The statue mentioned in Vivienne's letter was a towering, nine-foot-tall marble simulacrum of a man dressed in robes, carrying a staff in one hand and a book in the other. A whirlpool covered the lower half of his body, so realistic it seemed to move even though it was made of unmoving white stone.

Interestingly, it seemed in near-perfect condition even though the plaque set at the bottom dated back centuries. Was that due to Colkirk's innate magic, or did an earth mage Reinforce it at some point in the past? I could also think of some simple enchantments that might provide similar protections, though those seemed clumsier and less efficient than forging.

Whatever the magic, it was an easy enough landmark to find, particularly thanks to a few friendly revelers willing to point me in the right direction.

I sat on the bench beneath the statue a half-hour before our meeting and leaned back, closing my eyes and trying to relax. Visions of that accursed puzzle box swam in my mind's eye, seared into my thoughts after three sleepless days working to solve it.

Even though the task had been frustrating, and I had failed to solve it the way I would prefer, it had still given me a few ideas. Most of these would take weeks, months, or even years to get anywhere worthwhile, but there was one path I had already stumbled down.

I had named it a restorative effect in my thoughts, but those threads were more of a transferrence than anything. It linked runes together, allowing them to draw mana from one another if any single enchantment ran out of power.

What possibilities would open up if I could replicate that effect? Could I transfer power from a singular energy source across vast distances, ensuring a near-perfect magical defense provided there was a steady supply? What if I found a way to draw upon ley lines? I knew both were possible, so it stood to reason combining the two would let me create a nigh-unbreakable defense.

What if, in turn, I found a way to repair the runes and enchantments automatically? That might create a permanent magical effect. I knew there had to be downsides, or mages would already do that, but it was a fascinating concept.

Taken ever further, what if I could go the other direction? Could I use that concept of transferrence to drain a mage, either crippling their magic or drawing their power into a reservoir for later use? I could then apply that mana for my own purposes, possibly even mimicking another mage's elemental abilities and bypassing my element's primary weakness.

Ultimately, they were speculative questions without easy answers, but I could not help but ponder them regardless. It would take months, even years, to bring any of my ideas to fruition, and some likely would never yield practical results. At least it would give me something to do if—or rather when—I stopped those invaders.

"Napping, are we?" a lilting voice asked, breaking me from my sleep-deprived daydreams.

I started, opening my eyes to see Vivienne standing just a few steps away. The noblewoman wore a tight-fitting dress, low-cut and entirely too decorative for anything outside of a formal banquet. She wore a sly grin, which, coupled with her clothes, caused me to sincerely consider walking away. Then, I pushed aside my warring discomfort and annoyance, plastering a fake smile onto my face.

"I would call it resting my eyes," I replied, standing and giving a half-bow of my head, "As my former mentor might call it."

Truthfully, Girem would have taken my head off if he caught me 'resting my eyes,' but a joke sounded more disarming than the truth.

Vivienne chuckled, then walked past me to sit down on the bench. I pointedly sat on the far end, leaving as much room between us as possible. She seemed to notice, raising her eyebrow but not mentioning it as she cleared her throat.

"So," Vivienne started, "You passed my test."

It was not really a question, but I still nodded as I reached into my pocket and retrieved the box. I held it out to the noblewoman, who plucked it from my hand with her thin fingers, turning it over in the dying sunlight before breaking into a broader and brighter smile.

"I must say, I'm impressed," she continued, "Not that I didn't think it was possible you'd succeed, but...well, I do enjoy being surprised. I hope you continue to do so in the future."

"Surprise you or impress you?" I asked.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

"Both, ideally, but I'd prefer the latter."

"As would I," I replied, "Truthfully, I have never much seen the enjoyment in surprises."

"Oh, is that right?" Vivienne asked, "Don't you think a bit of uncertainty now and then keeps life interesting?"

I could think of many things uncertainty inspired, but interest was not one of them. Still, directly countering her felt rude, so I remained silent.

After a few seconds, Vivienne rolled her eyes with a loud sigh, "I'd heard the stories that your lord's advisor was a stick in the mud. I had hoped you were different, but it seems two surprises in one day are too much to ask. Oh well."

She closed her eyes then, and I felt her mana twist. The earth underfoot rumbled, just barely, and I felt her Mist-tier power shift under her will. I half-stood, pulling on the Aether within my core and marshaling it into a spell. Had this been a trap? Was she about to strike me down for some perceived insult?

I was about to pull my armor around me when Vivienne said, "Easy, now. I'm not going to attack you after going through the trouble of meeting somewhere public, am I? Of course not."

While I agreed, her words did little to assuage my fears. What kind of person would give their victims a warning? So, I kept my mana ready and my will focused, just in case.

Vivienne sighed theatrically, and I felt her mana settle around us. It felt like a spell, but not a particularly powerful one, and I realized as I stretched out my senses that she had thrown up a bounded field of some kind.

