Tori Transmigrated

Chapter 156: There Was No Plan

According to Piers' explanation, the energy from the crystal table must resonate with the user and actual ability wasn’t the main criteria. If they are compatible, the user can use the table. If not, at most they can sense its energy. In addition, the resonating energy shifts. At one point, Piers could resonate with the crystal. Then he couldn’t.

Tori didn’t ask why, as Piers didn’t seem to want to explain. There was a chance he didn’t know how to.

However, their conversation did leave her thinking that the crystal table itself was very magical. She always thought of crystals as an energy source, like a battery, or something that created a reaction, but the more she learned about it, the more magic and science seemed to intertwine. It was interesting, and thinking about it both ways had their respective advantages.

She planned to discuss this with her masters when she returned to the delta.

“Is it necessary to redo it?” her brother’s voice asked from where he sat across from her. She lifted her head and looked across the carriage. Kasen was sitting back with his legs crossed and a folder on his lap. Tori lowered her arm and the jingling bells attached to her wrist sounded.

“I didn’t finish the blessing dance. I should finish it.”

Ilyana pouted beside her. Tori knew she wanted to complain, but at the same time held back because she knew it was for the sake of the children. “I hope Hart isn’t there today.”

“Even if she is, we’re not there for her. We’re there for the orphanage,” Tori said.

Her carriage turned into the dirt road leading to the abbey. Tori watched the fields and patches of trees pass before they reached the old stone abbey. It turned into the small drive leading to it and stopped before the main doors. The footman opened the door for them, and Kasen stepped out first before standing to the side and offering his hand to Tori and Ilyana as they climbed down.

“That’s where the school is,” Tori said, pointing down the path to the incomplete wall around the courtyard surrounding a building. “The last wall wasn’t complete.”

“Why were they in such a hurry?” Ilyana frowned as she stepped down beside her. “The students didn’t need to start for another few weeks after the opening.”

“They set a target date and realized they weren’t going to make it, so they cut corners to try to finish faster,” Tori said, still looking towards the school yard. “Of course, that was only one of the reasons.”

Kasen walked up the steps ahead of them and knocked on the heavy wooden door. It didn’t take long for the smaller door built into it to open and a nun appeared.

“Good morning, Sister,” Kasen said with a smile. “I am here with my sister and her friend to speak to the Abbess.”

The nun opened her mouth to ask for more information, but her eyes were immediately attracted to the blue clothing peeking beneath Tori’s puffy coat. Her eyes widened and she gasped.

“Countess Guevera!”

Tori turned towards her and smiled. “Good morning, Sister. I’m sorry for coming unannounced. I wanted to finish the blessing dance.” She said the last sentence so as not to alarm the nun.

“No, you are always welcomed here, my lady! One moment!” The nun huffed and closed the door. They heard a series of iron locks being unlocked and then a heavy creak as one of the large doors opened. “Welcome, all of you! Please come in! I will take you to the Abbess!”

A few nuns rushed to greet them, and Tori, her brother, and Ilyana were led through the old halls. The abbey itself predated the most recent outer walls of the city. The main decorations were tapestries depicting the acts of the goddess along with paintings of the abbey itself.

The Abbess’ office wasn’t far from the main entrance, and she smiled from ear to ear when they reached her.

“My lady.” The Abbess bowed her head.

“Abbess, I apologize for the unexpected visit,” Tori said as she bent down to accept a blessing.

“You are always welcomed to this abbey, my lady,” the Abbess said in a gentle voice before moving on to bless Ilyana and Kasen. “Please, have a seat.” She motioned for them to take the two seats in front of her.

Tori stepped forward and took one of the seats. Kasen motioned for Ilyana to take the other and she sat down.

“Abbess, I came this morning in hopes of easing any worry the children may have after they saw me collapse from crystal fatigue,” Tori explained. “It was very chaotic that day and they saw me suddenly fall and pass out. I am worried that there is some lingering trauma.”

The Abbess nodded her head and lowered her eyes. “Yes, many children asked about you, my lady. A few cried, thinking it was something serious. The young ones don’t know what crystal fatigue is, so we told them you were simply tired.”

