After finishing my food, I left the venue, feeling pleasantly full, and headed toward the luxury suite I’d been promised. The exam wasn’t over yet, and if I wanted to keep my edge, I’d need rest. This entire setup was unlike anything I’d seen in recent years—the elaborate venue, the VIP treatment.

It wasn’t like I had seen much of this world. But who was I to complain? If they wanted to play up the theatrics, I could match them step for step.

My mind lingered on Loki’s reaction. I had watched his expressions closely—subtle flickers of irritation and a flash of interest he tried to hide. I knew he was tempted by the offer, and while he’d accepted my terms, I had no illusions that Loki would walk away satisfied. He’d be back, whether he liked it or not. Information was my currency, and he was practically starving for it.

As I reached my suite, the lights dimmed automatically, and a welcome message from the Association blinked on a sleek screen embedded in the wall. I ignored it and dropped onto the bed, feeling the plush, downy softness pull me in.

I’d secured Loki’s curiosity, and Kara, as much as she liked to act indifferent, was watching closely. It was only a matter of time before one of them made the next move. And when they did, I’d be ready to deal—on my terms.

What was next?

I considered talking to Selena, but given her current mental state, it seemed wiser to wait until tomorrow. Instead, I took out my tarot cards, each marked with my Soul Mark. These cards were more than just symbols—they were VIP passes of sorts, reserved for people I wanted to build connections with. I had no interest in starting my own organization, but expanding my network was essential.

The ‘Author’—the persona I’d crafted so carefully—carried a certain prestige, and I planned to make full use of it. That reputation could open doors and give me access to people and information that few others could reach. Each card had a purpose, carefully tailored for each individual. I shuffled through them, studying each one. I’d distributed them to two people already.

I took out my phone and dialed my wife’s number. I listened as it rang. Ring. Ring. Then a soft click.

“Hello?” Leora’s voice came through.

“It’s me,” I said, a warmth seeping into my voice despite myself. “How are you and Leon?”

She let out a soft sigh. “We’re doing fine,” she replied, her voice softening. “Leon’s asleep now—took a bit, but he finally settled. He’s got so much energy, even at two, always finding something new to get into.” She chuckled lightly.

I smiled, picturing him. “I can imagine. He’s going to be keeping you on your toes.”

“He already does,” she said, a hint of laughter in her tone. Then, her voice grew serious. “And… are you all right? I heard this exam is… different than usual.”

I paused, choosing my words carefully. “It’s challenging, but nothing I can’t handle. You know I’d never take risks I couldn’t manage.”

“Just be careful,” she whispered. “Leon needs his father… and so do I.”

Her words grounded me, pulling me from the game I was entrenched in. “I will. I’ll be back soon. Count on it.”

“You can call more often,” Leora suggested. “We have a secure line.”

“I just called yesterday. This is as often as it gets,” I replied, half-joking.

“And what? I’d hate it if you suddenly disappeared,” she said with a hint of worry in her voice. “We need a schedule… How about three times a week?”

“I refuse,” I said with a grin, “I’ll call… seven times a week.”

“Eh? Won’t you be busy?” she asked, surprised.

“I’ll let you know if something holds me up,” I assured her. Truthfully, I regretted not being able to talk to her as often as I wanted. Maybe I should’ve given her one of my tarot cards; I’d only recently crafted them and hadn’t had the chance to hand one to her.

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“Anyway,” I continued, changing the subject, “I just passed the first half of the exam. I’m eligible for a license now, but I’m aiming higher. I want to go all the way… maybe even get myself a gold pass.”

“I feel bad,” Leora admitted. “In the two years I went solo, I wasn’t able to pull off something like this. You know, talk to you on the phone…”

“It wasn’t totally on you…” I reminded her. “I hid in the mountains, remember?”

“What?” she asked, sounding surprised. “I don’t think you ever told me that.”

“Really?”

“No wonder I couldn’t get a hold of you.” She sighed, but I could hear a bit of laughter there, too. “Thankfully, the baby’s healthy. We just came back from the hospital this afternoon. But still… the mountains? You could have just hired a mundane family to take you in, bought some closed-off property, or even gotten a mobile home.”

“My bad… paranoia kept me from even considering it,” I admitted.

