they whispered when they saw me.

    ¡°At this point, it all depends on the outcome of our mission. Either we succeed and we¡¯re all heroes, or we fail and we all fall into disgrace. Let¡¯s assume we¡¯ll save the kingdom, shall we?¡±

    They shook their head. ¡°I ran away from my instructor and fought Brealian soldiers, ma¡¯am. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m beyond forgiveness.¡±

    I clicked my tongue in disagreement. ¡°You¡¯re seventeen. No one¡¯s beyond redemption at your age!¡±

    Chess glared at me. Their emerald green eyes were red-rimmed. ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to start from scratch once more? Run away from the place I call home, learn another language and try to get people to accept me as I am? I did it once, I thought I¡¯d be fine, and then I lost¡­¡± They sniffed. ¡°I¡¯m not going through it again, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Then I promise I¡¯ll do everything in my power to spare you the ordeal.¡±

    I held out a hand. Chess didn¡¯t know what to do with it, so I patted their shoulder instead. Taiki pretended not to notice us, but I knew he¡¯d been eavesdropping.

    Over the rest of the morning, we had snacks, the ones we¡¯d taken from Taiki¡¯s kitchen before leaving, but we didn¡¯t feel hungry. I couldn¡¯t help feeling like soldiers would board us at any given moment.

    ¡°And there we go!¡± announced Taiki when we reached a confluence. He steered the boat portside into the tributary. ¡°This is where I¡¯ll hide for a while. Go ahead and save that dragon for me, will you?¡±

    ¡°Here?¡± I frowned. This smaller river was no hiding place. But Taiki shrugged.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you a little further upstream. This is the river Leana. Only a short portion of it is navigable, but that part ends, or begins, if you prefer, in nice little meanders in the middle of a forest. The canopy¡¯s thick enough to hide a smaller boat like mine.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think the soldiers will find you eventually?¡±

    He winked. ¡°You¡¯re the Great Hero Al, aren¡¯t you? Once you save the Brealian kingdom and the Gold Dragon, I¡¯ll be known as the Tibun boy who helped you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re already the Tibun boy helping me.¡±

    ¡°But right now, everyone who thinks the Gold Dragon willingly betrayed the country also believes all of us are traitors. We know better, but please, Al, waste no time. Prove them you¡¯re the hero the prophecy announced.¡± He glanced sideways at Chess. ¡°And make sure my friend over there gets the career they deserve.¡±

    ¡°I will, I promise.¡±

    We sailed for another hour or so. When the keel touched the riverbed, Taiki anchored his boat as close to the bank as he could. Swift as a cat, he jumped from one tree to another, tying ropes to secure a rudimentary mooring. The rest of us took our bags and prepared to part ways.

    Taiki stood on the deck and helped us out of the boat.

    ¡°Good luck to you, Great Hero Al. Good luck to you, my friend Chess. And even to you, Zimeon girl!¡±

    Catalin gasped with surprise when he squeezed her, probably a little harder than he should have. She still bowed in respect before following Chess and I through the forest. We¡¯d agreed to go in the general direction of the mountains, where we could find two of our possible destinations, Inabar and Kossi¡¯s lair.

    ¡°Sooner or later, we¡¯ll need to know where we¡¯re heading,¡± sighed Chess.

    I ducked to walk under a half-uprooted tree. ¡°I can tell you where to find Kossi by the end of the day, if nothing bad happens to us in the meantime.¡±

    With all we went through over the past few days, I¡¯m not using my daily question now. I might end up needing a miracle.

    Catalin gave me a curious look. ¡°How do you expect to know?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a special power I have. Not my natural magic, something else, like when I knew where to look for Turoch Garnet¡¯s house. Don¡¯t ask. I can just know things.¡±

    I get answers from an angel who granted me the favor to stay out of trouble, but it doesn¡¯t sound too heroic. Let¡¯s keep it a secret for now.

    After walking for what I supposed was a couple of hours, we reached the edge of the forest. We were now on a narrow path between fields that could only hide us from the waist down, unless we decided to crawl, which felt ridiculous. We looked left and right. There was a road some distance to the east. Only a handful of carts, no sign of an angry squad looking for traitors.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°Shall we go?¡±

    Chess nodded. ¡°This road leads north. But can we follow it? With King Esthar¡¯s army looking for us, it sounds too dangerous to me. Why don¡¯t we find another route where we can be less noticeable?¡±

    Catalin crossed her arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the afternoon won¡¯t last forever. We¡¯ll need a place to stay for the night. Why don¡¯t we find a farm or a village? If there¡¯s a Zimeon family, they¡¯ll give us hospitality.¡±

    ¡°Why would they?¡±

    She sighed. ¡°Because you¡¯re my friend, Chess. And Al is my fianc¨¦e. You wouldn¡¯t ask this question if you knew Zimeon traditions.¡±

    ¡°All right, all right,¡± I said, walking between the two with my arms extended on both sides. ¡°Catalin has a point. Let¡¯s follow the road to the first house we find, and ask for hospitality. I have a little money left. I can pay.¡±

    Besides, someone still needs to read the grimoire and learn how to counter the spell, and she¡¯ll do it much better in peace and quiet than in the middle of some damp forest.

    Chess sulked like the seventeen-year-old that they were, but they lead the way to the road. We began walking north, eyeing every person we walked by, hoping they may have rat ears so we could ask them for a spare bedroom. The road went between fields, with patches of forest in the distance. It was a nice Spring afternoon, or it would be if we weren¡¯t on the run.

    When the sun went down, I began to fear having to spend the night outside.

    I did my share of camping when I was younger, but I had a tent and a fire. Chess probably carries a lighter in their bag, and Catalin can summon a fireball. However, I¡¯d hate to just wrap myself in a plaid on the floor, and pray for the weather to remain dry.

    ¡°Hello, travelers, do you need a ride?¡±

    I looked up, drawn from my thoughts. The man next to us wasn¡¯t a Zimeon. He was as human as humans got, with small round ears and carrot hair that grayed a little at the temples. He was sitting in a cart full of hay, drawn by two horses.

    Chess squinted. ¡°A ride? Where to?¡±

    The man pointed to the horizon. ¡°Lapik, right over there. It¡¯s where I live. You were planning to spend the night there, weren¡¯t you? You¡¯re not getting farther on foot today.¡±

    I looked at his cart. Well, if we run into soldiers by accident, I guess we can hide in the hay. ¡°What do you think, friends?¡±

    Catalin nodded. She looked tired, anyway. Chess, on the other hand, went all around the vehicle, prodding it thoroughly, before accepting the lift.

    ¡°My name¡¯s Teo,¡± the man said. ¡°Come on!¡±

    At a walking pace, the horses were only marginally faster than us, but my legs appreciated the rest. When Catalin coughed, I realized she didn¡¯t do it as often as she used to. Was the fresh air really helping with her health?

    The village of Lapik soon appeared on the horizon. No more than a dozen houses gathered around a central building, which probably served as a townhall or as a temple, or probably both. They were all made of stone, similar to some Irish houses I remembered from an old trip. Smoke was only coming out of two chimneys, but the weather was warm enough to explain that. The two that were active were probably used for cooking rather than heating.

    ¡°There we are!¡± said Teo, jumping down from his cart. ¡°Where will you be staying?¡±

    I looked around and saw no inn. Of course. The village is too small for that. ¡°Do you have a barn or something?¡±

    ¡°We can help you unload your hay,¡± added Catalin with a smile.

    He gave her a suspicious look. ¡°I do have a barn, for hay and straw, and sometimes for travelers. Can you pay?¡±

    He offered us a ride, so why is he acting this way now? Oh, well, there¡¯s too much I don¡¯t know about this kingdom. Perhaps the local tradition goes against letting people sleep in your barn for free.

    I drew out my purse from my pocket and fished a coin out of it. ¡°Will two trins be enough?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll do.¡± Teo pocketed the money. ¡°Now come on, help me!¡±

    Other villagers came, and with their help, all the hay was soon well aligned inside the barn. Our presence sparked some curiosity. We were asked where we were traveling to, what for¡­ I pretended we were going to the mountain marches to visit Catalin¡¯s sick uncle. Chess was hired for our security.

    ¡°Who are you, then?¡± asked a woman.

    ¡°I¡¯m a teacher. I promised I¡¯d teach my friend¡¯s cousins how to read, so now¡¯s the moment.¡±

    Catalin gave me an upset stare.

    Sorry, I¡¯m not ready to deal with these villagers¡¯ reaction if I tell them we¡¯re engaged. They¡¯ll ask questions and we¡¯re already attracting too much attention.

    Finally, Teo led his horses to the stable and his neighbors went back to their respective lives. The three of us let ourselves fall on the hay. For a moment, we just stared at the planks around, relieved to be able to rest. And then I saw Catalin¡¯s sad face. I owed her an apology.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I lied about us.¡±

    She sighed. ¡°You¡¯re still uncomfortable with the situation. I understand.¡±

    I propped myself up on an elbow.

    ¡°Look, I know I upset you, but I didn¡¯t want everyone to have one more reason to remember us! I¡¯m not ashamed of you, Catalin. You¡¯re brilliant and you deserve more than I give you.¡±

    ¡°If you really thought so, you¡¯d give me more.¡±

    ¡°Catalin¡­¡±

    She had a bitter smile. ¡°Look, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s not as if you completely ignored me.¡± She ran her thumb over the Mera flower dangling from her neck. ¡°You made me see things I could only dream of, and believe it or not, this barn is actually more comfortable than my room in Carastra.¡±

    Chess raised their head. ¡°Really?¡±

    Catalin nodded. ¡°I moved into my own room two years ago, after my sister Danya passed away. Do you remember? I told you about her, back in Carastra.¡±

    ¡°I do. Your third sister who caught pneumonia.¡±

    My heart tightened.

    Why am I feeling jealous? Chess knows more about Catalin¡¯s family than I do, but I¡¯m the one who didn¡¯t ask! It¡¯s up to me to change my behavior.

    Catalin went on with her usual liveliness, her tail moving with every word. ¡°My first room was horrible. Last winter, I found another place with a nice view of the roofs and a beautiful green wallpaper, but it¡¯s so narrow I can hardly roll over in my sleep!¡±

    Green wallpaper? And she¡¯s sick. And she keeps getting better, now that she no longer sleeps in that room.

    Arsenic poisoning. I clenched my fists.

    ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but please, if you have any faith left in me, you¡¯ll need to relocate when we go back to Carastra.¡±

    My companions both blinked in disbelief.

    ¡°Why?¡± asked Chess.

    ¡°For health reasons. Do you trust me, Catalin?¡±

    She gazed into the hay, wrinkling her brow, thinking.

    When this adventure is over, I need a word with the king, or the princess, or whoever can stick their nose into the wallpaper making process.

    Suddenly, Catalin¡¯s ears twitched. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong!¡± she whispered. ¡°People are talking outside and I don¡¯t like the tone of their voices.¡±

    Chess jumped to their feet, went to the door and opened it ajar, very slowly.

    ¡°Soldiers!¡± they said. ¡°They¡¯re talking to the villagers, and someone¡¯s pointing to the barn.¡±

    ¡°Teo?¡±

    ¡°Not him, but what does it change?¡±

    There¡¯s an upcoming crisis, King Esthar needs all his forces in Carastra to take down the dragon, not to mention the risk of Vilo Jozin taking advantage of the situation to try and seize political power. How does he have soldiers to spare for me?

    We all grabbed our bags and looked for another exit. There had been one, but it was barred with planks.

    ¡°Oh, I hate what I¡¯m about to do¡­¡± complained Chess.

    They drew their sword and hit the planks, once, twice. The wood was old. On the third time, the blade went through and we were able to kick ourselves a passage. Right on time, though: just as we ran out of the barn and into a poultry yard, the other door burst open.

 Chapter 22: Creatures in the Dark

    I should have expected soldiers to catch up. There didn¡¯t seem to be too many villages in the area, so by splitting into a few small groups, all they had to do was ride across the countryside and ask everyone if they¡¯d seen strangers matching our description. Then follow the trail and¡­ bingo.

    I needed to think fast, before we ended up surrounded.

    ¡°Cherub, I need a miracle! Can Teo¡¯s horses be fully bridled and saddled and ready to go? If so, please do it now!¡±

    ¡°They can. You have your miracle, Al.¡±

    I pointed to the stable. ¡°Follow me! Can you ride a horse?¡±

    Chess could. Catalin, not so much.

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll ride behind me,¡± I decided.

    We stormed into the stable and found both horses quite surprised at being ready for a ride. I jumped on one and helped Catalin join me, while Chess got on the other one. The stirrups were at the wrong height for me, but I had no time to adjust that, so I crossed them over the saddle pommel and led my mount out of the stable.

    ¡°I¡¯m no traitor!¡± I shouted to the soldiers who tried to catch us. ¡°Tell your officer that the Great Hero Al isn¡¯t abandoning Brealia. I¡¯m doing my best to get out of the current crisis with as few deaths as possible!¡±

    I spurred my horse and jumped over the fence. This simple feat was made quite uncomfortable by the lack of stirrups and by Catalin clinging to my waist.

    There was some shouting behind us, but I didn¡¯t hear the twang of a crossbow.

    Mistress Jemos also refrained from striking, back in Merumo. She could have shot me in the back while I was running in the street. Did she want to avoid hurting bystanders? Probably. But this time, we¡¯re galloping through open fields.

    They wanted us alive. Alive so the king could parade me on the battlefield, and quite possibly let the dragon do the killing so he kept his own hands clean, salvaging both his reputation and mine.

    Or maybe I had it all wrong, it was just getting too dark, or the soldiers were too stunned at what just happened. Who could imagine that I¡¯d ride away on a stolen horse?

    Stealing, that¡¯s what it is. What a Great Hero I am, indeed! All I can do is run away, and now, steal a farmer¡¯s horses. If King Esthar does capture me, he¡¯ll have the moral high ground.

    Chess looked at me from their mount, their black hair blowing with the speed.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am? How did you know the horses were saddled?¡±

    ¡°I used up my special power. The one I wanted to locate Kossi with.¡±

    I sighed.

    ¡°You were right about not using the road. We walked past too many people, and someone must have led these soldiers to us. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re following us!¡± screamed Catalin.

    I risked an eye over my shoulder. Four horsemen were galloping behind us. Chess winced.

    ¡°That¡¯s not good¡­¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Their horses are better than ours. They¡¯ll catch up!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll have a harder time following us if we cut through the woods.¡±

    In the dim light of dusk, Chess led the way to the biggest forest we could see. We reached its edge, and the shadows of trees and bushes swallowed us. Underneath, we couldn¡¯t quite see where the horses were stepping, and neither did the horses themselves, so Catalin summoned a ball of light to guide us. Still, we had to slow down to a trot. Without stirrups, it was even more uncomfortable than galloping, but at least, the ground was almost even and no horse tripped.

    Catalin stiffened against my back.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. They stopped following us.¡±

    I looked left and right and saw nothing. Then again, there was nothing for me to see, except the forest around.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°I have excellent hearing compared to a human, Al. If horse hooves other than ours were crunching the leaves on the ground, I¡¯d hear them. And right now, I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­ Walking pace, Chess. There¡¯s no need to tire the horses too much.¡±

    We slowed down. The darkness deepened with every step and I could feel my mount getting stressed. Soon, we had to dismount. We walked, holding the reins, led by Catalin¡¯s ball of light. Of all the noises we could hear, none seemed to come from a squad chasing us.

    ¡°It¡¯s really quiet,¡± I said between my teeth.

    Chess nodded. ¡°My thoughts exactly, ma¡¯am. These soldiers know where we are and they¡¯re still not following. I don¡¯t like it.¡±

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°They might be trying to lure us out, or to surround the woods, or something. Are you sure they¡¯re up to nothing, Catalin?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°As far as I know, they¡¯re gone. They aborted the pursuit as soon as we entered the forest.¡±

    Chess stopped and took a long look around them.

    ¡°I¡¯m beginning to think I made a wrong choice. What if this place¡¯s cursed and we don¡¯t know it, because we¡¯re not from around here?¡±

    ¡°I sense no negative energy,¡± answered Catalin, her round-tipped nose up in the air as if to catch the wind.

    ¡°And yet I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something here.¡± Chess gave me their horse¡¯s reins and stepped away from the light, looking into the darkness. ¡°It¡¯s too quiet. A forest like this should be filled with little sounds, even at night.¡±

    I frowned. When the wizard¡¯s house tried to scare us near Lake Mera, the whole area went silent. This is not the case here.

    I tried to protest. ¡°There are sounds¡­¡±

    ¡°Not enough of them.¡±

    Chess drew their sword and the blade reflected Catalin¡¯s magic light on the surrounding trees. Swift movements could be made out between the bushes, small animals hiding from us. They were quiet indeed. Maybe too much.

    A roar swept the forest by surprise, filling the air and crushing us under its volume. The two horses reared. I was pulled off the ground for a second, and then the reins broke. I fell down on my knees while both horses ran away, back where we¡¯d come from.

    I opened my mouth to protest, but I didn¡¯t want whatever was out there to hear my voice. Besides, we were done using these horses. They¡¯d carried us away from the soldiers and it was all we needed them for. We could certainly walk to our destination.

    Please let these horses get back home safely. They deserve it, and even Teo certainly didn¡¯t deserve to have his animals stolen!

    Another roar froze my blood. Catalin clenched her fists and her ball of light flickered for a moment.

    It¡¯s coming closer. We¡¯ll have to fight.

    I fumbled in my bag. I couldn¡¯t just stand by when my companions fought a creature that roared so loud, so I took the knife I used for eating. It looked ridiculous compared to Chess¡¯s sword, Catalin¡¯s magic or Taiki¡¯s twin blades, but it¡¯d have to do. I put the bag on my back and waited.

    How does Chess do? Feet apart, knees slightly bent, weapon held in front of them. Can I imitate them and not be too ridiculous?

    The creature leapt from the shadows so fast that I only saw a blur of black fur. The stench reached me a second later, when it roared again, but this time, directly at us. Chess put themself between it and me, parrying a swing of claws with their sword. The monster was so strong that the cadet was pushed back, feet slipping on the dead leaves, all muscles tense to keep their balance. The creature remained at the edge of the light radius.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked.

    Catalin shivered. ¡°I¡¯d say a dire bear, but I¡¯m not sure¡­¡±

    ¡°Hit it with whatever you can!¡± shouted Chess.

    They ran at the creature just as it was about to leap again. Blade against claw. The dire bear tried to bite, but the cadet thrust their blade at its neck, pushing it back. The jaws closed on thin air. Chess¡¯s feet moved with unbelievable precision as they parried another attack. They lunged. An angrier roar hurt my ears, and dark blood splashed the black fur.

    ¡°Catalin!¡± insisted Chess.

    They rolled on the floor to dodge a new attack. The beast¡¯s pain made it angrier and faster. Chess wouldn¡¯t make it on their own.

    ¡°Catalin, I need you!¡±

    ¡°But I can only sustain one ball at a time¡­¡±

    The protest died in her throat. She drew a long deep breath, her light flickered and died, and a fireball darted instead, from her fingers, right at the beast¡¯s forehead. The dire bear roared in pain, shook its head and rose on its hind legs.

    ¡°Get back!¡± said Chess.

    We all ran away, lit by the fireball for a split second, and then in complete darkness.

    We could hear the beast all right. We knew it was after us. But where exactly?

    Catalin threw another fireball in a random direction. A dry bush caught fire, right on time for us to see the dire bear jump again.

    Right at me.

    Death itself. With a bad breath. Dramatically backlit by a burning bush.

    And all I had was a kitchen knife.

    I can¡¯t dodge that. I must hit. Hard. Thrust with all my strength and hope I don¡¯t die.

    I ducked to avoid the worst of the blow, while striking as hard as I could with my knife. I felt resistance against the tip of my blade, then the skin giving away. Metal pierced the flesh. Claws dug through the bag on my back, tearing it to pieces, but I only pushed harder.

    Blood ran on my hand as the tearing intensified in my back. The stench worsened, the smell of blood mixing with the bad breath and general filth of the beast.

    ¡°Let her go!¡± yelled Chess.

    I didn¡¯t see the sword strike, but I felt the splatter of blood on my hair, warm and disgusting. I gagged. There wasn¡¯t much left in my stomach, but it took me a lot of strength not to throw up.

    The dire bear let go of my bag. It rose with a sound that wasn¡¯t so much a roar as a cry of pain and fear and despair. My knife was wrenched out of my hands, stuck in the black fur. A blow from a front paw knocked Chess to the side, but they had time to slice once more before they fell.

    A small ball of fire hit the bear right in the eye, and the cry of pain became more piercing.

    ¡°Leave my friends alone!¡± Catalin¡¯s voice was heavy with rage.

    The monster turned on its heels and ran away in the dark forest. The handle of my knife barely protruded from its body as it disappeared. It wasn¡¯t much of a weapon, but it¡¯d saved my life.

    I rushed to help Chess up.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I guess I am¡­¡±

    They brushed their clothes. Their doublet was a bit torn, showing the light padding inside, but Chess themself didn¡¯t look wounded.

    My bag, on the other hand, was completely destroyed. I took it off my back and looked at what was left of it. Shreds of leather. Contents spilled all around. Nothing repairable. If I hadn¡¯t worn the bag on my back when the dire bear attacked, there would be bits and pieces of my own flesh scattered all over the forest.

    It¡¯s like in those movies, when the character wears a trinket that ends up stopping a bullet and saving their life. Only messier.

    My heart pounded harder than ever.

    This is the world where I live, now. A world where creatures lie in the dark, ready to kill me, or anyone close to me, if I¡¯m not careful.

    Catalin stared into the distance.

    ¡°This is why these soldiers wouldn¡¯t risk following us to this forest at night. They knew there were dire bears. We were very lucky to get out of this attack unharmed.¡±

    ¡°The dire bear. Is it dead?¡± I asked.

    Chess shook their head. ¡°Not yet. It may even survive its wounds, but we hurt it badly enough. It¡¯s not coming back tonight.¡±

    ¡°Can we even stay here? We may get attacked by something else¡­¡±

    ¡°Not if we light a good fire.¡± They looked at the bush that was still burning. ¡°And by ¡®good¡¯, I mean ¡®not this one¡¯. We need a safe campfire. If we let this bush burn, we may set the whole area ablaze. Catalin, can you do something about it?¡±

    Catalin startled.

    ¡°Yes, of course. Sorry, Chess.¡±

    She summoned a water ball, then another, until the fire was out. The forest went dark, with a slight smell of smoke lingering around us. Catalin cast a new ball of light and we helped Chess set camp, digging a hole and protecting it with stones so the flames wouldn¡¯t spread.

    When we were finally safely sitting around a campfire, I raised a hand.

    ¡°Catalin, please, may I have another series of water balls? I¡¯m not going to sleep with sticky dire bear blood all over my hair.¡±

 Chapter 23: And Then the Sun Failed to Rise

    Soap wasn¡¯t my haircare product of choice, but it was all we had. After rubbing and rinsing my scalp, I came closer to the fire and let my hair dry. It¡¯d be coarse and tangle easily, until I could find a better substitute for shampoo. Still, coarse was better than caked with foul-smelling dire bear blood.

    ¡°How do you two feel?¡± I asked.

    Chess looked up from their sword. They¡¯d been cleaning it for a while.

    ¡°The blade is slightly chipped. It¡¯s still sharp enough, though.¡±

    ¡°Does this statement also apply to you?¡±

    They stared into the flames for a moment. Then they nodded slowly.

    ¡°I suppose it does, ma¡¯am.¡±

    They know we¡¯re mostly rushing headlong. This mission already cost them a lot and it might cost all of us even more in the future. Chess¡¯s only staying out of loyalty, I guess.

    ¡°What about you, Catalin?¡±

    She closed the grimoire, wrapped it in Taiki¡¯s handkerchief, put it back into her bag, and finally removed her gloves.

    ¡°It¡¯s too dark to read and my head¡¯s ringing. I¡¯m beginning to wonder if I¡¯m good enough to understand that spell.¡±

    ¡°Of course you are!¡±

    Catalin shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t know that. We only met four days ago.¡±

    I reached out and patted her hand. ¡°But I trust you.¡±

    Her sad smile broke my heart.

    I promise I¡¯ll get to know you better. Your life, your family, your dreams. We¡¯ll find time to talk.

    ¡°I do believe in you, Catalin. But I think we should rest.¡±

    So many thoughts raced through my mind that I had a hard time falling asleep. The situation we were in was exactly the one I¡¯d tried to avoid. We were lying on the floor of a forest, wrapped in our own clothes, or in my case, in a plaid that was missing a corner because the dire bear had torn my things.

    We¡¯d narrowly escaped capture and death, but my bag was no more, my knife was gone and half my spare clothes were torn.

    At least, the fire was warm and it kept beasts away. I had to trust that. But what was that sound in the distance? Only an owl. And what if we¡¯d been wrong all along, and the grimoire contained nothing about the spell that bound Kossi to Saegorg¡¯s service?

    Could I stop my brain from racing? My heart from sinking with every breath?

    Could I?

    ¡°Hey!¡± Catalin¡¯s voice startled me awake. I sat up. The dawn was still gray and our fire was out. My fianc¨¦e jumped out of the coat she¡¯d been sleeping in, both arms held in front of her.

    ¡°Get out of my bag, you¡­¡±

    A monkey-like animal, brown fur with a white patch on the throat, grasped something and ran away before Catalin could catch it. The loot was wrapped in white fabric. I leapt forward, leaving my plaid behind.

    ¡°Chess, help! Something¡¯s stealing the grimoire!¡±

    The cadet grabbed their sword and joined the chase.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I asked as we ran through the undergrowth.

    ¡°Looks like a proclive, ma¡¯am! They¡¯re known for stealing things from travelers, but it¡¯s the first time I¡¯m actually seeing one.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what it is, we need the grimoire back!¡± exclaimed Catalin.

    We had to jump over trunks and duck under branches, while the animal leapt from one to the other with obvious ease, its long tail helping it keep its balance. I could almost swear it was laughing at us.

    Monkeys are cheeky little thieves in every world, it seems. I remember when Leda Gatilla went on a trip in Asia and macaques stole her wallet. The problem is, we can¡¯t catch up!

    ¡°Catalin, can you summon something?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I can¡¯t! It¡¯d damage the grimoire!¡±

    ¡°Light won¡¯t do any harm!¡±

    She nodded at my suggestion. ¡°Light, you¡¯re right!¡±

    She extended her hand while running. A ball of light appeared in front of the proclive. The animal shrieked in terror and tried to run back to us, before realizing we were upon it. Catalin dove forward. The proclive let go of its loot and ran away.

    ¡°There it is¡­¡±

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    Her voice died in her throat. I frowned. Something¡¯s wrong.

    Catalin sat up, arranging the handkerchief around the grimoire. She should have been gleaming, sharing her achievement with Chess and I, but instead, she was looking down, avoiding our gaze. I knelt down near her.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Catalin?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    She put a smile on her face, the kind of polite smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes. As I frowned, she hid her left hand behind her back. Typical kindergarten kid attitude when caught red-handed and candidly hoping I¡¯d look away.

    What is she thinking? She¡¯s twenty-two, she should know her suspicious attitude will only draw my attention.

    I sighed and I reached for her arm.

    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t always guess when people are lying, but right now, I know you are. We¡¯re engaged. I can help you.¡±

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± She shook her head, her cherry-red hair tangled by the night, but still so thick and beautiful. ¡°Please stop believing you can do everything. Nobody can, not even the Great Hero from the tales. But you did bring me on an amazing adventure, and for this, I must thank you, Al.¡±

    She sniffed. Chess stood next to us, sword in hand. In the rush of the morning, they hadn¡¯t taken the time to fasten their belt, so they had no scabbard.

    ¡°The proclive isn¡¯t coming back, and I can¡¯t hear anything unusual. I think we should go back to the camp.¡±

    Catalin shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t, Chess. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    My heart sank. Why is she talking as if she¡¯s dying?

    ¡°Come on, show me this hand.¡±

    I reached behind her back, catching her shoulder with my other hand, and I brought back the arm she was hiding. The whole hand looked tattooed in plain blue-black.

    It¡¯s like a cover for a very ugly tattoo that can¡¯t be concealed otherwise.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    I startled. It¡¯s expanding! It¡¯s running up her arm under her skin!

    And then I knew. I also knew I didn¡¯t want to know. I didn¡¯t want this to be happening. But Catalin just smiled sadly.

    ¡°You know what it is, Al. I told you that grimoire was cursed, and now we know it really was. When I caught it, I accidentally touched it.¡±

    ¡°Let me take a look.¡±

    She glared at me. ¡°What don¡¯t you understand when I tell you there¡¯s nothing you can do? I can feel the curse chilling my bones!¡±

    Of course I can do something! Fate has no right to be so simple and cruel! You can¡¯t die like this!

    I grabbed the wrapped book and looked for a magic symbol, but Catalin shook her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s a curse, not a spell. It¡¯s beyond your power.¡±

    ¡°No, I can find something. Let me get the gloves in your bag and¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too late.¡±

    The blue-black ink ran across her shoulder and crawled up her chin.

    ¡°Goodbye, Al. It¡¯s been a great five days.¡±

    Her face blackened and she fell forward, right into my arms.

    No, no, no, no, no, no, no!

    I cried, I called, I tried to shake her, cajole her, hug her. She wasn¡¯t breathing anymore. Chess was even paler than usual. They helped me check for a heartbeat, but no matter how hard we tried, we found none.

    The world had stopped. It couldn¡¯t be real. Not right now. Not because of a stupid monkey, after surviving a golem, several soldier squads and a dire bear. A twenty-two-year-old promising Magic Arts student couldn¡¯t die of a random accident in the middle of a forest. She was about to submit her final assignment as a freshman. She should have been accepted in second year, while the spoiled brats who bullied her dropped out of University.

    Her life couldn¡¯t end like this.

    I made a silent promise last night. I wanted to give you more attention. I was ready to finally open up and get to know you as you deserve¡­ Is the universe punishing me for being a terrible person? If so, why does it choose to punish me by hurting you? It¡¯s unfair and cruel!

    I closed my eyes, wished very hard for reality to be different, but when I opened them, Catalin still lay motionless in my lap.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­¡±

    Chess put a hand on my shoulder, but I shook it off. ¡°Leave me alone!¡±

    ¡°Please¡­¡±

    ¡°What? What am I supposed to do? Wave it away, say ¡®Oh, my fianc¨¦e¡¯s dead¡¯ and move on? I can¡¯t, Chess! She can¡¯t be gone like this!¡±

    I stared at them and they looked right back at me, unblinking, tears building up in their emerald green eyes. I snorted in defiance.

    ¡°I¡¯m the Great Hero, I¡¯m smart, I¡¯m supposed to find a solution!¡±

    Deep in my heart, I knew I was lying, but I needed that lie. I needed to believe there was something else to the situation than what we¡¯d both seen. I was ready to cling to any hope, no matter how faint.

    Chess finally looked away and sighed.

    ¡°I know she means a lot to you. I¡­ went through it, more or less, some time ago. It still hurts.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re so young! You¡­¡±

    Of course. Prince Sorosiel. He, too, died suddenly in an accident, and Princess Nigella told me he was Chess¡¯s only close friend. Maybe more than just a friend, but it¡¯s none of my business.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I don¡¯t want to talk about it right now.¡± Chess picked the book from my hand and secured the cloth around it. ¡°I¡¯ll be at the camp, packing our things and commending Catalin¡¯s soul to the Almighty. Take the time you need, but in the end, you¡¯ll have to accept that she¡¯s gone.¡±

    No, she¡¯s not! I didn¡¯t bring Catalin all the way from Carastra to die in a forest!

    Except I had. I thought I could save a kingdom and all I¡¯d done was doom a beautiful and talented young woman who deserved so much better from me. She¡¯d given me her trust and the promise of her love, and what had I done in return? Instead of returning her affection, I¡¯d used her and eventually killed her. She was gone without so much as a kiss. If there was a monster here, it was me.

    Chess headed back to the camp, leaving me alone with my lifeless fianc¨¦e. All around, the sun was rising. Inside me, there was only darkness. I curled up in a ball of rage and pain.

    I give it all up, my second chance after being hit by a van, my Great Hero status, my mission, I just want Catalin to be alive! This is unfair and I¡¯m not having it! What should I do?

    I couldn¡¯t breathe. I couldn¡¯t move. I couldn¡¯t think. I could only beg an angel for a miracle.

    ¡°Cherub! Bring Catalin Robi back now! I don¡¯t want her dead! I want her back, alive and well!¡±

    For a couple of seconds, only silence echoed in my mind. Had Cherub let me down?

    ¡°Raising the dead is beyond my power,¡± they finally answered.

    I clenched my fists. ¡°You little¡­¡±

    ¡°Besides, Catalin Robi¡¯s not dead, she¡¯s cursed.¡±

    ¡°Bring her back!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t lift curses.¡±

    ¡°Then use your angelic power to make me find someone who can, quick!¡±

    There was another silence. Deep in their dimension outside our reality, in the clouds of light where they processed soul orders, Cherub was thinking. Their eventual answer sounded like a sigh in my mind.

    ¡°This is halfway between a piece of information and a miracle, Al, but I¡¯m giving you the knowledge you need. Here¡¯s the nearest place where you can find a Zimeon witch with suitable powers. The rest is up to you.¡±

    Cherub¡¯s voice vanished from my head. Now I knew there was someone, less than a day¡¯s walk from that horrible forest, a witch who might be able to do something about the curse that gave my fianc¨¦e the appearance of death.

    I stayed there for a moment, catching my breath, with Catalin still lying next to me. I wrapped my arms around her. She felt warm. Not breathing, not alive, and yet, Cherub¡¯s words kept bouncing in my head.

    She¡¯s not dead. She¡¯s not dead.

    Her hair was so beautiful. I ran a finger along her soft rounded ears.

    ¡°If we can save you, I promise I¡¯ll be a better fianc¨¦e. I¡¯m not worthy of your love right now, but I can improve, okay?¡±

    I kissed her blackened cheek. There wasn¡¯t the slightest motion in her face or body. Oh, what hope and faith it took to believe there was a way to bring her back to life!

 Chapter 24: The Weight of My Guilt

    I lifted Catalin¡¯s body, struggled to get her across my shoulders, and carried her back to the camp. Chess was distributing my surviving gear between the two remaining bags. They looked at me in amazement and sorrow.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am? What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s alive.¡±

    Their face saddened a bit more and they shook their head.

    ¡°We both checked for a heartbeat, ma¡¯am. I hate to be the one who must state it clearly, but the Almighty be my witness, Catalin Robi is dead.¡±

    Tears ran down their pale cheeks. They wiped them with a fist. Were they sad at Catalin¡¯s apparent death, at my denial, or both?

    I sighed. ¡°Look, Chess, it may sound crazy, but I have the power to know certain things. You saw it. I knew where to look for Turoch Garnet¡¯s house, I knew Teo¡¯s horses were saddled against all odds¡­¡±

    ¡°But not this time. It¡¯s your sorrow speaking. You don¡¯t want her to be gone and¡­¡±

    ¡°Please listen!¡±

    My voice echoed through the undergrowth. Chess startled and stared at me, visibly pained and lost. They must think I¡¯m beyond reasoning. How can I convince them that I¡¯m not insane?

    I breathed in and out, trying my best to look calm.

    ¡°Catalin¡¯s under a curse that gives her the appearance of death, but she¡¯s not really dead, not yet.¡±

    Chess frowned. ¡°Does it mean you want to carry her to¡­ wherever we¡¯re going?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°We¡¯ll bring her to a witch who lives a few hours¡¯ walk from here, in this direction.¡± I pointed to the northeast, where I could feel the presence of a cottage, even though I had no idea what it looked like. ¡°The witch might be able to lift the curse. This is a slim hope, but I¡¯m not giving up on it. I¡¯m not giving up on her.¡±

    Chess looked at me, at Catalin, at both bags and at the forest around. ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­ Great Hero Al¡­ There¡¯s no talking you out of this, is there?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. I proposed to her by accident, I drew her into this massive disaster, and now, I can never look at myself in a mirror again if I don¡¯t try everything to save her.¡±

    ¡°Deep inside, you know it¡¯s too late, don¡¯t you? I remember praying for such a miracle, but there was nothing to do, and¡­¡± They bit their lower lip and blinked away another tear.

    They¡¯re only a teenager and they¡¯re not done mourning. Just like Princess Nigella.

    I smiled. ¡°This miracle I believe in, Chess.¡±

    They nodded slowly.

    ¡°Then my duty, as your escort and as your friend, is to follow you, until¡­ Either we do save her, or you realize it was a delusion from the start and Catalin joined the Almighty.¡±

    We took a bag each and left the camp.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you sure you want to carry her yourself?¡±

    ¡°I have to. It¡¯s my fault she got cursed, so it¡¯s my duty to bring her to the witch.¡±

    But even a frail young woman like Catalin weighed on my shoulders, so after we got out of the forest, I needed a break. I sat down on a rock and drank the last drops from my water bottle.

    Chess took a long look around. There were hills around, and no visible activity, let alone a squad of soldiers looking for us.

    ¡°If we follow the topography, we¡¯re likely to find a river at the bottom of a valley. We¡¯ll refill our bottles there.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Sounds sensible. I trust you.¡±

    ¡°Will you allow me to carry Catalin for a while?¡±

    I looked down at my fianc¨¦e. Her delicate face was just as beautiful in blue-black as it had been in pale pink. Could I let Chess relieve me? My back and shoulders already hurt and we weren¡¯t even halfway yet.

    ¡°All right. Thank you, Chess.¡±

    As they walked next to me, with Catalin¡¯s body across their shoulders, I couldn¡¯t help feeling horribly guilty. It¡¯s all my fault if we have to carry her all day. I should carry the burden. I have no right to complain. But I didn¡¯t speak. I was too scared. What if Chess decided to stop helping me? What if the witch couldn¡¯t lift the curse after all?

    We did find a river, where I refilled our three water bottles. We were hungry, but we didn¡¯t have time to hunt or gather food, so we ate all the berries we could find on our way, provided Chess confirmed they were edible.

    I don¡¯t even know which berries are poisonous. New worlds should really come with a travel guide, to make up for all the years of learning-as-you-grow-up that you didn¡¯t get before being thrown right into the action, naked and clueless.

    All day long, we took turns carrying Catalin. Despite our doubts, our hunger, our despair and our pain, we kept walking. We stayed away from the main roads. The day before, walking in the open had drawn soldiers right to us and this time, if we came across a squad, we wouldn¡¯t be able to run away. Besides, we didn¡¯t want everyone in the area to claim they saw two strange travelers carrying a dead body.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    My feet were sore and my mouth was dry. I tried not to think too much. Keep focused on the task, Alicia. I want my fianc¨¦e back. I want to make up for the harm I caused her. The dragon can wait. It¡¯s been five days, so we have five more, and, oh, well, Kossi¡¯s not engaged to me, is he?

    By the end of the afternoon, I knew we were getting close. The landmarks looked familiar even though I¡¯d never seen them before. I knew we had to follow this narrow path between two meadows, and the witch¡¯s cottage would be at the crossroads. Knowing without remembering. It was a strange feeling to my little human brain.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± I said.

    It was my turn to carry Catalin and my whole body ached.

    Chess took a long look at the young woman dangling over my shoulders like a weirdly shaped shawl. ¡°You know, I¡¯m beginning to think you¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°About what? Catalin being alive? I told you I knew.¡±

    They nodded. ¡°And I didn¡¯t believe you. I still don¡¯t, not really. Sorry about that, ma¡¯am, but I think the least we can do in our situation is to be honest with each other.¡±

    They¡¯re right. And they¡¯re a wonderful person if they accepted to carry Catalin all day, even though they thought it was pointless.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Chess. You¡¯re entitled to your own opinion. But if you¡¯re mentioning it, it means something¡¯s different and you might be changing your mind.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± They stayed silent for a couple of steps, then they took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am, but it¡¯ll sound gross.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Here¡¯s the thing. If Catalin was dead, she should be getting stiff by now. Obviously, she isn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Because she¡¯s not dead,¡± I said between my teeth.

    Chess nodded.

    ¡°I really want to believe it too. She doesn¡¯t deserve to die, and we don¡¯t deserve to lose her. But fate can be so meaningless and painful sometimes.¡±

    They looked in the distance, their face slightly away, so strands of black hair hid their expression from me. Catalin¡¯s curse must trigger all sorts of terrible memories for them. Where was Chess when they learned about Prince Sorosiel¡¯s death? Who told them? Did they even get to see the body before it got cremated?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be. It¡¯s not your fault I lost someone. Catalin herself lost two siblings over the past five years. I suppose you lost people in the past, too, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    My uncle Robert. My ex-mother-in-law. Three of my four grandparents, but they¡¯d lived full lives.

    ¡°Never anyone so close and so young. It seems both of you are more used to grieving than I am.¡±

    A couple walked in the other direction, probably coming from the cottage. Both were Zimeons. The woman was heavily pregnant, with pure white hair tied in two long braids. The man¡¯s hair was shorter and the color of cinnamon, matching his skin. They both wore loose clothes with rich patterns in white, red, green and black.

    I never saw Zimeons outside of Carastra, and the only one I really interacted with was Catalin. They all wore neutral colors and acted so discreet¡­ These ones look like they own the place, and I should assume they do.

    I nodded as we walked past the couple. They gave us a long puzzled look, but they didn¡¯t slow down or ask questions. The woman only whispered ¡°Good luck¡± in passing.

    They know where we¡¯re going. They¡¯re probably back from seeing the witch, too. About their unborn child, perhaps.

    The path sloped down to the crossroads where we could now see the thatched roof of the cottage. The whole place looked eerily English, with cob walls, flowers near the front door, and what looked like a vegetable garden in the back. The whole scene had a small patch of forest as a background. As we walked on, we saw half a dozen people, all Zimeons, waiting on a row of benches outside the house. They stared at us, but I met their gazes and straightened to hide how tired I was.

    They must be wondering what terrible harm we did to this girl. Well, she¡¯s not just a girl, she¡¯s my fianc¨¦e, and I¡¯m here to save her life.

    Chess and I sat down on the last bench. There was some chatting in low voices, but no one talked to us. I was fine with it, feeling too exhausted to engage in conversation. I held Catalin in my lap, supporting her upper body with my arms. Her head rested against my shoulder.

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± I told her. ¡°I¡¯m bringing you back no matter what it takes.¡±

    After a while, a Zimeon woman came out of the cottage and gestured at a family to come inside. Then she looked at the benches, noticed us, and walked straight to us. She was probably in her fifties, with a full figure majestically draped in a colorful dress, and all kinds of trinkets tied to her long blue hair. She took a look at Catalin and cringed, eyes narrowed, ears curled forward.

    ¡°What do we have here?¡±

    I¡¯d have liked a greeting, but she¡¯s the witch here, and as far as she¡¯s concerned, I¡¯m no Great Hero, just some random human bringing a badly cursed Zimeon to her door.

    I tried my best at curtsying without standing up or hurting Catalin.

    ¡°Good afternoon, madam. This is Catalin Robi. We¡¯re engaged.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°Engaged? Really?¡±

    I pulled at our twin necklaces, her braided trim and my chain. Each of them carried two pendants, the wooden one Catalin had engraved and the Mera blossom I¡¯d bought in Merumo.

    These flowers were supposed to bring us good luck. What a pointless superstition!

    ¡°We found a grimoire during our journey. Catalin was studying it, but there was an accident and she touched it with her bare hand. The curse did this to her. She has no breath, no heartbeat. We came to you so you can save her.¡±

    The witch put her hands on her hips. ¡°No breath, no heartbeat? What makes you think she¡¯s not dead, human?¡±

    ¡°I know it. And I also know you can lift curses. I beg you, madam, Catalin deserves a better fate, so please help her!¡±

    She wrinkled her nose.

    ¡°You look awfully self-confident, human. You brought harm to this poor Zimeon girl and you expect to walk out of it without suffering the consequences. Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have honest people to look after.¡±

    She turned around in a whirlwind of petticoats, headed back to the cottage and slammed the door.

    Chess looked appalled. ¡°This is it? She¡¯s refusing to heal Catalin?¡±

    ¡°No, she¡¯s not. She¡¯s refusing to heal the wound in my pride.¡±

    And it sounds fair, to be honest. I deserved this slap to the soul for not treating Catalin right.

    ¡°What do we do, now, ma¡¯am?¡±

    Everything it takes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be humble. I¡¯ll show we¡¯re not here to ease my ego, but to lift the curse on a brave and brilliant young woman. I¡¯m going nowhere without Catalin, anyway.¡±

    The afternoon ended. I rocked my fianc¨¦e gently, promising it¡¯d be fine, we¡¯d find a solution. I told her stories from my past in my native world. Teenage love stories that now tasted like sweet nostalgia. Stan, my ex-husband. What I¡¯d loved in him before realizing the rest of him wasn¡¯t so lovable.

    Why didn¡¯t I tell her all this before? Why didn¡¯t I trust her earlier? I need someone close. I can¡¯t go on being some people¡¯s hero and other people¡¯s traitor, with no one I can call a friend.

    The witch came out a few times, to fetch all her clients. Or were they patients?

    When the last one was gone and night began to fall, she didn¡¯t call us in. We stayed alone on our bench, the three of us. Chess listened to my stories, but Catalin was the only one I was really talking to. I sang songs to her, music I¡¯d danced to when I was her age.

    It makes no sense. She doesn¡¯t understand English, and neither does Chess. The lyrics will never mean anything to them.

    I yearned to share my secrets with her, but I was running out of ideas. I wished very hard she could be there to ask questions. I was hungry, I was exhausted. But no matter what happened to me, Catalin Robi had to be saved.

    The night was pitch-black when the door of the cottage opened again. The witch appeared on the threshold and waved at us.

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to sing in strange foreign tongues all night, come in!¡±

 Chapter 25: Souls Laid Bare

    Chess helped me carry Catalin into the house.

    The main room of the cottage was filled with shelves that bore books, vases, dried flowers and various baubles. The table in the center was covered with a colorful tablecloth. I could totally picture the place in a decoration magazine, possibly with a large bouquet on the table. There were three armchairs near the fireplace, with crochet napkins on their backs, and simpler chairs were lined on both sides of the table. A door led to the back of the house, where the witch¡¯s bedroom probably was.

    The abundance of decoration almost hid the magic that was all over the place, but being who I was, I could feel it and see the symbols. Everything was tailored to make the witch¡¯s work easier.

    ¡°Lay this poor soul on the table, so I can take a better look at her.¡±

    We did as instructed. The witch leaned over the motionless body with a sorrowful look, but when she looked back at me, her face was severe again.

    ¡°Remind me of her name.¡±

    ¡°Catalin Robi.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She lifted Catalin¡¯s hands and placed them in a prayer-like attitude that made her look like a recumbent statue. ¡°A grimoire did this, you say?¡±

    I bowed. ¡°Yes, madam.¡±

    She grinned without looking up. ¡°I have a name, human. I¡¯m Soaruna Kaal, midwife and healer. And you must have a name, too. I gave you mine, now, return the favor.¡±

    What if she could do terrible things out of my name, like in some fairy tales? But she¡¯s leading the game here. I¡¯m in her house, I begged for her help, and I can¡¯t escape the influence of her spells. I must answer honestly.

    ¡°Al,¡± I began, but the witch turned to me, and her iridescent gaze dug a better answer out of me. ¡°Alicia, actually. Alicia Lebel.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that!¡± whispered Chess.

    ¡°Nobody does. Brealia needed an Al, so Al I am, but it¡¯s not my full name.¡±

    Soaruna Kaal nodded, and the trinkets in her hair tinkled softly. ¡°Thank you for your honesty.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me. You¡¯re the one who cast the spell over there, aren¡¯t you? The one that makes it very difficult to lie in this room.¡± I pointed to a spot near the fireplace. ¡°It must be helpful when patients come with secrets that they try to hide by making up stories.¡±

    And there must be another spell, among all the other ones, that makes people want to talk. Couldn¡¯t I be more cautious? I¡¯m better at keeping things to myself, usually!

    Soaruna Kaal followed my gaze and smiled.

    ¡°Interesting. You can feel magic.¡±

    ¡°Only a little, but I have the power to see the traces it leaves on things. And people.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough.¡±

    She walked around the table and looked out of the window. There wasn¡¯t much to see outside. It was night and we were far from any city light.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one King Esthar had his Senior Magi summon a few days ago, aren¡¯t you? How did you end up engaged to one of us?¡±

    ¡°By accident.¡±

    ¡°Tell me what happened.¡±

    I took Catalin¡¯s right hand and held it between mine, looking at her as I was talking to the witch.

    ¡°Five days ago, I didn¡¯t know her. Someone broke her necklace and I handed her one of her pendants back. She knew I was unaware of the tradition, but she decided it was a valid proposal nonetheless, and she accepted it. She said it was only for the protection my name could grant her, but she¡¯s so kind to me that I can¡¯t help feeling she must have seen something else in me.¡±

    I don¡¯t know what you saw, but I promise I¡¯ll do my best to live up to it.

    The witch¡¯s eyes went from our hands to my face.

    ¡°What about you, Alicia Lebel? What did you see in Catalin Robi?¡±

    I was wary of her at first, and then¡­

    ¡°She¡¯s brave. She¡¯s smart. She¡¯s generous. She¡¯s willing to make room for me in her life without giving up her own ambitions.¡±

    Not to mention how beautiful she is.

    I told Soaruna Kaal everything she wanted to know, perhaps because of the spells, perhaps because I was tired, and probably out of despair. I¡¯d give her a pint of my blood if she asked for it. No price seemed too high for saving Catalin.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Time passed. There was no clock around, but it was probably the middle of the night. Chess struggled to keep their eyes open, and I was aware that I should be sleeping, but I talked and talked, until the witch finally raised a hand.

    ¡°Alicia Lebel, if it wasn¡¯t for you, this young person would still be a student at the University of Magic Arts in Carastra, and she¡¯d be alive. Do you agree?¡±

    ¡°I do, Soaruna Kaal. I hurt her. I brought that curse upon her. I didn¡¯t mean to, but the result is the same, so I take the blame.¡±

    ¡°Good. Then you agree that whatever I¡¯m about to do, I¡¯ll do for her, not for you.¡±

    I nodded in silence, awaiting the end of the lecture. Soaruna Kaal breathed in, and then she stretched out a hand.

    ¡°Now give me the grimoire.¡±

    Chess and I looked at each other in panic. What does she want with the book? We need it to rescue the dragon!

    But we were in no position to refuse. Catalin¡¯s life was in that woman¡¯s hands. I nodded, and Chess carefully removed the grimoire from their bag. Then they handed it to the witch, still wrapped in Taiki¡¯s handkerchief.

    ¡°We have gloves if you want to examine it,¡± they offered.

    ¡°No need. This cloth will be just fine.¡±

    Soaruna Kaal took the grimoire with a frown.

    ¡°I was about to let my fire die down,¡± she muttered as if to herself. ¡°Forget my own head next.¡±

    She added half a log into the fireplace, then waited for the flames to get stronger. From where I stood, I could feel the warmth from the fire. It made me want to lay down and rest, but I couldn¡¯t.

    Soaruna Kaal unfolded the fabric around the grimoire and she wrinkled her nose again.

    ¡°What a nasty one! The owner must be one of those wizards from Carastra who never learned to share and who devise the most horrible curses to keep everyone away from their secrets! But what good is it, I ask you? And you?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    Chess narrowed their eyes in astonishment, but the witch shrugged.

    ¡°Yes, you. You kept silent all evening. Catalin Robi doesn¡¯t mean as much to you as she does to Alicia Lebel, so, tell me, young human: what is your name, and what brings you to my place tonight?¡±

    They bowed their head. ¡°My name¡¯s Chess. I¡¯m from Bamir, but I chose to live in Brealia, because my homeland wouldn¡¯t let me be who I am. If I hadn¡¯t fled, I most likely wouldn¡¯t be alive today.¡±

    They swallowed. The witch¡¯s iridescent gaze was still upon them, so they went on.

    ¡°Last year, I lost someone who meant the world to me. I wish there¡¯d been a way to bring him back, and a friend to help me find it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Chess.¡±

    Soaruna Kaal lifted the half-wrapped grimoire at eye height and gave it a contemptuous look. ¡°Both of you need to trust me now. I don¡¯t want to harm you, but I need to weaken this nasty thing before I can get rid of its curse, and I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re running out of time. Catalin Robi will be dead for good unless we act now.¡±

    She pointed to the fireplace.

    ¡°Sit down in these armchairs, now, hold out a hand each, and don¡¯t ask any questions.¡±

    We obeyed. When we were comfortable, Soaruna Kaal stood between the two armchairs and presented us the book like a tray of appetizers.

    ¡°Touch it, both of you. If you share the curse, it¡¯ll be weaker and I¡¯ll be able to lift it.¡±

    Isn¡¯t this going to hurt? Of course it is. But it hurt Catalin, so it¡¯s only fair if I receive the same pain she endured.

    I looked at Chess, who returned my gaze and nodded. We both put our hands on the cover.

    It felt chilly, colder than Alaskan winter. It hurt so much that I removed my hand, but it was too late. I could see the blue-black ink crawl up my arm under my skin, I felt my heart struggle to beat, and my sight blurred just as Soaruna Kaal threw the grimoire into the fire and began chanting.

    No! We need it! You can¡¯t do that!

    I wanted to scream, but I was already out of breath, so no sound went past my lips. I tried to get up and retrieve the book, but my limbs were numb. The chill took possession of my whole body and I blacked out.

    Cold inside, warm outside. Flames melting the ice. Corduroy texture under my fingertips.

    Wake up, Alicia! We were cursed and I¡¯m recovering.

    My eyelids were so heavy¡­ I struggled to open them, but then, I recognized the room, with the shelves and the bright tablecloth. Morning light came in through the window. Catalin was still lying on the table, her cherry red hair spread around her head.

    Oh no. We failed. She¡¯s still lifeless.

    And then I noticed her skin was light again, all blue-blackness gone. She was free from the curse, and so was I.

    I must check on her! Why are my legs so numb?

    Soaruna Kaal was sleeping in the third armchair. She kept snoring softly, even as I failed to get up and crawled past her on the floor. I had to hold on to the table to finally stand up and hold Catalin¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Hello?¡± I said in a soft, low voice. ¡°Can you hear me? It¡¯s Al. We¡¯re in a witch¡¯s cottage, her name is Soaruna Kaal.¡±

    No answer. Anxiety was eating me alive and I felt the urge to talk and talk again, to keep my fear at bay.

    ¡°Chess and I carried you here from the forest. Then we shared the curse with you to help Soaruna Kaal lift it. It must have taken her most of the night, because she¡¯s asleep right now. Are you awake, Catalin? Please tell me something¡­¡±

    She was still not talking. Maybe it was too late and the curse had finally killed her. My heart beat so fast it hurt. I held Catalin¡¯s hand tighter, and she squeezed it slightly.

    Joy overwhelmed me. I was crying and sniffing, I probably looked terrible with my coarse and tangled hair, but I didn¡¯t care. She was alive.

    She opened her terracotta eyes and smiled at me. A faint, exhausted smile. But a real one nonetheless.

    ¡°I feel so tired, Al¡­¡±

    ¡°So do I. I can¡¯t really stand on my feet right now. Take it easy.¡±

    I was still half slouched on the table, slowly regaining control over my legs.

    ¡°How did that person lift the curse?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The only thing I can tell you is she had to destroy the grimoire in the process.¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°She did, but I¡¯d give anything to save you.¡±

    Except I tried to protest when she burned it. But I was panicking and passing out when it happened. Here and now, I think she was right, because she brought you back.

    Catalin frowned. ¡°The grimoire is lost? Then how can we¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll find a way. It never mattered as much as you do. I¡¯m no hero, Catalin. I¡¯m just a person who¡¯s not going anywhere without you.¡±

    She stared at me in disbelief. I couldn¡¯t blame her. A day and a half earlier, I¡¯d hardly talk to her, so my apparent change of heart was a surprise.

    ¡°It took me a curse to realize it, honestly. When I thought I¡¯d lost you, I was ready to give up everything to bring you back. I might even have threatened a celestial being.¡±

    She giggled and brought my hand to her lips. ¡°Thank you for saving my life, Al.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for being who you are, Catalin.¡±

    And we kissed, swiftly, only lips pressed and shared warmth.

    When I looked around, I realized Chess was awake too. They had bags under their eyes and they didn¡¯t move from their armchair, but they¡¯d seen us kiss.

    They smiled at us with a strange combination of pure joy and infinite sadness.

 Chapter 26: The Gates of Sanajec

    It took us a while longer to be able to stand and walk. By that time, Soaruna Kaal was awake and serving us tea. Her blend of plants tasted different from what I¡¯d had at the castle. It was sweeter, with a hint of lemongrass. We were starving, so we devoured all the bread we could eat, and the witch only slightly frowned at our lack of proper manners.

    ¡°You have dedicated friends,¡± she told Catalin. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t go around tinkering with human wizards¡¯ grimoires if I were you.¡±

    My fianc¨¦e nodded. ¡°Lesson learned. I don¡¯t want to live that again, let alone put my friends through such an ordeal.¡±

    ¡°This sounds like blooming wisdom to me. Keep working on it.¡±

    I cleared my throat.

