Within a few hours, a guard ushered me out of the prison cell. A very confused captain Kadmos politely escorted me out of the building. He apologized profusely. A letter directly from the leader of the Free Cities probably scared him half to death.
Before leaving, I left the captain with a final word of warning. “Prepare your guard captain. Quarantine the sick outside the city. I was not lying about what is coming.”
I turned and left without caring for his answer. I would get Otto to pass down the command soon enough anyway.
Day had faded into night. The dark streets were lit only by the stars above and a few sparse lanterns.
Donte was waiting outside the guardhouse. He was pacing back and forth nervously, only stopping when he saw me.
He sprinted over and gripped my shoulders tightly. “Are you alright? They told me you were thrown in the pit. Did anyone hurt you?”
“I am fine,” I replied, peeling his hands off my shoulders, “A couple half-starved prisoners cannot hurt me.”
“That’s good,” Donte sighed in relief, “Most people that go into the pit are really nasty folk. Unless you do something really bad, people in lower Aktey won’t report you to the tinies. Many that go into the pit never come out.”
I nodded, remembering the many wounds on the prisoners and the lone woman locked underground. I would also be mentioning these conditions to Otto. Maybe he could do something, but it was unlikely.
That was all problems for another time. for now, I need sleep. I used my talent too many times today and my head is killing me.
As Donte guided me to an inn that would not kidnap me in my sleep, he talked about his mother. The church had buried her in their graveyard without complaint. Lower Aktaio had never been known for long memorial services, so Donte had finished in only two hours.
I had the feeling her body would go missing in a few days. The church would never allow materials useful in the war effort to rot in the ground. I did not have the heart to tell him what would happen.
Donte cried a few times as he recounted tales of his childhood. Memories of his mother painted in words. I sat with him late into the night until he finally calmed down enough to sleep.
When I drifted off to sleep that night, I dreamed of my own mother’s cooking, her humming while stirring a delicious pot. I saw Charly reading by the fireplace, while my father polished a sword. Smiles on all of their faces. For the first time in both lifetimes, I missed my home.
“This don’t seem right,” Donte complained as he pulled at the new clothing uncomfortably, “This one shirt cost more than I seen my whole life.”
“You cleaned up better than I expected. If we could just fix the way you talk, you could pass for a noble’s son,” I replied, looking at him with a critical eye. I nodded approvingly. His brown hair had actually turned blonde after a long detour to one of the inner-city bathhouses. The blue and black clothing was fitted by a professional seamstress and while simple, brought out the blue in his eyes.
Luckily, I knew where to find the seamstress my grandmother used to get us ready for the dinner party. She had mentioned the name of her shop more than a dozen times that day. Using my grandmother's name, I was able to get us clothes despite our ragged appearance and lack of money when we first arrived.
After he was fitted, it was my turn. I could not wait to get out of the tattered mess of clothes I bought to get into the lower city. The professional seamstress was fast and knew her work well. Donte froze when he saw me. He seemed to be trying to say something, but couldn’t find the words. I ignored him. I was happy just to be out of the itchy rags. My new outfit was a simple white dress, thin and well suited for the summer months.
“You… you look… pretty.” Donte finally stammered.
'I think you broke him.'
I laughed and did a little twirl, causing him to blush. His reaction made me feel confident about my new body for the first time since my rebirth. “Come on then. I will show you the upper city on our way to my grandmother's. I have not been here long, but I know a little bit.”
Donte followed me, as I led him into the upper city. He was incredibly quiet as we walked. Hoping to take his mind off his recent experiences, I showed him the shops and buildings my mom had rambled on about during our first day exploring. Donte did not say much the entire time, which caused me to ramble on for a long time.
After a few hours of walking, we finally arrived at my grandmother’s house. Donte grew still as he looked up at the giant mansion covered in flowers.
“I knew you weren’t a lower Aktey kid, but I never expected this. Are you a real princess?” asked Donte, mouth agape.
I giggled at him. “No, my parents are both knights, so I am lower nobility. The house belongs to my grandmother. If I remember right, my grandfather used to be on the Free Cities council. I don’t know how that translates for nobility, but I am definitely not a princess.”
