I spent most of the gold I got back then, I'm pretty sure most of the merchants ripped me off to some degree because one of them only asked for silver. It annoys me but I didn't want to haggle and seem too smart or worldly, those I dealt with will forget me and dismiss me as unimportant if anyone asks questions.

It doesn't matter too much with the gold we got from Aisha's stash. I head to the northern part of Meiridin with Vikiana to look for someone bound to Hetlan, the northern Duchy.

I find a small-time peddler who agrees to make a detour to my brother's village and deliver a letter for the price of a gold coin. I try to write it myself but my right hand is unusable and it turns out I can't write with my left, it looks like scribbles so I make Vikiana write it down for me.

I say that he must leave Caeviel, change his name, lie about his past and origin. As a justification, I simply mention that we got in trouble with Nobility but that I'm safe which should be more than enough.

I then assemble an incomplete lion strike construct, consisting of only the segments that differ from the strengthening construct so that it can't be recognized at a single glance. I anchor it to the parchment before writing an overview of the construct containing instructions and caution of use.

I force myself to finish the letter by recounting Father's death in as few words as possible, omitting most of the context surrounding it but mentioning that I am responsible. I get Vikiana to duplicate the letter and hand it over to another peddler.

She is remarkably silent for the whole thing, only asking me to clarify or repeat sentences. If there's one thing we connect on, its family. By the time we return to the house, it's nightfall.

As soon as we walk in, Tsek runs away from the bedroom and Aisha who is tied to the bed's feet. He is beet-red. I throw a glance at the Shade. Her expression looks too innocent to be believable.

“What did you do?” I question.

“We just talked about the past a little, it was nostalgic. I do miss my last job.” She replies.

“Do I need to gag you?” I ask.

“Whatever gets you going.” Aisha smiles.

“I'm not joking Aisha, this isn't a game.” I utter coldly.

“I'm well aware.” She counters with squinted eyes. “Yet, you're holding out on us.”

“You know what you need to know and you know why that is all I'm telling you.” I reply. “Did you do what I asked you to?”

“There.” She glances at the leather case on top of the bed.

I check inside, finding a small paragraph of text, it is straightforwardly telling Director Suxen to meet Aisha at an address for an important matter relating to Emperor Rasaec's will. There don't seem to be any code words or hidden meanings but that's quite irrelevant since I'll make Tsek reformulate everything and use different words.

“Any codes in there?” I ask.

“No, but you'll need to add my identification construct to certify I sent it.” She replies.

“Any other way to do that?” I question, unwilling to use a construct I don't know.

“A seal could work but it'll make her suspicious.” She says.

“Is there any way to get her somewhere without arousing her suspicions?” I ask.

“Not really.” Aisha shrugs.

“Use one of the candles and make a seal.” I tell the Shade.

I then get to the kitchen and throw a gruel together. Tsek ended up leaving the house entirely to get some air. I hope she didn't traumatize the kid with her whoring stories, I really don't want to have to bring the Shade along everywhere I go.

He returns for dinner, looking a lot calmer. I decide to split the group apart, serving the prisoners in the bedroom so we can have our meal in peace.

“I heard you like women and she said so too...” Tsek says in a small voice. So much for peace and quiet.

“Is that a problem?” I ask with a raised eyebrow.

“Ah, no.” He replies. “It's just... never mind.”

“You can gag her, you know.” I tell him.

“Getting close makes it worse.” He grumbles.

“Ah.” I chuckle. “I have the same issue.”

“Right?!” Tsek exclaims. “She has no shame, none.”

“Well, it's not shameful.” I say. “But I get what you mean.”

“Did you, um. I mean, she didn't want to say one way or another if you two...” Tsek stops again. He doesn't quite manage to ask as he turns crimson again.

“If we slept together? No.” I tell him.

He looks relieved by my answer. That's not good. It's not bad, but not good. Ugh, he likes me. What do I do with that? Don't need to do anything as long as he doesn't bring it up. Bit cowardly. Why should I deal with it if he doesn't have the courage to ask?

“I explored the city this afternoon, heard that Port-Odo fell to the Rykz.” I tell him, changing the subject and ripping the bandage off since it's his hometown after all. “It isn't confirmed but it doesn't really matter because it'll become true soon enough.”

