"She's possessed!" Flinch shouted.
Sereyna grabbed the tip of Alejjir's arrow. "You're going to regret this, Sabin!"
Out of the corner of his eye, Flinch spotted the Seductress emerge from the Corruption with blinding speed. In one hand she carried her glaive, and in the other, the jester's dagger.
Alejjir placed his foot on the little girl's hip and gently kicked her away. But by the time he freed his weapon, Agalia had already closed the gap and plunged the dagger into his stomach. The Marksman grimaced as he staggered backward into the pond. The Seductress whirled around. Her staff struck the side of his head and snapped in two. Alejjir collapsed into the water, along with the hook end of the Seductress's weapon.
Flinch bolted for the child and attempted to get her on her feet, but a sharp object impaled him in the back. As he roared in pain, the blade was removed. Grabbed by the collar and thrown to the ground, the jester looked up in terror.
Flinch held up his hand. "Don't do this. She's just a little girl."
Agalia sneered as she pointed what remained of her glaive, coated in dark blood. "Goodbye, Flinch."
The Seductress swung her weapon in one fluid motion, slicing through his throat. Flinch covered the gaping wound with both hands and gasped for air. His eyes shifted toward Sereyna as his vision began to blur. He wanted more than anything to protect Erynion's little girl, but his body went numb. He closed his eyes and accepted his fate.
✽✽✽
Oddly, Millan felt more at ease after leaving Memorial City and being back among the Para Paya. He glanced over at Sundancer and wondered if she felt the same way. The Azapaar wasn't exactly like the Frozen Coast—less snow for one—but it still had a sense of tranquility that was missing from the busy city streets. Millan spotted Eriph patiently waiting and quickened his pace to greet him.
"Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon, Ambassador," Eriph said with a slight bow.
"I'm here to see Dolore."
"Right this way." Eriph escorted the pair around the large tent to a smaller one that reminded Millan of his own accommodations on the Coast. Eriph pulled back the flap, allowing Millan and Sundancer to enter.
Dolore stood. "Millan, it's good to see you again. Please, have a seat."
"Thank you."
"I assume you got my letter?" Dolore asked as they both sat.
The Nesinu priest pulled the folded-up paper from his pocket. "Right here."
"And you told Navi where you were going?"
"Yes, but I have to ask. Why did I have to tell her it was my idea? I mean, what does it matter if this meeting is your idea or mine?"
Dolore smiled. "Perception. If the Brotherhood finds out I called this meeting, they might think I'm asking you for help, and it could arouse suspicion. But, if you come here on your own, then you're simply fulfilling the duties of an ambassador, mending the relationship between Candelux and the Death Gods after that horrible meeting last night."
Millan's eyes fell to the ground. "I'm so sorry about that. I knew people weren't thrilled about working with the Death Gods, but I had no idea such animosity existed."
"Like Archdon Kyara said, most people in Memorial City are connected to someone who died at Deimor Outpost. It's very personal for them. But don't let what happened last night bother you. I was fully expecting such a reaction. In fact, I was surprised it took so long to manifest. Any news on how the Prima is handling the head archdon's defiance?"
"I know there was a meeting with the Scribe's Mirror this morning, but I wasn't invited to it, and I don't know what the results are yet. There's nothing I can really do at this point but wait for Her Luminescence."
Dolore cleared her throat. "Listen, Millan. The truth is I didn't ask you here for an update on Archdon Kyara. My guess is she's making a strong case to the Prima for more information from us. Information I doubt Shinigami will part with any time soon. So, while our scout suffers for who knows how much longer and is possibly infected with deathroot, the powers that be will bicker and argue under the guise of negotiation. I don't have that kind of time. But more importantly, Aksilacarn doesn't have that kind of time. I want to ask for your help. Not Candelux, but you."
Millan had had his doubts about Aksil during their encounter in Zazima, but after Dolore informed him of how Aksil had saved him from the Brotherhood in Light's Haven, Millan felt a debt toward the thief. "I'm listening. What did you have in mind?"
