Chapter Seventy-One: Vaults, Visitors, and Vows

I frowned as soon as my hand touched the front gate. Unsurprisingly, Jack didn’t miss a thing. “What is it?” she asked, tearing her eyes from the sad facade of our new home.

“The fence and the gate are spelled,” I explained. “It’ll only open for the first time for my magical signature.”Serena’s hand joined mine, a small smile on her face while she looked over my house sigil. “The spell is intact, then?”

“More than that, it feels like it’s been topped off. Recently.”

Jack huffed. “And you’ve got no clue who might be keeping it topped?” She peered around at the grounds as much as she could through the gate. “Think it’s alarmed?”

“Wouldn’t doubt it.” There was a pretty good chance someone would know the second I undid the seal, but there was little I could do about that right now. I pushed my magic into the gate and it clicked open. I raised a brow when it swung inward silently, its hinges freshly oiled. “If I didn’t know better, I might think someone knew I was coming.”

I walked onto the property with the others in tow. Jack fell into step beside me and shrugged. “You used your name back in Listone when you indebted Rhallani, then again when you turned in the Malek and the Valax queen. Odds are someone was paying attention.”

I grunted. “Maybe, but there aren’t many people who’d guess I’d head here.”

The front door had been grand once. Two large onyx doors with gold inlay. A layer of dust and grime dulled any sheen it might have had, but up close it looked to be in surprisingly good shape. No doubt thanks to the magical nature of the material. I looked around the entryway until my eye was snagged by a small symbol cut into one of the stones. A crude sword with a dragon curled around it. An imitation of the symbol Rolar had come up with for me when I’d joined the Seven. I looked for the stone directly opposite the mark, smiling when it turned out to be loose.

Jack snorted when I pried the stone out of the wall and reached into the hole left behind, coming out with a set of keys. “Seriously?”

I shrugged. “Can’t mess with the classics.”

“And how exactly did you end up with such a nice place?’” she asked while I unlocked the door.

“Belonged to one of our contacts,” I explained. “Old money family that managed to stay out from under Grimsbane’s thumb. They were part of an underground network we used to get spies in and prisoners out.”

The entryway only looked moderately better than the front of the house since it was at least protected from the elements. That didn’t stop the thick layer of dust that had settled over the everything in view. There was some furniture still underneath cloth tarps, but I wasn’t overly hopeful it was still in good condition. Especially considering the state of the city the last time anyone had stepped inside.

“And they just gave you their house?” Serena asked.

“Actually they were brutally executed for treason.” There would normally be plenty of natural light inside, but most of the windows were still far from clear, so I pulled out one of Elisa’s lanterns. “His family was taken as punishment and tortured. The others in the Seven, minus Rolar, agreed it was too risky to rescue them.”

“That’s…” Serena trailed off.

“Yeah,” I agreed, heading deeper into the decrepit manor. A double set of stairs split around either side of the main entrance hall and led up to the second story and hallways split off in both directions, but I headed towards a small door nestled behind the main staircase. “I disagreed, though. I slipped in through one of the secret entrances we’d been using and orchestrated a small jail break that ended up in some pretty nasty riots.”

My gut twisted at the memory. “A lot of people died on both sides, but the chaos I left behind forced Grimsbane to split his attention enough for us to get our first real foothold in the war.” Behind the door was a narrow staircase that went down into the darkness. I suppressed a shiver at the thought of going underground, but Serena’s hand on my back calmed my nerves. “The mother didn’t survive long after we’d freed her, but her kids worked with Rolar to leave me the manor and went overseas to live with some extended family.”

The staircase was only wide enough for a single person, so I led the way. Serena was immediately at my back, followed by Noelle, with Jack in the rear. “Zaren…” Serena said eventually, her voice soft. “You don’t think another war will happen, do you?”

I didn’t answer right away. That very question had been plaguing me for weeks now. “Hard to say. I think that if things had been left to fester, one would have eventually happened sometime in the next decade. Shit like what we’ve been dealing with? I have to assume those kinds of things happened during Grimsbane’s rise to power.”

“And now?”

“Maybe Allura bringing me back changed things. There isn’t anyone alive who wants to avoid another war as badly as me. Even for the ones who fought in the last one, it’s been three decades. For me? It’s been months.”

Serena stiffened behind me and I fought the urge to try and comfort her. There wasn’t really anything I could say to ease her fears, so there was no point. “We won’t know for sure until we have more information on what’s going on in the city, but trust me when I say I have no intention of letting things get that bad again.”

“Nobody ever does,” Jack grumbled.

When the stairs ended, we found ourselves in a narrow hallway that stretched off in either direction. One way went towards the secret tunnels I’d have to figure out mapping, but there was no telling how many of them remained after a war and three decades. I turned in the other direction, heading down a hall towards a large metal door with runes etched onto its surface.

“Is that a fucking vault?” Jack demanded, a hint of excitement in her voice.

I chuckled, searching the keyring for a small silver rod. I pushed some mana into it and it formed into a three sided key. I used it to unlock the vault door and heaved, yanking the heavy metal towards us. The hinges were on the inside, so it creaked horrifically as it swung outward, letting out a gust of magically charged, very stale air that made all of us cough.