“Are you sure it’s ok for me to be here?” I can stay in Lower Aktey overnight. You told me we cannot meet with anyone till tomorrow anyway.”
I shrugged. “It is probably fine. You have nowhere else to go so you might as well tag along with me until we find who is responsible for spreading the drug throughout the city.”
“If you say so,” Donte mumbled.
As we approached the house, the door was opened by the lone servant my grandmother employed. “Welcome back miss Wren. Your parents are in the foyer. They have been quite worried about you not coming home last night.”
I nearly tripped over my own feet as I realized I had forgotten to get Sylvie to send the message that I was fine and spending the night at an inn. Mom and Dad would not be happy.
'You even brought home a boy. I’m sure that will go over well.'
I cleared my throat uncomfortably. Your name was… Jacob, right? Can you show Donte here to a guest bedroom? He will be staying with us for a little while, and it might be best if he is not with me when I meet my parents.”
“That would be wise,” Jacob replied, raising an eyebrow at Donte.
I took a deep breath and entered the mansion. Dragging my feet, I slowly made my way to the foyer. I could hear my father inside. His booming voice echoed wherever he went.
“Strangest thing I have ever seen. His skin was like bark. It spread over his body like an infection. The family told me he was a normal person until a week ago, but he certainly did not look like a person. He looked like… well… like a Demonkin.”
“Those are the side effects of Lot twenty-three. The drug envy is spreading through the city,” I said pushing open the door to the room, “It turns people into Demonkin.”
“Wren! Where have you been?” My mother shouted, “I have been worried sick about you. Otto told us you had been arrested. Your father was about to storm off and start a fight with the city guard.”
I cursed Otto under my breath, knowing he told them just to mess with me. “I am fine, mom. I did not break any laws, or let anyone hurt me. I made the mistake of trying to explain the drug to the city guard after an… incident and they decided I was crazy and a threat to public security so they threw me in a cell for a while. I swear I did nothing wrong.”
“Except for not telling us you were ok. You had time to send Sylvie to Otto, but not to us?”
“I was exhausted and already overused my talent. It would take hours to walk back from the lower Aktaio, so I got a room at an inn.”
“You went to the lower city?! By yourself?!” my mother’s voice had reached a high-pitched tenor now, her face red with fury. “You told us, you were just going to ask around nearby. You did not say anything about going to the most dangerous place in the city. You could have been kidnapped or killed. How could you be so reckless?”
My father placed a hand on Mom’s shoulder, attempting to calm her down. “She is fine. Remember she is not just our little girl, but the Immortal Empress as well. She can handle a few riffraff.”
My mother’s eyes narrowed as she stared at my father. “Do not take her side in this. you spoil her too much as it is.”
“I am just saying we should listen to her side of the story before we punish her. Not that we should not punish her.” Dad winked in my direction as my mother’s breathing calmed.
“Alright, tell me, why did you go somewhere so dangerous?” she asked.
“Believe it or not, before we were known as one of the leaders of the Thirteenth Division, the Five Calamities excelled at covert operations. We infiltrated kingdoms and empires that actively hurt the war effort. Though I was not in charge of these missions, I actually have a lot of experience gathering information. Nobody in high society is going to openly admit to using an illegal drug, but in the slums it is different. There, authority is seen as the enemy. By extension, laws are not seen as a way to protect people, but to keep them down. I knew that if I wanted information that was the place to go.”
“Did you learn anything useful?” my father asked.
I nodded. “The dealers are supplied by a senator or at least someone with a senator’s badge.”
“A senator?” my father mused, “That will complicate things. Chancellor Otto told us that he will be passing a bill through the senate today on how to deal with those infected by the drug. If our opponent is on the senate, he can delay the bill and prevent the city from taking action in a timely manner.”
“There could be thousands of infected in the city. If they all turn into Demonkin and rampage through the city unchecked… this could be the end of Aktaio,” I replied somberly.
A cold smile sprouted on my mother’s lips. “I think I know the perfect punishment for our ill-mannered child.”
A chill traveled from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. “Mom, let’s talk this out. We are in the middle of a crisis. Now is not the time for punishment.”
