Marius Reza continued his journey through the city, heading towards the forum and the Palace Complex. The sun had risen fully, yet a noticeable chill persisted in the air as they rode towards their destination. Lukas, exhausted from the journey, had fallen unconscious at the city gates, his reins slipping from his hands. Reza swiftly reacted, preventing Lukas from falling and now guided both horses as they ventured deeper into the silent city.

  As they rode, Reza contemplated his next move. Two options presented themselves. His first choice was to report to Praetor Tiberius, the city’s bureaucrat responsible for daily decisions, not as a king but as the figure everyone had relied on to establish the city’s defense after Marcellus’s death. While the noble families had also contributed, Tiberius held the command.

  Reza believed that Tiberius could return Lukas to his family, providing Reza with the opportunity to find a bed and rest.

  The alternative was bypassing Tiberius and returning Lukas to his family. Reza generally knew where the Sulli Estate’s location in the noble district. It was a smaller secondary island surrounded by the Arkhen city harbor at the river’s mouth, connected to the city by a single bridge from the Forum. Even if Lukas’s parents didn’t reside within the estate, they could still inform them. Reza made his decision and continued.

  There was no need to visit the Praetor. Reza reasoned internally; Tiberius had more pressing matters to attend to than ensuring Lukas’s safe return to his parents. They proceeded through the Forum, passing by the Praetor’s headquarters.

  The streets were unusually empty, strange for this time of day. Thousands of people should have been awake by now. Yet, Reza had passed by houses, shops, and even a few tenement buildings without seeing a single soul before crossing the bridge into the island forum. The Arkhenites had hidden in their homes, probably afraid of the rumors that had spread throughout the night. Reza hoped this would soon change, and the citizens would feel comfortable returning to their daily lives. For now, time would only tell.

  As Reza rode into the Forum, the stone buildings surrounded by the Echoes towers replaced the wooden structures of the rest of the city. The people in the streets were now soldiers running to and from the Praetors headquarters. Reza nodded to several soldiers who passed by, but none stopped him or asked about his business. They quickly made it through the island and into the noble district. Again, the city was transformed, with buildings turning into gated manors and estates.

  Now, where was the Sulli estate again? Reza found the street he needed to take but kept his eyes scanning the noble district as he rode deeper, ensuring he didn’t pass by their destination. The noble district appeared to be the least affected by recent events; the streets were bustling with servants moving about, and they had already begun their daily tasks. Several were removing the small elementals from the numerous lanterns that lined the streets, providing light for the nighttime inhabitants.

  As he passed by, each group of servants or the lone worker was engaged in a specific job, such as delivering messages or purchasing items for their respective chores. It felt like a typical day within the district, except for the unusual presence of guards at almost every gate. Every estate had guards, but on an average day, only one guard might be posted at the gate, or there might be a sign indicating how someone could announce their arrival. Usually, the guards remained within the estate grounds. However, not today, and the guards appeared more on edge than usual, many muttering and eyeing Reza and the unconscious Lukas suspiciously. Fortunately, they gave him little trouble as he rode past; likely, the soldier’s uniform made them hesitate to ask questions.

  Finding the Sulli Estate took a few more minutes, but thankfully, Reza didn’t need directions. Although he had never been there, Reza had often visited the district with Sabine and knew the locations of most of the estates of the powerful families that claimed a part of the island. Her family’s estate was quite close to the Sulli’s.

  The manor was less subdued than the others around it. The main estate was concealed behind a tall, unadorned stone wall with a single plain metal gate, which seemed plainer compared to its neighbors.

  Reza noticed something amiss. Where were the guards? He realized that this was one of the few estates without any guards posted outside, not even a single guard to announce his presence. Reza tried to spot a guard hiding nearby, but unfortunately, no one was close enough to be considered part of this estate.

  Dropping from the horse, Reza guided them near the gate, trying to figure out their next move. How did others announce their presence?

  Reza quickly realized that they might not want visitors and had deliberately kept no one out. The heir to the Sulli family and their Archon had died just the previous day, and they were likely grieving the loss of not only Marcellus but also Lukas. Despite his usual inclination to turn back, Reza felt confident that they would want him to disturb them this morning.

  Unable to think of another course of action, Reza knocked loudly on the gate, ensuring that anyone on the other side would hear it.

  It didn’t take long before Reza heard movement on the other side of the gate, and a well-hidden window opened on the right side.

  “Who are you? And what brings you here?” a gruff and weary voice called out.

  Reza shuffled to stand before the window and noticed a much older-looking guard. He wore a polished metal helmet that concealed most of his features. It appeared to be an older model of the helmets worn by legionaries. The man’s eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Reza.

