Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
T he air in the Royal Council chamber hung thick with tension as Prince Fallon swept through the ornate double doors, with Mauricio close on his heels. The room buzzed with anxious chatter that fell to low murmurs as they entered. Flickering torchlight cast dancing shadows across the grim faces of the assembled nobles, whose hushed whispers faded away as Fallon handed the grimoire to Mauricio and took his seat.
Queen Laena sat rigid in her chair at the head of the large table. Her ageless beauty was marred by the tight set of her jaw and the cold fury blazing in her obsidian eyes. Despite the oppressive heat of the packed room, Fallon felt a chill creep down his spine as he met his mother’s icy stare.
“What has kept you so long, when your city is in crisis and your people need your leadership now more than ever?”
"Novi has gone into labor, Your Majesty,” Fallon announced with a stiff smile. "Our daughter will soon be born."
A ripple of excitement passed through the gathered councilors. Ever since Novi’s pregnancy was formally announced, the entire kingdom of Sinaryos had been celebrating in anticipation of the baby’s arrival. For a fleeting moment, Fallon expected his mother to show a flicker of joy, or even a small spark of maternal pride. After all, it had been a hundred years since the last royal bastard was born.
Instead, Laena's lips tightened and an unreadable shadow crossed her face. Unlike the other council members who erupted in joyous applause, she didn’t rise to hug her son or offer him any congratulations.
Worlic beamed and clasped Fallon's shoulder. “This is outstanding news, sire! May the gods be with them both on this day! May they be with you as well.”
“Thank you.”
It suddenly hit Fallon that he was about to become a father. Hours from now he would be holding his firstborn. He immediately began to regret his argument with Novi, and leaving her when she needed him the most.
Would she be alright?
What about his daughter?
Were they truly in safe hands?
He took a deep breath, steadying himself against the ornate mahogany table. The soft scent of melting beeswax and wood polish filled his nostrils, grounding him in the present moment. He couldn't afford to be distracted by thoughts of Novi now. Callie was with her. Midwives were on their way. Annika and her powerful magic were safely contained.
There was nothing else he could do for her.
The light was slowly sucked out of the room as Queen Laena's scowl deepened. Meanwhile, her perfectly manicured nails dug into the armrests of her chair like red claws. Fallon's smile faltered, then disappeared.
"How wonderful," she said, her voice dripping with insincerity. “Does anyone else need a moment to fawn over the bastard’s impending arrival, or can we get back to the urgent matters at hand?”
The room fell silent. The celebratory mood evaporated like mist beneath the noonday sun. Fallon's brow furrowed as he studied his mother's face. He knew that wanting her to be happy for him was an exercise in futility, but he’d thought maybe this achievement would be noteworthy enough to earn her approval.
The truth was that there was no pleasing Queen Laena. There was only appeasing her. Fallon took a breath and let it out slowly as he readied himself to play by her rules…
Yet again.
“What urgent matters would you like to address first, Your Majesty?" he politely asked. “Securing the temple and organizing its repair? Planning a funeral service for the Prioress? Strategizing a way to capture the escaped chimeras? Last I heard, they’ve already left the city and are headed back to Mount Onas. Tell me, Mother—what’s the highest priority right now?”
Laena's eyes flashed dangerously. "Why, the execution of that Kaos witch, of course! She must pay for what she’s done before she has the chance to annihilate Blackwood Castle and every soul within it! You’re lucky I don’t throw you in the dungeons for bringing that wicked siren into our home!”
A collective gasp echoed through the chamber. The word ‘Kaos’ hung in the air, heavy and foreboding. It was almost as if the grimoire in Mauricio’s possession was beckoning to be discovered.
Fallon clenched his fists beneath the table, feeling the heat of his anger simmering just below the surface. Yes, he was angry with Annika for destroying their sacred temple and setting the chimeras loose on his city, but he was also angry at himself for enabling her to do it. The fault rested on his shoulders just as much as hers…if not more.