I realized then that the sounds of the city had become muted, almost like we were behind a closed door rather than sitting outside. When I could not pick out any other changes, I finally relaxed and let my Aether slip from my control and return to my core.

"That is an interesting trick," I said, gesturing with one hand, "Though for the future, I prefer a warning before you start spell-slinging."

"Where is the fun in that?" Vivienne asked.

I suspected we had different definitions of "fun" but decided not to say as much. Instead, I shrugged and remained silent.

Vivienne seemed almost disappointed I had not pressed the issue, but after a few seconds, said, "Business it is, then. I want you to come and work with me."

"With you?" I asked, "Or for you?"

She let the question hang for a few seconds, tilting her head to one side as she replied, "Does that change your answer?"

"Yes," I responded, not seeing the point in pretending otherwise.

Vivienne blinked, and then her smile widened, growing a touch more genuine, "I'm glad you're not wholly without a spine. Good. The truth is you'd be working for me, at least for now. I suspect you'll catch up to me sooner rather than later, but until then, it only makes sense. Wouldn't you agree?"

I nodded, "I would, but I fail to understand why you wish to recruit me."

"Because you are ambitious and without existing attachments," Vivienne replied, "You have no lord. No real friends. No family. Nothing to tug on your loyalty."

"A perfect tool," I filled in, and she held up one finger.

"A perfect ally," she corrected, "I would never consider you just a tool."

It was such a blatant lie I had to hold back my laugh. No noble, not even the most altruistic, kind-hearted, and soft among their ranks, would take such a stance. I knew full well that she saw me as a possible tool or weapon to be used and discarded and nothing more.

Still...

"You have yet to explain what you want me to do."

Vivienne shrugged, "Oh, a little of this. A little of that. We can discuss specifics later."

"And if I were to say yes, what do I get from this alliance?" I asked, "With all due respect, you have been very...unclear on the details."

"Then allow me to fix that," Vivienne replied, "You'd get gold, depending on what tasks you do, a place to stay whenever you like, and a friend to call upon. Things you are desperately in need of, I'd suspect. Cats aren't great company, and I doubt that metal mage you run around with is much better."

No, but I would trust both of them more than I did her. At least I knew where I stood with Wallace. She hid her motives behind honeyed words, teasing, and purposeful deflections of direct questions. And Cat, while not trustworthy or predictable, was at least understandable. I fed him, and he tolerated me.

"And my duties? What would those be?" I asked.

Her face shifted again, becoming something decidedly more...unpleasant, "Whatever I would say. Within reason, of course. I would never ask you to kill someone, for example."

"Would I be free to pursue my own goals whenever I wished, so long as it did not interfere with these duties and did not harm you or your reputation?"

"Once more within reason. You would work for me, not serve me, and you are a mage, after all, so you could expect a good deal of freedom."

I did not respond at first. Instead, I forced myself to consider her offer and weigh my response.

It was not as bad as I expected. I would be under her command, but it sounded less restrictive than my time with the Esttons. Vivienne would pay me gold, shelter me, and provide me a degree of protection in exchange for the expectation of service. It was a safer path than the one before me at the moment.

But I knew my answer within seconds. I had left the Esttons largely to escape servitude, and even if that came with its own problems, it had felt like a weight slipping off my shoulders for the first time in years. Why would I trade one lord for another so soon after gaining my freedom?

Besides, I did not trust Vivienne. Her thoughts still seemed too uncertain, and I would be a fool to trust such a deal when it was clear as glass she had ulterior motives. Even if she did think I was a capable servant and claimed we would one day be closer to partners, those were pretty words. It was all too easy to make promises in the present that you would never keep. I had done so on several occasions.

"Respectfully," I said, "I decline."

Vivienne's smile wavered, "I...see. And you are sure?"

"Completely," I inclined my head toward the noblewoman, "While I appreciate the offer, I have other goals that would make it impossible to serve you."

"Hmm, well, I can't say I'm thrilled," Vivienne sighed, and her face turned noticeably colder, "But oh well. You are still a child at heart, I suppose. Good luck with that drunkard of a noble you call a friend."

She stood, gliding away down the street. While her demeanor had turned less than friendly towards the end, I had expected a more overt show of hostility. Nobles did not tend to respond well to rejection. I quietly pulled on my mana again, ready in case she decided to attack me.

When she disappeared around the corner, I relaxed and let my mana slip from my control once more. It seems she was smarter or had greater self-control than most headstrong nobles. I sat there for a few minutes longer, wondering if I had made a mistake.

Then, I stood and made for the waterfront, where Wallace was likely whiling away his evening. I had not had the chance to pry into his past, and it seemed as good a time as ever.

Besides, it had been three days since I had an opportunity to practice my swordsmanship, and that was three days too long.