Chapter 16: Serpent’s Embrace

Finnian Northguard

I let out another yawn as stretch my back. My eyes wonder over to Ai and Luthera on the bed, Luthera holding the girl close almost like a living blanket. Yesterday I decided to let them have the bed while I make do with the chair. It only took a few hours of insisting while Luthera vehemently refused before she finally relented.

It just made the most amount of sense, the girl instantly took a liking to Luthera and was the obvious choice. Besides, 3 of us on the same bed would have been excessive. Luthera stirs for a little while before her eyes flutter open. I briefly glance outside to see the sun just barely peaking over the horizon.

She rubs the sleep out of her eyes with one hand, her other arm securely curled around Ai. When her eyes meet mine a small smile spreads on her lips. I smile back without really thinking about it.

"Slept well?" I ask quietly, keeping my voice a whisper to avoid waking Ai.

"Quite." She replies, briefly glancing at the young mutant girl in arms. "Better than you, I presume, I can't imagine that chair was too comfortable."

I smirk back at her, letting out a quiet chuckle. "I've slept on the forest floor and on the branches of trees."

She quirks a curious eyebrow at me.

"I had an adventurous youth." I defend.

"Your still in your youth." She counters, holding back a chuckle of her own.

"And is it not adventurous?" I can feel my smirk grow even wider.

She scoffs, clearly amused and Ai fidgets in her sleep. Her expression grows serious.

"Where are we going to keep her?" She sounds more like she is asking herself rather than me.

I don't say anything, thinking the question over. Last night Luthera convinced myself and Gregory to explain the child to Luthera's handmaid, Ira. We were both sceptical at first but Luthera had full confidence in Ira, having known her for all her life. Ira took the liberty of providing Ai with a less conspicuous cloak that still covered her wings and hair.

Whenever one of the guards or palace residences inquired about Ai we simply said she was a distant relative of Ira's. However, that cover will not last long, Ai can't run around everywhere in a long cloak, especially a place like Illis where everyone appears to be an open book.

"We can take her back to Kamrion." I think out loud. "I don't believe my mother would turn her away if we told her where she came from."

"You do realize that means admitting to your parent's what we have been doing without their knowledge?" Luthera questions, her tone weary but not necessarily worried.

"It could never remain a secret forever." I sigh, my eyes finding the rising sun. "Given everything that we discovered, we would have had to tell them sooner or later."

She looks like she is about to say something else when Ai begins fidgeting again, this time whimpering in her sleep. Luthera tends to her instantly, brushing her white hair, placing a soft hand against the girl's chest, hushing her softly."

"It's alright, Ai." She whispers. "Calm yourself, it's just a bad dream. Just a bad dream."

Almost like magic, Ai settles down, form relaxing once again.

"Your rather good at that." I point out quietly.

Luthera looks back up at me, a sad smile on her face. "It's strange, I don't know what they did to her. A large part of her core resembles the creatures I usually commune with, when I speak it's like I'm reaching out to her the same way I do to them."

I give a contemplative hum. "Perhaps that is a blessing in disguise. She finds comfort with you."

"She likes you too, you know." Her lips quirk up into a teasing smile. "You just gave her quite a bit of a fright when you first saw her."

"Well, I wasn't expecting..." I motion to Ai.

"None of us were…" Her voice trails off and we fall into a comfortable silence.

I don't know how long we are like this, but the sun has fully escaped the horizon by the time there is a knock at the door. The knock wakes up Ai who slowly begins rubbing her eyes.

"It's Ira, my princess."

"Enter." Luthera calls back.

Ira walks in, holding a covered tray of what must be food. She greets the 3 of us politely.

"I was able to procure some food directly from the kitchens for Ai, my princess." She explains. "The king and queen are already at breakfast, waiting for you."

I immediately frown at the mention of the king. It's a topic we haven't yet had the chance to discuss at length. Given the way Luthera stiffens, she is clearly uncomfortable with the prospect. I don't blame her; I'm not exactly jumping for joy at the prospect of meeting her father at this moment either.

I'm not entirely sure I would be able to resist the temptation to throw him off the highest tower of the Illisian palace.

Ira seems to sense the tension in the room, as does Ai, if the way her eyes flicker between the three of us is any indication.

"Should… I tell them you will be unable to join them?" Ira asks hesitantly. "Perhaps I can tell them you are not feeling well."

"No." Luthera replies immediately, her face growing dark. "We will meet with them… won't we?"

It takes me a moment to realize her last question was directed at me. I meet her eyes, seeing the resolve behind them, I also feel it humming from the mark on my wrist along with a clear message. This is her proving to herself that she can stay composed, even in front of the man who grew she up admiring and turned out to be a spineless traitor.

Perhaps I filled in a few of those thoughts for her. I nod so that only she can notice.

"Indeed we shall."

Luthera looks down to Ai who has been observing silently. Luthera brushes a few stray strands out of her hair away from her eyes.

