I woke up lying on my back, staring at the plain white ceiling of the stateroom, bathed in the late afternoon light filtering through the windows. I’d only meant to rest, but the heaviness in my body told me I had slept much longer than I intended.

  Warmth pressed against my chest, the weight of an arm draped over me. For a moment, it felt like déjà vu. Turning my head, I saw a cascade of golden hair against my shoulder. Marlena, her breathing steady, her cheek lightly resting on me.

  “You’re awake,” she murmured, lifting her gaze.

  “Yes,” I said, rubbing my eyes. “I think I overslept.”

  “No,” she replied firmly. “You needed it.”

  She pushed the covers aside and slid gracefully on top of me, her hair falling like a veil around us both. Those dimples, the ones that always made her look so earnest and brilliant, softened her smile before it curved into something more mischievous.

  “You lie back,” she whispered, her grin turning mischievous as her hips pressed down, rocking into motion. She kissed me, her tongue dancing with mine. My hands instinctively rose, caressing her breasts as her moans filled the quiet room, and for once, I let her take the lead.

  Deep within the dark heart of the castle, the Demon Lord sat on his throne like a stain on the night. Red sunlight, thin as blood, sliced through narrow slit-windows and painted the polished floor with long, trembling bands. Silent sentries guarded the approach to the dais; even their shadows seemed to cower.

  He had not moved for days, nor left the hollow of that chair, only watching the great doors as if they might finally respond. Companions and lieutenants whispered and jostled each other for amusement in the outer court, but he barely paid attention. A weight pressed behind his eyes: surprise, then a cold, expanding fear.

  The engineers were back.

  Old stories once seemed like myth tales his grandfather told by firelight about a single engineer who razed the land for days, carving the world into scars that never healed. One such creature had been enough to ruin armies and topple cities. If there were more now, how many legions would burn? How many banners would lie broken at the edge of a rift?

  He had already lost one general, the Seventh. That name still tasted of ash. His army burned away in a blinding light. Finally, he called in Getyin, the General of the Fourth Army. Getyin was capable enough to lead the support troops; not a hero, not a genius, but reliable and obedient. The general stepped in with the quick stiffness of someone who had trained to hide fear.

  “Speak,” the Demon Lord rasped without looking up.

  Getyin knelt, voice low. “We opened a new rift to the human world, my lord. It does not twist with light. Scouts returned with reports of an endless corridor of black, a void that devours star and flame. It leads… elsewhere.”

  “Very well,” he said finally, each word deliberate. “You will take the Fourth and break into that void. Establish a beachhead. Push forward. Find what lies at the far end and tear it open for us to march through. Crush any who stand in your path. Upon your signal, the other armies will sweep in and destroy all that opposes us.”

  Getyin’s approval was a whisper. Shadows around them listened; the red light appeared to deepen in response.

  “Fail me,” the Demon Lord added, and the room cooled. “And I will teach you what it is to be erased.”

  We stepped out of the bed chambers to the looks of Allira and Seraphina.

  “David, another eventful morning?” Seraphina asked, and both she and Allira laughed.

  Marlena blushed deeply, and I looked at them. “I had a bad itch this morning,” I replied, pulling Marlena into a loving hug.

  Breakfast was waiting on the table. Seraphina and Allira sat down, and I took Marlena’s hand and sat across from them. As we ate, Seraphina turned to Allyson.

  “So, Allyson, now since we are alone, would you explain what is going on with David?”

  “Going on with me?” I asked.

  “Yes, David. You’ve been increasingly tired, and we can see you stagger when you walk, and we are worried,” Seraphina said.

  “I thought I was just pushing myself too hard. I’ve pulled all-nighters before. Being tired isn’t new to me. So, Allyson, nothing is going on, right?” I pressed.

  “Master, I am sorry for not telling you earlier. You are more than our master.” Allyson and the other maids bowed.

  “Allyson, what do you mean?” I asked, starting to feel slightly uneasy.

