The lounge room was intimately sized, with just two couches almost touching the wall on either side with a small table between them. Ranvir’d called Frija and Vasso inside while the guards were dealing with Hallberta and her kid. From the snippets Ranvir’d caught, it didn’t sound like they were being mistreated.

“I’m sorry about that,” Grevor said, running a hand through his hair and leaned against the door. Then his gaze locked more firmly on Ranvir. “But you’re back!” he opened his arms wide as if to take him in. “Where have you been?”

“What are you going to do with them?” Es said. He wasn’t as ready to drop the subject of Hallberta and her daughter.

Grev sobered, the good mood washing off him in moments. “We’re not sure, yet. In the end, it’s up to Baug and potentially even the Queen,” he glanced towards the open door, which led into an even smaller balcony. Menace was lying out there, Frija collapsed on top of him. “I doubt Baug’s gonna put any pressure on her, but the Queen… she might to do something to send a message, but she might also allow her a pass as a show of faith in her upcoming left hand.”

Es sighed and slumped into the couch, running a hand over his face. “It’s been like this for too long. We can’t keep fighting like this.”

Grev winced, continuing to glare at the sky beyond the balcony.

Ranvir narrowed his eyes. Grev insinuated there’s been more attacks on his brother. If their father really got himself into a position as an advisor to the Queen… But even Es is talking about it.

“This happens often?” he asked finally.

Grev nodded grimly. “We’ve been fending off at least one attempt every month or so for the last,” he sighed and shook his head. “Two years, almost three.”

“Two years ago,” Es added. “Someone tried to kill Kirs. I wouldn’t have gotten there in time, if not for her rituals.”

The hair on the back of Ranvir’s neck stand up at the news and his eyes flash to Vasso sitting on the couch opposite Es. The kid glances worriedly up at him, where he’s standing in the corner. Traditional seats don’t work for him when he’s swaddled in his feathers. Ranvir senses the other’s eyes on him as well. Frija seems to only care as far the glass of clay mug of water and ice next to her, but Es and Grev are looking at him as well.

“Did your hair just puff up?” Grev asked, wide-eyed. “What exactly has happened to you?”

Ranvir ran a hand through his hair. The down had risen as his hair stood on end. He took a moment to fix it.

“You not gonna guess where we found him,” Es said, as if suddenly remembering something funny.

Grev’s gaze flicked to him, and Ranvir could see him shifting from serious to playful. “Was it South? Please tell me it wasn’t South. I have a bet with the Sansir and he said it was South.”

“Oh,” Es said, steepling his fingers. “It’s far better than that,” he gestured to Ranvir. “He found an entirely different world.”

“Worldshard,” Ranvir corrected.

Grev cocked his head slightly and looked at Ranvir. He pursed his lips as if to speak, but stopped. Finally, he gathered his wits enough to continue. “If it was just Es, I’d have figured your were fucking with me.”

“Hey!”

“But,” and he gave Ranvir a narrowed eyed look. “You don’t mess with people.”

Ranvir considered speaking, but Es pursed his lips and shook his head. “You really don’t. It’s not your fault. Just doesn’t fall within your purview.”

“So you’re telling me there’s a whole other world out there?” Grev said. “Is that what happened to you? Gave you those…” he sighed and gestured vaguely at Ranvir. “Wings? I can’t believe I just said that. And the thing you did with the Ambassador?”

Ranvir shook his head. “That was a different worldshard.”

“Of course!” Grev said, throwing his hands in the air. “There are two of them!”

“Three, if you count Vednar.”

Grev dry washed his face, rough hands sounding like sandpaper against his skin. “I’m listening.”

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Ranvir considered. “I think I’ll prefer to only explain once,” he nodded toward the street. “A second-stage ice generator and a third-stage light manipulator with a Concept of heat is approaching.”

Both Es and Grev’s tether-senses shot out of them, unreeling onto the street before the estate. Both paused finding nothing, before stretching further and further. Grev turned around, his mouth opened slightly before shaking his head. “I forgot how sensitive you are.”

“You found them?” Es asked, still searching.

“They’re barely past the first square,” Grev said, clearly having the better trained tether-sense of the two. Or perhaps he was simply more ‘sensitive.’ From Ranvir’s memory, he vaguely recalled Es having somewhat less than stellar performance with his tether-sense, even if his affinity for mana was high.

“Show off,” Es muttered goodheartedly and slumped into his seat. “So I guess we’ll need to find something else to talk about in the meantime,” he tapped a finger against puckered lips in consideration. “Hey, I know! Grev how’s your relationship with Sansir?”

Grev threw a pillow at him.

“Relationship?” Vasso asked as the two began brawling. “Is he like Elpir and Amalia?”

“You gathered that?” Ranvir asked. “Yeah, at least…” he twirled his fingers. “Reversed, or… two men instead of—“

“I got it,” Vasso gave him a tentative thumbs up.

