The Games Kings Play #2
“I hope,” King Magnus began, “you’ve come with good news about my prisoner, there. Need I remind you that the next trial is tonight? Wouldn’t want you to forget about our little deal.” The venom-coated words dripped from his tongue.
Slaide balked at the mention of the bargain. Now is not the time for this…
“On the contrary, I come to you with information that I—that we—feel is of the utmost importance. It is in regard to…” He looked over at Hazel, unsure what the King would think about her knowing he’s keeping slaves.
This could end poorly… He cleared his throat before continuing.
“There seems to be a lack of proper training and oversight at Blackrock.”
Magnus sat up straighter, eyebrow cocked in apparent curiosity.
Well, that piqued his interest. Here goes nothing, Slaide thought.
“And what, pray tell, seems to be the problem?” King Magnus leaned forward in his obsidian throne, resting his elbows upon his knees.
He placed his hands together, aligning his fingertips in a way that suggested he was already thinking he knew where this conversation was going. Probably contemplating their demise.
“Your Majesty, with all due respect, the guardsmen, foremen, and overseers at Blackrock are running the workers into the ground. There isn’t enough for any of them to eat, their sleeping quarters are cramped, generating unsanitary conditions, and that’s assuming they get to sleep at all.
They’re being worked to the bone, quite literally, and beaten when they take a break.
While we were there, a man received ten lashes—”
“And why were the two of you there in the first place?” He glared.
Choose your words carefully, Slaide. “This one has been tough to crack,” Slaide responded, glancing at Hazel, hoping she would go along with it.
He was walking such a dangerous line. “She’s…
not giving me much to go on, and I thought I could scare her into submission by taking her there.
But the conditions… Your Majesty… they are unacceptable.
They are being treated worse than animals, let alone workers. ”
“I think you’ll do well to remember that those are prison workers.
No, they did not choose to work for me in my mines, but why should they?
Each of them has been charged with a crime against this kingdom, be it treason or supporting a traitor in some way or another, amongst other crimes.
They are criminals and will be treated as such, not given posh amenities with their every whim catered to. ”
Slaide’s polite facade began to crack. “While I do understand your position, Majesty, I insist you see it for yourself if my word is not enough. Consider what kind of message you’re trying to send.”
Slaide’s temper was rising. If word of this got out, the reign of Magnus Ragnaroth would come crashing down around him. And the man didn’t even pretend to care.
As expected, Magnus only shrugged and sipped from his goblet. He set it back down before speaking again. “You know as well as anyone, Slaide Elias, how hard I have worked to get this kingdom under control. To make it a more prosperous, habitable place where people can raise their families.”
He looked directly at Hazel, then back at Slaide.
“Preventing and punishing magic usage is one of the ways we keep this land safe. You of all people should understand, considering it is you who does most of my bidding. Does your little pet know her knight in shining armor is really a bloodthirsty demon in disguise? Does she know she’s befriended a monster who will sell her secrets to the highest bidder? ”
Slaide’s face flushed with anger and a touch of embarrassment, of uncertainty. Without saying anything at all, Slaide had effectively said too much.
“Oh, ho, ho,” he crooned. “Don’t tell me you’re falling for the magical little bitch?
This is too good. Too good, indeed. Well, I hope she gives you a good lay before tonight.
There’s a good chance she won’t even recognize you after the mirror is done with her.
Don’t forget the Archmage expects to receive custody of her after the entertainment ends, whether that’s with her losing—or by some miracle she wins—per our agreement.
He says the Prime Magus is most intrigued with her.
And I have to admit, I am as well.” He smiled down at her, his wine-stained teeth stretched into a suggestive smirk.
Well, since it had been brought up, Slaide might as well set the record straight.
“No, our agreement was that I was going to find out if she can truly access magic, and if so what kind, while preparing her to participate in the tournament. Only if I failed was she to be handed over to those bloodlusting basilisks. If I didn’t fail, and if she were to be successful, she’d have a shot at becoming your champion,” Slaide growled.
He did not want to have this conversation in front of Hazel.
“And so, you mean to tell me you haven’t failed? You should have led with that.” Magnus scowled.
“I haven’t failed until the night of the ball comes to pass and I come up empty handed. So, no.”
Hazel looked from Slaide to Magnus and back to Slaide again, fiddling with that pendant around her neck.
His heart sank, but part of him wanted to scream at her for being so foolish. She shouldn’t have been surprised that Slaide had made a bet on her life. Used her as a bargaining chip.
He could see it on her face as clear as day, the betrayal. The broken trust. The realization that all of this actually meant nothing to him; he was every bit the monster he claimed to be.
“I wonder,” Magnus said with mischief gleaming in his eye.