"Listen, Ai, we need to leave for a little while. We will return to you as soon as we can." She explains softly. "Ira will be with you the whole time. You can even play with her if you like."

Ai nods slowly, looking between the two of us with an unreadable expression.

"You promise you'll be back soon?" Her tone is so hopeful and innocent… I know she was experimented on but I find myself curious as to how bad the experiments were.

Judging by everything we've seen, they must have been a living nightmare.

"Finn." Luthera's voice breaks me out of my musing.

I blink a few times, only just noticing that everyone in the room has their eyes on me. It's only now that I'm just realizing that Ai's question was directed at me. Her wide, amber eyes waiting for an answer. I briefly glance at Luthera who raises an eyebrow at me, prompting me to answer.

"Of course, we'll be back for you as soon as we can." I finally answer, offering Ai a smile which I hope is reassuring.

Ai breathes out in relief, returning the smile.

"Well then, let us be on our way." Luthera plucks herself from the bed before turning back to Ai. "Remember, keep yourself hidden. Don't let anyone see your hair, or your wings."

Ai nods her head at Luthera's instructions. With that settled we make ourselves look somewhat presentable before leaving our quarters. Luthera begins leading the way to the dining room.

We round a few corners in relative silence before a feeling comes over me. The halls are oddly empty, but given how early it is perhaps that shouldn't be a surprise. It's a familiar feeling, like I'm being watched. Reacting on instinct, I reach forward and grab Luthera's wrist, pulling her to a stop. Surprised, she turns to me, a confused frown on her face.

"Finn? What is it?" She asks.

I don't respond immediately, trying to pinpoint where this feeling is coming from, my hand inching towards Arno at my side.

"That won't be necessary, Finn." A third voice breaks the tension from my side.

As soon as I hear it, I pull Luthera behind me, drawing a yelp out of her as I unsheathe Arno and raise it at the newest arrival. When I see a female form flicker into full visibility in front of me I sigh as I lower my sword.

"Lindri." I greet flatly. "To this day I fail to see why you veiled feel the need to make such entrances. I almost took your head off."

She offers a small smirk but it's slightly strained and doesn't reach her eyes. "If I didn't want you to notice my presence, you wouldn't have."

"You sound like my sister." I scoff.

A flash of something pained crosses her face. It's very brief, she schooled her expressions quickly, but I noticed. I feel my eyes narrow, finding something unsettling about her reaction.

"You know this woman?" Luthera asks from behind me, sounding slightly flustered.

"This is Lindri." I motion to the woman in dark robes and daggers at her sides. "She's a Veiled One, like Gertrude. I assume you here to tell us how your mission went in Merridor."

Silently, Lindri hands me a neatly folded parchment. Luthera comes to my side as I begin unravelling it.

"It would appear King Alistair is planning on resurrecting the dragons." Lindri's voice is dark and hollow.

I share a glance with Luthera, the realization in her eyes mirroring the one I feel.

"That's what the dragon eggshells were for." Luthera's voice is shaky, her skin losing some of its colour. "But surely he couldn't be …"

"He is." Lindri cuts in. "I saw their previous attempts with my own eyes. They were… an unpleasant sight."

"Even if they manage to bring them back, how could they possibly hope to control them?" asks none of us in particular, letting the question hang in the air.

"Perhaps your father thinks he can." I suggest hesitantly, still unsure of how she will react to the subject.

Luthera frowns. "I told you, that is a rare gift, one forgotten since the dragons died out."

"With all due respect your highnesses, how they plan on controlling them is unimportant." Lindri points out. "What matters is we prevent them from achieving their goal in the first place."

"You are right of course." I relent. "What else did you and my sister discover in Merridor?"

Another flash of pain, still brief but noticeable. This time I can't ignore it.

"What exactly happened in Merridor, Lindri?" I keep my voice even but don't try to hide the suspicion in my tone. "With a matter this important my sister would have come herself."

Lindri's eyes flicker to the side, uncertainty flashing across them. When she looks back at me she's not even trying to hide the pain anymore. Her shoulders sag and she leans back against the wall.

"She told me not to tell you." She sounds just as drained as she looks. "She wanted you to be focused on what's important."

I have to summon up enough will power to supress a strained breath. "Lindri… please. She's my sister."

She still looks conflicted. Ultimately though, she appears to relent.

"We were able to infiltrate the Black Fortress." She explains. "Myself, Gertrude and Guilda were able to retrieve the information we needed. Our misfortune came when we needed to leave. We were met by King Alistair and his forces. Guilda got us out, she died in the process."

The pain in her voice is clear. I don't know much about Sister Guilda but Gertrude always spoke highly of her.

"I'm sorry to hear that." I say sincerely. "I can see she meant a lot to you."

"She did." Lindri replies without hesitation before finishing her explanation. "Before Guilda ensured our escape, Gertrude needed to engage King Alistair. She was injured… cut by a blade corrupted with necromancy."

