"When we were leaving the restaurant, one of the corners was caught in the door. When I felt the pull, I grabbed the other end, and there was a loud rip."
"I see." The tailor rubbed his chin. If the fabric had gotten caught as Millan described, not only would one half have been more damaged from experiencing greater stress, but the frayed threads would have more likely been angled, instead of perpendicular.
"How bad is it?"
"There's significant damage here, but it's not beyond repair." Hable's hands drifted to the end of the scarf and froze. The hem wasn't torn like the rest. The split was much neater, as if someone had nicked the hem with shears or a sharp blade. Hable's chest tightened, and he struggled to breathe. The situation felt staged. Eriph's involvement in the dinner plans had raised his suspicions at first, but now Millan was lying about the scarf. But why? The tailor glanced up at the ambassador, but it was the glare of the Champion of the Light that caught his attention. He straightened up and used his handkerchief to dab the sweat from his brow.
"Then you can fix it?" Millan asked.
"Yes, but you must leave immediately."
"I'm sorry?"
"The job will take a couple of hours. You should return to the rectory. Don Pike can stay here and deliver it to you when I'm done."
Millan shrugged. "I don't mind waiting here. I actually have—"
"Well, I do!" Hable shot back. The tailor sniffled and wiped his nose. "My apologies, Ambassador. I've had a long day, and I work better when someone's not looking over my shoulder. You have my word I'll finish the scarf. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like you to go."
The ambassador and his bodyguard seemed to exchange glances.
"Problem?" the tailor asked.
"No. I didn't mean any offense."
"None taken." Hable hurriedly escorted Millan and Sundancer to the front door. "Please, think nothing of it."
As the night air rushed in, Millan stopped in the doorway. "I almost forgot. You'll need payment."
The tailor gently nudged the ambassador across the threshold. "I'll add it to the Candelux tab. Now, good night, Ambassador Millan, Lady Sundancer."
"Good night. Thank you, and may the angels—"
"You're welcome." Hable hastily shut the door and slid the lock into place. He whirled around and charged at Don Pike. With a firm grasp on the priest's collar, Hable brought his face within inches of Pike's. "Are you in on it? Have you betrayed me?"
Pike's eyes widened and his voice quivered. "What? What are you talking about?"
"Millan was lying about the scarf. What do you know? Tell me!"
"I don't know what you're talking about. Please."
Hable only saw fear and bewilderment in Pike's eyes. "Fine. Come with me." The tailor released his hold on the priest and led him back to the kitchen. Hable scampered past the table toward the basement stairs. When he peered down, his guard was missing.
"Fox!" Hable hollered. "You down there?"
No response.
The tailor turned to Pike and whispered, "Go quickly out the back to the butcher's. Tell Jugjug to come here immediately. We have an emergency, and he needs to bring with him anyone he can find in the next sixty seconds."
Pike still appeared frightened. "I…I…"
Hable clapped his hands on the priest's cheeks and spoke slowly. "Go. Get. Jugjug."
The priest nodded and sprinted toward the back door.
✽✽✽
Sitting on his patch of grass, Erynion tapped his fingertips in anticipation. The time had come to test his newfound knowledge on the mind. And who better to administer the test than the most experienced and most dangerous being to ever invade minds? A chill went down his back as Agalia materialized before him. The last time he was this close to her, Erynion had his hand around her throat.
The Seductress scoped the area. "Huh. Not what I was expecting."
"No?"
"No. I thought Thoris Castle, for sure. But this? Isn't this where you destroyed that town?"
"Nesinu, yes. Welcome."
"So polite. Thank you. But, it's not just the location I find surprising." Agalia scanned her surroundings once more. "It's quiet. I half expected some traps waiting for me. Or, at least an attack when I first appeared. But depths, you're not even standing up. It's a little disappointing. Didn't Verago and the Zaidon gift you with their knowledge?"
