“Would you please stop using your own blood to make talismans like an idiot?”

  It was the first thing Vortex said when he left his little house.

  “The whole room smells like blood. Clean up and then make a few of those ones that erase scents like you used in the forest. Use this.” He set a huge ink bottle on the desk. There was a handwritten label on it: Mana Ink, third formula.

  “Think of it as a payment for patiently waiting while I transcended to the eighth tier.”

  “The tasty thing was enough? Vortex! That’s wonderful!” I was cleaning up. I had made a small mess. I shoved everything back into my ring except for the desk, a clean pen and the ink. I brought out a stack of talisman leaves and quickly scribed the symbols ten times.

  Vortex took the first two and disappeared into the house. I finished putting everything away, and used several wash talismans.

  I even took off my rope clothes and used one on myself. Then I put on the ratty beggar clothes I had sewn together using scraps of several garments and dirtied with a few clumps of mud I had stored in preparation.

  I pulled out a dagger, braided my hair and was about to cut off the braid.

  “Wait! What are you doing?”

  “I’m supposed to go live in the town as a lowly orphan child. I want to make my hair ratty.”

  “Let me.” Suddenly, and for the first time in my presence, Vortex was a human looking man. “Neglect and grime is the look you’re going for?”

  “Yup.” I said cheerfully. “You make a pretty human.”

  He snorted and pulled hair shears from nowhere. He cut my hair, giving me a short, attractive shag cut. He gathered all my hair telepathically and put it into a small drawstring bag, which he gave to me.

  “Thank you.” I said, feeling self conscious. Probably mostly because I was attracted to him.

  The moment he was done, Vortex became a snake again.

  “Do you dislike becoming human looking?”

  He hissed long and loud. “Not exactly. It’s just uncomfortable to deal with hot blood and all the horse shit you humans are known for. So. What next for you? What did your adults advise you to do?”

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  “Oh.” I thought back. “Live as a vagrant child, join a group if possible, live off the supplies mother’s patroness gave me.”

  “By the look of the place when I woke, you might as well be a scholar or a mage apprentice.”

  I snorted. “Oh! And Mia gave me a letter.” I pulled it out. “I was supposed to open it here and I forgot I had it.”

  I unfolded the origami envelope into the letter.

  Mira, we will not see each other again. Your aunt and mother were imprisoned by the First Prince. They sent me a letter when they surrendered to him. I do not know their fate past that. Your father and brother were killed on the way to their hiding place years ago. It seemed to be a genuine carriage accident. Protocol is not to tell a principal news that might jeopardize their cover. Once the girls are settled I will be joining one of the remaining opposition armies, so burn this.

  You are smart, capable and canny. Survive and come out on top. Regardless of anything else I said, seek your own best interests. S. Mia

  “My orders are to seek my own best interest. This letter also tells me that my mother is a prisoner.” I felt devastated.

  “Do you know anything about the imperial succession?”Vortex asked curiously.

  “Nobody would ever answer when I asked. There was something about an accord?” I still felt numb.

  “The Succession Accords of 17,213. Essentially, there is a pact not to outright slaughter each other. Whoever builds the best support system and army can win, even a small child. When a coalition is defeated, the imperial prince or princess is taken prisoner and held in opulent conditions until the coronation. Then they kneel and pledge loyalty. Their title is stripped away, and only the Emperor remains.”

  “And if they pledge too soon?”

  “Hmm… I would have to read up on that.”

  “I’ll do that.” It occurred to me that the crèche would not have wanted the young royals to know the truth about the succession. They were essentially raised as friends and siblings among children high in the palace hierarchy.

  I inhaled deeply. “My own best interests.” I repeated, putting the paper away.

  “Skill, strength, power and knowledge. These are your best interests.” Vortex smelled the air with his tongue. “And having me around is not in your best interests. I will go down to the other cave and consolidate my gains. My system also has some choices for me to make.”

  He banished the house.

  “Wait here while I scout for a suitable route.” He said. He was back fairly quickly. “There is an excellent route that leads directly to storm drains and then to the surface. This would be an incredible smuggling route.”

  I chuckled uneasily.

  “Here. Put this in your storage.” He handed me a clay token that looked a bit like the ones Carter had made for me. “It has a bit of my magic in it. If you crush it I will come quickly.”

  “I’ll try not to need it.”

  “Eh. I can always make another one.” He started down the stairs outside the newly empty room. I followed. He led the way to a locked door. I don’t know how he unlocked it, but it popped open immediately before he even touched it.

  The storm drain smelled bad, like rotting vegetation, but it was dry. Apparently there hadn’t been much rain.

  “This ladder leads to an empty building. Before you go… look up wands and artificing. Using talismans all the time is wasteful, especially with the ink I gave you. Hopefully you can find a library or something. Maybe borrow books from some noble who never reads or something.”

  I nodded.

  “The time will go by quickly. Crush the token the moment you get your system. Uh…” He quickly shifted to his human form, hugged me and pushed me gently at the ladder. He was gone before I looked down from the top.