It was quiet after Zach left the room, but only for about a minute. Then Fern pushed through the awkwardness Milo was feeling and got a conversation rolling.

She smiled and leaned forward over the table. "Tell me more about your theory that Zach's ability could be connection magic."

"Um, well, I'm not personally experienced with connection magic, but my understanding is that it relies on memories and a sense of belonging to work. That's why Bridges need to visit somewhere before they can open a bridge there."

Fern asked, "So if Zach's memories of home have faded too much, he can't go back?"

"Maybe, but it could also be that his connection to this world grew too strong, overpowering his connection to the other. Perhaps being exposed to so much mana in the cavern and the stampede could do that."

Fern nodded. "Mana is a core part of our world, and apparently not present in his at all, so it stands to reason that it could bond him to our world. So how do we fix it?"

"Burn off all that mana, maybe," Milo said with a shrug.

Fern blinked and Milo found it incredibly adorable. "How do we do that? Just cast a lot of magic near him? Hopefully not anything too dangerous like fire or lightning."

Milo shook his head. "No, that would only use up the mana in the area around him. When a mage casts a spell, the necessary mana is pulled from within the user first, then any high-density crystals nearby, then finally the surrounding area. Never from inside another person."

Fern frowned. "The crystals get tapped before they're even necessary? What a waste."

Milo's face lit up. "Exactly! That's the biggest reason mages don't use them very often, and why we sell them off to the kobolds. Your machines actually need the crystals, since they can't pull from the environment first. I was briefly assigned to a research team that was trying to create a mana crystal that didn't get used unless necessary, but the project was canceled before we had any results."

Fern frowned. "Aww, that's too bad. Maybe you can return to that someday, because it sounds really useful."

Then he fidgeted and said, "Um, I wandered a bit off topic. Going back to your question, in order for Zach to use up the excess mana inside him, he'd need to learn to cast magic."

"Great! You can teach him!"

Milo tried to force a smile and failed. "Me and him, we don't get—" He cut himself off when the room's door opened from the other side.

"Sorry for the delay," Zach called out as he entered

Princess Evelyn followed in after, along with a maid who had pale skin and long, glossy black hair: Eloise. She was undeniably beautiful, but even Milo knew that she had a reputation for not being very friendly, particularly towards men.

Zach stepped up to the table where Milo and Fern were seated. "Did you two come up with any more theories?"

Fern answered, "Just some more ideas about the connection magic theory. We think all the mana you absorbed is making your connection to this world too strong, overpowering your connection to the other one."

Eloise looked completely lost. She must not have been looped into the situation at all. She looked to Princess Evelyn and said, "Um, Princess? I don't understand what they are talking about. How can I possibly help here?"

Evelyn answered, "They wanted someone with knowledge about connection magic, and you know more than I do."

"That's right," Fern said. "We just need someone who can confirm whether our understanding of connection magic is correct. I doubt it will be very advanced."

Eloise relaxed, but she still looked a little uncomfortable. "Well, I don't know much. I… wasn't able to finish my studies."

Evelyn put a hand on her shoulder. "You'll be fine." She turned to Milo and Fern. "So what did you want to know?"

Milo started. "First, is it true that connection magic relies on memories and familiarity? We assumed so because Bridges have to travel somewhere themselves before they can open a Bridge to that place."

Eloise nodded. "That's true, and it's the reason why Farspeakers can only message someone they've met personally." She felt good for knowing the answer to his question and she continued with more confidence, "I can't speak for Bridges, but when I farspeak, I focus my attention on the person I want to talk to and I can feel mana flowing into me and building on that connection. The stronger my bond with the person, the clearer their voice comes through. I've heard that two Farspeakers with a particularly intimate relationship can share their thoughts without having to whisper them aloud."

Milo nodded along, then asked, "And what if you were distracted by thoughts of another person? Would that make your connection weaker?"

"Absolutely. Staying focused is the biggest challenge for people training as Farspeakers, except perhaps needing to have the natural talent for connection magic."

