"He had a demonic poison shard. He was going to use it to kill you," Luca explained.

Micah watched his younger brother, who had never killed so much as a fly, run over and expertly slide the dagger he had tossed out of Kaiden's chest. This was the same Kaiden that had practically raised and taken care of Micah for the last fifteen years.

He even knows how to cover the wound to prevent excess blood from gushing.

"Is that so?" Micah refrained from showing any sort of surprise. He squatted beside his dead attendant and checked his pockets. Out of one of them, he pulled out a demonic shard, careful not to let the blade touch himself.

"Oh my goodness," Luca's main guard, Henry, exclaimed.

"Here, take it." Micah handed the shard over to Henry.

More guards rushed over, having heard the commotion.

"Please treat him gently," Micah told the guards that had arrived and closed Kaiden's eyes.

"Lay him to rest in his room," he commanded.

Micah clenched his right fist around the tiny stone turtle in his pocket. He had just lost someone who was like a second father to him. And it was at the hands of his younger brother, who, until just now, had not even been on speaking terms with Micah for the past three months.

Micah pulled himself up and walked over to Luca.

"Thank you, Luca. You saved my life," he said. He was careful to control his expression. He needed to make sure Luca knew he wasn't angry with him.

It's unfortunate, but it was inevitable.

"I haven't saved you yet." Luca shook his head. "Your life is still in danger. Can we go to your office? I need to walk you through a few pieces of information I learned."

Micah inspected his younger brother, who appeared to have dressed himself this morning. There was none of the usual blitz and dazzle to his attire. Nor was there a trace of guilt or concern on his younger brother's face at what he had just committed. Instead, he appeared rather impatient to get moving to the next point, as if killing a man was just a tiny bump in the road.

Micah sighed and adjusted his mind for the ludicrous and yet very real situation he was in.

I'll grieve later. Right now, this takes precedence.

"I presume it's going to be a long conversation?" Micah asked Luca.

"Yes." Luca nodded his head. "Very much so."

As expected.

"Henry, have the kitchen bring breakfast for us to my office," Micah gestured to Luca's primary guard. "Go. Now."

Henry nodded wide-eyed and left the scene.

Just what is it that Luca has to share with me, I wonder?

 

****

 

"—And this is where Fin is being held." Luca pulled out parchment paper with a hastily sketched out map. "B-18, at the residence of Krok Tomfrees."

"The same Krok Tomfrees that runs that famous orphanage?" Micah asked with mild amusement.

He knew Krok Tomfrees only by reputation but that he was well-regarded by many high circles.

And yet turns out he's just trash like the rest of them.

Luca nodded.

"It's a human trafficking site. He works closely with the Spiders," Luca explained. "He takes in children and blackmails those close to them with their lives. Or sells off those that have an aptitude towards mana to the Spiders."

Luca pulled out another parchment with hastily written out names.

"This is all the staff that works at the residence." Luca pointed to the names. "Four are actual caretakers, and the rest are security. In the afternoons, security is the easiest to manage around, with just six of the guards in position. However, two of the six are mages, so I'd need the help of a mage to get Fin out. I was hoping you could ask Princess Evelyn if she could let me borrow Julian."

Micah leaned over across the map and nodded.

"That won't be a problem," he said. "I'll have another mage I know help as well."

He gazed across the table at Luca. At the start of the revelations, his younger brother was prudent in what information he was comfortable revealing. Still, as time went on and more parchments were brought out, he became bolder in demonstrating knowledge that he could not have possibly had.

Should I warn him just in case? It's good he came to me, but should he ever reveal knowledge like this to anyone else, it could prove rather troublesome.

"Luca, a word of caution," Micah said. "I'm glad you turned to me regarding all of this, but everything you've told me, you should never reveal knowing to anyone else. This is dangerous information."

"I know." Luca bit his lip. His golden eyes met Micah's. "But even if I told anyone, who would believe me? You're the only one I felt actually would."

Micah felt a warmth of satisfaction swell up inside. All his efforts over the years to make sure Luca felt like he could depend on him had come to fruition.

And here I was, worried about him not speaking to me these last three months. But the Luca in front of me doesn't seem to even remember our fight.

"Of course. I'll always believe you no matter what," Micah smiled brightly. "And I'll always help in whatever way I can."

"Then can the operation to rescue Fin be done this afternoon?" Luca asked. "Or would tomorrow work better?"

Micah frowned at this question.

He doesn't know what day is best to enact the plan. That leaves room for uncertainty. And uncertainty means potential failure.