What had possessed him to be so cavalier? So reckless?
He didn’t know the full scope of the magic that Annika’s blood now held. All Fallon knew was that she’d given him back the demon fire that the N?kki hadn’t seen in over a thousand years.
Whatever she was, she was too valuable to be killed.
She was priceless.
And no one else knew it but him.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm and rational. If he argued from a place of high emotions, it would only make things worse.
"Annika is in the dungeons as I speak,” he began, keeping his voice steady despite the turmoil within. “Everyone here is well aware that the cells are lined with somnomium. Her magic won’t work down there. She is neither a threat nor a priority to us right now."
"Not a threat ?" Laena's voice rose, sharp and piercing. “Have you taken leave of your senses? She blew up the Temple of the Chimera and released our most prized possessions! She slaughtered the prioress, left citizens and guards wounded, decimated livestock, and wreaked havoc on our buildings!"
“To be fair, the chimeras did most of that…not Annika,” Fallon smirked, despite the weight of guilt for his kingdom’s suffering. He’d helped unleash Annika’s mysterious power. He’d underestimated the potency of her magic. The least he could do was try to prevent anymore harm. “How can we be certain it was, in fact, Kaos magic that destroyed the temple? Considering the level of destruction…perhaps it was an act of the gods?”
“They did bestow His Highness with the gift of fire, and Daiyana has blessed Novi,” one of the councilors pointed out. A few others immediately agreed. Laena shot them such a withering look that they all shrank back in their seats. Then she turned back to her son.
“The gods may have smiled upon you with their demon fire, but they would never have destroyed our sacred temple or released our chimeras." Her eyes narrowed. “That, my dear boy, reeks of Kaos! Only forbidden magic of that level could unleash such mayhem.”
"Yet we cannot ignore the possibility that it was an act of the gods,” Fallon countered, his tone steady even though his heart hammered in his chest. The air in the council chamber grew thick with tension. He could feel the weight of every gaze upon him. "Executing Annika now could provoke them further. We should wait until we have irrefutable proof.”
"Proof?" Laena's laughter was sharp and cold. “You were there! What more proof do you need? The ruins of the temple, the death of the prioress, the destroyed buildings and homes of our people—are these not proof enough for you?"
"Proof of devastation, yes. But not conclusive evidence of Annika being a Kaos witch.” Fallon held her gaze, unyielding while keeping his voice low and controlled. “First and foremost, we should focus on restoring order and stability to our people. Part of that order and stability is to have a proper trial just like we always do before sentencing someone to death.”
"You want to give that little witch the dignity of a trial?" Laena spat, her voice trembling with barely contained rage. "The power she used was unquestionably Kaos magic! How dare you suggest otherwise! Every moment she lives is another chance for her to sow more destruction!”
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the chamber as all of the other council members nodded their assent. Fallon could feel the tide of the argument turning against him. He needed to redirect this conversation, and quickly. His mind raced, searching for a way out of the corner he was being backed into.
“Our laws entitle Annika to a trial.”
Laena's eyes blazed with fury, her regal mask slipping. She slammed her hand on the table, her jeweled rings clinking against the wood. "This is not a debate, foolish boy! This is about justice for our people! The witch must be put to death at once! We cannot afford to show her a shred of leniency!”
Fallon scanned the faces of the council members, seeking support. Their expressions ranged from concerned to fearful, but none seemed willing to oppose the queen openly. Taking a measured breath, he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.
“Our first duty is to our people. Surely there are more immediate concerns, Mother. Healers are treating the wounded. I’d suggest we focus on repairing the damage to the?—”
"Damage that Kaos witch caused!" Laena snarled, rising to her feet in a swirl of silk and perfume. "She must be made an example of as soon as possible, lest others be tempted to dabble in such foul magic!”
The nobles around the table all nodded in agreement. Fallon's nostrils flared and his chest grew tight. How could he protect Annika without revealing his own culpability? How could he stall for more time?
