Lorch
Never had he felt so powerless.
Lorch gazed upon the people bustling about the throne room as they repaired the damage to the glass windows or righted and cleaned the furniture of the stained shards.
Powerless. He had been powerless against the wildness of Elijah’s magic.
He would not feel that way for much longer.
Nexus Crystals, and a lot of them, were on their way to the castle from Bonemire and if what his father said was true, the stones allowed humans to use the magic just like the Fae.
Lorch had a feeling that what he had witnessed in this room was but a flicker of the power that Elijah had simmering in deep inside.
No… not Elijah… Eliverus.
His best friend was Eliverus Herington, true heir to the throne of Fythnar.
For years, Elijah had watched over him as he occupied the very space that was by right – his. Lorch now knew that Elijah’s memory of his past was nothing but haze – if that was indeed true of course. What if he had known all along? Why wait twenty years to expose his true self and take back what was his? If claiming the throne was Elijah’s intention after all.
Lorch chewed his lip as he watched the people hurrying to restore the room back to its former glory. His arms crossed over his chest, oceanic eyes remaining as hard as diamonds.
On the outside he retained a look of boredom.
But on the inside, his emotions were a riot.
His father sidled up beside him, his expression dour like he had just consumed a lemon. “Search parties have been organised,” the man said as he tilted his head to survey his son. “Every town in the north will be searched, as well as the banks of the lake. If they are alive, we will find them.”
“And if the fall killed them?” Lorch asked.
“The fall would not have killed them, son. They are Fae. Their kind is not so easily squashed.” The man’s voice dripped with the acid of hate.
It was strange, if the Fae were not so easily killed, then how had humans culled them so near to extinction over the last two hundred years? Lorch’s mind was suddenly distracted as the throne room doors were thrown back on their hinges and Commander Hawke entered the room.
His eyes swept what was left of the chaos, before resting on the King.
“Did you find anything?” called Valdis as he turned to the Commander. The man bowed at the waist, before straightening under their gazes.
“No, no sign of them yet. Once day breaks, I believe our search parties will have better luck looking for tracks on the riverbanks,” said Hawke, his eyes never leaving Lorch, their depths shadowed with sympathy.
It infuriated Lorch.
“Tell the men that those who deliver Eliverus Herington alive will be awarded five hundred gold crowns as a small incentive.” Lorch saw a smirk spread across his father’s face at his words. “And whoever brings me the Fury – Ariiaya Trillia – will be brought to the rank of second to the Commander.”
Hawke’s mouth opened to protest, but Lorch continued. “Emphasis on the alive part of those instructions, Commander, because I plan to kill them myself.”
The Commander’s expression was unreadable before he bowed slowly. “Noted, Your Highness.”
“Come, son, I have much to show you,” said Valdis, motioning for them to exit the throne room.
Lorch nodded, before following his father down the golden halls towards the courtyard. Just before he had discovered Arii and Elijah in the throne room, his father had returned from Bonemire with a procession of covered caravans under heavy guard. It seemed that now he was to discover the secrets held within them.
Valdis approached one of the caravans, the canvas lit in the moonlight as he paused, twisting to look at his son. His hand grasped the material, before throwing back the cover to reveal the contents hidden beneath.
Within the cart was an iron cage.
And within that cage were two men.
Lorch’s brows narrowed, and he stepped forward – but not before Commander Hawke’s hand halted him in his tracks. He had not even realised the older man had followed them.
The men in the cage began to twitch, their movements jerky and strange. Their jostling rattled the carriage beneath, sounds of metal scraping wood. Suddenly they slammed into the bars, their lips curled back as angry cries of rage split from their mouths, causing Lorch to step back. Their chests glowed faintly with a blue light beneath their thin, dirty cotton tunics. Beside him, Hawke tensed, reaching for his sword.
Were these men like the creature Arii had faced in the castle caverns?
Before anguish could pierce his heart, he erected his walls once more against the memory of her. He wanted to forget her, forget all that had transpired between them, but his stupid weak heart still clenched at the mere thought of her name.
Did he truly wish her dead?
Yes. No. Perhaps.
Part of him wished to hear her side of what happened, part of him wished not to know at all. He could not deny that part of the reason he had ordered their capture was that he did not want them killed before he had a chance to alter his mind.
Lorch had little doubt that if it were left with his father, the man would have them slaughtered before even considering his son’s feelings, though he couldn’t quite get a handle on those feelings at the moment, his emotions a muddled mess.
