By the time Kasha landed on the docks of Gondol harbor, the throbbing in Tam’s head was making the continued effort to stay conscious feel like torture. As he dismounted, he noted the clumsy heaviness of his limbs, but still set to helping Luca and Penelope off Kasha’s back before she shifted back into her human form.

  A quick glance at Eli’s face told Tam she wasn’t feeling her best either.

  Penelope sniffled at Tam’s side, drawing his attention back down to her.

  “It’ll be alright,” he managed, though speaking made the world spin.

  Penelope looked up at him, hurt, anger, and weariness warred behind her dark eyes as she clenched her fists.

  Eli’s hand appeared on her shoulder. “We need to get moving. Wixim will return when he learns she is not there.”

  Tam would’ve nodded, but he was relatively certain he’d go unconscious.

  “Should we go back to the palace?” he wondered wearily.

  The sky was starting to lighten. Streaks of pink making pale blue glow on the horizon.

  The air smelled of salt and fish, the sound of boats bobbing on the water the only sound in the morning as Eli took a moment to reply.

  Which was when they suddenly heard the commotion taking place farther down the docks.

  Tam turned and stared dumbly where the braziers were eventually lit, and a great many sailors were scurrying farther down the strip of dock that would eventually meet with the short span of road that would lead to the gates of Gondol.

  “I guess they saw me land,” Eli noted grimly.

  Tam blinked.

  Right. A giant flying cat was not the norm… He’d completely forgotten.

  He reached up and rubbed his face.

  “Are you alright?” Eli asked, concern tinging her voice.

  “I hit my head pretty badly on the ship when that monster first attacked,” Tam explained as he relished having his eyes closed.

  “Are you concussed?”

  “Most definitely.”

  Tam felt a small, warm hand grasp his own, prompting him to look down with a smile at his son, who peered up at him worriedly.

  “I’ll be fine, Luca. I just need to rest.”

  Regardless of the reassurance, Luca didn’t let go of Tam’s hand, and he was perfectly happy with that.

  “Do you think they’ll attack us?” Eli stared at the cluster of men off in the distance that were gesturing over to them and waving their arms around rather frantically.

  “Probably.” Tam sighed and looked over his shoulder at Penelope whom he realized was staring Eli’s hand thoughtfully.

  Despite the raging pain behind his eyes, Tam smiled and glanced up at Eli who raised a confused eyebrow.

  Tam nodded his chin in Penelope’s direction, and lifted Luca’s hand a little bit to indicate what he was getting at.

  Eli blinked down at the little girl, then back up at Tam, puzzled.

  Dropping his head back with a loud sigh that instantly reminded Tam of his nephew, Asher, Luca then said aloud, “Penelope wants to hold your hand but she’s too shy to ask!”

  Stunned, Eli’s gaze dropped down to the little girl who scowled at Luca. “No I don’t! That’s for babies like you!”

  Luca stuck his tongue out at her.

  Eli shot him a warning look that had Luca shrink into Tam’s side. She then reached down and grasped Penelope’s hand. Before the child could yank it back or make a heated argument that she really hadn’t wanted to hold her hand, Eli said, “We need to stick together through whatever is happening over there.”

  Tam smiled at Penelope, then moved his sights over Eli’s head. Beyond her was the end of the dock, which dropped off into the Alcide Sea. To their right, was a rocky wall. Tam leaned backward, trying to spot its top, but found he couldn’t.

  He could appear in the air above the cliff top, and then, once he’d spotted the surface atop, would vanish and reappear on the solid ground. He was confident he still had enough magic to do it, though he might vomit if he experienced that falling sensation again.

  “What is that?”

  Eli’s question drew Tam’s attention back toward the sailors.

  Tam squinted and instantly spotted something small, dark, and low to the ground moving toward them, and it was moving quickly…

  Caught off guard momentarily, Tam’s eyebrows shot up as he belatedly remembered something his sister had said the previous night…

  He gave a short laugh in disbelief as his shoulders relaxed. When he sensed Eli’s quizzical look he said, “What? You don’t recognize him?”

  At this response, Eli turned back at the darting figure and tilted her head, then realization filled her face.

  “Isn’t that a cat?” Luca asked curiously.

  Tam started to walk forward, his free hand moving to his pocket. “It is. In fact, that is your grandfather’s familiar. I’d forgotten he was coming here—oh. There’s your aunt’s familiar as well, Pina.”

  The flash of a white chest in the dim light of the morning swiftly caught up to the fluffy dark feline that had slowed down to a quick trot as he then proceeded to seat himself down and stare up at Tam.

  “Why hello, Kraken,” Tam greeted with a grin. “It isn’t like you to miss all the excitement.

  The familiar gave him a slow blink as Pina joined his side. “I take it we’ll be fine to approach the sailors now that you’ve made it clear you know us?”

  Kraken once again blinked up at him. It seemed as much of an assurance as they were going to get.

  “Pina, would you like to ride on my shoulder?” Tam offered lowering himself down.

