Leaving one mage to his decoding, Tercius headed home where a second mage was waiting for him. With a somewhat stiff look on her face, Mistress Kalina informed him that he was late for his morphing lessons, without asking why he was late or where he had been.

Tercius apologized to Mistress Kalina and to Penelope for making them wait for him and followed after them.

After blue, violet was the color that Mistress Kalina endeavored to teach him, while at the same time she was having Penelope do some exercises that Tercius already completed months ago under Mistress Helfira’ tutelage. If Penelope managed to do them with her Mana Manipulation, they would lead her to Mana Metamorphosis one day soon, hopefully, just like they did him.

Morphing mana to be visible in various colors was simple — when compared to the morphing of all the different parts of the stone attraction spell, let alone the telekinetic crystal shield — and with Mana Sight, Quick Learner, and Mistress Kalina’s teaching skill to aid him, Tercius was able to learn to make his mana physically visible that specific way within hours.

Starting out each new color morphing sequence took him anywhere from three to six hours to first understand, then manage to repeat each individually, and then repeat the entire sequence in the order it was supposed to be in. A single morphing error or sequence error or any other kind of a slip on his part and things could get explosive, quite literary.

Luckily, he now had a skill to protect himself from the physical effects of mana explosions, if not mental ones. Mana recoil was a… nail in his mind, eyes, and nose often.

But now, with over a week under his belt, Tercius got some of the gist of this mana coloring business, and things were moving at a much faster rate each day. For example, the starting and middle morphs to make his mana physically visible in violet were very similar to the ones he had to make for blue. The difference between the two colors was just in two final morphs.

One thing Tercius tended to notice more, as Mistress Kalina was showing him each morph separately for his eyes to take in, was the ease and speed with which she demonstrated each morph individually for his eyes, and yet when she gave him an example of the final result it was as lightning fast as each of the steps used to get there. That seemingly-constant speed had raised some interesting questions, one among them being: what was it that actually gave that kind of morphing speed to Mistress Kalina?

Endless repetition of a sequence of morphs that became ingrained into her magical muscles?

Or did she use morphing shortcuts of some kind?

Maybe both?

Something else?

Mistress Kalina’s crystal clear explanations were obviously made with a new student in mind, crafted to introduce and inform. Like Master Lazarus, Mistress Kalina was no stranger to tricky questions that repeatedly forced both Tercius and Penelope to first verify the question with what they learned so far.

Often both Tercius and Penelope had to make adjustments to misleading or entirely false parts of the question before they went on to try and see if they could make up some kind of an answer.

Tercius thought about speaking with Mistress Kalina of Perdinar and his revelations, but he realized that he needed to give himself some time to process properly. Delicate ice was beneath him and tentative actions and reactions were required. Measured, but honest, responses.

The looming day of departure for Spheros also gained a new light…

Mana Metamorphosis [14] is now Mana Metamorphosis [15]

Mana Manipulation [27] is now Mana Manipulation [28]

As he didn’t want Mana Metamorphosis and Mana Manipulation to level more than the norm was, he tended to make sure that he had little to no Energy when he exercised them.

Despite many errors on his part, the daily lessons on magic were concluded successfully for him, with Tercius finally mastering the morphs that made his mana visible to the naked eye colored violet.

Later that same evening, that very color made it easier for him to make amends with Aurelia for not taking her with him to Perdinar.

After the eight-year-old was talking to him again and the sun allowed for it, Tercius took her and Leo with him and the trio tackled the garden. Water was hauled in buckets from the nearby canal. Plants were watered — well… there was water spilled all over, but plants were watered… some of those that were supposed to be, at least — by the playful Aurelia and the determined Leo, all the while Tercius used his Gardening to boost the garden back to its prime state. Gardening had been brought over the barrier with the same function that made his Stone Shaping expand its area of effect. Where before both had been touch-based skills, now both could expand that area should he wish for it.

Of course, mana expenditure of a larger area of effect reared its inflatable balloon-like head.

Any time the area of effect expanded to cover more plant life, more of those mana motes were generated and the mana cost of the skill went up with a pretty wild curve. But for private skills, he didn't hesitate to use Energy as a crutch.

Gardening [42] is now Gardening [43]

Gardening [43] is now Gardening [44]

Mana Sight [47] is now Mana Sight [48]

Although he tried to sneak a few moments to observe his skill in work, he made sure to keep most if not all of his attention on Aurelia and Leo. When Tercius had left for the Pyramid, Leo had been too young to properly remember him, and Tercius felt that he would like for Leo, a kid that he had potty trained himself, to remember him at least somewhat.