“That is essentially what crystal fatigue is a response to,” Tori said. “Is it all right to pay the children a visit?”

“Of course, my lady. As it is early, breakfast is still being served in the great hall.”

“Then, can I also finish the blessing dance there?” Tori asked as she leaned forward. Her head piece jingled, and the Abbess’ face lit up.

“It would be our honor for you to complete the blessing dance, my lady!”

So as not to miss breakfast, when most of the abbey and the children were in one place, they left the office immediately and the Abbess led them to the great hall. On the way there, Tori shrugged off her coat and gave it to Kasen to hold. Her bright blue robes and jingling silver bells on her wrists and ankles drew attention from everyone as she passed.

Tori kept a bright smile on her face and waved as a few children saw her and looked at her with wide, starstruck eyes. When they reached the great hall, there was a small train of children and a few nuns following them. Kasen and Ilyana followed the front of the hall, but stood to the side as the Abbess called for everyone’s attention.

Tori stood beside her, and her eyes scanned the crowd. Most of the children she could see appeared fine, though the mood was mixed. She didn’t blame them. She saw some of the children Piers reported to her had injuries. The little boy who had his leg amputated was still at a Central Imperial Hospital.

Tori planned to pay him a visit later.

“Countess Guevera has come today to finish the blessing dance as it was an unfortunate event last week that was nearly a tragedy,” the Abbess said as the children quieted down. “Afterwards, Countess Guevera will walk around to visit and answer any questions.”

Tori nodded and smiled. She thought that chatting with them could distract them. It would also give her further insight into what she could do for the children. The Abbess stepped to the side and Tori stepped forward.

Rather than picking up where she left off, she started from the very beginning.

There was a flurry of blue cloth, the echo of her foot against the floor, and the jingle of the bells as she danced in the small space at the front of the hall. Tori didn’t pay attention to how long it took, only let her body move. It wasn’t until sweat trickled down the side of her head that she drew her arms in and completed the dance.

She heard the applause, but remained in the final position to steady her breathing before shifting into a stand and giving a small bow to the Abbess.

“It was longer than you said it would be,” Ilyana said as she raised a small piece of cloth to pat the sweat off of Tori’s head.

“The longer and more complex the dance, the stronger the blessing,” Tori said with a lopsided smile. She took the cloth from Ilyana to finish patting her sweat off. This was the longest and most complex version of Saphira’s blessing dance she, or rather Victoria’s body, knew.

“My lady.” The same nun who had helped Tori before waited beside them with a hopeful smile. “The children are eager to greet you.”

Tori smiled wide. “And I am eager to greet them.” Ilyana took the cloth back and Tori followed the nun to greet the children.

She spent a good two hours going from table to table, sitting with children and answering their questions, giving them reassurances, and telling them about herself. She often pointed back to Ilyana and Kasen. Eventually, children began to approach them curiously.

“My lady,” the Abbess approached Tori as she finished putting her headdress on a boy’s head to see how heavy it was. “The imperial engineers are at the schoolhouse. They wanted to know if you’d like to see the columns you created.”

Tori furrowed her brows. “The dirt columns I used to hold up the roof and walls? They haven’t come down yet?” She was sure they’d only hold for a few minutes. An hour at most.

The Abbess shook her head. “They are still standing.”

Curious, Tori nodded. She took the headdress back and bid the children good-bye, promising to visit again, and followed the Abbess out to the schoolhouse with Kasen and Ilyana. Ilyana sucked in a sharp breath when she saw the caved-in roof and Kasen frowned.

Tori stopped a safe distance away from the schoolhouse and furrowed her brows. “They haven’t fallen further since last week?”

“No, my lady,” a voice said behind her. She turned her head and saw an elderly man rushing forward with a younger man behind him. Tori recognized them as imperial engineers. “The earth you pushed up was with terracrystal is still in place.”

“Is it safe to go inside?” Kasen asked. The old man nodded. Her brother glanced at her to see if she wanted to go inside, and Tori nodded. He looked back at the old man. “Take us in.”