    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s time to pay you for your service. I have some money left. You deserve all of it, and more.¡±

    Soaruna Kaal chuckled. ¡°Do you think I want a fortune from you, Alicia Lebel? Look around you, I make enough from my daily activity to meet my needs! What I lack right now is good sleep, which no amount of money can buy. So, give me a couple of trins like anyone else would, never come back with another curse to lift, and I say we¡¯re even.¡±

    For a second, all we could hear was the sound of cups on the table. Then Catalin repeated two words she¡¯d heard.

    ¡°Alicia Lebel?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my full name.¡±

    ¡°How come I never heard it before?¡±

    I looked down at my half-empty cup.

    ¡°When I stepped into the Great Hero Al¡¯s shoes, I thought my old name belonged in the past, and I never told it to anyone, until Soaruna Kaal made me say it.¡±

    Catalin sipped more tea. ¡°Do you want to use it now?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°My name will always be Alicia, but you don¡¯t have to call me that. Back in my native world, most people already called me Al or Ali.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Thanks. I do prefer to call you Al, it sounds more familiar.¡±

    Of course it does. You were practically born hearing the tale of a guy named Al who¡¯d save the kingdom one day. Except Al was always meant to be short for something else. Perhaps you¡¯d be better off if it was short for Alberto, but we¡¯ll never know, now that you¡¯re stuck with me.

    Chess put down their empty cup and looked out of the window.

    ¡°What do we do now? With the grimoire destroyed, it feels like we lost six days for nothing.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°We didn¡¯t. Now I know what my power is and how to use it. I¡¯m even getting quite fluent at reading magic. It wouldn¡¯t be the case if I¡¯d stayed in Carastra with the king and his army.¡±

    ¡°But we only have four days left before Kossi comes back!¡±

    Catalin raised a hand.

    "Perhaps Mistress Kaal could help us."

    "How so?" asked the witch, her ears moving to the front.

    "You know more about magic than all of us combined. I was only beginning to decipher the grimoire, and we had to destroy it before I found the spell, but maybe you know how a magic user could control a powerful creature."

    "How powerful?"

    Catalin looked at me. Before I could decide how to put things diplomatically, Chess dropped the bomb.

    "A dragon. The one we¡¯ve been trying to free, before whoever controls him makes him kill thousands."

    In the awkward silence that followed, I could have heard a pin drop. Then Soaruna Kaal shook her head.

    "I certainly have no knowledge of such a spell! I can do things to people¡¯s heads, as you noticed, Alicia Lebel, but nothing strong enough to make them act against their will! And a dragon? That¡¯s beyond my expertise."

    It sounds like hypnosis. Influencing people, but not to the point of going against who they really are.

    I asked for something to draw on, and ended with charcoal and a white napkin. I reproduced the symbol from Kossi¡¯s neck, but Soaruna Kaal didn¡¯t know it either.

    Chess sadly shook their head. "Is it over, then?"

    ¡° No. We still have one last option up our sleeve.¡±

    All heads snapped to me.

    ¡°What option?¡± asked Catalin.

    ¡°I can read the spell directly on Kossi¡¯s body.¡±

    My companions gasped. Even Soaruna Kaal frowned and her rat ears flattened on her head.

    ¡°You want to go straight to the dragon who¡¯s threatening to burn the kingdom to ashes?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°I know it¡¯s a terribly dangerous decision, but I have no time to ponder. I promised Crown Princess Nigella I¡¯d do anything to save both the people of Brealia and the Gold Dragon. Now I have to keep that promise, even if it puts my life at stake.¡±

    I just need one last piece of information.

    Using my daily miracle so early was a risk, but we couldn¡¯t leave without knowing where to go. I closed my eyes.

    ¡°Cherub, tell me where Kossi is staying now, precise answer needed.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s in the keep, in Malo Castle, in Inabar. Third floor. I can¡¯t get any more precise, so I hope you¡¯re satisfied with the answer.¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    I opened my eyes. ¡°The dragon Kossi is in Inabar. How do we get there?¡±

    Soaruna Kaal tilted her head. ¡°On foot? You¡¯ll have to walk across the mountains for days!¡±

    ¡°How many days exactly?¡±

    ¡°At least three, I¡¯d say. I never went there myself. Who wants to go to Inabar, anyway? As far as I know, it¡¯s a rugged and hostile land.¡±

    ¡°Rugged and hostile,¡± I repeated.

    I can understand why Saegorg wants to rule Brealia instead, then. Old Esthar planted the seed for rebellion when he banished Maitura Ordonbadet to the mountains.

    Catalin stood up. ¡°We¡¯ll take our chances.¡±

    That¡¯s my girl!

    Soaruna Kaal explained what roads we should take to the mountain marches. The small city of Sanajec, the last real city before we reached the border, would be a good place to stay for the night, provided we got there on time, as it was fortified and the gates still closed every night. After that, the witch said, we¡¯d need another guide. She didn¡¯t know the way out of Brealia.

    We thanked her, paid her two trins, which seemed a terribly cheap price for Catalin¡¯s life, and went up the north road.

    The weather was cloudy, with a few light showers. We walked through a couple of small towns, bought biscuits from the first bakery we found, and took as few breaks as we could. There was too much at stake. The road sloped up and we all knew we should have walked faster, but what else could we do? We were tired. The three of us were back from the edge of death. By the end of the day, our legs felt heavy and our feet burned. Only our stubbornness kept us moving.

    In the end of the afternoon, Catalin¡¯s ears moved and she waved at us. ¡°Horses galloping! It doesn¡¯t sound right, let¡¯s hide!¡±

    We jumped into a ditch and hid beneath a bush. It had thorns, and of course, I pricked my arms. I clenched my teeth. It was either this or swear very loud and get us spotted.

    A group of horsemen went past us. They all wore light armors, slightly different from the ones sported by Mistress Jemos¡¯s squad, but still menacing enough. Wherever they went, they wanted to get there fast. Were they after us? There was no way to know, but I assumed the word had spread throughout the kingdom that the Great Hero Al had deserted and should be found.

    And then what? I still think King Esthar wants me in Carastra, somewhere on top of a fortification where the whole city can see me strike the dragon and get roasted heroically. However, perhaps a local power won¡¯t have it that way. I might get executed on the spot for high treason.

    In any case, the soldiers were probably heading to Sanajec, which meant the city might not be safe for us. So much for the ¡®good place for the night¡¯ Soaruna Kaal had told us about.

    ¡°Should we still try to spend the night in Sanajec?¡± I asked.

    Chess looked at the road thoughtfully. ¡°Where else can we stop, ma¡¯am?¡±

    Catalin nodded. ¡°We tried camping, we know how it ended, and I don¡¯t want to fight another dire bear.¡±

    And I never want to lose you again.

    We walked for a few more minutes before deciding we¡¯d take our chances in the city. We deserved to sleep in a bed at least once before we got to the real climbing part of the journey.

    We arrived near the gates right after sunset, and hid beneath trees to take a quick look.

    The outer walls were made of stone, not extremely high, but thicker at the bottom, and sturdy enough to resist a few cannon balls. There were a couple of guards at the gates, but they didn¡¯t look on edge. They only paid basic attention to the people getting in or out.

    Either they¡¯re not waiting for us, or they have no idea what we look like.

    ¡°All right,¡± I muttered. ¡°What¡¯s the best we can do to not look too much like ourselves?¡±

    Chess sighed. ¡°Whatever we do, we must be quick. They¡¯ll close the gates soon.¡±

    We braided Catalin¡¯s hair, and she wore one of my white shirts over her traveling gear. Chess wore Catalin¡¯s coat. I put my torn plaid over my shoulders and I let my hair down. The three of us added makeshift headscarves to our outfits.

    As we crossed the gate, we did get a suspicious glance.

    ¡°Beggars?¡± asked a guard.

    I shook my head. ¡°Exhausted travelers.¡±

    I opened my purse, took out a trin, and he sighed. His hand remained extended until I gave him the coin and bought our way in.

    Inside the walls, we discovered a place that, to my alien eyes, looked about a century older than Carastra or Merumo. Only the main streets of Sanajec were paved. The rest of the city was made of narrow dirt alleys and timber-framed facades that never went higher than two or three stories. The roofs looked made of flat tiles and there were flowers on the wooden balconies. The whole place smelled, not bad, but slightly animal, probably because of the many horses and dogs that crowded the streets.

    ¡°Where should we stay?¡± I asked.

    Chess pointed ahead.

    ¡°The central plaza will be crowded with soldiers. We want to keep away from it.¡±

    Catalin nodded.

    ¡°Then we should get away from the main street right now, and find a nice inn. The ones in parallel streets will probably be comfortable enough.¡±

    I looked inside my purse, counting my money.

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll let you two choose the inn.¡±

    Chess narrowed their eyes. ¡°Why us?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m a newcomer here. I don¡¯t know this world well enough to know what assets I should be looking for, or what traps I should be avoiding.¡±

    They decided to stay in the best place we could afford, arguing it¡¯d be safer and more comfortable. It also meant we¡¯d be out of money after that night, but when I questioned their choice, they just shrugged.

    ¡°We got cursed and we won¡¯t recover until we have a good night¡¯s sleep,¡± explained Catalin with a cute pout.

    Come on, Alicia, the kids are probably right. It may be our last chance to sleep in a proper bed for a while.

    So we entered an inn. Wood panels on the inside walls made it look a little like a chalet in the Alps, and the smell of food made my mouth water. A waitress at the counter pointed us to the owner, a human woman in her fifties. We asked for a private room, three dinners and a hot tub. The initial frown vanished at the sight of my money.

    ¡°Make yourselves comfortable, ladies! You can eat near the fireplace.¡±

    Chess winced.

    The owner sat us at a table and served us roasted meat and vegetables, the best meal I¡¯d had since I left the palace. She smiled all along, welcoming other customers, bringing more food to whoever asked for it. The place was warm. The sauce tasted like there was honey in it. Patrons around us chatted in happy voices.

    Can I finally allow myself to relax? My hair is so coarse, I need to detangle it.

    After dinner, the owner led us to a room with two large beds, and a screen decorated with birds painted in red and green. Behind the screen was a hot tub, only big enough for one person. We¡¯d need to take turns, and wash thoroughly before going into the water.

    We removed our headscarves and extra clothing.

    ¡°All right, who gets the first bath?¡±

    ¡°Go first while it¡¯s hot,¡± Catalin suggested.

    I tried to protest, but she pushed me behind the screen. ¡°You¡¯re the oldest and our Great Hero! Go, Al! I won¡¯t peek, I promise!¡±

    I sighed. ¡°Really? You could, you know. After everything we went through, I wouldn¡¯t care at all.¡±

    I pulled on the lacing of my teal bodice. Suddenly, Catalin¡¯s smile vanished. She hushed me with a finger and she wrapped her tail around my leg. ¡°Don¡¯t speak, don¡¯t move! Something¡¯s wrong!¡±

    Chess jumped to their feet. ¡°We need to go.¡±

    They opened the door. I hated the way they only gave a peek, leaving it slightly ajar. It instantly reminded me of the barn, two days earlier, and how we¡¯d narrowly escaped capture. Back then, I¡¯d used a miracle. This time, my daily call to Cherub was already spent.

    We all came closer to the door, just in time to hear the owner¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Yes, sergeant, I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re the ones you¡¯re looking for. That¡¯s why I had the boy fetch you. I¡¯ll show you the room.¡±

    My heart sank. I thought we¡¯d gone unnoticed and I¡¯d been terribly wrong.

    She knows who we are and she¡¯s turning us in! Did these men tell all innkeepers in Sanajec to look out for us?

    I opened the window, hoping to fool the soldiers into believing we crawled out of it. Then we grabbed our bags and tiptoed into the corridor.

    We decided to go out the back of the house, but was there even a back exit? I tried to tie my loose bodice again, but my fingers were shaking and the knot was a disaster.

    I followed Catalin, who had better night vision, and Chess walked in my steps, their sword drawn, ready to fight.

    The corridor was a dead end. We were trapped. No miracle. No cutting through the wood panel, let alone the probable stone wall behind it.

    ¡°What should we do?¡± asked Catalin as footsteps echoed in the corridor.

    A door to our right swung open. ¡°Get in!¡± said a man in a low voice.

    Were we getting out of the frying pan and into the fire? It was too late to think. We stormed into a room that was bigger and more luxurious than ours. Oil lamps lighted a very large bed that could host at least four sleepers, a desk, beautiful chests, and a carpet made of some large animal¡¯s hide. But what really shocked me, when he closed the door behind him, was our savior¡¯s face. I stopped and stared at him.

    ¡°You?¡±

 Chapter 27: Priorities

    The man smiled at me. With his heart-shaped tan face, his olive-green eyes, his wavy silver hair and the gold jewel on his forehead, there was no mistaking him for anyone else. He was the man who¡¯d laughed at Chess and I, back in Merumo. The man I had to cling to when I slipped while running in the street.

    How could he be staying in this inn, in Sanajec, two days later? I narrowed my eyes.

    ¡°Are you following us?¡±

    He laughed softly. ¡°If only.¡±

    ¡°Who is he?¡± asked Catalin.

    Chess sighed. ¡°We walked past him in Merumo. As far as I know, we¡¯d never met him before.¡±

    The man nodded.

    ¡°No, we hadn¡¯t. And I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here, either. But if I were to notice a pattern, it would be you running away from soldiers. What did you do for them to come after you?¡±

    He was directly talking to me, as if my friends didn¡¯t matter. As if everything depended on me. But didn¡¯t it? I¡¯d caused the situation by rebelling. I looked the man right in the eye and answered in a low voice.

    ¡°I refuse to kill someone King Esthar wants dead.¡±

    ¡°Oh, insubordination¡­ And desertion, I presume. No king likes such an affront to his authority.¡±

    There was noise in the corridor. People banging on the door of the room we¡¯d left. Angry voices when the soldiers found out we were gone.

    The man pointed to the far end of his own room, where the bathing area was separated, not just by a fabric screen like in ours, but by a wooden partition. ¡°They¡¯ll probably search the rest of the rooms. Hide over there and let me handle the situation.¡±

    ¡°But if they search the rooms, they¡¯ll find us in here!¡± protested Chess.

    ¡°You clearly underestimate the power of wealth. Stay hidden and trust me.¡±

    Behind the partition, we found a wooden tub, still filled with warm water that had obviously been used a short while before. If we¡¯d had dinner just a little earlier, he¡¯d still be in that tub when the soldiers came for us, and we¡¯d be either captured or fighting the soldiers. But why is he alone? He admitted it himself, he¡¯s rich. A man like him should travel with a valet, a butler or a servant of sorts. Something¡¯s off.

    We crouched behind the tub. I wanted to ask my friends what they thought of the stranger, but there were soldiers in the corridor, who might be listening. I stayed still, breathing as slowly and silently as I could. I only reached for Catalin¡¯s hand and held it tight.

    Someone banged on the door. Our host waited for two seconds before talking in an annoyed voice. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Sorry to bother you, sir, but we¡¯re looking for fugitives hiding in this inn.¡±

    We heard the door open. I wished I could see everyone¡¯s attitudes, but all I had was the sound of voices, and my friends¡¯ worried faces next to me.

    ¡°Fugitives? Really?¡± The man sounded exasperated, like a stereotypical nobleman disturbed in his activities.

    ¡°Yes, sir, I mean, my lord. They¡¯re a threat to the safety of the kingdom and they should be urgently brought before the king.¡±

    ¡°A threat to the safety of the kingdom? How dangerous are they?¡± The man sounded genuinely worried.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know, but if the king wants them captured, it must be serious. Did you see them, my lord?¡±

    ¡°Of course not! I was right here in this room, going about my business. I saw nothing, I heard nothing, and if you did your job correctly, I¡¯d still be at this desk in peace and quiet.¡±

    There was a faint echo of magic in his voice. These aren¡¯t the droids you¡¯re looking for.

    ¡°I understand, my lord. I apologize. Good night to you.¡±

    The door closed. The man hadn¡¯t even bothered answering the soldier¡¯s last sentence.

    He¡¯s good at playing Scornful Rich Man on the loose. I bet he¡¯s deeply amused by what he sees as a funny little adventure.

    The soldiers banged on other doors, talked loud in the corridor, and after a few minutes, they apparently decided we¡¯d left the inn through our bedroom¡¯s window. They walked out, leaving only apparent calm.

    ¡°He¡¯s not human!¡± whispered Catalin.

    I froze. ¡°How do you know? He doesn¡¯t look like a Tibun or a Zimeon or an elf¡­¡±

    ¡°What is an elf?¡±

    Okay, they don¡¯t have them here. No golems, no elves. This rules out at least part of the Dungeons and Dragons bestiary.

    ¡°People in legends from my world,¡± I replied. ¡°They¡¯re long-lived, close to nature, with pointy ears, but on the sides of their heads, not like Tibuns.¡±

    ¡°Who has pointy ears?¡± asked the silver-haired man, standing near the wooden partition.

    I sprang up, letting go of Catalin¡¯s hand. ¡°Not you. Tibuns. I was talking about Tibuns.¡±

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    He crossed his arms, leaning on the partition with an amused smile. ¡°My, my. You¡¯re so funny. Why should anyone believe you¡¯re threatening this kingdom? King Esthar should be more worried by the risk of a political uprising, with the elusive Vilo Jozin and his band of¡­ I don¡¯t even know what to call them.¡±

    Chess stood up before me. ¡°With all due respect, sir, the safety of the kingdom is exactly why we can¡¯t tell you what we¡¯re up to. Thank you for hiding us. We won¡¯t be bothering you much longer. We¡¯ll go out the window¡­¡±

    ¡°And get arrested by other soldiers waiting for this kind of mistake.¡± The man pointed to the large bed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you rest a little? You look exhausted. I promise you¡¯ll be safe.¡±

    I walked straight to him, past Chess who gave me a terrified side look. ¡°Why should we trust you? We don¡¯t know who you are.¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know you either. I¡¯m still offering you to rest, and you¡¯re the dangerous fugitives, not me!¡±

    Except he can call for help whenever he wants, if he even needs it. I bet he¡¯s stronger than he looks. For all I know, he may be able to defeat the three of us with one hand behind his back, and if Catalin says he¡¯s not human, I believe her.

    I pursed my lips. ¡°Sorry, sir, but we have an important mission and we can¡¯t compromise it. We need to go.¡±

    ¡°I said you need some rest!¡±

    His words echoed in my skull, imprinting the ghost of a glowing image beneath my eyelids. Magic! It¡¯s a spell¡­ I felt terribly sleepy, all of a sudden. My eyes closed on the symbol, and I used the last of my consciousness to read it. All it takes is a little tweaking here and a little erasing there, go, brain, release me of this spell¡­

    Sleep swallowed me, but only for a minute or two.

    I awoke. I was lying across the bed with my friends, and the man was drawing a chair next to the desk. He stopped when he saw me open my eyes, but there was no urgency in his attitude, only an amused smile.

    ¡°Oh. I didn¡¯t expect that. You¡¯re getting more and more interesting, you know.¡±

    And you¡¯re getting scarier and more annoying!

    I raised myself up on my elbows. ¡°Why did you do this?¡±

    ¡°I told you! You¡¯re exhausted and you need some sleep. It was wrong of you to resist my spell. You¡¯ll be tired tomorrow, and you have a mission, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    He¡¯s been playing with me all along. I bet he purposefully put himself in my way, when I was running from these soldiers in Merumo. Maybe he even made me slip, somehow.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    He stretched like a cat. ¡°Only a traveler who wants to see this part of the world with his own eyes. I should ask you who you are, too, but you¡¯re Al, aren¡¯t you? The hero Esthar summoned to bring peace and prosperity to Brealia?¡±

    He knows too much. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m beginning to put two and two together, and I¡¯m already hating the result.

    I clenched my teeth.

    Can I awake Catalin or Chess without him noticing? I can¡¯t see the magic on them. It must be inside their heads where I can¡¯t reach it.

    ¡°You won¡¯t answer,¡± he commented with a smile. ¡°I could torture your name out of you, but it¡¯d be a waste. We both know I¡¯m right.¡±

    He made a step towards the bed, but I jumped back to maintain the distance. ¡°And I think I know who you are, too. You¡¯re Faur, the Demon Lord.¡±

    He bowed with a flourish. ¡°My name¡¯s Faur indeed. I wouldn¡¯t call myself a demon, but Brealians seem to like that designation, so it¡¯ll do.¡±

    I¡¯d wanted to be wrong. I¡¯d wanted all this to be one giant coincidence. Unfortunately, the man in front of me, with his wavy silver hair and thirtysomething tan face, was indeed the one I was supposed to fight. Of course he¡¯d been looking for me. Who wouldn¡¯t want to meet their prophesized enemy face to face?

    He could kill me with a snap of his fingers. If he did, he¡¯d be rid of the prophecy, and a properly evil Demon Lord wouldn¡¯t think twice about it. Yet he just stands here with a smug smile on his face. What¡¯s wrong with him?

    ¡°What are you doing in this kingdom?¡± I asked.

    ¡°As I told you, traveling. Some idiot requested an alliance in the hope of conquering Brealia and making it a vassal state of my empire, so I left a decoy on my throne and went on a little trip.¡±

    An idiot? Who? Saegorg?

    Faur¡¯s smile widened. ¡°You look like you know who I¡¯m talking about. Are you heading to Inabar, by any chance?¡±

    Poker face, Alicia! Poker face!

    I crossed my arms. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you anything.¡±

    ¡°Why not? It¡¯s clear you¡¯re not acting on behalf of King Esthar, and to be honest¡­¡±

    He sat on the edge of the bed. He was so close to Catalin he could almost touch her. I felt my blood boil at the thought that he might hurt her, or even kill her, before I could react.

    Don¡¯t you dare, Faur. I still have an angel on my side.

    But Faur didn¡¯t even look at my companions.

    ¡°Saegorg is an imbecile and his views on Brealia leave me cold, so I won¡¯t be interfering in the conflict in any way. Sanajec is the last stop on my little tour. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll be heading back to Elkodunar, on the other side of the mountains, and forget I ever received a request. However, if someone was to give Lord Saegorg a lesson in humility, I could accidentally give that person a lift to Malo. What do you think?¡±

    What kind of offer is that? He really is the devil.

    ¡°What would it cost me? I may have been summoned recently, but I wasn¡¯t born yesterday. There¡¯s always a price.¡±

    Faur laughed. ¡°Lady Al, really¡­ In a bargain, I expect to win something. It doesn¡¯t mean you have to be the one who pays.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you get from such an arrangement?¡±

    ¡°A good laugh.¡±

    I narrowed my eyes.

    ¡°Do I look like a clown to you? I¡¯m trying to save lives here!¡±

    He raised a hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m not even asking about your plan. I¡¯ll learn about it once it¡¯s done. That¡¯s what spies are for. That¡¯s how I knew the Great Hero Al from the prophecy wasn¡¯t the dashing young man we all expected, but a sassy woman whose behavior upset King Esthar from day one.¡±

    In other words, I¡¯m no threat to him. He has everything in control and he won¡¯t harm me, because I¡¯m more fun to him alive.

    I breathed in and out, deeply, trying very hard to remain calm.

    ¡°You¡¯re enjoying this situation, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Of course! A man summons a hero to defeat me, and that hero turns out to be¡­ you.¡±

    Faur was literally gleaming at that stage, and it felt quite humiliating.

    Would Alberto do a better job at being a hero? He¡¯s stronger than me, but he¡¯s only human. He¡¯d probably be as powerless as me in this situation.

    ¡°You don¡¯t really know what I¡¯m capable of,¡± I tried to bluff.

    Faur¡¯s smile only widened.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to discover it! Here¡¯s the deal: I take you to Malo, and whatever you do, make sure my spies bring back a hilarious report about how Saegorg chokes on his own ambitions.¡±

    ¡°But I can¡¯t let you help me! We¡¯re sworn enemies. No matter what we think of each other, I was brought to this world for a reason. The Great Hero Al is supposed to defeat the Demon Lord!¡±

    ¡°That old prophecy?¡± He sneered. ¡°It may refer to another Demon Lord, or just never be fulfilled. As I told you, I¡¯m no threat to the Brealian kingdom, and I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ll ever defeat me, my dear.¡±

    He¡¯s not telling me everything. What does he really want from me? Perhaps giving me the boost I need to reach Kossi in time is a way for him to make sure I won¡¯t attack him later, because revealing our agreement would undermine my value as Great Hero.

    Oh, who am I fooling? I lost my value the moment I walked out of the palace and decided to go on my own quest. Esthar only wants to wave me in the public¡¯s face and let me die. Now, all that matters is freeing Kossi from Saegorg¡¯s influence, and making sure that fool doesn¡¯t burn down Brealia and marry Princess Nigella.

    ¡°This is not all you want from me,¡± I sighed.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a complete fool. I also know my priorities, so I¡¯ll be giving you what you want. As long as you keep your word and don¡¯t threaten the Brealian kingdom, I won¡¯t be going after you. Bring us closer to Malo Castle and I won¡¯t consider you as an enemy, for now.¡±

    I held out a hand.

    ¡°Do we have a deal, Demon Lord Faur?¡±

    He gave a surprised look at my extended arm. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Does nobody in this world know about handshakes?¡±

 Chapter 28: High-Speed Distrust

    Faur and I agreed to leave at dawn, as soon as the gates of Sanajec reopened for the day. He had a coach in a stable nearby. He¡¯d help us get there discreetly, and some moments later, he¡¯d walk out of the inn and meet his coachman at the stable, as if he¡¯d never met us. Then he¡¯d get us out of the city and into Inabar, drop us near Malo, and go all the way to Elkodunar.

    ¡°You should sleep now,¡± he said when I yawned.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t trust you.¡±

    ¡°Generally speaking, you shouldn¡¯t, but tonight, I¡¯ll be asleep too, you know. Let¡¯s agree to wake up together, all right?¡±

    I frowned. What is he offering, exactly?

    ¡°I¡¯ll cast a spell to link our sleep patterns,¡± he explained. ¡°When the first of us wakes up, it¡¯ll awake the other. This way, no stabbing, no sneaking out, no dirty trick.¡±

    Can I trust him? Of course I can¡¯t. But we both need to rest.

    I pointed to the bed where Catalin and Chess were already asleep.

    ¡°The problem is, there are four of us and only one bed, in case you didn¡¯t notice.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how often I slept on the floor with a mannequin in my bed? I won¡¯t mind. It¡¯ll remind me of fond memories. Meanwhile, you can stay with your friends.¡±

    Sure, assassination must be considered a natural cause of death when you¡¯re in the middle of the succession war for the demon empire.

    ¡°Do you agree?¡± he insisted.

    The Demon Lord, my prophesized enemy, was asking for my consent. I nodded, still tense but too tired to refuse.

    Faur cast his spell on the two of us. I could feel it well enough to check it¡¯d do exactly as he said, so I lay down between Catalin and Chess, in the spot where he¡¯d put me earlier, while he arranged blankets on the floor. I waited for his breath to get slower and more regular before allowing myself to drift to sleep.

    Light flowed inside my head, ripping my dream like a thin veil. It felt as if the curtains of my mind were left open and the rising sun went through.

    An inner alarm clock, that¡¯s interesting.

    I tried to remember my dream, only to lose every picture one after the other. I just kept a feeling of urgency, as if I¡¯d been running through something. I got up just as Faur emerged from his blankets, his wavy silver hair not quite as expertly styled as it¡¯d been a few hours earlier. He saw my gaze and reached for a comb.

    I knew he cared a lot about his appearance!

    I reached up to pat my head. My own hair was terribly tangled. I should try to brush it, and wash a bit, if possible. I was about to have a bath when the soldiers interrupted us.

    ¡°Do you mind if I get some privacy for a short moment?¡±

    Faur nodded. He was stretching, like a normal person just getting up.

    I hid behind the partition and looked for clean water. There was a large jug near the wall. Its content was cold, but I used it to feel a little fresher and more decent. I put on clean clothes, rolled the dirty ones at the bottom of my bag, and went back to the bed to wake up my friends.

    ¡°Catalin? Chess?¡±

    Both sprang up, looking panicked.

    ¡°What happened?¡± asked Catalin.

    Chess just reached for their sword. I used both hands to calm them down.

    ¡°We¡¯re fine! We were just exhausted and we all slept.¡±

    Chess frowned. ¡°By the Almighty, it¡¯s morning already and¡­¡±

    They turned around to face Faur, who waved at them from the chair near the desk. The furious look on the cadet¡¯s face made me wave frantically.

    ¡°Chess, Catalin, I told you it¡¯s okay!¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s not. I¡¯m sure he cast a spell on us!¡± Catalin was pointing an accusing finger at Faur.

    ¡°Do you remember that?¡±

    She blushed. She didn¡¯t. I tried my best to keep a poker face and hide my relief.

    ¡°Why would I do such a thing?¡± asked Faur with mock innocence.

    I glared at him before sitting down next to Catalin.

    ¡°You fell asleep first, so I had a conversation with our host. He¡¯s a local lord from the mountains. Since he¡¯s also heading to Inabar, we¡¯ll travel together today.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Faur nodded. ¡°I have plenty of room in my coach and I¡¯d be glad to help you along the road.¡±

    Then he got up and walked behind the partition, followed by our gazes.

    ¡°Do you trust him?¡± hissed Chess.

    I shook my head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t. However, he can help us out of Sanajec and into Inabar, quicker and safer than we¡¯d do on foot. We just need to stay on guard while we¡¯re with him.¡±

    Catalin shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s strong. He can dispose of us whenever he wants.¡±

    ¡°He could have done it last night, and yet, he didn¡¯t harm us or hand us over to the soldiers. I don¡¯t like him any more than you do, but he¡¯s our best option. Please. We¡¯re running out of time and he¡¯s our best chance to prevent the attack on Brealia.¡±

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    She wrinkled her nose and flattened her ears.

    Faur came back from behind the partition. He¡¯d changed into leather traveling gear and the new outfit made him sexier, somehow, with a bit of a Witcher flair to his look. When he saw my gaze, I promptly turned away, but I could feel the flush in my cheeks. He came closer to the bed with an unbearably smug face.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send you to the stables now. I¡¯m only able to displace the three of you over a short distance, so I can¡¯t send you out of the city walls, for example, but stay where you land and I¡¯ll get to you soon. Don¡¯t move if you want me to find you!¡±

    Catalin opened her mouth to protest, but Faur didn¡¯t let her speak. Magic radiated out of him, the whole world somersaulted around us, and we shifted through time and space into a stable, complete with straw and spiderwebs. The familiar smell of horses softened my nausea, but I still felt sick.

    Remind me to never get teleported again! I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t have breakfast this morning. I¡¯d be puking all over the straw.

    ¡°What was that?¡± asked Chess.

    ¡°Local warp step.¡± Catalin¡¯s voice was shaky. ¡°It takes a considerable knowledge of magic to transfer three people like this. And I¡¯m not even mentioning the raw power.¡±

    She looked around, then sat against the wall with her elbows on her knees and her tail curling in the straw.

    ¡°Who¡¯s this man, Al? I know you talked to him and you decided to go along with his plan, but he doesn¡¯t smell or feel human, he¡¯s as strong as a Senior Magus, and I hate his self-confidence more than I fear his power!¡±

    I sat down next to her. ¡°I told you, he¡¯s a foreign lord. He dislikes Saegorg and he wants to help us. I don¡¯t know what he is, biologically speaking, but I don¡¯t care, so long as he brings us closer to Malo Castle. As soon as he¡¯s gone, I¡¯ll be happy to forget him.¡±

    Faur arrived a little while later, along with a short man he presented as his coachman. The guy had ashen blonde hair with a receding hairline, and unlike his emperor, he only looked human to the casual viewer. Just by taking a good look at him, I understood his appearance was a mere disguise he couldn¡¯t wait to get rid of.

    Is it what Faur is like too? Only better at looking human? Or is he able to actually shapeshift, just like Kossi?

    Faur ignored my pondering.

    ¡°My coach is ready. Get inside and stay under the bench until we leave Sanajec.¡±

    We followed him to the other end of the stable. Two dark horses were harnessed to a coach with brass accents and no visible coat of arms. Why am I surprised? Why was I expecting something distinctive? It¡¯d be stupid of him to prance around displaying the flag of Elkodunar. We got in, Faur covered us with the blanket he used to keep his legs warm, and we left the place in the relative calm of the early morning.

    ¡°I hate it,¡± Catalin whispered into my ear.

    ¡°So do I,¡± I sighed.

    It¡¯s too hot in there! And I¡¯m not exactly comfortable with this leather-clad leg against my shoulder.

    The horses trotted on the paved main street for a while, then the coach slowed, probably to pass through the gates. Someone wished the foreign lord a good day. We walked across what sounded like a wooden bridge, and then a dirt road. We sped up again. I tried to remove the blanket, but Faur put a hand on mine.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move yet. I want us out of sight first. A little longer¡­ Now you can get out.¡±

    He finally removed his hand and we pushed the blanket out of the way. Breathing fresh air was a relief. I sat opposite Faur, and also opposite the direction of travel. Catalin stayed next to me, and Chess reluctantly took a spot on the same bench as the Demon Lord.

    I looked outside. The sky was partly cloudy, but sunlight hit some parts of the mountains, dappling the landscape with moving patterns. It was beautiful.

    ¡°How long will it take us to reach Inabar?¡±

    Faur raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°You may want to hang on to something.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    A strange noise came from the front of the coach, behind me, like a neigh turning into a high-pitched scream. One second later, we picked up so much speed that the acceleration threw me off my bench and into Faur¡¯s lap. I put my hands forward as a reflex. They both ended on his chest.

    ¡°That¡¯s why,¡± he smiled.

    He grabbed me by the waist, quite unceremoniously, brushed my clothes with his hands, and placed me back on the bench in front of him. I was appalled. The Demon Lord had touched me! Worse, I¡¯d touched him!

    I should have sat facing the direction of travel.

    ¡°These aren¡¯t horses!¡± said Catalin with a look of pure terror on her face.

    I¡¯d gathered so much, thank you. How did I not see the magic that created the illusion? Their disguise must be something other than a spell. Some kind of glamor, maybe. And the coachman probably uses the same trick.

    The landscape whirred past us as if we were on a high-speed train. I took Catalin¡¯s hand and held it on my lap. I felt sorry for her, with her clenched teeth, her ears folded back and her tail wrapped tight around her legs.

    Faur gave a casual look outside, making a show of acting normal.

    ¡°To answer your question, I should be able to drop you off near the city of Malo before noon.¡±

    The ride is way too smooth, as well. I bet we¡¯re not touching the road, but hovering a few inches above it.

    The journey went on like this, with all blood drained from my friends¡¯ faces and the Demon Lord smiling smugly, for about two hours, until the creatures that drew the coach pretended to be horses again and slowed down to a more reasonable pace. Faur looked at the three of us. I wished I could punch the smugness out of his face.

    ¡°Lady Al, you remained remarkably calm. I take it you have some experience of fast travel?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Some, indeed, sir.¡±

    I drove on highways and flew on planes before ending up in a cloud with biblically accurate angels who pushed me across a portal to this world, so it takes more than your little feat to impress me. I mean, I¡¯m impressed. But the teleporting trick was way worse.

    ¡°Then have a sweet bun,¡± Faur smiled, producing a paper bag from a hidden compartment under his bench.

    We were starving, so we ate. The buns were probably from a bakery in Sanajec, and they tasted delicious. A hint of anise, maybe.

    ¡°What are these creatures drawing the coach?¡± asked Chess. Catalin looked at them with the face of someone who¡¯d been dying to ask the question without daring.

    Faur only shrugged.

    ¡°Tanvarchs. Don¡¯t you have them in Brealia?¡±

    The answer came so casually that for a second, I doubted my understanding of the world. Wasn¡¯t magic a rare and precious thing? And unnaturally fast creatures treated with awe and respect, like Kossi was?

    Chess narrowed their eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t know a tanvarch could be tamed.¡±

    ¡°They most certainly can, but they¡¯re high-maintenance animals. I only use them when I travel abroad.¡±

    Were some of the horses in King Esthar¡¯s stables also tanvarchs in disguise? I decided to shelf the question in the back of my mind until it was time to bring it up.

    The coach followed a narrow mountain road with goats on our left and log cabins on our right. The logs seemed to come from patches of forest scattered around the mountains. Higher up, we could make up stone battlements that had seen better days. Faur pointed a finger at the fortifications.

    ¡°This is the fortified city of Malo. We can¡¯t see the castle from here, but it¡¯s right on the other side, on the edge of a cliff.¡±

    Princess Nigella told me about it. Maitura Ordonbadet had the fortress built, and it was overlooking a cliff.

    ¡°Does it mean we¡¯re in Inabar?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°We crossed the border only a little while after we left Sanajec. Are you worried?¡±

    ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t exactly counting on King Esthar¡¯s protection, so I guess it doesn¡¯t make much of a difference.¡±

    He laughed. ¡°Your company¡¯s so enjoyable that I regret having to part ways! But I have a feeling you¡¯re not done surprising me. Shall we meet again?¡±

    ¡°For the sake of us both, I hope not.¡±

    He gave me a fake sad puppy look, like a child begging for another sweet. Catalin¡¯s hand clenched in mine, but I focused on my poker face. I can be mad at him later, once he¡¯s gone. All I need is a little more patience.

    And then it was over. The coach stopped, we got off, and I took a closer look at both creatures drawing it. They did look like actual horses.

    The city walls looked about to crumble, but people came and went everywhere. I couldn¡¯t help feeling a little surprise. This is a real country, with a real population. Not a lone madman in his tower.

    ¡°Good luck on your mission, whatever it is,¡± said Faur with a last smile.

    ¡°Have a safe trip home,¡± I answered.

    To be honest, I won¡¯t be sad if you break a leg.

    The coach left, and there we were, the three of us, trying to blend in the local population and get closer to the castle. Kossi was in there, somewhere. Third floor of the keep. But how could we sneak in unnoticed?

 Chapter 29: A Game of Balls

    The city had a gate, but it was wide open and unmanned. We walked in, navigating through the crowd. Catalin gave me a side look as we walked.

    ¡°Who was that man, Al? I can¡¯t believe he didn¡¯t tell you his name!¡±

    Her tail whipped the air as she talked. I wanted to put a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she dodged it.

    ¡°I told you I don¡¯t like him either, but at least he got us here!¡± I tried to protest.

    Chess sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand how much he lied to you, ma¡¯am? Magic, tanvarchs? He can¡¯t be a simple mountain lord. I bet he¡¯s a demon from Elkodunar.¡±

    Catalin¡¯s ears curled forward. ¡°Could he be the Demon Lord himself?¡±

    My heart sank. If they found out we¡¯d gotten help from the man who was supposed to be my sworn enemy, and I¡¯d tricked them into traveling with him, they¡¯d never trust me again. Rightly so.

    ¡°That seems unlikely,¡± answered Chess.

    Thank G¡­ I mean, thank the Almighty for that. I will tell them everything when we¡¯re all safe, but right now, it¡¯s easier if they build their own explanation.

    I kept silent, slightly ashamed, working on my poker face.

    ¡°But he¡¯s so powerful!¡± protested Catalin.

    Chess looked deep in thought for a moment, emerald eyes slightly glassy, looking into the distance.

    ¡°No,¡± they finally decided.

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Because Demon Lord Faur can¡¯t just leave his empire and travel this way, alone with a single coachman! He¡¯s an emperor. He¡¯s a tyrant. If he left like this, there¡¯d likely be an uprising in Elkodunar. But you¡¯re right, that man was powerful. He must be one of Faur¡¯s lieutenants.¡±

    Both my companions stared at me. I frowned.

    ¡°What? How could I guess? Before we found out his horses were actually tanvarchs, I mean?¡±

    ¡°There were clues, ma¡¯am. Aren¡¯t you afraid of what that man will tell Demon Lord Faur? The enemy you¡¯re supposed to defeat?¡±

    ¡°I guess I should be, but I can worry about it later.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I got fooled, but I must roll with it. By the time Faur gets a report, we¡¯ll be gone. Right now, we have a dragon to free.¡±

    The city of Malo was both lively and unmistakably poor. Food looked scarce on the main market, most people were emaciated, and yet, blacksmiths and stonemasons were hard at work. We only got the odd suspicious look as we walked along the streets.

    The people here are used to seeing travelers, and they have no reason to be wary of us. There¡¯s an ultimatum going on, but so far, Inabar¡¯s not at war.

    Local costumes were mostly made of wool, I noticed, and heavily codified. Heavily gendered, too. The color of the clothes seemed to indicate a person¡¯s profession, but I couldn¡¯t be sure. Men wore pants, sleeveless jackets and black caps, while women wore long skirts and red or yellow headscarves.

    When I understood they weren¡¯t speaking Brealian, I listened carefully, until my ears were accustomed to their language. What was it called? Inabarian, probably. Anyway, my gift for languages worked perfectly.

    The castle had its own curtain walls, in slightly better state than the city¡¯s. Through the open gate of the gatehouse, we saw the courtyard and the keep behind it. That stronghold was ancient. I could hardly believe Maitura Ordonbadet, who¡¯d lived only a handful of generations before us, was the one who decided to build it all. The keep must have been existing when she settled in Malo. She probably had fortifications and commons added around it, though.

    Anyway, this is where we¡¯re supposed to go, and if there really is a cliff on the other side of the fortress, it means there¡¯s no other way in. But we won¡¯t get past this gatehouse easily.

    Chess crossed their arms. ¡°What do you suggest, ma¡¯am?¡±

    I looked around us.

    ¡°The stronghold is connected to the city, so it¡¯s not like we¡¯re trying to break a siege. People get in and out. Let¡¯s observe them and find a suitable opportunity.¡±

    As we found out by early afternoon, guards at the gatehouse changed every hour or so, but the only people who went in and out of the fortress at this time of day were women, bringing food inside or taking dirty laundry out. Some had green skirts, some had blue ones. If I trusted what they carried, green skirts were for cooks and blue skirts were for washerwomen. Heavily codified. Heavily gendered.

    Two of us are women and Chess can pass as one. This is our best chance.

    I followed a group of three green-skirted women who left the castle. They chatted happily while heading to a group of buildings that reminded me of old British terraced houses from my native world.

    When they reached one front door, I offered to hold the door for them. They accepted, got inside, and I stayed around, eavesdropping as much as I could.

    Catalin and Chess joined me a minute later.

    ¡°Can you understand what they¡¯re saying?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m fluent in more languages than I can count. These women are cooks at the castle.¡±

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    Chess rolled their eyes. ¡°I could tell as much. Green skirts. Cooks.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re having a break right now. They¡¯ll be back in the afternoon to prepare dinner.¡±

    ¡°Is it so easy for them to get in and out?¡±

    ¡°It seems so. Why shouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°What about safety, ma¡¯am?¡±

    True, it was a major security flaw, but it was also our chance. I shrugged.

    ¡°The castle isn¡¯t huge. It probably holds more people than it used to, and there may not be enough rooms inside to accommodate all the personnel. I guess this whole row of houses is home to castle servants. It¡¯s reasonably close, so it¡¯s easy to come for someone if they¡¯re needed. And in the event of an attack, they¡¯ll be the ones running into the courtyard for protection, not the other way around.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough. Did you hear anything interesting?¡±

    ¡°I think I did. Learning about these cooks¡¯ habits and personal lives gave me an idea.¡±

    I waited for Catalin and Chess to give me the right look, the one people have when they await the rest of the story.

    I¡¯ve seen it in countless adventure movies. I never believed it was possible to pull the same trick here!

    ¡°We should replace them this afternoon. You know, borrow local clothes and talk our way into the castle, on time for cooking dinner. I already know these women¡¯s names, so I can pretend we¡¯re friends. We just need to make up a story: something happened, they asked us to step in for them¡­¡±

    Chess raised a hand. ¡°It¡¯ll never work, ma¡¯am. Nobody will believe us.¡±

    ¡°Except they will if we add special effects to make them buy the story!¡±

    Catalin frowned. ¡°Special¡­ Do you mean magic?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. If we use all our respective assets, we¡¯ll get in.¡±

    Chess winced. ¡°Do you mean I¡¯ll have to disguise myself as a cook? A female cook?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid so. Can you do it?¡±

    They took a deep breath before deciding they¡¯d survive the ordeal.

    We sneaked into an empty house, then we went from backyard to backyard until we found enough clothes hanging on lines. Catalin hid her ears in a red headscarf, and her tail underneath a long full green skirt. Even Chess looked reasonably feminine in a shawl, with their sword tucked between skirt and petticoat.

    They look miserable, though. I wish I didn¡¯t have to put them through this.

    ¡°Sorry you have to do this, Chess. And thank you for your courage.¡±

    I kept one of our traveling bags and Catalin carried the other, after emptying them of everything we didn¡¯t need. The only things we brought, I hoped, were inconspicuous. After all, if things went according to plan, Kossi would be free by the end of the day, so we wouldn¡¯t need much more luggage.

    And if they didn¡¯t, we¡¯d all be dead.

    I looked at the pile of clothes we¡¯d left behind a log.

    Someone will find dirty laundry today and wonder where it came from.

    I kept my pants and white shirt underneath my woolen skirt and vest. I wanted to be able to remove the costume if I needed to run, and still be fairly decent.

    ¡°Can any of you lock the cooks inside their house? They¡¯ll get out eventually, but it¡¯ll buy us some time.¡±

    Catalin put up her hand. ¡°I can do this, Al!¡±

    We went back to the three women¡¯s house, and she cast a spell on the lock.

    ¡°Wait!¡± said Chess. ¡°Remember, in the wizard¡¯s house by Lake Mera? We had to ram a door because none of us was able to pick the lock. Why could you do this one here and not the other?¡±

    Catalin looked down at her feet and spoke in an apologetic tone.

    ¡°I jammed it, actually. I¡¯m not very good with metal, not yet. I¡¯m only a freshman, Chess. There are many spells I¡¯ll only learn during my next years at the University, if I can get back there and submit my final assignment.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s all right, I was just wondering¡­¡±

    Chess¡¯s cheeks flushed. I smiled at the two of them.

    ¡°Look, as far as I¡¯m concerned, you¡¯re both very good at what you can do. Now, Catalin, can you use your ball spells for something different than the usual? I remember you said you could sustain multiple ones if they were small enough.¡±

    She giggled when I was done explaining my plan.

    ¡°I like it!¡± she exclaimed.

    Chess shook their head. ¡°I don¡¯t. It¡¯s gross.¡±

    ¡°Come on, Chess, you survived a dire bear¡¯s bad breath and you think this is gross?¡±

    They rolled their eyes, but they didn¡¯t argue. Catalin cast the spell I¡¯d asked for, and we headed to the castle.

    The two guards at the gate immediately barred us from entering.

    ¡°Who are you? Get out!¡±

    I tried my best to look self-assured. It¡¯s time to put out my best bluff in Inabarian. Drown them in chatter until they give up.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Teya tell you?¡± These were my first words in the language, and yet, I felt as comfortable as a native speaker. ¡°Oh no, of course she didn¡¯t! She only felt sick when she got home. She has a terrible stomachache, and Silia and Demy aren¡¯t feeling too well either, so they asked us to fill in for them at the kitchen.¡±

    Of course, it didn¡¯t work. I didn¡¯t expect it to. Guards were supposed to be, if not always very clever, at least not too gullible. A spear was pointed at me.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying. If they did, they¡¯d be with you to confirm your story.¡±

    Exactly! And this is why I have a prepared explanation for it.

    I pointed in the direction of the terraced houses, which weren¡¯t visible from the gatehouse.

    ¡°I told you, they can¡¯t, they¡¯re too busy puking! I bet there was something in their lunch. Isn¡¯t it a pity to get food poisoning when you¡¯re a cook? I hope you didn¡¯t eat the same meal, because you know how these things work: when there¡¯s something spoiled in a pot, the whole dish goes bad.¡±

    I encouraged Catalin with a smile. She knew the sign: she cast tiny balls of fire inside the two guards¡¯ stomachs, too small to seriously harm them, but hot enough to give them heartburn. She¡¯d done the same to the three cooks before we left the terrace. She could only sustain one larger ball at a time, but these marble-sized ones consumed less energy.

    I kept talking in the meantime. The guards had to be overwhelmed. I couldn¡¯t give them time to think, or they¡¯d figure out it was all a trick.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re not getting any of this with us. We¡¯re very good at telling fresh ingredients from rotten ones! Hey, is something wrong?¡±

    Both men had turned pale and could hardly hide their pain. I frowned as if I was actually worried. ¡°Can I help you?¡±

    The guards held up a hand. ¡°No, no, you can¡¯t, it¡¯s just¡­¡±

    Catalin¡¯s face became more serious. She was focused on her spell, probably increasing its power.

    ¡°Urgh¡­¡± One of the guards ran along the inside of the crenellated wall, and we heard disgusting noises as he threw up. I felt bad for him, but we knew we couldn¡¯t get inside the castle without harming anyone.

    Nobody must die. Any life here has the same value as Kossi¡¯s, and I refuse to kill if we can help it. But I can make a few people a little sick for a handful of hours.

    The other guard was holding his stomach. Even though he didn¡¯t complain out loud, his contorted face screamed his pain. The spear pointed at me began wobbling.

    ¡°Let me see those bags.¡±

    He had sweat on his forehead and his paleness was beginning to look greenish. Catalin and I graciously let him search our bags, but it was clear he could hardly stand on his feet.

    ¡°Go ahead. We¡¯ll discuss this with Teya later.¡±

    I curtsied.

    ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s our first time helping at the castle. Would you mind telling us where the kitchen is?¡±

    He pointed to the keep. ¡°Straight ahead, then left, and down the stairs. You¡¯ll find it. And don¡¯t you even try to go anywhere else. I¡¯m watching you.¡±

    ¡°Of course. You¡¯re very kind. We¡¯ll be sure to prepare a proper supper that won¡¯t make anyone sick, I promise!¡±

    I smiled and walked across the courtyard, followed by my two friends.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let the fire balls die down,¡± whispered Catalin. ¡°Even when the spell¡¯s gone, the heartburn will probably remain for a while.¡±

    ¡°Good. Don¡¯t hesitate to strike other people, guards, servants, cooks, to make it look more like food poisoning.¡±

    Chess cleared their throat. ¡°I¡¯m not saying it because I hate these clothes and everything they mean, but we¡¯re quite literally in the wolf¡¯s den, ma¡¯am. Now that we¡¯re in, we should be out as quick as possible.¡±

    ¡°I know. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Hang on, Kossi, we¡¯re coming, and I still have my daily call to Cherub to cope with emergencies!

 Chapter 30: Spreading Like Fire

    We found the kitchen exactly where the guard had told us, down a flight of stairs on the left-hand side of the keep. I looked up before we entered: one, two, three, four floors. Kossi was kept somewhere in there, three levels above the kitchen. How was I supposed to get up there?

    I told the head cook the same tale I¡¯d served to the guards. Teya, Silia and Demy had a bad case of food poisoning and had asked us to come and give a hand.

    She had exactly the reaction I expected. A deep frown and hands on her hips.

    ¡°You¡¯re friends of Teya? How come I don¡¯t know you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because we¡¯re from¡­¡± Remember, Alicia! When Esthar showed me the map of Inabar, did I notice the name of a place besides Malo? ¡°Lushin. We only arrived today.¡±

    ¡°Teya has friends from Lushin?¡±

    The look of disbelief on her face made my heart race. I couldn¡¯t mess this up, not so close to Kossi.

    ¡°Why, yes, of course! Her second cousin married my best mate, but the marriage was short-lived, and¡­¡± I pointed my chin at Catalin. ¡°This girl, poor soul, was beaten up so hard that she¡¯s kind of an idiot, now. Go through me if you want anything from her. She won¡¯t catch a word you¡¯re saying.¡±

    I had to come up with this lie because, while Chess, who was from the neighbor state of Bamir, understood some Inabarian, Catalin didn¡¯t. Pretending she was an idiot was an insult a brave Magic Arts student like her didn¡¯t deserve, but she¡¯d get over it. At least, it explained why she didn¡¯t react to what other cooks would say.

    By the time I finished telling my tale of food poisoning and convoluted family ties, two other people in the kitchen were bent in two, complaining from stomachache. The head cook rolled her eyes. In my native world, she¡¯d facepalm.

    ¡°All right. There was something in the food. I have no idea how it happened, but we¡¯ll be short on personnel if I send you back, so you can stay, for now. You¡¯ll help, but I¡¯m keeping an eye on you, is it clear? And we¡¯ll be discussing this with Teya once it¡¯s over.¡±

    Once it¡¯s over, we¡¯ll be gone. Or dead.

    Since we were newcomers, we got assigned to peeling vegetables. We were given small knives, a pile of vegetables, and told to stand near the windows at the back of the kitchen.

    ¡°Throw the peels out as you work,¡± said the cook who supervised us.

    Behind her, a servant who¡¯d just come down the stairs moaned in pain. She was holding her stomach. Catalin is good at this, but I don¡¯t want her to overdo herself. The only problem is, I can¡¯t tell her. If I speak Brealian now, everyone will figure out we¡¯re foreigners.

    Chess nodded and I forced myself to smile to the cook.

    ¡°All right, thank you.¡±

    I looked out of the window. This was the cliff Faur had told us about: a steep drop to a forest far below. The fortress had been built as close to the precipice as possible. How many builders had fallen to their deaths, back then? In any case, the place was impregnable from this side. Long unidentifiable stains stretched down the walls below us.

    Waste management: throw everything down the cliff. Simple, efficient. Whatever smells bad will be too far down to bother you. Bonus points: it¡¯ll fertilize the soil below.

    Over the next hour or so, Catalin used her miniature fire balls to make more people sick. After a while, some began complaining about headaches, too. Or swollen legs. The food poisoning theory seemed to be spreading faster than the actual magic-induced heartburn.

    Give me a good mass hysteria anytime.

    While I was cleaning pots, I overheard a conversation between the head cook and a man. Apparently, the person who was supposed to bring dinner trays to the upper floors wasn¡¯t feeling good. I had no idea who it was, but it was my time to shine.

    I put my pot down and headed straight to them.

    ¡°Hello, do you need someone to volunteer for that task?¡±

    They both glanced at me. ¡°Who are you again?¡±

    ¡°Alicia. Teya¡¯s friend. Helping at the kitchen on her behalf.¡±

    The man crossed his arms. ¡°What makes you believe you¡¯re healthy enough to do it? We¡¯re talking about carrying trays up several floors, and this is a fortress. The stairs are uneven, on purpose.¡±

    Call me old and I¡¯ll slap you. In fact, call me middle-aged and I¡¯ll slap you, too. I¡¯m forty years young and more than fit enough for the job.

    I tried my best to keep smiling.

    ¡°I can do that. I¡¯d love to, actually. Anyway, I¡¯ll be supervised, won¡¯t I?¡±

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    ¡°Hopefully.¡±

    Does this word mean that many guards are incapacitated and he doesn¡¯t know if he can spare one for me? That¡¯d be wonderful!

    He looked at the head cook. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know if I need this new assistant of yours.¡±

    And he went up the stairs.

    As soon as he was gone, the head cook pointed to the sink. She looked both worried and angry. ¡°Get back to work, Alicia. What were you thinking? Nobody wants this task!¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    She gave me the kind of side look that suggested even five-year-olds knew that.

    ¡°It¡¯s exhausting. We prepare individual trays here, and you have to walk up and down the stairs multiple times! On top of that, a strange man¡¯s been staying at the third floor for the past ten days. Everyone says he¡¯s dangerous.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°They say he¡¯s strong enough to snap a neck with one hand. I don¡¯t want to be anywhere near him, and you shouldn¡¯t, either.¡±

    I wonder how they know that.

    I tried to look frightened, when all I could feel was excitement. Kossi was there. He¡¯d been there for a while, even before he first attacked Carastra. And I was one task away from finally being in the same room as him.

    ¡°Why is he here?¡± I asked.

    The head cook shrugged. ¡°We don¡¯t know. Lord Saegorg brought him along. He locked him up, but he said we were to treat him as an honorable guest.¡± She came closer to me and whispered. ¡°Judging by the way he screams sometimes, he¡¯s insane.¡±

    Or fighting against a spell that forces him to do terrible things.

    I nodded. ¡°I understand. Thanks for the warning. I¡¯ll do my best to stay away from the man, if I do have to bring him dinner.¡±

    Please, please, let me go up there and check the symbol on his neck! We need to be out of this castle before anyone understands that we¡¯re nobody¡¯s friends here.

    I went back to the sink and waited for Catalin to give chance a boost.

    By the end of the afternoon, it seemed half the castle personnel was reporting sick. I was finally asked to carry meals to the upper floors. Victory!

    I put up my best worried face. It felt like pretending to be angry at a pupil¡¯s stupid mistake, when I actually thought it was hilarious. I hoped I¡¯d be left to myself, but one guard was assigned to my safety. In practice, all he did was keep a tired eye on me as he guided me from the kitchen to a room, then down to the kitchen, rinse and repeat.

    The first floor was used by guards. I brought an individual dinner to a few officers who looked at me sideways, then went back to whatever they were doing, ostensibly showing how insignificant I was, compared to their mission. Other cooks took on from there, bringing large pots to a room that served as a mess.

    Meanwhile, as my legs began to burn a little, I brought other trays to the second floor. The rooms there looked much nicer and warmer. There were woolen carpets on the floor and tapestries on the walls.

