Devon Coal:

The Wizard’s Rise

By: Michael Gnizak

Copyright © 2022 Michael Gnizak

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the author's express written permission except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, businesses, places, events, locations, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or true events is purely coincidental.

Lord, thank you for your compassion and mercy. I thank you for the inspiration and imagination you have given me. I pray that my stories inspire others and show them glimpses of your goodness. Without your providence, I would not be able to tell the stories you give me. So, to my Lord, God Almighty, I give thanks. Help me to glorify you and let my words illuminate the hearts of men so that they may know you too.

Prologue:

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Thank you for reading!

Character list

Cities and places

Magic affinities

Prologue:

“Lady Warren, a gentleman is here to see you.” George bowed deeply.

As her head servant, George was respected and well-treated. He respected her but also feared her. He’d heard too many stories not to. George would never forget how dangerous she was. People who angered her tended to die. Thankfully, he’d never seen it firsthand. Lady Warren was very kind to him when she didn’t have company but he always remained professional.

“Name?” Her voice was flat. Cold.

He took a deep breath and suppressed the chill that ran up his spine. His years of experience were put to good use as he maintained his composure. His reply came out crisp and clear, without a hint of anxiety.

“General Demetri, my lady.”

“Hum, keep him waiting. I’ll meet with him in the Rose Garden in half an hour.”

“As you wish, my lady.” He bowed again and turned to go.

“Oh, and George, do not inform him of anything until the time comes.”

That was rude, but he confirmed the order with a simple affirmative. He didn’t know why she wanted to keep the General waiting but the nobility's ‘polite society’ was only polite on the surface. Behind closed doors, it was a different story. With the war against the Hewittites progressing as poorly as it was, many prominent figures were trying to draw Lady Warren to their side.

Nobles were always scheming and looking for an advantage over the rest of their peers but during turbulent times there was always more activity. War could make or break a noble house. Countless families had risen or fallen due to wars and this one would be no different.

The appointed time came and he dutifully went to the foyer where General Demetri was patiently waiting. He found General Demetri of house Ashford pacing. Okay, so he wasn’t waiting so patiently after all.

“About time!” the general snapped. “Does Lady Warren see me as a joke?”

“I wouldn’t dare speak as to the ladies' thoughts, sir.”

“Has she agreed to see me?” he asked.

George nodded. “She has. If you follow me, she’ll receive you in the Rose Garden.”

The general harrumphed as he fell in behind him. “About bloody time,” he muttered.

When General Demetri arrived at the center of the Rose Garden, Lady Warren was already waiting. She’d changed her clothing.

It was obvious to George that she’d done so to intimidate her guest. She wore a red dress the color of dried blood with accents of a lighter red color. The ribbon in her hair, earrings, and sash around her waist were all bright red, like fresh blood. Only her pure white gloves stood out. The contrast was striking.

She wanted to make a statement. George was very glad he wasn’t in General Demetri’s shoes.

He bowed and announced her guest with calm proficiency. “General Demetri of house Ashford, my lady.”

“Lady Warren, thank you for seeing me on such short notice!” The General bowed low. His brash impatience from earlier was gone.

George saw General Demetri’s Adam's apple bob when he straightened. He resisted the urge to smile. Charis Warren made everyone feel that way. Even the King. The nation's ruler was far better at hiding it though.

“I’ve come with a proposition,” the General began. “My son—”

“No.”

“—is of age and—” He broke off. “What?”

“The answer is no.”

“But I haven’t even told you what I’ve come to discuss yet!”

“You wish to sing the virtues of your son, propose a match between us, and have us wed. Am I wrong?”

He slowly shook his head. “I had considered making such a proposal, even contemplated asking for your hand for myself, however, I thought that too presumptuous. My son would not make a good match for you either. He wouldn’t be able to dominate you, and you’d never see him as an equal. No, my son is better off with someone else. He is of age and I was hoping to ask you for a favor.”

Lady Warren cocked her head. “I’m listening.”

“He had a chance encounter with Princess Evelyn, our liege’s youngest, and is smitten. With the war progressing as it is, I fear my position may not remain stable. If things develop to our advantage I could probably make the match happen by myself, but I worry about our neighbors to the north growing too bold. That is why I have come to you for assistance in this matter.”

There was a long silence before Lady Warren spoke. “I will speak to the dear girl and see if she reciprocates his feelings. I’ll see if she is of a mind to unite with him.”

General Demetri let out the breath he was holding. “Thank you, Lady Warren. The tales of your mercy and grace are not overstated.”

She snorted. It was very unladylike but neither the general nor George was surprised. “Empty flattery will get you nothing, General. I am not merciful or given to acts of grace. You’d do well to remember it. This request will cost you. I’m sure you understand what I mean?”

“I’ll have the payment delivered here first thing tomorrow.”

“Then I will begin corresponding with dear Evelyn in the afternoon,” Lady Warren answered. She waved her hand in dismissal. “You may go.”

He bowed low. “Thank you again, Lady Warren.”

George escorted him out. There was a reason Lady Warren's favor was highly valued—especially with the war on. She garnered respect wherever she went, and fear. She wasn’t a simple mage caster or enchanter but a wizard. Charis Warren wasn’t just powerful but rumored to be the most powerful wizard alive. Her adoptive parents were killed by the late King Roger when his foolish ploy to control her failed. She’d taken exception to that and he and his entire line were killed in retaliation.

King Roger’s death opened the door for the current king to take his place. It was well known that King Rowen had been, if not close, at least an acquaintance of Lady Warren when they were children. Since she suggested he be crowned king though, their relationship had cooled.

Her vanishing for more than twenty years was a big part of that, but the rumor was that his policies and actions weren’t in line with her ideals. When summoned to court and commanded to join the war she’d straight up refused. Then in front of all the assembled nobles, she boldly told him that he could join the late king if he ever dared to give her such an order again. She hadn’t been summoned back to court since.

Had anyone else dared to say such a thing, they would have been executed. No one dared suggest that concerning her though and that was largely due to her actions. Not only in dealing with the past king but also during the past war. She’d fought in a war in her younger years. The tales of her devastation still instilled fear in their enemies to this day. She’d only grown more powerful since. Charis Warren wasn’t best known as Lady Warren but by the moniker she’d earned during the war: The Lady Mars—or more simply put: The God of War.

Chapter 1

I’m Devon Coal, and I was on a mission. I hunched my shoulders as the rain soaked into my traveling clothes. Sheets of rain poured from the sky. It was coming down in buckets. My thoughts quickly turned to my wife and my goal. Danica was a powerful fire mage, a hero of Hewitt, and feared by the enemy.

Or was—until she was betrayed. She was attacked from behind by one of her fellow battlemages. Without her support, the battle line crumbled. That bleeding fool had paid the price for his treachery. Pete Anderson was killed when Danica was captured after the line collapsed. It happened too fast for him to flee.

He got what he deserved but it was a shame. I wanted to kill him myself—grab his neck and squeeze the life out of him. I let it go. I had more important things to worry about. He was dead but my wife wasn’t. She needed me.

I trudged through the pouring rain as my clothes caught on prickers and brush. A sound tickled my ears and I froze. I crouched low and waited. A bird cawed overhead and a critter dashed across the forest floor.

I released the breath I’d been holding. I’d fled the army camp, deserted. My path circled wide around the clashing armies and their scouts, but my information took me toward Blackwood. It was inevitable I’d run into someone. The fighting was far behind me, I hoped. I was deep in the wilderness but I needed to find a road and pick up my pace.

Sarah Leventhall had told me Danica was taken prisoner and would likely be sent to Blackwood. From there, she would be moved to the capital. I didn’t have much time if I was going to free her before she was sent deep into the heart of Shander.

My scrying spell helped guide me and was instrumental in avoiding the patrols when I fled. It oriented me in the right direction as I pressed on.

The trees around me had been clear-cut some years ago but the forest was regrowing. The young forest was full of underbrush and made travel difficult. I had to retrace my steps and circle dense patches of prickers on several occasions. My foot sank into the mud and I felt cold water seep into my boot, chilling my already wet feet. The rain showed no sign of stopping.

It had been three days since I deserted from the army to go rescue Danica. She’d been born Danica Wells but she was now Danica Coal, my wonderful wife. We’d a secret wedding so very few knew we were married.

I was traveling alone. My supplies were limited and I only had a few rations in my pack. They wouldn’t last long. It was all I had aside from my wit and magic but it wasn’t all bad. I was a wizard, capable of casting spells or enchanting without implements. I could make anything I needed, given enough time. I’d have my work cut out for me but I wasn’t afraid. Not for myself at any rate. Let my enemies feel fear. Let them tremble when I come calling. They would rue the day they touched my wife.

My hand ached from clenching it so hard. I blew out a breath and released my anger. I had a long way to go. Anger alone couldn’t sustain me. Maintaining a steady pace soon brought me to a clearing. The tall grass was windblown and beaten down by the rain. This field was fallow or used for herd animals of some kind. It sloped gently upward. I paused briefly to scan for threats and then continued on my way.

That night I slept beneath a tree. It wasn’t comfortable or dry but I managed to sleep. My body was exhausted from the bad weather, poor conditions, and quick pace I’d set for myself. The warring armies were long behind me but that didn’t mean I was safe. There would be patrols. Animals and the weather could cause plenty of trouble too, but I didn’t fear them. My magic could heal me from sickness and other injuries. I just had to survive long enough to cast them.

Mage Master Plats had given me a spell book and it was full of useful options, but my spellcraft needed work. So did my enchantments. My healing ring was with Danica so I could only rely on my spells. I had started work on a new healing ring for myself but wasn’t finished yet. It was the one thing I used my mana freely on. I was leery of running myself low in my current situation but it would pay long-term dividends once it was completed.

I knew I couldn't fight a whole army on my own. If this was going to work, I needed to blend in with the soldiers and locals. I considered my disguise at length. I wasn’t sure I could pull off a convincing disguise without magic. Even with magic, I wasn’t sure if I could do so. There was a lot I didn’t know, but I would learn.

The morning sun woke me. I realized the rain had stopped. The trees still dripped steadily on me but the clear skies renewed my spirits. The fresh smell of the forest cleared my mind. I smiled.

Pros and cons fluttered through my mind as I considered using a spell to dry myself off. I decided it was worth it. Few mage casters could detect magic casting unless they were specifically looking for it. My location was remote and isolated. The chances of a mage being nearby were small and besides, it wouldn’t take much mana. I didn’t want to run low and not have it when I needed it, but my worries eased as I hadn’t spotted any scouts or soldiers yesterday.

The water evaporated from my clothing and I sighed in relief. My feet were blistered from walking in the wet and rain yesterday. I cast a healing spell to heal my feet. My time working with one of the mundane healers in Cindell, practicing my healing spells, was paying off nicely.

Feeling much better, I ate the last of my rations. I had plenty of water but I’d need to restock my food provisions. Then before setting out, I attempted to scry for Danica. The last news I had was that she would be taken to Blackwood, a town I was familiar with, but that information was five days old. She could be long gone by now.

Minutes passed as I concentrated. It almost felt like something was interfering with my scrying spell. After another few minutes, I was sure. Something is blocking me. I’d seen anti-scrying enchantments so I knew that was a possibility. What I didn’t know was how large an area they blocked. Or if they could block my spell if the target of my scrying spell wasn’t present. I hoped it required the spell's target to be nearby, that would mean Danica wasn’t out of my range.

“Hang on, love. I’m coming,” I muttered.

I quickly dried out my pack with a spell and got moving. The earth and trees were still wet from the previous rain so it wasn’t long before my socks were wet again but I ignored the annoyance and pressed on. I’d always been stubborn. I’d walked halfway across the Kingdom of Hewitt on a gimpy leg. A few blisters weren’t going to stop me. It was just a few hours before I came across the road I’d been searching for.

It was busy. Wagons were traveling in both directions. Wounded soldiers were loaded on some and supplies on others. A few were empty. Soldiers and horsemen were sprinkled among them to protect the supply route. It wasn’t a caravan so much as a steady trickle moving in both directions.

We aren’t that far from the battlefield. Judging by the amount of traffic, I figured that Hewitt’s forces were still advancing. That was good but I didn’t really care what happened with the war. My only concern was for my friends fighting in the army.

“I should be able to blend in,” I muttered.

I had adopted the disguise of a mage caster before, hiding my abilities as a wizard, so I had a caster insignia on my clothing. I recalled a perception spell I’d used in the past to make myself uninteresting. People would just ignore you even though you stood right there. The insignia would out me as a mage so I cast the perception spell on my identifying marks. As for my clothing, I could find a new set later. With that done, I stepped out of the bushes and walked over to the road.

A horseman immediately rushed over, but his pace slowed as he saw me just casually start strolling away from the front.

“You there! Halt!” He ordered.

I stopped. “Sir?”

“What were you doing just now?” he asked.

“Pit, man! I was just taking a leak!”

“What unit are you with?” he demanded. “You’re not a deserter, are you?”

“No, sir. I got to catch up to the wagon I’m escorting.”

“Where is your weapon, soldier?”

“Look, trooper, I know you’re just doing your job, but I’ve got to get moving.”

“Where is your weapon?”

“I’m a spearman, okay? I wasn’t hauling that into the brush to do my business! Sheesh!”

He still didn’t look convinced but seeing how calm and collected I was, his fears about deserting faded.

“Alright, hurry up and get back to your duties! And keep your weapon with you, soldier! The enemy might send out patrols to harass our logistics.”

“Yes sir!” I hurried on my way. That was close. I should have thought of finding a weapon. I had my belt knife, but what good was that against a sword? Anything had more reach than a knife.

When I caught up to a wagon with injured troops, I saw that all of the walking wounded accompanying it were armed. I cast another quick Ignore Me spell on my waist and hip. There, now no one will notice I’m not armed. That was my hope anyway. A mage could see through my spell if they were strong enough. I’d have to get myself a weapon as soon as I could. And a new set of clothes. My apparel wasn’t that different from the soldiers, aside from my insignia, but the cut and style varied slightly.

Each noble had retainers and a coat of arms unique to their house so there was a lot of variety in uniforms. Levies, when they were called up, wouldn't even have matching uniforms, but the war hadn’t progressed to that stage yet. The main army was composed of the noble’s retainers and those who wore the king's colors. Any volunteers or conscripted men joined up under one of their banners. My clothing wouldn’t give me away unless someone with sharp eyes were to take notice of me. Or a mage, but I was willing to risk it for now. I just needed to get to Blackwood and find Danica. It shouldn’t take that long.

Ideally, I’ll get a trooper's uniform and a horse. Or maybe a messenger bag and kit. That would allow me to move swiftly without drawing attention. I decided to keep my eyes open. Even if I had to make a scene, it would be worth it if I could break away from the incident and move unimpeded.

Trying such a stunt in the middle of the road was asking for trouble. I would have a better chance waiting at a town where a messenger would stop to change horses. If anyone was present, they wouldn’t be so alert. They would be more likely to be asleep or drinking.

I could keep watch through a window or something and then go out to meet them. Take them unawares before they go inside. Might have to deal with a witness or two but that's much better than facing a dozen or more men.

If that worked I could change clothing with the fellow and then hurry into the waystation or inn as though I was in a rush. They might even give me supplies for free if I pretended I was on urgent business for the king.

I hadn’t expected to need a travel fund while serving in the army so I didn’t have much money to work with. Just four silver ducats and some odd change. I’d need to find a way to get supplies. I wouldn’t steal, not from civilians. They had it bad enough as it was, but the military was fair game. They attacked us. We were at war. Sure, I’d deserted. Sure, I didn’t identify as a loyalist to the king and his nobles, but they were still the aggressors. They started this war, and it was them who had taken my wife.

The day passed without further incident. I was tense. All day I worried someone would take notice of me and attack, but no one did.

“Hey,” someone called. It took a moment for me to realize they were talking to me. “We need some fresh meat. You’re the only one here who isn’t injured. Can you hunt?”

My heart was pounding. It was one of the soldiers who was injured. I’d stayed close to one of the wagons through the day and they were used to seeing me around.

“I don’t have a bow, sir,” I said.

“That’s Sergeant to you! Don’t call me a sir. You got that?”

“Yes s—Sergeant.” I’d almost called him sir again out of habit.

“Alright. About that bow. We don’t have one. Are you any good at traps?” the gruff man asked.

I scratched my head. I was still a little surprised this was happening. I’d integrated myself with this group better than I thought. Maybe a little too well. Helping the enemy didn’t appeal to me, but seeing the dead eyes of the injured men I couldn’t help but sympathize with them. They were just like any other men, forced to fight for the nobles.

“Not one of my skills,” I replied with a grimace.

“Pit! What are you good at, son?”

“I was learning my father's trade before all this started. I am going to be a merchant,” I said.

He didn’t seem enthused but didn’t have a response. My heart went out to them. These were just normal people, the old Sergeant probably had a wife of his own, maybe even some children. And the others? They were just young kids, well, young men—like me. Sons whose mothers were probably worried sick about them.

“I’ll figure something out,” I said.

He looked back over at me and seemed to evaluate me in a new light. “Alright, son. We have some rations, but we need meat to recover our strength.”

“Where are you setting up camp?” I asked.

He pointed over to a clearing where several other wagon loads of injured were already unloading. “We’ll bivouac over there. Bring in as much as you can, there are a lot of injured who need the protein.”

“Yes, Sergeant.”

I tossed my mostly empty pack into the wagon. There wasn’t anything of any real value in there anymore, and I jogged off into the woods. I had mixed feelings about hunting food for the enemy but at the same time, it felt like the right thing to do.

I jogged steadily for about ten minutes before slowing down. I’d gone about a mile from the road. I could have gone further in that time on the road, but the terrain hampered my progress. After that, I stopped to listen. I had seen some small game, squirrels, chipmunks, and such, but nothing worth taking yet.

“How should I do this?” I muttered. I had my magic. I was sure I could turn this into a successful hunt, but I wasn’t about to reveal I was a mage. Whatever I did had to be explainable.

Maybe I’m just lucky. I closed my eyes and focused. I fixed my target in my mind and then cast my scrying spell. I staggered as a dozen different images filtered through my mind in a chaotic mess.

“Pit!” My concentration broke and the spell faded. “Okay, bad idea.” I’d tried to scry for deer. Bringing back a deer was reasonable, right? The men should just be happy to have food and not ask too many questions. That made sense.

“I need to figure out a way to narrow down my targeting though.” I could just randomly scry the area, looking for deer, but that seemed like a waste of time. Okay, how about the nearest deer? With that in mind, I cast my scrying spell again. This time I didn’t get dozens of overlapping images. A single image appeared in my mind.

“Now to locate it…”

I zoomed out my focus and got a sense of where it was in relation to myself. It was headed away from me. I let out a sigh. Even with magic, this hunting stuff wasn’t easy. How did hunters even survive? I refined my spell’s target again. This time for the nearest deer heading toward me. That wasn’t much better but the deer was only a mile away and unlike the last one, I wouldn't have to chase it as it moved away.

I hurried toward it, pausing now and then to alter course as necessary. A few minutes later, I stopped and climbed a tree. I’ll need an explanation for how I killed it. I decided to keep it simple. I’d use my magic to kill it and then fashion a wooden spear to show off if anyone asked. I had claimed to be a spearman, so that part would hold up at least.

I heard it before I saw it. It was close now. I held still as the deer ambled along. Okay, no fooling around. I hit it with a simple life spell to stop its heart. I was a strong wizard but I still felt the resistance to my spell. I forced my spell through the animal's natural resistance and the deer collapsed a few steps later.

From my schooling, I knew forcing such a spell through on a human would be far more difficult. Even simple animals had an instinctive resistance to harmful spells. Humans were much more intelligent which increased their resistance to harmful magic. I wasn’t sure how the details worked but it made it hard to cast direct magic against a person. Healing spells were far less likely to raise someone's instinctive defenses but harmful spells were a different matter.

Climbing down, I hurried over and stabbed it with my knife and then slit its throat to drain its blood. I made slits behind the tendons on the back legs and then fed my belt through them. I used it to hoist the deer up so it hung from a branch and secured it in place.

While it drained, I found a suitable branch to fashion into a pointed stick. It would be my spear. After sharpening it to a point, I went over to my deer and stabbed it a few times to make it look like I’d killed it with my spear. I had no idea if it would fool a seasoned hunter. It would have to do.

I broke one of the deer's legs so I could claim it was injured. I’d do that if they asked. Now I had to haul it back. Using magic would make that easy but if another hunter spotted me, my cover would be blown.

With a sigh, I took it down and slung it over my shoulder. “Pit! This is heavy. Oh right.” I shook my head and flopped it on the ground. I cut the belly open and pulled the guts out. With that done, I got underway again. “Much better.” I wondered what other hunting basics I’d missed but on that, I could honestly claim ignorance.

When I returned I was panting under my load. Someone spotted me and a cheer went up.

“You got a deer? Excellent, son! Good job!” the Sergeant praised. “Drop it over there, and take a load off. You did well, kid.” He patted me on the back like my father did when he was proud of me.

I gladly did as I was told. Then I found my pack and downed the rest of my water. They had a water barrel in one of the wagons that I could refill it at. When I got back several people were working on the deer.

“What did you do to this poor thing?” one of the men asked. “Looks like you stabbed it with a stick!”

“I did,” I replied.

“How’d you catch it?” one asked skeptically.

“It’s leg was broken,” I lied.

Another guy chimed in. “Pit! Your luck must be unreal! Or ours. This is just what we needed.”

The first speaker just looked at me. I could tell he knew I was lying. I stifled a curse and went over to the fire. When he didn’t press the issue, I let out a relieved sigh. Later I heard him whisper something to the Sergeant, but other than a frown and a glance my way, he didn’t pursue it. By the time we were turning in for the night, nothing came of it.

“Hey, kid, you got a name?”

“Of course,” I answered. “Name’s Devon. You?”

“Sergeant John Bronson. There is space under the wagon, bed down there for the night. It's a bit safer than out in the open.”

“Thank you, Sergeant.” I did just that. I scried for my wife once again, but whatever blocked me before, was still doing so. I let my mind relax and quickly fell asleep.

Chapter 2

Danica looked out the window. “Please don’t do anything stupid, my love.” Her words were faint as she thought of her husband. He’d be worried sick when he heard what happened. It wasn’t that bad here as a prisoner. It was better than fighting. War was brutal. She hated it, but she fought as hard as she could for the people around her. Then Pete Anderman attacked her in the back.

She remembered the pain. The Water Blade spell ripped through her clothing and tore into her flesh. She hit the ground hard and the next thing she knew, the pain was fading as her ring healed the damage. When she tried to get up, a knee pressed between her shoulder blades, forcing her down. A soldier pinned her and four of his comrades were poised to strike if she tried anything.

Thankfully, an officer had been nearby. He took charge and captured her instead of letting them kill her. Then they brought her here. The town of Blackwood was small but soldiers and supplies could be seen everywhere. The civilians mostly stayed inside. Those who had to go out hurried about their business. A few did select jobs for the military.

Danica watched from the window as soldiers scurried around going about their tasks. She was in the manor of some lowly noble. Baron Sayman, if she remembered correctly. One of his sons had tried to flirt with her but after she ignored him he’d grown angry and stomped off.

Aside from a few threats made by the son, she’d been well treated. They had secured anti-magic bracelets around her wrists but hadn’t seen a need to chain her. Her movements were restricted but she was treated almost like a guest. It was all an illusion. If she tried to run, they would catch her and throw her into a small dark room. The problem was that she had nowhere to go, no supplies, and was poor with directions. She’d either die wandering in the woods or be recaptured quickly if she tried to escape.

Her life wasn’t in any danger at present, so she behaved and bided her time. A knock sounded on the door. She braced herself in anticipation and stood.

“Yes?”

“Sergeant Woodland, may I enter?”

“I don’t believe I can stop you,” she replied.

“Are you decent?”

Danica sighed. At least he wasn’t just barging in. “Yes.”

The door opened a moment later. “You have ten minutes to prepare. We are leaving presently.”

“What do I have to prepare?” she asked, her finger rubbing against the plane metal band on her finger. “You took all my things.”

“Apologies. We had to be sure we removed all your enchantments,” he said, then cleared his throat. “If you need the bathroom, use it now. It’s a long way to the capital, and you’ll be riding an express carriage for the journey.”

“What does that mean?” she asked.

“It will only stop to change horses. It’s an exhausting way to travel, or so I’m told, but it will get you to Harrisburg in five days.”

“Five days? Non-stop?” she asked, surely she misheard.

“That’s right. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a few last-minute things to take care of.”

Danica wasn’t looking forward to the trip. She quickly used the bathroom. Five days in a carriage was going to be murder. “Pit! Why the rush?”

* * *

“Devon. I’ve been curious,” Sergeant Bronson said. “What got you sent back from the front?” he asked.

“It’s stupid,” I said. “I’d rather not talk about it.”

“Oh, come on lad, we are all bored to tears. Tell us the tail.”

“Some noble saw me walking past and conscripted me for an important mission,” I grumbled. “My vital task for the war effort is to meet his staff that’s heading for Blackwood, and make sure his wine collection gets to him unscathed.” I rolled my eyes as they all burst out laughing.

“He just saw you and picked you at random?” one of the guys asked.

“Well, I’d gotten into a bit of trouble. I think this is my punishment.”

“What’d you do?”

“I was emptying the chamber pots for the mages and tripped.”

“Oh boy, this is going to be good. Go on, don’t leave us in suspense.”

“Well, some uppity mage just happened to be walking by…”

They all started laughing. I felt myself blushing even though I’d fabricated the whole story. “They probably still smell like piss,” I muttered.

“You’re lucky they didn’t kill you on the spot!”

I could only nod. If such a thing had happened, that would have been the most likely outcome. Mages weren’t known for their kind hearts, nor were nobles, and the combination only compounded the issue.

Another day passed as I continued toward Blackwood. The slow pace chafed but I didn’t have many options. I could have pushed harder and left the wagon of injured men behind, but I was already feeling run down. I needed a good rest and I needed to move fast. I couldn’t do both so I had to compromise.

I could use magic… Maybe I should use some enhancement magic. Just pile on the body magic spells and dash for Blackwood. I seriously considered doing that, but that plan was flawed. I’d be drained and in even worse shape when I got there. My chances of finding Danica there were already low. I wouldn’t say zero, but it wasn’t likely. It had been almost a week since she was captured. We’d reach the town in a day or so. I just had to be patient until then.

I avoided using magic as much as I could to avoid the chance of discovery. Another storm hit a few hours before we reached the town. I bid the guys good luck and farewell and pushed on ahead. I broke into a jog and ignored the water pouring down as best I could.

The town finally appeared through the rainy haze. Thunder rumbled through the sky as the wind picked up, but I didn’t see any lightning yet. The town was much different than I remembered it. Tents were set up all over the place, wagons were parked all around town, and there was a huge number of crates around. Piles of supplies were covered in tarps and soldiers stood guard at key locations.

I approached the two soldiers posted along the road at the edge of town. They were hunched over against the wind and rain while doing their best to stay alert in the poor weather.

“Bleeding storm is making a bloody mess, eh, gents?” I said in greeting.

“Darn right! What’s your business here?” one of them asked.

“Special assignment. Delivery escort for a noble.” I rolled my eyes. “The Baron can’t stand to go to war without his wine collection. I swear, my life is a bloody joke!”

“At least you’re in one piece. Better than a lot of our boys coming through here.”

“Pit! You’re right. Good reminder to be grateful. I’ve got it better than those guys.”

“Name?”

“Oh, right! Devon.”

“Last name, dude.”

“Sorry,” I tried not to get flustered. I didn’t want to use my real last name so I used my mother's maiden name.

They nodded as they scribbled my name in their booklet, doing their best to keep the thing dry, and then waved me past.

“Is the inn still open?”

“Yeah, but the officers commandeered it for themselves.”

“Pit! Where am I supposed to go?”

He gestured toward the tent city. “Good luck finding the supply officer in all this!”

“Thanks,” I said dryly.

They were amused at my plight. I couldn’t blame them, they were stuck standing guard in a downpour. I hurried off to find shelter. I took in the changes to the town as I walked. As I got near the inn, lightning started flashing overhead.

“Forget this,” I muttered. I cast a stronger version of the Ignore Me spell and walked into the inn. I was noticeable enough to not be run into, but that was about it. No one would approach or talk to me. Of course, that was a problem if I wanted any food. I found a seat in the corner and removed my wet cloak.

As I sat there, I yawned. I was tired and feeling run down. I coughed and warmed myself by the fire. Some officers were talking about the war nearby. The topic soon turned to Danica.

“Did you hear they captured that fire mage who was causing havoc?”

“No. Small mercies. My brother is at the front. I’m glad he won’t have to face that.”

“How’d they catch her anyway?”

“Don’t know.”

“I heard she passed out from overusing her magic.”

“That’s not what happened,” another officer said.

“Oh, you think you know?”

“Yeah, I talked to one of the guys who captured her. He said she was struck from behind by someone on her own side.”

“Haha! Seriously?”

“No way! You’re making that up.”

“Come on man, don’t be taking credit away from our troops. They captured her fair and square.”

The man who’d put forth the truth wasn’t amused. “I swear that’s what happened! Whatever, it doesn’t matter now. She’s off the field, we have a chance to turn things around now.”

“Too bad we didn’t manage to destroy the duke's army before their main forces arrived. That would have made things much easier.”

I tuned them out as the conversation shifted to other things. Another coughing fit hit me and I loosened my Ignore Me spell and got the waitress’s attention. I ordered a hot drink. It helped warm me but I was still feeling off. I nodded off despite the loud mix of voices all competing with each other.

Someone suddenly bumped into me. “Oh! Sorry, I didn’t see you there,” a young officer said.

It took a moment for me to remember where I was when I woke up. “It's fine,” I replied with a cough.

“You don’t look so good, man. You alright?”

I tried to focus on his face but my vision was blurry. I sneezed and wiped my nose.

“You look kind of pale. We better get you over to the medical tent. What's your name?”

“Um, Devon,” I answered as my mind became fuzzy. I felt congested and cold despite sitting by the fire.

He called out to someone else but my mind wandered. Something was bothering me but I couldn’t place it. My spells! They had dropped when I nodded off. That was bad. I didn’t have time to correct my mistake, someone else had noticed me already. A blow struck the back of my head. I remember hitting the floor and then nothing at all.

I woke up in a healer's tent with a pair of soldiers posted on either side of my bed. My mind was much clearer but still running slowly.

“I’m here for a prisoner,” a rough voice said.

“He’s still out, come back later.”

“Isn’t that him right there? He looks awake to me!” He pointed at me.

Oh no. Not good! I moved my arm but found it was attached to a chain. My eyes followed the chain where it ended, attached to the soldier's belt. Pit! Not good at all.

“Let's see how he is,” the healer said with a sigh.

She was middle-aged and seemed to care about her patients. “How are you feeling?”

“Like the pit.”

“I imagine so. You came down with a nasty cold. On top of that, your body was extremely exhausted. You’re young and healthy and should bounce back in no time. The cold shouldn't have been a problem but you worked yourself almost to the point of collapse.”

“I’ll take it from here. I’ve got some questions for you,” the grizzly old man said.

“Now hold up a moment. I haven’t discharged him yet. Do you want him to die before you get your questions answered?”

The old man grumbled but backed off for the moment. I had a feeling he was going to be a real hardass.

The healer looked me over, made sure I got a meal and drank plenty of water, and then after another quick check, finally handed me over. She looked resigned and unhappy about it, but she’d done all she could. I nodded my head toward her in thanks but didn’t speak.

The guards flanked me and walked me out of the tent. I should have stolen some different clothes. That has to be how they identified me.

I was led to one of the larger tents and instructed to sit. Across from me was the man from earlier.

“So, why don’t you tell me why a spy is interested in Blackwood?”

“Spy?” I raised my eyebrows. “I think there is some kind of misunderstanding, sir.”

“Don’t talk nonsense boy, or I’ll have you beaten. You were caught snooping around the officers club gathering intel. Why?”

“Sir, I just wanted to get out of the rain. I swear, I am not a spy.”

“That's what any spy would say. You’re a mage, specialized in this kind of work. Start talking. If you continue to act innocent, don’t blame me for being impolite.”

I wasn’t sure what to say. His brain was a one-way street and he’d already made up his mind where this was going. I didn’t like my chances if I told the truth. Admitting to be looking for Danica would get me in almost as much trouble as being a spy!

“I’m a deserter,” I told him. It had the benefit of being true. “I just wanted something to eat.”

“Deserter, eh? Worthless scum.” He looked me over. “That would explain your state. Why, though? You’re a mage. Word has it the Kingdom of Hewitt treats their mages very well.”

“If you’re a noble, sure! You think they care about a commoner like me?”

He snorted. “Point. But you’re young and handsome, surely some noble girl, a baron’s daughter, someone of lowly status would consent to marry you for children with magic.”

“Maybe if I was stronger. I can barely cast those Ignore Me spells. Why do you think I needed multiple spells layered together to avoid notice? A lot of good it did me. How do Shander treat their mages? Are you looking for another one?”

“We don’t need scum like you! You deserted your post once, you’d do it again. Deserters are usually killed on sight. Doesn’t matter whose side they are from, but you're a mage. This is above my pay grade. Corporal!” He called for the guard.

“Sir?”

“Get him some anti-magic cuffs and then toss him in with the other prisoners. He can work in the mines until someone with more pull decides what they want to do with him.”

The man quickly filled out some paperwork and then blew on it to dry the ink. When he was satisfied the ink wouldn’t smear, he folded it up and placed it in a sealed envelope. “Deliver this with him to the officer in charge of the prisoners.”

“Yes sir!”

I considered fighting but I was in the middle of an enemy encampment. I didn’t know how close or how many mages were there but there had to be hundreds of soldiers given the number of tents I’d seen the previous day.

He tossed a bag to the guard next. “His personal effects. I’m no mage so I don’t know if any of that is enchanted. Send it with him.”

From there I was taken to another area. The rain had stopped and the sun was shining but I was far from happy.

“Where are you sending me?” I asked.

“No questions!” the guard said.

I can’t let them suppress my magic.

“Halt!” Another pair of guards blocked our way.

“I’ve got a prisoner here to join the others. He’s a mage. I was told to deliver him with this letter, and his personal effects.”

“We’ll take him from here,” one of them said.

I made a quick decision and took a risk. I cast an illusion of a metal band on each of my wrists. My heart pounded as I looked around to see if anyone noticed. I didn’t know exactly what anti-magic cuffs looked like, but I thought maybe I could fool these two into thinking I already had been fitted with them.

“No trouble, prisoner.”

He slapped his club into his palm. It was clear what would happen if I gave them a hard time. As we passed some of the other prisoners, all of who were chained together, I felt the gravity of my situation sink in. This wasn’t just bad. It was horrible. We reached a tent a few minutes later and I saw some rings of metal sitting on the table. Those must be the anti-magic bracelets.

“What do you have for me?” the mage seated behind a desk asked.

“Mage prisoner. Here are his effects and a letter.”

“Hum,” the mage took the letter and quickly skimmed it.

“So, you're a deserter? We know what to do with scum like you. You’ll live the remainder of your days in the mines. I doubt anyone will care about a weak mage like you. Let's get you fitted with anti-magic bands. Come on, hold out your hands.” The way he smirked it seemed he wanted me to resist.

I carefully shifted the illusion I’d made to match the metal bracelets I saw on the table, then faked reluctance as I held out my hands.

“Ah… I was hoping you’d try to fight. Doing all this bullshit is boring.” He frowned when he saw the bracelets already on my wrists. “Huh, no wonder. Someone already fitted you with your bracelets.” He tsked. “He’s good to go, take him out and chain him up with the others.”

“Sir,” I asked hesitantly.

He snorted. “Got a question do you? Well, go on. If it's a good one, I might even answer it.”

I hesitated for a moment, playing the meek deserter act as best I could. “Where are the mines?”

He sighed. “I suppose you would be curious, wouldn’t you? They are deep into Shander. No hope your armies will ever penetrate that far.” He smirked. “You’ll be able to work the mines without interruption for the rest of your days.”

He tossed the letter with my information into the trash as he laughed. He waved a hand at the guards to send me off to my fate. I could see him starting to root through my things for enchantments as I was pulled from the tent. What a twat!

Chapter 3

We were told to sit and then we waited. The sun warmed the air and I started to sweat. How long are they going to keep us here? There were dozens of prisoners. I glanced at their faces but didn’t see anyone I recognized. Danica wouldn’t be with this group, she was too valuable to be tossed in with the rest of us. We were destined for hard labor. Even if she wasn’t a powerful mage they could ransom back, she was a woman and wouldn’t be sent to the mines anyway.

It was midday before anyone remembered us. A trio of boys came through with a barrel of water and ladle and we were all allowed to drink our fill. A few additional prisoners were chained to the end of the line. Each of us was fitted with a belt and a chain was run through the ends of it so we couldn’t take it off. It was uncomfortably tight to ensure we couldn’t slip it off.

“On your feet you scumbags! Get up! Come on, let's go, get moving! We’re heading out. Keep up or I’ll break your legs, you worthless dogs!”

Oh great, he’s a real softy. Aside from the vital bits, I tuned him out. We started our slow march deeper into Shander. Blackwood was on the border of Hewitt and Shander, only eight miles from Shander. We’d be going much further. Once we got moving I quickly learned the routine and started planning. I’d made mistakes before. My impatience made me take foolish risks. I’d pushed myself too hard and been left weak and vulnerable. I could have found a chance to grab some clothing if I’d been paying attention but I wasn't. I was in too much of a rush to even take care of my body. It was stupid and now I was paying for it.

It's not too late. I still have my magic. I needed to make sure I kept it. I started fiddling with the metal of the chain. I hadn’t done much metalwork with my magic but it reminded me of doing earth magic, slow and draining. I took it easy and didn’t rush. By the end of the day, I’d learn how to manipulate it fairly well. That part wasn’t difficult. It was just like wood or earth in that regard. Just slower. The hard part was molding it. Metal wasn’t porous like wood, it was stiff and rigid. It didn’t want to move so I had to force it.

The chain links I’d messed with were misshaped, but a plan had formed in my mind. I needed a more convincing disguise for the bands on my wrists. My illusions had failed before when I fell asleep and was sick. I’d made this spell a permanent illusion so that wouldn’t happen again, but they could still fail or be detected. I wouldn’t let that happen.

We were fed stale bread and tasteless slop when we stopped that night but we were able to drink all we wanted. I continued my plan the next morning. I had the guard's routine down so I could focus most of my attention on my magic. I removed four links in the chain but didn’t make a run for it yet. I didn’t want to be discovered so I quickly reconnected the chain so no one would notice. If anyone looked, they wouldn’t see anything amiss.

I used three of the chain links to form two metal bands that looked like the anti-magic bracelets and put them around my wrists. They weren’t perfect but would stand up to a casual inspection. To make them even more convincing, I placed a very minor Ignore Me spell on them. It would hopefully cause the guards to overlook any details I couldn’t get right.

With the first step of my plan done, I used the final chain link to make a T-shaped bit of metal with a razor-sharp point on it. It was more like a nail than a shive or knife, but with a T-handle so I could drive it into someone with force. It was too small to be deadly unless aimed perfectly.

The belts around our waists were reinforced with thin metal chains but it would fall off when I severed the long chain anyway, so I wasn’t worried about it. At night, the guards drove a metal stake into the ground on each end to prevent us from escaping. During the day, a guard with a belt like ours was added on each end and locked onto the chain with the prisoners. Even if the prisoners revolted and killed the two guards, the prisoners couldn’t remove his body from the chain and would have to deal with his dead weight—not to mention all the other guards who would be ready to stop them.

I weakened one of the links so it wouldn’t take long to sever the chain when the time was right. With my preparations in place, I waited for the right opportunity. Two nights later after everyone was asleep, I focused and scried for Danica. That was becoming my habit, but as always, I had no luck. I expected this but I would keep trying. After that, I enhanced my vision, opened my spacial pocket, and pulled out my spell book.

The familiar weight in my hand was comforting. The sight of my spell book brought a smile to my face. I’d learned the spacial pocket spell soon after my wedding. The spell book was the single most valuable item I owned and with the permanent spacial pocket, I could always carry it with me.

With my perception enhanced, the night took on a blue-tinted glow. It was a little distracting while reading, but it soon faded from my mind. If I was going to turn my situation around, I needed more options. Illusions seemed like a good start. The healing ring I’d given to my wife had a guise spell on it to avoid notice and would change its appearance to look like whatever the wearer wanted. If I had that versatility for my face and body, or even just my clothing, it would make blending in and evading pursuit far simpler.

I read the overview on illusions, then decided holding active spells with the complexity I wanted was a recipe for disaster. An enchantment would be a far safer method. Once it was created, I wouldn’t have to worry about it again. I robbed the chain of another two links. It was enough for four rings. I tucked one of the links into my pocket and shaped the other into a pair of simple rings. After that was finished I called it a night. I had another long day ahead of me tomorrow.

We marched day after day, rising early and going to bed late. I worked on my enchanting as we plodded along. I was making a new healing ring since I’d lost the last one I was working on. I’d been told they took months to make, but I was making much faster progress. As a wizard, all my magic was available for any given affinity. My overall capacity was higher than most mages too and on top of that, I didn’t have any other distractions or projects that needed my attention. I could work on my ring most of the day.

I kept a steady trickle of life energy flowing into the ring. As the days passed it all added up. I had already enchanted the base functions of the ring with a very strong perception spell on it to prevent it from being noticed.

The other ring I was saving for my guise ring, with little else to do as we walked, I thought about all the functions I needed. When my magic ran low from working on my healing ring, I studied how to make the guise ring in my spell book. Ten days passed like this before I sensed my healing ring was fully charged and the enchantment had become self-sustaining. It would never run out of energy now. Well, rarely. If I used it too much too quickly, there was a chance it would drain it too much and the self-sustaining cycle would be broken.

With that healing ring done, I was ready to make my guise ring. Many of the concepts and workings I needed to incorporate weren’t intuitive or easy. This was a complex enchantment and I had no way to know if it would work until I tried it. The basic functions should be easy enough but I wanted it to be versatile.

That night I went to bed early. I needed my rest. The next day I went over the parts of the guise ring in my head repetitively. There were a lot of layers to it and the number of concepts made it hard to keep track of them all. I spent an extra day making sure I had them all memorized. Then I was ready. I would make my guise ring that night. It would be the most complex enchantment I’d ever created; if it worked, it would be my ticket to freedom. More importantly, though, it would let me freely search for my wife.

The slop for dinner was dished out and I chugged mine as usual. It wasn’t something to savor and getting it down fast was just better. I drank my fill when the water boys came around and then waited for night to fall.

I closed my eyes and almost nodded off but thoughts of Danica and what was at stake kept me awake. The camp finally settled down and it was time. I made sure I had a powerful Ignore Me spell going and then got to work.

Holding all the concepts for the guise ring in my head at the same time was impossible so I did it in stages. I imprinted the spells into the enchantment using my mental focus, and piece by piece, I worked my way around the ring until finally the last section was done. I added the finishing touches and then sat there for a moment staring at it before finally relaxing and letting my focus slip.

My vision blurred and I passed out for a moment from the mental strain. The jolt of my head smacking the ground woke me up. Ow! Pit! That was almost too much. I was immensely glad my focus had held until I’d finished. It was a near thing. My head ached but a soothing warmth from my healing ring soon took care of it.

Pit!, my ring! The guise ring was gone! I searched frantically for it before I felt it on the ground. I clenched my fist around it as I flopped down on my back in relief. Whew! I just about had a heart attack! I then sat up and glanced around before slipping it on. Immediately I felt it tingle and then the ring faded from view. I focused on it with my mind and sensed it on my finger even though I couldn’t feel it or see it. I triggered my new guise ring to change my skin tone to a dark chocolate color. A wide grin split my face as my skin color changed. I quickly shifted it back. It worked!

Buoyed by my success, I stayed awake a while longer but it had already been a long day and it had taken me hours to create the ring. I soon drifted off to sleep. I was groggy the next morning. My eyes felt like sandpaper and my brain like stuffed cotton. I groaned as the guards went around and roused those too slow in rising. I scrambled to my feet, still half asleep, not wanting to get struck.

“Wake up!” the guard shouted in my face. He slapped the side of my head and then continued on his way. It could have been worse. Another guy got a kick to the ribs.

I rubbed my face and wiped off the bits of spit he’d ejected while screaming. I was still yawning ten minutes later when we got back from our bathroom stop. We were all chained together so they had us move away from camp in the morning and evening to do our business. I’d seen several guys pee while marching but the limited amount of water and food made it easier to get our bodies on the cycle they wanted. Nobody wanted to be sleeping next to their excrement and the guards didn’t want to smell it either.

After our morning chow, we got moving. I struggled the whole day from staying up so late, but others were flagging as well. Some had obvious limps. Sore and blistered feet caused them pain. Most of the guys had bruises somewhere on their bodies. I decided I’d give myself two days to recover before I put my plan into action. I could handle this for another few days, then I’d disappear in the night. Right now though, I needed to rest. I’d been losing out on sleep for too many nights in a row and it was showing.

Something happened that changed my plans. Just a day later, we reached a large town. It wasn’t a city by any means, but it was several times the size of Blackwood, almost the size of Beachwood.

It was noon and we were approaching a crowded square. This might be my chance! I knew I wouldn’t have much of a head start if I just bolted. The guards had better food, plenty of water, and tents to sleep in, but they had to set a watch. Men were on guard all through the night. When they made their rounds, it would be pretty obvious if someone was missing. Unless I killed the guards I wouldn’t have more than a few-minute head start.

There was no talking allowed but I’d learned the names of the men directly in front and behind me. They were both older men, Jarick was a grumpy sort and not friendly at all, but the guy behind me was Leeroy Banks. He had expressed an interest in trying to escape together if we got a chance. I saw a chance now. A town crier was reporting on the war. He shouted out the news to the gathered crowd. Our guard detail didn’t want to stop but the crowd filled the whole square.

I didn’t listen to the man, I was scanning the crowd and buildings. I reached back as if to scratch my hip and then snapped my fingers together to try to get Leeroy’s attention. It took a sharp tug on the chain to accomplish my goal.

The guards shouted at the crowd. “Make way! Clear a path! Coming through!”

The lead guards pushed and shoved people out of the way. Once the crowd realized we were prisoners of war, they stopped blocking the way and started throwing stones and fruit at us while they jeered.

I worked my magic and the chain link snapped. The belt fell off without the chain securing the ends together and I was free! I half turned and grabbed Leeroy’s arm. I cast my perception spell to avoid notice as I did.

“Follow me!” I hissed. Then I charged into the thickest part of the crowd.

Shouts sounded behind us as the other prisoners on the line realized the chain had broken and freedom was within their grasp. The guards were delayed dealing with the crowd and everything devolved into chaos as we made our escape. We quickly left the square.

“Slow down!” I snapped as Leeroy tried to bolt. “We need to blend in, just stay beside me. I’ve got us covered.”

“Why aren’t they trying to stop us?” he asked, bewildered as he calmed down enough to notice the abnormal situation.

“I grabbed an enchantment from one of the guards, it makes people ignore us. No more questions. Let's find a place to hide while we pick up some supplies.”

