Chapter 45 #2
Once we reached the last tall building, we headed for the rear entrance.
Someone had barred the door from the inside and warded it.
The magic protecting the entry was weak, created by a lesser fae.
My sister and I worked together to dismantle it, finishing in under a minute.
We rushed inside, found the stairs, and hurried up to the flat roof.
The low wall lining the edges gave us some cover, but not quite enough, so we crouched as we moved across it to sit against a water tank.
I nodded at Jax. He turned invisible, going to scope out the activity below.
By my estimate, we had twenty minutes until the start.
The sound of the moving crowd below told me they continued making their way there.
“I caught a glimpse of the field,” Faina said, sitting next to me. “They have a big stage and a lot of people are already gathered in front of it.”
Being large and tall, I’d focused on keeping my head down, but my sister was five inches shorter and more adept at going unseen. “Did you see Kaius or our uncle?”
She shook her head. “No, but you know Radan likes to make an entrance. They’ll probably wait until the last moment before showing up.”
“True,” I agreed.
Jax returned a few minutes later, confirming what Faina saw. “Also, I heard some of the crowd talking about Zelthor. They confirmed that he’ll be here, but no one knows why or what they plan to do with him.”
Jacthor cursed. “If there’s any way to get my son, we must do it.”
“Of course,” I said.
The God of Wrath’s magic flowing through me made me even more impatient to save the boy, but I needed to focus and form a viable plan. I looked at Jax. “Go back out there, mix with the crowds, and see what else you can find out. Come back once the royals arrive.”
“You got it,” he said, turning invisible once more.
I ran my gaze around the roof, noting drainage openings at the bottom of the low walls.
At the start of every spring, Porrine had strong thunderstorms that dumped a lot of water on the capital.
Flat roofs had to clear rain quickly. There were two openings per wall, about a foot wide and six inches high.
I could use one of those to view the field.
My brother sat on the opposite side of me from my sister. Usually, he and Lord Jacthor outranked me, but the prince put me in charge of this mission. They had no choice except to take my orders.
I looked at Hagon and gestured across the roof. “Take that opening on the right side to watch the activity.”
“Good idea,” he said, nodding his approval.
I’d always been able to lead, but most of the time, my older brother couldn’t see it when we were together because he took charge. Though I refrained from voicing it aloud, I didn’t give a damn whether he approved of my methods or not. I’d get the job done regardless.
Faina bumped my shoulder. “What about me?”
“When Jax comes back, he can take turns letting you and Jacthor watch while invisible,” I said, nodding at the Frostdar. “Someone needs to keep an eye on the roof entry in case dark elves decide to come up here.”
My sister sighed. “Fine.”
She failed to consider that I didn’t want our brother on watch because his two types of magic, creating thick fog or blinding people, slowed the enemy, but it didn’t stop them from shouting a warning.
Faina's ability to put people to sleep quickly—up to twenty lowborn or three to five highborn at a time—made her more effective at shutting the enemy up.
Even the Frostdar had offensive magic, since he could shoot ice spears that pierced the body.
Those on watch had to be able to take down an intruder quickly.
“We all have a role to play,” I reminded her. “Don’t test me right now.”
She rose and kissed my cheek. “Even like this, you’d never harm a hair on my head, so go and bully someone else.”
Of course, my sister wasn’t wrong, and that small show of affection calmed me a little—as she’d intended.
Hagon was already on the move, crawling to his designated viewing spot.
I moved toward mine. At least the weather was mild today, neither hot nor cold, and there was no rain.
This plan could have been very uncomfortable otherwise.
Once I reached the drainage opening, I lowered my head and peered out across the field.
Fae from all races filled it, ranging from young adults to those creeping into their advanced years.
The place was designed to hold up to ten thousand people and had nearly reached that capacity, but it should have been overflowing.
Porrine’s population had been half a million before.
Had more people fled than we knew about, or had Karganoth’s invasion been even deadlier than we realized? Maybe both.