    ¡°Is this where Lord Saegorg lives?¡± I asked.

    The guard sighed. ¡°Lord Saegorg has his own apartments, and I¡¯m not telling you where they are. He eats his own food, anyway, cooked by his personal chef. This floor is for the lord¡¯s relatives.¡±

    I served a few women and children, but no adult men. Everyone on the second floor acted exactly like I expected them to, being the local lord¡¯s cousins or nephews. They totally ignored me, not interrupting their conversations, and beginning to eat casually, as if the trays appeared on the tables by themselves, without a human being to bring them.

    I fought an urge to wave a hand in front of one woman. Not being noticed was one thing. Being consciously unseen was quite upsetting.

    Teeth clenched, fake smile pasted on, I walked up and down until everyone was served.

    Next stop, third floor!

    ¡°Will you be all right?¡± asked the head cook when she filled the plates for my next delivery.

    I couldn¡¯t help noticing the portion was significantly larger than the previous ones. It also contained a lot of meat.

    ¡°Do you mean this tray is for the strange man upstairs?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± She put a hand on my arm. ¡°Alicia, be quick, don¡¯t talk to him, and if you want to get back safely, don¡¯t meet his gaze!¡±

    ¡°His gaze?¡± I winced theatrically. ¡°Is he a monster?¡±

    ¡°Probably. Lord Saegorg won¡¯t let us talk about it, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± snapped the guard. ¡°As you said, Lord Saegorg doesn¡¯t allow this kind of conversation!¡±

    I looked for Catalin and found her stirring a large pan of sauce. We exchanged gazes across the kitchen. Could she make the guard sick as well? She nodded discreetly.

    I picked up my tray. It was the heaviest I¡¯d had to carry so far, so I adjusted my grip before walking up the stairs again. My legs were really tired at this point, but it was the end of the effort. Every step I took brought me closer to my goal.

    The guard side-eyed me.

    ¡°You¡¯re about to feed the monster. Why are you smiling?¡±

    I tilted my head from side to side.

    ¡°I like a bit of danger. Don¡¯t you?¡±

    He shrugged. He tried to put up a brave face, but I could see he was feeling unwell. Catalin was doing a great job.

    The room was locked from the outside, but nothing else made it look like a prison. When the guard unlocked and let me in, I discovered a comfortable room. There were green tapestries on either side of the bed, a beautifully carved wardrobe against the wall, a table and a chair in a corner, and no bars on the window. It did look more medieval than eighteenth-century, but so did the rest of the keep.

    Technically, Kossi could jump out of the window and fly away anytime. The only thing that¡¯s really keeping him inside is the spell.

    Speaking of Kossi, he was nowhere to be seen. I frowned at the guard, who pointed to the table, silently asking me to leave the tray there.

    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m bringing you dinner!¡± I said in Inabarian.

    Kossi stood up from behind the bed, as gorgeous as I remembered, with his dark brown skin, black coils and golden gaze. He frowned when he recognized me.

    ¡°What¡­¡±

    I smiled, but I still needed to play my part.

    ¡°It is okay if I leave the tray here?¡±

    Kossi nodded. He saw the guard and a hint of a smile lit his face. ¡°You look sick, sir.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    ¡°But I do! Do you want to sit down?¡±

    The guard winced, but he refused the offer.

    Kossi walked to me, took the tray from my hands and put it on the table. ¡°Why are you here? You must be mad!¡±

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be happy to see me.¡±

    The guard gasped.

    ¡°Do you two know each other?¡±

    He could no longer hide his pain. His arms were crossed over his tabard and he kept grimacing.

    Kossi took a look at him, then at the open door. There was a blur of black clothes, and the next clear picture I saw was the guard falling to the floor, and the dragon with his fist still hanging in the air.

    ¡°He¡¯s alive!¡± Kossi protested, as if I had a reason to suspect he wasn¡¯t.

    I can see that. The moaning is a major clue.

    Since there was no need to keep speaking Inabarian, I switched to Brealian. ¡°I can¡¯t take you out of here, can I?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. I must obey Lord Saegorg, and he ordered me to stay in this room until he told me otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Then if we¡¯re stuck here, let me give us minimum intimacy.¡±

    I rushed to grasp the key, close the door and lock it from the inside. It¡¯d buy us time if things went south.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Kossi. ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk.¡±

 Chapter 31: Terrible Handwriting

    I looked at his full mouth, his wide nose, his eyes like molten gold. The scales on his cheekbones brought out how perfect his face was. A being so beautiful, and so powerful, didn¡¯t belong in this place.

    ¡°You know I¡¯m under a spell, don¡¯t you?¡± he asked in a sad voice. ¡°You have the power to see such things.¡±

    ¡°I do, but I didn¡¯t know it when you crashed into King Esthar¡¯s council room. It took me days to find out what I was capable of, and then we lost¡­¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m sparing you the details right now. We¡¯re running out of time.¡±

    ¡°I know. In less than three days, I¡¯ll be giving Esthar a choice between surrendering his throne and letting me scorch his land.¡±

    I tried to smile.

    ¡°This is what I¡¯m here to prevent. I traveled all the way here with two companions, because the only way I¡¯ll know how to help you is by taking a good look at your neck.¡±

    The guard lying next to us had a spasm. Kossi looked at him, then at me again.

    ¡°You¡¯re my only hope, you know. If you don¡¯t release me, I¡¯ll be forced to burn down cities and kill thousands, and it¡¯s a guilt I can¡¯t live with.¡±

    He took my hand and backed up to the bed. Why the bed? He could just sit down on the chair. What does he have in mind? As I was trying to keep my foolish brain from making up crazy theories, Kossi simply sat down on the edge of the bed, with both feet still on the floor, and lowered his head to expose the back of his neck.

    Okay, he just forgot there was a chair. Or he thought the bed would be more comfortable. Now, how do I stop my heart from racing?

    I climbed on the bed behind his back, struggling with the woolen skirt I wore over my pants. I balanced myself on my knees on the blanket, and then I gently pushed the dragon¡¯s black coils away from the glowing symbol only I could see.

    ¡°How did you know the sign was behind your neck?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s where it itches and burns, whenever I try to resist Saegorg¡¯s authority.¡±

    ¡°You were right, but, well¡­ This may take some time.¡±

    While most spells read like a word to me, or like a sentence, or a simple manual, this one was like an essay, written by a student with terrible handwriting. I¡¯d never seen anything that complex since I knew how to read magic.

    ¡°It took a whole ritual to subdue you, Kossi. From what I understand, it required years of preparation. And I certainly don¡¯t have years to find out how to get rid of it.¡±

    I can see how it works. Orders from his master override his will. However, information seems to only go one way. Saegorg can have Kossi say something specific, but he can¡¯t make him spit out everything he knows about a given subject. What¡¯s inside his head, he¡¯s still able to keep to himself. But even with such a limitation, doing this to a dragon must require an awful amount of magic!

    Kossi sighed. ¡°What¡¯s for me out there, if you can¡¯t release me of Saegorg¡¯s authority?¡±

    I tried to keep a neutral voice, but my hand clenched a bit on the hair I was holding away from his neck.

    ¡°King Esthar is setting an ambush for you in Carastra, with the Senior Magi and all his armies, save for a handful of soldiers that he sent after me when I refused to take part in his plan.¡±

    ¡°You ran away?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re a protector of Brealia and you were clearly acting against your will, so I chose to try and save everyone, including you. I¡¯m not a warrior, you know. I¡¯m a teacher. I want to bring the best out of people, not to butcher them!¡±

    Kossi put his hand over his shoulder, touching mine. ¡°Thrown into this world to be King Esthar¡¯s hero, and already standing up to him. I can¡¯t tell whether you¡¯re incredibly brave or incredibly foolish.¡±

    ¡°Both, of course.¡±

    And not so true to my supposed moral values. I hid, I stole and I lied to get to you.

    I let the spell unravel a little more before me. The more I stared at it, the more I understood its logic, as if new depths gradually came to the surface. There was a way out. There always was.

    Kossi sighed once more.

    ¡°I¡¯ll never thank you enough for coming to my rescue. You don¡¯t know me, after all. You only ever saw me as the terrible creature who burns villages and says awful things because his master tells him to.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true. That¡¯s all I saw of you.¡±

    ¡°So why are you here? Why did you think there was something to save?¡±

    ¡°I may not know you, but Princess Nigella does. She told me about you. She¡¯s the one who arranged my escape.¡±

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    As far as I know, she¡¯s still supporting me. I hope she won¡¯t be too disappointed with the result.

    ¡°Little Nigella?¡±

    His voice sounded just like a kind uncle¡¯s. I nodded.

    ¡°She misses you, Kossi. You¡¯re like family to her. Do me a favor, will you? Once you¡¯re free, spend more time with her. She brutally lost her mother and brother, in a world that won¡¯t let her grieve properly, so she needs a familiar figure by her side.¡±

    ¡°Well, if I survive this, I can try.¡±

    I looked up from his neck and stretched. ¡°I think I know all I need. The spell is bound to you by two seals that must be broken by two separate people. We should start with the first one right now. Stand up, please.¡±

    Of course it can¡¯t be simple. Of course there have to be two steps. And of course, the second one has to be far more difficult than the first!

    Through the open window, we could see the sky darkening outside. Kossi and I stood in front of each other. Okay, Alicia. Make eye contact, say the words and get out of here.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky, Kossi. The first seal can only be broken by someone who had nothing to do with the spell, but who sincerely wants to set you free. Hello, I¡¯m Al, and I¡¯m this person.¡±

    He smiled. ¡°Hello, Al. I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re here.¡±

    I¡¯m glad you are, but this is Saegorg¡¯s fortress, and there are countless places I¡¯d rather be.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get it over with. For the first step to work, we need to look into each other¡¯s eyes.¡±

    I put up my hands and held his face. It felt slightly warmer than human skin, and the scales were smoother than I¡¯d imagined. Oh dear, I could get lost in these eyes¡­

    I cleared my throat. ¡°Gold Dragon Kossi! I, Alicia Lebel, known in this world as the Great Hero Al, release you from the seal of the people!¡±

    I felt an energy wave run under his skin, very subtly, for a short while. Then reality became normal again. Kossi frowned.

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel any different. I¡¯m still bound to this place, and to Lord Saegorg¡¯s authority, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because the other seal, the seal of magic, remains. Let me take a look at your neck.¡±

    He pulled his hair up and turned around. The symbol hardly looked any different, but the magic had lost some of its depth and the spell didn¡¯t glow as much.

    I put up my thumb. ¡°Good! It worked. But now, the hardest part begins. I need to trick Saegorg into breaking the second seal.¡±

    ¡°Why Saegorg?¡±

    The surprise in Kossi¡¯s voice was unexpected. At this very moment, I knew the end of the quest would be even more difficult than I thought. I frowned.

    ¡°He¡¯s the one who put the spell on you, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    Kossi shook his head. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t him! Saegorg has no magic ability of his own.¡±

    My shoulders fell. It was someone else. But who? Turoch Garnet¡¯s lead went up in smoke with his grimoire. Someone must have elaborated on his old work, but I can¡¯t possibly find that person in two days, unless I¡­

    ¡°Al?¡± asked Kossi.

    I snapped back to the present. The dragon was staring at me.

    ¡°Do you need the wizard¡¯s name? I know it. It got imprinted in the spell when it was cast on me.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Uturi.¡±

    I never heard that name anywhere. This is not helping.

    ¡°Do you know who that person is?¡± I asked.

    Kossi shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t. I¡¯m sorry. I was in my lair and the wizard wasn¡¯t, so I didn¡¯t get to see him, just feel his spell and hear him transfer the control to Saegorg. That¡¯s when he used his name.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have the power to know it? You¡¯re a dragon, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and it doesn¡¯t make me omnipotent.¡±

    He crossed his arms.

    ¡°I¡¯m faster and stronger than most living creatures, I sense natural powers while humans can¡¯t, which is ridiculous, I can alter the shape and size of my body, but being a young Gold Dragon doesn¡¯t come with the ability to identify a random person at a distance. Uturi might be a well-known wizard, for all I know, but I never paid much attention to human magic users. Or to human celebrities, at all. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Then I must ask Cherub.

    I raised my hands in what I hoped was a soothing gesture.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I have someone I can get the information from. I¡¯ll sort it out¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too late! He knows.¡±

    All hope had vanished from Kossi¡¯s beautiful face. He caught my wrist, without violence, but I could feel his superhuman strength. Even though he didn¡¯t hurt me, there was no escaping his grasp. I remembered the head cook¡¯s words.

    He can snap a neck with one hand.

    I fought back the terror that made me want to struggle. I just looked up at the dragon¡¯s sad eyes.

    ¡°Is there nothing you can do?¡±

    ¡°I tried fighting back. It only hurts more. I¡¯m sorry, Al, but I can¡¯t let you go.¡±

    There was banging on the door. Kossi walked to it, shielding me from whatever was on the other side, and we both listened.

    Many voices. Probably guards. Someone angry asking us to open. I tried to think of a way out, but there was none. Even if I was foolish enough to try the open window, Kossi was holding my wrist, and he couldn¡¯t leave the room.

    We ignored the din until Kossi straightened again.

    ¡°This is it. I must open now. I hate being so powerless.¡±

    I tried to catch the key with my free hand, but he unlocked the door before I could do it. There was a bunch of guards in the corridor. Some of them looked sick, but they had spears and they could easily kill me. The officer at the door looked down at his fallen comrade.

    ¡°What did you do to him?¡±

    I wanted to lie. I wanted to pretend I was good old Alicia, Teya¡¯s friend, and the dragon guy with the golden eyes was holding me hostage. Then I remembered Saegorg knew. He had Kossi restrain me before he made him open the door.

    I couldn¡¯t lie anymore, so I just shrugged.

    ¡°He got hit on the head. He¡¯ll be fine soon.¡±

    The guards cautiously went around Kossi, pointing their spears at me.

    Please let Catalin and Chess out of it, I¡¯m the hero of Brealia, I¡¯m the one Saegorg wants¡­

    My heart sank as my friends were shoved into the room. The two of them were biting on cloth gags, and their arms were bound behind their backs. By the look of their hair and clothes, they¡¯d fought before being captured, but they weren¡¯t hurt.

    Pure terror shone in Catalin¡¯s eyes, while Chess¡¯s seemed to say ¡°I told you we had to be quick¡±.

    I can still find a solution. I can still keep them safe. Just let me think¡­

    The officer stood in front of me and barked at my face.

    ¡°Alicia! You lied your way into this place, pretending to be friends with cooks you¡¯d actually locked inside their own house. Lord Saegorg is on his way to show you how we deal with spies in Inabar!¡±

    Spies. There must be one somewhere, waiting to send a report to Faur.

    I put up my chin.

    ¡°I¡¯m a lot of things, Sir, but if you¡¯re looking for a spy, try someone else.¡±

    He slapped me hard with his gloved hand. The pain shot in all directions, red-hot, making me clench my teeth to suck in a cry of pain. I gave the man a look of defiance, a single tear rolling down my left eye. Kossi extended an arm as if to push him away, but his hand stopped mid-air and an elegant voice spoke from the threshold.

    ¡°Thank you for your diligence, Captain. I will now talk to the spy myself.¡±

    And Lord Saegorg walked into the room.

 Chapter 32: A Worthless Hero

    I pressed my temple with my free hand, trying to ease the pain pounding through my skull. I didn¡¯t expect a simple slap to hurt so much.

    Saegorg was about the same age as Esthar, possibly a little older. He had the same kind of noble figure and pale skin, except with a much bonier face structure.

    I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they really were distant cousins.

    He wore an embroidered black and yellow waistcoat that nearly reached his knees, assorted breeches, and a feathered cap covered his long straight copper hair.

    ¡°What did we catch here? I heard about three spies, but given their description, I think I know their true identities.¡±

    He gave a quick look at my companions, and stared at me with steel-gray eyes, up and down, as if he was trying to assess my worth. Then he laughed, to his guards¡¯ amazement.

    ¡°I knew it! You look so much like your description that there¡¯s no mistaking you for anyone else. Welcome to Malo, Great Hero Al!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even bother lying. I have spies like everyone else. The Great Hero Al is a forty-year-old woman, slightly taller than average, with straight brown hair and an oval face. She was last seen running away from Merumo with three young people, including a human cadet from the Royal Sword Academy and a Zimeon Magic Arts student.¡±

    He pointed to Chess, then to Catalin, and to add dramatic intensity to his words, he removed her headscarf and pulled on one of her rat ears, hard enough to make her scream through her gag.

    ¡°Stop hurting her!¡± I shouted.

    Saegorg let go of Catalin with a cruel smile.

    ¡°Why should I?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m the one you want! I¡¯m the Great Hero Al!¡±

    ¡°Oh, you admit it now.¡±

    He smirks as if he¡¯s won, and he has, in a way, but I accept defeat if it keeps his hands away from Catalin. I can take it all, Saegorg¡¯s ambition, his contempt for the innocent lives he¡¯s ready to take for a pointless throne. Just let him unleash it on me, not on my friends.

    I nodded.

    ¡°I do admit I¡¯m Al, Lord Saegorg. I¡¯m running away from King Esthar and his army, because, let¡¯s face it, the summoning failed and brought a coward instead of a hero. I won¡¯t fight you, or Kossi, or anyone. I¡¯m just good at running and hiding.¡±

    Saegorg laughed again.

    ¡°I was told to be wary of your tongue and I can see why! Kossi, let her go and leave her to me.¡±

    As soon as the dragon released my wrist, Saegorg grabbed my woolen vest with both hands.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an idiot, Al? You¡¯re probably used to fooling your way out of all sorts of situations, but I¡¯m not taking it. If you were a coward, you wouldn¡¯t be here, infiltrated in the keep of Malo Castle, trying to plot something concerning Kossi. What was your plan? Poison him like you poisoned my personnel? He¡¯s a Gold Dragon, he¡¯s immune to such a pitiful attempt!¡±

    I hadn¡¯t thought of it, but let¡¯s roll with his theory. Let¡¯s pretend it was my idea, and mine alone.

    I gathered my strength and tried to push Saegorg away. ¡°I had to try something! I couldn¡¯t let him kill innocent people for the sake of your conquest!¡±

    ¡°So you were actually trying to poison him? You¡¯re thicker than I imagined.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about this world, Lord Saegorg! Or about dragons! I¡¯m not thick, I¡¯m ignorant. And I¡¯m scared.¡±

    The last sentence wasn¡¯t a lie. I glanced sideways at Kossi.

    Please, I¡¯m sure you know better. Don¡¯t go believing I was tricking you. I¡¯ve been on your side, ever since I saw you struggle against that man¡¯s influence, back in Carastra. I¡¯m just improvising right now, because I want to save Catalin and Chess and I don¡¯t even know where to start!

    Saegorg tightened his grip on my clothes. ¡°Listen to me, Al. Whatever you were trying to do, it¡¯s over, now. If you wanted to act stupid, you should have stayed with Esthar. He¡¯s better than me at giving second chances.¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t. King Esthar wanted me to fight the dragon, and I knew I¡¯d never survive it.¡±

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    I must keep saying ¡°I¡±, never ¡°we¡±. If I leave the others out of the plan, Saegorg might leave them out of whatever he has in store for me.

    ¡°King Esthar,¡± he repeated with disgust in his voice. ¡°What did he want you to do?¡±

    ¡°Fight Kossi. He wanted me to be visible, to be the hero the people needed to see. I don¡¯t know anything else, I ran away before the first strategic meeting!¡±

    ¡°So you can¡¯t tell me what I should expect Kossi to find when he goes back to Carastra. How convenient.¡±

    Saegorg looked thoughtful for a moment. My heart beat so fast it hurt.

    Is he planning to torture the information out of me? I really don¡¯t know anything!

    He stared at me while I hyperventilated, drinking my fear like a good wine. Then he smiled.

    ¡°Do you know what your ignorance means?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°It means I, as Lord of Inabar, know more than you about the situation in Carastra, even though you¡¯re supposed to be the hero of Brealia! You have no skills, no brains, no valuable information. You¡¯re worthless, Al.¡±

    I cringed. Even coming from him, it hurts.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°But it makes sense. You¡¯re a worthless hero summoned by a worthless king. Do you know Esthar usurped his throne? He never deserved to rule Brealia!¡±

    I sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right. He didn¡¯t.¡±

    Saegorg¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°Esthar did nothing to deserve his throne.¡±

    ¡°Is it a second chance you¡¯re looking for? I might give it to you if you repeat it louder, for everyone to hear.¡±

    He turned me around to face his guards. Among them, Catalin and Chess stared at me in disbelief. I gave them a helpless smile. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing either, kids. I¡¯m just torn between my inability to get you out of here and my desire to speak the truth to that man¡¯s face before he has me chained in solitary confinement.

    ¡°Tell them how Esthar is a usurper,¡± insisted Saegorg.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe Esthar deserves to rule the Brealian kingdom.¡±

    As the guards gave me shocked looks, I repeated the same sentence, but this time, in Brealian, for my friends to understand.

    ¡°Esthar has no right to be king. Then again, neither do you, Lord Saegorg.¡±

    Saegorg gasped. ¡°What did you¡­¡±

    Catalin¡¯s eyes widened with horror and she shook her head as I went on.

    ¡°Absolute monarchy is a disaster, no matter who sits on the throne. No one should ever rule alone. Not Esthar, not you, just¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t get to finish my sentence. Saegorg threw me down to the floor and kicked me in the stomach. I clenched my teeth to avoid screaming.

    ¡°How dare you deny me of what I was born to have?¡± he shouted, pointing a finger at me.

    ¡°Exactly, you were born, and that¡¯s it! Where¡¯s the merit in that? How does that make you worthy of anything?¡±

    He grabbed me by the hair and pulled me up. It felt like having my scalp torn away from my head. This time, a little cry found its way out of my mouth.

    ¡°Does it hurt? Fine!¡± said Saegorg when I stood on my feet again. ¡°Look at your friends, Al. Even they are appalled. They might be half your age, but they¡¯re wiser than you. Maybe, just maybe, they can become suitable assets if we treat them the right way.¡±

    Good. He¡¯s not killing them. That¡¯s what I wanted.

    Saegorg pushed me in Kossi¡¯s direction, and the dragon caught both my upper arms in his hands.

    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± he whispered.

    I smiled. ¡°Take all the rage so they don¡¯t have to.¡±

    Saegorg pointed at Chess and Catalin. ¡°These two can still be changed, but there¡¯s no changing you, Al. You¡¯re too old, too foolish, and you don¡¯t even belong in this world. So this stops here. You¡¯ll have one last use, as an example.¡±

    I was scared, but I tried my best not to show it. What torture did he have in store for me? Would he go full Spanish Inquisition in front of my friends?

    Saegorg watched me turn pale with a triumphant smile.

    ¡°You two, watch and learn! This is what happens to fools who keep defying my authority when they¡¯re caught!¡±

    He leaned forward, so only I heard what he added in a whisper. ¡°They¡¯ll be starved for a few days, and then brought along to see the demise of Esthar¡¯s kingdom. It¡¯ll give them time to think. Do you think they¡¯ll choose wisely?¡±

    Before I could find an answer, he took a step back and pointed to the open window.

    ¡°Out with her!¡±

    My heard played a drum solo when Kossi began pushing me.

    Out? This way? With the cliff underneath? How am I supposed to survive it? Well, I guess I¡¯m not¡­ No, please, I¡¯m not ready!

    Catalin screamed my name into her gag. She tried to break away from the guards¡¯ grip, but she got hit behind the head and fell on her knees, tears running down her face. Seeing her like this was horrible. Was she crying over me, or over the fact that, as far as she knew, she no longer had a future?

    She must live. Even if I don¡¯t.

    ¡°Any last words?¡± asked Saegorg.

    I turned away from him. I¡¯d already told him what I wanted him to hear, so I talked to my friends instead.

    ¡°Catalin, Chess, don¡¯t regret me. I used you, I lied to you, I failed to trust you when you were more than deserving. Lord Saegorg is right. You¡¯re worth more than me. Please stay alive.¡±

    Chess shook their head while Catalin cried in silence.

    Do it, kids. Do whatever it takes to survive this.

    Kossi sat me on the windowsill with my back to the cliff. His perfect face looked terribly sad. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this.¡±

    He doesn¡¯t need to state it again. I know he¡¯s obeying Saegorg against his will, but I must focus on my immediate survival¡­

    ¡°I love you, Al,¡± he added.

    What?

    I shook my head.

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t. This is your trauma speaking. You can¡¯t love me, you just love the idea that someone came to your rescue. Besides, I¡¯m already engaged¡­¡±

    Kossi cut my sentence short by kissing me. His lips locked to mine, they parted slightly, and he breathed soft fire into my mouth. It went so fast that it left me speechless, breathless.

    I looked at him in shock as he tried to hold on to me. But the magic was too strong. He struggled against his own muscles for another second, then he pushed me away, far enough that I wouldn¡¯t hit the wall on my way down. As if he knew I wasn¡¯t out of options yet.

    For a fraction of a second, I didn¡¯t really fall. It felt like flying. Something was wrong with the universe and it¡¯d rearrange¡­ except it didn¡¯t.

    I fell. Fast. Wind swept past me. Saegorg joined Kossi at the window to watch me fall, but I could hardly see his face now. I was picking up too much speed. I closed my eyes, curled into a ball and called Cherub with all my heart.

    ¡°Cherub, I¡¯m falling off a cliff and I don¡¯t want to die!¡±

    ¡°This is quite a miracle you¡¯re asking for.¡±

    I knew it wouldn¡¯t be easy. I knew I wasn¡¯t supposed to survive, and many enemies of Inabar had probably known the same fate in the past. I might even find their remains down there. But what good was a guardian angel if they couldn¡¯t keep me safe?

    ¡°Can you do it or not?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best. Brace yourself, Al. I think I can rearrange enough reality to keep you alive, but this is going to hurt.¡±

    Over the sound of the wind, I heard various cracks and snaps in the forest below me.

 Chapter 33: The Traitor

    I had a feeling that I wasn¡¯t falling as fast as I should, but I wouldn¡¯t risk a glance. I wanted to reach the ground with both eyes intact, so I kept them shut, my whole body curled up to protect my vital organs.

    My guardian angel¡¯s evanescent voice came back to my mind.

    ¡°I did my best, Al. You should stay in one piece.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Cherub.¡±

    I hit a treetop, then another. Wood cracked. There were so many branches breaking one after the other under my weight. Splinters tearing my woolen clothes, getting through my pants and shirt, scratching my scalp. I bounced from one tree to the other in what felt like an endless game of pinball. It was pain and then more pain, breaking my resolve to stay curled up. Still, as my body flew across the forest, I kept my eyes closed and my jaws clenched, through the fear, through everything. And then I hit the ground, scattering a thick layer of leaves in the impact.

    This doesn¡¯t look natural.

    Cherub¡¯s thoughts echoed in my mind.

    ¡°I increased the elasticity of the wood, gathered a large amount of vegetation, and used a little wind to limit your acceleration.¡±

    ¡°It worked! I¡¯m alive! But I can¡¯t really move right now¡­¡±

    ¡°Can you feel your legs?¡±

    I wiggled my toes.

    ¡°A bit too much, to be honest. I didn¡¯t break my neck. You¡¯re the best angel, Cherub.¡±

    I lay on my back, on top of a large heap of dead leaves and dry pine needles. I checked one limb at a time. Nothing felt broken, but I couldn¡¯t get up yet, with my whole body so sore that every move was a torture.

    I saw the evening sky above me, through the hole my fall had torn in the canopy.

    I was alive.

    The night fell and I still hurt too much to move away from the heap of leaves. I heard wolves howling in the distance, and other animals walking around me. If any of them thought me dead, they didn¡¯t show it by trying to feast on me or anything. A predator could try its chance, though. I didn¡¯t know whether I could fight back at all.

    So I lay there, thinking.

    Kossi kissed me in front of Catalin.

    It wasn¡¯t the thought I was supposed to be contemplating, but the next step of my quest relied on finding the wizard Uturi, and I had to wait until the next day before I could ask Cherub for help, so I indulged in romantic angst for the night.

    What will she imagine? She must feel terribly betrayed, when the last she saw of me was a kiss with a man she¡¯d never met in his human form, and now she¡¯s locked in a cell, believing I fell to my death. Saegorg said he¡¯d starve her and Chess. I just hope they won¡¯t be tortured more than that. Hunger is difficult enough. Hunger, and believing I¡¯m dead.

    ¡°Catalin Robi, I love you!¡±

    A bird flew away.

    ¡°All right,¡± I added in a much lower voice. ¡°Shouting in a forest at night might not be the best thing to do, especially when I¡¯m not supposed to be alive.¡±

    Why did Kossi kiss me by surprise? I mean, it was an amazing experience, like fire that doesn¡¯t burn, and part of me craved it ever since I saw his human face in the council room, but he needs to learn a thing or two about consent!

    After a while, I had to reluctantly roll over and remove some of my clothes to relieve a human urge. It didn¡¯t smell or feel like I had internal bleeding, and my organs seemed to be in their right place. But even crouching was an ordeal, and I was feeling cold.

    My woolen skirt had been badly torn in the fall. I finished the job, turning it into some kind of cape, and I wrapped myself in it, curled up against a tree. I was glad I¡¯d kept my own clothes underneath my cook costume.

    Despite the pain, I managed to sleep a little.

    Dawn awoke me. Was it the light, was it the dew? Probably a bit of both. I sat up cautiously.

    Ouch! I¡¯m literally covered in cuts and scratches and I think I have a broken rib or two, but at least, my body doesn¡¯t hurt as much as it did yesterday. Now I need to be brave, stand up and walk.

    I felt hungry, but I had nothing to eat, and nothing that would help me get food, either. Our bags had stayed in the kitchen, up there, in Malo Castle, and what little equipment we had was now in the hands of Saegorg¡¯s guards. I searched my pockets for anything useful, cursing under my breath every time my ribs hurt.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    I had a lighter, a spoon, a folded piece of paper¡­

    What¡¯s this?

    I frowned and took out a small object I didn¡¯t remember carrying. It was round and wrapped in a sheet of soft paper.

    I carefully unfolded the package. A message was written inside.

    It¡¯s not Brealian or Inabarian. It doesn¡¯t even use the same alphabet.

    And yet, thanks to my gift of languages, I was able to read it.

    Lady Al, knowing your whereabouts fills me with joy, but also with worry, given your limited knowledge of our world. You will be welcome whenever you want to visit Elkodunar, provided you don¡¯t plan on invading the empire or murdering me. This little gift might help you. I look forward to hearing of your feats.

    There was no signature, but I didn¡¯t need it to understand who the letter came from. I even had an idea of the exact moment Faur had slipped it into my pocket without me or my companions noticing. Swift deceitful demon! I¡¯d sat on his lap for less than two seconds, when his coach had taken speed, and then he¡¯d grabbed me to put me back on my own seat. I hadn¡¯t even felt a thing.

    I sighed.

    ¡°So, tell me, Faur, dear sworn enemy, what is this device you gave me?¡±

    It looked like a compass with a complex dial. How am I supposed to use this? Faur, you wrote it yourself, I¡¯m not familiar with this world! What do you want with me?

    I sighed and rolled up my eyes. I¡¯m too old for these games of riddles. Then I turned the object around, and I understood. A spell was cast upon it. But what did it do?

    I spent some time reading the magic symbol that glowed on the brass surface.

    It can take me to a place of my choice. Is that why Faur mentioned I could come to Elkodunar? No, wait¡­

    The spell became clearer after a while.

    I need to have a mental picture of the destination, so I couldn¡¯t go to the Demon Empire even if I wanted to. It has to be a place I already know. The spell will only work once, and then, the compass will become normal, nonmagical.

    An enchantment designed for a single use? I¡¯d seen it before. A similar spell had protected Turoch Garnet¡¯s house, back on the banks of Lake Mera.

    The compass is beautifully crafted, though. I suppose I can keep it once the magic¡¯s gone, and learn how to use it in a more conventional way.

    But in the meantime, there was power in it. Power that could teleport me wherever I wanted.

    My heart wanted to see Catalin and tell her I was alive. I considered this option for a moment, before shrugging it off. It was too risky. A single use meant I could get into Malo Castle, but not out, and I¡¯d get caught again. I couldn¡¯t let Saegorg know he¡¯d failed to kill me.

    Moreover, there were two days left before the end of Kossi¡¯s ultimatum. At this point, I was alone, unable to reunite with my friends, and that hurt and disheveled hero was the dragon¡¯s only hope. If I didn¡¯t break the seal of magic that kept him under Saegorg¡¯s influence, he¡¯d either die riddled with bolts and spells, or survive the ambush and mercilessly kill King Esthar and all his council.

    Keep focused, Alicia. I couldn¡¯t go around contemplating disaster. There was one seal left, and the only person who could break it was a wizard named Uturi.

    The day had dawned, which meant I could ask for Cherub¡¯s help. I closed my eyes.

    ¡°Cherub? I¡¯m still alive, thanks to your help! Scratched and bruised, and I may have a broken rib or two, but I passed the night. I can walk. And I need your help again.¡±

    There was no answer.

    ¡°Cherub?¡± I insisted. ¡°I need you to help me find a wizard I don¡¯t know. All I have is his name, Uturi. What can you tell me?¡±

    ¡°You already know this person, Al. You met him.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°You know him as Senior Magus Pernel. That was your info for the day. Get well soon, isn¡¯t that what you humans say?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but¡­¡±

    Cherub¡¯s thoughts vanished from my conscience, leaving me in deep shock.

    Pernel. The Senior Magus with the rose gold hair. The one who¡¯d carried my voice like a megaphone, to guide as many people as I could out of the moat, back in Carastra. He was condescending and not very pleasant to be around, but he¡¯d helped me, so why would I even imagine he could be a traitor?

    The man who cast the spell on Kossi is one of King Esthar¡¯s closest advisors. He¡¯s involved in the military operation to bring the dragon down.

    I remembered the debate in the council room. All of the Senior Magi had agreed to kill the dragon fairly quickly, and Pernel had been the most vocal one, when it came to convincing advisors who brought up doubts. He wants it to happen. He wins either way: either Kossi dies and Brealia loses a major protector, or Kossi lives and has an opportunity to kill the king. How long has he secretly been working for Inabar?

    My head was spinning with hunger and dread. Pernel and King Esthar seemed rather close. I was pretty sure the king trusted his Senior Magus in a way he¡¯d never trust me. I couldn¡¯t just walk to him and say ¡°Hi, Your Majesty, this man is a traitor who only pushes you to ambush Kossi because it serves Saegorg¡¯s interests.¡± In fact, I probably couldn¡¯t even say ¡°Hi, Your Majesty¡± without being arrested.

    Yet, I had to find a way around that situation. I hated knowing that the wizard responsible for all we¡¯d been through was in Carastra all along. I was the Great Hero Al. I should have seen it coming.

    Come on, Alicia, I can¡¯t guess everything. I¡¯m not much of a hero.

    I breathed in.

    But I can try and act like one. I have innocent lives to spare, and two friends to free before they get tortured.

    I looked down at the compass in my hand. Carastra it was, then. I¡¯d find Uturi and confront him. But in my state, I couldn¡¯t face a Senior Magus alone.

    I need someone to help me. And I know who.

    I looked at the magic symbol again. I needed to put my fingertips in certain places around the compass, think very hard of the place I wanted to be transported to, and use a word of command. It was rather simple to everyone but me.

    To me, it¡¯d be a terrible experience, I knew it. Faur had teleported me before and it¡¯d made me feel sick, so a trip over a much longer distance would probably feel a lot worse. But I¡¯d sworn to save everyone I could, and the only way to achieve it was to do it at the expense of my poor stomach.

    It''s empty, after all. There isn¡¯t much I can throw up.

    I focused on my destination. The index finger goes here and the thumb goes there, and now, remember Carastra, Alicia!

    The world around me blurred.

    It was early morning and I could only hope to be fairly undisturbed in my landing spot, near the grotto in Lexas Gardens.

 Chapter 34: Lamb Stew

    As soon as I shifted from the forest in Inabar to the grotto in Lexas Gardens, I collapsed on all four, and all hell broke loose. Throwing up on an empty stomach was one thing. Throwing up on an empty stomach and with a broken rib was another level of horrible. I almost passed out from the pain. It felt like my whole digestive system hated me and wanted out. Well, I hate you too!

    My ribcage felt like it would burst with every spasm. And there were many of them, shaking my whole body, making me unable to sustain my own weight on my hands and knees. I ended up lying on the ground, trying very hard not to stain myself with the burning liquid pouring out of my mouth.

    My last meal was yesterday¡¯s lunch, how could there be so much left in my stomach?

    After what felt like an eternity of pain, I finally gathered enough energy to get up and stumble to the spring. I rinsed the bitter taste out of my mouth. Inside the grotto, the basalt dragon looked like an artist¡¯s rendition of a Gold Dragon, if the artist had only seen him from afar. All in all, it was cute, rather than majestic.

    I felt lightheaded, but I needed to go.

    The park was empty, so I had the rising sun all to myself while I walked among statues and topiaries. I searched my pockets for a piece of paper I¡¯d carried along for days, just in case, not actually believing I¡¯d need it.

    And I was well inspired, because I do need it now.

    I found it, unfolded it and followed the directions written on it.

    I walked out of Lexas Gardens through the north gate. There were carts everywhere, vegetable growers bringing their production to the market, farmers transporting live animals, men with barrels, women with eggs, in a profusion of noises and smells. Nobody paid me attention. Some people even seemed to look away on purpose.

    I let the livelihood of Carastra warm up my sore body. Food smells made my empty stomach groan. I was starving and out of money, which was almost as painful as my scratches, bruises and broken rib. But as long as I could walk, I wouldn¡¯t give up.

    I got lost in the streets until I recognized the narrow alleys and jettied upper floors of Potions¡¯ Corner. Once there, I took a better look at shop signs, which also meant I paid less attention to my feet. I tripped over uneven cobblestones, three, four times, and every time, I thought I¡¯d fall and fail to get up again.

    People weren¡¯t as indifferent in Potions¡¯ Corner as they¡¯d been near the marketplace. They gave me disgusted looks in passing, as if I was carrying some infectious disease. It made me smile. It¡¯d even make me chuckle if I wasn¡¯t hurt. I looked terrible, I felt terrible too, but if these were the reactions I attracted, it meant no one knew who I was. The Great Hero Al was still officially on the run, and certainly not back in Carastra, preparing to expose Senior Magus Pernel¡¯s treachery.

    There it is!

    The sign above me read ¡°Rare Woods for Enchantments¡± and the shop itself didn¡¯t look open yet. Then again, most of its neighbors were still closed, too. I knocked nevertheless, and a young woman in a striped apron opened the door. Her dark blue hair was held in a tight bun and she was holding a broom. Not the kind witches ride, just a very ordinary broom for sweeping floors.

    She looked me up and down and wrinkled her nose. ¡°We¡¯re closed.¡±

    As she began to close the door, I raised a hand.

    ¡°No, wait! I¡¯d like lamb stew, please.¡±

    She froze in place, puzzlement widening her eyes.

    She didn¡¯t expect me to know the password, but hello, here I am. I¡¯m not a beggar, I¡¯m not sick. Quite the contrary, actually.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit early for lamb stew?¡± the young woman asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s an urgent matter.¡±

    She looked left and right in the street, then she sighed.

    ¡°All right, come in. I¡¯ll get the stew.¡±

    She ushered me inside, made me sit on a chair in the middle of the shop, where none of the precious wood samples on the shelves was at arm¡¯s length, and disappeared out the back door. Was she afraid I might ruin her goods just by touching them?

    A moment later, the young woman came back with Vilo Jozin, the leader of the All One party. Back in Lexas Gardens, after our conversation, he¡¯d given me the paper with instructions for finding him.

    She pointed at me with a worried face.

    ¡°This is the woman I told you about. Deal with her, please. I want her out of my shop before I let customers in.¡±

    He squinted and blinked several times. Then he frowned.

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    ¡°Lady Al? Is that you?¡±

    I smiled.

    ¡°Nice to see you, Vilo. Or should I call you Lamb Stew?¡±

    He rushed to help me up from the chair.

    ¡°Come with me before my cousin beats us both with her broom.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you dodge the beating with your power?¡±

    The young woman clenched her teeth. ¡°Leave this shop or I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±

    Vilo took me to the shop¡¯s reserve, where narrow stairs led up to a hallway with three doors. I was wondering which one we¡¯d go through when he grabbed my arm.

    ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me¡­¡±

    And he walked right through the wall, pulling me into a corridor with a hardwood floor. My head was spinning from going up the stairs, and I looked around, disoriented. Vilo had an embarrassed smile.

    ¡°There¡¯s no door between my place and my cousin¡¯s shop. I wouldn¡¯t need a door at all if I was the only one who goes in and out of here, but some people do visit, you know.¡±

    ¡°Uh?¡±

    He ran a hand through his dark blue hair.

    ¡°Nevermind. Follow me.¡±

    The corridor led to a living room that overlooked the street. Vilo gave me a comfortable chair and sat down in front of me.

    ¡°What happened to you, Lady Al? You look terrible.¡±

    ¡°I fell off a cliff.¡±

    He frowned. ¡°A cliff? How high? You shouldn¡¯t even be alive, let alone able to walk!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a miracle, I know. But I¡¯m hurt, and my companions are held captive over there in Inabar, and I¡¯m running out of time to save Brealia.¡±

    Vilo held out a hand in front of him.

    ¡°Wait a second, Lady Al. Save Brealia from what?¡±

    Can he really be unaware of what¡¯s going on?

    I breathed hard enough to make my broken rib hurt.

    ¡°You mean you don¡¯t know? Didn¡¯t you notice a change in the military activity in recent days? Like they¡¯re preparing for something?¡±

    Vilo looked out of the window, but all there was to see was the opposite house. You didn¡¯t get a panoramic view in Potions¡¯ Corner.

    ¡°I heard you deserted and King Esthar was looking for you. Then again, right now, you can show up anywhere, all scruffy and bloody and wrapped in that horrible cape, and no one will think they¡¯re standing in front of the Great Hero Al.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a cape. It¡¯s a skirt that was torn.¡±

    My vision was turning black at the edges. Low blood pressure? I should rest my head against the back of the chair.

    Vilo sprang out of his chair.

    ¡°Lady Al? Are you all right?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I got cursed, I got captured, I fell off a cliff, and I¡¯m starving! But we¡¯re about to get attacked and I¡¯m the only one who still has a chance to prevent it. I don¡¯t have a choice, I must finish what I started. My friends are in jail. You must help me, Vilo!¡±

    He looked down at me, arms crossed, a storm raging in his dark blue gaze. ¡°Let¡¯s suppose I believe you. How long do we have left?¡±

    ¡°A little under two days.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s take care of you first. You¡¯re not getting anywhere or saving anyone in this state.¡±

    Vilo gave me a bowl of thick and creamy soup that helped me feel a little less lightheaded.

    ¡°Why do you keep calling me ¡®Lady Al¡¯ if you want to get rid of nobility?¡± I asked between two spoonfuls.

    ¡°Precisely because I do. I don¡¯t think you were born to a noble family, yet I believe that, even bruised and dirty as you are, you have a right to be called Lady, as much as anyone. Does it bother you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not used to it. I don¡¯t really like it, either.¡±

    To be honest, the only other person who calls me ¡®Lady Al¡¯ is Demon Lord Faur, and I think there¡¯s a fair deal of irony in his use of the title.

    Vilo nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll try to just call you Al, then.¡±

    After I ate, he left me alone in a small room with a large jug of hot water, soap and a sponge. I¡¯d have loved a bath, but this would do. I removed the dirt and dried blood from my skin, wincing every time the sponge touched a wound or a bruise, and I was literally covered in them. Nothing too deep or serious, fortunately. But washing my body helped me realize how badly the fall had hurt me, despite Cherub¡¯s precautions to save my life.

    Vilo knocked on the door.

    ¡°I brought you clothes. I¡¯m leaving them in the corridor. Help yourself.¡±

    With his power, he could walk through this door anytime, but I don¡¯t even think he¡¯ll try. For some reason, I feel safe here.

    I painfully brushed my tangled hair, held it up in my usual loose bun, and then peeked into the corridor.

    There were men¡¯s and women¡¯s clothes in neat piles on the floor. I cherry-picked items I liked and recreated my favorite look, with a shirt and bodice over comfortable pants. I couldn¡¯t lace the bodice the way I wanted, though. I had to keep it looser than usual, to spare my ribs.

    My boots were still usable. Vilo brushed the mud from them, then he handed them back to me.

    ¡°Now that you look better, Al, tell me what you¡¯re supposed to save Brealia from.¡±

    ¡°Kossi, remember?¡±

    He crossed his arms. ¡°How could I forget? Thirty dead and a destroyed garden, on the day you were summoned.¡±

    ¡°Well, it was only the beginning.¡± I pulled on a boot and began lacing it. ¡°Kossi is being used in a conspiracy, there¡¯s a spell controlling him, and long story short, we have two days left to stop the wizard who cast it.¡±

    ¡°What happens if we don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Kossi will murder King Esthar and his whole council.¡± I pointed a finger at Vilo. ¡°This isn¡¯t good news, Vilo Jozin!¡±

    He crossed his arms and puffed out his chest.

    ¡°Of course not! As much as I want Esthar to leave the throne and give equal opportunities to commoners and nobles alike, I¡¯m not cruel enough to rejoice if he gets burned to ashes.¡±

    ¡°If he died, Lord Saegorg of Inabar would claim the throne.¡±

    ¡°Well, he¡¯d have to fight me.¡±

    I now had both boots on, so I stood up and looked straight into Vilo¡¯s dark blue eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s not about you, Vilo. It¡¯s about using a dragon against his will to murder innocents. Possibly thousands of them. With your ability to go through anything, you¡¯d probably survive a war, but would you like to live in a barren country? Fuming ashes and starving survivors?¡±

    He smirked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you overdoing it a little?¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but by the time a disorganized kingdom gets rid of both Kossi and Saegorg¡¯s army, I honestly don¡¯t know what¡¯ll be left of it. So we act now. We expose the traitor, we free Kossi of the spell, Inabar doesn¡¯t attack and Brealia remains as we know it.¡±

    ¡°As we know it.¡± Vilo sighed. ¡°That is, with a king on the throne, paving the way for his crown princess of a daughter to reign after him and never be accountable to anyone. What¡¯s in it for me?¡±

    I tapped the tip of his nose. ¡°You¡¯re young, Vilo. You have a lifetime to bring about political change in this country. But here¡¯s what I can promise you right now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m all ears, Al.¡±

    ¡°Esthar chose to follow the crowd that wanted the dragon¡¯s head instead of listening to me. He even sent soldiers after me when I decided to do things my way. Come with me and you¡¯ll get to prove him wrong in front of his whole council.¡±

    Vilo frowned.

    ¡°This is hard to believe. Is it true?¡±

    ¡°All of it. Why would I trick the only person in the world who¡¯ll always escape?¡±

    A wide smile lit up his face. ¡°Count me in, Al! All One has a protest scheduled tomorrow. I¡¯ll gather my friends and see how we can work together.¡±

 Chapter 35: The Troublemaker

    Vilo left me alone for some time. I mostly dozed on a chair, wondering what Catalin and Chess were going through. If I had enough energy, I¡¯d run across the city and jump at Pernel¡¯s throat. But I was hurt and tired, so I waited.

    When Vilo came back, using the door that led to the side of the block opposite his cousin¡¯s shop, there were a couple of people with him. He carried a small cask that he put in the tiny corner of the apartment he used as a kitchen. Then, as more people arrived, he served glasses of cider.

    There were about fifteen of us squeezed into the small living room. Vilo made the introductions.

    ¡°Friends, this is the Great Hero Al.¡±

    ¡°Just Al, thank you.¡±

    He smiled. ¡°Al went missing for several days, because she refused to comply with King Esthar¡¯s orders regarding the Gold Dragon¡¯s attack. She gathered crucial information, she almost lost her life in the process, and she decided we¡¯d be the right people to share her knowledge with.¡±

    I initially trusted you with the information, not your friends, but I understand why you want them involved.

    As I opened my mouth to talk, a young woman spoke first.

    ¡°Is that why you look so terrible, Al?¡±

    Thank you, I needed that¡­

    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not that badly hurt. It¡¯s mostly scratches that will heal soon. Now that I have your attention, can you listen, please?¡±

    I went through a simplified story of my journey to Inabar. I summed up the situation, the spell compelling Kossi to obey Saegorg¡¯s orders, and how the latter could control the former at a distance. I insisted that the dragon was completely subdued and that every attempt at resisting was not only useless, but extremely painful for him.

    ¡°Some of you are furious at Kossi and it¡¯s perfectly understandable, but he¡¯s not the one pulling the ropes. One of the Senior Magi is a traitor. He cast the spell on the dragon, he¡¯s the only person who can break the last seal that¡¯s keeping him under control, and he intends to have him slaughter the king and his council, the day after tomorrow. This is why I need to confront him tomorrow, in front of as many witnesses as possible, and find a way to coerce him into breaking the seal.¡±

    Skeptical gazes turned to Vilo, who nodded.

    ¡°I trust Al. Anyway, she¡¯s the one who¡¯ll confront the sorcerer. The plan is only to take advantage of our protest tomorrow. We all divert Esthar¡¯s guards¡¯ attention, I get Al where she needs to go, and that¡¯s all.¡±

    One man raised his hand.

    ¡°Why must we act tomorrow? Isn¡¯t it better to first let the Gold Dragon rid us of the king, and then break into action?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± said Vilo. ¡°He¡¯d kill innocent people before we can stop him, and I¡¯m not supporting this. If you are, get out.¡±

    There was a moment of silence as everyone in the room considered their options. Finally, Vilo¡¯s companions all chose to stay.

    ¡°What should we do?¡± they asked.

    ¡°We¡¯ll hold the protest as close as possible to where Al¡¯s target will be. Al, you mentioned King Esthar¡¯s council earlier. Do you know where they¡¯ll be tomorrow?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°There¡¯s a strategic meeting every morning, to prepare the ambush against the dragon Kossi. I never actually attended it, since I escaped Carastra before the first one, but I was told it took place at the Royal Sword Academy.¡±

    Everyone in the room frowned in disbelief.

    ¡°Meetings should be held at the palace! Doesn¡¯t the king have a room for that?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, but the council room suffered significant damage. It¡¯s unlikely to be usable before¡­¡±

    I paused to think. Kossi had smashed the beautiful stained-glass window. Since there wasn¡¯t such a thing as standard glass panels in this world, given the size of the windows in the council room, a decent replacement would take weeks at best, even if it was ordinary glass.

    In a medieval castle, they¡¯d hold meetings in there anyway. Luckily for me, Brealian comfort standards seem to dictate otherwise. I won¡¯t need to sneak into the palace itself.

    ¡°I¡¯d say at least a month. In the meantime, we should expect meetings to take place elsewhere. In this case, I¡¯m almost sure King Esthar and his whole council will be at the Royal Sword Academy tomorrow at eight.¡±

    ¡°Almost,¡± Vilo repeated.

    He ran a hand through his dark blue hair.

    ¡°Lily, Riban, can you check this information and report to me in the afternoon?¡±

    A man and a woman nodded quickly. ¡°Of course, Vilo!¡±

    They waved at the others and left the place.

    While the rest of us waited, we discussed all kinds of topics. Some members of All One asked me for additional details, which I was happy to provide. I wanted them to trust me the way their leader did. The more information I shared with them, the more likely they¡¯d be to understand I wasn¡¯t lying.

    Except I did lie. When asked how I¡¯d been able to get back to Carastra so quickly, I pretended the enchanted compass was a gift from Princess Nigella. I didn¡¯t want to admit I¡¯d met Faur, let alone negotiated with him. Elkodunar wasn¡¯t technically at war with Brealia, but my whole existence was supposed to revolve around defeating the Demon Lord, not reluctantly agreeing to ride on his coach.

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    I must sort this out once Kossi¡¯s problem is solved. I can¡¯t go around forever pretending to be the hero who¡¯ll put an end to some imaginary threat. There are more interesting things to do, if I want to bring prosperity to the kingdom.

    The rest of the time, we wondered how to adjust the logistics of the protest. All One was supposed to gather at nine, near the south bridge of the palace. If the meeting did take place at the Royal Sword Academy, people would need to come together earlier and in a slightly different location, near the north bridge. The place wasn¡¯t much of a problem. All One could even invade the moat if they wanted. What really mattered was the time. If we wanted to disrupt the meeting enough to let me slip in unnoticed, there needed to be a noisy crowd at eight. No sleep-in for the revolution.

    Lily and Riban finally came back with a confirmation for the time and place I¡¯d announced. Vilo nodded contentedly.

    ¡°Good. Did you find out where exactly in the Academy?¡±

    They shook their heads, but an older man raised his hand.

    ¡°I used to be a janitor there, Vilo. The only suitable place is the demonstration room. It¡¯s big enough to accommodate the whole council, and there are only two doors, so it¡¯s easy to guard. I can tell you where it is.¡±

    I didn¡¯t fully understand his explanation, but Vilo seemed to. Since he was the one who should help me inside, if one of us knew where to go, it was enough.

    He then proceeded to assign a task to every person in the room. Each one was to contact a group of people and warn them of the change in the organization. The protest would take place on the square between the Royal Palace and the Royal Sword Academy. Should anyone ask why, they¡¯d explain that the king would join a meeting at eight o¡¯clock and that he¡¯d pay more attention to a crowd hindering him on the way.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a lie,¡± he added. ¡°We¡¯re asking for a tax relief tomorrow, and we intend to get it. I¡¯ll just help Al at one point.¡±

    One by one, his companions left. There were only the two of us in the apartment, and I was surprised to find that the living room wasn¡¯t so tiny after all.

    Vilo had a smug smile.

    ¡°You owe me one, Al.¡±

    ¡°You mean the prospect of Esthar having to admit he was wrong in front of his council isn¡¯t enough for you?¡±

    ¡°Certainly not. I expect you to side with us in the future.¡±

    How cunning of him to only bring it up after his whole party agreed to help me. Now I¡¯m stuck with a debt.

    I sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t promise I¡¯ll support you no matter what, Vilo. But as long as you seek equal chances and don¡¯t mercilessly kill all nobles in the process, consider me your ally.¡±

    Vilo¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.

    ¡°You sound more reluctant than I expected, but thanks, I guess. I won¡¯t let you forget.¡±

    ¡°I know. You¡¯ll come for me wherever I hide.¡±

    I failed to smile this time. This is a major political change he¡¯s asking for. It¡¯ll either take time or take force, and I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll have the patience. I can¡¯t blame him. I¡¯m just worried about the casualties.

    Vilo looked around us and pointed to the kitchenette.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a spare room or even a spare bed, so I¡¯ll leave you here tonight. Help yourself to whatever you want in the pantry. In your state, I advise against going out tonight, but I won¡¯t leave anyone at the door to keep you in. You don¡¯t need a guardian.¡±

    But I don¡¯t want to be alone!

    I frowned. ¡°What about you?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I have other options. I¡¯ll be back in the morning.¡±

    ¡°No, wait!¡±

    But he¡¯d already walked right through the wall, where I couldn¡¯t follow him.

    There was reasonably fresh bread in the pantry, along with dried meat I couldn¡¯t identify. I kept looking outside as the night fell, wondering if I should try my luck outside, but realizing I had nowhere to go. The only person I wanted to talk to was Princess Nigella, and she was out of reach.

    Vilo¡¯s bed was narrow, but at least, there was no green wallpaper in his room. It took me hours to fall asleep, and not only because of the pain. I kept thinking of the thousand ways I could fail, and of the harm it¡¯d do to everyone around me. I owed Catalin a better life. I wanted Chess to smile again. I had so many ideas to make the Brealian kingdom a better place, ideas I hadn¡¯t had a chance to tell the king or the crown princess about, because I¡¯d been summoned at the wrong time!

    Vilo came back at dawn, smelling of floral perfume. I bet his night was better than mine. He wore a dagger at his side and his eyes gleamed with excitement.

    ¡°Today is the day we save Brealia!¡±

    ¡°Or die trying,¡± I answered in a sigh.

    The bruise on my side, where my rib was broken, was more defined now. It helped me know where not to put a finger.

    Vilo tilted his head with a smile.

    ¡°You look good at cheating death.¡±

    ¡°My ribs beg to differ.¡±

    He giggled. ¡°The Almighty watches over you, Al. Please wear this.¡±

    He handed me a man¡¯s dark brown coat, big enough to hide my figure. In a crowd, it¡¯d help me avoid detection.

    ¡°Ready to go?¡±

    I nodded in return.

    Vilo took me through the walls, leaving me wondering why his power didn¡¯t make me sick the way teleport spells did. As other worlds go, I¡¯m lucky I didn¡¯t end up in a sci-fi spaceship. I¡¯d keep throwing up all over the teleporter room.

    We left Potions¡¯ Corner and got closer to the palace. Of course, the area was guarded, but the crowd gathering near the north bridge was clearly attracting most of the guards¡¯ attention. We could blend in with the normal animation of the city, slightly apart from the protesters. There were crossbows pointed at them.

    Will any of these men lose temper and open fire?

    As I thought this, I realized these protests had gone on for months, and Esthar still hadn¡¯t repressed them in blood. From what I¡¯d gathered the day before, his guards had only arrested a few leaders, although Vilo Jozin himself remained impossible to catch.

