“So, then,” the ash-haired woman in front of Saffra said, her lava-orange eyes narrowing in scrutiny at Lady Vivi. “What game are you playing?”

  Saffra’s mentor met the demanding tone with a blank expression. “What game am I playing?”

  A scoff. “Please. You clearly don’t know who you’re dealing with. As if I would fall for such an obvious ploy.”

  “I don’t know who I’m speaking to. Maybe we should start there.”

  The gray-haired woman paused, then seemed to grow embarrassed, despite the hostility she’d opened with. “You are correct. That is the proper place to begin. No reason to skip formalities—I apologize. Lady Ember Caldwell; a pleasure to make your acquaintance. And you are?”

  “Ember Caldwell,” Lady Vivi repeated flatly. “You can’t be serious.”

  Lady Ember looked taken aback, then annoyed. She crossed her arms and looked down her nose at Lady Vivi. “It’s a perfectly normal human name. Why the incredulity?”

  Saffra’s thoughts blanked out. ‘…a perfectly normal human name’? Echoing the words in her head didn’t make them sound any less unnatural. Who would phrase it like that?

  Her first instinct was suspicion. A human would never utter that series of words in self-defense, especially when the name really was one nobody should blink twice at. Saffra wasn’t sure why Lady Vivi had in the first place—obviously Saffra was missing context.

  Saffra dismissed the obvious explanation. No, it wasn’t evidence that Lady Ember Caldwell was a dragon in disguise. Dragons were ancient immortals, wise and fearsome in every regard. For this woman to appear as an adult—if just a young woman—she had to be ten times that in true age.

  And no two-hundred-year-old would be so obvious about deception, especially when so much was on the line. It was an undeniable truth that dragons almost never appeared in mortal lands. Stories were just that, and even those stories talked about how rare it was. The Dragon King ruled with an iron fist, and he had ordered his kind to leave mortals to their own devices. If one of their race did violate that standard, even or especially with good reason, then the dragon in question would never be so… so bad at her job!

  Saffra’s thoughts flashed to her mentor, who herself was a multi-century-old being who had behaved in questionable ways at times. She shook herself. Lady Vivi was an exception. Actual wizened existences were more like Archmage Aeris: graceful and thoughtful in all ways, their many years providing them peerless wisdom.

  Saffra had made this mistake once; she wouldn’t make it again. An adventurer who couldn’t learn from their errors rarely survived the first year in their perilous choice of career. Only an idiot would assume a dragon in disguise when more plausible explanations existed, and ‘more plausible’ meant nearly any other conceivable possibility in this instance.

  She just… wasn’t exactly sure what alternate theory to land on.

  “It’s nothing,” Lady Vivi responded after a long pause. “I know someone with a similar name. It caught me by surprise. So, I heard that you’ve been asking around about me.”

  An immediate harrumph. “I’ve been looking for a demon of your description, yes.”

  “…of my description?”

  “What? You think I haven’t seen through your ruse?”

  Vivi met the response with a bewildered expression. She clearly had no idea what Lady Ember was implying, and Saffra didn’t either. Saffra suspected there were going to be a lot more confusing statements before this conversation ended.

  Would she be a bad apprentice to admit she was looking forward to whatever nonsense was about to follow, though? Saffra felt a bit like dead weight following Lady Vivi around, but at least there was never a quiet moment.

  “Indeed, you’ve clearly underestimated your opponent,” Lady Ember said, flipping her long gray hair back with a haughty swish. “The woman I seek left Prismarche weeks ago, headed for Meridian by all reports. And yet here you are? Very interesting.” She leaned forward, eyes sharpening on Lady Vivi. “Explain yourself.”

  Saffra’s mentor again paused—this time because inventing an explanation for that discrepancy wouldn’t be easy. Lady Vivi could hardly say she was teleporting between cities, not unless she wanted to reveal her identity. Long-range spatial warping was the pinnacle of mortal magical ability. Archmage Aeris had claimed to be capable of such, and Saffra believed him, but a spell that powerful would surely strain him to his limit. If archmages could teleport between cities on a whim, there would’ve been far fewer large-scale disasters over the years.

  “You think I’m lying?” Lady Vivi asked, finally.

  “Think? Don’t assert such disgraceful uncertainty onto me. I am never anything less than utterly convinced in all that I do or say.” Lady Ember sniffed. “So. You were sent to me as some sort of trick, perhaps? A less formidable woman might have been fooled.” She gave a sympathetic look. “As always, you lost at the outset. As all men or women do, when I am their opponent.”