  “Master, as we move farther from the influence of the Tower, we will have to rely on you and your core for our continuing existence.”

  “I thought you said that your core, Allyson, was good for ninety days away from the Tower. Were we wrong on that assumption?” I said.

  “No, Master, but you are right. Our power core will last up to ninety days. However, we need either the Tower or our Engineer for our control links. Without them, we will quickly deteriorate, losing all our identities and becoming what we were before. Mindless.”

  I didn’t know what to say. Allira spoke before I could. “So… what is this doing to David?”

  “Master’s core provides what the tower would usually do, giving us life and purpose. He is part of us, just as we are part of him. That is what the Tower Master is to us. We will stand with you no matter what.”

  “I hope that it never gets to that… Ah. Is that why I can feel your presence and what I believe your emotions?” I asked.

  “That, I don’t know, Master. There is no previous record of that capability for any of the past Tower Masters.”

  I tried to stand, using the chair for support, and finally found my strength. With some effort, I walked over to Allyson and took her hand to help her stand. “It’s okay. I’ll get better. Right now, I’m just tired.” I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into a hug. I could see she was unsure of what to do with me. No one before had ever given her a hug. I released her and sat back down on the sofa, stumbling but catching myself on the back of a nearby chair.

  “Yes, Master. That is your body not being used to the extra burden. As you get stronger, this will no longer be an issue for you. Currently, you are also supporting this airship during its flight.

  “If I remember right, there should be a tower somewhere in the direction we’re going. Will that tower help?” This was the first time I had spoken of the towers in front of my three wives.

  “What tower?” Allira asked.

  “There are at least six towers in the world. Besides ours, there should be one nearby where we are going. I was hoping to discuss this with Mage Veralt. And see if he knows anything about it.”

  “Marlena, you weren’t with us when we first entered our tower. David had to pass a test to be accepted. I wonder if this tower would be the same,” Seraphina said.

  “There are five more disciplines of Engineering. I don’t know what this tower will be. I’m hoping for space. I hope it’s not a chemical. I’d need to relearn a lot to be ready for that one.”

  I looked at my wives. Their blank looks told me I might as well have been speaking another language.

  “Anyway, Allyson, any issues with the ship I should know about?”

  “No, Master. Several of our guests were found outside the bridge entrance last night. Once they saw the combat golem blocking the door, they turned around.”

  “Good, good. I guess it was wise to have them there.”

  “David… what did you do?” Marlena asked.

  “I stationed combat golems at key spots: the bridge, power rooms, storerooms, and a couple in the lounge and dining area.” Seraphina just shook her head.

  I stood and grabbed my shatkel. “I’m going to the lounge to do some reading. I did promise to meet with Mage Veralt after breakfast.” Marlena also rose and took my hand. I started to feel old again this morning.

  The maids greeted us with a slight bow as we entered the lounge. I noticed some of our other guests looked up from what they were doing and silently greeted us as we walked through the space. Once we took our seats, several of the maids brought tea and cookies to Marlena and me. I sipped from my cup, then opened the magescript book and my sketchbook.

  “I would like to make you an ice blade?” I asked Marlena.

  She looked up from her text on water affinity. “Ice? In what?”

  That was when I noticed Mage Veralt and two younger mages approaching. They seated themselves nearby, curiosity already plain in their eyes.

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  Veralt asked for tea, but his attention quickly shifted to the cloth-covered bundle I had pulled from my satchel. “Earl, what do you have there?”

  “This,” I said, “is a dagger I made for my sweet Marlena. Something for her to use if needed.”

  I uncovered the weapon, revealing a dagger with a mithril blade and an orichalcum-wrapped hilt. Marlena’s eyes went wide, her lips parting in surprise. I placed it into her hands.

  “Is that steel?” one of the younger mages asked, almost breathless.

  “Mithril,” I corrected, “with orichalcum for the handle.”

