Once again I came to in the back of the cart heading to Mindsna. The sun was now way lower in the sky, painting everything in red hues. It looked unreal, and if I didn’t know better I could believe that it wasn’t just the trick of the light, but there was a spell cast on Saov, coloring everything like that. It seemed fitting considering how much blood already was in this story.

It was a stark difference from my previous home in Birka, where not much light was able to penetrate the clouds' cover…

“You awake?”

It was Gael, sitting beside me. There was some peculiar look on his face.

I simply hummed in confirmation.

“Reyc, are you…” he made some uncertain hand gesture, “still wandering?..”

“What do you mean? I was just napping.”

“Maybe. But, well, it certainly didn’t feel like that.”

Gael looked at me with concern. And then before I could stop him, he leaned in and reached under the collar of my shirt, pulling out a chain and pendant. “I suppose it doesn’t work anymore…”

How could I forget about this? Of course, it wasn’t the most vital thing in the book, but this pendant, now laying in Gael’s hand, was an important plot device on a few occasions. The chain was simple silver, but the pendant itself was something apparently Nocka and Gael gifted to Reyc in the past. It didn’t have just sentimental value but was also made out of one of the most precious materials in the world - residuum.

「 “Ironic how the same material that blesses enchanters and arcanists with additional power, is used to hinder the Gates.” Jacques studied the piece of jewelry in his palm. The low-grade silver setting was cheap and pathetic, however, what it held - was more precious than gold or any gemstones. A reddish black, flat piece of residuum, polished just enough for the star-like pattern to emerge on its own. Visible only under the angle arms reaching out from the center. “They put their shackles on you-”

“It was a gift!” Reyc pulled the pendant back, hiding it in his closed fist. Senselessly bold.

Did Jacques just find a sour subject?

“From whom?”

“My friends.”

“How thoughtful of them. To gift you something you can’t even use… Or maybe you just like the look of dragon’s blood?”

Now, curiously, Reyc started to laugh. What was so funny?

“You really don’t get it, do you?” he continued seeing Jacques’ displeased grimace. “I never wanted any of the magic I have. I would beg for something, someone to take it away. This, this pendant, helps me be normal.”

“You are a fool.”

“Maybe. But you see, that’s why the two of us fit so well together.” 」

“Has it been like that for long?” Again, Gael’s voice pulled me back from the book scene I remembered.

“No. I don’t think so… Just since you came to me yesterday?”

Gael nodded and dropped the pendant back behind my shirt. He still looked at me, pensively i suppose. Mulling something over in this head of his.

I didn’t feel like being the object of observation-

“It really is a weird feeling. When you do that sleeping thing of yours. I was looking at you, and seemed to just be resting, and yet…”

“You can feel it?” That was new for me. If Gael, a layman when it came to magical things, was able to feel something being off, then for someone like Fela it had to be obvious what was going on with me.

Speaking of her, our cart had a different driver now, one of the other gang members held raptor’s reins. Looking at the front of our short caravan I could just make out the tip of her head as she sat hunched in the first cart.

“Yeah,” Gael followed my gaze. “She too, even more, I guess. Said that it gives her a headache and left us alone.”

I sat comfortably and close enough to Gael that while the two of us talked in a hushed tone, no one else should be able to spy on us. Both Gael’s and mine hands were still bound with ropes. We could try to escape, especially now when the most dangerous person was probably still at disadvantage, yet. I could help but feel like it was better to reach the capital, and then find the way. Besides, saovine forests weren’t exactly safe outside of the few specific routes.

“Was she asking you any more questions about us?”

Gael snorted with laughter. “When did you drift off?”

“I stopped paying attention around the time she started asking about distillation. I think… I figured your amazing personality won her over already.”

“She’s a great conversation partner.”

“Sure, Gael.”

He smiled at my dry tone of voice, and then looked briefly toward the first cart.

“I never expected that gangsters would be this cultured,” he murmured. “She knows poetry, literature, algebra…”

“She’s an enchanter.”

Gael hummed at that. “Well, that explains the magic I suppose. Still…” His brows were furrowed when he turned back to me. “I think they’re from Salamandra.”

Abruptly I looked back at my companion, surprised by him even knowing this name. Originally he shouldn’t be even aware of it, let alone correctly guess that’s the organization Fela belonged to.

Gael must have noticed my astonishment and thought I never heard of Salamandra because, still in a whisper, he started his explanations. “It’s one of the gangs from Mindsna, particularly unpleasant according to Nocka. They’re drug dealers, so they often recruit from students to be their alchemists.”

Suddenly I understood how Gael knew about Salamandra in the first place. “They tried to recruit you?”

He nodded.

“Does Nocka know about that?” I asked.

“Wha- Why would I tell her?”

“Because, clearly, she deals with her,” just with my head I motioned in the direction of Felicia Zaleglowicz. The rumored leader of Salamandra.

Gael just shook his head. But then he looked at me with a frown and leaned closer. “Speaking off… Why did you blow our cover?”

“The one where you tried to make us into Nocka’s employes?”

“Could have worked.”

“It really wouldn’t.” If the book descriptions of the House of the Night were accurate at all then whoever believed this lie would have to be blind. Neither of us looked the part.

“And,” I continued in a hushed tone. “If they’re really that gang then it would put Nocka on their bad side if she tried to-”

“Well, now she can’t even try to do anything. They wouldn’t dare to touch us if they believed we’re hers…”

We couldn’t know that for sure. And anyway, all of that were just speculations. From the very start, Fela knew I’m a mage, and wouldn’t let me go no matter what.

Gael whined a bit more, but I was ignoring him already, and eventually, he went silent as well. I could only hope that he was trying to come up with some way of getting out of this situation. As for me, I was not only out of ideas, but I was also conflicted.

Thinking about it, I actually wanted to follow the plot of the book. I had both time, and knowledge to change the way story was set to go. All I needed were opportunities. I actually needed to get closer to the protagonist - Jacques de Asper.

Reyc ended up in Jacques’ orbit by accident, and also only by luck he was able to live long enough to gain somewhat stable footing on de Asper’s “court”. I already knew what will be required of me, so I could have the upper hand in discussing the terms of the deal I will make with Jacques. Reyc later was using his position to spy for the Conspirators. I, however? I could expose traitors and mess with their plans long before they even realized something is out of order.

The only thing I needed was to not walk into de Asper’s House as a prisoner.

“I think I have a plan.”

Gael looked at me doubtfully. “Is it any good?”

Initially, I didn’t want to make too big changes, just let the plot develop naturally until the point I really had to interfere. However, making this particular change was absolutely worth it. I started to twist my bounded wrists this way and that in front of me.

“I suppose you could call it a bit cocky.”

“Cocky, you say?” he laughed. So loudly that even the driver of our cart turned back to look at us. “Oh, well, you know I love when you get like that.”

I only grinned in response and twisted my wrists, finally in one swift move releasing my hands from the rope bounds.

Seeing how Gael and Fela seemed to be of similar souls, if he loves my plan, then she will straight up transcendent from the excitement. 

I jumped out of our cart, and ignoring the howl of one the gangsters I walked towards the front where Fela sat.

“Felicia Zaleglowicz! Duel me!”