Gray sat down next to the elf girl, leaning back against the stone. Someone was brewing charbrew and the grease was heating up for sugar worms. A rooster crowed and someone laughed. It was morning market sounds, the same probably all over the world. It was a dance of work and living, love and tedium, the day and the deal.

  But Gray didn’t care about that right then. He just sat next to Rynn, waiting for her to speak. He looked straight ahead, focused on a smear of something on the wall across from him. The canteen stopped serving breakfast at ten. That was okay. Now that Rynn got her money from her father, they could buy some fruit and sausages in the market. Or they could go back to Ruin Manor. There was sausage and cheeses in the cellar, locked up so neither the rats nor Yellow could get to them.

  Rynn finally said something. “Would you mind if I rambled?”

  “Not at all, Miss Yes. I want to hear your voice. With all my heart.”

  Tears spilled down her cheeks. “There’s someone new at the barracks. She’s…and her squad…I didn’t know what to do. They want money to protect me, since no one else will. I paid. I didn’t know what else to do. You weren’t there, and I tried to be the snarling mad dog, but I didn’t have the courage. I didn’t have anything. I’m so far from you. I miss Mother and Father, and my friends, and my teachers. They’re all on the other side of the world, and I know, Aunt Florence says that the mana winds connect the entire world, and that there is no distance where the soul is concerned, but I feel the distance, and it hurts me. Every mile is a knife in my core.”

  He wasn’t surprised things had exploded with just one night away. It was the way of the world. If he’d had stayed in First Field the night before, no one would’ve messed with Rynn. He kept his bitter thoughts to himself.

  Rynn angrily wiped her tears away. “And here I am, feeling like a child, when I should be strong. I don’t need you, Gray. I can be strong on my own. Captain Sevanya will be back, any day now, with the rest of our squad, and we’ll train together, and we’ll pass the Testing. I will not fail. And if this new bully tries to hurt me, I will kill her. I will kill all of them. I doubt I’d be punished. There are no rules in this place. There is no honor. There is only strength and power, and I have both.”

  She turned to him. “I was stupid to spend the night here. It won’t happen again. So, I’ll stop being a silly little sop, and we’ll go to breakfast, and we’ll train, and you’ll go back to your dog, and I’ll go back to my scorpions, and while the nights will be long, the days will be filled with my Mr. No, who has enough power in his core to challenge the gods themselves.”

  She finally smiled. “How was that for a ramble?”

  He nodded. It took a minute to talk because of the lump in his throat. “It was a quality ramble. Very good. I applaud you.”

  “Was your dog happy to see you?”

  “Not my dog, but yes, Yellow was overjoyed, and yet I didn’t sleep well even though it was cool and quiet, if you don’t count the flying demon snakes that tried to break into the house.”

  Rynn’s mouth dropped open. “What is this now?”

  “There was such a nice breeze last night. I think the Weeping Well keeps Old Town cool, especially at night, and yet it is a strange chill, not at all like the evening breezes off the ocean in Cradleport. The days can get hot, but the nights are perfect. Last night, I got cold enough for me to crawl underneath the covers. And there were no scorpions.”

  “But demon snakes?”

  He nodded. “Not a pride serpent, though. Or I wouldn’t be here with you.”

  “I want to see it. I want to meet your dog.” Rynn jumped to her feet. “Let’s go. Now.”

  Gray didn’t stand. He looked up at her. “No, we can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because we can’t miss breakfast at the canteen, which is the only meal there worth eating. And we have our training, and I’d like to see this library you found. Besides, you don’t want to get on the wrong side of the captain. You have your family to think of.”

  Rynn locked eyes with him. She didn’t speak, but he saw something change in her eyes, something harden, like when she cut off her beautiful golden hair. She was such a contradiction. The tears on her face didn’t matter. That iron in her eyes did.

  “My family,” she whispered.

  “Your father and his business. Your mother and her desire for fabulous wealth. Your Aunt Florence and her wisdom. You know…the family business.”

  “The family business.”

  She got down on her knees in front of him and touched his legs. “The path of my life has led me to you and your power. The captain must know how valuable you are. As long as we keep you alive, we have a mana source that is endless, and she wouldn’t risk losing it. Father says life is a series of calculated risks and that the most successful businesses know when to risk and know when to retreat. I would bet my life on you, Grayson Fade. I don’t want to spend another night alone. I could, mind you, I could suffer through the heat and noise and violence and lawlessness of First Field. The scorpions really don’t bother me all that much. What bothers me is this distance between us. After that night—after that kiss—I decided to live my life knowing that we were squad mates and nothing more. But I am saying no to that. I am saying yes to following you through the wards. And if I’m punished, I will be punished, but I know my worth. The captain might not be pleased, but she knows I am very strong and very wealthy. I will be the best fighter on the team, provided you are never very far away. For any number of reasons.”

