Author's Note: I'm going to try posting updates a little differently. Normally, I post each part individually and condense past parts as needed (Wattpad only allows me 200 total). I'm going to try updating the same chapter each day, rather than going back and deleting old parts. Just trying it out for now, will see how it goes and adjust.
Hope you are enjoying the story so far :)
We're nearing the end of part 3!
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(1)
Roran held his breath, his body tense as Timara and Kell fought back and forth. He felt helpless, watching the fight from far above, but there was nothing more he could do. He'd done everything he could to prepare Kell for the fight, and his plan appeared to be working. Kell maintained the advantage as she systematically tore Timara apart.
Darling stood beside him, stock still. Though her body language appeared relaxed, she was anything but. Her jaw was clenched, the muscles twitching every time one of Timara's chains bounced off Kell's shield. Her knuckles were white and the drink in her hand rippled, giving away a slight tremor.
And then it was over. Timara made the fatal mistake of leaping at Kell, and Kell had ended it. When Timara fell limp against the platform, both Roran and Darling let out a sigh of relief. On his other side, Karyn looked sad, an expression of pity on her face.
"And it's over!" the announcer screamed, though within the diplomatic booths the voice was at a much more reasonable volume. "The Devil of Chains has fallen, struck down by a single blow from the Living Storm."
Roran sipped his drink, not tasting it. He was still watching Kell. She stood over Timara for a moment, then turned and slowly walked away, her head low. Roran didn't know what was going through Kell's mind at that moment. He knew that she and Timara had history, but he didn't know what all that entailed. He likely never would.
"I should go to her," Karyn said.
"I'll come with you," said Darling.
"Will that be alright?" asked Nul. "Diplomats don't normally sully themselves by going into the bowels of the arena." There was an acrid quality to Nul's voice, one that belied past pain. Roran made a mental note for later.
"Of course it will be alright," said Darling. "What sort of regent would I be if I didn't congratulate Uhlara's top Champion personally."
Nul rolled their eyes. "It's always politics with you people."
"Yes," said Darling, "but sometimes it's more. If you'll excuse me, I'd like to see my sister now."
Karyn and Darling left the chambers, heading down to the ready room where Kell would be recovering from the fight. Roran smiled, appreciating Darling's ability to combine her goals. By making Kell Uhlara's Champion, she was creating a strong tie between her nation and the King's Arena, merging the two ways of life through blood ties. Roran had underestimated her.
"I'm just glad it's over," Roran said.
Not only had Kell won the fight, she'd done it by adapting to her injury. She wasn't trying to overcome every obstacle through brute force anymore, she was moving on. And it was time he moved on as well. He'd wasted too much time playing toy soldier for Pelkha.
"Hey Nul, I might need your help with something."
Roran turned and found Nul missing. He looked around, wondering where they'd vanished to.
"Nul?"
Instead of Nul, Roran found an elegant woman coming towards him. She was middle aged and finely dressed, just like all the other nobles in attendance. Behind her came a tall coachman. At first, Roran was reminded of Kell's mother and their butler, but there was something painfully different about these people. They carried themselves differently. There was a hunger about the woman and an edge to the coachman. These people felt dangerous.
"Hello," the woman said. "You must Roran Aurandale. Pleased to meet you."
Roran dipped his head. "I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage."
"Fear not," said the woman, her smile sharp and jagged. "I've been eager to meet you face to face. You've been working closely with my-"
She paused, her mouth attempting to form the words but some unseen force stopped her. She tried again.
"You're friends with my-"
Again, her tongue stuck. It was like she wanted to say something, but couldn't.
Her face twitched, a brief flash of frustration appearing before she was able to smooth the emotions away, returning to the acceptably pleasant smile of a diplomat.
"You know my child-" Again she paused, as if stuck, before spitting out, "Nul."
"Ah." Roran hadn't thought much about Nul's parents. They'd never talked about them and Roran wasn't the type to pry. "It's lovely to meet you. Nul has been a dear friend of mine for a while now. I'd be lost without them."
The woman smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Indeed. I'm glad to hear that they've been helpful to you. It sounds like you've been causing all sorts of commotions. Both here and across the country. The audience chambers were abuzz with your activity for weeks after Uhlara fell."
Roran plastered a grin on his face. He normally tried not to think about his part in the collapse of the Uhlaran Kingdom.
"We did what needed to be done," he said simply.
"And here you, once more in service to the Kings." She gestured at his golden bangle. "You've done quite well for yourself. And the mighty Living Storm as well. I'm glad to see that she survived."
"As am I. Tell me, have you met Kell before?"
"I'm afraid not."
"I thought as much," Roran muttered beneath his breath. Kell's antagonistic attitude tended to rub nobles the wrong way, and she would have found this woman easy sport, especially if she was Nul's mother.
