Tucker took one last glance at the scholar’s chamber, admiring the history of the Order. The care Charles and the other scholars had put into building the vast collection of books felt less like a monument but an old hearth that had quietly been burning with passion throughout the years. The scent of old parchment, beeswax, and faint traces of oak lingered in the air.

  Maybe it was because Tucker had matured, or that he had grown sentimental, but part of him knew he would miss this chamber. Whether it was the warm glow of the golden chandeliers above his head or the polished tables that lined the center of the room, every bit of the room felt inviting, like a place that welcomed him home.

  But… at the same time, that was all the more reason for him to go. He would be lying to himself if he said he believed Pyron wasn’t hiding something sinister in Ironmarch. Everything that he had been through screamed at him otherwise. Even if the Administrators didn’t trust him, knowing that Ray and a few others did was enough.

  He walked past the wooden tables, catching a glimpse of the doodles Adira and Violet had made. There were some drawings of cats and dogs, others of desserts. But the one that caught his eye was a drawing of Adira and everyone she cared about in the Order. It wasn’t anything amazing, but seeing an arrow with his name pointed to a stick figure to the side brought a smile to his face.

  “Tucker…?” Adira called out to him while rubbing her eye with one hand. She was half asleep and seemed to have woken up at the sound of his footsteps.

  “Hey, isn’t it past your bedtime?” Tucker asked teasingly.

  She immediately frowned and pointed at him. “That’s cause someone was making too much noise.”

  “You’re not referring to me, right?” The corners of his lips curled upward. “I’m a watchman. We’re masters of stealth.”

  “You’re… not a very good one then,” she commented.

  Tucker closed his eyes, holding back the imaginary fist that struck his kidney. “That stings a bit, you know?”

  He stared at the young girl before him as she brushed her curly amber hair. Her violet eyes were barely open, fighting a constant battle against her fatigue. In all fairness, she should still be resting. But for some reason, Adira had decided to get out of bed and follow after him in the chamber.

  Tucker shot a sidelong glance, catching the pink striped blanket Adira had dragged out with her. She cradled it against her white nightgown and softly yawned while stretching her arms in the air.

  “You should head back to bed,” Tucker said softly, yet she shook her head. “Don’t you want to grow up to be big and strong? If you don’t rest properly, then you’ll have trouble down the line.”

  “No… I don’t want to.” Adira stood there with her eyes dropping to the ground. She lifted her left leg and pressed the tip of her pink slipper on the stone tiles while twirling it back and forth. “I had a nightmare.”

  “A nightmare?” Tucker couldn’t help but smile as he set the letters on the table. He sat down on a wooden stool as Adira climbed onto the chair in front of him. “What’s it about?”

  “I don’t want to say.”

  “Come on, don’t be like that.” Tucker leaned with his back pressed against the table. “Believe it or not, I don’t get scared easily, so you can tell me.”

  Adira held back her tears. Her eyes slowly fell to the stone tiles. “I… I had a dream where you died.”

  Tucker’s smile nearly faded. He inched closer to Adira with his wooden stool scraping against the floor. “Do I really look like someone who would die so easily?”

  She shook her head. Her pale fingers trembled as she wrapped her arms around herself. “I saw you on the ground by yourself, and you were bleeding.” Her voice broke as tears streamed down her cheeks. “There was just so much blood and—it looked like you had given up…”

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  He gently raised his hand and wiped Adira’s tears. “You don’t have to worry about that; I’ve never been one to call it quits that easily.” His hand brushed against her hair. “If I’m still moving, then you can sure as hell bet that I’ll keep fighting.”

  “Then… could you promise me you’ll come back?” Adira mumbled through her sobbing voice.

  Tucker hid the shock within his mind to the best of his capabilities. He met her trembling gaze, unable to find the right words to calm her. If anything, he didn’t want to make a promise he couldn’t keep. It was the same with Charles. But to Adira, Tucker knew he couldn’t be honest with her—it would only break her heart.

  He couldn’t guarantee if he would return, but if it meant that Adira could get a good night's sleep, then a white lie wouldn’t be so bad. Especially because she was still a child.

  “I’ll see you again,” he replied softly.

  “Will you?” Adira clenched her blanket. “I feel like you’re lying to me.”

  “I’ve kept my word so far, haven’t I?”

