She’d appeared as her hand landed on Thad’s shoulder.

  Thadwick stared at the goddess Knowledge. Her appearance that of the young acolyte who’d blackmailed Thad.

  “Thadwick Mercer, nice to see my gamble paid off.”

  The goddess trailed a finger across the desk until it stopped on the first novel Thadwick had been re-reading. She lightly tapped her nails across it before attempting to pick it up.

  It held fast as if she’d no strength at all.

  “Will you hand me that book?”

  “No.” There was a quaver in his voice.

  The goddess shifted to his mother.

  “Please, dear, I only have so much time till—”

  “Do you think me such a fool, that I would be tricked by such blatant—”

  “I know you’re a fool and that you’re predictable.”

  The goddess shifted again, pale blue eyes watching him. He felt as if his heart had stopped, though he knew it no longer beat. She was beautiful, as she always was, as he’d always seen her.

  “Why do you keep this secret from your User? Is it cause you want to save her? I know of a way… give me the—”

  Thadwick stood and grabbed the book from the desk. The young woman smiled, truly breaking the facade. Her hands reached out only to watch with shock as he shoved the book onto the shelf, maintaining direct eye contact the entire time.

  “You dare keep knowledge from me? After what I did for you?”

  “What you did?! I DIED!” Thadwick shouted, wishing she would change faces. “Your promised salvation’s an early death!”

  “You petulant brat.”

  “You would know.”

  “You think you can speak to me like that?”

  “He’s a part of the Reaper's administration and’s protecting astral knowledge, so yes, he can.” The goddess turned to see Mara Tia walking towards her. “Shall I show you out? I know you know the way.”

  The goddess was gone.

  Thadwick fell to his knees with a ragged gasp as the pressure around his soul fell away. His whole body ached.

  “You did well.”

  “Did Knowledge mean it?” Thadwick whispered. “Can I save her?”

  Mara Tia looked at him thoughtfully. Her heels clicked against the ground with each step as she approached him; they were outlined in red, matching perfectly her nails and lips.

  “You ask this, yet you didn’t give her the books. Why?” She said, lightly patting the side of his face before extending her hand to him.

  “I know better than to immediately trust the offered gifts of greater beings,” He said as he looked at her offered hand with hesitation before finally taking it and being pulled effortlessly to his feet.

  “A lesson I’m glad you’re finally learning.”

  Beaufort had been raised rather strictly, thoroughly trained in protocols and management. He’d worked tirelessly to hone his craft, to perfect what he knew one day would serve him and the city of Greenstone.

  He’d miscalculated.

  His first mistake had been one he couldn’t mitigate: his personality. He didn’t mean to lack his brother's charisma or charm. He’d tried very hard to build the proper mask. When that effort hadn’t succeeded, he’d focused on his skills, his talents, which he’d been praised for from a young age.

  He would never be a beloved head of state, but he could be an efficient one. He could bring about economic prosperity even if that wasn’t what the commoners wanted.

  It had been this hope he’d clung to as he grew up, and he’d remained diligent.

  His second mistake had been his well-documented competence.

  The day Beaufort’s mother called him and his brother to her office, he realized both mistakes in short succession.

  He’d seen it in the look she’d given him and the smile that had gone to his brother. He’d seen it in the documents he’d prepared in a stranger’s hands. He’d seen the way Castien Mercer smiled at him.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  The Duchess wanted a charismatic heir. The Mercers sought a candidate for their rebellious Scion. A candidate who would maintain the high-value holdings they’d diligently established.

  It was a perfect match for all but the two being joined.

  He’d met Thalia at the wedding. She’d finally talked to him two weeks later. It took a year for them to become friends, and he taught her about her holdings and Greenstone.

  He comforted her when Danielle Geller got engaged; the love match dashing her hopes that her family might allow her to remarry.

  Comfort had turned into care and eventually into an amicable relationship.

  Beaufort had been relieved when neither of their children appeared to hold his inability to charm, Cassandra taking his attention to detail and foresight, while Thadwick took his knack for management and numbers… though he also had his mother’s temper and impulsiveness.

  It was unfortunate to see his son take the difficult path in every situation.

  Beaufort remembered Castien’s cold, silent glare when Thadwick had been presented to the family. A child unyielding to rank, who cared more for Greenstone than the Storm Kingdom politics he was unable to comprehend.

  Beaufort knew Castien saw too much of his sister in Thadwick at that moment.

  And a similar decision was made.

  Thadwick would stay in Greenstone under the tutelage of Beaufort, and maybe one day his talent at management would flourish enough to replace his father, while Cassandra was prepared to return to the Storm Kingdom to serve the Mercers' interest. Thalia’s disapproval was apparent, but she didn’t challenge her brother, so Beaufort obliged.

  He tried to accomplish his goal. He’d tried to reason with Thadwick, show the logic behind his decisions, mentor him. But his son didn’t need an advisor; he needed a parent who could connect with him… and Beaufort didn’t know how. So, he tightened his grip. He grew stricter, like his mother had been.

  But the tighter he held, the further they grew apart.