“There isn't anyone I care that much about left in that city.” Tsek replies with a cold shrug. “I found better friends as a slave than in Port-Odo's streets.” He throws me a look that I ignore. “Still don't trust me.” He concludes.

“I do, to a point.” I shake my head. “I trust you to hold these two captives but this is too important for me to blindly tell you everything.”

“Like what you're hiding under those bandages.” He says, looking at my left hand.

“I was burnt pretty bad.” The lie easily comes to me.

The guilt I feel about it pales in comparison to what I feel about all I've done to get here, those I killed, manipulated. I feel more regret about not going through with my revenge than about these lies because it threatens what I care the most about, above even the Empire's fate, my future with Leomi.

“Will you be fine holding Aisha again tomorrow?” I ask. “I want to pass by a few taverns to hear the rumors about what's happening in Meiridin and send the letter to the institute. I don't want to take her outside, she's a lot more dangerous than the Exemplar.”

“I guess.” Tsek hesitates.

I don't push because I really don't want to get into the reasons why it's difficult, it would make for a really awkward conversation for the both of us. He goes to sleep first and I stand guard through the night again.

I wait for all three of them to fall asleep before leaving the house and injecting my flow into the barrel I left on the wheelbarrow outside. Two days of regeneration makes about forty to fifty portions stored in the water without having to compress it so much that it starts leaking out.

That's the limit which means I'll need about twelve to fifteen large barrels for the month depending on how much flow I use. I would be able to store a few here but that would be delaying a problem that will only compound itself over time.

It saddens me, but I couldn't even go to Temple today, Sunday, for the Due because of my flow's color. I haven't been able to since I left home. The only reason no one even took an issue with my skirting the Due is that I've been roaming place to place so people don't know me, don't know that I haven't been to Temple.

A Templar would have been sent to talk to me by now. Well, the old one back home would likely have kicked the door in rather than just show up and knock. What a disgrace he was, the villagers only agreed on two things they disliked as a group, me and the old temple guard's bias towards Baron Buton.

I walk back in the house and wait for morning. As soon as the sun peeks out the window, I wake Tsek up and tell him that I need to do something. I leave him with the lightning and air-blade constructs to hold our prisoners. I didn't want to leave him alone but they're still asleep and I don't have much of a choice unless I bring Tsek in my plan.

I step out and pick up the wheelbarrow, passing the rope around my neck to compensate for my useless right arm. I need to get used to working with a single arm because I'll find a way to heal this one and then I'll free Cetyz. I'll get my life back on track, what's left of it.

I make my way through Meiridin's streets, there aren't many people out this early in the morning and there are even fewer patrols to the slums as there were in Meria's poorest quarter. The city guards aren't taking their patrols seriously, they kick wanderers out of their way and joke around.

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They don't pay attention to me as the sight of a low-born moving a wheelbarrow across the city is in no way out of the ordinary. Even the fact that I'm not using my right arm doesn't alert them, which makes me think that there must be many low-born who are mistreated by Bourgeoisie and Nobility.

I stop once I'm deep enough in the slums to take the rag map out. I flip it over a few times, trying to find my location on it. I realize after a while that I'm not close enough to the institute, Ruth didn't draw that much. I keep going and, after a few false starts, I hit on a landmark that's on the map. I pick a street that runs parallel to the institute.

I find an entire block of buildings in worse shape than the worst I've seen in the slums. Caved in roofs, wooden walls littered with holes of varying sizes, insults towards the institute painted with blood on the pavement. It goes from 'Murderers!' to 'I'll get you back, fuckers!'.

I hadn't expected the area to be this bad, I thought I'd have to pay someone or hide the barrels somewhere until the day I need them. What they did to the slums is likely tragic but it works to my advantage and I don't want to know the specifics.

The institute itself is a dark rectangular structure that takes as much space as an entire block of houses. I don't see the entrance and opt against searching for it because it's location is irrelevant to my plan and I do not want to be spotted.

I carry the wheelbarrow into one of the more damaged buildings, one right next to the institute. I roll the barrel into the rubble, using a few broken planks to conceal it. I then make my way back to the house as quickly as I can. Inside, Aisha and Vikiana are barely waking up.

“G'luck.” I tease as I pass by to crash into the bunk.

