“You’re different now,” Ull says, bringing Nell into the room serving as her temporary bedroom.

“Am I?” Nell asks, refusing to look at him.

“You seem disappointed to be back here. You knew I would find you, surely.”

Nell gives no response.

“Don’t tell me you actually believed he could help you.”

Her hands ball into fists, then stop.

“You belong to me, my precious Nehalennia. He would have used you or sold you off like everybody else wanted. Are you forgetting that I am the only one who truly wants to keep you?”

“That doesn’t stop you from wanting to use me, just like they all did,” Nell answers.

“Of course I want to use you. You are mine. It’s only natural to use what belongs to you, isn’t it? Even so, I care for you and wish to take care of you.”

“I would rather be uncared for than have the perverse care of someone like you.”

Ull grabs her by the hair again, lifts her off the ground, and pushes her against the wall. “I do not like defiant pets. You would be wise to destroy any lingering hope inside that childish mind of yours. You are mine, and unless you start over with a new body, that will never change. Do I make myself clear?” he asks, tossing her down onto the floor.

Nell does not answer. Ull wastes no more time; he places heavy chains around her ankles and wrists. “I don’t normally mind you escaping, but until we deal with this new attitude of yours, you will not be permitted to waste my time.” With that, Ull leaves the room, posts two guards inside with her, and locks the door behind him.

“Think he’ll be on soon?” Cassiel asks Serra. The two girls sit at the end of the pier. Cassiel dangles her legs off it, gently kicking back and forth, and Serra kneels behind the blonde, her chin resting on Cassiel’s head and her arms draped over her. Serra occasionally slips a hand to Cassiel’s chest; to her surprise, she only gets a blushing pout in response.

“Yeah. He won’t miss this,” Serra answers. “He’s cutting it pretty close, that bastard. I swear if he’s late—”

“He won’t be.”

“He better not be. Oh, and I wanted to ask, what’s it like having so many parents?”

“Lots of presents,” Serra says with a thumbs-up. “Between your parents and now me and Ryouta, don’t you think you’re a bit spoiled?”

“I’m super spoiled,” Cassiel replies with a smile.

“Hmph. I—I don’t get spoiled…”

“Cass, Cass.”

“What?” Cassiel asks, turning her head toward Serra now that her head is off hers. Serra plants a kiss on Cassiel’s lips. “I’ll spoil you whenever you want me to,” Serra says.

“I—o-okay, maybe I get spoiled, too,” Cassiel says, cheeks flushed.

“Oi, big guy, hand me that wrench,” Tabitha orders Bonekraka. Bonekraka tosses the wrench so it lands next to Tabitha, scratching the floorboard of the Shoebill. "Hey! I just cleaned this baby up! You gonna fix that yourself?!" "Nyet," Bonekraka answers, and a moment later a wrench hits the back of his head as a pissed-off Tabitha glares at him from the engine. "Now come bring it to me the proper way!" Bonekraka turns to look at Tabitha with his hands balled into fists, but when he sees the look in her eyes he's reminded of his wife. The grumpy orc submissively takes the wrench over to her, handing it to her properly. "Thank ya. See, now was that so hard to do? Next time don't try sassin' me and scratchin' up my baby." "Da."

"O-Olly, you mustn't—we have such little time," Corwin says, looking both left and right to make sure nobody is coming down the alleyway where Oleander has him pressed against the wall. "Come on, Cor, we both know I can make you fire your cannon quickly enough," Oleander coos, running one hand up Corwin's chest while the other travels dangerously lower down his abdomen. "Shouldn't you be happy that you have a lover so eager to please you?" "I—I assure you that I am beyond happy, but what if somebody sees?" "Are you telling me you wouldn't like getting caught in the act?" Oleander's teasing fingers trace Corwin's body. Corwin gulps. "I... do not entirely dislike the thought, but—" "Then," Oleander pauses to sink his hands into Corwin's pants, "let's have some fun before the tournament starts." "We don't know when we're going to be able to do this again."

"I'm sure we'll have time to in only a few hours! It's not as if we are leaving one another."

"If you want me to stop, all you have to say is 'stop,'" Oleander says, looking up at Corwin with a smug grin. Corwin doesn't tell him to stop.

Rock is in the middle of a stare-down with one of the stray cats that has been visiting The Shoebill to taunt her on a daily basis. Rock knows she's not allowed off the ship right now, and the cat picks up on this because Rock doesn't even try to chase him away.