  His sister’s familiar was known for enjoying resting on people’s shoulders as they moved about their day.

  However, the pretty muted calico didn’t move. Her green eyes instead locked on Luca.

  “Ah. Right. This is my son, Luca, and that over there is Penelope,” Tam introduced.

  He was grateful that he couldn’t understand the cats.

  Both Pina and Kraken continued staring at Luca. After a moment they both turned and proceeded back up the dock.

  “I don’t think they like me,” Luca declared sadly.

  “That isn’t it, don’t worry,” Tam consoled as they all resumed moving the way the cats came.

  In truth, Tam wasn’t exactly sure why both cats had had such a reaction. He silently worried that they already knew Luca was the devil.

  His frets were interrupted, however, when his head gave an additional stab of pain that made Tam wince.

  He needed to lie down.

  Hopefully Wixim wouldn’t return anytime soon…

  By the time they made it to the sailors, they had all backed away nervously from Tam’s path, their silence only emphasizing the fearful air around them as they watched the small group walk by with Kraken and Pina leading them.

  Once they rounded the dock and had all set foot back on Zinferan land, they found there was a lavish carriage already waiting for them with its door open. Kat and Harris were leaning against it.

  Kat had her arms crossed and her expression serious.

  Tam could tell something was wrong.

  But, evidently not wanting to cause alarm for the kids, the Daxarian queen called out and said, “Took you lot long enough!”

  Harris smiled down at Luca and Penelope. “Why hello again! Glad to see you are well!”

  Luca released Tam’s hand and bolted over to the duke and queen, throwing his arms around both of their legs.

  Kat reached down and patted Luca’s head.

  Tam felt relief ease the residual tension from his body.

  At least if Wixim returned Kat could protect the kids.

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  Kraken and Pina leapt into the carriage. Kat lifted an eyebrow at the familiars. “Jeez, Kraken. You must be getting old. You missed the dragon.”

  An indignant meow sounded off behind them as Eli handed Penelope into the carriage, then Luca.

  “Where have the two familiars been?” Tam asked conversationally while rubbing his face in an effort to stave off the urge to be sick.

  “You look like shit,” Kat observed rather than answering his question.

  Tam waved off her words. “Concussion.”

  “You only have a concussion and you look this terrible? Wow. Now I know mum went easier on you than she did me growing up,” she grumbled.

  “Kat, I’d like to sleep soon. Is something wrong?” Tam ignored her insult and folded his arms as Eli stood at his side silently.

  “Yeah… We have a… a small problem…” Kat cleared her throat.

  Tam tilted his head. Why did it suddenly look like his sister was trying not to laugh?

  Even Harris looked to the sky and cleared his throat innocently.

  “Mum’s a chicken.”

  Tam stared at her blankly. “This concussion might’ve done some kind of serious damage.” He turned to Eli. “I think I need a physician.”

  “I believe I heard the same thing,” Eli declared, her eyes fixed on the Daxarian queen whose leg was starting to vibrate and her mouth purse.

  “You both heard me just fine, Tam. Mum’s a chicken. There is a mutated Daxarian witch here who is helping Aradia’s assistant, Ansar, and, well… Mum came to the palace to wheel out the emperor—who is awake and of sound mind now by the way—and she got turned into a chicken.” There was a laugh in Kat’s voice, though she visibly continued to try and battle it back.“This Ansar fellow is refusing to order the witch to turn her back until you retrieve the first witch.”

  Tam continued to gape at his sister, then at Harris.

  He genuinely couldn’t tell if this was a prank or not…

  The Daxarian queen sighed then gestured to the carriage. “Come see if you want. Oh, and Eli?”

  Eli faced Kat expectantly. “The emperor has officially named you his heir.”

  Tam’s jaw dropped and Eli’s eyes went round with horror.

  “Ooh. I know. We tried to tell him you wouldn’t like that, but you’re going to have to tell him yourself. Now, come on,” Kat waved her hand again toward the open carriage. “We still have a lot of work to do.”

  *

  As it turned out, Tam wasn’t able to stay awake during the rest of the carriage ride. He fell into dreamless darkness the instant the carriage started moving.

  It wasn’t until it had pulled to a stop and Eli gently shook him awake that his eyes flew open again.

  The headache had lessened in intensity a little, but it still lurked unpleasantly at the back of his forehead.

  Upon stepping down from the carriage, Tam noted that the front of the palace still remained unaffected by the fire, though the heavy smell of smoke clung to the air.

  As Harris proceeded to guide the children into the palace, Tam leaned over to his sister. He was surprised to find that she was already staring at him. There was a sort of expectancy, but also a large amount of calculation behind her golden eyes.

  Tam proceeded to gesture Eli forward. Her gaze darted to the Daxarian queen, then nodded in understanding before she ventured up out of earshot, though halted outside of the doors to the palace. Presumably to wait for him.

  “I’m surprised you haven’t already killed Ansar,” Tam mused as the carriage pulled away.