"Your Majesty," he began carefully, "while I agree justice must be served, we should focus on relief efforts first. The people?—"
"The people need to see that we will not tolerate such brazen attacks!" Laena's voice cracked like a whip as she leaned forward on the table. “Do you suggest we appear weak in the face of this threat?"
Fallon gritted his teeth, fighting to maintain his composure. The woman was like a dog with a bone. “Of course not, Mother. But it is wintertime. It is cold. Our people need a warm place to sleep much more than they need a public execution.”
Worlic, the aged councilor, nodded slowly. "Prince Fallon speaks wisely.”
Other council members spoke up in agreement.
“Can we not wait until the city recovers from the damage?" Fallon continued, pressing his advantage. “Even if I were to agree on an execution without a trial, the amphitheater is in ruins. It’s not safe. It would be unwise to send our people there in its current state.”
His words were met with even more thoughtful murmurs of approval. Had he done enough? Would this delay give Talvi the time he needed to return with Dillon?
“His Highness is right. Safety concerns must come first," Worlic interjected. "We should ensure the integrity of the streets and damaged buildings before proceeding with the execution.”
Laena's eyes burned with so much malice that Fallon could almost hear the gears turning in her mind as she calculated her next move. "You would let this murderous witch live while our people suffer?"
"Only until the city is secure," Fallon replied, his voice firm. "All I propose is to wait a week, perhaps two, to ensure the amphitheater is made safe for the public. All in favor?”
The moment he raised his hand, all the others went up along with it.
All hands except for one.
"Very well." Laena's voice was bitter as she acquiesced to the overwhelming majority. “We’ll do this your way. But mark my words, Fallon—if this witch causes any more destruction, I shall hold you personally responsible for delaying her death.”
"Understood," Fallon replied, his jaw clenched. He cast a glance around the room, noting the wary but supportive expressions of the Royal Council members. They had bought him time—time he desperately needed.
As the meeting adjourned, Fallon felt his mother's glare stabbing into his back well after he’d left the room. Why was she so fixated on Annika's execution? And why did he have the sinking feeling that there was far more going on than met the eye?
He barely had time to ponder these questions before aides and officials swarmed him, each demanding his attention.
"Your Highness," a guard approached, her armor slashed by chimera claws, "the eastern district requires immediate attention. Some of the roofs are completely?—”
Fallon raised a hand, silencing her. "Send every available mage and skilled laborer," he cut in, his voice clipped. “Have them focus on repairing damaged homes first. Offer double pay if you must. Private businesses can wait. And ensure temporary shelters are set up for the displaced.”
"The infirmary is overwhelmed, sire. We need more healers?—"
"Recruit every medic from the army and reserves, including those in training.”
"Prince Fallon, the livestock taken by the chimeras?—"
“Arrange for emergency provisions. Prioritize sustenance over luxury. We’ll compensate the farmers later.”
Fallon moved through the castle like a tempest, issuing orders and making decisions with calculated precision. His mind ramped up to peak performance, balancing immediate needs against long-term consequences. Every choice was a gamble, every directive a potential spark in an already volatile situation.
“Your Highness, the temple libraries have collapsed and are exposed to the elements,” another voice chimed in. “The sister’s living quarters have been destroyed as well, and it’s supposed to snow this evening.”
“Go to the mage university and get someone to protect the area with a weather shield. We can’t afford to lose our ancient scriptures. And seal off the temple and the amphitheater completely. Station enough soldiers around it to keep it under guard round the clock. No one goes in or out until I give the order. No exceptions! Invite the nuns to stay in the guest rooms here at the castle until we can excavate and rebuild. If anyone questions this, direct them to me."
As Fallon went to address the next crisis, a firm hand gripped his elbow.
"A word, Your Highness. In private."
"Not now, Mauricio," Fallon growled, brushing him off. “Can’t you see I have?—"
"Your office , now ," he hissed. His eyes held a rare urgency that made the prince take notice.
