Zara reached up, and ignoring the state of her own hands gently traced the swelling around Zack’s eye. “Who did this?”

“It was Dorn again.” He used the moment to finish cleaning the blood from her face and then move on to smearing some cream onto her hands. He would only start looking after his own injuries once he was done with her.

While he was busy taking care of his sister, Tessa was more focused on the man self-identified as Second. “You seem to know something that even your leader doesn’t.”

Second leaned forward and poured himself a cup of tea. A couple of dark red and blue berries following the liquid out of the spout. “I do. It is my job to know everything possible. If he had bothered to ask me before accepting the Albright’s conditions on either his initial request or this job? I would have cautioned him against getting in bed with that family.”

She grabbed a small sandwich and proceeded to nibble on it while thinking. “Who is it you are expecting to arrive soon?”

“We’re having a nice talk here little lady, don’t make that change.” His kind disposition vanished in a second. “I just said that it is my job to know everything, that includes who the king and queen’s hidden advisor's are, as well as everything involving those people.”

Tessa frowned and tilted her head in thought. The rest of the sandwich disappearing into her mouth before speaking again. “You are the other hidden advisor.” It was a statement, not a question.

“That is an interesting leap to make.” He took a sip of his tea, a berry floating to the surface and bouncing off his lip.

“That isn’t a denial.”

He tipped the cup to her and changed the direction of the conversation. “Do you know why I am going through all this trouble?”

“I would assume, because of some privileged information, you know, instead of it simply being the right thing to do!” Zack interjected, letting them know that he was still following their conversation.

“Careful boy, I have the means to learn things you might want to know in the future.” Second swirled the dregs left in his cup.

Zack jerked and looked away from the bandage he was wrapping around Zara’s hand. “There are only a few things I think we would care to know.”

The old man carefully put his cup back on the platter. “I admit, there are many things about you both that I do not yet know. It had only been a short amount of time since I learned of your existence, after all. Don’t let that fool you, however, given enough time I can, and will know everything there is to know about you both.”

Zack finished wrapping her hands and focused on him. “If that is truly the case, then I would like to talk more with you at a later time.” He swallowed before continuing. “I have some information. That I am sure even you don’t know, I can give in payment.” He was referring to his ability to use mana crystals outside the portal. The man would know what that represented and its possible implications.

Second nodded. “That is how I prefer to conduct information between friends. The quality of information will decide how much information I give you at that time or is banked for later purposes.”

Tessa coughed. “You were saying about why you are going through the trouble of rescuing us from the cell your own people put us in.”

Zack turned back to his sister, and then to his own wounds after seeing that he had taken care of everything visible on her already. “Let go, please.” He whispered to her, pulling off his shirt when she hesitantly complied. A mass of angry red lines that would later turn into bruises greeted the eyes of all present.

“Where is Dorn?” Zara questioned with a dark look.

“I already sent him away,” Second said with a frown. “I had been debating on whether I needed to have a conversation with his grandfather before the crown’s ire comes down on them. After seeing this, however, I believe the family is no longer redeemable. Something like this, that boy’s attitude, is rarely developed within one generation. Unless Dorn is completely insane in some way. Which I do not believe him to be. At least not in a predisposed manner. He has the qualities of someone who was raised to think a particular way.”

Zara was returning the favor and cleaning each of his cuts and injuries. “It doesn’t matter, he’ll get his at some point.”

Tessa nodded, “He will count on it.” She faced away from the scarred body to her side. “Let’s try this again. Why did you bother to help us?”

“You should probably take these and drink some liquid,” Second passed a couple of pills to Zack. “These should help with that headache and nausea that I’m sure you are feeling right now. You should be more careful when it comes to head injuries and possible concussions. They can have lingering effects if you don’t take care of them properly.”

Tessa’s face was as red as her hair by that point, as the old man ignored her again.

Second shook his head mirthfully and smiled at her. “You really should calm down dear; the question is not important enough to cause you such distress.” He coughed and looked away, hiding a smirk. “Besides, I may have been exaggerating the importance and complexity of the answer.”

Zack winced as his sister wrapped his ribs for the second time that week and swallowed down the pills without complaint. Carrying his sister through the corridors had made the pain in his head pound with each beat of his heart. “I knew it. My answer was right. Wasn’t it?”

“In a fashion,” Second agreed. “You already know I do indeed have access to privileged information. That is part of my job. That, however, is not the main reason for bringing you here now. I could have simply left you all in the cell until you are rescued.” He looked at an old mechanical pocket watch he pulled from a pocket. “Which should be occurring any minute now.”

“Why then?” Tessa asked, gradually calming as he began to talk.

“Consider it a power play, as well as a show of respect to your mother.”

“A power play?” Zara tucked the tail of the wrap into place and began cleaning the blood from Zack’s arm. “That would mean that the crown wants control of this place?” She glanced at Tessa. “Assuming, of course, that you really are who she thinks.”

“I don’t think it’ll work out quite that cleanly,” Zack winced as the alcohol ravaged the torn flesh on his upper arm. “If the only group that shows up is from Tessa’s family, then it would be possible. Unfortunately, it is more likely a few people from the military will come as well. I would assume, that their presence would throw your plan off.” He faltered and looked down at his lap. “Then again, supposedly the Fist is authorized by the crown. It may not be a problem for you.”

Second played with the watch, his gaze changing the longer he looked at them. “You both show a level of awareness and reasoning that I wouldn’t expect in people so young or uneducated.” He slipped the watch back into his pocket and reached for his cane. “Being uneducated can be a boon at times. It allows the person to come up with ideas that someone who has been schooled might not. You don’t know the intricacies of what is and isn’t possible.”

Second, tightened the straps on the heat pad around his leg, and with the assistance of his cane, stood. “You only have your own observations to work off of, and the bits of knowledge you acquired along the way.”

Zara was confused. “I don’t understand what you mean. Are we right or wrong?”

“You’re both right, but the way you came about your respective conclusions I believe is wrong.” He hobbled over to the door and winked back at them. “Make sure to keep this conversation to yourselves, and Anna, of course. I will also be recommending that little Zara be admitted into the academy under the crown’s special scholarship.”

He stopped with his hand on the door and turned to look directly at the siblings. “With the protection of the crown, nothing will happen to her.” The door opened and revealed a squad of armed men with sergeant Grieves in the lead. Beth was standing to the side, unharmed, with her hands up.