Chương 62: Chapter 61

Had it not been for his experience being strapped into a rocket, Cal may have thrown up several times during the journey. It was not because Lily was a poor rider. No, it was because she was a good rider. In what he could only assume was a childish attempt to get back at him, they'd spent the majority of their flight either upside down or at extreme angles.

"Shouldn't we be landing?" He yelled over the rushing wind. With the amount of loops and barrel rolls he'd been subjected to, his sense of direction was completely shot. Even so, it was difficult to miss the city underneath them.

"Not yet!" Lily's excited shout responded, and they banked hard right, putting them at a sixty-degree angle.

"This is the best view you're going to get of it." She held their flight steady, allowing him to peer into the city below. Calling it that felt disingenuous, as it was more akin to a fortress. Nestled into the side of a towering mountain was a hive of humanity. Streets and buildings had been carved from the gray monolith. There were rows upon rows of them, stretching from the base of the mountain up the slope. They stopped against a wall similar in stature, if not presence, to the ones of the Academy.

The looming stone encased what looked to be a citadel of some sort. Colorful flags lined the banisters, flapping in the wind.

"What do you think?" Lily asked, pulling on the reins and starting a gradual descent. Cal augmented his vision, taking a closer look. The streets were narrow and winding, paved with hardened stone. The citadel's walls were not the only ones in the city, and he counted five rings sectioning off parts of the settlement. Houses had been built directly on these walls, in some cases stacked on top of one another. There didn't appear to be many lawns or patios, and most spaces looked communal.

City squares were scattered about, seemingly wherever they could be fit. Despite the chaotic nature of it, he could sense some order to it. Those twisting roads turned into choke points and steep staircases led to dead ends. Something was off with the squares as well. With how they were connected to everything else, they might have functioned as mustering stations. In any case, the entire layout had defense in mind.

"Practical," Cal replied simply.

"I think I prefer Postremo Lux." There was a stark contrast between them and one could be forgiven for forgetting they belonged to the same country. While Postremo Lux lay sprawling with a warm and inviting atmosphere, the Bulwark was tightly huddled in on itself and guarded. Lily barked a laugh in response.

"Anyone who doesn't is mad." She sighed, humming for a spell.

"It's more like the Enclave than other parts of the country." Cal wasn't in a rush to verify that. He didn't think he'd get along with the corpse worshipers. Still, the city did lack the lavishness he would have expected from the Empire. There was also a certain something that had caught his eye. More accurately, the lack of something.

"What happened to the peak?" After the citadel, the slope went a bit further up before stopping abruptly. The entire top of the mountain looked to have been cleaved off. He could see the jagged rocks sticking out, showing where the break had been. The strangest thing was that they had been coated with iron, making the damage look fresh.

"One of the gods did that." There was no sign of her previous exuberance, and her tone conveyed a hint of somberness.

"House Ferrum's history says the mountain was the home of a Spirit. When the Fall occurred, a god descended to slay it." A Spirit? Cal's head swiveled, taking in the surrounding area. The mountain the Bulwark laid claim to was the only one within sight. One would usually expect it to be a part of a range. That gave credence to their claims.

"Cool," he said lamely, losing interest.

"When are we landing?" Lily jerked on the reins, causing their mount to buck. Cal hunched over, squeezing his thighs to make sure he was not thrown off.

"That's your reaction?" Lily turned in the saddle, looking at him with dismay.

"A god did that!" He'd seen the pit in the center of the Waste. This came nowhere near that.

"So what?" Cal rolled his eyes, sweeping his hand toward the mountain.

"You're telling me a Hand can't do the same?" Cal knew they could. Neither of those two lacked in raw power. It was what made them so dangerous. Lily didn't respond, staring into his eyes in search of something. He imagined she was trying to figure out if he was joking. He wasn't too worried about his cover. As someone from the 'boonies,' most of his knowledge on the Hands would have been from stories. Plenty of those had them committing grander feats.

What he was concerned about was her not looking where she was flying. Was this okay? Surely the beast wouldn't let itself crash, right? Before he could consider forcibly moving her to face forward, she turned back.