I stole some food from the vendors on the way past a vegetable stand. I wasn’t a thief, but the crowd had been throwing this food and other stuff at us anyway. I saw at least one cabbage fly past my head.

“We need to hurry. It won’t take them long to notice we are missing!”

“They have their hands full at the moment.” I was reasonably sure about that. I didn’t argue his point though. We did need to move fast, but first, we needed supplies. I haven’t used my guise ring yet but my active spell was needed to hide Leeroy anyway, so there was no point.

I found an inn with a stable out back. It looked promising. “Let’s hide here,” I said.

“Isn’t that the first kind of place they will look?” he asked.

“Yeah, which means as soon as they are done and gone, it will be the safest place to be.”

“I don’t know. Maybe we should just run for it and get out of town.”

“You can do that if you want, but we need supplies. I suck at traps and you don’t look like a hunter or trapper either.”

I pulled him into the stable and looked around. “This should work. Climb up into the hay loft and stay out of sight.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be using the enchantment, but it only works on you when I'm touching you, so you need to hide while I get what we need. If you want to try your luck alone, tell me now.”

“I don’t know about this hiding place, Devon.”

“Decide quickly. We don’t have a lot of time.”

“Okay. You’ve gotten us this far, I’ll trust you.”

“Good. Up you go, cover yourself under the hay. I won’t be long.”

He scrambled up the ladder and then looked back. “Pit, he’s gone.”

I let my spell drop and became visible again.

“Blast! That’s spooky.”

I flashed him a grin. “We can do this, just don’t panic.”

He nodded. “Don’t take too long.”

I nodded and then vanished from his sight. I triggered my guise ring to change my appearance. I looked at my hands and saw it was working. I tried my clothing next. Excellent! I looked like a middle-aged man who worked as a clerk somewhere.

I backtracked and let my perception spell fade. I should test out my guise ring now rather than in a critical situation. The crowds ignored me but not because I was hidden in any way. I was just another body in the crowd. My disguise was working and I blended in naturally. It was as good as being invisible.

“What’s happening?” I asked.

“Some prisoners escaped,” a plump older woman told me.

“Pit! Why weren’t they chained up?” I asked.

A pair of guards pushed passed me to look for the fugitives. They didn’t even glance my way. This is kind of exciting!

“The chain broke somehow. Seems like a fluke, but who can say? Many a mage in the crowd helped them.”

“Make way! Make way! What’s all the ruckus about?” a woman shouted.

“Two prisoners escaped, my lady!”

I looked over and froze. No way! This can’t be happening… A beautiful horse pushed into the crowd. On its back was a pretty young lady who I recognized. I’d shared a dance with her in Blackwood once upon a time. She’d turned out to be a real headache. Lily Sayman looked around before nudging her horse toward the man in charge of guarding the prisoners.

“Soldier, do you need help tracking down the fugitives? My brothers are with me, as is Kenith, my sworn mage.”

“A mage would be a real help. We believe one of the two who escaped is a mage. I don’t have any idea how he would have gotten out of the anti-magic bracelets, but it's the only thing I can think of to explain how they escaped.”

“Or you’re just incompetent,” a male voice said.

I recognized Lily’s older brother Ronald. He was just as arrogant as I remembered. Her younger brother Thomas was there as well. He’d grown a little but was still just a boy.

“The chain snapped. Metal doesn’t do that without a good reason,” the guard replied, visibly bristling at the accusation.

Ronald snorted while his sister looked over at another man who was riding beside her. He was at least ten years older than her. “Mage Kenith, would you mind lending your assistance?”

“Not at all, my lady. However, this could take some time.”

“No problem! I’ll find an inn to stay at. You there! Where is the nearest inn?” By sheer happenstance, she happened to point directly at me.

I glanced at the woman next to me for help. “Got any suggestions?”

“The Fragrant Flower Inn. It's close and nicer than most,” she whispered to me.

I nodded my thanks and relayed the information. “You may find The Fragrant Flower Inn suitable, my lady.”

“Oh, what a splendid name. My name is Lily, how fitting!”

“A pleasure,” I said, trying not to gag.

“Where is it, good man? Lead on!”

I turned helplessly to the plump woman who I’d relied on before. “It's just down that alley, you literally can’t miss it!” she whispered.

“You’re a lifesaver,” I replied, then turned to Baron Sayman’s daughter. “It’s just down this alley, my lady.”

I led the way and tried not to facepalm when we arrived and they handed me the reins to their horses. They immediately walked inside and left me with the animals. The expectation was clear, I was to take care of their horses. Or make sure someone else did. They probably expect me to cover the tip too.

A stable boy ran out of the inn to assist me. “Good day, sir!”

“Hello, young master. I need my horses brushed down.” My horses. Yes, I like this plan. My horses are very nice if I do say so myself. I smiled.

He laughed. “I’m not a young master, sir, just call me Tarter.”

I grinned. “Alright, Tarter. Show me what you can do. I need them all unsaddled, brushed, and fed. See that they get some water too and then have them saddled again. I can’t stay too long, just let me grab a few things from the saddle bags. I’ll grab some supplies and a meal and then I need to go. Can you handle all that?”

“Sure! You can count on me, sir!”

“You are a good man, Tarter!”

He puffed up his chest at that. I think he liked being called a man.

Free to root through the saddle bags, I found a coin purse and tipped him two pence.

“Whoa! Thank you so much, sir.”

It was a generous tip but it wasn’t my money. I snickered as I headed inside. I glanced back and saw the boy hard at work with his back turned. I triggered my guise ring again, adopting the look and clothing of a laborer. Then I went inside and ordered a mug of ale, a hot meal, and several meat pies to go. They took a while to make but I enjoyed my ale and food. While I ate, I watched the trio of siblings complain about how bland the food was. They were all spoiled brats.

When my meat pies were ready, I exited through the backdoor and switched back to my clerk persona. I chatted with Tarter for a few minutes before slapping my forehead.

“Oh shoot! I left my bag inside, can you fetch it for me? Should be by the corner table.”

“Sure! No problem, sir!”

“Thanks, you’re such a helpful young man.”

I tossed him another coin, a silver this time. Sorry kid, hope I don’t get you into trouble. He hurried off to search for my fake bag.

“Leeroy! It's me, Devon. Hurry on down! It's time to go.”

I heard a rustle in the hay.

“It's me. Come on! I know I look different, but we have to hurry.”

“How is this possible?”

“That enchantment I took is pretty versatile,” I told him.

“That's an understatement,” he grumbled. “What’s the plan?”

I quickly led all three horses out, pulled out a cloak I’d seen while rooting around in the saddle bays earlier, and tossed it to him. “Quick, put this on and mount up. Come on! What are you waiting for?”

“I’ve never ridden a horse before,” he admitted.

“Seriously? Pit! Just when I had things all lined up too. Forget it. Just get on. Keep your back straight and your heels down. Sit back into the saddle and follow my lead. If you start sliding off, grab the mane and let me know, we can always pretend you're drunk if we need to.” I tied off the third horse to mine and had to help him up but we soon got moving.

“This isn’t bad,” he said rather stiffly.

“Try to relax. Your lower body should mold to the horse.”

“This horse is a giant,” he grumbled. “Why did I get the tallest one? If I fall off, I’ll break my neck!”

“Chill out! It’s the calmest of the lot. It will get antsy unless you relax, now just pretend you know what you're doing and relax. I’m right here.”

“Okay, I can do this,” he muttered.

Miraculously, we made it out of town without incident. I waved to the guards and then we were on our way. Soon the town vanished behind the hills.

“Shouldn’t we be heading the other way? This leads deeper into Shander.”

“You got a family back there, something you need to get back to Hewitt for?” I asked.

“Not really, but this is enemy territory.”

“Forget about the war. They speak the same language here and our cultures are similar. We will be fine. Besides, where is the first place you think they will look for two soldiers who escaped?”

“Good point. Aren’t these horses a little conspicuous?” he asked.

“Sure, but we can cover some distance before we have to ditch them.” I grinned. “I don’t know about you, but my feet could use a break!”

He was starting to relax a bit and smiled back. “Yeah, I think I could get used to this.”

Chapter 4

When night came, we set up camp beside the road. Leeroy Banks wasn’t an outdoorsman by any means. He was a warehouse manager before the war. His boss, the owner of the place, had gotten on a noble's bad side, and when the call for soldiers went out, he was conscripted. The noble made sure to take as many of the guy’s employees as he could.

“So Devon, what's the plan from here?” Leeroy asked.

I wiped my hands after feeding the fire and sat beside it. “We’ll circle the next town and ride in from the far side, sell the horses, buy new clothing, and stock up on supplies.”

“Then what?” he asked.

“I need to get to the capital of Shander.” That was the most likely place to look for Danica. I needed more information. “We can part ways if that doesn’t work for you.”

“I don’t have much to go back to,” he said.

I nodded. I figured as much. He’d told me his story as we traveled.

“Do you think they will be able to identify us?” he asked.

I shook my head. “No. The guy who was responsible for me tossed my papers in the trash. As for you, well, we have the guise enchantment. I think I understand how it works enough that I can set a permanent guise on it. You won’t be able to change it but you’ll pass unnoticed. You’ll just need a new name.”

“Leonard Coon. You can call me Lee,” he said. “All my friends call me Lee anyway.”

We shared a grin. “Nice to meet you, Leonard Coon. I’m Devon Coal. Now, sit tight, I’ll get you a new face. Any preferences?”

“Something handsome but low-key. I want a family someday, but I don’t want to attract too much attention.”

I understood that. He’s not bad-looking as it is. I had him slip on the ring and then had the ring copy his looks. With that done, I took the ring and altered the guise it produced. It took me almost an hour and I had to reference my spell book several times while using the Ignore Me spell so he didn’t see anything unusual. I didn’t change his face much, but the little changes made him look like one of his relatives. With a change of hair and eye color, he would be unrecognizable. Still, if he ever did find a woman and wanted to drop the disguise, he would look pretty similar in her eyes.

With that done, I created an entirely new ring from the small T-handled weapon I’d made but hadn’t used yet. This one would make use of the disguise I created for him and nothing else. It was much simpler to make than my complex guise ring. That ring was far more complex and intricate. Already I’d forgotten many of the nuances and principles behind creating it. I still didn’t know how I’d managed it. Desperation I guess. I had a very strong motivator.

Reading over the information in my spell book once more, I shook my head. Even if I wanted to make another ring with the full capabilities now, I couldn’t. Not without a lot of study, but there was no point. I had other spells to master. I could come back to the guise ring problem later if a need arose.

With the guise ring I had managed to create though, I could be anyone and do anything. Well, within reason. I would need some knowledge of who I was portraying or my disguise could fall apart and expose me. So what role am I going to play? I didn’t know much about most things but there were a few exceptions. I grew up working in the coal mines, then as a merchant, and lastly trained as a mage. A mage healer to be exact. I had other mage talents of course. I’d repaired wooden boats but as a wizard, I had many options for how to use my magic.

While I was mentally surveying my options, Lee tried on the ring.

“How is it?” Lee asked.

“I kept it as subtle as I could. Lying to a woman, especially if you marry her, isn’t a good idea, so you look like a relative or brother of yours. Your hair and eye color are different though. I doubt anyone would recognize you unless you do something to draw attention to yourself.”

He nodded slowly. “Okay. That makes sense. Thanks! This is a new start for me.”

“Yeah, we just need to get rid of these horses and no one will be able to identify us.”

“Right. I’m tempted to say, just let them loose now, but life would be a lot easier if we had some money. They are good horses and we should get a good price for them.”

I nodded. “That's the plan.”

“Let's set up a backstory for you. First, where are you from?”

I ran him through dozens of questions. I thought he’d need a lot more time to think about it, but he surprised me with his quick answers and explanation. I didn’t want the headaches of having to remember a complex story so I stuck to what I knew. I was a young traveling merchant who was just getting started. If I didn’t know something, my youth and lack of experience would be the only explanation I needed.

As for my magic? I had a guise ring. I could have multiple personas. Mages had a certain reputation. It would be no problem at all to be a reclusive mage. Maybe I’d be an enchanter this time. Casters were more flashy anyway and enchantments had saved my life many times. This would be a good opportunity to learn more about them and develop my knowledge and skills in that area.

I didn’t mention my magic to Lee, but I told him I’d be a merchant. No one had to know my back story. If they asked, I could just say I was from Shale. It was a small insignificant town that few people had heard of. There was no need to come up with anything more complicated. Even with a war on, I would be surprised if I was detained as a merchant just because I was born in the Kingdom of Hewitt.

That night I lay awake, worrying about my wife. Life kept conspiring to keep us apart. As usual, I tried to scry for her but an enchantment was still blocking her location. I’d come to expect it at this point but didn’t stop trying. I’ll find you, Danica. I’m coming.

It took us a few days to reach the next town, circle it without being spotted, and enter from the far side.

I told Lee not to wear his ring yet and I took on a different look with my guise ring. I wanted to be able to wear my own face in the future.

Lee asked around to find a buyer for our horses. The mayor’s steward met with us that evening and we discussed a price. He wasn’t interested in us at all but gushed nonstop about how good the horses were. It was like he was talking about his long-lost love!

The merchant in me was thrilled. He would pay a good price. When we started haggling, I pressed him hard. I think it helped that he was spending the mayor's money. We finally reached a deal and he took the horses and left. Once he was out of earshot, I laughed. With a spring in my step, I went to meet up with Lee. He had gone to get a bath, shave, and a haircut while I haggled. I told him he should clean up, and he agreed. I’d do the same now that I was done with my other business.

Lee noticed my good mood immediately.

“Judging from your face, you got more than expected,” Lee said.

“Yeah, you could say that. Much more! You can thank the war for that. Before tensions rose I would be surprised to get two gold ducats for either. I got four! Each.”

“Pit! Are you for real?”

“They are nice horses,” I said. “But a war horse would typically sell for six, maybe up to ten during wartime. These aren’t war horses but the mare you rode is excellent for breeding stock. The stallion is well-trained and can breed. It’s not quite as big as most war horses but I don’t think that steward knew much about horses.” I didn’t know much either but he seemed even more ignorant. In other words, the steward, or his master was a rich sucker.

“Let me get cleaned up and we can skip town.” I scried for Lily while riding here and I’d enjoyed seeing the fuming anger on her face, but it also meant someone was probably going to be looking for the horses.

“We need a change of clothing,” Lee said.

I nodded. We’d been wearing the same clothes for weeks now. We washed several times in streams we passed, but nothing could change the fact that our clothing was falling apart. Lee found a seamstress but she only took orders. She pointed us to a merchant who had a store in town. It was a general store and I never would have thought to look there for clothing, but she didn’t steer us wrong. The selection wasn’t great but we each left with two sets of clothing.

I cleaned up and then bought a few cheap horses and supplies before we headed out. We left town moving toward the border, to further obscure our trail, and then circled the town once more and continued toward the capital.

“I’d like to stop early today,” I said.

“What’s up, Devon?” Lee asked.

“I want to plan and prepare,” I said. “Life has been kicking me in the teeth lately and I am sick of it.”

I’d debated this for a while now. Some of the urgency had faded after I reached Blackwood and didn't find Danica there. I was still chomping at the bit to find her, but my lack of planning and preparations had left me in a very tricky situation. I had been extremely lucky to fool the mage responsible for equipping me with anti-magic bracelets. If he’d been more vigilant, I never would have escaped. Rushing now would only cause more trouble.

“Does this have anything to do with you being an enchanter?” he asked.

My head whipped around. “What?”

He chuckled. “Judging from your reaction, I assume my guess was right.”

“Pit!” I cursed. I was angry at myself more than him. Still, that was my best trump card if something went wrong. “What gave me away?”

“A few things. I didn’t piece it together until I was in the bath back there.” Then he pointed out my mistakes. “First, not everyone can use enchantments. The one you gave me could have been designed for non-mages. Stealing it from the guards was plausible, but I should have realized how unlikely that is. I figure you made it?”

I nodded.

“An enchanter then.” He nodded as he looked away. “I suspected as much. You gave yourself away when we were entering that town. You had me keep my real face so we could change it after we sold the horses, but you never asked for the ring back when you altered your appearance.”

“Ah!” I sighed. My anger faded. “Live and learn I guess. I trust you won’t tell anyone?”

“You saved my life. It's no secret that a quick death awaits anyone sent to the mines. Even if you survive, it's a brutal way to live. You can count on me to keep your secret.”

“Thank you, Leeroy.”

“Please, call me Lee.”

“Alright then, Lee.”

“Will you pose as an enchanter then? With your ring, you could do that and be a merchant.”

“I think the less you know about my activities, the better. I probably should have told you this before, but my wife was taken captive by the Shanderians. I suspect she is being held in the capital and I plan to find and free her.”

“That’s a tall order. Is she a mage like you?”

I nodded.

“Figured.” His face soured. “They wouldn’t send her to the mines, but if she was captured during the war, then she had to be a mage.”

It was true. Some nobles might grab a commoner for a night but they wouldn’t take them home with them and women didn’t serve in the military unless they had magic. Men had too many advantages over women in a fight and for the few women who could hold their own, it just added too many complications to be worth it.

Magic was a great equalizer though, and too valuable to ignore. Special accommodations could be made for a mage, be it a woman or otherwise. When they could kill dozens of men at a time, no one cared if you could hold your own in a melee.

No one wanted to be sent to war, not if they had any brains. Having seen a bit of the death, blood, and gore, war created, I could firmly say I hated it. I wouldn’t want anyone I cared about sent to fight in a war either.

It had infuriated me when I had to stand by and watch as my wife was sent off to fight. It was my job to protect her. Not because she couldn’t protect herself, she obviously could. She was a terror on the battlefield but that was beside the point. She was my wife. It was my duty to protect her. That need to protect was ingrained into the very fiber of my being. The helplessness I felt when she’d been sent off to fight—while I was given a relatively safe position as a healer—was the worst feeling imaginable.

I will find her and this will never happen again. I made a vow to myself. I needed to get stronger. It happened once, so it could happen again. I wouldn’t stand idly by if someone tried to take her away from me again. I’d destroy whoever I had to if it meant keeping her safe.

Lee was getting better at setting up camp. He still struggled to start a fire, which was understandable. It was hard work without magic. The flint and steel we’d picked up in town helped a lot. While he cooked dinner, I started planning.

I didn’t know what I’d find when I reached the capital but several things were apparent. I’d need a way to gather information. That was necessary to locate Danica. I needed more power than I had presently, in case I needed to fight my way to her, out with her, or both. I also needed a long-term plan for after we were reunited and she was safe.

My mind pondered the obstacles I’d face. Nobles were the big one. I’d face the same problems here as I did back in Hewitt. Any officially sanctioned marriage between us was out if they knew we were commoners and mages… unless I was a noble myself. The main reason she was so important as a prisoner wasn’t just for her value to ransom back but also as a bride. If she was amenable and could be married off to one of their noble families, it would all but ensure children with magic.

The nobles as a whole weren’t so crude as to force her into a marriage with a specific man, but they would all seek to find a use for her. She was a pawn. One who’d proven just how dangerous she could be. Whoever could bring her into their house would gain not just a powerful piece on the board, but empower their houses' future generations as well.

Thinking about this angered me, but when I looked at it with a rational mind, I realized this wasn’t all bad. It meant they would keep each other in check and try to entice her, woo her, etc. to gain her cooperation. That took time. I also had a huge advantage here. Danica loved me. I did not doubt that. She was happily married and wouldn’t be interested in anyone else. If I never showed up, she might be forced to marry, but I wasn’t going anywhere.

This realization, while infuriating, also eased my mind somewhat. It wasn’t likely that she’d be mistreated or abused. So help anyone who does, I’ll rip them to shreds! Okay, calm down… I had time. Time to find her and plan.

I figured I had a minimum of four months, but probably closer to ten before something terrible happened. It would take time for someone to begin courting her, and then even if she was forced into an engagement, the wedding wouldn’t happen immediately.

My focus shifted to my spell book. I needed to be able to move about easily. Void Walk was one option I was familiar with. I needed more options though for gathering information. Scrying the capital was a bust. It was shielded against my attempts. With the war on, that was no surprise. Maybe a better scrying spell? The guise ring would be a huge help to move unnoticed. Enchantments in general would help too.

From that night onward, I started studying enchantments. I had a lot of things to cover if I wanted to be ready for any situation. I keenly remembered almost dying to a spirit spell when Baron York’s men were sent to murder me. If not for the healing ring I had at the time, he would have succeeded. So I made enchantments. If I didn’t know something, I looked it up.

My spell book didn’t contain everything there was to know about magic, but it had been passed down from master to apprentice for generations and all those who used it had been wizards like me. It had no page limit. You just had to think about what you wanted and the book would open to that information. I could probably study the book for months, if not a year or two, and still not read everything contained within it.

So that became our routine. We’d travel until mid-afternoon and then stop. Lee would handle the camp, and I’d study magic and work on enchantments. Days passed but we slowly approached our destination.

Chapter 5

Lady Warren sipped her tea as the other ladies shared the latest gossip. She listened for a while but most of it was boring drama. It never ceased to amaze her how much gossip and pointless drama the nobles generated. These drama queens knew better than to whisper anything about her where she might hear it. She had a reputation after all. One didn’t idly gossip about The Lady Mars.

“Did you hear,” one of the younger women said to the cluster of similar-aged girls around her. Lady Warren almost tuned her out but her next words piqued her interest. “The fire mage that was wreaking havoc on the battlefield was captured.”

“Yes, they say she’s a commoner but has quite the well of power.”

Another laughed. “As if she could compare to a noble mage.”

“She killed several noble mages, or so the rumors go,” another lady answered.

“Yes, but as I was saying,” the first girl with blonde ringlets continued. “She was captured and arrived here in the capital a few days ago. She’s to be presented to the court soon.”

“Truly?”

“Indeed. We’ll get to see for ourselves what she’s all about.”

“Perhaps she’ll be a beauty and catch my brother's eye,” one lady said.

“The king will decide her fate.”

“Don’t be so sure. If there is an obvious attraction, he’ll let things run their natural course,” another said.

The woman wasn’t wrong, the king did have his schemes and agendas but he also knew how to generate goodwill by not being a petty tyrant. A commoner wouldn’t usually even catch his attention, even if they were a mage, but this was a foreign war hero who’d proven she was capable.

As Lady Warren listened she felt a bit melancholy. She remembered the meddlesome schemes of the nobles when she was a commoner. That was before she was elevated to her current rank as a countess. They had schemed against her, seeking to set her up with their ‘perfect’ son. She’d been oblivious to the lies at first, but then the facade shattered. Now it was impossible not to see their lies. Eventually, she’d escaped it all, but fate conspired against her and forced her to return. Only now she wasn’t some helpless little girl. She’d come back to the city of her birth as a powerful wizard.

She’d encouraged the rumors but hadn’t needed to exaggerate the tales. Witnesses did that all on their own. The Red Lady, The Harbinger of Doom, The Lady Mars, The War God—these were just some of her titles. Talk of the fire mage reminded her of herself when she was young. The girl was a simple pawn to them, a nobody they could use to their advantage. They didn’t care about her at all, just her magic. That poor girl. With a bit more thought she made a decision.

“What day is she to be presented at court?” she asked.

All the young girls froze at her unexpected intrusion into their discussion. Conversations around them died away and silence fell. The girl who’d initiated the topic paled and her eyes widened in panic.

“L-lady Warren, I-I am not sure. Please let me check and get back to you! I only know it will happen soon.” She gulped.

If the girl was talking to anyone else, she’d be mocked for looking so rattled but nobody dared to comment on it. This was The Lady Mars she was talking to. They were just glad they hadn’t drawn her attention. Everyone wanted her favor, but only the bravest of souls would dare initiate a conversation. Even when a court summons for all nobles was sent out by the king, hers was worded as a suggestion. To further clarify, the words ‘if she had time’, or something similar were added just to make sure she knew it was only a ‘request’ by the king.

With a simple nod, she let the girl off the hook. “Very well, I’ll be waiting.”

As the girl and her friends hurried away, she heard the poor girl's voice. It was on the edge of panic and despair. “What am I going to do? I heard that rumor from Duke Emrick's daughter. I can’t just ask her!”

“Don’t worry, Sandra, I have a friend who knows Chamberlain Louis. She won’t refuse me in this and can inquire for you.”

A slight smile touched Lady Warren's lips.

The party's hostess, Duchess Ralinda wandered over. Her cheeks had a rosy hue from too much drink. She didn’t appear drunk but she was close.

“Why if it isn’t little Charis? How far you’ve come.” She smirked. “I still remember when you were just a starry-eyed commoner.”

Lady Warren’s good mood vanished in the blink of an eye. Is she mad? This woman has a death wish! Her eyes turned to slits as she stood, and an icy chill filled the air around her. “I did not give you permission to use my given name.”

The duchess sobered up real quick. Her eyes widened as she realized she’d messed up big time. Drink had loosened her tongue and relaxed her a little too much.

“P-please forgive—”

Charis Warren wasn’t someone who could afford to forgive. Not here. Not now. Any sign of weakness and the wolves would start circling.

Charis cast a spell. It wasn’t anything major, but it would put the presumptuous woman firmly in her place, and probably be a huge blow to her image and reputation—if it didn’t destroy it entirely. The spell was a simple one, a death magic spell that caused the skin to rot. Charis targeted her face. There was no need to turn her organs to mush or rot her bones.

The woman felt its effects immediately and started screaming. It drew all eyes to her and they looked on in fascinated horror as the beautiful duchess’s face rotted before their eyes.

“Do not fear, Ralinda, I forgive you. I will not take your life, or destroy your house.”

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving the woman in an awful state. Ralinda’s husband, the Duke, was wealthy and she'd be fine after some healing, but no one would forget what happened. The blow to the Duke’s prestige would be huge. It wasn’t just anyone who could brag that Lady Warren showed up to their party. Worse, the other ladies who saw it would never forget the horrifying image of the duchess’s face. To women like her, appearances were everything.

As she passed the woman's husband she inclined her head slightly. “You’re fortunate I was in a good mood this evening. You can rest easy knowing I won’t pursue the matter further.” She left the party without a backward glance.

* * *

“Devon,” Lee said. “Isn’t this supposed to be a city?”

“Yes. The city of Fairview. Why?” I didn’t look up from my spell book.

“It doesn't look like a city at all.”

I glanced up and frowned. When I looked over at my comrade, I realized he was frowning as well. “Lee, when we crossed the bridge, you stayed to the right, correct?”

“No, we were supposed to go left. I distinctly remember that.”

I sighed. “Lee, it was right, then left—after we passed through River Valley.”

“No!” he protested with alarm. “ That can’t be.”

I should have been paying more attention. “Let's have a look and ask around. I’m pretty sure we are several days off course.”

“Pit! I’m sorry, Devon. I thought for sure we were supposed to go left.”

I was frustrated but not excessively so. It was as much my fault as his. If I’d been paying more attention, this never would have happened.

“We’ll find our way eventually, Lee. Let's go.” I put my book away and encouraged my horse to start moving again.

With my full attention on the world around me, I noticed something odd as we approached the town.

“Does something seem off to you?” I asked.

“It’s quiet. Kinda nice,” he said. “Why?”

“I don’t see anyone out and about. Somethings going on.”

“What do you want to do?” he asked.

There wasn’t much to think about. We needed to buy supplies and ask for directions. “Stay alert, but let's have a look around town. Someone should be out in the fields, or minding the livestock but I don’t see anyone.”

We approached at a slow walk. The town was small. I didn’t expect them to have guards watching the road, but I didn’t see people anywhere. It was almost eerie. Then all at once, everything became clear.

A man walked out into the street. He was armed and armored but looked ragged. A deserter, or this far from the front, more likely a bandit.

“Good day, gentlemen!” he called.

We reigned in and came to a stop at the edge of town. Lee looked over at me for guidance but I wasn’t sure what to do yet. I could already feel the tension rising and I had no intention of being robbed by brigands. I’d already been captured by slavers once and it wasn’t an experience I would soon forget. Being taken as a prisoner of war wasn’t much better.

“Get down from your horses, folks! You give us those horses and turn out your pockets and you can be on your way!”

There was a good ten yards between us. I continued to think as I watched him. Finally, I broke my silence. “Which way to Harrisburg?” I called back.

“The capital?” his eyebrows rose.

“That’s right, I have important business to be about.”

He chuckled. “Well, the sooner you empty your pockets, the sooner you can be on your way!”

“Why don’t you have your boys come out,” I said. “It would be a shame if you were to die here all alone.”

He broke out laughing. “You’re quite the comedian! Come on boys. Seems these folks need a little persuasion!”

A band of unwashed men emerged all around us. They looked even more unsavory than their spokesmen and all of them looked like killers. I cast an energy shield around myself and quickly cast a second one for Lee.

I dismounted, and Lee followed suit.

“Wise decision!” The man laughed.

I looked over at Lee. “Stay here. I’ll handle this.” I handed him my reins and headed for the man blocking the road.

“So how do we get to Harrisburg from here? We got a little turned around after the river crossing back yonder.”

“You’re testing my patience, boy!” The bandit growled. “Take them, men!”

I didn’t hesitate. Even before he finished speaking, I sprang into action. We’d been on the road for days now and I’d been doing only one thing, preparing. Besides food and sleep we’d been riding slowly and I’d been studying in my spell book extensively. I’d had plenty of time to create enchantments to enhance my body. As a wizard, I could have used spells but it was easier to just use enchantments. They could be activated immediately and didn’t use my mana but the stored energy in the enchantment.

Body enhancements were a cheat when fighting against a common man. Speed, strength, toughness, regeneration, stamina, and more could all be enhanced—and not just by a small margin either. The stronger the enchanter, the stronger the effects. I didn’t know how I stacked up against other wizards, but compared to enchanters, I knew I was above average. The simple truth was that almost all wizards were above average. A weak wizard was still stronger than most mages and I wasn’t weak.

Power flowed into me as I triggered all my enchantments. The world seemed to slow as my processing speed tripled. My reflexes, strength, and speed took an even bigger leap. I’m going to need a better enchantment for my mental speed to keep up at this rate, I thought.

The man barely had time for a look of surprise to flash across his face then I had my belt knife plunging toward his eye socket. He tried to flinch away, but with my enhanced state, I easily landed a precise strike. I drew the sword from his scabbard as he fell and was already halfway to the next bandit before he hit the ground.

Several arrows flashed toward where I was but they were far too slow. Like a reaper, I tore through their ranks. I could outrun a galloping horse with my current speed and my reflexes were just as fast. The only things holding me back were my lack of combat skills, familiarity with my enchantments, and my brain, which even enhanced to three times its usual speed, still struggled to keep up.

It didn’t matter.

The first half of their little encirclement died without even a chance to attack me. The archers' arrows were useless, and though most had their weapons in their hands, I moved too fast for them to strike me. I passed them before they knew to swing their blades. I finished my mad dash and zipped around to the other half of the bandits. They never stood a chance.

The only one with any mage abilities, besides their leader who I’d killed first, was just a young lad who was missing a hand. Likely a pickpocket before falling in with this crowd. He tried to fade from my perception but I was a wizard, when my battle instincts took over, power flowed through me, the world took on a blue tint, and even though his figure faded, his position was glaringly obvious under my enhanced perception. His outline blazed brightly in my sight. With a quick thrust of my blade, I pierced his heart. My blade ripped free and my enhanced strength nearly pulled him off his feet as I moved to engage the last few.

It was over in seconds.

When the last bandit fell, I slowly looked around. One by one, I let my enhancements fall away, leaving my mental boost for last. It helped me process what had just happened. The realization of just how dangerous I was started to sink in. Pit! I killed fifteen men, just like that. Maybe twenty seconds had passed from start to finish.

When I remembered the duel I’d fought with Lars Jenova, who’d tried to steal my wife, I realized I’d been quite lucky. He must not have considered me a threat at all. A man of his status surely could have afforded enchantments. If he’d used them, things could have turned out very differently.

For a long moment, I just stood there breathing. I idly noted that I wasn’t even winded. It was as if I had just taken a casual stroll in the park. Pit! Magic is scary. I hadn’t realized just how much power I had at my fingertips. Surely all mages don’t have this much power, right? There would be anarchy! I could just see it, five mages go into a town and slaughter everyone, take everything they want, and leave.

My spell book had mentioned that enchantments were stronger if used by their creator, but was there a quantitative difference? I hoped so. Otherwise, casters might be even more scary. Everyone saw casters as the more dangerous than enchanters, and enchanters more as specialized artisans but my enchantments made me question that. There had to be a reason enchanters weren’t as feared. As I looked around at the dead bodies, I questioned what I’d been told.

“D-Devon?” Lee’s hesitant, scared voice, called.

It snapped me out of my internal thoughts. “Lee. You alright?”

“I don’t know, am I dreaming?” he asked.

I chuckled. “I don’t think so, but it sure feels like it.”

“What was that?” he asked, sounding scared and a bit angry.

“Probably best if we don’t talk about it. The locals are getting curious. We’ll discuss it later.” After I have time to think. I suppressed a shutter as I realized what this meant. So long as I had my enchantments, even a hundred men wouldn’t be able to contain me. This level of power was amazing but also terrifying. If I could do this much damage already, what about a master enchanter? Or an old wizard who’d studied for years if not decades? That thought chilled me to the bone.

Chapter 6

I was still lost in thought when the bravest of the towns folks came out to see what happened. News of the dead bandits quickly spread. Weary glances were cast our way as people filtered out of their homes or businesses. They had heard the scuffle but didn’t see what happened.

“Greetings and good day,” Lee said. “We were just passing through and seem to have stumbled upon a band of lawless men.”

A gristly old man with a bad limp was the first to respond. “That’s right. They took over the town three days ago. We managed to hide the women and children from them in an old mine a few miles away but they took whatever else they wanted. We’re in your debt for taking care of the problem. Anything they have on their person you’re welcome to.”

“That’s fair, however, if any of the stuff in their possession was from your town, it will be returned,” Lee said. He glanced my way to see if I agreed. Seeing my nod, he went on. “And we’d be more than happy to pay for some supplies.”

“Where are you headed?” the man asked.

“Harrisburg,” Lee said.

The man’s eyebrows rose. “This isn’t the road to the capital, son.”

“We realized that a few minutes before the bandits attacked us.”

I let Lee handle the introductions. The old gristly man's name was Boris Raylin. He was a past soldier, a sergeant if I didn’t miss my guess. He reminded me a bit of myself. He served in the military but was wounded in combat and his leg was broken. It had healed poorly. I could relate to that.

Lee was negotiating with the mayor for our supplies when I had a thought. “Are there others with injuries in town?” I asked.

He nodded. “The bandits weren’t exactly gentle, and we aren’t soft pushovers. Takes grit to survive here in these hard times.”

I nodded slowly. “Does your leg always cause you pain?”

“Hurts like the dickens.”

“I know what that's like,” I said.

He snorted. “I doubt that.”

“True story,” I said. “Accidental cave-in while coal mining. I broke my leg and it didn’t heal right.”

“You seem to be getting by just fine now.”

“Turns out I am an enchanter. Didn’t know it at the time.” I chuckled. “But I’m a stubborn lad. I decided to become a traveling merchant and make my fortune. Everyone said I was a fool. In hindsight, I can’t say I blame them. Almost got myself killed several times. In the end, though, my path crossed with a Mage Master who saw my potential.”

“Fascinating story kid, but is there a point to this or do you just feel like yacking my ear off?”

“I could fix your limp,” I said. “If you want.”

His eyebrows rose. There was a spark of hope there but it quickly faded as his eyes narrowed. “What’s the catch?”

“You seem like a fighting man,” I said. “I need someone like you.”

“Like me?”

“A man with experience. Someone who can handle himself in a fight and gather information.”

“I’m listening.”

“I heal your leg, any other aches and pains, scars—if you want—and in exchange you work for me.”

“For how long?”

“Two years, minimum, with the option to stay on longer. I currently need someone to help me find information.” He didn’t seem like that type, but he was an experienced man. If he couldn’t gather information himself, I could hire others that he could manage. I’d build a whole information network if necessary. I might need a group of soldiers at some point too, and after I had Danica back and we were safe, well, I was still a merchant. Someday I’d have wagons and goods to move and that would require protection.

“Does it pay?” he asked.

“Room and board for sure, we can discuss pay later but I can offer you something better.”

“What's that?”

“Enchantments.”

“For the job, or to keep?”

“Both, but most you could keep. There are a few exceptions. This, for example—” I held up a plane ring. “Is a healing ring. If I gave these out, I’d have the healers guild coming for my head, but I can provide free healing for my people.”

“That? Looks like nothing more than an old piece of metal.”

I grinned. “A few weeks ago, it was.” I tossed it to him. “If you accept my offer, put it on.”

I knew it would be much harder to refuse with it in his hand. He was in constant pain, he could end it now, all he had to do was put on a ring.

“If you heal all the other townspeople, I swear, I’ll follow you to the pit and back.”

“How many need my services?” I asked.

“Twenty or so.”

“You have yourself a deal,” I said.

He grunted and with a nod, he slipped on the ring. It adjusted to fit his thick fingers and his eyebrows rose. He looked up to say something but just then, the ring started to work its magic. I knew firsthand just how painful that could be. His mouth clamped shut as his eyes widened. His face turned red and he let out a closed-mouth growl. Soft popping sounds could be heard from his leg and he finally let out a hiss as his leg repaired itself. He clawed at the ring and tore it off.

“Blasted pit!” he cursed.

There was a burnt mark around his finger. I pulled out a cloth and picked up the ring. It would cool down soon. “How’s your leg, Boris?”

“Pit that hurt,” he grumbled, but his eyes looked brighter and he was gingerly testing his leg. “Unbelievable.” He laughed. “I can walk! It doesn't hurt at all.”

“You’ll need time to recover any muscle mass you lost, but it doesn’t seem to have atrophied very much.”

“I forced myself to keep using it. I wasn’t going to sit on my butt when there was work to do.”

The ring had cooled off so I had him put it on once more. “It shouldn’t get hot again. It only does that when the injuries are extensive.”

He nodded and took the ring with a wary expression. He still put it on though and soon the burn mark faded away.

“It's as you say,” he acknowledged. “Amazing.”

“Take me to see the others who need healing.”

As I passed Lee and the mayor I heard Lee comment. “Healing is expensive.”

“You’re right. We’ll supply you with all you need, and put you up for the night free of charge. This is a great boon for our town!”

They shook hands as I went over to the town hall and got to work. Boris did an excellent job managing everyone. He brought me the worst cases first and kept order while I used my enchanted ring to heal everyone. The women and children were brought back into town and many of them had small injuries to heal as well. One woman had multiple bone fractures. They were from some kind of sickness I didn’t understand but was able to fix. Another girl in her late teens had clear signs of abuse.

Boris got her to tell him who had done it and then spread the word. By the time the sun set, the man had been beaten so badly I wouldn’t be surprised if he died. Boris made it clear he didn’t want me healing that man. The culprit was the girl's uncle. Her father had died of the flu and her mother had been killed before that. She’d been in his care for far too long.

Without a guardian, Boris decided to take her in as his ward. The look he gave me seemed to dare me to object. I was his employer but this wasn’t something he was asking permission for.

“What’s your name, miss?” I asked.

“Vivian Elkhound,” she said hesitantly.

“Devon Coal, a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Boris’s eyes narrowed as he looked at me. I glanced his way and then looked at the girl more closely. She was pretty, short, and thin, but very comely. Dark brown hair, as most of the folks around here had, but instead of brown eyes, hers were a stunning blue.

I look over at Boris. “We’ll be heading for the capital where I expect to face a lot of danger. Are you sure bringing her along is wise?”

“I won’t abandon her,” he said.

“That’s fine, just be aware. We are going to face a lot of problems once we reach the capital. Vivian, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” I signaled Boris to follow me and stepped away.

“What?” he asked.

“You should let her know I’m married,” I said.

“What?” His eyebrows rose and his shoulders relaxed a little. “Really?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

“Well then, good. Very good. That girl's been through a lot already, she needs time to get her life together without some guy muddying her thoughts.”

I agreed with that so I just nodded. “She seems to trust you.”

“I’ve always tried to look out for her, but never had a chance to expose what I thought was going on before. This is why I wanted you to heal everyone in town. Once someone saw what was done to her, I hoped she’d talk about it.”

“Good man.” I slapped him on the shoulder. I think our arrangement is going to work out quite well.

Healing everyone with my enchanted ring put a lot of strain on the enchantment but when it grew hot, I stopped to let it cool. That was more than enough time for any strain on the enchantment to ease. I was quite proud of how well it was holding up.

Lee seemed like a good man but I wasn’t sure how much I trusted him. Some of the comments he made caused me to question his friendship. I’d seen him give me some pensive looks and a few even had a touch of hostility or fear in them. He struck me as dependable but once the pressure was off, his attitude had started shifting. I wasn’t ready to give him more enchantments but Boris impressed me. I felt I could depend on him for anything. That might not be true, but my read on his character and his interactions with Vivian gave me a solid idea of his character.

We stayed in the town for two days. It took that long to heal everyone. Several of the younger women made a pass at me. I politely turned them all down. I was a good catch, but I’d already found my girl, or been caught, whatever you wanted to call it.

Boris and Vivian were given two horses by the towns folks and we stocked up on food. The healing I’d done was far more valuable than everything they gave us but I didn’t mind. We were both happy with the exchange. On the road again, we fell into a familiar routine, only this time Boris was guiding our way. I had no worries we’d get lost with him guiding us.

I went back to studying enchantments. I’d seen their power first hand and as invincible as I’d felt against the bandits, it only heightened my awareness of how dangerous the world was. I’d stand no chance against someone of similar power who had dozens of years to study and increase their power.

After several days Vivian, who happened to be riding beside me, shocked me. “What are you reading?” It was an innocent question. My shock came from the fact that she shouldn’t have noticed me reading at all. The Ignore Me spell was active—Yes, I double-checked.

I stared at her trying to figure out how she saw through the spell.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

“No,” I replied quickly, smiled, and thought frantically for an answer.

Oh, duh! The answer was obvious once it hit me. “I am studying my craft.” I was posing as an enchanter after all. Why not just tell the truth?

She smiled and nodded minutely. That struck me as odd. As did the fact that we were having a conversation about this in the first place. How did she see through my perception spell? I activated a few enchantments of my own and my innate perception ability, but nothing about her looked out of the ordinary. She appeared as just a normal girl. With my mind enhanced, I noticed a thin chain around her neck.

My eyes tracked it until it disappeared into her clothing but there was just a faint lump under her shirt indicating a pendant of some kind on the end. I hadn’t noticed it at all before. In fact, the more I focused on it, the more I felt something pushing on my mind, trying to force my attention away.

“What’s that around your neck?” I asked.

Her hand subconsciously went to her chest to feel the pendant under her shirt. She hesitated, her eyes met mine and then flitted away. “Just a family heirloom. My mother gave it to me before she died.”

“May I see it?”

She bit her lip as she considered it. I could tell she wanted to refuse but couldn't come up with a good reason to deny me. With my enhanced perception and mind running far faster than normal, I picked up on every little tick and micro expression. Her heart rate accelerated and her body tensed. It was barely perceptible but under my enhanced eyes, it was blatantly obvious.

In the end, she forced a smile and pulled the pendant out for me to see. I noticed she didn’t take it off. The pendant looked old and worn but elegant. There was a blue gemstone at the center that matched the color of her eyes.

Focusing all my attention on the pendant I noticed several things. Very faint wisps of mana were coming from it. Vivian grew even more nervous, and finally after staring at it for what felt like several minutes to my mind but couldn’t have been more than half a minute, I realized the air was rippling.

“Ow!” she cried out and waved her hand around as the pendent heated up.

I pretended not to know what was going on at first. “Are you alright?”

Her exclamation had drawn the others' attention but with a quick perception spell, we became uninteresting.

“What's wrong?” I asked.

She glared at me, still on edge. “What did you do?” she asked.

“What are you talking about? I asked if you were alright.”

“Liar,” she hissed.

I realized she was genuinely afraid and angry. I quickly made something up. “I was examining your pendant with one of my enchantments.” It was partially true. “It’s quite beautiful.”

She looked straight ahead and seemed to be trying to ignore me.

“Vivian? Are you alright?”

“What do you care?” she asked.

“I didn’t mean to scare you.”

She hesitantly looked my way. “Are you going to kill me?”

“What? No way! Why would I do that?” And why would you ask that!?

She calmed down a little more. She felt the pendant but it was still too hot.

“It’s magical. Do you know what it is?” I asked.

“I’d rather not say,” she replied.

So you do know what it does… I took a guess. “Does it hide your magical talents somehow?”

“W-what? That's ridiculous. I don’t have any talents. It's just something from my mother.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Why don’t you want people to know you’re a mage?” I asked.

“I’m not!”

That was much more believable but didn’t make much sense. “Then explain how you saw through my perception enchantment that makes people ignore the fact that I’m reading.”

“Lie,” she muttered. I barely heard her but I did. And she noticed. Her face paled as panic started rising within her.

“Vivian, please calm down. I’m not going to hurt you.”

She started breathing again.

“I just want to understand. You can trust me.”

“You’re hiding something. Sometimes you speak truly, sometimes you lie. I don’t understand why,” she said.

“You can tell when people are lying?” I asked.

She hesitated and then nodded.

“What an amazing gift.”

“More like a curse,” she replied.

“Is this why your mother was killed?” I asked. “Sorry, that wasn’t very sensitive of me.”

“It's fine. And yes, my mother was a seer. She could see the truth about things, tell when people were lying, sometimes she even had dreams of far-off places.”

“And you inherited her gift,” I surmised.

She nodded.

“So that’s how you could see through my perception spell?”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t know seers were a thing,” I said.

“I wish they weren’t,” she said. “My mother might still be alive then.”

“How did it happen?” I asked.

Vivian braced herself and told her story. It was tragic, as were most stories when commoners clashed with the nobles. A noble was accused of a crime and she testified against him. It was known she was a seer and she told the court each time he lied. That caused a lot of problems for the noble and he even threatened her.

Vivian’s mother was a stubborn woman and persisted. In the end, her mother was killed and the noble walked free. He was killed a few weeks later in a hunting accident. The man wasn’t well-liked and nobody questioned it. A few years later she lost her father to the flu.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” I said. The words sounded trite and empty but she seemed to appreciate the sentiment.

“Thank you. So how is it you can cast spells?” she asked. “I thought only casters could do that.”

Pit. I was hoping she wouldn’t notice that… I can’t even lie. She’ll know. Blast it! “I’ll keep your secret if you keep mine.”

“Agreed.” Her tension eased again. After all, she knew I was telling the truth.

“I’m a wizard. I posed as a caster in Hewitt, and here I pose as an enchanter. I’ve come here to rescue my wife who was captured during the war. I believe she’s being held in the capital.”

“I’m sorry. Seems I’m not the only one with a tragic story.”

“Mine isn’t over yet. I’m going to rescue her,” I said.

“I hope you can.”

“Will you help me? I need to gather information. Having someone who could tell me if someone is lying might be very helpful.”

“I can’t divine truth. I can only tell if they believe what they are saying is true,” she said.

“I suspected as much.”

“I will help you if I can, but I won’t be party to any torture or help you kill anyone,” she said.

