(Dyn)

  Surprisingly, Nathan was the only oo raise a hand. Urvana seemed relieved that Dyn’s hands stayed firmly on the desk.

  “Yes?” Urvana turned her full attention to the physi.

  “Charles went to great lengths to escort, care for, and protect Dyn. He clothed, fed, and sheltered him, eventually getting him registered with the League. Without Charles, Dyn wouldn’t have his refugee status. I picked up Dyn’s tract myself and appreciate everything Charles has done for him.”

  “Yesterday, someoacked Dyn, gravely injuring him, and Charles went out to make sure it wouldn’t happen again. Later that night, Dyn was on the brink of death without a specific medical intervention, and only Charles could retrieve it in time.

  “He did exactly as I asked: get to my office, retrieve the medie, aurn as fast as possible. If Charles had been even a couple of minutes slower, Dyn wouldn’t be here.

  “Another mender exhausted themselves keeping Dyn alive while we waited, and we burhrough several potions in the process.”

  Urvana narrowed her eyes at Nathan. “So, we’re back to you two being the instigators of all this?” She pointed between him and Dyn.

  “How long has Dyn been in your care?” Her voice was sharp.

  “Since yesterday,” Nathan said.

  “In one day, this poor man nearly died—twice?” Urvana’s eyebrows shot up, her disbelief pin.

  Nathan winced, his eyes closing as he nodded.

  Urvana turned her gaze toward Dyn, her frustration mounting. “Why are you wearing soiled clothes?”

  Dyn flinched, knowing this was his fault. “These are all I have. I was—” Urvana raised a hand, cutting him off mid-sentence. He shrank back, his face reddening as he gnervously at Nathan.

  “No other clothes to his name?” She gred at Nathan. His bck eyes shimmered with disappoi, the weight of the situation pressing down on him.

  “I have the report on his attempted murder from Charles…” Urvana shook her head, exhaling sharply, as if finding her own words unbelievable. “I’m already regretting this question, but… what did you need Charles’ urgent, lifesaving intervention for?”

  Nathan’s gaze dropped as he rubbed the back of his neck. He bit his lip, clearly struggling. “Food poisoning…”

  “Food poisoning?” Urvaed slowly, her voice thick with disbelief. “Food poisoning is an intimate night with the restroom. It shouldn’t require multiple menders, half a dozen broken ws, and a small fortune in potions.”

  Dyn shifted unfortably in his seat. His heart sank as he watched Charles’ trial evolve into something more.

  “This is the first refugee tract I’ve e across here in Dartmouth, but I’m familiar with the general requirements,” Urvana tinued. “And you’ve admitted that this man’s basieeds aren’t bei. You have until the end of today to feed, clothe, shelter, and ensure his physical security.”

  Urvana raised a finger, pinning Nathan with a stern look. “And you do not want to find out what happens if we reach the ‘or else’ part.” She sounded angrier with Nathan than she’d been with Charles.

  “Yes, of course, Judge Urvana.”

  Urvana brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, frustration simmerih the surface. “Charles, I’m going to take the hour to calm down, fer with the League of Adventurers, and decide on your senteng. We’ll resume when I return.” The gnomish judge stepped down from the bench, her steps quid purposeful as she marched out of the room.

  The door clicked shut behind her, and Dy out a long, shaky breath, the tension in his chest easing. He turo Charles, his voice hesitant. “So… did you really kill two people?”

  Charles shrugged, his expression unreadable. “They attacked you in the middle of a crowded market, putting your life—and everyone else’s—at risk. They wouldn’t have stopped until you were dead, and it was within my power to make sure they never hurt you or anyone else again.”

  “Were they the ones from the road?” Dyn asked.

  Charles nodded.

  The mention of the road jogged Dyn’s memory, and he suddenly recalled the treehouse—and how he’d bur down. His stomach twisted in guilt as he shifted in his seat agaiook a deep breath. “I’m really sorry that I burned down all your stuff. And… sorry I didn’t apologize earlier at dinner.”

  Charles crossed his arms and gave Dyn a sidelong gnce. “I warned you about the dle. And don’t worry—everything’s fine.”

  Dyn furrowed his brow. “But… I thought your treehouse went up in fmes?”

  Charles gave a quiod. “It did. But it’s a ste ability—it protects everything inside. You couldn’t break anything in ste unless you actually got into the ste room, which is why I keep it locked. So, all my things are fine.”

  Finally, some good news. Dyn grinned. “Wait, so you still have clothes I buy?”

  Charles sat up, his expression barely shifting, though a slight furrow creased his brow. “You want to buy my clothes?”

  “When you’ve had the best, you don’t want the rest.” Dyn paused, blinking as the unintended slogan hit him. “Someone should write that down. It’s catchy.”

  Charles gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. “As long as I’ve got access to my treehouse, I set you up with some clothes.”

  “Good,” Dyn said with a nod. “Because I’m pretty sure Urvana said I need a wardrobe by tonight—or Nathan’s going to jail.”

  Dyn gnced over at Nathan, who hadn’t spoken a word since Urvana tore into him. “You know none of this was your fault, right?”

  Nathan blinked, his shoulders slumped, and his eyes still bck with the weight of Urvana’s words. But Dyn’s insistence cracked the wall of self-hate he’d built. “No, Judge Urvana’s right. This is all my fault. I’ve failed—”

  “Wrong.” Dyn refused to let Nathan bme himself for things that weren’t in his trol—a bad habit he knew all too well.

  The prismatic elf stared at Dyn, his bck eyes flickering with uainty. He didn’t agree aloud, but the tension in his posture softened—just a little.

