By evening, Elias had calculated the cost of the outing three times.The number became worse with familiarity."We are poor again," he announced.Nia licked sugar from her thumb and looked wounded. "We were rich this morning.""We had ten coins this morning. That was not wealth. That was a hostage situation.""But a happy one."Elias considered several professions. Alchemy, enchantment, rune engineering, architectural design, artifact restoration, illegal divine-law consulting. Unfortunately, he was absurdly good at all of them, which made choosing difficult.If I present myself as bad at combat but talented in one harmless specialty, Master can brag without exposing me, he thought. That would make her happy.Nia's ahoge rose.He was doing it for her.She immediately hid this realization behind authority. "Good. You will study a specialty."They reached the registry office just as the last booth began closing. Course prices were listed in neat columns.Alchemy: expensive. Enchantment:

Alice reached the deepest hall of Sunstealer City in a condition that would have embarrassed a lesser princess into retirement.Her cloak was torn, her hair was full of black ink-vine residue, and one stubborn strand of shadow slime had wrapped itself around her sleeve as if it had decided she was a suitable branch."Ancestor!" she shouted, skidding across the polished black floor. "Something terrible happened!"Behind the gold curtain, the old Sunstealer ancestor lowered his wine cup and squinted at his great-granddaughter."Alice," he said slowly, "I am certain the modern age has many energetic training methods, but when a princess returns from an afternoon lesson covered in vine fluid, one does hope she washed her hands first."Alice went red from neck to ears. "That is not what happened!""I am very old. I have heard that sentence before. It is rarely convincing.""A corrupted relic attacked me!" she cried. "It unfolded out of the crystal sample, wrapped around me, and would have

Alice taught her first official Wintervale class the next morning.She wore a fitted scholar's coat, silver spectacles, and the expression of a young woman determined not to think about ancient kings hiding behind student uniforms.The classroom was full of Wintervale apprentices who had signed up for Sunstealer field methods because the course was cheap, mysterious, or sounded less painful than advanced ice theory.Elias sat in the back row.Alice saw him immediately.Her knees considered resigning."Good morning, students," she said, voice only slightly too bright. "Today we will discuss retrieval magic, lock-reading, and why stealing from living people without permission is both unethical and likely to get you cursed."Several students looked disappointed.Alice smiled professionally. "Retrieval magic does not create objects. It follows traces: weight, ownership, aura, recent contact. For a beginner, the safest target is an object placed in a closed box. For a master, the range exp

The first bottle of Sunstealer night-cider arrived with dinner.It was famous throughout the western territories for three things: sweetness, fragrance, and the ability to make battle mages confess embarrassing poetry after one cup.Alice poured two cups."A friendly contest, Mr. Vane. If I win, you return everything you have borrowed today.""Borrowed?""Do not make me list it."The students roared approval.Elias regarded the cup.She wants to test whether alcohol weakens my control. Reasonable. Also doomed.Aloud, he said, "I am only Tier Two. This feels unfair.""Then surrender.""Never. My dignity can survive one cup."It survived twelve.Alice's smile became strained at eight, heroic at ten, and theological at eleven. Elias remained perfectly composed until the moment the class began chanting his name.Then he leaned back, sighed, and collapsed dramatically onto the table."I am defeated," he murmured.A cheer erupted.Alice stared at him, swaying slightly."You are not fooling

Elias opened the crate very slowly.Inside, wrapped in three blankets, two anti-cold charms, and what appeared to be Andrew's favorite cloak, slept Nia Frostvale.Her blue hair was a mess. Her hat rested on her stomach. One hand clutched a wooden spoon like a heroic sword from a very domestic battlefield.The students stared.Then every young man in the room began protesting at once."Unfair! We got chalk!""Elias got an Archmage!""Teacher Alice, I would also like one respected mentor in a box!""Preferably alive!"Alice looked personally betrayed by logistics. "I did not arrange this!"Elias placed both hands over his face.Nia's nose twitched. The sleep bubble near her lips popped.Her eyes opened halfway."Too loud," she mumbled. "Let a person sleep properly..."Then she noticed the crowd.For one second, she stared at a room full of strangers staring back at her while she sat in a shipping crate in her apprentice's classroom holding a spoon.Her entire face turned scarlet."Elias