Orrin exited the now empty room. His arms were sore from lifting all the containers and he cast a [Heal Small Wounds] on himself to relieve the dull throbbing. Madi smiled mischievously at him as he walked by her and Maeve. Orrin pointedly ignored them both.

  “I’m sorry this is all we could do,” Maeve said, glancing back and forth between Orrin and Madi. “These aren’t products that we make on a regular basis.”

  “It’s enough to get us going. We owe you one.” Orrin smiled at Maeve. “This will be a huge help. Are you doing all right here? Are you keeping safe?”

  Maeve blinked in confusion. “I’m home. Why wouldn’t I be safe?”

  Orrin forgot who he was talking to. “I meant, have there been any further attempts on your life since Anabella was put in prison.”

  “Oh, no. That sort of thing has stopped,” Maeve answered while pushing the door closed to the storage room. “Though, Lady Sanerris isn’t in prison anymore. She made a deal.”

  Orrin stopped moving. “She what? Why would you do something so—"

  Madi grabbed his hand and squeezed. “Maeve, what kind of deal?”

  Maeve waved her bracelet back over the door. She shook her arms to let her sleeves fall back over her wrists. “I don’t know the details.”

  “She tried to kill you all,” Orrin growled through clenched teeth. “Why would you let her go free?”

  “She’s not free,” Maeve said, looking up in shock. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’ve upset you. She’s confined to the school. I think she has to wear a necklace like yours, Orrin. Did you know that with the death of her son, she is the last member of her family? My father said that some of the others wanted her executed but then we’d have to rename the Sanerris School. I suppose it could have been renamed...”

  Maeve tapped her finger on her chin in thought. “I don’t think that had any bearing on her predicament but I’d imagine it didn’t hurt her case.”

  Orrin stared as his mind raced. “Madi, we need to leave Odrana.”

  Madi still held his hand. Orrin realized this when she stopped him from storming off. “Orrin, wait. We need to know more.” She turned to Maeve. “Dey was told she was sequestered and awaiting trial. She plotted to kill you all.”

  “All I know is she pled innocent and blamed everything on Arvin. She is not the lord of Mistlight and has a teaching position of some sort. This happened yesterday. I’ll go find my father and have him explain.”

  Orrin shook his head. “No. We’re leaving.”

  Madi’s fingers were a vise on his wrist. “Maeve, she kidnapped Orrin. She tried to kill Orrin and Daniel. She tried to kill Finley. She probably sent assassins to kill you.”

  Maeve nodded along with Madi’s argument. “I’m not a chancellor, Madi. I don’t know what happened. I’ll tell my father you’re upset and make him send a letter. If Orrin wants to have charges brought against her for what she did to him, I can see what I can do to help but he’s not from Odrana. He’s not a noble. You know how that complicates things.”

  Orrin cast [Calm Mind] and began to peel Madi’s fingers off his wrist one at a time. “We’re wasting time, Madi. There’s nothing we can do now. We have bigger problems.”

  Now that his fear and anxiety were riding backseat in his mind, Orrin saw the tense posture of Madi’s shoulders. He healed the bruises on his wrist where she’d grabbed him. He also used [Calm Mind] on his friend.

  “Madi, we have to help Daniel.”

  That snapped her out of it. She sighed. “I’m sorry, Maeve. Please tell the chancellors that Dey is very interested in whatever deal Anabella made. We’ll talk.”

  Maeve smiled and waved for them to follow her. Her normal obliviousness was on display. Orrin kept casting [Calm Mind] on himself and Madi. He cared for Maeve. They’d become friends but her tendency to ignore topics that didn’t interest her was something that he needed to keep in mind. She started telling them about an experiment she was running with growing different fruit types in seasonally inappropriate climates.

  “We need to get word to Finley,” Orrin whispered to Madi as they moved back toward the entrance of the building.

  Finley Madvarr was the son of the chancellor of Ronden, the Odranan providence that bordered Veskar. He’d help rescue Orrin after discovering a possible assassination attempt. He’d been in the room when they’d fought the Sanerris mother and son. If Anabella was free, Finley might be in danger.

  “I spoke with him last night,” Madi said softly, slowing her stride and letting some distance grow between them and Maeve. “He traveled to Dey with some of his best fighters and mages to help with the Horde. Odrana supplied reinforcements already but he said he felt honor-bound to help you and Daniel.”

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  Orrin smiled. He’d made more friends than just Maeve at the Sanerris School. “At least he’ll be safe in Dey. We can protect him.”

  Madi kept quiet.

  “What is it?”

  Madi slashed her hand down. “Later.”

  Orrin followed her eyes. Two guards that they’d not seen before waited by the exit. Maeve was still explaining her newest project, oblivious that they’d not heard a word of what she’d said.

  Orrin kept a [Decrease Strength] spell primed but the guards simply watched them walk through the doors. The heat of the sun beat down relentlessly as they exited the building. I’m getting paranoid.

  “Zoe, Madi wanted to know if you’re seeing anyone?” Maeve’s question broke the tense atmosphere.

  Orrin choked and coughed.

  Zoe raised her helmet up and winked. “Sorry, Lady Catazano. You aren’t my type.”

  Madi laughed. “I asked for a friend.”

  Orrin stood between the three women, sweating.

  “In that case, I’m single.” Zoe kept her eyes on Madi, not acknowledging Orrin standing right next to her. “If your friend wants to get a drink sometime, I spend most nights at Rocza’s pub. It’s not hard to find.”

