Gath rolled his eyes while listening to Professor Nocht’s vain monologue to the Riddere. It wouldn’t work; the soldiers had that mission face, and only a high-level Bard could talk them out of doing their job. Still, teachers liked to hear themselves speak, and their leaders were two of the best educators in Heim, maybe the world. He looked at his new mommy and daddy and said, “Follow me, and be quiet.”

“Excuse me,” Hanna said, “we are the leaders, your parents.”

“You're also as stealthy as a rampaging herd of hadrosaurs.”

“I beg your pardon,” his mom said, rubbing her baby bump, her eyes dropping towards his dad.

“You will respect your mother,” said his dad, his words more a command to an insubordinate enlisted soldier than a father to son.

“Respect is earned, Daddy. Doc Nocht asked me to treat you like my real mom and dad. He told us to get everyone out of here. I can do it myself, but I figured you might want to help.”

Hanna asked, “Who were your parents?”

“It doesn't matter,” Gath said. He looked across the lake and scrubbed a tear from his cheek. “They died and left me to fend for myself. Now, will you help, or must I rescue everyone myself?”

Roy huffed and took Hanna’s hand. “This boy’s as cocky as an entire special ops unit.”

“You try getting enough to eat in Ober House,” said Gath. He put himself between Roy and Hanna, taking their hands in his. “I learned this trick from my daddy.”

Hanna smiled as she said, “Your daddy taught you to hold hands?”

“He showed me how to do this,” Gath said as he squinted, pinched his face like he was constipated, and sighed.

“I think,” Roy said as he sniffed. “No, he didn’t shite in his pants.”

Hanna whispered, “Oh, my Gods, Roy, Gath, where did you go?”

Roy gasped. “Hanna, where are you? Son, what did you do to your mother?”

“I’m right here. Gath is a Shadow…”

“Impossible. That Gift is linked to the X chromosome. He could only have it if both his parents were Shadows.”

Hanna said, “Your mom and dad were—”

“Stop,” said Gath.

“Son,” said Roy, “we’re already under the King’s Axe.”

“No, not really. The Headsman doesn't know you exist, but if he learns you know the names of my parents; my very, beyond doubt, deceased biological mother and father; you’ll die within a day,” said Gath. He glared into the invisible eyes of his new mommy and daddy. He liked them, even if they were Riddere.

“Okay,” said Roy, a touch of sarcasm in his answer, “no more questions about your bio-parents.”

Gath pulled, and footsteps crunched behind him. We’re walking on the grass. How are they making so much noise? "Who do we help first?"

"Women and children," said Roy as he loaded a stone into his sling. "Let's get your mom and the other pregnant women to the cavern entrance, then work our way up." He cringed as a rock skittered from under his shoe, pinged off a pillar, and plopped into the lake.

"What? I'm staying with you," said Hanna.

"Mommy, daddy's right. We need to get you and Miss Keeva out."

He motioned his parents behind one pillar as he darted to the next. Random bullets ricocheted off the obelisks, sending sparks and showers of broken stone everywhere. Arrows of water glowed in the dawn light as they shot from the lake to splash against a squad of Riddere, knocking them back but doing no actual harm.

He scanned the battle and paused at Mr. and Mrs. Nocht. For teachers, they were doing remarkably well. She was ripping off pieces of her clothes, making fireballs, and tossing them around like grenades. Anyone who got past her got the professor’s palm to the face. Gath didn't know what the professor did with his hand, but nobody got up after he slapped them.

The husband and wife were focused on the battle and doing great, but it wouldn't last much longer. Their fancy armor flashed and dimmed every time a bullet, knife, stone, or fist impacted. Worse, a little blue vanished with every fireball or hand strike. Within moments, it became plain to Gath that both teachers had lost track of the energy within their suits. Their armor was translucent and rapidly depleting towards clear.

"It's just not fair," said his dad in a resigned whisper.

"Jealous, sweetheart?"

"Yes. How can any guy not feel..."

"Emasculated?"

His dad mumbled something that might have been an apology, but Gath didn't understand.

"You're perfect," said his mom.

"He's hung like a tidewraith, no a leviathan."

"He was talented, but his plow hurt when it turned my field. I prefer your gentle touch," said his mom, her tone consoling, sweet, and full of love. Yet something in his mom's voice, a softness or something else, left Gath wondering if his new mommy was being honest.

Gath shivered, his stomach twisting. Now? They were talking about that? Now? In front of me? Yuck!

He looked at Professor Nocht in his depleted and almost transparent armor and gulped. Gods of earth and sea, I pray Essie doesn't expect me to be...