"They did. Ever since Royal Oak, I've been meditating, trying to unlock as much as possible. I've learned a great deal about the mind, but I'm at a clear disadvantage."
"Oh? What makes you say that?"
"Imprinted knowledge is no substitute for experience. Even if we were to fight here in my own mind, you'd completely outmatch me. While I waste time figuring out what to cast, you would already know how to counter it and retaliate. I'm not so prideful to pretend I can beat you. It's why I've agreed to the Curse of Allegiance."
Agalia smirked. "You've beat me before, though."
"True. With a bit of luck, right? I didn't know my true identity. My mind lacked clarity, and you were affected."
"Perhaps more than I anticipated. I may have also underestimated your strength, as well as Flinch's loyalty to you."
Erynion growled upon hearing the name. Despite his tomfoolery, Flinch had grown on the demon lord. Was he annoying at times? Sure. But Erynion trusted the jester more than any of his other companions.
The Seductress tilted her head. "So, are you ready to begin then?"
The demon lord got to his feet. "Yes. But before we start, I have one simple request."
"And that would be?"
"I stay in control of my mind while you're here. No illusions, no spells."
"Why?"
"I know it might seem silly, but with what little time I have left, I want to retain control until the moment my knee falls. I know you have the power to take it from me, but the whole point of this curse is my voluntary surrender. Right?"
"It won't change the outcome. But if it means that much to you, I won't cast any spells aside from the Curse of Allegiance."
"Thank you."
"But, if I discover you're trying to weasel out of our agreement, I will not hesitate to force you to your knees and let your daughter die."
"If you do that, the Denhauli will kill you."
"So be it, but I will take the greatest pleasure in my final act. Making you pull the needle from your daughter's neck and helplessly watch as she collapses. Are we clear?"
"Perfectly."
Agalia circled the demon lord. "So, let's have it then. What will be the terms of your allegiance?"
Without moving his head, Erynion's eyes followed her. "The Denhauli said the only way to break this curse is if you set me free or if you die. I want there to be no mistake that if you don't adhere to the terms, the deal is off."
"Of course. Of course. We both know the spell."
"But, I want to make absolutely sure. No tricks, no wordplay. I will not tolerate an argument over interpretation."
"Well, that all depends on you," Agalia said. "You're setting the rules, not me."
"That's right. I am. And you better believe I won't leave any space for deception. What I say will be binding. If you deviate even the slightest—"
"Yes, we get it. You've made it abundantly clear. You don't trust me. But we can't even begin to identify potential loopholes until you first lay out the terms. So, how about it?"
Erynion grunted. "Very well. If you are in any way responsible for the death of my daughter, Sereyna, my allegiance is void. Even if it's as minuscule as giving her killer directions to North Refuge, it's over."
"See, that wasn't so hard. Seems pretty straightforward to me. Let's brush off those knees and get your little girl home."
"I'm not done."
"Come again?"
"I said I'm not done. If you want my allegiance, I have more than one condition."
"More than one? Exactly how many are we talking?"
"I've come up with eight so far."
"Eight?" Agalia scoffed. "So far?"
"Well, I've only had a short time to think of them. I may stumble on a couple more during the course of this conversation."
"Erynion, dear, you realize I have to agree to them or this whole exercise is pointless."
"I understand. These are all very specific conditions I believe you could live with if it means you get me forever."
"And if I can't?"
"Isn't that the whole point of this negotiation?" the demon lord asked.
"Fine, what's number two?"
"If you are in any way responsible for the death of my wife, Nila, my allegiance is void."
"Next?" The Seductress sounded irritated.
"Not next. I need to be clear here. My family's well-being is nonnegotiable. It's the whole reason I've agreed to this curse. Don't rush me through what happens to be the two most important conditions. If you don't think you can abide by this, then we have no more to discuss."
"I have no problem abiding to any of it. Can you tell me the next one?"
"Very well. My third condition. If you are in any way responsible for the death of—"
Agalia held up her hand. "How many of these are people I'm not allowed to kill?"
