by Noah Harris
Minerva pointed her sword down one of the halls. “Well, I have it on very good authority that we have a certain group of scheming regents cornered in one of the nearby libraries. Might you be interested in joining me in my pursuit?”
Philip chuckled, letting his huge great sword rest before him. “Let’s go hunting.”
Their pursuit was interrupted the moment they broke from the main party and into the hall. A group of guardsmen awaited them, forming a solid line of bodies across the hallway, prepared to rout any invaders.
Philip motioned to them. “As your Prince, I order you to step aside.”
One of the men snorted. “You really think we’ll fall for that? We were warned about the sorcery you traitors would use, Sorcerer Orrin saw to that.”
“Yeah, I bet he did,” Philip said with a sigh.
Minerva brandished her sword. “We either have to fight them or find another route.”
“There is no other route, not without going the long way around. And they’ll have found a different bolt hole to hide in by then,” Philip growled, readying his sword.
It wasn’t quite the battle he’d pictured it to be. Between himself and the Princess, they were able to defeat the guards in combat. Minerva was quick and nimble, both her weapon and fighting style allowing her to dip and weave between her assailants while Philip’s monstrous weapon swung in wide arcs. There was no pleasure in the battle, and despite fighting as though his life depended on it, Philip felt no joy. These were his people, the men and women who had sworn to defend him and his kingdom.
When the guards lay dead, Minerva looked to Philip. “The library?”
Philip gazed down at the armored bodies scattered around the hall, grinding his teeth. “Just down the way and on the left. We’ll need to come at it from both entrances to make sure they don’t go running off.”
Minerva watched him, her eyes flickering to the bodies. “There’s nothing we can do Philip, it had to be done.”
“The necessity of the act doesn’t subtract from the bitterness,” Philip told her.
“No, but if we don’t move now, we risk making an even bigger mess,” Minerva said.
With a growl, Philip swung his large sword up to rest on his shoulder and led the way forward. He motioned to the first door and quickly advanced onto the second. The sounds of the fighting grew closer and he knew the regents in the library could hear it as well. As he listened closely, he could hear their fearful voices.
Grinning wide, Philip planted his foot into the door, sending it crashing open with the splintering and shattering of wood. The regents shrieked, one of them backpedaling out of view as Philip barreled into small library. It was a library meant for the casual and short-term guests of the castle, and though it wasn’t special in his mind, it infuriated him to see them hiding in it.
The group of regents scattered, running at full speed toward the other door where Philip had left Minerva. She was waiting for them, sword in hand and a smirk on her face. The group of regents slid to a wide-eyed stop, twisting about as they glanced between the advancing Philip and the cocky Minerva.
Minerva let out a sigh of pleasure. “My regents, how glad I am to see you.”
Mavist, the sorcerer, was the first to sputter. “My Lady Minerva! We’ve been so worried about you.”
Kannity nodded vehemently. “We are so glad to see you.”
“I’m sure you would have much preferred to find me in chains and at your mercy, rather than with a sword in hand,” Minerva said, cocking her head.
Dribladd simpered, her voice a whine. “My Lady, we have been looking for you, for your own safety.”
“For your own treacherous ends you mean. I know about your plan with Orrin, and your intent to kidnap myself and my brother, while killing Prince Philip. Let’s not waste time with lies anymore,” she told them.
Mavist glanced around nervously. “My Lady, you are an only child.”
Philip growled, holding his sword out. “Let’s stop wasting time talking to them and just get to killing them. I need to find my mate and father.”
Vriegel shrieked, backing away as the sword came closer to her. “My Lady please! We have only been your loyal and faithful servants!”
“We can’t kill them Philip,” Minerva said softly.
“And why not?” Philip asked, thinking of his own people they’d killed and those that would still die before this was over.
“Because I need them to break the last of the enchantments on me. And if Orrin doesn’t survive the night, we’ll need them to possibly free your father,” Minerva explained.
