Altheus glared at the demon. "She can't understand me."
"That was lovely, sweetheart," Nila said. "Daddy and Mommy both thought you were wonderful."
"I have more verses I can teach her if you like," the Seductress offered. "Sereyna, dear, take a bow for your adoring audience."
The little girl, with one hand on her stomach and one on her back, bowed deeply. Altheus's eyes widened as he spotted the thin tail protruding from the back of her neck. His worst fear had come true. The Seductress had pierced his daughter. Altheus clenched his fists, and his body trembled in anger.
Nila fell to her knees and whimpered. "No. No, not my baby. No."
"You—how could you?" Altheus asked through his teeth. "She's just a child."
Agalia smiled. "So was your sister."
Altheus took a step forward but halted when the Seductress waved her finger at him.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. I'm the only one who can save her now."
Nila struggled to catch her breath. "Have you no conscience?"
Agalia tapped her temple. "Sure, but she's been locked away for centuries. Now, here's how this is going to go. If you want your daughter to continue on with her precious life tomorrow, then you're going to submit to me."
"You want to pierce my neck?" the prince asked.
"Unacceptable!" Ojjuk growled.
"Stay out of this, mongrel!" Agalia shot back.
Eyzora moved closer to Altheus. "If you let her take control of you, think of all the people who will die."
Ojjuk came along his opposite side. "It'll take no time to rip her head off."
The Seductress giggled. "You dogs are truly meddlesome, but you're forgetting who I have beside me. Erynion doesn't care about all the people. He cares about two of the people. In my scenario, they both get to live. What about yours?"
Altheus quietly devised a plan as they argued. In order to pierce his neck, the Seductress would have to release Sereyna first. Once his daughter was free and safe, he could fight Agalia in his mind. She had centuries of experience, so he had doubts in his ability to beat her by himself. But at least there would always be the chance the Denhauli could free him. And in the meantime, Nila and Sereyna would be safe.
"I'll do it," Altheus said loudly to overcome the argument. "I'll do it. My neck for hers."
Agalia smirked. "I don't want your neck, dear. I want your heart and mind. Have you learned any tricks while I was away? Any new spells?"
"A few. Did you have one in mind?"
"A couple, actually. They're my favorite."
"Corruption?" the prince asked.
The Seductress scoffed. "Just because it's my purge? It serves its purpose, but it's far from my favorite. What about the Curse of Submission?"
"You're talking about mind control," Altheus said. "Forcing others to act against their will."
"That's the one. Although, when you think about it, it's really more like mind imprisonment or body control."
"What of it?"
"You probably know the Curse of Submission as a temporary spell, weak. It can be defended against with light energy. But my tail is an enhanced version of it. The physical connection prevents interference, and as long as the connection is maintained, the spell is permanent."
"Until you pull the tail out and your victim dies."
"If I want her to, yes. But there's another exception that I've learned only recently. That is if I've pierced a demon. Natural regeneration allows the wound to heal once the needle is removed. That's why you survived after killing me. And"—a wide grin spread across her face—"why Sonojj survived after he tried to kill me a couple of days ago."
"Sonojj? He's back on the Surface?"
"For now. Licking his wounds on the Coast, no doubt. Didn't your mongrels tell you?"
Altheus looked to Eyzora, but the red wolf's gaze was locked on the Seductress.
"Go on," Agalia said. "Tell him how Verago sent poor, blind Sonojj to assassinate me. How he sent a feeble kitty cat with a pocket of energy strong enough to cause a purge, a purge meant for me. Only I've learned a thing or two about my tail thanks to you, Erynion. That night I rescued you from Nolka and stopped your purge, the excess energy you weren't able to control created a channel for me. I used that to take control of you. This same channel allows me to steal energy as well. And so, thanks to Sonojj and my ever loyal Maligus, I stand here to face you on equal footing."
Altheus cocked his head. "Are you suggesting if Verago hadn't sent Sonojj after you…"
"I would still be hiding on the Coast, and my tail would be nowhere near your daughter."
