The next three days were a whirlwind of work, research, and planning. Between finally realizing that I’d been leaving myself to stew in such a bad environment and the idea that I could potentially show my girls more of my world, I was motivated.

  Packaging the orders didn’t take nearly as long as I’d expected, since I was able to set up an assembly line of writing labels, pairing items, wrapping, packing, and sealing the boxes. Initially, I started out just summoning a bead of entropy and holding it in place while I worked, but I immediately seized on a practical use once I started wrapping jewelry up in the plastic wrap.

  A bit of concentration and selective Shape-Shifting gave me a single claw that I coated in the entropic magic. That would sear through tape and bubble wrap with a single flick, and the brief breaks between summoning and dismissing the effect kept my Mana Reservoir topped up.

  The next day was spent acquiring the materials I’d need in another trip up into the mountains.

  This time, I went further from town and followed one of the many rivers that had been scouted for gold near Denver. I made sure to stay on public land though, and with the Dimensional Pocket I didn’t even need to pretend to be panning. I could just wade into the river and summon gold dust to me that way. It wasn’t perfect, but I didn’t need a ton of gold for the commissioned pieces.

  Working on the word puzzles also helped keep my mind active, while listening to podcasts in different languages confirmed that I could understand these other languages as well. Speaking them took a bit more effort, as I had to expressly focus on using that particular language to force the words out. But within a minute of listening to a native speaker talking and understanding them, I was able to return the same language fluently without effort. It just took me a moment to ‘shift’ over to a new language properly.

  In order to placate the worried Gloria and touch bases with Jameson, I spent part of an evening with them, though I didn’t stop practicing my abilities. Gloria wouldn’t know why the floor was so clean when they went to close the bar that night, but I hoped she’d be happy to save time on mopping the normally dingy tiles.

  I didn’t end up getting ‘big-brain’ quickly, but I didn’t expect that to happen overnight. I had a lot of potential that had been going unused, and I needed to carefully exercise that muscle so it would grow properly. The ability to multitask finally without losing track of what I was doing helped a lot.

  Apartment shopping was a little more difficult.

  I could easily find places that I liked the look of, but most were still outside my price range. Admittedly, I was keeping things reasonably priced still, which cut out the really nice opportunities, but I didn’t want to end up in a situation where I couldn’t afford my rent and got kicked out simply because my sales dropped.

  The other part that was continually frustrating for me was that the handful of complexes that I did like the look of were inevitably difficult to get straight answers on. It was almost as if the office staff didn’t actually want people to move in, because every time I tried to call the office they were either out, didn’t have availability for a walkthrough, or immediately rubbed me the wrong way with their attitudes over the phone.

  It didn’t help that a lot of the online listings weren’t even showing the right apartments, since the photos and walkthroughs that were linked to the listing didn’t even have the same layout. Apparently, the leasing offices also thought that by only providing photos and walkthroughs of their most expensive options that they’d get more people going for those.

  I did get two appointments scheduled to check out potential apartments though, and that was something I could look forward to, even though they were in a different part of the sprawling metroplex that surrounded Denver. Far enough apart that it would take most of the day to get there, walk through the apartments and check them out, then get to the next appointment.

  I was actually in the middle of trying to sort through more searches to see if I might tag a third appointment onto the mess tomorrow when I got an unexpected ping from one of my contracted.

  I had been dropping messages back and forth for the girls, mostly just the loving sort of ‘how are you doing’ and ‘good morning’ messages that made my heart swell to know the girls were thinking about me. The fact that little Jane was the kind of closet romantic that wanted to wish me a good-morning and a good-night every day was just so cute.

  But this message caught me by surprise, because it wasn’t one of my girls. Well, it was from a girl, just not my girls.

  Liam, I appreciate your continuing work to ensure my daughter and her allies are protected. Rieka’s exploits have impressed me far beyond my expectations. Your bit of theater during my council has made things much smoother for those who have been causing me problems or arguing, but it has also drawn the attention of someone that you have yet to meet.

