Chapter Sixty-Four

  After st night's near-disastrous group meeting, Harmony ime to herself. Ambrosia had another cert, making her busy tonight singing with the Flows. It was time to tackle her greatest rival. In a bubble bath, Harmony finally cracked open Thibodeux on Evolution and started to read.

  Evolution: a natural biological progressiered by achieving your twenty-fifth level in both css and profession. No different from getting your first underarm hairs, or having your voice drop, except it happens all at once your skills and level reach the proper milestone. Upon making your choice a b of energy coats you and you undergo ges rebirthed anew, often sticky, sometimes looking and feeling younger, a better more advanced self.

  So the first chapter was a glossed-over facts of life chapter. Good little boys and girls get to be their perfect selves with choices inspired by what they’ve done in their lives. Max’s dead-end choices gave options like cursed acolyte or ehrawl, and even with choices closest to what he wahe man now had a hard time being himself around her. Adric, who was killed by his choice, had been doomed to be mourned. But after seeing Jessica, evolutionary ges could not be denied. Whatever happeo that woman? Did Tyler discard her? She hadn’t been at any training sessions, but only guild members or their servants could get into that training ground.

  Easy to think herself into a hole, Harmony forced herself to read on. In the same way, evolution is a progression of our css and profession. The skills you gain will be a progression of skills you’ve selected. It may not always be obvious exactly what skill the new choices offered are building off of, but your training doh me on skills will show many of those same bes to your new skills as well. That is the strength of Thibodeux on Skills.

  What about the strength of her training? There is no way she wouldn’t know what skill the new one will be built off of, or how well-ected they are for what she do with them. Like with everything about Thibodeux, many of the underlying pinings were there, about practice, measured growth, and on assumptions. It didn’t feel right for her.

  Harmony hate read further. Bare bone facts like needing to have all your skill slots filled before you evolved, and all skills developed to the point of stability. Another reason skill stones were so valuable was that many lower csses failed to evolve because they couldn’t afford anything except the dirty dozen they often refused to use.

  There was only so much pain she could take before she threw the book across the room. The sting of potentially damaging a book was eased by knowing she could repair any ial damage. That was how she got her hands on most of Tyler’s colle. Even with the book gohe aggravation lingered. Now it was te and she couldn’t sleep.

  Ambrosia would be at some post-cert party filled with key fans, journalists, bards, and musis. As much as Ambs would be delighted if she made a surprise visit. That wasn't a crowd Harmony wao be around.

  She lightly touched her primal bond, was Adric awake? It shouldn”t have been a surprise to find him at the door so fast. He did have an adjat room, but Harmony knew he spent most nights in Bowe’s feathery coils since his return from the pace tower.

  “Everything all right, Harm?”

  The e-when-she-even-hi-calling was a bit much. But since he is here… “I’m looking for a way to blow off some energy in a pce respectful of my position and privaothing too dangerous. This is your hometown and you're a prince, so you might have some ideas.”

  A smile bloomed on Adric’s face. Certainly one of the cutest pets ever. “I’ve been waiting for you to ask me something like this!”

  Then the bodyguards got involved. The suggestion of Roots, an underground bck market and gambling den was nixed. As was the Chaos Cavern, which was too random in pnning what would happen. Both were more about privad a gentlemen's agreement of what happehere stays there due to illegal activities. Why they were early suggestions did open up some unasked questions about the prince’s wild times of his youth. They settled n at Night. A club that was exclusive to those who have authority with a focus on privabsp;

  Nick said he and the rest of the bodyguards fold into the staff. He had es there.

  “I’m not sure they’ll accept me. I’d hoped to get a letter reinstating me, but it hasn’t happened yet.” Adric said with a little worry. “I could always be your plus one. Non aristocratic guests are allowed if escorted, though it is frowned upon.”

  “Just speak with authority. You have it. Why that isn’t enough proof is silly.” Power is politics. Tyler’s lordling books made that very clear.

  It was disappointing Hyath opted out of joining her. But he wasn’t a people toad uhose people o be eaten.

  Reign at Night existed o the city’s housing for lords who didn’t have other options. Ambrosia had dubbed it The Celr, as many less distinguished aristocrats were also retired there. A mix of young and old authority. pared to many of the rge towers Harmony had seen it looked a little run down. It was worth having to show up to dio not go there.

  Except for one who would wait outside, the bodyguards folded into the staff minutes before Harmony and Adric stepped up to the rge bck door with a golden painted onto it. A small slot that slid open and closed sat underh the . Adriocked and it slid open. “Who cims authority?” Asked a deep voice

  “Prince Adric Highsmythe.” His voice rang with authority, clear and crisp.

  “And Lady Harmony White.” Her authority came out with a bite of annoyance she came to burn off and a bit too heavy as she felt the weight sm out. Damn nerves. Internally authority shifted annoyingly. The ret level helped, but until evolution, trying to use it would be an issue.

  The man behind the drunted like he’d been punched. With a dramatic g of several locks and s, the door swung open. Harmony stepped in first, Adric trailing behind her.

  Dim lighting and a slight haze of spice sticks hung in the air. Plenty of staff, but all of them dressed to blend in or actively using stealth type skills. The illusion of privacy while help was within arms reach. Letting them do their jobs, Harmony switched her attention to the aristocra the club. Her peers. She wasn't impressed.

  Looks of fear, dession, superiority, and annoyance came her way. Not a single hello. “Why would you find this a good pce to hang out?”