"Callum, you're really weird." He'd been called many things in this life. Had weird been one of them? He couldn't recall, but he guessed not. Something that mundane would have stuck out in his memory. Any chance of responding to her was lost as the beast lurched downward. Its wings were hugged to its side as they careened toward the earth. For a moment, he believed they had been stricken from the air. They weren't, and at the last possible second, both wings spread out, killing their momentum.

Gliding again, he soon saw their destination. It was a narrow terrace connected to the citadel. The other beast was already on the ground, indicating Rolland and Benny had already arrived. They dipped and dipped until he heard the sound of claws on stone. Their ride ran the length of the strip, bleeding off its speed before coming to a complete stop. He could feel it take large breaths beneath him, and he gave it a pat before dismounting.

He was about to relieve it of the luggage attached to it when several uniformed individuals ran up. They wore tunics with heavy coats, the emblem of House Ferrum on them.

"Honored guests," one of them took the lead, offering a bow of his head.

"The Crown Prince and his aide have already arrived. Your presence is requested so that you may all have an audience with the Lady." Lily's boots hit the stone next to him, and she gave them a shallow nod.

"Then we won't keep them waiting," she said with sureness that caught him off guard.

"Do we require an escort, or are we free to make our way there ourselves?" The man shook his head, directing the others to begin taking the beast to where the other had been posted.

"If the lady would be so kind," the man said, a slight bit of relief on his face.

"They're in the eastern waiting room." With those directions, Lily was off. Cal followed after her and they passed through an archway whose iron doors had been propped open. The interior was sparsely decorated, with only the bare minimum amount of lighting adorning it. He noticed it was an odd mix of magically powered lanterns and torches.

"Alright," Lily said with a sigh, tugging at her collar.

"I should have gone over this on the ride over, but don't do or say anything unless addressed. If you do speak to our host, address her as—""Steward of House Ferrum," Cal finished her sentence.

"The House Ferrum can be silent, as it's implied with our location." Lily missed a step, her quick reflexes being the only reason she hadn't completely face-planted. Cal didn't wait for her, traveling to where he felt Rolland and Benny's presence. Their magic was on display, and he presumed that was for their benefit. Hurried steps caught up to him, and she walked alongside him sideways.

"That's right…" she paused, collecting her thoughts.

"Stewardship supersedes her title of lady. The guard from earlier misspoke. She'll only return to Lady Ferrum when her brother ends his tenure as a Finger and returns as Lord." He wasn't sure why she was lecturing him. The intricacies were lost on him, but he got the important bit right.

"Anyway, when you greet her, be sure to—""Bow my head by no more than an inch while maintaining eye contact," Cal interrupted her. She didn't trip this time, but her eyes widened and he took that as his cue to continue.

"Because breaking eye contact would be an act of submission, which is tantamount to asking for House Ardere to be taken under House Ferrum's protection. I also can't lower my chin too much as we're a Count house." Part of him hated that he knew all of that. It was all pointless information, and he knew there were better things his brain could remember.

"How—" Lily seemed to be having trouble choosing her words. She blinked and looked at him hard.

"How do you know that?" Cal had to think about that. Some of it had been from Claire's lessons, but the rest of it was Alice's doing. She liked to talk about that stuff a lot in their dorm. He passively listened to placate her, but hadn't realized he'd actually learned something.

"Haven't you heard?" Cal replied with a sly grin. His words were drawn out as he tried to build up suspense.

"I'm a genius." She snorted in response, giving a dismissive shake of her head.

"I'm leaving that alone for both our sakes." Cal wouldn't. If he was stuck with the title, he was going to milk it for what it was worth.

"Then do you also know about guest rites?" Surprisingly, he knew that as well, if for different reasons.

"The cup thing?" Cal asked to be sure. The only confirmation he received was a widening of her eyes, and he continued.

"Yeah, I know that. Nothing can start without it. One of her servants will serve wine from a single bottle. Glasses are picked based on status. Which would mean it would go Rolland, our host, you, me, and then maybe Benny? I'm not sure how his lack of status affects it." One of the many stories Mask liked to tell was when they spiked the wine in one of these ceremonies with a potent laxative. Cal didn't quite agree with their humor there, but it had made it an easy recollection.

"It depends on whether our host wants to throw a slight at Rolland," Lily replied in an almost automatic fashion. She shook her head and continued her line of questioning.