"I'm not wasting any more time waiting. We're getting Aksil out tonight. I need you to be a distraction."
"How?"
"Aksil is being held in a garment shop. The plan, if you agree, will involve you occupying the store owner for a few minutes while Ivochna and I sneak in behind him." Dolore pulled out a knife and played with the tip. "I was thinking perhaps an article of your clothing would unfortunately get damaged. The ambassador scarf, for example, is unique. You wouldn't be able to simply borrow a new one. And, you'd need it fixed quite urgently."
"I could do that. What do you think, Sundancer?"
The bloodseeker grunted. "A priest wandering into Brotherhood territory. It sounds like they're asking you to be bait."
"The most enticing distraction," Dolore said. "But I wouldn't ask Millan to do anything I thought would put him in danger."
The priest laughed under his breath. "That's good to know."
"Not only will you have a champion bloodseeker at your side, but Eriph and Warbison will also be standing by to intervene if anything goes wrong."
"All right. I'll do my best."
"Thank you."
"So, what do I do now?"
Dolore stowed her knife. "Go back to the rectory. Eriph will come by to speak with you to set things in motion."
"All right. Well, I'll be waiting."
"Before you go, there's one more thing. As a token of our appreciation for your cooperation, I'd like to amend our original offer to Candelux. Choose one of the three greater iymeds—the Zaidon, the Seductress, or the Marksman—and I will reveal their human identity to you. Right now."
Millan was stunned. "Really?"
"Really."
"Aren't you concerned I'll tell my superiors?"
"The information is yours. Tell whoever you like. It's my gift to you. So, which one is it going to be?"
Though Millan took a few moments to consider the options, he already knew which one he wanted to learn about. She was the most ancient of all of them, predating even Verago. She was considered the most dangerous and vile of all dark creatures. And, she was also the only one Millan had shared a meal with.
"Tell me who the Seductress is."
Dolore smirked. "Very well. The Seductress, whose aliases start with Agalia and end most recently with Sereyna. Her true identity is Ezmirelda, the Queen of Alova."
Millan's eyebrows shot up. He had learned about Alova's only queen from Don Skully as part of his history lessons regarding the formation of the kingdom. Ezmirelda was originally married to Deimor. Their clan ruled over the southwest, from Memorial City, past Alovajj, all the way to the Yaggi Mountains. When Thoris proposed the unification of the clans, Ezmirelda believed she and Deimor should be given the titles of queen and king. They ruled over the largest area, which contained more people than any of the other three clans. But Deimor disagreed. When Shabinne pledged allegiance to Thoris, Deimor feared Kasaverr would join next. The three clans combined might force Deimor to submit to the new kingdom without any chance of him becoming high nobility. So Deimor went behind Ezmirelda's back and agreed to join Thoris's new kingdom. Ezmirelda was furious.
In his wisdom, Thoris immediately recognized the potential conflict and moved to avert it. Even though Deimor had support from some of his people, many would rally behind Ezmirelda. In particular, the citizens of Alova, where she was born. So, rather than risk a civil war, Thoris and Deimor made an offer to Ezmirelda. In exchange for a clean break from Deimor and the areas around Memorial City, she would be free to rule Alova and the surrounding vill
ages without interference. And if she ever decided to join the kingdom, the door was always open.
Ezmirelda accepted and dissolved her marriage with Deimor. She became the first and last queen to rule over Alova. There were conflicting accounts regarding the quality of her reign, but one detail remained consistent. She never recovered from Deimor's betrayal. She never remarried. She never had children. And when she died, the nobility took control and decided to join the kingdom, which was then under the rule of Thoris's son, King Valren.
"You've heard of her?" Dolore asked.
"Yes, but I only learned about the events up to her death." Millan rubbed his lower lip. "Queen Ezmirelda died nearly seven hundred years ago. But the Amulet only appeared five hundred years ago. Are you telling me she wandered for two hundred years?"