  “Bas are more social. These are all leeches hoping you need something or will aowledge them so they get a bit more power. [Analyze] them and check their authority.”

  Using [Analyze] on a person like that felt both disrespectful and too much of a sign that she cared about such things. She reached out with the skill but in a broad sense seeking authority. Low was an uatement. If they had been friendly she might have givetention.

  With a flick of [Dust] synergized with [Manipute Dead], Harmony cleared the lingering smoke from the air for their walk to the back.

  The doors to the bas opeo a livelier se. Young lords and dies pyed strikers, tossed darts, and ughed at gossip or sdals. The authority average here was a step up from the front room. Self-seleg groupings, or are the weaker ones relegated to the front?

  “Gods be dang, Willow, is that Saddy Addy?” Excimed a young man in a very expensive blue shirt.

  “I don’t know. He looks a bit too kept to be him.” Answered a tall blonde o him.

  Adric walked to the pair, arms open to give them a hug. “Jacob, you know I don’t like that name. I’m no lohe mourned prince, so Saddy doesn’t fit.”

  They met in a group hug.

  “Willow was toying with the idea of calling you, Arf because that’s the sound a dog makes.”

  “You wao gift him a set of jeweled leashes,” Willoed back, poking Jacob. “All in good fun.”

  The tone was more cruel than fun. Jacob and Willow. The prind princess who’d escorted Adric to his captivity in the Pace Tower. As Adric took a step back Harmony stepped in close. [Shadowed Graves] spread out upon activation but for only a moment, enough to cover the pair briefly and smack them with fear. It was a big iment to start the field skill, so you might as well let it expand if you wanted access to the full effect for aended period. This act was a total waste of energy. Harmony mixed fight and flight to create the heart-pounding fear of wanting to run but being uo do so. Half a sed, so it didn’t cover more than herself, Jacob, and Willow when she dropped it.

  No authority, but death coated her voice. “ Good fun? Adric gets even a scratch from your fun, and you’ll see my version of fun.”

  The pair shivered in pce.

  “Oh, cousins, this is Lady White, holder of my leash. She’s been making a game of running the tower alone. Her delivering the bastard’s severed head was the most amusing thing.”

  “H-h-honored.” Princess Willow stammered out.

  “The sheets don’t do you justice. Sadly, ces to be and ’t stay.” Prince Jaanaged much more posed, but with the inflexibility of leaning on a social skill to ma.

  Willow managed a curtsy as Jacob did a little half-bow before the two shuffled off quickly.

  “You khey would be here.” Harmony accused Adric.

  “They only like to slum it here. I suspected they might be here. Feel better finally being able to tell them off?”

  “Yes,” Harmony admitted grudgingly

  The visit here was worth that. Maybe a drink, then head back to bed?

  “Harmony?” That voice. Harmony turo face Lord Tyler. At his side, a very annoyed-looking Jessica wearing little to nothing. The sunfire berserker's eyes fshed with a brief heated red glow.

  “Tyler, Jessica, what an ued surprise. Adric here is showing me some of his old haunts.”

  “You should join us. Jessica wants to e with us to the Deadwoods. Thorne says only at her own risk, and since Adric is ing it might be good to socialize some. Just a few drinks.”

  With no good way to politely refuse, and Jessica possibly joining the expedition Harmony accepted. It might be good to reect with the former coworker.

  The three of them settled into a booth at the er while Tyler popped away to grab some wine. “It’s good to see you’ve finally evolved.” Harmony started as some small talk.

  “Like you care.” She responded with a fsh of heat.

  As a bitter old sun priestess who was also a maid, Jessica had represented a future that Harmnized as one of the reasons why she took the risk on the undead pet scroll. Now she looked youhan Harmony but was still bitter.

  “I do. I’d go insane if I was stuck like you were. My greatest fear was to be stuable tress, and you mao do that. It’s inspiring.”

  Jessica looked so taken abad shocked that Harmony was briefly afraid she’d said something wrong. “Tha-Thank you. I thought you hated me after my behavior.”

  Jacob and Willow fshed in Harmony’s mind. “I reserve hatred for those who actually do things that deserve it. Work flicts and minor attitude issues be things of the past. We all grow and learn.”

  “cordia Winery, the green year, sed floor!” Tyler announced on his return, carrying a bottle and some gsses.

  He poured the wine while Jessiuggled into him.

  “I know why I’m joining the trip to the Deadwoods. Why are you?” Adric asked after they all had a few sips.

  The gnce she gave Tyler was brief but longing. Worse was that it didn’t seem like he noticed. “I o prove myself worthy. I owe Lord Tyler for what I’ve bee. Supp him as he gets ready for the Asdant Games is the st I do.”

  “You don’t o do that Jessie. Your adva with Lehe stage for me to form my skill ayment enough. The Deadwoods might be sidered dangerous, but we have a petent crew. Thorne said your joining was fine, but also that we don’t want the group te as it might scare off some of the spirits and oddities we’re seeking.”

  “Soon, you’ll be gone for months in those terrible Asdant Games they’re making you do. I be with you and help you now.”

  “If that's what you want.” Tyler ceded. “But let’s do a toast to it.” He raised a gss. “To a successful trip to the Deadwoods and finding the right spirits to bond.”

  Harmony held back a snort. It arently lost on Lord Tyler that of this group, he was the only one on a mission to do that, but they joined him anyway. With the way Jessica doted on Tyler, clearly, it was a more plicated retionship than one could assume. As long as anyone was between her and Tyler, Harmony would take it.