The Forgotten Queen

by Matt Glicksman

  "What's it like?" Sonojj asked.

  "It's really not all that different, except instead of just the Devil's voice in your head, you have a human voice too. Personally, I realized I don't want the entire kingdom to fall to the demons."

  "And what about the process of liberation? Does it hurt?"

  "It's nothing like the agony. I can tell you that. There's some discomfort, but the most bizarre part is being inside your own head, seeing your human side that's been locked away for who knows how long."

  Sonojj's ear twitched. In the distance, he could hear the footfalls of a group walking with purpose. He took a quick sniff and caught the scent of rose hip oil, a favorite of Lunargrace.

  "They're coming."

  There was silence from Jin.

  "What are you waiting for?" Sonojj asked. "You need to leave if you don't want to get pulled into this."

  "I was just trying to think of an appropriate farewell since you probably don't want the angels watching over you. So, I'll simply wish you good luck. If you see Flinch again, tell him…tell him I said hello."

  "Thank you, and I will."

  The flap smacked the outside of the tent as Jin scurried away. Sonojj sat with his arms crossed, waiting patiently for the Para Paya to arrive. The mention of Flinch sparked the memory of when Sonojj first met Jin in Djjatol. She and Flinch had both served under Alejjir for many years. In fact, the way Flinch had told the story, Jin was Alejjir's second-in-command until he died at the Assault on Light's Haven. After the Assault, she ran off to the Coast while Flinch joined up with Agalia. Six years later, the Seductress brought her band of lieutenants to Djjatol. She had something to take care of nearby, but to this day, Sonojj never figured out what that was.

  During their time in Djjatol, Flinch reconnected with Jin and introduced her to Sonojj and Reaper. The four of them spent weeks together until Agalia completed her mission. After that, Sonojj hadn't sensed Jin again until his stopover in Djjatol a couple days earlier. Footsteps entering his tent brought him back to the present.

  Sonojj breathed in deeply. "Lunargrace, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

  "Incredible," the elder said. "How'd you know it was me?"

  "The nose never lies."

  "Ah. Listen, Sonojj, I wish I were here under better circumstances, but unfortunately, something troubling has been circulating in the camp."

  The blind demon cocked his head. "Troubling?"

  "Yes, you see, I've been told someone has come to Nua'dem to kill Agalia."

  "Kill Agalia? Who would do such a thing?"

  "Based on what we've heard, well, you."

  Sonojj paused. "I'm not sure I follow. Why would I want to kill her?"

  "Well, that's what I was hoping to find out from you. Do you have any idea why someone would make this up?"

  "No."

  "May I ask about the quarantined energy in your body? It appears to be foreign to you."

  Sonojj casually lied. "Sure, it belongs to my sister. We were kindred demons."

  "I see."

  "So, tell me. Who's accusing me of planning to carry out this murder?" Sonojj feigned confusion. He knew exactly who Lunargrace was going to name.

  "Agalia."

  The blind demon was stunned. His hearing was impeccable, but there was no way he had heard that correctly. "Uh…I…um…uh…sorry?"

  "Agalia. She overheard a plot in which you were sent to Nua'dem to kill her. Do you deny this?"

  Sonojj was having trouble connecting the dots. Jin spoke to Millan. How did Agalia find out? He set aside the question for another time. His plan just got a lot simpler. "Um…yes, of course, I deny it. And, I'd like to speak with her."

  "You have the right," Lunargrace said. "But under the circumstances, I can only allow this to happen if you're restrained."

  "But I haven't done anything wrong."

  "I understand that. It's simply a precaution until we can ascertain the truth. Please."

  Sonojj grumbled, even though he was jumping for joy on the inside. "I was just looking for some peace on the Coast. Isn't that what you Para Paya are always offering? I thought I might rejoin with Agalia when I found out she was here, but you turned me away. And now, you come with this ridiculous claim. I'm not happy about this."

  "I assure you, neither am I. So it's best we get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible. Will you cooperate?"

  Sonojj held out his hands. "Fine."