Leora chuckled. “How long have you been a hunter, anyway?”

I froze, thinking it over. I couldn’t exactly tell her it’d only been a few months. She’d probably lose it and demand I come home so she could take on the hunting herself. In pure combat experience, she was leagues ahead of me, and we both knew it. After all, she gained her fame from combat.

She went on, “I never really realized it in the course of our marriage, though. I didn’t detect any aura from you at first… and when you handed Leon to me, your aura was practically nonexistent. That’s unusual—especially since I’m a Seeker with multiple sub-types.”

Should I tell her the truth or keep up the front?

I’d gotten pretty good at subduing my aura’s corona. With my naturally weak aura pool, compressing it made me look like any mundane person. Ironically, I’d never even realized my wife was a hunter until recently, even through all the years of our marriage.

Honestly, when it came to the hunter lifestyle, and especially my aura awakening, I was still green in so many ways.

“I’ll be fine,” I assured her, keeping my tone light. “Trust me… my theoretical knowledge of aura is impeccable. I practically created it.”

It was the truth—though entirely in the wrong context. But hey, if it helped keep her off my back for now, I’d take it.

“I’ll send something through Stefan,” I told her. “A card with my Soul Mark on it. It’ll allow you to call me in emergencies—kind of like a convenient phone, but activated with aura. Takes a fair bit of aura to use, but it’s worth it.”

Leora’s voice perked up. “Really? That sounds… perfect. Convenient, indeed.” She paused, then added, “If I need saving, or if you need saving, we’ll have it ready.”

“Exactly,” I said. “So, what card do you want?”

“Wait, I get to choose?” she asked, sounding pleasantly surprised.

I grinned, though she couldn’t see it. “Of course. You’ve got your pick from the tarot deck. What’ll it be?”

“Hmm…” She paused, but I could hear the amusement in her voice. “The Lovers, naturally,” she said, letting the words linger. “Since, you know, it suits us.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “You’re something else, you know that?”

“Oh, you love it,” she teased back.

“Yeah, yeah,” I replied, still smiling. “All right, The Lovers it is. I’ll get it to you soon.”

“Good,” she said, her tone softening a little. “It’ll be nice to have that connection… you know, just in case.”

“Same here,” I agreed. “I’ll make sure it reaches you.”

Hearing her voice like that was a comfort I hadn’t realized I’d needed.

We talked for what felt like hours. Her voice softened gradually, and eventually, she fell asleep mid-sentence. I could almost hear the gentle rise and fall of her breathing from the other side of the line. I held the phone for a moment longer, smiling.

Once I’d hung up, I reached for my tarot deck, carefully sliding out The Lovers. I pressed my lips lightly against the card, feeling a pang of longing. How I missed her. Setting the card aside, I grabbed my phone and quickly texted Stefan, then shot him an email with details on the package I had in mind. A few minutes later, he replied with an address where I could send it.

Walking over to the suite’s phone, I dialed the front desk number listed in the Hunter Association pamphlet. They had a reputation for handling just about any request, and I knew their services were premium level. After a few rings, someone picked up.

“Yes, Mr. Bright, how can I assist you?”

“I need a package sent out by post. Can you send someone up to handle it?”

“Of course,” they replied smoothly. “We’ll have a staff member there within the next ten minutes.”

When they arrived, I wrapped the card carefully in a handkerchief I’d picked up earlier—it would protect the card and its mark. Once it was ready, I handed the small bundle to the staff member and gave him Stefan’s address.

“Handle with care,” I said as he left.

As the door closed, I felt a sense of relief. Soon, she’d have the card, and with it, a part of me would be closer to her.

I lay down. My thoughts drifted to tomorrow’s exam. The first half had been brutal enough; I couldn’t help but wonder what was coming next. Passing meant getting closer to the golden pass. But that also meant tougher competition.

For a moment, I thought back to the conversation with Leora. Her voice, steady and warm, had a way of grounding me. Oh… how I missed her… and how regretful I was for everything… but now, I think I had a genuine chance of turning everything around.

With that thought lingering, I allowed myself to sink into the mattress, the fatigue finally catching up. Tomorrow would be another challenge—but I’d face it head-on, as always.