The glow from my lantern reflected back at me off hundreds of sources. I pulled three more out of storage and gave one to each of the women behind me. “Careful not to touch anything, there are more than a few cursed objects locked away down here. Once we have time, I’ll have to get Rhallani to catalog everything down here.”Jack let out a low whistle at the swords, weapons, and piles of gold and jewels that filled the space. “Shit, Z, you didn’t tell me you were this fucking loaded.”

I stopped by a pile of gold bigger than me and scooped it into my storage. “Honestly? I forgot about it until I was looking over the blueprints with Cynthia last week. Even then I figured someone would have cleaned it out, but it looks like even Sandrel either couldn’t or wouldn’t.”

Jack rapped her knuckles on a set of faintly glowing plate armor. “Spoils of war?”

“Something like that.” I paused at a weapon’s rack. I recognized several of the arms on the rack, and pulled off an enchanted spear and a massive battleaxe, handing them to Serena and Noelle respectively. Then I sent a set of matching swords ranging from a shortsword to a two handed greatsword into my storage.

“A lot of it Rolar was worried about falling into the wrong hands,” I explained, continuing deeper into the vault. There were busts coated in jewelry, paintings, and racks of gemstones as well. “While the others in the Seven got all kinds of boons and power, I got this. It was more than I wanted, but—and I’m quoting him here—he wanted it in the hands of the one man he knew could never be bought or corrupted.”

Jack, who was wearing about eight necklaces and a ring on each finger despite my earlier warning, frowned. “It sounds like you and Rolar were a lot closer than the history books say.”

I shrugged. “I don’t know about close, but he always had a lot more faith in me than anyone else.” Myself included. “Besides, who better to leave dangerous and powerful weapons than the guy who already has an incredibly dangerous and powerful weapon?”

Speaking of which, now that we were safely in my manor and I was relatively sure we were safe, I summoned the Jailer’s Blade from my storage. Its first reaction was a trill of happiness at being freed from the darkness of my pocket dimension, followed by an air of superiority tinged by slight jealousy at the other weapons in the room. That was quickly dispelled by the wave of fear as it realized we were in a magically sealed vault, and it wasn’t until I reassured Ash that I had no intentions of locking the sword away that the bond between us began to settle.

Jack scooped up a handful of gold, letting it fall through her fingers. “Damn, you also neglected to mention that you’re loaded loaded.”

“Again, I expected the vault to be practically licked clean when we arrived,” I pointed out. “Besides, I wouldn’t go ordering any gold plated toilet seats just yet. Most of this is going straight to renovations and rebuilding the quarter.”

It was around that time a shiver went down my spine. “Someone’s here,” I said.

Rings clattered to the ground as Jack’s hands turned to flame and Serena whirled on the door to the vault. I chuckled. “Sorry, not here here, but up top. The gate is spelled to tell me when strangers cross the threshold to the property, and since I haven’t had the time to add any of you to the wards it sees everyone as a stranger. Come on.”

I locked the vault up behind me and banished its key to my storage so not even the greatest thief could lift it off me and we headed for the top floor. Noelle pulled her hood back up to hide her features and loosened her new axe in its harness while Serena and Jack both started readying themselves for a fight. Serena somewhat nervously, but Jack with a grin that made me as nervous as it did excited.

A trio waited for us just inside the gate. In the lead was a Dark Elf woman, her silvery hair tied into a tight bun and lines of age present on her face. At her shoulder stood a tall, red-skinned Oni man and on her other side was a hunched figure with a cloak that covered too much of him for me to see his features.

The woman’s gaze was hard as she appraised me, her lips becoming a thin line. The Oni shifted in a way that told that, even unarmed, he was dangerous. The Dark Elf clasped her hands in front of her, offering a slight bow. “Greetings, sir,” she said stiffly. “I am Alianna, a matron of sorts around here. We noticed your arrival and wanted to officially welcome you into the area.”

I gave her a slight bow in return. “Thank you. I figured someone would have eyes on this manor, but you arrived quickly. You can call me Zaren.”

The hooded one’s head shifted slightly, but Alianna’s posture stiffened. “A bold name to lay claim to,” she noted.

I shrugged. “Unfortunately for many, it’s the only one I’ve got.”

Her eyes traveled to the manor again. “For thirty years this manor has sat untouched. I’m curious as to why someone has finally come to claim it.”

“A long story,” I told her carefully.

A silence stretched between us, and I could feel the women at my back growing nervous. So far, it was hard to tell if Alianna was going to be a problem or an ally. She could be working with someone eager to get to the vault below, or she could be one of the unofficial leaders in the area. If she was the former, I needed to try and figure out who she worked for. If it was the latter, I’d have to find a way to get her on my side of things.

“Your disguise is impeccable,” she said finally, “but it’s a little too good. You look just like the Godslayer did when he left, just with longer hair and a bit of scruff.”

I rubbed my chin, a little offended. It wasn’t my fault I didn’t have access to a razor while on the road, but I felt like the hair on my jaw was a bit more than scruff. She had a point about the hair, though. If my girls didn’t like grabbing it so much when we were intimate I would have cut it a while ago.

“If it was a disguise,” I said carefully, “then I wouldn’t have been able to unlock the gate. Not without destroying the ward, the gate, or both,” I pointed out.

The hooded figure stepped forward and whispered something I couldn’t make out in the daylight and I felt a trickle of fear come from the woman. Not necessarily that she was afraid of me in that moment, but rather of the implications of what I’d just said.