  The flap of the tent swished, and two distinct scents entered. The demon's wrists were bound, and he was helped to his feet.

  "As you know, killing is strictly forbidden on the Coast, with the exception of self-defense," Lunargrace reminded him.

  "I'm well aware."

  "I just want to be clear because I know you're a shape-shifter. If you think you'll be able to break free and kill Agalia before we stop you, you should reconsider your plan."

  Sonojj shook his head. "I would never. I'm not here to kill her."

  "I'm glad to hear it. Bring him."

  The blind demon felt a hand gently grip each arm as he was escorted out of his tent and guided through the encampment. With every step, he was that much closer to fulfilling his goal. His heart pounded in anticipation. He had successfully tiptoed his way through the interrogation, but the next step would be much harder. He didn't have the energy skills of a zaidon. Breaking the barrier around the energy reservoir in order to trigger a purge would not be graceful. Sonojj knew it was going to be violent and painful, like stabbing himself with a knife. But even that pain would pale in comparison to the subsequent agony.

  Sonojj sniffed. That smell. It was Agalia, but with something extra. Rose hip oil. As the group drew closer, a tent flap rustled, and the Seductress's sweet scent was quickly dominated by one of stale sweat. The blind demon gagged. Faithful Maligus must have joined her.

  Lunargrace spoke first. "Agalia, here is the demon you believe to be after your life. He denies any such plan to kill you."

  "Does he? I request to speak with him alone in my tent."

  There was a long pause. "Alone? I have to advise against that. It's best if—"

  Agalia cut him off. "It's best if you listen to me and let me speak with him alone. Sonojj, do you have any objections?"

  The blind demon's pulse quickened as he tried to contain his excitement. Away from prying eyes, he could set off the purge with no one being the wiser. Sonojj and Agalia would both die, and all evidence in the small area would be destroyed. With no one able to discern what had happened, Verago's pact with the Para Paya would remain intact. Sonojj took a moment to calm himself. "None, as long as Maligus stays here with them."

  "Of course."

  Lunargrace grumbled. "This is a bit unusual, but if you both agree, then that's what we'll do. We'll be right here outside the tent if you need anything. And Sonojj, this doesn't change what I told you about shape-shifting."

  "Understood. I will remain in this form until my name has been cleared."

  "This way, then," Agalia said.

  Sonojj's ears twitched as he followed the sound of her feet crunching the snow. He held his breath as he walked by Maligus and into the tent. The blind demon had not imagined a better outcome. Now, he just had to wait for the right moment. That, and work up the courage to break the barrier. The tent flap clapped shut as Sonojj felt the ground change from snow to a soft carpet. He paused after a few steps and wiggled his toes.

  Agalia clicked her tongue. "You know, I suspected Verago would send an assassin, but I can honestly say I wasn't expecting it to be you."

  "I'm not sure what you mean."

  "Come now, it's just us. There's no need for the act. You've definitely been to see Verago. How else do you explain the pouch of energy you're trying to hide?"

  Sonojj smirked. "I told your plaything I was a kindred demon."

  "He has a good heart, but he's completely blind to reality." Her voice moved as she circled him. "He wants to believe in the inherent goodness of demons s
o badly. He actually thought if I shared a meal with a priest and a paladin, we would magically love one another and bring peace to the kingdom."

  "Priest and paladin?"

  "Yes, some ambassador. I've already forgotten his name." Agalia sighed. "How did it come to this, Sonojj? Was I not good enough to you?"

  "Don't act like you don't know what this is about."

  "I watched out for you for more than a century. I would've thought that alone earned me some loyalty."

  "Ha! Loyalty? You're going to talk about loyalty? You betrayed Verago."

  "Verago's betrayed all of us!" Agalia snapped back. "He's been the Devil for nearly four hundred years, and what's he accomplished? Failure after failure, and we're expected to just keep dying and coming back. Where was he at the Assault on Light's Haven? Hmm? Where is he now? It's time for someone to succeed him, to end this war that's been dragging on and on with no end. I'm tired of it. Aren't you?"

