David

  It had been four hours since we left the smoky ruins of what should’ve been the vaults. Even from this distance, the aftermath of the explosion was still visible: scarred earth, shattered stone, and the lingering dust cloud that hung in the air like a ghost.

  Chunks of the mountain had been blown outward, and now and then, we spotted debris still embedded in the terrain as we flew overhead. The demon horde was gone. What remained was silence and smoke.

  I wasn’t thinking about the demons, though. I was thinking about my next battle, meeting the king to discuss his daughter. Honestly, fighting demons had been easier. I settled in beside Seraphina and leaned against her. She smiled gently and patted my thigh.

  “You okay?” she asked.

  “Yeah. It’s never easy losing people,” I said quietly. Samual is in his stateroom, recovering from his injuries. Our moment didn’t last. The stateroom door opened, and in came Theresa, followed by Veronica, Kitch, and Bishop Varent. I braced myself. Whenever those two showed up together, something was about to happen, and it usually involved me.

  Theresa bounced in and dropped next to Marlena, who was buried in the same romance novel she’d been trying to finish for days.

  “Oh, I read that one already! The heroine…” Theresa began, then noticed Marlena’s icy sideways glance and stopped herself. “It’s… well written,” she said instead, shrinking back a bit.

  Kitch and the bishop both opened their mouths at the same time, realized they were talking over each other, and paused. Kitch gestured for Varent to go first.

  “Miss Allira, you asked for me on the return flight?”

  “Yes, sorry,” Allira said, straightening. “Are you available in… I think three…” She looked to Seraphina, who held up three fingers. “Yes, three days, for a blessing for David and me? We want to start a family.” I could tell it wasn’t easy for her to say that out loud.

  “Three days?” Varent echoed with a smile. “Yes. That would be a glorious occasion. Just the two of you?”

  He glanced around, but no one else volunteered.

  “So, General,” Seraphina asked smoothly, “what brings you to our little circle?”

  I got the feeling she already knew the answer.

  “Before General Kitch continues,” I cut in, “Bishop Varent, your oath. Does it extend to my wives as well?”

  “Yes, it does,” he said with a slight nod. “It’s a tender subject. I always include the family. Why?”

  “Just curious,” I said, keeping it neutral. “Sorry, General. Please, continue.”

  “I was told, Miss Seraphina, that you’re looking for a fire mage. Someone who’s able to remain in one place for an extended period. And that you’re the person to speak with regarding… the terms.”

  “You are?” I turned to my wife.

  She waved me off. “Yes, I am,” she said sweetly, then turned back to Kitch. “Ignore him. So, General Kitch, what do you have to offer?”

  “I may have someone who fits your criteria,” he replied, taking a seat. “Yes, I believe I do.”

  “Good,” Seraphina said. “But I need to amend the requirements slightly. This mage must also be available to teach Marlena the basics of fire magic. And so, she’ll need to swear an oath.”

  That caught them off guard. Both the general and the bishop paused, clearly surprised by Marlena’s involvement. For her part, Marlena didn’t even look up; she just smiled, then went back to her book.

  “Miss Marlena isn’t a fire mage,” Veronica said, confused. “Why would she…”

  “If the two of you are serious about a binding oath,” Seraphina interjected, “then that’s the request. One fire mage. One week. She helps David with his work and teaches Marlena.”

  “The oath is… a bit much,” Kitch muttered, running a hand through his hair. “Still, if that’s the price… I want something in return. Five mithril swords. For my officers. And a week of swordsmanship training. You have two sword masters… I don’t. Even one week could show us where we fall short.”

  “David, do you have five swords to give the general?” Seraphina asked, eyes on me.

  “I do,” I said. “But… I want to modify the request.”

  I glanced at Seraphina and took her hand. “Do you trust me?”

  “Always,” she said.

  “Then for the fire mage… I want her.” I pointed at Veronica. The room fell silent. All eyes turned to her.

  “…Me?” Veronica blinked.

  “Yes. There’s something special about you. I want to better understand it.”

  Seraphina looked at me with curiosity. “This is what you want, sweetheart? I thought that we wanted someone different this time?”

  I nodded. “Yes, but I’ve caught glimpses of something… but not enough. I would like to know more.”

  “Are you sure?” Marlena asked, her voice cautious.

  “What’s going on?” Veronica asked. “You’re all making me nervous.”

  “Engineer’s magic, dear,” Aria said, purring slightly. “If you go through with this, you’ll most likely be bonded. Part of this family. It’s not a bad thing… It’s hot, honestly.”

