Chapter 50
The Elegance of Ether
A s Tam struggled back to wakefulness, he relived his last memories. Spots had drowned his sight as he weakly tried to battle them back… Then darkness—not his void, but the darkness of sleep—had claimed him.
The instant he regained the ability to think again, his eyes flew open, and he sat up.
With his heart already pounding, Tam’s attention whipped around his surroundings.
He was sleeping in a single-sized bed, in a room that was very sparse, with everything around him either wood-toned or white.
Tam reached up and idly dabbed at his forehead, noting that his clothes had been changed at some point. Now he wore a light, cream-colored sleep shirt and loose brown pants.
Raking a hand through his hair, he tried to stand but became horribly dizzy, and was forced to take slow breaths and wait for the sensation to pass.
While he focused on his breathing, he observed the desk beside his bed, and a dresser with an oval mirror perched on top. Overall, it looked like a senior servant’s room.
Tam swallowed and eyed the door. It had a paper covering and was a sliding model, so he doubted he was barred from leaving…
Unless there were guards outside.
Craning his neck, Tam looked over the edge of the bed to see if there was anything he could use for a weapon, or shoes.
But there was nothing.
At least the dresser held a water-filled porcelain bowl and pitcher containing more water. He could use one of those items to bash someone over the head in the worst case scenario. For the present, however, he appreciated being able to rub some water on his face and even drink a little as he realized how parched his mouth felt.
Then Tam stared at himself in the mirror and discovered two things that startled him.
The first was how badly he needed another haircut. That is, if he wanted to keep his hair short. The second…
Was the change he saw in his eyes.
He didn’t look timid or frightened.
Back in Daxaria, he had struggled even to look his own reflection in the eyes…
But now?
In a way, Tam’s newfound calm and direct stare was similar to his father’s.
But there was another strange thing lurking behind Tam’s vision that reminded him of the ethereal light behind Finlay Ashowan’s eyes, although Tam thought the flicker that moved behind his own was darker. His brown eyes were not quite as deep in color as the shadow that waved through his vision like black candlelight…
Dropping his gaze, Tam seized the towel beside the basin and dried himself off. There were more important things to worry about.
He ran his hands through his hair again, making it slick itself back. Then he moved his attention to the door to the room.
If someone was outside, he would’ve heard them move or react to the noises he was making. And so Tam cautiously slid the door back two inches, then another three. A glance outside into the hall revealed that no one stood there. After looking both ways down the hall, he opted to go left.
Padding carefully down the narrow space, Tam did his best to bring his mind back into focus. The last thing he clearly remembered was reaching Lord Kim’s house. He had fought off the men sent on behalf of concubine Soo Hebin back at the harbor, and discovered that the Giong Coven was loyal to the first witch…
Voices wafted gently down the hall, stopping Tam in his tracks.
He listened but couldn’t make out any particular words, and so he eased himself closer to the wall and continued. He reached some stairs that were most likely used by the servants.
He descended. When he could see sand-toned stones, he paused and leaned forward far enough to recognize a kitchen…
And there, standing with a pout on his face, but wearing fine black pants, a silk shirt, and a black vest, was Luca.
“—Why not?” Luca shouted up at a maid who was standing with her arms crossed.
“Because he must rest.”
“I napped with him before!” Luca argued.
Tam felt his tense face instantly ease into a smile.
From his position on the stairs, he could see a cooking table and the edge of a stone oven. Just behind Luca was a door that led outside…
A thrilling magical instinct filled Tam.
And he didn’t cringe away from it or lower his eyes to make it stop.
He loosed a breath of a laugh, and… fell back into his void.
But only for a moment.
He brushed across the stones of the kitchen, touched the table, smelled the remains of an omelet in the air…
And reappeared behind Luca, making the maid scream. Just before Luca could do the same, Tam plucked him up and tossed him in the air, catching him so that his son could see him.
The boy’s dark eyes were wide, but Tam grinned, and the next thing he knew, his son’s arms were thrown around his neck.
“I kept my eyes closed the whole time! Just like you told me to!”
Tam blinked, confused, and then remembered the orders he had given Luca right before dispatching their assailants at the docks. Relief flooded through him, knowing that his son hadn’t witnessed him killing people.
“That was absolutely the right thing to do, Luca. Thank you for listening.”
Tam hugged his son back, relishing the way his heart warmed. Then a throat-clearing pulled his gaze toward the opposite end of the cooking table he stood near.
He had already sensed Lord Kim’s presence, but Tam at last locked eyes with the man seated at the table. The nobleman fingered a fan of parchment on its surface while an older woman with a large mole above her lip and gray streaked hair continued to gape in shock at Tam, a cooking knife in her hand hovering uncertainly over a pile of fresh herbs on a nearby stone ledge.
Lord Kim didn’t rise, and there was a peculiar glint in his eyes as he perused the future duke.
Tam slowly lowered Luca to the ground, then righted himself and asked, “Where’s Eli?”
Lord Kim’s eyebrows rose. “Most likely in her room. Your other friends are busy getting ready.”
Tam frowned.
“They’re going to the festival tonight before they leave town,” Lord Kim clarified.
Faltering, Tam struggled to process that he had been unconscious for days. It hadn’t felt like it’d been that long…
“Leave us,” Lord Kim ordered over his shoulder quietly.
The older woman and the maid Tam had frightened inched out of the room through another doorway, across from where Tam stood. It led to the outdoors and revealed a lush expanse of colorful flowers. Luca slipped his hand into Tam’s and pressed himself into his father’s side.
Lord Kim smiled gently at the child. “I’ll only be a moment, perhaps you should go tell Her Highness that your father is awake, hm?”