“You’re the true property owner, then? Did you inherit from your father?”

“I’m the owner, yes. Deed and all.” I ignored the second part of her question since the truth was still more than a little ridiculous.

She swallowed, and that hint of fear twinged. “Does that mean you own all of Zaren Nocht’s other properties, then?”

Now her fear was starting to make sense. If she was some kind of representative—one that had an idea of which properties I owned—then it was no wonder she was keeping an eye out for me. If she was at all in charge of anyone living in a building I owned, then my presence meant they were in danger.

“It does,” I admitted, and all three of them stilled. I raised a hand. “I understand the situation is complicated, and I don’t plan on making any decisions until I’m a little better informed. But this isn’t a conversation that should be had outside like this. I’m afraid I still haven’t had time to go furniture shopping, but I still have plenty of my camp gear from when I was on the road. Would you like to come in and talk?”

Alianna hesitated, then [Danger Sense] pinged and [Giant Killer] had my Primal surging. I stepped in front of the knife hurtling at Serena and knocked it out of the air with a shadow I’d conjured without even needing to think. Then the hooded figure was in my face. A blade shot towards my throat, but it was a feint to distract from the other aimed at my groin. I caught both of the attackers wrists, but not before I recognized the opening. I raised a leg, slamming my foot down on the scarred, scaled tail before its barbed metal tip could sink into my calf.

“You’re pretty spry for an old man, Godslayer,” a raspy voice said. Vertically slit poison-green eyes peered at me from under the hood with amusement in them. Dark green scales dulled with age covered most of his face, and his smile flashed his long canines at me.

“And you’re still an asshole, Lizard.”

The flesh around his eyes crinkled. “Almost had you there.”

“Did you?”

He glanced one way to see Serena’s spear at his throat, then the other to see Noelle’s battleaxe poised to lop off the tail still trapped under my foot. He barked out a laugh. “Perhaps not.” He grinned and stepped back, holding his blades up in a nonthreatening manner, revealing his appearance as an aged green Dragonling. “Had to be sure. Zaren might have taught his kid all sorts of tricks, but I doubt he’d have passed on the secret move of some poor, insignificant reptile.”

I scoffed, crossing my arms. “Insignificant? Sure, and the three generals you assassinated weren’t important either.”

Alianna sucked in her breath and the Oni’s jaw dropped. “It’s really you, then?” Alianna breathed.

Lizard just chuckled. “Oh yeah, it’s him alright. This city is so fucked.”

I raised a brow. “Now can we take this inside?”

“Sure, sure, we can trust him,” Lizard said, waving his hand at Alianna. “Torq, go get us some grub, yeah? I’m guessing Zaren’s pantry isn’t exactly stocked to the gills.” When the Oni hesitated, Lizard spun him around and gave him a shove. “Go on you big wall of meat, those fists won’t do much against the Shadow of Death and I missed lunch to deal with this. Shoo.”

Torq took off, but Alianna remained rooted in place. “Samsol, be honest, what will this mean for us?” she said so quietly I could barely hear her.

But Lizard’s grin only widened. “It means things are about to change, and all the humans living in the upper quarter are in no way ready for it.”

Only then did she start walking, following behind us with Lizard in tow.

“Friend of yours?” Jack whispered to me as we walked in.

“Something like that. He taught me how to move around unseen, helped me with a lot of covert missions against Grimsbane,” I explained. I summoned a folding table and several camp chairs, setting them up around the table, then sat at one end.

“I don’t remember reading about a Dragonling assassin anywhere in the history books,” Serena said, sitting down at my right.

“Because he was very good at his job,” Lizard said with a toothy smile, sitting at the far end next to a still-stiff Alianna.

Noelle dragged her chair closer to me and sat close enough that I could put an arm over her shoulders. Considering I was trying to win over demi-humans, I did just that. She hummed happily, and I didn’t miss the slight surprise in Lizard’s eyes or the slight softening of Alianna’s expression.

Jack plopped down as Jack did, kicking her feet up on the table. “You think that’s cute, you should see him with his Arelim. Gods, the two are so in love it makes me want to vomit.”

Leave it to Jack to understand exactly what I was going for. Alianna, it seemed, would need a second, so I raised a brow at Lizard. “Samsol?”

He just shrugged. “Hardly my fault my old moniker ended up as a slur.”

“But the name of your old cat?”

“Hey! He was a very loyal cat!” Then he grinned. “Besides, I’d much rather talk about the girls you’ve got on your arm. Zaren Nocht with a harem. Never thought I’d see the day. ‘Bout time you found someone who could put a smile on that surly mug of yours.”

Serena’s hand found mine under the table. I shook my head at him. “Enough about my love life. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a little behind on the times.”

He snorted. “I’ll say. God bullshit?”

“Goddess bullshit,” I corrected.

“Naturally. Plan on burning down the town?”

“Strategically, of course.”

“Of course.”

I couldn’t fight back my grin. “Know anyone who sells matches?”

He grinned right back. “Boy, do I.”

Alianna finally sat forward. “So, just for clarity’s sake, you really are the Zaren Nocht?”

My grin faded. “I am.”

“And you’re here to claim your properties? Your place in this city?”

“Something like that.”

She took a long breath, then let it out slowly. “I see. Then I would like to ask that you at least give me time to try and find somewhere to relocate many of those who will be displaced. I represent a number of families in the lower quarter, and I have been given permission to…negotiate.”

