“It really isn’t,” Aiden drawled. “Osric was sent away with powerful magic before we could defeat him, though I did manage to scar his face.”
“I suppose every cloud has a silver lining, no?” Sebastian shrugged. “What was it you wanted to say, Criosa? I’m guessing it’s not ‘you can be king now because we deposed your monstrous brother.’”
“Monstrous… then you know of his appetites?” Criosa asked grimly.
“Of course I know, my whole family knows,” Sebastian grumbled, heading over to a glass cabinet filled with bottles of coloured liquid. “It goes much deeper than that, Criosa. Osric possesses a degree of malign cunning I’ve never encountered in anyone else, and he hated me with an unholy passion, even from a young age.”
“He felt destined for greatness and longed to be king. My father mistook his twisted hunger for ambition and nurtured his darker instincts. While I was learning how to rule from this consuls, father would take Osric down to his little dungeon and ‘show him the ropes’, as the saying goes.” Sebastian paused to take a swig from a bottle of wine. Aiden and the others said nothing, allowing the man to explain the depths of Osric’s true nature.
“I feel some degree of responsibility for the current situation,” the Tulsonite prince continued. “When I was younger, there was a lovely noble girl who took my fancy, and I courted her with the intention of making her my future wife. She disappeared from my chambers one night and I never saw her again. Her family were outraged at her disappearance, and father pushed the idea she had been kidnapped and killed by enemies of the Crown. He compensated them of course, as if money could fix everything.”
“I long suspected a different truth, and when I confronted Osric about it, he did not deny my accusations. He simply smiled, knowing full well I would never know what really happened.”
“So, you knocked him on his arse, right?” Robert said, evidently fuming with quiet rage as the story unfolded.
“God knows I wanted to,” Sebastian spat, “but I was a coward and a fool. I took to drinking to dull the pain and in doing so, allowed Osric to seize the throne upon our father’s death.”
“How did he do it?” Aiden inquired softly.
“He destroyed the original record of our respective births and replaced them with forgeries, detailing his status as the eldest. We are less than a year apart in age, so it was quite believable. Anyone who was present for the birth was either sent to the front lines, or mysteriously disappeared. By the time I was sober enough to learn all of this, it was too late to act. I simply crawled into a bottle and have not emerged since.”
“He said to me you lived in Auvergne,” Criosa said sympathetically. “You’ve been here this whole time?”
“It’s sort of an in-joke between us,” Sebastian snorted. “The people of Auvergne have a reputation for drinking to excess, the wretched little miscreants. Actually, I shouldn’t say that. I haven’t been there often enough to really get to know the place. I’m sure they’re lovely people.” Silence fell as Sebastian swigged from the bottle once more, while Criosa pulled out the paper they had discovered in Osric’s safe.
“What’s this?” Sebastian asked curiously as she handed it to him. He began to read with bloodshot eyes, and when he was halfway through the document the bottle slipped out of his other hand and shattered on the floor.
“Where did you find this?” he gasped, trying to steady himself against the wall.
“Osric’s safe,” Criosa explained with a sparkle in her eye. “Quite an interesting read, don’t you think?”
“I should have known the little bastard was lying when he told me he’d destroyed the old record,” Sebastian snarled. He clutched at his head with both hands, scrunching up the paper as he groaned. “I need to think, damn this headache!”
“It seems you’ve a lot to consider,” Aiden remarked, glancing at an impatient Terinus who stood by the door. “We should be really be going. Our luck isn’t going to hold out forever.”
“Yes, yes you should,” Sebastian agreed. “Don’t go through the front gate, it’ll be locked down tight. There is an entrance to the old kitchens that hasn’t been used since the palace was attacked. You’ll have to move a lot of broken building materials out of the way, but it should get you out into the city without being seen. Just go left, then right twice and take the second door on the left. You can’t miss it.”
“Thank you, and good luck with whatever you have planned,” Criosa replied, giving the prince a quick peck on the cheek.