Tam could feel Luca stiffen. “I already told you! She’s not Her Highness, she’s Eli! Or Mom! Tell him, Dad!”
Lord Kim’s soft gaze turned to Tam and hardened instantly.
“Luca, go let Eli know I’m awake, alright?”
At first Luca looked like he was going to argue, but eventually he nodded and left Tam alone with Lord Kim.
The Zinferan gestured toward a stool across from himself, and Tam plunked himself down while also eyeing the kitchen’s details—he knew his father would ask about it one day.
Folding his arms, Tam leaned back. He had a hunch about what was going to be said, but decided to not be an ungrateful boor and instead started the conversation with “Thank you for taking us in. I’m guessing Jeong filled you in on everything?”
Lord Kim arched an eyebrow and bowed his head in assent.
“If there is any way I can repay you, I’d be more than happy to arrange something once I return to Daxaria, and—”
“Her Highness and I have already come to an agreement.”
Tam’s shoulders straightened. “What agreement?”
Lord Kim shook his head. “You will have to ask her and see if she wants to share that with you. I have two other things to say to you, however, Lord Tam. The first being, do not confuse your child and have him address Her Highness in such a manner. Not unless you are married should he be given such thoughts as to call Her Highness ‘Mom.’ I say this not to be prudent, but because I worry for both his and Her Highness’s hearts. It is a complicated, beautiful love between a child and their mother, and to start in a hurry or on uncertain footing can be harmful.”
While Tam would’ve been more dismissive if this advice was given with any note of condescension, the sincerity in Lord Kim’s eyes stopped him. The man genuinely was suggesting, with pure intentions, what he thought would be best.
“The second thing I have to say is… I know what your magic is.”
Tam reared back. “What?”
“Ether.” Lord Kim rapped the papers on the table in front of him excitedly. “I’ve been reading and thinking about your void, and how you described being around everything, and yet nothing… And now, when I just witnessed you appearing, I feel as though I’ve confirmed my theory.”
Tam tried to think of how best to express his confusion, but couldn’t, and so he waited for the Zinferan to continue.
“When you disappear, you essentially are a part of everything around you. It is why you could sense things in the surroundings that were there when you disappeared. You travel through these things, disperse through them, and then reassemble yourself. Only, when you go into that ‘nothing space’—your void, as you say—you are in a state between life and time itself.”
A hum was starting to build in Tam’s body, and some deeper part of himself recognized that Lord Kim was absolutely correct. He didn’t quite know how, and it was more than a little bit of a frightening notion… but it sounded right.
An ether witch.
That’s what he was… And back when the Coven of Wittica had first examined him as a child, hadn’t they identified the strongest element in him as air? Wouldn’t that make sense, because air travels?
“How did you figure this all out?” Tam asked, not bothering to disguise the awe in his voice.
“Well, you said something interesting when you took me with you—something about it being a nothing place—and as you should know, the Goddess believes in balance. I started to ponder the balance of having such a power, and it taking you to such a place.” A small smile started to creep up Lord Kim’s face. “I struggled with it until it dawned on me quite simply. All or nothing. You are all, and you are nothing.”
Tam wasn’t too proud to admit he could barely wrap his head around the reasoning. Yet he couldn’t argue that it resonated as truth to him.
“A great amount of chaos has been happening in Junya since you fell unconscious.” Lord Kim’s tone shifted at mention of this, and he leaned in closer. “There are rumors of the devil here, and concubine Soo Hebin has of course jumped in to send imperial soldiers to scour the streets to find the being who killed not only her own men, but a member of the Coven of Giong.”
Closing his eyes, Tam let out a quiet groan.
If he hadn’t been asleep for so long, they could’ve escaped the city before it had gotten swarmed…
“Her Highness has a plan to get you all out and return to Daxaria.” Lord Kim eased back in his seat with a smile.
Tam gave a weary look in response. “It won’t be easy, will it?”
“No. But Her Highness is intelligent, and the Ryu brothers are capable despite their reputations.”
“Thank you. Again.” Tam lowered his head respectfully while noting that Jeong and Bong had revealed their true identities to Lord Kim as well.
Lord Kim gave a short, wry laugh. “I’m not doing this for nothing, Lord Tamlin Ashowan. I wouldn’t risk my life and the lives of my household just out of the goodness of my heart. I’m doing this to better my own situation and Zinfera. Now, I imagine Her Highness is just about here now.” The Zinferan nobleman rose to his feet, prompting Tam to do the same, his gaze drifting to the sunlit doorway behind Tam where the faint sound of feet galloping down the boards could be heard drawing closer.
As Tam turned eagerly, intending to meet Eli halfway, Lord Kim added, “You better marry her soon, Lord Tamlin. Otherwise, I’ll find it difficult to support you.”
Tam cast an apologetic glance over his shoulder. “I’ll do what I can, but I did promise my da I wasn’t getting married without my family being there. My sister kind of ruined it for me.”
The nobleman opened his mouth as though to argue the point more, but Tam was already moving toward the door. And no sooner had he rounded the corner than he was hit by the rebellious princess he was in love with. Realizing who she’d crashed into, Eli threw her arms around him, startling Tam soundly for a lone breath before he returned the embrace.
Everything would be alright.
They’d find their way home, and whatever Eli had promised in exchange for Lord Kim’s help? Tam would make sure she could get out of it, or else he’d share the burden as best he could.
At the sound of light panting, he looked back up to see Luca darting toward them. Eli turned as well, and then, seeing Luca’s flushed tearful face, they both opened their arms to the child, and he bolted into them to join the hug.
Regardless of how bad things were, Tam had Eli… and his son.
He had everything.
And so everything was going to turn out just fine one way or another.