“Have you heard any word?”

“No.”

“Have you eaten dinner yet?”

“No.”

“Any news about Antony making it stop raining any time soon?”

“No.”

“It’s still early, I’m sure Kat has arrived safely,” Fin said with a sigh while lowering the paperwork in front of himself and slouching back in his seat.

He was sitting in the council room with Eric, the report on the first witch’s escape as well as the report regarding the last time they defeated her was spread out on the table in front of them so as to help them begin to strategize should another war break out.

However, the new Daxarian king had been in a Gods awful mood ever since his beloved wife had set foot aboard a vessel set for Zinfera with his mother-in-law.

Of course it didn’t help that there was the looming threat of the daughter of the Gods hanging over them.

Fin leaned his head back until it hit the back of the chair. The relentless downpour that washed the windows was starting to become a concern.

The riverbanks were buckling, and the farmers worried about their crop roots rotting…

“Eric, maybe you should take a half day tomorrow and spend time with Antony. I’m pretty sure he would feel a lot better if you and him got some one-on-one time.”

“Fin… I don’t think it’s that simple.” Eric’s bloodshot hazel eyes reluctantly drifted up from the pages in front of himself. He hadn’t slept well since Kat had left. “We only told Antony two weeks ago that Charlie would most likely be the only one to take the throne. He needs time to sort out his feelings.”

“He needs guidance,” Fin corrected, trying to keep his tone as gentle as possible.

“I tried to talk to him and be there for him, but all he did was scream and tell me to get out because I wouldn’t understand as a human.”

Wincing, Fin inclined forward again to better rub the back of his neck. “He didn’t want to talk to me either. Just said I got to become a duke… And that at least I was given a choice.”

“So you see my dilemma,” Eric pointed out wearily.

“He still needs to know we are there for him.”

“Fin! I’m–” Eric’s voice was loud, and aggravated, but upon hearing how it came out, he paused. Closing his eyes, the king took a breath, and then in a quieter tone, continued. “I’m doing the best I can. With Kat being away everything is three times more difficult. For more reasons than one. I’m just… Gods. I’m not right right now.” Eric reached up and rubbed his eyes.

Fin gave a resigned half smile. “I’m sorry. I know how hard it is for you right now. Well. I don’t exactly, but I know you are struggling a lot… Honestly, I really wish Tam were here. He’d be the perfect person to talk to Antony.”

“I don’t know about that. Tam wasn’t all that thrilled himself that the coven is planning to take away the duchy from him.”

“He’d put his own feelings aside to help Antony. I know he would,” Fin affirmed.

Eric tilted his head over his right shoulder and didn’t comment.

While Fin noticed the pointed lack of response, he once again chose not to bring up Eric’s wariness over both his Tam and Annika. He had sensed it for years, but never addressed it directly… He had his suspicions on what it was with regards to, but knew Eric had still yet to finish making up his mind. Which was rare for him, and showed that there was a great deal for

him to try and process.

A rumble of thunder crescendoed to a guttural growl outside the window.

“I find it odd that the coven has become so particular about witches in power. I thought we should be able to take whatever role we wished, so long as we counseled others on the balances of our element.”

“It’s hard to counsel the balance of a mutated power,” Eric pointed out swiftly, as though he had had the argument one too many times.

“True… But even so. It seems oppressive.”

“They are drawing a clear divide between you and humans. Differences should be noted. I don’t begrudge them for making that point. I mean, Antony struggling to control his mood is resulting in Austice getting drenched. Not many seven year olds can say that,” the king argued reasonably.

Fin’s mind drifted through the arguments for a few moments longer quietly, until he eventually shook his head.

“Maybe you’re right. I mean… I hate being noble–”

“Oh really? No one’s noticed.”

“--My real love is cooking and keeping a house happy. The only reason I can manage any of this is with constant reminders that this is all part of my home,” Fin plundered on, ignoring Eric’s interruption. “But maybe that’s just it. Politics might be something we need to keep more separate from witches.”

