Aether’s Revival

Book 5:

Mages of Buldoun

Daniel Schinhofen

Copyright © 2022 Daniel J. Schinhofen

No parts of this book may be reproduced in any form by an electronic or mechanical means – except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews – without the written permission from the publisher.

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

Copyright © 2022 Daniel J. Schinhofen

All rights reserved.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-one

Chapter Twenty-two

Chapter Twenty-three

Chapter Twenty-four

Chapter Twenty-five

Chapter Twenty-six

Chapter Twenty-seven

Chapter Twenty-eight

Chapter Twenty-nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-one

Chapter Thirty-two

Chapter Thirty-three

Chapter Thirty-four

Chapter Thirty-five

Chapter Thirty-six

Chapter Thirty-seven

Chapter Thirty-eight

Chapter Thirty-nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-one

Chapter Forty-two

Chapter Forty-three

Chapter Forty-four

Chapter Forty-five

Chapter Forty-six

Chapter Forty-seven

Chapter Forty-eight

Chapter Forty-nine

Chapter Fifty

Chapter Fifty-one

Chapter Fifty-two

Chapter Fifty-three

Chapter Fifty-four

Chapter Fifty-five

Chapter Fifty-six

Chapter Fifty-seven

Chapter Fifty-eight

Chapter Fifty-nine

Chapter Sixty

Chapter Sixty-one

Chapter Sixty-two

Chapter Sixty-three

Chapter Sixty-four

Chapter Sixty-five

Chapter Sixty-six

Chapter Sixty-seven

Chapter Sixty-eight

Chapter Sixty-nine

Chapter Seventy

Chapter Seventy-one

Chapter One

The first leg of the trip out of the academy was only half of a day. They barely got moving before midday, and they stopped just before sunset. It wasn’t a boring trip for Gregory— he spent most of it explaining his magic to Mindie and Roshana.

Mindie’s fox ears would twitch occasionally as she listened intently to Gregory. She’d known what his magic was but listening to him explain how it worked fascinated her. Roshana was equally as interested. She leaned forward at times, her rabbit ears swiveling to whoever was talking.

Yukiko and Ling stayed mostly quiet while Gregory talked, only jumping in for a comment or two when he was looking for the right words. Ling had heard about Gregory’s magic before, but she still enjoyed hearing him explain it again, her feline ears twitching every few minutes. Yukiko brushed at her pale hair. It was just starting to reach her shoulders again, and she had been debating on letting it grow back into what it had been or keeping it short. Even while she thought about her hair, her cyan eyes were focused on Mindie and Roshana, watching them with interest.

“So, you can hold many paths open, but anything past four isn’t worth the effort?” Roshana asked.

“I find more than three is normally a waste,” Gregory clarified. “Three shows the most probable futures. It’s more efficient to look further down those paths than open more of them.”

“But each of those paths diverge into more, don’t they?” Mindie asked, coming to understand.

“Exactly. So, when I follow one, it opens up three different paths.”

“Which then leads to more and more,” Mindie smiled. “How far do you normally look ahead?”

“A few seconds is sufficient for combat,” Gregory explained. “Outside of combat, I haven’t pushed far. I’m not sure what I could reach if I pushed now. Before, I could maybe get a half-hour ahead.”

“The elder sees much further, doesn’t he?” Roshana asked.

“We don’t know how far, but yes, at least a day or more without strain,” Yukiko said. “He knew which arenas we’d fight in before they were posted.”

“But he’s also known things from much further ahead,” Ling said. “That’s how he arranged for our coming years to be set.”

“True,” Gregory nodded. “He’s never given any hint on what he can do. Master Damon was upset that Lightshield won’t talk with him.”

“And you’re concealing information, too, even though you are giving them some,” Yukiko added.

“Because anything known can be known by anyone,” Mindie said.

“Exactly,” Gregory smiled.

“I’ve wanted to know more about healing,” Yukiko said.

“Yes,” Gregory nodded. “I’ve been very interested in how your magic works, Mindie.”

Mindie looked down, a small smile on her lips. “Oh... I don’t mind trying to explain it.”

“Maybe tonight, at the inn?” Ling suggested. “We’ve all shared how our magic works with each other before you two joined us. We’d be happy to do it again to hear about yours.”

“Even mine?” Roshana asked.

“Yes,” Yukiko smiled. “We only know what Empire’s Gambit tells us about water magi. We’re sure you can tell us so much more.”

“There’s also what you know about Limaz from your family,” Gregory added. “I’m eager to know more about the southern neighbors of the empire. We’ve all studied in the archive, but none of us knew about the bathing custom you told us about.”

“Bathing custom?” Mindie asked.

“We shared a bath together,” Ling said. “Roshana explained that, for people of Limaz, they have a custom where their words are as naked as they are. There is no lying in the bath.”

“Shared…?” Mindie’s eyes went to Gregory, who had a faint blush visible.

“Yes. Greg and everyone who was in the room with us last night, except you,” Yukiko said. “Though we don’t know what bathing arrangements might be like for our trip.”

Mindie’s face heated. “Oh. Right. I’m… not opposed… if everyone is there.”

Yukiko smiled gently at Mindie. “It’ll be your choice, Mindie. None of us will ever pressure you. Everything you do or choose not to do is fine. Not everyone is as bold as Daciana.”

“Or Clover,” Ling snorted. “I can’t believe she deliberately exposed herself in the bath the way she did. She was so shy when we started with each other.”

Mindie’s face burned hotter. “Oh? I didn’t know you and Clover…”

“Yes,” Ling smiled. “Much like Daciana, Victoria, and Nessa are exploring things together.”

“It’s not required, but it’ll make things easier later,” Yukiko said. “After all, being a part of a large family does mean that there will be many people to love.”

“We ranged way off-topic,” Gregory coughed, his own cheeks hot. “We’ll have weeks more for talking during the trip. There are topics that we can speak about that interest each of us. I was thinking, though, that instead of spending our time at the inn chatting, we can use them to work on games.”

“Hmm... not a bad idea,” Yukiko said. “Dice and cards have both been neglected. We might also need to get the Peaceful Fist in, too.”

“Good point,” Gregory conceded.

“We have to keep up with that,” Ling said, “especially for our newest practitioners.”

“Yes, please,” Roshana said. “It’s been helping. I can feel it.”

“It was very draining,” Mindie said.

“When starting out, it is,” Gregory said. “As you get more used to it, the draining feeling stops. Instead, you feel energized afterward.”

“Maybe we should do that before bathing? For the first week, at least,” Yukiko said.

“That’s a good idea,” Gregory nodded.

Mindie looked down, remembering how much she’d sweated during the session that morning. “Please? I’d like to bathe after.”

“We’ll ask Lightshield when we stop for the night,” Yukiko said, glancing out the window, “which will be soon, I think.”

“Should be,” Ling agreed. “Even using the speedy carriages, it’ll take us time to reach Buldoun.”

“I see a city ahead of us,” Mindie said, looking out the window.

“Likely where we will stop,” Yukiko commented. “That’s good.”

The carriages slowed as they entered the city. Each clan broke away from the others, going to different inns. Gregory noticed that at least one academy carriage went with each clan. He wondered about that, but figured they would find out soon enough.

“Lightshield said we wouldn’t have the best inns in the city, but the right inns for us,” Mindie murmured as she watched the city roll by. “What do you think he meant?”

“Inns where people of our heritages would be welcome,” Yukiko replied, “much like Father used to do when I was traveling with him.”

“Sounds right to me,” Gregory nodded. “Even in Wesrik, Yuki and I heard mutters about her heritage when we went out.”

“And those were still better comments than I was used to,” Yukiko sighed.

“It’s always bad,” Mindie murmured. “Even as magi, the comments don’t stop. They just get quieter.”

“It’s something I want to see change...” Gregory said softly.

“And we’ll help you, dear one,” Yukiko said, placing her hand on his.

“That would require changing the empire,” Roshana said.

“It will,” Gregory agreed, meeting her eyes, “but it’s for those I love.”

Roshana’s smile grew softer. “A noble goal, one that I will gladly give my all to. Aether’s oldest art showed humans and eurtik side-by-side. He will smile on us for doing what he wanted.”

“He will,” Yukiko smiled.

“You’ll need someone to help you stay strong,” Mindie murmured, licking her lips. “People will attack you, hurt you, try to pull you down.”

“We have a great healer to help,” Ling said. She leaned forward and touched Mindie’s knee. “Don’t we?”

Mindie’s head snapped up, and she stared into Ling’s light green eyes before her face flushed. “Yes?”

“We do,” Yukiko added. “You’ve already shown us how much you want to help, Mindie. You have always been there to pick us back up.”

The carriage slowed to a stop, which stopped Mindie from answering. Gregory was the first one out the door. He helped the others out of their carriage, while the rest of the clan exited the ones they were in.

When he finished helping Yukiko and their friends out, he finally had a chance to look around. The inn itself was not impressive, but it looked to be in good repair. They were in the stable behind the building, which didn’t look large enough to house the four carriages.

He grinned when he saw all who were standing near the academy carriage beside the inn. Egil Magi-killer was speaking to Rafiq, the crocodilian archivist, both of whom were clearly enjoying the conversation based on their smiles.

“If I might have your attention,” Lightshield said. His voice carried easily to everyone in the yard, even though he spoke softly. “We shall be staying here for the evening. The carriages are going to the inn that the overseer is using for the night. They will be back two hours after sunrise to pick us up for the next leg of our journey. Until we leave, your time is yours. And, to answer the question from my clan members, you may use the yard here for that. Dinner will be in three hours in the private dining room.”

Gregory bowed his head to the elder.

“Gregory, I need a moment of your time. The rest of you, go with Hemet. He’ll get rooms arranged for you first.”

As everyone funneled out of the yard and the carriages began to leave, Gregory went to Lightshield’s side. “Elder?”

“You saw Rafiq. He is here to record the Buldoun event. Alongside that and to continue after, Rafiq has been tasked with recording your magic. He will be your companion when you leave to train your troops through your adept posting, and onto your magus posting.”

Gregory was a little surprised, but he also knew how eager Master Damon had been to get more information about his magic. “I see, Elder. I’ll do my best to help him with his task.”

“Gregory,” Lightshield said gently, “what you share or do not share is up to you. I know you will treat Rafiq well, regardless. Sarinia chose Rafiq as you have had a good relationship with him. He knows that you will hold things back. He will not press you.”

“He knows I’ll withhold information?”

“Of course. No magi wants all of their secrets known.”

“I understand, sir. Do you feel I can trust him?”

“Did you trust him before?”

“Yes.”

“Then you can continue to trust him now.”

Exhaling slowly, Gregory nodded. “I understand, sir.”

“Good. Now do me a favor and lead the Peaceful Fist, hmm? It takes me more concentration to use my aether and keep myself balanced during the katas.”

“As you wish, sir.”

“Elder, will you join us for the Peaceful Fist?” Yukiko asked, coming out the back door of the inn.

“Of course. Gregory will be leading for us,” Lightshield smiled. “There are also two baths in this inn. You can separate as you feel comfortable. Each door comes with a lock, so you will not be disturbed while bathing.”

“Thank you, Elder,” Yukiko smiled.

Gregory looked at the group who had come back out to practice the Peaceful Fist. He was surprised to see Rafiq among them, leaving Egil as the only person not present. “Rafiq?”

“Would it be alright for me to join you?” Rafiq asked.

“Of course,” Lightshield smiled. “You have been following the mind path, but a little stretching never hurt anyone.”

“Thank you. I know of the technique, having read the scrolls that teach it. I’ve just never tried it for myself,” Rafiq said as he joined the others.

“We welcome you,” Lightshield smiled, using wind magic to set his cane beside the back door. “Gregory, you may begin.”

“Yes, sir,” Gregory said, taking up the beginning stance.

Chapter Two

As they finished the Peaceful Fist, Egil came out of the inn. “Pettit, I would like to spar.”

Gregory glanced at Lightshield. The elder held out his hand, and the cane beside the door shot through the air to him. With a tired exhale, Lightshield gave Gregory a smile. “The choice is yours. I am heading to the baths. It takes me longer to use them now.”

“I’ll come with you, old friend,” Hemet said, walking with Lightshield.

“Armsmaster,” Yukiko asked, “would you be willing to spar with all of us?”

Egil chuckled as he looked over the assembled crowd. “A single match each, if he agrees.”

“I agree,” Gregory said. “We’ll spar last.”

“Umm...” Mindie gave a nervous look around. “Do we have sparring weapons?”

“Yes,” Rafiq said before extending a hand. “I have a selection of them on me. I know I have staves, wakizashis, and naginatas, at least.”

“I always keep a training katana with my things,” Egil said, holding the wooden sword loosely in his left hand.

“Those weapons cover most of us,” Yukiko said. “Mindie, what weapon did you prefer?”

“I don’t prefer any of them,” Mindie said softly, “but my limited time training showed me that the staff is best suited to me.”

“Like us,” Clover grinned.

“Ling, would you like to start?” Yukiko asked. “Mindie, why don’t we talk?”

Rafiq was suddenly holding a staff in his hand, and he held it out to Ling. “Fight well.”

Gregory shifted over to stand by Rafiq while everyone else cleared the yard for Ling and Egil. The crocodilian eurtik gave him a knowing smile. “You can use aether, Rafiq?”

“I’ve never been formally trained, as I am a pure-blooded eurtik,” Rafiq said as he watched the two face off, “but yes, I have some aptitude for physical enhancement, not that I’m allowed to use it much.”

“Because of your enslavement?” Gregory asked softly as Egil and Ling clashed.

“My brand doesn’t let me use it for anything other than self-preservation, and never against a magi. That is the way it is for all eurtik of the empire.”

“I had no idea...”

“It isn’t in any of the texts you’ve read. I would’ve been surprised if you knew.”

“But you can use your aether?”

Rafiq’s gaze darted from the fight to Gregory, then back. “I have trained my mind, much as you have. It is not ideal for a physical enhancement magi, but perfectly ideal for one of the archive.”

“You have a spatial enchantment?”

“I have one for the books, scrolls, and resources that I need for my time outside of the academy.”

“Only magi can use them… or is that wrong?”

Rafiq’s smile grew wider. “I’ve never seen a spatial enchantment that a non-magi could use.”

Gregory considered his wording as he watched Egil work Ling over. Egil wasn’t going for a quick win— he was obviously showing Ling her flaws.

“Can my questions bring you trouble?” Gregory asked when he saw Egil change from teaching to ending the fight.

“It’s possible, depending on the questions.”

“If I ask one that will, please let me know so I might better phrase it?”

Rafiq clapped when Egil won, but asked Gregory, “Worried for me?”

“I always care for friends,” Gregory replied.

Ling went to Clover, handing off the staff. “Do your best.”

“I will,” Clover grinned as she went to face Egil.

“Yes... you do cherish your friends,” Rafiq murmured. “I’m constrained on what I can and cannot do, but I will do my best. Please do not hold my task against me.”

“I don’t, but you also know my likely avenue of assisting.”

Rafiq chuckled as Clover and Egil bowed. “It’s obvious. Master Damon still hopes that you will be as forthcoming as possible.”

“Lightshield told me what will happen after the tournament,” Gregory said. “How long after that will you be my shadow?”

“That will depend on what the academy overseer wishes.”

“I see. Thank you.”

Rafiq just smiled as he watched the fights.

Egil did the same with Clover that he had with Ling— he exposed some flaws she had, then beat her.

Clover turned to Mindie, who shook her head. Clover hesitated, then returned the staff to Rafiq. “Thank you, Rafiq.”

“You’re welcome,” Rafiq replied, taking the weapon.

Jenn stepped forward, having finished removing her sheath from her belt. She’d tied the hilt and sheath together, making it impossible to draw the weapon. “I’ll fight you now, Armsmaster.”

“With your sheathed sword?”

“I need practice with it,” Jenn smiled as she moved to stand across from him.

Gregory grinned. He knew what she was up to, and he knew she also wasn’t wrong— she hadn’t had enough practice with her new weapon. Rafiq looked at Gregory curiously, but didn’t ask what the surprise was, though he knew there was one.

“Very well,” Egil said before bowing.

Jenn bowed back, then took a defensive posture.

Egil considered what the trick might be for a few seconds, then rushed Jenn. He was sure there was something, which is why he didn’t aim to attack. Instead, he feinted, trying to draw the trick out, but Jenn saw the feint for what it was. When Egil pulled up suddenly to stop his attack and dropped into a defensive posture, she slipped to the side, darting in for a simple thrust.

Egil managed to parry the attack, but had to pivot with her, as Jenn had gone to slip past him. When he found a katana instead of a wakizashi suddenly coming for his head, the surprise was evident in his eyes, but he still slipped away from the strike and gained ground. “Intriguing,” was all he said as he reset his stance.

Jenn held the katana steady, but it was clear that she was a little frustrated. She attacked Egil, her blade drawn back for a hard thrust. Egil wondered why she was telegraphing the attack, and was ready to parry and riposte. When Jenn stopped short of where she needed to be, Egil was briefly puzzled— that nearly cost him when an odachi suddenly came at him. Egil abandoned his plan and parried, giving ground again.

Jenn tsked as she reset her sword to a wakizashi. “Almost, twice.”

“Yes. Your blade is very interesting,” Egil said. “I can see where you would need to train with it. I’m now ready for what you’ve shown me.”

The match took longer than the previous two combined, and in the end, Egil still won. Breathing a little roughly, Egil bowed his head to Jenn. “Your skill is impressive, as I knew it was. If you keep focusing on the basics, you will eclipse most swordsmen. With your aether, you will be a tough opponent for nearly anyone. If you get used to your sword… You will be a surprise for anyone you face.”

Jenn bowed formally to him. “Thank you for the instruction, Armsmaster.”

Roshana stepped forward with two training sai in hand. “Armsmaster, I cannot give you the same fight, but I would still love to learn.”

Egil nodded. “Just give me a moment. I’m not as young as I used to be.”

Mindie went to his side, her energy rushing into him. Egil grimaced for a moment before he nodded. “Thank you, healer. Do you not wish to train?”

“I do not cause harm, sir. I withdrew from all the fighting in the academy,” Mindie said softly.

“I see. Did you not even learn to defend yourself?”

“I trained the basics, sir.”

“Very well. I hope you never have to use your limited knowledge.”

Mindie bowed before moving away.

Roshana bowed and set herself to defend against Egil.

Egil did what he had with Clover and Ling, testing her and showing her weaknesses before eventually defeating her. Roshana grimaced and went over to Mindie to heal the bruised rib she’d collected.

“I’m glad there’s a healer here,” Egil said.

“We all are,” Yukiko said, giving Mindie a smile. “Rafiq, might I borrow your training wakizashi?”

“Of course,” Rafiq said, holding that out to her, then a practice naginata to Gregory. “I am glad to assist.”

Yukiko took the weapon and went to stand opposite Egil. “Armsmaster, thank you for your tutelage.”

“I am not teaching. I am merely paying the price for what I asked for,” Egil said formally. “If I was to teach you, I am sure I would be tasked with doing it for others.”

“Ah. I apologize for my words,” Yukiko said, bowing.

“Accepted,” Egil replied, bowing back to her.

The fight with Yukiko wasn’t as long as Jenn’s, but it also didn’t have the same feel as when he’d fought the other three. It was clear that he was focused on winning, not teaching.

Yukiko bowed when the fight ended. “Thank you for the match, Armsmaster. I will work on my weaknesses.”

“If you do, I will have a harder time winning next time,” Egil said, clearly showing respect.

Gregory exhaled, then moved to take up the open spot as Yukiko walked by him. He could feel all eyes on him as he bowed to Egil. “I am ready, sir.”

Egil bowed back, then took up a ready stance. “As am I. Come now, show me your skill again.”

Everyone watched, fascinated, as the pair fought. Rafiq was the only one who hadn’t seen it before, his eyes wide as he followed the clashing of wooden blades.

Both Egil and Gregory were grinning as the match went on and on. The thrill of fighting their hardest, of actually being challenged, made them both laugh. Gregory managed to nick Egil’s arm after a triple riposte combo. Egil hissed as he let his right hand drop off the naginata. It was only a few seconds later when Gregory used his superior leverage to completely disarm Egil.

“Yield!” Egil panted.

Gregory grinned broadly. “Accepted. Thank you, Sensei.”

Egil shook his head. “If this fight was recorded, you would gain a lot of attention. Luckily, it wasn’t official in any way, but I wish for one more fight.”

Gregory hesitated, as Egil was clearly still winded. “Sir?”

“Healer, please.”

Mindie refreshed Egil, then stepped well back as Roshana handed Egil his naginata.

“Use your foresight, Pettit. I want to see how I can do against everything you have.”

Gregory swallowed. They’d never crossed weapons one-on-one with Gregory using foresight. “As you wish, sir.”

Egil bowed and set himself to defend. “This is a learning moment.”

Gregory bowed back to Egil, set himself to attack, then triggered his foresight. The fight was even more fluid than the last. It was clear during the first exchange that Gregory was leading the dance, and Egil was barely able to keep up. Seconds ticked by as Gregory tried again and again to breach Egil’s defenses. The armsmaster had decades of practice with his preferred weapon and he’d fought countless opponents, so even though he could only defend, he held Gregory off with his skill alone. It was still less than a minute later when Gregory slid his wooden blade against the side of Egil’s neck when the older man just missed a parry.

Egil backed off and bowed. “Did you learn?”

Gregory stared at Egil for a long moment, then bowed low. “Thank you, Armsmaster.”

“Good. Now it’s time to bathe.”

Rafiq went inside with Egil, leaving Gregory with the practice weapon and his friends.

“Greg?” Yukiko asked, as Gregory was still standing where he’d been when he’d finished the fight.

“Sorry... making sure I remember it all,” Gregory said, turning to look at his wives and friends. “I need to study it again and again, but Egil showed me his best defense.”

“Oh...” Jenn exhaled. “The cavern?”

“Yes. I will be able to replicate what he just showed me.”

“Do you need any healing?” Mindie asked softly.

Gregory blinked as he let the weapon vanish into his ring. “No, I’m fine. Mindie, when was the last time you sparred?”

“The first half of my novice year,” Mindie admitted, not meeting their eyes. “I can’t…”

“It’s okay,” Clover said, hugging her. “We all have things that make us us.”

“I will worry for you, but I would never ask you to go against your beliefs,” Ling said.

“We’ll just have to keep you safe,” Jenn said.

“Our friend needs us to guard her so she can guard us,” Yukiko said, touching Mindie’s shoulder. “We will, if you let us.”

Gregory exhaled. “I won’t speak against you, Mindie. Like everyone said, we’ll do our best to keep you safe.”

Mindie sniffled, then looked up at them. “Thank you.”

All of them hugged her, leaving Mindie in the middle of the warmth of her friends. She’d been so afraid that they would sneer at her as so many others had, calling her weak or pathetic. Instead, they embraced her, speaking comfortingly and promising to help her. She felt her care for them grow even more.

After a few minutes, Yukiko cleared her throat. “We should bathe. After that, we can see about meditation until dinner. Some of you are still working on your resonance.”

With agreement from all of them, they trooped inside. The night was far from over.

Chapter Three

Entering through the back door of the inn, Gregory slowed his pace. He knew that five of the six in front of him would be okay with a shared bath, but Mindie was another story. She was so reserved that he had doubts.

“Mindie,” Gregory called to her gently, “can I talk to you for a moment?”

Mindie paused as everyone else went past her. “Greg?”

When Mindie went over to Gregory, Yukiko looked back and she nodded— she was sure that she knew what he was doing. Gregory caught Yukiko’s gaze and dipped his head in return.

“I had a question, and I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable,” Gregory said. “Would you be more comfortable if I bathed in the other room?”

Mindie blinked for a few seconds as her face burned. “Oh! Uh...”

“It’s your choice,” Gregory said softly.

Fidgeting in place, Mindie bit her lip.

“That’s answer enough,” Gregory smiled softly. “I’ll see you after bathing.”

“Wait…!” Mindie said when he stepped past her. Her face was flushed, but she could imagine what everyone else would say when she came in alone.

“Mindie, we all value your friendship,” Gregory replied softly. “None of us wants you to be uncomfortable. I’d hate for you to push yourself and have that distance you from us.”

Mindie swallowed— she knew the others would’ve been trying to convince her. She was still standing there a minute later when a door opened and closed behind her. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. Turning, she went to the bathing room that the other women had entered, worry rising as she waited to be derided.

Gregory disrobed, letting all of his clothing and items vanish into his storage ring. Entering the bathing room proper, he gave Egil and Rafiq nods. They were already in two of the four copper tubs available. Gregory mused that joining the others for a bath might not have gone well at all.

“We weren’t sure you were going to bathe right now,” Rafiq said.

“Have to be clean for dinner,” Gregory said.

“You will have a hard time with that this coming year and beyond,” Egil said.

“I’ll wash my hands and face, at least, if possible,” Gregory said.

“‘If possible’ is a good addendum,” Egil chuckled. “The field will make you truly appreciate a good bath.”

“I grew up with a wooden tub just large enough to sit in that came to my navel,” Gregory chuckled. “I already appreciate a good bath.”

“I suppose you do, then,” Egil chuckled again.

“It will be different,” Rafiq said. “I was born and raised inside the academy walls. Roughing it is something I’ve read about in detail. This will be my first time doing so.”

“You will miss the baths most,” Egil sighed. “I always do.”

“I had a question, if you don’t mind, Armsmaster,” Gregory said as he got wash water pumped. “What is next year going to be like for me and my friends?”

“Training,” Egil sighed, trying to get comfortable in the tub that was just a bit too small for him. “You will be placed near a town with your men. You will learn how to command them and what it means to command them. There will be drills, and you will teach them how to react to ambushes or how to set various attacks or defenses.”

Gregory listened as he sat down— this was more than he’d heard before.

“You will be taught how to handle pay, rotate days off, and more. There will be an empire soldier who will teach you all of this. It’s his report that will influence where you are placed the following year.”

“Isn’t that already known?” Gregory asked, thinking of Lightshield.

“No... though for your elder… maybe,” Egil chuckled before sitting fully upright. “Right near the end of the year, you will be tested on all you’ve learned.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Pettit, my dear friend believes in you, and I have seen enough to put some hope in you,” Egil said as he stood up. “You’re truly skilled with the naginata. I’d recommend you begin learning another weapon, as I had to. It will save you in the future when your preferred weapon becomes banned at times.”

“I will do my best, Armsmaster.”

“I will see you both at dinner,” Egil said, grabbing a towel to dry off.

Gregory finished washing just after Egil left. As he filled a tub with hot water, he glanced at Rafiq. The crocodilian eurtik grinned, his one eye glancing at the magi. “Sorry,” Gregory said. “I was just wondering how that can be comfortable for you.”

“Because of my tail?”

“Yeah.”

“It is why I sit as I do and do not recline as Magi-killer tried. I’d prefer a pool that I could float in, but this is still sufficient.”

“Do you dislike the task you’ve been given?” Gregory asked after he got into his tub.

“Not at all. I asked for it. The chief was told to provide someone for this task. When we— the archivists— were told, I volunteered.”

“Why?”

“Because, Gregory, you’re a good person,” Rafiq said. “You have only ever been respectful to all of us. You have shown that you don’t care for what blood a person has, but only about who they are. Have you not understood how rare that is for a magi?”

“My entire clan is like that.”

“Yes, and before you and Yukiko joined them, how far had they fallen?”

Gregory was silent for a few minutes, considering what Rafiq had said.

“When people fight against society, society pushes back. People in power don’t handle threats to their power well at all,” Rafiq said into the silence. “The great clans have a vested interest that things continue as they have. You would do well to remember this in the coming years.”

“Doesn’t it bother you?” Gregory asked softly.

“Of course, but what I think will never change the empire. It will take someone who is willing to suffer to even attempt the change you seem to consider. We’ve all heard snippets of your views inside the archive.”

Gregory jerked a little.

“None of those who work there would say a thing. After all, we might hold similar views.” Rafiq’s lips pulled up to show a stilted smile.

“I guess that’s true,” Gregory snorted. “Maybe that’s why…?”

“It is good you don’t finish that sentence,” Rafiq said, standing up. “We cannot go against what is required. There are still ways around things, if one looks at them sideways.”

“I’ll do my best to do so. Thank you, Rafiq.”

Rafiq shook his head. “All of us thank you, as well, Gregory. All of the enslaved at the academy know who you are. We know how you acted during your two years inside the walls. We just hope that you won’t become different in your time outside of them.”

“I will change,” Gregory said, “but I hope only for the better.”

Rafiq laughed as he grabbed a towel. “Something we all wish for. Oh, and I happen to have copies of the next few journals, when you are ready for them. I was given them so ‘others who wish to learn’ may do so.”

“I owe her a debt,” Gregory said.

“She believes you will see it paid back in time. We all do. Have a good soak, young magi.”

“I’ll see you for dinner, Rafiq.”

Left alone in the room, Gregory thought about everything he’d been told. Rafiq all but confirmed his belief that Sarinia and the archive had been helping him. When they were told one of them needed to accompany Gregory, Rafiq had even volunteered to leave his life behind.

And all of them believe I can cause change to happen. Will they believe me later when I declare myself? Does she suspect that, or is she just hopeful because I was kind? Gregory continued to ponder as he soaked.

~*~*~

When he finally got out of the tub, another thought came to him. How did Mindie do in the bath? As he dried off and got dressed, he hoped she’d been alright. He knew Yukiko and the others would try their best to make her comfortable, but maybe he’d made a mistake by even asking about bathing with her.

Finally dressed, he left the bathroom to find the women stepping out of theirs. “We still have an hour before dinner, don’t we?”

“I believe so,” Yukiko smiled. “Shall we play cards?”

“That or bones would be good,” Gregory said. “I also have a little bit of news about next year. Egil told me a snippet about it.”

“Our room is large enough for everyone,” Jenn said.

“I’m not good with gambling,” Mindie said.

“Neither am I,” Clover smiled. “We’ll learn together.”

“Yes, learning helps the mind,” Ling grinned.

“I can help. My father played a lot of bones,” Roshana said. “He was a merchant guard for years.”

“Four of us can help the three of you who haven’t played much,” Yukiko said.

Mindie bowed her head. “I’ll try, but I’m on the spirit path.”

“Maybe we can take the time to explain one of the things that makes our clan truly special,” Jenn said, taking Mindie’s hand. “Come with me, Mindie. There are some things you haven’t heard yet.”

“Okay?” Mindie said questioningly, letting Jenn lead her away.

Roshana, Clover, and Ling were right behind them, chatting amiably. Yukiko touched Gregory’s arm, stopping him from following them. He gave her a questioning glance, but she shook her head, touching her ear.

When the others were farther away, Yukiko spoke softly, “Mindie was afraid when she joined us. I asked her why, and she broke down, explaining that it was all her fault you didn’t bathe with us.”

Gregory winced.

“No, wait,” Yukiko said. “We talked and, after a while, she relaxed. It took some time, but we explained the full story about the previous bath, about how you would never wish to lose a friend. That got her crying. We held her until she stopped. She isn’t ready to be seen by you yet, but… she’s hopeful.”

“I’m a little confused by what that means.”

“We explained that you would be happy to join us, but only if everyone was comfortable. None of us wanted her less than comfortable with everything. I believe she’ll ask before the tournament is over, but at this point, just plan to bathe with the men until then.”

“She doesn’t have to force herself,” Gregory said.

“We all know that, but she also wants to be seen as an equal. She has her hopes and dreams as much as any of the others, dear one.”

“Our life is complicated, isn’t it?”

Yukiko smiled, touching his cheek fondly. “A little, but we’re willing to accept the small bumps if it means harmony later.”

Gregory touched her hand on his face, giving her a gentle smile. “Thank you, my heart. I won’t say a word about it again. When she asks, I’ll do my best to not stumble or be awkward.”

“Thank you, dearest. Come now. Let’s help our friends learn even more.”

“Do you think she’ll try for all three paths?” Gregory asked softly as they headed down the hall.

“Of course. She’s seen our growth and trusts us. The only question is will she believe enough to throw herself into it?”

Gregory thought about that question as they climbed the stairs toward the rooms. What does it take for them to walk all three paths? Darkness has to agree, but what else? She said I have to want them beside me... but how hard do they have to strive to really achieve it? He knew that just being told had to be hard to accept, yet all of their friends pushed to try it with just their word it would work.

Walking down a hall behind Yukiko, Gregory hoped Mindie would be as understanding. He always liked having her near them. Mindie felt like an old friend, and he was sure he knew why. The thought of her rejecting what they said and leaving caused his chest to tighten a little. Taking a deep breath, he hoped she’d be willing to try.

Chapter Four

Mindie was hesitant to accept that all of them were working on all three paths, but she didn’t deny the possibility. She looked thoughtful, then promised to try what they were doing. She truly did want to be equal to them, even though she was afraid she’d fail. With their explanation done, they moved on to dice.

The dice games went slow, as they did their best to explain to the three who’d never played how to do so. By the end of the hour, they’d been shown how to play High Point and Dice Pass, the easiest of the two variants they’d been taught.

Mindie relaxed as the games went on, smiling and laughing along with the others. Roshana sat beside her during the games, always ready to help explain things. Gregory was amused that Yukiko had done the same for Ling, and Jenn did for Clover, leaving him to explain the base game.

~*~*~

Entering the private dining room, Gregory bowed his head to Elder Lightshield as he took a seat. “We hope we aren’t late, Elder.”

“No. Dinner should be here in a moment. You all seem in high spirits.”

“We were playing dice,” Yukiko explained.

“Ah, a good thing,” Egil said. “Your men will use that as their biggest stress relief, but be prepared for the conflict that comes from it.”

“My father said that it’s vela upfront or no game for a reason,” Roshana said.

“Smart man,” Egil nodded. “A good rule to institute for your men, too. If they start accepting debt… things can get ugly.”

“We’ll take your advice to heart, Armsmaster,” Jenn smiled.

“Dice with the men? Goodness, that was ages ago,” Hemet sighed. “Have you also been playing cards?”

“We’ll be touching upon it during the trip,” Gregory said. “I know that officers and other magi prefer it.”

“They do,” Rafiq joined the conversation. “The game called Trade and Barter is a favorite, from what I understand.”

“Yes, it is,” Egil agreed. “I always preferred dice to cards, but you will end up playing cards on and off, so it’s best to at least be familiar with it.”

A knock on the door cut off their conversation and, a second later, the staff of the inn brought in dinner. Everyone but Egil had identical meals— bane fowl spritzed with lemon, butter, and seasoning, served over rice. On the side was a serving of charid seasoned the same way as the fowl. Egil had a thick steak with charid on the side.

There was hardly any talking as everyone focused on eating. Gregory felt just the slightest hint of aether discomfort, and he could see Clover and Ling eating slowly, as the meal was right on the edge for them.

“Well, that was delightful,” Lightshield said once he’d finished. “Breakfast is at sixth bell, and we will be leaving at seventh. I wish you all a good evening. Hemet, shall we retire and finish our discussion?”

“Yes, Linus, that sounds good to me,” Hemet said as he rose with Lightshield.

Rafiq stood up, as well. “I have things to see to. I will see you all in the morning.”

“Hmm... I know there is at least one dice game in the taproom,” Egil said. “I can always use more vela.”

A minute later, it was just the younger magi in the room. “Should we try the game with him?” Jenn asked.

“I…” Mindie started, then hesitated. Seeing them all waiting for her, she tried again, “I am willing to talk about healing, if you’d like to hear more.”

“Yes,” Yukiko smiled. “That would be good. We can use the hour after dinner to talk about our magics. Greg spoke about his all day today.”

“I’m very interested in healing,” Gregory said.

“Okay,” Mindie smiled as she got to her feet.

They returned to Gregory’s suite and settled in around the table. It took a little longer, as Yukiko had gone to get some tea for them first. Once they all had steaming cups of mint tea, everyone sat and listened to Mindie.

Mindie was clearly nervous, but she cleared her throat, “I’m not sure what you might have heard during your aether classes. I’ll start at the beginning for me... Healing is about helping the body repair damage. We have limitations on what we can do by ourselves.”

“Like my burn?” Yukiko asked, her fingers briefly touching her face.

“That was a bad case,” Mindie nodded. “We had to use a few alchemical aids when treating it.”

“Why?” Clover asked.

“Let me work up to it, please?” Mindie asked. “We’re taught first how to repair minor injuries that break the skin, mostly scrapes or the least of cuts. As a novice, this is nearly the limit of what we can do. In the second half of the novice year, we push on to muscles, as most cuts aren’t just skin, but muscle damage, as well.”

Everyone stayed quiet, focused on what she was saying.

“Now, muscle damage is a broad category,” Mindie said, relaxing as she spoke about something she loved. “There are many muscles in the body, and they all work similarly but differently from each other. As you would expect, it takes more aether for me to repair muscle than it does skin.”

“Does the muscle include the tendon and ligaments?” Roshana asked.

Mindie blinked at Roshana, then smiled. “No. Sorry. Not many non-healers understand the intricacies of the body.”

“My grandmother helped healers in Limaz before she came to the empire,” Roshana said softly. “She told me a lot about the body.”

“Most of what we know about bodies came from Limaz. There aren’t many who know that outside of people who study healing.”

“Because of Mortum. His priests prepare bodies before they’re cremated, so they’ve studied the workings of the body for centuries.”

“Exactly!” Mindie beamed at Roshana.

The others all grinned at the two, then waited for Mindie to continue.

“Oh, right. Sorry,” Mindie blushed lightly. “It’s not until apprentice year when the healers show us more. That’s when they teach us about ligaments and tendons. These are the parts that help your muscles work. They connect muscle to bone so, if one is cut or ruptured, it can be debilitating. Oils and unguents don’t work on them, as they are deep inside the body. Only potions or a healer can help fix them.”

“Ligaments attach bone to bone, and tendons attach muscle to bone,” Roshana interrupted gently.

Mindie’s smile grew wider. “Yes. That’s very true. It’s not until initiate year that they teach us about cartilage and veins.”

“Cartilage?” Gregory asked.

“It’s the fibrous tissue around joints and ribs,” Mindie explained. “Most bruised ribs are damaged cartilage. Same with most nose damage.”

“I had an injured knee at one point and had some cream applied to help fix it. Would that have been cartilage?” Gregory asked.

“If a cream fixed it, then yes,” Mindie nodded. “If it had been bone damage, you would have needed a healer or potion.”

“Sorry for interrupting. Please continue,” Gregory smiled.

Mindie brushed some hair back from her face. “Yes. Uh... oh, bones. Bones are some of the hardest things for us as healers to help with. Minor breaks— or fractures, as they are called— are easier than full breaks. Full breaks can sap a majority of aether from a healer. We normally stabilize the person, then send them to the healing hall... or did. Now that I’m outside the academy, I’ll have to do even more by myself.”

“I’m sure the clan will help,” Yukiko said.

“Rhea made me take a lot of healing items with me,” Clover said. “I think Elder Lightshield has most of them.”

“Oh, that would be what he gave me,” Mindie said. Her hand touched a necklace mostly hidden behind her magi rank disc. “He gave me this necklace and told me that it contained healing items to help.” She pulled the necklace out fully to show it to them. It had the clan emblem on it— a shield with an aether flame.

“Hemet made that a week ago,” Ling said. “I was unable to help him. Spatial enchantments are advanced.”

“We got off track again,” Roshana smiled.

“Right,” Mindie coughed, looking down. “I’d barely learned about artery damage before Jenn’s duel in the arena with Magus Erichson. I’m glad her body had already started healing, as that made it easier on me. I’m sure I can do it, but alone, it would take a good portion of my aether.”

“Thank you. I always breathe easier when you’re there to heal us,” Jenn smiled.

“It’s what I love doing,” Mindie replied.

“Did they cover organs with you?” Roshana asked.

“I was learning about them, and I have a book to help me study more,” Mindie said.

“I have one you might like to read,” Roshana said. “It came from Limaz with my grandmother. It was her journal of what she learned.”

Mindie sat forward. “Really? You’d let me read it?”

“Yes,” Roshana said. “You’re the clan healer, and a friend. The more you know, the easier it is for you to heal, isn’t it?”

“Oh, right,” Mindie nodded. “The more I do or learn, the better I can direct my aether to heal the damage. That’s why older healers can do more.”

“What about the damage to Yuki’s eye?” Ling asked gently.

“Nerve damage is the territory of high master or grandmaster healers, but with the right alchemical aids, a magus can assist. Yuki’s eye was all but destroyed in the fire. It had to be healed fully, including the nerve. Umm… do you mind, Yuki?”

“No, please tell us. I was unconscious during it.”

“We put her to sleep first,” Mindie said. “Then… we had to help remove the worst of the damage. We scrubbed the burnt skin off so fresh, raw skin could grow. That also included the eye. We removed part of your eye so we could get the drops into the eye cavity. When that was done, we covered what remained with the right salve to help it regrow, then salved your skin to do the same, covered it in clean cloth, and used aether to stimulate regrowth. It took a lot of aether to stimulate the nerves and the eye itself. It was less for the skin. I’m still amazed that you didn’t have scarring. It was a possibility.”

Yukiko flinched a little at the thought of half her face being scarred. Gregory’s hand covered hers, prompting her to look at him.

“I would’ve loved you just as much,” Gregory said.

Yukiko’s lips trembled, then she leaned over to kiss him softly. “Thank you, dear one.”

“Aww,” Clover murmured as she watched them.

“I would have loved you just as much, too,” Jenn said, leaning over to kiss Yukiko’s cheek.

Clover and Roshana both made sweet sounds as they watched the couple.

Jenn, Gregory, and Yukiko flushed a little bit, as displays of affection were normally frowned upon.

“How does it feel for you to heal?” Ling asked because she was curious, but also to help her friends.

“Before, it was just pushing my aether into someone and trying to direct it. It was chaotic and didn’t work as well as it could,” Mindie said. “Last year, I went to the archive and asked for books to help me refine my healing. They gave me a lot of Limaz texts, and that’s where I found out that Limaz is the reason we know what we do. Now, I see a body in my mind’s-eye and I can direct aether much easier.”

“Oh, grandmother talked of that technique,” Roshana grinned. “Said the best healers she worked with used it.”

“It’s made me more efficient,” Mindie beamed.

The distant tolling of a bell caught the ears of everyone but Gregory and Jenn. Yukiko sighed. “We learned a lot. Thank you, Mindie. It’s time for bed now.”

“It is?” Gregory asked.

“The twentieth bell just tolled,” Roshana said.

“Oh, right,” Gregory said.

“We’ll see you all at fourth bell for Magi Squares,” Jenn said. “Come here for them. Afterward, we can do regular meditation for an hour.”

“That would be good,” Mindie said. “I feel like I’m close to finding my resonance.”

“We hope you do,” Yukiko smiled.

The group broke up and said their goodbyes. Gregory was happy— Mindie seemed to be eager to do what she needed to to join the group, and the others had embraced her. Roshana especially seemed happy to have Mindie as a friend, as the two of them were chatting when they left.

“She’s hopeful,” Yukiko said from Gregory’s side.

“So are we,” Jenn grinned.

“Time for bed,” Gregory said.

“And in a bit, even sleep,” Yukiko murmured, taking his hand.

Gregory chuckled. “As my hearts wish.”

Chapter Five

The next few days followed a simple routine— they got up early for Magi Squares and meditation, followed by breakfast before getting back underway. During the first half of the day, they would discuss Empire’s Gambit, going over different tactics and combinations that they felt would work best. Lunch would see them in a large town or city, where they would pause for two hours. They devoted an hour to food, and the other to practicing the Peaceful Fist.

After the stop, they’d be back on the road for another few hours. It was this part of the trip that was really different for them. All seven of them would take a single carriage, and no one sat on a lap. Gregory sat on the floor between the seats, instead. This let them discuss their various magics or other topics as a single group.

They’d pull into an inn yard just as the sun was beginning to set. After another hour of the Peaceful Fist, Egil would spar with them. Bathing would follow, with Gregory sharing the room with Egil and Rafiq as he had before. That left them with an hour before dinner, which they spent playing cards or dice in a room.

After dinner, they’d spend another hour on cards or dice, along with chatting about their lives. It turned out that Mindie played the flute, and they even enticed her to play some for them. Gregory ended up telling them about his scars when he was asked. The others shared stories of their childhood, allowing them to come to understand each other more.

~*~*~

The morning of the seventh day outside of the academy had a surprise for them. Meditation was coming to an end when Mindie slumped over, groaning.

“Mindie?!” Gregory was next to her, so he was the first to her. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” Mindie said faintly. “I found it.”

Everyone was quiet as they waited for her to continue, and Gregory helped her back into a sitting position. Blinking slowly, she found them all watching her, and her cheeks began to burn.

“Resonance?” Gregory asked, though he was sure it was.

“Yes,” Mindie admitted, lowering her gaze from the others. “It was as difficult as I thought it would be.” She wrung her hands, her face blazing as she recalled her trials.

Before anyone else could speak, there was a knock. “Breakfast,” Hemet announced from the far side of the door.

Mindie hunched forward a little. “After breakfast?”

“That’ll be fine,” Yukiko said softly. “You don’t need to tell us. It’s only required if you want to be a part of our family.”

Mindie was silent as the others got up, getting ready to go. Gregory paused— he hadn’t moved from beside Mindie except to stand. He watched as the others gathered by the door, then looked back at Mindie, who was still wringing her hands. “Mindie, breakfast?”

Jerking slightly, she looked up at him, her eyes wide. Seeing his hand held out to her, she lowered her eyes again. “Yes... sorry...”

“No need to be sorry. I was waiting to help you up.”

She glanced up enough to take his hand, letting him help her. “Maybe we can share the carriage before lunch today?”

Yukiko smiled. “We’ll gladly do so.”

The friends were quiet as they joined the others for breakfast. The subdued nature of the group was not unnoticed by the rest in the party, but none of them pried. As they got ready to go to the carriages, Lightshield got their attention.

“Tonight, we will have a guest for dinner,” Lightshield said. “The academy overseer has been on the trip with us and has been visiting each group. We are the last he has decided to visit. I do not need to tell you to be respectful, as all of you already are. Magi-killer will not be sparring with you this evening, so as not to strain things with the others.”

“We understand, sir,” Gregory said. “We will spend that hour sparring amongst ourselves.”

“Very good,” Lightshield said. “Let us be off.”

Making it out to the carriages, the younger magi piled into a single carriage. The drivers of the two exchanged a glance. They knew the group had been doing so in the afternoons, but they’d never done so in the mornings, making them wonder.

Silence fell as they waited to get underway. Mindie was breathing a little fast, staring at Gregory’s boots. She had nowhere else to look without someone being in her line of sight. When the carriage began to sway, indicating that they were moving, she took a deep breath and raised her eyes to see her friends watching her.

“This is... difficult to say,” Mindie admitted.

“We’ve told you ours,” Yukiko said, “so we understand the hesitation to tell others.”

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Mindie met Gregory’s eyes. She saw compassion in his gaze, and that compassion helped bolster her. “Fear… failure is my fear. Failing to be able to save my loved ones as they die... being unable to heal them when they need me most... like when I lost my mother.”

Roshana touched her knee. Mindie glanced at her and saw her tentative smile, then returned it.

“Weakness… my weakness is my passive nature. I can’t stand the thought of fighting. Most healers aren’t killed in war. We’re captured, used to heal the other side, and even ransomed back. I always thought I would be safe, that I wouldn’t need to fight, but that’s my weakness. It could end up with me losing a loved one because I wouldn’t defend them when they needed me most.”

Jenn touched Mindie’s other knee. Mindie remembered Jenn’s weakness— her slight body— and gave the smaller woman a strained smile.

“My strength is my burning desire to heal. I will study anything, even things the empire disagrees with if needed to be better at healing. I want to keep my loved ones alive, and will walk through fire if I need to do so.”

Gregory reached up, placing his hand with Jenn’s. Mindie looked down at him, her cheeks starting to burn as she stared into his eyes. Gregory stared back, her unique irises capturing his attention again. The dual coloration with the star-shaped divide captivated him.

“Desires…” The word was soft as it trailed off, barely said. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she didn’t look away from Gregory when she tried again. “I… want to kiss everything better. Soothe all your pain or troubles. Even if I am never given anything back, being allowed to soothe you and them…” Her gaze flickered to Jenn and Yukiko before darting to the other three in the carriage. “Even the novices or anyone else you deem special to you.” She looked back at Gregory, and he saw the fear in her eyes.

Gregory smiled softly at her, watching her fear ebb slowly away. “I don’t find that wrong. That sounds amazing to me, Mindie.”

“Yes... it really does,” Yukiko murmured. “Well done, Mindie. I know how hard it is to admit it to another. I failed to tell my hearts for weeks.”

“We weren’t any better,” Jenn snorted.

“And telling you about ours was even tougher than just telling them,” Gregory added, nodding to his wives.

“I hope to be as brave as you,” Clover whispered. “I want to find my resonance so bad so I can tell Yuki and be accepted. At the same time, I worry about trying to tell them.”

“It makes me jittery, too,” Ling said, taking Clover’s hand.

“A family needs to be able to tell each other anything,” Roshana said. “I can and will do so, even if my heart bursts from my chest in fear and worry.”

“Mine almost did,” Mindie laughed nervously.

“We’d have had to gather it up, kiss it, and put it back,” Yukiko smiled at the healer, “just like you have healed us repeatedly.”

Mindie’s face blazed hotly. “Oh… would you?”

“We would,” Jenn grinned. “We find all of you attractive. The same thoughts you’ve had about us, we’ve had about you.”

Now, everyone felt a little awkward. Gregory swallowed and looked down at the floor. Mindie, seeing Gregory’s reaction, took his hand off her knee and held it in hers. When he looked at her, she kissed his fingertips, causing Gregory’s face to burn as hot as hers.

Yukiko giggled. “Brazen, Mindie.”

“Maybe we were wrong about who the most brazen was. We thought it was Vicky.”

Mindie swallowed, but didn’t let go of Gregory’s hand, even when she looked at his wives across from her. “I hope I didn’t go too far. I… just wanted to soothe him.”

“No, it’s fine,” Yukiko smiled gently.

Mindie swallowed, then blurted out, “Greg, will you bathe with us tonight?”

Everyone gave her an appraising look except for Gregory, who was still off-balance from her kissing his fingers. He stared at her for a few heartbeats before he coughed. “Yes.” The word was a croak, as his throat felt tight and dry.

“Well, today has been a very big day so far,” Yukiko smiled. “Mindie, you’ll need to wait a little longer before more happens besides bathing, but bathing we can agree to.”

Mindie’s face reached new degrees of burning, and she nodded jerkily. “As you say, Yuki.”

“I hope to find mine soon,” Clover murmured. All eyes went to her, and she blushed. “I… mean it.”

“I do, too,” Ling sighed, “but it likely won’t happen until we return to the academy.”

“Which means Mindie will wed him before us,” Roshana said. “But this is fine. His healer will be beside him. We all want that, don’t we?”

Clover and Ling nodded in agreement without hesitation. Yukiko and Jenn agreed, too, and their smiles grew wider as they watched their friends. Mindie glanced at Gregory— he was as red as she was, but he gave her a near-matching shy smile.

“I look forward to the bath,” Roshana said. “I have some very naked questions for our dear healer.”

“‘Our’?” Mindie whispered.

“We will all be beside him in time,” Roshana said, meeting her eyes, “which means you will be with all of us as we will be with all of you.”

“She isn’t wrong, as long as you can all pass the tests,” Yukiko said. “Resonance is the biggest, but it isn’t the only test.” The other women focused on Yukiko, who smiled at them. “No two tests are the same. I need to know, without a doubt, that you will always put our heart first.”

“Anything you need me to do, I will do,” Roshana said simply. “I don’t have the right to claim him as my heart, yet, but I feel that he is.”

“Yes!” Clover nodded vigorously.

“Yuki, my vision during tea showed me this moment. I hesitated to acknowledge him as mine, and I was unable to make my way back into the group. I don’t want to lose my place with you all,” Ling said, tears forming in her eyes. “Please, first wife, please do not take my heart from me...!”

“Calm yourself,” Yukiko said softly, reaching across Clover to take Ling’s hand. “I have heard you, my dear friend. I will not take him. You’ll have your chance to have his heart, too.”

Ling hiccupped, closing her eyes tightly as she tried not to cry. “Thank you, Yuki...”

Yukiko leaned over and kissed Ling’s cheek. “Brave lion, be at peace. I can see your emotions clearly.”

Ling hiccupped again, forcing her eyes open to meet Yukiko’s inches from hers. “Thank you.”

“Yuki, can I thank you?” Clover asked.

Yukiko turned her head to Clover. “Thank me? Yes?”

Clover leaned in and kissed Yukiko gently. It was a quick kiss, but it was full on the lips. “Thank you. I know Ling feared this moment. We talked about it. Thank you for giving my pretty one the chance to share the love. And hopefully me, too?”

Yukiko was shocked by the kiss, but she smiled softly at the worried alchemist. “Kisses should be for those who are near certain to join.”

“Oh, I—!” Clover began, but was silenced when Yukiko gave her a quick kiss back.

Everyone watched with wide eyes as Yukiko then kissed Ling, then leaned across Gregory to kiss Roshana and Mindie in turn. They all got the same soft, quick kiss before she sat back. “I deem you all worthy, if your resonance agrees.”

Jenn went down the line, kissing the others as Yukiko had. “I agree with our first wife.”

Gregory was stunned— he never expected a moment like this. His two wives were giving him his desires. It was going slowly, but they were still doing it. His heart burst with love, but his mind was gripped by terror that he would hurt them all.

“Greg?” Yukiko asked.

“Huh?” Gregory asked, looking up at her.

“Did you want…?” She nodded toward the others.

Gregory swallowed as he looked over at Clover and Ling beside Yukiko, then Roshana and Mindie next to Jenn. Hands shaking a little, he shifted to his knees, putting him on an equal level with the women. “Ladies?”

Four heads nodded, ranging from a little to emphatically.

Exhaling slowly, Gregory started with Clover. It was the same as his wives had done; small, quick kisses. Clover clapped her hands to her cheeks, beaming and giggling. Ling purred when Gregory’s lips met hers. When he turned to Roshana, she gave him a soft smile. Her hand gently caressed his cheek when he kissed her. He ended with Mindie, the one who started this moment by admitting her resonance.

The kiss was just as soft and short, but when it ended, he was inches from her, and they locked eyes. Mindie’s star-shaped irises shimmered, the pale blue and dark red showing her joy. “Thank you...” she whispered. “I will never fail you, my heart.”

Gregory swallowed when he felt the certainty in her words. “I will do my very best to be the man you all deserve.”

Jenn smiled as she watched them. “You always have been.”

“Yes, and we’ll help him,” Yukiko said. “I have a story from my youth that I’d wanted to tell all of you today.”

Gregory eased back from Mindie, then shifted so his back rested against Mindie’s legs as he focused on Yukiko. Mindie’s face burned, but she gently stroked his hair, her eyes focused on Yukiko.

The other three who still had to wait were a little jealous, but they had faith that their love would be returned just as Mindie’s had been. After all, Yukiko had promised them that, if their resonance was true, they would be welcomed, too.

Chapter Six

The rest of the day was almost normal. They talked about different topics during the trip, then had lunch in a eurtik-run tavern where the owner appeared to have a history with Lightshield. The food was good— the aether in it was a little low, but they all knew that not every meal was going to stress them. Yukiko led them through the Peaceful Fist after lunch, and then they were back on the road. They discussed Empire’s Gambit during the second leg of the trip, as they hadn’t during the first.

Pulling into the yard of the inn for the night, they all remembered what Lightshield had told them earlier that day. Tonight, there would be no sparring with Egil, as the academy overseer would be coming to dinner. They’d forgotten about it when Mindie revealed her resonance, but now, it came back to them.

They still did the Peaceful Fist, with Jenn leading them this time, and the moment it was over, Rafiq, Egil, Lightshield, and Hemet went inside to bathe, leaving the group to spar on their own.

“Hand-to-hand?” Gregory suggested. “Working on basics is never a bad thing.”

“Agreed, dear one,” Yukiko said.

“There are six of us who fight,” Ling said.

“Umm... can I?” Mindie spoke softly.

They all turned to her, surprised that she’d asked, but it was Jenn who asked, “Are you sure, Mindie? None of us find fault with your desire to not fight.”

“It’s my weakness,” Mindie replied. “If you have a weakness that you can fix, you should.” She spoke without hesitation, but her hands shook at her sides.

Clover was suddenly in front of her, her usual smile not on her lips. “I’ll work with you. I know what it is to not fight. I worked to make people laugh so they wouldn’t hurt me. It was difficult for me to become comfortable fighting the first year.” Her smile came back to her, and she grabbed Mindie’s hands, bringing them up between them. “If you’ll let me?”

“Please?” Mindie asked.

“Yeah!” Clover cried in happiness. “Come on, we’ll move over here. First, we’ll make sure you know how to fall.”

The others smiled at the pair, happy to see Clover so eager to help Mindie.

“That leaves the five of us to spar,” Jenn said. “We’ll let whoever is sitting out pick which winner they want to fight. That should let us cycle through everyone.”

“I look forward to that. I didn’t get to fight any of you during the first tournament at all,” Ling said.

“I had a match against Clover,” Roshana said.

“Yes, and you won, as I recall,” Ling smiled.

“I’ll sit out first,” Gregory said. “When we finish, I want to press my magic a little, if you’ll all help?”

Everyone looked his way, even Clover and Mindie.

“I want to spar against all of you at once. I’ll be using foresight.”

“Hmm... a good idea. You should do well, but with all of us, it includes a lot of variables. Our group fighting mostly lets you isolate,” Yukiko said.

“Exactly. It’ll help push me.”

“We should ask Lightshield if he has things we can train our magic on,” Ling said. “The rest of you can work on your magic without other items, but Clover and I cannot.”

“Ask him tonight or tomorrow?” Roshana asked. “I can use the smallest bits of my magic, at least.”

“I can work on my shadow shaping,” Yukiko nodded.

“I’ll need Greg to help with mine. Can you do what Bishop had us do? Where you dodge my empowered attacks, and I have to harden my skin when you hit me?” Jenn asked.

“That’ll let me get my own practice in, too,” Gregory grinned. “Maybe change our schedule to work on magic after sparring, but before the bath?”

“That would be good. I get healing training from sparring,” Mindie said.

“I’m going to go ask now,” Gregory said. “You all go ahead and start. I’ll be right back.”

Gregory entered the inn, wondering if Lightshield went to bathe. He decided to check the taproom and Lightshield’s room first. The inn’s taproom was busy; Gregory’s quick scan failed to turn up Lightshield, but he did notice that, again, the inn was mostly eurtik, ranging from full to partial. Making his way to the bar, he waited for the innkeeper to come down to him.

The large, hairless man had florid cheeks and was laughing with his patrons. When he finally looked down the bar to see Gregory, he quickly excused himself and hurried down to him. “Magi, I’m sorry for the wait. What can I do for you?”

“It’s fine,” Gregory smiled. “You remind me of the tavernkeeper from my hometown. He was always laughing with customers. I was wondering which room Elder Lightshield is in?”

“Ah. Top floor, in the last room, Magi.”

“Thank you,” Gregory smiled.

“My pleasure to serve, Magi.”

Gregory headed upstairs, but heard a snippet of conversation as he left.

“Lucky he’s a nice one. Most magi would ha…”

He’s not wrong. I can imagine what Nick would have done to him for keeping him waiting... Shaking the thought off, Gregory climbed the stairs.

He knocked on the door, then waited until a voice told him to enter. Stepping into the room, he saw Lightshield and Hemet sitting at a Shogi board. “Excuse me, Elder, Grandmaster.”

“It is fine,” Lightshield said. “What did you need?”

Gregory was surprised that Lightshield didn’t already know.

“He plays me without foresight so I have a chance,” Hemet chuckled, having seen Gregory’s expression.

“Oh, yes, of course. I came to ask if there were supplies for Ling and Clover to practice their magics with?”

“We’ve been wondering if you would ask,” Hemet grinned. “I have a collection of items for Ling to study to better understand them.”

“I have some supplies for Clover,” Lightshield said as he made his move on the board. “She will not be able to do much with them beyond crafting the least of healing aids, but she can give those to Mindie when she makes them. I’ll have them placed in your room after this game.”

“My room?”

“She will need the space for her work,” Lightshield said, looking at Gregory. “Besides, it will give you all a chance to learn from her that way, will it not?”

Gregory blinked, then bowed low. “Thank you, sir.”

“I want to make our young as strong as they can be,” Lightshield said softly. “They are waiting for you. Go on. We will see you for dinner.”

“Thank you, Elder. Thank you, Hemet.” With a formal bow, he left them to their game.

Rafiq was leaving his room as Gregory made his way downstairs. “Gregory? I thought you would be sparring.”

“I had a question for the elder. I’m going down to do that now.” Another thought came to him, and he paused. “Rafiq... you can’t attack a magi, but could you spar with one?”

Rafiq’s lips pulled up slightly into his small smile, showing a lot of teeth. “My restrictions did say I should aid the magi who ask me to help them in any way that I can. As long as I am not intentionally trying to injure, either out of malice or a desire to escape, I should be able to.”

“Jenn could use a partner who can match her,” Gregory grinned.

“Ah. Would I also get a chance to spar with you?” Rafiq asked.

“If that’s what you want for it, su… if it’s not recorded,” Gregory quickly fixed what he was going to say.

“I will not record the sparring sessions,” Rafiq chuckled.

“Let’s go,” Gregory smiled.

A part of him wondered why he was so ready to accept Rafiq’s word on the matter. As they went downstairs, Gregory opened his resonance to touch Rafiq. Rafiq was a solid presence beside him, but as his resonance touched the taproom patrons when they reached the bottom stairs, most of them felt hollow to him.

“Resonance gives a sense of how trustworthy the person is when it comes to you,” Rafiq said conversationally. “Unless the person you check is also on the spirit path, they would never feel the light touch. If they are, they will feel your resonance checking them.”

Gregory glanced at Rafiq. “I thought you were mind path?”

“The Peaceful Fist isn’t the only combined path known to the archive,” Rafiq smiled. “I am one of very few who have managed the Resonant Mind. As you can guess, it is mind and spirit.”

“Oh... would it combine with the Peaceful Fist?”

“Doubtful,” Rafiq said. “Resonant Mind helps you use the meditation of the spirit path to focus the mind. It has many uses later if you can keep on it.”

“What kind of uses?” Gregory asked.

“Magi Squares made of aether flame and being able to replay a spar in your cavern. If you go far enough with the Resonant Mind, you can even fight a being of aether that will mimic your opponent.”

Gregory kept his face impassive as he listened to what Rafiq said. They’d already started doing Magi Squares and fight replays in their minds. However, the idea of being able to spar against a copy of an opponent, not just reviewing previous fights against them, was intriguing.

“What did the elder say, Greg?” Yukiko asked, turning to face the door as it opened. “Oh, Rafiq? Have you come to spar? Can you spar?”

Rafiq smiled. “I can assist magi who request me to help them. I was asked by Gregory to help Jenn with her magic training.”

“Oh,” Jenn said, having just beat Ling. “Yes, please. Wait... what tier are you, Rafiq?”

“We are not permitted to wear medallions,” Rafiq said, bowing to her. “If I had to guess, it would be magus tier.”

“Please go a little easier on me, then,” Jenn chuckled.

Rafiq bowed. “I will do my best to help without injuring you.”

“That’s after normal sparring, though,” Roshana said.

“Rafiq, can you come over here?” Clover asked, waving at him. “You can help me with Mindie.”

Rafiq’s head tilted a little as he headed their way. “You are sparring today, healer?”

Mindie met his curious gaze and bowed her head. “It’s a weakness. I should address it.”

“You found your resonance?” Rafiq asked.

Mindie flushed. “Yes... my weakness is my passiveness when it comes to fighting. I should at least be able to defend my loved ones.”

Rafiq paused short of them, then bowed formally. “If you wish me to assist you, healer, it would be my honor.”

Mindie swallowed and bowed back. “I would be grateful, Archivist.”

“Which will let Clover be able to spar with us,” Ling smiled. “We can have three fights going at a time.”

“More efficient,” Roshana nodded.

“Let’s do it,” Clover said, heading their way, then looked back. “You’ll do great, Mindie.”

Mindie smiled at Clover’s infectious joy. “Thank you for helping me, Clover.”

“Friends help,” Clover replied.

Chapter Seven

Gregory exhaled deeply as he faced his friends and Rafiq. Bowing, he set himself into a defensive posture and let his aether feed his foresight. They’d been waiting for him to bow, and as soon as he did, everyone but Mindie came at him from different angles. They didn’t come as a cohesive unit, which gave him options.

Clover was the closest, ahead of the others by a couple of steps. Her eagerness was the first mistake. Gregory stepped forward, dodging her punch and catching her arm, then spinning her toward Jenn and Rafiq. He ducked under Ling’s side kick and came up under it. Her knee hooked on his shoulder, letting him fling her back into Roshana.

As he went to isolate Yukiko, he had to choose which path to follow quickly. One path had him flipping her, but that left him out of alignment when Roshana failed to catch Ling. The other had them exchanging a couple of blows, angling her around to foil Roshana trying to charge him after she caught Ling.

Two seconds isn’t far enough, he thought before pushing to four seconds.

That cleared up what Roshana was going to do. She would catch Ling, so Gregory flowed down the path of angling Yukiko around. Yukiko frowned as Gregory positioned them— it was clear that she knew something was coming, but she didn’t know what he was playing at. When he snapped a kick at her, she jumped back directly into Roshana, sending them both to the ground.

Gregory didn’t get the chance to follow up, parrying Jenn’s punches as soon as she caught up to him. The process of watching two continuously moving paths was stressful a few months ago, but now, it felt as natural as breathing to him. He smiled as he let Jenn push him back.

Rafiq and Clover came in from the sides, with Clover’s kick going low while Rafiq punched high. Gregory jumped her leg, using Rafiq’s thickly-muscled arm as a fulcrum to hang from as he caught Jenn with both of his heels, then pushed off and back.

If Rafiq had been on the body path, he would’ve had a chance to catch Gregory right there. The passive boost from his physical enhancement magic made Rafiq’s reflexes sharper than normal, but because he followed the mind and spirit paths instead of the body path, he couldn’t react quickly enough without actively using aether.

Clover leapt at him, a flurry of punches leading her attack. Gregory dodged or deflected them all before he caught her, then pushed her into Rafiq, who’d started to angle to the side.

“It’s like he’s playing with us,” Ling growled, her light green cat eyes narrowing.

“It’s good to know that he can hold off a half-dozen regular people,” Yukiko smiled. “Let’s see how he does if we make it harder.”

Gregory jumped to the side when the shadows tried to entangle his legs. His brow contracted as the futures spun out with more variation.

A sudden ball of water slowed him as he ducked under Jenn’s kick, but he still slipped the aether-infused limb. He was glad that the fire was only barely burning, meaning it wasn’t likely to break his bones if she hit him.

The next half-minute was chaotic and had Gregory shifting rapidly as he chose his paths of the future. His aether was bleeding off quickly— he had to hold three paths at six seconds each to even have a chance. He managed to tag Clover, Ling, and Roshana hard enough for them to withdraw, but that still left Yukiko, Jenn, and Rafiq against him.

The four of them paused, and Gregory was breathing fast. “Difficult...” was all he said.

“I would hope so,” Rafiq said with a wide smile. “What you are doing is still… fascinating.”

With that, the talking was over. The fight resumed with two physical enhancement magi and a shadow magi trying to pin down and finish him. Gregory knew he was going to lose— it was a simple matter of aether consumption. He was already under half of his normal aether and was bleeding it off rapidly while the others were using only small spurts, but he at least wanted to cost them more.

Pushing his foresight harder, he found his moment. Yukiko was surprised when Gregory closed on her. He knew better than to try, because she could always slip away. Jenn slowed her attack, confused, as well. Gregory should have targeted her or Rafiq. Rafiq didn’t pause— he was just glad to not be who Gregory was focusing on at the moment. As he committed, he knew it was wrong and tried to pull back, but he’d gone a little too far to survive.

Gregory spun, coming back at Rafiq. He didn’t block, just dodging everything Rafiq threw in those two seconds. Before Jenn could get to him, Gregory managed to slap Rafiq’s snout, earning a harsh grunt from the crocodilian eurtik. That was followed with a much lower blow that was barely a tap, then a chop with the side of his hand to the back of Rafiq’s neck.

Rafiq had to admit that he hadn’t been prepared for the snout hit. That slowed him from infusing his body where the next two attacks hit him. He raised his hand as he stepped back, knowing a fellow apprentice would have crumpled in that spot.

Then, Jenn was on Gregory and he fought his best, dodging, slipping, and deflecting everything that came his way. That was right up until he couldn’t move fast enough, and a shadow caught his left leg.

“Yield,” Gregory said as he dropped to a knee.

Jenn’s kick went just over his head as she bent backward to miss him. “That was close.”

“I would’ve needed Mindie,” Gregory panted as he stayed down.

Clapping caught everyone’s attention. Egil was standing in the doorway, grinning. “I was sent to tell you to clean up. The overseer has arrived. He is talking with Lightshield, and dinner will be soon.”

“Yes, sir,” the group said.

“Well done, Pettit,” Egil grinned before going back inside.

The group headed inside, and Gregory thought back to Mindie asking him to bathe with them. He hesitated, as Rafiq was beside him when they entered the inn.

“I will see you for dinner,” Rafiq said.

“Huh?”

“I do not need to bathe again. I didn’t do enough to need a bath. I should fix my outfit, though.”

“Oh... uh... right,” Gregory said.

Rafiq walked past all the women, who’d paused in the hallway.

That left just Gregory, his wives, and their friends in the hall. Gregory’s cheeks heated a little, but he smiled. “So… a bath?”

Mindie opened the door. “If it’s okay?”

They followed her into the room. As they disrobed, Gregory didn’t try to stop his eyes from roving. He mostly kept his gaze on his wives, but he did glance at the three he’d been in a bath with before. He only kept his gaze from Mindie, not wanting to embarrass her more.

When he finished undressing, Mindie was staring directly at him, her cheeks burning. He froze, his gaze darting up and down her body out of reflex. She’s the softest of them. She hasn’t kept up with physical conditioning, so that makes sense. Beautiful, though... I bet she’d be wonderful to snuggle with. Gregory jerked his eyes away, coughing. “Uh... can I get your back, Mindie?”

“Yes,” Mindie whispered, aware of the others watching them. “Do I look okay?”

“Beautiful, if you ask me,” Yukiko murmured, moving to her side. “Do you mind?”

“Umm... no?” Mindie asked.

Yukiko hugged Mindie, planting a kiss on her cheek. “Very nice.”

“T-thank you,” Mindie stammered as she returned the hug.

“Oh, I want to hug her, too!” Clover said, quickly coming over. “Can I?”

Yukiko giggled and stepped away.

“Yes,” Mindie said, feeling a little more comfortable. They might be in better shape than she was, but they all looked at her without any negativity. One by one, the women hugged her, each helping reduce her anxiety.

Gregory shifted around all of them to the inner bathroom door. “I’ll get the water ready.”

Mindie’s uplifting moment came crashing down. Yukiko sighed, moving back to whisper to Mindie, “He’s just afraid of hurting you. He’s already said he’ll wash you. When he finishes, return the favor. You have our approval to be a little forward with him.”

Mindie’s face blazed, but she nodded. “Okay...”

“He enjoys it when we lean into his back while we wash him,” Jenn said.

“Oh, umm... yes... I’ll try that,” Mindie whispered.

Gregory was pumping water when the women entered. This inn had a proper hot spring bath that they could all fit in, making bathing less awkward than the smaller tubs would have. Swallowing, he did his best to not be awkward, but the six women were all gorgeous in their own ways, and he couldn’t stop his body from reacting accordingly.

“Two ready so far,” he said with a bit of strain in his voice.

“Clover, get my back, please?” Jenn asked as she came over and grabbed a bucket.

“Sure!”

“Ling, I’ll get you first, too,” Yukiko said, claiming the second bucket.

“As you wish, Yuki.”

Gregory finished pumping enough for them all to have a bucket before he looked at Mindie shifting nervously a few feet away. “Have a seat, Mindie. I’ll be right there.”

“Okay, Greg. Thank you.”

Roshana gave him a smile as she bent over to collect her own bucket, her small, round tail twitching a little. Gregory swallowed and pulled his gaze away from that sight. Roshana bit her lip— she knew what she’d done, and she loved being just a little naughty.

Setting the bucket beside Mindie, Gregory knelt behind her. “Wet your hair and back for me? Looks like citrus is the only soap tonight.”

Mindie did as Gregory asked, using a small part of the bucket water to wet her hair and back. She had to lean forward to do it, trying to keep the water out of her fox ears. Gregory had never thought about it before, but eurtik with ears on top of their head would have real problems ducking under water.

That helped get his mind off what he was doing as he lathered his hands. Moving out of reflex, he began to wash Mindie’s hair first. Her red hair slipped through his fingers smoothly as he massaged her scalp. Mindie inhaled slowly and her shoulders hunched slightly, enjoying the sensation. When Gregory massaged around the base of her ears, a small exhale of pleasure escaped her.

Gregory’s hands froze for a moment before he continued what he was doing. He didn’t prolong it, but he wasn’t going to stop, either. When he finished with her head, he soaped his hands up again, then began on her back. His hands glided over her smooth skin and he chewed his lip for a second before gently kneading her back.

“Oh, goodness...” Mindie exhaled. “You don’t have to…”

“If you want me to stop, I will,” Gregory said when she trailed off. “Yuki and Jenn both enjoy the small massages when I scrub them.”

“He does have wonderful hands,” Jenn sighed happily.

“Lucky,” Clover sighed. “Maybe you’ll get my back tomorrow, Greg?”

“If we share a bath, then yes,” Gregory said.

“He’ll get each of you once,” Yukiko said, “if it works out that way.”

“Thank you, Yuki,” Ling purred, happy with the strong fingers digging into her back.

Roshana stayed quiet as she washed her front. She was timing her movements, waiting for her moment.

“All done,” Gregory said softly. “I’ll take that spot when you finish.”

“I’ll be quick,” Mindie exhaled. “Thank you.”

He leaned in just a little closer to her ear, “And you are beautiful, Mindie. Different, but just as beautiful as my wives. I just didn’t feel comfortable hugging you nude. I’m sorry.”

Mindie swallowed, her heart soaring. “Thank you...”

“You can use the bucket on your hair. I’ll help with your ears,” Gregory said as he leaned back.

“Oh, thank you,” Mindie smiled widely, doing that before scrubbing her front.

The moment Gregory was done helping Mindie, Roshana looked over at him. “Greg, can you get my back?”

“Oh... double lucky,” Clover exhaled.

Gregory laughed as he looked back at Clover. “I’ll get you and Ling next time. We’re an odd number, so someone was left without a partner.”

“Sorry...” Clover said softly.

“We understand,” Jenn said, kissing Clover’s cheek. “Now rinse your hair. I’ll help.”

“Thank you, Jenn.”

“Already got your hair?” Gregory asked.

“Yes, but I could use your help rinsing after you get my back, please,” Roshana said.

“Okay.”

Gregory massaged Roshana’s back as he scrubbed her down. His lips curled up when he thought about her small tease just a moment ago. When he was nearly done, he paused to work her tail with extra attention.

Roshana’s breath caught and her face burned as Gregory gently unrolled her tail, scrubbing the length of it. She stared straight ahead as she tried not to react to what he was doing— washing another’s tail was a sign of intimate affection in Limaz. She wanted to tell him, but didn’t because she didn’t want him to stop. That made her feel guilty, and she promised to tell him afterward.

“All done,” he said, taking his hand away.

Her tail lay flat against her back. “Th-thank you,” she exhaled shakily. “Greg… washing another’s tail… is intimate. I should have stopped you... I’m sorry.”

Gregory froze, and his eyes went to Yukiko and Jenn. All the others stared back at him.

“Why didn’t you?” Yukiko asked into the silence, her tone neutral.

“He caught me off guard… and then, I didn’t want him to stop. I’m sorry, Yuki, Jenn… I’m sorry to all of you, and our friends back at the academy,” Roshana sniffled, realizing she’d been wrong to allow him to finish.

“Vicky did hump his leg when they kissed,” Jenn murmured.

“And Greg encouraged her,” Yukiko nodded. “Greg?”

“I didn’t know. That’s something else that’s not in any of the books we’ve read.”

“Are you upset with her?” Yukiko asked.

Gregory hesitated, then answered, “No. I wish she’d told me, but I grabbed her tail without warning, so it’s partially my fault.”

Jenn glanced at Clover, and then her lips twisted up at the corner. “I’ll allow it, but he should make sure to treat our friends equally.”

Yukiko glanced over to see Clover’s slightly crestfallen expression light up, and she giggled. “That would be fair.”

“Really?!” Clover nearly squealed in joy.

“Yes,” Jenn said.

Gregory looked at Clover, and he had to smile at her expression. “Yeah, really.”

“What about those of us without tails?” Ling asked softly.

“Ear massage,” Mindie said. “Trust me…” Her face was flushed when she said it.

Ling’s smile widened. “Oh? I’ll accept that.”

Yukiko laughed. “Accepted, but only if Greg is okay with it.”

Gregory looked at the others who were watching him, then nodded. “I already told my wives that if they approve, I will, too.”

“It’s your turn to get your back cleaned,” Yukiko said, “after you help rinse Roshana’s ears and tail.”

“Oh, right,” Gregory said.

“And I’ll be doing that,” Mindie said with a small smile on her lips.

Chapter Eight

The bath had been a little tense, but Jenn broke that tension once they were soaking. She told them the story about Yukiko proposing that they all stand naked in front of each other to get over their embarrassment. Clover had jumped to her feet, declaring they should do it, too. Ling grabbed her and pulled her down, quickly saying they shouldn’t. The others laughed— Mindie did so a little awkwardly, but everyone laughed, including Clover.

They were still chuckling over it when they got dressed for dinner. Gregory didn’t keep his eyes from roaming, but he made sure not to stare, either. His own face was a little pink when he caught them returning the attention, though he didn’t try to hide from them.

‘What’s good for the gander is good for the goose,’ as Yuki once said, Gregory thought. Need to make sure to leave clothing out tonight so it can get cleaned. I’m so glad we all have extra clothing in our storage spaces. It makes changing into clean clothes after bathing easy.

Dressed in fresh clothing, they left the room to find Hemet waiting for them with a small, knowing smile on his face. “Dinner is in a few minutes. The private room is through the door there,” he said, pointing to it. “Ling, I left some items for you to study in your room. Clover, the elder left alchemical supplies in their suite,” he motioned at Gregory, Yukiko, and Jenn, “so you can work on your magic. When you need more, let us know.”

“Thank you, Hemet,” the pair of apprentices said.

“We do try,” Hemet smiled. “You can join us at the table now, or in a few minutes.”

“Now’s fine,” Gregory said after he checked with his friends.

“Very well. Follow me.”

Entering the private dining room, they found the overseer was already there. He was talking softly to Lightshield while Egil and Rafiq were having a conversation of their own. “Overseer, may I present the young generation of Aether’s Guard?” Hemet asked.

Gregory was shocked to see the man seated beside Lightshield. He glanced at Yukiko and saw that she was just as surprised. Instead of the gray kimono they’d seen him in before, here, the man was wearing a periwinkle kimono with the academy emblem displayed on the sleeves.

Laozi gave them a bow of his head. “It is a pleasure to meet you formally.”

“The honor and pleasure are ours, Honored Sage,” Yukiko replied before any of the others could. That didn’t stop them all from bowing formally with her to him.

“Sit. We shall discuss after dinner,” Laozi said, his former affable nature not to be seen. He spoke as a sage of the empire should: firmly, knowing that he would be obeyed.

The group all took their seats, wondering if they’d done something to offend him. Lightshield wasn’t smiling the way he normally would, which didn’t ease the tension for them any.

“Since we are all here, I shall summon the meal now,” Lightshield said, using the bellpull near his chair.

The staff bustled in with the food, setting plates in front of everyone before quickly leaving. Gregory felt the tension growing over the course of dinner. Clover looked frayed as it came to an end— she’d dropped her fork twice, both times getting flat glances from Laozi.

When they’d finished, Lightshield had the staff clean the table and bring them tea, then asked for them not to be disturbed. The maids were quick to do as he asked, bowing deeply when they finally left the room.

“You have made a lot of enemies,” Laozi said as soon as the door closed behind the staff. “Do you believe they will leave you be?”

“No, sir,” Gregory said. “We are aware of the worst and expect them to continue trying to pull us down. As for others, it will not be surprising if more try, but we also have allies.”

“Are you certain of those allies?”

“As certain as we can be. Among those we call allies, there are those who are jealous as well, but I believe we will not have trouble from them.”

“Hmm... Time will tell, as it always does,” Laozi replied. “I shall make the formal introduction now. I am Sage Laozi Windfoot. I am the youngest of the remaining sages of the empire, and have been overseer since the academy was placed in Wesrik.”

When he stopped talking, the younger magi bowed in their seats to him before introducing themselves. Gregory thought he’d caught a glimmer of amusement in Lightshield’s eyes, but he wasn’t positive.

“Honored Sage,” Gregory started slowly, wondering how big of a mistake he was about to make, “if I might ask a question?”

“I believe you still have two remaining,” Laozi replied. “If you wish to use one here, I will answer.”

Gregory hesitated, suddenly realizing that Laozi was speaking of his counsel from the academy council. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever get a chance to use them in the future, so he pressed on, “Thank you, sir. When we first met you, you were sweeping in front of an arena. You told us you had no rank and were merely a sweeper. Why the deception?”

Yukiko’s hand clamped down on Gregory’s knee, her heart going to her throat. Jenn’s eyes bulged in fear, afraid of what might happen. Each of his other friends grew tense, waiting for the sage to denounce his question as insolent.

Laozi’s eyes narrowed at Gregory before he started to chuckle. “That is a long story, Pettit. Suffice to say, I was strictly following my orders from the emperor himself. When he assigned me to start the academy, he told me quite bluntly to clean it of filth and put it in order. One might have taken that to mean removing the eurtik archivists, but I was certain he meant ‘keeping it clean.’ I devoted myself to keeping the academy as clean as I could while letting the council that was appointed after me bicker over how to run it. The grandmasters and elders of the council come and go, replaced every few years or decades, but I remain. It wasn’t deception, but a version of the truth.”

The room was silent as they processed what Laozi had said. Several sets of eyes darted to Rafiq, who looked quite unperturbed by the idea that the sage was to have killed all the archivists.

“Now,” Laozi said, looking down the table, his imperious expression back on, “I have dined with all the other clans before you. During each of those dinners, I answered a single question from each apprentice. I shall do so for you now.”

“Sir,” Jenn said slowly, “the council told Gregory that he was only to ask a single question of each of them for winning... yet it sounded like you told Gregory he just used one of his remaining two.”

Laozi’s gaze sharpened again when he looked at Jenn. “Is there a question in there, Apprentice?”

Jenn hesitated, clearly debating if she wanted to use her question this way. She closed her eyes and centered her mind, asking herself if she should. A moment later, her eyes shot open, her resonance feeling solid to her. “Why does that sound like what they told us is wrong, sir?”

Laozi’s lips twitched. “Because this council has been… problematic, more so than my previous councils. They were told when they came into their roles that the winners of the apprentice tournaments would be given three questions to be asked of any of them, or even me. I was later told that they felt that Elder Cho or I would be the only ones asked, so they changed it. What they did was make it even less likely for questions to be asked. Do you know why?”

“Because no novice or apprentice would know which of the council would be the best to ask any given question,” Clover blurted out, then slapped a hand over her mouth.

“Partially. Go on.”

Clover uncovered her mouth and spoke slowly, “The fear is that the question will be wasted if the wrong council member is asked... it also means that each member of the council only ever has to answer a single question per winner.”

“Well done, Clougdah,” Laozi smiled. He glanced at Lightshield. “The slow never understand the gems they miss by ignoring the clanless or eurtiks.”

Lightshield smiled fondly at his younger magi. “Which is normally a folly, but worked well for my clan in the last year.”

“It has.”

Roshana cleared her throat. “Excuse me, sir? This is my question, and it might be impertinent... but if each winning clan got to ask a single question, should not this clan be able to ask you two each?”

Laozi arched a single eyebrow, staring at her while a pressure built in the room. The tension grew for a few heartbeats before Laozi chuckled and the pressure vanished. “It is a fair question, even if many others would scold you for it. I will agree that you should get two questions answered, if you are one of those fighting.”

“Thank you, sir,” Roshana said, bowing her head.

The other five exchanged looks, wondering what they should ask. None of them ever expected to have a sage willing to answer questions for them.

Gregory asked something he’d wondered about a year ago, “Honored Sage, I wonder why you helped us during our novice year?”

“Did I?” Laozi asked him back.

“At least once, sir. When Fureno tried to change the arena assignment on the board.”

“I do not recall having helped you, Apprentice. That would mean I was taking sides. I do remember stopping a novice from changing papers on the board. After all, it would have hindered all those who showed up that day to classes after you, as well. Cluttering up the area with milling bodies would have dirtied it.”

“I apologize for thinking otherwise, sir.”

“I have a question, sir,” Yukiko said, wondering if she should be so bold. “You told us previously that you had been sweeping for only a little over forty-thousand days, but earlier tonight, you said that you’d been there since the very beginning of the academy as overseer. Which is true?”

Laozi’s lips twitched. “An eye for numbers speaks of your family line, Pettit. I had been sweeping without needing to don my sage robes for over forty-thousand. Does that reconcile the two for you?”

Yukiko bowed her head. “Thank you, Honored Sage.”

“Sir,” Ling spoke up, “what advice would you give to initiates when they go to train with their men?”

Laozi gave her a thoughtful look. “An interesting question for an apprentice who will spend her initiate year at the academy.”

“We seek for the clan to be the best it can, sir. Your words can be spread to those who will become initiates in the years to come,” Ling replied.

“Very true. I think perhaps it is those closest to you that sparked the question, though, Lao. I will answer, regardless. Treat your men well, do your best to be a true leader, and even if the one training you is difficult, do your best to represent your clan as they should be seen. The same should go for your men. They represent you, which in turn means that they represent your clan.”

“Thank you, sir,” Ling bowed her head.

“I have mine ready,” Clover said slower than she normally did. Taking a deep breath, she asked, “Why don’t you stop the discrimination against those of us with partial-eurtik blood?”

Everyone at the table stopped breathing except for Laozi and Lightshield. Laozi exhaled, closing his eyes for a moment before meeting her fearful black-irised eyes. “I wish it were simple. If I could be assured that my word would stay the law of the academy, I would have. You heard why I was appointed the overseer. If I tried, do you think I would be there still? As it is, I have remained because I have displeased Him, but not enough to be called back to the capital.” Taking another long, slow breath, he continued, “I am sorry that the little I have been able to do has not been enough. Maybe, if your elder is right, Aether will return. If he does, then… it may be possible for such a thing to come to pass.”

There was a deep pain in Laozi’s eyes that made Clover sniffle. “I’m sorry, sir...”

Laozi’s lips couldn’t hold the smile he tried to put on. “It has been long since the one I loved passed, yet even today, I still turn to speak to her. As you undoubtedly can deduce, she was, much like you, part-eurtik. I can still recall when the messenger brought me news of her death...” He stopped, taking a deep breath before clearing his throat. “Does that answer you sufficiently?”

“Yes,” Clover sniffled again, wiping at her eyes.

“Why the sudden move to make the academy safer now, sir?” Jenn asked after a moment of silence.

“Because it is past time,” Laozi answered, dabbing at his eyes. “I let the council run things on their own for too long. Things deteriorated during your novice year to a point that was inexcusable. Too many… mysterious attacks and deaths. It gave me enough leverage to push them and for them to bend to me without me having to petition the emperor himself. So the guards will patrol as they used to, and the arenas will finally have some healing built into them.” Laozi paused, his gaze going to Mindie. “It was pointed out that a junior healer was always being used for clans to effectively use the arenas for training.”

Mindie flushed.

“Those same idiots then pushed for that very useful person to be posted outside of the academy. Why? Because another healer felt that she was favoring a specific clan only. Did any of them speak to the junior healer? Did they get another clan to ask her to verify if she was being biased? Of course not. They thought that it would be much easier to try posting her to a less-than-desirable posting, instead.”

Mindie closed her eyes as what she’d feared was flatly confirmed.

“That same healer then joined the clan she was accused of favoring, giving them some ammunition. However, that also let her clan head use favors to get her a posting that would remove her from the shortsighted grasp of those same idiots.”

Mindie blinked, looking at the sage with hope.

“Your tenure with the empire is now fully in the hands of your clan, Adept Laka. I trust that is acceptable to you?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I believe that leaves me with the last question,” Yukiko said slowly.

“No,” Laozi replied. “Your husband and wife both have another, as well. My answers came after he used a single one of his prizes from winning.”

“Go ahead, Yuki,” Gregory said, trying to think of another question for Laozi.

“Honored Sage,” Yukiko started slowly, “what advice would you give us?”

Laozi’s eyes sparkled. “In which area?”

Yukiko went quiet for a few moments, clearly deciding how she wanted to narrow her request.

“How does one avoid the eyes of the emperor, or his displeasure if it is incurred?” Gregory asked while Yukiko thought.

Laozi’s smile was sudden and wide. “Do not stand out. Failing that, work to minimize your accomplishments, or deflect the credit to others. If you do gain the ire of the emperor, well... it is unlikely you will survive. There is a very remote chance that if you are worth enough to not kill, you will be pushed to a post that you will hate, but it will neutralize you from doing harm to the empire.”

“Like being the head of the academy,” Lightshield coughed.

Laozi rolled his eyes. “You promised not to discuss it.”

“I had a bit of phlegm in my throat, was all.”

The table was quiet as they were given a small peek into the friendship the two older magi might have.

“How would you recommend we build the clan to surpass the others? Or at least regain a position among the great clans again?”

“Tricky,” Laozi exhaled. “There are too many variables in that for me to answer clearly. The easiest way is to recruit powerful young magi and keep them tied to the clan. That would be centuries in the making. You will have the time, hopefully, but I am not sure it answers your question.”

Yukiko looked at Clover and Ling. “That would place a greater burden on my dear friends.”

Both of them bowed their heads to her. “We’ll do our best, Yuki,” Ling said.

“Our very best,” Clover nodded.

“As I do not think I answered the question sufficiently, if Bean will give up hers, I will grant Lao and Clougdah both the right to consult me once after this year ends,” Laozi offered.

“I do, sir,” Jenn said quickly.

“Use those moments wisely.” Standing abruptly, Laozi sighed. “I need to go. There is a matter for me to attend.”

Lightshield leveraged himself up. “I do hope it does not get too out of hand for you.”

“You would think some could learn. Alas, hubris is a hard thing for some to unlearn. I will not see you again until we reach Buldoun.” Laozi turned to the others in the room who had also stood. “Good evening.” With those two words, a strong gust blew through the room and, when it abated, Laozi was gone.

“Well, I wish you all a good evening, too,” Lightshield said softly. “I need to retire. Hemet, will you come with me, please?”

“Of course.”

Egil and Rafiq also said their goodbyes, leaving just the young magi in the room.

“That was different...” Gregory murmured. “To the room for discussion?”

The others agreed, as they all had questions about what had just happened.

Chapter Nine

Everyone gathered in the suite Gregory shared with his wives. On the table in the room sat a few small chests— that confused everyone for a few seconds until the memory came back to them.

“Oh, those are for me!” Clover said, rushing to the table to check them.

“Alchemy supplies,” Yukiko agreed. “We should let you practice while we talk.”

“I can do a simple unguent while we do. It won’t be complicated enough to stop me. It’ll only be good for minor cuts, though.”

“Every little bit helps,” Mindie said.

“Let me go secure the things Hemet left for me,” Ling said, leaving the room with quick steps.

“The table is yours, Clover,” Jenn said. “We’ll sit back so you have space.”

“Okay. Roshana, can you put a cup of water into my cauldron?” Clover asked as she set up the enchanted cauldron on the table.

“Gladly,” Roshana smiled before condensing the water vapor in the air into water for her friend.

The others got settled, waiting for Ling to return and for Clover to start her alchemy.

Ling was back after a couple of minutes, a bright smile on her lips. “He left me a scale of difficulty to work with.”

“That’s good,” Clover beamed. “I’ll be working, but I can listen at the same time.”

“Did it seem like Lightshield knew Sage Windfoot?” Roshana asked.

“Old friends, at least,” Jenn replied.

Gregory nodded. “There’s history there that Laozi didn’t want to talk about.”

“Greg, I know that we’re very informal, but he is a sage,” Yukiko said softly.

“Oh, I’ll call him Sage Windfoot when we see him in public,” Gregory was quick to say. “But here, between us? He told us his name was Laozi when we first met him, and that’s how I think of him, even if we know the truth of who he is now.”

“Hmm... there is that,” Yukiko agreed. “We cannot make a mistake in public, though. That would be disastrous for us.”