“I wouldn’t ask you to do anything like that, but just associating with me could be dangerous.”

“Those bandits. Boris said you killed them all. One man against their whole group. Is it true?” she asked.

I nodded. “Yes.”

“I think you’re a dangerous man. Someone who can keep us safe even if we do run into trouble.”

“I will try,” I replied.

“I know. And I’ll help how I can.”

“Thank you, Vivian. I’ll help you too if I can.”

“What do you mean?”

“With your gift.”

She still hadn’t come around to the realization of just how useful her talent was. Then again, she had a good reason to fear it too. Once we stopped for the evening, I thought about seers and opened my book. Huh, I guess I should have expected this. There wasn’t an extensive amount of knowledge on seers but I learned a lot. I probably knew more about her gift than she did now.

After that, I looked up other magical abilities. I hadn’t expected there to be anything other than wizards, casters, and enchanters, but now I’d found a seer. What else was there that I didn’t know about?

What I found shocked me. Dragons? I’d grown up with myths and legends about them, but I’d never really believed they were real. My book claimed they were. They were rare, true, and didn’t frequent areas with humans but they existed. That was a bit too much knowledge for my taste. I was happier not knowing, but there were several other things as well.

Another type of mage was called a druid. The kingdoms around us didn’t have them but my spell book mentioned that they were common among wilderness tribes. Their powers were more limited, but they weren’t limited to just nature magic, but the natural elements and weather magic as well.

I called it a night after that. We had at least four more days before we reached Harrisburg, and then my search would truly begin.

Chapter 7

It took Danica several days to recover from the mad rush to the capital in the express carriage. It was the longest, most unpleasant journey she’d ever experienced, but she covered a lot of ground very quickly.

Harrisburg, the capital of Shander, was much like Cindell to her inexperienced eye. Instead of being situated along a river though, it sat beside a large lake. The city walls were tall and thick but aside from her trip through the city during her arrival, she hadn’t seen much.

They were keeping her in a very nicely appointed home with several guards to keep an eye on her. They had a pair of young maids assigned to her to take care of her needs and an older woman who kept them in line. Her freedom was restricted, and her magic suppressed, but she was under the care of an army Captain by the name of Cornelius Rollens. He was a count, married, and had several children that she’d heard mention of. She was kept in the city in one of his homes that the family didn’t live in full time, so she rarely saw him.

Several days passed in this way while clothing was made for her. She was tired from the trip and worried about the unknown. The maid had told her she’d be attending court tomorrow for her introduction to the king. From there, she’d almost certainly be moved, either to the palace or another noble’s estate where she would live as a ward until her fate was settled and she was married off.

The next day she was helped into one of the new dresses the maids called courtly attire and was soon escorted to the palace. She longed to see her husband again and feared what was to come. She knew he’d try something rash. Part of her hoped he’d stay with the army, and not get himself into trouble. Another part of her hoped he’d come for her. She had no doubt he would want to.

When she entered the ballroom the king was seated on his throne on the raised dais and she was the subject of much attention. Everyone seemed to stare at her as she was announced and then guided toward the king. Her escort was Count Rollens. She felt some gratitude that she didn’t have to walk through the room all alone. The nobles eyed her like hawks waiting for a chance to strike.

She stopped when Count Rollens did and he bowed. She was a half second behind him with her curtsy. With that done, he whispered to her, telling her to stay put, and then left her there alone. She gulped as her nerves got the better of her.

“So, you’re the mage that was giving the army so much trouble,” the king finally said. He was an older man with gray hair but he had a lot of life left in him.

“Many here will offer you proposals,” he continued. “For now, I decree that she will be given two weeks to settle in before any such proposals are made. Give her time to get her bearings. There is much Shander has to offer a mage of your caliber. I will also mention that you will not be asked to fight against the Kingdom of Hewitt in this war.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

He inclined his head a touch. “Does anyone have anything to add?” he asked.

The nobles immediately started talking over each other. Danica thought she saw a flash of annoyance from the king but she couldn’t be sure. He raised his hand and the room fell silent.

“Duke Marbarrow, what are your thoughts?”

“My liege.” The duke stepped forward. “I think we can all agree we had someone in mind to introduce to the young lady and see how they get on, thus, I suggest someone without such a motive to be given the duty of looking after her and taking her in as a ward.”

He got some nods of agreement, pensive looks, and some much less friendly looks to his words.

“Your words make sense, Duke Marbarrow. I suggest she stay here under my care in the palace. Do I have any objections?”

Another noble stepped forward. “My liege, such an arrangement would be quite overwhelming for our guest. She’s from a small town and was born a commoner. The young lady must already feel quite uncertain about her future, thus, I suggest my own humble home for her to stay at as an alternative. It would provide a less grand and overbearing place to stay where she’d feel more at home and relaxed.”

“You conniving schemer! No doubt you want to worm your way into her good graces and present one of your grandsons for consideration!” an old lady retaliated.

“Lady Brackenbach, I was merely pointing out that—” The room quickly filled with shouting again.

Wow, they are like children fighting over a toy.

The king silenced the room again. Somehow the arguing and lack of attention trained on her, as they discussed her future, eased her nerves. It was frustrating to hear how they talked about her, but she found the humor in it. They were arguing and snapping at each other like unruly children. It made her want to laugh but she contained the urge.

As she scanned the crowd from the center of the room she noticed one woman who was just watching without comment. Her face was beautiful but her stern look somewhat ruined her lovely appeal. Danica felt a shiver run down her spine as their eyes locked, then almost as if by magic, the woman’s face softened and Danica saw a touch of warmth in the lady’s eyes.

The king tamped his tall scepter several times to restore order to his vassals. When silence fell again, a single gentle voice called out. Danica turned and saw the intimidating woman from earlier before excusing herself as she moved through the crowd. After the first few noticed her, the rest saw her and quickly cleared a path.

The woman stopped right in front of Danica and looked her in the eye. “I invite you to stay with me at my manor a few miles outside of Harrisburg. You have my word no one will bother you for a minimum of two weeks. Do you accept?”

Danica swallowed hard, suddenly feeling very small for some reason. She glanced at the king but he wasn’t looking at her. He was looking at the woman with a mixed expression. He seemed both annoyed and pleased. Danica had no idea how such a thing was possible, let alone why. He didn’t seem inclined to forbid her to accept, though, so she decided the choice was hers.

“Do you not have any sons or nephews?”

The lady’s expression didn’t change. “Everyone knows I live alone and rarely attend any social gatherings or meddle in the affairs of the noble families. I can assure you, you won’t be bothered.”

“In that case, I accept.”

The woman smiled at Danica and then turned to the king. “I trust you have no objections?”

“We will reconvene on this issue in two weeks. During this time she will be required only to attend tea parties, so that the ladies may get to know her. I trust that is agreeable?”

“Of course. I shall host.”

“Very well. Thank you for stepping up, Lady Warren.”

The woman’s face slowly morphed into a sly smile. “Of course. I’m glad I could assist you with this small favor. I’m sure you’ll find some way to repay me in the future.” With that, she snapped open a beautifully painted fan and fanned herself.

“Come along, dear girl.”

Danica’s heart was racing as the woman led her out. All the noble's eyes were on her once again. Most looked displeased but not one word of discontent was heard. Danica found that strange. Very strange indeed.

* * *

“You’re spoiling me, kid,” Boris said.

This did nothing to stop him from taking the set of enchantments I offered him. He had no magical ability, so like with the guise ring I’d made for Lee, these had some limitations. They couldn’t be activated by thought. I’d spent half a day reading in my spell book to find a workaround for non-mages to utilize them. The non-magical activation method was more complex than I’d expected, but I finished them in time.

I offered Vivian a set, but she declined. I insisted she take a shield enchantment but that was all she would take. Lee had no interest in getting involved in my clandestine pursuits and potential conflict with the nobles, and I wasn’t sure how much I trusted him anyway. I made him a shield enchantment in case of emergencies and called it a day.

Boris got much more. Making another healing ring would take too much time, but aside from that, I gave him pretty much the same kit I used. Body enhancements, shields for various types of magic, and an anti-scrying enchantment. I’d looked into some kind of offensive enchanted wand with a reusable spell enchantment, but that was time-consuming just like the healing ring, and even trickier to make work for a non-mage.

I did hope to make a special enchantment to help Vivian with her seer gift. Something that would allow her to tap into her dreams while awake if necessary, but that was also a complicated piece of work. According to my spell book, a seer’s dreams were manifestations of the subconscious about people or events but they could also be considered a method of far-seeing—similar to scrying. Only a seer’s visions couldn’t be blocked as easily as a scrying spell. By their very nature, seers saw the truth about things. Such an ability was very difficult to obscure.

Boosting her abilities might be useful but we were almost to Harrisburg. It would be nice if she could just point me right to my wife, but the enchantment was beyond my current level of skill and would take a long time to make, so it wasn’t a priority. I’d need to rely on good old-fashioned methods to find my wife.

“Thank you, Devon,” Boris said with a smile.

“Practice with them. Once you have familiarized yourself with them, we should make time to do some sparring.”

“Sparring?” Boris looked intrigued.

“Better to be prepared and not need it, than be caught unprepared,” I said.

“Agreed.”

“Let's run over the plan again. Lee, are you still willing to visit taverns and inns and to help me gather information?”

“Yeah, I can do that. I just don’t want to blow this new start,” he replied.

“Fair enough.” I looked over at Boris and he picked up the conversation from there. “I’ll be making contacts, looking for information brokers, and buying information. If you need some extra muscle, I’ll be there.”

“And I’ll be listening,” Vivian said. “If someone is lying and I’m around, you’ll know.”

“Good. I will figure out what I need to do and get my business started as an enchanter. I’ll also have another disguise with which I’ll do any shady stuff.”

I also had my normal look which is what I’d use while practicing my craft as a merchant. No one would find it strange if a merchant was looking for information. Any merchant who didn’t stay on top of news and events would miss out on the changing winds.

“How are we doing on money?” Lee asked.

“I have two silver ducats left,” I said.

Boris and Vivian looked over and the man spoke. “I’ve got a few pence I can throw in if necessary.”

We were about to enter a town and from there, it only took a day to reach Harrisburg.

“No need. I’ll ask around and see if there are any people wealthy enough to buy an enchantment. I made a few simple enchantments I can sell.”

“Is that wise? Enchantments are regulated, aren't they?” Boris asked.

I shrugged. “We need the money. Besides, they are simple energy shield enchantments. It's not that they can’t be abused but they are primarily for defense.”

He grunted and let it go. I decided to play it safe. Once we settled in for the night, I put on a disguise with my guise ring and went out looking to make a sale. I asked around for a while before someone suggested the mayor. I thanked the man and soon tracked down where the mayor lived.

I rapped on the door and a woman answered it. She was attractive but past her prime and an easy life had resulted in her being plump around the middle.

“Are you looking for my husband?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am. I’m a trader and have several enchantments I’m looking to sell. I was told your husband might be interested?”

“What kind of enchantments?” she asked.

“I have two different kinds,” I said. “An energy shield that can take several fatal blows from a sword, or stop twice as many arrows before it needs to recharge.”

“These are for non-mages?” she asked.

“Of course!” I smiled. “They recharge automatically by the way.”

“And what’s the other one?” she asked.

“A lie detector. It glows blue if someone is speaking the truth and red when someone lies. If they mix truth and lies, it will glow yellow. Would you like to see it?”

“I admit I’m quite curious,” she said. “Will you come in? My husband is in his study. Depending on your price, he might be interested in both items.”

I eagerly accepted. This is exactly what I was hoping to hear. I’d put a bit of thought into what kind of enchantments I should focus on. Lie detectors and shields seemed like the most generally useful to anyone who would have the wealth to afford one. Merchants, officials, nobles, and more would have a use for detecting lies, and everyone who had any kind of wealth or power would have rivals or enemies and need protection.

She called for her husband as she offered me a seat at the table. He was even older than she was, and just as plump. I gave my pitch again and answered questions. He didn’t seem all that interested in the energy shield but was very interested in the lie detector.

After some haggling I let him argue me down to one gold ducat. When I left, we were both happy with the trade. Making the lie detector was well worth my time. I could whip one up in just over an hour and if the price held, that was an astronomical eight to ten ducats a day if I found a steady market for them.

I applied my Ignore Me spell and headed back to the inn we’d booked for the night. I slipped into my room unseen and returned to my normal appearance. I’d asked to be paid in silver ducats so I now had twenty-seven silver ducats to work with. It should be more than enough for our needs, but I hoped to sell a few more enchantments once we reached Harrisburg. Living in the capital would be more expensive and I didn’t know how much a license and other fees would cost to start a business.

For a magical profession like an enchanter, I might even need the king's approval. There was a war on though, so I figured it wouldn’t be too difficult to get licensed given the demand for enchantments was probably through the roof.

Our group was sitting around the table drinking ale, sharing stories, and in general just having a good time. Lee was making up for lost time, drinking excessively, Boris was reliving the glory days and telling war stories, but Vivian and I were quiet. I had plenty to worry about and a lot on my mind, but it wasn’t until Lee passed out and Boris decided to turn in that I found out what was bothering Vivian.

“Devon, can I talk to you for a minute,” she asked.

“Sure. What’s on your mind?” I asked.

“I don’t know how to say this,” she paused.

I smiled reassuringly.

“Devon, I had a vision and it concerns you.”

I frowned. “A vision? How does that concern me?” I asked.

“I-I think it's a vision of the future. There was a girl, you seemed to love her.”

My pulse quickened. “Danica?” I asked. “What did she look like?”

Vivian gave a description and my heart rate quickened. “That’s Danica! When you saw her, was she alright?”

“Yes, she was alive and well.”

I let out a relieved breath. I knew she should be fine, but that was a big difference from knowing it for sure. Just hearing that she was fine from a seer took a huge weight off my mind.

“There is more,” Vivian said.

“There was another woman. I couldn’t see her clearly in my vision, but I could sense she was powerful. Your wife was at her house for some reason. But I saw a cloak of death surrounding the other woman.”

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t know. I only know what my intuition is telling me and that is that she’s exceptionally dangerous.”

“What else?” I asked.

Vivian shivered. “I think she sensed me somehow. I felt her eyes on me and then my vision shattered. I woke up immediately after that.”

“Pit, that had to be terrifying!” I noticed the young seer seemed to be barely holding it together. When she reached for her ale her hand was shaking.

I caught her hand in mine. “Vivian. It’s okay. You’re safe. I’ll protect you.”

“Thank you, Devon, but I don’t think even you could face this woman and survive.”

That sent a chill down my spine. Vivian knew what I was capable of. I hadn’t needed to tell her the details about my fight with the bandits. Once we got on the road and she spent some time around me, she got flashes of insight about me and what I was capable of. Sometimes she got glimpses of past events from people.

When I was geared up with a full set of enchantments I could do a lot of damage. The woman in her vision had to be extremely dangerous if Vivian felt I wasn’t her match.

“We’ll be careful,” I said. “Do you want me to make you a guise ring?”

She nodded. “Yes, please. I don’t know if it will help, but it can’t hurt.”

After calming her nerves, I sent her off to bed. I looked up everything I could think of, trying to find something that might explain the sensation Vivian described that woke her. My spell book was thin on information for seers, but I managed to find something that might explain things. If a mage was powerful enough there was a chance they might sense a seer’s power brush across them. If they activated a ward or enchantment designed to counter seers, it could create the sensation Vivian described. There was no indication that anyone, no matter how powerful, could track a seer through their visions, so I hoped that would put Vivian’s mind at ease.

I turned in late. I’d start on a guise ring for Vivian tomorrow as we traveled. It wouldn’t be too difficult as I just planned to do a basic one for her, but I wanted to refresh my knowledge before I got started.

Thanks to Vivian, I had a lead. It wasn’t much to go on, but we hadn’t even made it to Harrisburg yet. I’d take what I could get. No one was going to stop me. If I had to face down one, ten, or even a hundred wizards to get my wife back, I would. I didn’t care how strong they were, I would find a way to prevail. No one was going to stop me.

Chapter 8

Danica was nervous as the young woman took a seat across from her. They had already exchanged pleasantries, and George, Lady Warren’s head servant, served them tea. The Lady of the house was there as well to entertain her guess.

“Thank you for agreeing to my invitation, Princess Evelyn.”

“It’s my pleasure, Lady Warren. The king has a high regard for you. How could I refuse?” The Princess smiled kindly but the way she clutched her dress out of Lady Warren’s line of sight, betrayed her tension.

Danica didn’t comment on it. She understood that feeling so she simply lifted her teacup and saucer and took a sip.

“I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced,” Princess Evelyn said, addressing her.

“Danica Wells,” she said.

“Evelyn Ramus, princess of Shander.”

“It’s a pleasure,” Danica replied.

The conversation paused as we sipped our tea. Lady Warren was the only one of us that looked relaxed and from what Danica could tell, she was always relaxed.

After the pause, Lady Warren got down to business. “General Demetri of house Ashford called upon me a few weeks ago and asked me for a favor.”

“Oh?” Princess Evelyn asked, her back straightening a touch as her tension rose.

Danica was getting better at reading people, or the princess was just very bad at hiding her feelings.

Lady Warren didn’t seem to care and continued. “Yes, he mentioned his son was smitten with you and asked for me to petition your father on his behalf for your hand in marriage.” Lady Warren took another sip of her tea as the blood drained from the princess’s face.

“W-what did you tell him?”

Danica felt her pulse quicken for the girl's sake. And for her own. If this was how marriages were decided among nobles, then she was glad she wasn’t a noble and even more thankful that she was already married. But at the same time that hardly mattered. To these people, they would just ignore that little fact, annul it, or if they couldn’t do that for some reason, they would kill to satisfy their desires. That’s why she hadn’t told anyone she was already married.

Lady Warren stared at the princess for a long moment and then snorted. “I told him I’d speak to you first, and hear your thoughts on the matter.”

The princess looked like she’d just been given a second chance at life. A stay of execution. “T-thank you, Lady Warren.”

“I take it you don’t fancy the match?”

“Pit, no!” The princess’s cheeks colored. “Please excuse my language.”

Lady Warren smiled faintly. “If that is the case, then who do you fancy?”

The princess’s muscles locked up again. “I, um, would rather not say.”

Lady Warren laughed. It was odd how pleasant it sounded. Almost like it came from a normal person and not this figure people whispered about with fear in their eyes.

“How can I put a good word in for you with your father if I don’t know who you fancy?” Lady Warren asked.

“Y-you’d do that for me? But you barely know me!”

“You’re a young woman and a princess,” Lady Warren said. “What’s there to know? I was once a commoner like Miss Wells here, a powerless pawn. You’re even more powerless as a princess. Bound by familial obligations and duty.” The woman snorted. “Nothing more than chains for heartless men to control you. I was young and foolish once too, but I woke up and escaped my fate. Do you want a chance to do the same or will you walk obediently into the noose?”

The princess thought for a moment and swallowed. “He’s my father's Court Wizard.” Her cheeks turned pink with the admission. “He’s been teaching me spells and overseeing my magical education. It started with some deep conversations on politics and then we started talking about our lives. Some light teasing followed and before I knew what happened, I realized I’d fallen for him. He loves me too, but our positions prevent him from saying anything.”

Danica listened with rapt attention. How Lady Warren responded could provide some insights into her fate. Not that she had given up hope on returning to Hewitt and reuniting with her husband, but for now she had to survive here.

Lady Warren wondered what this might cost her. “Perhaps I should speak with him as well. If he cares for you as much as you think, it might be worth it to exchange some favors with your father to give you a happy life.”

“Y-you’d do that for me?” Evelyn’s eyes widened but her surprise quickly turned to suspicion. “Why?”

“Simple. Your father is an ass. Taking one of his pawns off the board, and giving her a happy life would be reason enough, but my spies tell me he’s considering a match between you and an Ashan Duke.”

The Kingdom of Ashan had only a small land border with the Kingdom of Hewitt but it had a long border with the Kingdom of Shander. The two kingdoms had been allies once upon a time, but with the death of King Roger of Shander, at her hand, and the crowning of the Ashan heir after old age claimed the late king of Ashan, the two kingdom’s relations had soured.

Tensions between them had quickly risen. They were now eyeing each other closely, looking for a chance to take advantage of the other kingdom's weaknesses. The course of the current war wasn’t helping Shander but Lady Warren knew that this was part of the king's plan to lure Ashan into attacking. Her spies told her that Shander’s armies on the border with Ashan were constantly being shuffled around to appear smaller in an attempt to trick the Ashanians. So far they hadn’t taken the bait.

An alliance with one of the Kingdom of Ashan’s dukes could trigger a civil war at a crucial moment but Lady Warren didn’t care if Sahnder came out on top. Helping a powerless princess avoid a terrible marriage alliance was far more rewarding in her book.

“Which duke?” Evelyn asked.

“Duke Timmons of Hillcrest.”

“But he’s like fifty years old!” the girl's eyes widened in shock. She probably never expected to marry someone she loved, but she’d been holding out hope for someone at least within three decades of her age. She didn’t even need to mention his other prime traits. Or his poor reputation. Neither were good or at all appealing. He was rich and came with a title, but aside from that, he was just about any girl's worst nightmare.

“George!” Lady Warren called.

“My lady?”

“Send for the court mage,” she ordered. “Let's see if he’s interested in helping me meddle in the king's affairs.” She smirked. “He might hold the title of Court Wizard, but he's only a mage caster. A powerful one, I’ll grant you, but still just a caster.”

Evelyn wrung her hands. “If my father already has plans for me, will he really approve of your request?”

Lady Warren shrugged. “If he doesn’t, then you can just refuse to marry the duke. You can stand up for yourself, you know. It won’t be easy, but if you need a place of sanctuary, you can come to me.” Lady Warren looked her dead in the eye. “I cannot help you get here, but if you make it to my home, I will shield you. Do you understand?”

Evelyn squirmed. “Might I just stay with you now? A servant could be sent for my things.”

Lady Warren chuckled. “That might be a bit premature, but it would simplify things… hum. Yes. I will allow that. We’ll tell the king you’ve hit it off with Danica and you feel she needs a bit more company. That should work. Any objections, Danica?”

“None, Lady Warren.”

“It's settled then! You’ll be my guest until further notice then, Princess.”

“Thank you for your kindness, Lady Warren.”

“It is not kindness when it’s self-serving. I made him king and he still acts like I should bow down and lick his boots.” Lady Warren snorted. “Fortunately for him, he hasn’t tested my bottom line like the late king did.”

“What happened to the late king?” Danica asked.

“Oh? You haven’t heard the story?” Lady Warren smiled. “I suppose that makes sense seeing as how you’re a foreigner and a commoner to boot. Princess, why don’t you fill her in? Do some of that bonding we were talking about. I have a few things to prepare for our plans to work.”

The woman excused herself and left Danica alone with the princess. Just pretend she’s a normal person. It will be fine! Danica had enough run-ins with nobles to be wary of the princess, but contrary to her expectations the princess maintained the same attitude as she’d shown when Lady Warren was present.

“The story starts some twenty years ago,” the princess began.

Danica listened with rapt attention. A young commoner named Charis Warren had been discovered to be a wizard. She lived with her adoptive parents until she was found, and then the nobles got involved. Political intrigue abounded but before any of the noble’s plots could come to fruition, a war broke out and she was sent off to fight. The legend of Lady Mars was born. Danica felt a chill run down her spine at the stories Evelyn told her.

“Then one day, the king summoned her. He told her she’d marry his son and do her duty to the kingdom. She refused. Her parents were brought in, bound in chains. She’d just come back from fighting for her life, so she didn’t hesitate to resort to violence. Her adoptive parents were both killed in the fighting.  When the dust settled at the end of the week, the entire royal family was dead. Cousins, their wives, even children. She didn’t spare anyone.”

Danica listened, wide-eyed to the tale. “Then what?”

“Charis was the most powerful wizard in the kingdom at that point. She could have taken the throne if she wanted, but she chose a young Duke whose father the late king had executed and appointed him king. He was young but had a lot of support from his father's old allies. The other nobles didn’t quibble. It was better than fighting a civil war and they were either afraid they would be next if they disagreed. Or maybe they were under the impression that he would be easy to manipulate given his youth, but that wasn’t the case. After he was crowned, Lady Warren disappeared. It was only about five years ago that she returned.”

“My Father granted her lands and a title for putting him on the throne so when she returned, she was elevated to Countess.”

“Then what?” Danica asked.

“That’s pretty much it.”

“So she’s even more powerful now than before she left?” Danica asked.

“Oh, definitely. Eric Lunayis, the Duke of Cordais tried to force a union between her and his son and she leveled the entire manor and turned the estate's ground to glass. Everything was obliterated. No one knows how she did it. None survived, so there were no witnesses. One day everything was fine, the next the estate was a barren wasteland. The king summoned the nobles to court to discuss the attack. She marched in and said, ‘Duke Lunayis tried to manipulate me and he paid the price. This is your only warning.’ Then she turned around and walked out. No one tried to stop her, they were too shocked, and the rest is history.”

Danica found it hard to imagine. Her brief encounter with the king of Hewitt had left her with a deep appreciation for the physical presence he commanded. There is no way she’d have the nerve to do something like that.

They continued talking about other things. Danica wanted to know about life as a princess but spent more time answering questions about her own life. That was nerve-wracking as she needed to be careful what she said. She found herself enjoying the princess’s company. Princess Evelyn was very down to earth given her station.

* * *

Leeroy Banks didn’t like mages. They were all arrogant assholes. He’d only met a few but it was a well-known fact. Devon seemed different. He was just another guy—then he’d slaughtered an entire group of bandits in a few seconds. That left him shaken. He had a keen awareness of just how dangerous the man was.

He hid his fear well, but he wasn’t going to stick around. As soon as he got a chance, he was gone. That chance came the first night in Harrisburg. The Enchanter was blabbing on and on about the plan, trying to arrange them like pieces on the board. He wasn’t going to be a sacrificial piece in his game. What was so special about some girl? She was gone, move on, find another one. Sheesh. The man, barely more than a kid, was obsessed with her. He couldn’t remember her name… D something. It didn’t matter.

He pretended to trip and dumped his entire mug of ale on Vivian. He didn’t have an axe to grind with her, she was actually kind of cute, but this was just a means to an end.

She gasped as she looked at her soaked clothing, and then the overprotective guard dog jumped up from his seat. Boris Raylin. He was an enchanted guard dog for the mage. Dangerous, but he knew who held his leash.

“What the pit!” Boris shouted.

“It wasn’t my fault!” Lee shouted, overreacting to sell it better.

“Not your fault? You clumsy oaf, apologize!”

“I tripped, it was your chair that was sticking out in the walkway. You owe me an apology!”

Boris didn’t like that. “You’re the one who spilled all over Vivian.”

The girl hurried out to change. Her clothes weren’t quite indecent but no respectable young lady wanted to be seen covered in smelly ale.

“Get out of my way,” Lee snapped, thrusting his finger in Boris’s face.

The dumb thug grabbed it and Lee slapped him.

Boris got angry. He grabbed Lee’s shirt and shoved him against the wall. While they struggled, Lee grabbed Boris’s coin purse free and tucked it into his pocket. No one noticed during the commotion.

“Get off me!” Lee shouted.

“Hey! What is going on?” Devon demanded.

“This idiot spilled his drink all over Vivian and then blamed me for his clumsiness!”

Lee’s original plan was to dump his drink on Devon but that had the potential to end up with the mage killing him. Boris was strong, but only for a normal person. He wouldn’t kill him over something minor like this. A mage would.

“Let him go,” Devon said. “This isn’t something worth coming to blows over. You can’t make someone apologize.”

“You people are all crazy. I’m leaving!”

Devon’s eyes widened. “Wait, Lee!”

“Let him go, we are better off without him anyway.”

Lee almost made a clean escape, but Devon hurried out after him.

“Lee, I thought you agreed to help me rescue my wife.”

“Dude, she’s gone. You should just find another girl. There are thousands of women out there. You could have anyone, why are you wasting your time with her?”

Lee recoiled in shock as Devon’s fist slammed into his chin. “That's my wife you're talking about! I saved your life, you ungrateful man!” He bent down and grabbed the guise ring off Lee’s finger. “Go on then, get lost!”

“Gladly! You're going to get yourself killed!” Lee hurried off into the night.

He didn’t breathe easily until he had gone several blocks and was sure no one was following him.

Lee reached into his pocket and poured out the coin purse. “Four silver ducats. Not much, but better than being dead.” He muttered, then he continued on his way and lost himself in the city.

Chapter 9

I clenched my fists as I watched the ungrateful man hurry off into the darkness. I can’t believe he said that! The man’s words infuriated me.

“Just find another woman? What kind of useless excrement would do that? Danica is the only woman I’ll ever love…” My mother didn’t count. She hurt me when she left. I still loved her but that was a different subject.

What kind of man did you have to be to just abandon your wife when things got hard? I pitied any woman who fell for him. Lee would be toiling away in the mines right now if not for me, and this is how he repaid me? Was that whole fight a setup just to run off? I hurried back inside and checked my things. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw nothing was missing.

“Did you talk to him?” Boris asked, calmer now.

“Yes, he’s not coming back.”

“Good. There was something off about him.”

“Check your pockets. He might have taken something.”

Boris let out a curse a moment later. “That little twat!” Boris hurried out to look for him.

I sighed. We didn’t have much money but I’d split it between us so we all had some in case we needed something.

Boris was fuming when he returned a few minutes later.

“How much did he take?”

“Four silver ducats.”

That wasn’t too bad. “Do you want to report it?”

“No. It’s not worth the attention it would bring us,” Boris said. “Must have grabbed it when I shoved him against the wall.”

I nodded. That was the most likely time. “He planned this.”

“Do we need to worry about him turning us in?”

I shrugged. “We’re not doing anything illegal, but we should take precautions.”

“And change where we are staying,” Boris said with a sigh. “I’ll get Vivian.”

“Give her a few more minutes. She probably is in the bath. We can pack up but it's already late. Might be hard to find a new place to stay tonight.”

“There will be something open by the docks,” Boris said. “Those places cater to sailors so they are open late.”

I could just imagine how loud that would be, and smelly. “Joy.”

Boris snorted and went to pack.

Traveling through an unfamiliar city at night wasn’t fun. It was past midnight when we found a new inn. We were all exhausted. Just as I’d feared, the place was loud and smelly. They rented space by the bed and those who had passed out earlier were already loudly snoring. I stuffed some cotton in my ears before lying down to try to get some sleep.

The next morning I was poorly rested. We left immediately, not even staying for breakfast. We relocated to a better inn near one of the city gates. I told them to get comfortable and then we started revising our plans.

Boris would still look for an information broker while I would familiarize myself with the city and start my part of the plan. Vivian would stay off the streets for now.

If Lee gets desperate, he might sell us out for money. He’s already proven he’s a scumbag, has no honor, and is willing to steal. My plan was sound but it needed to be changed a little. I’d still play the role of a merchant at times, but if he told someone I was an enchanter who planned to start a new business, it wouldn’t be hard for the authorities to hunt me down.

I needed something else. I didn’t know how good Shander’s spy network was, but I wanted to avoid doing anything that would create a clear link between Devon Coal, the mage from Hewitt, and anything magical I did here. Devon Coal the merchant would be way less eye-catching if any reports crossed the spymaster's desk. They might know Danica and I had some interactions but they wouldn’t know we were married.

“Better use a fake name anyway,” I muttered. I used my mother's maiden name. I’d used it a few times before and it was easy to remember.

I continued to scope out the city. “Pit!” I cursed. All that planning was wasted! Now what am I going to do? A passing man glanced at me and I gave him a tight smile. He nodded back and continued on his way.

I’ll need money, a new account for my new name, and a place to stay long-term. The inn was nice, but I wanted more privacy. I’d planned to make the necessary funds doing enchanting work, but that was off the table now… or was it? Traveling merchant… selling enchantments? I need to look into that. If all else failed, I could find a fence and sell them on the black market. That held other dangers, but I wasn’t too concerned about the criminal element giving me trouble. Or rather, if I went that route, I’d be expecting it. I just didn’t believe they would be more than a nuisance to deal with.

I’m already aligned to take on the nobles. They are far more treacherous and deadly than simple criminals, murderers, and thieves. If anything, a skirmish with the criminal element might provide me with some good experience before I tackle the big leagues.

Stepping into an alley, I got to work. I focused on my guise ring and adopted a shady appearance with clothing to match, then I wandered the back alleys until I came across a group of thugs.

“Well, what have we here?”

“Are you lost? What are you doing wandering our territory?”

“Let’s just kill him.” The thugs asked questions and talked amongst themselves.

“Hold up, I want to see what he’s got to say. Well, come on then, out with it.”

I looked at all of them while my face was hidden within the shadows of my cloak. “Two things. I have things to sell that your boss will be interested in.”

“What things?”

“Enchantments,” I said.

That spawned a lot of whispers but I heard their words easily.

“For real?”

“Hey, let's jump him! We can just take them!”

“Yeah, screw the boss, we could take control of the gang ourselves if we had some enchantments!”

“Shut up!”

When they all fell silent the leader eyed me carefully.

“You said two things.”

I chuckled. I wondered if any of them noticed that. “Yes. Threaten me again, and your boss will need to find a new group of lackeys.”

They snorted and laughed. “This guy is full of himself! Come on, there are nine of us. What are you pansies worried about?”

I started walking toward them.

“What are you doing? Stop!” the leader said.

The dead man was still running his mouth. “Come any closer and we will gut you!”

“I told you not to threaten me,” I said in a low, dangerous voice. There was a momentary pause as I let that sink in, and then I activated my enchantments and sprang into action. In the dim lighting, I looked like a blur. I was on the loudmouth before they could react, grabbed his head between my hands, and with a sharp twist, snapped his neck. I was back where I’d started by the time his dying body crumpled to the ground.

“You’ve seen what I can do, and my product in action. Tell your boss. We’ll meet again.” There was dead silence in the alleyway. I eyed them for a response, but none of them made a move. I turned and started walking away.

“S-sir, how will we contact you if our boss wants to do business?”

“Be here tomorrow at midnight,” I said without turning around. “No funny business, or there will be blood.”

“S-sure! I’ll pass that along!”

I rounded the corner and took in a sharp breath. I was not cut out for this, but if I wanted to save Danica, I was going to need to learn to adapt. I’d killed before, but never when my life wasn’t in danger. I was a bit shaken at how easily it was to kill someone when using magic, but I knew the man had blood on his hands. He would have killed me if he could. How many others had he killed? Were his words just empty bravado? It didn’t matter, he’d made his choices and I’d made mine. One of us had to live with it. The other? Well, he didn’t have to worry about anything at all.

After making sure I wasn’t followed, I changed my appearance, cast my Ignore Me spell, and returned to the inn for some rest. The next day would be more productive. I now had a general idea of where things were. I’d tracked down a decent tailor, a realtor, and the city hall where I could speak to government officials about any licensing I needed. The officials there could help me with any other issues I might have too.

If my plan with the criminals worked, I’d have a large influx of money soon. And the enchantments only need to work for a short time. No point in giving them the power to terrorize innocent people. I planned to make a batch of enchantments just for this. They would work perfectly for ten hours and then cease functioning.

They might have enough time to familiarize themselves with them in ten hours, maybe even implement their plan before the enchantments stopped working, but I wasn’t too worried. If they created too much trouble it would draw the city guard’s attention to them. That wasn’t my concern. I just wanted the money. With my guise ring and magic, they would never find me after I made the sale.

I decided not to tell Boris my new plan. I’d already had to change everything on the fly because of Lee’s betrayal. Did his actions count as a betrayal? I thought so. He might not give me any more trouble, but I couldn’t count on that. I trusted Boris, but why take the unnecessary risk? And Vivian? She was just as likely to already know with her powers as not.

I was still looking for information on how to create a ward against seers, but even if the knowledge in my book was extensive, it didn’t have everything.

The next morning, Vivian gave me an odd look. “Is everything alright?” she asked.

I nodded. Then stopped and really looked at her. “Did you see something?”

She shook her head and looked away. After a short pause, she leaned toward me. Her face was serious and her eyes bore into mine. “There is an aura of death around you. Be careful, Devon, you’re on a slippery slope. I am sure whoever you killed deserved it, but you don’t want to leave a trail of bodies in your wake. Nothing good will come of it.”

“You can tell I killed someone?” My voice was full of surprise.

She nodded. “Yes, but only if it's recent. I’m a seer after all. I see more than most.”

“Did you know Lee was going to leave?”

She shook her head. “No, but given his character, I wouldn’t have trusted him anyway. How much does he know?”

“Too much,” I said, then I passed her the guise ring I took from him. “I altered this for you. It will let you change the appearance of your clothing. Any clothing you take a good look at, it can replicate.”

The guise ring I’d given her earlier would only let her change her physical appearance to two different preset options. With this, she’d have much more flexibility in case something went wrong.

“Thank you,” she said. “Can I try it out?”

I smiled. “Sure, just don’t draw attention to yourself.”

“I won’t,” she promised.

I finished my breakfast and was discussing Boris’s progress when she came out wearing a nice summer dress. She hurried over to me and hugged me from behind.

“This is amazing! Thank you so much!”

“You’re welcome.”

She moved around the table still smiling and took a seat. Boris looked very confused.

“Alright,” Boris said as he leaned back. “I’ll bite. What gives?”

“Devon was just showing me how he won his girl's heart!” Vivian said.

I nearly choked on my drink as Boris’s eyebrows shot up. I started coughing as Vivian broke out laughing.

“It's not what you think!” I wheezed.

“You gave me an endless wardrobe. That is the fastest way to a girl's heart.”

“Endless wardrobe?” Boris looked skeptically at me.

“It’s just a guise ring for disguise purposes. Not to play dress up with.” I glared at the seer.

She just grinned back, totally unrepentant. I could tell she was just teasing me. She didn’t mean anything by it.

“Your wife is a very lucky girl,” Vivian said as she patted me on the arm.

I cleared my throat. I was mostly recovered but that lingering tickle after swallowing wrong remained. “I was going to suggest you go look at places to buy or rent with me, but I guess we all know where you will be today.”

“And where might that be?” Vivian asked.

I rolled my eyes. “Browsing clothing stores, of course.”

“What a splendid idea!” she said. “Though looking at places to buy with someone else's money sounds fun too.”

“I pity the guy who falls for you.”

Boris chuckled darkly. “As you should.” He crossed his thick arms and smiled like a proud father.

“Well, on that note, I think I’ll head out.”

“I’ll come with you,” Vivian said. “You’ll want a woman’s perspective if you’re looking at a house.”

I sighed, already regretting suggesting taking her along. “Maybe you and Boris should handle it. I have to get to the bank and open an account.”

“That works for me. What's our price range?” Boris asked.

“Location is more important, I have funds in the bank we can use if necessary but I want to find work too.”

Boris nodded. “Let me know if you need help bonking heads together.”

“Not for now, but thanks.”

With that, we parted ways. They went house shopping and I went to the bank. Someone had to pay for it all and I was the only one with money.

Chapter 10

I swear, every banker was required to have either a pair of glasses hanging half off their nose, or a long nose to look down. They all seem to have mastered that look of dismissal, like they were examining an interesting horse patty, or maybe a rare insect of no consequence.

“Can I help you, sir?” the banker asked in a flat tone.

“I’d like to make a withdrawal,” I said.

“Are you a member of the Traders Bank?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Name?”

“Devon Coal.”

“Fill out this slip in the amount you’d like to withdraw.”

“Can you tell me how much I have in my account?” I asked.

He pushed his glasses up his nose and pulled out the ledger with a big C on the side.

“Coal, Coal…. Ah, here we are. Coal, Devon.” He picked up a quill, wrote out my balance, and slid the paper across the counter to me.

I felt my eyebrows rise as I looked at my balance. “There must be some mistake,” I said.

“The Trader’s Bank prides itself on our reputation. I assure you, there is no mistake.”

I glared at him. “Then why is my balance zero?” I demanded.

He took in a breath. “The officials in the Kingdom of Hewitt filed charges of desertion against you, and confiscated your assets.”

“And the bank just let them?” I demanded.

“The bank safeguards our interests and our customers, however, if a crime has been committed, then we work with the authorities of whatever nation or nations are involved to uphold the local laws.”

I forced down my anger and started nodding slowly. “Okay, here is what is going to happen. You’re going to send a message to your branch in Cindell and tell them to transfer the funds to Harrisburg. If that can be done on paper without moving coinage around, that's fine, but you will make my money available to me. Do you understand?”

He smirked faintly. “I can understand your frustration, sir, but the Trader’s Bank does not work on demands and threats. If there is nothing else I’m going to have to ask you to leave, or the guards can escort you out.”

I glanced down at his nameplate. “Vernon Holmes.” I looked up and met his eyes. “I’ll be back in two hours. By the time I return, I’ll know exactly where you live, if you’re married, how many children you have—if any—and where they live if they are married. You may think your bank doesn’t mess around with threats and demands, but I can assure you, I will either have my money or the head of a thief. Your head. Do you understand me?”

“Congratulations, Mr. Coal. You’ve just been blacklisted by the Traders Bank—” He cut off as my air spell formed around his face preventing him from breathing.

“Let's take a step back to where you give me what is mine, and no one dies. You forget this conversation ever happened, and you don’t go home to a bloodbath.”

He was sitting stock still, finally realizing that he was never going to win this argument.

He nodded quickly and I released my spell.

“Now, what was that about blacklisting me?”

“N-nothing, sir mage!”

“That’s what I thought. How soon can my money be ready?”

“I’ll start on it right away!”

Sometimes I hated the bad reputation mages had, but in this case, it saved me a lot of trouble and a lot of blood. I’d never actually hurt his family, but the reputation of mages and my little spell brought him to a very different conclusion.

“Would you like to wait in the lounge?”

“I’m fine right here,” I said.

He gulped and got the paperwork started. He was done and received a response in record time. I don’t know what he told them, but he assured me I’d have no problems in the future.

“Thank you and good day.”

I withdrew all of my money. They brought my money out in a heavy-duty box. All eight-five gold ducats, seventeen silver ducats, and five pence of it.

“Thank you for using the Trader’s Bank, sir mage.”

Vernon’s face was pale and clammy when I left. As soon as I left the bank, I found a place to change my face and cast an Ignore Me spell on the box. Then I turned around and headed back to the bank with a new look. It was time to open a new account and I considered setting up another fake identity in case something like this happened again. I never anticipated the bank would refuse to give me what was mine.

That detail was probably in the fine print…

I saw Vernon hurrying out as I entered wearing a different face. The poor guy is probably going to check on his family. I didn’t feel great about scaring him but I did what I had to do and nobody got hurt so I considered it a win.

I opened an account under a new name. I went with Samuel for my first name and used my mother's maiden name. I missed her terribly. Danica’s kind heart and gentle demeanor were probably what first attracted me to her, besides the fact that she was beautiful. Their personalities were different, but they both had the same caring heart.

As Samuel, I deposited fifty-five gold ducats and change, then I repeated the process with a new name for the last thirty-three gold and change. I went with Arnold Hawk for the emergency account and used a face I was familiar with so I never forgot it. Arnold Hawk was an old man. I used the face of Amber’s father. She’d been the girl next door when I was living in Shale and he looked the part for that persona.

I wondered how Amber was getting on. When we parted ways, it was a bit of a mess. She confessed her love to me and I rejected her, but I truly wished her the best.

With my banking done, I left and switched to my Samuel persona. He would be the one buying the house. Samuel was a merchant and focused on high-end clientele. He was a broker for an enchanter and sold enchantments to nobles. I’d heard all kinds of gossip that floated around noble circles this way, at least that was my hope.

While Boris did his part gathering information, or paying to have it done, I would be brushing shoulders with the nobles and picking up any tidbits and rumors I could. I’d also have a nice cover to visit the merchant circles as well as further expand my information-gathering options.

It was still early in the day so I stopped by the tailor to get fitted for clothing for my new persona. Samuel was a successful businessman. He needed quality clothing. My guise ring was enough to play the part for now, but I needed more than a surface-deep cover. As for Arnold Hawk, I didn’t do anything. He was a ghost. Nothing more than a name. Impossible to track.

After getting my clothing ordered, I headed for the postmaster’s office and sent off an update for my ship captain. He was to stay out of Hewitt until further notice. The last thing I needed was for my ship to get confiscated too. I told him where I was now but sent no other orders. He was bringing in money so there was no reason to change anything.

I familiarized myself with the market district, got a better feel for the city, and then returned to the inn in preparation for my midnight outing. Vivian and Boris filled me in on their day.

“It was good,” Vivian said. “We found several acceptable places, but haven’t decided on one yet.”

“I’ll take a look with you tomorrow. The sooner we get a place, the sooner I can start my business,” I said.

“After Lee left, I thought you were going to change up your plans, ” Boris said.

“I did. I’ll not burden you with the details, but it shouldn’t be any more dangerous than my previous plan. Nothing you need to worry about.”

“You’ve gotten more paranoid,” Vivian said. “But I understand. We can’t let something slip if we don’t know about it.”

“Exactly.”

I appreciated how she didn’t point out that I might not trust them, I did, but there was just no point in risking it. From the look in her eyes, I knew she understood this.

Boris just grunted. He was probably used to this from his time in the army. Need to know and all that.

“Are you going out again tonight?” Vivian asked.

“Yes.”

“Be careful. I don’t want to have to explain to your wife that something happened to you after we find her.”

“I’ll be careful,” I promised.

She nodded and left it be. After she retired for the night, I asked Boris a few more questions but nothing interesting came up.

“So did Vivian have a favorite place?” I asked.

“She does, probably not what you’re looking for though. The location is nice but not near the market area.”

“I’ve been thinking it might be best if you two had your own place,” I said.

“Can you afford multiple places?” he asked.

“Renting? Sure. I don’t know the going rates, but I am fairly well off.”

“How well off?” he asked.

I thought for a moment and then gave him a hint. “I worked for a time for a silver per hour. That adds up over time. Most mages can earn about a gold a day but enchanters can do even better if they have a market for their work. An average body enchantment sells for five gold ducats. Once I start selling enchantments, I’ll be able to make plenty of money.”

He let out a curse. “Once you start selling, you’ll be swimming in gold”

“Yes, so providing a place for you two won’t be a problem. If anything goes wrong with my plan, you’ll have your own place and not be caught in the crossfire. It’s a reasonable expense.”

“I’m not afraid of a fight.”

“No, but Vivian is your ward and she doesn’t need to be caught up in my problems any more than she already is.”

He grunted. “I’ll keep it in mind. The place wasn’t cheap.”

We talked about prices. Housing in a capital city was always more expensive. Those outside the wall were far less expensive but also exposed. Especially with a war on. A nice but small house for a couple would cost two gold ducats in Shale. A larger home for a family could run as much as seven. In Cindell, even a small shack would cost five ducats. Something for a family would be closer to thirty. The prices in Harrisburg were similar.

I would spend a chunk of my funds getting a place but I wouldn’t be broke since I’d received a large sum of money from killing Lars Jenova in a duel. I was still anxious though. I didn’t like being in the red. I wanted to get to work soon so I didn’t keep losing money.

With a better picture in mind of the cost of living, I retreated to my room and made up some more short-term enchantments. These would only last ten hours before they stopped working. Perfect to sell to criminals for some quick money. I didn’t want to create a long-term problem and had no qualms about ripping them off. I’d made some earlier that day when I had nothing else to do, but I made a few more now since I had time.