I wasn’t sure exactly why she’d emphasized the last word until Lizard cleared his throat. “That won’t be necessary, Alianna,” he said far too quickly. “Zaren won’t be interested in those kinds of deals.”

My gut twisted as understanding tore through me. Serene must have understood as well, since she squeezed my hand. Alianna looked to be at a loss. “We have nothing else to offer,” she said softly.

I held both my hands up. “Why don’t we go back a bit, I think we’ve skipped ahead a little. First off, you don’t have to worry about me kicking anyone out just yet. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but I’m going to have my hands full just getting this place back to a livable state again.”

That calmed her somewhat. “I see. In that case, I’ll start on relocating immediately.”

“I won’t stop you, but I’d like to offer an alternative.”

Her gaze turned wary, but with a glance at Lizard she nodded. “Very well.”

“I just arrived in the city today, so forgive me for making any assumptions, but I’m guessing the economy in the lower quarter isn’t exactly booming.”

“Understatement of the century,” Lizard said under his breath. When Alianna shot him a glare, he shrugged. “No sense hiding it. Only people who buy from the lower quarter is people in the lower quarter, and we’re all broke as shit.”

“I think I can help with that.” Both of their gazes snapped to me, Alianna with careful curiosity and Lizard with amusement. “I happen to have a decently sized amount of money, and I’d like to start injecting it into the lower quarter.”

For the first time, I saw a spark of something in Alianna’s eyes. “I’m guessing you aren’t talking about handouts.”

“I’ll need labor of all kinds before long.” I raised a hand before she could protest. “I’ll only take people who want the work, and I’ll make sure they’re properly compensated. I’m not looking to indebt anyone right now past any household needs that come up, and even then I’d look to get people out of the Pens before I ever so much as thought about pulling people off the street.”

“What kind of labor?” she asked carefully.

“I’ll go out on a limb and assume many of my properties are in varying states of disrepair?” They nodded, Lizard a little more eagerly than I’d like. “So repairs will be a big one, both of my properties and the city around it. I can provide resources, but I’d like to give your people the opportunity to earn a little money in a way nobody in the other parts of the city can complain about.”

Alianna’s finger started tapping against the table. “Alright, I can think of plenty that would jump at the opportunity if I vouched for you. What else?”

“Any of the people in my properties business owners?”

“A few,” she said after a brief pause.

“Then we’ll need to work out some official deals so they’re legally renting the space. Whatever they can comfortably afford, of course. I can run things at a loss for a while until we start to get things turned around.”Alianna’s lips thinned. “Why? I find it hard to believe you’d go so far out of the goodness of your heart, and many others will feel the same.”

Lizard chuckled to himself, and I knew he’d already figured out a lot of what I had planned. I smiled as well. “The system relies on dependency. The less dependent the occupants of the lower quarter are, the more unstable that system gets. I didn’t kill Grimsbane just so that this bullshit version of slavery could get put into place, so you could say I have a bit of a vendetta.”

Her eyebrows rose in surprise. “You really are him, aren’t you?”

I looked down at Noelle, who hadn’t taken her eyes off Lizard once, then to Serena, who was smiling at me like she already knew what was going through my head. “I was him, once. Now I’m something different. Something better, I hope, but only time will tell.” I looked up to Lizard. “The old me would have burned the city down without a second thought and left everyone else to pick up the pieces, but apparently that didn’t go so well last time. This time, the other side won’t know what’s happening until long after they’ve smelled the smoke.”

# # #

We talked until the sun started to sink in the sky. Torq eventually returned with bags of some greasy fried abomination that might have been the best thing I’d ever eaten in my life. Noelle ate three helpings, which seemed to amuse our guests to no end.

After I’d started to work out the basic details with Alianna, we moved on to a less money-oriented discussion. I needed allies in the city, and I trusted Lizard. He and Alianna both promised to ask around and set up a meeting with important people in the quarter. Lizard—as Samsol—had become quite a figure in the Amesserian underground, and he promised to get in touch with some of his less legal contacts. I didn’t let them in on my full plan, but I gave them enough to get the ball rolling.

We were just saying our goodbyes when I heard a familiar squeal. Rhallani came charging into the room, taking everything in with stars in her eyes. As soon as her eyes locked on me she became a blur, slamming into me hard enough that I had to take a step back. “I love it!” she said. “This is gonna be so amazing when we’re done!”

I laughed and hugged her back. “Of that, I have no doubt. Did you send your message?”

She pulled back. “Yup. Tomorrow night is when I told her we’d meet.”

I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Good. The sooner the better, for your sake and hers.”“See?” Jack said. I looked over to see her standing next to Lizard with a shit eating grin. “Disgusting, right?”

Lizard chuckled. “That they are. I didn’t know his face could do that.”

I ignored them, turning my attention to the people meandering in through the door. Tiana came first, appraising the house with a curious eye. Behind her were the twins, hand in hand as usual, looking as star struck as Rhallani had. Then Nariko and Alice came in, followed by the High Elf sisters Elena and Liana, three humans I didn’t recognize, then Valith and Safina.

Ryoko came running for me, dragging a smiling Tsuki along with her. “Ren, this place is huge! There’s really going to be room for all of us, isn’t there?” she asked.

“There is,” I said, rubbing both of them between the ears. Ryoko beamed, and despite her carefully neutral expression I could feel Tsuki leaning into my hand.

