by C. A. McHugh
“Then how did he escape?” Aerrin asked, more than familiar with the legend surrounding the man who’d murdered his parents.
Only now, he was seeing it from a different point of view. How much of the truth had they withheld from him over the years? And what could he believe?
Raimel raised his hand. “That’s where I come in. I knew he wasn’t the Raven Bringer, so when Master Binnius asked me to help Ceryst out, I did what I could.”
“So you’re saying that you helped a convicted criminal break out of the most secure prison in the kingdom?” Aerrin crossed his arms and wondered what kind of people he had invited into the palace.
“More like freeing a falsely accused man and keeping him from the executioner’s blade.” Raimel shrugged. “If that’s a bad thing, I still won’t apologize.”
“And who did Rythis kill?” Aerrin asked.
“A very good question, and one I’m afraid we cannot answer,” Master Binnius replied.
Aerrin returned his attention back to the man at the center of their conversation. “And then what did you do?”
“I went into hiding, but I never forgot my oath.”
The last two words hit Aerrin like a punch in the gut. Ceryst had been more than his father’s best friend. He’d been the Knight Protector, a man pledged to protect and defend the royal family until his dying breath. “And today?”
“I was fulfilling my duty.”
Aerrin’s mind swirled to the point where his head ached. He’d rather sit through a week of magical theory lectures than try to accept that fact that everything he’d known about his parents’ death had been a lie. Even worse, it seemed that the man responsible for it was still alive. “How did you know about the demon?”
“The Raven Bringer was kind enough to let me know he was back and planning on finishing what he started,” Raimel replied without his usual ease.
“And why would he tell you?”
It could’ve been just a figment of his imagination, but for a splint second, Aerrin could have sworn he caught a flash of red in Raimel’s eyes. “He’s still pissed off that I refused to join him.”
Aerrin made a mental note not to dismiss Raimel so easily. There was an air of danger surrounding him that belied his appearance.
Master Binnius caught Aerrin’s attention with an arched brow. The old man looked like he knew the exact contents of his head. “Your Majesty, let me assure you that I trust Raimel with my life, as I do Ceryst. I hope you will someday feel the same way.”
He squirmed in his chair. These men had saved him from a demon, true. But could he trust them with his life?
He jerked his head toward the shelves that concealed the hidden door. The palace was riddled with such entrances, and the only way he’d learned about them was from his uncle. They’d been built as escape routes in times of siege, but now they were mostly used for Altos’s secret liaisons. “So that’s how you knew about the hidden passages?”
Ceryst wore a grin that bordered on a smirk. “Who do you think helped your father explore them?”
He would’ve let himself imagine the kind of trouble his father had gotten into in his younger years if it hadn’t been for the burnt pendant lying on the floor. “So you think the Raven Bringer is still alive?”
“Unfortunately, yes.” Master Binnius folded his hands in his lap and shifted into his headmaster role. “The reason why I asked for your silence in the matter is that I did not want to raise the alarm until I had a chance to speak with you about the implications.”
“But wouldn’t it make sense for me to alert the Captain of the Guard about this matter? Or even the Knight Protector?”
Ceryst winced at the mention of the title that had once been his, but that was the only movement he made.
“I could see why you’d think that, but many will refuse to believe you, Your Majesty.” The old mage’s voice was soft, but solemn. “For the last fourteen years, they’ve all slept comfortably in their beds knowing evil has been defeated. How do you think they’ll react when you tell them the Raven Bringer has been resurrected?”
“How many assassination attempts will I have to endure before I can tell them?”
“I pray to the goddess this will be the only one.”
“And I will do all I can to protect you,” Ceryst added.
“Count me in, too.” Raimel sat up straighter and brushed the wrinkles out of his tunic. “If I get any hint of a warning, I’ll let Master Binnius know.”
“I do not wish to spread the presumption that your servants are weak, Your Majesty.” A hard edge glittered in the old mage’s faded blue eyes. “If word got out about this attempt, it might inspire others to follow.”
“And how long should I cower in silence?” he snapped. He was the king. His word was law. If he wanted, he could order every mage in the kingdom to hunt down the Raven Bringer and destroy him.
“Just until we can gather more evidence. There’s a reason why he’s been hiding all these years, and until we know why, it would be best not to raise the alarm and worsen the situation.”