"Don't listen to her," Eyzora insisted. "She is the most vengeful being to walk the Surface, and you killed her. She was coming for you no matter what. Don't let her convince you otherwise."
Agalia laughed. "I don't have to convince him of anything. He can figure it out on his own. And he'll have plenty of time to do so once he accepts my Curse of Allegiance."
"You can't be serious," the red wolf said.
"What's a Curse of Allegiance?" Nila asked.
Altheus lowered his head. "It's a surrender."
"Oh, you do know it." The Seductress clasped her hands. "This will save me some time."
Nila moved into the prince's line of sight. "What do you mean by 'surrender'?"
"Think of it like a marriage," Agalia said.
Nila glanced over her shoulder. "What did you say?"
"When I use my Curse of Submission, I have to focus and use energy to overcome my victim's will every time. But the Curse of Allegiance is more like a marriage. When I tell him to do something, he'll do it without question."
"Is that what a marriage is to you?"
Agalia rolled her eyes. "Spare me. I'm simply explaining that once this is done, your husband will forever be more inclined to listen to me than to you. He will follow me like a lost puppy, constantly seeking my approval. And the best part is that no amount of light energy can sever the bond."
"So, these are your terms then?" Altheus asked. "I completely surrender my mind to you, and you let my daughter free."
"Sparing your daughter's life can certainly be a condition for your allegiance, if you wish. It sounds like you're ready to negotiate. Let's hop into that mind of yours and get this done."
Ojjuk snarled. "Don't do this."
"Ojjuk is right," Eyzora added. "A Curse of Allegiance can only be broken if she sets you free or if she dies. She will never let you go, and with her knowledge and your power, she'll be unstoppable."
"What about Verago?" Altheus turned to the red wolf. "You're saying the Devil can't stop her? Even with the Amulet?"
"It's not as simple as that. You have more strength than her right now, and yet without a fight, you're already considering surrender."
"You would have me sacrifice my only child to keep your mission alive?"
Eyzora lowered her head. "I do not envy your position. I'm merely trying to offer an outside perspective. The loss of your daughter will be tragic, for no one more so than you and your wife. But, try to imagine a world where you submit to Agalia. Even in your vast power, you are self-restrained. She is the very antithesis of that."
The prince stood silently. There had to be another way. Only the Seductress knew how to save Sereyna, and she would only do so after his surrender. The only alternative would be to convince her to change her mind. But how could he possibly do that?
Nila hugged him. "Please, don't let her die."
Altheus embraced her. "I'm sorry I brought this sorrow on you. I wanted to see you both so badly, but I didn't account for the danger you might be in."
"I don't blame you for what's happened. It's her fault. How could she do this to a child? I hope one day she receives her due for all the suffering she's caused. What a wicked spirit."
Her last words echoed in his mind. Wicked spirit. The truth was this was only one side of her spirit. And in that realization, Altheus had the beginnings of a new plan. "We can begin in
a moment, but first I need to speak with my wife alone. It might be the last chance I get for many years."
Agalia shrugged. "Makes no difference to me. Your daughter stays here, though."
✽✽✽
Erynion sat quietly in the middle of the black expanse. The gravity of the situation happening outside his mind had forced him to halt his internal reflection. The wind picked up and gently blew the strands of grass beneath him. He blinked, and when his eyes opened, his human side stood before him.
"I'm sorry," Erynion said.
"For what?" Altheus asked.
"If I hadn't killed the Seductress, she may not have used our daughter as a hostage."
"If you hadn't killed the Seductress, we'd already be trapped in a Curse of Submission."
"Curse of Allegiance is worse. But you've thought of something, haven't you?"
The prince took a seat and crossed his legs. "Yes, and I need your help, but we don't have much time."
"Actually, that shouldn't be a problem. I've discovered how to make time move faster in here."
"Well done. But when we invite the Seductress in, I need you to make it go slower. It's imperative you don't allow her to take control of this space during your negotiations with her."
