Malia made her way down the dimly lit hall, fighting against the trepidation building in her chest. This part of the manor was close to the original core, and the wood had darkened with age. Despite the care that had gone into the maintenance, the boards creaked under each step, adding an air of foreboding to her journey.

This was not the first time she had been called to meet with Lord Hesling, but she couldn’t think of any reason for this particular meeting. She had snuck away from her shift at the library briefly to sneak a peek at the new recruits training through the window, but she was sure that no one had seen her. Could someone have followed me or Deilan to the restaurant that night? Caspien was trailing us, and he swore no one was watching us as we entered or left.

Her mind was no clearer as she reached the large wooden door that led to Fileus Hesling’s private study. The door had a strange sheen, the result of some process used to harden the wood. She knew that many other, more subtle methods had gone into reinforcing this room. In many ways, it was the heart of the estate and therefore the most protected. I wish I could have just an hour alone in there.

Pelis and Welmer, the guards at the door, nodded their heads to her as she approached. She was familiar with them, but as members of Hesling’s elite forces she hadn’t had the opportunity to interact with them. They lived on the grounds, and rarely left unless it was to escort their lord or a member of his family. They creep me out a little too. I don’t think I’ve ever seen either one smile. Come to think of it, I’m not sure I’ve seen either of them blink either.

She was tempted to stop to chat and attempt to build some rapport, but Pelis had already knocked upon recognizing her. After a short pause, a muffled basso voice could be heard from within the room.

“Send her in.”

Pelis swung the door open, allowing to walk through. As always, the study was an impressive sight. A fireplace burned merrily along one wall, casting the room in flickering light. Along the walls to either side of the door,a pair of bookshelves dominated the walls. One shelf was dominated by positively ancient looking tomes, the leather covers cracked and the text illegible. The other was filled with what appeared to be journals, organized by age. The highest shelf rivaled some of the older volumes in decrepit appearance.

On one side, I’m almost positive that the books are the banned texts that the Hesling family has managed to hide away over the years. Anything considered too dangerous for the main library would be here. On the other, I’m sure they’re The Hesling accounts dating back generations. I’ve seen him writing in his own journal before returning it to that shelf, and it’s easy to assume that his predecessors did the same. I’m not sure which I’d want to read more.

In the center of the room, where it could be framed by the fireplace, sat Hesling’s desk, its hardwood surface had long since been polished into an almost mirror like sheen, from the few times she had seen a clear spot on the surface. Lord Hesling frequently had one project or another strewn across its surface, in an order only he could discern.

He sat on his high-backed chair, idly flipping through pages of some sort. She took the opportunity of his distraction to walk closer to his desk. From behind her, a heavy thump indicated the door closing behind her, causing her to jump slightly. This appeared to be enough to drag his attention away from his reading, as his eyes snapped to her.

He was a fairly daunting man, even without the titles. He was taller than most, and he had enough muscle that it could be hard to distinguish between himself and those guarding him. His dark hair had only recently begun to show signs of greying, and his dark eyes had a sharpness to them, even when he was being congenial. Altogether, he was the quintessential noble, something he had leveraged well in his time on the council.

“Malia, thank you for coming so quickly. I hope the library duty isn’t proving to be too onerous.”

She felt herself begin to shift under his attention, but managed to stop herself before it was noticeable. Be calm, stay smart, stay safe. “No sir, I’m happy to perform my duties wherever you need me.”

He laughed at that, a hearty chuckle that brought lines to the corner of his eyes. “Please, be at ease. I realize that the assignment was an unwelcome one, and perhaps somewhat undeserved. I was understandably upset that someone had managed to break into the estate and steal something, even if it was just some flowers. That being said, you and Demaric performed your duties, even retrieving the stolen item. I would have preferred the thief as well, but I understand that your talents lie more in defense than pursuit. It’s what makes you a fine guard.”

She let the compliment wash over her, knowing that it was leading to something more. It was doubtful that she was being called in for a mere apology, and she wanted to be ready for the other shoe to drop. Despite her concern, she did feel some relief at his words. At least that particular stain won’t stick, it seems. She gave a slight nod and waited for him to continue.

“That being said, it seems that the assignment resulted in one interesting encounter for you. What can you tell me of this Deilan Trensk, and your interactions with him?”

A spike of panic rushed through her, and she focused on her fractal pattern earth internal fortify against to give her time to shore up her resolve. The pattern was intended for physical reinforcement, but it had the positive side effect of inhibiting physical reactions. She used the time to trace back the story she had concocted, making sure to change to wording slightly.

