Damned if I Do: Chapter 8 (Patreon)

The Story Thus Far 

Chapter 8: For the Alliance

“Taylor… Taylor?”

My head jerked up. “Hmm?”

“You looked about ready to fall asleep.” Jaina gave me a fond smile, slipping into the chair across from me.

I rubbed my eyes. “I think I was asleep.” I took another swig of my tea, then frowned. “It’s cold.”

“Well, it looks like you left it for a bit.” She covered her laugh with a hand. “Is that the same cup you had when I left for the morning lesson?”

I pulled a face at that, pushing the tea away. With a wave of my hand, a pulse of light wiped away the remains of my tea. I waved down a waitress; we were outside the college itself, so no servant familiars. “Can I get another tea? Something stronger?”

“Of course, my lady.”

“Still not a lady,” I muttered as the young woman moved out of earshot. “At least this one didn’t make some holy sign.”

Jaina laughed again. “Maybe you shouldn’t have let Arthas know about your ability with the light.”

“Maybe your boyfriend should learn to keep his mouth shut.” I huffed.

“Taylor please.” Jaina looked away, pretending not to blush. “He’s not my boyfriend.”

“I’ll say.” I accepted the next cup of tea with a quiet thanks, immediately downing half of it. The scalding heat burned the back of my tongue, but it also served to wake me up. “If you were dating, you’d be the one upset that he was late.”

“Arthas has a number of responsibilities.” Jaina raised an eyebrow at me. “As do you, apparently. Why, I think I’ve seen you more asleep than awake in the last week.”

I sighed, rubbing my forehead as the caffeine started to kick in. It had been a week since I’d started studying the void under Kel’Thuzad, hadn’t it? One might think that the unstable and insidious energy of pure nothingness might be to blame for my state of exhaustion, but one would be wrong.

See, Kel’Thuzad was a night owl, so all of my lessons with him took place in the ‘small hours’ of the night, and I was lucky to get back to my rooms by 2 am. Jaina Proudmoore, on the other hand, was currently pursuing ‘dawn studies’, and so was waking up with the sun. At first glance, that seemed like no conflict at all, but it meant that the only time I had to practice was in the hours between dawn and noon, when Jaina came back to prepare for evening classes.

Classes that we shared. Because we were friends.

So, as always, hell was other people.

Jaina snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Are you falling asleep again, Taylor?”

I snorted, pushing her hand away. “Just thinking that not all of us are natural born protégés. I actually have to study to keep up with all the classes you signed me up for.” And with Kel’Thuzad’s lessons. The man expected excellence from everyone. It would have been insufferable if that didn’t also include himself.

Jaina fluttered her eyelashes innocently. For a moment, she looked like she could have been Lisa’s sister. “I thought you wanted to study with me.”

I brushed off the pang of melancholy with the ease of practice. “That’s what I thought as well, until I saw your schedule.”

She laughed again.

I raised an eyebrow. “What’s got you in such a good mood?”

“Hmm. I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Maybe I’m excited to hear the master plan you’ve been teasing me and Arthas with since you won your little bet.”

“I haven’t been teasing anyone.” I rolled my eyes. “I’ve been the one waiting for the two of you to have time. Do you know how hard it is to get a prince and an admiral’s daughter alone in a room together? What am I talking about.” I waved my hand. “Of course you know, Kael’s been trying all week.”

“Taylor!” Jaina’s blush came back in full force. “You, that, I! Kael and I are—”

I grinned as she paused, turning to the side to look up at a bemused Prince Arthas. “Taylor.” He looked like he was torn between laughing and leaving the café here and now. “Jaina. It’s good to see you… as always.”

“Finally.” I threw back the rest of my tea even as Jaina continued to stew in silent mortification across the table. “I actually did rent out a room for this, now that you finally showed up.” I pushed myself to my feet, waving the two blonds after me. Jaina and Arthas shared a significant look before falling in step next to each other.

Dalaran had a number of nicer inns near the College itself. I’d just rented a room, one with a nice table, to discuss my favorite topic with my two closest friends in this world.

That would be conspiracy, with Jaina and Arthas, in the Violet Verve inn.

Clue was a favorite of the Chicago Wards, in case you couldn’t tell.

