by Ana Calin
“But that’s not the only special thing about them. You see, noble guests, these tunnels aren’t guarded by evil spirits, armies or even wraiths of chaos. They are guarded by nymph-like creatures that can drive men and supernaturals alike crazy with their song and charms. They are bodiless witchcraft and seduction. They’re more energy than they are life. They are entities dwelling at the border of the physical and the spiritual, who feed on the living. There is only one way to break these entities’ spell and get them to reveal to you the incantation that will open the portal. It’s your job, noble and feared Xerxes and Samael, to find this single way of tricking the sirens, and getting the secret incantation.” She pauses, looking at Xerxes and Samael. “Good luck.”
The crowd barely breathes as she floats back to the committee’s booth up on the podium high above the rest of us, and that’s when Samael and I lock eyes. I see him in the same reptilian form, but judging by the fae ladies and witches that orbit around him, obviously desiring him, he can project himself differently, too. He allows the women to spoil him with their attention and caresses.
“What do you see when you look at him?” I ask Marayke, noticing that she doesn’t regard him with the same terror that Zestari does.
“What I see is the stereotype drop-dead-gorgeous dark angel,” she says, still not taking her eyes off of him. “Beautiful, yet his wings are dark, and his perfume can become deadly.”
“His perfume?”
“Yes. You never caught his scent?”
I shake my head no. “You think those other women see him the same way you do, or does he project another form to them?”
“Samael can project a certain image, if he wants to,” she replies. “However, he rarely ever does it. Besides, if he were doing it now, we would all be seeing the same thing, like that night when he came to visit you in the Fire Realm. Whatever those women are seeing, it’s their own projection.”
I look over to Xerxes, and find him already staring at me. He’s scowling, listening in to my discussion with Marayke, Due to his superior senses, he can do that despite the noise around us.
I need to get him alone and talk to him. We need to find out at all costs what the only way is of subduing the tunnel sirens is, but I can’t do anything obvious with the maggot Kareim so close to me. His presence makes me nauseous, a constant reminder of my other purpose here tonight—getting him locked up in a dungeon, and away from me; seeing him fallen in disgrace, sipping on his own poison, turning everyone here against him makes me quiver internally.
It’s tonight, or never. He’s gotten dangerously close to discovering Xerxes’ and my secret. Now He’s talking to a group of serpent shifters a few clusters of people away, throwing his head back in laughter, his High Mage tiara fixed on his head as if it’s become part of him by now.
I keep glancing up at the welcome committee’s high booth, and when I notice they’re preparing to leave, I take a deep breath, and go for it. I make my way hurriedly to the opulent bar full of crystals, grab a bell and ring it, raising my voice as much as I can without screaming.
“Honored committee, noble guests, if I may have your attention, please,” I call out into the ballroom. All four committee members look down over the banister, looking appalled at what I just did, but the others take a while to quiet down and lend me their eyes and ears.
“I would like to use the opportunity to express something that has been worrying me for a while now. I have reason to believe that this competition between my husband and the Archangel of Death has been rigged.”
“Rigged?” a dragon lord says. “That is a serious accusation, Queen Cerys. I hope you have proof to back it up, because this is no place for personal vendettas.”
“I assure you this isn’t about me, milord,” I reply calmly. “Actually there are plenty of witnesses that can back me up on this. While on our way here, in Edinburgh, King Xerxes felt danger lurking, shadows, watching us with evil intent. He himself dismissed it as mere hunch, but an experienced warrior’s gut feeling is rarely wrong. So we stopped at an inn, to lure whoever was following us out of the shadows. The strategy worked. Two people were after us, but they were shrouded in a Glamour Anonymous spell when they reached the inn. They didn’t try to do anything against us there, though, they were deeply distressed when they got discovered, and retreated.” I push out my chin, mustering my courage for this last one. “Noble guests, I have reason to believe that Kareim Velduros hired shadow creatures that can intervene in these quests, turning the odds against King Xerxes.”