“So what is going on with your relationship?” Ranvir asked, causing Grev to pull back from Es and sigh.

“We’re not together anymore.”

“Unless Sansir is in the city.”

Grev shook his head. “We broke up.”

“Except for when they go to dinners together. Have drinks together. Make so much dirty—“

“He gets it,” Grev said, red-faced. “It’s tough to explain.”

“Why?” Ranvir asked.

“You of all people, do not have the footing to question us,” Grev said. “Mister single-my-whole-life.”

Ranvir nodded. “Okay.”

Grev nodded, in confusion. “Good.”

Then in realization that Ranvir’d backed down. “Good.”

Then finally that it was over. “Good.”

“So I just need to get in a relationship?” Ranvir asked.

Grev nodded still recovering from previously. “Ye— no.”

He began shaking his head, body catching up to what his ears were hearing. “No, no, its…”

His hands joined argument, waving back and forth in a crossing gesture. “No, between us.”

“Okay,” Ranvir nodded.

Grev finally recovered enough to no longer appear off kilter narrowed his eyes at Ranvir. “You changed.”

Ranvir smiled. “I’m a dad,” he gestured to Vasso. “Twice over. That changes you. Forces you to grow,” he nodded along. “Also, being thrown onto a different world by a largely indifferent spirit of war, crippled not once, but twice, and fighting for your life. But mostly fatherhood.”

Grev nodded along. “You’re still fucking with me.”

“Oh look, they’ve arrived,” Ranvir said gesturing to the entrance where he sensed Ayvir and presumably Sansir. There was a creeping sensation to Sansir’s spirit, his Concept more detailed and complex than Ranvir expected.

When Ranvir’d originally left Vednar, he hadn’t been able to pick up on Concepts through his tether-sense. Then, he’d gone to Korfyi where everyone relied so heavily on Amanaris that half the braced never developed one, a quarter of them do it on accident, and the last fourth let theirs atrophy.

Ayvir’s had the strength and potency, infusing the entire well his spirit formed around him. Heat and fire, infused into his bottomless pit of light. Sansir’s was more complex, but no less powerful. His presence far smaller than the Master’s, but no less remarkable. It almost seemed to leave a trail behind him, spreading into the world.

“They’ll send them up to us,” Grev said, then glanced around. “Though perhaps we should move to a larger room.”

“Nah, I’m comfortable,” Es said, taking up almost the entirety of his couch, leaving only room for Grev to crouch on the arm.

“Tell me young girl!” A familiar voice said, sending a thrill of dread-black fear down Ranvir’s spine. “Aren’t you that wilder man’s young charge?”

“Me?” Frija asked, peering over the edge of Menace’s chest. “What’s a wilder man?”

“Let’s go,” Ranvir said, as Ambassador Macey began hollering for him.

In a larger lounge with an unlit fireplace, and no windows into the garden, Ranvir and others were resting when a servant knocked on the door and showed Sansir and Ayvir inside.

Ayvir looked… he’d lost him arm, and grown out a beard, there were hints of white in the growth. Ranvir’s arm seemed to throb in response to seeing Ayvir’s folded up sleeve. He’d grown his hair out as well. He was also wearing a simple tunic and pants. Ayvir was completely out of academy and military protocol.

Sansir looked perhaps even stranger. Still tall, still bald, he was clean shaven, but his skin had darkened to the point he could pass for Ankirian. He’d also filled out some, become more muscular in the span since last they’d met.

Where Grev and Es looked much the same as when they were seventeen, only slightly refined, Sansir could’ve almost passed for a different person. Perhaps he was the person who’d changed the most.

“Grevor, Esmund,” Ayvir said looking around, briefly glancing at the children then at Ranvir, quickly scanning his outfit. “Hello,” he offered him a smile. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

Ranvir frowned and reached from between his wings. “Master Ayvir…”

The light tethered looked into his eyes. Recognition dawned on his face. The light flickered, drawn in by the master before, a second realization passed and the room returned to normal.

“What was that?” Frija asked jumping up and looking about.

“Ranvir?” Ayvir looked in disbelief. “They mentioned your eyes, but I didn’t…” he shook his head. “You’re back,” he smiled confusedly. “Sorry, Sansir I’ll let you…” he waved at them and stepped away, confused.

“Is that,” Sansir said, stepping over to Ranvir but looking at Frija. “Is that her? Your little girl?”

Ranvir smiled. “It is,” then he gestured to Vasso. “And this is my adopted son.”

Vasso smiled half heartedly and waved at them before looking down into his book.

“At least say hi,” Ranvir said, tapping him on the shoulder.

“So…” Sansir said finally examining Ranvir. “Are you that wild man, or wilder man, or whatever the ambassador was calling for?”