  Gasps rippled from the two younger mages. Marlena blushed as she turned the blade over reverently. “I still want to imbue it with ice magic,” I murmured. “Once it’s finished, I’ll make a proper sheath.” She reluctantly passed it back.

  “May I?” Veralt asked.

  I handed him the blade, flipping open my sketchbook as he studied it.

  “Beautiful workmanship,” he said, his tone grave. “And if I heard you correctly, you mean to imbue ice magic into it?”

  “Yes. I’ve prepared some test pieces first. If the results are stable, I’ll extend the properties to this blade.”

  Veralt tilted his head. “Test pieces?”

  I pulled a small rod from my satchel, about the length of a quill. “Here. This is one of them.”

  Marlena leaned closer. “David, what is that?”

  “A sizzle stick,” I said, grinning. “Where I come from, it’s just a little rod you stir into your drink. This one I gave an ice affinity. So when you leave it in water, it keeps the drink cold. Not too cold, almost like having ice cubes.”

  Marlena blinked, then laughed softly. “Of course you would make something like that.”

  “Well sweet, all of that time reading your markings, I came to an understanding of how to imbue water and ice magic into objects.” I said.

  “And I thought you were just doing that because I’m sexy,” Marlena said, her lips curving into a sly smile. She tilted her head, letting her hair spill over one shoulder as she added, “Turns out my husband can be practical and hopelessly smitten at the same time.”

  Veralt’s eyes widened as he reached for the sizzle stick. “That could be a selling item in itself. Imagine every noble house clamoring for one.”

  “Yes, but not in its current form,” I replied, reclaiming the stick. “Right now, it runs indefinitely. That’s bad for business. If they don’t run out of charges, there’s no reason to buy another.”

  The High Mage chuckled. “Spoken like a merchant, Earl.”

  Before I could reply, Marlena tapped my arm. “What if it only used charges when in liquid? That way it wouldn’t drain constantly just when it’s serving its purpose.”

  I paused, thoughtful, then pulled out my notebook and jotted it down. “Good idea.”

  Veralt smiled at her suggestion. “You see, Earl? You are already surrounded by wisdom. Perhaps your wife will outpace you yet.”

  Marlena blushed, but her dimples betrayed her delight.

  I rewrapped the dagger and returned it to my satchel. “I assumed mages could make magical items. Isn’t that possible for you?”

  Veralt shook his head. “No, that is beyond our sphere. We wield natural magic, channeled through our cores. We can wield power, but not bind it into objects.”

  That made me realize the gap between their craft and mine. “So that’s one of the differences. You shape the world with your cores. I… give shape to things themselves.”

  The other two mages stiffened slightly at my words. I raised a hand. “I don’t mean to insult.”

  “Don’t worry,” Veralt said, eyes shining. “I am overjoyed to discuss these differences.”

  I leaned back. “In the simplest terms, I can feel Allyson’s presence as strongly as I feel my wives’ love. That’s what being an Engineer means to me. We build things, sometimes these go beyond what you see.”

  Veralt froze, eyes wide. The younger mages exchanged startled glances.

  “Yes,” Veralt murmured. “Your class truly is something else.”

  I decided to ask the question that had been burning in my mind. “Tell me, do you know of any black tower in Eldros or the surrounding lands?”

  Veralt chuckled softly. “I wondered when you would ask. Yes, there is such a tower. A looming black structure in the heart of the capital. Much like yours in Vaelthorn.”

  Marlena straightened sharply beside me. “Is it open? Has anyone entered?”

  “I’m afraid not. It is sealed. Many have tried. None has so much as scratched its surface.”

  “I have to see it,” I said. “I wonder if it’s like the one in Vaelthorn?”

  But as I stood, the room tilted. My balance faltered, and Marlena was instantly at my side, with Allyson appearing at my other shoulder. I can see others in the lounge watching me try to regain my balance.

  “Earl, are you well?” Veralt asked, standing to give me a hand. Concern softening his tone.

  “Yes,” I lied, “just motion-sickness. Carriage rides have always been the worst. Short rides, I can deal with.”

