Some nobles envied peasants. The simplicity of their lives, devoid of complicated machinations or plots. Their freedom, able to go and do what they pleased without worrying about their actions desecrating the reputation of their family. Their passion, still burning fiercely without the smothering influence of etiquette.

Sebastian didn’t envy the common man a single thing. There were things about his position he didn’t like, or outright hated, but it was always preferable than being a laborer no different from the man wielding a hoe or a hammer beside him. He could never stand to be no one. To be like those who served him, dedicating themselves to a man who would never remember their names. Sebastian loved being king. He loved being the man the room turned to for answers, even if he didn’t have them. He wanted to be known. For his name to be recorded in the history books…for the right reasons.

The last thing he needed was future generations remembering him as the king who let the kingdom be decimated by crazy elementals and unhinged summoners. He had never been a religious man, but the incredible and unexpected collapse of the Grimoire family had almost made him worship the saints. He couldn’t believe his luck and had pounced on the opportunity to rid himself of the succubus plaque once and for all.

The Grimoires had preyed on the capital for generations. Being known as the man who banned the creatures from their world was a legacy he would be proud to leave behind.

He didn’t expect it to be a simple operation but the last thing he expected was a cabal of irate summoners to conspire to unleash a drakkon. He didn’t understand them. After consulting with his advisors, the creatures he banned were legitimate threats but useless elementals that the summoning community had no interest in. They were just meant to shroud his true targets, the succubi, so the Grimoires, now the Masons through the actions of its young patriarch, couldn’t accuse the crown of targeting them. He was and everyone knew it, but appearances mattered.

His advisers had assured him that the other banned elementals were inconsequential and, for once, he was utterly shocked that they had no idea what they were talking about. At most, he should have gotten a few strongly worded letters. Maybe a group standing in his audience room, screeching about however they thought they’d been wronged. The last thing he expected, or would even conceive, was them allowing an overgrown snake to rampage in his capital. That wasn’t the legacy he wanted attached to his name and he was determined to make sure it didn’t happen.

His door opened and an elderly man dressed in an impeccable suit stepped in. Edward, Sebastian’s manservant and his father’s before him, was normally a stickler for propriety but reverted to his time as a soldier for important things. As in, letting his commanding officer know about the trouble as soon as possible. “My liege, I have the reports you wanted.”

“Excellent.” Sebastian pushed aside the report from the city guards he’d been skimming and eagerly took the papers from the other man. The one on top was from his son. He smiled as he read the triumphant words. “Dowager’s doing well. He estimates they’ll be back before spring.”

“It’s good that the prince is safe.”

“Safe and successful.” If there was a hint of bitterness in his tone, he didn’t hear it. “I admit, when the boy said he wanted to be a warrior king, I expected his first battle to snuff out his enthusiasm. He sounds more excited than ever to lead men to war.”

Sebastian shook his head as he set the report aside to go over in detail later. He’d have to give his son’s ambitions serious thought. If Victory’s casualties from their last campaign were as bad as his spies suggested, it was a prime opportunity for the crown to intervene. He dreaded the day the James family conquered the north but if they did so alongside the crown prince…

His smile waned as he read the second report. One written by the interrogator that had “questioned” Jacquellin Tome. He hadn’t felt good making that decision, but one woman’s privacy couldn’t be weighed against the safety of thousands. It was a sin he was willing to bear for the greater good. A sacrifice that seemed pointless.

“She really didn’t know anything about this cabal,” the king mumbled once he finished reading.

“Her father guaranteed as much.”

“Would you trust a man his own family calls Jackal?” He sighed. “I don’t understand why she made such a fuss.”

“She didn’t wish to implicate her cousin, no doubt.”

That was the one interesting piece of information in the whole report. It would seem Lourianne Tome had some kind of alliance with Gordon Mason. Something that should have been impossible given their families’ history. He might investigate it, as the last thing he needed was the succubi worming their way into a foreign power, but it had nothing to do with the cabal. The Tome girl could hardly have been plotting treason in the capital while in the north.

He supposed Jacquellin’s loyalty was admirable but at the moment, he could only think of it as annoying, as it had wasted valuable time. At least her father was cooperating. From the report, he didn’t imagine his attempts to placate the young woman would go very far. “I don’t suppose we can keep her in the dungeons?”

“Was that a serious inquiry, my liege?”

“No.” Sebastian wasn’t heartless. “But it might be best to ferry her out of the capital and give her enough to take a small vacation. Give her some time to relax and recover from her…ordeal.”

“She’s connected with the Guiness Company. They can make trouble.”

The king scoffed. “What exactly will that man do? The golden boy is a businessman, first and foremost. Fighting with the crown isn’t good for business. It’d be different if he was getting tangible benefits from the elf, but they are partners in the marquis’ dreams. We’ll talk to her, try to get her to see reason, but if she doesn’t play her part, we get rid of her. At least until we can capture these summoners.” If he paraded a bunch of madmen who wanted to deliver the whole of the capital to a monster, the people wouldn’t care how their king had stopped them.

“It would be best to convince her.”

“I want you to handle the conversation personally. You know what you can offer.” Sebastian waved off the matter. If she didn’t have any information, the girl was unimportant. Mayhap delusional, if she really believed she could sail across the sea to a ready-made kingdom. Even if her family had once been royalty with the help of some powerful elemental, that land had already crumpled. The only thing waiting for her would be ruins, if that. He might have done her a favor. It was obvious she needed an introduction to the harsher realities of life.

“More importantly, we need to find these summoners. Starting by identifying everyone involved.” He could assume the Mason boy was involved, for obvious reasons as well as his telling absence from the capital, but was clueless about any other conspirators.

“Other members of the summoning community would be able to identify them.”

“Which means Jackal.” Sebastian sighed. The king had hoped that he wouldn’t need to use the nobleman. He really hated the man’s type but, unfortunately, he knew exactly how to deal with them. “Edward, prepare a banquet. It’s time to make a man look important.”