With a frustrated exhale, Fallon allowed himself to be ushered to his private office. As soon as they crossed the threshold, Mauricio locked the door behind them with a swift, practiced motion. The metallic click of the mechanism sliding into place seemed to amplify the sudden weight of secrecy in the air.
Fallon was surprised to see a portal doorway opened along the far wall, and Loric sitting in one of the chairs beside his desk.
“Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be at the university, sending mages where they’re most needed?”
“It’s being taken care of, Your Highness,” the elderly professor replied.
"Well? What's so important?" Fallon demanded while pacing the length of the room. “I have about a hundred other people waiting to speak with me.”
“We need to speak to you about your mother, sire.”
"By the gods," he groaned, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "My mother's priorities are utterly incomprehensible. Novi's in labor, our city is in crisis, and all she can think about is Annika's execution. What do you suppose is fueling her bloodlust?”
“Funny you chose that word,” Mauricio mused.
He walked over to Fallon’s desk and nudged aside a pile of scrolls, then set down his leather planner and the old book he’d been holding onto.
The moment Loric saw the grimoire, his expression shifted, although he remained quiet. “I brought both of you here because I have reason to believe Her Majesty is connected to the murders plaguing Sinarya. We've seen what she's capable of, the lengths she'll go to maintain power. It makes perfect sense that she would seize the opportunity to use Annika as a scapegoat—she's convenient. A foreigner with strange abilities can easily blamed for Laena’s use of Kaos magic.”
Kaos magic?
The words lingered in Fallon’s ears and the room seemed to tilt. He’d seen pictures of the twisted, mangled bodies from the poorest sectors of the city. There was no way his mother could be involved in something so awful.
“Impossible,” he immediately replied. “My mother wouldn’t be caught dead in those neighborhoods.”
“No, but her accomplice has no qualms about going there. I have witnesses who have seen her in the area. Enough young humans have gone missing that people are starting to talk. It’s getting to a point where action needs to be taken soon.”
Fallon blinked in confusion as he struggled to process the information he was being told. "What are you saying?"
“I’m saying that the source of the Kaos magic lies with your mother.”
"What proof do you have?" Fallon demanded. But even as the words left his lips, a cold dread settled in the pit of his stomach. Deep down, he knew that his faithful secretary would never make such an accusation without just cause.
Mauricio's eyes met his, filled with grim determination. “I have enough proof to warrant further investigation, sire.” He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper. “Elka, your mother's new handmaid, witnessed something disturbing. More than once.”
Fallon's heart raced, his mind conjuring a thousand terrible possibilities. "What did she see?"
"The Queen has been meeting in secret with a woman named Alloria. She brings young humans, mostly women, to your mother’s chambers.”
Fallon shot Mauricio a skeptical look. "That doesn't necessarily mean?—"
“They scream, Fallon,” he replied with a deadpan expression. “Elka says Alloria takes them into a secret room in the queen’s chambers where they scream and scream. When Callista served the queen, she used to see these humans leave looking worse for wear…but Elka never sees them leave at all.”
The fire in Fallon's veins roared to life, threatening to consume him. He clenched his fists, willing the flames to subside. "No. There must be some mistake. Some explanation."
“Oh, there's an explanation,” Mauricio went on. He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over. "Elka drew this symbol. She told me that Alloria paints it all over your mother’s body…in blood.”
“Blood?”
“Yes, Fallon. Blood . Humans know what it looks like."
As Fallon unfolded the paper, his eyes locked onto the twisted, malevolent lines of the magic symbol. His stomach lurched as he recognized the same language that was found in the grimoire sitting on his desk.
The same grimoire sitting right under Loric’s nose.
“I’ve already confirmed that the symbol you hold is the Kaos rune for youth,” he said, giving Fallon a stern look.
"Your mother is renowned for defying the ravages of time," Mauricio added, his tone grave. "But how can it be natural?”
“Oh, it’s not natural,” said Loric. “It appears that she's using dark magic to maintain her youth.”