  “Bonded? I wasn’t planning on getting married yet,” Veronica blurted. “General?”

  “That is your decision, Lieutenant. I just need a fire mage.”

  “What are my options?” Veronica asked, after a moment.

  “One: Say yes. Two: Say no and walk away,” Seraphina answered. “If you say no, we’ll go with whoever the general has in mind.”

  “If I say yes… then what?”

  “You’ll become part of this family,” Seraphina said. “We’d request a transfer to our military, rank of Captain.” She looked to Allira, who gave a nod. “And you’d care for David as we do, and we’d do the same for you.”

  “There’s more, isn’t there?” Veronica asked, still calm. “There’s always more.”

  “Much more,” Allira said with a smile. “But no oath, no bond, we can’t explain it.”

  “May I have time to decide?”

  “Yes,” Seraphina said. “But David or I would want an answer before we disembark in the morning.”

  “Okay…” Veronica nodded. “But why me? I’m not special.” Those words hit me. I’m not special. I used to believe that, too. I stood and crossed the room to her.

  “May I?” I asked, reaching for her hand.

  She let me take it. I gently slid her sleeve up, revealing her class markings, deep red ink flowing down the back of her hand. I looked into her eyes and saw how red her cheeks were. I watched my own eyes grow brighter in her gaze as I softly touched her exposed markings.

  “I’ve seen a lot of class markings,” I said. “They are just mana circuits. Control patterns. But these…” I ran my fingers lightly over the skin. I can feel her skin getting warmer the longer I touch her. I had to resist my own glyphs flaring to life the longer that I held her hand. “These are different. These aren’t just circuits. These have words embedded in the artwork.”

  She raised her other hand, her eyes narrowing. Her markings darkened as I held her hand. Veronica watched me, her gaze on my touch and my eyes as I touched her. I could feel her heart start to race as I held her wrist.

  “This one too,” I said. “But different symbols. Different meanings. There’s something here I want to explore… with you.” I let her hand go before my own glyphs erupted and returned to Seraphina. “But only if you want to take that journey with us.”

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  Veronica gave me a small smile and bowed. She turned to leave, but just before stepping out, Aria called after her. “She also has a cute ass, David.”

  “Yes, she does,” Theresa agreed. “I peeked a couple of times.”

  Veronica paused at the door, smirking as she shut it behind her.

  Kitch just shook his head. “Lady Seraphina, I await Lieutenant Veronica’s decision. Thank you, and good night.”

  I leaned over and kissed Seraphina. “Good night, everyone.”

  Marlena rose, took my hand, and led me silently toward the bedroom.

  _____________________

  Veronica

  I couldn’t sleep. I lay there in the dark, staring up at the ceiling, the faint strip of light bleeding in from beneath the cabin door painting soft shadows across the beams. My thoughts wouldn’t slow. They never did when I needed them to. Why me?

  Of all people… what does he see in me?

  When he touched me earlier, it hadn’t been overwhelming or forceful. It was gentle. Intentional. What stayed with me most wasn’t the touch itself, but his eyes, those impossible neon-blue eyes that seemed to see through me instead of at me. Like he was studying something valuable I didn’t know I possessed. I rolled onto my side, exhaled slowly, then sat up.

  Grabbing my robe, I slipped quietly from the cabin into the corridor. The airship was still asleep. No voices. No footsteps. Just the low, steady hum of flight beneath my bare feet. I wandered until I reached the lounge.

  It was still early, far too early. The sun wouldn’t rise over the capital for hours yet. I curled into one of the seats by the forward windows, pulling my feet beneath me, and stared out into the endless darkness ahead of the ship. Stars drifted past, distant and cold, uncaring witnesses to my thoughts.

  I had been given two choices. Not by the Earl himself, oddly enough, but by his wife, Seraphina.

  Accept… or don’t. If I accepted, I would join his family. His family. The idea alone made my chest tighten. He would help me understand my class markings, what made them “special,” as he insisted. I didn’t believe there was anything special about them. But David did. And somehow, that mattered more than it should have. The other condition still made no sense to me. Teach Marlena fire magic.

  Why would a water mage need to understand fire? The elements oppose each other. They always have. It felt… wrong. Or maybe incomplete in a way I didn’t yet understand. But the question that kept circling back, again and again, was simpler. Why does David want me?