“If they die, they’ve no hold on you, same as my father,” Philip snarled.
Mavist shook his head. “Enchantments don’t work like that! They don’t!”
Philip cocked his head, grinning. “So you admit to your crimes?”
“We…” Mavist began, unsure and clamping his mouth shut.
Kannity took a deep breath, still eyeing Philip’s sword. “We might know something of what you speak of.”
“How about I start chopping off parts of you and see how long it takes you to remember?” Philip asked in a low, menacing voice.
“Calm yourself Prince Philip,” Makepeace’s voice said from behind him.
He turned around to find the Alpha and Verity behind him. “They deserve nothing less.”
Makepeace shook his head. “They don’t, but we need them alive in order to ensure the enchantment on Minerva is broken completely. Leave them to us.”
Philip caught Minerva’s eyes, jerking away from the regents and stomping out of the library. The Princess caught up with him as he barreled into the hallway.
“Thank you,” Minerva said softly.
The inner wolf clawed at the edges of his mind, desperate to be free to rip and tear. “They need to pay for what they’ve done.”
“I have no intention of letting them off easy. They’ve been my jailers and tormentors for the majority of my life, and they’ve been caught planning the worst sort of treachery. By the time I’m done, they’ll wish I had allowed you to kill them,” Minerva promised.
Philip looked up at the ceiling, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. “It’s madness, this whole thing. Before, I had this idea we’d be fighting some noble battle, to gain my family’s throne back and to rightfully place you on your own throne. But killing those guards, even if it couldn’t be helped…”
Minerva placed a soft hand on his arm. “I’m sorry.”
Philip shook his head. “No, it’s not your fault. It’s the regents’, and Orrin’s, for forcing things to come to this. And it’s my own for being so naïve, I should have known better. I want to do better for my people, but instead I’m forced to kill them.”
“Were it possible to have done this on my own land, I would have,” Minerva said.
Philip looked at her, frowning. “What, a war?”
Minerva nodded. “This just seemed…the quickest and most efficient option.”
Philip scoffed. “There was no way we could have dragged this out into a war. Even if we’d managed to gather all your people, and the people of the Arden Forest, what would that have gained us? A continuation of the war we’ve been fighting off and on for generations? It would’ve been just groups of people trying to say they’re right, and eventually no one will remember the crimes being committed now, because new ones would have taken their place. If I have to commit these…crimes, in order to save all three of our lands the long and hard-fought wars of the past, then it’s what I’ll do.”
“But you’re not required to like it,” Minerva added.
Philip shook his head. “No, I despise it with every part of my being. And I’m going to make sure Orrin and his like pay for this treachery. This blood may be on my hands, but it’s only there because Orrin and the regents made it necessary.”
“There may be more fighting on the way,” Minerva told him with a gentle wince.
Philip sighed. “There’s no ‘may’
about it, there will be. I’m pretty sure I know where Orrin is, the same place we’ll find my father, and my mate.”
“You think Jaeger has found him?” Minerva asked.
“If he hasn’t, he will before we get there. Orrin’s a coward, he’s throwing everyone he can in between us and him. He’ll use every human and werewolf life possible as a shield, and he’s going to be in the heart of the castle. I can only hope Jaeger finds him before Orrin thinks to use one of the escape tunnels,” Philip said.
Minerva’s eyes widened. “You have escape tunnels?”
Philip raised a brow. “What, and you don’t? They’ve been a secret of the royal family and personal guard for generations. They were there in case the castle was under siege and we needed to escape. If Orrin believes the castle to be lost, they’re the first thing he’ll run to.”
“Then we’d better hurry and find him before he does,” Minerva said gravely.
By the time they reached the inner sanctum of the castle, Philip was sore and ragged. There’d been more fighting for the inner walls of the castle than he’d feared. Either Orrin had long prepared for the possibility of an assault, or he’d worked some sort of magic on the men and women of the guard. Every time Philip tried to stop a fight before it began, he was rebuffed. Each group of soldiers or guards they found had refused to stand down, and none would even entertain the possibility that he was their prince.