Fern looked between Eloise and Milo. "Is that talent different than the talent needed to cast fire spells?"

Milo answered, "Much different. Whatever it is that's needed in order to do connection magic, I don't have it. I gave it everything I had and my father even paid someone from the Gatehouse to confirm it. It's a talent you're either born with or not."

Zach spoke up. "Um, the Bridge I met said that I probably have the talent, because I got link sickness when I went through the portal."

Eloise turned and looked at Zach with a neutral expression. Her hostility toward him had faded with time, but she wasn't friendly with him by any means. "That's likely the case. Link sickness is a good early indicator of the talent. It's believed that some people get link sickness because they form strong bonds with their surroundings and are more disoriented by the sudden change of place. Their minds put down strong anchors, so it's jarring when those anchors are pulled up suddenly. But the mind is very adaptable, so it usually only affects those people on their first time through a Bridge."

Evelyn smiled at Eloise, then looked to the others. "So, does that answer your question?"

Milo nodded. "Yes, your Highness. And it fits with our theory. We think that Zach's connection to this world grew too strong, overpowering the one to his world. And we're guessing that all the mana he absorbed on that trip is what caused the sudden change."

Zach blinked several times, concerned. "Wait. Does that mean I'm attached to this world now and I can't go back?"

Fern shook her head. "Hopefully not. You just need to burn off that excess mana."

Eloise made a disgusted face. "Burn off?! That is beyond disrespectful. Mana is precious. Mana is our protector and savior, the force that saved our people from certain death. It is not to be wasted or burned off like unwanted weeds in a ditch!"

Zach had not expected Eloise's outburst in the least. Milo and Fern looked equally surprised. Luckily, Evelyn stepped in and said, "It's okay, Eloise. She didn't mean it like that. Kobolds don't interact with mana the same way that humans do and she's not familiar with your faith."

Fern nodded rapidly. "I'm very sorry if I offended you. I really didn't intend to. I had heard that some humans worshipped mana, but I clearly didn't understand the depth of that belief. I was ignorant and acted poorly."

Milo just shrugged, even though it had been his own words that Fern had echoed when she said 'burn off'. He said, "I knew that farmers and hunters are big on that mana worship stuff, but I never expected to see it here in the castle."

Eloise rounded on Milo, her eyebrows narrowed, and her normally pale face went red. "You're a mage. I can't believe you don't have more respect for the source of your power."

He stood up and grinned down at the shorter woman. "Does the blacksmith worship his hammer? The cook his pots and pans? Mana is a tool and nothing more."

Eloise was fuming now, sputtering as she tried to find the words to reply.

Fern acted first. She glared at Milo and slapped him on the shoulder, surprisingly hard. "That was awful, Milo. This is how you repay someone that helped us? By intentionally belittling her religion?" She looked down at the floor and shook her head. "I thought better of you."

Milo's grin vanished instantly. "Um, I didn't, uh, I mean—"

Evelyn cut off his bumbling response. "Let's stop here for now." She put an arm around Eloise's shoulders and guided her out of the room.

Just before she closed the door behind them, Zach called out, "Thank you, Eloise." He felt bad about the entire situation, and it had only reinforced his distaste for Milo.

Milo reached a hand toward Fern. "I'm sorry, Fern. I got carried away and—"

She turned away. "I'm not the person you should be apologizing to."

"Uh," Zach cut in, starting toward the door as well, "I'll leave you two alone. I'll be around the castle if you need me."

They didn't even notice his comment. Milo was rambling about how he still wanted to make it up to Fern, even if he needed to apologize to Eloise too. Fern stood firm, her arms crossed and her back to Milo. To Zach, they were like an old married couple fighting over something stupid the husband had done, both too stubborn to resolve it easily.

Zach slipped out of the room and decided to go visit Riley. She was probably working somewhere in the upper halls, now that she was well enough to do light labor. He figured he could swipe a kiss and a bit of conversation about their dinner plans. The castle food was always good, even for the servants, but the restaurants around the city made for a nice change of pace and a chance for Riley to get some air. And a dinner date at a sit-down place was far more romantic than anything the castle kitchens could ever provide.