The three of us quickly relocated to the room, with Jaina putting up a simple ward to block any eavesdroppers. More importantly, neither of them noticed the inactive spell I’d set. Void magic, as it turned out, was also incredibly useful for hiding things.

It would be useful for my demonstration later.

In any case, we all knew we were going to talk about my ‘plan’ to get Kel’Thuzad to vote in favor of Arthas’s delegation. It was the whole reason that Arthas had delayed his tour in Dalaran for longer than initially planned. It was also the subject of the bet I’d won with Arthas.

Of course, just because I’d gotten Arthas to agree with me didn’t mean Kel’Thuzad would. Mainly, it depended on what we had to offer him.

“In part,” Arthas started, “it took so long to arrange a meeting due to the Church of the Holy Light.” He gave a wry smile. “It took considerable powers of persuasion from me to convince the Abbess to leave you alone.”

“Thanks, but Deacon Simon really wasn’t that bad.”

“They would not have persisted with only Brother Simon.” Arthas shrugged. “In any case, what is done is done. I, for one, am no less eager to hear this plan of yours for the prolonged wait.”

“Well said.” I slipped into a seat at the table, pausing for a second. “I should have ordered more tea.”

“You have been up late recently.” Jaina slipped a seat as Arthas took a spot at her back, standing at parade rest. “I think you’ve just been secretly planning so you could impress us.”

“I’ve actually been practicing forbidden magic.” Jaina laughed at my dry tone. I waved a hand as I continued. “Really, when you get right down to it, we were looking at this the wrong way. Arthas wanted to convince people of his own proposal on its own merits. It got you half the council.” I shrugged. “Everything else are crotchety old mages caught in their ways.”

Arthas coughed, even as Jaina gave a muttered, “You’re not wrong…”

“So, instead, we’re going to resort to bribery.” I smirked. “From there, like I said before, Kel’Thuzad is the obvious choice.”

“Excuse me?” Jaina raised an eyebrow. “Setting aside the whole ‘resorting to bribery’ idea—which I also take issue with—how on Azeroth is Archmage Kel’Thuzad of all people the easiest to bribe?”

Arthas chuckled, putting his hands on the back of Jaina’s chair. I declined to point out how she half leaned against his arm without even thinking. “I also am interested in how one would approach Kel’Thuzad of all people,” he said. “From my own experience, an individual such as he would be the hardest to turn.” He shrugged, simple white tabard rippling around his shoulders. “I confess that simply saying that I will look upon more varied studies of magic with leniency, should I become king, sounds like as not to convince the man.”

I nodded. That is what we talked about before: offering Lordaeron’s patronage in exchange for his vote. Kel’Thuzad also wouldn’t be impressed by the idea of ‘potential future support’, given that he could keep playing shadow games with the rest of the Council of Six.

“If you become king?” Jaina looked up at him, nudging his hand playfully with her shoulder. “Arthas, please.”

“My sister would make an able Queen, should I be needed elsewhere.” Arthas gave a simple nod. “I go where the Light bids.”

“I wonder about that.” I nibbled on my pinky. “Weren’t you the one who told me that the Light doesn’t judge?”

He smiled. “It is because the Light does not judge that we must ever strive to be worthy of it.”

I huffed. That sounded like a classic circular argument popular with religions everywhere. From my own experience, the Light… maybe had more in common with the Void than anyone was comfortable admitting.

It was all in your head, after all. Both of them were.

“Anyway,” I waved that topic off, “I think you’re right. Kel’Thuzad won’t go for an anemic offer like that. Fortunately, we have more than just that card to play.”

Jaina blinked at me. “How so? What would the three of us have to offer an Archmage?”

“What indeed.” I laughed, leaning back. Maybe it was because I’d already thought of Lisa earlier, but it struck me that I was finally starting to understand why she liked playing these little games of intrigue and influence. “We only have the Crown Prince of Lordaeron, the apprentice of Archmage Antonidas and High Lady of Kul Tiras, and…” I gave a self-deprecating smile. “Me, Kel’Thuzad’s secret apprentice.”

