Little Garden Orphanage… a large, white manor, it looked like something straight out of a fairy tale.

  Lush green lawns, vibrant flowerbeds, and mature trees surrounded the building. Visible in the distance were small, neatly tended plots for fruits and vegetables, a charming wooden pavilion near what looked like a small orchard, and even a sparkling pond reflecting the blue sky. This little paradise was nestled within a small forest, which was itself somehow located within the gigantic city of Aegis.

  It was so idyllic… so peaceful… so utterly, profoundly disturbing.

  There's an old saying, isn't there? Don't trust anything that seems too good to be true. Maybe I was just being paranoid. Neither Lord Rockford nor Lady Irene would bring me to a place that would actively harm me… would they?

  Probably not. I shook my head, trying to banish the dark, suspicious thoughts.

  Pip, at least, was already having a grand time. With unbridled enthusiasm, she chased butterflies across the lawn, rolled ecstatically in patches of sun-warmed grass, and occasionally trotted back to us with a happy meow, as if to share her discoveries. The young woman named Elodie chuckled at Pip’s playful antics as she led us on a tour across the generous but well-maintained grounds.

  According to her, the children all helped the adults with chores around the house and in the gardens. Besides herself, Verity, and Grimelda, there were apparently a handful of other adults, but aside from a man named Karim who oversaw the main vegetable plots, the extensive gardens were mostly tended by the children and the three women. While I had no particular interest in cultivating fruits or vegetables myself, I’d certainly do my share of the work.

  “Excuse me… Lady Elodie?” I ventured, turning to the young woman as a question formed in my mind.

  She stopped abruptly and pointed at herself, her bright blue eyes wide with surprise. “Lady? Me?” A hearty, genuine laugh then burst from her. Awkwardly, I shifted my feet, feeling a bit embarrassed. She just smiled at me, her expression warm and cheerful. “Please, just call me Elodie. We’re all family here, after all.”

  Family… hm. Besides Pip, I hadn’t called anyone family in many, many years… maybe someday. But back to the topic at hand. Putting on my best attempt at a polite smile, I spoke.

  “Elodie. If we’re family, then surely I can ask you a few questions, right?”

  She nodded eagerly, her smile unwavering. “But of course, Grim! I can only imagine how unfamiliar all this must be for you. So please, go ahead, ask anything you want. We want you to be able to sleep soundly tonight.”

  After a moment's thought, considering what to ask first, and more importantly, whether I should ask everything on my mind, I began with what seemed like the simplest, safest question. “How should I address the other adults?”

  The answer was prompt. “With their names. As I said, we’re a family here, so no one needs to be addressed as ‘Sir’ or ‘Lady’. As long as you are friendly, or at least polite, everything will be fine,” Elodie explained reassuringly.

  I nodded in understanding. That was a relief.

  Taking a deep breath, I asked cautiously, “Ehm… what’s the deal with… Grimelda?” When Elodie just gave me a slightly confused look, I elaborated, “Well, it’s just that… she kind of scares me. You’re so kind and cheerful, and Verity is polite, at least. But Grimelda seems so…” I trailed off, unsure how to phrase it delicately.

  Elodie nodded slowly, her smile fading slightly into a more somber expression. “Embittered…” she supplied quietly, then shook her head lightly. “I understand your apprehension. But that’s something I can’t, and perhaps shouldn’t, explain to you. If it ever comes to it, Grimelda should be the one to tell you her story herself. I hope you can understand that.”

  I nodded again, slowly. Embittered… Who knows what that woman might have gone through. Life could be mercilessly brutal; I knew that all too well. Not everyone had an anchor in their life, a constant source of unconditional love, like Pip was for me. Speaking of my anchor, she was currently sitting in the tall grass a short distance away, watching us with curious green eyes.

  From the path, I picked up a small stone and tossed it playfully into the meadow. Pip immediately launched herself after it, a black streak against the green. Both Elodie and I chuckled at the sight.

  After a comfortable moment of silence, I continued, “Are there… are there any other children here who can use magic?”

