The sun began to set when the new Kinadain elder finally arrived. Hanna and Alsia arrived with a small retinue of Kinadain hangers-on.
Uninterested in dealing with a bunch of minor issues, Rys left Vallis to greet the group.
In the meantime, Rys waited in a room in the detached building behind the manor. Once ready, Alsia would meet him here. The Lilim had prepared some simple finger foods and wine. Slices of steak, fried pastry puffs, cheeses, and similar foods. Rys busied himself with a report on Compagnon’s gathering military strength.
When Alsia arrived, it was alone. Not even a single bodyguard accompanied her.
The elders had worn expensive silks and jewelry. Hanna dressed like a traveling monk. Barul had been a warrior. No two Kinadain had looked alike. The same went for Alsia.
She dressed like a young spellblade. A dark breastplate over a white shirt, a short pleated skirt, and a thick red robe without a hood. Rys sensed magic within the robe, but otherwise she appeared like any other demihuman. Alsia’s mid-length blonde hair framed her face well, and two draconic horns protruded through it.
Her horns were some of the largest that Rys had seen. Once again, he found himself curious if horn size meant something to demihumans.
Out of all of the people Rys had met since waking up, Alsia was easily the most conventionally beautiful. She could motivate an army to charge a castle without a word.
The real question was, could she motivate an army to charge a castle with words? Leaders needed more than a pretty face.
Alsia bowed as she entered, even bending one knee slightly in the process. Every movement she made was taken with grace and precision. Precious little energy was wasted as she took a seat opposite Rys and poured herself a cup of milk tea.
“Lord Talarys, it is an honor to finally meet you,” Alsia said. Her eyes stared into his.
Rys had seen few people with eyes like hers. And nobody as young as her. She couldn’t be older than twenty, but her eyes were dark with resignation. The weight of the world sat on her shoulders, at least in her mind.
Losing her brother and taking over three dains had been a lot for her. Being forced to serve a strange lord could only be a truly miserable cherry on top.
“Your eyes suggest otherwise,” Rys said. “And Hanna has as well, unless you’re suggesting she’s been lying.”
“She has not,” Alsia said, her tone steady. She sipped her tea, then added sugar. “But I have been, at least to her. I know why my brother died. He confided in me many of his thoughts, including those regarding this estate.”
Rys waited silently. He kept his wits about him, however.
For all he knew, like brother, like sister.
“Most Kinadain believe Castle Aion is a holy place. My brother suggested otherwise. Sages are not taught much of what Slayers are, given we lead the Kinadain, instead of protect them. But he was certain that you were pure evil for occupying this place,” Alsia said.
“Do you agree with him?” Rys asked.
A spark of determination lit within Alsia’s eyes.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “I believe few things in life truly matter. What people see and feel is the most important. The elders remained in power because of this. So many terrible secrets are kept from the Kinadain by the Saints. The end result matters, not how it is brought about.”
Dangerous words for a new ruler.
Painful words to hear from somebody so young.
“And what result do you think I’ll bring to your people?” Rys asked. Until she gave him a straight answer, he’d keep asking her more questions.
“I don’t know.”
Rys blinked at the answer he had been given.
“You don’t expect me to accept that, do you?” He smirked at her.
Alsia shrugged. Her expression remained stony. “Maybe. I don’t know you.” She sipped her tea. “But I think that is the problem. Fear of the unknown has guided us for so long. Hanna says we are changing no matter what happens. I agree. If there is one thing I know, it is that we will get the result we believe in.”
“That’s a different tone than everything else you’ve said.” Rys frowned. “You’ve gone from deeply cynical to idealistic suddenly.”
“Because I believe that you’ll treat us however we treat you,” Alsia said. “If we fear you, and act on that fear, then the result will be as bad as many expect. But if I push my people to embrace your ambitions, maybe the change you bring will be less painful than what has been forced on us.”
