Chapter 7 Vaxan #2
“You stated that you’ve come here to ask a significant favor of us,” she said.
“Yes.”
“We have already pardoned you for revealing a concealed Basilisk ability—vibrational tracking—to outsiders. That was only because you were able to gain the favor of esteemed and very useful assets in Cassius Ashmoor and the Commander of The Shadowed. In addition, you convinced us not to mobilize against the threat that Winter Nox poses to the supernatural world by providing proof that supporting him would lean very much in our favor, where we would be duly rewarded as you’d make our support known to Sylas Morgrave, the political force that is Velra Nox, along with sought-after sorcerer Kai Hunter.
They are all just a single message away now for us to call upon for anything we need. ”
“Due to my actions and connections, you have done very well. I have more than outperformed what you wished of me when you sent me to Loxley Academy to secure deeper alliances that were built on more than just tentative handshakes.”
I caught Zayn’s eye, and thankfully I saw that he really did understand this was all just manipulation of Norla and Syde, that it didn’t infringe upon my loyalty to our foursome, nor my genuine love and care.
These two before me—my so-called parents—just wouldn’t understand that.
“Even so, another ask is verging on discourteous brashness, Vaxan,” Syde commented.
Norla sighed with notable impatience. “Make your ask.”
“I need access to the collective power of our people with respect to vibrational tracking—only that, and only temporarily.”
A shocked curse slipped from Syde.
Norla raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“I believe you heard me all too clearly.”
“For what purpose?”
“To locate Winter Nox in Sanctus, and then decimate the construct.”
“You want to risk our entire population to rescue a lover of yours?” Syde demanded.
“My relationship with him is irrelevant. Doing this will prevent him from being used to bring forth Ruxnoth’s endgame wherein he will lay waste to most and subjugate the rest. Us included.
And furthermore, there will be no risk to our population.
The risk will be entirely shouldered by me.
I will merely draw from you all, and should I be targeted and harmed in the process by the enemy, or should it overload me, that will stay with me, not travel down the conduit connection to you all.
It will be cut off at the source of the wielder—me.
It also won’t be a power drain to draw only from the vibrational tracking ability we all bear. ”
Norla shook her head. “There is still risk involved. I won’t sanction it.”
“You’re referring to a True Celestial threat being at the forefront of this situation?”
“Lessons have been learned well where Celestial threats are concerned.”
“They weren’t lessons. What you’re referring to were mistakes. Framing them any other way is dangerous for our kind.”
“Mind yourself,” Norla hissed.
I couldn’t.
I. Would. Not.
I held her fearsome gaze, registering the warning in it.
“The Basilisk species stood down when we were targeted by the Celestial Plane. You knelt. Persecution ran rampant, and you were forced underground for scores of years. You sat back and accepted your subjugation. Things have only shifted now because of the actions of others—you benefitting from the Severance where the Celestial Plane was cut off, and our people could finally emerge from hiding. This situation is disturbingly similar. Do you really want to rely on others to drive back the enemy, to put our kingdom’s fate in hands that aren’t our own? ”
She hissed at me again. “You’d do well to watch your tongue. You have overstepped the mark several times over. Questioning my rule is grounds for charges of treason.”
“Treason?” Zayn commented. “Come the fuck on.”
I gave his hand a squeeze, then went on to the ill-equipped fools before me who continued to demonstrate that with every word they spoke here today.
“Remaining neutral here is not possible. You will deny when you could have aided. You will be practicing appeasement of a tyrannical True Celestial. The very beings that tormented our kind, that nearly destroyed us entirely.” I sighed.
“Sometimes, the only course is to fight. Your current mandate calls for more for our people, for us to flourish, to integrate and modernize with the wider supernatural world, yet you are unwilling to contribute anything to those benefits that you wish to reap.”
“How dare you?” Syde ground out, slamming his fist down on the armrest of his throne.
As if displays of violence from those physically weaker would affect me.
“My refusal stands,” Norla told me. “I won’t allow you to draw our collective power.”
Still keeping a hold on Zayn, because I could feel his growing agitation and discomfort, I stepped forward, enough to make the act of aggression known.