Maurico nodded in agreement as he took back the drawing. “Our discover of Kaos magic in the castle is recent, but I think its practice has been going on for much longer.”
Fallon's brow furrowed, confusion etching itself across his features.
“How much longer?”
His secretary gave a modest shrug. “Difficult to say exactly when. Loric has a theory.”
Fallon turned to the mage with an expectant look.
“I believe that your mother has been siphoning Balerin’s life force ever since Dillon was killed. Your father’s practically a corpse these days, aside from his brief revival when your mother was sequestered to her chambers.”
Stunned into silence, Fallon felt the foundation of his world starting to crack and crumble. Mauricio motioned for him to sit down before his knees had a chance to wobble. Then he walked over to the fireplace and dropped the rune into it, before conjuring just enough flame to burn the paper to ash.
Fallon felt the tendrils of a terrible suspicion beginning to take root in his mind. The pieces were there, waiting to be assembled into a picture he wasn't sure he was ready to see.
“It still doesn’t explain the murders.”
“Ah, but it does. Your father has grown weaker and more feeble over time, so Laena needed a way to supplement her preferred level of vitality,” Loric explained patiently.
Mauricio returned to stand near Loric and Fallon. “If you look at the dates, the missing people and murders have been fairly recent…and your mother appears more youthful and radiant than I can ever recall. As far as motive—what better way for a Kaos witch to gain control of a throne that ought to be yours?”
"No," Fallon growled, fire flickering at his fingertips. "She would never?—"
But even as he denied it, a part of him knew she would do anything to stay in control. The pieces fit too perfectly, explained too much.
His own mother—a Kaos witch.
The very thing she now accused Annika of being.
The implications were staggering. They threatened to shatter everything Fallon had ever known.
With eyes flashing in anger and disbelief, he shot up from his chair and stalked towards the nearest window. Flinging it open, he sucked in deep lungfuls of cold twilight air. The flames at his fingertips were intensifying. He rested his hands on the stone windowsill in an attempt to soothe the heat growing inside him.
“Surely you realize these accusations against my mother—our queen—are treason.”
Mauricio joined him at the window.
"You've always told me to be honest with you, even when the truth is painful.”
Loric cleared his throat before chiming in. “Speaking of honesty…when did you start practicing Kaos magic?"
Fallon's head snapped up, eyes narrowing at the professor. "How dare you?—"
“No—don’t you dare lie to us, Fallon,” Loric warned him. “Not about this.”
“I don't trust the queen for one second, although I do believe her about how the temple was destroyed,” Mauricio confessed. “Kaos magic was involved…just not by her. Personally, I think it is a fine thing for you to receive the gift of demonfire, even if you used Kaos magic to get it. I’m not even sorry to see the chimeras go—the cost of their upkeep was tremendous—but I cannot serve a leader who keeps secrets from me.”
“Nor can I,” Loric said, and motioned to the Grimoire of Damnation sitting in front of him. “Tell us the truth, Fallon.”
The air in the room grew thick, tension crackling between them. Fallon's mind was inundated as he weighed his options on how to respond.
Eventually he let out a long, shuddering breath.
“Fine. You want the truth? The truth is that I didn’t borrow those books on Kaos magic to learn how to protect myself and Novi against it. I was searching for something specific, and I found it—a blood ritual that I performed with Annika."
Mauricio's eyebrows shot up. “When did that happen?”
Fallon shot him an incredulous look. “At the concert. Weren’t you there?”
“No. I was too busy consulting Loric about your mother’s crimes,” Mauricio coolly replied. “All I’ve heard was that you fucked your bard in front of half of Sinarya and she set you on fire. Then she blew up the temple and set the chimeras free. Now we’re here, cleaning up the mess. Thank you for being honest with me, by the way. I don’t think anyone else is qualified for my job.”
The prince turned away, his shoulders tense as he stared out the window at the bustling city below. Mauricio was right—no one else would ever be suited for this job.