  Sonojj had to admit to himself that the prospect of a peaceful life, not worrying about being hunted, was appealing. It's why he was tempted to take Jin's offer to run away. But, he had to stay on this path, if only for a little longer. "Verago has the Amulet. Verago is the one who gives us power. Our souls are bound to him. As long as this remains the truth, my loyalty will belong to him first."

  "Is that so? So you're saying this has nothing to do with your son?"

  "Don't be ridiculous."

  "All those years ago, you're still mad at me. I thought you would've moved on."

  "I did," Sonojj retorted. "It took some time, but I pushed it aside. Rationalized your decision to let him be captured. Left him to be cleansed, just like you did to Reaper. But, when I was in the Depths, while I was still a wanderer, I got to see him again."

  "Verago's quite clever, I'll give him that. I'm curious why he sent you back blind, though."

  "That was my request. I had already spent fifteen years refining my senses. I knew I could track you down better with just my improved hearing and smell. No point in having sight interfere."

  "And now you've successfully reached your target. Your son will soon be avenged."

  "No, you're wrong. I'm not here because of what you did to my son. I'm here because of what you did to Erynion, and what I can do to free my son."

  "Ah, and there it is. There's nothing I can offer you to compete with that. I guess there's nothing left to discuss then, is there?"

  Sonojj felt her fingers graze his back. "No."

  "I won't go down without a fight. You know that."

  "I don't expect there will be much of one."

  Agalia caressed his shoulder before pressing her body against his. As she stroked the hair that circled his bald head, she brought her lips to his ear. "This energy you have is much too powerful for you to control. Death by purge, is it?"

  Sonojj's heart hurled itself against his rib cage over and over. "It'll be over before you know it."

  "Painless?" Her voice had a slight quiver.

  "For you."

  "Oh, Sonojj, you deserve so much better than this. The agony isn't just a pain you feel in the moment. It will haunt you forever."

  "I've chosen this path. I can't abandon it now." The blind demon tried to steady his breathing. Breaking the barrier was easy in theory, but could he bring himself to do it? Could he plunge the metaphorical dagger into his own chest?

  "I'm ready." Agalia wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder. He felt her breath on his neck. Her lips gently pressed against his skin before sliding up next to his ear.

  "Here," she whispered. "Let me help you."

  Chapter 28

  "So, you think Eleza made it yet?" Flinch asked.

  "I don't know why you keep asking that," Altheus answered. Even though he had witnessed Flinch's behavior, the prince was still getting used to dealing with it directly. On one hand, Altheus found it annoying. But on the other, it was encouraging to see Flinch interact with him just as the jester had with Erynion. No one seemed to suspect the switch.

  "Well, no one was saying anything, so I thought I'd fill the void."

  Ojjuk growled. "Maybe don't think so much."

  "Let's see," Alejjir said. "The sun set about an hour ago. Jasper's a decent horse. If she's not there yet, she'll be there shortly."

  "You think Dulo kept up with her?" the jester asked.

  Altheus ignored the chatter and scanned the forest in the darkness. After weeks of being trapped inside their shared mind while Erynion freely roamed, it was a strange sensation to be in control of their body. As promised, Altheus had started work on the first gate seed. But that morning, he had also initiated his own plan and sent Eleza to North Refuge to seek out Nila. If Nila could act as a messenger between Altheus and Batar, perhaps the prince wouldn't have to kill his brother.

  "Hey, Erynion," the Marksman said. "I've been giving some thought to what you said before, about restoring me to a greater iymed."

  "Oh?"

  "Absolutely. And if you want to know who I really was, then now seems to be the perfect time. We're going to be walking for another twelve hours at least. Might as well knock this out along the way."

  Flinch clapped his hands. "Oh, Marksy, Marksy, can't wait to hear this."

  "And what makes you think I was including you?" Alejjir asked.

  "Well, I mean, we're all on the same team here. And you know about my thieving days."

  "Something you chose to share with me years ago."

  "Hey now, fair is fair," the jester insisted.