  Dyed a hand on Nathan’s shoulder. “You kept me alive—twice, by my t. I’m not sure anyone else could’ve pulled that off in your shoes.” He leaned in, his voice low. “You gave me trol over my own choices.” Agency owerful thing.

  He turo Charles with a smile. “And now I’m going to have the best threads League credits buy, and…” Dyn paused, the weight of his words settling over him. “I finally feel safe.”

  “Safe?” Charles and Nathan said in unison, their voices a mix of disbelief and curiosity.

  Dyn nodded, staring straight ahead. “I’m on a dangerous p with magic, people, creatures, pnts—and apparently food—all trying to kill me. Life’s never gone easy on me and that’s probably not going to ge. But I’ve got friends. Really good friends.”

  Charles tilted his head, a slight furrow f on his brow. “Friends?” he echoed, as if trying the word on for size.

  “Charles.” Dyn turo him. “You killed two people to protect me and are probably going to prison for it. And Nathan”—he shifted to face him directly—“you saved me from dying twid never once made fun of me for pooping in your office.”

  Charles leaned in slightly. “You did what in his office?”

  Dyn waved off the question. “That’s not important. My point is, ba Earth, I had trouble finding ao write me a letter of reendation. Sure, the dragon and wolf people here still scare the shit out of me, but I feel seen—like I matter…” His voice softened as he paused, realizing he didn’t have the words to express just how much that meant to him.

  “I’ve got a healer and one really scary tailor looking out for me. So yeah.” Dyn nodded. “I feel safe.”

  “You and I are…” Charles poio himself, then to Dyn, his movements slow and deliberate. “Friends?”

  Dyn gave Charles a ed look. “Who hurt you?”

  Charles’ gaze drifted as he sidered Dyn’s question. For a moment, Dyn thought the rugged elf might unburden himself, sharing a glimpse of his past. But as the seds stretched on, Charles shook his head, brushing the thoughts away.

  Nathan’s eyes returo their usual pcid blue, though a trace of weariness lingered beh. “That’s kind of you, Dyn, but Judge Urvana is still right. We o get you settled by the end of the day.”

  The three of them, along with the two uniformed officers, waited in silence for Urvana’s return.

  Two hours ter…

  The doors finally opened, and Judge Urvana strolled in. Without a word or even a gnce, she passed them and took her seat at the bench. Clearihroat, she said, “You’ve all given me a lot to sider. I’ve also spoken with the League of Adventurers’ representative.”

  Urvana leaned forward, straightening her pelled jacket. “During our recess, I had the pleasure of eaining two guildmasters. Before today, I’d never even seen a guildmaster.” Her eyes narrowed as she studied each of them, ensuring they felt her dissatisfa.

  Uo help himself, Dyn asked, “What’s that mean?”

  Nathan rubbed his forehead while Charles’ jaw tightened. Leaning toward Dyn, the prismatic elf whispered, “Please stop talking…”

  Urvana picked up her tablet. “It means I have a headache. Three headaches, to be precise. But first, let’s move on to senteng. Charles, I’ve spoken with the injured officer, and they’ve requested a formal apology. I want it in person, and it better be sincere.”

  That didn’t sound too bad to Dyn. Charles gave a stoiod, and Dyn retty sure he’d have reacted the same way if they’d sentenced him to a lifetime of hard bor.

  “I also agree with the officer—if you truly had trol over your mount, this wouldn’t have happened. So, I’ve decided to honor his request to have your mouhanized. You’ll have time to say yoodbyes after we clude this case.”

  Charles’ knuckles whitened as he gripped the table, his eyes losing focus as Urvana’s words sank in. The tension in his body became palpable—until he couldn’t hold it in any longer. He shot to his feet, his chair smming into the half-wall, harder than Dyn’s. The officers scrambled to react, too slow to stop him if he’d meant harm. Urvana raised a hand, halting them and giving Charles the ce to speak.

  “Please.” Charles’ lip quivered. “Don’t…” His voice caught in his throat. “Don’t punish Vera for my as.” His iron grip made the wood groah his fingers. His voice dropped to a whisper. “Please don’t kill her.” Tears slipped down his cheeks, catg everyone off guard.

  Charles sniffled, his pleading eyes locked on the Judge. “Isn’t there any other way? I’ll take anything.” He blinked away the tears, but they kept ing. His lip trembled as he begged for Vera’s life.

  Urvana’s gaze remained cold, unyielding. “It s me, Charles, that you shed tears for an animal. Where are the tears for the lives you took yesterday?”

  “It’s not her fault. She’s just an animal—she doesn’t know aer.” Charles released the table, g his fists as he leaned on his knuckles. “But monsters know better… and they still choose to harm.” His eyes locked on Urvana. “You don’t cry for monsters—you kill them.”

  Dyn blinked and shot a sidelong g Nathan, whose jaw hung open. ‘Jesus Christ, Charles is hardcore,’ Dyn thought, his mind spinning. This was the same guy who’d killed him three times without hesitation—now begging for his pet’s life. Charles had more depth tha on.

  “You don’t see the irony here? You knew better, yet you still chose to harm them. Does that really make you aer than a monster?” Urvana asked coldly.

  Charles didn’t flinch. “I live with what I’ve done—and I don’t expeyoo cry when I’m gone.”

  Dyn stared, unblinking, ‘What the fuck, dude?’

  Nathan also stared at Charles, his yellow eyes wide with disbelief. Urvana sighed, rubbiemples as though the entire day rested there.