"Six of them."
"Six? Why don't you just list them all at once instead of drawing it out?"
"Because I want you to understand that each individual is their own condition. If I lump them all together as one item, you might interpret it differently. Like, the curse remains intact as long as you don't kill every person, as opposed to any."
"That's nonsense. You just have to say I can't kill any of these people. It's really that simple."
"It's not just that you can't kill them. You can't be in any way—"
"Responsible for their deaths," the Seductress interjected. "Yes, I got it."
"Shall I continue then?"
Agalia didn't give an immediate response. Instead, she seemed to be enjoying the taste of her lower lip. "There's something else going on here. You're stalling, aren't you?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You dread the servitude so much, and yet you won't let me cast a spell to give you more time."
"I told you—"
"You want to stay in control. But, you're astonishingly inept. You can't even keep time at the same pace as the outside world."
"I may not be as skilled as you are, but at least I'm the master of my own mind."
"For now. And, what about these conditions? You're overexplaining what's essentially the same rule again and again. If I didn't know any better, I would say you're waiting for something to happen. What do you have planned?"
"Planned? Nothing. What could I possibly do in here with you right next to me?"
Agalia stroked her chin as she paced back and forth. "What did you tell your wife before she left?"
"My wife? To go back to the city."
Agalia smirked. "Show me."
Erynion furrowed his brow. "What?"
"Show me your memory."
"I don't think that's necessary."
The Seductress moved closer and grabbed Erynion's shirt. Though threatening, her tone remained calm. "Listen to me. You know I'm not someone to be trifled with. You're a valuable prize, and so I've been nothing but polite and respectful of your mind. But, you're hiding something from me. If you want to stay in control, show me what you told your wife. Now."
"When you put it like that, I see your point." Erynion gently removed her hand. "Give me a moment, and I'll conjure it up."
"It just happened, so you better not waste my time with some fake medi—"
Erynion created a door at the edge of the grass circle. "Done."
"Good. After you."
The demon lord strolled past her, opened the door, and stepped through. On the other side, the figure of Nila waited patiently for him to speak.
The Seductress came alongside Erynion. "Here we are once again, all gathered by the pond. You spoke with your wife for a few minutes. Let's see how that went."
"I'm not going to let our daughter die," Erynion said. "I promise."
"Oooh, a promise," Agalia teased. "I like the sound of that."
Nila stifled her cries. "Does this mean I won't see you again?"
"It's possible," the demon lord answered. "I'm going to try to think of something, but I need you to do me a favor. It might sound a bit odd."
"Anything."
"Stand here for the next few minutes and pretend you're talking to me."
"Um, all right."
Agalia twisted her body so her face was between Erynion's and Nila's. "Pretend to talk to you? That certainly makes me wonder. If you weren't talking to your wife, what were you doing?"
"Nothing so fascinating. I was standing there trying to figure a way to stop you without killing my daughter."
"And?"
"And you already know the answer."
"I want to hear you say it. I want to look into your eyes." Agalia straightened up and placed her hand on his chest. "I want to feel your heart. I want to know the truth."
"The truth? Fine. This is the truth." The demon lord took in a deep breath. "You were right. I was stalling earlier because that's all I can do. But I'm just delaying the inevitable. I, Erynion, am powerless against you in my own mind. And in the end, if I can't save myself, I'll have to kneel before you to save my daughter. So, if it's all right with you, I'd like to return to the staging area where we can discuss my conditions."
Agalia stepped back and gestured toward the door. "After you."
Chapter 37
Aksil awoke from his delirium as the open door let light from the hallway into his dark prison. Two figures entered the room and dragged a limp body toward the chair normally designated for Aksil's interrogator. The thief's heart was heavy. It seemed the Brotherhood had claimed another prisoner. It might even be one of the people he had hoped were trying to save him.
"There's some rope over there. Tie him up," a female voice said.
