“Any advice then?” he asked wryly. “I’m meeting the Duke’s messenger after you.”

  “Don’t try and delay a meeting,” Sindra said. “Tell them you will meet her at their earliest convenience. In fact, if they request you travel to them – even if it’s only a request – get into your carriage and go. Your lands will hold up just fine if it’s made known that you’re going to meet the Duke’s daughter.”

  Arbor nodded, taking another sip of his drink and realizing that he was already in way over his head.

  “What about you?” he asked as he set his drink down. “Will I still be able to help if I marry into the Duke’s family?”

  “Definitely,” Sindra replied. “Just by looking around, I can see how many different cultures and races are gathering here. If you can lead by example, you can help start real change. I very much doubt you can convince Duke Gregmar to change his ways, but if you sway his daughter’s mind, then one day, we might have another Duchess join the Equality faction.

  “Right now, we only have one, and she’s remaining quiet about it. But if another Duke or Duchess states their intentions outright, then she will join as well.”

  “Great, so no pressure or anything,” Arbor muttered.

  For this to work out, he didn’t just have to marry this woman. He would have to make sure she loved him, which honestly made him feel a bit sleazy. He had no idea if he could even love again, and tricking some poor girl into liking him just didn’t sit right with him, no matter what he could accomplish if he did.

  Sindra raised the glass again and polished off what remained of his drink.

  “With that said, I do think I should be going,” he said, setting the glass down and rising from his seat. “Now that you’re back, I can alleviate some worries that our allies have been experiencing.”

  “I’m having another dinner for my Barons, since our last one was interrupted,” Arbor said, knowing Frunk would be aggravated if he didn’t ask. “Would you be willing to join us again, along with your lovely wife?”

  Sidra flashed him a wide smile at that.

  “Already learning the game, I see. Very well, send us the invitation and we will be happy to join you. Would it be alright if I brought along a friend as well?”

  “If they’re even half as important as you, feel free,” Arbor said, returning the smile.

  Having Sindra present again would ensure that none of the Barons would even consider causing any trouble. He would have to apologize for leaving so suddenly and make the proper excuses. Killing a Mythic Cat would be a good one though, and if he could display the animal, perhaps have the pelt stuffed, it might give off an impression of strength.

  Arbor had never really been the type to keep trophies, so perhaps presenting it to Sindra as a gift would earn him some good favor. He didn’t know much about the man’s personal tastes, but he had to assume that displaying a Mythic Beast would be something that every noble would enjoy.

  Arbor bowed at the waist as a couple of servants entered with the Marquess’ coat to escort him to his carriage.

  “Until we meet again, Lord Arbor, do take care.”

  “You as well, Marquess,” Arbor said, inclining his head.

  The door closed behind him, finally giving Arbor the chance to relax. He fell back into his seat with a sigh, but Prudence was already at his side.

  “I heard from the dungeons where they’ve been keeping the elf girl, Kya. Apparently, she won’t leave until you come in person.”

  “How much time do we have until the meeting with the Duke’s messenger?” Arbor asked.

  “Twenty minutes,” Prudence replied.

  Arbor wanted to groan in frustration. That time would have been well-spent stuffing his face. He was very hungry, especially after that sad excuse for a meal he’d had. But he wasn’t going to make Kya keep rotting in his dungeon just because he was a little hungry. The elf girl had done a lot for him while in Grimm, and even if she hadn’t, he wouldn’t allow his little sister’s best friend to remain locked up.

  With a groan, he pushed himself out of his chair and began walking to the door.

  “Alright, let’s go,” he said, reaching for the handle.

  Prudence reached past him and opened the door. After six months of doing everything for himself, this just felt strange. It had felt strange before as well, but at least he’d been growing used to it over the course of a few months.

  Now, though, it seemed he would need to grow accustomed to this all over again.

