"Y'all are a bunch of traitors," I grumbled.

  Isaac snickered and tossed a berry my way. My tail speared it before it could pelt my face. He stuck out his tongue, but a flick of my tail splattered his cheek with the fruity corpse.

  He glared and aggressively licked the juices from his chin.

  "Oh. Dude, that's not... You know, keep doing that. It's a good look on yah."

  Sereza laughed. "Hey now. He'll make someone very happy. Don't be jealous."

  Isaac stopped and pointed an accusing finger. "Stop that."

  "Teasing you? You first," I retorted.

  "No! The speech. It keeps tickling my ears."

  "Whatcha meaaaan? Nuthing wrong with dat."

  I accepted the salvo of squishy bombs and used my tail to protect me. It was semi-successful. About half were sliced in half and I collected my reward, but the rest stained my robes and dripped onto the grass.

  "You're getting better," Sereza remarked.

  "Thank you. I'm trying. I know I should be faster than this. The little mark on my chest buffs me, and my familiars are out. But there's a slight disconnect."

  "Mmmm. I know you have cheatsy instinct stuff, but you forget it's a muscle. Train it and you'll get used to moving it. Most likely, it's subconscious. You're holding yourself back."

  I stared at my tail through the illusion. The flames flickered from hue to hue. It swayed in the air and I carefully aimed for another berry and stabbed.

  It pierced the skin and into the dirt. I tsked.

  Off by a hair. Sereza's probably right. Just need to practice more.

  Sereza hummed and pulled me out of my thoughts. "So why are you speaking funny? Is there a reason?"

  "Huh?"

  A berry smacked my face. Isaac glared from across the basket. "You know what she means."

  "Hm. No reason in particular. It's funny to see your ears twitch. And Isaac looks constipated."

  His growl was music to my ears.

  Eventually, the peace ended as the titanfalls of a lumbering bear shook the earth. I picked up the basket with my tail and held it up for Arturous.

  His giant tongue snaked out and cleaned the basket whole.

  "If you keep giving him sugar, he'll stop fitting in the doorways. And that's hard enough as is," Teddy complained.

  Arturous growled and knocked his snout into Teddy's leg.

  "I don't think he agrees. Sorry, Teddy. Bear council has spoken."

  Teddy grimaced but a lick from Arturous cracked the facade.

  "Did Igas need something?" Isaac asked.

  Teddy shook his head. "No. Igas says supper is ready. And the dinner table is being prepped."

  "I think I'll skip this o-" I started before two sets of arms grabbed my shoulders.

  "No!" Isaac and Sereza shouted in unison.

  "Huuh? Unhand me!"

  "Don't you dare. You're not escaping this, Tyrant!" Isaac whispered.

  I titled my head to Sereza, letting the betrayal show on my mask. "How could you do this?"

  "You think I'm ready for a horde of hangry kids? No, thank you. I'll keep you as the buffer."

  "Hey!" Isaac yelled. "Stop speaking like him. It's bad enough when he does it."

  Teddy shook his head and patted Arturous's side before leading the way. I struggled against my captors, but they dragged me along.

  It was strange. Without the frenzy of ankle biters, the courtyard looked almost peaceful. If one ignored the destroyed tufts of grass and various marks of destruction left in their wake.

  Relatively minor, the damage did little to hide the well-cultivated land and the fresh breeze carried the scent of flowers.

  It's a good place. I'm sure it helps the kids. Better than growing up in the slums of a city with tight alleyways and no play area.

  Sereza's tail tapped my shoulder and I turned. "Yes?"

  "Are you... Alright?" she asked.

  "What do you mean?"

  "I'm asking if you're okay. You seem distracted. Something on your mind?"

  Am I? Maybe a little.

  I waved her off. "I'm fine. Just enjoying the peace. If it wasn't for some close friends of mine leaving me to the wolves. Maybe I wouldn't be so melancholic."

  "They've had enough of me. Do you know how many times a kid can ask you to drag them into the shadow plane?" Isaac shuddered. "Hours. Non-stop. Endlessly asking. For hours."