“Secret apprentice?” Jaina sucked in a breath. “That’s what you’ve been doing every night! But why didn’t you tell…” Her eyes narrowed. “You’re not studying Necromancy, are you? That’s the only reason you would keep things secret.”

I shrugged. “Technically, I’m not doing anything illegal at night. And if anyone tells Kel’Thuzad otherwise, I will actually be out on my ass.”

Her gaze, if anything, became sharper. “What are you studying, Taylor? The Fel? I understand that Kel’Thuzad is learned in these kinds of magics, but they are considered dangerous for a reason.”

“That’s never been in question.” I leaned back, folding my arms. “What I wonder is why you all seem to think the Arcane is some benign force, or do you really believe that it has no effect on you at all?” I waited for Jaina to puff up a bit, before adding, “I’ve been learning Void Magic, by the way.”

The air rushed out of her in one convulsive breath. “Void?!” Jaina shook her head, leaning forward in her chair. “Taylor, that’s—”

“Another type of magic, and it’s our in with Kel’Thuzad.” I gave them both a hard look. “So if you want to throw that away…”

“--then your precious Alliance is doomed.” I bit my tongue as the voice whispered from behind me, a shadowy pair of silk and chitin clad arms slipped around my shoulders.

From the corner of my eye I saw a masked face peering past me, yellow lenses almost glowing.

Jaina blinked, leaning back in surprise. “If we want to throw that away, what?”

I sucked in a breath, forcing myself back to the moment. The phantom that only I could see vanished with a breath of wind. But she was never truly gone. She was Skitter, after all. When I touched the Void she’d speak to me, and if the Void was the only force I would draw upon, then she wouldn’t even need to. We’d be one and the same. But I had the Light as well, and the Light demanded clarity of belief, of purpose, of self.

And I’d once promised someone that I’d do things differently, if I had another chance.

I let out the breath, shaking my head as I let the frantic energy bleed out of me. “Then we’ll figure something else out,” I said. Then, I met Jaina’s gaze head on. “But this is my best plan, and it will need all of us if it’s going to succeed. If the Alliance is going to succeed.”

Jaina folded her arms, looking distinctly unimpressed. It was Arthas that hummed thoughtfully, drumming his fingers against the back of Jaina’s chair.

“Kel’Thuzad’s secret apprentice.” He looked away, brow furrowed as he thought over the implications. “That is a type of leverage all of its own. I assume he’s tried to teach others as well?”

I smirked. “No one else but me could manage.” But really, after burning out my brain with the power of a hundred passengers plus my own, what was a little bit of Void Magic? “I think he’s almost started to warm up to me.”

Jaina rolled her eyes. “That would be the day.” She slapped the table. “Still! Void magic is incredibly dangerous. I don’t like the thought of you trifling with it.”

“So is necromancy, Jaina.” Arthas looked down at her, a thin smile flickering across his face. “And yet, I haven’t raised any issue with your desire to learn that style of magic, even though the Silver Hand itself calls such power evil.”

“It’s not evil.” Jaina shook her head. “Just harder to control, easier to do harm with, but also has the potential to do so much good!” She paused for a moment, quirking her lip. “I… seem to have made your argument for you, haven’t I?”

Arthas chuckled. “Just so.” He shrugged. “Still, I would like to hear the rest of Taylor’s plan.” He turned back to me. “If it starts out with Void magic, I don’t imagine the rest is any less ambitious.”

“You flatter me, really.” I sat back, letting out a little sigh of relief. It was more than a little nerve wracking, leaving the choice in their hands instead of pushing harder. I guess time would tell if the difference was worth it. “From there, it’s all practically Academic. What does Kel’Thuzad want? More resources to study magic that has long been deemed forbidden. I can offer him that by offering the continuation of that knowledge, from master to chosen apprentice.”

“And Jaina could, if she desired, bend the ear of Antonidas and the Kul Tiran admiralty both, adding more weight to my own support of such a program here in Dalaran.” Arthas fixed me with a sharp look. “I assume you’d want me to put forth more than my future patronage as king.”

“You have your own resources as a prince, don’t you?” I shrugged. “In my world, it was actually rather common for royalty to support the arts and sciences both.”