Erynion straightened up. "My negotiations?"
"Of course. When she arrives, she's going to expect Erynion. She has no idea I've escaped from my confines. Once she's here, you'll need to delay her for as long as possible."
"While you do what?"
"I'm going to cross into her mind."
Erynion raised an eyebrow. "Won't she notice that?"
"I don't believe so. She has to create a connection to invade our mind. That leaves an opening on her end. When she arrives and sees you, her guard will be down. She thinks she's already won. So, while you distract her, I'll use her own bridge to get into her mind."
The plan was becoming clearer to Erynion. "You're going there to figure out how to save Sereyna."
"That's right. If the Seductress is telling the truth, and she can save her victims after impaling their necks, then the answer is in her mind."
"How are you going to find it?"
Altheus began to detail his plan. "I'm going to look for her other half. I imagine she's locked up in a prison somewhere much like I was."
"You have no idea what her mind will look like. How do you know you'll even find the prison, assuming that's where her human side is kept?"
"I don't. That's why I need as much time as you can give me. Keep things moving slowly over here. As long as she thinks she's in no danger and you're going to surrender at the end, there's no reason for her to grow suspicious."
Though the plan was far from foolproof, it made the most sense given the situation. But they needed to be prepared for the worst. Erynion tapped his thumbs together. "What happens if you fail?"
"Everything we've done since Verago captured us has been to get back to our family. Nila would never forgive us for Sereyna's death. I would rather be a slave than watch our little girl die."
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that." Erynion had no intention of kneeling before the Seductress.
Chapter 36
Hable peacefully sipped his tea at the table. With a full stomach, he reflected on his plan to gain the title of overseer in Memorial City.
The previous night had gone off without a hitch. Don Layola was planted firmly back among the Candelux ambassadors. And once recovered from the deathroot, she would contact her cell leader in Light's Haven and recognize Kolokajja as Grand Overseer. Such an accomplishment would surely result in a nice reward for Hable.
Don Pike had also returned home. The deathroot had worked as Kolokajja had promised. After a month of treatment, Pike's mind seemed to finally separate into two, one cooperative with Candelux, and the other with the Brotherhood. Kolokajja had referred to the two halves as the "human side" and the "demon side." With Pike's demon side in control, he willingly took the binding seed and officially joined the Brotherhood.
And then, there were the Brothers in prison. Greggor was finally out of the picture. He was such a nuisance, never knowing when to stop talking. The prison could be his permanent home for all Hable cared. But Rithwic, on the other hand, was a different story. It was nice to see his old friend after years apart. He had already heard whispers of Rithwic's cooperation, proof of his loyalty to Hable. Rithwic's fabricated confession would instigate watcher raids on the other two cells in Memorial City. With the power of the Brotherhood consolidated behind him, Hable could nudge the right judge into releasing his old friend.
Sniffling, Hable took another sip and basked in his genius. He still had another pawn to play. How could he leverage the Death God spy to his advantage? A distant knock caught his attention. Determining it must have come from the front door, Hable pushed back his chair and left his tea behind. He opened the door separating his living quarters from his shop and peered into the dark room. Another knock came, and he scurried across the floor. Who dared to disturb him when the shop was closed? His cell members knew to use the back entrance.
Hable placed his head near the door. "We're closed. We'll open again tomorrow at eight strikes."
"Lord Hable, it's Don Pike. Please let us in. It's an emergency."
The voice through the door was a bit muffled, and it sounded like Don Pike, but what was of concern was the "us."
Hable cracked the door. His pulse quickened at the sight of Don Pike with a paladin and another priest, but he remained calm. "What is it?"
"This is Ambassador Millan. He tore his scarf and needs it fixed as soon as possible. I thought of you."
"And you came all the way from the rectory?"
"No, we were in the area. Can we come in?"
Hable hesitated, but ultimately opened up. "Sure."
