Chapter 33
CASTIEN
“Afirst win is to be expected,” Arion says, sitting upon the throne that was carried back by a horde of servants. Half a dozen other lords and I are seated in the audience hall.
The other elf that was attending to Arlet, the one they call Warden Thorne, is here as well. I watch him for a minute. He once worked for Mrath in her most trusted circles. He’s a defector.
But something about him still seems strange. He doesn’t seem overly excited about the king. He wasn’t disgusted by the torture earlier, either.
The other lords murmur their agreement with the king.
“Tomorrow will be an excellent show!” one says.
City lights burn through the nighttime and glimmer in the window behind Arion. I watch the king on that legendary throne, and think of what Liana had tasked me to do.
Find a seed on Vann’s person.
Arion had granted me leave to interrogate him when I’d asked. I had been rough with the Enduar, necessary to avoid suspicions. Except that when I searched his body, I found nothing.
Liana will not be happy about this.
The corner of my mouth quirks up.
Perhaps that could be fun.
“Tomorrow, you will simply have to set more beasts on them. The people loved the spectacle. Apt vengeance for what the human whore did,” the lord of the North Court chimes in.
Arion seems placated by this comment. “True.” Then he addresses the rest of the room. “We have successfully rooted out as many of Mrath’s assassins as we could find, but our pursuit of my sister has still been unsuccessful. This has led me to believe that one of us here is not loyal to me.”
Liana had come with Mrath’s troops, but they didn’t know about her connection to me. Only half against her will, I put her up in one of my safe houses in the city. Thankfully, she remains untouched.
There is a wave of shock through the other lords at Arion’s reveal. I glance at them out of the corner of my eye and see several of them playing up the act. They don’t know it’s me, and I don’t believe any of the others are loyal to Mrath.
My gaze catches on one man, Lord Fleanth, who looks like he might sweat through all the layers of his clothes. Perhaps him.
I might ask later, if he survives.
My face betrays nothing. I feel no need to act in front of the king. If he suspects me, I shall know soon enough. Whatever he might send against me would be a problem to solve in the moment. Not now.
The only problem is Vesilane.
Damnit.
I probe at the shadow I’d left to watch her. Luckily, she’s in her room alone. But I need to get her out of here soon. I can’t wait for Mrath forever.
“My king,” the lord of the North Court pipes up again. “I, for one, would never defect.”
Lies.
“But if there is suspicion, rest assured we will help you cast it out.”
Arion nods pleased. “Lord Faefurt,” he calls.
One of the absolutely ancient elves at the back of the room turns even paler than he already is.
He stands. “Yes, my king?”
“A group of women who infiltrated the city were called the Faefurt Assassins. Am I to presume you will say there is no relation? Or should I just kill you now for your treason?”
The man begins to stutter. “I-I have no idea—”
Arion stands again, then raises his hand. Black-and-white flames pour from his palm, directed at the poor idiot. A second later, he screams as he is burned alive.
I watch the display through narrowed eyes.
Did you see that? I ask the presence in my mind.
My demon, the one that gives me magic, hums.
It seems our suspicions were correct. He has fully given himself to Abhartach.
But how? I wonder. Doros hates that god. He was cast out of the heavens after his affair with Doros’s wife, Nicnevin. There is no manner in heaven or hell that the god would allow his chosen ruler to sit upon that throne and bear dark magic.
Dirthos makes another noise in the back of my mind. I think something has happened to the throne.
My gaze shoots down to the seat supposedly made from the Elder Tree, a body of one of the first elves. It appears normal.
But, even still…
That magic cannot come from the throne, even if it is corrupted.
Then where? Does he have his own demon?
I’ve been so distracted by my musings and the conversation with Arion that I hadn’t realized we’d been dismissed. The other lords stand around me, and I follow suit. Just before I exit, Arion meets my eye and smiles with a nod.
I return the gesture, then turn and leave.
A stabbing pain shoots behind my eyes.