  Adira glared at him as her lips pushed forward in a small, exaggerated curve. Her cheeks puffed out in stubborn displeasure. “That doesn’t mean you’ll continue keeping it!” She pointed out. “I keep hearing all these bad things about what’s happening to others, and I don’t like thinking that something bad will happen to you.”

  “It won’t. I have a lot of friends looking out for me. Friends who, believe it or not, are fairly strong too.” Tucker gently kneeled with one leg on the ground. “You’ve seen how stubborn Ray is, haven’t you? He wouldn’t let anything happen to me, and I wouldn’t let anything happen to him.”

  The young girl before him subtly nodded.

  “Then you have nothing to worry about,” Tucker replied. “If you don’t trust me, then you can at least trust Ray. He’s a man with a spotless reputation. Not as spotless as mine, of course.”

  “Will you ever tell me stories of your missions?”

  Tucker stared at Adira as she glanced up at him. “Of course, but only the ones that aren’t too scary. I have many tales that are so crazy you wouldn’t believe they happened.”

  The corners of her lips slowly rose. She wrapped her arms around Tucker and gave him a hug. “Are you going to be gone again?” She whispered.

  His gaze softened. “Yeah… there’s something we have to do, and we need to head out as soon as possible.” Tucker then had an idea and reached into his leather pouch. He pulled out a silver locket with a hearth resting in a wreath. “You already have my medallion, but maybe something like this would be better.”

  “What is it?” Adira asked while tilting her head.

  “It’s a pocket watch, something that requires a decent bit of maintenance to keep it working,” Tucker answered, placing it within her palm. “Every time you think of me, you could clean it, and if it ever breaks, Charles can help you fix it.”

  “Does Charles even know how to fix it?”

  “Well, that’s something you’ll have to figure out when the time comes. It’s like a puzzle, so you’ll have some fun with it.” Tucker revealed a wide smirk. “But if I had to take a guess, then I would say so. Charles is pretty knowledgeable when it comes to these things.”

  Adira played with the locket and flipped it around. There wasn’t a single scratch, and the intricate design on the surface made her eyes widen in awe. “Has it ever been broken before?”

  “Not under my care,” Tucker answered.

  She traced it with her fingertips before opening the lid. Her gaze followed the long hand that was ticking away. Soon, Adira held it close to her heart and smiled. “Fine, maybe if you run out of things to give, then you’ll finally stay.”

  Tucker chuckled. “You say that, but I’ll probably find something else to give you—”

  Just as he was about to finish his sentence, Adira gave him one last hug and squeezed as hard as she could. It caught him off guard, but soon Tucker closed his eyes and gently patted her back.

  “It’s alright,” Tucker said. “Make sure you behave well, alright? I don’t want to hear from Charles that you’ve been causing him trouble.”

  “I’m not you!” Adira countered. “I’ll have you know I behave quite well.”

  “That’s good, then keep it up, and the next time I come back, I’ll bring chocolates or something.”

  Her eyes lit up. “Really?”

  “You bet,” Tucker replied. “But you have to go to sleep. It’s way past your bedtime, and I know if Daniella finds out you’ll get a scolding.”

  “That’s why it’ll stay a secret between us!” Adira held out her pinky finger. “Right?”

  “Of course, I’ll take it to my grave.” Tucker laughed as Adira glared at him. He accepted the gesture, locking his pinky with hers, and gave a subtle nod. “I’ll be back soon, alright? So don’t worry so much.”

  Adira’s eyes gleamed with joy. She took a step back and waved at Tucker while hugging her blanket. “Good night, Tucker.”

  “Night.”

  Before Tucker could even say another word, Adira ran off to her room. Not giving him a chance to take back what he had said. It was only after he heard a wooden creak that settled with the silence that he stood up.

  “I really am still immature,” Tucker muttered, raising his other arm with his index and middle fingers crossed.

  He picked up the letters that had been set aside and took one last look around the chamber. A soft sigh escaped him as his gaze drifted to his pinky finger, knowing that he shouldn’t have made a promise he couldn’t keep. Everything he did was for what he believed was right. Even if others didn’t see it.

  Tucker turned towards the exit. It didn’t matter if the scarlet seal erased his records. If it meant that children like Adira could have a better future, then it was a small price to pay. Not a shred of regret was on his mind, and with that, he was on his way to the capital.