“The accuracy of the information that I am seeking will ultimately reveal the price that I will pay for it,” Andrades said plainly.
“I see, I see,” said Wiley before rubbing his chin in thought. “Most people in your position would throw their money at me. But not you, Mr. Archibald. You’re a man who takes care in what he says and what he does, cautious and firm. Lyberia and Victor, you two should take note of Mr. Archibald here; I can tell he knows how to negotiate. He reminds me of, well, me!” Wiley laughed. He gulped down the remainder of his drink and placed it on the glass table in front of him. “You seek information on the White Crown? Or should I say the children of the royal family you had murdered ten years ago?”
Wiley reached behind him a pulled out a gold scepter and pointed it at Andrades before he could react. He blasted him at almost point blank range, but his attack had no effect as the shield from Andrades' cane erupted in a transparent bubble around him shocking everyone. Andrades stood with both his hands resting on his cane and faced them all. He took a moment to look at the clock on the wall before looking back.
“So, this was it huh, Lyberia? This is where you intended to betray me?”
“Andrades! I have no idea what—”
“Don’t lie! I know all about your plan to betray me—I know you’re playing a part in this as well, Victor!”
“You told me that the plan was for him to surrender is conduit—how is he doing this?” Wiley questioned.
“Andrades, I—”
“Enough, Lyberia! He knows.”
“Admit your treachery!” Andrades roared.
“Fine,” said Lyberia before revealing another wand from her purse and stabbed it at Andrades. “It’s true. We were going to betray you. But make no mistake, that plan is still in effect.”
Victor removed a scepter from his inner jacket pocket and joined with Lyberia. “Looks like we all were thinking the same thing. How did you figure it out, Andrades? Did Rathbone sell us out?”
“No. I’ll have you ask her when she arrives.”
“Who?” Lyberia asked.
“You’ll see. It will all be explained in—,” Andrades checked his watch. “Five minutes. So, let’s wait here until then, shall we?”
“I’m not waiting—”
“No, Victor!” Lyberia interrupted. “Let’s see where this takes us. It won’t matter, there’s no way he’s leaving out of here alive. Even he couldn’t take on the three of us.”
“Yes, Victor. Let’s wait and see,” said Andrades with a smile. “You waited two months, what’s another five minutes?”
“Fine,” said Victor relaxing his aim. “If you nothing happens, then we kill you.”
“Fair enough.”
12. Proof
Wiley paced around the room as Lyberia and Victor glared at Andrades, who glared back at them. His smile was unsettling and Lyberia would look away every so often. Only a couple minutes passed before anyone spoke a word.
“While we wait, Lyberia, I’d like to ask you one simple question. Why?”
“You’re too big a risk, Andrades,” Lyberia said, her voice cold but firm. “Agent Mauthe is closer to getting the truth, and you are undoubtedly her prime suspect. It was only a matter of time before she would get to you. And knowing you, you would sell the rest of us out and she’d get to everyone. We had no choice.”
“So, who was it that sent the letter to start this to begin with?”
“That we’re not sure about, honestly, but we’re beyond that now. I want to thank you though. To be quite frank, we stopped believing in your prophecy soon after we killed the Montcroix’s. We found it so strange, of all the royal families; it would be the family of the White Crown—the emblem of the Montcroix family. But tonight, you confirmed its validity and now we will ensure its end ourselves.”
Wiley walked to his desk and held up a folder so Andrades could see it. “I have all the information on them right here,” he said, before slapping it down onto his desk. “I know where the Montcroix children are right now.” His phone began to ring, and he quickly silenced the call, placing it into his pants pocket.
“It’s over, Andrades,” said Victor. “It’s time that you pay for what you did.”
“For what I did?” Andrades asked. “You mean for what we did!”
“We did nothing, it was all you. You told us about the prophecy, you had the Montcroix’s poisoned and killed and it was you who has been searching for their children.”
“Just because you didn’t pull the trigger doesn’t absolve you from any wrongdoing. Every one of us has their blood on our hands!”