“No, thank you, dear lady,” Sebastian replied fervently, taking her hand and raising it to his lips. “All I can offer you in recompense is the assurance that very soon, my brother will no longer be king.”
“That is all the payment I require,” Criosa said with satisfaction. Terinus opened the door a crack and peered through, and once convinced the hall was clear, beckoned the rest of them to follow. Aiden shook Sebastian’s hand, having found him to be nothing at all like his brother, and joined the wizard out in the hallway.
Sebastian’s directions proved accurate and within minutes Aiden was pulling aside broken beams of wood inside the old kitchens. Although tired, he was in better shape than just about anyone else in the group and didn’t mind doing the work himself while they kept a close eye on the hall outside.
After ten minutes, they finally managed to reach the service entrance, and with some effort shoved it open to reveal the remains of the palace’s rear gardens. The area was strewn with debris, a legacy from the war. In an odd way, it was a reflection of their king. The façade facing the general public was pristine and cultured, but underneath it was rotten to the core.
They carefully picked their way through the ruins, which connected to the back alleyways of the city, long since abandoned. The light was beginning to fade from the sky as the sun approached the horizon, and Aiden wondered how Pacian was faring against the might of the elite Royal Guards.
Their route back to their entry point in the city was long and arduous, but it was necessary to avoid the populated areas. If anyone saw the group, battered and bruised and carrying wounded people, it would most likely bring the authorities down upon them.
When they finally arrived at the alleyway, only the nearby lanterns in the main street shed any light into the area. A shadow with a shock of white hair was visible against the darkness, and Aiden was somewhat relieved to see Pacian had made it back safely.
“You’re not very stealthy with that hair,” Aiden muttered, feeling worn out from the day’s efforts.
“If I didn’t want to be seen, you wouldn’t have seen me,” Pacian retorted. “You took your sweet time. What did you do, take the scenic route?”
“Sort of, yeah,” Aiden sighed, leaning against the alley wall.
“Gather close while I return us to the tower,” Terinus rasped.
“Oh, there’s a fun way to cap off a terrible day,” Pacian muttered as a violet flash engulfed them, sending Aiden’s stomach lurching. When he opened his eyes once more, the interior of the Black Tower’s laboratory was visible, softly lit by the glowing orbs on the wall. A collective sigh erupted from more than one of the group as they slumped to the nearest wall, chair or even the floor. Moments later, Saffron and Lucas scurried into the room.
“Blimey, I was starting to wonder if you was even coming back,” the raelani remarked as Saffron tried to decide who needed help the most.
“Were you successful?” she asked hesitantly after noticing Sayana appearing gravely wounded.
“Yes,” Terinus answered wearily.
“You lot look like you’ve been through ‘ell,” Lucas remarked. “I’ve got a proper meal waiting for ya, and I’ll make sure the baths are nice and ‘ot.”
“I don’t have time for that,” Nellise replied as she moved to Sayana’s side. The sorceress lay upon the floor, breathing in ragged gasps. Aiden saw tears flowing from her eyes and knew she must have been in great pain. The extent of her burns was humbling, and it would
be an immense feat for Nellise to cure her completely.
“Do you want me to move her somewhere else?” Robert offered, though he barely had the strength to speak.
“This will be fine,” Nellise answered with a shake of her head. “Perhaps you could bring some blankets, Lucas?”
“Right you are, luv,” the raelani butler said, rushing off to gather supplies.
“I believe I can mend her, though she will bear many scars from this experience,” Nellise confided to Robert and the others as she removed her torn armour. “Have Lucas bring me some soup, I suspect this healing will take me several hours and I’m famished already.” Robert crouched by Sayana’s side, holding one of her hands in his own and staring at her with concern.
“I… failed you,” Sayana whispered, barely audible through her burned lips.
“What?” Robert protested bravely. “You were amazing, sweetie, and we’re all still alive. You did just fine.”