Rhallani gripped my arm. “Can we explore? Claim rooms? Pleasepleasepleaseplease?”

“Sure,” I said with a laugh, “just stay together. The manor has seen better days, and I don’t want anyone falling through the floor or anything.” I summoned a few lanterns and handed them out.

“I will go with them,” Noelle said, wrapping one hand around Rhallani’s and the other around Ryoko’s. “I will keep them out of trouble.”

Ryoko dragged them along and they disappeared deeper into the house. Hands snaked around my waist from behind and I leaned into Tiana’s embrace. “Everything go alright?” I asked her.

“Perfectly,” she said, leaning her head on my shoulder. “Liana and Elena wanted to get a lay of the land so they can start planning out tasks to bring the manor up to snuff.”

I looked to where the two were standing somewhat uncertainly, then to the humans, who were all talking to Alianna. “And them?”

“From left to right, you’ve got Deetrik, Vanner, and Euribald. Deetrik is head of the company set to do all our renovations. Vanner is his second, and he got put in charge of the master bedroom since you went and gave Rhallani free reign.”

“I’m going to regret that, aren’t I?”

I felt her smile against my shoulder. “Actually, her plans are quite ingenious. I have to say I’m incredibly excited to see how it ends up.”

“And Euribald?”

“He’s apparently the one who ends up with most of the magically gifted demi-humans. He runs an artifice engineering company. Korey figured we could have him bring our wards up to snuff and get the manor outfitted with magic befitting of this decade. You know, like lights?” She tapped the lantern at my waist. “Rhallani also had some ideas for glyphs she’s apparently gone and created, and she wants to have some put around the house if they end up working.”

Alianna made her way over. “I must say, I’m impressed. Deetrik and Euribald say you’ve ensured them weeks of work already. I half expected you to bring in human construction companies.”

“Like I said, the lower quarter’s economy needs some help and I’m more than happy to contribute.”Her lips twitched in an almost-smile. “I see. Well, if that’s the case, I can start having furniture delivered to you tomorrow.”

Tiana groaned. “That would be wonderful. I miss beds so badly.”

Alianna inclined her head, much less stiffly than she had before. “I’ll get started on what we discussed, Zaren. If you’re being truthful, then I can’t wait to see what you’ll accomplish.”

She said her goodbyes and took her leave with Lizard and Torq in tow. I exchanged some words with the humans—Deetrik and Vanner both were understandably confused that I wasn’t allowed to know what the plans for the master bedroom were, but I reassured them it was fine—and I sent them with Safina and Elena to get an idea of what they were working with.

I’d expected Valith to go with her friend, but she hung back. “Boss, a word?”

Tiana said something about taking Liana to see the manor and I stepped aside with Valith. Jack was watching the room, but I knew she was listening to every word I said. “What’s up?” I asked.

Valith crossed her arms. “Been talking with Noelle a lot. She mentioned a bond between the two of you.”

I arched a brow. “Our Soul Link.”

She nodded. “That’s the one, yeah. It’s permanent?”

I thought of [Sever]. “For now.”

“I want a Link,” she said quickly, surprising me.

“I’m not saying no, but…why?”

She just shrugged. “For starters, Noelle has one and I won’t be separated from her again. Not now. Past that? It’s a useful tool to have in your arsenal, no? If I’m out spying for you and get into trouble, you’ll know immediately. No waiting for check-ins or having to retrace my steps. Plus, it makes you stronger.” She looked somewhat hesitant. “I don’t have to fuck you to form one, right?”

“No,” I said quickly.

“Then I want a Link. It only makes sense.”

Now it was my turn to cross my arms. “Is that the only reason? Because it’s useful?”

She glared at me for a moment, the huffed. “You’ve made Noelle a part of your family. You’re unlike any human I’ve ever met, and you’re the only real chance I have at finding and freeing the rest of my sisters. Being a part of this not-so-little family you’re building…” She looked away. “Don’t mistake me, I’m not looking to get into your bed or anything, but I’d like to be a part of the rest of it.”

I mulled over her words then held my hand out. “Only if you’re sure.”

She took it without hesitation and nodded. My pool was nice and full for once, so it took barely a thought before [Forge Link] activated and I felt Valith’s soul. It felt pretty much how I expected. Plenty of scars from the harsh life she’d led, and I could see the damage done to her every time she’d been forced to take a life. She wasn’t someone who enjoyed killing, and being forced by the collar into the role of assassin had done damage to her soul that would never truly be undone. But I could also see the loneliness in her heart. How badly she wanted a group to be a part of. A family.

I could feel the bond between her and Safina. A tether that had kept her firmly linked to sanity. The traces of hopelessness that were only just beginning to fade as her fate had started to become insurmountable. But the one thing I didn’t see was the shimmer. There was no mirage hiding a part of her from me. No pull between our souls that acted as a framework between us. When my skill activated, it was with the burning sensation of a bridge being seared into existence between us.

She gasped, and magic sparked where our palms met. It made both our muscles seize, nearly sending us to the ground as white hot magic poured between us, then it was over. There was no compulsion to strip my clothes and press my naked body to hers, thankfully, and it seemed the same was true for her as well. As soon as our muscles released, she let go and stepped back, shaking out her hand. “Well that was something. It worked, then?”

I checked my list of Links to see her name at the bottom and nodded. “It did.”

