Lin stood outside the door, giving her a smile. “I’m here to collect Gregory and Yukiko.”
“We have Jenn here, too,” Gregory said, coming into view of the doorway.
“That’s fine. There is room,” Lin said. “If you’re ready?”
“We are,” Yukiko said. She turned to Elsa and gave her a bright smile. “We’ll be back before the next year starts at the academy. Remember to do your very best, and if you do, we’ll make sure to bring you something back.”
Elsa’s eyes went wide for a moment and she curtsied. “I will do my best, miss.”
“The same goes for the others,” Gregory said. “We hope to hear how exceptional you all were when we get back.”
“We’ll do our very best,” one of the children said from the hallway.
“We know you will,” Jenn said, giving her a smile.
Elsa fidgeted a second, then curtsied again. “We will be ready for your return. May Aether guide and guard you until we see you again.”
Yukiko looked briefly at Gregory before looking back to Elsa. “I’m sure he will.”
Lin got them into the carriage, but declined to join them. Instead, he rode with the driver as they left Gin’s home behind.
“We’re leaving tomorrow...” Jenn said. “It feels odd. The first year felt so regimented, and now, everything is changing all at once.”
“Yes,” Yukiko agreed, “but for the better. I had an idea that I wanted to bring up with you both. The ring has helped us a lot, but with our current enchanted items, I’m not sure we should keep using it and switching off between us. I thought maybe we could leave it as a gift for Daciana and Nessa.”
“I like that,” Gregory said. “Are we allowed to, though?”
“Oh, that’s a good point,” Yukiko said. “We can ask Dia tonight, and if we can, maybe one of the staff can deliver it to them.”
“I agree,” Jenn nodded. “They both want to join the clan, giving them a helping hand up makes sense to me. I like both of them. Daciana is assertive, and Nessa has calm reason. They balance each other well.”
“They do,” Yukiko agreed.
“If we can, do it. It’ll help them the month we’re gone, too.”
“And give them an increased edge going into their novice year.”
Chapter Two
Since it was before midday, the taproom of Stabled Hunger was empty except Warlin’s guards and Mumisa. Mumisa looked up from her book and gave them a smile before going back to reading.
“Murium takes after her mother,” Jenn said softly as they crossed the room.
“Seems to,” Gregory agreed.
Lin knocked and opened the door to the private dining room. “Your children are here.”
Their parents stopped their conversation when the three magi entered the room. “We’re glad you could join us,” Hao said, “and a little earlier than we had thought.”
“Jenn was at Gin’s, so we didn’t have to go to the academy,” Lin told the room.
“We train together,” Yukiko said. “Having Jenn there is exactly what we wanted.”
“My daughter, the champion,” Adolphus said proudly.
“He’s excited about being able to say that when we get home,” Umbrose smiled.
Jenn smiled. “Just wait until the next tournament. We’ll be winning that one together. Everyone who gave you trouble before will start thinking twice.”
“Just be safe,” Umbrose said with concern. “We won’t be here for the next tournament. It was hard enough to get away for this one, but we wanted to see you so badly.”
“It’s the same for me,” Carmichael told Gregory. “I’ll be sure to tell everyone how you’re doing.”
“I have a letter for Gunnar,” Gregory said, passing the folded paper to his father. “Can you make sure he gets it?”
“Of course.”
There was a knock on the door and Lin answered it, letting Vana into the room with their lunch. Vana gave them bright smiles as she served them and, when she finished, she turned to the three magi. “Congratulations on your standings. Especially you,” she nodded to Jenn. “With you as her seniors, I know my daughter will do well.”
“We’ll do what we can,” Yukiko said, “but until she officially joins the clan, we can’t do much.”
“That isn’t until after the first tournament, right?”
“Yes. Novices can’t officially join a clan until then. I’m not sure Dia will approach them about joining until then, either. It would spare them extra trouble.”
“From other clans and their favorites,” Gregory explained, seeing the confusion in Vana’s face.
“Oh, yes, that makes sense,” Vana nodded.
“We’ve been doing what we can for them,” Jenn added. “They’ve made impressive strides since the first day we met them.”
“Thank you. If we can do anything for you, please let us know,” Vana said, giving them a small bow before exiting the room.
“Worried parents… makes me glad to know I’m not the only one,” Carmichael said.
“That I can drink to,” Hao chuckled. “Let’s not allow the food to cool any further.”
~*~*~
They spent the next few hours with their parents, each of them savoring the moment as much as they could. They had an early dinner, as Yukiko suggested that they should return to the academy early to prepare for their trip the next day.
Umbrose hugged Jenn tightly, murmuring to her and kissing her cheek, a few tears slipping free when she did. Jenn did her best to stay stoic, but she hugged her mother back, fighting back her own tears. Adolphus gave her a hug, too, his face stony as he made sure not to cry. That facade nearly broke when Jenn squeezed a little harder than he anticipated, making him grunt.
Yoo-jin was a little more reserved, but still gave Yukiko and Gregory hugs and kisses on their cheeks. When she stepped back, Hao moved
