To Tam, it had felt like an hour at most. The spots drowning his sights as he tried to weakly battle them back… Then darkness– not his void, but the darkness of sleep had claimed him, and the instant he regained the ability to think again, his eyes flew open, and he sat up.

With his heart already pounding, Tam’s attention whipped around his surroundings, taking it all in.

He was sleeping in a single sized bed, in a room that was very sparse, with everything around him either wood toned or white.

Swallowing, Tam reached up and idly dabbed at his forehead, and noted that he had been changed at some point as he wore a light, cream sleep shirt, and loose brown pants to match.

Raking a hand through his hair, he tried to stand, but became horribly dizzy, and was forced to take slow breaths and wait for the sensation to pass.

In the room there was a desk beside the single bed he was in and a dresser with an oval mirror perched on top.

Overall, it looked like a senior servant’s room…

Tam swallowed and eyed the door.

It had a paper covering, and was the type to slide, so he doubted he was barred from leaving…

Unless there were guards outside.

Craning his neck, Tam looked over the edge of the bed to see if there was anything he could use for a weapon, or shoes.

But there was nothing.

At the very least there was a porcelain bowl and pitcher on the desk that had water so he was able to rub some on his face and even drink a little as he realized how parched his mouth felt.

After doing this, Tam stared at himself in the mirror and discovered two things that startled him.

The first was how badly he needed another haircut.

That is if he wanted to keep having short hair as opposed to long, and the second…

Was the changes he saw in his eyes.

He didn’t look timid or frightened.

Back in Daxaria he had struggled to even look his own reflection in the eyes…

But now?

In a way Tam reminded himself of his father with his newfound calm and direct stare…

But there was another funny thing lurking behind Tam’s vision that was somewhat like Finlay Ashowan’s own ethereal light behind his eyes, only Tam felt as though the flicker that moved behind his own was darker. His brown eyes were not quite as deep in color as the shadow that waved through his vision…

Dropping his gaze, Tam seized the towel that was beside the basin and dried himself off. There were more important things to worry about.

He ran his hands through his hair again, making it slick itself back. Then he set his sights on the door to the room.

If someone were outside, he would’ve heard them move or react to the noises he was making.

And so Tam pressed forward cautiously, and slid the door back two inches, then another three, and after a glance outside into the hall, he realized no one stood there.

And so he exited and after looking both ways down the hall, opted to go left.

Padding carefully down the narrow space, Tam did his best to push his mind back into a sharpened state.

The last thing he remembered was reaching Lord Kim’s house.

He had fought off the men sent on behalf of concubine Soo Hebin back at the harbor, and discovered that the Giong Coven was loyal to the first witch…

Voices wafted gently down the hall to him, stopping Tam in his tracks.

He listened, but couldn’t make out any particular words, and so he eased himself closer to the wall and continued down until he found some stairs that most likely belonged to the servants.

When he could see the sand toned stones he paused, and leaned forward enough to recognize a kitchen…

And there, standing with a pout on his face, but wearing fine black pants, a silk shirt and black vest, was Luca.

“--Why not?!” Luca shouted up at a maid who was standing with her arms crossed looking down at him.

“Because he must rest.”

“I napped with him before!” Luca argued.

Tam’s tensed face instantly started to ease into a smile.

From his position on the stairs he could see a cooking table and the edge of a stone oven that had tables lined with fresh vegetables and sacks of rice organized, and just behind Luca was a door that led outside…

A thrilling magical instinct filled Tam.

And he didn’t cringe away from it or lower his eyes to make it stop.

He smiled, let out a breath of a laugh and… fell back into his void.

But only for a moment.

He brushed across the stones of the kitchen, touched the table, smelled the remains of an omelet in the air…

And reappeared behind Lua, making the maid scream, and just before Luca could do the same, Tam plucked him up and tossed him in the air, catching him so that his son could see him.

The boy’s dark eyes were wide, but Tam grinned, and the next thing he knew, his son’s arms were thrown around his neck.

“I kept my eyes closed the whole time! Just like you told me to!”

Tam blinked, confused, and then remembered the orders he had given Luca right before dispatching their assailants at the docks and felt relief flood through his being knowing that his son hadn’t witnessed him killing people.

“That was absolutely the right thing to do, Luca. Thank you for listening.”

Tam hugged his son back, and relished in the way his heart warmed, when a throat clearing pulled his attention upward.

He had already sensed his presence, but Tam at last locked eyes with Lord Kim who was seated at the kitchen table with a fan of parchment on its surface while an older woman with a large mole above her lip and gray streaked hair continued to stare in shock at Tam.

The Zinferan nobleman didn’t rise from his seat, and there was a peculiar glint in his eyes as he looked over the future duke…

Slowly putting Luca back on the ground, Tam righted himself and asked, “Where’s Eli?”

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Lord Kim’s eyebrows raised and he tilted his head. “Most likely in her room. Your other friends are busy getting ready.”

Tam frowned.

“They’re going to the festival tonight before they leave,” Lord Kim clarified.

Faltering, Tam struggled to process that he had been unconscious for days, and not simply a few hours.

“Leave us,” Lord Kim ordered over his shoulder quietly.

The older woman and the maid Tam had frightened, inched out of the room out another doorway that led to the outdoors that was across from where Tam stood, and revealed a lush expanse of colorful flowers.

Luca slipped his hand into Tam’s, and pressed himself into his father’s side.

Lord Kim smiled gently at the child. “I’ll only be a moment, perhaps you should go tell Her Highness that your father is awake, hm?”

Tam could feel Luca stiffen at his side. “I already told you! She’s not Her Highness, she’s Eli! Or mom! Tell him, dad”

Lord Kim’s soft gaze turned to Tam and hardened instantly.