Midnight was approaching so I finished up. I gathered up the rings, bracelets, and necklaces in a bag and headed out. I adopted my shady appearance. I called this persona Shade. The rendezvous point was some distance away so I triggered my speed enchantment to save time as I crossed the city. I’d left a bit early so I could scout around the area before the meeting. Vivian told me to be careful so I decided to make sure they weren’t planning to ambush me.

I was confident I could escape or smash through any ambush they set with my enchantments, but why risk it? I was there to make money, not shed blood.

As I got close, I activated my mental enchantment and energy shield just in case. My other enchantments were ready and waiting. Scouting the area took just a few minutes. I’d circled the meeting point and verified that no soldiers or bands of thugs were waiting. Then I slowed down and triggered a perception enchantment to fade into the shadows. I activated my Ignore Me spell next. With the two combined, I was practically invisible.

I checked inside the surrounding buildings next. All was clear. I was about to head to the rendezvous point but decided one final check couldn’t hurt and scried the area. Nothing was amiss. Alright, guess that is good enough. The meeting awaited.

Six men walked into the alley while ten more waited close by as backup. They were positioned close enough to help if something went wrong or guard their retreat if necessary. Satisfied they weren’t setting a trap, I double-checked my disguise. It was fine. With a deep breath to steady my nerves, I walked out to meet them.

My pace was slow and steady like I was stalking prey. Intimidation was my goal. If they were afraid, they would be less likely to haggle or fight me.

“You killed one of my men,” the boss said.

He was easily recognized, he wore a fancy set of clothing, and his shoes were freshly shined. He was overweight but not excessively so. His big frame would let him tower over most men but I was almost at eye level with him.

I reached into my bag of enchantments, pulled out a ring, and tossed it to him. “Five gold each. That one’s free, payment for your man.”

He tried it on and a shield shimmered around him. “Give it a hit,” he ordered.

His henchmen hesitated and then went for a gut shot. He grunted when his fist hit the shield and then he cradled his hand.

“You good?”

“I think it’s broken, boss.”

The boss laughed as he patted him on the shoulder. “Got any healing enchantments in that bag?”

“No. Healing is regulated by the guilds. If I start selling healing enchantments, they take notice. Then we all hang.”

He snorted. “It's a good shield but not worth five gold. I’ll pay two for each shield.”

“No,” I stated.

“No? What do you mean no?”

“The price is five.”

There was a long pause. “Four. Last offer.”

I thought for a moment. Then agreed. “Four I can do, so long as the body enhancements are at the same price.”

“That is acceptable. What else do you have?”

“I have fifteen each of the strength and speed enchantments, and fifteen energy shields. Four fire shields. Two Perception rings, and one spirit shield.”

“Perception ring? How does that work?” the boss asked.

“It lets you go unnoticed. I’ll demonstrate.” I activated the perception ring. It was similar to my Ignore Me spell.

They all looked alarmed. “He just disappeared!”

I moved ten feet to the side and then deactivated it. “I didn’t disappear,” I corrected. “I became so boring that your brains ignored me.”

“That is amazing. How much for those?”

“Seven gold.”

“I’ll take them both. I want ten of each of the body enhancers and the shields.”

I pulled out the ones he didn’t ask for so the bag had only his items left in it. The fire shields were five gold each and the spirit shield was seven gold.

“Payment?”

“Bring out the gold,” he ordered.

Two guys hurried down the street and signaled someone. It took five minutes but four men rounded the corner guarding two more who carried the sturdy crate with my payment.

“Let’s see the items,” the boss said.

I nodded and came closer. “Show me the money.”

The boss grinned and nodded to the men. They set down the crate and popped off the lid. I easily saw the gold coins despite the dim light in the alley.

“Satisfied?”

I nodded and handed him the bag. “They are all there.”

“How much do I owe you?” he asked.

I’d already run the math. I could do that and still pay attention with my mental speed boosted like it was. 21+120+ 20 = 161 gold ducats.

“One hundred sixty-one ducats,” I said.

His eyebrows rose. “That sounds a bit high. Break it down for me.”

“You wanted ten of each of the speed, strength, and shield enchantments. Those cost four gold each. So that’s four times thirty and it comes to one hundred twenty. Seven gold each for the spirit shield and two perception rings. That’s another twenty-one, and the four fire shields are five each. Another twenty.”

“How about we call it an even one hundred twenty?”

I shrugged. “That’s acceptable. Count it out for me where I can see it,” I said.

He nodded to his boys as he started going through the bag and testing the enchantments.

I kept a close eye on him even as I watched them count out my money.

“Your goods are just as promised,” the boss said. “Here is your money.” He waved toward the coins and I nodded.

He had his guys throw my money into a thick sack and one of them carried it over to me. In total, it weighed less than eight pounds.

“Gentlemen,” I said, then I blurred and was gone.

I stashed my gold on the roof a block away and hurried back with my perception spell running full blast. My heart pounded as I got close and listened.

“That went well,” the boss said. “Let's get back. I have plans for these enchantments.” He then handed one of the perception rings to a thin guy who looked right at home in the dark alley. The man faded from view but I had an easy read on him as his body still glowed under my enhanced vision. I decided to follow him but it was a waste of time. He staked out a warehouse and didn’t move. It was either their next target or more likely a rival's base.

I retrieved my money and hurried back to the inn. My Shade persona vanished and I wore my own face as I went to sleep.

Chapter 11

“How did it go?” Boris asked me as we sat around the table for breakfast.

I swallowed and then answered. “Didn’t have any trouble.”

“How did you make out?”

“About how I expected.”

He waited.

“Topped one hundred gold ducats,” I said.

He whistled just as Vivian staggered out half awake.

“Stop,” she complained. “That’s too loud.”

Boris just laughed. “What’s the matter? I didn’t see you drinking last night.”

“I couldn’t sleep and now I have a headache.”

I wondered what that was about, so I probed a little. “Bad dreams?”

She had sat down and rested her head and arms on the table. “Yeah.”

Boris and I exchanged a look. He seemed unsure what to do. I waved him away, I could handle this.

“I’m going to go check the horses.” Boris’s chair screeched as he slid it back.

Vivian winced at the sound as he left.

Vivian hadn’t told him about her gift. When we’d talked about it previously, I’d used a perception spell so no one wouldn’t hear the conversation.

“Anything you want to tell me?” I asked.

“No, just nightmares. Nothing magical about them.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, it's not hard to tell.”

“Vivian, what’s bothering you?”

She put her cheek on her arm and could look up at me after brushing her morning hair out of her face. “That wizard who I felt saw me? I’ve been having nightmares that she finds me.”

“That sounds scary.”

She closed her eyes but they immediately opened again. “It is.”

“I looked up what you were describing in my spell book. There is no way that wizard knows who you are. They may have detected your vision, which was centered on them somehow, but that feeling of them seeing you, that’s just a side effect of them detecting your vision.”

“It wasn’t just a feeling. She knew. She looked right at me.”

“Well, that was metaphorical,” I said. I was fairly confident what I said was accurate, but not as much as I would have liked. “She likely sensed your magic brush over her and erected a ward to prevent it.”

“Thanks for trying to put my mind at ease, Devon, but you know I can tell when people lie.”

“I wasn’t lying.”

She patted me on the arm. “There were enough guesses in there, that you presented as truth, to make that statement questionable. But I appreciate the gesture. Knowing you’re probably right helps.”

“Are you going to go house shopping again today?”

“I’m going to try to get some more sleep. Maybe this afternoon.”

“That’s fine, Boris has some people to go see, better he do that without you anyway.”

She hummed acknowledgment and then went back to bed.

I finished my food, washed it with some milk, and then started my day. I had funds now. It should be plenty to get started. The house could wait until Vivian was there to show me what she’d found. Boris was off to talk to the brokers and get us some information, so I hit the market. When my new clothing was ready for my Samuel persona, I’d start selling, but I just walked around and checked prices for now.

I shook my head as I started down the second row of vendors. Sheesh, prices on everything have shot up. I was missing out on a fortune due to those nobles who forcefully conscripted me and my wife but making enchantments would be a good trade-off. I would make more off those than buying and selling mundane goods anyway, but it still aggravated me. None of this would have happened if they left us to live our lives.

A jeweler caught my eye. If I’m going to sell to the nobles, I’ll need some fancy rings and such to enchant. I wasn’t experienced when it came to expensive jewelry but his pieces looked decent.

“Good morning, sir!” he greeted me.

I was using my guise ring and was dressed up as Samuel wearing what appeared to be fancy clothing.

“Morning,” I replied.

“See anything you like?” he asked.

“Yes, several pieces. Let me see the purple set.” The gems were a gorgeous color and went well with the silver rings, earrings, and bracelets. The man had a whole set done in gold as well, but I preferred the look of the one with the silver base.

I took a closer look and found the quality acceptable, at least for my standards. A noble snob might have found reason to scoff at them but I thought they were nice. I hadn’t run to the bank yet, so I had plenty of money stashed in my room. I’d brought some with me in case I found something I wanted.

“How much is this set?” And so we started haggling.

I managed to knock fifteen percent off his starting price and walked away happily. I noticed a pickpocket following me a few vendors later. They knew where to look for marks and seemed to have pegged me as a target. I chuckled as I bought some sweets for Vivian. I hoped they would cheer her up. With my shopping done, I vanished into the crowd. To the pickpocket, it would seem like he just lost me in the crowd. My perception spell was so useful.

I grinned as I saw him look around for me in confusion, then headed back to the inn. I settled into my room and started enchanting the two sets. Each set had two earrings, one finger ring, and a bracelet. I used the ring to make an energy shield. This one was permanent and much stronger than the pieces I sold to the criminals. The earrings were next and I enchanted them with a spirit shield and an air shield.

The bracelet was large enough for two enchantments but I didn’t have much experience with doing that, so I fiddled around on some other junk till I was comfortable using the expensive piece. I put a strength and speed combo on the bracelet. Then I did the same thing for the gold set.

I needed to figure out how to get myself into the noble's circles. Word of mouth would be the easiest way, but I didn’t know any nobles here. Sneaking in might work, or a chance encounter? I decided to go for the last one. If necessary, I could always hire some thugs to mug someone and then save them. Yeah, kinda sleazy, but I’d do it if I had to.

Several hours later, I was watching a restaurant that nobles frequented. I was still no closer to my goal. This is a waste of time. Chancing upon an encounter with a noble was a foolish plan. How can I catch their attention in a positive way? Magic was the only thing that came to mind. Enchantments in particular.

“I’ll see about setting up a booth in the uptown market. That will take time though. I didn’t want to be like one of those merchants who hawked their wares by shouting out to people as they walked past.

I headed to the city hall and stood in line for half an hour before it was my turn.

“Next!” the clerk called.

I walked up and released some of my frustration as I exhaled.

“How can I help you?” the man asked.

“I want to rent a space in the uptown market. Who do I see about that?” I asked.

“You’d need to set up an appointment with the Market Manager, fill out the proper forms, and apply for a license depending on your product. What are you looking to sell? I’ll warn you now that the uptown market has quality control inspectors that make sure the market only has the highest quality goods.”

“I sell enchantments,” I said.

His eyebrows rose. “Interesting. Let me see if I can’t speed up the process a bit.” He pulled out a small notepad and quickly wrote a note. “Give this to the Market Managers secretary. Also, these are the forms you’ll need to fill out to sell magical goods. The Market Manager will have the forms you need to fill out and rent a space. What else… Oh, right! When you go to the royal office to confirm your merchandise is authentic. Tell Chamberlain Louis that I sent you. My name is Henry Kaylor. Here is my card, and a little tip, if you’re in a rush, Hailey Baloma likes sugar cookies. She’s the Market Manager’s secretary. A plate of cookies will smooth the process there if you understand my meaning.”

I frowned. Cookies? Is that code for something? I glanced around and leaned close. “Cookies? Flour, eggs, and sugar, those kinds of cookies?”

He hesitated for a moment and then laughed. “Yes, actual cookies. You’ll know when you see her.” He chuckled at my expense. “Let me know if you have any trouble, I’m here four days a week, open to closing.”

“Thanks, Henry. Oh, where can I find the Market Manager's office?”

“It’s in the stone building catty-corner to us here. Out the door and to the left across the intersection.”

“Thanks!”

My next stop was a bakery which took me two blocks away before I backtracked and tried my luck with the secretary. Hailey Baloma wasn’t anything like I was expecting. A woman with a sweet tooth? I expected her to be plump. Nothing could be further from the truth. She was more like a fire spell gone wrong! Her eyes lit up with an almost magical gleam as I presented my offering.

It took an obvious effort for her to reign in her enthusiasm and tear her focus away from the plate of cookies.

“Can I help you?”

I smiled. “I’m sure you can…” I explained my request and she got started with the forms I needed. I offered her a cookie as she kept looking at the plate.

“Pit, yes!” She let out a delighted moan of pleasure that sounded very suggestive. I hoped no one walked by and heard her.

“You went all the way to Stella's Bakery! Who told you how to win my heart?” she asked. “Was it Rose?”

“Um, no. Henry over at—”

“Henry Kaylor? How is he doing?”

“He looked fine to me.”

“Stella’s cookies are my favorite. If you’re a secret admirer here to ask me out, the answer is yes.”

I covered my shock and cleared my throat. “I’m sorry, no offense, but I’m married.”

“Oh!” She glanced at my finger and saw my ring. “I’m sorry. I assumed it was one of your enchantments.” She chuckled.

“No problem.”

She ignored the awkwardness and took another cookie. “Your wife is a lucky girl. I’ll see that your appointment is first thing tomorrow. Bring some hot black coffee and you won’t have any problems.”

“Any particular place?”

“Huh… He prefers Bristol’s, but it will be cold before you get here.”

I chuckled. “Where’s it located? I’m sure I can figure something out.”

She hesitated and then glanced at my finger that was tapping on her desk and grinned. “Brilliant idea.”

She supplied me with directions which I wrote down.

“Any tips for dealing with the King’s office or Chamberlain Louis?”

“He’s a proud man. No cheap tricks to get on his good side. Just mind your manners. I guess you could try offering him an enchantment but it would have to be high quality.”

I nodded slowly. “Something for his wife maybe?” I asked.

“Oh, he’s not married. And by the way, I was just flirting with you. Didn’t mean anything by it.”

“It's fine. Maybe the Royal Chamberlain has a lady friend?” I mused.

She laughed. “You’re a shrewd man.”

“Blame Henry, he clued me in on how the kingdom's officers operate!”

“Maybe I should pay Henry a visit. We do get off about the same time.”

“What time should I be here tomorrow?” I asked.

I wrapped up my business there and headed toward the palace. There were several sections to the palace and I would probably never see most of it. The administration wing was my destination. To sell enchantments, I needed to apply for a license and that required royal approval. The Royal Chamberlain had the authority to grant me a license on the king's behalf.

Things didn’t go as smoothly at the palace. The guards questioned me and let me pass easily enough, but the royal Chamberlain wasn’t there. I had to deal with a crabby clerk who hated people and seemed to be offended that the world existed. I filled out the necessary forms and was told to come back tomorrow to see if I was approved. The clerk warned me that the process could take up to two weeks.

That wasn’t very encouraging. I was here, Danica was close by, but I felt further away from her than ever. I almost went back to wait for Boris, hoping he had better news, but I buckled down and gathered some information. I went to one of the fancier inns and spent several silver ducats buying people drinks and listening to rumors. It was amazing what people would tell their new ‘best friend’.

I filed away this experience. If I was ever looking for information, I could use this trick again. Unfortunately, I wasn’t hearing what I wanted to hear. I didn’t care about news on the war or the rumor that Ashan was buying up food stocks, or that a riverboat went missing on the Nammi River. That information could be worth a lot to the right people at the right time, but I had more pressing things to worry about.

Finally, just as I was about to give up hope, one of the servers, a pretty young lady, slipped me a note when she brought me another ale. ‘Meet me in the kitchen,’ is all it said.

Not sure if this was something I wanted to respond to, I glanced her way when she went about serving another table. She hasn’t been flirting with me, and she doesn’t look interested, but… I couldn’t figure out what she was after. I’d been flirted with and hit on enough to know ladies found me attractive but this girl hadn’t given me that vibe.

I decided to give it a shot. If this was something shady, I had my enchantments and could just leave if necessary.

When she returned to the kitchen, I got up and followed her back.

“Hello?” I held out the note.

She glanced over at me as she placed the dirty mugs on a counter to be washed. She talked as she worked. “You’ve been buying people drinks since you got here. What are you trying to learn?”

“That obvious?” I asked.

She smirked. “I’ve seen it before. So?”

I took a deep breath. No harm in asking I guess. This shouldn’t raise any red flags. “I heard a rumor that some mage was captured in the war and brought to the capital. What can you tell me about them?”

She held out a hand expectantly. I raised my eyebrows.

“Well, hurry up. I haven’t got all night,” she said.

I placed a silver ducat on her palm and she kept looking at me. A second and a third had the same result.

“How much is this going to cost me?” I asked.

She smirked. “Seems important to you. Ten silver.”

“Pit! That’s probably more than you make in a week.”

She grinned. “It is.”

I sighed. “You’re not a waitress, you’re a shakedown artist!”

She laughed delightfully. Only when the last silver was handed over did she start talking. “You’re talking about the powerful fire mage, correct?”

I nodded.

“Her name is Danica Wells,” the waitress said. “The nobles already met to discuss her fate but none of them left happy.”

“Why not?”

“Don’t know. Rumor has it that the king wanted to keep her at the palace as his guest but the nobles didn’t like that. Then The Red Lady told them to suck it, took her, and left. Maybe the other nobles don’t like her. She does have quite the reputation.”

“The Red Lady?” I asked.

“Pit! Were you born under a rock? The Red Lady. The Lady Mars. The God of War? Seriously?” She threw her hands up in the air. “How do you not know about her? She is the most powerful wizard in the kingdom, if not the world!”

I felt my heart drop. She shook her head and walked past me, leaving me in a daze. When my brain started working again, I clenched my fists. No wonder she sensed Vivian’s vision. This isn’t good. Not good at all.

Chapter 12

My mood was in the gutter when I headed back for the night. I was considering the problem, trying to come up with a plan in case I had to confront a powerful wizard head-on when a fancy carriage came barreling down the street and nearly ran me over.

“Get out of the way,” the driver shouted.

“Go to the pit!” I shouted after jumping out of the way.

The carriage came to a stop faster than I thought possible. A tall young noble climbed out, staggering as he turned to look at me.

“You there!” he shouted, swaying from too much alcohol as he approached me with angry steps.

“My lord, it's late, we should get you home before your father worries,” the man’s servant said.

“My father! My father?” He screamed. “Since when does my father care about me? He doesn’t care about anything but scheming!”

“Your father has many things that require his attention, I’m sure he will speak to the king on your behalf any day now.”

“He won’t,” the man shouted.

I started walking again, I didn’t need whatever drama this was.

“Hold fast man!” he shouted. “I’m not done with you yet!”

“My lord, I really must insist!”

The noble backhanded his servant across the mouth. “Shut up! If my father cared about me, he’d have spoken to the king already, instead, he went to that crazy woman and begged like a coward!” He closed the distance between us and grabbed at my shirt.

I dodged back, making him stumble when he missed.

“You bastard. Hold still!”

“Drop dead,” I replied.

My words surprised him but anger quickly took over. “I’ll kill you!”

He drew his sword, and I knew that any chance of avoiding a confrontation was gone. I thrust my hand toward his face and snapped my fingers right in front of his eyes. A simple light spell flared brightly and the noble cried out as he staggered back while rubbing his eyes.

“You think you can threaten my life and just walk away?” I growled. My mood was already bad, and then this spoiled brat came along. I didn’t hesitate as I kicked him in the groin.

He hit a note well into the high soprano range as he cried out. His legs buckled and his knees hit the cobblestone. I was still frustrated and wanted to vent. I punched him in the cheek and he toppled over on his side. His sword fell to the ground, forgotten as he cradled his wounds.

“Guards! Guards!” the servant shouted.

I felt my temper boil. This guy was going to kill me, and now his servant calls for the guards? They will kill me if they catch me. I hadn’t done anything wrong. The injustice of it all, set my temper off. I marched toward the servant.

“Y-you’ll be executed for this!” the man shouted. “And your family too! Do you have any idea who you assaulted?”

“No. Why don’t you tell me who was about to murder me before I defended myself?” I snapped.

“My master is General Demetri of House Ashford and you just attacked his son! You’re a dead man, but if you surrender now, I’ll put in a good word for you and have your family spared.” He puffed up his chest waiting expectantly for me to surrender to fate.

I snorted. “General Demetri? Shame on him for raising such a bastard of a son.”

“Why you!” The man’s eyes bulged as I didn’t cower in fear after he so proudly stated who his master was.

He was opening his mouth to continue dressing me down when my fist cracked his jaw and snapped his head around. He was tougher than his master's son and didn’t go down. Maybe it was because he wasn’t half drunk? It didn’t matter. If one punch wasn’t enough, two or three would do the trick.

He got his hands up to guard his face but that left his gut wide open. By the time he went down under my rain of blows, much of my anger had worn off. Blast it! This isn’t good.

The sound of hobnail boots on cobblestone echoed loudly down the street as the guards rushed to the scene.

“Die!” an enraged voice screamed.

I spun just in time to see the drunk noble’s blade slashing toward my chest. I staggered back as the tip sliced into my body. It wasn’t deep but he came at me for another strike. His wild swing took little effort to evade as my enchantment healed me. I was about to kill the noble but I spotted the guards rounding the corner. I dodged another slash, shoved him away, and bolted.

As soon as I rounded the street corner I changed my appearance, activated my enchantments, and blurred into motion. I was two blocks away before I stopped and thought for a moment. The whole encounter came out of nowhere, and I reacted badly. Instead of just running, I’d stuck around. If they made a positive ID, I might need a new persona. I was using my Samuel persona and I didn’t want to lose it.

With a curse, I rushed back and switched to my Shade appearance. I used Void Walk and became incorporeal as I rushed through a building. The walls did nothing to stop me. When I was back on the street with the brash noble and the guards, I let the spell fade away and appeared like a wraith from the shadows.

“Mage!” someone shouted.

I activated my enchantments again and in a blur appeared before the servant. He’d seen my face up close. The noble was drunk but this man couldn’t be left alive. A spirit attack struck the servant and killed him instantly. The guards were just responding as the man collapsed. I grabbed the lantern from the back of the carriage and threw it into the carriage with enough force to smash it to pieces. The oil spread and the fire whooshed, and a bit of air magic caused the carriage to quickly become engulfed in flames.

“You’ll die tonight,” I hissed, trying to make my voice sound cold and raspy.

The noble hid behind the guards. I made a show of trying to get to him, trying to make it look like an assassination attempt, then paused for a moment and took a crossbow bolt to the chest. I barely managed to avoid screaming due to the pain that followed. I tore it out as I staggered back.

“He’s wounded, charge!”

I used that as an excuse to retreat. I could have killed all of them. Part of me wanted to, but only the servant had gotten a good look at me. The noble was a complete tosser but between his drunken stupor, the blinding flash of light, and the darkness around us, there was no way he would know what I looked like. My Samuel persona was safe. Sure, his attitude pissed me off, but I’d have to slaughter all the guards too if I went down that road. I wasn’t a cool-blooded killer. The slaughter I unleashed on the bandits had shaken me and I didn’t want all the blood on my hands that would surely follow if I started killing nobles.

My ring healed me as I retreated. Once I was well away, I changed my disguise and then found an inn nowhere close to Boris and Vivian to spend the night at. If they somehow tracked me, I didn’t want my friends to be caught up in my mistake.

The next morning I was thinking through what I could have done differently. I wasn’t a coward, but if I’d just run, none of this would have happened.

“Nobles,” I hissed. Almost all the problems I faced in my life were because of nobles.

I ate a bland breakfast. The inn's food was awful. I left early and switched my appearance several times before I hired a messenger to deliver a letter to Boris, letting him know I was fine but would be out of contact for a few days. I told him to gather information on the Red Lady while I was at it.

After that, I asked around for information on General Demetri. It took some time but someone finally pointed me in the right direction. As I walked toward his townhouse, which I found was more like a fortress than a house, a plan started to form.

I made a quick detour past a magical shop that sold enchantments. There, I cast an Ignore Me spell after adopting my Shade disguise.

The attendant manning the counter looked up when I walked in and the doorbell rang. They frowned in confusion when they didn’t see anyone.

“What the pit,” the man muttered.

Ignoring him, I entered the back of the store. The enchanter that worked here was in the back. I pushed open the door to one room after another and finally, I found the enchanter. A young woman looked up from her work when I pushed the door open. I knew she was an enchanter by the tools of the trade around her and the golden necklace with an eye-shaped pendant hanging around her neck.

I dropped my Ignore Me spell and her eyes went wide. I had my finger to my lips and in the other, I held a wand with a blue flame swirling around on the tip. That scared her enough that she didn’t make a sound.

“Remove your necklace and you won’t be harmed,” I said, using my harsh raspy voice.

With trembling fingers, she reached up to remove it. She grew more and more flustered as her trembling fingers failed to work the clasp. Tears started forming in her eyes as she couldn’t get it off.

I stepped forward. “Don’t move.”

She froze. Her neck was covered in gooseflesh as I brushed her hair to the side and quickly undid the clasp. I pulled the necklace free and tucked it into my pocket.

“Where do you store your enchanting powder?”

“T-there,” her voice cracked twice before she got the word out.

“Please open it,” I ordered.

She managed that a lot easier even as she cast fearful glances my way.

“Place three bags on the table.”

She obeyed.

“Will anyone be able to track enchantments made with this powder to you?” I asked.

She quickly shook her head. “Good. You should be able to get back to your life with no fuss.” I picked up the bags and left a purse of money in their place.

I walked toward the door. “Things would go easier for you if you ‘accidentally’ lost your pendent… But what you share and who you tell, is up to you.”

I closed the door behind me and hurried out the back. Poor girl. Just doing her job. She didn’t strike me as a noble brat. I tsked, annoyed my actions had caused her grief, but for my plan to work, I needed to look the part.

My guise ring was so handy. I adopted the formidable look of a no-nonsense man and walked up to General Demetri’s manor. I wore the enchanter’s necklace and had a satchel with enchanting powder in it. As a wizard, I didn’t need it, but I was playing a role.

“Halt! What’s your business here?” one of the guards demanded.

“General Demetri’s son was attacked last night,” I stated. “I’m here to speak to the general and discuss terms of employment. I’m a master enchanter. He will want to see me if he values his son's life.”

It took some time but that got me through the door.

General Demetri kept me waiting but I expected that. The guards kept me company, or at least an eye on me. There was no talking.

After a long wait, a servant walked in. “General Demetri will see you now.”

The guards kept a close eye on me as we walked down the hall and into a large office. I pegged the general as the old distinguished man who narrowed his eyes at me, flanking him were two mages armed with wands.

“How do you know about the attack on my son?” he asked coldly.

One of the mages leaned closer to him. “There is magic all around him, my lord.”

I smiled slightly at the mage. “It's my superior's job to know things,” I said.

“And who is your superior?”

I shrugged. “I serve the kingdom and the king. Beyond that, I can’t say.”

“You work for Garold Hatcomb?” he asked.

I made no reply.

“Why does the spymaster care about the assassination attempt on my son?” he asked.

“I could venture a guess, but that's not why I’m here,” I said.

“Why are you here?”

“I was sent to fortify your house against assassins, and to equip you, and your son, with the tools you need to survive if they strike again.”

“Why? Garold and I have no ties. Not friendship or otherwise.”

“We are at war,” I stated. “You are a key member of our military. Beyond that, I cannot say why I was assigned here.” I shrugged. “I have my task, pending your approval.”

“You’re an enchanter?” he asked.

I nodded. “A master enchanter, yes.”

“I have enchanters,” he said. “I don’t need outside help.”

“General Demetri, I can say with absolute certainty that if the assassin was standing in my place right now with my level of enchantments, nothing in this room could stop me from slaughtering everyone here.”

The tension in the room rose as the silence lengthened. General Demetri’s eyes bore into me and the mages waited in tense anticipation for something to happen.

“The mages beside me are highly skilled. How can you make that claim without knowing their capabilities?” the general asked.

“Because I know what my enchantments can do, General. Would you like a demonstration?” I allowed a small smirk to appear on my face.

The mages grew nervous at that.

“Very well, I’ll give you a chance to prove yourself.” He smirked openly as he crossed his arms.

“Call your servant, and have him light the candles in the windows.”

The general complied and a few minutes later the servant was finished and standing attentively by the door.

“I will give you a small demonstration now. This is what will happen next,” I said. “I will move through the room, put out all the candles, and mark each person in this room, signaling the ability to kill them and return to this spot. Your mages are free to do everything in their power to stop me, however, I suggest avoiding destructive spells that would damage your house as this is just a demonstration.”

The general snorted but nodded to his mages. “Go ahead and—”

He hadn’t even finished speaking when I had blurred into motion. All four candles were out within the blink of an eye. The curtains bellowed from the draft left in my wake and then I was at his desk, I snatched the quill up and dipped it into the inkwell, ducked under the first spell from the mages, dodged to the left as the second slightly slower mage got their first spell off, and then slashed the ink-dipped tip of the quill across the servant’s throat.

I was back on the mages before they could prepare a second spell and two more marks graced their necks. Then I tapped the shield that sprang up around the general and it shattered.  I was back in my starting position with the quill left on his desk before he realized just how useless his shield was.

The mages were staring at me in horror and the General looked shaken.

“Enchantments off the market are weak, General. A true master enchanter like myself can make much more powerful enchantments than the junk that gets sold. Few enchanters can match my product though, which is why I was approached and offered the position I now hold.”

The general swallowed and cleared his throat. “You’ve made your point. What’s your name?”

“My name is unimportant. Enchanter will suffice.”

“Very well, Enchanter, what can be done to protect my son?”

“I will take a reading of his aura and make enchantments only he can use. You and your son should both be protected. You’ll need a full kit of enchantments. After you are both equipped, I will start on your rooms and work outward from there until your home fully is secure. The layout and design will help greatly with that, this place is practically a fortress.”

The general chuckled. “As a military man, I would settle for nothing less for my home. When can you start?”

“Most of my other duties were placed on hold so I can start immediately. I will have to come and go but if you have no objections I will arrive back here tomorrow morning to start.” I pulled out two enchantments. “These shield bracelets will provide some minimal protection for now. It's far stronger than the shield I shattered but not nearly strong enough long term.”

“You’ve opened my eyes to something I never realized was a problem. Why doesn’t the army have powerful enchantments like this?” the general asked.

I smiled coldly. “General, the army is necessary to protect the kingdom, but we all know what happens when too much power is in the wrong hands. Why follow the king when I could rule the kingdom better? Ambition is an excellent trait for a general and a potential threat to a ruler.”

The general grunted. “I’m loyal to King Rowen.”

“I know. I wouldn’t be here otherwise,” I replied.

My plan worked out better than I’d hoped. I told the General it would take me several days to get a proper reading of his aura to make the best enchantment I could. His son was the one in immediate danger so I was able to accompany him everywhere for several days straight, aside from his room at night.

He went to several parties and I heard all kinds of interesting things and far more pointless gossip. Several things nearly broke my cool though. First, the king was fuming at some countess for allegedly kidnapping his daughter, though depending on who you listened to, the princess wanted to stay there. Second, Derrick, the general's son, had a high status but few friends. Seeing the girls simper and flatter him to his face and then whisper and insult him behind his back was amusing but not surprising. He was a pig.

He wasn’t the only one who received that treatment. Even the girls who gossiped and talked about others behind their backs did the same to their supposed friends when they weren’t around.

Lastly, Danica was living with the same countess as the princess. I couldn’t keep track of all the nobles, their names, and titles, but one thing was clear. Lady Warren was The Red Lady. That little bit of knowledge almost made me lose my cool. My mother’s maiden name was Warren and it made me angry knowing she shared the same last name as this heartless killer.

I learned more about the nobles and their gossip in those three days than I ever wanted to know. More importantly, though, I knew where Danica was. Now I just had to figure out how to free her from the evil Countess’s clutches. One rumor about the countess gave me some hope, that the countess took pity on the young commoner and was shielding her from the other nobles. I hoped it was true, but I didn’t dare count on it.

Chapter 13

Back at House Ashford’s family home I idly worked on an enchantment trying to decide my next move. I had the information I needed. I could drop this charade and vanish at the drop of a hat, but if I could gain access to a ball where Danica would be, then it was worth continuing with this role. I needed to scout the countess’s house, make plans, and be ready to strike. I also need a plan for after I find her. I decided to make another healing enchantment in my spare time.

The day came to a close and I left the general's home. I had a message delivered for Boris with the information I’d found and told him I’d meet him at an inn near where he was staying tomorrow night.

My Samuel persona hadn’t been blown so I checked if my license had been approved. The Royal Chamberlain finally looked at my request. He didn’t look enthused to see me until I gifted him a lovely set of enchanted jewelry.

“For your wife,” I said.

“I’m not married.”

“Oh, I see. I’m sure a handsome man with your status will have no trouble finding someone it will look good on.”

That drew a smile from him. Who didn’t like to be complimented and showered with expensive gifts? My approval came through the next day.

I cut my hours at the general's house, I’d already kitted two men out with enchantments and set up wards around the place to keep up my ruse. All the enchantments I made for General Demetri and his son Derrick were created with a fatal flaw. At any time I could disable them, leaving them at my mercy. I didn’t mind giving them the illusion of safety against a nonexistent killer when they had helped me so much, but I wasn’t going to leave myself vulnerable. Derrick had already tried to murder me in a drunken rage once.

When the time came to meet with Boris, I first made sure no one was following me, then headed toward the inn where Boris and Vivian were staying. I wanted to make sure he wasn’t followed. I found him about a mile from the meeting place and then waited to see if anyone followed.

I grimaced when I saw Vivian tailing him. Boris changed direction several times but never spotted her. She’s pretty good at tailing someone. I wonder if that’s because of her powers.

I waited for her to pass by. My eyes narrowed as I saw a pair of men following her. Sheesh, at this rate it's going to be a whole caravan! Thankfully no one else was following those two, well, except for me. I didn’t like the look of them. I wasn’t one to judge someone by appearances but they were stalking my friend. That immediately put them on my bad side.

The streets were busy with traffic as everyone went about their day. I pondered how to deal with them. Killing them seemed excessive, so I cast my Ignore Me spell and jogged to catch up to Vivian.

She flinched when I appeared next to her. It wasn’t difficult to shift my spell to allow her to see me when still hidden from the two men stalking her.

“What are you doing here, Vivian?” I asked.

“Devon! Pit, am I glad to see you.” She blew out a breath. “Please don’t leave.”

“Are you alright?”

She nodded. “Yes, but I won’t be if you leave.”

“I take it you know about the two men following you?”

She started to turn but I caught her arm and stopped her. “Just keep walking.”

“I had a vision,” she said, clutching my arm. “It was odd, there were several outcomes but some of them…” She trailed off.

“Did they hurt you?” I asked coldly.

She nodded slowly. “In some of the visions, yes. But I will be okay now that you showed up.”

“Why did you follow Boris?” I asked.

“Because in my vision, that was the only way to avoid them.”

“Alright. Calm down, Vivian. I’m not going to let them hurt you.”

“Thank you, Devon. I was scared.”

We continued together until we were a block away from the inn. Boris made it with no issues and so I turned into the alley just before the block with the inn.

“Vivian, I need you to explain why they are following you,” I said.

“In my vision… They forced themselves on me,” she said quietly.

My hands clenched. “Okay. I’m going to cast a spell so they won’t be able to see you. Stay here and be quiet. I’ll handle this.”

“Devon, why don’t we just go? Can’t we just slip away unseen?”

“And let them do this to someone else? Not a chance.”

I was loitering by the alley entrance when they rounded the corner.

“She ducked in here, must have seen us,” one of the two stalkers said.

“Doesn’t matter. She’s got nowhere to go.”

The other chuckled darkly. “Better for us too. We can grab her with no witnesses!”

I cleared my throat as they walked past without noticing me. I didn’t even have a perception spell active, they were just that oblivious.

“I’m afraid you picked the wrong person to mess with,” I said.

“Who in the pit are you?” one of them demanded.

I didn’t bother responding. Dead men had no use for answers. I made it quick. My belt knife was well cared for and the sharp blade pierced the first man's chest before they could react. I ripped it downward making the wound even more grievous. When the blade came free, I killed the second man. He cried out but no one heard his cry over the sound of passing traffic.

I quickly cleaned my blade and checked my clothing for blood but I’d been careful with how I’d positioned myself.

A choked-off sob came from behind me and I hurried over to my seer friend.

“It’s okay, Vivian,” I said.

She hugged herself as I guided her past the dead bodies. We were both hidden by my spell until we were behind the inn. I waited there with Vivian while she got a hold of herself, and then we entered.

“You’re late,” Boris said when he saw me, then his face shifted as Vivian came into view. “What happened?” he demanded.

“I’ll explain but let's get a private room first.”

A private room wasn’t cheap but I paid for it without complaint. I brought Boris up to speed on the situation with Vivian, only leaving out why she was following him in the first place. If she wanted him to know she was a seer, then she would tell him.

“You killed them?” he asked.

I nodded.

“Pit, you should have got me first. I would have helped you.”

I couldn’t help but smile at that. He had always been protective of her and now was no exception.

“Why were you following me anyway?” Boris asked.

“I remembered I needed to talk to Devon after you left,” Vivian said.

“We already talked about it,” I said quickly. It was true, she told me about the rapists.

It didn’t bother me in the least that they hadn’t committed the crime yet. The way they were talking, I already knew what they were planning. Sure, it might not have been legal to prosecute them at that point, but I trusted her visions more than their moral compass. There was a chance they would have a change of heart but there was also a chance of the sun growing cold. No way was I banking on that slim chance when I already knew what they would do from her vision.

“What did you find out about the Countess?” I asked.

“Lady Warren?”

“Don’t use that name,” I said in a low, dangerous voice.

“Why not?” Boris frowned.

I tried to calm myself down. “Warren was—is—my mother's maiden name. Don’t call her that.”

“Um, alright. Well, the Countess has a house here in the capital but spends most of her time at her estate a few miles outside the city. She’s reported to be a powerful wizard, if not the most powerful wizard alive, and utterly ruthless when angered.”

Boris swallowed. “She’s feared by all and has an affinity for death magic.”

“Wizards can use all types of magic,” I said. “They don’t have affinities for any one magic.”

“Well, she seems fond of it. I heard she killed half the royal guard with one spell. Rotted the flesh right off their bones. This was when the last king was still in power. She seems to like the gruesome nature of death magic. When she wiped out the Duke of Cordais and his family, she used it then too, or so I’ve heard, but the ground was turned to glass as well, so I have to assume she used fire magic.”

Boris told me the details and I couldn’t help but shudder.

“So the late king killed her parents and in retaliation, she wiped out the entire royal line?”

“Yes. She was so throughout that even nobles from other kingdoms who had a claim, publicly renounced it. Those who didn’t went missing and were never seen or heard from again.”

“Pit!” I took a deep breath. “Look, this is getting serious. Maybe you should take Vivian and get out of here. It's about to rain dung all over the place and I… I don’t know if I’ll be able to do what is necessary to beat someone as ruthless as her.”

“I believe in you,” Vivian said. “I’m not going anywhere.”

I grimaced. “Vivian, I can’t protect you from her. Pit! I don’t even know if I can protect myself and I have my wife to worry about.” I didn’t want to flat-out tell her who I’d choose in that situation, but it wasn’t hard to guess.

“I’m staying too,” Boris said.

“You’re both idiots.”

Vivian smiled. “What’s the plan?”

I sighed. “Alright. There is a grand ball coming up. All the nobles are going to be there. From the rumors I’ve heard, this should include my wife.”

There had been a string of invitations to visit the Countess’s estate for tea. The invites were exclusively for young women. The one anomaly was the Court Wizard. He was also invited. I didn’t know what to make of that but figured he was one more problem I’d have to deal with.

“So you want to snatch her right out from under everyone's noses?” Boris asked.

I shook my head. “No. I’ll get her on her way back to where she’s staying after the ball. I’d like to slip her a note during the ball but that probably won’t be possible. On the way back it will just be her, maybe the princess, and the Countess.”

“What are you going to do about her?” Vivian asked.

“Do you have any suggestions?” I asked.

She grimaced.“You could spike her drink at the ball.”

I pondered that for a moment. Poison didn’t appeal to me but that might work.

“Could you enchant her carriage somehow when the party was going on to incapacitate her without harming the others?” Boris asked.

I paused and then nodded slowly. “I am not sure. Let me look into it.” The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. If I used something non-lethal, I could target the entire interior of the carriage and not worry about hurting Danica! I could just lay in wait outside the city and stop the carriage, trigger the enchantment, and grab her. It would only take a few seconds.

Just off the top of my head, I could think of several different types of magic that might work. Life, energy, spirit, and body magic, or some combination of them should do the trick. Combining them in the right way would take some research. There could be no mistakes. It would need testing, both on a mage like Danica, and a wizard like me. Everything would go to the pit if the Countess started flinging spells around.

“Where are you staying?” Boris asked.

“Not here,” I said. “It's better if you don’t know.”

“I can’t be much help if I don’t know where to find you,” Boris replied.

“Can I help in any way?” Vivian asked.

“No. Just keep your head down,” I said.

“Do you need more information on the Countess?” Boris asked.

“Yes. Find out as much as you can. I think enchanting her carriage to put everyone to sleep is a great idea. So if she has a driver or servants who usually accompany her to balls I want to know about it, and if they have any magical abilities. As well as anything else that might be relevant.”

“Got it.” Boris finished his drink. “Anything else?”

“Not that I can think of,” I said.

Vivian patted Boris on the shoulder. “Can you give us a minute, I’ll be right out.”

Boris looked over at me but I shrugged. He grunted and got up. “I guess I’ll see you in a few days. Do you want me to set up transportation out of the city?”

I nodded. “Yes. That would be great. We might not need it, but I want the option available.”

“I’ll get started on that then.”

He left and I turned to Vivian. “What’s up?”

“I wanted to thank you for what you did in the alley.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Also, I need to ask you something.”

She wrung her hands in front of her as she considered her next words.

“Yes?” I prompted.

“I had several visions in the last few days that were unrelated to those bad men.”

“Are you sleeping okay?” I asked.

She smiled faintly. “Yes. That isn’t why I brought it up. I need you to trust me.”

“I do, Vivian. I wouldn’t have killed those stalkers if I didn’t believe you.”

“This is different,” she said. “I need you to promise me something.”

“What?”

“The night you rescue your wife, promise me you won’t kill anyone.”

I frowned. “Why?”

“I can’t say.”

I scowled at her as I leaned toward her. “Vivian, what aren’t you telling me?”

“I’m asking you to trust me, Devon. Please.”

I sighed. “I can’t promise you that. If someone tries to stop me, I will kill them. No one is going to stop me from rescuing my wife.”

“I know that, Devon. Just promise me you won’t kill anyone that night before you kiss your wife.”

What the heck did she see? She must have seen a vision. So why doesn’t she just tell me? I clenched my hands and expelled some of my frustration. She’d given me no reason to doubt her. Trusting someone blindly is hard.

“I’ll try my best not to kill anyone, but—”

“Devon! Please,” Vivian pleaded.

“I’ll try. That’s the best I can give you.”

“I hope that’s enough.” She opened her mouth to add something else and then shook her head. “That’s all I can say,” she said.

Vivian hugged me and left with Boris. I pored over what she’d told me for a while before shaking off my questions and returning to the Ashford family home to continue playing my role there.

* * *

Vivian Elkhound wanted to scream. Why me? Why am I the one burdened with this gift? Her seer abilities had always felt like a curse before Devon came along, and now she realized it wasn’t a curse, but a gift. A gift that was hard to bear. Knowing the future was a heavy burden, especially when telling someone else what she saw would change what happened. Sometimes even innocent comments could change what happened. She had to mind her words and be careful what she said.

“It’s the best chance,” she muttered after reviewing her plan.

“Did you say something?” Boris asked.

She shook her head. “I was just thinking.”

She slipped her hand into her pocket and felt the letter she’d penned last night. The letter was just a few words but she hoped they would be enough.

“Can we stop by the postmaster’s office?” she asked.

“Why?”

“I have a letter to send.”

Boris agreed and they altered course.

I hope this works…

Chapter 14

The rain came down steadily outside. The rumble of thunder rattled the glass in the window. I was glad I wasn’t out in it.

“Enchanter, the general would like a word.”

Lightning flashed in the gray sky. I turned away from the storm and looked at the servant who spoke. “Very well, lead the way.”

We hadn’t gone far before I realized something was wrong. The hallways were vacant, and the servant was on edge. My eyes narrowed as he led me down the hall toward the general’s office. I triggered my mental enchantment and my thought process quickened. Something isn’t right. He’s too tense. Did the general talk to the spymaster? My fiction would fall apart if he checked up on who I claimed to be.

I sensed a large concentration of magic in the direction the servant was leading me. Mages, several of them at least. I didn't want to panic and blow my cover on a hunch, but my instincts were screaming at me. I was counting on this persona to get access to the ball and implement my plan. I was so close! Would the general go through all this trouble if he wasn’t sure I was an imposter?

We moved a step closer, and then another. Make a decision! I was running out of time. Pit! I can’t risk it! My plan could be reworked but only if I was alive.

My magic came to life. The world took on a bluish tint and the servant in front of me glowed a dull orange. My senses went into overdrive and I could hear the sound of breathing coming from the rooms beside the general's office. Something blocked most of my senses from the office itself, but the presence of magic was impossible to miss. It was a trap.

With my mental enchantment operating at full blast, I had time to think. My heart rate was up and I fought the urge to panic but my senses were telling me if I entered the general's office, I’d be in trouble. I’d sparred mages but never fought one to the death—let alone multiple ones. Fleeing was my only option, but how? There was no clear escape route.

Indecision and fear paralyzed me for a moment but I knew I needed to act. The distance shrank another three steps. Pit! I’ll just use my enchantments, the guards will be no match for me and my shields will block the mage's magic. It's better if they are looking for an enchanter and not a wizard, so I need to avoid using spells.

We were only a dozen steps away from the office now. The rooms on either side were packed full of men. The inner courtyard was to the left, and to the right would be freedom but if they expected me to bolt, I would be playing right into their hands. I did the opposite of what they would expect.

I opened the door just before the general's office and then turned into a blur as my enchantments surged with magic. The guards waiting in the room to trap me were on edge, but they didn’t have time to react as I blew past them. My entrance caught them by surprise and I was crashing through the window that faced the inner courtyard before they could react.

The curtains were thick, expensive material and kept the glass from shredding me too badly, but my healing ring still had plenty of wounds to fix. I ripped the curtains to shreds as I fell and untangled myself before I touched the ground. The courtyard was enclosed on all sides by the manor but that wasn’t a problem.

Pandemonium erupted behind me as mages boosted with enchantments gave chase and the soldiers scrambled to react. None of them were a threat unless they had enchantments. Even then, they wouldn’t be as powerful as mine.

