Chapter 25: Could Almost Kill for a Good Burrito

Chapter 25: Could Almost Kill for a Good Burrito

For an introvert, going to a party was like going to war. There was a lot of mental preparation that was often involved, and armor that manifested in nice clothing, shoes, and overall put together appearance. It was like this for Tori every time and she was used to the stages of preparation.

Tonight, they would be attending the winter ball of Count Ferrero, one of the main vassals to the Gueveras. The Ferrero Estate was just outside the east gates of the city and it wouldnt take them long to get there. Tori had looked up his family and noted that there were two daughters and a son within a few years of her age. It was likely that she had been rude to them at one point and needed to prepare herself for meeting them.

Kasen said to expect that other vassals would also be at the party, as, of the three they were planning to attend, this one was the largest. The Gueveras themselves didnt throw a winter ball. They had a family dinner. Instead, they threw a week-long spring festival in the city and then a harvest festival in autumn.

However, they still had social obligations and so members of the family had to make appearances. This often fell on Sebastian, the heir, Kasen, and now Tori, who happened to be home.

She stood in front of the massive mirror leaning against one wall of her room, looking at the slightly toned-down version of what wouldve been a rococo-era dress. It was heavy and she had to wear a small hoop to make sure the satin and lace skirt came down correctly. It had poet sleeves, ribbons, and a low neckline.

Tori looked down at her chest and pursed her lips. In her original world, shed use her cleavage as a pocket when, for whatever reason, she didnt have one and needed to free her hands. At her friends wedding, she needed to keep her car keys, phone, and a small wallet on her, so she shoved them in there and they fit in snuggly.

Now, she doubted it would hold a credit card snuggly. Im not asking for my Ds, Im just asking for something.

My lady, you look very beautiful. Tori heard the maid who just finished styling her hair into an updo speak as she stepped back. The gown the marquess selected fits you perfectly.

Tori took a deep breath and put on a little smile. Yes, the colors go well with my features. Her mother had gone with a sapphire-colored dress with gray embellishments. Her hair had been decorated with sapphire pins and jewelry that night were sapphires set on silver. Get my coat. I should go downstairs.

The maid brought out Toris black Ilyana coat and she put it on, careful of the sleeves, and only buttoning it down to her cinched waist, allowing the coat to rest over the skirt. She headed downstairs and already felt hot in the coat. She shouldve known that this many layers of dress would keep her warm.

Look at my little girl! Her father gushed as she came down the stairs. Her mother clasped her hands together, utterly pleased. A beauty just like her mother.

Tori smiled as she reached the ground floor. Im ready to go. Where are my brothers?

Theyre already outside, her mother said as her father offered his arm to escort her. Tori took it and they walked through the fortress to get to the outer courtyard.

A carriage was waiting at the bottom of the steps and her brothers were standing beside it. They were both dressed well, far neater than how she usually saw them dressed. Their black shoes were shiny and their suits pressed and dark beneath the mohair coats she gifted them. Even their hair was combed back.

It looked so odd to her, as she was used to seeing them with messy hair, that she almost laughed. Her father leaned down. They look strange, dont they?

Tori snickered and gave him a nod before she was ushered into the carriage. Her brothers came in after and sat across from her.

How are you feeling? Its your first ball since the accident, Kasen asked as the carriage jerked forward.

A bit nervous, she said. But were just there to make an appearance on behalf of the family.

Sebastian is the heir. We can leave most of the talking to him, Kasen said as he looked over at their brother.

Sebastian nodded. Count Ferreros balls are quite casual and everyone in attendance is familiar with our family. There isnt much dancing, either.

Tori nodded and looked out the window as they passed through Presidio. The old streets had lamps, but they werent as bright as the ones in Horizon, likely because the streets were not as wide.

It took less than half an hour to reach Count Ferreros estate and by the time they arrived, there was already a small line of carriages in front of them dropping off attendees at the front. The estate itself wasnt as large as the fortress, but it was newer or at least had been renovated much more recently. The facade differed greatly from the usual building styles within Presidios walls.

Once we step out, just follow me to greet the various lords and ladies, Sebastian said as their carriage slowly moved forward. After we greet the major parties, you and Kasen can go get something to eat. Count Ferrero always has a good array of food and drink at his parties.

