Chapter 16
It had been days since Ellaryn was released from the cell, and although business had returned to its usual pace, she noticed a subtle shift in the King’s behaviour toward her.
He watched her more closely now, assigning tasks with a sharp precision and sending her straight back to her chambers afterwards.
Every step away from him, every locked door she passed, reminded her of Xander. And the more time she spent apart from him, the more doubt gnawed at her.
Doubt in his plan, doubt in her role, doubt in whether she could truly bend the King’s shadow to their cause.
He had been right about Magnus.
The King had dragged him from the dungeons with the intention of wrenching secrets from muscle and bone, only to find a corpse waiting in his place—skin mottled with the telltale signs of the blight, bones stiff beneath his clothes, his body long dead.
Ellaryn had stood silently as they carried him away, refusing to let the relief she felt show on her face.
Perhaps, she had thought, the King’s suspicions would die with him.
Perhaps Magnus’s death would be enough to convince him that there was no revolution, no growing resistance among the dwellers, nothing worth hunting.
But then again, she knew better than to believe anything could be that simple.
Magnus might have been dead, but whatever he had set in motion was not.
“What do you think?” the King asked Ellaryn, eyes bright with eager anticipation as he dangled a necklace made of teeth before her. “One of Gris’ best pieces, I think.”
“Thank you, Your Darkness,” Gris said, his hollow, pale complexion matching the King’s, the black cloak lending him the look of a Defier.
Ellaryn hid her cringe. “Very… tasteful, Your Darkness.”
“Yes, I will wear it tonight,” the King said, placing it back on its stand with admiring eyes. Ellaryn’s gaze lingered on the necklace, forcing herself not to think of the lives that had been lost to make it. “Run along now,” he said to Gris, who bowed and took the bespoke jewellery with him.
“Tonight?” Ellaryn questioned.
“I’m throwing a party,” the King continued, clearing his throat as he turned his attention to her. “The chancellors and councilmen are coming—and bringing their companions. I figure we should celebrate what’s to come.” He grinned.
Ellaryn offered a curt nod of acknowledgement. “You will be ready by seven,” he continued, his gaze sharp. “And wear the clothes I have chosen for you.”
“Of course, Your Darkness,” Ellaryn replied, inclining her head.
Parties weren’t frequent, and she had never cared much for them, but tonight, at least, the King’s attention would be elsewhere.
“I want you to do your rounds,” he added. “See what’s happening beyond the castle walls.”
“You want me to eavesdrop?” she affirmed, raising an eyebrow.
“Precisely. With the advance on Velaviere fast approaching, I need to know that everyone is in my corner. I cannot afford to have anyone beside me who doubts my judgement.”
Ellaryn inclined her head, keeping her expression carefully blank.
“Good.” He said, his gaze lingering on her. “Be invisible.”
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he stepped closer, lowering his voice until it was almost a whisper.
“Can you do that for me?”
His hands rose to her hair, almost tenderly adjusting her plait before drawing it over her shoulder. The gesture was gentle enough to be mistaken for affection, if not for the warning still lingering in his eyes.
Ellaryn remained perfectly still.
“Yes, Your Darkness.” She spoke carefully before bowing to him. He walked towards the window, eyes flicking to Scornszar, wings catching stray embers, igniting flames below.
“Do you remember what I taught you about power?”
“Power is how you take a city?” she asked, recalling the many lessons he had drilled into her over the years, each one another piece of his twisted philosophy.
“Yes.” Pride warmed his voice. “And how do you keep it, little Ruin?”
“Fear.”
The answer came simply, without hesitation. She knew it was the one he wanted.
A slow smile spread across his face as his lips parted, one word rolling off his tongue: “Precisely.”
He lifted a hand, almost approvingly, before letting it fall again, before a knock on the door sent Ellaryn’s head in that direction.
“Yes,” the King chimed, his eyes never leaving the city beyond the window as he waved a hand towards the door. “Come in.”
Reginauld entered with his head held high, the black armour across his broad frame catching the sunlight streaming through the window. A thick stack of papers was clutched in his chubby hands.
“Your Darkness.” He bowed before straightening, fingers briefly twisting the ends of his pointed moustache. His eyes then shifted towards Ellaryn, and he gave her a stiff nod.
She returned it.
