Thad’s existence faded as if overtaken by a fog.

  It crept into his thoughts, seeped into his limbs.

  And then he stood in front of a white door, the world around him a void.

  … But this door wasn’t for him… He knew that.

  Could feel it deep in his soul.

  Yet still… he reached for it.

  Thad’s eyes snapped open as he jolted upright, gasping for breath.

  He… he was alive.

  Reflexively, his hand came to his chest, but it wasn’t painted red. The armor was smooth and spotless. His body was warm, his chest didn’t ache, he could breathe easily, yet he felt despair.

  He should’ve been relieved.

  He should… Thad felt his emotions overwhelm him, tears silently spilling as he came to terms with what he hadn’t realized was a hope.

  This wasn’t his bed, his home, his world… This was real.

  Pallimustus was real.

  “…I can’t go back.”

  -User, are you…-

  Thad’s breathing picked up as he ran his hands through his hair.

  Why had he dared to hope?

  How could he have been such a fool?

  -Thad, snap out of it! You’re being…-

  I’m going to die in the Astral space, I’m going to—

  Thad gasped with surprise as strong, warm arms embraced him, the shock pulling him back from the brink.

  “I’ve got you. It’s going to be ok,” Neil whispered, his aura comforting and solid as if it were stability made manifest.

  Thad’s heart quavered. When was the last time he’d been held like this?

  Since the first contract? By a stranger no less.

  Thad’s fingers tangled into Neil’s shirt as more tears came, grief settling in for a sorrow he’d thought long passed.

  He was never going home.

  Thad took a shuddering breath as he felt the elf pull him closer. Unaware of his sorrow, ignorant of his loss. Yet still present.

  Shit, he was falling for this guy, no, falling wasn’t the right word. Fell… into the deep end—no hope of surfacing. What was he thinking?

  Who was he kidding? He didn’t want to think. He knew what he wanted… even if it wasn’t available. He couldn’t selfishly put that obligation on Neil.

  Thad took a deep breath and wiped his cheeks with his palms.

  “Sorry, I’m kind of a mess right now.”

  “Is that surprising?”

  “Ok, Neil,” Thad laughed indignantly, looking up into greenstone eyes, only to have his heart skip a beat when he caught a soft smile.

  A smile he could make a new home in—No! Stop, this was bad. He was bad.

  “Are you telling me I’m wrong?”

  “I’m saying, you’re lucky I like you, Davone.”

  “I do have the prosperity essence,” Neil smirked, his thumb brushing against Thad’s cheek as his eyes flitted down for a second.

  A distant sound brought reality crashing down as both men turned to see eyes watching them from across the room.

  Oh, god… Humphrey!

  He’d seen everything!

  Thad expected to see disdain, smugness… something, but instead Humphrey was unreadable.

  His aura tamped, his expression schooled.

  His opposite, as always.

  Jason had been furious the first time he’d died in the chamber, clawing for every inch of life. Yet Thad only whispered, sinking into death as if it were inevitable, a well of regret visible in the noble’s eyes as blood bloomed like a flower across his chest.

  And Jason had seen it.

  The guilt on Humphrey’s face.

  The barely perceptible tremble in his blade.

  Thad had been right; Humphrey hadn’t done anything wrong.

  But did he know that?

  “Oh, don’t tell me it's over!”

  “Gary, Jason offered you other snacks!” Rufus said, exasperated, as the Leonid returned to the viewing room, its screens going dark.

  “Well, I’d heard the dining hall was excellent here. And they’d just been hiding from each other. Talk about boring.”

  “He makes a valid point!” Dustin added as he held out his hand with a smirk. “Though I do think there are a lot of delicious things here, wouldn’t you say, Pheebs?”

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  “Put that hand away if you intend to keep it. Humphrey’s not going to count that as a win,” Phoebe grumbled as she crossed her arms. “I surely wouldn’t.”

  “Well, I am Pheebs, now pay up!”

  “Mate, you know you’re the reacher, right?” Jason said, looking at the two, as Phoebe placed a coin on Dustin’s awaiting palm with a scowl.

  “Of course I’m the reacher, I’m taller than most people… well, not my cousin Hudson, nor Gary I guess.”

