The three Kranjir looked up when Verdan entered the pavilion, their conversation coming to a stop as they switched their attention to him.

“Verdan, is anything wrong?” Ciaran asked, giving him a concerned look. “Do I need to gather my Thearns?”

Verdan made a placating gesture. “Sorry to alarm you. Nothing is wrong. I was just hoping to ask a favour.”

All three Kranjir relaxed, with Maeve and Sinead turning back to the conversation as Ciaran moved off to one side. “What do you need?”

“Well, I apologise in advance if this is an uncomfortable question, but I wanted to ask if I could examine your axe?”

Ciaran froze, his eyes widening slightly. “Yes, I can see why you’d think that concerning. We owe you a lot, Verdan, but I can’t do that. There’s only one reason you’d want to examine our ancestral weapons, and permission for that is far beyond what I can give. It might even be beyond what my grandfather could promise. Thank you for being direct about it, though.”

“I understand. To be honest, I expected as much, but I felt I had to ask. I’m making significant progress with how the magic works, but the Sigils I know aren’t exactly useful in combat.” Verdan spread his hands and shrugged slightly.

“You mean you’ve been able to recreate ancestral weapons?” Ciaran asked, a touch of awe in his voice.

“Not quite. Do you remember the lights we saw in the facility where we fought the Automaton?” Verdan waited for Ciaran to nod before continuing. “That’s what I’ve been able to make. The principle is the same, though. All I need now are the Sigils.”

“And our weapons would provide exactly that,” Ciaran said, closing his eyes with a pained expression. “I’m sorry, Verdan, I understand how big this would be, but I can’t dishonour my clan."

“It’s alright,” Verdan said in a gentle tone. “I understand, truly, I do.”

Ciaran managed a strained smile. “Thank you. Now, would you like to see what we’re planning to do here?”

“Actually, yes, I would,” Verdan said, following Ciaran over to the table where they had a map of this section of the city.

Sinead was watching them approach with a thoughtful expression that quickly shifted into a smile as Ciaran asked her to take Verdan through their plans.

-**-

An hour later, Verdan was back at the estate getting an update from Hursk, Samuel and Jenkins on the status of the watchtowers.

As updates went, it was short and sharp, which was all the better, in Verdan’s opinion.

In short, the watchtowers were being built on schedule, and they were finding their balance between the humans and the non-humans.

“I see why you weren’t worried now,” Samuel said once the meeting had ended. “They’ve got no genuine appreciation for how to build something. They just make it solid and paper over any cracks with magic.”

“Pretty much,” Verdan said, chuckling as he remembered a few failures from the past. “Never ask them to build something on a large scale without supervision. The Brecan like straight lines and regular shapes, so everything becomes very box-like. Engineering and architecture aren’t in their skills either, and they don’t work well from plans.”

“When you said all that the first time, I didn’t really believe you,” Samuel said, shrugging at the look Verdan gave him. “I didn’t understand how creatures with such power could have such faults. Now, though, all my folks are working as supervisors, and we’re getting work done at a blistering pace.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Verdan said honestly. This collaboration between the workers and Verdan’s allies was his big test for how things would go in the future. So far, it was looking good.

Samuel hesitated before shaking his head. “I’m afraid it isn’t the same everywhere, though. I’ve kept my people in line and stamped out any discontent, but not everyone has. There’s going to be some worry spreading through the city about the Fwyn and Brecan taking jobs.”

“That’s nonsense, though. I guess that there will be less need for labour in construction, but a thriving and growing city means more jobs, not less.”

“I know that, but that’s a long-term benefit, and all people are seeing is the short-term threat.”

“Damn it,” Verdan said with a heavy sigh, rubbing his face and wishing that he had more hours in the day to deal with all these minor issues. “Is there anything we can do?”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

“Make those new jobs appear, and make sure that we don’t use the Fwyn too much for the time being. The watchtowers and other defensive jobs are one thing, but if they take on the rebuilding jobs, we’ll have a problem.”

“Heard and understood.” Verdan took a moment to think of anything he could do before shaking his head sharply. “It’s a problem, but right now I’ve got bigger issues. Thank you for bringing it up, though.”

“Glad to help,” Samuel said, shaking Verdan’s hand firmly. “I’ll do what I can to keep things under control.”

Verdan thanked Samuel again before heading over to the Fwyn burrow.

One of the Fwyn was waiting just within the entrance, as usual, so Verdan asked to speak with Hursk and Lan’Wai if possible.

The Fwyn nodded and scurried off into the burrow, leaving Verdan to think about Samuel’s warning some more.

A few minutes passed before Hursk came up to the entrance, followed by Lan’Wai rising from the earth next to them a few moments later.

“What do you want?” Hursk asked with a baleful glare, both hands resting atop his walking stick. “I was about to get what little sleep I could while the sun was up.”