“I wonder how our people will receive the news that you refused an incredible opportunity to cement the Basilisk Kingdom as power players in the supernatural world, alliances with supremely influential figures that will see to both our protection and the integration our people have been craving, and even to mark us as heroes to be revered eternally. When you explain it to them, will you be putting forth your actual reasoning, or manufacturing a falsity? The actual reasoning being your egomaniacal fear that if more of our people move above ground, you will lose your hold on them, your authority will be diminished, and perhaps even prove inconsequential if they defect and no longer consider themselves part of the kingdom.”
“Is that a threat?” Norla hissed, her serpentine eyes rushing to the surface.
I stared steadily back at her, making mine known also. “Yes.”
She shot to her feet, Syde following.
I released Zayn, then snapped my palms up, my citrine power flaming. “As High Lord Heir of the Excetra Crown, I invoke Exigent Plebiscite. Effective immediately.”
I thrust my hands at the ceiling, sending a wave of my power rushing along the structure and through the Throne Room and beyond, providing enough fuel to encompass the entire Basilisk Dominion.
Every single Basilisk would now receive word from me—my call for a vote, essentially. One such thing that, under special circumstances, which I’d ensured these qualified as, could remove a decision from the sovereigns’ hands and give it to the people.
“Hmm,” Norla mused, the ferocity in her gaze petering out and what appeared to be reluctant pride taking its place.
“Your hospitality and cooperation would have gone a long way.” Then I wouldn’t have had to invoke that and transcend their authority in that manner.
“Perhaps.” She flicked her hand at Syde and he sank back into his throne. Then she gestured indifferently at Zayn. “You’ll need to remain in the Crown Palace for the convening of the vote tomorrow now that you’ve sent out the call. I suggest he stay beyond our walls.”
Zayn frowned, not understanding the intricacies, nor what an insult she was leveling upon him.
She thought him merely a plaything of mine.
No, she wished to convince herself that he was no more than that.
I’d already continually demonstrated with my actions and body language toward him in front of them that he was much more than that.
“He’ll stay in my Royal Chamber.”
“Vaxan,” Syde snapped.
I held up my hand, and he balked under the authoritative move. He recognized that his position didn’t hold enough weight, not when I was employing my true High Lord Heir standing. In practice, it had the means to eclipse his and even rival Norla’s.
“Leave it be,” she actually told him.
He muttered something, but gave a nod.
“One more thing,” I said, tucking Zayn into my side. “Zayn is one of my Chosen. I strongly suggest that you show him the respect he deserves.”
“Your Chosen?” Syde queried. “Not merely a temporary titillation?”
I hissed.
Fiercely.
“My. Chosen.”
Syde looked away and murmured, “Understood.”
“Mother,” I rumbled, and she jolted at both my use of that word, and my tone. “Am I understood?”
It took her a moment, but she gave a nod. “Yes.”
“Excellent,” I said, turning on my heel, and guiding Zayn with me.
It was down to our people now.
Well… technically.
After all, I always had a contingency plan.
“Wow. Your room—sorry, Royal Chamber—is cold. And I don’t mean in a temperature sense,” Zayn concluded, looking all around with a deep frown creasing his brow.
“Yes, well. The High Empress and Emperor Consort believed the High Lord Heir of the Excetra Crown being permitted creature comforts would be detrimental to the… programming of the royal heir they wished to manufacture in me.”
“Like, make you soft?”
“I suppose.”
“That’s stupid. Just by having some things you like and stuff that brings you comfort, and shows your personality?”
He looked so put out for me, so very upset that I’d been raised this way. Well, raised was a bit of an overstatement.
I took in the large space of my former room with different eyes now, surveying the polished black marble walls with the green and yellow veins.
The stone floor that was etched with snake markings.
No rugs to add any sense of homeliness. Those familiar alchemical orbs that were a feature throughout the Basilisk Dominion were set high in the walls, offering functional illumination.
A built-in stone closet was situated over to the right, inset into the wall, beside the door to the ensuite bathroom.
There was a flat plane of stone functioning as a desk, where I’d conducted my studies as a boy, with a high-backed chair that had a thin leather pad. An ink set that I’d left upon it caught my eye, along with some old written tests I’d undertaken.
The bed was oriented against the far left wall, made of bedrock with just a thin mattress. A gray blanket and a single pillow rested upon it.
Yes, his assessment was sound.