Dark elves stood menacingly in their black uniforms, fully armed, at the perimeter.
Except for the two entrances, they’d formed triple rows to surround the guests.
I stilled, gaze darting back and forth, noting that the fae I could see clearly enough all wore fine clothes.
Those I recognized were known for their powerful magical abilities.
Many of the ones here were the strongest and most likely to cause trouble if they rebelled.
Could it be a coincidence? I doubted it.
A hush fell over the crowd as more Karganoth soldiers led a procession from the northern entry point. Twenty of them marched in advance of two men—Kaius and Radan—on horseback as others followed behind them on foot.
I stiffened when I saw Zelthor with his mussed light-blue hair following behind my uncle with his wrists bound in iron shackles and a chain pulling him by the neck.
Though I couldn’t make out his expression, at least he held his head high.
His gray skin was paler than usual, made worse by his gaunt face, and his clothing hung loosely from his usually stout body.
“Those bastards,” I swore.
He was only eighteen. What did they hope to gain by treating him this way?
The dark elves marched to the platform and formed a circle around it. Those on horseback dismounted. Radan pulled at the chain, causing the half-Frostdar to stumble before he righted himself and followed his captor onto the stage. I wanted to tear my uncle apart right then.
Jax settled next to me as I watched. “We have a problem.”
“What?” I barked, not looking at him.
“They set a shield around the entire event field to prevent any magic from penetrating it. After the leadership arrived, they closed it, so no one can get in or out,” he said, concern in his voice.
I glanced at him. “How can you be sure?”
“Someone ran late and slammed into it.” Jax’s expression darkened. “More Karganoth soldiers are guarding all the nearby streets, and they’re killing anyone they see walking down them. He was only one minute overdue. Once they saw he couldn’t get in, they cut his head off.”
“The bastards,” I said, grinding my jaw.
To confirm, I tried using my powers to hurt my uncle. Nothing happened. Considering the amount of static magic I had coursing through me, his body should have exploded into small, bloody pieces. It would have been glorious if it had worked.
I could get in with the stone Aella’s grandmother gave me, but I couldn’t get Zelthor out with it.
My mind raced, searching for an alternative as my uncle gave his speech.
Mostly, it was words of praise for Karganoth and its soldiers, followed by assurances that fae who obeyed the new ruling class would not be harmed and could go on about their lives.
Then, he said the thing I’d hoped wasn’t true.
“Today, you are here to witness the crowning of Prince Kaius. He was always the rightful heir to the throne and should have begun his rule thirty years ago.” He glanced toward the elf in question.
“Unlike Worden, Kaius is practical and understands that Zadrya will be strongest if it allies with Karganoth. We are all Seelie, after all.”
I stilled, noting everyone in the audience was fae.
I couldn’t recall seeing a single Paxia native in the streets along the way, though not many had lived in the capital before.
When Karganoth invaded, and I was here last, I could recall passing several dead Frostdar and one Andalagar. None were apparent this time.
I clenched my fists. “Radon is appealing to the elite, attempting to undermine King Worden and his heirs’ right to rule.”
Jax and Faina were invisible, but I’d heard my friend bring my sister back with him.
“They’re hoping to win over the high fae, so they’ll willingly go to Faelaria and bring the lower classes with them,” Faina said.
I kept my gaze on the stage as Radan’s speech droned onward, and he produced a crown.
“How do you know that?” I asked.
She sighed. “Vas explained a few things after he rescued me.”
“While he’s probably telling the truth in this case, don’t forget that he’s dangerous and has his own motives for everything he does,” I warned.
She snorted. “Says the king of espionage and mystery.”
I wished I could see her face. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Dare, you keep just as many secrets from us, so don’t act like Vas is the only one.”
“Will you two stop?” Jax sounded exasperated. “They’re putting the crown on Kaius now, and you’re more worried about who keeps the most secrets. Talk it out later.”
