Victor of Tucson

Book 7: Chapter 12: A Surprising Proposal

Victor sat in the formal dining room of Issas home in the metallic tower on the edge of First Landing. Shed invited him and the others for dinnera sendoff and thank-you for their efforts. Only Alec, Issa, a man named Boris Saltzki, and a woman named Diane Royce were there to represent the growing colony, and Victor was fine with that. Still, it didnt stop Issa from feeling self-conscious about the little group. I hope you dont mind that I kept things small, she said, leaning to her right, close to Victor and, beside him, Valla. There were dozens, maybe hundreds of people clamoring to join us, and I couldnt think of a fair way to pair things down. Instead, I insisted that youd want some calm after your heroics on the field and the frenzy of the crowd afterward.

You used me as an excuse? Victor grinned as Valla elbowed him in the ribs.

As he hammed it up, wincing and rubbing at his side, she said, You dont know his humor. Hes teasing. This is perfect.

Well, I have some ulterior motives for keeping it small. I wanted to be sure that Boris and Diane had a chance to speak with you. Issa gestured to her left, where her two other guests occupied the spots across from Victor and Valla. Further down the table were Alec, Borrius, Darro, and Nia. As Victor scanned the table, he started to laugh.

Hey, Borrius. I just realized you and Boris have almost the same name.

How astute, Victor. Borrius sighed at the interruption, then turned back to Alec and continued his description of an inn hed been impressed by in Tharcray. Leave it to the old commander to try to teach Alec about the hotel business.

Ive cooked something simple, but I hope it will remind you of home, Victor; its one of the first dishes from Earth that I tasted when I came to First Landing. My friend, Maria, taught me how to make it. Victor saw her focus, and she spoke very carefully, trying to properly enunciate the vowels and syllables as she said, Enchiladas.

En serio? Victors eyes opened wide with excitement.

Yes! Seriously. I hope I did them justice, but Im not too worried. Im good with recipes, and Maria has tasted my efforts. Im fairly sure shed tell the truth if they werent good.

Awesome! Thank you, Issa. Suddenly, Victors entire outlook had changed. Hed been sort of dreading sitting around talking over another fancy meal. Now, he had enchiladas to look forward to.

Its my pleasure. Issa looked tickled by Victors genuine enthusiasm. Excuse me while I check on my children and then the food. Ill be back shortly. Diane, now would be a good time to speak to our guests about your research. She stood and walked away while Diane cleared her throat and looked at Victor and Valla. She was clearly nervous, struggling to maintain eye contact with either of them.

She has kids? Victor asked, saving the woman from having to speak first.

Oh, you didnt know? Boris chuckled. Two little ones and a few older ones shes kind of adopted. Youd never know it, considering how hard she works, but yeah, shes one of the most generous, big-hearted people Ive ever met.

Sheesh, Victor sighed, leaning back. Now I feel lazy.

Ah! Diane finally found her voice. Thats an excellent segue, Mr. Sandoval. I wouldnt call what you did on the field today lazyin fact, it was the most eye-opening demonstration of personal power Ive ever seen, and Ive seen Morgan Hall in action! She smiled again, looking nervous as everyone turned to her. She was a small, jittery woman with light brown hair, cut short above the ears and tapered at the necknot too different from Victors usual haircut. She had rosy cheeks and brown eyes, and when she blushed nervously, she reminded Victor of a school kid who knew the answer but was scared to say it in front of the class. Ive been, um, researching the spirit Cores among the Urghat, Grugell, and Krystree peoples.

Victor frowned and glanced at Valla. Ive heard of the Urghat but not the others.

Theyre all considered low-affinity by the System, and so they arent given access to the boons it grantslevels, skills, even the language integration skill. When we began integrating them into our society, I was on the team to help document their languages and cultural practices. Thats when I made the connection about the low-affinity species having a higher incidence of spirit Cores than among other peoples. She gestured around the table. In fact, Victor, youre the first human Ive heard of who has one.

