“I see. Well, before we invite her here… I was told that you’re the one who knows the most about this demon, Queen Diane. Would you be willing to tell me about her?” Phynis asked, ignoring the signs of a forming headache.
“While I may know her the best of those here, I’m afraid that I don’t know much,” Diane cautioned, her face conflicted.
“Anything you can tell us would be good, as I’m not sure how far we can trust her,” Phynis assured her.
“Well… she’s a consummate actor and manipulator. I’d sworn that I wouldn’t fall under her influence when we met just after I was taken captive, and yet when I look back it’s been a long, slow descent.” Pausing a moment, Diane hesitated before admitting, shaking her head, “The worst part is that I really can’t make myself care about that at this point. So she’s patient, she plans ahead, and every time I think I know what’s going on, she unveils another layer to her schemes. She broke a slave brand on herself like it was nothing, and claims that she’s been a double-agent serving the demon lord Irethiel for somewhere around three millennia. I don’t think I can give you any information about her that would actually be useable.”
“That’s hardly a reassuring description,” Farris murmured, and Vendis nodded in agreement. The two maids were almost hiding in the back, looking nervous.
“I see. Well, let’s hope that she isn’t actually here to hurt us. The last thing we need is another demon lord trying to destroy us,” Phynis replied, sighing as she looked at the guards. “Please ask Wenris to join us.”
The guard bowed his head and quickly left the room. As they waited, Phynis asked, “Diane, Jaine, do you have any messages you’d like us to pass on to others in Yisara? We have a way to send messages to the church of Medaea, so it wouldn’t be hard.”
“I would, though I’m going to have to consider exactly how I wish to say what I’m thinking,” Diane replied after a moment, and Phynis could see tears welling up in her eyes. The woman forced them down, blinking as she took a deep breath. “If you can give me some time?”
“Of course. Take your time, Diane. You’re safe here, at least for the time being,” Phynis assured her, then looked at Jaine, who was biting her lip. “What about you, Jaine?”
“I’m not sure. Oh, I want to tell Beryl and Father that I love them and that I’m safe, but I’m not sure what else. I’ll have to write it out, I think,” Jaine admitted nervously, but smiled as Phynis nodded.
“We can certainly arrange for that. In the meantime… ah, I believe that our guest is here.” Phynis paused, hearing the rapid clicking of approaching shoes, and her eyebrows rose in surprise as Wenris entered, in the form of a simple but beautiful Kelvanis woman. The surprise was more due to the speed with which Wenris entered—she was walking so quickly it was almost a jog, and had a serious expression on her face.
“Greetings, Your Majesty, long may you reign. I am called Wenris, and I apologize for taking this from your library, but I needed to show it to you and ask a question.” She spoke quickly, bowing her head just enough to be polite. In her hand was a sheet of paper, and Phynis forestalled the annoyed guards with a gesture.
“What is it that you need to ask me, Wenris?” the Queen asked, actually curious. All the descriptions she’d gotten of the succubus described her as lazy and bored, not serious and focused.
“This sheet of paper… who wrote this?” Wenris asked, raising the sheet so that Phynis could see it.
It was hard to make out the letters from the distance the succubus was standing at, but Phynis could see just enough to identify it as one of Sistina’s discarded pages, from when she’d written in the wrong tongue on her various projects. Why it was something that Wenris was concerned about was strange, though. Before she could reply, Sistina’s eyes opened.
“It is mine. Why?” Sistina asked simply, regarding the demon curiously.
“You wrote this? In your own hand?” Wenris asked insistently, an odd, excited quaver to her voice.
“Yes,” Sistina replied, and she seemed as confused as Phynis herself.
“In that case everything finally makes sense! You… you’re Marin, aren’t you?” Wenris exclaimed, her eyes bright.
At Sistina’s slow nod, the succubus laughed, and before Phynis’ startled eyes, the demon’s form melted, blurred, and reshaped into her full demonic body, her wings out and presence enough to make the Queen tremble. Then, even more surprisingly, the demon fell to a knee, bowing her head.