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "There, there?" I asked, gently tapping his shoulder.

  He pushed me off and I started walking under my own weight.

  "Sereza's right, Cyrus. If you need anything, or to talk. We're here for you."

  "Thanks," I sighed. "Again though, I'm fine. Just a lot going on in my head that'll be sorted by the end of the day. Now stop worrying about me. It's rare enough when Igas cooks, I'm curious to see what for dinner."

  Teddy looked mollified, but his eyes lingered on my face longer than they had to. I got the message. He was concerned, and while it was sweet I meant what I said.

  I patted his shoulder and entered the orphanage, closing my eyes to see through my familiars. I didn't need Teddy to lead the way as I followed the memories of Sturmrorex wrapped around Igas' neck.

  "Did you guys have fun?" I asked through the link.

  "Fierce hatchlings! They paid sufficient awe to my prowess!" Sturmrorex roared.

  "Good to hear. And you áine?"

  The fairy sat on Celenae's shoulder, out of reach from the children's grubby hands.

  "Fun," she said.

  I smiled at the feelings of exhausted, but satisfied joy filtering through the link.

  "We'll see you in about a minute. You can return to the soulspace or stay for dinner. It's up to you guys."

  "Stay."

  "I shall not retreat! And I've been promised delicious lightning!"

  That settled it.

  It was surprising to see áine want to stick around. Out of the bunch, she enjoyed people but not large crowds. The fairy never basked in the attention like Zharia or Sturmrorex.

  But her memories were happy. Little kids oohed and aahed. The girls especially heaping praises and compliments about her dress and wings.

  "Your familiars?" Teddy said, catching my eye.

  "Yeah. They had a good time. And are sticking around."

  "Oh? Good. The kids seemed to have taken a liking to them. Sturmrorex especially."

  "Ugh. Don't remind me. What are the odds that the kids will be too tired to focus on me and just eat their food?"

  "With Sturmrorex fanning the flames for the last couple of hours? You'd have better chances of seeing Arturous fly."

  "Roooargh."

  Isaac patted Arturous' side. "One day. Blame Teddy for being stubborn."

  Teddy rolled his eyes and I stopped at the entrance to the dining hall. Despite what I said, the prospect of dozens of eyes watching me was a little daunting.

  But Isaac ignored me in favor of throwing the door wide open.

  At once, the noise blasted through the door's enchantments and filled the hallway with dozens of voices overlapping in a bid to be heard.

  My shoulders sagged. "Are you sure I can't run away?"

  In response, the duo pushed me forward and I stumbled into the room. Like a hungry school of piranhas, the mob turned as one.

  Oh boy.

  "Mordred!"

  "Tyrant!"

  "Great destroyer of all!"

  "King! King! King!"

  My eye twitched. "Sturmrorex... What have you been telling these kids."

  Through the link, I felt him freeze.

  "Nothing..."

  "Sturm. No building a cult."

  "Master! I am but singing praises to our power. One day we shall rule! It's good to instill proper worship."

  I was half tempted to desummon my familiar but a kid broke away from the group and charged.

  Before the living missile could jump, Teddy caught the beastkin by her shoulders.

  "Woah there. What did Miss Mirabel say about tackling people?" Teddy admonished.

  Fern wilted, but the bright smile on her face persisted. "Not to tackle people?"

  I leaned forward. "And why are you trying to tackle me, little one?"

  "I'm not little!"

  The display on my mask shifted to convey exactly what I thought about that.

  Teddy set her down and she crossed her arms.

  "The snake said you were a noble. Is that true?" she said.

  Sturmrorex I'm going to turn you into a battery.

  "A noble? What gives you that impression?"

  Her face scrunched and she pointed to my chest. "Fancy clothes. Fancy mask. And he said that he's a king. And you're his master. So that makes you a super king!"

  I could hear the snickering behind me, and I swiped at their ankles with my tail. It passed through, Sereza and Isaac having dodged out of the way.

  By now, the other kids in the room were watching, waiting just as eagerly for an answer.

