Path of the Dragon Mage (Nomad) 23. An Offer To Refuse (Patreon)

Starella blinked blearily at him. She looked around. "Where am–" Her eyes fell on Charm, and she took a sharp breath.

"Don't scream!" Corvus snapped, sharper than he intended. The last thing he wanted to do was to bring guards up to this location – or panic Starella into using her Air Talent against him.

Not until he needed her to.

But Starella had more self-control than he thought. Her gaze whipped from Corvus to Charm and back again. "A dragon?" she breathed. "Your dragon?"

"Her name is Charm," Corvus confirmed.

"You did it? You hatched a dragon?" She sat up to her knees, headless of ruining the priceless dress on the damp grass. "This isn't a trick? Like—Like–"

"Zriah the Foolish?" he said wryly. "No, and that was a legitimate hatching, too – likely the last legitimate hatching before Charm."

"Zriah was meant to be a true monarch?" But before Corvus could answer, Starella shook her head. "Then why are you here? In this city? Corvus, where have you been?"

His cousin had grown up so much in the last few years, but there was a childlike quality in her words. It made him feel like an absolute heel. She was only fourteen – a year younger than he was when he left the palace.

And he was going to have to be harsh with her. Take some of the hard-learned lessons his father had beaten into him and use them.

"It's... it's a long story,” he hedged, hating himself.

"You were gone! I thought you were dead!"

To his horror, tears pooled in her eyes. "You were struck from the records– no one would speak your name. It was as if the boy I had known for years had become a ghost!"

Her voice wobbled at the end.

Corvus did the only thing he could think to do: He pulled his cousin into a rough hug.

Starella went stiff in surprise – he'd been spending too much time with the effusive Horse Folk. Gwen would hug anyone at the drop of a hat. Corvus had not escaped Roan's bear-like arms a time or two.

But royals were not touched.

He let her go and he wasn't sure who was more embarrassed – him or her.

"I wasn't given much of a choice to leave," he said. "And I couldn't write."

Anger made her regain her composure. "That's not an answer. Corvus, you could be king, and you've–what–been here playing around being commoner? Utterly neglecting your duties?"

Charm rumbled unhappily. "You're very judgmental for someone so squishable."

Starella whipped back to her. "You... you can't say that. You can't threaten–"

"She can and she will," Corvus said, "And I haven't neglected my duties. I've been furthering my education–I told you it's a long story, but first: What are you doing outside the palace?"

He wasn't sure if Starella would answer – if she would hold back due to pride or intimidation.

Her answer surprised him. "I'm looking for you, of course."

"Why?"

Something flickered in Starella's eyes. "There have been unsettling rumors of an exile prince wandering the kingdom. No one knew if you were alive or dead–the king charged me to discover the truth."

Corvus cocked his head. "You're lying."

Immediately, Starella drew herself up to standing. "How dare you! I am a princess. And you are–"

"The next king," Corvus said, "If I want to be."

"You have been struck from the records by the king's own hand. You–"

"And I have a skill that tells me when people lie. You are lying," Corvus lied.

He wasn't lying about the skill – his Deception skill had come in handy more times than he could count. But it had its limits. It didn't go off when the person was speaking a falsehood they truly believed, and it didn't pick up murky lies of omission. Some people–mostly nobles– had the talent of using the truth to lie as well.

Someone could tell Corvus that the sky was green today and ping his Deception skill. But they could say that the sky was cloudy when there were two far off clouds in the distance over a blue sparkling day, and the Deception skill would stay silent.

So no, Corvus wasn't told by his skills... he had known his cousin for years when they'd both been children. She had been like a younger sister to her. She had grown and changed. Just as he had grown and changed.

But something in her manner reminded him strongly of his mother. One thing he had learned was when his mother spoke, it was usually a lie.

"What do you mean by skill?" Starella asked. "Do you mean your talent?"

He hesitated. "Starella, when you left the palace complex, did anything... happen?"

She stared. "What do you mean?"

Charm spoke, blunt as always. "Were you offered the Paths?"

"The... what?" She looked flummoxed.

Corvus let out a breath. He stood, ignoring the fact that Starella stepped back from him as if he were dangerous. When he saw her he had half hoped, half dreaded she would be able to access the Paths as well. The system had engaged for him the moment he stepped foot out of the vast palace complex for the first time. There was no reason he should be the only one.

Yet... Starella had access to the elemental Talents of Air and a minor in Earth. He couldn't get a puff of dust to rise without blowing on it, first.

Starella seemed as confused by his agitation as by his line of questioning, but she recovered quickly, drawing herself up.

"I have a proposition for you."

He stopped, He had, he realized, been pacing. "What would that be?"

Starella gestured to Charm. "Tell me the secret of hatching my dragon egg."

She is bold, I'll give her that, Charm murmured in his mind.

Corvus shook his head. "Why would I do that?"

Starella wasn't just bold. The way she drew herself up was nearly regal. "Because if you wanted to rule, you would have returned to the palace. Because my mother is all but heir to the throne, and I am her daughter. Because – and forgive me for saying this cousin – you have never excelled magically or politically. Furthermore, your blood claim has been made legally void. Your only path to the throne is through your dragon, and you had to commit a capital crime – the removal of your egg – to do it."

Charm hissed in displeasure, but Corvus remained silent, watching her speak. His Deception skill had finally pinged for his attention, at her very last sentence. Something about that was a blatant lie.

The rest was stark truth. They both knew it.