"Where were you planning on standing?" His knowledge finally failed him, and he gave a shrug, admitting defeat.

"Arm's length from everyone else. Any closer indicates an affiliation with them." Cal was about to confirm his understanding, but she didn't look to be done.

"How did I greet Alie when we first met?" The odd question almost threw him for a loop, but he managed to be quick with his answer.

"You tried to tackle Alice outside of the registration building." Considering the fact that she failed, she must have been holding back.

"Phew," she audibly said, wiping her brow despite the lack of sweat.

"Had me worried there for a second. I know you're not an actual idiot, but seeing you know stuff like that is freaky." Cal could not bring himself to be offended by that, even though he wanted to.

"You do realize this makes all the stupid shit you've done look even worse, right? Because instead of being ignorant, you would have known what you were doing." Cal gave a dry laugh.

"I might be a genius," Cal reiterated, if only for his own amusement.

"But you're giving me way too much credit. I'm pretty much flailing my way through this and hoping for the best." It wasn't an accurate claim, but it also wasn't completely off base. He was trying, and that was what mattered. Or he would have liked that to be the case. Sadly, failure ended in the death of a city or war.

"That makes far more sense." Lily joined in his laugh for a moment before her head tilted in the direction of Rolland and Benny.

"They're impatient. It's been a while since I've been here, but they should be moving to the main hall." She picked up the pace, keeping it within normal human bounds.

"We'll meet them outside it then." Cal matched her pace. Free from the questioning, he took another look at the hallway. The walls were mostly bare, allowing him to see the smooth stone of their make. There were no lines, and he idly reached out with his hand, dragging his fingertips over the surface. A small probe of magic told him it was a solid structure and not made out of blocks. With the way it was shaped, he was beginning to suspect the entire thing had been formed from magic.

His fingers curled around an arm, preventing the attached elbow from digging into his side. He loosened his hold and Lily yanked her limb free.

"And we're back on the idiot train," she said derisively.

"Don't use your magic like that. It makes it look like you're searching for weaknesses." He hadn't been, but he could see how it would look that way and took the rebuke in stride. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Sorry, I was curious. Is the whole city like that?" It certainly seemed like an efficient way of creating a city, provided they had enough mages, that is.

"Last time I was here was for a ball. We didn't go into the city, so I can't say for sure, but rumors say House Ferrum formed most of the city themselves. Their affinity was traditionally earth." Cal stored that bit of trivia away for now. It was impressive. The limit of his own abilities with that magic was to form crude tunnels and manifest some dirt. They fell into silence, the only noise being the thuds of their boots on the floor. Occasionally, they would pass by a servant, but interactions were limited.

Eventually, they turned a corner and were met with familiar faces.

"You two are rather fortunate I'm not a gossip," Rolland said with a bemused tone. Somehow, the hours-long flight hadn't affected his appearance.

"Otherwise, the school would have quite a meal to digest." He didn't rise to the taunt, but he couldn't speak for Lily.

"Shut it," Lily scoffed, stepping toward the polished iron doors. She peered into her hazy reflection and ran her hands through her hair before adjusting her uniform.

"Don't forget who's helping whom here." Rolland chuckled in reply, mirth visible on his face. Benny was all business, staring at the door with a hard expression. Cal imagined the boy was rather nervous about this whole thing. On his part, Cal was past the worried phase. He'd handle problems as they came.

"This is a formality, right?" Cal asked for clarification, not wanting to be dragged into some strange negotiations.

"She already agreed to get us what we need." Rolland raised an eyebrow, looking at him with curiosity.

"Yes, apart from Lady Arcutien's provisions. However, I don't suspect that will be an issue. Allow me to handle the discussion." It was nice that they all agreed on one point. The less he talked, the better. Lily stepped away from the door, and Rolland approached, placing a hand on a small square indent. The entire thing vibrated, releasing a deep thrum. They waited for several seconds before both doors creaked open. Rolland went first, with Benny close behind.

Lily followed after a few paces, sparing him a final look. Cal waited the same length as she did before stepping into the hall. Two rows of columns flanked the side, each wider than his bed. There were drawings etched into them, telling a story of some kind. The ceiling resembled that of a cave, with silver-studded stalactites hanging above them. Their glittering forms were the only source of light, creating an ethereal atmosphere. Pelts hung from the walls.