“The only problem with that? It starts to sound like religion. And religion building power is… tricky.”

Fin cringed. “Definitely.”

Shaking his head, Eric sighed. “Can you convince your wife and my wife to abandon our lofty roles so we can go farm or something?”

Fin grinned. “I wish. I didn’t even win in the battle to keep my beard.”

Eric nodded at the memory, though his shadowed eyes twinkled a little, which encouraged Fin to say more. “Who knows, maybe Tam finds an insight into things that we are missing while he’s away. He did say he was going to talk to the Zinferan coven and possibly even travel to Lobahl after.”

The two men rose to their feet, Fin’s hands finding his pockets, and Eric looking a little more relaxed, when all of a sudden, the duke’s sights filled with white and his knees buckled. His palms slammed blindly against the surface of the table, stinging his palms.

“Fin?” Eric moved hastily to his father-in-law’s side, terror lacing his tone. Whenever this happened, it meant that one of Fin’s family members was either terrified, or dying.

Fin’s legs started to give away under himself, and he felt his face contort with pain…

With Eric’s arm going round his back, Fin teetered, as though about to fully collapse.

“What’s wrong? Is something happening on the ship to Kat? Or to the duchess? Or–”

Fin shuddered, and as he closed his eyes, the white light disappeared and he felt his own tired blue eyes gazed out once more.

Slowly lowering himself back down into his seat, Eric tentatively backed up, anxiety and fear bright in his face.

“It’s Tam.” Fin’s voice rasped

Eric’s tensed expression eased fractionally.

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“Someone is sick… He’s terrified they’re going to die…”

“What exactly did you hear and see?” Eric pressed while trying to keep his own apprehension from becoming too burdensome.

“A Zinferan woman was saying something about someone named Luca having an infection in his lungs… Eli was beside Tam…”

Eric straightened and rubbed his mouth. “Was there anything about Tam’s surroundings that could tell you where he might be?”

Fin squinted as he strained his mind that was already growing sluggish from using such a powerful part of his ability. “They were in a small cottage… I think they were by the sea or ocean… I could smell the salt in the air.”

Blinking in confusion Eric couldn’t help but blurt. “Tam isn’t supposed to be anywhere near the sea or ocean while in Zinfera. He was supposed to be in the desert.”

“I know.” Interlocking his fingers, Fin dropped his gaze to the table, and struggled to swallow down the hard lump in his throat. “He’s more terrified than he’s ever been in his life… Whoever isn’t doing well… Is incredibly important to Tam.”

Eric was quiet for a breath, as Fin felt his insides rattle with emotions of concern, fear, and sadness… His son was not doing well, and he wasn’t anywhere nearby to help.

“He’s an Ashowan. Things will be alright,” the king said in an obvious attempt to bolster his friend’s spirits.

“Eric, imagine one of your own sons…” Fin trailed off and shook his head, unable to finish the thought. “I wish I could be there for him. And Tam is different… Everything is harder for him because of his magic, and he just… Never seemed to find his own place. I was hoping this trip would help him, but now he’s in some kind of trouble and is terrified about losing someone close to him.”

The king said nothing.

Fin knew given this new insight into Tam’s present, that that had been exactly what he’d gone and done, but still…

Eric rested a hand on Fin’s shoulder and said, “Let’s go to bed. Hopefully we’ll hear word that Kat has arrived in Zinfera, and then she should be able to find Tam.”

***

Tam sat outside the cottage, staring at the Tinoo Ocean. His elbows braced on his knees, and his hands loosely clasped in front of himself.

They needed a physician.

Which meant they’d have no choice but to steal a boat, and try and sail around Zinfera once Luca was better, even though Jeong barely knew how to sail a boat, and both he and Eli hadn’t the faintest clue how to do it either.

Tam dropped his chin to his chest, and tried to force another solution into his mind. But it was difficult to think of anything else when the old woman who was kindly letting Luca rest in one of her own children’s old beds had told him if Tam didn’t get help for Luca, the boy was going to die.

