“Lab rats? That sounds terribly ominous.” Isolde’s frown confirmed her misgivings.

“There is…nothing to worry about.” Claygon said, his footsteps thundering across the arena floor. “It will…be a treat…for you. …probably.”

“Ah, the ‘probably’ word: enough to arouse suspicion, but just vague enough to inspire fear!” Khalik said, turning to Isolde and Thundar. “Let us get away before Alex dissects us, shall we?”

“Vivisects,” Isolde said.

“Pardon?”

“He will probably dissect us while we are still alive, therefore the correct term would be vivisection,” she said.

“You know, I don’t think I care much either way,” Thundar said. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

“Oh for the sake of the Traveller,” Alex said, feeling a small pulse of power as he invoked her name. “I’m not that crazy! It’s food! I’m giving you food!”

“Is the food poisoned?” Khalik asked.

“Bah! Just sit down before I actually vivisect the three of you!” Alex snorted, walking to the stands and flopping down. He shook his head at his grinning friends, “I swear, you’re all so abusive.”

“Oh you give as good as you get, so no complaining now!” Thundar waved a hand dismissively as he sat beside Alex.

Isolde joined them, followed by Khalik; Sinope scooted down from a bench above and settled beside her ‘mighty oak blossom’. The dryad leaned into his shoulder and he smiled down at her, kissing her forehead, all signs of that fleeting expression now gone.

If she’d noticed it, she didn’t say, her eyes left Khalik to fall on Claygon. “I still can’t believe how much he’s changed,” she said, remarking on his new appearance.

“It marks…the battles…we fought,” Claygon’s voice boomed, this time taking on the melodious tones of a female vocalist. “I am…proud of it.”

Even in the grey light of the day, Claygon’s new look caught the eye.

For the better part of a week after they’d gotten out of Cretalikon, Alex and Claygon had spent hours in the basement lab, working on the iron covering the golem’s body.

Using heat, a magnetiser, a rust wand, a bottle of acid and a good measure of time, patience, and Mark-driven skill, Alex had cut most of the metal away, keeping the scraps for future projects. Once he’d removed the bulk of it, he’d taken to working on what was left on Claygon, moulding the iron surface, sculpting and inserting it into the filigree he and Selina had carved into the golem’s body.

When he was through, the young wizard had treated the iron with an alchemical polish, giving it a nice sheen and protecting it from rusting. The results were glorious. Claygon’s white marble contrasted with the iron now shining between the mural-like carvings across his body.

As far as Alex was concerned, he’d always been a work of art, but now his shine drew even more attention, highlighting his imposing form.

But, at this particular moment, shining metal and white marble weren't what drew everyone’s attention as Claygon approached them. What they were focused on was the basket sitting in the palm of one of his enormous lower hands.

“What is in the basket?” Isolde asked.

“Lunch,” Alex grinned. “Lunch, my little lab rat.”

She gave him a withering look.

“You know, it says something that the contents of that basket are more frightening than our upcoming exams,” Khalik said.

“Hey!” Alex said. “I feed you all well.”

“Yes, but the term ‘lab rat’ is more than a little frightening and suspicious,” the prince chuckled, then pursed his lips in thought. “You know, all jokes aside, exams do not feel as terrifying as they used to. At this time last year, I remember considering making a deal with the gods to guarantee my success, but now? Things do not seem so dire.”

“Oddly enough—and I am aware that such a thing sounds strange coming from me—but they do not worry me nearly as much, either,” Isolde frowned, deep in thought. “Yet, the work’s intensity only rises.”

“Yeah, but compared to…y’know…having a different perspective? It makes you think about how circumstances can change perspective. I mean we’ve fought cultists, Ravener-spawn, even actual demons for a while now. Maybe next to all that? Exams might feel kinda easy, wouldn’t they?” Alex suggested.

“Speak for yourself, exams still scare the hell out of me,” Thundar scoffed.

“Well, these might help you feel better,” Alex opened the basket, revealing an entire buffet of baked goods.

It was a good thing he’d invested in a very big basket.

Spread out on a crisp linen lining, lay seemingly endless rows of plump breads, cream filled eclairs, fruit tarts, a few dozen meat tarts, and individual layered cakes. A warming disk tucked in a corner of the basket kept the breads toasty like they’d just come out of the oven, and the rest of the goodies were kept fresh with a disk bakers used for cooling.

The disks were expensive and necessary, but—thanks to Thundar, Theresa and Claygon sourcing dungeon core substance—Alex had enough coin coming in from Toraka, with even more coming, once she completed the sale of the first golem they’d crafted for the market.

A number of serious buyers had met with her, drooling over the unique golem, and the prestige of owning the first one. She’d actually rubbed her hands together with glee while telling Alex about the potential bidding war that was brewing.

He wasn’t exactly a fan of war, but any war with ‘bidding’ in front of it, was fine by him. Especially when the bidding was on his goods.

“These look incredible,” Sinope said, veritably drooling. “Khalik, you need to make fun of Alex less, he brings us ambrosia.”

“Do not say that, such words will immediately go to his head and we will have to avoid him for days,” Khalik chuckled, taking a pair of eclairs and passing one to Sinope. “So, when you said that we are ‘lab rats’...”

“You are officially the testers for the Roth Family Bakery’s first creations,” Alex said with delight: he’d modelled the bakery’s name on how his parents had named the alehouse, and Theresa’s parents had named their inn. Carrying on the tradition gave him a really good feeling. “We plan on selling these at our grand opening, so I’m canvassing for opinions.”