They were all of different sizes and fur, indicating they'd come from separate beasts. There was a thin stretch of red carpet that led from the entrance straight to a raised dais. A throne of iron was there with a woman sitting atop. Her curly dark hair was an exact match for Klechin. She was a tad paler than the man, and while he had been energetically arguing, she had a visible look of exhaustion. Uniformed guards, wielding pikes, were posted at each column.

They stared straight ahead, not reacting to their arrival. A man who was posted next to the door announced them, but Cal did not pay him any mind. He was focused inward, making sure his posture and gait were perfect. If anything went wrong, it would not be his fault. Their party came to a stop in front of the dais. Benjamin and he were on the outskirts, while Lily and Rolland stood near the center. Curiously, he noticed Lily was closer than the stipulated arm's length to Rolland, if barely.

Wordlessly, a servant approached with a platter. The ground shifted and a block of stone rose. He placed the platter on it and poured five glasses before stepping back. Rolland stepped forward, grabbing a glass for himself. The woman's fingers traced her seat's armrest before she stood. She was shorter than he would have thought. Traveling down the few steps, she took a glass. The rest of them followed the preordained order, and in unison they downed their drinks.

With his every movement accounted for, his face did not show what he truly thought of the wine.

"Welcome back to the Bulwark, Your Highness," the woman opened, placing her glass back on the platter.

"I trust your travels went well?" Rolland gave his usual smile, passing his glass to Benny and responding.

"It's a pleasure to visit the halls of House Ferrum once more, Steward. Our travel was without incident, which is all one can wish for." Rolland moved an open palm toward his left.

"Allow me to present Lady Arcutien, who I believe you're acquainted with." Lily gave the slightest of bows, and Rolland's hand moved to him.

"And Callum Ardere." For some reason, he had expected a more elaborate introduction, and his bow lagged. If anyone noticed, they didn't comment, and their host spoke.

"We have. I believe it was some years ago, and I recall quite the shouting match between you and your lord father, Lady Arcutien." Lily's face didn't so much as twitch, and she gave a polite smile that looked completely out of place.

"Had we? I apologize on his behalf. He's an opinionated man." Cal believed that, but he also knew that whatever happened, she had her say.

"There is not one in the Diet who would disagree. I'll take your presence as another one of your famous acts of rebellion." Her eyes traced to him, and he could not tell what lay beyond them.

"Callum, was it? I see how you two must have bonded." He could say nothing to that, not knowing what it meant.

"It's your connection to the crown prince that I must profess curiosity to." Having just been told to keep his mouth shut, Cal was perfectly fine to stay silent. It was only when no one else came to his rescue that he realized he was meant to field the question.

"Apologies, Steward," he said as a means to buy time. It also seemed like something he was supposed to say.

"Our connection is circumstantial. We happen to be classmates." From the corner of his eye, he could see Lily's mouth hang open for a split second. She corrected herself quickly, but he was sure everyone else had noticed.

"Is that truly the extent of your relationship? A mere classmate would not be invited to tour the horrors that reside in the Waste." This felt like the type of question Rolland could jump into, but a glance told him the man was not planning on intervening. Didn't he say he would take care of the talking?

"I have certain skills that may be of use," Cal dodged the question.

"My upbringing had me interact with the Waste on occasion. I'm well versed in surviving its perils." In his opinion, that had been a great off-the-cuff response. It was short, vague, and didn't commit to anything. So why did both Lily and Rolland look like they'd just seen him grow a second head? He'd like to say Benny had his back, but the man hadn't budged at all.

"Only a fool would state an absurdity with such confidence," she replied in a biting tone. And somehow, he'd managed to offend her. Cal couldn't see where he had gone wrong. Was this an attack against him, or was she trying to offend Rolland indirectly? When in doubt, he decided to compliment her family.

"Perhaps I am too young to be making such a claim. However, I'm certain the good duke of your house could utter it." Anyone who could be called a 'tough bastard' by Her, of all people, wasn't one to be underestimated. The duke wasn't on the level of a Hand, but Cal would not look down on him should they ever meet. A tension descended upon them. He could feel the guards behind him collectively tighten their grip on their pikes. Their host's face was icy, her eyes wide. She thrust a hand out, raising it above them.

