I saw her eyes ignite and realized I might have just ensnared myself. There was little I could do now, so I straightened from my bow and said, "I must take my leave. There are many matters I must prepare before the trial."
She reclined in her chair. "Then I bid you farewell, and I will inform my family where we stand. I am certain they will support your house in the future."
I walked away, but as I did, I heard her voice, cool and precise. "And Theren? I do hope you're not as stiff in a week. It would not look good for either of us."
I felt a slight cold sweat roll down my face as I continued to walk away in silence. It looked like she saw right through me.
I left the garden and climbed into the carriage I had come in.
As the doors closed, we were on our way.
The carriage jolted into motion, the creak of the wheels and the steady clop of hooves filling the silence. I leaned back against the worn leather seat, forcing my breath to steady. My mind, however, refused to be still.
Every word I had spoken in that garden replayed in my head as I weighed and measured each one for traps I might have stepped into or opportunities I may have missed. But one thing lingered in my mind. Her parting words were a clear signal: she knew something was wrong. But it was fine as it didn't change the overall outcome. She had promised support. But it narrowed my margin for error to zero.
Nevertheless, I needed to move forward.
Forward. The word echoed within me. Forward as a knight? A knight has a sword and a shield… yes, a shield. But I could no longer rely on conjuring one myself; my magic power was nonexistent at the moment, but I would need one. Dense carbon one, like the one Rylan had used during our duel, only stronger.
Now the question was, who could make one?
A formal request through the forges was out of the question; it would broadcast my weakness to the entire House.
Arren? He had the authority, but his own position was precarious. and he was too mired in politics to oversee a delicate crafting project himself. He would not work.
Lazien? He lacked the practical knowledge. Useless.
I needed a skilled mage, someone who understood both synthesis and the practical demands of combat. My foot tapped against the floor with quickening pace. I needed Someone who operates outside the main political channels and could work without drawing attention. The list of candidates was dangerously short.
Then the solution presented itself, clear and logical. Lira.
I had already confirmed her capabilities and her discretion. She was, by all logical metrics, the best choice. I would approach her with a proposition that served our mutual interests.
What could that be… I was jolted forward and snapped out of my mental lock. I looked outside the window. It looked like I had reached the manor. I stepped down, trying to look as dignified as possible, and walked inside. That's when a servant approached.
"Welcome back, sir," he said with a slight bow. "Lord Arren has asked me to send you to his chambers when you return."
I nodded and headed toward Arren's new chambers. My plan to leverage Lira would have to wait, or perhaps she would be by my brother's side right now. Let's see what trade we can make.
As I walked to his office, I wondered what had happened now.
---
I arrived at the heavy oak door of Arren's office. The guards outside gave me a wary glance before nodding me through.
The room smelled of stale brandy and frantic work. Arren sat behind the massive desk, looking haggard, while Lira stood near the hearth, still and watchful.
Arren looked up as I entered, his eyes bloodshot but alert. He gestured for me to sit. "How were your talks with Vaelen and Sira?"
"They have gone well," I replied calmly. "I have confirmed House Theryn's and House Nirell's support. They want things only I can provide, so I am sure they will support us."
I saw Arren's shoulders drop as if a weight had been removed from them. "That is the best news you could give. Well done."
His brief relief vanished as he slid a piece of parchment across the desk. It bore the Emperor's seal. "Now, onto the next topic. The trial is set for two days from now."
Arren's gaze sharpened, his eyes narrowing as he studied me. "Which is why I need you to be ready. And recovered. I can see you are tired; your movements are different from usual."
I am that obvious. That's not ideal and will hamper my stance in the court.
"I will make sure I am ready," I said, my voice level as i shifted my posture to project confidence. "On another matter..." I looked over at Lira, who had been watching me intently.
"Lira, I have a job for you. I need the frame of a carbon shield made for one of the House's requests," I said, my tone casual. "Are you able to work on that? It will be good practice for you as well."
The room went silent. I had bypassed the Lord of the House and given a direct order to his personal guard.
Arren looked from me to Lira, a flicker of irritation on his face.
Lira, however, did not flinch. Her expression remained neutral, but I saw a spark of understanding in her eyes. It seemed my choice was the correct one.
"Consider it done," she confirmed.
"I will give you a blueprint later tonight. Which room are you currently sleeping in?"