  The explanation seemed to satisfy him, although his frown remained. Marlena quietly packed my satchel and helped me to my feet. With her and Allyson supporting me, I excused myself, and we returned to our quarters. I could hear the murmurs of others as I left the lounge.

  I sank into the sofa, every limb heavy. Even tugging off my boots felt impossible, as though I’d aged a century in a day. Seraphina knelt without a word, slipping them off for me. Her hands lingered, rubbing warmth into my bare feet before she looked up and gently motioned for me to lean back.

  Allira slid closer and clasped my hand. Her calloused fingers, so used to steel and blood, moved with a tenderness that undid me more than exhaustion ever could. I closed my eyes, surrendering to the rare calm.

  But the calm was fragile. I could feel the pull of the ship, the faint hum of its systems brushing against my mind. Every moment it stayed aloft, part of me bled into it. Allyson had explained it, but knowing didn’t make it easier. What if this pace continued for weeks instead of days? What if my strength wasn’t enough? My wives trusted me, my people depended on me, and the thought of faltering… it pressed harder than any demon’s blade.

  Footsteps approached, voices breaking through my thoughts.

  “Is he okay?” The voice was familiar, Prince Darian.

  “I heard what happened. He needed to be helped out of the lounge,” he continued, concern tightening his words. “At the same moment, the ship lurched. The lights dimmed, and passengers panicked. Some thought we’d lost power altogether. I heard people asking if there is a connection.”

  “He is fine,” Marlena said firmly, though her voice carried a note of unease. “The airship takes a toll on him. This is the first time he’s carried such a burden. Allyson says that everything is stable now.”

  There was a pause, then Darian again, quieter this time: “Does anyone know how long until we reach Eldros?”

  “At this pace, late morning tomorrow.” That was Vaktar’s steady voice. “We just crossed Munizite River. We’re already within Eldros’s borders.”

  I opened my eyes to look down at Seraphina, still rubbing my sore feet. My whole body ached, but her touch dulled the edges of the pain. I craned my neck slightly and caught sight of Vaktar lingering just behind me. Everyone else seems to have gone.

  “Vaktar, is the door closed?”

  “Yes,” he replied, pushing it shut with a solid thunk.

  “Thank you.”

  He crossed the room and settled into one of the facing seats, his expression calm but watchful.

  “Now, Vaktar,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended. “What word do you have from your king?”

  “He is waiting for you,” Vaktar answered evenly. “Since he knows we will arrive in Eldros tomorrow morning, plans are already in motion. There will be a state dinner and reception in two days.”

  I let out a slow breath, leaning my head back against the cushion. A state dinner. Just the thought of the attention, the questions, the hungry eyes of foreign rulers, made the weariness in my chest press heavier.

  Okay, we can work with that. But I would love three days, though I will make do with what I have,” I rubbed my temple and leaned forward slightly. “Do you know where the black tower is located in your capital?”

  The question seemed simple enough, but I could feel the shift in the room. All three of my wives turned toward Vaktar, their eyes measuring his reaction.

  “Yes,” he said after a pause, his tone careful. “It stands on the border between the merchant district and the aristocratic quarter.

  “Why do you ask?”

  I folded my hands together, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “Because I have a change of plans. We’ll still go to Eldros and pay respects to your king, that hasn’t changed. But I need to get to that tower first.”

  Allira’s hand tightened on mine, her knuckles brushing my wrist as though to remind me I wasn’t alone. Marlena’s brows furrowed, already calculating the risks. Allira simply stared at Vaktar, as though daring him to object.

  “Is there a place to set this airship down as close to the tower as possible?” I asked.

  Vaktar’s eyes narrowed, unease breaking through his usually measured calm. “There is… though I’m not certain the city will welcome such a landing. People fear that tower, Earl. They’ve spent centuries failing to enter it.”

