Välikirja: The Wyvern's Pact

Chapter Fourteen - A Bridge to A Discovery

Chapter Fourteen - A Bridge to A Discovery

          "Okay, everyone. Everything on this side has to be moved." He slid his hands into his coat pockets and turned to Reolus, who was standing in front of all the Amaranthines, waiting for Aiden's orders. "Reolus, I want everything done in three days. You're responsible."

          I stood at the end of the corridor and watched Aiden as he pointed from here to there, whispering and hollering, instructing everyone. I had to say, he was a great leader, a man of authority. He spoke with confidence, not doubting anything he said.

          He only rested for one night to give his wounds time to heal, an Amaranthine serving him food from time to time. The next day, he was already outside his room and handling what had to be done. One side of the castle was partially destroyed by the witches, and he had to do something about it before the witches came back and took advantage of his castle's vulnerable state.

          "I want everything on this side brought to the other side of this floor," he said, making different gestures with his hands. Then he turned to me for the first time after three or more hours. "You're moving to a room beside mine."

          What? "Wha...No. Can't you...?" Think, Koshka. Think. I had to give a suggestion to convince him not to make me move to a room next to his. "Can't you move me somewhere near the kitchen?" I asked. "I like working in the kitchen, and I get along with the Amaranthines pretty well."

          "No," he answered flatly. "With the witches becoming more and more aggressive, I have to keep up. I'm gonna need more strength from you, and you have to help because, otherwise, this castle will be destroyed and the witches will kill you and your friend."

          Fine. I had no choice. If this was going to protect Safia, then so be it. "Those witches, what is their problem? Are they trying to kill you and destroy the castle just because you saved the Amaranthines from them years ago?"

          He shook his head, smiling. His dark gray eyes shone wickedly as if, in a taunting manner, they said, "Oh, you're gonna like what's coming next." And I knew that was bad, knowing Aiden. "They work with the magisters of Aethelgard."

          The magisters! Of course, they were trying to keep them, and only them, at the top. Anyone who posed as a threat to the school would be killed, even its own students.

          I dwelled upon the decision I was about to make. Would my submitting to his order for once make him think that he already had power over me physically and mentally? Certainly, I didn't want him to think that, but I knew that he would if I made that decision; however, not helping him would endanger both me and Safia.

          Perhaps Aiden noticed that I was contemplating about this, so he uttered, "Don't worry. I'll send a meal to Safia three times a day, and you'd be free to walk around the castle as long as you stay inside castle walls; however, I want you to sleep every night inside your room. Is that fair enough?"

          I reluctantly agreed to move into a new room beside his. But, deep inside, I had a plan. Whenever I had a chance, I would go down to the dungeon and stay with Safia the whole time. I wouldn't want to spend my whole day inside a room where Aiden could easily check up on me. On top of that, I didn't want to overhear everything he did in his room. That would only tempt me to eavesdrop every time on purpose, which I may find hard to stop when started.

          A few Amaranthines approached him for help, landing on his shoulders and whispering into his ears. Sometimes, he nodded; sometimes, he shook his head, and sometimes, he made further instructions or clarifications.