“She was too strong,” Sayana continued, peering at Aiden through tear-streaked eyes. “I promised to protect you… but I…” Her voice trailed off, leaving a wretched feeling welling in Aiden’s belly
“Don’t worry about a thing, Sy,” Aiden said to her in a thick voice.
“Let her rest,” Nellise advised softly. “I would ask you all to clear the room and let me work.” Criosa took Aiden by the hand and slowly led him away, the princess also visibly upset at Sayana’s condition. Robert was reluctant to go. He kept staring into the eyes of the woman he loved until the steady sound of Terinus’ staff on the stone floor caught his attention.
“What next?” the mercenary growled to the wizard without turning away from Sayana. “We damn near got ourselves killed today, and we’re no closer to getting this bloody amazing equipment you promised. We’re actually worse off, considering my armour’s all busted up. So is Nel’s, to say nothing of Sy’s condition. What’s your fantastic bloody plan now?”
Terinus had paused to hear him out, and once Robert had finished his rant left the room without saying a word. Aiden left Criosa’s side and hurried to catch up with him.
“I’ll do it,” he said simply, causing Terinus to stop and look directly at Aiden. “I’ll undergo this procedure you talked about. Sayana might not have been so badly hurt if I’d swallowed my pride and gone through with it in the first place. I’m not going to let any one of us get hurt again.”
Terinus gazed intently into Aiden’s eyes for a long moment, considering his words, and perhaps his determination.
“Very well,” the wizard rasped. “The process is taxing, so you will need rest in order to endure it. Meet me in the laboratory first thing tomorrow morning, and you will either gain the power you seek, or not.”
“What ‘procedure’?” Criosa asked suspiciously, having followed Aiden out and overheard the conversation. Terinus continued walking, leaving them to discuss the matter.
“To make me like Sayana,” Aiden answered. “I will gain markings similar to hers, and more sorcery than I’ve been able to wield so far, at least, without tapping into… you know.” He raised his clawed hand to demonstrate his point. “To face what’s to come, I need more power and I can’t tap into this anymore without risking a complete transformation. Even now it may be too late to ever revert back to the way I was.”
Criosa examined his claw with one hand, delicately tracing her fingers along the scales in fascination. Then she placed her other hand around the back of his neck, and Aiden knew instantly more scales had grown there as well.
“You were right to call me a monster,” he whispered as he gazed upon her exquisite face. “I’ll understand completely if you want nothing further to do with me, but there was no way I was ever going to leave you in the hands of Osric.” Criosa looked directly into his eyes, and a moment later her lips were upon his and in that moment, all of his fears were dispelled.
* * *
“I'm sorry I had to say those terrible things back at the fall of Fairloch,” Criosa told him as they ate a filling meal of venison and potatoes in his room later that night. “I knew we were being watched, and I had to put on a show for him.”
“You certainly had me fooled,” Aiden replied.
“I couldn't risk telling you my plans without them finding out,” Criosa added. “Though I detest Osric, I knew this was an opportunity to discover more about his plans and how he'd come to find such power. It was actually enlightening, in some ways.”
“So, you let him...” Aiden prompted suggestively.
“I steered him onto other topics whenever he seemed a little frisky,” she explained. “I learned very early on that simply mentioning his father was enough to quell his desires. A dark cloud would come over him and he would become thoughtful and introspective.”
“I’m not sure I’d be interested in anything he has to say,” Aiden muttered.
“He thinks of me as the one light in his life, you know,” Criosa remarked. “Wanted me to be his bride and confidant. Then Veronique showed up and had him running around doing her work. That vile woman and his father had a terrible influence over him, I swear.”
“This is not exactly a revelation.”
“After talking for some time, Osric would then drink quite a lot. When he passed out, I crept about looking to discover his secrets. Though I'm grateful for the 'rescue', you did arrive a little too soon for me to learn everything.”
“We figured out the rest,” Aiden remarked, giving her an odd glance she didn't miss.