“Good. I want to get a move on as quick as possible. Anything else you need before I take Alice and disappear for a few days?”

“I should probably feed her before you go. Are you comfortable feeding her in case of an emergency?”“Sure, can’t be any worse than the shit I’ve already been through, right? I’ll go get her.”

As soon as she’d walked off, I checked my Essence.

[Soul Essence: 130/170]

My cap was up by ten once again, which meant it had cost the full thirty. The pattern was beginning to shape, and I wasn’t sure what to do with the information. Everyone whose soul shimmered cost less than those whose souls didn’t. I made a note to tell Rhallani later.

While I was lost in my thoughts, Jack approached me with an unreadable expression on her face. “I want a Link, too,” she said. Before I could say a word, she barreled on. “Look, we’re obviously connected somehow. My flames like you, and I don’t know what that means. The shit you’re doing, though? I want to be a part of it. Tearing down the Accords, doing whatever the fuck Allura expects of you, all of it. I’m not— I haven’t—”

She made an irritated sound in her throat. “It’s stupid, but all my life I’ve felt like there was somewhere else I needed to be. Something else I needed to be doing. I don’t feel like that anymore, and I just want a Link, alright?”

I put a hand on her forearm. “I was going to say yes, Jack.”

Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she simply said, “oh.” Then she flipped my grip and was suddenly dragging me down the hallway. She pulled me into a dusty room with just a few pieces of sagging, tarp covered furniture and turned. “Alright, how do we do this?”

I held a hand out and she grabbed it, her grip crushing. I opened my mouth and she rolled her eyes. “Yeah, Zaren. I’m sure. Get to it.”

“Bossy, bossy,” I chided. She just grinned, and I reached towards her soul.

Just like before, her soul burned so brightly it was hard to look at. Now that I knew its cause, I could understand the massive scar that nearly ripped it in half. The scar had originally been made when she’d fallen in the fire, seared into her soul by the pain and fear she must have felt. Then, trapped in bed unable to even care for herself or speak, faced with a hopeless future, that scar had festered. Seeped into the rest of her until it had nearly broken her. Only her iron will had kept her sane until her sister had saved her.

I was so blinded by the brightness of her soul I nearly missed it. For the briefest of moments I saw through the shimmer, as if the heat of her soul threatened to burn it away. I saw the flashes of…something. Something I didn’t understand. An echo. An afterimage. Something within her soul that I didn’t know enough to understand.

When her soul pulsed with uncertainty, I realized I was metaphorically staring. I offered the Link, and there was no hesitation as it snapped into place. Like it had with Rhallani, Tiana, and Tsuki, the Link seemed to settle on top of something that was already there. I felt like a part of me finally settled into place, only this time, something was different.

Heat rushed through my body. Desire ripped through me, only exacerbated by the magic sparking along my skin. It wasn’t like with Valith. It didn’t all surge through our palms in one go. I struggled to stay standing as the magic sought an outlet, but my eyes remained closed, so I couldn’t see how Jack reacted.

A second later, I didn’t need to. I was unprepared for scorching hot lips to crash into mine, the rest of her body following. She came at me with enough force that my feet left the ground and I slammed into the wall behind me, but before I could even think of pulling away one hand was in my hair while the other fisted my coat. I placed my hands on her hips, intending to push her away, only to pull her body into mine. She moaned, making my cock throb in response.

She felt my reaction to her and ground against it, drawing a groan from me this time. The second my lips parted, her tongue found its way past them. The heat in the room skyrocketed as she tasted me and suddenly I was flipping us around so that her back was to the wall. Some part of me tried to argue the move was to give me the leverage to pull away, but our kiss only became more forceful. My hand slid up her body, feeling every muscle and curve along the way, until it was cupping her cheek, tilting her head to give me better access to her scorching mouth and the spicy taste of her lips and tongue, all the while magic sparked wherever our skin touched.

Then the smell of smoke hit my nostrils.

I was vaguely aware something was burning, but her entire body was so fucking hot I couldn’t tell what was happening and didn’t care. Then she cursed, pulling away and shoving me back. The second we separated the worst of the effects faded. An apology was on my lips, but her eyes widened in panic before I could say a word.

“Shit! Fuck! Shit!” she cursed, lunging forward and swatting at the flames licking up the front of my shirt. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” she said, helping me put out the flames. My shadows had kept me from getting burned, but she still made a furious sound and ran her hands through her hair. “Gods-fucking-dammit!”

Fire was starting to ripple across her skin under her flesh, so I held up a calming hand. “Jack, take a breath. It’s alright, I’m fine.”

“Yeah, well I’m not! Shit!” She glanced at me, her amber eyes smoldering. “Shadows. I need shadows right now. Please. You can do that without touching, right? Now that I’ve got your armor?”

I nodded, summoning and commanding shadows just as I had before. “We’ll figure it out,” I told her. “And once you’ve calmed a bit, we can talk about what just happened.”

Because holy shit what a kiss. If she hadn’t literally set me on fire, I was sure there would be a lot less clothes involved right now, which worried me almost as much as it made my cock throb.

She nodded, running her hands through her hair. “Yeah. Yeah, let’s do that. I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me, I just—”

“Hey, no complaints here,” I said, grinning. “It was a pretty…hot kiss.”