The old engineer nodded and brought them into the room that had the bulk of the damage. Tori hadn’t seen the inside of the rooms after she used the terracrystal. She had relied on what she could sense through the crystal to place the controlled earth. She walked to the nearest pillar, which was awkwardly shaped, but arched across the ceiling to carry the weight of the fallen roof.

Tori put her hand on the dirt and frowned. “Why is it so hard?”

“It’s incredibly compacted, my lady,” the man beside the old engineer told her. “Was this part of your plan?”

“There was no plan. I just wanted to keep the roof from falling on the children,” Tori said as she ran her hand against the rough, but dense dirt. She lifted her head and followed the thick column that then stretched over and met with another on the other side of the room to form an arch. She knew she needed something strong to keep the roof up, so she thought of encasing the existing beams to make them support the walls and ceiling and hardening the dirt.

“It’s like a rock,” Ilyana said behind her as she poked at the column. “No wonder it hasn’t come down yet.”

“It’s very sturdy. How long can this structure last?” Kasen asked.

“We’re unsure, my lord.”

“The entire structure should still come down and be rebuilt,” Tori said.

“I agree, my lady,” the old engineer nodded. “We suspect more parts of the structure were built improperly.”

Ilyana sighed. “Those poor children.”

“They must’ve been looking forward to this,” Kasen said. “Schools in the central corridor only take children from registered households in their respective territory. Orphans must rely on the orphanage.”

Tori frowned. “I won’t let that happen in the delta.”

Her brother lifted his hand and placed it atop her head. “I know.”

They walked out of the schoolhouse as the old engineer discussed Tori assisting with demolition. They didn’t make it a few steps out when Tori stopped. Ilyana nearly ran into her back. She craned her head forward to look past Tori and Tori heard Ilyana hiss in a low voice.

“Hart.”

In the courtyard, Alessa stood nervously with Tom as Tori came out of the schoolhouse. The corner of Tori’s eye twitched.

“Good morning, Baroness. Mr. Fields.” She gave them both a curt nod and Tom moved a bit to help shield Alessa. Tori rolled her eyes. “No need to be so protective, Mr. Fields. By the way, how’s your hand?”

His face reddened, and he swallowed hard. “Countess Guevera, I have been punished for my crime and I am regretful.”

Tori stared at him in cold silence until he dropped his eyes.

“Tori, we still have another visit to do,” Kasen said as he leaned forward. Tori nodded.

She looked back at the old engineer and smiled. “I will be in touch about demolition. If anything is salvageable, let me know and I will try to work around it.”

“Thank you, my lady.”

“Wait!” Alessa called out as Tori passed her. “What do you mean demolition?”

“Baroness Hart, the structure is unsafe. It needs to be rebuilt,” the old engineer told her. Alessa paled.

“But...but it’s the school for the children!”

“The Abbess said that for the time being, they will continue their classes in the great hall. I was told that the Guthrys will pay to rebuild a classroom next year, once the demolition is complete,” Tori said without looking back. “In the meantime, Baroness Hart, getting supplies and instructors ready should be your top priority.”

Ilyana glared at Alessa as they passed and walked around the outside of the courtyard to the front of the abbey. A nun was standing there with a little girl.

“Ah! Countess!” The nun rushed down the steps. “I was told that you are planning to visit Robert at the hospital.”

“Yes, Sister, we’re going there now,” Tori said. “Was there anything to send him?”

The nun looked hopeful as she turned and looked back up the steps at the little girl. “Fiona is his sister. Would it be possible for you to bring her to see her brother?” Tori looked over her shoulder and saw the brown-haired little girl with a pale complexion and puffy eyes.

“We can. What time does she have to be back?” Tori asked.

“By sunset, if possible.”

“All right,” Tori said. “Is there anything we need to know about Fiona? Food she can’t eat? Does she need help going to the bathroom? Any sensitivities we should be aware of?”

“No, Fiona is very well-behaved, though can be loud,” the nun assured her. “It is just that she has been unable to sleep and cries often, asking for her brother.”

