Hump and the others spent what remained of the evening figuring out the details of their plan. In the end, complicating the matter would only introduce more dangers. There were only two key details for things to work: Marcela and Graham had to agree to help once Hump revealed the truth about his soul, and they had to get the black stone and Graham’s equipment to a safe place where they could work.

“I would offer the estate my brother and I are staying in if there wasn’t so much risk involved,” Emilia said.

“That’s alright,” Hump said. “We need a location that won’t draw any attention. Somewhere easy to reach and obscure.”

“It wouldn’t be strange for Graham to meet us here,” Dylan said. “He’s been here before and it’s a public place.”

“I’m not sure we should be experimenting with potentially deadly artifacts in a public place,” Bud said. “Historically, that hasn’t gone well for Hump.”

“What about the training grounds on the Daston Estate,” Celaine said. “We go there every day anyway, and Graham is always reporting to the countess. The area is enchanted to be resistant to damage, so Hump probably won’t accidentally blow anything up.”

“Won’t Countess Daston notice what we’re doing?” Dylan said.

“Nobody has noticed the warlocks in the city so far,” Celaine said. “We’re training there anyway. Noise and strange essence fluctuations aren’t going to raise any eyebrows.”

Emilia looked at Hump. “What do you think?”

“It’s better than the inn,” Hump said. “Though it’s another thing we’ll need to count on Marcela’s help for.”

“You’re already baring your soul to her,” Celaine said. “This is just icing on the cake.”

It all came back to the same thing. Hump wondered how Marcela would react when he spoke to her tomorrow. She was a Chosen—sworn to uphold the ideology of the Pantheon—but she was also an intelligent person, raised by a mother that always looked beyond the obvious to see what others didn’t. He couldn’t lie to her; Hump knew that much. This would only work if he was honest. She had to believe that he wasn’t doing this for selfish reasons.

As for Graham, Hump wasn’t so concerned. Not only did he care about Vivienne, but he also valued research and invention. He may be a Chosen of Loften, but he was a seeker of knowledge, upholding many of the same ideals as wizards. With Marcela onboard, Hump was confident he’d leap at the opportunity to uncover how the black stone worked.

Before it became too late, Bud escorted Emilia home, and the rest of them went to bed. It would be a long day tomorrow, but first came the long, anxiety riddled night leading up to it. Hump tried to sleep, but his dreams didn’t let him for long. In the end, he spent half the night egg bonding.

Come morning, he was tired, but the adrenaline was already kicking in for what would come next. He was about to tell the heiress of the most powerful family in Sheercliff that he was a warlock. With any luck, it would sound better out loud than in his head. The term ‘warlock’ didn’t help at all—he decided to avoid that altogether.

Hump was first downstairs for once, though it wasn’t long before the others joined him for breakfast. They would meet up with Emilia at the carriageway in about an hour. In the meantime, they did their best to act normal. It was hard to escape the feeling of being watched. Anyone of the people that came and went from the inn each day could be there to spy on them. Warlocks, inquisitors, the Pantheon—all sides would have an interest in the people closest to Vivienne. At least, they would if they truly believed she was behind the killings.

“So, any second thoughts?” Bud asked.

Hump nodded. “Oh yeah. Many, many second thoughts.”

“Do you still want to go ahead with it?”

“I think so. I’m glad I brought you all in on this.”

Celaine glared at him from over her plate. “You mean you’re lucky you did.”

Hump smiled. “That too. I know this is a risk for you both, so I guess I just want to say thanks.” He looked at Dylan. “And know that I’m not just doing this because you asked. I want to do this.”

“Thank you,” Dylan said. “I’m still going to feel guilty if this goes wrong.”

“It won’t,” Hump said. “We’re going to do this the right way. Though I suppose if it does, I wouldn’t mind you feeling a little guilty.”

Dylan laughed.

They got their stuff together early and met with Emilia at the carriageway, then headed up for the training grounds. Once there, the others got to work while Hump approached Marcela alone. There was a new trainee with them this time, and Hump noticed the girl’s eyes watching him curiously as he approached. Hump supposed he still stood out as odd in a place like this.

“Do you mind giving me a few minutes to speak with you alone?” Hump asked her. “I’ve been working on something related to my meeting with Countess Daston and could do with your thoughts.”

“Of course,” she said. “Let’s take it in the kitchen. Will this take long?”

Hump tilted his head back and forth. “I’m not sure.”

She looked to her party. “Spend some time getting to know Georgia.”