I close my e...

--- --- ---

'Leomi, standing with her sword on my throat. She's crying madly, angry about me being Elizabeth Vil but blaming herself, spouting nonsense about having to kill me to make it right. But first, she wants to take me.'

--- --- ---

I startle awake, intensely frightened and horny. The combination of these emotions is so fitting that I have no trouble imagining my Lady pressing a dagger on my throat while her slender fingers explore my intimacy.

I slip my left hand inside my briefs and start caressing my sex, pushing on the outer lips of my sex. I raise my right arm and press on my erect nipple with it, inducing a sharp pain that only excites me further, makes me wetter.

What would I do to her? I would kneel and eat her, nibble her. I feel my symbiont absorb my juices that infiltrated the layers of cloth covering it. The sensation is disturbing, novel. It throws me off, breaks me out of the enjoyable dream of dread and lust with my Lady.

I pull my hand out of my pants, the symbiont shakes slightly, it seems to want my release as much as I do. I resist as I don't feel comfortable with this, not like I was with Celyz. The limb is part of me, it isn't me.

I get up, get changed, cleaned, do the laundry, and walk outside for some fresh air. I do my best to ignore Tsek's red ears. I don't know what he heard, I don't want to know. I focus on what I need to do, pushing everything else to the back of my mind as best as I can.

Vikiana and I leave after lunch to tour a tavern or two. I consciously 'forgot' to reformulate Aisha's letter to the institute because I would have had to ask Tsek. Walking with Leomi's mother in a constant state of arousal is right about at my limit for awkward embarrassing situations.

We start by showing up in a seedy slum joint that can't be called a tavern as it is no more than a plank to set drinks on and a barrel of watery beer. The owner, an overly fat woman has dead eyes and doesn't respond if what we're saying doesn't contain an order for drinks.

The 'clients' there have no interest in conversation and a fool tries to feel the Exemplar up, he ends up with a broken finger and we decide to call it quits with the slums in common accord. We seek out an actual tavern in a residential block, picking one with a clean looking man tending to the bar.

I drag Vikiana along with me this time, I left her alone yesterday but I could use her input today and I want to focus on the conversation instead of splitting my focus to keep a watch on her with my other sense.

“I plan to go to the Temple today, I broke my right arm yesterday and couldn't deliver my Due.” I speak up.

“The Alemplar is gone, only the older Templars remained to handle requests.” The barman shakes his head.

“Where did they go?” Vikiana asks with a straight face.

“To war with our King, to chase that plague of insects out of our lands!” He exclaims.

“Glory to Caeviel.” I echo his enthusiasm.

The clients all cheer at my words. Good thing I didn't plan to use the population, it looks like Cenwalh is well liked in Meiridin. The news that the Alemplar is gone is pretty bad, though. That leaves me to depend on a quack or an expensive healer, the former isn't likely to have the skill to help me.

“The fracture is pretty bad.” I say. “How costly would it be to ask a reputable healer? I need to go back to work as soon as possible or they'll replace me.”

“Dozen coins.” The barman answers with a grimace. I'm pretty sure he doesn't mean silver. “But it won't be quick because they don't supply flow, just a tailored construct.”

“Ah, I can't afford that anyway. Any idea where I can go to buy flow?” I ask.

“Nowhere anymore, we're at war so the Palace is buying even more flow than usual. All that's available really, you should see the procession that shows up every morning, all the dregs in the city.” He answers with disdain.

The Palace? That has to mean they're buying for the institute as well or they would just tell the people to go to the Temple. That confirms that there is a pipeline between the Palace and the institute.

“You could go there, but you'll have to pay more than they do.” The barman tells me.

“I'm going to go broke if I have to bid over Nobility.” I grunt.

“I hear you.” He nods.

Paying wouldn't necessarily be a problem but the quantity of flow I need would attract the kind of attention I can't afford. A dozen gold coins for a competent healer to take a look at a broken arm, that's extortion.

I could even be charged more considering what I did to the fracture, if the healer can even fix it. I need to find a solution to this. I thank the barman with a silver coin and leave the tavern.

“So Cenwalh, his army, and the Order left Meiridin for sure, that's good news for us.” Vikiana comments.