“Big brothers are important to their little sisters,” Kasen said behind Tori. “We’ll have Fiona back by sunset, Sister.”

The nun bowed her head gratefully and then ran up the stairs to carry the child down. She told her that they’d bring her to see her brother. The little girl looked at Kasen and turned her head away, shy. She then looked at Tori and reached out. Tori smiled and extended her arms to pick her up. She was light in her arms.

They climbed into the carriage and Tori put Fiona on the bench between her and Ilyana.

“Introductions are in order,” Tori said. “Hello, I am Tori, and I am sixteen years old. I like to dance and use crystals. What’s your name?”

The little girl’s pale fist was holding on to Tori’s robes, as if afraid to let go. She looked around at the three people in the carriage and quietly answered .

“My name is Fiona. I’m...I’m four.” She lifted up her hand and pushed down her thumb to show four fingers. “I like drawing.”

“Oh, an artist,” Kasen said with a gentle smile. “I also like drawing.”

Fiona stared at Kasen and then looked at Tori with questioning eyes. “He is Kasen, my big brother.”

Fiona gasped and nodded, as if she understood something meaningful. “I have a big brother, too. He is seven.” She counted seven fingers and held them up.

“Oh, Fiona can count! That’s great!” Tori beamed. “You’re smart, like Ilyana.” She motioned to Ilyana on Fiona’s other side. “Ilyana is my best friend and is the best student at our school. She’s very smart.”

Fiona seemed impressed by this. “Nice to meet you. You’re pretty.”

Ilyana’s smile grew even larger. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Fiona. I also think you’re pretty. Tell us, what do you like to draw?”

They successfully distracted the little girl until they got to the hospital, which was nearly an hour-long ride. They learned that she could write her name and her brother’s name, liked to draw animals, and her favorite animal was a chicken because chickens were delicious. Kasen took out his notebook and sketched out a life-like rooster.

Highly impressed, Fiona abandoned Tori and Ilyana’s bench to sit next to Kasen to be taught how to draw a life-like chicken.

When they reached the hospital, Fiona asked Kasen to carry her and the notebook so she could show her brother her chickens.

Robert was in a private room on the ground floor of the sprawling hospital and was staring out the window when they arrived. Like his sister, he had brown hair and blue eyes, was thin and pale, but looked even more exhausted.

“Robi!” Fiona cried out and tried to wiggle free of Kasen’s grasp. He bent down to place her on the ground, and she stumbled out his arms. “Robi! Look at my chicken!”

She scrambled for his bed, but Kasen stopped her. “Hold on, Fiona. Your brother isn’t feeling well, and you can’t climb on his bed. It could accidentally hurt him.”

“Oh....” Fiona frowned, but looked determined. “I want to show him my chicken.”

“Fiona, what are you doing here?” Robert turned his head. He looked so tired laying there and Tori looked down at his leg. There was a clear drop just below his knee in the sheet, where his leg had been amputated. His other leg was in a brace of sorts.

“Robert, right?” Tori asked as she walked in through the doorway. Her bells still jingled a bit and his eyes widened.

“You’re the Countess,” he said in a scratchy voice.

“Yes. I’m Countess Tori de Guevera and this is my brother, Lord Kasen de Guevera, and my best friend, Ilyana Agafonova. We went to the abbey to finish the blessing dance today and were coming to visit you. Your sister wanted to come, so we brought her,” Tori said as she moved to his bed side. Her eyes crinkled up. “How much does it hurt?”

The painkillers they had in Soleil weren’t as exact or as concentrated as her original world and there wasn’t an injection available to numb an area. From what she was told, Robert had passed out from pain before they amputated his leg and sleep crystals were used to keep him asleep during the procedure.

Robert lowered his head and looked towards his amputated leg. His eyes watered. “It hurts.”

“Isn’t there any medicine they can give him to help with the pain management?” Ilyana asked.

“Since he’s still a child, it’s common for hospitals to be reluctant to give him too much medicine,” Kasen said. He put Fiona on a chair near the bed and took the notebook from her hand. He tore out a piece of paper. “I can make a charm. I just need a-” He was cut off by a small black crystal Tori held in front of him. She looked up with expectant eyes and he sighed. “Velar?”