But he was wrong about one thing.
“I didn’t fuck Annika,” he quietly defended. “I bit my tongue and gave her my blood. I took some of hers in exchange. It was only a kiss.”
“If you say so. Why did you do it?”
Fallon's voice was barely above a whisper. “I did it because her blood contains unicorn magic—along with every element in nature aside from one. I gave her fire in exchange for the rest."
"But why ?" Mauricio pressed, his face a mask of confusion and concern. “What was your reason?”
Fallon shook his head, struggling to articulate the compulsion he'd felt. "I don't know why! I really don’t! The desire for her…for her magic...it was overwhelming. Irresistible. I could feel it in her from the moment we met—before I knew what it was. I wanted it like a vampire craves blood…like the desert longs for rain. I had no concern for the consequences. And the moment I got a taste of her magic, all I could think of was that I wanted more.”
A sensation of warmth spread over a small area of Fallon’s chest, over his heart. He paused just long enough to run his fingers over the clothing that covered it, savoring the delicious burn on his skin.
“I would’ve taken more if she’d let me,” he said, recalling that moment on stage. “The gods and most of Sinarya all know I tried. Do either of you have any idea what it’s like to feel so helpless?”
“Yes,” Mauricio replied, holding up the remaining stump of his right arm. “Losing my hand in the war wasn’t exactly a picnic. You’ll get used to it.”
Fallon turned away from the window and faced his trusted companions, giving Mauricio a nod of acknowledgment. “I don’t know how I’ll ever get used to this feeling. I have no idea how I’m going to explain my lack of restraint to Novi. I do not love Annika. I barely know her, yet…there is a connection. It feels both primordial…and eternal. What does it mean?”
Unable to offer an answer, Mauricio blew out a breath and shrugged.
“I know exactly what it means,” Loric replied before pushing back his chair and walking over to join Fallon near the window. “The connection you feel with Annika is not surprising. Not to me.”
Fallon’s eyes narrowed. “Why not?”
The wise mage gave him a faint smile.
“Within the study of elemental magic, Kaos and Harmony are connected just as you described—they are both primordial and eternal. They have existed since before time began. Annika has unicorn magic in her blood…magic that creates harmony. Being the son of a Kaos witch, you carry that magic in your blood…magic that creates chaos. These two opposites are forever intertwined, just like darkness and light, fire and ice, or unicorns and chimeras. The magic in your blood complements one another. It’s no wonder you felt that magnetic pull towards Annika. I’m sure she felt the same about you.”
Fallon's jaw clenched, his internal struggle visible in the tightness of his shoulders.
“But I don’t want to be bonded to her. I love Novi.”
Loric nodded patiently. “I know you do. Try not to think of your connection with Annika as anything romantic, because it’s not. It’s in the blood…more like the bonds within a family…especially between siblings.”
A derisive laugh broke the tension of the moment.
“I never tried to fuck my sister,” Mauricio snickered.
Trying his best to ignore him, Fallon took a deep breath before speaking.
“I feel no deep bond with my brothers. One is presumed dead, and the other is nothing but a thorn in my side.”
“More like a knife in the back,” Mauricio muttered under his breath.
Loric stifled a laugh. “Perhaps if your sister had lived, you’d have a better idea of the bond I’m referring to. It does seem to be stronger among twins.”
Fallon’s softly pointed ears perked up at the sound of those words. Not many Sinaryans outside the Blackwood court knew that he was actually a twin. His sister had died in childbirth and hadn’t been spoken of since a small, private funeral. She wasn’t so much as a footnote in the history books. She wasn’t even given a name.
She may as well have never existed.
He frowned, processing all of the information he’d just been presented with.
“I apologize if mentioning her has upset you, sire.”
Fallon shook his head. “It doesn’t upset me. Most of the time I forget that I ever had a twin. But if my mother is, in fact, a Kaos witch, does that mean my sister would’ve inherited that magic instead of me? I know it’s passed down through the female line of families.”
