AO 4 Ch 29 (Patreon)

Chapter 29

I had explained what I could of my accidental use and purposeful use of soul magic, as well as my interactions with the goddess to Aurelia’s Uncle Silver.

The old man documented everything I had said, and I was now a little suspicious that it was so that he could kill me if I ever became such a monster as he feared.

At the same time, I really didn’t want to get on the bad side of this man and dutifully answered all of his questions.

Maribelle arrived with the axe just as we finished.

Uncle Silver turned to her entry. “Let me see the weapon.”

She stepped up and handed him the axe after a questioning glance at me.

He held it up so that the light from the windows caught on the edge and the gems inlaid into it. “It’s one solid piece of metal. There’s no sign of fusing.” Tapping it, he sent some magic into the ax and it caught fire. “Such pure bluesteel. I’ve never seen a weapon of this quality.”

“Well, it was made from a goddess in exchange for an axe from another god. Think Aurelia will like it? Still have to figure out how to smuggle it into the ball to give it to her.” I said.

“The ball after the Elder Trial?” He asked.

“Yep, that’s the one.”

“You might as well declare House Aldis the new royal family and present it to her from the throne. Such an act would be the peak of arrogance, especially if your mother wins the seat.” The old man glared at me, judging me.

“Sounds perfect. You think the king would let me borrow the throne for the night? I don’t want to keep it, just play king for a night and then fuck off to the war.” I said a giant grin spreading across my face.

He ignored most of what I said. “You want to rush off to fight that badly?” He asked, still admiring the axe.

“No, not at all. It’s a great excuse to get out of the city and all the boring old people.” I paused. “Yourself excluded of course.” I added with heavy sarcasm.

That earned me a glare and he handed the axe back to Maribelle. “You may leave.” He dismissed her. “As for you. I don’t believe you’re a threat at present. You seem to be learning your magic from a source greater than me. If I liked you, I had hoped to offer some guidance in what might be possible.”

“That’d be great. The goddess really only talks to me after I fuck something up. So, give me a few more spells to butcher and I can get some cheap advice from her.” I peered at the book.

“There are tales of teleportation, monsters made of shadows, personality alteration as well as all manner of physical alteration.” He started to list off abilities he had read.

“Wait wait. Go back to the teleportation. You mean like disappearing here and appearing somewhere else?” I was immensely interested. I could think of so many ways to mess with Emlyn with an ability like that.

“Yes, though they talk about shadows being involved.” He clarified.

“Ah. Like the spell to look through shadows? Only, moving yourself through them…” I thought about that one for a moment and dismissed trying it for the moment. No need to spook the big powerful man who until recently was thinking about killing me. “Raven sphere is probably my weakest one. Maybe I’ll play with that another time.”

The door to the library slammed open and a very drunk Aurelia stumbled in. “There you are! Unci!” She squeaked the last when she saw the older man after stepping around a shelf.

“Who else would you expect to find here?” He gave her a kind smile, which was an entirely different smile than I had received while he was taking notes on how to kill me should I go out of control.

She covered her mouth. “Sorry. There’s a commotion over at the Aldis Estate. I need to get my mage.”

I glanced at the old Virel to make sure that he wasn’t going to act. “Alright. Happy to go. Unci Silver was a wonderful guest and even taught me a few things.”

“Fuck.” Aurelia muttered. “He heard.” She apparently couldn’t whisper when drunk.

“You’re still speaking aloud.” I patted her shoulder and pushed her out, happy to escape the old mage.

If I could help it, I’d never come back to that room.

“Unci Silver is great, isn’t he?” She said in the hall.

“Yeah. When he doesn’t want to kill you. I think he sees me much in the same light as a monster. It seems some of the past four spheres were corrupted by their own power.” I sneered.

“They became corrupteds?” She asked.

“No. Not officially.” I was kind of curious what Eva’s side of the history textbooks would say about all that I had just heard. Something told me that the books lauded the  accomplishments of the four spheres and ignored the bad stuff.