  7

  Arbor had never been down to the dungeons before, so when he first walked down the staircase, accessible only through a single staircase on the outside of the manor, he thought he’d be walking into a dimly lit, dingy and dirty area, complete with rows of glorified cages. However, when the pair of gremlin guards unlocked the heavy door, he was pleasantly surprised.

  The corridor immediately before him was well-lit, with lanterns flanking the walls to either side. And, while he did see a single row of barred cells with single cots flanking the corridor, not a single one held any prisoners.

  Another door was opened at the end of the corridor, and Arbor walked into what looked to be a regular living area. His brows came down in confusion as he saw over a dozen heavy doors placed in the walls at regular intervals. Only one of them was being guarded, while another looked to have some type of contraption poking from the top.

  “Is that where she’s being kept?” he asked the guard escorting them.

  “Yes, sir,” the guard said, though he looked wary.

  Kya did have the ability to control minds with her Connection magic, and from what he’d heard, that was exactly what she’d tried to do to get free. It was a bad move on her part, but without anyone here to calm her down, she’d likely gotten desperate.

  “Why does this area look so nice?” Arbor wondered as they headed for the door.

  “This is where important prisoners are kept,” Prudence replied. “Nobles, prisoners of war, and so on, those who can’t simply be tossed in a cell and left to rot.”

  Arbor nodded, peering through the small glass window and into the cell where Kya was being kept. It looked nice and spacious, with a curtained-off section near the back. There was even a small kitchen, living room, and bookshelf stuffed with tomes. On the far side, he could just make out another door, which he assumed was a bathroom.

  He didn’t see the elf, but he could sense her with his Perception Field.

  “Kya?” Arbor asked, knocking on the door. “It’s Arbor. Can I come in?”

  He held his hand out for the key, but Prudence was already ahead of him, inserting it into the lock and twisting it with a loud click.

  “Kya?” Arbor asked again, opening the door a crack but not wanting to enter, just in case the girl wasn’t decent.

  “Arbor? Is that you?”

  “Yes, it’s me,” Arbor said. “Can I…?”

  There was a slapping of feet on stone, and the next moment, the door was wrenched open to reveal the elf girl. She was pretty as ever, wearing a floral-pattered dress that clung tightly to her impressive bust and fell to her knees. A pair of tight-fitting pants covered her legs, though her feet were bare. Her honey-colored hair fell in waves down her back, and she had a white lily tucked behind one of her pointed ears.

  Arbor had never seen a prisoner look so good, though he noticed a distinct tension in her shoulders, and the traces of redness in her eyes told him she’d been crying.

  She stared at him for a few moments, as though making sure it really was him, then lunged forward and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing tight.

  “Oh, I was so worried about you!” she exclaimed. “I came back, but you didn’t, and no one believed anything I said! They kept me locked up here, and no one would come near me and…and…Oh, I’m so glad you’re okay!”

  It had been quite a bit of time for him, but for her, the events of Grimm had only been six weeks ago.

  “There, there, it’s alright,” Arbor said, hugging her and lightly rubbing her back. “I’m okay. All of the Elementals are here and safe. Now, I don’t have a whole lot of time, as I’m very busy, but I promise we’ll speak more later, okay?”

  Kya pulled back a bit, her large eyes watering but holding herself back from crying.

  “Where is Karria?” she asked. “Is she okay? No one would tell me anything…” She trailed off as she saw his lips flatten into a line.

  As far as he knew, she couldn’t get into his mind, but sensing his emotions wasn’t beyond her abilities.

  “Karria is in the Jagged Peaks,” Arbor said, trying to calm the flash of worry, anxiety, anger, and restlessness that was warring within him. “We’ve sent people out to search for her, and you can trust that we’re going to do everything we can to get her back. And if all else fails, we’ll go to war.”

  Kya’s bottom lip trembled, but she nodded, still managing to keep her composure.

  “I need to get going now,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder, just as he would have done for Karria. “I can have someone bring your things up to the fourth floor, to my private living quarters where no one will bother you. Will that be okay?”