    It meant there was still hope. The king didn¡¯t wish to crush All One into despair. Perhaps he could be talked into agreeing with some of their demands.

    We blended in with the crowd near the north bridge. They chanted slogans asking for tax relief, to make up for the rising prices of basic goods. When guards walked out of the palace and pushed them to the sides, they booed enthusiastically.

    One universe away and it feels so much like a student protest.

    We couldn¡¯t see beyond the cordon, but I suspected the guards were securing King Esthar¡¯s route from the palace to the Royal Sword Academy. At least the man didn¡¯t take a coach just to cross a city square. Not even a horse, or he¡¯d tower over the crowd, which wasn¡¯t the case.

    Vilo elbowed our way out of the bustle and near the fence that bordered the Academy.

    ¡°Go on for a moment, follow the fence. We¡¯ll meet at the side gate.¡±

    He walked away from me, through the crowd, got closer to an officer on horseback, and shouted on top of his lungs.

    ¡°Freedom and justice for the people!¡±

    I smiled. I¡¯ll take truth and a hard-boiled egg anytime.

    ¡°He¡¯s here!¡± shouted the officer. ¡°The troublemaker!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t see what happened, but Vilo was obviously evading all attempts to seize him, either by physically dodging them or by using his natural power. Nobody was looking my way anymore. I edged my way to a secondary entrance, as we¡¯d agreed on the previous day.

    A row of footmen and a handful of horsemen pushed the crowd away. The king was probably sheltered between them, out of sight, ready to enter the Academy.

    ¡°Here I am!¡± announced Vilo from behind me. ¡°We should get inside while no one pays attention to us.¡±

    He grabbed my arm. Thanks to his power, we crossed the fence, then the wall, where the older man had told us the demonstration room was. We arrived behind a thick red curtain. Judging by the noises, there were people gathered inside. Too bad it¡¯s already crowded. I wish I could see where Pernel is. I mean, Uturi.

    ¡°Advisors, His Majesty, King Esthar!¡± called a voice.

    The murmurs stopped. For a moment, all I could hear was the muffled sounds of steps on the carpets. What was going on in there? I tried to peek behind the curtain.

    Someone caught my arm and pulled me into the room. It was an officer in a fancy uniform, and everyone was staring at me, including the king.

 Chapter 36: The Flame

    ¡°Here¡¯s your spy!¡± said the officer, bringing me closer to the center of the room.

    The demonstration room looked like an old-fashioned gymnasium, with a high ceiling, a wooden floor partly covered in carpets, and a balcony that overlooked the place, probably for sword masters to observe their students from above. There was one door at floor level, with soldiers on either side, and another on the balcony, guarded by one soldier.

    A table had been placed in the middle of the room, with a model of the palace on it. I looked around and recognized the king, the crown princess, the five Senior Magi, a dozen officers and a handful of advisors, all standing around the table. I recognized Lord Gimon and Lord Torren among them. They¡¯d probably been about to sit down when they¡¯d noticed me.

    Archbishop Terru was nowhere to be seen. I supposed that, although his initial blessing had been welcome, his presence wasn¡¯t needed for planning a battle.

    King Esthar was as dignified as usual, but his eyes clearly wished they could kill.

    ¡°Great Hero Al! Where were you all this time? You could have entered through the main door if you wanted to attend this meeting. After all, we were counting on you, before you let us down.¡±

    I checked behind me, and there was no one behind the curtain. Vilo had escaped through the wall.

    I was hoping he¡¯d stay with me to witness the confrontation, but he only promised to get me inside. He has a protest outside, after all. He should be with his party, not with me.

    Yet, I couldn¡¯t help feeling betrayed.

    ¡°Do you have anything to say before we throw you in a cell, where you belong?¡± Esthar insisted.

    The five Senior Magi were standing near the king and princess. All of them had taken a protective stance, but their facial expressions varied. Naenar, the elderly bald man, looked focused and determined. Malin, the woman with the silver bob, was clearly confused. The other two expressed varying degrees of defiance. Pernel, on the other hand, glowered at me, outraged.

    He must know I took a fatal fall from the keep of Malo Castle, he can see the scratches and bruises on my face proving it, and he doesn¡¯t understand how I can still stand before him. But I¡¯m clearly not in a strong position right now. If it boils down to his word against mine, he¡¯ll win.

    I still had to make a move, so I raised my chin and answered the king¡¯s question.

    ¡°As a matter of fact, I do have something to say, Your Majesty. There¡¯s a traitor in this room and I came back from the shores of death to expose him.¡±

    For a second, I could have heard a pin drop, then the king spoke.

    ¡°How dare you show up in this room and throw such an accusation?¡± Cold anger shone in Esthar¡¯s blue eyes. ¡°You deserted, you jeopardized our operation despite knowing that the future of Brealia depends on it. If there is a traitor among us, it has to be you.¡±

    I was beginning to sweat in my borrowed coat. I still met the king¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°I did run away, which counts as betrayal, but I came back, Your Majesty. To warn you. To put an end to what¡¯s going on before the situation gets out of hand.¡±

    ¡°I will not listen to one more word from your mouth, Al. We are handling the situation as best we can. We scheduled tomorrow¡¯s operation without you, and we will conduct it as planned.¡±

    He gestured at the officer to bring me to the door.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know why I came back to Carastra?¡± I asked.

    Esthar shook his head.

    ¡°We will deal with you once Kossi and Saegorg are rendered harmless.¡±

    He claims he won¡¯t listen to me, but he does! I must drop the name before I¡¯m carried out of this room.

    The officer was about to hand me to the soldiers near the door. I twisted my neck and shouted.

    ¡°One person in this room is uncomfortable at my sight because he thought I fell to my death two days ago! He¡¯s worked for Inabar for a long time!¡±

    Pernel¡¯s face flushed. If he spoke up, he¡¯d bring attention to himself, which was probably the last thing he wanted. Luckily for him, Lord Gimon was the first to sigh.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you take her out faster?¡± he asked in an annoyed voice.

    The soldiers startled and caught my arms. I only shouted louder.

    ¡°I know who you are, Sir Pernel! I know your real name is Uturi!¡±

    I thought everything would fall into place after the revelation. I hoped I¡¯d be released, or at least, someone would ask me more questions. But the king only clapped his hands.

    ¡°Enough! You will not throw random accusations, Al. Besides, Sir Pernel is possibly the last person in this room who could be suspected of treachery.¡±

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    The sorcerer with the rose gold hair nodded.

    ¡°I appreciate your trust, Your Majesty.¡±

    One soldier opened the door. I was about to be pushed into the corridor when Princess Nigella spoke.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    There was a second of silence. I was turning my back to the room, so I couldn¡¯t see what was going on.

    ¡°Great Hero Al, where did you hear the name Uturi?¡± the princess asked from the table.

    I was turned back in her direction, and one soldier shook my arm, prompting me to answer the question. Half the assembly was already looking away, but many gazes were still on me, including Pernel¡¯s.

    King Esthar looked at his daughter.

    ¡°Al obviously sided with Saegorg. He must have told her the name. Or perhaps she saw it in a family tree in Malo.¡±

    ¡°I still would like to know. What is your answer, Al? This is a name no one heard in a long time.¡±

    They both know who Uturi is. I hope I¡¯m not the only one here who doesn¡¯t. It would make me feel very stupid.

    I bowed my head. ¡°I managed to meet the dragon Kossi, Princess. He told me who cast the spell on him and subdued him to Lord Saegorg.¡±

    ¡°Kossi¡­¡±

    Her face turned pink and she moved closer to Pernel.

    The Senior Magus stepped back when she stared at his face. ¡°Princess, this makes no sense! How can one person, who has no knowledge of our world, go to Malo and back, and meet Kossi in-between, without getting caught by Saegorg¡¯s guards? The only reason she¡¯s here is that she works for Inabar! And she certainly never met the Gold Dragon!¡±

    ¡°And yet¡­¡±

    Nigella rose on tiptoe, as close as she could to Pernel¡¯s face, while he kept turning his head, obviously trying to avoid her gaze.

    ¡°Even the most powerful Senior Magus cannot hide his eyes,¡± she said in a dreamy voice.

    His eyes. His steel-gray eyes. I met someone else who had the exact same gaze, and he had me killed in front of my friends. Or so he thought.

    I blinked. ¡°Uturi is related to Saegorg?¡±

    ¡°Uturi is Saegorg¡¯s younger brother,¡± replied Princess Nigella. ¡°He went missing over twenty years ago, and until today, the common understanding was that Saegorg killed Uturi, lest he challenged him for the throne.¡±

    ¡°What a lovely sense of brotherhood.¡±

    Pernel shook his head, making a nice show of discarding the princess¡¯s hypothesis.

    ¡°My eyes,¡± he sneered. ¡°Are they even supposed to mean anything?¡±

    He looked at King Esthar.

    ¡°Your Majesty, I don¡¯t know what Crown Princess Nigella holds against me, but this is beyond ridiculous. With all due respect, we¡¯ve known each other for a long time. I didn¡¯t become one of your Senior Magi by accident. I served Brealia before the princess was born.¡±

    The king sighed. ¡°We have no time for this nonsense. Take Al to a cell, now.¡±

    The two soldiers pulled me through the door again. Princess Nigella looked at me with tears in her eyes, while Senior Magus Pernel gleamed with pride.

    ¡°Shall we be ready for the ambush tomorrow?¡± asked the king, already acting as if I didn¡¯t exist.

    But I wasn¡¯t ready to disappear. It was my last chance, so I spoke as fast as I could.

    ¡°No! Saegorg expects this ambush, he even hopes for it, and as soon as the first shot strikes Kossi, the Gold Dragon will retaliate and obliterate this whole council!¡±

    ¡°Be quiet!¡± said Pernel.

    He pointed a finger at me, and I felt my voice die. My words were reduced to a whisper no one could hear. Oh, no, you don¡¯t!

    I found the spell inside my throat. It could be undone by repeating a formula, which I mouthed. My voice came back just as one soldier opened the door.

    ¡°You¡¯re not silencing me with your spell, traitor!¡± I shouted at the top of my lungs.

    Pernel glared at me. ¡°How did you¡­¡±

    Once again, the soldiers stopped. I was standing in the corridor, one small step away from the demonstration room, and I could have heard a pin drop.

    The other Senior Magi probably felt the magic. They know he cast a spell. They know I¡¯m not accusing him out of nowhere.

    King Esthar shot a questioning glance at Naenar, who nodded.

    ¡°Was it a silence spell, as Al claimed?¡±

    Another nod.

    Princess Nigella pointed a finger at Pernel¡¯s chest, a gesture so out of place, coming from her, that several people winced around the table.

    ¡°Sir Pernel, is there something you do not want this assembly to hear?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. This woman was only annoying all of us, and probably trying to buy some of our precious time. I wanted to spare everyone the inconvenience.¡±

    ¡°This woman is the one you chose to summon on our behalf. If she faltered, some of the guilt falls on you.¡±

    The princess looked at the Senior Magus, then at me.

    ¡°Great Hero Al, as crown princess of the Brealian kingdom, I grant you one last sentence to prove your claim. Speak wisely.¡±

    How am I supposed to prove anything? I didn¡¯t bring back any signed paper from Saegorg or from Kossi. All I have is my wounds, and I literally could have gotten them by falling into a pile of trash.

    I took a deep breath.

    What if I asked Cherub for¡­ I don¡¯t even know what to ask.

    ¡°I bear cuts and bruises all over my body because Saegorg had Kossi throw me off a cliff in Malo.¡±

    The disappointment on Nigella¡¯s face confirmed that it wasn¡¯t enough. I had a bitter smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Princess, I understand you need more proof, but this is all I have. A miracle, because I ought to have died in the fall, and Uturi¡¯s name. I did all I could to prevent the bloodbath, but it looks like all I could wasn¡¯t enough.¡±

    Pernel looked relieved. King Esthar sighed.

    ¡°That was your last chance. I will talk to you later, Al.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t she be telling the truth?¡± asked one advisor.

    ¡°I believe in Sir Pernel. Let us begin this last meeting.¡±

    I knew it. I knew the king would never trust me as much as he trusted the sorcerer. That was why I¡¯d never intended to come straight into the middle of the room. I¡¯d planned to observe and find a weak point before showing myself. The only thing I didn¡¯t see coming was my getting noticed as soon as I set foot behind that curtain.

    The officer and his soldiers hesitated, glanced sideways at Pernel, but they had their orders.

    ¡°We must take you away,¡± apologized one soldier in a whisper.

    Why must I fail now? What¡¯ll happen to Catalin and Chess now that I let them both down? I did meet Kossi, I¡¯m one step away from freeing him, I can¡¯t give up now! I must prove I saw him and kissed him and¡­

    A sudden vertigo made my knees weak, and the soldiers holding my arms had to physically support me to keep me upright. There was something wrong in my body. I hickuped. Then I understood.

    It¡¯s back. I thought it¡¯d died, but it was inside me all this time.

    ¡°Kossi gave me this!¡± I said right before a flame that didn¡¯t burn thrust my head back and escaped through my mouth.

    The whole assembly, including myself, gasped in surprise.

    So that¡¯s why he kissed me. He hid a flame inside my body, as a token of his will to be freed before it¡¯s too late. He doesn¡¯t really love me after all, it was a small lie to justify the kiss.

    ¡°Kossi!¡± exclaimed Princess Nigella.

    Even from a distance, I could nearly see the sparkle in her eyes. King Esthar turned to Pernel, whose face was turning pale by the second.

    ¡°Sir Pernel, did Al gain the ability to breathe fire while she was away?¡±

    For a second, there was no reply, no sound in the demonstration room. Then Senior Magus Malin volunteered an answer.

    ¡°The flame wasn¡¯t hers, Your Majesty. It was a Gold Dragon¡¯s flame. Probably Kossi¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°How do you¡­¡±

    The king never finished his sentence. Halfway through it, Pernel had cast a spell and vanished from the room.

 Chapter 37: Losing Time

    I startled. ¡°Is Sir Pernel gone, or did he turn invisible?¡±

    All Senior Magi squinted at me. ¡°Invisible? How would he even do that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, illusion magic, something¡­¡±

    Senior Magus Malin shook her head.

    ¡°It was a warp step.¡±

    Short-range teleport spell. Faur used it on us, back in Sanajec.

    ¡°Then he must still be around. We must go after him!¡± I said.

    I struggled to escape the soldiers¡¯ grip, but they still held me. They looked at each other, then at their officer, who silently asked the king for instructions. Esthar was still looking wide-eyed at the place where Pernel used to stand. He finally sighed.

    ¡°You can let her go, but keep a close eye on her. Someone please warn every guard in the building that Sir Pernel should not be allowed out!¡±

    As soon as the soldiers freed me, I took off the coat I¡¯d been wearing. My broken rib made me wince.

    ¡°We must find Sir Pernel,¡± I insisted.

    ¡°Why?¡± asked King Esthar.

    Senior Magus Naenar nodded. ¡°Whatever he does now won¡¯t matter. He attended all our meetings, so any information he might have given to Inabar, he already knows. He¡¯ll probably hide somewhere and wait for tomorrow¡¯s confrontation to happen.¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow, we will arrest him,¡± added the king.

    ¡°He won¡¯t attack us in the meantime. He¡¯s no match for the four of us.¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to deny your competence, or my own ignorance, but¡­¡±

    I put my hands on my hips. Why do they keep denying the obvious? I could expect it from four-year-olds, but not from grown-ups trying to manage an emergency!

    ¡°Your Majesty, Princess, distinguished Senior Magi and advisors, I think I mentioned the dragon Kossi was under a spell, as some of us suspected from the beginning.¡±

    Princess Nigella nodded. ¡°You did, Great Hero Al.¡±

    ¡°The spell was bound to him by two seals. And Pernel, or rather, Uturi, vanished as soon as he saw the flame coming out of my mouth, because he understood what it meant. He knew I¡¯d been physically close to Kossi, enough to break the first seal.¡±

    I even got closer than needed, but I didn¡¯t volunteer for it.

    ¡°Now, only Uturi can break the last remaining seal! This is why he wants to hide. We must find him now, and devise a way to make him free Kossi.¡±

    The female Senior Magus who wasn¡¯t Malin, a short woman with dark gray hair kept in a long plait down her back, walked to me.

    ¡°Great Hero Al. One moment, it sounds like you know nothing about magic, and the next, you say you broke one seal and know how to break the other. How is it even possible?¡±

    I rubbed my loose bun.

    ¡°I have little to no theoretical knowledge of magic, excuse me, I don¡¯t remember your name¡­¡±

    ¡°Kseya. Go on.¡±

    ¡°But during my journey, I discovered my natural power. I can understand a spell if I look at it hard enough.¡±

    Kseya gave me a skeptical look.

    ¡°Really? What kind of seal is it, then? Is Sir Pernel really the only one who can break it?¡±

    At this point, king or no king, official meeting or not, I rolled my eyes.

    Is it a game? Are we trying to waste as much time as possible while Uturi goes the Almighty knows where?

    ¡°It¡¯s a seal of magic. Yes, I¡¯m sure. I was able to break the seal of the people by fulfilling the right conditions and saying the right words, so please trust me on this one. Only the caster can break that seal. According to Kossi, Uturi is the caster, and Sir Pernel¡¯s behavior hardly leaves any doubt about his true identity. Can we go after him, now, please?¡±

    Given my situation, I couldn¡¯t just run on my own, so here I was, begging for a chance to save the very people who kept delaying my action. It made me feel like a small kid asking to use the bathroom, even though thousands of lives were at stake.

    The four remaining Senior Magi exchanged glances, then Naenar stroke his beard.

    ¡°Indeed, a true Seal of Magic can only be undone by the caster themself.¡±

    I could literally hear the capital letters in his voice.

    ¡°But do we really need to catch him?¡± asked Malin.

    I pointed to a direction I hoped was north. ¡°There¡¯s a Gold Dragon out there, who¡¯s about to roast an indefinite number of King Esthar¡¯s subjects, and who really wishes he didn¡¯t have to. I¡¯d also sleep better if I could save those lives. Wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

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    Malin nodded slowly. ¡°Of course. But he might be far away as we speak. Do you know where to look?¡±

    It took me all my willpower to refrain from facepalming. I¡¯ve been trying to get you all to move for at least three minutes! I sighed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll know it in a moment.¡±

    ¡°Your natural magic again?¡±

    ¡°No, my power as Great Hero.¡±

    I focused on calling Cherub.

    ¡°Hello, friend, I need to know where Uturi is and where he¡¯s heading.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Al. Uturi is currently heading to the service door of the Royal Sword Academy, intent on reaching Green Inn, on the west bank of the river Rekario.¡±

    ¡°Can you give me more detail, Cherub?¡±

    The angel was gone. I spoke as fast as I could.

    ¡°He¡¯s about to leave the Academy through the service door.¡±

    King Esthar gave an angry look at his officers, who mumbled some reply about not disrupting the personnel¡¯s work. Any council member not using a warp step spell had to go through a guarded door before reaching utility rooms, but the service door itself was unguarded, as servants needed to come and go.

    Of course. And it must be exactly why Uturi chose to teleport himself into that area!

    ¡°Let¡¯s not lose any more time. Sir Pernel is going to Green Inn, on the west bank, so I suppose he¡¯ll use a bridge for that. Can we intercept him at any point? He doesn¡¯t expect us to know where he¡¯s going.¡±

    Malin scratched her nose.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like it, but I suppose we can.¡±

    The king nodded.

    ¡°General Lassentia, send a squad to escort the Senior Magi. Your men will both protect and oversee Al, who should be with you at all times. Bring back Sir Pernel and see what he has to say. Should Al do anything suspicious, restrain her and bring her back as well.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    The officer gathered a group of soldiers and we ran out of the Academy through the main entrance.

    Right into the protest that was still going on.

    ¡°Can¡¯t these people go elsewhere?¡± sighed Kseya as chanting drowned us.

    Technically, they could, but one, they¡¯re here because of me, and two, what¡¯s the point in protesting if you do so in a place where nobody can see you?

    The Senior Magi didn¡¯t let the situation deter them. They used magic to push people out of the way, causing a lot of trampling and shouting.

    ¡°Watch it!¡± said someone.

    ¡°A boy fell, stop pushing!¡±

    I tried to protest. ¡°Maybe we could¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t finish my sentence. What could we do? Stop using magic? Elbow our way and lose our last chance to find Pernel before he reaches his inn? Once again, I had to accept that we couldn¡¯t reach our target without being the bad guys to someone. Besides, I was already hurt, and I certainly didn¡¯t want to get pushed around by angry protesters.

    We advanced through the crowd, soldiers pushing me forward, sorcerers ignoring the cries that rose all around. But one person still stood in front of us, a young human man with dark blue hair and a proud stance.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± asked Vilo Jozin, looking me in the eye.

    ¡°Chasing the traitor for King Esthar to interrogate him!¡±

    With a raised hand, General Lassentia held back the soldiers who wanted to run at Vilo. He probably knew the political leader would evade all attempts. Can he do it all day, though? I haven¡¯t had a chance to use my natural power over an extended period of time, so I don¡¯t know its cost, but I¡¯m pretty sure it doesn¡¯t come free. One must get tired at some point.

    Vilo gave a good look at the officer and the four remaining Senior Magi. ¡°Can I bring him back to you?¡±

    Naenar shook his head. ¡°Sir Pernel is a powerful sorcerer. You should stay out of his way!¡±

    ¡°Why should I? I¡¯m the only person he won¡¯t be able to hurt.¡±

    Kseya tried to protest, but I spoke faster.

    ¡°Taller than average, pale skin, round face, rose gold hair. He¡¯s heading to Green Inn, I don¡¯t know where it is but it¡¯s on the west bank¡­¡±

    ¡°Al, please!¡± shouted the last Senior Magus, a man with a single horn on his forehead. It was the first time I heard the sound of his voice.

    ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing. Vilo Jozin is aware of the situation. I think he¡¯s our best asset in this situation.¡±

    Even if it means he asks more from me in the future.

    Vilo ran out of sight, and one soldier scratched his helmet.

    ¡°Does this count as suspicious behavior, Sir?¡±

    General Lassentia shrugged. ¡°Not yet. Keep an eye on Al.¡±

    I just shared crucial information with an opponent. He should consider me extremely suspicious. But I suppose, since Vilo spontaneously volunteered to help, the officer is giving me the benefit of the doubt.

    ¡°Chase Sir Pernel with your squad while we prepare to ambush him,¡± said Senior Magus Malin.

    There was sadness in her voice, but resolve in her eyes.

    General Lassentia nodded, and we ran west, to the river Rekario. A bridge was visible a few blocks ahead. I could only hope Uturi hadn¡¯t crossed it yet. Running was painful to me, but the pain was bearable. Catalin and Chess were probably suffering a lot more than I was.

    ¡°Over there!¡± whispered a soldier.

    In the direction he pointed, I spotted the sorcerer¡¯s rose gold hair in the distance. Uturi was wearing neutral clothes, which kept him from standing out of the crowd in his ornate Senior Magus purple robe. He¡¯d probably taken it off as soon as he teleported. Either he¡¯d been wearing a full set of clothes underneath, or he¡¯d stolen pants somewhere before walking out of the service door.

    After all, we gave him plenty of time to change, with all our useless chatter.

    A squad of armored men couldn¡¯t stay unnoticed forever. Uturi froze in place as we charged, then he turned back, his face distorted with rage. It only took half a second for him to decide we were expendable. He raised an arm, his hand near his shoulder, visibly incanting.

    He was attacking us in the middle of a busy street. The very thing Mistress Jemos had chosen not to do, back in Merumo.

    My heart felt like a burning stone.

    Then, a blink later, someone bumped into Uturi from behind his back. As the sorcerer faltered and lost his focus, I recognized Vilo Jozin.

    ¡°What are you doing right here in the open?¡± shouted the young man.

    Uturi glared at him and shot a burst of fireballs, the same kind Catalin had used against the dire bear. The projectiles flew right through Vilo and crashed into the nearest wall.

    Vilo looks furious, and he has a dagger at his belt. Why doesn¡¯t he draw it?

    A second burst from Uturi shot right at us, while the sorcerer himself kept an eye on Vilo. Soldiers pushed me aside, so I wasn¡¯t hit, and I could only watch them jump back and scream. One received half a dozen fireballs. He collapsed on the cobblestones, smoke rising from his tabard.

    ¡°Water, please!¡± I shouted at the neighboring houses.

    New fireballs lit at Uturi¡¯s fingertips, but they crashed into an invisible wall that turned into a transparent, iridescent bubble enclosing him and Vilo. The other four Senior Magi had appeared round a corner.

    ¡°You¡¯re not hurting anyone!¡± said Malin, her hands twitching with the effort. Apparently, she was maintaining most of the forcefield.

    Uturi smirked at her. ¡°Watch me.¡±

    Now that the Senior Magus wasn¡¯t paying attention to him, Vilo drew his dagger, but he didn¡¯t have time to strike. A lightning bolt stroke him, and he fell on his knees.

    ¡°He¡¯s stuck with me, so I can hurt him!¡± bragged Uturi.

    He tried to kick Vilo¡¯s stomach, but he went right through him again. A woman brought a bucket of water from a nearby house, and we used it to cool down the burned soldier. When I looked up again, Vilo had crawled out of the forcefield.

    He can evade anything. Even a powerful spell.

    We let him disappear. He¡¯d done his part in the chase, slowing down Uturi so we could catch him.

    But how could we bring back to King Esthar a man whose lightning spells made the bubble around him look like a plasma ball?

 Chapter 38: This Is Going To Hurt

    ¡°You know you can¡¯t contain me in this! Attacking this barrier consumes less energy than maintaining it, so you¡¯ll have to let go eventually!¡± shouted Uturi.

    The sorcerer formerly known as Sir Pernel was standing in the middle of the forcefield, shooting all sorts of spells around him in an impressive lightshow. I was mesmerized by the variety of shapes and colors, like a kid watching fireworks. Malin, helped by the other Senior Magi, grimaced but managed to keep all the magic inside.

    Amazing display of power from both sides. Will Catalin be able to do all this when she graduates?

    Reinforcements came to relieve the wounded soldiers and help the others keep the crowd away from the scene, but most people had enough sense to keep a distance. General Lassentia kept an eye on me as I ambled my way closer to the struggling Senior Magi. There was a question I needed to ask.

    ¡°Pardon my ignorance, but why aren¡¯t you attacking Uturi as he¡¯s attacking you?¡±

    Naenar¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say he was involved in a Seal of Magic?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I saw it when I examined the mark the spell left on Kossi¡¯s skin.¡±

    ¡°How can you identify a specific magic seal, and yet not know anything about its characteristics?¡±

    I sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll be glad to comply with all kinds of tests when this is all over. Right now, please just accept that it¡¯s the way things are, and tell me why you¡¯re not trying to bring the enemy down.¡±

    I didn¡¯t want Uturi to die. If anything, I wanted him to tell how he¡¯d managed to hide in plain sight for twenty years, secretly working on a spell that would help his brother secure a claim on the Brealian kingdom. But if killing him was the only way to free Kossi and spare many more lives, I¡¯d accept it.

    Naenar shook his head.

    ¡°Sir Pernel, I mean, Uturi is the one who cast the spell, but he¡¯s not the person who controls the dragon¡¯s will, is he?¡±

    ¡°No. He gave that power over to his brother Saegorg.¡±

    ¡°Think about it!¡± He sounded as annoyed as if he had to explain something obvious. ¡°The caster is the only person who can lift a Seal of Magic. Nothing happens if he dies. Saegorg keeps his power over the dragon, and we¡¯re left having to kill one, or the other, to get rid of the link.¡±

    Malin looked over her shoulder, a drop of sweat visible above her eyebrow.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Great Hero Al. We can¡¯t risk killing Sir Pernel.¡±

    And even if they could, they¡¯d do so with extreme reluctancy, given their common past with the traitor.

    A cart was brought, and with additional efforts, the four Senior Magi lifted the forcefield onto it, for their prisoner to be wheeled back where he started. Uturi watched the whole operation with a smug smile.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be tired before I am.¡±

    I looked at him as we walked behind the cart, a living picture of an evil wizard, his round face somehow looking more defined and more like his brother¡¯s, under the rose gold hair that flew around his head. Vilo¡¯s dagger was still at his feet, but he ignored it. He was probably much stronger with magic than with any kind of weapon.

    You pretend you¡¯re better than everyone in this street, and yet you tried to run away. You¡¯re not as sure of yourself as you¡¯d like us to think.

    ¡°Did you send someone to the Green Inn?¡± I asked General Lassentia in a low voice.

    He gave me a surprised look. ¡°Why would I?¡±

    ¡°Because he was heading there. It must be his secret headquarters, or at least a familiar place where he knew he¡¯d find allies. I know you still don¡¯t trust me, but I¡¯d look into it, if I were you.¡±

    General Lassentia pretended not to pay attention to my advice, but while I looked at the glowing bubble with the enemy inside, I noticed him, out of the corner of my eye, giving instructions to a soldier who swiftly left in the direction of the river.

    Uturi is desperate, I guess. He¡¯s giving it all because he¡¯s cornered, but it also means he¡¯s beyond reasoning. Will we ever convince him to lift the seal? Now that he¡¯s caught, he might want the world to burn with him.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    The square between the palace and the Royal Sword Academy was now empty, guarded by a cordon of cadets in the same blue tabard I¡¯d seen Chess wear, the first time I met them. How long had it been? A week, maybe. Why did it feel like ages? Anyway, any remaining protesters were now kept out of the square.

    King Esthar and Princess Nigella stood in the circle, shielded by soldiers. The cordon opened to allow the cart near them, the other Senior Magi, General Lassentia¡¯s squad and I following a couple of steps behind. Then the circle closed again behind us.

    Malin lifted her forcefield out of the cart and down to the cobblestones. Once his feet touched the ground, Uturi had a smirk.

    ¡°If this isn¡¯t the usurper! How kind of you to spend your last day as a king looking after me!¡±

    Lightning punctuated his speech. The bubble shook, and I began to fear it¡¯d roll away like a hamster ball.

    Almost everyone flinched. King Esthar didn¡¯t. He looked Uturi in the eye, a bit of sadness ruining his otherwise convincing poker face.

    ¡°Sir Pernel, did you really spend the past twenty years under a false identity, only to help your brother claim my throne?¡±

    ¡°It was never yours!¡±

    Uturi¡¯s sneer didn¡¯t survive Esthar¡¯s gaze for more than a second. The two men locked eyes, then the sorcerer talked again, in a slightly less assured voice.

    ¡°Carastra¡¯s University of Magic Arts allowed me to learn the best spells with the best masters.¡±

    I frowned.

    ¡°Turoch Garnet?¡± I asked in a low voice.

    Next to me, Naenar nodded. ¡°Pernel was his last apprentice.¡±

    Of course he was. And he spent the next years elaborating on his teacher¡¯s works, to create the spell we¡¯re all trying to undo.

    ¡°Twenty years?¡± asked Princess Nigella.

    Uturi nodded frantically.

    ¡°It was worth every minute! I couldn¡¯t dream of learning so much in Inabar, of gaining so much power, of fooling so many people. What you trusted me with, I always used in the best interest of Inabar. Which is the best interest of Brealia, although you¡¯re too blind to see it.¡±

    Most inhabitants of the kingdom wouldn¡¯t notice much of a difference if Saegorg became king, I guess.

    King Esthar sighed.

    ¡°Uturi, your brother used you all along. I thought you would be clever enough to understand that. You spent all your adult life in exile¡­¡±

    ¡°No! I spent it where I was supposed to be! A stone¡¯s throw from the palace where I ought to have been brought up!¡±

    ¡°Did you cast a spell on the Gold Dragon Kossi, for Lord Saegorg to control him?¡±

    ¡°I did! It took me years of work. Everyone praised me, you know, how dedicated I was to my art, and none of you ever suspected that I was experimenting on how to apply mind control to a Gold Dragon. No one imagined such a spell could be possible, but I did it! I alone! For my family to get back the throne that was taken from us!¡±

    ¡°But we still captured you, Uturi.¡± Esthar joined his hands in front of his face. ¡°You have known me since I was crown prince. No matter how rightful you think I am, I am king today, and I make you this solemn promise: if you give up and break the seal, you will live. If your brother conquers this kingdom, he might not show such leniency.¡±

    The lightshow faded. The sorcerer looked deep in thought for a moment. He pensively prodded Vilo¡¯s dagger with his foot.

    ¡°You¡¯d let me get away with what I did?¡±

    ¡°I said I would let you live. I cannot promise anything else.¡±

    They stared at each other for a moment, in silence. We were so tense that when someone sneezed in the distance, everyone startled, including me.

    It must have been a clue for Uturi, who raised his head and gave the king a contemptuous smile.

    ¡°A true king would never pardon a traitor!¡±

    He put his hand before his mouth, in the same posture he¡¯d used on my first day in this world, to project my voice across the moat.

    ¡°People of Carastra, did you hear how weak your ruler is?¡±

    Malin¡¯s forcefield let some sound through, but it blocked the spell, so the crowd around the square didn¡¯t react. Uturi, however, winced hard, perhaps deafened by the amplification of his own voice.

    The sound bounced. That must hurt.

    Then he shook his head, and with a cruel smile, he cupped both hands in front of his face.

    Oh no, I know what you¡¯re doing and I don¡¯t like it!

    I¡¯d never been a fighter, but I knew tennis.

    If you wait for the ball to go over the net, you¡¯ve already lost. You must bounce as soon as your opponent strikes, and rush in the same direction as the ball, before you even know its speed and spin.

    I jumped when Uturi opened his mouth and began to shout. In the corner of my eye, Malin grimaced in pain, and the other Senior Magi rushed in too late to help. The soundwave collided with the forcefield, made it vibrate, and eventually pierced it in an explosion of sound. Uturi¡¯s amplified voice filled the square.

    I was deafened, just like everyone else. But I was prepared for that, and I dived to catch Vilo¡¯s dagger on the cobblestones. My broken rib made me gasp and darkened my vision, but I clenched my teeth.

    Come on, I¡¯m the Great Hero Al and I¡¯m here to save Brealia!

    I certainly couldn¡¯t kill Uturi with a thrust blade I didn¡¯t know how to use, unless I went for the femoral artery. However, if I could just hurt him enough¡­ I slid behind the panting sorcerer and stabbed his back before he could recover from his effort.

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± shouted General Lassentia.

    Too late. I¡¯d struck. It will cut.

    Blood stained the back of Uturi¡¯s shirt. He turned to me. My brain pictured the lightning spell he¡¯d used against Vilo, but he shot a much simpler fireball at me. Just one, like Catalin¡¯s, but so fast that I couldn¡¯t dodge it fully. I saw it leave a burn on my left sleeve, and in the heat of the moment, I had time to think ¡°This is going to hurt¡± before the pain went up to my brain.

    Broken rib. Burn on the arm. Pain. Pain. I kept a precarious balance on weak legs, feeling that a gust of wind could topple me. My shaking hand could hardly hold Vilo¡¯s dagger.

    They¡¯re not attacking. Twenty minutes ago, they didn¡¯t believe me, but now, no one will make a move against Uturi, lest he dies and all hope of breaking the final seal is gone.

    Wasn¡¯t there something else to do? Some spell that could disable him? But the Senior Magi had exhausted most of their magic simply keeping the sorcerer contained and unable to hurt the people around him.

    I snapped out of my thoughts when a bleeding, panting Uturi slipped an arm around me, shot a new fireball into the air and looked around us with a triumphant smile.

    ¡°Try anything and she¡¯s dead! I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want your precious Great Hero Al killed in front of so many witnesses. She deserves a better end, doesn¡¯t she?¡±

    He added another sentence just for me, in a whisper, almost softly.

    ¡°Thank you for having the kindness to provide me with a hostage.¡±

 Chapter 39: Bleeding and Burning

    As Uturi pulled me back, my eyes locked with Princess Nigella¡¯s. She was white with shock, but she still stood straight, not turning away from the disaster I got involved in. She silently asked me how I was. I could only slightly move my head to show that I had no clue.

    No clue about anything.

    I could hardly stand on my feet, but at least, I wasn¡¯t the one who splattered blood on the cobblestones. I didn¡¯t know what organ I¡¯d pierced when I stabbed Uturi. I could only suppose the blade went through his back muscles, causing him considerable pain. Did he hurt more than I did? I tried to look at his face, but the way he held me, I couldn¡¯t really discern his expression.

    ¡°You cannot escape, Uturi!¡± said King Esthar.

    ¡°I don¡¯t intend to. I want to be there, tomorrow, when you give up your throne. You will, won¡¯t you? You¡¯d rather waive your power than let your subjects die!¡±

    He¡¯d talked loud enough for at least some bystanders to hear. Murmurs instantly rose from the crowd, and a few cadets were shoved.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to follow me!¡± said Uturi.

    He chanted very quickly, and by the time I understood what he was about to do, it was too late.

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡±

    The world shifted, the square turned into a stone barn, and all hell broke loose in my stomach.

    I doubled over, so violently that Uturi had to let me go. Vilo¡¯s dagger fell out of my limp hand. My head was spinning. My broken rib wanted me dead. The burn on my arm couldn¡¯t stand the slightest breeze. What little breakfast I had in my stomach spurted out of my mouth and onto the dusty floor.

    Twice in two days, really?

    As I fought to catch my breath, Uturi squatted near me.

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d be useless, as heroes go, but I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d get warp step sickness.¡±

    I gagged again. ¡°You knew?¡± And then, a memory came back. ¡°Princess Nigella said you chose to summon me. Is it true? Did you pick a useless person on purpose?¡±

    His sneer ended in a gasp of pain.

    ¡°Ow! You did manage to hurt me, Al. But if you want the truth about your summoning, I deliberately picked a man I knew wouldn¡¯t die heroically. I didn¡¯t really expect anyone to show up. How did you even go through the portal?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the person he chose not to save.¡±

    ¡°He had some common sense, then.¡±

    Even coming from him, it hurts. Saegorg and him really are brothers. The two of them can¡¯t stop telling me how worthless I am.

    He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me close.

    ¡°We must go. I can¡¯t let them find us here. Come!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do this to me again¡­¡±

    But he did.

    This time, we were in a narrow alley between two high houses. I couldn¡¯t see much more before I fell to the ground. I couldn¡¯t take even one more warp step. The whole world spun around me, and there seemed to be a tornado inside my brain. I wanted it to stop at any cost. Even dying seemed a better fate than going through this.

    ¡°Come on, Al! We have a bridge to cross.¡±

    Uturi¡¯s voice sounded muffled and I could hardly make out the words. He pulled at my shoulders, but he lacked the strength to get me off the ground.

    ¡°Just leave me here to die¡­¡± I begged.

    He came closer to my ear.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll die all right, when I kill you for stabbing me in the back and nearly ruining my brother¡¯s ambition. But you¡¯re my shield right now, so I¡¯m going nowhere without you. Get up!¡±

    There was magic in his voice. I felt an urge to obey, but it wasn¡¯t the same kind of mind control as the one he¡¯d inflicted on Kossi. That spell felt much simpler. It was just one order, made more imperious by the use of magic. Had I not been weakened by several wounds and warp step sickness, I¡¯d be able to resist its authority. But I wasn¡¯t quite the Great Hero Al I¡¯d wanted to be. Right then, my will was gone, and my only coherent thought was ¡°if you must kill me, kill me now¡±. So I tried to get up, as Uturi told me.

    My legs didn¡¯t comply. I stumbled, I fell back on my hands and knees, and I panted helplessly for a while. Could I even raise my head? Yes, I could, but just looking at the sky between the houses made me sick. I breathed slowly.

    ¡°Up, now!¡± shouted Uturi.

    Someone stopped at the end of the alley.

    ¡°Is everything all right, sir?¡±

    The sorcerer waved the question away. ¡°My wife is sick. I can handle it, thank you.¡±

    As soon as the person was gone, he pulled me by the hair. I hardly felt better at all, but I stood up. Uturi held my arm tight, and his other hand was pointed at my head, ready to fire. People around us stared, but didn¡¯t comment.

    There¡¯s a man with blood down his back, pushing a woman with a burnt arm and a face like she¡¯s been through a mop wringer, and nobody reacts beyond the occasional frown? Well, they do move away from us. We must look like hell.

    We crossed a bridge, narrower than the one I¡¯d walked across with Chess, on the day we went to the University of Magic Arts and met Catalin for the first time. The Green Inn was easy to spot from the river. All its shutters were painted green, and there were planters fixed to every window, with colorful buds that would certainly bloom soon.

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    I almost forgot it¡¯s spring.

    Whenever the wind touched my burn, I wanted to scream from the pain. How could Uturi even walk with a wound in his back?

    We turned on a street that ran parallel to the river. I pretended not to know where we were going. Uturi must think he¡¯ll be safe at the Green Inn. It¡¯s a good thing I advised General Lassentia to send people there.

    ¡°Get in there,¡± the sorcerer said, pushing me towards the green door.

    Since he was holding my good arm, I had to use the burnt one to open. It felt like my skin had been replaced with ill-fitting cardboard, and there was a fire still burning in there.

    Give me cold water, coconut oil, anything!

    Walking had soothed the consequences of the two warp steps. I could think straight again, but no matter how I looked at my situation, I could see no way out. I¡¯d failed to disable Uturi and he had no intention to surrender, let alone break the last seal. He¡¯d escape, or he¡¯d die fighting, and in both cases, Kossi would attack Carastra on the next day.

    No words were exchanged when we walked in. The room was empty, save for a couple of people in what I supposed were foreign outfits. Travelers. Where are General Lassentia¡¯s soldiers?

    The man at the bar simply nodded at Uturi, then he pointed at a corner with his chin. Unsurprisingly, Uturi pushed me to that corner. We walked up a flight of stairs, barely visible from the entrance, that led to a smaller place with some tables and chairs. Windows provided a view over the river on one side, over the street on the other. It was the perfect place to watch if anyone was coming after us.

    Uturi made me sit in a chair, then he sat down next to me. As soon as his back touched the backrest, he groaned and straightened.

    ¡°I must find someone to care for this,¡± he said between his teeth.

    I frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t you have healing spells? You wave, and the wound is gone?¡±

    ¡°If only it was so easy. Magic doesn¡¯t work this way. I know a spell to mitigate the bleeding, but I¡¯d need to put my hands on the wound, and you were so wonderfully inspired that you injured me in the back!¡±

    Uturi¡¯s hateful gaze reminded me that we were enemies in the way Faur and I never were. He only kept me alive because he could use me. No one would try to kill him, but should anyone attempt anything non-lethal, he¡¯d fire a spell at me and fry my head.

    The man from the bar walked up the stairs with a clay bottle.

    ¡°What happened, my Lord?¡±

    ¡°This dumb woman decided it was a good idea to stab me. I burned her in return, but I need a nurse.¡±

    ¡°Does anyone know you¡¯re here?¡±

    Uturi shook his head.

    ¡°I used magic to avoid being followed. By the time they figure out I came here, I¡¯ll be gone. Just get this wound fixed and I¡¯m out of your inn. No one will know you work for us, until we conquer this kingdom, of course.¡±

    Both men exchanged a smile.

    ¡°I take it the woman doesn¡¯t need a bottle?¡± said the barman.

    ¡°It¡¯d be a waste. She¡¯ll be dead before she has time to be thirsty.¡±

    Uturi was wrong. After emptying my stomach, I did feel thirsty. But I didn¡¯t have the strength to argue, so I just watched the barman put the bottle on the table and remove the cork. Uturi had a sip.

    ¡°Not bad¡­¡±

    The main door banged downstairs and we all jumped to our feet. We heard voices, but not the words. The barman rushed down.

    ¡°My Lord, I thought no one was following you!¡±

    Various noises came from downstairs, angry voices, furniture hitting the floor. Uturi twisted my wrist.

    ¡°What did you do, Al?¡±

    ¡°Nothing!¡± I cowered, anticipating an attack. ¡°How could I tell anyone where we are? I was with you all along, and I was sick most of the time!¡±

    He looked out of the window and winced.

    ¡°Yet, here they are. All of Esthar¡¯s lapdogs are here for me, and I¡¯m in no state to stand up to them, thanks to you! We must hide.¡±

    He dragged me to a hidden door that led to a corridor. It looked like a secret apartment of sorts. Dim light came from an open door, but the place smelled dusty and mostly unused. Uturi closed the latch behind us. Just a second later, boots ran up the stairs to the room where we¡¯d been sitting.

    Uturi grabbed my throat and pushed me against the wall.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you, Al? Twelve days ago, you knew nothing of our world, so why did you join forces with Esthar so quickly? Was it Princess Nigella¡¯s wet blue eyes? I heard you have a soft spot for much younger women¡­¡±

    How dare he imply I¡¯m into an underage girl?

    I could hardly breathe, but I glowered at him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if Esthar or Saegorg sits on this throne!¡±

    In the other room, voices mentioned traces of blood on a backrest. Uturi¡¯s hand was trembling on my throat, releasing some of the pressure so I could talk more.

    ¡°Let me ask you something, Uturi. What ruler will you be, when you¡¯re ready to unleash a dragon¡¯s fire on a bunch of your own subjects?¡±

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have to do it if Esthar¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, you were robbed of a throne you think should be yours, and it justifies everything, doesn¡¯t it? Spending twenty years on a ritual to turn a dragon into a compliant killing machine! Asking for Demon Lord Faur¡¯s help, in exchange of a political allegiance!¡±

    Uturi froze.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°You mean you didn¡¯t know? Your brother Saegorg tried to get assistance from Elkodunar. He was ready to make Brealia a vassal state. But a little bird told me Faur isn¡¯t interested. He may even have called Saegorg an imbecile.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re lying. Saegorg would never surrender to another country. And why Elkodunar?¡±

    ¡°Precisely. Why Elkodunar?¡±

    We looked into each other¡¯s eyes. Was it the dim light, or was Uturi getting paler by the second? He didn¡¯t look as threatening as he used to, so I asked another question.

    ¡°Why did you really summon me? Elkodunar has no interest in invading Brealia, unlike Inabar. So why am I here?¡±

    ¡°I told you before. A failed summoning, followed by a dragon attack, was a perfect opportunity to weaken Esthar. Except someone did show up. It was you, but you and I were the only ones who knew you weren¡¯t supposed to be there.¡±

    Uturi sighed. I shook my head.

    ¡°But why fulfill the prophecy now, when there¡¯s no apparent threat from Faur?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. You¡¯ll have to ask the usurper, when you¡¯re both in Hell.¡±

    His grasp on my throat regained some firmness.

    ¡°They¡¯re coming back down. They failed to find this place, so I guess I don¡¯t need you anymore. Die, Al.¡±

    Uturi¡¯s other hand pointed at my forehead. I don¡¯t want to die! I ignored my pain and slammed my fist hard into his back. He screamed, the spell died at his fingertips, but he was still holding me. It was only a matter of time before he managed to kill me.

    But no matter how fanatical he is, I still don¡¯t want him dead!

    With my other arm, the burnt one, I pushed him away from me, as hard as I could. His grip tightened in response. His breath was short, his forehead shiny with sweat. He lifted his hand again, but this time, he froze before casting.

    ¡°No!¡± he shouted at something behind him, something I couldn¡¯t see.

    His head jerked one way and the other. All of a sudden, he looked like he was fighting his own body, the same way I¡¯d seen Kossi fight back when Saegorg made him attack the crowd in the moat.

    Mind control?

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Uturi¡¯s protest ended in a gasp. When he talked again, every syllable sounded awkward, formed against his will by another talking through his mouth.

    ¡°Gold Dragon Kossi! I, Uturi of Inabar, release you from the seal of magic!¡±

    Reality shifted ever so slightly. Uturi¡¯s face was a mask of rage and hate, but he¡¯d let go of me, so I ran to the hidden door and unlatched it.

    ¡°Help! I¡¯m the Great Hero Al and Sir Pernel is here with me! He broke the seal of magic! The dragon Kossi is finally free!¡±

    I expected soldiers to appear at the top of the stairs. Instead, the four Senior Magi walked into the room. One of them, the man with the horn, looked deeply focused.

    Malin smiled at me.

    ¡°We¡¯re glad to find you alive, Great Hero Al. You finally weakened the traitor enough for Rokayu to take control of his body. Without the blood loss and the pain, it would have been impossible. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Is mind control possible?¡±

    ¡°Of course it is! But it¡¯s a complex spell that takes a long time to cast, and a strong-willed person, or a Gold Dragon, won¡¯t let the sorcerer control them.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll take care of Sir Pernel, now,¡± added Kseya.

    Naenar stretched out his hand. ¡°If you will follow me¡­¡±

    As soon as we were back into the larger room of the inn, an armored squad ran up. I felt dizzy, and thirstier than ever. General Lassentia nodded at me.

    ¡°It seems we were wrong to doubt you. I suggest we get you basic care before King Esthar interrogates you.¡±

    Interrogate? I was hoping for a simple debrief¡­

    I still followed the officer out of the Green Inn.

 Chapter 40: Scars

    The strategic meeting took place after all, just in case. Despite evidence pointing to the contrary, King Esthar feared that Kossi might still be subdued, so he wanted to be ready for a possible fight. Besides, the previous plan having been disclosed to Saegorg by his brother, some details had to be changed.

    I didn¡¯t attend this meeting, officially because of my health. I suspected other issues, such as my uncertain loyalty, played a part in it as well, but I didn¡¯t care. As far as I was concerned, the fight was over.

    Soldiers escorted me to the hospital, not in a royal carriage, but in a cart that bounced uncomfortably over the cobblestones. I clenched my teeth and endured it, as I felt too weak to go anywhere on foot. A quick look at me was enough to rush me to an examination room. A shared one, with white curtains separating me from other women I heard moaning or coughing. But I¡¯d get care and it was all I wanted.

    The doctor was female, and apparently not a magic user. She frowned at my face.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about these cuts and bruises. Do you have them elsewhere?¡±

    ¡°All over my body, basically. Probably a broken rib. And this, of course.¡±

    I lifted my burnt arm, and immediately let it fall on my lap. Using this arm¡¯s muscles hurt too much to do it without a good reason. The doctor gave me a severe look.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so careless, you know. None of this might be life-threatening, but it¡¯s still serious.¡±

    Yes, I know. I guess I have a better understanding of my own health than you imagine.

    After a painful examination, she confirmed I had a broken rib and explained I should rest and let it heal. She crushed dry plants into a beverage she made me drink, to ease the pain. It tasted bitter. I grimaced.

    ¡°Is it made of tree bark?¡±

    ¡°Mostly. Now give me that arm.¡±

    She applied an ointment and bandaged the burn. Then she shrugged.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you more of these plants for the royal kitchen. They know what to do with them. Drink one glass three times a day until the pain recedes. Remove the bandage as soon as you can. You¡¯ll keep a scar on your arm anyway. Scars on your face too, I¡¯m afraid. The cuts are shallow, but they look like they¡¯ll leave a mark.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help wincing. Scars on my face even after I healed?

    I didn¡¯t have much time to ponder on it, as the soldiers who¡¯d escorted me knocked on the door of the examination room, saying King Esthar wanted to see me.

    I found myself in his gorgeous office again, the one with the maps everywhere and the smell of balsam in the air. This time, the king didn¡¯t invite me to sit down. He sat at his desk, with a scribe next to him, and I stood in the middle of the room like a cheating student brought before the headmaster.

    ¡°I do not know whether I should be furious at your insubordination, or grateful for exposing Sir Pernel as a traitor and making him break the last seal,¡± said the king.

    Probably a bit of both. But mostly grateful. I did prevent a bloody battle.

    He sighed. ¡°His wound is being cared for as we speak. He will be tried later, by a judge. I had time to think while he was escaping, using you as a human shield, and I cannot make the decision by myself. I used to trust Sir Pernel with my life. Were I to decide his fate, my anger would distort my judgement.¡±

    This sounds wise. Much wiser than I expected from him, actually.

    ¡°But what about you?¡± asked the king.

    ¡°What about me?¡±

    ¡°What part did you play in this? What is your allegiance, Al? A word from you was enough to make Vilo Jozin take part in the chase. Are you on his side?¡±

    I looked around me before choosing my answer.

    ¡°I¡¯m on my own side, mostly. I didn¡¯t ask to be summoned as your Great Hero, and to be honest, I still don¡¯t understand why I¡¯m here. My journey across Brealia convinced me that Demon Lord Faur isn¡¯t much of a threat to your kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Your journey. Tell me about it.¡±

    I suppose I won¡¯t get much from him until I tell him what I really did on my journey.

    So I talked. And he asked questions, and the scribe wrote everything down. It really felt like an interrogation.

    I told him how I went to Merumo, omitting his daughter¡¯s implication in getting me out of Carastra. I explained how we fought Turoch Garnet¡¯s wood guardian in his house by the lake. I talked about our narrow escape from Mistress Jemos¡¯s squad in Merumo, I cried recounting the dire bear and the proclive disaster, then the long and painful walk to the witch¡¯s cottage. The strange foreign lord in Sanajec, whom I pretended not to know. He was probably one of Demon Lord Faur¡¯s lieutenants, I admitted, but back then, I hadn¡¯t guessed it. I was just glad he got us closer to Malo, on time for me to use my natural power on Kossi¡¯s spell and break the first seal.

    King Esthar looked alarmed.

    ¡°What did you tell that man? He reported everything to Faur, as you must be aware.¡±

    I nodded.

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    ¡°I said I was on an important mission and I needed to go to Malo. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t ask for details, so whatever he told his master, it couldn¡¯t be much. He just said he disliked Saegorg and he¡¯d be glad if we did something, anything, against him.¡±

    ¡°This sounds extremely suspicious.¡±

    ¡°I know, Your Majesty, but we were running out of time and soldiers were after us, so I was in no position to refuse the offer. I apologize for letting an enemy help me.¡±

    ¡°It is not what bothers me the most. A foreign noble who might work for the Demon Lord traveled through Brealia unnoticed, and it should never have happened. I will need to send more spies to the north. Please continue. What happened once you arrived in Malo?¡±

    I explained the end of my journey, miraculous fall included. I left my quick return to Carastra unexplained, but King Esthar didn¡¯t seem to notice the journey back had been extremely short. The scribe wrote page after page.

    ¡°What about Vilo Jozin?¡± asked the king. ¡°Why did you choose to go to him for help?¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°If I¡¯d come to the palace, wearing rags and covered in dried blood, would you have believed me? Or even accepted to see me? I was left for dead while my friends were detained in a cell without food. I couldn¡¯t do all this for nothing. I had to finish what I started.¡±

    ¡°But why Vilo of all people? How did you even know where to find him? Carastra is a big city.¡±

    ¡°He came to me, soon after my summoning. Introduced himself. Explained his motivations. I didn¡¯t fully believe him, but I think he has a point.¡±

    King Esthar furrowed his brow. ¡°What kind of point?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I haven¡¯t had much time to look into the political situation of this kingdom, but there¡¯s always room for improvement. I don¡¯t want to put Vilo on your throne. I just think his views are worth considering, instead of rejecting them all on principle.¡±

    The king slowly rose from his chair and looked me down from behind his desk.

    ¡°Al, I must thank you for your heroism. You saved lives today. However, please remember your place.¡±

    I looked at my feet. Here we go again. He thinks of me as an instrument of his power and as a commoner. I¡¯m not supposed to criticize his policies.

    ¡°I wish I knew my own place, Your Majesty. I wish I knew why you really summoned me.¡±

    ¡°To defeat Demon Lord Faur and bring prosperity to the Brealian kingdom, in accordance with the prophecy. This hearing is over.¡±

    The scribe gathered his writing material and left the office. A soldier gave us an interrogative look from the threshold, but the king shook his head and ordered him to close the door.

    It was only the two of us now. King Esthar still stood in front of me, with the desk between us. He joined his hands just below his well-trimmed beard.

    ¡°Al, do you remember the first thing you noticed upon your summoning?¡±

    My nakedness. The Senior Magi in their purple robes. The carpet under my feet. The voices in the other half of the chapel.

    I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Your Majesty. I apologize.¡±

    ¡°You noticed the empty chair.¡±

    King Esthar walked to the far wall and pushed a hanging aside, unveiling a portrait of a blonde woman who looked a lot like an older Nigella. She was wearing a beige dress with colorful embroidered flowers, an elaborate necklace, and her amber eyes matched her serene smile.

    ¡°Epona¡¯s and Sorosiel¡¯s sudden deaths weakened us considerably. Sorosiel was about to get engaged and Nigella was engaged to an heir apparent, so we had to arrange not only a double royal funeral and the terrible sorrow that went with it, but also the political consequences of the accident. My advisors rethought our alliances while I established Nigella as the new crown princess. Kossi¡¯s absence did not go unnoticed, either.¡±

    He kept looking at the painting, as if he was talking to himself.

    ¡°And then, All One gained power. I felt that I needed to strengthen my throne, so I ordered the summoning of the Great Hero Al. It took a full season to invite all guests and complete the ritual, only to have people killed in my moat and the banquet canceled. Little did I know it was only the beginning.¡±

    He turned back to me, sorrow all over his face.

    ¡°You saved us today, Al. But why did your summoning fail to restore my power?¡±

    Because Sir Pernel deliberately chose to make it fail. And also because acting for the good of Brealia doesn¡¯t mean reinforcing an absolute monarch¡¯s power.