Tori nodded once more. Their carriage finally reached the front and a footman came to open the door. Sebastian stepped out first, followed by Kasen, who held out his hand to help Tori down.

Smile. Nod. Shake hands. Friendly greetings, exchange questions, and move on. Tori told herself as she fixed a neutral, business smile on her face and stepped out of the carriage. She took Kasens arm and was led inside. They handed off their coats once they entered the foyer.

If anything happens to that coat, someone will pay dearly, Sebastian said with a cold smile.

Tori resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She tugged his sleeve and gave a nod of her head to urge him to continue forward.

A set of double doors was up ahead and small groups of people were waiting to be announced and enter through them.

Smile. Nod. Shake hands. Tori stood up straight with her shoulders down and chin up to elongate her neck. She kept her pleasant demeanor as she stood beside Kasen and followed Sebastian closer and closer to the entrance.

Lord Sebastian de Guevera, Lord Kasen de Guevera, and Lady Victoria de Guevera have arrived!

They stepped into the wide ballroom and the bright lights almost made her squint. She could feel dozens of eyes on them as they entered and she could only pretend she didnt notice as she followed Sebastian around.

Smile. Nod. Shake hands.

Count Ferrero, thank you for having us. Were happy to be able to come tonight, Tori shook the hands of a tall, middle-aged man who was beaming.

Its a pleasure to have all three of you come. How has your time been at Lyce? he asked. He looked thoughtful. Have you gotten homesick yet?

A few times, but I call home often, Tori replied after shaking his hand.

Ah, its always hard to be away from home for the first time, Count Ferrero gave her a nod. Since youre here, be sure to try tonights food. Ive made sure to put out the best of our southern delicacies.

A genuine smile reached Toris face. Not to diminish your greeting, but that may be the highlight of my night.

Count Ferrero let out a laugh and ushered her along to greet the next guest. The line of greetings continued on. Count Ferreros wife, three other vassals, two local lords, and some visiting nobility came one after the other.

Smile. Nod. Shake hands.

Last one, she heard Kasen whisper as they reached an elderly woman. Tori gave her a proper greeting and smiled. She answered the questions asked. She even stood there patiently as the woman, Viscountess Navarro, name-dropped her grandson who was in La Garda.

Hes only three years older than you, but if you are in any trouble, you can go find him, the Viscountess told her as she patted Toris hand reassuringly. Hes a good boy. Very handsome.

Viscountess, there are already too many handsome men in my life. Im good. I will keep him in mind. He is a Navarro?

Yes, Gael Daniel Rodrigo de Navarro, the Viscountess said. I will let him know about you.

Tori kept a smile on her face as Kasen interrupted and finally led Tori away. He leaned in closer. Youre not really thinking of contacting him, are you?

I was being polite. She seems like such a nice old lady, I cant say no, Tori whispered back.

The Viscountess just loves matchmaking. Dont take her seriously, Kasen said. His eyes narrowed. Doing so is a mistake.New novel chapters are published on

Tori raised an eyebrow and wanted to ask more, but they reached the long-awaited tables of food. Toris eyes lit up as she pulled away from her brother to walk along the tables and get an idea of what was offered and figure out what shed get first.

Her first instinct was to go for the desserts, but there was so much more offered on tiny plates for her to pick at and get a taste of.

How bad would it look if I treated this as a buffet...and are there tables where I can sit? She turned around to look for a place to eat. Preferably a hidden corner or behind a pillar where she could sample as many of the food tastings that were laid out as possible.

Drink first, Kasen said as he handed her a glass of white wine. Youve been talking for a while.

Youre always dependable, Kasey. She took the small wine glass from his hand and took a sip. Where should we go to eat?

There are some standing tables along the walls, he told her. We can always come back, so there is no need to take as much as possible at once.

Tori rolled her eyes. Im not going to pile my plate with food. Anymore.... Theres so much, I dont know where to begin.

Pick what you want to eat first.