Once the priests and paladin had crossed the threshold, Hable shut the door and locked it. He quickly moved through the room and lit the lanterns. "I was just finishing up dinner. If you don't mind waiting here for a few moments, I need to take care of a couple things. Perhaps, Don Pike, you can assist me so I can help Ambassador Millan quicker."
"I don't mind helping," the ambassador offered.
Hable sniffled. "That's quite all right. Don Pike will suffice. Please excuse us."
"Right away, Your Lordship." Pike followed Hable back to the kitchen.
"Close the door." Hable walked to the table and stood over his teacup. When he heard the door latch click, he spun around and whisper-shouted, "Are you fangling insane?"
"What?" Pike appeared stunned.
"Did you seriously just bring a Candelux ambassador and a paladin into my shop? Did the deathroot impair your intelligence or have you always been a Dardan fool?"
"Hey now, wait a minute. You're upset? I thought you'd be happy."
"Happy?" Hable asked incredulously. "The whole point of yesterday's operation was to keep suspicion as far away as possible from me and this place."
"But, this is Millan. This is the priest Greggor tried to capture in Light's Haven and failed. I thought you'd want to add more priests to your list of influence. And, he's an ambassador."
"Oh, I'm well aware who Millan is. I'm also well aware his bodyguard is Lady Sundancer, a fangling bloodseeker champion. So, what did you do? Tear his scarf so you could bring him here?"
"What? No, it was all just chance. We were having dinner at the Prancing Goat, and as we were leaving, his scarf got caught in the door."
Hable sighed. "And you thought, what a great opportunity. Tell me. How do you expect me to capture him with a bloodseeker here? It's just me, and Fox is downstairs watching the prisoner."
"I don't know. Maybe your butcher can lend a hand." Pike strolled to the stairwell leading to the basement. "What are you going to do with him anyway?"
"Don't worry about Aksilacarn. He's not what we're discussing at the moment." Hable gritted his teeth. He was a meticulous planner and had a strong distaste for improvisation. Jugjug was a powerful m
an, but he was a butcher, not a trained fighter. No matter how small Sundancer seemed, Hable had no doubt who would win a fight between her and Jugjug. "You've put me in an awkward position."
"Do you want me to take them and leave?"
"No, that would be worse, I think. I'll have to help Millan with his scarf and leave it at that. Maybe this favor will do me some good down the line. All right. Let's go."
"That's the spirit." Pike opened the door.
Hable forced a smile before he stepped through and approached Millan and Sundancer. "Thank you for your patience, Ambassador."
"Not at all, Lord Hable. I should be thanking you. I realize you're normally closed at this time, so I consider myself quite fortunate that Don Pike knew someone who could help at this hour."
"Indeed. Are you and Don Pike close?"
Millan coughed. "Actually, I only met him this morning."
"Really? Was he assigned to show you around?"
"No, I met him through a mutual friend. We all had dinner at the Prancing Goat, not far from here."
"I'm well aware of the Goat." Hable turned to Pike. "Who might this friend be? Anyone I know?"
"Just one of my closest friends, Eriph," Pike said nonchalantly. "He was only in the city for a few days and said he was about leave. I wasn't sure when I'd see him again, so I accepted his invite to dinner."
"So, it was Eriph's idea to go to the Goat?"
"That's right. Don Dorman came with us as well. After Ambassador Millan had his mishap, Dorman and Eriph returned to the rectory while we came here."
Hable felt uneasy. Pulling the handkerchief from his pocket, he wiped his nose. "And, here you are. Let's see what we're dealing with."
"Of course." Millan lifted the white scarf from his shoulders and laid it on the table. The tear began at one end and traveled lengthwise up the middle until it reached the embroidered yellow star.
Hable leaned in and squinted, delicately moving his fingers along the fabric. The split appeared to have frayed evenly, and the loose threads were perpendicular to the tear. The damage was indicative of equal strength being applied on each side of the scarf, like someone grabbing the corners and pulling the scarf apart. "And how did you say this happened?"
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