The Dark [2]

poisoned demons

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I WON'T LET MY DEMONS WIN 

MY ONLY RIVAL IS WITHIN

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KINGDOMS RISE AND KINGDOMS END

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[DON'T PLAY THE SONG YET]

"WHAT?" Keefe asked breathlessly, not sure if he heard correctly.

Alden sighed wearily, running a hand over his crownless head. "Someone broke into Biana's quarters early this morning. She's been poisoned."

"Oh my Gnome. Is she ok?" Keefe's heart thumped, not wanting to hear the answer but needing to at the same time.

"She's fine- at least she will be," Fitz replied and Keefe's relief was visible.

"You'd think they would've just killed her," Keefe told them, becoming invested in their situation.

"That's what I'm saying!" Fitz exclaimed, looking accusingly at his father, "But my dad thinks they meant to and just gave her the wrong dosage."

"Crazy guess, but I feel like they're smarter than that," Keefe said as Alden started pacing.

"If it really was a message then what are they trying to say?" Alden asked, looking at the two teenagers. "How did The Neverseen get into the castle?"

"Oh I don't know, how about Alvar!" Fitz accused and his dad pierced a stare on him.

"We have to talk about him sometime," the boy whispered, looking at his feet.

Keefe felt as if he'd walked in on something private. He knew the Vackers considered him family, but it was just different. They could throw him out at any minute and not have a second thought about it. You couldn't exactly do that with someone who's related to you.

"This isn't about Alvar. It's about your sister, and because of us, she's knocking on death's door. Do you understand?" Alden said sternly, with all the authority of a king.

Keefe noticed  Fitz's hesitation to drop the subject but eventually he looked down mumbling, "I understand."

Alden sat down wearily on his throne.

"So, what's the plan?" Keefe asked, trying to break the heavy silence that had fallen over the room.

"What?" the king responded, looking up at the blond.

"We can't just let the culprit walk free! Have you guys set up a search yet? I can handle that if you want to stay with Biana," Keefe said firmly.

Alden looked away from Fitz's glare and Keefe got the feeling he was missing something.

"Keefe's right, Dad," Fitz said, not looking away from his father and easing Keefe's anxiety over the fact that he might have said something wrong.

The king said nothing.

"What if we call Sophie? She has a whole organization backing her up not to mention she's got some mean fighting skills. I'm sure she'd be more than willing to help-" Keefe wiggled his eyebrows at his friend, "especially if Fitz asked."