  Someone that I would like you to talk to soon, as I do not expect your relationship with my daughter to end anytime in the near future.

  If you are free today, I would like to summon you to converse with my husband. He’s been away on trade negotiations until recently and has been rather upset at the trouble Rieka’s found while he was away.

  He’s always been protective of his youngest, and I think it would do him a world of good to know that she has an able protector.

  “Huh,” I mumbled while I thought over Gemma’s message before giving a shrug and sending a quick reply that I was at her disposal and available whenever. “Better get changed into something nice if I want to impress Rieka’s dad. Gemma’s been polite after that bandit attack, but dad’s and their daughters… well at least I know he doesn’t have access to a shotgun to be cleaning when I arrive.”

  <><><>

  It turned out to be a good thing that I’d quickly changed clothes over to something nice. Gemma had taken my message as a signal to summon me at her next earliest convenience.

  The summoning message had come while I was buttoning my shirt up and I had only spared a moment to check my reflection before accepting the transit.

  Colors and sounds swirled past me like I was wrapped inside of a rainbow that had decided to drop acid at a techno rave. It would have been extremely disorienting if I wasn’t used to it at this point.

  As the universes spun past me, I caught two different glimpses this time. One was of a giant, solitary mountain looming in a sprawling grassy plain in serene majesty. The other was a massive jungle with thick trees, draping vines, and what appeared to be a war playing out amongst the foliage puncutated by the crackle of both solid-shell weapons and the bright flashes of laser weapons.

  Before I could get more information other than it was a battle, I was swept away into the whirling maelstrom for another brief eternity before I felt my boots land on a solid floor once more.

  The veil of color and sound faded at most a half-second later and I was greeted by the regal figure of Queen Gemma and a man that could have only been her husband.

  We were standing in a room that looked familiar. Not that I’d been here before, but from the similar color of walls and the elaborate wooden molding, I knew we were in the palace again. I’d visited Rieka here once before and the style was the same.

  A fire crackled in a hearth to one side of what was clearly a sitting room furnished for greeting dignitaries and other nobles from the fancy rugs, beautiful paintings, and gold leaf that I saw glimmering in elaborate designs on the walls. No one else besides the pair in front of me stood in the room when I gave it a scan before I returned my attention to Gemma.

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  I’d met Gemma a few times, and she was always immaculately dressed in whites and grays accented with sky blue stones or pearls. It gave the regal woman the look of an icy storm cloud looming high in a blue sky; beyond the reach of mortal concerns and threats. Her long, platinum-blonde hair hung in a mass of ringlets at her back this time, while a delicate tiara of spun gold contrasted sharply with the light-colored strands.

  “Liam the Traveler, I bid you welcome,” Gemma said, her tone serious as she inclined her head towards me in a respectful nod. Which I returned at an equal depth to her.

  Rieka had coached me to be confident but not overly deferential to her mother when in private like this. She’d insisted that, as a Traveler, I was outside the power structure. The fact I was respectful to Gemma was enough in private, and it would remind her mother that I was an ally, not one of her subjects.

  “I have come as you called, Queen Gemma,” I said when she didn’t continue, and glanced towards the man standing at her side. “I assume this is the man you wished for me to meet?”

  “Yes, this is my husband. Prince-Consort Jonas Coldeye. Jonas, this is Liam the Traveler, the man who has been taking care of Rieka and her friends while they trained in Juneau. He’s also responsible for ferrying confidential messages, packages, and like between her and myself. We are looking at expanding that to include our other children and some of the nobles we trust, at least for messages.”

  Gemma’s words melted off the stern wolf kin that stood at her side studying me. If I had been the same me that had first come to this world, I’d have likely been intimidated by his gaze. But after everything I’d been through and how I’d grown, I met his hard blue eyes with an even expression.