    But I couldn¡¯t say all this aloud. I tried to be more diplomatic.

    ¡°Saegorg and Uturi decided to make Kossi attack on the day of my summoning, precisely to undermine your power. It had nothing to do with you or me, Your Majesty. But we still have time to bring about better times. I choose to believe it.¡±

    King Esthar had a bitter smile.

    ¡°I would like to believe it, too, but you and I seem to have different ideas of what better times might look like.¡±

    ¡°Hopefully we can find a common ground.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Hopefully.¡±

    When the king finally dismissed me, I went straight down to the small dining room. The afternoon was quite advanced and I¡¯d barely had a snack since Uturi had teleported me across Carastra. I was exhausted, hungry, and I craved pastries and coffee. I knew I couldn¡¯t find coffee in Brealia, but at least, Sirit and her team could feed me.

    All conversations in the room cut short as soon as I got through the door. Lesser nobles sitting with drinks, kitchen personnel cleaning or waiting, everyone gave me a respectful nod. The weight of their gazes was a little too heavy for me. I had a plate prepared for me with leftovers from lunch, and ate alone in a corner, pretending I was Aragorn at the Prancing Pony. I had left friends and a dragon behind, and I had no way to contact them, so I couldn¡¯t help but imagine the worst happening to them. Torture, death.

    I was deep in thought when I noticed someone looking at me with more insistence than the others. I looked up from my near-empty plate.

    ¡°Princess.¡±

    ¡°Al.¡±

    Nigella didn¡¯t wait for an invitation. She directly took a chair in front of me.

    Her face was paler than I remembered, and her hands fiddled with a ribbon. An ornate velvet headband held her light blond hair away from her eyes, and small aquamarines shone at her ears. She¡¯s just a teenager. How could Uturi ever imagine¡­ I shook the thought away.

    ¡°I did it after all,¡± I said.

    ¡°I will never thank you enough. But what about you?¡±

    Her father asked me the exact same question, but I don¡¯t think she means what he meant.

    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°What about me?¡±

    She gestured at my face. ¡°You got injured. You went to the hospital this morning, so I guess you got appropriate care, but do you want to keep these scars?¡±

    ¡°I suppose I have no choice. The doctor said some of them would be permanent.¡±

    ¡°But if you had a choice, what would you do?¡±

    I sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t need to make a statement. I did this morning, when I confronted Uturi and the council could see I¡¯d really been through a lot, but now, I wish I could leave it all behind. Rest, let the wounds heal, and be able to see myself in the mirror without being reminded of that fall for the rest of my life.¡±

    Isn¡¯t it selfish? Or vain? I have old scars and I don¡¯t really notice them anymore, so I¡¯ll get used to the new ones.

    Nigella nodded thoughtfully.

    ¡°I see. Get all the rest you need.¡±

    ¡°Doctor¡¯s instructions. I have a broken rib and I should avoid running around and stabbing people until it heals.¡±

    She giggled. ¡°You should, indeed! But if you must be our Great Hero in the future, I suggest you take fencing lessons as soon as you recover. It will help with the stabbing.¡±

    ¡°Excellent suggestion, Princess.¡±

    I had a sip of water. I wanted to relax, but I couldn¡¯t, not as long as my friends were missing and possibly dead. Dread was like a little beast resting in my stomach, not moving much, but poisoning me from inside. And perhaps it was its influence, but a murmur seemed to go through the dining room.

    ¡°Princess? Am I delusional, or¡­¡±

    The banging of the door interrupted me. A soldier ran into the room, noticed us, and went straight to us, bowing before the table.

    ¡°Princess, Great Hero, watchers have spotted a dragon flying to Carastra from the north!¡±

    ¡°Gold Dragon Kossi?¡± asked Nigella.

    ¡°Probably. King Esthar wants you both by his side immediatly.¡±

 Chapter 41: All But Average

    I looked down at my empty plate. I¡¯d been planning to have dessert, something sweet to soothe my anxiety. But Kossi was coming to Carastra, King Esthar requested our presence, and that matter couldn¡¯t wait, so I stood up and picked up my plate to bring it back to the kitchen. Princess Nigella looked at me wide-eyed.

    ¡°We have no time for this! We should go now.¡±

    ¡°But I just need to¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t trouble yourself, Great Hero Al!¡± interrupted Sirit¡¯s cheerful voice.

    The head cook walked to us with a glass in hand.

    ¡°I was bringing you this. Doctor¡¯s order, remember? So drink this and don¡¯t worry about your plate. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    I drank the bitter remedy as fast as I could.

    ¡°Thank you, Sirit.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Al, for everything. But are you leaving already? Aren¡¯t you having cake?¡±

    ¡°We are called for an urgent matter,¡± explained Princess Nigella.

    Sirit bowed.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know, Princess. My apologies.¡±

    She took the glass, the plate, and hurried back to the kitchen. She¡¯s so formal when talking to Nigella! She behaves quite different with me, but I¡¯m not her boss.

    Still sad at the lack of dessert, I followed the princess to a room that I¡¯d never seen. When we were announced, King Esthar looked up from a conversation with an officer and a female advisor.

    ¡°Thank you for coming so swiftly. Sit down.¡±

    The room was painted white, with contrasting patterns in gold and silver that suggested vegetal shapes. A single log was consuming in the marble fireplace, and the chairs and rug were dark red. Judging by the beauty of the portraits hanging on the walls, it was a drawing room for important guests. Technically, we weren¡¯t guests, but the room was larger than King Esthar¡¯s office, and could accommodate all of us easily.

    Princess Nigella bowed her head.

    ¡°We are as concerned as you are, Your Majesty.¡± She took a seat opposite her father. ¡°Is it Kossi?¡±

    ¡°It appears so. Commander Asturi?¡±

    The officer nodded. ¡°The sun hadn¡¯t set when our watchmen spotted the dragon, and there¡¯s no mistaking a Gold Dragon¡¯s particular sheen. What they saw was either Kossi himself, or another Gold Dragon of a similar hue.¡±

    I raised my hand. ¡°Do you know many other dark brown Gold Dragons?¡±

    ¡°None.¡±

    Either a dragon we all know, or one they¡¯ve never seen. Occam¡¯s razor applies here.

    ¡°When can we expect him to arrive at the palace?¡± asked Nigella.

    King Esthar looked out of the window. The sky was already darkening. ¡°Before nightfall. The question, however, is: should we allow him to reach the palace? Kossi¡¯s presence is unwanted as long as his condition is unknown.¡±

    ¡°Are we about to attack him?¡±

    ¡°We must prepare for all contingencies. I will not let him slaughter my people again without retaliating. Should he show any sign of hostility, we would strike first.¡±

    Nigella nodded, but her eyes were begging her father not to hurt the dragon.

    There were knocks at the door. The king gestured at the valet to open, and a breathless guard stood at attention.

    ¡°Speak,¡± said King Esthar.

    ¡°Your Majesty, the Gold Dragon landed in the district of Burry!¡±

    The advisor frowned. ¡°Did he strike or burn anything?¡±

    ¡°Not as far as we know, Lady Torren.¡±

    Torren. Is she related to Lord Torren?

    The king stood up from his chair. ¡°Commander Asturi, send troops. Lady Torren, prepare a coach. We will go to Burry without delay.¡±

    Everyone set in motion with precision, and all I had to do was follow the flow. As we were handed jackets for the trip, Princess Nigella told me that Burry was a district north of Carastra, on the way to the palace from Inabar. Kossi had chosen to stop before getting inside the capital city.

    We waited for the coach in the courtyard. King Esthar gave orders around, and as soon as I understood he didn¡¯t want to attack preemptively, I stopped paying attention. My anxiety was deafening. Kossi, what are you doing? Why land in a northern district instead of coming to the palace? Did you roast the whole keep in Malo before leaving? Did you kill my friends?

    Inside the coach, we found a wooden box engraved with ivy leaves.

    ¡°Biscuits from the kitchen, for the trip,¡± explained the footman.

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    Oh, Sirit, what would I do without you?

    Nigella sat next to her father, and Lady Torren took a seat next to me. The coach crossed the south bridge, then went around the moat, past the Royal Sword Academy, and into a network of streets that were still busy despite the dusk. It was a short ride, ten minutes at most, but fear of what awaited us made me dizzy. I ate a biscuit. I couldn¡¯t even enjoy it. What if, what if¡­ I tried hard not to think, to no avail.

    When we stopped and the footman opened the door, it took all my willpower to refrain from rushing outside. I let the king and princess get out first, then Lady Torren waved at me to follow.

    There was a simple fountain in the middle of the square, four-story houses on all sides, and curious faces at every window. Next to the fountain, an abandoned sedan chair made of gilded wood looked curiously out of place. Why was such a luxurious object in such a humble neighborhood?

    Surrounded by soldiers who pointed their spears and crossbows at him, Kossi was on his knees, his head low. In this position, his beautiful black coils let me glimpse a neck where no magical symbol glowed anymore. A limp figure lay on the ground in front of him. I recognized Saegorg¡¯s long copper hair.

    Oh my g¡­ By the Almighty! Did he slay him and bring his body all the way here?

    For a few seconds, nobody moved, and all we could hear was the wind. Then Esthar took one step towards the dragon.

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    The dragon held out his hands, wrists close.

    ¡°I surrender.¡±

    Esthar¡¯s chin moved forward. Immediately, Commander Asturi walked to Kossi and cuffed him. Given the prisoner¡¯s strength, it was only symbolic. I supposed everyone knew it. Still, the image every witness would remember was that of a powerful creature with his wrists tied and his head low, not daring to look up at the king he¡¯d surrendered to.

    Saegorg rolled over on the floor. He¡¯s alive!

    Now lying on his back, he held up a hand to his forehead, opened his eyes, and froze at the number of weapons pointed at him. ¡°What¡­ Esthar?¡±

    The king sighed. ¡°Why did you bring Lord Saegorg here, dragon Kossi?¡±

    ¡°Because he plotted against you and your people. The terrible things he made me do were only a foretaste of the crimes he planned. He must answer for it, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°I understand, but¡­ Commander Asturi, please bring Lord Saegorg to Abbens.¡±

    A still lethargic Saegorg was lifted from the ground, handcuffed, and taken away. He cursed when he understood what was going on, but he was far from the energetic lord who¡¯d kicked me and pulled my hair.

    ¡°What happened to him?¡± asked Lady Torrens when Saegorg was gone.

    ¡°I grabbed him and flew back here as fast as I could. He passed away from the speed.¡±

    King Esthar joined his hands. ¡°Kossi, look at me.¡±

    The dragon raised his head. His golden eyes looked as unreal as ever, but all his face showed was resignation. The king gave him an annoyed look.

    ¡°Lord Saegorg is the sovereign ruler of a foreign country. What punishment can I sentence him to? Even detaining him in Brealia could be considered an act of war by his allies!¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°I suppose Gold Dragons do not bother with such human concerns, but this is the way we live, Kossi. We cannot fly away from our problems. We always have to deal with our neighbors, regardless of whether we enjoy their company.¡±

    He never shouted, but his anger and resentment were obvious. Nigella finally put a slender hand on his arm.

    ¡°Father¡­¡±

    Funny. She usually calls him ¡°Your Majesty¡± in public.

    Esthar looked at his daughter and sighed. ¡°I shall reach out for other monarchs tomorrow. Today was a long day and we all deserve to rest.¡±

    Nigella nodded. ¡°Kossi, do you realize the extent of the damage you caused?¡±

    ¡°I do. This is why I turned myself in as soon as I regained my freedom. I did terrible harm to Carastra, to the Brealian kingdom, and I will accept any punishment you deem relevant.¡±

    The king and princess whispered for a moment, then Nigella spoke up again.

    ¡°Gold Dragon Kossi, you cannot bring back the dead, but you will rebuild everything you destroyed in Carastra. In addition, you will stay at the palace, under close surveillance, until we deem it safe to let you go. Should you try to escape, or to harm an innocent person, there would be no warning. We would execute you on the spot.¡±

    Kossi had a sad smile. ¡°I accept this sentence with gratitude.¡±

    ¡°Now get up,¡± said the king.

    Kossi stood up, still cuffed but significantly more confident than he¡¯d been a moment before. He¡¯s basically sentenced to living in a palace for an indefinite period. As punishments go, I¡¯ve seen way worse.

    There were murmurs all around us. Most people didn¡¯t seem to understand why the dragon wasn¡¯t simply killed. However, no one spoke out. The king and crown princess had spoken, and they were absolute monarchs, after all.

    When the voices dimmed, I heard noises inside the sedan chair. Kossi looked behind him.

    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re awake! Could you open the door, please? I locked it to keep them from falling.¡±

    My heart beat faster. Could it be¡­

    On a sign from the king, a soldier unlocked the door. Chess got out of the sedan chair first, uneasy on their feet, unarmed but ready to fight. Their face brightened when they understood they were in friendly territory. They held out a hand to help Catalin out of the chair.

    ¡°Is it cadet Chess?¡± asked King Esthar.

    Nigella nodded. ¡°Chess, and Catalin Robi from the University of Magic Arts. They went to Inabar with Al, and they were captured there.¡±

    ¡°I broke them out of Saegorg¡¯s jail,¡± explained Kossi.

    I wanted to run at the kids and hug them both, but I couldn¡¯t. Neither health nor etiquette allowed me to. So I just watched as soldiers escorted them to the king, their faces made blurry by the tears building up in my eyes. He saved them. He brought them back.

    In two days, neither Catalin nor Chess had had time to lose a lot of weight. Both looked reasonably healthy. While they bowed before the royals, I went back to the coach and grabbed Sirit¡¯s box of biscuits.

    Catalin¡¯s voice came from behind me, oblivious of all rules.

    ¡°Al? Is that you?¡±

    I turned to her and held out an arm in front of me.

    ¡°It¡¯s me, but don¡¯t hug me! I¡¯m injured!¡±

    Catalin was already running to me. She stopped. ¡°Injured? Yes, of course you are, it¡¯s a miracle you even survived the fall! Oh, your face¡­ By the Almighty, Al, Kossi told us you weren¡¯t dead, but I couldn¡¯t believe it¡­ Are these biscuits?¡±

    I gave her the box. ¡°Share them with Chess. The two of you must be starving.¡±

    ¡°We took food for the trip, but I¡¯m still hungry and Chess must be, too. Thanks, Al. I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re alive!¡±

    She was beyond happy. I could see tears of relief at the corner of her eyes, just like the ones that were flowing on my cheeks. I smiled.

    ¡°So am I. I spent the past two days fearing I¡¯d never see you again.¡±

    Catalin tilted her head.

    ¡°You, as in me, or as in both of us?¡±

    ¡°Both of you, but you, Catalin, even more.¡±

    ¡°And not Kossi?¡±

    Of course. The kiss.

    I sighed. ¡°I was worried about Kossi, but in a different way. I didn¡¯t want that kiss, you know. Kossi used it to pass some of his fire to me and prove we¡¯d met. There was nothing more to it, I promise.¡±

    Catalin looked at the box, her ears moving in all directions.

    ¡°Good.¡±

    She doesn¡¯t sound convinced.

    ¡°Did you ask Kossi about it?¡±

    ¡°He was in his dragon form when he rescued us, so he couldn¡¯t talk. Look, Al, what was I supposed to think? He¡¯s a fascinating creature, and he doesn¡¯t exactly look average, does he?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t, indeed.¡±

    Where¡¯s the student who didn¡¯t care whether I had feelings for her, as long as my name protected her from abuse? Now she admits she felt jealous because I¡¯m not the only one who thinks Kossi¡¯s unbelievably handsome.

    ¡°But you don¡¯t look average either,¡± I added.

    Catalin bowed down her head with a flush, but I¡¯d had time to see her bright smile. ¡°These biscuits look delicious. I¡¯ll bring some to Chess. We¡¯ll talk later, Al. We have a lot to discuss, but I must pay my respects to the king first.¡±

    She took the box and turned around.

 Chapter 42: What Can Be Mended

    ¡°Engaged?¡±

    King Esthar¡¯s gaze went back and forth between Catalin and me. Most soldiers were gone, escorting Kossi and Nigella to the palace as soon as a second coach arrived. We stayed in Bury to debrief a few details before going back to the center of Carastra.

    ¡°She is a Zimeon and you are a human!¡± protested the king.

    Why do people always notice this, and not the age gap, or simply the fact that we¡¯re both women?

    I finally lifted the chain around my neck, showing my two pendants. One small carved piece of wood, one magically preserved Mera blossom. I expected Catalin to do the same, but she lowered her head.

    ¡°They took everything away, back in Malo. My pendants are somewhere in the keep, provided they didn¡¯t throw them away.¡±

    From the look of it, she thinks I¡¯ll get mad at her, or even cancel the engagement.

    I reached out for her hand. She let me take it, but there was some distance in her touch.

    ¡°Sorry, Al. I didn¡¯t exactly have a pleasant time over there.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°It¡¯s all right. Take your time. I¡¯m ready to talk when you are.¡±

    ¡°We need to have a serious conversation anyway. Tomorrow, maybe? Tonight, I¡¯d just like to go home.¡±

    ¡°Home?¡±

    I startled. I remembered how Catalin described her room, back in Teo¡¯s barn, when we thought we¡¯d be safe for the night and we didn¡¯t know we¡¯d have to run away again. Tiny. Uncomfortable. Green wallpaper.

    I raised a hand.

    ¡°Your Majesty, King Esthar! I have a request, if you allow it.¡±

    The king raised an eyebrow. ¡°What is it, Al?¡±

    I took a deep breath. Now wasn¡¯t the time, but I felt later would be too late. Catalin had been sick before we left Carastra, and I couldn¡¯t allow her to risk her health again.

    ¡°I have good reasons to believe wallpapers contain a toxic pigment. In my native world, it was known as Paris green, and it was widely used in paints and wallpapers for a few decades. People would get sick in their own houses, or even die, until the pigment was banned.¡±

    King Esthar frowned. ¡°What is your point? Do you want us to ban the pigment too?¡±

    ¡°Ultimately, yes, but my main concern is Catalin Robi¡¯s health. There¡¯s green wallpaper where she lives. When we met, she had a cough. I can¡¯t let her go back there.¡±

    Chess nodded. ¡°I remember her coughing, Your Majesty. It lessened soon after we left Carastra.¡±

    The king stared at me. ¡°What do you want from me, Al? Zimeon engagements have no official value. I cannot let her live with you in my palace.¡±

    ¡°No, I mean¡­ I don¡¯t think either of us is ready to share a room.¡± I exchanged a glance with my fianc¨¦e, and if her eyes told me anything, it was that she felt even less ready than I did. ¡°But if you have a spare room somewhere, not necessarily inside the palace, just a safe place that isn¡¯t painted green or blue, I beg you to let her stay there. For her sake. And then we can move on to investigating the actual pigments used in wallpaper manufactures.¡±

    He sighed. ¡°I will see what I can do. However, it is late, and all of us need a meal and some rest.¡±

    Catalin¡¯s tail wrapped around my leg in the coach. She didn¡¯t reject me. She was just emerging from a traumatic experience, and as she said, she needed time. The king assigned her a room in the commons, inside the old castle grounds.

    ¡°Do you need to fetch things tonight?¡± I asked.

    She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll stop at my old place tomorrow, on my way to the University. I need to catch up on the classes I missed. I bet some students will be surprised to see me again. Can you pay us a visit in the afternoon, Al?¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Good. I¡¯ll come get you at the door at half past two, if it¡¯s fine by you.¡±

    Her triumphant smile was the most beautiful thing I saw on that evening. I¡¯d be the fianc¨¦e she needed, as best I could.

    I wasn¡¯t allowed to follow Catalin to her new temporary home, so I just went back to my own apartments. A new maid named Evie offered to prepare a hot bath, but I declined the offer. My arm was burned. I wouldn¡¯t stand the heat. I just asked for a jug of hot water instead, enough to wash without hurting myself further.

    I looked around while she was busy in the bathroom. This place was too big for me. I¡¯d need to find a proper house, something reasonable, a place I¡¯d feel at home in.

    Then I finally faced the mirror. For the first time since the fall, two days before, I saw my own face. And it wasn¡¯t pretty.

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    It was still me underneath the cuts and the scratches, but some areas were swollen, others bruised, and I looked like I¡¯d been through barbed wire. I could tell why the doctor thought I¡¯d keep scars. Some of these cuts would leave a trace. This one, across my forehead, would certainly be visible for the rest of my life.

    That¡¯s the price for saving a kingdom. I¡¯ll certainly look more badass in the future.

    I asked Evie to bring me supper in the antechamber. I didn¡¯t want to meet more people in the small dining room and pretend I was all right. I washed, slipped into a comfortable gown, and sipped my food on my own, enjoying the calm. Sirit had made sure to include a piece of airy fruit cake in my meal.

    It tasted sweet. My tears were savory.

    Despite the burned arm and the broken rib, I fell asleep quite easily. All the strain of the past ten days had finally caught up on me.

    Knocks on the door awoke me. I startled and winced immediately. My rib, again.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Great Hero Al, Princess Nigella requests your presence in the council room as soon as possible! Do you need assistance?¡±

    I yawned. There was daylight outside. ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯ll get dressed.¡±

    I put on a long loose dress and a wide fabric belt. As long as I was injured, my adventurer gear was pointless. Among the dozens of slippers in the wardrobe, I found a pair in my size. Their dark blue color didn¡¯t match the red and bronze hues of the dress, but it¡¯d do. I wasn¡¯t going to a fashion show after all.

    What does the princess want me for?

    Maya waited for me outside my apartments. She led me down the stairs and along the wide corridor of the main building, even though I didn¡¯t really need a guide this time. Despite the presence of half a dozen guards, the door to the council room was open. Clanking noises echoed all around. Maya bowed and moved aside, letting me see the whole area was under construction.

    Several men worked on scaffolding, carefully removing what remained of the stained-glass window that had represented a field under a blue sky. In the middle of the room, three figures were standing, oblivious to my presence.

    Nigella, Kossi, and¡­ Leda Gatilla?

    My heart pumped hard before I reasoned myself. Leda was still in my native world. The woman over there, in dark gray overalls, a green muffin cap over her thick curly hair, was Nigella¡¯s friend, the architect.

    She was the one who noticed me. A warm smile bloomed on her face.

    ¡°Great Hero Al, it¡¯s good to see you!¡±

    The princess and the dragon turned around. Nigella waved at me to come closer, so I joined the group.

    ¡°Good morning, Princess.¡±

    ¡°Good morning, Al. As you can see, Kossi is about to begin his¡­ How should I express it?¡±

    ¡°Community service?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    The architect nodded. ¡°I was telling him about the first panels that should be delivered later today. He¡¯ll be able to lift them, and hold them in place while our workers assemble them. Since we were on a tight schedule, I chose a simpler pattern¡­ I can¡¯t wait for you to see the finished work!¡±

    Kossi had an uneasy smile. He looked at his feet as soon as he noticed my gaze.

    Nigella, however, caught my hand. She looked happier than ever.

    ¡°Al, do you remember Cristolia Valmar, the architect?¡±

    I do. But I¡¯d forgotten her name.

    I nodded. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m glad you got to design a new stained-glass window.¡±

    Cristolia giggled. ¡°Well, the old one was fine, but since some dashing dragon decided to smash it, I could as well create a new one.¡±

    Kossi¡¯s golden eyes shone like he was fighting hard to blink back tears.

    ¡°But I guess Princess Nigella didn¡¯t bring you here so early in the morning to hear about my architectural ambitions,¡± added Cristolia.

    ¡°I did not.¡±

    What does this smile mean? Why does Nigella look so excited?

    ¡°Al, do you remember our conversation about natural powers?¡±

    ¡°I think I do. By the way, Cristolia, I have a natural power too, but it¡¯s a little strange. I can read magic, and sometimes alter spells.¡±

    The architect smiled. ¡°Oh, that sounds unusual! But I never told you what mine was, and I think it¡¯s the reason why the princess summoned you. May I?¡±

    She took my hand, the one Nigella had been holding. She lifted it closer to her face. My knuckles had suffered from the fall, but it wasn¡¯t as bad as my face. Hands have thin skin. Easy to hurt, quick to heal.

    Cristolia looked hard at the back of my hand. I felt a soft tingling, and the cuts mended. The hand looked as if nothing had happened. What?

    I frowned. ¡°Are you a healer? Isn¡¯t it an extremely precious power?¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid my power is more mundane. Bring me someone wounded and I won¡¯t be able to do anything. A true healing mage, on the other hand, will do wonders.¡±

    Wait a sec. I thought there was hardly any healing magic at all.

    I touched my forehead. ¡°But yesterday, at the hospital, the doctor said she could do nothing about my cuts!¡±

    ¡°Healing magic is exhausting. No one will use it on such minor wounds. Besides, these spells need to be cast before the victim starts to heal by themself, otherwise they¡¯re not as effective. So, in your case, it was both too expensive and too late.¡±

    ¡°If you say so.¡±

    I really need to learn how magic really works in this world, even if I can never cast a spell of my own.

    Cristolia held out a hand near my face.

    ¡°This is where my power comes in. I won¡¯t heal anything that remotely looks like a serious wound, but I can erase scars.¡±

    So this is why Nigella asked me if I wanted to keep mine, yesterday! She planned to bring me to Cristolia so I could get rid of them!

    I wanted to cry. Too late, I was crying. Could I really be restored to my previous state? Reboot and look good as new? Or good as the old Alicia, the one who went through the portal after angels were misled by a traitor?

    I nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯d like you to remove these scars. Small ones on my body I can live with, but please, I want my face back.¡±

    ¡°Just hold still.¡±

    There was a tingling on my forehead. Then on my cheeks. Cristolia walked around me, stared at every scratch she could see, and it was gone. I probably didn¡¯t look too attractive, with tears on my cheeks and a running nose. But I didn¡¯t care. I was myself again. A kindergarten teacher summoned by mistake, who¡¯d somehow managed to fulfill the very mission I was supposed to botch.

    A teacher who badly wanted a cup of coffee.

    And who didn¡¯t need to save her daily miracle for some vital emergency.

    ¡°What¡¯s this smell?¡± asked Sirit when I entered the kitchen with a canvas bag in my arms.

    ¡°Roasted coffee beans.¡± I put the bag on the table and breathed in its delicious smell. ¡°They¡¯re used for making a hot drink in my native world. There are many ways to prepare it, but the simplest one consists in grinding the beans and brewing them.¡±

    ¡°Where did you get it?¡±

    I grinned.

    ¡°I used my special hero power! I initially wanted a living bush, but apparently you can¡¯t transfer wildlife from one plane to another, so I had to settle for already roasted beans.¡±

    ¡°Interesting. Tell me the name again?¡±

    ¡°Coffee.¡±

    The word tasted sweet on my tongue.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been craving it ever since I was summoned.¡±

    Sirit took one bean between two fingers and looked at it. ¡°All right. It looks a bit unusual, but not dangerous. I¡¯ll use a pepper grinder for the first try, if that¡¯s fine by you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please.¡±

    The aroma soon filled the place, and finally, for the first time since my summoning, I got a cup of dark coffee. Several cooks tried it too. They all grimaced at its bitterness, but to me, it tasted like nostalgia mixed with raw energy.

 Chapter 43: My Own Kind of Hero

    My whole day seemed brighter. Finally, I could leave politics to politicians. I¡¯d done my part in avoiding the war, so it felt right to let them handle the consequences. Hopefully, someone as brutal as Saegorg was disliked enough for his demise to go smoothly in the area. As long as I wasn¡¯t sent for, I wouldn¡¯t meddle with the diplomatic process.

    Nobody came for me until I left for my appointment with Catalin. Or did it count as a date? In any case, I was bringing a few biscuits along.

    It was a cloudy day with the occasional gust of wind, but it didn¡¯t matter. I walked across the main bridge, acknowledging the guards with a nod. My lack of an escort didn¡¯t seem to bother anyone. After all, I¡¯d earned my hero title, and this time, at least, I knew the way to the University of Magic Arts.

    I reached the place under a light shower. Catalin was waiting for me at the door. It was strange to see her back in her freshman uniform, this gray robe that went down to her ankles, concealing her tail. But it was simply exhilarating to see the faces of Loenn Gimon and his friends when I walked her to the classroom, holding her arm while she munched on biscuits from the royal kitchen.

    Watch me, kids. You saw me propose to her by mistake, and you thought I¡¯d run away in shame. Well, I didn¡¯t. This young woman deserves her place here, and if I need to make a show of loving her, I will.

    ¡°This is the enchantment room,¡± explained Catalin.

    The door looked thick, like these massive wooden doors in medieval castles.

    ¡°Is it dangerous?¡±

    ¡°Not if you know what you¡¯re doing!¡±

    Some other students tried to get my attention, but I ignored them. I smiled at Catalin.

    ¡°I trust you. I know you¡¯ll do just fine. Would you like to have dinner with me? At seven, in the dining room of the palace?¡±

    She blushed. So far, she¡¯d been on the grounds, but she¡¯d never set foot inside the palace itself. The situation was different now. She¡¯d saved the kingdom, and the king himself had given her a room.

    She finally nodded. ¡°Yes, at seven in the dining room. Thank you, Al.¡±

    There was an exquisite chime, and the door opened on its own. The rich kids watched wide-eyed as Catalin walked into the enchantment room, waving at me on the threshold.

    She did come to the small dining room in the evening. With no way to keep track of time once we walked away from the massive clocks scattered in the palace, I was afraid she¡¯d be late, but she wasn¡¯t. A beautiful Zimeon in a simple black dress over a white shirt, her thick cherry-red hair tied behind her back with a ribbon, walked into the room with a shy smile.

    You belong here, young sorcerer.

    Catalin and I sat at the end of a table, facing each other. She told me about her day, how different everyone¡¯s behavior was.

    ¡°Even before I came?¡± I asked.

    She nodded. ¡°Most students heard about our adventure. They knew I wasn¡¯t just skipping classes these past ten days.¡±

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    ¡°If you¡¯re a hero in your own right, maybe you don¡¯t need me, after all.¡±

    She glared at me. ¡°Al! Don¡¯t say this like you mean it! I hope we share many more adventures in the future, preferably less dangerous ones.¡±

    I laughed at the precision. Platters were passed to us, and each of us chose her preferred dishes.

    In ten days, we only ate what was available, so I never knew what Catalin likes.

    She looked fond of bread, leafy vegetables and gravy. She didn¡¯t seem to have much of a sweet tooth, even though she¡¯d been happy to eat Sirit¡¯s biscuits. As we ate, she told me about her final assignment. She had to study a spell by a known master, reproduce it, and imagine a simpler way to achieve a similar effect.

    Catalin¡¯s spell created a pocket of breathable air around one¡¯s head. She told me it was originally designed for firefighters. I loved how her hands and face moved as she spoke, conveying her enthusiasm.

    I was far less thrilled when she sighed while I was having dessert.

    ¡°Look, Al, I¡¯ve been thinking about what happened in Malo.¡±

    My heart turned to acid. ¡°What part of what happened?¡±

    Catalin¡¯s fingers ran along the table.

    ¡°Just before Kossi threw you out. You said you¡¯d used us and you¡¯d lied to us. I keep wondering about those lies.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    I peeked at our closest neighbors. They were several seats away and looked deep in their own conversation, so I considered the risk of eavesdropping was minimal.

    ¡°I might have told some small lies that I don¡¯t remember, but here¡¯s the big one. The man with the silver hair, the one who didn¡¯t smell human and who dropped us near the gates of Malo.¡±

    Catalin¡¯s ears folded and she wrinkled her nose.

    ¡°Faur¡¯s lieutenant.¡±

    ¡°Actually, it was Faur himself, and I knew it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    The noise level dropped dramatically in the room. Catalin blushed, checked her plate, but it was empty. I was the one with the sweet tooth.

    ¡°We rode in a coach with Demon Lord Faur?¡± she said, her terracotta eyes wide with shock.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we did. He was the only one who could get us there on time, so I accepted his offer. And I thought Chess and you would never accept a ride with my sworn enemy, so I pretended I didn¡¯t know who he was. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Catalin stayed silent for a while. Someone passed her a jug. She poured herself a glass and drank bottoms up, without even looking at the beverage. Then she coughed.

    ¡°I hate chilper wine! I mean, he¡¯s your¡­¡±

    She struggled to find her words. I waited for the sentence to end, before deciding I ought to finish it myself.

    ¡°So says the prophecy. But unpleasant as he is, back then, he was less of an enemy than Saegorg.¡±

    ¡°And you didn¡¯t tell us.¡± Catalin¡¯s eyes wished they could throw daggers.

    I looked at my spoonful of cake. ¡°Would you have followed, if I¡¯d told you the truth?¡±

    ¡°Probably not.¡±

    Catalin bit her lower lip.

    ¡°Look, I get why you did it, I can forgive you given the circumstances, but never lie to me like this again, all right?¡±

    ¡°I promise.¡±

    I felt relieved beyond words. After dinner, Catalin and I walked in the courtyard, hoping for some stargazing, but the sky was too cloudy. We just parted after a short hug.

    Nothing was done. But everything was still possible.

    On the next day, King Esthar left Carastra for unknown political matters.

    At least, he won¡¯t summon me.

    I found a library in the west wing of the palace, a few doors away from my apartments. I decided to learn as much as I could about my new world. For a few days, I read about history and myths. The statue in the fountain, in the flower garden of the palace, was Tangum, goddess of Harvest from an old polytheistic religion. I learned the names of plants and animals, hoping I¡¯d be able to recognize them if I came across them in real life. The sketches representing them looked like they suffered from excessive artistic license.

    Although I spent hours on my own, I didn¡¯t feel alone. On most evenings, I had dinner with Catalin, learning about her, her family, her culture. Out of the window, on sunny days, I could see Kossi replanting trees in the south garden, watched by a dozen guards.

    I asked Lord Torren whether there were state-funded schools in Brealia. As I suspected, there weren¡¯t. I promised myself I¡¯d talk to the king as soon as he was available. I was full of ideas that probably matched some of All One¡¯s claims. Opening more positions to commoners, and providing them with cheaper schooling, would be a major step for equity, but it¡¯d also bring more capable officials to King Esthar. Could he ignore such a promising opportunity?

    It felt like the best way to bring prosperity to the Brealian kingdom, my mission as the Great Hero Al. A hero didn¡¯t need to punch baddies every other day. I could be a hero of a different kind.

    And still get to wear a cape if I wanted.

 Epilogue: Kossi

    My wings flap in the sunset, but I don¡¯t feel the freedom that usually comes when I fly. Instead, something I can¡¯t explain weighs on my chest, and my scales itch behind my neck. The landscape below looks like it¡¯s burning. Or maybe it is.

    It is indeed burning, because I¡¯m burning it.

    I breathe fire, again and again, and a whole city goes into flames. Countless smoldering corpses rise from the ashes, with embers for a halo, and their empty eyes curse me. I¡¯m cursed. There¡¯s no escaping my crimes.

    I open my eyes and see the night sky through the dormer. How long did I manage to sleep this time, before the nightmare caught up with me again? I push the sweat-drenched pillow away, sit up and stretch. Here, in Carastra, I have to sleep in a small bedroom with a mansard roof. It¡¯s comfortable enough for my human body, but there¡¯s no space for me to turn back into a dragon, and I suppose the room was chosen on purpose. The door is locked and guarded, and no matter what shape I take, I can¡¯t get through the dormer. I¡¯m no longer an honorable guest here. I¡¯m serving a sentence I deserved.

    Who am I fooling? I deserved so much worse.

    I walk to the window and open it. The familiar round shape of the chapel is a shadow among many more, while lanterns light the courtyard on my right. The peaceful skyline almost makes up for the desolation I made of what used to be a garden.

    Except nothing will ever make up for it. Even when I finish restoring the council room to a semblance of magnificence, even when I replant the garden down to the last blade of grass, the dead will never come back to life. My conscience will never be clean. I might never even get rid of the nightmares.

    This is why I stopped coming here after the accident. Epona and Sorosiel¡¯s absence was everywhere, their shadows hanging over every light, every life, every word. It wasn¡¯t just death. I¡¯ve seen death more than once, I attended friends¡¯ memorial services and still keep trinkets as souvenirs of our friendship. But pointless, absurd destruction¡­ How can humans overcome such an ordeal so fast?

    Esthar told me they don¡¯t have a choice. For a while, I thought I did. I chose to return to the mountains, where change is so slow I¡¯ll hardly notice it, even over a dragon¡¯s lifespan. I chose the comfort of my lair, until a spell came at me and subdued me. And then I took part in the very destruction I wanted to avoid.

    I close my eyes, welcoming the night breeze on my skin and scales.

    Is Esthar right? Is it selfish of me to wish for a quiet space? We dragons crave familiar settings. We gather what we love and keep it close, to forget how volatile the outside world is. Humans call it hoarding. Some of them, when they deem our collections valuable, try to steal them from us, sometimes killing us in the process.

    My lair wouldn¡¯t soothe my guilt right now, but being kept away from it¡­ It hurts. I still deserve that punishment and a hundred more. I let it all happen to me. I should have known better and it will haunt me for years.

    Meanwhile, even though I¡¯ve been here for under two weeks and Saegorg is still detained in Abbens, the prison outside Carastra, Esthar has already moved on to something else. Hardly anyone in the palace seems to know what he¡¯s up to, but I overheard a conversation between Nigella and Lord Berg. Esthar¡¯s preparing a betrothal ceremony. This summer, his nephew Gurvan will get engaged to the very princess Sorosiel was supposed to marry.

    I wish I could wave the feelings away and only keep an objective record of what happened. We dragons outlive our human friends. We¡¯re supposed to remember. But with remembrance often comes grief.

    I sigh. I can see the disappointment in Nigella¡¯s eyes. I¡¯m not the cheerful Kossi she remembers, but smiling and joking would feel disrespectful to the people I killed, to those whose houses I burned.

    I need a walk.

    The guards at my door startle as I knock on the door.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to go downstairs, please.¡±

    They were dozing by the door and they probably wish I¡¯d leave them alone, but they open and escort me to the stairs. The last floor is unlit, so our lone lantern is the only light around. As soon as we get to the lower floors, though, dim lights help us see the path. The corridors. The paintings on the walls.

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    ¡°Where do you want to go, dragon Kossi?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll just breathe in the courtyard¡­ Wait a second.¡±

    There are footsteps down the main stairs of the west wing, so I head that way, closely followed by my untrusting escort. How long will they believe I want to escape, when I turned myself in as soon as I could? I¡¯m staying here as long as Nigella wants me around. I miss my lair dearly, but it¡¯s not about me. I can live with it for a few years.

    It¡¯s her. I knew it.

    Al appears in the main hall, in a loose nightgown, her brown hair down. She stops when she sees me, and the surprise on her face soon turns into a warm smile.

    ¡°Kossi? Can¡¯t sleep?¡±

    Why does she always look so genuinely happy to see me? I nod.

    ¡°I wake up every night.¡±

    ¡°Is it a dragon thing?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    I¡¯m not ready to talk about it in the middle of the main hall, with four guards at arm¡¯s length, so I let the sentence linger. But Al¡¯s brown eyes look straight into mine. She¡¯s waiting for an explanation.

    I sigh.

    ¡°Whenever I close my eyes, I see the houses I burned, the people running away in terror, and I imagine all the harm I¡¯d have done without you. I keep awaking from nightmares.¡±

    ¡°Without me?¡±

    She looks ready to add something, but she shuts her mouth. There¡¯s no denying she did more than anyone else to free me, thanks to her unique natural power. I see it inside her as she stands here. It¡¯s hard to describe, but it makes her glow, in a non-visual way.

    I owe Al what¡¯s left of my sanity, and I can¡¯t find the words to express my gratitude.

    ¡°Would you like to talk?¡± she adds.

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Then follow me.¡±

    We go to the small dining room, and Al talks the guards into splitting in two groups, one at each door. Then we sit opposite each other at a table in the middle of the room. This way, we¡¯ll have minimal privacy.

    ¡°What about you? Why are you awake?¡± I ask.

    She tilts her head.

    ¡°My mind¡¯s kind of overworking. I have too many ideas, and tonight, they turned into weird dreams, so I thought I needed a walk. But talking¡¯s fine too. I¡¯m like everyone, I guess, better at working out other people¡¯s problems than my own.¡±

    We talk in the deserted dining room. Al tells me about her projects, how the wallpaper manufacture thing looks like the first thing to do, because it¡¯s a minor point of law and it¡¯s easy to change. She calls it a ¡°quick win¡±. She talks about other ideas she has, but she needs to discuss them with other people, including Vilo Jozin.

    Compared to her projects, my rebuilding of my own damage sounds insignificant. I harmed the people of Brealia and I¡¯ll never repay them for what I did.

    She shakes her head.

    ¡°But you¡¯re hardly to blame, Kossi! You¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t put all the blame on Uturi and Saegorg. I was the one who let it happen. I should¡¯ve known better.¡±

    Then we talk about our homes. My lair, the house she left in her native world. We both miss them, but at least I might go back someday. Al knows she can¡¯t.

    ¡°I can¡¯t ever go back to my native world, so I must get used to the fact that my home is here, now. Or it will be, as soon as I find a place of my own. I¡¯m only a guest in this palace.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m a convict. No one lets me forget that I¡¯m guilty. I¡¯m the monster who killed people in the moat and who wiped a whole village off the map.¡±

    She smiles.

    ¡°If you were a monster, you wouldn¡¯t wake up from nightmares every night.¡±

    I look down at my hands, my human hands. This body is mine, just as much as the dragon form is, but it still looks like a trick designed to make humans believe I¡¯m one of them. I¡¯m not. I never will be. And to many humans, dragons are monsters no matter what.

    Al¡¯s voice brings me back to our conversation.

    ¡°How old are you, Kossi?¡±

    ¡°Fifty-six.¡±

    ¡°How young is that in dragon years?¡±

    ¡°Young enough to get away with being carefree, until your negligence causes a disaster and a human king calls you out for it.¡±

    I look up at the ceiling with its painted beams. The words I¡¯m about to say I never told anyone, but I know I can trust Al.

    ¡°I¡¯m not as wise as I¡¯d like to be. I feel distressed and in dire need of advice, but I can¡¯t seek out an older dragon¡¯s help, because I¡¯m kept here until further notice.¡±

    ¡°But you can seek human people¡¯s help. Mine, for example.¡±

    She reaches across the table. I could move back, but I let her put a hand over mine.

    ¡°Look, Kossi, I¡¯m no expert. I¡¯m younger than you and probably no wiser, but I know two things. One, don¡¯t stay on your own. You need trusted friends to talk to.¡±

    ¡°Such as you?¡±

    ¡°For instance. And two, find something that soothes you when you feel down. My thing is baking cakes. There must be a suitable activity for you out there.¡±

    Cakes. I¡¯m not much into human food, but I like the pastries they serve here. I frown.

    ¡°Do you think I should try baking?¡±

    She has an amused smile.

    ¡°Well, as I just said, you can totally find another activity. Baking works for me. It might not work for you. But I¡¯ll talk to Sirit in the morning, if you like.¡±

    I nod slowly.

    ¡°I feel like I don¡¯t deserve it. Nigella¡¯s kindness, your help.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t trouble yourself. Just focus on repairing the damage and feeling better.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Al.¡±

    I still don¡¯t deserve so much kindness.

    After another round of small talk, we part, and each of us goes back to their own bedroom. Hopefully, we¡¯ll have some time to practice baking tomorrow. Anything that can take my mind off my guilt will be good.

    Even more so if it involves Al.

    Will I gather the strength to tell her the truth about my fake declaration, back in Malo? When I pretended to love her, so I could pass her some of my dragon flame?

    It wasn¡¯t totally a lie.

    I don¡¯t think it was love, as I didn¡¯t really know her yet, and my heart doesn¡¯t yearn for her as I suppose it should, but there was something. Curiosity. The near-certainty that I have a lot to learn from her. She¡¯s a teacher, after all, and she¡¯s as out of this world as one will ever get.

    I can¡¯t wait to spend more time learning.

    End of Book 1, Save the Kingdom, Save the Dragon!

 Character inspiration: Al

    Al (the Great Hero)

    For centuries, Brealia had a prophecy. A Demon Lord would threaten the kingdom, but a hero from another world, named Al, would be summoned. The Great Hero Al would defeat the Demon Lord, and bring prosperity to the Brealian kingdom.

    When King Esthar decided to summon the hero, there was indeed a Demon Lord, Faur, on the other side of the mountains, but his involvement in any threats to the kingdom was far from certain. Besides, someone wanted the summoning to fail, which resulted in the "Great Hero Al" being Alicia Lebel, a divorced kindergarten teacher, three days shy of forty, athletic but untrained in any kind of fighting.

    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 45.8164%" border="1">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 24.1491%">Full name</td>

    <td style="width: 75.8509%">Alicia Lebel</td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 24.1491%">Age</td>

    <td style="width: 75.8509%">40</td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 24.1491%">Race</td>

    <td style="width: 75.8509%">Human</td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 24.1491%">Occupation</td>

    <td style="width: 75.8509%">Teacher / Great Hero</td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 24.1491%">Hair</td>

    <td style="width: 75.8509%">Brown</td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 24.1491%">Eyes</td>

    <td style="width: 75.8509%">Brown</td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    Call me old and I''ll slap you

    "The heroine is never forty years old", complained a friend, not so long ago.

    I''m over forty myself, so I know how not-old one can feel at that age. Not even middle-aged, just someone who''s been young for longer. I consider I was at my peak, not at twenty, but between thirty-five and forty. Yet, in most fictions, a forty-year-old woman will be, at best, the hero''s mother. But it''s only a narrative convention. In real life, Beyonc¨¦ is over forty, and she''s fit, and she''s strong, and she could totally go on an adventure, even though I don''t picture her sleeping on the floor in a forest.

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    So that was the main premise. Al is forty, and unlike most isekai heroes, she doesn''t end up in a younger body, because she flat out refuses to be rejuvenated (instead, she gets the angels to freeze her aging process for the next five years, so she has more time before she needs reading glasses). And when this was established, things added up, to make her unlike the usual hero in more ways than one.

    <ul>

    <li>She has no fighting skills, relying instead on her brains, her team, and her unique abilities which aren''t fight-related.</li>

    <li>She''s divorced, rather than single.</li>

    <li>She doesn''t get summoned by a charismatic goddess, but by a soul-processing company, where she only gets to meet two employees who look a lot like biblically-accurate angels.</li>

    <li>She openly admits, from Chapter 1, that she''s bi. Which will lead into her complicated relationship with Catalin.</li>

    <li>Once summoned by a monarch, and technically working for him, she doesn''t think it''s cool and she wants to blend in with the local nobles. Instead, she befriends the political opponent who wants to abolish privileges. But she''s no Otherworldly Anarchist</a> material, and she won''t actively try to bring down the monarchy.</li>

    </ul>

    Cakes and coffee

    Although Al lived in a residential suburb, in an undefined area of the Western world that could very well be located in the USA or in Canada, her tastes are quite European. The first thing she craves after crossing the portal is black coffee. Why? Because... she''s a kindergarten teacher. My mom is a retired teacher herself. As a teenager, I went to her school with her a few times, to give a little help, and it looked to me as if all the teachers there literally ran on coffee. And cigarettes.

    Al has a sweet tooth. She''s quite fond of local cakes and she''ll go out of her way to taste new ones, but she''s also a reasonably skilled baker. This comes from a friend discovering isekai because of her young adult daughter, and the friend imagined something along the lines of How I Taught my Dragon my Pancake Recipe.

    Yes, this is also the reason why there''s a dragon in the story.

    I tried to make Al more reasonable than the average isekai hero, but she still has flaws. Many of them. In particular, when she''s the adult in the room, she considers she''s in charge and she can lie to get her way around. She always means well, but her methods are questionable.

    All in all, I hope she''s relatable. And she has room for progress.

 Inspiration sheet: Potions Corner in Carastra

    Carastra is the capital city of the Brealian kingdom. It''s a city with a history, that used to have outer walls but outgrew them decades ago.

    As a result, even though the period of reference for The Great Hero is a Schoolteacher is the European eighteenth century, not every place in Carastra looks baroque. Potions'' Corner, in the center, a stone''s throw southeast of the royal palace</a>, is an example of a district with a more ancient architecture. A district that acts as a reminder that there''s been magic users in Brealia for a long time.

    The main inspiration for Potions'' Corner is the kind of sixteenth-to-seventeenth-century streets that you can still find a lot in Europe.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    Exhibit A: Strasbourg, France.

    Exhibit B: Rouen, France.

    Narrow cobblestone streets, half-timbered buildings, colorful shop signs, you''ll find all this in Potions'' Corner.

    The district isn''t large, half a dozen streets at most. It even lost some blocks to a fire ten years before the events of Book 1. Yet it''s crowded every day with customers from Brealia and beyond, wishing to buy all sorts of magical components, but also with tourists coming for the atmosphere. One wouldn''t necessarily guess it just by looking at the picturesque shop signs, but there aren''t that many magic stores in Potions'' Corner. Most shops sell unmagical goods, some of which are outstanding enough for magical applications.

    One of them, while selling actual rare woods, might also serve you a special kind of lamb stew if you ask.

 Character inspiration: Catalin

    Catalin

    Illustration by Nachtimmel</a>

    Sometimes, the call is too strong to ignore. Despite having been born into a working-class family of Carastra, Catalin Robi knew from a young age she wanted to study magic.

    In Brealia, many children of wealthy families attend the University of Magic Arts from the age of 15, and most of them drop out after one year, knowing the bases of magic and going on to study in other fields. This wasn''t an option for Catalin, whose family couldn''t afford the tuition. As a result, she worked in a factory and put money aside, finally entering the prestigious school at the age of 21. At 22, she''s finishing her freshman year, and she intends to be one of the 20 or so students who graduate every year.

    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 45.8164%" border="1">

    <tbody>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 24.1491%">Full name</td>

    <td style="width: 75.8509%">Catalin Robi</td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 24.1491%">Age</td>

    <td style="width: 75.8509%">22</td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 24.1491%">Race</td>

    <td style="width: 75.8509%">Zimeon (rat-people)</td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 24.1491%">Occupation</td>

    <td style="width: 75.8509%">Student at the University of Magic Arts</td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 24.1491%">Hair</td>

    <td style="width: 75.8509%">Cherry red</td>

    </tr>

    <tr>

    <td style="width: 24.1491%">Eyes</td>

    <td style="width: 75.8509%">Terracotta</td>

    </tr>

    </tbody>

    </table>

    The Accidental Betrothal

    The accidental proposal isn''t a very common trope in isekai, but it does happen in some stories. The main character unknowingly performs an act that''s interpreted as an engagement by a beautiful young woman, and they end up thrown together in the same adventure. See Accidental Proposal</a> on TV Tropes.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    I wanted to include this trope in The Great Hero is a Schoolteacher, so this is what happens, with Al even kneeling down to give Catalin''s pendant back, in front of several witnesses. No one in their right mind would ever hand such a pendant back to a Zimeon, because that tradition is well-known even out of their culture.

    Catalin knows from the beginning it was all a misunderstanding, and she could easily pull out of it by refusing the proposal, but she decides to accept it instead. At this point, she doesn''t expect a romance. She only hopes that being engaged to the Great Hero Al will ease the bullying she gets from her fellow freshmen. Al is afraid of being ridiculed if she admits her mistake, so the two stay engaged.

    People frown at them, not because they''re both women, not because of the age gap, but because one of them is a Zimeon and the other one is a human, showing the common stance in Brealia regarding romantic relations.

    Skills and ambitions

    In the first drafts of the story, the relationship between Catalin and Al was much smoother, closer to common isekai tropes (harem tropes in particular). Both accepted the situation as normal and were fine with the feelings they were developing. But I got negative feedback regarding the character dynamic, so I basically said "To hell with the tropes" and rewrote the romance part in a more chaotic way, among other things, before posting the story in RR. At the end of Book 1, Al and Catalin aren''t a real couple yet.

    Catalin doesn''t follow Al because she''s her fianc¨¦e. She does so because she has a unique opportunity to explore a famous sorcerer''s house. She''s willing to make the engagement work, but only insofar as she still gets to study magic. And as magic goes, she''s a good student. She only knows simple spells, but she masters them well.

    As a Zimeon, she''s also part of a community with a specific culture, who sticks together in the face of prejudice. She never forgets where she comes from, and she''ll always stand for the working class.

    She''s also a brave and cheerful young woman, who befriends cadet Chess over the course of their adventure. She''ll stand up to Al when needed, and she knows she can break the engagement whenever she wants.

    Catalin will be a little less prominent in Book 2, but she''ll remain essential to the story.

 Additional short story: Mothers

    I walked across my bedroom, in the west wing of the royal palace in Carastra, bathing in the light coming in from the high windows. The heavy blue curtains were gone and it made the place much brighter. The wind carried a familiar smell. What was it again? I couldn¡¯t quite tell where I knew it from, but I breathed it in, hoping it¡¯d revive some old memories.

    The door opened on a new corridor.

    Oh, nice, they redecorated. What¡¯s this opening right here?

    As I walked, the hardwood floor turned to a synthetic carpet. There was a sofa in front of me, and a coffee table near it. I knew where I was, and it felt incredibly heartwarming to know that the king had installed a shortcut to my parents¡¯ place.

    ¡°Alicia, they let you back!¡± exclaimed my mother from the kitchen.

    I nodded. ¡°It seems so. I¡¯m so glad to see you.¡±

    She ran at me and held my hands. My Mom. Just as I remembered her, with the cheerful lines on her face and the way she always rolled up her sleeves. She sighed.

    ¡°Come on, sit down. We have a lot to catch up on.¡±

    ¡°Sure, Mom.¡±

    ¡°What is it like, being dead?¡±

    I froze. What is she talking about?

    ¡°Who told you I was?¡±

    My mother frowned. ¡°You¡¯re dead, Alicia, remember? Run over by a van, right in front of your house. We buried you months ago, so, yeah, it¡¯s nice to know they let you out.¡±

    ¡°No, no, Mom, there must be a mistake. I didn¡¯t really die, I was sent to this other world where I sleep in a huge bedroom, almost the size of this house, but apparently, they decided it was time to let me visit.¡±

    She looked at the ceiling for a split second. ¡°Did you hear that?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. Look, Mom, I missed you so much¡­¡±

    And then I did hear the crash.

    My parents¡¯ living room vanished from my mind, and I awoke to a pile of books collapsing from the nightstand.

    Judging from the lack of light between the curtains, it wasn¡¯t daybreak yet. I rushed to the side of the huge bed and checked for damage. In the darkness, all the books I could make out looked properly closed and reasonably intact, so I lay down again, looking at the high ceiling.

    Dreams are funny. How could I think it was perfectly logical to suddenly have a portal from here to my native world? And why did Mom have a ponytail in the dream? She cut her hair short years ago!

    Still, absurd as it all was, I felt like I¡¯d been ripped away from my family a second time, just as I thought I¡¯d find a way to reunite with them. I squeezed a pillow. In an ideal world, I¡¯d have someone to hug, but I was alone in my bed. The only person who might want to share it, Catalin Robi, my fianc¨¦e, didn¡¯t feel ready to take that step yet. Besides, she wasn¡¯t technically allowed in the west wing at night.

    I fell asleep again, holding the pillow with my arms and legs, and pretending it loved me back.

    With summer solstice coming a few days later, proper light awoke me again before I could even realize I¡¯d been sleeping. I put all the books back on the nightstand. One of them had a slightly damaged corner, but since I was always alone in the palace library, I supposed no one would notice.

    ¡°Sorry, Niras War Chronicles,¡± I whispered as I put it back into place.

    If I was more reasonable, or more dedicated, I¡¯d read one book at a time, but I¡¯d been living in this world for two months and I felt like I had to learn it all in one go. So I¡¯d borrowed a bunch of books from the library in the west wing, just a few doors away from my room. Wasn¡¯t it what libraries were for anyway? And I broadened my general knowledge whenever I could, by reading a chapter on whatever subject I wanted to learn about.

    But it wasn¡¯t just any day, so I didn¡¯t have time to read now.

    I washed, got dressed, snatched a quick breakfast from the kitchen, and walked out of the palace. Catalin would arrive in a moment and I didn¡¯t want to miss her.

    On my left, newly planted trees took golden hues in the morning light. The dragon Kossi had kept his promise and restored the garden as best he could, but there was only so much one could do. Plants needed time to grow back, even with the best care. Some magic could probably help, but who¡¯d waste precious magic on a garden? So the place looked like any freshly planted garden did. It was very tidy and full of promises, but a work in progress.

    Catalin arrived from the commons, where she¡¯d lived for the past two months. She was wearing her University of Magic Arts uniform, a plain gray robe, and her thick cherry-red hair was partly gathered behind her rat ears. As soon as she saw me, she waved enthusiastically.

    ¡°Al, you made it!¡±

    ¡°Of course I did. I wouldn¡¯t miss the presentation of your final assignment.¡±

    ¡°Even though you won¡¯t be allowed inside?¡±

    ¡°I told you it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    I smiled. Catalin¡¯s assignment was the crucial step that would determine whether she could continue studying magic. Despite the difficulty of the exam, that most students failed, I knew her worth and I was pretty confident. I¡¯d also helped her with her work. Even though I was unable to cast a spell of my own, I was good at analyzing and sometimes altering them, which proved useful when part of the assignment consisted in reproducing the effects of a spell while simplifying its casting.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    We crossed the bridge over the old dry moat, into the city of Carastra, then we turned right and headed west. The sun lit us from behind, casting our shadows over the cobblestone road. One human, one Zimeon. Two women from different worlds, still living apart in more ways than one, and yet willing to bridge the many gaps between us.