  A yellow glow of mana surrounded her, and he could see her core getting more of the energy. It was like she was kneeling in a shower of light. What was her resonance? How could she have this strength even when she was on her knees?

  Gray got up and pulled her to her feet. He then drew her into an embrace and held her. He smelled her scent, felt the heat of her body and the energy of her mana. It was so comfortable, with their cores so close together…like it was meant to be.

  It was happening. They were being bonded by their touch. Sex would make her a part of him of him forever. He liked the idea. But him being a part of her? Sacrificing his freedom? Finally, entering into a partnership he couldn’t break? That he couldn’t do.

  His mind told him he was an idiot. This elf girl was worth the sacrifice.

  Maybe, but a lifetime of trusting his own instincts, and only letting two people get close to him, Old Agatha and Blind John, and at times, Carter. Poor Carter. And look how he ended?

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Gray remembered Carter’s face that day—bloodstained and full of doubt. That smile, so full of fear and pain, and the words, “Sure, Gray. Just stay behind me.”

  What if Gray had felt that connected to Carter? Gray would be dead, another arena slave killed in the Battle Royale, and Carter would’ve lived to fight another day.

  What of the princess and her ruby necklace?

  What about all of his plans and designs? In the end, Gray didn’t care much about them. He wanted the priceless treasure of self-mastery. He wanted to conquer his desires. Where did this elf girl fit in there? Where did anyone?

  Rynn pulled away. “So, let’s see your Ruin Manor. Are there clean sheets? Scorpions are one thing, but dirty sheets are another.”

  “Yes. Clean sheets.” He paused. “Are you sure?”

  She nodded. “If I have a choice, my choice is to trust in your strength. And my own. I am very capable.”

  That made him laugh. “You are.” He took in a breath. “Let’s see if we can make it through these wards. We’ll need to be touching. Last time, I was able to get through them only because of the lingering effects of my…connection…with the captain.”

  “Your connection.” Rynn sighed. “That will never not trouble me.”

  She gripped his hand in hers.

  He took the stick with the silk scarf wrapped around it and they started back down the alley. The pressure of the warding was as bad as ever. He thought the buzzing might make his ears bleed. . Around him swirled the yellow energy, driving them back.

  “Ouch,” Rynn whispered. “Maybe this isn’t a good idea.”

  “Just a little farther.”

  He found the bit of energy from the captain in his core, and he found her center, and he gave her some of that mana, but just a bit.

  “Better?” he asked.

  “Better,” she agreed. “Let’s hurry.”

  Pushing on, he squinted, the pressure getting a little better as they pushed through and finally touched the runes on the door. It slid open, and soon they were in the passageway.

  Rynn giggled. “This is so naughty. I never break the rules, Gray. Never. My whole life I’ve always tried to do the right thing. But here I am, breaking wards, trespassing into a demon-infested ancient city, and for what? A boy? A dog?”

  “The dog is something special,” Gray said.

  “So is the boy,” Rynn said, eyes bright. There was a magic in them that had nothing to do with mana.

  Going under the Hellbinder, she exhaled, her breath visible in the chill. “The wall is above us, and there’s so much magic there. The feel of it…” She went silent.

  Gray felt her fear. “Almost there.”

  Into the cellar, up the steps, to the door. Yellow let out a happy bark! He immediately began to scratch at the secret door underneath the steps.

  Rynn smiled. “Well, that was exciting. The dog sounds very happy you’re home.”

  “He’s a sweet pup. You’ll see.”

  The reception was so joyous. Yellow didn’t know which person he wanted to sniff and lick and first. He’d fully commit to Gray, whining and wagging his tail, and then he would switch to Rynn. Everything about the puppy was “Love me because I love you!”

  Rynn fell into giggles. They hadn’t even seen the house yet, and already, it felt like she’d always lived there. They spent a good half an hour with the dog, on the hardwood floor, worn smooth with age and sweeping.

  After they had puppy time, they went to the front windows to look out onto the silent streets.

  Rynn frowned.

  “You’re wondering where the demons are, aren’t you?”

  “I am.”

  “It doesn’t work like that. We might go days without seeing anything, except for the normal birds and squirrels that live in the trees. Then, a few demons will show up, try the wards, and then go scurrying off. Last night, there was an attack. Snakes with wings. But then the lust crows showed up to devour them. Don’t ask me why they’re called lust crows. I don’t keep track of their mating habits.”