  "Are you planning to turn me back into a greater?" the Marksman asked.

  Flinch scoffed. "You know I can't do that."

  "Then?"

  The jester put his hands on his hips. "Look, if you think I'm just going to—"

  "Enough!" Ojjuk shouted. "Is it entirely impossible for you to walk in silence for five whole minutes? One's identity is a sacred thing, and it shouldn't be shared with every Dardan fool who demands it."

  "Ojjuk is right," Eyzora chimed in. "While I don't agree with Erynion, his reasons for requesting Alejjir's identity are valid. You, Flinch, have no such reason."

  Flinch folded his arms across his chest and huffed.

  "Come, let's give them some privacy. If you're a good little jester, I'll let you ride on my back."

  Altheus was surprised at the offer. The Denhauli were particular about letting anyone ride on them. After all, they could have made this trek to North Refuge much shorter, but it didn't seem like a battle worth having.

  With the wolves and Flinch out of earshot, Altheus asked, "Would you like to rest while you tell your story?"

  Alejjir shrugged. "I don't think it's necessary. I'm not tired. And we really shouldn't fall too far behind if you want to reach North Refuge at a reasonable time tomorrow."

  "As you wish. Begin when you're ready."

  The Marksman was quiet for a few moments. "I was born in Royal Oak over four hundred years ago. My parents were high nobility, specifically the duchess and duke. They named me Sabin. I don't suppose the name is familiar to you."

  "Sorry, no."

  "Perhaps another name is. Corriani?"

  "As in Queen Corriani? King Dardan's wife?"

  "The very same," Alejjir said. "Corriani was my sister. She was supposed to be the next duchess of Royal Oak, but as you know, King Vask made an arrangement with my parents to marry her to Dardan."

  "To appease the nobility."

  "Something like that. With Corriani off playing princess and future queen in Light's Haven, the title of duke fell to me. And so, for nearly thirty years, I governed Royal Oak."

  "So what happened? How did you die and become the Marksman?"

  Alejjir snorted. "That part's pretty boring. I died of old age, nearly seventy years old. And as for becoming a demon? Well, my soul was bound to Verago, so joining his army was the next logical step."

  "Wait, your soul was bound? Were you a Brother?"

  "Yeah, you could say that. You could a
lso say I was the overseer in Royal Oak for a while. My family was very close to Verago while he was still an angel, so it only made sense we were his strongest supporters when Vask went crazy and cut Verago's heart out."

  Altheus came to a standstill. "You want to run that by me again?"

  Alejjir scratched the back of his head. "One of these days, I'd really like to see what they're teaching the children about history."

  "I grew up learning King Vask was a hero. Verago was angry and jealous, and that's why he stole the Amulet and became the Devil. When I was in the Depths, Verago told me his side, but nowhere in there was anything about cutting out hearts."

  "Not surprising. It's a rather gruesome detail that represents the culmination of years of deception on the part of Vask. A figurative stab in the back, which was literally a stab in the chest, three I believe. All Verago wanted was to merge the Talisman and the Amulet, thereby putting a quick end to a war that had been ongoing for over a hundred years. And because of Vask's stupidity, selfishness, paranoia, whatever you want to call it, the war has continued for four hundred more years."

  "Why cut out his heart?" Altheus asked.

  "It's one of the three vertices. Did Verago not teach you that?"

  "He did. Heart, mind, and soul."

  "Then you know the heart represents action and strength. Verago was an angel, a being of light. With his heart removed, he lost his ability to wield his divine power. He had all this knowledge and energy, but no way to channel it." Alejjir shook his head. "When Vask realized Verago was powerless, he locked him in the dungeon."

  Altheus resumed the walk. "But, the Brotherhood eventually helped him escape and steal the Amulet. So, as a Brother, what was your role in all of this?"

  "I actually wasn't involved in the rescue attempt, but my mother worked closely with her cousin, Archdon Bamby, to devise the plan. It took them a few years to put it into action, but eventually they succeeded. Verago was freed, but Bamby was killed during the escape."