  Lady Vivi opened her mouth, then closed it.

  “What.”

  “Nevertheless, I will hear what you have to say,” Lady Ember continued. “Elaborate. Though keep in mind that I won’t believe a word you tell me.”

  Lady Vivi stared at the woman. Lady Ember adopted a long-suffering, patient expression, as if she were doing Lady Vivi a favor. Vivi turned to share a look with Saffra. Saffra could feel her own eyebrows perched in her hairline; she was almost impressed by the sheer attitude of this woman. The arrogance bleeding from every word was borderline comical, at first blush almost an intentional farce. And yet… so clearly genuine.

  And what kind of creature is famously arrogant, Saffra? bubbled up a sarcastic voice. She stuffed the dissenting part of her consciousness away, retorting hotly, Plenty of people are like that. The Headmaster, for one. Hardly proof of anything.

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  “You’ll need to tell me, first, what I need to explain,” Lady Vivi answered at last, voice tinged with exasperation. “All I know is that you’ve been looking for me. I came to see why.”

  “Hmph.” The woman’s eyes narrowed. “Seeing how I have reason to believe that you aren’t who you say you are, why should I reveal my motives?”

  “How else can we…?” Lady Vivi began, frustrated, then sighed. She touched her temple, as if she’d developed a sudden headache. “I’m definitely who you’re looking for, Lady Ember.”

  “You meet the description, there is no denying that, but that’s not enough proof.”

  “I could leave, if you want?” came one of the more impatient responses Saffra had heard from Lady Vivi.

  For whatever bizarre reason, Lady Ember perked up at that. Then she wilted. “No, sadly, I cannot allow that.” Her brow furrowed and she crossed her arms, scrutinizing a baffled-looking Lady Vivi. The woman twitched as an idea hit her. “Ah! Yes, I know. This is obviously a situation that needs further contemplation. Indeed, I would be irresponsible to not properly ruminate over such a development, and be certain I understand what’s happening. So in two days—no, three!—you will come and speak with me again, when I am better prepared.”

  A long silence passed between them.

  “Are you serious?” Lady Vivi asked.

  “As I said, I am never anything but. Also, I should remind you: you don’t know who I am, or what my purposes are. Was it entirely wise to immediately turn yourself in to me?” She shook her head disapprovingly. “Yet more proof this is a cunning ruse, don’t you think? Few people are so reckless in unknown situations.”

  Lady Vivi, once more, stared at the woman.

  “Speechless, as you should be,” Lady Ember agreed with a pleased nod. “You’ve slipped nothing past me.” She slapped the table with an open palm, making the whole piece of furniture rattle. “Three days. I will continue my investigation in the meantime.”

  “Investigation?”

  “Er… inquiries. You misheard me.”

  The woman stated the blatant lie with such casual disregard, like she truly thought reality would warp to accommodate the claim—like Lady Vivi would believe her words simply because they’d come from her mouth.

  Saffra was genuinely impressed. This woman lived in an entirely different world from them. Saffra had thought Lady Vivi was eccentric at times, but Lady Ember? There wasn’t even a competition between the two, in that arena.

  “Wait,” Lady Vivi said as the woman, without ceremony, stood and began walking away.

  Lady Ember turned, seeming impatient. “Yes?”

  “Is… something bad happening?” Vivi asked, concern in her voice. “Do you need help with anything?”

  The question didn’t catch only Saffra off guard; Lady Ember seemed baffled too. “What are you talking about, demon?”

  “If there’s a problem, you can tell me.” Her mentor’s tone was more serious than Saffra usually heard. She studied the gray-haired woman intently. “Is there?”

  Lady Ember returned a look of incredulity. “I have no idea what you’re implying, demon, but even if there were a problem, I am more than capable of handling it myself. Who do you think I am? Who do you think you are?” She sniffed, offended by the good-natured offer, then turned and left.

  Lady Vivi leaned back in her seat, contemplatively gazing at the entrance Lady Ember had stridden through.

  “What just happened, Lady Vivi?”

  “I have no idea.” A frown tugged on her lips. “But she didn’t seem too worried, and she’s clearly not good at masking her thoughts. I would’ve insisted otherwise, just to be safe.”

  Saffra started with the obvious first question. “Why were you so surprised by her name? You know her?”