After all, history was written by those in charge. Yet it always seemed those in charge became more depraved over time. I wasn’t sure if they were corrupted or those that sought power were always a little wrong in the head to begin with.

“What’s the disturbance?” I asked.

“Forces from the palace have descended on your house.” She blinked as fire danced off her hair as her expression sharpened as she burned the alcohol out of her system.

I kissed her hand and dumped a ton of magic into her.

“What’s all this for?” She recognized the amount of magic she was receiving.

“I thought I was going to fight your uncle for a minute. Grab on.” As soon as we exited the manor, the ground underneath me lifted up and carried me over the wall between our two Houses.

It was immediately obvious there was a problem.

Aldis personnel filled the garden while a small army arrayed themselves at the gate.

Anadonis was standing at the gate, arguing with someone only to glance over his shoulder to spot me and wave me closer.

I flew down closer only to see Carmilla and a woman covered in gold and jewels with her. “Ah. I think I know what this is about.” I said as I landed next to my grandfather.

“Good. Then we need an answer.” The woman’s voice was grating enough that I winced. Wow, I was impressed the king managed to survive a night with this banshee. He probably made her keep her mouth closed. I’d love to muzzle her about now too.

“Well, maybe I’m not as caught up as I thought, because you’re the one who owes me an answer. You assaulted a guest of House Aldis over a fucking coat. Do you really think that means I have to answer you?” I opened up my wolf sphere as much as I could and pushed earth magic into the ground with a touch of my soul magic.

The city rumbled around us.

Personally, I thought it was a nice effect.

Guards grabbed onto their weapons to steady themselves while anchors made sure their mages weren’t about to topple over. The shaking wasn’t enough to bother the buildings, but it probably sobered up a few of the Virels.

Carmilla’s eyes flashed and she stabilized the ground underneath herself. “What are you doing?!”

“Getting a little angry being yelled at by two women with more privilege than sense.” I glared back at her.

“Now, Ard.” My grandfather put a hand on my shoulder. “Inflaming this conflict is not the reason you’ve been brought.”

“Oh. Then what was the question you wanted answered, Grandfather?” I put my hands behind my back like a polite child. This was all an act, frustratingly, he was playing along.

“Two anchors have died. In times such as this war, we must preserve every life we can.” He said, even as his eyes looked like they were about to roll out of his head.

I couldn’t help it, I snorted as I tried to stop a laugh. “She sent fifty anchors to try and assassinate my mother. By the way, all of which are dead and picked over by the wolves now.” My gaze went past the two women to the guards and anchors behind them. “How many of you knew those fifty men and women that she threw away because she’s too chicken shit to do anything herself?”

“Arden.” My grandfather snapped.

“Do not bother silencing him now.” The woman next to Carmilla looked like she wanted to take a bite out of me. Yeah, she really needed that muzzle. I’d bet she’s a biter.

“Okay, fine. What is it that they want? After having two of her anchors draw their swords in a shop over a coat, what is our punishment?” I crossed my arms.

“I want your tongue cut out.” The woman glared at me.

“Pass. And you certainly cannot take it here today.” I snapped back.

“You will kneel now and apologize to me.” The woman demanded. “Then you will bring the mage and anchor that acted against me and I will take their heads today.”

I stuck my pinky in my ear to try and clear out some of the wax. It must be interfering with my ability to understand this woman correctly. Because she was just trying one unreasonable demand after the other. “How many people have knelt before you to lose their heads?”

“Dozens? Hundreds?” She frowned at the question. “Just last week a servant tried to poison me with bad wine and I had them executed.”

I blinked at her. “Like poison poison or was the wine just bad?”

“Does it matter?” She blinked as if it hadn’t even occurred to her.

“Uhh…” I looked around to see if anyone else was going to pile on and try to handle the obvious crazy in front of me, but they all seemed cowed by the woman and Carmilla. “Yeah. It matters a lot. Like, that was someone’s life.”

“A peasant’s life isn’t comparable to mine.” She waved away my statement.

Right. I forgot what level of corrupt officials I was dealing with. Just imagine ruling a kingdom and having people like this surrounding you. What kind of absolute filth of a human being do have to be to allow it to continue?

