Princely mistakes aether.., p.1
Princely Mistakes (Aether's Revival Book 11), page 1
Aether’s Revival
Book 11:
Princely Mistakes
Written by
Daniel Schinhofen
Edited by
Sammi Katt and Sarinia Phelps
Copyright © 2025 Daniel J. Schinhofen
No parts of this book may be reproduced in any form by an electronic or mechanical means – except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews – without the written permission from the publisher.
No part of this book may be used to create, feed, or refine artificial intelligence (AI) models for any purpose without the written permission from the publisher.
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
Copyright © 2025 Daniel J. Schinhofen
All rights reserved.
Contents
Previously…
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-one
Chapter Thirty-two
Chapter Thirty-three
Chapter Thirty-four
Chapter Thirty-five
Chapter Thirty-six
Chapter Thirty-seven
Chapter Thirty-eight
Chapter Thirty-nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-one
Chapter Forty-two
Chapter Forty-three
Chapter Forty-four
Chapter Forty-five
Chapter Forty-six
Chapter Forty-seven
Chapter Forty-eight
Chapter Forty-nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-one
Chapter Fifty-two
Chapter Fifty-three
Chapter Fifty-four
Chapter Fifty-five
Chapter Fifty-six
Chapter Fifty-seven
Chapter Fifty-eight
Chapter Fifty-nine
Chapter Sixty
Chapter Sixty-one
Chapter Sixty-two
Chapter Sixty-three
Previously…
Their posting in Krogga hadn’t been simple for the Pettits. While they cherished the time they had with each other, challenges had come far more frequently than any of them thought they would. Several surprises came while they were in Krogga, though most of those were accepted with open arms— mainly meeting Ragnar and Verka, the reborn Krog and Vera.
After the Bloodrock War, things hadn’t been awful, but it hadn’t been a simple five months, either. One of the challenges that would have reverberating ramifications was dealing with the spies. While the attack on the spies had been fraught with danger, it was what came after that was the true challenge. Grandmaster Feng, an Imperial Investigator, came to find out what happened to the Imperial spy who’d been watching the Embassy without authorization. Truly repugnant because of his attitude, he was detested by everyone, but they endured him with difficulty.
Not everything was terrible, though, as Verka would soon join them. Her marrying into the family caused a lot of ripples. It ranged from the small scale of meeting her parents, which had been a lovely time for all of them, to the larger scale of the actual ceremony. Gregory’s walk up the temple road had been full of verbal confrontations and actual combats, but thankfully, no one died during this climb. Having to talk Ragnar out of a spar had been the most fraught moment, but thankfully, Gregory bested his brother-in-law with his words.
The wedding came just before Krog’s Festival, giving the Pettits time to enjoy things. Instead of being in the boxes to watch the fights or in the arena, they were able to see the rest of the festival. Strolling through the stalls to see the best Krogheim had to offer, they even took a turn at the various tests on the fields. Everything had been amazing… until Buldoun blundered in a way no one saw coming.
On the third day of the festival, Buldoun attacked Krogheim with an old weapon made new. Explosive balls of unquenchable fire fired from ships docked in the bay would devastate the city. Buldoun might’ve even managed to crush Krogheim entirely if not for Gregory’s foresight. The scant warning he was able to give was enough to divert the worst futures from coming to pass. Even with his help, the city was left in shambles with an unknown number of deaths.
The warning that Gregory gave let his family react, allowing them to help save their friends, even those at other embassies. Yukiko was able to warn the Elven and Limazian embassies while Verka evacuated the healer’s barracks. Gregory made it to Stenson, then rang the warning bell himself before the first shots were fired. It still wasn’t enough. Gregory had to rush to the docks to stop half of the Buldounish army from making it off the docks. The fight taxed him to the brink, but he held out until help arrived.
Even then, he wasn’t done. He commandeered a council member to help save Stenson from Buldoun’s newest weapon, which was about to be deployed. Getting to the high priest with seconds to spare, Gregory and Stenson avoided deadly aethite dust spread by a cannon. The ships with cannons were too dangerous for Gregory and Stenson to fight off, meaning those ships were able to escape, but at least Stenson lived.
When the fighting was finally over, it was time to pick up the pieces. Using the confusion from the attack, the family freed the embassy slaves who wanted freedom. Only May stayed as she refused to leave Makkar. The slaves dying or fleeing when their runes broke might be questioned, but the Pettits were resolute to help them find freedom. They might come under scrutiny again, but they’d endure.
Krogheim didn’t fall, even in the face of the attack and horror of what’d happened. They pushed forward with the festival while they cleaned up the destruction. Refusing to let Buldoun stop their celebration of Krog, the country turned its gaze toward the nation that’d attacked them.
Things were unsettled, but the Pettits did the best they could. They had family coming to Krogheim in the coming months to visit or maybe live there. The city would still be rebuilding, but they’d do their best to help their loved ones when they arrived.