“I’m sorry, but I wanted to let you know about a conversation I just had with Samuel,” Verdan said, filling the Fwyn in on Samuel’s warning and concerns.

To Verdan’s surprise, Hursk simply shrugged once he finished explaining the situation. “Do you not remember the warning I gave you at Blackpeak?”

Verdan frowned in thought for a moment before remembering their conversation. It had been when he’d asked if Hursk would consider recolonising the city alongside the Kranjir.

“I do, and this is exactly the sort of thing you warned me about, isn’t it?”

“It is, and I fear the end result will be the same. We can not stay here, so we must leave and make our own place, one where all races can live together. Do you see now why this has to be the way?”

Verdan shook his head. “No, there is a way to help us all live together without starting afresh. Once the Cyth have been dealt with, we can focus on it.”

Hursk made a sound of disbelief but didn’t argue, instead pointing to Lan’Wai. “So, why ask our Brecan friend to join us?”

“Because of this,” Verdan said, pulling out the crystal he’d been carrying around. “It is called Aethite, apparently. I need as much as I can get. Do you know of it?”

Hursk nodded immediately. “I recognise it from the memories of my ancestors. It is something that Wizards use, yes?”

“Yes.” Verdan’s lips were suddenly dry as he realised the potential trove of information that the Fwyn could be. “They would have had Sigils on, like this one. Do you remember any others?”

“I’m sorry. Most of the memories are more impressions than clear images. A few things are cleared, but this is because they are important to all the Fwyn in my lineage, which those Sigils are not.”

Verdan nodded, his hope fading as he remembered he was speaking to a Fwyn. He’d just been speaking to Samuel about how different they were. He should know better.

“What about being able to find it?”

Hursk briefly conversed with Lan’Wai before shaking his head once more. “Lan’Wai says that they are familiar with it, but the deposits are deep, too deep for them to risk going to them. There are creatures down there that enjoy hunting Brecan.”

“I understand. Thank you for asking,” Verdan said, sighing in frustration. He’d figured out so much, and now he was stuck for want of materials and other examples.

Then again, that wasn’t entirely true. He had one last card to play.

Bidding them both farewell, Verdan hurried back to the workshop and the room where he was keeping the Sigil items. Ignoring the light-globes, he instead picked up the box that he’d got from the old Keeper.

There were damaged Sigils on the interior, but there might just be enough that he could make out a whole one from the fragments.

Getting straight to work, Verdan carefully copied each fragment he could find before trying to make them fit together, while staying as precise as he could.

It was an arduous, frustrating task, and by the end, Verdan had a few dozen failed attempts, strained eyes and what he hoped was the real Sigil.

Glancing out the window, Verdan realised that night had fallen while he was preoccupied with the Sigil. Well, perhaps obsessed was the better word.

Sighing, Verdan found the words to his energy-giving spell on the tip of his lips and Aether flowing in his breath before he realised what he was doing and came to an abrupt halt.

Cold sweat and a crystal clarity swept over Verdan as he realised how close he’d come to slipping back into that dangerous habit.

“Enough is enough,” Verdan said to himself, getting up from the table and putting away the precious last attempt at the Sigil before checking his protective wards were in place and heading downstairs to head for his bed.

He was across the courtyard and at the door of the mansion when he heard voices from the gates and glanced over to see a hooded figure talking with two of his new guards.

The light from the torches over there wasn’t enough for him to get a clear picture of it all, and he was just about to leave it to them when one of them turned and started heading his way.

“Oh, Wizard Blacke, I didn’t realise you were still awake,” the guard said, hurrying over when he saw Verdan. “I was just coming to find Ruan, there’s a woman asking to see you. Do you want us to let her in?”

“Yes, escort her to the sitting room, please,” Verdan said, mentally saying goodbye to getting some rest and heading that way himself.

It was probably Val, and that meant that something bad had happened if she was coming here this late.

Opening the door, Verdan found Ruan and Nikau sat at a table in the corner, each with a mug of steaming coffee and a small pile of paperwork between them.

“Wizard Blacke,” Nikau said, rising to his feet as he saw Verdan. “What can we do for you?”

“I’m going to use that corner for a quick meeting, so ignore whatever you hear. No need to clear out, though.”

“Of course.” Nikau sat back down with a nod.

“Oh, and Nikau, please call me Verdan when in private.”

Nikau smiled and was about to reply when the door opened once more and the cloaked figure stepped inside.

Verdan immediately noticed that they were the wrong height to be Val, and that they bore a wrapped package of a strange shape.

Now they were in the light, Verdan got a glimpse of the face beneath the cloak and turned back to Nikau and Ruan.

“Sorry, gents, but I’ll need you to clear out, after all. If you could rustle up two cups of coffee, I’d appreciate that as well. Make sure whoever brings them knocks before they enter, though.”

Nikau and Ruan nodded before gathering their things and hurrying out, leaving Verdan to turn to his visitor.