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He hopped instinctively as a bullet pinged past his knees. Stupid! If the bullet were going to hit him, it would have before he’d heard it. Worse, the sudden move had broken his invisibility. He focused all his will on his left hip and pushed.

Gath thought: This power is embarrassing. Why must I look like I'm constipated to disappear? I wonder what Essie has to do to vanish.

Essie: I’m not telling.

Gath: You can hear me?

Nope.

How?

Guess.

I know your ticklish spots.

You wouldn’t dare—

Feet, ankles, thighs, pretty bits, underarms, neck—

Don’t even think about—

A flash of light drew Gath’s attention. He dashed from cover towards Lyra. Several soldiers restrained her as another soldier tried to force a dark grey energy torus through the purple coif of Lyra’s armor. Her armor flared with each attempt, fading a hair as Elystria moved from the armor plates to defend her neck. Other soldiers threw stones or beat Lyra with sticks, wearing down the protective energy provided by the armor.

Peter lay shackled at Lyra’s side. He assumed it was Peter; he looked like a young tidewraith. His eyes were wild, darting at the men attacking his girlfriend.

Gath dashed, spun, and kicked the feet from under a female Leash. He slid under her as she fell, saying, “You are called forth.” He sliced her neck open with his pocketknife and knocked Lyra away as he stood. His wrists flicked four times, and four blades materialized in the throats of the red-shirted soldiers.

Lyra screamed. “Who did that? Who’s there!?!”

Gath picked the soldiers' pockets, tossed the shackle keys at Lyra, and pocketed everything else in his void space.

Lyra screamed again when the keys bounced off her armor, but she took the hint. A moment later, she and Peter were racing toward the lake.

Essie: Show off.

Gath: You’re better at this stuff than me.

I’m not as good at the invisible trick.

What do you mean? You’re good with invisibility.

I can make my body vanish. You can make yourself, your clothes, and other people disappear.

You’re kidding. You’re telling me all those times we practiced stealth and invisibility—

Yeah, I don’t want to talk about that…

Yuck. You need to practice.

No kidding! Hey, help my Uncle Cove and Aunt Keekee. They’re about five meters to your right.

"Cove! Help!" Mrs. Nocht’s scream froze Gath for two heartbeats.

Gath slunk behind the men fighting to Leash the Nochts. He leaned close and whispered, “You are called forth.” His fist flashed, struck and shattered the Leash's hyoid bone, and slipped behind the next soldier. A thin wire, serrated on one side, slid out of his belt. Two more Riddere were choking on their blood before anyone noticed the first. Blood splattered across his face and body, breaking his invisibility spell.

He grabbed the flabbergasted Nochts and towed them to his parents.

"What in the nine hells," said his dad, his whisper anything but quiet or soft. "Are you sure he's not a dwarf assassin?"

"Dad! Keep it down. I'm almost thirteen and nearly as tall as you. Get over here and help Mr. and Mrs. Nocht back to the cave, then return for his daughters."

Hanna caught her breath and said, "You just killed seven adults—"

"Raptor pellets, Mom! I took a few unique martial arts classes. Now go!"

Professor Nocht looked at the three dead or dying Riddere and asked, "Did… did Essie take those classes?"

"Mr. Stoneshaper," said Gath, "take your wife and go!"

"But—"

"You don't want to know," said Roy as he pushed Professor Nocht, "and you shouldn't ask."

Gath exchanged glances with Essie as she sent a woman flying with a roundhouse kick. She was his distant cousin, twice, separated by so many generations it was impossible to say how they were related. He didn't understand how that was possible, but Master Ferdorcha said it, and he never lied. He'd gone on for hours, talking about science stuff Gath didn't understand. He liked the bit about getting assigned, joined, and married to his best friend Essie but wasn't sure about being a daddy. His father wasn't good, and his mother wasn't any better. They spent much time at work, only taking him along once or twice a year, letting the nanny or butler babysit while they fixed problem people for Heim.

He left a handful of bodies by the trail as he escorted Sera of the Duskfire Brotherhood and her patients to the shore. He handed them to his new mommy and daddy before dashing back to help Essie clean up the last few Riddere.

Gath and Essie were pulling Mrs. Wendy away from the disemboweled bodies of three Riddere when her daughter, Kendra, got mad. The plump, buxom young woman was lifted inside a personal tornado. She pulsed and glowed as blue sparks arced around her. The altar of the Stoneshaper Temple moaned. Lightning sizzled between the obelisk points, forming four interlocking pentagrams.

Essie screamed. Gath froze. Mr. Dax, the bravest man he knew, picked Essie and him up, one under each arm, and sprinted for the cave.