Chapter 17
Theron
Theron blinked and Aurora was gone. His heart clenched in his chest.
“Aurora!”
One moment she had been taunting him in the palace hallway, the next she had vanished.
Damn her, had she really mastered her magic enough to escape his grasp whenever she chose?
When had she managed to practise it? Who had tutored her?
She’d had all of two beginner’s lessons from him.
Surely, she couldn’t have advanced this far in so short a time.
Had Hyllus snuck into his palace to train her the same as he had into the city when he attacked the kennels?
“Your Majesty?” Nireus asked, alarmed.
“Find Her Highness, now!”
“At once!” Nireus bowed and ordered his people to search the palace.
“Will you go to the temple district, Your Majesty?”
Theron sighed. He never should have allowed the little fairy out of her room. Like her magic’s animal, she’d chosen violence now that she couldn’t be appeased. Foolish bastard that he was, he’d allowed his blasted heart to sway him.
“Yes. And when you find my wife, ensure she doesn’t leave her quarters.”
Though how anyone was meant to accomplish such a feat when she hadn’t exhausted her magic was anyone’s guess. Triad help them all. How was he meant to protect her now? Short of locking her up behind bars, what could he do?
After the mayhem of the Viridians’ attack on Batea’s kennels and Drakon’s escape, the palace had been thrown into a frenzy.
Theron had spent the day sending soldiers to recapture near-rabid beasts and reorganizing his palace soldiers to guard Batea’s palace from further mischief.
Little wonder then that no one had thought to be overly concerned with the rooms in which Batea or Dia had been kept.
It wasn’t until the midday meal that anyone realised both women were missing.
And because someone with loose lips had raised the alarm, now the whole of Altanus knew of it.
Theron’s heart was heavy. Soon, the whole of his kingdom would brand his cousin a traitor and a dualist sympathiser.
There would be no bringing her back into his inner circle.
Not unless Batea came back with Drakon’s head in tow.
Theron had thought, perhaps foolishly, that once he returned to his capital, the last few turbulent months could be put in the past. That his court would welcome him.
That his cousin would have kept her temper under check.
That his wife would enjoy being spoiled and doted on by him.
But Drakon’s existence had set a torch to all his expectations.
It was not too far off the mark to say that Theron felt his life unravelling before him.
That was why he’d pushed the start of court back to midday and decided to pay Myrina a visit first thing in the morning.
So turbulent were his thoughts that he barely paid any mind to his surroundings on his way to the temple district.
It wasn’t until he was at the steps of the temple of Passion that he realised a rather recognizable palanquin was sitting across the triangular plaza in front of the temple of Knowledge.
Thrice-damned woman, she’d arrived here before him. Just as he was about to march up the black steps, a firm hand caught his wrist.
“Not here, my little lion. Rest assured, I have a several allies keeping an eye on her in there,” Myrina whispered.
“That bitch high priestess is probably poisoning my wife’s mind further,” he snarled.
“And you cannot tear her from the high priestess’ side as easily here as you did on the march. After Batea attacked the paladins, you can’t risk further violence. Come, we have much to discuss.”
The need to storm over there thrummed through his veins, his body rigid and spoiling for a fight.
But as Myrina looped her arm through his and tugged, he turned his head and allowed her to lead him inside the temple of Passion.
When they were seated and served in her private quarters, Myrina dismissed the clerics.
“First, why don’t we discuss what you came here for?” Myrina suggested.
But as Theron took her in, really looked at his aunty, he could see he wasn’t the only one hurting.
Dark circles under her eyes and a smile that was barely a moment from cracking met him.
How foolish of him. Of course she would be hurting.
Though she and Batea were hardly on the best terms, how could she not be terrified for her only child?
“I’m sorry, Aunty. I should have come sooner. I should have come to comfort you.”
Myrina shook her head.
“No, even I know the affairs of the kingdom must come first for you in times like these. But I’m glad you came today,” she said, reaching across and squeezing his hand before leaning back. “I would appreciate a bit of a distraction.”
“I’m afraid it won’t be a good one. I wanted to ask you about caring for someone with a failing mind.”
“A failing mind? Surely you don’t mean Aurora.”
“Unfortunately, I do. She’s convinced Drakon destroyed her homeland and murdered her loved ones.