Chapter One
Jolting awake from a nightmare about Krogheim burning, Gregory displaced Ling and Mindie, who’d been cuddled up next to him. The pair blinked at him in confusion until he flopped back down to hold them. “Sorry. I had a nightmare about the attack.”
“Are you okay?” Mindie asked, her dual-colored eyes filled with concern.
The star-shaped divide of her eyes helped Gregory ground himself. When he was with his healer, he knew he’d be fine. “I’m good now, my love.” He kissed one of her fox ears. “I always am with you.” He turned his head over to look at Ling. “And cuddles from our lioness soothe me, too.”
Ling smiled softly, her lion ears twitching slightly when he spoke to her. “I’ll do my best to help the nightmares fade, our heart.” Her light green eyes were filled with love and concern for him.
“And we’ll help you with yours, too,” Clover said, snuggling up to Ling’s other side. Her normally energetic voice was a little sleepy, but her smile was bright when she kissed Ling’s cheek.
“Clover, your tail is tickling me,” Jenn laughed, catching the fluffy appendage. “Got it.”
“Sorry, Jenn,” Clover said, her squirrel ears dropping slightly.
“It seems we’re all awake,” Roshana said, her long rabbit ears appearing before her head did over Mindie’s shoulder. “Is everything okay?”
“Besides being awake?” Verka snorted. “I’m fine.” Yawning, she sat up. Her horns were the first noticeable trait, followed by her wide shoulders and hefty chest. Dragging her fingers through her red hair, she smiled at her family.
Yukiko was the last one to speak up from the far side of Roshana, “I was having a small nightmare myself, so being woken up isn’t a bad thing. It should be around time to get up, anyway, so we might as well do so now.” Getting to her feet, she smirked down at the pile on the floor. “Clover, you’re handling the age day today, if I remember right.”
“Yeah,” Clover nodded. “I wonder if anyone will even be here for it?”
Verka stood up as the family was rising for the day. Towering over Yukiko, the taller, broader woman snagged the white-haired blond for a kiss. “When do you ever remember anything wrong, Yuki?”
Cyan eyes sparkling with laughter that she held back, Yukiko grinned. “I can’t recall.”
“Boo,” Jenn laughed as she got to her feet from the bedding on the floor. “No kisses for you. That was a terrible joke.”
Yukiko had t
Jenn struggled, but they all knew it was a token effort as she could easily use her own aether to get free if she wanted to. “Cheater.” The word held hints of laughter.
Yukiko vanished into shadow from Verka’s arms to wrap Jenn from behind. Holding her loving wife, Yukiko giggled. “I have to use every advantage against such a fierce fighter.”
“I thought we were getting up for the day, not distracting all of us,” Mindie said with a trace of lust in her voice.
“Yuki, if you need to wrap someone in shadows, I volunteer as tribute,” Roshana giggled. “Maybe tonight?”
After claiming her kiss from Jenn, Yukiko let her go before turning to wink at Roshana. “If that’s what my heart wishes. I enjoy making sure you have your desires, too.”
Clover pouted as she continued to hold Ling. “Do we all have to get dressed right now?”
Everyone laughed at her put-upon pout. It was clear she wanted what she’d had practically every day since being married.
“I promise you’ll get what you want later, my heart,” Gregory said. “I just… not right now, okay?”
“Sorry, Greg,” Clover said contritely. “I know you had a nightmare.” She got to her knees, leaning over Ling to kiss Gregory softly. “I understand.”
“It’s okay,” Gregory smiled up at her. “Don’t smother Ling.”
Clover snickered. “I’m not Roshana or Verka. Ling’s fin— Ling!”
“Sorry. The temptation was too much,” Ling snickered.
Mindie giggled. She’d seen Ling gently bite Clover’s nipple, which had been right in her face. “That was terrible, but a good reminder, too.”
Clover stood, then held out her hand to help Ling to her feet. “Yeah, I shouldn’t have teased you.”
The pair held each other for a moment when they were up. “It’s okay, sweetling.”
That left just Mindie and Gregory in bed. The pair shared a look, then a kiss, before they also left the bedding behind. Verka was dressed first. Her outfit was not as complicated as their kimonos, but since no one was dawdling, they were all clothed and sitting on the floor in a circle in no time. While everyone worked on their Armsmaster Squares, Gregory checked his meeting with Rudit with foresight before he did the same.
~*~*~
“Good morning, Rudit, Makkar,” Gregory said, entering the makeshift office.
“Gregory, come sit,” Rudit said. “I’m sure today has a few issues to be handled.”
“Not for us here. The only thing that’s odd is that there’s only a single child brought to become an adult today. Well, I guess it isn’t odd so much as sad. Honestly, it makes me think more children from the empire died in the attack than we might’ve thought.”
