The heavy iron door groaned as it swung open, cutting short Loki’s soft singing. He blinked against the sudden rush of light. Three figures stepped into the dim prison cell.
At the front stood Shade Winter. The Airship Mage-Captain looked as stone-faced as ever, her hair pulled back into her usual neat ponytail. Behind her was Loki’s father, Ralph Sky. He had taken off his heavy armor, and his face was twisted into a nervous, worried look. His eyes kept darting toward the third person—a woman Loki had never seen before.
She wore a beautiful white and blue noblewoman's dress, adorned with fine gold jewelry. She looked at Loki’s shocked face and smiled gently.
"Hello, Loki Sky," she said, her voice soft but strong. "I am Duchess Sylvia Sky."
Loki’s heart hammered against his ribs. He stared at her in total awe. He felt a sudden, strange rush of affection for this elegant stranger. In fact, his heart was beating so loudly that he barely even processed her words.
Ralph groaned and covered his eyes with his hand. He looked like a father waiting to get fired because his son was acting like an idiot.
The Duchess smiled, realizing the young man was simply frozen by her sudden arrival. But before anyone could say more, Shade stepped forward. She intentionally blocked Loki’s view of the Duchess and held out a heavy cloth bag.
"Loki, I am sorry for causing you trouble," Shade said. Her tone was flat and business-like, but she stayed close to him. "Here are your things, along with your 'reward' from last night. We are here to let you go."
Loki could tell Shade was acting jealous, trying to keep his eyes off the noble lady. He smiled and peeked inside the bag to check his belongings:
His lock-picking set.
His twenty gold coins.
His sharp survival knife.
His flask of strong applejack alcohol.
His dried beef jerky rations.
Shade’s silky black underwear.
Loki quickly hid the last item, feeling his face grow hot with embarrassment. When Shade saw him scramble to hide it, the corner of her mouth twitched into a tiny, rare smile.
Looking at the beautiful, white-haired woman standing less than a foot away, Loki felt completely mixed up. Maybe marrying her wouldn't be so bad after all, he thought.
"Thank you, Captain... I mean, Shade," Loki said. "I should have just talked to you first before taking action."
"Talking is useless," Shade replied instantly, her voice firm. "We are moving. Let's go."
As a high-level Mage, Shade possessed incredible physical strength. She grabbed Loki’s wrist with a grip like iron. Before she could pull him out of the cell, however, a sharp voice stopped her.
"Stop, Shade," Duchess Sylvia called out. "I still need to speak with Loki."
Shade tightened her grip on his wrist for a second, looking like a shoplifter who wanted to run away with the goods. Loki raised an eyebrow, realizing the stoic captain really did like him.
"Duchess Sky, I was taking him to your estate," Shade lied smoothly. "This cell is not private enough."
Nobody believed her.
"Just cast your One-way Portal on the two men," Sylvia said with a chuckle. "Then use your Long Range Teleport to meet us in my study."
Caught in her lie, Shade spent ten seconds casting a spell on Ralph and another ten seconds on Loki, sending them both through a glowing magic gate.
A moment later, they were sitting in a luxurious study. Loki sat on a soft couch with his father on his right and Shade pressing close to his left. Duchess
Sylvia sat across from them, calmly sipping hot tea sweetened with honey.
When a servant offered tea to the guests, Loki picked up the honey jar and frowned.
"Isn't this the honey we sell at my shop?" he asked.
Ralph gasped, finally realizing the honey and the fruit bowl on the table came straight from his own family's bakery.
Sylvia nodded with a smile. Shade pointed to the apples. "I go there every week to buy those from your mother, Emma Rose."
Loki blinked. "You go to our store? I've never seen you there."
"For the past two years, I have gone shopping there to talk with your mother," Shade admitted without a hint of shame. "She tells me what you are up to and how you feel. She promised to keep it a secret on your days off. Plus, she makes the best bread in the city."
Ralph looked completely stunned. Loki just nodded, accepting that Shade was a very unusual person.
Sylvia’s face turned serious, and the playful mood vanished. "Loki, the reason I brought you here is to tell you what will happen to your life from now on."
