Obsidian's Reign ¹

∷ Chapter 38 ∷

THE SLIGHT SHIFT in the atmosphere alerted the king to the presence of another in his throne room as he sat pondering over his thoughts. He lifted his gaze, resting his chin on the palm of his hand in boredom as his eyes fell upon his adviser.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Prince Adric has left Farrador, your Majesty," Lucan said.

"The prince isn't my concern," the king said. "I don't care what the imbecile does."

Lucan remained silent, uncertain on what to say.

Continuing, the king said, "What of his brother, Celdric? Did they not leave together?"

Lucan's eyes widened in surprise, his mouth falling open in mild shock. Hesitating, he asked, "You knew he was here, your Majesty?"

The king scoffed, the sound resonating throughout the empty room as he straightened in his throne. His eyes flashed red with unspoken anger, though he kept the emotion at bay for fear he might lose control and end with his adviser's blood on his hands.

"Do you take me for a fool, Lucan?" he asked, his voice low and not without contempt.

"Of course, not, your Majesty. I simply was not aware that you'd been told of his interference with the current situation."

Lucan lowered his gaze and bowed deeply before saying, "I apologise for my conduct, your Majesty."

Disregarding his apologetic manner, the king ventured to satiate his curiosity, furthering his thoughts and asking, "Did you find out the reason Celdric snuck into Farrador; why they left together without notice?"

"None, your Majesty," Lucan said, before quickly adding, "But, there's someone here who has something to say to you."

A moment passed before the door to the throne room creaked open after a hesitant knock. Unsurprisingly, it was Marek who peered within, face shrouded in a mix of fear and nervousness. He avoided the king's gaze, looking towards Lucan who gestured irritably for him to hurry inside.

When he'd made it close enough, he took a risky glance in the king's direction, only to see the latter already scrutinising him with a harsh look. Seeing the sheer terror in the young half-demon's eyes brought a smile to the king's face, although there was nothing at all pleasant about the fact.

"Have you decided to make yourself useful?" he asked.

Marek visibly flinched at the king's voice, retreating into himself as he resisted the urge to take a step back. He tried his best to remain composed, aware of the way his hands were shaking in absolute fear. His mind was racing, contemplating rights from wrongs and doing its best to convince him of the stance he was about to make in the oncoming war. And yet, a part of him knew he did not have a choice in the matter at hand.

"I . . ." he started, pausing to gulp the remnants of panic threatening to force its way up his throat. He took a deep breath before trying once more, "I have news for you, your Majesty."

The king said nothing, the smile now gone from his face as boredom took its place once more.

Marek wrung his hands in nervous anticipation, chewing on the inside of his cheek before he forced himself to say, "It's about the princess."

The revelation sparked a tinge of interest within the king as he shifted on the throne, leaning forward to listen to what the halfling had to say.

"Go on," he urged, unable to stop the persistence from his tone.

Marek glanced between the king and his adviser, the hesitation evident in the way he seemed to falter at every step.

"Well?" the king prodded, impatience tugging at his tone. "What is it?"

Steeling himself, Marek said, "If I tell you what I know, will you keep your promise?"

It was the king's turn to glance at Lucan, who, despite his growing annoyance with the attendant, reined in his agitation and chose to comply with his unspoken wishes. He nodded once, and though it seemed irrelevant, it was all the assurance Marek needed to betray the trust that he'd been charged with.

"The princess and the Elite are planning on leaving the castle for the Surface. I don't know their exact reasons for leaving, but I overheard something about an angel named Luther."

The king's features darkened considerably upon hearing the words. His hands formed tight fists on his lap as he stared ahead of him with unseeing eyes clouded by rage. His insides were in turmoil at the sudden news, though he knew its occurrence was bound to happen sooner or later. It wasn't a feat easily avoided, try though as he might.

"Keep an eye on her," the king said, his orders directed at the frightened attendant who immediately bowed in obedience.

"Go," he added in irritation when Marek remained unmoving, causing him to stumble over his feet in his rush to put as much distance between them.

Alone, at last, the king turned towards his adviser, noting the grave expression he wore.

"What is it?" he spat, annoyed by the judgemental gaze Lucan seemed to regard him with.

"Are things turning out the way you perceived?" he asked, a lot calmer than the king despite the looming crisis ahead.

"I perceived them, yes. But to avoid them, not to foolishly walk into their trap."

"Then it would appear things are not going accordingly."

The king said nothing in return, too lost in his thoughts, and after a beat, Lucan continued by asking, "Was it wise to have used the halfling as a spy? He doesn't strike me as particularly reliable. If he is capable of betraying the princess he adores so much, who's to say he won't do the same to you, your Majesty?"

The king remained unperturbed by his adviser's concerns as he responded calmly, "He will forever be a pawn on our board, destined to do our bidding, for as long as we have something he cherishes in our grasp. The halfling is part human, and humans are nothing if not easily monopolised."

"What about the princess, your Majesty?" Lucan asked. "What do you intend to do about her plans to escape? If what the halfling says is anything to go by, her attempt to break into Heaven would cause chaos and a possible reason for the revoking of the treaty."

The king exhaled heavily, squeezing his eyes shut as he pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned back against his throne. Without looking at his adviser, he said, "We must stop her from leaving the Underworld."

"And if she were to get hurt in the ensuing scuffle?"

"Do whatever is necessary to keep her here by any means," the king said before adding, "She cannot and will not be permitted to leave the Underworld, Lucan. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, your Majesty."