After the minor fiasco with Eloise and Milo, Evelyn had another issue to deal with. She apologetically parted ways with Eloise in the lower halls and made her way to the military wing of the castle for a scheduled meeting with several Guard officers and the King himself.

On the way, she went over her strategy in her head. The topic was Alexia's recent mission failure, and whether non-military operations should be allowed access to Guard resources and manpower. It was beyond her normal sphere of influence, but she needed to step in this time.

Alexia's mission had been granted its soldiers through a policy that allowed armed escorts for expeditions into the wilderness. If the vindictive officers who disliked Alexia tried to abolish that policy, a lot of good people would be put in danger. From mining expeditions to homesteaders, the people of New Albion often needed armed escorts during their travels and if the Guard stopped helping, only the wealthiest traders could afford protection. It would stifle economic growth and put more power in the hands of the upper class who already had plenty.

She arrived with time to spare and took a seat to her father's right. Around the massive table also sat the two officers who had attended Alexia's clandestine award ceremony, two assistants taking notes, and another officer who Evelyn recognized: Gerald Wesson, the Director of Deployment for the Guard. More than anyone else, he was the one she needed to win to her side.

King Gildahart raised a hand and the room went dead silent. "As we all appear to be present, let's begin. Officer Wesson, can you start us off?"

Wesson rose to his feet and said, "Of course, your Highness. It was recently brought to my attention that a soldier was severely injured in an encounter with elven assailants. There are some within the Guard that believe the mission during which the encounter occurred was frivolous and should not have been approved." He met eyes with the other officers who were seated together near one end of the table. "Is that correct, Officer Granth?"

The shorter of the two stood. "That's correct. While the Guard must acknowledge the past efforts of Alexia Stewart, we believe that her latest mission, which ended in failure, went too far outside the duties of the Guard and cost us a good soldier as a result. That young man will never fight again. Luck alone kept us from losing even more, such as the kobold diplomat who accompanied the group."

Evelyn lifted a hand, holding it upright just a few inches above the table. As Princess, her status dictated that she was to be observed attentively. Even a small cue from her needed to be met with a quick response.

It was Wesson who noticed first. He turned his entire body to face her. "Princess, you have our attention. Please speak."

She smiled warmly, keeping her breathing steady and her bearing strong. She remembered both her training in statecraft as a child until she vanished into the other world, and the accelerated course she'd received when she returned earlier in the year. She was ready for this. "While I share many of Officer Grant's concerns, I take issue with a few small details. I wish to clean up any possible confusion before we proceed."

"By all means," Wesson said. Ever since the King had asked him to start the meeting off, Wesson had maintained a casual sort of control over it, which was exactly what Evelyn wanted. As long as he was the one driving, the other officers would have a hard time shouting down her opposition to their cause.

She started, "First, the mission was not a complete failure. It succeeded in confirming that the elves were involved with the mana quake event, because they had assigned guards to protect the remote and otherwise uninteresting quake site. The true value of that information is not yet known, but we cannot discount its utility so soon. Any trustworthy information about the elves is of potential use in the coming conflict."

The taller officer, a man named Bullen, stood up and waited to be addressed. He clearly wanted to interject, but didn't dare interrupt the Princess.

Evelyn needed to win the Guard officers over, not silence them, so she acknowledged him. "Yes, Officer Bullen?"

He said, "Forgive me for taking the meeting in a new direction, but you said 'the coming conflict'. I am correct in assuming that you believe a larger conflict with the elves is going to occur soon?"

"You are correct. We have had violent altercations with the elves on two occasions in as many months, after decades without more than fleeting sightings. It would be reckless to discount the implications."

Bullen nodded and said, "Thank you for elaborating," then sat back down.