  Kya nodded, her golden locks bouncing along with the motion. Arbor couldn’t help but notice how pretty she truly was.

  He gave her a smile, then pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her.

  “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask, and if you need to talk to me, let a staff member know. I’ll have small breaks in between meetings all day. If you want me to come, even just for a minute, I will. Okay?”

  Kya nodded again and dabbed quickly at her eyes, then gave him a watery smile.

  Now that he’d made sure she was taken care of and the guards were moving to collect and move Kya’s things, Arbor moved to leave. However, as he was going, one of the guards at the other cell motioned him over. Arbor was a bit confused, as he didn’t remember who else they might have locked up.

  However, as soon as he looked in, he was quickly reminded of who was being kept here. All he saw was a bed and a mane of long, silver hair with purple streaks running through.

  This was Ramona, a former Co-founder of the Defiants, and someone Arbor had, until recently, believed to be behind the assassination attempts.

  “Had she moved at all in the time I’ve been gone?” Arbor asked, looking to one of the guards.

  He remembered the night she’d shown up, bloodied and on the verge of death. It had been on the night he’d won the competition. Ever since then, she’d been asleep and none of the healers could explain why she wasn’t waking up.

  “Nothing, my lord,” one of the gremlins said.

  “You’re sure?” Arbor asked. “Have you been keeping an eye out for her magic like I requested?”

  “Yes, sir,” the gremlin said. “No one is allowed in or out, and there’s a guard in the room with her at all times.”

  “Has it been the same guard?” Arbor asked, looking at Ramona with his Mage Sight.

  “Yes. The same guard. She hasn’t been let out either since the day we locked in her in here.”

  Arbor looked at Ramona’s sleeping form for a few moments before shifting to his Inter Sight. It wasn’t the prettiest thing, but he couldn’t spot anything off with her magic. As soon as he used the skill, he saw the problem. A piece of metal was lodged into the base of her spine. It was small, but it was pressing against one of her channels and pinching a nerve.

  This was preventing the small orbs of magic that floated throughout her body from reaching her brain, and although he didn’t know what the nerve’s function was, he had a pretty good feeling that it was important.

  “My Lord, we really need to get going,” Prudence said, interrupting his thoughts. “The Duke’s messenger will be expecting us.”

  “Very well,” Arbor said, stepping away from the door.

  An idea had begun to form in his mind as soon as he saw that. He didn’t have a clear picture just yet, but he was confident it would all fall into place over the course of the day if he allowed it to happen naturally.

  “We’ll be back tomorrow,” he said as he headed out, knowing that Prudence would take note of it. “And make sure to carve out a good two hours for my visit.”

  “As you wish, my lord,” Prudence said.

  Arbor suppressed another sigh. Tomorrow was already looking like it was going to be packed, which meant he’d need to wake up extra early if he wanted to do any training.

  Five minutes later, Arbor found himself sitting in a greeting room. Apparently, this was where he’d be taking the rest of today’s meetings. The meeting with Sindra had been special, but for everyone else, this room would suffice. The chair he sat in was a bit ostentatious, but thankfully, a desk had been placed between him and his visitors, and it blocked out a good portion of it.

  Around two dozen chairs sat facing him, with roughly six feet of open space between them and him. This left room for those speaking to address Arbor and those behind at the same time.

  The door opened and a well-dressed man in his middle years walked in. He had an air of importance about him, though he still inclined his head as the doors closed.

  “Viscount Emerald,” the man said, stopping at the very edge of the row of chairs. “It is an honor to finally meet you. I am Hammond Rock, a steward in service to Duke Carve Gregmar, ruler of Vergara.”

  The meaning in his words was clear, though his tone all but oozed with politeness.

  “Steward Rock, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Arbor replied, keeping his tone neutral. “I must apologize to the Duke. I was indisposed for the past few weeks and was unable to meet you in person.”