Since anything could be made into a game with a little bit of imagination, the trio played, and through their play, they worked, learned, and spent a couple of hours together.

***

***

***

The following morning, after a good night of sleep, Tercius went to visit Perdinar. Stuck to the same chair and table he left him in, Perdinar seemingly barely registered Tercius entering. The only thing different about the picture was that loose piles of papers were strewn around the man, pages after pages filled with what looked like variations of one of the letters.

Tercius tentatively crouched over the pages strewn around the floor, and without touching or moving anything he saw that in a single day Perdinar had gone over hundreds of variations. Perdinar seemingly had no intention of stopping.

Recognizing the state of mind Perdinar was in and not wanting to disturb it, Tercius left after he browsed Perdinar’s maps of northern Sogea, with a special focus on the mountain chain west of Spheros. He had known of the maps before, but he had avoided them. Until now. Now, he needed them. A long look over them was enough for him to recall them back vividly with Visualization.

There were no markings of temples or monasteries on the maps, but he did learn that the mountain chain was dotted with sheltered valleys, where structures like those could be tucked in. Hundreds of valleys. In his grandmother's stories, all holy structures of M'ti'mya were built half underground and a half above ground, sometimes even sheltered from direct view with dense vegetation.

Tercius felt lucky that he had Mana Sight and Energy Sight. With one he could see anyone in possession of mana — flora, and fauna which was unable to obscure its signature, of course — and with the other, he would likely be able to spot any Spirits which weren't able to do the phasing out thing which the Spirit haunting his home was.

The mountain range was truly vast, but he figured that with flight and his sensing skills, it wouldn’t take as long.

Flight was what he had in mind when he crossed the first barrier of Spring of Crystal Thoughts later that same day, hidden away from everyone in his basement.

Spring of Crystal Thoughts [10] is now Spring of Crystal Thoughts [11]

The function he had in mind while crossing the barrier was simple, and more importantly, already contained within the original design of the skill.

Petra’s idea that he should go crazy and test the limits of barriers was what guided him in repeating a part of the skill that he already knew was inside the skill. The intent was to see if he was able to strengthen a part of the skill additionally. The answer was yes, he was able to.

He was now able to manifest a barrier of telekinetic force which lost most of its invisibility and became visible with naked eyes. It was transparent like a pristinely clean piece of high-quality glass, but there was this visible thickness to it, most likely an effect of distorted light passing through it. It was just like the barriers that Mistress Kalina used for flight or Mistress Helfira for explosion containment, but unlike theirs, his barrier was silver-white.

Spring of Crystal Thoughts [11] is now Spring of Crystal Thoughts [12]

After the initial rush of elation at this achievement, the final tally of Energy he had needed to use for the barrier and its function was what soured his mood. Just the first barrier had needed a third of the Energy he had invested in the initial making of the skill. He counted the additional expenses that he added to the skill in the Skill World, of course. The Energy to cross Spring of Crystal Thoughts first barrier at [10] was comparable to the Energy amount that had been needed for Energy Sight to cross its first barrier at [20], if not a little bit more.

Knowing that every additional barrier needed more Energy and currently not knowing if the growth of that cost was linear or exponential made him question the viability of additional barriers in either case.

Still, he learned something from this and he would likely learn more if he continued to explore this.

The pain of harvest was the only price here, really, and while it never stopped hurting as if all Hells were flaying and then frying him, piece by piece, he was able to persevere knowing that he would rapidly recover from it with Meditation.

He did wonder something in one of those recuperation sessions after another Energy harvest. Was that reliance on Meditation for pain management what was preventing him from getting the Pain Management skill?

A possibility with high probability.

With Willpower at that list already, that would mean that two skills could be impeded in some way by Meditation.

Everyday pain of a stubbed toe or an accidental cut was no longer an issue for him, both overcome with half a sigh, but he was not sure how to give up on using Meditation for pain relief when he let himself go crazy during multiple daily Energy harvests, which lately was the norm. Without the skill to add a dose of relief at that kind of pain in those amounts, he would likely go insane.

Tercius quite liked his sanity just the way it was and if possible, he would like to keep it that way.