Guise rings were rare, but those that were available could only display one or two preset appearances. I let my Shade persona out to create even more confusion as I rushed over to the far side of the courtyard and jumped. My legs easily propelled me up to the first balcony and then the next. I quickly ascended to the slick roof as the mages launched spells at me. I moved too fast for them to target and the rain didn’t help them either. Only their lightning spells had a chance of reaching me fast enough but I evaded the first volley of spells they threw at me.

The view from the roof would have been marvelous if the rain and haze hadn’t marred my vision. Even with my eyes enhanced, I couldn’t see much. A lucky shot from a lightning spell slammed into my energy shield. I smirked as my shield easily blocked it. Then everything went white as a thunderous boom sounded in my ears. The pain hit a moment later as the sky rumbled. My head and back slammed into the ground and I lay there in a daze.

Another flash of lightning shot down from the sky and slammed into the rooftop where I’d been standing. I realized I was on the ground some distance from where I’d been standing when I was struck. I was a dozen yards from the manor and smoke rose from my body. My clothing was a charged mess.

The air had been forced from my lungs when I hit the ground, otherwise I would have screamed. My body felt like it was on fire. The familiar burning sensation from my ring was a sweet relief from the agony of the lightning strike. My lungs finally managed to pull in a breath as I rolled over onto my side.

Ow… Pit! That hurt! I sucked in another breath as I started crawling. That was all I could manage at the moment.

“Is he dead?” someone shouted.

“I don’t know, I can’t see anything in this blasted storm!”

I staggered to my feet as I tried to get moving. Lightning flashed overhead.

“I see him!”

“Pit, how is he still alive!” someone else screamed.

I turned toward the voices and saw a mage through the haze as another flash of lightning lit up the sky. His eyes were wide. He clutched his wand so hard his knuckles turned white.

Time wasn’t on my side. I needed to get out of there. Pit! All the enchantments on my right side weren’t working. I glanced down. A melted piece of slag was half embedded in my finger. The sight almost turned my stomach but I was still in a daze. My mental enchantment was gone. Along with my speed, strength, and energy shield enchantment.

I cast a speed spell and vanished between flashes of lightning. I held the spell for several minutes as I fled. The dark and stormy night made it hard to track me. Without magic, I was sure it would be impossible to find me. I strained my focus to cast an anti-scrying spell and then used my Ignore Me spell. The three spells were almost too much for me, but within minutes I was ten blocks away. I let the speed spell drop and then paused to take stock.

My guise ring and healing ring were both still working. That was a miracle. I removed the mangled piece of metal that was embedded in my hand and stifled a curse. Blood seeped from the wound before my ring healed it.

The lightning bolt that hit the right side of my body had enough energy to melt metal. How am I still alive? It took far longer to work out the answer than it should have. My energy shield must have blocked most of it. It forced the lightning to flow over my shield but my enchantments were outside that barrier and took the brunt of the attack. My energy shield enchantment was gone. I made a mental note of the flawed design. If my shield had been made correctly, it would have protected my other enchantments and the energy shield might not have even failed like it did.

Now wasn’t the time to worry about that though. I needed to make a new anti-scrying enchantment. To say my focus wasn’t ideal would be an understatement but I got to work without further delay. I used the remains of my destroyed enchantments. The mangled remains made it harder to enchant, but I managed.

It was with relief that I let my anti-scrying spell drop and the enchantment took over. Now that I had a moment to spare, I glanced around. I found I was in a backyard behind a small cozy-looking house. I shook my head and left. I needed to get out of the rain. Sickness had landed me in trouble once already. I wasn’t about to underestimate it again, even if I did have a healing ring now that should keep me in pristine condition.

Once I was sure no one was tracking me, I switched my appearance and found an inn to rest at. All the healing my ring had done had taken it out of me and I was famished. The inn was full of normal folks enjoying the warming aspects of mead, ale, and food during the storm. The temperature dropped when the storm blew in and the inn provided a perfect place to enjoy oneself and relax. It was no surprise that there wasn’t a free table in sight. I took one of the open chairs by the crackling fireplace and leaned back.

A barmaid came by to take orders a few minutes later. “What can I get for you, lad?”

“Mead, and a double portion of your evening meal,” I said.

“One mead and a double, coming right up!”

Her nose wrinkled as she walked off. I didn’t think much of it until a guy at the table beside me commented.

“What’s that smell? Is something burning?”

That’s when I remembered my charred clothing. My guise ring created a perfect illusion so I didn’t realize how bad the smell was since I was already used to it. When I took a whiff of my shirt though, I got a strong smell of smoke. I cast a basic air spell to generate a gentle breeze that funneled the smell toward the fire. The flames intensified slightly but no one noticed.

The mead was excellent. I sighed after I took a long pull from my mug. The warmth settled in my gut and some of my tension eased. My stomach growled as I waited for my meal to arrive. It wasn’t long before a different server came with a heaping plate of food for me. It went down quickly and I still wasn’t satisfied. I ordered a third helping and finished all of it before I was finally full.

“Do you need anything else, honey?” the barmaid asked when she passed by.

“No, but thank you. Your bread is excellent,” I said.

She was pleased with the praise and went about her business. Once I finished my drink, I returned to my inn. I still wasn’t sure if I’d lost my pursuers but I needed to replace my enchantments. That meant a private place to work and material to put my enchantments on. I yawned as I got started. Sleep. I also needed sleep, but there would be time for that later.

I redid my anti-scrying enchantment first, then referenced my spell book before replacing my energy shield. I took my time with it and made sure I fixed my previous mistake. After looking at my spell book, the flaw became obvious. Instead of the enchantment being inside the energy shield like it was supposed to be, I’d set the parameters for the enchantment to protect just my body. Even my clothing had been outside its area of protection. I made this one stronger and did it correctly this time.

After that, I remade my speed enchantment and called it a night. I peeled my ruined clothing off and wiped myself down with a damp rag, pulled on some simple laborers' clothing, and fell into bed.

* * *

Leeroy Banks scowled at the night sky. The meager wealth he’d had went fast. Everything was more expensive here in the capital. Two days ago he’d been kicked out of the cheapest inn he could find and thieves found him. They cornered him and then stole his shirt and shoes. The storm last night was the final straw. He was cold, wet, and tired, so when he overheard a lady gossiping about a general’s house getting attacked by an enchanter, dangerous ideas started to form in his mind.

They were offering a reward to anyone who knew anything. Lee’s stomach growled.

“Excuse me,” Lee called.

The pair of women discussing the matter shied back when they noticed him.

“Stay back!” one demanded.

“Where does one go if they have information about that enchanter?” Lee demanded.

She clucked her purse tightly. “The city guard. You can report it to the guards.”

“Thank you.” He headed in the direction she pointed. A small part of him protested, telling him that Devon had helped him, but it was quickly silenced. The hunger pains in his gut drowned it out. So what if he helped me escape? It’s his fault I’m stuck here. We could have gone anywhere, but he made me come here. This stupid city where the prices are twice as much as anywhere else. That freak can look after himself, and I’ll do the same. He smiled as he imagined all the things he’d buy with the reward money he was going to get.

* * *

Charis Ellenor Warren watched as the princess interacted with the Court Mage Caster. She refused to use his ‘proper’ title of Court Wizard. Still, it was sweet to see the young princess’s bashful smile as he held her hands and spoke quietly with her. Her eyes drifted over to where Danica sat watching them with a sad expression.

“What’s got you down, Danica?” Charis asked.

The young mage blinked and forced a smile. “Just thinking.”

The vague answer didn’t tell her anything, so she prodded the girl a little. “Jealous?”

“No,” Danica said. Then looked her in the eye. “Have you ever been in love?”

Oh? Trying to turn this back on me, are you? She suppressed a chuckle. “Missing someone?”

Danica’s face betrayed her. Her eyes flickered to the side as she bit her lip. Who did you leave behind? Not that it matters. The nobles will devour you soon. I can only do so much. Charis let out a sigh.

Danica looked over. “What makes you say that?”

Charis smiled sadly. “It’s written all over your face, dear. Your heart longs for someone.”

Charis downed the last of her tea, wishing it was something stronger. “You should let go of those hopes. The nobles will never let you go now that they have you in your clutches.”

“Nobles? You talk as if you aren’t one of them.”

“I was born a commoner. The king promoted me to a countess after I killed the last king. I paved the way for him to become king so he saw fit to reward me.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why did you do it?”

“That isn’t something I will talk about.”

Danica eyed her closely. “You lost someone.”

Charis’s eyes narrowed. “Who told you that?”

This time Danica smiled sadly. “I can see it in your eyes. It's what keeps me going. That look… I’ve seen it in my own eyes at night when I feel alone and lost. It reminds me to never give up hope.”

Charis looked away. She had lost someone. Both her adoptive parents had died. It didn’t matter that they weren’t her birth parents. They had raised her. They were killed and then— She cut off that thought. Now wasn’t the time for self-pity. She’d done what she had to do.

“No one is coming to save you, Danica.”

Danica slammed her palm down on the table and the loud impact startled Charis. The spoons, teacups, and saucers jolted off the table from the force. Danica’s fierce glare eased as she regained her composure. “You’re wrong.”

Charis wasn’t sure what to say. I was like her once. Back when I believed in happy endings… Maybe it was a mistake bringing her here.

“My lady, a message came for you,” George said.

She took it from the silver tray he held out to her. “Thank you, George.”

Charis glanced up at Danica but the girl had turned her attention to the mage and princess, who were no doubt expressing their feelings for each other. Charis focused on her letter. The wax seal told her nothing. She peeled it off and opened the letter, the contents were sparse. A mere note.

To a mother:

On the night of the ball, avoid bloodshed at all costs. If you fail to heed this warning, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.

A concerned seer.

Charis froze. A chill washed over her and she crumpled the note. How? The note left her unnerved. Someone knew about her family. That shouldn’t be possible. Fear filled her but after a few minutes, she regained her composure. Danica had noticed her distress and was staring at her.

Charis cleared her throat. “Excuse me. Something came up that requires my attention.” Charis quickly left. She made it to her office and locked the door. She placed the crumpled note on her desk and smoothed it out. A seer. So I wasn’t mistaken. I did feel something. Charis was glad she’d created the ward to prevent seers from viewing her.

She read the note again. Something is going to happen during the ball, but what? I must take precautions. If someone knows about my family, then I need to be ready for anything. They must have captured them already. It’s the only explanation for the rest of this. But was the seer to be trusted? Charis hadn’t survived this long by being trusting. No, her naive trust had died with her parents. She immediately started planning.

Chapter 15

The ball was the day after tomorrow. Half the morning was gone by the time I woke and I was starving when I got out of bed. I relieved myself and got some food in me before sitting down to think. My plan for the ball was thrown into disarray. Instead of shadowing the general or his son as I’d planned, I would need some other way in and I wasn’t convinced my guise ring would work. I wouldn’t bet my life, or Danica’s, on the hope that they didn’t have a way to detect that type of enchantment.

My plan needed to be completely reworked, but I had some ideas. From the rumors I heard, I had several bits of information to work with. First, the king was hosting this ball, and all the nobles were invited. The official reason for the ball was to celebrate the fall harvest, but the consensus was that this ball was for the nobles to meet Danica. All the eligible young bachelors of a certain social rank were eyeing her. This event would allow them to meet her and evaluate her as a potential spouse.

The whole thing infuriated me, but I put my emotions aside for the moment to make a plan. I couldn’t gain access to the ball with the general and his son, but there would be a lot of nobles there. Each of them would have servants to attend to them, drivers, and more. Security would be tight but there would be so many new faces that one more could easily slip through the cracks.

My plan was simple. I’d avoid using my guise ring. If they could detect it, there would be very few excuses I could use to explain it. No one should know what I looked like, so one more face among the rest shouldn’t be a problem. I’d steal a servant's uniform and just act like I belonged there. I could grab a crate of something and try just walking in. If that failed, I’d improvise.

Keep it simple. I’ll say we ran out of spices and they sent me to get more. That seemed plausible to me. If they wanted to see in my crate, I’d risk using a perception spell to fool them. If all else failed, I’d put them to sleep and slip past. If someone sees the guards sleeping they will chew them out, not sound the alarm… Right?

My next step would be to find the right carriage. I gave up any hope of poisoning The Red Lady. Without access to the ball with the general, that was too risky. Getting onto the palace grounds to enchant the wizard's carriage was much more feasible. Once that was done, I’d slip out and all I’d have to do was wait along the road to the woman’s home. I could trigger the enchantment, knock everyone out, swoop in, and grab Danica.

With my plan in mind, I made a checklist of things I needed to gather. The most pressing were enchantments to replace the ones I’d lost. I only replaced the most vital ones last night before I crashed. I got to work and time passed quickly.

It took longer as I spent extra time reading up on the various enchantments in my book to avoid making any mistakes, but by midnight, I’d replaced my broken enchantments and made a set for Danica to use once I found her. There were a few special enchantments included. One was a sudo-healing enchantment in case she was injured and another would remove the anti-magic bracelets. I wanted to keep working but decided to call it a night. I didn't want to make a mistake and my mind was mush from long hours of intent focus.

The next morning I ate and got back to work. Most of the enchantments I’d need for the carriage I could make in advance. Around mid-day, I sent a message to Boris asking him to meet me here. After the ball, I wouldn’t be returning to this place so it didn’t matter if he knew about it.

I wanted him there so I could test my work, both on him, and myself. I was the only wizard I had to try it on and I needed it to work on a wizard. He showed up with a rental carriage and I clasped his hand.

“Thanks for coming, Boris.”

“Sure. What can I do to help?”

I ran him through what I needed. “This should knock you out without harming you. I need to test it on you and them myself.”

“You’re sure it's safe?” he asked.

“I can go first if you want,” I said.

He took a deep breath. “No. It’s better if you’re alert in case things don’t go according to the plan. You have that healing ring you can use on me if something goes wrong.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, even though I was glad he’d offered to go first. The truth was, I didn’t know how long he’d be out and I didn’t have much time so if I was out for too long, things could be disastrous.

“Yes. This is what I’m here for, Devon. I told you I’d help however I could and I owe you for what you did for my village.”

“Alright, let me get these positioned in the carriage then. Once they are in place, we can get started.

I had four of the sleep enchantments and they were designed to knock out anyone within three feet of them. I put them into place and Boris climbed in and took a seat.

“Ready when you are,” he said.

“Here goes.” I triggered the enchantment.

“Are you going to do it?” he asked.

I frowned and tried it again. “It's not working, try one of the other seats.

He shifted to his right and immediately fell unconscious. I turned the enchantments off and pulled him out. He woke up a minute later.

“Huh. Looks like it worked,” Boris said.

I nodded but was still frowning. Why didn’t it work the first time? I crawled into the carriage and took a look. When I saw what was wrong, I slapped my forehead. The enchantment projected its field of influence up in a cone above it—unless some idiot placed the enchantment upside down.

“Pit!”

Boris chuckled. “What?”

“I’m an idiot.”

I explained what went wrong and he had a good laugh. I joined in after a second. It was a dumb mistake. I fixed the problem for good by drawing an arrow on each of them. Then we tried it with me. I had to trigger it and I told Boris to pull me out once I was knocked out.

“Wouldn’t it knock me out when I crawled in to get you?”

I closed my eyes and shook my head. “Yes, yes it would.” After some thought, we worked out a solution and ran a test. As soon as I triggered the enchantment I felt myself waking up on the ground. There was no sensation of it starting and no time to even think about resisting. One moment I was awake and triggering it, the next I was on the ground waking up.

“I think it works,” I said.

“Very effective.”

“How long was I out?”

“Took me a few minutes to pull you out, but you woke up almost immediately after that.”

“Good. Now for the last test.” I’d created a shield that was supposed to prevent me from being knocked out. With this, I could leave the enchantment active while I pulled Danica out. If it worked there would be no risk of anyone waking up while I rescued her.

We ran five more tests but in the end, I could only curse in frustration. It didn’t work. Unless I turned the enchantments off, I’d knock myself out trying to rescue Danica.

“Pit!” All the tweaks and changes I made did nothing. If the enchantments were on, it knocked you out, I couldn’t figure out how to block it.

“Seems you made them too good,” Boris said with a grin.

I grimaced. That was the silver lining. “At least it should knock out The Red Lady.”

“You just have to grab your girl and run before she wakes up.”

“Yeah.” I started thinking about my escape plan then.

I whipped up a half dozen simple guise rings and gave them to Boris. “Take these. They are guise rings. The ones with the M on them are set to look like me, the ones with the F on them will look like Danica. I want you to hire people in pairs to wear them and use those escape routes you set up to leave the city.”

“All three?” he asked.

I nodded. “If they are spotted it will create more confusion. Make sure the people know they might be questioned for wearing magical enchantments but you can pay them enough to be worth the trouble. Take this ring too. It's a guise ring for you. Get rid of it after you hire these people. No one should be able to track you that way.”

The guise ring for Boris would prevent anyone from identifying him if they got taken in for questioning. As for Danica and I? Well, Vivian had picked out some nice houses in the city. I used my Samuel persona to buy one and then finalized acquiring a space at the uptown market to sell enchantments. We’d hide in plain sight.

I yawned as I finished up the last few things. It was well past midnight and the ball would be happening in about fifteen hours. Sleep beckoned so I closed my eyes and got some rest.

When I woke, it was already mid-afternoon. I splashed some water on my face and shook off the lingering effects of sleep. The ball would be starting in a few hours. My chest tightened at the thought of seeing Danica again. I could almost smell the fragrance of her favorite perfume.

“It won’t be long now, my love,” I whispered.

I ate a big breakfast, packed my things, and left the inn. The house I bought wasn’t ready to move into yet, so I found another inn and reserved a room for a week. I dropped off my things in my new room, grabbed a scrap of paper, and pulled out my license for selling magical items. I placed the scrap of paper over the Chamberlains' signature and carefully traced his name. I then scribbled out a note ordering more spices. With that in hand, I headed out.

I waylaid a servant leaving the palace. I knocked him out with a spell I’d created based on the enchantment I’d made for the carriage. I stole his clothing and then grabbed an empty crate from the stack behind a fancy restaurant. With my new non-magical disguise in place and forged note in hand, I boldly approached the back entrance to the palace. It was commonly known as the servant’s entrance and I thought they might let me walk right in. It wasn’t quite that easy. The guards stopped me and asked for my name.

“Eric Pollock,” I said.

“Don’t know that name.”

I sighed. “I’m new, they hired more people for the big party. Here, I have a note. The kitchen needs these spices. Look.” I handed my note to the guard and his eyebrows rose.

“Chamberlain Louis ordered this personally?”

“Don’t look at me,” I said. “He was fuming, I just did what he told me to.”

“Must be something special for the queen,” the guard said with a chuckle. “She’s pregnant and has been asking for all kinds of peculiar things.”

“What’s in the crate?”

“A variety of spices,” I said.

I cast a very weak perception spell to make me seem more boring. That did the trick. They sighed and handed me back my note.

“Alright, go ahead.” They waved me through.

I breathed a sigh of relief once I’d left them behind. I could sense all kinds of enchantments and wards around the palace but nothing triggered as I took the most direct route toward the palace. I figured it would lead to the kitchens.

The party hadn’t started yet but people would be arriving in a few hours.

“What do you have there?” one of the servants who looked to be in charge asked as I was about to enter the palace.

I pursed my lips. “I was told to pick up sticks in the courtyard but I’m new and can’t figure out where I’m supposed to go.”

“With a crate?”

“He said to grab something to put them in.”

The servant shook his head. “Give me that. Someone already dealt with that. Was there anything else you were told to do?”

“Yes, I’m supposed to help with the carriages when they arrive.”

“Let me guess, no one told you where to go?”

I hung my head and nodded.

“Alright, come with me, I’ll show you where to go.” He tossed the crate next to half a dozen similar crates beside the backdoor and then led me around the building.

“It's faster to get there inside, but I need some fresh air.” He smiled. “Besides, this will be less confusing for you.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“Do you have any experience working at the palace?”

I shook my head.

“Well, it's not hard. If you don’t know something, ask one of the other servants. Be courteous and helpful. I’ll assign you to Curtis. He knows what to do and will keep you out of trouble.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“I’m Gordon.”

“Eric,” I said.

He shook my hand and gave me an encouraging smile. A few minutes later he passed me off to Curtis and I was put to work preparing for the influx of carriages and horses that would arrive soon. An hour later I was covered in sweat.

Pit! They are obsessed with every little thing! I hauled up bucket after bucket from the well and another man took them to fill water troughs for the horses. There would be hundreds of them with all the carriages that would be there for the ball. We loaded and unloaded wagons of hay. All so the nobles and their drivers wouldn’t have to worry about a thing. The sun was finally approaching the horizon when we finished.

“Thought we might need to call for a few extra hands,” Curtis said. “But you do good work.”

“Thank you,” I said, smiling at the praise.

The hard work was refreshing. It took my mind off things for a few hours and I hadn’t felt this good in ages. The feeling of hard-worked achy muscles and sweat dripping off my brow, reminded me of simpler times. Something about physical labor gave me a sense of accomplishment. The work settled my mind and the tension I’d been feeling was gone. I can do this. My doubts were gone. All that was left was my stubborn resolve. I was ready.

Chapter 16

Carriages began arriving and my tension started to return but I consciously forced myself to relax. I could do this. There was nothing to worry about. I lost myself to the work, guiding the drivers to the hitching rails. Boris had come through for me and given me a paper with the countess’s sigil on it. I’d memorized it and checked each of the carriages and drivers for the sigil as they arrived.

Despite keeping a close eye on every driver and carriage, I didn’t expect to see it for a while yet. She was a countess, but her reputation gave her a much higher status than her noble rank implied. She didn’t need to arrive early. Still, she was accompanying the main guest for the evening so she couldn’t be too late.

I had to fight the urge to burst into the party and grab my wife. The desire to throw the plan to the wayside and just charge in was almost overwhelming but the thought of what might happen if I failed, stopped me cold. A fight was bound to break out and Danica might be killed. So I restrained myself.

Over a hundred carriages were already parked when I saw the countess’s sigil. The bright red color stood out on the shiny black of the carriage. My adrenaline spiked as I watched it roll past.

“Eric, I need some more fodder brought out,” Curtis said. “Did you hear me?”

“Yes. I’m on it,” I replied.

Curtis gave me an odd look but I hurried off so he didn’t stop me. I filled another wagon and left it to the other servants to unload. I grabbed a bucket of water and checked my pockets to make sure my enchantments for the carriage were still there. The lumps of metal reassured me as I headed toward the countess’s carriage. I need to deal with the driver somehow.

He was brushing down the horses when I walked over. I offered a smile. “Need more water?” I asked.

“No, sir. There is plenty here.”

“Are you sure? Anything else I can get you?”

The driver shook his head. “You've already provided everything I need.”

“The king said to make sure your needs were met. If you are hungry, there are snacks in the kitchen.” The kitchen staff had made a spread of sweets just for the drivers and other servants. “I can keep an eye on the horses for you if you like.”

“No, but thank you.”

I hid a grimace and moved on, repeating my words for the next driver. He took me up on the offer. I cared for one of the horses and then glanced around. The man hadn’t returned yet so I cast my perception spell to avoid notice and got to work. No one noticed when I slipped into the countess’s carriage and placed my enchantments as I’d practiced. I double-checked that they were facing the correct way and made sure nothing was amiss. Within thirty seconds, I was done and back to brushing down the horses.

When the driver came back a few minutes later, munching on a pastry, he thanked me. I offered a polite response and then Curtis called me away before I could move on to the next and offer the same thing. I was glad I wouldn’t have to keep doing that but I didn’t want to raise suspicion by only focusing on the countess’s carriage.

“What are you doing?” Curtis hissed. “I need you to help park more wagons as they arrive.”

“Alright, I was just helping how I could. One of the drivers needed a hand and I didn’t want the rest to think they were being excused or looked down on.”

Curtis sighed. “We have our jobs to do and they have theirs. Go help Vance.”

I bobbed my head and did as I was told. The number of carriages boggled my mind but they finally stopped coming and we got a break. During the break, I snuck away. I’d done what I’d come to do. It was time to get into position for the next part of the plan.

* * *

One of the wards triggered on the carriage about an hour after Charis Ellenor Warren arrived at the ball. Her lips compressed into a thin line but otherwise, she made no reaction. They better not hurt George or there will be blood.

She smiled sweetly as Duchess Ralinda walked past. Her face had been healed but the Duchess quickly averted her gaze. Charis noticed the woman's fingers tighten around her delicate fan. The woman should have known better than to insult her but she seemed to have learned her lesson.

Danica was glued to Charis’s side and was stiff as a statue. She placed a hand on Danica’s shoulder causing her to tense even more. She bent slightly to whisper in her ear. “Relax, this party is for dancing and political foreplay. Nothing will be decided tonight.”

The prince had approached them directly when they arrived, and taken Princess Evelyn away. They were both seated with the king now. Evelyn was nearly as tense as Danica when she’d been taken away.

Who is plotting against me? Her eyes studied the main players as she moved through the room. The king wasn’t stupid enough to plot against her. The Duke’s had interpersonal squabbles and the Duchess was too frightened to act on the anger she held from the humiliation Charis had given her. That left old enemies or new players trying their luck.

“Lady Warren, the king requests your presence,” Royal Chamberlain Louis said.

She smiled faintly as she saw the king leaving the room. A private meeting then. She gave a nod to the man and then turned to Danica.

“I need to speak with the king. Louis, might I trouble you to accompany Miss Wells until I return?”

Chamberlain Louis’s eyes narrowed but he wore a pleasant smile as he consented. His suspicion eased as he realized she just wanted someone trustworthy to accompany the young woman in her absence. “Of course, Lady Warren.”

He summoned a servant to guide her to the king but that was only a courtesy, Charis could find her way without issue.

Danica looked to be on the edge of panic as her only lifeline was ripped away. You’ll be alright dear, just keep your calm. It was impossible to say that out loud, but she truly felt for the girl. She offered the young woman a light smile as she left.

Chamberlain Louis was a schemer but not a total snake. She respected the man. He played the game well and thrived but didn’t delight in it. Charis watched as he offered his arm to Danica.

“Shall we take a turn around the room?” he asked.

Danica’s reply was drowned out by the buzz of conversation but she would be fine with him until Charis returned.

With that settled she turned her attention to the upcoming meeting. She was shown into a rather simple room where the king waited. The door closed behind her and the sound of the ball cut off. Only silencing wards would cut off all sound so perfectly. Is he worried someone will eavesdrop? A truly private audience then. Has he decided on what to do with the girl and wants my support? Or is this about something else?

“Your Majesty,” she curtsied.

“Forget the pleasantries. We both know you could have taken the kingdom instead of giving it to me all those years ago.”

“Yes, but then I’d have to deal with all those scheming pricks instead of you.”

The king snorted. “Yes, sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it.”

She didn’t reply and the king quickly got to the point. “Will you impede me if I announce a betrothal for the Wells girl?”

“Maybe. Who do you have in mind?” Charis asked.

“General Demetri’s son.”

Charis’s breath caught. He’s a pig! “I do not have any respect for that nitwit.”

“Yes, but I need Demetri Ashford’s loyalty. Unless you want to step up?”

Charis scowled. “No.”

“I also wanted to talk about my daughter,” the king said, his demeanor darkened. “I didn’t fuss when she ran away and stayed with you because I knew you’d never harm her, but what is this nonsense I hear about her wishing to marry my Court Wizard? He’s not even a real wizard, just a caster!”

“They are in love,” Charis said casually. “It would be a good match for her.”

“Maybe so, but what about the kingdom? My whole strategy is built around her marrying Duke Timmons of Hillcrest and securing his allegiance to take down the Kingdom of Ashan.”

“Rowen,” Charis took him at his word and dropped the formalities. “You owe me a lot of favors.”

He glared at her but she wasn’t perturbed in the slightest. In the end, he’d do as she wanted.

“If you let your daughter marry who she loves, I’ll consider it a personal favor.”

His eyebrows rose. “Does that mean we will be even?”

“No. You owe much more than this is worth in favors.”

He shook his head. “You and your favors. Promise me this. If she marries that bastard of a mage, you will personally guarantee Ashan’s defeat.”

Charis snorted. “No, but I can give you this.” She laid out her terms. It was pretty simple. She wanted two things. In return, she offered to consider two of his favors paid, and she would personally guarantee to end the war with the Kingdom of Hewitt. King Rowen agreed to her first demand, but he wanted her to wait to end the war. He hoped Ashan would declare war and invade, the opportune time to make peace with Hewitt would be after the Kingdom of Ashan was committed. He was playing the pig to catch the hunter.

“Any peace deal with Hewitt needs to include Blackwood and Baron Sayman’s lands. I promised him that much.”

“If he’s not satisfied with being a Viscount, I can get rid of him for you,” Charis offered.

“Viscount. I could elevate him I suppose… Yes, that could work. I can grant him some lands in the east that would justify the promotion and he could stay in Blackwood if he likes.” He considered it a moment. “How will you persuade Hewitt to end the war?”

She gave him a blank smile. “Does it matter? I know you don’t doubt my abilities.”

“Try not to go overboard. We are neighbors after all. I don’t want to worry about them retaliating in the future. If they could go back to being a trading partner I would be pleased.”

“That will cost you something but I can make it happen,” Charis said.

“How much?”

“Five years to ten of favorable trade for Hewitt.”

He grunted. “I can live with that. Now what was the second thing you wanted?”

Charis’s first demand was Princess Evelyn’s freedom to marry the court mage. Her second demand was that Danica could pick who she wished to marry. The only stipulation the king made was that they had to be a member of the nobility.

“If there is nothing else, I should get back,” Charis said.

“Countess, you know I could promote you to Duchess if you took a more active role in the kingdom, right?”

“Yes, but that could cause instability. All the other dukes would have to align against me to even have a hope of balancing out the disparity of power, and even then, it wouldn’t work. I never should have been granted a title, Rowen, but I understand why you did it. It’s just as impossible to have someone as powerful as me live as a commoner.”

“You could have ruled the world if you wanted.”

Charis sighed. “All I wanted was my family. King Roger killed that hope.”

She watched his face carefully to see if he gave anything away but he just sighed and nodded. It wasn’t him who sent the note. He doesn’t know.

She curtsied and then she left. She found Danica and the Chamberlain surrounded by a large group of single young men. Things were just getting interesting as the two of them were facing off like a pair of roosters about to fight. Seems this party is a hit already. Charis wasn’t at all surprised by the brewing conflict. Danica was a natural beauty. Dressed up as she was, she would catch many young men’s attention. Her personality was even better, kind, polite, and attentive. So much better than the manipulative conniving nobles.

In most cases, being a decent person would be seen in a negative light among the nobles but Danica wasn’t an appealing match for her political savviness. Her lack of cunning intellect only made her more attractive to the prospective families hoping to control her. She’d be easy to control if she was stupid and her magic would make powerful heirs.

Charis disagreed with their assessment. Danica might be nice but that didn’t mean she was ignorant or weak. Charis saw a lot of herself in the young woman. Danica wouldn’t roll over without a fight. She’d die fighting if she wasn’t strong enough, or she’d prevail and escape the noble's snare. Charis hadn’t always thought that, but her opinion changed after she got to know her.

The two cocks masquerading as men were just about ready to go at it when she arrived. She stopped next to the Royal Chamberlain.

“Thank you, Louis,” she whispered.

“Anything for you, Lady Warren.”

The two noble fools finally reached their limit.

“I demand a duel!” one shouted.

They’d already garnered a lot of attention, and the outburst only gathered more. Charis placed a hand on Danica’s shoulders.

“Let them be,” she whispered.

Danica relaxed after seeing Charis standing half a step behind her. Charis offered her a faint smile. It was better if the girl didn’t get involved in their little—

“If you’re going to fight,” Danica chimed in. “Why doesn’t everyone? Surely all the other young gentlemen here want a chance to impress me as well.”

Charis wasn’t the only one who looked at her in surprise. Pit, she’s stirring the pot! Despite her initial surprise, Charis found herself fighting a smile. With just a few words she’d pulled everyone into the squabble and practically guaranteed they would have to fight if they wanted a chance to marry her.

“What a splendid idea,” a lofty voice said.

Charis’s mood soured at the sight of Derrick, General Demetri’s son.

He continued. “I propose a formal tournament with the winner taking home the bride!” He smiled at Danica but it looked more like he was eyeing a prostitute the way he looked at her. “What do you say, Miss Wells?”

“Your idea for a tournament is sound, however, being able to defeat someone in a duel is a poor gauge with which to pick a husband. I’m not a prize to be won. Someone’s personality is far more important. Wouldn’t you agree?” Danica asked.

“Of course! Allow me to introduce myself, I’m Darrick of house Ashford.”

“Danica.” She curtsied.

“Ha! Even our names match.”

He didn’t offer a bow in return. Her nose wrinkled. “Please excuse me, your presence is offensive,” Danica said.

Darrick blinked, then his leer of a smile shifted as anger took over. “What did you say?” he demanded.

Danica turned away and started walking. The crowd parted before Danica and Charis smirked at Darrick as she followed the young woman away. She knew he was trying to follow but he’d directly challenged all of the other young men with his stunt moments before and they weren’t about to forget it. Everyone knew he was a superb fighter, in a tournament he would have a very high chance of winning. They closed in behind her, blocking his path.

She knew that wasn’t the end of it, but he was just a small fish. Charis was still waiting for something to happen. That frustratingly vague note had alluded to something but didn’t go into detail. Perhaps it won’t happen until after the ball. Someone was messing with the carriage.

She kept a sharp eye out as Danica mingled with the ladies. Dancing ensued and Charis enjoyed watching Danica ignore Derrick and his many attempts to corner her for a dance. Charis was sure that the only thing that stopped him from forcibly cutting in and stealing a dance with Danica was the long piercing stare she gave him. Seeing him fume brought her great pleasure.

“Lady Warren, my feet are killing me. How much longer must we stay?” Danica asked.

It was getting late. Charis sighed. “Two more dances, then we can go. The king has yet to retire but I don’t need to concern myself with that.”

“I don’t know if I can survive two more dances,” Danica said.

“Just use your healing ring, dear.”

Danica froze. Charis just smiled faintly and patted her on the shoulder. The girl's magic was still sealed with the anti-magic bracelets but Charis was a wizard. She could sense magic and enchantments. This one had eluded her gaze for weeks but little things clued her in. Like how she’d bit her lip once, and then a moment later it was healed. Danica hadn’t even noticed at the time. It took a while and much effort to see through the disguise feature on the ring. It was exceptionally well made, but Charis had plenty of time to study it. The healing aspect was top-notch as well.

“Don’t worry about it, dear. Take a small break, you have plenty of interested partners to dance with.”

Danica let it go, and with a weary sigh, she looked up at her. “How long have you known?”

“A while. Took me a while to grow suspicious and a few more days to see through the disguise feature. It’s a wonderful piece. Makes me curious where you got it?”

Danica swallowed. “It’s my wedding ring.”

Charis had many surprises tonight, but this one caught her off guard the most. “You’re married?”

Danica’s face paled when she realized what she’d let slip. She quickly shook her head. “No! We were going to marry but…”

Charis could tell she was lying, trying to cover up her slip of the tongue, but it was too late. Danica realized it too. Charis glanced around but no one seemed to have noticed. One of the perks of her reputation was that people gave her space. In the noisy ballroom, a casual conversation wasn’t easy to overhear.

“No wonder you’ve held out hope so long,” Charis muttered. “I won’t say anything, dear.”

Danica’s tension eased. Charis almost kissed her on the top of her head, but the eyes of the other nobles stopped her. She couldn’t reveal too much. There was always someone watching and she had to play her part.

“Dance with this next fellow and we’ll leave.”

Danica nodded. The young man didn’t even get the words out before she offered him her hand.

“Would you—”

He cut off as she took his hand and led him toward the dance floor.

“My feet are killing me, sir. Please don’t be offended, but I just want to get this over with and leave.”

“Apologies, Miss Wells. Would you rather sit this one out?”

“Yes, but I better not. If the other nobles saw us sitting and talking they might get the wrong idea.”

He grimaced. “You’re likely right.”

The rest of their conversation was drowned out as the music started. Charis signaled the servants that she wanted to leave. She walked over to have a quick word with Princess Evelyn before curtsying to the king. He gave her a nod, and by that point, Danica had finished her dance.

Their coats were waiting by the door when they got there and the cool night air made her pull hers tightly around her. The chilly air was refreshing but her worries about what was to come only heightened. If something was going to happen, it would be soon.

Chapter 17

The night air was cold and damp. The chill seeped into my body and my ears went numb as I waited. A warm jacket and a hat would have been nice, but I barely noticed as my eyes were glued to the road, waiting for the Countess’s carriage to appear.

A glow could be seen from the moon through the dense fog bank that had rolled in. The ground had dried out after the rain but as night fell, the dew had settled. A faint sound tickled my ears and I tensed. The clip-clop of shooed horse hooves focused my mind and I leaned forward, trying to see through the fog better. My magic kicked in and suddenly I could see the glowing shape of a horse through the fog. The driver was a darker shade of orange.

I held my position. They would have to pass right by my spot. With my heightened perception I made out the sigil on the side of the carriage. Even in the dark, I could make out the blood-red color of the Countess’s symbol. This is it! The time for plans was over. Everything was set. All I had to do was strike. Something about that put my mind at ease. The tension vanished. Fear, worry, anxiety—they all melted away.

The carriage was fifteen feet away when I triggered the sleep enchantments. I sprang into action a moment later and flung a sleep spell at the driver. He immediately passed out and I jumped up beside him and stopped the horses. The driver slumped in his seat and I grabbed him before he could fall. Once the horses stopped, I applied the brake, hopped off the other side, and opened the carriage door. I was in a rush and flung it open but before I could look inside, a blinding flash exploded in front of my face.

I cried out as the spell blinded me. I retaliated with a similar spell immediately after the light faded.

“Pit!” a woman cursed.

A stun spell slammed into me a moment later but my shield dealt with it without issue. Before I could respond, a kinetic spell hit me and launched me off my feet. I landed a few yards away from the carriage and rolled to my feet. My enchantments prevented me from being hurt but it bought the woman time. Both of us were totally night blind and working with our other senses.

“You should have checked for wards before you messed with my carriage.”

I froze for a moment. I knew that voice. A chill washed over me. No. It can’t be! It must be a trick! I threw myself to the ground and felt a powerful blast of magic fly overhead. Pit! How dare she! Fury overtook me as I realized she was using some kind of perception spell to try to mess with my head.

“Go to the pit!” I shouted. A massive force spell flew out from me and struck the end of the carriage the countess was in. The wards flared with power that resonated in the air but they were never designed to deal with this much power. My energy spell hit with the force of a hammer. The carriage and its wards deformed like glowing iron beneath the impact. The carriage came apart in an explosion of wood and magic.

I immediately followed up with a healing spell that targeted the other half of the carriage where I sensed another person, it could only be Danica. I was a little worried about hurting her, but a faint tingling sensation in my mind told me she still wore the healing ring. I had to strike hard and fast.

“Pit! You’re pretty strong, but you’re no match for me!” the woman declared.

“Shut up!” I screamed.

“Devon?” Danica’s voice made my heart jump. She was here, she was alive! For a moment I felt like I was going to burst, and then that insidious voice sounded in my ears again. That bitch was using some kind of spell, just to mess with me, taunting me with my mother’s voice. It had been years, but how could I forget the sound of her voice? The tone, timber, even her anger—everything was perfect. This countess was going to pay for trying to use her against me.

“Devon?” I heard my mother’s voice again.

I screamed and unleashed my fury trying to tune out her tricks. The wood of the carriage came alive as I cast a nature spell at it. My power flowed out of me like water as I screamed. The spell pulled the remaining bits of the carriage apart and carried Danica to my side. The rest of it turned into sharp stakes and flashed toward the witch who tried to steal my mother’s voice to distract me. It was a fitting end for a witch—dying with a stake through her heart.

My vision was coming back as my healing ring repaired my eyes. A fire shield flashed into existence around the countess before my attack landed. The wood was turned to ash as soon as it touched the fire shield.

“Take this!” I shouted to Danica.

It looked like a simple necklace but it was anything but. Instead of a thin chain, it was made up entirely of enchanted rings, rings linked to form a chain with a very special pendant hanging from it. As soon as she put it on, the pendant activated, and a powerful energy shield sprang up to protect her. Next, the lightning bolt spell discharged and fried any anti-magic bracelets on her wrists. Her clothing wasn’t targeted specifically but it didn’t fare any better than mine had when I was struck by lightning.

I couldn’t be sure she only had bracelets around her wrists, so my spell targeted anything below her knees too, including her dress. Her sleeves weren’t spared either, but it was only clothing. It could be replaced.

The rest of the rings then activated, increasing every aspect of her physical body. There was even a sudo-healing enchantment included, just in case she was injured. I didn’t know she still had her wedding ring until now, so I’d come prepared.

As that happened, I unleashed a barrage of lightning bolts at my enemy. A dozen spells flashed toward her within two seconds. That shut her up. She was too busy defending to talk anymore. I didn’t let up, I kept launching spells. It wasn’t just energy spells. I cast several complex void spells, spirit attacks, earth, metal, air, and nature spells. I’d never gone all out before, but I did now—and she blocked everything. It was incredible but just made me even angrier.

Bits of metal from the carriage flashed through the air even as they shifted into razor-sharp blades. Tree branches ripped free and spun through the air to bludgeon her. Air rushed away from her trying to suffocate her, but those spells quickly disintegrated as her air shield countered them. The spirit attacks met a similar fate. My void spells met her void shield and both tried to devour each other. Nothing I did could touch her. She was touted as the strongest wizard in the world for a reason.

The air rippled around her from the heat of her fire shield. I couldn’t even tell if my attacks were causing her any trouble, but things weren’t going well.

“Run,” I shouted, hoping Danica would do as I ordered.

Danica didn’t listen.

“Go!”

“Never!” she said. She had to shout to be heard over the sound of the clash of magic and destruction.

“I can’t beat her!” I shouted.

Danica put her hand on my arm as if to tell me she wasn’t going anywhere. It’s not enough. All my struggles. All my plans… It wasn't enough. Nothing trumped pure power, and the Countess had it.

“Why aren’t you attacking!” I screamed at my foe.

Danica’s hand tightened on my arm but she didn’t attack. She had access to her magic now, but it wouldn’t make a difference. I realized I was panting and it wasn’t from using my magic. I was angry. Angry at this woman who used my mother’s voice to trick me but I saw through her lies. I was angry I couldn’t defeat her as well but mostly, I was angry at myself for being too weak.

I stopped my barrage. It was clear to me I couldn’t overwhelm her. She was too strong, her defense was perfect. I was only alive because she hadn’t killed me yet. As I stood there glaring at the woman, the dust and debris settled. Fires burned the littered remains of the carriage and branches that hadn’t been reduced to ash. Our battle left a devastated zone of torn earth around us. Lazy wisps of smoke drifted into the air from smoldering grass.

As the air cleared, the Countess dropped her fire shield. I saw her face and my heart nearly stopped. Her face was wet with tears as she looked at me.

“I could never attack you,” she whispered.

“M-mom?” I blinked rapidly as tears formed in my eyes. “N-no! It can’t be! This is a trick!” I was shaking—too afraid to hope that it was really her. This has to be a trick! Why, though? Does she want to capture me? I was stuck, unable to decide what to do.

“It’s me, Devon,” she said. “I love you and I could never hurt you.”

I shook my head. “No. My mother isn’t a wizard. She was a nice loving person! She’d never do the things you’ve done!”

“Magic runs in bloodlines, my dear child. Surely you know this.”

No no no! It can’t be! The countess is a monster! She’s killed thousands of people.

I realized Danica was clinging to my side. I wrapped my arm around her.

“I’m here,” she whispered.

Hearing her voice helped center me. The Countess wore my mother's face and spoke with her voice. She seemed every bit my mother but my brain couldn’t accept it. This had to be a trick. Danica’s presence gave me an anchor, a clear truth to hold onto. She was here. She was alive. She loved me. The warmth of her skin against mine soothed me.

“If you’re really my mother, then prove it!” I said, doing my best to keep my voice from shaking.

“How is Eli? Is he well? What about the Potters next door? I am your mother, Devon. You have grown up so much. You’ve become a powerful Wizard and I’m so proud of you.”

The countess’s smile, no. My mother's smile nearly broke me. I couldn’t deny it any longer.

“Why?” I demanded.

She seemed to know exactly what I was asking. “To keep you safe.”

“You didn’t even say goodbye!” I screamed.

The last of her composure shattered and she started sobbing. Danica nudged me from behind and I hurried forward as I started sobbing too. If not for our enchantments, we might have cracked each other's bones as we embraced.

I lost track of time as we held each other and cried. Danica’s hand settled onto my back, her silent support unobtrusive but there in case I needed it.

“You just left,” I said after some time. “You didn’t even ask me if I wanted to go with you?”

“Your father never hit me, Devon.”

“What?” I gaped.

“I had to go, the noble’s spies had tracked me to Shale. Your father knew I was a wizard, and knew I had enemies. The arguments you heard were us fighting over what to do. I couldn’t let them find you. My parents were killed by the king when he was trying to control me. I wouldn’t let that happen to you.”

“W-why didn’t you say goodbye? Surely you could have done that at least!”

She started sobbing again. “I wanted to, more than anything. I never wanted to leave you, Devon. You and Eli are my heart but I never could have left if I’d…” she broke off and started crying again.

Danica was comforting both of us now. I released my mother with one arm but she wouldn’t let go of me at all. I smiled at that. She loved me, and here she was, with Danica of all places! I pulled Danica into a hug and kissed her. It was a short kiss but we shared a look, a promise of much more to come.

“I never could have left if I saw your face,” my mother said. “I know I hurt you. Please forgive me.”

It still hurt, but I was ready to forgive. I’d never forget it though. She’d hurt me deeply when she left. My rational mind could understand the dilemma she was in and I quickly pieced together what she hadn’t said. Danica’s situation was a perfect example of what she was trying to avoid, but for our family, and for me. I don’t know how they found my mother, or how she became a noble, but she never acted like one. I assumed that came later. She left to keep us safe. That was the gist of it and for now, it was enough.

“Of course I forgive you Mother, but you hurt me. Promise you’ll never do something like that again.”

“I’ll keep you safe, even if you hate me for it,” my mother vowed.

“That’s not—” I shook my head. I guess I know where I get my stubbornness from. “Never mind.”

I had so many questions, but for now, I just comforted my mother and held my wife. My mother finally released me and pulled my face down to kiss me on the forehead.

“So, Danica and you?” she asked.

“Yes. Mother, meet Danica Coal, my wife.”

My mother’s smile was a sight for sore eyes. Her dimples, which had stolen my father’s heart, transformed her serious demeanor. She hugged Danica.

“What happened to my driver?” my mother asked suddenly.

“I put him to sleep.”

“Good, I better check on him. He’s a good man.” Then she gave me a wink. “It will give you two a moment to catch up.”

“Kiss me,” Danica demanded the moment my mother’s back was turned.

“With pleasure, Mrs. Coal.”

She smiled at that and then our lips met and I started making up for lost time.

