Eventually Harlan found the rest of the group and went back home.

They had barely made a dent in Harlan’s funds. Redmond got some higher grade plates sewn onto his armor and got his various swords and daggers sharpened. Ava bought a cake and candy, a shocking revelation to Harlan. And Ibery bought books, as well as one of the toys he had made, she seemed impressed with it. But Harlan got more entertainment out of seeing her reaction when she heard that he made it.

It was nearly dark when they got home. Harlan liked the fall when it was dark earlier, it felt odd to have so much daylight for him.

Everyone other than Dahlia went to their rooms and slept. Harlan had Isha cook him a sandwich of ground beef with onions. He was going to get more work done with his transformations and he figured he would burn everything he ate in town far quicker than he expected. Since he had the habit of losing track of time and working himself until he started burning muscle and fat.

“Isha, is there anything you need? I should’ve asked before I went to town today.”

“No, I am fine H- Master Fomoria. My needs are fulfilled quite well here.”

“Alright. Oh, I should ask for a quote for that rice stuff you mentioned before. I think we should try to grow it. I got a book from the confederacy that details local crops and they grow rice there, though it would be more work. I might need to hire more people if we are going to make a proper farm for that and a few other odd plants that I want to grow. A farm for tea seems nice.”

“I would quite like that. I haven’t had it since I was very young but I am sure my mother would have recipes for it.”

Isha was excused for the night.

Dahlia couldn’t believe what she had seen.

“So you can make people like you. Why is it so hard for you to do that with others?”

“She first reacted like I was going to kill her whenever I met her. Only calming down after I gave her a sheep toy and spoke with her. It isn’t my fault that people run away before I get to the other parts. And I am not going to sit around town handing out toys and talking with people.”

Dahlia didn’t have a good answer this time. She knew what should be done to have a good reputation. But she had spent more of her life in the shadows than in the light. She wondered if the well was already poisoned by fear and there was no good answer in the first place.

“Are you aware of the impropriety of a relationship with the house staff?”

Harlan set down his sandwich. He was starting to get fed up with her trying to micromanage his life. He was strongly feeling that she reminded him of Rosewell without the grace.

“I am not going to argue about this. I am going to eat and then go to work. Go watch Ibery sleep or whatever it is you do at night.”

She wasn’t sure how to respond. So she didn’t. She went to her room and took a shower when Harlan went to work.

Harlan was thinking that maybe he should’ve contacted that rabbit supplier. But, for now he still had a few captured rabbits from the woods, as well as some birds.

“Alright, where should we start today?”

“I would recommend that larger rabbit you have been working on. And we should take care that the mistake with the crow doesn’t repeat itself.”

Harlan couldn’t believe he let the crow starve because he tried to grow it too fast without taking into account the extra food it needed.

Harlan went to the rabbit pen to see that it had chewed through its wire cage and killed the other rabbits. It was many times the size of a normal rabbit. Clearly the process was growing more flawed as the size grew farther from its original state. Its teeth were growing faster than its head, giving it an oddly fierce look to Harlan. And it was growing even on its own at this point. It had eaten not only all of its large serving of food, but the other rabbits as well. It thrashed against the cage, not unlike rats when subjected to bloodline testing.

Harlan realized that maybe that was the answer.

“What if we found or made a bloodline able to fortify the soul? The soul takes bloodlines far better than it does me poking and prodding to see what happens.”

“It is a nice theory. But it could take us months of trial to find out the process. The bloodlines you worked with under the eye of the royals were all already known and tested bloodlines. You were given a final process without the knowledge of how to really make it. Though, we do know someone who has made a stable bloodline himself.”

“Right. I will have to ask him when I get the chance. I am tempted to try a completely different test with the rabbit soon.”

“Oh, really? What kind of test?”

“Taste. He is getting pretty big. But I think if I tried to do the scales test it would just explode and ruin the meat.”

“That… Isn’t a bad idea. We only really know how it affects the behavior and growth of a creature. We don’t know if it has lead to any unseen side effects with its growth. A dissection and butchering would reveal anything like cancerous growths.”

Harlan and Balor decided to deal with the rabbit another day. Instead they worked with the birds they had.

They tested many different adaptations on them, getting no real results but they did mark down which ones took the longest to explode compared to soul durability. Crows were a clear winner as far as taking well to changes, he got one to grow scales under its wings and live for over 5 minutes. Harlan wondered if intelligence had anything to do with it, he added it to the pile of questions he didn’t have answers for yet.