  “That’s not what I—, I’m going to need to make a list of words with no translation here,” Jason said as he shook his head, only to see Clive vigorously nodding at him with enthusiasm. “Also, wait, are you implying your cousin’s bigger than Gary?”

  “No, but very close.”

  “That’s impressive for a human,” Gary nodded with approval.

  “Our family’s produced a lot of quality defenders over the years. I’m just fortunate the Mercers wanted one when I was little.”

  “You consider yourself fortunate to be attached to the Mercers?” Rufus asked.

  “No way I would’ve gotten essences on my own. Hudson’s older, and the scion; I’m just a cousin in the end. And I much prefer this life over guild hall duties.”

  “You, as a guild artisan, could be a good look,” Phoebe said with a wicked smile. “I could see you working with your hands.”

  “You do have the build of a smith,” Gary added, which made Phoebe laugh as Dustin looked at her a complete shade darker.

  “I can picture it. Dustin glistening from the forge, plunging his hot rod into—”

  Rufus cleared his throat at Jason, who smirked as he saw Dustin grow far more flustered.

  “Oh, fine, ruin a perfectly regular visualization exercise, why don’t you? But also, aren’t all noble families essenced up?” Jason asked, looking towards Cassandra, who was still sitting, staring at the screen with a pensive expression.

  “Not in cities like this, Jason,” Farrah said. “Of course, you’ll see it in higher magic density zones where essences are much less rare, like Vitesse or Rimaros.”

  “My family’s also not nobility. We run in their circles, but Old City is our family home,” Dustin said, trying to regain his composure. “Though even Neil’s only the second person in his family to gain a complete set of essences, and his grandmother’s the Baroness of the Mistrun Valley. Though now that I think of it, that’s the Mercers doing as well.”

  “Does that mean you both didn’t get to choose your essences then?”

  “No, our contract dictated our specialty… Which of course was fine with me,” Dustin added with a glance at Cassandra.

  “It’s the Rimaros approach, you can thank my Uncle Castien for that. He realized I was quite unmarketable in the Storm Kingdom when he found me trained in the Vitesse style. Thus, Thad having teammates,” Cassandra said, finally standing up, her aura noticeably off despite her usual control. “He’s going to be quite upset when he sees the generalist my brother’s becoming… Among other things.”

  Jason watched Cassandra’s eyes flit to the door that Neil had rushed through, her mouth a thin line.

  “You know I was joking about Neil and Thad dating, right, Cass?” Jason whispered, his hand lightly coming to her wrist.

  He’d clocked the insinuation as a misstep the instant he’d sensed Neil’s aura. And while he’d meant to shut the elf down… he hadn’t meant to bring forth the Mercer Family’s ire.

  A member of the Duke’s family dating some Baroness’s grandson?

  Even with his botched attempt at a political science degree, he knew it was a scandalous gap in hierarchy.

  Though now that he knew the players… was the duke even significant in the dynamic, or was it this uncle in Rimaros, he’d heard mentioned?

  Cassandra and Thad both sported the Mercer crest pinned to their clothing, as did Dustin and Neil.

  If the Duke of Greenstone had been the leading player, wouldn’t that be what the Mercers were focused on?

  When he’d first met Thad, he’d thought that the case… but now he wasn’t so sure.

  And what did that mean for him and Cassandra? Surely her family would be more upset about him and her. Right? Should he be worried?

  “It doesn’t matter, Jason, perception’s as good as fact in these matters. And my brother needs to sort himself out, before it’s done for him,” Cassandra returned quietly as she watched Dustin and Phoebe leave the room.

  “Aren’t you worried about being sorted yourself?”

  Cassandra let out a sigh as she looked over at Jason.

  “I know the rules for this game of obligation I play.”

  “Shouldn’t I know them as well?”

  Jason caught Cassandra’s glance at Clive before coming back to him.

  “Are you sure you're committed enough to learn?”

  “I—”

  “Don’t answer out of passion. Think on it. But know that I’m fine with you, as you are.”

  “Ignorant?”

  “Unmired and unfettered,” Cassandra said as she went to leave the room. “It’s charming in a way.”