Yeah, I heard something similar during that town hall. Victor shrugged. He could tell she wasnt trying to be insulting, so he waited to hear her out.

Ive learned that those with spirit Cores are revered among the low-affinity folks; theyre seen as leaders and as a living connection to their ancestors. I believe such Cores used to be more common among other peoples, toothe Shadeni, Ardeni, and Ghelli in particular. Have you run across others with such an affinity in your travels?

Not many, but yeah. It was a Shadeni Old Motherkind of a wise womanwho taught me most of what Ive learned. Well, and a spirit fragment I found in an artifact deep under the earth. Victor glanced at Valla, scratched his jaw in contemplation, then added, It shouldnt be a secret that spirit Core affinities are tied to a persons character traits and emotions. Theyre the essence of who we are. Old Mother used to tell me that civilized folkher wordsworked hard to weed emotions out of their magic. That prejudice made it kind of rare for people to form a spirit Core, even if it might have been possible for them. There are tons of Ardeni and Shadeni with simple pearl Cores. They use basic, unattuned Energy, and I bet many of them might have formed spirit Cores but were steered away from them by a mentor.

But why? Its clear that your magic isnt weak. Why would the magical schools and mentors, as you call them, try to weed spirit Cores out?

Valla answered for him, her voice soft but thick with emotion as she remembered something disturbing, Because theyre dangerous. She glanced at Victor almost apologetically.

Its all right. Tell her.

People have dark sides to their spirits, and often theyre the stronger affinities. You saw Victor unleash his rage on the field outside the wall, but what you dont know is that he had to work very hard to gain that kind of control. Once upon a time, anyone around him, even us up on the wall, would have been at risk. I . . . I doubt Victor wants to speak about it, but there are other affinities that are even more dangerous, more frightening.

Ah! Victor had heard the idiom about a lightbulb going off in someones head, but hed never seen it so well represented as at that moment in Dianes expression. That explains everythingthe stigma, the prejudice, the lack of such Cores among the city-dwelling folk. I can imagine how affinities based on negative traits or emotions could cause problems among people whose ties werent as close-knit as a clan or tribal structure. Imagine someone with an affinity for paranoia running amok in New York City! She turned to Boris as she spoke, and he nodded along with her.

Its not just negative affinities that can be a problem, Victor added. When they looked at him with questioning expressions, he said, Think of the damage someone with an affinity for love could do with the wrong intentions.

You mean . . . Boriss words trailed off as his mind traced dark paths.

Yeah. Victor shrugged. I could be a real asshole with some of my affinities, especially as my Core continues to grow in power. The conversation was put on hold as Issa returned carrying a big, steaming casserole dish. Victors mouth began to water as the unmistakable, smoky scents of baked chili peppers, onions, and corn tickled his nose, waking up memories hed left buried for far too long. He saw his abuelas smiling face as she lifted a pot from the oven. He saw his cousins laughing around the big table in her kitchen. He felt a loss so keen that his eyes began to tear up, and he had to look down and squeeze them shut for a moment.

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The dinner was delicious, and Victor had a lot of fun describing some of the dishes he missed from home. Issas enchiladas were great, the best thing hed eaten in months, but they werent exactly like his abuelas. It made senseevery family did something a little different. They werent very spicy, and there was more cheese and greens than he was used to, but Victor couldnt imagine complaining; the meal was terrific.

As they ate, they spoke about Cores, about cultivating, and about how important it was to find natural treasures that would allow them to craft more powerful items and to improve their bodies. As Dennis Whitehorse had learned the hard way, a persons strength, or any other attribute, could reach heights that the people in the human colony hadnt entirely realized. Overall, it was a pleasant meal with good food and company, and Victor felt much better about the human settlement than he had going into it.

They wrapped things up earlyIssa insisted she had to spend some time with her children, and Victor and the others hoped to sleep in their own beds that night. With that in mind, Alec guided them back through town in the early evening to the portal hall. The people they passed on the way were pleasant, and several clapped and called out Victors name. He felt almost like theyd ask for an autograph if times were a little different. They were even stopped by a few parliament members who offered their thanks.