Outrage blasts through the crowd, but I raise my hands. Nazarean arches his back, ready to push himself off my shoulder and attack.
“I know my claim is outrageous, but please, hear me out. I am not accusing the Fire Realm High Mage just because.” I decide not to mention his attempted rape a few nights ago, because that could be used against me. They would say this is indeed a personal vendetta if I revealed that. “Back when King Xerxes and I met, and we started on our journey to get the Firestone, our first stop was at the Grand Mage’s mansion. There, one of the Grand Mage’s guards attacked me and, when he thought he would give me the final blow and that I’d be dead in within an instant, he said Kareim Velduros was sending me his greetings.”
“Lies,” Kareim croaks, pushing people aside with both hands, even hitting a few out of his way with his staff. “How can you, treacherous Queen? Everybody here knows how you betrayed Xerxes, that you had an affair with Samael. If any of what you’re saying is true, then it’s you who’s concocted this whole thing, and now you try to blame it on me.”
“The Queen betrayed Xerxes,” Samael’s impossibly deep voice fills the Hall for the first time. Every single person holds their breath. This must truly be the first time that anyone has ever heard him speak, but I could never forget the sound from the first time he visited me in the royal chamber, even though back then he kept his voice really low. “But she never surrendered her body to me.”
He refrains from saying anything more, but I’m so grateful for what just happened that my knees go weak. The Archangel of Death has just cleared my honor. People look at me with open mouths as if the whore stamp has just been erased from my forehead.
“Then...” a shifter lord says, “how did you betray King Xerxes?”
“It wasn’t physical or emotional, I can tell you that much,” I manage, still trying to grasp what just happened.
Samael doesn’t speak again, not does he react in any other way. One of the angels descends from the podium, her fairy-like wings beating the air with so much grace it seems surreal. She lands softly, in front of me.
“Even if we believed you, there’s nothing we can do about it without a trial, and I have a feeling you know that. I’m glad that you spoke up, and the truth came out to light about what really happened or didn’t happen between you and Samael, but I don’t think that was your original aim.”
“It wasn’t, I...” I manage to get a grip and lift my chin. “I know that only the Council can make the decision of punishment after a fair trial, but if I’m right, and High Mage Velduros has shadow creatures waiting in the dark to rig this competition, then waiting for a trial doesn’t make any sense.”
“I won’t accept delays between the quests,” Samael puts in in that voice of his that’s so deep it’s baffling.
“And that is perfectly understandable,” I reply quickly. This is my chance, and I better grab on to it with both hands. “Which is why I plead for the temporary removal of Kareim Velduros from our midst.”
“What in cursed realms are you saying?” he steps in aggressively. “You want me imprisoned? On the grounds of simple allegations?”
“I can attest to the fact that Kareim is at cross purposes with the King, and has been plotting against him and Queen Cerys.” Marayke steps forward, triggering a wave of incredulous gasping all around. Within seconds, the crowd goes wild, and the demons have to blow their horns from the overhead podium to silence them.
“Maray
ke,” Kareim breathes, staring at her as if a hammer just hit him over the head. “What’s gotten into you? What in the cursed realms is happening here?”
Brother and sister lock eyes, Marayke’s full of tears. She hates having to do this, it’s painfully obvious. As for Kareim, he’s stricken dumb, moving his lips but not saying anything like a fish out of water, his eyes darting back and forth between his sister and me.
I haven’t even noticed Xerxes getting closer until the heat of his body envelops me, and he places a gentle hand on my hip. Zestari is boiling across from me, but I suppose now there’s no reason for us to be careful anymore. The cat is out of the bag, because I placed all my bets on this one card, practically going all or nothing.
“It is true,” Marayke continues, her voice growing stronger. She squares her shoulders, determined to push herself through this. “Queen Cerys isn’t safe as long as my brother roams free. He has tried to kill her before. The assassin was supposed to bring back parts of her body so he could harvest her magic powers.”