“Are you disappointed you weren’t the dashing hero you thought yourself as?” she chided him.
“Your insight is astounding,” he drawled. “I had no idea you were that clever.”
“Don’t ever underestimate me, Aiden,” Criosa suggested with a faint smile. “Father’s spymaster, Kinsey, taught me a great deal of his art over the years and I am perfectly capable of putting such knowledge to use.” She turned sad at the mention of her father. Aiden reached out one hand and touched hers, offering her silent support. He looked down and noticed it was his claw he’d used to comfort her, and quickly withdrew it.
“Don’t do that,” she urged, reaching out to him again. “Don’t ever hide who you are from me. There is no judgement here.”
“Even with this?” Aiden suggested, nodding at his claw.
“Do you really think a minor quibble like that would stop me from loving you?” she asked with a faint smile.
“Acutally, yes, but I think that says more about me than it does about you.”
“Quite,” she laughed as she set her utensils down on her empty plate. She took him by the claw and guided him towards the bed where they made ready to sleep. Criosa was more accepting of his transformation than he’d ever dared to dream. She took a moment to examine his naked body, and confirmed that the scales had spread down to his left leg, and along his upper back.
“This is why I have to risk this procedure Terinus can perform,” Aiden explained in a quiet voice as they lay in bed. “I'm slowly losing myself in this change and there's no sign I won't be needing the power anytime soon. We’re facing those responsible for creating the Ironlord, and other relics we’ve seen at work over the years. If we don’t stop them, the war could simply go on, for they seem set upon making us want to kill each other.”
“It’s a little difficult to grasp, but it could just be my tired mind at work,” Criosa conceded. “Don’t give in just yet, and don’t let my false reaction from a few days ago colour your perspective. Let’s talk more about it tomorrow. And for God’s sake, don’t go through with this thing Terinus wants you to try without discussing it more first.”
“Alright, we’ll speak of it at breakfast,” Aiden conceded sleepily. He laid his head down on the pillows and watched the moonlight streaming through the window shine on Criosa’s fair hair. Just one day ago, he thought he’d never experience this again, but his faith in her had been reaffirmed by her open, honest love.
He awoke at dawn the next morning, weary but somew
hat better rested after a night of turbulent dreams. There was something disturbing about them, yet once more he couldn’t remember a thing. Criosa was a heavy sleeper as always, but Aiden still had some difficulty extracting himself from her grasp without waking her.
Dressing in simple garb, he crept out of the room and carefully closed the door behind him. He hated himself for lying to her, but he had no intention of waiting and talking about the possible ramifications of the procedure. The sight of Sayana’s charred body was enough to prompt his action, and if there were terrible side effects to the process, then so be it.
“Terinus?” he said quietly as he entered the laboratory. There was no sign of the black-robed wizard, but Nellise was sprawled out on a pile of blankets across the room, fast asleep. His sleep-addled memory returning, Aiden recalled she and Sayana had remained here to continue the healing well into the night. The blankets next to the cleric were empty, and glancing around Aiden spotted the sorceress lying face-down next one of the ancient devices against the wall. Specifically, the one Aiden was supposed to use.
A sense of alarm surged through Aiden as he rushed to her side. Her pulse was strong, and she was still breathing but as he looked down at her, the parts of her skin exposed through her damaged armour were almost completely dark blue. Gasping in horror at what he saw, Aiden looked over and saw the device had indeed been active. The black, articulated spikes that ran along its spine were extruded, and traces of dried blood could be seen on their sharpened tips.
“Sy?” Aiden yelled, trying to shake her out of her comatose state. Writhing tattoos snaked together in unfathomable tangles along the surface of her body, and when he turned her over and looked upon her face, he scarcely believed what he saw. The tangle of her red hair showed no signs of having been burned away, and her skin was smooth and free from burns. But her once pink skin was completely concealed beneath shining, dark blue markings.
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