The Reaper's Voyage

Chapter 38

While Delyth is in the midst of having a heated discussion with the guards regarding whether or not the actions they could take against a woman who showed up unannounced at the gate demanding to see the king and considering her a possible threat, Silas shows up behind her.

"Dame Delyth, can you be excused for a second? I would like to bring something to your attention."

"I understand that no one should be overlooked when it comes to the King's life but at least question her first before you put her head on a pike," she bites at them. They are so quick to kill a person that could have innocent intentions just for the safety of a King who would kill an innocent if they so much as looked at him wrong.

"But-"

"Do as she says," Silas commands and waves them off dismissively. He wants to spend time with her even if it is a meaningless walk that is filled with silence. Her presence can get him out of a bad mood or quiet murderous train of thoughts.

"I want no action to be taken against her until I approve it." She ignores the glares she received from them. They were of little importance to her when she had the King's ear.

"Did you know that over 500 years ago, the Casteron bloodline and the fairies and warlocks from Swuybia worked together amicably? We were of use to each other. I must admit that pride and ego lead to the downfall of that Alliance. However, there was and will always be enmity between us and the witches of Naelund. I wish I could say I wish it wasn't that way but they were a horrible nation."

Delyth slowly turns her head to look at him. Horrible people they were not. If the stories she heard were right, it was the Casteron family that saw them as nothing but threats and blamed them for everything that went wrong in the world. If the rain were to fall a bit too hard, his family blamed them for it. Century after century they have lost many wonderful people in Naelund because of the Casterons' unreasonable hatred.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. It was the Battle of the Final Rests. They flooded the nation in blood. The scarcity in water to bathe or drink was devastating. Hearing the cries of our villagers, eventually, King Richart Casteron proposed a truce with them. All was well when the sky was covered in black. We all lost everyone except Segar Casteron who had an affair with Émilienne Penteau that went beyond being friends." Delyth's entire body freezes in its spot when she hears the name.

"Émilienne Penteau?" The name comes out in a whisper.

"Yes. I reckon you've heard stories about her, yes?" Silas deems, mistaking immobility as anything but dread. He wouldn't put it past the Varusan to whisper Émilienne's name, given their fear of the impending doom that is to come if Obitus is to appear in the nation.

"Yes," she dips her head once.

"Her trust in Segar Casteron resulted in her death." He gestures to Émilienne's head—that they somehow managed to preserve as if she was killed yesterday—hanging on a wall.

Delyth pressed her lips together to suppress the gasp. She has walked almost every hall of the Lardel Castle but she somehow missed it. "He killed her."

He hums, confirming her assumption. "She was the most powerful witch in the Udriles Kingdom which is why we're not concerned about Obitus. When I find him, I will kill him. The minimal damage he's done is nothing in comparison to what Varusa has suffered those years ago. He's alone in this world anyway to ever explore the extent in his capabilities. He is not a threat."

Silas is right. She is alone. She has never explored her powers on her own with any intent. Any damage she has caused was accidentally. She has spent her entire life, hiding her powers for the sake of the safety of her and others around her. If her great great great great great great grandmother was the biggest century in the Kingdom five centuries ago then what made her think she could ever be able to take down Silas, that too without help.