“Marin? What are you talking about?” Slaid’s voice broke the stunned silence, prompting a maniacal giggle from the demon.
“Marin. Not one of the countless people named for her… the Marin! I’ve seen the original copies of Marin’s Codex, and this handwriting matches perfectly! The strange orders of Milady suddenly make sense, because you… you are the one person she’s ever spoken of in respect. And for you I will help as much as I am able,” Wenris explained, grinning, and her statement made Phynis’ eyes go wide as she looked at Sistina.
“S-Sistina? Is she right?” Phynis asked, feeling eerily drunk, almost like the day the city had been built. “If so, why didn’t you tell me?”
“Knew my name was Marin. But memories… still fragmented.” Sistina spoke slowly, tilting her head as she looked at the demon. “Pieces still coming together. I didn’t know I was Marin. Who is your lady?”
“You should know that, if you’re Marin. I’m not sure if I should name her…” Wenris replied cautiously, frowning again. “But… well, she said you called her a shameless tease.”
Phynis blinked at that, but it was Sistina’s instant reaction that startled her the most. The dryad smiled as she spoke with sudden realization. “Emonael!”
“That’s good enough for me,” the succubus murmured, bowing her head as she asked, “What would you like me to do?”
Sistina promptly looked at Phynis and nodded. “Phynis had questions. Her first.”
Trying to shake off the stunning revelation from only a few moments earlier, Phynis looked at the demon, then asked softly, “Ms. Wenris, we learned not long ago that Serel was part of a group that raided Medaea’s temple, and that she can’t speak of what became of the goddess. Can you allow her to speak of it?”
“I can, and will, but I must add that she doesn’t know everything. Still, perhaps I should allow her to speak before adding my parts,” Wenris replied readily, standing up again and looking at the Enforcer. “Serel, you are free to speak of anything you wish.”
“Of course, Mistress Wenris. Thank you,” Serel replied, seeming to relax ever so slightly as she took a deep breath, then let it out. After a moment, she looked at Sapphire and asked, “I assume you’re one of the priestesses who I took to Adjudicator Falgrave?”
“I am,” Sapphire replied frostily.
“I thought so. Well, I’ll have you know I only possessed my own freedom for a day after I left you there. Now, Medaea.” The Enforcer paused, seeming to consider another moment before continuing. “I was sent to the temple specifically for Medaea. Somehow the Archon learned that she was there, sleeping, and he’d built tools that he believed could be used to subdue and enslave her. My task was to brand and capture her.”
Phynis’ eyes went huge at the admission, her breathing coming hard as the Enforcer continued pitilessly. “We placed seven mindshards into her flesh, each made to interface with her body and spirit, and to control her magical abilities. This allowed me to force her into a deeper slumber for the branding, which took a full day of work. It was exceedingly difficult and dangerous, but we succeeded, and we took the goddess and her equipment with us back to Kelvanath. There I was betrayed, and while I have suspicions of what happened, I don’t have any confirmation.”
“That, I can give you,” said Wenris, speaking up. “Medaea and Tyria are the same individual. Problem is, the prayers from those in Kelvanis are reinforcing the changes that are being forced on the goddess, and soon she’ll be completely corrupted and under the control of Ulvian a
nd Irethiel.” Wenris smiled as she corrected herself. “Or rather, she would be, had I not sabotaged some minor details last year, at the directions of My Lady. I rather wondered why she had me do that.”
“What did you do? Will she turn on them once she awakens?” Sapphire asked, her voice unsteady.
Behind Wenris, Diane, Jaine, and essentially everyone but Serel seemed utterly shocked and horrified. It was horrifying to Phynis as well, but Diamond and the Jewels had raised the possibility with her a few weeks before, so it wasn’t a complete shock to her. It was very close to their worst-case scenario, though.
“No. I couldn’t make that large of changes without revealing what I’d done. Instead of being fully under their control, Tyria is just very inclined to help them at present,” Wenris murmured, shaking her head. “Also, instead of completely erasing her memories of being Medaea, they’re suppressed. She’s going to look and act like they want her to, but with the proper stimulus, she can be disabled and their control broken. Not that I’d personally care to try applying said stimulus.”
