Nicholas looks rather startled.

  “I…I have never actually asked them. I do not believe that most mind it too much. Not when I am spending my time among humans – the majority of them dislike sitting around with little to occupy themselves. I think that they would rather be on my skin when I am fulfilling my duties as a lord and then released when I go for a hunt. My tattoos allow for a true stasis, you see – they do not age when they are in the deepest level so for them it is as if the interim time did not exist.”

  It’s an interesting answer, and not only for the information about the tattoos. I can already tell that the relationship between Nicholas and his Bound is very different to what I have with my companions. Not even asking whether they liked being made into a skin-drawing… I bet he didn’t ask whether they wanted to undergo the process either. It’s a little disquieting, but I suppose that as long as he doesn’t interfere with my own Bound, I can live and let live.

  “You find my comments disturbing,” Nicholas remarks, his eyes sharp as they observe me. I feel kind of like a creature under a microscope, regarded with dispassion.

  “I was just thinking that we go about things in a very different way with our Bound,” I answer honestly, doing my best to keep a note of challenge out of my voice. I don’t actually want to create a fight.

  “Indeed…. Tell me, Markus, how often do you confer with your Bonded on important decisions?”

  “On ones that affect all of us? Whenever I can,” I answer, now unable to keep that note of defiance from my voice or expression. “We are in this together; we should all have a say.”

  “And if they disagree with you?”

  “Then, if there’s time, we discuss the situation until we come to an agreement.”

  “What if there is not enough time?”

  “Then I make whatever decision I must and we deal with the consequences afterwards. And if I am not present, then they do the same.”

  “You’re in the habit of sending them off without you to accomplish tasks, are you?”

  “Considering that six of them were leaders independent of me in the other world, yes. I trusted them to be the competent and accomplished beings that they are,” I bite out, something about his words rubbing me right up the wrong way. “Now, is that the end of the interrogation or do you have more questions to ask?”

  Nicholas crosses his hands at the wrist, fisting his hands and placing them on the table next to his plate.

  “Peace, Markus. I mean no offense.” A feathery head nudges at my hand and I stroke Bastet’s head, the familiar sensation calming me down. I send her a wordless expression of gratitude.

  “Then what did you mean?” I ask, less hostilely than I might have if Bastet hadn’t intervened.

  “To speak plainly, surely you can understand why I might find it important to determine whether my heir is in charge of his Bonded – or if they are in charge of him,” he answers, raising his eyebrows in question. And, now calmer, I suppose I can understand that.

  “We seem to have a very different relationship than you do with your Bound,” I tell him finally, in full control of myself again. “As I keep telling you, we’re friends, family. I lead and they follow, but they don’t have any issues telling me when they don’t think we’re going in a direction we should. Nor would I want them to keep quiet.” Then I fix Nicholas with a meaningful look. “I hope that how you treat your ‘Bonded’ isn’t how you intend on treating your heir.”

  Nicholas looks startled at that.

  “Of course not! My heir is an extension of my House, with his decisions to be given almost equal weight to that of my own. Which is why, as I’ve said, I must be very careful about who I give that position to.” He looks thoughtful. “In some ways, perhaps it is a blessing in disguise to not have a child of my own loins – being able to choose is not something everyone is able to do when there is an adequate candidate of one’s blood available. I find I understand King Ionith more than I thought I might.”

  “Because he has to choose his own successor?”

  “Because he understands how important it is for the successor to fit the position more than just adequately.”

  There’s silence between us for a little while and I finish the food on my plate. Then a thought occurs to me.

  “When your Bound are still on your skin, do they still make progress towards an Evolution? Is that what you mean by ‘benefit from the excess’?”

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  “To an extent, and only the most expensive enchantments have that feature. Little is known about why certain beasts Evolve and others don’t, but several Tamers have noted that Evolution past Tier two requires a certain amount of conscious effort on the part of the beast. Even with the most expensive enchantments, it doesn’t matter how much excess Energy is poured into the sleeping beasts: they will only progress by a certain amount, and even that seems to vary from beast to beast.”

  “Maybe it’s because they have to focus on forming their Energy channels?” I suggest. “Or perhaps it’s that they need to have a solid understanding of their abilities and what they could become and it takes time to develop that,” I muse, thinking about how Tarra’s and Flower’s epiphanies were what allowed them to finally breach the barrier of Tier three. Tarra’s Energy channels changed significantly after her Evolution, though she still only had one Core, the same as Windy. Honestly, from what I’ve seen, it seems pretty evident that a companion wouldn’t be able to Evolve while sleeping, though it’s good to know that they can still absorb Energy.

  I come out of my thoughts to realise that Nicholas is looking at me oddly.

