A Court of Truths and Revival

Deceiver

SEREN

To Seren's utter embarrassment, Eris had to winnow them to the border of Velaris since she couldn't yet manage such precise and distant locations. The only sliver of satisfaction she got was his apprehension at touching Bryaxis, who insisted on joining. Jurian and Lucien remained behind to search for Vassa, who'd flown off to avoid the afternoon storms.

She took the three of them through the wards into the city, though Bryaxis could likely come and go as he pleased. To her dismay, they felt weaker than she remembered and it put her instantly on alert.

On her left, Eris stood in barely masked awe of the city he'd never been permitted to visit. Even Seren took a breath and stared at the city illuminated by stars that were just starting to wink into view overhead.

That awe turned to suspicion when the silence was noted. A city of this size should never be so quiet. There were always people out and about, especially after the sun set.

It wasn't just the silence, but the smell. Overwhelmingly sweet and floral. It gave Seren an instant headache that pounded the space between her eyes.

"Is the fragrance always so..." Eris trailed off whatever insult he was about to say when Bryaxis held out a handful of leaves. She couldn't place the plant, but whatever it was smelled awful and was in exact opposition to everything around them.

Neither Eris nor Seren made any move to accept the offering. "It'll help with the haze and keep you off the ground as the strength of the wards continues to wane."

Seren didn't hear anything else he said over the pounding in her ears. She spun around, and through the haze that was indeed forming, she saw the first body. A female dressed for a night out was face down on the sidewalk. Her spine moved subtly, confirming she breathed, but the more Seren looked around, the more people she saw in similar positions.

Snatching a velvety leaf, she forced it down her throat and instantly felt her head clear. Part of her wished it hadn't so she didn't have to see anything further. She wanted to fall to her knees and help each and every one of them, but she was frozen in horror.

Eris followed her lead and took a leaf from Bryaxis, who still appeared as Beron. Pocketing the rest, Bryaxis stalked over to the nearest sidewalk and began examining the bodies, completely unfazed. Many had landed in the flowerbeds that lined every street, crushing the trumpet-shaped flowers that were just starting to pop open. Too bad no one would see how lovely the shimmering white flowers looked blooming beneath the stars.

It occurred to Seren after Eris shook her softly that her family might be dozing like the rest so without warning, she snatched Eris and Bryaxis by the arms and winnowed them to the edge of the river house.

---

"They live here?" Eris asked with an upturned nose. "It's quaint." Everything in Autumn was stone and oversized, just like Eris's ego, but panic kept her from voicing that thought.

Seren considered the wards and slowly stretched out an arm, but to her right, she watched Bryaxis stroll straight through. "Do wards not bind you either?"

The creature continued walking toward the front door without looking back. "Some do, but these have been shredded already."

Seren gaped and rushed after him with Eris on her heels. She easily outpaced Bryaxis's causal saunter and yanked the door open. It was unlocked because why bother with something as human as a lock when magical wards sufficed.

"Rhys!" Seren shouted as she threw herself into the foyer. "Cassian? Az?"

The lights were dimmed and there was no sign of life on the main level, but a muffled argument drifted down the grand staircase from the floor above. Seren and Eris raced up the stairs and with his longer legs, he beat her and threw open a door at the far end of the wide hall. Not to be outdone, Seren shoved him out of the doorframe and took in the scene before her.