“You are not talking your way out of this one.” My mother replied coldly. “Over the next week, your grandmother will be attending over a dozen events. Originally, I was going to have each member of the family rotate through the events so that we would only have to go to three each, but now…”
“Wait! Mom, you can’t do this!” I protested.
“From now until I decide you are no longer in trouble you will go to every… single… event…”
“That’s not fair! What happened to letting the punishment fit the crime? This is way worse than what I did.”
I could see my father about to speak on my behalf when another voice rang out behind me. “I did not realize spending time with your grandmother was such a horrible thing.” Behind me, my grandmother stood with her arms crossed. “Besides, if you want dirt on a senator, there is no better place to find it than a senator’s home.”
“It is decided then,” my mother said, with a curt nod.
“Honey, perhaps…”
My father’s words were cut off by my grandmother. her statement was the final nail that sealed the coffin. “Now, tell me, who is the boy you brought home? He is quite handsome”
“You brought home a boy?” My father asked, the tone of his voice dropping noticeably. I knew at that moment; I lost the only ally I had in this conversation.
I stuttered as I attempted to explain Donte’s circumstances. His mother had just died yesterday and he had nowhere left to go. I did not want to abandon him, despite the disapproving look on my parents’ faces.
“An orphan from the lower city?” exclaimed my grandmother, “Imagine the rumors if we let him stay here.” This statement earned a glare from my mother. My grandmother instantly melted under the gaze. “Perhaps, I could employ him as a servant for the time being. I will give him a roof over his head and food in his belly. The realms know Jacob could use the help with all of you staying here. so long as he can get rid of that terrible accent, it should not be a problem.”
“I do not like it,” my father said, crossing his arms, “We do not know anything about the boy. He could be a thief, or working for a gang. Either way, I do not want him living under the same roof as my daughter.”
“He awakened an innate talent yesterday, leveled a city block. He could become a powerful knight… if he had the right training,” I spoke, looking up at my father with the best pleading gaze I could muster.
My father crumbled almost instantly. He rubbed his head in frustration. “Argh! fine, but I am keeping an eye on him. If he does anything suspicious, I will not hesitate to throw him out, orphan or not.”
Within a few hours, a guard ushered me out of the prison cell. A very confused captain Kadmos politely escorted me out of the building. He apologized profusely. A letter directly from the leader of the Free Cities probably scared him half to death.
Before leaving, I left the captain with a final word of warning. “Prepare your guard captain. Quarantine the sick outside the city. I was not lying about what is coming.”
I turned and left without caring for his answer. I would get Otto to pass down the command soon enough anyway.
Day had faded into night. The dark streets were lit only by the stars above and a few sparse lanterns.
Donte was waiting outside the guardhouse. He was pacing back and forth nervously, only stopping when he saw me.
He sprinted over and gripped my shoulders tightly. “Are you alright? They told me you were thrown in the pit. Did anyone hurt you?”
“I am fine,” I replied, peeling his hands off my shoulders, “A couple half-starved prisoners cannot hurt me.”
“That’s good,” Donte sighed in relief, “Most people that go into the pit are really nasty folk. Unless you do something really bad, people in lower Aktey won’t report you to the tinies. Many that go into the pit never come out.”
I nodded, remembering the many wounds on the prisoners and the lone woman locked underground. I would also be mentioning these conditions to Otto. Maybe he could do something, but it was unlikely.
That was all problems for another time. for now, I need sleep. I used my talent too many times today and my head is killing me.
As Donte guided me to an inn that would not kidnap me in my sleep, he talked about his mother. The church had buried her in their graveyard without complaint. Lower Aktaio had never been known for long memorial services, so Donte had finished in only two hours.
I had the feeling her body would go missing in a few days. The church would never allow materials useful in the war effort to rot in the ground. I did not have the heart to tell him what would happen.
Donte cried a few times as he recounted tales of his childhood. Memories of his mother painted in words. I sat with him late into the night until he finally calmed down enough to sleep.
When I drifted off to sleep that night, I dreamed of my own mother’s cooking, her humming while stirring a delicious pot. I saw Charly reading by the fireplace, while my father polished a sword. Smiles on all of their faces. For the first time in both lifetimes, I missed my home.
