Skylar stood at the window of her old bedroom, looking down at the courtyard. At first, when they finally reached her family estate, she was flooded by the relief of homecoming. But now, when the emotions subsided and she finally bathed and ate, the whole place seemed somehow different for her. It felt smaller and strangely unfamiliar.
The strong arms wrapped around her waist, and Gawyn rested his chin on her shoulder.
"What's the matter? I thought you'd be happy at home. But you don't look happy. Why the scary frown?"
"I just realised something. I don't know when and how that happened, but I started to treat Evergreen as my home. My true home."
Gawyn tightened his arms around her and brushed her cheek with his lips. "I'm glad to hear it."
Skylar turned around to face him and cupped his face in her hands. "You've shaved."
"Finally." He sighed. "This stubble was driving me crazy."
"Aww, I liked it. It looked perfect on you. More rugged," Skylar said with a smirk.
"Oh? Maybe I should let it grow next time," he murmured and kissed her.
Someone knocked at the door, and Aurora barged into the room before they pulled away.
"Skylar, the audience will be held soon, so you really should..." she trailed off, looking at them with sudden interest. "Oh, did I interrupt something?"
"I thought it was a well-known custom to wait for an invitation after a knock," Gawyn grumbled, annoyed.
"It's all right, Rori." Skylar patted her husband's arm and gave him a placating smile. "We're ready to go."
"Come then." Aurora gestured for them to follow and left the room.
"I thought your sister supposed to be the one with good manners?" Gawyn murmured.
"Well, my brashness must have rubbed off on her," Sky replied with a shrug.
The audience chamber was no more than a large room, nothing like vast and lavish chambers in the palace. Skylar was surprised once again by how oddly small everything seemed to her now. Colart was sitting on the only chair in the room. It was supposed to look like a throne, but it was just a sturdy old piece of wood. Several guards were stationed all around the room, which was lit with torches, the flickering flames sending dancing shadows every which way.
"Lord General, Skylar," Colart nodded at them when they entered.
"Is he here?" Skylar asked with a mixture of excitement and dread.
"The guards are leading him here as we speak. I want you two to stay out of sight. Just a precaution."
"But..." Skylar protested, but Gawyn put a hand on her shoulder.
"He's right, Sky. No reason to announce our presence far and wide."
"Fine!" She rolled her eyes and let him lead her into the shadowed corner of the room. It was night already, so the only light source in the room was the torches. Concealing themselves in the darkness was not an arduous task.
"You too, Rori," Colart grumbled, looking at his older daughter with a frown.
"I will certainly not hide," Aurora said calmly. "I can't possibly leave you to do all the talking, Father. That wouldn't end well."
The man scoffed. "Fine. I know there's no arguing with you." He gestured at the guards. "Fetch her a chair, swiftly!"
Skylar watched from the shadows as the tall guard brought a smaller chair and put it down next to Colart. Aurora smiled at him, her eyes shining, and Skylar realised it was Willem, the man her sister loved so badly that she chose him over her. Skylar was expecting a flare of anger, but there was none. She finally understood when she saw how they looked at each other.
She already forgave Aurora for what she did. Because now, she knew how it felt to care for someone so deeply. She found Gawyn's hand in the darkness and squeezed it.
The main door to the chamber opened with a loud thud. The herald tapped the floor with his staff and announced.
"Master Sorcerer Obarin, envoy of the Blighted Lands."
Skylar craned her neck to get a better look at the man. He was wearing a robe and a cloak, both in the darkest shade of black, his hands hidden in wide sleeves. Only his head was uncovered. He was bald, and his skin was ashen grey. Swirling black lines of tattoos covered his whole face and neck. But the most striking were his eyes, which were sickly yellow and seemed to be glowing in the dark chamber. Skylar felt her skin crawl just by looking at him.
He was escorted by two huge men, although it was hard to say if they were men or some other abomination prowling the Blighted Lands. They were clad in black plate armour clanging loudly with each step, and full-faced helmets concealed their features.
They stopped in the middle of the room, and oppressive silence fell.
"Normally, I would say welcome in my stronghold, but I'm not in a welcoming mood today," Colart said, his bushy brows knitted. "You requested the audience. State your business then."
"Colart Shawcross," the stranger said, his voice cold. "It's high time I meet the man who is standing so stubbornly in my Emperor's way." He was speaking perfect Lamyrian, without any traces of an accent.
"Emperor?" Colart scoffed. "So, you call this wasteland you govern an Empire?"
"We do indeed," the sorcerer replied unamused. "And soon, your lands will become a part of it too."
"You came here to make threats then?"
"Threats? No, I came out of courtesy. Aleus the Conqueror decided it was time for us to bring your domain into the Blighted Lands. You can surrender and swear fealty to him, and your subjects will live. We are only interested in harvesting the magic running in your lands' veins, not in the lives of its people."
"You must be out of your mind if you think I would ever agree to such preposterous demand!" Colart growled, and a vein in his temple bulged.
"Is it preposterous?" The sorcerer cocked his bald head. "We are offering your people protection. Should you foolishly refuse, we will lead our army here and kill every single person who stands in our way. As I said, we do not need people. I think it is a reasonable offer."
"You speak boldly," Aurora said before Colart opened his mouth, "but as I recall, you tried to breach our border for centuries, and you never managed to make a dent in it. Why should we bother with your empty threats?"
"Because, young one, we never tried to invade you. Those skirmishes at your border? It's nothing but feral beasts. Mindless animals that only act on instinct. They cannot breach your wards, though. But now, our army will march here when the Emperor sets his eyes on your land. A true army with fearless warriors and sorcerers. Do not underestimate us."
"You would not dare," Colart said. "If you try to invade Lamyria, the whole army will stand against you. And there is no match for the military power of our whole kingdom united. Tread carefully because it might turn out that we won't just repel your army. We will chase you out of your blighted wasteland!"
"And you accused me of empty threats." Obarin cackled. "Do you think your Queen will help you while you are harbouring traitors and kinslayers?" He turned his yellow gaze to Skylar and Gawyn as if the darkness held no secrets from him. "I think not. We know what is happening in your kingdom, Shawcross, and we know no one will help you. You stand alone against the force you can't even comprehend. You don't want to test our patience."
"I would rather die than bend the knee to the likes of you!" Colart growled through gritted teeth. "I promise you that if you try to take my lands by force, we will fight you tooth and nail every damn step of the way. Do not underestimate us, sorcerer."
"Fine," Obarin said, unmoved by the angry outburst. "I think a little demonstration is in order." He raised his hands. The black sleeves slid down, exposing long twisted fingers covered in scars and fresh boils.
Suddenly, the shadows in the room started to move erratically, as if they had a will of their own. Skylar put a hand on her sword, but before she could draw it, the ear-splitting sound of thunder echoed throughout the room.
Skylar swayed on her feet and felt lightheaded. She instinctively knew what had happened. The wards for fending off dark magic around their stronghold have been shattered all at once.
The sorcerer lowered his hands and hid them in his wide sleeves again.
"I'll say it one last time. We are in possession of magic that will shatter your meek defences in seconds. You don't want to anger us. You have seven days before our army march. Leave the borders open, and we will take what we need and leave your people alone. Stand against us, and we will purge every single human being populating this pathetic scrap of land."
He turned on his heel and left the chamber, not waiting for an answer.
When his echoing steps disappeared in the distance, Aurora said, "I think we are in trouble."