Emily watched the dark scenery flash by out the window as they traveled down the cobblestone road. Towers came and went, becoming more prominent the deeper they ventured into the city. The streetlights flickered on, bathing the empty roads in a warm glow of magic. As they passed through another checkpoint, Emily realized they must have entered the inner campus district. She confirmed it a moment later when she saw the towers change. Their complexity and size seemed to grow the deeper they traveled until they reached a particularly large one.

  Outwardly it was simple, but Emily noted it was one of those moving Jenga towers, the ones she had seen while riding with the ravens.

  The tower's arrangements never seemed to stay the same, shifting its rooms as though to accommodate its inhabitants.

  Genevieve dismounted the carriage with little fuss and headed to the concrete grey walls of the building. She tapped a bracelet on her arm and a small room appeared on the side of the structure.

  It was barely five by five meters but when they both stepped into the alcove, a railing appeared on the opening they had just come through, and suddenly they were moving into the skies.

  The room was an elevator, and from the looks of things, it was necessary to climb the building because while Ariandel’s tower was a dozen or so stories high, this tower was twice that.

  They arrived near the top of the tower fairly quickly and stepped into a neatly kept room with all manner of tools on the walls.

  The small forge in the corner sat untouched, its blackened hearth as still as the rest of the room. The faint scent of old ash lingered in the air, and the metal tools near it were coated with a thin layer of dust, untouched for weeks.

  Armors, weapons, gardening tools, and more were neatly strapped to the walls, secured in place by hooks of stone.

  There were several working stations scattered about the large room all containing a different mystery in various states of assembly. Some of which Emily couldn’t even begin to parse out. She recognized one that looked like an astrolabe made from quicksilver, and a large clock that had five different hands on the face of it, but not much else.

  “This way Emily, what do you say to a square for your trouble and information?” Genevieve said as she led Emily toward one of the empty workstations.

  Emily followed but grunted as she took the scepter off her waist.

  “Make it four squares and you got yourself a deal, I’ll even throw in something extra for you to take a look at.”

  Genevieve face turned thoughtful but she then shook her head.

  “That might be a bit too much, I can go as high as three if you show me the ‘surprise’ first.”

  Emily couldn’t help the smile that played on her lips as she rummaged through the pouch by her side. She had intended to find a place to sell this item today but time had gotten away from her.

  Emily pulled out the title she had gotten from the layline, the one that contained Fireborn.

  Genevieve eyes turned into crescents.

  “A title rock? What title does it hold?”

  Emily shrugged as she looked around the room once more.

  “I could tell you, but I have a feeling you want to figure that out on your own.”

  Genevieve bit the inside of her lip and let out a sigh. She opened her palm and three square coins appeared in it.

  “Fine, you win.”

  Emily smiled at her favorite words and handed both the scepter and title stone over.

  She was just about to look for a place to sit when a door across the room opened and in walked another Ogre. His height was taller than that of Genevieve’s but his red skin was splotched with patches of inky black.

  When he entered he frowned at Emily.

  “Ah, I was not aware you were consulting sister. It matters not now, we have to speak. If I remember correctly, I expressly forbade you from investigating the rumors that Ariandel was crafting once more.”

  Genevieve immediately looked guilty.

  Emily blinked owlishly at the younger male. From Emily’s point of view, Genevieve was probably in her late forties, while this man was mid-twenties at most, and yet their power dynamic felt off.

  “Brother Juest, you can’t keep snubbing our benefactor like this. Sir Ariandel helped us so much when we were younglings.”

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  The larger Ogre stepped into the room his form imposing on the room. The hairs on Emily's neck rose and she focused entirely on the man in front of her. He was dangerous.

  The warning bells in Emily's head drowned out the two’s conversion and by the time Emily managed to refocus the man had continued on, ignoring her completely.

  “We have already given Ariandel more than enough respect and tribute. You need to learn to decline his requests.”

  Genevieve's tone had shifted to a petulant whine.

  “Well, if you must know, this was not a request from him, but myself. I asked to be included and I am glad I did. He had a prototype for something truly amazing and I can already see how to improve it.”

  The man's face blackened and the source in the room churned, with heat and emptiness simultaneously.

  “Sister… why don’t you understand that I am trying to keep you safe. That man is a snake. For the mercy of source, please tell me you did not sign a contract with him.”

  Genevieve crossed her arms and turned away from Juest.

  “On the dotted line!”

  Juest’s sculpted jaw worked and he took a calming breath.

  “Do I need to watch you every second of the day… Fine, I’ll take care of it. Hand over the contract so I can see what you have gotten us into.”

  Juest’s voice was angry but his eyes only seemed to have concern for Genevieve.

  “Also who is this woman? From the rate she’s devouring source, she’s clearly powerful. You know the rules, If someone had three active titles you need to okay their entry with me.”