That was apparently dumb enough to bring her to a stop. She flicked a hand and one of my own shadows lashed out and whipped me dangerously close to my junk. “That was horrible.” But she’d calmed somewhat. “Now, if it’s all the same to you, I need your shadows to give me so many orgasms I can’t remember what just happened. If you need me, I’ll be in the least flammable room I can find.”

She stared at me for a moment longer, something clearly on the tip of her tongue, before she turned on her heel and sped out of the room, leaving me to check the new holes that had been burned in my shirt. It seemed Tiana’s shopping trip was going to have to happen sooner than later. I ran a hand through my hair, trying not to think about the fact that I could still taste her on my lips. Feel her body pressed into mine. I hadn’t been with anyone built like Jack since Ria, and while my head was still spinning with emotions after such an intense moment, none of them were bad.

Well, except for the frustration that came from getting cock blocked by things getting a little too hot, but that was something I wasn’t quite ready to deal with just yet. I tried to get my hair under control, but Jack had left it a bit of a mess. Any longer and I might have to start tying it back. The thought made me chuckle as I left the room she’d yanked me into, but I froze when I came face to face with my harem.

Rhallani was the first to speak. “What the hell happened that had Jack storming off like—” She froze, and I watched as all four of them took in my singed and disheveled appearance in perfect unison.

A slow grin spread over Rhallani’s face. Tiana hid her smile behind her hand and Serena blushed. Noelle tilted her head to the side thoughtfully, though the hum that came from her chest sounded satisfied.

I had no idea where to even begin, so I just crossed my arms. “Valith is Linked. Jack, too.”

Smiles widened. “Linked, huh?” Rhallani teased. “How Linked are we talking?”

“Well, there are no burn marks on my underwear, if that’s what you’re asking.”

She actually pouted. “Well that’s a bit of a let down.”

I sighed and figured I’d throw her a bone. “There was one hell of a kiss, though.”

That made her light up, and instantly Tiana was wrapped around one of my arms, pulling me back towards the main entry hall. She brushed some soot off my ruined shirt with a smile. “You’ll have to tell us everything. Rhallani found us a nice room that isn’t as dusty as the ones around it, we figure we can sleep there till the big bedroom is finished.”

She ran her fingers through my hair, and from the amused look on her face I figured I hadn’t done a very good job of getting it back under control. “And she’s found a bathing room. Deetrik thinks he can have it up and running by the end of the week, but until then there’s an inn down the way that Korey recommended.”

“Fuck,” I breathed, “I’d kill for a hot bath.”

“There’s daylight left,” Serena said quickly, clearly just as desperate as me. “And there really isn’t much else we can do tonight.”

“Hells,” Rhallani said, chewing her lip, “you can definitely tell us all about getting hot and steamy with Jack while we’re all hot and steamy.”

Noelle hummed. “I would like to bathe with Zaren again. Last time was very nice.”

“We could just get a giant tub of water and me and Jack could make out a bit. That’d have it boiling in no time,” I muttered.

Tiana and Serena both giggled, and Rhallani was utterly delighted. I even heard a sound from Noelle that was almost a laugh, and all three of us reacted to it. She immediately looked down, her cheeks dark, but there was a smile on her face.

But when I saw Cynthia and my impromptu team of scouts waiting for me, I knew I wasn’t done just yet. I made a gesture to Cynthia to wait just a bit longer and she nodded, then I turned to my scouts.

Tsuki looked excited to have a task ahead of her, even if she was nervous about it. Nariko’s jaw was set determinedly, though I could feel her unease. I didn’t know much about her, but from what little she’d told me and Serena I knew she didn’t have many good memories of Amesseria. Alice was clearly excited, though I didn’t miss the glint of hunger in her eyes when they flicked to my neck. Valith was all business, ready and waiting for orders.

“Alice,” I started, “are you alright to feed?”

She nodded eagerly. “Yes sir. I won’t need any, um… help until the next time. And Valith and I already talked things over. She’s willing to let me feed if we get in a pinch.”

Valith nodded. “If that’s the worst thing I’ve gotta do under you, then my new life is gonna be a fucking dream,” she said with a grin.

I held my wrist out and Alice grabbed it eagerly. I was still half hard from my moment with Jack and the subsequent teasing of my girls, and as soon as her magic seeped into my blood I hardened fully. She leaned into my chest and took greedy pulls of blood while I addressed the others.

“I need as much information as you can gather. Don’t take any undue risks, and don’t stay out for more than a few days. I need to know about any groups or gangs, who controls what streets, and what names are being spoken in hushed tones in alleyways. Dealers of all kinds; drugs, weapons, or flesh. I need to know which devils I want in my pocket and which ones need to be expunged.”

Alice released my wrist, licking the wound clean while she knit it closed with her Sanguithurge skill. I could tell from the way she pressed into my front that she was a little blood drunk, so I let her hold onto my arm while I pulled out two pouches of coin. “These are for greasing any palms you might need to or buying whatever information is available. If you get in trouble, you do what you have to. Drop my name if you need, and make sure any lawmen who give you any trouble know that I will personally deal with them if they so much as lay a hand on you without damn good cause.”

“Not my first intel grab, boss,” Valith said with a smirk.