  Jonas was tall, standing above Queen Gemma and nearly to my own six-foot-four height. His broad shoulders strained the dark-blue silk tunic he was wearing, showing that he was a man of strength despite the opulence of our surroundings. I couldn’t help but smile when I recognized the cut of the pants he was wearing, as Rieka wore the exact same style of riding pants as her father, and even the same style of boot, though designed for a woman rather than a man.

  A well-cared-for longsword hung at Jonas’ waist, his left hand resting negligently on the pommel of the weapon to keep it balanced. He had another holster on his right hip, but this one held the familiar shape of a spell rod, though made of silver with an ornate pommel. He wore no decorations or jewelry beyond a gleaming platinum ring on his left ring finger. Jonas’ pointed wolf ears sat at attention on the top of his head, while his thick tail hung behind him without a hair stirring to convey his mood.

  While Queen Gemma oozed power, her husband wore command like a cloak about his shoulders. He didn’t need elaborate jewelry or expensive clothes to convey his station. The man commanded the attention of the room he stood in, and the fact that he stood at his wife’s side, but half a step at her rear, threw the entire weight of his presence behind her own.

  “Lord Jonas, it is a pleasure to meet the father of such a talented and considerate woman as Rieka.” I focused my attention on the man, giving him a respectful nod as well.

  “You appear quite different from the stories currently working their way through the noble circles,” Jonas said at last, his voice just as deep and authoritative as his appearance would suggest. “But my wife has cautioned me that you are far more than you appear to be.”

  “I do my best,” I responded.

  The two of us stared at each other for several more seconds before Gemma let out a surprisingly cute snort for someone so elegantly dressed. The stern and proper atmosphere dissolved even further when she spoke next.

  “Oh enough, you two. Jonas, you wanted to meet the boy to get his measure. That isn’t going to happen if you keep staring at him like he’s supposed to be doing a trick to impress you. Sit and talk. Or go and spar in the courtyard, I don’t care which. Liam, do not dent my husband if you do end up sparring.”

  “Gemma!” Jonas said, dismay thick in his tone. “How could you consider needing to warn him not to hurt me?” The stern figure of the gruff father and nobleman dissolved as his pointed ears wilted to either side and his tail slumped to drag on the floor. The aura of power and majesty the man had been wearing promptly melted to leave behind a father and a joker.

  “Because I’ve seen Liam fight in earnest, both against bandits and a polar worm. I love you, Jonas. But don’t let your pride get ahead of you,” Gemma gave her husband a wry smile before turning her attention back to me.

  “I promise not to dent him too much,” I said with a laugh, letting myself relax.

  This was also something that Rieka had coached me on during our travels. I could take my cues from how the other person acted, and since Gemma was letting the social niceties fall aside then I could as well.

  It didn’t hurt that my quick scan of the room had shown there weren't any guards present to witness the queen’s sudden change in decorum earlier.

  “I’ll be the judge of whether he’s—” Jonas began to grumble, his wilted ears still flat against the immaculately tied ponytail his straw-colored hair lay in. But Gemma cut him off sharply, her amusement melting into a stern tone.

  “No, Jonas. I didn’t summon Liam here just for you to play at the stern father. Liam is a powerful ally to our family and our daughter’s protector. The fact that he also is contracted guardian to Rieka’s close friends, a dimensional being, and a human should add even more credibility to that.”

  “But he looks so normal!” Jonas protested with a playful whine before turning his gaze back to me. “I’ve heard stories that you were ten feet tall and nearly eight wide, with wings large enough to envelop a carriage and claws like swords! I thought I was going to have to do my best to intimidate some eldritch creature that they had better be respectful of my baby girl. And you show up here looking like you should be my daughter’s classmate. You have to understand how disappointing this is!”

  I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up next, not because of his words, but because of Gemma’s actions.

  Queen Coldeye, ruler of the Queendom, mother to my lover and arguably the most powerful woman within several hundred miles, kicked her husband in the shins.