“Velar.”

Kasen chuckled. “Your master spoils you.”

“Everyone spoils me. I’m loved.” Tori shrugged and her brother took the black crystal from her. He walked to a small table to write. “Kasey, include tissue, skin, and bone accelerated healing.”

Her brother nodded and took a moment to consider how to write the charm.

“What is he doing?” Robert asked curiously.

“My brother is a charms master. He is making you a charm to help ease the pain and quicken your healing,” Tori told him.

Robert’s eyes widened. “Can my leg grow back?”

The three older people in the room all froze. Ilyana lowered her eyes and Tori slowly shook her head. “No, it can’t grow your leg back. It can only heal the skin and muscle and bone that remains.”

The child’s eyes dimmed at once and he slumped back. “I didn’t think it could.”

“When your leg is healed, it can be fitted for a prosthetic - a wooden leg and foot,” Ilyana said with some hope. “My father’s secretary was a soldier and lost his leg. He now walks with a wooden leg and foot. It’s very cleverly done.”

Fiona clapped her hands. “Robi, you’ll be able to walk!” She had been sad in the carriage a few times when she told them that the nuns told her that her brother lost his leg and couldn’t walk any more. “I knew the nuns were lying!”

“The nuns weren’t lying,” Robert said with a tired sigh. “I can’t walk. Maybe in the future.” He looked at Ilyana. “Is a wooden leg expensive?”

“Yes,” Kasen said as he walked back with a finished charm. “However, you don’t have to worry about that right now.” He stood beside the bed and held up the charm. He looked at his sister. “The velar is strong.”

“I know, the charm will last a lot longer.”

Kasen looked at Robert and explained the charm to him in as simple terms as he could. Robert nodded and when Kasen asked if he wanted to try it, Robert agreed. He held his breath as Kasen lifted the sheet and placed the charm just above the knee of his amputated leg.

The room was quiet, and Tori watched Robert’s little face carefully. His muscles eased and the tight brow relaxed. She let out a relieved breath.

“How does it feel?” she asked.

“A little itchy. It’s annoying, but it doesn’t really hurt anymore,” Robert said. He looked at Kasen with wondrous eyes. “How did you do that?”

Kasen chuckled. “It’s a charm. I can show you if you’re interested.”

“First, show him my chicken!” Fiona, who was still holding the notebook with her drawing, was starting to get impatient that no one was paying attention to her drawing. The group laughed and Kasen moved the chair closer so Fiona could show her brother.

She bragged to her brother about how good Kasen’s chicken drawing was and that he had taught her.

“Lord Kasen is very good with children,” Ilyana said as she stood to the side and watched the man draw a tiger while telling the children a story of how his brother fought one. A warm smile appeared on her face as her cheeks flushed.

Tori nodded. “Both my brothers are great with children. They’re very patient with them. A lot of it is listening.”

Ilyana nodded. “Do you think Robert would be interested in tabletop gaming? It may give him something to do while he’s recovering.”

“I brought some solo games in the bag for him. The nuns said he could read. I’ll ask once they’ve had their fill of Kasey.”

The children did not let her brother go and rather than be impatient, Tori was amused. It wasn’t until Kasen went to get them lunch that Tori had a chance to introduce Robert to the games and he was excited to play them.

“When you’re better, we’ll take you to our game store, Duel,” Tori said.

“It’s very popular,” Ilyana added. “There are many games and snacks.”

“Snacks?” Fiona, who was being watched by Kasen to make sure she was eating her meal, looked up. “Can I come?”

“You’re too young,” Robert said with a roll of his eyes. “You can’t read.”

“I can read!” Fiona’s little face reddened. “I can read my name, your name, chicken, cat, dog....”

“But you can’t read full sentences!”

“I can learn!”

“Yes, you can learn,” Kasen said as he lifted a napkin to wipe her slobbery mouth. “Tori, do you have anything at Duel for little children?”

