At the assembly in the central courtyard of the manor, which even included Goktul the old zarovian smith, Drake stood on a raised platform and looked out over the entire staff of his manor save those on guard. He informed everyone who’d stayed behind of all that had transpired since he left. There were gasps, murmurs, and wide eyes, but no questions.

At the end, he read a list of everyone who had fallen on the beach or on the trek home. Xutag. Hugo. Alice. Others he’d known even less well, but those here had known for years.

He read the list now not because his people hadn’t figured out their friends were dead—of course they knew—but because it was a way to honor the fallen. He knew Lord Crow had never honored anyone, and he needed to memorialize those who’d fallen in his defense.

After he finished reading the list of the dead, he called for a moment of silence to honor all those who hadn’t come home. He didn’t know if people did that here, but it felt right to do so. The silence was absolute. The only sound was the wind blowing over the courtyard roof.

Finally, Drake looked out over his people. “I can’t tell you what’s going to happen in the war with the kromian empire, or even what’s going to happen tomorrow. I can tell you every last one of you has impressed the hell out of me since I got here. I can never change how your former lords treated you, but I’ll strive every day to remain a man you’re willing to follow.”

Many heads in the crowd nodded eagerly and, with zarovians, tails thumped the courtyard tile. The nods and smiles were a good sign his people believed him. Even Kel’s ferals had showed up to observe the assembly, though the Silent Pack stood apart in the corner.

“Now, I have two more announcements before I stop wasting your time,” Drake said. “You already know we’ve lost many good people, but we’ve also gained some great folks. I hope all of you will take some time to welcome our newest thralls, as well as Kelarin and his Silent Pack, to our little family. Finally, there’s one more person I need to call out.”

He scanned the line of faces at the front of the crowd, his closest advisors and his strongest protectors. Lydia. Valentia. Olivia. Nicole. Samuel. He missed Emily and Sachi, but he knew they were in good hands with Raylan. The last face was one he knew better than any.

“Lady Marissa?” Drake asked. “Would you join me on this stage?”

His mother left the crowd and walked to join Drake with quiet dignity he couldn’t help but envy. His mother didn’t move like a politician. She moved like a manor lord, with grace and poise. She gave off the impression she would kick your ass if you threatened her people.

Drake didn’t miss the curiosity on the faces of the crowd as this woman unknown to many moved to join their manor lord on a stage only he had previously occupied. Lydia knew his mother’s true identity, as did Samuel, but for everyone else, this would be a surprise. He’d never expected to introduce his mother on stage, but there was a first time for everything.

Once his mother stood beside him, Drake turned once more to the visibly curious crowd. “Those of you who traveled with me to the capital know this woman as Lady Marissa, an advisor to the noble court. She joined our manor after I finally convinced them not to chop my head off.” Some nervous laughter rose from the crowd, but not much. “However, only a few of you know her real identity. Something we couldn’t reveal until we were both back home.”

He glanced at his mother. “You want to do the honors?”

“I would be honored if you would introduce me,” Marissa said quietly.

Drake turned back to the crowd. “There’s two facts about Lady Marissa that I haven’t shared with most of you for security reasons. The first is that she’s my mother, and for the last twenty-five years, she lived in the same realm I did. She gave birth to me there.”

Audible gasps sounded, and one came from Valentia. Drake was amused to finally surprise her. He suspected his follow up would shock everyone even more.

“The second is that Lady Marissa has been to this manor before. In fact, she used to run the place. So, folks, it’s now my great honor to introduce you to the real Lady Marissa... or as we’ll all be calling her from now on, Lady Gloomwood. Also known as the Fog Warden.”

A woman in the crowd gasped and keeled over. Others caught her. Drake took a moment to make sure whoever that was had recovered. It was Celia Thornton, and while she looked starstruck, she was at least breathing.

Drake continued his presentation. “Twenty-five years ago, the woman standing beside me led Gloomwood Manor. Those who were here then, like Zuri, knew her back then, and I imagine they have dozens of stories about how much ass she kicked when she was in command. Now, everyone, I’d like you all to welcome back your former manor lord.”

No one spoke. No one clapped or coughed or did anything but stare. They really did seem shocked to hear this news, but that wasn’t Drake’s problem any longer.

He looked to Marissa. “The floor’s all yours, Mom.” He stepped down off the stage.

Marissa took two steps forward to stand beside him and stared over the gathered crowd with an expression Drake could only describe as divinely benevolent. She was lordly. For the first time, he saw her not as the mother who’d pushed him on swings and nagged him about washing his clothes, but as the beloved leader she had been before she left her world forever.

Despite the quiet and sincere regret in Marissa’s voice, her voice carried far. “Leaving this manor, and all of you, was the hardest decision I ever made. All I can tell you is that leaving twenty-five years ago was the only way I could protect us from a far more terrible fate.”

As his mother looked down at their people, her eyes glistened. “It was my sincere hope that Steward Joshua... your former Lord Gloomwood... would be able to keep you safe. My heart aches knowing what you suffered after he fell. While I cannot return those you have lost or erase the harm you’ve suffered, I will never abandon you again. Never again!”