“Agreed,” Ling nodded.

“Did he favor us?” Clover asked.

“No. He made Roshana use her turn for us to get the extra questions in,” Ling answered.

“It was well spent,” Roshana grinned.

“Agreed, as that got Clover and Ling the chance to consult with him again,” Yukiko smiled.

“Which also cost you and Jenn a question,” Gregory pointed out, “but the trade was well worth it.”

“We’ll make sure to use them wisely,” Ling said.

“We know,” Jenn grinned. “We trust you.”

“I think the fact that he gave them the chance to consult him is unusual,” Roshana said. “He looked a little happy when he did.”

Gregory considered what she said, then nodded slowly as he thought back to the moment. “Yeah... his lips ticked up briefly. He’s looking forward to it.”

“He’s friends with our elder,” Yukiko said. “I wouldn’t put it past Lightshield to have arranged for a way that can’t be challenged.”

“Good point.”

“We’ll do our best, Yuki,” Ling said. “We’ll help solidify the base of Aether’s Guard.”

“None of us doubt you’ll do your best,” Gregory said. “Clover has another important job to handle, too.”

“The kids,” Clover nodded as she added some supplies to the cauldron, turning on the heating enchantment it had. “I’ll do my very best for them. Both in training them, but also in making sure they laugh and smile.” She looked up with a bright smile of her own.

“You have the right personality for it,” Roshana giggled. “I’ve never met someone as happy as you.”

Clover’s smile faltered for a moment. “I’m happy, but part of that was because I had to be. It was to be happy and silly, or be beaten. While I used it as a mask for so long, it’s part of me now.”

“Oh...” Roshana whispered. “I’m sorry, Clover.”

“You didn’t know,” Clover said, her smile coming back.

“We’re sure you had troubles of your own,” Ling said. “All of us with eurtik heritage have.”

“Mine wasn’t as bad as many others in most ways,” Roshana said as the conversation deviated. “My family lived in a cluster of other immigrants from Limaz, so I know many of the social mores from the country. My family still practices many of them, like bathing. But, unlike them, we worship Aether, which caused many arguments about how we were abandoning the truth of Mortum.”

“Problems from both sides,” Jenn said, placing her hand on Roshana’s knee.

“While those of the empire would spurn my family for our blood,” she touched her ear absently, “I know what it is to be mocked, derided, and even beaten for being different. But I trusted in my grandmother and mother... I held on to those beliefs and hopes. Even when I was at my worst, I would focus on the hope of what was to come.” She looked up, meeting Gregory’s eyes. “And then, I was rewarded, for I found someone special to me.” She looked at the others. “Many others who are special to me.”

“And now, you have those who will help guard you against those times,” Mindie said, “or heal the hurts that are caused.”

Roshana gave Mindie a bright smile. “Yes, dear healer.”

Mindie flushed, then smiled. “Thank you for the book, I’m almost done with it. It’s helped me so much.”

“My grandmother would be happy to hear that it’s been useful.”

“Very much so.”

“To bring the conversation back on topic,” Yukiko said softly, “the sage stressed that he isn’t favoring anyone. We accept him at his word.” When she said it, she made sure her meaning was clear. “We are thankful that he answered our questions and let our dear friends consult him in the future.”

“Greg, I was curious about why you asked him what you did?” Mindie asked.

“The first two were small things that had bothered me slightly,” Gregory said. “Finding out he was a sage made them even more questionable to me.”

“I remember that first meeting, as it was our first date in a way,” Yukiko smiled gently. “His words were a deflection of the truth, but not a lie. He gave us partial information, and we didn’t seek to question him. He has tight control of his aether, too. I never felt any from him,” she trailed off as she spoke, her brow furrowing.

“Oh, right,” Gregory nodded. “All the other magi have a pressure to them, a gravity of power. We all suppress it without thought, but it leaks out. The mist we see with our resonance. I never thought about that.”

“He must be spirit path,” Roshana said. “Only the spirit path would allow one to so thoroughly hide that feeling.”

“I agree,” Mindie nodded. “One of the books I was reading at the archive about spirit path mentioned that as an advantage. You can sense other magi, but also hide yourself from them. I’d written it off as only being useful for clan troubles, but now, I can see it being more.”

“Rafiq has books from the archive with him... well, copies of books, I believe. We could ask him about it?” Gregory suggested.

“It rarely hurts to ask,” Yukiko agreed.

“He spoke to me of a different path he was following that combines mind and spirit,” Gregory said. “Let me tell you what he told me.”

It took him a few minutes to fill them in, but there was an eagerness to everyone when he’d finished.

“That’ll make our fighting better,” Jenn said excitedly. “We need a copy of that book, too.”

“We can see if he has them and will let us read them,” Gregory said. “If he does, we can read them out loud during the trip so we can all gain from them.”

“A solid idea,” Ling agreed.

“I still find it so hard to believe that all three paths can be combined,” Mindie said a little guiltily. “I know we’ve been working on it, but still...”

“There’s a reason,” Yukiko said. “Once you marry into our family, there are secrets that can be told. Secrets kept even from my parents, because they’re that dangerous for us.” She looked at the other three. “I have faith that you will all hear them in time.”

“We understand, Yuki,” Clover said as she stirred her cauldron. “I don’t mind. Daciana would probably have a drooping tail and ears right now, though.”

“Yes, she would,” Jenn nodded.

“Nessa would calm her,” Ling said. “Daciana just yearns fiercely.”

“That she does,” Yukiko smiled.

Gregory extended his resonance to the room, filling all the space he could with his awareness. Each person present came back feeling true, firm, and honest to him. He cleared his throat and looked at each of them slowly. “I will say one thing... not the full truth, but part of it. A part you can share with our friends when you see them again.”

Yukiko looked like she was about to object to it, but then she closed her eyes and Gregory felt her resonance touch his. After a second, she bowed her head to him, trusting that he wouldn’t give too much away.

Jenn looked worried, too, but seeing the exchange, she did as Yukiko had done, extending her resonance. After a moment, she also bowed her head to him.

“That felt… good… but weird,” Mindie giggled.

“What?” Clover asked.

“We all extended our resonance out,” Gregory answered her.

“I felt it,” Mindie smiled, looking at him. “A warmth that comforted me. All three of you.”

“Check your resonance in the taproom tomorrow,” Gregory told her. “It’ll help you feel the vast difference between those in harmony with you, and others.”

“I will.”

Taking a deep breath, Gregory looked over the room again. “I can’t say how— not right now— but I will say that there is a solid reason why you can walk all three paths. There’s a being called Darkness that I’ve spoken with.”

Yukiko tensed a little bit, then relaxed, understanding what he was going to say.

“I call her Darkness because she won’t tell me her name, and she stays shrouded in her namesake. I first spoke with her on my age day, when I passed out from the bane wolf attack. It is Darkness that makes walking the three paths possible.”

“Darkness does?” Ling asked slowly. “Why?”

“She has her reasons,” Gregory said, giving Ling an apologetic smile. “But she’s helping everyone near me do so. If I call them special to me, they can do it. Even those not special to me, but still in the clan, will likely be able to walk the path of the Peaceful Fist easily.”

“It’s because of her that we can. Jenn and I have spoken with her, too,” Yukiko added, “during tea ceremonies and a few other times. I don’t doubt that you will all speak with her in the future.”

Clover turned the heat off her cauldron, then sat forward. “Because we’re special to him and you two?”

“Yes,” Jenn nodded. “That’s why, Mindie, you’ll be walking all three paths even if you already aren’t.”

“I’ve seen the sparks for the channels,” Mindie said slowly, “but the mind path is so hard to gauge.”

“It really is. We don’t know how to compare it since we’ve been on our own path for so long.”

“The aether grows smaller, but condenses,” Ling said. “On just the mind path, it starts to grow much larger. Once we trained with you, it shrank back down, but I could see the difference in the density of the flames.”

“My flame has grown larger, the way it is supposed to on the mind path. Not by much, but some. I can tell that I’ve touched all three already,” Roshana said. “I believe you, Greg. I can feel that, as long as we’re true to you, we can do what we are.”

Ling and Clover agreed with Roshana.

Mindie bowed her head. “I didn’t mean to question it...”

“We know,” Yukiko said, touching her shoulder. “You’re worried that you’d be left behind the rest of us.”

“Yes...” Mindie’s voice was a bare whisper.

“You’ll never be left behind, dear healer. Your resonance showed you the truth. Greg is what you desire, and we know that feeling well. So calm your mind. Just accept and grow with us.”

Mindie hugged Yukiko. “I will, first wife. I will. Thank you.”

The striking of the hour was distant, but Gregory caught the faintest edge of it. “Time for bed?”

“Yes,” Clover sighed. “Mindie, help me gather this for you, please?” She motioned to her cauldron. “The unguent is ready.”

“Of course.”

As everyone was getting ready to leave, Yukiko giggled. When they all looked at her, she grinned. “I remember Fureno arguing with the sage when he was trying to change the papers for the arena. How do you think he’d have dealt with finding out who the sweeper really was?”

Gregory began to laugh, as he could imagine the dinner with the Eternal Flame. “Fureno would have gone pale and stared at the sage, then he’d try stammering out an apology. If I recall correctly, he threatened harm to Laozi if the old man didn’t move.”

“Yes,” Yukiko started laughing again.

The others began to laugh when they thought about the same thing.

Chapter Ten

Gregory smiled when he woke up— he never grew tired of having his wives beside him. His smile faded a little when he thought about what the next two years would mean. A year of only seeing them occasionally, then a year of not seeing them at all... but we’ll have our magus posting together. Huh... which postings have three magus-tier magi gathered in the same place? That had him thinking for a few moments, until his wives stirred.

“Good morning, dear one,” Gregory murmured, kissing Yukiko’s head. “And to you as well, my heart,” he added, kissing Jenn’s head.

“Yes. Good morning,” Yukiko murmured back, kissing his chest. She reached across him to stroke Jenn’s hair. “And to you, our fierce fighter.”

“To you both, as well,” Jenn yawned as she woke up slowly.

“Magi Squares, meditation, and finally, breakfast,” Gregory said quietly as Yukiko got out of bed.

“Need to ask Rafiq about the books, too,” Jenn added as she followed her.

“Yeah. I’ll do that after Magi Squares,” Gregory exhaled and stretched.

The three of them dressed for the day, finishing just before the others showed up. Gregory let the other women into the room. “Good morning, ladies. I’ll be stepping out for a bit after Magi Squares to ask Rafiq about books.”

“Oh? We might get to read today, then,” Clover grinned.

“Are we going to ride in a single carriage all day again?” Mindie asked.

“For the first part of today, you, Jenn, and I will be in the second carriage,” Yukiko replied. “We have some questions for you.”

Mindie bowed her head. “I understand, Yuki.”

Jenn giggled and touched her shoulder. “It’s not bad. She asked me questions for months before we approached Greg. You only get a half-day. I think that’s pretty light.”

“We’ll all be pulled aside like this in the future?” Ling asked.

“Yes. It’s another part of what I want, so I can feel comfortable with where you stand,” Yukiko smiled.

“We understand, Yuki,” Roshana said.

“That means we get Greg for the first part of today,” Clover smiled.

Gregory blinked as he looked at the three smiling women, his cheeks heating as his mind supplied possible ideas of what they could all do.

Jenn giggled. “Dear one, are you thinking of things?”

Gregory covered his face with his hands. “Yes...”

“Not yet, our heart,” Yukiko snickered. “We have to do Magi Squares, first.”

Gregory was glad for that, but he still caught the glances and grins from the others. He tried to squash all the improper thoughts and was mostly successful, though he did take longer than normal to finish his Magi Squares.

When they were all done, he left the room while the others meditated. Shaking his head at his own thoughts from earlier, he went to Rafiq’s room and knocked.

Rafiq opened the door a minute later. “Please, come in. How may I assist you, Gregory?”

Stepping into the room and shutting the door, Gregory corrected Rafiq, “Greg, please? I consider you a friend. I have for some time now.”

“Very well, Greg.”

“Thanks. I had some questions about what books you might have, and if we could borrow them to read during the trip.”

“Ah, knowledge is good. Which books?”

“The one about the Resonant Mind was one of them.”

Rafiq smiled, showing off some of his teeth. “I thought you might ask after I spoke about it.”

“We also wondered if there was a text on hiding your power, like the sage did when we first met him. We had no idea he was even a magi.”

Rafiq’s smile grew wider, showing all of his teeth. “I happen to have that book with me. It is similar to how a magi can exude their power, but much harder to do. In fact, only those who touch the spirit path have managed it.”

“Might we borrow them to study and learn?”

Rafiq chuckled as he produced two slim books. “Just treat them well. These are copies, so do not worry about returning them to me quickly.”

Gregory accepted them, storing them in his ring. “I had an idle question... has there ever been any text on combining the mind and body paths?”

Rafiq’s smile couldn’t get any wider. “Never. There are older books that tried to understand why spirit was compatible with either, but why that pair weren’t with each other. I do not have any of those books on me.”

“So the emblem on Aether’s temples might be seen as an indicator?”

“So young and already seeing things that elders don’t see or just ignore... Yes. The lotus flower is between the brain and the arm, which could be seen to indicate that the spirit path could combine with either side.”

“But there are no books about combining all three paths?”

“Some believe that Aether was the only one who could. Some might see that as disrespectful to the emperor, so it isn’t discussed in today’s society, but if you continue to read Lighthand’s journals, you will see his thoughts on that. That, and other things that are not viewed well.”

“I will make sure to keep that in mind. Thank you, Rafiq.” Gregory bowed formally to the crocodilian eurtik.

Rafiq shook his head, bowing back. “It is the pleasure of an archivist to help a young mind flourish. Go study with your friends, and learn well. I will see you at breakfast.”

“Of course,” Gregory said, turning to the door. He paused before opening it. “We’ve stayed at eurtik-run or eurtik-friendly establishments the entire trip so far. Are you the only support staff who is eurtik?”

“No, but we are spread out among the clans.”

“But we only have you and Egil?”

“I was tasked with recording Magi-killer’s life, or as much as I can get him to tell me,” Rafiq replied. “He is one of the rare few who has become an armsmaster of multiple weapons. His thoughts on how armsmasters are treated and how he has managed to duel and kill magus-tier magi are worth preserving for posterity.”

“So you two share a carriage alone?”

“Yes, while the others are full or near full,” Rafiq chuckled. “I find no reason to change this arrangement.”

Gregory chuckled along with him. “I can see why. I’m surprised Magus Erichson hasn’t been by to spar with Egil, though.”

“Magus Erichson is teaching the tactics class since Magi-killer is here.”

“Who’s in charge of the Iron Hand, then?”

“Magus Klim. Magus Dunn is in charge of Shining Light, and Magus Harrison leads the Swift Wind clan on the trip. Magus Elkit handed his leadership duties to the clan inside the walls to Magus Barlz, so that he could be here for the Eternal Flame.”

Gregory nodded slowly as he took in the information. “So Elkit is the one we should worry about the most... The others are friendly-ish, at least.” He paused. “How do you know all that?”

“I am the archivist for the trip. I know everyone who is present,” Rafiq smiled.

“Huh... okay. Thank you again, Rafiq.” Gregory bowed formally once more.

“You are welcome, Greg,” Rafiq bowed back as the apprentice left the room.

~*~*~

Yukiko smiled when she found Gregory meditating beside her as the hour chimed. “What did Rafiq have to say, dear one?”

Gregory blinked as his meditation ended, then saw everyone focused on him. “He gave me the two books we hoped he’d have. Told me there’s no rush to return them, as they’re copies.”

“We’ll have a lot to learn over the next few days,” Jenn grinned.

“He also told me who’s in charge of each clan with us. I didn’t pay attention when we were leaving.” Seeing them all waiting, he continued, “Elkit, Klim, Dunn, and Harrison.”

“Not Erichson?” Roshana asked.

“He took over the class, since Egil is here.”

“Dunn has always been fair to us, and Harrison mellowed after he started speaking with Bishop,” Jenn said.

“Klim is friendly,” Clover smiled.

“While Elkit wants to see us all killed...” Ling said softly.

“Three friendly or not hostile is still much better than I thought it would be,” Yukiko said. “I noticed during our short march on the first day that not all of the apprentices came with us.”

“What?” Gregory asked.

“The Eternal Flame and Swift Wind groups were smaller than expected. It might be a limit agreed to by the academy and Buldoun, or they left some behind to try winning the tournament, since we’re all here.”

“Did you see who was with them?” Mindie asked.

“Nick, Jason, and Parks were the only three apprentices in the Eternal Flame group. I saw Hayworth, Vincent, and Oliver for the Swift Wind.”

“Vincent was the physical enhancement magi who was removed from the tournament,” Jenn murmured. “Oliver is their wind magi.”

“Since they each only brought three, do you think it’s limited to three per team?” Ling asked.

“Oh, but that still gives us the best team,” Clover smiled.

“Maybe,” Gregory chuckled. “Both would be hard fights. We shouldn’t be fighting each other, though.”

“In theory, but if we end up on the same field with them, we need to watch our backs,” Yukiko said. “Nick’s group would love an ‘accident’ to happen to us.”

“True,” Gregory admitted. “We have no idea what we’ll face until it’s time.”

“It’s time for breakfast,” Roshana said as she stood.

“Yes, it is,” Yukiko agreed.

They were down to the private dining room quickly, but still the last to arrive.

Lightshield waited for them to sit down, then cleared his throat. “Before we eat, there is something I need to address, not that it applies to our group. If or when you take the time to see any city or town we pause in, make sure to comport yourselves properly.”

“We would never tarnish the clan, sir,” Gregory said, wondering about why they were being told this.

“I have no doubt of that, but I was told to tell you by the overseer. This message is being relayed to all clans.”

“There was an incident?” Yukiko asked.

Lightshield’s lips twitched. “Two clans happened to bump into each other last night, shortly after the sage left dinner. He was there just after the incident.”

“Eternal Flame and who?” Jenn asked.

“Swift Wind,” Lightshield replied.

“Hayworth and Nick hate each other,” Gregory nodded.

“Injuries happened on both sides, along with a handful of innocent people,” Lightshield said. “Now that my task is done, we may eat, and then get on the road.”

Chapter Eleven

They’d finished the first portion of their day’s trip, along with lunch and the Peaceful Fist, and it was almost time for them to head out on the second leg for the day. Roshana, Clover, and Ling had enjoyed just being able to chat with Gregory, but they were all very interested in what Mindie had to say about her time with Yukiko and Jenn.

As they were about to get into the carriages, another carriage rolled into the yard. Lightshield stood beside his, as if he’d been waiting. He turned to look at his younger magi. “Mindie, a moment, please.”

Mindie hurried to his side as the other carriage came to a stop. “Elder?”

“Just wait a moment.”

A few seconds later, Magus Harrison exited the new carriage. “Elder, I see you already know why I am here.”

“We are willing to assist,” Lightshield replied. “Swift Wind will end up owing Aether’s Guard a favor.”

Harrison grimaced, but bowed formally. “I acknowledge the debt if my apprentices can be brought back to their full strength.”

“Adept Laka, please help the apprentices of Swift Wind,” Lightshield said. “Apprentice Arnab, go with her. Magus Harrison, you can join me in my carriage. I have no doubt it will take time for them to heal, and the overseer will want us moving before that.”

Roshana bowed, but glanced back at the others, sad that they would be delayed on studying the books. She was sure Lightshield wanted her to go with Mindie because she, too, understood the body.

“We’ll discuss Empire’s Gambit strategies,” Yukiko told Roshana.

“I’ll let Mindie know,” Roshana said as she left them.

With the groups split up, the carriages began to leave the yard.

“Well, that changed what we thought we’d be doing,” Gregory said.

“Yes, but it’s good for the clan,” Yukiko said. “Clans take favors very seriously. Even the Eternal Flame does... or used to, at least.”

“Empire’s Gambit?” Ling asked.

“We should go over the different tactics we think might be worthwhile,” Jenn said.

~*~*~

The city they entered was the second largest Gregory had seen, behind Wesrik. It didn’t have a major feature like the academy dominating it, so it wasn’t as flashy.

“Tivano...” Yukiko said with a mixture of sadness and fondness.

“Oh, your home,” Jenn said.

“Yes. I doubt we’ll be seeing my parents, though.”

“It’s unexpected that we’d be here at all,” Gregory said. “Lightshield never said we’d be visiting it.”

“He didn’t,” Yukiko said, her lips pursing as she considered that. “I knew we were close to it, but I didn’t know we’d be coming here.”

“Why won’t we see your parents?” Clover asked.

“Because they would’ve had to leave for the event before now.”

“We’re using the enchanted carriages that let us move faster,” Ling said. “I take it they don’t have something similar?”

“No. The empire and great clans keep that enchantment for themselves.”

“It would’ve been nice to see them and Elsa,” Jenn sighed.

“Yeah, it would have been,” Gregory said.

The carriages came to a stop in the rear courtyard of an inn. As Gregory helped the others down, he watched Roshana help Mindie out of the Swift Wind carriage. Mindie looked tired, but not exhausted.

“Adept, how did the healing go?” Lightshield asked.

“Two of the three apprentices are fine now, Elder,” Mindie replied. “I should be able to help the last tomorrow morning.”

“Who is left?” Harrison asked.

“Apprentice Oliver Binder, Magus.”

“Hmm... his wounds were the least severe. We shall return in the morning, so we may split as we should.”

“Of course,” Lightshield smiled. “An hour before we leave?”

“We will be here,” Harrison bowed formally. “The debt will be paid when the time comes, Elder.”

Lightshield bowed back slightly, though not formally— he had to keep his cane planted to support him. “We are glad to help those friendly to our clan.”

Harrison grimaced. “I haven’t been… but I’m starting to understand why Bishop was so steadfast in her ways.”

“It is always good to see friends patch up old wounds. Good evening.”

Harrison said his goodbyes and climbed into the carriage before it started away.

“Well done, Mindie,” Lightshield said, reverting to informality. “That favor will be useful later.”

“I’m proud to heal, Elder.”

“I know. It’s time for the Peaceful Fist, then a nice long bath for me. Clover, please lead the meditation.”

“Yes, sir,” Clover beamed.

~*~*~

After the Peaceful Fist, Lightshield and Hemet went to bathe. Egil sparred with them again while Mindie worked on the basics with Rafiq. The others cycled who they fought, though they all fought Egil at least once. Gregory barely lost his match against Egil without his aether, but won when he used foresight. With sparring over, Egil and Rafiq went to bathe, as well.

Then, the group changed their routine some: Ling and Clover went to train their magic inside, and Mindie went with them to rest, tired from doing all she could earlier. For those still outside, it was everyone on Gregory in a mass spar, using aether.

Much as the day prior, Gregory had to work hard to stay ahead of Yukiko and Jenn. It was a little easier for him this time, as Roshana had limited water magic instead of Rafiq and his physical enhancement. It ended when he ran very low on aether, and called it over.

“Was it too much?” Roshana asked.

Gregory was drenched— the water had slowed him at times, almost letting Yukiko or Jenn get him. “No, but if it’d been winter instead of late spring, it might’ve been vastly different.”

“He’d have been chilled, and the water on the ground would’ve had a chance to mess with his footing more,” Jenn said.

“I’ll go retrieve the others for the bath,” Yukiko said. “We’ll meet you inside.”

“That works,” Gregory said, giving her a soft smile.

“I’m surprised Clover isn’t already here, aski—” Jenn started.

“Time for bathing, right?” Clover asked, coming out the back door.

Jenn began to giggle, and Yukiko and Roshana joined her.

Gregory chuckled. “We’re coming right now, Clover.”

“What’s so funny?” Clover asked.

“Jenn was just saying that she thought you’d come get us before Yuki got you.”

“Figured you’d be eager for your turn tonight,” Jenn smirked.

Clover flushed, but nodded. “I am. Sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize,” Yukiko said, reaching Clover first. “Are Ling and Mindie already waiting for us?”

“They’d been behind me, so probably.”

“Come on, then. Gregory will get your backs, ears, and tails,” Yukiko said, hooking Clover’s arm with hers.

Gregory followed them inside. He felt a little awkward that they all wanted his attention, but his heart felt light and his chest warm.

~*~*~

Bathing wasn’t as awkward as the day before, but it was still a little embarrassing. Ling purred audibly as Gregory washed her back and ears, arching into his hands happily. Clover was even more vocal— she let out soft sighs and moans as he washed her ears and tail. When they washed his back, he was well aware of Clover pressing into him a little more than necessary. Yukiko called her out on it, and Clover apologized before stopping. Jenn commented that Clover was maybe even a little bolder than Victoria, and Yukiko agreed with her.

Dinner was good, but nothing special, and it was soon over, leaving them with some free time afterward. Once they were assembled in Gregory’s suite, they had to make a decision on what to study.

“We could start on one of the books?” Mindie suggested.

“Or we can continue with gambling games,” Ling said. “We should have all day tomorrow for the books, and the days after that.”

“Should we try gambling in the taproom?” Clover asked.

“It would give us real experience,” Jenn added. “It might also help spread the clan name some.”

“I’m not sure an hour of dice in the taproom would do a lot of spreading the clan name,” Roshana said.

“A compromise?” Gregory asked. “We play a game among ourselves and, if we all feel comfortable, we’ll shift to studying the books tonight and beyond. On top of what we can learn while in the carriages.”

“I think that might be for the best,” Yukiko agreed.

“Which one do we start with?” Mindie asked.

“I’m going to suggest the one about suppressing our aether,” Gregory said. “It’s pure spirit path, and we’ve all progressed on it. That should make it easier for Mindie and Roshana.”

“After that, we go to the Resonant Mind?” Clover asked.

“Yes. It’ll give Mindie and Roshana another few days to get more comfortable with the mind path side of things.”

“I was able to form a Magi Square while doing the Peaceful Fist tonight,” Mindie said. “That shows me that I’ve touched them all.”

“Yes,” Jenn smiled. “Good. Darkness approves, then.”

“Darkness approves?” Ling asked.

“On top of Jenn and I,” Yukiko said, “Darkness is also helping us make sure that those around Gregory only have his best interest at heart. If you can touch all three paths, that shows that you have her approval.”

“Otherwise, we’d only be touching the Peaceful Fist like Gregory said last night?” Roshana asked.

“Exactly.”

“Okay,” Gregory said, wanting to change the topic, a book appearing in his hand. “We start with Aether Control. Hmm... the title is straightforward.”

“Maybe it talks about exuding aether, as well?” Jenn suggested. “Dia helped us understand it, but we never really tried to do it again.”

“We’ll get a chance to do that and suppress our aether,” Yukiko said. “I think suppressing it will have a bigger impact for us, though.”

“We’ll see what it has to say after the dice game,” Gregory said, setting the book aside.

~*~*~

As the bell rang, telling them it was time for bed, they were all lost in thought. Gregory had read the book out loud to them, pausing when someone needed a clarification. Once goodbyes were said, Gregory shut and barred the door for the night.

“I think we can attempt exuding aether tomorrow,” Jenn said as she stripped off her clothing.

“It sounds exactly like what Dia told us,” Yukiko agreed.

“While we travel, it should cause the least trouble, then,” Gregory added. “Just the horses and driver to worry about. If we warn him ahead of time, it should be okay.”

“And we only need to push a little to know if we can do it.”

“Agreed,” Jenn said. “We did it once with Dia, so it should be easier for us.”

“Mindie was sad that it started with exuding aether,” Gregory smiled. “She really is a pacifist.”

“Does that bother you, dear one?” Yukiko asked.

“Not at all. She’s working on at least being able to defend herself, and it’s nice to see you all be so different from each other.”

“We are that,” Jenn giggled.

“Yes,” Yukiko joined her.

“Giggling because of your talk with her earlier?” Gregory asked.

Jenn grinned. “We clarified her desire with her.”

“Oh...?” Gregory asked, slowing in disrobing.

“Mindie is like us; a little different from what most would expect,” Yukiko said.

“She said she doesn’t want to be the focus,” Gregory said slowly.

“She’d prefer to watch, and maybe help a little as needed,” Jenn said. She’d finished undressing and swayed slowly toward the bed.

The idea of Mindie sitting in a corner like Darkness had done in their dreams came to his mind. He could easily imagine the timid healer reclined and enjoying herself while Jenn and Yukiko pleased him.

Yukiko’s arms encircled his waist from behind. “I see you like the idea, dear one.”

“Reminds me of our times with Darkness,” Gregory explained.

“Yes, and you enjoy those moments” Yukiko murmured, kissing his back. “Now come. Our fighter waits for us to tame her.”

“As my hearts wish,” Gregory said with desire, letting Yukiko direct him toward their wife.

Chapter Twelve

Over the next week, they finished the book on suppressing aether, then worked on both that and exuding aether. Gregory found it odd that any magi could exude their power, but that only spirit paths had the control to suppress it, leading to an evening of debate over why that might be.

With that book done, they shifted their attention to reading about the Resonant Mind during the carriage rides. That was slower going, and had been written by the original Han Merchant clan head. Yukiko mentioned that it was strange that two of the original great clan heads managed to combine paths— that conversation took an entire night, as well.

Mindie worked on her unarmed combat and was improving quickly. Rafiq encouraged her every day that she sparred with him. Egil pushed each of them hard during that time, and grinned every time he fought Gregory, even when no aether was used. Whenever Gregory used foresight, he won every match against Egil, and was getting faster at doing so.

Because some of the inns they stayed in didn’t have giant tubs, they didn’t always get to bathe together. For those places, Gregory would bathe with his wives in one room while the others used the second. When they did all get to bathe together, Gregory continued to alternate who he scrubbed down, giving their ears and tails attention when he did.

~*~*~

They’d stopped in a large town called Burton the previous evening. Yukiko told them that it was the last empire town before Buldoun, and had actually once been a part of Buldoun before the empire took it during a war. Over dinner, Lightshield informed all of them that they would be arriving at the venue the following afternoon. It was being held in Anders, a city just across the border.

They did their best during the trip the following morning to focus on the Resonant Mind, but they were all eager to arrive for the tournament. After a couple of hours, Gregory chuckled and put the book away.

“Okay, I think we’re all having trouble,” Gregory said.

“I’ve tried to stay focused,” Roshana admitted.

“Me, too, but I know I’ve failed,” Clover sighed.

“Even Greg’s been distracted,” Yukiko smiled.

“You, too, Yuki,” Jenn said, “but you’ve been to Buldoun before.”

Yukiko looked into the distance. “Yes... my distraction is different.”

“You think your former betrothed will be here?” Gregory asked.

“Part of his family will be, at least. This event will have brought the most influential traders to Anders. It’ll be easy to make trade deals with the empire while we’re here.”

“Former betrothed?” Mindie asked.

“Before my age day, I was betrothed to Dan Yulin, the heir to the Yulin merchant empire of Buldoun. That was broken when I became a magi, thankfully.”

“Because it let you marry Greg?” Clover asked.

“Mostly... also because he was more like Nick.”

“A self-important ass?” Ling asked.

Yukiko giggled. “Yes.”

“Will he cause trouble?” Mindie asked.

“Unlikely,” Yukiko replied. “The Yulin family broke off our betrothal because marrying a magi would mean that I would control the family after his death, and I would live for centuries.”

“I should thank them, then,” Gregory said, taking her hand.

Jenn placed her hand over his and Yukiko’s. “We should.”

Mindie licked her lips, then added her hand to theirs. “We should?”

All three of them looked at Mindie. She flushed, but didn’t remove her hand.

“Bold,” Yukiko said softly before placing her other hand atop Mindie’s.

Clover’s hand suddenly landed on Yukiko’s other hand as she leaned across Gregory. “In time, we’ll need to, too.”

A second later, Ling and Roshana’s hands were added to the pile, leaving Gregory pressed down between the seats, underneath three women leaning across the aisle.

All of them laughed and smiled broadly, as they were certain it was true.

They spent the rest of their travel time with Yukiko telling stories about some of the things she’d seen during her trips in Buldoun. It was only an hour into those when the carriage began to slow.

Looking out the window, Clover saw the city ahead of them. “Oh! The walls are tall.”

“Prepared for another war,” Ling said. “They’ll need an earth magi to stop ours from tearing them down easily.”

“They can field them, and one might live in the city, making it more important for them to defend it,” Yukiko said.

“I wonder if we’re going into the city?” Roshana asked, having looked out the other window. “I see a couple of structures outside the walls and a lot of very large tents.”

Yukiko shifted so she could see what Roshana had. “Hmm... those weren’t there a couple of years ago. I agree that that’s probably where we’ll be.”

“Why not inside the walls?” Mindie asked.

“There are a lot of magi in our group, more than enough to be a serious threat. Buldoun suggested this event, but they might still want to minimize the danger to the city at the same time.”

“A sage, an elder, a handful or more of magus-tiered magi, and over a dozen apprentices,” Gregory said. “If we were all in the city, we could easily take it.”

“It shows that Buldoun is confident enough to let us get close, but cautious enough to not let us all in at once,” Yukiko said.

“Like they wanted to show us that they aren’t afraid, but they actually are a little afraid?” Jenn asked.

“That’s what it looks like to me.”

“So we won’t be able to go into the city?” Clover asked.

“We don’t know,” Gregory said. “They might let in a few of us at a time, if we even have time to go inside. There’s no saying how busy this tournament will be.”

“That’s a good point,” Ling nodded. “But if we do get time?”

“It’d be good to see one of their cities,” Jenn said. “I’ve been curious how different it is.”

“If we go, we should try to go as a group,” Yukiko said. “Or at least go with me. They’ll try to take advantage of you. I have a good idea of prices, at the very least.”

“Agreed,” Gregory said, then shifted to look out the window with Yukiko. “Looks like we’ll be a mile or more from the city itself.”

“Hard for us to get close without being seen that way,” Yukiko said. “They might have said no advanced spatial magi.”

“Because the grandmaster at the academy could put himself, Laozi, and Lightshield right in the middle of the city if he was here,” Mindie said.

“Exactly. Without a magus or above-tier spatial magi, there can’t be a surprise attack inside the walls.”

“Maybe they kept us outside for our safety, too?” Jenn suggested.

“To stop anyone from targeting us easily?” Ling asked.

“Any real incident might be used as a reason for war,” Yukiko mused. “If one or more of us are killed, it would give the empire a solid reason to attack.”

“So not for us, but to give even less of a chance for an incident to happen,” Mindie said.

“That seems far more likely to me,” Yukiko said. “The average citizen of Buldoun won’t bow to magi like those in the empire will. Imagine Nick in such a place.”

“Stops us from causing a problem that would let Buldoun demand compensation,” Clover said.

“Which is what they would want,” Yukiko nodded.

“I’m sure we’ll hear about the rules once we get there,” Gregory said as he shifted back to sit between the seats.

“I would be shocked if there weren’t any,” Yukiko said, reclaiming her seat.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the site. When they finally came to a full stop, Gregory got out, helping the women down one by one. By the time he’d finished, Lightshield was waiting for them.

“Apprentices and Adept,” Lightshield smiled, “we are a mile from Anders. This is where we will be for the next few weeks. We will be heading to our encampment shortly, but carriages stop outside the overall area to make things easier when inside the venue.”

Gregory could see the other clans spread out around the area. There was a knee-high wooden fence, and it clearly delineated the boundary of the space.

“There are rules that need to be observed while we are here. We are technically inside Buldoun, so their laws will be enforced. Now, there is some leeway given since we were invited, but do your best to not break any, not that I expect any of you will.”

None of them spoke, so he continued, “The tournament is two parts, the first is fighting, which centers around teams of three. I am sure a few of you are wondering why some of the other groups were vastly reduced.” Lightshield looked at Yukiko when he said that. “The Empire’s Gambit tournament will have the potential to be much larger, but will also start with three people per team.”

Gregory caught sight of the Eternal Flame group entering the area, but focused on Lightshield.

“The tournaments do not start for three days,” Lightshield said. “That gives you tonight and the next two days to explore as you wish. The city is open to you, but not to anyone of magus or a more advanced tier. Your family is staying at the inn your father has used before, Yukiko. If you wish to find them, they will be there.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“I have to reiterate that you represent the clan, and also the empire,” Lightshield went on. “I know none of you will tarnish either, but I have been ordered to remind you. Now, are there any questions?”

“How will the tournaments be held, sir?” Gregory asked.

“Hmm... a good question. The fighting tournament will be a round-robin for the first round. You will fight each of the opposition once apiece, with a day off between the days of fighting. After that, your clan groups will be against each of their groups, with days off between those. Then, there will be a mass fight with the empire teams against the Buldoun teams all at once. Do you know why?”

“To show off each fighter’s skill, our clan cohesion, and then, the full strength of each side,” Ling answered first.

“Correct,” Lightshield smiled. “As for the Empire’s Gambit tournament, it will pit a wide swath of border as the battlefield, with Buldoun clashing with the empire. Most of you will be separated and have to deal with invading forces. In time, you might get to push back into their side. Who is placed where and what they face is still to be decided. That side of the tournament will take place after the fights, giving everyone the chance to take part.”

Gregory blinked, surprised he wasn’t being excluded. “I can play this time, sir?”

“There is a chance— it is slim, but there currently,” Lightshield said. “The downside to that tournament is that everyone will be sequestered during play to make sure no one cheats. We will be watching their players, and they will be watching ours. The main board will be viewable by anyone, like the main board was during your tournament finale.”

“Will we be safe being separated?” Clover asked.

“Yes. No tricks or sabotage will take place during the tournament. Any other questions?” When no one spoke up, he smiled. “Let us go see our quarters for the duration. Then, you are free to do as you wish.”

They were the last group to head into the small tent city that was the tournament venue, but Gregory felt excited. Glances at his friends showed the same levels of excitement in them as they followed Lightshield and Hemet inside.

Chapter Thirteen

It wasn’t packed, but the little tent city was surprisingly busy already. Merchants were set up underneath awnings, calling out to people who were walking nearby. Businesses that were better off had signs hanging from the fronts of mostly-enclosed pavilions.

Gregory noted the few he thought they’d be interested in checking out later. The one that caught his attention the most was a scrivener with two guards to help make sure his collection of books and scrolls didn’t wander off.

Most of the businesses there seemed to be focused on food stalls. A wide array of food was being cooked and served as people waited. The scents mostly worked together, but at times, there was a clash of odors that made Gregory wince.

Lightshield turned down a different path rather than continuing to follow the main street. That eventually led them to an area that displayed the academy emblem. Past the first few academy pavilions, tents with clan emblems started appearing. Aether’s Guard was on the far side, as far from the Eternal Flame as they could be.

Their closest neighbor was the Iron Hand. Magus Klim stood outside her clan’s main tent, directing her apprentices to their designated places. She glanced their way and gave the group a nod before going back to making sure her clan was set up as she wished.

Lightshield paused when they reached the collection of large canvas structures— they were much larger than what Gregory would’ve called tents. “Hemet and I will be staying in this one.” He gestured toward the first tent. “The three tents behind this one are for you to split. I figure that you can divide yourselves as you see fit?”

The group agreed they could.

“Very well. Remember the rules, and be ready to fight when the time comes,” Lightshield said. “And try to enjoy yourselves.” With that said, he started for his tent with Hemet walking beside him.

“We should check the tents, first,” Jenn said, everyone agreeing with her.

Walking around the elder’s tent, they found clear paths marked out. Roshana and Mindie headed to the left while Clover and Ling went right. That left the largest of the three tents for Gregory and his wives, not that any of them were small.

Stepping inside, Gregory paused just within the entryway. The tent had separate rooms divided by cloth. The front room held a table with chairs, along with a couple of divans to relax on. Yukiko and Jenn stopped to change their boots for slippers, and Gregory just had his boots change how they looked.

“Some days, I envy you those boots, dear one,” Yukiko said.

“Agreed,” Jenn said.

“Maybe we’ll find more pieces in time?” Gregory suggested.

“Darkness told you that there might be more still hidden away,” Yukiko nodded. “Left or right first?”

“Left.”

“Right.”

The two words were nearly on top of each other as Gregory paused in going left, and Jenn stopped going right.

Yukiko snickered. “Well, I guess I’ll break the tie. Left first.”

“We’re not often out of sync,” Jenn said, joining them.

“It’s going to happen sometimes,” Gregory said. His arm went over her shoulder when she joined them.

“Considering how often we all agree without discussion,” Yukiko said, “I think it’s odd that we aren’t out of sync more often.”

“I guess that’s true...” Jenn admitted.

The curtain to the left is what blocked the bedroom from the front room. The bed was large enough for the three of them, with a wrought-iron frame depicting trees. It stood in the exact center of the room with a lantern hanging just over the headboard, where they could snuff it with little difficulty at night.

“We don’t need to unload any of our things,” Yukiko said slowly as she eyed the chests and armoire in the room, “but we might want to place a few things that would be okay if people found them.”

“Setting a false camp,” Jenn grinned.

“Exactly.”

“I think it’s a good plan. We should tell the others to do the same,” Gregory said. “They don’t have the same storage space we do.”

“Agreed,” Yukiko smiled. “Let’s get it set up, then check the other side.”

It didn’t take them long to each place a couple of outfits in the armoire, and a few odds and ends in the chests. With that done, they crossed to the other side of the three-room tent. The right-hand space held a copper tub big enough for two people. The only other item was a bell resting on a table with a note.

Yukiko read the note first before handing it to Gregory. “The bell will summon our single staff who will take care of anything we need.”

“Like filling the bath,” Gregory said when he read the examples at the bottom of the paper.

Jenn took the offered letter, reading it over. “Some of them will abuse this,” she said a bit stiffly. “Massages as needed? With the Eternal Flame here?”

“I do feel bad for them, but the staff here have the laws to back them,” Yukiko said. “If one of them tries to do too much, the clan will find themselves in trouble.”

“Oh?”

“If one wants… ‘special attention,’ they would need to visit one of the establishments that are allowed by the city. Staff are protected from force in such matters,” Yukiko explained.

“That’s good, at least,” Gregory said.

“What should we do today?” Jenn asked as they went back to the living room.

“It’s a little after midday, and the city is only a mile away,” Yukiko said. “We could go see my parents. They should have Elsa and…” She trailed off as her mind caught up to an inconsistency she hadn’t thought of before. “Oh...” That single word was full of sadness.

“What?” Gregory asked. “We all want to see her.”

“She isn’t here...” Yukiko whispered. “My parents sent for her a week before we left the academy. We were using enchanted tack on the carriages. She wouldn’t have been.”

Realization dawned on both Gregory and Jenn as they considered the distances they’d traveled. The three of them took their seats in silence as a hope of theirs was just snuffed out.

Clover and Ling arrived a minute later, with Clover chatting excitedly about the food she’d smelled on the way to their quarters. They called out to the others from just outside the tent.

“Come in,” Gregory told them.

“What’s wrong?” Ling asked as they stepped inside.

“We thought we’d see Elsa,” Jenn said, “but Yukiko just pointed out that she can’t be here already.”

“Not enough time between her leaving and now,” Yukiko said. “My family doesn’t have enchanted carriages.”

“Oh...” Clover’s sadness was easy to hear.

“That is unfortunate,” Ling sighed. “I’d been looking forward to seeing her again.”

“We were discussing what to do with the rest of today,” Gregory said. “We were thinking about going into the city to see her parents, and that’s when it struck her.”

Ling and Clover joined them in a mild depression that something they’d been looking forward to had been ruthlessly shattered for them. The five of them sat there for another minute in silence before the last two showed up.

“Come on in,” Gregory said when Mindie called out to them from outside.

“What’s wrong?” Roshana asked.

Another round of explaining the situation had Roshana looking sad, too. Mindie looked at all of them, then cleared her throat. “Who is Elsa?”

Six pairs of eyes looked at her in confusion before Yukiko snorted softly. “Right... you never went to the orphanage. Sorry, Mindie. Have a seat.”

Mindie took the open spot on Yukiko’s left.

“Elsa was a street urchin who Gregory helped in our novice year,” Yukiko said. “She was the start of the new orphanage supported by the clan.”

“I had no idea the clan started one,” Mindie said.

“It was just before we left,” Jenn said. “Let’s tell the story from the beginning. Greg?”

“Right,” Gregory exhaled slowly. “It all started on our first day off. Yukiko and I went into the city…”

~*~*~

Silence filled the tent for a few moments as Mindie processed everything. “That explains the sadness,” she finally said. “I agree with Yuki. She wouldn’t be here if they didn’t have an enchanted carriage.”

“Yeah,” Gregory agreed. “It kind of took the wind right out of us.”

“I can see that. I’m a little sad now, too. She means so much to you that I wish I’d had the chance to meet her.”

“In time, you will,” Yukiko said, trying to put aside the feeling of loss. “If she isn’t a magi of the clan, she’ll be our maid, just like Greg said.”

“Which means she’ll be a member of our family in a different way,” Mindie smiled. “Yes. I just felt a sudden need to see and speak with her before then.”

“We should do something,” Clover said, jumping to her feet. Her smile was fragile, but she had one on her face. “If we do something, it’ll help us move past the sadness.”

“But what should we do?” Roshana asked.

“We go into the city,” Yukiko said, standing up. “You four have not yet met my family, and you should before things happen.”

The four who weren’t married to her looked a little daunted. Ling was the one to ask, “Will they… understand?”

“We’ll introduce you as friends for now,” Yukiko smiled, “as that is very truthful. It will let them know who we speak of later, and it will also give you the chance to meet them.”

“It’s a good plan,” Gregory said. “That should also help us push past missing Elsa.”

“Before we leave,” Jenn asked, standing up, “did you settle into your tents?”

“In what way?” Ling asked.

“Did you leave some clothing or small knickknacks behind?” Gregory asked.

“No...?” Clover said questioningly, but then started to nod as she said it. “Oh, false camps?”

“False camps?” Mindie asked.

“Making it look like your things are there when you aren’t,” Yukiko said. “We thought it best to make it look like we’ve left our belongings here.”

“To fool anyone who wants to find something,” Roshana said, understanding. “They might plant something into our belongings, or try to take small items left behind.”

“Who would do that?” Mindie asked.

“Nick, for one,” Gregory grunted. “But our hosts might not be above such things, either. If we make it look like we’ve left our stuff here, it also muddies the question of spatial storage.”

“I could leave a few of the least alchemical healing items behind, and two sets of clothing,” Mindie said.

“Greg, do you really think it’ll be an issue?” Ling asked.

“It never hurts to take precautions,” Gregory shrugged. “I hope it doesn’t matter, but I’d rather be prepared.”

“Five minutes,” Clover said before heading for the exit.

“Or less,” Ling said, walking quickly after Clover.

“Maybe a little more,” Mindie said, not about to keep people waiting for her if she could help it.

Roshana hesitated, but then smiled at the backs of the other three. “We’ll hurry.”

Chapter Fourteen

It didn’t take the group long to arrive at the city gates, as they were only a mile away. They didn’t run, but their fast walk was still significantly faster than others. There were guards watching people enter and, as the group of seven approached, they took interest in them.

One of the guards motioned them to stop. “Magi, you do know the laws of Buldoun will be observed inside the walls, correct?

“We do,” Yukiko said. “I’ve been here before I was a magi, sir. I’ll make sure my friends and I conduct ourselves accordingly.”

The man was caught off guard by the polite tone— the other magi he’d dealt with had been less pleasant. “Very well. Enjoy the city of Anders.” He waved them through, watching them go until they were out of sight.

The street was busy with lots of people bustling about, but Gregory noticed that a bubble of space was open around them. “Yuki... are we threatening?”

“We’re all wearing clan kimonos and are moving as a group,” Yukiko replied. “While normally, they would think nothing of jostling someone in their way, I believe that having a full group of magi is allowing us some room.”

“Do you think two or three of us would be afforded the same space?” Roshana asked.

“Perhaps? Everyone in the city has to know about the tournament. Causing an incident with a magi might have repercussions beyond the immediate.”

“Where’s the inn?” Clover asked as they walked.

“We’ll get there soon,” Yukiko chuckled.

Gregory looked at the architecture— it had a more utilitarian aesthetic than he’d seen in the empire. The biggest difference was in their roofs; every major building here had statues with open mouths on the corners. He made a mental note to ask Yukiko about them later.

“No one here wears kimonos?” Mindie asked.

“No. It’s dresses or skirts and blouses for women, and all the men wear shirts and pants. The wealthier wear full suits with jacket and tie,” Yukiko said, motioning to a few people as examples. “You can tell a lot about who a person is in Buldoun based on their clothing. The style, quality, and state of repair of their outfit can speak volumes if you know what to look for.”

The rest of the group started watching the people around them, trying to gauge what Yukiko had told them. That had them all busy as Yukiko guided them toward the inn.

The sign on the inn declared it to be Warm Slumber. The building showed recent upkeep, as some of the roofing was a shade off in color to the rest. The door looked new, or at least had had a new stain applied to the wood.

Stepping into the taproom, Gregory grinned. At least half of the place was filled with Warlin’s guard, while the other half had a good amount of partial-eurtiks. Hintle, the second in command of Warlin’s guards, saw them enter and was quick to greet them.

“Little Miss, it is a surprise to see you,” Hintle said when he got close enough. “We thought you wouldn’t be getting in until tomorrow.”

“We arrived an hour ago,” Yukiko smiled. “Are my parents here?”

“They are. Let me inform Lin that you are here. I believe your father is conducting a business deal.”

“Ah, yes, that is what he would do,” Yukiko grinned. “Go ahead. We’ll wait.”

“A table for you,” another guard said as he and a couple of others moved away from it.

“We won’t keep you from it for long,” Yukiko said, motioning the others to the table. “Thank you.”

“It is our pleasure, Little Miss.”

Gregory caught glimpses of the non-guards watching them with confusion. Clearly, the fact that at least four of them were partial-eurtik was curious to them.

One of the patrons was curious enough to be bold and ask, “What’s your clan?”

“Aether’s Guard,” Clover beamed.

“Never heard of them,” the man grunted. “New clan?”

“No,” Ling smiled, turning her cat eyes on him. “Aether’s Guard was one of the first clans. It fell out of favor for... reasons.”

That got a few nods from around the room.

“Because of who they accept?” the man asked.

“Aether’s Guard doesn’t hold to the prejudices some other clans do,” Yukiko said. “We are making a name for the clan again. We are showing that it doesn’t matter who your parents are as long as you strive and can believe in Aether.”

A murmur started up from the crowd.

“We’ll be one of the clans competing in the tournament,” Jenn said. “You have a chance to see us in action.”

“I thought the fighting was only three people?” the bold man asked.

Gregory took stock of the speaker. He reminded him of Steva, and it finally clicked that the man was part-rat eurtik. “It is. Yukiko, Jenn, and I will be the three fighting, as our magics are better for that. Clover, Ling, and Roshana will show their tactical minds for the Empire’s Gambit portion of the tournament.”

The inn was surprised that he basically just said the eurtik in the group were better tactically than the ones who looked mostly human.

“Settle down!” the woman behind the bar said imposingly.

Tall and broad, Gregory thought she’d be more at home with a hammer in her hand, pounding metal, than being a bartender. Kind of like Kassidy Micklen from Waterrock, but without the horns.

The inn quieted back down when she spoke up.

“Magi, I didn’t expect any of you to find my inn, much less seven of you, and one of you is an adept, no less. My customers will behave themselves. If they give you any trouble, just tell me.”

“Ma’am,” Gregory said, making sure he had her attention, “we don’t mind friendly questions. The inn we frequented the most in Wesrik was much like this place. The clientele looks very similar, and we always felt at home there. While we won’t be in Buldoun for long, we appreciate finding a place where we can all feel comfortable.”

“Not ‘ma’am,’” the bartender said. “I’m Calitona Puller. This is my inn. I recognize one of you, Yukiko Warlin, as the daughter of one of my customers. Welcome back, Warlin.”

“It’s good to see you again,” Yukiko smiled. “My name is Yukiko Pettit now. Gregory is my husband. We were married nearly a year ago.”

That caused another stir, and Puller’s brow furrowed. “I thought you were betrothed to a merchant family from Buldoun?”

“When I became a magi, they broke the betrothal,” Yukiko replied.

“And then I became the luckiest man in the world,” Gregory said, putting his hand on hers.

Conversations exploded all over the taproom, and Puller just let the inn talk. That worked out, because Hintle came back out at that moment. He scanned the room as he crossed to the group.

“Your parents are ready for you, Little Miss.”

“Hintle, I think that name can be put aside. Please let all the guards know. They can call me ‘Yuki,’ instead.”

“I will do my best.”

The group stood up to follow Hintle, and Yukiko gave the guards who’d given up their table a smile. “Thank you.”

“Our pleasure, Yuki…” the man said slowly, as if uncertain about the new name.

She gave him a dazzling smile before she walked side-by-side with Gregory down the hall.

The inn had two private dining rooms, or at least had doors on opposite sides of the hall that looked identical. Hintle led them toward the right one, knocked, and then waited. Lin opened the door from the inside, giving them a knowing smile.

Entering the room, Jenn froze. Seated with Hao and Yoo-jin were people she hadn’t expected to see. Adolphus and Umbrose, her parents, were there, but so were two others. One was obviously related to Jenn, though vastly different from her. She was tall and broad, as if she’d gotten the exact opposite features that Jenn had from her parents, but had the same hair and eyes as Jenn. The other woman was older, like Umbrose, and was an equal height to Adolphus, but had a plump, motherly figure to her.

“Mother, Father, Sister, and Aunt…err…Mother Ulga?” Jenn stammered.

“They wished to see you one more time before you’re posted in places it would be much harder for them to reach,” Hao smiled. “Besides, family should help each other.”

“It’s a pleasure to see you both again,” Yukiko smiled at Umbrose and Adolphus. “And to meet you both,” she directed at Jenn’s sister and Ulga. “I’m Yukiko, daughter of Hao and Yoo-jin, and this is my husband with Jenn, Gregory Pettit.”

Ulga’s smile was wide. “I thank you. It is because of you and Gregory accepting Jenn that I’m married to Umbrose and Adolphus now.”

“Oh, hugs,” Umbrose said, getting up and coming around the table to hug her daughter, Yukiko, and Gregory.

Ulga joined her, and Gregory’s smile strained a little as he thought about his own mother. He sniffled once when Yoo-jin joined in, but otherwise showed no outward distress. He even managed a laugh when Umbrose went on to hug the rest of the women.

“Umbrose, you’re embarrassing her,” Adolphus sighed.

“Nonsense!” Umbrose said. “You don’t mind, do you?” she asked Jenn.

“No, I don’t mind,” Jenn said, thinking about how her parents would react if they knew they were thinking of inviting the others into the marriage in time.

“Father, Hintle said you were talking business when we arrived,” Yukiko said once the hugging was over.

“I was. With Adolphus.”

“He’s being very generous,” Umbrose interrupted.

“Sister, it’s good to see you,” Jenn said as she took her seat. “Yuki, Greg, this is my younger sister, Candace.”

“You’ll be getting to your age day soon,” Yukiko said.

“Yes. I don’t know if I want to be a magi or not...”

“I always wanted to be a magi,” Gregory said, “but Yuki never did.”

Candace eyed them both, then bowed in her seat. “Thank you. For giving her happiness, and for helping Ulga be happier, too.”

“We’ll always do our best for Jenn,” Gregory said.

“Always,” Yukiko agreed.

“We haven’t met your new friends, Yu,” Hao said.

“Sorry, Father,” Yukiko said. “Ling, Clover, and Roshana are part of our tactics group. They are dear friends, and we were very happy they joined the clan.”

Greetings were exchanged between the trio and the others at the table.

“Mindie is the healer who was always there to help us during our training. She joined the clan just before we left the academy.”

“I remember you,” Yoo-jin said. “You helped with Yu’s eye, and with Gregory’s injuries.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Mindie said, bowing her head.

“She’s done much more than that,” Gregory said. “Every time we’ve sparred and been injured, Mindie’s been there. We’re as strong as we are now because she’s supported us.”

Mindie flushed. “That isn’t—!”

“It is to us, Mindie,” Yukiko cut her off, covering Mindie’s hand with her own.

Hao’s eyes darted to their hands. “If my daughter holds you in such esteem, it is warranted.”

“She has never had many friends, and now, she has many,” Yoo-jin smiled, having also noticed Yukiko covering Mindie’s hand.

“I just want to heal, and they’ve always been honest and kind,” Mindie said. “I’ve never seen them once act badly to others without reason. Even those who should get no kindness have been given some.”

“Which might have been a mistake...” Jenn muttered. “We can’t continue to keep giving clear enemies chances.”

“Enemies should be dealt with harshly so they can never raise a hand to you again,” Lin said from beside the door.

“We’ll be doing so in at least a few cases,” Gregory replied.

“We didn’t expect you before tomorrow,” Yoo-jin said, bringing the conversation back to pleasant topics.

“We arrived today and wanted to see you,” Yukiko said, but her smile faltered. “Who is caring for Elsa with you here?”

Yoo-jin’s smile grew. “You worry for her?”

“She left only a week before us and wouldn’t be able to make it to you, much less here, before we did,” Yukiko replied. “And yes, I do worry. She’s dear to us.”

Yoo-jin checked Gregory and Jenn, seeing the same worry in them. “I see. She is learning as we speak.”

“Elsa? Isn’t that the girl you have acting as our maid?” Umbrose asked Yoo-jin. Seeing everyone but Mindie focus on her, Umbrose was suddenly a little nervous.

“She is, indeed,” Yoo-jin smiled. “Spatial magic is costly, but still cheaper than the enchantment for a carriage.”

“She’s here?” Yukiko asked hopefully.

“She is. During the tournament, she is learning from Rebecca and acting as a maid for your in-laws.”

The relief and happiness on the magi’s faces were clear to everyone.

“She arrived last night,” Hao went on. “I’m glad she is here. I think it would have weighed on you, otherwise.”

“Yes,” Yukiko replied before turning to Umbrose. “She needs to learn the job, so don’t go easy on her.”

“If you happen to need her to wait on you during the fights, though, that would be okay,” Jenn said quickly.

Umbrose giggled. “I’ll see what I can do. She mentioned that her friends had helped her. I had no idea that was you.”

“I was surprised when Elder Lightshield approached us to have her brought here with spatial magic,” Hao said. “But since he had arranged and paid for it, I saw no reason to disagree with him.”

“We’ll have to thank him by doing our best,” Clover said.

“Agreed,” Jenn nodded.

“Can we see her after dinner?” Gregory asked. “We want her to meet Mindie and let her know that we’re all glad she’s here.”

“Yes!” Umbrose beamed.

“I would like to hear of the Empire’s Gambit tournament,” Hao said. “Your clan is taking part in both, I’ve heard. You’re the only one to do so.”

“A long story, Father, but we’ll gladly tell it,” Yukiko smiled.

Chapter Fifteen

The conversation lasted for a couple of hours while they explained what’d happened since the last tournament. Candace’s expression shifted to one of mild horror, and she muttered that she wouldn’t like being a magi after all.

Dinner was good, but didn’t have as much aether as the magi would have preferred, making them wonder if it was just because the inn hadn’t had enough warning. Hao told them that he would speak with the owner to see if that could be fixed for when they came to visit again.

“You wanted to see Elsa now, right?” Umbrose asked, rising from her seat once dinner was done.

“Please, Mother,” Jenn said.

“Umbrose, why don’t we let them go see her without us there to clutter things up?” Yoo-jin suggested.

“Oh, yes. That might be better,” Umbrose said before sitting back down.

“I was thinking,” Yukiko said slowly, “our quarters have an attendant to care for things. If it’s possible, would you be okay with us taking Elsa for that role?”

That got Gregory and Jenn’s attention. “Can we even do that?” Gregory asked.

“I don’t know, but Elder Lightshield might. I thought we could ask him tonight. If it’s allowed, we could let her care for us briefly. That is, if you don’t mind?” she asked, looking back at Umbrose.

“Oh, that’d be fine. I don’t really know what to do with a maid, as it is.”

“We aren’t telling Elsa this, right?” Jenn asked. “I don’t want to raise her hopes, then crush them.”

“We’ll just see her, but not tell her for now,” Yukiko agreed.

“She’ll be so happy if it’s allowed,” Clover grinned.

“I agree,” Ling smiled.

“I think that servant is for all three of our tents,” Roshana said. “I only saw a single small tent behind ours.”

“I think she’d be happy to care for you, too,” Gregory said.

“We’ll just need to be mindful that she’s still a young girl,” Mindie said. “We don’t want to overwork her, either.”

“We should go see her now and put that worry off for later,” Jenn said.

“Fourth floor, fifth room,” Umbrose said.

“Thank you,” Gregory said.

The trip up to the room was quick. Gregory ended up at the front of the group, so he knocked on the door. It took a minute, but the door opened to reveal Elsa in her maid outfit. Gregory grinned as he watched her expression shift from polite to shock to joy.

“How can…? Greg!” Elsa started, paused, then nearly shouted his name and hugged him tightly.

Gregory hugged her back. After the thought of her not being there, having her hug him was a balm to his soul. “It’s good to see you, too.”

Elsa stepped back quickly, clearing her throat, as she tried to recover her poise. “How can I help you, Magi?”

“We came to see you,” Yukiko smiled.

“Oh, but…” Elsa licked her lips. “I’m supposed to be working for Jenn’s mom.”

“They know,” Jenn grinned. “It’s okay to spend some time with us.”

“Please, come in,” Elsa said, stepping aside. “Clover, Ling, Roshana, it’s good to see you too. Oh, Adept, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Elsa curtsied to Mindie.

Mindie was a little uncertain as she entered the room. “Elsa, it’s an honor to meet someone who’s special to my dear friends,” she bowed formally to her. “I’m Mindie Laka, a healer.”

Elsa’s cheeks went pink just a touch, but she was smiling broadly. “Thank you, Magi. Oh, are you the one who was always helping them with their training?”

“She is,” Yukiko said, moving over to rest her hand on Mindie’s shoulder.

Elsa bowed formally to Mindie. “Thank you, Mindie.”

Now, Mindie was a little awkward. “It’s what I love to do.”

“We’d thought we’d see you when we got here,” Gregory said, “but then we remembered that Yuki’s parents don’t have the same kind of enchanted carriages or wagons.”

“So when we got here so quickly,” Jenn cut in, “it dawned on us that the carriage you took wouldn’t be able to make it here in time.”

“Then, they told us when we saw them for dinner,” Clover added, nearly on Jenn’s heels.

“We were very happy about that,” Ling joined in.

Elsa’s smile was bright, and she sniffled once. “I’m happy to be here, too.”

“Father said he used a spatial magi to bring you here?” Yukiko asked.

“Yes,” Elsa nodded rapidly. “I left before you all did. It was over a week into the trip when the carriage pulled to the side of the road and stopped. I was confused, and then I looked out the window to see a stream of academy carriages go by.” She paused, clearly thinking about the memory.

Clover patted her knee. “It’s okay. We know the sudden sad feeling. We felt it when we thought you wouldn’t be here.”

“Yeah...” Elsa sniffled once before looking up at the group. “I was very sad. When we reached Tivano, I realized that your parents probably wouldn’t be there, either. I almost panicked at the thought of being left there without your mother’s guidance.”

Clover patted her leg again to keep her grounded.

“When we got to your home,” Elsa’s smile ticked back into place, “I was a little daunted about being a maid there. I had no idea how grand it would be.”

“Father got a good deal on it just after I was born,” Yukiko smiled. “Mother still says it’s more of a status symbol rather than what they need.”

“It’s impressive,” Elsa said softly. “When we got there, the head maid, Aubrey, met me.” She paused, clearly looking for the right words.

“Aubrey’s been employed by my family since my parents married,” Yukiko explained. “She’s forceful and very strict, so you’ll have no leeway with her.”

“She made things very plain to me,” Elsa said softly. “When we get back, I will be taught, and I will learn or be removed.” She looked up to meet Yukiko’s gaze. “I won’t fail, Yuki.”

“We know,” Jenn said. “We have faith in you, Elsa.”

“You’ve never disappointed us,” Gregory added.

Elsa met their eyes briefly, then took a deep breath. “Before I could do more than start placing my things into my room, she came and got me. I was taken down to the sitting room where a magi sat, waiting. He snorted upon seeing me, then took my hand, and we were outside the inn. He delivered me to your father and was gone in the next moment.”

“Spatial magi,” Roshana said. “He must have been powerful to make it from Tivano to here.”

“Probably a master,” Gregory said.

“His kimono was cobalt,” Elsa said, not sure if that would help.

“That means he was indeed a master magi,” Yukiko said. “Do you know the colors, Elsa?”

“No. I know that green is adept and cyan is magus, as those are the most often seen. You wore white when you were a novice, and you wear yellow now. But I don’t know all the colors of the magi.”

“White is for novices, and yellow is for apprentices,” Jenn said. “Orange is for initiates, and green is adept.”

“Magus is cyan,” Yukiko joined in, “while master is cobalt, and grandmaster is midnight blue.”

“Elder is lavender. Our clan leader is an elder,” Gregory added. “The academy sage is here, too. His kimono is periwinkle.”

“The emperor wears indigo,” Elsa said quickly with a smile. “Everyone knows he’s the only one who wears it.”

“That’s all the colors of the magi,” Gregory smiled, “so you can know their strength at a glance.”

“The more powerful they are, the more one needs to be mindful of what they do and say,” Ling said.

“Yeah,” Elsa said, looking distant again. “Magi can kill you and not face any punishment.”

Clover hugged Elsa to her side. “It’s okay. We’re here.”

Elsa sniffled, then wiped at her face, pushing the old memory away. “Yeah...”

“If you want to talk about it, Elsa, we’ll listen,” Roshana said softly. “We’ve all found that talking helps us.”

Elsa looked down. “But…”

“It’s okay,” Yukiko said softly. “There’s no shame in being vulnerable with your friends.”

Elsa sniffled again. “Papa… he took care of flowers. We had a garden… it was nice.” She hiccupped and leaned into Clover, who held her. “I always liked flowers. Magi came, and Papa said he wouldn’t grow it. He argued with the magi... the magi hit him, and Papa flew across the garden!” She started sobbing as she spoke.

Gregory’s heart ached, and by the looks on everyone else’s faces, theirs did, too.

“Momma started pleading with the magi, saying it was my fault that Papa wouldn’t grow the flower. She disowned me, called me trash, yelled at me... I ran. I slept in a park, and then tried to go back… but she was gone... Papa was gone... Flowers only...” She broke down, crying harder and clutching Clover.

Gregory’s jaw ached. His teeth were grinding as he thought about what happened to Elsa. He forced his jaw to relax so he could speak, “Elsa… we’re here. No one will do that to you again.”

Elsa nodded, her face buried in Clover’s kimono.

They gathered around the pair, touching Elsa’s back, whispering softly to her, and holding her. In time, Elsa calmed again. When she pulled away from Clover, she saw the mess she’d left on the kimono.

“Oh, no! I—!” Elsa started.

“It’s okay. Friends help,” Clover cut her off gently, rubbing Elsa’s hair lightly. “We’ll get it cleaned when we get back to the encampment.”

Elsa’s smile dipped again. “Yeah... you have to go.”

“We’ll see you again,” Yukiko said, going over to hug Elsa. “Do your best, okay?”

“I will.”

“We know,” Jenn smiled, moving in for her own hug.

“We never worry about that,” Gregory told Elsa when he hugged her. “Have to work hard for what you want.”

“I will,” Elsa said fervently.

Ling, Clover, and Roshana hugged her one after the other as everyone got ready to go. Mindie was the only one who hadn’t hugged Elsa. She shifted, glancing at Yukiko before she stepped forward.

“Elsa, it was my pleasure to meet you. I will do my best for those we care for. May I call you friend, and hug you, too?”

Elsa didn’t hesitate— she hugged Mindie tightly. “Always. Thank you for keeping them healthy.”

“Thank you for keeping their spirits bright,” Mindie whispered back. “They care for you as much as you do for them. It’s plain to see.”

Elsa nodded before she stepped back, took a deep breath, and then gave them all a sad smile. “Thank you for coming to visit with me.”

“We’ll see you again while we can during the tournament,” Yukiko smiled. “Good night, Elsa.”

“Good night to all of you,” Elsa said as she curtsied, then showed them out.

They were quiet after saying their goodbyes to Elsa and the two families. The silence settled over them as they walked through the city. It was only when they were outside the city that Mindie asked, “There’s no way to know who the magi was that killed her father, is there?”

“We had almost nothing to go on before,” Yukiko said. “We at least know now that her father dealt with plants. It’s not much, but maybe it’ll help. Clover and Ling will be at the academy after the tournament.”

“We’ll see what we can find,” Clover said, her usual happy tone subdued and her words slower. “That’s what we need to stop... magi being like that.”

“We’ll do our very best,” Ling said. “It’s been years, but someone might remember something.”

“Are we going to ask Lightshield tonight?” Gregory asked as they walked.

“As soon as we get back,” Yukiko said.

“Do you think we could ask him about our postings, too?” Roshana asked, nodding toward Mindie.

“Hmm... we can. The worst he’ll say is that he can’t say or doesn’t know,” Jenn said. “Though that second one is hard to believe.”

The others chuckled as they thought about how much Lightshield always seemed to know.

Chapter Sixteen

As Gregory came awake, he smiled. He was trapped between his wives, but would never complain about that. Instead, he stroked their heads, kissing them the moment they stirred. Both returned his kisses happily.

“Elsa will be beside herself,” Jenn murmured, remembering their conversation with Lightshield the night before.

“We’ll have to be mindful that she’s around,” Yukiko said, kissing Gregory’s chest, “and we’ll have to be much quieter during the evenings.”

Gregory flushed, as did Jenn.

“Which is sad, because I enjoy hearing you both,” Yukiko giggled. “I won’t push either of you for so long while she might hear us.”

“Thank Aether for that,” Gregory said.

Jenn giggled. “Thank Vera, you mean.”

Gregory laughed as both of them looked at Yukiko, who grinned back at them.

“I think it’s third bell,” Yukiko said.

“Might as well get started,” Jenn sighed. “Morning routine, then to the city?”

“Get breakfast for all of us, Magi Squares, studying the book Greg’s been reading to us, Peaceful Fist, sparring, magic practice, and then, a quick rinse,” Yukiko said, reciting what they’d agreed on last night. “That’ll get us to about ninth bell, and then we’ll head into the city.”

A bell began to chime, and they all grinned, well into dressing for the day already.

Jenn went and rang for the servant, who appeared after a few minutes, looking bleary-eyed. She explained what they wanted and the man just blinked at her a moment before he bowed, then left.

“Do you think Elsa will be able to keep up with our schedule?” Gregory asked, feeling a hint of concern.

“After a day or two, yes. Once she learns when to wake and sleep, it’ll be easier for her,” Yukiko said.

“Are you awake?” Clover’s voice came from just outside the tent.

“We are. Come on in,” Jenn said.

Clover, Ling, Mindie, and Roshana entered the tent. “We weren’t sure if we were early,” Ling said.

“Perfect for us. Food will probably be a while,” Yukiko said. “Let’s get started on Magi Squares.”

~*~*~

“I’m glad we’re having Elsa be the maid,” Ling said, when they finished training. “I don’t care for that man.”

“I dislike him, too,” Mindie added. “He clearly doesn’t like… us.” The last word was paused, but her meaning was clear.

“Buldoun still has its fair share of bigotry,” Yukiko sighed. “I look human enough that I’m not given problems here, unlike the empire. I’m just ‘exotic,’” she said with some anger.

“Yuki... it’s okay,” Gregory said, softly touching her arm. “You can tell us.”

“It was my betrothed,” Yukiko exhaled, hugging him. “It was the year before I became a magi. When Father and I came to make deals, we had dinner with my betrothed and his mother. It was here in Anders.”

Jenn moved over to hold Yukiko, as well. Yukiko gave her a soft smile before looking over her friends and motioning them to join the hug. A moment later, she was inside the middle of a group hug.

“It was awkward. Abigail Yulin did not like me in the least. She saw my heritage more than my worth. Dan Yulin, my betrothed, eyed me like a dessert that he was being made to wait for.”

Gregory kissed her cheek, and Yukiko pressed on, “Father could see my discomfort, so he suggested that we separate. That way, Dan and I could speak privately while still being supervised,” Yukiko sighed. “They took one side of the room, and I went with Dan to the other side where a Go board sat. We started playing as we talked... his mind wasn’t on the game. I’m sure he was thinking of other things.”

“Ohhh...” Clover whined, hugging Yukiko tighter.

“He praised my manners, my father’s ability at commerce, and then complimented my looks.” Her voice became clipped as she put on a bad accent. “‘You are quite the beauty, Yukiko. While most might not care for how you look, I find you quite exotic.’ It was hard not to react, but I kept the disgust and anger off my face as I focused on the game. He saw me as a prize, not as a partner.”

All of them hugged her a little tighter, wanting to soothe her.

Yukiko chuckled darkly, then smiled. “Oh, how mad he was when I won. He didn’t shout or say things he shouldn’t, but I could see it in his eyes. How dare I, a mere exotic woman, best him? He asked for a second game, and I obliged. When he lost that, he stood up stiffly and stalked away, not saying anything. I knew then that I would be very unhappy with my marriage.”

“Your father didn’t try to break it?” Roshana asked. “He seems like he would.”

“We discussed it. The agreements in place were long and binding. It would have broken our family to pay to break the betrothal,” Yukiko sighed. “He still asked me, but I told him no. I would deal with what must be and, in time, I would take over the Yulin family.” A sad smile came to her. “He laughed, hugging me, and promised to help.”

“That sounds like Hao,” Gregory murmured.

“But that all changed when I became a magi,” Yukiko beamed. “They broke with us. I never did ask Father what that cost the Yulin family. I’m sure he soaked them for all he could.”

“Ignore, remember, then repay,” Gregory said. “As your father has done time and again.”

“Yes, dear one. I’m so glad you remember that.”

“What is that?” Clover asked, wanting to know.

“My father has broken many families that have slighted me,” Yukiko explained. “He wouldn’t show that the slights were a problem, but he wouldn’t forget. When the opportunity presented itself, he would cripple them. ‘Ignore, remember, then repay’ is a motto for my family.”

“I could agree to that,” Mindie said. “I remember a number of people who’ve not been kind to me.”

“Feeling better now?” Jenn asked Yukiko.

“Yes... thank you.” She kissed Gregory first, then Jenn, before kissing the others’ cheeks. “We need to rinse and get going. Everyone, to the bath.”

Gregory stood still for a moment, then chuckled. “Quick rinses only.”

The others giggled as they headed for the bath. Clover looked back over her shoulder, giving him a wide grin. “Fine. Tail washing later, then?”

Gregory laughed along with them as his cheeks turned red, but he followed his wives and friends.

~*~*~

The bells of the city were chiming the tenth hour when they arrived at Warm Slumber. The taproom was nearly filled again, half with Warlin guards and the rest with partial eurtiks. The innkeeper gave them a nod when they entered, which they returned as they walked down the hall toward the private dining room.

Gregory knocked on the door, waiting for Lin to open it. Lin checked the door and greeted them as he stepped aside for them to enter. More greetings were exchanged between the magi and families as they took their seats.

“We’ve been told that we can substitute a staff member if we want to,” Yukiko said as soon as she was seated. “If you’re still okay with it, we’ll take Elsa with us back to camp.”

“Oh, that’s fine,” Umbrose said. “We can do without.”

“Giving her a taste of what could be, to help her focus later?” Yoo-jin asked.

“Yes. It’ll also make us happier,” Yukiko replied. “Our current staff is… not good.”

“Bigot,” Gregory said flatly. “And a little creepy. His eyes linger on them. Even if we didn’t take Elsa, we’d have to remove him.”

“I will look into it,” Hao said. “We might have upset the Yulin family with what we asked for in recompense for breaking the betrothal. Your servant might be a small reprisal.”

“Would they even know?” Jenn asked.

“Oh, yes. Your clan has been talked about a lot. Many have heard about how you swept the tournaments.”

“Will they be here?” Yukiko asked.

“I have already seen them. Dan Yulin didn’t wait long after to move on. He married the scion of another Buldoun merchant family. Together, those two families now control nearly a third of the trade in Buldoun.”

“That will make it harder on you,” Gregory said.

“If I was to continue as I have, yes, it would,” Hao chuckled. “I have already started changing the direction of my mercantile endeavors. I will let things slowly die here, while taking what I can for the next few years. By then, my other plans will bear fruit.”

Yukiko shifted as if about to ask something, but instead, she settled back.

“We have some time before lunch,” Yoo-jin said, cutting in. “We’d like to hear more about your friends. After lunch, I was thinking that we might have a small girl’s day, if you’re amenable?”

“I would like that, Mother,” Yukiko smiled. “It would also allow me to get to know my sister-in-law.”

“That will leave Gregory with us,” Hao chuckled. “I’m sure we can find a diversion for a few hours.”

“Father,” Yukiko said sweetly, “if you take him anywhere like Felina’s, I will be unhappy.”

Hao blinked, then held up his empty hands. “Ah, so he told you about the party? We will remain away from such establishments, Yu.”

“Good.” She turned to look at Clover. “Clover, why don’t you begin?”

“Me?” Clover nearly squeaked, her ears twitching. “Uh…!”

“It’ll be fine,” Jenn said softly. “You’re just telling our families a little about you, our dear friend.”

Clover took a deep breath. “Okay... umm... let’s see…”

Chapter Seventeen

Gregory took his seat again, having wished his wives and friends a goodbye. He was really curious about where they would go, but he could ask Yukiko later. “What did you have in mind for passing the time, Father?”

“You will be going to train with your men after this tournament, right?”

“Yes. The elder already told us that we won’t be returning to the academy.”

“How have your dice and card-playing been?”

“I believe I still have a solid base for them.”

“Good. We will test that. Lin, bring four of your better players in. We’ll play with live stakes, if my son-in-law has money with him.”

Gregory hesitated— he was sure the men brought in would be the best players in the unit. “I do have some money on me.”

“I don’t have much,” Adolphus added.

“Very well,” Hao nodded. He pulled his money pouch onto the table and quickly divided up what he had between him and Adolphus. “There you go.”

“Hao, I can’t—!”

“Nonsense. We are related and soon-to-be business partners,” Hao said, cutting Adolphus off. “If you feel the need, just pay me back with your winnings. If there are no winnings, then there’s no need to pay back.”

Gregory chuckled as he counted out his vela. “I know, without question, where Yuki gets it from now.” He gave his other father-in-law a sympathetic look. “Dad, there’s no point in trying to fight.”

Adolphus sighed. “Very well. We’ll start with dice?”

“Of course,” Hao grinned. “Lin, go ahead.”

Lin chuckled as he set out some vela for himself. “I want in on the game first. You want the best players?”

“No, not the best. I want to have some fun, after all. Just some of the better ones.”

“Very well.”

“What’s the difference?” Gregory asked once Lin had left the room.

“He has two guards, who are both known cheats, that are his best players. They’ve even admitted to cheating, but no one has caught them at it. They’ve since stopped cheating the others, but when we are at inns, they normally take nearly everyone at the same game.”

“Rather not play them,” Adolphus said.

“Hmm...” Gregory said slowly. “Maybe after a bit, we can bring them in?”

Adolphus and Hao gave him raised eyebrows before Hao started laughing. Adolphus looked at Hao, then nodded, laughter soon following.

“Glad you both see it,” Gregory grinned.

“Let us have some fun first, and then you can do what you are thinking of,” Hao chuckled. “Oh, those two will finally get their comeuppance.”

Lin was back a few minutes later with four of their guards.

“Not often we get asked to play with you, sir,” one of them said to Hao.

“Wait... no disrespect, Magi, but you won’t be using foresight, will you?” another of the guards asked Gregory.

“Not against you four,” Gregory chuckled.

“Thank Aether for that,” the man replied.

“Sir, what games are we playing?” The voice was higher than the others, and it took Gregory a moment to realize that the guard was female. With her hair cut short and the armor hiding any obvious clues, he’d first thought she was a man.

“Standard variants. It’s mostly to help Gregory.”

The four guards nodded as they took seats. “Because he’ll be off to train with his men soon.”

“Right after the tournament,” Gregory nodded. “Did all of you do a stint?”

“Yes,” Lin said, “except for Shelly. Women don’t have compulsory obligations to the army. She tried to join a couple of units, but they didn’t take her.”

“Idiots,” Shelly snorted.

“Better for us,” Lin chuckled. “Okay, pony up. We’ll start with Dice Pass.”

~*~*~

The hours went lazily by, with the games having ups and downs. Dice turned to cards, and it was during that point that three of the guards lost the last of their money. Gregory had been holding mostly even, and both Adolphus and Lin were down a little. Hao and Shelly had taken the majority of the losers’ coin.

“Lin, go get our two cheats,” Hao chuckled, after the three guards left.

Lin’s eyebrow went up. “You really want them to play?”

Shelly started collecting the money in front of her. “I’m out, then.”

“Stay,” Hao said to Shelly. “We have a plan. I will make up any loss on what you currently have.”

Shelly glanced at Gregory, then grinned. “I accept. What’s the play?”

“Gregory?” Hao asked him.

“Losing for a bit. Are they both dice players?”

“One of each?” Lin asked.

“Bring in the dice guy, first,” Gregory said. “Don’t want to tip our hand to the one who plays cards.”

“Won’t they think there’s something going on?” Adolphus asked.

Lin shook his head. “I can spin it that Shelly’s been getting cocky, and that we want him to pull some of her gains away. I’ll tell him that he can keep half of everything over his starting coin, and the rest gets split between Hao and me.”

“It’s been nearly a year since we used him like that,” Hao chuckled. “That Limaz merchant we met at the south border?”

“Yes. Shelly, have some bravado, if you will.”

Shelly grinned. “That I can do.”

It took Lin a few minutes to wrangle the mark back to the room. The guard was all grins when he sat down at the table, but his smile faded a little when he saw Gregory. “Magi, not going to use your magic, are you?”

“I haven’t. I’m here to learn, not win,” Gregory smiled amiably.

“Good,” the man chuckled. “So, what’re we playing?”

“High Point to begin, Burt. You start,” Hao said.

~*~*~

It was nearly a half-hour in when Gregory saw the switch, and it was very good. If not for foresight, he’d never have even known. He’d been triggering his magic sparingly to make sure he could do what he wanted to. When he finally had his moment, he went with it.

Burt grinned as he reached for the dice. There was a lot of vela on the line, and he was about to switch the dice to get the roll he needed. Just as he was about to grab them, Gregory’s hand slapped his. Two dice went flying across the table from the unexpected impact.

“Sorry,” Gregory said apologetically, “I thought it was my toss.”

Burt rubbed his hand. “Yeah, it’s fine. You’re new to gambling, right?”

“He is, but I do want to know why there are three dice on the table now,” Hao said.

Burt’s gaze jerked to the two dice that had gone flying, then toward the one where he’d been reaching. “Uh...”

“It’s not something I would have thought about,” Gregory said. “Inside the cuff of your shirt?”

Burt’s eyes grew wide for a fraction of a second. He was about to object, but Lin was laughing.

“Oh, that explains it. Easy for him to push the dice into one side, then bring out the weighted ones from the other side,” Hao nodded. He picked up the dice and rolled them a couple of times. They both came up with sixes all three times.

“He used his magic,” Burt said tightly.

“Wanted to know what the better cheats would do,” Gregory chuckled. “And they all said you were that for dice.”

“I’ve long waited to see that look on your face,” Lin laughed.

Both Adolphus and Shelly were laughing as they split the pot, which was invalidated because of cheating. They were glad that the game had ended, as Burt had been taking their money quickly.

Lin slapped Burt on the back. “That’s what we wanted you for. How’s it feel to finally be found out?”

“Terrible,” Burt grumbled. “Now everyone will know.”

“Shelly, will you keep it between those of us in the room?” Hao asked.

“Hmm, don’t know... I could make a tidy sum if I told the others for a price,” Shelly said, looking right at Burt. “I could be paid off, though.”

“Fine,” Burt sighed. “How much?”

“Oh, not a one-time cash payment right now,” Shelly chuckled. “We have the same day off in two days. I want half of what you win, then, as we’ll be going to one of the gambling halls.”

Burt stared at her, then grinned. “Deal.”

“Good,” Lin said. “I’ll go get Adam.”

Burt looked from Lin to Gregory, then back. “Going to do the same thing to him?”

“Yep. Have to learn, after all.”

Burt’s brow furrowed before he started laughing. “You didn’t lie earlier. You used honest words, twisted to misdirect.”

Gregory chuckled. “I’m learning from my wife.”

“Little Miss does take after her father,” Burt laughed as he got to his feet. “Can I have my dice back?” he asked Hao, dropping the normal dice back on the table.

~*~*~

Adam was polished— he spoke clearly, and both his clothing and gear were immaculate. He wanted to look like he belonged at a card table, and he sold it. When he’d joined them, he’d asked the same question as Burt had, and Gregory deflected it in a similar manner.

Again, it took Gregory some time to find his spot to interrupt the moment. They were playing Acey Deucey, the second game they’d opted for. Adam had taken a good chunk out of them during Trade and Barter, and Gregory had seen how he’d done it, but he wanted an example during a different game.

Adam started to deal his cards for his turn; the pot had grown large, as everyone else failed to win the round. Gregory laughed as Adam placed the cards down, showing the game’s name’s sake.

“Looks like I’ll win,” Adam grinned.

“You dealt those two off the bottom,” Gregory chuckled. “Very smoothly too.”

“What?” Adam asked, affronted. “Are you accusing me of cheating?”

“Yes, because I saw it. I also know the next card you’ll lay down from your sleeve is an eight.”

Adam’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll let you turn over the top card, then, after I match the pot.”

Gregory nodded. “Okay. Everyone heard you.” Gregory flipped the top card over, showing a two. “You lose.”

Everyone started laughing, and Adam’s face grew hot.

“Lin asked you in here so I could learn how the best cheats work,” Gregory said. “And I learned. I know when you drew from the deck during Trade and Barter that you took two cards each time, then got rid of the ones you didn’t want the same way. I would’ve called you out then, but I wanted to see more.”

“That’s why Burt was grinning like an idiot?!” Adam snarled. “He knew you were going to set me up!”

“Easy,” Lin said, slapping Adam’s back. “You’ve grifted most of the guard before you stopped. Consider this making it all even.”

Adam grimaced, then exhaled. “Sorry... the mask of indignation is natural now.”

“Shall we settle up?” Hao asked. “Shelly, same deal for him?”

“What deal?”

“I’m not interested in being paid off here and now to keep how you cheat a secret,” Shelly said with a bright smile. “I’d rather have half of your profits tomorrow. We both know you’ll be at a gambling hall then.”

Adam sighed. “Honor-bound?”

“My lips will remain sealed unless it’s to one of the people already here. You and Burt can commiserate together.”

“Fine, fine...” Adam grumbled as the pot was split between everyone but him. “Anything else, sir?” he asked Hao.

“No. Thank you for helping my son-in-law learn. And you didn’t lose much, either.” Hao separated out some vela and handed it over. “There. No loss to you at all.”

Taking the coins, Adam got to his feet. “Thank you, sir.”

“Go ahead,” Hao nodded. When Adam left, he sighed and collected his money. “The others should be back soon. Shelly, thank you for playing along.”

“I didn’t lose any from my starting funds, and I’m going to get two nice payouts from it,” Shelly laughed as she stood up. “It was my pleasure.” She slapped Gregory on the shoulder. “Anytime you want to bust cheats, just let me know.”

Gregory laughed with her as she left the room.

“Did that help you at all?” Hao asked him.

“Yes. I know about what times to look for cheats to make their moves. Thank you.”

“I made a little,” Adolphus said, passing the majority of the vela in front of him to Hao, slipping a smaller stack into his pouch. “There we go.”

Hao collected the returned vela. “It has been a good day.”

“Agreed,” Adolphus nodded.

“I’ll agree to that,” Gregory said, his vela having increased, as well.

“Not as much for me, but it was entertaining,” Lin said— his money had taken a small loss during the course of the day.

Chapter Eighteen

Gregory kissed Jenn and Yukiko’s cheeks when they showed back up. It was nearly time for dinner, so they exchanged stories. Gregory explained his day with Adolphus and Hao first. By the time he’d finished, the others were laughing at how the two cheats had been trapped.

“You had fun, which is good,” Jenn grinned.

“Educational and fun,” Gregory replied. “What did you all get up to?”

“Shopping,” Candace smiled. “It was nice. The clothing here is so different from what we have at home.”

“We didn’t spend much,” Yoo-jin said when she saw Hao lean back slightly. “Just an outfit or two for everyone.”

“And the jewelry,” Umbrose added, showing off a silver bracelet. “I tried to stop her.”

“Her daughter is just like her,” Jenn snickered. “You did try, Mother.”

Adolphus sighed. “Your family is too generous, Hao.”

“Family is precious,” Hao replied. “There’s no such thing as too generous when it comes to family.”

“After that, we visited a tea house,” Mindie added to the conversation.

“They have those here?” Gregory asked, surprised to hear about it.

“A normal tea house,” Jenn snickered. “Not a magi tea house.”

“Oh. That makes more sense.”

Yukiko caught Gregory’s eyes, hers twinkling in silent laughter. “It was very soothing.”

“We’re taking Elsa after dinner, right?” Gregory asked.

“Yes,” Yukiko smiled. “We talked about her while we were out. After dinner, we’ll go up to speak with her. As we go to leave, we’ll spring it on her.”

“You’re terrible, Yuki,” Jenn laughed.

“She does seem to like practical jokes,” Ling said.

“It’s very at odds with how she acts most of the time,” Roshana added.

“That would be Hao’s fault,” Yoo-jin said. “He loves his small surprises, too.”

“We should call for dinner,” Hao laughed. “Yu, make sure she knows that there will be nothing easy once the tournament is over.”

“I will, Father.”

“She’ll be working hard for us,” Jenn said.

“All of us,” Mindie said gently. “That single servant was the one who took care of our entire group.”

“We won’t be soft, but we won’t be brutal,” Ling added.

“What they said,” Gregory said. “But yes, dinner sounds good.”

~*~*~

Gregory had been happy with the food— the aether was higher, and it was all still tasty. “Even better than last time.”

“I believe the owner purchased better bane meat, since she knows that she’ll have magi visiting her inn,” Hao smiled. “I didn’t even have to ask her.”

“She is very attentive to her guests,” Yoo-jin smiled.

“Do you want me to come up with you?” Umbrose asked.

“No, Mother, we’ll handle it,” Jenn said. “You can come with us, Sister.”

Candace hesitated, then smiled. “Thank you, Jenn. I’ll stay with Mother and Father… and Mother Ulga. Sorry, Ulga. I’m still getting used to it.”

Ulga smiled softly. “It’s fine, Candace. It’s a big change.”

“We’ll see you tomorrow?” Hao asked.

“The tournament starts the day after,” Gregory said before the others could. “It might be better if we stay in camp tomorrow and make sure we’re as ready as we can be.”

“What about the days between fights?” Yoo-jin asked.

“Barring injuries that require us to rest,” Yukiko said. “Mindie will do all she can for us.”

“Yes, I will,” Mindie nodded.

“Very well,” Hao said. “We will be there for the fights. I made sure to acquire one of the boxes for us. It fits six, so it’s just large enough for the family. Lin will, of course, be posted on the door for us.”

“Fight well,” Lin said as the magi stood.

Goodbyes were said, and included hugs from Umbrose, Ulga, and Yoo-jin. Gregory smiled sadly as he once again thought of his own mother. He kept most of his feelings off his face, but Yukiko took his hand as they left the room. She didn’t say anything, just letting him know that she was there. Jenn took his other hand, giving him a soft smile, as well.

I know they both love me as much as I love them, Mother... he thought as he climbed the stairs. Did you see all of this before your death?

Clover was the first one to the door, so she knocked, giving Elsa a beaming smile when the maid opened the door. “Hello, Elsa.”

“Hello, Clover,” Elsa grinned. “Did you come to visit with me again?”

“We did,” Ling smiled.

“If you don’t mind?” Roshana added.

“I always enjoy speaking with my friends,” Elsa beamed. “Even my newest ones.”

“Very gracious,” Mindie giggled.

“Yes, we should probably reward her later,” Yukiko said, lips pursing as if considering. “We’ll have to find something good.”

“We should,” Jenn nodded.

“I’m sure we’ll think of something,” Gregory chuckled.

Elsa gave them all a curious look. “It sounds like you’re planning something.”

“Maybe,” Yukiko laughed before she hugged Elsa. “We might have figured out something ahead of time. Time will tell.”

Elsa laughed, hugging Yukiko back. “Thank you.”

The others collected hugs, then settled in to chat with Elsa. They explained what their day had been like, and what their days going forward would likely look like. Elsa described how she’d been doing her best to be a maid for Jenn’s family, taking advice from Yoo-jin’s maid when the families were out of the rooms.

~*~*~

It was getting late when Yukiko finally stood up. “Elsa, thank you for welcoming us again.”

“Yes, we appreciate it,” Jenn grinned. “Greg, do you think we have a fitting reward for her?”

“Hmm... not sure. I mean, we did kind of fire the servant that was taking care of us today. Perhaps Elsa would like to be our maid for the tournament? She’d have to take care of all of us. It’d be a big task, but—”

“Yes!” Elsa nearly screamed in joy as she hit Gregory with a tight hug. “Please!”