Rys drummed his fingers on the table as Alsia fell silent.
He’d expected something different to a young girl showing up and saying “I’ll do whatever you want because you’ll probably destroy my people if I don’t.”
Then again, how much of this was because Alsia felt she was required to serve Talarys due to the contract?
“Be truthful,” Rys said. “How much of what you just said is an attempt to satisfy me? Your brother is the reason you’re here.”
“None.” Alsia met Rys’s eyes again, and finally broke her stony face with a small, sharp smile. “I’ve listened to everything that others tell me about you. My brother; Hanna; Lady Maria; even your Captain Grigor. You are so many different things to different people.”
Obviously not all good things, if Barul was part of it.
“To my brother, you were a corrupting evil. To Hanna, you are an improvement on the elders but a dangerous one. To Lady Maria, you are…” Alsia’s smile twisted. “Dominating? I am not sure. And Captain Grigor’s respect for you exudes from his every muscle.”
“And what does that mean to you?” Rys asked. “Or at all?”
“That I don’t know a thing about you. Few do. And if you can be something different for each person, perhaps you can be something special for me.” Alsia sighed. “In the end, I kept everything a secret. The duel; why the elders stepped down; and you.”
“I assume you have a good cover story if that’s the case. A lot of people know that the elders have been working with Compagnon.”
“Yes. That is why it was so easy,” Alsia said, voice cold. “My brother died because he confronted the elders over their betrayal. Even more proof of their complicity with Compagnon was discovered in their homes. The dains collectively judged them for their crimes.”
Rys hadn’t heard a word of this. “And what happens to them now?”
“Initially, we intended to exile them. But one attempted to escape and was killed. Then other elders were implicated.” Alsia frowned. “Slayers from Dalyros operating with the authority of the Circle of Brethren will remove the elders for judgment. Additional Sages have been appointed in the remaining dains to replace the corrupt elders.”
“So, a complete overthrow of power took place this week,” Rys said.
It finally seemed like a suitable time to pour the wine, so he did so. Alsia stared at the glass he poured for her, but he nudged it closer to her.
“It was the only way forward,” Alsia said, voice still steady as rock. “The old elders have no place in the future. And the truth would only hurt more.”
Her eyes bore into Rys’s. “That is why I am here to serve you, Lord Talarys. Not because of a contract. But because my actions only hold meaning so long as you uphold my lie and I maintain your support. I suggest that we negotiate what my service under you will look like.”
Chapter 26
“Given I hold all the cards, I don’t see why I should renegotiate,” Rys said. “But I’ll humor you.”
Alsia seized the opportunity to taste her wine. It was a lighter red, and the grapes were supposedly grown locally.
Her nose screwed up as she gave the drink a sniff, and she nearly lowered the glass. Then she saw Rys out of the corner of her eye. Her expression smoothed out, and she forced herself to try the wine. Her reaction to tasting it wasn’t much better.
“I take it you’re not a drinker,” Rys said.
Alsia washed down the wine with some tea, before
making herself another cup with extra sugar. Her frazzled expression made for a nice change from earlier.
“I’ve been told that alcohol is an acquired taste,” she muttered. “Until now, I’ve avoided it in order to maintain a clear mind.”
Oh, the things this little demihuman might do when she got plastered for the first time. Rys felt that somebody had handed him an early birthday present. Alsia was going to be a bundle of fun.
“Well?” Rys pressed.
Her lips thinned into a line. “I will act as your regent and servant in almost all matters. I have only two caveats.”
“I’m assuming they’re important ones.” They’d have to be, as what Alsia was offering was arguably worse than the original deal.
“First, I won’t help you harm my people. My intentions for serving you are clear, and I will not betray those,” Alsia said. “Second, while I am happy to serve you in…” Her face turned red enough that it could have passed for a tomato, and she licked her lips nervously. “Martial matters or similarly intimate conduct, I will not surrender myself to others.”