“Alright. So, kindly fuck off or draw your weapons and learn just how greatly outmatched you are here today.” I could only sense the two mages in their group. Meanwhile, behind me there were a dozen Aldis mages.

“Arden.” My grandfather sighed. Though he didn’t stop me. Which was odd, but I was going to continue since he’d chosen to bring me into this.

Carmilla waved her hand. A few on their side parted, and two of our house’s mages were brought forward, cuffed in the back and guarded by anchors. “Kindly kneel and bring forward the accused for execution, or we will consider House Aldis in rebellion.”

These mages must have been out around the city and arrested for just this.

I grunted. This was actually quite the pickle.

Pushing death upon those two by continuing to side with the guests would make me hated by my own house.

Yet, giving up Eva, Vivi and Zuri was impossible. There wasn’t only my reluctance to give them away, but also there was an incredibly dangerous Vel’shae in the city that might go on a rampage if Eva dies. I was fairly certain he would take her death quite poorly.

Among the choices presented to me, there really wasn’t a good option. I glanced at my grandfather's face.

He probably knew those two mages were missing before I ran my mouth. That’s why he looked like he’d been sucking on a lemon.

To give up a guest was another painful smear on House Aldis’ reputation as well.

Of course, I could always make an option for myself. Grandfather was letting me talk not just because it was related to me, but because he certainly had plans on pushing me further up the House Aldis tree. Yet at the same time I had walked into a situation with no right answer. Actually, he was using me to protect my mother from having to make this decision.

There was always a third option.

“You think that’s a threat?” I scoffed and lifted a finger as two spikes of ice flew from my hand, causing the guards to jump out of the way.

The ice spikes pierced the throats of both Aldis House members and I turned to Carmilla. “Have any more hostages you want me to put down?”

People behind me gasped and even Carmilla looked at me like I was the monster.

Yet, I stood there and stared down the rest of her guards.

Maybe today I needed to be a monster.

“They’re dead.” An anchor kneeling by them announced.

The gazes on me intensified.

“They have failed House Aldis in being captured.” I stated flippantly. “I’m not a monster, just the executioner. Leave their bodies, we’ll hold a funeral. They deserve that at least.”

“Ard.” Aurelia held my arm and stared into my eyes.

“Trust me.” I nodded and turned away from the gate. “We are done here. Bring a bigger army if you want to force me out.” Using earth magic, I slammed the gate in their face and turned to my grandfather. “So, my mother isn’t here because there’s no way she handles this and walks away unmarried for her eventual ascent to matriarch of the family.”

He grimaced. “Those two have been missing since this morning. I knew the second she showed up where they had gone.”

“Wonderful.” My tone was dry. “I’m happy to become the villain. Just don’t make me a monster, otherwise Uncle Silver next door might come take my head.” I turned and walked into the manor calling behind me. “I want those bodies.”

The people in the garden shivered and moved out of my way.

Emlyn came to my side as soon as she could and walked with me into the manor. “You just killed them both.” All of my anchors convened on me.

“Carmilla set that up. I was given a choice, either kill them with my words or hand over Eva, Vivi and Zuri for execution. Both of those options would make me look incredibly weak and in Carmilla’s power. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go throw up in private before we do what’s next.” I hurried up the stairs once I was out of sight and rushed to the closest room, which was Aurelia’s, diving for her toilet and hurling into it.

“Bucket of water.” Maribelle appeared carrying it. “I’ll have both bodies brought to the cellar.” She was chipper and nearly skipped out of the room after handing off the bucket.

“Am I the only one slightly uncomfortable with how happy she seemed?” Aurelia asked.

“You are not alone.” Emlyn didn’t stop staring at me. “I’m more concerned with what Ard is about to do. I thought we said no more playing with souls and bodies?”

I held a finger up as I spat into the toilet. “Correction. You requested that I not bring you back to life. There was never a ban on bringing other people back to life, besides there were only two dead people, so I’m not going to mix them up.”