Valdis stepped forward and lifted his hand, a glowing amulet clutched in his palm. The men in the cage struggled and snarled against the bars, frenzied in their pursuit to get at the people just beyond their reach. Their faces – although somewhat human – were pale, gaping mouthed and frenzied, looking like rabid animals rather than people. Slowly Valdis turned, lifting the amulet towards the creatures before uttering one word.
“Stop.”
Suddenly the men ceased their struggling, their flailing limbs returning to the depths of the cage, heads bowing as if they had lost the will to fight. Motionless they stood, only their chests rising and falling quickly and shallowly.
Valdis was in complete control of them.
“How? What are they?” murmured Lorch, eyes wide as he surveyed them. Creatures who were human, but also not.
As his father turned from the cage, Commander Hawke stepped forward, hand hovering over the hilt of his sword. Lorch turned to see his rugged features twisted into an angry snarl. “You! You are the cause of the affliction on the Princess’ handmaid, Ingrid Polaris!”
When Valdis’ expression remained unchanged, Hawke took another step, before drawing his sword from its scabbard.
The guards around them drew their own swords in a chorus of singing steel.
Valdis’ lips quirked. “Now now, Commander, lay down your sword. I would not wish for you to excite our guests.” As if to emphasise his point, the cage behind him shook with a sharp rattle.
The Commander’s stance did not change as he pointed the sword at Valdis’s chest. “This is unnatural, what you have done to these people – it is wrong!”
Lorch remained silent as the Commander turned to him, his dark eyes roving over the King before sliding across his men.
They all had their swords trained on him.
“What you see here is just the beginning, a new age for humanity,” drawled Valdis as Hawke turned back to him. His face slowly morphed into a wide, deranged smile – a hint of madness shining forth. From behind him, one of the animated corpses groaned as if in agreeance.
Valdis turned, motioning to the small sea of carts behind him. “I have thousands more on the way from Bonemire. Soon, we will have a near unstoppable army – the likes of which Fythnar has never seen. Too long have we lived in fear, too long have we been at the mercy of magic wielders–”
“There are no magic wielders left that pose a threat, Valdis!” snapped Hawke, cutting Valdis off. “You raise an army out of fear of something which our forefathers wiped out many of years ago!”
“Eliverus Herington hid among us for over twenty years. Who knows how many more of his kind are doing the same thing – lying in wait, preparing to strike!”
“You are mad!”
“Mad? No… No I am not mad, Commander. I have foresight – foresight that will ensure the survival of the human race.” Valdis strode up to the Commander, their faces inches apart as they stared at one another, the air tense around them. “One Fae, all it takes is one Fae to plant a tiny seed of rebellion in their minds. I have no doubt that word of Eliverus’ existence has reached the other courts already.” His voice began to rise, laced with a hint of paranoia. “It is what they have been waiting for – and when they come, demanding my son be removed from the throne, we will be ready.”
The Commander spun to look at Lorch. “You aren’t buying into this madness, are you?”
Lorch’s expression was unsure and Hawke latched on – his hand motioning towards the carts. “Innocent people have been turned into mindless… things! Taken from their families and slaughtered, for fear of a long-gone threat!”
“Commander, perhaps we should not disregard what my father is showing us without more information–”
“More information? What more is there to know? This is insanity!” Hawke exclaimed.
His gut told him that Hawke was right, but Lorch’s heart was broken, and in that moment it drove him to sway in favour of his father.
Lorch looked down at Hawke’s boots, before bringing his attention back up, expression hinting resolve. “If what we witnessed in the throne room was a hint of the kind of power a male Fae can possess, then maybe we should prepare ourselves. What if my father is right? What if with his discovery, more Fae emerge in support of him – and this land is once again swallowed in a tornado of untamed, destructive magic?”
Hawke’s eyes were wide as he took a step back. “He has gotten to you. Your Highness, think about this – think about what he is doing here. If he loses control, who is to say these creatures will not become a bigger threat than the one you hope to shield us from?”
“It is a risk we must take, Commander.”
“Is it a risk you are ready to take, Lorch?”
Lorch’s brows narrowed, his expression becoming dark. “It is.”
Commander Hawke’s sword began to rise as his face twisted with pain. “Well, I cannot allow it.”
The Commander spun, sword singing through the air – aimed directly at Valdis.
Blue light erupted, and the sword halted in mid-air, a hair’s breadth from Valdis’ face. Raised in the air beside him was the Nexus Crystal amulet, the stone within pulsating with power. Valdis’ lips curled, scar stark against his face as he bared his teeth.
Hawke’s eyes widened, shooting to the sword as it shuddered in mid-air – as if gripped in the hands of an invisible enemy. His arms trembled, sweat glittering upon his brow as the blue light caused his eyes to squint. Suddenly, magic flared, and Hawke was sent flying across the courtyard, hitting the stones a few feet way.