Loric smiled in amusement. “That’s not quite accurate. All family members will have Kaos magic lying dormant in their blood. Your brothers were born with it just as you were. Tristan will pass it on to any children he has. If they—or any of his descendants are female—it will begin to manifest when they come of age.”
He crossed his arms and shifted from one foot to another, studying Fallon with a level of curiosity rarely seen anymore.
“However, your children will be different. You exchanged blood with Annika. Your dormant Kaos magic is now influenced by the Harmony of her unicorn magic, and vice-versa.”
Lori shook his head in bewildered disbelief. “Since unicorns are the most powerful creatures in the world, it would explain the spectacle that happened earlier. She was a collection of warm embers…until you poured fuel onto her flame.”
Guilt pressed against Fallon from every direction, smothering him like smoke. He’d always prided himself on protecting his people, on doing what was best for them, and now he was responsible for causing the biggest disaster since the last battle against the Estellian Empire.
“I didn’t know what would happen.”
“No,” Loric agreed, unwilling to hide his disapproval, “which is why I specifically warned you not to put anything you read into practice. We can’t undo what you’ve done, so you may as well get used to living with it. But it’s not your burden alone. Any children of Annika’s—or yours—will carry both types of magic in their blood.”
Fallon swallowed hard, hearing only one thought among the hundreds that battled for his attention.
“Any children I create from this day forward, you mean,” he choked out in a broken whisper. “Not the one being born as I speak.”
Loric’s expression grew somber, and his arms drifted down to hang at his sides. “No, unfortunately. Not her. She will be a true daughter of Kaos.”
A ragged shudder escaped Fallon’s chest, and he covered his face with his hands. “My daughter is not even born, and I’ve already condemned her.”
Loric reached out and rested a comforting hand on the prince’s weary shoulders.
“Try not to trouble yourself over this, sire. I know a number of mages who are quite knowledgable about Kaos magic. Even though your daughter will have some challenges to overcome, we can take certain measures when the time is right.”
“What sort of measures?” Mauricio asked with an incredulous look. “Do you honestly mean to tutor a royal bastard in the art of forbidden Kaos magic?”
“Well…yes,” Loric replied delicately. “It’s only forbidden to the general public. One way or another, Fallon’s daughter will have to learn how to control it. All of his children will.”
Mauricio’s mouth was a pinched, thin line across his weathered face. “That’s the problem! It can’t be controlled! It’s Kaos! All it does is destroy and cause madness!”
“Not always,” Loric reasoned. “Its unpredictability is what makes it dangerous. Yes, it is highly restricted magic, but it can be studied by an elite few.”
Mauricio threw his arms up in protest.
“Perhaps by senior mages at the university, but how’s it going to look to the people of Sinaryos when the future king’s children start studying Kaos magic?”
Loric didn’t even flinch at the proposition.
“Truthfully? It would look no different than any other example of upper class privilege. I can’t tell you how many of my students are enrolled because of their parents’ donations to the university instead of their actual talent.”
Mauricio rubbed his temple, trying his best to will away an impending migraine.
“I suppose you’re right, but you forget that Tristan the Piston has fucked his way across the empire and back. Only the gods know how many unclaimed bastards he’s sown along the way. What happens if people start realizing that the blood of Blackwoods is tainted with Kaos magic? The consequences would be…”
“They would be catastrophic," Loric agreed.
Fallon's black eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching as he considered the far-reaching consequences. He began to pace, his footsteps echoing in the sudden, oppressive silence of his office. The weight of this newfound knowledge pressed down on him like a physical force, threatening to crush him beneath its terrible implications.
"If word of this gets out, the people will lose faith in the Royal Family,” he said, his voice strained. “Distrust will spread like wildfire. We've seen what happens when a kingdom loses faith in its leaders. The Crimson Rebellion in Aethoria…the Fall of the Ivory Throne in Lyrassia..."
