King Theophrastus’s tone changed to one of command as he said, “Now is the time for us to regroup and strike at the heart of those who threaten the City of Etron. Beltane Ostara and Thale Feldrast, as the most skilled mages present, it is up to you to find the center of whatever summoning ritual they are using to conjure these monsters.”

  With a proud smile, Thale bowed my head and said, “It is already done, your grace. Before we arrived, I destroyed the summoning ritual and killed the dragon attacking the city. They were trivial matters for someone of my skill.”

  “You killed a dragon? If any other fifteen-year-old said that, I would laugh at him,” King Theophrastus said. “Since it’s you, I can believe it.”

  Mention the others.

  “Well, I did have the aid of my companions,” Thale said.

  “Perhaps I should thank them as w-” Theophrastus said, but he stopped short. He spotted something a few meters away. “By the gods…”

  Theophrastus ran forward at a speed that should have been impossible for a man of his age. When Thale turned my head, I saw that he was running toward the prone, bleeding body of Haydith Thorn.

  “What happened? Is she…?” Theophrastus said, unable to finish his sentence. He seemed as if he viewed the sentence as too terrible to put into words.

  How strange. He seems to care for her.

  Some level of paternal instinct is natural, even for deadbeat dads.

  “The girl’s still alive,” Thale said out loud. “The Yomotsan stabbed her in the heart, but I was able to save her.”

  Theophrastus cupped the girl’s hand in between his own, and Thale turned my gaze toward Eadric and Miriam. Eadric’s body was burnt and damaged. His arm was a blackened mess that couldn’t possibly be surgically reattached. Though Eadric had been healed to a state of medical stability, the scarring would cause chronic pain, and he would never be able to use his sword arm again.

  Kneeling beside him, Miriam seemed like she was on the verge of unconsciousness. She was clearly suffering from mana drain, and she would probably fall completely unconscious if she used another Prayer.

  “Is he alive?” Thale asked with the detachment of a man asking if a tool was broken.

  “Yes, but he’ll probably be in a coma for the next few days. Brother, without the healing of a Saint, he’ll never fight again,” Miriam said sadly.

  “Hmm, unfortunate. It seems like we’ll need to find another knight,” Thale said with a casual shrug.

  Miriam turned toward me, dawning terror in her eyes. “Who are you? What did you do to Thale?”

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  She was not being rhetorical. When Miriam looked into my eyes, she could see that the entity controlling them was someone else. Miriam jumped to her feet, but her intent was somewhat undercut by the unsteadiness of her stance.

  “Don’t worry,” Thale said through a malicious sneer. “He’ll be back soon.”

  Stay away from Miriam, you bastard.

  Hey, she’s my sister too.

  Thale turned my head back toward King Theophrastus, leaning on my staff as he walked. It was only a matter of time before my body gave out, and he was just trying to buy some time.

  “Your grace, this girl claimed she was the brother of Captain Erasmus Thorn, the man who betrayed you. Should we question her when she wakes up?” Thale asked.

  What are you doing? We’ll be out of the city by the time she wakes up.

  Shut up and watch.

  “No, that won’t be necessary,” King Theophrastus said. A moment later, he pulled away from Haydith’s body and climbed to his feet. “In fact, I’m afraid I must ask one more thing of you, Lord Thale. Please look after Haydith until my death. Treat her like you would treat the highest nobility, do you understand me?”

  “Yes, your grace,” Thale said, bowing painfully.

  King Theophrastus cleared his throat and stood at his maximum height before saying, “Lord Thale Feldrast of Northwind, the Kingdom of Etronia owes you a great debt for what you have done tonight. For that, it is only right for you to be rewarded.”

  “Your grace, I only ask that any gift you wish to reward me be given to my knight, Sir Eadric Vanta,” Thale said with false modesty in his voice. “He gave his body to save my life, so it is only right for him to receive the reward in my name.”

  What? Are you being nice?

  This is just the most rational move. I’m simply altering the nature of Eadric’s use as our tool.

  “Consider it done,” Theophrastus said with a smile and a gesture. “Once he awakes, Eadric Vanta will be made the Marquis of Tethyr and rewarded five thousand Etronian gold coins. Will you be present at the ceremony, Lord Thale?”

  Huh. I did not expect him to be that generous.

  Tethyr? I had to search my mind to remember where Tethyr was. Vaguely, I remembered that Tethyr was somewhere on the border between the Northern Realms and the Lowland. Its position as a border realm would explain the title of Marquis rather than Count. I also remembered that Tethyr was essentially unclaimed by humans due to heavy orc presence before the Band of Bastards exterminated all nearby orc tribes.

  The King needed an administrator for that realm, and there would be no one better to fill that role than a knight who heroically sacrificed himself to save Etron. I, of course, would gain a very wealthy ally.

  “Unless it is absolutely imperative that I attend, I would rather not. You see, the Lich Cult in Etron would do anything to kill me and my companions. I would like to leave tonight,” Thale said.

  “Well, I won’t hold you here,” King Theophrastus said.

  “If I may take my leave,” Thale said, bowing low once more, “there are a few things I must do before I depart town.”

  “I release you,” King Theophrastus said, waving his hand. “I just ask that you return here with Haydith before I die in a year.”

  “Yes, your grace,” Thale said.

  [Blood Enhancement, Lvl. 5]

  Thale activated my blood enhancement rune and began jogging in the opposite direction. The others, those that were well enough to stand, tried to approach me, but Thale ignored them. Once my body reached the edge of the King’s Square, and I left the area covered by the Source Ward, Thale activated the [Fly] spell.

  I resisted once more to regain control of my body. I jerked and spasmed, but control remained in Thale’s hands. When I was pushed back to the dark corners of my mind, an acute feeling of exhaustion overcame me, and I fell unconscious.