Philip pointed down the next hall. “This is our stop, if Orrin isn’t in here, then I don’t…”
Minerva laid another hand on his arm and hurried up the hallway. “There only looks to be a couple of guards. They’re dressed differently than the others.”
Philip closed his eyes. “They’re probably members of the royal family personal guard. Of course he would keep the best closest to him.”
These were men and women he’d known throughout his entire life. People whose names he knew, whose families and lives he knew. It’d been bad enough, killing the people he hadn’t known beyond perhaps a recognizable face. To have to fight the very people who had stayed at his side throughout the years seemed unbearable.
Minerva’s face scrunched. “Philip, let me lure them on a chase, and you can deal with Orrin.”
Philip shook his head. “No, if I need to do this, I will. We’ve come this far.”
“I have a good idea what it would mean to have to strike these people down Philip,” Minerva said softly.
“I’ll try…like I did with the others, to talk to them. Maybe they’ll know me, maybe these ones will listen,” Philip said, his chest clenching.
Philip took a deep breath, forcing himself to walk past Minerva, and march down the hallway. There were a total of six guards at the end of the hall, watching over Orrin’s doors. They spotted Philip and Minerva’s approach, drawing their weapons and preparing for a fight they had to have known was coming.
Philip stopped a few yards from them, holding his hands up. “I don’t know what you’ve been told by Orrin, and at this point, I don’t care. His lies have forced me to fight and kill more of our people than…well, I never thought I would ever have to turn my weapons on my own people, but life brings us to strange and hard places.”
One of the men, a recent addition to the guard, Owen, stepped forward. “We’ve been told of your lies, and of your sorcery.”
Philip looked at the assembled men, sighing when he realized all of them were recent additions to the guard. In truth, he only knew Owen’s name, and not one of them had been in the guard for more than a year. Each of them had gone through the training, but knew very little of the people they guarded. Between his father’s ever weakening mind and Philip’s growing disinterest in his position, these men didn’t know a thing about the family they protected.
Philip hung his head. “And I’m sure you won’t listen to anything I have to say, will you?”
“We were warned against any persuasive words, no matter what our opponent looked or sounded like. We’re to kill you as soon as you show yourselves, so you don’t have time to work any greater magic over our minds,” Owen continued stubbornly.
Minerva scoffed. “Or so you can’t hear the truth of his words. Do you know how many people we’ve had to fight to get here? Do you know that each time he’s tried to talk to everyone, trying to stop them from fighting? Stop being stubborn and listen to him for a few seconds, this is your Prince, and rightful heir to the throne.”
“We can’t know that,” Owen said, bringing his sword up to the ready stance.
Philip hung his head, sighing. “How could you know me? I don’t think the members of the guards who watched me grow up even know me anymore. Over the years I’ve just…stopped. Locked up in Orrin’s rules, Orrin’s prophecy, Orrin’s everything, I just stopped fighting, stopped caring. He’s ruled this kingdom more than my father has, and that’s exactly the way he’s wanted it, an apathetic prince and a puppet king. I can’t make up for not caring to even know any of your names, save for you Owen. Once, I knew the names, faces, and stories behind every member of the men and women who were willing to lay down their lives for my safety. All I’m asking for is the chance to prove who I am, to let me save your lives instead of dying unnecessarily like so many others have on our way here. Please, help me stop him, don’t let him win anymore than he already has.”
Owen’s sword point wavered. “You don’t sound like our Prince.”
Philip shook his head. “You don’t know me, hell, I haven’t known who I am and I’m still figuring it out. But I do know I don’t want to fight you, I don’t want to keep fighting anyone else. I want to bring Orrin to justice, and once this is all over, I’m going to make sure I don’t continue the mistakes of the past.”
“I…don’t want to fight him, not if there’s a chance he’s the Prince,” one of the guardsmen said.