Spring of Crystal Thoughts [12] is now Spring of Crystal Thoughts [13]

His morning flew by him as he played with his glowing telekinetic barriers of all shapes and sizes, expanded his Well, and thought of solutions to many of his issues.

By the time a hungry Tercius got out of the basement, he learned that not only had Mistress Kalina been present in his home for some time, but also that a couple of Empire officials had finally made their paid-for visit.

The recordkeeper and truthseer, as Tercius learned that they were called, came on Ciron’s call, but by the time Tercius learned of them they had already gone on their way. Petra was the one that spoke to Tercius of them, and that Mistress Kalina had let them pass through the Web of Paralysis without issues — on Petra’s timely notice — and the two sweating and visibly disconcerted men stayed in Tercius’s home only as far as to get a drink and for Ciron to say that he had changed his mind and was no longer in need of their services. Tercius’s grandfather gave each man an apology and five tretas for their needless trouble and they were on their way, and according to Petra, relief had been palpably oozing from both of them.

Seliana agreed with Petra’s assessment.

Tercius guessed that both men had likely heard of whom they were visiting and their nervousness likely stemmed from a deep desire of commoners to stay the fuck out of noble business. Nobles could and often would address any slight made against them. If that was the reason behind their nervousness, Tercius could empathize with them.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Without failure, magical and musical lessons with Mistress Kalina followed lunch, and after they finished in the evening, Mistress Kalina informed him that every single mark they made had finally left Nurium.

A brief relief of victory was all he had before he started the next move.

He spoke with Mistress Kalina more of the place they would be headed to and told her that there would likely be older Spirits at this place, news to which she treated with some newly found gravity.

“I will need to prepare, then,” Mistress Kalina said. “Tell you what… I will stay here the rest of the day and the whole day tomorrow, and just to make sure those people don’t return I will go and see where they are. If they prove that they have no intention of returning, I will come back and the day after that, Seliana, little Penelope, and I will leave for the Pyramid. I should be back within a day or two following my departure,”

“I am sorry for bothering you so much, Mistress,” Tercius said.

She waved his apology away. “A favor is a favor. The way you are using it is within my ability and not going against something I stand for, so it is no bother at all.”

Pulling on every scrap of neutral Energy stored in his Well and body, Tercius offered the sphere of pure white to her.

“Be that as it may, Mistress, I wish to thank you,” he said. “I don’t want any favors in return, so I would like it if you consider this a gift from me,”

“A gift, you say?” Absentmindedly, Mistress Kalina closed her eyes and raised a hand to caress the Energy offered. “Do you know that many mages, myself included, consider gifts dangerous?”

“I didn’t know that Mistress," he answered, keeping his nerves at bay. His offer had not been given solely with the spirit of gratitude in mind. Was she able to tell? Thoughts of ingratiation by bribes did surface repeatedly in the past few days and although he still found such practices distasteful, he also found that he was not set against them as he used to be.

“We do. Especially gifts which are hard to repay,” Mistress Kalina said, as she inhaled deeply and shuddered with her entire body. “Some of my peers even consider these kinds of gifts offensive, extremely so.”

"I meant no offense," he said, wondering if he should recall that Energy back or leave it where it was.

"Of course, between a Mentor and Disciple, gift-giving matters are considered trivial," she said, opening one green eye to take a peek at Tercius.

“Oh… Oh!” Tercius said. “I see…”

“Of course, after speaking to Master Perdin’nar you likely changed your previous decision,” Mistress Kalina said, now looking solely at him.

That she knew of his visit was nothing that surprised him, but he still took a moment to collect himself from the directness. His green eyes turned serious as he debated himself on the merits of asking Mistress Kalina to make a contract of no lies between the two of them. With both parties willingly entering into it, the contract would be near unbreakable.

And yet it didn’t escape him from whom he got that information on contracts in the first place.

He was cornered in so many ways, whether those corners proved true or remained only as part of his imagination. From where he stood the only way out of them was forward. Forward into the future, with little foreknowledge. If this was a journey to discover a new continent, he might even be excited about that condition, but somehow, despite many similarities, the same was not applicable in life…

The consequences of making a wrong decision here were… Well, stuff from which nightmares are made of.

But it was not even those nightmares that held him back on their own. Most of those nightmares were just wild phantasms born of an overstimulated, fearful mind.

What he feared the most was implicating others by his decisions. He did not want to make anyone suffer or die from association with him.

