The steward led us into the outer sitting room of the King. The double doors opened to a chamber lined on one wall with bookshelves and on the other with a massive fireplace. Above it hung a grand painting of a possible long-dead royal standing triumphantly over a mythical beast. Sunlight poured through tall windows veiled by delicate lace, softening the space’s austerity.

  By the hearth gathered several figures, the firelight warming their faces. Some I recognized, others I did not.

  Before I could study them, a blur of motion collided with me. “David!” Princess Theresa bounded forward, wrapping me in a hug. I laughed, scooping her up and turning her in a lazy circle before setting her down. She wore a light green dress that swirled about her ankles, her hair hanging loose in soft waves that caught the light. Flushing at the sudden attention, she smoothed her skirts quickly and turned to greet Allira and Marlena at my side. Marlena wore her mage blues with deliberate formality, while Allira stood crisp in her officer’s uniform, both signaling their ranks.

  “Where’s Seraphina?” Theresa asked.

  “She remained behind,” Marlena said with a slight bow. “There was an issue at home that she wished to see to.”

  “Oh, stop that. I consider you family. And in six months, I’ll be part of your family.”

  Marlena hesitated, then said, “Okay,” while Allira’s silence spoke volumes.

  Theresa, undeterred, took my hand in hers and didn’t let go. She guided me toward the gathering by the fireplace. I caught the King’s eye and bowed, with Allira and Marlena following suit. Allyson lingered behind us, watchful and unreadable.

  “Welcome, all,” King Theran said warmly.

  Four men studied me closely as Theresa made introductions.

  “Everyone is here except my older sister, Ciara. She’s in Karethuun with her husband. This is my eldest brother, Theodore, the Crown Prince.”

  Theodore looked every inch the swordsman: hair swept back into a rough mullet, a three-day beard giving him the air of a man who preferred the field over court. I instinctively got the Miami Vice theme rumbling in my head as I looked at the man. His handshake was a test, crushingly tight, and when that failed to move me, he gave me a hearty slap on the shoulder. His grin faltered when I didn’t so much as sway. I only smiled back, and as Theresa led me on, I glimpsed him shrugging in quiet bafflement.

  Her next brother, Ajax, was draped in red mage robes and full of words. He launched into boasting the moment our hands met, his energy almost spilling over into nerves, eager and loud.

  Then came Paul, reserved and flat. “Earl,” he said simply, his grip perfunctory, his gaze already sliding past me to my wives.

  Finally, Eric, the youngest but still Theresa’s elder, stood straight in his crisp military uniform. Theresa beamed. “Eric was just promoted to lieutenant. We’re proud of him.”

  The young man blushed. I shook his hand firmly. “Congratulations.”

  “Thank you, my lord,” he said, and when Allira drew near, he snapped a sharp salute. Allira returned it without hesitation.

  Paul frowned. “Why salute her?”

  “She’s a general,” Eric said, matter-of-fact.

  “A general?” Paul repeated, incredulous.

  “Yes,” Ajax added, eyes narrowing. “And the other is a high mage.”

  That shifted the room. All three princes regarded us anew, their earlier dismissiveness checked by this sudden realization.

  We took our seats. Theresa, still clinging to my hand, settled beside me. For the first time, I felt her deliberately displaying our closeness to her brothers. Allira and Marlena betrayed no reaction; either they had already accepted it or chose not to challenge her here.

  Theodore leaned forward, his voice clipped. “David, Father says you intend to travel north in search of the legendary vaults?”

  “Yes.”

  “You know it takes two weeks to reach the region,” he pressed.

  “Yes, I heard, by caravan, if I remember correctly. Are the roads that rough?”

  “Washouts and landslides plague that region,” Theodore said sharply. “Bridges collapse, passes close. And in two weeks, winter will lock that part of the country under snow.”

  Ajax leaned in, eyes narrowing. “So how do you plan to manage that?”

  I smiled. “I’ll be leaving in two days. I’ll be back in about a week.”

  The princes exchanged confused looks, while the King leaned back in his chair, stroking his beard, and the Princess watched me with her lips pressed tightly. I feel like the spotlight on me is suddenly getting brighter.

  “Seven days?” Paul barked.

  “Maybe eight,” I said casually.

  “How can you possibly…”

  “David has his own airship!” Theresa blurted, her cheeks flushing even as Allira and Marlena burst into laughter.

  King Theran’s booming laugh followed. “So the secret is out, eh?”