  “Would you care to share what kept you for so long, Viscount?” the man asked. “I would like to report your reason for keeping the Duke waiting. He is a patient man, but Lady Silvia has been beside herself, worrying that the esteemed Viscount Emerald did not wish to meet her.”

  Arbor’s gaze flicked to Frunk, who was going to be present for all of his important meetings today. The gremlin gave him the slightest of nods, giving him the go-ahead. They’d obviously known that Arbor would need to give a good reason for his absence, but he couldn’t very well tell them he’d been sucked through a demonic portal and had been staying on another world. Instead, they went with a version of the truth.

  “Assassins,” Arbor replied.

  “I beg your pardon?” Hammond asked.

  “They’ve been after me for some time,” Arbor said. “I have found myself the victim of their attacks for months now, and it nearly cost me my entry into the tournament. I believed that once I became a noble, they would leave me be, but their attacks only ramped up, to the point where I was forced into hiding while we tried to establish their location.”

  “My, how terrible that must have been for you,” Hammond said, his voice dripping with concern. “Did you find the responsible party?”

  “Yes,” Arbor replied with a tight-lipped smile. “The elves. I ran afoul of their new king some time ago, and apparently, the bastard had been holding a grudge.”

  “Elves, you say,” Hammond said, rubbing at his chin. “You have some unusual enemies, Viscount Emerald.”

  “That I do,” Arbor replied. “But now that I’m out of hiding, I would be honored to meet the Duke’s daughter, Lady Silvia, at her earliest possible convenience.”

  Arbor hadn’t known her name beforehand, but Hammond had been kind enough to mention it. Clearly, Hammond realized his mistake, as he quickly covered a momentary slip in composure.

  “I will take the news to Duke Gregmar at once. You should expect an answer in no less than six weeks.”

  With that said, the man bowed, turned, and swept toward the door, a pair of guards opening it to let him out.

  “Well, that was a barb if I’ve ever seen one,” Frunk said as the door closed.

  “It’s fine,” Arbor said, waving his hand. “I don’t mind the wait. It’ll give me more time to prepare. Is there any update on the mission to save Karria and the others?”

  “A messenger bird has been dispatched and should reach the Jagged Peaks within a week, and Shukle set out with his troops about an hour ago.”

  Arbor nodded, placing his face in his hands and letting out a long breath. That was, until he detected the distinct scent of meat. Removing his hands, he found Prudence setting a large mug filled with water next to a massive plate, which was completely filled with steaming meat, potatoes, and string beans.

  “You are a blessing from the Almighty, Prudence. Do you know that?” Arbor said, reaching for the fork and knife she’d set down.

  “I live to serve, my lord,” Prudence said, tucking a napkin into the collar of his shirt.

  “You only have about fifteen minutes until your next meeting,” Frunk said.

  “I only need ten,” Arbor replied, his mouth already stuffed with meaty goodness.

  8

  Ramson gritted his teeth as the wagon ran over a rut in the road, jarring his leg and sending pain shooting all the way up to his brain. The ride to Kingsbrook in the back of this slaver wagon had been less than pleasant, especially seeing as the slavers in question weren’t exactly the greatest of healers.

  His escape from the Duke’s men hadn’t come without a cost, and in addition to his missing left eye, Ramson now found himself with a lame leg. Losing the eye had been bad enough, but he’d still been able to fight. The bolt that had pierced his left ankle had done some real damage, and now, he was unable to put his weight on it.

  Additionally, the bolts he’d taken in his shoulder and armpit had severely reduced the effectiveness of his swing, further crippling him. The only reason he was still alive right now was because he’d invoked the name of Galliana, the most dangerous crime boss in all of Laedrin.

  There was a very good chance she would simply kill him when he showed up, but there had been a one-hundred percent chance of death had he not. His fighting days were well and truly over, but his chance at revenge was still within his grasp. Despite all he’d been through, he still had the scrap of cloth containing Naff’s blood.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45