  And then Thadwick had almost died, and Beaufort had fallen into the punishment he’d been subjected to as a child.

  He’d regretted it immediately. However, apologies didn’t change the outcome. It hadn’t changed the look in his son’s eyes as he stared up from the floor, his hand coming up to his reddening face, fear in his tear-filled eyes.

  Their relationship became like a frayed cord, growing weaker as the tension increased.

  Thalia had been gone for a year when it snapped.

  “Why will I never be good enough for any of you?!”

  “You’re being emotional, you can be if—”

  “If… IF! Why can’t I just be good enough for you as I am? What about me, Father?! Do you even care that mother’s gone? Have you even noticed? You act like everything’s the same, but it’s not,” Thadwick said with a wracking sob. “Has she talked to you? Cause she won’t even make time for a call to me! Am I that much of a disappointment?!”

  Tears had poured down his son’s face, his heart breaking in a way Beaufort couldn’t even begin to understand.

  “Your mother’s busy, stop throwing a tantrum.”

  “A tantrum? I’m not a child!”

  “Then stop acting like one. I can’t deal with you when you’re acting like this.”

  “Then maybe you shouldn’t deal with me at all! Just leave! I don’t need you; I don’t need anyone!”

  He’d left.

  He’d thought it the better option in his fury.

  He’d thought that space would bring Thadwick back like it had Thalia.

  He’d miscalculated.

  He’d realized the error when his son wouldn’t look him in the eyes. When he no longer came to their meetings. In some ways, it was easier to focus on what he was good at, to manage the estate as if nothing had happened.

  Though he knew he was failing, as Thadwick grew more unpredictable, despite the silent, unspoken rage that filled the years they waited for Thalia and Cassandra to return.

  So, he tried a new approach, giving Thadwick minor tasks and jobs, which worked to an extent.

  However, on occasion, Thadwick seemed to intentionally sabotage his tasks as if looking for a reaction, though Beaufort knew no one would knowingly do such a thing. Why would they?

  However, it was still better than nothing.

  He’d hoped that Thalia's return would improve things… it didn’t.

  Then Thadwick nearly died again.

  And suddenly, for the first time in five years, he was greeted with a smile. It was in passing, nothing more, but he’d felt relief.

  He slowly adjusted his schedule to see if it had been a fluke, but Thadwick kept greeting him politely. It emboldened him to reach out.

  “Oh, I’m sure you’re busy, I don’t want to—”

  “Actually, I’ve set aside time for this. It doesn’t interfere with my schedule.”

  “I’m not sure I want—”

  “I see… my mistake, I misinterpreted—”

  “No, no, sorry… You know it’s fine, I’m sure you have valuable things to show me about… what we do.”

  “You’re willing to resume our lessons then?”

  “… If that’ll make you happy, then sure.”

  “I think it would.”

  And now weeks later, Beaufort Mercer watched his son scan the documents laid out before him, a spirit coin rolling back and forth across his fingers. It was odd being in peaceful quiet.

  He would even categorize it as nice.

  He watched the spirit coin shimmer out of existence as Thadwick looked up from the paperwork and pointed at a sum with confusion.

  “Intentional or a rounding error?”

  “What do you think, Thadwick?” Beaufort asked, his tone giving nothing away.

  “I um… I prefer Thad, actually. But, right, the business is small. Run by a family that’s worked with us for years. No new accountant, the owners are older, no essences. I think it’s an honest mistake.”

  “Ok, what would you do then, Thad?”

  “… What I’m guessing you’ve already done.”

  “And that is?”

  “Send a non-informed accountant to perform an audit.”

  “Non-informed?”

  “I guess the better word is impartial. To get an accurate picture of whether a pattern of embezzlement is involved or not. Prevent confirmation bias.”

  “Your thought process coheres.”

  “That’s surprisingly high praise coming from you,” Thad said with a satisfied smile as he stood up and stretched.

  “I take it by your attire that you plan to train after our meeting?” Beaufort noted, taking the documents from the table and organizing them.

  “I’m working through sessions with Cass in the morning, and the team in the afternoons,” Thad said as he wandered around the room picking up random items and placing them back down.

  “You should’ve managed your temper better with the Geller boy.”

  Beaufort saw Thad pause, looking out the window of the study.

  “You’re right... I wasn’t… I wasn’t in the right headspace at the time.”

  This surprised Beaufort. He’d expected his son’s temper to flare or for an excuse that would absolve his actions.

  “I hope after all’s said and done, I can make amends with him,” Thad added, glancing back at his father with an expression Beaufort couldn’t interpret.

  “I hope you can as well. It would be good for business.”

  “I mean, I guess,” Thad said with a disbelieving laugh. “Though I’m more interested in rebuilding the relationship… But sure, Dad, it would be good for business.”

  “Speaking of that, I’m appreciative of your input in our dealings of recent.”

  “Whoa, don’t go getting emotional on me; Cass would call me a liar.”

  give that goddess nothing!

  -He had been so quiet the last two chapter I knew I needed to bring him back a little.

  A+ Parenting Reference for those who don't know

  ESTJ and Beaufort Mercer as an