“Touching,” Carcalla said. “Unfortunately, Dathka, your presence in this city has needlessly complicated my business. I still don’t know what I should do with you.”
On that topic, I kept my big mouth shut.
“I’m not going back to Surnod Lin. You know what I must do.”
“Being gifted a single powerful charm doesn’t make you a real mage. You’ve made a significant vow to personally deliver specific souls to Saint Murder, but you lack the skill to reach those, and even if you could, you lack the power to even scratch them. I asked Joran to train you in our ways, but you don’t listen. You need to learn some humility. You’re too impulsive and impatient.”
“It’s easy to urge patience when you’re a half-elf who’ll probably live to be three hundred. I don’t have the luxury of waiting for everyone I’ve vowed to murder to die of old age like you can.”
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll worry me to death long before that, sullen girl.” Carcalla clearly didn’t want to have this family spat in public, and I didn’t want anything to do with it at all, but sadly, he turned his attention back to me, and there was a worrisome gleam in his fake eye. “You have convinced me of the earnestness of your endeavor, Mr. Carnavon. I will proclaim for all to hear that the Academy of Outcasts isn’t a scam. You have here a genuine school, which—though flawed—has noble intentions. Thus, in our newfound spirit of partnership, the Latrocinium will be sending you some rank ones to receive training.”
“What…Her?”
“Among others. I’ve found a few associates with untapped potential.”
Dathka looked at her father in disbelief, and then at me, disgusted. “Ew. You want me to train with the Under Slump dregs? You can’t be serious!”
Cutter Joran chuckled at her indignity. I turned back to see that my people were aghast.
“My decision is made. I shall be sponsoring some students to attend the Academy of Outcasts,” our landlord declared that part loud enough that all the Latros and witnesses could hear him. A few, not knowing any better, cheered at that news.
Ten minutes ago we’d been expecting them to kill some of us and chase the rest off. I didn’t know if this was better, or worse.
“Since my blessing will add to your prestige, I will of course expect a significant discount on their tuition, Mr. Carnavon.”
Forty-Seven
Aweek later, I got summoned to the market.
The new year’s festivities were still in full swing. The illusion of a giant 4582 floated around the Great Machine, with the numbers changing form based upon which gate they were currently moving over. From here, the four digits appeared to be on fire.
I stopped at the gate of the Fogo Embassy and identified myself to the enforcers stationed outside. “Ozwald Carnavon of the Academy of Outcasts, presenting myself as requested by Ambassador Dardick Argento.”
“Oh, it’s this fucking guy again,” said one of them.
He looked kind of familiar. “Are you all still sore about me setting the embassy’s roof on fire? I answer to Gaul Haddar. Take it up with him. Just tell Dardick that I’m here like he asked.”
The enforcers still didn’t like me, but they’d been expecting me, so grudgingly opened the door. “Right this way, your illustrious wizardship.”
Naturally, the nobility of my homeland were still rather sore about my skipping out on my contract. By myself, I wasn’t that important, but that sort of behavior set a bad example whichmight cause the rest of the cadre folk to get unruly, thinking they might have options other than working themselves to death for the rest of their lives. So the grumpy greeting was to be expected.
However, I wasn’t too worried about being back in Argento territory. Gaul Haddar was Baron Argento’s most powerful and valuable wizard, so when he’d proclaimed he was opening a school and leaving me in charge of it in his absence, nobody—not even the baron’s own son—was going to give me any trouble.
Unless… Gaul Haddar had finally caught up with those pirates he’d been chasing, and the elf killed him, and with nobody left to protect me, the Argents would finally be able to get rid of a nuisance who’d made them look bad.
Sadly, I thought of that possibility just as the gate closed behind me. Oh well. I was committed now. If they tried anything, my last act of defiance would be to feed Dardick an activated snail grenade.
But it turned out this wasn’t an elaborate ruse after all, as Ambassador Dardick Argent was sitting in his black lava rock courtyard, reading letters. He just shook his head, bemused, when he saw me. “If it isn’t Oz Carnavon, crawler, trapper, and rank-one wizard. How’s the magical academy business?”
“The Outcast Academy is doing well, thanks for asking. Our numbers are growing steadily, we’ve got a tester, a marvelous facility, the blessing of our local… nobility, and our own adventuring company.” My people were sparse on the protocol nonsense, even our aristocracy, so I simply pulled out a chair and sat down across from him. “And I’m a ranktwonow.”
“Fancy.” Dardick shooed away his guards. “I thought for sure by now you’d have humiliated yourself and died poorly.”
“Surprisingly, not yet.” Even though Dardick once had me tortured, I really didn’t think he was a bad sort. His main concern was looking after his family’s interests in the Core, andby all accounts, he was a much more reasonable man than his cruel father. “So why’d you send for me?”
“This.” Dardick handed over an envelope. The wax seal bore the mark of Gaul Haddar. “It’s for you. It just came through the gate in a diplomatic pouch today.”
That made no sense. “Today’s not Fireday.”