“Ah, Reginauld.” The King grinned, the mere sight of his gums making Ellaryn’s stomach turn. “I do hope it is good news you bring me. I’m in rather a pleasant mood, and I’d hate for anything to ruin it—so to speak.”
His eyes flicked towards Ellaryn, amused.
Reginauld cleared his throat. “Good and bad, Your Darkness.”
The King’s smile disappeared.
He sighed and waved a hand, this time with considerably less patience.
“Go on. Out with it.”
Reginauld stepped forward and handed the papers to one of the Defiers, who snatched them from his grasp before carrying them across the room to the King.
The King took them and flicked through the pages, his eyes skimming the contents before he looked up.
“What am I reading here?”
“Feedback from the Knights—”
“I know what it is.” His voice sharpened, boredom creeping into his expression. “Why am I reading it?”
Reginauld hesitated, and the King lowered the papers.
“Tell me what you want me to know; I don’t have time for this. I have a party to prepare for.”
“Very well.” Reginauld cleared his throat again.
“The Knights have successfully infiltrated Velaviere under the guise of travellers from the forgotten city. They’re confident they can provide us with detailed layouts of the castle, along with information on the major strongholds and defences throughout the kingdom. ”
“Excellent.” The King nodded, glancing down at the papers. “This all seems like good news.”
“Yes, except…” Reginauld hesitated.
The King’s eyes lifted.
“Except?”
“They’ve noted that the army is considerably larger than ours.”
The King was silent for a moment, his fingers tapping against the papers.
“How much larger?”
“Four hundred men, give or take.”
A quiet beat passed.
“And you think this is a problem?”
“Well…” Reginauld shifted his weight. “It is certainly not the difference we anticipated, but with the Defiers and Scornzsar on our side, we are sure to stand a more than admirable advantage.”
The King’s jaw ticked. “So what is the problem?”
Reginauld sighed. “Well, our men have been watching the castle, speaking with the citizens. It appears they are readying themselves.”
He cocked his head.
“Readying?”
Reginauld nodded his head. “It seems they are anticipating an attack.”
“You said you could handle your men!” The King shouted.
“And I am.”
“So why…” He circled him, eyes narrowing. “Pray tell me, are they expecting us?”
Ellaryn’s stomach rolled as a thought sprang to her mind. Had Xander alerted them to the pending attack?
“It is unclear as of yet.” Reginauld kept his cool as he spoke—words firm, sure. “They are just rumours. Cinders has not been mentioned by name, so there may be another reason for the preparation.”
“You want to hope that there is, Reginauld,” He said, “Because one thing I hate more than rumours are rats.”
“I don’t think our men are the reason—”
“Enough!” The King shouted, and weapons flew off the walls, clattering onto the floor, bewitched by his hand.
Ellaryn jumped, and so did Reginauld. “I didn’t make you a commander to think.
I gifted you the title to do your job, enforce.
Make my life easier. So can you do that?
” He took a few steps towards him. “Can you make my life easier?”
Reginauld nodded quickly, Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed.
“Perfect.” The King clapped his hands together. “Find the rat and kill it.” He breathed an eerie calmness into his words.
“As you wish, Your Darkness.”
“Excellent,” he purred, his expression now sickeningly gentle. “Now please get out of my sight and don’t return unless you have good news.”
Reginauld bowed before turning sharply on his heels and making for the door.
Ellaryn took his departure as her cue to leave as well, already turning towards the exit when the King’s voice stopped her.
“I did not dismiss you, Ruin.”
She halted, her hair instantly standing on end.
“My mistake, Your Darkness.” She turned back and inclined her head, resuming her place.
The King sighed, as though her continued presence were an inconvenience.
“Just don’t let it happen again.” He waved a hand, dismissing the matter as easily as he had dismissed her attempt to leave. “You may leave. On your way out, stop by the kitchens.”
Ellaryn waited.
“Make sure everything is in order. I don’t need another mistake like last time.”
His mouth then curved into a faint, humourless smile.
“Though, admittedly, it did make for rather…” His eyes glinted. “Regal entertainment.”
Ellaryn’s stomach tightened as the memories of the last celebration came to the forefront of her mind. One mistake. One clumsy server who had dropped a plate of food onto the King’s lap had lost more than just his hand.
“Yes, Your Darkness.”
She turned towards the door once more, this time waiting for no further instruction.
She nodded, forcing a small smile, and made her way toward the kitchen.