“W-what about Zenith, though? You said that…” Jaine began, and Phynis felt a pang as she saw the horror in the young woman’s eyes as she clutched a holy symbol tightly.
“Zenith was an angel of Medaea, captured in the same raid. The process of corrupting Medaea would have been ten times longer if it hadn’t been for her capture, as she was closely linked to the goddess. She also was dosed directly with succubus blood to make her more… agreeable,” Wenris explained, pulling out an amulet, and Phynis looked at it in horror, seeing a tiny figure within.
“Is that…?” the Queen began, and the succubus nodded.
“I beat her into submission and trapped her. It wasn’t easy, but possible,” Wenris replied, grinning. “Angels are a lot of fun to play with, anyway.”
“Could she be redeemed? Restored to what she was?” Sapphire asked, and it didn’t take knowing her well to see the pain on her face, or how her nails were digging into her palms.
“Possibly? Oh, she’d never be fully what she was, since she was re-named and has demon blood in her, just like Tyria, but it would be possible in theory, and would be very difficult,” the demon replied, her smile fading as she sighed and looked at Sistina. “You’re going to take my toy away, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” Sistina replied softly, extending a hand. “And others, release if they desire it.”
“Fine, fine… only because it’s you. My Lady would kill me if I said no…” Wenris muttered petulantly, taking off her necklace reluctantly and stepping forward to place it in Sistina’s hand. As it came close, Phynis could see the angel more clearly, looking like she was moping in a corner. The demon kept speaking though, distracting Phynis. “While I can do so with everyone else, I can’t do that with Diane.”
“What? Why not?” Jaine cried out, disbelieving. “Bad enough about Tyria, but even my mother?”
“I didn’t say won’t, Jaine, I said I can’t let her go,” Wenris stressed, frowning as she took a few steps backward. “When we made our bargain, she gave up everything to me. The day we left Westgate, I claimed my due, and permeated her with my power, through her body, mind, and soul. If I try retracting my power, it’ll rip her soul out and merge it with my own. If you try killing me, I’ll merge with her. We’re inseparably linked at this point. I really, really hope that My Lady isn’t going to be upset with me.”
“That… that’s fair. I didn’t ever expect to be freed from my bargain to begin with,” Diane said softly, looking down at the floor as she took a deep breath. “If you’re willing to free the others…”
“I am. The only ones are Maria, Meredith, and Serel. Ladies?” Wenris asked, looking at them.
None of them spoke for a moment, but Serel replied first. “I… refuse. My mind is confused enough that I no longer trust myself to react appropriately. If freed I may not be able to resist going for the Archon, and that could be disastrous, or lead to my enslavement once more.”
“Very well. What about you sisters?” the succubus asked, and each of them nodded quickly.
“Yes! I want to be freed of my brand!” Meredith said nervously.
“One moment…” Wenris murmured. The words sounded strange as she wove the spell. Two thin pink strands slowly faded into sight between the demon and the two women, and with a gesture, the succubus cut them. Done, she smiled thinly. “There we go.”
“Can you teach others to do that?” Farris asked curiously.
“No. It was placed into my memory with powerful magic, and how it works is beyond my understanding, though I’m certain that given time Marin can figure it out,” Wenris replied.
“Not Marin. I’m Sistina now.” Sistina replied softly.
“As you like. I promise you, and you as well, Your Majesty, I will not work against you as long as I’m in the city. I’m not suicidal,” the succubus told them, smiling as she took a step toward Diane.
Sistina nodded slightly, looking thoughtfully at them, then spoke in a soft voice. “I believe her. Emonael was… loyal.”
“Good enough for me. For the time being you can stay here, Ms. Wenris, but only so long as you don’t cause problems,” Phynis finally agreed.
“Thank you,” Wenris replied.
“With all of that dealt with, I need some time to myself, to grieve for a friend and make plans,” Phynis continued, looking at the others. “The staff will find rooms for you and ensure you’re taken care of.”
