Adon watched as the female knights carried Rosslyn further down into the tunnel.

  Then he, the other arthropods, the young lords, and the rest of the knights followed after. He took one last, long look into level two, but the dust cloud that had been kicked up had still not quite settled. Nothing had moved through the air and disturbed the cloud, either. The griffins had apparently fallen back, though Adon had no direct line of sight.

  He wasn’t sure what he was expecting to see anyway. Yes, a massive chunk of the ceiling had fallen in, but that didn’t necessarily mean the level would look very different from what had been there before.

  Chances were good that the slight alteration of additional rubble would not even change the path that they would have to take to get back to the entrance once the dungeon delve was completed. At most, it might give them an object—the massive stone—to climb on top of when the level flooded, assuming that this floor’s strange flooding mechanic did not require the core actively interfering in the dungeon to be effective.

  He hoped that when they returned, the griffins would be allies rather than enemies—or at least not violently aggressive. Their shift in behavior had been so sudden, he thought Rosslyn was probably correct that it was compelled by the dungeon core.

  Adon finally turned his back and flew to catch up with the others, then slowed to keep pace with William, Samson, Frederick, and Goldie.

  As they advanced, he passively noticed the characteristics of the space he was traveling through. This tunnel was very noticeably less steep than the last had been, and there was no drip of water this time either. The environment here was clearly not intended to pose a challenge for the explorers who had made it past the second level. Perhaps because the second level could only be reached and cleared by a party of people good at spelunking. That might indicate that the next floor would test a different skillset than the last. He absorbed all of this information almost effortlessly.

  His mind drifted back and forth between what had just happened and expectations for the future. He kept envisioning the next level and future aspects of the delve and comparing what had already happened with what was likely to occur moving forward—as well as wondering how Rosslyn’s very dramatic expenditure of power would affect the rest of the expedition moving forward.

  He already knew it would increase tensions between himself and William. The young lord was still resentful and suspicious of Adon’s apparent role in Rosslyn’s decision to partially collapse the second level.

  But would Rosslyn have some sort of a power hangover from that light show back there?

  How would the dynamic among the party leaders change if Rosslyn was diminished? Adon was particularly suspicious of William, naturally.

  But the butterfly was pulled back to the present by a quiet, telepathic message from the first friend he had made in this world.

  Adon, do you have time to talk? Goldie’s voice carried up to him. Her words were clearly intended only for him.

  Of course, Goldie, he sent back immediately.

  You said we should hang out after you returned from the level, before, and I thought now would be a good moment to catch up, Goldie transmitted. When there are no distractions and nothing else pressing that we have to think about.

  Um, yeah, Adon replied. He had the strange and unpleasant presentiment that he was about to get a lecture or something. Part of that was the Telepathy doing its job. It was a weird feeling to get from Goldie of all people.

  Frederick, I am going with Adon for a little while, Goldie sent so that both the butterfly and the young lord could hear. We may hang back a bit behind the group while we catch up a bit.

  He raised an eyebrow, but the corner of his lip turned up, showing he was amused rather than suspicious—even if Telepathy had not informed Adon of exactly the same thing.

  “Go with the Goddess,” Frederick said quietly. “I know that there are probably no monsters in this transitional location, since there has been no dungeon break, but be careful anyway. This dungeon break has been a fairly tricky one, outside the usual parameters of what I would expect. It seems at once more formidable and less stable.”

  We will be careful, Goldie replied in what sounded like an affectionate tone. Adon hardly noticed in the context of the information Frederick had just provided. This dungeon was unusually tricky? What were the implications of that?

  After a few seconds of just fluttering in the air above Frederick’s shoulder trying to puzzle through he should expect going forward—and frustrated, because he still barely knew anything about how dungeons worked besides what his old monster incarnation had known—Adon remembered that Goldie was going off with him.

  He dipped down and inflated his size with Transformation, so that Goldie could climb aboard. Then they flitted up above the group, and Adon flew in circles until the group was a distance away where the butterfly did not feel any concern at the possibility of being overheard if he was careless with his thoughts.

  It’s good to be chatting again, Goldie, he transmitted, but did you have something specific you wanted to talk about? “Do you have time to talk” just sounds a bit ominous. He sent an awkward laugh along with what he said.

