“How do we go about testing the area surrounding the city?” Dellen asked.

“We’ve never had to test for Aether, we’ll be cautious, first I want to see how those villains at the Mercantile Guild are panicking,” Thaddeus said with a laugh.

“Villains,” Gilgamesh mused, “Can he call them that considering how many people he was willing to kill?”

Dellen agreed with him, but he, too, was curious about how the Mercantile Guild was reacting. Like Thaddeus and many others, he wanted to leave the city, the Mercantile Guild would know best if the changes he’d made would break their stranglehold on trade and travel.

“Why don’t we pay them a quick visit?” Dellen suggested.

“Take us to the Mercantile guild,” Thaddeus said to Thatch.

“That isn’t part of our deal; it will cost you.”

Thaddeus’s smile slipped for a moment, then he snorted in disgust, “Whatever you want.”

Thatch flew them to the guild, where Dellen, Thaddeus, and Gilgamesh disembarked.

The relentless hustle and bustle that had once defined Copperopolis seemed to have quieted, replaced with a sense of uneasy anticipation. The citizens of Copperopolis, accustomed to their city's constant movement, were adjusting to the newfound pace, their conversations filled with hushed murmurs and awed whispers.

The Mercantile Guild was a different story altogether.

Upon entering the grand guild building, they were met with a cacophony of voices. Guild members hurried back and forth, carrying stacks of parchment, their faces etched with concern. The large trading boards, usually filled with neatly organized information about incoming and outgoing trades, were in disarray.

“They seem to be panicking,” Dellen said, a smile writ large across his face, “That seems like a good thing.”

“I’m going to retire to our airship,” Thaddeus said, speaking of the Aetheric Cultivators, “And plan our exodus from Copperopolis, you are welcome to join us.”

Dellen frowned, “I’d like to, however, first, I have responsibilities at the Northcote Estate and Northcote Industries.” He had a house to steer and people to reassure.

Thaddeus thrust out a hand, “You’re welcome to visit and perhaps even join us if you so wish.”

Dellen ducked a head at him, “Thank you, I’ll be visiting within the next few days, I’d like to plan a trip to Solara.” As a group, the Aetheric Cultivators had resources beyond his own, he would find a way to leave with them.

“A fine choice. Our first journey will take us to Evergale.”

“Would I be able to bring any companions?” The idea of traveling with Thaddeus would be more comfortable if there were a few people along who bore no allegiance to the man.

Thaddeus laughed, “Within reason, yes, two, maybe three, at the most.”

“That’s generous, thank you.”

They parted, and Dellen strode back to the streets, “Any idea how to get home from here?” He said to Gilgamesh, then he deflated, “Wait, you haven’t gone home, does this mean we’ve failed again?”

“I’m not sure,” Gilgamesh said, answering both questions, “It’d be faster if you found a carriage and flew home.”

“What do you want to do?” Dellen asked without breaking stride.

“Let’s keep going, there’s no point to waiting around.” Dellen nodded and walked with Gilgamesh floating near his shoulder, passing groups of people who seemed universally unsure of what to do. Eventually, they found a carriage. The driver seemed almost absurdly grateful to have a fare and be told what to do. “Northcote Estates, and wait on the roof. I’ll need to move again quickly.”

The carriage surged into the sky, and Dellen marveled again at the city’s static landscape. “All that time in the clock room wasted,” he muttered.

“Do you feel like the time you spent being beaten up while boxing was time wasted?”

“No, that’s a skill I’ll keep using.”

“Besides, we don’t know, seven days from now we may end up back on your balcony.”

“If that happens, I don’t know what to try next.”

They landed on the roof of House Northcote, Dellen paid the driver a pair of extra sovereigns to wait for him and descended into the house.

“Are we going to address what Thaddeus said about your father?” Gilgamesh asked.

“No,” Dellen said, still walking, “I spent a lot of time thinking about it while I waited for the Nightingale to come back, I’m still not done.” His footsteps took him to the kitchen outside of Stefan’s office.

“Lord Northcote!” Came a worried voice, “Good afternoon, Maisy, I trust you’re well.”