I feel all of the colour drain from my face as Lindri finishes her statement. I've seen what such corrupted blades can do. If she's been cut, then she… then she…

"She's dying." Luthera finishes my thoughts, her fingers threading around mine.

Solemnly, Lindri nods. "Yes, the queen is doing everything she can to keep her alive, to slow the spread of the corruption in her blood, but it's only temporary. If nothing is done, then she'll die."

"No…" A lump forms in my throat, keeping me from saying anything else.

I… I can't…

"Surely, there must be a way to help her…" Luthera trails off, tightening her fingers around mine, keeping me lucid.

"There are two ways. Neither of which are available to us." Lindri responds, already sounding defeated.

Several footsteps begin echoing through the corridors. Lindri snaps back to full attention, straitening her back.

"Our time is up; I leave the rest to you." Her body begins fading out of sight. She looks up to meet my eyes. "From what I saw she doesn't appear to be in any pain. Your mother is taking good care of her."

"T-Thank you." I manage to force my voice to come out, at least for the time being.

Lindri nods one last time before fully disappearing before my eyes. For a while I stare at the spot where she was just standing. I can hear several people, most likely servants passing through the halls but I can't tear my eyes away from the wall. The hollow feeling in my chest is making it hard to breathe.

"Finn." I hear Luthera' voice beside me. I can't bring myself to respond by a gentle hand settles under my chin and nudges me to look at her. Her other hand reaches down to interlock our fingers.

"There is still time." She insists earnestly, shifting to Eldian.

"But is there enough?" I mutter, my voice so quiet and subdued I almost think she didn't hear me.

She looks like she is about to say something until her eyes begin focusing on something down the hall. Her gaze hardens into something uncharacteristically cold and dangerous. She looks back up at me, her hard gaze replaced with a worried one.

"It's my father…"

I turn around so quickly; I actually surprise myself. Luthera however, keeps our fingers interlocked tightly. I look down at her in time to see her shake her head, expression imploring. I take a deep breath, trying to regain some semblance of control. My mind torn between despair for Gertrude and all the violent ways I want to dispatch the man approaching us.

"My dear, Prince Finnian."

I don't look directly at the king for a few moments, still struggling to reign myself in. However, I am not so absorbed in my own spiralling thoughts that I don't notice that there is something off about the way the king sounds. He sounds worried? Concerned…?

Daring myself to take the leap, I raise my head to look right at King Tristan. The burning anger in my core is tempered by curiosity as the king looks visibly distressed. His fingers are fidgeting around a parchment he seems to be holding, his eyes look slightly panicked.

What is the matter with him?

"Father… are you alright?" Luthera has apparently also noticed. I'm impressed at how neutral she is able to keep her tone given that I don't even trust my own voice right now to dare speak.

"I'm alright, dear." He nods. Quite an unconvincing act. "This message came for you, Prince Finnian, for your eyes only."

Instinctively, I find myself raising a sceptical eyebrow. For my eyes only?

I share a look with Luthera who looks equally as confused. I reach forward, accepting the note slowly.

"We should leave him to read it in privacy, come Luthera, breakfast is ready." He reaches forward to take her hand.

Luthera flinches away and my reaction is instant. With our finger still interlocked I pull her back just out of just reach. My eyes meet the kings and I don't know what he sees in them but it is enough make him back away.

"We still had a few things left to discuss." I finally speak up, hearing the sharp edge in my own voice but push through it anyway. "She'll join you when she is ready, King Tristan."

As I speak I can hear Luthera breathe out an almost silent sigh of relief. He looks between the two of us, concern now clear on his face. He eventually nods his head before quietly retreating back into the hall.

For a while neither of us say a word. Luthera looks around, waiting for the halls to clear once again before speaking up.

"Thank you. I don't think I was ready to face him on my own yet."

"I know." I squeeze her hand one last time before freeing my hand from hers, unfolding the parchment King Tristan has just handed me.

As I read through it I feel a frown grow deeper and deeper on my face. I can feel my palms heating up as my magic begins to bubble out of my core. I can feel Luthera take a step back.

"W-What does it say." She asks hesitantly.

"It's from Queen Clementina." I almost growl. "It's an invitation to Thaegon. She has Kai."

 A small gasp escapes her lips. "Is he hurt?"

"She didn't say." I breathe out, getting a handle on my core to keep myself from burning the paper. The confirmation that Kai survived his encounter with the Sky Serpents bringing me some measure of relief. "She just promised he would be safe until I arrived at Thaegon."

"Your… going?" She sounds scared now.

"I don't have a choice."

And from the look on her face, she knows it.

"I… I can't stay here." She admits, voice shaking.

I think her words over for a moment. It would indeed be unwise for her to stay here.

"Then go back to Kamrion." I tell her, lightly grabbing her shoulders. "Take Gregory, take Ai, hell, take Ira if you have to. Just return to Kamrion, I will find you there after I've gotten Kai and the rest of the Vanguard out of Thaegon safe."