“This don’t seem right,” Donte complained as he pulled at the new clothing uncomfortably, “This one shirt cost more than I seen my whole life.”
“You cleaned up better than I expected. If we could just fix the way you talk, you could pass for a noble’s son,” I replied, looking at him with a critical eye. I nodded approvingly. His brown hair had actually turned blonde after a long detour to one of the inner-city bathhouses. The blue and black clothing was fitted by a professional seamstress and while simple, brought out the blue in his eyes.
Luckily, I knew where to find the seamstress my grandmother used to get us ready for the dinner party. She had mentioned the name of her shop more than a dozen times that day. Using my grandmother's name, I was able to get us clothes despite our ragged appearance and lack of money when we first arrived.
After he was fitted, it was my turn. I could not wait to get out of the tattered mess of clothes I bought to get into the lower city. The professional seamstress was fast and knew her work well. Donte froze when he saw me. He seemed to be trying to say something, but couldn’t find the words. I ignored him. I was happy just to be out of the itchy rags. My new outfit was a simple white dress, thin and well suited for the summer months.
“You… you look… pretty.” Donte finally stammered.
'I think you broke him.'
I laughed and did a little twirl, causing him to blush. His reaction made me feel confident about my new body for the first time since my rebirth. “Come on then. I will show you the upper city on our way to my grandmother's. I have not been here long, but I know a little bit.”
Donte followed me, as I led him into the upper city. He was incredibly quiet as we walked. Hoping to take his mind off his recent experiences, I showed him the shops and buildings my mom had rambled on about during our first day exploring. Donte did not say much the entire time, which caused me to ramble on for a long time.
After a few hours of walking, we finally arrived at my grandmother’s house. Donte grew still as he looked up at the giant mansion covered in flowers.
“I knew you weren’t a lower Aktey kid, but I never expected this. Are you a real princess?” asked Donte, mouth agape.
I giggled at him. “No, my parents are both knights, so I am lower nobility. The house belongs to my grandmother. If I remember right, my grandfather used to be on the Free Cities council. I don’t know how that translates for nobility, but I am definitely not a princess.”
“Are you sure it’s ok for me to be here?” I can stay in Lower Aktey overnight. You told me we cannot meet with anyone till tomorrow anyway.”
I shrugged. “It is probably fine. You have nowhere else to go so you might as well tag along with me until we find who is responsible for spreading the drug throughout the city.”
“If you say so,” Donte mumbled.
As we approached the house, the door was opened by the lone servant my grandmother employed. “Welcome back miss Wren. Your parents are in the foyer. They have been quite worried about you not coming home last night.”
I nearly tripped over my own feet as I realized I had forgotten to get Sylvie to send the message that I was fine and spending the night at an inn. Mom and Dad would not be happy.
'You even brought home a boy. I’m sure that will go over well.'
I cleared my throat uncomfortably. Your name was… Jacob, right? Can you show Donte here to a guest bedroom? He will be staying with us for a little while, and it might be best if he is not with me when I meet my parents.”
“That would be wise,” Jacob replied, raising an eyebrow at Donte.
I took a deep breath and entered the mansion. Dragging my feet, I slowly made my way to the foyer. I could hear my father inside. His booming voice echoed wherever he went.
“Strangest thing I have ever seen. His skin was like bark. It spread over his body like an infection. The family told me he was a normal person until a week ago, but he certainly did not look like a person. He looked like… well… like a Demonkin.”
“Those are the side effects of Lot twenty-three. The drug envy is spreading through the city,” I said pushing open the door to the room, “It turns people into Demonkin.”
“Wren! Where have you been?” My mother shouted, “I have been worried sick about you. Otto told us you had been arrested. Your father was about to storm off and start a fight with the city guard.”
I cursed Otto under my breath, knowing he told them just to mess with me. “I am fine, mom. I did not break any laws, or let anyone hurt me. I made the mistake of trying to explain the drug to the city guard after an… incident and they decided I was crazy and a threat to public security so they threw me in a cell for a while. I swear I did nothing wrong.”
“Except for not telling us you were ok. You had time to send Sylvie to Otto, but not to us?”
“I was exhausted and already overused my talent. It would take hours to walk back from the lower Aktaio, so I got a room at an inn.”