  I wasn’t beautiful like his other wives. I didn’t move like Seraphina, who walked as if the world itself parted for her, smiling like a living goddess. I wasn’t elegant or radiant or effortlessly desired. Mama and Papa would tell me to leave the military if I could. To settle down. Find a proper husband. Live a quieter life. Isn’t David a proper husband? The thought made my throat tighten. I felt myself blush, remembering how he treated his wives.

  In the reflection of the window, I caught movement behind me. I turned quickly, wiping at my cheeks before I even realized tears had escaped. One of the maids stood a short distance away, hands folded neatly, posture respectful.

  “Yes?” I asked, my voice steadier than I felt.

  “Do you need anything, ma’am?” she asked gently. I hesitated. Then let out a small, embarrassed breath.

  “No… well.” I paused, then gave a faint, tired smile. “Do you have any snacks?”

  _____________________

  David

  Being Restless, I wandered the ship. I paused to look down the passageway toward the lounge. Someone else was up at this hour. I wondered who. Ava and Allyson followed quietly behind as I made my way to the bridge and sank into the command seat. The sunrise was just beginning to light the eastern sky. Through the front windows, the horizon glowed orange and gold as we flew south toward Eldros. The capital’s skyline was already visible in the distance; we’d be landing soon.

  Ava stood at the window, mesmerized.

  “I never knew this existed, Master,” she said softly, eyes fixed on the sunrise. “Thank you for this.”

  Watching her experience the outside world for the first time filled me with a quiet and good feeling.

  I reached for one of the mage script books I’d stored up here and started reading. A few chapters in, the door opened, and Aria walked in, dressed in her brown Royal Mage robe, the gold trim catching the early light.

  She moved like she owned the air around her. Smiling, she circled the chair, tracing a slow hand across my arm and shoulders. Then, without asking, she took the book from my hands, hiked up her robe, and sat on my lap, straddling me. I bet that Kirk never had it this good.

  “David,” she whispered, kissing me softly, “you weren’t in bed when I woke. I was worried. Something’s wrong, isn’t there?”

  “Yeah… Tell me, am I a good husband?” I asked, my voice low. She didn’t answer right away. She just kissed me again. When she pulled back, her eyes searched mine.

  “What makes you think you’re not?”

  “I spent forty-seven years with one woman. One wife. She kept me from falling into despair, and she was everything to me in return. Even when she got sick, even when she struggled, I was there. I love her even now. And now…” She reached up and gently wiped a tear from my cheek. “Now it’s been barely five months… and I have five wives.”

  Aria smiled, warm and sad all at once. “My sweet, dumb husband,” she said. “You take care of me better than anyone ever has. You’re here when I need you. Always.” She brushed another tear from my face.

  “My first husband was a good man, but not a good husband. He was gone more than he was home. Always working, always away. When he was around… he felt like a stranger.” She took a breath and looked at me. “You, David Robinston, have done more for me in the past two weeks than Roger did in seven years. With you, I feel free, not trapped, not invisible.”

  Then she slipped the rest of her robe off her shoulders and let it fall, baring herself completely.

  “Look at me. I used to hide, ashamed of who I was and the life I’d escaped. I wore layers to hide from everyone and to stay in the background. I wouldn’t let anyone touch me. Now I don’t hide anymore. I don’t care who sees me. I’d be lucky if my sons even remembered me. That was my late husband’s family, not mine. They never asked what I thought. They never cared what I felt. But you…” she smiled through her own tears now, “you see me. You listen to me. And the others… they accept me.”

  She took my hands and placed them on her chest. “This is me. All of me. And I want you… to touch me. I don’t care what anyone else thinks. You are my husband. And I love being part of this… this messy, beautiful family with my sisters. I know that it’s only been a little over a week with you, but… I feel like you make me whole.” Tears slipped down her cheeks. I held her gently, warmed by her honesty, her strength, her beauty.

  I looked into her eyes. “What do you think about… more wives?”

  “More than the six now?” she asked, laughing lightly through her tears.

  “Six?”

  “Veronica’s going to say yes,” she said. “I already did, remember?”

  She leaned her head against me. “There’s a story about a king, somewhere far away, who had thirty wives. I’m not sure if it’s true. Doesn’t matter. What matters is this: as long as you make time for me, I don’t care if you have a hundred. You’re special, David. That’s why I want to have a child or two with you…” She touched my face, her voice softening. “Not yet. But soon. You understand?”

  I did. This woman sitting in my arms was free because of me. And I wasn’t finished. I would find her sons. I would bring them back. We sat together in silence for a while. I watched the faint ripple of energy glow along her class markings as she held me close.