As one shadow followed orders, the other moved to the table and snatched the lantern. A small flame came to life and moved closer to Aksil, forcing him to wince at the sudden light.
"Depths, Aksil. You look awful."
The thief blinked a few times as the woman's face came into focus. He recognized her, even though the last time he had seen her was over three years ago. Aksil smiled with his chapped lips. "Dolore. Thank the angels. Water."
The founder surveyed the room and returned to the table. The Brotherhood had left a pitcher and cup behind to taunt their prisoner. Aksil was giddy at the sound of water filling the cup.
"Drink." Dolore raised the cup to his mouth.
Aksil gulped the sweet liquid and emptied the glass in moments.
The founder quickly placed the cup back on the table. When she returned, she unsheathed the dagger at her side.
"I don't suppose"—Aksil licked his lips—"I could get another cup of water." While the drink was much appreciated, it had done little to slake his thirst.
Dolore knelt and started cutting his bindings. "I promise when we're safe, you can drink to your heart's content. But right now, we're on a tight schedule. Are you able to walk?"
"I'm not sure. Is it a problem if I can't feel my legs?"
After freeing his ankles, she got to her feet. "Probably. Come on. Try to stand up."
Aksil concentrated and gathered what strength remained. Pushing down on the seat, he tried to lift himself, but his arms and legs were too fatigued. The thief collapsed back into the chair and panted. "It's…it's no good. I've been…stuck here for days."
"I guess that rules out our second-floor exit."
The thief let out an exhausted chuckle. "Got a plan B?"
"Always," Dolore shot back. "We're going to take you out the back door."
Though fatigue was overwhelming Aksil, the rescue attempt made him upbeat. "B for back door. Nice. Although I think that should've been plan A."
"Wh
ile the first part would certainly be easier, we're going to be a lot more exposed once we're out in the street." The founder stooped down and placed Aksil's arm over her shoulder. "We'll have to keep moving once we get out of here. Not ideal given your condition."
"I see." The thief stared somberly at his legs. "Look, if I slow you down too much, just toss me aside."
"Don't be ridiculous. I have no intention of sacrificing you after what you've already endured."
"Oh, thank the angels. I can't take another day of this."
Dolore's companion crossed the floor to join them. "The guard's waking up, but he's firmly secured and gagged."
"Good," the founder said. "Iva, give me a hand. His legs are useless, so he's going to be mostly dead weight. We're going out the back door."
"Understood." Iva put the thief's other arm over her shoulder.
"Now, Aksil, I know your legs feel like mush, but try to keep your feet under you."
The thief nodded as he licked his lips again. "I'll do the best I can."
"That's all I ask. All right, let's get you up. Together on three. One, t—"
A commotion upstairs interrupted her count. Footsteps thumped across the wooden floor above them. The Death Gods froze.
"Fox! You down there?" a voice called from the stairwell.
The guard began to convulse, but his restraints were tight. His shouts were muffled by the rag tied around his face.
"I'm guessing this isn't part of the plan," Aksil said.
Dolore shook her head. "I wonder what went wrong. Millan should've been able to give us more time."
"Wait. Don Millan? He's here?"
Iva ignored his question. "There’s only two of them. Must be Hable and Pike. I can take care of them."
"You know the rules. No killing."
After a short pause, Iva answered, "Fine. It looks like one of them might be leaving anyway. I'll knock out whoever's left."
"You'll need to come back down here after," Dolore said. "Even if I dragged Aksil to the door, there's no way I can get him up the stairs without your help."
"No problem." Iva slinked to the doorway and, in the blink of an eye, disappeared into the stairwell.
"Hey," the upstairs voice shouted. "Whoever you are down there, you can still walk out of here. Surrender now, and I'll just let you go. The thief has to stay, but you can go. I'll, of course, have to report you to the watchers for breaking into my home, but I'm sure that won't negatively impact your relationship with Candelux. What do you say?"
The Forgotten Queen Page 35