“Of course. We have coloring books-”

“Coloring books?” Fiona’s eyes were shining. “I’ve seen that! I want to go!”

“All right,” Kasen said. “Next time we visit your brother, we’ll stop by for you to get a coloring book.”

Robert and Fiona looked surprised, but it quickly faded from Robert’s face. “My lord, how much will it cost?”

“No cost. I’ll give it to her. Tori wouldn’t bring up the games if she didn’t plan on giving you some,” Kasen replied as Tori nodded in agreement.

Robert looked uncomfortable. “But...you don’t have to. This isn’t your fault. You don’t have to be so nice.”

Tori’s face softened and she looked at Ilyana and her brother. She had a feeling that perhaps Robert was let down by an adult before.

“Robert,” Kasen said carefully as he met his eyes. “If this makes you uncomfortable, we won’t force it, but my sister and I do want to help you. At the very least give you something to help you have fun. We have the means of doing something, so we want to, but we won’t force you.”

Robert was quiet and looked down. “Many people come to the orphanage and are very nice to us, but they leave, and we don’t see them again. Fiona....” He looked at his sister and it was clear he was hesitant to let her get attached only to be disappointed.

Kasen seemed to understand and nodded. “I do have to leave, as I don’t live or work in Horizon. I work all over the empire, so I’m not home often, but that doesn’t mean I can’t come to visit.”

“My brother visits me often,” Tori said. “He won’t disappear.”

“I am the son of a march and I keep my word. I will visit when I can and even if I can’t, I can call the orphanage or write a letter,” Kasen told them. “Is it all right to be nice to you?”

Robert drew his lips inward. He looked at his little sister once more and then slowly nodded. “It’s fine.”

Kasen smiled. “Wonderful. Then, tell me, what do you want?”

“Um...can I get a game play guide? I can read it while I’m here and when I go to Duel, I’ll be prepared,” Robert said, looking at both Tori and Kasen. Tori nodded.

“Of course,” Tori said. “I’ll drop it off tomorrow since I’ll be in the city.”

“What about you, Fiona?” Kasen asked the little girl who was clinging to him after the mention of the coloring book. “What do you want?”

Fiona looked at Kasen with admiration on her face. Her cheeks reddened and she looked away, shy.

“Oh? Is she embarrassed?” Ilyana giggled.

“It’s all right, Fiona,” Robert assured his sister. “Tell Lord Kasen what you want.”

Fiona peeked up. “I want...a dad.”

Sebastian had laughed, and Tori and Kasen had stared at Kasen’s comcry with dull expressions. The image of the middle child as a parent seemed to have amused the eldest to no end and Kasen had abruptly ended the call. Sebastian had called back twice before Kasen answered again.josei

Tori didn’t think Kasen would take the words of a four-year-old seriously, but he did. He had told Fiona he’d think about it, but it would be difficult. He had admitted that if his job didn’t require him to travel frequently and involve a certain level of danger, he wouldn’t have a problem with, at the very least, fostering the two children. However, Kasen couldn’t give them a stable home when he himself wasn’t home.

He couldn’t take in Robert and Fiona only to give the responsibility of raising them to their parents or the Guevera Estate. That was irresponsible and unfair to everyone involved. However, during his time in Horizon, he spent a lot of time with the brother and sister. Kasen had told Tori that they were bright children.

So, he sought counsel from the family and after confirming that he really did want to help take care of those children, their parents approved and helped Kasen come to a conclusion.

“He wants to sponsor them?” Albert looked surprised as Tori told them. She nodded.

“He says that he knows that the Guthrys are paying for anything he may need as an amputee because of their son, but as Robert’s unable to walk, it’s difficult for him to take care of Fiona now and when he’s older. Before Kasey left for work, he spent a whole day at the abbey discussing this with the Abbess and the two children,” Tori said.

Ilyana sighed, impressed and happy. “Your brother is amazing....”

“It’s a shame that he can’t adopt them, but I understand,” Sonia agreed with a nod. “He’s busy and he can’t give them the time and attention they need.”