  The blow didn’t look that hard, but the pointed toe of her leather shoes connected with a solid enough thunk that I heard it, and Jonas crumpled with a yelp, nearly falling to the ground.

  I could immediately see where Rieka got her playful side from. Gemma might tease her daughter, but the few times I’d seen Rieka pranking the other girls—usually Kassandra, because my mischief-macaroni deserved it—she’d had that same half-grin that danced on Jonas’ lips while he pretended to flee his wife while she threatened him with her eyes.

  “I apologize, Liam. My husband clearly took my relaxed decorum as an opportunity to play the fool,” Gemma apologized, turning her attention back to me. I waved it off though with a smile.

  “No, it is fine with me. I would offer to show your husband how much of an ‘eldritch being’ I could be, but that would require me to get undressed or damage my clothing for anything like he mentioned.”

  “Oh, there has to be something you can do to prove that these stories I’m hearing have some kind of basis in fact,” Jonas begged, still rubbing his shin with one hand. “I’ve read my daughter’s letters and the tales she tells would be fantastical, if it wasn’t for the fact my wife has been backing them up.”

  I shrugged and held up my right hand. It only took a moment to unbutton the cuff so it wasn’t in danger. A push with my Shape-Shifting caused my hand to flow and shift.

  First I produced claws, then scales on the limb. Then the hand melted into a large crab-claw that I clacked at the startled man. Next I added the mass necessary to give myself an extra few joints and produced my stinging tail from the end of my wrist, narrower than normal due to not wanting to stress my shirt. Lastly, I returned it to a hand and then caused an eye to sprout from the back of my hand.

  The stimulus of the third eye and different perspective would have been disconcerting, but I’d experimented with it before. I didn’t keep it for long, smoothing the skin back over and re-buttoning my cuff once more while Jonas stared at me in surprise.

  “There are other abilities that I have, but Shape-Shifting is my primary focus. It’s how I’ve been able to protect Rieka and the others when things went bad.” I wasn’t sure how the stately looking wolf kin was going to react to all this, but the sudden smile dismissed most of my worries, with his following statement washing away the others.

  “Matthias is going to lose his mind when he sees this,” Jonas said with a broad grin while his tail began to whip back and forth. “Not to mention how Maggie and the others will when they get the full story. Rieka is going to have quite a few of her sisters envious of her.”

  “Matthias Silverscale and his wife Tori are both family friends. It was rather inevitable after little Kassandra attached herself to Rieka like she did,” Gemma explained with a small smile. “I expect you’ll be meeting with them soon, if the letters I’ve been getting from Tori are anything to go by. She’s apparently been badgering her daughter to bring you around to visit them on their estates, but Kassandra keeps begging off for classwork.”

  “That sounds like Kass,” I said with a small smile. “Was there anything else that you wanted to talk about? I can’t imagine that you spent the mana to summon me here for just a quick demonstration.”

  “Oh no, I have many questions. Rieka’s letters have only told me part of what’s been going on these last few months. I want to hear the whole story,” Jonas insisted, gesturing towards the comfortable couches that sat on one side of the room. “I don’t officially return to my duties for a few more days and Gemma insisted that I should spend one of them getting to know you. My primary focus is trade and industry, and some of the things that Rieka mentioned seeing in the ruins has me extremely curious.”

  Following his directions, I went with Jonas to settle onto one of the soft couches while Gemma plump down next to her husband. I could tell she was as curious for more intimate details as Jonas was with how her eyes sparkled.

  Rieka’s did the same thing when she was trying to formulate specifically how to ask a question after all.

  From the open smiles of the two parents in front of me, I thought it was a decent assumption that things had gone well so far with this ‘meet the parents’ moment.

  I could only hope the next one did just as well, when I met my cuddly dwarf lamia’s parents. With how devious Kassandra was, I knew they’d find a way to arrange a meeting soon if she didn’t.

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