When I confronted her with the fact that the beast has been alive all of a month, she claimed to be from the future!
To have travelled back in time to destroy it.
Such a thing is impossible, even with her magic. ”
Now that he’d shared his burden, he’d hoped it would feel lighter. Instead, it strangled him.
“Isn’t she an oracle? What magic does she possess other than foresight?” Myrina asked, brow furrowing.
“Right…so much has happened.” Theron took a long, slow breath.
“It seems my wife can control the flow of time, freezing some things in place and speeding others along. I have twice now seen her age a living being in its prime near to death and far beyond it. And fool that I am, I seem to have given her all the instruction she requires, because before our journey here, she’d had but a single lesson in wild magic.
Now, with a scant three, she’s able to escape me whenever it pleases her.
I must find some way to protect her from herself and repair the damage to her mind before it’s too late. ”
“Alright, give me a moment.”
Myrina took a calming breath and sipped her tea, her eyes faraway.
No doubt remembering the last few years of Leandros’ life, of how his mind slipped further and further away, until he only recognised her every so often.
At least Leandros had never used his wild magic against anyone when his mind failed him.
“Your wife has the ability to control time?”
“Yes.”
“And claims to have travelled back from some distant future to destroy Drakon?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“With the help of one of her ancient artefacts. I probably should have removed it from her, since it was aiding in her delusions, but I couldn’t bring myself to take the last thing she possessed from her homeland.”
“And has she shown signs of a failing mind?”
“Aunty, her story itself is the sign. What she says is madness.”
Myrina frowned, staring into her teacup.
“And aside from the story she’s given you, what other signs have you witnessed? Does she ever seem lost or confused? Is she having trouble solving problems or reasoning things out? Is she hallucinating? Fearful or violent? Is her speech strange?”
“No, and therein lies the tragedy. Had she exhibited any of these things before, I might have seen her affliction for what it was. Until I saw Drakon with my own eyes and spoke with Batea about the beast, I was fully convinced of her delusions. I fear…I fear her time in Flora’s vivarium damaged her.
When I first met her, I healed her of horrific injuries and noticed others that had been previously healed.
What if Flora broke her body and mind? What if—”
“Theron, breathe.”
Only then did he realise his breath had become ragged, his heart racing, his stomach roiling at the thought of what Flora might have done to break his beautiful little wife.
“Aunty, you told me Fate and Passion don’t bind two souls together unless there’s a reason. What if I’m meant to heal her madness? If that’s the reason, I’ll do it and gladly. But how do I care for her in the meantime? With her magic and her delusions, she could get herself killed.”
“The will of Fate and the Triad are not ours to know, my little lion,” she replied, her eyes soft and sad.
“But what am I to do then, Aunty?”
“I heard both the Viridian soldiers as well as the avatar stormed the kennels the other day, hunting for Drakon.”
“Yes, they did. But what of it?” He frowned.
“While I can see the Viridians going along with a delusion if it suited their purpose, I have a hard time believing the avatar would do so.”
“Hyllus is a na?ve young man,” Theron scoffed.
“I would not be so certain of that. In any case, Princess Epicasta is his fated and she is in no way na?ve. If Hyllus believes Aurora is sound of mind, enough to follow her into Batea’s kennels, then Epicasta shares the same conviction.”
“You can’t seriously be telling me to believe in a clear delusion?”
“Is it clear? You said yourself that she has control of time and an ancient artefact of unknown power. And the avatar believes her story, delusion or not. What could have convinced him?”
“His credulity, Aunty.” Theron sighed, aggrieved. Why must she play such games when he’d come to her in despair for his wife’s mind?
“Do you know what wild magic the avatar possesses?”
“I…no. I assumed it was something unimpressive and unsuited to battle. Do you?”
“From what I’ve heard, he never once showed magical aptitude while he lived in Niveum. It came as a great shock to those who knew him there that he could even become an avatar,” Myrina said, sipping her tea.
“Aunty…what aren’t you saying? What do you know?” Theron leaned closer.
Triad’s tits, he was too tired for this.
“Secrets which are not mine to disclose. Trust, though, that the avatar’s belief in your wife’s story should give you some hope, my little lion.”
“That is of no comfort, Aunty.”