“That was truly an amazing meal, Captain,” Morgan said, reaching out to shake Gella’s hand. The captain took it warmly, pulling his pipe away from his lips with his other hand and gesturing to the deck of his enormous airship.

“Sure you don’t want to stay aboard a bit? We could take a tour over the mountains to the north, and I could show you the encampments of those Urghat that were giving you all trouble.”

“Thank you for the invitation, Captain, but Morgan needs to get me home,” Issa said, helping Morgan to bow out. He was exhausted and grateful for Issa’s intervention—it felt like he’d been playing defense all night, avoiding one invitation after another from the captain, Tanna, or Baron Finneal. The only member of the dinner table that didn’t seem to want Morgan to do something or go somewhere was the hulking, Haku-dak. Even now, the big Shadeni leaned against the far railing, sipping a crystal goblet of brandy, seemingly unconcerned about anything but the mysteries at the bottom of his glass.

“Yes, rest is important for those in your condition, Lady Issa,” Tanna said, leaning close and speaking so softly that Morgan almost didn’t hear her. Still, he stiffened when he thought of the sorceress mentioning Issa’s pregnancy—they hadn’t brought it up to anyone yet. Gella must have seen how his brows furrowed because he cleared his throat and gestured toward the colony.

“You and your people should be proud, Morgan. The design of your burgeoning city is elegant yet simple—commerce will thrive here.”

“Thanks, Captain. I’ll pass your compliment along to the planners. Thanks again, all. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again before you leave.” Morgan didn’t wait for a response; he simply stepped next to Issa, and pulled her close, like he was going to hug her, then his massive wings snapped out, and he leaped over the railing, gliding into the night sky and down toward the grassy field near his tower. Issa, for her part, didn’t cry out or act surprised; she just hugged him tight and put her face into his chest, and then they were down, and she let out a shaky breath.

“A little warning would have been nice!”

“Sorry, it rattled me when that woman mentioned your pregnancy. I couldn’t think past getting us out of there.” Morgan unwrapped his arms from Issa and took her hand, walking with her the short distance to the steps leading up into the tower. They passed by the new stables, and he said, “Nice job on the stables, by the way. Are Munch and Gopp happy?”

“Yes, and Blue. Don’t worry about Tanna, Morgan. She was trying to get a rise out of you—they were pushing you all night if you didn’t notice.”

“Oh, I noticed, all right.”

“The only one with any real brains is the quiet one, Haku.” She climbed the steps ahead of him, and Morgan held onto her hand, pulling until she looked back at him.

“What do you mean by that?”

“The others were feeling you out—trying to gauge you somehow. He’d already taken your measure just by observing and knows he wants no part in any trouble with you.”

“You got all that by observing his what, his silence?” Morgan pulled her close so that she was looking into his eyes, two steps up from where he stood.

“His silence, his sidelong glances at Tanna and Finneal, his heavy sighs at their clumsy attempts to rile you. I’m not sure what game they’re playing at, but he’s eager to be away.” She leaned forward and rested her forehead against his. Morgan savored the warm tingle where their skin met.

“He might be eager to be away, but I worry about their sponsor, ap’Gravin. It can’t have been cheap to send a ship that size out here. Imagine the normal business they're missing out on by being here. They won’t be happy to leave empty-handed,” he said softly, finishing the last words with kisses, first on her chin, then her nose, and then against her soft, warm lips.

“Well, you didn’t show any weakness. They know they’ll have to tangle with you if they’re going to do anything underhanded with their contracts or anything else. Not to mention Olivia’s probably setting up the portal to the academy as we speak.”

“Right. I get the feeling Olivia would like an excuse for another round with Tanna.” Morgan allowed Issa to pull him up the steps, inhaling deeply of the night air. “Well, at least the dinner was good.”

“Ancestors! Wasn’t it amazing? I didn’t know there were so many spices in the world!” She pulled the door open, and they walked into the tower. “Let’s go to bed, Morgan. I know you’re considering exploring the top of the tower some more, maybe even having a go at the final guardian, but can we just have a night to ourselves? You can talk to Tiladia about it tomorrow, okay?”

“Yeah, all right. I really do want to finish the tower guardians, though. Do you think it’s a bad idea? I kind of already did talk to Tiladia about it—she’s not able to give me any information about the final guardian.”

“Well, you tell me,” Issa said, still guiding him toward the stairs. “You mentioned the seventh guardian wasn’t that difficult.”

“That’s just it—I think it was supposed to be a lot harder, but he’d grown fond of Tiladia, and I have the feeling he was pulling punches in our fight.”

“What? You didn’t tell me that. Tiladia and the seventh guardian were friends? That’s awful, Morgan! She lost a friend?” They walked onto the steps, hand in hand, both thinking about their suite on the seventh floor.

“Yeah, Issa. I feel so sorry for Tiladia, and that’s one of the reasons I want to finish the tower quest—I want to have full access to everything about the tower, including the basement and the automated systems, and, God willing, whatever is holding Tiladia here. What if there’s a way for me to free her?”

Morgan glanced around, suddenly wondering where the dragon spirit was. Was she listening to them talk about her? He didn’t want to call her because he’d rather not cause her distress by talking about things that might be sensitive topics. “Anyway, let’s talk about it tomorrow. Tonight I’d like to spend some time just talking about things that are important to you. Let’s start with your doctor’s visit this morning—I want you to tell me everything Dr. Cho had to say.”

“Come on, then,” Issa said, leading the way off the landing and into the sitting area of their room.