It consumed all of Tam’s thoughts no matter how hard he tried.

Jeong was already off in the town of Eusa getting the physician.

Eli, after resting a cold cloth on Luca’s head, had gone to harvest vegetables for dinner with the old man named Hajun who had begrudgingly accepted them into his home.

The bench that was pressed against the wall of the cottage’s front where Tam had parked himself, was just below the bedroom window where Luca was sleeping. It gave him both a moment to himself as well as a place to keep a close ear out for Luca if he woke up or needed something…

The sound of the front door gently closing snapped Tam’s attention over to see Sua standing fully dressed for her day in a plain cotton dress, and a vivid red apron tied around her waist with chickens embroidered on the bottom edge.

Tam’s mouth almost twitched at the sight.

“Your son sleeps well. The physician will have him recovering quickly. He is a very good healer,” she informed him bluntly.

Sua’s matter of fact way of talking was both hard to take and yet simple enough that it was easy to digest what she had to say.

“Thank you… Again. For helping us.”

“He is a kind child.”

Tam’s throat felt swollen as he nodded and looked back toward the ocean.

The old woman rounded Tam to sit beside him.

“It is frightening when the little ones get sick…. He will recover though.”

Tam nodded again, but felt the threat of tears building back behind his eyes.

“It is a different empire than it used to be,” Sua started to say idly, seemingly changing the topic. “There is much fear, and people are not certain what is happening to the emperor.”

Tam held his tongue.

“Have you been in Zinfera long?” she ventured mildly.

“A few months.”

Sua didn’t respond straight away as gulls cried overhead drawing her attention upward.

“You should return home swiftly,” she informed him abruptly, and yet still matter of factly.

“I know. It isn’t safe for my son here.”

“Do you need a boat?”

Tam’s head whipped around and she stared somberly at him.

“My son is a fisherman. He can take you to Bani if you need to find passage home.”

Tam’s expression stilled, and Sua’s sharp eyes caught it.

Whether or not she assumed they were wanted criminals, or that they could not risk traveling out of Bani, he wasn’t certain, but he didn’t feel like it was a good idea to offer clarity anyway.

“I see.” Sua became quiet once more.

Nothing more was said.

Tam could practically hear the soldiers feet pounding down the dirt road, when in actuality it was just his heart pounding against his chest.

If he wanted any chance of getting home, he’d have to hurt a lot of people and he would, without a doubt, have to be put on trial and possibly jailed as a result.

Or.

He let them take him, and risk Eli and Luca getting hurt.

Something stirred inside Tam at that second option, and he discovered that if forced to choose, he knew what he would do.

“I am sorry we had to burden you,” he said while trying to turn away from the very dark thoughts that started to swell in his mind.

Sua regarded his profile then looked out over the sea.

“I do not know much, but I do know you are a good father, and I can appreciate that. I hope whatever it is you choose to do going forward, it is a choice your son would be proud to see you make.”

Tam’s head slowly turned to gaze at Sua who didn’t bother looking back at him.

“I’ve seen my fair share of desperate men. And they are not nearly as fearsome as a desperate father,” she explained distantly.

Tam couldn’t comment, though he felt some unpleasant whirling guilt and dread in his gut.

“I’ll go check on Luca.” He stood.

“There is only one beast more fearsome than a desperate father that you should know of.”

Tam looked back at Sua, though it was surprisingly harder than he would’ve liked.

“A desperate mother is by far the most vicious of beasts. So whatever it is you choose to do, try to make it so that Luca’s mother does not reach that point. Whatever sins you are willing to commit for your son, I guarantee your wife would go farther. Empires collapse under such creatures. Just as ours is about to do.” Unable to process the warning and profound insight Sua had just given him in light of his emotional turmoil, Tam proceeded back into the cottage, though he doubted he would be forgetting her words any time soon.