Everyone started to laugh, gathering around to pat her back and explain how they’d hoped she’d agree. Elsa cried tears of joy, as she was going to get a small taste of what she hoped her future would be.

After a few minutes, Yukiko cleared her throat. “Elsa, you need to gather your things. We need to get back. We wake with the third bell.”

“Oh. Yes, Yuki,” Elsa said, letting go of Gregory and dashing into a side room.

“She’s as excitable as Daciana right now,” Ling giggled.

“Or me,” Clover laughed.

“Or you,” Jenn smiled broadly.

“She’s so adorable,” Mindie said softly. “I wish I’d known her as long as you all have.”

“It’s been new for me, too,” Roshana said. “She’s full of happiness and joy. It’s hard to believe her own mother refused her.”

“She’s not overly eurtik like the other children,” Yukiko said, “which is why I think there’s more to her story.” She glanced at Clover and Ling. “Do your best. I’m going to help her pack.”

“We’ll give her the place she was denied,” Gregory said softly.

Mindie nodded emphatically. “Not all healing is physical.”

“We’ll be glad for your help,” Jenn said, placing her hand on Mindie’s shoulder.

“If we all help, the packing will be done quicker,” Clover mentioned before going after Yukiko.

“Yes, we should help,” Ling nodded.

Gregory watched them all go, knowing that they already had too many people helping. We’ll give you the love your family didn’t, Elsa... you and the others, he silently vowed.

~*~*~

It took a bit, but they eventually had Elsa’s things together.

“I want to make sure I understand your routine so I can do my best,” Elsa said as they left the city behind. “You wake at third bell, and breakfast is shortly after that?”

“That’s correct. You’ll need to make sure you have enough for all of us, and you,” Gregory said.

Elsa bit her lip, then nodded. “Okay, so I’ll need a cart, at least. After that, you all work on Magi Squares, then study until sixth bell?”

“A little before sixth,” Jenn clarified.

“What’re you studying?” Elsa asked.

“We’re learning about the Resonant Mind, which is combining the path of spirit and mind,” Mindie said. “It’s been very interesting. Gregory’s reading it to us.”

“Really?”

Gregory rubbed his neck. “Yeah. Been a bit weird, but we only have the one book, so one of us has to read it to the others.”

Elsa nodded, then focused back on her job. “After studying, it’s the Peaceful Fist… will I be able to join you?”

“Of course,” Yukiko said, “as long as you’re not falling behind in your tasks.”

“I won’t,” Elsa said determinedly. “Sparring follows that.”

“You could help Mindie,” Roshana said. “She’s just learning.”

Mindie flushed. “I dislike fighting, but I’m working on it.”

“I’ll help,” Elsa said before she looked at Yukiko, “if I’m not behind.”

“We doubt you will be,” Gregory smiled.

“Then, we do magic practice,” Clover said. “That means Greg, Yuki, and Jenn all fight outside with aether while Ling and I practice inside the tent.”

“I heal them during sparring and magic practice,” Mindie said when Elsa looked at her questioningly.

“I had been creating water obstacles during their fights, but I think I can fill the tubs, instead. That’ll be intensive to get them all done,” Roshana said. “After all, it means going to all three tents.”

Ling, Clover, and Mindie suddenly realized that they should probably not bathe with Yukiko, Jenn, and Gregory. They didn’t want to have Elsa asking to join them, as Gregory would take it badly.

“You can get the tubs heated for us,” Roshana went on. “And then join either me and Mindie or Clover and Ling for a quick bath.”

Elsa looked at Yukiko and Jenn. Her eyes widened and she nodded, realizing the same thing the others had. “Yes. That’d be best.”

Gregory exhaled in relief. “Maybe switch back and forth between the two groups?” he suggested.

“I will.”

“After that, our days will be open, as we’ll have trained all of our paths,” Ling said. “That means we’ll be going into the city at times to see their families.”

“Or we’ll be fighting in the arena,” Jenn added.

“After the fighting tournament, some of us will be playing in the Empire’s Gambit portion,” Roshana added.

“The fights have everyone doing a single match a day, then a day off,” Yukiko told Elsa. “We might see our families in the encampment after the days we fight, too.”

“While you’re doing that, I should be doing the laundry and getting the tents in order. Should I arrange dinner, too?”

“We’ll have to ask Lightshield if he knows what times the fights will be,” Gregory said. “I’m sure the arena will be used for other things, too.”

“Oh, good point,” Yukiko said. “We’ll find out tomorrow and plan around it.”

Elsa yawned, then shook her head. “I will do my best.”

Gregory patted her shoulder. “We know, Elsa. This is so you know what your life later might be like. You might change your mind after this.”

“No,” Elsa said emphatically. “I’ll be a magi or your maid.”

Gregory was about to reply when a vision hit him. It was split— in one, he saw the previous image of Elsa as a maid, welcoming him home. The other side was different. Elsa had on the novice kimono of Aether’s Guard, and she was bowing formally to Bishop at the clan hall. Gregory shook his head and the divided image fled.

“Greg?” Yukiko asked.

“Sorry... I’m fine,” he said, giving her a smile. He mouthed the word “later” when Elsa looked away from him.

Yukiko nodded slightly. “We’re almost there. It’ll be good night after we settle Elsa in. Lightshield said he’d make sure the other man was removed for us.”

“Good riddance,” Mindie snorted. “We’ll have much better help now.”

Elsa beamed, walking proudly beside her friends.

Chapter Nineteen

Soft voices and kisses on his chest woke Gregory. “Good morning, my lovely wives.”

“Good morning, dear one,” Jenn murmured, kissing his chest again.

“Yes... good morning, our heart,” Yukiko agreed, leaning in to kiss his lips.

“We have things to ask Lightshield about today,” Gregory said after tilting Jenn’s head back to give her a proper kiss.

“After we go through our routine. I’m going to ring for Elsa to make sure she’s awake,” Yukiko said as she got up.

“Good idea,” Jenn said. She got out of bed, as well, stretching her small frame. “Greg, about the vision you had last night... which of them felt the most likely?”

“I don’t know. It was a flash of insight. We know she’d be fine with either path. It was odd, but I’d say it could go either way.”

“Which is interesting,” Yukiko said as she dressed. “Shouldn’t a person becoming a magi be something that wouldn’t change?”

“Makes you wonder about how magi came into being,” Jenn said. “Are we born with the potential, or is it wholly dependent on the age day ritual?”

“It’s not the ritual,” Gregory said as he got out of bed. “Other nations have magi or similar, but they don’t have the same ritual as us.”

“Hmm... that makes me wonder when we’ll be taught how to do the ritual,” Yukiko said. “Or do they only teach that to the proctors and magi stationed in cities?”

“Something else we can ask Lightshield about.”

The three got dressed in short order, then made their way into the main part of their multi-room tent. Yukiko went to ring the bell while the other two took seats at the table, getting Magi Squares papers out.

Yukiko came and sat with them once she’d rung the bell. “Now to see if she’s already awake, or if I have to ring again.”

A minute later, the tent flap moved aside and Elsa came into the tent. “You’ve called for me, mistress?” She was dressed for the day and stood there with her hands folded atop her navel.

“Breakfast for all of us, Elsa. You’re starting off wonderfully.”

“Thank you, mistress. I shall see what is available for breakfast.” Elsa curtsied, then left the tent.

“Always dedicated...” Jenn murmured happily.

“She really is,” Gregory smiled.

Faint voices came from outside the tent before the others filed in. “Elsa’s off to get breakfast,” Ling said.

“Yes. We made sure she was awake and sent her,” Yukiko explained. “We might be done with Magi Squares by the time she returns.”

“We wanted to try the larger ones today,” Clover said as she took the seat beside Jenn.

“Oh? Think you’re ready, do you?” Jenn grinned.

“We want to try, but we think we are,” Ling said, sitting beside Yukiko. “The other puzzles have lost their edge.”

“I’m fine with the normal one,” Roshana said, sitting beside Clover.

“As am I,” Mindie nodded.

“Well, you two make them and pass them across,” Gregory chuckled as he slid them blank squares. “The rest of us will make them, then pass to the left.”

“Dear one, it might be best if you made one for Clover and I do one for Ling. We can then swap the others among us,” Yukiko said.

“Ah... ease them into them?”

“Yes.”

“It’s a good idea,” Jenn nodded. “It’ll also be harder for them to make some for us.”

Clover chewed her lip for a moment. “Can we ask you to make them for us for a day or two first before we try making one? I don’t want to make it too easy or too hard.”

“Clover has a good point. We do want to make them, too, but it might help if we do a couple first to get a better understanding,” Ling agreed.

“We can do that,” Yukiko smiled at them. “There’s nothing wrong with taking baby steps. Did you get resonance meditation in before bed?”

“We did,” Roshana said.

“Us, too,” Ling smiled. “I’m sure we won’t find it before we get back to the academy, though.”

“I feel like it’s just out of reach,” Roshana sighed. “But I will be patient and wait for it to come to me. Reaching for it will only delay it.”

“Agreed,” Jenn said. “It has to find you.”

~*~*~

They were working on their Magi Squares when Elsa came back to the tent. She had a cart with her, full of covered platters. Seeing them still working, she pushed the cart to the side, then stood by, waiting for them to finish.

She tried to keep her professional mask in place, but when they smiled her way, her lips twitched into a smile without thought. She didn’t lose her waiting posture, though. Baylyss would’ve been proud of her posture: heels touching, back straight, head up, with hands crossed above her navel.

Yukiko was the first one to finish her Magi Squares. “Elsa, bring it to me, please.”

“Yes, mistress.” Elsa wheeled the cart to Yukiko’s side. “They did have some aether-infused food, but not much. I spoke with the one man who was open this early. He was amenable to getting more bane meat and even some aether-infused seasonings going forward.”

Clover looked up, her brow furrowed. “Who’s paying for it?”

Elsa smiled. “When I asked him about paying, he laughed and explained that anything for the magi in attendance is being paid for by the event. He’ll be reimbursed for his expenses when he stops for the day.”

“Ah, the royals are likely paying for it,” Yukiko nodded. “They should have one of their stewards here to oversee the coin.”

“Won’t that be abused?” Ling asked, still working on her Magi Squares.

“No merchant of Buldoun would,” Yukiko snorted. “If it was found out that one of them tried to cheat the royals, they would be stripped of everything and publicly killed. However, one or two of the people here might try to ask for more than they need.”

“We can all guess who,” Jenn snorted as she finished her work.

“Nick might. He just feels entitled,” Gregory said as he put the last number down. “I’m not sure about the others. Shining Light won’t. I feel like they’re too detached to try that.”

“I’ll agree with that,” Jenn nodded.

“Hayworth might at least look into it, but I’m not sure about him. I could see it either way, and he’ll be keeping his other members in line. Harrison would, too.”

“Klim wouldn’t let the Iron Hand step out of line,” Mindie said, “but if she didn’t know…” She finished her smaller Magi Square with a smile. “These are getting a little easier every day.”

“Good,” Yukiko smiled.

“Yes, they are,” Roshana said, finishing hers.

“These are much harder,” Clover mumbled at the one in front of her.

“Go ahead and serve the table, Elsa,” Yukiko said. “Set Clover’s and Ling’s beside them.”

“Yes, mistress,” Elsa replied. “Breakfast is not what you are used to. It is thinly sliced bane boar soup with a side of rice.” Uncovering the dishes, she let the smell permeate the room. “I did ask him about changing the food up a little every day, and he was agreeable. There’s no lake or river nearby, though, so fish is unlikely.”

“Very well. We’ll have to be ready for different types of foods in the near future, as it is.”

“Smells good,” Gregory said.

“It does,” Jenn agreed, watching Elsa prepare small plates of rice and soup cups for each of them. “You got yourself breakfast, Elsa?”

“Yes, mistress. I have a bowl of regular boar soup.”

“After you serve, sit with us,” Gregory said. “There’ll be small concessions outside of the norm during the tournament that you shouldn’t expect when you’re a maid for others.”

“Yes, sir. I know that I will be waking around this time to get things prepared and have a quick breakfast. I had a couple of days of that with Jenn’s family.”

The smell of the food brought an audible rumble from Clover’s stomach. She blushed but kept working on her puzzle. “This is so difficult...”

“Done,” Ling sighed as she set her charcoal pencil down.

“Almost,” Clover said, filling in the last few spots.

By the time Elsa finished serving, Clover was finished.

“Good timing, Clover,” Jenn chuckled. “Let’s eat.”

~*~*~

Elsa moved around them, cleaning up, as Gregory read the Resonant Mind to the others. It was clear that she was listening as she worked— she was lightly chewing her bottom lip and her brow was furrowed.

When they finished studying, they pushed the table out of the way and did the Peaceful Fist, with Elsa joining them. Gregory watched her for the first few katas, grinning when he realized she hadn’t forgotten the pattern.

When sparring came around, Mindie and Elsa stayed in the tent. It was partly to mitigate embarrassing Mindie, since she was still learning, but also so that no one knew Elsa was learning with them. The others practiced in the open space between the tents, and they caught sight of Klim leading the Iron Hand through their sparring.

That hour led into magic practice— Ling and Clover went into the tent to work while Roshana took Elsa to go fill and heat the tubs. Mindie stood off to the side, ready to heal the others. Gregory exhaled as he worked with both foresight and aether sight while fighting Jenn and Yukiko. It was still early in the morning, so Yukiko had plenty of shadows to work with.

During their magic training spar, Gregory noticed that Klim and the Iron Hand had gathered to watch them. He made sure that he moved to put them behind him so both Jenn and Yukiko would notice them, as well. They gave slight nods and made sure to limit what they could do.

When the next hour bell chimed and they stopped, Klim called out, “Pettit! A moment, please.”

“Of course, Magus,” Gregory replied, going over to the clear divide between the clan areas. “What can I do for you?”

“Do you intend to spar like that in between matches?”

“Unless we need more healing,” Gregory said, seeing no reason to lie to Klim.

“Good. I would like to suggest the magicless spar to be a joint event between our groups. If you’re willing?”

A gust of wind blew over them and a tired chuckle had them both surprised to find Lightshield there, leaning on his cane. “Sorry for that. It seems that my fine control is slipping a little. We will agree to that request, Magus.”

Klim straightened, bowing formally to Lightshield. “Elder, I was going to ask you after I knew if they were willing.”

“Relax,” Lightshield smiled. “My juniors had some questions for me, as it was. I just came at a time I could also answer your question. I am not offended.”

“Thank you, Elder.”

“Gregory, make sure that everyone has a chance to learn. Between Klim and Mindie, I’m sure that there will be no injuries at the end of each spar.”

“Yes, Elder.”

“Good. Now, if you will excuse us, Magus, I need to speak with my juniors before speaking with the envoy of the royals and the overseer.”

“Of course,” Klim bowed before heading away.

“Slowly,” Lightshield said as he walked with small steps, using his cane the entire way. “I am not going to your tent, as you will be bathing shortly. Just pass my answers along to the others.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Fighting will be from tenth bell until fifteenth bell. A single fight per half-hour, as it takes time for the arena’s healing to refresh. It will be practice weapons, without armor or enchantments, for individual fights. Practice weapons with armor and a single additional enchantment for group fights. The group fights will be held at midday, thirteenth, and fourteenth bell. The last fight will be at seventeenth bell and allow you to use everything but live weapons. Outside of fighting times, the arena is being used to showcase different goods that Buldoun has for sale. Your time is your own outside of fighting.”

“Thank you, Elder.”

“As for the age day ritual, Hemet will be teaching it to all of you before the tournament ends.”

“Understood, Elder.”

“As for when and how people become magi… well… no one knows. Who can say who Aether will bless and when that blessing might come? One thing is true, though: everyone has their aether sparked through a ritual, even if the other countries have different rituals. Rafiq might have a book or two on the subject.”

“Thank you, Elder.”

“You are welcome,” Lightshield said, pausing a few feet from the tent. “Go bathe and enjoy the rest of your day.”

Gregory bowed formally and, by the time he was finished, Lightshield was gone.

Chapter Twenty

After bathing, everyone gathered back in Gregory’s tent. He explained what Lightshield had told him. Elsa was standing off to the side, waiting to hear what they were planning on doing.

“I’d suggest we spend the days we fight not going into the city,” Jenn said. “They’re already going to be full. We’ll need to cut back on sparring and magic training then, as it is.”

“Replace with resonance meditation?” Clover suggested.

“That would be good,” Roshana nodded.

“The day between fights, if we’re capable, we can schedule to go into the city,” Mindie said.

“That sounds like the best plan,” Yukiko said. “Even with you to heal us, we might not be in condition to do much after our fights.”

“A valid point,” Ling nodded.

“Today, we’re not going into the city. We’ve already told our parents we wouldn’t be,” Gregory said. “Maybe we should take a leisurely trip around the encampment?”

“Best to understand where everything is,” Yukiko agreed. “Elsa, you will come with us. This will help you know where things are, too.”

“As you wish, mistress,” Elsa said, the edge of happiness in her voice easy to hear.

“If you see anything to stop for, just say so and we’ll all pause,” Gregory said. “It’d be best if we stay together. We know there are people here who’d like to see us injured or dead.”

“Elsa, you’ll trail us,” Jenn said. “We want you to act like a servant for us, not as a friend. This will make it less likely for anyone to look to hurt you.”

Elsa swallowed, then bowed her head. “I understand, mistress.”

“We would make sure they paid for trying to do so,” Ling said with a soft growl.

“Of course,” Yukiko said, “but I’d rather she not be seen as a target.”

“Agreed, Yuki,” Gregory said. “If we’re out late enough, we’ll get dinner while we walk.”

“You’ll have extra work to make up for tomorrow,” Clover said to Elsa.

“Yes, but I will catch up then,” Elsa nodded, “if not tonight.”

“Five minutes?” Gregory asked.

“Yes, please,” Clover said, heading for the door. “I want to check something.”

~*~*~

As they went to leave their clan area, Hemet was standing by the way out. “Ahh, going out to see the sights?”

“Yes, sir,” Gregory said.

“If you can find some cores, please pick up as many as you can,” Hemet said. “Here is the money to buy them for me.”

Ling accepted it. “Is that all you need?”

“Hmm... for now, but if you see anything unique, let me know, and I will go check it myself.”

“I will keep my eyes open,” Ling smiled.

“Thank you. I just don’t care for the bustle of the crowds. Today isn’t as bad, but the next few weeks will see this place become quite lively.”

“The pickpockets will be out in the next few days,” Yukiko said. “The busier it is, the more likely for the light-fingered to ply their trade.”

“Yes. That is normal, but I doubt any of you will find yourself missing your money.”

“That’s true,” Mindie smiled.

“Let me not detain you further,” Hemet said. “I’ll be with the elder when you return.”

Saying their goodbyes, the eight of them walked away from the empire encampment. The sound of merchants calling their wares slowly grew louder as they went. Before they got out of the academy area, Gregory grinned, spotting Hayworth and his two clan members just ahead of them.

“Heading out?” Gregory called out to Hayworth.

Hayworth paused, looking back. “Ah, Pettit. Yes, we wanted to look around before we became too busy to do so. All of you are going? Who’s the girl?”

“Our servant,” Yukiko replied first. “She’s coming with us to help.”

“We wanted to see the encampment,” Clover nodded.

“Lots of non-magi about,” Hayworth said. “We could go together. Safety in numbers.”

“Never thought I’d hear that from you,” Gregory chuckled. “Unless anyone objects?” he asked, looking back at the others.

“Umm... can I speak with Adept Laka?” The man who spoke was pale and was wearing the Swift Wind kimono.

“Apprentice Binder,” Mindie smiled, “how are you?”

“Good, thanks to you, Adept. Thank you again.”

“Yes. Thank you,” the third member of the Swift Wind group said.

Gregory gave the physical enhancement magi a long look. He’d seen the man before, but something about him felt a little off. He was an inch shorter than Yukiko, but broad. Reminds me of Adolphus… is he part dwarven? He’d probably take it badly if I asked...

“You’re welcome, Apprentice Kang,” Mindie smiled. “I’m glad you all recovered as easily as you did.”

“Damned cowards ambushed us,” Kang said tightly.

“Surprised the sage let them stay,” Hayworth said, “but he would know better than us. Luckily, your clan was gracious enough to lend aid.”

“We try to help those who are friendly to us,” Yukiko smiled.

“Shall we go?” Gregory asked.

“Yes, sorry. I just wanted to thank her again,” Binder said.

“I love to heal, Oliver. It’s fine,” Mindie said.

As they started to leave the area again, Kang moved to walk beside Jenn. “I was hoping to speak with you.”

“Oh?”

“I wanted to ask about your training,” Kang said. “I understand if you don’t want to talk about it, but I felt the need to ask, at least. I haven’t seen anyone else at our level able to use their aether as sparingly as you do.”

“My teachers pushed me on conservation,” Jenn replied. “It’s about using just enough when you need it, not using it without thought. Now, it has meant that I’ve taken harder hits than I would have otherwise at times, but it’s what lets me outlast most magi of our year.”

“Hmm... I was just getting started on that before we left,” Kang said. “Your teachers push you hard.”

“No. They only match our intensity to learn,” Clover added in.

“Really?” Hayworth asked. “Well, it makes some sense. Three of you have ranked high in every tournament. I’d thought I was driven until I met you. It was one of the reasons I had to reevaluate old prejudices. I’d always been told fringers were slow, stupid, and not worth wasting time on. When Pettit showed up for the first time at the dormitory, I let those thoughts dictate my stance on him.”

“I remember,” Gregory said. “You insulted my mother.”

Hayworth sighed. “Yes... I will apologize now for that. As I said, I’ve had to reevaluate things.”

Exhaling slowly, Gregory nodded. “I accept. That almost had me come to blows with you, which would’ve made things much worse.”

“It would have. Then again… I might have suggested to a clan member that you needed to be taught a lesson. He failed once, then managed to trap you in a duel… only for us to find out how wrong we were.”

“Jenga was your doing?” Gregory asked, curious that Hayworth was admitting it so easily.

“Both times,” Hayworth shrugged. “It cost the clan the first apprentice tournament. Jenga was removed from the competition for his embarrassment to the clan.”

“Master Brem was very upset,” Binder shuddered. “Luckily, Jenga made up for it with the second tournament.”

“He was humbled by that duel,” Kang said. “Master Brem made him teach me the odachi for the first half of the year. I did my best and he was harsh with me, but at the end, he said I was an apt student.”

“Sadly, we didn’t get to see your skill much,” Clover said.

Kang tensed, his voice tight. “No... I didn’t get to do much.”

“She didn’t mean offense,” Ling said. “I think everyone was surprised by the ruling.”

“We certainly were,” Hayworth snorted. “But Kang will get the chance to show his abilities here.”

“Yes. I aim to be the best of the three physical enhancement magi from the academy in this tournament,” Kang said with a hint of challenge.

“Oh? Sounds like a wager,” Jenn chuckled. “Did you have anything in mind to back up that boasting?”

“We’ll get a chance at each of their fighters,” Kang said. “How about the one of us that does the best, overall?”

“Who’d judge that?” Mindie asked.

“We could ask either the Shining Light or Iron Hand leaders. Both pride themselves on honesty.”

“I can see how that would work, but what would be the wager?” Jenn asked.

“We’ve asked Magus Harrison. He suggested the favor owed for the healing is canceled,” Hayworth said.

“Ah, so this was already discussed,” Roshana said. “We’d need to ask our elder, then.”

“Agreed, it would be contingent on his approval,” Hayworth smiled, “but does Jenn agree to the wager?”

“Just us two. Not Jason,” Jenn said. “I don’t trust that pile of slime to be honest, nor honor the debt.”

Kang laughed. “Just us, then. We both know we’re more skilled than he is, anyways.”

“As much as I hate him, he’s still skilled with his magic,” Jenn said. “I wish I’d hit him just a bit harder in that last match, though. I checked my attack just a bit.”

“Why?” Kang asked.

“We try not to kill during tournaments,” Gregory said. “We’re here to learn and do our best, not cost the empire skilled magi... even if those magi are terrible people.”

“I can appreciate that sentiment,” Hayworth said, “but I wish she’d killed him. I still wish you’d killed Nick when you broke his spine.”

Gregory thought back to the fight Hayworth had alluded to. It was a year ago, but felt like so much longer to him. “Things would be different if I had, or if Jenn had.”

“Why do you wish you’d killed Jason now?” Binder asked, having been quiet as they walked.

“He tried to break Greg’s skull during the Empire’s Gambit tournament,” Jenn said tightly.

“What?” Hayworth asked.

Gregory explained the attack in the hallway.

“Ah, yes... that does sound like him testing your foresight,” Hayworth said.

“We need to find bane cores for the grandmaster,” Ling said. “So please, if you see them being sold, let me know?”

“I will,” Binder nodded.

Elsa trailed them, watching and listening. A spark of fear had crept into her heart about how brutal the academy was, but it didn’t diminish her hope of becoming a magi.

~*~*~

The two clans found that many of those present made way for them, not wanting to anger so many magi. As the day wore on, they’d stopped at several shops, checking books, enchantment and alchemical ingredients, and even weapons.

They’d also sampled some of the food stalls as they browsed the area. Some were empire foods, but a few were Buldoun foods that Yukiko suggested. The schnitzel was well-received, but the sauerkraut was disliked by everyone but Jenn, Kang, and surprisingly, Elsa.

As it got closer to evening, Hayworth wished them well and led his clan members back toward the academy tents. Gregory had them stop at another book shop, picking up a couple of books for Elsa. She’d stammered her thanks and clutched them tightly as they went back to their tents for the evening.

They passed on dinner, still being full from the day of snacking. They returned the extra vela, along with the purchased bane cores, to Hemet. He thanked them, pausing his game of Go with Lightshield for a few moments.

Finally back at their tents, the group split apart to do resonance meditation before bed. Elsa started to catch up on the laundry she hadn’t gotten to earlier after putting her books away.

Once Gregory was alone with his wives, he brought up a question he’d had, “I was wondering, Yuki... when do we tell Mindie the full truth?”

“I was going to wait until after you married her, dear one.”

“Has she been fully approved?”

“I’d say yes,” Jenn said. “She’s already showing that she’ll change for him, and for us.”

Yukiko hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “I’ll agree. I was waiting for after the tournament.”

“Because of the others?” Gregory asked.

“Mostly,” Yukiko said. “Also because I’m not sure how Jenn’s parents will take it.”

“Oh...” Jenn said slowly. “That’s a good point... but with Ulga with them now, I think they’d accept it.”

“It would also show the others that you mean to accept them, too,” Gregory added.

“And they’d let our other friends know. It might fray things a little for them, but I think it would push them to do their best,” Jenn smiled.

“Okay, but near the end of the tournament,” Yukiko said. “After the fighting, at least.”

“I can agree to that,” Gregory said. “I just see her glances. I think she’s worried about not being fully accepted.”

“I’ll have a word with her tomorrow,” Yukiko said.

“Meditate and expand our resonance for an hour?” Jenn asked when there was a pause.

“Yes. We don’t want to go to bed right away. Elsa will likely be back with the clothes by then,” Yukiko agreed.

“That’d be best, then,” Gregory said.

“But after our clothing is delivered,” Yukiko said, her eyes hungry, “we’ll go to bed.”

“I’ll make sure to stay as quiet as possible,” Jenn giggled.

Gregory chuckled, as his heart felt full of love for his wives. “We’ll all need to.”

Chapter Twenty-one

The morning went by without issue— Elsa was awake on time, and brought them their breakfast as they worked on Magi Squares. It was the same soup as the day before, but with beef and noodles instead. Breakfast was followed by Gregory reading more on the Resonant Mind before they lapsed into resonance meditation. Afterward, they practiced the Peaceful Fist, which Elsa joined them for.

They stopped with the eighth bell to get bathing in before their fights. Gregory had watched Elsa walk off with Mindie and Roshana to bathe, smiling that she’d fully accepted his newest friends.

It was just before ninth bell when they gathered by Lightshield’s tent, all wearing their clan-embroidered kimonos. Gregory glanced to the side to see where Klim was gathering the Iron Hand. They wouldn’t be fighting, but he was sure she wanted good seats.

Hemet came out of the tent, giving them a nod. “I’m here to escort you all to the arena. The fighters will be in the preparation area with the other academy fighters. The rest of us will be taking seats in the stands, a portion of which have been set aside for us.”

“Won’t there be problems in the waiting area?” Clover asked, the worry clear in her tone.

“Armsmaster Magi-killer will be in the room with them, along with Rafiq so he can document how each fighter prepares,” Hemet said. “I am also to warn you, per the overseer, of what he expects.” Clearing his throat, Hemet spoke gravely, “Anyone who hurts another of our contingent will face his wrath. It matters not which clan you are with, nor whom you happen to be related to.”

“That seems pointedly directed,” Yukiko smiled. “We have heard the overseer’s words and will heed them.”

“Very good.” Hemet looked to the side. “Magus Klim, are you ready?”

“We are.”

“We will not match you for precision, but we will follow,” Hemet said. “Two lines, Apprentices. Mindie and Gregory in front.”

Yukiko glanced back as they left, giving Elsa a smile. Elsa drew herself up into a formal posture and watched them go. The moment they were out of sight, she went to get her job done. “Aether, please watch over them...” she prayed as she hurried about her tasks. She wanted everything to be perfect when they returned.

~*~*~

Gregory walked at the same pace as Hemet. He watched the Iron Hand march in front of them and knew that they would give a solid impression for the Empire’s Gambit tournament. Might want to work on that a little. It really does give the impression of unity, he thought.

The crowds were larger than they’d been the past few days, but they all made way for the magi. Gregory could pick out the people from the empire from those of Buldoun easily enough, even beyond their clothing. The people from the empire watched them with respect-filled eyes, while fear or hatred was more prevalent in those from Buldoun.

The majority of the crowd was going in through a couple of massive archways, but Klim led them off to the side, where guards from the empire and Buldoun stood near a single entryway. The empire guards saluted as they approached, stepping aside. The Buldoun guards looked unhappy as they stepped aside, but they still saluted, if stiffly.

They stepped into a hallway that split to the left and right. The left had more guards near a set of stairs, and the right led to a closed door. Klim took her entire clan to the left, but Hemet paused at the split.

“Gregory, Yukiko, and Jenn to the right. The rest of us will go left. Fight well.”

The trio bowed formally to him. When the others left, Gregory turned with his wives toward the door. It wasn’t far and, upon opening it, he found Egil, Rafiq, Hayworth, and his two clanmates waiting.

“Aether’s Guard, come in and prepare yourselves,” Egil said. “Fights will be announced to everyone at the tenth bell.”

“Yes, Armsmaster,” Gregory said.

He shut the door behind his wives and glanced at Egil again. The man was wearing full armor, his face covering dangling by the strap on the left side of the helm. He held a sheathed naginata in his left hand, clearly another warning that he would intercede in a non-lethal fashion if needed.

Rafiq sat at a desk in the far corner of the room with a book in front of him. He gave them a nod, then started scribing, noting who had shown up and what they wore or carried.

“If it isn’t the Pettits,” Hayworth grinned. “Nine fights before we get to see what our groups can do. It feels more relaxed than the tournament at the academy, doesn’t it?”

“I think it’s the atmosphere,” Yukiko said as she crossed to an open spot, Jenn and Gregory beside her. “Everything here screams ‘display of power’ instead of a fight for dominance.”

Hayworth blinked a few times, then laughed. “Well put. I will concur with that statement. Buldoun wants to show that they have the ability to match the empire. I hear that tomorrow, the arena will display a double-shot crossbow. It only slows reloading by a fraction, but gives you twice as much firepower.”

“Hmm... that’s new,” Yukiko said.

“Supposedly, they were invented last year. I would bet it was a couple of years ago, and a stockpile was made.”

“That’s more in line with Buldoun,” Yukiko agreed.

“Single fights will allow some of us to show off more than the clan battles or the final,” Kang said. “I wonder what kind of magic users they have to face us?”

“Or how strong they are?” Binder added. “They don’t measure magi the same way we do.”

“So we might fight stronger or weaker opponents?” Jenn asked.

“It’s possible,” Hayworth shrugged. “Harrison thought it would be likely to run up and down that scale. A few above, a few below, but mostly in our range. I’m far more interested in how the healing enchantments on the arena will work. Our physical enhancement magi could kill their opponents outright if an accident happens.”

“A fully-empowered blow to the head or heart,” Jenn nodded. “The same will be true if they have physical enhancement mages.”

“True,” Hayworth conceded.

The door opening got everyone to turn and see Nick leading Jason and Parks inside. All three glared at Aether’s Guard, but they stayed silent while Egil told them what he’d told Gregory’s clan.

Nick and his friends took seats on the bench closest to the door. Hayworth shrugged, but moved his clan to stand near the bars giving a view into the arena. With nothing but waiting left to do, Gregory looked at his wives.

Jenn stood up and took the first stance of the Peaceful Fist. Yukiko nodded, staying quiet as she mirrored Jenn. Gregory smiled as he formed a triangle on the far side of the room. As a single unit, they began to follow the patterns.

Nick snorted, muttering snide comments about the useless, slow movements. Jason laughed at the comments, adding in a few of his own. Parks debated throwing a shield up that might injure Gregory, but a glance at Egil made him reconsider. Instead, he joined the others in mocking the Peaceful Fist.

Hayworth and his two clan members turned to watch with interest. Lips pursed, Hayworth started making mental notes, noticing how each pose would stretch out specific muscles, or was an attack or block done at a very slow speed. Both of his clan members glanced at the Eternal Flame, then studied Gregory’s group for another minute before looking out at the arena and the slowly filling stands.

Egil watched the room with an impassive gaze. He had his orders from the academy overseer, and he would follow them. He was sure that nothing would happen today, though— even the Eternal Flame knew how to bide their time.

Rafiq continued to make his notes, his gaze darting from group to group as he worked. The Eternal Flame was damaging their own name in this moment that was being recorded, but they didn’t seem to understand nor care. The indifference of the Swift Wind clan would not see them praised nor diminished. The Aether’s Guard group, clearly preparing themselves for the fights as if they were critically important, was being noted, as well.

When the tenth bell chimed, the noise in the arena dimmed. Gregory and his wives finished the kata they were on, then grinned at each other.

“Ladies, gentlemen, children, and esteemed guests from the Velum Empire, we welcome you,” a pleasant male voice announced. “Today, we see the first of a nine-fight rotation. Each of Buldoun’s students and the apprentice magi of the empire will clash. They will be given a day off between fights to rest, recover, and plot for the next match.”

The crowd cheered, and the announcer let them for a moment or two.

“On behalf of the royal family, we welcome the overseer of the Magi Academy. Overseer?”

Laozi walked calmly into the middle of the arena, accepting the glowing metal disk that acted the same as the one from the academy, amplifying his voice. “On behalf of the Velum Empire, we are grateful for the invitation. We hope for many long years of peaceful, diplomatic relations with Buldoun. Let this display of our youth strengthen our ties.”

“Thank you, Sage Windfoot.”

Laozi nodded, staying where he was.

“And now, a word from the royal mage himself, Archmage Timothy Aliminus.”

Gregory, Yukiko, and Jenn went to stand near Hayworth’s clan, eager to see the archmage.

The man who walked out was bedecked in glittering jewelry. The sun reflected off the rings, necklaces, and circlet he wore. Each piece was made of mythrum, and his black robes had mythrum thread making up the pattern— a silver dragon breathing flames. Long, flowing, white hair hung loose down his back while his pure white beard went to the middle of his chest. Serious dark-gray eyes scanned the arena briefly as he crossed to the middle.

Accepting the disk from the announcer without looking, the archmage locked eyes with Laozi. “We welcome the magi of the Velum Empire.” His gaze drifted away from the sage. “We shall be watching what our younger mages can do with interest. If any of them can truly shine, I might take them as an apprentice. Fight well, mages of Buldoun. The world will be watching.”

Handing the disk back to the announcer, the archmage stepped back and bowed slightly from the waist, as was the custom in Buldoun. Laozi bowed formally, his left hand cupping his right fist, showing respect for the mage.

“Thank you, gentlemen,” the announcer said, his voice straining. Sweat was beading on his head as he stood between the two powerful men.

As one, the pair turned and walked away with slow, measured steps, showing that neither was afraid of turning their back on the other.

Exhaling roughly, the announcer laughed as best he could. “Not where anyone would want to be, if those two disagreed.”

The crowd laughed and the announcer used that time to mop his brow with a handkerchief.

“Now, the fights. Let us get to the first match of the day.”

Chapter Twenty-two

“Gregory Pettit of Aether’s Guard, user of foresight magic. How will that fare against Stallo Gympian, of Boar House, wielder of physical enhancement? Come out now, fighters.”

Gregory gave his wives a smile as he started toward the small flight of stairs and door that led directly into the arena.

“Do the empire proud,” Hayworth said, patting Gregory’s shoulder as he went past.

Nick spat at Gregory’s boot, just hitting the side of it. “Maybe there’ll be an accident for you, Pettit.”

Egil shifted and Jason coughed. “We aren’t hurting him, Armsmaster.”

Gregory shook his head. “Try not to lose when it’s your turn,” he said simply as he went past them.

Egil grunted as he motioned to the practice weapons on the wall beside him. “Pick your weapon.”

Gregory took the naginata. Against a skilled physical enhancement magi, he knew he’d need to be at his best. When he did, Egil stepped away from the stairs. Gregory bowed formally to him, holding the naginata in the crook of his elbow.

A flicker of a smile came and went on Egil’s lined face. “Fight well. Glory for the empire.”

“For the empire,” Gregory repeated.

Breathing slowly, he climbed the short flight of stairs. The door shut behind him when he stepped onto the sand of the arena. Across the way from him, another person was leaving through a similar door.

Half a foot shorter than Gregory, the man was twice as broad. A maul was balanced on his shoulder as he waved to the crowd. He wore a large smile on his face, showing off the prominent lower tusks the mage had from his heritage.

Gregory waved briefly to the crowd as he crossed to where the announcer stood. Beside him stood two people in striped shirts— Gregory recalled something about duels being overseen by a referee in his reading on Buldoun. One of those two people was Sergeant Willof from the academy. The other was a woman wearing a patch over one eye, the deep scar above and below it attesting to her having lost it.

The announcer lowered the disk as they approached. “I’m only giving you this speech today, not the rest of the time. Got it?” Getting nods, he continued. “Try not to deliberately kill each other. Anything short of a fatal wound will be taken care of by the healing enchantments. They require your body to supply the energy, though, so I’d recommend a good meal after the fight. We have two moderators, one from each country. When I call, bow to your opponent, then wait for my instruction to start. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” Stallo grunted.

“Understood, sir,” Gregory said. “Good fight to you.”

Stallo’s eyebrow went up, and he snorted again. “Easy fight. I’ll try not to break too much.”

Willof kept his face blank, but he’d heard of what Gregory could do— he had a better idea than the young mage did of what was about to happen.

Raising the disk to his lips, the announcer began backing away. “We christen this tournament with the winners of their respective tournaments. Gentlemen, bow to your opponent.”

Stallo bowed as people from Buldoun did, and Gregory as the empire would. Both referees backed away, watching the two men with keen eyes. When they came out of the bow, Gregory shifted into a defensive stance and triggered foresight. The first few seconds of the fight came to him, and he was impressed.

“Fight!” the announcer shouted.

Stallo went from twenty feet to three feet away. He had his maul swinging in a second, his whole body covered in blue flames, but Gregory wasn’t there. He’d seen the attack, and was already shifting to the right. Stallo pivoted with him, his downward strike becoming horizontal.

Gregory knew better than to block any of Stallo’s attacks. With Stallo using a maul, it would be nearly impossible to slide an attack away, either. That left Gregory with just dodging, which he did.

The crowd was cheering loudly, as it looked like Stallo was going to crush Gregory at any second. The empire contingent in the crowd was quiet as they watched Gregory dodge, weave, and leap away from the part-boar eurtik.

Nick was laughing as he watched from the waiting area. “Get him, pig! Get him!”

“Just one hit...” Jason muttered.

Parks watched the fight— it would tax him a great deal, but he thought he could get a wall up behind Gregory, giving him nowhere to go. Egil moved enough to watch the others gathered at the bars, just in case someone got upset with what was being said.

Yukiko and Jenn stayed quiet, but their anger at Nick was slowly climbing. Yukiko wouldn’t dishonor the clan by attacking him, but her gaze went to Rafiq calmly writing in his book.

Rafiq would glance at the fight, then jot another note, but he did let his eyes shift to the others in the room before making more notes. He caught her gaze, and his snout dipped a fraction as he went back to writing.

Gregory knew that Stallo was not a mere apprentice— he gave off more aether pressure than even his wives could generate. He had to risk his practice weapon twice, but he did it as obliquely as he could to tip the maul’s trajectory and help him keep dodging.

Stallo suddenly came to a dead stop, breathing easily. “Nimble, but you don’t attack.”

Gregory stopped nearly thirty feet away, breathing slowly. “I can’t match you in strength. Your skill with your weapon would be praised by my weapons instructor.”

“The empire doesn’t teach their magi weapons as they should.”

“My instructor is an armsmaster,” Gregory said as he pushed his foresight a few more seconds into the future.

“Hmm... I accept the compliment. Concede, and I won’t have to hurt you.”

“I cannot. My clan needs the honor of me winning.”

“Then I will try to end it quickly.”

Gregory adjusted his hands on the naginata. “I will not be moved.”

Stallo blazed with aether again. “Fine. You had your chance.”

Stallo rushed forward as fast as he could, diverting the majority of his aether for speed. He hadn’t been as strong as he could be, but the magi was slippery. Dropping the enhanced protection he had up, as Gregory couldn’t even hope to attack with the speed he had, Stallo was a blue, flaming blur to the crowd.

When he came to a stop, a sharp pain radiated from his gut. Coughing blood, Stallo looked down to see Gregory crouched under the sweep of his maul. The naginata was punched clean through his stomach and out his back, just to the side of his spine. Dropping the maul, Stallo grasped at the naginata.

Gregory lunged forward, letting go of the weapon as he caught the heavily muscled mage. With a grunt, he guided the man down to the sand gently.

“Move!” the one-eyed woman snapped at Gregory.

Gregory did as she demanded. With a jerk, she yanked the wooden weapon from Stallo’s body, dropping it on the ground. She went to her knee beside the grimacing man, checking his wound. After a second, she exhaled in relief.

“Will he be okay?” Gregory asked.

The woman looked up at him, then nodded once. “Yes. He’s already healing. Gather your weapon and step back.”

Gregory did as he was bade, finding himself beside Willof. “Sergeant, it’s good to see you,” he whispered.

“Thank you. Just wait. I doubt the announcer thought this would end so fast. If Sasha says he’ll be fine, he should be.”

“Sasha?” Gregory whispered.

“We were introduced last night,” Willof said. “She’s a twenty-year veteran of a prominent mercenary company in Buldoun.”

Gregory nodded as the announcer walked toward the middle of the arena, speaking into the disk, “What a surprising showing. Pettit wins by using Gympian’s own aggression against him. Was it luck, or was it really foresight? You’ll have to decide on your own. We will have a small break as Gympian heals enough to walk off the field.”

Stallo watched Gregory with a hint of respect. “Good fight.”

Gregory bowed to the downed man. “You are formidable. I think that was my only chance to beat you.”

Stallo wheezed as the magic healed him— it hurt almost as much as the weapon had. “Maybe... Should’ve kept my skin hardened.”

“The naginata might have shattered then,” Gregory admitted. He knew it would have— he’d seen that possible future, then watched it vanish when Stallo committed to his plan.

“See you in the group matches.”

“Yes. Good fight.”

“Go ahead,” the announcer said with the disk lowered. “Once he’s good, we’ll be calling for the next fighter.”

Gregory bowed his head, then turned to walk back to the waiting area. He could see the relief on his wives’ faces, the hatred from the Eternal Flame, and the smiles from Swift Wind.

Chapter Twenty-three

Gregory entered the waiting area, thinking over his fight.

“Well done, Magi,” Egil said. “You may go to the stands or watch from here.”

“I’ll stay with my wives, sir.”

“Very well. The rules still apply.”

“You got lucky, Pettit,” Parks sneered. “If he’d been even halfway competent with his weapon, he’d have smashed you.”

“We’ll see how competent he is when he faces the others,” Gregory said.

“Good fight, even if some people are too blinded by hatred to see it for what it was. You were always shifting to avoid his attacks. Though you are lucky he wasn’t reinforcing his skin,” Kang said.

“I only did what I did because he stopped doing so,” Gregory replied. “I took the first avenue to victory. I’m glad the arena heals people, or that would’ve been terrible for him.”

“It would have,” Yukiko agreed, “but we have confirmation that there is healing.”

“He’s up,” Jenn said. “They’re using the referee to help him back to their waiting area.”

“He’s past apprentice tier,” Gregory said loudly enough that everyone in the room could hear him. “I’d say late initiate or thereabouts, which means the others might be, too.”

“Of course, they wouldn’t make things fair. They’d lose even quicker,” Nick scoffed.

Hayworth’s lips pursed as he thought about how that would tip things in Buldoun’s favor for every round.

“They don’t use the same method to track strength that we do,” Jenn said. “Maybe he’s just their strongest?”

“I hope so,” Hayworth said slowly. “He was radiating that much aether, Pettit?”

“Not trying to hide his aether at all,” Gregory shrugged. “He even pushed some out. I’m assuming he was trying to intimidate me.”

“As if a fringer would know what real power is,” Nick snorted.

“Now that the arena is cleared, ladies and gentlemen, we can ask the next set of contestants out,” the announcer said. “We’ve all heard of the Eternal Flame clan. Today, there is a bloodline member of their founding family here: Nicklaus Shun. His opponent is Claudia Firetongue, part of Eagle House and another user of fire magic. Come out now, fighters.”

Nick stiffened at the use of his birth name. His mother had come from Buldoun and had convinced his father to give him that name. He’d shortened it and insisted on that version since he was a child. What was worse was who he was being pitted against— a cousin from his mother’s family.

“Nicklaus, is it?” Hayworth chuckled.

“I’d keep your mouth shut, Hayworth!” Nick snarled. “Unless you want a reminder of what happens to those who upset me.”

“Fair point,” Hayworth said civilly, then turned to Gregory. “What happens? I mean, you’ve upset him far worse than anyone else, and I haven’t seen it bother you.”

“Shun, the arena,” Egil said sharply. “If you don’t go, they will call you forfeit.”

Nick spun, stalking to the weapons rack to snatch a katana before nearly shoving past Egil. Nick didn’t acknowledge the crowd— he was seething at Hayworth and just waiting to let out his anger on who he faced.

Claudia was already waiting for Nick. She waved to the crowd with a bright smile. Her blonde hair and dark blue eyes gave her a friendly look when combined with her expression. She looked like she was used to being lauded and fawned over. Her eyes locked on Nick when he finally came out onto the arena floor, and her lips twisted into a disgusted expression.

“Must be some history there...” Jenn murmured.

“Agreed,” Yukiko nodded.

“Both fire magi,” Binder said. “Who has more aether to burn?”

“Nick will win,” Jason said firmly.

The crowd was loud enough that they couldn’t hear the words Nick and Claudia exchanged. They could see Claudia’s face, though, and she was clearly upset. From the way Nick was standing, it was obvious that he was angry, too.

The announcer called them to bow, and both did only the minimum required, causing a stir in the crowd. Both referees and the announcer backed well up, expecting fire. When the announcer called for them to fight, neither used their magic.

Nick rushed forward, but Claudia backpedaled, her weapon becoming obvious when she extended it and started to spin. The first crack of the whip was not where she wanted it, and Nick was able to dodge to the side.

A wall of flame went out from Nick as he continued to rush Claudia. It wasn’t for her, as that was pointless— he wanted to burn the whip into nothing. Claudia had to extend her magic more than normal to stop the flames from robbing her of her weapon.

“Are there nubs on the whip?” Binder asked.

“Her weapon would be the spiked whip. It’s rare, and rarely used,” Egil said, watching the fight. “The spikes on the normal weapon are razor-sharp metal. Exposed flesh and soft armor don’t do well against it. If she used a thin metal version of it, she might even be able to coat it with her flames. I have a couple of scars from that style of weapon.”

Nick managed to get inside the range of her whip, but Claudia didn’t panic. As he went to strike, she put a blossom of flame directly in his face. The fire wouldn’t hurt him, but that second of blindness cost him. Claudia went low, sweeping his legs as his attack went over her head.

She didn’t follow up, as Nick went into a roll away from her. Instead, she took off running the other way, gaining distance. She spun around just as Nick got back to his feet. The crowd was enjoying the fight— they were loud enough to mute what the two fire users said to each other, but it was clear that the animosity was climbing. Claudia cracked her whip, then beckoned Nick with a sneer.

“She’s feisty,” Jenn chuckled. “Must be the fire in her blood.”

“She hates Nick, which makes me intrigued,” Hayworth said. “I noticed strong cheeks and a sharp nose... that might indicate she comes from a noble lineage.”

“Oh, you’re right,” Yukiko said. “Yes, she might be. The name was tickling the back of my mind before. I think I’ve heard of them before, but I still can’t place where or when.”

“From your former betrothed?” Gregory asked.

“That sounds right,” Yukiko nodded, “but I still can’t place it.”

Nick shouted as he rushed back at her. Claudia swished her whip as she let him close the distance. The moment he was in range, she lashed out. The very tip of the whip caught Nick’s cheek, cutting into his skin enough to make him bleed. Nick stumbled, but kept moving forward as Claudia backed off more.

Claudia’s next attack ended up with her whip wrapping around Nick’s sword, which he’d used to block. Nick yanked hard, and Claudia stumbled forward. Eyes gleaming, Nick raised his sword, as there was enough slack for him to try using it. Claudia let go of the whip and attacked Nick’s arm with her bare hands as he struck.

Nick grimaced when his katana fell from his hand. Claudia had managed to hit just the right spot to make his nerves deaden for a moment, but she’d taken a glancing blow down her arm in return. Neither referee stopped the fight, concluding that a real sword would’ve made her bleed, but not hurt enough to stop her from using her arm.

Nick visibly protested as the two of them ended up in hand-to-hand combat. It was clear that he was not happy, and Claudia was angry. The fight devolved into a physical battering. In the end, Nick won, but he was sporting a bloody nose and lips, along with swelling eyes. Claudia lay on the ground, knocked out, and looked at least as injured as Nick.

The two referees moved in, checking both combatants. Nick shook Willof off and headed directly for the waiting area. Willof called after him, making Nick stop. Gregory could see the hatred in Nick’s eyes before he turned back around, standing there.

“Why did he stop?” Parks asked.

“The healing only works in the arena itself,” Egil said.

“So the person Gregory fought wasn’t fully healed?” Jason asked.

“He wasn’t when he left the arena, but he was likely seen to.”

The announcer came back out, declaring Nick the winner. He spoke for a few minutes about how rare it was to see two fire users fight, explaining why the pair had devolved into combat without magic. He was still talking when Nick stalked back to the waiting area. His face was healed, but blood still marred his skin and clothing.

Egil glanced at Nick, then walked up to the top of the stairs and called out to Willof, motioning to the wooden katana on the arena floor. Willof nodded before going to retrieve the weapon.

“Break them!” Nick snapped at Parks and Jason as he left the waiting area.

Jason watched him go, then exhaled. “We’ll need to,” he told Parks. “Don’t kill them, but we need decisive wins.”

Parks nodded. “I can manage it.”

“Hmm... I wonder if they’ll continue to cycle through the clans and houses, as their school calls them?” Hayworth asked, looking back toward the arena where Claudia was waking up.

“I think they might for today, at least,” Yukiko said. “It would give each of them a chance to show their skills before they move on to the rest. Hmm... maybe they’re putting out their leaders, too?”

Hayworth nodded slowly. “They did take Gregory and Nick first. If I am called next, I would say you are probably correct... but how did they know to take him from your clan?”

“Maybe they asked before arranging the fights?” Gregory suggested.

“Possible. Build the excitement by pitting the strongest against each other first.”

“Yes, and they will rotate those three for the first three days,” Yukiko nodded. “It would boost the start of the event before we get to the clan fights.”

“It’s a shame you joined your clan and not ours,” Hayworth sighed.

“It’s a shame you don’t believe in Aether returning,” Gregory said. “You could’ve joined ours, instead.”

Hayworth chuckled. “I couldn’t, even if I did. My family is one of the founders of Swift Wind.”

“That makes sense.”

“Now that the arena is clear again, we can move onto our third fight,” the announcer said. “Let’s welcome our next set of fighters. Wallace Hayworth of the Swift Wind clan, a scion of their founding family and user of spatial magic, your opponent is Jessica Hofen, part of Wolf House and user of shadow magic. Fighters, come forth.”

“It seems you are correct, Yukiko,” Hayworth chuckled. “Shadow will be a problem for me, but maybe she hasn’t faced spatial magic before.”

“Go lose like you should,” Jason said snidely.

“All I have to do is win and not get beaten black and blue to show which clan is better,” Hayworth laughed as he walked past Parks and Jason. Picking up a shield and wooden rapier, Hayworth smiled. “And, with my preferred weapon, I have a good chance at that.”

Gregory looked out across the sands to where Hayworth’s opponent was already striding toward the middle. She had black hair and furred ears atop her head, along with a lashing black-furred tail. Her bright yellow eyes added to the image, and she spun two daggers in her hands as she walked forward.

“Strong blood in her,” Jenn murmured. “She looks confident.”

“She does,” Yukiko said. “I wonder if she’ll show me something new?”

Gregory leaned his mouth next to her ear to whisper, “I’ll use my sight to see if I can catch anything.”

“Thank you, dear one,” Yukiko murmured.

Chapter Twenty-four

The fights went on for hours. Gregory and his wives watched each match intently, hoping they could recall them later. Hayworth won his, but he took a wound to his left calf before he did. The only thing of note was Buldoun’s shadow mage using the shadows to collect her thrown daggers.

Jason lost his match to a fire mage— he’d pushed through the fire and managed to hurt his opponent, but the second blast of flame had him writhing on the ground. Parks beat the earth mage, using his force walls to close the distance. The tournament was paused for longer than normal, as that poor mage had several broken ribs. They needed to bring a healer out to help him, as the damage was severe.

Kang was matched up against a water mage— the mage did their best, but he had no real chance. Kang didn’t crush the poor guy. Instead, he’d broken a single arm, then allowed the young mage to quit. The water mage took the offer, as his spiked whip never came close to hitting Kang.

Jenn got matched up against a mage from Wolf House who used a zweihander. He was her match as a physical enhancement magic user, but it became clear as the fight went on that Jenn had better control of her aether. Her level of control allowed her to outlast her foe and win. Yukiko had a mirror match-up to what Hayworth had, facing a spatial mage. She took some shuriken with her, then stayed at range and kept throwing and retrieving her weapons. She wore down her foe, who never knew when or where the next shuriken would hit her.

Binder lost against a fellow wind user. The mage was able to split their wind blades into multiple smaller parts. At the end of the fight, both were bleeding, but Binder was gashed all over and had resigned.

With all the matches done for the day, Gregory was amused. His clan had won every fight, but both Swift Wind and the Eternal Flame had lost some. That had the empire with seven wins against the two of Buldoun’s mages. Aether’s Guard and Swift Wind stayed in the waiting area, and the Eternal Flame had left.

Binder was the last fight of the day and, when he lost, Hayworth sighed. “He’s our weakest, but when we fight with him, he’ll do much better.”

“Most of the fights were evenly matched,” Jenn said.

“I’d agree with that,” Kang nodded. “My fight and Yukiko’s were not fair to them.”

Binder leaned against the wall beside the door. “Sorry, Hayworth.”

“You did your best,” Hayworth replied. “Could you do what he did?”

“I’m not sure. Never tried to split my wind blades.”

“What path are you on?” Gregory asked.

Hayworth was quick to answer before Binder, “Why?”

“We have a wind magi in the clan. Her teacher was saying that it takes a mind path magi to really split their magic like that.”

“I’m mind. I’ll work on it,” Binder said.

“What was that exercise you were doing before the fights?” Kang asked.

“The Peaceful Fist,” Yukiko smiled. “It was created by Lionel Lighthand. He said it would train either the spirit or body path of those who did it.”

“Which explains you three,” Hayworth said. “Jenn is obviously on the body path, but you two have confused me time and again. Spirit path would make some sense, but your Magi Squares…” Hayworth trailed off, lost in thought.

“We should be going,” Gregory said. “I’m sure Lightshield will want to speak with us.”

“I would say so. You’re the only clan to not lose a single fight,” Kang chuckled. “We’ll do better next time.”

“Depending on who we end up against,” Gregory nodded.

Rafiq stood up, collecting his things. “I’d say the empire was well represented today. A majority of our apprentices won.”

“Agreed,” Egil said. “Your decorum was better than others.”

“With some clans, that is a very low bar to clear,” Hayworth chuckled. “Good day, Armsmaster.”

“Good day.”

Gregory and his wives let Swift Wind file out first.

As they went to leave, Rafiq cleared his throat. “Excuse me, Gregory. How are the books doing for you?”

“We’re learning a lot,” Gregory said. “I could give you back—”

“Let your friends take them back to the archive,” Rafiq cut him off gently. “I’m sure they will visit when they return.”

“They will,” Yukiko agreed.

“Good day, Apprentices,” Rafiq bowed.

“Good day, Rafiq,” they replied, bowing just as formally back to him.

As they left the waiting area, they found Hemet and the rest of the clan, minus Lightshield, waiting for them. “Well done. You have shown the strength and honor of Aether’s Guard today. The rest of the day is yours. If you wish to go back to the tents first, you can walk with me.”

“We would like to, sir,” Gregory said.

“Then follow,” Hemet said with a smile.

As they joined their friends, Mindie asked if they were okay. They assured her that they were as they followed the grandmaster.

When they got back to the clan area, Hemet went to his shared tent with Lightshield. Gregory slowed his pace and looked at the tent, worry for the elder rising in his heart. Shaking his head, he hurried after the others going to his tent.

“Welcome home, Magi,” Elsa said brightly, giving them a curtsy. “I have everything in order, and will get dinner when you are ready.”

“We’d like to clean up first, Elsa,” Yukiko said, brushing at her kimono.

Elsa looked like she wanted to ask, but just nodded. “Give me a moment and I’ll fetch the water and get it heating.”

“I’ll go fill the tubs, Elsa,” Roshana said.

“I’ll get them heated,” Clover said, going with Roshana.

“We won, Elsa,” Jenn chuckled. “All three of us won our fights today.”

Elsa beamed at her. “I had no doubt.”

“I did,” Gregory grunted. “The guy I fought was fast, strong, and had more aether than we do. Jenn might outlast him with her control, but Yuki will have trouble with him.”

“I’m not looking forward to that fight,” Yukiko sighed. “I’ll do my best, but I will surrender before he breaks me. Shadow magi are not suited to fighting physical enhancement magi, especially one that is a tier above us.”

Elsa chewed her lip as she listened. “You’ll be safe, right?”

“We will,” Jenn said, shifting to give Elsa a hug. “After we clean up, we were thinking of going into the bazaar again. You should come with us. We’ll get dinner while we’re out.”

“I should stay and clean...” Elsa said softly. “I want to go, but I have a job to do, and I shouldn’t fail you.”

“You’ll have from the time we leave tomorrow until we get home to get work done,” Yukiko said gently. “We’ll be having dinner with my parents then. We’re balancing our desire to be with you against your need to learn the job and prove yourself.”

“Okay...” Elsa whispered, hugging Jenn back briefly. “How did you all win?”

“Well, my match wasn’t fun,” Gregory said. “You see…”

~*~*~

Once they’d finished bathing, the group headed into the tent city, or “bazaar,” as Roshana had called it. Elsa walked in the middle of the group, as she’d almost been separated from them a few times. The crowds were much thicker today, but everyone still gave room to the magi.

They didn’t have anything specific to buy, and were more just browsing and enjoying their time together. A few new merchants had popped up at the edges of the encampment— one of them had bane cores for sale, so Gregory, Yukiko, and Jenn purchased a lot of them. They had enchantments that needed cores, so it seemed prudent to make sure they were ready to replenish their stock. Clover and Ling bought out the last of the cores, making the merchant delighted. He asked if they needed more, and then promised to bring some in two days, the earliest he could resupply.

Besides that, they found a vendor selling flowers. Yukiko pulled Elsa into the small tent, asking her to explain which she preferred and which she thought would be best for each of the group. The merchant laughed, thoroughly enjoying the child with so much knowledge of flowers. When Elsa finished, Yukiko led her out of the tent, praising her knowledge. Gregory slipped in and bought one flower of each kind that Elsa said was best for each person. The merchant gave him a smirk and wink, more than happy to help the young man maybe find a lucky night.

As they walked toward the next tent, Gregory caught up to them. “Ladies, a moment?”

They all turned toward him. Yukiko was smiling, as he’d caught her reasoning for asking Elsa. “Yes, dear one?”

“I have gifts for all of my friends,” Gregory said, handing each one of them their flower. “A very special person told me these would be perfect for you.”

Elsa’s eyes were wide, and a broad smile filled her face as she waited for him to reach her. When Gregory got to her, he knelt and threaded the stem into her braid.

“For a special friend,” Gregory said. “Are you hungry?”

“A little,” Elsa admitted. She wanted to hug him, but she knew she shouldn’t in public.

“Then let’s go find something new,” Gregory said. “Roshana, why don’t you pick the vendor?”

“Hmm, very well. I thought I smelled something familiar a short while ago,” Roshana said, taking the lead.

Jenn and Yukiko flanked Gregory as they went, both briefly taking his hand in theirs.

“Well done, dear one,” Jenn giggled. “They all loved it.”

“Yes. Elsa most of all. It proves how much you listen to what she says,” Yukiko smiled.

“I bet the others press theirs to keep them,” Jenn whispered to Gregory, the bustle of the crowd keeping her words from the others.

“Maybe,” Gregory smiled. “I’m fine with that. I know you both approve of them just like Darkness does. I’m working on doing the same now so, when the time comes, I’m less awkward.”

His wives were smiling happily as they trailed their friends.

Chapter Twenty-five

“Morning, my heart,” Gregory mumbled as soft lips pressed against his, waking him up, before another pair of lips did the same. “And to you, dear one.”

“Time to get up,” Yukiko murmured.

“Training, then into the city for the day,” Jenn said as she got up.

Gregory grunted as he rubbed his eyes, then followed his wives out of bed. “Sparring with the Iron Hand today.”

“Oh, right, we did agree to that,” Yukiko said. “Hmm... we should invite Swift Wind over for sparring, too. We’ll be fighting alongside them soon.”

“It’s not a terrible idea,” Jenn said. “A little practice together could help.”

“Mention it to them tomorrow?” Gregory suggested as he got dressed.

“We should check if the Iron Hand will be okay with others joining in,” Jenn nodded.

“Might be for the best,” Yukiko said. “I’m not going to ring for Elsa today. We have to see if she’s paying attention.”

“Hmm... okay,” Gregory said slowly. “She might be waiting to know we’re awake, before she goes to get food.”

“She knows when we wake up,” Jenn said. “This is a test to see if she has initiative on her own.”

“I can see that,” Gregory conceded.

They filed out to the main room of their tent, taking seats and readying Magi Square blanks. When they were just about done, there was a cough from outside before the others came in. They exchanged greetings as everyone sat down, passed around the Magi Squares, then started working with little discussion.

As they were finishing, the tent flap opened and Elsa wheeled the food cart inside. She was wearing a happy smile as she brought it to the table. “Good morning. Today’s breakfast is different. The stall owner I’d gotten food from thought you might like to try a local breakfast.”

“I hope it’s one of the better ones,” Yukiko said warily. “Some of the local foods… are not great.”

“This is just potato, egg, boar, and cheese,” Elsa said as she uncovered the dishes.

Gregory frowned a little— the potato and meat had been finely shredded and cooked, then fused together with the egg and cheese. The whole thing had a disk shape, with the cheese melted over the top.

“Oh. Thankfully, this one is fine, but he likely didn’t season it much,” Yukiko said. “Bland is normal. The soup only has as much flavor as it does because of the stock.”

Elsa served them as they finished before taking a seat with her own plate. She understood the underwhelming response as she took her first bite. Beyond a hint of salt, almost no seasoning had been used at all.

“I’ll ask him to stick with the soup going forward,” Elsa said when she’d finished. “I’m sorry.”

“No, it was fine,” Clover said. “We learned something from it.”

“But the soup is a better idea,” Ling added.

“You’ll be on your own for dinner, Elsa,” Yukiko reminded her. “We’ll be home late. We’re visiting the city after training.”

“I’ll have everything in order when you return,” Elsa said as she collected plates.

“Mindie, are you going to spar with her in the tent?” Jenn asked.

“Yes. I think it’s helping both of us,” Mindie nodded.

“But first, the book,” Roshana smiled.

“Then, the Peaceful Fist,” Ling added.

“We also need to take time to try touching the ideas of the Resonant Mind,” Yukiko said. “We could use an edge against the Buldoun mages. If we can simulate their fighting with our aether, it would help.”

“After magic training, but before the bath?” Gregory asked. “All of us can try it.”

“That sounds good to me,” Roshana said, the others quickly agreeing with her.

“Every edge might help,” Mindie said.

With Elsa having collected the dishes, Gregory pulled the Resonant Mind book from his ring. “We’re getting pretty deep into it already, but let’s continue.”

~*~*~

Stepping out of the tent, Gregory gave Klim a grin. “Magus, is your clan ready?”

“We are,” Klim nodded. “No magic, just weapons. I’ll oversee the fights. We should be able to have three or four going at once.”

“That works for us,” Gregory said. “I did have a question: how would you feel about Swift Wind joining us for these sessions?”

Klim hesitated, then nodded. “To get used to them before you fight beside them?”

“To increase our chances,” Yukiko smiled. “Normal sparring, then a set where you match the others against the six of us.”

“I can support this. Have they agreed?”

“We’ll ask them tomorrow,” Gregory said. “Asking you first was prudent.”

“We bear no animosity to the Swift Wind clan. I take it you won’t be inviting the Eternal Flame?” Her lips twisted at the corners.

“That would be counterproductive,” Yukiko laughed.

“Agreed. Shall we begin?”

“We’re ready,” Jenn said.

“No stretching first?”

“We just got done,” Gregory laughed.

“Very well. Gregory, would you be willing to end with a spar against me?” Klim grinned.

“Guandao for today?”

“I accept,” Klim nodded. “Will you three be sparring with magic afterward?”

“We will,” Jenn said. “It helps us practice our magics.”

“And it’s always both of you against him?”

“It needs to be,” Yukiko snorted.

“You don’t mind us watching, do you?”

“Feel free,” Gregory said. “Who faces who first?”

“Marthman has asked to go against you…” Klim began before pairing off the others.

~*~*~

Sparring went well— Gregory thought Dave Marthman was a little too eager to fight him and his wives, and he wasn’t exactly happy when he lost all three fights. Everyone else seemed to learn, and maybe even have some fun. Klim beat Gregory with the guandao, but she praised him for getting better. Mindie and Klim both helped heal everyone at the end of the session.

For magic training, Gregory, Yukiko, and Jenn only worked on things people had seen before because they were being watched. Mindie stayed outside for that, healing a few injuries. No one exhausted themselves, but they got a good workout for their aether.

Saying their goodbyes to Klim and the Iron Hand, the group went back to Gregory’s tent to try working on the Resonant Mind. Finding the cavern was easy for all of them now, and they could recall the fights clearly. The problem was getting their aether to produce a fighter they could practice against the way the book described. When the hour ended, none of them had been successful, but they all had a better grasp of how each of the mages fought just from their memories.

They bathed, then were on their way into the city just after the tenth bell. They all chatted about who they might face tomorrow, killing time as they made their way to the city.

Entering the inn, the group chuckled when the Warlin guards applauded them. A few of the customers did the same, but a handful of others just muttered about the noise. The innkeeper asked the guards to tone it down, and they did.

“Ah, good, here they are,” Hao said, coming down the stairs. “We were just about ready to go.”

“Where are we going, Father?” Yukiko asked.

“To see the city, and maybe visit a shop or two. We’ll return here for dinner, but we have hours before then.”

The others started coming downstairs, chatting with each other before welcoming the magi. Umbrose and Ulga went around, hugging everyone, which got Yoo-jin to add in on that, too. There were mutters about public affection being uncouth from a few patrons, but none were loud enough for them to be worth responding to.

It was only a minute later that the much-larger group left the inn. A dozen guards surrounded them, acting as a cordon between the crowds and families. The conversation focused mostly on the fights, as their parents wanted to know more about them.

Gregory chatted with Hao, but he kept his eyes on their surroundings. He knew Hao would be leading them places with a purpose in mind, and he was trying to figure them out before they arrived.

The first stop was a surprise for the magi. The shop was nondescript on the exterior, but the interior had weapons on display. Adolphus examined them with a critical eye.

“I noticed that none of you are armed and I want to fix that,” Hao said. “You might never need them, but a good, serviceable weapon is never a mistake.”

“Father,” Yukiko smiled, “Greg, Jenn, and I are fine. We just keep ours in storage. We can have them in a blink.” Her sheathed wakizashi appeared in her hand. “If needed.”

“I remember your prizes from the last tournament,” Hao smiled. “This is for your friends.”

The other four women blinked at him in surprise, not having expected that. Their surprise had Jenn and Gregory chuckling, as they’d been in that place before.

“Now, what weapons do you four prefer?” Hao asked.

“Staff,” Clover said. “Three of us prefer staves.”

“While I am at home with sai,” Roshana added. “But, sir, we’re just—”

“Special to my daughter,” Hao cut her off lightly. “Her friends are all special. Anyone who brings my Yu joy will be treated well.”

“It’s a fight you can’t win,” Gregory told them. “Jenn and I were in that exact place once before, too.”

“Thank you,” Ling said humbly. “We’re honored to be special to Yuki and to your entire family.”

The others chimed in one by one, bowing to the inevitable.

“Good. Let us find the best weapon for each of you,” Hao said. “Adolphus?”

“Master-quality work,” Adolphus said.

“Thank you,” a gruff voice said. The man looked similar to Adolphus, stocky and a touch short. His blonde hair was tied back behind his head, and his beard was cut short. “My receptionist came to get me when you entered. Not often do we get a group of magi in. How can I assist you?”

“I need your three best staves and a pair of sai,” Hao said, moving to the front. “The magi aren’t fighting in the tournament, but I would like to see my daughter’s friends with the means to defend themselves.”

The half-dwarf nodded slowly. “My best weapons hold enchantments.”

“Excellent,” Hao said. “Will you accept a bond?”

“Let me examine it first,” the weaponsmith said, extending his hand.

“Enchanted?” Mindie whispered. She leaned in closer to Yukiko, “Yuki, maybe w—?”

Yukiko put her lips almost directly onto Mindie’s ear, speaking as softly as she could, “Any wife of ours needs a good defense.”

Mindie’s mouth snapped shut and her cheeks burned brightly, but she bowed her head. “I have heard your words.”

“Good,” Yukiko said brightly. “When it comes time to select which one suits you best, take your time. Consider this a welcoming gift.” Her eyes swept over the other three as she spoke.

They bowed their heads to her, understanding that this was her will. She wanted them as protected as she could, which made all of them happy.

Jenn and Gregory exchanged a smile, both remembering their own attempts to accept what would be with Yukiko’s generosity. It was a generosity that extended to her entire family.

Chapter Twenty-six

They made a small stop at an herbalist where the men were asked to wait outside. Hao wore a bemused smile and exchanged a knowing glance with Adolphus. Gregory was sure he knew why, but was never going to ask his wives. After that, it was a pleasant trip back to Warm Slumber.

The conversation before dinner focused on what the apprentices would likely be seeing and doing in the coming years. Dinner was a three-course meal— the magi were surprised at how rich the aether in the food was. They passed their compliments to the cooks, but time slipped away and soon, it was time to go.

After saying their goodbyes, the apprentices left the room, pausing when the other dining room door opened and revealed four people. The one in front was clearly related to a wolf eurtik. The person directly behind him had strong panther eurtik blood, and behind her was a dwarf and a human. All four of them were wearing robes embroidered with a wolf, howling at a moon.

The leader of the other group was the first one to recover from the surprise. “Aether’s Guard, we are surprised to see you here.” His voice was pleasant, but held a subtle growl.

“We just finished having dinner with my family,” Yukiko smiled. “Mage…” she trailed off, clearly looking for a name.

“Manners. Yes, manners,” the man exhaled before standing up straight, bringing him even with Gregory in height. “I am Mage Otis Fang, chaperone for the students of my house.”

“It is an honor, sir,” Gregory said, bowing formally. “You’ve heard of my wives and I, but we should introduce the rest of our clan here.” He went over introductions for everyone else in their group.

“We hope you are enjoying your time in Buldoun,” Otis said. “You’ve heard of my students.”

“We are pleased to make your acquaintances off the field,” Yukiko smiled.

Jessica Hofen, the part-panther eurtik, dipped her head. “As one shadow mage to another, you did well.” Her voice was soft, but also carried a faint hint of a growl to it.

“Our fight will be interesting. I’m not sure the crowd will see much,” Yukiko said.

“It will all be shadows, as long as they don’t make us fight during the middle of the day.”

“Good job on your fight with Jason,” Gregory told the dwarf, Lukas Grimm. “He’s a tough one.”

“Yes, one blast is normally enough for most,” Lukas replied. “Foresight... I’ll be interested in testing you.”

“I wish to congratulate you on your win,” Ivan Armstrong told Jenn. “I will have to work on what you were doing.”

“We should start walking,” Otis said. “Are you heading back?”

“We are. I’d thought you’d be housed in the city,” Yukiko said.

“No, this is a learning time for them. A few days of discomfort will prepare them for later.”

“Soft beds and a staff member,” Jessica snorted. “Better than most of my life.”

“Agreed,” Lukas chuckled. “We’re not from privileged families.”

Ivan grimaced. “Can we not, please?”

“Oh, you’re fine. I’m thinking of others,” Lukas said, slapping Ivan on the shoulder.

“We’re leaving now,” Otis said before starting away.

They followed the Wolf House mages out through the inn. A lot of rumors started up as they left, so Otis looked a little sour when he stopped outside.

“That will cause some discussion with the other houses,” Otis snorted. “Are you to be here often?” He directed the question at Gregory’s group.

“My family is staying here. We have whenever we’re in the city for years now,” Yukiko replied.

“Because of your heritage?” Jessica asked.

“It’s one of the few inns that was comfortable for me,” Yukiko replied.

“Same reason we use it,” Jessica said, staring at Otis.

Otis sighed. “Yes, that is one of the reasons. The other is that my nephew is the cook.”

“Oh? He did very well with dinner tonight. I guess we know why now,” Clover smiled.

“I do enjoy his steaks,” Otis exhaled. “As long as you behave, we will. Deal?”

“Sir,” Gregory said, “Aether’s Guard is a clan that doesn’t try to start trouble. We aren’t the Eternal Flame. We try to get along with as many people as we can. None of us here have strong feelings against your clan... err… house, nor against Buldoun itself.”

“He did catch Stallo,” Ivan said. “He had no reason to do that.”

“It’s just a tournament. It’s a place to show our strengths, not a battlefield,” Gregory said. “There’s no reason to act like Parks did when on the arena floor.”

“True... your wife didn’t try to break me into pieces,” Ivan nodded.

“We will fight with all we have, but within the guidelines,” Yukiko said. “If only everyone felt that way.”

“Hmm... not weak, but not bloodthirsty. I will be interested in seeing how the tournament goes,” Otis said.

“Back to the encampment?” Ling asked. “We could walk with you?”

“I’d prefer if we separate. The rumors because we were seen together will already be high. Good evening to you, magi.”

“Good evening, mages,” Yukiko said before all of them bowed formally.

Otis grunted, then bowed back to them, his students mirroring him.

“We’ll wait here for a few minutes,” Gregory said.

“Thank you.”

As the Buldoun mages left, the group of magi smiled to themselves. “They were pleasant. More than even some clans we know,” Roshana said.

“A low bar to clear for some,” Mindie smiled.

“True,” Ling laughed.

“When we fight them as a group, I’ll give my ring to one of you,” Gregory said. “Probably Jenn. My armor will handle the flames.”

“That would be for the best,” Yukiko agreed.

“She’ll be as hard to deal with as Yuki is,” Clover said. “Does she remind you of the archivist?”

“Yes. Both are panther eurtik, and have shadow magic,” Yukiko said.

“She did display it during Gregory’s Magi Squares duel,” Jenn nodded.

“What Magi Squares duel?” Roshana asked.

“I’ll explain while we walk,” Gregory said. “It was the second half of our first year…”

~*~*~

“Excuse me?” The voice that called out was beautiful, but carried a hint of command.

Clover was the first to turn around, and she smiled. “Hi. Eagle House, right?”

In the lead of the four people approaching them was Claudia Firetongue, the fire mage who’d fought Nick. Her robe was embroidered to display an eagle in the sky. Her two fellow students were just behind her with an older mage behind them, looking decidedly unhappy.

“Aether’s Guard, yes?” Claudia asked as she got closer.

“That is our clan,” Ling said, eyeing her.

“Oh, that’s right. Your clan is in both tournaments,” Claudia smiled. “That explains your size. First, though, manners. I am Claudia Firetongue, and these are my fellow students in Eagle House. Pavil Cutter,” she pointed to the wind mage who had beat Binder, “and, of course, Adriana Locus, who was beaten by Yukiko Pettit.”

“And?” Roshana asked, looking at the man behind them.

Claudia looked back, then sighed. “Robert Kitch, our chaperone.”

Robert rolled his eyes. “Glorified babysitter for someone who doesn’t listen.”

“Ignore him. We do,” Claudia smiled.

“What can we do for you?” Gregory asked, a little puzzled at her dismissing her senior.

“Oh, we wanted to meet you.”

“You wanted to,” Pavil Cutter said.

“Fine,” Claudia sighed. “I wanted to meet you. Rumor has it you bested Shun and his clan repeatedly in your tournaments. Is that true?”

“We have,” Jenn said.

“Excellent! Anything to tarnish them makes me happy,” Claudia beamed.

“Sounds like a story?” Mindie said questioningly.

“Oh, yes,” Claudia said. “Shall we walk? I can explain while we do.”

“Please,” Gregory said, motioning to her.

“Such a gentleman. Completely unlike that boor Shun. It makes sense that you have two wives already,” Claudia said, eyeing Gregory up and down briefly. “If only you’d been born in Buldoun...” Tsking to herself, she started walking, but touched Gregory’s elbow so he was beside her. “The story about my family and Shun isn’t a terribly long one.”

Yukiko’s eyebrow went up at how quickly Claudia seemed to take over the moment. She was about to move in beside Gregory when someone touched her arm. “Excuse me.”

“Yes?” Yukiko asked.

Adriana started to walk beside her. “Thank you for earlier.”

“Oh?”

“We both know you could have blinded me with any of those throws. You could’ve gone for my neck at least twice, yet you didn’t. Why?”

“As my husband loves to say, it’s just a tournament, not life and death,” Yukiko replied. “We’re here to represent our countries and clans or houses, not to kill and maim each other. While some don’t understand that, we do. We’ll defend ourselves, but we don’t actively seek to harm like that.”

“Ah. I see. You have been happy with your clan?”

Yukiko gave the other woman a brilliant smile. “Yes. It’s our home. Our clan doesn’t hold prejudices against people.”

“We’d heard that all eurtik in the empire are… lesser.”

“The prejudice is high. Even eurtik like me are given troubles, but our clan isn’t like that.”

“Is that…?” Adriana trailed off, as the question was indelicate at best.

“No, but also a bit of yes,” Yukiko smiled. “Our clan firmly believes in Aether’s return, but the idea of being accepted might’ve drawn some in.”

“I see. Thank you.”

“To Nick’s father?!” Ling asked in shock, which got Yukiko’s attention.

“Yes,” Claudia sighed. “We thought it would benefit both his family and ours, but as soon as she got to the empire, we stopped hearing from her. We heard she’d given birth to twins from some people, but she never reached out to us.”

“He never speaks of his mother,” Jenn said. “Greg?”

“He’s mentioned his grandfather only, and his father once, but that was it,” Gregory said.

“Damn them...” Claudia sighed. “Mother has been upset and petitioned your emperor, but has heard nothing back.”

Yukiko excused herself from Adriana and closed the distance to Jenn who was beside Gregory. “What did I miss?”

“Claudia’s aunt is married to Nick’s father,” Jenn said. “It was supposed to result in children who would be given to both families. Not only did that not happen, but they also haven’t heard from her aunt since the marriage.”

“So I was thanking you for hurting them,” Claudia said, giving Yukiko a smile. Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Have we met?”

“I don’t believe so.”

Lips pursed, Claudia nodded slowly. “Very well... you remind me of something, but I can’t recall it.”

“Yuki was betrothed to Dan Yulin for years,” Gregory said. “They broke the betrothal when she tested as a magi.”

“That pig!” Claudia hissed.

“Dan Yulin truly is that,” Yukiko nodded.

“I’m glad you got away from him,” Claudia said, then recognition dawned. “Your portrait was displayed in their home for a few years. Much younger, of course. That’s why you look familiar... I… sadly… was a childhood playmate of his for years.”

“Of course,” Yukiko sighed. “The Firetongue family. We missed you thrice during our trips into Buldoun. Your family always left a day before we arrived.”

Claudia moved around Gregory and Jenn to walk beside Yukiko. “I remember now... Mother was always wanting to leave before you arrived.” She exhaled, giving Yukiko an apologetic smile. “I don’t hold her views, though. I find your hair quite lovely.”

Yukiko blinked, then giggled. “Thank you. Your blonde ringlets are beautiful, too.”

The conversation turned into small talk as they got closer to the arena encampment. Mage Robert Kitch trailed them, sighing. He hated the fact that he’d gotten stuck with the students, but if he failed to do his job, the archmage would kill him, so he did the best he could.

Chapter Twenty-seven

Elsa listened to their stories of the previous day at breakfast, marveling over the weapons they’d gotten. All three who used staves ended up with staves banded in mythrum, giving the magi increased aether capacity while holding them. Roshana’s sai were different— they had a band of mythrum in the pommel, and were able to project a brief moment of force. They would be useful if she tried to disarm her opponents.

The rest of the morning followed their newly-established routine: studying the Resonant Mind book, resonance meditation, the Peaceful Fist, and then bathing. Their walk to the arena was just like the first day, with them following the Iron Hand. The only difference was that the crowds had grown larger. There were unkind conversations going on about how they would lose the fights, but no one said it while standing near them.

“They’re certainly riled up,” Gregory chuckled.

“They want a better showing from their mages,” Jenn said.

“Can’t blame them,” Yukiko said. “They lost over two-thirds of the fights last time.”

“They’ll lose all three against you again today,” Clover said.

“We’ll do our best,” Jenn said.

As before, the two groups separated, with Gregory leading his wives into the waiting area. Today, they were the first clan present. Egil was once again in full armor, his face mask dangling from its straps, and gave them a nod. Rafiq was still getting his writing implements in order, but smiled at them.

“Good luck today,” Egil said.

“Thank you, Armsmaster,” Gregory said before being echoed by his wives.

“I expect to see you all give your very best efforts today.”

“We will,” Yukiko smiled.

“We always do,” Jenn added.

The door opened a moment later, admitting Hayworth, Binder, and Kang into the room. “The crowds are getting thicker,” Hayworth said. “Magus Harrison had to physically move someone who didn’t make way.”

“Are they okay?” Yukiko asked.

“Nothing broken, but the man was quite irate,” Hayworth replied. “Going to repeat your performance from the other day?”

“We hope to,” Gregory said. “Aiming for a sweep yourself, I would bet.”

“Of course,” Kang said.

Binder grimaced. “I’ll be doing my best.”

“Before the annoying trio gets here,” Gregory said, “we do some morning sparring on the day off. Are you three interested in joining us and the Iron Hand for it?”

“Sparring? Just weapons?” Hayworth asked.

“Yeah, to keep the edge honed. We hoped you’d agree so we could do a mass spar— the six of us against the Iron Hand and the rest of our clan.”

“I like it,” Kang grinned. “A little training before the last fight.”

“Just weapons? That doesn’t really let us do our very best, but it might help us understand each other a bit more,” Hayworth said. “I can guess why you’re not asking the others. Yes, we’ll accept, as long as our magus doesn’t object.”

“It’s normally around eighth bell,” Gregory said, “at our clan area. The Iron Hand is right next to us.”

“Very well. I’ll send you word once we know,” Hayworth nodded. “I’m looking forward to this. Fighting alongside you three will be very interesting.”

“We also do some magic training right after that,” Jenn said.

“Where Jenn and I attack Greg with our magic, and him using his,” Yukiko said.

“Now that I would like to join in on,” Hayworth chuckled.

“Me, too,” Kang nodded.

“I can add in,” Binder said.

“Consider it training for the last day,” Gregory said. “Mindie and Klim are there to heal any accidents, but we’re mostly focused on pushing our aether, not hurting each other.”

“That’ll be fine,” Hayworth nodded.

“A full spar against Jenn will help test me,” Kang grinned.

The door opening got them to cut off. Nick led Parks and Jason into the room, sneering at them. None of them said anything as they went to the viewing area, turning their backs on the others already there.

“Morning to you, too,” Gregory said.

“Shut it, you damned fringer!” Nick snapped. “Today, we’ll be showing you how the empire should win.”

“They were the only clan to win all three of their matches the other day,” Hayworth said. “Hard to improve on that, though you could tie it.”

Nick glared at Hayworth as the tenth bell chimed.

As the last of the bell faded, the announcer from the first day started walking out of the Buldoun waiting area. He waved to the crowd as he advanced toward the middle of the arena. Joining him from where they’d been waiting against the walls, Willof and Sasha— the two referees— went to stand with him.

“Ladies, gentlemen, and children, welcome to the second day of one-on-one fights between the empire’s apprentices and our second-year students of magic. I will be here with you again all day to announce the fighters and winners. We are again joined by referees appointed by both sides to make sure the matches stay fair.”

There was scattered cheering, so the announcer waited before he continued. “Let’s get our first fight underway. Gregory Pettit of Aether’s Guard, user of foresight magic. His opponent is Claudia Firetongue, a fire mage from Eagle House. Come out, fighters. It is time.”

“Now, he burns,” Nick sneered. “No tricks to get you out of this one, Pettit.”

Gregory didn’t even bother replying as he walked past them to pick up a naginata. Egil nodded to him as Gregory stepped past the armsmaster. A few seconds later, he was crossing the arena floor.

“Can his magic work enough for him?” Hayworth mused.

“He’ll win,” Yukiko said. “Just watch. He was able to avoid the killing fire barrage Jason tried to use on him, after all.”

“Fucking beasts should keep their mouths shut!” Jason hissed.

“Pathetic insults suit you, Jason,” Jenn snorted.

Gregory locked eyes with Claudia as they crossed the arena. The smiling woman from last night was gone— the Claudia here and now was focused on winning for her country. She dipped her head a fraction, seeing the same drive to win in Gregory.

When they came to a stop near the announcer, he spoke softly, not into the glowing metal disk, “Remember the rules?” When they both nodded, he grunted. “Bow to each other and get ready to begin.”

Each bowed as their countries traditionally did, then took up ready postures. Claudia’s eyes burned with flame as she got ready to end the fight quickly. Gregory triggered foresight— he was impressed with what he saw in his near future, and decided to flip the script entirely.

“Fight!”

The moment that word left the announcer’s mouth, a few things happened all at once. Claudia sent out a wide barrage of fireballs that would easily at least partially catch Gregory. Gregory sprinted toward the right side, but, as he went, he threw his naginata.

Claudia cried out as the now-burning naginata slammed point first into her chest. Gregory dove into the sand of the arena floor, snuffing out the little bit of the fire he couldn’t escape.

“Stop!” Willof shouted.

“Yes. The fight is over,” Sasha agreed.

The two referees moved toward the two injured fighters. Claudia hissed at the tender spot over her heart as she looked at Gregory. The fire hadn’t touched her at all, but the weapon had. Gregory winced as he sat up— his left arm a mass of burnt flesh, and the sleeve of his kimono was gone.

Wish I could have kept my gloves on, but we can’t use enchantments, Gregory thought. Glad I thought to remove them before we left the clan area...

“You’ll need to sit here for a few minutes, but you have up to a half-hour, if needed,” Willof told Gregory upon reaching him. “Must feel awful.”

“Like underdone bane boar...” Gregory grunted.

Claudia felt the bruise forming even as Sasha got to her. “It hit me over the heart. A real weapon would have killed me. I acknowledge my loss.”

“Glad to see that some of you can do so,” Sasha said bluntly.

“Excuse me,” Claudia said.

Sasha expected her to stomp off to the waiting area, but instead, her eyebrow went up when Claudia went closer to Gregory. She turned to make sure she didn’t have to stop anything.

Willof stiffened a little as Claudia approached, and his hand lightly rested on the hilt of his sword. “Something wrong, Mage?”

“Hmm? No. I wished to congratulate him,” Claudia said, ignoring Willof. She bowed formally to Gregory. “I never suspected you would do that. Thank you for teaching me to be prepared.”

“Thanks for keeping the fire down to a mere roasting,” Gregory grunted as he pushed himself to his feet. With his left arm still healing, he bowed the way she had. “Please do the same with my wives.”

“I doubt I could catch either of them like I did you,” Claudia laughed. She looked at the quiet arena, then shook her head. “I lost honor for my country and house, but tomorrow, I’ll win.”

“That was faster than any of us expected,” the announcer laughed, his words carrying from the magic disk. “The winner is Gregory Pettit. What a throw, all while fleeing for his life. Foresight clearly is hard to beat in a one-on-one situation. Firetongue did her best, but was unable to do more than take his left arm before she was eliminated. Let’s have a showing of appreciation for these two who did their best, and still finished faster than any other fight so far.”

Gregory felt the healing working on his arm and kept his teeth clenched against the unpleasant sensation. Why did it not start right away? he wondered. Maybe it only starts after the fight is called?

When Gregory was finally healed, he entered the waiting area, and all three of the Eternal Flame glared at him. “Almost, Pettit... almost. Maybe she’ll get you, yet. Be the only useful thing her family could do.”

“I thought giving you a mother would have ranked high on that list,” Gregory replied as he put the naginata away.

“What di—?!” Nick began, but Jason roughly grabbed him.

“Stop it! You want us to get sanctioned again?! He’s baiting you!”

Nick shoved Jason off. “Don’t grab me, Argon! You’re my minion, not my grandfather!”

Parks stayed quiet— he’d seen the rift growing and wasn’t about to step into it.

“For now!” Jason snapped as he glared at Nick. “I’m doing what I can for the clan, Shun, not for you. Your grandfather knows that. My help will be rewarded by him, if not by you.”

Hayworth laughed. “Oh, this is a good day. Even if my clan loses all the fights, to see this rift will keep me happy.” Both turned to face him, and Hayworth just smiled back at them. “Problem?”

“You’ll get yours, too, Hayseed!” Nick snapped. He turned away from everyone, staring out onto the sands of the arena.

Gregory made his way to his wives, who checked his arm. Though his sleeve was gone, they were glad he was fully healed. “I’ll have Mindie check after this is over. Be ready for your fights.”

“She was pleasant after the loss?” Jenn asked.

“Very. She congratulated me and promised not to make the fire worse when she faces you both.”

“Thank Aether,” Jenn muttered. “How bad was it?”

“Bad, but not deadly,” Gregory said.

“Our next fight is about to begin. Let us welcome Nicklaus Shun, fire user from the Eternal Flame. His opponent is Jessica Hofen, shadow mage from Wolf House. Fighters, come out.”

Nick’s eye twitched at the use of his full first name. He growled as he snatched a katana from the weapons rack. Jason almost started to say something, but snapped his mouth shut and just watched Nick leave.

Chapter Twenty-eight

All eyes went toward the arena where Nick stalked forward, his jaw set as anger burned in his eyes. All he saw before him was something he hated: a eurtik shadow magic user. While she was vastly different from Yukiko, she would let him vent his anger.

Jessica walked proudly, waving to the crowd as her tail lashed behind her. She’d tried to fight with her favorite daggers before, but that hadn’t worked well. Against a fire user, she was sure it would be worse. It was possible to win, but she’d need to keep moving, meaning she had to win quickly. Gregory’s match with Claudia had given her an idea that she considered trying.

The announcer spoke to them for a moment and Nick snapped at him before turning his anger back on Jessica. Jessica’s lips pursed and she waited a long moment, then nodded. The announcer shook his head as he backed up. Jessica bowed formally at the waist to Nick. Nick didn’t bow back— he just stared at his opponent, waiting.

Rafiq made his notes as he watched. He didn’t embellish or slant what he wrote; they were only factual. Every insult to the others and every action of less-than-proper decorum was being recorded. His task had been given to him by the academy overseer, and he would do it to the best of his ability.

