Nathan – POV

  That night our people, and their children, became the backbone of our power. Adults could no longer change their classes, but their children would have the choice: mage, knight, or whatever path they desired. Those who chose combat-oriented classes would be required to serve in our houseguard; those who chose other paths were free to follow them, but access to a combat-oriented class meant service to the guard.

  My parents feared there would be no takers. They were wrong. Every child chose to access their systems early, with their parents’ support. I was pleased, though privately I grumbled: I would have to teach mana sense to children whose attention spans might be as fleeting as my sister’s. It was going to be a long road.

  We reached Gazar, a city of twenty thousand souls, after several more days. By then I had taught mana sense to all the children, and they had all successfully created mana cores. There were about fifteen of them: seven warriors, four mages, three healers, and one archer. The warriors were placed under the appropriate tutors: Anda, already a warrior class, took the seven under his wing; Jennier trained the healers; Jake handled the archer. Serena, Christine, the other mage children, and I studied under Beatrice, the wind mage.

  We kept the training quiet. Encamped outside Gazar’s walls, we did not want too many curious eyes on us. Our quartermaster and merchant moved quickly into the city with my mother and the girls to buy supplies.

  We still needed a tailor, a blacksmith, and a few butlers. Convincing skilled craftsmen to uproot themselves and follow us into uncertain lands was nearly impossible, so we made a hard decision: we would acquire slaves with tailoring and blacksmithing skills. We did not like it, but we needed the work done. We resolved to treat them fairly and to grant freedom once we secured territory.

  The camp hummed with activity. Men drilled, children learned from their tutors, and women and servants prepared meals and tended chores. Against that backdrop, several knights rode toward our encampment and set everyone on edge.

  My father gathered his retainers and met the riders at the camp’s edge.

  “Greetings, my lord. I am Knight Captain Yariz, in service to Count Jan Nobesk, lord of Gazar and the surrounding lands. May I ask the identity of this encampment and your purpose here?” Yariz said.

  “Greetings, Knight Captain Yariz. I am Lord Jakob of House Mayweather?Abensberg. We are passing through to acquire supplies,” my father replied.

  “House Mayweather?Abensberg?” Yariz bowed. “I apologize, my lord, but I do not recognize your banner. You are not from these lands?”

  “No. We are from Shaxaian...refugees returning to our homeland,” Father said.

  The knights exchanged surprised looks.

  “You are far from home, my lord. Is there anything we can do to assist?” Yariz asked.

  “At present, no. We are only trading and will be on our way soon,” Father answered.

  “As you wish, Lord Jakob. I will inform my lord of your arrival; he may wish to meet you,” Yariz said.

  “Of course. If your lord wishes to meet, I will accept,” Father replied.

  They exchanged formal farewells, and the knights rode back toward the city. Father called us together.

  “What do you think that was about?” Anda asked.

  “I don’t know,” Father said. “It’s normal for lords to travel to towns. It’s also not unusual for a regional lord to test or pressure an unknown house...especially one without power.”

  “Maybe they’re just curious,” Belle offered.

  “Maybe,” Father said. “Stanley, go into the city and learn what you can about Count Jan Nobesk. I’m sure they’ll return. In the meantime, everyone stay on high alert. Once Dianne and the others return, we’ll move out in the morning.”

  “Father, I’ll send Krizek with Stanley,” I said.

  “That’s fine,” Father said, patting my head.

  We carried on, but the camp remained tense. At sundown Mother returned with her entourage and several men, people I assumed we needed.

  “Everyone, these men are our butlers: Sebastian, Jorha, and Neil. They are Shaxaians and served Shaxaian nobles. The other two are Ben, a blacksmith and Tarkan, a tailor,” Dianne announced.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  We were surprised. “Our countrymen! Which lords did you serve?” Father asked.

  “I served Count Brabenberg,” Sebastian said. “Jorha and Neil served Baroness Knightingale.”

  Sebastian was a broad-shouldered man in his late fifties, weathered but steady. Jorha and Neil looked younger, in their late twenties; their clothes ragged and smelled.

  “What happened to your masters?” Father asked.

  Sebastian bowed his head. “My lord, forgive me for reopening old wounds. The same fate befell them as befell your family and Lady Dianne’s. Houses of Brabenberg and Knightingale were eradicated. I was captured while protecting the count’s youngest daughter. I could not hold them off.”

  “We were captured trying to flee with Baroness Knightingale’s family,” Neil added, voice low. “We were separated and sold into slavery. I do not know the rest of their fate, but I know what befell them.”