Rudit nodded solemnly. “I hope this is just a matter of there not being many births years ago.”
“Me, too. Clover manages the ritual fine. She’s sad that only a single person comes to be an adult, but we all understand why that might be.”
“Yes. I will need to ask Clover and Ling to reach out to the known citizens of the empire who live in the city. We should check to see how bad things are for them.”
“I did advise them, ma’am.”
“What else happens today?” Rudit asked.
“Mindie’s hoping to go with Verka to see Annadottir today.”
Rudit was silent for a moment before she nodded. “I approve of it, as I said the other day. Have her heal anyone else there who asks, as well. It’ll make things easier for me to report— we’re offering to continue the goodwill we have with the city during this disaster.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Gregory said. “If you don’t have anything specifically for Yukiko to handle, she’ll try to check on the vaults to see if anything survived the destruction of the embassy.”
Rudit’s lips twitched. She knew Yukiko had already planted the broken slave runes in the vault. They must have another reason for asking to go, but the less she knew, the better. “Yes, that’s for the best. It was only Rafiq’s rune, held by you, and May’s, which my son had in his care, that survived the attack. I do need to note why he had the rune of one of your personal slaves, as I don’t believe that was noted anywhere.”
“I sold her to him,” Gregory said, blank-faced. “It’s clear he had… interest in her.”
The mother and son both stared at him for a long moment before they nodded. “I see,” Rudit said. “Selling slaves is something many magi do. I’ll have to amend my report before sending it off today. We might see Feng again far sooner than any of us wants.”
“A possibility that none of us want, but will endure if needed,” Gregory said.
“Someone will come to investigate. The destruction of the embassy will not be believed.”
“Because of the enchantments against aether that were on it.”
“Correct. My report will be in doubt until another verifies it themselves.”
“Is that why you wanted us to leave it as is?” Gregory asked.
“Yes. I want whoever comes to see the wreckage at its worst.”
“Understood, ma’am. I’ll make sure Yuki knows to leave everything exactly as it is, minus whatever can be salvaged from the vaults.”
“Good. We’ll join your wives in the stable yard for the Peaceful Fist. Are the men rotating to get their exercise in?”
“Having a far smaller yard to work with, we had to split them into two groups.”
“I see,” Rudit stood up. “The day will not wait for us. Let’s go.”
Makkar stood up, as did Gregory. “Greg, if I might have a moment?”
“I’ll see you both downstairs,” Rudit said, leaving them in the room.
“What’s the matter, Makkar?” Gregory asked when Rudit was gone.
“Thank you…” Makkar said softly. “I’ll treasure May for my entire life.”
“I know,” Gregory said, clapping Makkar’s shoulder. “If I doubted, then I’d never have ‘sold’ her rune to you.”
Makkar bowed his head, letting the conversation end. He might well be questioned about May if Feng returned. That would be a difficult day for him, but he’d sooner cut off his own hand than hurt May, his mother, or his friends. He prayed to Vera and Aether to protect him and those he cared for.
~*~*~
Clover wore a melancholy smile when there was only one young man there for the age day ceremony. She’d known it was only going to be a single person because Gregory had told her, but it was still saddening. It was all too easy to imagine how many other young adults perished in the attack. “It’s okay. Come on over. It looks like you’re the only new adult today.”
The young man wore a grim expression as he crossed the yard to Clover. “There should’ve been more. My friend…” Trailing off, he shook his head, doing his best to hold back tears.
“You came alone. Are your parents okay?” Clover asked.
“Only my father and I are here,” the young man said as he took a knee in front of Clover. “He’s recovering. I’m ready, Magi.”
Clover exhaled slowly as she lightly gripped his head. “Child, you come before me on the cusp of adulthood. You’ve already walked through fire and pain, but now, we’ll see if you have aether. Brace yourself. It hurts no matter what.” Clover swallowed, then pushed her aether through her hand into the young man. “Aether, have you blessed this child with your grace?” She had to tighten her hand, as the young man bucked when her aether touched him. After a few seconds, she gently eased him to the ground, kneeling beside him. “I’m sorry, but you’re not a magi. You are an adult, though. May Aether at least smile on you to have a good life.”
Panting, the young man got to his hands and knees as tears spilled from his eyes. “Thank you, Magi. I… I hope so, too. It hurts, not having her beside me anymore. We were going to marry…”
Clover hugged him. “Oh, I’m so sorry…”
Rudit looked at the yard, devoid of everyone else. “The age day ceremony is complete. Pettits, see to your duties. Clover, take your time.”
The family went to do what she wanted them to. Clover stayed to comfort the new adult, grieving the loss of the woman he’d hoped to marry. She couldn’t even imagine how heartbroken she’d have been if Ling had died before they’d married Gregory and the others. The moment yet again drove home how many lives had been broken by Buldoun’s treachery.