  Goldie responded with a laughter telepathic message, too, but it felt more polite than sincere.

  I will be direct, she sent. I do not know how much time we have to talk in this place. It is not that I have anything ominous to ask you. But the reason I wanted to speak, besides the pleasure of your conversation, is that I feel that you have been acting a bit off.

  Off? he asked back, his mind racing. His feeling had been right, after all, and he tried not to tense up in a way that she might notice from up on his back as he waited for some further, probably critical, words from his friend.

  Yes, you have not been quite yourself, Goldie replied. I do not know another way to put it. Well, I can describe what I mean, if you like. Ever since—well, I do not know, exactly, but you were not yourself when we entered the dungeon, so I know it is not a recent outburst of fear causing this change. Since recently, back at the palace, you have been different. At times quieter and at times more assertive than I have ever seen you. That would be fine, just—it does not seem like you?

  You aren’t wrong, Adon sent. He decided instantly to be completely honest with Goldie. The events of the last day or two were still weighing heavily on him, if anything even more so now that Rosslyn had knocked herself out seemingly due to his influence on her—at least per her last thoughts before she lost consciousness. He knew he could at least rely on Goldie to be a friendly ear and tell him if he was behaving like a crazy person.

  First, I have feelings for Rosslyn, Adon continued. Romantically. I’m interested in her.

  Goldie sent a simple, Yes, as if she already knew.

  Did I tell her that before? Adon tried to recall for a moment, but he’d had so many conversations with Goldie, including some about the Princess, that there were quite a few he would have to sift through. Then again, maybe I was just that obvious, he thought to himself very quietly.

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  Well, I have been trying to figure out how to do a humanoid Transformation for her, Adon continued. That was stressful, because it just wasn’t working out for me to be human sized. And more recently—well, you remember when Rosslyn and William fought back at the palace, right?

  How could I forget? Goldie sounded vexed. It felt completely pointless for two people to fight who had no intention of killing or even seriously harming each other, especially right before we were all meant to go into danger together!

  Right. So, I rigged the ending of that fight. I tripped William so that Rosslyn would win.

  Goldie was silent for several seconds, and Adon could feel her trying to contain herself. That information had made her even more frustrated than she had been in initially recalling the spar. There was a definite inclination to judge him in her mind right now, which was not something he had ever observed to any significant degree in her before. Just the presence of that sentiment felt a bit like he imagined getting scolded by an older sibling would feel.

  But when she actually responded, she was restrained.

  I suppose now it makes sense that you and William have been a bit tense with each other.

  He actually doesn’t know yet, Adon sent. Hopefully he won’t find out.

  Goldie sent back a little groan, then continued, How did Rosslyn feel about it?

  She did not take it as well as I would have hoped, Adon replied meekly. But she tried to be understanding. Probably more than most others would have been in the same circumstances.

  He described a bit of the conversation he’d had with Rosslyn. Even if he had not had Impeccable Memory, the exchanges would probably still have been clear in his mind.

  Goldie nodded, causing Adon’s body to shake slightly for a moment under the motion of the large spider. Even in his present, expanded form, it was a little awkward balancing with her body on top of him.

  I am not surprised that she reacted poorly, honestly, Goldie transmitted. I do not know how to say this… Well, what was going through your mind at the time, Adon? What was your intention?

  I didn’t want her to marry William, Adon sent. That was definitely a factor. But I don’t think I would have actually done anything, except that in the seconds leading up to the end, I remember him deciding he would try to break her arm! He wanted to injure Rosslyn badly enough that she would be out of commission for a while. She would have to rely on him to protect the Kingdom. The butterfly felt a surge of anger and disgust at the memories. That was his way of sort of forcing her to marry him, I think. I got a bit carried away emotionally. Maybe I was wrong and should have let it happen—or trusted Rosslyn to beat him.