The instant the announcer called the fight to begin, Nick did as Claudia had done— launching a barrage of fireballs. He rushed toward the thickest patch of shadow at the same time. That movement let him get away from the single dagger Jessica had thrown, but it also took him away from where she’d leapt.

She knew he was likely to go for the best shadows, so she went to the other side of the arena where the shadows weren’t as good. It was too far for her to throw her other dagger, so she reclaimed the one she’d thrown, then shifted bit by bit along the wall.

Gregory had pulled up aether sight, curious as to what Jessica would do. He knew that how she used the shadows might let him give Yukiko ideas later. Nick blasted the shadows away from the wall as he got close. The fire made the people in the front row of stands jerk back.

Hissing, Nick backed away, looking over his shoulder. He was smart enough not to turn his back right away, but since his gaze wasn’t on the shadows, Jessica took a gamble. It was hard to do from so far away, but she did it anyway.

Gregory’s eyes shot open when he saw a patch of darkness form, then shoot forward. Nick turned back in time to react— his sword slid the shadow blade mostly away, but it gashed his left arm right before a burst of fire erupted around him, dispersing the shadows.

“Shadow blade?” Yukiko murmured.

“From across the arena,” he whispered to her.

Yukiko’s lips pursed and she considered what that would take from her. Her evaluation of the Buldoun shadow mage climbed a little higher.

Nick growled as he rushed away from the shadows and into the middle of the arena. The sun gave him a reprieve, with his shadow cast directly in front of him. “Come out, you damned cat!” he shouted, but it was lost in the noise of the crowd.

The game of cat and mouse continued for many long minutes— Jessica would throw a dagger, then jump shadows as Nick spun and threw fire at where she’d been. The two referees had to dodge his fire at times, making both of them frown at him. Nick sported a few small cuts, and the wound on his arm from the shadow blade was still bleeding steadily.

Nick’s visage was one of rage as he spun time and again, tossing fireballs into random patches of darkness, hoping to catch Jessica. He was being toyed with and humiliated by another eurtik, and he would kill her if it was the last thing he did for the tournament.

Gregory dropped his aether sight, as it had started to tax him. “She can’t have much left.”

“No... she’s jumped a lot,” Yukiko said. “I wonder what she’ll do? He still has plenty left.”

The answer came a moment later, when Jessica appeared behind Willof. Willof stiffened, then shouted loudly, “Buldoun surrenders!”

“No!” Nick screamed, spinning and throwing fire right at the pair.

Jessica gasped as she grabbed Willof, the shadows leaping to engulf them. The fire hit the area and clung to the sand, burning bright and hot. Two screams of pain and small burning patches illuminated another shadow well away from Nick.

“Are they alright?!” Jenn asked worriedly.

Gregory pushed aether sight back up and inhaled sharply when he saw the aether fire stuck to them, burning them. His breath caught when he saw the wind magic that snuffed the fires, then engulfed Nick, lifting him into the air a few feet.

Laozi drifted down from the boxes, his face stern. “Apprentice, that was a severe breach of etiquette. Are you done now?”

Nick glared at the sage, even though he was white-faced at the pressure Laozi exuded. He could barely move, but his head managed a nod. The wind cut off and Nick fell the ten feet back to the arena floor.

Laozi continued to float in the air as he turned toward the boxes over the Buldoun waiting area. “Archmage, what will you ask for?”

The archmage stood up in his box, looking down at Nick with disdain. “This one has shamed your empire. He has tried to kill one of ours after the fight was over. Since he is the leader of his group, that speaks ill for his clan. I ban the entire clan from the tournament. Let another of the clans present take up their disgrace.”

Laozi hung in the air. The crowd was dead silent, not wanting to disturb the two powerful men. “Hmm... Problematic. Would you consider just banning him and letting his two remaining clan members continue? If they act out in any way, we will acquiesce and ban them all, then forfeit their fights as we already will for his.”

“If they break any rules. Ours or yours.”

“Agreed.”

“Accorded,” the archmage nodded. “I will give him one more chance if he will speak with me on the matter of Lynette Firetongue.”

“Shun?” Laozi asked, staring down at Nick.

Nick glared at the two men. He was sure they knew he’d never say anything about his mother— his grandfather had made that point abundantly clear to him as a child. But being driven out of the tournament would blackmark his clan to a point that even his grandfather would be livid with him. Between those two terrible choices, he made a decision.

Drawing himself up to his full height, blood still oozing from his wounds, Nick let fire flare over his skin, searing his wounds shut. It would make healing them harder, but it was also a display of who he was. When the wounds closed, he turned away from the two men, heading for the waiting area door.

“It seems he has chosen,” the archmage shrugged.

“He has,” Laozi agreed. “If I might request your service in this matter?”

The archmage’s lips ticked up and he motioned toward Nick. Nick vanished from the arena floor in that instant, and the archmage smiled darkly. “He has been sent to his grandfather.”

“Acceptable. I do not doubt he arrived safely.”

“I am not the one who almost started a war today.”

Laozi bowed his head a fraction. “Shall we continue?”

“Yes.”

Rafiq was writing furiously as he tried to capture the moment and words. Stunned silence filled the empire’s waiting area, with the only sound being breathing and Rafiq’s pen.

“Dammit...” Jason said simply. He lowered his head for a moment, then turned to Parks sharply. “Not a single thing more. Do not go for kills. Do not step out of line in any way.”

Parks saw the writing on the wall— Nick had become more and more erratic since their novice year. Jason had been slowly gaining control of their group, and had even been praised by Elkit and Grandmaster Shun for mitigating the worst of what Nick had done. “I see the smoke,” Parks said, using an old clan saying.

Jason grunted. “Good.”

“Well, this just became the brightest point of my whole year,” Hayworth chuckled. “I could lose every fight for the rest of the tournament and still wear a smile on my face the entire time.”

Jason’s teeth ground together, but he didn’t speak against Hayworth. Instead, he kept talking to Parks, “Ignore everyone else. Do not rise to any provocation. You heard them. Any rule broken means we’ll be sent to Grandmaster Shun to explain. We need to redeem Nick’s folly.”

“I see the smoke, Jason,” Parks said firmly. He would say more, but he wasn’t going to give any information away to their enemies.

Yukiko whispered to Gregory, making sure her voice was too soft to be overheard, “Jason is taking over, which is honestly worse for us.”

Gregory nodded; he had to agree with her. He would never be able to push foresight far enough to see if a crazy idea would work, but he wanted to gamble for it anyway. “Jason?”

Jason’s shoulders stiffened and he turned to face Gregory. “What, Pettit?” The anger and hatred were clear in his voice.

“We never wanted the rift... Nick was the one who wanted conflict. We did our best to win. That was all. Jenn even checked her attack on you when we last fought. Truce?”

Jason blinked, clearly taken completely off-guard. The majority of those in the room looked just as flabbergasted by Gregory’s offer.

“We never started any of the incidents,” Yukiko added. “With the problems you now face, might it not be time to put aside the troubles started by another?”

Jason’s teeth ground together again before he exhaled slowly. “You and your clan have taken delight in embarrassing and defeating us at every turn.”

“We never started any of it,” Jenn said firmly. “We take delight in proving our clan strong, but what clan doesn’t? We never celebrated beating your clan more than we did any other clan.”

“No! You strung the clan along, then went to a broken, forgotten clan!” Jason snarled. “That insult to the Eternal Flame will not be forgotten!”

“To be fair, they turned down all of the great clans,” Hayworth snorted. “Just because you chased them and they declined doesn’t make that their fault. The rest of us backed away upon seeing that they had no intention of joining us. But the Eternal Flame has always been good at making martyrs of themselves.”

“What a moment we’ve just witnessed. A sage of the empire and our own archmage coming to an accord!” the announcer boomed. “But the fights must go on, even if we’ll be having one less a day going forward. Next up, we have Wallace Hayworth of the Swift Wind clan, user of spatial magic. His opponent is Stallo Gympian, a physical enhancement mage from Boar House. Come out, fighters. And maybe follow the rules this time?”

Laughter filled the arena, and Jason’s jaw clenched tighter. “Those who mock the Eternal Flame learn their folly in time.”

Gregory shook his head. He’d hoped that, with Nick gone, Jason would extend a hand. He should’ve known better. Well, from now on, no more holding back. We’ve tried time and again, and not only do they not accept, they try to hurt us more. Gregory sighed to himself at the thought of what that might mean in the future. I’ll make sure everyone knows... I just wish it’d been different. What does it say when two mage houses of Buldoun are friendlier to us than one of our own clans?

Hayworth went to collect his weapons, his mind shifting from Nick’s folly to what was before him. “Now, to win without giving the entire empire a black eye.”

Jason’s teeth were clamped tightly shut as he glared at Hayworth.

Chapter Twenty-nine

The fights for the rest of the day weren’t as dramatic as Nick’s had been. Hayworth won within seconds— he just extended his sword when Stallo charged, then opened a portal between them. Stallo ended up directly on the tip of the wooden blade before he was expecting to be.

That left a lot of empty space to fill, much the way Gregory’s fight had. Instead of waiting, they gave a few minutes before calling in the next fighters. Yukiko took her shuriken with her when she faced Lukas. The dwarven fire mage gave her a worried look, knowing what had happened between the last fire-shadow match. It went similarly to Nick’s fight with Jessica, but Lukas didn’t throw a tantrum when he lost. He lost when one of Yukiko’s throws caught him in the neck.

Jason dismantled Westley, the water mage of Boar House. Unlike normal, he did just enough to win, bowed as he should, then walked off the sands. That stark difference from what Nick had done got attention.

Kang went up against Adriana, the spatial mage, giving a mirror face-off of Hayworth’s match. Kang didn’t rush— he advanced carefully, always ready to step aside when Adriana opened a rift for her spear. The fight ended when Kang failed to account for what happened when he got close enough to attack her. His downward slash vanished, hitting him in the back of the head, instead. The two chatted for a moment before they exchanged bows, clearly showing a vast difference between Swift Wind and the Eternal Flame.

Jenn faced off with Pavil Cutter of Eagle House. The wind mage had beaten Binder in the first round, but he lost in his fight with Jenn. She went with pure speed, zigzagging in while he tried to hit her with magic. She went under, then over his few wide slashes when his many smaller ones missed. He staggered back from her first attack, which threw his shield arm to the side. When he tried to stab with his gladius, she merely blocked with her wakizashi and stepped inside. Her hand locked on his throat and he threw up both hands. Jenn let go of him, then backed up and had him stab at her. The crowd was confused, but then Jenn adjusted his arm to show him why the new position would have worked better. That moment made Nick’s outburst even starker.

Parks was grim-faced when he walked out to face Ivan Armstrong. The physical enhancement mage of Wolf House watched his opponent carefully. Their two magics were nearly negated by the other. The fight took far longer than most had— Parks used his barriers to give himself a chance, but Ivan’s attacks hit hard enough to shatter most of them in a single strike, though they did slow him down. The fight itself was over when Ivan finally reached Parks. Parks fought as well as he could, but Ivan’s strength was on full display. Ivan’s attack snapped the haft of Parks’ maul and the zweihander’s blade. Parks wasn’t ready for it, so Ivan landed a hard right hook to Parks’ jaw, that dropped the magi to the ground unconscious.

Binder was breathing a little fast when he left the waiting area. He was the last fight of the day again, and had ended up paired against the Boar House earth mage, Brian Digger. Wind against earth was a very different fight. Brian’s spikes failed to land as Binder used just enough air to jump over them, while Brian threw up earth walls to absorb the wind blades. It was a great fight from a magic standpoint; the crowd loved it as they watched two determined magic users stay at range to attack. Binder managed to land a couple of deep cuts on Brian, but none in bad locations. Brian won in the end— Binder used more aether than Brian did, and an earth spike hit him in the hip. Binder gave up, letting the arena heal him.

As if to punctuate the difference of the day, Brian jogged over to Binder and took a seat beside him to talk while Binder healed up. Binder lay there and let the arena heal him, more than happy to congratulate Brian.

Gregory frowned as he watched the moment. He’d noticed that Brian’s wounds healed up before Binder’s even started to heal. Since Jason and Parks had left the waiting area after their matches, he debated bringing it up.

“Armsmaster... a question,” Gregory eventually said. “How does the healing magic decide who to heal first?”

Egil frowned, then looked back at the two chatting in the arena. “I don’t know if it was ever stated.”

“Digger healed before Binder even though Binder had the worst wound,” Gregory said.

“Hmm... I will bring this to the overseer,” Egil said with a nod. “We might have to make sure Willof has some potions on him to help if things go wrong.”

“Oh, that could be bad,” Yukiko nodded. “We have a few things of our own, but we might not have taken them if we expected to be healed quickly.”

“It might give the overseer a point to make with the archmage,” Hayworth said. “Maybe it’ll even the scales for the black mark Shun gave us.”

“I’d hoped he’d make up for my loss,” Kang sighed. “He did well. Just another inch or two to the side and one of those cuts would’ve ended the fight.”

“They won three fights today. Four, if they count Nick’s as a loss,” Jenn said. “We’ll have to work to keep winning.”

“I didn’t even think about her opening a portal for my own weapon to brain me,” Kang sighed.

“It’s difficult to do, as you have to open it at just the right time,” Hayworth told him. “If she’d been a second slower, you would’ve crushed her, instead.”

“Yeah, but she wasn’t,” Kang grunted. “I’ll win next time.”

“Pettit nearly lost, too,” Hayworth said. “He won’t win by throwing his weapon again.”

“True,” Gregory admitted, “but it worked today.”

“They still have a second fire mage,” Kang said.

“Yes, and if he can manage that same barrage, I doubt I’ll win,” Gregory said. “Be that as it may, we will do our best every time.”

“As it should be,” Hayworth said, looking back to see Binder getting to his feet. “We’ll see you for sparring tomorrow.”

“We look forward to working with you,” Jenn grinned. “Think you can get me across the arena?”

Hayworth considered it, then chuckled. “Taxing, but possible.”

“Which means they can, too,” Kang pointed out.

“Yes, but they don’t have anyone who can see the future,” Yukiko laughed. “If they tried, Greg could be there to meet them.”

Hayworth chuckled. “Just our two clans might be able to win. Can you cover us all in shadow to confuse them?”

“Possibly? I’ve never tried to create a plane of shadow. I assume you’d like rather not be in it yourself.”

“All things for us to figure out,” Gregory said as Binder opened the door into the waiting area. “Good try.”

Binder exhaled. “Sorry, Hayworth.”

“You did fine,” Hayworth said. “Tomorrow, you’ll win. Now, we need to go speak with Magus Harrison. I’m sure he wants to reiterate the rules to us.”

“We should go, too,” Jenn said. “See you all tomorrow.”

“As long as Harrison doesn’t balk,” Kang said.

Hayworth’s clan was out the door a minute later.

“Why did you offer that to Jason, Greg?” Yukiko asked softly.

Gregory looked at Rafiq, but the archivist was already packed up. “Because I hoped. It risks nothing to ask. His refusal to such an offer is likely going to be known eventually.”

“Yes, it doubtlessly will,” Rafiq said with a smile.

“Oh... Did you think he would really accept?” Jenn asked.

“I didn’t give it much hope. I was more worried he’d say yes, then turn around later to break it.”

“That would darken their clan more than Shun already did,” Egil said. “To do that, they would need clear provocation on your end.”

“Yes, they would,” Yukiko agreed with Egil, “and they wouldn’t get it easily. No doubt that is why he refused.”

“Are you ready to go, Rafiq?” Egil asked.

“Yes, Armsmaster. Do you think dinner will be better tonight?”

“I’m going to insist that idiot find a different vendor to buy from,” Egil said as he left with Rafiq.

“Time to see our friends,” Yukiko said. “I’m sure they have questions.”

“Elsa will have a lot, too,” Jenn said. “Should we go out and find a different type of food tonight?”

“Yes,” Gregory said. “I want to try different things while we’re here.”

“Very well, dear one,” Yukiko smiled. “First, we need to go bathe and change.”

~*~*~

They were quiet on the way back to the encampment, as Hemet had asked them to be. Once they were inside Gregory’s tent, though, they all wanted to know about what’d happened in the waiting area before and after Nick’s fight.

They discussed that, along with giving Elsa a review of the matches. Once they were clean and dressed, they left to go find food and browse any new merchants that had appeared.

They did take the time to hit up the vendor who’d had bane cores for sale. The man had set aside a stockpile for them and, between them, they purchased everything he’d had. He was happy to promise them more when the next fighting day came around.

As they left, Clover snickered. “He must have a family member who works on a bane beast farm. That’s the only way for him to get so many so easily.”

“Or he’s getting them from other means,” Yukiko said. “That doesn’t matter to us, but if he is, I’m sure the guards will be cracking down on him soon.”

“Aether’s Guard!” The shout had many people looking around for the source of the voice.

Claudia Firetongue smiled happily as she advanced on them. Her fellow members of Eagle House trailed her, with the chaperone scowling at the tail end of their group. The crowds parted for the small group of Buldoun mages even more readily than they did for Gregory’s clan.

“We didn’t expect to see you out here,” Claudia said. “What are you shopping for?”

“Looking over the new vendors who’ve shown up, and maybe finding dinner,” Yukiko said.

Claudia looked at Elsa in the middle of the group and smiled. “Hello! Oh, you’re their servant?” She hadn’t seen her uniform at first, but quickly adapted.

“Yes, mistress,” Elsa said, looking down.

“She’s with us so she knows if we find a food vendor that’s acceptable, and to carry anything we need her to,” Yukiko said.

“Ah, of course,” Claudia nodded. “If you don’t mind, might we walk with you?”

“Not at all,” Gregory said, “but I think it’s more than that.”

Claudia’s eyes shifted to him and her lips twisted. “Hmm... if only,” she sighed. “Yes, that’s true. Maybe we can discuss it over food?”

“We agree,” Gregory said. “Showing the crowds that clan and house can be civil is good, considering what happened earlier.”

“Damn him!” Claudia snapped. Her face briefly showed true anger before the happy smile came back. “Yes. Shun’s a prat. Sadly, he chose what he did. He could’ve just told me.”

“You want us to help find out your answers?” Yukiko asked.

“Yes,” Claudia smiled, “but unlike others, I’m willing to make sure it’s a balanced deal.”

“We can work with favors owed,” Yukiko said.

“Excellent. I knew when I saw you all that we would find a way to work together. Something just felt right.”

Both of the other mages of her house looked uncomfortable.

“We can set it aside for the time being,” Yukiko said. “Let’s just be friends for right now. You both had good fights today,” she directed toward Adriana and Pavil.

“Really didn’t,” Pavil sighed. “You’re amazing,” he told Jenn.

“Thank you. You made me work on my speed.”

“And that win against Kang!” Clover clapped. “Was it difficult?”

Adriana nodded. “Very. I can try to explain when we sit down to eat.”

“Let’s go, then,” Gregory said.

“Yes, let’s.” Claudia put herself between Yukiko and Gregory. “I’d also like to hear more of your clan. Rumors say that it’s new, while others say it’s old, but broken.”

Chapter Thirty

The group had a relaxing day off with Yukiko’s and Jenn’s families. They stayed at the inn, playing games and chatting. Candace, Jenn’s sister, turned out to be very lucky. She scooped up most of the money when the dice were out.

Candace listened to all their stories of the academy, both the good and the bad. Before dinner was served, she again decided that she’d rather not be a magi. Jenn said she’d pray to Aether that her sister got her wish.

Dinner was just finishing when a knock came on the door, and Lin entered the room a moment after that. “Excuse me. Yukiko, the mages of Buldoun in the other dining room have asked if your clan will join them for a few minutes.”

“Should be Wolf House. They were here last week,” Yukiko said, seeing her father’s expression.

“Yes, it is them,” Lin affirmed.

“They might want to talk about Nick and the fights,” Jenn suggested.

“Likely,” Gregory agreed. “I don’t see the harm in it. They could just be looking for reassurance that no one else is like Nick.”

“They seemed civil when we spoke with them the other night,” Mindie nodded.

“He seemed even more aggressive in that fight than normal,” Roshana said.

“Yes...” Yukiko sighed. “I was thinking about it. I believe it’s because of me.”

“Eurtik and shadow magic,” Ling said. “He might have pushed his anger for you onto her.”

“Oh...” Clover said. “That isn’t good. He wants to kill Yuki?”

“He does,” Yukiko said. “Nick doesn’t handle failure well.”

“‘At all’ are the words you’re looking for, Yuki,” Jenn corrected her.

“Is it safe?” Umbrose asked worriedly.

“It should be,” Gregory said. “Besides, all of us will go. The seven of us can handle the four of them.”

“One of them is at least a magus-level aether user,” Hao said.

“And if trouble starts, I’ll kill him first,” Gregory said. “Nothing will endanger my hearts.”

“If we work together, Father, we can handle them,” Yukiko said, “but having spoken to them before, I feel it will be fine. Cautious, but respectful is what I gleaned last time.”

“We will be ready to assist if needed,” Lin said firmly.

Gregory frowned, then triggered foresight. His aether burned off quickly as he looked nearly an hour into the future. Panting when he stopped, Gregory exhaled slowly. “Relax. It’ll be fine,” he said with a hint of tiredness. “Unless we start a fight, there won’t be one.”

Both Jenn and Yukiko watched him with concern, but seeing that he was okay, they relaxed. “If Gregory says so, it’ll be fine,” Yukiko said. “Foresight, dear one?”

“Yeah. I wanted to see if there was any need to worry,” Gregory said. “They’re concerned about the rest of the tournament. It was Jessica who got her chaperone to ask for us.”

“I can see where she would want to know more,” Yukiko said.

“We’re going?” Roshana asked.

“Yes,” Gregory said, standing up. “It’ll be fine.”

Lin looked at Hao, but Hao snorted. “Lin, if the man who can see the future says it will be fine, who are we to doubt him?”

“Sorry. It is hard to let go of long-ingrained habits,” Lin exhaled.

Gregory turned around and grabbed Lin’s shoulder. “I don’t fault you. You were worried about my heart. Thank you for that. You never have to forget that habit.”

Lin met Gregory’s eyes before he bowed his head. “She chose well.”

“She did,” Jenn chuckled.

“Twice or more,” Yukiko smirked, her eyes darting to Mindie as she rose. “We’re ready, dear one. You lead and we’ll follow.”

Gregory kept his face impassive at the triple entendre Yukiko just used. “Yeah, let’s go.”

Knocking on the door across the hall, Gregory waited for it to open. Mage Otis Fang, the chaperone for the Wolf House student mages, nodded to them when he opened the door. “Thank you for coming. Please, sit.”

Gregory led his clan inside. “Thank you, sir. We were surprised to be invited to speak with you.”

“You were?” Otis asked.

“No magi could keep foresight up all the time,” Gregory said. “Even our elder, who has used it for hundreds of years, couldn’t. Like all magic, it takes aether.”

“Ah, of course,” Otis coughed. “Apologies, but your magic is… different than most others.”

“Yes,” Gregory sighed. “There is no teacher of mine.”

“Your elder doesn’t help you?” Ivan asked in disbelief.

“Physical magics, where things are shaped or moved, can be taught,” Gregory replied. “Foresight is about peeking into the future. There’s nothing to shape, mold, or direct.”

“Fascinating,” Lukas said. “I do not look forward to facing you.”

Gregory gave the fire mage a curious look. “You can’t do what Claudia did?”

“She’s abnormal,” Jessica said bluntly.

Gregory finally looked at the shadow mage. Her arm looked fine; much better than when she’d been burnt in the arena. “Some do seem to do more than others. Most are quite vocal about being able to do so.”

“She’s vocal, but not about her magic,” Ivan snorted.

“We didn’t ask you here to discuss the pampered princess,” Jessica said tightly, glaring at Ivan.

“Princess?” Clover asked with wide eyes. “Is she?”

“No,” Otis said. “She comes from nobility, but is not a princess. She isn’t nobility anymore, either.”

“Because mages are removed from high society,” Yukiko said. “It was thought that they might try to emulate the empire by putting a mage on the throne, so no mage is allowed to be a noble. That’s stayed true to this day.”

All four Buldoun mages stared at Yukiko in surprise.

“We studied a lot on Buldoun, Limaz, and Krogga,” Jenn smiled. “Only those who ignore the past are doomed to repeat it.”

Otis sat forward. “A smart observation. What history did you study? History is written by the winners, or by one’s home country, in most cases.”

“The archive at the academy holds many books,” Ling said, “some of which are not… appreciated… elsewhere in the empire.”

“We’ve studied lots of viewpoints,” Clover grinned.

Jessica growled, her eyes darting to Otis. “Sir, if I can ask?”

Otis sat back. “Sorry. You did ask for this meeting, not me.”

Jessica looked at the seven empire magi before focusing on Gregory. “He tried to kill me. Why?”

“Well...” Gregory sighed. “That’s going to be a long story. Do we have time?”

“Let me order some more drinks,” Otis said. When Jessica started to make a noise, he growled loudly, pinning her with his eyes. “Wait.”

Jessica’s lip pulled back in a snarl, but she didn’t speak, even when Otis left the room.

“Reminds me of Daciana,” Clover said to Roshana.

“She gets overly passionate about things at times,” Roshana nodded.

Jessica looked at the pair, clearly unhappy.

“Daciana is a novice of our clan,” Ling explained. “She’s part-wolf eurtik and very forward. When she wants something, she can be aggressive.”

“Not as aggressive as Victoria,” Yukiko chuckled, which had Gregory’s cheeks heat.

Jessica was clearly off-balance by their explanation and last comment.

“Daciana is a dear friend of ours,” Jenn said. “She’s like family, as are her two closest friends, Nessa and Victoria.”

“You freely admit your friendships even though the empire despises eurtiks?” Ivan asked.

“You see our apprentices and myself, and have heard of one of our best novices,” Mindie said. “Do you think our clan holds those same views?”

“It would be hard to accept with how happy you’ve all been,” Lukas said, joining in.

Yukiko sighed. “Jessica, what happened to you is my fault, in part. Nick Shun hates me for beating him time and again during our tournaments. His clan has lost every fight with us, and he has lost every fight to me. When he faced you, a shadow mage with clear eurtik blood, he likely transferred that hatred to you.”

Jessica stared at Yukiko, shocked that the other woman was willing to say it was her fault.

“When you hurt him time and again and never paid for it, his anger would have built and built. He was being embarrassed yet again by a ‘lowly eurtik shadow mage.’ When you finally came out in the open, he lashed out the way he always does.”

“Yukiko beat him in the first novice tournament, and his hatred for her has been high ever since,” Gregory said a little tightly. “And that’s even after he burned half her face and nearly cost her her eye.”

“His hatred has only deepened since then,” Jenn added.

Otis came back into the room with a tray of glasses and two pitchers. “I have some diluted aether wine, enough for us all to have a glass.” Everyone was quiet while Otis handed around the wine, so he eyed them all. “I missed something, didn’t I?”

“My answers...” Jessica said. “They offered answers... but you said it would take a long time to answer.”

“The full story of the Eternal Flame’s hatred for us, as people and as a clan,” Gregory said.

“Aether’s Guard is in conflict with them?” Otis asked.

“Not officially. Not yet, at least,” Jenn said.

“Please, tell me,” Jessica said. “I wish to know more of this magi I need to repay.”

“Nick? He’s not worth your time,” Yukiko said. “The best way to repay him is to ignore him. That will grate against his skin more than you trying to hurt him.”

“She’s right,” Jenn nodded. “Ignoring him damages his ego more than anything else.”

“Besides, he’s likely being chastised by his grandfather right now,” Gregory chuckled.

“He gave the empire a black mark,” Roshana said. “The overseer will see that it’s handled when he returns.”

“Not like he can try covering it up,” Mindie said.

Jessica sat back, nodding. “I see. Please tell me about this conflict.”

“Sure,” Gregory said. “We’d like to have a cordial relationship with Wolf House.”

Chapter Thirty-one

Two weeks flew by as the magi settled into a routine— they would fight one day, then rest the next. After their matches, they’d visit the merchants around the encampment with Elsa, which almost always ended with them having dinner with Eagle House. Claudia dominated the conversations, but they spent time with everyone. Pavil and Adriana had relaxed and joined in with joking and having a good time. Their chaperone, Robert, grumbled and trailed them, still clearly displeased with his task.

They used their days off in the city, spending time with their families. Wolf House would invite them over to chat and play games for an hour after dinner. Jessica chatted a lot with Yukiko, the two of them trying to glean insights into their magic without giving too much away. Ivan tried arm-wrestling Jenn and lost almost every time when aether was used, but without, he’d win. Lukas talked forging with Jenn, as his grandmother was a smith in Buldoun’s capital.

That time together helped solidify the friendships between the mage houses and Aether’s Guard. Even when Jenn was burned in her fight against Claudia, they didn’t hold it against the blonde. That seemed to surprise her— she’d found them looking extremely worried and tried to apologize right away. Jenn instead hugged her briefly and congratulated her on the win.

The fights were mostly a mixed bag for the empire, but they still won more than Buldoun. Yukiko lost to Stallo— the physical enhancement mage was able to break all of her shadows easily with just brute aether. In the end, he just outlasted her, and Yukiko yielded the fight rather than get seriously injured. Stallo chatted with her, letting her know that he’d been hard-pressed to keep his aether going that long against her hit-and-run tactics.

Hayworth lost to Claudia, unable to stop the opening barrage, it left him burnt, but didn’t threaten his life. He conceded, knowing that she could’ve easily killed him. His only other loss was to Adriana— the two spatial magic users’ match was a dizzying display of rift and counter rift. The crowd loved every minute of it, even more so when Adriana managed to slip her spear past a rift and tag Hayworth in the neck. They spent another few minutes talking before he returned to the waiting area.

The others won and lost in equal measure, with Jason and Parks always being careful of behaving. It was clear that the tiptoeing was starting to grate on them both, but they never went too far in any win or loss.

The only person who’d gone undefeated was Gregory. The others lacked the ability to defeat his foresight. He was always in just the right place at the right time, every trap missing him. The closest fight he had, outside of Claudia, was against Brian, the Boar House earth mage. The barrage of earth spikes caused Gregory to burn his aether at a rate he was uncomfortable with, but he managed to slip, duck, or break all of them as he closed and dispatched the mage. His victory over Jessica had been one that had caused laughter throughout the crowd— he’d avoided her daggers, but then picked them up, sticking them into the pouch on his hip. With her weapons gone, she had almost no chance against him.

The group had continued to train as they had since they’d arrived, with the addition of larger sparring and magic training sessions. Spending nearly two weeks training together had Gregory’s and Hayworth’s clans getting a better feel for how they fought. Klim got a single match per sparring day from Gregory, and he never used the naginata, nor his foresight. Instead, he used the other weapons, losing most, but not all, of their fights.

~*~*~

Waking on the morning of the last singles fights, something finally struck Gregory. He hadn’t seen Lightshield at all since the elder approved of their training with the Iron Hand. Hemet had always been the one to take them to the arena, then bring them back.

Yukiko shifted, kissing his chest. “Hmm... good morning, my heart.”

“Good morning to you, too, dear one,” Gregory whispered back, kissing her head.

“Is it time?” Jenn yawned, then shifted up to kiss Yukiko and Gregory.

“Soon,” Yukiko sighed. “Last day of single fights. I’ll be fighting Jessica today.”

“I get Lukas,” Jenn sighed. “Fire mage again. If we could use any of our enchantments, I could win so easily. Instead, I’ll probably burn. I just hope he’s more like Claudia and less like Nick when it comes time.”

“He has been for his other fights, and he’s friendly toward us,” Gregory said.

“It’s been surprising how much we’ve gotten along with two of the three houses,” Yukiko said as she got out of bed. “Maybe it would have been all three, but Boar House hasn’t been anywhere near us.”

“Stallo seemed decent enough, even when I beat him,” Jenn said. “He was shocked over how well I could segment my aether usage. He’d just been starting to learn how to do so.”

“True,” Gregory said as he rolled out of bed. “The other two in his house have been pleasant enough, too... Brian and Westley. Brian came close to beating me a few times.”

“That fight had everyone talking,” Yukiko smiled. “I feel like they’ll focus on you when we do the clan against house fights.”

Jenn agreed as she stretched, then stood up. “Yeah. They know he’s the biggest threat. Luckily, we’ll be able to use an enchantment for those.”

“Between Gregory’s armor and one of us using the fire-nullifying ring, Claudia and Lukas will have real problems,” Yukiko giggled.

“They’ll have their own tricks, but I agree,” Gregory said as he got dressed.

~*~*~

Breakfast and Magi Squares went by quickly, and their study was just coming to an end when Gregory closed the Resonant Mind book. “That’s all of it.”

“There’s a lot the path can do,” Mindie said.

“Agreed,” Roshana nodded. “Add in the Peaceful Fist, and it trains all three.”

“Combining them would be even better,” Ling said.

“You can,” Gregory said. “I feel it... we can do the first steps of the Resonant Mind while doing the Peaceful Fist already.”

“We’ll do our best,” Clover said.

“Oh... something occurred to me this morning,” Gregory said. “Has Lightshield been in the stands with you?”

“No,” Mindie said. “I thought he might be with the overseer.”

“Maybe?” Gregory murmured.

“Time for resonance meditation,” Jenn said.

“Go ahead,” Gregory said. “I feel the need to go speak with him.”

“We can—” Roshana began.

“Stay,” Gregory said softly. “Train. I’ll probably be back shortly.”

“We’ll be waiting for you, dear one,” Yukiko said. “Let’s center ourselves, ladies.”

~*~*~

Gregory was just reaching out to knock on the tent post when the flap of Lightshield’s tent opened. “Come in, Gregory,” Lightshield called.

Entering, Gregory realized it was aether that had opened the flap for him. He went to where Lightshield sat in a padded chair, taking the one across the table from him. “Elder... are you okay?”

Lightshield gave him a tired smile. “As well as I can be. Thank you for worrying about me. What can I do for you?”

“We haven’t seen you much, and we worried,” Gregory said honestly.

“You do care for your friends. It soothes my nerves to know I am in that number.”

“You are, sir. I can’t thank you enough for accepting us into the clan.”

“As if I could do anything else,” Lightshield chuckled. “You were working on resonance training, were you not?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. It will serve you well in the years to come.”

Gregory felt the need to tell Lightshield that he was Aether start to burn inside of him. He wanted to bring the older man joy before the end. “Sir, I’ve been meaning to tell you—”

“Wait,” Lightshield said softly, cutting him off. “Not yet. It is not time yet. Before the tournament ends, it will be time, but now is not it.”

Gregory felt a weight to those soft words, and he bowed his head. “As you wish, Elder.”

“Joy will still come before the tournament ends, too. I have arranged some things to help with that. But first, you have fighting to attend to. I will be in the stands for the clan fights and the last match.”

A gust of wind pushed the tent flap aside, and Laozi stood beside Lightshield’s chair. “Pettit,” Laozi said, his aether restrained the way it had been when he was merely a sweeper, “if you will excuse us, there are matters I need to discuss with your elder.”

Gregory stood, bowing to the sage. “Of course, sir.”

“Fight well today. Having one of ours undefeated in single fights is a mark of honor for the empire.”

“Yes, sir,” Gregory said, bowing again before leaving.

As he walked away, he caught a fragment of the conversation behind him, “Linus, tell me what has changed, please.”

Laozi is asking Lightshield to track things in the future... Gregory thought. That makes me wonder what might happen before the tournament ends...

~*~*~

Entering the waiting area, Gregory gave Egil a nod. “Armsmaster.”

“Pettits,” Egil replied back. “I wish all three of you luck in your fights today. None of you have easy matches. I wonder if one of your fights will even be seen.”

Yukiko smiled. “Shadows hide a lot.”

“All of you have done well,” Rafiq said from his desk. “Between the three of you, there are only two losses to this point. The best of any of the three clans, even if we discount Shun’s losses. It will certainly bring more attention to your clan.”

“And Greg even more,” Jenn chuckled. “Undefeated again, if he wins this fight. He makes a habit of that.”

“People will begin to wonder just how much foresight can do,” Rafiq nodded. “Gregory, might I ask you to prepare notes for me on what your magic helped you with during the fights? It’ll be easier for me to get them directly from you as Master Damon did, rather than having me take your time away by asking you repeated questions.”

“I’ll start getting them in order, Rafiq.”

“Thank you.”

The door opened, letting Jason and Parks into the room. “Pettit,” Jason nearly hissed. “Maybe today is the day for you to lose.”

“Perhaps,” Gregory said. He knew that Rafiq already had his book open to take notes, so he didn’t make a retort.

“You get to fight their best fire mage today,” Yukiko said. “I hope she’s more restrained than some others.”

Jason’s nostrils flared, but he just glared at Yukiko.

“At least Parks will win,” Jenn added. “Probably, at least.”

“I’ll win. They should be glad that we’ve been curtailed. Things might have been very different if we hadn’t been!” Parks snapped at her.

Before any more words could be exchanged, Hayworth led his clan into the room. “Ah, all here already? Today, they’ll have a chance to win more fights than we do. I doubt they will, but the match-ups look fairly even today.”

“Of course, you would think that,” Jason snorted. “None of the rest of us have voiced doubt the empire will fail to win today.”

Hayworth’s eyebrow went up. “Battles can change in an instant. No victory is assured. Not even Pettit’s, though he undoubtedly has the best chance to win.”

“You have the wind mage, Pavil,” Jenn said to Hayworth. “He would’ve fallen easily if you hadn’t already used your best attack against the earth mage.”

“Spatial magi have trouble with many small attacks,” Hayworth shrugged. “I expect him to be prepared for me to appear behind him. The real question becomes will he count on it, or expect me to not use the same tactic?”

“He knows that you know, but you know that he knows that you know,” Yukiko laughed. “That kind of circular logic can make anyone hesitate.”

“Exactly,” Hayworth nodded.

Binder grimaced— he’d lost most of his fights and felt terrible about it. It was worse for him, as he’d be facing Adriana, the spatial mage. He’d been working on trying to split his magic into more small wind blades, but he hadn’t gotten it there yet.

“How do you feel about your fight, Kang?” Jenn asked.

Kang looked out of the viewing area. “He has me on aether. I don’t like my chances. I can’t use my aether as sparingly as you did. I’ll just have to try overpowering him at the start. If it drags out, he wins.”

“Pathetic,” Jason snorted.

“You lost to him, too,” Jenn laughed. “Or did the hit to your head cause you to forget that?”

Jason’s jaw clenched and he turned his back on them. Parks followed his lead in ignoring the others.

“Ladies, gentlemen, and children,” the announcer’s voice filled the arena, “we’ve come to the last day of solo fights. We’ve had some great matches over the last two weeks. We’ve seen near tragedy and overwhelming victory. Some unique fights are lined up for you today. Without further ado, let us call forth the first fight of the day, and one of the most anticipated: undefeated through eight fights, Gregory Pettit of Aether’s Guard. He’s the user of foresight magic, and we’ve seen what it can do. His opponent today will be the last chance to give him a loss in this segment of the tournament: Ivan Armstrong, a physical enhancement mage from Wolf House. Fighters, come forth.”

Chapter Thirty-two

Gregory collected a practice naginata, thinking about how best to beat another physical enhancement mage. He found it a little odd that most physical magi and mages used large weapons, while Jenn favored her much shorter sword. Then again, most of them are large and muscled, and Jenn isn’t large at all, he thought.

“Make it a good fight,” Hayworth said.

“I’ll do my best,” Gregory said.

“I doubt this one will impale himself for you,” Parks snorted.

“I wouldn’t expect him to,” Gregory shrugged.

“We’ll be waiting,” Yukiko said, with Jenn nodding her agreement.

Meeting their eyes for a second, Gregory exhaled. “I’ll be back shortly.”

Egil gave him a slight nod when Gregory went past him. His lips twitched, as he knew the older man was eager to see him fight again.

When he left the waiting area, the crowd roared. It was a mixed reaction— there were cheers to encourage him, but also boos, as some people clearly took offense that he hadn’t lost. Gregory raised his left hand to acknowledge the crowd briefly, but he lowered it when the other waiting area opened.

Ivan Armstrong walked purposefully out of the waiting area, a single hand raised to acknowledge the raucous cheering. Ivan’s zweihander was balanced on his shoulder like Gregory’s naginata was on his. Gregory wondered if the other man felt the hope of the crowd on his shoulders.

Ivan gave Gregory a nod of his head, a smile coming to his lips. “Been looking forward to this fight.”

“I have not,” Gregory admitted.

“The rules remain the same,” the announcer said before backing up. “Bow.”

Ivan did as he had with most of his fights, planting the massive sword in the ground to bow before reclaiming it and taking up an attack posture. Gregory leaned the naginata against him as he bowed formally to Ivan. With that done, he swept the naginata up and spun it into the classic first stance.

Gregory exhaled when he met Ivan’s eyes. He’ll come in, but slowly... he doesn’t want to impale himself like Stallo did. I can’t block that massive sword, either. I’ll have to guide it past if I engage it, he thought. Pushing his aether into foresight, he watched the first few seconds of the fight before dialing it back to only show him two seconds. He had picked his path, and now, he would do his best to win.

“Fight!” The single word filled the air.

The same instant the announcer spoke, Gregory launched himself forward, weapon spinning. Ivan backed away even though Gregory wasn’t in range to strike him. Gregory had rarely attacked at the start— he’d normally chosen to avoid and then attack. The only deviation from that had been Claudia, when he’d had to throw his naginata right at the beginning.

Gregory saw the moment Ivan decided on his own plan of attack. The mage rushed forward with two unenhanced steps before lashing out with his massive sword. If Gregory blocked, his naginata would shatter. If he tried to dodge left or right, Ivan would close farther, putting them inside both weapons’ reach.

Gregory leaned back, pulling his naginata with him for just a moment. He was just in time, as the blade of the massive wooden sword just missed his weapon. In the next heartbeat, Gregory lunged forward.

Ivan hadn’t expected the lunge— he’d gone to reverse the momentum of his attack, but had to release the hilt with one hand to slap Gregory’s naginata aside. With his left hand holding his weapon and his right out of alignment, he wasn’t prepared for Gregory to again do the unpredictable. He staggered backward when the kick caught him in the gut.

Gregory kept moving, following his foresight. As Ivan staggered, the naginata spun up and around. Most would go for a decisive blow at that moment. Ivan expected it, which is why he managed to bring the zweihander up, his hand gripping it under the cross-guard— the section of metal between the cross-guard and parrying hooks wasn’t sharp on a normal zweihander, so it didn’t bite into his hand. Instead of attacking hard, the way Ivan expected, Gregory skipped back, using his naginata to clip the mage’s knee.

Ivan cursed as he leaned into his other leg. Even with reinforcing his body, that attack with a real weapon would have gashed him badly. He did his best to keep up, but he felt slow and clumsy compared to Gregory, a feeling he was unaccustomed to.

Gregory flowed smoothly around the other man, making him pivot on his bad leg. Ivan tried to buy time, gambling by spinning the other way, his zweihander coming around with all he could give it. That took his eyes off Gregory for an instant.

Gregory dropped to his knees and thrust upward, his timing perfect. As Ivan came around with his sword horizontal to try giving him room, he missed seeing Gregory. His eyes shot open when he caught the flash of yellow from Gregory’s robe on the ground. The next instant, he let the zweihander go flying as he grabbed at his neck.

“Stop!” Sasha, the Buldoun referee, called out.

Gregory got back to his feet as Ivan gasped. “Good fight.”

Ivan coughed for a few seconds— Gregory’s hit had caught him in his unprotected throat. It hadn’t crushed anything, but it had choked him up. “No… it… wasn’t,” he wheezed as he tried to breathe.

“It was,” Gregory insisted. “If you’d brought a shorter weapon, you might’ve won. Getting in close would have favored you more.”

“It was like you were two steps ahead of me the entire fight,” Ivan exhaled, finally getting his breathing back under control.

“Two seconds,” Gregory said. “I was two seconds ahead of you.”

Ivan shook his head, then bowed deeply at the waist. “Thank you.”

Gregory planted the naginata, then bowed as magi did. “Thank you. I had no idea your weapon was designed for that odd grip.”

“I can fight up close with it by gripping it there and using the right angles,” Ivan sighed. “Damn... I’d really hoped to do more. I’ve really worked on my skill with my weapon, too.”

“We did finish the fight quickly... Excuse me, ma’am?” Gregory asked, addressing Sasha. “Can we have a few minutes for an informal spar?”

“What?” Sasha asked, blindsided.

“We finished way faster than the normal time limit,” Gregory started.

“Yes, but you seem to make a habit of that,” Sasha replied, cutting him off.

“Can we announce an informal, weapons-only match?” Gregory asked.

“Really?” Ivan asked, his shock clear.

“It’ll be like sparring with my wife,” Gregory said. “As long as no aether is being used, it’ll be fine.”

Willof came their way with Ivan’s sword in hand. “What’s going on?”

“Your magi is saying he’ll do a weapons-only spar with Armstrong,” Sasha said.

Willof snorted. “Pettit, did you bother telling him that you fight armsmasters to a standstill?”

“He what?” Sasha asked.

“Umm...” Ivan said slowly, clearly not as eager.

“Egil Magi-killer, the armsmaster we have with us. He’s feared for his skill with, as funny as it is, the naginata.” He handed Ivan the large sword. “He’s fought Gregory with that same weapon and, from what I’ve heard, they’re an equal match.”

“Buldoun declines,” Sasha said quickly.

“I wouldn’t hurt Ivan,” Gregory said.

“It would embarrass my country more...” Ivan said somberly.

“Oh. Right... sorry. I just like to train with friends.”

Ivan stared at Gregory for a second, then barked a laugh. “Fair. I have to decline, though.”

“Very well,” Gregory said, bowing again.

“How about that?” the announcer asked, coming out of Buldoun’s waiting area. “Undefeated after nine fights. Yet again, he makes it look nearly effortless as he dispatches another mage. We’ll be looking forward to the group battles in the coming days.”

Taking that as their cue, the two young aether users bowed once more before heading to their respective waiting areas.

“Well done. What was the conversation?” Hayworth asked when Gregory entered the room.

“We discussed another fight without aether,” Gregory said. “Their referee quashed the idea.”

“Too bad. Maybe he’d have had better luck then,” Jason muttered.

“Greg would have won that fight, too,” Jenn snorted at Jason. “Outside of Egil, he’s the most proficient with just weapon skill.”

“Of course, you’d say that,” Parks sneered.

“I think she’s right,” Kang said. “I’ve seen him fight without aether.”

“When?!” Jason snapped.

“When we’ve trained for the last fight,” Hayworth said. “Some of us think to work together.”

“Our next fight is one to get excited for,” the announcer said. “Wallace Hayworth of the Swift Wind clan, user of spatial magic, represents the empire. His opposite is from Eagle House, Pavil Cutter, a wind mage. Let’s cheer for these two men. Fighters, it is time. Come forth.”

Hayworth went and took his weapon and shield off the racks. “I’ll make it two and one.”

“Two and oh, you mean?” Parks snorted.

“No, I mean two and one. Did you forget that Nick’s fights are all forfeited? That counts as a loss for us,” Hayworth said with a smug smile on his lips. “Some of us can remember important details.”

Jason seethed, but just glared at Hayworth.

Chapter Thirty-three

The Hayworth fight was over within seconds. Pavil threw multiple wind blades, intending to get them past any rifts Hayworth might open. Hayworth jumped through a rift that was large enough for his body. Pavil spun, thinking he’d be there, only to be slammed to the ground when Hayworth landed on him. The healing after the fight had them both sitting there far longer— Hayworth had sprained his ankle landing on the other man, and Pavil had a broken collarbone. The two seemed to discuss things as the crowd stilled, getting over the shock.

Jenn’s match against Lukas Grimm was not pretty. Lukas did his best to not burn her too badly, but he caught her coming in. He’d guessed the correct direction, so she ended up running face-first into a long stream of flame. Willof called it over when Jenn dropped and rolled to smother the flames. Lukas took a knee beside her, talking as she healed. Gregory was surprised that the healing enchantment also grew her burnt hair back.

Both fights had ended quickly, but the healing helped add some time back between the matches. It was clear that the crowd was getting antsy over the lack of a good fight.

The next match had everyone sitting forward, as it was Jason versus Claudia. They hoped for a better fight, but some already knew it would come down to her catching him with fire. Physical against fire mages were always one-sided, one way or the other— either the physical magic user caught the fire magic user before they got too badly burned, or the fire mage burned them enough to win.

They started with weapons— Jason rushed, but had to get his sword up to catch Claudia’s whip. He laughed as it wrapped around his sword, and he yanked hard. Claudia just smiled and let it go, staggering Jason back a step before a column of fire engulfed him. He dove out of it and rolled. He’d only started getting back to his feet when three fireballs slammed into the ground all around him.

Willof called the fight over, and Jason glared at the former sergeant. His burnt visage was terrible to behold. Jason stalked back to the waiting area as soon as he was healed. He snarled at Parks to win, then stormed away.

The next fight finally gave the fans what they wanted. Kang went up against Stallo, so it was two physical enhancement magic users. They clashed time and again, but in the end, Stallo just had more aether. Kang hadn’t progressed enough on using his in smaller spurts like Jenn had. When it ended, the two men sat on the sands, talking as they healed up.

The next match after was another the crowd had been looking forward to. It was Yukiko against Jessica— the two shadow magic users were finally fighting each other. Unfortunately for them, it was just past midday, as the other fights had gone by quickly, leaving very little shadow in the arena.

Even with the shadows only around the walls of the arena, the crowd was disappointed with the fight, as they saw almost none of it. Both women had their own shadows swallow them. Gregory turned on his aether sight to watch as the two patches of aether leapt and leapt again, each trying to pin the other down.

Jessica surprised Yukiko with a massive surge of shadow, throwing her into the open. The fight became visible as Jessica stalked Yukiko, her daggers held reversed along her forearms. Both women sported minor wounds, but none that looked like it would hinder them.

Jessica shouted something at Yukiko, but it was lost in the roar of the crowd, who were glad to finally see a fight. Yukiko nodded, bringing her wakizashi up in front of her. The next minute was all martial talent as Jessica attacked and Yukiko defended. It was a marvel to watch the two flexible women fight.

The end came when, suddenly, both shadows surged, ensnaring their respective foes. Jessica lost one of her daggers sometime in the fight, which became apparent when she sacrificed her hand to stop from losing her neck. Yukiko cried out and threw both hands up.

Sasha and Willof called the fight over at the same time. Yukiko and Jessica both dropped to the ground, their shadows retreating. Yukiko pulled the dagger out of her shadow and handed it back to Jessica. The announcer came over to talk with them before explaining to the crowd what had happened. Jessica had dropped a dagger intentionally, using Yukiko’s shadow as a hand to jab it up into Yukiko’s femoral artery. That was when Yukiko had declared herself defeated.

Gregory’s lips pursed and he knew that they’d have to get the whole story later. He could see the smile on both women’s faces, though, and that brought one to his. Parks laughed at Yukiko’s loss as he grabbed a maul from the weapons rack, ready for his own fight.

Yukiko gave them a slight shake of her head when she rejoined them, whispering that she’d explain later. Jenn and Gregory squeezed her hands, then gave their attention back to the arena.

Parks’ fight was over quickly. He used his walls to protect him from the earth spikes and create a bridge over the pit Brian tried to catch him in. Brian surrendered right before Parks could reach him. That left Parks furious; his scream of rage filled the arena. Slamming the maul into the ground, he seethed at Brian before stalking back to the waiting area.

The last fight was a mirror match-up to an earlier one— Swift Wind’s wind magi, Binder, was up against Wolf House’s spatial mage, Adriana. Binder was determined to give his best effort, but he had no real hope of winning. He took the encouragement from his clan and Gregory’s group, but it was clear that he was prepared to lose.

It ended with him losing to Adriana, but before he lost, he did manage to gash her left arm badly enough that she had dropped her hand off her spear. It didn’t stop her one-armed thrust through a portal to jab his spine. When the fight ended, Adriana was still bleeding as she got close to Binder, speaking softly to him before stepping back and bowing. Binder was clearly shocked, but he wore a large smile as he bowed formally back to her.

The announcer went on to praise the Buldoun mages for winning the day, the first day they’d done so. Binder walked back to the waiting area, the smile still on his face.

“What did she say?” Hayworth asked when he got back to them.

“She praised me for being able to create three wind blades, which is why the one got her arm. One was aimed at her thighs, and the other at her neck. I knew she’d manage to protect her neck and possibly her thighs... I thought she’d have to drop her spear, but she didn’t.”

“You almost won,” Gregory said.

“‘Almost’ doesn’t really count, but I had better control over my aether,” Binder said. “I might be even more useful for the group matches now.”

“I’m worried about the very last fight,” Kang said. “They have two fire mages, and we don’t have any. Add in their wind mage, and a firestorm is all too likely.”

“Yes... that is a troubling thought,” Hayworth admitted. “We still have three other matches to go through first. Maybe we can find a way around that issue before we get there.”

“They won’t be able to catch all of us at once,” Jenn said. “You and Yuki can get away. Binder can try to fight the wind if they go for a firestorm, which could limit it.”

“If he can, you and I can race around the edges,” Kang grinned.

“We have options, so let’s begin thinking of ways around what they might do,” Hayworth nodded. “I look forward to the next few days. It’s terrible that we lost today. I’d hoped to sweep the entire singles for the empire.”

“My loss sealed our defeat,” Yukiko said. “She was trickier than I expected, but the group fights will help us show the empire’s strength.”

“They will,” Hayworth smiled. “See you for training tomorrow?”

“We’ll be there,” Jenn chuckled. “It’s our encampment area, after all.”

The three stayed there as Hayworth led his clan out, then when Egil and Rafiq left.

“Yuki, what happened?” Jenn asked once they were alone.

“I didn’t use my shadow blades,” Yukiko admitted. “I kept them in reserve. She’s nearly my equal in aether and had decent control over the shadows. Before she ejected me from the shadows, there was a moment when I could’ve pinned her to the wall with shadow blades. I opted not to.”

“That would’ve been bad,” Gregory murmured. “You kept a card back in case we need it for the group fights?”

“Yes. None of our opponents knows that I can do that, including Jason and Parks. I didn’t want to give it away yet.”

“I got unlucky,” Jenn sighed. “Out of all the angles I could’ve come at Lukas, he picked the one I used.”

“Sometimes, combat goes that way,” Gregory said. “You couldn’t get out of the flames in time?”

“If I’d pushed with everything I had, I might have,” Jenn admitted. “But, like Yuki, I’ve been holding back the edge of what I could do. I gave away a lot against Stallo, as it was.”

“Your control of your aether there was obvious,” Yukiko agreed.

“Not like I can hold back what I can do,” Gregory sighed. “Bath, bazaar, and likely dinner with Claudia and her group.”

“She does seem to hunt us down every time,” Yukiko said thoughtfully. “What if we invite them back to our encampment tonight? We can play some games and have a calmer time that way.”

“It’d make it even friendlier,” Jenn nodded. “I like it.”

“Let’s ask the others,” Gregory said.

“Agreed,” Yukiko smiled, then kissed him.

Gregory kissed her back, shocked that she’d done it in a space where they might be seen. Before he could ask when their kiss had ended, Jenn grabbed him, pulling him down for a kiss, too.

“You were the only one of us to win today, dear one,” Yukiko said softly. “Besides, no one was in here with us.”

“Fair enough,” Gregory chuckled. “Let’s go.”

Chapter Thirty-four

Hemet met them with the rest of the clan in the hallway. “Are you ready to return to the encampment?”

“Actually, sir, we thought we’d invite the Wolf and Eagle Houses over to chat, then maybe do dinner together,” Gregory said. “We wanted to check with our friends before we do, though.”

“Hmm... interesting,” Hemet said, stroking his beard.

“We normally see Eagle House, anyway,” Clover said. “It’d be nice to see how they do together.”

“I agree with Clover,” Ling said. “I wonder how their houses interact?”

“I’m good with this idea,” Mindie said.

“If they’ll agree,” Roshana said. “They might not want to if they know the other house is going to be there.”

“True. Do you mind if we head back after we find them, sir?” Gregory asked.

“Very well,” Hemet chuckled. “Just be safe.” He walked away, leaving them in the hall.

Yukiko turned to the others. “If we go around, we might catch them.”

The group left the hallway, stepping out of the arena. The crowds had swelled over the last week, so moving— even for the magi— was a matter of slow progress. People did step aside for them, but they had to wait for others to give them room.

A handful of people cheered for them, and a few much farther away taunted them. At least one fight broke out because of their taunts. Gregory shook his head, already seeing guards coming over to break it up.

They were halfway around when Gregory spotted Claudia and her group heading their way. He waved to her to get her attention; Claudia’s eyes lit up when she saw him, and a smile grew on her lips as she waved back. It still took them a few minutes for the two groups to meet up, but when they did, a wider area had opened around them.

“We didn’t expect you to be about already,” Claudia smiled. She exchanged a hug with Yukiko. “You normally go and bathe first, don’t you?”

“Yes, but we wanted to invite you over to our encampment for dinner,” Yukiko told her. “We were also considering inviting Wolf House.”

Robert Kitch, the chaperone for Eagle House, spoke up before Claudia could, “No. We cannot allow that.”

“We?” Claudia asked sweetly as she turned to face him. “Please explain.”

“I was told to keep you from fraternizing with the other houses,” Robert said firmly.

“You’re telling me what I can and cannot do?” Claudia asked again, her tone even sweeter.

Robert hesitated. “No. I am telling you what the archmage told me.”

“Did he not also tell us to converse with the clans if we could? To foster friendships and goodwill?” Claudia asked pointedly.

“Uh... well... yes,” Robert conceded, all too aware of the crowd watching them.

“Then we’re doing that, and not the other,” Claudia smiled. She turned back to Yukiko. “Give us an hour to go get cleaned up? I would hate to head over in my current state.”

“Let’s call it two,” Yukiko replied. “We have to make it all the way to your area to invite Wolf House.”

“Ah, yes. There is that,” Claudia sighed.

“I could rip a portal?” Adriana suggested. “It’d only be good for one of you, though.”

“I’ll go,” Mindie said. “A healer is no threat, and I don’t need to clean up.”

Yukiko gave Mindie a bright smile. “Thank you, Mindie. Come back with them, or with Claudia. Okay?”

“I will,” Mindie said.

“Did you already have food prepared?” Claudia asked.

“Not yet,” Yukiko replied.

“We’ll bring it with us. The best we can arrange. This way, no one needs to rush for it.” Claudia turned toward Robert with a smile. “Make sure that I’m right.” She spun right back to Yukiko. “An hour or just past that?”

“That’ll be fine,” Yukiko smiled, then hugged Claudia again. “See you soon.”

“Mindie, are you ready?” Adriana asked as she stepped back.

“Yes.”

Adriana motioned and Mindie vanished. With a deep exhale, she blinked a few times. “I used more than I thought during the fight.”

“Thank you,” Gregory said. “See you soon.”

The two groups broke apart, leaving rumors in their wake.

~*~*~

“Welcome to Aether’s Guard,” Lightshield smiled. “Adept, thank you for bringing them.”

“It was my pleasure, Elder,” Mindie said, quickly bowing.

“Archmage, we are honored to host two of your houses,” Lightshield went on. “But now, I must hand this greeting over to Sage Windfoot.”

Laozi gave a small bow of his head to Lightshield. “We have been gratified to see the friendships that have started during this tournament. If you and the chaperones will come with us, we will be having a separate dinner. We do not wish to ruin the appetites of our young.”

Archmage Aliminus bent his head fractionally. “Yes. Sometimes, our power can grow a bit more than we realize. We shall accept. Mages, come with us.”

“Yes, sir,” both Robert and Otis said humbly.

As the powerful magi and mages went to Lightshield’s tent, Gregory exhaled. “Sorry about that, but it seems that your leader changed the plans a little, too.”

“He… does that,” Claudia said a little stiffly. “We did bring the food.”

“We have some rosem wine,” Roshana said. “The elder supplied it.”

“Does he really have foresight like you, Gregory?” Jessica asked.

“Better than me. He’s an elder and has had centuries to learn how to use it,” Gregory replied. “Our tent is over here.”

Small talk started up as Gregory led the way. As they neared the tent, Ivan slowed. Seeing him slow down, the rest of the group did, too. Gregory ended up having to stop, as the whole group had.

“You’ve fought here?” Ivan asked slowly, looking at the ground.

“We train here,” Jenn said.

“Train? During the tournament?” Adriana asked.

“Our days off in between,” Clover beamed. “We have to keep improving.”

“I told you we could, too,” Pavil told Claudia.

“I wanted to, but he said no. Told us we couldn’t quite explicitly,” Claudia sighed. “I argued with him.”

“One of the few times he’s told you ‘no,’” Adriana coughed.

“Some of us don’t even get told no. We just get looked at sternly,” Jessica said tightly.

Claudia grimaced. “I didn’t ask to be his…” She trailed off, taking a deep breath. “Trust me... you’re far luckier.”

“We had hoped for friendlier conversation tonight,” Mindie said.

Both Jessica and Claudia bowed, then spoke over each other, “I apologize.”

“Umm... who do you train with?” Ivan asked, pulling the conversation back on topic.

“The Iron Hand and Swift Wind have both joined us,” Roshana said.

“That would make sense for how trampled it is,” Ivan nodded.

Pavil and Lukas walked out into the open area, getting a good feel for the size of the training area. It was Lukas who turned back first. “It’s almost the size of the arena.”

“It is,” Jenn chuckled, moving out to corral them. “We should head inside to eat. After dinner, we were thinking of playing some games. We have a couple of Go and Shogi boards, and dice and cards to use, as well.”

“Are we gambling?” Pavil asked with a grin.

“Maybe low stakes,” Jenn said. “We just want to have some fun with friends.”

“That was what we had in mind. Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve enjoyed the time we’ve spent with both of your houses,” Gregory said directly to Claudia and Jessica. “We hoped to hear how the houses act with each other, too. I mean, our relationships with other clans range from the Eternal Flame to the Iron Hand.”

Claudia moved up and touched his elbow. “I don’t mind speaking on it.”

Jessica’s eyebrows shot up and she trailed behind them, shocked at how forward Claudia was being. She’d never thought that the icy princess of fire could actually be friendly with others.

Yukiko dropped back a step to walk beside Jessica. “Good fight today.”

“It was terrible,” Jessica smiled. “Thank you for pushing me. I felt more alive during that than I have for most of the others. There was a moment when I thought you had another trick you were going to use.”

Yukiko laughed. “I thought you did. I never saw your dagger leave your hand until it got me.”

Klim watched the group with a curious expression from the Iron Hand’s encampment. When they all entered the tent, she nodded slowly before going to find her apprentices.

~*~*~

Dinner was just ending when there was a knock from the post outside the tent. Elsa hurried to answer. “Magus, how can I help you?”

“I was hoping that my apprentices and myself might join the gathering?” Klim asked.

“Just a moment,” Elsa bowed her head.

“It is fine, Elsa. Show them in,” Lightshield said, appearing behind the Iron Hand in a gust of wind. “Magus Klim, if you will come with me? Those above adept are in my tent. We do not wish to stifle the young speaking together.”

“Ah. Very well, Elder,” Klim said, her lips ticking down slightly.

“You can have your match in a couple of hours,” Lightshield chuckled before a coughing fit took him.

Klim instantly grabbed his shoulder, trying to help him. “Elder?”

Lightshield exhaled roughly. “I am fine. Thank you. Please walk with me.”

“Yes, sir,” Klim said, moving away with him.

“Come on in, guys. We’ll introduce you,” Gregory said. “You know who our guests are, obviously. So, esteemed guests, let me introduce the apprentices of the Iron Hand clan…”

The conversation became a little more guarded as their guests felt out the new group. As they played the games, the tense atmosphere relaxed. Dave ended up in a debate of tactics with Ivan while they played Go. Jessica and Farin, their old classmate, had an animated discussion on how shadow magic could be used on the battlefield for more than assassination.

Gregory smiled as he came back from a trip outside. The moment felt right to him as he watched mages and magi speaking with each other. There were no hidden threats or ulterior motives— it was simply new adults of two nations comparing their lives and experiences.

“It’s quite lovely, isn’t it?” Claudia asked softly, going to his side. “If only those in power could agree to be as civil...”

“That’s true about so many things,” Gregory chuckled. “I had a question, but I don’t want to pry too far.”

“The archmage?” Claudia asked softly. “He has plans for me, partially because of which family I came from.”

“Oh... we had no idea.”

“It isn’t talked about much,” Claudia said, pushing some of her hair back from her face. “I want to be me, not part of him. I try to do what I want. Sadly, because of that, I’ve also been given more leeway than any other student. Now, can I ask you a question?”

“Only fair.”

“How many of them will be your mistresses?”

Gregory’s face went red. “What?”

“Come now, I’m not blind. Your wives seem to be encouraging them.”

Yukiko suddenly appeared behind Claudia. “None of them will be mistresses.”

Claudia stiffened slightly before exhaling. “Apologies for my forwardness.”

“I don’t mind. I find you to be a kindred spirit, Claudia.” Yukiko shifted to stand on the other side of Claudia from Gregory. “Your actions have spoken well of you, and I’ve caught no lie in your words. Now, before I clarify my answer, I want one from you: why do you ask?”

“A wishful fancy,” Claudia sighed. “It’s impossible. I just see them look, then see your smiles and his flushed face at times, and it’s obvious that real affection is there and being approved of.”

“Hmm... none will be mistresses,” Yukiko said again. “If they can pass my tests … they will be wives.”

Claudia’s cheeks heated slightly. “All of them?”

“There are others who are not here, too,” Yukiko smiled. “My heart will never want for love, nor for safety.”

“I would say not,” Claudia exhaled slowly. “Goodness, that would shock anyone of nobility in Buldoun. A single wife with mistresses is how things are done here.”

“I know that well.”

“Yes, you would, Yuki. Thank you for being patient with me.”

“It would be decades,” Yukiko said softly. “There will be many before your fancy. If you really want to know more, we still have at least a week to talk.”

Gregory’s eyes were wide as the implication sank in. “But… what?”

Claudia looked at him, then giggled. “He’s adorable.”

“He really is, and I’ve never met a kinder soul than my husband,” Yukiko said, taking Claudia’s arm. “Let’s play a game of Go.”

Gregory winced. “Yuki, be nice.”

“I’ll take it easy on her,” Claudia laughed.

“Oh, confident? That’s good. You’ll need it.”

Jenn came his way when Yukiko walked away. “Greg, are you okay?”

“I think… I think Claudia just asked to be more than a friend.”

“Oh? Did she ask?” Jenn smirked. “Yuki wins the bet, then.”

“What?!” Gregory asked, bewildered.

“We knew from our third meeting with her,” Jenn smiled at him. “Come on. It’s time for cards.”

Chapter Thirty-five

Gregory let out a shaky breath. “Aether... that was amazing.”

“Glad you approve, dear one,” Yukiko giggled.

“We don’t do it often, Yuki. Maybe that’s why it always gets that reaction,” Jenn snickered.

“It could be. What do you think, our heart?”

“Even if you did that every day, it would be just as amazing as it is now...” Gregory murmured.

“We’ve been wanting to do that since the party,” Jenn said, kissing his thigh. “To reward our champion.”

Yukiko kissed his other thigh. “And then for offering to both Claudia and Jessica to train with us yesterday.”

“Everyone was excited, even if Hayworth was a little upset that he wasn’t invited to the party,” Gregory said. “It’s time, isn’t it?”

“Should be soon,” Yukiko sighed. “Not nearly long enough for you to return the favor. But tonight, after the first group fight…”

“After the gathering, that is,” Jenn picked up when Yukiko trailed off. “We invited them all over after each group match.”

“We didn’t expect the archmage to agree to the idea. Not sure why he didn’t want to do it after the last fight, too.”

“Laozi agreed on both counts,” Gregory sighed. “Do they think we’d get upset if we lost, or that they will?”

“Not like we’ll find out,” Jenn said as she got out of bed.

“Very true,” Yukiko agreed, following Jenn.

“Your families were very proud of us,” Gregory said when he finally got up.

“I’m glad Father has taken to you,” Jenn smiled. “I worried a little that he would stand off from you a bit more.”

“We seemed to be okay before the wedding to Yuki,” Gregory said, stretching before joining them to dress. “I was a little worried he’d be more reserved after we got married, though.”

“I’m happy they accept us, including your sister,” Yukiko smiled. “She’s so different from you.”

“I’m glad she’s mellowed,” Jenn said softly. “She used to get very angry.”

“Why?” Gregory asked.

“She wasn’t allowed to do everything I was allowed to, because I’m older. She’s been bigger than me for a bit and felt that that should matter more.” Jenn slowed as she dressed. “When I ended up as a magi, she cried. She didn’t say anything to me... she just hugged Mom and cried. That made me think that maybe she wasn’t as angry as she seemed... that she just wanted more time with me, but it was too late then.”

“That would make sense,” Yukiko nodded. “She was reserved when we saw her that first night because she didn’t want to show weakness. Like your father.”

“Agreed,” Gregory said. “She’s warmed up considerably since then.”

“We came to understand each other better when we had the night away,” Jenn smiled.

“Speaking of nights out,” Yukiko said, “Greg, we’d like you to marry Mindie after the last fight. We can have Rafiq file the paperwork in the archive. As for a ceremony, I was going to ask Father to arrange for something small. Just our family and friends. The night after the last fight, but before the Empire’s Gambit tournament starts.”

Gregory settled his obi, looking into the distance. “If you’re both sure that now is the right time.” His gaze shifted to them. “You’re both sure?”

“Yes,” Jenn said softly, taking his hand in hers.

“We are, dear one,” Yukiko murmured, taking his other hand. “Are you sure?”

“Both of my wives agree... Sorry, Darkness. All three of my wives agree. I do like Mindie. She’s always been there, and she’s doing her best to overcome her weaknesses. I will always worry about my hearts, but yes, I’m sure.”

Jenn pulled his head down so she could kiss him before Yukiko did the same.

“Does she know?” Gregory asked.

“We’ll tell all of them during breakfast. Clover, Ling, and Roshana can tell Nessa, Daciana, and Victoria for us.”

“Moving a little faster than I thought, and not with who I expected to be first,” Gregory admitted. “But that’s life, isn’t it?”

“It is indeed, dear one,” Yukiko murmured.

“It’s what happens when you’re busy making plans,” Jenn chuckled. “We should get things ready. The others will be here soon.”

“Hello?” Roshana called from the main room. “Should we come back?”

“No,” Yukiko said as she led the other two into the room. “Just a touch behind this morning.”

Everyone took their seats and started to fill out Magi Squares. They were just getting the blanks ready to pass around when Elsa came in with breakfast.

“Thank you, Elsa. That was lovely timing,” Yukiko smiled.

“It’s my pleasure, mistress.”

“Before we get to work or dig in to breakfast, there’s something I wanted to bring up. I was waiting for Elsa.” Seeing she had everyone’s attention, Yukiko went on, “Mindie, I’ll be speaking to my father tomorrow about finding a place where our friends and families can gather to see you wed Greg.”

Mindie’s breath caught. “Already? I thought I’d have to prove myself able to defend him.”

“No. The tests are just to ensure that you will do everything you can for him. You’ve already started to take steps to fix what you see as your problems. That’s dedication.”

Mindie covered her mouth, her eyes glimmering. “I’ll do everything, Yuki... for you, Jenn, and, of course, Greg.”

The other three looked elated, but also a touch sad. Elsa just stood beside the table, staring at Mindie.

“Ladies,” Yukiko said, shifting her attention to the other three, “let the others know. We will accept. It’s been proven here, but the tests are serious. We cannot have anyone not completely dedicated to Greg, and our family. I have faith in you and them.”

“We’ll do it,” Clover said, her eyes wide with hope. “We’ll prove it, Yuki. We will.”

Ling covered Clover’s hand. “Our devotion to the clan is without question, but even that is a pale, weak thing compared to what we feel for the family waiting for us.”

“My soul led me to you, and it tells me that if I do as I must, I can have a part of our heart, too,” Roshana said. “When the time comes, Yuki, you will not find me lacking.”

“We believe in you,” Jenn said.

“Mindie?” Elsa’s voice was soft, but filled the silence that had fallen in that moment.

All eyes went to the little girl now standing beside the fox eurtik healer.

“You heal them, save them, and I have seen your love for them,” Elsa said. “Will you be okay with me as the maid?”

Mindie blinked slowly for a moment before she pulled Elsa to her tightly. “Yes. You’re loved, Elsa. Their love extends to you, sweet child. I would never hurt one they care for.”

There was a sniffle and a muffled “thank you” from Elsa as she held Mindie back.

Gregory wiped at his eyes before clearing his throat. “Ladies... this scares me. I won’t hide that. You and our dear friends still at the academy, along with who knows who else might come after... I fear that pain, heartache, and jealousy might tear us apart. I don’t want you to go, though, either. So, please... if you ever feel like something causes a wound, don’t let it fester. I tell you my fears so that you’ll understand. Losing any of you as a friend, much less as something more, would wound me deeply. While I’m not sure that it’s love, I deeply care for all of you. When you join us, I’m sure that love— true love— will swiftly follow.”

“As you wish, Greg,” Clover said quickly.

“We’ll never keep anything from you,” Ling added.

“Our heart will never have to doubt,” Roshana said.

“If a small hurt happens, together, we can heal it,” Mindie smiled, still holding Elsa. “And we’ll have the best maid ever to help us.”

“Yes, we will,” Jenn grinned at Elsa.

Elsa smiled back. She felt happy to be included, but a small part of her worried that she would leave them long before she wanted to if she wasn’t a magi.

“Are we going to invite the others?” Clover asked. “Jessica’s and Claudia’s groups, or the Iron Hand and Swift Wind?”

“Good questions,” Yukiko said. “Shall we discuss it over breakfast? Elsa, please serve us.”

“Yes. Right away, mistress,” Elsa said as Mindie let her go.

~*~*~

When it was time to go, Hemet stood nearby, waiting for them. “Are you ready for a tougher fight today?” he asked as they lined up.

“We are, sir,” Gregory said. “We had a request for the night after our last fight. Would it be allowable for us to—?”

“It is,” Hemet chuckled. “Sorry, Lightshield already told me. It’s the reason why the dinner after the last fight is not being shared between both sides. That night will be a feast for all of our clans. We arranged it that way so you could have your wedding the day after.”

Yukiko laughed lightly. “Thank him for us, please?”

“I will, but you’ll see him that night and, of course, for your wedding and feast the next day.”

“Do the others already know, too?” Jenn asked.

“No. You’ll have to ask them,” Hemet smiled. “Magus, might we have your time?”

Klim was just forming up with her clan, but she excused herself to come over to their group. “Grandmaster, how can I assist?”

Hemet motioned to Yukiko, who bowed her head, then addressed Klim, “Magus, the day after our last fight, we would like to invite your clan to a wedding and feast. We will be accepting Mindie into our family.”

Klim’s lips spread into a smile. “Hmm? Did someone find her worth, after all?”

Mindie flushed. “I have found my heart, Magus. Your words helped nudge me to see myself as potentially worthy of them.”

Klim’s smile was wistful for a moment. “I’m glad you have, Adept. Maybe I’ll be brave enough to ask the one I’m interested in when I see him again.” She turned her gaze back to Yukiko. “The Iron Hand will attend. We thank you for thinking of us.”

“We enjoy having our friends with us,” Gregory said. “You and Farin have been dear friends, and the others are good friends, as well.”

“Some might try to find insult in those words. I thank you, though, Pettit. We will be there.”

“We’ll let you know where and when once everything is arranged,” Yukiko said.

“That was all,” Hemet chuckled. “Be prepared to see others there, as well.”

“Those we saw the other night?”

“If they agree,” Jenn said. “We’ll be asking tonight.”

“Very well,” Klim smiled. “Should we head off and see if you can win another group tournament?”

“We’ll do our best,” Gregory said, drawing himself to his full height. “For the empire! For Aether’s Guard!”

His wives and friends had seen him move, and spoke in unison with him.

Klim blinked before her smile grew wider. “For the empire!”

A moment later, the entire Iron Hand group repeated it. A second later, it was echoed again a little farther away.

Hemet smiled as he turned on his heel. “We are ready, Magus.”

“Yes, sir,” Klim said, marching over to her clan. “Advance!”

Chapter Thirty-six

Swift Wind and the Eternal Flame were already there when they arrived. They traded greetings with Hayworth’s group, then made small talk, but didn’t mention the wedding. Jason and Parks were getting their armor equipped, ignoring the others.

The announcer brought their attention to the arena floor. “Ladies, gentlemen, and children, welcome to today’s match-up of students from Buldoun’s famous Academy of Magic and the empire’s Magi Academy. We have finished the single match-ups and, today, we get to start something a bit more exciting. Without further ado, let us bring the first fight to the arena floor. For Buldoun, we bring out Eagle House, led by Claudia Firetongue, an accomplished fire mage. However, in the spirit of keeping things fair, she will only be joined by a single peer. Claudia has chosen Pavil Cutter, a wind mage of her house.”

The pair left their waiting area when the announcer paused. Claudia had on a gleaming breastplate emblazoned with flames. Her bracers and leg guards also caught the light as she advanced. She didn’t wear a helm— instead, there was a tiara perched on her head. It had a large ruby in the center, shaped like a flame. Her whip was coiled in her off-hand as she waved to the crowd. Pavil wore a full suit of armor. The steel gleamed in the morning light, and faint images of clouds dotted the breastplate and metal-coated shield he carried. His wooden gladius was shoved through his belt so he could wave to the crowd.

“Since armor is being allowed, the referees will be more active,” the announcer said when the crowd quieted a little. “It will be at their discretion if a hit from the practice weapons would have caused serious injury if it were real.”

Both Willof and Sasha held up a hand. They were each wearing armor, but had striped tabards over the top, making them stand out.

“Now, the empire’s students who will fight Eagle House— as you’ve likely guessed, it’s the Eternal Flame, down to two students to represent them. Jason Argon, a physical enhancement magi, and Jamie Parks, a magi of force magic.” The two men stomped out of the waiting area in silence.

Gregory finally got a good look at both of them. Each was wearing armor similar to his, if less elaborate. It was the style of armor best known in the empire, having been used since the First Eurtik War. Both men wore their anger openly as they crossed toward the announcer, neither waving to the crowd.

When the announcer started talking again, Yukiko said to Hayworth, “We’d like to invite your clan to a wedding.”

“Who’s being wed?” Hayworth asked, turning his attention away from the arena floor.

“Mindie and Greg,” Jenn said. “We’re inviting all our friends who are here.”

“Three, Pettit?”

“I happen to agree with the shock, but I won’t turn love away.”

Hayworth chuckled softly. “Only a fool would, and I’ve come to admit that you aren’t a fool. I will ask Magus Harrison. If he agrees, we will attend.”

“We’ll let you know when and where once it’s settled,” Yukiko smiled. Her gaze went to the other two members of Swift Wind, making sure they knew they were wanted there, as well.

“Egil, you’ll come?” Jenn asked the armsmaster.

“Yes. It will be a nice bright spot.”

“Rafiq?” Gregory asked.

“Hmm... normally, I would have to decline, but I have been tasked to record as much as I can. I would think this event should be recorded, allowing me to go. I will check with the overseer, though, just to make sure it is allowed.”

“We’d like you there,” Gregory said, “and not just to record it.”

“That’s very kind,” Rafiq bowed his snout. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to watch this fight.”

That got them all to put their attention back on the arena just as the announcer was backing away from the two groups. The referees stood together off to the side, waiting for the match to start.

The announcer was directly beside the Buldoun waiting area door when he called out for them to fight. He ducked inside the instant he did, and for good reason— the entire arena was subsumed by a firestorm in the next second. The heat was unpleasant for anyone within a foot of the wall, and everyone in the waiting area stepped back from the viewing opening.

“That won’t get Parks and Jason,” Hayworth snorted. “Parks’ barrier can keep the fire off of them.”

“Jason either has to stay beside Parks, or Parks has to create a second barrier just for him,” Jenn said. “If they opt for splitting up, it’ll tap Parks quicker.”

“That firestorm has to be draining them, too,” Kang countered.

“They both have good control,” Binder said. “It won’t be as bad as it could be. At most, this will stalemate the pair and Parks. That will let Jason deal with both when the storm finally dies off.”

The storm raged for many long minutes before it finally tapered off. When it did, Parks was on his knees, panting in near exhaustion from maintaining his barrier. Pavil was on one knee, looking much the same as Parks. Claudia’s forehead was coated in sweat as she wobbled on her feet. Jason smiled darkly when his body became coated in aether flame.

The next two seconds were a blur of activity. Parks motioned at Pavil and earth spikes erupted from the ground all around the mage. Any one of which could have seriously harmed the man, but combined, they had a real chance of killing him. Every single spike shattered on an aether barrier. Pavil threw a barrage of wind blades at Jason’s blue blur— Jason avoided them all with ease until Pavil fell face-forward, aether exhaustion hitting him. That left Jason free to close the distance unimpeded to Claudia. She dropped her whip and extended a hand, the other touching her tiara. A blast of fire— wider and thicker than any she’d used before— tore through the spot Jason had been.

The flames hit a barrier just short of the wall protecting the crowd, though they still flinched back from the heat. Jason, badly burned, rocked in place, but didn’t go down. Parks was on the ground, the fire having washed over him. When Claudia saw that, she exhaled, then called herself out.

“Stop!” Sasha’s voice filled the arena.

Jason spat at Claudia, but it was more the motion of spitting, as he had no moisture in his mouth. He and Parks had taken items to suppress fire magic with them, having expected the other team to rely on it. They hadn’t expected the degree of fire they got hit with. Without their items, both would be in critical condition and, as it was, they weren’t far from it.

The crowd was a mixture of boos and cheers. There were some who understood that Jason, even as badly damaged as he was, could still have potentially killed Claudia and Pavil, so they didn’t disagree with her call to surrender. The others who didn’t understand booed at her for not fighting it out.

“Those two will be a real problem,” Hayworth said. “Add in the spatial mage they have, and it gets worse.”

“Agreed,” Gregory murmured.

“Let’s get our armor on,” Hayworth said.

Jenn, Gregory, and Yukiko nodded before getting their own armor on, not knowing who’d be up next. Jason and Parks waited on the arena floor, it taking a while for them to be fully healed. Sasha went to go help Pavil, giving him a potion to help with aether fatigue. The announcer came out, exalting the Eternal Flame for being able to withstand the fire. He praised Claudia and Pavil for the longevity of their firestorm, and their last gamble to win.

When Jason and Parks made it to the waiting area, Hayworth’s clan was ready to go. The pair didn’t speak— they just left the waiting area, obviously going to the boxes to join their clan.

“Wonder which of us will be next?” Binder murmured.

“It’ll be us,” Hayworth said. “They’ll want them to go last. Together, they’ve won more matches overall than we did. I expect Aether’s Guard to be the last fight every day for that reason.”

“I concur,” Yukiko nodded. “They started with the clan that had the least wins. I also think it was to re-emphasize the fact that Nick’s gone. If that’d been all three Eagle House members instead of just two, Jason wouldn’t have won.”

“Agreed,” Hayworth nodded. “Adriana could have gutted both of them easily at the end. Then again, if Nick had been there, those fire attacks would have been moot. As much as I dislike him, I have to respect his skill and power.”

“Fire magi cancel each other out,” Gregory nodded. “That would’ve been lopsided to the Eternal Flame’s side if Nick hadn’t been removed.”

“Who will they pit us against first?” Kang asked.

“I’m thinking Wolf House,” Hayworth said. “That’ll leave them,” he nodded toward Gregory and his wives, “to fight Eagle or Wolf on the last day. It’ll be a better fight for the crowd.”

“Again, I concur,” Yukiko smiled, “which means we fight Boar today.”

Hayworth’s clan was called out for the second round. The fight was easier to watch, and much more competitive. Kang and Ivan ended up fighting each other while Binder did his best to deflect Lukas’ fire, even managing to throw it back once or twice. Jessica had gone into hiding, and Hayworth did his best to down Lukas with small rifts for his sword.

Lukas had an item that gave him barriers, letting him stay up longer than Hayworth wanted. Jessica picked her moment to appear behind Binder, hitting him with three quick taps of her dagger. She almost got away cleanly, but Hayworth tagged her left arm. Sasha called Jessica’s left arm out as the fight went on.

That attack by Jessica let Lukas turn and throw fire at Kang. Having to defend himself from Ivan as it was, Kang grimaced, now having to dodge fire, as well. His defense ramped up when daggers came flying at him. Kang did his best, but he was going to lose from attrition.

With all of them focused on Kang, Hayworth ripped a larger portal and came up behind Lukas, driving his sword into the man’s back. A second after that, flame flashed out from Lukas, coating Hayworth.

Willof called the fight to stop and had a brief discussion with Sasha, who nodded. The fight was put on hold for Hayworth to heal, and Sasha went over to Lukas to talk with him. The dwarf nodded, then explained. Hayworth said something to both of them, and Lukas shook his hand before walking off the field. When he went, Binder did, too.

“Mage Grimm was dead and wouldn’t have been able to do what he did,” Sasha explained to the crowd, who’d been speculating about why they’d stopped. “Once Magi Hayworth is healed, the fight will continue.”

“Physical and spatial against physical and shadow...” Jenn said slowly. “This will be a close fight.”

“Hayworth can win if they take Ivan down before Kang loses. If Kang goes down first, Jessica will win,” Yukiko said.

“That’s the way I see it, too.”

When the fight started again, it ended soon after. Jessica gave up hiding long enough to wrap Kang’s feet in shadow, hindering him for Ivan to land a decisive blow. That moment of being visible cost Jessica, as Hayworth got her with a well-placed portal thrust.

That left Ivan against Hayworth. The ensuing fight was swift— Ivan had enough aether to make it to Hayworth twice as Hayworth portaled himself away the first time. Hayworth used his shield to stop the first two attacks, buying himself the time for his own last-gasp attempt to win. He ripped a portal at the last moment as he thrust. The other portal appeared above Ivan, driving the sword into the top of his uncovered head. His sword hit at the same time Ivan’s zweihander clipped Hayworth’s head.

Both referees stopped the fight before conferring on the outcome. They were still debating when the announcer joined them.

“What do you think?” Binder asked.

“Tie,” Jenn said. “They killed each other.”

“Yeah. They might be debating if one hit first, but it doesn’t matter,” Gregory agreed.

“Unless they want a win to be viewed as who killed who first, but that’s a distinction of fractional seconds,” Yukiko agreed.

Everyone was healed by the time the referees came to an agreement. The announcer told the crowd the verdict of a tie, then explained why. The four still on the arena floor bowed to each other before walking off.

“Close,” Gregory said when Hayworth entered the waiting area.

“Better than a loss, but I thought I had that win. I just couldn’t get my arm up enough to block that last blow. He almost broke my arm with the two hits I did block.”

“Worst the empire can do today is tie,” Kang said.

“We’ll win,” Jenn said.

“I was meaning to ask about your armor,” Hayworth said. “Is it from Aether’s Shield?”

“It is,” Yukiko smiled. “It was our gift from the clan for winning the tournament.”

“Expensive. I’ll watch this with interest. It’s said the elf who crafts the armor there is highly skilled.”

“Mistress Nightsong,” Gregory said, “and she is highly skilled. My armor won’t use its special enchantments during this fight.”

“But ours might,” Jenn chuckled.

“Almost certainly,” Yukiko agreed.

Chapter Thirty-seven

Called up to the arena after Boar House, Gregory and his wives waved to the crowd. They received mixed reactions— loud boos and cheers filled the air. When they got to the middle of the arena, Gregory reached up and attached the dangling end of his mask to his helm, covering his lower face with a snarling dragon’s mouth.

Stallo wore a full set of metal armor, and was almost as heavily armored as Gregory. Both Brian, the earth mage, and Westley, the water mage, wore breastplates with arm guards. Brian had a shield to go with his hammer while Westley had a spiked whip. Stallo carried his maul nonchalantly, as his strength made handling the weapon simple.

“The rules from the first fights remain,” the announcer told them. “You are allowed to use the enchantments of your armor and any other single piece. If anyone thinks you’ve used more, it will be checked after the fight. If it is found that you did, your clan or house will be removed from the tournament. Any questions?”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to inform the referees about our enchantments before we fight?” Gregory asked.

“Not afraid of the others finding out, even if you don’t use it?” the announcer asked.

“If they want to cheat, that would be up to them, sir,” Gregory replied.

“None of our houses would. We aren’t Asp House,” Brian said.

Westley slapped Brian in the back of the head. “Shut up, idiot!”

Brian glared at him before his eyes went wide and he glanced at the archmage. “T-that is... uh...” Brian started to stammer.

“We’ve all said ill-advised things in our life,” Jenn chuckled. “Just be glad he’s over there.”

“Any other questions?” the announcer asked. When no one said anything, he nodded. “Bow to your opponents. Be ready to begin when I call for it. Remember, the referees can stop a fight to indicate a loss of limb or life.”

All six bowed in accordance with their country of origin. The announcer backed all the way up to the Buldoun waiting area’s door. As he did, Gregory and his wives separated— Yukiko sprinted for the rear where she could get the most shadows. Jenn sprinted right, and Gregory moved slightly to the left.

“What? We haven’t started yet,” Brian said.

“Positioning before the fight is allowed,” Sasha said loudly enough for the mages to hear over the confused crowd. “No one said you had to start right next to each other.”

Brian and Westley started to back well away from Jenn and Gregory while staying in the sun. Stallo just grinned, hefting his maul and staring at Gregory. “Been looking forward to another fight with you.”

Gregory scowled, as his wives had said it gave him a sinister appearance with the mask covering his face. He took the first stance of the naginata and set his feet. That was when he kicked on foresight, looking two seconds into the future.

“Fight!” the announcer yelled.

Yukiko vanished from where she’d been, and Jenn blurred at the two mages who’d backed away. Stallo rushed Gregory, his maul drawn back to crush him.

Brian clasped a necklace and a dome of earth covered both him and Westley. As the dome closed over them, Westley thrust his hand out, then yanked it skyward. The arena floor suddenly had an inch of water covering it, turning the field into a mud pit.

Jenn’s rush slowed a little, having to adjust from full speed to partial strength to counter the mud. With the two mages covered by earth, she pivoted and headed for Stallo. If they could take him out quickly, the other two would have serious problems.

Stallo was seemingly unaffected by the mud as his whole body blazed with aether. Gregory just smiled and waited for the physical enhancement mage to reach him. Stallo could sense a trap, but he didn’t know what it was until he slammed into an aether barrier. The barrier shattered, and he staggered from the unexpected collision.

Gregory’s naginata blurred as he struck time and again at the off-balance fighter. Another aether barrier covered Stallo, protecting him from the strikes. Gregory leapt back just as Stallo whipped the maul around to hit him.

The ground ahead of Jenn vanished and she started to fall into an unseen pit, but she leapt forward, using the aether barrier underneath her feet. When her foot touched down next, she felt the earth shifting again, and she launched herself forward with everything she had.

Gregory kept his balance as Jenn tried gaining distance with the unstable footing. That’s it... come on... chase me, Gregory thought as he watched the future.

Stallo regained his balance, then rushed Gregory again. He spun, as Jenn was nearly on top of him. Jenn didn’t try to block the maul— she dodged under it before flipping up and over another pit that appeared. Stallo shouted out, as the pit stopped him from getting to Jenn. He backed away now that Jenn and Gregory were coming after him.

The smart people in the crowd realized that Yukiko hadn’t made an appearance since her vanishing act, starting up conjecture as to where she could’ve gone. That was when a dozen earth spikes shot up around the earth dome— no one had seen anything near the dome to explain why, but one of the spikes had a bloody tip.

A moment later, the earth barrier collapsed and both Brian and Westley held their hands up. Yukiko stood behind them, clearly favoring her leg as her right hip had been punctured. Staying where she was, Yukiko began gathering the shadows under Stallo to slow or hinder him.

Stallo was wholly focused on Jenn and Gregory, having to work hard to defend against the pair. He’d never had a fight as intense as the one before him, and he was grinning wildly as he fought.

Jenn misstepped in the mud. Her right foot slid an inch, breaking her balance. Stallo jumped on that opportunity, bringing his maul around fast. Jenn’s whole body was coated in aether flame as she crossed both of her arms in front of the maul. The hit launched her a dozen feet through the air, but neither referee went to call her out. They both knew that a near-fully reinforced physical mage could take a few of those hits.

Gregory wove around the maul with his naginata, letting it slash across Stallo three times. Stallo used his barrier to take the attacks as he spun on Gregory. Gregory bent and twisted, evading as he slowly moved around Stallo.

Stallo turned with him until he suddenly couldn’t, legs now entangled. With a grunt and surge of aether, he tried to pull free, but Gregory attacked him over and over. The barrier came back, but vanished just before the last attack, letting Gregory land an attack just under Stallo’s chin.

That staggered Stallo back— Jenn was there, and she used her small blades to hit the gaps in the joints of Stallo’s armor. He kicked at her, but she dodged it with ease. Gregory was there a second later, his naginata joining in.