Outrage ripples through the crowd.
“I’m willing to testify, when the time comes,” she continues. “And I have proof as well. But until such a time, I support the Queen’s claims.”
The angel ponders, while the other members of the welcome committee come down to join her. I avoid looking at the demons, because their ugliness alone could kill if one stares long enough.
“Very well then,” the angel declares after conferring with the others. “High Mage Kareim Velduros is to be confined to the high tower until the quests have been completed.”
“What, no!” he cries, struggling against the two guards that have already grabbed him by the arms. “You’re making a huge mistake. The Council will never agree. You can’t take such action without the Council’s approval. You’re going to pay for this!”
The guards drag him away as the angel watches him with narrowed eyes, while our suspicions are being confirmed—if Kareim involved the Council, then he certainly has back-up.
Cerys
AS SOON AS THE SUITE door falls shut behind us, I turn and embrace Xerxes. I wrap my arms around his waist and squeeze his steel body with all my strength. He body feels hot under the leather as he wraps his strong arms around me and kisses the crown of my head. I push my face against his chest, breathing him in.
“High realms, I missed this so much,” I whisper, relief coursing all through me.
This is the first time we’ve been alone with each other as an openly reconciled couple since this whole nightmare started.
“It was incredibly brave of you, Queen Cerys,” Draven says. “Speaking out in front of everybody like that.”
“I had to get Kareim out of this suite no matter what.” I turn around to face him, but Xerxes closes his arms around me from behind, keeping me close to him. “If not, Xerxes wouldn’t have had the peace to deal with his quests. He would have thought about my safety constantly, and that could cost him his life. Actually.” I look up at him over my shoulder. “How did you appear out of the blue like that? How did you know?”
The explanation comes from Draven.
“I used some of my special skills. I... well, no point in keeping secrets anymore. I spied on you.”
“Spied? But how, you were never there.”
“I have...skills.”
The secret corridor comes to my mind, the one where Xerxes and I gave in to our passion.
“I assure you, I never intruded on your privacy. Xerxes wouldn’t have trusted me with such a mission if he thought I would take advantage.”
“You don’t have to explain, I believe you.” I push Xerxes’ arms down gently, and head to Draven. I look him straight in his eyes that are the darkest and most mysterious thing in the world, and smile. “Thank you. I owe you.”
He bows his head. “My Queen.”
I know that Draven never really bought the story of my betrayal. He was always on my side. He always kept a cool head and intuited his way through Kareim’s intricate plot, but he couldn’t be certain of anything.
“Yes, wonderful. Now if we can all focus on the coming quest,” Marayke puts in. There’s tension in her voice, and she’s trying hard to mask her pain.
I take her in my arms, but she keeps her back straight as a rod, her jaw clenched, her chin trembling as she fights back tears.
“Let them flow,” I say softly. “We’re among friends, friends who deeply appreciate your sacrifice.”
The first tears roll out of her eyes, but she wipes them away swiftly.
“It’s not that I don’t want to cry because of pride. I just don’t think I deserve to.” She looks pleadingly at Xerxes and Draven. “I’m sorry that I took part in Kareim’s plot at first. But please understand. He’s my brother, and you know how he grew up. I’m everything he ever had, and now even I betrayed him. Just imagining how he must feel...”
“You did the right thing,” Draven says calmly, and his voice seems to do her good.
“You’re a hero, Marayke,” I add, and I mean it.
“Cerys is right.” Xerxes joins us. “You’re not only my most valued general, but you’ve proven yourself worthy in so many other ways. I know I’m not the most demonstrative person, but you are deeply appreciated.”
We all join our hands in a gesture of profound camaraderie and friendship, a special bond that, in this moment, we all know is going to last an eternity.
“We better start thinking about the next quest.” Marayke wipes her tears and resumes her serious stance. “It starts in twenty-four hours, which barely gives you, my King, time to recharge, let alone to plan properly.”
