Having sensed them entering, I wasn’t too surprised when the knock came. I stood with my back straight in front of a mirror, Mel, Bobby and Roland dressing me. It still felt strange, but it was getting easier to accept it as just another facet of my life here, which was scary in the moments I let myself dwell.

“In,” I said and the door opened. Caitlin was the one to enter and beside her was Anthony Thorndyke. I’d offered him a position in my guard; he hadn’t exactly rebuffed me, but he’d been reluctant.

“Anthony,” I said, not hiding my surprise. It wasn’t him I’d been expecting but Odysseus. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“My apologies, Champion,” said Anthony, voice radiating uncertainty. “But I thought it would be better if I spoke to you sooner than later.”

“Can you give us a moment?” I said to the guys. They stood and bowed, then walked back a few steps back before turning and leaving. The doors closed softly behind them. I continued to dress, fixing my clothes so they sat straight. “Have you given more thought to my offer?”

Anthony looked down, then stood straight, steeling himself. “I hope you do not take offence, Champion, but I discussed the matter with my family.”

I shrugged. “It’s expected. If you’re doing this for your family, then it makes sense to get their input before getting into anything.”

Tension left his shoulders.

“How did things go?” I asked.

“The oldest of my brothers—”

“The one who’s set to become a viscount,” I said. “Dunstan?”

“Yes, Champion,” he said.

I was a little proud of myself for that. In preparation for tonight I’d been reading over my notes and most of the important figures in history books and their claims to fame. Dunstan hadn’t been a part of the reading, but it was a good sign that I could remember a name that hadn’t felt important at the moment.

“How did that turn out?” I asked.

“My brother is a learned man, Champion,” he said, rote. “Since he was but a boy our father has raised him to rule the Eddington Barony, and he has learnt a great many things. He has relationships which might be useful if he were at your side.”

“So this is about him, not you?”

“It is about us, Champion,” he said. Anthony dropped, one knee on the floor as he bowed his head. “If you accept my brother into your company, then you will have me as your loyal protector.”

I fixed my cuffs and turned, looking down onto a freshly shaved head of red hair.

The plan tonight held the possibility of escape. If things went well, then I would be off the island and in the Harrengrove duchy, relatively closer to Washerton, and I wouldn’t need allies or anything of the sort; but having all my eggs in one basket was smart, which meant being open to inviting Anthony and his family to my side to help me deal with this.

But what if I did escape? Where would that leave them? And did I care?

Could I care when my life was on the line?

“Anthony, can you stand?” I said. His expression was glum, as if he’d already failed. “Can you tell me what happened? Has it been decided that your brother won’t be a viscount?”

He shifted.

“Anything you say to me isn’t going to leave this room,” I said. “If you’re going to work with me, you’ll have to trust me, right? We’ll have to trust each other?”

My stomach twisted as disgust welled inside. I swallowed and pushed past the feeling, focusing on the now and what I had to do to stay alive.

“Yes, Champion,” he said, resigned. “It has not been said by His Majesty, but enemies to my family have glibly mentioned that a new viscount will be chosen. Lord Blythe Burkinshaw.”

“You’re gonna have to be more specific, Anthony,” I said. “I feel like there’s a lot of history that I’m missing.”

“Lord Blythe does not have much standing,” he said. “The Burkinshaw men no longer have lands of their own nor any riches. What makes Lord Blythe important is that his grand-uncle, Dain Burkinshaw, serves in the Council of Technicians.”

From my reading I’d learned there were three bodies in control of the spatial order, two major and one minor. There were the Grand Mages — the people who had summoned me into this world, helped give me comfort when things had looked bad, and some of whom had died because of their treason — the Council of Technicians, and the Council of Artisans. The mages largely dealt with the school and the advancement of the theory of their craft; the technicians dealt with the real-world applications, the business side of things, and controlled teleportation across the country and internationally; and the artisans — a group with no political power from what I’d read — made artefacts imbued in some form with spatial magic.

How does this all connect?

The mages had committed treason and the relationship between them and the royal family was strained, and yet there were technicians who were getting lofty positions for their family members. It felt like the council or the Grand Mages were rebelling after some of their members had been killed, and now the king was trying to placate them.

It was an interesting titbit of information, but I couldn’t see any way of it being useful to me so I pushed it aside. Right now what was important was Anthony’s family and how they would serve me, they would be people who were mostly on my side, whose successes hinged on me and — more than others — had a vested interest in seeing me do well.

They’ll be using me just as much as I’ll be using me. So what more is there to think about?

Even so, it felt gross.

With a long breath, I shoved all of those feelings into a small ball. Right now, the most important thing was getting home and I had to do everything to get to that point.