Harlan felt he had actually made some good progress that night, though he was starting to question if it wouldn’t be best to find other projects since he might be missing some large piece that would make everything much easier after his first year of academy. And maybe… Just maybe he should try to do something to fix his reputation.

He once more walked upstairs to Isha, and Garad’s wife Lydia making breakfast. Sara was doing something else somewhere. Harlan didn’t keep track of everyone unless he knew he would need them for something later.

“Good morning Master Fomoria.”

“Just Harlan is fine, no one else is around.”

He wondered if she was messing with him since she knew he wouldn’t actually do anything to punish her, or if she was simply uncomfortable with being casual with her boss after years as a nobles cook.

“So. Where is Sara?”

“She is cleaning the rest of our homes.”

“Lost another bet?”

“She was absolutely sure that we would already have another group buried up to their necks again since you have that spy here.”

“That is what she gets for not knowing things then. Ibery isn’t a prisoner that someone is going to break out, she is a guest while we wait for her people to either come here or request her return. And don’t refer to her as the spy, she was just over her head. If she was really a threat I would’ve dealt with her.”

Isha laughed at the idea, but Lydia simply went quiet.

Harlan liked it better that she didn’t realize he was serious.

And eventually people started coming down, Dahlia was first to show as he expected, then Redmond, Ava, and lastly Ibery. At least it looked like she slept this time.

“Redmond, do you have any experience with butchering rabbit?”

“Of course. We get rations but rangers are expected to prepare their own food when clearing areas.”

“What about a rabbit the size of a lamb?” Redmond didn’t skip a beat when he answered.

“Shouldn’t change much. It’s just a rabbit still. But where did you find something like that?”

“I won’t answer that, but I am working on some things.”

“Well, if you can make more meat. I would sell that to the kingdom, out in the frontier farms are made and destroyed all the time. Famine isn’t common, but it happens. Lot of loyalty would come from villages knowing the kingdom can help them out.”

“I’ll have to refine it, but that sounds good.” Harlan knew that it was a good thing, but the idea of the kingdom having more control over the lives of their subjects, or worse yet, intentionally putting them into a situation where they will accrue debt to the kingdom didn’t sit right with him.

“Slow down. You are going to drive yourself mad if you think everything is just another powerplay for the kingdom.”

“But can you really say that it isn’t? That they wouldn’t do that?”

“Don’t assume malice before it has happened. If they were that bad they would’ve not offered any aid deals for the confederacy. They could’ve starved them out and then expanded into their lands without much issue. I’ve read the books, the deal was fair.”

“Lives for lives is rarely a fair deal when one side will die without it.”

“Ibery, what are your thoughts on the slaves for food deal the kingdom made?”

Ibery spit out her tea, Dahlia gave both of them a deathly glare.

It took her some time to prepare an answer.

“I believe that we would not be in our current position if the deal was not made.”

“Thank you for your perspective.”

Everyone expected him to continue, but was glad to not end up in the middle of a political argument while sitting next to spies from two nations.

“I am sure that was a premade statement. Would not be in our current position. The wording doesn’t give a positive or negative stance on the matter. Just that they would be in a different situation. A politically inoffensive and meaningless statement.”

“You can’t base such a large subject on the words of a girl not yet 20 years of age who only knows the world from well after the deal was struck.”

“I’ll have to ask more people then.”

“Harlan, I mean this kindly. You are going to get yourself killed over nothing at this rate. Just slow down. If you want to start criticizing the kingdom, at least wait until you are enough of a power that they cannot easily remove you.”

Harlan and Balor got increasingly heated as they argued before eventually he was taken back to reality by a slap.

“What was that for?” Harlan looked to see who hit him, he saw Dahlia standing over him, but the second thing he saw was Isha and Lydia with fearful looks on their faces.

“You need to control yourself before you do something you cannot take back.”

“What did I even do?”

“Ava, you can show him things, right? Show him.”

She did as asked.

Harlan saw as over the course of his argument the shadows started to darken, the stove had started to heat up and Isha burned herself trying to turn it off, eventually he saw the slap as it started charring the wall behind it and yelling at him wasn’t working.

Harlan tried to get up to heal the minor burn and collapsed, Ava grabbed him before he hit the ground. Fear ran through his head, he tried to flush his system of any poisons before he passed out.

He awoke an hour later with a platter of food on the table beside his bed.

Dahlia was sitting in a chair near his bed reading something.

Harlan couldn’t understand what had happened, his soul was fine, he didn’t think it was a poison. So he ran out of options.

