Chapter 23 #3
“No, don’t hurt it, that’s Lieutenant Nyk’s!” A voice snaps.
‘It bit me!’ Reiss says tightly. A smile tugs at my lips. I’ll have to remember to give Soot a treat later.
We scramble onto the ladder just as the stone beneath begins to seal itself again.
It disintegrates behind us with every rung we climb.
Lili’s heartbeat thumps erratically above me, no doubt feeling torn at the idea of breaking into her mentor’s room.
Citizens from the same territories have an unspoken code regarding things like this. But with all due respect, fuck code.
“Easy, Lil,” I murmur, before her hands press against the ceiling where the ladder stops. She gives it a push, and it gives way. We crawl through the opening. Emerging right into Vale’s bathing chamber.
I walk stealthily around it, noting its lack of use, whilst Lili throws a purple powder into the air to make sure there are no wards to alert him.
Thin layers of dust coat the taps and the shower.
Vale hasn’t looked anywhere near as unkept as this bathroom would suggest, which means he has been cleaning up elsewhere.
My jaw ticks, and I whisper a prayer to Rai to help me remain graceful.
It isn’t looking good for Vale. And forgiveness is one of the virtues I struggle with the most. After chastity.
Apart from the standard issue furniture found in every palace abode, the bedroom is bare.
No clothes, no personal effects. I check each desk drawer, but every compartment is just as empty as the rest of the room.
The kitchen is no different. While it isn’t unusual for residents to avoid using their kitchenettes in favour of the mess hall, the goblets, the water outlet, and the plates are all dusty.
Vale clearly hasn’t been spending time here so why go to such lengths to ward the entire place?
“Nyk!”
Lili’s muffled voice calls from the next room. I’m met by the backs of her legs and thighs, her head buried deep inside a wardrobe.
“There’s a fucking ram’s horn back here.”
Quick strides carry me across the room just as she pulls out half a spiral ivory horn wrapped in a black cloth. I side-step it, not wanting to suffer the consequences of touching something like that. The magic coming from it feels almost like pressure against my lungs.
“It’s full of shit like this. He would be locked away forever if anyone found it.”
The back of the wardrobe has been removed. Tucked behind it is a cache of strange trinkets and animal parts.
“Check everything,” I say. “If he’s the one who made the elixir, maybe there’s an antidote in here too. Or something that tells us where Kaed is.” She hands me stacks of papers and letters while she rummages through the rest.
“I think this is it.” She holds up a small vial, the glass catching the light as she pops the lid.
An acrid scent hits the air, and a white vapor puffs from the opening.
She jerks her head with a cough, fanning the fumes away from our faces and blinking away a tear.
“It’s got to be the elixir he used for Kaed.
That’s the strongest I’ve ever smelt it.
There’s Serpent venom and Phoenix feather in here too.
And a little dragons blood.” She slips it into her pouch with a quiet snap of the clasp.
“You know, if we just show this to Aeron, Vale will be imprisoned immediately. What do you think?”
I shake my head, “Not yet. We need him to lead us to Kaed somehow. We will regroup.” I lower the panel back into place, pocketing some of the papers.
“Okay. I’ll see what I can do to make an antidote from this.”
“I can’t believe this, Lili. Fucking Vale.”
“Fucking Vale.”
Tobian’s too-loud voice calls out from the hallway.
“Vale, Theron, thank you for your time, have a good day.”
We hurry into the bathroom, closing the door silently. We’re about to jump back into the tunnel that has turned into a slide, but the hushed voices coming from the bedroom stop us.
“You must get back to the camp at once, Theron. My body still hasn’t healed from her blast. I instructed Kaed to sit and watch her, but I can’t be sure he hasn’t fought through the elixir and kissed her, if it has they’ll escape and—”
“I cannot believe you left them alone all this time. You are so foolish. What of our army? Have you put the wards up around them?” War rages through my blood. Rai, please calm the storm in my heart.
“When I left, they were standing watch and mending their wounds, but too afraid to go down. She has obliterated the entire camp. The wards...” Vale’s throat warbles. “I started but had to leave for the Ember Court summons, and then Tobian’s godforsaken meeting.”
“So, we are exposed? Our army are weak?” Theron hisses. “I’ll make my way immediately.”
The front door closes, and it is clear Rai ignores my prayer because a pulse of something like violent excitement rushes through every single one of my veins at the certainty of two things. One, my brother is coming home today. And two, Vale and Theron are going to die.