“Tell your brother I’m willing to meet him,” I said. “He’ll sell himself to me and I’ll see what he’ll bring to the table. You…how much liberty do you have with your master?”

“I have only to ask and Master Norbert would give me more,” he said. “If you ever need my service, I will offer it, Champion.”

I nodded. “Over the next week I might need your help with something. I’ll hit you up when I get more information.”

“Of course, my lord,” he said and bowed. “I thank you for seeing me.”

Anthony left and Mel, Bobby and Noland returned, finishing off their work. The last thing I put on was my temporal ring, and with it came a tick-tick-tick that reverberated in my mind.

In Althor there were four parts to the day as tracked by the nobility: morning, noon, evening and midnight. If someone was planning a party then it usually fell on one of those four times; watches of any greater accuracy were for military coordination and ‘the things of peasants, for their time is ever so fleeting.’

My nervousness built as the tick-tick-tick chimed in my head. I played around with stretching out time; almost like paying attention to my breathing, slowing it as long as I could without discomfort. The time dilation wasn’t anything crazy, five seconds at most, but it was another tool I could use.

Especially tonight, when I would need my wits the most.

Time passed and what nerve I had gradually started to degrade. The ‘plan’ started to feel stupid the more I thought about it. It felt scatter-brained in the worst of ways because there was too much room of things going wrong. What if Owain junior didn’t react the way I wanted him to? What if he did and things went okay and I got off the island, but there wasn’t any chance to escape? What if I did escape and shortly after I was caught again, how would the royal family react, and how would I save face?

I went from standing to sitting to standing once again before I finally decided to make my way to Odysseus’ quarters even if it was still early. Guards escorted me up and I used the time to get a sense of the spread of people in the floors we passed. The doors opened and his quarters were emptier than I expected.

I want to sense only Odysseus, I thought as a test. It didn’t work.

“Excuse me,” I said to a passing servant. The man stopped, head tilted down so he didn’t look me directly in the eyes. “Is Odysseus in?”

“No, my lord,” the man said. “He’s already in the twenty-fifth-floor garden.”

“Thank you,” I said and returned to the elevator again, listening as stone slid against stone, a long painting running past us.

Before we reached the twenty-fifth floor the elevator stopped and the doors slid open, revealing two women dressed in their fineries. They were both white, but one had tanned skin while the other was pale; their dresses looked similar with the colours different, green and white for one, and shades of purple for another. Their hair was done up, braided and then wound into buns at either side of the head, gems matching their dresses set within.

They had been sharing a low conversation before the opening of the doors, but now seemed shocked.

I tapped into the temporal ring, giving myself time to get my bearings before I let a smile stretch. “Ladies. I see we’re going to the same floor,” I said, doing my best to keep my tone light. I stepped back, making more room for them.

For a moment they said nothing, looking up at me with their wide eyes.

“You are the Dark Champion,” one finally said, and she smiled.

“I prefer Jordan. I’m afraid I can’t say I know the two of you.”

“Lady Cynthia Margate,” the paler of the two said. “And this,” she took her friend by the arm, “is my childhood friend, Lady Joanne Trent. We are glad that you were gracious enough to invite you to your engagement.”

“All Prince Odysseus’ doing,” I said. “I only came up with the idea. Will you be joining us?”

“If it is not too much of an imposition,” said Cynthia.

“Not at all,” I said.

They stepped in. The elevator wasn’t small but as they came in it felt smaller, tighter, and more confined. I had the feeling that it had nothing at all to do with the physical spaces. My spatial sense fell into the background as all my focus went to keeping track of the slowed flow of time.

“Do you call the castle home?” I asked. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed with me stretching the ring as far as it would go. “Prince Odysseus has told me of the court’s existence, but he’s kept me sequestered from it. I think he enjoys my company too much.”

Cynthia chuckled lightly. I had time to read her and Joanne’s expression, and the mirth didn’t reach their eyes. My stomach sank because I could already tell the vibe that the party was going to take, and it was something that would take a lot of energy to get through.

“You are a Champion, after all,” Joanne chimed in, her voice a little husky. “Had I the prince’s standing, I would keep you all to myself.”

I swallowed, my heart starting to beat heavily and my throat going dry. For a long moment I couldn’t think and I was all too aware how awkward my body felt even as I stood. I leaned hard on the temporal ring to regain composure but it didn’t work as I focused on Joanne.

Her hair was dark and even with how tightly pulled it had been for her style there was still a wavy pattern to it; her skin was naturally tanned, even toned and were we in South Africa I might have thought she was Coloured. She had full lips that were so pink they seemed as though she was wearing lipstick, her eyes were a light brown that glowed enough that she might have been using light magic.