But deep within he had to admit to himself that a large part of him balked at the commitment which this Mentorship apparently was. This thing that Mistress Kalina was offering was far worse than an already distasteful sham of an exchange which, back on Earth, was called marriage, simply because of the potential longevity of both parties.

As far as he understood what little Perdinar was willing to share of Mentorship, while a Mentor did have to give formal approval that the Disciple was "satisfactory" in Mentored magical craft or crafts, the bond was not dissolved afterward. Once Mistress Kalina became his Mentor she would always be his Mentor. Forever.

Knowing how old Perdinar was, that could be a long time.

What if in that time he changed his mind? What if she changed her mind? What if they, in time, find that they were not agreeable? Where the fuck was the discreet back door made for a quiet escape?

Tercius shook his head slowly. He had gone over this before and the decision was made. All he had to do now was follow-through.

“I do think that I shouldn’t have had to find out some things from Pe— Master Perdinar, but… I thought about it — a lot — and no, I did not change my decision.”

Mistress Kalina blinked at him for a while. “That’s… surprising,”

Tercius shrugged. “This is a guess on my part, but I think that you will make a requirement for me to get a Mentor if I intend to stay at the Academy,”

Mistress Kalina nodded. “I hope that you see that this is for your own good, as if for mine and everyone else's.”

Tercius nodded. “I do see what this will do for me, Mistress, and I am not against it in any way. I also see that if I changed my decision about you now, I would need to start over my “hours of interaction” quota with someone else…”

She gave a weak laugh at that. “I suppose you would,”

Tercius didn’t laugh. He couldn’t.

“How do we proceed from here?”

“We will need three witnesses – mages, of course – to be present when you recite the middle part of the Rite of Tfenn, the part meant for a Disciple to announce in any way the Magik allows while casting a special spell. You will have to take some time to practice both. Then I will finish the Rite,” Mistress Kalina said. “As for the witnesses, I already have someone in mind. Discreet people, of course. We will keep the matter of the Mentorship in a small circle for as long as we can. The goal here is to make you as educated as I and the Academy can manage, as soon as possible. With your advantage, I’m sure that we will manage.”

Tercius nodded. Discretion would be excellent and the learning did not sound too bad at all.

“How can I prevent anyone from finding out?”

“As long as you restrict yourself to using Energy internally, the chances are rather small. But I would still advise that you don’t use Energy at the Pyramid at all. And since I’m at it, do refrain yourself from using it in Chameos… if I hadn't been there to shield you, someone could have found out…” Mistress Kalina said. “I will also start teaching you how to shield Energy from Energy senses, but that will take quite some time,”

“What if someone does find out about my Energy and the First of His Line title? What happens then?”

Mistress Kalina looked at him. “A very long list of things, Neophyte. Very long, indeed… Unfortunately, I’m not at liberty to discuss such things with anyone but my peers.”

In the end, Mistress Kalina decided for the gift he offered to her to wait.

***

***

***

Once again, Tercius went for an early morning visit to Perdinar. The pile of papers on the table and floor around Perdinar rose even higher, but Tercius could tell that the papers strewn on the floor were stepped on.

“Tercius! Just in time. Here is your code. Surprisingly simple, now that I look back at it… I had a marvelous time decoding these letters,”

"Really?" Tercius asked as he picked up one letter and the decoded version next to it.

“Oh yes,” Perdinar nodded. “I wrote a small guide for you… It’s here, somewhere,”

“Thank you for this,”

After they found the small booklet, Tercius took the entire paper mountain into his amulet and the two of them continued their talk from two days ago. At the end of it, Tercius left the store with two new pieces of knowledge.

The first was that Perdinar took a vow that he would take care of any mage who might try anything against Tercius’ family, an assurance which Tercius did not ask for in any way. But now that he had it, so much weight fell off his shoulders.

The second was also unasked for.

“Did you know that Quick Learner is an excellent sacrifice for Teaching barriers? Think about it…” Perdinar said just as he closed the door behind Tercius.

Before Tercius even understood what Perdinar was saying, the door was locked.

Tercius returned home, thinking of Perdinar’s words, and since Mistress Kalina was off checking on Caeso and his ilk, he had some free time.

Spring of Crystal Thoughts [13] is now Spring of Crystal Thoughts [14]

Spring of Crystal Thoughts [14] is now Spring of Crystal Thoughts [15]

After three hours of practice with his skill and countless repetitions of Perdinar’s words, he decided to do something which he hadn't done in over seven years.