“As you remember from the last time we spoke, I met him as he wandered down the hallway to the library. I stopped him to ask him where he was going, and he stated that he had gotten lost looking for the exit. He seemed upset, so I asked him if he was okay. He spoke of failing the interview and moving on to find his next opportunity. His resolve impressed me, so I went to ask Lethel why he had failed. As it was for fitness reasons rather than any character issues, I felt that it might be worth discussing with you if he would be a good fit in another position. With your approval, I retrieved his academy records, which were exemplary. Using their records, I tracked him down to offer him the job, which he was excited to accept. May I ask if there was something more specific that you were looking for?”

He stroked his chin thoughtfully, eyeing the papers in front of him. “Exemplary performance in the academy, that might explain it. Did you know he managed to fling Demaric hard enough that Lethel commented on it? Lethel said it was a rune combination that he hadn’t seen before.”

Malia raised her eyebrows, genuinely surprised. Wow kid, great job. It takes a lot to make Lethel take notice. Hopefully Demaric doesn’t hold a grudge over it. “No, I hadn’t heard. What was the rune combination?”

“He had integrated a flow rune into his fractal, apparently. I’m sure it’s been done before, but it runs so contrary to conventional wisdom that I’m surprised someone his age tried it. Lethel said he freely described the process he used, and none of it was restricted, only esoteric. He also mentioned it being easily modifiable for an earth attunement.”

She perked up at that mention, and he smiled at her reaction. “I thought that might interest you. To that end, I wanted to offer you the opportunity to have a closer hand in training him. I know that you’re currently trading shifts with Demaric to assist with the training of the recruits, but I’d like to see you integrated full time with their routine. Your skillset and Demaric’s compliment each other, so it makes sense for you to act as counterpoints to one another. Do you have any issues with this?”

She shook her head, feeling dumbfounded at this fortuitous turn. That was easier than it should have been. I thought I was going to have to work at having a bigger hand in his training. What’s going to go wrong here.

As if on cue, he began to speak again. “That being said. I’d like you to look into his background. A skilled young man walking in off the street and convincing three of my employees to hire him worries me. He seems earnest, but this may be a plot from another house to get a man on the inside. If he is, and it’s from an acceptable house, we’ll just need to keep an eye on him and plan his jobs accordingly. Heavens knows Ferthing was above board sending that young lady to us. I appreciate the frankness. The wrong house though, and he needs to go. If he truly has no affiliation…”

Hesling trailed off at that, and Malia found herself worrying. Have I placed the kid in danger? No, his background is going to come back as squeaky clean, I’ll make sure of it.

Malia found herself walking the streets of Deilan’s home district in her plain clothes, feeling somewhat disgruntled. That kid has had it way too easy growing up. I mean I knew that, but this is ridiculous.

The district she walked through was in some ways nicer than the noble’s own district. Oh, it lacked the grandeur of the sweeping manors, and the carefully planned boulevards meant to offer sweeping views and scenic walks. What it did have, however, was modern convenience.

As a newer district, it had the advantage of integrating inscription innovations as they had arisen. The roads were smooth sections of sand mixed with clay, barely a blemish upon them. Every few feet was a small cover which she knew hid a focal inscription, allowing for self-repair of the individual blocks. The initial cost must have been staggering, but the maintenance was minimal. Compared to the cobblestone that still dominated the rest of the city, each step was a pleasure.

Lights were not only installed into the streets, but also the front of every house she could see. Even at night, the streets would be navigable without any issue. The street lights had gone up in other districts, but none with the innate planning she saw here. Even devices she knew were slowly being integrated into the Hesling Estate were being used by street vendors to craft their wares. Simply ridiculous.

She made her way to the Deilan’s house, keeping an eye on the street as she walked. She was attempting to keep a low profile with her plain clothes, to avoid any questions as to why a house guard would be walking through this neighborhood. His parent’s place really. We’re going to have to change that. I wonder if I could afford one of those wind-blowing devices for my room.

She was about a block away from his home when her vigilance paid off. A shadowed figure stood in an alleyway on the approach from the noble’s district to the house, barely discernible in the evening light. It was tucked into the recess between two buildings, offering a perfect line of sight to this road. By the time Deilan returned home in the light of the street lamps, the figure would have been all but invisible. This could be a coincidence. Sure. I believe that.