“Well,” I said and I cleared my throat because the word had stuck a little. “I’m going to speak to the prince, it doesn’t do to keep myself holed up all the time. I wouldn’t mind meeting the people who call the castle home.”

“Perhaps we might introduce you,” Cynthia said, her eyes almost twinkling.

“Perhaps,” I said, because I couldn’t commit to anything.

I was a little relieved as the doors opened and then reeled as I was suddenly hit by sunlight, warm air and the smell of oranges. Stretching from the elevator was a red brick path, at either side of which were tall lamp posts, with thin trees with twisting trunks set between them. Further in were much taller trees, fruits that looked like oranges hanging large and heavy on them; the trees were closely clustered, but there were still spaces between them enough for people to stand, before opening up into a much larger clearing.

People carrying lutes moved around the clearing and through the trees, each playing different songs but doing it low enough that one song didn’t interrupt another. Servants dressed in dull brown and white stood at points, each carrying silver trays bearing either drinks or finger foods.

“Oh, this is quite the showing, especially in such a short time,” said Cynthia, arm still hooked with Joanne. “And serving in the style of Connelly, how charming.”

“I heard the queen’s gatherings are much grander,” said Joanne. “The grounds are much larger and the guests of greater import. From all through the Commonality.”

“Prince Odysseus could have done the same,” I said.

“Perhaps,” said Cynthia, in a tone that said it was unlikely.

“If you’ll excuse me, ladies,” I said. “I should seek out the prince.”

“I am hopeful we will speak again, Champion,” said Joanne and the pair walked off, sticking to the red-brick path.

There were already a few people between the servants, dressed in colours that sometimes felt garish in their intensity, integrating the symbols of their families. Nina — my history tutor — was trying to get me to remember and pay attention to them, but it was something my mind still passed over.

My eyes scanned over everyone and I didn’t find Odysseus, Ally or any of her ladies-in-waiting.

There wasn’t anyone I knew at the party.

My breath felt a little shaky and weight started to settle on my chest. It was the feeling of going to a party and not knowing anyone, having to insert yourself into groups that had no idea who you were; except things were different because being embarrassed here actually meant something, it impacted my utility and in turn my ability to go back home.

If you fail here the things become harder, I told myself, which didn’t make the feelings of uncertainty dissipate.

I was rooted on the spot and even that felt weighty because I could see that people were looking in my direction, that they muttered gossip. More than anything I wanted to find a corner where I could hide, maybe a wall so I could blend into the background. But I couldn’t, because that would be looked down upon.

I really shouldn’t have come here early, I thought and I almost turned, almost left so I could come back with Odysseus. But that also wouldn’t look good.

I pushed myself to take a step. A girl who seemed like the third wheel as her friend talked to a guy. Their conversation stopped as I neared and with it my resolve. So much for thinking I could steal a conversation partner.

I stopped, stared and then pushed myself to action. “Greetings, ladies and lord,” I said with a stiff bow. “I’m Champion Jordan.”

“Greetings, Champion,” the guy said. He was on the short side, a little chubby, with short black hair and dark eyes. “Honoured though I am to meet your acquaintance, I must confess that I’m no lord.”

“Oh?” I said. “I thought those were the usual guests in these types of things.”

“Caleb is a merchant, Champion,” said the woman who’d been flirting. She had light brown hair and a heart-shaped face; and she bowed as she said, “Greetings, I am Felicia Lockwood.”

“And I, Veronica Gardner,” her friend said.

“Well met,” I said. It felt like Felicia and Veronica were the most important participants of the conversation, but I wanted economy of conversation, and someone talking about their business just worked better. “You said you’re a merchant, Caleb. What do you trade in?”

“Not trade but a service,” said Caleb. “I have recently started a firm which employs warriors. They protect commoners as they move from village to village.”

I frowned. “But…spatial magic exists.”

Felicia tittered, hiding her mouth behind her hand. “Oh, Champion,” she said. “The mages do not have the resources to put columns in every out of the way village, especially when commoners would be unable to pay for the service.”

“Which is a boon for people like me,” said Caleb, proudly. “I am not the first to think of the idea, certainly, but I am the first to offer security. Escorting trains is a dangerous business and many warriors lose their lives, their incomes disappearing with the wind.”

“Why isn’t that the norm?” I asked. “It seems like common sense.”

Caleb chuckled. “Were all that smart, Champion, the world would be an easier place to live in,” he said. “You have no idea how hard it is to get warriors to join. There are some that seek independence, while others are in the servitude of liege lords.”

“The duty of a knight is to protect his liege,” said Felicia. “Why do you so harshly judge their loyalty?”

“It is not harshness, my lady,” said Caleb. “Only frustration at the difficulty of the task before me.”