“How could I be well? The world is coming to an end.” Her voice was threadbare like she was only just keeping the panic at bay.”

“I’m looking for Stefan, but please gather whoever you can, I want to reassure everyone in the house, I have a plan.”

Dellen knocked on Stefan’s office door and walked in. “Lord Northcote,” Stefan said, his hands busy pouring himself a glass of whiskey, “Can I pour you a glass as well?”

“Celebrating already?” Dellen asked.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

Stefan’s gaze alternated between Dellen’s face and his glass, lines of confusion etched across his face. “Celebrating, my lord?”

“Certainly! Soon the Aether around the city will be replenished, trade will flow in, we’re witnessing the birth of an exciting era of commerce. Handled correctly, this could be an enormous opportunity for the house, and yes, I’ll take that glass.” He took over-full glass from Stefan, and let his steward pour a second glass with a more subdued three fingers.

“Opportunity,” Stefan said, “Trade, commerce,” he took a sip of his whiskey and settled back into his seat, his eyes taking on the slightly blank look of a man looking inward. “How do you know this?”

“The city has stopped, it will cease drawing on the Aether around us, all airships will be able to fly, not just those from The Mercantile Guild,” Dellen smirked, “You would be delighted by the sheer panic in their halls, but their misfortune is almost certainly our gain.”

Stefan’s face took on a smile, his skin losing some of its grey color, “It most certainly is.”

A knock interrupted their conversation, and the door opened, “My lord?” Maisy said, “I have as many staff members as I could find assembled in the kitchen.”

Dellen nodded at Stefan, rose from his seat, and walked into the kitchen, there were three chefs, seven housekeepers, two footmen, and four gardeners. “I’m sure you’ve all noticed the change in Copperopolis,” he said with a smile, “This is a new beginning for the city, and for House Northcote; your lives are safe, your homes are safe, and your livelihoods are safe. House Northcote will continue, and Copperopolis will continue.”

“You haven’t really said anything, you know,” Gilgamesh said.

Despite Gilgamesh’s opinion, Dellen could see that his staff looked reassured, “I cannot stay long, there will be many worried at Northcote Industries,” Stefan released a strangled noise behind him, “And I must visit to reassure them there. If any of you are worried, please come see me in the coming days, I will do my best to be available to anyone who needs to talk.”

Dellen noted the vague expression of surprise on Maisy’s face and gave her an extra smile. “Are you coming with me?” He called over his shoulder to Stefan.

“Yes, my lord,” Dellen could hear the sound of Stefan’s chair scraping over the floor. He caught up with him at a half-run in the corridors.

“We have a carriage waiting on the roof.”

Stefan’s look of amazement was almost offensive.

“I gather they had a low opinion of the former you,” Gilgamesh said.

The carriage took them up, Dellen thought the city looked slower than before, even after his brief stop at his family’s estate. “We’re going to need to find buyers for those stockpiles of alloys we have, even if we have to sell at a loss.”

“You know about the stockpiles?”

“Try not to keep underestimating me.”

Gilgamesh just laughed, “The poor man has had a lot of shocks today, perhaps you could be kinder to him.”

Accompanied by Stefan, they arrived at Northcote Industries near the end of the day’s shift. Dellen told the driver to wait, again. The foundry was full, but no work was being done.

Dellen made his way through without being interrupted or questioned, Stefan was held back by worried employees. “Where was that platform where I addressed everyone last time,” he muttered to Gilgamesh.

“Over there, to the left.”

Dellen ascended to the platform and stood at the railing. No one was looking up or even seemed to have noticed he was there. He raised his voice and boomed out, “Good afternoon, my name is Dellen Northcote,” he waited for conversations to stop and for everyone to look up at him, “I’m sure you’re all aware of the changes taking place in the city, I have spoken to Thaddeus Valtair, a pillar of the Aetheric Cultivators,” he hid an inner smile as Stefan’s jaw dropped open. “It is their belief that this change will herald an era of unprecedented trade and travel. This change is not a cause for concern, but one for celebration, Northcote Industries will meet the future head-on, and we will thrive. No longer will our horizons be limited to a single city, instead we will expand beyond the borders of Copperopolis.”