  He leaned forward, his tone quieter but heavier. “Tell me plainly, David, why does this tower matter to you? Many have bled and died trying to force their way inside. Scholars, soldiers, even zealots who swore the gods would favor them. None ever entered.”

  The weight of his words pulled the room into silence. Even Allyson, who usually hovered in quiet readiness, tilted her head toward me as though she, too, awaited my answer.

  I rubbed the heel of my palm across my brow, then met Vaktar’s gaze. “Because if it’s anything like the one in Vaelthorn, it can solve some of the problems that I am having.”

  Seraphina’s lips pressed tight, still rubbing my sore feet. “You’re not going in there alone,” she said firmly.

  “I didn’t think that I was,” I said.

  Marlena frowned, studying me the way she always did when she suspected I was hiding part of the truth. “You think it will answer something about you, don’t you?”

  I didn’t deny it. “Maybe. Or maybe it will be a link in a chain. I am hoping for at least a surrogate for the tower in Vaelthorn.”

  Vaktar sat back, expression shadowed. “Then you should know this: if you step through that tower’s door, the entire city will be watching. Nobles will see an opportunity. The Guilds will see profit. The priests will see blasphemy. And the king…” He exhaled sharply. “The king will be stuck between multiple sides.”

  I nodded slowly, my chest tight with both exhaustion and determination. “Good. Then let them all see. Better the world knows where I stand than to keep guessing. What’s better than announcing to the world than a display of something reckless?”

  “Well, just like Vaelthorn, there is a park that borders the tower on the west side,” Vaktar said slowly, watching me too closely. “Are you thinking what I believe you are thinking?”

  “Yes,” I admitted. “I’m going to put this ship down in that park and go straight to the tower. And since you’ve been so kind as to act as my liaison to your king, I’d like you to deliver the news of my… let’s call it a ‘bold decision.’”

  I paused, lips pressing together as an old memory surfaced: helicopters landing in movies, soldiers fanning out, chaos waiting on the ground. My voice dropped. “But, Vaktar, will your king try to stop me?”

  “I don’t think the king will,” Vaktar said, though his hesitation lingered. “But the factions within the church? They might. There are whispers of fear, prophecy, and resistance. And then…” his eyes slid toward Marlena, “there are the mages.”

  “Don’t forget the mages,” Marlena said, sharp as a blade.

  “So,” I said quietly, “if I land where I’m supposed to land, they’ll be waiting to block me from that tower.”

  “Yes, my lord,” Vaktar confirmed.

  Allira’s voice cut in, steady but laced with worry. “Are you expecting problems, David?”

  “I don’t know.” My throat felt dry. “But in my present condition… I’m not strong enough to defend myself or even stand for long.”

  The words hit harder than I expected, and the silence that followed weighed heavily on the room. I noticed the shimmer in Marlena’s eyes first, then in Seraphina’s, and finally in Allira’s. Despite all the battles we had fought, this was the first time I admitted aloud how weak I truly was.

  “You have us,” Marlena whispered, voice trembling as the first tear slipped free.

  I forced myself to meet their gazes, one by one. “I want to enter the tower. I am betting it’s configured the same way as Vaelthorn’s. I will recover.”

  I shuffled to the edge of the seat, my body protesting every move. “Marlena, would you bring me to bed? I want to take a nap before dinner.”

  Allira and Seraphina rose at once, flanking me, each slipping an arm beneath mine.

  “Let’s plan a grand last dinner,” I said, voice partly a promise, partly a plea, as they carefully led me toward the bedroom. Before going inside, I briefly turned to everyone. “Could the prince be told of my decision?”

  Behind them, Vaktar stood in silence. He trusted David and respected him more than most men he had ever met, but he also understood King Theran’s caution and General Kitch’s strict control. If David pushed the issue with the tower, the court wouldn’t let him get away without challenge. Trust alone wouldn’t keep him safe from politics.

  Vaktar folded his arms, masking the weight in his chest. Gods help us all if the Engineer is right, and gods help us twice over if he’s wrong.