Her eyes widen as she takes in my words. She bites her lip for a few moments, I decide to give her a little time. Thankfully, it doesn't take her long.

"Alright. You should leave right now though." She points out. "You can't afford to test Queen Clementina's patience. Go save your brother. I watch over Gertrude when I arrive in Kamrion."

I nod, finding the strength in her resolve to focus on what I can do for now. She turns to leave in the direction her father just left through.

"Luthera." I call out to her, causing her to turn around. "Tell Ai I'm keeping my promise. Tell her I'll see her soon."

"I will." She nods. "Be safe."

She disappears around the next corner.

I immediately turn on my heels, trying to push everything to the back of my mind. No matter how many times I tell myself that letting myself linger on these dark thoughts won't help, they linger on anyway.

King Tristan…

Gertrude…

Kai…

I don't know how long it takes me to get to the stables, I just realise I am looking at a familiar black and silver coat. As if already sensing that something is wrong, Juno runs up to me, nudging my shoulder. I somehow manage a weak smile as I nuzzle the top of his head.

"We have another trip to make, old friend."

Luthera Revena

I need to take a moment to once again steel my resolve before I push the doors open. Both mother and father look up. Mother offers me a warm smile as I walk in which falters when I don't return it, does she know? Father's appears to have collected himself since he met me and Finn in the corridors though his eyes still carry a hint of distress.

We share a look as I approach him, given the solemn look he is giving me he must know that I am aware of him machinations.

"Good morning, dear." Mother greets me kindly. So, father kept it a secret even from her. "Where is Finn? We were looking forward to catching up over break…"

"I'm sorry, mother." I cut her off, a pang in my chest forming at the cutting tone I took with her. "Finn had to take his leave… something important came up."

Father appears predictably unsurprised by this news. Mother, however, appears genuinely surprised. Another pang in my chest forms as I take the moment of silence to deliver the second part of my news.

"And I am afraid I must take my leave as well."

Mother, frowns, obviously deeply confused. "You only arrived yesterday. Why the sudden departure?"

"Princess Gertrude has been injured." I decide to tell the truth with slight omissions. "She is not doing well. Finn needs to be with her… and I need to be with him."

For the first time they have the same reaction to my words, shock. Odd, it seems father didn't know about this.

"What?"

"What happened?"

"I don't know what happened." I lie. "I apologise, I know this is abrupt, but I cannot stay here. May I have your blessing to leave."

"Of course, dear." Mother gets to her feet and over towards me with a speed I didn't know she was capable of. She takes my hand. "We still have matters to attend to here but we will find you there as soon as we can."

She gives my hand a comforting squeeze which I return. A weight I didn't know I had lifts off my shoulders. Knowing that my mother is still… still the person I always thought she was, it's comforting, especially when…

"Tristan?" Mothers questions, turning to him.

He is staring down at the table, clearly deep in thought.

"Father." I raise my voice more than what would be considered appropriate. It does get his attention, though.

I keep my eyes steely and pointed as he looks up to meet them. I can see the sadness in is gaze but I cannot find it in myself to relent, emotions running too hot and wounds too fresh.

"Safe travels to you, daughter." He finally says.

I merely offer him a nod before turning to mother, pulling her in for a hug.

"May I take Ira with me?" I ask politely.

"Of course." Mother chuckles. "She's been positively bored here without you. I'm sure she'd appreciate a change of scenery."

I pull her a little closer, finding comfort in her embrace.

"I look forward to seeing you again." I whisper into her ear.

"And I you."

I pull away from her and make my way back to my quarters. I find Ai and Ira at my desk going through one of the books I used to read when I was younger. Their heads snap in my direction as I enter, Ai looking excited and Ira offers me a smile. Unfortunately, I can't return their positivity.

"Ira, I need you to fetch Gregory and direct him here. From there, please get a carriage for us ready to leave for Kamrion, all of us." I direct as soon as I close the door behind me.

Ira looks startled and a little confused as I finish speaking. "All of us?"

"All of us." I nod.

"Alright, Luthera." She nods back before quickly leaving the room to complete her tasks.

Ai walks up to me, holding the cloak Ira gifted her in her hands. She looks up at me with large confused eyes.

"We're leaving?" She asks.

I bend down to one knee to meet her at eye level. "Yes, dear. I don't think it's safe for us here. I'll be taking you, Gregory and Ira to Kamrion. It's Finn's home, and Kai's."

At the mention of Finn and Kai's names she perks up before her eyes drift towards the door. "Where is Finn?"

I summon a smile for her, gently stroking her cheek. "He had to do something important. He needs to go find Kai and bring him back. He told me to tell you he will keep his promise; he'll find us in Kamrion."

"Kai's alright." She almost exclaims. Children are fascinating.

I take her cloak from her hands and begin putting it on her, making sure to cover her wings and hair. Her eyes are fine as long as she does not look directly at anyone.

