Alana trembles as I guide her upstairs. Normally, she’d already have pulled her hand out of mine, railed at me for being a pervert, and stomped around the house until she found an empty guest room. I guess she is feeling a little raw after her confession. That, and she’s been a little glassy-eyed after the cake Geneva served for dessert. I swear, if I hadn’t directly ordered her against it, I’d think she was drugging the food to make it taste so good.

She comes back to herself once we reach the bedroom. “Lou…”

“Shh. Don’t worry, I’m not going to do anything you’re uncomfortable with.” Like I would ruin everything. “We’re just going to sleep.”

She gives me a dubious look while I do my best to appear innocent. My rare honest intentions must shine through as she squeezes my hand. “Okay.”

I grin and pull her into the bedroom. Kierra stands before the bed in one of the sheer nighties she loves, leaving nothing to the imagination. I hear Alana suck in a sharp breath. “Relax. That deviant dresses like that normally.”

“You wound me, dedia.” She smiles as she walks toward us. Her fingertips trail Alana’s cheek. “We would prefer you share our bed but it is your decision.”

Blue eyes narrow, as if the gentle tone is a deception. “Nothing but sleeping?”

My wife grins. “No hands will stray tonight.”

“It is also the best bed in the house,” I add.

“…fine.”

A moment to change into something appropriate and some shuffling later, the three of us are on the bed. Myself in the middle with my wives, one pending, on either side. A thought prompts the candles to be snuffed out by Geneva, plunging the room into darkness. Kierra is pressed against my back as I face Alana. Her back that is.

I pout as she refuses to turn around and tries to feign sleep while nearly an arm length away. “Alana~”

“Go to sleep, Lou.”

“You can come a little closer.”

In response, she snuggles into the blanket tighter. A certain elf decides to take me up on my offer, a hand going over my stomach as she pulls me against her. “Gently,” my wife whispers into my ear. “The beast may be tamed but it will still claw you for pulling its tail.”

She’s right. We’ve made so much progress tonight, there’s no need to push it. If she wants to sleep on the other side of the bed, that’s fine.

I turn around, putting my nose between Kierra’s prodigious bust. “So much to do.” With the initiate year finally over, I can turn my attention to the reason I came to the Grand Hall in the first place, summoning.

The most important goal is to secure my second teacher. Geneva has the physical, mental, fire, and water affinities. Bell has earth. That means I need a teacher for light and wind to cover all my affinities. It would also be good to at least speak with a being knowledgeable of the null and celestial affinities. While I don’t have them, the strange compression of mass my body is capable of and Geneva’s assertion that the ooze of my elemental form is ‘solid mana’ means understanding those affinities may unlock the secrets of my new form.

After that, there is Geneva’s suggestion to obtain rare materials from other realms. I don’t need more gold but I have dozens of theories about using said materials to entice creatures that have till now rejected contracts. The possibilities are beyond far-reaching. I can think of dozens of realms and hundreds of elementals that have avoided the Tome family’s grasp. And this is before I delve the extensive library of records in the Summoning Hall.

Then there’s the matter of the capital and the impending ban on select elementals. With a little time to think, my anger has waned and become bitter offense. I can accept that there may be a good reason the king has drafted this decree and it is not a personal attack. I cannot accept that it is being done without consulting the kingdom’s summoning families. The utter disregard of both the Tome family and the soon to be Masons is an insult. One that could have been avoided with the smallest bit of curtesy.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

For that, I will retaliate. I won’t burn down the capital but I will make a statement that summoners are not a tiny group that can be stomped on by the powers that be. Not just for my own pride, though that’s reason enough, but for the future of summoning. I won’t allow the art to die because a few summoners are making themselves an inconvenience.

The inter-realm trading may have to be put on hold. Priority goes to summoning my new companion, then my statement, as they need to be accomplished before I leave for the Bleak Peaks. And that little jaunt into a nightmare has transformed into something else as well. I originally planned to march into the land of winter to avoid the fallout of whatever happens in the capital. After Alana’s confession, I’m either going to conquer the whole of the north or help her usurp her father. Either way, it’s going to cause waves.