His mother paused to allow the wind to blow over the rooftop. No one spoke. No one moved. They stared raptly at the woman on stage beside him as if entranced.

“Yet as much as how you have all suffered grieves me, learning that my son was able to depose Lord Crow and free you from the horrors he inflicted upon you fills me with pride. I believe the future we now face will be brighter than what came before. So I must be clear that while I will be here for all of you, and protect you every way I can, I will not be returning to my former role. It was the honor of my life to serve as your manor lord, but my time is past.”

Marissa looked to Drake, and when she did so, he swallowed at the seemingly genuine pride and love she directed at him. Emotions he had all but forgotten as she left him to “learn to be independent” and they both grew apart. The past still hurt, but this... present... was nice.

Marissa looked back at all those gathered. “Our future lies with my son, Lord Gloomwood. His courage and leadership have seen this manor through crisis after crisis, and in Korhaurbauten, he not only beat back our enemies but restored the reputation of our manor before the noble court. No longer do those in the capital look at us with pity or disdain. Now, those in the capital look at us with envy... and a healthy amount of fear.”

Drake wouldn’t have gone the fear route, but the crowd absolutely ate it up. He supposed it made sense to appeal to everyone’s pride given how isolated this manor was from the rest of the world. It was the same reasons sports teams, states, and even whole countries told their citizens they were better than everyone else. Tribalism built loyalty.

Marissa raised one hand. “So, before we conclude, I would like you to join me in honoring Lord Gloomwood’s steady leadership and guidance in this time of strife and war.”

Drake realized then what was about to happen. She wasn’t... no, she couldn’t...

His mother turned to face him, dropped to one knee, bowed her head, and raised her hands in salute. Like one connected being, the entire staff of the manor mirrored her motions. Even the zarovians, even Cresh, took a knee and bowed their heads.

Dammit! Drake didn’t need this sort of adulation. He didn’t want people bowing and scraping to him at every assembly. But he supposed, just this once, he’d allow it... since it seemed like it would make everyone happy.

No one had forced them to all bow to him like this, though to be fair, his mother had talked them around. Still... it was their choice to honor him. He wasn’t about to throw their faith in him back in their faces. After an appropriately somber moment, he said “Rise.”

Everyone rose, slowly and with reverence, and Drake didn’t miss that Lydia was among the last to stand. His steward should be up here with him. She was as responsible for their survival as him, and he’d remember that next time he had to make a big speech. But for now...

He hopped back up on the stage. “Before we conclude this assembly, I want... no, I need to recognize one more person who you all know. Your steward, Lydia Estoria, is the reason I’m able to stand here today.”

Lydia stared at him in sudden alarm. She obviously hadn’t expected him to call her out in front of everyone. He felt guilty about putting her on the spot, but he also knew she deserved the credit she so easily refused. He was done letting her go unrecognized.

“The day I arrived, your old lord nearly killed me,” Drake continued. “Even after I survived, as a refugee from another world, I felt lost. I didn’t know this realm, any of you, or if I was going to survive a day without being eaten by carnivorous beavers.”

He paused to see if anyone laughed. No one did. They probably didn’t have polite laughter in this world.

“That day, my first day, Lydia’s counsel and support was the reason I was able to survive and lead this manor. From the moment I stepped up to lead you, she has guided and protected me, and not because she wanted to impress me or take over if I fell. She supported me that day, and every day since, because she wanted to protect all of you.”

Valentia touched Lydia’s arm and offered a smile. Nicole rubbed her back, and as Lydia looked around, wide-eyed, everyone in sight smiled or nodded her way. Everyone who served here knew who kept the manor running. They all knew who kept them safe.

“So Lydia?” Drake smiled at her. “I know I’ve said it before, but now I’m going to say it again in front of everyone here. They may all know what you do for them, but I need to be sure. Thank you. For supporting me, for protecting me, and for being my friend.”

He looked to the gathered crowd again. “Do you people do applause?”

Nicole was the first to clap her hands, fiercely and loudly, but everyone else quickly joined in. The noise in the courtyard grew deafening as everyone assembled clapped, whooped, cheered, or thumped their tails. As they honored Lydia she stood amidst all of it, blushing bright red and looking as embarrassed as he’d ever seen her. Still... she smiled. It made her even more beautiful than he expected, so he quickly focused his attention elsewhere.

Drake was tempted to let the crowd cheer themselves hoarse, but he took pity on the woman who’d guided him, protected him, and saved his life more times than he could count. He raised a hand for silence and was both shocked and pleased when it arrived. It took only a moment for the crowd to fall silent once more. All eyes once again turned to him.

“I can’t tell you what the future holds. All I can do now is thank you for staying with me. No matter the challenges we face moving forward, Gloomwood Manor will not fall, but not because I lead it. We won’t fall because I have every last one of you standing behind me, and as long as we stand together, nothing and no one is ever going to knock us down for long.”

Drake glanced at Marissa once more, then back at his people. He smiled his warmest smile and motioned with one hand. “Now, I’m done talking. Everyone get back to work.”