by C. A. McHugh
“I’ll bring them back as soon as I can,” Raimel said.
They watched him make his way to his room in silence.
Then Raimel looked to him. “Ready to go on another trip with me?”
“I suppose so.” Ceryst hated teleporting. He hated blinking even more. But their missions required something faster than horseback.
Much to his relief, Raimel chose teleportation over the Shadow Realm. Their arrival in the center of the infirmary caused a weary Master Eamon to jump.
“I can’t wait for the wards to be restored,” the flustered healer muttered. “I suppose you need some wounds tended to?”
Ceryst shook his head. “His Majesty wished to inquire on the status of his friend.”
Master Eamon straightened, and his face turned a shade paler. “You mean Seroney?”
“Yes.” Ceryst took a step toward him. The man radiated fear, and he wanted to know why. “Is she still alive?”
The healer nodded. “But her case is quite, um, unusual.”
Rather than explain what that meant, he motioned for them to follow him to the small room in the very back of the infirmary. “I’ve confined her for various reasons, one of which was the severity of her injuries. But there is much I wish to discuss with the headmaster when he returns.”
When Eamon opened the door, Ceryst barely recognized the girl lying in the bed. Her face was bruised and swollen beyond recognition, but even under all that, he could see a broken nose, a broken jaw, broken cheekbones. And that was just the bit that wasn’t covered. He watched for the rise and fall of her chest, but seconds ticked by without a breath. “Are you sure she’s still alive?”
“She is. Check for a pulse if you don’t believe me.”
He found her wrist under the blankets. It was as hard and cold as marble, but he discovered the healer was correct. A moment later, she drew in a ragged breath.
“I’ve read about this, but I never dreamed I’d ever see it.” The healer moved to the foot of the bed. “It’s called a stone-sleep, a low-energy form of existence and a small blessing for me as I try to heal all her injuries.”
“And why aren’t they all healed?” Ceryst asked.
“Because I’m a mere mortal who’s had to tend to scores of injuries already today,” Master Eamon snapped. “I have no desire to overstep my abilities and end up as a patient, too. I have healed her most life-threatening injuries, and I have employed the use of various potions to continue my work even when I have tapped the last of my magic.”
“Forgive me, Master Eamon.” Ceryst pulled a chair up to the bed. “It has been a long day for all us.”
“Indeed. But since she’s come up with her own way of dealing with her pain, it frees me up to focus on her injuries. I’d say that if she makes it through the night, then her prognosis is excellent, and I should have her fully healed within two to three days.”
Eamon then flicked his gaze to where Ceryst sat. “Are you planning on staying here?”
“King’s orders.” He crossed his arms and waited for the healer to argue against that.
“Fine. Wake me if you sense her condition is worsening.”
As soon as the healer left, Raimel dashed to the other side of the bed and pulled back Seroney’s hair. “What he was too polite to mention was this.”
He peered over and froze.
The high, pointed tips Raimel had exposed looked nothing like human ears. “She’s an elf?”
“Looks like it to me.” He smoothed her hair back into place. “Which explains even more, especially since I don’t detect that green halo around her anymore.”
“So she was using a spell to conceal her true identity.”
Raimel nodded. “Which makes me question her relationship to Binnius since he doesn’t have that halo and is definitely human.”
It raised even more questions for him.
Did Binnius know what she was?
And what if she was the one who was the traitor within these walls?
“I know that look,” Raimel said, pulling him from his thoughts, “and as much as you like to take a trip down those dark paths where everyone is an enemy, I’ll remind you of this.” He cast a spell that revealed her aura. It was a mixed of blue and green with occasional sparks of purple, but no black or red. “Whoever she is, she’s not with him.”
“So you think. She could still be working for him, even without ever casting death or demonic magics.”
“Think, you stupid knight.” Raimel pointed a finger to Seroney. “If she’d been working for him, would she have nearly died to protect Aerrin? Would she be lying here, broken and battered and clinging to life when she could’ve just left Aerrin in his clutches? Would she have even given us the location of his hideout so we could stop him?”
“I—”
“No, don’t try to make excuses. You view everyone as an enemy. And maybe after all that’s happened, you are somewhat justified in your thinking. But she’s not one of them.” He moved crossed the tiny room and opened the door. “I’m going to do what Master Binnius asked me to do. You’re welcome to stay here and make sure she doesn’t summon any demons while she’s unconscious.”
It was the closest thing to a fight between them in years. And the sinking feeling in Ceryst’s gut told him Raimel was right.
He didn’t remember dozing off, but the next thing he knew, the pale light of dawn was peeping through the windows, and a small hand was squeezing his.
Seroney was watching him with the one eye that wasn’t swollen shut. And in it, he glimpsed fear, worry, pain—all things he was more than familiar with. And all things he would expect in a person who’d just been revealed as a liar.
But it wasn’t until she spoke that he understood the source.
“Aerrin?” she asked in a faint whisper.
Her question hit him harder than any blow he’d received in battle. It shook him to the very core. After everything that she’d gone through, she only cared about the boy.
Her worry deepened when he didn’t answer, and her chin quivered as though she were on the verge of tears. She tightened her grip on his hand, bracing for what she must’ve assumed was bad news.