Unsurprisingly, they saw nothing of Whitehorse or his faction. As they approached the portal hall, Alec chuckled as Victor mentioned the contentious mans absence. Oh, hes off with his aides trying to salvage something from his defense budget. Hes going to get massacred in the assembly on Monday.

Speaking of budgets, Borrius said, clearing his throat obnoxiously.

Ah, dont you worry, good sir! I have your payment right here. Alec slapped a pouch that hung from his belt. A lot of beads, but I think its worth it, considering you probably saved us from just as much trouble. P&D will have to curtail their warmongering for the foreseeable future. He unfastened the pouch and handed it to Victor. When Victor trickled a bit of Energy into it, he was pleased to find the full sum of promised Energy beads within the dimensional container.

You guys can make these? Victor held up the bag.

Beads? Or dimensional containers? Well, yes to both. That many beads would take us a long time to craft, but we earn a lot through our trade partners. Weve apparently thought of some clever uses for Energy that hadnt yet occurred to the people in this world. The telephones, for instanceTarns Crossing paid us a tidy sum for a similar system. Boris is in talks with Persi Gables now that we have a portal connecting us. I think were going to see some big paydays soon.

Youre coming back with us, yes? Valla asked, stepping closer to Alec.

Oh, Ill come through in the morning if thats all right. Id like to spend a little time with the hotel staff tonight. There are a few adjustments I want to make to the schedule.

Of course, thats fine. Valla smiled, reaching out to clasp Alecs hand. Thank you so much for this opportunity. Lam will be thrilled that we have the funding for the stones advancement. Were all very worried about our friend and want to start taking action to help her.

Will you leave right away?

Victor nodded, gesturing toward Nia, Darro, and Borrius. Probably, yeah. Well drop these folks off, and then Im going to go down to the stone to see how much I can unlock with these. He jostled the sack of beads, though they didnt click together, and the bag felt emptythey were all in the dimensional space. He shook Alecs hand when Valla released him, and then the five of them waited while Alec activated the teleportation stone. The crackling blue portal appeared, bright enough to make Victor squint in the dim light of the hall, and, with a wave, he stepped through.

He emerged into the dark, silent, cold air of the Travel Pavilion back in the Free Marches. It was well past midnight there, and the colony was fast asleep. With crackling bursts of light, his companions came through behind him, and then the portal shimmered and popped out of existence. I almost expected some treachery, Borrius announced, looking around.

Nia nodded, hand on the hilt of her belt knife. Me as well, Lord Borrius.

Why didnt you say something? Valla asked.

The scarred, angry-looking woman formed a rare smile, showing her surprisingly white, straight teeth. I didnt want to insult our host and trusted Lord Victor would see us through any deceit.

All right, well, things went fine. Im heading to the colony stone. Victor turned to look Valla in the eyes. I have a meeting with that steward tomorrow, the one who used to work for Polo. If I can get him to agree to work for me, Ill be ready to leave. Will you find Lam and Lesh and fill them in?

I was thinking Id find her, aye. Shell want to hear the good news. She stepped forward, offered him a quick kiss, and then started toward the door. Victor had just turned to pass some final instructions to Nia when the portal burst to life again with crackling blue Energy. He stepped back, snatched Lifedrinker out of her harness, and severed the Energy feeding his Alter Self spell, surging to his full, natural height. He heard Vallas wings crack open and Midnight sing as she drew the blade. Nia, grimacing with determination, drew her long, curved knife and hurried to stand beside him. A second later, a man stepped through the portal.

Oh, God, dont hit me! Darren Whitehorse wailed, holding his hands up, illustrating his lack of weaponry. I come in peace!

Victor growled and lowered his axe. What the fuck, Darren? Youre supposed to schedule activation of this portal using the Farscribe Book.