  “I apologize for any disturbance to you and the Sulli Family,” Reza said firmly, bowing his head. I have a young man here who was just rescued outside the city. His name is Lukas Sulli.”

  The older man glanced past Reza to Lukas, who was asleep on the horse. Recognition flashed across his face as he saw the boy. Before any further exchange, he swiftly closed the window. Shouts and noise emanated from behind the gate, and Reza could hear more voices approaching him. Unfortunately, he was unable to catch any of the conversation from outside.

  The gate creaked open, and three guards emerged from within. Two of them swiftly took Reza’s horses, but he swiftly grabbed the sword strapped to his back. The older guard approached him and gestured towards the gate. “Come in. I’m certain Lord Sulli will want to meet with you. We’ll ensure Lukas’s safe arrival at the house.”

  Reza followed the guard as he ascended the paved walkway leading to the imposing manor. It was a magnificent red brick structure with only three stories, its entire front porch draped under an overhanging roof. The estate exuded a subtle yet captivating beauty, showcasing the family’s wealth without ostentation. The stone used to pave the garden’s paths was likely more expensive than Reza’s entire estate. Despite the tranquility of the garden, Reza couldn’t help but notice several guards patrolling the various paths that diverged from the main one—quite remarkable the number of guards still within the noble district. He had expected more to be stationed on the walls.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Reza pushed the thought aside. Noble families had likely dispatched many of their men to the walls, as Sabine had mentioned her family had done.

  Pulling Reza from his thoughts, the guard placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Stepping aside, he rummaged through his pocket and extracted a rag, then poured some water from his water skin. “You might want to freshen up,” he said, handing the damp cloth to Reza.

  Reza couldn’t help but wonder how bad he must look. He had been awake for over twenty-four hours, unable to rest a moment, and had been fighting multiple enemies on the Ghost Plains.

  “Thank you,” Reza replied genuinely.

  He dreaded the sight of a mirror and began scrubbing his face with the cloth, trying to remove as much dirt and grime as possible. The fabric left behind light red blotches, indicating that there was more to be done. Taking another minute, he washed his face, hands, and any other exposed skin he could reach.

  Looking back at the guard, Reza turned to the guard. “Did I miss anything?”

  “It’s better,” the guard replied, but his expression showed that Reza was still not presentable. “I’d still take a bath as soon as you can. But it’s better than before.”

  The guard then walked upright to the front door and opened it without knocking.

  While the outside was subtle, the manor itself was much more grand. As Reza entered, his eyes were drawn to the center of the entryway, where a tall statue stood of a man made of grey marble. The features were as if the individual had been transformed into the cold stone. The statue held a beautiful sword stabbing tip down into the ground in its hands, while another figure stood just behind the first, made of some black stone. The second’s body was formed like smoke, barely indicating a human form. Reza stood there in the atrium, examining the statue. It was clearly an artist’s expression of a man and his wraith.

  The grand entrance exuded power and wealth. The rest of the hallway was impeccable. White marble floors adorned the space, intricately spidered with silver. Various paintings lined the grey walls, each depicting a prominent ancestor of the household.

  “Wait here,” the guard instructed, gesturing towards the door. “I’ll be back in a moment.”

  As Lukas was wheeled in on a stretcher by two other guards, they began to make their way towards the stairs. However, their progress was intercepted by a woman who unexpectedly entered through the door the guard had just vacated.

  “Lukas,” a younger blonde-haired woman in a black dress whispered, her voice barely audible, almost as if she couldn’t believe her eyes. She quickly regained her composure, engaging in soft conversations with the guards.

  She abruptly turned and hurried back into the room she had entered from. Just a moment later, she returned with two men in black uniforms, and it seemed that more servants had joined her. The guards transferred Lukas to the servants and rushed him up their stairs while the young woman remained behind. Once Lukas was gone, her attention shifted to Reza, and she approached him.

  “Who are you?” she held herself with an air of importance that indicated her higher status within the household compared to a common soldier or servant. If Reza had to make an educated guess, he believed she was likely a member of the family.

  Reza bowed slightly to the woman. He could sense the muscles in his back tensing. The battle had taken a much greater toll on him than he had initially realized. “Lord Marius Reza,” he introduced himself. “This morning, I was on the wall this morning and observed Lukas riding towards the city. We managed to rescue him and bring him here.”

  Reza kept the story light on details, first because he wasn’t certain who the woman was. Second, Lukas could fill in the gaps when he woke up, and Reza didn’t feel it was his place to tell the young man’s story; he didn’t want to overstep his boundaries. With his words, the woman seemed to relax her guard a bit.

