Blood Ties

Chapter 8

She trotted behind them.

They seemed to be having some weird conversation with their eyes while they walked in front of her. She couldn't read them at all. 

Titans entire persona seemed to shift with his anger. His usually calm jewel eyes were sharp with fury and alertness, his magic was subtly flicking about him, and his mouth was curved in an unfamiliar scowl. He looked livid.

'somewhat like Claude' Athy thought.

The corridor was dank and dark, filled with a strong but unidentifiable odor. The halls that were at least 10ft apart felt as though they were closing in on them.

Athy was feeling fear. But not the kind of fear that she felt with an angry Claude. In the novel, Athanasia was killed by her father for poisoning Jennette, her 'sister'. The fear of being killed by Claude was what started her whole cute persona...but...

With Titan, it was the unpredictability that scared her. She didn't have a clue what he was capable of.

His harsh footsteps echoed throughout the hall. No one dared speak.

Lucas didn't speak because of amusement and the possibility of losing one of the little things that amused him in this world. Athy out of the fear that if she talked he would lose it. And Titan, because the words would dampen what he was feeling.

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Felix searched and searched.

He was searching for the princess because his majesty had summoned her and when he couldn't find her he looked for the young magician, but he didn't find him either. So he reported back to his majesty.

"so you're saying you lost my daughter"

Felix flinched. He felt a prickle run down his spine and looked up to meet a pair of glowing jewel orbs that looked far from happy.

" n-not exactly your majesty. I went to look for the princess but I couldn't find her, nor the young magician" he said bowing down.

"find her, now," he said coldly. 

Felix knew exactly what he meant and went to order the guards to search every nook and cranny of the empire.

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Athy felt a short gust of wind before they were back in the emerald palace.

She looked at Titan and saw that he and Lucas were already looking in a couple of books and scrolls. 

"where did these come from?"

"the empire's archive," he said bluntly.

She looked at him strangely before he answered her unsaid question.

"looking for documented black magic wielders, dead or alive"

"ok, but why in the middle of the hallway?"

"I guess your right for once..." he teased.

Athy fought for self-control. She so badly wanted to punch him.

She felt another gust of wind before they were in her study room.

"any of these names look familiar?" 

Titan only shook his head in response. His eyes darted over every single page, not missing a single name. When his eyes suddenly widened and his grip tightened on one of the pages.

"Titan-" Athy started.

"That's my mom's benefactor..."

"why is he on the list?!" Athy exclaimed.

"he's not...he's on the list of magic item suppliers..." his brow furrowed in confusion.

"but don't you come from a poor part of the empire?" Athy asked.

"actually, on the outskirts" he stated. His voice was somewhat distant.

"then how come someone who supplies magic items to the merchants in the magic guilds is benefitting your mother?"

"not sure...mom doesn't even know the man all that well. The only reason she accepts the money is because she's in major debt to the woman who's in charge of the prostitution rings around the empire." Titan said in a low voice.

"must be in some serious debt to take money from a random benefactor," Athy said.

"actually it's not all that uncommon"

Athy turned to look at Lucas.

"though if they're really snakelike they'll blackmail you into doing things for them. You know how reputation is around here. And since Titan's mom is a prostitute, if she told the authorities they would arrest her because prostitution is illegal"

Athy's face turned white at what he said. Get out of debt to only get deeper.

Titan rolled up the page and put it in his pocket. 

"then we'll start there" 

The anger was still in his eyes but it was more controlled, more focused. It had a goal and it would reach it.

"princess!"

Athy turned and was immediately assaulted with a crying Felix. He was then pushed out of the way by a sobbing Lily.

"princess where have you been I've been worried sick!" 

Athy sweatdropped at their melodramatic actions. 

"princess, his majesty wishes to see you," Felix said with a serious look on his face.

Athy's hands felt clammy at his words. She disappeared once with Titan and another time in the same month with Lucas. Which would equal a total of two times she disappeared this month.

(glad you can do math Athy *gets slapped by overprotective fandom*)

Boy was she in deep trouble...

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you think that being in quarantine would make me write more

nope...

I will try to update more I swear!