I step out of my carriage with a deep sigh, feeling more tired than any day throughout my short time as an initiate. The weight of dread is heavier than the usual exhaustion after Kierra’s ‘love’. I anticipate a shitstorm of epic proportions and perhaps an equivalent amount of bloodshed.

There is a good chance I’m going to kill Arthur and killing him means I might have to kill William when he comes to the pig’s defense. Then maybe I’ll need to silence Marthe as a witness.

Alana I wouldn’t kill. I’ll kidnap her. Probably will have to gag her to muffle the thousands of curses that’ll flow from her mouth and bind her hands to keep them away from any pointy instruments. Not sure if it’ll make things easier or harder for me to smuggle her out of the kingdom when I run from my arrest order.

The thought makes me smile.

I don’t look at the reasons why too hard.

Geneva turns the carriage around as I walk toward the door. At the top step, the door is thrown open by my lovely wife.

I pause, eyeing her from head to toe. In a reversal from her usual style, she’s wearing a dress, a spotless white one that billows with the slight breeze. She smiles brightly, turning my violent maniac into a warm, inviting beauty. Even her long ears look adorable. Normally, they only contribute to her predatory visage.

“Hello, my love,” she says, voice practically dripping honey.

I leap toward her, examining her face closely and putting a hand to her forehead. “Kii, are you alright? Are you dying? Don’t worry. Between Geneva and Bell, we can figure something out.”

She pulls my hand down with a chuckle, kissing my fingertips. “I’m alright. Come. You’ve had a long day, hm? Sit down with me.”

She pulls me into the house, shutting the door behind me. She guides me into our living room. Two large vases are placed at either end of the couch with several bouquets arranged on the table.

The air is heavy with floral scents. Nothing overpowering. Beneath it, I can smell what I’m pretty sure is dinner in the oven. Is my wife cooking? The most cooking she’s done since coming to the house is cutting fruit and arranging platters. Maybe she’ll put together a sandwich every now and again. Geneva has decisively taken over the kitchen.

“Is something going on?” I ask, as she sits me down on the couch.

“What makes you think something is wrong?”

“That a joke? It looks like Gajin threw up in here. Or the garden initiated a hostile takeover.”

“Nothing like that.” She sits down beside me, wrapping her arms around my shoulders and putting her shapely legs over my thighs. Her silver hair brushes my cheek as she lays against me. “You know he’s been making cuttings. These flowers are known for their relaxing effect and the ability to soothe nerves. He had extra so I asked him to place a few around the house.”

“…is there a particular reason you’re putting out flowers that are meant to relax me?”

“For you to relax. Which you are not doing.” Her hand trails over my chest.

“That’s supposed to get me to relax?”

The offending hand retreats. “Tell me about your day. Did you manage to find a team? Or are you going to supplement your lack of connections with your peers with the pets?”

“You know about the qualifiers?”

“I am an instructor. I don’t know what objectives they will use but the basics were shared.”

“Well, you know we need a team of five. Wait. Do you think I couldn’t find a group of people to join my team?”

“Sure, dedia. You have Alana. As for the other three…I’m sure you could convince the young, spineless casters to bow to your will for a few days.”

“Or…I could make friends?”

She raises her head and smiles at me. “Of course you can.”

Why the hell don’t I believe you? What do you take me for? I can get along with people. “I have a team. A full team of five, not counting my elementals.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You might know one. Marthe? One of Alana’s friends. The one who hates nobles.”

“Hm. Don’t remember. She sounds like fun.”

“Oh, just a barrel of laughs. Besides her, we snagged a lovely gentleman by the name of William. Polite, soft-spoken, seems dependable enough. Respectful and ambitious, but not the ugly kind of ambition. I like him.”

“Not too much, I hope.”

“Don’t even joke about that.”

“I’d never. Then? Why did he join your team?”

“I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Wowed him with my ability and drew him in with my stunning personality.”

She chuckles. “And the real reason?”

“You…this is supposed to be relaxing me?” I feel the softness of her lips as she kisses my neck and melt. “Well, uh, the other initiates may have avoided him because his brothers want to kill him so there’s one less body trying to inherit their father’s fortune.”

“Pfffthahaha!”

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. It’s just that most of the initiates had already formed teams before I got there. It was slim pickings.”

“Yes, yes. And your fifth?”

“Ah. We found a dog.”

“A…dog?”

“Yeah. It walks and it talks. Good enough to fool the instructors, I think. Have to keep it away from women. Horny thing has no self-control and tries to hump every leg that it sees. It needs to get it fixed before I bring it around civilized people.”

“Sounds…interesting.”

“I guess. In the way cutting a worm in half and watching its separate parts squirm is interesting. They’ll be coming tomorrow for a training session if you want to meet them. I don’t recommend it though.”

“Oh?”

“Mm. We’ll probably have to flee the continent.”

“If that is your way of trying to convince me not to—”

“I’m doing a terrible job, I know. Now.” I turn toward her, slouching down so our eyes are level. Our noses are almost touching. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on? What you’re doing all of this for?”

“Can’t I do anything nice for you?”

“You do nice things for me all the time. Especially at night.”

“Mm.” I meet her as she leans forward, eyes slipping shut as I enjoy her kiss. Her hand gently cups my cheek, the exact opposite of her usual Lou-handling. She keeps it chaste and soft, pulling away with a soft sigh and a fluttering of her eyelashes.

I’m seriously concerned.

“If you keep this up, my stomach is going to twist itself into a knot,” I whisper to her with a tense smile.

“All of my efforts, down the drain.” With a blink, she rises from the couch and stalks away, once again a predator. I relax. Whew. For a minute there, I was really worried.

She comes back carrying three letters, a bottle of Herbanacle, and two glasses. She tosses the letters on the table. I notice they’re open but she grabs my attention by cracking open the bottle and pouring generous amounts of liquor for the both of us.

“Those arrived for you today. I suggest you read them while lubricated.”