Owen’s eyes narrowed. “Would you be willing to present yourself to Court Conjurer Orrin?”
Philip snorted. “I’m sure I already know what he’ll say, but by all means, take me to him.”
Owen nodded at Philip’s sword. “Hand over your weapons.”
Philip set his sword down, and kicked it across the ground to them. With a glance, Minerva begrudgingly did the same, grumbling under her breath. Disarming themselves was probably a bad idea, but Philip couldn’t stomach the idea of killing any more of his people. It felt as if he were soaked in the blood of those he was sworn to guide and protect, any more and he was bound to drown in it.
Owen sheathed his sword, and three other guards walked forward with him to surround Philip and Minerva. Philip took a deep breath as they began to walk toward the double doors that would lead them to Orrin’s office. There were voices coming from within, one being the recognizable tone of Orrin, and a soft voice Philip couldn’t recognize immediately. His gut twisted when he heard the second voice though, some instinct telling him he knew exactly who it was.
Philip thought it odd when Owen opened the doors without announcing himself, but the thought was wiped away by shock. Jaeger stood at the far end of the room, his empty hands held out placatingly. Orrin stood behind the desk, now turning toward the sound of his room being entered, with the King held before him, a knife held to his neck.
“Sorcerer Orrin?” Owen blurted out in shock.
Orrin’s mouth tightened. “Guardsman Owen, I believe I told you to only interrupt me in the direst of emergencies. I can hardly work my best protective spells when I’m being interrupted.”
Incensed, Philip pushed past the shocked guards. “Save it Orrin, I think you can forget the act at this point.”
Orrin’s eyes widened, a smile coming across his face. “And Prince Philip, you have returned.”
Philip eyed the knife at his father’s throat. “What, not going to tell the guards to kill me as an imposter while you use my father?”
Orrin tilted his head. “Prince Philip, I think you have the wrong idea about me. I have been nothing less than a faithful and devoted servant to the crown.�
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“Devoted to yourself and your desires you mean,” Jaeger snarled, taking a step forward.
Orrin turned both himself and the King toward Jaeger. “You have just never quite known when to keep to your proper place.”
King Vernal blinked rapidly, wincing at the knife’s edge to his skin. “Philip? Jaeger?”
“Hold still father, we’ll have you free and this…traitor dealt with,” Philip promised.
Orrin eyed him. “I have had the wellbeing of this kingdom and this family at the forefront of my mind. Well, the kingdom anyway, I can’t be blamed for caring not one whit about a pack of mongrels who have been given the right to a crown by some cruel trick of fate.”
Philip tensed. “Mongrels? Is that what this is about, because the family are werewolves?”
“The family. So many of the nobles. All of you, taking after the beasts that live in the forest. Even fate took notice of you, why else would I have that cursed vision?” Orrin hissed, forehead glistening with a layer of sweat.
“He’s trying to kill us all, the werewolves,” Vernal croaked, barely moving as Orrin held him.
“Your kind should have been wiped from the face of the land generations ago, not rising up to become royalty! Yet you did, and you’ve done nothing but breed and prosper, like the animals you are,” Orrin snapped.
Philip glanced at Minerva, who had already slipped past the guards. “And here I thought he was just a usurping traitor, looking to gain a bit of power.”
Orrin snorted derisively. “That’s what those idiot regents of hers thought too. Their greed worked to my advantage, so long as they thought they were getting a piece of the pie, they were easy to manipulate. For years they’ve kept me informed on the Northern Kingdom, even letting me know when the King’s whore was sneaking her way down here.”
“You watch your mouth,” Jaeger barked, fists clenching at his side.
“I was hoping I could groom you Jaeger, to understand what needed to be done. Little did I know, you were just another mongrel like the rest of them. Still, I thought maybe you might be more pliable than your sister when it came time to reveal who you were. All I needed to do was keep you as far from Philip’s bed as possible,” Orrin told him, glaring in accusation.