After a long kiss and several follow-ups, she tucked her head against my chest and I just held her as she started to cry. I ran my hand over her head as her quiet sobs left wounds on my heart. I’ll never let this happen again.

“I’m sorry, Danica.”

“Stop. Just hold me,” she said.

I knew she didn’t blame me but she was my wife. I was the protector. She was my responsibility and she’d been hurt. Not physically perhaps, but hurt all the same. I’d failed to shelter her and I wouldn’t make that mistake again.

My mother returned with her unconscious driver. “I need to get back. Let’s go.”

I took a breath and then shook my head. “No. You’re involved with the nobles here. I’m taking Danica out of here, but I’ll be back Mom. We still have a lot to talk about.”

“Devon, please, you need to come with me. Now is no time to argue.”

“Danica isn’t safe with you.”

“Yes, she is. I can protect her,” my mother said.

“That’s my job, mother, and taking her to a ball to show off like a breeding mare is not protection.”

My mother planted her hands on her hips like I’d seen her do countless times growing up. “I didn’t know she was your wife at the time, and even so I wouldn’t have let anything happen to her.”

“Eli was doing well last time I saw him, but it’s been a while,” I said, trying to change the subject.

“Oh?” Her eyes brightened at the news but then she glared at me. “Don’t try to distract me and change the subject.”

“I love you, mother. I’ll check in again before we leave for good.” I walked over and went to kiss her but she stopped me.

“Devon, stop talking nonsense. You need to come with me. I can’t protect you otherwise.”

“Stop, Mom. I appreciate the gesture, I know you love me, but you can’t control everything. If you want to help, keep up the illusion that Danica is still living with you.”

“It would be a lot more convincing if she was!”

“She’s suffered enough being a pawn of the nobles. It ends here.”

“Devon Coal, you will do as I say, young man.”

“I’m not a child anymore. Don’t fight me on this. I am glad you’re alright. I’ve missed you terribly, but right now Danica’s safety is my only concern.”

“Then you could use my help.”

“You’re a noble, mother. Even if I trust you, I don’t trust those around you, or those spying on you. Danica and I can disappear but not if you’re hovering over my shoulder.”

“Devon, I’m warning you. You’re not too old to bend over my knee.”

“No!” I snapped. “I’m warning you. Back. Off.” The tension shot up as Danica’s hand clamped down on mine. “You are not responsible for my wife!”

“I-I’m sorry, Devon,” my mother said. “I know what it’s like to lose a loved one and I won’t—no. I can’t let it happen again. That’s why you will accept my protection.”

“You’re not the only stubborn one here, mother. If you try to get in my way, you’ll have to kill me to stop me.” I’d already failed to protect Danica once, and I’d just vowed to never let it happen again. No way was I going to pawn that responsibility off on my mother a few minutes later. “If you want to have a relationship with me moving forward, then you need to take a huge step back and stop treating me like a child.”

Her lips formed a thin line as she looked at me with disapproval.

“Lady Warren, err. Mrs. Coal, think carefully,” Danica said. “We both love Devon and I don’t want to see you throw away your relationship with him out of fear. You need to trust him.” She squeezed my hand and looked up at me with a smile. “Like I do. I knew he’d come for me, and I knew he’d save me. I never imagined you were his mother.” She said with a smile. “So please don’t ruin this reunion. Devon never talked about it much but I know you hurt him deeply. That’s going to take time to heal, even if he understands why you had to do it. This is something he needs to do.”

My mother's face crumpled. “But I just got him back!”

She started sobbing again. Danica comforted her with a hug and then signaled me to do the same. I gave my mother another long hug.

“I love you, Mother,” I told her.

She wiped her eyes. “I love you too, Devon. Please…”

“I’ll contact you soon, I promise.”

With that, I took Danica’s hand in mine and headed back toward the city. I glanced back to see my mother standing there. I wondered how much effort it took her to keep from chasing after us. The night swallowed us and I turned off the road.

“Where are we heading?” Danica asked.

“Somewhere with a hot bath,” I said as I smiled at my wife. I wagged my eyebrows at her and she grinned.

“There better be a bed included in that, Mr. Coal.”

“Oh, I assure you, there will be!”

Chapter 18

I made sure to cover our trail in case my mother couldn’t help herself and tried to keep tabs on us. Danica was exhausted after all the dancing she’d done at the ball, and the release from all the stress she’d been under left her half asleep by the time we reached the inn. We were both covered in illusions courtesy of our guise rings and I took her straight to bed where after a quick kiss, she immediately fell asleep.

It wasn’t quite the reunion I was looking forward to, but my mind quickly went back to my mother. No wonder Vivian was so insistent I didn’t kill anyone, but why didn’t she just tell me? I had questions for her. Danica was sleeping peacefully as I sat on the edge of the bed. My bath could wait until tomorrow. For now, I wasn’t letting her out of my sight.

Having her back safe and sound was a huge relief. I stripped down to my underclothes and crawled into bed beside her. She stirred a little and put her hand on my chest. I placed mine on top of hers and closed my eyes. Eventually, I drifted off to sleep.

The next morning we stayed in bed. We got up long enough to use the bathroom and chew some mint before making up for lost time. We shared a hot bath and then we got dressed. We were both famished by that point, so we went to find food around noon.

“Do you have a plan for us then, or were you just saying that to get your mother off your case?” Danica asked after finishing everything on her plate.

“I do, but we can discuss it. I have money in the bank and we can go anywhere.”

“What about your mother?”

“I… What she did hurt me. You know that, but I meant what I said. I love my mother and forgive her, but it’s going to take some time to repair that relationship.”

“I just don’t want to see you throw that away. You know how it is with my father. I don’t want to see you go through that with your mom too.”

She squeezed my hand and I leaned over and kissed her.

“Thank you, Danica. I won’t let it come to that if I can help it, but there's no way I’m trusting anyone else to keep you safe.”

“I am a powerful fire mage you know!” She smirked at me and I felt myself smiling. She turned serious a few moments later. “Thank you for coming for me. At first, I hoped you wouldn’t do anything stupid, but then… I became more selfish. I hoped you would. I needed you, Devon. I needed you and you came to me. Thank you.”

I scooted my chair closer to hers so I could put my arm around her. “I’ll always come for you, Danica. Not that this will ever happen again, but if it does, nothing will stop me. I’ll always come for you.”

One of the waitresses nudged the other and gestured in our direction. Both of them were smiling. I didn’t think much of it until they came back out with hot cocoa and pastries.

“We didn’t order this,” I said.

“We know,” the older one replied.

“It’s on the house!” the younger waitress beamed. “Are you newlyweds?”

“Yes. How did you know?” I asked.

The girls exchanged a look and then laughed. “Oh, trust me, it’s obvious.”

“They are so cute together,” the younger woman said.

The older girl elbowed her. “Enjoy the coco!”

“Thank you. That’s sweet of you,” Danica said.

Once they left, Danica happily sipped the cocoa. I dipped my pastry in her cup.

“Hey!” she protested.

I gave her an innocent grin. “What?” I took a huge bite of my dripping treat.

She returned the favor and giggled. After the gift was gone, we headed outside.

“So I should probably tell you, I bought us a house.”

“What?” She grabbed my arm as she stopped. “You went house shopping without me?” She gave me ‘the look’.

I held up my hands. “Whoa, calm down. Let me explain.”

“Those are dangerous words, Devon.”

I chuckled as she started smiling. “I would have waited for you if I could, but it was part of my plan to escape after I found you and we got away.”

“Where is it?” she asked.

“Here in Harrisburg actually. I figured hiding in plain sight would be best. I’ve already got a job lined up for myself and you can help me with it if we decide to stay here.”

“Oh. I don’t know what I expected, but after everything happened, I thought we’d head back to Hewitt.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I think you better start from the beginning.”

That’s what I did. I told her how I’d deserted as soon as I’d heard she was captured. She wondered about Pete Anderman.

I snorted. “When you went down, the line collapsed. He was killed before he could run away. I definitely would have hunted him down after finding you but we don’t have to worry about him anymore.”

“I guess he got what he deserved.”

“Yes. Yes, he did. He’s lucky they killed him.”

She patted my arm. “Alright, calm down. He’s dead and I’m here.”

A rush of air left my lungs and I let it go. “So then I made it to Blackwood but I got careless and was captured. I think you’d already left but that very nearly was the end of my gallant rescue.”

Her concern didn’t fade at my attempt at humor so I quickly went on. I hit the highlights and then filled in the details as we crossed the city.

“And that’s pretty much it.”

“What’s this Vivian like?” Danica asked.

“She’s nowhere near as pretty as you, my love!”

She hit my arm. “That’s not what I’m asking, Duffus. I know you aren’t interested in any other girls. Tell me about her abilities. Do you trust her?”

“I do. And I don’t know much about her power. My spell book doesn’t have much on seers, but she did tell me not to kill anyone the night of the ball. I guess I know why, but now I have even more questions for her. She could have told me the countess was my mother.”

“Would you have believed her?”

“....No.” I drew in a long breath. “I can still hardly believe it. A part of me still thinks maybe it was a dream or a guise ring or spell, some kind of trick.”

“You don’t really believe that, right?”

“No. I just… It’s a lot to take in. She left without a word and now here she is again with a crazy reputation.”

“When will you talk to her?”

“After I make sure we are safe,” I said.

“I feel safer already,” she said.

I felt good hearing that but I didn’t let it distract me. There were things I needed to do to make sure it wasn’t just a feeling but reality. Seeing my mother in action showed me just how far I had to go. I’d learned a lot about magic, but even my wife was probably more experienced in battle than I was. I’d killed out of necessity before, but never like she’d been forced to during her time with the army.

If I hadn’t lost my cool when throwing magic at my mother like a maniac, I might have been thinking more clearly. Clearly enough to formulate a planned attack that might have hurt her. Instead, I’d lost control. I could have easily had a spell go crazy and injure Danica. That thought bothered me a lot.

We reached the property I’d bought. I’d only seen the house twice, and once was with the realtor and Vivian. “Well, here it is. The paperwork is still being filed so we can’t move in yet.”

“Can we take a look, or do you need to change your appearance?”

I chuckled. “No, this is my Samuel persona. Samuel is who bought the house. He’s been eagerly awaiting the arrival of his wife.” I grinned.

“And what is Samuel’s wife’s name?” Danica asked.

“Well, he called her Hot Lips, but—Ow!”

Danica jabbed her finger into my side as she glared but I laughed. She started smiling too, despite herself.

“So, Mrs. Hot Lips? Not Sweetie or Honey?”

“Oh, Samuel had many names for his love,” I assured her. After I finished teasing her I told her she could pick a name if she wanted. I hadn’t created a whole persona for her yet.

“Lorain,” she said.

“Your middle name? That works. No one knows it here, right? It’s a common enough name, no one should be able to link it to you.”

“I didn’t tell anyone, so it should be fine.”

I smiled. “Alright then, Lorain. Let's take a look at the house.”

“Do we have a last name, Samuel?”

I coughed into my hands. “Er, yeah.”

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense.”

“I used my mother's maiden name.”

“So we are the Warrens?” Danica started laughing. “I’m sorry, I know you missed her a lot, and there is a lot to unpack there, but you have to admit, this is funny.”

I couldn’t find the humor in it but I didn’t try to damper her mood. I showed her around the outside but it was locked and I hadn’t gotten the keys yet. The neighbor lady came out to see who was snooping around but she recognized me.

“Isn’t that a different girl than you had with you last time?” she asked, squinting at me.

“That was my cousin you met,” I said. “This is my wife, Lorain.”

“Pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”

We chatted a bit and I filed her name away for later.

“So what do you think?” I asked a while later.

“It’s a nice area, and the neighbor lady doesn’t seem too nosy.” She grinned at that. “I like it but I want to see the inside before I decide. What’s this job you mentioned?”

“I secured a booth in the uptown market district. I hope to be taking mostly custom orders for enchantments but I also plan to have some stock items to display and sell.”

“Why enchantments?”

“I didn’t want there to be a link between Devon Coal of Hewitt and Samuel Warren of Shander. Everyone knew me as a caster there, so I figured I’d be less suspicious as an enchanter here. But my plans had to change, so now I’m selling enchantments as a broker for an enchanter.”

“Because of that Leeroy guy?”

I nodded.

“What about your merchant dreams?” she asked.

“That was a means to an end, and I already got the grand prize.”

She smiled. “Stop, you’ll make me blush.”

“My blushing bride,” I teased, then whispered something in her ear and her cheeks turned red.

“You’re so naughty!”

She slapped my arm lightly but I didn’t stop smiling. I took her across town and introduced her to Vivian and Boris. We chatted for a bit and everyone got along well. I expected nothing less with Danica. Everyone liked her.

My face hardened when the topic shifted to the ball and consequent events. Vivian noticed and smiled weakly at me. “I will answer what I can, Devon.”

Danica squeezed my hand. “I’ll talk to Boris for a bit. Why don’t you two have that talk?”

“It was a pleasure meeting you,” Vivian said to Danica.

“Likewise,” Danica said with a chuckle. “Don’t worry. He’s just upset, I’m sure this isn’t goodbye.”

Vivian laughed. “Thanks. I needed that.”

I walked off first and Vivian followed. After we were out of earshot I cast a perception spell so no one would notice our conversation.

“The Countess is my mother. Did you know that?”

She nodded.

“I almost killed her.” That might have been a stretch but I didn’t care at the moment.

She nodded again.

“Why didn't you tell me?” I asked.

She took a deep breath. “I wanted to, Devon. This gift is difficult to bear. Knowing what to say, and what not to say… Seeing various scenarios and tragic outcomes if I mess up, it’s hard. Nothing I say is going to really satisfy you.”

I pursed my lips.

She continued. “You wouldn’t have believed me. Even seeing her you struggled to accept it was her. I told you what I could and even sent a short message to your mother. It was the best I could come up with. All the other visions I saw ended badly.”

“Is that how she knew I’d be coming?”

Vivian nodded. “She added wards to her carriage just in case. They weren’t usually there. If she didn’t have those wards, your enchantments would have knocked them all out. Including the driver. He would fall and break his neck.”

“Pit. Really?”

She nodded. “If I told you some of the things I saw play out, you wouldn’t believe me. In the event I told you it was your mother, it ate away at you. You would either head to her manor and confront her directly, which spawned a long chain of events that ended in a civil war, or you slipped up trying to place your enchantments because you couldn’t focus on the task at hand. You ended up having to flee from the royal guard in that case.”

She took a breath and let out a sigh. “In the vision I saw where you managed to place the enchantments to knock her out, your mother ended up accidentally killing you because she was furious her driver was killed. You were wearing a disguise to hide from any pursuit and she didn’t realize that until after you were dead. When she realized her mistake and saw your dead body, she snapped. She ended up wiping out half the nobles in the kingdom… It only got worse from there.”

“Blast, this… This is much more complicated than I thought. Are all decisions we make so loaded with consequences?”

Vivian laughed. “No. I’ve noticed this oddity. Somehow knowledge of the future sends ripples through the strings of fate creating chains of events that wouldn’t otherwise happen. Simply by telling someone something related to one of my visions, it's like I'm strumming the strings of an instrument. If I say the wrong things, the note is out of tone and chaos unfolds. Trying to change the future creates disharmony and the song is broken. I have to be very careful which notes I play, what words I speak, or instead of a remix, we have a jumbled mess.”

“That sounds very confusing. I guess I shouldn’t be mad at you but I still feel frustrated over it.”

“I know, I wish I could explain it better. Let me see, fate is like a tapestry. When I make changes to it by seeing the future and intervening, it's like I’m pulling a loose strand from that tapestry. Too much and the entire thing unravels, not enough, and nothing changes. The actions taken from what I say are the stitches woven back into the canvas and—”

I held up my hand to stop her. “I think I understand all I’m going to be able to, Vivian. The rest is beyond me. I… Thank you.”

She smiled. “You’re welcome, Devon. I’m glad I could help. Thank you for believing in me. You helped me to see my power as a gift and not a curse. It's hard enough to bear without thinking of it as a curse.”

“What did you do before I came along?” I asked.

“I ignored it as much as I could.” She shrugged. “I tuned out the visions. Knowing when someone was lying was nice, but you know what happened to my mother. I never told anyone for fear I’d be killed as well.”

I nodded. Her mother had tried to do the right thing and was murdered for it.

“Don’t take your mother for granted, Devon. She’s hurting too.”

My eyebrows rose. “You saw that in your vision?”

She shook her head. “Not really. I saw enough in those to know, but she’s your mother. She loves you and is scared and worried.”

“What do you think I should do?”

“Talk to her.”

“I plan to but I need to—”

“Soon, Devon. Soon.” She reached out and squeezed my arm. “Don’t leave her hanging for too long. You just got your wife back so you are distracted but she’s been missing you a lot longer.”

“You’re right. I’ll send her a message tomorrow and set up a meeting.”

“Did you have any other questions for me?” Vivian asked.

“Did you want that other house you looked at?” I asked.

“I’ll think about it. For now, I’ll wait until things settle down a bit first.”

“Settle down?” I felt my body tense. “I was hoping the excitement was over.”

“Just stay calm and collected.” She patted me on the shoulder.

I had a feeling that those words meant something else or were meant for a different time and place.

“Let's go back, I’d like to talk to Danica some more. She’s nice.”

“She is,” I said, trying to figure out what her words meant.

“Stop obsessing, you’ll know when the time comes.”

I groaned. “That doesn’t help at all! Now I’m even more on edge.” Maybe she’s just messing with me… I didn’t think she’d do that, but if it put me in the right frame of mind for when whatever she saw happened…

“I know. I’m sorry,” she said.

Her sad voice made me sigh. “It’s not your fault, I guess. I’ll figure things out when the time comes.

Danica slid her arm around me when we got back. “How’d it go?” she asked quietly.

“Good. I’ll tell you more later. It’s pretty complicated.”

We ordered food and ate together. Some of my tension wore off as I saw Vivian laughing and talking with my wife. She didn’t look worried at all so I let it go. Whatever she was alluding to wasn’t going to happen tonight.

Chapter 19

A few days passed as I pondered what to say to my mother. I kept myself busy by making enchantments and building a stand to use when selling at the market. We heard back from the real estate agent. The paperwork was completed and everything was in order. We met with her and the previous owner and they handed over the keys. The process went much faster than I’d expected.

“I’m surprised things went through the system so fast,” I commented.

“It seems you made a good impression of the Royal Chamberlain,” the realtor said. She seemed like a nice lady. Her outgoing personality definitely helped with her job but she had tact and didn’t push you either.

“I’ll be sure to send him a fruit basket,” I said with a grin.

She laughed at the joke and after shaking hands with the previous owner, Danica and I started moving in. We didn’t have much so it didn’t take long to transport our things from the inn we were staying at. Danica had gobs of ideas on how to furnish the place and I left it to her. I wanted to do things with her, but this wasn’t one of those things I was going to shove my nose into. She was excited to take charge of it and I didn’t care enough to object to her ideas on most things. We had a few light arguments over minor things, but nothing serious.

Any time I was working and didn’t need to engage my brain, I was thinking about the situation with my mother. Part of me wanted to run to her and have everything go back to how it was. I forgave her, but I rejected that idea. She’d left. Walked out of my life without even saying goodbye. She’d made me hate my father for something he never did. Logically, I knew it wasn’t her fault. My father had willingly taken the blame for it, all to keep us safe, but I needed time to come to terms with that.

I paused work on the temperature-regulating enchantment I was working on. It was a luxury item that would keep a person nice and cool on a hot day, or warm in the cold. As I ran my finger over the half-finished enchantment, I tried to relate to my parents and understand their motives. I’d never lost my parents but I could understand my mother’s fear. My parents had told me a lie, much like Danica and I had done. We never announced our marriage—all to avoid the danger the nobles represented.

“And that was the right call,” I muttered.

Seeing how my mother lived now, with the aura of danger around her, it was a shock from the memories I had of a sweet person I grew up knowing. I sometimes wondered if this was who she really was, but I shook that thought away. It was basic cause and effect. Just like when trading, if iron was scarce, prices would go up. If my mother wanted to live in the open, she had to make sacrifices too. She’d stamped her name into the hearts and minds of friends and foes alike with her power. To do anything less… Well, her parents were a prime example of what happened to the weak. The nobles would use you or destroy you unless you made them stop.

I wasn’t sure I wanted that for my life. Hiding was simpler, we could lead a normal life in the shadows. Part of me rejected that idea. I was a powerful wizard, like my mother. The nobles would cower in fear if they provoked me, and yet I had a lot to lose. My mother had lost her parents, and then us too. All because of those blasted nobles.

“It would be so much simpler if they were gone,” I muttered.

It was an idle thought but it appealed to me. It would never happen of course, but one could dream.

I’d put off contacting my mother for several days. The urge to keep putting it off was strong. I didn’t want to deal with it yet. I wasn’t ready. All the revelations were still rattling around in my head and hadn’t settled yet but I knew if I continued to put it off, I’d just keep doing so forever. Then my mother would force the issue to get my attention. She wasn’t going to let me kick her out of my life and honestly, I didn't want to. I loved her.

That evening I sat down at the new table Danica had picked out. I picked up a quill to draft a letter. I got through the ‘Dear Mother’ introduction and then stopped. I sat there idly, lost in thought for a solid ten minutes before Danica’s voice pulled me out of my head.

“Can’t decide what to say?” she asked.

I grunted.

“Devon?”

I sighed. “My mind is a jumbled mess right now. I have so many conflicting emotions, things I want to say, and no idea how to put it into words.”

She thought for a moment and then stood up and walked around the table. I smiled at her as she stepped behind me and wrapped her arms around me.

“Sometimes it's easier to show someone how you feel than to use words.”

I patted her arms that were hugging me from behind, then stood and faced her. I put my hands on her hips and smiled.

“Thank you, Danica.”

She leaned in and kissed me. After a few minutes of that, I held her close as she leaned her head against my chest.

“Maybe I should just stop by and see her. The walk will help me clear my head.”

“Do you want me to go with you?” she asked.

“I…” My smile faded.

“It’s okay,” Danica said. “If this is something you need to do alone, I won’t try to impose, but I’m here for you if you need me.”

She got another kiss for that.

“Thank you. I think I need to do this alone.”

I headed for the door and checked that my disguise was in place and then walked out.

“Be safe!” She called after me.

“I will,” I promised.

Buoyed by my wife's love, I smiled as I headed across town toward my mother’s manor. My smile soon faded though as my thoughts took over. My feet carried me across the city without direction as I thought about the situation. Before I knew it, I was standing at the end of the lane leading to my mother’s manor.

For a long time, I just stood there. So close but not yet ready to take that last step. Several times I almost talked myself into turning around. What would waiting a few more days hurt? But I knew myself too well. If I left, it could be months or maybe even years before I was back and nothing would be resolved. Waiting would only make things even more of a mess. If I wanted to ever have a good relationship with my mother, I needed to face this here and now.

I love her. Despite everything that had happened, this never changed. So with that thought in mind, I took that last step.

* * *

General Demetri looked out the window of his home with a scowl etched into his face. Derrick paced behind him, his frustration evident in each step.

“I thought you said you’d handle it,” Derrick said. “That jumped-up commoner is ruining everything!”

“Shut up. I’m thinking,” Demetri snapped.

“Oh, you’re thinking! That’s all you ever do. Now is the time to act! How long are we going to wait? If we don’t make our move now, we won’t get another chance!”

“I said, shut up!”

Derrick recoiled as his father struck his face. The backhanded blow caught him by surprise and stung but it was the shock that affected him most. Derrick’s anger flared at the humiliation.

“You hit me!”

His father walked over and drove his fist into Derrick’s gut. “You stupid boy. I told you to shut up. Be silent!”

Derrick doubled over trying to breathe.

“Better. That seems to have shut you up.” His father chuckled as he tried to draw in some air.

The plan was to marry Derrick to Princess Evelyn, then when the armies invaded from Hewitt in the south, and Ashan in the north, the king and his forces would be distracted. At that moment, they would strike. The king would be forced to abdicate and Derrick would take his place with the princess by his side to make his claim legitimate in the eyes of the commoners.

“That blasted wizard!” his father cursed.

It all came down to Charis Warren. If she backed the plan, even unknowingly, they would have gained all the support they needed. The few nobles they could trust to stay quiet would have immediately jumped into their camp and with those, they could approach others and gain enough support to make a clean strike and take the whole kingdom in one stroke.

Derrick finally got his breath back but he didn’t dare speak as he studied the floor. Inside his anger blazed. If he was king, the first thing he’d do is execute his father. The bastard thought he was so smart, but where had all his plans and schemes gotten him? Nowhere! He’d let a blasted imposter into his home! The enchanter had snooped all around the manor. Who knew what secrets he’d discovered?

General Demetri was a fool, and it was up to Derrick to thrust their house to the top. He’d be king and no one was going to stand in his way. Darrick had never been one to worry much about the details, but once he decided he wanted something, he took it.

“I’m sorry, father.” He forced the words out, all the while his eyes drilled into the back of the man's head.

The general glanced over his shoulder at him and then went back to staring out the window. All he ever did was scheme. Derrick walked up behind his father and silently drew his dagger. With a firm thrust, the blade sank into Demetri Ashford’s back, cut through his liver, and pierced his lung. His stupid father gasped as his head turned and he grabbed at him. Derrick smirked at the surprise and disbelief in his father’s eyes.

“Stupid fool,” Derrick mocked. “So busy scheming. Making plots. Always wasting time! Nobody is going to stand in my way. I’ll do what you should have done years ago.” Derrick pulled the blade out as he pried his father's weakening grip off his shirt. His second strike drove upward from the front and struck his heart. The last of his father's strength drained out of him. His legs gave out first and he fell.

Derrick watched with a smile as his father tried to draw breath. The bastard shouldn’t have hit him. “I’ll kill that wizard and take the throne. No commoner and her puppet king is going to stop me.” He leaned down as his sneer widened. “And no stupid scheming general is going to stand in my way. Even if he is my father.”

The light faded from his father's eyes as the blood pooled around him. Derrick scowled at the blood all over his shirt. He walked over to the desk, pulled the chair over to the window, and heaved it as hard as he could and the glass shattered. He quickly wiped the dagger down and tossed it out the window and then went over to the fireplace and grit his teeth.

He glared at his father’s corpse and cursed him, then he slammed his forehead into the stone that surrounded the fireplace. The pain was horrendous as he let himself fall. He collapsed and lay there until the servants came. Soon he’d place a bounty on the mystery assassin to avenge his father. Soon, he’d have the throne.

* * *

My discussion with my mother went late into the night. The initial niceties had been short before she’d rushed over and hugged me. Some of the tension and confusion retreated and we started to talk.

We had an honest discussion of where we were coming from, expressed our desires for the future, talked about the past, and even shared our fears. She understood me far better than I expected. But I should have known. She experienced my fears firsthand. Lived through the death of her adoptive parents. She knew what it was like to want to protect someone and fail.

The lies she told when she left, and how she left, still hurt, but I understood her.

“I acted out of fear,” she’d said. “I wanted to keep you safe, but I almost couldn’t bear to leave you.”

Her tears were real. I could hear the pain in her voice when she spoke. We talked long into the night and started to mend our relationship.

I glanced back at the manor as I walked away. This was good… I’m glad I made myself talk to her. A letter never could have properly encapsulated my thoughts and feelings. She still loved me. That much was clear. I saw a path forward for us and that made me happy.

It had been a bit of a hassle trying to leave, she got very clingy. She’d made me promise I’d come back and that we’d stay in touch, and then she’d hugged me repeatedly, unwilling to let me go but knowing she had to. It was just what I needed but smothering at the same time.

I smiled as I sighed in relief. It was a huge weight off my chest and I felt more steady as I headed for home.

“Home,” I murmured. “That has a nice ring to it.”

I couldn’t wait to get back and snuggle up with Danica. The tension that had been wearing on me had faded but I was tired and ready for some peaceful rest with my wife.

Bells rang in the distance despite the late hour as I approached my new house. I paused to listen but there was no way to know why they were ringing. I shrugged it off.

Danica had left a lantern burning on the porch for me. I smiled as I took it off the hook and walked in. The bells continued to ring. Something was happening, but it wasn’t my problem. I was tired and they weren’t so loud as to keep me awake.

I blew out the lantern so I wouldn’t wake my wife and then entered our bedroom. I triggered my magic to illuminate the world enough to see and changed into night clothing.

“Devon? Is that you?”

“Yes. Sorry to wake you. We talked longer than I expected.”

“It's fine. Come to bed.”

I smiled as I did just that. We were both tired and quickly fell asleep.

Morning came a bit early but I smiled all the same. My wife was at my side, no one was trying to kill us, and we were happy. Life was good. Once we got up and started the day, Danica made breakfast. I read some in my spell book to deepen my knowledge and then sat down to eat.

“We need to go food shopping,” Danica said.

“Make a list, I’ll see what I can pick up at the market today.”

“Are you going to start selling today?”

We’d discussed the possibility but hadn’t decided on when to start yet.

“I think so,” I said. “I have enough stock for the rich middle class and minor nobles.”

For the high nobles, I figured they would want custom orders so I didn’t plan to spend gobs of money on expensive rings and jewelry to enchant. They could tell me exactly what they wanted and I’d just make it for them. It would save me time and money.

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“Always,” I said with a grin. “But I don’t want some noble to see you and start trouble.”

“The guise ring you gave me hides my looks, Devon.”

“Oh, right, but even your disguise is pretty.”

“Who’s fault is that?” she asked, stifling a laugh.

I scratched my head as I grinned sheepishly. “Alright. You can do the shopping while I man the stand.”

With that decided we packed up our wooden crates and loaded them up into a small hand cart. I’d considered making a buggy like I’d seen some of the nobles use for their newborns but that seemed a little too distinctive. The hand cart was more geared toward work. It was similar to a wheelbarrow but had two wheels instead of one. Danica and I each grabbed a handle and pulled it behind us as we walked. Samuel and Lorain Warren were off to the market. I smiled. It was time to make some money.

Chapter 20

The market was abuzz with activity as we set out a sampling of my product. I’d constructed my stand with wood using my nature magic and it stood out among the other vendors. The carvings in it were intricate and fancy. I may have gone a little overboard with the detail but it made the various animals I’d carved in the wood seem alive.

I had wooden cases with a glass top on them made to keep my items in. This way I could display them and no sticky hands could easily get at my wares. The cases had locks but I didn’t need to keep them locked up while I was standing there.

A commotion was forming as I set out the last of my cases.

“I think something is happening,” Danica said, looking toward the commotion.

“Do you want to go have a look?” I asked.

She shrugged. “No. I’m sure if it's anything important, someone will tell us.”

She was right. Only a few minutes later a street crier started shouting out some important news. We couldn’t quite make it out over the general noise of the market which had picked up as the early birds started filtering through. After a while not knowing was starting to bother me so I walked over to Jared’s stand.

Jared was around our age and sold quills that were incredibly fancy and decorated. Some had carved ivory casings around the quill, with intricate gold inlays, or tiny jade stones arranged around it in patterns to make up shapes or animals. There were all kinds and I could tell he loved his work.

“Good morning, Jared.”

“Samuel! You made it. This is your first market day, right?”

I grinned. “That’s right. Finally got settled in at the new house.” We’d talked some as I browsed the market previously and I’d made the acquaintances of all the vendors.

“Nice! I’ll have to invite you two over sometime. Maybe I can talk the wife into making some black raspberry pie!” He let out a pleasant sound. “So good.”

I chuckled. “My wife makes the best cookies. Let us know, and I’ll see if I can’t convince her to make some!”

We shared a laugh as we both knew we were angling for our favorite sweets more than the get-together, still, it would be good to get to know some people around here better.

“Any idea what all that commotion was earlier?” I asked.

“Oh, they always have that,” he said. “The street criers share the latest news first thing but the news isn’t usually so big!”

I snorted. “Are you going to tell me what happened, or do I need to pry it out of you?”

He laughed hard at that but his mood quickly sobered. “It’s not good. General Demetri of House Ashford was murdered last night. The crown is investigating but only a few details were released. His son was injured in the attack as well. They say the lead suspect is a Master Enchanter who was snooping around their home a while back. Tried to pass himself off as an underling for the spymaster. Doesn’t make much sense though. Rumor has it, that fellow was there for days and never made a move.”

He frowned. “You sell enchantments, right?”

“I do. Don’t make them though. Only mages can do that, but I have some contacts in the business who might know something. Do you think I should talk to the Royal Chamberlain? See if I can help?”

“Best not to get involved. Trust me, you want to stay out of any of the noble's business.” He gestured to the table. “Just stick to taking their money and selling stuff and let them sort it out. If they need you for something, they will let you know.”

I laughed. “Good advice. Thanks. I’ll catch you later. I need to get back.”

Jared went to talk to one of his buddies who sold at a stand nearby as I walked back to Danica and filled her in.

“Is this going to be an issue?” she asked.

“Not for us,” I said, hoping it was true. “But someone might want to talk to us about it at some point.”

She slipped her arm around me and I pulled her close to my side. A customer stopped just then and smiled at us.

“Good morning,” I said.

“You sell enchantments?”

That was what the sign said but I kindly didn’t point that out. “Yes sir!”

He bobbed his head. “I haven’t seen you here before.”

I chuckled. “I’m new. Just finished the paperwork a few days ago and finally got a shipment of items arranged to sell. I do take custom orders, but there is a delay due to shipping time.”

“Oh, you don’t make them?”

“No sir, but we’re insured by the Trader’s Bank. All items in our care are covered, so if you had something you wanted enchanted, you can rest easy knowing your item would be insured. Unless it’s an old family heirloom, it can easily be replaced if something happens.” Or if you don’t trust me, you can trust the bank.

“That’s good. What type of enchantments do you offer?”

I went over my stock selection and then showed him a list of custom enchantments I ‘knew’ could be done and the going rates for some of them. Not all had a price listed, nor did I list everything I could make.

“That’s a decent selection you have on hand!” he said, sounding surprised. “Who makes your goods?”

I rattled off details about an enchanter I made up. He was supposedly an odd fellow who liked to drink expensive booze and be left alone. His skill was amazing but he had no talent for marketing.

“I struck a deal with him. I’m looking for more enchanters to partner with. If you know of any that have items they want to sell, please send them my way.”

He didn’t buy anything but the conversation drew other people my way. I had more comments on my amazingly carved wood stand that day than my enchantments but I still sold twenty gold ducats worth of goods. That only came to four items, so it was a slow day in my opinion, but the income was amazing all the same. It was more than enough to live on for months if not an entire year, even here in the capital where things were expensive.

Danica had browsed the other stands but waited to do her shopping until after we packed up for the day. Everything was more expensive in the uptown market. We’d do our shopping in the normal market where the prices were far more reasonable. The market ran all day but we only stayed till mid-afternoon. We had other things to do and I would need to replace the items I sold. Danica handled the shopping and I pulled the cart and made sure nothing went missing.

When we got home, I unloaded everything while she got the stove started and mixed up some dough for bread. Danica loved baking and had missed it. Now that she had a stove she was excited to put it to use. The house was soon full of the smell of warm bread. It smelled phenomenal.

I made a few enchantments while I waited for dinner. The bread was amazing. If I didn’t know better, I’d have thought she used some kind of magic to make it light and fluffy. The cinnamon butter combined with the fresh warm bread melted in my mouth. It was the perfect end to a fulfilling day.

The next week passed with the same routine. We spent a little over half the day at the market and then worked on other things. The house needed a few repairs, so between making enchantments and selling them, I fixed up the place. Danica talked about starting a garden in the backyard next spring and things finally seemed to be settling down.

That all changed one day. My mother sent me a letter. It was short and to the point.

Assassins tried to kill me last night. I’m alright. Please meet me at the Risky Rider Tavern tonight. Be careful. Something big is afoot.

Your loving mother.

A chill washed through me. I clenched my fist as my anger surged. “Why won’t people just leave my family alone?”

“What’s wrong, love?” Danica asked, still smiling from enjoying the day.

I handed her the note. “Mom’s in trouble.”

Danica’s smile evaporated and she quickly read the note. “Who would be this stupid?” she asked.

“Take your pick, the nobles are all stupid arrogant pricks.” Even the few I didn’t hate were prideful, but I could be like that too. Still, they seemed to excel at it.

“What are you going to do?” Danica asked.

I waved toward the note. “I’ll see what’s going on. After that, I can make plans, but we should pack some bags, just in case we need to run.”

Danica didn’t argue. “Alright. I’ll take care of that.”

“Thank you.”

I pulled her into a hug and slowly ran my hand across her back. That night I found my way to the tavern. When I walked in, I sensed something odd with my magical senses. I frowned as I scanned the room. My eyes locked with an older woman with gray hair. She looked like she was still very active and energetic despite her age. My eyes widened when I noticed she was wearing an illusion. She had a guise ring. With an effort of will and focus, I pierced the veil and saw my mother’s face.

She smiled and waved me over. The chair scraped across the floorboards as I pulled it back and sat.

“How’s my dear grandson?” she asked, patting my hand like an old lady.

I opened my mouth to ask what had happened but closed it again and decided to play along. “I’m doing well. Just living life to the fullest.”

We ordered food and were almost finished eating before she cast a perception spell so we could talk. By that point, my anxiety was eating a hole in my gut.

“What happened?” I demanded. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. My wards detected the threat in time and I got all my servants and staff away safely.”

“Why are you hiding here then?” I asked.

My mother paused. “I’m tired of living here. I want to go home to my Eli. I feel like I’m living in a cage in that fancy house. The nobles hate and fear me, I have no friends, and I’m sick of it. So I’m taking this chance to make a clean break. The assassins weren’t that good and I easily fooled them, tricked them into thinking they succeeded. Lady Warren is dead. Only Charis Coal is left.”

“Who tried to kill you?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“What do you mean it doesn’t matter?” I demanded.

My mother sighed. “I don’t care. There are too many suspects. I don’t want to go on another killing spree and slaughter a bunch of innocent people! Just forget about it. You can live a good life here with your wife. Just ignore the nobles and focus on what’s important.”

I didn’t like it. Nobody should get a pass on trying to murder my mother but… “Your note. You mentioned something was afoot, what did you mean?”

My mother shrugged. “Someone tried to kill me. That means someone is making a play, probably for the throne. They have to think I’ll stop them if they launch a coup since I’m the one who made Rowen king. With me out of the way, they have a chance to proceed.”

“And you’re just going to leave? Mom, Danica, and I are living here now. If the king is killed, there is going to be chaos and a lot of killing.”

“There probably won’t be as much as you think,” my mother said. “Most of the king’s forces are on the border, either fighting the armies of Hewitt or waiting to ambush the armies from Ashan if they take the bait.”

“Bait?”

“The king wants to lure them into a war and crush them. He’s using the war with Hewitt to make himself look weak.”

I snorted. “And now a coup is going to take him out?”

“It might fail. It’s always bloodier if it fails. A quick takeover would be best. You might think about helping them if you’re worried about the fighting spreading through the city.”

“Helping! Mother, those people tried to kill you!”

“Yes, and failed. They gave me an opportunity. I’ve been hoping to slip away from this place since I was forced to come back here.”

I sighed. “I guess we can go anywhere but Danica and I really like our new home.”

“I’m sorry son… I could deal with this situation first, I suppose.”

“No. You have been gone long enough. Dad needs you.”

She grimaced. “I made a promise to the king. I should help, I just don’t want to.”

“We could fake your death in the fighting,” I suggested.

“No. I’ll stay dead. That doesn’t mean a cranky old woman can’t show up and deal with things though. I’d be keeping my promise, even if everyone thinks I’m dead.”

“Is it even worth it?” I asked.

“I despise liars,” my mother said. “The nobles are always lying and I hate it. You should stay out of the conflict. Just live your life.”

“Wait, does this have something to do with General Demetri’s death?” I asked.

My mother chuckled. “I imagine so.”

“I made enchantments for him and his son. If you face them, you can deactivate all their enchantments by pulsing your aura in a specific way. Let me show you.”

We talked for a while longer and then I went home. I didn’t want to get involved but someone tried to murder my mother. I’d find them and kill them but first I needed to make preparations.

I sent a message to Boris and Vivian and then started fortifying our home with wards and magical traps. If trouble came to our door, we’d be ready.

Chapter 21

“Thank you. Come again!” I said as the customer left with a smile on his face.

I was in a good mood as well. My wife was talking with Ashely, one of the vendor’s wives about gardening, and the sun was shining. It was a good day to be out and about. My enchantments drew a lot of attention and more customers were finding our stand every day.

“Good morning,” I said as an old gentleman walked up.

He was a noble with a bushy gray beard. The laugh lines around his eyes made him seem friendly and harmless but I knew that looks could be deceiving. He had two young boys with him, both still in their adolescent years. A butler who reminded me of my mother's head servant kept a close eye on the boys from behind the group.

“Pleasant day to you as well,” the noble said, inclining his head. “Do you have body suppression enchantments?” he asked.

“Not a wide selection, but I do take custom orders.”

“Let's have a look.”

The young boys crowded the table to see as I pulled out the items. With my power as a wizard, I could crank up the power on all of my enchantments so I ignored suppression enchantments for myself. With my enchantments so much stronger than the general competition, I could make them powerful enough that I did not need to suppress someone else’s magic. I hadn’t run experiments on it yet, but my spell book told me that too many enchantments close together would start interfering with each other. They still worked, but not as well. There was a point of diminishing returns but I didn’t know much about that.

The old man decided to splurge at his son or nephew’s prodding. He bought six different suppression enchantments and placed a custom order for a temperature-regulating enchantment. He wanted the enchantment on a lovely pair of earrings for his wife. One of the boys rolled his eyes at that statement behind the old man’s back. I could guess they were for a different woman but didn’t say anything. It wasn’t my problem and I was about to make a big sale.

I wrote out a receipt and went to hand it to him. He waved his servant forward and continued on his merry way. The servant took the receipt and paid for the items. I handed them over and told him to keep the receipt. He’d need it once the custom order was completed.

The rest of the day was a bit slower but I enjoyed it. Danica was with me and we were making friends with the other vendors. Some were less friendly than Jared, but we hit it off great with Ashely and her husband Don.

We packed up at our normal time and headed back to drop off our wares, then went out to eat. We splurged a little, but we could afford it. The place wasn’t high class but it was nice. They had booths for more privacy instead of just tables but didn’t offer private rooms like the fancy establishments did.

“This dish is really good,” Danica said. “I want to plant some of this next spring. What was it called again?”

“Asparagus,” I said.

I’d gotten the same dish and she was right. It was good. The stuff was grilled with garlic butter and some kind of hard cheese that was grated very finely. I wondered how they preserved it in the off-season and wondered if I could make something to preserve food with my magic.

“Ashely was telling me about her garden. It's too late in the season now, but I’m looking forward to starting one in the spring.”

“What does she grow?”

“Just the staples. Most of her space is taken up by her tea plants.”

“What do those look like?” I asked. I didn’t know much about tea, only that my mother always kept a small bag of tea leaves for when we got sick.

“She described it as a shrub-like bush. She invited us for a visit. Their main farm is a few miles away but they have a nice house here in town. Ashley grew up helping on the farm. That’s how she met Don.”

Don owned the farm now since his father died, but Ashely was the one with the passion for it.

We returned home after dinner and found a man waiting on the porch steps. He stood as we walked up.

“Samuel Warren?” he asked.

“Yes? Can I help you?”

Danica sensed my wariness and her hand tightened around mine.

“Yes, my name is Ben Whittaker. I work for the crown. We are investigating a murder.”

“Is this about that crazy enchanter who murdered the General?” I asked.

“How did you hear about that?” he asked.

I snorted. “A town crier was shouting it out in the marketplace.” I moved past him and opened the door. “Well, you might as well come in.”

“Would you like some cookies?” Danica asked, making a beeline for the kitchen.

Only a few had survived from the batch she made yesterday. They were delicious and melted in my mouth.

He nodded and she fetched him a glass of milk and cookies while I took him back to my workroom. I had enchantments out and the room was a bit disorganized.

“I was taking inventory and cleaning the items,” I said. “My supplier is an old coot who likes to drink. He ships me what I need regularly.” I pulled out the fake documents I’d created and handed them over.

“You’re just a distributor?” he asked.

“Yeah. It would be pretty cool if I could make all this stuff,” I said with a laugh. “Wouldn’t have to send most of the profits off to that crazy enchanter then.”

The man didn’t look entirely convinced, but Danica interrupted his train of thought bearing cookies. It didn’t take long for her baking magic to totally break him.

“These are delicious,” he said. He looked at me now with envy instead of suspicion.

After some idle talk, he got back on point. “Where can I find your supplier? I don’t see an address here.”

“I met him in Blackwood,” I said. “He was heading to Erie at the time. We stay in touch with this enchanted paper,” I said. “He likes to keep track of how much money I owe him.” I chuckled.

“He’s not in the capital then?”

“He could be,” I said. “I mean, he told me he was in Erie, but that was a few days ago. He’s probably on the move again.”

The man sighed. “I’ll have to follow up on that later. I’ll be back if I have any more questions.”

“No problem, happy to help!” I said. “We are typically out selling until mid-afternoon.”

“I suspected as much,” he said. “That’s why I came when I did.”

“Yeah, we went out for dinner,” I told him.

We bid him a good day and he left. Danica watched him go with a pensive look. “Are we going to have to move?”

“I hope not. I rather like it here,” I said.

She hugged her arms. “Me too.”

I wrapped my arms around her from behind. “I’ll keep you safe,” I promised.

“I know.”

“But you might want to make more cookies in case we need to bribe him again.”

She shifted in my arms and elbowed me. “Nice try, buster. I know you just want more cookies!”

I laughed as her worries faded away. “He finished the last of them. I was looking forward to eating those.”

She smiled and we shared a kiss. “Alright, I’ll make another batch. What are you going to do while I’m slaving away in the kitchen?”

I knew she loved baking so just smiled. “Thanks, love. I think I’ll tweak the wards. I don’t want them going off accidentally.”

“Should I be worried?”

“No, they won’t harm us, but some of them extend out onto the porch. There is a slim possibility that they could trigger when they shouldn’t.”

I got to work and had the wards sorted out by the time the house was filled with the mouth-watering smell of cookies. We ate a few of the fresh cookies as we sat on the porch enjoying the crisp evening air. Danica cuddled up next to me in a blanket and I put my arm around her.

“I wrote a letter to my mother the other day,” Danica said. “She’s got to be worried sick about me.”

“We can always go visit after the war,” I said.

“That could take years.”

“I doubt it. Neither kingdom has a robust economy. If the fighting goes on too long, their economies will collapse. Hewitt and Shander aren’t as dependent on foreign trade as the countries in the east, but it will still create a ripple effect that will cause all kinds of issues long term.”

If levies were called up, that would create even more problems.

“My mother will probably end it before too long,” I said.

“Why? I didn’t think she liked getting involved in kingdom politics.”

“She made some kind of deal with the king to end the war for him, but…” I paused, unsure if I should tell her what I knew.

“But what?” she asked.

Better she knows what’s going on. “My mother agreed to end the war against Hewitt for him in exchange for allowing his daughter to marry the Court Wizard. She thinks General Demetri was planning a coup, but someone from his party eliminated him for some reason. They tried to assassinate her and she let them think that they succeeded.”

“What? Why?” Danica asked, sounding alarmed.