Evelyn resumed, "Second, the mission was not frivolous. The very kobold ambassador who accompanied the party, and who we were lucky not to lose when the mission met resistance, was the primary proponent for the mission. Kobold curiosity is legendary, and rightly so, for it has enabled them to discover things beyond human knowledge. Had we not sent Guards, the ambassador may have gone on without them, been tragically defeated by the two elven assailants, and thrown New Albion into diplomatic turmoil with our closest allies."

The King spoke up, rubbing the brown stubble on his chin. It seemed he had started to grow out his beard for the coming winter. "But aren't you close with that Ambassador? Fern, I believe, is her name of choice."

"I am. I consider her a dear friend, and that is how I know exactly how she would have behaved had the mission been denied a Guard escort." Then she looked to Officer Wesson and said, "That is all I desired to say at this time." Then she sat down, feeling good about her chances. The battle wasn't necessarily over, and she'd likely need to bring up the needs of homesteaders and other travelers, but she thought things were going her way.

Before Wesson could speak, Officer Granth cut in. He wasn't interrupting the Princess, but it was a rude maneuver regardless. "I have another clarifying question, in the same vein as the King's. Princess, is it true that the one leading the mission in question, Alexia Stewart, is also your friend, in addition to being your primary servant?"

"That is true, but—" It looked like Granth wanted to interrupt, so she gave him a half-second window to ruin himself with. Sadly, he didn't take it. "—I am not here to fight on her behalf. Instead, I want to make sure the services of the Guard remain available to the other people of New Albion. Ban Alexia from requesting soldiers if you must, but do not take away the protection that our people need."

Bullen cut in, "We never even proposed taking away those services!"

Evelyn blinked innocently. "Is that so? Then I apologize for taking up so much of the meeting so far. You can proceed with your proposal now, if you wish." She'd already known of their plan thanks to Alexia's informant network, and now she'd cut them off at the pass. With the consequences of their plan laid bare, they couldn't possibly convince the others now.

Officer Bullen, now a bit red in the face, sputtered, "T-that wasn't our planned proposal at all. We just wanted to make sure mission requests get the thorough reviews they deserve."

Officer Wesson gave a firm nod. "Excellent. I believe we're all in agreement then. With elf activity on the rise, we need more guards out there, not fewer. I'd like to propose a manpower increase for guard accompaniment, including a small budget increase to cover any costs incurred by thorough reviews." He looked to the King hopefully. It was the King's place to approve a budget increase. If he refused, the funds would have to come from somewhere else in the Guard, by cutting other services.

King Gildahart smiled. "I give my tentative approval. Bring me specific budget estimates and as long as they look reasonable, they'll get my stamp. I'd also like to see a proposal for a new recruitment drive to handle a long-term increase in Guard enrollment. I have a funding source ready for such an endeavor."

"Yes, your Highness," the three officers said in unison.

The men stood to leave and the assistants followed, but Evelyn stayed behind to talk to her father.

She asked, "Out of curiosity, what is the funding source you mentioned?"

"It's funny you should ask, since it's related to yet another of your friends. You're building quite a web of powerful allies, Evy. Good work."

"Huh, what do you mean? Which friend?"

"That young merchant with the odd name," he said. "Zach, I think it was. He laid claim to a gold mine and signed the extraction rights to the kingdom." Evelyn already knew that, but she let her father continue. "We received word from the exploratory expedition this morning, and the claim was better than Stal expected, and exactly what your friend had boasted. I've given Stal my stamp to start mining in earnest."

Evelyn was already thinking about the long term impacts. "So you'll finance the Guard's growth with that new gold? Won't that affect the economy?"

The King smiled and rubbed Evelyn's shoulder. "Everything royalty does will affect the economy, one way or another. In this case, I'll direct a bit of controlled inflation into the pockets of soldiers. Enlisting in the Guard becomes a bit more desirable and the do-nothing nobles get imperceptibly poorer. I consider it a fair trade."

The idea did sound good, but Evelyn made a mental note to introduce Zach and her father. The economy was Zach's field of expertise and he was sure to have thoughts about plans like this one. And even though he was stuck in New Albion for now, Zach might already have some historical data about how successful similar plans had been in his world.