“True,” Lyberia responded. “We all acted in our own self-interest. We were scared. The prophecy you told us about threatened all of our lives, but in the end we didn’t need you after all. In fact, we’re going to pin it all on you. When we find the children, we will have them killed and place their bodies inside your home where you yourself will be dead. When the maidens find you, they’ll immediately alert the authorities and Agent Mauthe’s investigation will come to an end. She would have found her murderer, with blood on his hands.”
“What happens to you after that?”
“We live the rest of our days in peace.”
“You can hide behind that grin, but admit it, you’ve been bested by those you have no respect for,” said Victor.
“There’s always a first, Victor—”
The sound of a playful ringing began to echo again around the room. Its source was inside Wiley’s pants pocket. He removed his phone and looked at it. He pressed a button, and the sound ended.
“My wife. I’ll call her back later.”
Andrades exhaled and looked once more at his watch. The others took notice, but stood at the ready, anticipated what would come next. Everyone except for Lyberia, who didn’t seem worried at all and neither was he. Even though he was surrounded by enemies in a room thousands of miles away from home.
“Look at your watch all you want, Andrades—” The sound of Wiley’s phone ringing once more interrupted Lyberia. “Have some respect and at least answer her!”
Wiley sighed before answering his phone. “Hey honey, it’s a bad time right now, I’ll—” He paused briefly as confusion fell on his face. “Who is this? How did you get this ... where’s my wife?”
“Wiley, what’s going on?” Lyberia asked.
“Put my wife—I said put her—” Wiley roared in frustration and fear. He removed the phone from his ear and pressed a key on it, holding it out.
“What are you doing?” Victor asked.
“Can everyone hear me?” asked a mechanical voice, most likely modified by a computer.
“Yes, now tell me where my family is or I swear I will—”
“If you speak another word, I will kill them right now.”
Wiley shut his mouth instantly. Lyberia and Victor eyed him in confusion, and then glanced at Andrades, who stood still and expressionless.
“Your family is right here with me. If you don’t believe me, open a spellscreen. The incantation is, Wiley’s girls are scared to death,” said the mechanical voice.
Without hesitation, Wiley swiped his free hand through the air while speaking the given incantation. A spellscreen appeared before him. In it, an older woman and two little girls were bound with rope and gagged with tape covering their mouths. They cried and begged, but only the sound of muffled screams was heard as a man stood in front of them, pointing a gun at them.
“Oh my god, what do you want? Please, I beg you, let them go! I’ll give you whatever you want! Please!” Wiley pleaded.
“What is this? You!” Lyberia shouted, raising her wand at Andrades once more.
“No!” Wiley shouted, he pointed his scepter at her, freezing her in place. “You will do nothing! Not while my family is at risk!” Lyberia lowered her wand and Victor followed suit with his scepter. Andrades sat calmly and watched everything unfold.
Wile
y, still staring at the screen began to cry as he could see the fear in his family’s eyes. “Okay, I did what you asked, now please let them go. This was a big misunderstanding, sir. I’m sorry. Please—”
“Radio for your men to come upstairs.”
Wiley quickly grabbed his radio from his desk. “All of you get up here now!” He demanded. He slammed the radio back onto his desk. “There, I did it.”
“Now wait until they arrive to receive further instructions.”
“What is this, Andrades? Your gripe is with us, not innocent children!”
“You should have thought of that before you decided to betray me.”
Lyberia bit her lip. Victor stood confused at what was taking place. The bell to the elevator door rang, and the doors opened. Ollie stumbled through, clutching his neck as blood poured from a wound. Within moments he collapsed, dying on the floor. Wiley stood in shock and backed away. His attention shifted from the spellscreen to Ollie’s body. Lyberia and Victor witnessed the horror up-close and raised their weapons toward the elevator in response. Its door was still open and the guards that were with Ollie in the lobby lay dead inside. The walls dripped with blood and various limbs lined the floor, having been ripped from their owners.