Stallo did his best, but after a couple of seconds of being hit and being unable to get a clean hit back, Sasha called the fight to an end. Stallo screamed in anger, dropping his maul. He couldn’t argue with their ruling— he knew that if the weapons had been real, he’d have run out of aether trying to keep his body reinforced against steel.

Gregory stuck the naginata in the ground, staring at the angry mage. “You are a wall.” With clear formality, he bowed first as a magi, then as a mage to the other man.

Stallo exhaled slowly before snorting. “I could’ve had you if not for your wives.”

“Very likely,” Gregory agreed.

Stallo bowed at the waist, then attempted the empire bow. “Thank you. That fight made me happy for a brief moment.”

“Us, too,” Jenn grinned.

Yukiko came limping their way. “Earth spikes got me before I found their viewing slit.”

“Is it bad?” Gregory asked, going to her side.

“No. I’ll be healed after about a minute.”

“Not like any of my house is seriously injured,” Stallo snorted. “Wait... are they?” He turned to find his fellow mages.

“I was humane. I slit their throats,” Yukiko smiled.

Stallo stared at her, then started laughing. “You married a dangerous woman.”

“Two of them,” Gregory said.

“Indeed. You’re a far braver man than I am.”

The announcer came out to call Aether’s Guard as the winners. The crowd was very mixed on the announcement, even when he explained how Yukiko dispatched the two mages inside the earth dome.

Stallo didn’t go to leave while the announcer talked. “I’ve heard a rumor... have you been inviting the other two houses over to dinner and play games?”

“We have,” Yukiko replied. “We met Wolf House in the city and kept running into them. We struck up a conversation, and that turned into a friendship.”

“Eagle House kept finding us in the bazaar here,” Jenn said. “Same thing with them.”

“Ah. So you aren’t excluding my house for some reason?”

“No,” Gregory said. “We just never seemed to bump into you.”

“That would have been our chaperone,” Stallo grunted. “He’s been keeping us in the encampment the entire time. It’s been frustrating.”

“The archmage has approved the meetings, as has our sage,” Yukiko said. “You should come over tonight. Ah, but warn Eagle House. They’ve been bringing the food.”

“I will try,” Stallo exhaled. “I’ll play the archmage card if need be. If we aren’t allowed to, I appreciate the thought.” Stallo bowed again, then walked away as the announcer left the floor.

“We have friends coming over for dinner and need to clean up,” Jenn said. “All healed now?”

“Yes. Let’s go,” Yukiko smiled.

When Gregory went to follow them, his eyes drifted to the stands. He saw the archmage studying him intently. A chill went down his spine, as the old man didn’t look exactly friendly.

Chapter Thirty-eight

“Glad you could make it,” Gregory greeted Stallo.

Stallo glanced back to where the older magi and mages were going off to another tent. “Almost didn’t. He was adamant that it had to be a trick or ploy. I had to resort to threats.”

“Threats?”

“If he didn’t at least try to ask the archmage, I was going to forfeit the next match.”

“That took some guts.”

“It did. He had us both sure he would do it,” Brian said.

“I would have. Keeping my word is important to me,” Stallo said.

“Well, you’re here before the others,” Gregory said, then he looked past them to see Jessica’s group coming their way. “But not much before. Jessica!” Gregory waved to her.

Jessica waved back, but her eyes narrowed when she saw the three mages with him. She glanced at Otis, the chaperone for her house, who was already heading toward Lightshield’s tent. “Greg,” she called back as she advanced the last few feet. “I didn’t know you’d invited Boar House.”

“Stallo asked about everyone getting together,” Gregory said. “The only ones we excluded last time were the Eternal Flame. Even the Shining Light clan turned up.”

“They’re odd,” Ivan said. “Too detached, like the soul path followers at higher years of study.”

Jessica nudged him. “Watch it, brawn-dolt.”

“Right,” Brian laughed. “I wasn’t sure if any of your house were soul path.”

“Stallo is brawn, but most physical magic people are,” Westley added.

“Most of ours are, too,” Gregory said. “They just synergize together. We’ve never talked paths with you. Maybe we can do that over games?”

“I’d like that,” Jessica said.

“The others should be here soon,” Gregory said. “All of the empire clans are here already, minus those who no one likes.”

“They do seem to be disliked by the rest of you,” Stallo nodded. “Very arrogant, like Asp House.”

“Very much like them,” Lukas agreed.

“Greg!” Claudia called to him as she led her small group. “Ah, Boar House, too?”

“Firetongue,” Stallo said stiffly.

“Problems?” Gregory asked.

“Some inter-school rivalries,” Jessica said.

“We will abide by hospitality. Will you, Gympian?” Claudia asked Stallo directly.

“Boar House will not dishonor itself as guests,” he replied back stiffly.

“Stallo asked about everyone getting together after the match. I invited them,” Gregory said. “As long as everyone’s civil, there isn’t a problem.”

Claudia glanced at Gregory before nodding. “Your wives are right. I will abide.”

Stallo’s brow furrowed, but then he nodded. “Agreed.”

“Everyone else is inside already,” Gregory said. “Come on.”

~*~*~

There was a round of introductions for Stallo’s group. Once they’d finished that, they went straight to dinner, thanking Claudia for providing another delicious meal. When dinner came to an end, everyone drifted to different parts of the tent where the games had been set up.

As people enjoyed the different entertainments, Gregory and his wives each approached a group to invite them to the wedding. Stallo had been shocked. He said he’d ask his chaperone, but if the others were being invited, he’d try his best. Jenn asked Claudia, who wore a bright smile before going to find Mindie to congratulate her. Yukiko got Jessica to agree to attend, as well, meaning all three mage houses would be attending the wedding.

Gregory ended up in a discussion with Yukiko, Mindie, Claudia, and Jessica. The conversation was devoted to the different paths. Claudia was a follower of what they called the ‘brain path,’ which Gregory knew as mind. Jessica followed the soul path, or what the empire called spirit.

“There are texts— hard to obtain texts— that talk of combining them,” Claudia said softly, looking around furtively. “I happen to have a book from the empire that speaks of it.”

“You would,” Jessica sighed. “No one would call you out on it, either, unlike if any of the rest of us were found to have it. What’s it called?”

“The Resonant Mind.”

“Oh, we’re studying that book,” Mindie said.

“You are?” Claudia asked in surprise.

“We just started it, but yes,” Yukiko smiled. “Have you tried to combine them?”

“I’ve just started dabbling at the soul path to try,” Claudia said.

“I had no idea it could be done,” Jessica added. “I know our brain path adherents are always doing logic puzzles.”

“Magi Squares helps, but studying can be sufficient if you do enough,” Gregory said.

“The book talked about being able to break down how people fight and, even if you progress on the combined path, get your aether to help you. I didn’t understand that part much.”

“If you follow the soul, you’ll see a cavern of stone. Your aether flame sits in it,” Jessica said. “I did hear rumors of a different path besides combining brain and soul. It combines brawn and soul, instead.”

“The Peaceful Fist,” Gregory said. “Lionel Lighthand wrote scrolls about it. Our clan uses it as a default meditation and physical training guide.”

“Can you show me?” Jessica asked intently.

“Hmm... it would build friendships,” Yukiko smiled. “Hang on.” She stood up and clapped her hands a few times to get everyone’s attention. “I know you’re all having fun, but we were just asked for a specific demonstration. For those interested in meditation and physical training, you might wish to step outside. There’s a training meditation that combines two paths— body and spirit, or as Buldoun knows them, brawn and soul. If you have no interest, feel free to continue playing.”

Gregory got to his feet, offering hands to both Claudia and Jessica. “Come on.”

Jessica was up right away. Claudia had taken his hand, but didn’t stand up. Instead, she studied him for a few seconds before she let herself be drawn to her feet.

A minute later, Gregory had trouble holding his mirth back. Everyone had come outside, including Elsa. Jenn had spoken quietly to her for a moment, so Elsa was well back by the tent. With as many people present as there were, the yard was mostly filled.

“We’ll split this up,” Yukiko said. “One member of our clan will help each group. Ladies, pick a group to lead.”

Gregory watched them spread out, seeing who was with each group. Something told him that there was a pattern he wasn’t seeing. Jenn stood in front of Stallo’s group, she was laughing with the physical enhancement mage. Clover was in front of the Iron Hand clan, already showing them the first stance. Roshana stood with the Shining Light, talking with Apprentice Klein Armit. Mindie was chatting with Hayworth, explaining the first stance to them. Ling stood in front of Jessica, the two partial-feline eurtiks at ease with each other. That left Yukiko showing Claudia’s group what was going to happen.

“Ah, good, we are not late,” Lightshield said as he floated toward the assembly. The other advanced mages and magi followed him. “Gregory, you were about to show them the Peaceful Fist, a cornerstone of Aether’s Guard, were you not?”

“Yes, sir,” Gregory replied.

“Excellent. You can lead those with me. I would practice with you, but I am not up to it today.”

“Of course, sir. Magi and mages, please,” Gregory motioned to the open space in front of him. When they’d all gathered, Gregory had to take a calming breath, as the archmage and Sage Laozi were directly in front of him. “This is called the Peaceful Fist. Lionel Lighthand wrote of it before the First Eurtik War ended. Some think he created it while others think he found it. It combines physical conditioning with meditation.”

“My great-grandfather did not technically create it,” Lightshield said from where he was standing by Elsa. “He adapted it from something he was taught by another. Sorry. Go ahead, Gregory.”

Gregory exhaled slowly. “We take the first stance.” He showed them, then had to correct the chaperone of Boar House. “If you start to meditate while we move through the katas, go ahead. Your body will follow along. Are the rest of you ready?”

“We are, dear one,” Yukiko replied. “Lead us.”

“If you fail to get a kata, just flow into the next one,” Gregory said. “Now, we start by shifting to the back foot.”

~*~*~

When the hour of the Peaceful Fist came to an end, everyone but those who were used to the technique were tired and drenched in sweat. The archmage stared at Gregory with curiosity as he wiped his brow with a handkerchief. They weren’t the cold looks he’d given him before.

“Why are we like this, but not you?” the archmage asked Laozi.

“I have practiced this path since I found out about it a few hundred years ago. After a few weeks or months, you stop feeling tired and worn and instead become energized,” Laozi replied.

“It does take a toll, doesn’t it?” Harrison exhaled roughly.

“Just have a good snack with aether and a hot bath,” Lightshield said. “It helps. We might need to stop this gathering for tonight.”

“Probably for the best,” Laozi smiled. “We will see you all again in two days.”

The archmage gathered the Buldoun mages, then spatially transported them back to their encampment. That left the clans in the yard. Laozi took charge, leading the other clans beside Aether’s Guard back to their areas. As they left, a lot of conversations sprang up.

Lightshield and Hemet joined the younger members of their clan. “That was an interesting thing to do,” Lightshield said. “It is possible you just strengthened future enemies.”

“Or we have set friendships in place to help prevent conflict later,” Yukiko said. “If just trying the Peaceful Fist guaranteed it worked for everyone, wouldn’t it be practiced by more people?”

“Very astute, Yukiko,” Lightshield chuckled. “I believe you are right. I just wished to caution you of possible consequences.”

“I considered them before suggesting we do this, Elder. The unknown was Boar House, but I balanced that against firmly tying Eagle and Wolf Houses to us. Both of their groups are solid friends now.”

“Hmm... I guess they are, indeed,” Lightshield smiled. “I want you all to know that I am proud of you.” He looked from person to person, his gaze even touching on Elsa. “Your conduct has shown that not all clans are as they thought. Your friendliness has helped open dialogue long hoped for between nations. The sage, at least, is pleased with you. I know the clan will continue to flourish for ages because of you and your close friends. I am going to retire now. Good night. Enjoy your day off tomorrow.”

They said good night to Lightshield and Hemet, then returned to Gregory’s tent to talk more before bed.

Chapter Thirty-nine

“Hello, my heart,” Gregory said as he rolled over to look at the dark corner.

“Oh... that felt good,” Darkness whispered. “Thank you, dear one.”

“Another rank?”

“Of course. I approve of Mindie, as I know you have been wondering.”

“She’s touched all three paths, so I was certain you did.”

“Let me ease your mind on the rest. I approve of all those you know of.”

“Thank you. I know you did, but hearing it makes it easier.”

“I love Yuki’s idea of having the wedding in a few days, too, with your friends and allies around you. This does ease the worry a couple of others have had.”

“About me not really accepting them?”

“Yes. Ah, a moment? Here come your wives.”

Gregory sat up, facing the corner. A few seconds later, Yukiko and Jenn were bookending him on the edge of the bed. He kissed each of them as they got their bearings.

“Another rank? That’s good,” Yukiko smiled. “Hello, dear one. Do you think—?”

“In a moment,” Darkness giggled.

“Oh, that’d be good,” Jenn nodded. “Do you know if—?”

“She is, but not for years to come,” Darkness said. “Has she not admitted it herself to you both?”

“Her wish, yes, but we wanted to know about her past.”

“She was.”

“Another of your cryptic conversations?” Gregory asked wryly.

“Nothing to worry you for years,” Darkness replied, “but right now, we have another person to welcome.”

Mindie appeared on Jenn’s left, sitting on the edge of the bed. She blinked slowly, clearly trying to understand where she was. “Jenn? Greg? Yuki?”

“Mindie, let me introduce you,” Jenn said, putting her arm around Mindie’s waist. “Meet Darkness.”

Mindie looked at the inky corner with pursed lips. “Darkness? The one who…?”

“Hello, healer,” Darkness purred. “I had hoped so much for you to find the courage to approach your heart. Soon, you will be with him again.”

“Are all of them past lives, Darkness?” Yukiko asked.

“All of those you know of who wish to be always beside him are, Yuki. None of them will take the pinnacle of his heart. That is your place. Jenn is the one closest to being your true equal, and she is still a pace behind.”

Yukiko exhaled. “That small fear still persists, it seems...”

Gregory put his arm around Yukiko’s waist. “You’ll always be my heart, Yuki. No matter who comes into our family, you’ll always be my first heart.”

“Should I be here?” Mindie whispered to Jenn.

“You belong here, healer,” Darkness said. “You will also have a piece of his heart, as he will yours. There is no one heart in this family. It is a shared heart between one and all.”

Mindie lowered her head. “I can love all of them?”

“We want you to,” Jenn murmured, kissing Mindie’s cheek, “but it’s up to you.”

Mindie glanced at Gregory and Yukiko, who nodded in agreement. Licking her lips, she kissed Jenn’s cheek. “I’ll try.”

“Excellent,” Darkness said happily. “The wedding is not far off. Mindie, be prepared to share that love with others.”

“I am. I like the others,” Mindie blushed hotly when she said it.

“Not just those you know, dear healer. Others who have not fully come forward, or who have not been found yet that might still join our husband.”

“Oh… how many?” Mindie asked with wide eyes.

“That would be telling,” Darkness giggled. “The tournament for your friends starts when you fight again,” she said, changing the subject. “Aether’s Guard will be showing its newfound strength while you are here, showing yours.”

“Will they win?” Gregory asked.

“That is in flux, as many events are currently in play there. They will do their very best.”

“I was wondering...” Gregory asked slowly, “would you be willing to talk with the others?”

“Meet them in a dream?” Darkness asked.

“We told those on the trip with us who you are. Clover and Ling will explain it to the rest. I think them meeting you would help.”

“Hmm... I am currently meeting with Clover, Ling, and Roshana. Just small talk, letting them know that I am indeed real, and that you do harbor strong feelings for them, my heart. I will do so with the novices after Clover and Ling speak with them.”

“That will help them,” Yukiko smiled. “Thank you, Darkness.”

“Umm... so I really am walking all three paths?” Mindie asked.

“Yes, dear healer. You have been since you started to follow him. All who wish to stand beside him need to be as strong as they can. You will see the benefit when you wake. For now, time is short. Go and sleep.” Mindie vanished as she finished talking.

“We love you, Darkness,” Jenn said, reaching out a hand. “When we can, we’ll show you how much.”

“Thank you, Jenn,” Darkness murmured just before Jenn vanished.

“Thank you for helping me bring more love to our heart, Darkness. We’ll make sure you are showered in it just as much when we can,” Yukiko said.

“That makes my heart soar, Yuki. I yearn for those days,” Darkness sighed, and Yukiko vanished.

“Darkness, thank you for being patient with me.”

“I will always be so with you, dear one. You are my heart, my reason for being. Like Yuki, I want you to be so surrounded by love that you never feel a moment without it. We will make sure those we gather are true to you. I cannot let my heart be hurt.”

“Even by you,” Gregory said sadly, “but I still have to try.”

Happy laughter bubbled up from Darkness as Gregory threw himself at her. The shadows grabbed him, holding him back while sapping his aether, gently guiding him to sleep. “Never give up on me, dear one. One day, I will pull you to me, not keep you away.”

Gregory heard the words before sleep claimed him. He tried to smile, but he vanished before he could.

Darkness banished her namesake from the room. Getting to her feet, she went to the bed, crawled into it, then curled up, pulling the pillow Gregory had briefly used to her. Inhaling deeply, she let the tears of the long years out for a few moments. The wait had been ages, but it was in these last few years that it started to really take its toll on her. She was so close to what she’d yearned for, she wouldn’t risk him again, no matter how much she wanted to hold him. “I love you, my dear Aether...” The words were a whisper that filled the room before the created space vanished from being.

~*~*~

“Good morning,” Yukiko greeted Clover, Ling, Roshana, and Mindie as they entered the tent.

“We grew!” Clover beamed, showing them her medallion with eight rings glowing sunflower yellow. “We also met Darkness.”

“It was… interesting,” Ling said. “Clover and I were in a bedroom together. It was such an opulent place, and the one corner was covered in dark shadows where the voice came from.”

“That was Darkness,” Gregory nodded. “Congratulations on advancing.”

“I saw that same bedroom, but I was by myself,” Roshana said, her own medallion showing five yellow circles. “She’s very kind. It felt like I was speaking to an old friend instead of a new one.”

“Yes!” Clover said excitedly. “I felt that, too.”

“We all did, then,” Ling smiled as she took a seat at the table. “I’m still trying to accept that it was more than just a dream. It felt too right, too welcoming.”

“Darkness is just that way,” Jenn smiled.

“I also grew in rank,” Mindie said as she took her seat, pulling out her medallion. The eight circles were illuminated with orange light. “I… sat with them when they spoke with Darkness.”

The other three stared at Mindie for a moment. Roshana was the first one to say, “You didn’t mention that when we got dressed... just that you spoke with Darkness.”

“She welcomed me as a wife,” Mindie flushed. “I didn’t want you to feel bad.”

Roshana laughed, then hugged Mindie. “Never. You’re special to all of us, Mindie.”

“Yes!” Clover said exuberantly. “We all care for you. We wouldn’t feel bad that you’re further along the path that we all want to walk. It just means we have a better chance. You’ve shown us that we can make it there, too.”

“I agree with them, healer,” Ling smiled. “I worried that maybe I was deluding myself some. Speaking with Darkness helped that, but also made me wonder how a being of such power could be okay with me loving people she obviously cares for. Hearing that she welcomed you so easily makes my heart beat faster. It is possible. Thank you for helping show us the way, and for healing my doubts.”

Mindie flushed, looking down at the table. “I was so worried... about how you’d all hate me for being ahead of you when I’m the newest one to join the group.”

“You’re further advanced in some ways,” Roshana said, covering Mindie’s hand with hers. She suddenly hesitated, glancing at Gregory and his wives. “I should stop what I’ve been doing with you, shouldn’t I?”

“Doing with her?” Yukiko asked with a smirk.

Mindie blushed bright red. “Oh…!”

“We’ve been helping each other study… anatomy,” Roshana giggled. “Just light touches and maybe some kisses. It’s been nothing too serious, but if she’s accepted by Darkness, too—”

“Until she marries, it’s fine,” Jenn chuckled, “if her face doesn’t combust before then.”

Mindie glanced up at them, then back down. “I… I just… learn…”

“It’s fine,” Yukiko giggled. “We have to explore and learn. Greg doesn’t mind, do you, dear one?”

Gregory’s face was just as flushed as Mindie’s, as his mind had been all too happy to give him mental images of Roshana and Mindie together. “N-no... uh... No. It’s fine,” he stammered out.

“Like me and Ling being together, right?” Clover asked.

“Yeah,” Gregory croaked. “It’s fine.”

Ling giggled lightly and pulled Clover back to her seat, as the excitable woman had started to lean forward. “Darkness said we should tell the others about her. I wanted to make sure that you wanted us to do that.”

Jenn nodded. “They should meet her, too, like you did. It will help buoy their spirits while we’re separated.”

“If…” Roshana began slowly. “If Darkness can dream with us… does that mean we can see you even when we’re apart from you?”

“It’s possible,” Yukiko said. “We normally only see her on occasion. She speaks with Gregory every time we grow in power, though. I wouldn’t count on even speaking with her that often, but it is possible that she might bring you to us when we grow.”

“Even that is enough to help ease my worry,” Roshana smiled.

“We should do Magi Squares,” Gregory said, his sentence broken as he tried to get his mind off what it kept trying to show him.

Yukiko giggled, kissing his cheek. “We can make the blanks. Elsa will be here with breakfast before we begin to work on answers.”

The others looked at Gregory, smiles and smirks on their lips as they got out paper to begin their studying for the day. All of them had warmth in their chests at being accepted.

Chapter Forty

Gregory smiled as they made their way into the city. “How do you think they’ll take it?”

“My parents will be accepting,” Yukiko said.

“I’m not sure, but I’m hopeful. My sister might get upset,” Jenn said. “No doubt she’ll worry that you’re going to push me aside.”

Mindie looked nervous. “It’ll be okay, right?”

Roshana patted her back. “No one who has met you would be upset to have you as family.”

“She’s right,” Clover added. “My parents would be overjoyed if you were part of our family.”

“Mine would be very happy, as well,” Ling smiled.

“It’ll be fine,” Gregory told Mindie. “Yuki’s parents only care whether or not she’s happy. She’s happy you are joining us, so they will be, too.”

Mindie exhaled slowly, looking at the city before them. “Never thought Buldoun would play such an important role in my life...”

“Many things that have happened or are going to happen here will have an impact in our lives,” Yukiko said softly. “You’ve all been accepted by Darkness. That’s a big step for all of you in joining our growing family. We’re making solid friends who might help us later in life. This trip will be remembered fondly by all of us in the future.”

The guards on the gate gave them nods as they approached. “Aether’s Guard. Can’t lose a single fight, can you?”

“Don’t mind Gus. He keeps betting against you, trying to win his losses back,” another guard laughed as he waved them through. “Mind the laws and have a good day, Magi.”

“We’ll have two tough fights in the coming days,” Gregory said. “We’ll be doing our best to win them both, though.”

“Who’d bet against a mage who can see the future?” another guard laughed. “Only a bean straw man would.”

The other guards laughed as the magi kept walking. Gregory slowed down once they were away from the gate. “Yuki, can you explain that?”

“Buldoun saying: ‘only a dumb man uses bean straw.’ Beds are typically stuffed with straw for most, but the poorest use bean straw, because other types are too expensive. It’s a slight against the poor being stupid. Therefore, the stupid are poor.”

“That wasn’t in any of the books we read,” Jenn said.

“It’s an idiom,” Yukiko explained. “Like ‘a mug’s game.’ It’s similar.”

“Being able to use their sayings correctly would help others accept you, wouldn’t it?” Roshana asked.

“It would show that you’ve come to understand the culture, maybe,” Ling said. “Like being naked in the bath?”

“Are idioms gathered? Can we study them?” Clover asked.

“Not that I know of,” Yukiko said slowly. “We could ask Rafiq? If anyone would know, he might.”

“Something to consider. We have no idea where we’ll be for our adept or magus years,” Jenn said.

“Can always ask him tomorrow before our match. We know we have time to get ready after Hayworth’s fight, so there’s no need to get armored so early,” Gregory added.

“True,” Jenn agreed.

“I’m sad that we finished the book,” Clover said. “Are we going to do an hour of normal reading in that time slot?”

“We should,” Roshana said. “It was nice to have Gregory reading to us, but we all have things we’d like to learn more about.”

“I have some of Lighthand’s journals,” Gregory said. “If anyone wants to read them, I’ll be going back to them.”

“What was the last one about?” Jenn asked.

“I’m still in the early volumes. They were advancing through what had been the wilds back then, south of where Wesrik is. The empire grew a lot from where it started when it was just the Kingdom of Welton.”

“Still early in the first war, then?” Ling asked.

“Yes, but there are disagreements starting in these journals. Lighthand was already doubting the purpose of the war,” Gregory said softly.

“Not something to discuss here, then,” Yukiko said, “but something we should all do in the future. Understanding our founder’s thoughts might help us understand his reasons to found the clan.”

“Agreed,” Mindie said.

~*~*~

The inn was busy when they walked in. Scattered applause came from the Warlin guards and a few other tables. Others frowned at the group, clearly not happy with the magi continuing to win.

“Thank you,” Yukiko smiled. “We’ll be trying to win our last three fights, as well.”

“Just go back to the empire!” a gruff-looking man spat.

“Detter, mind yourself,” Calitona, the innkeeper, said sharply. “You’ll be civil in the inn or you won’t be inside.”

The man sneered as he stood up. “Empire-lover!” He spat on the floor and stomped toward the door.

The magi cleared the doorway so the man wouldn’t be near them when he left. He spat again at Gregory’s foot, missing when he shifted it just out of the way.

“We apologize,” Yukiko told Calitona. “We don’t mean to cost you patrons.”

“Detter’s always a problem. If he never comes back, it won’t be a loss,” Calitona replied. “We don’t blame your father’s men, nor those who cheered for you. I myself will not do so. I have family who are connected to one of the houses.”

“We’ll try to not disrupt your business, nor to cause problems,” Yukiko smiled.

“Thank you.”

It was just down the hall to the private dining room. After greetings were exchanged and seats were taken, Yukiko jumped right into the big news for the night.

“Mother, Father, Adolphus, Umbrose, Ulga, and Candace,” Yukiko smiled. “We have news for the families.” Seeing some eyes go wide at what they thought the news could be, Yukiko chuckled. “No, no one is pregnant. Instead, Greg, Jenn, and I have agreed to marry Mindie.”

Silence filled the room for a moment as that sank in. Mindie started to look increasingly worried, and Gregory covered her hand with his, giving her a smile.

“That’s good news,” Hao said, the first to regain his mental footing. “It was obvious that you care for her, and her for you. We just didn’t know it was in such a way. A healer is good for your family.”

“I’m a little shocked,” Adolphus said. “Jenn, you want more women vying for his attention?”

“It’s not vying,” Jenn said. “Love isn’t divided by loving others. All of us love each other. We believe in our love.”

“We just worry for you, is all. None of us will go against your love, not when it was you that helped us bring our dear Ulga into our family,” Umbrose said. “Mindie, welcome to the family.” She got up and went around to hug Mindie, who hugged her back.

“Thank you,” Mindie sniffled. “I’ve missed a mother’s love...”

“Why?” Yoo-jin asked.

“Mindie’s mother died before she became a magi,” Yukiko explained. “It was that desire to heal others that might have sparked her aether.”

“Is that possible?” Candace asked.

“It’s unknown what can cause someone to become a magi,” Gregory said. “If you’re fated to be one, strong emotions can propel your magic to a specific type.”

“Like I always wanted to be stronger,” Jenn said softly.

“And I wanted to hide from those who spoke ill of me,” Yukiko added.

“Victoria, one of our friends, always wanted to travel, and she’s a spatial magi,” Clover added.

“I had no idea that magic type could be influenced outside of bloodlines,” Hao said.

“Bloodlines can still influence it,” Gregory said. “My mother was likely a user of foresight magic, but I don’t think she was a magi.”

That got everyone’s attention.

“She saw the future at times... called them her dreams,” Gregory said softly, since everyone focused on him. Umbrose went back to her seat as Gregory talked, allowing Mindie to sit again. “She was the one who told me about magi. She told me stories of Lionel Lighthand and the other great magi of the past. It was those stories that prompted my desire to be a magi, myself. When I told her, she looked distant for a few minutes, then told me I would be one.”

“She could see that far into the future?” Yoo-jin asked gently.

“I... don’t know,” Gregory admitted. “She and my father talked about her dreams a lot. It was her dreams that had us living outside of the village. She did know that she wouldn’t be there for me… later…” He stumbled as his emotions tangled inside of him.

“The future can be changed, though,” Adolphus said.

Gregory cleared his throat. “Yes, but to what end? What if the difference wasn’t her death, but mine? Or worse? The future can be changed, but sometimes, changing it isn’t a good thing. I try not to dwell on what could have been. As Lightshield told me, thinking of what might have been can lead to madness.”

Hao cleared his throat. “How many will attend the wedding?” he asked to pull the conversation back on topic and to give Gregory a moment.

“All of the empire’s magi, minus the Eternal Flame, of course. All three houses for Buldoun, including their chaperones and the archmage. And all of you, plus Elsa,” Yukiko said.

“Hmm... I’ll have to get started on finding a venue and a place for the reception,” Hao said as he rose to his feet. “Adolphus, why don’t you come with me? It’s for our daughters, after all.”

Adolphus sat still for a moment, then got up. “Yes.”

Hao stopped next to the table. “Gregory, you should come. Let the women talk while we go get things in order.”

Gregory glanced at Yukiko, whose head nodded fractionally. “Of course, Father.”

After goodbyes, the men were out of the room a minute later. Hao paused in the hall before they could go out the door to the stable yard. “Gregory, was this your doing?”

Gregory triggered foresight, looking down branching pathways before turning it off. “There’s a lot to tell you, Father, and the answer is partially yes. Yuki and Jenn both want me surrounded by love. Bringing Mindie in here and now was Yuki’s idea, but we would have included her eventually, either way.”

“Jenn agreed?” Adolphus asked.

“She’s been fully supportive the entire time. If I thought for a moment that it would hurt either of them, I wouldn’t allow it. Their love means too much for me to do that.”

“And soon, that will include Mindie, as well...” Hao said slowly. “The others… they look eager.”

Gregory exhaled slowly, as this was the part where things could go terribly wrong. “They’re hopeful. Yuki and Jenn are testing them. If both Jenn and Yuki agree, then… we’ll be adding more to our family.”

“Why?” Adolphus asked tightly. “Why would my little girl allow that?”

“Father,” Gregory said, turning toward the shorter man, “there are reasons... reasons that would put my wives in severe danger if they’re discussed. Only those who marry into the family will ever know the truth. It’s a secret we’ve shared since I married them. We’ve kept it from everyone, even our parents, because it’s that dangerous.”

Hao inhaled sharply. “This is the secret you avoided during the bachelor party?”

“Yes.”

“Yuki agrees with your assessment?”

“She was the one who told me it should be this way,” Gregory said softly. “I tell you this now because one or both of you would’ve been angry later. If I ever cause my hearts pain, I’ll come to you and lay my neck bare for your justice. My word on my aether.”

Both men took a small step back. At that moment, Gregory felt not like an apprentice, initiate, or even a magus— his aether seeped out, and it felt far older and stronger for just an instant. Hao touched the wall as he exhaled while Adolphus’ back pressed to the wood of the hall.

“Sorry!” Gregory said, shocked at what’d just happened.

“Very well...” Hao whispered. “I will never ask again, Gregory. I have your word that you will love my Yu for all her life?”

“Until I can no longer draw breath, and then a moment longer,” Gregory said earnestly. “The same with Jenn. I cannot see life without them beside me.”

Adolphus shuddered, then nodded sharply. “Very well... If she ever tells me differently, I will come for you, foresight or not.”

“I agree, Father,” Gregory said softly. “Our family might be very large, but it will only be full of love. You have my word on that.”

“We need a big venue,” Hao said, starting down the hall again. “One that will evoke power and love in all those attending... I think I know the perfect place.”

Adolphus followed Hao, with Gregory the last one in line. Exhaling slowly, Gregory hoped that what he’d said was enough to ease the worry in both of his fathers-in-law. There was a brief worry about what all the women were discussing, but he shook his head— Yukiko and Jenn would have to fight that battle.

Chapter Forty-one

When the carriage came to a stop, Gregory was the first one out. Looking at the plain stone building, his eyes widened when they saw the emblem above the door.

“It seems fitting,” Adolphus said, having gotten out after Gregory.

“Magi of the empire marrying at an Aether shrine,” Hao smiled. “If they will allow us to hold the ceremony here, at least.”

Gregory followed his fathers-in-law into the temple. Will there be another alcove in the altar? If there is, how do I check it without calling attention to it? Gregory thought as he stepped through the door.

The interior of this temple wasn’t that different than the one in Waterrock. Here, it had golden fixtures instead of silver holding the lanterns. Silk tapestries hung on the walls, but they didn’t show depictions of Aether. Instead, the tapestries focused on magic being used; crops being watered, a building being molded from the ground, and bane beasts being burned by fire.

A man with graying temples came their way from near the altar. “Good morning, gentlemen. Have you come to give devotions to Aether?” His steps slowed when he saw Gregory. “Ah, one of the magi from the tournament? Have you come to pray?”

“I would like to, sir,” Gregory said quickly. “Might I approach the altar?”

The man’s eyes narrowed for a moment before he nodded. “Just be respectful.”

When Gregory went past the man, he felt a thrum of aether touch him— it felt stilted, off-balance, unwelcome. He spotted the emblem on the man’s jacket. It was a snake coiled up with its head lifted to strike. The snake had its mouth open, showing fangs.

Asp House, Gregory thought as he went past.

“How might the temple assist you today, gentlemen, or did you just bring him to pray?”

“I come on behalf of magi who seek to wed during the tournament,” Hao smiled. “Where else should magi wed but in a temple dedicated to Aether?”

“Hmm... yes. We don’t have many weddings, unlike the Vera temple on the other side of the city. Then again, the magi of the empire do take their devotion to Aether very seriously.”

Gregory only half-listened as he went around the altar. The same icon as over the door was etched into the stone. Breathing slowly, Gregory knelt, then glanced back at the other three. None of them were looking his way, but he bowed his head as if in prayer. With a shaky hand, he touched the icon.

The stone shifted with absolute silence, but this time, it was a larger section of the altar. A gleam of metal inside was all Gregory saw when he reached in. Cold, hard slickness touched his hand. He didn’t dare try to shift whatever it was, as it might make noise. Instead, he willed the object into his storage ring. It vanished from under his hand before he withdrew his arm from the cubby. Swallowing, he watched the stone reset itself just as soundlessly as before.

Exhaling another shaky breath, Gregory looked up. He found all three men looking his way. “I’m sorry. What?”

“I asked if you were set on holding the wedding here,” Hao asked, his eyes narrowing the tiniest bit.

Gregory stood slowly. “Father, this temple would see us married in Aether’s eyes. I missed the discussion as I prayed. I apologize.”

“I see,” Hao said. “The price of holding the wedding in the temple is a little higher than I thought it would be. I’m not sure it is the best place, is all. The sage would likely prefer to see two of his students wed here, though.”

“The sage? You mean the academy overseer will attend the wedding?” the mage asked, clearly not expecting that news.

“The archmage is slated to attend, along with the mages and magi of the tournament,” Hao smiled. “It is an event by itself.”

“Ah, I see,” the mage said softly. “I could lower the price some. We are flexible for those with the right connections.”

“Buldoun is known for its deals,” Hao laughed.

Adolphus watched the entire thing with uncertainty. Gregory moved to his side. “Why don’t we let Hao do what he does, Father? We can look over the tapestries to give him room.”

“Uh... yes,” Adolphus said, letting Gregory lead him away.

Gregory could feel the gaze of the mage on his back, but he did his best to ignore the feeling. Please don’t take long, Hao, he thought.

~*~*~

They were back outside a few minutes later, the carriage taking them to another location. Hao turned his gaze to Gregory. “What happened inside?”

“What do you mean?” Gregory asked slowly.

“From the moment you went past the mage, your body shifted. Is he a danger?”

Gregory exhaled internally, glad that Hao had no idea about the altars. “He isn’t to be trusted, but considering the people who’ll be there for the wedding, he should be fine.”

“He was very… oily,” Hao sighed. “Asp House mages always are, though.”

“Isn’t the archmage…?” Adolphus started, but trailed off.

“He is,” Hao nodded. “How do you think he got there?”

“I don’t want to know,” Adolphus was quick to say.

“What about the reception?” Gregory asked to pull the conversation to a different topic.

“That’s where we are going now. The city has three places that specialize in weddings. We’re going to the closest of them. It’ll easily be able to set the tone for a wedding between magi.”

Gregory stayed quiet. He knew Hao could manage the business dealings, and he was eager to return to the camp for the night to see what he’d found in the altar.

~*~*~

When they finally got back to the inn, it was nearly time for dinner. Hao had taken his time in getting the best deal for the reception hall, including getting lodgings at the inn next door for the newlyweds to retire to once the reception ended.

Hao explained everything he’d set up as they had dinner with the family. Mindie was blushing a deep red, not used to having so much done for her. Yukiko kept her hand on Mindie’s the entire time, lending her soon-to-be wife her support.

Yoo-jin told the men the plans they’d made in regards to the wedding. The next day off, all of them would be visiting a couple of tailors in the city to get appropriate clothing made. Because all of them were going to be fitted, it would likely take most of the day.

When dinner ended, the magi crossed the hall to join Wolf House as they had before. The younger mages and magi chatted about the Peaceful Fist and their upcoming fights. It was late when they finally returned to the encampment.

Gregory had nearly forgotten about the altar as they got ready for bed. “Oh... Yuki, Jenn? I checked the altar at the temple.”

That had them both focus on him. “What did you find?” Jenn asked first.

“Did the mage suspect anything?” Yukiko asked.

“I don’t think so. He was busy with your father,” Gregory answered Yukiko first. “I’m not sure. I put it straight into the ring.” Extending his hand, he summoned the item to him.

They all stared at the sheathed tanto in his hand. The sheath bore an aether flame that gleamed blue against the black leather. The small handguard was just large enough to stop a blade from sliding down it and taking fingers off. The pommel was a ryuite gem that shimmered in the dim light. The wrap of the hilt was the same dark leather that they’d seen the armor made of.

“I’d say this was special to Aether...” Jenn whispered.

Gregory drew the blade free, and they all stared at it in puzzlement. The metal had the sheen of steel, but the edge shone oddly.

“Is... is that… ryuite?” Yukiko asked.

“Could be,” Jenn agreed slowly.

“One way to find out,” Gregory said. “Produce a barrier for me. Say... a foot from your body?”

“Oh, a good idea,” Yukiko said, stepping back and triggering her enchanted item.

The moment the barrier appeared, Gregory stabbed at Yukiko, making sure he’d stop before hitting her. The blade touched the barrier and it vanished— Gregory stopped the thrust, the tip of the tanto three inches away from Yukiko. They all stared at the dagger as Gregory pulled it back.

“Can anyone use it?” Jenn asked.

Gregory turned it over to her. “I’ll summon the barrier.”

Again, the tanto passed through the barrier like it was a soap bubble.

“That… could be dangerous,” Yukiko whispered. “If word of a weapon that can bypass protections got out, many would want it.”

Gregory sheathed the blade, then turned the hilt to Yukiko. “It’s yours.”

“What?!” Yukiko blinked in shock.

“An assassin’s weapon,” Jenn nodded.

Yukiko exhaled, but accepted it. “I’ll keep it in my obi. If I ever need to go after another magi in earnest, then and only then will I draw it.”

“Or if Gregory is in danger,” Jenn added.

“Of course.”

“Well... that was different than the amulet,” Gregory said. “I wonder what the next temple we visit will have?”

“We’ll find out in time,” Yukiko said as she put the tanto into her obi, then began undressing. “We need to sleep. We have a fight tomorrow.”

“Yeah, that we do,” Jenn nodded, “either against Wolf or Eagle.”

“Either one will be a fight,” Gregory said as he began to get ready for bed, too.

“I hope our friends do well in their tournament,” Jenn said. “Think Vicky can get to the top two?”

“It’ll be tricky for her,” Yukiko said, “but she might. I think our clan will take the top spot, at least. We have four talented novices.”

“Right, because Frederica joined the clan. I really wasn’t expecting her to,” Gregory said. “I hope she’s settled in okay.”

“Nessa will help her,” Yukiko smiled. “I wonder if Frederica will want a rematch against the one who beat her as much as another physical enhancement magi?”

Jenn laughed. “Unlikely. She might want to stay as far from Nessa as she can in the tournament.”

“Think they’ll do the same as last time? With undefeated fighters in the main arena?”

“Yes,” Yukiko said. “It gives a good focal point for what should be the best fights.”

“Odds they make our friends fight each other on the first day?” Gregory asked.

“No bet,” Yukiko said quickly.

“I’m with Yuki on that. The other clans will want them to lose so they have a better chance to take the tournament.”

“Politics,” Yukiko sighed. “It isn’t the wrong thing to do, either. They were all in the top eight, so they’re the best at the start.”

“We’ll just have to hope,” Gregory sighed as he set his clothing aside. “We’ll have our own fight to worry about.”

“Agreed,” Jenn said, climbing into bed a moment later, snuggling up to him.

“Yes,” Yukiko smiled as she put the lamp out, then joined them. “Good night, my hearts.”

“Night, dear ones,” Jenn murmured.

“Sleep well, my loves,” Gregory added, pulling them closer to his sides.

Chapter Forty-two

“Ready for your fight today?” Hayworth asked when the group entered the waiting area under the arena.

“If they shift us like we think they will, it’ll be a tough fight,” Yukiko replied.

“Just lose...” Jason muttered as he finished getting his armor on.

“We have a chance to win, but I’m not sure you do,” Jenn said. “Any two of their three will make your fight harder than ours. Swift Wind barely tied them.”

“They work well together and are diverse enough to cause many problems. I’m not sure Aether’s Guard will defeat them, either,” Hayworth said. “That might be why they’ll have them on the last day of these clan fights.”

“You have a plan for Boar House?” Gregory asked Hayworth, ignoring Jason.

“If they don’t adapt, we’ll win easily,” Hayworth smiled. “If they do adapt, it’ll be harder, but we can still win. Water magi aren’t really a direct threat, which leaves them down a person, honestly. He can make the arena tricky to move through, but that’s all.”

“That might be the one group that the Eternal Flame can beat without the other side giving up,” Kang snorted.

Parks turned to Kang. “At least we won last time. You tied, which is like a loss.”

Kang just laughed.

“I’d advise you all to settle down,” Egil said pointedly. “Save your spirit for the fights. The only thing that matters, in the end, is who wins, not how.”

“Exactly,” Jason sneered at Hayworth. “Eternal Flame: one. Swift Wind: zero.”

Rafiq kept writing the entire time, his expression neutral, but no one other than Gregory and his wives seemed to notice.

“Ladies, gentlemen, and children,” the announcer boomed out, “welcome back to our second day of empire clans against Buldoun houses. We saw valiant efforts by all the groups last time, but Buldoun failed to win a single match. Today, we hope to see our mages live up to their schooling. Or will the clans of the empire show what their magi can do once again?”

The crowd cheered, jeered, and made a lot of noise. Gregory looked out through the viewing area and saw a lot of people in the crowd with flags depicting one house’s emblem or another.

“What are those?” Gregory murmured.

“They’re ways of showing who they favor,” Yukiko explained. “The houses of Buldoun have tournaments and games like we do. People bring those when they attend to show their support. Curious... they seem much thicker today. They’ve been in the stands before, but not in that number.”

“A merchant was selling them cheaply yesterday,” Binder said. “We saw them in the bazaar.”

“Too bad we didn’t know about it,” Jenn said. “We could’ve had our clans do the same.”

“Oh, that would’ve brought the two together a bit more. The crowd would’ve loved it,” Yukiko said. “Someone should mention it if the two nations ever do this again.”

“Our first fight of the day pits the Eternal Flame against Wolf House. Fresh off a very close win that saw grit and determination on behalf of the Eternal Flame’s leader, can the pair dig deep for another win today? Come forth, Eternal Flame!”

Jason’s teeth ground together as he left the waiting area. Parks’ sneer was firmly in place as he followed him. The crowd mostly jeered at them as they crossed to the announcer, which only seemed to infuriate the pair more.

“Wolf House did their best in the last fight and came only seconds away from a win, but managed a tie in the last fight. Reduced to two members of their house today to make this match even, who will it be that comes to face the Eternal Flame?”

Jessica and Ivan walked out of the Buldoun waiting area. The pair waved to the crowd, acknowledging the cheers that filled the arena.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a fight of physical enhancement magic users in Jason Argon and Ivan Armstrong. To back their respective fighters, Jason has his ally, Jamie Parks, a user of force magic. Ivan has the leader of Wolf House to back him: Jessica Hofen, an accomplished user of shadow magic. Which will give their team the edge needed to win? Let’s find out!”

“He certainly knows how to get the crowd invested,” Hayworth snorted. “That man would make the tournaments at the academy far more interesting.”

“He announces for the mage school’s tournaments,” Rafiq said from where he was making notes. “Mikal Buffurn. He is well-known in Buldoun.”

“Oh, I’ve heard of the family,” Yukiko said. “They’ve held that job for generations, it’s said.”

“Fight!” The single word came from Mikal as he ducked into the Buldoun waiting area.

Jason rushed Ivan, who stayed still, his massive sword poised to strike. Jessica ducked so her shadow could swallow her easier. Ivan tossed something to Jessica just as she disappeared into the shadows.

“Parks will put a barrier just over Ivan’s head,” Kang said. “It’ll stop Ivan from being able to swing.”

“Which will let Jason get the attack off unhindered,” Jenn murmured. “Hmm... it’ll have to be a layer of barriers to make sure the swing gets stopped.”

“Parks will be covered in barriers, too,” Binder said, “to stop the assassin strike.”

“Jessica might feint at him, but she should know better,” Yukiko said.

“Let’s see,” Hayworth said, as Jason was almost in reach of Ivan.

In the span of a few seconds, things changed rapidly. Ivan adjusted the grip on his sword, not attacking with it. A barrier had formed over his head, which would have stopped the heavy chop it had looked like he was planning to do. Ivan brought the zweihander point down, gripping the sword above and below the crossguard as he shoved the sword out and sideways, catching Jason’s attack.

Shadows grabbed Jason’s legs. They were thick, black shadows that resisted being broken by his aether-infused legs. That left him in position for Ivan to step in, his sword left behind as he grabbed Jason’s weapon arm and immobilized it.

Parks started to run forward, as he couldn’t really help Jason as far back as he’d been. Their plan had come crashing apart quicker than they thought it would. Between one step and the next, he went pitching forward as a shadow grabbed his foot.

Ivan managed to disarm Jason, leaving the two physical enhancement users in a barehanded brawl. Jason staggered briefly when the shadows around his legs vanished, but he didn’t have time to give it thought, as Ivan was battering him.

Parks slammed into the ground, his barrier stopping him from hurting himself. As he went to push himself up, the shadows underneath him formed dozens of hands, grabbing and pulling him down into an inky pool of darkness.

“Oh... that’s different,” Yukiko said. “That’s more than she’s shown before. Jessica must really want to win.”

“Did they not bring any enchantments with them?” Binder asked.

“Probably the same fire items they had against Claudia,” Jenn said. “If Lukas had been against them, it would’ve been the right call.”

“Agreed,” Kang nodded. “Which puts them behind here. What items did the mages bring, though?”

“Extra aether,” Gregory said. “They’re going to outlast them. It would explain the shadows, and the item Ivan tossed to Jessica at the start.”

“They both brought one in... is there no rule to stop them from giving it to an ally?”

“None,” Egil chuckled. “Interesting.”

The shadows holding Parks looked like they were being cut by invisible knives.

“He’s using his barriers to slice them, like he did my arm,” Gregory murmured. “I hope he has better control of them now, or he might kill himself.”

“No loss there,” Hayworth snorted.

Jessica came up out of the shadows by Parks’ feet. The next instant, she slammed herself onto his back briefly, sending them both into the shadow pool. A second later, the pair came bursting out of the shadows by the Buldoun waiting area. Jessica’s dagger was against Parks’ neck, the wood dimpling his flesh.

Sasha shouted to them over the crowd, and Jessica let him go. Parks yelled at Sasha, pointing at Jessica as he did.

“He doesn’t think she had him,” Yukiko snorted. “Idiot. If that’d been a real dagger, his neck would be open.”

“Never stopped them from complaining before,” Kang added.

With the side fight done, everyone turned their attention back to the two men beating each other bloody. Aether blazed around both as they poured everything they had into winning quickly.

Jessica dropped to her knees and motioned to their swords— both of the forgotten weapons sank into shadows. Jason’s came to rest in front of her while the other one came up, point down, behind Ivan. Ivan grinned when he saw Jessica with Jason’s sword by her. He took a hit from Jason, letting it stagger him backward. His hand went around behind him and he spun the zweihander around, catching Jason by surprise. The sword slammed into Jason’s raised left arm, shattering as it did.

Jason leapt backward, clutching his arm to his chest. It hadn’t broken, but it’d hurt even with him reinforcing it. Now, he had to act like it was lost to him, because a steel blade would have crippled or removed it.

Ivan tossed the shattered sword aside, then knelt as the shadows at his feet handed him Jason’s katana. Standing, he gave Jason a smile, speaking to him.

Jason hissed, looking back to find Jessica coming his way slowly, holding daggers. He looked past her to where Parks was still shouting at Sasha, then to the stands above the empire waiting area. With a grimace, Jason raised his good arm in surrender.

Ivan grinned, flipping the katana around to offer it to Jason. Jason snatched it away, stalking off, not bothering to reply to Ivan. Parks, seeing Jason walk away, spat at Sasha’s feet, then stomped off.

“Well, that’s that,” Hayworth chuckled. “Good luck when you fight them in two days.”

“We’ll need it,” Gregory said. “That was without their fire mage.”

“Time to get armored,” Kang said. “At least our fight will be easier.”

Jason and Parks never bowed to their opponents, nor did they stop to talk to the others in the waiting area. They threw their weapons at the racks and went straight out of the room.

Egil muttered something about spoiled children as he fixed the weapons rack.

“I hope they don’t cause another incident,” Jenn said. “The empire already took a black mark because of Nick.”

“No. He’s upset right now, but Jason will calm down. He won’t let that happen. Right now, his rise in the clan depends on him getting through this without further blemishes to his clan,” Yukiko said.

Rafiq nodded minutely. Though no one was looking at him, his pen scratched across the parchment as he made his notes.

Chapter Forty-three

Swift Wind easily defeated Boar House. Stallo and Kang clashed while Binder and Hayworth dismantled Westley and Brian. That left Stallo facing three magi alone. He didn’t quit, and he made them work for it.

Gregory felt bad for Binder— the wind magi was the weakest of the three, so that meant Stallo went for him first. Or, rather, tried to go for him first. Hayworth pushed to save his clan mate at that moment, making Binder vanish. He was replaced by Kang, who smiled as his attack hit Stallo square in the chest.

Sasha called the fight over. Stallo’s armor had been crumpled in, and Kang’s practice weapon had shattered. Kang helped Stallo out of his ruined armor, as it was causing him trouble breathing.

After the fight, Gregory and his wives got into their armor. Their fight wouldn’t be right away, but they knew they should get ready. Gregory was still getting into the last pieces when Hayworth led his clan back into the waiting area.

“Good fight,” Jenn told them.

“Thank you. They shouldn’t have tried to bunker again.”

“Are they okay?” Yukiko asked.

“Yes. They passed out from too much pressure. It might’ve ruptured their ears, but that was fixed when the fight was over,” Hayworth said.

Binder shrugged. “When Hayworth got the portal open into their enclosure, it was easy to seal their vision slit with air and just pour air pressure into it.”

“And that switch at the end?” Gregory asked.

“It was obvious that he’d have to remove one of us, and Binder would be the one they went for. We’d planned for it, which is why Kang was ready.”

“Taxed you, didn’t it?” Jenn asked.

“Moving two people like that isn’t easy, especially as an apprentice,” Hayworth replied as he stripped his armor off. “We’ll be heading up to watch before your fight starts. Another get-together afterward, right?”

“Should be,” Yukiko smiled. “Probably end with the Peaceful Fist again.”

“Hmm. It’s different. It’s hard to think that such slow movement can push the body so much,” Kang said. “I was curious, though... how do you know it’s working for both paths?”

“The spirit path sees the aether cavern,” Gregory said. “For you, it would mean you’d suddenly see it. For a spirit path follower who has already seen it, they’d know it was working when sparks left the aether flame to widen the channels that the body path makes.”

“Aether cavern?” Kang asked slowly.

“Yes,” Hayworth said. “If you didn’t try to expand your mind, you’d never know about it.”

“Was busy working on my body path,” Kang muttered, stripping off his armor.

Gregory finished getting his armor on, thanking his wives for their help. “We’ll try to expand on your win, but between the potential firestorm and a spatial mage… I’m not feeling good about it.”

“As we’ll be in the same boat tomorrow, maybe we’ll get to see more of what they have planned,” Hayworth said.

“Maybe. Be ready to see some surprises, at least,” Gregory chuckled.

“Sounds promising,” Hayworth laughed. “Come on. Harrison will no doubt wish to critique our fight.”

Binder and Kang followed him out, with Kang muttering as they went, “It was basically flawless. What could he—?” The door shut behind them, cutting off his sentence.

“Fire, wind, and spatial...” Yukiko said slowly. “I’m not sure they’ll try for a firestorm again. If it doesn’t work, they’ll be exhausted. If it worked... they’d win easily. Neither of you could get out of the way in time.”

“Which is why I have Gregory’s ring for this fight,” Jenn said.

“I’ll go straight to them,” Gregory said. “That should surprise them, and I might be able to catch Pavil or Claudia by surprise.”

“I’ll jump near them— out of the way— and hunker in the shadows until something happens,” Yukiko said.

“I’ll rush in like Gregory. I’ll need to hold two cores in that hand, just in case,” Jenn said. “What are you both taking for items?”

Gregory considered it for a moment. “I’m going to use the necklace. If I use it just before I leave the flames, they won’t know what hit them.”

“Oh, that would be devastating,” Yukiko smiled. “I’ll be using my fire ring, just in case they do something that I don’t expect. Some protection is better than none.”

“What will they have...?” Gregory murmured. “I’m pretty sure Claudia will stay with the tiara, unless she wasn’t able to recharge it.”

“Something to take away shadows,” Jenn said. “To negate Yuki.”

“And barriers to hinder Jenn enough that Adriana can use a rift to take her out,” Yukiko added. “Pavil will have the light item, and Adriana the barriers... Unless we’re wrong, of course. They could just go with aether storage to not tap themselves with the firestorm.”

“Which would prolong the fight normally,” Gregory nodded, “but if they can’t see me to stop me, the fight will be over almost as soon as it starts.”

“The announcer is coming back out, so we should know soon,” Jenn said.

They made sure they had the right enchanted items with them and went to the door. Egil gave them a nod. “For the empire.”

“For the empire, Armsmaster,” they replied back in unison.

“Well, we’ve come to the last fight for today,” Mikal began. “Remember: after the fight’s end, we’ll be showing some demonstrations of new inventions, so stick around. But before we get to that, our final match for today, and it should be a good one! From the empire, we welcome Aether’s Guard. Victorious in their first match against Boar House, can they keep their streak going? Led by Gregory Pettit, user of foresight magic, we’ve seen him win every fight he’s been in. Beside him stand his two wives: Yukiko Pettit, accomplished shadow magi. Will she be able to assassinate one of her opponents? And last, but far from least within their clan, Jenn Pettit. She might be small, but she’s shown her fierce determination in every fight. Backed by her physical enhancement, she has proven strong enough to take on the best from Buldoun’s houses.”

Gregory led his wives out of the waiting area, all three of them waving to the crowd. The crowd was mostly jeering, but the cheers were louder for them than for any of the other empire groups. Mikal let the crowd go for a bit before he decided to end it.

“Who will they face? Eagle House, led by none other than Claudia Firetongue. The fire mage is known to be passionate about winning and there’s no doubt that she’ll be ready to do so with her fellow house members behind her. Pavil Cutter helped her almost win the first match by mixing his wind magic with her fire magic. Will they make another firestorm, or have they opted for a different avenue? Either way, today, they get rejoined by their third member: Adriana Locus. Will a spatial mage be the difference between failure and a win? Let’s find out!”

Claudia led her teammates out, and the audience cheered for Eagle House. All three of them waved to the crowd, smiling. As they crossed to the middle, their smiles dimmed as they got ready to fight. Gregory reached up, attaching his mask in place so his nose and mouth were covered. He glared once it was in place, letting the snarling dragon mouth speak for him.

“Same rules. Any questions?” Mikal asked. When no one said anything, he went to the Buldoun waiting area door. Opening it, he got ready to rush inside. “Fight!”

Yukiko was gone in an instant, using as much aether as needed to vacate the area. It was good that she did, because the majority of the arena was suddenly engulfed in flames. Appearing in the shadows behind and to the side of Eagle House, she was glad she didn’t go straight behind them— Adriana was there with her spear poised to strike, light coming from the necklace she was wearing. Yukiko drew a little farther away, waiting for her moment.

Claudia was suddenly backing away, yelling at Pavil just before Jenn came bursting out of the flames. The fact she moved before Jenn was visible had Yukiko frowning. The firestorm died as Pavil turned to throw wind blades at Jenn, who darted backward to avoid them.

A murmur went through the crowd, as Gregory was nowhere to be seen. Everyone was trying to guess where he was when Pavil crumpled to the ground, his hand touching the back of his head. The next moment, Adriana fell, touching her chest. A wooden naginata had appeared only a heartbeat before it hit her in the chest. Gregory reappeared behind Pavil’s prone body, apparently untouched by the fire.

Jenn stopped retreating and rushed back at Claudia, who threw her hands up. Sasha yelled for them to stop. Claudia spun to Gregory, marching toward him— she had questions. The crowd was loud as they tried to unravel what had happened.

“How?!” Claudia asked in exasperation when she got close enough.

“My armor and my enchanted item,” Gregory replied. “We have to fight all of you in the last fight, so I’d like to not answer more than that for now.”

Claudia looked like she was going to grab him, but Pavil groaned. “What carriage hit me...?”

“Sorry. I did check it some,” Gregory said. “I had to stop you from throwing more at Jenn.”

“I never saw you...” Pavil muttered.

“Nor did I,” Adriana said as she came to join the group. “Nice throw.”

“Glad you didn’t see it in time or I’d have been unarmed,” Gregory said.

“I was… not useful,” Yukiko said simply. “But Claudia, you knew Jenn was there before she was visible.”

Claudia looked away. “My enchanted item.”

“Not the tiara,” Jenn said, storing the extra bane core in her obi, having had to use one to get out of the firestorm.

“A different one, not that it did us any good,” Claudia hissed. “Damn! I have to win tomorrow now. I can’t lose all three fights.”

“It would be bad if we do,” Adriana grimaced. “He’ll be upset.”

“Archmage?” Yukiko asked.

“Yes...” Claudia sighed. She stepped back, after helping Pavil to his feet. “Good win.”

“Thank you,” Gregory said. “We just had the right items to survive the firestorm. You had no way of knowing.”

“Is it even worth trying against Swift Wind?” Adriana asked Claudia.

“I don’t know,” Claudia exhaled.

The six of them bowed to each other, and Gregory went to retrieve the naginata. As the announcer started extolling the victory, Gregory paused in walking back.

“Still coming over to eat?” Gregory asked Claudia.

“Yes. We’ll see you there,” she replied, her smile strained.

Gregory nodded before joining his wives to walk off the arena floor.

Chapter Forty-four

Claudia brought a collection of dishes native to Buldoun for dinner. Gregory finally understood what Magus Brown had meant when he’d insulted the merchant in Waterrock. The food was vastly different than empire cuisine— some was okay, but others were not something he wanted to try again.

People gravitated toward the different forms of entertainment once dinner was over. As Gregory watched everyone split away, he wondered why Claudia pulled Hayworth away from everyone else. He was quick to cut that thought off— what those two got up to was not his concern. He saw Jenn and Kang talking and headed their way, instead. “What’s going on?”

“I was asking Kang what I should get for winning our bet,” Jenn grinned.

“I told her it hasn’t been ruled in her favor yet,” Kang said, though he was clearly not eager to find out.

“We said we’d have a third party decide,” Gregory mused, recalling the bet. “If Kang wins, the favor from Mindie healing them is to be negated. I’d say another favor owed would be an equal reward.”

“Harrison won’t be happy...” Kang muttered.

“We’ll make it a truly neutral third party,” Gregory said. He turned to the room and raised his voice, “Stallo, Jessica, Claudia, can I borrow you three for a minute?”

Kang exhaled slowly. “Can’t say it was a stacked deck.”

Hayworth followed Claudia over, his lips pursed as if considering something.

“What can we do for you, Greg?” Claudia asked with a bright smile.

“You’ve all fought Jenn and Kang. We had a bet from before the tournament started. Which of them is the better physical enhancement magi?”

“Hmm...” Stallo said thoughtfully. “Jenn beat me, but Kang didn’t.”

“Let’s not go into records. Across the single fights, who was the better magi? Who did your groups fear to fight more?” Hayworth asked.

Jessica shook her head. “It isn’t close. No offense to you, Kang, but Jenn was the one we talked about most.”

“None of my group wanted to fight either of them. When I fought them both, I found Jenn to be the tougher fight,” Stallo said. “Her control is amazing.”

“I have to agree with them,” Claudia said. “I’m sorry, but she worried all of us.”

Kang exhaled, his head bowed. “I accept the verdict. Harrison isn’t going to be happy with me. I agreed it’d be another favor owed.”

Hayworth nodded. “He will be upset by that. Yukiko, can I talk to you for a moment? Claudia, you, as well?”

“Of course,” Yukiko said, as she’d come over to join the group to hear what had been happening.

“You’re still better than many I know,” Stallo said, clapping Kang on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s grab a drink and play some cards.”

Kang let himself be led away.

“Do you often bet like that?” Jessica asked.

“No. They owed our clan a favor and hoped to clear it without paying it off,” Jenn chuckled. “All it did was deepen their debt.”

“Have they not fought you before?”

“Kang got knocked out of the previous tournament,” Gregory said, going on to explain what happened.

~*~*~

The party was still going on when Gregory whistled to get everyone’s attention. “Those who want to do the Peaceful Fist again, let’s head outside. We have about an hour before the party ends.”

Gregory gave Lightshield a smile, bowing formally to him and the other higher-tiered magi and mages. “Sir, have you come to join us again?”

“Everyone but me,” Lightshield said tiredly. “When the meditation is over, please come see me in my tent.”

“Yes, sir,” Gregory said, concerned for the elder.

When they all set up, he found that everyone was lined up the way they’d been last time. His wives and friends were in front of the same groups as before, ready to assist them. This time, Gregory didn’t feel as nervous in front of Laozi and Archmage Aliminus.

“Sage, did you wish to lead this group?” Gregory asked.

“No. You may do so. If I were to do it, it would cast more doubts over things.”

“Yes, sir,” Gregory bowed formally. “As before, we take the first stance, then shift to the back foot.”

~*~*~

Those who were not used to the Peaceful Fist were again sweat-soaked and exhausted. There were smiles on all their faces, though, as they’d all found it easier the second time around.

“Gregory Pettit, you have done an excellent job during this competition,” Aliminus said as everyone started to say their goodbyes.

Gregory felt the off-balanced thrum he’d felt with the mage in the temple when the archmage addressed him. “Thank you, sir. I seek to help my clan rise to prominence again.”

“As any student should. Supporting your clan or house is what one should do. You have gathered quite the following around you, too.”

“I just do my best to represent my clan well, sir. I have noticed that the openness and willingness of my clan to assist others seems to draw people in.”

“You might be a magi to watch in the future,” Aliminus smiled thinly, “especially if others keep paying you attention.”

The words felt pointed, but Gregory wasn’t sure why.

“I will do my best to continue to represent my clan, sir.”

“Hmm... You truly believe that. Interesting.”

Without saying more, the archmage walked toward the gathering of Buldoun mages. When he reached them, he gestured and the whole group vanished from the yard.

“What is this?!” The voice was rough, angry, and harsh. “Inviting the enemy into our encampment?!”

Elkit stood at the entrance to the Aether’s Guard area, with Jason and Parks behind him. “And with the other clans, no less? Disgraceful! Have none of you any respect for the empire?!”

Laozi appeared behind the trio, and his power radiated off him. Everyone within a hundred feet struggled to breathe. Parks and Jason both fell to their knees under his power, and Elkit turned haltingly.

“Magus Elkit, are you questioning why we are trying to foster goodwill with Buldoun? The whole reason for this tournament was to build friendships. Have you forgotten that?” Laozi asked amiably, as if he wasn’t an inch from crippling the magus.

“Sage Windfoot, there’s a misunderstanding!” Elkit gasped.

The pressure was gone as if it was never there, and Laozi radiated as much pressure as he did when he was only a sweeper. “Ah, yes, I can see that.”

Jason and Parks bent forward, trembling as they held themselves off the ground by their hands and knees. Even free of the pressure, their cores had felt close to cracking under the strain. Elkit exhaled roughly as he finally managed to turn fully around. Bowing formally, Elkit tried to explain, “Sir, I—!”

“Silence,” Laozi said softly. Elkit cut off as if the old man had shouted in his face. “There is a misunderstanding. You are correct. There are two more days of combat. The day of the last fight, when it is over, you will be sent back to the academy. You will not be staying. Time and again, your clan has come inches from erring so badly as to start a war. The archmage was just here. What would he have done if he had heard you?”

Elkit blanched.

“I doubt fire would help you if he dropped you into the ocean the way he has to others who have angered him. We know he has done that. We, as in those of actual power in the empire.”

Elkit stiffened as if he was being beaten physically.

“Now, I will give you an order, and if it is failed, you will not make it back to the empire. Paying your clan for your loss is well within my budget for this trip. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” The word was said through clenched teeth.

“You and your two remaining apprentices will stay in your area unless you are at the arena for a fight. You will go nowhere else, and you will interact with no one else. And yes, I know about those you have been making deals with while we have been here. Is this clear?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Now leave.”

Elkit turned to go, but had to stop to drag Jason and Parks to their feet. The three left with stiff legs, one angry and the other two fearful.

Laozi watched them go, then faced the clans. “I have not had to rebuke someone in such a way for a long time. I am sure I will not have to do the same to any of you, correct?”

Everyone bowed and gave him agreements that they wouldn’t cause him trouble.

“Good. Swift Wind, you have done a good job. You do your clan and the empire proud. Do as you have discussed tonight, and no repercussions will come to you. My guarantee.”

Hayworth’s face went still, but Harrison looked confused as he bowed to the sage. “We will, sir.”

“Iron Hand, Shining Light, your chance to show the strength of the empire is coming soon. Your dedication and preparations have pleased me. You should finish your current games, then rest before your turn comes.”

Klim and Magus Dunn led their clans in bowing in agreement to him.

“Aether’s Guard, you have shone brightly for the empire during this part of the tournament. Can you finish what you have begun?”

“We will do our very best, Sage Windfoot,” Gregory said, bowing. When he did, he caught glimpses of the others bowing with him.

“Yes. Are the rest of you ready to show the tactical minds you possess?” Laozi asked, looking past Gregory.

“We will do our best to make the empire proud, sir,” Ling answered.

“Between you, the Iron Hand, and Shining Light, I have every faith you will do that,” Laozi smiled. “Now, you should go rest. Enjoy your day off tomorrow.” The moment he finished talking, he was gone. A small gust of wind swept through the area a moment later.

As everyone started to leave, Gregory excused himself from his wives and went to where Lightshield was. “Sir?”

“Help me inside. We have something to discuss,” Lightshield murmured.

Once they were seated inside, Lightshield sighed heavily. “I am fading quicker than I wanted to, Gregory. I have time yet, but not a great deal. I must pass something on to you before I grow too tired to do so.”

Gregory sat still, his heart clenched as the elder spoke of his end coming soon.

“I know you have achieved resonance, which makes it time to teach you the one thing I can that relates to our magic.”

“Sir? I thought foresight couldn’t be taught.”

“And it cannot be, but there is something resonance can help with. You know when someone feels in tune with you, and when someone does not, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Look into the future,” Lightshield said.

Gregory opened foresight, looking a handful of seconds ahead. “I see the paths, sir.”

“Now feel them. Let your resonance show you which path holds the best future for you.”

Gregory’s brow furrowed. “How?”

“Open your resonance to sense the truth,” Lightshield murmured. “It is not something that happens the same way for those with foresight. I cannot tell you how. You have to figure out your own path.”

Gregory sat in silence, seeing the future. He pondered on the idea of his resonance being able to help parse the future. Suddenly, a hundred futures reflected out from in front of him, and he gasped. His eyes went to Lightshield, who was meditating.

Exhaling, Gregory felt for the right path, the one that would best serve him. He didn’t push down each path, just letting his resonance wash over them. Falseness came back from nearly all of them, but five felt good. As he discarded the other paths, they vanished and his aether flooded the five before him. In the span of a heartbeat, he was certain of a single future.

Gregory turned, catching the item that came flying at him. He jerked as his foresight cut off. Blinking, he looked at the apple in his hand. Hemet gave him a smile, the one who’d thrown it.

“That is how,” Lightshield whispered. “When you train your resonance, train your foresight with it. In time, it will become easier, and it will help you see further ahead, as each new branch can be felt the same way.”

Gregory bowed in his seat. “Thank you, sir.”

“You are the future, Gregory. I know this is fact, and it makes me happy. Now is not the time, but soon, we will have another talk. For now, please go. I need to rest.”

Gregory stood, bowing deeply to Lightshield. “Thank you, sir.”

“Oh, please leave the apple. It’s my breakfast,” Hemet said as Gregory went to leave.

Gregory turned to toss the apple back to Hemet. “Thank you, too, sir.”

“It’s my joy to help,” Hemet smiled.

Gregory left the tent, his mind racing as he thought about what that insight might mean for his ability to use foresight. He didn’t know if the others were still with Yukiko and Jenn, but he hurried to his tent, wanting to share with them what he’d just learned.

Chapter Forty-five

Gregory exhaled as he watched the fight in the arena. They’d spent the previous day seeing the city, and going from clothier to clothier to find the right dresses and suits for the wedding. Hao thought a Buldoun-style wedding would be a good way to tie the event together, and it would certainly be memorable.

Meeting with Wolf House after dinner had been a little awkward. The six fighters had felt the tension of the coming fight, but they managed to joke and talk normally. They’d wished each other a good fight for the next day, then parted.

Training before the matches went like normal, and Gregory focused on pushing his resonance; he was sure that it didn’t only extend around them while they were meditating. Something tickled his brain— he knew that, with what Lightshield had shown him, he could parse the futures better if he kept pushing. His wives and friends had been extra excited to hear about what Lightshield had taught him. They all agreed that he shouldn’t mention it to Rafiq, who would report it to Master Damon in the archive.

Jason and Parks had glared at Gregory, as if he was at fault for their clan being taken to task again when they’d arrived in the waiting area. He ignored them as best he could, instead striking up a conversation with Hayworth about Swift Wind’s chances against Eagle House.

When the Eternal Flame fought Boar House, Gregory watched with interest. Stallo had brought Brian, the earth mage, with him. They’d backed away from each other, making them pick who to fight. Jason went for Brian, eager to cut the fight down. In doing so, he let Stallo go after Parks.

Just before Jason got to him, Brian was encased in a shell of earth. Jason started attacking it, determined to break through. What he didn’t understand was that Brian was reinforcing the shell as Jason attacked it. That kept him busy while Stallo got to Parks.

Like their single fight, Stallo shattered the barriers Parks placed in front of him. He was intent on finishing the force magi as quickly as he could, but he didn’t take into account the Eternal Flame’s favorite tactic— just as Stallo got within range to strike, Parks extended his hand and a torrent of flame enveloped Stallo.

Staggering back, Stallo dropped to the ground, rolling to smother the fire as quickly as he could. Parks leapt forward, his maul coming down in a vicious overhand strike. The maul hit a barrier just over Stallo as the Boar House mage pushed himself back to his feet. He looked like underdone beef— badly burnt— but did not give up, shouting as he attacked Parks back.

Parks tried to stop him, but was unprepared for the most advanced mage on Buldoun’s side. Stallo’s swing shattered the double barrier, then clipped Parks’ head. Parks went down like a dropped sack of grain.

Willof called Parks out, then rushed to check on the magi.

Stallo wobbled, then pulled back his arms, hands on his maul. He spun in an arc before throwing his weapon. He dropped to the ground and called himself out, and Sasha rushed to his side to check him. Jason glanced back just in time to drop to the ground. The thrown maul hit the earth barrier and cracked it. Before Jason could capitalize on it, an earth spike shot up from the ground through Jason’s gut.

Crying out in pain, Jason started to pull himself off the spike, but Brian dropped the earth dome and slammed his hammer down on Jason’s head. Willof called Jason out, and Brian stepped back, bowing to Jason as he dissolved the spike, then fell back on his ass, clearly exhausted.

The dramatic fight had the crowd in a frenzy. When they could leave the field, Jason and Parks gave grudging bows before storming off. They again didn’t pause in the waiting area; they just tossed down their training weapons and left.

The crowd was still raucous when Hayworth’s clan was called out to fight Eagle House. Hayworth looked unfazed the entire time. Just before he left, though, he glanced at Yukiko and bowed his head a fraction.

The fight was over almost as soon as it began. Claudia and Pavil called forth a firestorm. For a moment, there was an open spot as Binder tried to fight the wind of the combined attack. He failed and fire washed over everyone. Hayworth ended up behind Pavil, striking him down, but was too late to save Kang and Binder, who were called out.

The ensuing fight between Adriana and Claudia against Hayworth was amazing to watch as portal after portal appeared to redirect attacks. In the end, Claudia was the last one standing. Hayworth fell to a burst of close fire after being wrapped in her whip.

It was the first time that Buldoun’s mages had a chance to sweep a day, and the tension was high. Gregory watched Hayworth and his clan congratulate Claudia’s team while they healed. Strapping his armor on, Gregory turned away from the window— he had to get ready for his fight.

“I do hope you don’t lose and give them a sweep,” Hayworth said as he entered the waiting area.

“We believe we have a valid plan in place,” Yukiko smiled.

“I hope so, considering our loss,” Hayworth said.

“It depends on their plans and how they adjust to what we’ve shown them,” Gregory said. “Lukas has to wonder if his fire will do anything at all to us.”

“Jenn can take Ivan,” Kang said as he stripped his armor off. “Yukiko will be in a shadow war with Jessica. If fire doesn’t bother you, then you’ll handle Lukas and be able to help with the other two. I don’t see this fight as that difficult for you.”

“We don’t know what tricks they’ll have up their sleeves, just as they don’t know ours,” Yukiko said. “I have a feeling that this fight will surprise a lot of people.”

“We’ll be watching from the stands,” Hayworth said when he finished getting out of his armor. “Did you ask for fireproof armor when it was made?”

“No. It was what the crafter thought would be the most useful to me. It’s worked well, so far,” Gregory replied.

“And likely will again in the future,” Hayworth nodded. “Good luck.”

“Thank you,” Gregory said as Yukiko and Jenn came to help him get the last of his armor on.

The crowd cheered them more than booed, which made Gregory smile. He strapped his mask on as they waited for Jessica and her compatriots. When Mikal finished calling them out, with a hope for a Buldoun sweep of the day, Jessica led her team out of their waiting area.

The crowd was the loudest they’d been all tournament— if there were any boos at all, they couldn’t be heard over the rest of the crowd cheering. Jessica, Lukas, and Ivan waved, but they all wore serious expressions. Wolf House was undefeated in the team matches, having tied Swift Wind and beat the Eternal Flame. Now, they faced Aether’s Guard, who’d won their two matches.

“Good luck,” Jessica said, bowing formally.

“You, as well,” Yukiko smiled as she bowed back.

“Same rules, and I have to say that this is the most energetic crowd I’ve ever seen,” the announcer grinned. “Don’t disappoint them.”

Gregory bowed formally to Jessica’s group as Mikal fled for the waiting area. Jenn bowed with him, while Lukas and Ivan returned them. Everyone backed up a couple of steps while they waited for the call to fight.

When that single word rang out, the unexpected happened— Jessica didn’t slip into the shadows, but Yukiko did. Gregory and Jenn split apart, intent on coming in from different angles to make the other clan react to them. Gregory turned to shout to Yukiko, but the crowd swallowed his words. A couple of seconds after Gregory paused, the shadows around the edges of the arena suddenly burst into flames.

Yukiko screamed in pain as she staggered into the open, dropping to her knees. Jessica’s dagger hit her a second later, clearly marking Yukiko as out. Yukiko collapsed onto her back and held up her arm as she waited for the pain to stop. Willof sprinted toward her to help heal the worst of it.

Lukas dropped to his knees, spent from what he’d done. He tossed Jessica a ring, then raised his arms to declare himself out. Jessica caught the ring, slipping it on before letting her shadow swallow her.

Gregory forced his resonance to touch his foresight, pushing for more assurance on the future as he went to assist Jenn. Jenn’s face was grim when she blitzed at Ivan. He used his longer sword to keep her back, using short, horizontal swipes to ensure she didn’t have an easy path to him.

Before Gregory could reach Jenn, Jessica appeared behind her out of thin air, clearly using a portal and not a shadow. Jenn felt her resonance scream at her, then kicked out to force Jessica back. Her kick slammed into a barrier, leaving her in an awkward place as both Jessica and Ivan attacked her.

The ring Lukas tossed to her, Gregory thought as he closed in on the fight. It was either the barrier or the portal.

Jenn did her best, coating herself in aether to stop Jessica from landing an attack that would declare her out. She didn’t account for Ivan just planting his sword and grabbing her. She tried to duck under the bear hug when an earth spike shot up. It shattered on her chin, stopping her from slipping underneath the grab.

Yanking her into the air, Ivan leaned his head back to avoid the headbutt that Jenn almost managed to land. Jessica leapt onto Jenn’s back, holding on as her dagger stabbed into Jenn’s neck repeatedly. Jenn slammed her head back, catching Jessica and knocking the woman off. She shouted something, and Ivan let her go. Jenn raised her arms as she lowered herself to the ground.

Gregory got there a second later; he didn’t try for Ivan. Instead, he lunged, then went into a sideways tumble before lunging again, then finally leaping to the side. Jessica was blinking away tears, her nose broken from Jenn’s headbutt. When she saw Gregory coming for her, she pushed the last charge of the portal ring to intercept his thrust. She watched him abort it, roll, and then lunge again. A barrier formed in front of her, but Gregory’s thrust slid around the edge, his sudden leap sideways letting him continue on target to catch her chest.

Jessica raised her hands as she blinked away tears. She felt only awe at what a foresight user could do. That awe grew as she continued to watch the fight, but she grabbed Jenn and shadow-stepped them both to the wall.

Gregory, after landing the blow, ducked low under an attack. He spun before flipping into a backward somersault, making the next attack miss him, as well. When he landed on his feet, his naginata caught and slid Ivan’s third attack away. Ivan kept pressing, knowing he had to if he wanted to win.

Gregory’s foresight guided him with assurance, the feeling of rightness leading him down each path as it came. The crowd went silent, shocked as they watched Gregory pushing his magic. He was a wraith that was always in motion— he ducked, slid, sidestepped, parried, guided, and avoided every attack, though he never blocked. It captivated the audience, as it looked like the best choreographed fight scene ever displayed.

Even the five earth spikes were avoided as if they were static scenery to Gregory, as they never came close to impaling him. That burned off the item that Ivan had brought to the fight, and now, he was down to just his aether. Gregory didn’t think about his aether or how much he was using— he trusted his resonance to guide him to victory, especially since his item was Jenn’s aether storage ring, which they’d filled with a magus’ level of aether.

Ivan’s aether guttered before Gregory’s, and the moment it did, he lost the extra speed and strength that’d been letting him push. When it stopped, Gregory finally attacked. In two seconds, Ivan dropped to his knees, his hands raised and his eyes wide. The naginata had stopped a hair’s breadth from his throat— his Adam’s apple tapped the wooden blade when he swallowed.

Gregory pulled back, bowed, then dropped to his knees, acting more exhausted than he felt. He knew he’d done a lot more than he ever had. The ring was almost empty of all the aether it held, and he’d burned a majority of his own to make sure the illusion of being tired was there.

The crowd exploded into cheers and jeers, louder than even the previous cheering for Wolf House. Gregory met Ivan’s eyes as he unstrapped his mask and gave the man a shaky smile. He would’ve said something but talking was impossible against the noise of the crowd. Ivan just blinked for a moment before he started laughing.

With a grunt, Gregory pushed himself to his feet and went to Yukiko, wanting to make sure she was okay. When he got to her, he found that she was well out of danger, but still healing. Jenn joined them, and the trio sat on the arena floor, recovering while they waited for the announcer to come out.

Chapter Forty-six

There was a hint of melancholy over the clan when they got together after the baths. Besides the wedding feast, this was likely going to be the last time to talk with their new friends until the tournament ended, or possibly even longer.

“They should be showing up soon,” Gregory said. “We’ll offer the Peaceful Fist one more time, the hour before we break up.”

“You want them to be able to continue on after we leave?” Ling asked.

“They’ll teach it to others,” Roshana added.

“Yes, but most people will only get a single path of training out of it,” Yukiko said. “A rare one or two of them might get the benefit of both paths.”

“Because of Darkness,” Ling said softly.

“Yes,” Jenn smiled. “True friends will likely be able to touch both paths even if they aren’t in the clan. Those who will aid us later.”

“Claudia and Jessica,” Clover said. “I think both of them are friends. The others, not as much. They’re happy to be here, but don’t want to grow the friendship further. Claudia… more than Jessica,” she finished.

“You’re right,” Yukiko smiled. “I think Claudia will be tied to the Resonant Mind path even more than the Peaceful Fist. It doesn’t hurt to share the chance with them, though.”

“Greg,” Roshana asked slowly, “was that your aether being used with resonance during the fight?”

“Yeah, it was.”

“It seemed more fluid than before.”

“I was in awe,” Mindie smiled. “I kept worrying you were going to get hit, yet you were always in the perfect place at the right times.”

“Our pride has a strong leader,” Ling smiled broadly.

“It’s easier to use when fighting, too,” Gregory said. “I don’t have to parse the different paths. My resonance just guides me to the best one.”

“Did you need less aether?”

“I used more, but that was from looking further into the future,” Gregory said. “We need to recharge the ring.”

“I’ll help,” Roshana said.

“Me, too,” Clover added quickly.

“We’ll do it after the party,” Yukiko smiled. “All of you can assist.”

Jenn’s thumb rubbed the band on her finger. “I’m glad we chose the right items.”

“I never expected the fire around the arena’s edge,” Yukiko sighed. “I’m glad the two of you won. They traded Lukas for me. They figured his fires couldn’t hurt you, so there wasn’t a lot of reason to keep him in the fight once I was dealt with.”

“We were all surprised,” Mindie said.

“She almost jumped into the arena to heal you,” Roshana said with a smirk. “I had to grab her.”

Mindie flushed. “It was out of reflex.”

“The healing not really working until the fight’s over is terrible,” Yukiko said. “I’m glad Willof had items to help while the fight went on.”

“Especially since it took Gregory wearing Ivan down to win,” Jenn said.

“I didn’t really look at the other paths. One of them might have let me win quicker,” Gregory said, thinking back to it. “In the moment, when I’m using my resonance, I’m calm and just flowing down the best path.”

“Meditating when fighting,” Roshana said. “Like Klein?”

“Hmm... I wonder how that would work if the person I’m fighting is meditating...” Gregory murmured.

“We’ll check it tomorrow,” Yukiko said. “They should be here soon.”

“I’ll go greet them,” Gregory said.

“Can I come with you?” Mindie asked.

“Of course,” Gregory smiled.

The pair of them left the tent, heading for the front of the Aether’s Guard clan area. “Greg? You’re sure about the wedding, right?” Mindie asked softly.

“I am, Mindie, as long as you still want it,” Gregory said.

“I do, but... part of me worried that you were just saying you wanted it.”

Gregory looked around and cast his foresight a few seconds into the future. With that, he snagged Mindie’s arms before pulling her to him, then kissing her gently. Mindie was shocked, but her arms went around him and the kiss lingered for a few moments before she stepped back.

Face flushed, breathing fast, she stared at him. “I… yes… thank you.”

“Thank you, dear healer,” Gregory whispered. “I’ll do my best for you. You’ll keep my hearts healed, and that means the world to me. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I just wanted to show you that I do care, and that I’m looking forward to the wedding.”

Mindie looked down, a smile on her lips. “You did that.” She glanced up, her cheeks still burning. “For our night together…” She swallowed, then glanced around before whispering, “Can they join us?”

Gregory blinked once and chuckled lightly. “Jenn asked for the same thing on her wedding night. Let them know you want that. They won’t rebuke you. If anything, they’ll both be thrilled.”

Mindie’s face blazed, but she smiled. “I told you my desires. I know we’ll also… but… I’d like my desires, too.”

“As my wife wishes,” Gregory murmured. He turned to face the path leading toward the clan area. “They’re almost here.”

Mindie exhaled. She knew she was still flushed, but she put a smile on her lips as she turned to greet their guests.

Swift Wind and Shining Light were talking as they approached. The Iron Hand joined them as they passed that clan area.

“Welcome back, our friends,” Gregory said. “The others haven’t shown up yet, but head inside.”

As the younger and older magi headed off in different directions, Magus Harrison stayed back. “Pettit, I had a question. Does Bishop practice the Peaceful Fist?”

“Everyone in our clan does,” Gregory replied. “She’s done so since she joined, I believe.”

“That would help explain how she got so far past me,” Harrison said. “Thank you.” He made it two steps away, then paused again. “And I’m sorry for how I acted toward you and your clan over the last year.”

“We held you no ill will, sir. We were glad to see Bishop smiling more before we left for the tournament.”

“She has been?” Harrison asked, glancing back.

“Ever since the last tournament, sir,” Gregory replied. “I believe she found a lost friend.”

Harrison snorted. “Pointed, but not wrong. Be glad you joined the same clan as your friends. That likely made a big difference for your friendships.”

“I’ll do my best to keep in touch and nurture the friendships with my friends not within my clan, sir. One day, we might meet again, and I want to smile with them then.”

“Even if it’s across a battlefield?”

“That’s a worry,” Gregory admitted. “If that day comes, I hope we can part as friends no matter the outcome. If there’s no animosity between us, I would question why we face each other.”

“Clans don’t always give you a choice,” Harrison said with an edge to his tone.

“I’m glad that my friends are in clans that aren’t antagonistic, sir.”

“You are either the most optimistic magi ever or you refuse to see reality, Pettit. Today does not mean tomorrow will be the same.”

“That’s true, sir, but it should never be a simple flip, should it? If animosity started to build, it could be discussed and cleared up before it got worse.”

Harrison chuckled as he walked away. “Hopeful it is.”

“He’s conflicted about his past,” Mindie said softly. “Bishop called him on a past promise between them during that duel. I think he chose to try after that moment.”

“He did,” Gregory replied as he dropped foresight. “Here come the others.”

A few seconds later, the entirety of the Buldoun houses were just suddenly there. Archmage Aliminus stood at the front of the group, and the older mage gave Gregory a questioning look. “Not surprised?”

“No, sir,” Gregory replied, bowing formally. “I had warning.”

“Hmm...” Aliminus muttered. “Enjoy this last night of unsupervised friendship.”

“Thank you, sir. We will do our best to comport ourselves as true friends.”

With another grunt, the archmage headed for Lightshield’s tent. The other advanced mages followed after him, with a couple glancing Gregory’s way.

“Friends,” Gregory said, addressing the nine younger mages, “thank you for coming. Sadly, this is likely our last party together, outside of the wedding in a few days. I hope we’ll be able to see each other again after everything ends.”

“We were told there would be restrictions during the Empire’s Gambit tournament,” Stallo grunted.

“We do as we have to,” Claudia sighed, “but I don’t believe our friendships will end here.”

“They won’t,” Jessica agreed.

“My clan and the other clans are waiting for us,” Gregory said. “Let me lead you.”

“Will we end with the Peaceful Fist again?” Stallo asked.

“We’d planned on it.”

“Perfect. I should have it memorized.”

~*~*~

The night flew by— dinner was a mixture of Buldoun and empire food, so everyone was able to enjoy themselves, and Elsa made sure they all had full cups. She mingled with them, thanking them for the compliments as she worked.

A couple of hours of games had smiles on everyone’s faces. There were a few brief disagreements that broke out, but nothing serious. When Gregory finally called it time for the Peaceful Fist, everyone went outside except for Elsa, who started cleaning up.

The elder mages and magi joined them once again, with Lightshield being the only one not to participate. Gregory felt a twinge when he saw how worn the elder looked. He pushed the thought aside and led the group through the Peaceful Fist.

“A very different path, to be sure,” Aliminus said. “I do not think it will catch on much here in Buldoun. I am not sure why your clan uses it for all their magi. Few have ever been able to combine paths.”

“Apprentices and Adept Laka,” Lightshield said from where he stood off to the side, “how many of you see the cavern and the sparks that emerge from the aether fire there? Just raise your hands, please.”

All of them did, to the shock of everyone assembled.

Aliminus started to reply, but Laozi beat him to it, “Very unusual. Maybe it is the path, maybe it is the additives, who can say? Aether’s will is unknown to all.”

“Of course, none can know what the gods wish,” Aliminus snorted. “I shall give you all five minutes to say your goodbyes. This is the last party besides the wedding for all of you.”

“We can explain it to them now, surely,” Laozi smiled. When Aliminus gave a crisp nod, the sage continued, “From our three groups for the Empire’s Gambit Tournament, nine of you will begin the tournament. Our clans will use three per clan. During it, you will only have the chance to call for reinforcements if you have the money for it.”

That got some thoughtful looks.

“Your boards will be in your camps, separated one per person unless you can join with another. If you do, you will consolidate to a single board. Representatives from both sides will be present to watch each board and ensure fair play. You will be stuck at the table until the tournament concludes, with a few exceptions. If you need to leave the table for food, restroom, or sleep, another person on the opposite side will watch over you to make sure you do not cheat. There will be an eight hour break every night so you may rest, again with someone to watch over you.”

A thankful murmur of relief came from those who hadn’t done well with the few hours of sleep from the last Empire’s Gambit tournament.

“The arena is being shaped into the field for the tournament. It is a big map, so do not think you can just rush off to find each other. Any of you will possibly be tasked by the archmage or myself with objectives. Failure to complete these will cost you during upkeep. We will be simulating a war, so act accordingly.”

Clover and Ling looked thoughtful.

“For those not involved in the tournament, if you wish to watch, the arena is available to you like it will be to the crowds. If your clan is part of the tournament and you want the chance to enter play, you must stay in your camp, but not in the tent being used for the game. If you leave the area, you are disqualified from entering play. Any questions?”

“Sir?” Ling raised her hand. “Any three from the clans that qualified?”

“That is correct, Apprentice Lao,” Laozi nodded. When no one else spoke up, he smiled. “Do your best, no matter which side of the conflict you represent. Oh, and be prepared for the improbable. War is that way.”

Aliminus coughed loudly.

“Five minutes, I believe the archmage said,” Laozi went on as if the archmage hadn’t coughed. “You will see each other again, but not like this.”

Everyone went around saying goodbye to each other. Handshakes, hugs in some cases, and kind words took place all over. Gregory’s eyebrow twitched when he saw Yukiko, Jenn, and Mindie hug Claudia when they said goodbye, each speaking softly before parting with her. Shaking his head, he saw Ivan approaching.

“Ivan, good fight.”

“Thank you for pushing me. I’ll be trying to separate my aether usage like your wife can. Maybe when we see each other again, I’ll be able to give you a tougher fight.”

“I hope not. It took a lot out of me to win,” Gregory laughed.

The two men shook hands before Ivan walked off to talk to someone else. Gregory grinned when Jessica stopped in front of him. He bowed to her, as she’d bowed first.

“Your fight was something I’ll remember for many years,” Jessica said. “I doubt I’ll ever see another who can so easily control a battle.”

“You flatter me, Jessica. I always had respect for shadow magi, for obvious reasons, but you’ve shown me that there’s even more they can do. Thank you.”

Jessica grinned. “If you can make a change in the empire, about where people like me stand, I’ll be glad to call you friend. I’ll call you friend regardless, though.”

Holding his hand out, he shook hers. “As I will you. I pray for a day where it’s not just the empire, but all nations that see everyone as equals. Maybe you’ll help me with that.”

“Be happy to,” Jessica said. “I wish to speak with Yuki. Excuse me.”

He watched her go, but that meant he got to see Claudia heading his way. Before she could reach him, Aliminus intercepted her, cutting off his view of Claudia.

“It is time,” the archmage said haughtily. “Gather.”

Claudia stepped sideways so she could see Gregory. She bowed formally to him, since she’d been unable to speak with him. Gregory bowed back just as formally. He had a sad smile on his lips before mouthing the word “wedding” to her. Claudia’s head dipped fractionally.