  “Lady Ember Caldwell?” Lady Vivi snorted. “No, I’ve never heard it in my life.”

  “But… a similar one?”

  “Yes. A ‘similar one,’” she said sardonically. She visibly debated for a moment whether she wanted to deliver a full explanation. “I don’t know an ‘Ember Caldwell,’ but I do know a woman who has gray hair and orange eyes, who wields a two-handed sword, and wears black plate mail encrusted with gems. Embralyne Valeriana de Caldaros. Daughter of Cinereus de Caldaros—mostly known by another title.”

  Saffra sat back, stunned. “The Dragon King,” she said dumbly.

  “Yes. Princess Embralyne is his youngest daughter. She was a bit of an odd personality when I knew her back then, too. Most dragons aren’t like her, for the record. Arrogant, but not… like that.” A thoughtful expression appeared. “She could’ve passed for your age. She’s grown into a young woman. Clearly has an attitude, but I hold Cinereus and his family in high regard. We’re probably not seeing her at her best.” A small grimace. “Well, I mostly hold their family in high regard. It’s complicated.”

  Saffra sat there stunned for a few moments. “No,” she finally said. “No. She doesn’t—she can’t be—I refuse to believe it. You’re mistaken somehow.”

  “I don’t think I am,” Lady Vivi said, her amusement plain.

  Saffra despaired. “It’s just a coincidence,” she insisted. Those orange eyes had appeared to be pools of molten rock from even her first impression; she’d never seen anything like them before. “There isn’t that much evidence.” A comically similar name, matching physical appearances, a strange manner of speaking, and personal recognition by the Sorceress herself were hardly enough to guarantee…

  The thought trailed off.

  She couldn’t change reality through sheer desperation.

  Saffra groaned and covered her face with both hands. “You were talking to a princess. A dragon princess.”

  “Like the Guard Captain said, it was rather obvious. Wouldn’t have even needed to know her.” A hum. “I think I understand why she was looking for me, or at least the supposed reason. Can’t be her real purpose here.”

  “The ‘investigation’?” Saffra asked.

  “I think rumors drew their attention,” she agreed. “They do take this sort of thing seriously, and I showed a lot of power during the Convoy incident. Upper-level Titled don’t appear from nowhere.” Lady Vivi stared down at the table for a second, deep in thought. “But she didn’t actually seem interested in questioning me. And I doubt princes or princesses are who usually track down rogue dragons. I’m not sure what’s going on.”

  “Why not… clear the air? Tell her who you are?” That would encourage the woman to give answers, even if she was a dragon.

  “Besides how she didn’t give me a chance?” Lady Vivi responded with a huff. “I shouldn’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “I’m not on bad terms with dragons. But I don’t believe I’m their favorite person either.”

  “Huh?”

  Lady Vivi cleared her throat. The shifty expression spawned all kinds of theories in Saffra’s head, of escalating levels of ridiculousness. “My expeditions through the Sky-Pillar Range weren’t the most peaceful. There might be a missing wing of the Dragon King’s Palace to remember certain mistakes of mine and my party’s by. I don’t think I’m invited back. To the Sky-Pillar Range in general, but definitely not to the Palace.”

  Saffra gawked at her master. That was lore she’d never caught a whiff of. Which… she guessed made sense. Stories about the Party of Heroes’ less respectable exploits wouldn’t exactly be the ones sung about in taverns. And really, knowing Lady Vivi, could Saffra be surprised that the woman had caused trouble for the Dragon King?

  “Point being,” Lady Vivi said, “we’re not enemies, but Princess Embralyne might… will take umbrage on her family’s behalf. Maybe even try to fight me. Not to the death, obviously, but there’s a small feud between us, and dragons have a favored way to settle those.” Lady Vivi waved a hand, embarrassed. “Like I said, nothing too serious can be going on with her. As you saw, she isn’t good at hiding things, and she doesn’t seem overly worried.” A small frown. “Not every problem in the world is ours to clean up. I’ll keep an eye out, but…” A shrug. “I have a guild to rebuild, and other duties besides that. Important ones, and too many of them already.”

  She slid out of her seat, and Saffra did the same.

  “Let’s go get that voidglass in the town square. Shouldn’t be long—the Captain said an hour. Afterward, I promised you a hunting trip. Let’s try to get, say, ten more levels. That seems like a good starting point.”