Rune Mage [Fantasy/Adventure | Book 1 +2 | Complete]

CHAOS MAGE Chapter 37: The Final Decision

The committee room would be quite grand if not for the suffocating atmosphere that tasted of curdled milk and depressed Seiren's shoulders with the weight of sleepless nights. Soft autumn sunlight streamed through the stained glass at the top of the walls, throwing dazzling rays of crimson and indigo like the multi-coloured sweets sold on the streets of Bicknor. A polished, dark oak table sat in the middle, empty except for a pile of paper at Kommora's section. Seiren twisted her fingers, making the joints pop, staring at the nails bitten down to the quick. Madeleine would scold her for the state they were in – if only she were able.

On either side of her sat Rowan and Marya Bonneville. Kommora sat directly opposite, beside Bolliver Woodbead. A few people paced up and down beside the unlit fireplace. The others stood at the far back, bathed in shadows, their arms crossed over their chests and taking in the information Seiren's group had brought back from Hanna. Quiet murmurs stayed in the background as a dull hum. The stifling atmosphere sat heavy, suffocating.

"Sallows predicted all of this," said Kommora at last, with a sigh. She stood up, pushing her chair back with a groan. Heavy shadows sat beneath her eyes and she appeared to have grown more wrinkles and grey hairs since Seiren had last seen her. Something dark stirred behind those intelligent eyes – some might even call it wariness, or fear. "I managed to decipher most of his documentations. He'd written about Teirrin's discovery of the twins' burial sites. No, not quite burial sites – there were no bodies, just two artefacts for the bound souls of the original twins."

A low, disconcerted murmur rippled through the group.

"It appeared Teirrin's attempt – successful attempt – at mass-sacrifice to revive celestial magic awoke the two sealed souls, but Karma was more awake than Hanna and she spoke to Sallows." Kommora swallowed, staring fixated down at the dog-eared notes with barely-legible scribbles in her hands. "She warned him Hanna must never be roused because of the circumstances under which both of them were sealed. After she gave him instructions on how to put them both back to sleep, he split up the souls, giving Hanna to the Hannan king, Mephis Tophalis, and hiding Karma's soul so Kristen and her group wouldn't get access to her. It seems Mephis Tophalis was unable to keep Hanna away from that tyrant son of his."

"Hanna instructed them – rescuing Kristen, sacrificing the Daemonium to bring Hanna back to life–" Rowan's hands curled into fists, his knuckles turning ivory white. "It was her plan all along."

"And we sent our two celestial mages straight into her trap, allowing her a full body to revive with." Kommora's features darkened. "It was the single key ingredient Hanna lacked, especially with how weak Harred's magic was, and we handed it straight to her. I screwed up. I should never have permitted you two to go into Hanna."

"You couldn't have known, Kommora. Don't blame yourself," Marya Bonneville said in a low voice. "The likelihood is that Hanna would have realised Harred for what she was – not a celestial mage – and the next target would have been one of the two girls anyway."

"Marya is right," said Bellamy Southwark. "The original twins being alive and sealed all this time – none of us could have fathomed this."

"Sallows did what he could, knowing the infiltration of Harred into the king's mages and steadily disposing of the older members. He was the last one left that remained." Kommora tapped a finger on the sheets. "And, sure enough, after the souls were safely sorted, he was disposed of."

"The most important person in all this who could help us – vanished." Colm Hatman threw up his hand. "Just our luck."

"We'll have to mobilise our troops," said Bolliver, who up until this point had listened in stony silence. His steely gaze skimmed over the faces of everyone present in the room. "The magic Eleia Tophalis gave us will only hinder, but not prevent, Hanna's progress. Have we dispatched couriers to spread the magic over the border?"