"Yes, he is." I finish covering her up. "And he'll return to us with Finn. Now, we have to go. Remember what I told you last night."

"Don't show my hair, don't spread my wings and don't look anyone in the eyes." She recites.

I nod. "Good."

A few moments later there is a knock at the door.

"It's Gregory, my princess."

"Enter."

I decide to not waste time and explain everything that transpired this morning to him. Throughout my entire explanation he is silent, nodding where necessary. He had particularly strong reactions to Gertrude's condition and Kai being alive but held captive in Thaegon. Finally, I finish by telling him how Finn is off to Thaegon on his own.

Gregory sighs, running a tired hand over his face. "Is it a Northguard trait to want to face down insurmountable odds alone?"

His words are actually able to get a chuckle out of me. "They aren't always like that."

"Perhaps." He relents.

"You seem awfully calm about all of this." I point out lightly, wondering how he able to maintain such control over himself despite everything.

"It's out of our hands now." His eyes find the window. "All we can really do now is return to Kamrion, tend to the princess in any way we can and hope the fates are merciful."

"The fates?" Ai asks from the bed.

"The unseen hands that decide the course of our lives." I explain to her but judging from the look on her face, she is still confused.

"It's alright if you don't understand." Gregory chimes in. "Most of us don't"

I hum, thinking over his words. The door opens, revealing a winded looking Ira.

"All the arrangements are set." She announces after catching her breath.

"Thank you, Ira." I smile at her, looking over the other two occupants in the room. "I hope you are ready."

Gregory nods immediately. "I'm more than ready to go home."

Ai jumps up next to me, taking my hand which I gladly accept.

"I'm ready."

Finnian Northguard

I don't recall a time I pushed Juno like this before. Ever the loyal, companion he doesn't even complain. I'll have to arrange for something special for him when I get back home.

Home…

Gertrude…

I banish the thoughts as the silver walls of Thaegon come into view. One problem at a time. First Kai, then Gertrude. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that the greeting party is already at the gates, a younger man with sand coloured hair in front.

"Welcome, Prince Finnian Northguard of…"

"Spare me the pleasantries." I have to keep myself from snarling the words out. "You already know that I am here to meet your queen, now let's get on with it."

His eyes widen in slight surprise at my reaction before his face settles into a slight frown.

"Of course." He offers a small bow. "But before we proceed I must tell you it is my main duty to protect the queen. If you mean any harm to her…"

My patience already hanging by a thread, I draw Arno, the air instantly cracking with lightning. "I can't yet speak on if I intend to harm your queen or not. However, I can tell you who I mean to harm now if you don't stop wasting my time."

I thought I had myself in check. I don't know precisely what triggered it, but the ire that I had been keeping a tight seal around since I set off from Illis is close to erupting, common sense and logic mere afterthoughts.

All the men in front of me instantly draw their blades and Juno begins fidgeting uneasily. I can feel Arno's magic burst to life, ready… no, hungry to lash out.

"That's quite enough." A young voice breaks through the mounting tension in the air.

The man eyes widen before he turns to the source. On a beautiful chestnut coloured horse, a girl with red hair and a green riding outfit trots towards us through the open gate. The man who greeted me walks up to her before speaking in a worried tone.

"My princess, you are not supposed to be here, your mother…"

"My mother sent me here because she quite correctly predicted that the prince would be in an emotionally volatile state." She speaks over him, her gaze squarely focused on me. "Understandably so, he's had an unfortunate couple of days."

I wearily return the gaze of this girl who is apparently the princess. She speaks up again, her voice controlled and diplomatic.

"My apologies if you have had a less than warm welcome my prince." The man's shoulders tense as the princess speaks, clearly forcing himself to remain quiet. It's hard not to feel a conceited satisfaction at his reaction. "My mother is eagerly awaiting your presence. I am Princes Sherrill Annabella Verridian, sole heir to the throne of Thaegon. I would request that you put away your sword. You won't have any need of it, you are a guest here."

With a simple hum I sheathe Arno, the crackle of lightning in the air receding. I wouldn't trust the Princess' promise so easily, however I can't deny that her words were effective in calming down the gathering storm at my core.

"Thank you for the welcome, Princess Sherrill." I bow my head formally. "May I ask that we make haste. I'm afraid I don't have much in the way of time."

"Certainly, right this way." She motions for me to follow.

I set Juno to follow after her just as I pass by the man who I initially met.

"My apologies for the less that ideal greeting, Prince Finnian." He offers a stiff bow that I can just see how it injures his pride. "My name is…"

"I don't much care what your name is." I cut him off before brushing past him with Juno with a more than deliberate amount of force, almost knocking him to the ground.

I don't bother looking back as I catch up with the princess. She doesn't say a word for most the trip, through both the inner and outer city, up until we arrive at the palace and dismount our horses.

"This is your first time Thaegon?" She arches her eyebrow curiously.