“How much does she know about you, Slaide? She seems far too comfortable with you to know the truth. The whole truth, that is. Does she know your past? Does she know how far back your history with her really goes? Oh, yes. So, you’ve pieced it together too, I take it?
The Fates are fickle beings, aren’t they? ”
Slaide took a step back as though he could back out of this mess.
Yes, he had pieced some things together over the past few days he’d spent with Hazel.
He couldn’t tell her, though. It would ruin the progress he’d made in getting her to let her walls down.
He’d seen her magic multiple times and probably had enough information to make Magnus happy. But he’d also learned more about her.
In ways he hadn’t thought possible, he appreciated the existence of Hazel the woman, not just Hazel the ward. She was the first person he’d connected with in a very long time. Revealing what he knew would destroy everything he’d been working toward.
“Yes, your face says enough.” He smiled again, gulping down more wine.
“Well since we’re all here right now and we’re already spilling each other’s secrets, let’s keep this little game going, shall we?
Slaide has revealed a secret project of mine, and I am fairly certain we all know your little secret.
” He pointed a finger at Hazel. “So that just leaves Slaide’s hidden past. Do you want to tell her or should I?
No, never mind. It’s only fair that I do the honors.
“As you already know, Slaide has been my loyal dog for quite a long time. His entire life, actually. See, you may not know, but he was born and bred here. Slaide is a product of a little side project I’ve been working on with the Magistry, at the behest of the Anemoi.
That’s right. A task appointed to me, High King of Aeos, handed down by the gods themselves.
Great, isn’t it? It really is. And they really couldn’t have chosen someone better and more driven to get this done.
Anyway, Slaide, you might have guessed, isn’t human. In fact—”
“I’m well aware he isn’t human, Your Majesty,” Hazel interrupted. “I’m also aware that you cut the wings of your angel slaves so they can never leave the palace walls. Just as I know he only carries out your bidding because he has no other choice.”
Slaide’s eyes nearly popped out of his head hearing her cut the King off mid-sentence. He wanted to laugh and scream at her audacity at the same time. He was oddly… proud of her.
Magnus, however, did not appear amused. “You may want to mind your tongue when speaking to your King, woman, otherwise you will find yourself without one. The decisions a King must make are for the good of all people, even if they can’t recognize it at the time.
A time will come when my subjects will turn to me for protection, and I will be able to protect them only because of the actions I am taking now.
They may seem cruel, but in time, it will all make sense.
“As I was saying, my dear boy Slaide is, as you know, not human. Instead, he is the bastard son of a Fallenborn angel, and his mother was some unfortunate witch whore. She wasn’t pretty, but she was powerful.
We kept her and a few others shackled in our breeding cells at the Citadel, closely monitoring the bitches for signs of pregnancy.
We let our Fallenborn have their way with them each and every night.
But most of the whelps were born disfigured or stillborn.
We were running out of hosts to breed with our Fallenborn warriors.
And then this one’s mother was captured.
“She was a particularly nasty wench, killing a score of men before we were able to trap her. As punishment for her behavior, I let all of the beasts have at her at once, instead of making them take turns. Not a shot in Hel of figuring out who his father is!” He erupted in raucous laughter, as though he’d told a joke.
Slaide’s fists were clenching at his sides. Magnus settled himself before continuing.
“He had a sister. A twin. They both survived infancy and were the strongest, most superior soldiers I’ve ever seen.
But we needed truly superior genetics to continue the breeding program, so we gave them a special serum the Magistry concocted which amplified their skills.
Worked them into a frenzy and then pitted them up against each other.
It was spectacular. A shame to lose the female’s genetics, but Slaide’s were clearly superior. ”
When the King paused, Hazel butted in. “Your Majesty, if I may, why are you telling me this? Why now?”
His grin was pulled straight from the depths of Hel.
“Because, my dear. Slaide has been capturing witches and sorceresses from all over Aeos and hand-delivering them to me for participation in my experiments for his entire life. The ones that put up a fight are selected for breeding. The ones who don’t…
well, they’re disposed of. No reason to keep lackluster genetics in the gene pool.
But that’s not Slaide’s big secret, no. You want to know what it is?
Come closer,” he beckoned her with his finger.
Hazel obliged him, stepping up to the dais. Slaide could see how much it scared her to do so, to get so close to the real monster in the room.
Magnus towered over her. Slaide knew his nasty scent by heart, how he reeked of wine and stale bread. And he knew damn well she could probably see the ugly, unruly hairs sprouting from his nostrils.
“Do you know who the first witch was that Slaide took down? The first one he ever brought to me like the well-trained, well-bred hunting dog he is?” He sneered.
Hazel swallowed hard. Slaide flinched as she shook her head, for he knew what came next.
“Your mother.”