I want to eat everything.... Her voice trailed off as her eyes fixed on yellow slices of fruit laid out on a white platter. They were circular rings accompanied by small cubes and, as a garnish, there were the pointed leaves of the top of the fruit beside them. Her heart quickened. If this was what she thought it was, then a whole new food situation opened for her. Is this a pine-

Tori. Kasen stepped closer and motioned his head to the side. She followed his gaze and saw a small group of half a dozen teenagers approaching. Count Ferreros eldest daughter and her friends.

How bad was my past relationship with them?

She only had two more days before she was scheduled to leave with Sebastian and, today, Gramps was going around town with her and the twins.

Why dont you get them matching daggers? he asked as they walked down a busy shopping street.

Tori squinted and prepared to say no, but stopped. While the daggers were not an option, it would be cute to get them all something matching. What is a well-known item from Presidio that I can give?

Edible or non-edible?

If its edible it has to hold on the way back.

Why dont you bring some cured pork leg? Then you can slice it for them when you get back, her grandfather suggested. That was a surprisingly good idea.

She nodded. Thats not bad.

They continued to walk down the street and Tori peered into every window she passed. The original Victoria loved to shop, but it was for clothing and accessories. Tori had enough new dresses that her mother had collected for her while she was gone. Shed mainly stopped at pastry stores and the twins were loaded with sugar as a result.

She walked to the next store and slowed to a stop. She lifted her head to look at the sign. Gramps! Im going to go inside! The former marquis looked back from where he was following his two youngest grandchildren and nodded.

Tori pushed open a green door and a small bell rang. The antique shop smelled a bit musky and wasnt brightly lit, but it was filled with everything from books to curios to vases and paintings.

Hello, miss! A kind voice spoke to her from the back of the narrow shop and Tori craned her neck to see who was speaking. She saw a gray-haired head bobbing around some shelves before an old man with thick glasses reached her. Can I help you find anything?

Tori returned the amiable smile. Im just looking, but do you have any crystals on hand?

I do, I do. Pleased that he could help her, he beckoned her over to the back counter and began to rummage around, placing box after box of crystals in various shapes and sizes, both cut and in raw form, on to the wooden countertop.

Tori moved her hand over the crystals, as she was taught by Instructor Ignatius. She had to concentrate to get a feel of the amount of energy that was in a crystal with her dominant hand. She moved her hands over the crystals twice and frowned.

The old man chuckled. Im afraid these are old crystals and no longer have any energy of their own. You would have to charge them or find someone to do so.

Oh.... Crystals usually had a very long energy storage life. It meant that these were used for quite some time. They could be recharged, but someone with skill needed to do so and it could take days to charge a crystal to its fullest.

Still, Tori picked out the most interesting ones, be it by their shape or color or how cool they looked to her.

Are you a crystal user? the old man asked.

Tori shook her head. Im still learning, but its very interesting. I can only charge a little piece of quartz right now, though.

If you keep at it, youll get better, he told her. Most people dont waste their time with old crystals and prefer to simply buy new ones that still have energy, but used crystals actually hold more energy. Think of it as their field has increased and can hold more.

Its time consuming to charge them, though. Tori sighed. It took me an hour to charge a piece of quartz to use as a light. She held her hand and held her thumb and index finger apart to show how small the crystal was.

The old man chuckled. This is why there are those who prefer using charms. Faster to make and charge, though with a much shorter life.

Tori gave him a curious look. Do you have any charms?

Not new ones. The old man laughed once more. This is an antique shop. Tori cracked a small sheepish smile. He turned around and went to one of the shelves. He scanned one of the middle rows before pulling out a dusty, old, leather-bound book. He brought it over and put it on the table. This is from the estate of an old scholar on the matter. Its a collection of old charms. Theyre all used, but the charms themselves are in good condition. Theyre suitable for studying.

Tori was interested. She leaned forward to take a look as the old mans shaky hands lifted the cover and opened the book. Her smile widened. It was like a large scrapbook of used charms, but like the old man said, they were in good condition. The paper was aged and fragile, but the characters for the spells on them were legible.

It wouldnt by any chance have a guide on what they say, does it? she asked with a bit of hope.

The old man shook his head, but smiled. Unfortunately, no. But you will find that you do not need to be completely fluent in Old Sulfae to know what the charms do. Such as this character means liquid. The scripts around it instruct the charm to remove energy from it. What do you think it does?

Tori grinned. Freezes it.