Starella continued, "You are not fit to rule. I am. Give me the secret of hatching the egg and I will reward you handsomely. I will pardon any crime you have committed. I will use my clout as queen to ensure you are named heir to the Shield House. And as my beloved cousin, I will allow your children to choose eggs from the hatching grounds so that they may have a chance at the throne. The kingdom needs to have a strong ruler, a true monarch. I won't be held back by direct bloodlines, like our ancestors. What do you say?"

All truth, as far as he could tell. Except for the moment with removing the dragon eggs, her offer was sincere.

He turned to Charm. "You're right. She is pretty good."

The dragon made a hiccupping rumble that was her version of a chortle.

"What does that mean?" Starella asked. "Do you accept?"

Corvus turned to her. "Cousin, you don't know the first thing about our kingdom. Neither did I, when I first left the palace. And the more I've learned, the more I've seen how stupidly out of touch the king is."

Her jaw dropped. "You can't say that. That's treason–"

He overrode her as if she weren't speaking. "And you've forgotten something else."

Starella pressed her lips together, but when Corvus didn't go on she finally gave in. "What have I forgotten?"

"That this entire city, and everyone in it, is about to be overrun by a ratkin swarm."

For the first time, she seemed uneasy. "The Governor assured me they were vermin."

"I think he was trying not to upset a very powerful guest in his estate," Corvus said pointedly.

"I saw a mouse nest in a pantry once," Starella insisted. "It was not frightening in the least."

He had to reach for his Emotional Control not to smile. "Let's see if you think the same in a few days. The swarm will be at the gates soon."

"You're patronizing me."

"I am. It's just... you have no idea what you're talking about, or what's coming."

She scowled. "Am I to assume then that you will not give me the secret of hatching the egg?"

There was a very, very slight tremor under his feet. Easy to mistake for a distant shift in the ancient building. But Corvus knew better. He'd been waiting for something like this.

Charm was instantly alert. "Corvus–"

He shook his head, stopping her with a thought. This was something he had to face alone.

He looked at his cousin. "The method I used to hatch her egg isn't available to you."

"Why? What is it?"

"You wouldn't understand," he said. "You weren't set on the right Path. I'm sorry."

Her expression creased in anger. "I'm sorry, too. There's something you've forgotten in your time away, Corvus. It should have never come to this."

She clenched her fists the stone underfoot became instantly as soft as clay. In the next moment, it flowed up over Corvus's boots to lock him in place with squeezing strength. One thought, one twitch, and the delicate bones from the ankle down would be pulped.

Corvus flicked his hand down, and the mana-needle he had up his sleeve fell between his fingers. It took a blink of an eye to pour mana in, another to throw the needle to strike right before Starella's boots.

The blast was instant – and relatively minor. He hadn't charged the needle for more than a moment.

Starella was thrown up and back by the force of the explosion. She screamed, flailing wildly, and came down with her hands outstretched. There was a very distinctive crack as bone broke.

The living stone had stopped flowing up Corvus's legs the moment Starella's concentration broke. Charm stepped forward and used her claws to flake it away. The stone was too much for him to break out of, but easy for her.

"Did she expect me to stand back and watch you be covered in stone?" Charm asked.

Corvus grimaced as he stepped free. Those had been good boots and now they were terribly scuffed. "No, she intended to threaten both of us into compliance."

Then he walked over to where his cousin was stirring on the ground, being sure to pick up the fallen mana needle on the way.

Starella had sat up, clutching her right arm in her left hand. She breathed out in harsh pants, eyes wide and staring. Her thumb was pointed at an unnatural angle.

"Let me see." Corvus knelt beside her.

She flinched. "What–What did you–"

"I've been working as a healer," he said impatiently. "Give me your arm."

He gripped her elbow and she cried out. But it was mostly in shock, he knew. The real pain would come later – if he did nothing.

"You've dislocated your thumb, and I suspect your wrist is broken," he said clinically.

"What did you do to me?" Tears ran down her face.

He looked her in the eyes. "I've learned magic, and I defended myself with it. That was me being nice. If you ever try to hurt me, Charm, or anyone else I care for, I won't hold back. Do you understand?"

She stared at him.

"I need your word, Starella."

Tears trickled from her eyes, but she nodded. When he continued to glare, she whispered, "Yes. You have it."

He let out a breath. He had heard his own father in his voice when he'd dragged the promise out of her, but even with his runes, Starella was more powerful than he was. He couldn't afford to let her know that, however.

"Hold still so I can heal you."

"You... what? How?"

He smiled. "I told you. Magic."

"But–"

He took her distraction to snap her thumb back into place.

Starella howled, shoving him aside so she could curl over her hand. Corvus took the opportunity to search in his pockets for the right runes.

Starella didn't, he noticed, reach for her elements again.

"I know that hurt," he said, "But that was the worst of it. This will take care of the rest of the pain."

She glared at him over wet, splotchy cheeks and only held out her arm with the greatest reluctance.

Her distrust turned to confusion and wonder when, after he ensured the bones were aligned, he slapped a Knit Bone rune on her wrist followed by a Reduce Swelling (minor).

"What are those?" Marveling, she picked up one of the paper squares, now blank that the rune was used.

"Old magic, I think. I'll explain, but it's going to take time–"

"People are coming up the far stairwell," Charm reported, from where she had keeping watch. "Guards, likely. You two have been noisy. Especially her."

Corvus nodded, stood, and held out a hand to help Starella to her feet. "Be careful with the arm. The bone is healed but it's going to be tender for a few days."

To his surprise, she clutched at his arm in much the same way she had clutched at the guard captain. "You're not leaving me. I don't know where I am, or who is about to arrive–"

"I'm not leaving," Corvus assured her. "You're coming with me. Have you ever wanted to ride a dragon?"