She danced through Ayo’s mind, the lines of her a melody of their own. Ayo tried to occupy his thoughts with anything but her. When he saw his parent's dead bodies, rampant anger had filled him. But they had not been the first ones to come to mind when news of the Keep’s slaughtering reached him. That was Rose. He’d searched and searched for her throughout their little fief and had found nothing.

A stack of at least a dozen books slammed on a darkwood coffee table.

Ayo woke on plush beddings and clean sheets only partially rested, but very annoyed. It was the first time he’d been able to dream at all since leaving Zaven House.

“Every Academy, their affiliations, their specialties and some classified information like demigods they have, special arts and treasures and so on,” Ballen spoke only in high parlance. The average commoner would be unable to keep up with it and Ayo himself had to dredge through his memories to decipher him. Ayo grunted at the prospect of learning it all again.

“What was that?” Ballen asked.

“Nothing.” Ayo sighed.

Everything about Ballen carried the luster of his House. He was wealthy even without his garbs. He had blond hair and blue eyes, classic markers of pure blood from a powerful house. Grace and posture were implicit in high society but even for them those of House FirmWood were well crafted.

Ayo and Ballen had known each other since young. Ballen’s family was the fourth-largest trader in the nation and Ballen’s depended on House Zaven for local resources, animal skins, and voting power in the courts. But there was more there. House Firmwood was too kind to House Zaven for simple politics. Master Firmwood owed his father something, though Ayo could never quite figure out what.

“You sure you haven’t shrunk Ayo?” Ballen Jabbed Ayo in the rib playfully, “ You don’t look like half the man you were at thirteen.”

Ballen was three years older than Ayo. Ayo knew Ballen was joking. He tried to laugh along with Ballen but couldn’t bring himself to do it.

“Ah, come now. This is where you’re meant to put me in a headlock and call me a vexing earthen twit, or whatever low parlance curse you’ve got rotting your mind.”

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Trying to smile just reminded Ayo of the world he’d lost. House Zaven was one of few districts in Cammard that cared about people first then power, hierarchies, and whatever other nonsense high-borns wasted their lives on came long after. Ayo sighed a moment. “My father… he’s dead.”

Ballen’s searched Ayo’s eyes in turn then turned short of breath, “Father’s karma will suffer. The heavens are spiteful.”

Not even a moment of sympathy. This would be court life. Another thought pressed on his mind too.

A karmic debt was it? House Zaven had many relationships like their partnering with House Firmwood, but few in Cammard and even fewer as firm. There’d always been something more but Ayo could never have been sure, his father said nothing of it whenever he asked. But for a karmic debt to have been bound…

“Why so lost-” Ballen watched Ayo confused, “You’re telling me you didn’t even know this much? Your father saved my father’s life. I’ve known you for ten years and you never knew?"

Ari patted down the back of his neck, avoiding the question, “You have housed me, his son, and given me a roof where I have no home. I’m sure the heavens will be forgiving.”Ayo clasped his hands and then shook them slightly to show gratitude, “Thank you, Ballen. We’re more than even after this.” Ayo flashed a smile to Ballen and reached for the texts.

Ballen gave a disgusted face. “Just this? How much do you think my father’s life is worth?”

Ayo was taken aback. His father’s life? The karmic debt was Master Firmwood’s life?

Ballen gave a half-smile. Then as if he’d just remembered something, “How are you coping? Is the rest of your family well. Will you need some money in your father’s absence? I can send peak-stage crafters to help defend the village. I-”

Ballen could be good company Ayo thought to himself. He was just glad to have a friend.

“They killed everyone, Ballen. Father, mother, the villagers. Everyone.”Ayo smiled wan.

The boys shared a cold silence for a while then Ballen slowly coaxed Ayo back into words and stories from times they'd played in the past. It eased the pain.

That was enough to convince Ballen all was fine. No matter the subject Ayo and Ballen were used to talking candidly about it. It was what the two Houses respected most of one another. Even with Ayo’s situation, Ballen saw no reason to hold back any longer,

“So why did you choose to come to Cammard?”

Ayo was caught off guard but only for a moment and wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry at his friend's brazen. Still, the answer came to him quickly. It was the only clear thought he'd been able to have since leaving House Zaven.

"Strength."