Careful to continue on her slow meander, Malia, turned down a separate street and made her way to the opposite alley entrance. Unfortunately, it was a straight path from one end of the alley to the other, unlike the meandering alleys she had become used to. Stupid efficient city planning. Worse, the recessed area was at a terrible angle for her, requiring her to walk almost the entire length of the alley to get a line of sight.

Seeing no choice, she continued her meandering, keeping her pace slow and steady. After a nerve wracking minute, she had almost reached the buildings that she knew the figure was concealed between. With a sudden dash, she rounded the building, fractal prepared in her mind.

An empty stretch of dirt greeted her, leaving her stunned. Did I just imagine someone? A sudden rustling above her was her only warning, and she barely managed to throw herself forward. Despite her quick reaction, something clipped her shoulder with enough force to leave her arm tingling.

Spinning around, she saw a cloaked figure standing from the ground, having obviously leaped from a roof above. I need to start looking up, Caspien mentioned taking to the roofs too. She could see a woman’s face beneath the cloak, hard edged and glaring. Her posture was tense, and she seemed ready to spring forth in a moment's notice. Despite that, her voice was calm, almost bored, as she spoke.

“It was your shoes that gave you away. Nobody wears hard-soled boots in this neighborhood. Who are you with?”

Malia shook her arm, letting the feeling return to it. She took her own defensive stance, shaking her head as if clearing it to buy herself time to analyze what had just happened. No weapon I can see, so she didn’t hit me with anything. Not earth, or I would see some kind of debris. Air would have been more diffuse. Must have been force. With that in mind, she steadied her head and addressed her attacker.

“Considering you started this off by attacking me, I think I get to turn that question to you first.”

The woman shook her head, a look of amusement crossing her face. “Since you’re the one stuck down a dead end corridor, your leverage isn’t that great. But in the spirit of compromise, why don’t we admit that we’re both after Hesling’s new courier, by whatever means it takes.”

Malia frowned, unsure of how that news had spread so quickly. “Okay, let’s say that we both are. What’s the importance to you?”

It was hard to tell beneath the cloak, but the woman appeared to roll her eyes. “With the recent developments on the council, you really need to ask that? An unaffiliated carrier that could be flipped is the perfect edge. Why else would you be here? Unless you work for…”

Suddenly, the woman burst into motion. She began sprinting forward, and a wave of force swept across the ground at shin length. Luckily, Malia was expecting it, and leapt over towards the woman, while at the same time flooding her fractal with the pattern earth external grab down to catch the woman’s foot as she moved.

The dirt in the alley was a poor medium to hold an object in motion, however, and she quickly pulled her leg free. By that point, Malia had closed in, attempting a strike to the woman’s temple. The woman managed to interpose her arm, rotating her body to deliver a fist to Malia’s ribs.

Malia let out a short huff of air, but refused to let the pain distract her. Using her other arm, she grabbed the woman’s elbow and pulled her off balance. With the same motion, she hefted her leg and sent it crashing into the woman’s knee, eliciting a cry of pain as she dropped to the ground. That’s why you wear hard-soled boots.

Taking advantage of the pause in the combat, Malia once again activated her pattern, dragging the woman down into the dirt to her chest. The woman’s eyes opened wide, and she immediately began scrambling to dig herself out.

Malia rubbed at her ribs, wincing slightly as the contact elicited a sharp pain. That’s going to be at least a bruise. “Okay, you’re going to answer my questions now, starting with who you work for, and why this courier is so…” her eyes widened as the woman ceased trying to dig and turned her entire focus on her. A lance of force shimmered in the air, flying directly for her chest.

She managed to dodge out of the way, barely, the leading edge clipping her shoulder and spinning her to the ground. Why the same shoulder!? At the same time, she flared her fractal again in the same pattern. The woman gave a soft yell as she was dragged beneath the dirt at a horrifying pace.

Malia eyed the spot warily, realizing that she may have overdone it. I think she may be beyond questioning now. She stood, rolling her shoulder and wincing at the crackling she felt. She then turned to the dirt and made a careful effort to smooth it out, trying not to think too hard about what was underneath. From there, she cleared the dirt from her outfit with an effort of will.

She made her way from the alley and towards Deilan’s house, mind racing. She knew she was still going to have to have the conversation with his parents, if for nothing else to leave a trail and create an alibi. From there, life would get much more complicated. I’m not going to have the time I thought I would, that’s for sure. She thought back to her conversation with Calamir and frowned. She couldn’t help but draw the conclusion that he was actively lying to her. There was no way anything as important as a council matter was happening without him hearing about it.

I don’t know what the hell is going on, but if I have to beat it out of Calamir I’m going to find out.