  “I’ll get your boys back,” I whispered.

  She rested her head on my shoulder.

  “I know,” she said.

  She untied her robe, revealing more and more of the body I’d come to know all too well.

  “Then I guess we don’t have time for you to really enjoy me,” she said with that devilish grin.

  She tilted her head. “Tonight, when we’re back at the tower,” I said, cupping her face.

  Her hand slid below my waist.

  “It’s a shame,” she murmured. “You’d better make time for me.”

  She stood slowly, dragging her robe back into place in the most suggestive way possible.

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  With a wink, she was gone.

  The Enterprise touched down at the royal airfield, its size dwarfing the nearby mage transport. From the bridge, I looked down at the organized chaos of passengers unloading cargo and treasures collected from our journey.

  Leaving the bridge, I pushed through the bustle until I reached the lounge, where I dropped into a chair and sipped a hot cup of tea.

  Outside the window, people looked up in awe at the airship. General Kitch and Veronica stood by the windows, watching the transport and speaking in low voices. Occasionally, they glanced my way.

  Ava and Allyson stood nearby, watching the room like silent guardians.

  “Master,” Ava said, “do you want to know what they’re saying? They’re talking about you.”

  “No,” I replied. “That’s their private conversation. It would be rude.” I looked at her.

  “So, Ava, how are you finding the world now that you’re away from the vaults?”

  “It’s different. It was quiet there. Lonely. Here, I see life. People rushing around. Talking. Laughing.”

  I chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder.

  “My dear Ava, I’m glad I met you. And I plan to have you with us for many, many years.”

  “My core is nearly depleted,” she said quietly. “I expect I have maybe six months left.”

  There was sadness in her voice, quiet, reluctant.

  “That…” I said softly, “I’ll take care of tonight.”

  I looked at her dress.

  “And we need to fix your wardrobe. I’m thinking… librarian or a power suit.”

  Ava blinked. “Librarian…?”

  “Yes. Proper glasses and everything.” There was something about that illusion of the librarian. Ava could pull it off. My librarian? I do have a lot of books.

  “Master,” Allyson interjected, “are you going to do what you did with the airship?”

  “Yes,” I said. “But this time, I understand what I’m doing. We’re going to save Ava tonight.”

  “How?” Ava asked.

  I wiggled my fingers dramatically. “Magic, Ava. Engineering Magic.”

  She stared, confused. I couldn’t help but laugh.

  General Kitch appeared behind me. “Am I interrupting anything?”

  “Just discussing how to rejuvenate a nearly depleted power core,” I said with a smile. “Not much. What’s on your mind, General? You both look a little… heavy.” I guess Kitch has long since given up trying to understand some of the things I do now.

  “I was thinking about the changes in my life,” Veronica said quietly. “It’s a lot.”

  “I’m sorry for putting more pressure on you than I already have,” I said, meeting her eyes. “I’ve got a date with a king shortly. So… Veronica… what’s your decision?”

  “I accept your proposal,” she said, smiling shyly. “But I want to visit my family before I fully commit to you.”

  “I would never dream of coming between any of my wives and their families. Do you need anything? ”

  “No, no. I need to tell them about… everything. The changes. I already told Seraphina about my decision.”

  She stepped forward and hugged me. She held on longer than I expected, maybe a full minute, before finally stepping back. She straightened her uniform, gave a slight bow, and said softly, “General. Earl.” She left with others who were departing the vessel.

  I turned to Kitch. He stood in his usual posture: stiff, unreadable, but there was a shift in his expression.

  “Now, General, why the glum face?”

  “I’m losing a good officer,” he said with a sigh. “But I’ll have the transfer paperwork ready within the hour.”

  “I do have a question,” I said, turning back to my tea. “If you can answer it… I’d understand if you can’t, but this has been bothering me for a while. Why did you choose Veronica for this journey?” I paused. “She’s clearly qualified. But why her?”

  Kitch was quiet for a moment, staring at the row of bottles behind the bar.

  “Honestly? I don’t know. I had a list of sixty candidates to choose from to protect the Princess. Her name was buried near the bottom. I just… picked her.”

  We were both quiet for a beat.

  “Gods are playing games with us,” I muttered under my breath.

  “I think you might be right, David,” Kitch said quietly.

  He stepped back. “I’ll see you at the castle, then.”

  “One hour?” I nodded. “I’ll be there.”