“Pretty sure there was a ban on all general stuffing of souls back into bodies, but I’d like to also extend that at this moment to stuffing souls into any object. Just to be safe..” Zuri added.

“Ard. I’m so sorry.” Eva burst into the room on the verge of tears.

“Not a problem.” I really hoped she didn’t start crying. Then I really would not know what to do. “Just throwing up is all. So, maybe let’s say you owe me breakfast?”

“Their lives mean that little to you?” Vivi gasped from behind Eva.

I hesitated. “Just come with me. Maribelle should be making sure the bodies are brought into the cellar.” I used the bucket of water to rinse my mouth out and refilled the toilet. “Alright, let’s get moving.”

My anchors who understood what was happening were less worried, but Vivi and Eva followed with a strange look on their faces.

Rather than go back through the main hall of the house, we went down a back staircase straight from the second floor to the cellar.

Maribelle was already guiding several workers to place them while my grandfather shifted his gaze to me.

“What are you planning?”

“Something a little stupid. After I finish here, they’ll need to be kept out of sight for a while.” I waited until Emlyn gave me the thumbs up that we were alone and then focused.

After I found their souls drifting away, I quickly grabbed the souls and stuffed them back into their bodies. At the same time, I placed my hands on their foreheads and pumped life magic to heal their throats.

A throat wound wasn’t that hard to heal. It was certainly deadly, but not nearly as magic intensive to heal as a hole in someone’s head or heart.

Both of them were covered in still drying blood as they sat up and gasped.

“That’s me!” They said in unison and pointed at each other.

“Whoops.” I made two manticore claws that spun around and slit their throats again.

My grandfather, Vivi and Eva wore the same stunned expression.

“My bad… let’s just…” I went about picking the souls back up and carefully swapped them. Really, I had a fifty-fifty chance of getting it right. Figures.

“Can’t make a mistake, he says.” Emlyn muttered behind me. “Remember that time you put a corrupted’s soul in your favorite horse, by accident of course.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re never going to let that one go, are you?”

“He did what?” Vivi shouted.

“Is that surprising, given he’s reviving these two?” My grandfather stared at the two bodies as I healed them again and they sat up, turning to me with wide, naked fear on their faces.

“Hiya.” I waved. “Okay. So I’ve killed you twice, but I’ve brought you back twice to make up for it. Even?” I held out a hand for the first one to shake.

“What’s happening?” The other asked.

“You two are going to have to hide for a time.” My grandfather wasn’t stupid. “You were both used as hostages by Carmilla and killed in front of the family as well as Carmilla’s people. For you to pop back up would create too many questions.”

“What about our anchors?” One asked.

“If they are bonded, they should feel you even now.” I said, having felt a connection to one of them lingering. “You have one?” I pointed to the one on the left.

“Yes.” He blinked. “You killed me twice.”

“Wow, you’re slow. We are well past that. Come on, keep up. Also, I just want to reiterate the bit where I brought you back, twice. Now, your anchor is trying to fight her way down here. Em, go get her. Non-bonded anchors will be held liable for your capture and taken away.” I laid out what I thought, glancing towards my grandfather. “We’ll vet them and take them away for failing their oaths. Maybe if they pass, they can join you later.”

“I’ll move them to act as merchants. That means not using magic.” My grandfather glared at both of them. “Consider this your punishment for failing to preserve yourself and putting the house at risk.”

“This…” One glanced at the other.

“At least we aren’t dead. Will we be able to come back at some point?” The other asked.

“Not until the situation is settled, which may take several seasons.” My grandfather shook his head and glanced at me.

“Whatever, people can treat me like the bad guy if that’s what it takes.” I shrugged. My anchors, those that I cared about, knew the truth and would stick with me. I couldn’t be bothered with everyone else’s opinions.

“Thank you. I know this will be a burden. Hopefully the Elder Trial will settle some of this for a while.” My grandfather said.

I thought about what had happened so far and I didn’t believe it would. As long as Carmilla was alive, the pressure would never let up. Hoping that each minor victory in holding back her ambition only delayed it rather than solved the problem.

Ultimately, Carmilla needed to die.