"It was more like one hundred and fifty, but yes. Ezmirelda's soul was filled with such regret when she died, she had no chance to transcend. And when her cousins claimed the Alova throne, as was their right, and pledged fealty to King Valren, her spirit became even more restless."
"Wouldn't the Whisper guild have helped her?"
"They tried—for one hundred and fifty years—but she was beyond help. Her spirit took pleasure in tormenting travelers coming from the kingdom. When the Amulet of Yezda appeared, wanderers were drawn to its energy and turned into the first fray demons. When Ezmirelda came upon it, she absorbed enough energy to become an iymed, the first of her kind. With a corporeal form, she was finally able to physically express her rage, which had festered for decades. Leading an army of fray, she marched to Alova to reclaim her city. "
Millan shivered. "I can only imagine how helpless the citizens felt. No priests? No knowledge of demons or how to stop them?"
"Right. And killing the demons just allowed the souls to go back to the Amulet and be re-formed. Watchers who died protecting the city inevitably joined the fray army, until finally the city was overrun."
"Wow, the Seductress is Queen Ezmirelda. Now that I've heard it, it seems so obvious. Angry spirit, taking back her city. I wonder why no one suspected it was her before."
"Ah." Dolore held up her index finger. "For that, you can thank a man by the name of Otiho. The Whisper guild never gave up on Ezmirelda. For years, they sent whisperers to help her release her burdens and make peace with her life. Around the time the Amulet appeared, the whisperer assigned to Ezmirelda was Otiho. Now, according to Otiho's journal, there's a day when he miraculously started making progress with the queen. We now know he was lying, and this date coincided around the time Ezmirelda's spirit went missing. You see, it took her over a year before she gained enough energy from the Amulet to become an iymed and regain her intellect. In the meantime, Otiho had weaved a tale of redemption that earned him accolades across the kingdom. And eventually, he would go on to become the leader of the Whisper guild because of his astonishing, yet completely fabricated, feat of helping Queen Ezmirelda transcend."
"What a jerk."
"But in the kingdom's history, if you look up Otiho, you'll find he's still quite the hero."
"Well, someone should change that."
"I agree." There was a short lull before Dolore spoke again. "I want to thank you again for helping us tonight. It's probably best if our meeting here doesn't last very long. If the Brotherhood is watching you, I wouldn't want them to get the wrong idea."
"I understand." Millan stood. "I suppose I'll see you later tonight."
"If all goes according to plan, you probably won't."
Chapter 35
Lying on the ground with his hands behind his head, Altheus gazed up at the darkening blue sky. Things just seemed to be right. He was free of the agony. He was reunited with his family. And Nila, who was sitting beside him, had earlier shared a letter indicating Batar was willing to make amends.
"You really think it's going to work, don't you?" Nila said.
"I know my brother. He's not evil. He wants this all to stop as much as I do."
"You don't think Candelux will interfere? You think they'll just let the king sacrifice himself?"
Altheus propped himself on his elbows. "That's why they can't know about it. This has to stay between the three of us."
"Mekken is Batar's personal bodyguard now. Your brother won't be able to do anything without my brother knowing."
"Then this stays between the four of us. I trust Mekken. He'll follow Batar."
Nila stroked the prince's white hair. "I know it's you in there, but it's so strange to see you in this form."
"You've mentioned it a few times. Would you rather I leave?"
His wife slapped his shoulder. "Stop it. If this is the only way I can be with you for now, then it'll have to do. Actually, maybe I could get used to this form. You don't look half bad."
Altheus rolled his eyes.
"No, I'm serious. Tall, muscular. I think the long hair is doing it for me." Nila chuckled.
"Anyway, you should probably head back to the city."
"Ah, romantic as ever. There's at least two hours of sun left, if not three."
"People might start to wonder where you're going all day."
Nila threw her hands up. "Like it's any of their business. If they ask, I'll just say I went to Rivis."
"With Sereyna? By foot?"
"What's this about?"
Altheus sighed. "I'm concerned the more time we spend together, the more suspicious people will get."
