Chapter Nine

  As they he end of their journey, Harmony pieced together through probing questions and simple logic that, no, not every member of Adric’s family adored and cared for him. He was such a ball of excited, happy, sunshihat he never noticed. ivity was fiven as a mistake, and every act could be taken in a positive light, even if maybe sarcasm was actually propping it up. She swore not to be the one who broke her pet’s heart by expining all that to him. Bowe had to be shielding him from that reality, the coatl was smart even if not very talkative. Eventually, that harsh truth would be clear, and she’d be one of those to hold him while he faced it.

  “Meeting your family will be lovely. I would like to share some tea with Rose first, girl talk.” That princess ranger was sure to be a clearer guide on how to spot and avoid any of the vipers ing in Adric’s family tree. Harmony wished some of those letters had been addressed to her. But her letters were only addressed to Adrid pletely avoided his situation. Still, she couldn't think of anyone else to sult.

  “Of course, so many things to do in the capital, I’ve so many things to show you.” Harmony knew she wouldn’t have time frand tour her pet prince had to be envisioning. Too much to do.

  The carriage slowed. While she’d never visited the capitol, she’d heard stories from the older servants at Coodly Manor about the infamous queue to get inside. Despite all the griping, they’d mention that at least they had the view. Yet here she was, stuside with Adric. Bates would hahe che, leavio wait until they reached their destination before departing. No leaning out and gawking like a yokel, as much as she wao. Maybe it was time to see how well her new skill would work sending her out into the unknown?

  [Stride Before the Fall] The world spun, and the brighter m light outside the carriage blinded her. The shift of nding into the unknown situation outside the carriage while moving caused vertigo that her movement skills worked excessively hard to teract. The effort to [Stride] into the unknown also left both of her forms drained. Reflexively she knew where both of herselves were iion to each other, so outside she focused on the carriage ahead moving slowly along a winding or travelers waiting their turn to ehe city.

  Unfortable as Harmony’s current state was, the vieorth it. Naewauld, The city of vined spires. Where Hazeldown read-out city of hills and districts, created by a natural separation of both the river it bridged and the varying elevations it spanned. Naewauld was birthed out of a ft pin, with clusters of smaller spires around a tall tral colle representing the seat of the kingdom’s power. The spires were green in the m light, so covered in vibrant vines. A prosperous gift to the nd by the city’s life-based dungeon, which had always been a stark trast to Hazeldown’s undead one. Rather than be appalled at the opposite energy of her css radiating from the city, the neancer's sense of death eagerly looked at all that life, and wondered, how could it kill it?

  No killing. The respoo that was, but then they could bring it back. A ridiculous feeling since she had no resurre skills. The unstable insanity of it all was a firm remio evolve ahe out-of-trol aspects of her css and profession under trol as quickly as possible. She had the power over her css and profession, it did not have power over her.

  “Oi, you okay?” Called a farmer driving his cart overburdened with turnips toward the city as he slowed down to ehe of visitors.

  Oh, she knew she wasly okay. Harmony had dreaded this trip. But Naewauld was exg and new, and a step forward after being stalled. Here it arkling green gem in front of her.

  “I’m making progress. There I’ll evolve. There I’ll fix everything.” She yelled toward the now skeptical turnip farmer, feeling unburdened as the choice of her skill pressed upohe other her worry, here she’ll grab that sliver of hope. “I’m great.”

  With that she let go, her form dispersing as though it had never been there.

  The whole experience brightened Harmony’s mood as they approached the gates. She left the bored w behind and ighe odd murderous desire. Killing will be had in the dungeon, and to help Hyath she’d scour that pce to its bones. Now was the time to look forward to new experiences. So she pnned.

  Ambrosia will have arranged lodging. Bates will have informed her of whatever social requirements she o do. A letter to the House of Lords announg her arrival, maybe a small meeting ter on. Harmony wasn’t quite sure, she’d been focused on training so hard she admittedly ed learning the duties of her new role. The books she’d read all covered advi how to handle people, not current protocols and procedures. Bates helped run the old manor and has had many trips to Naewauld so she was in good hands.

  The lodging will be sure to have a bath, even if she could use skills to refresh herself, nothis a nice rexing bath. After the quiet ride, some minor social requirements, and a nice long bath there should be plenty of time to pn diving into the dungeon Nae's Garden aly how to use it to grow and evolve.

  A loud annou pulled Harmony out of her thoughts, but distracted as she was she missed most of it. [Recall] had her restruct it.

  Trumpets and then, “Naewauld weles Lady White, risen of Hazeldow to authority!” All loud enough to be heard through the carriage which had kept outside sounds to a minimum. Harmony shot her pet prince a look.

  “They have an annou when isters after evolving in the capitol, but it’s just the registration office ceremony.”

  Harmony did her best t it off. She might be a big deal in Hazeldown, but here she’s just an unevolved dy from the half-cursed city housing the undead dungeon. One loud annou isn’t going to attract attention.

  “Is that musibsp; Adric asks.

  “She wouldn’t.” Even as she said the words she khey were a lie. Of course, she would. Ambrosia doesn’t just pull her on top of the table to stand with her, she projects her rger-than-life over a city. This, whatever this is, is totally in lih her friend's acts.

  Snapping the privacy blinds open allowed her to see ahe damage. People gathered along the edges of the street, but more at a curiosity level. Hyath, now more noticeable at his current size roudly chug on his throne of pillows, and Bowe, the rainbow coatl is always a rare sight. But when a finger did point it was not to the back carrying wagons it was at her. And the music wasn’t ing from the wagon train, she’d half expected Songstress and The Flows to be riding the tops of the wagons and carriages pying as they made their way through the city. No, it was worse.

  A choir of voices, a symphony of instruments. She caught the first bard or musi along the edge of the street. Their voice rose high paired with those singing behind the carriage and a head where it was heading. “Lady of the people, a cold star shining bright. Mistress of her arts, neantess Harmony White.”

  Those were Ambrosia’s lyrics, and just as the carriage passed to the edge of earshot of one singer, another tihe tune. “Challenger of the dungeon. Tamer of the prince.”

  Harmony shut the blinds hard. ing early to prepare for her visit! Anger battled with despondend settled for exasperation. It was ohing to invite her to da a show, but this unasked and unwanted setup. For revenge maybe she'd make Ambrosia wear the old outfits Tyler had picked out. No that wouldn’t work, Ambrosia liked them, except for how cold it got during the winter. In the summer it might be a relief. Too much to do to properly respond, one day though, one day… As the music followed them orip, Harmony tio pn, this time on how to best pay her friend back for this weling party.