  Emily snorted and locked eyes with Juest.

  “Relax big guy. I promise I mean you sister no harm. She invited me here and I am not nearly a strong as you are making me out to be.”

  Juest’s head cocked as his full glare turned on Emily.

  “Oh really? Besides the enormous amount of grey source pouring off your body. Do you think I can’t see through that pathetic excuse for a title guard you wear around your neck? Your body is brimming with life source.”

  Emily narrowed her eyes at the man but a smile fought its way to the surface. He was the first person to call it ‘Grey source.’

  “You're not wrong exactly and the talisman was only ever meant to slow people down. As strange as it sounds I mean you no harm. Also, give Gen a break. I once knew a woman just like her, she can’t help her curiosity.” Emily said as she glanced down at her nails.

  This didn’t seem to calm Juest even a little but his eyes did flicker over to Genevieve.

  “She should at least try. Genevieve, who is this woman.”

  Emily smirked.

  The man hadn’t hesitated to argue with his sister in front of her guest, but only now did his curiosity about the stranger seem to surface.

  “My name is Emily, and I am working with your sister on the same project. Now, we’re busy with a consultation and it is late. Are you going to hold up proceedings any longer, or should I just leave?” she said while watching the man with interest.

  Juest looked like he was about to suggest just that, but Genevieve spoke first.

  “Not a chance you’re chasing my client out. Now either wait here quietly or make yourself scarce!”

  Emily could not help snickering at the absurdity of the scene, best of all was the frustrated look that appeared on Juest’s face.

  He never said another word but he stomped over to a large sofa in the corner of the room, watching the two women with a critical eye.

  Genevieve went straight to work fastening the scepter into a clamp to hold it steady so that she might investigate its runes in depth.

  Emily looked around but when she failed to find another seat she headed over to the sofa where the grumpy man now sat reading through a contract.

  Emily kept her eyes on Genevieve but she got bored after ten minutes when it seemed like nothing was happening. So she turned to look a the sullen man, searching his face. The average Ogre carried a beautiful ruby-red tinge to their skin, but Juest was different. Black patches of skin trailed across his body intermittently marring the canvas with beautiful splotches. In some areas, they looked like freckles climbing up his neck. Only his head was free of the prints crisscrossing over the rest of his body. Emily was uncertain before, but she could now see how easy this man was on the eyes, even by human standards. His sharp jawline and chisel features only served to draw one's gaze to his amber eyes. His crown of horns was especially prominent compared to the other Ogre she’d seen, they were even tipped in a faint gold.

  “Your mother should have told you it’s rude to stare at someone, even if they have birth defects, that no excuse.”

  Emily blinked quietly at the man. If he had birth defects then the rest of the Ogre race was in trouble.

  Emily decided to answer anyway as she was curious.

  “Why would a mother find it rude that I stare at someone? Actually, I’ve only recently come across Ogre’s. You spoke of defects, but I still don’t know what the norm is. Is it because of the color of your skin?”

  Juest opened his mouth to speak again but stopped when what Emily said sunk in.

  “You’ve never met an Ogre? I find that hard to believe. Our kind is common across not only the northern but the southern continents as well.” he said, doubt in his eyes.

  Emily shrugged not offering anything more.

  “...Well. If what you say is true then I guess I can forgive you. And to answer your question. I am shade-touched. The conditions of my birth involved too many black source. Unfortunately, that is looked down on in our culture. I’m considered incomplete and in some circles a monster.”

  Emily turned her head to look at him, a strange feeling of kinship pushing its way up from her chest.

  “Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret. I was also born a monster. And after a certain point, you just stop caring and accept it.”

  Juest froze and lowered the contract to squint at Emily. There was an intrigued light in the depths of his eyes.

  “I couldn’t agree more… My condition has its downsides but it comes with its own advantages. The problem is my sister. She’s ostracized for merely being my family. I can accept others cruelty but she shouldn’t have to.”

  Emily looked over at the woman currently still lost in her own world.

  “I can understand you, but from an outside looking in, you seemed pretty successful. In my mind, personal power is all that matters. And you have that in spades. Hell, you have your own tower, I don’t know exactly what that entails yet, but that's gotta count for something.”

  Juest’s smile curled down at the corner of his lips.

  “All it serves to do is keep them silent, it does nothing for the cold shoulders.”

  Emily wasn’t sure how to respond to that. She would have just ignored them and been happier for it but Juest seemed to want to provide a good environment for his sister.

  She was just about to ask something else when a powerful wave of source came from Genevieve’s direction. When they looked over she had extended the scepter to its full length as her eye glowed green.

  When the tower room calmed down Genevieve was grinning like a mad woman.

  “Brother Juest, I think I just discovered an answer to your duality!”

  Blood points: 311