I unfolded the map and let my eyes scan over the various marked locations.

And then I found the closest city, Redglass Mountain City, to my current location.

A small city, but a city nonetheless.

It was far from a major power hub, but compared to towns and villages, it was a much better place to hide.

In a small town, a mage like me would stand out too much. But in a city, even one as small as Redglass, there would be more movement, more people, and more places to disappear into.

More importantly,

It had what I needed most: resources, libraries, and possibly other mages who weren’t tied to Freedom of Amber or Eval’s growing rebellion.

I needed knowledge, and small villages simply couldn’t provide that.

I sighed and rolled up the map, tucking it back into my bag.

My shoulder still throbbed with pain, but I ignored it.

The wound wasn’t severe enough to cripple me, and my magic would help gradually repair the damage over time.

As long as I didn’t push myself too much, I’d recover naturally.

That being said, I needed a proper healer or alchemist soon.

Letting injuries linger wasn’t a good idea, especially in my position, where any weakness could be exploited.

I had made too many enemies in too short of a time.

Freedom of Amber wanted me dead.

Eval’s followers, including Elenora, had tried to manipulate and eliminate me.

And in the middle of it all, I had no clear allies, no safe haven.

At least for now.

I needed to change that.

Redglass Mountain City would be the first step.

I had no delusions.

I wasn’t strong enough to take revenge yet. But I would become strong enough. And when that day came, I’d make sure everyone who tried to use or kill me regretted it.

I clenched my fist, my nails digging into my palm as I walked.

The road ahead was long. But I had time.

Time to learn.

Time to grow.

Time to become something that neither Freedom of Amber nor Eval’s rebellion could ignore.

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And when that time came, I wouldn’t be a pawn in their game—I’d be the one holding the pieces.

-

Arfa Pov

I entered the dimly lit inn, walked past the others, and took a seat in a quiet corner.

Ordering myself a beer, I started drinking it slowly.

After finishing my drink, I went to my room and sat cross-legged on the wooden floor, closing my eyes.

I took a deep breath, steadying my mind as I prepared for the casting.

Connection Magic wasn’t particularly complex once learned, but it required precision, especially when contacting someone like Eval.

Raising my hands, I formed a series of intricate hand signs, guiding the flow of my magical energy. The air around me hummed in response, threads of mana weaving together to establish the link.

However, I knew better than to proceed recklessly.

I exhaled sharply, reinforcing my resolve.

“Before I make the connection, I need to cast protection against enemy mages that may try to eavesdrop.”

Protection Magic wasn’t a single spell; it was an entire field of study, encompassing hundreds of variations designed to counter different threats.

Some were simple barriers, blocking outside interference.

Others were layered illusions, masking the caster’s location or distorting the information being transmitted.

I flexed my fingers and began the incantation, my magic coiling around me like an unseen barrier. “No risks,” I murmured. “Not with him.”

The room dimmed slightly as my spell took hold, wrapping my presence in layers of magical concealment.

Only then did I turn my full focus to the true task at hand: reaching Eval Morningstar.

I continued forming hand signs, my fingers moving with precision as I muttered the incantation under my breath.

"Blind Enemy Eyes..."

The moment the words left my lips, a faint, shattering sound echoed through the room, like glass breaking in the distance. It was subtle but enough to signal that the spell had taken effect.

I exhaled, feeling the invisible layer of magical protection settle around me.

It wasn’t perfect; no spell was—but it should be enough to block any low-level interference.

“I was never good with protection magic anyway...”

“But this should be enough; I can only hope there isn’t an expert-level mage trying to spy on me.”

I couldn’t delay any longer.

With a final breath, I closed my eyes and spoke the words that would forge the connection.

"Connect and Link."

I felt a pull as my magic reached outward, searching for the one name I had spoken.

"Lord Eval Morningstar."

The moment the connection began forming, my mind raced with thoughts of how I would explain everything.

I had been preparing myself for this.

Elonora’s actions had complicated everything.

She had directly disobeyed orders, taking matters into her own hands based on her assumptions about Marsil.

She had deemed him a threat before he had even chosen a side, and now, because of her decision, we had turned a potentially valuable ally into an enemy.

That was the truth of it.

Marsil was supposed to be given a choice.

Eval had ordered that he be invited into the fold, not forced, not coerced, and certainly not attacked.

But Elenora had ignored that.

She had moved against him, believing she knew better.

And now? Now, Marsil had every reason to turn against us.

I grimaced, knowing exactly how Eval would respond.

He wasn’t the type to accept excuses or mistakes lightly.

Disobedience was one thing, but creating an unnecessary enemy was another.

I could almost hear his voice already.

I took another breath.

There was no use sugarcoating it; Eval would find out one way or another, and my only option was to be direct.

I would tell him everything: how Elenora had made her decision, how she had tried to kill Marsil, and how she had failed.

I would explain that Marsil had not only escaped but was likely now an enemy of the Morningstar Act.