There were looks ranging from sympathy to worry, but one by one almost all of the others filed out. For a long minute Phynis simply sat there, shock and grief slowly building. It was when Sistina laid a hand on her shoulder that she broke down, weeping at the loss of Desa.
Phynis didn’t remember leaving her chair, but moments later she was in Sistina’s arms, crying into her shoulder, her tears hot. Sapphire embraced both of them from behind, her own voice thick with sorrow. “I know, Phynis… and I’m so sorry.”
Chapter 33
Sistina slowly stroked Phynis’ hair, looking into Sapphire’s sorrowful eyes as her own heart tightened. In many ways, she hated losing the link that the brands had forged between her and the others, as with it she would have possessed at least some idea of Desa’s fate, but that was a selfish thought. The brands had been slavery of the worst sort, and their freedom had delighted both the Jewels and Phynis, so much so that she hadn’t mentioned the drain that they now were on her mana. It was minor when compared to their happiness, and what they had done for her.
“What happened to her, Sistina? What did they do to her? Did she die, or…” Phynis asked, her voice trembling.
“I don’t know. Though I wish I did… I do not,” Sistina replied, shaking her head as her sorrow deepened.
“Of course not. You’re a tree, not a seer,” Phynis mumbled, mimicking what Sistina had said at a gathering so very long ago, and the comment made a flickering smile cross the dryad’s face, as well as Sapphire’s. After a moment Phynis looked up, craning her neck to look at the other elf as she asked, “What about Medaea? What are we going to do?”
“I have no idea. I mean, she’s my goddess, and yet they’ve done something horrible to her. I have no idea what to do, but I have to do something. What will the others say when they hear?” Sapphire asked, slowly breaking the hug as she shrugged helplessly.
Sistina leaned in and gave Phynis a gentle kiss, which her beloved returned with far more insistent passion. Finally they separated, and Phynis took a deep breath before looking at Sistina. She gestured toward Sistina’s hand as she spoke. “What are you going to do with the angel?”
“Had an idea. They used her to change Medaea. Maybe do the same?” Sistina replied, looking down at the pendant with worry. “Sapphire? Priestesses try to… fix her? Please?”
“You don’t have to ask us to do that, Sistina. We’d do that in a heartbeat if given the chance,” the priestess replied firmly, her back straightening. “And if you are the one trying to fix her,
I’m sure we can manage it! I can’t believe that you’re the one who wrote Marin’s Codex! I can hardly wait to tell the others.”
“Agreed! That was an enormous shock, but a pleasant one. If it hadn’t been for that, I doubt Wenris would have been so polite,” Phynis added, looking at Sistina in renewed fascination, and their regard made the dryad feel more than a little uncomfortable.
“You are overestimating me,” Sistina murmured, shaking her head. “I am not that impressive.”
“How can you say that? You wrote one of the greatest treatises on magic in known history! I mean, I’ve heard that other mages wrote their own versions after research, but you were supposedly the first!” Phynis protested, to Sapphire’s obvious agreement.
“Yes, the first. Not necessarily the best.” Sistina stressed the last word, pausing to look at them solemnly. “Important work, yes. I built on studies of those before… if memories are correct. Others built on my work. My studies important, but not necessarily better.”
“Oh, that does make sense. You think others may have improved on your work over time, and they might’ve, but remember how much has been lost? You’re still one of the most knowledgeable women in the world, I suspect,” Sapphire replied, shrugging and smiling. “I have faith in you, Sistina.”
“I will do my best,” Sistina replied after a moment, feeling embarrassed as she looked at Phynis and added, “I will do everything I can. While weakened, I have… a dangerous option.”
“Then I forbid you from using that option unless you have to.” Phynis spoke firmly, then paused, and asked, more cautiously, “Dare I ask what it is, though?”
Sistina paused for a long, long moment, debating what to tell Phynis. But at last, looking between the two women with whom she shared a bed so often, she spoke softly. “I found the palace. It is… not as empty as hoped or feared. I dare not touch it lightly.”
Halls of Power (Ancient Dreams Book 3) Page 26