"What are you saying? You don't want us to come anymore?"
"No, it's not that I don't want you to come. Seeing you and Sereyna has filled my heart with an indescribable joy. But, I want to see you all day, every day. I want my life back, and this plan with Batar is my best chance to be human again. If Candelux figures out what we're doing, they could ruin it all."
Before Nila could respond, Altheus felt light trembles in the ground, followed by rhythmic thumping.
"What is that?" Nila rose to her feet.
Altheus already knew. He stood and stepped in front of her. "I told you about the Denhauli, right?"
"Yes, the demon wolves that—" Ojjuk and Eyzora burst into view. "Holy angels! What the…? They're huge!"
"Just stay calm. There's nothing to worry about."
"Erynion, there's a problem," Eyzora said.
"Whoa," Nila said. "You weren't joking about the telepathy."
Altheus ignored his wife. "What's wrong?"
"Your daughter is in danger. Flinch has just appeared in the Depths."
Panic seized his heart. "What? Flinch is dead?" The prince whirled around, trying to spot any auras with the Devil's Eye.
"They were playing near a small pond to the south when Agalia appeared."
Altheus faced south and started sprinting. He could hear the wolves keeping pace just behind him.
"Alejjir was also there," Eyzora said, "but he hasn't shown up in the Depths."
The prince heard what she said but cared little for its meaning. Only one thing mattered now. He swatted away the tree branches that tried to hinder his path. It wasn't long before he noticed the dark aura of a demon beside a weaker gray aura. His pace quickened. Sereyna's gray aura meant she was still alive.
"Wait, Erynion, wait. We need a plan before we engage her."
But Altheus ignored the suggestion. The trees thinned as he neared the spot. The sight was chilling as he slowed to a walk. By the edge of the pond, Sereyna and Agalia sat face-to-face, clapping hands and singing songs. The Seductress's back was to him, but he easily recognized her. The black hair and red dress were unmistakable. His daughter was smiling broadly as she rocked side to side with the beat.
Altheus held his hand up to tell the wolves not to follow. Nila had just caught up and stopped in between the Denhauli.
Sereyna spotted her father and gasped. "Daddy! You came! You want to hear the nice song this pretty lady taught me?"
Altheus was still as a statue as he tried to assess the situation. His daughter appeared unharmed, but the Seductress's proximit
y to her could change that quite quickly.
"Do you want to hear it, Daddy?"
"Let her go," Altheus said.
Agalia stood and faced the prince. As she grasped the little girl's hand, a devious smile spread across her lips. "Hello there, Erynion."
The calmness in her voice unnerved him. Altheus wasn't sure how, but the Seductress seemed to know exactly what type of prize she had found. Sereyna and Nila were the only people he cared about. They were the only reason Altheus accepted the role of demon lord. And now the life of his daughter was in the hands of the most sinister soul to walk the Surface. The prince gritted his teeth. "Let…her…go."
"Your daughter has a lovely voice," Agalia said. "Wouldn't you like to hear her sing?"
"Please, Daddy."
Nila came up beside Altheus and interlaced her fingers with his. The prince kept a watchful eye on the Seductress and nodded.
Sereyna grinned and began to sing in an angelic voice.
Alova was a place so grand, it was the best in all the land.
Its ruler was so just and fair, the envy of women everywhere.
For thirty years, she gave her all, but in the end, she too would fall.
Before her body had gone cold, her kingdom and her crown were sold.
Betrayed by her own family, she resolved to win it back.
And when the Amulet appeared, she saw the chance to act.
For humans are so weak and frail, but as a demon, she could not fail.
And so, she opened up her soul, and let the darkness take control.
The pain was great, it gripped her heart, her mind was being torn apart.
And when the agony had cleared, she knew she would be greatly feared.
And with the fray behind her, she marched them toward her dream
To once again rule the kingdom, as the rightful queen.
Agalia applauded. "Bravo, darling. What's the matter, Erynion? Aren't you going to tell her how wonderful she was?"
The Forgotten Queen Page 33