Sweat dampened his palms, and he rubbed them on the soft leather of his leggings. This went against everything he’d been taught as a king. Worse, it made him worry that there could be an assassin hiding behind every corner. “Do you have a plan, Master Binnius?”
“Indeed, I do. I let him escape my grasp before. I will not let him slip away again.”
“And will you share the details of this plan with me?”
Binnius closed his eyes and seemed to ponder the question, much to Aerrin’s irritation. This wasn’t some question about a spell that the headmaster thought would be above his abilities. This concerned the safety of both himself and his kingdom.
“I will once I’ve worked out the final details,” he said at last. “But for now, I will be working with Ceryst and Raimel to assess the severity of the situation. If I have your permission, I would also like to bring a few more colleagues on board I trust to be not only loyal but discreet.”
“And will you introduce me to them?”
The glimmer of a man who enjoyed keeping secrets appeared in his eyes. “As needed.”
Frustration returned to boil in his gut. Aerrin rose from his chair and massaged the knots forming in his neck muscles. “I’m not going to get all the answers I want, am I?”
“I will tell you all you need to know, Your Majesty.”
Which only confirmed that the old man was going to withhold a significant chunk of his knowledge. “And what should I do with these two?”
“I’ll settle for a knighthood and an estate in Darvignon,” Raimel said with a grin, which vanished when Ceryst smacked him on the shoulder.
Aerrin focused his attention on the knight. “And what do you want? A pardon?”
His Adam’s apple bobbed, and his voice was raw when he answered, “I would like to clear my name, but until I can prove I’m not the man they think I am, I’d prefer to remain dead to them.”
He closed the space between them, no longer afraid of the man he’d been told to hate. “If you can help me defeat the Raven Bringer, then you will have earned your pardon. This, I swear.”
“Thank you, Aerrin.”
The use of his name startled him. Only his uncle and his two closest friends—Leandros and Nyssa—addressed him by his given name. Even Master Binnius addressed him by his title unless they were alone. And yet this man had been his father’s closest friend and confidant, the man his father had trusted with his life. And in his final moments, the man his father had asked to protect him.
His throat tightened as he imagined what Ceryst must have suffered over the years, and he made his own vow to help him clear his name once and for all. “You will keep me abreast of any new developments.”
“Of course, Your Majesty,” Master Binnius answered for the group. “In the meantime, might I suggest you enjoy the feast that is waiting for you in the Great Hall? It is import to keep up appearances, after all.”
> “And will you be joining us?” His gaze flickered to the two men. They were vastly underdressed for a court dinner, but after they’d saved his life, he thought it rude not invite them.
“If it pleases you, I wish to get back on the trail of the Raven Bringer as soon as possible.” Ceryst bowed his head respectfully.
“But there’s going to be food,” Raimel protested, earning another smack from his partner.
“I will be along as soon as I glean what I can from them.” Master Binnius stood and lowered his head. “Do not keep the court waiting. They can become a viper’s nest if angered.”
Something in the way he issued this warning set him on edge. What if the Raven Bringer was among those gathered for the feast? He looked to Binnius for confirmation and received a discreet nod.
His gut knotted. So, the old man already had a list of suspects. Not good.
Perhaps once the pomp and ceremony were over, he’d make another attempt to loosen the master mage’s tongue.
As he left the study, two members of the guard filed in behind him. Now he understood what Binnius had meant about not disturbing the kingdom’s peace. For years, he’d lived without fear of what might be lurking in the shadows. Now, his eyes were open.
***
Raimel rubbed his shoulder as Aerrin left. “You didn’t have to hit me so hard.”
“Do you think we have any place at a royal feast?” Yet despite his callous words, a hint of longing flickered across Ceryst’s face.
“I can send for food, if you wish,” Binnius offered.
Ceryst answered before Raimel could get a word in. “No, thank you. The less people who know we’re here, the better.”
“As you wish.” Binnius settled back down in his chair. “Any emerging details?”
“Yeah, a big one.” Raimel pulled his chair around to face the old mage, making sure it was out of Ceryst’s reach in case the knight wanted to smack him again. “I have a feeling the Raven Bringer has an apprentice.”
Two white brows rose in unison. “An apprentice? Very interesting.”
“It gets better.” He straddled the chair and rested his arms on the back. “It’s a woman.”
“Very interesting,” Binnius repeated while stroking his beard. “That does add a twist to all the scenarios I’ve pictured.”