  “I’m sure there’s more to that story. Helton went to inform Lord Sulli. I’m sure he’ll want to meet you. Would you like something to drink or eat while you wait?” She asked politely.

  “Something hot to drink, if possible. There’s a chill in the city right now,” Reza replied, keeping his eyes on her. He was acutely aware that he had dried blood on his clothes and was standing in a high noble’s home in front of one of his family members. Echoes, I wish I’d thought this through a bit more.

  Reza thanked the echoes. The guard had done him a service to be somewhat presentable by provided the cloth. He should have taken a moment to make himself presentable before entering such a significant household.

  “We have some warm cider in the kitchen. The lady enjoys a glass at night on these chilly days. I’ll have a glass of that brought,” she inquired, waiting for his response.

  “That would be delightful. Miss… I apologize, I don’t believe I know your name,” Reza politely said, hinting at her lack of introduction.

  “I apologize. My name is Marie Sulli, and Lukas is my cousin,” Marie poked her head through a door beside them. “Eleanor…”

  Reza stood almost to attention as she walked away and through a door to another room. A Sulli, I was wise to keep my words neutral.

  With his thoughts racing, Reza missed Marie’s words, but there seemed to be another woman by the sound of the second voice within the room. Marie finally returned and guided him to a small table at the side of the atrium, where two comfortable chairs were placed. “It will be out momentarily,” she said.

  Taking one seat, Marie motioned for Reza to sit.

  “I’m not sure I should sit here,” Reza said, gesturing to his obviously dirty clothes. “I wouldn’t want to ruin the lovely furniture with all the dirt and grime on me.”

  “Nonsense, have a seat. We have someone on staff who can easily clean that up in moments. I could even have her come and have those clothes cleaned; she wouldn’t even need you to take them off.” Marie replied, gesturing for Reza to sit. “Actually, no, if Lord Sulli wants to talk to you, I think it’s highly recommended that you have Amelia do her work.”

  Following her advice and not wanting to argue further, Reza leaned the sword in his hand against the chairs and sat. The chair was undoubtedly the most comfortable piece of furniture he had ever sat on. It might have been due to the fact that he had just fought several men and stood for almost an entire day atop the wall. But it could have easily been that the chair was simply that comfortable. He could easily fall asleep here if he allowed himself to close his eyes, but alas, he made sure to sit up straight and focus on Marie instead.

  A servant, who had to be Eleanor, arrived moments later and placed two steaming glasses between us.

  “Thank you,” Reza said, taking a sip of the cider with its delightful cinnamon flavor. The lady was right, this was just what he needed on a cold day.

  Marie nodded, a smile tugging at her lips. “Eleanor, please fetch Amelia for me. We urgently need her magical abilities before this man meets with Lord Sulli.”

  Eleanor bowed respectfully and hurried away, leaving Marie’s attention fully on Reza.

  “Thank you once more for the drink,” Reza said, savoring another sip.

  “I believe it’s more likely that we owe you a debt of gratitude. We all thought Lukas was dead…just like Marcellus.” Marie paused, holding her cup in her hands, contemplating the implications.

  Reza hesitated, unsure of what to say. He had no idea about her relationship to Marcellus, but she somehow belonged to his family. “I’m sorry for your loss. I knew him during our time in the Legions, when he led the seventh for a while. He was a capable general.”

  Indeed, he had been an exceptional general and beloved by his soldiers. Finding someone to replace him would be challenging, as he held a special place in their hearts.

  She remained silent, her gaze fixed on the steaming cup of hot cider in her hand. Finally, she looked up at Reza. “Thank you.”

  Before Reza could steer the conversation in a different direction, the guard returned to the atrium. He glanced between us before offering Marie a low bow.

  “Lady Marie,” he said, returning his gaze to Reza. “Please accompany me. Lord Sulli would like to speak with him.”

  Reza rose, leaving his half-empty cup of cider behind. He was about to bid farewell, but Marie intervened.

  “Is he in his study?” she inquired.

  “Yes, my lady. He is currently waiting for you,” he replied succinctly.

  “I will take him. Please return to your station, Mr. Helton.”

  He opened his mouth to respond, but quickly closed it before bowing and making a hasty exit through the front door. A brief glance over his shoulder with a neutral expression caught Reza’s attention before he vanished.

  Reza stood as Marie began to walk down the hallway. “Come along. You wouldn’t want to make him wait,” she remarked wryly.

  Reza hesitated, unsure of what to do. Meeting with the head of the Sulli family was an intimidating prospect for anyone, let alone a lowly soldier.