“Then he said, it has to be me, grandfather. Bwahahaha! My grandson! How he be so cute?” Jarot howled with ughter, p another drink for the Iyrmen around, who listened so engrossed to the tale. “Did you hear? It has to be me, grandfather!”

  The older Iyrmen around humoured the Mad Dog, though only a handful truly realised why Jarot was so full of joy, to the point he was busy drinking and not causing a mess for the Aldishmen who remained but a stohrow away in the nearby vilge. Except, they could see it. On his face. The darkness of the Mad Dog, who had been forced to step back. If it had been almost any ure, the Chief, Elder Peace, even his daughter, Sonarot, he may not have been able to step babsp;

  Was there ah a greater right to vengeahan him, though?

  Gangak uood why he couldn’t step forward. It wasn’t just because Adam had asked, but it was the way he asked. Gangak leaned ba her chair, reag up to her forehead, trying to rack her mind on how to save Adam from death. Even if he was strong, the ces of dying to the likes of the Grand ander were too high for her to accept. Even if Adam was twice as powerful, even if the ce was a single pert, it was too much for her.

  There was another woman listening to the bragging from nearby. An older woman, wearing simple Iyrish attire, with shrey hair, and a rapier at her side. Upon her forehead was a red hollow kite, fnked by blue crest moons, the tips pointed downwards. A thought popped into her head, that she could now sit a little closer since he was so happy. However, feeling the shame within her heart, she remained sitting to one side, allowing the old man his peace to show off about his grandson who adored him so mubsp;

  ‘Will there e a ce to draw my bde?’ Keiwyj thought, while her panion, Vovol smirked at her, reading the thoughts upon her face.

  As the old man tio show off his grandson, drowning the sorrows in his heart with pots of grain wine, his daughter approached her uncle. Dogek sat alone in the er, his eyes closed tight as he reminisced his childhood. He opehem as she sat down opposite him, first seeing the little girl who used to tease him when she was young, and then the fine woman she had bee, for even the ghost of her father tio praise her within his dreams.

  “Thank you,” Sonarot said.

  “I still have much to apologise for,” Dogek admitted.

  “You no longer have ao apologise,” Sonarot replied, deepening the cut within his heart, before removing the bde to fix it. “If he has made the choice, then he will win, or he has accepted his Fate.”

  “I still fight on his behalf.”

  “You o longer do so. It is not longer a matter of life ah, but something greater.”

  Dogek let out a sigh. He knew he shouldn’t have offered just then, but he had to. His niece was right, though, for this was beyond the matter of life ah for Adam, but a matter of a greater burden. “Brother would have liked Adam.”

  Sonarot raised her brows slightly, for this Dogek was different to the uncle she knew. A small smile appeared on her face, and she nodded. “Yes, I am certain.”

  Fred sighed, sipping the grain wirying to calm his heart. He stood in the face of death and survived. If the Orders hadn’t let them go, he would have lost his life, he had no doubt about it. The tingliion of the grain wine filled him.

  “Why do you hold such a dark expression?” Haytam asked, sitting beside the Lead. She was shorter thaypical Iyrman, with bck hair cut into a bob, and a pair of scars across her face. O from her ear to her neck, the other a cw mark upon her cheek whiarrowly missed her eye. She was strongly build, though, as Iyrmen often were, especially one who wielded such a rge bde.

  “I’m just gd I didn’t die.”

  “You are sad about such?”

  “No,” Fred replied, letting out a small sigh. “I just thought… it would be over.”

  “With the Aldish, it is never over.”

  Fred threw her a look, causio raise her brow. “I’m Aldish too.”

  “You would be sidered Florian,” Haytam replied.

  “Oh. Is… there a difference?”

  “One is Aldish, the other, Florian.”

  “It wasn’t like that a few years ago. Only heard of Floria in legends when I was a boy. Back when…” He tried to remember the name of the Florian who had bent the knee, but he shrugged.

  “If you are worried like this,” Haytam said, her curious eyes taking in the sight of the Lead’s relief, and the shame that came with it. “The workers will feel troubled. You are their Lead. You ot allow them to see you this way, or morale will fall.”

  “Is this what he means when he says it’s lonely at the top?” Fred joked, chug softly.

  “It is not lonely at the top. My granduncle has the Chief as pany, they do not feel lonely. Mad Dog, too, has the Bearded Dragon, and many others. With the Butcher’s return, he is less lonely.”

  “Yeah, well…” Fred let out a soft sigh. He stared up at the darkening sky, feeling the burden of the title upon his shoulders. “The Diviestio see if I am able, but… I don’t think I am.”

  Haytam threw a look to the young man, who was an Expert at least, adorned in full pte, with a magical bde at his side, o for a Duchess. pared to her, who was of simir age, Fred had done so much more, and possessed so much more, even though she was an Iyrman. She wondered if she should go out to adventure once more.