“She hates life here. She wants to go home to my father.” I went on to explain everything. The lies they told me, and why she left. I was still processing some of it myself and talking about it helped.

“I’m going to go have a look around General Demetri’s house tonight, well, I guess it’s Derrick’s now.”

“Why?” Danica asked. “I thought you almost died fleeing from there last time.”

“Yes, but I’ll be careful. I can use my Void Walk spell. If there are any wards to prevent that, I’d be surprised. It's a rare spell and hard to cast. Not many people can do it and it isn’t very well known.”

With my major flaw in my enchantments fixed, I didn’t expect to have a problem. Life was good but I didn’t want to get blindsided again. I wasn’t sure how the general and his son were involved in the plot against the crown, but my gut told me there was a connection. My information was lacking. If I could just sit on the sidelines, I would. I didn’t care about any of the nobles, but they had attacked my mother. Even if they didn’t know we were related, that could change and if that happened, then Danica would be in danger again. They tried to kill my mother once already. If they learned she was still alive, they might try again.

With that in mind, I dressed in some worn-out clothes and headed out after dark. I walked around the city for a while. I kept to the main streets and made sure no one was following me. I ducked into a dark alley and shifted my guise ring to my Shade persona. I engaged my body enchantments and blurred into motion. I crossed the city quickly with my speed and perception enchantments running full blast and soon arrived at the late general’s manor.

I cast Void Walk and walked through the wall and into the place. I felt a little smile tug at my face as I passed through the solid stone. The spell was an energy hog, so I didn’t have a lot of time to work with. I headed directly for the office where I’d met the general and phased through the wall. I quickly scanned the contents of the desk, but it was practically empty.

Derrick must have his office somewhere else. I realized the entire room had a fine layer of dust on it. It wasn’t much, but the servants should have kept it clean. I frowned as I looked around. One of the windows was new. As I took a closer look I found it had been replaced recently. The caulk around the window was still hardening.

I found a drop of blood by the fireplace and a new rug was placed near the broken window. I glanced around but saw no one close to the room. I dropped my Void Walk spell. My weight returned and I flipped the rug up to look underneath. The floorboards were noticeably cleaner under part of the new rug. I wasn’t sure what to make of all of the oddities.

I was careful to not disrupt the dust when I could avoid it. The information I needed wasn’t there, but I assumed there was a safe somewhere in the room. It was probably cleared out too but I had no idea where else to look. The manor was huge and searching the entire place would take too long so I decided to look for the safe. Even if it was well hidden, finding it would be easier than searching the entire manor.

I used nature magic and touched the wooden walls. I let my magic give me a sense of what was there. For the stone around the fireplace, I used earth magic. My range was only about ten feet in diameter but I used this method and moved around the room.

“Gotcha,” I murmured as I smiled.

It took me a while to find it since the safe was located under the desk in the floor. I’d checked all of the walls before moving on to the floor. It had a high-quality combination lock but that didn’t concern me. It was the glow of magic around the safe that gave me pause.

Before I got started I did a quick check. I reached out with my life sense and scanned the area outside the office but everything was still clear. Perfect. I crouched down beside the safe and got to work. Ward breaking wasn’t difficult for a mage of my strength, but bypassing them without activating them was something else.

I checked my spell book several times for information on the topic, but the more I read, the more I realized how difficult it was. Ward cracking was an entire field of magic I’d never needed. I hadn’t even heard about it before. There was no way I was breaking into this safe without setting off the wards protecting it. I dropped my spell book back into its spacial pocket.

Now what? I found the safe but it was locked up tight and I couldn’t access it. If I tried, the wards would go off. I wasn’t worried about them hurting me, but they might destroy the contents of the safe. Worse, they would alert someone.

An idea popped into my head. I could just steal the entire safe and crack it open later… Even if I triggered the wards I might find something inside if I got it open fast enough. The idea grew on me.

With a new plan in mind, I got to work. I created a new permanent spacial spell to house the safe and then got to work removing it from the floor. That took a lot of careful effort, both to remain quiet and avoid setting off the wards. I used nature magic to manipulate the wood around it and got it free. It fit nicely into the spacial pocket I’d made for it and I avoided triggering any of the wards. I smiled and then froze. There was a glaringly obvious two-foot square hole in the floor. Only a blind man wouldn’t see it.

I shrugged. I could fix that too. I used my nature magic to seal up the hole. The wood grain was all messed up making it stand out, but not as bad as before. No one was going to fall and break their neck by stepping into the hole. I enchanted a perception spell into the wood so no one would look at it. The ‘Ignore Me’ spell was so handy. I smiled as I stepped back and examined my work. It still looked like a mess to my eyes, but no one else would even notice. Well, a powerful mage might, but they aren’t that common.

With my work done, I cast Void Walk again. I phased through the wall and hurried away. It was late. My speed enchantment got me across the city in no time. I cast Void Walk once more, phased through the city wall, and went a few miles out of the city. There, I pulled out the safe, and carefully set it down. I didn’t have time to try to crack the wards now but no one would find it here.

I set up a simple ward to alert me if anyone happened to stumble across it and then made an anti-scrying enchantment and left it next to it. With that done, I took the necessary steps to make sure no one was following me, went home, and joined my wife in bed.

Chapter 22

The smell of freshly baked bread and cookies greeted me when I got out of bed. I found Danica in the kitchen making a whole assortment of baked goods.

“That smells amazing, honey, but why are you making so much?” I asked.

“I’m going to take them to the market today and hand them out to the other vendors.”

I blinked. “That’s a great idea!” I never would have thought of that. Once again she surprised me with her kindness. She had such a generous heart.

Danica smiled and I walked over and wiped a smudge of flour off her nose and kissed her.

“You need some mint,” she told me.

“Sorry. Just got up.”

I headed to the bathroom to get ready while she called after me. “How did it go last night?”

“I’m not sure yet. Couldn’t find what I was looking for, but I have a lead.”

She let the conversation drop until I was changed and ready for the day. Then asked for the details. I told her what I’d done and what my plan was. There wasn’t time to work on it now. We had to get to work. Our goods wouldn’t sell themselves after all.

We loaded up the cart and headed for the uptown market. The bread and jam were a big hit, but the cookies put it to shame. I lost count of how many I stole when Danica wasn’t looking, but judging by the look she gave me after seeing the basket with the cookies in it, I was pretty sure she knew what was going on.

There were no major sales, but we still sold a few items and I brought in just shy of thirty gold ducats. I was doing it! I had a steady income with more money than I’d ever dreamed of seeing. What I’d made today was a fortune to the stubborn lad who’d left Shale a year and a half ago. Now? I considered this a slow day. It was amazing how fast my perspective changed.

After heading home for the day, I started studying ward cracking in my spell book. Ward breaking was a blunt force method. I needed finesse. Ward cracking was the art of bypassing the wards without tripping their defenses or alerting someone to the infiltration. It was a skill I thought might be useful in the future.

A few days passed in that manner and then one evening, my mother stopped by. She was in disguise, but I recognized her immediately.

“What's wrong?” I asked as I let her in.

Danica was still up. She was practicing her magic on the hearth of the fireplace.

My mother had someone with her. “You added wards to your house? I approve.”

“Mom. Why are you here? And who is that with you?”

“Princess Evelyn?” Danica walked over and eyed the woman behind my mother and then curtsied.

I just stared at my mom. Pit! Surely she wouldn't bring a princess to my house!

My mother coughed into her hand. “Aren’t you going to invite us in?”

We were standing just inside the door.

“Mom, you need to start explaining.”

“Do I smell cookies?” She asked as she sniffed the air. “Danica, so nice to see you again.”

Danica hugged my mother and then stepped back. She placed her hand on my back as she stood beside me.

I sighed. “Fine, come in. You can tell me what’s going on over some milk and cookies.”

My mother embraced me quickly and we moved to the dining room table.

“Devon, this is Princess Evelyn Ramus.”

“Princess.” I nodded to her.

Danica shot me a look and I suppressed a sigh.

“Welcome to my home,” I added reluctantly.

“Thank you. It’s very… cozy.”

I looked over at my mother. “Is there a reason you are here?”

My mother grimaced as she sipped her milk to wash down the last of her cookie. “An attempt was made to kidnap Evelyn. We think Derrick Ashford was behind it. Evelyn’s bodyguard recognized one of the men who tried to take her. I suspect he wants to take her as a wife and use her to legitimize his claim for the throne.”

“Why hasn’t the king killed him yet?” I asked. “And how did you get involved? I thought you were going to stay out of it.”

My mother sighed. “I’ll start with your easy question first. The king doesn’t have proof. The nobles would riot if he had one of them executed without evidence.”

“I might be able to help with that,” I said.

“Really? That would make things easier, but I thought you were going to stay out of it.”

“And yet you arrived at my house anyway…” I said with a glare.

My mother sighed. “I’m dead, remember? I can’t show my face in public.”

“Does she not count?” I asked, gesturing toward the princess. “You still haven’t explained how you got involved.”

“I made an exception for her, and to answer your question, my servant George came to me. He’s the only one of my staff I fully trust and he told me when he learned what happened with the princess.”

“And now she knows you have a son and a family too,” I said.

“Yes, but I needed someone who I could trust to look after her. I’m sorry.”

“What are we supposed to tell people? We are just simple folks with a nice little family. Our names are Samuel and Louise Warren. People are going to ask questions about her.”

“Not exactly inspired,” my mother said, but she was smiling, happy that I’d used her maiden name. “We can work out a story for her later. She could be a cousin or something. Now you mentioned you might be able to help?”

I sighed and told her about my ongoing plan to access the late general’s safe.

“I could help you with that, I have a lot of experience cracking wards. Where is it?”

I almost asked how she got that experience, but suppressed my curiosity. Now wasn’t the time. “Not here,” I said.

“Why not?”

“Mom, I wasn’t going to bring that to my home. What if they tracked it somehow?” I said, exasperated.

“Right. You’re still learning all of this… Can the princess stay here with you?”

Danica and I exchanged a look. Her eyes told me what she was thinking. She didn’t like it and this would undoubtedly bring trouble, but she was willing to help. Of course, she was. This was Danica we were talking about.

“No,” I said. I raised my hand to forestall any argument. “But I have a friend she can stay with. I trust him and he’ll look after her.”

“Who?” my mother asked.

“You don’t know him. His ward is the seer you’ve heard about though. She can keep the princess company.”

Danica’s shoulders relaxed a little as she heard my plan. I had the princess put on a guise ring and then we headed out. I took a winding route and doubled back several times before arriving at the inn Boris and Vivian were staying at. They hadn’t been as lucky as I was with the royal officials and were still closing on the house Vivian picked out.

Boris was out working so only Vivian greeted us when we arrived.

She eyed the princess. “I have a place where we can talk,” she said.

“Something tells me you knew we would be coming,” I said.

Vivian smiled. “Very astute of you.”

“Who’s this?” my mother asked.

“Vivian Elkhound,” I said. “She already knows who you are, and I’d rather not say that out loud in public.”

My mother looked her over. “A seer?”

“Please keep your voice down. I don’t advertise it.”

“Of course. My apologies.” My mother turned to look at me. “This will work out perfectly if Vivian is willing.”

“I am. Why don’t you all come up to my room?”

We obliged her and were soon all crowded into the small room. Danica and Vivian sat on the bed while Princess Evelyn took the only chair. My mother and I stood by the door and we got down to business.

“I’m glad you’re alright, princess,” Vivian said.

“Thank you. I appreciate your help.”

“It’s nothing. Devon is going to have a visitor soon anyway, so it's better if you are here and not underfoot?”

“A visitor?” I asked.

“Follow-up questions from that nice agent who you spoke with. I can’t say anymore. You understand.”

I did. “Very well. I’ll be ready in case something goes wrong.”

Vivian just nodded. Her expression didn’t give anything away. She was relaxed. Almost too relaxed, given she had a princess in her room.

“We should be closing on the house tomorrow or the day after, so we can move in soon. Having Evelyn with us as we do shouldn’t be a problem. She will be safe there with Boris and I.”

“So we can just leave her with you?” I asked.

“Yes. The guise ring you made is quite good. She’ll be safe with me.”

That was good enough for me. “Alright then. You know how to contact me if you need anything. If there is nothing else we’ll just be going.”

Vivian coughed. “I hate to ask but…”

“Yes?”

“Please leave your coin purse on the end table.”

I snorted. “How much do you need?”

“All of it, and probably some more next week.”

I pulled out several gold coins. “You know I have quite a bit in here.”

She blushed. “Yes.”

I laughed. “Alright. I guess I better keep selling enchantments then.” I tossed the coin purse on the table and it landed with a heavy thunk.

“Thank you,” Vivian said in a quiet voice. “It’s for a good cause.”

“Hey, you don’t need to explain. When I brought you to the capital it was with the understanding that I’d provide for you. Boris too.”

“Right. He’s found work, but I’ll let him know. I’ll pull out some money for his wages.”

“Thanks.”

My mother cut in. “Are you sure the princess will be safe with her? Who exactly is she?”

“Mom, she’s a seer and I trust her. That’s all you need to know.”

My mother stopped and then her tension eased. “Yes. I suppose you’re right.”

“Great! If that’s all then…” There were no objections this time. “I’ll keep in touch.”

Danica finished up her quiet conversation with the princess and we left the girl behind. My mother walked beside me as we headed back to my house.

“Devon—”

“Samuel,” I corrected.

“Right. So about that safe then, would now be a good time to go have a look?”

I changed directions and we headed for the city gate near where I hid the safe. The sun was already on the horizon but I wasn’t worried about that.

“It’s outside the city.”

“Wow, you really are paranoid,” my mother said.

“I’m not taking any chances with Danica’s safety.”

She fell silent and we didn’t talk until we were beyond the wall. The urban sprawl outside the city wasn’t bad on this side of the capital and we quickly left it behind.

“How much farther is it?” my mother asked.

“In those trees. Can you check to see if anyone is lying in wait?”

My mother nodded and cast a spell. “Looks clear.”

I double-checked as best I could and then led her and my wife over to the safe. It was sitting right where I’d left it—completely undisturbed under a bush.

“How did you get it out here?” my mother asked.

“Spacial pocket.”

She beamed at me. “Excellent! That’s a hard spell, I wasn’t sure you’d mastered it yet.”

“It still gives me some trouble, but I learned it so I could keep my spell book with me at all times.”

“Smart.” She knelt and flipped her braid over her shoulder. It was a much simpler hairstyle than she wore as Lady Warren. It was just how she used to wear it back home. “Let’s see what we’re working with here…”

She studied it for a few minutes and then looked up. “These are pretty basic. I think you could probably break them without damaging the contents but this is a good opportunity to learn how to crack wards without triggering them.”

She went into her teaching mode which I was very familiar with from my childhood. It brought back a lot of good memories and I listened intently as she walked me through the process. My spell book was great and packed full of knowledge, but having someone teach you—and a hands-on project to work on, was so much better.

With her guiding me, I cracked the wards with only one minor slip-up. She caught it in time and prevented the wards from triggering. I was more careful as I finished.

“Now you just need to bypass the lock,” my mother said. “I’m not a safe cracker though, so don’t look to me for help with that.”

“If you had to get inside, what would you do?” I asked, just to see what she’d say.

“Metal magic. I’d just disable the lock and rearrange the metal.”

That was my first idea too, so with no simpler solution, I did just that. Metal magic was draining and slow but we had time and I had plenty of energy. Moving the locking mechanism so I could retract the locks didn’t take long.

“Let’s see what we have, shall we?” I asked. Then I pulled the door open.

The first thing that caught my eye was two of the enchantments I’d made for him while pretending to work for the king's spymaster. They were still charged so I doubted the man was wearing them when he died. He might still be alive if he had been using them.

I pulled them out and handed them to Danica. She’d watched us work in silence, finding the process fascinating but giving me some space to have a moment with my mother. Beneath them was a stack of bulging folders. My mother took one and opened it. She scanned the contents for a few minutes before letting out a whistle.

“This is blackmail evidence on one of the dukes. Unless I’m mistaken, these folders are all similar.”

“This one isn’t,” I said. “This one has deeds and other documents about his holdings.”

Danica found what we were looking for a few minutes later. It was a bloated folder with evidence of treason and a conspiracy to overthrow the crown. As my mother suspected, the plan called for Derrick to marry Princess Evelyn and be crowned king. It was evident that the nobles who supported the coup would be the real power and Derrick would be a figurehead with his father running the show.”

“But the general is dead,” Danica said. “Did the other nobles not want him taking the reins?”

“Maybe they feared he’d have too much influence since his son would be on the throne,” I said.

“It doesn’t matter. We have a list of names and proof. We should get this to the king as soon as possible.”

“Is the Royal Chamberlain involved?” I asked.

“Doesn’t look like it,” Danica said.

“Then I can give it to him. He’ll know what to do with it.”

“How are you going to explain having all of this? He’s going to suspect you of being involved somehow,” my mother said.

“I’ll figure something out,” I said.

I looked at the huge stack of papers. “Do you know a spell that will let you copy all of this quickly? I feel like having a backup copy might be handy.” It had certainly come in handy in the past.

“No, but if you know someone at the bank who you trust, we could have them make copies.”

“I don’t, but I might be able to coerce someone into helping me.” I still felt bad for threatening that guy's family, but pit, it was my money they were withholding. Working with him on this seemed like a poor idea though.

“You could use one of my contacts from my life as Lady Warren, but getting you an introduction would be hard seeing as how I’m dead,” my mother said with a snort.

“If they are someone you trust, I could just drop by unannounced and have them copy it,” I said.

“Lets not worry about that now. It’s getting late and I need a place to stay the night.” She looked at me expectantly.

“Do you need money for an inn?” I asked.

“No.” She frowned. “I thought I could stay with you. Surely you wouldn’t turn your mother away, right?”

“Mother, I love you, but you’re not staying with me and my new wife.”

She started smirking. “Am I going to be a grandmother soon?”

“Possibly,” I said. “But only if life settles down long enough for us to start a family.”

“Fine. I’ll stay at an inn. I want grandkids soon.”

We left the safe behind and I put all of the evidence and other papers into the permanent storage spell that I’d made for the safe. It was a permanent spell so it was still available. I could cancel the spell, but it took some effort and the spacial pocket would need to be empty. I had no reason to dismiss it though. It used a small percentage of my energy all the time to sustain itself, but the drain was negligible for a wizard like me.

On our way back, we found an inn for my mother to stay at. We got home late. I wondered if the neighbors would be curious about what we were doing at this hour, but figured they would be asleep. I still worked on a cover story just in case we were asked, but I didn’t need it. We changed into night clothes when we got home. We were both tired, so we went straight to sleep. I would decide what to do with the evidence of the coup tomorrow.

Chapter 23

Danica was already in the kitchen when I woke up. I could smell something good in the oven. I yawned and stumbled out to investigate. Some ground-up sausage sizzled in a pan as I walked up behind her.

“What are you making?” I asked.

Her head turned and she smiled at me. “Biscuits and gravy.”

“You’re amazing.” I hugged her from behind and then kissed her on the top of the head.

“Thanks, but I need you to let go before I forget where I’m at with this recipe.”

“Am I that distracting?” I asked.

“Yes!” She turned as I released her and gave me a chase kiss. “Do you want any fruit with your breakfast?”

The apples on the counter look tempting. “Sure.”

“Then you can put yourself to use. Grab a knife and chop them up,” she ordered.

“Yes, ma’am.”

She got a little mischievous and slapped me on the butt as she walked by. I smirked and returned the favor a few minutes later. We got a little distracted kissing but managed not to burn anything while making breakfast. I helped carry everything into the adjoining dining room and we sat down to eat.

“Are you going to stop by the palace first thing this morning?” Danica asked.

“Yeah, I probably should. I wanted to make a copy of everything but that’s not feasible. I’ll help set up the stand and then run over while you watch our stuff.”

“Do you want to take him some cookies?”

I grinned. “No, but I probably should. He seems to like gifts and I’m sure he will appreciate it. No harm in keeping him happy.”

“What are you going to tell him about where you got the information?” Danica asked between bites.

“I’ve been thinking about that. I thought maybe I’d just tell him someone handed it to me in the market and then ran off.”

“You think he’d believe that?” Danica asked. “You should at least package it up in a box with a note addressed to the Royal Chamberlain. Might be even better if you could have a courier deliver it.”

“Yeah, but I don’t want to risk it getting lost in transit, or ignored cause no one knows it’s important.”

We continued eating as we thought about it. As I was scraping my plate clean, Danica drew me out of my thoughts.

“Does it bother you that we are helping the king of Shander?” she asked.

The man was technically our enemy. He was the one who started the war and that led to Danica being captured.

“Mom put him in charge,” I said, but I still wasn’t sure. “He seems like a real tosser though. Starting wars and sending others to die in them. Even his vassals want to get rid of him, but nobles would be like that no matter who was king.”

“You have a point. I met Derrick once at a party. He was creepy. I didn’t like him at all.”

“Yeah, I know him too. He’s a disgusting person. I wouldn’t trust him to run a rock-watching business. Even if he’s just supposed to be a figurehead, I don’t want him anywhere near the throne.”

“Agreed. I guess that answers that question,” Danica said.

I considered it further. If Derrick was out of the equation, what then? Someone else could be king. It didn’t have to be Derrick. I wasn’t sure any of the other conspirators were any better but my mother might know. Then again, she’d already played ‘Appoint the King’ and it hadn’t turned out that great.

For my own selfish reasons, I’d rather the status quo remain. Smashing the conspirators quickly would cause the least amount of turmoil. It wouldn’t even be that challenging to get rid of the conspirators. All I had to do was hand over a package and walk away. It was simple. The King would take care of the rest.

“Devon? What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing, honey. Just…” I shrugged. “Just thinking about the alternative. If I killed Derrick, someone else would take his place. But we’d be rolling the dice on who we got then.”

“True, and I don’t think you want to go down that path. Your mother tried it and she had to do a lot of nasty things to keep herself safe. I think some of the rumors of her battles are exaggerated to instill fear into people so they would leave her alone.”

“Maybe some, but I doubt she could trick everyone just with embellishment. She’s deadly and I talked to her… She did a lot of brutal things. I don’t think I could kill so ruthlessly like she did. She did tell me that she used death magic because she thought it was the most feared.”

In the end, Danica and I agreed. I’d hand over the information and leave it be. If the situation changed, we’d reconsider it later.

“Can you make more cookies when we get home?” I asked.

“I just made a batch!” she protested.

“Yeah, but then Mom and the Princess ate a bunch.”

“Don’t try to blame them, I saw you sneaking several more than I gave you.”

“And we’ll be having company this evening, or maybe the next day.”

“We will?”

“Vivian alluded to it. So who knows when he’ll show up. I want your delicious cookies on hand to distract him.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine, but I’m going to need to pick up some more ingredients on the way home.”

“No problem! Your rich husband will buy as much as you want.” I puffed out my chest and she laughed.

We pulled our cart loaded with my wares across the city to our usual spot in the uptown market and got things set up. I kissed Danica and then headed for the palace with a mysterious box and note addressed to the Royal Chamberlain, a basket with cookies, and a small enchantment that would go well with the previous set I gifted to Chamberlain Louis.

The guards questioned me at a checkpoint as I approached and I explained my purpose. They asked about the box and I told them my story. That delayed things while they called for a mage and notified the Royal Chamberlain. The caster scanned the box with the papers with his magic but I could tell he was still a novice. In any case, he declared the box safe.

The Royal Chamberlain came out to see what was going on. He didn’t recognize me at first but when I handed him my little gift and the cookies, it jogged his memory. He smiled at me.

“Ah, yes! I remember you now. You wanted to set up a stall in the market selling enchantments. How’s that going?”

“Quite well, thank you. I have a wide range of stock, so stop by if you need anything. We are there until an hour after lunch.”

He nodded as he removed the towel on the cookies and gave one a try. Like any mortal man, they destroyed any resistance he had. They were phenomenal and I’d yet to meet anyone who didn’t like them.

“So what’s this about a box?”

“It was the strangest thing,” I told him. “I was setting up this morning and it just showed up on my stand. I had only turned away from my stall for a moment to grab something out of my cart and when I turned around again, the box was sitting there. The note explains why I’m here, it’s addressed to you, but it just showed up out of nowhere!”

“Someone must have used a perception spell, either on the box or themselves when they dropped it off. I’ll have to have our mage here verify your words. I believe you, but it's protocol.”

“Do you think it’s safe to open, sir?” I asked.

“Please, call me Louis,” the man said. “And I think so. It’s already been checked for magic and even though he’s young, he’s well trained.” He patted the young novice on the back as the mage swelled with pride.

Chamberlain Louis invited me in and I couldn’t easily refuse. He led the small party into the guard’s building. A royal guard officer was sitting behind a desk in the office and Louis strolled right in. The officer had lost most of his hair to age and only had a bit of gray left around the sides of his head.

“Louis. To what do I owe the pleasure?” the man asked, looking put out, but not openly hostile.

“A friend found a box addressed to me on his vendor stand in the uptown market and brought it over. Didn’t see who dropped it off. Want some cookies?”

The man’s demeanor shifted as he accepted the offering. He didn’t object when Chamberlain Louis cleared off part of his desk and then opened the box. The man was sharp. He pulled out a stack of papers and in just thirty seconds, realized what he was holding.

He immediately put it all back in the box. “I need to speak with the king. Get me a guard escort immediately. The contents of this box are—” He broke off and looked at me. “Samuel, thanks for bringing this over immediately. I’m afraid its contents are very sensitive. I have to ask you not to speak about this to anyone. Now, I need to go.”

He picked up the box. While Louis had been speaking to me, the royal guard had hurried out and started shouting orders. Two guards were already standing outside at the ready when Louis marched out.

“Oh, Samuel!” He stopped and turned back to face me. “Does anyone else know about this?”

“Just my wife. She was with me when I found it.”

“Okay, don’t worry. You’re not in trouble. I need to go. Thanks again for the gift!” he called over his shoulder as he hurried away with the two guards.

The officer looked over at me and then grabbed another cookie. “We may have questions for you later, but you can go about your business for now. Best if everything appears as normal as possible.”

I surmised that Louis had told him the contents of the box before he left. I just nodded, pretending to be oblivious. “Do I need to talk to the mage first?” I asked.

“No, best if you just get back to your day. If anyone asks, you were just dropping off some cookies to a friend. We can verify your words later.” He smiled. “I’m Johnathan Porter by the way.”

“Samuel Warren,” I said.

He gave me a firm handshake. “Good cookies, by the way.”

“My wife made them.”

“Lucky man,” he said.

I smiled. “Indeed, I am!”

“How long have you been married?” he asked.

“Just a few months,” I said.

“I thought so,” his smile widened. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you!”

He showed me out and handed me the now empty basket. “Stop by in a few days and bring some more cookies as a cover. If we need to speak with you before that, we’ll find you.”

“Do you need my address?” I asked.

“It will be in the records, but sure. That would simplify things,” he said.

I wrote it down for him and then left. The uptown market wasn’t far from the palace, relatively speaking. I was still shocked at how big major cities were. Even with a bum leg, I could walk across Shale in twenty minutes. Here? That might get you to another district if you walked briskly.

I returned to my stand to find Danica talking with a customer. It wasn’t until I could make out the words that I realized it wasn’t a customer, but the man who’d visited our home a few days ago. They were just chatting idly about random stuff when I arrived.

“Oh, there he is now,” Danica said. “Samuel, you remember Ben, right?”

“How could I forget? Did you have some more questions?” I asked.

“I do,” Ben said. “I checked our records and couldn’t find an enchanter by the name you gave me.” He checked his notes again and read off the name.

“That’s him,” I verified.

“Right. I wanted to confirm we had the right name before moving on.”

“Yes. I mean, that’s the name he gave me. He slurred his words but he had an Eastern accent. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if he migrated here from one of the eastern countries.”

Ben sighed. “Alright. I had a few other questions. Who handles the deliveries for you?”

“Boris Raylin.”

“What can you tell me about him?” Ben asked.

“He works for me part-time. I think he got another job somewhere near the harbor. He was staying at an inn…” I filled him in on the details and told him about the new house he’d bought. He thanked me for answering his questions and then asked a final question as he prepared to go. “What were you doing at the palace this morning?”

“Chamberlain Louis helped expedite the paperwork for my market stand,” I said waving toward my wares. “Danica and I thought we should do something nice for him so I was delivering some cookies she made.”

He nodded. “Your wife should package them up and sell them.”

I chuckled. “She might do that. Right now she’s still getting the house in order.”

Ben waved and went about his business. Jared came over to hear about the latest gossip a while later. Danica was also curious, so she finished up her conversation with Ashely to hear what I had to say. Jared was easy enough to please. He rushed off to help a customer after I gave him the short version. Danica looked more worried.

“Are you sure your story is going to hold up?” she asked.

I shrugged. “No, but we are as prepared as we can be if we want to stay here. Once the information comes out that the general was part of a conspiracy against the crown, I doubt anyone will care that he was murdered.”

“Some pencil pusher might still follow up on the loose ends,” Danica speculated.

“Possible.”

The rest of the day passed without incident. After leaving the market I had a few errands to run. I kept thinking about the poor Enchanter girl I’d scared half to death when I stole her Enchanter’s necklace. I’d left her some money in exchange for the enchanting powder but I still felt bad about it.

I bought a few bags of enchanting powder and had it boxed up and sent to her with a little apology note. I used blocky letters that didn’t flow naturally so my handwriting would look different. With that done, I found a courier and paid him to deliver it.

“Feel better?” Danica asked.

“Yeah. It feels good to have that off my chest.”

When we got home, there was a messenger from the palace waiting for me.

I sighed as he asked me to follow him back across the city to the palace. The place looked like an agitated beehive. Hours passed as I waited to be called in. I was getting sick of sitting around, and as the sun went down I grabbed one of the servants who was walking past.

“Hey! I was called in here hours ago. Does whoever sent for me want to see me or not?” I demanded.

“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t know who you are.”

“Samuel Warren. I’d like to know what is going on.”

“I’m sure they will call you when they are ready,” the servant said.

I snorted. “Yeah? Well, I’m ready for bed. Tell them to get their act together and if they are going to call someone to talk to them, then they better be ready to do so!”

Someone cleared their throat behind me. “Samuel Warren?”

“What?” I asked hotly.

“They are ready for you now.”

I stared at him for a moment and then crossed my arms. “Oh, they are? Well, I think I’ll just stand here for the next five hours wasting their time. Since I have nothing better to do!”

“Sir, the king is waiting,” he said with a touch of warning in his voice.

I bit back an angry retort. So it’s the king who wanted me. Why? I marched toward the door at a brisk pace and the servant scrambled to keep up.

Chamberlain Louis rushed over to me as soon as he saw me. “What's wrong?” he whispered. “Are you alright?”

“I’ve been sitting in a room waiting for five hours!” I hissed. “I am not fine. I should be in bed already.”

He grimaced. “I’m sorry. I called for you. I thought we’d be ready for you earlier but things just kept coming up. The king wanted to have your story verified with a truth spell sooner rather than later. He’s worried the information in that box you passed me might be fake.” He shook his head. “I can tell it's not. No way someone could fake that many official documents. Dozens of letters have already been studied and the handwriting matches the culprits. I think the king is just trying to cover all his bases because when this comes out, it's going to throw the whole kingdom into turmoil!”

He put his hand on my shoulder. “Once this is all over, I’ll make sure you get the credit for this.”

“I’d rather you take the credit,” I said. “I'm already more involved in this mess than I want to be. Better you take the credit and just send me a nice New Year's gift or something.”

He chuckled. “If you’re ready, we should get going. It’s not wise to keep the king waiting.”

“He doesn’t seem to care about wasting my time,” I grumbled.

The actual meeting took all of three minutes. I stuck to the truth. The clerks and mages reviewing my story had been working hard all day and were scrambling to finish. They asked their questions quickly and then they were done.

It felt like a joke after the hours of waiting but I was free to go so I didn’t argue. I got a glimpse of the king but he paid me no mind. He was talking to his advisers when I was being tested, so technically he could say he verified it himself. He was in the room, but that was about it.

After I was out of the palace I glanced back as I headed home. “I swear, if something like this happens again, I might just go on a murder spree.”

Chapter 24

Things calmed down for a few days. We went to work as usual and kept our eyes open. I was expecting to hear something any day now, but one day passed, and then another. After the third day, I couldn’t stand it anymore. I told Danica I was going to stop by the palace to see if I could find out what was going on.

As we were leaving the house my mother rushed across the street. “Devon! I’m so glad I caught you. Vivian told me to give you this.”

I took the note she handed me and quickly read it. “Change of plans, honey.”

“What’s going on?” Danica asked as I turned the cart around and quickly started unloading it.

I handed her the note. She read it and hurried to help me unload.

All the note said was: ‘Protect the princess today.’

“Did you read it?” I asked my mother.

“No, she said it was for your eyes only.” She scowled at being left out of the loop.

“What are you going to do next?” I asked.

“Follow you, of course!” she said.

I didn’t argue. We got the cart unloaded, locked the house, and hurried over to Vivian’s place. Even though we were moving quickly we were almost too late. Vivian’s house was surrounded by armed men. They wore all black under their cloaks which were a variety of colors so they didn’t stand out so badly. They were just breaching the door when we rounded the corner and the house came into view.

“Pit!” I cursed.

“Go around back!” Danica shouted. “I’ll herd them toward you.”

I didn’t waste time arguing. We both engaged our enchantments but since they were all made by me, mine were more powerful as the magic harmonized with me. I blurred into motion and was around the back of the house in moments.

There was a cry of pain from inside and I heard the clash of swords. Boris must be engaging one of the attackers. Vivian’s face appeared in the second-story window with the princess beside her.

A huge fireball crashed into the front of the house as I moved to the back porch. More spells followed and several of the attackers rushed out the back door. Whether it was to escape the flames or to block Vivian and the princess’s escape, I didn’t know. I hit them both with an air spell and blasted them off their feet. I used an energy shield to pin them to the floor and then froze the air around them so they couldn’t breathe. It would take them a few minutes to pass out, but they were trapped for now.

Another fireball exploded in the house as Danica advanced. She wasn’t taking any chances and Vivian’s house was paying for it. I didn’t blame her though. Better safe than sorry. I knew she’d fought in the war but it hadn’t sunk in because I wasn’t there to see it.

The princess climbed out the window and I jumped onto the porch roof to assist her. I grabbed her under the arms and she screamed. I pulled her out and set her down and then saw Boris stagger into view. He was being pursued by two men, both were armed with swords and his clothing was soaked with blood.

Pit! Vivian stepped aside so I had a clear shot and I fired off two lightning bolts. They blew the men off their feet, giving Boris a chance to stagger over to us. I was already preparing a healing spell as I took Vivian’s hand and helped her through the window.

I readied another spell to finish off any more attackers who were coming up the stairs but a blast of fire rolled out of the stairwell and the men caught in the staircase screamed.

“Behind you!” the princess shouted.

I turned. Danica had chased four men out of the house and into the backyard. I flung the healing spell at Boris and then jumped off the roof at the nearest man. The drop could have injured a normal man, but amped up with my enchantments I had no trouble handling it.

I formed an energy shield in front of me to deflect his blade and used it as a battering ram to smash him into the ground. Then I was up and moving again. I dashed to the left and pushed my energy shield into the man on that side. He was launched ten feet through the air and slammed into the house next door. I turned to deal with the other two before his body came to a stop on the ground.

As I rushed the next guy, my enchantments cut out. Pit! He’s got suppression enchantments. I staggered at the sudden change in strength and speed and he tried to capitalize on my momentary distraction. His sword slashed at my chest but my energy shield blocked it. I continued my charge and drove my fist into his jaw. He staggered back but managed to stay upright. I delivered a front kick into his gut and he went down.

I drew my belt knife and drove it into his chest before he could recover. By the time I turned to deal with the last one, Danica had already exited the back door and launched a fireball at him.

“Lordy!” I exclaimed as the fireball enveloped the man. His cries quickly cut off and when the fire faded, all that was left was a crispy corpse. “Remind me never to make you mad.”

“Focus,” Danica snapped.

Not all of the men were dead. I sensed magic to my right and turned toward it. A fireball washed over my shield and singed me a little.

“Pit! I got the mage! Deal with the others!” I shouted.

This group was equipped with enchantments and they had mages among them. The first team was just there to flush us out! They had learned and adapted since their first attempt.

A man blurred as he rushed in and jumped up onto the porch roof. He went to kill Boris but I’d given the man enchantments and he activated them now. The man’s momentum was too much when his speed boost cut off suddenly and he staggered. It was the wrong moment to stumble. Boris thrust his sword into his gut and jerked it upward. He ripped it free and slashed him across the throat.

All of that happened in a few seconds and that’s all I saw before I had to focus on my own fight. The mage I was facing seemed to like fire so I summoned a wall of water to combat it. His fireballs hit the water and steam rose as the water hissed.

I shot a compressed jet of water at his face and he screamed as his fireshield turned it to hot steam, right in front of his face. I smirked as I shot a lightning bolt right through his fire shield and finished him off.

“Look out!” someone screamed.

I turned but was too slow. A blade pierced my lower back and thrust clear through my gut. I gasped as the pain ripped the air from my lungs. The man kicked me off his blade and I flew forward as my legs gave out. I landed half on my side and saw the man sneering at me as he turned to go for the princess. My healing ring kicked in then and another wave of pain cut through me. The ring heated up and burnt the skin on my finger but I was in so much pain it hardly mattered.

Two other mages enhanced with enchantments rushed in and grabbed Princess Evelyn. She screamed and used some water magic to knock one away and Boris ran him through. Danica was wrapped in a whirlwind of fire as she took on three enemies at one time.

Pit! I’m getting showed up by my wife! I drew in another breath as my wound finished healing. My stomach growled as I pushed myself up. Where is mom?

I reached out with my life sense and noticed yet another group rushing toward the burning house, and in the middle of the street was my mother, preparing to face off against them.

There were a full dozen but I figured she’d be fine. My wife could handle three on her own and she was just a mage. I called on my power as I got to my feet. I drew air magic around me and commanded the air to lift me off the ground. I floated into the air as the mage knocked Evelyn out with a blow to the head and tossed her over his shoulder. They wanted her alive so I wasn’t too worried about her yet.

I cast a scrying spell over the area and kept it running in the background. Whenever I closed my eyes, I got a birds-eye view of the area. That would allow me to keep tabs on where they took her, but for the moment I had something else to deal with.

My eyes narrowed as I focused on the men attacking my wife. A thin veil of water formed around me and then exploded outward. Then I let loose with a dozen lightning bolts. Each target was stuck four times. They all went down. I was still angry at myself for getting caught off guard. I had life magic, I should be able to sense where everyone was all the time. I flew over to Boris and cast another healing spell on him.

“You good?”

“Yeah,” he said.

I glanced at Danica but she was fine. “They took Evelyn!” she said.

“I know, I’m keeping an eye on her. I’m curious where they are taking her. Is Vivian okay?”

“She’s banged up but still breathing,” Danica said.

“Okay, heal her up and then follow her directions. I will track the kidnappers back to wherever they are going, then you guys can help me kill them.”

“What about your mother?”

Vivian coughed. “She’ll be fine. She’s almost done.”

I realized she was right. The men facing her were dropping like flies. She was just standing there. They would attack her and then die. I wasn’t sure what she was doing but I sensed a powerful aura of life magic emanating from the area.

I canceled most of my spells. Once I was on the ground, I cast Void Walk and rushed after the princess. My enchantments were running again and I moved in a blur as I phased through wood and stone walls alike. The kidnappers moved fast but they couldn’t match my speed. Only three of them had fled while the others stayed back to buy them some time.

I was careful. I checked several times to make sure they weren’t using magic to obscure my senses. They weren't. They were just moving as fast as they could. They didn’t head straight for their destination. Two of the men rotated watching their back trail while the third man carried the princess. I had Void Walk activated and they never saw me. The spell was a power hog, but even so, I was getting more adept at the spell. I could use it a lot longer than when I first learned it.

Eventually, they arrived at a warehouse and stopped moving. I moved in to check the interior but sensed they had wards around the place. I stopped and inspected them but none of them would stop me while I was using Void Walk. I didn’t think I’d trigger an alarm in that state, but wasn’t positive.

I studied the wards for a minute longer before I decided to risk it. When I stepped through the wards, I tensed. Nothing happened. That was a relief. I just wanted to scout the building for now. Vivian would be able to guide the others here when the time was right. At least that’s what my hope was. I wasn’t completely sure how her powers worked, but it seemed plausible. Once they were here, I could give them the layout and we could attack together.

The wall I phased through was on the back of the warehouse and my immediate view of the interior was just stacks of crates and boxes. I walked through them until I could see a group of people. The princess was still unconscious. The surviving kidnappers were standing at attention and they had deposited the princess on the floor before half a dozen men. They weren’t the only ones inside. I sensed forty more people with my life magic. They were clustered into several groups with pairs here and there guarding the doors.

Jackpot! Now I just have to hope Vivian pulls through…

I crept closer so I could hear what they were saying. One of the old men was glaring at a younger man. I recognized him. It was Derrick. The blighter who’d tried to kill me when he was drunk.

“Just get it over with,” the old man ordered.

“You want me to take her here? On the floor? What’s wrong with you?” Derrick demanded. “I’ll be the next king! I’m not some lowly stable hand!”

“You’ll be dead if you don’t get on with it so we can act!”

“No. Someone get me a bed. We’ll do this right. I won’t have my queen lying on the floor.” Derrick thrust his finger at the princess, his annoyance obvious.

“Pit, Derrick! We’re running out of time! If you’re not going to claim her, I will!” another man snapped.

“You?” Darrick laughed. “If you declare yourself king, our enemies would die laughing!”

“Better than dying of old age waiting for you to get on with it,” another noble interjected.

It seems there is trouble in paradise. I suppressed a chuckle.

Derrick was being pressured by everyone as the conversation wore on. From the short temper and anger I saw on most of the faces, I was surprised they didn’t kill Derrick right then and there. They wanted him as their puppet king though and managed to restrain themselves.

Time was running out in any case. I quickly moved around the warehouse checking on the other life signs I’d detected. There were a few mages, but most of the people present were just soldiers and guards who were loyal to the conspirators.

I ducked out of the building and looked around for Vivian and the others. Where are they? I wondered.

I checked on the princess again. They had tied her hands and I saw anti-magic bracelets on her wrists. Pit! I clenched my fist as Derrick dropped his pants. I hope you’re close, Vivian, because we are out of time.

Derrick was standing over Evelyn who was finally waking up. He paused as she stirred and once her eyes fluttered open he smirked down at her.

I gathered my magic for a powerful spell.

“Surprise!” He laughed. “Are you ready to be a woman? Don’t worry, as my wife you’ll get to be queen.” He finished removing his pants and kicked them aside. “I’ll make your first time memorable.”

At that point, I unleashed my spell. It was a void spell, a variant of a spell called Energy Blade. I used void magic instead though because most shield enchantments used energy magic. Void magic was much more devastating and I hoped to rip through any enchantments they had in one attack.

The spell slashed out in an arc in front of me. The violet color left carnage in its wake. Derrick didn’t even know what hit him. He was using the enchantments I’d made for him while I was in disguise, so they did nothing to stop my deadly spell. The spell cut him in half and he died instantly.

The other nobles who were caught in the arc weren’t so lucky. Their shields were able to resist the spell to a degree so they were only mortally wounded. Screams sounded as the pain from the horrific wounds registered. The lethality of my attack surprised me. Everyone I’d caught in the arc was down and dying. I wasn’t sure even my healing ring would be able to heal the grievous wounds they suffered. The spell didn’t so much cut as it disintegrated the section of their body that was hit. The wounds were several inches thick and twice as deep.

The sudden carnage didn’t stupefy the survivors for long. They quickly gathered their wits and attacked me. I blurred to the side and their spells flew past. I created a void shield and sent out beam attacks with my void magic. I was getting good at adapting my spells to various kinds of magic. The beams killed another two nobles.

Evelyn crawled away during the chaos as we fought. My void shield absorbed the attacks as the soldiers poured in from all directions. Pit, there are so many!

I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep this up. The Void Walk spell had already taken a large chunk of my power and now the void shield was draining even more. I made a vow to practice more. Void magic was draining but it was also devastating. The more I practiced with it though, the more efficient and powerful I’d become with it.

I cast a perception spell on the princess so she wouldn’t be noticed, and started utilizing the environment. A blazing fireball sent a group of soldiers diving for cover and ignited several wooden crates. I dodged spells as I rushed around the warehouse. A group of soldiers tried to block my path. I charged into them and my void shield sent the lead man flying. My strength enchantment gave me an overwhelming advantage when facing a normal man. My fists swung again and again, then I blurred into motion to evade the mages.

Everywhere I went, I left bleeding and broken bodies in my wake. I used fire magic to set things on fire and then an air spell to whip the smoke into the air. That just added to the chaos. I was moving around so fast that with all the smoke, they couldn’t even tell where I was. When they boxed me in, I cast Void Walk and disappeared. I used this opportunity to rush over to the princess.

Void Walk made it hard to interact with things so I dropped the spell, picked her up in a bridal carry, and bolted. As I reached the back wall, I flung a powerful energy spell ahead of me and blasted a hole in the wall. I gratefully inhaled the fresh air and almost collided with my mother.

“Did you want some help?”

“Seriously?” I demanded. “There are like fifty guys in there!”

I handed the princess off to my wife as my mother frowned at me.

“By my count, there are only eighteen.”

That’s it? Really? I must have taken out more than I thought.

“I could use some help, Mom.”

“I think you can handle it,” she said. “Okay okay! Fine, no need to give me that look.”

I shook my head and ran back into the burning warehouse. I sensed my mother following me and knew that together we could finish this.

Chapter 25

I thought what I’d done was impressive, but that was just ignorance talking. My mother took things to a whole new level. She didn’t move much faster than me but she was faster at killing the remaining enemies. Far faster. She never stopped.

Blades made of death magic appeared and disappeared from all around her body as she moved. She didn’t even stop to engage the target. She just rushed past and a blade of death magic would shoot out of her body and slash through them. She harvested them like wheat.

I managed to create chaos and destruction, but what she did was no different than an execution. They had no chance. In just a few seconds it was over. We stopped in the middle of the warehouse where it all started and stood over the last survivor.

“You made a bit of a mess, son,” she said.

I didn’t even manage to glare at her. I was still in shock from what I’d just witnessed.

“Y-you! You’re supposed to be dead!” the last survivor exclaimed as he stared up at my mother with wide, horrified eyes.

“Oh? Who told you that?” she asked calmly.

“Derrick said he killed you!”

She let out a laugh. “That idiot? I don’t know what’s funnier, that he thought I would be that easy to kill, or that you believed him.” She shook her head sadly.

“Please spare my family. I beg you.”

“Don’t worry, I like being dead. I’m just tying up a few loose ends is all. The king will deal with your family if he thinks that it's necessary.”

“You mean you won’t go after my family?” he asked in disbelief.

“That’s right. I’m dead, so if I went and massacred your family, that would be a pretty big clue I was still alive, wouldn’t it?”

“You faked your death?”