Then, the Buldoun mages were gone, and the clans started to head away, too. His friends gathered around him as they watched everyone go. A sense of separation filled the space, and each of them felt it.

Chapter Forty-seven

They trained as normal on their day off. The other clans continued with the Peaceful Fist, even those who were going to spar. They were tired afterward, but not as exhausted as they’d been the other times.

During magic training, Gregory pushed his foresight and resonance. He tested what happened if his foe meditated while fighting Yukiko and Jenn. He didn’t feel any difference— the future was easy for him to navigate, as if they weren’t trying to stop him at all.

When they’d gone into the city, people grumbled and gave them a wide berth, but some cheered for them, saying they’d won money on their fights. They spent the time with their families, picking up their clothing and making sure it all fit. That night, they talked about the fight to come the following day over dinner.

Once they’d finished eating, they went to speak with Wolf House only to find the mages not in the other dining room. That had them wondering if the archmage had interfered, as the house chaperone had encouraged their friendship.

After finally making it back to their encampment for the night, they exchanged goodbyes. Yukiko and Jenn thanked Gregory when they went to bed— Mindie had been able to pull them aside to ask them her request. That led to Gregory being thanked over and over by both of his wives.

~*~*~

The day of the last fight began like normal— after their usual training, they had hours before the fight would actually take place. They opted to meditate to ease the nerves some of them had started to feel.

“Yuki?” Elsa asked when they’d stopped meditating. “I had a request.”

“Clover, please escort her with you to see the fight,” Yukiko asked before giving a wide-eyed Elsa a smile. “That was your request, wasn’t it?”

“How…?”

“We thought you’d ask and decided that we’d let you attend a single day,” Jenn smiled. “We were going to ask if you wanted to before we left.”

“You’ve done amazingly well, Elsa,” Gregory said softly. “Everything has been perfect. All of us know you’ll impress Yuki’s family.”

Elsa sniffled, wiping at her eyes. “Thank you...”

“Aww...” Clover said, getting to her feet to hug Elsa.

“There’s no party tonight,” Yukiko said. “It’s a good night for you to come to see the fight.”

“Uh...” Gregory said slowly, wondering if he should say it. “The night of the wedding, our friends will bring you back here. Okay?”

Elsa blinked, turning to Jenn and Yukiko. “But…”

“We won’t be coming back here after the wedding,” Yukiko told her.

Mindie flushed a deep red, not looking at anyone.

“There’s a reason for it, but don’t let it worry you,” Jenn told Elsa. “Roshana will make sure you’re safe.”

“All of us will,” Ling said. Her cheeks were a touch pink, as she’d understood what they’d meant.

“Okay,” Elsa whispered. “I’m sure it’s an adult thing, so I won’t pry.”

Mindie covered her burning face with her hands. Gregory felt bad for her, and shifted to put his arm around her.

As Mindie calmed down and Elsa went to get changed to join them as other than a maid, Gregory was summoned to Lightshield. Gregory followed Hemet with his heart in his throat, wondering if this was the last talk he’d have with the elder.

Thanking the elder, Gregory took the offered seat. Lightshield looked haggard— his hair was dull, his wrinkles and age spots were more pronounced, and his skin had a waxy sheen. Lightshield’s voice was even more worn than Gregory had heard it before. But even with that, Lightshield’s eyes were bright with intelligence. His body might be fading, but Gregory knew that his mind was still as sharp as ever.

“How can I help you, Elder?” Gregory asked.

“Sadly, you can do nothing for me, Gregory, nor is it time for that kind of talk. I called you here for a joyous reason, not a sad one.”

Gregory paused, trying to understand. “Joyous, sir?”

“I am sure you have all wondered how your friends are doing?”

“We do, sir,” Gregory said instantly.

“As of this hour, they have finished their fights for today and remain undefeated. The council has again decided to pit those who are undefeated against each other, meaning your three friends, along with Novice Ferentini, will face each other tomorrow. The day after that, the winners will face each other. They do not want another undefeated novice if they can stop it.”

Gregory thought about what he was being told. “I see...”

“The arenas have been enchanted as the overseer commanded, so they are in much less danger than novices of previous years.”

“What of the other novices, sir?”

“They have lost multiple times, but they fight hard every time,” Lightshield smiled. “Our apprentices who were left behind will have the aid of the Hardened Fist to attempt taking the apprentice tournament, as well.”

“Master Chen will be unhappy that we used them...” Gregory murmured.

“He has been placated,” Lightshield said. “I wished to have our clan once again take the top spot to drive home a point you started. Aether’s Guard has returned and has the best young magi the academy has seen for ages.”

“You don’t know who will win, sir?”

“It is hard to see the future that you are not present to witness or hear about. I know what I know as I made sure Dia sent me missives, with the aid of a spatial magi. There was a thought that knowing about your friends doing their best would drive you even more.”

“We’ll do our best to win today, Elder.”

“I know, Gregory... I know. Go ahead and tell your wives and friends the news. Hemet will be there to guide you in an hour.”

Gregory stood, bowing deeply to Lightshield. “Sir, there’s something—”

“It is still not time,” Lightshield cut him off with a hand gesture. “Not yet, but rest assured that I have seen many things.”

Gregory hesitated, then bowed even deeper. “Yes, sir.”

“Good. I will see you for the feast tonight. It will either be in victory or in solace.”

Gregory chuckled at the clear wink at the word “victory.” “We’ll do our best, sir.” With that, Gregory turned and left to go tell his friends what Lightshield had told him.

~*~*~

“That’s still shit...” Jenn muttered.

“It is, but after what we’ve done, they had to do something,” Yukiko sighed. “I’m actually surprised they waited this far into the tournament to make them face off.”

“If they even come close to a tie, it’ll be highly suspect, too,” Mindie added. “I doubt they’ll let any ties stand.”

“After the previous ties from tournaments past, I agree with you,” Ling nodded.

“The other clans must’ve pushed them even more after the last one,” Clover said. “Do you think the new apprentices can win with the Hardened Fist?”

“The three magi from their clan nearly joined us here,” Gregory said. “James and Gabrielle are both water mages, so I’m not sure what they can add to help.”

“If they push, they can give their allies clear paths while turning the rest of the arena into a swamp,” Roshana suggested. “They could just soak the others to make them miserable and uncomfortable, as well. Water magi aren’t good at direct combat. We’re more of a support magi.”

“Invaluable in any siege,” Clover said. “Clean water is always a problem.”

“That’s true,” Roshana smiled.

“That’s something we should discuss,” Ling said. “Who do we bring as the first three for the tournament? We were told it could be any of the six of us.”

“You, Clover, and Roshana,” Jenn said. “You should all have your chance to show off your talents, too.”

“We aren’t suited for battle, though,” Clover said. “All three of us are support magi. I’d say Yuki, Jenn, and Gregory.”

“Would they even let him play?” Ling asked.

“No idea,” Gregory said, “but I agree with Jenn. It’ll be a war, remember? You’ll have the chance to find allies. Who the others will bring is unknown to us, but I can bet Dave and Klein are the leads for their clan groups. Klein because he’ll be useful, and Dave because he’ll push for it.”

“Agreed,” Yukiko said. “You three should be in.”

“No,” Roshana said softly. “If Dave is going to be there, and possibly Farin, that’s two water magi already. I should sit out. Jenn or Yuki should take my place. For the good of the clan, and of the empire.”

The others were quiet for a moment. None of them disagreed with Yukiko often, but Roshana had made good points.

“I wanted you to have the chance to shine, to show the others that it doesn’t matter your heritage or where your family came from. I want them to see that you are their equal on the field,” Yukiko said softly. “You didn’t get to play in the first tournament, like Greg. Now’s your time.”

“We can win,” Clover said standing up. “They believe in us, so we should believe in ourselves, too.”

Ling’s smile was slanted, but she stood up. “We should, Clover. Very well.”

Roshana shook her head, then joined her friends. “The other clans will probably think we’ve gone mad to not field our best combat magi... at least until we show them what we can do.”

“Good,” Gregory grinned. “You can call us for aid. None of us will give up the chance to be called in. The other clans might call us in, too.”

“Oh… that would make sense,” Yukiko said, her mind racing. “Yes, I can see that. It’s a war, not clans fighting against one another.”

“I didn’t even think about that,” Jenn nodded. “The sage’s words make that seem obvious, though. What about the objectives he mentioned?”

“Towns or other key locations,” Clover said. “Both would be obvious objectives for a unit to take or hold against an aggressor.”

“Good point,” Mindie said. “Holding an area might be something, too.”

They spent nearly an hour going over potential objectives and who their allies might bring to the tournament. In time, Hemet came to get them. Instead of them walking with the Iron Hand to the arena, all of the clans walked as a group, which was good because the crowds were thick. That many magi got people to step aside, but it still wasn’t a quick trip. Jason and Parks were sullen, glaring at Gregory’s clan with clear hatred, with glances at Hayworth’s group.

When they got to the waiting area, the talking was nearly non-existent as everyone got their armor on. Some felt their nerves start to climb, as this was the last fight of the tournament.

Egil and Rafiq watched as they prepared. Egil was impassive, but Rafiq was making notes, clearly making sure he recorded everything he could.

Chapter Forty-eight

The crowd was loud as they waited for Mikal to announce the fight. Gregory was certain that wagers were being made in the stands. The mostly-Buldoun crowd wanted to see a win, but he knew some would still bet on the empire side. National pride was all well and good, but money mattered most in Buldoun.

“Jason, did you want to know the plan?” Gregory asked.

“No, fringer!” Jason snarled. “Parks and I will win after you fail.”

“Stupid, foolish, and idiotic… ah, must be the Eternal Flame,” Hayworth snorted.

Jason glared at Hayworth. “Just you wait and see.”

The crowd got louder, pulling everyone’s gazes to the arena floor where the announcer was waving. When he got to the middle, he waited, and the crowd noise slowly subsided. When it was down to a mild murmur, he raised a disk to his mouth to speak.

“Ladies, gentlemen, and children, it is with fanfare that we announce the last fight of the martial tournament. But, before we do, we remind you that after tomorrow, there will be an Empire’s Gambit tournament to be held. For those who wish to see the game in play, come to the arena. We’ll have a giant board set up for easy viewing for the crowd that will update as the game advances.”

A mild cheer went through the crowd, but it quickly ebbed.

“Now, let’s get to the main event! The empire has proven the strength of their magi in single combat and in small teams. A few have distinguished themselves above and beyond their allies. Because of that, we introduce the empire’s team, led by Gregory Pettit of Aether’s Guard, the only fighter to have an unblemished record for the entire tournament. He leads his clan, Aether’s Guard, along with the Swift Wind and the Eternal Flame clans. Pettit, bring your allies forth for this grand finale!”

Jason snorted and went to leave before Gregory went, but Egil stopped him. “They called for Pettit to lead you.”

Jason’s jaw clenched, his teeth grinding as he stared at Egil. It was clear that he wanted to say something, or even attack, but he just stood there, seething.

Gregory stepped around Parks and Jason, nodding to Egil as he strapped his mask in place. “I’m ready, Armsmaster.”

“Fight well. For the empire!”

“For the empire!” echoed back everyone but Jason and Parks.

Egil stepped aside from the stairs so the magi could leave.

In a single-file line, they left the waiting area. The crowd went nuts as they cheered, jeered, or whistled for the magi. Gregory wanted to turn to see Elsa, who would be in the boxes above their waiting area, but he didn’t. He’d been called out as the leader, so he marched with his back straight and his head held high toward Mikal. The others formed a line with him as the crowd continued to cheer.

When the crowd’s volume finally dimmed, Mikal raised the disk again. “Eight magi of the empire are here to battle our best mages. In the interests of keeping it fair, the houses have decided to pick one of their nine mages not to compete. Before we call the Buldoun team out, let’s have a round of applause for the mage that was asked to sit out the fight— the water mage of Boar House, Westley Schmidt, come out and wave to the crowd.”

Westley did just that, stepping out of the waiting area to wave to the crowd. He turned in each direction, making sure to give everyone a chance to see him before stepping back inside.

“What a sport! He does Buldoun proud,” Mikal went on when the crowd’s volume dipped again. “And now, let us cheer for the Buldoun mages: the Houses of Eagle, Wolf, and Boar. Led by the prodigy fire mage herself, Claudia Firetongue, her team of mages will try to cap this tournament with a win!”

Claudia led the mages out from the other waiting room. She wore a bright smile as she waved to the crowd. The other mages behind her waved, some smiling, but others grim-faced. The crowd was cheering, whistling, and stomping so much that the arena floor shook slightly with their enthusiasm.

Mikal waited for the crowd to calm some. It took longer than he was willing to wait, so after a couple of minutes, he raised the disk and spoke loudly into it, his voice cutting over the crowd, “Calm yourselves, please!” He followed it with a laugh to ease any sting the words might have had.

When the crowd quieted down again, he spoke to the two sides, making sure they understood that the rules were the same as every other match. When the two sides acknowledged that, he headed for the Buldoun waiting area.

Jason and Parks went to the far left of the arena, which had the most sunlight slanting in from the evening sun. Everyone else from the empire’s side stayed in the middle, clearly showing no fear of a firestorm.

The Buldoun mages scattered, no two of them within arms-distance of each other. Gregory chalked that up to keep Parks from possibly hemming them in at all. It wasn’t like they had a magi who could target more than a single mage at a time.

The tension on the arena floor ratcheted up as they waited for the call to start. Gregory exhaled as he centered himself, calling his resonance to aid him and triggering foresight. Dozens of paths opened up— it was his first time trying to use it with so many people involved, so the future was chaotic. But with resonance, a single path beckoned him. With a smile, he followed that path when the announcer called them to fight.

The moment everything began, chaos erupted. Claudia and her allies didn’t bother trying for a firestorm, figuring that it was pointless since so many from the empire had negated it. But both sides had a similar idea— the instant the fight started, Adriana and Hayworth opened portals. Stallo and Ivan came through the Buldoun portal directly behind Parks and Jason, and Gregory stepped through their portal, followed by Kang and Jenn.

The fights that erupted when the physical enhancement users were directly atop the other side were a mess. Enchanted items flared as shields and other enhancements were called into being. The others on the field weren’t idle— wind blades, earth spears, and more whipped into the other teams. Both Yukiko and Jessica had vanished into the shadows, playing their own game of assassin with the other.

Gregory flowed down the path his resonance directed him toward. His appearance forced Lukas to use a barrier while he tried to burn Gregory, which had no effect on him. The fight lasted seconds. The moment Lukas’ barrier went down, Gregory managed to remove him from the field. The next second, he was as far across the arena as he could be— Adriana had expended more aether to remove the most dangerous threat to her team even for a little while.

That just had Gregory shift to go help Jason and Parks. Parks had been eliminated with a brutal hit from Ivan, breaking his barrier before flinging the force magi to the ground. Stallo finished Jason in the next instant— not through brute force, but from a wind blade hitting Jason in the back of the head.

Willof called Jason out as he rushed forward to check both Eternal Flame magi.

That left Gregory with Ivan and Stallo facing him. Eyes narrowing, Gregory trusted his resonance to guide him. A brief thought that Jenn’s ring was what would let him manage it was there and gone as Gregory ducked under a sweeping maul, then deflected Stallo’s overhand strike.

The crowd was in a frenzy as they watched the fight. There was no shortage of exciting moments, but everything paled compared to watching Gregory fight two physical enhancement mages by himself.

The fluid fight almost ended when Jessica suddenly appeared out of Gregory’s shadow, and he didn’t react to her. That heartbeat of anticipation was snatched away as the same shadows that delivered Jessica clamped down on her, dragging her back down. The crowd was in awe that Yukiko seemed to overpower Jessica’s shadows and used them against her.

Gregory suddenly leapt a half-second before Ivan lunged to tackle him. He just cleared the other man, his feet slamming into Ivan’s back, as he spun and parried another strike from Stallo, guiding the attack into the back of Ivan’s head.

As Gregory leapt away, he had a brief moment of concern for Ivan. Willof was just finishing checking the other two and would come to help Ivan in a moment, as the mage was out cold. Stallo cursed colorfully as he jumped over his fallen ally, intent on getting Gregory.

The rest of the fight saw Kang go down under Claudia’s fire and Jenn smashing her way through earth spikes and over pits to down Brian, the earth mage. Hayworth was taken out by Adriana coming up behind him, before she was eliminated by Binder. Jessica came out of the shadows, grappling with Yukiko. The two of them fought to control the nest of shadows they dragged with them. Pavil, the Buldoun wind mage, spun and got both of them with a single wind blade. The two women quickly pressed hands to their necks before using the combined shadow to leap to Sasha, the other referee, who helped stem the flow of blood.

Binder was caught by Claudia’s fire— he hit the ground rolling, declaring himself out. Jenn plowed Pavil into the ground a little harder than she normally would. She was upset that he’d hurt Yukiko as he had. A cut to the neck could’ve killed her if it had caught her wrong. That moment cost her when Claudia covered her in fire. The flames failed to grab hold for only a second before they engulfed Jenn, as her ring couldn’t keep up with the continued assault.

Gregory perfectly guided Stallo where he wanted, forcing the mage back and tripping him over Parks before slamming the naginata into the man’s helm. Willof called Stallo out when the mage lay there, stunned for a moment.

Jenn was ruled out by Sasha, who went to help her with the burns and Pavil with his ribs. Gregory turned to find himself and Claudia as the only fighters left on the field. Claudia bowed her head, knowing her fire would be useless against him.

The two of them walked toward the middle of the arena, the one place that hadn’t seen any combat at all for the entire fight. The crowd was in a frenzy, and Gregory was sure extra bets were being placed.

The two of them stopped a dozen feet apart. Gregory bowed slightly to her, and she smiled as she returned it. The tension rose as the pair set to continue the fight.

Two minutes passed as they danced; there was nothing else to call it. Claudia and her whip against Gregory with his naginata— the pair both seemed to always be in the right spot to avoid the other’s attacks. It was like Claudia had gained foresight, and the crowd was in awe.

Claudia grimaced as her edge was about over. She played her last trump card: a gust of arctic air blasted from her. Gregory shifted, giving up his left side, unable to get away from the full attack. Ice covered his side, freezing his leg and arm into position. Claudia’s eyes gleamed as she went to rush him, only for Gregory to vanish into shadow.

The next second had Claudia spin, her whip lashing out, but she was a heartbeat too late. Gregory’s thrown naginata caught her right arm. With a yell of pain, she pulled her deeply bruised arm to her chest, holding it there.

Gregory came limping forward. His left leg still had ice on it, and he kept it locked in place, his left arm pulled to his chest like her right. He nodded again and let go of foresight— his aether was near gutted, and the ring was empty.

Claudia hissed as the enchanted item that’d let her keep pace with him ended. Now, they faced each other with suboptimal capabilities. With a nod of her head, she advanced on him, intent on winning.

Willof and Sasha had finished tending to the fallen, so they closed in on the pair to make sure they could call the fight. They glanced at each other, impressed by what they’d seen, and thankful the other one had been quick to help everyone.

Down to hand-to-hand, the fight should have gone Gregory’s way; he was taller and had vastly more experience in unarmed combat. But with his left side all but done, Claudia was able to use her mobility to do to him what he’d done to Jenn in the very first tournament— she kept moving to his bad side and attacking him from there.

Gregory didn’t give up, continuing to try to get to her. The crowd was in a frenzy, cheering for Claudia, who seemed to be on the edge of winning. The other fighters leaned against the walls, recovering as they watched the last of it. Everyone cheered for their fighter except Jason and Parks. They sneered, hoping Claudia would win.

Gregory stumbled, dropping to his knees when Claudia buckled his leg. She capitalized on that, slamming into his back with her arm going for his throat. Gregory ducked his chin so she couldn’t get the angle she wanted. The moment she was on him, he used the shadow leap ring to port them across the arena.

The disorientation they both felt from the trip was harder on Claudia than Gregory. He also knew where he was going— as soon as they’d reappeared, his hand closed on the item he wanted. Claudia jerked him backward, straining to get under his chin. That meant she didn’t catch the dagger to the neck, but to her left arm.

She staggered backward with wide eyes, shocked that he’d gotten her arm. Gregory rolled away from her, getting to his feet with the dagger in his right hand. He gave her a nod of his head before reversing the dagger, ready to attack her.

Claudia flooded the open area around them with fire, knowing it was futile, but she was out of other choices. Gregory walked through the inferno, the flames parting around him. Claudia backpedaled as he closed on her. The dragon mask and his scowl made him look like a demon intent on claiming her soul. When her back hit the arena wall, the flames vanished. Staring at him, her heart pounded as she dropped to her knees. Gregory paused, wondering if she had a last trick, but Claudia raised her hands, crossed her wrists, and bowed her head.

Sasha came rushing forward to make sure Gregory didn’t attack. She was certain he’d never seen that before and that he might not understand the significance of the gesture.

Gregory stood there, stunned. Claudia hadn’t just given up the match— she’d used the imagery of subservience to do so. He bowed to her formally as a native of Buldoun, as his left arm was still supposed to be out. Dropping the dagger, he sat down slowly, then fell onto his back. He breathed deeply, feeling exhausted.

Chapter Forty-nine

Gregory reached up to untie his mask. By the time he’d finished, his wives were standing over him. “We won!” he had to shout for them to even hear him over the crowd.

“Close!” Jenn shouted back, extending a hand to him.

“Very close!” Yukiko grinned as she held out her hand, as well.

Taking their hands, he got back up on his feet, then retrieved the dagger he’d used to clinch his victory. He turned around to find Jessica so he could return her weapon, but he saw her approaching him, instead. Bowing, he held out the dagger to her. Jessica bowed back, exchanging weapons with him.

“My own dagger...” Jessica grumbled as she took it. “That’s terrible.”

“It came off your belt when we were grappling,” Yukiko smiled. “I made sure it did.”

Jessica’s eyes went wide. “You planned for it to end that way?”

Yukiko laughed, shaking her head. “No. I just wanted you to lose your second weapon.”

“I can’t believe she surrendered,” Jessica said, still having to shout to be heard.

The crowd’s noise dimmed rapidly, and the four of them looked around. The announcer was heading to the center of the arena, waving to the stands as he walked.

“Time to give respect,” Jessica said, able to lower her voice to near-conversational levels. “Come on.”

When he got to the middle of the field, Mikal raised the metal disk to his mouth. “What a finish! Something we’ll be able to tell our children and grandchildren about! Claudia Firetongue came seconds away from winning, but in the end, it was the unbeaten magi, Gregory Pettit, who stood victorious on the field! He even went so far as to force a submittal from his last opponent! Talk about determination! Both of them were injured, forced to act without limbs, and they kept fighting to the very end. Let’s have one more round of applause for our last two fighters!”

The crowd’s noise surged, the ground shaking from the outpouring of appreciation. Raising his hand, the announcer waited, and the crowd settled again.

“Mages and magi, please line up. It’s time for the time-honored tradition here in Buldoun of paying respects to your opponent.”

That stopped Jason and Parks, who’d almost made it to the waiting area door. Grimacing, the pair turned back to line up with the others. Once they were all ready, they bowed in their native fashions to each other. When that was over, Claudia stepped forward with her hand extended. The rest of her side did the same a heartbeat later.

Gregory, accepting the gesture, had to step forward to take her hand. He shook hers and met her bright eyes with his own. “Good fight. You almost had it with that arctic blast.”

“‘Almost’ doesn’t count. I gave it my all, but in the end, I was conquered by you,” Claudia replied.

Gregory felt a tingle up his spine at her words. He glanced at Yukiko beside him, but she was exchanging well-wishes with another.

Claudia took her hand away, stepping back again. When Gregory did the same, the two sides bowed again, but this time, the mages bowed as magi. Gregory went with the moment and led the magi in bowing as mages.

“Talk about classy,” Mikal said. “Hopefully, these two groups have learned from each other. If our nations are lucky, friendships might have even been fostered during this event. Now, let us have one more round of cheering— for the victors, the magi of the Velum Empire, and specifically for Gregory Pettit, apprentice of Aether’s Guard and undefeated in every fight!”

The crowd picked up the noise, but it was noticeably less raucous than the previous cheers. The announcer put the disk away and gave them all a nod before he turned for the waiting area door.

“See you all for the wedding,” Gregory said.

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it,” Claudia smiled.

With that, the two sides separated.

Jason and Parks were moving quickly, obviously wanting to get off the arena floor. Hayworth led his two clanmates while waving to the crowd. Gregory walked between his wives with slow measured steps, his eyes on the boxes above the waiting area.

His friends were smiling, wiping away happy tears, and waving to them. He let his gaze rest on each for a few seconds, taking in the moment. He looked at Elsa, watching the young girl beaming brightly as she stood beside Mindie. The pride in her eyes made Gregory smile wider. He was glad she got to see them at least once.

Finally, his eyes shifted to Mindie. The partial-fox eurtik healer was wiping at her eyes and beaming down at them. There was pride in her gaze, but also love. Her smile softened and her cheeks began to heat as he stared at her. Gregory felt his own face turn pink, but he refused to look away from his next wife.

The moment ended when Gregory entered the waiting area. Jason and Parks were already gone, clearly not caring to strip their armor off with the others. Rafiq was still writing in his book, probably getting his notes in order.

“Had me worried for a bit there, fringer,” Hayworth said. “I wonder how she kept up with you at all?”

“Had to be an enchantment that deals with foresight,” Jenn said. “She used it in our previous fight. She knew when I was coming out of the flames. I had no idea it had the duration it did.”

“That would be a treasure...” Hayworth said slowly. “Hmm...”

“I wouldn’t doubt if it was given to her to ensure that she won,” Yukiko said. “That and the ice blast, which none of us guessed at a fire mage using.”

“That took me by surprise,” Gregory said. “Its width stopped me from getting out in time. I should’ve looked further into the future, but if I had, I’d have run out of aether well before then. As it is, the ring is drained again.”

“The others will help us refill it,” Jenn smiled.

“We thought they’d start with a firestorm,” Kang said. “Didn’t think they’d use our tactic.”

“It made sense to use a spatial magi to send fighters into the back ranks,” Binder said. “We were so concerned about fire that we failed to account for them doing what we’d planned.”

“You all did well,” Egil said. “Those of you who fought as a unit, that is. If the other two had been closer to the rest of you, then you could’ve assisted them. Or Gregory could have gotten to them in time to maybe save at least one of them.”

“The Eternal Flame isn’t known for their ability to work with others,” Hayworth snorted.

“I’m glad they aren’t in the Empire’s Gambit tournament,” Jenn said as she stripped off her armor. “That’s where we really need teamwork.”

“Yes.” Hayworth nodded. “We’ll be watching the game with interest.”

Gregory saw Rafiq shift and his lips pursed. Rafiq never shifted needlessly. If he moved, there was a reason for it. But he also hadn’t spoken, meaning he wasn’t supposed to have input in the conversation.

Yukiko had seen the movement when she finished stripping off her armor, letting her obi collect each piece as pulled them off. “Armsmaster, do you know anything about the Empire’s Gambit tournament?”

“Should I?” Egil asked.

“I wasn’t sure, but you might have an answer I was looking for,” Yukiko said, her eyes narrow and focused on him. “We’d been told anyone involved in the tournament could be called into play. Did they mean the three clans that won your tournament, or anyone from the empire side of things?”

Egil stood impassively. “That sounds like a question for your elder, or possibly the sage.”

“We’ll ask them, then. Thank you.”

“I do the best I can, Magi. Rafiq, are you ready?”

Rafiq closed his book. “I do believe that is all I need to record today. Do you think the vendor who had that unique ale is there today?”

“We’ll send the staff to find out,” Egil chuckled. “I did enjoy it, myself.”

When the door shut behind the two of them, Hayworth asked, “Do you think our clan could be called in, as well?”

“I do,” Yukiko said slowly. “The wording is what matters. I want to try getting a clearer answer from the sage or elder before I’m certain, though.”

“Hmm... yes,” Hayworth said. “That would dictate if we wait in our camp or go watch the game. Maybe we can get an answer during dinner?”

“Maybe,” Gregory said as his wives helped him get his armor off. “We’ll see you there.”

“Yes. The armor might be useful, but it does seem to require help.”

“It really does,” Gregory nodded.

~*~*~

The feast was held in Laozi’s tent, a massive pavilion that could hold all of them easily. The food was a grand feast that had dishes from all over the empire. Everyone was in good cheer except for the members of the Eternal Flame.

When the meal finally came to an end, Laozi stood up. “Well done to you all. Some of your clans distinguished yourselves in the proper ways while others… did not.”

The Eternal Flame group shifted even though Laozi hadn’t even glanced at them.

“We have gifts for the winners. Most of you do not need alchemical aid, but at least one of you could use more. Those items will be delivered to you when you get to your initiate posting.”

Binder bowed deeply. “Thank you, sir.”

“For the rest of you, I have certificates— good up to a hundred thousand vela each— that can be spent in any auction house in the empire,” Laozi went on. He nodded to a staff member who came forward to hand them out. “Use them at your discretion. You may even sell them if you wish. I will take no offense.”

That caused a little bit of a stir among the clans who hadn’t fought in the tournament.

“Out of all of you, one of you distinguished yourself above even the others,” Laozi went on. “It would be wrong for us not to acknowledge that fact.”

Everyone looked toward Gregory, who sat stone-faced.

“Apprentice Gregory Pettit,” Laozi said, “you won every single match that you fought. Twice, you were the last of your team to be standing. You endured in the final fight, defeating four opponents yourself, including the archmage’s personal apprentice to finish the tournament. The empire shows its gratitude to you for showing our strength to our neighbors.”

“Thank you, sir. I could only do what I did because of my clan, friends, and the support of the academy, sir,” Gregory bowed deeply.

“Always so humble,” Laozi smiled. “Your reward for your skill is no small thing. I will grant you the posting of your choice as a magus. Consider it well. You have two years before it must be answered.”

Gregory’s eyes twitched to Lightshield, who was wearing a small smile. “I will think deeply and ask for the assistance of my clan to pick the right posting, sir.”

“Very good. Now, for the rest of you, winning the final fight was very important to the empire. Compile a list of your five preferred postings as a magus. I will do my best to see you get one of them, but make them reasonable, or I will choose another for you myself.”

“Thank you, sir,” the others said, bowing to him.

“That concludes our feast, but you may stay and talk for as long as you like.”

“Sir?” Yukiko asked, raising her hand.

“Yes, Pettit?”

“I had a question regarding the Empire’s Gambit tournament. When we call for reinforcements, do they have to be from Aether’s Guard, Shining Light, or the Iron Hand?”

Laozi’s eyes twinkled. “What an unexpected question. The answer is simple: no. Any clan that came can have a member of their apprentice class called in as reinforcements.”

“Any at all, sir?”

Laozi sighed, bowing his head. “Unfortunately, no. I argued with the archmage for days, but alas, he forbade us a single apprentice. After the shocking event on the second day, I was forced to concede to his request.” He looked at Gregory. “Pettit, you will not be allowed to enter the tournament.”

“I understand, sir,” Gregory said simply, not bothering to fight it. “I would ask one thing, if I may? Well, two, honestly. Will Firetongue be disallowed to use her enchanted item that gives her foresight? And may I assist in the tournament if I cannot play at all?”

Laozi’s gaze darted briefly to Lightshield before returning to Gregory. “She does not own such an item, but the owner will be told that it will be kept far away from those playing. As for your request, I shall ask the archmage and have an answer for you on the day of the tournament.”

“Thank you, sir,” Gregory bowed again.

“It would look bad if you won both tournaments,” Hayworth said dryly.

The others in the room laughed except for the Eternal Flame. They rose to their feet and marched out of the tent.

“If you will excuse me,” Laozi said as he backed away from the table, “I have some things to see to. Good night, and I shall see you all tomorrow for a grand event— a wedding.”

Chapter Fifty

Gregory gave Yukiko and Jenn kisses as they left. All of his friends were heading into the city early with Mindie so she could get ready for the wedding.

That left him alone in the encampment with Elsa. He ate breakfast with her, did Magi Squares, then studied at the table, reading through one of Lighthand’s journals. With that done, he led her through the Peaceful Fist, and even sparred with her.

Elsa was beaming as she got his bath ready. She’d gotten to spend hours with just him. When he left for the wedding, she would be going with him so she could be there, too. When he started his bath, she needed to go take one herself, then get into her dress. She was looking forward to wearing the gift Yukiko and Jenn had gotten her.

Gregory chuckled when Elsa darted out of the tent, clearly intent on getting herself ready. Elsa had been smiling broadly all morning, and that happiness was infectious. He was glad that she got to experience a little more fun before the tournament ended. She did an excellent job as a maid— he had no fears that she wouldn’t be able to handle the job with Yukiko’s parents.

Dressed in the formal attire of Buldoun, he made sure his boots were the matching shoes Yukiko had shown him. He felt a little out of kilter in the suit. He’d never worn anything like it before, but he knew it would all work out.

“Excuse me,” Lightshield said as he entered the tent.

“Elder, how can I help you?” Gregory asked.

“I was not able to present my own rewards to you last night. One of them could be very useful to you today.”

Gregory was curious as he crossed the room toward the elder. “I’m honored, sir.”

Lightshield smiled as he held out a thick-cut ring. It was a mythrum band with a ryuite gem in the shape of an aether flame in the center. “This came to me from my grandfather, who was given it by Lionel Lighthand himself. My father never knew of it.”

“How could he not?” Gregory whispered as he accepted the gift.

“Put it on.”

Gregory did so, and the ring expanded to fit his finger. Looking down at it, Gregory knew it was like his other ring that held both aether and items. The thought of comparing it to his other ring saw the new one shift to become identical to it. “Oh...”

“Yes,” Lightshield smiled. “I believe it should be yours. Inside are the other items of similar value or design that my family has gathered over many long years. I believe their glamor ability should be used whenever possible.”

Gregory stared at him for a long moment. “Why now, sir?”

“Because this is one of the few times when it can be given,” Lightshield replied sadly. “I will caution you against saying certain words until you are willing to tell everyone else, as well. I know. You do not have to tell me.” A smile wreathed his face. “I am so glad that you came to the clan.”

Gregory swallowed the lump that’d formed in his throat. The elder knew— Gregory had suspected he might with the way he’d stopped him from saying it, but now, it was being flatly stated. “I’ll do my very best for the clan, sir.”

“I have no doubts. None at all. I have pushed my magic more this month than ever before. I have done all I can for the clan, and for you.”

“Is the sage’s reward how you knew that my wives and I would share the same magus posting, sir?” Gregory blurted out, as it had struck him as odd the previous night.

“Yes. The only reason you will be separated during the adept year is so that it cannot be said he is favoring anyone. My great-uncle walks a line as thin as I do.”

That shocked Gregory even more. “Laozi…?”

“A bastard child from my great-grandfather,” Lightshield said. “He is under constant attention from some, as I normally am. That information is unknown by almost everyone. I would say completely unknown, but at least one person might have figured it out. It would explain why Laozi has been stuck at the academy. It is hard to influence things if you are there, or at least that is what most believe.”

Gregory tried to process everything he was being told. If Lightshield was being watched as intently as he’d hinted at, then it made sense as to why he continually cut Gregory off when he’d tried to tell him. But wouldn’t the attention he was being paid by the elder give those same people a reason to watch him closely, too?

“You will come under scrutiny, but you never do more than what you think best. There is no point where you act like who you truly are. It is only when you have to act that you do. As long as you stay true to yourself, Gregory, things will continue to work out well.” Lightshield grew somber. “You will still know pain and loss. I cannot foresee any way to avoid that. I am sorry. I have looked down many paths for you.”

Gregory’s heart stopped as he considered what that might mean to him.

“Now, the time of talking is over. The ring holds at least one other ring like Jenn’s. It should make a wonderful wedding present to your new wife.”

Blinking as the conversation shifted abruptly, Gregory bowed out of reflex. “Thank you, sir. I will do my best for the clan.”

Lightshield bowed his head. “I know. You, your wives, and your friends will do us proud for generations to come. If only Aether would return, then I could die a happy man… but even I am starting to fear he will not. At least not in my remaining lifetime.”

Gregory nodded slowly, seeing the words for the veil they were. “We’ll hold that hope for you, sir. As long as the clan survives, the hope remains.”

“Yes. Yes, it does. I must go. There is a wedding to celebrate later, and I must be ready for it.”

“We’d be honored to have you there, along with the archmage and overseer, sir,” Gregory said, bowing.

“We will be taking a carriage to the temple,” Lightshield said. “It will be in two hours. Until then, relax.”

“Yes, sir,” Gregory said before bowing again.

With a small gust of wind, Lightshield was gone. Gregory stood there for some time, still in shock over everything that’d just happened. He was broken from it when Elsa returned to the tent.

“Greg?” Elsa asked when she entered.

Blinking away the remnants of his shock, he gave her a smile. Elsa was wearing a high-necked dress that went to her ankles and wrists. The light green helped accent her brown eyes. Seeing her hopeful smile, he bowed formally to her. “Good morning, young miss. It is a pleasure to have your company.”

Elsa giggled, then curtsied back. “Why thank you, kind sir.” Her smile was bright when she straightened up.

“There’ll be a carriage to take us into the city with the elder,” Gregory said. “We have a couple of hours before we have to go.”

“Oh. I’ll get tea ready,” Elsa said, going to rush off.

“Elsa, there’s no need, unless you want tea.”

Elsa hesitated. “No... but I want you to be happy.”

“Let’s just sit, then. Spending time with you makes me happy.”

“Okay, Greg,” Elsa beamed as she took a seat at the table.

He took the seat across from her so they could talk easily. “How has it been for you?”

“Good. I’ve enjoyed it,” Elsa said quickly.

“Easy,” Gregory chuckled. “You don’t have to convince me.”

“I’ve learned that I enjoy the job, but that’s because of who it is,” Elsa said, looking away. “Knowing that you, Yuki, Jenn, and the others can do your best because of me, makes me very happy.”

“And it’s true,” Gregory said. “Being able to focus on what we have to, helps us a great deal. Has it been tough taking care of all of us?”

“A little, but I can manage it. None of you asks me for a lot outside of what’s needed. I’m not sure if I’ll be good enough for Yoo-Jin and Hao, but I’ll do my very best.”

“We know you will. We never doubt that,” Gregory said gently. “Was it hard to leave the others?”

“Yeah...” Elsa’s smile faltered. “But no. My leaving means they have to stretch their own wings. I have faith that Enzo will help them. He’s almost as eager to prove himself as I am.”

“I think he wants to be there with you,” Gregory said as he thought back to Enzo’s art of Elsa.

“They all do,” Elsa said, looking into Gregory’s eyes. “We all know who it was that saved us.”

“Elsa, it wasn’t just me. Th—”

“No, Greg,” she cut him off, then looked away. “It was you. The others helped, and we care for them, too, but it was you who started the path for us. You didn’t turn me away when I approached you. Instead, you gave me so much. Then, when I had to go back out, there you were again. Yuki and Jenn were worried about me trying to take advantage of you, but they softened... You helped them see that I wasn’t what they thought. Dia came to speak with me because you offered me help. Baylyss accepted me because Dia spoke for me. The others were accepted because you spoke about them to Baylyss.” She sniffled, looking back into his eyes. “You’re the reason that Aether’s Shelter is what it is now, and that we have the chances we do.”

Gregory met her gaze and felt a weight on his shoulders. He’d started the path that led to the orphanage and the children being where they were. He was responsible for them— it was no fluke they were Aether’s scions, as Elsa had called them. Taking a deep breath, he accepted that responsibility. “Okay. I’ll accept your words, Elsa.” Reaching out, he wiped the single tear from her cheek. “Don’t cry, though, okay? Yuki will be mad at me if I make you cry.”

Elsa sniffled again, a smile coming to her. “Okay.”

“The children will have Clover to watch over them for a few years. I know they’ll be well cared for.”

“Yeah. She’s a good person. All of them are. Every one of your friends are good people we know we can trust.”

“That includes you,” Gregory said. “You’re a good person, too, Elsa.”

Elsa swallowed as memories came back to her. She fought against the tears— he’d told her not to cry, so she wouldn’t. “Thank you, Greg,” she sniffled.

Standing up, he went around the table, taking the seat beside her. He pulled her to his side, hugging her. “It’s okay, Elsa. You have a family that loves you. If you need to let it out a little, go ahead.” He pulled the handkerchief from his suit and handed it to her. “It’s okay. Your future is with us.”

Elsa dabbed at her eyes, letting his words sink in. “Promise?”

“As much as I can. Magi or not, we’ll welcome our flower girl to walk beside us.”

Elsa sniffled more, but she smiled as she wiped away her tears. His words helped her push the last remnants of her broken past away. She wasn’t who she’d been, the unwanted girl forced from her home. Now, she was Aether’s scion, and she would do her very best for him.

They sat there in silence for a long moment as Elsa gathered herself. Gregory held her, hoping he could do what he said. He couldn’t see the future the way Lightshield could. Not yet, at least. But when he said what he did, the words sounded true to his ears, and that gave him hope.

Chapter Fifty-one

The walk through the bazaar was far easier than the day before. The crowd was still thick, but not suffocatingly so. With Lightshield and Hemet walking in front of Gregory and Elsa, everyone was quick to move aside.

One of the carriages that had brought them to the event stood just outside the bazaar, waiting for them. Gregory helped Elsa inside first, then Lightshield before Hemet climbed in, and then, finally, Gregory.

As the carriage rolled toward the city, Lightshield chuckled softly. “Are you ready?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I do not think you are,” Lightshield grinned.

“What?” Gregory asked, as it seemed the elder knew something.

“An ancient custom of theirs,” Hemet laughed. “Normally, the day before a wedding is filled with a special party. The guests break porcelain that the bride and groom would have had to clean up afterward. Since there was another event going on, it was skipped for you. The other major pre-wedding event, the bachelor party, was canceled because of the tournament, as well.”

Gregory remembered his last bachelor party with Hao. “Oh, I remember that tradition, but I hadn’t heard of the breaking one.”

“‘Polterabend,’” Hemet said softly. “The one you should concern yourself with is ‘Brautenführung,’ but that will come later.”

Gregory had a sinking sensation in his gut, as it was obvious the older magi were not going to warn him. Elsa giggled, then looked away, trying to look innocent.

“Do you know what they’re planning, Elsa?” Gregory asked.

Elsa looked out the window like she hadn’t heard him.

“Leave it be. It will be fine,” Lightshield said, humor lacing his words. “You did study their customs, did you not?”

“Yes, but I didn’t look at marriage, since I was already married,” Gregory explained.

“Then you’ll just have to do the best you can,” Hemet said. “Oh, and use of aether during the wedding is frowned upon.”

Gregory exhaled slowly. “Hao set this all up... I will just have to trust in my father-in-law to not have done anything I object to.”

The temple was busy when he arrived with the elder; the room was almost completely filled with people. Yukiko stood near the altar, waiting for him. Clover and Ling were beside her, all of them in the same light green dress that Elsa was wearing.

Crossing the room, he was stopped a few times to be greeted. Jessica and Claudia were the last two to do so. Both women wore smiles, congratulating him on his nuptials. He eventually made it to Yukiko and gave her a strained smile.

“Relax, dear one,” Yukiko said softly. “You’ll be fine.”

“It just feels more formal than even our marriage,” Gregory murmured.

“Buldoun is big on formality,” Yukiko smiled softly. “I’m your second here. Trust in me.”

Gregory exhaled, giving her a bright smile. “I do.” He looked past her at Clover and Ling. “Thank you both, too.”

“We’re so excited,” Clover beamed. “I’m not sure if I’d rather have a quick wedding like Jenn or a more involved one like this.”

Ling giggled, taking Clover’s hand for a moment to calm her. “That is years away yet. Today is Mindie’s day.”

“I know,” Clover said, but it was clear she’d calmed down. She looked into Gregory’s eyes. “Sorry, Greg. She’s as excited as any of us would be. Just breathe.”

The mage of the temple came to the altar. “Gregory Pettit, I have heard of your achievements. Well done.”

“Thank you, sir… I’m sorry I didn’t get your name.”

“Vulrik Claus, mage from Asp House.”

“An honor, sir. Thank you for officiating.”

“Hmm, yes. You should face the door. Your bride will be here soon.”

Gregory did as instructed, letting him see the filled room. His family and friends were in attendance, along with the chaperones of the mage houses, and the archmage, who stood beside Claudia.

A minute later, the sound of another carriage got the noise to die off, and everyone turned to face the door. Time seemed to crawl until Mindie came into view. She had on a black dress and a light green veil that matched the others’ dresses. The veil stretched down to her fingertips. Jenn stood beside her, holding her elbow gently.

Elsa came out of the crowd with a basket on one arm. She moved to stand in front of the pair, then, with measured steps, she led the way, gently strewing flower petals before the bride. With the path being made, Jenn led Mindie with the same slow, measured pace that Elsa used. Roshana trailed them, her head held high as she wore a bright smile.

Elsa paused at the altar, then turned to the left, making sure to scatter a slightly better layer of petals. With that done, she stepped aside. Jenn brought Mindie to Gregory, then bowed her head, offering Mindie’s hand to him.

Gregory swallowed as he took Mindie’s hand in his. With Mindie handed off, Jenn went to stand behind her. Roshana filled out the last space on Mindie’s side, putting Elsa between her and Jenn.

The doors shut silently, and everyone turned to face the altar. Vulrik stood behind it proudly, a professional smile on his lips. He let the silence linger for a moment before he bowed his head.

“We begin with a prayer to Aether. The two before you, Aether, hope to join their lives together. They do so in your eyes, since both hold your flame inside them. Look upon this pair and bless them.”

Done, he raised his head to look over the room again, letting silence again fill the space.

“Ladies, gentlemen, and children, we gather here today to witness Gregory Pettit and Mindie Laka join their lives together. This is the end of their paths apart, and the beginning of a new path together.” He paused and looked toward Gregory. “Do you have anything to say to the one you will join with?”

Gregory was glad Yukiko had warned him about this part of the wedding, at least. “Mindie, thank you. You’ve been there for me time and again when I’ve known hardship and pain. Your joy will help us find a bright path together. I’ll do my best to love you, guard you, and treasure you. Thank you for giving me your heart.”

Vulrik was a little surprised at how heartfelt the vow had felt, but he pressed on. Looking at Mindie, he asked, “Do you have anything to say to the one you will join with?”

Mindie swallowed before she cleared her throat. “Gregory, thank you. I don’t think I can express how much today means to me. I never understood what I felt until I knew I could have the hope of today. All those feelings I tried to suppress and ignore made perfect sense then. I’ll do my best for our family. Our hearts will be as safe and healthy as I can make them. My love for you grows by the day, and I find that love has no bounds.”

Vulrik was shocked at her vow. He’d been informed that Gregory had two wives already, so he’d thought this whole thing was a sham. But their vows had been so earnest, he found himself having to reconsider. “Very well. Gregory Pettit, do you have the ring?”

Gregory exhaled slowly as the ring Lightshield had given him came readily to mind. He willed a ring like Jenn’s to his hand, and an identical ring appeared on his palm. “I do.”

“Mindie Laka, extend your right hand. If you desire this union, allow him to place the ring upon your finger.”

Mindie’s hand came up, the veil parting enough that Gregory could see her trembling slightly. Taking her hand gently in his, Gregory slid the band onto her finger.

“The ceremony is complete. You now walk your path together,” Vulrik said. “Gregory, you may show the audience your love for your new wife.”

Mindie reached up, pulling her veil back so it flowed down the back of her head. Her bright, smiling face was radiant to him, even with her tears of happiness. Gregory stepped forward, gently cupping her cheek as he kissed her.

The room cheered loudly as their lips lingered for a moment.

When Gregory stepped back, he took her hand in his and led her toward the exit. When they left the temple, they had to pause, as a large log was barring the way to the carriage. Yukiko was beside him in an instant, holding a two-person saw in her hands.

“To show your ability to walk together, you need to remove the first obstacle in your way,” Yukiko smiled.

Gregory accepted the saw. “We shall overcome this.”

Gregory slipped to the other side of the log and, together, the two of them quickly found their rhythm. It took a few minutes, but soon, the log was cut, and Gregory took Mindie’s hand again. He led her to the carriage so they could go on to the reception hall.

They cuddled on the seat, sharing small kisses as they were taken to their destination. They arrived before the others and were led inside by the staff. The tables were already laden with food and drink, waiting for the party.

Seated at the head table, they were joined by Jenn, Yukiko, Roshana, Clover, and Ling. Elsa sat down with Yukiko and Jenn’s families, and the clans and houses each sat at their own tables. A single table held Laozi and Aliminus, the pair looking relaxed.

The food was fantastic, and everyone seemed to have a good time. Eventually, the meal came to an end, and Yukiko leaned over to whisper to Gregory, “Dear one, the first dance is between you and Mindie. The second dance will be me and you. The third is you and Jenn. Jenn and I will be dancing with Mindie during those times, as well. This will show our love for each other.”

“Okay. Won’t that cause some commotion with the Buldoun side of things?”

“It might, but we should be who we are, too.”

“I trust you, Yuki,” Gregory murmured. Glancing at Mindie, he saw her listening to Jenn, nodding to what was being whispered to her. “Mindie, are you ready for the first dance?”

“Yes, dear one,” Mindie said.

The band on the far side of the room let the song they’d been playing end. All eyes turned to the pair as they went to the middle of the room. Gregory took her hand in his, resting his hand on her hip. Meeting her eyes, he smiled softly and waited for the music. Mindie moved with him— she wasn’t smooth, but she did fine. When it ended, they rested against each other for a moment.

“You did well. Jenn will dance with you next,” Gregory murmured.

“And Yuki for you,” Mindie smiled as they stepped back, turning to their wives who’d already come onto the dance floor.

The crowd stirred a little as the four of them danced, but it settled down. When the third dance began, more commotion went through the Buldoun natives, but they didn’t cause a scene. After those were done, the rest of the room got up to dance, as well.

Time flowed by for Gregory as he danced with everyone who came to him, including his friends at least twice each. Elsa danced with him once, wearing a bright smile on her lips the entire time. He danced with each of the female mages from Buldoun, complimenting each when their turns ended.

There was another odd part of the celebration where Mindie’s veil was removed, then held aloft by tall male guests for her and Gregory to dance under. When the dance was over, the single women were invited to the floor to try snatching a piece of the veil for themselves. Tradition said that whoever could get the biggest section would be wed next.

Gregory chuckled as his friends all lined up for their turn to take a piece along with a half-dozen other women. When it was done, the women went to compare veil pieces to figure out who had the largest. That was when Claudia finally came forward to collect her own dance with Gregory.

Claudia kept her eyes locked on his the entire time they danced, and Gregory felt a tickle at the back of his mind. Her dark blue eyes held his gaze with warmth and hope. Something about the moment felt familiar to him.

When the dance ended, he was going to ask her a question, but instead, Jenn came up to them. “Greg, I have bad news.”

“What?” Gregory asked, instantly focused on Jenn.

“It seems your new bride has been kidnapped.”

Gregory blinked at her, wondering if it was a bad joke. A quick look around told him that Mindie was missing, as was Yukiko.

Claudia giggled. “Is it already time for the Brautenführung?”

“What does that mean?” Gregory asked.

“‘The kidnapping of the bride,’” Claudia giggled again. “Your second absconded with her. You’ll have to find her and get her back. It’s tradition.”

Gregory exhaled slowly, as he now knew what’d been hinted at earlier. “Okay... How?”

“There was a clue left behind,” Jenn said. “‘This is where our path began.’”

“The temple?” Gregory asked.

“You have to follow the clues,” Claudia said as she stepped back from him. “Go. Find her, rescue her, and then may Aether bless you tonight.”

“Okay,” Gregory said slowly. “The temple first, then.”

As he headed for the exit, the Buldoun natives chuckled when they saw him go, and the empire crowd was asking questions of the people near them. Elsa was close to the door, looking a little guilty.

“Elsa?”

“I can’t tell you, but Yuki said you’d figure it out quickly,” she said softly. “Sorry I didn’t tell you earlier.”

He paused to give her a hug. “It’s fine. It’s part of the wedding. Make sure you go back with Roshana, okay?”

“I will,” Elsa murmured, hugging him back. “Good night.”

“Night,” Gregory said as he stepped outside to find a carriage waiting for him. “I need to get to the temple.”

“Of course, sir,” the driver smiled.

~*~*~

Gregory was chuckling when he finally pulled up outside of Warm Slumber. Yukiko hadn’t made him go far— he went to the temple, the tailor where he’d gotten his suit, and then to Warm Slumber. A couple of Warlin guards grinned at him when he got out of the carriage.

“I’ve been looking for my bride, gentlemen. Have you seen her?”

“We’ve seen a few women,” one of them answered. “What does she look like?”

“A strikingly beautiful woman. Her hair is the color of strawberries that are ripening, and her eyes are stars of blue and red.”

“Hmm... she sounds familiar. She might be inside.”

“Thank you,” Gregory said as the guards opened the doors for him.

Laughter and merriment filled the room. It was packed inside, as most of the wedding party was there, along with other guests. In the far corner, Yukiko stood with her hand on Mindie’s shoulder.

When people realized Gregory had entered, the noise fell.

“You found us,” Yukiko said. “Your bride is a hostage until you pay her ransom.”

“No cost is too high,” Gregory said on reflex. Soft awws came from the crowd.

“It is a small price for one as lovely as she,” Yukiko went on. “You must only distract the people in the room to be able to secret her away.”

Gregory froze for a moment, his brain going fast. He was told not to use aether, but he was tempted to in that moment. Before he did, he noticed the bartender give him a small nod of her head.

“Mrs. Puller,” Gregory said, “I figure most here could use a drink. Pour a round for everyone.” He advanced on the bar and set down a stack of vela. “I’m sure this will cover it.”

Puller grinned as she collected the coins. “It will indeed, Magi. Two rounds for everyone. Come get your drinks.”

Everyone went to the bar, turning their backs to where Mindie was sitting— even Yukiko had gone to the bar. Gregory went to Mindie quickly, taking her hands in his.

Mindie whispered softly as she stood, “Our room is upstairs.”

Gregory nodded and led her upstairs, his heart beating fast. As they vanished from the taproom, everyone cheered and laughed.

Chapter Fifty-two

As they got to the right floor, Gregory asked a question that’d been bothering him, “I thought we were going to be staying at the place next to the reception hall?”

Mindie giggled. “Hao did that to throw you off the traditions. Yoo-jin and Yuki were all laughs when they found out. I was told about it when we went for dresses.”

“I had no idea,” Gregory smiled at her, slowing before they reached the door. “Hao was kind enough to tell me of one last tradition for the night of the wedding, though.”

“Oh?” Mindie asked.

Gregory opened the door, then scooped her up into his arms, eliciting a small gasp of surprise from her. “Carrying the bride over the threshold.”

Arms around his neck, she held on as he carried her into the room, then kicked the door shut. She expected him to put her down, but instead, he carried her to the large bed and laid her gently on it.

Face heating, she looked up at him. His loving smile eased the fear of him just ravishing her. When he bent to kiss her, her eyes closed and their lips met. Gentle, unhurried, loving, the kiss lingered for untold time as the new couple returned to their kiss from the ceremony.

When the kiss ended, both of them stared into each other’s eyes, finding happiness reflecting back. Joyful smiles filled their faces before they kissed again. This time, the kiss gradually deepened. When Gregory grazed Mindie’s lips with his tongue, she opened hers to him. Their tongues met, touching briefly, then began a leisurely dance. Gregory was careful with her, wanting her to know the love she deserved. Mindie responded with hesitation, unsure if she could or should be the initiator. The kiss slowly came to an end once more. Both of them were breathing fast, their faces flushed.

“Greg... just be gentle with me, please?” Mindie whispered. “I want to be loved by you, but gently.”

“If gentleness is what you need, my dear healer, then that’s what you’ll have.”

Standing back, he began to strip his suit off, letting each piece vanish into his old ring. Mindie’s face was red as she watched. She bit her bottom lip, feeling a surge of desire and naughtiness to be watching him as she was. Her breath caught when he stood in front of her, fully nude. She’d seen him many times now, but this time, she knew it was for her, for them.

“Beautiful healer, may I help you?” Gregory asked.

“Oh... uh... yes,” Mindie said as she got out of bed. “It has a lot of buttons.”

“I’ll handle all of them,” Gregory whispered. He closed the small gap between them, kissing her neck. “Just relax and let me pamper you.”

Mindie shivered, biting her lip again before nodding. Her skin was goosebumped from her neck down to her ankles as he moved around her to get to the buttons. She’d thought the dress was impractical when she’d gotten it because she couldn’t button it herself. But now, she thought she understood why it was labeled as a wedding dress— it required her husband to help remove it from her.

Gregory didn’t go fast. He worked the buttons loose one by one. Between each, he would plant a kiss on the back of Mindie’s ears. Each kiss and button coming loose had Mindie shivering with anticipation. Her body felt warm, flushed with heat and need. Part of her was frantic for the dress to drop so she could push him onto the bed and thank him, but her desires rose up, demanding she explore them, too.

The dress pooled around her feet, followed a moment later by the shift she’d worn underneath. That left her in just her undergarments, making her feel suddenly exposed. Mindie wanted to cover herself, but Gregory wrapped her in his arms; one just under her bust, and the other over her navel.

“You’re gorgeous, dear one,” Gregory said. Mindie shuddered in need when she felt his arousal pressing against her from behind as he planted more kisses along the base of her ears.

“Oh, I… thank you. I thought Yuki and Jenn were going to join us…? My desires…” Mindie said slowly, ashamed to admit what she wanted again.

“Since you asked,” Yukiko said, stepping from the shadows with Jenn in her arms, held in front of her possessively, “I’ll just lock the door. We don’t want more than us here, do we?” Shadows closed the lock on the door for her.

Mindie gasped at the thought of their other friends walking in. “Not tonight...” she whispered.

“Oh, I bet she was thinking of Roshana,” Jenn giggled. “Maybe Clover and Ling?”

Mindie’s head jerked fractionally in a nod.

“And that’s fine for when they join us,” Gregory whispered to her. “Tonight, it’s just us.”

“Please… them…? Then me,” Mindie gasped when his hands found her firm breasts and hard nipples.

“If that’s what my wife desires,” Gregory murmured. He caressed her one more time before letting her go.

“Shall we satisfy all of our desires?” Yukiko smiled as she frog-marched Jenn toward Gregory and Mindie.

“Oh, yes, please,” Jenn gasped. “We should let our desires be free with each other.”

Mindie slipped aside, taking a seat on the divan across from the bed. She lay down and reclined back to watch. Her breath came faster as she bit her lip. This was naughty, her mind told her. Watching them and enjoying herself was wrong, but her body heated more at even the thought of it.

Gregory focused on Jenn being brought over to him. He was certain Mindie wanted to be a passive observer, at least to start, and he was going to give her that. “Dear one, did you bring our pliant lover to me?”

“Yes. She’s been very eager to be used for our new wife,” Yukiko giggled. “She was kissing my neck while I listened to the shadows, waiting to be called.”

“Oh, so she was teasing you?” Gregory chuckled. “We’ll have to be firm with her, then.”

“Oh, yes...” Jenn shivered as she was pushed into his arms.

Mindie watched with shuddering breaths as Gregory and Yukiko used Jenn in front of her. Jenn never asked them to stop— instead, she begged them for more. Watching Gregory be forceful was different. He’d always been kind, caring, and gentle, but with Jenn, in this moment, he was rough, forceful, and demanding, and Yukiko was helping him. Part of her wondered if he’d give her a little of that to try, even as she cried out in orgasm while she pleasured herself.

Her cry of release had the other three smiling. Jenn joined her a minute later, crying out in ecstasy. That had Gregory moaning as he shuddered in orgasm, filling Jenn with his seed.

Yukiko giggled as she watched them all. Her heart pounded happily, and her body was hot with her needs being met by controlling Jenn for Gregory to enjoy. “I think I’ll go next, unless our lusty healer has had enough?”

“No... you, please?” Mindie gasped as she slowed her fingers. “I want to see you, too.”

“As our heart wishes,” Yukiko smiled. “Just lay there and watch me pamper him with love.”

Jenn let out a soft whimper of regret when Gregory shifted off her. “I’ll go sit with our wife,” she murmured.

Gregory gave Yukiko a grin as he lay back on the bed. “Well, dear one? Coming to drive me into a frenzy with your love?”

“Yes. We must show our new wife that you’re willing to give each of us what we desire, as we do for you,” Yukiko said as she settled between his legs. “I’ll start by making sure you’re ready for me.”

Mindie’s eyes grew large when Yukiko took him into her mouth. She’d seen the slick wetness of his cock, so she knew that he was coated with his seed and Jenn’s essence. The thought of her tasting them both had her legs clamp shut on her hand as another pulse of pleasure shot through her.

“Oh? Do you like seeing her clean him?” Jenn whispered as she sat beside Mindie. “I’ve done the same after her. It’s pleasant. I love the taste of them both so much.”

Mindie whimpered as she bucked against her hand. “Will I…?”

“Yes. When she’s done, it’ll be your turn,” Jenn whispered, kissing Mindie’s neck. “We can help if needed, but he’ll love you as you need. Look at him. Forceful with me, and pliant to her now. He cares for each of us the way we need him to.”

Mindie’s eyes latched onto Gregory. She saw his smile when he lay back, reveling in Yukiko’s mouth. “Oh... maybe he’ll let me see which I prefer, then?”

“He will,” Jenn giggled. “But first…why don’t I help you focus more on watching? That is what you wanted most.”

“How?” Mindie asked.

Jenn slid off the divan and went between Mindie’s legs, gently opening them. “Move your hand, dear one.”

Mindie’s breath came fast as she withdrew her fingers from her drenched sex. Jenn caught her wrist, then pulled those fingers into her mouth, cleaning them as if they were Gregory’s shaft. Mindie’s eyes were wide as she stared at Jenn— the sensation and thought of what she was doing had her breathing even faster.

Jenn slowly released her wrist as she pushed her mouth down onto Mindie’s fingers. They locked eyes, and Mindie gasped as she slid those two fingers a little more into Jenn’s mouth, shocking herself at doing it. Jenn moaned and sucked harder, showing Mindie that she wanted to be made to do it.

Breathing fast, Mindie swallowed, then placed her hand on Jenn’s head, slowly guiding her to where she wanted her. She wanted to give Jenn what she desired, too, but was unsure if she would do it right.

Jenn giggled before lowering her face between Mindie’s thighs, letting her warm breath flow over the glistening sex in front of her. “As you wish, dear healer,” she said before she licked Mindie with devotion.

Mindie let out a whine of pleasure. She caught Jenn’s head with both hands and held her in place, then fell back on the divan in pleasure. “Oh, yes! More…!”

Both Gregory and Yukiko looked over, sharing a smile before Yukiko bobbed her head faster. That made Gregory moan in pleasure, which got Mindie to focus on him and Yukiko again.

The two pairs lost themselves, but Mindie held Jenn to her firmly, even when Yukiko mounted Gregory, impaling herself. She had a hard time concentrating as Jenn did her best to force her into chained orgasms, but Mindie managed to keep her eyes focused on the pair on the bed. She bit her lip to stop from crying out when Gregory turned his head to lock eyes with her. Seeing his lust and knowing she’d be joining him shortly caused her to flood Jenn.

Yukiko sluggishly slid off Gregory after he’d filled her. “Mindie, our dear one needs you. Your healing is needed to help him be able to consummate your marriage.”

Jenn pulled back, having been slowing down when she heard Yukiko cry out in release. “It’s time.”

“Yes,” Mindie panted as she tried to stand on wobbly legs.

Jenn helped her to the bed as Yukiko slipped off it. When she lay down beside Gregory, Mindie ached with need. She wanted him, needed him now. “Husband... please?”

“Slow and gentle while I get to taste you,” Gregory murmured. “Then, I’ll do as you need me to, my beautiful wife.”

Jenn and Yukiko went back to the divan, kissing each other as they watched Gregory finally claim Mindie.

The knowledge that she was the one being watched sent Mindie into a hazy bliss. This is what her desire truly was: to watch and be watched. She could do either, would love either— just being with them like this filled her with such love.

Gregory took his time with her, finding that lightly stroking her ears made her gasp and shiver. When she pushed him onto his back and went to lick and suck him, he used that knowledge to bring her pleasure, too. Both of them looked over occasionally to watch their wives entangled in their own loving embrace.

After a while, Gregory laid Mindie back and he leaned over her. “Now, my heart, I make sure you are ours. Fully and firmly part of our family.”

“Please, Greg,” Mindie exhaled a shuddering breath.

The minutes of slow lovemaking turned ever so slowly into a frantic race. Mindie held him to her as his hips thrust as fast as they could. Together at the end, he claimed his new wife, filling her just as he had the other two. As they came down off their orgasm, Jenn and Yukiko were there, gently caressing them, kissing them, and welcoming Mindie to their family.

Chapter Fifty-three

Gregory woke slowly, and warmth on either side of him had him smiling. He kissed Yukiko’s head, then turned to kiss Jenn, but found red hair and fox ears instead. Memory came back, and his smile grew as he lightly kissed one of the fox ears.

Mindie shivered, stirring as she looked up. “Hmm...? Husband?”

“Good morning, dear healer. Welcome to our family.”

“Thank you,” Mindie murmured.

“Yes, welcome,” Yukiko smiled, leaning over Gregory to plant a kiss on Mindie’s ear like Gregory had.

Mindie shivered again. “I had no idea it could be so wonderful... all of you were so gentle and loving with me.”

“We try,” Jenn murmured as she kissed Mindie’s back. “But as you saw, I prefer it differently. Thank you for indulging me last night.”

Mindie turned around and kissed Jenn. It was a simple kiss, but full on the lips. “You indulged me. It would be wrong to not return that. Thank you for showing me that I could accept what I desire.”

“Thank you for trusting us to do so,” Gregory said. “I worried that me being forceful with Jenn would have you bolt from the room, disgusted with me.”

“Or me wanting that would have you think less of me,” Jenn added.

“Not to mention my wanting to control others to bring Greg as much joy as possible,” Yukiko smiled. “We all have our own places and things we love. There’s nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t matter what others think. It only matters what we think.”

“Do…?” Mindie hesitated, then tried again. “Do you think the others will be accepting?”

“They will be,” Yukiko nodded. “That’s part of being accepted. If you can’t accept your fellow lovers’ needs and desires, then do you truly love them?”

Mindie fell silent for a moment, but as she did, the third bell began to chime. It was louder in the city than out at the encampment, but dim enough that most would sleep through it.

“By the way,” Yukiko giggled, “we share an anniversary with each other now, or close enough. Today’s my anniversary with our dear one.”

“Oh, right. It is,” Gregory said with a smile, kissing Yuki. “Happy year, my heart.”

Yuki kissed him back. “Happy year, dearest one.”

“Oh, I like being this close with you both,” Mindie smiled, kissing each in turn.

Jenn joined in, and the circle went around once more.

Yukiko sighed as she got out of bed. “We have to get back. The ceremony is at eight, and then the game begins. Our friends will be waiting for us, as well. I told Elsa that we’d get breakfast before we returned.”

“We’re all staying in camp?” Mindie asked.

“I wasn’t sure if you and Greg would,” Yukiko said. “Neither of you can be called into the game. You could sit in the stands and watch the game.”

“If he does that, someone might accuse him of cheating somehow,” Jenn snorted.

“True enough,” Gregory said. “I’d rather stay in the camp with you. You’ll only be pulled away if they take you into the game.”

“That’s true,” Yukiko nodded.

“I also have things to explain,” Gregory said as they all started to dress. “Lightshield gave me a ring before the wedding. It was how I had one ready for the ceremony.”

“He told me he would give you one, so I didn’t worry about it,” Yukiko said.

Gregory motioned them over to him, then unglamored the ring. Seeing their eyes widen, he shifted it back to look like it had. “I’m not sure what else it has in it, but...” He paused and focused on getting an identical ring to what he’d given Mindie. It appeared in his hand a moment later. “For you, Yuki.”

Yukiko took it, examining it. “It looks like Jenn’s.”

“And Mindie’s,” Jenn said, pointing at the one on Mindie’s hand.

“Lightshield said his family had collected them, and that he knows. He also told me not to say it, as he’s watched most of the time. He had a small window to give this to me, tell me he knew, and that his great-uncle walks as thin a line as he does.” Gregory made a sweeping motion instead of saying the name. “Thin enough that we have to be separated for our adept year, but that might be why the prize for this tournament is what it is.”

“Oh... That makes sense,” Yukiko said, her eyes distant. “Understood. We might need to wait for a moment of togetherness with our other wife to tell the big secret.”

Gregory nodded. “Which I feel bad about, because Mindie deserves to know.”

“I can wait,” Mindie said. “I’ve been accepted. My heart soars. It’s fine.”

“Aether, you’re right,” Jenn said, staring right at Gregory.

“Yes,” Yukiko nodded, looking at Mindie, then Gregory.

Mindie’s brow furrowed in confusion as she looked at Yukiko and Jenn, before finally stopping on Gregory. The slow realization transformed her confusion to shocked awe.

“You know,” Gregory murmured, pulling Mindie into his arms gently. “That’s our biggest secret, dear healer. That’s why our other wife can help us the way she does.”

“And you…? Me…? I…! But…!”

Gregory pulled back enough to kiss her gently. Mindie kissed him back firmly, wanting to prove her love, but Gregory eased back, making the kiss soft again. It lingered for minutes before he broke it.

“I know your love, Mindie. It’s the same love we had once before, ages in the past. It’s okay.”

“Just as we did and do,” Yukiko said. “Now, you’ll help protect our heart as we do.”

“Yes!” Mindie said firmly. “I’ll keep him safe.”

“We know,” Jenn said gently. “Come on. We have to get going.”

“Greg, meditate on the ring later. A storage item should tell you what’s inside if you do,” Yukiko told him.

“I will. You and Mindie need to, as well.”

“I’ll do it,” Mindie said as she got dressed quickly.

When they hurried downstairs, Hintle was there. “Breakfast for you. Good luck to your clan with the tournament.”

“Thank you, Hintle,” Gregory said, taking the sandwich. “Are they going to go watch?”

“Not today. Hao said the first day would be mostly positioning, and Lin agreed with him. I think they’re going to recover from the wedding. After today, yes, they will be there every day.”

“We’ll only join them to watch if we can’t be called in,” Yukiko said. “Let them know, please.”

“I believe your elder explained it to them last night, lit… er… Yuki, but I will tell them.”

“Have a good day,” Jenn said as she headed for the door.

~*~*~

The jog back to the encampment was peaceful, as hardly anyone was out. The guards on the gate gave them confused looks, but let them go. The bazaar was nearly empty, with only a couple of cooks out, preparing for the day, and a handful of people shuffling around, clearly hungover.

Lights were on inside their tent when they approached it. Gregory was the first one to go in, and he grinned at his friends and Elsa when he did. “We’re back.”

That got a flurry of people getting up from the table to come hug all of them. Even Elsa got hugs from them before she returned to the table.

“We weren’t sure when you’d be back,” Ling said.

“We knew it’d be before the tournament, though,” Clover was quick to add.

Roshana gave Mindie a small knowing smile. “Fairly sure, anyway.”

Mindie flushed, looking away. “They were very kind with me.”

A small sound of disappointment came from Clover. When everyone looked at her, she flushed and looked away. “Sorry. I… just want… the same…” She mumbled not fast and upbeat, but slow and shy.

“In time, if you can accept your resonance and show your devotion,” Yukiko said softly, going to Clover’s side.

Clover nodded slowly. “I know, Yuki. I’m sorry.”

Gregory’s lips pursed as he debated an idea— it was rash and might come back to bite him if any of them proved false. Taking a seat at the table, he lapsed into meditation and pulled on his resonance.

The others watched him, confused, but went to sit, as well. Magi Squares papers were already on the table, since the group had been working on them when they arrived.

Gregory pushed his resonance over the room, feeling the rightness of everyone around him. Opening foresight, he pushed the feeling of those around him into his magic. A cacophony of visions flashed past him, too fast to see and too muddied to even try making sense of. When it stopped, Gregory saw a single vision.

Seated at a grand table, he looked over those sitting with him. Yukiko was to his right and Jenn to his left, both older than they were now. Next to Jenn, Clover, Daciana, and Roshana sat, looking back his way with bright smiles. Nessa, Victoria, and Ling were on Yukiko’s side. They’d clearly been listening to something he must have just finished saying. Across from him, Mindie smiled gently as she played with the ring on her hand. That had him looking back at the others’ rings— identical rings adorned each of their hands.

Gregory pulled back from the vision, blinking as he came back to the here and now. He started to say something, but his vision swam and he face-planted onto the table. Confused sounds came from all around and he was pulled back in his seat. Yukiko stared into his face with worry. Mindie grabbed his head, and he felt the aether of her healing magic flood through him. More confused voices gave way to Jenn forcing something into his mouth. He swallowed on reflex, the raw ginger flavor punching him. Wheezing as his body heated and his mouth objected to the flavor, sound stabilized around him.

“Greg?!” Yukiko asked.

“Sorry!” he gasped. “Aether food, please... I pushed too hard.”

Elsa was out of the tent at a dead run, her skirts held up as she sprinted away. Clover was quick to hand over some bane jerky. Gregory accepted it, chewing slowly the way Bishop had taught him years before.

“What happened?” Yukiko asked. “Let’s all sit again... he’s fine now. We just need to make sure he eats well today.”

Looking over the worried faces of those around him, he bowed his head. “I’m sorry. I had a thought and tried it. I should’ve said something first. When I sat down, I pushed my resonance and foresight to look into the distant future. I had a specific question, and I wanted to see if it was true.”

He paused— his throat was dry and he needed some water. Ling was quick to hand over her tea, guessing at what he wanted.

“Thank you, Ling. I believe all of you will have your moment. All three of you will be accepted, as will our novice friends. I saw all of us seated together in the future. It felt right, like it was meant to be. There was a single thing that helped me know you’d all been accepted.” He touched Jenn’s hand, then raised it to show them her ring. “You were all wearing one of these rings.”

Yukiko inhaled slowly before nodding. “Very well, my heart. It’s a small gamble, but I believe you’re correct. It might encourage them to push harder, in fact.”

“Oh...” Mindie said. She touched her own ring, which got all eyes to look at it, then back to Jenn’s.

“Do you have enough?” Yukiko asked, putting her hand forward so they could see another identical ring on her hand.

They were simple mythrum bands without jewels, but the metal seemed to shimmer like another metal had been lightly mixed into it. Everyone looked from the ring to Gregory.

“I don’t know,” Gregory said simply. He focused on his own band, willing it to produce six more. The seconds seemed to stretch out for a long time, but then, he held six rings in his cupped hand. “Enough for our one-day wives, at least.”

Yukiko reached over and collected them from his palm. “Ladies, these are a promise. Gregory is promising that, if you stay true, you’ll be his wife… again. We entrust the extra rings to Ling. You will explain the meaning behind them and personally give them to those who wait.”

“As you wish, Yuki,” Ling bowed her head. “I shall listen to the first wife.”

“These are special,” Jenn said, picking up the topic. “They’re spatial storage and have a large space that can be used. You never need to take them off, not even to bathe. You will always have your things at hand, no matter what happens. But they also hold aether.”

“They’re mythrum,” Ling said. “I would have expected them to hold aether.”

“But storage, too?” Clover beamed. “I’ll be able to carry all my alchemy stuff?”

“Easily,” Jenn smiled.

“They can hold a lot of aether,” Yukiko said, pulling the topic back to important matters. “We charge Jenn’s to a magus’ level. You should never push more than that until your rank is beyond that.”

“Beyond…? How much can they hold?” Roshana asked.

“We don’t know,” Gregory said. “Hemet looked at Jenn’s ring months ago, and he thought they could hold an elder’s aether, but we think they might hold even more than that.”

The four who hadn’t known before were clearly shocked as they stared at the rings in Yukiko’s hands. He wasn’t just promising to honor their dreams if they were true to him; he was empowering them, too.

“Take your ring if you truly wish to stand as our equals in protecting our heart. You’ll still have to admit your resonances to all the others, and I will press you to see your devotions later. If those are met, you’ll be welcomed into our family.”

With shaky hands, the other three took their rings. Slipping them on, they looked back at Gregory with hope.

“This is me saying yes, if you do as Yuki asks,” Gregory said. “Our wife who can’t be here accepts you, as you walk the same paths as we do. I’m showing you now that I accept you. You just need to do as Yuki says, and then you’ll be welcomed with open arms.”

“But Da—”

“Stop,” Yukiko said softly but firmly, cutting Clover off. “We cannot say a few things anymore. Gregory has been told that some are being watched. We’ll start acting from today forward as if he is, as well. To protect our heart, we’ll do what we must.”

“Yes, Yuki,” Clover agreed.

“I doubt her name is known, not the name we use, but it’s for the best if we mitigate where we can,” Yukiko said. “Now, we should get training in while we can. Ling, these are for Nessa, Vicky, and Daciana. They’re in your care.”

Ling accepted them, pushing them into her new ring. “I will pass your words and Gregory’s gift to them. I won’t fail.”

“I know,” Yukiko smiled.

Elsa came rushing in with a covered bowl in her hands. “I have food!”

“Thank you, Elsa,” Gregory said softly. “I need it. Will you pour me some tea, too?”

“Right away!”

Chapter Fifty-four

It was almost time for them to assemble for the tournament, and Gregory felt stable enough after the food. He knew he shouldn’t use his magic again without dire need today. A knock came on the post in front of their tent, and Elsa hurried over to answer it.

“How can...? Oh, Sage, sir,” Elsa said, curtsying to him. “Please come in.”

“Thank you, child,” Laozi said as he entered the tent. “Good morning to you all. Pettit, I have news for you. You have been approved to assist in the tournament. We finished selecting the watchers for each player, including alternates for if extras are called in. You shall be watching over Petar Steelar. You are not the coordinator, but merely a watcher to make sure he plays fairly.”

“Yes, sir,” Gregory said, a little sad that he wouldn’t be the coordinator— he’d lose out on seeing the whole picture that way.

“Gather your things, as you will be sleeping in the same space as Petar and his other watcher, plus the coordinator. I am sure you have a storage item that will allow that to happen.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll have it all ready.”

“Adept Pettit, you will be coordinating for Brinda Hofen, sister to Jessica Hofen. I know you were probably not anticipating such, but we were asked to limit the magi that could be pulled into play to just the apprentices. This was our compromise.”

“Yes, sir,” Mindie said. “I’ll do my best.”

“I am sure you will. After the showing of the clans to the crowd, you two will be sent to their encampment and be shown to your spaces.”

“Yes, sir.” Mindie and Gregory replied.

“Which means you should say goodbye to your wives and friends for the next few days,” Laozi said, a small smile ticking his lips up. “You have a half-hour before you must gather.” With that, he left their tent.

“Well, that’s not the best, but it’s understandable,” Jenn sighed. “I forgot you’d asked, Greg.”

“Honestly, so did I,” Gregory snorted. “It was driven clean out of my head because of the wedding.”

“I didn’t ask, but I think with the Eternal Flame gone, they needed more people to assist,” Mindie sighed. “They could’ve put Greg and I together, at least.”

“And have you both distracted?” Roshana asked with a grin.

That got laughter from the others.

“I might not be at my sharpest if that happened,” Gregory admitted.

“Okay... me, too,” Mindie sighed.

“We’ll do our best to win quickly,” Clover said.

“Not recklessly, though,” Ling added. “I feel like this is going to take longer than our other tournaments.”

“It might,” Roshana agreed, “but we’ve planned for a lot. The biggest variable will be the goals the sage and archmage set for us.”

“Agreed,” Yukiko said. “Those will add a new complexity, but we believe in each of you. Just do what you think is best. Jenn and I will be waiting to join, if needed. Hopefully, they’ll tell you who’s available to bring in if some of the magi decide to go watch instead of standing by.”

“I hope so,” Ling nodded. “Knowing who we have access to would be crucial to our plans later.”

“It’s not the mages,” Mindie said. “It must be their army officers that we’re facing.”

Yukiko nodded. “Playing against the mages never made sense, as Buldoun doesn’t force them onto the field. These people will have lived and breathed the game. It’ll be tough, but we have faith in you.”

Clover nodded, chewing her lip for a moment. “Their mages must still be sitting out like you all are, ready to be called in.”

“That’s likely,” Yukiko nodded again. “At least you know who they have sitting and waiting to be called in.”

“Hugs all around,” Jenn interrupted gently. “We’ll see you when this is over, if not before, in some cases.”

It took a few minutes for hugs to cycle around the room. Elsa was included in that, even though she’d be taking care of at least Yukiko and Jenn, if not the others. She might have even more people to care for if no other staff were provided to the clan area.

Mindie had to go gather more things for herself, having only just gotten her ring capable of holding more of her stuff. By the time she’d finished, it was time to line up with Lightshield and Hemet.

“Good. Are you ready to show the empire and Buldoun how our clan has returned?” Lightshield asked when they stood before him.

“Yes, sir,” Clover, Ling, and Roshana said firmly.

“Excellent. Just believe in yourself and your plans. Gregory, Mindie, you will do wonderfully if you stay true to yourselves. You will again show how our clan is compassionate to others.” Lightshield paused, seeing the Iron Hand lining up. “And here we go. For Aether’s Guard! For the empire!”

The younger magi in front of him repeated his call back, being joined by the Iron Hand for the last three words. Without another word, Lightshield floated a few inches off the ground. Turning to the front, he started forward with Hemet beside him.

As they marched behind their senior clan magi, Gregory felt a twinge of sympathy for Lightshield. It was clear that he was losing his physical capabilities. His talk with Gregory was almost a goodbye, but Gregory hoped they’d have one more chance to talk before the end.

The march to the arena was smooth— guards from Buldoun were out, making sure a clear path stayed open for them. Gregory wondered if they’d go into the arena or not. He recalled something about the arena being turned into a giant board so the crowd could watch the game.

That makes it unlikely we go in, Gregory thought. Maybe they set up a stage outside? That might work... it’d give each clan a chance to be seen and the initial players a chance to be introduced.

A few minutes later, he smiled. A large stage had been erected in front of the arena. Mikal Buffurn, the announcer from the tournament, stood upon it, announcing the empire as they marched toward him.

They formed up on the side of it, pausing there and turning to face the massive crowd. The sound of more booted feet marching came from the other side, and Mikal started extolling the players from Buldoun.

Once the overview was given, Mikal called the first round of players up one by one. They stood beside him, waving to the crowd before stepping back and waiting for the others. He announced one from Buldoun, then a magi.

Each player from Buldoun was from their Officer School, a school dedicated to training the leaders of Buldoun’s army. Each man and woman stood with confidence, looking ready to give commands and lead their men into battle. Gregory noted the vast disparity of men to women; only two of the nine Buldoun players were women. One of them was clearly part-panther eurtik, named Brinda Hofen. She had a familial resemblance to Jessica.

The fact that all of Aether’s Guard players were part-eurtik and women didn’t go without comment, but the trio stood proudly, ignoring the crowd.

When the introductions were done, the two sides turned and marched back the way they’d come. As they went, Gregory blinked— he was suddenly in an encampment, standing in front of the archmage. Mindie and a dozen others wearing empire emblems stood with him.

“You have been told your assignments,” Aliminus said stiffly. “Those behind me will direct you to the right tents. If any of you cause problems, I will be displeased. Now go.” He vanished a second later.

Gregory exhaled before stepping forward, the first to move. “I’m supposed to watch over a Petar Steelar.”

“Follow me, sir,” one of the servants said, walking away.

Reaching the correct tent, Gregory thanked him, but he didn’t enter right away. He felt someone behind him, and looked back to see Rafiq standing there. “Rafiq?”

“I have also been assigned to watch over this player. I am, in fact, his coordinator.”

“Well, at least I have a friendly face here,” Gregory smiled as he entered with Rafiq.

Two people were inside the tent already. Sasha, the referee from the tournament, surprised him, and the other looked like a younger version of her.

“I’m Gregory Pettit,” Gregory announced himself, bowing the way a Buldoun native would. “It is a pleasure to be working with you.”

“I am Rafiq, an archivist of the Magi Academy,” Rafiq said, doing the same. “I was told that I am the coordinator for Petar Steelar.”

“A pleasure to meet you both,” Sasha said formally, bowing back. “I’m Sasha Welkaz, former commander of Steel Wall, a well-known mercenary group.”

“I am Stef Welkaz, current commander of Steel Wall and, as you can undoubtedly tell, daughter of Sasha. My entire company is here, handling security and this game. I assure you there will be no problems.” Stef was well-spoken, and her voice brooked no arguments. “It is a pleasure to meet the ‘Undefeated.’ If time permits, I would love to get a match against you, magi.”

Gregory let his resonance pulse out of him, before he bowed again. “If time permits, I will accept. It will help keep my edge sharp and, hopefully, show friendship.”

Stef’s lips twitched into a smile for a moment, breaking the sternness she’d been showing. “That is excellent news. Rafiq, no last name?”

“Eurtik do not have surnames in the empire, miss,” Rafiq replied. “We are all slaves.”

Stef tsked in disappointment. “What was your father’s name?”

“Rafiq.”

Stef stared at him, then her lips creased momentarily again. “Do you always take your father’s name?”

“I could only take it once, miss.”

That got Sasha to bark in laughter. “A quick tongue for a slave. Will your son take Rafiq as his name?”

“He already has, ma’am.”

“And the women of your line?” Sasha asked.

“They take their mother’s name. It is tradition for those of us under the empire.”

“‘One of us was enslaved and, in time, the same of us will be free,’” Gregory murmured, recalling a line from Lighthand’s journal.

Rafiq’s head turned toward Gregory. The surprise on his face was clear for a moment before it vanished. “It is said that line was spoken by each first slave of the empire.”

Both Sasha and Stef nodded slowly, but it was Sasha who said, “Admirable. It shows determination, and it appears that your traditions still hold.”

“Only for those of us who are pure of heritage,” Rafiq said softly. “The others find ways to release their lines from the enslavement.”

“People like his clan members?” Stef asked.

“No, but the staff of the empire who have taken non-eurtik family. The number of enslaved dwindles, but not quickly,” Rafiq replied.

“This will be a good group to be able to speak with while the game goes on,” Sasha smiled. “Also, Pettit, I would like the same chance to spar with you.”

“Again, if time permits, I will accept,” Gregory bowed.

“The others will be jealous,” Stef laughed. “Oh, this will be more entertaining than I thought. Now, do you really believe your magi can match up to officers in training?”

Gregory smiled, his eyes glittering with laughter. “We’ll see, but be ready for surprises. At least three of the magi will not be easy to handle.”

“Good. I want to showcase my abilities to lead,” an arrogant voice said as the man entered the tent.

Gregory turned to find a short, broad man marching toward them. His mind told him half-dwarf before he could even find words.

“Pettit, the foresight magi, is watching me? Hmm, yes, they must have heard of my undefeated streak, too,” Petar Steelar laughed. He extended his hand to Gregory. “A pleasure.”

Gregory shook the man’s hand, keeping the grimace off his face, as Petar nearly crushed his hand. “A pleasure. Let me introduce Rafiq, archivist of the academy. He will be your coordinator.”

Rafiq bowed to Petar. “A pleasure.”

“Yes, it is. Make sure to note how well I crush those before me. It’ll be nice to have my name recorded in the empire’s books.”

“Are you done?” Sasha asked pointedly.

Petar laughed, then shrugged. “Fine, Commander. Shall we get things in order?”

“Yes,” Stef said, an undertone of icy cold to her words. “We will begin when the bell strikes the hour. You will have a single unit of light infantry at your command to start. This is a conflict between Buldoun and the Velum Empire. The fight takes place along the southern border, where a good number of small towns dot both sides.”

Petar’s smile grew wide. “Perfect.”

Chapter Fifty-five

Gregory watched as the board was revealed. Petar was stationed at a village on Buldoun’s side of the border, but there was an empire village on the board, as well. He could see Petar practically drooling over the prospect of taking it.

Gregory went over to Sasha and asked softly, “Has war been officially declared?”

Sasha smiled, and her head twitched side to side.

Gregory’s lips pursed as he stared at the board. “Do your captains generally take light infantry out to border postings?”

“It’s our equivalent of your magi guard,” Sasha replied. “Generally, we don’t have as many. A captain would be patrolling through a few towns, keeping an eye on a larger area.”

“If war hasn’t been declared at the moment, then, he’d be the only unit in the area, besides the village guards?”

“Yes.”

“Has either side built up forces near the borders to shift the status quo?” Gregory murmured, trying to understand the scenario better.

“No,” Sasha smiled broadly.

“Was there a clash of units that started to shift things this way?”

Sasha’s eyes gleamed. “Quick reasoning. This is the opening stage of a buildup— war is about to start. Who sees the chance for quick victory? Can they pull it off? Will it make one side or the other the aggressor?”

“He’ll go for the village. He thinks he can manage it,” Gregory said. “He wants the glory. He might pull it off, depending on who’s there.”

Sasha chuckled. “We’ll see in time.”

“Okay,” Petar said, “I need to know the opposition first. I strip down two of my men, put them in field workers’ clothing, and send them to the empire village to look around. While they gather intelligence for me, I make sure my men patrol the area close by to stop any random scout from getting too close. Capture anyone who looks suspicious for questioning.”

Rafiq started making notes. “What routes are your men taking to deter scouts?”

“I’ll split them into eight units, four out at a time,” Petar said as he stared at the map. “The route will keep them staggered, and they’ll be moving in this fashion.” He marked it out on the map.

“What do the men you’re using as scouts end up with as stats?” Rafiq asked. “I’ll need to see the information for them.”

“One moment,” Petar said, turning to his notes.

~*~*~

It took over an hour before anything of real note happened. Gregory wasn’t surprised— Empire’s Gambit wasn’t a fast game most of the time and, with the expanded game, it would take even longer.

The scouts Petar sent out came back with information that the magi who’d been stationed in the village was leaving. Petar didn’t rush forward like Gregory thought he would. Instead, he spent the turn calling all of his men back in. He’d used his first few turns to groom a local hunter into a scout, then sent him out to trail the magi unit to see where they were going.

“And the route he will take to follow the magi?” Rafiq asked.

Petar exhaled. “This is why I hate this game. It’s too rigid. The scout would alter his route as he needed.”

“This is to teach you to think ahead,” Sasha said sharply. “No simulation would be identical to reality.”

Petar grimaced. “Yes, ma’am.” He traced out the route his scout would take. “That way.”

“Understood,” Rafiq said as he made his notes.

Stef motioned Gregory to the side, and he went with her. “I’m curious. What would you have done differently here?”

“I’d have at least asked for more information on the magi unit. Which magi is it? That makes a startlingly big difference on what might or might not happen. Which clan is it? That can matter, too. The Iron Hand is honorable, but the Eternal Flame sees only victory.”

“Smart. All he heard was that the magi unit was leaving. Did they leave with provisions? Did they pull out quickly?”

“That would tell you more. The magi might have left the village with the barest minimum he could, leaving the people behind to be burdens to his advance.” Gregory went quiet as he considered another idea. “Or… is he being baited to be the one to cross the border first? A military unit crossing the border would set the stage for this being Buldoun attacking the empire.”

Stef nodded slowly.

“Buldoun rallying together because the empire invades matters. It helps lower prices on equipping your men,” Gregory added, “but when you’re the aggressor, it doesn’t happen that way. Now, if multiple fronts open up, eventually, it’ll stabilize, but it’s possible that he’s about to put your whole war effort in a hole.”

Stef smiled at him. “It’s not often we see a magi with the understanding of our positioning.”

“My wife plays a mean game as Buldoun,” Gregory chuckled. “Be glad she’s not on the board already.”

“That would be Yukiko? There was talk that she’d been going to marry into a merchant house of Buldoun before she was a magi. I wasn’t sure if that was true or not.”

“It’s true. The merchant family broke the betrothal when she tested as magi.”

“So she would know more about our country than most magi do. I can see where this would help her.”

“All of my clan has studied the other countries,” Gregory said. “We’ve also trained strategies for this tournament. One of those was a scenario much like this, with either side being the aggressor.”

Stef inhaled slowly. “What of the other clans?”

“No idea. As it is, I’ve probably said too much already.”

“If I was someone other than who I am, maybe. Your words are safe enough with me.”

“I shall return,” Rafiq bowed before leaving the tent.

“Pettit, I had a question for you,” Petar said once Rafiq was gone. “Did they keep you out of the tournament because of your foresight?”

“Yes,” Gregory replied. “They kept me out of the one at the academy, as well.”

“Your foresight can’t see that far into the future, can it?”

Gregory smiled at Petar, not answering.

Sasha and Stef both started laughing, but it was Sasha that answered the frown Petar shot at them, “Do you think he’d just give information that vital away?”

“I was curious why he was kept out!” Petar snapped.

“It was thought that my magic couldn’t be trusted to keep the game fair. A wind magi or shadow magi could listen into another tent, but it would tax them more than my magic would. I don’t have to extend for distance, just time.”

“Even at the least he could do,” Stef jumped in. “Even if he could see a quarter hour ahead, he’d know the outcome of a turn before the coordinator left the tent. He could suddenly shift his plans.”