    The University of Magic Arts stood west of the river Rekario, its high blue roofs towering along a small tributary. As expected, I was allowed inside the building, but not in the examination room. I wished good luck to Catalin and let her enter the room, while I waited in the hall. The man who served as doorkeeper gave me a tired look.

    ¡°You should go home, you know. Your friend will be in there for some time.¡±

    I shook my head. Friend? You know better. We got engaged inside this building, and all freshmen talked about it for weeks.

    ¡°I want to be here when she gets out of this room. No student should be left alone after their presentation.¡±

    ¡°As you wish, Great Hero Al.¡±

    Although I kept asking everyone to address me as Al, many people still used my honorific title. But there was irony in the man¡¯s voice. As if he didn¡¯t consider me as a proper hero.

    It¡¯s fine by me. I saved the kingdom, I did my job as the Great Hero, and now, I just want to improve the wellbeing of as many citizens as possible. If I could spend the rest of my life without walking across dark forests or fighting traitors, I¡¯d appreciate the improvement.

    I pointed to the door with my chin. ¡°Why is the presentation private, by the way? Is it to save the students additional stress? They¡¯re only freshmen, after all¡­¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    The man pointed a thumb behind him.

    ¡°I know your girl doesn¡¯t come from the same background, but most kids in there have affluent families. Influent ones, even. And since most of them fail the exam, let¡¯s just say the University had its share of contestation and attempted bribery in the past. So families were banned, but they sent agents instead, so the problem was solved by not allowing any public in the examination room. Not even Great Heroes from prophecies.¡±

    I grinned.

    ¡°Did you notice I didn¡¯t try to get in? I¡¯m not above rules. I just wanted to know why this one was established in the first place.¡±

    He looked sideways. He didn¡¯t trust me and I could tell he wanted me to feel uncomfortable. But this was a school, and I was a teacher before I became a hero, so I felt more at home than he probably thought, and I certainly didn¡¯t want to leave before Catalin finished her presentation.

    This place had a library, much bigger than the room-with-books at the palace. It was just at the end of the hall. I walked there, my steps echoing under the majestic central rotunda, and picked a book from the first section on the left. Easy to remember. Easy to put back in the right place. I looked down at the book in my hand.

    A History of Slavery in the Southern Apridges.

    The Apridges was the name of the mountain range that defined the northern border of the kingdom. With all my reading of the past two months, I hadn¡¯t come across a single reference to the existence of slavery in the area. I frowned.

    Well, I¡¯m here to learn after all.

    I walked out of the library in silence, without checking out the volume. I worried that an alarm might blare at my apparent theft, but nothing happened. Nobody ran after me. I went back to the door of the examination room, found a chair, and began reading.

    The author¡¯s foreword explained how hard it had been for him to investigate on the slave trade of old, as most traces had been thoroughly wiped out after its abolition, over three centuries ago. However, not everything could be covered up or forgotten. So I plunged into a part of my new world that I¡¯d never heard about.

    The door opened and I startled. Catalin appeared like a celestial creature, her ears twitching, her shoulders pulled back, and an unmistakable spark in her terracotta eyes.

    ¡°What was it like?¡± I asked, jumping to my feet. But I already knew.

    A smile bloomed on my fianc¨¦e¡¯s face. ¡°They said it was great work! They loved my simplified spell.¡±

    The one I helped her design. I felt so proud of her, and proud of myself, too, for being able to help her. But mostly of her, even more so after reading that most Zimeons of Brealia were descendants of slaves brought from across the mountains. Did Catalin know about it? Her family probably knew about their ancestors, but such things would remain unspoken around strangers.

    ¡°Congratulations, Catalin, you¡¯re the best! I take it you¡¯re admitted to second year?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Al! I still can¡¯t believe it.¡±

    ¡°But you deserve it all, and more.¡±

    I hugged her for a second.

    ¡°Let me bring back this book I borrowed, and then I¡¯m taking you to a bakery.¡±

    Catalin giggled. ¡°With you, everything has to end with cake.¡±

    ¡°Of course! How else should we celebrate?¡±

    I held her hand as we went to the library and back, then we exited the University of Magic Arts. I already knew where I wanted to take her. After a few weeks of impromptu snacks, I knew a handful of great bakeries, and there was one right on the west bank of the Rekario, with a lovely view of the river.

    I just didn¡¯t know we were expected at the gate.

    Catalin let go of my hand and ran to the petite Zimeon woman waiting outside.

    ¡°Mom! You remembered!¡±

    Their hug was more heartfelt than ours. I shouldn¡¯t feel jealous, but I do. Why?

    Luta Balingu, Catalin Robi¡¯s mother, looked quite small and frail, far from my idea of a mother of seven. She also looked old, not much red left in her gray hair, arched back, wrinkles. I couldn¡¯t quite wrap my head around the fact that she was younger than my own mother.

    She covered her daughter in kisses and gave me the usual suspicious look.

    ¡°Of course, I remembered. My precious Catalin, my baby, tell me all about your exam! I threw the Dice and they told me you¡¯d succeed.¡±

    ¡°They were right, Mom. I passed the exam!¡±

    They kept hugging as they talked, caught in a mother-daughter embrace I¡¯d never get to know again. Catalin told Luta about the jury and the questions she¡¯d answered. Her mother nodded proudly.

    ¡°I knew you were better than all those humans, and the Dice don¡¯t lie.¡±

    Why did she look at me when she said ¡°those humans¡±?

    I let them walk ahead. I¡¯d met Catalin¡¯s family a few times, and though their reactions had been diverse, none of them had really accepted me. Luta, in particular, was openly wary of me. I was a woman, significantly older than her youngest surviving daughter, but most of all, I was human.

    Zimeons were brought to Carastra to be slaves to humans, and I can bet some memory of these times lives on in the family. How could Luta not see our relation as me taking advantage of her daughter? Besides, because of me, Catalin nearly died and was held in a keep without food for a few days. I¡¯m the worst possible daughter-in-law.

    ¡°Al!¡±

    I tried to smile to my fianc¨¦e, who was looking at me as her mother walked her away.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Catalin. It¡¯s better if you spend time with your family. We can celebrate later.¡±

    ¡°Or never,¡± muttered Luta under her breath.

    ¡°Mom!¡± protested Catalin.

    I waved at them.

    ¡°Have fun! Say hello to your siblings from me!¡±

    The two of them disappeared around the corner. Catalin¡¯s sister Lorna was a cook in an eatery upstream. They¡¯d probably join the rest of the family there and have a meal together.

    I sighed and looked up at the blue sky. I¡¯d waited in a hall for an hour, only to see my fianc¨¦e snatched from me, but I¡¯d been the first to congratulate her. That probably counted as a victory.

    I decided I¡¯d cling to that idea, go my own way for the day, and wait for Catalin to come back to the palace. I couldn¡¯t resent her family for feeling the way they did.

    I could only hope Catalin wouldn¡¯t end up rejecting me because of them.

 Book 2 Chapter 1: The Heros New Clothes

    On a hot sunny day, Potions¡¯ Corner was a different place. It wasn¡¯t only the picturesque district with the half-timbered fa?ades and jettied upper floors where magic users came to buy valuables, and where tourists flocked in to marvel at all the fancy shops. It was also a small maze of narrow streets and little air, drenched in sunlight and heat, where everyone looked for shade. The streets smelled of spices, but also of sweat.

    Thankfully for me, there were probably more caf¨¦s than actual magic shops in the handful of streets that composed the district. The man I came to visit was sheltered under a beige canvas awning, sitting at a small round table with a pint of fresh beer in front of him. His shirt matched the color of his dark blue hair, and for once, he wasn¡¯t wearing a jacket or a scarf. The heat finally caught up with the infamous Vilo Jozin, leader of the All One party.

    Vilo smiled at me and invited me to sit down opposite him.

    ¡°One of the same for the lady!¡± he ordered.

    A young waitress, probably twelve or thirteen years old, hurried to the bar. In my native place, that girl should have been at school, but in Brealia, it was common to start working at the age of ten, or even earlier.

    I¡¯ll change that. Give me some time.

    ¡°I heard your friend took her exam at the University?¡± Vilo asked.

    The man has ears everywhere.

    I nodded and rolled my thumb under the two pendants I wore around my neck, a supposedly lucky Mera flower and a piece of wood carved by Catalin herself.

    ¡°My fianc¨¦e passed her exam yesterday. Brilliantly.¡±

    And then she spent the rest of the day with her parents and siblings, only coming back to the palace for dinner. At least we got to share a special dessert baked by the kitchen staff.

    The young waitress brought me a glass of beer. I paid her double and told her to keep the change, as a tip.

    ¡°You won¡¯t change this kingdom with random charity,¡± commented Vilo.

    I sighed. ¡°I know. But should I keep money I don¡¯t need instead? Anyway, I¡¯m happy to see you again.¡±

    Vilo had been injured in the fight to stop a traitor and prevent a war between Brealia and Inabar. For two months, I thought he was mad at me and he never wanted to see me again, until I got an invitation to have a drink together, as friends. And there I was. Not sure I could call him a friend, and yet willing to try.

    ¡°How are you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Better. I had bruises, burn marks along my limbs, and my heart acted crazy for a while. I couldn¡¯t feel my toes for days.¡±

    Logical injuries for someone who got hit by a lightning spell. I nodded. ¡°By the way, how did you even get hit, with your all-evading power?¡±

    Vilo looked at his glass. ¡°I have my weaknesses like everyone else.¡±

    His hand went through the glass, once, twice. On the third time, he made contact and caught his beverage.

    ¡°My natural power goes both ways. If I decide something can¡¯t touch me, I can¡¯t touch it either, and the other way around. When I tried to attack the sorcerer, it made me vulnerable.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the explanation. And sorry about your dagger. I dropped it somewhere during the fight.¡±

    While puking out of teleportation sickness.

    Vilo waved an imaginary fly away.

    ¡°I¡¯ll buy another when I can afford it. I heard you used it to weaken the sorcerer, so it played its part. But it wasn¡¯t the only help you got from me and my companions. You owe me, Al.¡±

    So that¡¯s why he sent this invitation.

    I smiled. ¡°I knew you didn¡¯t just want to talk about our health. I¡¯m fine, by the way. My broken rib and the burn on my arm healed nicely.¡±

    ¡°Good news.¡± Vilo¡¯s smile looked genuine. ¡°But remember, you promised to support All One. This kingdom must change, and it must change fast.¡±

    I sipped my beer. Unlike my thoughts, it was pleasantly fresh.

    ¡°How fast, Vilo? I¡¯m still figuring out how this place works and how I fit in the picture.¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°Come on, you¡¯re figuring it out from the palace itself, where you live for free, dressed and fed by the personnel. Did you have servants, where you came from?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t. When I came home from work, I cleaned my own house and cooked my own food.¡±

    I looked down at my bodice, which was stained with white powder.

    ¡°See? I baked today. I¡¯m not exactly idle.¡±

    ¡°But you could do nothing all day, if you wanted, and still bask in undeserved luxury. All One claims everyone in Brealia should have the same rights, and I thought you shared our beliefs, Al. Did you give up when you realized you were on the good side of the privilege system?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡­¡±

    I swallowed with an effort. He¡¯s twenty-five and he¡¯s putting his finger right on my contradictions.

    ¡°Look, Vilo, I was literally brought into this world to be an instrument of the system. I¡¯m not powerful enough by myself to directly confront the king, so I must gather support first. I¡¯m walking on eggshells here.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    He looked at me with a smirk.

    ¡°Really? So, what did you do to further the cause over the past two months, while I was recovering from my injuries?¡±

    I straightened up.

    ¡°All right, this won¡¯t sound too heroic to you, but you might have heard about the ban of arsenic-based pigments in paints and wallpapers. It was enforced half a month ago, and manufactures are dismantling production lines as we speak.¡±

    Vilo narrowed his eyes. ¡°Should I feel impressed?¡±

    ¡°Impressed? Probably not. But it¡¯s a step forward, as far as public health¡¯s concerned.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only wallpapers. What¡¯s the matter with them?¡±

    Catalin had a cough when I met her. She talked about violent headaches, even though I never saw her suffer from them. And she wasn¡¯t even too badly affected by the wallpaper in her bedroom.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t ask this question if you¡¯d come with us when I visited a manufacture with Lord Berg, the Minister of Labor. Many workers showed signs of arsenic poisoning. Pink eyes, nausea, cyanosis¡­¡±

    Vilo shrugged.

    ¡°These workers are exploited. Once every ounce of arsenic is removed from their machines, do you think they¡¯ll be healthier?¡±

    ¡°At least marginally so. I see it as a first step. Once the council sees the improvement, both in workers¡¯ and customers¡¯ health, they¡¯ll trust me more, and we can move on to bigger changes.¡±

    I knew it was a bit selfish of me to begin with arsenic. I¡¯d focused on it specifically because it made my fianc¨¦e sick. But I had to start somewhere, and this wallpaper topic was as good as any.

    ¡°I told you, Vilo,¡± I added. ¡°If you want a revolution, I won¡¯t stand in your way, but I won¡¯t wield a weapon at the Brealian nobility either. I¡¯m not a fighter. If a peaceful change is possible, I¡¯ll always lean towards it.¡±

    ¡°If King Esthar keeps ignoring us, we won¡¯t remain peaceful, and you know it. Anyway, it sounds like you could only enforce change by relying on his authority. How did manufacturers react to the sudden ban?¡±

    I sighed.

    ¡°They all but laughed at me. They said arsenic was perfectly harmless as long as it wasn¡¯t ingested, most of them had their own wallpapers at home, and banning them was a nonsense.¡±

    ¡°Why did you ban the pigments anyway?¡±

    ¡°Because I knew it was the right thing to do. Lord Gimon told me I¡¯d be crippling the economy if I kept pushing such measures, but I don¡¯t care. Why worry about the wealth of a few when people are sick? Dying, even?¡±

    Vilo nodded slowly.

    ¡°I just wish you went a little further in your reasoning. The king and the council still hold all power. And commoners can¡¯t even dream of changing the course of things, because we weren¡¯t born in the right places.¡±

    I raised a finger.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to convince King Esthar to create state-funded schools. To give every child enough knowledge to know where they stand, and a chance to climb the social ladder.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point, if the highest positions are out of reach?¡±

    I blew softly on the surface of my beer.

    ¡°They won¡¯t be out of reach forever. If they were opened right now, only people of wealthier extraction would have a chance at getting them. Is it what you want?¡±

    Vilo frowned.

    ¡°Your solutions always require time, Al. Time we might not have.¡±

    ¡°Would you do a better job, if you ruled this country?¡±

    ¡°Possibly.¡±

    That¡¯s the problem with Vilo. He sees himself as a possible replacement for Esthar, and just changing who¡¯s on top of the pyramid won¡¯t solve the pyramid problem.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± he added, ¡°what are you doing on Rising?¡±

    Rising was a religious holiday, observed by worshipers of the Almighty, who made up a large majority of the Brealian population. On the dawn of the summer solstice, people gathered to welcome the longest day of the year. There were chants, services in temples to thank the Almighty for His light, and round honey biscuits whose shape was meant to look like the sun. To be honest, I wasn¡¯t eager to get up before dawn and attend a religious service so early in the morning. I was mostly interested in the food.

    I explained that, since this was my first summer in this world, I¡¯d stick to the royal court¡¯s schedule, with a service at the royal chapel, followed by a number of official festivities. Vilo tried to talk me out of it, explaining that Rising was mostly an occasion for families and friends to come together.

    I know. Catalin is celebrating it with her family.

    ¡°I can join your friends next year,¡± I offered.

    He grimaced, he told me how delicious his friend Lily¡¯s honey biscuits were, and at this point, I could have given in, for the sake of my sweet tooth. But there was another reason why I was staying at the palace for Rising, a reason a political opponent like Vilo couldn¡¯t approve. I was leaving Carastra early on the next day, along with King Esthar and Crown Princess Nigella.

    I took a look at the shadows on the street. I didn¡¯t plan to meet anyone before the end of the afternoon, so I took my time, drinking and chatting, trying my best to make a friend out of Vilo Jozin.

    I might even have achieved something, as we shared a short embrace before going our separate ways.

    I walked back to the palace with the confidence of a person who¡¯d become used to coming and going in the nearest districts. Princess Nigella always paled when she saw me walk around unescorted, but I didn¡¯t need a babysitter.

    I crossed the courtyard and entered the royal residence, guards moving aside to let me in. I couldn¡¯t wait to get back to my room, grasp a book and learn more about my adoptive country. I walked up the main stairs and turned left to go into the west wing.

    ¡°Great Hero Al!¡± called a female voice.

    I turned around with a tired smile. Silani, one of Princess Nigella¡¯s personal maids, was gesturing at me from the top of the main stairs.

    ¡°The princess kindly reminds you that you should have tried on your outfit by now. Adjustments might be required. You know we¡¯re leaving in three days, don¡¯t you?¡±

    I sighed. I did know it, but I kept postponing the final fitting session for my party attire.

    ¡°All right, Silani. Please tell Princess Nigella I¡¯m coming.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not telling her anything, Great Hero Al. She wants me to escort you to the fitting room.¡±

    The room was on the ground floor of the east wing, on the left-hand side or the corridor, with windows facing north. Still, at this time of year, there was plenty of light inside. Wooden floor and wall panels up to shoulder height, white walls above, wardrobes everywhere, and several painted screens. The place was basically a giant walk-in closet, where ceremony outfits were kept and fitting sessions organized. Seamstress Darine Yul, an energetic blond-haired Zimeon in her early fifties, almost jumped at me.

    ¡°There¡¯s our Great Hero! Come and try your clothes on.¡±

    ¡°Please call me Al¡­¡±

    I was ushered behind a screen and handed embroidered clothes. As the seamstress helped me change, I marveled at the skill of whoever had worked on them. I didn¡¯t deserve such artistry. Off the peg clothes were enough for me, except when a crown princess invited me to her first cousin¡¯s engagement ceremony and some decorum was required.

    I hated the idea. But I loved the clothes, the frilled shirt, the design of the plum-colored bodice. Everything seemed to fit perfectly. Darine Yul took a step back and gave me a look of appreciation, her rat ears wide open in contentment.

    ¡°You won¡¯t need any adjustments. Now come out of here, so the princess can see you. Princess Nigella, may I suggest you take a look at your friend? With a better hairstyle, she¡¯ll be perfect.¡±

    I startled.

    ¡°The princess is here?¡±

    I peeked out of the screen and my heart tried to explode. Princess Nigella was adjusting an ornate belt around the dragon Kossi¡¯s waist.

    It was the first time I was seeing Kossi in such an attire. As a Gold Dragon, he had an innate power to generate his own clothes, the ones he walked in every day, but everything he ever wore was invariably black. This time, however, he was trying on a white shirt, a dark blue waistcoat with a golden pattern that matched his eyes, and he was more gorgeous than ever.

    Why do I still notice how handsome he is whenever I see him? I should have gotten used to it by now, especially after seeing him covered in flour after a botched attempt at baking.

    Nigella had the brightest smile I¡¯d ever seen on her face.

    ¡°Al, I must say you look wonderful! I cannot wait to introduce you to my sisters and cousins. What do you think of Kossi¡¯s outfit?¡±

    ¡°It suits him perfectly,¡± I tried to answer.

    But I think I only uttered consonants.

 Book 2 Chapter 2: Rising

    Getting up as the night sky was only vaguely lightening was an ordeal. I splashed cold water on my face to force sleep out of my head, then washed with water hot enough to fill the bathroom with steam, but the black coffee served downstairs was the only thing that could keep my eyes open.

    I didn¡¯t have coffee every day. The plant didn¡¯t exist in Brealia, and no one at the market hall knew of a similar one anywhere in the world, so I had to summon a bag of roasted beans every now and then, using the daily miracle I¡¯d been granted upon my summoning. As a result, I only brewed coffee when I felt tired or homesick.

    Even though I hadn¡¯t specifically asked for a morning coffee, the kitchen staff knew what it was like to attend Rising, so a delicious smell welcomed me as soon as I opened the door of the small dining room, the one where usual meals were served. The young cook Arwan saw me, rushed into the kitchen, and Sirit, the head cook, came a second later with a pot and a cup.

    ¡°Happy Rising, Al!¡±

    I sat down with a smile. ¡°Thank you, Sirit. Happy Rising to you too. Happy Rising everyone!¡±

    I had two cups of coffee, black and unsweetened. The beverage was new to this world and its bitterness turned most people off. Some cooks were learning to enjoy it, but they added sugar. Except sugar would have dampened the effect. On Rising more than on any other day, I needed my coffee black, bitter and brutal.

    Now fully awake, I attended the service at the royal chapel. The chants were simple but melodious, praising the Almighty¡¯s light and grace. And in the end, I finally got to discover the main dining room of the royal palace, which was seldom in use. The walls were deep red, high windows let in the bright daylight, and all kinds of paintings covered the ceiling, framed in gold-colored stucco. Surprisingly enough, the chairs and tables looked rather simple.

    Perhaps lining over a hundred chairs in deep red velvet would be too expensive. They might have more impressive furniture for meals with fewer guests.

    The traditional Rising honey biscuits weren¡¯t the only food served. The variety of dishes, along with the time of day, made me think of a brunch from my native world. There was even a buffet, which I found terribly modern for such a baroque place.

    A few tables closer to the king, Lord Berg, the Minister of Labor, was asked about the recent pigment ban. I edged closer to the conversation. The couple asking questions were in their fifties, and everything in them, from their elaborate hairstyles to the metallic threads woven into their clothes, screamed money. Yet, they sounded as if they were on the brink of bankruptcy.

    ¡°You made us discontinue our bestselling hues. How are we supposed to keep our business afloat?¡± complained the wife.

    Lord Berg gave me a sideways look, but he didn¡¯t ask me to join the conversation.

    ¡°I trust your remarkable capacities,¡± he said.

    ¡°Then why are you ruining us? We¡¯ll have to close our manufactures and lay off our workers, or we¡¯ll be the ones sleeping in a gutter in no time!¡±

    Lord Berg sighed.

    ¡°Look, this isn¡¯t against you, or against anyone in particular. We learned that arsenic-based pigments were hazardous, so the king decided to ban their use. Who are we to contradict the king?¡±

    The couple stared at King Esthar for a while, from afar, with an outraged look on their faces.

    ¡°Who told him that these pigments were a danger to anyone?¡± asked the husband.

    ¡°Oh, Drion, you know who,¡± scoffed the wife.

    She scanned the room and quickly found me. I looked her back in the eye, unflinching.

    Time for me to make a dramatic entrance.

    ¡°It was me, indeed. I understand it came as a shock to you, but if I can put my knowledge to good use and save this country hundreds of avoidable deaths, I¡¯ll gladly do so.¡±

    She put her hands on her hips. ¡°What knowledge are you talking about? You¡¯ve hardly been among us for two months. How can you claim our world works the same as yours?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t, in some regards. But arsenic is a simple chemical component, and I recognized the symptoms. I know its effects are the same.¡±

    ¡°You know. You know everything, don¡¯t you?¡±

    I rolled my eyes.

    I watched history videos about the whole Paris green controversy just a few days before I got killed by that van, so in this case, I know more than you do. Deal with it.

    Half the room was staring at us, but the woman didn¡¯t seem to care. She pointed a finger at me.

    ¡°You might have gained the king¡¯s favor with that sorry attempt at stabbing a traitor, but you won¡¯t keep it forever, Great Hero Al.¡±

    Then it¡¯s a good thing I don¡¯t plan on relying on it forever.

    I didn¡¯t reply. I just held my glass of solael juice in silence, while the woman¡¯s husband calmed her down. Then Lord Berg and I exchanged a glance, and I went back to my chair.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    I wasn¡¯t trying to be popular, but it still hurt to see my efforts bring me more criticism than praise. I pushed the country forward a decade or two, for the sake of public health, and I was accused of ruining an honest business for nothing.

    In the afternoon, most guests left. I slouched on a bench in the flower garden, to the soothing sound of the ornamental fountain. I yawned. Given the limited activity in the palace, I suspected I wasn¡¯t the only one making up for the early rise.

    Despite the pleasant breeze, negative thoughts clouded my mind.

    I was about to be dragged across the country for a betrothal ceremony I couldn¡¯t care less about. Why had Princess Nigella decided I¡¯d be her guest? Or at least one of her guests, the other one being Kossi? King Esthar wasn¡¯t exactly thrilled at having to travel with a dragon who¡¯d very nearly scorched half his kingdom, and a hero he didn¡¯t know what to do with. And of course, it meant I¡¯d be away from Catalin, just as she was beginning her summer break and I was hoping for more time to just enjoy her company.

    We were supposed to be engaged, for the Almighty¡¯s sake! After I¡¯d accidentally proposed to her, we¡¯d run across the country, fought enemies, I nearly got her killed, then she was captured, and when it was all over, she had a truckload of work, so most of our interactions consisted in me helping her with her final assignment. Her family wasn¡¯t exactly supportive of me, either, so¡­ Did I really have a chance?

    I put a hand in my pocket and felt the miracle I¡¯d prepared for Catalin.

    Will she enjoy it? Was it worth bringing it back?

    ¡°Good afternoon, Al!¡± said a happy voice.

    I opened my eyes. Did I really nap on this bench?

    Catalin stood near the bench in bright red clothes, short-sleeved blouse and long flared skirt, with fabric flowers tied to her hair. She was carrying something wrapped in a checkered napkin.

    ¡°It looks like you fell asleep. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s common after Rising.¡±

    I rubbed my eyes.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look sleepy¡­¡±

    ¡°I walked back from my grandma¡¯s place. It helped me stay awake. How was your Rising?¡±

    ¡°Interesting. I liked the chants. I loved the food. Why don¡¯t you sit down?¡±

    I moved to the side of the bench and Catalin sat down next to me. I straightened up and cleared my throat.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I must leave tomorrow¡­¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s only for a few weeks. Besides, I can look after myself. Do you remember? I was in this world twenty-two years before you arrived.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I admitted. Her smile is so adorable.

    I closed my fist around the miracle in my pocket. ¡°Look, there¡¯s something I thought you¡¯d like to get back.¡±

    Catalin narrowed her eyes. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Just hold out your hand.¡±

    She did as I asked, her ears moving forward, showing how intrigued she felt. I dropped a necklace in her palm. It was a very simple one, with a white flower and a small carved piece of wood, both tied to a braided string. The pendants were identical to the ones I wore around my own neck. Catalin looked at them wide-eyed, her cheeks reddening a little.

    ¡°My necklace? How did you¡­¡±

    ¡°I know it was taken away from you when you were a prisoner in Malo, but I have a special power, remember? So I brought it back. For you.¡±

    It took me several wishes to my guardian angel, first to locate it, and then to retrieve it. But I regret nothing. You were so sad when you said it was gone.

    Catalin closed her hands on the necklace, moved her lips in silence, and then gave me a determined look.

    ¡°We should swap.¡±

    I put a hand over my own pendants. ¡°Do you think so?¡±

    ¡°Of course. You¡¯re going away for a while, so it¡¯ll be a token of our faith in each other. And we can swap again once you come back from Zerta.¡±

    I nodded. It makes sense.

    I opened the chain that held my pendants, handed my necklace to Catalin, and put hers around my neck. She stared at it for a moment, her eyes bright with emotion.

    ¡°Thank you, Al,¡± she finally said.

    There was so much more to her voice, to her attitude, than the words suggested. She thought she¡¯d never see her necklace again. She thought the pendant she¡¯d carved for a then hypothetical fianc¨¦e, as well as the Mera flower I¡¯d given her during our trip to Merumo, were lost forever, leaving her with no physical proof of our engagement. But I couldn¡¯t just go and leave her with nothing. Had Cherub told me her necklace was impossible to retrieve, I¡¯d have given her mine.

    I sighed.

    ¡°I told you, remember? When the curse was lifted and we both awoke. I said I was going nowhere without you. So, when Princess Nigella decided I had to go to Zerta, I did my best to make sure we have a bit of each other with us while I¡¯m away.¡±

    Catalin shook her head with a smile.

    ¡°My Mom keeps telling me to be wary of your tongue!¡±

    Acid ran through my heart. Why is she mentioning it now?

    I swallowed before asking, ¡°Do you think she¡¯s right?¡±

    ¡°Of course not! She doesn¡¯t know you like I do. I¡¯m glad you proposed, Al, even if it was an accident. My family needs more time, but they¡¯ll understand.¡±

    Her smile. It feels like chocolate melting over my heart. I thought I was past these emotions, but not every part of me is a boring adult, it seems.

    I stared into Catalin¡¯s terracotta eyes, not knowing what to do next. Fifteen-year-old me would have acted more impulsively, but I knew better. I was in a dominant position in more ways than one, so I couldn¡¯t decently force anything on her.

    ¡°I love you,¡± she said.

    Did I just hear what I thought I heard?

    She moved forward, just enough to press her lips against mine. The outside world stopped existing. When I lost contact with Catalin¡¯s mouth, I instinctively searched for it and found it again, briefly, my soul lost in delightful vertigo. My body asked for more, something deeper, the two of us merging into one miniature universe, but a chaste kiss was enough for now. I smiled.

    ¡°I love you too, Catalin Robi.¡±

    We stayed on the bench in the breeze. I held Catalin¡¯s hands in mine, while her checkered napkin rested on her lap. Did the sweet smell come from it? I tilted my head.

    ¡°Is this¡­¡±

    Catalin giggled.

    ¡°Oh, yes! These are Rising biscuits from my family. We always bake a lot of them, so we have leftovers for the next few days.¡±

    Baking in large batches made sense in a city where most homes didn¡¯t have a fully equipped kitchen. When you had to wait for your turn to use the block¡¯s shared oven, you made the most out of it.

    Catalin untied the napkin. All her biscuits were round, the traditional shape for a Rising honey biscuit.

    ¡°These ones are from my mother. These ones are from my grandmother. My sister Lorna. My aunt Kablin. My uncle Sepesh.¡±

    At least, one of these bakers is a man.

    ¡°Is there a competition or something? Each family member trying to convince the others that their biscuits are the best?¡±

    ¡°Well, you could say that.¡±

    ¡°And who won?¡±

    ¡°Nobody, as usual. In the end, we all praised Mamin because she¡¯s our grandmother, but when we parted, everyone kept saying it was only out of respect and they¡¯d baked the best biscuits.¡±

    It seems family reunions are the same in every world.

    The smell of honey made my mouth water, but my eyes were watering too. My mother, though a decent cook, wasn¡¯t a great baker. I was the one tasked with bringing dessert to family events. And yet, these little round biscuits stacked on my fianc¨¦e¡¯s lap reminded me of all the moments I¡¯d never get to live again.

    ¡°Do you want a taste, Al?¡± asked Catalin in a concerned voice.

    I shook my head.

    ¡°Not now. I¡¯m not hungry. Tonight, maybe? And I¡¯ll tell you which ones I prefer. I¡¯ll be honest, I promise.¡±

 Book 2 Chapter 3: The Citadel

    In the end, when I finally tasted the honey biscuits in Catalin¡¯s bedroom in the commons, it turned out her mother was the best baker.

    ¡°Tell her I prefer her biscuits,¡± I told my fianc¨¦e.

    ¡°But you know she dislikes you!¡±

    ¡°Well, perhaps she¡¯ll like me a little more.¡±

    Catalin looked sideways at her desk, cluttered with notebooks and pens. The commons reminded me of a boarding room. There even was a curfew of sorts, after which everyone not living there was escorted out if they didn¡¯t leave by themselves.

    ¡°I wish it could be that easy.¡±

    I smiled. ¡°Look, it¡¯s all right. She had to learn in one breath that we¡¯d gotten engaged and that I nearly got you killed. It¡¯d freak out any mother, in any world, so it¡¯ll take her some time to get used to me.¡±

    Besides, it¡¯s not your mother I love. It¡¯s you.

    A clock stroke in the corridor. Curfew, already?

    Catalin sighed.

    ¡°Time to part, Al. Enjoy your stay in Zerta.¡±

    She sounded a bit jealous, and I could understand why. Neither of us was noble, both of us had been hurt to save the kingdom two months earlier, and yet, only I was invited to the party. The king¡¯s nephew was getting engaged, royal event, traditional celebrations, posh ball in what I supposed would be a ridiculously oversized ballroom¡­

    The royal palace was a former fortress. It had several impressive drawing rooms, but no ballroom. Does the king even dance?

    I hugged Catalin. There was no refusing Princess Nigella¡¯s invitation, so I¡¯d be attending the ceremony, but I didn¡¯t want to go for the sake of a title I¡¯d never asked for. I didn¡¯t want to be some stupid prophecy¡¯s Great Hero.

    They¡¯ll have to let me be just Al, someday.

    Catalin softly kissed my lips. ¡°Come back soon. I¡¯ll need help studying for my second year.¡±

    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can.¡±

    I ran my hand through her thick cherry-red hair. I¡¯ll miss you, you know.

    Guards stared at me when I left the commons and walked back to the west wing, under the seemingly never-ending twilight of the summer solstice. Rising was over. The sun had set. The night was slowly returning.

    We left at dawn on the next morning. Half a dozen coaches were ready in the courtyard when I walked out of the palace and handed my bag to a footman. King Esthar rode with Senior Magus Malin and a few personal valets, while I went with Princess Nigella. Gold Dragon Kossi, black-clad as usual, was kept apart from us, guarded by soldiers.

    With six to eight people in each coach, the procession to the downstream port was quite considerable. Rather comfortable too, as least in Princess Nigella¡¯s coach, which I suspected had state-of-the-art suspension. I remembered bouncing uncomfortably on the cobblestones of Carastra, while riding in a less expensive carriage.

    What do they call it again, in motor sports? Oh, yes, porpoising. Anyway, I guess sailing on the Rekario will be more pleasant. Maybe they even have actual porpoises at the mouth of the river.

    We reached the downstream port in the beautiful golden light of early morning. The docks were larger than the ones of the upstream port, and workers were already busy, except on the much quieter quay where King Esthar¡¯s boats were moored.

    The Rekario wasn¡¯t overly wide in Carastra, so no single boat could accommodate the king and all his entourage for a comfortable two-day cruise. As a result, we got split into three groups. This time, I was separated from the royals and hosted in a small cabin, which I couldn¡¯t complain about. No fuss, no excessive etiquette. I could enjoy the trip.

    The last time I sailed, we were on a mission. Now, all I have to do is relax for the next two days and enjoy this first touristic cruise.

    I stayed on the bed, looking out of the porthole, while the boat unmoored and left Carastra. Then, when it reached cruise speed and I could hardly feel it moving, I walked back up to the deck.

    ¡°Do you need anything, Madam?¡± asked a sailor.

    I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ll just be enjoying the view. Don¡¯t mind me. If I stand in anyone¡¯s way, tell me, and I¡¯ll move aside.¡±

    ¡°As you wish, Madam.¡±

    He walked away with an expression that suggested I was a bit too excentric for his taste.

    The boat glided on the water between fields and forests, under bridges, along roads and villages. It gathered one tributary after another, and the sailors sang as they worked. I gave the words an ear and couldn¡¯t refrain from smiling.

    Of course, it¡¯s about women and tavern brawls!

    The journey was pleasant, but calm and rather boring. When I wasn¡¯t enjoying the scenery on the deck, I stayed in my cabin to read, eat and sleep. The other guests who traveled with me were remarkably discreet. Didn¡¯t they want to breathe a little fresh air sometimes? I hardly saw a handful of them over the two days we spent sailing down the Rekario.

    The river itself got wider, sometimes flowing around a small island. By the end of the second day, we¡¯d reached the estuary. Looking ahead, to the south, the horizon opened wide, flat and full of promises. The sea. Orman Sea, according to the maps in the king¡¯s office.

    We were following the west bank, and no technology from this kingdom could have built a bridge to the east. Instead, ferries crossed the water, avoiding all kinds of ships sailing up and down the estuary. I could make out a skyline in the distance, roofs and towers overlooking the river and probably the sea.

    ¡°It is Zerta over there?¡± I asked the nearest sailor.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    They smiled. ¡°Of course it is, Madam!¡± And they went back to their work.

    I thought we¡¯d sail to Zerta, but we didn¡¯t. Zerta was a sea port. It was wide open to the outside world, and perhaps King Esthar preferred a bit of secrecy, so instead, we moored the boats at an unremarkable quay, in what looked like a lovely fishing village. Houses were made of rendered stone, beige or yellow, a choice of colors that made them look warm and welcoming. The angle of their tile roofs, however, wasn¡¯t exactly Mediterranean. It rained in this place, often enough to have draining in mind.

    In such an ordinary environment, the line of comfortable coaches waiting for us looked out of place. The emblem of Sottarn painted on the sides, with a wolf upon a purple chevron, stood out against the humble background. The locals weren¡¯t mistaken about how special our arrival was. When employees in dark gray uniforms ushered us from the boats to the coaches, curious faces peeked at us from every window.

    This time, I rode with Lord Gimon, his valet, and a few assistants. Lord Gimon¡¯s white beard always made me think of Leonardo Da Vinci, but unlike him, the real Leonardo, the one from my native world, would probably not be the Minister of Finance in any kingdom.

    ¡°Did you enjoy the journey, Great Hero Al?¡± he asked in a honeyed voice.

    He disliked me. I knew it. What else could a man like him think of a person who¡¯d almost singlehandedly banned popular pigments, striking a small blow at the economy, without proving they were actually harmful? But he was trying to be courteous, so I smiled and bowed my head.

    ¡°It was calm and pleasant, thank you, Lord Gimon.¡±

    He sighed and looked out of the window.

    ¡°I wish I were as easily entertained as you are. I was bored out of my mind.¡±

    Then next time, bring books along, as I did!

    The coaches didn¡¯t enter the city of Zerta. We could only get glimpses of tile roofs as we followed a road that went up the bank, and then roughly parallel to the sea. We were avoiding the port and going straight to high walls that overlooked the city.

    I¡¯d read about the Citadel, formerly a fortified district with a cannon battery that defended the port. I knew the old houses inside had been leveled and replaced with a suitable residence for a modern duke. I knew the cannons were still there, although they hadn¡¯t fired for a long time, except on specific ceremonies. Still, the sight of the high baroque building rising above the old fortifications was breathtaking.

    Guards gave a look inside the coach before they let us through the gate. The citadel had been turned into an elegant courtyard and hanging gardens, complimenting the shape of the chateau. The place had two wings, like the royal palace in Carastra, but these were placed symmetrically on either side of a cylindrical central section. The walls were a light beige and the high roofs had the warm hues of clay tiles.

    This place looks southern, compared to Carastra. How can the buildings be so different when the kingdom is so small? It¡¯s not even about the architecture itself. It¡¯s the choice of materials.

    We stopped in the courtyard, but our doors were kept shut. The king¡¯s coach came to a halt in front of ours, and only then did servants let us out. They all wore dark gray.

    The breeze smelled salty. The sea. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d smell it so easily, let alone feel so nostalgic. I remembered family vacations, my much younger self running on a beach and jumping into the waves, while my mother ran after me with a bottle of sunscreen. I clenched my fists. Now¡¯s not the time to let my emotions get the best of me. This is an official trip. I should keep a dignified attitude.

    A flight of stairs led up to a double door that was wide open for King Esthar and his entourage. The king nodded at everyone, but didn¡¯t talk, until two girls in noble-looking dresses appeared on the threshold.

    They waved at him. He smiled.

    Princess Nigella waved back.

    The two of us walked up the stairs while servants followed with their luggage. I watched them as I waited for my own bag to get untied from the roof of our coach. The girls didn¡¯t look so formal now, and I knew why. I¡¯d never met them before, but with their distinctive light blond hair, their identities were obvious.

    They bowed in front of the king. They curtsied before the crown princess. And then everyone engaged in a group hug, as they should.

    Nigella wasn¡¯t King Esthar¡¯s only surviving child. Her two younger sisters, Adalyn and Zinnia, lived in Zerta with their uncle, Duke Irmel of Sottarn. This was their home, and they were finally seeing their dad again. How long had they been apart? I couldn¡¯t tell. They hadn¡¯t even come to Carastra for my summoning, which was a good thing, given the turn of events.

    As platinum blonde braids merged into one large mane, the three sisters made me think of a Targaryen family reunion.

    A dog slipped past my legs and sniffed the luggage the servants were piling in the courtyard. Sea birds flew in the sky. It¡¯s strange. I didn¡¯t want to come here, but now that I¡¯m by the sea in this atmosphere, I feel like I¡¯m on summer vacation.

    A man in wide navy pants and a royal blue knee-length tunic appeared on top of the stairs. He looked a lot like King Esthar, and I¡¯d met him shortly after my summoning. Duke Irmel.

    ¡°Be welcome, all of you!¡± he announced before embracing his older brother.

    Ah, here¡¯s my bag. I took two steps and put the bag on my back, using its single strap. Would it be a breach of the Prime Directive if I ¡°invented¡± more comfortable backpacks?

    I was brutally pulled out of my pondering by everyone around me getting tense. Kossi had just gotten off his coach, surrounded by armed soldiers. Despite being invited by the crown princess, he was still officially a convict, serving an indefinite sentence for destroying part of the royal palace, burning down a whole village, and causing the deaths of over thirty people.

    The servants and guards of the Citadel probably didn¡¯t know his face. His draconic characteristics were subtle in his human form. However, to any person with a functional brain, a tall and strong-looking young man traveling under such a heavy guard could only be a criminal. Kossi bowed his head. There were so many suspicious looks. Some people were possibly guessing who he was, maybe even understanding the soldiers around him were only there for the show. We were in the open. Any second, Kossi could turn into a huge and majestic dragon, shake away bolts and cannonballs like cherry pits, and be gone. He only stayed in custody because he¡¯d agreed to.

    ¡°Why is he here?¡± complained Princess Adalyn, her voice expressing a surprisingly convincing outrage for a twelve-year-old.

    Nigella gave her a pained look. ¡°He is our friend. What he did, he did against his will, and he works hard to right his wrongdoing. He deserves a break before he resumes the rebuilding of Rabal.¡±

    Young Zinnia waved at Kossi with a shy smile, but Adalyn shook her head. ¡°How could you forgive him so easily?¡±

    Nigella sighed. Before she could answer, Duke Irmel spoke up. ¡°Please, come in, dear guests. Princess Jilu and her suite will arrive in no time, and you will want to settle comfortably before welcoming them.¡±

    One point for conflict solving, but I saw the way Irmel looked at Kossi. He was in the chapel when the dragon attacked, on the day of my summoning. He probably thought he¡¯d end up roasted, along with the rest of the assembly. He still doesn¡¯t trust Kossi.

    I walked up the stairs along with the rest of the king¡¯s entourage. In the entrance hall, the main staircase curved up to a mezzanine that served both wings of the chateau. Straight ahead, several open doors allowed me to peek into a circular room that could probably fit two hundred standing people. An ornate chandelier hung above a stone floor with geometric shapes in green and white. Is it marble? How much did it cost?

    ¡°Great Hero Al? This way, please,¡± said a woman in the same dark gray uniform as the rest of the personnel. Other servants were already showing Lord Gimon, Senior Magus Malin and other guests to their rooms.

    Mine wasn¡¯t in the chateau itself. It was a simple bedroom in a long two-storied outbuilding. I had a bed, a chair, a table, an access to water, and it was all I needed. To be honest, it was the kind of place I wanted, rather than the oversized apartments I had in Carastra. Still, being downgraded felt a little humiliating.

    Well, Alicia, I guess this is what I get for not being the hero King Esthar wanted.

    The bed was comfortable, though, so there was no reason to complain. I washed with lukewarm water, nice enough in this warm weather. I was about to put on clean clothes when a trumpet blew, and a magically amplified voice announced Princess Jilu¡¯s name.

    Jilu of Folesh, third princess of a kingdom that bordered the Orman Sea, like Brealia. If I understood correctly, the Orman was a bit like the Mediterranean, with coasts one could easily sail along, and a variety of countries and cultures that had traded for centuries.

    Jilu of Folesh, set to marry Crown Prince Sorosiel before he died, and who was finally about to get engaged to his first cousin, Gurvan of Sottarn.

    There would be a party.

    There would be cake.

    And it was all the motivation I needed to get dressed and put my hair up.

 Book 2 Chapter 4: Refusing Gifts

    I didn¡¯t get to see Princess Jilu before she entered the chateau. Guards were stationed at the doors, making sure all guests stayed inside the outbuilding. As a result, all I could see was a procession of coaches going to the stables after letting their passengers out. They were the same coaches Duke Irmel had sent for us earlier, with their distinctive emblem.

    I love the purple chevron. Purple! I know nothing about heraldic conventions, but I don¡¯t think any family from my native world has a similar coat of arms.

    While I waited, I chatted with servants bringing fresh fruit and removing used water from the guest rooms. They didn¡¯t have much time to spare and some of them even ran away when I talked to them, but those who did speak were excited about the upcoming festivities. First, the traditional betrothal games, that would last for two days, and then the engagement ceremony itself, followed by a ball.

    ¡°We need a celebration after what happened last year,¡± sighed a maid.

    Last year? What about the war I narrowly prevented two months ago? I exposed a Senior Magus¡¯s treachery, no less!

    But it wasn¡¯t about me. It was about a bereaved family embracing life again. So I smiled, I listened, and I waited for the guards to allow us guests out of the building again.

    It was longer than I expected. We were kept inside the building until sunset, and at this point, it seemed all the guests hosted in the outbuilding were waiting in the hall, chatting and complaining. But no matter how outraged they were, no employee batted an eye.

    A butler came from the chateau, told the guards they could let us out, and said we were to follow him closely. I pinched the bridge of my nose.

    Pair up with a buddy and walk in rows of two! Am I back in my life as a kindergarten teacher? He¡¯s talking to us like we¡¯re four-year-olds!

    The smell of food and the sound of flutes filled the main building, where the large circular room was now furnished with long tables. Inside the room, Duke Irmel welcomed us with a smile, next to an elegant woman I¡¯d never seen before. She was wearing a floral gown with ivory trimmings and lace, and dark purple locks fell over her left shoulder from a high bun, contrasting nicely with her amber skin.

    That must be his wife, Duchess Nithys.

    I curtsied clumsily.

    ¡°Good evening, Duke, Duchess.¡±

    Duke Irmel only nodded, but his wife smiled, and her brown eyes sparkled.

    ¡°Are you the Great Hero Al?¡±

    ¡°I am. Serving Brealia.¡±

    Which doesn¡¯t necessarily mean serving the royal family, but we can discuss it later, or not at all.

    The duchess politely welcomed the other guests, then she held out a hand.

    ¡°Come with me, Great Hero Al.¡±

    ¡°Just Al, please.¡±

    She froze for half a second, then she smiled again.

    ¡°Of course. Coming from another world, you must be accustomed to other rules. I understand.¡±

    She put her hand on my wrist and guided me across the wide room, under the incredible chandelier. A balcony ran above us, all around the walls. It was probably accessible from the mezzanine I¡¯d seen in the hall. And half the sky was still fiery from the sunset. All in all, the light was amazing, but the duchess didn¡¯t look up in awe like I did.

    ¡°Great Hero Al, this is my eldest son, Gurvan of Sottarn. Gurvan, please call her Al.¡±

    I realized I¡¯d been looking at the ceiling and paying no attention whatsoever to the colorful noble crowd around us. I accidentally looked Gurvan in the eye, before bowing in respect.

    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you before your engagement, young lord.¡±

    ¡°The pleasure is mine, Al. I hope you enjoy the festivities.¡±

    Gurvan was sixteen, and taller than average, like his father and uncle. He wore a vest adorned with pearls, an off-white shirt with embroidered buttons at the cuffs, and wide navy-blue trousers over velvet shoes. His wavy auburn hair was tied in a low ponytail with a blue ribbon, and his oval face looked a lot like his mother¡¯s. His blue eyes, though, were quite similar to his cousin Nigella¡¯s.

    I didn¡¯t know what else to say, but it didn¡¯t matter, as someone else came to talk to him, and he engaged in a conversation I couldn¡¯t follow.

    Duchess Nithys watched him go with a proud smile on her face.

    ¡°They grow up so fast. It feels to me like he was in his crib the day before yesterday, and look at him now!¡±

    I understand, every parent seems to feel the same way, but why did you want to tell this to me, out of all the guests you can entertain? I don¡¯t have any children, nor do I plan to have any in the future.

    The duchess looked at my confused smile, and hid her amusement behind a hand that sparkled with jeweled rings.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Will you forgive me for bringing you away from my husband? I wanted to thank you for saving his life, back in Carastra. You might not be the hero King Esthar wanted, but I think the Almighty¡¯s hand didn¡¯t falter when He sent you. You are the hero Brealia needed on that day. Possibly the hero Brealia still needs. But never tell Irmel I¡­ Oh! Here she is!¡±

    I didn¡¯t have time to ask Duchess Nithys who she was talking about. The name was announced behind me.

    ¡°Her Royal Highness, Princess Jilu of Folesh!¡±

    I turned around. The first thing I saw was a handful of men and women in slightly looser costumes than the Brealian guests. But as they entered the place, they left no doubt as to who the princess was.

    Jilu walked into the circular room, or rather, glided into it. She wore a gold-colored gown, rather simple and fit for the summer weather, but there was a golden glow to her skin as well. If Catalin was here, and she told me this woman isn¡¯t human, I¡¯d believe her. But I had no fianc¨¦e near me, only a duchess lost in the contemplation of her future daughter-in-law.

    Bobbed fuchsia hair framed a delicate face with arched eyebrows and a turned-up nose. Cinnamon-colored eyes scanned the room while the princess smiled and tilted her head with grace. She had diamond-shaped markings on her cheekbones, three under each eye. Were they makeup or face tattoos? In any case, the assembly went silent. It was as if a minor goddess had set foot inside the Citadel.

    This minor goddess held a little white dog in her arms. A Maltese, or the local equivalent of the race.

    How can she look so dignified, walking around with a dog that looks just like old Mrs Salvi¡¯s?

    Mrs Salvi had been my neighbor, in my old life. She was a widow, always dressed in old-fashioned dresses and ill-fitting cardigans, and she carried plastic bags everywhere, to pick up her precious Bella¡¯s feces if needed. And of course, Bella was a spoiled brat who barked at everything.

    But this dog hardly moved at all, only looking around as Princess Jilu walked to Duke Irmel, followed by her suite. To the sound of flutes that made her entry even more magical, undisturbed by any human voice, she bowed her head slightly.

    ¡°Thank you for having me in your house, Your Highness. Living in Sottarn is an honor and a pleasure. Please accept these gifts I brought from Folesh.¡±

    She spoke with an accent, but her Brealian was excellent, and her melodious voice matched her appearance. Everyone else looks and sounds dull in comparison, and there¡¯s a king in here. A servant came forward with a gilded box that he opened before presenting it to the duke. I couldn¡¯t see what was inside from where I stood, but Duke Irmel shook his head.

    ¡°I cannot accept this, Your Royal Highness.¡±

    He¡¯s so formal! Nigella is the heir apparent and everyone just calls her Princess.

    Jilu¡¯s eyes narrowed, and her dog let out a muffled bark.

    ¡°Your Highness, I must insist. This box and its content were crafted by our finest goldsmiths. Please accept it as a token of our alliance.¡±

    ¡°No, this is impossible.¡±

    What¡¯s going on? Jilu¡¯s about to marry his son. Isn¡¯t it rude to refuse a gift from her?

    I gave a sideways look at Duchess Nithys, who smiled in return.

    ¡°Is anything wrong, Al?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just wondering why Duke Irmel won¡¯t accept Princess Jilu¡¯s gift.¡±

    The duchess giggled. ¡°You really are from another world! It would be inappropriate for my husband to accept it at once. A gift from an ally must be refused at first, for the ally to reaffirm the alliance through insistence.¡±

    I nodded.

    If you say so. But I¡¯m not sure everyone from this world knows this custom. I¡¯ve seen Catalin and her family exchange gifts, and they don¡¯t play these little games. It must be a noble thing.

    Duke Irmel finally took the gilded box from the servant¡¯s hands, and Princess Jilu resumed her tour of the room. She paid respects to King Esthar and his daughters, then she greeted every guest with a nod, including me, and Duchess Nithys refused a necklace before accepting it, just like her husband before her.

    Seen up close, Jilu was just as perfect as she¡¯d been from a distance. She even smelled of monoi. I squinted at the diamond marks on her cheekbones.

    All right. These are tattoos.

    Gurvan was nowhere to be seen. I supposed some weird rule banned him from interacting with his future wife before the betrothal.

    But he wasn¡¯t the only one missing. There was no dragon in the room.

    I tried to edge my way to Princess Nigella and ask her about Kossi, but she was completely cornered, so I sighed and resorted to asking my guardian angel instead.

    I only had one wish a day. Using it for such a mundane question felt like a waste, but the day was ending and I¡¯d lose it anyway, so this use was as good as any. I closed my eyes and focused.

    ¡°Hello, Cherub, my old friend, I¡¯ve come to talk with you again!¡±

    The answer came straight to the back of my mind.

    ¡°Are you teasing me, Al?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just feeling playful. I have a question for you: the Gold Dragon Kossi is invited to Lord Gurvan and Princess Jilu¡¯s betrothal, so why isn¡¯t he attending this dinner?¡±

    ¡°King Esthar and Duke Irmel thought his presence would inconvenience the other guests, so he¡¯s staying in his room tonight, under guard.¡±

    As usual, Cherub didn¡¯t wait for me to say goodbye. Their presence vanished right after they answered my question.

    Come on, mate, why don¡¯t you stay and chat, just this once? I know you like me. You tweaked the rules of my daily wish more than once. I owe you my life, and Catalin¡¯s, too.

    But my thoughts only echoed in my own head.

    King Esthar invited us all to sit down, and servants helped us find our places around the long tables. A variety of dishes were served in small portions, one after the other, like in a gastronomic restaurant. We had music all along and the lesser nobles next to me were glad to chat, so, all in all, I had a pleasant evening. Yet, I couldn¡¯t help musing over Kossi¡¯s eviction. Why agree to bring him along, if he spent all his time locked in a room?

    Kossi turned himself in as soon as he could. He¡¯s been perfectly cooperative ever since. He works hard to rebuild what he destroyed, and he remains in custody despite being able to break any chains we could bind him with. What more can he do? Does he get a second chance or not?

    I¡¯d given Kossi a few baking lessons, with help from the kitchen staff in Carastra. It¡¯d been a disaster, as far as desserts were concerned, but rolling out dough eased the distress in his beautiful golden eyes.

    I trust this dragon with my life. He should be here with us.

    Some guests stood up and left. Others kept talking. As I was absent-mindedly munching fruit, someone walked to the side of the table opposite me. It was a small silhouette in a pale green dress, with her light blond hair down, as was traditional for children, and her big green eyes trying to get my attention. I smiled.

    ¡°May I do something for you, Princess Zinnia?¡±

    The ten-year-old put both hands on the white tablecloth.

    ¡°You already did, Great¡­ I mean, Al.¡±

    Good. Her sister Nigella must have told her I dislike my official title. I tilted my head.

    ¡°Did I?¡±

    ¡°You saved my father, and my uncle, and my people.¡± She looked down at her hands, her cheeks flushing. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re very welcome. I only did my best, as I suppose you do every day.¡±

    ¡°I do, but I read and I calculate and I sing and I paint. I do not think I will ever save a life.¡±

    ¡°Neither did I, two months ago. Who knows what you will do in the future?¡±

    Princess Zinnia nodded.

    ¡°You must be right. I will trust your wisdom, Al. Thank you for sharing these words with me.¡±

    She bowed her head one last time and walked away. What a cute kid. Why do I get a feeling that she wanted to talk longer?

    Princess Jilu was still seated between King Esthar and Duke Irmel, with her little dog on her lap. She glanced at me for half a second, then she resumed her conversation.

 Book 2 Chapter 5: The Right Use for Pants

    On the next day, the betrothal games officially began. All the guests rode to the port of Zerta, wide open on the Orman Sea, and bordered by three-story houses with beige fa?ades and blue shutters. A crowd watched us from the many balconies of the city, reminding me of my summoning day. It¡¯d been a celebration too, back then, but the festivities had been cut short by the burning breath of a dragon.

    I gave a sideways look at Kossi, who stood slightly hunched, as if he tried to shrink away from everyone¡¯s view. He shouldn¡¯t worry so much. Nobody out there knows he¡¯s a dragon. The most visible signs of his real nature are the scales on his cheekbones, and they¡¯re hardly noticeable from a distance. Princess Jilu¡¯s face tattoos are much more conspicuous.

    I smiled at Kossi. He smiled back, but the smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. I wanted to bring him to the nearest kitchen and let him crush some food until he felt better. Except we were standing several guests apart, in the middle of a small crowd surrounded by a larger one, attending the blessing of the games.

    The ceremony was led by the local archbishop, a bearded man with a loud voice. He spoke of games of old, of the brave men and women who chose to celebrate unions, not by fighting, but by facing each other in peaceful events. It sounds like every sport competition in the world. If you want to show you¡¯re better, dominate the field, don¡¯t gut your opponents. But these games took place prior to a betrothal, which was new to me.