"Leave us at once." She didn't shout, but her words echoed across the cavern that was the room. As one, the guards about-faced, marching out in an orderly fashion. The doors clanged shut behind them, and he couldn't decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing. A snicker broke their silence, and Rolland finally took action.

"Please forgive my classmate here," he said between small fits of laughter.

"I believe his intent was to admire the strength of The Unyielding." Isn't that what he said? He looked at Lily. She was zero help, opting to stare at the ceiling and mutter gibberish under her breath.

"Is that why he called my brother a fool in front of his house guards?" The throne slid forward, and she sat back on it without turning.

"Should anyone inquire, I lambasted you for that with an unparalleled fury." So she wasn't actually mad? Cal wanted to skip to the part where he started punching things.

"The fault lies with me," Rolland said, to Cal's delight.

"I wasn't planning on having him speak, but his initial eloquence was captivating." Cal was feeling like he'd been set up. He wasn't sure how, but he knew he was due some payback. To his great luck, he would soon be on his way to a place with ample opportunity to take it. Nothing quite said, 'You shouldn't have done that,' like having a bus-sized beast chucked your way.

"In his enthusiasm, His Highness partially misspoke," Lily joined in the conversation, having looked to age some years.

"While no insult was intended, Callum's words are his own." Things came together in his head, and Cal realized Rolland had just tried to sneak him under his banner. The joke was on him because there were a lot of throwable beasts in the Waste.

"Yes, an easy error to make," Rolland unashamedly said. Their host propped an elbow on the throne's armrest and rested her face against her fist. It was a remarkably relaxed look compared to before, and Cal began to wonder if all that was done for the benefit of their audience.

"In truth, my brother is a fool. I worry that once word reaches him of this current fiasco, he'll rush back from his post in Edin. He better not delude himself into thinking this means he can forestall his retirement. I am more than ready to return to being Lady Ferrum and nothing more." She inclined her head to Rolland.

"I imagine the palace is in an uproar?" As the cause of said fiasco, Cal was thankful the attention had moved off him.

"All appropriate measures shall be taken," Rolland said a bit too quickly, making Cal doubt the claim.

"I'm sure Father will set aside time should you request an audience for more specific details." That was a lot of words to say nothing. Cal wondered if it was because Rolland didn't want to say or didn't know at all. The situation was still fresh, so he leaned toward the latter.

"I have no time to travel to the capital." She shot down his suggestion.

"And before you suggest a more novel form of communication, I will remind you of where we are." Rolland had nothing to say to that, offering only a pleasant smile.

"And you, Lady Arcutien? You came face to face with them. A criminal capable of felling The Myriad poses a threat to not only the Empire but the stability of the continent as a whole." Cal felt she was giving him too much credit. Theoretically, he could, but only because of his unique abilities. A normal powerhouse at his apparent level would be contested by any of the major powers. If they really wanted to shake things up, they'd have to travel far east and meddle with the Free Cities.

Of course, the City Lords weren't likely to take that lying down.

"He showed a measure of honor," Lily spoke steadily.

"There were moments where he could have put William in a difficult position, yet he chose not to. William also believes his feigned escape through the air was meant to limit the danger to others." They'd gotten part of it right. With how often his actions were misinterpreted, he was willing to take that. Cal also noted how there was no mention of Miss Plusier.

"Odd," their host mused.

"His previous reputation does not lend itself to such actions. There is something else afoot here." It was interesting that she didn't even pause to consider the official line that the Whistling Death had perished. Then again, someone in her position shouldn't be fooled that easily.

"Is that why you've marshaled House Ferrum's forces?" Rolland asked pointedly.

"Your level of staff has reduced, and each is far busier than during my previous visits." With the benefit of hindsight, Cal realized the guards who met them had been a bit too relieved at not having to escort them around.

"You dramatize," she dismissed Rolland's accusation with a wave of her hand.

"It's been some time since the last beast wave. I have my forces sleeping in shifts in order to rapidly deploy them when the time comes. House Ferrum has not served as the Empire's wall for generations without taking such precautions." A wave… His luck wasn't that bad, was it?