Noah was starting to get antsy. It had been almost a week since Evergreen’s death, but they were still locked inside their room. Lee had only been able to swing by for brief moments to chat and relax before heading back out to keep watch over them, so he suspected that she wasn’t doing much better.

He understood taking a lot of time to pick out the new leader of the Torrin household, but he had absolutely no desire to sit around stuck in enemy territory indefinitely. There were still too many things to do, and the longer they sat around, the more worried he became that someone had figured out their plan.

But, mercifully, a change from the norm finally arrived when Lee fluttered up to the window in her crow form, tapping several times on it with her beak to warn Noah and Moxie that someone was coming. She took off right as someone rapped several times on the door.

“Come in,” Moxie called, exchanging a look with Noah. It had been difficult for both of them to really relax properly when they were still just a short walk away from where they’d killed one of the strongest mages in the Torrin household.

The door opened and Idan stepped inside. He had deep bags under his eyes and his shoulders were slumped with the weight of endless work. Noah could have sworn the man had lost a few pounds since they’d last met.

“My apologies for keeping you waiting so long,” Idan said, closing the door behind him and letting out an exhausted sigh. “Things have been… hectic. There has been much discussion about the events that led up to Evergreen’s death.”

Neither Moxie nor Noah spoke. There was no reason to – the less they said, the less chance there was that they gave something away on accident.

“I’m sure you’re distraught about Evergreen. I know she and you were close,” Idan continued. Noah wasn’t sure if he was intentionally being an asshole or was completely oblivious, but he nearly choked at Idan’s words.

He managed to keep his expression under control and Idan mercifully missed his slip-up, as his attention was fixed entirely on Moxie.

“She had a strong hand in my upbringing,” Moxie allowed. “Her absence will be very strongly felt, by both myself and Emily. I suspect Emily may take it even harder than I. It will be a difficult time for all of us.”

Wow. That was a really impressive way for Moxie to say she’s thrilled that Evergreen is dead without ever getting near a lie that she could get caught in. She’s good at this.

“I can imagine.” Idan tapped his fingers on the side of his leg. “Even though you were a primary witness, we left you here for quite some time. I hope the accommodations weren’t too unhospitable.”

“They were fine, but I think we’d both really appreciate if you could tell us what’s going on. What will happen to the Torrin family?” Moxie asked.

“The Torrin family will be fine, lass. Evergreen’s loss – as you said – will be very strongly felt, but we are not without allies, and our own power still stands strong. It is likely that Exal will be taking over the family in Evergreen’s stead.”

“What about the Linwicks?” Noah asked. “Is there going to be–”

“They do not appear to be planning any form of attack.” Idan’s eyes roamed over Noah, his expression unreadable. “That does not mean that all is calm, but I do not forsee war.”

Noah breathed a sigh of relief, and he genuinely meant it. Death was one thing, but plunging the empire into a war was at the very bottom of his to-do list. It would have been far too inconvenient.

“That’s good,” Noah said.

“It is,” Idan agreed. “And I bring more good news. You will both be allowed to leave shortly.”

“Thank the gods. I was starting to think we might be stuck in here forever,” Moxie said. “I need to tell Emily about what happened. I’d rather she hear it from me than through rumor. Speaking of Emily, do you know what the plan will be for her? Or for me, on that matter?”

Idan didn’t reply for several seconds. His lips pressed thin and his stance shifted in discomfort. “I am unsure of the specifics, but the Torrin family will not abandon one of their own.”

Yeah, so long as they’re from your Main Branch.

“She’ll remain in line for leadership of the family?”

“I do not know,” Idan admitted. “Exal does not have any heirs, but he is far younger than Evergreen was. He reached his Rank quickly, but is deserving of it. We can only guess at what the future holds for Emily.”

“And for me?” Moxie asked. “Am I to remain as her instructor?”

“You will do as you would like. Excal has no interest in continuing Emily’s sponsorship, but your role with Arbitage is yours. Any extra pay you received for teaching her from the Torrin family will be ceased.”This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

“I see,” Moxie said, her face even. Noah wasn’t sure how she was keeping herself from hopping around and shouting for joy. Idan was giving her literally everything that she had ever asked for. “Is that all?”

“No,” Idan admitted. “You are perceptive.”

“I’m a Torrin.”

“So you are.” A wry smile flickered across Idan’s features before he wiped it clean. “There were discussions of what to do about your role in Evergreen’s death.”

“Her role? What are you talking about?” Noah asked. “She was just as much a victim as anyone else. Rinella nearly killed her.”

“I do not argue that, Linwick. But I am not the one that needs convincing. The branch leaders Exal and Arren both agreed that Moxie’s failure to notice that you were replaced with a clone directly tied to Evergreen’s death.”

“But Evergreen didn’t notice either,” Noah protested. “How was a Rank 3 supposed to do what a Rank 6 couldn’t?”

“Vermil,” Moxie said, her voice raising slightly. Noah shot her a surprised look, then closed his mouth. Moxie looked to Idan. “They need someone to take the fall, don’t they?”

“Yes,” Idan said, a flicker of shame passing over his features. “The death of a Rank 6 mage right under everyone’s noses is outrageous. It implies we are weak. There needs to be someone alive to pin the blame on.”

