To my beloved niece,

I hope this letter finds you well as it has been some time since we’ve spoken. I suppose life must be busy in the Hall. Learn well. While our family’s legacy lies in summoning, there are times when a fireball is required. When oafs simply refuse to see reason.

I don’t know if you have heard, the crown is preparing a new decree. One that denounces summoners and would make it illegal to contract certain elementals. There are talks about a following decree that would even make it illegal to contact certain realms.

Ludicrous. It is as if they have forgotten all of the advancements made in this kingdom through contacting elementals. There would be no Harvest without the efforts of summoners. How many advancements have we delivered to casters? How many to healers? To builders? To alchemists? When their pitiful, mortal ways fail, they inevitably come to us. They cajole and threaten us into giving them their answers but in the light of day, they pretend to not know us.

How many injustices has our family endured? And now, when we finally start to rebuild the Tome name, they once again seek to cowl us. Well, we won’t blindly believe in the kingdom a second time. The Tome family will not be easily dismissed. Summoners will not be stamped out like annoying pests.

Lou, I am writing this in a bid for you to return to Summer Spire. We need to present a united front in the wake of this assault against our legacy. We are more powerful together, far more powerful than they can imagine.

I have an audience with the king scheduled in one month. We will stand before this ungrateful king and we will be heard. I hope very much you will be standing with us during that time. As well as my daughter. While I understand her want for adventure, she needs to be with her family.

I know I can count on you.

Uncle Jackal

“What in the nine hells is this?” I mumble as I drop the letter, hands going to my head. “Saints, what is this? Has that old bastard lost his saints forsaken mind?”

Hands light on my shoulder, strong fingers bringing me to a stop and massaging the tense muscles. “Breathe, Lou. I thought your uncle’s letter to be the best of them.”

“Haha, the best? The best?! That…that…crock of hydra shit is the absolute worst! If my beloved uncle was in front of me right now, I’d slap some sense into him. Or the breath out of him. Either one will work!”

I let out a stream of curses as I move away from my wife’s hands, snatching up the letter. “You probably aren’t proficient in noble speak, so let me help you read between the lines.” So she can understand why I’m about to lose my mind.

I clear my throat, raising the paper.

“To my unfilial niece,

“I paid a disgusting amount of gold to make sure this letter reaches you so don’t try to pretend you didn’t get it. I wouldn’t put it past you since you abandoned your family to skip off to the Hall. You should have used your connection to the Guiness for the family, you selfish bitch.

“I would be happy to browbeat and insult for the rest of this letter but there’s a bigger problem. The kingdom is screwing us over. Again. And not just us but summoning itself.

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“Bastards.

“Well, good luck to them. I haven’t been spending my long days and good fortune doing nothing. There are others who agree with me. Those who respect the Tome name and our art. People strong enough to give me the balls to confront the king.

“In one month, we will face the king and make a series of demands. Because my new friends have made me fearless, I’m going to go beyond derailing this decree and try to get as many benefits as possible. The king will definitely refuse my outrageous demands but we’re prepared for it. We’re going to make them respect us again by doing something completely crazy that will most likely result in tragedy.

“If you want any chance to save your family before we destroy ourselves, get your ass to the capital. And bring my daughter with you. I know it was you who pushed her toward the Guiness. Jokes on you because we’re all about to be dragged into the shit together.

“Your stupid uncle.”

I drop the letter with a flourish. “Had this been the only letter I received, I’d be far more confused than worried. Maybe curious enough to go back to the capital. However, together with Fen’s letter—”

“The decree may have been targeting another group,” Kierra says slowly. “You think your uncle is connected to the group the crown is truly targeting. A group who may have connections to drakkons.”

“Exactly why I am losing my mind.” I drop onto the couch with a heavy sigh. This is worse than the worst possibility. I could never have dreamed of this. If the Tome family is associated with the summoning of a damn drakkon, in any way, all my efforts are going to be that much harder. Saints damn it, they may issue a summary detainment order for my whole family on the basis of treason.

“Then we need to go to the capital.”

My head snaps up. “Wrong. The last place we need to be is the capital. You couldn’t get me there if you dragged me. I will detach my own arm if you try.”

She frowns. “A little dramatic.”

“A drakkon, Kii. Let me tell you this. If a damn drakkon is going to appear in this kingdom, I will be as far away from it as possible. If there is any hope of salvaging the Tome name after whatever fiasco my uncle has planned, I cannot be linked to this thing being summoned.” It’s not that I don’t understand what he’s thinking. When I heard about the decree, my immediate reaction was to show those royal bastards that summoners aren’t pushovers and use summoning to do it. My plan was a nuisance summon. Nothing on the level of a drakkon.

“You would ask me to surrender such—”

“The opposite.” Never thought I’d ever say these words. “Distance is only the first part of the plan. However, if I want the Tomes to survive in this kingdom, we have to decisively separate ourselves from the crazy idiots willing to endanger the entire world. “What did you say? There is no distinction like military distinction.”

She smiles her bloodthirsty smile. “Dedia, are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“My common sense has officially been obliterated, yes. If a group of summoners jeopardizes everything I’m working for by summoning a drakkon in the saints forsaken capital of all places, then I am going to run over there and skin the damn lizard before it can do irrevocable damage. Then I’m going to find those idiots and skin them.” Anyone who threatens my art will be crushed. Not all summoners are my kin. I will unhesitatingly crush them, especially if they’re the dangerous kinds.

Kierra’s smile widens as she saunters over to me. Insistent hands pull me off the couch and she traps me against her chest, her nails going over my scalp. “You’ve come so far,” she coos.

She sounds like a proud parent. I feel like I should comment against this but laying against her pillows is doing wonders for my tense nerves. “Marquis Guiness and Uncle Jackal can go fuck themselves.” Especially my uncle. I’d do something myself but if I’m right, he’s in for a world of pain. “We need to get word to Fen. Tell her to get the hell out of that city and take Jac with her. Evacuate every succubi and their summoner, even if they have to tie them up. Then I need to get as far away from the capital as I possibly can.”

The elven continent comes to mind. Then, unexpectedly, so does the Bleak Peaks and the upcoming expedition. It won’t get me as far away but there is no distance great enough to escape malicious rumors. However, if I make substantial contributions in Fort Victory finally gaining a foothold in the Bleak Peaks, well. I’ll be a national hero, with the James family supporting me. The crown will have a hell of a time burying the Tomes then.

The more I think about it, the more I like it. Not the thought of marching into a vicious land of everlasting blizzards with a bunch of suicidal meatheads, but the possible gains are just too good to ignore.

“Kii…how do you feel about snow?”