In a stunning display of obsequious groveling, the man fell to his knees before Victor, ducking his head so his long, dark ponytail flopped over his shoulder. I . . . Im not authorized to use the portal. Ive come to join you, to follow you, Victor. Its the only way Ill ever save any face. I have to learn what Ive failed to grasp. My political ambitions are overIve left my resignation from parliament with a friend. Please! I have to learn!

Nah, thats not happening. Im not babysitting you. Theres just as much chance youd die as learn something. Everyones eyes were on him now, and Victor waved Nia, Darro, and Borrius off. You guys can go. Nia, come see me in the morning, please.

As you say, Lord. Nia slammed her knife back into its sheath, a look of something like disappointment in her eyes. She left, and Darro followed, but Borrius lingered.

The old commander cleared his throat. Victor, you could do much for your people, I mean your kin from your homeworld, if you were to help this man. Assuming his intentions are true.

They are! They are! Truly, Victoryouve opened my eyes! I know you can swat me like a gnat. I know Im nothing to you. Let me learn! Ive failed so many people and wasted so much time, Energy, and wealth! Please! Ive left my aide; Ive left most of my belongingsits just me, and I swear Ill be no burden. Ive brought enough money to fund my passage. Let me see whats beyond this world. Let me learn the truth about this new System-controlled universe. Let me bring something valuable home to our people. Let me spread true knowledge, not the nonsense Id allowed to cloud my mind! The mans pleas were desperate in their apparent sincerity, tears pooling in his eyes as he begged. Victor had never seen anything like it.

Victor looked at Borrius, then down at Darren, and his scowl sent a shudder through the man. To his credit, Whitehorse didnt look away. First of all, those arent my people. I like some of them, and I suppose Im related to one of em, but these, Victor gestured around, indicating Rellias burgeoning capital, are my people. He looked over his shoulder at Valla, but she simply shrugged. He supposed shed have advice for him later when the others werent listening. Borrius, will you show him where the inn is? Ill talk to him in the morning. Scowling, furious annoyance threatening to push regretful words through his lips, Victor turned and stalked into the night.

He'd only managed a dozen paces into the garden outside the Travel Pavilion when Valla caught up to him. He was still full-sized, his long strides forcing her to jog as she said, Calm down, Victor. Talk to me.

He slowed and glared down at her; for a moment, his anger was directed toward her, and she flinched. That expression finally got through to him, and the scope of his overreaction dawned on him. Jesus, whats wrong with me?

I was going to ask that! So what if he came here begging to join you? Just say no. Why are you upset?

I . . . Victor closed his eyes and thought about it. When it clicked, he chuckled. Id convinced myself that man was my enemy. Some part of me is pissed that hes here. Some part of me wants to rip him to pieces. Dammit, Valla, I have to get a grip on this Quinametzin anger. Pride? Its all a blurry, hot mess in my head. I think I wanted him to suffer through his humiliation back home. Im irritated that he slipped away and did the only really smart thing he could doask us for help.

And part of you knows its the right thing to do. If he was the primary obstacle to your cousins politics, wouldnt it help her if we can educate the man? Wouldnt it promise a more hopeful future for your species here on Fanwath if he were to return and help her and Issa rather than rallying people against them?

Yeah. Victor sighed, then turned back toward the center of the colony. Ill go feed the stone. Lets talk about this later. Just because we help him doesnt mean he has to tag along. We could leave him with Borrius. Victor barked a short laugh. Imagine that! Borrius would lecture him night and day! Valla wasnt quite as amused as he was, but she hugged him briefly, and then Victor walked alone to the colony stone. As he went, his mind ran through the situation, and he knew he was full of shit; hed probably bring Darren with him, if for no other reason than to watch his face when he realized how wrong hed been. Whats one more guy following me around? Ill put Lesh in charge of him, chica. Victor laughed at the idea. I gotta admit, though, the guy surprised me. I think Olivia will thank me if I keep him. Better hes here, learning a lesson than stirring up more trouble for her.

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