  “Well, she is correct,” I admitted, suppressing a grin.

  “Airship?” Prince Theodore snapped. “Are you a mage?”

  “No. I have mages in my family, but I am not one.” I gestured toward Allira and Marlena. “I have my own ship. It’s called Enterprise. We flew here from Vaelthorn a week or so ago. By my calculations, the northern trip will take a day, maybe less, each way, leaving four or five days to search.”

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Ajax scoffed outright. “Impossible. No cathedral airship could dream of such speed. The fastest of them takes five days to cross the sea to Eldros.”

  “Who said I had one of those airships?” I teased.

  The princes faltered, glancing at each other.

  “That does lead into an interesting question,” I added lightly, “why weren’t airships ever used before to travel north, to simply fly over the road problems?”

  “David, to put it this way,” Ajax said, regaining his sneer, “a four-week excursion by cathedral vessel costs more than a caravan of five hundred. We’ve asked every year. The mages demand absurd fees. How much are you going to charge us for this trip?”

  “Charge?” I blinked, then smiled. “I wasn’t planning on charging anything.”

  “What?” Prince Theodore’s voice cracked.

  I was planning on going there anyway. There’s room aboard, so having a few passengers tagging along isn’t much of a problem for me.” I casually pulled out my map from storage and unfolded it across the table. The ripple of displaced air made servants flinch, goblets tremble, and the princes recoil as if I’d conjured a demon.

  “You…” the King’s voice cracked before hardening. “You have dimensional storage?”

  “Yes,” I said as calmly as I could, while pointing to different spots on the map.

  Paul half-rose from his chair. “Impossible. No one has dimensional storage for years. That magic belongs to the myths of the past ages. It’s been lost for centuries…”

  Whispers spread down the table like wildfire, servants crossing themselves, nobles leaning in to stare at me as though I’d sprouted horns.

  I glanced at my wives, who sipped their wine with studied unconcern.

  “Should we have told them?” Marlena mused, tracing the rim of her glass.

  “About what?” I asked.

  “That you’re… different,” Allira smirked, though her eyes glinted with pride.

  Theresa’s hand in mine had gone sweaty, her fingers trembling. “You okay?” I murmured, squeezing her hand.

  “Yes,” she said after a beat, voice small. “It’s just… I knew life with you would be different. I didn’t realize how much different.”

  “In short, yes,” I said, letting a grin ease the tension. “But exciting.”

  Marlena set her cup down and spoke evenly, her words cutting through the murmurs. “This is only a glimpse of what he can do. Best you all start adjusting your expectations now.”

  The princes were still staring when Theodore asked, almost reverently, “David… what are you?”

  I leaned closer to Theresa. “You didn’t tell them, did you?”

  “No,” she giggled. “Father and I kept that part to ourselves.”

  I faced her brothers. “To be blunt, I am an engineer. I’m also the one who forged that axe you have there.” Prince Theodore glanced at his new toy.

  The word hit like a hammer, or in this case, an axe. Their expressions broke, disbelief etched across each face.

  Before they could recover, I tapped the map. “King Theran, this region here, what dangers should I expect?”

  He rubbed his beard. “Griffins to the east. Trolls and Orcs have been reported to be active nearby. Griffins and trolls don’t mix. Bandits, too, their captain’s level somewhere in the twenty-three range, if the reports are true.”

  Eric finally spoke up, his voice steady. “Most of the bandits are barely out of their teens.”

  “Not a problem. I’ll take ten guards, fifteen with the griffin threat.”

  Ajax shot forward. “A normal expedition requires hundreds. Soldiers, supply lines, support personnel. You’re taking fifteen?”

  “Yes. I was going to take ten, but since your sister is joining me, I’ll bring more.”

  Theresa smiled proudly, still clutching my hand.

  “Theresa is going?” Theodore thundered.

  “Yes,” the King interjected. “It’s time she saw the world outside these walls. A week in the northern lands will do her good.”

  I let the silence sit before asking, “Any more questions?”

  Ajax’s eyes gleamed. “Were you involved in that duel the other day? The one that reportingly slew one high mage and turned the other into a slave?”

  “Yes, that was me,” I said evenly, still studying the map before me. “They threatened Marlena. No one threatens my wives.”

  Ajax turned to look at her. Marlena only smirked, her pride plain.

  “And the rift in Vaelthorn?” Theodore asked. “They say an engineer closed it, against a demon army.”