“At the very least, this will help cover their expenses and they have support,” Ilyana said. She looked at Tori as they sat at a table at the Duel Cafe. “Do you think he’ll adopt them when they’re older?”

“It really depends on Kasen’s job,” Tori said. “While he works for the march, the march still reports to the imperial family, and if the imperial family has a specific job they need him for, he has to go. Still, if he says he’ll do something, he’ll do it. I also said that I’d take them out occasionally. After all, I am their aunt now, in a way.”

Albert let out an impressed whistle. “They’re going to get very impressive birthdays.”

Tori chuckled. She took a sip of her drink and looked towards the shop. The lobby had a few small groups chatting and looking around. Most seemed to be waiting for their reservations.

“Henrik,” Tori said as her eyes drifted to the counter she could just barely see from the angle of her seat. Mr. Somerset was standing there with a customer and Montan was pushing a snack cart past. “What do you think about Alvere working here?”

Henrik looked up from the papers he was reading and followed her gaze. He let out a heavy breath. “I didn’t complain because you said to give him a chance. Surprisingly, he’s very diligent and pays close attention. Mr. Somerset says he’s attentive to his work and will ask questions if he’s confused, which is important. He started working a shift on his own last week and he’s been doing a good job so far.”

Tori nodded. Montan passed the formal interview process and then spent two weeks training, which included the staff portion of the job and learning to play some of the games. As it was winter break and the dorms were closed, as soon as Tori found out Montan passed, she assigned him one of the rooms in the worker’s quarters upstairs.

He didn’t tell them where he had been staying, but it was easy for Axton and Piers to find out. Montan had been going from ramshackle inn to spending nights in someone’s shed to both save money and avoid his parents. When Axton found out, he’d been upset and asked Montan why he didn’t just tell him.

Montan hadn’t seem to know what to say. Tori had even wondered if it crossed his mind to ask Axton for help. It hadn’t seemed like it.

Tori made it clear that if he worked at Duel full time during the breaks, then he’d have a place to live and the meals from the cafe were heavily discounted for employees. She’d never seen his eyes light up like that before and Tori had to admit, it did make her skin crawl.

“That’s good to hear. Do you think he can be kept on as a part time employee when school resumes?” Tori asked.

Henrik nodded. “The popularity of Duel is better than we expected. If we’re going to do the in-home party game rentals, then we’ll need more staff, so we can use the extra help.”

“So he’d have to commute from Lycée to here and back?” Albert frowned. “That’s not a long way to travel, but it’s not short either. And he needs to return to the dorm every night before curfew or he’ll be locked out.”

“We’ll discuss that if he accepts the offer,” Tori said. She’d already brought it up with Axton and in order to keep Montan from being harassed by the former duke, Axton had a simple, old carriage prepared and ready for Montan to use. “Mr. Somerset will talk to him tonight and let me know.”

“You know, he’s not a bad guy,” Albert said. “Kind of cold and weird.”

Tori nodded. “There’s nothing wrong with being cold and weird, but in his case, I think he just needed someone trustworthy to support him.” She paused. “And I’m talking about Axton, not me.”

Sonia snorted and lifted her head. She looked out the window. “Okay, JP’s coming. Albert, go get Ewan and the Duke so we can go to dinner.”

“Okay.” Albert stood up and headed into the store. Tori turned towards the cafe door as JP seemed to rush in. His face was flushed, and he looked excited.

“What’s wrong with you?” Sonia asked her brother with a raised brow.

JP grabbed on to the back of a chair as he let out a heavy breath. “I got news...about Guthry.”

“JP, sit down first.” Ilyana motioned for him to sit down. “Take a deep breath.”

JP stumbled on to the offered seat and shook his head, as if he needed to get the news out or he’d die first. “Big news.”

“Did Lycée confirm his punishment?” Henrik asked.

Ilyana’s eyes went wide. “Is he going to prison?”

JP shook his head. “Not prison, but Lycée did issue his official punishment along with the local and empire fines and punishments. Guthry didn’t take it well.”

Tori knit her brows together. “What do you mean by he ‘didn’t take it well’?”

“I mean he had a mental breakdown and collapsed.”