"You've got our attention," Lando said, almost pleaded. "You've got my attention. You made me realize I've been a terrible brother to you lately, and I came all the way here to apologize and make it right. So I think you should consider coming back home now."

Instead of killing him, I chose to ignore what he said as the server returned with our tea and little sandwiches and little cakes. I always ended up eating all of it while he sat all pretty. I took a sandwich first and took a big bite.

"How'd you find me, anyway?" I asked while chewing.

He cringed but said, "Come on, Gerard, I know you."

"How'd you find me?" I asked again.

"Well... Well, we received a peculiar message from someone named Rolf wishing Father a speedy recovery. Narrowed it down from there. A hotel. A ticket to Praor Swa. An acceptance to Caemor. We didn't get an answer from Caemor, and I didn't find you in Praor Swa..."

Why did Rolf have to be a good person? Good people always got in my way. I nodded because at least my breadcrumbs gave them a bit of trouble and bought me some time. I sipped my tea and carefully considered where to take this conversation. Money. I needed money.

"So why should I consider going back home?" I asked.

"Well, I think it's time. With Boyet the way he is, Father will need help running the estate soon, and you're almost done with the homeschooling you wanted so badly to help him run it. You can debut into high society with me at your side. And quite frankly, I think you're better off with the family than in Broweathen."

"What makes you say that?" Of course I knew why.

Lando shrugged. "It's just something I feel. Don't you care about what the family needs?"

"No," I said, and I was being completely honest for once. "And I have no intention of going back. Why would I?"

The answer was obvious to me, but Lando wasn't going to say it.

"But why would you not?" he said instead. "Why would you choose to leave the family? The family has always been there for you. The family has provided everything for you that you've ever asked for. You have everything you'll ever need because of the family. The family gives us so much, and we have to give back. You have to give back, Gerry. You have to come back."

"I can't," I said. Only half a lie. I had a feeling Di'at wouldn't let me.

Lando stared at me. His nose twitched into a split second sneer. Then he smiled. "Oh, come on! Of course you can. What am I supposed to tell Father?"

"Tell him I decided to stay here."

Lando shook his head. "He won't believe that, especially after you demanded to be homeschooled so you could stay at the estate longer. Better to learn about the estate if you stayed at the estate. Remember?"

Unfortunately, I did. My first mistake. There'd been plenty of times I'd hated my first life, but I wasn't sure if I'd ever hated it more than I did now. I had to think quickly. I didn't want anything to do with the family at all, but simply distancing myself hadn't worked in my last life. I was also in need of some money from said family, so I needed to somehow cut them off while getting paid at the same time.

"That's what I thought," Lando said, taking my silence for acquiescence. He straightened his clothes. "You'll come back with me tonight then. Father wants to welcome you back warmly, so we'll send word ahead. There will be a feast in your honor. I'll make sure of it, Gerry."

Honestly, it'd be best if I could just kill them all and inherit it all, but that'd take time I didn't have. I also needed to take care of a king first. Priorities. Right now, my priorities were establishing myself here. At first it was so I could have some political capital to use against the Viscoti family should they try to come for me again, but now it was so I could get closer to the king. I still needed money and the magic shop. I still needed Trygve Teigen, the Triam Drana, and the potions.

When I'd finished eating, the table was cleared, and the bill paid, Lando stood up. "Come on. Let's head back to the hotel to arrange our journey. We can have your things at Caemor sent after us."

I remained seated. I had the political capital I needed to be safe from the Viscoti family for now because of Caemor. If I had to tell the dean everything so that she'd value me enough to keep me safe from Father, then I would. I hadn't died because of the dean six times already. Easy decision.

That left me with needing money. A simple plan formed in my mind.

"I can't," I said again. Then I lowered my head, and he got the hint and took a seat again.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

I had always been the better actor when I tried.

Worrying my lip, I chose my words carefully. "I owe a lot of money to some powerful people here and they won't let me leave Brugge. Trust me on that one because I've tried. Maybe if you were Boyet, we wouldn't have to worry, but just us? We can't defend ourselves."

"I can get guards then." He frowned, looking perhaps genuinely concerned. Though likely not for me.

I shook my head. "Won't work. Don't you think I tried? I don't even know if it's safe for you to be seen with me..."

"Did you not bring enough money?"

For effect, I swallowed hard and glanced at my lap. Best to let him come up with something worse than that.

He glanced around, then sat forward to lower his voice. "How much money are we talking here?"

The options were endless. I could come up with a ridiculous number to really try to extort the family, but that would probably mean I wouldn't get anything at all. If I picked too low of a number, I'd be doing myself a great disservice. I'd promised Rolf another two thousand for the shop, so rounding up from there seemed safe.

"Three thousand gold coins." I could think of something to do with the other thousand.

His eyes widened. His jaw slackened. Then he blinked rapidly, closed his mouth, and glanced around again because he didn't understand the word discreet.

"How did you land in that much debt so quickly?" he whispered. Quite loudly, in fact.

"Well..." I said, drawing it out on purpose. "You know how those things go..."

"A woman?"

I nodded, then shook my head and looked to my lap again. He was being so helpful.

"Who do you owe?" he asked.

"They're called the Triam Drana. They have this casino in the... red light district... called Kashana. I didn't go out thinking I'd gamble but..."

This time, Lando was the one who nodded. "But when a pretty girl grabs your arm in just the right way and tells you she wants to see you win... I understand, Gerry. I understand. I've heard of the Triam Drana's dirty tricks before. Well, for my safety, keep staying where ever it is that you were. I'll contact Father to send the money as soon as he can." He rubbed his face and mumbled, "You always have been gullible."

"I know. I'm sorry."

He sighed loudly. "It doesn't matter. Once we've paid off your debt, you're coming home with me, whether you like it or not. You get that you fucked up, right?"

"Father won't have me after this." That was why this plan was worth pulling off.

"That's not true," he said, but I could hear it in his voice and I could see it on his face. He hadn't realized it before, but he did now. If Father found out, I'd surely be kicked out. "What he doesn't know won't hurt him, Gerry. A secret between brothers stays between brothers."

In what timeline had that ever held true for him? Not in any of mine.

Lando got up again, this time choosing to kneel beside me. He put a hand on my shoulder. "I'll get the money tonight and meet you tomorrow at that casino. We can even stick around the red light district for a while after, my treat before heading back home. Will you be safe staying at the academy tonight?"

[Notice]

Congratulations! You have completed the first part of your Mission [Con Lando]. Just kidding. Why would I reward you for that?

"Yes, very safe," I said. Then for some reason, I added, "You don't have to--"

"--I do," Lando said. "Of course I have to, Gerry. You're very special to the family. To me. So I'll see you tomorrow. Be safe." He kissed me on the top of the head and then left.

What I was going to say was that he didn't have to get the money. I was going to lie, saying I would figure out how to make my own money so I could pay it off myself, then maybe after that I could come back home. I hadn't expected him to be so firm on it, and that didn't sit comfortably with me.

They hadn't been this desperate this early before, and I didn't like what this change might mean for my future. Had Father given him an ultimatum? Was my enrolling in a magic academy so detrimental to their plan that they had to speed up their process? Could I really rid myself of them for good without having to kill them?