  “Pretty sure if I kill him that chicken witch is going to double down against changing back mom.”

  “Would killing the chicken witch lift her spell?”

  “Maybe. I don’t exactly want to gamble on that.” Kat sighed.

  Tam nodded in understanding, then continued to wait in silence.

  He watched his sister as stared him up and down a few times, then eventually crossed her arms over her chest.

  Tam lifted an eyebrow expectantly. “Will you just say it already?”

  “Say what?” Kat lifted her chin up defiantly.

  “Whatever it is you want to say.”

  “There’s a lot I want to say.” Her eyes narrowed for a moment.

  Tam rolled from his heels back to his toes, and kept repeating the movement as he continued waiting for Kat to say what was on her mind.

  It didn’t usually take this long.

  “What did you do to the first witch?”

  Tam stopped rocking. “I left her somewhere dark and inconvenient to escape.”

  Kat frowned. “I need to actually know the answer, Tam.”

  Tam levelled her with a serious look. “I put her in a void of nothing. A void that somewhat exists in the palace.”

  Alarm filled Kat’s face. “What? How?”

  Tam shrugged before saying, “It exists everywhere. Between everything. It is everything and nothing. It’s the void.”

  Annoyance riddled Kat’s brows. “Did you start taking drugs recently?”

  “I am concussed. But no. It’s my magic. I can go to a nothing place, and I can take someone with me if I’m touching them.”

  Kat blinked as she fell into stunned quiet. “Take me there.”

  Tam looked over at the palace doors. “Don’t we have to go deal with mum being a chicken?”

  “She isn’t going to become more of a chicken if she waits a bit.”

  Tam grimaced. He wasn’t exactly in the mood, nor did he have the energy to start getting into his magic.

  “You’re different,” Kat announced suddenly.

  Tilting his head, Tam let a wry smile lift half his mouth. “Oh?”

  She smacked his chest with the back of her hand. “Don’t ‘Oh’ me! You met and talked to a dragon! You have a giant ass familiar who can fly—will she let me go for a ride at some time?” Kat interrupted herself, her eyes glinting with excitement.

  “She barely lets me ride her.”

  Kat’s shoulders drooped before she continued talking. “Anyway. I think I also forgot to mention, oh yeah. You have a kid! And Penelope seems to think you’re adopting her, too! You left Daxaria childless! What the hell?”

  Tam cleared his throat and squinted at something obscure in the distance. “I had someone I was seeing years ago… And uh… She sent Luca to find me when I was on board the ship. So he stowed away.”

  Kat gaped. “I thought you were a virgin!”

  Tam gave her a flat look. “Why in the world would I tell you anything about that kind of thing?”

  “Well, I… Ugh. You’re right. I don’t like knowing this.” Kat shuddered.

  “Did mum like Luca?” Tam ventured on, trying to sound casual, but a little nervous.

  “Of course she does. He’s a sweetheart. But you do know, Tam, that he might be—”

  Tam held up his hand stopping her from finishing her sentence. “He’s not the devil.”

  Kat gave him a hard look. It was almost as though she knew he wasn’t telling the whole truth. But she must’ve recognized that he wasn’t going to tell her whatever it was he was keeping from her, because she changed the topic and started to trudge up the steps to the palace.

  “So… Eli as empress…”

  “She’s going to pass on the crown.”

  “Even so! Just think! The Ashowan family ruling half the continents!”

  “What are you talking about? Kraken rules everything.”

  Speaking of the fluffy familiar, Kraken and Pina sat atop the palace steps next to Eli, waiting for the siblings to join them.

  Kat opened her mouth, about to say something else that was jesting or ridiculous, when Tam halted abruptly. “Kat there’s something else… Did you hear about the monster attacking the ships?”

  Caught off guard by the new conversation, she nodded. “Wasn’t that just that dragon Wixim?”

  “It attacked the ship we rescued Penelope from… It wasn’t a dragon. It was…” Tam trailed off and stared up at his father’s familiar with his magnificent chest fluff blowing in the wind.

  “It was a kraken. An honest to Gods… Kraken. Tentacles and everything.”

  Kat balked and continued to do so for a long, long while, until eventually bursting out with, “Great! You know a dragon and have seen a kraken! My kids are going to absolutely listen to you over me until we die!”

  Tam grinned. “They already do. Now, come on. I still don’t fully believe you that mum’s a chicken.”

  My Patreonnies, thank you for your support and goodness. For your excitement and generosity when it comes to my work. I am endlessly grateful to you all, and wish you nothing but the best. Now, while Wednesdays are typically when I list all of you glorious beings to explicitly thank you, I won't be doing that for today as this is in fact a timed post, and therefore I cannot update the names of Patreonnies. This is due to me finally being able to take my honeymoon, but I will be back before you know it!

  In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying the final chapters of The Ether Witch Volume 2!

  Take care of yourselves, you exquisite beings. You cannot be amazing without treating yourself as such. So make sure you are being good and kind to yourselves!

  Cheers, friends!

  Delemhach