I eye her wearily, but from what I can tell she seems genuinely curious. "It's my first time at the palace, not in Thaegon."

She hums softly as she motions for me to follow. She keeps a rather quick pace which I greatly appreciate, not wanting to spend a moment longer in Thaegon than I have to. She occasionally motions to an interesting painting or marker of interest but is clearly not expecting me to reply or ask any questions.

We pause in front of a large pair of double doors, the two guards stationed in front of it glance at me cautiously but don't move otherwise.

"Would you care for a word of advice?" She turns to face me, her voice just as diplomatic as it was outside the castle walls.

I mean, at this point why not?

"Since your being so polite about it, please do." I motion for her to continue.

"My mother will make you an offer, I'm not going to advise you to take it because you would almost definitely refuse. I will simply advise you to listen to everything she has to say. She can admittedly be a bit conniving, but she has a lot of knowledge, knowledge that could greatly assist you, especially now."

I allow her words to sink in for a moment. The princess seems to be privy to quite a bit of the Queen's plans, young as she is. It's a dangerous game, taking her advice at face value, but my position is unfavourable as it is.

"I will… be mindful your words, princess."

She responds with a polite smile before nodding at the guards who push open the doors. I offer one last polite bow to Princess Sherrill before stepping into what I now see is the throne room. The room is an impossibly perfect mixture of Emerald and Obsidian marble. The Queen stands in from of her throne facing away from me, her bright orange hair running down her back like a waterfall of flames.

At her side is a large single candle, odd considering that it's almost midday.

"Prince Finnian Northguard of Kamrion." She turns around as I approach, an easy smile on her face. "Second in line to the throne and wielder of Arno. Welcome to Thaegon."

I pause a few feet in front of her, briefly taking a cursory glance around the room. "Your quite bold, having no guards around."

"It is my hope that I won't need them." She tilts her head to the side, looking up at me.

"Why did you invite me here?" I ask, deciding to just skip straight to the point.

"Ah, refreshingly direct." She breathes out, an easy smile still planted on her face. "I was hoping we could be friends."

I have to take a moment to make sure I heard her correctly. I can't hold back the humourless scoff that escapes my throat. "Why should I consider accepting?"

"Because you don't want me as an enemy." She replies immediately, she's still smiling but there is a new steel in her eyes.

"Well, I don't think I want you as a friend either." I take a step forward. "I know what you've done."

She hums, not even blinking. "And what have I done?"

She is clearly playing games; a flare of irritation erupts in my chest. "Creating the mutant that attacked my home, creating many more across the Northlands for the same purpose, aiding Merridor in their insane experiments to resurrect the dragons, holding my brother here captive… need I go on?"

After listing all of that to her, I finally get a genuine reaction out of her. She lets out a deep breath, a dark look momentarily flashing across her face before she schools her expression once again.

"Given your recent exploits across the Northlands, I presume you have the missives that prove all of those accusations."

I blink a few times. She's… not even attempting to deny any of it, or even downplay her role in all of this. I do have the missives she speaks of, all of them, tucked safely into my outerwear, I didn't even think about giving them to Luthera before I left Illis.

"I'll presume your silence means that I am correct." She continues. "The evidence you have in your possession is quite powerful. Implicating me, King Alistair and King Tristan and of course by extension, Thaegon, Merridor and Illis. Such perversions against the natural order of magic, the Sentinels of the Celestial Order would surely rain down their fury if this was brought to their attention."

 I can sense she is building up to something but I can't figure out what.

"If that is the case, why shouldn't I bring this to their attention?" I ask, partially genuinely curious as to her answer.

She takes a slow step back, her eyes never leaving mine. "Do you know how your father brought down the South?"

"What?" I blurt out. The abrupt change in topic knocking me off balance.

"Do you know how your father brought down the South?" She repeats, slower this time, making sure I hear every single word.

"No, I don't…. why is this important?" I don't try to hide the frustration in my tone.

"Your father never could truly figure out how to defeat the south." She explains, her eyes wondering off to a window, the sun beaming off her pale skin. "It was quite a bloody stalemate. I had the unfortunate privilege of witnessing all of it, you see. Thaegon stands on what was once the boundary between the south and the north. I saw the atrocities the south was willing to commit to win the war, care to guess who I whispered the atrocities to."

"The Sentinels." I guess out loud.

"No, your father." Her eyes find mine once again. "Your father never trusted Thaegon, he could never fully decide if we belonged to the south or the north. I honestly felt no need to pick a side until then, but the path the south had chosen… they were destined for self-destruction and if they had won, that would have been the fate of us all. So, I took what I knew and gave it to your father. Young and ambitious as he was back then, he practically ran to invoke the Sentinels and show them the evidence."

I swallow a lump that formed in my throat during her story, sensing the bitterness and… guilt? In her voice.

"What… did the Sentinels do?" I ask hesitantly.