“Oh... hmm...” Petar said thoughtfully.

“And if he could do more, maybe he’d know every move you’d take for the first day,” Sasha added. “No idea if he actually can, but the possibility is enough.”

“It was thought that me playing and winning would be… bad for everyone involved,” Gregory added. “I have no problem just watching to learn. I was a coordinator for the academy tournament. I’d love to play, and even though I’ve never used my foresight when playing for real, it taints the mind of any who’d be against me.”

“I see,” Petar said slowly. “But you do play?”

“I was trained during our second year, and I’ve played games with my wives and fellow clan members. Honestly, I’m not the best player in my clan. Depending on the country played and scenario to be handled, some of my friends do better than me. I’ve won and lost an equal amount of games. I’m terrible at playing Krogga. Haven’t gotten a feel for being their commanders at all.”

“Most players struggle as Krogga,” Sasha snorted. “We lack the true mindset of a Kroggian. Besides, they’re only at their best against the empire.”

“That’s true,” Gregory admitted.

~*~*~

Petar arrived in the empire village a few turns later. He took stock of what it had available— besides feed for the horses, nothing extra had been taken; the village was far from depleted. Petar had been gloating over an easy victory for a full turn when the bad news started coming in.

It arrived when Rafiq came back to the tent from the last turn. “Your men find your scout outside the village. He’s been dead for days. A couple of hunting arrows are embedded in his back. His horse went down the road, away from the village, after that.”

“What?!” Petar asked hotly.

“It appears your scout was ambushed, and the killer left,” Rafiq replied.

“They just happened to know and ambush him?”

“Petar, he’s given you the information you’re required to have,” Sasha said firmly.

“Hmm... I see.” Petar went back to glaring at the board. It was obvious that he’d been counting on his scout.

A few seconds later, Archmage Aliminus was suddenly in the tent. “Petar Steelar, you have started a war with the empire. You are the first person to brazenly cross the border and take a village.”

“What? But we were told there’d been clashes at the border!”

“There are always clashes, but purposely invading and taking villages is a bit more,” Aliminus said firmly. “Now live with what comes from your war. And no, pulling back will not stop it. Word has already begun to spread about your activities. You are tasked with making sure Buldoun holds this village now, do not let them take it back.”

“But how?” Petar asked in shock.

Aliminus looked at Rafiq. “Tell him.”

“The magi who left went to the nearest town, sending word to all nearby villages and towns about your invasion. The information has already begun to spread across the empire,” Rafiq said.

“But…!” Petar stared at the board. “They would’ve had to go straight there and report that. I hadn’t crossed the border before they left.”

“Yes. It would have hurt the empire’s side of things if they had been wrong,” Aliminus said. “They seemed to know you would cross the way you did.”

Gregory’s lips pursed, and he nodded slowly. He thought he had a good idea of what the truth really was.

“Pettit, do you have something to add?” the archmage asked pointedly.

“No, sir. Just considering who the magi could’ve been.”

“Step outside with me, as I am done delivering news.”

“As you wish, sir,” Gregory said, heading for the tent flap.

They walked a little bit away from the tent before Aliminus spoke, “Explain.”

“It was Klein, wasn’t it, sir?”

“How do you come to that conclusion?”

“Spatial magi. He could’ve sent his men ahead and stayed back. If he dressed right, he’d have seen them coming and used his magic to start traveling behind his men. If he was using the adept cards, he could’ve made it there easily to do as you said. He would know they were crossing the border, meaning there was no risk for the empire.”

“This is why we didn’t want your magic involved in the game,” Aliminus said tightly.

“That was just deductive reasoning based on who was in the first part of the game, sir. Honestly, it was the best magi for a village this remote.”

Laozi appeared beside them in a small swirl of wind. “Ah, taking the time to speak to our champion?”

“He had guesses as to who was placed opposite Steelar. I was asking him to explain, was all.”

“And did he answer you?”

“I did, sir. The archmage thought I’d used foresight, but I’d figured out which magi would be the best suited for a village as remote as this one. I thought you’d both selected which player started where— you for the empire, and him for Buldoun.”

“Very astute,” Laozi nodded. “Well, Archmage?”

“He is not wrong. I would have preferred that he stay away from all games.”

“Pettit, I can see about replacing you. The archmage is requesting that you step back.”

“I promised to spar against both Buldoun watchers, sir. I would hate to break that. If I can fulfill my promises to them, then I will do as is best for everyone.” Gregory faced the archmage. “Sir, I do not know what I’ve done to upset you. I’ve only strived for the empire as all magi should, and the way your mages did for Buldoun. If you wish me to step back, I will do so.”

Aliminus hesitated before he exhaled slowly. “You personally have done nothing. I shall withdraw my request for now.”

Gregory bowed as a native of Buldoun. “Thank you, sir.”

Nodding, the archmage left suddenly.

Laozi chuckled. “Your friendships trouble him. He worries that some of the better mages might not wish to cross the empire in the future.”

“Oh... I see.”

“Now back to your game,” Laozi said.

“Yes, sir,” Gregory bowed formally to Laozi. He was gone by the time Gregory had finished bowing.

Chapter Fifty-six

The rest of the first day went by without anything else major. Petar consolidated and dug in— he didn’t retreat, nor did he advance. Gregory was surprised when Sasha had the board updated, shifting the map so the village was in the middle. That put the town that the magi had likely fled to on the edge of the map.

When word came that the game was suspended until the next day, Petar exhaled angrily. “Damn them for not making it clear. I thought we were already at war! If I’d known it was just a simple border clash, I wouldn’t have done what I had.”

“What were you told, exactly?” Gregory asked.

Petar stared at him. “What?”

“Were you told that you were at war? Or were you told that the border was insecure and men had died? Because the second sounds like war, but isn’t necessarily true.”

“The Buldoun side was told that the empire had killed men along the border and that they seemed poised to come over in strength at multiple points. Their units were being sent to secure the border against incursions,” Sasha told him.

Petar glared at Sasha. “I’ll be in my room.”

“That’s fine, but one of us has to be with you all the time,” Stef smiled falsely.

“Fine!” Petar snarled. “The crocodile can come with me.”

Gregory’s hackles went up, but before he could react, Stef was in Petar’s face. “What did you say?!” The words were loud, hissed, and filled with menace. “Are you part of the empire?”

Petar rocked back a step, then firmed up his legs. “No, ma’am!”

“Then act with fucking respect or I’ll see you drummed out of the ranks!” Stef snarled. “We have civility to all in Buldoun!”

“I’ll stay with him for now,” Sasha said mildly. “Go ahead and step outside for a bit, Stef.”

Stef glared at Petar for another long moment before she turned on her heel and marched out of the tent. Gregory patted Rafiq on the shoulder, leaving a second after Stef.

Stef hadn’t gone far, just a dozen feet away. She stood still, looking at the fading sunset. Gregory went to stand beside her, remaining quiet. After a minute, Stef exhaled slowly, glancing his way. “Sorry about that.”

“Thank you for standing up for him,” Gregory said softly, not looking directly at her. “I’ve heard things are different here. I’ve seen people like my friends being more accepted, but it’s true that eurtik still aren’t really accepted here. It seems the depth of the hatred is hard to overcome.”

“We are better— no offense— than the empire, but yes, we still have a ways to go.”

“That almost seemed personal to you,” Gregory said softly.

Stef deflated some. “I found love a few years back. He was a good man... Fierce, loyal, loving. He never cared that I was strong enough to lead a mercenary company. Most men pull back from a woman like me or try to tame me. He did neither.”

“Was?” Gregory asked when the silence stretched on after she’d paused.

“Last year… he was killed. There was a border skirmish with the empire. The magi in charge let the men surrender when their leader fell. Before he ransomed them back, he killed Jack. ‘No wild dog deserves to live,’ is what my men told me the magi said. There was no reason for it... he killed him simply because he was eurtik.”

“I hate that,” Gregory said tightly. “It’s so wrong. They’re people. They’re no different from us except for how they look. Love, hate, indifference... they’re the same.”

“I… used to look down on them some… not like others, but I did look down on them... until Jack pulled me out of harm’s way at risk of his own life. I came to know him for him. Oh, the men stayed quiet around me, but Jack had a lot of fights. The worst were because they made jokes about him knotting me.” Her hands clenched and her knuckles popped. “Sick fucks. Why can’t people just…?” She shook her head and sighed.

“Maybe one day, but today isn’t it,” Gregory said sadly. “Let’s spar. You wanted a match, and it’ll help clear both of our heads.”

Stef exhaled, then nodded briskly. “Yes. After that, I’ll relieve my mother and she can spar with you.”

“Deal,” Gregory said, clapping a hand on her shoulder. “Later, if you want to tell someone about Jack, I’ll listen.”

Stef looked at him and smiled. “Maybe. Let’s see if I can kick your ass. Two round match, with and without your magic?”

“Sure, but how about a four-match set? I’ll use the naginata for one, and the guandao for the other.”

Stef gave him a questioning look. “Why?”

“I need to work on the guandao,” Gregory admitted.

Laughing, she patted his shoulder. “Yes, that’s fine.”

~*~*~

Stef asked to fight him with the guandao first. He lost that fight, but not as quickly as he thought he would. During the second sparring match, when he was going to use foresight, Rafiq, Petar, and Sasha came out of the tent to watch. He won, but still had to work for it.

“Now, the weapon I really wanted to fight you with,” Stef smiled as the setting sun cast orange light across the heavens.

“We’ll need lanterns soon,” Sasha said. “We’ll have to pause after this to manage that.”

“What are you doing?”

Gregory turned to see Claudia, Adriana, and Pavil standing there.

“Oh, just some sparring. I promised Stef and Sasha I’d give them some matches.”

“I want in on this,” Adriana said.

“No. You already had your chances,” Sasha said firmly. “We don’t want an incident.”

“If you wish, I could spar each of you,” Egil came out of a tent, looking relaxed. “And a match with you, Pettit.”

“Very well, Sensei,” Gregory bowed. “We’ll need lanterns.”

“Wait! I want a match!” Petar said.

~*~*~

It took a few minutes to settle things, but Gregory decided to finish his matches with Stef and Sasha first. After that, Egil would spar with everyone from Buldoun who wanted a single fight. Then, Gregory would fight the Empire’s Gambit players from Buldoun before finishing with Egil.

Gregory won every match with the naginata against the Buldoun natives, but lost his non-foresight guandao fight with Sasha. Petar didn’t take his loss well, and thought Gregory had used foresight, but he was roundly shouted down by Sasha and Stef.

During his fight with Egil, Gregory lost himself in the joy of combat. The two of them flowed across the hard-packed ground. It was nearly as fluid for him as foresight, but he wasn’t using his magic. In the end, he managed to slip past Egil’s guard and score a hit to the arm. Egil dropped his hand off the naginata and, after that, it was over in seconds.

“Well done,” Egil panted. “You are an armsmaster with that weapon. I acknowledge you so.”

Gregory was breathing hard, but his aether was helping him recover quickly. Bowing formally, he replied, “Thank you, Armsmaster.”

“That was all without foresight?” Sasha asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” Gregory said, turning to her.

“How many can you take with foresight?” Stef asked.

“A few,” Gregory replied, suddenly cautious.

“Hmm... very well. I wanted to test you, but that’s selfish,” Stef sighed.

“We’re done,” Sasha announced. “There’s a game tomorrow, and some of us need some sleep.”

“Yes, ma’am,” echoed most of the onlookers.

Gregory thanked Egil once more for the fight. As the two men parted, Gregory had to stop, as Claudia was still there, a few feet from him. “Claudia? Something wrong?”

“No. Thank you for sparring with the others,” Claudia said, glancing around them. Seeing Egil not leaving, she moved forward and touched Gregory’s arm. “Can we talk for a few minutes?”

Gregory looked around— it was just him, Claudia, and Egil in the open space. “Sure. Egil, please?”

“I worry about what others might say,” Egil said, “but very well.”

Claudia’s cheeks heated lightly at Egil’s comment, but she was back to normal before Gregory looked at her again. “Thank you.”

“He does have a point,” Gregory said softly. “You’re a young woman and an important mage for your country. If something were to happen to you when you were with just me… I’d be the one to pay the price.”

“I know,” Claudia exhaled. “But…” She took another deep breath. “Greg, I’ve talked with Yuki, Jenn, and Mindie. I’ve spoken with the others. I know what your family will look like in the future.”

Gregory’s face burned. “Oh! Uh... well…” He triggered foresight, wanting to find a way out of this awkwardness. The moment he triggered his magic, his resonance washed out of him so he could feel it easier.

Claudia was the same firm tap he knew as someone who was dependable to him. She looked up at him with an amused smile. The moment resonated more to him, and he was starting to wonder about it when his resonance wrapped around his magic.

Without thinking, flowing with the future that was best for him, he scooped Claudia into his arms, making her eyes go wide. He swung her around so his back was facing the way hers had been, triggering the barrier from his armband.

The crossbow bolt impacted the barrier, and the man who’d fired it fled. Gregory released Claudia and ran after him, summoning his naginata to his hand. As he did, he heard Claudia shout his name, but he was focused on following his foresight.

His barrier flashed into existence twice more as the man pointed the small crossbow behind him, firing again and again. With a curse, the man threw the crossbow aside as he sprinted into the bazaar, hoping to lose himself in the crowd.

Gregory saw what was coming and let his naginata vanish back into his ring before he made it into the crowd. People glanced his way, but he was gone in the next instant. He felt like a river flowing around rocks as he glided around everyone. He realized that he wasn’t going directly after the man who’d fled, but he trusted his resonance to guide him.

He pushed his foresight further into the future so he could see beyond a handful of seconds. Seeing a minute, then two into the future, he inhaled slowly as he continued to move through the crowd with ease.

Breaking out of the edge of the bazaar, he raced around the outside. His naginata came back to his hand as he ran, his aether fueling his legs so he could go faster. Two men were waiting with horses ahead of them, looking the other way as he closed on them. They’d look his way when he got closer, mount their horses, and then flee. Gregory angled out so the horses were between him and the men. Now, they didn’t see him, and didn’t flee.

The man he’d chased came bursting out of the bazaar, gasping, and the two with the horses rushed forward to grab him. None of them saw Gregory come up behind the horses— he slapped both on the rump, spooking them, and sending them running.

All three men spun and Gregory’s barrier flashed into existence again. The two hand-crossbows fired in rapid succession, but all the bolts impacted the aether-made shield. Gregory was on them a second later. He’d left the blade sheath on his naginata— he didn’t want them dead. He wanted them captured.

His aether pulled from his ring, as his was running dangerously low. Gregory ignored it, bashing one of the three men into the ground. He spun under a sword slash, broke the man’s knee, then crushed his throat before jabbing the capped blade into the winded man’s gut, crumpling him.

With all three down and one dying, Gregory let foresight drop. The moment he did, Laozi landed beside him in a gust of wind, and Aliminus appeared behind the three attackers.

“Pettit, explain,” Laozi said.

“That man fired a crossbow at Claudia. I shielded her, then chased him. These two were waiting with horses. I stopped them.”

Aliminus glared at the three men, his aether flooding the area. Gregory wrapped his aether around him out of reflex. Laozi stepped in front of Gregory— his steps faltered slightly and he glanced at Gregory, but still went in front of him. Gregory had felt the archmage’s aether before it parted around him, his resonance protecting him. When Laozi stepped in front of him, he felt the sage’s aether push back Aliminus’.

“I will take them and find out what they were after!” Aliminus snarled.

“You will inform me, yes?” Laozi asked.

Aliminus looked at the sage, then nodded curtly. “Come with me.”

“Gladly. Gregory, go back to your assigned camp.”

“Yes, sir,” Gregory said, bowing. By the time he’d straightened up, all five men were gone. Exhaling, he let his naginata go back to his ring and started back toward the encampment.

Chapter Fifty-seven

Gregory woke up slowly. He’d been exhausted when he got back to the encampment; the place had been in an uproar. The guards who should’ve been watching them were found dead or unconscious. Stef had been looking into that, as well as how the attempted assassin got so close. Sasha pulled the mages away, making sure they were under tighter guard.

Egil met Gregory and asked him what had happened. Gregory recalled a mumbled explanation before he was led to a bedroll. The moment he’d laid down, he was asleep. His dreams were a tangled mess of what might’ve happened if he hadn’t reached for his foresight— he might never have known the assassin was there until it was too late.

Jerking awake, Gregory was breathing fast as the nightmare broke around him. He exhaled a shaky breath when he realized where he was and that the nightmare had been only that.

“Didn’t sleep well?” Rafiq asked from a table off to the side.

Gregory glanced his way before getting up, stretching. “No. What-could-have-beens plagued me all night.”

“It would likely have been terrible,” Rafiq said. “It’s been announced that the game will resume later than scheduled today.”

“Was Claudia okay after I left?” Gregory asked, joining Rafiq at the table.

“Eat,” Rafiq said. “Yes, she was fine, but she almost went running after you.”

Gregory took a helping of the food on the table. He vaguely recalled them being called potato cakes, and they had the Buldoun sausages to go with them.

“You caught the assassin?” Rafiq asked.

“And his helpers,” Gregory mumbled around a mouthful of food.

“Hmm... interesting. Did they attack last night because she was in the open, or did they plan to attack, regardless?” Rafiq murmured before dropping a sausage into his mouth and chewing.

“The sage and archmage will find out. They had two to question,” Gregory replied.

“You took them alive?”

“Answers were needed,” Gregory said.

Before more could be said, Aliminus and Laozi appeared in the room.

“Pettit, you are being removed from this encampment,” Aliminus said flatly. “You broke the rules about leaving here.”

Gregory blinked at the archmage for a second, not understanding.

“You will be given a new task,” Laozi said, giving the archmage a look. “I cannot argue with him over the fact that you did leave the encampment. You were not the only one, though. The other person was snagged just as they stepped past the line. As such, they also needed to be removed.”

Aliminus’ grimace spoke volumes of his disagreement, but he was obviously just as stymied by the rules they’d agreed on. “Yes, yes. Considering the events of last night, we came to an agreement. As much as it pains me to ask this, would you be willing to act as a protector to my protégé?”

“Claudia?” Gregory asked.

Aliminus’ eye twitched at Gregory’s casual use of Claudia’s given name. “Miss Firetongue, yes. You two will be given a place to reside, along with a box to watch the game in the arena. I do not know if your foresight can stay active the entire time, but she will be in your charge.”

“Why don’t you just remove her from the tournament area?” Gregory asked. “Wouldn’t that be easier?”

“Until we finish finding out who and why, I dare not let her go without a trusted guardian,” Aliminus said tightly. “I am here and can step in if needed. She will be given an item to summon me, but you will be her first line of defense so she can do so.”

Gregory looked at Laozi standing by impassively. “Sir, it wasn’t Nick, was it?”

Laozi shook his head. “He never had the time to set up something like this, Pettit. This is a Buldoun problem. If Shun was going to lash out, he would have lashed out against the one who got him removed from the tournament.”

“Yes, sir,” Gregory said before looking at Aliminus. “Sir, Claudia is a friend. I will do my very best to make sure she remains safe, just like I did last night when I shielded her.”

“I had questions about why the two of you were alone,” Aliminus said tightly.

“Sparring had just ended and she wanted to speak with me alone, sir. We never got the chance, though, because the assassin attacked the moment Egil was out of sight.”

“What was this sparring?” Aliminus asked intently.

Gregory took a few minutes to explain what last night had entailed. “It was a good night until the very end.”

“You deliberately did not kill the men when you caught up to them,” Laozi said. “Why?”

“Because someone would need to question them, sir. How did you both know to appear when you did?”

“We were speaking with Lightshield when he looked distant, then told us where to go and why,” Laozi explained. “A guard would have gotten us in an hour, which is how he knew.”

“Very well,” Aliminus snorted. “Gather your things. I will go retrieve Firetongue.”

The second after Aliminus vanished, Gregory turned to Laozi. “Did I do something wrong, sir?”

Laozi laughed. “No, not at all. He is just mad that she wanted to spend time with you and that you managed to keep her safe.”

Gregory’s brow furrowed. “He’s mad that she’s my friend?”

Laozi gave Gregory a long look, then nodded. “He has plans for her, and her being distracted worries him.”

“Oh... Is she going to be safe?”

Laozi chuckled at Gregory’s concern. “She will weather his plans. He is as old as I am, so she will not have to deal with him for long. I also believe she will be growing faster now. From what I have been told, she is pushing on two different, complicated paths, as her friends are.”

Gregory’s eyes shifted away from Laozi. “I see.”

“You have built strong friendships here. Be proud of them. I am sure that, in the fullness of time, they will mean more than most can guess. Do what you think is best, and everything will work out. I will explain things to your wives, as they will no doubt hear rumors.”

“Thank you, sir,” Gregory said, bowing from his seat.

“Finish eating. They will be back shortly.”

Gregory turned back to his food. I wonder what accommodations are being made? he mused as he tried to finish breakfast.

When Aliminus and Claudia appeared in the tent, Gregory was waiting with Laozi. Claudia saw him, and almost moved to embrace him, but stopped and bowed formally. “My deepest thanks for your intervention, Gregory.”

“I’ll always help a friend,” Gregory replied. “Yuki, Jenn, Mindie, and the others would’ve been upset if you’d been injured, too.”

“I am transporting you to your room. From there, you can make it to the box set aside for you without overt danger. I will make sure the one to bring you refreshments is vetted personally. You are not to leave the area for any reason.”

“Yes, sir,” Gregory replied, bowing.

“I understand, Archmage,” Claudia said, a hint of coldness to her tone. “Your bracelet is on my arm. Any hint of danger, and I will call for you as soon as I can.”

“Be sure that you do. My apprentice must do as they are told.”

“When it comes to magic, I will,” Claudia said firmly.

Aliminus’ brow furrowed, and he snapped his fingers.

Gregory jerked a little as he looked around. “One of the waiting rooms?”

“Yes, the Buldoun one,” Claudia said. “The curtain is new and firmly attached, but thin enough for us to be able to just see out of. Obviously so we can have privacy while we’re in here. Can’t see much over the terrain features they have set up, as it is.”

Gregory looked around to see two cots set up near them, and a divider on the far side of the room. He went to check around it and found a small tub and chamber pot. “Not a lot of room or privacy.”

Claudia was right behind him. “We can make it work, Greg, unless you’d rather not be near me?”

Gregory turned around, then took a half-step back, as Claudia had been nearly on top of him. “It’s fine. As you said, we can make it work. Not sure I can do as much as Aliminus hopes I can, but I’ll do my best to keep you safe.”

Claudia looked up at him, her eyes searching his face. Not seeing what she’d hoped, she stepped back with a sad smile on her lips. “I know you will, Greg.” She turned away from him, looking over the room they had. “I’ll have to ask about a table and chairs. How can we eat without those?”

“I’d ask for a chabudai and cushions, instead. We can store it under a bed when it’s not in use,” Gregory said, coming up behind her. “Without the other furniture added, there’s just enough room here for us to be able to do the Peaceful Fist.”

“You’ll practice with me?” Claudia asked.

“You’re interested, aren’t you? We can do that and the Resonant Mind, if you’d like?”

“You really think I could do both?”

Gregory suddenly hesitated, as he knew what that meant. She’d walk all three paths if she could do both. Her wanting to talk to him last night and the comments from the others over the tournament suddenly crystallized for him. A soft laugh touched his mind, and Gregory relaxed.

“Is that what you want?” Gregory asked.

Claudia’s breath caught when she heard the question. Licking her lips, she turned to look directly at him. Her eyes searched his face again and, this time, a shy smile crossed her face. “I would. It’s impulsive. At least, that’s what I keep being told, but I know it’s not. I felt something that very first time I saw you... well, you, Jenn, Yuki, and the rest. Deep inside me, a warmth grew, as if I’d found long-lost loved ones.”

Gregory could see the same hope in her that he’d seen in his other friends. “It’ll be years... maybe decades.”

Claudia sighed, “I know. Yuki told me what I need to do. It’s why I’m doing something that the archmage derides me for. ‘Following the Peaceful Fist and the Resonant Mind is foolish, Claudia. Give up one of them.’” She wasn’t even close to the archmage’s’ voice, but it was enough that Gregory understood that she was quoting him. “I won’t give up either of them. I have to walk both to do as your wives and future wives do. I am slightly upset that I’ll be made to wait so much longer than them, but that’s just my pride.” Laughing lightly, she stepped forward and touched his cheek gently. Her hand shook slightly, as if she was afraid he’d pull away from her. “But if that’s one of the tests I must pass, so be it. Do you believe in fate, Greg?”

Gregory stared into her eyes, touching her hand on his face. “No. I’ve seen the different paths of the future. I know that everything can be changed.” Seeing her expression fall, he reached out to touch her chin gently. “I also know that some moments are key points where things can change in many ways. Maybe those are fated points.”

Claudia’s thumb traced his cheek before she jerked backward. “Yes. Maybe. Sorry, Greg. We can do this, and I will be respectful to my friends, you, and… even to my former family.”

Gregory gave her a crooked smile. “Sounds a lot like the promise I made while courting Yuki.”

“Oh?”

“Well, the game hasn’t started yet, so we should have enough time. I doubt she’s told you the story of how we married?”

“No, she hasn’t.” Claudia went to her bed and took a seat. “Please?”

“It was shortly after I arrived at the academy that I met her,” Gregory started, taking a seat on his own bed.

Chapter Fifty-eight

The sound of people filling up the stadium reached them as Gregory finished his story about marrying Yukiko.

“That’s so sweet,” Claudia sighed, a wistful smile on her lips. “How did Jenn end up joining your family?”

Gregory looked at the curtain cutting off their casual sight into the arena. “Why don’t I save that for later? We can go up and watch the game today, at least.”

“You’re that interested in it?” Claudia asked.

“I’ll likely end up in battle at some point. All magi do. This is just another form of training.” He paused as he stood up, offering her his hand. “Besides, my friends are playing, and I want to see how they do.”

“Future wives, you mean?” Claudia smiled as she let him pull her to her feet.

Gregory’s cheeks tinged. “Well, yes.”

“Then we should go. Knowing more about my future wives would be good for me, too,” Claudia said as she headed for the door.

“Confidence, you have an abundance of,” Gregory chuckled, “and most of it is warranted.”

Claudia’s cheeks pinked for a second. “My pride is my weakness, that I am sure of. I’ll find out in time when I find my resonance. I will embrace it, accept what is, then admit it to the others like Yuki said needs to be done.” Her hand rested on the door. “Be it a month, a year, or a lifetime, I’ll do what I must to join the family I’ve found again.”

Before she could open the door, Gregory’s hand reached over hers to rest against the wood. “I believe you will, Claudia. Step aside, please. I’m supposed to be your guard. I cannot let you go first.”

Looking over her shoulder, her breath caught. He was standing directly behind her, his arm coming just over her shoulder. She had a brief moment of thinking about what he could do to her like that before she lowered her gaze. “As you must, but I will not shrink back if danger comes for us.”

As she slid to the side, Gregory watched her. “I know. I won’t try to coddle you, just shield you.”

That trust in her made Claudia’s blood heat as a smile bloomed on her face. All throughout her life, people tried to coddle her, protect her from what they didn’t want her to see or do. Even the archmage was trying to wrap her in protection, but she wasn’t a fragile little girl. The fact that Greg and his wives accepted her as able and willing to face danger made her want to sing. “Thank you.” The two words held so much emotion that she wasn’t sure if they did the moment justice.

Gregory gave her a warm smile. “To stand with us, you have to be able to face everything that comes.”

“Why did you shield me when the assassin attacked, then?” Claudia asked, as it’d been bothering her slightly. It made her heart soar that he did, but she was worried that he’d always try to shield her.

“Reflex. It was natural,” Gregory said softly. “I could’ve cast the shield behind you instead of interposing myself, but my body moved with what was right. I didn’t stay to shield you, after all. I chased the man because I knew you’d be fine once you knew there was a threat.”

Claudia blinked slowly, her face heating again. “You did... Very well. I’ll never complain if you must stand between me and harm, as long as you allow me to do the same.”

“Yuki says my hearts must be ready to protect each other,” Gregory murmured. “None of us will try to stop you from doing that. I haven’t talked with Yuki about you in this way, but something in my core tells me that she’ll accept this.”

“That’s my dearest wish now,” Claudia said, then cleared her throat. “I’m ready, Greg.”

Gregory looked into the future briefly before opening the door. He stared at the six armored men in the hallway. “It’s safe?”

“Yes, sir. We’ll be making sure that only you two and the single maid are allowed into the hall,” the oldest of the men said, a ragged scar marring his head where his ear was missing.

“Thank you,” Gregory said. “Claudia, it’s clear.”

“Lead me, Greg.”

Gregory kept foresight running as he walked the hall. He felt foolish when they got to the box to see the arena, as nothing happened, but he’d rather be safe. The lower hall had stairs that led to an upper hallway, and that hallway only held a young woman, only a year or two their junior, in maid attire.

“Which box do we use?” Gregory asked, pointing at the six doors in the hallway.

“All of them have been covered with a light gauze,” the maid, Griselda, replied. “You can use any or all of them, changing as you wish.”

“Can people see into the boxes?”

“Only to tell that someone is sitting in them, but not whom.”

“Okay,” Gregory said softly as he considered things.

“Is there a problem, Greg?” Claudia asked.

“Thinking of how to make things even safer for you. We’ll take this box today. Miss, do you know the clothing dummies used by clothiers?” he asked the maid.

“Yes, sir.”

“Later tonight, or very early tomorrow morning before the arena opens again, I want five sets of them brought in, please. Just from the waist up.”

“You mean to sit them in the other boxes we don’t use,” Claudia said, seeing his plan. “You think it’ll be needed?”

“They were bold enough to try it once. I think their second attempt, if there is one, will be more involved. If we change boxes, shifting the dummies each day, it will help. The downside is that the dummies don’t move, but a little confusion can help.”

“Have the guards bring in heavy curtains,” Claudia said. “I want them placed inside the gauze so each can be closed as needed. They can start on that today.”

“So we can change boxes at any time?” Gregory nodded, seeing her idea. “Hmm... yes. I wish my wives weren’t waiting to be called in. They could make this easier. We’ll work with what we have.”

The maid stared at them in shock. It sounded like they planned to be attacked at any moment. “I… I’ll make sure it’s handled,” she stuttered before regaining her composure.

“Thank you,” Gregory said. “This box works for today. Can we get some tea? Orange or berry, please.”

“Oh, and some of those flakey pastries being sold in the bazaar,” Claudia smiled. “In fact, you’ll procure food every day from a random vendor. Don’t visit any vendor twice in a row, but after you’ve avoided them at least once for the same meal, you can revisit them.”

“They’d have to poison a lot of people to try getting you that way,” Gregory nodded. “That might be for the best.”

“It feels a lot like court,” Claudia sighed. “So much intrigue. I’d hoped to be done with it until Aliminus took an interest in me.”

Gregory gave the maid a nod. “Go on.”

The young woman hurried off.

“I’d like to hear that story,” Gregory said, opening a box other than the one he’d said they’d be in. He checked it, then waved her in.

“Why?” Claudia asked.

“Because I want to know what you think of his choices.”

“I mean why did you pick a different box?”

“A small test,” Gregory said.

“Ah. Very well.” Claudia took her seat, looking at the arena floor. The gauze made it hazy to see, but it was clear enough for them. “They really did a great job.”

Gregory whistled softly as he looked over the gameboard. The pieces were bigger and had banners that clearly denoted what was what so anyone could read them. “A lot of money went into this.”

“That’s what our country does,” Claudia said. “Money is prestige and power here. Even a rich merchant can find their way into nobility if they marry correctly.”

Taking his seat, Gregory turned to face her. “So, the archmage, when did he first single you out? It sounded like this tournament was going to choose his apprentice.”

“A lie to make it seem better to everyone. All of the other mages knew better. Okay, first, there’s a lot you need to understand about my family and the royal family.”

Gregory settled in, watching her. “Go ahead. We have time.”

Claudia relaxed. He wanted to know about her, and that made her happy. He wasn’t trying to use her for power— he was just interested in her the way no one else had ever been before. “Well, the Firetongue family can trace its line all the way to the founding of Buldoun. Technically, we can go back a few generations further than that, but no one really speaks of those years.”

Gregory just smiled as he watched her warm to the topic.

~*~*~

About a half-hour later, there was a knock on the door. Gregory triggered foresight before the door opened, then nodded. Claudia had cut off, confused. She looked toward the door as it opened to admit the maid with a tea set on a tray.

Griselda came in, shutting the door gently, before setting the tea service on a table to the side. “How would you like your tea?”

“How did you find us?” Claudia asked with a hint of suspicion.

The woman froze. “I…”

“Show me the ring,” Gregory said when she hesitated. “The ring the archmage gave you.”

Griselda swallowed hard, but she set the tea service aside, then advanced toward them. There was a simple silver band on her index finger.

“What?” Claudia asked.

“Sorry. I looked ahead when she knocked,” Gregory said. “He’s a man who sets multiple things in play. He doesn’t trust me entirely, so besides your bracelet to call for him, he gave your maid a ring so she can always find you. What else does it do?” he asked.

She flushed, looking down. “It will inform me if she’s injured or poisoned.”

Claudia exhaled roughly. “A guard ring?”

“What’s that?” Gregory asked.

“It’s paired with another item, like the bracelet. It reports on the health of the bracelet’s wearer. The royals use them, as do other powerful families. Normally, the head of the guard wears the ring.”

Gregory closed his eyes, recalling the hallway and the guard with the missing ear. “He has one, too. I didn’t think about him having a ring on his hand before now.”

“I’m not a glass doll!” Claudia hissed.

“It’s okay,” Gregory said gently, addressing the maid who’d gone white. “She wouldn’t harm you.”

“Sorry,” Claudia exhaled roughly. “I take one spoonful of sugar in my tea. Please serve us.”

“I thought he’d have other cards in play,” Gregory said. “Miss, how often are you to check on us?”

The maid wasn’t facing them as she fixed a cup for Claudia. “Every hour, sir. Twice a night at random, as well.”

“Only twice?” Gregory chuckled. “Or is that twice after we go to bed?”

“After bed, sir...” Griselda whispered. “Please... I’m only doing as I’ve been told to do.”

“It’s fine,” Gregory said before Claudia could say anything. “We all do as we must. Just knock so I can look into the future to see if it’s you. If the door opens without a knock, I’m likely to react as if it’s a threat.”

“Yes, sir,” Griselda whispered, then turned back with the teacup. “Your tea, miss.”

Gregory accepted it, taking a sip first. His eyebrow twitched. “Too sweet for me.”

“My taste tester, too?” Claudia asked him.

“I’ll take my job seriously,” Gregory said. “Every food or drink will be sampled first. Buldoun is known for poisons, after all.”

Claudia accepted the cup when he handed it to her. “Very well.”

“And you, sir?” Griselda asked, standing by the tea service.

“Plain.”

“Yes, sir.”

Chapter Fifty-nine

The day went by lazily, as the game didn’t see a lot of action. Everyone was building forces, clearly looking to move forward soon. Gregory paid attention to three specific markers— each had sent out a lot of scouts to check their surroundings.

“Why are they doing that?” Claudia asked, pointing to the three Aether’s Guard banners. “No one else has done the same.”

“Checking possible ambush sites, fallback positions, and other terrain features they might use later,” Gregory said. “You’ll also note they haven’t brought other troops into play.”

“Yes. Everyone else has at least some conscripts, if not better troops.”

“There’s a reason for that.”

“They’re building the coin to bring in others?”

“Oh, I’m sure part of that’s true, but there’s a rarely used ruleset about villages and towns where you can build loyalty for the settlement. It’s like conscripts, but for defense. If anyone attacks a village or town that has high loyalty, they have to defend against loyal conscripts, as the people will rise up.”

“What?”

“Rarely used, but still a rule,” Gregory chuckled. “Also, since it isn’t a move, like bringing in conscripts, it wouldn’t be talked about as much. It’s just an expenditure of money and making sure your troops are in line.”

Claudia looked at the board again. “They pushed your friends to the far north end, as well. The war is starting in the extreme south.”

“Yes, which will give them more time to work with, unless someone up there does what Petar did and attacks. But if you look at the ones closest to Petar, they’re moving of their own accord to the south to support him and really begin the war.”

“Buldoun is clearly the aggressor here,” Claudia said.

“History is written by the winners,” Gregory said. “If they can make a hard push and take enough ground, when everything ends, they can say they were forced into it. It’s clearly a lie to us, but to people in the future, it would be true enough.”

“Hmm... that does make sense with the history I’ve read. Both of our nations have attacked and been attacked, using… unlikely reasons, in some cases.”

“Yes. Tomorrow will see Petar be reinforced by Wilhelm. Together, they can make a push at Klein, putting him in an untenable position. He’s already retreated once; to do so again will cost him a lot of morale with his men. Staying to fight against the combined forces of those two will likely cost him his men, at the very least.”

“And late tomorrow will see Britany arriving to add on to that. That town will be lost, regardless.”

“Which will embolden Buldoun. They might be able to remove the penalty Petar hit your side with early.”

“Why hasn’t Klein raised conscripts yet?” Claudia asked as she stared at the board.

“Archers. He’s going to get at least one set tomorrow, is my guess... maybe two? Given the town walls and archers, he could cost any attack for the assault. Add in the work he’s having done outside the town and I’m betting he’s creating obstacles to slow attackers. All we’ve been told is earthworks. He isn’t making trenches for his men, so my theory should prove right.”

“There’s so much more to this than I thought,” Claudia murmured. “Mages aren’t taught much of the game. We don’t go to war often. If we do, it’s for specific objectives. They either pay us or the crown pushes us in.”

Gregory paused. “The crown…? Wait... in a war, your royalty can field you, without cost to the general?”

“Yes. It’s part of our obligation for being trained as we are.”

“This… isn’t discussed in our books.”

“Because it only happens when a real war is underway. Empire’s Gambit is mostly for small-scale battles.”

“The archmage is waiting for the war to really dig in, and then he’ll field your allies.”

“The captains won’t pay for us unless they’re certain it’s worth the cost. We knew it would come when we were told it was a war.”

“That changes how the empire should view the fight, and none of them know that,” Gregory sighed.

“I’m sure your side has tricks that aren’t in the books,” Claudia smiled.

“Not that I know of,” Gregory murmured. “The game is over, and the crowd is thinning. Shall we retire for some Peaceful Fist, dinner, and maybe some studying?”

Claudia rose gracefully to her feet. “That sounds lovely.”

Gregory led her out of the box, pausing in the hall. “Griselda, we’ll need the bath filled in an hour, and dinner in two, please.”

“Yes, sir,” the maid curtsied. She trailed them, ready to get her task done for them.

The hall had a different set of guards, and Gregory used foresight as he moved through the hall. None of the men did or said anything to trigger Gregory to react. Back in the room, with Griselda having gone to get water, Gregory pulled off his outer robe and tossed it onto a bed.

“Okay, you’ve done this a few times. Do you think you have the pattern down?” Gregory asked, taking the first stance of the Peaceful Fist.

Claudia nodded. “I believe so.”

“Then you lead,” Gregory said. “I’ll follow you.”

Taking a calming breath, Claudia took the first stance. “Very well. We begin by flowing to the back foot.”

Gregory was pulled from his meditation twice, both times when a knock came on the door. Griselda was efficient with her task to fill and heat the tub. She was curious as she went past them both times, as neither stopped their training. She was just glad they were behaving— the one thing she didn’t want to do is call for the archmage because of impropriety.

~*~*~

When meditation ended, Claudia was covered in a light sheen of sweat. “Not as bad, but still taxing to me,” she beamed.

“By the end of the tournament, you’ll probably be used to it,” Gregory smiled back. “We have time to bathe before dinner arrives. You go first. I’ll step into the hall.”

“No,” Claudia said firmly. “What if I’m attacked while in the bath?”

“It would take a spatial magi or a shadow magi to manage it,” Gregory said slowly, “but it could happen…” He trailed off, thinking. “I could push foresight to verify your safety.”

“Or you can sit on your bed while I bathe,” Claudia said simply. “It treads a line, but as long as you don’t leave your bed, it’ll be fine. This way, you’re here and ready to assist if something happens.”

Gregory stared at her for a moment, then looked at the divider separating the bath from the rest of the room. It reminded him of his massage and bath at Felina’s with Yukiko. “Very well.”

Claudia started to say something, but closed her mouth, blushing slightly. “Good. I won’t dally.”

Gregory went over to his bed. Taking a seat, he pulled his legs up, assuming a lotus position. “I’ll work on my resonance.”

“I was hoping you’d tell me about Jenn joining your family,” Claudia said as she went around the divider. “I told you how my family line came about. I figured that, tomorrow, I can answer your question about Aliminus.”

“That’s true,” Gregory said, staying seated. “Let’s see... it was after the first tournament. She’d joined the clan and started training with us.” Gregory paused when Claudia’s dress flopped onto the top of the divider.

“She didn’t have any problems joining the clan? I’ve heard stories of how difficult it can be to join clans.”

Claudia’s question jolted the thought of her undressing behind the divider from Gregory’s mind. “Huh? Oh, no. We invited her to a dinner we had with the elder, and he accepted her without a problem. Anyway, during the six months of training together, Yuki and Jenn were apparently having conversations that I wasn’t aware of.”

Claudia laughed as her shift joined her dress. “That makes sense to me. Jenn was clearly asking about joining you?”

“Uh... yeah,” Gregory said, closing his eyes, again pushing thoughts out of his mind. “I had no idea. Then, it came time for the second tournament. Yuki and Jenn started talking about a bet, one that came when they had to fight each other in the second to last fight. It was about Jenn not being able to ask for a whole year if she lost. I still had no idea what it was about, then.”

The sound of Claudia stepping into the tub came clearly to Gregory. “How were you so oblivious?”

“I only loved Yuki,” Gregory said, meditating lightly to keep his mind on track. “I really liked Jenn, and I wanted her to be our friend forever. It was after the tournament when Yuki told me about the bet, then asked if I could accept Jenn into our family.”

“I’m sure that was an easy choice,” Claudia laughed.

“No, it wasn’t,” Gregory said. “What if it broke our friendship? What if it hurt Yuki or Jenn? Yuki was afraid I’d go run off and pull Jenn into our relationship right away, maybe marginalizing her in the process.”

“I apologize,” Claudia said softly. “I know a few who would’ve done just that. But I can never see you marginalizing Yuki. The love between the two of you is… powerful. I would say the love you have for Jenn is the same.”

“It wasn’t back then,” Gregory clarified. “I was told before we left the academy for our month-long training between years. I said I’d be willing, but that we needed to go slow and see if it would work.”

“How long did you wait?”

“It was during our time in Waterrock. I felt more and more connected to her. The mixed bathing probably helped that along, honestly. Seeing Yuki and Jenn naked side-by-side, comfortable with each other and with me, eased some fears. It took an incident to propel us to full acceptance. We’d asked the cook there to make us a meal that would let us meditate, like you can during a tea ceremony. He did, but he made it too powerful. What we experienced during that moment let me finally accept what was.”

“I’ve heard the ceremonies can be powerful for those on the soul path, more than for anyone else.”

“Ours… can be,” Gregory hedged, not willing to give her more. “The next morning, we went to Aether’s temple in town and married.”

“She didn’t have to wait as long as Yuki, at least,” Claudia laughed, the sound of sloshing water coming from her side of the divider.

“No, she didn’t. I won’t force the women my wives agree on to wait like Jenn did, either.”

“That bodes well for me, then.”

“For all of you,” Gregory chuckled. “You’re really going to be okay with what it looks like my family will be?”

“All the love? Greg, if you could truly understand the lack of that emotion in most noble families…” Claudia trailed off with a sigh. “Yes. I’ll embrace all of them, love them as they love each other, and hope that you all return that love to me.”

“That’ll happen,” Gregory said softly. “Yuki’s determined to see me buried in love and to extend that to everyone with us.”

He heard sloshing water again just before Claudia’s face appeared around the divider. Seeing him across the room, she smirked. “Impressive willpower. Many men would have tried to peek at least once.”

Gregory gave her a smile, still lightly meditating. “Trust is worth more than a quick thrill.”

Claudia’s expression softened. “Thank you... I’ll be done in a moment.”

“I’ll be right here.”

“Yes, you really will,” Claudia said happily as she pulled back from the divider. “I’ll be quick.”

She was true to her word, but Gregory blinked at her. She was wearing clothing like he’d never seen before. “Uh... what is that?”

“Pajamas. Night clothing... you don’t know about them? What do you sleep in?”

Gregory hesitated. “My underclothes, since I’ll be sharing this room with you.”

“Otherwise?”

“Nothing,” Gregory admitted, blushing.

“I wish I hadn’t asked now. You might’ve done that without thinking,” Claudia said, her lips trembling as she tried to hold a smile back.

“I might have,” Gregory admitted. “Excuse me while I wash.”

Chapter Sixty

Gregory woke with a smile at the faint sound of the third bell chiming. Being as quiet as he could be, he got dressed, then sat on his bed, meditating as he replayed the day’s previous moves on the Empire’s Gambit board.

The three Buldoun commanders all converged on Klein. Before the city was taken, he devastated their armies with archers and terrible terrain. With the city about to fall, he opened terms for surrender. His surrender gave Buldoun the city and removed the deficit from having started the war, as it was all clearly going their way so far.

The other magi from the Shining Light and all three from the Iron Hand chose that moment to attack the Buldoun commanders near them. That left Nilum as the only Shining Light magi on the board, and Farin as the remaining Iron Hand magi. In return, the magi had pulled down four of the Buldoun commanders.

This all went on while Aether’s Guard stayed in place, doing nothing. The Buldoun commanders near them had gone south, giving the others people to attack. Gregory laughed when play had been suspended the day before, because he knew what was coming today. Both Yukiko and Jenn had been fielded by Ling and Clover, and Roshana started fielding archers during that time. It was clear to Gregory that those troops were going to be handed off to his wives.

While the game played the day before, Gregory told Claudia about his friends fighting in the novice tournament back at the academy. Claudia had asked about them, so Gregory obliged her. In return, she was going to be the one talking today.

Thoughts of his friends at the academy reminded him that today would be their final eight. He wondered if any of them had made it; there was no way for him to find out in the short-term, but he was sure they’d send letters.

Fourth bell chimed and Gregory stretched. He looked at Claudia, who’d rolled onto her back, the blanket pushed to her waist. Blond hair tousled from sleep, face unlined as she snored lightly, Gregory had to admit she was pretty. Shaking his head, he stood up— it was time to wake her.

Gregory kneeled down beside her bed and touched her shoulder lightly. “Claudia, time to wake up.”

Claudia murmured, then rolled to face him. “Not yet... he’s about to kiss me.”

Gregory chuckled. “I’m really not.”

Forehead scrunching, her eyes peeled open to stare at him. “Yes, you are... the priest said we can.”

“We aren’t married, Claudia. It’s fourth bell. Time to wake up.”

Understanding slowly grew in her eyes, and her face turned light pink. “Oh... I’m sorry. I was dreaming.”

“About our wedding, it seems.”

Claudia sat up, not meeting his gaze, but she smiled. “Yes. You woke me before the kiss.”

“You told me. That’s years away, yet.”

“Sadly,” Claudia sighed as she stood up. “I’ll dress.”

Gregory stood up, stepping aside so she could get to the divider area easier. “Food should be here shortly.”

“You do this every day?”

“I was awake an hour ago,” Gregory told her. “It’s why I turn in when I do. Early to bed, early to rise. It’s just how we train.”

“If you all do it, I will, too,” Claudia said, then yawned. “Be right back.”

As Claudia got dressed, there came a soft knock on the door. Gregory used foresight before he answered it. “Thank you, Griselda. Let me get the table set up.”

By the time the food had been set out, Claudia was fully dressed. “Thank you,” Claudia told the maid.

“It is my honor, mistress,” Griselda said softly. “I will have the tea ready when you get to the boxes. Have the decoys been what you wanted?”

“They work fine,” Gregory smiled. “I’m just glad they haven’t been needed.”

Griselda curtsied, then left the room.

“Are we going to do the same morning training as yesterday?” Claudia asked as they sat down to eat.

“Magi Squares, studying Resonant Mind, resonance meditation, and then up to watch the game.”

“While I talk about my personal life. I’d like to hear about yours, as well, Greg.”

“That’s fair, though my life wasn’t all that exciting out on the fringe.”

“Fringe? Wait, you came from one of the outskirt villages? You speak very well for someone who did.”

“Thanks?” Gregory chuckled.

“I could have phrased that better,” Claudia smiled.

“We all have those moments. All the talking comes after training, though, so let’s get to it. Food first.”

~*~*~

When they made it up to the boxes, Gregory described Alturis and his life there, as it wasn’t normally a long story, but he had to touch on his mother’s death.

“Oh, Aether... that must’ve been terrible,” Claudia said as she took his hand.

“Yes... still painful, too,” Gregory cleared his throat.

Claudia squeezed his hand gently. “I didn’t know you had that kind of trauma in your past.”

“Yeah. Let’s talk about your past,” Gregory said, wanting to distance himself from the old pain.

“Of course. I was supposed to do that all of today,” Claudia said, not letting his hand go. “I told you about my family and how the archmage came to notice me at the academy. I guess my life was very different from yours. I’ve lived a life of pampered luxury, for the most part.”

Gregory didn’t try to move his hand— he let her hold it. It felt right to him, and he was learning to trust those feelings.

“A luxurious cage is what it was,” Claudia sighed as she looked out at the game. “Everything was calculated by my mother. I would have certain friends, wear specific clothing, and was forced to learn specific arts, all while smiling... forever smiling.”

“Sounds like Clover,” Gregory said. “She’s the person she is because being silly and funny lessened the attacks because of her heritage.”

“I’m sure she had it worse than me. After all, I had a gilded cage. If I wasn’t smiling, then I was letting my family down. A noble must be composed at all times. We must mask what we think and feel. No matter how much we hate something, we must smile. There is no freedom. I envy you that from your childhood, or even your friends’ childhoods. You all had more freedom than I did.”

Gregory shifted his hand, giving hers a squeeze.

“Thank you,” Claudia smiled. “Everything was arranged, and I had only to play the part required. Even when I hated something, I had to do it, like visiting the Yulin family. They’re a powerful merchant family and, if there’s one thing noble families will do, it’s marrying merchants into our lines. It’s best to bring more money in. Easy to do. Just give your daughters over.”

“You mentioned knowing them before?”

“My family had been considering them for me,” Claudia snorted. “Luckily, Yuki’s family beat mine to the table for arranging the marriage. Mother never thought it would succeed, so instead of finding another for me, we kept visiting them. Gods, I hate that pig... No, I shouldn’t say that. There’s no need to insult pigs, after all.”

“Dan Yulin?”

“Yes. You heard Yuki speak about him. I visited their family every year to keep me in their minds. That thing of a ‘son’ was repulsive. It didn’t matter, though... Mother would see us wed. She just needed an opening. Did you know that my birthday is in five days?”

“No, I didn’t. Happy early birthday, in case I’m not here when it comes,” Gregory said. “That does make you the third person I know with a birthday before the month ends. Both Nessa and Daciana also have birthdays around now.”

“I like having things in common with them,” Claudia smiled. “The point is that the Yulin family got word of Yuki being a magi a day before my birthday. Mother wasted no time— we were heading for their estate that evening.”

“That’s terrible,” Gregory said.

“Yes, but not for me,” Claudia smiled. “They put off talking until the next morning, when I reached adulthood. When they went to meet and arrange the marriage, I went with Mother. Dan was there, eyeing me like I was already naked and waiting for him to consummate our marriage. Before they could even broach the topic, I stood up. It broke decorum. Mother was furious, but with a smile on her face, she asked if something was wrong.”

“Oh... I can sense the shift,” Gregory murmured, squeezing her hand gently.

“I declared that I would attend the mage college. That brought everyone to a halt. Anyone can declare for the mage college and be tested, street urchin or noble. If we test as a mage, we are accepted. Nothing, not even the king, can stop it if someone declares they want to test.”

“Your mother took that badly, no doubt?”

“Not as badly as Dan. Oh, how he raged. He threw his teacup across the room, damning all of us ‘Aether-loving sluts’ for stopping him from marrying. His mother was mortified, as was mine. Neither acted like it, but I could see it in their eyes. He snarled that he hoped I tested null. If I did, he’d marry me to teach me my place.”

“I’m glad you didn’t.”

“Not as much as I was,” Claudia exhaled. She looked at him, squeezing his hand back. “Or as happy as I am right now.”

Gregory flushed just a tiny bit, then smiled back at her. “How did they take his words?”

“They agreed,” Claudia sighed. “Worked out a whole contract right there. I was taken to the college a week later. My relief when aether sparked in me was tremendous. I was finally free… or so I thought at the time.”

“Because that’s when Aliminus started to groom you as his apprentice,” Gregory said. She’d told him about how the archmage had appeared during the academy acceptance ball— he hadn’t approached her right away, but she knew he’d been watching her the whole night.

“Yes. Does that help explain some of who I am to you?”

“A woman who won’t be put back into a cage,” Gregory said softly.

“No, but I will gladly bind my life to those I choose.”

A knock came on the door, and Gregory’s foresight told him that it was Griselda. “Come in,” Gregory called as he dropped foresight, removing his hand from Claudia’s.

Claudia gave him a questioning look.

“Foresight. Not a good thing to be seen,” Gregory whispered as the door opened. Claudia nodded in understanding. Griselda was Aliminus’ minion, and he would take it badly if he knew Claudia was already planning her future without him.

Griselda walked in with a tea service. “I have more tea for you. Did you want it in here, or in a different room?”

“Here’s fine. After tea, we’ll switch rooms,” Gregory said.

“Very well, sir.”

“As I was saying, though,” Claudia went on, “Yulin was married soon after I was admitted to the mage college. I do pity that poor woman. No doubt by now he has a half-score of mistresses, or even more.”

“Never heard anything good about him, that’s for sure. Just glad I never met him. I doubt we’d get along at all.”

“You two are polar opposites in every way,” Claudia smiled. “Yuki’s very lucky to be blessed by Aether. Then, I had the same luck when I was able to enter the mage’s college.”

“Your tea, miss,” Griselda said as she brought a cup to Gregory.

Gregory took the cup from her, triggered foresight, sipped from it, then handed it to Claudia.

“Thank you. Did you not wish to attend mage college?” Claudia asked.

“No, miss. I’m perfectly content being a maid.”

“Oh, the attendants are coming out to move the pieces,” Gregory said, drawing her attention back to the arena.

The announcer, Mikal, took the small stage near the empire’s waiting area from which all the attendants exited. “This round saw a lot of consolidation and movement, but no more combat. The two remaining magi in the center of their field have sacked the two Buldoun villages, then pulled back to begin building defenses.”

Boos echoed from the crowd.

“The Buldoun commanders to the south are busy gathering their men and calling for reinforcements. All three have currently taken the city as their outpost.”

The crowd cheered.

“That leaves the two northern commanders free to come crashing onto the two magi who are building defenses, while the southern three rebuild. The contingent of magi to the north, five of Aether’s Guard clan, have started to move. A shadow magi and physical enhancement magi moved to where their water magi was holding a town. They have taken command of the archers there. It seems likely that they’ll be moving south to try pinning the two northern Buldoun commanders between them and the defending magi.”

The pieces were moved by the attendants, who then filed back into the waiting room.

“The next few turns should see more battle,” Mikal boomed happily. “The oddsmakers in the stands will be adjusting for possible scenarios. Good luck!”

“I find that the oddest thing,” Gregory chuckled.

“Your tea, sir,” Griselda said, handing a cup to Gregory.

“Thank you.”

“The betting?” Claudia asked.

“Yeah. They’re betting on everything, even what each commander or magi will do. I can understand betting on a battle outcome, but not on if a mage will move to a town or push toward the magi.”

“It’s all about money,” Claudia said. “I wish I could bet, but we’re stuck here.”

Gregory frowned, then started to grin, his eyes landing on Griselda. “Griselda, would you like to make some easy money?”

Griselda glanced at the two of them, then shook her head. “I wish I could, sir, but I cannot do so.”

“How about a lesser amount to arrange for one of the guards to place the bet?” Claudia smiled broadly. “You just can’t say who it’s for, even if they know.”

Griselda considered it, then curtsied. “How may I assist you?”

Gregory exhaled. “I need to push a few hours into the future to see what happens. It’ll hurt my stored aether, but this will be a single chance to win big. Lots of small bets scattered over a few oddsmakers.”

“That’s for the best,” Claudia said as she pulled a large coin purse out from a storage ring. “One percent of the winnings for you, Griselda, and two for the guard. Three if he insists on more. A single percent for the captain on duty so he looks the other way.”

“Accepted, mistress.”

Gregory grinned. He thought about taking advantage of his aether in a way that even the natives would admit was well done.

Chapter Sixty-one

Claudia mumbled when she woke up. Blinking her bleary eyes, she smiled at Gregory. “Good morning, dear one.”

“Time to wake. Breakfast will be here soon.”

Claudia sat up, then leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

“That was more than I expected out of you.”

“I would do more... I want to do more, but I haven’t been approved for it by Yuki and the others,” Claudia sighed as she stood. “Even if they did, I’m sure it wouldn’t be much more. Maybe a real kiss at the most, but even that…” She trailed off, looking wistful when she went around the divider.

“I’d think it’d just be that,” Gregory said. “We kissed our novice friends farewell when we left the academy.”

“We?”

“Yuki, Jenn, and I. A kiss from each of them for each of us. Victoria went a little bit further and had to apologize.” Gregory paused— he wasn’t sure why he was telling her, but it felt natural to him.

“Oh? What did she do?”

Gregory coughed as he thought back to Victoria grinding herself against his thigh. “She might have pressed parts of herself against me, then rocked her hips. I bit her lip for doing so.”

There was a gasp before Claudia breathlessly asked, “She’s trouble, isn’t she?”

“She was at that moment. We all know she has to be handled with care.”

A shuddery exhale came from Claudia. “Yes... Handled is probably the right word. My skirts are causing a problem. I’ll be a little longer.”

Gregory frowned at the divider, as her words felt wrong to his resonance. When a mostly-stifled moan came from the other side, Gregory’s face flushed as he suddenly understood why they’d felt wrong. Claudia wouldn’t want to admit to what was happening, and he wasn’t going to ask.

The knock on the door had Gregory moving to it without thought, wanting distance. He opened it to reveal Griselda with breakfast. “I have this today,” Gregory said, taking the tray from her. “We’ll see you upstairs.”

Griselda frowned at him. “Sir... I have to come in,” she said softly.

Gregory nodded, having hoped to spare Claudia the embarrassment. “Very well.” He went to put the tray on his bed as he pulled the table out from under it.

Griselda came into the room, looking around. “Mistress?”

“Oh… uh… I-I’ll be out in a moment,” Claudia stammered.

“Is something wrong, mistress?” Griselda asked, stepping up to the divider. “Maybe I can assist.” She looked around it and her eyes went wide.

“Yes. Come help me dress,” Claudia said tightly. “My skirts have been giving me trouble.”

“O-oh. Of course, mistress.”

Gregory shook his head, doing his best to not imagine what Griselda had just seen. He started putting the food out when he caught a small whisper.

“Did he do something, mistress?” Griselda’s voice was very soft.

“No. I just had a dream and needed relief,” Claudia whispered back. “Now shhh! He might hear us.”

“I see the problem, mistress. It’s the buttons,” Griselda said loudly.

Gregory’s face flushed for a moment, as he had confirmation about what Griselda had seen. He was back to normal, seated and ready to eat, when the pair came around the divider. Griselda’s face was blank, though her cheeks were red. Claudia wore an exasperated expression, but smiled.

“Breakfast is ready,” Gregory said, serving himself. “We’ll be up at the normal time, Griselda.”

“Yes, of course,” the maid said, leaving the room with quick steps.

Claudia took her seat, serving herself, clearly debating something internally. “Greg... about the kiss…”

“On the cheek should be fine,” Gregory said when she trailed off.

“Oh. Very well,” Claudia smiled. “I feel like I should tell you the truth, though...”

“There’s no need,” Gregory said quickly.

Claudia looked up at him, then away. “Ah… so you did hear?”

“Yeah...” Gregory said a little awkwardly. “If you need me to step out of the room for a little bit, I can do that.”

“Umm... yes... maybe for a few minutes after breakfast,” Claudia mumbled. “But… you… could just stay on your side of the divider. To ensure my safety.”

Gregory exhaled slowly through his nose as he chewed his food. If not for Mindie, that suggestion would have shocked him beyond belief. Now, it gave him pressing problems he hadn’t anticipated, more than her quiet session already had.

“That might be more than would be good for me,” Gregory said honestly.

“I understand,” Claudia murmured. “I didn’t mean to disgust you.”

Gregory snorted. “Not disgusted. I already understand the idea of having others watch or showing them.”

“Oh…! I meant separate… but if you’d rather I be on my bed...?” Claudia’s face was bright red now as she bit her lip.

“Whoa!” Gregory said quickly. “I…! T-that…!”

Claudia was breathing a touch roughly, not looking at him. “This is naughty… but I feel so excited right now...”

As long as I don’t touch, it’s fine, right? Gregory asked himself. Yuki and Jenn both said looking is fine, but touching without their approval isn’t. What would this count as? Shaking his head, he pushed his young hormones down sharply.

“I want to say yes, Claudia,” he said a little shakily, “but I can’t. Not without approval from my wives. Mindie would probably jump at the chance to watch you, though.”

Claudia rocked in place. Her lips pressed into a thin line, her eyelids twitching as she sat there. After a few seconds, she let out a long, shaky breath. “That... uh... would be for later, then. Aether, I never thought just words and thoughts would…” she trailed off, letting out another shaky breath.

Gregory’s face burned as he figured out her meaning. “Uh... oh. Well, glad to help.”

Claudia’s head whipped up. Her face was red, and not just from embarrassment. “Oh, yes. Thank you. That wasn’t what I’d meant, but… it worked.”

The two lapsed into silence as they finished breakfast. Tension filled the room, but Gregory was at least able to calm down.

~*~*~

As they finished eating, a thought came to Gregory. “Was this because of yesterday? The bigger desire?”

Claudia flushed again, then giggled. “A bit, yes. You were so dominant when deciding what to bet on. When the commander of the guard came up to get better percentages, I was going to call it off, but you worked it out so that we all made a tidy sum.”

“It felt like you might back out, but I’d already pushed to get the answers. It felt wasteful to not use what we already knew. I didn’t expect you to want to double up twice. The oddsmakers had to feel that. We probably shouldn’t try it again.”

“A pity, but that’s wise, or else they might figure it out. Many merchants have their guards bet for them, so yesterday might’ve just been a merchant house being lucky. You did make the guards very happy.”

“And Griselda,” Gregory chuckled, thinking back to the look on the maid’s face when she was given her cut of the proceeds.

“She was shocked into speechlessness… maybe that’s why she didn’t raise a fuss this morning? I’m sure she should’ve reported that to the archmage, but it might have been a gray area that she can skirt around...” Claudia looked suddenly worried.

The door opened without warning. Gregory spun, his naginata coming into his hand as he sprang to his feet. Griselda froze in the doorway. She was inches from the naked blade of the naginata, her eyes as big as saucers.

“I warned you about that,” Gregory exhaled a rough breath as he let his ring take the weapon away. “I was barely able to stop myself in time.”

Griselda grabbed the doorframe. “Sorry, but I had to. If I think there’s anything inappropriate, I have to make an unscheduled, unannounced visit. Those are my orders, sir.”

“And because of this morning, you had to,” Claudia said softly. “Do you have to report it?”

Griselda shook her head. “Not if my surprise check is fine.”

Gregory sighed as he went over to her. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” Griselda said with a rough breath. “I know you’re dangerous, but that was…” She swallowed. “Thank you for stopping.”

“I would’ve felt terrible,” Gregory said softly. “Come in. We’re done with breakfast, and you can check more thoroughly, if you’d like.”

Griselda nodded slowly as she entered the room. “I’ll just take the empty dishes.” She glanced at Claudia. “Sorry, mistress.”

“No. It’s fine. We both know who asked you to put your life in danger. We also know who enriched you beyond your dreams. While I would never ask you to break your contract, I will ask that you keep this morning just between us. It would tarnish me greatly if people heard I was unable to control myself.”

Griselda paused beside the table, then curtsied deeply. “Mistress, if it pleases you, when my contract for this task is done, I would gladly become your personal maid. If you don’t already have one at the college.”

“I do not. The school appointed me one and I dislike her. My family refused to allow my normal maid to come with me, since I’m technically outside of the family now. Gregory, do you think she would be the correct choice as my handmaiden?”

Gregory’s lips pursed and he pushed his foresight and resonance, focused on the question. He wasn’t sure it would work, but he wanted to try it. He felt his aether spin out of him as the future rushed ahead. It was years ahead of him when a resounding tap came back.

Cutting his aether off, Gregory sagged to his knees, breathing roughly. “Yes.”

“Are you okay, sir?” Griselda asked, stepping over to Gregory with worry etched on her face.

“Just pushing my aether harder than intended,” Gregory replied.

“Griselda, seeing your worry for my dear friend and hearing his approval... yes. When this is over and we return to the college, I will take you as my personal maid. Be warned that the archmage will try to keep you under his thumb, so don’t ask to go with me. Simply make your way there, and I’ll accept you when you arrive. This way, you’re beholden only to me. I’m sure you can’t accept another contract right now?”

“He made that a key part of his,” Griselda said. “He thought you might attempt to buy me over him.”

“Aliminus isn’t a fool, and yes, I would have. I know better than to ask, as I’m sure that would trigger a clause of yours.”

“It would. If you asked me to take you as priority over him, I have to report it to him. Since you have not, I don’t need to.”

“Contracts and money,” Gregory murmured. “Could she sign one ahead of time? With the addendum that, when her current contract ends, the new one begins?”

Claudia started to nod. “Yes. I should’ve thought of that. Griselda, is that what you want?”

“If it pleases you, mistress,” Griselda beamed. “His contract only states if you try to supersede his, not that I can’t line up more for after his ends.”

“Excellent,” Claudia said. She suddenly had ink and paper in front of her. “Let’s see…”

~*~*~

It took a few minutes for them to agree to terms, and Gregory was surprised. Griselda asked for a lifetime contract— the only way out was for Claudia to dismiss her. It made sense with what he’d felt before. With the contracts signed and sealed, Griselda stood back from the table again.

“Hmm...” Gregory said slowly, thinking hard. “Could we sign one?”

Claudia looked at him. “What do you mean?”

“Contracts bind your people. It ruins a person if they become known for breaking them. What if…?” Gregory hesitated. What he was thinking was radical, and he didn’t want to push his aether again. “What if we sign a contract that says…?” He paused, looking at Griselda. “We’ll see you upstairs. I don’t want to trigger any other clauses you might have.”

Griselda nodded quickly, gathering the dishes. “That might be for the best. I will have tea for you.”

“Thank you,” Claudia said to Griselda. She stared at Gregory, her heart pounding even harder than it had earlier.

When Griselda was gone, Gregory exhaled. “What if we sign one that says that, if my wives agree, you’ll marry into the family?”

“Yes!” Claudia said instantly, immediately starting a new contract. “We’ll sign them, bind them, and keep our copies. I’ll have it recorded in secret after the tournament. I can manage that much without him knowing.”

Gregory felt his chest warm. “I hope Yuki and the others agree.”

“They will,” Claudia murmured happily. “I know they will.”

~*~*~

With things signed and sealed much like a bond would be, they made it through their morning training, if a bit distractedly. They each caught the other watching them at times, making them both laugh.

As they left the room for the boxes, Claudia was still laughing. “I wish we could do as we did yesterday, but you’re right.”

“Sorry, men,” Gregory said, seeing the looks on the guards’ faces. “Too big a risk to try for it again today.”

“It’s fine,” the captain with the missing ear grinned. “That was more than we were paid for the job. We had no idea it would be worth so much until we were told she was acting as a banker. We all put some of our own money in on the bets, too. Do you think your friends can hold what they’ve taken?”

Gregory thought about how the game had ended the day before. Yukiko and Jenn had caught the two Buldoun commanders between them and the town that Farin and Nilum had been holding. Unfortunately, they were there just too late to save everyone— the fight cost them all of their defenders and Nilum, leaving Farin with only half of his personal guard when the Buldoun commanders were finally killed and their army broken.

The archers had been hit hard by the cavalry that Buldoun had held in reserve, so they didn’t have a lot of men after the fight ended. Combined, they had two archer groups left and three magi on the front lines. Ling, Clover, and Roshana had pressed into Buldoun and taken the small towns that had been left undefended there, giving the empire more than half of the arena.

The board was heavily favoring the empire with commanders and territory. The three remaining Buldoun commanders had bought heavily into the best men they could, then started north.

“Today, yes. I think today will set up for a grand battle tomorrow. This will probably end tomorrow or early the next day,” Gregory said. “The magi farther back won’t go, themselves. They’re support magi... well, Roshana might. Water magi can be useful, but Ling and Clover will stay back, sending everything they can with Roshana.”

“Who’ll win?” the captain asked.

“Can’t say, and I can’t push today,” Gregory said. “I wish I could. Betting on the final outcomes today would be a great bet.”

“A pity,” the captain sighed.

Claudia pulled out a secondary coin purse. “Bet this on the empire.”

All the guards gave her skeptical looks.

“They have more magi than we have commanders. They’re going to be able to set the field before the commanders arrive, as well. To top that off, his clan hasn’t failed during this entire tournament. Honestly, I wish I could be called to the field. I expect a few of the mages to be summoned... Adriana and Jessica, at least, to try killing the magi they can.”

Gregory considered that, then started to laugh. Seeing everyone look his way, Gregory smiled broadly. “If they go for Yuki and Jenn, my wives will ask for it to be fought out, not done by numbers. There’s a precedent for it.”

“Oh… that’ll be interesting. How will they do that, since the arena is filled with the game?” Claudia asked.

“The open fields outside the bazaar would be my guess. Maybe they could use a light mage to project it to the arena?”

“You think his wives can best them, as well?” the captain asked.

“They haven’t shown everything they can do,” Gregory chuckled. “Winning raises the clan’s prestige, and we’re working hard on that. My name won’t be attached to it, either, as I was barred from playing.”

Claudia pulled out another, smaller coin purse. “Put a bet on exactly that match-up happening, with increased odds that his wives win the fight.”

Now, the other guards started clamoring to get in on the action.

“Silence!” the captain snapped before turning back to Claudia. “We’ll need your maid to grab the other captain and guards again, since we can’t leave this post.”

“Gladly,” Claudia laughed. “We’ll send her down soon.”

Gregory shook his head as he pulled out his own money. “Add mine in, same odds. We’ll settle after the fighting is over.”

“Yes, sir,” the captain said, taking the money from them both. “Would you be willing to part with another five percent of the profits?”

“Why?”

“So we can distance who’s betting, so no one gets too inquisitive.”

“Done,” Gregory nodded.

“And for mine, as well,” Claudia added. “Goodness, I’m looking forward to the end of this now, and I wasn’t before.”

The guards laughed as they imagined the payoff, not paying attention to what she’d said. Gregory heard the words and knew why she felt that way. With a grin, he led Claudia up to the boxes.

Chapter Sixty-two

“I thought the assassins would try again, but maybe they’re opting for after the tournament?” Gregory mused as they went up to the boxes.

“Hmm.. possibly, but the college isn’t an easy nut to crack. They could’ve just been very discouraged by your intervention and decided that going against foresight is too much.”

“That means you’ll have to be more on guard later,” Gregory said.

“Yes. I hope the archmage and sage extracted information out of the two men you left alive.”

“Hopefully,” Gregory sighed. “Room three today?” he asked Griselda.

“Yes, sir. I’ll bring the tea shortly.”

“Before you do, the guards need you to run an errand,” Claudia smiled. “Another round of bets need to be placed.”

Griselda bowed her head. “I will do as you need, mistress. Might I add my own funds to those?”

“Of course,” Claudia smiled. “Go, and then come back with the tea.”

“Yes, mistress. I will pull the curtains aside for you, first.”

“Thank you,” Gregory said.

Once they were seated in box three, they had to wait a moment— Griselda had been opening the curtains from the first box down the line every day, helping to mask which box they were actually seated in.

When she was gone, Claudia sighed. “It’ll be years, possibly decades, before things bring you back here.”

“You’ll be Aliminus’ apprentice fully by then. Do you think he’ll explode when it comes to light?”

“He very well might. I believe he’ll try to groom me to accept him, which won’t work. I already have a contract with my future husband in place. I will learn and study to be my best so, when you do return to enact the contract, we can stand proudly together.”

“Ma’am, excuse me,” the guard captain’s voice came from the hallway.

Gregory frowned. He triggered his foresight a minute into the future before sitting back. “We have a guest, and the captain isn’t sure about what to do.”

“Who?”

“One of your least favorite people. I’m very curious as to why he’s here. I can’t push my aether enough right now to see the answer ahead of time.”

Claudia frowned— the archmage wouldn’t need to bother the guards, since he’d just appear in the box with them. That didn’t leave many people she’d consider a least favorite. “Wait… Yulin?”

“Yes.”

“His family does have a lot of power because of their money...” Claudia murmured. “Even knowing we’re here means they spent coin... but why?”

“Invite him up and see?”

“While Griselda is out?”

“She should be back soon if she was just getting the other captain.”

“Yes, but we’d need her to bring tea. We can’t be lax on what society dictates.”

“We can stall for some time, then,” Gregory said. “First, I’ll close the curtains.”

“If we can get a few more minutes, it should be fine,” Claudia agreed, but she was already looking for the angles as to why Yulin would appear now.

Gregory stood up and closed the curtains to the arena. “Shift over to my seat, just in case.”

Claudia did what he told her, still looking into the distance while she thought.

Gregory stepped out of the box and held up a hand to the captain. “Curtains first.”

“Ah. Yes, sir,” the captain said, moving to close the curtains in the first two boxes.

Gregory went to the last three boxes before meeting the captain in the hallway again. “Explain, please.”

“A bit of a problem. A wealthy merchant heir is here and asking to speak with Firetongue. I tried to deny her being here, but he produced a pass from the archmage saying that he could meet with her. I checked the seal. It’s the archmage’s, and intact.”

Gregory was silent as he thought about why the archmage would do that. He came up with lots of theories, but no real answers. “Griselda is still out?”

“Yes, sir.”

“How impatient is he?”

“Fine right now. He expected one of us to have to check.”

“That’ll change,” Gregory snorted. “Everything I’ve heard paints him as a spoiled brat.”

“Ah, well... he is from wealth, sir.”

“Coming from wealth and power doesn’t mean you’re a brat. One of my wives comes from a wealthy merchant family and she’s far different than him. Claudia comes from power, and she isn’t like him, either.”

“She has been nicer than I thought she’d be, sir,” the captain admitted.

“Hmm... Turning him away would likely piss the archmage off. Don’t want that, but letting him up will piss off Claudia. Bit of a problem.”

“Between the two, sir, I’d worry more about the archmage.”

“That might very well be the case.”

The captain stared at Gregory for nearly a minute in silence. “Sir?”

“Hmm?”

“Do we let him up?”

“Have you ever needed to stall for time, Captain?”

“Oh… for the maid?”

“Society has standards, I’m told.”

“Yes, it does. Even when it’s a bad idea, society demands people still do it.”

“So I’m trying to buy time for Griselda to come back,” Gregory said. “We have to admit him, but not having tea would diminish Claudia’s standing.”

“I see. And since I’m up here and not there, there is a question about it really being a stall or if there’s something else going on... Well thought out, sir.”

“I’m trying to learn how things should play out,” Gregory grinned. “I think this is about as long as we can take, though.”

“Might be a little over, sir.”

“Sir, there are…” Griselda started, then paused, seeing the captain. “Oh, you know.”

“We need a tea service for guests. We’ll be having them in room three. Say... two minutes to bring them up?”

“Yes, sir,” the captain said, saluting.

“I’ll get it ready,” Griselda said before hurrying off.

Gregory went back into the box and opened the curtains. “Guest or guests coming up. Griselda is off to make tea.”

Claudia inhaled slowly. “Yes. Last names, Greg. We have to do as we are expected to.”

“As you wish, Miss Firetongue.”

Claudia’s lips twitched. “Hmm... that is my title now, since I’m not part of the nobility anymore. I find that I like it better than Lady Firetongue. Not as much as I’ll like Mrs. Pettit, though.”

Gregory chuckled from where he’d stayed by the door, waiting to accept visitors. “They have to agree.”

“They will,” Claudia smiled.

It took a few minutes for Dan Yulin to come upstairs. He had a woman with him, along with a scowling, heavily-armored man. Dan looked like he expected the world to bow to him. He carried himself with his head held high, but slightly tilted back as if looking down his nose. His fine silks spoke of his family’s wealth, as did the jewelry he wore.

The woman at Dan’s side was a little older than he was. She walked with a sway that nearly forced attention to her ample hips. Lips twisted into a smirk, her eyes gleamed with the knowledge that she was special, at least in her own mind. Gregory thought she deserved to be married to Dan.

The heavily-armored guard who trailed them wore an empty scabbard at his waist. It was obvious he’d been disarmed before he could come upstairs. Cold, flat eyes stared at Gregory— it was clear this man had no compunction about killing people.

“I am Gregory Pettit,” Gregory said, introducing himself before the others could speak. “I’m here as a guard to Miss Firetongue, appointed by the archmage and the sage of the academy.”

Dan’s lips thinned and his eyes narrowed. “Pettit? I’ve heard of you. Did you marry Yukiko Warlin?”

“Yes.”

Lip curling back in distaste, Dan sneered. “I see... Well, someone had to after she became a magi. Though as a magi yourself, I am shocked you’d want a eurtik-tainted as a wife.”

Gregory kept his face impassive. It was a lot harder than he thought it would be, as he wanted to punch Dan in the face. “Tainted? Hmm... I guess some have those views. Love, though, sees only the heart.”

Dan’s eye twitched at the word “love.” “Well, no accounting for breeding.”

“True, there isn’t,” Claudia said. She wore a smile on her lips, but it didn’t touch her eyes. “Introductions should be done. I am Claudia Firetongue, and who are you?” She addressed the woman beside Dan.

“Wanda Yulin. I’m the wife of the esteemed merchant, Dan Yulin,” the woman replied with a haughty smile. “I was happy to accept his proposal of marriage when I found out two others were foolish enough to let him slip away.”

Gregory wanted to interject the word “escape” in there, but he held his tongue. His dislike for the couple was climbing, and it hadn’t started low. “The maid will bring tea shortly. Please, sit.”

“Are you a guard or not?” Dan sniffed. “Guards should be silent.”

“I am more than just a guard,” Gregory smiled.

“Please, sit,” Claudia said, motioning to the chairs. “Tea will be here shortly.”

Dan looked like he’d sucked a lemon, but he took a seat, his wife sitting beside him. “Of course. It has been a few years since we last sat for tea. I see you’ve fallen from standing.”

Claudia’s smile brightened. “Really? I find that my life is much better now than it would have been when we’d last had tea.”

Dan’s head jerked back fractionally as if her words had physically hit him. “You would.”

“Life married to Yulin is wonder given form,” Wanda smiled. “Only a fool or simpleton wouldn’t embrace the chance.”

“Only a woman heading toward barrenness would jump at the chance to embrace it,” Claudia replied before Griselda knocked, then walked into the room. “Griselda, four settings. You know how Pettit and I like ours.”

“Yes, mistress. How might I prepare your tea?” She addressed the guests with a smile.

“We’ll pass on the tea,” Dan said a little tightly. “I had thought someone separated from society would enjoy seeing an old friend.”

“You have friends?” Gregory asked, unable to stop himself.

Dan’s nostrils flared and he looked at Gregory. “Just because you took my castoff doesn’t mean you should speak.”

Gregory snorted. “Funny. I know two women who both thought life was better when they didn’t marry you.”

“Well, since one of them married you, she obviously had no idea what she was missing,” Dan sneered. “A soft life of ease and comfort? For what? From what I’ve heard, a backwater village boy. Both of you in a dead clan.”

“Oh, your information is out of date,” Claudia laughed. “Pettit has won nearly every tournament he’s been in. His clan has garnered the best magi the academy has had in the last two years.” She nodded to Griselda when she was handed a cup of tea.

“Hmm... Well, it’s not like your standing is going to go up,” Dan said, standing up and staring at Claudia with disdain. “What will people think when they hear you’ve been sleeping in close quarters with a married man?”

“That I do what the archmage tells me to,” Claudia said, sipping her tea. “I do pity anyone who tarnishes his name. He’s not known for kindness.”

Wanda stood up taking Dan’s arm. “Shall we go see real people now?”

“Yes, we should. This has taught me that useless women just aren’t worth seeing again.”

“Your wife is standing right there,” Claudia said, setting her cup down. “Be kind to her. It’s not nice to remind her that your mistresses are waiting for you.”

Wanda spluttered.

“Very low, but expected from one who fell from nobility,” Dan sniffed. “Come. We are leaving.”

He took Wanda’s arm and guided her out, the guard going with them. Gregory walked them to the stairs, making sure they left. Shaking his head, he went back to the room.

“Close the curtain, Griselda. We’ll be switching rooms. I don’t trust that visit.”

“Neither do I,” Claudia said, standing up. “I thought maybe he’d come to talk about business of some kind. Instead, he came to be socially insulting.”

“Which is why we’re switching rooms.”

Griselda closed the curtain. “I’ll get the tea shifted.”

“You and Yuki had the right idea,” Gregory said. “That man is a slime.”

“Now you see why we both wanted away from him.”

“His wife is there for the money only.”

“Of course. She was also not wanted for other marriages. She’s at least ten years older than him.” Claudia snorted. “Well-past normal age to be chosen as a wife. She hated the remark about his mistresses, meaning he’s already taken at least a few.”

“She knew what she was getting into,” Gregory shrugged. “Come on, let’s go have some tea with better company.”

“That sounds lovely,” Claudia smiled.

Chapter Sixty-three

The day was pleasant after Yulin left. The game was gearing up for a major offensive to bring it to an end. The three Buldoun commanders had brought Adriana and Jessica onto the field, giving them shadow and spatial magics to use.

The unexpected twist came from Buldoun— the crown summoned nearby available mages to assist in the war effort. That had Stallo and Ivan, two physical enhancement mages, advancing on Clover and Ling in the rear.

Gregory wondered about the lack of movement from the empire. There was no answer, but it was possible that the empire’s extra just hadn’t made it to the board. Gregory tried to think about what extra help the empire might send.

“What do you think?” Claudia asked as evening fell. They were having dinner in the box like they’d done over the last few days.

“I think my wives will be attacked come next turn,” Gregory said. “They want to remove them before the mage reinforcements get to Clover and Ling. Honestly, this is heavily slanted toward Buldoun now just for sheer force value.”

“You don’t seem worried... or not as worried as you should be.”

Gregory took a bite from his skewer, chewing slowly as he put his thoughts in order. Once he swallowed, he was able to speak again, “Yuki and Jenn will win any fight against Adriana and Jessica. My wives might initiate the fight just to remove the threat to Farin and Roshana. Those two are preparing the area around the town to stop any quick attacks, making it a siege. In a prolonged siege on an empire-controlled board, more magi will show up in time. That’ll tip the balance firmly toward the empire.”

“What about the others?”

“Clover’s and Ling’s scouts are rushing back with the news. It’ll take time for them to warn Yuki and Jenn. By then, Clover and Ling will have retreated, giving up the towns in Buldoun. That’ll force the two mages to chase them.”

“If they’re caught, it’ll be bad for them.”

“That’s the trick,” Gregory chuckled. “You don’t know how hard it is to pin Clover down. Trust me: they won’t be caught quickly. As they go, I’d expect them to devastate the land behind them, making foraging impossible for the advancing army. Hardships and disappointments take a toll on morale.”

“Oh... that’ll also keep Stallo and Ivan from coming close to impacting the other fight.”

“Right, and the only property being ruined by Clover and Ling is Buldoun land.”

“This is all costing Buldoun more and more,” Claudia murmured. “That lowers the support the army can get, increasing their costs to field more men.”

“Yes, and the empire will have to respond to Buldoun moving more mages to the front. How and with what, I’m not sure.”

“You really believe your wives will start the fight with Jessica and Adriana?”

“They need Roshana and Farin to keep preparing the field. They’re planning to be besieged, not to fight.”

Claudia went quiet before she nodded. “I see, because that’s an empire town. There has to be a response if it’s under siege.”

“They’re using the knowledge that the empire will respond as the focal point. Even if the empire doesn’t respond, they have two water magi inside the walls. It’ll be hard for normal siege tactics to work. Their water supplies will stay good, and any sickness introduced can be scrubbed out. Food will be the only problem.”

“But we’ve been told before the commanders arrived, the magi inside the walls stocked up on food and harvested the fields early.”

“Yuki planned for the siege the moment they knocked off the first attackers the other day.”

“She plans well in advance,” Claudia said softly. “That might be why she gave me hope.”

“I’m sure it is,” Gregory nodded, “which is why I agreed to do the same.”

Claudia looked down at the new ring on her hand, what Gregory had called his promise ring. He’d told her what it could do, and she’d felt her heart beat faster that he trusted her so much to give her an item of such worth. She’d transferred all of her things from her old ring, given to her by Aliminus, into her new one.

Gregory watched her look at the ring before slowly closing her fist, then touching the ring with her other hand. He’d debated giving it to her, but it felt right then and still did now. There was a hint of worry that it would cause her problems with the archmage, but she’d been steadfast that she’d be fine.

Mikal Buffurn came out of the far waiting area, with the helpers going to move pieces. “Ladies, gentlemen, and children, we’ve had an unusual rule brought up, and the archmage and overseer have both agreed to allow it. Buldoun’s mages besieging the town initiated an attempted assassination against two of the magi. The magi requested that, instead of numbers from the game, they be allowed to fight the other two. In an hour, outside the tournament area, there will be combat. We encourage all of you to come. A mage of light magic will project the fight into the air so all can see it if they’re nearby.”

A commotion went up in the stands as some people got up, wanting to get the best vantage early.

“While that fight takes place, there is more news about the war,” the announcer said. “The mages fielded by the crown have forced the magi holding Buldoun villages to flee. They’re laying waste to the countryside as they flee, making life even harder for the poor villagers. The mages have started to pursue them to try minimizing the devastation.”

The crowd muttered as the natives condemned the magi for their actions. Gregory snorted, because both sides had done similar in the past.

“Meanwhile, the army outside of the town has started building siege equipment and digging in for a prolonged campaign. A lot will depend on the outcome of the fight about to take place. There will be no update after this one tonight. If you aren’t there to see the fight, make sure to be here for the start tomorrow.” When he finished talking, the helpers were already heading back to the waiting area.

“There’s the bet. Now to wait and hear the outcome,” Gregory murmured.

“I wish we could go and watch them,” Claudia sighed, “but we can’t.”

“Too big of a chance for assassins,” Gregory nodded.

“I know, but I still wish we could be there.”

“So do I. I’m sure my wives will win. The question is whether or not they have to use all their tricks to manage it.” He stood up and closed the curtains. “Griselda?”

The door opened a moment later. “Sir?”

“Close the curtains down. The updates are done for today, and my wives are fighting outside the tournament grounds in an hour.”

“Yes, sir. Should I inform the guards so they can go watch? The off-duty ones, that is.”

“If they don’t figure it out, I’ll be surprised. I expect most of the bazaar to be there.”

“We’ll be going down to train,” Claudia said, standing up. “Bring us tea in a couple of hours, and news on the fight.”

“Yes, mistress,” Griselda said, curtsying before hurrying off to close the curtains in the boxes.

~*~*~

The pair had just finished the Peaceful Fist when Gregory felt something impinge on his resonance. The feeling was hollow, not solid, which had him spinning around to face the shadows. His foresight came up, his resonance suffusing it as he did.

“Claudia—!” Was all Gregory managed before three men sprang from the shadows.

His naginata came to his hand in a blink and he thrust at the man closest to him. The assailant wore a mask to conceal his identity, but he was clearly a mage or magi. The shadow user managed to melt back into the shadows just before the naginata would have cut him.

A burst of fire behind him let him know that Claudia was working on defending herself. With a ducking sweep, his naginata just missed Claudia, cutting into the leg of the third man who’d tried to come up between them.

The man let out a muffled scream, but he jerked back and let the shadows take him. Gregory triggered his barrier from his armband a half-heartbeat before small bolts impacted it, shot from the first mage he’d stopped.

There were screams and the clashing of weapons that came muffled from behind the door. The guards were obviously also in combat and unable to assist.

“They’re immune to fire!” Claudia hissed, having taken a gash on her left arm when the assailant she’d tried to incinerate failed to catch fire.

“We came prepared,” one of the men said. “Now, you die!”

Gregory’s naginata vanished as he turned and grabbed Claudia. With her snug against his chest, Gregory triggered Yukiko’s ring at the same moment the room filled with shadows coalesced by the shadow mages. He concentrated on where he knew shadows would exist, then willed himself and Claudia to that point.

He felt something fight him— the shadows tried to rip Claudia from his arms, while the ring strained to teleport them both away from the shadow mages. It was then that Gregory felt something surge into the ring. It came from another aether source, and then, the darkness did as he wanted it to.

Claudia gasped in surprise when she found herself in a tent. An older man in a lavender kimono sat in a chair, sipping some tea. He gave her a grandfatherly smile as he set the cup down. “What?” Claudia asked.

“Elder!” Gregory panted. His body felt hot, as if he’d pushed his aether too far. His left hand ached where the shadow ring was. “Assassins!”

“Yes. They will be here in just a moment. They felt the shadows surge. Please lay down. I do not wish to injure you.”

Claudia started to object, but Gregory tugged her to the ground roughly, covering her with his body. A heartbeat later, three men came out of the shadows, their crossbows firing rapidly. Gregory was glad his armband had been fully recharged as he held it over them.

“Bad judgment,” Lightshield said simply before wind tore his tent apart. Pieces of canvas went flying into the air as Lightshield used his aether in ways that he hadn’t for decades. “Attacking my clan means war. Your king and my emperor will both be very unhappy with you.”

Gregory glanced at the three men, who were nearly untouched. A few had small bleeding gashes, but nothing like they should have.

One man’s face was exposed, his mask not having survived. “You won’t survive what is coming!” His outfit had an icon depicting a black cat on a field of dark gray.

Lightshield nodded sagely. “I know.” The words were a soft sigh. “I have prepared for this moment for the last year. Gregory, thank you. Remember... sometimes, life means sacrificing for what you believe in.”

The three shadow magic users started to flee, but a burst of bright light stole all the shadows. Hemet stood a dozen yards away, his hand outstretched as light flared from it. The sorrow in his eyes spoke volumes— he knew what was to come.

Lightshield spun wind around the attackers, lifting them into the air and into the beam of light. “You strayed from Aether,” Lightshield said sadly, his voice shaking with strain. “I will do what he requires, even to my last breath.”

The men were ripped apart in midair by wind blades. Their blood didn’t fall to the ground, instead turning into red tornadoes around the dying men. Their screams rang into the night sky, illuminated by the light Hemet projected from his gloved hand.

“Claudia, now would be a good time to control flames,” Lightshield said. He met Gregory’s eyes before bowing his head. “For Aether.”

Gregory felt two more presences arrive, brushing against his resonance. They weren’t just hollow: they were warped hollowness. The feeling was the worst he’d ever felt. Before he could say anything, a bloom of fire engulfed the entirety of the Aether’s Guard encampment.

The fire passed over Gregory like a heated wind, not harming him in the least, but his heart burned, burned for Lightshield. That burning became a bonfire when he thought of who else might’ve been caught in the fire.

Ling! Clover! Mindie! Roshana! Elsa! The names hammered Gregory, and he screamed in anger. He went to stand to find them, but Claudia held him tightly, the fear of him leaving her written large on her features.

Seeing her, Gregory panted, but stopped pulling away from her as the flames raged around them. He needed to wait, and then he could act. He spun his foresight out to see when he could, only to find that he wouldn’t be able to.

The flames died off except for patches that kept burning where tents had been. Laozi landed in that instant and the flames were snuffed out. Aliminus appeared out of nothing, looking around with angry eyes.

“Why are you here?!” Aliminus snarled at Gregory.

“Assassins,” Hemet said thickly. “He brought Claudia here, fleeing assassins, who followed him. Elder Lightshield… killed the shadows… but died to the flame. The men wore the Black Cat insignia,” Hemet said sadly. “You should be questioning your assassin guild, Archmage.”

Aliminus exhaled roughly. “I will gut them for this... Claudia, this place is no longer safe for you. Get up.”

Gregory struggled to his feet, then helped Claudia up. “What will you do, sir?”

“Send her to my home. I will have to cleanse some people from Buldoun before she goes back to the college. Your help is no longer needed.”

Gregory bowed to the archmage, then turned to Claudia. “Stay strong.”

“I will,” Claudia said. She wanted to say more, but not with the archmage staring at them. “If we meet again, may it be in friendship,” she finally said.