Valdis held the amulet higher and it flared anew, then Hawke began to cry out in pain.
“You dare raise your sword against me? Against your king’s wishes?”
Magic pulsed, causing the man to writhe in agony. Magic thrummed in the air, and Lorch noticed the guards around him had begun to twitch – their eyes darting to one another. Uneasiness, as well as fear mixed with the cool night air.
Nearby, a woman screamed.
Lorch turned to see his mother as she pushed through the crowd that had begun to gather, making her way to the Commander. He watched in shock as she dropped to the man’s side, clutching him desperately.
“Hawke!” she called, her hands fluttering to his face.
Lorch’s expression turned to confusion. What was she doing?
Valdis snarled from behind him. “Lynnera, move away from him – now.” His voice was a hiss as he stalked towards them.
Golden hair twirling, Lynnera stared at her husband, her eyes wide. “Valdis, please, stop!” She moved her body to shield Hawke.
Behind her, Hawke’s voice was a whispered cry. “No, Lynn.”
Valdis swiped his hand through the air once more. “Move!” he snarled again.
When Lynnera’s jaw clenched and she shook her head, her eyes never leaving his, Valdis raised the amulet again.
“What is this? Mother?” said Lorch, confusion wavering his voice.
“Now, son, you can see what has been happening behind our backs! We cannot trust them,” he announced as the amulet flickered with light.
Lorch swiftly stepped forward. “Take the Commander to the dungeons, and my mother to her rooms,” he said before further damage could be done. In his peripheral, the guards shifted. “This war is not between them and us, father. Save your energy for what is to come.”
With reluctance, his father’s hand dropped as he slid the amulet into his pocket. The guards around them seized Hawke, before following with his mother. Lynnera struggled, her hand twined with the Commander’s as the soldiers pulled them apart.
Lorch’s eyes were fixed on their backs as they were taken away, his face a mask of shadow.
Nemesis
Nemesis raised her eyebrows and watched Valdis warily as his voice boomed around the room.
“When were you going to reveal that the true fucking heir to the throne of Fythnar was directly under my nose?” bellowed Valdis, his voice ricocheting off the stone walls of The School of Fate.
Etropos winced, glancing at Lakhesis as the silver-haired sister tilted her head towards the Tapestry of Life hanging on the wall behind them. Klotho descended the dais, her brows narrowed and hands on hips as she faced the man.
Valdis had arrived at the school at first light, his fury palpable as he stormed through the gates to the crumbling castle with a small procession hot on his heels. The Sisters of Fate had felt the waves of power rolling from him as soon as he entered the grounds, as did all of the women in the castle.
Nemesis had watched his procession enter through the front gates from her vantage point across the courtyard, holding back a shiver as fat droplets of rain pelted down, soaking her cloak and boots. It was not just the snap of cold that had her feeling jittery, it was also the strange feeling that followed Valdis’ arrival, like the foreboding of a storm. She knew it, as did her sisters as they stood sentry, hackles raising and bodies shifting with the uncomfortable feeling upon the wind.
Valdis was in possession of magic.
Now, as he paced below the shimmering tapestry like a restless wolf, the sisters watched with an air of caution. To the sides of the room stood leather-clad women, armed to the teeth and with hair and eyes ranging in many colours and hues.
Furies.
Nem leaned against a cold stone wall, glittering aqua eyes tracking the man with an expression of cold anger. She had been summoned by the sisters with a small spark of magic, and that small spark had told her all she needed to know.
Be on guard.
How dare he speak that way to the Sisters of Fate, in their own home.
The man spun, finger spearing at Klotho as she paused before him. “You knew – you all knew, and you did not tell me!”
Klotho’s lips curled yet her composure remained calm. “We did not know.”
“Bullshit!” he spat.
“You are angry, and rightfully so. All you have worked for is under threat, all because of the existence of one Fae male.” Klotho’s voice was calm and cool. “But we assure you, Valdis, we had no knowledge of his survival. When you discovered him is when we felt his awakening also.”
Valdis stared, his chest rising and falling in anger.
He was silent for a moment. “You speak the truth?” he asked, voice low.
Klotho nodded; her eyes unblinking as the man speared a hand through his hair. Every woman in the castle had felt the moment Eliverus Herington’s magic crackled across the land. It was like a thunderclap – snapping across their senses and causing their hairs to stand on end.
Such immense power. Nem had felt it to the core of her being, and she had no doubt every being attuned to magic in the land had felt it too. It did not take long for news of the situation to spread. Nem wondered how long Arii had known of the man’s true identity. When they next spoke, Nem had a handful of serious questions for her friend.
