Chapter 22
Theron
Theron had never wished to be king less than in that moment.
He’d had his wife laid out like a banquet before him, reconciled, eager, and pressing her slick heat to his cock.
Now, a bath, and a change of clothes later, he was sitting upon his throne with Aurora at his side on her own throne, waiting for a detestable wretch to twist this turn of events into his fault.
After all, Knowledge’s statue, Her body with Her eyes, had been snatched away in his city.
And by the very same dualists he’d decided not to pursue, his cousin among them.
Theron could already hear Orithyia’s arguments scratching at his ears.
Worse, he knew what his advisors would say.
There would be no coming back for Batea now.
No amount of heroism could save her from the stain of dualism.
And god-napping a divine statue? Theron could only pray that she never returned, for he would either be forced to deliver her to the paladins of Justice or carry out the execution himself.
How could she have been so foolish? Didn’t she know he needed her—as both ally and family? And what of Myrina? Her heart must be breaking. If she ever saw her daughter again, it would be moments before a sword struck Batea’s head from her body.
Aurora put her hand atop his, bringing him out of his dark thoughts. He leaned across to raise her hand to his lips.
“How do you want to handle this?” she asked.
That’s right. He wasn’t alone anymore. His wife was on his side.
“She will attempt to make this my—our—fault.”
Aurora pursed her lips.
“Before, in return for her help, I had promised to help her hunt down the dualists by convincing you it was a priority.”
Damn, that had certainly come back to haunt them both.
“And how did you plan to do that?” he asked, a ghost of a smile on his lips.
She shook her head, fighting back a smile of her own.
“I didn’t. Not really.”
“Oh? You planned to double-cross the high priestess?”
“I planned to be long gone before I had to hold up my end of the bargain,” she shrugged.
Crafty little minx.
“Can I take that to mean you no longer consider the high priestess an ally?”
He didn’t want to think the damned woman still had sway over his wife.
“I don’t.”
“Then allow me to handle this my way. If you have something to add, whisper it to me first. In the coming months, we’ll need to work on your courtly instincts, but that can wait for now.”
“Alright,” she agreed, though doubts still seemed to linger in her eyes.
“Polydorus?”
“Your Majesty?”
“Allow the high priestess entry.”
The doors opened to admit the old crone along with a dozen paladins and priestesses.
A little overkill as far as retinues went.
For someone whose divine statue had just been god-napped, she seemed far too collected, and there was nary a scratch on her people.
Had they even fought to reclaim Her? Had this been one of Orithyia’s plots all along?
“Blessings of the Triad on the sun and star of Aureum.” Orithyia bowed her head the barest fraction.
Theron waved her on.
“Speak, High Priestess.”
“What is there to say but that a group of dualists broke into my temple, your cousin among them, and stole Her statue. Dualists you thought too insignificant to pursue. And a cousin you assured all of Aureum would return to your side like a loyal dog. I come here seeking recompense for this disgraceful state of affairs.”
“The loss of Knowledge’s statue is dire indeed.
Perhaps you might enlighten us as to how a group of dualists managed to overpower you, your many paladins, and your priestesses?
And how was it that they managed to carry such a monumental statue through the temple district and out of the city without being stopped?
There are no eyewitness reports from anyone save your clerics. ”
The royal and city guard hadn’t seen or heard these dualists, nor had they seen the statue. Indeed, the statue was large enough that getting it in or out of the temple would have been a major feat in and of itself.
“Do you mean to imply my clerics are lying?”
That was exactly what he was implying, but he wasn’t about to admit it.
“I mean to know the truth, Your Holiness.”
She scowled at him.
“The truth is that I gave my clerics leave to celebrate with the rest of the city over your reconciliation, Your Majesties. Only a handful remained within the temple to tend to duties which could not be postponed. I myself was in my chambers when I heard my clerics on the floor below shouting. By the time I had left my chamber, a group of dualists had miniaturized Her statue. My clerics did what they could to save Her, but your cousin was ordering the dualists as though they were her own soldiers. By the time my paladins had returned, the heretics had dragged Her statue underground and sealed the way. My paladins gave chase, rushing to the basement, only to see the ground sealed by more wild magic. Had either of you done your duty, those dualists would not have been alive to commit this heinous act! Had you properly imprisoned Batea or given her to me for the punishment she deserved when she attacked me and my paladins, she would not now be leading them as though she were their queen!”