  “Yes. We sealed it. Allira fought the army. Marlena and I closed the rift.”

  “You’re too modest,” Allira said. “You also fought and killed that Demon General.”

  “And the flying demons,” Marlena added, patting my arm.

  Theodore stood abruptly, his face alight. “Then I’m coming north with you. I’d love to hear about these adventures you’ve had, and maybe create one for ourselves. And I’ll be proud to call you brother.” He stepped forward, bypassed my hand, and embraced me.

  Ajax followed, grasping my hand before pulling me into a hug of his own. Even Paul and Eric rose to do the same, hesitant at first but genuine by the end.

  The King clapped his hands. “I can only allow two of you to go. It seems that Theodore is one. So, only one more.”

  Ajax claimed the spot before the others could protest.

  As we all sat again, I explained the berthing aboard the Enterprise. Theodore asked about arrangements; I assured him it was flexible. Questions rose about sealed sections of the ship, and Allira calmly answered.

  “Two days from now?” the King asked.

  “Yes. Noon, at the Mage Cathedral’s landing platform.”

  “Where is it now?” Eric asked.

  “At the tower,” Theresa said proudly. “Father and I saw it. It’s beautiful.”

  “I do have a concern that should be addressed. This Baron Winsket issue,” I said as calmly as I could.

  “Hmmm. We do have to figure out what to do with him before this gets out of hand,” King Theron replied, rubbing his chin.

  “I decided David is my beloved,” Theresa announced suddenly, tightening her hold around my arm as though to anchor her words. I couldn’t help but chuckle and gently patted her knee.

  “Well,” Prince Paul said with a wry grin, “we could get the Baron to challenge David to a duel…”

  Ajax snorted. “Winsket’s a coward. He’d sooner hire an assassin than risk what his late father handed down.”

  “Actually,” I cut in, “what is the Baron exactly?”

  “Besides a coward?” Theodore offered dryly. “He’s a merchant.”

  “More specifically,” King Theron said, settling back into his chair, “Baron Winsket is the leader of the aristocracy. Here in Eldros, the Mages’ Guild, the Church, the aristocrats, the military, and the Crown all shape the kingdom’s policies. As their head, Winsket is their voice. Through them, he can influence the market, adjust trade prices, or pressure the throne, subtly or otherwise. It’s a constant balancing act. Every week, I sit at that table with all of them, and now…” The King’s gaze shifted to me. “…Now, we have a fifth presence to consider. You, David.”

  “Me?” I asked, feigning surprise, though I could already see where this was going.

  “Yes,” he said with a faint smile. “You’ve become a major player in this kingdom, whether you intended to or not. Your resources, your alliances, that tower of yours… all cast a long shadow. For years, the question was who would claim it. Now that you’re here, the other factions are scrambling to decide what that means. The Mages and the Church already move to court your favor, even if they won’t admit it openly. The airship project alone has shifted the balance; mages across multiple nations will see you as a partner rather than an interloper. The Church, however, remains cautious. After what happened with Inspector Hemmess, I suspect they’re waiting to see whether divine judgment falls or not.”

  “One time,” I said dryly, “and they never let me forget it.”

  The princes exchanged startled looks. The King merely chuckled.

  “Well,” he went on, “you see why Winsket is nervous. He’s ambitious, and he thought marrying my daughter would elevate him. But now…”

  “He’s a big fish in a small pond,” I said without thinking.

  Ajax blinked. “I don’t understand?”

  “It’s a saying from my home,” I explained. “Winsket may hold influence here, but on the broader stage, he’s insignificant. He doesn’t realize it yet.”

  King Theron smiled slowly. “You plan to show him?”

  “Not directly,” I said, leaning back. “But if he wants to make trouble, I’d rather hear it firsthand. When is the next meeting of all these factions?”

  “You wish to attend?” the King asked, surprised. “Yes, you should be there. You being there would set a new stage. They won’t like that.”

  “True,” I said with a faint grin. “But then, I don’t much care if they do.”

  The King studied me for a long moment, then laughed, the sound echoing through the hall. “It’ll make Winsket throw an absolute fit. Very well. I’ll call the meeting for the day after your return. You can dazzle them with your discoveries from the north while watching the good Baron squirm.”

  “I look forward to seeing how far he’ll go,” I said. A steward rang a bell to announce lunch. We all rose and followed the King to the waiting table.