He decided to sacrifice a skill.

But it would have to wait for another time when wisps came for a visit. That way he could repair his Quick Learner the same way he repaired Visualization back then.

That afternoon, Tercius also finalized his barrier plans for Language Acquisition, Visualization, and even Mathematics, which while not at a barrier currently, would be his priority skill to level up for the next few days.

Even for Meditation he finally settled on one function. The final choice surprised even him.

At some hour of the late afternoon, his mother found him and started to berate him for being a poor host to Seliana and especially Penelope. Tercius pointed out to Petra that they were not exactly guest material. Both had made themselves at home from day one.

Despite what he said, he still listened to Petra’s suggestions and did as told. It was easier than the alternative, by far.

That night, in his room and under white orb-light, Tercius started browsing the letters with the small booklet which Perdinar wrote for him and after going through seven of them he found out why his family was so wanted and what exactly Caeso had intended to do. He found out that Lux had apparently started making waves around the Capital after he returned a cycle ago. The writer of the letter that Tercius read wanted to “reign the man in”.

From letters he managed to read, the most surprising thing was how personal he found the letters to be. He had expected some manner of distance between a Noble and someone who worked for the said Noble, but the letters he read were written in an almost friendly manner.

***

***

***

Mistress Kalina returned early the next day and informed him that all was well and that she, Seliana, and Penelope would be leaving by the end of the day.

There was some melodrama from Seliana and even a bit from Penelope, but Tercius excused himself from most of it.

He secluded himself into the basement to practice his skill some more.

Spring of Crystal Thoughts [15] is now Spring of Crystal Thoughts [16]

The issue of Kriti, the woman who was not-so-old-looking anymore, was the only one he actually was present for, on Mistress Kalina’s request. So was Petra.

Mistress Kalina paid the woman generously with Empire’s coins and somewhat theatrically proclaimed that she considered Kriti’s obligations fulfilled. The only thing remaining was the silence on everything that Kriti witnessed in any way in the past weeks, but that binding was for life. That was when part of the contract on Kriti’s shoulder oozed from her skin and fizzled out into visible sparks.

“So… what is to be of ol’ Kriti now?” Kriti asked, patting her shoulder with one hand and weighing the coin pouch in the other.

“Whatever you wish, Kriti,” Mistress Kalina said. “Your life is your own, but… use the coins wisely.”

“Coins…” Kriti said with a stiff upper lip and a bowed head. “Coins is what drove ol’ Kriti to where she were… you can have the coins back, my Mistress. Kriti likes it here. If there were any way, any way at all under all the Heavens for Kriti to stay…”

This possibility was discussed privately between Petra, Ciron, and Tercius, considering how many children and how many adults were in the household. An extra pair of hands was welcome and Kriti, even though quite a chatterbox, was quite handy with everything from the garden to the kitchen, from laundry washing to looking after children.

From what Petra told Tercius and Ciron, the forty-something woman had been a mother and grandmother to a literal litter of children and grandchildren. Kriti's husband and sister-wife succumbed to some fever a cycle back, and apparently, Kriti and her sister-wife never had sons, only daughters. The daughters got married and the son-in-laws did not want Kriti's presence any longer. A few months later, she was alone and on her own.

A common enough story, Ciron, and Petra assured him.

“You want to stay here?” Petra asked.

A metallic jiggle and a thump drew Tercius’s gaze to the dropped coin pouch.

With a swish of a brown skirt, Kriti rushed to Petra and yanked her by the forearms. "More than anything. Kriti was useful here, was she not?"

“You were,” Petra nodded. “I couldn’t have been able to manage this bunch without you,”

Petra had been a bit hesitant towards the stranger in her home and kitchen, but after just a couple of days spent together, she found Kriti's strange manner of speech somewhat endearing.

“Then let Kriti stay on,” Kriti pleaded. “What say you?”

Kriti “stayed on” for the foreseeable future. The pay was a bed, food, and a roof over Kriti’s head. Nothing special, yet Kriti took it as if Petra was offering kilos of pure gold.

That same midday, instead of having magical or musical lessons, Tercius waved to an invisible sphere as it flew away.

***

***

***

The next day, early in the morning, they had a surprise visit. Mistress Kalina's spellwork around the house had been neutralized before her departure, as a precaution, and he was glad that she did that.