“I don’t have any plans to sell you off to the highest bidder, so that works out for both of us,” Rys said drily. “I take it there’s a reason you’re concerned about that?”
Alsia stared at him. “I am one of few draconic Kinadain on the island, a Sage, the sister of Barul Sword-Slayer, and the most powerful elder of the region’s dains. Discussions have already taken place regarding…” She looked down, embarrassment preventing her from continuing.
Rys drained his wine and poured another glass. Afterward, he stood and gestured for her to follow him. The night wasn’t exactly cool, but some fresh air might do Alsia some good.
A small, fenced garden sat just outside the room, with only a few plants. Fara took care of them to pass the time and liked to meditate out here. The weather was pleasant, given it was only mid-spring, and Rys led Alsia to the edge of the garden.
Amusingly, Alsia brought the teapot with her. She used magic to levitate everything she needed to make additional cups of tea and carefully balanced them on the fence posts.
“So, you’re being pressed about marriage,” Rys said.
Alsia nodded. “As a start.”
“Ah. Then it’s safe to say that I’ll be having the last word in that,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s normal to try to marry you off and make you produce children the moment you become elder, but I only got my hands on you. I’d like to see what you can do as elder before anybody thinks they can hide you away in their bedroom.”
“And what of your interests, Lord Talarys?” Alsia asked. Despite her cherry-like appearance, she managed to look him in the eyes. “I know Maria desires you. What of this Fara I heard about?”
“I’d spend less time worrying about other women,” Rys said gently. “I certainly don’t have any plans to marry, if that’s what you’re asking about.”
Alsia frowned. “But you aren’t interested in me or my bloodline?”
“We just met. And you’ll have to explain why your bloodline is so special. I don’t even know what a draconic Kinadain is.” Rys tried not to laugh, as she seemed genuinely confused that he wasn’t claiming her as his own.
Well, he actually was. But unlike the Kinadain, he already had her in the palm of his hand. He could afford to leave her to her own devices. Alsia felt like a blooming flower—beautiful to look at now, but she had room to grow.
“You don’t know?” Alsia tilted her head to one side. “Of the three common varieties of demihumans, draconic are the rarest. Outside of Gorgria, there are only a handful of families as we often become common horned demihuman. We pride ourselves on our powerful magical abilities, both spiritual and sorcerous.”
Common horned, huh?
Alsia continued, sensing his interest, “The horned are common on Kavolara and Gorgria, but less common elsewhere. They have the highest physical abilities of all demihumans, but poor magical aptitudes. By contrast, the wolfkin dominate demihuman populations elsewhere in the archipelago. They make the best sorcerers and have superior speed and strength.”
“So, the draconic make the best spellblades, spiritualists, and good mages. Horned are soldiers and workers. Wolfkin are mages and knights,” Rys summarized. “To generalize.”
“That’s largely correct. The Slayers and Saints are more unique, of course,” Alsia said, then paused.
Rys sensed that Alsia had something more to say, but she chose not to voice it.
For now, he let her keep it to herself. He’d learned enough as it was and had little reason to interfere with the Kinadain.
“That makes you a potentially powerful mage. Hanna mentioned you were a Saint candidate,” Rys said.
“I… was,” Alsia said. “It is hard to say whether that is still the case given my current situation.”
“Not the question I’m asking. You can fight?” Rys asked, being more direct this time.
“Oh. Yes.” Alsia nodded enthusiastically. Beneath her coat, Rys saw something move.
As if spotting where his attention was, Alsia poked a long scaly tail from beneath her coat. A moment later, it ducked away again.
“I was trained as a warrior until I was twelve,” Alsia said, pretending that showing Rys her tail was as natural as breathing. “Once my talent for evocation was discovered, I trained as a spellblade. My parents hoped that I would become a Slayer, like my brother.”
“Your parents,” Rys repeated slowly.
“They passed a few years ago,” Alsia said. “They were both hunters, and there was an incident in the Labyrinth.”