Overcome with the horrible possibilities, he trailed off, running a distraught hand through his dark waves. "If the bloodline of the Blackwood Dynasty is truly tainted by Kaos…we could be facing exile at best, and execution at worst. And the power vacuum left behind..."
Suddenly nauseous at the possibilities, Fallon shuddered. "It would plunge Sinaryos into ruin. Perhaps even ignite another war with the Ellunian Empire, if not war with every kingdom around us.”
“This is all speculation,” Loric pointed out, doing his best to remain calm. “Sinaryos has been more prosperous and peaceful under your leadership than I can ever recall. Nobody wants that to change. You would do well to remember that your family secret has managed to stay hidden for over three-hundred years.”
“Only because my mother has no living daughters to expose it!”
With his mind reeling, Fallon’s eyes darted between Loric and Mauricio.
“What if the cause of my sister’s death wasn’t natural at all? Do you think my mother…do you think her capable of…”
“Don’t go there, Fallon,” Loric warned. “Nothing good is going to come of it.”
“He’s right,” Mauricio agreed. “Let’s get back to your family secret. How do you propose we manage it?”
A cynical sneer curled Fallon’s upper lip, and he scoffed at the question.
“Do you truly wish to remain in my service, even after learning my blood is impure? What if I do , in fact, go mad from the magic in my veins?”
Staring at him blankly, Mauricio let out a sigh.
“It’s still a good job. As long as you continue to be honest with me, and as long as you work with Loric to learn how to harness your magic, you have my loyalty. We can manage this...but we need a plan.”
Fallon's gaze hardened, his voice dropping to a low, intense whisper. “Foremost and utmost, this information does not leave this room. Not a whisper, not a hint. No one else can know. Not Halen. Not Cedric. Not even Novi. I’ll tell her when the time is right. The future of our entire kingdom—if not the Ellunian Empire—depends on it!”
Loric nodded solemnly. "Of course, Your Highness. But...what do we do about Queen Laena? If she were to be arrested for the murders, it would reveal your secret.”
“We could let her get away with murder. They’re only humans.”
Fallon and Loric stared at Mauricio. He scowled back at their obvious disapproval.
“It was an idea. I didn’t say it was a good one!”
Fallon's expression darkened further. “I have an idea as well. I don’t know if it’s a good one, but I can’t think of anything better.”
“Well? What is it?” Mauricio demanded.
“When we met with the Royal Council, my mother was insistent that we execute Annika for being a Kaos witch without giving her a trial.”
“You want to execute the queen without a trial?”
Fallon rolled his eyes in exasperation. “No! I’m only pointing out that the council seemed more than happy to disregard the law for the sake of convenience. If we can catch my mother in a high-level crime that doesn’t connect her to Alloria or Kaos magic, we could have her imprisoned indefinitely.”
Mauricio tilted his head as if to make sure he understood correctly. “So…we do let her get away with murder?”
“Collateral damage, I’m afraid,” Loric replied grimly. "But we must tread carefully.”
“Without question,” Fallon confirmed. “The longer we let her and her accomplice get away with their crimes, the more emboldened and careless she’ll become. It’s already working. Our duty is to help her dig her own grave. But keep in mind that my mother is as cunning as she is powerful.”
“Laena has most of the Royal Council in her pocket, starting with Worlic,” said Mauricio. "And if she discovers what we know..."
"She'll destroy us all,” Fallon finished, his eyes dark with foreboding. “We can't move against her without absolute, irrefutable proof. To do otherwise would be suicide–for us, and for all of Sinaryos.”
"Agreed," Mauricio nodded, loyalty etched in every line of his face.
Loric lifted the ancient book from the desk, regarding it with deep reverence. He brought it close to his chest, then locked eyes with the Crown Prince, acknowledging the silent vow between them. The Grimoire of Damnation was going back to the restricted section of the library…yet they both knew it was only a matter of time before they opened it again.
The enormity of Fallon’s situation was crashing over him like a tidal wave.
But he was a sailor.
He could weather the storm.