Chapter 23 #2
“As I said, it was impulsive. I was concerned your guards would be nearby. So I moved fast. I think perhaps the combination of the tincture of levelling and the sleeping draught followed by the enchanted sleep combined to affect your memories of what had happened.”
Kerik stares at Perl for some time. Then he says, “And what does this witch want with me?” He looks quite pale.
Perl sighs. He supposes he will have to tell Kerik all of this.
“I told you that at first Jareleezi did not believe me, refused to accept that the Five Fae Princes would be born from the Darek line. I did eventually convince her by showing her my father’s writings and the parts that had already come true.
All but one thing. You. Jareleezi accepted that four of the Fae Princes would be Dareks, but one of them must be a Hevelikar.
She claimed that she was the Magician. She knew my father’s writing told that the Magician would be the fourth bastard son of the Origin.
And for that reason she wanted rid of you.
She wanted to replace you. But you were well protected.
As you love to mention, you are a person of some importance.
She could not reach you in the Rose Palace, but she found a way to get you sent to her.
She meant to destroy you so she could take your place. ”
Kerik nods, solemnly. “And what did she do? When she discovered that you had taken me?”
“There was little she could do. She realised it was my doing. Her scrying powers were strong enough to discover that. But I created strong wards around the Starlight Tower. I had been amassing power for my journey to Vylenor. For this journey. But I used it instead to create a place she could not breach. Or, at least, that she would not be able to breach for some time. I thought, back then, a little time would allow me to convince her she was wrong. But things did not work that way. She contacted me through a silvered glass. She offered me the same bargain she had offered Vindar. The books for you. When I refused, she was so enraged that she destroyed them. After that she refused to speak to me again. I have told no one that those books are lost. And I do not truly know if it will be possible to defeat Ur-Durik without them.”
“She destroyed them?” Kerik says this solemnly, as if lamenting that he has not completed his mission for the Rose Court.
“Are you going to blame me again for the fact you will not be made Duke of Fanost?” Perl says it lightly. But he is surprised when Kerik only smiles in return.
“Oh I am sure I will become Duke of Fanost,” he says. “Perhaps more. When I am the Magician the Rose Court will have no power over me.”
Perl looks at Kerik. “What?”
Kerik simply smiles back. “I am the Magician. Whatever the truth of your demon tales, that much I am sure of. I can do magic. In Azuria being able to do magic will give me power like no other man.” He laughs.
“They do not even believe magic is real. And what will the rulings of the Rose Court matter to a Great Wizard?”
Perl feels a familiar dread in his belly at this statement. Has Kerik learned nothing of the dangers of awakening the magic in mortals? “You mean to use your magic to become Duke of Fanost?”
“Yes, of course,” says Kerik. “Perhaps more. King of Fanost, with my own sovereign land. I will decide the laws. There will be no sins of the body, no Zai. And you, Perl, you will be my consort. I will be a Wizard King, perhaps a Wizard Emperor, with a faerie consort kneeling at the foot of my throne. I think you ought to wear only a hip cloth and your wings.” He reaches out and puts a hand on Perl’s face.
“Collared. You will look so fucking beautiful. I will display you before all, covered in marks from our rough coupling.” His eyes are so bright.
Shining even through Perl’s glamour. Perl cannot speak.
In any other circumstance he would delight in a fantasy of being Kerik’s consort, kneeling almost naked at the foot of his throne. But this is not fantasy.
Kerik continues, merrily, “You said yourself I have great power. And when I can wield Iceheart it will grow stronger. We could take the world. Return here and conquer this realm. Rule the greatest Empire the world has ever seen.” Kerik grins.
“And I could give you Vylenor. When my power is at its fullest we can return and take this place. You could show them who you truly are and force them to accept you on their knees before both of us.”
Perl takes a breath.
Magic and mortals.
Must it always be this way? His father, Jareleezi…
it always ends the same. Magic destroys any mortal it touches, breaking them to madness.
Why had he thought Kerik would be any different?
“Kerik,” he says slowly. “I am not awakening your magic so you can become Duke of Fanost. You need your power only to battle Ur-Durik. You are the Magician of the Five Fae Princes reborn.”
“Well,” Kerik says dismissively. “I am sure I can do both. If your demon does return. I will use my power to destroy it, naturally.”
Perl looks at him. And he sees it. Kerik does not believe anything he has told him about Ur-Durik. And he has not been working on his magic because he is the fated magician. He has been doing so in the hope of winning power for himself.
He is no different from the rest of them.
Except that he is. Except that this time Perl has given this mortal more than power. Perl has given him his heart.