Exactly. You are a smart girl. He lifted his hand and tapped his nose. This is a rare book. Not many people use charms now and most books dont have these kinds of examples. This is rare.

Okay, okay, Tori said, nodding with amusement. How much is it?

Ill give it to you for two gold coins, the old man said, proud. Tori wasnt sure if that was a good deal or not. She had no idea how much these sorts of things cost. Still, it wasnt like she couldnt afford it.

What about all the crystals I want? Tori asked, waving her hand towards the dozen pieces still on the counter.

Two gold for all of it, he said. He crinkled his eyes as he smiled. You are a smart girl, I can tell. These will be useful for you.

Tori chuckled. He didnt need to flatter her; she was going to buy them no matter what. Two gold coins and Ill throw in a few silvers. If you find any more interesting books like this, will you let me know? I will send someone to get it. She lifted her comcry.

The old man thought for a moment and nodded. All right. I am at your service then, miss. He reached into his pocket and took out a pocket watch sized comcry that was a bit aged. He opened it and she could see a hazy, light blue stone.

She looked at the name that appeared on her crystal. Jorge Andronikos de Ramos?

He nodded and looked at his own crystal as her name appeared. His eyes widened and she heard him take in a sharp breath. Lady Guevera?

Yes? She glanced up with a pleasant expression and the old man stared at her. She blinked. Was there something else, Mr. Ramos?

He stared at her for a moment longer before he began to laugh. He shook his head. No, no...I will pack these up for you, mis...ah, Lady Guevera.

Please, Tori is fine.

Lady Tori, then.

Her assorted crystals were gently packed in a wooden box stuffed with paper shreds and she put it in the bottom of her fabric shopping bag. Mr. Ramos wrapped the book in some cloth and then let her put it on top of the crystals. Tori said good-bye and headed out. She found her grandfather by one of the plaza fountains, eating some honeyed nuts with her cousins.

What did you buy? he asked.

Some interesting looking old crystals and a book on charms. Im going to show them to Instructor Ignatius and see if they can be re-charged.

Her grandfather nodded, seemingly satisfied. That Cry Baby Benny is a good resource. Aside from those old men at Universit, no one is likely to have as good a control and understanding of them as him. Im not surprised the boy went into teaching in order to share his love.

Tori ignored that her grandfather also called her instructor by such a humiliating nickname. She sat beside him on a bench and unwrapped her book to peek inside. Gramps, do you know anyone who knows Old Sulfae?

Old Sulfae.... His voice trailed off and he seemed to look out into the distance. Tori turned to look at him when he went silent and watched his eyes redden as a look of sadness appeared across his face. Your grandmother was the best at Old Sulfae. Universit tried to recruit her to translate texts so many times and she refused. Being out in the field, digging up ancient texts in tombs and ruins...that was her real passion. He sighed heavily as his voice carried a deep longing. If only she was still here. What I wouldnt give to hear her voice.

Tori narrowed her eyes. ...Cant you just call Grammie?

Immediately, the longing on his face was replaced with an annoyed frown. Shes been ignoring my comcry calls and says Im interrupting her work. Im her husband! How can she call me annoying?

Tori sighed. Her paternal grandmother was currently at a research site in Nazria. When Tori had woken up from her accident, it was just before Grammie was about to come home for her. Tori asked her family to tell her grandmother not to come, as it was a month-long journey with a sea voyage included, and she was fine. Shed talked to her grandmother a few times when she was recovering instead.

Despite her grandfathers complaints, Tori recalled Victorias memory of always seeing him and Grammie hold hands. The old couple was close, but Gramps was banned from the research site, as he was a general nuisance.

Do you think if I use Papa or Mamas comcry, shell answer?

Her grandfathers face lit up. Well try that when we get home.

One of the drawbacks of comcrys was that in order for one to be able to call another, the crystals had to touch to register the other party. It was inconvenient, as she hadnt yet been able to register her grandmothers, but at the same time, it was good in that she wasnt getting several spam calls a day about her carriages warranty.

Gramps, were done! the twins chorused from his other side.

All right, shall we head back? the old man asked, clearly hoping to call his wife as soon as possible.

I have to get one more thing, Tori said as she stood up. She looked around. Where can I get a cured pigs leg?