Dellen finished speaking, and the foundry was silent, then came a few scattered cheers, then more. He saw Stefan and various members of management approaching him. He ignored all of them to focus his attention on Julia. “Julia,” he said in a warm voice, “There is a stack of ingots in the storeroom, they are of a copper-iron-zinc alloy. Can you find out what project they were intended for and why it was shelved?”

A crease appeared between Julia’s eyebrows, “How do you know about the ingots?” The crease deepened, “How do you know my name?”

“It’s my place to know these things,” Dellen said.

“You didn’t answer her question, at all, and you sound like a pretentious ass,” Gilgamesh noted.

“I can’t stay long, there are contacts that I need to speak to over the entire city,” Dellen said, “However, what I want from all of you is an accurate inventory of all of our holdings and preparedness to pivot projects once the new orders come in.”

“The new orders?”

“People will be building airships, a lot of them,” Dellen said, “And we have an oversupply of metal at the moment.” He thought again about his father’s ‘foresight’ in laying in the extra inventory.

“Yes, sir!” Came several crisp replies.

“Thank you,” Dellen said, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to the Lockridge Estate.”

“The Lockridge Estate, my lord?” Stefan said.

“Yes,” he turned and left.

The carriage climbed into the air again, “Pardon me, my lord; it takes a moment to guess where buildings are, what with all this change.”

A quarter-hour or so later, they landed at the estate, where Dellen strode up to the doors and knocked. Lady Victoria’s butler answered the door, with at least three hairs out of place on his scalp, a look of almost complete dishevelment for the man. “Yes?” He looked Dellen up and down, “My lord?”

“Dellen Northcote for Lady Victoria.”

There was a slight change in demeanor from the familiar form of address. “Do you have an invitation?”

“Please ask Lady Lockridge if she’ll see me.”

“Lady Lockridge is quite busy, my lord, perhaps you could come back another day.”

Dellen rolled his eyes, “I apologize,” he said, pushing his way in, despite the butler’s attempt to hold the door, “I suspect you won’t be able to stop me,” he said, without breaking stride, “Perhaps you’d like to send a footman ahead to warn her that I’m coming?”

The butler frowned at him, now with four hairs out of place, and with a twitch of his hand, sent a footman running. Dellen followed the footman to an office where Lady Lockridge was cloistered with five women and two men in a loud discussion. “Albrecht, I told you that I didn’t want to be interrupted.”

“Yes, my lady,” Albrecht said in embarrassment, “It’s just that.”

Dellen interrupted him, “I pushed in the door and demanded to see you, Lady Victoria.”

Lady Lockridge looked at him in irritation, “And who are you, Lord Northcote, to invade my home in such an uncivilised manner?”

Dellen just raised an eyebrow at her, “As you said, my name is Dellen Northcote.”

“And you can walk,” she said, looking confused by her own sentence, “Is that Gilgamesh?”

“Yes,” said Gilgamesh.

“I need a private minute with Lord Northcote,” Lady Victoria said. She waited for her staff to leave and spoke without preamble, “What did you do?”

“I’m not sure how much you remember, but I believe I’ve prevented the attack and opened lines of trade to the city.”

Lady Victoria stared hard at Gilgamesh, “I remember that I’ve met both of you before, but it is hazy,” she squinted at him, “Have you always been able to walk?”

Gilgamesh filled the room with laughter, “Usually, but not the last time you saw him, he convalesced in your home for a week where he could barely walk, talk or think.”

“You said that trade would be opening up?” Lady Victoria said.

“Yes, I expect The Mercantile Guild to lose its stranglehold on the city over the next days or weeks.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Lady Victoria asked.

“Payment for your help, and in hopes of a future mutually beneficial relationship.”

Lady Victoria looked at him with suspicion, “What would that entail?”

“We’ll see,” Dellen said with a smile, “Please remember when you hear about airships leaving the city, without the help of The Mercantile Guild that I came to tell you first.” He extended his hand in her direction.

Lady Victoria wrapped her fingers around his, “Provisionally accepted.”

Dellen smiled, “Thank you, now, if you’ll excuse me, I have business at the Copperopolis Chronicle.”