Theron’s mind buzzed. If the statue had been miniaturized, then a leak from his palace scholars was the likeliest reason the dualists had been able to steal the statue.
Polydorus had just told him the other day that they believed they’d had a breakthrough in understanding the mechanisms behind the magic.
But did Orithyia know that? For now, he would remain silent on that front. Better to shift blame.
“You have my condolences for the loss of your goddess, Orithyia. Her absence is a great blow to Altanus,” he acknowledged.
But before she could castigate him once more, he interrupted her.
“And my condolences for your bad luck, Your Holiness. This is the second time dualists have struck your temple while you sit within it, is it not? Did you not consider, after the first blunder of losing all those ancient artefacts, that your security was inadequate?”
“It was inadequate because your cousin killed numerous paladins and you allow dualists to infest your kingdom!”
Is that how she wished to play this?
“You were paid the appropriate compensation for every loss. And do not pretend my kingdom is uniquely afflicted. The dualists of Boreas sacked your temple! Or do you intend to blame that on me as well?”
“Which is why I have done everything in my power to urge you to find and eliminate the dualist threat!”
Except dualists weren’t the crown’s responsibility. And Orithyia had handed them a wealth of power when she lost the artefacts.
“You mean cover up for your grievous failures! If the dualists are dead, no one has to know just how many dangerous artefacts they now possess because you were careless.”
“And if I had told the monarchs of Trisia exactly what had been in my temple’s safekeeping, what do you suppose would have happened, Your Majesty?
I’ll tell you what. Every realm in Trisia would have sent thieves to my temple to steal what they could, consequences be damned.
And if I had listed exactly what had been stolen, dualists would now know the functions of every artefact in their clutches.
Knowledge is as much a blessing as a burden, Your Majesty.
I kept those artefacts secret for the safety of Trisia.
” She very pointedly eyed both the shield and spear borne by his closest counsellors.
And yet she did not accuse him of theft, nor of being the source of the dualists’ knowledge.
Interesting. Perhaps she was saving it for a later time.
Even if she did, he would simply deny it.
Or perhaps she didn’t truly know what each artefact was capable of.
In either case, he knew how to twist this to his benefit.
“Make whatever excuses you like, Orithyia. By your own admission, you are the one to blame. You allowed those artefacts to fall into the hands of dualists. You left your temple undefended. Knowledge was god-napped on your watch. But never let it be said that I lack either piety or generosity. The temple of Knowledge cannot go without Her statue, especially during a cycle of chaos. The stone and gems you require will be requisitioned by the palace and donated to the temple. In return, I expect you to inform me of every potentially dangerous artefact you let slip through your fingers.”
It was a deal he knew she would never agree to.
Either she had to admit just what had fallen into enemy hands, claim ignorance and be caught lying about her vast knowledge of the artefacts, or deny him in order to do her supposed duty of keeping that knowledge secret.
There wasn’t a single winning option among the bunch.
“Then I cannot accept, Your Majesty. Your court played host to heretics for years, and I do not trust that any knowledge I impart to you will remain secret for long. Indeed, I have good reason to believe the dualists’ strategy was formed around your own scholars’ research.
No, Your Majesty, you will pay the coin I require to requisition the statue and gemstone eyes as compensation for failing to do your duty as the monarch of Aureum. ”
And there it was. She did know he’d found and raided her hoard. There was nothing left but to brazen this out as far as possible.
“That is quite the accusation, Your Holiness. And how would anyone be able to prove otherwise while you refuse to divulge the powers of any of the artefacts stolen by the dualists? Do you truly expect me to believe the hoard you kept had no artefacts similar to my own?”
She glowered at him. “Your shamelessness knows no bounds.”
At least that answered his question. His artefacts were unique, and the leak had come from within his walls. Damn.