  Elodie just grinned at me, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “No,” she said, much to my surprise.

  Confused, I blinked and nearly stumbled over my own feet. “No? Not any?”

  Elodie shook her head. “Sword fighting, archery, alchemy, smithing, cooking… all those are skills a person can learn; whether they have a natural talent for it is another matter. But magic? Magic… is a Gift. And while there are many mages in Astoria, compared to non-mages, they are a vanishingly small fraction of the population. That’s why every child who shows the Gift is usually offered a place at the Arcane Sanctum. A… a better life awaits most of them there, with proper training and opportunities.”

  She looked at me pointedly. “And you, Grim, with your particular talents, are therefore the absolute exception here. So, tell me, why are you here, and not at the Arcane Sanctum preparing to become a grand mage?”

  I stopped walking, pondering her words. My lack of knowledge about this world often put me at a disadvantage. I didn’t even know for sure myself if I was simply reborn with the ability to use magic, or if it was entirely because of the blessing Echo of Life. I really hope this orphanage has a school, or at least a library, so I can catch up on basic world knowledge.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  “After the… enslavement by Lord Ainsworth,” I explained, my voice firm with remembered anger and newfound resolve, “I swore to myself that I would walk my own path first… be my own master. At least until I’m strong enough to properly protect Pip and myself.”

  Suddenly, Elodie looked at me as if I’d just announced a plan to assassinate the King, her blue eyes wide with shock. “Lord Ainsworth… enslaved you? I had heard something of what happened to you… but not who was responsible…” she said, her voice barely a whisper, lost in thought.

  Now it was my turn to be confused. “You know Lord Ainsworth?”

  Elodie nodded slowly, her gaze distant. “Indirectly, yes. Lord Ainsworth… Victor… he was once an orphan here. Just like Verity.” She glanced back towards where Verity was still speaking with Lady Irene. “Lord Ainsworth is the same age as Verity, so they knew each other well. As you might already know, every child who is old enough must take up an apprenticeship to help minimize the orphanage’s costs.”

  Ah! Lady Ainsworth mentioned something like that… Well, training at the Arcane Sanctum was off the table for me for now… so what was I going to do? Become a smith? I sighed internally, listening as Elodie continued.

  “After Lord Ainsworth finished his apprenticeship, he became very successful. A man from the poorest of backgrounds grew to become one of the most prominent merchants in the entire kingdom. It was almost unheard of. But,” her voice softened, “he remained loyal to us. He visited the orphanage at least once a year and always donated a very generous sum. That’s why this news about him… it has come as a very… sudden and unexpected shock to us all…” she finished painfully, her hand instinctively going to her own wrist, her gaze fixed on some distant point.

  Hm. So even truly evil people sometimes have a sliver of good in them? Or maybe his donations were just his way of doing penance for all the shady shit he was undoubtedly involved in. I couldn't imagine Lord Ainsworth amassed his fortune entirely through honest business.

  “Do you have any more questions for now, Grim?” Elodie asked, her voice gentle again, a soft smile returning to her lips as she looked from me to Pip and back. She then raised a finger, her expression brightening. “Oh! There will be a little time after supper as well. Perhaps something else will occur to you by then.” She gestured towards the main door of the orphanage.

  I shook my head. “I don’t have any more important questions for now, thank you.”

  As we reached the steps leading up to the large double doors, Pip trotted eagerly towards us, greeting us with a welcoming meow. Elodie chuckled, clearly amused by her.

  It then occurred to me. “Oh! Elodie, do you think we could find something for Pip to eat? I’m happy to give up my own meal if necessary,” I added quickly.

  Elodie just stared at me, genuinely aghast. “Grim…” she said, her voice soft but firm. “From now on, we are a family. Not just you, but Pip too. Everyone here gets something to eat. Always.” A big, warm smile spread across her face, her gaze shifting affectionately between Pip and me.

  A heavy weight I hadn't even realized I was carrying lifted from my heart. The thought that Pip too would have a proper home here, be cared for, filled me with immense relief. Pip seemed to feel it too; she wound herself around Elodie’s legs, purring loudly, and was promptly rewarded with gentle strokes and scratches behind her ears.

