Light of the Heavens

XV. Cruelty Past and Present

The next few days were a flurry of activity between curious nobles seeking to learn more about the newly revealed heir as well as gain her favor and the preparations before entering the Ashen Tower. Vassa abandoned her notion of exploring the city alone and leaving Seben on her own for any real length of time. It was far too dangerous now that Userkare was aware of the apprentice fire-speaker's identity. The Ashen Tower will severely limit his ability to work his will, Masaharta explained the night before. Fire-speakers police their own. He is likely to try something before she departs.

Vassa had yet to explain what she had seen either, the nature of the magic inside Userkare, feeding his ambition, stoking his inner shadows. Powers that ancient possessed motives of their own and manipulating mortals to serve their own ends was not unheard of. That ravenous hunger would mesh well with Userkare's own lust for kingship. Or was he a different man before that corruption took root in his soul? Had he sought it out and been imprisoned by his own horrifying bargain, or had it been inflicted on him as a curse?

It was a tangled web of possibilities that Vassa spent her nights picking at. She would need more information before she could say anything for certain. Darker parts of her wondered how it would feel, to have such power inside her again. If she took it from him, no doubt she would work devastation even more terrible than his possession promised to bring.

With all of that at her fingertips, she could return home. She could punish those who had driven her out, or find a place again at Lysaerys's side. The second of the two options stirred the fragments of her vestali as well as her heart. Granted, ripping Sethon to shreds would be a close second in terms of reward.

It was a course of action that would mean both destroying her soul and abandoning Seben, however. While Vassa wasn't particularly invested in the former, she was becoming fond of the latter.

"I can practically hear the gears turning in your head, Vassa," Seben said with amusement as she watched her protector pace. They were in the entrance hall with the mermaid. Masaharta had moved the chessboard into the cooler area to play with Seben. Even into the evening, the summer sun had baked the city with extreme heat.

"She is a rather cerebral creature," Masaharta said with a chuckle.

Vassa paid them no mind, fingertips brushing over her mask as she moved. There had to be another way to coax the magic out of Userkare without sacrificing someone. The problem was that without a host immediately there to take it in, it would hunt Seben.

She barely caught the sounds of footsteps coming down the hall. It was not a familiar tread. Vassa turned and caught the glimpse of several armed men cloaked in shadows from where they'd extinguished the hall lights, one leveling a crossbow directly at the side of Seben's head.

The masked woman reacted without thinking. In less than the beat of a heart, she far-stepped immediately into the man's face, slamming his crossbow to the side with her elbow as she drew her blade with her other hand. The bolt hit the tiles on the wall, scoring them, and both Masaharta and Seben sprang to their feet, turning to face the source.

The man cursed and punched out to hit Vassa in the face. She sensed more than saw the movement and threw up an arm, just enough to knock the blow to the side. His arm brushed against her hood, almost pulling it back.

Vassa felt the familiar cold, possessive fury that had once dominated her life roar into her being like a midwinter blizzard. Seben was hers. She grabbed the man by his belt and stomped down on his foot, boot scraping down his unarmored shin. These were assassins, not soldiers, and so they wore nothing that would make them appear dangerous. He howled and went to swing again, but overbalanced with her help and hit the floor hard. The next man behind him charged Vassa, crashing into her slight frame and knocking her back into the room.