“You went to the lower city?! By yourself?!” my mother’s voice had reached a high-pitched tenor now, her face red with fury. “You told us, you were just going to ask around nearby. You did not say anything about going to the most dangerous place in the city. You could have been kidnapped or killed. How could you be so reckless?”
My father placed a hand on Mom’s shoulder, attempting to calm her down. “She is fine. Remember she is not just our little girl, but the Immortal Empress as well. She can handle a few riffraff.”
My mother’s eyes narrowed as she stared at my father. “Do not take her side in this. you spoil her too much as it is.”
“I am just saying we should listen to her side of the story before we punish her. Not that we should not punish her.” Dad winked in my direction as my mother’s breathing calmed.
“Alright, tell me, why did you go somewhere so dangerous?” she asked.
“Believe it or not, before we were known as one of the leaders of the Thirteenth Division, the Five Calamities excelled at covert operations. We infiltrated kingdoms and empires that actively hurt the war effort. Though I was not in charge of these missions, I actually have a lot of experience gathering information. Nobody in high society is going to openly admit to using an illegal drug, but in the slums it is different. There, authority is seen as the enemy. By extension, laws are not seen as a way to protect people, but to keep them down. I knew that if I wanted information that was the place to go.”
“Did you learn anything useful?” my father asked.
I nodded. “The dealers are supplied by a senator or at least someone with a senator’s badge.”
“A senator?” my father mused, “That will complicate things. Chancellor Otto told us that he will be passing a bill through the senate today on how to deal with those infected by the drug. If our opponent is on the senate, he can delay the bill and prevent the city from taking action in a timely manner.”
“There could be thousands of infected in the city. If they all turn into Demonkin and rampage through the city unchecked… this could be the end of Aktaio,” I replied somberly.
A cold smile sprouted on my mother’s lips. “I think I know the perfect punishment for our ill-mannered child.”
A chill traveled from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. “Mom, let’s talk this out. We are in the middle of a crisis. Now is not the time for punishment.”
“You are not talking your way out of this one.” My mother replied coldly. “Over the next week, your grandmother will be attending over a dozen events. Originally, I was going to have each member of the family rotate through the events so that we would only have to go to three each, but now…”
“Wait! Mom, you can’t do this!” I protested.
“From now until I decide you are no longer in trouble you will go to every… single… event…”
“That’s not fair! What happened to letting the punishment fit the crime? This is way worse than what I did.”
I could see my father about to speak on my behalf when another voice rang out behind me. “I did not realize spending time with your grandmother was such a horrible thing.” Behind me, my grandmother stood with her arms crossed. “Besides, if you want dirt on a senator, there is no better place to find it than a senator’s home.”
“It is decided then,” my mother said, with a curt nod.
“Honey, perhaps…”
My father’s words were cut off by my grandmother. her statement was the final nail that sealed the coffin. “Now, tell me, who is the boy you brought home? He is quite handsome”
“You brought home a boy?” My father asked, the tone of his voice dropping noticeably. I knew at that moment; I lost the only ally I had in this conversation.
I stuttered as I attempted to explain Donte’s circumstances. His mother had just died yesterday and he had nowhere left to go. I did not want to abandon him, despite the disapproving look on my parents’ faces.
“An orphan from the lower city?” exclaimed my grandmother, “Imagine the rumors if we let him stay here.” This statement earned a glare from my mother. My grandmother instantly melted under the gaze. “Perhaps, I could employ him as a servant for the time being. I will give him a roof over his head and food in his belly. The realms know Jacob could use the help with all of you staying here. so long as he can get rid of that terrible accent, it should not be a problem.”
“I do not like it,” my father said, crossing his arms, “We do not know anything about the boy. He could be a thief, or working for a gang. Either way, I do not want him living under the same roof as my daughter.”
“He awakened an innate talent yesterday, leveled a city block. He could become a powerful knight… if he had the right training,” I spoke, looking up at my father with the best pleading gaze I could muster.
My father crumbled almost instantly. He rubbed his head in frustration. “Argh! fine, but I am keeping an eye on him. If he does anything suspicious, I will not hesitate to throw him out, orphan or not.”