“Why don’t you just train people yourself?” I asked. “Have your own staff? I know it’s going to be a long-term investment, but your plan seems feasible, and by how you’re making it sound it feels like you don’t have a lot of competition.”

“Capital,” he said.

“Ah,” I said. “That’s often how things roll. You need money to make money.”

Is that why you were talking to her? I thought. Because she might be able to give you capital?

“I’ve found that it’s much easier to convince rogue knights, or perhaps mercenaries. But they often do not have families to worry about.”

“It’s going to have to be a social mobility type thing,” I said. “No one works harder than someone who wants to elevate their place in life.”

“Can a commoner really be elevated?” Felicia asked, bored.

“Caleb, you’re a commoner, aren’t you?” Caleb froze. “You’re using contractions, that’s something the nobility don’t do.”

“I had begun to think you a descendant from a merchant lord, Caleb,” said Felicia.

Caleb swallowed and nodded stiffly. “My mother…she was a handmaiden and my father…well, I never knew him.”

“I admit to being surprised how learned you are,” Veronica said.

“My liege lord was a very gracious man,” said Caleb. “He treated me as a son.”

The atmosphere in our group had changed and it was all my fault.

“Veronica,” said Felicia. “I think that might be Lord Bowers. It has been a long while since we last spoke. Accompany me?”

Veronica nodded. The two bowed and then they were off.

“I ruined that for you, didn’t I?” I said to Caleb.

He did his best to keep his expression even. “No, Champion,” he said. “It was my first meeting with Lady Felicia and she took a liking to me. It is beyond either of us that she wouldn’t have noticed how I speak.”

But you also didn’t tell her.

“I think you have something with this idea of yours,” I said. “Keep on keeping on and maybe you’ll get something out of it.”

“Thank you, Champion,” he said. “If you would excuse me?”

I nodded and he left, walking towards another group.

Again I was left alone, watching as more people came in from the elevator, most of them in groups. I scoped out where I could go to speak to others but after my foible with Caleb I was a little reluctant and chose instead to walk in between the trees, looking at the big oranges which hung there, ready to fall.

Should have gone to Surefoot’s quarters, maybe, I thought. If we got here together then this would be easier.

Someone approached me and I angled myself so that I was turned towards them. My stomach fell as I saw her dancer-like grace, her entrancing green eyes and lips that were always close to a smile.

“Champion,” said Jaslynn in greeting. “Why are you all on your lonesome? Are you not the guest of honour?”

My heart was beating a little faster and my mind was frantic because the hunt and the spiders felt closer. It felt like there was a weight on my chest— no, not that, but a snake that coiled tighter each time I took a breath.

If you can’t get over that? Then how is this plan of yours going to work? What if you can’t escape and you have to hunt another monster again?

But logic didn’t help. I tried my best to keep myself calm, to keep my mind on track, but the only thing I could do was glare at her, as my hands curled into fists — something she didn’t miss.

“I would be amused to see you try, Champion,” she said, her eyes locked with mine.

A slow shuddering breath left me.

I leaned on temporal magic, giving myself more time to think and that didn’t work, only making things worse. Then it was spatial magic, the impressions, some moving while others were still. I played with my range, stretching it to its limit before narrowing it, then toggling it to only the Urocy which worked. I was grateful to feel that Surefoot was in the elevator, coming down.

Without a word I turned away from Jaslynn and started making my way in the direction. I was close as Surefoot arrived. He was speaking to two people and noticed me. Their conversation ended and he came over.

“Champion. You look…perturbed,” he said.

“A part of me is already regretting this,” I muttered. “Having to speak to so many people I don’t know.”

“Is this not a part of your plan?” he asked. “To ensure a better result from the matter with Baron Owain?”

“Ja. But…I wish I didn’t have to do it,” I said. “Sorry, I’m being a grump. I’m just feeling overwhelmed.”

“Then perhaps I might be of assistance,” he said. “I can guide conversations.”

“That would be awesome.”

“May I ask for a favour in turn then?” he asked.

“Um, sure?”

“I would like your height, Champion. These affairs can often be tedious in how much I have to crane my neck up. If you were to give me room on your shoulder I would greatly appreciate it, and have no worry. I shall control my weight so it does not greatly encumber you.”

“Oh yeah, go ahead.”

Surefoot’s fur shimmered with light. He jumped, gliding through the air until he settled on my shoulder. I expected heft but Surefoot was as light as a feather, his body so warmth that it radiated off of him, with some of his fur tickling my ear.

How do people even have long hair? I thought and the thought was so disconnected from everything that it worked to soothe my nerves.

Just have to keep this mental state. Get through things one step at a time.

“There stands Baroness Radthorne,” said Surefoot. “I think it would do us well to speak with her.”

With a shrug I followed his lead.