  The awkward filled Fred, who had realised just how serious he had made the versation. ‘Will I ever marry when I’m so…’ Fred thought of the word ofteo describe the Executive.

  Lead Rick’s shoulders were heavy with his own burdens, the Lead making his rounds, making sure the others were fortable as they ate their dinner. He eventually stopped, taking a seat he Manager, who was feeding his daughter.

  “Ranya, you must not spit it out,” Dunes said, breaking another bit of bread for her, before bringing it to her lips. The girl pulled away.

  “It is not spiough,” Amira said, reag over to wipe the girl’s mouth, before pulling little Ranya onto her p. “When you go to Aswadasad, you should buy some more spices.”

  “Do I earn so much money?” Dunes replied.

  “Yes.”

  “…” Dunes blinked. ‘Ah. I do.’ He smiled wide towards his wife. “I will buy as much as I .”

  “Dada,” Ranya called, grabbing her father’s arm, pushing it away. “Dada.”

  “Yes, my Ranya?”

  “Pepah?”

  “I will bring one,” Dunes said, brushing the girl’s hair.

  Amira watched her husband leave, making his way to steal aper he had pced to one side for his daughter. He had provided quite a few to the Gaks, but he had made sure his own daughter would not go without, even if he had to.

  “Are you worried?” Amira asked, ping her daughter’s nose, before her eyes darted to the Lead nearby.

  “Excuse me?” Lead Rick asked, realising she eaking to him.

  “Are you worried?”

  “A little.”

  “If you’re worried, you will hurt the Executive’s feelings.”

  “His oppo is…” Rick wasn’t sure how to describe the Grand ander appropriately. “A man who stands atop the peak.”

  “The Grand ander of the Thousand Hunts…” Amira spoke the title as though it were important. It was, of course, but there was something else withione of voice, a question.

  The children of the business also held a simir question.

  “Mister Adam’s not gunna lose, is he?” Copper asked.

  “It’s gonna, not gunna,” Jack corrected.

  “It’s going to, not gonna,” Poppy corrected, shaking her head emphatically. ‘Boys.’

  “He’s not gunna, gonna, oing to lose,” Alex said. “It’s Mister Adam, and Mister Adam never loses.”

  “He lost to his grandfather, though?”

  “His grandfather is his grandfather, though! Of course he’s going to lose to his grandfather!”

  “What about the fire guy?”

  “The fire guy’s a dragon though!”

  “Yeah, dragon’s don’t t!”

  “People don’t beat dragons. Drago dragons.”

  “Some people .”

  “Yeah but they’re strong.”

  “Mister Adam’s strong.”

  “Yeah, but so’s the Grand ander.”

  “Mister Adam is going to win,” Elsie finally said, the girl staring down at her pe. “He told me he was going to win.”

  “If Mister Adam says he’s going to win, then Mister Adam’s going to win,” Alex said. “He never lies.”

  ‘You don’t have to worry about a thing,’ Adam had told Elsie. ‘I’m not that weak, am I?’

  Adam did not tell her he was going to win.

  Meanwhile, Adam carried his children back from ging them, with Sonarot following, along with Lanarot and Jurot.

  “You were both so brave today,” Adam said, peppering their foreheads with tless kisses. “You must get that from your nana.”

  “Nana is so brave,” Jirot firmed, recalling how vicious the woman had been to the Grand ander.

  “You are brave too, my little Demon Lord. Jarot, you were so brave too. I worry since your sister alrotects you, but you are s too!” Adam rubbed his cheek against his son’s, the boy smiling so shyly, before burying his head against his father’s nebsp;

  “Daddy… yoing to duel tomorrow?” Jirot asked, her voice almost a whisper.

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “Daddy o be brave tht?” Adam smiled wide, but his eyes remained shut tight, the half elf clutg at his twins tighter.

  “Daddy…” The girl frowned, ing her arms around his head. “Yoing to win?”

  “Jirot, how strong is your daddy?” Adam asked.

  “First pce!”

  “That’s right! Your daddy is first pce, so leave it to daddy, okay?”

  “Okay!” Jirot clutched at his head harder, before pnting firm kisses all over his forehead, but even she could feel it, the cold sensation gripping at her heart, before the girl started to burst into tears, causing Jarot to do to the same. The pair stopped g upon seeing the Great Elder roached the half elf.

  Meanwhile, Dunes rubbed his beard lightly, scratg his . “Did I run out? Was it that they were stolen? sidering what I know from your brother, did you have anything to do with this?”

  “How could you accuse me of stealing?” Jaygak asked, leaning against the doorway, having waited for the Mao plete his edy routier he had noticed her.

  “Why are your eyes full of subre troublesomeness?” Dunes joked, though he had hit the nail on the head actally.

  “I’ve e to ask a favour.”

  “I’m sorry, but I’m married.”

  Jaygak winced. “I ’t believe he’s corrupted you too.”

  Jaygak, it gets much worse.