The next instant, Aliminus and Claudia were gone. With them gone, the memory of his friends flooded back. “No…!” he whispered as he turned to look at the charred ruins of the Aether’s Guard encampment.

“They were all out watching your wives,” Laozi said softly, “including Elsa. Calm your mind, Pettit.”

The relief at those words had Gregory fall to his knees. His body felt abnormally warm as he swayed in place. “Good… I…! Something’s… wrong…”

“Hemet, the potion. He needs it,” Laozi said tightly. “Then make sure he rests.”

“Yes, sir,” Hemet said as Gregory slumped forward into unconsciousness.

Chapter Sixty-four

Darkness and fire chased Gregory down city streets. Death came for those closest to him; his mother lay in an alley, torn apart, and his father was next to her, his neck broken. On he ran to see Bishop turned into a charred husk, her sword melted in her hand. Dia was next, with her chest cracked open and her insides missing. Then came his potential wives, each killed worse than the last. He stumbled to a halt outside a grand palace. Impaled— still alive— on ryuite spikes were Jenn, Yukiko, and Mindie.

“No!” Gregory shouted, but his voice wasn’t his own; it was a monstrous roar of rage.

He flinched back at the sound of his voice, then wobbled, as his body felt wrong. He wasn’t standing in front of his wives anymore. Instead, he was towering over them and the ruined city around him, a colossus among ants.

~*~*~

With a strangled gasp, Gregory jerked upright. His breathing was fast and uneven, and he was covered in a thick sheen of sweat. Panting as he looked around, he noticed that he was in a building that wasn’t the arena. Flashes of last night came back to him, and he groaned as he got out of bed, all of his muscles aching.

He’d barely made it to sitting upright on the edge of the bed when the door opened. Gregory blinked slowly at Hemet, who gave him a sad nod. “Lightshield?”

“Gone, Gregory,” Hemet replied with deep pain in his eyes. “He chose his time and place.”

“Why?” Gregory asked. He tried to stand only to flop onto his back.

“You need to rest longer,” Hemet sighed as he went to help Gregory shift. “As to why... it’s because it was the best he could do.”

Gregory let Hemet help move him around. “What did it gain the clan?”

“That’s the right question,” Hemet said as he went to the chair near the bed. “Your wives won last night, and your friends are safe.”

Gregory’s worry for them came back, and he had to take a few deep breaths. “Oh... thank Aether.”

“Yes. Thank Aether, indeed,” Hemet smiled sadly. “I’ve spoken with them, and they all know you’re safe and about the elder’s death. They should finish their game today, possibly tomorrow. Then, there will be a feast for both sides to have one last night together... well, minus those who’ve already left.”

“He asked you to help, knowing that he would die?” Gregory asked after a moment.

“Lightshield was a great man, much like his great-grandfather. His line died with him, but other offshoots of the Lighthand’s line still live on. I know you were told of at least one of them.”

Gregory nodded slowly, thinking of Laozi. “Yes, he told me. As long as the Lighthand line lives, there is hope that the old belief will be seen.”

“Exactly, and that hope will keep the clan strong. Another of their lineage came to light not that long ago. A bastard child of Lighthand’s son, who had non-magi children. That eventually led to a woman who guarded the empire for a score of years.”

Gregory inhaled slowly. “Bishop?”

“Indeed. It took a while to track down the paperwork to prove it, but she is indeed a descendant of Lighthand. She will take over as clan leader now that Lightshield has passed. That would normally worry me, as she is only a magus, but Lightshield made sure favors were in place to help her until the clan rises high enough for people to seek our help.”

“Why not you?”

“The clan has always been passed down along the Lighthand line. I would feel wrong stepping into that spot. Besides, Bishop will do fine.”

“Yes, sir.”

“How did your time with Firetongue go?”

Gregory felt wary for a moment, but his resonance reassured him. “Fine, sir. We bonded as friends. We, uh... had some bets out. Not sure how that’ll work, now. Her guards placed them for us.”

“That would explain the captain asking if I could deliver this to you,” Hemet said. He was suddenly holding a collection of small sacks. “Goodness, that is weighty.”

Gregory reached out, letting his ring absorb them. “Thank you, sir. Did he say how Claudia was going to get hers?”

“He was accompanied by a maid. The young woman looked determined. Her questions as to your health were very… pointed. She relaxed when I explained that you were recovering, and that Miss Firetongue would be at the college in the near future.”

“Griselda is a good person. She’ll do well as Claudia’s maid.”

“If you say it, I’ll believe it. Now, I’ll be bringing your wife back with me in a few minutes. I want her to look you over. Your core nearly ruptured last night.”

Gregory remembered the heat he’d felt and the ache he felt now— it reminded him of what he’d felt with Brown’s meal. “Is it okay?”

“We’re sure it is, but Mindie will be able to tell better than I can. Considering your medallion, though, we have concerns.”

Gregory looked down at his chest. His medallion was showing four glowing orange rings. “I should be third rank...”

“Yes. It seems you grew a rank last night.”

Gregory frowned as he tried to recall how that would’ve happened. A memory of aether helping twist the ring to do what he wanted it to came back to him— that was when he felt abnormally hot.

“Did something happen?” Hemet asked, having been watching him.

“My aether surged when I used an item to bring Claudia out of the arena.”

“Yes... you came from the shadows. That ring was enchanted to allow only shadow magi to use it,” Hemet said. “Curious how you managed it... the enchantment was warped into something new. I had to strip your gloves off to get to your hands, as it was.”

Gregory looked down at his left hand, noticing that the shadow ring was gone. “Where did you put them, sir?”

“Your gloves and ring are on the headboard, and your boots are under the bed. Two pieces of armor or clothing that carry ryuite thread woven into them... I’m sure they have a purpose,” Hemet’s eyes sparkled as he shrugged. “I’ll go get Mindie. Stay in bed this time.”

“Yes, sir.”

Gregory wasn’t sure how long Hemet was gone before the door was thrown open and Mindie sprinted across the room to him. “Greg! Let me check you,” she said worriedly.

Inhaling sharply as her aether touched him, he felt hot and cold waves wash through his entire body. A few moments later, it was gone. “How is it?”

“You’re fine,” Mindie exhaled in relief. “Hemet said your core or channels might have cracked.”

“I grew a rank suddenly when getting Claudia to safety,” Gregory whispered, touching her face. “I’m okay. I’m just sore.”

“What happened? We heard that assassins using shadow magic tried to attack you both, and that Lightshield died saving you.”

Gregory edged over on the bed, patting it. “Cuddle while I talk?”

Mindie was quick to join him, holding him as he shared with her what he knew.

~*~*~

Gregory murmured as he rolled over, but his arm didn’t find Mindie. “Hmm...?”

“Dear one, I am sorry,” Darkness said from behind him. “I hurt you.”

Blinking, Gregory rolled over to look at the corner of shadow. “You were the one who helped me use the ring to take her away. You saved us.”

“And hurt you doing it,” Darkness sniffled.

“I’m fine. Mindie said so. I don’t remember falling asleep, though.”

“After you talked with Mindie, you nodded off. Are you sure that you are okay?”

“I think so, dear one. You can boost me an entire rank?”

“I could do more, but as you felt, it… is dangerous.”

A crisp, clear memory hit Gregory, but it wasn’t technically his. A rougher voice spoke to a stunningly beautiful woman while a scarred hand held a medallion between them. “I can boost you with my amulet, dear heart. It carries risks, though, even with me doing it. It’s easier to let you wear it while gently drawing out the aether. It’ll take longer, but it’ll be much safer.”

The memory stopped like someone had cut it. “Nooooo…! Please, dear one... no!”

Gregory blinked. “The medallion… it can do that? That’s what you didn’t want me to know earlier?”

“Yes... it will make you stand out too much. Please, leave it be until you are a magus!” Darkness nearly begged.

“It would endanger me if it became known that I was skipping ranks and tiers too quickly.”

“It is why I have been siphoning off your excess aether and storing it for you. For you, your wives, your friends, and your clan. I am doing my best for you.”

“That wasn’t you in the image,” Gregory said, and he knew he was right.

“No. That was a past wife. I am not surprised it was her that you saw.”

“Claudia or Mindie?”

“Mindie,” Darkness murmured. “She was quite the vixen in her day. Had you in bed as often as she could get you there. She nearly rivaled… well, that would be telling.”

“I’ll wait until I’m a magus, my heart,” Gregory said. “What of the dagger?”

“It belonged to your shadow magi wife, just as you have given it to Yuki. It removed difficult problems time and again. All those who thought they could shield themselves from your blade found out they could not just before their end came.”

“It can bypass any aether?”

“Except yours, dear one. Your enchanter wife was a genius, much as she is today, even if she is not an enchanter this time.”

“Yuki,” Gregory said.

Darkness giggled. “Maybe.”

“I think she was, but it doesn’t matter who she was. It only matters who she is now.”

“That is very sweet, dear one. That just makes me love you even more.”

“Is that possible?” Gregory asked teasingly.

“No, which makes me love you even more.”

Gregory laughed with her for a moment, but reality came rushing back to him. “Lightshield…”

“He died the way he wished to, dear one. His death set things into motion that will aid you and the clan in the future. It behooves Buldoun to thank the empire. One of the most powerful magi gave his life to save a mage favored by the archmage.”

“Claudia... is she one of my past wives?”

“Yes, she was. Yuki and Jenn approve of her, as do I, but her time is not yet, no matter how much she wanted to climb into your bed at night. Only Yuki’s promise that she would be allowed in later stopped her from trying.”

“Will you give us dreams while we’re apart?” Gregory asked, thinking of Yukiko, Jenn, and Mindie.

“Yes. During your growth, I will. I am going to let you see your future wives after they achieve resonance so they can tell you and your wives.”

“Helping them accept what they want?”

“Also so you can tell them in a safe way who you truly are, my heart. Lightshield warned you about speaking it aloud.”

“Am I already being watched?”

“Flashes now, but in the future, more and more will turn their gazes to you. Best to ingrain this now.”

Gregory exhaled slowly. “Okay. Thank you, my dearest shadow.”

A happy giggle came from the corner. “Go ahead. I will catch you again, my heart.”

Gregory pushed off the bed, lunging into the shadows for her. He knew he wouldn’t make it, but he wanted to try. His desire to be strong enough to reach her burned brightly, and Darkness laughed happily that he wanted her as much as she did him.

The shadows swallowed him, wrapping around his limbs and sapping his aether, then pushing him into sleep. As he faded from her grasp, she let her shadows vanish so she could see him clearer. “Not yet, my dear Aether... but one day, you will reach me, and I will welcome you with open arms and a thousand kisses.”

Chapter Sixty-five

Gregory smiled as he placed another kiss on Mindie’s thigh. “Good morning?”

“Aether, yes,” Mindie exhaled slowly. “That was an amazing way to wake up, dear one.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Gregory murmured, sliding up to lay beside her. “Sorry for falling asleep last night.”

“You needed it,” Mindie whispered, stroking his hair. “Please be more careful, though? What will we do if you fracture your core?”

“A good question,” Gregory murmured.

“Yuki would chide you for risking yourself,” Mindie said, then giggled. “Then cover you in kisses once she was sure you were safe.”

“Yeah, probably. Jenn would do the same thing.”

Mindie grew serious. “Greg, if it’s saving one of us and damaging yourself like that, I’m fairly certain I know what they would say.”

“I know, too. I also know that I wouldn’t be able to just do nothing.”

“That’s who you are, like the way I just want to heal,” Mindie whispered, kissing his chest. Her hand traced his abs, and she giggled. “You weren’t this fit when I first saw you without a shirt.”

“First tournament,” Gregory said, thinking back. “I was better than my first day at the academy, but I wasn’t this fit then.”

“My thoughts upon seeing you that first time were jumbled. Something in me told me you were important, that I should be beside you. I didn’t listen to it. I pushed it down as an irrational thought. You were just an injured novice, and I’d helped so many just like you, but I couldn’t shake you. I’d think about you on and off, brushing it off as me being worried for a patient. I felt a small impulse when Jenn came in and found out that you hurt each other. It made a small part of me worry, and I didn’t know why. When you came back in, then Yuki… it was even harder to ignore. I thought I’d managed it, though.”

“Then I came back with an injured arm from Jason?”

“And I said things I shouldn’t because I felt safe with you, safer than anywhere else. I was terrified that maybe I was wrong and you’d tell the healers, but you sided with me. Then, it built from there, bit by bit. It’s why I volunteered to assist your clan as often as I did.”

“I had no idea,” Gregory murmured, stroking her hair.

“It was Daciana who jolted me to consider my thoughts and not ignore them,” Mindie giggled as she kissed his chest again. “She flatly said she wanted to join your wives.”

“That’s Daciana. She’s bold,” Gregory chuckled at the thought.

“She called me out for my own interest,” Mindie added. “She could smell my scent.”

“Oh?” Gregory murmured.

“I don’t have the tail or active glands like my grandmother,” Mindie said, “but I still produce a faint musk.”

“Is that what that scent is? I find it soothing.”

Mindie flushed. “Y-y-yes. That’s me,” she stammered.

Gregory kissed her head. “I enjoy the little bit I can smell. Don’t worry about it, please?”

“What about the others, though?” Mindie murmured.

“I’m sure they’ll love it, as well. Daciana wasn’t disgusted by it, was she? She has the best nose out of everyone.”

Mindie thought about it, then flushed, remembering that Daciana had grinned at her. “She... didn’t seem to mind.”

“Then it’s perfectly fine,” Gregory whispered, kissing her head again. “We should get up and get ready. As it is, we slept in a bit.”

“Thank you,” Mindie whispered. “I love watching and being watched, but waking up like that was amazing.”

Gregory chuckled as he thought about Claudia. “Well, you might find later that we have a wife who might love being watched as much as you like watching.”

Mindie had just gotten out of bed, but she looked back at him. “Oh?”

“Claudia was having issues controlling herself before the end,” Gregory said as he sat up. “She’d hinted that she’d have been willing to lay on the bed and pleasure herself while I watched.”

Mindie’s face flushed and she bit her lip. “Oh… she did?”

“I might have mentioned that one of my wives would love to see that.”

Mindie shivered. “I… yes… she’s beautiful.”

“She is that, but so are my current wives.”

“You didn’t… watch her?”

“Wasn’t sure if that would be crossing lines, so no, I didn’t. I’ll be honest and admit that I was tempted, but I would never want to hurt any of you. Yuki and Jenn said looking is fine, but touching without them agreeing isn’t. I didn’t know if watching that would still be approved, so no.”

“I approve,” Mindie said a little breathlessly. “I’d want to hear about it, though.”

Following her out of bed to get dressed, Gregory stretched, his muscles no longer screaming at him. “Well, let me tell you the full story,” Gregory said when he’d finished stretching.

~*~*~

They did Magi Squares, the Peaceful Fist, and some light sparring with the space they had. Mindie was not great, but she was improving quickly, determined to reach her goals. When they sat and meditated on the Resonant Mind, Gregory worked through the assassination attempt, trying to find better ways to combat their attackers.

It was when they were sitting side-by-side, reading, that there was a knock on the door. Mindie went to answer it and Gregory triggered foresight. He put the journal of Lionel Lighthand away, then waited.

Laozi stood in the doorway. “Healer, I have come to speak with Pettit.”

Mindie bowed to him. “Please, Sage, come in. Husband?”

“It is our honor to greet you,” Gregory said as he stood and bowed. “Mindie, can you let the staff know we could use more tea, please?”

“I’ll be right back.”

Laozi came to the table, taking a seat. “Sit, Pettit. I wished to discuss your saving of Mage Firetongue.”

Gregory sat, hearing the formality in Laozi’s words. He triggered aether sight and glanced around the room. His eyes widened slightly when he noted three spots of aether. There was one in shadow and two near the windows, where aether was obviously being used. “How can I help you, Overseer?”

Seeing Gregory’s clear reaction, Laozi caught his eyes and nodded fractionally. “You were given the task of guarding the archmage’s apprentice because you had saved her from an assassination attempt by common men. Those men used the most advanced hand-crossbows Buldoun can produce with bolts tipped in a deadly poison. How did you know the first was there, and how did you track down all three of them?”

“I’d just finished sparring with various members of Buldoun’s team from the Empire’s Gambit tournament, sir. The commander of the mercenary team asked for me to spar with her, and it spiraled from there. My victories in the arena made others eager to face me. Since I had just finished fighting, I still had foresight running a few seconds ahead. It was when people were leaving that Firetongue asked me about foresight. She seemed interested in the magic. When the two of us were standing in the open, the man attacked.”

“So it was your foresight that let you know what to do?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And you chased him through the bazaar to find him and his allies about to flee?”

“I chased him, using foresight in spurts— I was diminished in aether— to track him. I got to him as his friends rushed to help him onto their mounts. Using my weapon, I subdued them for you and the archmage, as you two arrived a few seconds later, sir.”

“Yes. It was shortly after that the archmage approached me with the idea to guard his pupil. He arranged for the Buldoun waiting area and boxes to be used, staffing it with guards and a maid. Did you find the accommodations suitable?”

“I was a little unnerved about the sleeping arrangements, but we managed, sir. Frankly, having an unwed woman share a room with a married man, I worried for her standing in Buldoun. But, as the archmage arranged it, I didn’t object, even when the maid almost got killed for suddenly checking on us. It was as if the archmage didn’t trust us alone.”

“Should he have?”

“I’m loyal to my wives, sir,” Gregory said stiffly.

“Those who have seen you with them would know better,” Laozi smiled. “Now, tell me about the night of the attack.”

Gregory relayed what he could, glossing over the fact that his ring had been altered. He found it harder to speak when he got to Lightshield’s death, but he pushed through it.

“He gave his life in defense of Firetongue?”

“Yes, sir. He killed the assassins only to fall to a fire mage.”

“You undoubtedly wonder how a magi who can see the future failed to see his own death.”

“No, sir. He was dying. He knew that. I think he wanted to die for the greater good of the empire. Lightshield loved the empire, sir. He held tightly to his belief in Aether, but he loved the empire as much as his father did. He never spoke badly of the Iron Hand, even though they broke from Aether’s Guard. I only recall praise when he spoke of them.”

“Ah, so he chose his time and place for the greater good of the empire?”

“It’s the only thing I can think of, sir. I wonder if his devotion to his belief made some worry about his love of the empire? This would’ve been a way for him to show that love and accept his death at the same time.”

“You believed deeply in him?”

“Lightshield was a great man. I see him like I think his great-grandfather was. The stories of Lighthand speak of his devotion to Aether and of his steadfast determination, even when it cost him. I mourn the loss of the family to the empire, sir.”

“As any should, if they knew how much his line loved the empire,” Laozi said softly. “Your clan will not be harmed as greatly as you might fear. Lightshield’s sacrifice to shield Firetongue has garnered the empire favor with the archmage and, because of that, also with Buldoun’s crown. I have no doubts that he knew what he was doing at the end. In repayment to your fallen elder, I will make sure that the clans do not move harshly against Aether’s Guard inside the academy. As it is, the one clan who might have… is dealing with a major incident of their own, which has seen the clan head called before the emperor.”

Gregory inhaled sharply. “I see. May the emperor show mercy on them. One bad apple can ruin a barrel, but it doesn’t mean the entire barrel should suffer.”

Laozi’s eyes twinkled. “Your kindness is known, Pettit. Your clan has repeatedly shown that you do not wish to hurt the empire, even as you raise your clan up.”

Mindie came back in with a pot of tea. “Sorry for the delay.”

Laozi stood. “It is fine. I have gotten what I wished for. Enjoy your time together. Considering the state of the game, I would guess that your wives will be free by this evening. Enjoy the continued use of this home. I have taken other accommodations.”

“Sage,” Mindie bowed to Laozi when he walked past her.

“May your day be good, Overseer,” Gregory said, standing up to bow. “Thank you for speaking with me.”

“Thank you for doing what you have, Pettit,” Laozi said before leaving.

Mindie hurried over to Gregory when the door shut. “What happened?”

“Let’s sit, sip some tea, and I will tell you,” Gregory said. He looked around the room with aether sight, noticing the one spot near the window still being used by a wind mage.

Chapter Sixty-six

It was after dinner when another knock came on the door to the small home. Mindie went to open it, and Gregory used foresight to check who it was. He got to his feet, approaching it as Mindie opened the door.

Yukiko beamed— she was the first one inside, so she grabbed Gregory and held him tightly. “Dear one, we worried for you.”

“As I worried for you when I heard about your fight. I want to hear about it. I only know that you won.”

“We want to hear about what happened with you, too,” Jenn said.

“Greg, are you okay?” Elsa asked, her eyes wide and questioning.

“Yeah, Elsa. I’m fine. Come in and sit. I’ll tell you my story, and then you can tell me yours.” Gregory said. He gave everyone a smile, glad that all of his friends had come to see him.

They settled in as Mindie went to tell the single staff to bring tea and snacks. It took Gregory over an hour to catch them up on what had happened since he left for the Empire’s Gambit tournament. He didn’t hold anything back, including the temptations he’d felt with Claudia.

Yukiko didn’t rebuke him at all, just smiling at him. When he got to Lightshield’s death, the room was somber. Elsa sniffled as she listened; his worry for her and the others only made her sniffle more.

“That’s everything,” he said, setting down a piece of paper on the table they sat at so everyone could see it.

They passed it around, their eyes going wide at the few sentences written on it. When they met his eyes, he nodded, his gaze darting to the window.

“We see. This isn’t a surprise. We were sure it would happen at some point. Lightshield warned us of his death for over a year. We will endure as he would want us to. Our friends will pass word to our clanmates.”

“Yes,” Clover nodded, taking the note. “We will.”

“Now, what about all of you?” Gregory asked.

“I can start,” Ling said. “The game started slow, as you know, but we held to our strategies. We built up, consolidated, and waited to bring in our best options. When news came that the southern edge had been attacked, we knew others would rush there, so we stayed put and focused on building up.”

“We boosted the villages, too, making sure their morale was as high as we could make it,” Clover said.

“Which matters more later,” Ling said, touching Clover’s hand.

“Sorry,” Clover murmured, leaning into Ling’s side.

“It’s okay,” Ling said before kissing Clover’s cheek. “We made sure we boosted morale for the village the way we’d planned.”

“It was then that we heard of the first attempt to kill you and Claudia,” Yukiko said. “We were worried, but glad you thwarted it and captured them. When they told us that you two were removed from the game and could only watch, it helped free our worries because it limited the fire mages they could field. I did wonder if she’d push her previous life with you at all. I’m glad she was as respectful as she was. And Greg, yes, we all approve, if she can meet the same rules.”

“I like her,” Clover smiled. “She’s different, but still nice. I wish Jessica had been a past life, too.”

“I’m glad it was only one of them,” Gregory said. “It was difficult enough with Claudia.”

The others laughed at his expression. Elsa watched them all silently, but she was clearly thinking.

“We started the second day where we left off,” Ling said. “They didn’t attack us and, when they started leaving, we brought in Yuki and Jenn.”

“I did the same with my town, but made sure we had archers ready,” Roshana added.

“Once we were all on the field, we had to adapt,” Jenn smiled. “Our ideas wouldn’t work against them chasing the other magi.”

“We let them take the archers and give chase while we moved to take the open villages and towns Buldoun had abandoned,” Ling said. “We used the friendly relations tactic there. We didn’t oppose or try to pull for war funds or recruits.”

“That gave us slowly building morale in those settlements,” Clover beamed. “Once we had them amiable to us, we shifted to the next set of Buldoun settlements. We built up cavalry and archers as we went, knowing they’d come for us in time.”

“While they took land, we chased down the invaders on our land,” Yukiko smiled. “We caught them outside the city. We got there a turn too late to save Nilum and the majority of the men defending it, but we did save Farin.”

“Damned cavalry flanked us,” Jenn sighed. “Took over half our archers out, but we won.”

“With the city secure and knowing the other commanders would be closing in, we went for our siege tactic like we’d discussed,” Yukiko smiled. “Roshana moved up to the city with Farin, and they took over making the defenses for it.”

“We made the ground untenable for anyone trying to advance. We left behind clear paths, making sure we had plenty of coverage from the archers on the walls,” Roshana said.

“Farin worked well with us. He didn’t even try to bring his clan back in, instead focusing on upgrading our troops or bringing in more,” Jenn said. “He was upset with Dave and Klein.”

“Neither of them tried to defend. They went straight for offense,” Yukiko sighed. “If they’d defended, it would’ve been easier for us when we arrived and they still might’ve been on the field.”

“Which left us the other night with a siege in progress and, as we found out later, the Buldoun crown having fielded mages to clear out Clover and Ling,” Jenn said.

“When we heard of them ambushing us, we laughed,” Yukiko snickered. “We did as we discussed, asking for it to be fought out. That fight was tough. They came fully equipped, too, but Jenn and I had tricks they hadn’t known about. The shadow blades hurt Jessica badly, but she wasn’t permanently harmed, thankfully. That left the two of us on Adrianna. She did her best, but it’s hard to portal your entire body if you have someone directly on top of you.”

“She gave me a lot of grief until I closed enough to get my hands on her,” Jenn said. “When Yuki wrapped shadows around her, it was over. I let her surrender.”

“That was when the light caught everyone’s attention,” Roshana whispered.

“I was scared,” Elsa whispered, reminding them of her being there.

Mindie hugged her. “We all were, especially when the three men were killed in plain view of everyone.”

“Then the fire...” Elsa whispered, hugging Mindie tightly.

“I knew it had to be our clan area,” Yukiko said softly. “I feared it was his end, and it turns out I was right. He must have wanted to go, since you said he did. Hemet had a ring like yours, so he was fine.”

“Yeah...” Gregory exhaled roughly.

“They collected all the players, securing us to make sure we were safe,” Jenn said.

“It was later when Hemet came and asked me to come check on you,” Mindie said. “He told them you were fine, but we wanted verification.”

“He came back after Mindie saw you and told us,” Yukiko said.

“That helped,” Elsa sniffled.

“We still had to win the tournament,” Roshana said. “We did as we planned long ago— we held the siege until the empire got more magi onto the field. They fielded every magi who hadn’t been knocked out already. The commanders were pinned between them and us. They surrendered.”

“The mages chased us,” Ling said, “but an armsmaster was waiting in our first fortified town, the one depicted by Egil.”

Clover giggled. “He came into our tent and asked what was prepared. When we told him, he laughed and said that we were smarter than most people he’d ever worked with.”

“It felt nice to hear the praise,” Ling smiled. “It was better when the mages tried to attack. They found the entire town against them, plus the three troops of men Egil had, backed by our magi’s potions and trinkets. After the first clash, they backed well up.”

“Then, Egil rode out and challenged them to a fight. Stallo accepted,” Clover laughed. “Stallo wounded him, but Egil’s thrust to his neck would’ve been fatal if not for the healers on hand.”

“Ivan offered to surrender,” Ling said. “At the end, we took back our captured towns, plus three from Buldoun. Krogga and Limaz had representatives here to watch the tournaments. Both lauded our clan for our actions.”

“Good,” Gregory smiled. “I knew you would win.”

“Tomorrow, there’s a feast,” Yukiko said. “Hemet told us. The day after that, we get to say farewells to our parents… and friends.”

Ling, Clover, Roshana, and Elsa looked sad.

“We’ll spend the first part of that day with our parents and send our maid off to train so she can shine brightly for us,” Yukiko said softly. “We have every faith in you, Elsa.”

Elsa sniffled, but smiled. “I won’t fail you, Yuki. I will be the best maid.”

Mindie hugged Elsa. “We know.”

“We’ll spend that evening with our fellow apprentices,” Yukiko said. “We’ll say our farewells.”

“Will we get to do like the novices?” Clover asked hopefully.

Gregory chuckled. “Yes.”

“Our heart has agreed,” Yukiko smiled, “so yes.”

Twenty-first bell began to ring, and everyone looked toward the window.

“I’ll go tell the staff to bring more pillows and blankets,” Gregory said, standing up. “We can all sleep here in the main room tonight.”

“Really?” Elsa was wide-eyed.

“Yes,” Mindie said. “A sleepover. You’ve done great for us, and deserve a reward.”

“She does,” Jenn agreed, “but first, baths.”

“There’s one tub. We’ll have to go one at a time, so just rinsing,” Gregory said, pausing by the door. “Figure out who’s going when.”

Chapter Sixty-seven

Gregory was groggy when he woke to the third bell. They’d stayed up longer than intended— when they’d all bedded down for the night, it sparked conversations about previous sleepovers. Yukiko, Jenn, and Elsa didn’t have any stories to share, but everyone else did.

The stories were funny, because they chose the best moments they could remember. Clover had a lot of pillow fights. Ling told them about playing a game of truth and revealing embarrassing secrets, like the one about her old friend who loved having her tail stroked. Roshana said that game was a derivative of one from Limaz: truth or dare. Someone would get to pick if they wanted to tell a truth or do a dare, and the first person would get to ask a question or issue the dare they wanted. If the person didn’t share or do the dare, they were removed from the game.

Elsa had begged to play, never having had a night with so much fun before. The others exchanged looks as they agreed, making sure it was known that things would need to be kept tame with her in the room. That led to a lot of silly dares, mostly involving dancing. From there, Roshana showed them a dance she knew from her homeland that involved swaying hips and, if she’d had them, removing veils.

Blinking slowly, he found his wives weren’t the ones beside him. Roshana was on one side, wearing a peaceful smile on her sleepy face. The other side of him had him blinking in confusion for a moment. A flat, bare stomach was where he expected a face, the belly button right at eye level. Looking up, he found legs. When he looked down, he saw a bunched-up shirt just underneath some breasts. He leaned back and saw Ling’s face inverted with Clover’s head nearly touching hers, their faces just above his own navel.

Exhaling slowly, he sat up and looked over the rest of the room. Elsa was curled up, clutching one of his feet, murmuring in her sleep. He found his three wives on the far side of Roshana, with Yukiko being cuddled on either side. His wives were just waking up, the bell having woken them, too.

“Morning. Can I get one of you to help free my foot?” Gregory whispered.

Yukiko was the first to sit up, and she giggled. “That’s adorable, dearest.”

“I’ll get her,” Jenn grinned.

“Uh... why are Clover and Ling like that?” Mindie asked, her cheeks dusting pink.

“I have no idea,” Gregory said.

He’d gone to bed wearing his pants, as he didn’t really have nightclothes, and he wasn’t going to be in just his underclothes with Elsa in the room. It was a little jarring when he saw that they all had pajamas like Claudia, but Yukiko explained that they’d bought them when they went shopping for wedding clothes. He was doubly grateful for his pants now.

Roshana, Clover, and Ling shifted as they woke up. Gregory watched Clover and Ling both look confused, then blush, turning to look at him.

“So, what happened?” Gregory chuckled.

“We couldn’t decide who should sleep next to you like Roshana, so we came to this solution,” Ling said slowly.

“We’re sorry,” Clover said. She ducked her head, putting her closer to Gregory’s lap.

“It’s fine,” Gregory said quickly, which thankfully got Clover to look up again. “Nothing happened. It was just confusing.”

Ling tugged her shirt down to cover her toned stomach. “Thank you for understanding.”

Jenn managed to loosen Elsa’s hand on Gregory’s foot, so he was able to roll backward and get up to his feet. “I’ll go change in the bathing room. One of you can come to get me when you’re all dressed.”

He was walking away when he heard a sudden scramble. “Oh! I slept in! I’m sorry!” Elsa said in distress. “I’ll go get your breakfast!”

“Elsa, stop,” Yukiko said softly. “Just pause for a moment.”

Gregory left Yukiko to calm Elsa down— he knew she’d manage it better than he could.

~*~*~

The tournament feast wasn’t until late afternoon, giving them plenty of time for their normal training. Gregory finally stepped out of the building when it was time for the Peaceful Fist and sparring. He found it was on the far end of the arena, between the two countries’ encampments. A second, identical building sat beside the one he’d been in. It was more than likely the archmage’s residence during the tournament, as the one he’d been in had been Laozi’s.

After their training was done, they bathed and put on their best set of apprentice robes for the feast. With the few hours they had until it was time to go, they meditated or read as they wished. Elsa made sure they had tea beside them, reading when she wasn’t needed to be a maid.

A knock on the door brought them a surprise. Hemet stood there, smiling at them all. “I have for you the clothing you’ll need for tonight and the coming year,” he said once Elsa let him in. He produced three sets of kimonos for everyone, all of which were the same color orange as the initiate-tier medallion, except for three of cyan. “Mindie, these are for you. I also have news on your magus posting.”

Mindie swallowed the lump in her throat, bowing her head. “I’m ready to hear, sir.”

“Unlike most magus postings, which are set for a solid five-year limit, yours has been modified due to the request of your clan and the loss of its elder. For the next two years, you will assist initiates with their troops and the tournament they endure. After that, you will shift to assist a senior clan member with her own assignment.”

Mindie beamed. She looked briefly toward her husband and wives before going back to Hemet. “Thank you, sir.”

“Bishop sent word with your posting. ‘Tell her this isn’t a reward. She will work her very best or I will recall her early.’ I trust you would, anyway.”

“Yes,” Mindie nodded.

“Now, you might have an incorrect idea of how much time you will have to see your loved ones. I’m going to clarify that right now. You will be posted with the head trainer in a city. Your loved ones will be posted in the towns around that city with their troops. For one week every two months, they will be relieved of their duties and their entire troop will go to the city to be debriefed and given time off. Those weeks can overlap by a single day alone,” he added, looking at the other three who were married. “It isn’t much, but it’s what you have.”

“We will endure,” Jenn said.

“Roshana,” Hemet said, turning to her, “your posting was unprepared, since you joined so late. We have opted to not have you train with troops, nor have a separate adept posting. For the next two years, you will assist the clan at the academy, much the way Ling is.”

Roshana had been prepared for the worst, so she beamed when she heard the news. “I will do my very best to help make the clan strong, Grandmaster.”

“Hemet, or sir, please. I’m past the need for my tier to define me. Clover and Ling, you already know about your next few years.”

“Yes, sir,” Ling and Clover said.

“Gregory, you need to decide where you would like your magus posting to be. Jenn, Yukiko, Clover, Ling, and Roshana, your list of choices are needed, as well. You have an hour to get them written up for the overseer. He’s going to be juggling every person from the tournament, minus Nick Shun. Since the empire won the Empire’s Gambit tournament, the overseer has allowed the players to also have a chance to get a posting they want. I’ll see you in an hour when I come to walk with you to dinner.”

All of them bowed to him, thanking him. When he was gone, they grabbed their new clothing and went to change. Gregory was the first one; just under his first outfit was a piece of paper. It only had a few words written on it; “Kroggian Embassy.”

Gregory exhaled slowly— the writing was Lightshield’s scrawled script. Picking it up, he stared at it for a long moment before he let his ring pull it and his other outfits into storage.

Why there? Gregory wondered as he got dressed. That would put me under a master or grandmaster magi... are they going to post Hemet there? I can’t see that going well with how Krogga views magi. He let his thoughts chew on it as he dressed into the orange outfit.

When he came out of the bathing room to let Yukiko know it was her turn, he found all of them talking excitedly. “What happened?” Gregory asked.

“We’ve decided what our posting choices are,” Yukiko smiled. She was holding a piece of paper in hand, as did each of the others. “Our first choice is the Kroggian Embassy. After that, we each have different choices.”

Gregory suddenly held the paper he’d found. “I was going to ask for the same.”

“Which would give us our five years together!” Clover said excitedly.

“If the overseer can do this,” Ling said slowly, “it would have to cause some concern among other clans.”

“Ah, but other clans have all held embassy postings before,” Jenn smiled. “We looked into that before.”

“We should thank the one who’s responsible for this,” Roshana said softly. “A silent thank you to him.”

Everyone bowed their heads for a moment, offering thanks to their lost elder.

“Isn’t that going to be dangerous?” Elsa asked. She’d remained silent the entire time, but her fear and worry had been growing. “Krogga hates magi.”

“It will have risks,” Yukiko said, going over to Elsa, “but together, we are strong. You know this. Have faith in us, and in Aether.”

Elsa swallowed, clearly calming herself. “I do, mistress. I do. I still worry... anyone who cares for you would. I will pray to Aether that you will be fine and that, when you come back from your magus posting, I’ll be ready to be your maid.”

Yukiko touched Elsa’s head lightly. “Or a magi. Either way, you will always be welcome to stand beside us.”

Elsa sniffled, but raised her head proudly. “I will never fail to impress you.”

“We never doubt you,” Gregory said softly. “If you do become a magi, remember to help those who come after you like we have.”

“I will,” Elsa said firmly.

“I need to change so we can all get ready,” Yukiko said, stepping away from Elsa. “We should make sure our apprentice clothes are bundled so they can be taken back to the academy. Others will have use for them.”

“I was going to suggest that we also hand over any other enchanted items we no longer need,” Jenn said. “Ling can take them to study and return for us.”

Gregory did a quick inventory of his things, then turned to Mindie, handing her a ring. “This will snuff out all fire. It takes a bane core to recharge. My armor does the same thing without bane cores, so this is better for you to have. If our healer is safe, she can make sure we’re healed.”

“Agreed,” Yukiko said firmly when it looked like Mindie might object.

Mindie bowed her head, putting the ring on. “As you wish.”

Gregory smiled, then handed Ling another ring. “It was my aether and storage ring. It holds up to a magus’ level of aether.”

“My earrings and obi. The earrings held the same amount of aether, and the obi was item storage,” Yukiko said, handing hers over. “Study them, then either give them to Dia or to someone of your choice. If non-magi could use them, I’d give the obi to Elsa.”

“I will study them well,” Ling bowed as she pushed the items into her ring.

Roshana held out a ring. “Ring of the Mind. It can help another member of the clan now. Our novice… apprentice now… friends have one they’ve been using. Let this help someone else.”

Ling took the ring with a bow. “I will study this intently, as well.”

“I’ll be back,” Yukiko said, finally going to change.

“What should we do with our pouches?” Clover asked, touching her item storage pouch they’d gotten from the clan.

“Turn them back over to the clan,” Gregory said. “We have more novices and apprentices to help.”

“I’ll tell the others, too,” Clover beamed. “Since…” She trailed off, touching her ring with a broader smile.

The others all smiled at Gregory.

Elsa watched them, sending a silent prayer to Aether to keep her friends safe.

Chapter Sixty-eight

They were all changed and waiting for Hemet when he arrived. “Very good. Before we go, there is a simple matter that I have to teach you all: the age day ritual. For all of you, it should be trivial. For those who haven’t progressed the body path, it can be painful to them. Do any of you recall the words?”

Roshana cleared her throat. “If I may?”

“Go ahead.”

“‘Child, you come before me on the verge of adulthood. Today is your age day, and you should rejoice. Today also marks the chance for you to join the ranks of the magi. Let us see if you have the spark of Aether inside of you. Aether, have you blessed this child with your grace?’” Roshana said the speech with reverence. She held her hand out in front of her, like she was touching someone’s head.

“Very well done, Roshana,” Hemet smiled fondly. “That is indeed what the proctors are taught when they go from village to village. Many use a variation of their own, as the only words that truly matter are the last line.”

“‘Aether, have you blessed this child with your grace?’” Clover asked to clarify.

“Correct. When you recite that, you push a spark of your aether through your hand and into the person kneeling before you. If they have no spark, it will cause them pain and they will collapse. Only hold it for a few heartbeats, as that is all it requires. If they are magi, they will feel the pain, but their aether will spark, igniting. It will coat them briefly and extinguish the pain.”

“Will we be administering the rite?” Ling asked.

“Those of you in the city will not. Not for the time you are there, at least. But if you are in a town or village, you may be asked by the resident magi to assist them. If you are on the fringe and the proctor is delayed, you will also have to administer the rite.”

“If we do administer the rite, then we have to pay for drinks afterward to celebrate the new adults or magi, right?” Gregory asked.

“Oh, Bishop...” Hemet chuckled. “No, that’s not a normal part of the duty. Bishop has always spent her own money to do so.”

“I had no idea...” Gregory murmured.

“Harrison didn’t pay for any drinks,” Yukiko said.

The others agreed that their age day came with no celebratory drinks, either.

“Now that I have discharged my…” Hemet coughed, his voice having gotten rough. “My last duty from Lightshield, it is time for the feast.” He looked at each of them in turn, then gave Elsa a soft smile. “I will bring them back tonight. Be prepared for your own parting tomorrow, little one. Remember that it isn’t goodbye. It’s merely farewell.”

Elsa swallowed, her head held high. “I know, Honored Magi. My duty here and now is done, but I have other duties to fulfill so my place is secured for me.”

Hemet’s smile faded again. “He saw them. Hold fast to your dreams. Aether will be watching.”

Elsa curtsied. “I am his scion, sir. He watches over me always.”

Hemet’s smile came back. “To be as free as a child again... ah, there are days I wish I was.” Shaking his head, he gave his clan a smile. “Do you have your preferred postings?”

“We do,” Gregory said, handing over the rewritten lists. This way, their handwriting matched their preferred locations.

“Very good,” Hemet smiled when he examined them. “I’m sure he will do his best for you. Now, follow me.”

There was a secured entrance into the arena not far from where they’d been staying. The empire guards let them pass without a problem, even drawing themselves up to honor the group passing them. Led out onto the arena floor, they found a grand pavilion set up with a dozen tables under it. The others were already there, mingling near the tables.

“There is no seating arrangement,” Hemet said as he led them, “so sit as you wish. Reminisce over the tournament and friendships you’ve made. After dinner, there will be speeches and rewards given out. When it ends, I will lead you back to where you are staying.”

“Hemet, where have you been staying since…?” Gregory trailed off.

“With the Iron Hand. Our allies have cared for me over the last few days.” With that, Hemet headed toward Klim, waving to her as he approached.

“Circulate first,” Yukiko said. “Cover ground in twos or threes. This is good training for later.”

“Ling, with me, please,” Jenn said.

“Clover, if you don’t mind?” Yukiko smiled.

“Roshana,” Mindie said, taking her hand briefly, “us and Gregory.”

Gregory blinked at how quickly they split apart before he turned to Roshana and Mindie. “Yuki said this might happen?”

“Yes. She thought it might end this way,” Roshana replied.

“Talked about it during the tournament?” Gregory asked.

“Before we split apart,” Mindie smiled. “Shall we start with those we didn’t befriend as much?”

“Stallo and Boar House, it is,” Gregory agreed.

~*~*~

The conversations had been pleasant. Gregory noticed that everyone seemed to be smiling and having a good time. He thought it was possible that the friendships they’d started would endure past this event.

Their chat with Stallo and his allies had been focused mostly on the fights before Empire’s Gambit. Before they separated, Stallo brought the topic to Egil. Gregory relayed some of what Egil had been known for over his lifetime, and Stallo nodded in appreciation.

Chatting with Adriana and Pavil was fun, but they both wanted to know what’d happened with Claudia. He gave them abridged editions of the events. Adriana asked to see the shadow ring, so he’d handed it to her briefly. She’d instantly used her shadow to appear behind Jessica, then flashed back to just behind Gregory. Gregory took his ring back, giving her an unamused look as he explained that she’d likely just drained it.

Adriana was contrite, even offering him bane cores in apology. When he explained it took pushing aether into it, she grabbed his hand and expended the majority of hers refilling it.

“That’s fine,” Gregory sighed. “We still have dinner to get through.”

“Sorry. I always wanted to feel the difference between a shadow leap and a spatial rift,” Adriana said. “Between the two, I prefer spatial.”

Jessica appeared behind her. “Because you lack the love of shadows.”

Adriana let out an aborted scream, spinning on Jessica. “I deserve that.”

“Since you did it to me, yes,” Jessica said. “Do you mind if I take Greg away for a bit?”

“Not at all,” Adriana said. “Come on, Pavil. I want to go speak to the Swift Wind clan.”

“Good. I wanted to ask Oliver about his progress with multiple wind blades,” Pavil said.

“Congratulations on your wedding,” Jessica said to Mindie.

“Thank you. It was different, but I will always treasure it.”

“You wanted to talk to us?” Roshana asked.

“Greg never got the chance to meet my sister,” Jessica said, leading them away from where they’d been.

A woman stood off to the side, wearing a Buldoun officer’s uniform. She was alone, eyeing the room with a hint of disdain. Jessica went right for her, and Gregory nodded, as the resemblance was easy to see.

“Brinda, this is Greg, Mindie, and Roshana,” Jessica said.

Brinda had two different features from her sister— she didn’t have a panther’s ears, but she did have the tail. Brinda turned to them, then bowed formally. “A pleasure to meet you. I’m Brinda Hofen, cadet of the officer college.”

“You were on the field against the town,” Roshana said.

Brinda grimaced. “I was. They should have listened to me.”

“Oh?” Gregory asked.

“I advised that we should have one of us three swing wide and go after your magi in the far towns. They said splitting our forces like that would only invite disaster. I told them that sieging an empire town guarded by magi was even more idiotic.”

“You were right,” Jessica snorted.

“Of course I was, but like you, I have to fight uphill.”

“Because of your heritage?” Mindie asked.

“And being one of the few women in the school,” Brinda snorted.

“If you had, you might’ve been able to cut off Clover and Ling. Stallo and Ivan could have caught them,” Roshana said.

“It wasn’t like you four were going to rush out to stop me. I tried to explain that, but no,” She exhaled roughly. “Idiots.”

“They’re everywhere,” Gregory agreed. “Your plan would’ve made the game different and given your side a real chance.”

“Doesn’t matter now. I have submitted my report. It will clash with the others, but I do not care. In two months, I will be in the field with men. They will follow me, not others. I will show them what someone dedicated can do.”

“I hope we never meet, then,” Gregory said, extending his hand to her. “I would hate to clash with someone who has such clarity and potential.”

Brinda stared at him, then smiled. “Agreed. I do not want to fight a foresight magi, either.”

The conversation slipped from the tournament to Brinda asking them how they felt her sister did. Brinda made it clear that she was the older sister by five minutes, making Jessica grumble about how that shouldn’t count.

~*~*~

Food was called for not long after, and the meal was a lavish feast with many foods from both countries. Gregory was amused to find himself at a table with Yukiko, Hemet, Laozi, Jessica, Brinda, Adrianna, and Aliminus.

When the feasting finally came to an end, both Laozi and Aliminus stood up. They waited for the noise to stop and for everyone to pay attention before Laozi motioned to Aliminus.

“Thank you,” Aliminus said before he looked over those present. “We arranged for this tournament to inspire friendly relationships between our nations. It has been noted that possible friendships have begun, and we celebrate this. Each side gave their very best effort during every moment. Some of us can improve, and a few were nearly peerless. Learn from what has happened, and grow.” Aliminus motioned to Laozi.

“Thank you, Archmage,” Laozi said. “Friendships came for many of you, some found rivalries to fuel them, and we almost had two disasters. Overall, this was a successful event. We will look to do similar again in the future. Let your losses push you to strive harder and your successes make you dig to become more powerful, as those you bested will try to best you next time. With this tournament concluded, there is just one last moment to address: some of you have distinguished yourselves, either in combat or with your tactics. We will take this moment to reward you.”

Aliminus cleared his throat. “Yes. We will each be selecting three students from the other nation to reward. These are based solely on our thoughts on which of you deserve this acknowledgement. Shall I begin, Sage Windfoot?”

“Be my guest.”

“For the planned tactic of using obscure rules to force a confrontation, it was devious and clearly favored you. Well done. Jenn Pettit, you have been awarded a full set of superior armor for your men. It will be delivered to them before you arrive.”

Jenn blinked, then bowed in her seat. “Thank you, sir.”

“I call out another who had the right tactics, but failed to follow them. They were the right choices— may your report be reviewed so others can learn from it,” Laozi said. “Brinda Hofen, you will be given a writ of release for you alone. If, at any time, you face the empire and are captured, you need only present it. You will be escorted to the nearest safe haven of your choice and released.”

Brinda blinked in surprise. “I will keep it safe, sir.”

“If the magi or commander fails to honor it, ask to speak with me. I will make sure that I am informed if you do. My words still have some weight.”

Brinda bowed to the sage. “Yes, sir.”

“Next, an opening ploy that baited Buldoun into starting a war,” Aliminus said, turning to Klein Armit. “Very astute, young magi. How did you know that the war had not been declared yet?”

Klein stood up, a detached look to his features. “Sir, there was no indication in the village that anything more than skirmishes had happened. I’m sure you know that my first two turns were establishing facts of what had transpired on the border over the last year. With that known, and knowing that young commanders are prone to wanting to prove themselves, I set my plan into motion.”

“Bullshit.” The word was soft, but a gust of wind seemed to amplify it.

Everyone turned to look at Petar. His eyes went wide and he’d started to stammer something out, but Aliminus made a cutting gesture and Petar was gone.

“I will not tolerate pettiness at the last step,” Aliminus said firmly. “As I had been saying, Magi Armit, you shall find the best weapons Buldoun can produce given to your men. That kind of planning is something the young commanders of my country can learn from.”

“Thank you, sir,” Klein said, his voice still detached as he bowed and sat down.

“For my second person to be rewarded,” Laozi smiled, “Adriana Locus. You might have felt like your efforts were not noticed, considering your august ally. That was not the case. I found you controlled, tactical, and able to adapt as needed. I shall make sure you have additives worthy of my own personage, diluted down to your rank, for the next year. I will also have a text of advanced spatial magic teachings sent to you.”

Adriana blinked, but quickly bowed. “Thank you, sir.”

“Which brings us to the last one for me to acknowledge,” Aliminus said. “It should come as no surprise as to who it is. Magi Gregory Pettit, you went undefeated in the fighting tournament, did not give any pushback when we asked you not to compete in the Empire’s Gambit tournament, and twice saved my apprentice, Claudia Firetongue. In addition to those feats, you forged friendships with numerous mages in multiple houses. You exemplified the heart of this tournament in many ways. I will be sending weapons and armor to your men, but on top of that, I will give you this.”

Aliminus approached Gregory, holding out a round metal disk etched with an asp on one side, and a staff and crown on the other. “This is a favor of the archmage. Only a few dozen have ever been handed out over the history of Buldoun. Present this to any person of power in Buldoun and they will assist you as if I had requested it from them personally. They will return the token to me after completing your request.”

Gregory accepted the coin, then stood to bow as a Buldoun native to the archmage. “I am honored, sir. I did as my clan and country would want. I hope that those present will continue to harbor the friendships that we started for years to come.”

Aliminus stepped back, then bowed slightly to him in return. “May the goodwill last for generations.”

Laozi waited before gliding forward. “I shall now present my last reward. I chose Jessica Hofen. You were a threat to all you personally faced, and you led your team with skill, cunning, and bravery. But even more, you knew when a fight should be stopped. I shall be having the best additives sent to you for your use while you attend college, along with a pair of daggers that favor a shadow mage, and a text of advanced shadow magic teachings. I hope they serve you well.”

Jessica bowed deeply. “Thank you, sir. I will treasure them.”

“That concludes the tournament,” Aliminus said. “You may stay to speak for as long as you wish.” He vanished a second later.

“Good evening to you all,” Laozi said, floating into the sky before floating away from the arena.

Chapter Sixty-nine

Gregory had a moment of déjà vu when he woke. He was in a pile of bedding on the floor, but things were different enough that he knew it was another day and not a repeat. Mindie held Elsa down past his feet, the little girl clutching his wife tightly while she slept. Clover and Ling were half-draped on him like his wives normally were. Each had an arm over his chest and a single leg hooked over one of his. Their heads rested on his chest, their ears nearly touching under his chin. A quick look helped him spot Yukiko and Jenn holding Roshana between them much like Clover and Ling were holding him.

Exhaling, he closed his eyes, soaking in the rightness of the moment— his wives and eventual wives all held each other, and Mindie held Elsa comfortingly like a mother would a child. His resonance gently covered them all, touching his wives’ resonance.

“Good morning, dear one,” Yukiko whispered.

“Yes, it is,” Jenn whispered back.

“Thank you for holding me,” Roshana added. “I felt content all night.”

“We were happy to do so. Look at Greg, though,” Yukiko giggled softly.

“Like you two,” Gregory murmured.

His voice got Clover and Ling to shift, tightening their holds on him. A knee gently jostled part of his anatomy, causing Gregory to inhale.

Clover blinked awake, her leg gently rubbing something. “Hmm? Is it time to get up?”

“Yes,” Gregory exhaled roughly. “Clover, your knee?”

Clover blinked at him dully for a second. She then blushed and her leg was gone. “Sorry!”

Her loud apology woke up the others.

“What happened?” Ling murmured as she came awake, then smiled at Gregory. “Oh... good morning.”

Gregory gave her a quick smile before looking back at Clover, who’d jerked upright. “It’s okay. You didn’t do anything wrong, Clover. It was an accident.”

“Oh...” Ling said, having looked down. “Did we cause that to happen?”

“Having beautiful women hold him tends to cause that kind of reaction in the morning,” Yukiko giggled.

“Is it time to wake up?” Elsa asked groggily in Mindie’s arms.

Ling jerked the blanket back over Greg. “It is, Elsa.”

“Okay,” Elsa yawned, then blinked. “Oh. Thank you, Mindie.”

“I was happy to hold you,” Mindie told her. “It was comforting.”

“Yeah, it was,” Elsa said before she got up. “I’ll go get dressed first, then get breakfast.” She paused when she stood up. “Clover, are you okay?”

Clover had started to calm down. “Uh... yes! I was just getting up to change, but you can go first.”

“Okay,” Elsa said as she left the room.

“Clover,” Gregory said, getting her attention before lifting the blanket. “A minute more?”

Clover blinked, then dove back to cuddle him. “Oh, thank you! I’m sorry.”

“Shh,” Ling said, leaning into Gregory more to kiss Clover, “he’s not upset.”

“Ah, Ling… please don’t do that,” Gregory exhaled roughly.

Jenn and Yukiko started laughing as they snuggled Roshana more. “We kiss each other like that when we sleep as you two did,” Yukiko said. “It causes him more problems.”

“Oh. I’m sorry, Greg,” Ling said, leaning back. “It wasn’t my intention. I was just soothing Clover.”

Mindie snickered from where she was sitting up. “We know, but seeing this makes me happy. A big family... we aren’t all there yet, but it feels right, and that we will be.”

“Yes,” Roshana murmured, pulling Yukiko and Jenn against her sides a little more. “I can be very happy here.”

“Us, too,” Clover added. She licked her lips, then kissed Gregory’s cheek. “Thank you for letting us cuddle you last night.”

“Yes,” Ling said as she kissed his other cheek. “Thank you. It helped us feel closer to you without doing things we shouldn’t.”

“After training, we’ll be heading into town to see our parents. We’ll be there for lunch and dinner. After dinner, we’ll say our farewells to them and Elsa,” Yukiko said. “Thankfully, Hemet clarified that we have tonight with each other, and that we all leave with the sixth bell tomorrow morning. When we get back this evening, we’ll have our own farewells.”

“Can we sleep like this again, please?” Clover asked, sitting up to stare at Yukiko.

“Please?” Roshana added, kissing Yukiko’s cheek.

Jenn giggled. “I approve, but we’ll change who has who.”

“Agreed,” Mindie smiled.

“Well, it looks like we have an agreement,” Yukiko laughed. “Okay, Greg, you go change when Elsa comes out. We’ll all change here when you do.”

~*~*~

Training went by smoothly, and they did their best to include Elsa as much as they could. They all hugged her multiple times, clearly wanting to get as much love and affection in as they could.

The trip through the bazaar was easy, as the crowds were gone. There were still small groups of people checking in with the last of the vendors, trying to get the best deal they could. A food stall owner called out to Elsa warmly, indicating the man who’d fed them breakfast most days. They took the time to stop and thank him before heading onto the city.

The guards on the walls didn’t stop them, and a few even saluted them when they went past. Mindie looked thoughtful as they entered the city. “Why did they do that?”

“Respect,” Yukiko said. “We’ve caused no trouble, shown that we are strong and capable, and word of our comradery with the mages has to have spread.”

“Agreed,” Gregory nodded. “The Empire’s Gambit tournament likely had a lot to do with it, too. They saw the care you all took with your men when you could.”

The others considered that as they made their way to Warm Slumber.

The inn was busy, mostly with Warlin’s guards. The bartender gave them a nod when she saw them and motioned them to the hallway.

Lin was standing outside the dining room door. “Glad to see you all. Elsa, Yoo-jin has asked you to help get their rooms in order for them to leave in the morning.”

“I will do so at once, Lin,” Elsa said, giving him a quick curtsy. She paused, then gave them all a trembling smile. “I’ll see you after dinner?”

“We’ll stop in for a few minutes, yes,” Yukiko said.

Elsa nodded before she left. She had her head held high as she walked away.

Lin watched her go with a smile. “Did she do well?”

“She was excellent,” Yukiko said softly. “Mother will be very happy with her.”

“Good.”

Yukiko turned to face him. “When she has free time, if she asks to spar with the men, allow it.”

“Very well,” Lin said. “They’re waiting for you.” He knocked on the door, paused, and then opened it. “Sir, your family and guests.”

Yukiko led them into the room with a smile. “We’re glad we get to see you before you leave.”

~*~*~

The time they spent together was bittersweet for Yukiko, Jenn, and their families. The others felt the poignant moment, as well, knowing they wouldn’t get to have the same chance with their families. Hao explained his deal with Adolphus, giving the dwarf business to make wares for him to sell. Both Yukiko and Jenn were happy to know that their families were working so well together.

With dinner done, it was time to say their farewells. Before they could, Hao cleared his throat. “Gregory, my daughter asked me a year ago to see about helping Alturis. Word reached me a couple of days ago that the transaction is complete. A sizable portion of ore will be purchased from them, by me, then sold to Adolphus to use. It is a better deal than the village had, so they should have a chance to grow.”

Stunned at what he just heard, Gregory swallowed, his eyes misting. “Thank you, Father. Thank you, dear one. I wanted to do something for them, something that would continue for more than a single helping hand. This… thank you!”

“Family does what it can,” Yoo-jin said softly. “We didn’t give more than we should, but they will be paid what they should instead of being taken advantage of as they were.”

“Thank you, Father,” Yukiko said, taking Gregory’s hand. “I knew you’d find a way.”

“I did have a single clause they had to abide by,” Hao smiled. “Carmichael Pettit is to oversee my business venture in Alturis. He will make sure the ore that is given to my men is quality. I don’t doubt your village would give me the best, anyway, but this way, he has a job more fitting to someone married into our family.”

Gregory swallowed again and bowed his head. “Thank you.”

“Hugs,” Umbrose said and stood up. “I’m not leaving without hugs.”

Jenn sighed, but there was a soft smile on her lips. “Mother…”

Yukiko giggled. “You object, but you were standing by the time she did, dear one.”

Jenn shrugged. “I love my family, now and in the future.”

“Well, since hugs are happening...” Yoo-jin laughed, getting up.

Everyone was on their feet, hugging the other side of the table, including their friends. Hao and Yoo-jin had noticed small tells from Yukiko during their times together, and were sure that they would be more than friends in time. They’d prepared Umbrose, and through her, Adolphus and the others. Adolphus was the most awkward person there as they said their farewells. He hugged everyone, but was clearly not a hugger.

What was surprising for Gregory was Candace, Jenn’s sister. She hugged them all tightly, whispering to them to keep Jenn safe. When she hugged Jenn, she started crying, not liking parting with her older sister again. Jenn cried, too, holding her taller— but younger— sister tightly.

After a while, the tears slowed and the clan left the families in the room. Jenn paused to wipe her eyes again. Roshana rubbed Jenn’s back, whispering softly to her. Jenn nodded, then hugged Roshana, thanking her.

Yukiko exhaled roughly. “One more farewell before we head back.”

“Again...” Gregory said softly. “It feels harder every time.”

“This will hopefully be the last time we tell her this,” Jenn said.

“Yeah...” Gregory exhaled. He started walking, the others falling in behind him.

~*~*~

Elsa answered the door with a fixed expression. She knew, just like they did, what time it was. “Please come in, Magi.”

They filed in and Elsa shut the door. The moment it was shut, she threw herself onto Gregory’s back, clutching him tightly. “I’ll be the best maid, Greg. I’ll make you proud.”

That had tears spilling from Gregory with no warning. He bowed his head. “I know. I never doubt you, Elsa. I never have, and never will.”

The others gathered around them, hugging the pair. Tears flowed as they slowly rotated so they could hug Elsa, who was still clinging to Gregory’s back. Yukiko was the last one, and she hugged the small girl tightly.

“Elsa, it’s time. Please let go of him. I wish for a hug of my own,” Yukiko whispered. “We trust in you. My fear and doubts of you vanished the day you came to meet us at the gates.”

Elsa let go of Gregory, then turned to grab Yukiko. “Thank you... for giving me the chance, and for believing in me.”

“Gregory believed in you. I could do no less,” Yukiko whispered, squeezing Elsa tightly. “You’ll be the best maid. We know that. You’ve already proven it to us. Now, it’s just a matter of refining your skill. We know you’ll be focused on your goals. When the time comes, your place is assured.”

“My turn,” Jenn sniffled. She embraced Elsa like she had her sister not long before. “Never doubt yourself. You helped your friends find their place, and your place is waiting for you. Keep your chin up and remember who you are: a scion of Aether.”

“I will, Jenn. I will. Thank you,” Elsa sniffled into her chest.

“Me, next,” Mindie sniffled. When she hugged Elsa, Mindie swallowed. “I’ve known you less than the others, but I know how much you love them and how much they love you. When we meet again, all of us will be ready to hug you again, welcoming you as any loved one should be. Be that as a maid or magi, you’re special to us. I will be there to tend to any hurts you have.”

“Thank you for helping them and keeping them safe,” Elsa cried. “I was envious you get to be with them while I have to go again... but I saw the love they had for you, and I couldn’t hold onto it. You soothing me to sleep last night was something I’ll always remember. Even with the danger they’ll face, if you’re with them, I’ll be able to breathe easy.”

Roshana was next, hugging Elsa like she would a sister. “We won’t be with them for years. When we do see them again, we’ll know that means you’re closer to joining all of us. They love you, Elsa, as much as you love them. Let your soul soak in this love so it can sustain you for the years ahead.”

Elsa nodded, crying, unable to say anything.

Ling took Elsa into her arms next. “Brave child, you’re a leader. I saw how you gathered the others under your wing, how they all looked to you. That leadership and bravery will be key whether you become a magi or maid. I do not doubt you will be the maid who leads the home, if that is your path.”

“I want that,” Elsa cried. “With all of you.”

Clover was a mess when Elsa hugged her. “Love you,” was all she said as she squeezed Elsa to her.

Elsa sobbed harder. The love she felt here was more than she’d ever felt in her life. Her heart broke at the parting, but also soared that they cared for her as deeply as she did for them.

Gregory gathered her up one last time, with the others encircling them while they all cried. In time, their tears slowed. Faces were wiped, noses were blown, and they stepped back to compose themselves.

Elsa looked at them with trembling lips. With a deep breath, she curtsied. “Magi, I will have your home in order when I see you again. I will have the best staff available assembled to care for you. As you believe in me, I believe you will all be there to be welcomed into your home.” Her voice shook, but she managed to say it without crying again.

“Then it will be a home of love,” Yukiko replied, her voice almost breaking. “We look forward to that day, Elsa.”

“When…” Gregory had to pause to clear his throat, trying not to cry again. “When we see you again, that day will be a blessed day. Expect to be hugged, and society be damned if it’s frowned on.”

Elsa laughed, then sniffled as she fought to stop from crying again. “Then I’ll have to make sure I deserve those hugs even more.” She stepped back and gave them a deep curtsy. “Magi, friends, I shall await your return.” She stayed low as Yukiko shepherded them all out of the room.

As they left the inn, they were silent. Each was lost in their thoughts of the long years ahead of them before the bright light of Elsa would be there to greet them once more.

Chapter Seventy

Gregory woke with Roshana beside him. She was curled up next to him, her hands bunched into fists and pressed to her chest. Her ears were still and her face was slack with sleep. He looked to his other side to see the larger group cuddled together. Mindie was in the middle, bracketed by Clover and Ling, holding her as they had him the night before. Behind Clover, Jenn was curled up. Her leg was hitched up onto Clover’s hip, using the other woman like a body pillow. She had an arm over Clover at a height that made Gregory wonder if Jenn was holding soft places. Yukiko’s pale arm was draped over Ling, just under the eurtik’s breasts. A pale foot was hooked over Ling’s shin.

The sight of them all cuddled up brought a smile to him and made his chest warm. It also got another, baser reaction from him. He exhaled slowly, pushing that thought away when a hand landed on his navel, inches from Gregory’s rising problem. He jerked his gaze back to Roshana, but her face was still unlined, and her breath was slow and even. His deep breath of relief caused her to stir, which unfortunately brought her hand in contact with a stiff bit of cloth-covered flesh.

Roshana blinked slowly, her hand unmoving for a moment. She smiled when she saw Gregory beside her. “Morning, dear one.”

“Morning,” Gregory whispered tightly. “Can you... umm... can you move your hand, please?”

Roshana’s brow furrowed and her hand twitched before she yanked it away. Eyes shooting wide open, she tried to explain, but words failed her. She inched backward, clearly distraught.

Gregory exhaled, then turned and grabbed her gently, pulling her back. “It’s okay. You were asleep when it happened. I know. Shh.”

Roshana calmed when Gregory pulled her back to him. The moment had been so different than a casual knee brush that she’d feared he’d think she’d done it deliberately. “I’m sorry,” Roshana whispered.

“You were asleep. I know you were,” Gregory soothed her, then reached up to gently stroke one of her ears. “It’s alright. Accidents happen.”

Gregory stroking her ear got her breath to catch, her chest to warm, and let her exhale the tension. “Thank you, Greg. We’re all afraid of making a misstep that will keep us from… us.”

“Accidents will never stop that,” Gregory told her gently. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. Maybe I should get a little more distance, though.”

Gregory snorted lightly— he knew he was currently pressing against her leg. “Does it bother you?”

“Aether, no, but I don’t want Yuki or Jenn thinking I can’t be trusted, either.”

“We know better,” Yukiko’s whisper drifted to them. “Another accident?”

“Yes...” Roshana sighed.

“It’s fine,” Gregory said as he removed his hand from Roshana’s ear. “Third bell chimed just a moment ago. We have a bit over two hours before we need to go.”

“Then we should get dressed, have the staff get us breakfast, and sit for a bit. Training is off for today,” Yukiko said.

“That’s good and bad,” Ling sighed. “I’ve always enjoyed our bonding while we train. I’ll be sad to miss that on our last day together for years, but glad that we get to spend even more time just talking.”

“Yeah,” Clover sighed in agreement, then let out a surprised squeal.

“Sorry,” Jenn giggled. “Didn’t know you were ticklish.”

Clover spun on Jenn, trying to tickle her back. “Payback!”

Jenn just grinned and let Clover try.

After a minute, Clover’s hands faltered. “You’re not, are you?”

“No, and I’m sorry,” Jenn said, then leaned in to kiss Clover’s cheek. “Let’s get dressed.”

“Since Elsa isn’t here, none of us need to leave the room,” Yukiko said as the pile untangled themselves.

Gregory had just gotten up to go, then paused. Looking back at Yukiko, he met her eyes, then smiled. “A parting viewing?”

“For all of us,” Yukiko giggled.

“It’ll be fair that way,” Jenn winked.

“I’m not so sure,” Gregory said as he summoned clothing from his storage ring. “You’ll all be eyeing me, but I can only look at one or two of you at a time.”

“Hmm...” Mindie snickered. “We could dress one at a time, then?”

“Of course,” Yukiko said, feigning not having considered the idea. “That would work best. Greg can start.”

Gregory laughed, then stepped away so they were all in front of him, watching him intently. “Mindie… this was your idea, wasn’t it?”

Mindie blushed, but nodded. “Yes. I want to be able to remember this moment for the years ahead of us. I’m sure they do, too.”

“And it feeds into your desires nicely,” Ling chuckled before kissing her cheek. “Nicely done.”

Mindie’s face burned brighter, and she put her arm around Ling’s waist. “Thank you.”

~*~*~

It took far longer than normal for them to dress and eat, but everyone was grinning the entire time. When breakfast finished, the mood turned toward sorrow as their time of parting drew ever closer.

“We’ll do our best for the children,” Clover said softly. “I’ll be the mother they always wanted.”

“The best mother they could’ve wished for,” Ling murmured.

“Ling and I will do our best to help guide the next two years of magi,” Roshana said. “We’ll have help from our friends for next year, at least.”

“Yes,” Ling agreed. “When we give them their surprises, I expect them to work even harder.”

“They will,” Jenn smiled. “Just wish we could be there to see it.”

“Daciana will be beside herself,” Yukiko giggled. “I know all of them will be happy and excited, but Daciana will be a handful.”

“That she will be,” Gregory chuckled, imagining the young woman’s tail wagging so fast that she was nearly vibrating. “I hope they did well with their tournament. You’ll write to us and let us know, right?”

“Of course,” Clover beamed. “You need to write to us, too, so we can let them know what it’ll be like.”

“We will,” Yukiko said. “I’m sure Hemet can get the letters to us.”

“I need to write my father and friends, too,” Gregory said. “I’ll do that when we leave, though. It’ll give me something to do on the journey.”

“I’ll be doing the same,” Ling said. “My parents deserve to know what I’m planning for my family.”

“Oh! I need to, too,” Clover said. “Mom and Dad will be thrilled to know I found people who love me.”

“When we see you again, we expect to hear about your resonance,” Yukiko said softly. “After that, we’ll see, but I fully expect you to join us.”

Roshana, Clover, and Ling looked hopeful.

“Just do as you should,” Jenn added. “Guide our friends and remember to admit your resonances to each other. I fully expect them to find it before their apprentice year ends.”

“We’ll be waiting for them, and for you,” Gregory added. “My heart beats faster when I think of all of us together… that includes Claudia, as well.” He paused, then chuckled. “It was her birthday yesterday. She told me about it before the assassins.”

“It’ll be a long time for her,” Yukiko said, “yet I felt a connection to her, as did all of you. That makes it likely she’s one of us. Try to think of her over our time apart, too.”

They agreed they would as fifth bell began to chime.

“Not long now...” Roshana sighed. “Yuki, may we?”

Yukiko giggled. “May you what?”

“She’s a tease when she wants to be,” Jenn laughed.

“May we kiss Gregory and you three goodbye?” Ling asked. “Like our juniors did when they parted with you.”

“Are any of you planning on grinding against his leg like Victoria did?” Yukiko asked.

“No, though I was going to ask him to bite my ear,” Ling admitted, blushing. “It’s a sign of being a mate to my family.”

“Ohhhh!” Clover grinned. “Is that why you ask me to do that?”

“Yes, because you were my first mate,” Ling smiled. “You helped me find joy during our time together, Clover, and then with you, we found even more.”

“Aww...” Clover said softly. She lunged into Ling, knocking her over and kissing her passionately.

“Clover really is like Daciana,” Roshana snickered. She looked back at Yukiko. “I’ll refrain from doing anything extra, since I already caused some distress this morning.”

“Yes, you got a good feel,” Jenn smirked. “Bet you’ve replayed that feeling in your mind a few times already.”

Roshana looked down, smiling. “Yes, and I will keep recalling it.”

“It’s nice to know that we all have our own little needs,” Mindie giggled.

Ling exhaled roughly when Clover stopped kissing her. “Goodness... you’re worked up, my lovely one.”

“Sorry,” Clover giggled. “I want to do that to Greg. Push him down and kiss him until I have to breathe. But I’ll just kiss him normally.”

“Hmm,” Yukiko said, tapping a finger to her lips for a moment. “Dearest one, my heart, would you grant them a little more?”

Gregory flushed as he thought about what Yukiko was asking him, then saw the bright hope in their eyes. His heart melted for them. “I’ll start with Roshana, since she isn’t asking for more.”

“I would ask for just a small thing,” Roshana said, standing up. “Stroke my tail lightly, just once, while you do?” She bit her lip, looking at him with a touch of worry.

“Once only,” Yukiko giggled. “Bold ask, Roshana.”

“We have to be bold and daring to stand beside all of you,” Clover said.

Gregory got to his feet, stepping around the table to Roshana. They came together slowly, finding how they best fit together while hugging. Gregory stared into Roshana’s brown eyes before his closed and he leaned in to kiss her.

Soft eager lips met his. They weren’t demanding, but yielding to him, inviting him to claim her. Gregory did as she wanted— he became the soft aggressor, deepening their kiss. When their lips parted and tongues began to duel, his hand traced down her back, then lightly stroked her curled tail. Roshana gasped, then sucked on his tongue for a moment before breaking the kiss and stepping back.

“Thank you,” Roshana panted. Her eyes were heated and she shivered in place. “I had to stop.”

“That was amazing,” Mindie whispered, shivering a little herself.

Jenn giggled. “Oh... someone is going to be worked up.”

Mindie went red, and Yukiko put her arm around the healer. “It’s okay. We encourage you to embrace your nature, just as you do for us.”

Gregory exhaled, meeting Roshana’s eyes again. “Next time, I won’t stop with once.”

Roshana groaned and slowly lowered herself to her knees. “Thank you, Greg.”

“It’s my turn, then,” Ling said as she stood. “Would you kiss me, then bite me?”

Gregory shifted to face Ling. Her light green eyes were full of hope. “As you wish, dear enchanter.”

Ling’s smile was broad when she stepped into his arms, tilting her head back so he could kiss her. The kiss came and Gregory had to brace himself, as Ling pushed into it. She was nearly the exact opposite of Roshana in that regard— she demanded that he tame her kiss. Gregory grunted, then let his desire to please her come forward. The kiss was impassioned, but after a few moments, Ling submitted to him, her mouth welcoming him gently.

When they parted, Ling’s eyes were bright. She closed them, then bowed her head, presenting her ears to him. Gregory laid his cheek against her head first and took a deep breath, which made Ling shiver. He didn’t just nip her ear— he kissed it, then kissed it again, then gently placed his teeth on her ear before applying pressure.

Ling mewled, melting into him, her hands digging into his back as her heart nearly exploded with love and happiness. “Thank you...” she whispered with a shuddering breath. “You are my mate.”

Gregory eased his teeth from her, then shifted his mouth to the other side of her head. Ling’s breath caught, her hands freezing on his back. She swallowed hard, almost not believing that he was going to do it again.

“I will welcome you when it’s time, my beautiful friend,” Gregory whispered, then repeated the process again.

Ling nearly collapsed when he bit down on her other ear. “My king... yes... always,” she whimpered. Her hands shook on his back and her knees buckled.

Gregory caught her, easing her down to the floor. He met her eyes, smiling gently at her. “Thank you for everything you do and will do.”

Ling shivered, unsure if he knew what he’d done. Biting both ears the way he had was a sign of eternal love to her family. She’d wanted it, but couldn’t ask for it, but he’d done the thing she had truly, deeply, wanted. “Always for you.”

Gregory was about to say more when he was suddenly buried under a quivering body. Laughter filled the room, but Gregory could only focus on Clover. She squirmed atop him, her lips on his as she feverishly kissed him. Her hands stroked the sides of his head while she held him in place.

With no warning, Gregory rolled her over as he continued to kiss her. He snagged her hands, forcing them down beside her head as he shifted his body against hers. Clover moaned and quivered in place. Her heart beat fast and hard in her chest— she’d wanted this moment since she’d first known he would accept her.

Gregory leaned back, staring down into her black eyes. “Clover, you’re lovely, smart, and loyal. We’ll be very happy when you join us fully.”

Clover panted as her heart swelled more. “I will. I will! Just wait. I will.”

“Well, that was more than we expected,” Jenn snorted. “Greg?”

“Sorry,” Gregory exhaled as he got off Clover. “I let my foresight and resonance lead me. It shows me the best path forward for me in the moment. It was the last thing Lightshield taught me. It felt right, and I’m glad I did. Each of you is happier, aren’t you?”

All three freshly-kissed women nodded vigorously.

“Well, now that our heart is done,” Yukiko said, standing up, “it’s my turn. Then it’ll be Jenn, and finally, Mindie.”

“Me, me! Pick me!” Clover said, jumping to her feet first.

Laughter filled the room even while Yukiko took Clover into her arms.

Chapter Seventy-one

The group left the small home shortly after they finished saying their goodbyes. Gregory walked in the lead with Yukiko beside him, their faces impassive, even as their hearts were filled with sadness. Clover, Ling, and Roshana were right behind them, hope burned in their hearts, tempered by the pain of parting. Jenn and Mindie walked side-by-side, trailing them, watching their friends with sad smiles.

The bazaar felt forlorn— no one remained in the area except the magi. Debris was scattered around, remnants of the bustling crowds that had filled the area not long ago. The merchants and crowd had packed up during the previous night, so their breakfast had been made by the single staff member who’d remained to serve them.

As they approached the edge of the encampment, they found all the other magi and clans. Laozi stood off to the side, speaking with the clan leaders who’d come. The sight and lack of Lightshield stung Gregory more than he thought it would in that moment. Three carriages bearing the Aether’s Guard crest stood waiting, so they headed for them.

Rafiq, Egil, and Willof stood by one of the clan’s carriages, holding a discussion. They stopped when the magi drew near. Before any of them could ask what was happening, Hemet approached them.

“We part here,” Hemet said. “Roshana, Ling, and Clover, please board the first carriage. We will be sharing it on the way back to the academy. I’m sure you’d like to have time to speak alone, but you’ll have to wait until we arrive at the inns for that.”

“Yes, sir,” the three said. Giving the others one more parting look, they climbed into the carriage.

“Now,” Hemet said, turning to the rest of them, “you will be splitting these two carriages with the armsmaster, newly-minted captain, and the archivist. How you split them is normally up to you, but today, Gregory, you will be riding with them. Rafiq needs some answers for his notes.”

“Yes, sir,” Gregory replied.

“I wish you four the very best,” Hemet said softly. “We’ve all lost a good friend in the last few days, but he had the utmost faith in all of you, as I do. You will help to spread the clan name, showing people how Aether’s Guard comports itself.”

“Yes, sir,” the magi replied.

“Each of you will spend at least a day with them,” Hemet went on after pausing. “They will explain how this coming year will work for you. Do your best and hold to your faith in Aether. This year and next will be a test of your faith.”

“We believe, sir,” Mindie said, her voice firm.

“Aether is always with us,” Jenn added, right on her heels.

“As long as our heart beats, we will not waver in our faith,” Yukiko said.

“Sir, our clan has long held belief in Aether. We will do as Lightshield has done before us. We will prepare as best we can for the day he returns,” Gregory finished.

“I believe you will,” Hemet replied. “Climb in, and may Aether watch over you.”

“Thank you, sir,” the four of them replied together.

Hemet went to the first carriage, leaving them to figure out who was in which for the other two.

“Gentlemen, I’ll join you shortly,” Gregory said, going to the second carriage and opening the door. “Ladies?”

“Thank you,” Yukiko smiled as he helped her in. “We’ll see you tonight, dearest.”

“When we get to an inn. Will we try to train then?” Jenn asked, Gregory helping her in after Yukiko.

“Yes,” Yukiko answered. “We’ll do the best we can in the years ahead.”

“Thank you, husband,” Mindie smiled gently. “We’ll study while we travel, so it’ll be physical training when we get to the inn.”

“I understand,” Gregory said as he helped her. “I love you, my hearts.”

“We love ours, too,” Yukiko replied.

Gregory shut the carriage door, then looked at the driver, letting his resonance wash over him. “The most precious people in the world are inside. Drive safely.”

The man bowed his head. “I will, Magi.”

A firm pulse came back from the driver, and Gregory nodded at him. “May Aether bless you.”

He was the last one into the third carriage, putting him beside Willof. “A captaincy?” Gregory asked.

“Yes. I have to be one for this duty. One year as an assistant to a magi, and two years as the head of an area. After that, I will have choices,” Willof said. “When the overseer said I would be overseeing Aether’s Guard, I knew my next couple of years would be pleasant.”

“Better than some others,” Egil’s laughter rumbled. “And since you are probably wondering, Gregory, Willof will be overseeing you. Jenn will be assisted by Ella, and Yukiko will have Ben.”

“They’re in capable hands,” Gregory smiled. “Will all of your old allies be assisting this year’s initiates?”

“A majority of them,” Egil chuckled. “I asked for them to be placed with the best students to further hone their skills. If not for Willof, I might have had to shift another to assist you.”

Gregory glanced at Willof, then triggered aether sight. He didn’t see any aether in use, so he smiled. “You asked for me specifically, sir?”

“Pettit,” Willof snorted, “I’ve seen magi for nearly a decade at the academy. In that time, I’ve never seen one who gathers loyalty the way you do. Allies, sure, but loyalty? Not once. If there is one magi in this decade who can shape men into a fighting force to be feared, I think it will be you. If I’m right, then in the years to come, people will be asking who helped you. That recognition means I might be able to climb the ranks even higher.”

“I see,” Gregory said slowly. His resonance told him that the words were slightly wrong. “I would ask one thing, sir. Since guards inside the walls cannot have wives… did someone impress upon you enough that you thought being outside would help you?”

Willof blinked at Gregory for a moment— it was obvious the man hadn’t expected the question. Sighing, Willof looked away. “Well? Is my hope misplaced?”

“I don’t know, sir,” Gregory said. “I can’t look years into the future currently. It was one of the logical reasons I could think of. I… might know… who, though.” Gregory hesitated before he exhaled slowly. “If it’s who I think, sir, she can’t have children.”

Willof nodded sadly. “I know. When I realized that my interest was substantial, I did my best to find out about her. I’ve read the report… of the attack. She is a strong woman.”

Now, it was Gregory’s turn to be surprised. He hadn’t known how Dia had gotten scarred, as he’d never felt comfortable asking. “Someone attacked Dia?” Gregory asked.

Willof jerked, looking at Rafiq and Egil. Both men looked away from him. “If… if that was the person in question… perhaps.”

“Sir, was it the Eternal Flame?” Gregory asked.

Willof met Gregory’s gaze before he nodded. “Yes, but the ones who did it are no longer alive.”

“I understand sir, but hurting a friend puts another mark against that clan for me,” Gregory said seriously. “I’m sure in time, the Eternal Flame will pay for all their errors.”

Rafiq chuckled dryly. “Starting as soon as the overseer is back at the academy. If I might intrude, Gregory, I do need some information from you.”

“A moment please, Rafiq?” Egil sighed. “Yours will take far longer than mine.”

“Of course, Armsmaster,” Rafiq dipped his snout.

“When we reach our destination, you and your two initiate wives will be separated to three nearby towns. Your men will be camped outside the town, and your assistant will be there to guide you in how to lead them. This will mean how to set guard rotations, and how to care for your paychest and supplies. You’ll be shown how to rotate men into the village for leave, and how to discipline them when they err. And trust me, even the best men do. Every two months, you will bring them to the city. You will all be given a week off. Any infractions they cause will go against your report, so make sure they understand that. At the end of the week, you will march them back and repeat the process.”

Gregory nodded as he thought about how to make sure his men understood how serious this was for him.

“Your assistant will deliver a report to me every two months on how your training is going. If it goes badly, I will be forced to visit your camp. That would be bad, but I do not expect it from your men, nor your wives’,” Egil said. “Do you have any questions?”

Gregory took a few moments to think. “Hemet said we’d overlap our weeks off, so I’d see my wives during those times?”

“You will arrive the day before Yukiko leaves, and be there for a day when Jenn arrives,” Egil chuckled. “Mindie will be there the entire time. You will have a few chances to see and enjoy each other, at least until your year is over.”

“Thank you, sir,” Gregory bowed in his seat. “We will do our best.”

“Of that, I have no doubts. Rafiq, you may begin.”

“Thank you, Armsmaster,” Rafiq smiled, having readied a portable desk and his notebook. “I’m going to start at the very beginning of the tournament, then proceed to the point we left. Some of these questions are personal. I will let you know which so you may ignore them if you wish.”

“Master Damon?” Gregory asked.

Rafiq bowed his head. “Indeed. The chief advised me to let you decide what to answer or not.”

“Thank you, and her,” Gregory exhaled. “Very well, Rafiq. I’m ready to answer what I can. Before that though, here are the notes you asked me for.” He extended a bundle of papers. “I’ll refer you to them if your question is answered in them.”

“That will make this much easier,” Rafiq smiled as he took the offered pages. “Shall we begin?”

Author’s Note

Please consider leaving a review for the book, feedback is imperative for an indie author. If you don’t want to review it then think about leaving a comment or even just a quick message. Remember, positive feedback is always welcome.

If you want to keep up on the latest updates, or the one stop shop for all the links, my website is the best place for that. Remember to subscribe to the mailing list to know when I publish a new book, and you get an exclusive short when you sign up.

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Other places you can keep up to date on me and my works:

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If you LOVE LitRPG, then check out these pages full of awesome LitRPG goodness. You can interact with authors like me and many more. Find banter, good times, and a lot of like-minded people.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/LitRPGsociety/

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https://www.facebook.com/groups/LitRpg & GameLit Readers

A big thank you to my editors, Samantha Katt and Sarinia Phelps. Also props to Geno Ferrarini and Sean Hickinbotham for being my Alpha Readers. I’d be remiss if I didn’t include my beta readers, in no particular order: Ian McAdams ~*~ Dame ~*~ Jay Taylor ~*~ Zee ~*~ Scott Brown ~*~ Kevin Kollman ~*~ Justin Johanson ~*~ Kenneth Darlin ~*~ Rob Bunting  ~*~ Aoife Grimm ~*~ Peter LaFemina ~*~ Tanner Lovelace ~*~ Tim? ~*~  Dimitri Shadow ~*~ Matt Case ~*~ Richard G Stahl ~*~ Cheyene Adams ~*~ A Madsen ~*~ Jeremy Stone ~*~ D Smith.

The cover for Aether’s Revival 5: Mages of Buldoun is brought to you by Anthony Bishop, a very talented artist. You can find him at https://grimmhelm.artstation.com/

A big thanks to my Patreon supporters who have gone above and beyond in their support:

Calidia ~*~ Version93 ~*~ Green ~*~ Jeff Gaebler ~*~ Riley Dunn ~*~ Michael Erwin ~*~ Exempt Pie ~*~ Robert McCoard ~*~ Thomas Smith ~*~ Otis Coley ~*~ Michael Mooney ~*~ EvilZetti ~*~Robert Yarber ~*~ Matt Sensenig ~*~ M. Ahles ~*~ Patrick Glass ~*~ Brian Biggers ~*~ James Domec ~*~ Zachery Johnson ~*~ Jeff Kollada ~*~ Scott Baxter ~*~ No0neSpecial ~*~ Craig Mather ~*~ Khamla Khongloth ~*~ Jeremy Patrick ~*~ Cheyene Adams ~*~ Jeff Ford ~*~ Shakekiller ~*~Gian M ~*~ Stefan Holze ~*~ Dwayne Bullock ~*~ Tyller James ~*~ Kurt Bodenstedt ~*~ MadManLoose ~*~ Christopher Cales ~*~ Daniel Glasson ~*~ IntheRaccon ~*~ Lgikito ~*~ Tanner Lovelace ~*~ Stephen Juba ~*~ James Parker ~*~ Stephen Caperton ~*~ Forrest Hansen ~*~ Kenneth Freeman ~*~ Kyle Pettay ~*~ Chanh Pham ~*~ Alexander Rodriguez ~*~ General Raith ~*~ Ron Abitz ~*~ David Hoerner ~*~ James Breaux ~*~ MattMick222 ~*~ Matthew Kelley ~*~ Robert Shofner ~*~ Mike Brown ~*~ Kurt Borek ~*~ Mike Durie ~*~ Jose Ibarra ~*~ Christopher Gross ~*~ Tyler Scheibe ~*~ Jon Bryant ~*~ Dedalus Inventor ~*~ James Murphy ~*~ Michael Shearer ~*~ Charles Demarest ~*~ David Taylor-Fuller ~*~ Robert Jacobs ~*~ Dances with Kobolds ~*~ Christopher B. ~*~ Deme A. ~*~ Council of Nine ~*~ Gslice100 ~*~ Zifferix ~*~ Logan Cochrane ~*~ B Liz ~*~ Brian O. ~*~ Aristo ~*~ Top Cat 269 ~*~ Charles Henggeler ~*~ Daniel Shimek ~*~ Orry Mooney ~*~ Chad Arrington ~*~ Michael S Pellman ~*~ Cody Creager ~*~ PantherTheory ~*~ Tetsu-nii ~*~ David Florish ~*~ Michael Moneymaker ~*~Sawyer Williams ~*~ Matthew Caro ~*~ Kevin Kollman ~*~ Scott Hank ~*~ John Cothrin ~*~ Sean Fitzpatrick ~*~ Mark Kewer ~*~ Miguel E Ramirez ~*~ Eric Hontz ~*~ JakeTylerPsn ~*~ Kori Prins ~*~ Matthew Parikka ~*~ Justin “Johnist” Johanson ~*~ Kevin McKinney ~*~ Adam W ~*~ Gabe Patton ~*~ Brett Hudson ~*~ Sith ~*~ Gregory Johnson ~*~ Spencer Jefferson ~*~ Richard Papst ~*~ Arthur Cuelho ~*~ Jerrod ~*~ Dwinald Lint III ~*~ Red Phoenix ~*~ Ryan Luttinger ~*~ Joel Wilkinson ~*~ Pheonixblue ~*~ Clinton Wertzbaugher ~*~ Christopher Edstrom ~*~ Adam ~*~ Joshua McCane ~*~ Chace Corso ~*~ Cheif37 ~*~ Tom Richards ~*~ Michael Jackson ~*~ Masta Matna ~*~ Jose Caudillo ~*~ William Merrick ~*~ Benjamin J Russel ~*~ Abraham Madsen ~*~ Matthew ~*~ Aryan Eimermacher ~*~ Rey T Nufable ~*~ Eli Page ~*~ Barry Drickson ~*~ J. Patrick Walker ~*~ Kevin Harris ~*~ Winston Smith ~*~ Matthew Malkin ~*~ T3iain ~*~ Don Jinkins ~*~ Darkserra ~*~ EthanK ~*~ Robert Owen ~*~ Aaron Blue ~*~ Brad Schultz ~*~ Derek Raines ~*~ Malcolm White ~*~ Jeremy Cox ~*~ Robse ~*~ Jacob Lawlor ~*~ Rafnar Caldon ~*~ Matthias Meilahn ~*~ Caleb Bear ~*~ Travis Hilliard ~*~ David Morrissey ~*~ Pamela J Smith ~*~ Lui Adecer ~*~ Chioke Nelson ~*~ Damien Osborne ~*~ Terry Wood-Davies ~*~ Oni No Chi ~*~ Thomas Lindsay ~*~ Malcolm Wade ~*~ Kenneth Darlin ~*~ Morgan C Williams ~*~ William Simmons ~*~ Ryan A Larkey ~*~ Thomas Corbin ~*~ Andrew Nevius ~*~ David Peers ~*~ Brendon Quinn ~*~ Michael Browningkoelper ~*~ Erin Jordan ~*~ Influenza ~*~ Tanner Sealock ~*~ Eliseo Rios ~*~ Joshua Homes ~*~ Zachariah Miller ~*~ Allen Deck ~*~ Taefox ~*~ Jascha Weiss ~*~ LarrytheEmu.

Other Books written by Daniel Schinhofen:

Binding Words:

Morrigan's Bidding

Life Bonds

Hearthglen

Forged Bonds

Flame of War

Lost Bonds

Noble Solutions

Accorded Nobility

Aether’s Revival:

Aether's Blessing

Aether's Guard

Magi's Path

Aether's Apprentices

Luck’s Voice:

Suited for Luck

Cashing In

Breaking the Bank

Dangerous Gamble

Dungeon Walkers:

Dungeon Walkers 1

Dungeon Walkers 2

Apocalypse Gates Author’s Cut: (Completed)

Rapture

Valley of Death

Gearing Up

Elven Accord

Downtime and Death

Can of Worms

Unexpected Dev-elopments

One Nation, Under...

Alpha World: (Completed.)

Gamer for Life

Forming the Company

Alpha Company

Playing for Keeps

Fractured Spirit

The Path to Peace

Darkhand

Gamer For Love

Last Horizon: (Completed.)

Last Horizon Omnibus

NPC’s Lives: (Hiatus)

Tales from the Dead Man Inn

Resurrection Quest: (Hiatus)

Greenways Goblins

I would like to point you all toward some fellow authors whose works I enjoy:

William Arand: Author of the complex interconnected series in the genre which all starts with Otherlife Dreams.

https://www.amazon.com/William-D.-Arand/e/B01AY7PSG4

Scottie Futch: Is a prolific author who combines parody with zany humor that keeps me laughing.

https://www.amazon.com/Scottie-Futch/e/B00NCSEN28

Eden Redd: She might be mentioned last, but she is definitely not the least, and she is very worth the read, more so if you like some adult content. Her Lewd Saga series combines erotica and LITRPG.

https://www.amazon.com/Eden-Redd/e/B00I8X8BCK

You can also find out more about LITRPG stories at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LitRPGGroup/