“Yes. I’ve been wanting to leave for a long time. I just used his poor assassination attempt to fake my death. Seriously, he only sent ten guys. It was hard to make my death seem convincing with so little opposition.” She tsked.

“What will you do with me?” he asked.

I pulled him up from the floor. The smoke was stinging my eyes but an air spell kept the worst of it away. “Answer my questions. If you do so promptly and concisely, I’ll leave your family alone and let you die with dignity,” I said.

He took a breath and glanced at my mother, then looked over at me. “What do you want to know?”

“Who killed General Demetri?”

“I don’t know, but most of us assume it was Derrick. He was always impatient and his father constantly insulted him or embarrassed him for his stupid behavior. Derrick took it personally. My guess is he just snapped and murdered him.” He looked over at my mother. “The day after the general was killed, he sent assassins after Lady Warren.”

“The general had a secret safe in his office with evidence of the conspiracy. Do you know anything about that?”

“No, but most of us nobles have contingency plans with documents like that.”

“Where is yours hidden?” I asked.

He sighed and told me. It was at his home in a barrel stashed in the wine cellar. “Please don’t hurt my family.”

“I give you my word. Unless they find trouble with me, I won’t give them any trouble either.”

I asked a few more questions to make sure we didn’t miss anyone important in the conspiracy and then asked if he had any last words.”

“Tell my family that I’m sorry.”

I glanced over at my mother. She pulled out a quill and paper. “You can write them a note, but keep it simple.”

“Thank you.” He didn’t waste time. He coughed as he wrote out his last words. His penmanship was amazing given he was surrounded by enemies, dead bodies, and a burning building. Mine wouldn’t look half as good on my best day.

He handed me the note.

“I’ll be sure they find it,” I said.

Then I raised my hand to kill him. My mother blurred into motion and her knife stabbed into the base of his neck from behind. It was fast and deadly. He never even saw what killed him.

“Quick and painless. He complied, so it's the best we could do for him,” she said.

“I was going to do it.”

“The day may come when you have to execute someone who’s not actively trying to kill you, Devon, but it will be a long time in coming if I have anything to say about it.”

I paused and then nodded slowly. “Thanks, Mom.”

She reached out and I put my arm around her as she slid hers around my waist. Then we walked out of the burning building.

* * *

The noble we’d talked to had a fancy home, as all nobles did, but I thought his house looked a bit nicer than most. I stifled a yawn as my stomach growled. I hadn’t had a chance to eat yet and the healing had taken it out of me. All the other spells didn’t help either. I needed to eat something soon. I fantasized about Danica’s bread and cookies for a moment before I focused on my objective.

I summoned my magic and cast Void Walk. I’d recovered some since the fight, but it hadn’t taken that long to find the noble’s place so I was still recovering. Slipping through the wards was no trouble and I phased through the walls. Once inside, I found my way down into the cellar. The barrel practically glowed with magic. It was covered in wards. The man hadn’t mentioned those, but I had a solution for that already. I put the whole barrel into my permanent spacial pocket and was ready to leave. On my way out, I dropped the man’s farewell note on the dinner table.

That task done, I hurried across town using my enchantments and a simple perception spell to remain unobserved. I reunited with my mother and pulled the barrel out for her to deal with the wards.

“You want to get some practice?” she asked.

“Mom, I’m exhausted.”

“Next time then.” She made short work of the wards and we pulled out a similar stash of documents to those we found in the general's safe.

I yawned as I looked over some deeds and sales receipts from various things. It was rather mundane. Danica once again found the conspiracy evidence.

“You want to take this to the palace?” she asked.

“What I want to do is sit down, eat, and then take a nap,” I replied.

She laughed. “I’ll start lunch.”

“Lunch? Pit!” It felt like it was time for bed, but the sun disagreed. It wasn’t even noon yet. “This is going to be a long day.”

It was. My trip to the palace took hours and I had to pretend I knew nothing. The royal guard officer, Johnathan Porter met with me. He wanted to know what I was doing back here and why I smelled like smoke. Oops. I’ll have to remember that next time. I’d used a perception spell to change what my bloody and tattered clothing looked like, but I forgot about the smell again.

“I got another package addressed to Louis,” I said. “As for the smoke, my wife asked me to pull the bread out of the oven while she took a bath.” I grimaced and then chuckled. “As you can guess, I forgot.”

We shared a laugh at my expense and then he quickly excused himself to see to the package. After the last one, he knew it was probably something important.

“Did you want to talk to Louis?” he asked.

“No thanks. I didn’t sleep well last night and I want to get home and take a nap.”

I got out of there and left the king and his loyalists to deal with the rest of the conspirators. I’d already accounted for more than my fair share of them. If the king and his supporters couldn’t trim back the rest of the weeds on their own, then they could go to the pit. I’d done my part and then some.

* * *

The next two weeks brought all kinds of chaos in the kingdom but my life was calm and peaceful. News leaked of the conspiracy, and executions followed. It was rare for nobles to ever be brought to trial, and even more rare for them to be sentenced to death, but treason wasn’t something a king could look the other way for.

It was all good news for the ambitious up-and-coming nobles. There was a lot of room for advancement with all the vacant titles that needed to be filled. Louis sent a messenger with a note asking if I wanted to be knighted but I declined. I’d gotten more wrapped up in things than I wanted to as it was.

There was one person I didn’t account for though. The treacherous princess! She’d been all set to marry the Court Wizard and had my mother’s backing to see that it was done. Only my mother was ‘dead’. The king no longer felt he needed to let her marry the Court Wizard as he wasn’t getting anything for it in return.

Princess Evelyn wasn’t having any of that though and sacrificed my anonymity to her cause. Samuel Warren, her savior. The son of the great wizard, Lady Warren. I fumed for a solid week before I agreed to the king's appointment just to get them off my case.

The princess would get her happily ever after and I inherited my mother’s title and would become a count if I could end the war with Hewitt. That was the deal. I was of half a mind to tell them to go to the pit, but Danica and my mother both persuaded me to think about the big picture.

They were both fond of the princess and some of our friends were still fighting in the war. If I could end it, then they could go home too. I felt bad for not thinking about that myself, but I was so focused on the noble title and what that would entail that I didn’t take time to consider anything else.

Hating the nobility had become a full-time hobby of mine, so it was just too weird to think I might become one. All I had to do was end the war with Hewitt.

The king made arrangements to send a peace delegation and I was appointed as the man in charge. The diplomats would handle the fine points of the discussions while I enforced them. Aka, if they couldn’t reach an agreement, I was supposed to ‘figure it out’. I took that to mean killing the enemies’ leaders and nobles—and that’s basically what was expected of me. My mother had done so, so why not her son?

“You’re not going without me,” Danica said.

“Honey, this could be dangerous.”

“It will probably be a long boring trip followed by a bunch of stuck-up nitwits trying to snub each other and then they will finally calm down and sign a treaty.”

“Yes, but it might not be so simple,” I said. “If there is a fight—”

“Then you better believe I’ll be standing right beside you when it happens,” she cut me off.

I knew there was no way I would win this argument, but I didn’t give in just yet. It took another ten minutes before she’d thoroughly crushed all of my arguments.

“Pit, Danica! I just want to keep you safe!” I shouted.

“Then you better practice fighting side by side with me, because where you go, I go,” she replied hotly.

I hated fighting with Danica, but we both had good intentions. Her response was the final nail in the coffin, so we started planning the trip.

The king wanted the war finished yesterday. Vivian’s house was a total loss so she would travel with us. We planned to make a slight detour past her old village and drop her off so she could visit with her friends. Boris would stick with Vivian but my mother, who pretended to be Danica’s aunt, would accompany us.

She’d made a promise to the king and she intended to keep it, even if it was me in the limelight. She’d be there, silently supporting me, and if anyone gave us trouble, she’d send them straight to the pit.

Chapter 26

Traveling with my wife was very different from when I traveled alone. It was a new experience, but an enjoyable one. She brought a fun and energetic attitude to travel and the nights were far more exciting than when I traveled alone. The king's delegation was with us. Our group numbered eight in total. That included my mother and Danica. We left Vivian and Boris in their hometown and continued on our way.

There were two carriages to ride in as well as several horses. Danica and I rode horseback as often as not. The carriage was nice but I got tired of sitting and bouncing around in there. We weren’t in a rush so we stopped early in the evenings and the drivers and servants set up camp. I pitched in to help them and hunted every few days. It was a pleasant trip to Blackwood.

The town was heavily fortified and the armies of Hewitt were camped on one hill and the Shander army on another. Blackwood formed the third point of the triangle with the two armies. A mounted patrol intercepted us on approach and then sent a rider off to report while the rest of the patrol escorted us into town.

Blackwood had changed a lot since the first time I’d seen it. The citizens looked skittish and wrung out. Soldiers were everywhere. I had no idea how many were stationed in the town, but it seemed like a large garrison to my untrained eye.

The lead diplomat of our delegation seemed like a decent guy. James Dewy was down-to-earth and practical.

“What’s the plan, James?” I asked.

“We should meet with the nobles and take stock of the situation. The local baron’s manor might be a good place to start.”

I took a breath and then shook my head. “That might be true, but I have some history with the local noble family. Is there another option?”

“Certainly. If you don’t want to call on the baron, that’s your prerogative. You’re the leader of this delegation, even if I am the one who will work out the details. We could head straight to the military camp and see General Vorrox.”

“Remind me again, what are our orders?”

I remembered most of what we were required to secure in the peace deal, but James didn’t seem to hold it against me that I couldn’t recall everything off the top of my head.

“We are expected and required to secure a peace treaty at all costs. The Blackwood Barony is to be secured along with our captured members of the nobility, trade rights, free passage of caravans and or civilian migrants, and the right to station troops, up to five hundred, in the newly acquired territory.”

“Do you think that Hewitt will give up the barony?” I asked. “They are camped just outside the heart of the barony. One favorable battle and they could take control of it again.”

“We’re authorized to offer favorable trade deals that will last for up to ten years. Blackwood is a tiny barony. I think the Kingdom of Hewitt could keep the barony if they were willing to pay a high enough price. As it stands, I don’t think either of our countries wants the war to drag on.”

“Yes, but don’t they have the advantage at the bargaining table? We are coming to them after all, and we have orders to end the war. I’m no diplomat, but as a merchant, I can tell you, they will squeeze us for everything they can get.”

“True. That’s why you’re here. If they won’t be reasonable, you and your aunt are supposed to convince them. Correct?”

I grimaced but nodded. “Something like that, yeah.”

“Then I’ll leave that part of things to you. If… You can force their hand, right?”

I nodded. “If need be, I think we could capture the enemy commander and his staff. The mages would be harder to take alive.”

“You’re that confident of success?” he asked. “How hard should I push them then? Should I try to push for good terms for us?”

“No. I’d rather not have to handle it. The king started this war and got a bunch of people killed. Letting him get off without consequences will just make him think he could do something like this again.”

James gave me an odd look. “Samuel, we serve the king and the kingdom. It’s not our place to decide those kinds of things.”

“It is when you have the power to do so. The king told me to handle it. I didn’t want to do it but I know some of the mages fighting with the Hewittites. Ending the war will hopefully save their lives… If they aren’t already dead.”

“I see. Well, I am obliged to get as much from them as I can.”

“I understand. If what you’re asking for seems reasonable, I’ll back your play. Just don’t provoke them needlessly.”

“I can do that.”

“Then I think we understand one another.”

“We do.”

I thought for a moment. “Is there any way to contact the other side and get a feel for what they are thinking before we parley?”

“Not conventionally. Not without a spy.”

I grunted in acknowledgment. I could Void Walk over and check things out, but I mostly just wanted to check on my friends. Other than that, I didn’t care too much about the details.

“Let's head for the military camp and speak with General Vorrox,” James said.

Seeing me nod he wrote a note and handed it to the footman he’d brought along to take care of the menial labor.

“I’ll need a separate tent for my aunt,” I said.

“Naturally. You’ll have your own for you and your wife as well.”

We rested in the inn I’d been captured at the last time I was in Blackwood. It was just a coincidence. I shook my head as I looked around. Danica sensed my tension and squeezed my hand. I smiled at her and tried to relax. It took almost an hour to get things sorted out and an officer arrived to escort us to the general’s command tent.

“I’m Lieutenant Mayfield. The general is expecting you. If you’ll follow me, I’ll direct you to his command tent.”

James looked at me and I nodded.

“Very well. Lead on good man,” James said.

The lieutenant led us out and our carriage and horses were brought around. The other men under James piled into the carriages while I opted to ride with Danica. My mother declined and rode in the carriage with the others. She was posing as my wife’s aunt and hadn’t said much while we traveled unless we were alone. She seemed to enjoy traveling with me but preferred to act quiet and aloof when others were around.

It was almost dinner time when we left Blackwood and headed for the nearby military camp. It was a sprawling city of tents and smelled awful. Too many unwashed bodies close together made for a potent mix of smells, especially when you factored in the latrines.

The general of the army was Morris Vorrox and he was just sitting down to dinner when we entered the tent. He had his fork and knife in hand when he looked up at us. He looked from face to face and then took a bite. After he swallowed, he waved to the table full of officers and advisers he was dining with.

“Gentlemen, this is the delegation from the king sent to negotiate a peace treaty. Which one of you is in charge?”

James looked over at me so I stepped forward. “James Dewy will be taking care of the details while I oversee the situation.”

The general grunted. “Have you eaten yet? Have a seat.”

“We have not,” James said.

“I’d make introductions but we were discussing the battle plan for tomorrow as we ate.”

“Don’t mind us,” I said. “If things go according to plan, they will accept our parley and we can avoid further bloodshed.”

“I find it better to be prepared in case you fail. It would be rather embarrassing to be caught with my pants down,” the general said to chuckles from around the table.

“By all means, plan away,” I said.

One of the noble captains chuckled at my response. An older noble was less amused by the situation though.

“The king may have appointed you, kid, but General Vorrox commands the army. You don’t give orders here. When the time comes to negotiate, I expect you to stay out of the way.”

I felt my anger stir but forced a laugh instead. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to handle negotiations. I’m here to kill anyone who gets in the way of peace.” I looked around the room, staring the officers in the eye. “I don’t care whose side they are on. If you get in the way, I’ll crush you.”

“How dare you!” a man shouted.

I looked over and frowned. He looked vaguely familiar. It clicked a moment later. He was Lily’s father. The resemblance between him and his sons was strong. “Ah, you must be Baron Saymen. The traitor.” I took a sip from my wine glass. “Did your kids ever find their horses that were stolen?”

His face turned even more red. His eyes were full of hatred as he stared at me.

“The king wants to absorb your barony into the kingdom, but you have two sons. I’m sure one of them can take your place if you get in my way.”

“Where do you get off talking to me that way? I don’t care who appointed you! I’m a noble and you will treat me with respect!”

I waved my hand in his direction and a focused wind blast slammed into his chest. The table jolted as his chair tipped over and his legs slammed into the underside of the table. His chair broke as he was sent sprawling onto the floor.

I snorted and looked over at the general. “I have my orders and I don’t care what anyone thinks. I’ll do my job as I see fit. We will negotiate a peace. Period. Anyone who gets in my way will die. This is your only warning.”

The general met my gaze without flinching. I didn’t turn it into a staring contest. I looked around the table and then took another bite of my food. The steak was quite good and I didn’t want it to go cold.

Baron Saymen was infuriated but he had some brains at least. My audacious behavior seemed to wake him up to the fact that I would indeed kill him if he pissed me off. I would too. I was sick and tired of the nobles and their attitudes. His children had given me nothing but trouble when we’d met, and he was a traitor. I wasn’t a patriot by any means, but his character disgusted me.

Things calmed down after that. The general broke the tension with a joke and conversation resumed.

“Your last name is Warren. You wouldn’t happen to be related to the countess, Lady Warren, would you?”

“She was my mother,” I said.

“Was?” another noble asked.

“You haven’t heard?” I asked.

“Heard what?”

“She was assassinated.”

Silence reigned around the table.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” General Vorrox said.

I grimaced. “We weren’t that close.”

“The kingdom lost a great woman the day your mother died,” one of the nobles said.

He offered a toast to my mother’s memory and we all drank.

General Vorrox wanted the details. “Were the assassinations from Hewitt?”

“No.” I paused. “The perpetrators were a band of rabble. Rebels trying to usurp the throne.” I glanced over at Baron Sayman. “Traitors to their oaths. They plotted to kill the king and force a union between one of their own and the king's daughter, Princess Evelyn.”

The baron stiffened but didn’t respond. He’d had his chair replaced and was still visibly angry but unable to do anything. I was sure he’d have stormed out in embarrassment if he could have gotten away with it.

“They killed her so they would have a chance but they didn’t account for my vengeance. I killed the traitors with my own hands,” I was looking at Baron Sayman when I said it. Needling the man was probably petty, but I was playing the part of a son who lost his mother due to traitors and oath breakers.

“Is this why the king wants to end the war?” General Vorrax asked.

I nodded. “In part. The kingdom is in chaos. I’m surprised you haven’t heard of these events yet.”

“I was informed,” the general said, much to the surprise of the other officers present. “I kept it quiet to prevent discontent from forming and affecting the morale of the troops.”

“Is this why you ordered all mail to be held under guard?” one of the higher-ranked officers asked.

The general just nodded.

I noted that not all of the general's advisers looked surprised.

“When will we parley with the enemy?” I asked.

“We can send out a man with a flag of truce in the morning,” the general said.

I’d finished eating so I stood. “Then I will reconvene with you at that time. James, feel free to stay and make any arrangements you think necessary. Gentleman, goodnight.”

Danica hadn’t gotten involved in the political discussions during the dinner. She just chatted idly with the officers seated around her. My mother was even less talkative. They both stood when I did and Danica thanked the general for the meal, then we filed out.

We were assigned a tent and we retired for the night. My mother stopped by but only stayed for a few minutes so Danica and I were alone.

“Were you trying to provoke that Baron?” she asked.

“Yes. I wanted to make an example of someone and I don’t like him.”

“Why not?”

I briefly explained and then ended the conversation. “I want to check something. Please stay here. It might be a few hours.”

“What are you doing?” she asked, sounding a bit alarmed.

“I’m going to spy on the general and make sure he’s not planning to oppose us.”

“Is that necessary?” she asked.

“Maybe not, but I’d rather not be blindsided.”

“I’d be more worried about the Hewittites trying something at the peace talks than the general.”

“You might be right,” I said.

I cast Void Walk and slipped out unseen. James Dewy had pointed out the General's tent earlier so I had no trouble finding it. I strolled over with my spell activated and listened in. He was meeting with a few of his officers and advisors and discussing strategy for a potential battle. Once that wrapped up, he talked a little bit about me and some officers he wasn’t very happy with but nothing nefarious came out. Satisfied, I headed back to my tent and went to bed.

The next day we sent out a small party under a white flag of truce. The enemy responded and a trio of riders rode out to meet them. I watched from a distance beside my mother and wife as we stood behind the General and his advisors.

“Looks like they agreed to our parley,” someone said.

We waited for our riders to come back and report. They confirmed what we speculated. “They have agreed to meet with us,” the man said. “They proposed using one of their tents set up on that hill over there.”

“That’s fine.”

“I assumed you’d say that and already agreed, Sir.”

“Very good,” General Vorrox said.

“We will meet there in two hours then.”

The general turned to me. “Is that satisfactory?”

I looked over at James and he nodded. “We have no objections,” I said.

Everything was set. I just hoped everything else went smoothly.

Chapter 27

I was milling about with Danica while waiting when a man walked over. He smiled at my wife and bowed to my mother.

“Are you ready to take your next step as a wizard?” he asked.

I frowned. “Excuse me? Do I know you?”

The man laughed. “Devon, you wound me! How could you not recognize your own master?”

I blinked. “Master Plats?” I was dumbfounded but my eyes narrowed as I concentrated. The man’s appearance became translucent and I saw the face of my master under the illusion.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“Well, I can’t be letting my apprentice get himself killed at such a young age.” He looked over at my mother. “Of course, I didn’t realize you had someone of such renown by your side. Lady Warren.”

“You’re lucky I don’t splatter your insides all over the camp, Plats,” my mother said coldly.

“Forgive me, great lady, but how has this humble one offended you?”

Her eyes drilled into him. “You don’t know?”

“Know what?” he asked, bewildered.

I was enjoying the show. Seeing my crotchety old master off balance for a change was very satisfying.

“You’re a sorry excuse for a wizard and an even worse master! Do you think I’ll leave my son’s training in your filthy hands?”

“Your son?” His brow wrinkled. “I don’t follow.”

I snickered. “Mage Master Plats, allow me to introduce you to my mother, Charis Ellenor Warren Coal.”

The old geezer's mouth fell open as he gaped at me and my mother. Danica giggled at the sight and it took all my willpower not to laugh but I didn’t restrain the wide grin on my face.

“Y-your mother? Your mother is The freakin’ War God?” he exclaimed.

“You seem surprised,” my mother said. “You didn’t find it strange that Devon was so powerful? Did you even stop to think that he might have someone powerful in his family?”

“H-he was clueless! I never thought that his family would leave him so oblivious and vulnerable—not if they cared about him!”

That silenced my mother and her face colored as her eyes narrowed. I placed a hand on her shoulder when I saw her getting angry.

“Mage Master Plats, is there a reason you came to check up on me?” I asked.

“Yes. The leadership of the Hewitt army is planning to ambush the delegation of the peace talks and capture or kill everyone they can.”

“What?” all three of us exclaimed.

Danica and my mother both looked over at me and a momentary pause ensured. I shook it off.

“They would dare attack us while under a flag of truce?” I asked.

“Not all of the nobles and mages are involved in the conspiracy but there is a sizable number. They think it will strengthen their position for any potential future talks.”

“But to attack under a flag of truce… That just isn’t done,” my mother said.

“Danica I think—”

“If you’re going, so am I!” she said fiercely.

I sighed and looked over at Mage Master Plats. “I need you to make some enchantments for me.”

“What? I’m your master, you don’t get to—”

“Plats, you will do as he asks or I’ll make you a eunuch. Do you understand me?”

He gulped as he took an involuntary step back. He looked over at me and pursed his lips. “I suppose I could help you this one time, but you’ll owe me.”

“No,” my mother said. “You’re already walking on dangerous ground, Plats.”

“Hey, I came and warned you. Why are you glaring at me like that? You should be thanking me,” Mage Master Plats replied.

“Mother, we need to work together. Everyone in the delegation is going to need some shields. Master Plats, I need a list of all those involved in this conspiracy.”

He complied and I read it over. I was pleased to see that none of my friends' names were on the list but I recognized several names. I was disappointed to see Sarah Leventhall’s name listed.

Other names I recognized were Elaine Greystone, Savanna Draden, Gabe Delonte, and  Ivan Strong. I had a bone to pick with all of them, except Sarah. She’d helped me out with the information she’d provided and she hadn’t ratted me out when I deserted. Her only attempt to stop me was to try to talk me out of leaving, but her protests weakened greatly when she learned Danica and I were married.

“Okay, here is the plan,” I said. “Mom, you will keep the rest of the delegation safe. Mage Master Plats, you are tasked with dealing with Ivan Strong and Gabe Delonte—”

“Can I take Savanna? She’s always looked down on me despite being a caster. I want to teach her a lesson.”

“Fine, but don’t mess around. Put her down hard and fast.”

He chuckled. “I’m good at that.”

His smirk left me with no doubt he was being crude again. I rolled my eyes. “If you fool around, I’m sure my mother will let you know when and where you screwed up.”

That wiped the grin off his face. “I’ll handle it.”

“You’ll also have to take Gabe or Ivan.” He just nodded.

“Okay, then that leaves Sarah and Elaine to me. Danica, you will be on containment. Who are these others? I don’t recognize the names.”

Mage Master Plats filled me in. There were six more of them but only two of them were mages. The others were officers and my master said they would probably have a small cadre of loyal men with them.

“They will be Danica’s responsibility then. Even if they have some enchantments, she can handle them.” I’d seen her skill firsthand during the kidnapping.

“I can deal with the other two mages,” my mother said.

“We also have to consider that the other members of the delegation will join the fight on both sides.”

“Yes, but they will be expecting to take us by surprise,” I said. “Let's get started on those enchantments. Master Plats, you can make a magic suppression enchantment, right?”

“You mean an anti-magic field enchantment?” he asked.

I nodded.

“Those are very complex. A tall order considering the time we have.”

“I’ll help you if you can’t manage it,” my mother said.

The goading was just what Master Plat’s needed.

“Don’t worry about me,” he replied.

I nodded to my mother. Well done. “Let's get to it.”

“Should we tell the other members of the delegation what's going on?” Danica asked.

I stopped and thought about it. “No. I think it would be better if we don’t.”

“Why?”

“They could create problems with our plan. I want to chop the head off this snake once and be done with it. The general or his advisers might refuse to even go to the meeting if they know it's a trap.”

“I see your point. Alright, I agree. What about Sarah? Didn’t you say she helped you before?”

“She did. I’ll take her alive if possible, but I don’t care about the others. Kill them if you have to.” I turned to Danica. “As for the officers and soldiers, prisoners are preferred but you’ll probably have to kill most of them.”

I looked over at my mage master. “Are you going to be missed?”

“Naw, my reputation is a perfect cover. I wasn’t invited to the conspiracy either so they won’t be suspicious if I’m missing.” He snorted. “They will just assume I’m taking advantage of the courtesans following the army.”

While Charis and my master made the anti-magic field enchantments for General Vorrax and James Dewy, I created a few simpler enchantments. They weren’t anything special. Just water magic enchantments that would send out a spray of ice-cold water. It was nothing more than a distraction to break a mage’s focus. If they worked as I intended, they would buy us a few crucial seconds.

The time to ride out to the lone tent on the ridge came and the group assembled. I started handing out the enchantments.

“What's this?” James asked.

“It's a tracker so I can keep tabs on everyone. All members of the delegation will take one. No exceptions.”

“You want to keep tabs on us?” one of the nobles demanded.

“Yes. The king gave me a task and I will carry it out. Is that a problem?”

He scowled and put it on. “I don’t know why the king appointed you, kid, but if this is necessary to fulfill the king's orders, then I have no issue with it.”

“Good. I’m glad there are still those who take their oath seriously.”

With that, no one else dared to object and the enchantments were distributed. I passed the General a note as I handed him the anti-magic field enchantment.

“Mount up!” I called.

Mage Master Plats had returned to the Hewitt military camp just minutes before, using his enchantments to quicken his pace and Void Walk to go unseen. I was surprised to note that he seemed far less adept at that spell than I was but there wasn’t time to question him about it.

The general peeked at the note. It just said, ‘expect a fight.’ He looked over at me and I shook my head.

He looked pensive for a moment and one of his advisors noticed.

“Is something wrong, General Vorrox?”

“This meeting is important. The king requires us to make peace with the Hewittites. Be on your best behavior, but don’t let your guard down.”

The group responded with affirmatives and then we rode out to the tent the Hewittites had set up for the meeting. The tent was guarded by ten soldiers in gleaming plate armor. Soldiers from Shander in similar armor took up positions mirroring them.

I saw the Hewitt delegation arriving as we rode up. They dismounted before we arrived and stood in front of the tent to greet us. Here we go… We stopped and dismounted. Two of the soldiers collected the horses and then we were invited into the tent to begin peace talks. The meeting started without a hitch.

I recognized many of the faces. Duke Hastings wasn’t present but Duke Graystone was there. He was leading the delegation and his daughter was standing stiffly along the back wall. Sarah was beside her looking annoyed and the other mages I recognized were all standing guard, just as mages from Shander were on our side of the tent.

I focused my magic as I looked over at Sarah. I cast a perception spell that only targeted her. It wasn’t a normal spell and I wasn’t even sure it would work but my goal was to allow her to pierce the disguise on my guise ring. I wanted to see how she reacted when she saw my face.

She was staring at Duke Greystone looking miffed when my spell took effect. She frowned as she sensed something happening and looked around. When her eyes landed on me they froze. They widened slightly and her entire body stiffened. Then she glanced around to see if anyone else noticed. Seeing they hadn’t, her tension eased a little and she mouthed a single word to me.

‘Trap.’

I winked and looked away.

It wasn’t the response she expected but she held her peace and the meeting continued. So she’s not thrilled with the plan. Huh.

I let things go on for an hour before I decided to change things up. I stepped away from the back wall and approached the table where the two parties were arguing in circles again. I had to give James credit, despite the enemy’s clear antagonistic attitude and provocative words, he kept his cool.

“James, they aren’t planning to negotiate in good faith. This meeting is a waste of time,” I said. “Let's leave. We can face them on the field of battle and let our magic and steel decide the victor.”

“Now hold on just a moment,” James’s assistant demanded. “We can still work something out.”

“Who is this idiot?” Duke Greystone demanded. “Are you trying to provoke us?”

James cut in. “Your Grace, we’d been more than amenable to you during these talks and you’ve done nothing but speak brashly. If anyone is trying to provoke someone, it’s you.”

Very astute, James.

The Duke’s lip curled into a sneer. “Enough of this farce. You never intended to negotiate in good faith. Seize them!” he shouted.

As soon as the words left his mouth, the enemy mages sprang into action. A volley of disabling spells flew across the tent and dissipated around James and General Vorrox. The anti-magic field enchantments did their job perfectly.

Mage Master Plats appeared out of thin air right in front of Lady Draden. Pit! That Void Walk spell is something else. I knew he was lurking around here somewhere and I couldn’t sense him at all.

My mother moved to guard the delegation. Danica’s fire magic roared out toward the soldiers who were pouring in. They too had evaded my senses. They had perception spells cast on them and life suppression enchantments to prevent us from sensing them with life magic.

I triggered my simple water enchantments and icy cold water exploded out from all of the members of the delegation on my side. All of us mages who expected the attack had a simple water shield to block it but water magic wasn’t very lethal, not in the short term, so the enemy mages were hit with the ice-cold water, and their systems experienced shock due to the huge temperature change.

At that moment, we struck. Beams of void magic flashed from my hands and ripped through the energy shield enchantments of my targets. My targets were Elaine and Ivan Strong.

“Sarah, help us!” I shouted.

She wavered with indecision for a crucial moment as Elaine crumpled to the ground. I hit Ivan Strong with a more lethal attack. Elaine’s leg was ripped apart by my void beam spell but I directly targeted Ivan’s heart. His defenses were far stronger than Elaine’s but my beam still pierced them all and killed him directly.

Danica’s fireball exploded over the attacking soldiers but their plate armor and enchantments muted the effect. She used a burst of air magic to whip the flames into a frenzy and created a minor firestorm.

Mage Master Plats had Already dealt with Gabe and he had Lady Draden on the ground and was pelting her with hard-hitting energy attacks. They seemed like bludgeons and he seemed to be enjoying giving her a beating.

My mother was the scariest of all. She’d already subjugated the other two mages, the enemy duke, and his entire delegation. All while keeping the general, James, and the others safe. She used energy magic as blades and directly killed anyone she wanted to. She wrapped the others in cocoons of power, essentially turning them into shielded statues that were unable to move. It was an incredible display of skill and power.

In just seconds the fight was all but over. The only mages still struggling were Sarah and Lady Draden. One was being pummeled and the other wrestled with her conscience. Sarah finally made a decision and joined Danica in subduing the officers and soldiers. Then it was over.

I gave her a nod. “Can I trust you to relay to the Hewitt army what transpired here? Without lying?”

“Yes. I can do that,” she said. “I never agreed with this plan. It’s dishonorable.”

“A noble with honor,” I said. “You’ve managed to surprise me once again, Sarah.”

“Since you are here, can I assume you found your wife?” she asked.

“Yes.” I nodded toward Lorain Warren, my wife in disguise. “We can talk about it later. How are my friends?”

“April is alive. Who else were you worried about?” she asked.

We talked for a few minutes as I left the General to deal with the prisoners. My mother was still in control of them so that was a simple matter.

Someone had put a tourniquet around Elaine’s leg so she didn’t bleed out but she was unconscious from blood loss.

“Let me talk with Duke Greystone,” General Vorrax said.

I looked over and my mother obliged him. James looked pale and was in a daze but seemed fine. Aside from a few injuries sustained by the soldiers, no one on our side was hurt.

“Well done,” I said.

Mage Master Plats had finished toying with Lady Draden and had her tied up to an excessive degree. Anti-magic bracelets were on her wrists and he was about to fashion a collar around her neck when my mother walked over and kicked him in the butt.

“Ow!” He cried out and then blushed as he saw my mother glaring at him.

“I-it was just a joke,” he said pitifully.

“Leave, before I jokingly beat you to the pit. Oh, and from now on, I’ll be taking over your apprentice’s training.”

“But—”

“No butts!” I said loudly. “Is butts all you ever think about?”

He whirled around and his mouth dropped open, then a smile slowly grew on his face. “Ah, I see my job here is done.” He smiled, happy as a clam. “I formally transfer his apprenticeship to you.” He walked over to me and patted me on the shoulder. “Your wit has finally reached the pinnacle of what I can teach you. Look to this respectable lady to finish your mage training. She is the best after all.”

I smiled as I looked at the cantankerous old man. “Thanks for everything, Master Plats. I’ll never forget all you did for me.”

“I did something for you?” he asked in surprise. “There must be some mistake. I’d never go out of my way to do actual work!”

I laughed. “You gave me the tools to teach myself. This is something I think very few masters would do. It suited my needs well and you did pay a kingly sum for me to further my education.”

“Oh yes, I forgot I did that. Praise me, my old apprentice. I’m the best—oof!” He staggered back as my mother’s forceful energy spell impacted his gut.

“Rude,” he muttered, and then with a cavalier wave he walked off toward the Hewitt army.

“You should go with him,” I said to Sarah.

“I will. What will happen to the Duke and other prisoners?” she asked.

“I imagine they will be handed over once Hewitt agrees to our terms for peace. With your mages decimated, it wouldn’t be that hard to crush the Hewitt army. Be sure you tell them the son of the War God is leading this army.”

Her eyebrows shot up and her mouth dropped open. “Is it true?”

I nodded once. “It's complicated, but yes. Call me Samuel Warren for now. If there is time later, we can catch up. I owe you one.”

“I think after I tell the army what happened here, you’ll owe me two.” She smiled.

I shrugged. “Sure. Just help me end this war.”

“I will.” She hurried out and caught up to Mage Master Plats. I could just imagine the old man making a crack about some pretty girl chasing after him. I snorted and got busy sorting out the aftermath.

* * *

A long tense week later, the war was over. It was nerve-wracking being on guard every moment waiting for another attack or double cross, but nothing happened. The work in and of itself was mind-numbing and boring. I left all of that to James and he handled it with calm professionalism. I’d earned his trust so he was exceedingly calm, knowing if anything happened, he had the son of Lady Warren watching his back.

If I hadn’t been so tense the whole time, I would have been bored out of my mind. Danica kept me from going crazy and was able to distract me and help me relax in the evenings. She seemed to enjoy our moments alone together just as much as I did.

My mother was chomping at the bit to get going. She had a reunion to get on with and it was a long time overdue in my opinion, but I wanted her there until things were finalized. Even if I’d insisted that she could go, she wouldn’t have. She’d made a promise to the king, and she wasn’t going anywhere until it was fulfilled.

I reunited with April and Dillon. They were both still with the Second Army. April looked haunted by the war but she was in good health otherwise.

“Dillon and I are courting,” she told me with a shy smile.

“That’s great!” I said.

“Yes. We got to talking after you left and he’s been helping me cope with the war.”

Dillon puffed up his chest and put his arm around her. “She’s been brilliant. I am proud of her. Her skill with magic has grown by leaps and bounds too.”

April blushed. When we finished visiting, I bid them both farewell.

Danica hugged April and I shook hands with Dillon.

“I’m happy for you, April. You two are perfect for each other,” I said.

“Thanks. I agree. He’s so good to me.”

I was glad to see some life in her eyes again. She was a nice girl and I considered her a good friend. Jake and Rose were enchanters and not attached to the army so I didn’t get to see them. A few of the others I’d met when I first reunited with Danica were there but I didn’t know any of them well. After asking April to give my regards to her sister Maggie and Miss Apole, we parted ways.

The war was over. My job was done. With the success of my mission, all I had to do now was return to Harrisburg and receive my title. Count Warren. I wasn’t in a rush to do that.

“Samuel,” my mother called, using my fake name since we weren’t alone.

“Yes?”

“Are you done here? I have several things to teach you before I go.”

“Teach me?” I asked, my brow wrinkling.

She nodded. “Let's go somewhere private.”

We soon found ourselves in my tent. My mother politely asked Danica to step outside. I was a little unhappy with that but didn’t voice it. My mother liked Danica and they got along so she must have a good reason.

“The spell book your master gave you is a great compilation of information for a new mage, but as you know, Wizards are a little special.”

I nodded along. We had all the advantages over other types of mages and none of the drawbacks. She had me pull my book out.

“This is just the beginning, Devon. Once you hone your skills, only a wizard will be able to give you pause. These spells are only the first step in mastering your power. Once you can cast these spells without effort, then you will have taken your first step into truly unlocking your real potential.”

“Real potential? What are you saying?” I asked.

“Our family's legacy,” my mother said. “We are more than just Wizards. The spells you know are knockoffs of the real deal.”

I wasn’t sure what to think as I looked at my mother. What she said was crazy. Some of the spells I’d mastered were incredible and quite complicated. Surely she didn’t mean those, right? “You mean like the fireball spell? Or the perception spell?”

“No, Devon. Your Void Walk spell, anti-magic enchantments, these ‘complex’ magical workings as you think of them are simplified weak versions of the real thing.” She pulled out a square object. It was made from some kind of metal I’d never seen before. I felt drawn to the unidentified object.

“Mother, what is that?”

“This is called a tablet. It’s a storage device that holds vast amounts of information. This is our family's legacy.”

The screen lit up and a strange symbol appeared on it. A chill ran up my spine. What kind of magic is this? I looked up at my mother. She ran her finger gently along the side, almost caressing it.

“I’ve seen you in battle, Devon. You are capable of protecting this. It's time I pass it on to you.”

“But… I don’t understand.”

“You will. It's quite simple to operate. Here, let me show you. Now pay attention, I haven’t seen my husband in far too long and I’m not putting that off a moment longer than I have to.”

I smiled. “He misses you, Mom. We both missed you.”

“I know.” She reached out and caressed my cheek. “I love you both so much. Now listen. This device is full of advanced forms of magic. There are many paths and options but you can only choose one, so think long and hard before you choose your path.”

As I listened I became more and more bewildered. Immortal path? Ascension? My mother used these words and seemed to mean them. She called the device a Jade Tablet. It wasn’t until she showed me its true, almost divine-looking appearance, that I understood why. Instead of a dull gray finish, the Jade Tablet was made from a radiant material that seemed to generate trace amounts of light.

“Mother, where did you get this?” I asked.

“It was passed down to me from my mother, my real mother. She got it from her father before her, and so on for hundreds of years. Our family's legacy is as old as magic itself, at least in this world.”

“What? What do you mean, this world?”

“Before people like our ancestors came to this world, there was no magic here,” she said.

“How can that be? Magic is a natural part of the world!”

She smiled. And patted the tablet. “You can read up on it later and even talk with our ancestor later.”

“What? How?”

“He left an imprint, or memory of himself in this device. It’s a compilation of all his thoughts and memories. I never figured out how to make one myself, but perhaps you can gain access to that knowledge where I failed. As you grow in power, more of the Jade Tablet’s knowledge will be accessible to you.”

I had so many questions, but my mother just smiled and handed me the tablet. “I’ve shown you how to use it, Devon, now it’s getting late and I have an early morning tomorrow. Speak with the memory stored in the tablet. He will answer all your questions.”

She turned in for the night and I stored the tablet in my spacial pocket. I wanted to dive in and investigate it more but now wasn’t the time. There would be plenty of opportunities to do so later.

* * *

My mother left the next morning bound for Shale. Danica and I discussed our next step as well. We had a nice home in Harrisburg, but many of our friends were here in Hewitt. I’d be a noble if I returned to Harrisburg and I wasn’t sure I wanted that. Part of me wanted to join my mother in Shale and see my father but I was still a deserter here so I’d have to stay incognito. Danica wanted to see her mother as well but we decided to hold off on that trip for now.

I had the opportunity to study and further my education if I went to Cindell. I also had enough money to enroll Danica in Miss Apole’s classes as well. I missed those simpler days. With the weight of what my mother entrusted me, I had a lot on my mind and several decisions to make, but so long as Danica was at my side, I didn’t care where we went.

“Let's go home, Devon. We can spend the winter there and decide what we want to do next.”

“What about the king?” I asked.

“He can sod off. I want to make cookies and plan out my garden. Snow will be coming soon and I need to start getting my seeds and other stuff ready.”

I smiled at how enthusiastic she was about her garden plans. I easily consented. “If that’s what you want, then let's do it.”

I could see some woodworking in my future. Raised beds would be easier to plant and keep weeded. It would keep me busy in the winter months and come spring we could fill them with rich soil. My nature magic could help keep things healthy and, well, we’d just have to see where life took us from there.

With the tablet containing my family's legacy tucked away in my permanent spacial pouch, we headed home.

The End

Devon and Danica’s story will continue… maybe. I have ideas. I left some hints on what they are here at the end, but I only have a general idea of where the story goes next. I could stop the story here or make this the end of the first arc. Thanks for reading!

Thank you for reading!

Thanks for the support you have all shown me for this series! Your feedback is much appreciated and it helps me a lot. I have vague ideas for the next book so while I could try to whip out another story quickly, it would probably be better to think about where I’m taking the story from here. Mixing in tech is just one idea I could run with. Traveling to another world through a portal is also likely.

Please leave a review!

Also, feel free to message me on Royal Road! (I have an account there: Michael Gnizak.) I also just posted a novel on there, it's not fully polished and I’m looking for readers and feedback on it! It’s called Derelict Theif: The Acquisitions Specialist! You can share your thoughts, if you have any, on the story!

I hope this story brought a smile to your face and brightened your day. As always, I’ll be trying to make it better and fix any mistakes I find. Cheers, and God bless!

Character list

Note: This list is mostly for the author's benefit, but I organized it and left it in for any curious minds to reference. Some character descriptions are based on actions and events from book one and will have spoilers for that book. There are no spoilers for book two. They are loosely organized by groups.

Devon Coal - Wizard

Eli Coal - Coal miner in Shale, Devon’s father

Mrs. Coal - Devon’s mother, left/missing

Danica Lorain ‘Wells’ Coal - Fire caster and Devon’s wife

Mrs. Evylen Wells

Mr. John Wells

Jared - quill dealer at the uptown market in Harrisburg

Ashely - Married to Don, sells tea at the uptown market in Harrisburg

Don - married to Ashely

Vivian Elkhound - Seer and ward of Boris Raylin

Boris Raylin - Sergeant, retired. Guardian of Vivian Elkhound

Leeroy ‘Lee’ Banks - From Hewit, POW, escaped

Rowen Ramus - King of Shander

Evelyn Ramus - Princess of Shander

Lady Warren - Wizard, the Countess who lives in Shander, has a fearsome reputation.

Henry Kaylor  - administration official of Shander, City of Harrisburg

Louis - Royal Chamberlain of Shander

Garold Hatcomb - Spymaster of Shander

King Roger - deceased, previous king of Shander

Eric Lunayis - deceased, Duke of Cordais

Demetri Ashford - General of Shander

Derrick Ashford - General Demetri’s son

Ben Whittaker - King’s agent/inspector of Shander

Johnathan Porter - Royal Guard officer of Shander

Duke Greystone - Elaine’s father, from Hewitt

Elaine Greystone - daughter to Duke Greystone, an acquaintance of Devon, from Hewitt

David Keys - Knight of the realm, Duke Greystone’s man, from Hewitt

Duke Hastings - Commander of the Second Army, from Hewitt

Major Horton - mage contingent commander Second Army

Claudia - mundane healer of the Second Army, from Hewitt

Baron Saymen - Baron of Blackwood

Lily Sayman - daughter of Baron Saymen

Ronald Saymen - the oldest son of Baron Saymen

Thomas Saymen - the youngest son of Baron Saymen

Sarah Laventhall - Mage caster, a friendly acquaintance of Devon’s

Peter ‘Pete’ Andermen - Attacked Danica, a mage caster student from Hewitt

Gabe Delonte - Mage caster student from Hewitt

Lady Savanna Draden - mage caster from Hewitt

Master Orin Plats - Wizard from Hewitt

Master Eralith - Mage at Royal Mage School in Cindell, from Hewitt

Master Boren - Instructor at Royal Mage School in Cindell, from Hewitt

Miss Apole - teacher in Cindell, from Hewitt

Maggie - April’s younger sister, from Hewitt

April - Mage caster from Hewitt, Devon’s friend

Dillian - Mage caster from Hewitt, Devon’s friend

Jack - Rose's brother, Mage enchanter from Hewitt, Devon’s friend

Rose - Jack’s sister, Mage enchanter from Hewitt, Devon’s friend

Lars Jenova - betrothed to Danica, was killed in a duel by Devon, a noble from Hewitt.

Baron York - Owner of the Wind Shark before it defaulted to Devon, tried to have Devon killed

Duke Timmons of Hillcrest - Duke from the kingdom of Ashan

Elden Blitz - Ship Captain for Devon’s ship, the Wind Shark

Clark - soldier of Hewitt

Brant - soldier of Hewitt

Sergeant McDall - soldier of Hewitt

Wesley Stone - Trading partner in Beachwood 

Daisy - Woodworker in Beachwood

Deek - one of Daisy’s brothers

Walt - Fisherman who finds Devon after Baron York attempts to murder him

Mindy - fisherman, Walt’s wife

James - Prisoner Devon meets after getting arrested

Raden - leader of Raden’s Raiders, a band of raiders

Cities and places

Kingdoms:

-          The Kingdom of Hewitt - Devon’s homeland

-          The Kingdom of Shander - Enemy of Hewitt, located northwest of Hewitt

-          The Kingdom of Ashan - North of Shander, shares an extensive border with Shander, has a small land border with Hewitt, and is a rival of Shander.

Cities and Towns in Hewitt:

-          Cindell - the capital of Hewitt

-          Shale Devon’s hometown

-          Blackwood - Where Devon meat’s Lily Saymon, part of Baron Saymon’s barony

-          Beachwood - near the capital, where Devon meats Daisy

-          Cedar Creek - second to last town before the capital

-          Kendle - last stop before the capital of Cindell

-          Leewood - a trading town

-          Appleton - a trading town

-          Hastings - a fishing town north of Cindell, where Devon washes up after being attacked

Cities and Towns in Shander:

-          Harrisburg - the capital of Shander

-          Fairview - a city in Shander

Other Cities and Places:

-          Amherst - A port city, the southernmost port of the northern continent of Areea.

-          North Sea - Sea between Hewitt and Amherst

-          Miller River - the trade river running through Kendle, Cindell, and the farmland to the north of Cindell. Named after all the grain mills along it.

-          Nammi River - a river in Shander

Peoples:

-          Hewittites - people from Hewitt

-          Shanderians - people from Shander

-          Ashanittes - people from Ashan

Magic affinities

Types of Magic:

-          Earth

-          Water

-          Fire

-          Air

-           

-          Life

-          Metal

-          Energy

-          Nature

-           

-          Spirit

-          Body

-          Void

-          Death