  That whole situation was so gross, Adon thought to himself, reflecting once more on what had happened. I can’t imagine ever doing something like that…

  He had never told Rosslyn, because it would just be his word against William’s—similar to how he had not told Rosslyn the thoughts he had overheard from William after the young lord first arrived, about William’s views on Rosslyn’s future role. But even if he had felt nothing for the Princess but a sense of common—not humanity, he supposed, since he was technically not human anymore, but perhaps common decency as a fellow sapient—even then, he would not want to let William marry her. It was her choice to make, but it was something he would have wanted to discourage even if he was completely disinterested himself.

  Goldie was silent for a lot longer this time, to the point that Adon wondered if she did not know what to say or simply found the subject too unpleasant to discuss all of a sudden.

  Why is William still alive, then? she finally asked. She sounded angry, but Adon could tell she had worked hard to keep that feeling under control and had mostly bottled it up.

  Oh, Adon thought.

  Goldie continued, Is that not the act of a secret enemy? Trying to cripple your “friend” in a “friendly” sparring match, so they will be unable to fight their real opponents?

  Adon’s response was delayed in turn. He had expected judgment directed at him, not William. He was unprepared for her basically agreeing with him—and drastically amplifying his feelings. He needed a minute to adjust his thinking.

  Perhaps the world of the garden is further from this one than I realized, Goldie added before he could reply. She was already cooling down a bit. You have your reasons for trying to straddle a line between treating William as an enemy and as a friend. Just as Rosslyn has her reasons for the maneuvers she makes. You are becoming a political creature, as she is. Things were much simpler for us when enemies were simply creatures you ate. I have enjoyed that much about the dungeon so far. The palace is a more complicated place…

  I’ve been realizing that, slowly but surely, more and more every day, Adon agreed. More than anything, my goal in this life has been to succeed at relationships. Other people. The one thing I consistently failed at in my—um, in the past. He had recalled suddenly that Goldie was sometimes uncomfortable with discussing past lives too directly. But it still isn’t easy, even with literally thousands of years worth of life experience and the power to read minds.

  Damn, he thought to himself. That sounds really pathetic when I articulate it like that. I guess wherever you go, there you are. Stuck with yourself. If I’m the problem, when will the problem be solved?

  Why would it be easy? Goldie sent, unknowingly interrupting his thoughts. You are doing something for the first time. It is only natural that it would be hard. We already know that you have no shortage of courage. Just take it slow, Adon. You have been rushing into things, I think. Time is on your side. From what I can see, and from what Samson and Frederick have been telling me, you have every advantage in the social sphere.

  Frederick? Adon thought. Since when has Frederick been sharing his social and political ideas with Goldie? Are they that close? Well, they did sound close before, when she was talking to him.

  He felt happy for his friend, as long as Frederick did not want to make her do anything that she would not want to do.

  You are the Kingdom’s sacred creature, Goldie continued, and the Princess holds you in high regard. William, on the other hand, and the other Dessians, are just a means to an end for her. If you are patient, you will win the competition that you are in by default. They will go home, and you will still be here.

  Samson and Frederick told you all that? Adon replied. Frederick is aware that Rosslyn sees him and the knights as just “a means to an end,” and they’re still here?

  It was mainly Samson, but when I broach these subjects and matters like them with Frederick, I get similar responses, Goldie sent.

  I’m surprised Frederick would tell you anything that goes against his and his brother’s interests, Adon sent.

  It works well, since he knows that I am not like you—not quite, at least. Not devoted to this country as if it must be my home forever. Not deeply attached to the Royal Family to the same degree, although I feel affection for Rosslyn. What you have told me about William is disturbing, but Frederick is not so bad, I think. I have been talking with him more and more since he came to the palace, and especially since we left the palace. He is very direct about what he wants and how he sees the world. It is refreshing. More like what I am used to.

  The butterfly was slightly confused, albeit certainly still pleased for Goldie. He wondered how well she and Frederick actually understood each other. Did the young lord know that Goldie was a widow? How much did Goldie know about Frederick’s preferences?

  And that last sentence…

  He’s more like a spider? Adon asked.

  Spiders go after what they want and make no pretenses, Goldie replied. That is my read of him. But he also understands the political stuff better than I would want to. We are moving far from what I wanted to talk about now, but at least I think I understand—

  There was a sound of footsteps moving toward the arthropods, and Adon, who had been flying in circles, turned around so that he and Goldie could see who—or what—was coming.