"I have been provided with room 28."
I filed the information away. It seemed Arren was taking his security seriously; that was the room directly adjacent to his own.
I turned to face Arren again. His fingers were tapping on the table with an irritated rhythm.
"You're quick to give orders under my roof, Theren," he said, his voice low and tight with annoyance. "See that your results justify them."
"I am sure my request will benefit the House," I replied smoothly. "On a second note, may I also borrow your Auris Crystal?"
His eyes narrowed further; if they got any narrower, he might fall asleep. "What do you want my crystal for?"
"I want to borrow it for the next few days. I want to test a new application with it."
Arren stared at the crystal, then at me, his mind clearly weighing the risks. He was obviously suspicious, but he was also out of options. He needed me, and we both knew it.
He pulled out his pocket watch and took out his Auris Crystal and put it on his desk.
"Take it," he said, his voice flat with defeat. "Just be ready for the trial. Don't let your 'tests' leave you too drained to stand."
"I won't," I said, picking up the crystal with my left hand. Its faint energy was a cool, familiar pulse against my skin.
As I walked down the corridor, the test began. My right arm hung limp and useless at my side, the connection to my mind completely severed.
I focused my will on the new crystal clutched in my left palm, drawing a sliver of its power. A faint connection sparked.
I willed my right arm to move with a slight breeze of synthesized air. It swung forward, stiff and unnatural, but moving in tandem with my stride. I did not have total control yet, but it was movement.
I am sure I can make this work.
---
I kept up the test all the way to my room.
I swept my workbench clean, parchment scattering to the floor, and laid out a fresh sheet, pinning it down with paperweights. Time to design the shield that would save me.
Writing left-handed was crooked, shaky, and barely legible. It reminded me of the first time I lost my right hand.
Once I had adjusted to using my left hand again, I outlined the basics and calculated how big I could make the carbon shield without compromising on weight. Ten kilos was the most I could manage for hours of fighting. Heavy enough to absorb shocks, but just light enough to carry without collapsing.
I sketched a teardrop shape, long enough to shield the shoulder to hip. The frame would bear the strength, its edges reinforced to deflect blows. By focusing the densest material on the frame and key impact points, I could make it efficient enough to last.
Three hours later, my left hand aching and the desk littered with crumpled attempts, I finally had something that might keep me alive.
I checked over all the calculations one last time before heading to Lira's room.
The walk to Lira's quarters was a new kind of training. I practiced swinging my dead arm in rhythm with my stride. The staff's longer-than-normal stares told me I wasn't fooling anyone yet.
I reached room 28 and knocked.
After a few seconds, the door opened. Lira stood there, dressed in simple, practical leathers. She stepped aside and signaled me in with a nod, closing the door firmly behind us.
"I am assuming you have the plans for me," she said, her voice a low murmur.
"Yes, I have completed them," I replied, moving to the small desk. I unrolled the parchment. "Excuse the poor handwriting. I made it in haste. Tell me if you have any questions."
I stepped back as she leaned over the desk, her sharp gaze sweeping over the schematic. She scanned the parchment over a few times, her eyes lingering on the hidden crystal housing. A thoughtful silence filled the small room.
Finally, she looked up at me. "I think I understand what Arren's crystal is for now," she said. "But using both crystals will be quite draining, especially as you are not accustomed to it yet."
"I have a plan for that," I said. She has gotten to the root of the issue, if I were not crippled, I thought. But I am, so the cognitive load is the least of my concerns.
Lira seemed to accept my simple reassurance. She looked back at the blueprint. A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched her lips. "I should be able to get this done in seven days," she stated, her tone confident.
Seven days. That would give me two days to practice with the finished shield before the Melee. It was not ideal, but rushing her could lead to shortcuts, and with a design this volatile, a shortcut could be deadly.
"That works for me," I said. "If you have any questions, ask."
"I will," she replied. She began to roll up the schematic. As she did, she looked at me, her professional mask softening for a moment. "And Theren? Thank you for relying on me. I could tell you were pushing yourself too hard."
Her sincerity was a rare and unsettling thing in this city. I gave a single, sharp nod, unable to form a proper reply. "Let me know the moment it is complete."
I turned and left her there with the blueprint. Now on to the next task, let's see if I can use Void effectively with the new crystal.