  Jason stood there silently as he watched Cassandra leave the room, a frown marring his features.

  “I feel like I should know this already, but… how influential are the Mercers, really?” Jason asked.

  “Oh, very,” Clive said, looking towards the door. “They're the largest producer of spirit coins in Pallimustus, not to mention their monopoly on watergreen marble.”

  “Wait, why’s greenstone so important?”

  “I know you’ve yet to experience it, Jason, but when a monster surge strikes, food production drops abysmally. Greenstone’s water affinity allows the church of fertility to meet the increased demand,” Farrah lectured, causing Jason to raise an eyebrow at the church's mention.

  He’d seen the fertility temple in the religious district, and it’d seemed way more focused on well… a different aspect of fertility.

  “Finally realizing the position you’ve gotten yourself in?” Rufus asked with a smirk.

  “I’m getting the picture, yeah.”

  “You should be rather proud. Your son could’ve won.”

  “I’m not sure that’s true,” Thalia said as she rewatched the final moments of the match. “He’s not nearly as ruthless as he needs to be.”

  “Something I never thought you would say about someone in your family… nor him especially,” Danielle said with a small laugh, only to stop as she studied the screen. “Actually, do you mind if I speak freely?”

  “No subterfuge today, Dani?”

  “Not on a matter like this.”

  Thalia straightened in her chair as she looked at her friend, whose sudden solemn countenance gave her pause.

  “Please.”

  “You know I tend not to meddle with your family’s dealings. But I must admit to finding Thadwick’s change in demeanor rather concerning.”

  “Concerning?”

  “He seems to be…. Well, he’s acting like a different person entirely. Has his aura been examined?”

  “You think I wouldn’t know my own son?!” Thalia growled, standing from her seat.

  “Did you or did you not?”

  Both women studied each other quietly.

  “Beaufort did,” Thalia fumed as she let out a huff and looked away. “He didn’t even consult me prior.”

  “A pragmatist as always. What did—”

  “Would he be here at your estate if he wasn’t my son, Danielle?!”

  Both women fell silent for a moment before Danielle reached out her hand and lightly took Thalia’s in hers.

  “Don’t be cross, Lia. I needed to know, I needed to know you’d checked.”

  Thalia took a measured and controlled breath before taking her seat.

  “His aura’s a match… can’t I just let that be the answer? Do I need to mistrust the one positive thing to happen to this family in years?”

  “I’m sorry,” Danielle said, glancing up at the recording that was paused on the image of Thadwick’s face as he urged Humphrey to teleport.

  “You’re right to ask… It’s why we’re friends. You’re one of the only honest people I know.”

  “I’m rarely honest.”

  “You're honest with me,” Thalia said as their eyes locked.

  “A compassion I know you need,” Danielle said, her face soft, only to become stern once more. “Though I’m worried about the level of compassion your son now has. It’ll get him killed as an adventurer.”

  “I’m not sure he has much time left as one anyway,” Thalia said with a sigh. “Castien has scheduled a review of Greenstone’s holdings… it aligns with the arrival of the Hurricane Princess.”

  “Have you told Thadwick?”

  “No…I wanted him to be able to enjoy these last few moments of peace.”

  “Is this what you would’ve wanted for yourself? Or would you’ve preferred being given the choice?”

  “There is no choice.”

  “There’s always a choice, Thalia.”

  “Coming here was good for me. I got to meet you.” Thalia said as she squeezed Danielle's hand tightly.

  “Was it good for you, or did you make the best of a situation forced upon you?”

  “Thadwick hasn’t been known for making good choices.”

  “How many choices have you actually given him?” Danielle asked.

  The comment stung like a knife.

  “I… When I was his age, I never got a choice!”

  “And you were the angriest person I’d ever met. Why do you think that was?

  “I’d lost everything,” Thalia exclaimed, thinking back to the monster surge that had laid her family low. The same one that’d raised her brother not only to silver but also to the head of the family. A move that allowed no time for grief, a move that’d destroyed the only relationship she’d still cared for.

  “Did you lose it, or was it taken from you, Thalia?” Danielle asked, as she held Thalia’s hand firmly. “You have a choice now. Will you allow him one?”