"The south is gone now; you can probably guess." Her eyes darken as she speaks. "They decimated it, all of it. The castles, the leaders, the people. Men, woman, children, it didn't matter. It didn't matter that the fires of war were stoked and fed by only a handful of people, they all burned. 'Removing the corruption from the roots.' I believe they said."

I… have nothing to say. I want to believe she is lying; I really do but… The way my father reacted when I brought up the sentinels, that haunted fear in his eyes. It makes sense. I hover my hand over where the papers are hidden under my coat, their weight feeling far greater in that particular moment.

"That is the fate you will be subjecting all of us too." She continues. "The sentinels don't see people, they only see the purity and corruption. If a single drop of poison is dropped in the lake, then the whole lake is poisoned, that is their nature. Would you be willing to sacrifice that many people? To sacrifice Luthera?"

The mention of her names is like a punch to the gut. "Luthera?"

"If the Sentinels decide that King Tristan must fall then so will all of Illis." She points out. "Illis and everyone born of it, including her. How many people could you afford to lose?"

That last question has a knowing and dangerous edge to it. I narrow my eyes at her, still trying to process everything she has told me.

"What are you trying to say?" My voice comes out far more flustered than I would have wanted it to.

"Your already on the verge of losing your sister." She states quietly. My heart feeling like it almost stopped at the mention of Gertrude. "King Alistair informed me of his encounter with your sister. A cut from a blade touched by necromancy is lethal and not easily cured… and then there is your brother."

She motions to the candle behind her. "That candle is magically linked to another candle in the room where your brother is being held. If that candle goes out, the guards in that room have been ordered to kill Prince Kaius."

She lightly waves her hand and the candle flickers.

Instinctively, I step forward, but keep myself from fully closing the distance. She can likely extinguish the candle before I can get to her.

"Don't." My voice comes out as a whisper as the full magnitude of my predicament settles into my bones.

I reach out, looking for some divine solution… anything…

Nothing…

"Just like I said at the beginning of our little chat, you don't want me as an enemy." She takes a few strides forward so that there is barely a foot of distance between us. "You can choose to keep those missives and show them to the sentinels and choose to be my enemy if you wish. Ensuring the death of your sister, brother and wife and countless others in the process."

The images of all the people she mentions flash in front of me as she mentions them. Luthera being cast down in flames along with the rest of Illis, Kai being pierced through the heart with steel, Gertrude slowly succumbing to the corrupted magic in her blood.

It's all just… too much.

"If you think about it, it doesn't sound that bad." It sounds like she is musing to herself out loud. "You'd be the sole heir to the throne, no longer bound to a woman you never chose to marry, with all of your potential enemies wiped from existence. Many would kill to be in such a position."

I… I feel sick. A sour taste forms in my mouth and for a moment I almost feel like my legs are going to fail me. That is until an oddly gentle hands grips my arm, my attention snapping back to her as her gaze becomes less severe.

"Or you could choose to accept my offer and become my friend." She begins rubbing small circles on my arm. "You could destroy the letters. Luthera would be safe, your brother would go free along with the rest of your Vanguard and your sister will live."

"My sister…?"

"Remember the two ways of removing necromancy from someone's blood." She chides lightly. "Either the magic may be removed through the skill of another necromancer or the very nature of the magic must be changed. I cannot achieve the first but I am more than capable of the second, but only if you are my friend."

It feels like all the strength has left me as she finishes speaking. I can't even put any force behind my last question.

"Why?"

Why what? I could be asking anything but unsurprisingly she seems to have already had an answer prepared.

"Because I want to protect my home, much like you with yours." She answers, not a hint of anything but pure honestly in her voice. "King Alistair is powerful, but he is going down a similar path to the south before they fell, one that can only end in his own ruin, and if he is victorious against Kamrion, it will be our ruin as well."

She sighs as she let's go of my arm. "I won't lie to you; in the end I will choose the side I believe will win. That is why I want to be your friend, to keep both options open. I hope you succeed, but if you fail, if you fall, I will not let Thaegon fall with you."

Despite her rather awful admission that she would only stand with us as long as it seemed we had a chance of success, I find myself chuckling. Oh, there is nothing funny about this, but I don't know how else to respond.

"At least you are honest about it." I say, my decision already made. "I will accept your offer."

I expected a triumphant smile or at least some form of celebration but she merely nods.

"The letters." She points out.

Breathing out deeply, I pull them out, all the missives folded neatly. I look up in time to see her give me a nod of approval. I let the magic from my core spread up to my hands, feeling a familiar warmth radiate from my fingers.

A moment later, all of the papers erupt into blue flames. I keep the flame going for as long as it takes for all of the papers to burn to ashes.

"Good. Now follow me." She motions for me to follow.

She leads me to what turns out to be her private study next to the throne room. I freeze when I see Langris lying across her desk. She notices, humming softly before taking the sword and handing it to me.

"I suppose it's only proper that you be the one to return it to your brother." She states simply.