After the hood was removed, raven hair spilled out, along with brown eyes and some brown freckles across her tender nose and cheeks, Nurium’s military Commander was not someone he expected to see sitting in his living room, right across from his mother, grandfather and him. She introduced herself as Commander Felicia Novus.

The woman coughed into a closed fist. “I informed Lord Primus of what was going on here, but no response from him arrived as of this morning. I come now to you because I have some solid information that the people that were previously harassing you, are no longer a threat.”

Tercius exchanged amused glances with his mother and grandfather.

“Really? How surprising…” Petra said. “Are you the one we have to thank for this? Did you order them to leave us alone?”

The Commander shook her head. "I did not. Even though they nominally ranked below me, I had no jurisdiction over them whatsoever. All High Nobles have certain privileges and defending the private interests of their Noble Families with semi-private Army members is one of them. Only in times of active war is the command chain without exception,"

Ciron grumbled something under his breath, a muffled sound of crushing rocks and the Commander glanced at him briefly.

"When Lord Primus asked me to watch over you I foolishly agreed and as a result stood between two fires," the woman said. "Both of which could have easily ended me and my career, should I go a step too far in any direction. And let me tell you this. Despite many threats and bribes to do the contrary, issued both to me and some of my people, I have done my best to corner these men from my end during this last month—"

“These people came to our home every day and night for a month—” Petra said coolly.

"And that's where they remained," the Commander said calmly. "While some of their hesitations certainly had to do with the presence of the esteemed Expert—" she nodded to Ciron. "—It was also by my intervention that they agreed to curb their more extreme activities. I intended to extend for more time, to allow me to get in touch with Lord Primus and find a way forward, but things turned out the way they are now—"

Tercius tuned her out as he thought of what he knew so far.

Lux did tell Tercius that the woman would look after his family, but he also knew that she was doing that because his uncle had promised to pull some strings to get her promotion going. But his uncle was not politically active. At least he had not been active at that time. Lux was a famous war hero and a rich wanderer. Sure, he could secure a promotion, but only if someone with more clout was not impeding it.

She had stated earlier that she was playing with two fires and that a step in the wrong direction could mean the end of her and her career. If she had helped his family more, then this other Lord would have probably ended her career, but if she didn’t help his family after she promised his uncle… What was happening here was probably far outside of the scope that she had agreed upon with Lux. And suddenly she had had a choice to make, a choice that she had pushed away for as long as she could, in hopes to see the winner beforehand.

Felicia was a fence-sitter who saw that she had been dragged into something that could shatter her world and work as part of collateral damage. Now the fire was over, she came to see what could be salvaged.

Tercius glanced at the faces around the room. Ciron was playing with his thumbs, as he blinklessly stared ahead. His mother spoke curtly with the Commander.

“I did make certain arrangements for all of you to board a felucca at the southern pier. That would have taken you to Spheros with haste,” Felicia said while still keeping her gaze sharp.

“How generous,” Petra said.

Tercius had to hold himself from rolling his eyes. This was going nowhere. Ciron was staying out of it and Petra was in some passive-aggressive state of curt offensive.

“I’m not sure if you remember me, Commander…” Tercius said.

“The eagle incident,” she said, still glancing at Petra and Ciron. “How could I forget?”

Tercius nodded, blood rushing to his cheeks. He really ran away like a headless chicken that day.

Tercius coughed into a fist. “My uncle spoke highly of you to me. “Capable, efficient, and adaptable,” I believe his exact words were.”

“It’s my honor and privilege to know Lord Primus in person,” Felicia said, placing a fist over her bosom. He could swear that he heard ribs cracking…

“If you say that you did what you could, I will believe you,”

It wasn’t evident to him, but his Acting suggested that the target of observation had relaxed a bit. That was good.

“I did,” she said.

“And I thank you for it, Commander. Without your actions, who knows what might have happened?” Tercius said, meaning every word. Even a small help was immense if provided at the right time. If she had indeed stalled Caeso, especially before he arrived, then she had his gratitude.

Showing that gratitude to her cost him nothing.

Commander Felicia stayed for another hour or so, and in that time he managed to make Ciron and Petra overcome their inhibitions and get them to talk to Felicia somewhat politely.

Honestly, if someone told him a year ago that he would be a diplomat, he would have laughed his head off.

Today?

Today he could have chosen to wallow in silence, listen to “grown-ups” talk, and wait for these people to give him free time, but he didn’t. It would seem that life always had surprises around the corner.