“Luca, go let Eli know I’m awake, alright?” He looked down at his son, who at first looked like he was going to argue, but nodded and turned to the other doorway to step outside, leaving Tam alone with Lord Kim.

The Zinferan gestured toward a stool across from himself, and Tam made his way over to it, plunking himself down while also eyeing the kitchen’s details– he knew his father would ask about it one day.

Folding his arms, Tam leaned back, he had a hunch on what was going to be said, but decided to not be an ungrateful boor and stated the conversation with,

“Thank you, for taking us in. I’m guessing Jeong filled you in on everything?”

Lord Kim arched an eyebrow and bowed his head in acceptance of the sentiment.

“If there is any way I can repay you, I’d be more than happy to arrange something once I return to Daxaria, and–”

“Her Highness and I have already come to an agreement.”

Tam’s shoulders straightened. “What agreement?”

Lord Kim shook his head. “You will have to ask her and see if she wants to share that with you. I have two other things to say to you, however, Lord Tam. The first being, do not confuse your child and have him address Her Highness in such a manner. Not unless you are married should he be given such thoughts as to call Her Highness ‘mom’. I say this not to be prudent, but because I worry for both his and Her Highness’s hearts. It is a complicated, beautiful love between a child and their mother, and to start in a hurry or on uncertain footing can be harmful.”

While Tam would’ve been more dismissive if this advice was given with any note of condescension, the sincerity in Lord Kim’s eyes stopped him. The man genuinely was suggesting what he thought would be best with pure intentions.

“The second thing I have to say… Is I know what your magic is.”

Tam reared back. “What?”

“Ether.” Lord Kim turned excitedly to the papers on the table in front of him and pointed at them. “I’ve been reading and thinking about your void, and how you described being around everything, and yet nothing… And now, when I just witnessed you appearing, I feel as though I’ve confirmed my theory.”

Tam tried to think of how best to express his confusion, but couldn’t and so he waited for the Zinferan to continue.

“When you disappear, you essentially are a part of everything around you. It is why you could sense things in your surroundings that were there when you disappeared. You travel through these things, disperse through them, and then reassemble yourself. Only, when you go into that ‘nothing space’, or your void as you say, you are in a state between life and time itself.”

There was a hum that was starting to build in Tam’s body, and some deeper part of himself recognized that Lord Kim was absolutely correct. He didn’t know quite how, and it was more than a little bit of a frightening notion… But it sounded right.

An ether witch.

That’s what he was… And hadn’t the Coven of Wittica identified the strongest element in his being as air despite being a mutated witch back when they first examined him as a child? Wouldn’t it make sense as air travels?

“How did you figure this all out?” Tam asked, not bothering to disguise the awe in his voice.

“Well… You had said something interesting when you took me with you… Something about it being a nothing place, and as you should know, the Goddess believes in balance. And so I started to ponder the balance of having such a power, and it taking you to such a place.” A small smile started to creep up Lord Kim’s face. “I struggled with it until it dawned on me quite simply. All or nothing. You are all, and you are nothing.”

Tam wasn’t too proud to admit he could barely wrap his head around the reasoning, and yet, he couldn’t argue with the fact that it resonated as truth to him.

“There is a great amount of chaos happening in Junya since you fell unconscious,” Lord Kim’s tone shifted at mention of this, and he leaned in closer. “There are rumors of the devil here, and concubine Soo Hebin has of course jumped in to send imperial soldiers to scour the streets to find the being who killed not only her own men, but a member of the Coven of Giong.”

Closing his eyes, Tam let out a quiet groan.

If he hadn’t been asleep for so long they could’ve possibly escaped the city before it had gotten swarmed…

“Her Highness has a plan to get you all out, and find a way to return to Daxaria,” Lord Kim eased back in his seat with a smile.

Tam gave a weary look in response. “It won’t be easy, will it?”

“No. But, Her Highness is intelligent and the Ryu brothers are capable despite their reputations.”

“Thank you. Again.” Tam lowered his head respectfully while also making note that Jeong and Bong had revealed their true identities to Lord Kim as well.

Lord Kim gave a short, wry laugh. “I’m not doing this for nothing, Lord Tamlin Ashowan. I wouldn’t risk my life and the lives of my household just out of the goodness of my heart. I’m doing this to better my own situation and Zinfera. Now, I imagine Her Highness is just about here now,” the Zinferan nobleman pushed himself to standing, as his gaze drifted over to the sunlit doorway behind Tam where the faint sound of feet galloping down the boards could be heard drawing closer.

Eagerly, Tam turned, intending to jog to meet Eli halfway, when Lord Kim added,

“You better marry her soon, Lord Tamlin. Otherwise I’ll find it difficult to support you.”

Tam cast an apologetic glance over his shoulder. “I’ll do what I can, but I did promise my da I wasn’t getting married without my family being there. My sister kind of ruined it for me.”

The nobleman opened his mouth as though to argue the point more, but Tam was already moving toward the door, and right as he rounded the corner, he was hit by the rebellious princess he was in love with, who, upon realizing it was him she had crashed into, threw her arms around him, startling Tam soundly for a lone breath before he returned the embrace.

Everything would be alright.

They’d find they’re way home, and whatever Eli had promised in exchange for Lord Kim’s help? Tam would make sure she could get out of it, or that he could share the burden as best he could.

At the sound of light panting he looked back up to see Luca.

Sensing this, Eli turned as well, and then, having the exact same thought at the exact same time, both she and Tam opened their arms to him, and he bolted into them to join the hug,

Regardless of how bad things were, Tam had Eli… and his son.

He had everything.

And so everything was going to turn out just fine one way or another.