Court of Snakes: This Desert Cage

Past Feuds - The Palace | July of the Third Year

"Damn it all!"

Talbot paced the throne room furiously and Terran stood at a distance, unsure what to say to quell the Sovereign's anger. "My Lord—"

"I've lost my best man, Rune! You and Wolff were top on my list! Now, without him, things will get passed and everything I've worked for will be ruined. It's all because of that damn traitor!"

"The King?"

"Yes, Rune," Talbot spat. He stopped and tried to take a calming breath. "Lexus used to be one of us. He was born into the Embassy. God knows how sometimes the seed can be bad. He was a good friend to the La'Halls. I had the hardest time with him for as long as I can remember, ever since I married into the Embassy. Every time I see him, I just want to strangle him." Talbot's anger escalated again, but he stopped to look at Terran with eyes that said he would strangle Terran too, if it proved useful. "You can keep that secret, can't you, Rune?"

"Of course."

Talbot drummed his fingers on the arm of his throne and then abruptly stood. "Rune, would you come with me up to my chambers?"

"As you wish, My Lord."

At that command, Terran followed Lord Talbot into the glass elevator, where the two said nothing to each other for some time. Talbot tapped his foot impatiently, as if the world could stop turning at any moment, and Terran had to exert a massive amount of effort to remain calm. He could not tremble before Talbot. He had to continue to convince Talbot that Rune was supportive of his efforts no matter the cost.

After the long elevator ride to the top of the Embassy, the two stepped into the Sovereign's chambers. Terran had not been there since he was young, and all the times he had ever spent with his parents in that room flooded his mind. Everything looked wrong now, all the furniture was out of place, and the whole suite was devoid of any happiness. Talbot approached his bed and moved beside the heavy frame. "Help me move this, would you?"

Terran did as he was told and stepped beside the bed. Together, the two of them shoved it aside. With a tap on an indent in the wall, Talbot pushed a switch that caused a compartment to eject. Once open, Talbot carefully removed a book, an old tome worn at the edges. He cradled it like a holy text. "This is it, Rune... The Old Way. This text holds all the first Sovereign's thoughts, ideals, dreams. It's more important than my life."

"I will never disclose its hiding place to anyone, My Lord." Terran inched closer. If he could only get his hands on that book...

In a fit, Lord Talbot quickly stuffed the book away. He said nothing for a very long time and the silence was nearly unbearable. Terran would have loved to kill Talbot right then and there, but the guards would be quick to run to his screams. There were two standing at the entrance to his suite. And he had to wait for The King.

"I need rest..." Talbot sighed, as though he had long not slept. "You should rest, too. We have a lot to do if we want to fix the mess Lexus has made."

A sharp knock echoed throughout the empty chamber. Terran nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Yes?" Lord Talbot called.

"It's Commander Crevan, My Lord."

"Enter."

Commander Crevan entered, his heavy boots rattling along the floor as he went. He bowed stiffly and said, "We found Ruben Guildenhart's body, My Lord."

Terran's chest hitched and he turned toward the window as if mortified by this information. In truth, he had known this was coming. The King always tied up loose ends. Talbot stood and put his hand on Terran's arm. His fingers were ice old. "Rune, I'm so sorry."

Was he? Terran did not feel any real meaning behind the words. "I'm just... glad they found his body. Where?"

"A well in the Dza'ya district. He had been killed elsewhere and tossed into the water."

The King certainly was sending a message.

"We'll find him, Rune," Talbot assured. "We'll find Lexus and I'll strangle every last ounce of air out of him myself."