“You just said I would be allowed to live normally. Was that a lie?” Moxie asked, her expression surprisingly controlled for the situation.

“No. It was not. There were suggestions to publicly execute you, but I managed to overrule them. There is only so much that I can do, unfortunately. I am not a branch leader, but I would not see an innocent killed.”

“Just get out with it, would you?” Moxie’s jaw clenched. “What is it that they want?”

Noah’s stomach dropped, and he prepared to call on Sunder even though it was a fool’s gambit. Killing Idan would be sure to make sure the Torrin family hunted them down, but he wasn’t about to let all their hard work just spiral down the drain because some politicians needed a scapegoat – even if they’d ended up actually choosing the person responsible for Evergreen’s death to pin the crimes on purely by accident.

“Your Runes are to be broken,” Idan said. “You will remain a member of the Torrin family, but any privileges you had from serving Evergreen will be revoked. Your life will be to do with as you wish.”

Noah froze, and Moxie’s hands tightened at her sides. She took a step back, putting on a relatively impressive display of disbelief and shock.

“What? What am I supposed to do without my Runes?” Moxie demanded. “I’m nearly a Rank 4! Shattering them could take me years to recover from, and that’s only if I’m lucky. I don’t have anywhere near enough money to afford a potion that could help heal me.”

Idan looked away. “I do not agree with the verdict. I do not think it just, but it is not my place to question it. It is this or death, Magus Moxie.”

For several seconds, nobody spoke. Finally, Moxie grit her teeth and spoke.

“Fine. It’s good to know that this is how the Torrins repay loyalty. I’ve served faithfully my entire life.”

“Your Runes were given to you.”

“Not all of them.”

Idan blinked. “In that case, I may be able to leave you with some. My orders were only to shatter the Runes that are built off the ones that the Torrin family provided you. Any Runes you’ve gathered yourself I can spare.”

“Lovely. I can be partially crippled instead of completely crippled.”

Noah winced at the sheer fury and betrayal in Moxie’s voice, and Idan looked ashamed to be standing before her.

“There is nothing more I can do.”

“Then get it over with already,” Moxie spat bitterly.

Idan pulled a small ring from his pocket and slipped it over one of his fingers. As soon as it was on his hand, it lit with a faint white glow. Energy swirled around his fingertips, and Noah could feel the Runes in his mindspace inexplicably drawn toward the ring.

It was an Imbued item of some sort, and a powerful one. Idan took a step toward Moxie, who held his gaze without blinking. Idan reached out and pressed his hand against Moxie’s forehead.

“Allow me entry,” Idan said. “This will not work without your cooperation, but you know the alternative.”

Moxie’s jaw clenched, but she gave Idan a slight nod. No more than a second later, a loud crack split the air and she doubled over, a burst of light erupting from her back. Runic energy swirled through the room around them, crackling in displeasure. Idan held his position, his eyes closed in concentration.

Several more cracks echoed through the room, each one filling the air with even more power. Moxie wheezed in pain, her fists clenching so tightly that blood started to drip from her palms.

The bark Body Imbuements that lined her skin faded as the Runes they were based on shattered.

Finally, Idan stepped back. Noah lunged forward and caught Moxie before she could fall flat on her face. She coughed again, spitting blood onto the floor.

“Is that all?” Noah asked, his eyes cold as he looked up to glare at Idan. “Or are you going to try to do that to me as well?”

Idan pulled the ring off and slid it into his pocket. “We have no desire to start a war with the Linwicks. You will not be touched… for now. That is your reward for giving us enough warning to keep this tragedy from extending further. I suggest you both leave the Torrin Estate immediately. You are no longer required to remain in this room.”

“Gee, thanks. Mind if she stops coughing up blood before we leave?”

“You’ve got spirit, for a Linwick. Trust me, be thankful that this was all that happened. I’m not happy, but at least she’s alive.” Idan didn’t sound nearly so certain of the words he spoke.

He paused for a moment, shame still apparent on his features. Then he straightened, the emotion fading from his face, and strode out the door, closing it behind him.

Noah didn’t waste an instant. As soon as Idan was gone, he drew on the Fragment of Renewal, sending the healing power into Moxie’s body. He had no idea if it would let her completely salvage the situation, but patching the soul damage would let Moxie try to gather as much of the power back and reform her Runes before too much of it faded.

Moxie’s body relaxed in Noah’s arms as she got to work, and the excess energy shimmering around them quickly started to fade. Noah didn’t dare budge until Moxie finally let out a groan.

Her eyes drifted open and she sat up with Noah’s help, wiping some of the blood from her lips.

“Well?” Noah asked nervously.

“I definitely lost some of my energy, but that wasn’t anything we weren’t expecting,” Moxie said, the corner of her lip quirking up in a smile. “My Rune Oaths are shattered. They went with my Runes. I’m down two of the seven, but all of them are mine. No more donations from the Torrins, at least as far as they’re aware.”

A relieved smile crossed over Noah’s face. “I wasn’t fully sure it would work.”

“Neither was I, but this was a small price to pay.” Moxie slowly stood up, then shook her head and looked out the window. “I think it’s time we get moving. I don’t think I want to see Blancwood again for a long, long time.”