“I’ll take care of the recharge.” I smile up at Xerxes. “I may be turning into a full dark witch, but energy work is still what I do best.” I close my eyes, feeling my way to the nearest source of fire, deep under the Caledonian forests. “Oh, you’re going to love the feel of this.”
“Recharging will do you good for endurance and strength,” Draven puts in. “But it will hardly help with the sirens. The only way they can be swayed to give up the incantation that will open the portal is to use against them powers similar to their own.”
I feel my way down my bloodline, searching for any magic that might help with that, while Draven and Marayke fix me with expectant eyes.
“I know there’s magic in there that can do that,” I say. “But it feels far away. I can barely grasp it, let alone use it. But there is something else I can do.”
Draven arches an inquisitive eyebrow.
“Anyway, I can’t do it alone. I’m going to need your help. And if anything goes wrong, that will be that.” A claw squeezes my heart. This could cost Xerxes his life, and we would lose everything. The stakes have never been higher, but there’s no other way.
Xerxes
SAMAEL AND I START at the same point again, only that this time we’re at the Palace entrance. People peek out, leaning from windows, a whole crowd behind us. When the bells start ringing, we begin.
We delve deep into the forests together, since I’m the one holding the key to the tunnels. But it’s Samael who finds the way to them, going around the Mausoleum, and coming to a place deep in the forest.
He crawls around in his nasty big worm form, as if sniffing his way to the entrance with his entire body. He finds a spot and wriggles his slimy body into the ground like a corkscrew, then he drops into the depths, dust rising from the ground.
I follow, sliding into the underground. I land on my feet, but I can barely see ahead, I have to wait for the dust to settle. Soon I can distinguish Samael standing in front of a tall stone gate, the shapes of women with wavy hair and flowing garments carved into it. The worm turns his head to me, his big round mouth full of razor-sharp fangs staring at me like a big ugly eye.
Of course, the key.
I place it into a lock carved in the sidewall, and the gate unlocks with a dull thump. It opens slowly, like the eyelid of an ancient creature that has been hibernating for too man
y years.
This is the point where I should use what Cerys and Draven gave me, so that the sirens don’t even get the chance to detect me, but I’d rather see Samael’s protection first. If he has any, because he might as well have found another way to get past the sirens. He is, after all, the Archangel of Death.
We advance into the darkness. Just like the first time, I can’t activate my supernatural eyesight because it would attract attention. Using my fire powers would light me up like a beacon for the creatures, and my best bet to win this quest is to do so unseen. But the problem is, I can’t separate from Samael, and when we first hear the sirens’ whispers traveling through the galleries like the breath of ghosts, I realize he’s got a weapon I can’t compete with—his ability to take different shapes.
When the sirens’ voices first touch us, the worm crawling in front of me begins to shimmer like a hologram losing its shape. A new Samael starts to form. He projects himself as a ghost, confusing the sirens. Their breath stills for moments, as both Samael and I move slower, so slow that we’re basically dragging ourselves.
With Samael’ ace now exposed, I can use mine, too. I pull the piece of black silk that Cerys has given me from my sleeve, and whisper the spell under my breath. The piece of silk slowly dissipates into ghostly strings that wrap around me, shielding me from the sirens’ powers. This way they won’t be able to sense me, and it will be as if I’m not even here. It’s actually similar to Samael’s solution, only that he passes for a disembodied spirit, with whom the sirens have no quarrel.
No, their interest is in living creatures, men who seek glory and pleasures. To the sirens, men are brutish beings that live for status and sensation, no matter whom they use and destroy in the process. It serves to know what the sirens actually are—the spirits of scorned women, to whom knights in shining armor promised the moon in the sky. In the end, these men took advantage of their love and their favors, then disappeared, never to return. The women, sinking in despair and shame, often took their own lives and, as divine punishment for the crime of suicide, they were cursed to dwell here for generations, processing their anger and their pain. Here is where they consume their thirst for revenge, and they do that by leading men to their doom.