“Will do,” Len said.

“Let’s go,” Marcela said.

Hump followed her to the kitchen.

Once they were inside, Marcela closed the door behind him and faced him. “I can practically feel your anxiety radiating behind me. What’s going on? Is this about Wizard Vivienne?”

“In a way, yes,” Hump said.

“I see. In which case, I should preface this by saying my mother hasn’t told me anything more since yesterday.”

“That’s not quite what I’m here for.” Hump sighed. “You should take a seat.”

Marcela narrowed her eyes and studied him suspiciously. “Now you’re being dramatic.” She sat down anyway at a small table and leant her side against the wall of the narrow kitchen.

Hump took a seat opposite her, his mouth suddenly feeling dry. He’d gone over this conversation a dozen times in his head, but now the right words escaped him.

“You told me that if there was ever anything I needed from you, I could count on you for help,” Hump said. “I wanted to ask for that favour now.”

The smile on her face slipped and she suddenly became more serious. “Indeed, I stand by what I said. What is it you need?”

“Before we get into the details, I need to tell you more about myself,” Hump said. “This favour… it will leave you in a conflicted position. Honestly, I’m afraid to even ask. It’s not exactly legal, and if that makes you uncomfortable, it is best we stop here and forget anything about it.”

Marcela frowned. “I see. That leaves me in an awkward position.” She rubbed her chin, rolling her eyes up to stare at the ceiling as she thought. Hump’s heart hammered as he waited for her to continue. “If you’re asking me anything that might cause harm to a person, I can tell you now that I won’t do it.”

“Nothing of the sort,” Hump said. “The only person this might harm is me. I wouldn’t be coming to you if I had any other options, but with Vivienne imprisoned, I feel like I have no choice.”

“It’s something to do with her research, isn’t it?” Marcela said.

“Yes,” Hump said. “I’ll explain fully if you can give me your word that this conversation will stay between us.”

“You’ve not given me much to go on,” Marcela said. “You didn’t murder anyone, did you?”

“Of course not. This is nothing sinister. I’m doing it to help people, only you might not approve of the method.”

She held his eyes for a long moment. They were a deep blue, like her mothers, and were filled with a similar intensity. Finally, she said, “You saved my life, and for that I owe you an immense debt. At the very least, I can promise you that I will listen to what you have to say.”

“Thank you. I’m sorry to put you in such an awkward position. To put it briefly, I think I know a way to activate the black stone and help Graham to complete his research.”

“What method?”

Hump took a long breath and sighed. Then he told her about his soul, the dragon, the gorger, and how it had changed him. How it had transformed his soul similarly to warlocks, and that most likely, he would be able to help with the research in the same way as the prisoners.

Throughout all of it, Marcela remained impassive. She didn’t interrupt or ask questions, and when Hump was finally finished the silence lingered between them. Hump’s own heartbeat hammered in his ears.

“I’m sure you can see why I was hesitant to speak with you,” Hump said. “I want to help though. I can’t sit back and do nothing while innocent people are being murdered, and I can’t let Vivienne remain imprisoned unfairly.”

“Is she also like you?” Marcela asked.

“No. She’s just an ordinary wizard.”

“I suppose this is why your soul is so unusually strong too, and why you could beat Len in a soul duel.”

“It definitely plays a large role in that.”

Marcela bit her lip. “The question is whether or not I should believe in your motivations. How am I to know that you’re not both working for these warlocks? If the inquisitors or Pantheon were to learn of this, I suspect they’d consider it evidence of her involvement. Neither of you would see freedom again.”

“If I was one of them, I wouldn’t need a black stone,” Hump said. “I wouldn’t have three Chosen trying to help me do this, or any reason to work with Graham. I wouldn’t have almost died trying to protect you from Tanek. Nothing I’m suggesting will benefit me in any way. All I want to do is help track down the warlocks plaguing your city, and this is the only way I know how. I thought my actions have already proven where my allegiance lies.”

Marcela pushed her chair back and stood, causing Hump to flinch. She paced to the back of the kitchen, then walked back to him. “You weren’t kidding about putting me in an awkward position. If I were to follow the lessons of my tutors, I should report you.”

Hump’s stomach sank. “If that is your intention, I only ask you give me time to leave Sheercliff.”

She put her hands on the table and leaned over it, staring down at him. “It is not. I believe you, and I believe that you are only trying to help. Why come to me though? Surely, it’s Graham you need to speak with.”