Rys nodded and gestured for Alsia to continue. She looked at him oddly, but did so.
“During a visit by the Fire Saint, my talent for evocation was recognized, and I was directed to train as a Sage.” Alsia looked up at the starry sky, as if searching for something. “For a brief time, I trained under Sage Hanna, as she knows a lot about magical theory. Then the elders drove her out and began training me personally.”
“Were they any good at it?” Rys asked, amused at the idea of those old men trying to train a mage.
“No. In fact, I already knew more than they did about sorcery. But they taught me a lot about leadership.” Alsia’s expression darkened. “They believed that I could be their tool. I let them believe that and kept up my training through occasional visits to Dalyros.”
A flicker of movement. Rys knocked a tiny throwing knife out of the air, then grabbed Alsia’s arm. Without much effort, he dispelled the magical energy she had gathered.
She winced, but didn’t resist as he held her against him.
“I know you were only demonstrating, but assassination attempts are in poor taste,” Rys said. He let her go, and she rubbed her wrist. “You don’t have the talent for it, either. Why choose a physical method when your strength is magic? Blow a hole in your target’s chest with a magical lance.”
“I didn’t think that would be very wise,” Alsia said drily. “You might not overlook something that might actually kill you.”
“You’re assuming you can kill me.” Rys smirked at her. “Let’s head back inside.”
A small pile of papers sat on the table now. Rys sat in front of them and pointedly ignored them, despite Alsia’s questioning gaze. She twisted her head, trying to read the words from her side of the table.
“Is that some sort of contract?” she asked, her eyes racing back and forth.
Rys’s eyebrows shot up. “Good eyes. It is. But before that, I have a question for you. Did you notice anything interesting in the mansion?”
Alsia looked at him, her head still turned on its side. After several long seconds, she straightened up. “Such as?”
“It’s an open question for a reason, Alsia.”
A slow nod. “Your servants dress strangely. I had expected them to wear a uniform.”
“Is that all you noticed in the mansion?” Rys asked, pressing for an answer.
Alsia remained silent an
d instead sipped her tea. One of her fingers traced the lip of her full wine glass. Her gaze appeared to be considering it, but Rys suspected she was trying to avoid looking at him.
“The servants are Lilim, a type of devil,” Rys said, watching carefully for a response.
Just in case.
Alsia kept her composure and finally met his eyes. Something flashed inside them—approval, he thought.
Probably a good thing he hadn’t mentioned that Lilim were a type of succubi. As amusing as Alsia’s flustered reaction would have been, this was better.
“So my brother was right. You are a monster,” Alsia said.
“Not the words I expected to hear given the look in your eyes.” Rys smirked.
“Maria hinted you were something more, hence her desire for you. And I already knew,” Alsia said. “I’ve been trained in how to detect infernals. My brother taught me. I’m surprised he didn’t realize.”
“The only infernal he met was under a very powerful illusion. You’ve met him yourself,” Rys pointed out.
Alsia blinked. “Captain Grigor?” she sounded genuinely surprised. “I guess his large stature appeared inhumanly large.”
“He’s far larger as a demon,” Rys said. “But you want to work with me in spite of this?”
“How you gathered your power doesn’t change. It does… raise complications in one particular area, but we can discuss that should it matter,” Alsia said, her face reddening.
He had a feeling that “particular area” was a sexual one.
“And above all else, your honesty is refreshing,” Alsia said.
Rys tapped the contract in front of him. She stared at it, her expression making it clear that she didn’t understand what it meant.
Sighing, Rys decided on a different tack.
“Tell me, will you give me your word that you will never speak of anything related to infernals or your service to me?” Rys asked.
“Of course, Lord Talarys,” Alsia said instantly, bowing her head.
He snapped his fingers in the air. Her eyes locked onto them, body tensing for a moment. She appeared confused.
Demon's Throne Page 27