“Arthas, are you really considering this?” Jaina twisted in her chair, gold hair swirling around her shoulders. “Besides, you’re still a Paladin of the Silver Hand!”

“That is not so great an impediment it could not be overcome.” He sighed. “Though I can only imagine what Lord Uther would say.”

I saw Jaina’s eyes narrow. “But you’re still thinking about it.”

Arthas chuckled. “A wise young woman recently asked me how much I valued my dream.” He drew himself up, gleaming blue eyes cast skyward. For a second, he looked every inch a Prince. “I believe in the Alliance. More than that, I look around and see all of those who take for granted what it has given us all and cast it aside through sloth or careless disregard.” His brow furrowed, features taking on a sharp cast. “And… I think I would rather damn myself through action than sit idly by as all my forefathers have built slides away into ruin.”

The silence rang sharper than any bell in the wake of that pronouncement.

“Arthas…” Jaina managed. “Well.” She crossed her arms. “If you’re set on it, I’ll not have you fail for lack of support. I shall speak with my master on the subject. He’s usually most amenable after we’ve finished our morning examinations of the Sun’s journey.”

“Had much progress, then?” I asked.

“Some.” She cast me a dry look. “And before you ask, I shall also write to Father. I assume you’ll have honeyed words for him as well.”

I chuckled. “Tell me, it must be pretty hard to keep prisoners at sea, yeah? Especially strong ones.”

Jaina nodded slowly. “Not impossible, I’ve heard Father say, but impossibly frustrating...Why do you ask?”

I lifted my hand, and drew on the Void in truth.

The Voidward I’d inscribed earlier flared to life. The runic circle that boarded the edges of the room--neatly within Jaina’s own ward--began to glow darkly, in a way that seemed impossible. As if they only glowed by devouring other light.

Jaina and Arthas both started at that, Arthas’ hand halfway to his hammer before relaxing. Jaina, for her part, was more focused on me. But I just smiled at her. Really, the voices were easy to ignore, once you had some practice on it.

“Why don’t you try casting something,” I said.

Arthas looked back to me, eyes wide as he remembered the inverted Divine Protection I’d used on him.

Jaina quickly rose, spinning her hands through an arcane formula. Or at least, that’s what I assumed she was doing, because nothing happened at all. She looked at me in shock. “What? You’re completely stopping me from casting? In an aura?” She turned towards Arthas, and he obligingly attempted to call on the Light. This one I actually felt, and the edges of the ward glowed yellow for a second, before another surge of Void ate the power.

“You’ve already perfected it, then,” he said.

I grinned. “Well, I had a lot of time because someone was running interference for me with the Church.” Ah, but I was starting to sound a little too upbeat, and I felt like I could run a marathon. Always a bad sign.

With a flick of my wrist, I dismissed the magic, before drawing on the Light to purge the lingering influence of the Void. It burned through me, but it was...not really a good pain, actually. More like, as long as I kept my focus up, I could heal the damage as it occurred. If I lost focus, of course, I’d probably explode. But thus far it kept me from overdosing on lingering Void energies.

“So.” I put a smile on my face with the ease of long practice. It really didn’t hurt that bad. A seven, tops. “How about that? What about if you could make a version that encompassed an enemy ship, and disabled all of its casters? And besides, haven’t we talked about the issues with Violet Hold?”

Jaina blinked. “I think… that would interest my father greatly, yes. You’ll teach me?”

“No.”

She paused. “No?”

I allowed myself a small smirk. “Void magic is dangerous, Jaina. I wouldn’t dare think about teaching it to someone else without the proper precautions. You’ll have to speak with Master Kel’Thuzad about that.”

“But… but I’m already Antonidas’ apprentice!”

“Well, all the more reason to convince your master to let Kel’Thuzad set up a Void class. If you think you can fit another period into your schedule, that is.” Arthas and I chuckled at Jaina’s grumbling. She really was just as much of a bibliophile as Kel’Thuzad; they just hid it differently.

With one last smile, I rose.

“Great.” I rolled the wrist of my prosthetic hand. “And I guess I’ll just keep the hardest job of all for myself.”

“Oh?” Jaina cocked her eyebrow. “And what would that be?”

I shrugged. “Convincing Kel’Thuzad to listen in the first place.”