  “Well then, let’s go,” the young woman said, her smile radiant now. “I’ll show you to your room, otherwise we’ll be late for supper!” With that, she opened one of the large double doors and stepped inside.

  Before us, a large, surprisingly grand entrance hall opened up. Polished, light-coloured tiles gleamed on the floor, reflecting the light from several tall windows. Rich, dark wood paneled the walls. Large potted plants and arrangements of fresh flowers stood everywhere, making the space feel welcoming and less cold than its size might suggest. To our left and right, double doors led into other rooms. Straight ahead, a wide wooden staircase swept upwards to the next floor, with corridors leading off to its left and right, deeper into the house.

  And it smelled… so good. Like baking bread and roasting meat and something sweet, like cinnamon.

  An embarrassingly loud growl escaped my stomach. Both Elodie and Pip looked at me.

  “Sorry…” I whispered, my cheeks flushing.

  Elodie just waved it off with a laugh. “Well then, quickly now, so we can be on time!” She gestured towards the stairs.

  Pip, needing no further encouragement, bounded up the staircase immediately, then waited at the top, her tail waving as she looked down at us. I followed after Elodie as she ascended the stairs, the old wooden steps creaking softly with each footfall. Though, I kind of wish I’d gone first… Elodie’s backside was directly at my eye level as she climbed. I quickly averted my gaze, feeling my face heat up again.

  Gods, I am going to curse the time that is surely coming soon… puberty. Elodie was a strikingly pretty woman, and probably around the age I’d been before I died. If the hormonal chaos started up again soon… I really didn’t want to think about that right now.

  I shook my head, trying to focus on something else. What kind of apprenticeship should I look for? Something to do with magic? Or maybe something like a smith? Swords are damn cool, after all, so why not become someone who makes them?

  My thoughts were interrupted as we reached the top of the stairs. Before us was a comfortable-looking landing area with a couple of plush-looking sofas and what appeared to be large floor cushions. If I didn't know better, I'd think this was a place where people could relax and sit together. But without explanation, Elodie turned and headed down the corridor to our left. We passed several closed doors until we turned left again down a shorter hallway and stopped before the first door on our right.

  A small, polished golden plaque was affixed to the wall beside the door, engraved with the number 7.

  “So, here we are,” Elodie announced softly. “Room 7. This will be your room. Just so you know, rooms 7 through 12 are on this corridor. Rooms 1 through 6 are on the other side.” She reached into a pocket of her robe and pulled something out, letting it dangle from her fingers.

  A key! A small, simple, iron key.

  Carefully holding out my hand, I let her drop the key into my palm. She then nodded towards the door.

  Curious and suddenly impatient, I quickly inserted the key into the lock. It turned smoothly until I heard the bolt click satisfyingly. For a moment, I paused, taking a deep breath as a strange mix of hope and anxiety coiled in my chest. Slowly, I pushed the door open.

  Pip, of course, darted inside immediately, a black blur. I followed more slowly, stepping over the threshold and then just stood there for a moment, taking it all in.

  It was a small but fine room. The floor was made of smooth, dark wood, polished to a soft sheen. Calming, pale blue paint covered the walls. In the left corner was a small, neat fireplace, currently unlit. By the single window, which looked out onto the meadow and the forest beyond, stood a small wooden desk with a simple wooden chair. A single, beautiful flower in a clay pot stood on the desk, adding a touch of colour. In the right corner was a sturdy-looking wooden wardrobe and a comfortable-looking bed, neatly made with a thick quilt and a plump pillow. A woven basket sat at the foot of the bed.

  Pip was already on the bed, purring loudly as she kneaded the quilt contentedly with her front paws.

  A single tear escaped my eye, tracing a warm path down my cheek. It wasn't because of what I saw, not directly. It was for what it meant.

  A gentle hand came to rest on my shoulder. Elodie’s voice was soft, filled with a warmth that seemed to seep right into my bones.

  “Welcome home.”