Thankfully, Sabine was safe. Assassins had attempted to end her life, but Sabine and the guards had easily handled them before Reza arrived. Although one of their guards had been killed, the rest emerged with only minor injuries.

  The day progressed with another investigation and some words from Sorana’s priests overseeing the investigation. This led Sabine and Reza into the night for dinner, having their afternoon taken by the attacks.

  Sabine grasped Reza’s arm as he helped her from the carriage.

  Reza turned to Julius. “Thank you.”

  Julius closed the door and bowed. “How long do you think it will take? A couple hours or longer?”

  Sabine eyed Reza before answering. “Yes, I don’t want to be out too late. Please return in two hours. If it takes us a bit longer, wait. We won’t be long.”

  Julius stepped onto the horseless carriage, and it began to move without any animal pulling it. Reza was still captivated by the novelty. The wraith Julius had allowed him to move the carriage without a horse, just his power. It was a power that seemed very in demand, and Sabine likely spent a fortune keeping him in her service. But Reza liked the man. Julius was one of Sabine’s most trustworthy servants.

  Leaving Julius behind, they entered the restaurant. The remaining guards followed behind them, and two opened the doors, another aspect of Reza's new life that he had not yet gotten used to.

  Although it was Lord Rewans’ dinner, the event itself was a quiet affair with only ten people in attendance. Mostly close members of the families, though Vorcan had indeed joined his fiancée. Sabine had spent most of the dinner talking to her while Reza and Vorcan stood aside for a while discussing Lukas.

  “He’s come a long way with the double sessions,” Vorcan told Reza. “We practiced the quarterstaff this afternoon, and he wasn’t lying when he mentioned some skill. I was pleasantly impressed; I think a glaive might be a better choice of weapon.”

  Reza nodded, happy with the result.

  “However, I still want him to work with the sword and dagger,” Vorcan continued. “You can’t easily carry a glaive or spear in the city, while we can carry our weapons without any issues.”

  Vorcan indicated Reza’s daggers and his own sword at his waist.

  “It’s good that he still has some skill with it. I agree it’s not the most practical weapon, but we can start there and build on it. Reza kept his voice low, trying to avoid letting the others overhear their discussion about the heir of the Sulli house. “I won’t have much time to come up and help with the sessions, but I want to see what Lukas’s power might be. If you spar with him, we can figure it out quickly.”

  “Funny, you mention that. I plan to spar Lukas tomorrow with him using the quarterstaff. I want to assess his skills with it before I bring some of my other students. I can encourage him to use his power at the end and figure out how it works.” Vorcan took a swig of his liquor.

  “Good, that will be perfect. I can meet with you and Lukas afterward and discuss what you both observed.” Reza paused as Lord Rewan gestured them over.

  “My boy, join us, Vorcan if you would too,” he said, moving to the corner with Sabine.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Reza walked over, looking at Sabine with a questioning look. She shrugged before coming to his side. As everyone joined Lord Rewan, he finally turned to them.

  “Sabine, I’ve exhausted all my contacts and spent considerable money to gather information on your opponent, Tannic.” He pulled out a handful of letters from his inner pocket. “You can review these if you wish.”

  Sabine handed the documents to Reza, who tucked them safely into his jacket. They had ample time to read them thoroughly before bed.

  “So, Father, what did you uncover?” Sabine inquired. “I’ve managed to gather only some information about the man. He belongs to one of the southern families.”

  “Yes, the Blackfin family is from the borderlands and is close to the remnants. Apparently, they’re part of the militia stationed in Salwin, tasked with protecting the town.” Reza explained. “I could only confirm that the Blackfin family has militia members, but I couldn’t provide specific names now. The militia itself is formidable, controlling multiple forts along the border. Anyone in the militia has participated in recent battles while our forces have been focused on the north. The remnants have pushed their luck, attempting to breach our borders.”

  Reza nodded in acknowledgment. He fought with the militia in Salwin when his legion rotated out of the north and helped for a month when the south was under more pressure than usual. He had never encountered a more skilled militia in his years of military service.

  “We know he possesses exceptional combat abilities if he got this far. I couldn’t watch his fight, but he defeated multiple formidable warriors. Desmond, did you happen to catch a glimpse of the fight? You likely have the most military experience that witnessed it here.” Sabine asked.

  Vorcan nodded. “He wielded a short spear and a small circular shield. I observed some sand manipulation around him, though it primarily served as a distraction. I couldn’t determine if that was his powers' extent or what he was willing to employ in the early round. However, sand in the eyes can be enough to turn a fight.”

  “That could be deadly if he attempts to impair your vision. Nevertheless, maintaining a considerable distance, similar to the approach against Lucius, might be a wise choice. Even without your vision, Sen won’t be affected by those tricks with his shots.” Reza reasoned. She would need to be vigilant and likely wear protective gear to safeguard her face and eyes as much as possible.

  “I’ll likely wear a veil of some kind; we’ll decide on that tonight, Marius. Did he carry more than one? Sabine asked. She seemed to have the same thoughts regarding night work to protect herself.

  Vorcan nodded. “He had about four more on his back. He threw a few of them during the fight. He could also enter the fight like Hasbeck and have dozens of arrows around the arena if he asked for them. I’d be prepared for some ranged attacks.”

  Reza recalled Hasbeck. “I still regret not asking for something like that. We should probably message you to say that you want batches of arrows within the arena. It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

  “I already did that this morning while you were with Lukas and Vorcan. I’m certain they’re preparing it as we speak. The arrows Kelburn provides are of acceptable quality,” Sabine replied.

  “So, dear, can I do anything else for you? I have blacksmiths, fletchers, and our tailor at the house, ready to assist you with anything you might need at the last minute,” Lord Rewan said, looking anxiously at his daughter.

  “Perhaps I should have the tailor ensure I have something to protect my eyes and face from sand, but everything else seems fine. I want to return home and review all the speculations you’ve gathered, Father. Marius, Julius should be here by now.” She mused before hugging her father and saying her goodbyes to the rest, ending with Vorcan. “Thank you. Vorcan, it was wonderful for you to come. We’ll have another dinner soon. Lutali and I have already discussed it and your wedding plans.”

  He chuckled. “Yes, my niece and Lutali have been planning it for months. I have no choice in the matter. I know the Rewans received an invitation; I must ensure Reza gets one now. It would only be fair.”

  Reza attempted to respond, but Sabine interrupted him. “I’m certain if he behaves himself, I’ll take him as my plus one,” she said before smiling towards Marius.

  “Of course, I hope both of you can attend,” Vorcan bowed and returned to his fiancée.

  “Time to make our escape,” Sabine whispered, taking his arm.

  “Sabine, announcing it wouldn’t be much of an escape,” he said with a smile. She playfully smacked his arm before intertwining her arm with his.

  As they left, their guards effortlessly took their positions behind them.