“No, but it is theirs, I’m guessing.” At their nods, Valith shrugged. “Be careful. I don’t like sending you out into the ether when I don’t know the players in town, but this is the fastest way to get info. If you feel like you’re drawing too much suspicion, you come straight back. Try not to do anything too illegal, either. If we’re going to stand a chance at changing things, we’ll need at least some reputation. And feel free to spend your money on food and clothes while you’re out. I put plenty of silver and copper in there so you won’t draw attention.”

Alice finally pulled away, though her pupils were very dilated. She took her spot next to Valith, only leaning slightly on her. They all gave me nods, and I relaxed slightly when I saw their determination. I didn’t like when my people were somewhere I couldn’t protect them. I’d hated the feeling ever since Esther. These four had survived their own hells already though, so I had to trust that they could do this as well. “If you do get caught or in trouble, be it with the law or someone else, know that I will come for you. You’re a part of my household, and that means something to me. Understand?”

That made them relax more than anything else I’d said, and I got four more nods. “Good. I won’t tell you not to take risks, but I will ask you to be as careful as you can until we’re more set up. The information you four find could make or break us in the next few weeks, so I’m counting on you.”

They all stood a little straighter, so I sent them off to say some quick goodbyes. Alice and Tsuki both went to where Noelle and Ryoko stood, Valith went to Safina, and Nariko made a beeline for Serena. I let them have their moments and turned to Cynthia, who already had bags under her eyes. Despite that, there was a fiery determination in her gaze and a slight quirk to her lips that told me she was in her element.

“How did today go on your end?”

“Very good. I’ve got deals worked out with Deetrik and his company, the artificers guild, a plumber, and a line on some furniture. I also spoke to a grocer and worked out a rudimentary contract for her to deliver in bulk since you plan to have a full household, but she said she’ll need the money for the first shipment up front since it’ll be considerably larger than what she usually handles. She’s local, though, which I thought you’d approve of.”

“You thought correctly,” I said with a nod.

“I also worked with Liana to determine what roles would best suit the servants you currently have under your employ.” She handed me a list of roles I had and roles I needed. “With the current size of your household, there’s a lot we can get away with right now just using overlap. As your numbers and needs grow, you’ll need more dedicated servants assigned to roles like cooking and cleaning.”

I looked over the list and nodded. I was sure I could talk to Alianna tomorrow about anyone with more specialized skills, or I could save a few more souls from the hell that was the Pens. I still needed to visit Amesseria’s, if only to see what it was like with my own eyes. From how different Listone’s Pens were to Anford’s, I was almost afraid of what I’d find.

But I pushed that thought aside for now. I said, “we’ll also need to get started on writing up contracts for any businesses operating on my properties. Income would be helpful, especially when we have to start worrying about taxes, but I don’t want to drive anyone out of business.” I saw her purse her lips. “And, since I’m absolutely heaping things onto your plate, you’ll need an assistant or two.”

I could see the relief in how her shoulders relaxed slightly. “I think that would be for the best, though it could take time to find suitable matches without any kind of reputation or contacts in the city.”

“Are you alright with demi-humans?”

“I am.”

I nodded. “Alianna is bringing some people with her tomorrow, I’m sure she knows someone who’ll fit your needs. I’d like you to be there for the meeting as well.”

“Happily, sir. I’ll have a writeup for your finances now that I’ve got more up to date information. Things are a little better than I anticipated.”

I bit back a laugh. “You have no idea. There’s an overflowing vault in the basement that we’ll need to catalog sometime this week. I’ve got a few hundred gold in my storage right now, and that barely dented the pile downstairs. That isn’t even including the magical artifacts. Once me and Rhallani have a chance to go through them, we’ll want to find buyers for the less dangerous or useful ones.”

Her eyes widened. “I see. Then our finances are in a very good place, but with how many properties you have and how much renovating you’ll need to do to make many of them livable, not to mention expenses and acquisitions, we’ll burn through it quickly. You’re still intent on paying your servants and employees?”

I tried not to get irritated that she even needed to ask the question. “I do.”

“Then finding some source of income will be necessary before long. Tenants will be one good source, and I’ll start working on fair contracts for any businesses already on your properties as well as any we might want to either purchase or move into your territory.”

“Yeah, we’re definitely getting you an assistant. Maybe a handful to start, and you can keep your favorites once we’re out of the shit.”

She smirked at that. “That sounds like a good plan, sir. Is it alright if I join Elisa at the inn for tonight?”My mouth watered at the thought of the baths. “If you’re willing to wait a bit, I think a number of us are planning to go that way.”

“Sounds good to me. I’ll finish up with Deetrik and Euribald while you rally the troops.”

I chuckled and we went in separate directions. I looked around at the sad entry hall one last time, taking in the coating of dust and the shuttered windows and the lack of any real furniture. The nicest thing in the building outside the vault were the camp supplies we’d brought. A part of me considered just bunking in the inn tonight, but there was something immensely appealing about sleeping under a roof I owned.

We were well on our way to getting set up in a permanent place. Once that was done, we could focus on gaining information. As badly as I wanted to raze this city to the ground, I knew better than anyone that the innocent would be the first to suffer. No, I was going to rain hell, but only once I knew where to strike.

Once upon a time, I’d have struck first and worried about the consequences third. I couldn’t afford to do that now. Not when I had the people I’d failed counting on me. I needed to make sure that whatever world I left behind after my deal was done was the kind of world I’d want them to live in, and the current state of the country was proof that I couldn’t trust anyone else to do it.

Though I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to tipping the scales a bit.