He had a point, so I returned my attention to the stage. Across the crowded field, I spotted Kaius standing with a gilded crown on his head. He was giving a speech now that sounded semi-intelligible for a man who’d been muttering nonsense to himself the last time I saw him.
All the while, Zelthor struggled against the two dark elves holding him—such a brave boy, considering his physical state. The iron chains must have weakened him in addition to his time in the dungeon with little food, but that didn’t make him acquiescent.
“All the fae must unite again.” He paused to cough and glance at my uncle.
“These past two millennia have weakened us, as we can see in the dying land. It was unnatural of us to come live here when we should have never left Faelaria. The Unseelie will welcome us if we bring them offerings in good faith.”
Offerings? What did that mean? Did he really want such a deal, or had Karganoth bent him to their will? It was as if he’d forgotten that we’d fled that planet after a long war that cost many lives. The Seelie had come to Paxia to avoid eradication, but he didn’t seem to grasp that fact.
Kaius had aged while in prison, his skin too pale from lack of sun, and his back stooped—rare for a fae.
He had light-brown hair that matched King Worden’s, but he’d cut his much shorter.
For the ceremony, he’d worn black pants and a matching doublet with golden-lace trim.
The fine clothes did little to hide his feeble mind and body.
“My first act as king…is to rid ourselves of the worst abomination in my family—an heir with Frostdar blood.” Even across the distance, the madness now twisting his features was apparent.
“My brother was a fool to have forged an alliance with such weak creatures.” He gestured at Zelthor, who the dark elves brought forward as his iron chains rattled.
Kaius wanted to execute his nephew simply because of who sired him?
It was absurd. The greatest mistake we made when we came here was failing to respect the natives and learning to live with them.
Instead, the seelie had persecuted them and slaughtered them until there were few remaining.
The only reason the druids had nearly survived intact was their powerful magic and dragons.
Our fae ancestors never could get a foothold on Alavaar.
“Oh, shit,” Jax said.
Faina gasped. “Darrow, you have to stop him!”
What were they talking about? I rapidly scanned the area below, catching sight of a large Frostdar male on the street beside our building. Jacthor had set his shoulders with fury and determination as he stalked toward the rows of dark elves surrounding the crowd.
They called a warning to their comrades and pulled their weapons.
“Dammit,” I swore.
Leaping to my feet, I sprinted across the roof toward the exit. Teleporting would have been faster, but I needed every drop of power—even with the God of Wrath—to face what waited down there.
In seconds, I exited the building, my boots pounding the ground as I raced toward Jacthor.
Two lines of dark elves stood behind the massive shield barrier, but the other line stood outside of it.
At least twenty soldiers marched toward the incoming Frostdar, swords uplifted.
Nothing would stop this confrontation now.
We should have kept a better eye on him, but he was one of the calmest and most rational leaders I’d ever met.
It was what made me respect him so much.
I should have considered how he’d react once he saw his son chained on the dais and checked on him.
I was a fool. If the sight of Zelthor up there, gaunt with his filthy tunic and pants hanging from his body, had upset me, it had to have turned his father irate.
Once the king threatened to kill the half-Frostdar, he must not have been able to hold still anymore.
Jacthor veered away from the dark elves, ignoring their imminent approach, though he formed a large ice shield nearly the length of his body as he continued moving.
What was he doing? They were only thirty feet away and closing fast. Instead, he focused on something ahead of him.
My gaze followed his path, and my blood ran cold.
How did those two get into Porrine?
Princess Lillian, wearing full battle gear and armor, walked along the cobbled road toward the event field entrance.
Her personal guard quickly dispatched any Karganoth soldiers who approached, using his shock magic and his sword, but they would reach the bulk of them in a moment.
She didn’t show any regard for the enemy as she pressed her hands against the shimmering shield.
As someone who could make them, she could also break them.
Had she lost her mind? She couldn’t possibly think one guard—even a very adept one—could protect her long enough to take the barrier down. I pulled even more power into myself until it hurt to move, hoping I could pull off a miracle with the God of Wrath’s help.