    The archbishop sprinkled perfumed water onto the two slender boats moored behind him. Then he raised both hands to praise the Almighty. The crowd repeated his words as one. The king, the guests, the people around. It felt like being in a large church filled with devout worshipers, and despite my reservations about whether the Almighty was the God I¡¯d known in my native world, I followed.

    Once the echo of devout words gave way to the sound of waves in the port, the archbishop spoke again.

    ¡°Please, Lord Gurvan, Your Royal Highness, step forward.¡±

    Gurvan stood on the left of the pier, in cropped pants and a short-sleeved shirt, holding an oar. Jilu was on the right, in a similar outfit with added lace, with her little white dog in her arms. She handed the dog to a servant and took an oar instead. Hers had a gilded band around the handle.

    Each teenager walked to a boat, looking straight ahead. None of them seemed to acknowledge the other. They boarded, using planks that their respective crews withdrew as soon as they were on board.

    The archbishop bowed his head, and King Esthar stepped forward. He looked at the houses behind us, ostensibly acknowledging the people cheering for the fianc¨¦s-to-be.

    ¡°People of Zerta, I am delighted to see so many of you attending this first day of the betrothal games between your young lord, Gurvan of Sottarn, and his future fianc¨¦e, Princess Jilu of Folesh!¡± he said.

    The crowd cheered louder, but the king kept speaking.

    ¡°The first crew who comes back after sailing around Solusia Key will be the winner of today¡¯s game. Now let the boat race begin!¡±

    Both boats unmoored and left the port. As their shapes grew smaller, sailing south towards the horizon, part of the assembly walked away. Others stayed behind, including King Esthar and his daughters, with Senior Magus Malin standing by their side. Duke Irmel and Duchess Nithys were there as well.

    ¡°Great Hero Al!¡± said Princess Adalyn.

    I stepped forward.

    ¡°What can I do for you, Princess?¡±

    The girl pointed to a two-masted ship on our left.

    ¡°We will follow the race. The view will be better from the sea than from the Citadel. Would you like to come with us?¡±

    Her little sister Zinnia nodded enthusiastically. A group of children and teenagers, including Gurvan¡¯s younger siblings, gathered around them. Is it a school outing?

    No, it wasn¡¯t. Foleshian guests were getting on board as well, and all of them were adults.

    ¡°Please come!¡± insisted Zinnia.

    King Esthar smiled. ¡°I would go if I were you, Al. Is this your first time at sea?¡±

    ¡°Not really. I went on boat trips in my previous life.¡± But the boats had noisy motors, and I liked drinking cheap beer on the deck. ¡°However, it¡¯ll be a pleasure to sail again. Thank you, Your Majesty.¡±

    As it turned out, neither Esthar nor Nigella were following. The two of them, along with most of the delegation from Carastra, would head back to the Citadel and watch the race from the wall.

    ¡°Enjoy the cruise,¡± said Kossi as his escort closed in on him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing you later,¡± I promised.

    He had a bitter smile. We both knew we had little control over our schedule, so we had no idea whether we¡¯d get to meet again on that day. We parted, and I focused on not getting seasick.

    As it turned out, I didn¡¯t really need to worry. The Orman was a rather calm sea, and the sailors knew how to maneuver, so I felt significantly better on the deck than after a teleport spell. Although we didn¡¯t catch up with the race boats, at least we vaguely kept up. There were just enough small clouds to soften the sunlight, and the breeze felt pleasantly refreshing. While most other passengers passed on binoculars to look at the competitors, I relaxed, watching the waves and the sea birds.

    What if I slipped away, while we¡¯re in Zerta, and went swimming in the sea?

    A seasick man bent over the hull and threw up, his long dark brown hair hiding his face. That was far less romantic than my dream of a bathing escape. Poor sod. He¡¯s more sensitive than me. For the sake of his dignity, I¡¯d better pretend not to notice.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    I sighed and looked the other way.

    Zerta was a beautiful city, with its beige and yellow port bathed by the sun. The tiled roof of houses seemed to cling to the hill, all the way up to the temple of the Almighty on one side, to the Citadel on the other. From where I stood, I could see the old fortress¡¯ cannons, pointed at us, ready to defend Brealia.

    ¡°No, come back!¡± a child¡¯s voice exclaimed.

    Then there was a splash, and as the ship kept sailing, a blonde head emerged. My heart tried to spring out of my ribcage.

    Adalyn? No, it¡¯s Zinnia!

    ¡°Hey! Princess overboard!¡± I shouted.

    Sailors gave me doubtful looks. All right, let¡¯s not count on them. Is there a lifebuoy here? There was none that I could see, and we were moving away from Zinnia, so I had no time to waste. No looking for a device that probably didn¡¯t exist. No asking the captain to turn around. I had to act myself, quick. I removed my boots and shoved them into the nearest sailor¡¯s hands.

    ¡°I said, princess overboard! I¡¯ll keep her afloat. Make sure you pick us up.¡±

    I dove into the sea. The water was cooler than I thought.

    This wasn¡¯t the bath I¡¯d dreamed of, but as a teacher, I¡¯d taken a few classes to the pool, and even though there were professional lifeguards, I was trained to help if needed.

    I swam towards Princess Zinnia as fast as I could, swallowing salt water in the process. ¡°Hang on, I¡¯m coming!¡±

    Panicked voices behind me confirmed that the crew was now aware of the emergency. Good. They won¡¯t let us drown.

    As I reached the princess, I realized she was holding a little white dog, but she was weighed down by her multiple skirts. Even with a ten-year-old¡¯s energy, she couldn¡¯t keep both herself and the dog afloat for long.

    ¡°Al!¡± she panted before a wave briefly submerged her face.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, let me help you!¡±

    I took a look at the ship, but it was too big to change course so fast. It was still maneuvering, still moving away, and it wouldn¡¯t be back for a while. I needed to act now.

    I struggled to remove my pants underwater, while making sure neither princess nor dog sank. I only saw this trick in a video tutorial, I never actually tried it myself, but it¡¯ll have to do! I tied the legs together, as tightly as I could, and swung the pants over my head and into the water, trapping air inside. It works! I made a buoy.

    I grabbed Princess Zinnia with one hand, while she kept lifting the terrified dog above the surface. With my other hand, I kept my pants upside down, so the air couldn¡¯t escape.

    ¡°I got you. Hold on to this. It¡¯ll help you float.¡±

    ¡°But Al, Princess Jilu¡¯s dog¡­¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll hang on to us. Or is it a she?¡±

    The dog climbed onto my shoulder. It didn¡¯t help, as I was out of breath from the cold water and the panicked swim, and the ship was taking forever to come back. Voices were calling Princess Zinnia. Some might be calling me as well, but I didn¡¯t care. I focused on keeping my makeshift buoy buoyant. Thank the Almighty for video tutorials.

    But it didn¡¯t really work. The buoy was deflating. Soon we¡¯d sink again, and I¡¯d waste all my energy putting more air into my pants.

    Is this how I die? Trying to save a girl who tried to save a dog? No, I guess not. I must ask Cherub for help, have them miracle me some kind of floating device¡­

    My teeth chattered and I had a hard time choosing what kind of device I should ask for. I knew Cherub. They¡¯d want specific instructions, but I felt cold, I couldn¡¯t think straight, and perhaps I should first make Zinnia remove a skirt, but what if she went full Paul and Virginie on me, and¡­

    ¡°Who is Virginie?¡± asked the princess.

    Did I say it out loud?

    ¡°A girl from a story,¡± I panted.

    Virginie chose to die rather than remove her clothes. Can I really mention that to a ten-year-old struggling to keep afloat?

    I realized something was flying from the coastline. Something big. I looked up, with one dog on my shoulder and one princess clinging to my half-inflated pants. Again, my heart jumped. I knew this majestic dark brown figure. It was a Gold Dragon, and I only knew one of them.

    ¡°Kossi!¡± sighed Zinnia.

    ¡°Yes, Kossi. He¡¯s coming for us.¡±

    The dragon dove under the waves, splashing more water on us, but it was all forgiven when I felt his body under my feet. He slowly swam back to the surface, bringing us above sea level, and keeping us safe while the ship came back for us. Zinnia and I sat down on his back. I was still holding my drenched pants in my hands, but it didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°You saved us! I knew you were good!¡± said the girl.

    Big golden eyes blinked slowly, like a cat¡¯s. I laid a hand on Kossi¡¯s neck.

    ¡°I¡¯d give a speech¡­ but I¡¯m too breathless¡­ for that.¡±

    The ship finally came back, and the sailors threw a rope ladder at us. We were drenched, I was barefoot and everyone saw me in my underwear, but I still climbed up the ladder and grabbed a sailor¡¯s hand to get back on board. As I looked over my shoulder, Kossi turned into his human form, in his usual black clothes. He held Zinnia with one arm and climbed using the other, with no apparent effort.

    I wish I was as strong as a dragon.

    The seasick man from before rushed to get the little dog back. I remember him! He¡¯s the servant Princess Jilu gave her dog to, just before she boarded her race boat! He was in his late thirties to early forties, and like most Foleshian guests, he looked Mediterranean. He had long dark brown hair and a round face with a straight nose. He wrapped the dog in a towel and ran away, his face still a little greenish.

    Sailors threw blankets over our shoulders.

    ¡°What happened?¡± asked Princess Adalyn.

    Zinnia looked at her soaked shoes.

    ¡°The dog fell overboard while no one was looking. I tried to catch him, but I fell too.¡±

    ¡°Why are you always so careless?¡±

    ¡°Adalyn, I¡­¡±

    The twelve-year-old rolled her eyes. ¡°Thank the Almighty, you are safe. Let me express my gratitude, Great Hero Al.¡±

    Next to me, Kossi narrowed his eyes. He¡¯d flown all the way from the Citadel to rescue us, and Adalyn was deliberately ignoring him. He opened his mouth, but no sound escaped his full lips.

    ¡°Thank you, Kossi,¡± said Zinnia.

    Her sister glared at her. ¡°How¡­¡±

    But Zinnia looked straight back at her, raising a hand to catch Kossi¡¯s. Adalyn sighed and turned around. The little girl looked up at both of us.

    ¡°I must apologize, Kossi. Princess Adalyn thinks you are a bad man, because of what that evil sorcerer made you do.¡±

    The dragon took both her hands. ¡°Your sister isn¡¯t the only one who thinks so. And it¡¯s true I did horrible things, things I must now make up for. I can¡¯t blame her for resenting me. Even I can¡¯t forgive myself for what happened.¡±

    ¡°But it was not your fault!¡±

    Zinnia¡¯s chin was trembling, and I wasn¡¯t sure I could take it. If she bursts into tears, so will I. I spoke up.

    ¡°Look, everyone¡¯s safe and sound. It¡¯s all that matters right now. Princess Zinnia, you were brave enough to save Princess Jilu¡¯s dog. Kossi and I, on the other hand¡­ just did our job as adults.¡±

    The girl looked up at me, with her big green eyes.

    ¡°You told me so, last night. That I might save a life.¡±

    ¡°Well, you did. But can you even swim?¡±

    ¡°I took lessons, but it was in a pool, and in a swimsuit. I had never swum in the sea before.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°In the sea, and in a full dress. I should have asked you to remove a skirt or two, but I was in a bit of a panic myself and¡­¡±

    Kossi interrupted me with a hand on my shoulder.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Al, you did the right thing. You were a hero again. I mean, you never stopped being a hero.¡±

    His golden eyes made something melt inside me, but reality caught up with a vengeance. I shivered despite the warm weather. The smile Kossi was beginning to flash vanished.

    ¡°Are you cold? How stupid of me not to have guessed! Come over here, the two of you. Being a dragon has its perks.¡±

    Kossi brought us both under his blanket, with his arms across our shoulders. A pleasant warmth radiated from him, driving the cold out of my bones. Zinnia thrust her arms around him. Although I didn¡¯t imitate her, I allowed myself to relax. The danger was gone and I could already feel my clothes dry.

    ¡°Your boots, my lady,¡± said a sailor, leaving my footwear on the deck in front of me.

    I couldn¡¯t care less about the boat race. Aristocrats and their strange customs didn¡¯t matter. Why bother about it all when a brave little girl had almost drowned, and I¡¯d saved her with crucial help from the most incredible creature I knew? For the first time since I¡¯d parted with Catalin three days before, I felt I was in the right place.

 Book 2 Chapter 6: Stained Glass Flowers

    After the incident, our ship sailed back to the port, where a few coaches were waiting for us. Thanks to Kossi, by the time we reached the coast, I was dry enough to put my pants and boots back on. Princess Zinnia¡¯s petticoats were still a little damp, but she could walk into her father¡¯s embrace without leaving a seawater trail behind. Kossi and I followed her, between guards who stood on either side of the gangplank like a guard of honor.

    ¡°Thank you for rescuing my daughter, Great Hero Al,¡± said King Esthar.

    I raised an eyebrow. The title¡¯s back with a vengeance. I guess that¡¯s what you get for diving off a boat to help a child.

    I bowed. ¡°Had any of the other children fallen overboard, I¡¯d have done the same. And I might not have succeeded without Kossi.¡±

    ¡°Kossi.¡±

    The king¡¯s gaze went back and forth between the dragon and me.

    ¡°Thank you, Gold Dragon Kossi,¡± he finally added.

    But his voice lacked the warmth it had when he spoke to me. He held Zinnia against him with one hand, and caught Adalyn¡¯s hand as soon as she disembarked. Every passenger, every sailor was asked a few questions before being released. Had they seen what happened? What had they done when they¡¯d understood the situation?

    As it turned out, Princess Jilu¡¯s dog was simply strolling on the deck, unsupervised because its handler was too seasick to remain vigilant. It only took a wave at an unfortunate moment for the animal to fall overboard. Princess Zinnia tried to catch the dog, but she was too slow, and she thought she could swim well enough to rescue it, so she jumped into the water.

    This girl is probably good at arithmetic and solfeggio, but did no one give her any clues about the real world out there? Even I was aware that we¡¯d never catch up with the ship! This is why I told sailors I was about to dive, so they could change course and pick us up.

    I knew the rest. I¡¯d kept the princess and the dog afloat long enough for Kossi, who was watching from the Citadel, to get special permission to turn back into a dragon and fly to the rescue.

    Once the whole story was pieced together and King Esthar was sure no criminal mind had put his youngest child in danger, coaches brought us all back to the Citadel. Princess Jilu¡¯s dog-sitter looked at his feet all along. His shoulders were low, his dark brown hair hanging like curtains on either side of his round face. He looked more miserable than the dog he was holding against him. He had it wrapped in a towel, and he cuddled it as if he was afraid of losing it again.

    The boat race wasn¡¯t over, so we joined Duke Irmel, Duchess Nithys and Princess Nigella on the wall-walk. Kossi leaned on the stone, pretending not to notice how closely he was watched by armed men. Nigella held both her sisters in her arms, and the three of them talked in low voices for the rest of the race, oblivious of what was happening on the sea.

    Meanwhile, I edged closer to the king, who was watching the race boats with elegant binoculars.

    ¡°May I have a word, Your Majesty?¡±

    King Esthar raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is it important?¡±

    ¡°Do you mean important enough to bother you during traditional games? To be honest, I need to mention this before I forget.¡±

    He sighed and put down his binoculars.

    ¡°Please go ahead.¡±

    I pointed to the port on my left, where the two-masted ship was still visible.

    ¡°When I saw Princess Zinnia in the water, my first reaction was to look for a lifebuoy, but I could see none. I still can¡¯t tell whether there was one on board.¡±

    ¡°Why did you expect to see one on the passenger deck?¡±

    ¡°Because this is where people fall from! This is where a buoy will be thrown from if anything happens!¡±

    Duchess Nithys¡¯s gaze made me realize I was talking too loud. I straightened and resumed in a lower voice.

    ¡°I think safety would be much better, and at a negligible cost, if every passenger ship had a few lifebuoys visible on each deck.¡±

    ¡°Lectures from your old world, again,¡± commented the king.

    Kind of rich, coming from the man who had me summoned from said old world.

    I shook my head.

    ¡°I¡¯m not giving a moral lesson here, Your Majesty. I¡¯m merely pointing out that my help alone wouldn¡¯t have saved the princess. Without Kossi, she might have drowned before the ship could pick us up, because we didn¡¯t have a floating device readily available on the deck.¡±

    King Esthar looked at his three daughters.

    ¡°I see. However, now is not the time to think of new rules to enforce. Brealian manufacturers are already protesting the pigment ban you had us enact. It is too soon for another restrictive regulation.¡±

    Afraid of losing his popularity, is he? Does he realize the lack of safety standards almost cost him a daughter? For the Almighty¡¯s sake, the man lost a wife and a son last year¡­

    Or maybe I was wrong. Maybe the king wasn¡¯t in denial. Maybe the wound was still too fresh, and it numbed the hypothetical pain of another grief.

    I looked around us. Duchess Nithys was eavesdropping, I could swear it. Duke Irmel, however, was watching the boat race, as did most other guests on the wall-walk. Only Kossi was thoughtfully looking at the horizon. I sighed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to undermine your authority or put forward moral values from abroad. I¡¯m merely suggesting a small change that could save your subjects¡¯ lives, but ultimately, you¡¯re the king. You decide what gets done and what doesn¡¯t.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°I know, Al,¡± he answered absentmindedly, already picking up his binoculars.

    The race boats glided on the sea, side by side, straight to the port. Guests cheered their favorite contestant. Some people even encouraged both. In any case, the race was incredibly tight, with both crews capable enough to get the best of the wind and tide. At each stern, Lord Gurvan and Princess Jilu kept their eyes fixed on the goal, as one caught up with the other and briefly led the race, rinse and repeat.

    ¡°Do it for Sottarn, son!¡± said Duke Irmel.

    ¡°For Brealia!¡± added King Esthar.

    Both brothers looked as excited as if there¡¯d been no near-fatal incident. When Gurvan¡¯s crew finally cut the line an arm¡¯s length ahead of Jilu¡¯s bow, the Citadel erupted with joy.

    By the time coaches brought back the contestants, a band was playing in the courtyard, and servants were already serving drinks and appetizers.

    Lord Gurvan was praised as if he¡¯d won the race on his own. He accepted a glass and began chatting with guests, while Princess Jilu excused herself and went inside the chateau for a while. In the meantime, I tried to locate every sailor who¡¯d participated in the race and congratulate them on their performance. All of them muttered an embarrassed ¡°thank you¡± and turned away from the crazy woman who was ignoring the young lord.

    ¡°Al? May I have a word?¡± asked someone behind me.

    I turned around to face no less than Gurvan himself.

    Well, I guess it¡¯s time to compliment him, too¡­ I bowed slightly.

    ¡°Yes, Lord Gurvan. Congratulations on winning the boat race.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. But we heard of the incident that occurred while we were racing, and you saved Princess Zinnia¡¯s life. We were fortunate to have you on board, Al. You lived up to your Great Hero title today.¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°This is very kind of you, but the real savior was Gold Dragon Kossi. He raised the princess and I above the water while we were both struggling to float. Did you thank him, too?¡±

    Gurvan winced and ran a hand along his auburn ponytail.

    ¡°Should I?¡±

    I glanced at Kossi, who was talking to Princess Nigella and Senior Magus Malin, under close supervision.

    ¡°Look, Lord Gurvan, I know what he did this spring. I might know it better than anyone, having risked my life to free him of the spell that subdued him. Kossi is a good man, if such a thing can be said of a dragon. He craves redemption. Why don¡¯t you tell him you¡¯re grateful he saved your cousin? It won¡¯t cost you a thing and it¡¯ll relieve him greatly.¡±

    Gurvan¡¯s blue eyes went back and forth between Kossi and me.

    ¡°But what if he still cannot be trusted?¡±

    Really? I refrained from facepalming. Breathe, Alicia, this is a sixteen-year-old who was fed nonsense and who doesn¡¯t know better.

    ¡°In the unlikely event of a treachery, he still saved Princess Zinnia¡¯s life. And mine. This is worth thanking.¡±

    Gurvan nodded gravely. ¡°Then I shall express my gratitude to him, too. However, there is something I must tell you first.¡±

    He put the fingertips of his right hand on his heart, a gesture I¡¯d seen Lord Berg make when he was about to ask the king for something.

    ¡°Great Hero Al, I want you on my team for tomorrow¡¯s soulfeather game.¡±

    I was frozen for a second, before I regained enough composure to sputter an answer.

    ¡°This is tomorrow¡¯s traditional game, isn¡¯t it? Before the engagement ceremony? I am flattered, Lord Gurvan, but I thought your team was already set.¡±

    ¡°It was, but my cousin Unilla is unwell and asked to be replaced. Please fill in for her, Al. It will be an honor to have you chase the feather by my side.¡±

    I smiled.

    ¡°You must remember I come from a different world. I¡¯ve only vaguely heard of soulfeather, I¡¯ve never played it, I don¡¯t even know the rules¡­¡±

    Gurvan shrugged. ¡°The rules are simple. Both teams chase a feather, and the first team who brings it to their safe zone wins. There are many more complicated games out there, and I suppose you knew some, back in your old world.¡±

    I sure did, but I can bet he¡¯s trying to make it sound easier than it really is.

    ¡°Please, Al. You deserve a prominent place in the celebration, as the Great Hero who saved Brealia from¡­¡±

    He side-eyed Kossi, and then he sighed.

    ¡°From the threat of war.¡±

    I don¡¯t care much about the honors, but this game sounds fun. I nodded.

    ¡°Then I will play on your team, but don¡¯t expect any miracle from me!¡±

    ¡°The Almighty will provide all the miracles we need. Thank you, Al. I will send someone for you in the morning.¡±

    When Gurvan left to talk to Kossi, I grasped another glass of solael juice. Two months before, I didn¡¯t know such a beverage existed. Now, it was my favorite.

    Princess Jilu came back a while later, at nightfall. She wore a cream gown with painted flowers in various shades of pink, and an assorted elaborate barrette, with dangling flowers made of stained glass, was pinned to her fuchsia hair. She carried her little dog in her arms, close to her heart.

    At this point in the party, I was chatting with Kossi, after Princess Nigella had left him to socialize with other guests. We both stood near a food stall, where he absentmindedly picked appetizers every now and then. As a dragon, he didn¡¯t care much about human food, but he ate larger quantities, and more protein.

    ¡°Look at Princess Jilu,¡± he said between two mouthfuls.

    ¡°How can I not look at her? Between her looks and her attitude, she steals the show every time she enters the scene.¡±

    Kossi narrowed his golden eyes in confusion.

    ¡°Is it a theater metaphor? No, I mean, look at the distress on her face.¡±

    I watched as guests came to the princess and talked to her. She always answered with grace, but as Kossi pointed out, her smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes. In between conversations, she glanced at the dog in her arms.

    ¡°Is she upset about losing the race, or about the incident involving her dog?¡± I asked.

    Kossi shook his head. ¡°In either case, she doesn¡¯t like being reminded of it.¡±

    When guests were done flocking to Princess Jilu, she walked to Princess Zinnia with a warmer face. The two of them had a longer conversation, and Zinnia could pet the dog in the end.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I ate all the pies,¡± said Kossi next to me.

    I chucked. He doesn¡¯t have as much of a sweet tooth as me, but if you leave the two of us near a buffet, prepare for frequent refills!

    ¡°Let¡¯s move to another table,¡± I suggested, pointing my chin at the other end of the courtyard.

    The soldiers guarding Kossi walked with us. I wanted them to go, I knew I was safe with him and so were the other guests, but I had no power over them. We weren¡¯t in Carastra, where the staff had grown accustomed to the dragon¡¯s presence and I could keep his guardians out of a room if I wanted to talk in peace and quiet.

    Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Princess Jilu was looking at us. Good, she¡¯s done thanking Princess Zinnia, and now it¡¯s our turn. I got my glass refilled with fresh solael juice. I told Kossi about recipes I wanted to test, once we got back to Carastra. And then a young Foleshian lady bowed before us.

    ¡°Great Hero Al, dragon Kossi?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Who do I have the honor to speak to?¡±

    ¡°My name is Arez. I am Her Royal Highness Princess Jilu¡¯s lady-in-waiting. I came to thank you on her behalf, for saving her beloved Kian. Had anything happened to him, she¡¯d be in great distress.¡±

    ¡°It looks like she already is,¡± commented Kossi.

    Oh, come on, I¡¯m sure you know enough about human etiquette to understand you¡¯re being rude!

    Arez blushed and looked at her feet. She wore a stained-glass flower barrette, simpler than her mistress¡¯s, in her dark red hair.

    ¡°You are right, dragon Kossi. Kian was in great danger, and Her Royal Highness feels upset about it. But thanks to you both, he¡¯s safe, and the engagement ceremony can take place.¡±

    What do you mean, it can take place? Would Jilu cancel a major political agreement over a dog¡¯s death?

    I hid my puzzlement in a sip of solael juice.

    ¡°Well, thank you, Lady Arez. Have a nice evening.¡±

    ¡°May the night shine on you.¡±

    Then the young lady went her own way, letting us munch on pastries. When she was out of earshot, I looked at Kossi.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but I learned two interesting things tonight. One, Princess Jilu¡¯s dog is a he. And two, although she thanked Princess Zinnia herself, she sent her assistant to talk to us.¡±

 Chapter 7: Chasing the Feather

    At the end of the party, once alone in my room, I called Cherub, my guardian angel.

    ¡°Hello, friend, I need you to explain the rules of soulfeather.¡±

    They went through an explanation which felt exactly like reading the leaflet of a new board game. Good enough to get an idea, but nothing replaced actually playing the game.

    Soulfeather was only played on special occasions, on a field previously blessed by a priest and enchanted by sorcerers. There were two teams of five players, and a feather that wasn¡¯t just a feather, but rather a ball decorated with feathers. First, it had to be located, and then, each team had a secret safe zone where they tried to bring it.

    Magic was strictly forbidden during a game. More precisely, no player could cast a spell or use a natural power. However, the field itself was infused with magic which made it changing and unpredictable, hence soulfeather was considered unique and exciting despite the apparent simplicity of its rules.

    When Cherub was done, I thought I grasped enough to avoid the worst mistakes, but I was eager to actually walk the field. I awoke early, so, by the time a servant knocked on my door, I was already up and dressed in the most comfortable clothes I could find.

    I followed the servant out of the outbuilding, across the courtyard and into the chateau.

    During breakfast, which was mostly fruit and cheese, Lord Gurvan introduced me to the rest of his team: Arnias Torsin, a thin elderly gentleman with an eyepatch, Yumel of Felerban, a tall and strong man in his late twenties, and Otiric Lumaris, a black-haired sixteen-year-old. It made me the only woman in the team, called in at the last minute to replace another woman who¡¯d stepped down for health reasons.

    Arnias had chased the feather twice in an actual game. The others had seen soulfeather games and trained before the event, but they were new to the real thing. As we planned our strategy together, I could tell they were as excited as I was. As the most inexperienced player on the field, my role would be to watch our opponents, and to share whatever information I could find while no one watched out for me.

    The feather would be hidden in the scenery, and we weren¡¯t allowed to conceal it, or even to carry it for more than five steps. Pulling it out of an opponent¡¯s hand was forbidden, too.

    ¡°Does the feather bounce?¡± I asked.

    The four others looked at me wide-eyed.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± answered Arnias before going back to more serious subjects.

    Too bad. It means I can¡¯t subvert the rule by dribbling.

    In a nutshell, getting the feather anywhere was a hassle. It couldn¡¯t be carried, it could be thrown but its trajectory was unpredictable¡­ However, the most important thing was to trust the magic that saturated the place, and the blessing called upon it before the game. The field chose its winners, according to Gurvan.

    Then why do we even bother planning anything?

    A coach picked us up in the courtyard, and we rode away from the city, along a road that overlooked the coast. It was another warm summer morning, but the wind brought clouds from the west. By the time we reached the field, small shadows ran across the hills, drawing moving patterns over the rocks and high grass. A priest, along with Senior Magus Malin and a few other sorcerers, gave us a quick tour.

    Stands were built around a rough rectangle that looked like everything but a sports ground. It was uneven, overgrown, colorful, full of hiding places and potential traps.

    Stan would love this place for one of his paintball sessions¡­ Why am I thinking of my ex-husband now? He¡¯s out of the picture. I¡¯m gone forever, and I have someone else, now.

    I sighed, thinking of Catalin who¡¯d probably never watched soulfeather in her whole life, and who wouldn¡¯t be there on my first game.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try too hard to remember the set-up,¡± said Arnias behind me.

    I looked over my shoulder. ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Because it will change. Remember, the field chooses its winners. Trust the feather, trust your soul, and you might win.¡±

    The priest showed us our safe zone. If the feather was brought there, and all five players were back before it was taken by the other team, then we¡¯d win. The place was a recess behind a rock, marked with yellow and blue dots. Since there were patches of color across the whole field, the area looked rather inconspicuous.

    As I¡¯d learned during breakfast, it was best to keep the location of our safe zone secret. If our opponents didn¡¯t know where we were trying to go, they¡¯d have a harder time preventing us from getting there.

    The feather itself looked like a tennis ball disguised as a yellowish green comet, with feathers glued to its surface, forming a long tail.

    By the time we ended our tour, Princess Jilu arrived, stunning as always in a snugly fitting bodice and pink rolled-up pants, with a team of four strong-looking Foleshian men. She hardly spared us a look in passing, blatantly ignoring Gurvan.

    There really must be a tradition of sorts preventing Jilu and Gurvan from interacting before the engagement. It doesn¡¯t make much sense, as they¡¯d be free to talk if they weren¡¯t supposed to marry in the future, but who am I to judge? As long as no one gets hurt.

    We put thick purple fabric braids around our heads, while Jilu¡¯s team wore green ones. The public arrived. Unlike the boat race where the whole city had flocked to, this event was further away, thus attracting fewer spectators, who also looked wealthier. The best seats in the grandstand were reserved for the duke, the king, and a handful of Foleshian dignitaries, including Arez with the dog Kian on her lap.

    Jilu is a third princess. I didn¡¯t expect her parents to come all the way from Folesh for the engagement. They might show up at the actual wedding. But it¡¯s strange, no one from her close family came along. She traveled with lesser nobles and a bunch of servants. Is it a normal thing in this world? Letting a kid leave like this?If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    I had no time to ponder. The priest claimed that the soulfeather game was beginning.

    ¡°May the Almighty¡¯s light shine on your souls!¡±

    Jilu and Gurvan sprang forward from their respective positions. So did the other players. All searched for the feather in this wild patch of ground invaded with spots of color. As instructed by Arnias, I was the only one who didn¡¯t run. Instead, I walked around the field, watching everyone jump and crouch in the scenery.

    Someone shouted behind me. I jumped around.

    A rock was rotating slowly, breaking the earth around it, and bushes sprang from the cracks. I narrowed my eyes, looking for the glowing symbols of a spell, but I saw nothing that could help me understand what kind of magic was operating. My young teammate Otiric stared at the phenomenon wide-eyed. I held out a hand.

    ¡°Is everything all right?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Yes, thank you, Al. I knew how much magic there is in here, but I was still taken by surprise. Let¡¯s find this feather, shall we?¡±

    We split and walked forward, a few feet apart, looking everywhere. Jilu stood on top of a flat rock, a hand shielding her delicate face from the sun, her green headband and fuchsia hair making her look like some kind of flower fairy. She frowned, then jumped back to escape weeds trying to grow around her ankles.

    The public cheered.

    Is it what they¡¯re here for? To see this magic-infused nature try and make us trip? As long as it¡¯s not dangerous¡­

    I climbed on the trunk of a fallen tree. Jilu and two of her teammates were combing the center of the field, while the last two remained a little closer to an edge. Perhaps they were guarding the green team¡¯s safe zone. Or were they trying to lure us there, away from their real safe zone?

    Did it even matter? The feather hadn¡¯t been found yet.

    I jumped off the trunk just as it rotted into the ground, replaced by soft grass. I was close to the grandstand and the wind carried voices to my ears.

    ¡°Make Sottarn proud!¡± cheered Duke Irmel.

    ¡°Win the game for Folesh, Your Royal Highness!¡± encouraged Lady Arez in another language.

    I observed the players and the public again. It was exciting to feel the field vibrate under every step, but was it fun to watch? Didn¡¯t we just look like a bunch of drunkards trying to retrieve a lost contact lens?

    Then there was the faintest feeling of something. It felt yellowish green more than it looked like anything, but it resonated with my soul for a heartbeat.

    Is it why this game¡¯s called soulfeather?

    I still didn¡¯t know where it was, but it was teasing me. I fought the urge to run, merely walking instead. Of at least, I tried to. Instead, my boots slipped.

    Mud? It wasn¡¯t here a moment ago, and just as I¡¯m attracted to the feather, something makes me trip. Are we playing soulfeather, or is the field playing with us?

    I still moved forward, slower than anticipated. On my right, a rock turned into sand, surprising the Foleshian team. But there was a semblance of structure to the changes. The moving landscape respected imaginary lines running from here to there, and in the center of it all stood a dry bush. I sped up.

    ¡°She¡¯s up to something!¡± shouted a man.

    I broke into a sprint.

    That¡¯s what I thought. The guy who looks like a quarterback is running right at me. But you¡¯re not getting my feather, you know!

    I sprained my ankle on a small rock, but I clenched my teeth and didn¡¯t slow down. One dive forward¡­ I could make it. I jumped headfirst into the bush, eyes closed to avoid hurting them. More than anything, I trusted the feather, and I trusted my soul.

    My hands closed on a soft ball with a silky tail. Got it.

    The public literally roared when I ran out of the bush with a robust young man hot on my trail. I had five steps.

    ¡°Over here!¡± called Gurvan.

    He was three paces away from me, so I didn¡¯t take time to think. I threw the feather at him. Now, how could we bring it to our safe zone? A tree grew between Gurvan and his friend Otiric, and then died almost instantly.

    I should take the feather back.

    As I edged my way to Gurvan¡¯s side, the strong man running behind me failed to stop. We collided and rolled over in a mess of arms and legs. Boy, he¡¯s as heavy as he looks! My head rang and I struggled to get up.

    ¡°Sorry, madam!¡± he said.

    I accepted the hand he was offering. ¡°Thank you! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m okay. It¡¯s part of the game, I guess.¡±

    He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Where did you learn Foleshian?¡±

    My heart leapt. I didn¡¯t even realize what language we were speaking. That¡¯s what you get for being blessed with a gift for languages upon your summoning.

    ¡°In a white cloud of nothingness,¡± I answered with a smile. Then, looking away from his puzzled face, I tried to locate the feather again, only to find it in Princess Jilu¡¯s hand. Jilu herself was standing awkwardly with ivy wrapped around her feet, her pleading eyes looking for a teammate to pass the ball to.

    Our team closed in on her. She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not losing now!¡±

    Yumel of Felerban smiled. ¡°Of course not, Your Royal Highness. The game is only beginning.¡±

    ¡°And I will win!¡±

    She threw the feather above our heads, as far as she could.

    Now I knew why soulfeather was exciting. With its erratic movement, the feather couldn¡¯t just be thrown from one player to another, and the everchanging field created random obstacles. Finding the feather was the simplest, and least interesting, part of the game. Getting it where it needed to be was much trickier.

    For a long time, we ran, we jumped, we slipped on uneven soil, and we failed countless passes that would have been easy with a ball. I was thankful for the bottles of water available on the sides of the field. Despite being fit, I just wasn¡¯t twenty anymore.

    ¡°Let us leave the running to younger players,¡± decided Arnias.

    Following his advice, I slowed down a little.

    Whenever I caught the feather, I felt it resonate with me in an uncanny but not unpleasant way. The rest of the time, I just walked around, watching and listening. Princess Jilu was getting tired, too, and her perfect face glistened with sweat.

    ¡°This is getting annoying,¡± she told the oldest of her teammates, a tall man with sky blue hair dangling on his shoulders.

    ¡°Should I take action?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Yes, please.¡±

    The language they spoke sounded nothing like anything I¡¯d heard before. When Princess Jilu walked past me, she gave me the calculated polite smile she usually wore on her face. I smiled back in the same way.

    I bet they spoke a different language because I was around. They know I understand Foleshian, so they switched to something more exotic. Nice try, Your Royal Highness, but since I set foot in this world, the only language I failed to understand was used for casting a spell.

    Gurvan had the feather. Our teammates Yumel and Otiric were coming to the rescue, but he had three Foleshian players near him. He looked around for an escape. I should help, too.

    Just as I sprang forward, I heard the echoes of a low voice. When I realized I didn¡¯t understand the words, my heart skipped a beat.

    A spell? Casting a spell is against the rules of soulfeather!

    I waved at the priest, then at Senior Magus Malin who was seated in the grandstand near the king, but none of them reacted. Straight ahead, Gurvan looked confused. He rubbed his forehead, then turned to one of our opponents. Something was glowing, right between his eyes. I couldn¡¯t make out the details from where I was, but I knew it was magic.

    I¡¯m the only one who can see it, I¡¯m the only one who knows the other team¡¯s cheating, and if I use my natural power to go against the spell, I¡¯ll be cheating too! What can I do? I¡¯m not allowed to take the feather from the boy¡¯s hands, either!

    My mind raced as fast as my legs. There was one power I could still use.

    ¡°Cherub, please, quick! I need to make sure Young Lord Gurvan of Sottarn doesn¡¯t stupidly give this feather away. Make him toss it to me instead!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t go against his will, but I can use the wind. Get ready, Al.¡±

    Just as the teenager threw the feather towards an opponent, a sudden gust made it fall in my direction. It took me a bold dive to catch it. I took the feather, Gurvan shook his head as if emerging from a dream, and I got up on my knees, hoping Otiric or Yumel was close enough for an easy pass.

    The collapsing ground took my breath away. I fell into a crack that wasn¡¯t here half a second before, still holding the feather in my hand. Before I could understand what was going on, the earth closed again above my head, plunging me into complete darkness.

    ¡°Hello? Is this another soulfeather trick? Did my action count as cheating?¡±

    No answer. My earthen prison was hardly wider than a coffin, and too high for me to reach whatever served as a ceiling. No sound came from above, as if the world outside had vanished.

    I screamed.

 Book 2 Chapter 8: Bad Omens

    My panicked breathing was the only sound that filled this dark, empty place. It smelled of earth and stone, and I was damp with sweat. I called again, but only silence answered.

    How long had I been stuck underground? It¡¯d probably been a few minutes, but it felt like an hour.

    Cherub can only grant me a miracle tomorrow, but how do I know when tomorrow comes? Will I even survive long enough? There might not be enough air in here, and I¡¯ll suffocate before I have a chance to get out.

    Again, I tried to claw at the ceiling, and again, my fingertips failed to touch anything. I tried to climb, but the earth was too soft for me to get a proper grip. I tried to jump, only to hurt my ankle when I fell back down.

    Keep calm, Alicia. Everyone saw me fall, and I¡¯m still holding the feather. They won¡¯t leave me in here, will they?

    I focused on my breath until I was no longer panting. Yet, my blood beat at my temples at an alarming rate. I didn¡¯t want to die. Not now, not this way. I¡¯d already died once, but I hadn¡¯t had time to panic before the derelict white van hit me. This time, death would be slow and painful.

    My thoughts swirled in my brain, again and again. My fingers closed on my two pendants. What would the king¡¯s suite tell Catalin? What of my promise to come back?

    Dirt fell on my head. This is it. The place is collapsing on me.

    Then a ray of light pierced the darkness, revealing a rather disappointing pit around me, not unlike one I¡¯d dig to plant a shrub. No hidden passage to unspeakable depths, no unholy carving of a long-forgotten deity. Just dirt.

    ¡°There she is!¡± shouted someone.

    The earth above me parted, magically pushed aside by two arms in an ornate purple robe. The first face I saw, blinded by the sunlight, was Senior Magus Malin with her silver bob. She laid down on the ground and reached out to me. There was a glowing symbol on her hand. I read it quickly: it was a spell to enhance her physical strength.

    ¡°Come quick, Lady Al!¡±

    I grasped her hand with gratitude, and she helped me up, back to the world of the living, among worried players, with an equally worried public staring at us from the stands. Gurvan and Jilu were standing at the edge of the field, talking to the archbishop and the priest who served as referee. I blinked.

    ¡°Thank you, Lady Malin. What happened?¡±

    ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d tell us.¡±

    She looked around with a slight frown, while the crack in the ground closed and became invisible, as if the earth had never tried to swallow me into oblivion. I shook my head.

    ¡°I¡¯ve no idea. I just¡­¡±

    I looked at Jilu¡¯s perfect fuchsia bobbed hair.

    Could I accuse her of cheating? Who¡¯d believe me if I did? Jilu was a royal princess, about to get engaged to the local lord¡¯s son and king¡¯s nephew, while I was a commoner whose allegiances were still questioned, despite having prevented a war. Besides, if I revealed the conversation I¡¯d overheard, I¡¯d give away my gift for languages. I couldn¡¯t fight to save my life, and this was a dangerous world, so I chose to keep this ace up my sleeve. I swallowed the truth and my pride.

    Still, something didn¡¯t feel right.

    Jilu had a spell cast on Gurvan, but is she behind my attempted burial? Would she kill me for a game?

    ¡°What were you saying?¡± asked Malin. ¡°You just¡­ You just what?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. I mean, I just caught the feather, and the earth opened beneath my feet.¡±

    ¡°Did you sense any magic?¡±

    She knew of my natural ability, which made the question perfectly relevant. I sighed.

    ¡°Not when it happened, no.¡±

    I did see the spell on Gurvan¡¯s forehead, however. I won¡¯t bring it up, but if she asks me about it, I¡¯ll answer honestly.

    However, Malin didn¡¯t ask me anything else. She closed her eyes instead, arms extended, a look of deep focus on her face. She was probably scanning the field for traces of interference. But what could she find? The whole place was filled to the brim with magic! Even the cheating from the Foleshian team was probably undetectable to anyone but me.

    I turned to Arnias.

    ¡°Does the field do this? Decide a player is unwelcome and bury them alive?¡±

    He scratched his brow, just above his eyepatch.

    ¡°As far as I know, it¡¯s unheard of. It might even be considered as a bad omen for the engagement ceremony.¡±

    Is this what Jilu and Gurvan are talking about? I should reassure them at once.

    I strode across the field, holding the feather high in my right hand. The archbishop briefly brought his hands in a circle before his face, as a blessing.

    ¡°What a relief, Great Hero Al! For a while, we feared the sorcerers might not bring you back.¡±

    I tried to smile. ¡°Lady Malin is a Senior Magus, Archbishop. This isn¡¯t the first time she rescues me.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, we cannot help but wonder. Was it the Almighty¡¯s hand? If so, what was He trying to tell us? Or was it something else?¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    The other priest, the referee, narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°What did you do exactly?¡±

    ¡°What did I do?¡±

    I got help from a creature who might count as a minor deity, but since all I wanted was to balance an act of cheating, there¡¯s no reason why it should upset the Almighty. Unless, of course, He has the self-control of a four-year-old, or a Greek god, which is pretty much the same.

    My eyes turned to Princess Jilu, who frowned in return.

    ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡± she asked in a perfectly innocent voice.

    Come on, you know what you did. But it¡¯s nice of you to actually speak to me for once.

    ¡°My apologies, Princess, I mean, Your Royal Highness. I only looked at you because you¡¯re so radiant. I certainly wouldn¡¯t accuse you of anything!¡±

    ¡°No, you wouldn¡¯t. I do not know who, or what, sent you underground, but what I do know is that the incident is casting a shadow on my future. Do you know what it would cost me to cancel a second betrothal?¡±

    Her cinnamon brown eyes filled with tears.

    Isn¡¯t she good at faking despair! Anyway, she has a point. After her first would-be fianc¨¦ died suddenly, if a mysterious tragedy costs her another engagement, she¡¯ll be known as The Infamous Cursed Princess of Folesh, and someone so focused on her image certainly doesn¡¯t want that. Whatever she did, she never meant to kill me.

    I handed her the feather.

    ¡°Well, you won¡¯t have to cancel anything. I¡¯m back, I¡¯m safe, and so is the feather. Shall we resume the game?¡±

    The archbishop shook his head.

    ¡°I cannot allow it, Great Hero Al. As long as we don¡¯t know why the ground collapsed, we must assume it can happen again. And this time, even a Senior Magus might not be able to rescue the lost player.¡±

    ¡°But what about the engagement?¡±

    Gurvan smiled. ¡°It will take place. The betrothal games are just a tradition. They were interrupted in the past and they will be interrupted again.¡±

    Senior Magus Malin arrived, along with a bearded Tibun man in sorcerer robes. They confirmed no trace of a specific spell could be perceived in the magic-infused soulfeather field, leaving them without a lead on what happened.

    The archbishop nodded. ¡°Then the case is settled. For lack of a clue pointing to a human act of malevolence, we must assume something angered the Almighty. We will hold a penance ceremony prior to letting the engagement take its course.¡±

    The public reacted with understandable disappointment when the referee announced the decision, but there was no changing the archbishop¡¯s mind. Everyone left the stands, Lady Arez gave back the dog Kian to Princess Jilu, and a line of carriages followed the road back to Zerta.

    I closed my eyes and allowed myself to lean against the backrest. I¡¯d been given hostile looks, as if I was causing the bad omen. Am I really to blame? By getting help from Cherub, did I trigger a curse of sorts? It doesn¡¯t make sense. Cherub themself didn¡¯t mention anything about calling creatures from another plane of existence, when they explained the rules last night. On the other hand, casting a spell is explicitly cheating, and yet, nothing happened to the caster, or to anyone in the Foleshian team.

    ¡°Was it the Almighty¡¯s hand, though?¡± asked Gurvan.

    ¡°I have no idea, Young Lord,¡± answered Arnias in a low voice.

    ¡°It hardly makes any sense. Why would He go after Al, when He brought her to this world to be our Great Hero?¡±

    I could sense the boy staring at me. I opened my eyes with a sigh. ¡°I wish I had an answer, but I did nothing that could go against the Almighty¡¯s will, Lord Gurvan. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    He pursed his lips and looked out of the window. ¡°Then let us hope the penance ceremony rids us of this bad omen.¡±

    I thought we¡¯d stop at the Citadel, but we went straight past it, then across the city of Zerta, until we finally reached the temple. It was significantly larger than the royal chapel in Carastra, but they shared a similar architecture, and a dome that made the building look like a mosque or an Orthodox church. When we got off the coach, a curious crowd was already flocking to the doors.

    ¡°How did the news spread so fast?¡± I asked in a low voice.

    Yumel sighed. ¡°We were among the last to leave the field. Whoever arrived first must have made sure everyone knew a penance ceremony was coming along. It¡¯s unusual enough to be entertaining.¡±

    ¡°Entertaining? Aren¡¯t we trying to appease the Almighty¡¯s wrath?¡±

    Otiric shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be smitten today, Lady Al. We mostly comply to be on the safe side, and to put on a bit of a show.¡±

    Arnias glared at him, but he smirked like the teenager that he was.

    Each of us was asked to change behind a wooden partition. The plain white gown I was supposed to wear was identical to the one I¡¯d been given right after my summoning, my first piece of clothing in this world.

    Will I need to conduct an evacuation again?

    No, I wouldn¡¯t. There was no subdued dragon outside ready to try and roast the roof, only a very sorry one who hadn¡¯t even watched our attempt at playing soulfeather. Kossi was probably kept somewhere in the Citadel, waiting to be released for the engagement.

    I breathed deeply, slowly, and changed into the white gown.

    We all lined up before the archbishop, the two teams, the referee, and the sorcerers who had recharged the magic field in the morning. All of us were white-clad, barefoot, on our knees. Witches about to burn at the stake.

    It was the first time I saw Malin wear anything else than ornate purple robes, and it took a lot away from her poise as a Senior Magus. Princess Jilu, on the other hand, looked as regal as ever. How did she even do that? Was it her face, her graceful stance, the diamond-shaped tattoos that brought out her eyes?

    The archbishop stood in front of the stone pillar representing the Almighty¡¯s radiance and ascension. When the temple was reasonably full, he led a prayer, then he spoke of some mean rich guy from ancient times who earned forgiveness through penitence and charity. As far as I knew, every major religion had the same kind of redemption arc, somewhere in its liturgy.

    ¡°Almighty, I failed. Grant me the strength to overcome my weakness and rise to Your light.¡±

    One by one, we had to repeat this sentence, be very lightly hit on the head with a long stick and receive a single drop of oil in our hands. I had no idea whether there was an Almighty watching us, but I was sure that, somewhere in a white blur, Cherub was chuckling at my forced contrition.

    When we were finally allowed to stand up, I looked at the crowd of believers assembled around us in the round building, and I could swear most of them were staring at me. The first rows were filled with people close to power. Close enough to know exactly what had happened on the soulfeather field. They thought I was the one who offended the Almighty. Never mind that I jumped into the sea to save their third princess the day before. What they¡¯d witnessed, and what they¡¯d remember, was the earth opening beneath my feet, on blessed ground, to bury me alive.

    What crime do they believe I committed?

    The Almighty might have forgiven me, but the people of Zerta hadn¡¯t.

    By the time we changed back into our soulfeather clothes, the assembly had left the temple. Our steps echoed on the stone floor and bright light came in through the high narrow windows. The place was pleasant, once nobody scowled at me. I brought my hands up to my nose and breathed in the perfumed oil.

    It¡¯ll be all right. Crowds have a short memory span. Everything will be forgotten soon.

    I tried my best to hang on to that thought. When we parted in the courtyard of the Citadel, Gurvan took both my hands between his.

    ¡°I look forward to your presence tonight, Al.¡±

    Oh, yes, I must attend the engagement ceremony. Can¡¯t I run away, walk across the hills and watch the sunset over the ocean?

    I nodded. ¡°Thank you, Lord Gurvan. I might not be able to express it in person, as you will be quite busy, but I wish the best for you and Princess Jilu.¡±

    ¡°This is very kind of you. Now, get some rest. You need it.¡±

    I walked across the courtyard to the outbuilding, found my room, and closed the door behind me. I could barely stand. Whatever had kept me going through the day was gone.

    Why aren¡¯t I in Carastra, enjoying a calm afternoon with Catalin?

    I took off my shoes, fell on the bed and curled up into a ball, hugging a pillow. I missed Catalin with every cell of my heart. Catalin wouldn¡¯t be mad at me for nothing. She¡¯d be sensible, clever, and see the positive side of things.

    I clenched my fists over the pillow. When I do something wrong, I can accept the blame, but what did I do this time? Do I deserve any of this?

 Book 2 Chapter 9: Brunz

    Sounds of other guests getting busy in their rooms made me know it was time to get ready for the ceremony. I reluctantly rose from the bed where I¡¯d stayed motionless for hours, and washed away the sweat of the day. Then I sat in the lukewarm tub, eyes closed, my brown hair floating around my head in a sad attempt to dissolve my thoughts.

    After a while, someone knocked.

    ¡°Lady Al? This is Silani. Princess Nigella asked me to assist you.¡±

    I sighed. The princess was sending me her most trusted maid, and I knew she¡¯d only leave once her job was done. I had to get out of the water.

    Silani helped me put on the beautiful outfit designed for me to wear at the ceremony. I was used to white shirts, but this one was frilly and quite soft to the touch. Paired with a custom bodice whose plum color brought out my complexion, it made me feel a little less miserable. I glanced at the mirror. I looked sad, but not too scruffy.

    ¡°Now, how will we style your hair?¡± asked Silani.

    ¡°I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s getting engaged. A simple bun will do.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°Then at least let me take care of it. Your usual buns are so ruffled!¡±

    But I like them loose and tousled¡­ I opened my mouth to protest, but decided against it. I let Silani pull up my hair in a nice round bun, add a mother-of-pearl hairpin, then apply a thin line of makeup to my eyelids. When she was done, she stepped back and nodded with a smile.

    ¡°Now you look like a proper lady!¡±

    I begged to differ. The Alicia in the mirror was wearing the local equivalent of designer clothes, but she still looked like a kindergarten teacher who craved coffee and cake, and who could have none. However, just like Silani, I knew when to lie, so I smiled in return.

    ¡°Thanks for your help.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to assist Princess Nigella.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    There was still time before the ceremony, so I took a walk around the courtyard, along with other guests who also had an hour to kill. The layout of the Citadel only left space for a small garden inside the fortifications, but I¡¯d seen a larger one from the coach. Would I be allowed to go for a stroll there? I walked to the main gate and asked the nearest guard.

    ¡°Of course, my lady, but make sure you come back soon,¡± he answered.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯ll be relieved in less than an hour, and the next guy might not let you in.¡±

    I nodded. It sounded sensible. Besides, I certainly wouldn¡¯t linger in the garden for more than an hour.

    The ground was divided into four parcels, and bushes of all shapes and colors bordered the alleys. Clouds made the ambient light shifting and irregular, while insects buzzed in the afternoon heat. I touched leaves, left and right of the path where I was standing, and closed my eyes.

    Was I imagining things, or was someone moaning in the distance?

    My eyes shot open. I wasn¡¯t making it up. There was definitely a plaintive voice beyond the limits of the garden. I cautiously walked to the outer wall and tried to peek over it, but I failed to see anything except fields overlooking a glistening sea. However, the voice sounded closer, and I could hear the pain that made it shake.

    A wounded man. Should I help him, or would it put me in danger?

    I looked around for guards, but the closest ones were patrolling too far to help. In a more casual outfit, I¡¯d climb over the wall and take a look, but I couldn¡¯t ruin my formal dress, so I walked along the wall, trying not to step on fragile plants. I needed to find a way around that enclosure.

    It took me a while to get out of the garden and find the moaning man. After tiptoeing around several hedges, I finally caught a glimpse of his huddled figure, dressed in dirty linen, with his arms hiding his head. He was nearly invisible from the main paths.

    All right, Alicia. Now I risk my head.

    I breathed in and stepped forward.

    ¡°Sir? Do you need help?¡±

    He startled. His arms rose into a protective position, and from behind matted dark brown hair, panicked eyes looked up at me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Don¡¯t hurt me!¡± he begged in Foleshian.

    Is it him?

    I put both hands forward in a gesture of appeasement. I didn¡¯t remember ever triggering such fear in anyone, let alone a grown man. It was a good thing I could speak his language.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. My name is Al. What about you? You¡¯re the man who looks after Princess Jilu¡¯s dog, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Not anymore. Leave me alone, please.¡±

    But I couldn¡¯t leave, now that I saw him up close. I couldn¡¯t ignore the bruises on his face. His swollen cheeks. The dried blood on his clothes. I squatted slowly.

    ¡°Did I mention I¡¯m known as the Great Hero Al?¡±

    He raised an eyebrow.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°And in my book, a hero doesn¡¯t let a wounded man down,¡± I added.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to be seen with me,¡± he replied, looking away.

    ¡°What I don¡¯t want is to walk away knowing I could¡¯ve helped. What happened?¡±

    I tried to touch his arm, but he moved back.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s over, and¡­¡±

    He looked at the sea and his voice broke. I insisted.

    ¡°Did any of it happen because of yesterday¡¯s incident with Kian?¡±

    He clenched his jaw, stubbornly looking away from me. Behind his shoulder, all I saw was long hair and a round cheek. What could I do for someone who refused to talk?

    Then his shoulders sank and he sobbed.

    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault! Kian almost died because of me, so I deserve it, all of it, you know! It¡¯s just¡­¡±

    Sobs ate what was left of his voice. I leaned closer.

    ¡°You got fired, I get it, but were you beaten as well? For being seasick and physically unable to look after a dog? Did you even decide to get on that boat on your own?¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°Her Royal Highness wanted Kian to be as close to her as possible during the race. I wouldn¡¯t have decided to go there by myself.¡±

    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t be blamed for a decision you weren¡¯t free to make.¡±

    He looked at me with wet brown eyes.

    ¡°Where are you from? Your Foleshian is perfect, and yet, the way you speak¡­¡±

    I had a tight smile.

    ¡°I was brought from across worlds to be a protector of Brealia. Let me be clear about it: the way I see it, I¡¯m here to help the people in general. Not necessarily the royal family, even though they were the ones who had me summoned in the first place. And right now, as far as I¡¯m concerned, you¡¯re one of the people I¡¯m supposed to be a hero for.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t belong here! I mean¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s pointless. Her Royal Highness expelled me from her service. Now, I can¡¯t go back to Folesh, and I can¡¯t work here either, not without knowing the language. I should jump off the cliff and die. I¡¯ve tried, but I can¡¯t. Maybe I¡¯m a coward.¡±

    At least, he¡¯s getting more talkative.

    I patted his shoulder.

    ¡°Or maybe you still have a reason to live.¡±

    He sighed. ¡°Maybe.¡±

    He broke into tears again. There¡¯s more to his situation than he¡¯s willing to tell right now, but I¡¯m not here to interrogate him.

    ¡°Hang in there, we¡¯ll find a solution. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Brunz,¡± he sniffed.

    I held out a hand.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Brunz.¡±

    As I expected, he looked at my arm, wondering what to do with it. I smiled.

    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to take this, no, with your right hand, and shake it lightly. There you go.¡±

    The engagement ceremony would begin soon, and there was no getting Brunz back inside the Citadel, based on my authority alone, or lack thereof. However, we were only supposed to stay there for another couple of days. Then we¡¯d sail back to Carastra. And hopefully, by then, I¡¯d devise a way to get the man out of his misery.