I slowly take the sword from her, the blade feeling oddly heavy in my hand. She sets down a number of items on her desk; various powders, dusts and odd coloured liquids. I silently allow her to finish her work as I shift Langris' weight around in my hand, distracting my mind which hasn't quite caught up with everything that has been said since I entered the throne room.

It takes a few minutes before the queen has a vile of light blue liquid in her hand. She taps the side and the liquid gives off a feint glow and she gives it a proud smile before handing it to me.

"Clean your sister's wound with this. Given your mother's talent for healing, I am sure she'll know what to do with it," She instructs. "It will clear the corruption, make it tame."

I take the vile and tuck it away safely in my overcoat, keeping a hand over it like a lifeline.

"What now?" I find myself asking, finally feeling like I can breathe again.

"Now, you may take your brother along with his men and go." She leans back in her chair, her voice returning to that smooth tactful quality it had at the very beginning. "There is much to do, but you need to return home and recover your strength. I can promise you, you will need it. Once I am ready to make our next move, I'll inform you."

Some part of me wants to ask how she'll inform me but the stronger part just wants to take her advice and go home.

"My daughter will show you to your brother and his men." She smiles that infuriatingly polite smile. "Safe travels to you, I will make sure my men don't delay you as you are leaving."

I know I have to force the words out, even as they taste like poison on my tongue.

"Thank you."

I could not have left that room faster. My hand still clutched around the vail in my coat and the other firmly holding Langris. As Queen Clementina said, Princess Sherrill is waiting for me outside along with another girl who I assume is her handmaid.

"So, you accepted then." She states, eyes intent.

"I did." I nod.

"Good." She nods back. "Please follow me, I know you must be eager to return home and tend to your sister."

I clutch the vail through my coat even tighter at her words. Princess Sherrill once again takes a brisk pace as she is leading me through the palace. Her handmaid doesn't appear to have any issue keeping up, but she does glance back at me with a thoughtful expression every so often.

Normally I would question it but as Princess Sherrill already pointed out, I just want to return home. We come at a stop in front of a door with four guards stationed outside. Princess Sherrill motions towards the door.

"I'm sure he'll be glad to see a familiar face." She offers another one of her diplomatic smiles.

I move to enter, briefly pausing to address the princess. "Thank you, princess."

"Sherrill, please." She says. "Since it appears we are going to become well acquainted, there is no need to be so formal."

"I suppose not." I sigh. "Finn, then."

Without another word I push open the doors. I breathe out deeply, relief washing over me as I see Kai, alive and well, sitting on the edge of the bed, staring down at the ground. He looks paler than usual, exhausted too. He sighs in exasperation, not looking up as he speaks.

"What news does the queen bring now?"

Against all odds, I actually manage a smirk. "That you are only the second most handsome son of Kamrion."

His head whips up and the sound of my voice. His expression disbelieving at first as he stands up. "Finn?"

I nod. "Yes."

He crosses the room with such speed I barely I had time to get my hands up to meet his hug. I return the hug, letting myself finally drop my guard.

"You have no idea how good it is to see you." Kai mutters as he pulls back, smiling briefly before his expression grows confused. "But that makes me wonder what you are doing here?"

"Bringing you and the rest of the Vanguard home." I raise Langris up to him.

His eyes land on his sword, widening before narrowing slightly. He takes the sword but continues glaring at it like it's going to bite him.

"How did you get this back from the queen?" He asks, a dangerous edge in his voice.

Of course, I figured this would be problem. Still, there is no other way around it. "She gave it to me."

He finally tears his eyes away from Langris and glares at me. "And why would she do that?"

"We came to an agreement." I answer, watching his reaction closely.

He eyes narrow even more and I know this is about to turn into an argument and a big one at that. We can't afford to linger here too long… for her sake.

"Finn, why would you…?"

"Gertrude's dying."

Whatever words were about the fly out of his mouth die instantly. His expression loosens into confusion and concern.

"What?" He sounds out of breath, like the that simple statement knocked all the wind out of his lungs.

"Gertrude was cut by a necromancer's blade." I pull the vial Clementina gave me out of my coat before holding it up for him to see. "As we speak she slips further and further away; this is the only thing we have that can save her."

Realization dawns on his face as he looks over the blue liquid. "Alchemy."

"Yes." I nod, tucking it back into my coat, giving him as earnest a look as I can muster. "You can scold me as much as you want another time, but right now we can't let anything come before helping our sister. Whatever differences we have, we can settle them after she has been cured."

Kai sighs, nodding his head as he unsheathes Langris. The markings on its slide give off a familiar glow. Colour returns to his skin and strength appears to flood around him as he stands up straighter.

He sheathes Langris once again, he still looks conflicted but I know him well, I've known him all my life. He will push everything he is feeling aside for this.

"Gertrude first, everything else after." He nods. "But once she is better you are going to tell me everything… and I mean everything."

"I will." I agree easily, relived that we can now go home. "Let's get your men and return home."