Loki leaned in to listen.
"I have known about your half-brother for a long time, but I only recently learned about your special condition," Sylvia explained. "You are a First Circle Life Vanguard, but your blood is so full of magic that it blocks your normal energy until you form a magic core. I am going to sponsor your training as an official member of the Sky noble family. I will provide you with magic cores, energy resources, and an education."
She leaned forward. "I will not let you hide anymore. The world is dangerous, and evil people will look for you. In two months, your brother Thorin leaves for school in the royal capital. You will go with him. You turn eighteen in a month, so we have time to awaken your core and find out your magic class."
Sylvia took a sip of her tea. "Most people become Mages or Healers. The rarest and most powerful are Summoners, like King Owen Balder. He commands two powerful eighth-circle Valkyries and a massive ninth-circle grey wolf named Fenrir. I can feel that your soul is very strong, Loki. I hope you will become a Summoner, too."
Loki let out a weak sigh. "So, you won't let me live a quiet life?"
Sylvia looked amused. "Your brother Thorin shows off his strength and wants to conquer the world. Why do you want to hide?"
"My brother already has to manage five wives, and his life is a total mess," Loki complained. "I just want a simple, quiet life."
Ralph's lip twitched, feeling the sting of his son's words.
Shade reached over and gently patted Loki’s hand. "Loki, I will do the work of five wives so you only need me. I understand."
Loki choked back a laugh. Her blunt honesty was both comforting and incredibly funny. "Then I am counting on you, Shade. Don't let anyone take advantage of me."
Sylvia gripped her teacup a bit tighter, clearing her throat loudly. "Cough... Loki, for the next month, you will come to my manor. Shade and I will teach you the basics of magic."
Shade nudged even closer to Loki. "Duchess Sylvia, there is no need to trouble yourself. I will teach Loki alone."
"You can teach him magic, Shade," Sylvia countered, shaking her head. "But I must personally teach him how the noble families and the royal court operate. He is not ready for that kind of political danger."
Loki nodded. He knew nothing about noble politics. "Thank you for the training. I guess my life is going to be full of chaos."
The Duchess stood up and handed Loki a beautiful ring stamped with the Sky family crest.
"This is a space ring," she explained. "It holds ten cubic feet of items. Use your magic energy to open it. Time does not stop inside, so food can still spoil, but there is no air inside to make things rot. Inside, you will find one hundred gold coins, a spellbook for Elemental Bolt, and a token to pass my guards. You and your father may leave now. Shade, stay behind. We need to talk."
Loki and his father hurried down to the stables. To their amazement, a stable hand was already waiting for them with a magnificent creature.
"Hello, Mr. Sky," the stable worker said. "The Duchess ordered this horse for you. This Clydesdale is named Sleipnir. He is a fourth-circle Demonic Beast of the Death element."
The name sent a spark through Loki’s memories of Earth, though he couldn't quite place it. The horse was massive and entirely grey, with pitch-black eyes, a dark mane, and a heavy tail. It was equipped with the finest military saddle and heavy leather bags.
Ralph stared at the creature as if he were looking at a priceless supercar. Thinking of his own ordinary warhorse, he looked ready to cry.
"Loki," Ralph muttered, "is it just me, or is the Duchess treating you much better than she ever treated Thorin?"
Loki nodded, looking at the beast that would make his arrogant brother burst with jealousy. "I am pretty sure Sleipnir was her personal horse. Father, do you have any good advice for me?"
"Advice?" Ralph grumbled. "A powerful Airship Captain gave you her underwear, and the Duchess just gave you a fortune and a legendary beast. You should be the one giving me advice!"
"Then my advice is to keep quiet about today," Loki said, climbing into the saddle. "Don't tell Thorin. He would be impossible to deal with."
Ralph nodded in agreement.
"I think you left your own horse back at the military base," Loki called out with a grin. "See you later, Father! Giddy-up, Sleipnir!"
With a loud snort, the massive Clydesdale leaped forward. It sprinted away at a terrifying speed that no normal animal could ever match.
Ralph watched the cloud of dust disappear down the road and sighed. "Damn it, Loki. You could have given me a ride."
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