  It was hard not to sigh, but I kept it in.

  "I'm not a noble, not of this land. Not like Theodore or Isaac."

  "What? But you have to be!" Fern exclaimed.

  "Oh? And why is that? What's so special about nobility? After all, I beat one in my second match."

  A collective intake of breaths filled the room as the kids gasped dramatically.

  "A second match? Why didn't we see it?!" someone shouted.

  Fern didn't react like the rest. Instead, she scowled and looked to the ground.

  Weird.

  "Well?" I prompted.

  "Nothing."

  Really kid? Sam wasn't even this bad.

  "Are you sure?"

  "No," she said quickly. But in a smaller voice that sounded unsure she mumbled. "Maybe."

  "Fern? What's wrong? Why does it matter if Mordred is a noble?"

  She spoke under her breath, making it impossible to understand what she said.

  "Fern?"

  She stomped her foot and looked up. "If he's a king then he can adopt me! You have lots of money and a big house! And. And I won't take space. You won't have to see me. I'll be good and only eat twice a day!"

  You could hear a pin drop as the room stilled.

  Fern's face shook, and a tear spilled down her cheek. Her tiny fists grabbed her dress as she wobbled in place.

  I. Uhh...

  "Oh, Fern," Teddy whispered. He got to one knee and rubbed her arms, pulling her close. "It's okay."

  She struggled to push Teddy away but it was halfhearted at best. Her legs never moved, and eventually, she pushed into Teddy's chest as his hand stroked her hair.

  "I'd be a good girl. I don't even eat much. I. I... Why don't they want me?"

  Celenae stood up from her seat and slowly approached. She kneeled beside Teddy and placed her hand on the small of her back.

  As the two worked to calm her down, I took three steps back before the door to the right opened.

  "The feast is ready!" Sturmrorex boomed.

  Igas walked in, a massive tray in hand. He glanced to me, then the rest of the room. As he orientated on Fern, he froze along with my familiar.

  "Whaaat happened?" he asked.

  "Master?" Sturmrorex whispered.

  Isaac grabbed the tray with tendrils and whispered something in his ear. Igas frowned but straightened his shoulders and returned to the kitchen where I saw even more trays being prepared.

  Mirabel looked concerned, but the kitchen door closed, leaving the rest of us to stare awkwardly as Isaac unveiled the food.

  It smelled good, and looked delicious but was ignored.

  I slowly made my way over, avoiding the other children's stares. Thankfully, the chair beside Eodyne was free and I slid it closer.

  "Okay. Spill," I whispered.

  Eodyne sighed and the wind around us subtly churned, blocking outside noise.

  "She's new to the orphanage. About a year and a half, I believe. Her parents were crafters in the district. Alchemists. A house fire burned their workshop. They didn't make it. She's a good kid but hasn't fully adapted to the situation," Eodyne explained.

  My heart sank, and a headache clawed at the back of my thoughts.

  I cleared my throat. Eodyne dropped the barrier and sound returned in full. Igas brought out the rest of the food, and by the time he finished, Fern had calmed down.

  Slowly, the room returned to normal and the kids started to talk again. Questions were flung my way, and I took them in stride. Eventually Fern even stepped out of her malaise and joined in.

  Her smile was restrained, but with some warm food and Preston's antics, she regained most of her earlier enthusiasm.

  I didn't get much of a chance to eat, but dinner ended with smiling faces.

  We waved goodbye to Mirabel, and I watched Sereza enter a separate carriage. As we boarded our own, I pretended to collapse from exhaustion and the others left me alone.

  The city rolled by, but I barely watched as I slammed my eyes shut. Only after I found myself alone in the bedroom did I finally relent and summon Galarion.

  "Master?" he bubbled.

  "Remove the headache, please. I'd like to go to bed."

  "Are you sure? Memories-"

  "I'm sure."

  Galarion dimmed but slid into my skull and sank his tentacles deep. As he pulled at the mental fatigue I collapsed onto the pillows and shut my eyes.

  Finally.