I hope Geneva is ready as my political shield. Saints, she’s already got her work cut out for her. I’m not foolish enough to think my actions today will go unnoticed. If people were intrigued before, they’ll be foaming at the mouth for every scrap of information they can get on me now.

I’ll have to visit Max, both for materials and to apologize about Cecile. The girl was a mess when Lanston helped her out of the house. I’d hate for the marquis to take my utter disregard for her welfare as a statement about my intentions for our relationship. I have every intention of staying on the merchant’s good side.

If there’s time, I should see about taking advantage of the Hall. I have some of the best teachers of every field of magic at my disposal here. My passion lies in summoning but it can’t hurt to investigate what else there is to learn. Everyone needs hobbies.

“Tomorrow, I will speak with Dunwayne,” Kierra says. “If he merely has the accounts of Alyssa and the children, he might be forced to act.”

I wince. “Didn’t think of that. Miss Talia is on our side though.” And the lovely dorm mother hadn’t hesitated to defend my actions. With her unflappable demeanor, I’m sure her words will carry more weight than the traumatized young casters and an instructor who vandalized our house.

“It will do well to show my face. It is not about giving my account, but about showing him respect. He is the leader of the Hall. Having people do whatever they please without any concern to his authority would make even the most patient of men irate.”

Shuffling on the other side of the bed draws my attention. I look over my shoulder to see Alana facing us with wide eyes and a hesitant expression. I can guess what she wants but I want her to ask. To know she can. “What is it?”

“Um…do you think…” She mumbles.

“Got to speak up.”

She lets out a deep breath. “Do you think I could meet him? Dunwayne.”

“I don’t know. Kii?”

“Of course~ As the one in the middle of the conflict, it is reasonable that I would bring you along to give your account of what happened.”

Alana smiles, excited at the thought of meeting her idol. “Thanks.”

“A simple thing.” Kierra reaches over me, laying her hand on the bed palm up. Alana stares at it for a moment before laying her fingers over the elf’s. “We walk the same road now, hm? We are family. Friends, in time. Perhaps more but never less. Your desires are important to me and you should never doubt that I will help you achieve them.”

She squeezes the blushing blonde’s fingers before pulling her hand away. Saints, I would never believe my wife could be so gentle without seeing it for myself. When she was courting me, it was all shoving my face in the dirt and nibbling on me. For Alana, it’s soft words and honeyed tones.

Suppose I should just be happy she isn’t tearing off her pants and shoving her face between her legs. Does this mean that my wife isn’t an animal in a woman’s skin and actually has a shred of emotional intelligence? So, with me she went straight to deviancy because she knew I could handle it. Huh. Here I thought control was her weakness. Should have known better. The woman has no weaknesses.

“What she said goes double for me,” I add, meeting Alana’s gaze. “Get used to it. This is only the beginning and we’re going to go far. Much farther than Victory.” Much farther than this kingdom. Maybe even this realm.

“Why?” Alana asks. “What do you want, Lou? Besides gold and women, that’s obvious. What are you going to do with all this power you have?”

“My turn to spill my guts, huh? We’re not so different. My goal is simple and born of a troublesome relationship with my father.” I chuckle. “I want to spread the glory of summoning and be the greatest summoner in history.”

“…that’s it?”

I shrug. “That’s it. What did you expect?”

“I’m…not sure. World conquest? World’s largest harem?”

“I’m more about quality than quantity. And politics are annoying. How do you expect me to take over the kingdom when I actively avoid nobles and am nearly allergic to royalty?”

“By the sword.”

“That is such a waste of time. What does being in charge get you? Gold? Resources? Land? People who follow your orders? I can get all of that without any of the drama and theatre running a kingdom involves.”

“I suppose I should be relieved you aren’t going to start a civil war,” the future saint mutters.

“Be careful. The way you were talking earlier, you sounded like you wanted to start your own revolution.”

She scoffs. “Please.”

“A lesson every summoner must learn. Power is deceptive. Just a little can make you feel immortal and invincible. You’ll do things you could never imagine to keep that feeling and crazier things when you think you can’t fail.” I grin. “Don’t worry. I’ll still be with you even when you create the Holy State of Alana to lead the people of Harvest to a better, virtuous future.”

“You’re ridiculous,” she says, turning back around.

We’ll see.