  Rynn’s eyes were bright. “I want to see the whole house, every room. I’m surprised that there’s even roof. When you called it Ruin Manor, I’d pictured something far more dilapidated.”

  “Such an impressive word! Well, I’ll try to be equally as impressive.”

  He began his tour in the kitchen, where Rynn rambled on and on about how nice the house was, how Yellow was so sweet, and then she went into story after story about all the dogs she’d ever known.

  Gray listened, enjoying the sound of her voice. Being there alone, it had been so quiet. Could houses get lonely? Ruin Manor seemed to like having guests within its walls.

  After a brief visit to the alley, the well in the courtyard, and the planters, he took her through the two back bedrooms on the main level and the five bedrooms on the second floor. He would’ve showed her Settie’s attic room, but when Rynn realized that it was Captain Sevanya’s aerie, she refused to climb those steps.

  Rynn chose the room opposite of Gray, it was smaller, but it had a view of a nice little street where a garden had spilled out onto the cobblestones. It was on the Weeping Well side of the house, though unlike up in Settie’s room, there was no sign of the gateway to hell at the center of Old Town.

  They found clean sheets in a linen closet on the second floor, and Gray watched as she made the bed.

  Yellow kept getting in her way because of course, the dog followed them wherever they went. Gray pulled him back and knelt in the doorway while Rynn went around, going on and on about how the room was perfect, the air cool, and the place so quiet compared to the chaos of Third Barracks.

  Again, every word she said made Gray’s heart sing. It was like he’d spent the night dying of thirst, and now being with the elf girl was drinking his fill of water.

  She turned to him. “It’s so late now. And should we spend the captain’s mana to return? We could train here, I suppose.”

  “If we didn’t go back to First Field, we’d miss out on Mama Cinders’s wisdom. I don’t expect the trip back through the wards to be as unpleasant. I think it will get easier the more we do it.”

  Fluffing a pillow, Rynn looked worried. “Are hurting the wards by passing through them? If they fail, demons would get in. Or the thieves in the the Pit Market might go through the door and sneak into Ruin Manor, though I can’t imagine they would want to brave Old Town, not without a kill squad.”

  Rynn thought for a second. “The wards around Ruin Manor feel different than the ones in the alley. I think Captain Sevanya created them specifically to keep people out, while the ones here are more attuned to the demonic energy of the creatures here.”

  “Let’s hope,” Rynn said.

  Gray let go of Yellow, and the dog went into to sniff Rynn and then her bed.

  “Let’s go back to First Field. Along the way, I can send a letter to Cradleport. It’s risky, but I have to know what happened to Blind John. We can spend the day there and suffer through another terrible dinner. We can then come back to sleep here. You’ll love the cool breezes.”

  “They must come from hell,” Rynn said. “Who knew hell would be cold…”

  Gray repeated something Blind John once told him. “There are all kinds of hells, Rynn. Most people choose their own flavor of hell over and over.”

  “Let’s not do that,” the elf girl said, staring into his eyes. “Let’s choose heaven as often as we can.”

  Gray smiled. “Which is why I had to come back here.”

  Rynn grinned as well. “You’ve found a heaven in hell?”

  “I think, in the end, that is how life works. Since we’ll be staying here, we’ll buy groceries. We can even try cooking. Captain Sevanya has coal.”

  “What’s coal?” she asked.

  He rolled his eyes. “I guess you call it lust rock. Anyway, we can do breakfast and lunch in the canteen, but eat dinner here.”

  Getting back through the wards wasn’t difficult and they decided to eat breakfast in the Pit Market before going to mana-wind message office. Even though it wouldn’t be using the mana winds, it was the place where messengers gathered to deliver letters to the Null Breaks.

  Gray’s letter to Master Kreef was short and to the point. He asked about the fate of Blind John and he asked Master Kreef not to mention the letter to the royal guard. Kreef only cared about himself and wouldn’t want any trouble with Cradleport’s government, and that meant not getting the attention of the royals in any way. Princess Lilian would never know about the letter.

  All was well until they made it to the training fields to start their morning meditation, hours late. Blind John always said you could always start your day over at any time, and that doing something, even a little, was better than not doing it all. Using lack of time to get out of work was a poor excuse.

  In one of the sparring pavilions was a squad of slender people, men and women, but standing in the middle of the sand, blood dripping from a wound on her face, stood the violet-eyed woman from Gorgonzola’s.

  When she saw Gray, she smiled. It was as warm as an assassin’s dagger on a winter’s midnight.

  Rynn gulped in a breath. “That’s them. Those are the horrid people I told you about. The woman with the pretty eyes is their leader. Her name is Pamalee Thornpinch, and she is not a good person.”

  Not all of the demons were in Old Town it seemed.