ARC 7-Cursed Fates-22
The house becos a whirlwind of activity as everyone readies for the impromptu party. Nomad and Anna handle the inside of the house while Gajin focuses on readying the gardens, the activity distracting him from his grief. Most everyone else is outside the house, running their respective errands, leaving with just Talia for company.
Everyone’s mistress, as Alana succinctly described the ex-dorm mother, lounges on the bed, doing a few vocal exercises, as I drag a long box into the room. To save ti and make traveling easier, we left quite a few things back in Victory. So leftover stock from Howie, so of the building supplies we never got to use and Alana didn’t donate, a few trophies from the campaign. There were only two items that absolutely had to co with us, besides our luggage. My gold and Alana’s brother.
The latter is what I’m currently dragging into the bedroom. There were several discussions about the best way to transport Khan. The two largest concerns were keeping him contained and out of sight. People wouldn’t take kindly to seeing a man bound and gagged in the back of a wagon, no matter our reasons. Given that there is currently an order for my arrest, my concerns about being reported to the local authorities seems irrelevant now.
As usual, my succubus had a wonderful suggestion that eliminated all our concerns. Hibernation. There are plenty of creatures in the world that sleep through the colder months of the year, for matters of survival. A condition that can be artificially induced, keeping Khan both quiet and out of sight, disguised of cargo. We didn’t even have to feed him.
In the center of the room, I undo the locks on Khan’s box, wrinkling my nose as I open the lid. He certainly slls like he hasn’t washed in over a week. I suppose sleeping doesn’t keep one fresh, an obvious oversight. I take in his peaceful features for a mont. Looking at him like this, it seems impossible that he’s an enemy agent, mind-controlled to sow discord and chaos throughout the kingdom. That’s what so insidious about those who abuse the ntal affinity. You don’t know anything’s wrong until it’s too late.
But tonight is a night of throwing caution to the wind. Of ignoring our problems for one night and dealing with the consequences in the morning. Khan may be an enemy spy, or saints forbid sothing far worse, but tonight he gets to be just another rrymaker.
On the top of the box’s lid is a spell. It was put there in case of ergency, specifically in the event that Geneva, Bell, or Kierra aren’t available to wake the sleeping man. Utterly unfathomable circumstances but since it isn’t completely impossible and Alana was worried, the spell was carved into the box.
There is no reason I need to wake Khan now. Everyone will be back in plenty of ti to wake my sleeping brother-in-law. However, the campaign has made it clear that my lackluster approach to my magical education is a problem. I am not as strong as I think I am. Or, my strength isn’t the answer to every problem. The titans, with their massive size, are too much for my prodigious strength and their magic can get through the magic resistance of my oozey base form. In one year, we have to return to the north and possibly fight dragons. If we’re to stand a chance, the least I’ll have to do is embrace my magical potential.
In that spirit, I find myself curious about the spell. It’s certainly worth the scrutiny. Hundreds of variables and coefficients all etched into the top of Khan’s box. Surprisingly, it’s not all gibberish. The activation and affinity variables are obvious. Beyond that, I recognize so variables that relate to different parts of the body from Geneva’s few lectures on the physical affinity. They only make up a fraction of the spell.
I don’t need to understand it to cast it but for the first ti, my ignorance frustrates . I must be frowning heavily as a soft hand caresses the back of my neck. Only then do I realize that Talia’s humming has stopped. “Is sothing the matter?” Talia asks, crouched beside .
“Nothing’s wrong.” Perhaps sothing isn’t right. “Do you understand any of this?” I ask, gesturing to the top of the box.
She hums beside . “No. I recognize many variables from healing spells I’ve seen.”
“That makes sense.” Does it make feel better or worse that Talia is just as ignorant about this as I am? Mm, definitely worse. I doubt very much she would be just as ignorant if this were a ntal spell. “Do you know who this is?” We haven’t filled her in about all the details of our vacation, have they? We haven’t as she shakes her head. “Well, this is my brother-in-law, Khan Jas. Suspected traitor to the north.”
“…he appears to be in a state of slumber. Magically assisted?”
“Uh-huh.”
She leans forward, clearly interested. With her playing the role of a flower so well, it’s easy to forget that she is a serious academic. Saints, the reason she’s beco everyone’s mistress is the chance to further her knowledge and, by extension, her personal power. “Then this spell is ant to wake him? A complicated process, it seems.”
“Definitely not as simple as slapping him across the face.”
“Are you going to cast it?”
“Mm.”
“…without confirming it’s true design?”
The strange question makes turn to her. “What do you an?”
“Are you unaware of your elentals’ natures?”
“That they’re amoral, scheming monsters? I’m well aware.”
“You are quite trusting despite that.”
“Well, they’re certainly dangerous but they’re rational creatures.” I point at the slumbering Khan. “ssing with him won’t give them anything compared to what they would lose pissing off so there’s no need to worry.”
Talia gives a look. To those unfamiliar with her, I’m sure it’s the sa as every other look. Even to it looks no different from her normally placid expression but, from the conversation, I’m guessing she wants to say sothing but is hesitating as it may break her role as a flower. “If you want to advise , I wouldn’t mind.”
“…I do not know succubi and I do know it is a mistake to think of them as human. However, I do know those of privilege. Whether it is talent, blood, wealth, or power, privilege breeds arrogance. And arrogance clouds judgnt.” She touches my chin with two fingers as she leans closer, ensuring the whole of my attention is focused on her. “You say they are rational creatures. That anything they may try with this man is not worth your ire. But what if the succubi believe that you will not discover their trickery? That there is no risk at all? Then why would they not attempt to grab more benefits?”
I frown as I contemplate her words. It wouldn’t be the first ti the succubi have tried to sneak a plot past . By the saints, Geneva planned to drive a wedge in my relationship with Alana as a catalyst for conquering the north. Shackling her by forcing her to only act “in my favor” is not much of a shackle, as what she deems to be in my best interests often clashes with my own definition. Worse, she doesn’t care about the ans of achieving her ends, sothing I care about deeply.
“Forgive if I speak out of turn, but while most think too little of the succubi, I think you may think too much of them. No creature is infallible or without so weakness.”
“…you make good points.” I grab her hand and gently squeeze the fingers. “Thank you for the reminder.” Maybe the power of my pri form has made too confident in more than one aspect. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this spell but I also wasn’t very strict with Geneva when I allowed her to put Khan to sleep.” If anything, the damage has already been done, but there’s no need to tempt fate. “We’ll leave brother-in-law to Kierra. Co.” I stand and pull Talia to her feet. “You can dress for the night.”
For Talia, the tiny smile flashing only a hint of teeth may as well be a face-splitting smile. Knew she’d like that.
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