  “Energy channels?” It’s my turn to give him a strange look. Does…this world not know of Energy channels? It wasn’t in the knowledge stone that I absorbed, but I put that down to it either having been lost when I absorbed it or perhaps not being judged as common enough knowledge to put it in there in the first place. But Nicholas’ reaction makes me think it’s not known at all.

  “You know,” I answer slowly, “the network of channels which connects the Core to the body, allowing us to absorb Energy, add points to our stats, and do magic?”

  He shakes his head slowly.

  “I have never heard of this,” he admits. “Perhaps Jerry would know more. My healer,” he clarifies a moment seeing my lack of recognition. His gaze becomes more intent. “And you say this is something in us as much as in beasts?”

  “They’re different in some ways, but essentially, yes.”

  “And they impact the chances of Evolution in beasts? And level increases in us?”

  “Well, from what I’ve seen, it’s not that the Energy channels impact our level ups – it’s that it’s how we level up. For my companions, though, I’ve seen that, yes, the Energy channels are a big part of what decides whether a beast Evolves from Tier one to Tier two. The second Evolution is a little bit more complicated, though. By helping to heal or redirect the growth of Energy channels, I’ve been able to help several beings Evolve who were otherwise stuck at Tier one.”

  Nicholas abruptly sits up very straight.

  “You’ve been able to affect the chances of Evolution?” He sounds completely shocked. “Do you have any idea how many people would kill for that ability?”

  “Well, I didn’t before, but I’m getting a good idea based on your reaction,” I comment warily. “It’s really that unusual here?”

  “Yes. I’ve never heard of anyone who was able to actively affect the chances of their Bonded Evolving! We give those of our Bonded who we would like to Evolve Cores to help them do so, and we’ve discovered over the centuries that Cores which have an aspect similar to our Bonded’s own are more likely to help them Evolve. There are also some potions which seem to increase the chances of Evolution, though they certainly don’t always work. No enchantment has been found that has more than a small effect, though. However, actively affecting these ‘Energy channels’ and enabling them to Evolve….” He shakes his head and I can practically see the calculations going through his brain. “It is hard to know whether other tamers would be more likely to shower you with gifts or try to kidnap and enslave you in order to gain access to this.”

  “Well,” I answer with strong feeling as a hint of panic wells up in me at the thought, “anyone who tries to force me to do anything is going to wind up with a severe case of ‘dead’.” I can’t help glaring at Nicholas a little. I know it’s unfair – he hasn’t given me any indication that he would do such – if anything, I reckon he’s more likely to go the other route and shower me with gifts if I can judge by what I’ve seen so far – but that he’s thought of the possibility means it’s occurred to him.

  Nicholas once more crosses his closed fists at the wrists and presses them to the table, leaning forward with his own intent gaze.

  “Markus, calm yourself. It is a warning, nothing more,” he commands. I don’t particularly like his tone, but I recognise the truth in his words. When he sees that I’m calmer, he continues. “I would not advise revealing that you have this ability to anyone else. Not until you are powerful enough that no one would dream of crossing you, and even then it is not something to reveal willy-nilly. People will either want to have it, or to stop others from having it.” He looks at me meaningfully and I feel a bit sick at the implications. Why did I want to be among other humans again? “Fortunately, as the heir to a Great House, you will be far more protected than you would be as an independent tamer trying to make your way in the world.” A little presumptuous since I haven’t actually told him I’m going to be his heir, but annoyingly accurate all the same.

  “I’ll keep it quiet,” I agree. “I can only help those Bound to me with Dominate or a Dominate-type Bond anyway, so it wouldn’t be much good to anyone else.”

  “Is that so,” Nicholas answers thoughtfully. I suddenly wonder whether I should have told him, but then decide that second-guessing myself is a bad idea. If I can’t trust the guy I’m planning to become the heir of, then who can I trust in this world – apart from my Bound? He turns his attention back onto me, his eyes sharp.

  “Markus, time is short. I have given you the night to consider. What is your response? Will you become my heir, knowing that the agreement must be sworn with the Goddess of Binding as arbitrator, or not?”

  I don’t see much point in torturing the guy by hesitating, not when I’ve already made my decision and have had no reason to change it. In fact, if anything, Nicholas now knowing about my ability to heal Energy channels is more reason to go forward – if I’m his heir, he has motivation to keep that information under wraps.

  “I will.”

  Tension leaves Nicholas’ body at my response, obvious to my eyes only because of Animal Empathy. He pushes himself to his feet.

  “Then, since we have both finished breaking our fasts, let us adjourn to the library to draw up the agreement.”

  here!

  here!

  here!

  here