I need to get back to Vesilane as soon as possible. My mind is mostly blank as I evade the others, stalking back to the wing where we’d been invited to stay.
As I walk through the threshold of the suite, I turn immediately to my daughter’s door and knock. My shadows dance around the area, checking. Protecting. Concealing.
“It’s me,” I say.
Rubbing my eyes, a bright voice calls to me from within. “Father?”
I smile as the door is swung open. Her hair is a mess, and she wears a simple gown. She must’ve been experimenting again.
“Hello, my flower,” I say, pushing away the feeling of pain. Her brightness is like a balm to my soul against the danger and pressure of the day. Of this place.
Then a waft of something sour and metallic hits me.
“What have you been cooking this time?” I ask, with a half laugh.
She gestures me in, and I see her vases and baubles scattered around the room. She’s got a talent for potions, and more talent than the best healer I’ve met. So much so that she’s been making a small fortune in the business.
She has been supplying an anonymous buyer for the last month with bundles of herbs and tinctures to restore fertility.
“What have you been working on now?”
She smiles, still remaining at my side. “An invisibility potion.”
“Ah, that explains the metal.” She smiles, and most of the stress of meeting with Arion melts away.
“Father,” she starts, “What happened to Arlet?”
I hadn’t expected her to bring that up. After she’d gotten back from the wedding, she had been quiet and upset that Mrath wasn’t successful.
I consider telling her the truth, but worry about her kind mind. This world is too dark for her. I only brought her here because Mrath left me no other option, I don’t want her to stay awake at night worrying over a human.
“She’s alive. In the dungeons for now.”
“She won’t die, will she? I liked her.”
I shake my head. “No. She will be all right, I think.”
In reality, I don’t know. The trials will be brutal.
She doesn’t seem that strong, and she is, in the grand scheme of Mrath’s power play, inconsequential.
She may have joined herself with Arion, she may be some sort of tunnel to his power, but once Arion is dead, she will go back to being just a regular person.
If she dies, it might help our cause.
But…Knowing that Vesilane wants her to live changes things. She is dear to Liana as well.
Suddenly, I feel myself being pulled toward this frail creature. If only for those who I love.
Fine.
I will help her.
“I was wondering if you had any advice for how to cure someone who contracted a fever from a wound infection. Someone of another species.”
She looks up at me. “Like an ogre? Or a troll? I wasn’t aware there were any in the city.” She thinks for a moment. Then she walks to one of her baskets and begins to rummage through a host of bottles. She pulls one out.
“It doesn’t matter, really. Faerie Flower should work the same on anyone. Just give her this—you could even enhance it with a bit of your magic to make it extra potent.”
I smile at her as she explains the properties to me. Pride flows through my veins. She is such a lovely young woman—such a good daughter.
“Thank you, my flower,” I say again, accepting the vial. Then I look around the room again. “I am deeply sorry to interrupt your work.”
She casts me a sweet smile and my heart clenches.
“Arion is growing more paranoid. I think it’s best if you leave these rooms.”
She looks at me, clearly disappointed.
“Is it too dangerous?” she asks. “I was so excited you’d finally brought me to the capital and let me help.”
“I know, moonbeam. You did well.” I shake my head. “And it’s not too dangerous yet. I don’t think he suspects me, so I will remain here. But the king is fickle. I cannot risk you again.”
She smiles again, then lays her head on my shoulder. “I understand. Where will I go this time? Back home?”
I bite my lip. “You should really stay in the city in case the king asks after you. Which, he might if Mrath takes any more time to arrive.”
She leaves my side and then begins to hurriedly pour and package her entire apothecary. As she moves, I bite my lip, wondering if my idea is still a good one.
“Do you remember the Enduar priestess who stayed with us a while when you were younger?” I say.
She looks at me over her shoulder. “Liana? Of course.”
“She is also in the city and has been working with Mrath as well. I’m going to have you stay with her for a few days.”
Vesilane grins. “That sounds wonderful.”
The corner of my mouth quirks up.
I hope Liana will agree.