Yesterday's Prince

32. A Wild Magic: Uther

"What did we do together that got us into the most trouble?"

"Stole a cask of wine and a carriage because I wanted to visit a traveling circus," he said. Uther suppressed a grin. He'd only been twelve, and Brjon had been seventeen, and he felt so proud to be sneaking out with his older brother. They'd started out with two horses, but they didn't hitch one properly, it ran away, and they managed to convince someone to ride with them in the carriage on the way back so that they'd have two hours to pull. It had been an adventure, he thought, and one that was a lot more sarding fun than this one.

Clearing his throat, Uther asked, "What is your favorite color?"

"That's not a real question," Brinn said.

"Don't think I ever had one, but red's nice...always reminded me of wine, women, and a good hearth fire," the stag said.

Uther rushed forward, intending to give his brother a hug. Bjorn held out his hands, shaking his head. Uther dug his heels in, coming up short. Bjorn said, "You can't touch me. I think...I think I'm like them, the nasty, biting ones. They wanted to take your life, and if they'd laid hands on you, they would've. It's better if we don't risk it."

"More irksome magical rules," Uther said with a sigh. Magic came with so many dos and don'ts, he thought.

"Now, tell me what happened," Bjorn asked. Up close, he could smell a rich, musky odor rolling off his brother, but the stag didn't have bovine eyes. They didn't look human, either, but something that settled right in the middle—too keen and intelligent to be an animal, but not recognizable in any human face he'd ever seen.

"Let's walk and talk," Septimus cut in, "because I see some of the lights again, and let me remind you that we're in the other world and need to get out at some point."

Uther nodded, motioning Bjorn to walk alongside him. Septimus and Brinn led the way, and he let them go, content to ignore Septimus for the time being. If Septimus had his way, they would've left Bjorn or attacked him. He fears fae magic because he doesn't understand it, Uther tried to tell himself, although he didn't entirely believe it. Septimus understood a lot, more than he did. It was...something else, and he didn't want to think about it now.

"Our uncle took the throne," Uther said, turning to Bjorn. "He, ugh, stole something else, too, which he is wearing right now in Copper Downs."

Bjorn grunted, and an angry light flared in his eyes. Uther quelled, his insides shivering a bit, but he forced himself not to pull away. This was his brother, and he wouldn't be a worthy kin if he became frightened of all this strangeness now.

"Mother always said he was more treacherous than a greased leech. She said to let him rot out in his swamp," Bjorn said. Uther nodded, but frowned, knowing Septimus heard that. Out of all his family, it was only he that was suckered in by Arniel's schemes. Here you always felt brilliant, he thought.

"He challenged me. There wasn't much of a choice," Uther said, speaking loudly so he could defend himself to Bjorn and to Septimus.

"He'll be damned for what he did you...to both of you," Bjorn said, nodding to Cyrus. Uther wondered if he'd recognized his friend, and it seemed he had. Cyrus gave Bjorn a nod, and they exchanged a knowing glance.

"We're heading to Orphan Lake Keep. A fae told us there's a secret way in through the other world," Uther told Bjorn.

"I didn't know this," he said, "but there are fae guarding many gates."

"What?" Septimus said, stopping and spinning to face them.

"They are gatekeepers of this world. You're a wizard. Surely, you knew that."

"I thought Malmordra was the gate keeper," Septimus said, "and she didn't say anything about there being another."

"He's not lying," Uther said, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

Septimus scowled, shaking his head. He said, "I didn't say lies were involved. You think there's a reason we weren't told about something so obviously important as a gatekeeper on the way out?"

"Do you know where this gatekeeper is?" Uther asked Bjorn. His heart skipped ahead. If Bjorn knew who the gatekeeper was, he would know where the gate was. The less time they spent in this other world, the better.

"I...I do, but he is a fae renowned for his cleverness," Bjorn said.

"We need to get out somehow," Brinn said, gesturing ahead of her. "Come on, you lot, stop sniveling and let's find this gate. I don't want to linger here."

"Maybe the ring would show us a way past the gatekeeper," Septimus muttered, looking down at his staff. "You know, if Malmordra didn't mention him, maybe she thought we could get around him."

"Start believing the fae now because it's convenient," Uther said, gesturing Bjorn to go in front. He stomped behind his brother, taking longer steps to keep up with Bjorn's swift stride. The landscape shifted from the open fields to narrow, obsidian stone walls, worn into smooth swirls as if painted by brush strokes. The rock walls drew nearer, and they found themselves passing through a slot canyon that forced them to walk single file.

The canyon opened up into a wide, shallow lipped depression. It looked like a bowl, and opposite them, it truncated in a shear rock face that looked like a sword stabbed down into the earth. There was no way around, so they headed into the dip.

And then there was a grinding noise like screeching gargoyles, and a stone door slid shut behind them, blocking the only exit. Wisp lights ignited around the bowl, and a set of stones jutted out of the sheer wall ahead, forming a descending spiral stair.

The six of them pulled together, and Uther raised his sword. There was no sign of any fae, but the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. They were being watched, and the trap was sprung.

(Note: I split this into two chapters. It was one huge one at first. I hope the cliffhangers don't kill all of you! Thanks for voting and commenting. I've had kind of a 'blah' week, so it's nice to know that this story is still entertaining people.)