That was if she could get to her fellow Fury before Valdis did.
“If it were not for your assassin seedling, Eliverus would not have escaped,” continued Valdis, towering over Klotho. The woman did not flinch under his anger. “She is a traitor to the crown, and I will have her head. Tell me, where would your little Violet Assassin go if she wanted to hide from me?”
Nem supressed a visible flinch at the quiet venom in his words. When Klotho remained silent, Nem saw a shadow move in her peripheral vision. Her eyes flicked to Devina as the red-haired assassin’s lips curled in a smirk. Before Nem could stop her, the woman was striding forward, hips swaying.
“I would try where she grew up – in Evergrave,” purred the woman, hands hitching on her hips. “It is where I would look first.”
Anger bubbled in Nem’s blood. How could she sell out a sister? Gods, Devina was truly conniving. Did her petty hate run so deep that she would hand over a fellow assassin to her death, without first hearing her side of the story?
Valdis turned his head, expression guarded. “The East Court?” He paused, eyeing the Fury before his expression registered with mild surprise. “Ah, Devina Divine,” he said, his mouth curling in a sly smile.
Devina waved a hand in a theatrical display, before dipping into a low bow. “My Lord, I am a big fan of Viridya, and I think this is obvious with how frequently I visit your lovely home.”
Valdis’ brow rose as Devina stepped forward, her expression changing from bold to eager. “Send me. I will bring her back to you – besides, I have a score to settle with our little Violet Assassin.”
Fucking traitorous bitch. Nem’s thoughts were livid, flames of rage flickering into an inferno, but on the outside she was as cold as stone, features giving nothing away. Her poker face was perhaps better than Arii’s.
Valdis considered for a moment, his eyes sliding thoughtfully across the women lining the walls before turning back to the Fates. “Ariiaya and Eliverus will not be easy targets. Perhaps sending a small legion of Furies will save me losing a few tens of men.” He turned to face Klotho again. “Send your best assassins to Evergrave – bring the traitors back to me alive. Do this, and you can consider yourself spared.”
Spared? Spared from what?
Klotho’s throat bobbed, before she nodded swiftly.
Nem could not hold back any longer.
“Since when do we take orders from him?” she snapped, taking one step forward.
“Our alliance is simple. I bring you whatever Fae that my forces find, instead of killing them, and in return you lend your aid when needed. If not for me, your school would be half the size it is today.” A tiny quiver moved in Valdis’ brow, his eyes darkening in a way that told Nem that he would much prefer to slay those Fae as soon as they were found rather than sparing them. But this was a man made of cunning, a man who did not do anything without gain. Words hissed from between his teeth like slithering snakes. “Small favours in exchange for small mercies.”
So, the sisters had help finding their recruits. This was news to Nem, and by the small shifts and coasting eyes around the room, it was news to some of her sisters too.
The room stood silent for a tense moment, before Etropos’ fair voice drifted across the space between them all. “Nemesis, stand down. Our alliance still stands, Valdis. We will send word when we find them.”
The man bowed swiftly, before twisting and heading to the doors. Every eye was fixed on him as he exited the room, the air becoming lighter in his wake. His guards quickly followed, tossing the women sour glances in their retreat.
“You don’t really expect us to turn on one of our own, do you?” said Nem as the room began to bustle into activity around her. “Ariiaya must have good reason to have done what she did, we must hear her side of the story before handing her to him.”
Etropos finally moved from her position, her face drawn with sadness. “Your sister has acted against the crown, Nemesis. She defied the orders given to her from the Gods.”
“Those orders proved to be false, her target untrue.”
“Be that as it may, we must comply with Valdis’ wishes. If not, we lose a very powerful ally.”
“But you sent Ariiaya to kill his son!”
Etropos paused with lips parted as Lakhesis spoke from the dais. “Nemesis Rion, hold your tongue!”
Nem bowed her head. Anger rippled through her body in waves, boiling her blood.
A Fury must not think, a Fury must not feel…
A Fury must always obey.
No matter how Nem felt about Arii, the woman had gone against her orders. Nem knew that. Arii had chosen her heart over her duty. She had chosen feelings over fate.
Klotho’s eyes slid to Nem, then to Devina. “Devina, Nemesis – prepare to travel to Evergrave. You have your orders.” The woman’s eyes fixed back on Devina. “Remember, they must be brought back to Viridya alive.” The woman emphasised the word as she eyed Devina. Devina had the gall to snort.
“Anyone else aiding them,” Klotho paused before a slow smirk cracked her beautiful features.
“Kill them.”