Honour or Reason - Book 1# in the Burning Prince Chronicles

Chapter Thirty-Four

All the Mages in the Diamond House were dressed in black robes. Con wasn't fazed by them; Mages had odd holidays throughout the year. As he sprinted through the long halls, Mages continued to shoot him curious or shocked glances. He stopped for none of them. Conlaed required answers. He would get them. I will not leave without an explanation. The prince charged toward Danae's sector, fire buzzing in his veins.

They had all lied to him; his father, Madame Danae, Hanrick. Conlaed would not settle for the lies - he wanted the truth. Nothing but the truth. His fate depended on it. Something bigger depended it - he could feel it in his bones. An unquenchable fire flickered inside him, untameable and deadly. Con's blood had boiled for the gods' sakes! Was that the reason Hanrick let Maxum believe Conlaed was truly his son? Is something wrong with me?

The thought disturbed him more than he cared to mention. Everything that had happened in the past weeks had been miraculous, terrible, unthinkable. Magic of another kind, an old kind resided in Maidora. Conlaed could smell it in the air, feel its weight in his lungs. This ancient power had called forth powers great and horrible. The dead walked, skin burned skin, fathers were not fathers. Corruption was uncovered and love too. Innocents were locked in towers, family plotted against one another. The change of one King to another had turned the entire world upside down. Darkness gathered and doubt grew in the most hopeful of minds. It was an ill Age.

As Con ran down corridors, his eyes darted from face to face, searching for his betrothed. The prince had second guessed himself constantly on his way to the Diamond House. He wanted to see Aglaesha more than anything. He had to see she was safe, she was well. The only thing stopping him from turning on his heel and returning to the castle was a thrum of sparks in his veins. Every flush of a heat was a reminder of the lies, the secrets. Secrets that could mean so much or absolutely nothing. The curiosity and urgency gnawed at him. He had to know the truth. Whatever was happening to him was no rare illness, not matter what the bastards said. It couldn't be.

In the stories, the heroes were always ecstatic when they discovered they could wield some form of magic. As a child, Conlaed had prayed to the gods that he may manifest as a Mage. Magic had intrigued him, although he had never listened to his tutors when they tried to explain the consequences of magic, the dark side of wielding power of the supernatural. If I had, I might have known what the Moon is happening to me. Conlaed was beginning to see why one may have cursed their magic. From what he knew, his magic caused him pain, fatigue and could not be controlled. I will be having a lot of ice baths in the future, Con thought grimly. Still, being dumped into a bathtub of ice was better than accidentally burning his friends with the starburst within himself.

Conlaed's breath grew ragged when he stepped into the corridor leading to Danae's main chamber. The sparks from the lamps sent golden spots of light dancing across the prince's pale face. His hands sweated anxiously as he began to walk down the long hallway. He tried not to think of the last time he had been there. The blue mist that revealed his true blood ties, the 'medicine' that had almost choked him. The memories were not of a pleasant sort. Conlaed did not let the fear stop him. Despite the fact he expected Hanrick to jump out from the wooden doors lined down the hall.

He could hear Aglaesha's voice in his head.

"You do not have to do this alone anymore, Conlaed. You are not alone."

He was not alone. Conlaed held Aglaesha in his thoughts as he marched toward the truth. If only she were actually here. Where is she? Deep in the pit of his stomach, he felt something was awfully wrong. Something he was missing. Something urged him to turn and flee, seek out Aglaesha. Check she was alright... Don't be stupid - she's fine. She can take care of herself better than I could ever. She's one of the best Mages in Maidora.