“Or it could explain how he’s regained some of his power.” Ceryst wandered over to the fireplace and warmed his hands over the cheery flames so at odds with his grouchy temperament. “Either way, we need to be on the lookout for two of them.”
“Yes.” Binnius twirled his beard around his finger and stared into nothing. “Please recount what happened today.”
Raimel took a deep breath and described his encounters with both the Raven Bringer and the new presence. As he laid out every detail of the experiences, a shiver coursed down his spine. Fourteen years had passed since he last came face to face with the Raven Bringer, but the fear still lingered in his soul. He’d barely survived last time. If he ran into him again, would he make it out alive?
When he finished, Binnius still continued to wrap a section of beard around his finger. “You’ve given me much to think about, but I’m forming a plan.”
“Glad someone here is thinking ahead.” Ceryst moved away from the fire to join them. “What’s the next step?”
“First, I need to strengthen the protective wards around the palace. We can’t have any demons blinking into it.”
Raimel bit back a laugh. The spells would only work so far among the Raven Bringer’s forces.
“Then I shall try to reinforce what protection I can give the king at the Academy,” he continued.
Ceryst took a step toward Binnius. “You’re not seriously considering allowing him to return there?”
“Why ever not? After all, the most accomplished mages in the kingdom reside there.”
“But his guard does not.” Ceryst knew first-hand that neither the royal guard nor the Knight Protector were allowed within the walls of the Academy—only students of magic and their instructors. If the Raven Bringer wanted to strike, it would be the one place were Aerrin would be the most vulnerable.
“Then I will have to find some other way to provide him with the protection he needs.” And the mischievous gleam in his eyes told Raimel that he already had a plan that Ceryst would not approve of. “An attack on the king within my walls would reflect poorly on my abilities, and I will not allow such a thing to occur.”
“Are you going to alert his professors?” Raimel ran through the list of master mages who resided at the Academy and could name a dozen he wouldn’t trust.
“If I do, it will be a select few. In the meantime, I’ll do my best to stay as close to Aerrin as he will allow.”
“And we’ll keep our eyes and ears open for any sign of that bastard.” Ceryst curled his hand into a fist and looked every inch of the feral wolf that had once adorned his standard. “Once I get hold of him, I’ll make him pay.”
And knowing Ceryst, it wouldn’t be pretty. He’d seen the knight’s aggression get the better of him only a few times, but it had been enough to warn him never to get on Ceryst’s bad side.
“I’ll go along and keep him out of trouble.” Raimel jerked his head toward Ceryst, but despite the teasing in his words, he knew they worked best together. Brains and brawn. Dark and light. Magic and might.
Besides, no one else would tolerate Ceryst’s pissy moods but him. He’d become immune to them over the years.
“Good.” Binnius rose from his chair and leaned heavily on his staff. No one knew the mage’s exact age, but he’d once hinted that he’d passed the century mark when Raimel was a boy. “I’ll send out letters to a few mages I trust after dinner to see if we can widen our net. The Raven Bringer may have fooled us once, but I won’t let it happen again.”
“And we’ll see if we can catch the trail of his apprentice.” Ceryst grabbed Raimel’s tunic and hoisted him out of the chair. “Let’s go.”
“But what about dinner?” He dragged his feet as the knight pulled him toward the hidden door.
“Later. We need to discover all we can before the scent goes cold.”
Raimel cast a pleading glance to Master Binnius, but the old man appeared to be laughing at his plight.
Figures.
Once he’d been pushed back into the damp passage, he grabbed the torch they’d left outside the study. “You know how cranky I get on an empty belly.”
“And you know how cranky I get when we squander an opportunity.” But instead of shoving him forward, Ceryst stood back. “Please, Raimel. Right now, you’re the only one who has any chance of finding them.”
“So you’re finally admitting I’m important.”
The knight cracked a rare grin. “Just don’t let it go to your head.”
Raimel offered a bitter laugh that belied the worry seeping into his heart. This was just the beginning, and he sensed darker days ahead.
***
Want to know what happens next? Find out in The King’s Imposter. Click here to get it!
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Letter to Readers
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for reading Resurrection, a prequel to The Raven Bringer Saga. I hope you’re looking forward to The King’s Imposter, the first full-length book in the series.
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Thanks again,
C. A. McHugh
&n
bsp;