“That was fun,” a familiar voice hissed.
Salamandra stepped from inside the elevator, her bare feet covered in black soot and blood. She walked slowly toward Ollie’s body, stepping over him to admire the room. The spellscreen disappeared and Wiley dropped to his knees. Seeing the witch, his survival instincts kicked in and he hid behind one of the couches, tears flowing from his eyes and panic setting in.
“Not another step, witch!” Lyberia shouted.
“How’s this possible?” Victor questioned, his hands shaking as his eyes met with Salamandra’s gaze.
“You wanted to know how I knew about your plan. She can tell you.”
Their attention was on the witch as she grinned. “Oh? I don’t mind saying that I followed the Fat Man as well as you!” She pointed her finger at Lyberia. “I heard all your schemes and told Andrades as he requested.”
“What did he offer you? Whatever it is, I’ll double it!”
“Oh?” Salamandra pondered for a moment. “Your offer is vague, but still tempting. I hate him as much as the rest of you, but unfortunately, you won’t live to see tomorrow to make good on it. So I must decline.”
“It’s over, Lyberia! Your time has come,” said Andrades.
“We can take you both on, no problem!” Victor roared through gritted teeth.
“An entertaining thought, Victor. But that won’t be necessary. You will not be taking on either of us.”
The sound of slow footsteps coming from the elevator followed Andrades words. A figure appeared, wearing a black jacket with a hood over his head. He held the scepter Andrades conceded when he arrived. He stopped short of Ollie’s body and raised his head. Victor and Lyberia did not recognize the person under the hood.
“Avrice, are you ready to prove your worth?”
“Yes.”
13. Duel
Avrice’s features changed. His skin was pale and his eyes were dark and empty. He held no emotion and looked as if he’d aged a decade. His hands were shaking feverishly.
“It’s over. Now you will pay with your lives. Avrice, kill them both!” Andrades ordered.
Without warning, Avrice charged them both. The tip of Lyberia’s wand glowed red before a train of fire came bursting toward Avrice. He dodged, rolling to his left and landed on his feet. Lyberia lifted her wand above her head, stopping the burst of fire. With a quick thrust of her hand, a large gust of wind came striking toward Avrice, forcing him to duck behind the bar for cover. The gust of wind missed Avrice, but destroyed the windows instead, shattering the glass outward.
“I expected more from you,” said Andrades while hidden safely behind his shield. “He’s avoided both of her attacks while you stand idle, Victor? I’m disappointed.”
“Shut up, Andrades! You’re the one hiding behind—”
An explosion of red energy exploded from Avrice’s scepter. Andrades’ criticism distracted Victor, so Avrice used the opportunity to attack him. Victor dodged, but the energy connected to its target hitting him in the shoulder. Victor riving in pain before scrambling to the floor behind one of the couches to assess his wound. Lyberia struck at Avrice again with another discharge of fire, but Avrice didn’t move. He instead allowed the attack to get closer to him before holding his scepter in front of him. He caught the burst of fire and began to roll it into a blazing ball, then threw it back at Lyberia.
She dodged the attack falling to the floor, just as Victor had risen from behind the couch only to be hit with the ball of flames, setting him on ablaze. He screamed in pain as the flames began to take him. The smell of burning flesh quickly filled the room as the screams came to a stop. He was dead; the only thing remaining was a charred body that continued to burn.
Lyberia, caught off guard by seeing her fallen court member suffer such a horrendous death, picked herself up. But it was too late, Avrice was upon her. With a slash from his scepter, a red energy beamed from its tip and into her back. She dropped her wand as she riled in pain, shrieking so loud it could have burst the remaining windows.
Salamandra and Andrades watched in amusement while Wiley watched behind the couch in horror as Avrice walked toward Lyberia.
“Face her toward me!” Andrades demanded.
Avrice followed his order without hesitation, grabbing Lyberia by her hair, turning her toward Andrades. Her back was severely burned from the attack. Her skin peeled off around burned flesh and fluids leaked from cracks in her skin.