“He’s safe back in Dromore,” Ceryst answered, feeling somewhat sickened with himself for causing her so much grief.
Relief flooded her battered face, and she smile as widely as the swelling would allow. “Thank you.”
Then she closed her eye and drifted back in the statue-still state she’d been in.
Her fingers loosened around his hand, but he made no attempt to remove it, even after her fingers turned as cold as marble. He’d wanted to question her before, to demand she tell him everything she’d been hiding, to interrogate her until he finally knew without a doubt what her motives were.
Now he knew.
And somewhere along the way, he’d come to have the deepest respect for Seroney Meritis. She was no longer his enemy.
She was his equal.
Chapter 34
Freedom!
Aerrin wanted to shout the word and dance in the middle of the corridor as he exited the Privy Council chambers, but he refrained on doing so until he was safely behind closed doors with his closest friends.
Nyssa smiled. “They finally conceded?”
“Yes. I convinced them that if I caught any of them deviating from my plan to hunt down the Raven Bringer, I would strip them of their title and either banish or publicly execute them for treason.”
Leandros’s eyes grew huge. “Talk about laying down the kingly hammer.”
“After the earlier betrayal, I wanted to drop a not-so-subtle hint that I was on to them.” He crossed the room to his desk and skimmed the papers on it. No news of any recent demon sightings, which was a small blessing after the last two days of deliberation with the Privy Council.
“And now that you have that behind you, you can start thinking about which master you’d like to carry out your apprenticeship under.” Nyssa twirled her fiery hair aro
und her finger. “I’m still having a tough time, but I’m leaning toward Master Karena—”
Aerrin cut her off. “I didn’t pass my last set of challenges.”
Which meant he could delay that decision as long as he wanted because, in truth, he had no idea who to continue his training under.
“Didn’t you hear?” Leandros leaned back in his chair and kicked his feet up on the oversize cushion in front of him. “Master Binnius said our performance against the enemy was more than enough to pass us. We are all apprentice-level mages now.”
“Yes, you are,” Master Binnius said from the doorway, “and you should be very proud of your accomplishments.” He looked to Aerrin. “May I come in?”
“You are always welcome.” He gestured to the headmaster’s favorite chair.
“Good to know. After the series of seclusion wards that had been cast within the Academy over the last few months, I was beginning to think you were trying to hide something from me.”
Leandros cleared his throat and sat up straight, earning a chuckle from the headmaster.
“I know precisely why, Lord Vergail. Who do you think planted the idea in Seroney’s head to give you those lessons?”
“So you were sneaking around the system?” Aerrin asked.
“Indeed I was. And I’m very glad I did, too. Without Seroney’s lessons, I dare to say some of us wouldn’t be in this room right now.”
Aerrin moved around his desk, dragging the chair behind him before sitting next to Master Binnius. “And how is she?”
“Master Eamon has healed most of her injuries, and she is finally able to welcome friends. In fact, I came in to ask if any of you would like to accompany me to the Academy to pay her a visit.”
They all spoke at once, begging them to take them.
“Just as I’d suspected,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes. “Very well. Hold on to my cloak, and I’ll take you there.”
Aerrin had only experienced teleportation a handful of times, and each time left him dizzy and disoriented in its own way, but it was ten times better than what Raimel had done to get him down from the ledge. They went from his chamber to standing outside the Academy’s walls in less than a second.
“Ah, I see Master Karena has reinstalled the ward preventing teleportation. Just as well.” He moved ahead of them, his pace brisk for an old man. “Let’s not keep her waiting.”
All the beds in the infirmary stood empty when they entered, but Master Binnius walked past them and nodded to Master Eamon, who was mixing a potion at his workbench. He knocked on a door at the far end of the room and cracked it open. “Seroney, my dear, you have some visitors.”
Aerrin couldn’t quite make out the muffled reply, but when Master Binnius opened the door all the way, he assumed she’d agreed to see them.
When he walked through the door, he halted in shock.
The pale woman sitting in the bed looked like Seroney, but not as he remembered. Her face seemed more angular. Her eyes too feline. And he caught the faintest glimpse of pointed ears peeking out from under her hair.
Leandros rammed into him, pushing them both forward. By the time Aerrin recovered his footing, Leandros was pointing at Seroney in disbelief. “You’re an elf?”
Seroney grew even paler than he thought possible and searched for the amulet she’d always worn. Her dismay doubled when she realized it was missing. She met his gaze, her cat-like eyes wide with panic.
Master Binnius laid a hand on Aerrin’s shoulder. “See? She’s back to her old self. Amazing what Master Eamon can do.”
The headmaster placed a kiss on the top of her head and settled into the chair by her bed. “And how are you today?”
“Why didn’t you tell me my amulet was gone?” she asked, still flustered.
He shrugged. “Must have overlooked it.”
Aerrin took a step forward, his mind filled with doubt. “I want the truth. All of it. And I want it now.”
Seroney looked to her uncle. “May I tell him, Uncle Binnius?”
The old man nodded.
“Then where should I begin?”
“Start by telling me who you are.”