  “Good to know,” Madi beamed. “I’ll make sure to let them know.”

  Orrin was red as he walked away.

  “Sorry if I embarrassed you too much,” Madi said with a grin as she caught up to him outside of town.

  Orrin paced and tried to bring his emotions under control. He wouldn’t really [Teleport] back to Dey without Madi. That didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy the fantasy. He didn’t mind her teasing. Daniel did worse for years. It was part of the reason that he’d never confessed his crush on Daniel’s sister to his best friend.

  Orrin also didn’t care that Anabella Sanerris was alive. This wasn’t Earth. Even there, criminals went free and people got away with bad shit. He was old enough to know that things didn’t work out all the time but still… he’d hoped the leaders of Odrana were smart.

  What bothered him most was the million little things that went along with the demon Horde. Orrin was stretching himself thin. He woke up each morning and made spell orbs. He trained with Madi and Daniel. He watched his back for the Hospital, which it seemed was now in the middle of a civil war. He worried about Tony and Amir staying safe. The faces of a dozen acquaintances that he hadn’t checked up on since he got back from Odrana ran through his head.

  “Orrin?” Madi nudged him in the ribs. “You ready?”

  I don’t have time to break down. We need to get these ingredients back for the [Purify] potions and I should go check the third wall in the Pass. I think it should be done by now. I wonder if Daniel is—

  “Orrin, snap out of it and talk to me,” Madi demanded, interrupting his spiraling thoughts.

  “What? Sorry,” Orrin tried casting [Calm Mind] again. It wasn’t working as long for some reason. “I’m going to [Teleport] us back to Dey. We can make another jump to the Outer Wall unless you nee—”

  Madi grabbed his shoulders and made him face her directly. “You’re shaking. This isn’t because I joked with Zoe, is it? I was trying to lighten the mood like you and Daniel do. I’m going to find out everything I can about this deal with Anabella as soon as I can. Don’t worry about this. I’ll handle it.”

  Orrin held out a hand. Madi was right. A slight tremor passed along his fingers. He considered turning on [Mind Bastion] but the last thing he needed was cold logic right now. He might convince himself that storming off to kill Lady Sanerris was the best course of action. Plus, he’d promised too many people to cut back on his use of the skill. It made him distant and kind of an asshole.

  “It’s not just Anabella,” Orrin finally got out. He forced his hands into his pockets. “I think I just need to rest for a few minutes when we get back and sort out my thoughts. I’m a bit frazzled, is all.”

  Madi cocked her head to the side. Her hair was tied into small bundles on top and they waved in the air when she moved. “Talk to me. Let me help you for once.”

  Orrin felt the weight crashing back down on his shoulders and sat down against the wall outside the city. He plucked a few blades of grass and twisted them together. Madi sat on her heels next to him.

  “I think I’m overwhelmed,” he admitted. “I’m spreading myself thin. I’m worried about everything and I can’t control it all. We have plans on plans on plans and then the sudden addition of a free Anabella sent me over the edge. How should we change the Horde retreat plans now that she’s around? How many of the Odrana troops that were sent are her spies and should we try to find out who is who before giving out information to them? How should I spend my Administrator points? Should I buy something that could help us or wait for an emergency?”

  Orrin watched his fingers braid the three strands of grass together into a rope the length of his middle finger. How do I knot the ends together? I used to know this.

  “I have ability points to spend but I’m paralyzed with indecision. It’s just like when I played video games. I’d collect every special spell scroll or invincibility potion and not use them because I might need them in the next fight. Did I tell you that I completed all four of my buff spells? I capped out the experience in each. Now I’ve got a mystery skill that costs fifty points sitting there like a weight on my chest. It could be a strong spell. I’m scared it’s going to be [Utility Ward]. I never bought level three because the mana price would be absurd compared to the payoff. What if I waste the points? I could use them to get [Alchemy] and make my own [Purify] potions but that would be one more thing that I have to worry about doing. I know everyone is pulling their weight and doing what they can but damn it…”

  Orrin threw the broken grass strands down and rubbed his fist across his eyes. “Never mind, you don’t need to listen to me bitch.”

  “Shut up,” Madi said calmly. “You are allowed to complain. You are allowed to feel overwhelmed. You should know that you aren’t the only one feeling that way, Orrin. I’m terrified of messing up and there is no doubt in my mind that we all will make mistakes before this is over. It’s good to admit it, though. I can’t help you make the perfect choices for your points but I am here to talk things through. Daniel and Brandt are too. If you want, my father would carve time out of his day to discuss spells and skills with you. I used to get so caught up in what spells I’d purchase at my next level-up that I’d get indecisive. My father gave me advice that he said he uses every day. Fight one battle at a time. Give each task your full attention until it is defeated.”

  Orrin grinned involuntarily. It was nearly the same advice his mom gave him when he had too much homework piled up at the end of the weekend. “Start small and knock it out one at a time.” Orrin could hear her voice.

  I miss you, mom.

  “What do you say? Pick one thing and we’ll figure it out together,” Madi said as she stood up and reached out her hand.

  Orrin slapped his palm against hers. She pulled him up and he felt lighter than he had in days. “Thank you, Madi.”

  She smirked evilly. “First task, ask Zoe out for dinner.”

  Orrin narrowed his eyes. “Maybe I should leave you here. You can run back to Dey.”

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