    He¡¯d been thrown out, bloody and bruised, with nothing but the clothes on his back. And of course, since my formal outfit lacked pockets, I had no money with me. As a result, staying at an inn was impossible.

    What could we do? I stood up and looked around. A couple of carts carried crops on the road nearby, and I remembered seeing a few farms, not far from the Citadel. What if he stayed there? They needed extra hands at this time of year.

    The man¡¯s hurt, Alicia. He probably won¡¯t be much help, at least for a few days. However, I¡¯m running out of time, and he needs a place to sleep.

    ¡°Can you work in the fields?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I guess so, but how will I understand instructions in Brealian?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll figure out.¡±

    And by the time I¡¯m there and back, and take time to introduce Brunz and indicate that he¡¯s under my protection, the guard who let me out will have finished his shift. But I can¡¯t decently leave a hurt man without a roof and some food.

    I helped Brunz up. He was about the same height as me.

    ¡°I¡¯m following you, my lady.¡±

    ¡°Please, just call me Al.¡±

    He looked down at his feet. Apparently, it was too much to ask.

    We walked on a dirt road, along fields and grove, until we found a rather large farm. A dozen people were busy around the main barn. I stepped forward and met a solid man in his early thirties. He was a Tandrayuk, as shown by the single short horn on his forehead.

    ¡°Good afternoon, my lady. What may I do for you? Are you lost?¡±

    He sees me as a noblewoman, even though I walked here with only a bruised servant for an escort. Thank the seamstresses for this outfit!

    I bowed my head with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you, sir. My friend Brunz, however, was badly beaten and left without a trin. I want to get him hired by someone at the chateau, but with the upcoming ceremony, everyone¡¯s too busy today. Could he work here for a day or two, so I have time to accommodate his employment?¡±

    The farmer scratched his head.

    ¡°What guarantees do I have? How do I know he¡¯s no scoundrel?¡±

    Should I tell him I¡¯m the Great Hero Al?

    I decided against it. I didn¡¯t know what my reputation was in rural Sottarn, or even if they¡¯d heard of me at all. So instead, I removed my hairpin and told the guy he could keep it, provided he made sure Brunz had food to eat and a place to sleep.

    ¡°He only speaks Foleshian, but he¡¯s quite dedicated. I¡¯ll be back as soon as possible.¡±

    I repeated my promise to Brunz, we shared a short embrace, then I walked back to the Citadel.

    There were new guards at the gate when I arrived. They refused to let me in. With them, I could try namedropping.

    ¡°But I¡¯m the Great Hero Al!¡± I protested. ¡°I spared you a war! I rescued Princess Zinnia yesterday when she fell into the sea!¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re who you pretend to be, you also angered the Almighty at the soulfeather field.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know if it was me. Come on! I was invited by Crown Princess Nigella!¡±

    Music was already playing in the chateau, and guests were walking up the majestic main stairs. I recognized one of them and called him out loud.

    ¡°Lord Gimon! Could you please help me?¡±

    He turned to me, rolled his eyes and came to fetch me. It only took him one sentence to make the guards bow and let me inside.

    ¡°Where were you?¡± he asked as we walked across the courtyard.

    ¡°Strolling in the countryside. I must have taken the wrong turn somewhere, and bang! I was almost late to the party.¡±

    Duke Irmel and Duchess Nithys welcomed us into the ballroom. Lord Gurvan and Princess Jilu were sitting in comfortable red armchairs, a few steps apart, still ostensibly not looking at each other. This tradition was getting ridiculous.

    ¡°We must pay our respects. A few words will do,¡± explained Lord Gimon in a low voice.

    I nodded. We both took a place in the queue.

    First, I curtsied before Gurvan. His vest was covered in silver embroidery and he glittered with every breath.

    ¡°May the soulfeather incident not be a bad omen for your future.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Al.¡±

    Then I waited in line again, and found myself facing Jilu. In her yellow chartreuse gown adorned with peonies, she was an embodiment of beauty and nobility, but when I looked at her, I couldn¡¯t help seeing the bruises on Brunz¡¯s round face. She¡¯d beaten him. She¡¯d had him dismissed from her service and banished from the Citadel, despite knowing he had nowhere to go and no one to turn to. I grinned.

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re not bad, you¡¯re just drawn that way.¡±

    The princess frowned. ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a compliment, where I come from.¡±

    ¡°Then thank you.¡±

    I walked away, unable to wash the stupid grin off my face.

    Through the crowd of guests, a slender teenager in a green and silver dress walked to me and caught my arm. Her light blonde hair was expertly arranged in elaborate braids, pinned around her head by several diamond hairpins.

    Will she notice I¡¯m not wearing the one she gave me?

    But Princess Nigella didn¡¯t even look at my hairstyle. She pulled my elbow.

    ¡°Please, Al, come along. You may know that Senior Magus Malin shares a mind link with Senior Magus Rokayu for the duration of this trip.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know it, but it made sense. It allowed them to communicate instantly, just like the traitor Uturi had been telepathically linked to his brother Saegorg.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°She received alarming news from Carastra, news I cannot share in this room. Quick! My father is waiting for us.¡±

 Book 2 Chapter 10: Never Trust a Demon

    We left the ballroom and walked into a small drawing room with an inlaid table, four light brown armchairs, and a carpet that probably represented some mythological scene, but since it was underneath the furniture, I couldn¡¯t be sure. King Esthar was the only one seated. Standing next to him, Malin was frowning, both hands raised to her temples, watched by an officer. Commander Asturi, if I remembered correctly. A valet closed the door behind us.

    The king looked up at me and sighed. His hands were clenched over the table, as if he was fighting to retain his composure.

    ¡°Al, Great Hero Al, I thought bringing you to Zerta was a bad idea, but at least, it allowed us to keep an eye on you.¡±

    What in the Almighty¡¯s name is he trying to tell me? I waited, standing straight, almost to attention.

    ¡°At least, we can tell you had no contact with the enemy over these past few days,¡± he added.

    My heart pumped acid. ¡°What enemy, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Elkodunar.¡±

    Elkodunar, the demon empire the Great Hero Al was supposed to protect the Brealian kingdom against. Upon hearing the name, I remembered emperor Faur, his tan heart-shaped face and his smug smile, as he traveled incognito across Brealia.

    What did the demon do this time? And why is everyone relieved to know I had nothing to do with it?

    ¡°May I speak?¡± asked Senior Magus Malin.

    King Esthar nodded.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    Malin rubbed her temples one last time, then looked at Princess Nigella, who was taking a chair next to her father.

    ¡°The news is now confirmed. It was officially announced to Rokayu, who currently acts as our liaison in Carastra. Malo has fallen.¡±

    Malo? The capital city of Inabar? But¡­

    I hadn¡¯t removed Lord Saegorg, the previous ruler of Inabar, from his fortress in Malo. Kossi had. But unlike him, I¡¯d gotten a convenient lift from someone during my adventure. Even though I¡¯d kept his real name secret from everyone except Catalin, he was still a foreign lord, probably from Elkodunar, and it made me suspicious in the king¡¯s eyes.

    I stared at Esthar wide-eyed.

    ¡°Do you mean Elkodunar conquered Inabar? But we left Carastra less than four days ago, and as far as I know, there was no suspect activity in the mountains! How could it happen so fast?¡±

    Nigella looked at Commander Asturi, who answered in her name.

    ¡°Lord Saegorg¡¯s demise considerably disorganized the Inabarian army. Some soldiers deserted. Others refused to obey young Lord Korth¡¯s orders. When the empire showed up at their border, they didn¡¯t stand a chance.¡±

    Yes, I can imagine the steamroller effect.

    I tried to keep a poker face, but I felt a little dizzy.

    ¡°I am relieved at your reaction. You look as disturbed as the rest of us,¡± commented King Esthar.

    ¡°How else am I supposed to feel? This is terrible news!¡±

    With the annexation of Inabar, Elkodunar now shared a border with Brealia. The small mountain lordship didn¡¯t have much value in itself. It did, however, open a way to a wider area south of the Apridges.

    Until then, Demon Lord Faur had been a distant threat, but his lightning-fast victory cast a shadow on all neighboring countries, including Brealia. Brealia, who¡¯d summoned me precisely to stand up to him.

    Except I hadn¡¯t.

    I clenched my fists.

    ¡°To be honest, Your Majesty, I¡¯m not only upset. I¡¯m angry, too.¡±

    ¡°As you should. Perhaps it is time to live up to the prophecy, Great Hero.¡±

    You don¡¯t understand. Faur looked me right in the eye and said he had no interest in invading our side of the mountains. He pretended he only wanted to see Saegorg humiliated, and I believed him! I accepted his help! How could I be so na?ve?

    ¡°Your Majesty, I promise Demon Lord Faur will pay for what he did to us.¡±

    Most of all, to me. He didn¡¯t help me bring down Saegorg just for a good laugh, as he pretended. He knew it¡¯d weaken Inabar and allow a Blitzkrieg-like conquest, and now he¡¯s at our door.

    Would I ever forgive myself?

    ¡°What do you expect from me?¡± I asked.

    King Esthar nodded slowly.

    ¡°I have warned Duke Irmel, but tonight, no one else should learn about the attack. This engagement is an important ceremony, meant to cement diplomatic ties between Brealia and Folesh. We cannot allow external circumstances to disturb it. However, we will leave Zerta tomorrow at dawn. The sooner we are back in Carastra, the better.¡±

    ¡°In the meantime, Rokayu will tell me all relevant information,¡± added Senior Magus Malin.

    ¡°These are my instructions for tonight. I shall betroth the young lord and lady as expected. Go back to the ballroom, witness the engagement, act as normal as possible, and above all, tell no one about the situation in Inabar.¡±

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Understood,¡± I replied between my teeth.

    I looked down at my clenched fists. Could I attend a festive event normally, now that I knew I¡¯d been stupid enough to give our enemy a significant advantage?

    This isn¡¯t twenty-first century Earth, Alicia. Wars are much easier to initiate here.

    I was the first to return to the party. King Esthar said it was better to go back one by one, to avoid raising concern. Besides, I supposed he wanted to discuss political issues with his daughter, and I wasn¡¯t welcome.

    The last guests were paying their respects to the future couple. I wanted to grab a glass or talk to someone, but there was no buffet, and nobody seemed to want to include me in a conversation. Looking away, turning their backs¡­ The message was clear. So I waited.

    Where¡¯s Kossi? Oh, he¡¯s over there, with Princess Zinnia and Young Lord Torziel, Gurvan¡¯s younger brother. A kind uncle, as always.

    I watched from a distance as Gurvan and Jilu rose from their seats and bowed their heads in respect. King Esthar was coming in through the main door. There was a priest in the room, an elderly woman with thick glasses, but the archbishop wasn¡¯t present. It wasn¡¯t a religious ceremony, after all. The wedding would be, but an engagement held a different status. The king¡¯s presence, in itself, proved how important it was, politically speaking.

    Esthar stood before the two teenagers. He was wearing a crown, less massive than the heavy-looking one he¡¯d had for my summoning.

    ¡°Young Lord Gurvan of Sottarn, first son of Duke Irmel and Duchess Nithys. Your Royal Highness Princess Jilu N¨²r Setar of Folesh, third daughter of King Obedo and Queen Risa. We are assembled here to witness your will to unite your lives and strengthen the alliance between your dynasties.¡±

    This is boring already. How long will he talk before we can have a drink?

    There were oaths and chanting and an exchange of bracelets. Jilu and Gurvan finally looked each other in the eyes, and they did a decent job at pretending they were in love. In retrospect, it made the whole ignoring game more ridiculous than ever. But I didn¡¯t ponder much over it all.

    I kept thinking of Faur, of how he¡¯d played me to further his expansion policy.

    By averting one war, I caused another. Hopefully, swift as it was, it didn¡¯t cause too many casualties, but one innocent death is one too many.

    The recent events played in my head, again and again, like a twisted variation of the trolley dilemma.

    As a famous hero said, ¡°Sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones, but you still have to choose.¡±

    Part of me tried to temper the guilt. After all, hadn¡¯t I been there, had a war been declared between Inabar and Brealia, Saegorg¡¯s army would have been weakened all the same, opening the way for Elkodunar¡¯s troops. My intervention had probably forced Faur to rethink his strategy, but I supposed he didn¡¯t really mind. I, on the other hand, had swallowed his lies with the gullibility of a four-year-old.

    ¡°Are you all right, Al?¡±

    I turned around to face Duchess Nithys. The music was resuming in the ballroom, and sideboards were wheeled in to serve drinks before dinner. I felt thirsty, but I couldn¡¯t decently ignore our hostess, so I tried to smile.

    ¡°Beautiful ceremony. Congratulations. However, to be honest, it was a long day for me, and I¡¯m getting tired. Soulfeather was a strange experience.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Do you have an idea of what caused the incident?¡±

    ¡°None.¡±

    If it was my call to my guardian angel, then the blue-haired guy who cast a spell on behalf of Princess Jilu should have been swallowed by the field too. He was the one who cheated in the first place.

    ¡°This is so strange, though,¡± Duchess Nithys commented. ¡°Until today, nobody ever heard of a soulfeather player ending buried alive.¡±

    She looked to the side with a thoughtful face. As Duchess of Sottarn, she probably knew about Elkodunar¡¯s attack, so why was she focusing on a sports field incident?

    While I was wondering what to reply, she looked at me again and forced a smile on her face.

    ¡°I guess we will understand someday. Thank you for being here, Al. I wish you a pleasant evening.¡±

    ¡°Thanks¡­¡±

    But she was already turning to another guest.

    How pleasant can my evening be when you all avoid my company, and tomorrow at dawn, I¡¯m leaving this place to be dragged into the taskforce who handles a political crisis? I didn¡¯t even have time to properly enjoy this city¡­

    Instead of watching the landscape, I¡¯d run across a field that decided to swallow me. Instead of bathing in the sea, I¡¯d almost drowned trying to rescue a princess and a dog.

    Kian. Brunz. If we leave at dawn, I have no time to find him a job!

    Brunz was lost in a foreign country, and unlike me, he couldn¡¯t speak the language or rely on a legendary status to protect him. I just couldn¡¯t let him down. I had an idea, but was it feasible?

    I crab-walked on the marble floor, between groups of guests who hardly side-eyed me. I needed to get help from someone with less questionable authority, and I knew just who to ask. I grabbed a glass from a sideboard and sipped every few steps. She had to be somewhere.

    There she is!

    Princess Nigella was talking to Lady Arez, with the dog Kian at their feet. Princess Jilu walked to them, or glided, or whatever.

    After a few words, Jilu and Arez left, followed Kian. He was an extremely well-behaved dog, carefully avoiding all guests, not trying to bark, run around or stealing food. He was loved, but not overly spoiled like most small dogs I knew, and it might be thanks to someone who hadn¡¯t been thanked for his hard work.

    Anyway, it was my chance to talk. I moved forward.

    ¡°Princess, may I have a moment, please?¡±

    She frowned.

    ¡°We are about to sit down to supper. Can it wait?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly, but I¡¯ll keep it short. I promise.¡±

    I told her about my encounter with Brunz, and my promise to find him a new employer. I¡¯d hoped to ask around during the rest of our stay in Zerta, but now that we were supposed to leave at dawn, I was out of time.

    Nigella sighed several times, and tinkered with her diamond hairpins while I explained the situation.

    ¡°What do you expect from me?¡± she finally asked, her voice carrying a slight tremor of annoyance.

    I put the fingertips of my right hand over my heart.

    ¡°Please, Crown Princess Nigella, allow me to hire Brunz as my personal assistant.¡±

    She stared at me in disbelief.

    ¡°What do you need an assistant for? You could have a personal maid, but this man can obviously not hold such a position, and you have no defined role in the government that could justify hiring an assistant.¡±

    I¡¯m a hero. Can¡¯t I get a sidekick?

    I bit my lips.

    ¡°Brunz was wronged by a person who¡¯ll never apologize or make amends for it. Should I leave him like this, away from his home country, with nowhere to go?¡±

    Nigella shook her head.

    ¡°Even if you bring him to Carastra with us, he will still be away from home. Are you doing him a favor? Or just trying to feel like a hero?¡±

    I opened my mouth, but I was left out of words. That one hurt.

    ¡°We need the Great Hero Al to stand up to Demon Lord Faur,¡± Nigella added.

    I nodded.

    ¡°I know. But can¡¯t I have someone by my side, to protect me, or carry my things, or anything? That¡¯ll be a temporary arrangement, I promise. Brunz can learn Brealian. He can find a position somewhere else.¡±

    Nigella looked sideways at the nobles gathered around us.

    ¡°If he attracted Princess Jilu¡¯s wrath, he is unlikely to work for a noble house again.¡±

    ¡°It still leaves him with other opportunities.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡± She closed her eyes for a second, then she adjusted a hairpin that didn¡¯t need it. ¡°You should have asked my father for this favor, Al, but you chose to ask me instead. You and I both know why.¡±

    Of course. Esthar would have walked away before I even finished explaining what I wanted from him.

    A bell rang, and all guests raised their heads.

    ¡°Dinner is beginning. We will resume this conversation later,¡± concluded the princess, already turning away.

    But I need an answer now!

    Thinking of Brunz kept my mind away from the situation in Inabar. His problem was a smaller one than a demon empire¡¯s expansion. It was one I could solve, if only the people in power let me.

    Conversations got replaced by the sound of chairs being pulled around every table. I didn¡¯t even know where I was supposed to sit. What I knew was that I needed a plan B, and perhaps a dragon could provide it for me.

    I walked to Kossi before he had time to find his seat.

 Book 2 Chapter 11: Words I Never Heard

    Kossi¡¯s white shirt and dark blue waistcoat made his noble figure stand out, much more than his usual black clothes. Once I got close enough, I noticed the small golden cufflinks at his sleeves. He frowned.

    ¡°Is anything wrong?¡±

    I sighed.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s been staring at me since the soulfeather incident, and it¡¯s not even my worst problem. Would you mind talking elsewhere?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to sit down and eat like the other guests?¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t be long, I promise. Then we can have dinner with everyone.¡±

    Poor Kossi is hungry again, it seems. Is he even fed in-between parties?

    I led him out of the ballroom through a door that was left open, with guards on either side. After seeing several guests come in and out of it, I supposed the corridor led to the bathroom and we wouldn¡¯t look too suspicious if we disappeared for a few minutes.

    ¡°What happened during soulfeather?¡± asked Kossi.

    I shook my head.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell. The earth tried to swallow me, and I was left in the dark, in some kind of grave, until Senior Magus Malin rescued me. If I did anything wrong, I don¡¯t know what it was.¡±

    ¡°You were buried alive and you have a bigger problem?¡±

    The lights were dimmer in the corridor, but I could still see Kossi¡¯s puzzled face, his eyes like pools of liquid gold. And behind him, casting their shadows over us, two of his guards followed, as if they could do anything against him.

    I shrugged and tried to flash a comforting smile. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m allowed to tell him about the invasion of Inabar, anyway.

    ¡°Perhaps you can help me. Let me explain¡­ Oh, look, there¡¯s a balcony. Let¡¯s go talk over there.¡±

    We stepped into the evening light, with the sky still displaying shades of pink to the west. I leaned on the balustrade while Kossi stayed one step behind me. Despite the apparent tranquility, I chose to speak in a low voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s about the servant who looked after Princess Jilu¡¯s dog. His name¡¯s Brunz and he was sacked after yesterday¡¯s incident. I found him just outside the Citadel. He was thrown out with nothing, not even a trin, he doesn¡¯t speak a word of Brealian and he didn¡¯t know what to do with himself, so he stayed where he was, sleeping under a hedge. I brought him to a nearby farm, so he could have a bed and some food while I find him another job. It¡¯s just further west, along the coast. First farm on the right.¡±

    Kossi nodded. ¡°You did the right thing, Al. But what do you need me for?¡±

    ¡°To bring him to me, should I be unable to get to him before we leave Zerta.¡±

    He froze. ¡°How do you¡­ Oh, is it one of those things you just know? The part of your power that I can¡¯t sense?¡±

    Is it Cherub he¡¯s talking about? But I never mentioned them to anyone, not even to Catalin! Then again, Kossi knows I accomplished things my natural power alone can¡¯t explain, and for all his clumsy attitudes around humans, he¡¯s not stupid. At least he¡¯s providing me with an explanation that doesn¡¯t involve an attack on Inabar. Another lie, brought on a silver platter.

    I looked down at the quiet courtyard.

    ¡°It might be. I have this feeling that I might leave in a hurry, and I promised the man I¡¯d be back soon. Could you do it if it happened? Hop back and forth and bring back Brunz?¡±

    Kossi glanced at the guards who stood behind us.

    ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re asking from me? I committed crimes and I¡¯m serving a sentence for that. What would be the point of trying to make amends if I sneaked out whenever I feel like it?¡±

    Oh, Kossi, I wish you were more playful. Can¡¯t you be my River Song, just this once? Live adventures with me, and then pop back into your cell as if nothing happened?

    I sighed. What I felt was right went against rules that my friends wanted to stick to, leaving me unable to help a man. They weren¡¯t insensitive, though. They just had different priorities, and no matter how wrong I thought they were, I couldn¡¯t be openly mad at them. I closed my eyes, trying to find the right words. Was there still a way to convince Kossi?

    Someone spoke on the floor just above us. Someone else breathing fresh air on a balcony.

    ¡°This is a disaster and it wouldn¡¯t be happening with the right person on the throne.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t recognize the voice. It sounded male, rather low, and holding back a lot of anger.

    ¡°Esthar is too thick to recognize a spy acting right under his nose, and his daughters are foolish enough to take advice from her,¡± added the man. ¡°She should have been disposed of by now.¡±

    My eyes shot open. By the Almighty, he¡¯s talking about me!

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord!¡± pleaded another man.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want apologies. I want efficiency.¡±

    ¡°Tonight?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. We should let the engagement celebration follow its course. However, with the king¡¯s entourage having to leave in a hurry, there¡¯s always room for an accident.¡±

    ¡°A carriage accident, again? Aren¡¯t you worried it might raise suspicions?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll find something else. Let me think. The woman can swim, so we can¡¯t just throw her into the Rekario¡­ Did you hear that?¡±

    What did they hear? Oh no, it was me.

    The edges of my vision were darker than the rest, and color was fading. I realized I¡¯d been hyperventilating.

    They know I¡¯m here and they plan to murder me. Were they behind the soulfeather incident, too? What should I do?

    My limbs felt like lead. No matter how much I wanted to run away, I couldn¡¯t move. I could only stay there, sweating, part of my brain refusing the reality of what I¡¯d heard, and the rest of my mind drowning in dread.

    Kossi moved in a blur and pulled me away from the balustrade, just as a lightning bolt hit the spot where I¡¯d been standing. Before we could decide what to do, a man jumped from the upper floor, hastily hiding his face with a black scarf. Loose dark gray clothes obscured the details of his figure.

    Kossi stepped forward and shielded me with his right arm.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked, a small flame coming out of his mouth.

    The man¡¯s eyes opened wide.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you! I can¡¯t believe I almost¡­¡± He held out a hand towards us. ¡°You never heard anything.¡±

    He blew on his hand, and magic hit me. It was so fast I hardly had time to read the glowing symbol that appeared mid-air, right before my eyes, aimed at my short-term memory. Quick spell, terribly efficient, but also easy to counter with my unique power. In the blink of an eye, I crossed it with an imaginary red pen, right before it entered my mind. I felt the shockwave bounce inside my skull, wiping my consciousness for a second.

    By the time I recovered, the man was gone. I ran to the balustrade, but wherever he was, his dark-clad figure was nowhere to be seen. No sign of him in the courtyard, nor on the balcony above ours. Perhaps he¡¯d run away, perhaps he was just hiding in the shadows. I turned to Kossi, who stared at me with a puzzled face.

    ¡°Al? What did you want to tell me?¡±

    I frowned.

    ¡°What are you talking about? The magic user¡¯s gone! You saved me from his lightning spell, and then he¡­¡±

    I froze. He didn¡¯t only target me.

    Echoing my fears, the dragon spoke again.

    ¡°There was no magic user, only you and me, and the guards, of course, and you were about to ask me for help!¡±

    I waved at the two guards behind him.

    ¡°Sirs? Is it really what happened?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lady. We arrived here, you leaned on the balustrade, and we were waiting for you to speak.¡±

    My heart sank.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t hear anything.¡± You forgot the past few minutes, the three of you, so whatever you might have heard is gone forever.

    As tears built up in my eyes, Kossi¡¯s tall figure became blurry. He reached out at my shoulder, and his warm hand closed on the top of my sleeve.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Al? You know I owe you my life. Can I help?¡±

    I wanted to punch his blue waistcoat, to yell at him for not keeping his promises. You silly dragon, you were subdued by a spell once, and you said you¡¯d be more careful in the future! Why did you fall for something as basic as an amnesia spell? But I couldn¡¯t. There were three of them, only one of me, and I was supposed to have forgotten everything, just like them.

    I sniffed. It might be a matter of life and death for me. If whoever planned my murder realized I still remembered their conversation, I might die sooner and with extra gore effects, so right now, it was best to keep my thoughts to myself. I lowered my head.

    ¡°Kossi, if I needed a horse in the early hours of the morning, could you help me get it?¡±

    ¡°What for?¡±

    I wiped my tears with the back of my hand. Oh no, I shouldn¡¯t be doing this, I¡¯m wearing makeup!

    ¡°There¡¯s someone I need to retrieve, and a little bird tells me I¡¯ll be in a hurry tomorrow. I can¡¯t ask you to leave the Citadel, but can you help me get out? With a horse, I can be back before anyone notices I¡¯m gone.¡±

    Kossi hunched a little, so he didn¡¯t tower over me.

    ¡°If anyone else requested something so strange from me, I¡¯d refuse, but I trust your power, Al. I¡¯m aware you know things I don¡¯t. I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°Thanks, Kossi.¡±

    ¡°Will you be all right? You look distraught.¡±

    ¡°Complicated day,¡± I pretended, looking away.

    ¡°At least, let me arrange something before we get back inside.¡±

    With his thumb, he carefully wiped my lower eyelids.

    ¡°I¡¯ve removed most of the stain. We can go back now. I¡¯m hungry, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Not exactly. Knowing someone wants me dead isn¡¯t exactly the best way to open my appetite.

    From the few mouthfuls I managed to swallow, it seemed the food was excellent. I asked a servant to compliment the kitchen team, only to be met with a vaguely outraged look.

    Come on, how do people know they did a good job if no one tells them?

    Someone wanted me dead, because they thought I was a spy. Were they even wrong? I¡¯d reluctantly befriended emperor Faur, and now he was taunting us from the border he¡¯d conquered. He¡¯d played me and turned me into one of his agents.

    But one of the men had said something else, and the words I supposedly never heard kept circling around in my brain. ¡°Another carriage accident.¡±

    Queen Consort Epona and Crown Prince Sorosiel had died in a carriage accident, one year earlier. Whenever King Esthar or Crown Princess Nigella mentioned it, the way they talked about it left no room to doubt. It was unexpected, unplanned by anyone, only a cruel and random tragedy. But was it?

    I looked at the royals, dining at the main table, smiling to their relatives, pretending not to worry about the political situation. We were all dreading something, and they were better than me at pretending to enjoy themselves.

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be happening with the right person on the throne.¡±

    It was funny how, in a weird case of Streisand effect, being supposed to forget a conversation made me remember it more acutely. As I tried to eat, my mind sat before this puzzle and attempted to assemble it.

    Whoever intended to murder me had probably killed Sorosiel and Epona, too. And they also thought Esthar wasn¡¯t fit to be king.

    Why does it always boil down to this? Saegorg planned a war because he wanted Esthar¡¯s throne. Vilo wouldn¡¯t mind sitting on it himself. And now it seems someone else is trying to get it. Am I the only person in Brealia who doesn¡¯t want the crown?

    As advised by the king before the ceremony, I left the party early, packed my things and tried to get some sleep. However, the slightest sound made me startle. I was hypervigilant, both exhausted and unable to fall asleep. Who knew what might happen if I lowered my guard? Even awake, I couldn¡¯t always counter a fast spell. In my sleep, killing me was all too easy.

    I finally got up, put on the comfortable clothes I¡¯d kept for the journey, and tiptoed out of my guest room. The guards barely reacted when I walked past them, simply giving me a casual look as I left. The night was pitch-dark and only the circular ballroom was brightly lit. I wandered in the shadows, hoping to stay unnoticed with my dull outfit and my hair down.

    After a while, I managed to sneak into the stables. Most horses were sleeping, but I could hear some of them chewing. I breathed in their warm, reassuring smell. Although my horse girl days were far behind me, I still felt safer with horses around.

    I sat down on a hay bale. No killer would look for the Great Hero Al here, would they? Perhaps I could allow myself to relax. In a few hours, I¡¯d saddle a horse and bring back Brunz, so he could travel with me. No matter what Princess Nigella thought, I needed an assistant, more than ever. And by the Almighty, I missed Catalin so dearly¡­

    Before long, I was sleeping in the hay.

 Book 2 Chapter 12: Taking the reins

    A creaking door startled me awake.

    I opened one eye, my heart already racing. Have they found me? Are they going to kill me? But it didn¡¯t look like it. A very sleepy stable boy, twelve years old at most, was standing on the threshold and rubbing his eyes in the early dawn light.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±

    I sat up. It was best to show myself, and to make up a good story.

    ¡°Hi there! I¡¯m the Great Hero Al, I was a guest at yesterday¡¯s ceremony, and I suppose I had too much chilper wine, because I didn¡¯t expect to find myself here in the morning.¡± I smiled. ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t scare you.¡±

    The boy reached behind the door and grabbed a broom. He didn¡¯t look like he fully understood what I was saying. Half his braincells were probably still asleep.

    ¡°You only startled me a little, my lady. Now please leave, or I¡¯ll be in trouble.¡±

    ¡°Sure. Just let me awaken a little better.¡±

    I stood up slowly and stretched. Sleeping on a hay bale had taken its toll on my body. I might not be old yet, but still, I¡¯m not twenty anymore. And now I need to get my hands on a horse.

    Calling Kossi for help was out of question, now that I was in the stables and he was kept in a third-floor room at the far end of the chateau. I could only reach him via miracle, but why ask Cherub to warn Kossi when I could ask them to help me saddle a horse and ride away?

    I closed my eyes and worded my request.

    ¡°Cherub, my friend, can you make sure everyone else looks the other way while I get out of this place and ride away on a horse I don¡¯t currently have?¡±

    Silence hovered uncomfortably in my head. What¡¯s going on? Did I lose contact with my guardian angel after the soulfeather incident?

    ¡°My lady?¡± asked the stable boy, sweeping the floor.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be gone in a moment, just¡­¡±

    My head was spinning. I still felt no sign of my guardian angel. Was our link severed for good? How could I save myself, let alone other people, without Cherub?

    ¡°Hello Al, sorry, I was thinking.¡±

    I let out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°What were you thinking about?¡±

    ¡°Your request. Does it count as one miracle if I distract the whole staff long enough for you to choose a horse, saddle him and ride out of the chateau? It goes a little beyond my powers.¡±

    ¡°Come on, Cherub, you remodeled a whole forest to save my life, back in Inabar!¡±

    They ignored my remark and went on with such enthusiasm that I could feel the joy in their silent voice.

    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re lucky! A gentleman will be arriving at the gate with a reasonably fresh horse. Just walk out, and as soon as he dismounts, there will be a loud bang that will frighten the horse and make him run in your direction.¡±

    ¡°How am I supposed to catch a galloping horse?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be possible. You¡¯ll find out.¡±

    I could almost feel them chuckle.

    ¡°Thank you, Cherub, you¡¯re the best!¡±

    But they were already gone from my head. I walked out of the stables, just as a group of grooms arrived from the far end of the courtyard.

    When I approached the gate, it was closed. The guards gave me suspicious looks.

    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? Day¡¯s not even up yet!¡±

    I raised my eyebrows.

    ¡°Can¡¯t I simply take a walk outside?¡±

    ¡°Of course not! What do you think this is, a low-end inn? This gate won¡¯t open for a while, and certainly not for you. What are you doing here this early anyway?¡±

    These guys were certainly not as sleepy as the stable boy, and it was pointless for Cherub to get me a horse if I couldn¡¯t reach my mount. How could I get past them in time? I crossed my arms.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to retrieve a hairpin I lost while strolling yesterday. It belongs to Crown Princess Nigella, and as you might know, we¡¯ll be leaving the Citadel soon, along with King Esthar.¡±

    The namedropping didn¡¯t work as well as I¡¯d hoped. It only made one guard frown.

    ¡°Really? You¡¯re with Crown Princess Nigella?¡± he asked, his voice heavy with disbelief.

    I nodded.

    ¡°One of her servants?¡± he insisted.

    ¡°No, one of her personal guests.¡±

    He scoffed.

    ¡°Our Crown Princess invites you to a ceremony, she gives you a hairpin, and you thank her by losing it? I understand why you¡¯re asking to leave. You¡¯re trying to run away before she finds out, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    I doubt she¡¯ll ever notice. It was mother-of-pearl, not a precious gem.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m really trying to get it back before we leave. I know where I left it. Please, sir!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not opening¡­¡±

    A loud whistle covered his voice. All the guards looked up at their colleagues on the wall-walk. One of them was waving a small flag I didn¡¯t recognize.

    ¡°We¡¯re on it!¡± shouted the guard I¡¯d been talking to.

    The group unlocked and opened the gate, working together like a well-oiled machine. The sleeping countryside smelled of unknown flowers.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky,¡± said the guard. ¡°We have to open for someone else. Now get out, and find that hairpin if you can, before the princess gives you the whip!¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I muttered, trying not to show how appalled I was by the idea.

    As Cherub told me, someone was riding a horse east of the Citadel, probably coming from the city of Zerta. I walked to the west, along the road that followed the coast, knowing I¡¯d find Brunz in the first farm on the right.

    Why does this guy think Nigella could whip me? I¡¯ve never seen one violent gesture from her in two months! The worst thing she ever did in my presence was lecture a girl who¡¯d washed her clothes and left soap on her collar, because it gave her a rash. She didn¡¯t need to raise her voice. The girl was pallid with shame.

    Jilu, on the other hand, seemed to consider rising a hand on her employees was a normal management system. I¡¯d assumed it was a Foleshian thing, but these words were sowing seed of doubt in my mind.

    A loud bang made me startle. I was just past the limits of the gardens, so absorbed in my thoughts that I¡¯d almost forgotten I was waiting for a miracle. I turned around, to the sound of panicked hooves. A beautiful bay horse was galloping towards me, but his left front leg was caught in the reins. A dangerous situation.

    I must stop him before he hurts himself.

    I spread my arms and legs, both ready to intercept the horse and aware that he could choose to run around me. However, he was slowing down, his head low, probably hampered by the reins. I reached forward slowly.

    ¡°Calm down, buddy, you¡¯ll injure yourself! Let me help you.¡±

    Cherub¡¯s feathery hand was probably behind the way the horse slowed down, enough for me to catch a cheekpiece of his bridle and bring him to a stop. Men were running after him. I didn¡¯t have much time. I reached along his left front leg, pushing against his shoulder to make him shift his weight.

    ¡°I¡¯ll remove this. It¡¯ll be quick, trust me. There you go.¡±

    The horse lifted his hoof and I quickly removed the reins from around his leg. Then, ignoring the guards shouting at me, I put the reins back over his head and engaged a boot in the left stirrup. The saddle wasn¡¯t too comfortable for me, but it¡¯d have to do. I had no time to adjust anything.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a moment!¡± I promised, riding away.

    By the time they get their own horses, I¡¯ll be out of sight. Besides, I do plan on returning this horse.

    Still, I was technically stealing a horse for the second time since my summoning. While hoping it wouldn¡¯t become a habit, I let the pleasure of the ride numb my shame. My hands brushed against black mane, the wind carried mixed scents of leather, warm flesh and summer dawn.

    The farm was awaking, with flickering lights and sleepy voices. I dismounted in front of the main house, where I¡¯d left Brunz on the previous day. The farmer walked out of the house. He frowned when he recognized me. I waved at him with what I hoped was a friendly smile.

    ¡°Good morning, I¡¯m here for my friend.¡±

    ¡°Already?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re leaving sooner than expected. Where can I find him?¡±

    The man scratched his horn in hesitation, but Brunz appeared on the threshold behind him. His face lit up when he saw me.

    ¡°Lady Al!¡±

    Please, can¡¯t you just call me Al? I¡¯m not comfortable being a lady.

    ¡°Hi Brunz, how did the night go?¡±

    ¡°Better than I thought. Did you find something for me?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°No long-term arrangement, I¡¯m afraid, but I have a job offer for you. I¡¯m about to return to Carastra, and I need an assistant. You can accept the position, or you can decide to stay here, but I¡¯ll be gone and I¡¯m sorry about it.¡±

    I looked over my shoulder, already expecting to find guards looking for the stolen horse.

    ¡°Look, I have no time to explain right now, but I promise I¡¯ll find you a better position as soon as possible¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m coming with you.¡±

    His determined face left no room for doubt. He wasn¡¯t staying in Zerta without me.

    I told the farmer he could keep the hairpin for his trouble. He still looked confused when I rode away, with Brunz behind me. The two of us weighed on the horse¡¯s back, restricting my choice of gaits, so I decided we¡¯d just walk back.

    ¡°Why are you back so soon?¡± asked Brunz behind my shoulder.

    On twenty-first century Earth, he¡¯d need a shower. In this world, he just smelled of sweat and morning breath. I sighed.

    ¡°Something happened. King Esthar and his suite must leave at once, and this includes me.¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re a hero?¡±

    ¡°Sort of.¡±

    The horse¡¯s walk gently rocked us as we moved slightly faster than if we¡¯d walked ourselves. Brunz shifted behind my back.

    ¡°You sound unsure, Lady Al. What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    What could I tell him? All I knew about him was his sea-sickness, his skill with dogs, and his blind loyalty to the princess who¡¯d sacked him with extra bruises. Could he be a spy, pretending not to speak Brealian so he could overhear crucial information?

    No, it made no sense. Hiding under a hedge outside the Citadel was the worst way in the world to get intel. I had to assume Brunz really was the dog guy he seemed to be.

    In the distance, to the left, a group of horsemen was pacing along the road. They broke into a gallop as soon as they noticed us. Duke Irmel¡¯s guards. We¡¯re in trouble.

    If I wanted to speak, it was now or never.

    ¡°You might not know much about the local geography, but there¡¯s a small country in the mountains north of Brealia. It¡¯s called Inabar. A lot happened over the past few months, and long story short, Inabar was invaded in just a few days by the army of Elkodunar, also known as¡­¡±

    I paused. There was no strict equivalent of ¡°demon¡± in the Foleshian language, so I needed to find another way to convey the meaning.

    ¡°As the evil empire.¡±

    Brunz nodded behind me.

    ¡°Why do you call them evil?¡±

    ¡°The emperor is all-powerful and every succession entails a civil war, so bloodshed is part of their culture. Apart from this, I¡¯ve only been here for a few months and I haven¡¯t had time to look into what their daily life looks like. In any case, they¡¯re supposed to be a threat to Brealia, and as the Great Hero Al, I¡¯m Emperor Faur¡¯s sworn enemy.¡±

    And the first thing I did when we met was to conclude a pact of non-aggression of sorts. Except he lied to me and I think it invalidates the pact.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the problem? Does your king fear that the empire might conquer Brealia too?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°But yesterday, you told me you considered yourself the people¡¯s hero, not the king¡¯s. Are you sure it¡¯d be worse for the people if it happened?¡±

    Brunz¡¯s words were a punch to the gut.

    Of course I wasn¡¯t sure. From what I¡¯d seen, the kingdom was fairly prosperous and peaceful, but Faur was clever enough to disrupt things as little as possible, if he did conquer the land. Most people didn¡¯t care who ruled their country, as long as they could live their lives.

    Was one power really worse than the other?

    I¡¯m stuck between two monarchs who want to use me. And these guards are getting real close now.

    ¡°Dismount and don¡¯t try to resist!¡± shouted the leader of the guards.

    Brunz stiffened. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Lady Al? Are these men here for us?¡±

    I hung my head low. ¡°I wanted to waste no time bringing you back, so I kind of stole a horse.¡±

    ¡°You did what?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the problem. They summoned me to be their hero, but it doesn¡¯t grant me any real privilege, save for staying at the palace for free. I have no real power here.¡±

    I brought the horse to a halt, letting the guards circle us.

    ¡°And now, we¡¯re both under arrest,¡± I concluded.

 Book 2 Chapter 13: Far From Home

    I let Brunz dismount first, then I joined him on the ground. The lead guard stared at me while his men cuffed us.

    ¡°One moment, you pretend to be looking for a hairpin, and the next, you steal a horse. What went through your head?¡±

    Nothing. I just trusted Cherub. After all the miracles they granted me, I didn¡¯t think twice when this horse came to me. So far, Cherub had never gotten me in trouble. Why would I imagine that what looked like any other miracle would get me arrested?

    I sighed. ¡°I saw the Almighty¡¯s hand in this horse who was galloping with one leg caught in his reins. He should have hurt himself and he didn¡¯t. It looked like a miracle, so I believed I was meant to ride to my destination.¡±

    ¡°Blasphemy! How could the Almighty ever condone theft?¡±

    ¡°I intended to return the horse!¡±

    The lead guard¡¯s eyes wished they could throw knives. His mouth was a fine line when he pointed at Brunz.

    ¡°Tell me, Great Hero Al, does this man look like a hairpin to you?¡±

    I looked down at my feet. ¡°I traded the hairpin for him.¡±

    Angry boots stomped in front of mine. ¡°For a man who looks like a nobody, and a filthy one at that? How important can he be?¡±

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s important.¡±

    I finally found the courage to look up at the lead guard, but his glare was too much to sustain. I let my eyes slip towards the Citadel¡¯s tiled roof, which took bright red hues in the morning light. I¡¯d been meaning to bring Brunz there as soon as possible. Now, I wasn¡¯t sure I even wanted to go back. King Esthar would be furious. Princess Nigella would be disappointed. Kossi would be embarrassed. All because I asked my guardian angel for a miracle and forgot to challenge their solution.

    ¡°Come on!¡± shouted the leader of the guards, reaching behind my back and pushing me forward.

    Brunz and I walked, hands cuffed, with a whole group of horsemen riding around us and barring us from going anywhere but to our common destination. My own heartbeat threatened to deafen me. The Citadel stood out against the orange and blue sky, ready to swallow us. I¡¯d go through an unpleasant moment, for sure. But what about Brunz?

    ¡°What¡¯ll happen to us?¡± he asked in a whisper.

    The closest guard visibly frowned. Despite having celebrated a betrothal, his appreciation of the Foleshian language looked moderate, to say the least.

    I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    I¡¯m in for an unpleasant moment, for sure, but at least, the power in place considers me valuable. I can¡¯t say the same about Brunz. People who see him as just another servant, an expendable nobody, might dispose of him the way Princess Jilu already did. Or worse.

    Had I pulled him out of the frying pan, only to throw him into the fire?

    As we came closer to the Citadel, three carriages came out of the gates and followed the road away from our group. They were fast. And they all bore the emblem of Sottarn, the wolf upon a purple chevron.

    Was the king leaving without me?

    So many questions and nobody to answer them until we reached our destination.

    The guards pushed us into a cell built into the old fortifications, and not much refurbished when the place was repurposed, judging from the general look of the stone walls. We were left there for a short while, still cuffed, set apart from a couple of guards by thick iron bars. Despite the total lack of privacy, I tried to talk to Brunz.

    ¡°Look, I¡¯m a complete idiot. I should have walked to the farm like we did yesterday. We might have missed the convoy to Carastra, but at least we¡¯d be free.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t we miss the convoy anyway?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. There were more than three carriages on the way here.¡±

    Brunz sat against the wall, staring into space. I¡¯d seen such an attitude before, when a friend got dumped and didn¡¯t know what to do with her life. She¡¯d been stunned for a while, purposelessly cruising through her life instead of living it, until she fully processed the events and became herself again.

    Then the door opened and Commander Asturi walked into the room. The guards stood on attention, but he ignored them. He glared at me instead.

    ¡°There you are,¡± he spoke in a voice that struggled to sound calm. ¡°King Esthar and Princess Nigella already left.¡±

    My heart sank. This is it. I¡¯ve made one mistake too many, and my hero status is revoked. Still, I walked to the iron bars and put my cuffed hands on them.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Did they leave you behind because of me?¡±

    ¡°Mostly. But they also wanted to take sail as soon as possible, and the rest of their suite will be following.¡±

    He paced along the fence, gesturing nervously as he spoke.

    ¡°King Esthar thought you were running away again, and he wanted your head if you failed to come back on your own. Luckily for you, you were just¡­ running a weird errand, apparently. Princess Nigella said she knew you¡¯d be back.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    Commander Asturi glowered at me. ¡°She¡¯s still furious, and rightly so! Did you learn nothing over the past two months?¡±

    If anything, I learned that I won¡¯t get much done if I must get a monarch¡¯s permission first, so I need to take initiatives on my own. Still, I messed things up this morning, quite badly. I should make amends.

    I lowered my head. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry. I hope I didn¡¯t put the king and crown princess in too much trouble, but I had a promise to keep and I saw no other way.¡±

    Commander Asturi nodded with a doubtful expression.

    ¡°Princess Nigella said you were supposed to discuss it last night, but you left right after supper and she only remembered it when your room was found empty, with your bags packed but no sign of you. Then a report came that a woman matching your description had just stolen a horse outside the Citadel.¡±

    He sighed.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re asking, it¡¯d take more to put the king in real trouble, but you¡¯re a great source of shame for him. Congratulations on being the worst Great Hero we could imagine.¡±

    You¡¯re only saying that because my neighbor Alberto, the doomsday prepper the summoning ritual initially targeted, is beyond anyone¡¯s imagination in Brealia. But I get your point.

    I tried to swallow, but my mouth was dry.

    ¡°I¡¯m a terrible hero, and I¡¯m thirsty, too. Do you think I can have something to drink while you go back to Carastra and leave me here to rot?¡±

    Commander Asturi raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t. There¡¯s plenty to drink on the boats.¡±

    On the what?

    ¡°Do you mean I¡¯m still going to Carastra?¡±

    ¡°Kept under close surveillance, just like the dragon Kossi.¡± He designated the lock with his chin. ¡°Sirs, you can open the door, now.¡±

    One guard stepped forward, but I pointed at Brunz, still sitting behind me.

    ¡°Wait! I¡¯m not leaving this man. I want to hire him as my assistant.¡±

    Commander Asturi shrugged.

    ¡°You can hire anyone you want, on your own money. By the way, King Esthar wants you to know that your allowance is suspended, and that your movements will be restricted on the palace grounds.¡±

    ¡°Restricted? But I live there!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just transmitting orders. Now, come, and bring your servant along if you like. You¡¯re both detained anyway.¡±

    When I asked Brunz if he still wanted to follow me after I betrayed everyone¡¯s trust, he only nodded and stood up. We were both brought into the courtyard, under heavy guard. A few carriages were waiting, and I recognized my bag on one roof.

    They didn¡¯t leave my luggage behind, thank the Almighty.

    I was hoping we¡¯d share our ride with Kossi, but he rode in another coach. From the Citadel to the small river port on the Rekario, it was only Brunz, me, and a bunch of armed men who shot death glares at us.

    If any of them works for whoever wants me dead, now¡¯s the moment. They have the perfect alibi. Aren¡¯t I a criminal, after all, sneaking out at dawn to meet my foreign accomplice?

    My stomach twisted and dehydration made my head spin. I still tried to maintain my composure. No, I wasn¡¯t melting inside out of fear. I was a hero and I knew what I was doing. I smiled at Brunz.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯re hired, do you want to discuss wages?¡±

    He shrugged and looked at the window, past the guard sitting next to it.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You reached out to me when no one else would, and I¡¯m extremely grateful for that, but since this position is temporary, I don¡¯t need much, for now.¡±

    It¡¯s a good thing. I didn¡¯t put much aside, because I felt more comfortable giving money to people in need, and with my allowance suspended, there¡¯s no more money coming from the king¡¯s treasury.

    I nodded. None of the guards looked about to stab me.

    ¡°Well, Brunz, I¡¯ll do the best I can.¡±

    Was I really conducting a job interview in a moving coach, with both hands cuffed and several guards looking upset every time they heard me speak Foleshian?

    I¡¯d giggle if I wasn¡¯t scared to death.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be my assistant as long as necessary. What do you want to do next?¡±

    Brunz¡¯s sigh could sink a ship. ¡°Go back to Folesh, of course!¡±

    ¡°Oh. I was thinking maybe you¡¯d like to settle in Brealia¡­¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No, I mean¡­¡±

    He bit his lips. His breath was shorter and his brown eyes were shining.

    ¡°I must go back, Lady Al. I have a daughter. She lost her mother a while ago, and Her Royal Highness wouldn¡¯t let me bring a child with me, so I left Sagra with relatives, but I was supposed to come back home!¡±

    He choked, trying to suppress a sob. A tear ran along one round cheek.

    ¡°I can¡¯t stay here. This is why I couldn¡¯t jump off the cliff, either. I must go home, because Sagra needs her dad.¡±

    I nodded in silence.

    Of course. I knew there was more to Brunz than he was willing to tell me yesterday. But right now, I¡¯m unable to give him what he needs. I¡¯m not even sure I can keep myself alive.

    ¡°How old is she?¡± I finally asked.

    ¡°Seven, my lady.¡±

    This is young, even though in Brealia, children this age are supposed to be more independent than in my native world. I wonder what it¡¯s like in Folesh.

    I crossed my arms.

    ¡°I understand. Look, Brunz, I promise I¡¯ll do my best to send you back to your homeland and reunite you with your daughter Sagra. But right now, I¡¯m the one who needs you. There¡¯s a complex situation to sort out, and I don¡¯t think I can do it on my own.¡±

    Queen Epona and Prince Sorosiel¡¯s death was probably not accidental, for the Almighty¡¯s sake! And the same people want to get rid of me. Could they be allied to Faur? Or to someone else?

    ¡°I¡¯ll work for you, my lady,¡± Brunz answered in a broken voice.

    ¡°What in the Almighty¡¯s name were you talking about?¡± asked a guard after a moment of silence.

    I opened my mouth and stopped just short of answering it was none of his business.

    Brunz and I had spoken in a foreign language for a while. Maybe one of the guards understood Foleshian. At least, I¡¯d find one for the mission if I was in charge of transporting a couple of criminals. But there were six guards packed with us in this carriage, and I supposed that, to most of them, our conversation was mysterious. In their minds, we were either talking gibberish or plotting against Brealia.

    So I sighed instead of snapping back.

    ¡°This young man here, who only speaks Foleshian, was telling me how much he misses his family back home.¡±

    The guard looked Brunz up and down.

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    ¡°It is. He¡¯ll be working for me until I find out how to send him back. And by working for me, I don¡¯t mean much. Just carrying my stuff and watching my back.¡±

    ¡°Watching your back while you steal horses?¡±

    ¡°Hopefully not.¡±

    The small port was now in sight, near the estuary of the river Rekario. And at this point, nobody was trying to kill me. Yet, I couldn¡¯t help but wish someone could send me back home, too.

 Book 2 Chapter 14 : Upstream

    We traveled on the same boat as Kossi, although I only got to see his back from afar before being confined to a tiny cabin for the whole duration of the trip. The porthole was big enough to empty a bucket into the river, but too small to escape. And no matter how many times I asked, I wasn¡¯t allowed to get my books back. But at least, I had a jug to quench my thirst. I smelled it. Water. Probably safe.

    After drinking, I sat down on my narrow berth and looked outside.

    This is going to be a long trip.

    A dangerous one as well, I realized. I was alone in my cabin, so if death came from a nearby boat, or from the shore, there¡¯d be no witness. My body might not even be discovered before we reached Carastra.

    With a shiver, I closed the porthole and retreated to the far end of the cabin.

    All day, guards walked and chatted on the other side of the locked door. They were relieved every few hours, which I found comforting: unless all of them were bought somehow, no murder could be seriously considered on board. They were here to watch a dragon, after all. With great power came a great number of guards, when the creature, or the hero, failed in their great responsibility.

    I daydreamed throughout the day, worrying about pretty much everything. Brealia? Brunz? My own situation? Wherever my mind looked, everything fueled my anxiety.

    At least, I was going back to Carastra. I¡¯d see Catalin again, my beacon of stability in this wretched world. Unlike me, she had a bright future ahead of her, as a talented sorcerer. I closed my eyes and pictured her triangular face, her round-tipped nose and her thick cherry-red hair. She was perfect. For her sake, I had to figure out a way to avoid disaster again.

    ¡°Step away from the door!¡± called a female-sounding voice in the end of the afternoon.

    I grinned. I was already sitting in the opposite corner of the room, but given the size of the cabin, it also meant I could almost touch the door. Where was I supposed to go?

    ¡°I¡¯m as far as I can be,¡± I answered in a tired tone.

    A guard, a woman who looked slightly older than me, let in a twelve-year-old carrying a  jug and a bowl with a wooden spoon in it. Food and drink. And no table to put them on. The kid handed both to me, avoiding my gaze as if I were a basilisk or a mythological gorgon.

    ¡°Your meal,¡± said the guard, stating the obvious with confidence.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what to do with myself, a steaming bowl in one hand, a full jug in the other, so I just sat there, waiting for my visitors to leave. The kid took the empty jug back, then hurried away, and the guard locked the door again.

    The smell coming from the bowl made me realize I was hungry. I carefully put the full jug on the floor, freeing one hand to hold the spoon. I stirred the food with precaution. It was a hot broth with bits of vegetables and very cooked meat. It smelled delicious, a little different to what I¡¯d gotten used to eating in Brealia. I brought the spoon closer to my nose, my mouth already watering.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    I wonder what makes it smell so rich, so¡­

    In the back of my mind, old impressions resurfaced. Family. Holidays. Possibly family holidays. If anything, I missed my native world more.

    Smells do that to you.

    I breathed in again, trying to figure out what was directly speaking to my emotional memories. Why this slight fragrance, mixed to the rest of the broth, felt so bittersweet¡­

    Bitter almond. This is what it reminds me of.

    I¡¯d never eaten anything that tasted like almonds in Brealia. With my sweet tooth, I¡¯d remember. There were other kinds of nuts, but nothing with that specific taste or smell.

    My mother was an avid reader, something she¡¯d passed on to me. However, unlike me, she wasn¡¯t into fantasy worlds or science-fiction adventures. She read lots and lots of murder mysteries. And in these books of hers, some of which I¡¯d borrowed from her bookshelves as a teenager, the smell of bitter almond was a signature.

    I looked down at the bowl, still salivating, but now fighting to put down the spoon slowly, instead of dropping it and splattering broth all over the place.

    Cyanide!

    I couldn¡¯t be sure, but it smelled like someone was trying to poison me, and I couldn¡¯t take any chances. Palatable as this meal seemed, it could be lethal.

    My hands shook as I stood up on unsteady legs and emptied the bowl out of the porthole. I had no way to know, but better safe than sorry.

    I should have been hungry after skipping my only real meal of the day, but the incident made me lose my appetite. I spent the rest of the day giving nervous looks everywhere. Did I really look like a spy? How could anybody believe I was one, after I literally materialized out of a portal created by order of King Esthar?

    Who am I even supposed to be a spy for? Emperor Faur? Anything I could tell him, he already knows. I¡¯d be the most useless spy in the kingdom.

    I spent a terrible night, curled up in a corner of the cabin, falling asleep only to wake up with a jolt moments later. Rinse and repeat until daybreak. I finally got up from my hiding place, feeling as crumpled as my clothes.

    Breakfast was stale bread. Since it looked, felt and smelled normal, I devoured it. Then, caught by an imperious need to relieve boredom and anxiety, I closed my eyes.

    ¡°Cherub, are you there?¡±

    ¡°I am, Al.¡±

    ¡°Do you know you got me arrested yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Does this count as your daily question?¡±

    I grinned. ¡°Of course not! I just thought you might want to know that yesterday¡¯s miracle went wrong. You got me a horse, but it didn¡¯t exactly go unnoticed, and now I¡¯m detained for theft.¡±

    There was silence at the far end of my mind.

    ¡°When I granted you a compensation for your death, I only promised a minor miracle a day,¡± Cherub finally answered.

    ¡°Yes, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Remind me, Al. How old are you again?¡±

    I gritted my teeth. ¡°Forty.¡±

    ¡°Old enough to understand. Look, I live in another plane of existence and despite what you might think, I¡¯m not watching over you all the time. I¡¯ll grant you whatever help I can, but I can¡¯t always see the big picture, so you must consider the consequences of your own actions.¡±

    I breathed deeply. When I called my guardian angel, I didn¡¯t exactly expect them to lecture me on adulting.

    ¡°Do you want me to help you break out of this place?¡± they offered.

    Panic made my heart leap.

    ¡°No, thanks! This is the last thing I need right now. If I run away again, I¡¯ll be shot on sight.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you expect from me?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I just wanted to chat.¡±

    I wanted to feel better, and you did the exact opposite. Well done.

    ¡°I must leave, Al. Call me when you really need help.¡±

    Cherub¡¯s presence vanished from my mind, leaving me terribly alone, and even more distressed than before.

    I thought you were my friend. Why am I so disappointed?