“Would you like Master Eamon to administer a truth serum beforehand?” she shot back with familiar sarcasm.
The knots in his gut eased a bit. Even though she looked different, he could still see the girl he’d known before. “Let me hear you out first, and if anything sounds suspicious, we can review our conversation with his assistance.”
“You sound more like a king than ever.”
“Funny what being locked in a room with the leaders of my kingdom will do to a man.”
She rolled her eyes. “I bet you couldn’t wait to get away from them.”
“Maybe, but right now, I want to learn all I can about the imposter the headmaster planted inside his Academy.”
She made a hissing sound through her teeth. “That was a bit harsh, don’t you agree, Uncle Binnius?”
Nyssa came alongside him. “She’s deflecting your questions again, Aerrin, like she has something to hide.”
“No, I think you’ve seen them all now.” Her eyes flashed like a cat’s in the night and sent a shiver down his spine. Then she focused her attention on her folded hands in her lap. “But let me reconfirm what you already know. I am Seroney Meritis, great-niece of Master Binnius, and resident of Oudesta. As a Meritis, I’ve inherited the family trait that has been passed down through generations since my ancestor married the last shapeshifter. But as you incorrectly assumed, I’m only a half-elf. My father is mostly human.”
“Mostly?” Leandros asked, but Master Binnius ignored his question.
“What my niece has failed to mention is that she is a very gifted master mage and a brilliant alchemist whom I persuaded to pose as a student here in order to keep an eye on you, Aerrin. And I must say, she did an excellent job.”
Seroney slowly lifted her gaze to meet Aerrin’s. She didn’t speak. She let her silence do all the talking for her.
As angry as he’d been about being duped, he nodded. “I owe you my life.”
“And I was so relieved when Ceryst told me you were safe.” She smiled at him the way she always did—as a true friend. Pointed ears didn’t change that. “I’m glad all of you are safe, and I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you more.”
“If anyone should be apologizing, it’s me.” Aerrin took her hand in his. “If I’d only listened to you—” The words became lodged in his throat from the guilt he’d been carrying for days.
She squeezed his hand. “I knew what I was getting myself into when I went ahead without anyone to back me up.”
He finally returned her smile, albeit in a weaker version. “I would like to reward you for your bravery and sacrifice.”
“I’ll settle for your silence until I can conjure up a new amulet.”
“Why?” Leandros rocked back and forth, holding on to the foot of her bed. “I mean, I think it’s cool you’re an elf.”
Nyssa smacked him on the back of his head. “She’s a half-elf, you dimwit. And how do you think a perfect stranger would react upon seeing her?”
“They’ll give her the respect she’s earned,” Aerrin answered, “especially once I publicly announce what you’ve done.”
The worry reappeared on her face. “Please, Aerrin, I don’t want to cause any trouble. Just the fact I’m from Oudesta would be enough to set people on edge.”
“Then maybe I need to work on building a better relationship with Oudesta, starting with praising what one of its citizens have done.”
Her worry lingered, and her bottom lip trembled.
A ruckus from two men arguing outside only heightened her fear. She released his hand and appeared ready to dive under the covers the second the door opened.
“I’m telling you not to disturb my patient,” Master Eamon said, his voice coming closer to the door.
“And I’m telling you that I’m here to take my daughter home before you stupid
Elgeans try to kill her again.”
“Oh, no,” Seroney whispered right before the door flew open.
A man with golden hair and sharp, hawkish eyes marched into the room and leveled a finger at Master Binnius. “This is all your fault. I blame you for all of this.”
“Calm down, Ethon,” the headmaster said in his most soothing voice.
“I will not calm down.” The man’s cheeks turned florid with anger. “I was against this from the very start. If the Oracle hadn’t insisted, I would’ve never let her go.”
The man scooped Seroney up in his arms, yanking all the covers with her, and ignored her protests.
Aerrin realized that if he didn’t act now, he’d lose the one person he could count on as both a mentor and a friend.
He blocked the doorway.
“Out of my way,” Ethon Meritis ordered.
“Is that any way to address a king?” Aerrin asked in his most intimidating tone.
The man took a step back, his rage dissipating a level or two. “You’re King Aerrin?”
“I am, and as king, I order you to release Seroney right now.”
That seemed to reignite his anger. “I’m not only her father, I’m a Meritis—”
“Which has very little meaning in my kingdom, unless you consider the fact your ancestor was a traitor to the crown.” Aerrin’s heart pounded in his chest, but on the outside, he managed to keep himself together in front of the overgrown bully. “Furthermore, I insist to know why you’re depriving me of the person I’ve entered my apprenticeship under.”
Seroney gasped. “You mean that, Aerrin?”
“I do. After all, you’re a master mage, and I believed we entered our agreement once you started teaching me master-level spells.”
Nyssa pressed in on his left, adding one more barrier to the door. “And me.”
“Me, too.” Leandros flanked him on the right. “Kind of a mean thing to do, leaving us three apprentices in a lurch like that. It wouldn’t speak well for the relationships between our two realms, if you know what I mean.”
Her father almost dropped Seroney, but managed to stiffen his arms and catch her before she fell. “She’s my daughter.”