“Ahhhh, now this is some lab rat shit I can get behind,” Thundar grinned, taking a large butter tart and hunk of warm butter bread.

“Indeed, far more preferable to vivisection.” Isolde took a fruit tart.

She was about to take the first bite when Najyah came screeching from the sky, her beak spread wide in protest. The enormous eagle landed beside Alex, glaring at him with cold, offended eyes, feathers puffed up like she was totally put out.

“Hold on girl,” he said, taking a small meat tart from the basket. “Don’t act like that, I didn’t forget you!” He put the tart down in front of her, quickly snatching his hand away and stepping back. “Alright everyone, eat up. And that goes for all of you! I want to hear your honest opinions. Trust me, don’t worry about offending me. I don’t want any of you being nice now, but insincere, because that doesn't really help, it only makes business tougher later.”

Glancing at one another, his friends inhaled the delicious aromas wafting into their nostrils, and bit down in unison.

Alex clenched his jaw: though he was confident in his baking skills, and more than a year with the Mark growing those skills had helped turn him into a veritable master chef. But, he was still nervous.

These baked goods were special, and he wondered how they’d be received.

He held his breath.

“These are so good they should be criminal,” Khalik said almost dreamily. “My friend, you will make me fat, and then Sinope will leave me and I will have you exe—” He froze, remembering he was in public. “—I will execute you. With my fists.”

“I would never leave you, my mighty oak blossom.” Sionope patted Khalik’s side. “Besides you are beautiful now, but you would be cute were you fat.” She smiled at Alex. “These are amazing, by the way.”

Again, that look crossed Khalik’s face, then fled in a heartbeat.

“Yeah, I agree with Khalik and Sinope,” Thundar echoed, licking his fingers. “That was damn good. You keep topping yourself, man. Makes me wish my folks back home cooked like you.”

“Indeed, this tart is absolutely delightful,” Isolde said. “Although, as Thundar said, such things are expected from you. You are an excellent baker.”

“Well, I am, but I didn’t make these.” Alex grinned. “Troy did.”

His cabal members looked astonished.

A chuckle rumbled from Claygon’s voice box. “I…will…tell Troy…of their reaction…he will be…amused.”

Alex looked at his golem with pride; the big guy was starting to have more social interactions with people outside of his little family, making Alex pleased and proud. It was healthy for his mind.

“Wait, Troy made these?” Thundar looked at his pastry and the others in the basket in shock. “These are great! And he’s talented as hell!”

“He sure is,” Alex said, tapping his right shoulder. “And I used a little help to teach him, and worked on a bunch of new recipes to share with him.”

“They will serve you well in your bakery,” Isolde nodded. “Having competent staff is crucial to one’s success in many things. Only the elements know how much Hogarth and Svenia have helped me over the course of my university career. Even now, they are off taking care of affairs for me in the city. Good staff are worth their weight in diamonds.”

“On that, we agree,” Alex said. “And hopefully I’ll pick up some more people if the grand opening goes well. I’ll need someone for the Games of Roal.”

Isolde raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Alex rubbed his hands together. “I’m planning on setting up a stall at the Games, selling baked goods under my bakery’s banner: think of it as a way to make some side-coin, and get lots of advertising. Selina’s been helping me design the booth.”

“Smart thinking,” Khalik said. “Are you certain that you will get a booth? Space seemed to be at a premium.”

“Baelin’s putting in a good word for me,” Alex said. “And apparently the fact that we helped so much against those demons last year is working in my favour. So, I should be able to get one, no problem.”

“Very good,” Khalik said, reaching for another eclair. He threw a nervous look at his waistline. “Speaking of the Games, has everyone given thought to what events they’ll compete in? I know for sure I'll be returning to the Duel by Proxy with Najyah, though I do wonder if the competition will be…light. We are much stronger than last year, after all.”

“There’s always Kybas to worry about,” Thundar pointed out. “He gave you a big run for your coin last year.”

“Ahhhh, but you fail to take one important thing into account!” Khalik wagged his finger at Thundar. “Harmless is now much too big for the lightweight division. I think he will be in the middleweight division by now. Stronger monsters there, but Kybas is a good strategist and Harmless has been looking very healthy, let us say. I would be lying if I said I was sad that he is now too big to fight Najyah.”

He smiled at his familiar, who was too busy feasting on pie to pay him any mind.

“I am hoping to…enter…the Duel by Proxy…again…” Claygon said. “I am stronger…and I can think…so I would love showing my skills…now that I can…experience it.”

“And I’m more than willing to let you show off.” Alex grinned, patting Claygon’s leg. “You’re going to kick so much ass. We all will. I hear Grimloch’s doing the Great Water Hunt again, and I’d like to do the Great Land Hunt. Ranier’s going to be too advanced to compete again, but his strategy gave me an idea.”

“I guess we’re doing the Grand Melee again,” Thundar said. “Since we won once, makes sense to have a second go around.”

“We would be foolish not to enter,” Khalik agreed.

“And of course, there is the Grand Battle,” Isolde said. “I have mastered fourth-tier spells, and the likelihood of me being able to compete again is slim. So, this year shall be my final hurrah.”

“And what a hurrah it’ll be,” Alex said slyly, glancing around. He leaned forward, his voice dropping low. “Our friend Lucia gave me an idea so I’m getting a little help from Kybas: how would you all like to make a little extra coin on the side. Through ways that are most definitely within the rules.”

He paused.

“...technically.”

Thundar was the first to lean forward.