“It is.” I nod. “Let's go, next stop to a leather-worker. I don't want to hear you say anything there other than 'yes' or 'no'. Understood?”

“Yes.” Vikiana replies.

We explore the main avenue, looking for a weapon and armor shop. Inside, I find a nice little clerk with long red hair and deep dark-brown eyes. She kind of reminds me of Teva, but with a smaller chest and a business-like attitude while Teva was all warmth. She coughs discreetly.

“Sorry.” Was I staring? “I woke up all on the right foot and then my partner decided to step on my toes.” I deadpan.

“No worries.” The clerk replies, smiling at my sad attempt at humor. “What can I do for you?” And she's not judging me on my clothes, who is this girl?

“No.” Vikiana says, interrupting my thoughts.

“No?” The clerk asks, confused. The Exemplar says no more, her expression inscrutable.

“Never mind her.” I tell the cute clerk. “I got burned pretty bad and broke my arm the other day, I need something to cover the burns from the wind because it hurts like you wouldn't believe when the cold air blows on it.”

“I know your pain.” She says with a tight compassionate smile. “I messed up a few years back and burned myself pretty bad.” She holds her hand out, showing me that the palm of her skin is slightly rippled and pinker than the rest. “It's not a bad idea, I did wear a glove for a while. You'll be thankful for it comes winter.”

“I'd like it to cover all the way here, with straps to hold it.” I add.

“I'm sure it can be done, and it's an interesting order, but I need to ask out back first because this has to be custom-made.” The clerk tells me. “It might cost you up to twenty silvers.”

“That's alright.” I say.

She heads to the back, opening a door and revealing a large workshop. I only catch sight of a large blazing forge before she closes it. Vikiana throws me a glare. I return it. She raises an eyebrow.

“I wasn't going to flirt with her. I am your daughter's after all.” I say, smirking.

“Couldn't be happier if you cheated on my daughter. Again. She might drop you this time.” Vikiana growls back.

“Aisha needs to learn to shut her big mouth.” I grunt. “It was... whatever, I'm not explaining myself to you.”

“Didn't ask for one. If you're that loose, go find a whore but don't shove 'this' in my face.” The Exemplar utters sharply.

“You better hope I never hear you speak to Leomi about 'this' like that.” I threaten.

“Of course not. She's my daughter, you're not.” Vikiana replies in a flat tone.

“Two-faced.” I insult the Exemplar.

“You're one to talk about being two-faced.” She snaps back. “And I'm not being unreasonable, I'm just asking you not to mess around when you're making me tag along. Bring Aisha, I'm sure she'd be delighted.”

“What, it makes you uncomfortable?” I ask, grinning.

Vikiana closes her mouth and makes a poker face. I giggle. This is fun, it isn't anything like how those back at my village reacted.

“Come on, admit that the clerk is cute.” I tease. She doesn't reply so I keep pressing.

“No.” Vikiana finally replies to end the badgering.

“That means you think she's pretty but won't admit it!” I exclaim triumphantly.

“Oh, thank you. You're quite a looker yourself.” The oblivious clerk tells Vikiana as she walks in.

The Exemplar briefly loses control of her traits and make a discomfited expression. I explode in laughter.

“She is.” The clerk insists, misunderstanding.

“Oh, I agree. Her daughter looks even better though.” I tell the cute clerk. “Light gray eyes to die for.”

“Hm. I can see that.” She nods while Vikiana rages in silence. “Anyway, our leather master said that he would stitch something up for twenty silvers. Is that acceptable?”

“It is.” I nod and pay in gold to get the change in silver. “I'm lucky, my employer values me enough to pay for it.”

“Those are rare, I would ask for a reference but I like this job.” The clerk nods agreeably.

The clerk then uses a construct to measure my arm before going back to the workshop, all in the span of a few seconds. She was so quick about it and the construct so small that I didn't understand what she was doing in time to stop her. At least, she didn't react in any visible way when her construct circled my symbiont and her internal temperature didn't rise.

“You spent too much time with Yvonne.” Vikiana complains.

“And you not enough.” I reply.

The Exemplar doesn't engage me further, likely sensing that I'm only going to keep having fun at her expense. I decide to let it go. I approach the back wall, enhancing my hearing to hear what the clerk is saying inside the workshop.