The carriage came to a stop in front of Somnial’s manor, and I stepped out gingerly, careful not to nudge my stump as I did. As soon as I was healed enough to travel, we had set out back for Ivarnel, traveling slower for the return trip and getting me back to the capital with enough time to get some additional recovery there before the break ended.Both Rikton and Trisellia felt horrible about my injury and each of them wanted to do more for me, but the Obdorn barony simply didn’t have much in the way of helpful resources. Rikton had become incredibly busy arranging to clear the dungeon of Nightmare Ants, and I wanted to get out of their hair so they could focus on that without also dealing with an injured guest and the associated guilt.Byron stepped out of the manor and approached to greet us, and I watched him take in my state with the same cool professionalism the man always displayed.“Welcome back, master Tovar,” he said after a beat. “Did you have a a good trip?”“I did, actually. Until things got, uh…” I lifted my arm, waggling my stump a bit. “A little out of hand.”Byron’s lips twitched, but he steeled his expression before turning to Felton and Felris, who has clambered out of the carriage behind me. The siblings bowed their heads, apologizing for not being able to protect me better while I was in their care. I stifled a sigh and shook my head slightly, knowing it was all my own damn fault and they had nothing to apologize for.“All right, enough of that,” I said, shooing the two kids back into the carriage. “I’ll be fine. I’ll see you when classes resume.”I waved with my good hand as they pulled away.Gus had unloaded my luggage, including a large burlap wrapped package: the mandibles of the Nightmare Ant soldier that took my hand. The guards who had rescued me had killed it, and its corpse had been offered to me as a reward for defending Felris.Apparently (...)