“Let’s go out on the balcony. I haven’t even had a chance to enjoy our view from these rooms.” Morgan led the way through the bedroom and then opened the glass-paneled door that led to one of the balconies that surrounded their suite. Comfortable wicker chairs provided a spot to lounge and look out over the bustle of First Landing. From this particular balcony, they could see Green’s Tavern and Bronwyn’s Hill, and Morgan sighed happily as he sat down next to Issa, still holding her hand.

“She says their hearts are strong and offered to tell me their sexes. How do you feel about that, Morgan? Do you want to know?”

“Why? Did you let her tell you?” Morgan’s heart began to race, and he squeezed her hand even more tightly.

“No, silly! I didn’t want to know until I spoke to you first. I’m scared! What if they’re girls? I don’t know how to deal with girls, Morgan!”

“Oh, God,” Morgan laughed, “I don’t know; I think a couple of sweet little girls running around the tower are just what this place needs.”

“Seriously? You know Ykleedra has four baby sisters in the atrium, right?”

#

“Well?” Baron Finneal asked, watching the man with the enormous dark wings glide down to the grassy field below.

“Well, what?” Tanna ap’Cilla asked.

“Don’t play coy, bitch,” he growled. Haku-dak snorted from where he gazed over the rail a few feet away, and Captain Gella walked over, holding out his hands.

“Let’s not fight amongst ourselves—we’ve enough problems, don’t we?”

“Well, tell your witch to be more forthcoming,” Finneal said, spitting over the rail and twitching his large, luminous wings.

“I’m nobody’s witch, Finneal, and you know it! Least of all this little welp of an airship captain.”

“Please, please! Can we just get down to business? Were you able to get a read on his signature? Can it be done?”

“Yes, and yes,” Tanna relented. She touched the round blue crystal hanging from her neck. “I have his readings here, and given enough time, I can construct wards around his tower. I should be able to hold him within, even preventing him from using gateways or teleportation tokens. For a time, anyway—he’s stronger than he should be.”

“We should cut our losses,” Haku-dak said, his low voice rumbling over the airship deck.

“What?” Captain Gella asked.

“If you try to lock him in, and he gets out, I won’t want to be around when he figures out what happened.” He spoke matter-of-factly, and Gella stared at him open-mouthed—he’d never seen the huge Shadeni admit to fearing anyone.

“Frightened?” Baron Finneal sneered.

“Smart. I’d think you’d be smarter still, having felt his strength, however briefly.”

“So he threw me off; I had plenty more ready for him.”

“You really that slow?” Haku-dak snorted again, drawling his words. He reached into his vest for a tin of yiil weed, making a production of stuffing a large wad into his lip, then he continued, “You think that guy didn’t have a few tricks ready to go, also? Forget tricks. You saw his armor—that suit he wore was tier five gear. At least! You didn’t think to wonder where he got it? Do you think they fought some Urghat to get gear like that? You saw the crown the Elementalist was wearing. Speak true, Tanna. I know you felt the heat of it!”

“The brutish warrior speaks reason,” Tanna said, gazing at the tall, dark spire of the Human’s tower. “He speaks what we’re all thinking but are too stubborn to admit—we might be higher level than the Human champions, but there’s something off about them, something that makes them more dangerous than their level would imply.”

“Are you going to explain to Lord ap’Gravin why we returned empty-handed, then?” Captain Gella asked. “Because, believe me, I’d much rather avoid a conflict and just head back tonight, but I’m not going to be able to stand up to him. You know what he’s like. There’s a reason you’re all in his debt!”

“Just start working on your wards, ap’Cinna,” Finneal said sharply. “If Haku-dak and you are afraid, I’ll deal with Morgan Hall should he find his way free before we deliver our cargo. There’s a reason I was known as the Scourge of the Nine Towers.”

“Right, because slaughtering Bogoli children and merchants has prepared you to face a deadly alien champion. Makes sense.” Tanna said, smirking. Finneal wasn’t amused, though; dark, shadowy winds began to whip over the deck, gathering around him, and his eyes grew dark to match while his outstretched hands lengthened into black talons.

“Stop it!” Captain Gella said shrilly. “Ancestors! How am I supposed to succeed in this mission when my assets are constantly at each others’ throats?”

“Yes, you should stop,” Tanna said, her entire body frosting over. Clinking droplets of crystal ice fell to the deck around her, and red sparks danced in her eyes.

“Fools,” Haku-dak said, with a final snort, spitting a black wad of yiil weed juice to the deck and turning to walk below decks.

“He’s got a point. I’ll save my Energy for a real fight,” Finneal said, launching himself into the air with his glittering wings. He trailed motes of Energy as he flew toward the center of the Human settlement.

“He’ll go and drink with the Humans and be back to his normal self by morning,” Gella said, walking closer to Tanna. “Are you sure you can make the wards?”

“Yes, and please don’t ask again. I’ll need some time, though, a few days at least. Please keep Finneal out of my workshop.” She followed in Haku-dak’s wake, and Captain Gella stood alone on the deck, rubbing his temples.

“What an absolute circus,” he said, pulling a silver flask from his vest pocket and taking a long pull of the sharp liquor within. He could only hope Tanna wasn’t boasting and that she could craft the wards in the time she promised and that they’d work. That would mean a few more days of playing nice, and then they could begin their “plan B.” Lord ap’Gravin may have wanted thousands of volunteers signed into iron-clad contracts. Still, he’d be happy with a few hundred special “volunteers” delivered beneath the usual channels and available for special assignments where their futures would be entirely moldable by the Lord’s interests.