Fen returned from the market fairly late. I was almost ready to think she was avoiding me but there was a good explanation. Spring brings the start of another academic year at the Hall. The market is full of acolytes and even new initiates preparing to better themselves through the study of magic.

Traffic is high and supplies are low. Not to mention the pair of them, Fen disguised as a beautiful woman and Junior objectively handsome, or so the succubus assures me as I can’t personally see it, draw attention from a crowd. All those factors turned a simple errand into an ordeal.

After a short deliberation, we divided the household. Kierra will remain at the house to finish harvesting her garden, along with Gajin. Nomad and Bell will also stay behind to patrol the estate and ensure no opportunists try to take advantage of the situation.

Earl, being the devoted servant he is, volunteers to remain behind and Anna, being the clingy little sister she is, is quick to follow. Both are denied. I’m keen to let the children take a break, be the ones waited on for a change.

Besides, I will need Earl’s help in the city. The immediate plan is to get rooms at the Golden Feathers, the chain of hotels owned by the Guiness family, for the night. The day after that, two at the most to make sure the lord has plenty of opportunity to run in case he thought I was joking in the letter I sent, we’ll move into the only noble estate in Quest. But that is still a temporary situation.

If we want to stay in the city, we’ll have to see about obtaining property of our own. A simple task given that the guilds, the true power behind Quest, are about to provide us with plenty of funds to buy whatever I like. Someone’s going to have to find said place and handle the tedious process of obtaining it.

A job I would normally leave to the succubi but I have business with them. They owe me answers and until I have them, they won’t be doing anything out of my sight. I didn’t want to leave Bell behind either but weighed against the possibility of several master casters ambushing Kierra, no matter how unrealistic the possibility, I relented.

My guests, Jac, Yulia, and her son Allen, are coming with me. The house isn’t very hospitable having been gutted and emptied of all supplies. I doubt my cousin is going to be happy being in the middle of this mess with the hunters but now that she’s in the city, the safest place for her is beside me.

After…we’ll see when the time comes. There’s no way I’m letting her go back to the capital, but she can’t be a guest forever. Jac isn’t like me, who would be perfectly happy to let the days pass in marital bliss. She’s ambitious and driven. Someone like that can only relax for so long. It won’t take long for her to become restless and begin searching for a way to continue her mission.

Alana and Talia are also coming with me. There’s no way Alana is going to leave my side when trouble is so close. Talia was divided but Kierra insisted she tag along. I think the elf is still concerned about how I’m handling the death of my father. I understand that the death of loved ones makes her worry, but she doesn’t need to be concerned about me doing something stupid.

I’m grieving for my father, but it only hurts when I think of him. Otherwise, it’s easy to forget that he’s dead. I won’t think of it for long stretches of time until I see a book of Rolly flitting through the air. Then it comes back and a strange emptiness in my chest makes itself known for a moment. It’s…uncomfortable, but I hardly need Talia keeping an eye on me. However, I accept it. Her presence is far from burdensome and it puts Kierra at ease, which is more important.

We are quite a procession as we set off from the house. Alana, Talia, Yulia, Allen, and Jac are with me in my usual carriage, Khan tucked away amongst our luggage. That’s still something I need to explain to Jac. Or maybe not. Before Geneva can work on Khan’s mind, we need a secure place to hold him. The original plan was to make a room beneath the house but that is no longer viable. I doubt we will have a suitable place again until the business of the March is resolved. By then, Jac might be ready to go on her way and there will be no need to dance around the topic of a possible world-ending threat in the north.

The siblings have their own carriage. A necessary luxury because Anna also has to bring along her pets. The original ball of golden fluff I brought back from the Sanctuary has become many balls of fluff. They don’t take up much space but they are active. Also, they are incredibly frightened being moved from their “den”. If they were made to sit with strangers, their little hearts might stop, or so I was told by their tiny guardian.

There is also two wagons behind us, carrying most of our belongings. They could have been left for tomorrow but I’m fairly confident that one of the Guiness sisters will meet us at the hotel and will have no problem letting us store our things either in the hotel or somewhere more convenient. It also means that Kierra will have an easier time moving things when the time comes, as a runner can take the wagons back to the estate in the morning.

Junior and the succubi take on the role of drivers. The moon is high and the mood heavy as we depart. This is my last time departing from my home. It was always meant to be a temporary roof over our heads, but the abrupt departure leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I do what I can not to think about it. Mainly, lounging against Talia and letting her stroke me with slightly cool fingers. Unfortunately, I’m not the only source of tense air.

Jac didn’t know about my father’s passing. I don’t know why Fen didn’t share that while they were traveling together but I couldn’t have her do it while I’m right here. Jac isn’t…sad, I don’t think. They were hardly close enough for that. However, death is a hard topic. Her face has been stern since receiving the news.

Between her and myself, I don’t blame Yulia for probing a topic I’d rather not discuss.

“I heard about what happened to your father, Lou,” she says softly, the exact tone I’ve heard mothers use when speaking to their sniffling children. Surely I don’t look that miserable? “I’m sorry for your loss. Losing anyone is hard but family…no other wound can compare.”

She would know, wouldn’t she? How many brothers has she lost? Four? “Thanks,” I mutter, hoping she can hear how little I want to talk about this in my tone. Alana adds a glare as a silent warning. Both of us are ignored.

“If you need, we can handle the matters related to the March while you see to…other matters.”’

“There are no other matters.”

“…at the very least, the burial—"

“There are no other matters,” I reiterate, adding a touch of steel to my voice. What burial? All I have is a head. And there is no dealing with his estate while I’m a criminal.

“Yulia,” Alana adds. “Stay out of it.”

Thankfully, the snow bunny does. “Alright. I just hope you don’t let business get in the way of grieving. I have seen what that does.”

“It’s not as if I have a choice. The world isn’t going to politely stand still until I’m ready to deal with it.”

“No, of course not. But you don’t have to bear every burden yourself. We can handle the negotiations, at the very least.”

I hold back a scoff. That’s the problem I’m most worried about. The thing with the king is bad but I’m reasonably confident that I can anticipate his actions. Nobles are simple creatures, motivated by one thing: profit. If it isn’t profitable, they don’t do it. That goes especially for the king, as his vassals stand ready to criticize his actions and snatch even the tiniest bit of his power.

The hunters are motivated by honor, pride, and tradition, as well as profit. They are not a single whole but thousands of different bundles of ideals and motivations vaguely moving in the same direction. I would prefer to face the knights of Victory. At least with them, I would know that a deal struck with the duke would bind the whole of Victory. With the guilds, there is no such guarantee.

I doubt the catastrophe in the north was sanctioned by anyone important. That proves that the leaders have no control over the rank and file. Idiots who can stumble into something like the March. When we take the gold that they expect to fill their purses, they’re the ones who won’t give a damn about northern knights or civil war.

“No offense to you, but you’ll need me.” Kierra and the succubi are meant to handle the master-level casters, like the guildmaster my elf crushed. However, they can be overwhelmed by numbers. My immortal body and relentless stamina are the solution to the army of idiots that can rise against us.

“It won’t come to that.”

“I’d rather not be on the other side of the kingdom if it does.”

“What are you two talking about?” Jac asks, gaze bouncing between the two of us.

“Nothing.”

“It’s clearly more than nothing, Lou.”

“Don’t get involved,” I hiss. “It’s got nothing to do with you and it’s nothing worth sticking your nose in.”

My cousin stares at me in pensive silence before averting her gaze. She always was a smart one.

“Thank you for your concern, Yulia, but I’m fine.” If I’m to grieve, it’s going to have to wait. There are dragons to slay.

“…very well.”