“I didn’t think it was safe to do so,” Hump said. “After Vivienne’s capture, I suspect at least his lab is under surveillance. If I visit, and he suddenly figures out how the black stone works, it will attract attention. Someone wants to keep this a secret and they killed the imprisoned warlocks to ensure it stayed that way. I’m rather fond of being alive.”

“My mother said something similar. Every action I take is likely being reported on, which is why I’m so confused as to why you’d come to me. If your visit to the lab raised suspicion, mine would still stand out as odd.”

“I want you to get a message to Graham,” Hump said. “Tell him what I’ve told you and ask him to bring one to the black stones and the equipment he needs out of the lab to meet us somewhere else.”

Marcela laughed, sitting back down and leaning back. “And you think that’s less conspicuous?”

“It is if you have him come here,” Hump said. “If we disguise it as training equipment, he could bring it to the training grounds here. This is the perfect place to conduct the experiments. It’s enchanted against damage and designed to keep the essence used in training inside. Not to mention Graham attends the Daston Estate all the time. Nobody would think it unusual.”

“You’re asking me for permission to wield a warlock artifact in my home,” Marcela said in a low voice. “If this got out… I can’t even imagine the damage it could cause to my family’s reputation.”

“If this got out, I’d be executed,” Hump said. “Nobody wants to keep it quiet more than me. I wouldn’t have even told you about this if I didn’t think it was important, but Countess Daston told me I had a role to play in the fate of Sheercliff. I think this might be it.”

“I bet she told you not to hesitate to act too,” Marcela said.

Hump frowned and Marcela smiled.

“I’ve heard it all before,” she said. “I also know that she can’t see the impact of such actions. You could be bringing about our undoing for all I know.”

“All the damage to my soul came about from trying to help people,” Hump said. “Bud and Celaine can vouch for Bledsbury Dungeon and the gorger in Fishers Lake. I’m an idiot that’s almost died far too many times in situations over my head, but it’s always because I’m trying to help people. I think I might hold the key to Graham’s research. Let me use it. If that’s still unacceptable to you, then I’ve got nothing left to say.”

Once more the silence returned.

“Even if I agree, what makes you think Graham will?” she asked.

“He and Vivienne were close,” Hump said. “With you to vouch for me, he’ll help us. And if he doesn’t… well, it’s not like you lose anything.”

“Indeed, it likely won’t come back to bite me in that case. I want to trust you on this, Hump.” She shook her head. “I do trust you. The one thing that confuses me is what you’re trying to get out of this. If you just wanted Wizard Vivienne to be released, the best thing to do is trust in my mother’s investigation. And while wanting to help people is a noble goal, you’re risking a lot. If it was power or money that you wanted, I could more easily understand.”

“That’s rich coming from a Chosen,” Hump said. “I thought you were all about noble sacrifice.”

“Chosen are placed up on a pedestal, and have that pressure to live up to,” Marcela said. “Many fail to do so. Is that what you’re doing? I also feel like I’ve come to know you quite well over the last few weeks. You’re a good person that will risk a lot to help the people around you. When we were questing, it was your job. You were paid for it and rewarded in status. There’s nothing in it for you this time.”

Hump paused, searching for words. He thought back on Lucile and how much she’d struggled to escape the gorger’s lair, only to die right at the end. All that suffering for nothing.

“What happened to me… it isn’t over. I still feel the tug of the gorger’s imprint, lingering in my dreams like some dark temptation.” Hump groaned. “That isn’t exactly convincing, is it?”

She smiled. “Lingering dark temptations doesn’t exactly strike confidence in me.”

“Then let’s put it simply. I went through a lot of shit. It would be nice if I could do some good with the result. I suppose deep down, that’s my purpose in coming here to you. Bad things have happened to me, but because of that, I now have the power to help protect ordinary people trying to live their lives. I’ve risked more over less.”

Marcela thought about what he said and then nodded. “You’ve convinced me. I’ll see what I can do, though I will be there every step of the way. You will explain everything to me as you do it, and if I sense anything I don’t like, we end it there.”

Hump grinned, clasping his sweaty palms together, though his anxiousness dwindled a little. Having Marcela’s support wasn’t just important to the plan. It was good to have someone he could count on.

“Thank you,” Hump said. “This will work. I’m sure of it.”

“I hope you’re right,” she said. “I want to go over the full details of the plan so far. Where you want to meet. When. Anything you can think of, I want to know. Then we can figure out our next step.”

“Of course,” Hump said. He pointed toward the kettle and kitchen fire. “Mind if I put on some tea?”