“Please… Please, Andrades! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”
“Enough!” Andrades roared. “You sealed your fate the moment you entertained the thought of betrayal. Now, you will join Victor.”
“Please! Don’t—No!”
“Move away from her, Avrice.”
Avrice let go of her hair, backing away slowly without a word. Andrades lifted his cane and looked at the raven ornament on its top. “Feast,” he whispered. The ornament’s eyes began glowing red before Andrades flipped it around toward her. The sounds of cawing in the distance grabbed her attention, interrupting her continuous pleas for mercy. A black mass was forming outside with red dots moving about it. Hundreds of ravens surrounded her, biting and clawing as they screamed in pain. The birds were ferocious in their assault and bit chunks of flesh off of her body aimlessly. Swirling her until her cries of pain ceased. The ravens flew out the window as quickly as they had entered.
All that remained of Lyberia were indistinct, fleshy remains, the ravens having left none of her notable features intact. What remained of her body fell to the floor. Amazingly, she was still alive, but barely. Lyberia gurgled and spat blood with each word she tried to utter. Andrades smiled before walking toward her until he was standing over her body.
Andrades shot a glance at Wiley, who tripped over himself in fear. He had never witnessed anything like this before and Andrades enjoyed his misery, feeding off his fear.
“You lost before you even began,” Andrades proclaimed. “When Salamandra informed me of your plan, I took the necessary steps to counter them. First, I found all the information I could about you, Wiley. When I learned that you were the head of the Spell Network, I knew I could use you to get what I was looking for. But I needed a way to get here. So, I had Salamandra convince the court members that you had information on a prophecy that didn’t exist. I knew they’d bring me if their lives were threatened by the confirmation of the prophecy. They could kill two birds with one stone. Kill me and find the Montcroix children.”
Wiley stared at him blankly as Andrades studied his face. “You knew from the beginning? You played us like fools.”
“It wasn’t hard, actually. Before leaving my estate, I had Avrice’s training accelerated. And tonight was his final
test. And he passed,” Andrades explained. “I was sure they wouldn’t have allowed me to bring Salamandra with me after I summoned her at will, in fact, I was counting on it. I had Salamandra kill the guards and open a portal for Avrice to come through. It was his scepter I used to give Wiley’s guards. So that it would be in his possession upon his arrival while I kept my conduit with me this entire time.”
“Sneaky!” Salamandra hissed.
“You’ve done your part Salamandra; you can take your leave.”
“Oh, no more bloodshed? Fine,” she responded, disappearing before them.
Wiley stood in disbelief as he listened to Andrades. He watched Andrades as he began to walk toward him steadfastly, his expression plain, but his eyes filled with blood-lust.
“To be honest, even if I hadn’t done all of that, the result would have been the same. I needed to make sure the pieces were in place. I mean, honestly, your code to bring me here was r-4-v-3-n-d-3-a-d, anyone paying attention could see that it spells out RAVEN DEAD.”
In one motion he turned, removing the blade from his cane and slashed a strike of red energy toward Lyberia’s carcass, finishing whatever was left of her. Wiley knocked over a glass from the table as he tried to back away, catching Andrades' attention. He walked toward Wiley, who scrambled away from Andrades, until back against the bar.
“What to do with you, I wonder?” he pondered. He placed his cane in front of him and balanced himself on it. “You did find what I was looking for.”
“I will give you anything, anything you want! Money, names, deals whatever, just please let me and my family go! I’m sorry I involved—”
“Enough!” Andrades roared, causing Wiley to jump in fear. “I’ve heard enough of your drivel for one night. First, you disrespect and mock me, and then you try to help them kill me!”
“I’m sorry, please don’t kill me! I’ll do whatever you want! I just don’t want to die!”
Andrades paused for a moment and smiled grotesquely. He placed his blade back into the cane and twisted it sharply.
A Royal Game Page 6