  “Those bastards,” Father said. “All that death, all that chaos...for nothing.”

  “What happened? Didn’t the fourth prince take the throne?” Sebastian asked.

  “He was killed when his vassals betrayed him. The empire is in shambles; lords fight over the carcass of the old order,” Father said, anger in his voice.

  Silence fell. The empire’s collapse had come from within.

  “As I told Lady Dianne, we know House Abensberg and House Mayweather, loyal allies of the crown prince just like our former masters,” Sebastian said.

  “I knew of your old masters as well,” Father replied. “Do you understand what we are trying to do?”

  “Yes. Lady Dianne has informed us. We are ready to swear the oath and sign the contract,” Sebastian said, bowing.

  “I am glad,” Father said. “This will be dangerous, but by the gods, we will reclaim what was ours and build something of our own.”

  “We will follow you, Lord Jakob,” Sebastian said.

  The other two men, craftsmen who had fallen into debt and slavery, told similar stories of ruin and taxation. Their accounts opened my eyes. I had read about noble injustice in my past life but seeing it firsthand was different. I am no hero or revolutionary, but that night I resolved to treat everyone fairly. Feudal society might be cruel, but I would not be.

  All five men swore their oaths and signed the magical contracts. We considered returning to the city for tools for them, but drawing more attention to ourselves felt unwise. After cleaning and changing into proper clothes, the new servants blended into camp life. Sebastian, by experience and seniority, became head butler.

  Later that night, the same knights returned.

  “Good evening, Lord Jakob. I bring an invitation from my lord,” Yariz said, bowing and handing Father a sealed letter.

  Father opened it. “A feast tomorrow night?” he read.

  “Yes, Lord Jakob. It is my lord’s son’s birthday. He hopes you will attend,” Yariz said.

  “Tell your lord we will be there,” Father replied.

  Yariz bowed and left.

  “Are you really going to attend?” Belle asked.

  “Yes. We cannot afford to insult the lord of these lands,” Father said. “Is Krizek and Stanley back yet?”

  “Not yet, my lord. They’ll be back soon,” Anda answered.

  “It seems we have a party to attend,” Father said, ruffling Jack’s and my hair.

  A few minutes after Yariz and his men rode off, Stanley and Krizek returned with news.

  “My lord, we have information,” Stanley said. “Count Jan Nobesk is the nephew of one of the council members of the Holy State of Shabilin. He commands roughly a thousand men and, on the surface, is considered a fair ruler.”

  “And underneath?” Father asked.

  Stanley glanced at Krizek. Krizek’s expression hardened. “He’s deeply involved in slave trade. He’s one of the main buyers of Guy Frederick’s stock, the son of Baron Gerald Frederick. As you can imagine, he’s furious that his primary supplier was killed. He’s not a good man, my lord. I suggest we relieve him of his wealth. He’s very wealthy.”

  Father’s jaw tightened. “Me, Jack, and Nathan will attend the feast. Anda and a handful of men will accompany us. I don’t trust this count; if he’s involved in the slave trade, he may try to replenish his stock by foul means.”

  “Father, I’ll leave Xander and Leshner here,” I said. “Krizek together with Anda and a few others will be more than enough to handle anything that happens. The priority is keeping Mother, the girls, and the rest of our people safe.”

  Father nodded, approval softening his features. “Good thinking. Anda, Krizek, Stanley, and Belle will come with us tomorrow evening. I’d planned to leave at dawn, but that’s no longer an option. I won’t risk angering this man when we are too few.”

  “Why don’t you want to bring us along, Jakob?” Dianne asked.

  “Because I know what’s in their hearts, my love,” he answered quietly. “They hunger for women and power. When they see a noblewoman, vulnerable, they may be tempted to do unsavory things to capture you or our people. It’s better they never see you, especially the women. I don’t want to give him any ideas”

  “Do not worry, my lord,” Krizek said, a crooked smile tugging at his lips. “Xander and Leshner and the house guards will protect the family. I, on the other hand, can relieve them of their material possessions discreetly...without raising alarm.”

  The grin unsettled more than it reassured, but Father only exhaled and inclined his head. “Ah. Yes. Thank you, Krizek. I hope they won’t suspect a thing.”

  “They won’t see me,” Krizek added. “They’ll only see you and the rest.”

  Father raised an eyebrow, then shrugged as if accepting a necessary truth. He trusted Krizek’s subtlety...and for now, that had to be enough.