Dahlia could practically hear the gears turning in his head as he tried to figure out what went wrong.

“Do you want me to just tell you?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“You were unconsciously performing magic. Whatever you and your ring were arguing about distracted you from what you were doing and you lost control. You have always seen mana, so actively casting isn’t required. Since magic is simply forcing the world to react to your will this is the result. Normally this happens with people who’ve been changed by fae or those who can cast on reflex. You just burned yourself out, nothing to worry about there. What is worrying is that you can lose yourself in your head and do this in the first place.”

“So what is the solution then?”

“I am not a teacher. Just keep yourself calm and think about your actions. The academy will have a better answer I am sure.”

Harlan wasn’t satisfied with the answer just being self-control.

“Don’t go back to sleep. Eat this and then come downstairs. Your uncle healed the maid for you.”

He gorged himself and then went downstairs.

Sara was arguing with a courier outside and some other messenger wearing some crest that slipped his mind at the moment.

Both of them seemed to be having the same argument with her.

“I am telling you. No matter what you say, I cannot leave this with you. I am under strict orders to only deliver this directly to Sir Fomoria.”

“I am his servant. I take his packages all the time, just hand it over.”

Harlan knew what it was about as soon as he picked up the faint smell of sulfur.

It was a younger man, or at least he thought so. Harlan didn’t care for how false undead aged so much slower than people.

He was still feeling haggard but went outside to receive the package the man had.

“Welcome, I assume that is what I think it is?”

“Yes, my master apologizes that he could not also secure a subject for you, but he compiled this as quickly as possible.”

“Don’t worry about it, this is a joint effort for the both of us. And there is no rush.”

“I will return with your kind words. Now. I must excuse myself.”

Harlan then turned to the man with the crest.

“Balor, who am I talking to?”

“Verdigris. Magical house, headed by Baron Arnald Verdigris, 6 generations old. Gained the title because of a battle against adapted water hobgoblins at a copper mine where after the dust settled many of the men who fought deepest in the mines were painted blue.”

“Thanks.”

“Messenger of house Verdigris. What have you come here for that you are arguing with my servant?”

“I have been sent with a request to have you soulsmith a blade for the baron. I am to return to him with your price as well as any information you have about the process.”

“For a single blade it will be 5 gold coins. Normally I would charge by percent of the value of the blade but I will consider this a gift. But I must ask. Why did you not go to Baron Redwall? Surely his enchanters could do such a job?”

“The baron asked for you, as you created this technique he believes you are the best for the job.”

“Very well, as far as information about the process I can give the instructions for implanting spells into the sword. But the rest of the process will remain a secret, it is known to me, Redwall, the academy, and the crown. He may negotiate with any of them for the knowledge if he desires it.”

“I shall return with the blade should the Baron agree on the price. Good day to you Sir Fomoria.”

Harlan returned inside and put away his new research in the bunker behind one of the many secret storage spaces.

“He is never coming back.”

“Unlikely, I believe that he was fishing for information. If he wanted the blade he would’ve gone to Redwall. He is the only other person doing this in the area as far as I know.”

“Whatever, I am not going to worry about it. I am going to put it of my mind. I have better things to do.”

“Harlan, don’t hold another grudge. You should just let things like this go.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll just make a record of people who wronged me, but I won’t do anything stupid.”

Speaking of wronging people. Harlan realized he should check on Isha and make sure she is fine.

As soon as he stepped out of the bunker the wards around his home flashed, he read the book the architect left behind so he knew what it was.

Someone tried to teleport in and was denied.

They tried again a moment later but farther away, so Harlan let them in. Dahlia was suddenly right next to him. He was a little annoyed that she was able to teleport in his house without permission, but he let it slide.

Out of the gate which opened just past his walls stepped Tytoan Guards, they were lightly armored but Harlan could see something was going on with their feathers that didn’t sit right with him.

He saw they were wearing a crest depicting a black talon, Harlan was pretty sure he could figure out who they were.

“Morning.” He gave them a wave. The guards stared up at him, finally they made some hooting noise and someone on a stretcher was brought out from the gate.

Harlan opened the wall for them with a whistle, they seemed unsettled but came inside once Ibery showed up and waved them in.

Harlan led them to a guest room on the first floor, and they moved the person to the bed.

Her legs bent in wrong directions, left bent right, right bent left. It was clearly impossible for her to walk at all. Her top beak was straight instead of curved as it should be. One wing was completely upside down. Every movement seemed to cause her some amount of pain.

He really hoped he was able to help her.