"This afternoon shouldn't be a problem," Micah replied.

I guess it just means I'll need to make proper arrangements such that failure is not an option.

Luca nodded. "Sooner is probably better."

"What did you want me to do about Denise in the meantime?" Micah asked.

He had heard that Denise had done a fine job and thus was promoted within the Frey household to serve Luca. Background checks were done quite regularly on all the servants and guards, given the high number of threats to the family. Thus it was pretty disappointing to learn that she had slipped through the cracks.

I ought to see how such an error was made in the first place. Someone has been slacking on their job.

"She has probably already poisoned Jasper earlier today. So the damage has been done." Luca frowned. "Perhaps have someone keep an eye on her, but there's no point in locking her up if we're going to save Fin later today. And if anyone is watching her, we wouldn't want them to be alerted that we know about her betrayal."

"Very well," Micah replied, pouring himself a new cup of tea. He picked up and bit into a small cucumber sandwich.

It was hardly the first time Micah had worked through a meal in his office. The kitchen staff knew well enough what sort of meals to prepare that were easy to eat without being messy.

"You've been talking all this time, so you didn't eat anything yet," Micah said, and motioned to the uneaten food on the tray beside the table. "You had better eat something to have enough energy for all that's to come later today."

"Food. That's right." Luca pulled himself up from the table and gazed at one of the walls at a hanging clock. "Damn it, I best get going. Ah, do you have three phoenix eyes I can borrow? I'll bring you double the amount back."

"Of course. I could lend you as many as you need," Micah replied, and pulled out his purse of coins and gems.

Luca blinked and shook his head.

"No, just three is enough." He accepted the three phoenix eye gemstones.

"Are you sure? I'm happy to invest more if it means doubling my investment." Micah winked.

"No," Luca replied. "That would bring too much attention to me. But speaking of investments, I almost forgot. Tell Father to invest in Sarka Jarbez for me. She put in a request for investment funds for a mini-portal; she'll be good to take in."

"I'll make sure to bring it up with Father," Micah said, making a mental note to look into just who this Sarka Jarbez was.

However, whoever she is, if it's Luca suggesting, I had better guarantee we invest in her.

"Well, I need to head out!" Luca opened the door out of Micah's office.

"Wait." Micah stood up and walked over. He placed his hands on Luca's shoulders.

"What is it?" Luca asked.

However, looking at his expression, it appeared his younger brother already knew what Micah would say.

But I should still say it, just in case.

"You killed a man not that long ago and had come across so many dangerous plots. I just wanted to ensure that you knew that I'm always here if you ever find yourself troubled. I'll help," Micah said. "You can always talk to me."

"I know." Luca brushed Micah's hands off. "And I'm fine. But I do need to get going urgently if I hope to make it in time."

In time for what exactly?

However, Micah held his tongue. He didn't want to probe too much, even if he wanted to.

He instead watched Luca run off down the hall.

"Make sure you keep him safe," Micah told Henry, who was still standing guard outside Micah's office. "And report anything unusual you see."

"I will," Henry replied.

"Well, get going. Do your job," Micah nodded toward Luca, who had already run far down the hallway.

"Yes! Of course!" Henry responded and bounced after Luca.

Micah watched his brother and Henry turn the corner and disappear before heading back inside his office.

He shut the door and sat down in his chair, letting out a long sigh.

It's begun.

He leaned over the table and gazed down at the countless parchment papers with names and information written out—information that his younger brother from yesterday could have never been capable of learning.

There was everything from a plot on his and Princess Evelyn's lives, the names of two guards within the palace that were working for the Silver Eels, a strong recommendation to not toss Detective Gavin Graves nor anyone else into the Humpton Forest, the conspiracies of the Selvine and Mentisun families upon the Frey family, and even a warning regarding Duke Hatis Maudel.

Micah felt like laughing.

It was everything he could have ever hoped for.

With Luca's knowledge of the future, nothing can stop me from rising to power and taking control of the Adovorian Kingdom, and perhaps much more.

His green eyes gazed across the numerous textbooks and scrolls he had studied over the years. It was a grueling effort to obtain all the knowledge and grow his connections. However, with Luca having awakened, all that effort and investment into developing himself into someone worthy enough for Luca to lean on were about to pay off handsomely.

Micah brushed his hands through his golden hair.

Now, I just have to make sure Luca doesn't actually lose his mind, as the misfortune by those witches on Ebony Alley predicted.

Tsk.

He frowned and gazed out the window.