"The reason I wanted to introduce myself," the woman continued, "Is that I've been trying to get ahold of my...child. I've spent the last couple of weeks trying to invite...Nul...to one of our dinner parties, but I never seem to be able to find...them."
Roran listened patiently, politely ignoring the odd stutters and stops in the woman's speech. He had a feeling that they weren't part of her normal routine.
"Given that you live with...them," she said, finally. "I was hoping that you would join me for a little party I'm hosting and bring them along with you."
"I'm afraid that I'm not at liberty to attend parties," Roran said. "I've been rather busy as of late."
"So I've heard. Fear not, I have sway with the King, they will give you the night off to attend me."
Roran found her word choice odd, but chose to ignore it.
"I will do my best," Roran said, "But I make no promises."
"I suppose that will do," said the woman. "Amus here will give you the details. I hope to see you soon."
As the woman turned to leave, Roran called out, "I didn't catch your name."
She grinned at him, her canines predatory and sharp. "Lady Vivienne Ambrose."
The pieces fell together in Roran's mind. It was like clockwork all snapping together and spinning all at once. Lady Vivienne Ambrose, Nul's Mother, was currently one of the Queens that ruled over King's City.
Seeing the shock on Roran's face, she winked at him and left.
(2)
Once the Queen had departed, Roran asked, "Sarah, where's Nul."
"I'm here," said Nul, suddenly by Roran's side.
Though he was expecting that to happen, he still jumped. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Roran said, "I was not aware your mother was a sitting Queen."
"Neither was I," said Nul.
"Are you avoiding her?"
Nul nodded.
"Have you been..." Roran paused frowning. "Is that why you've been gone so much lately?"
"I haven't been gone, I was simply keeping to myself."
"You're effectively a demi-god, and you're using your abilities to hide from your mother?"
Nul shrugged. "We don't get along."
"I gathered that. May I ask why?"
"I'd rather you didn't."
Roran sighed. He was frustrated, especially now that he knew the reason Nul had all but vanished from the face of the earth, but he wasn't going to press Nul. It was Nul's story to share or to keep.
"Then can I ask why you didn't tell any of us that you were trying to lay low?"
"Akanos and I have been busy. We have dozens of projects and I get distracted from time."
Right, Nul was still sharing their skull with another person, one whose motives Roran wasn't entirely certain of. While Nul's blade made them stronger and more resourceful, it also seemed to be chewing away at the edges of their sanity. If nothing else, Akanos seemed to be having a bad influence on them. Roran noted that as a problem for another day.
Darling and Karyn returned a few moments later with Kell in tow. Kell was subdued despite her victory. The last time Roran had seen Kell win a major bout, she'd been giddy with excitement, ready to party and drink until sunrise. This time, she just looked tired.
"You did it," Roran said.
"Thanks to you," said Kell. "Thanks to all of you. If I had been on my own, I would be the one dead in the arena."
"But you weren't alone," said Karyn, squeezing Kell's hand. "We're here for you, and we're all glad you're alive."
Kell flashed her a tired smile. "I'm glad to still be alive." She shook herself, shedding the melancholy attitude. "I need a drink and some food. Is the food still good up here, I haven't been to the diplomatic chambers in years."
"You've been here before?" Darling asked.
"Yeah, some noble took a fancy to me after I ripped a man's head off with my bare hands. Guess he wanted me to be his trophy girl for the evening."
Darling stared at her, wide-eyed.
Kell laughed, her usual demeanor beginning to settle back around her. "I'm kidding, mostly. Let's get some drinks."
Once Kell was properly equipped with a tall drink and a heaping plate of food, they settled into a corner of the room, well away from the glass wall that looked down upon the arena. They'd had their fill of fights for the day.
"The shield worked like a charm," said Kell, stuffing food into her face. "The gust etchings were a little awkward though, too difficult to control precisely."
Nul pulled out a notebook and began scribbling as Kell spoke.
"The leather plating helped. I think Timara would have sliced me open if it hadn't been for the enhanced armor, but I don't think a full body suit is necessary in the future. We can cut it down to minimal armor."
"But the transference design worked?"
Kell nodded. "The leather was as tough as my skin once I activated it."
Null nodded, their pen dancing along the page.
Darling watched them with interest.
"Are they always like this?" she asked.
"Nul likes to update notes immediately after a fight," Roran said. "While the memories are fresh."
"I see why they're known as the best. If it's not too much trouble, would they be able to give me some etchings?"
Nul's pen stopped and they all turned to stare at Darling. She flushed slightly, but kept her composure.
"While Uhlara has been mostly peaceful, there have been incidents. We do our best to keep them controlled and quiet, but the number of assassination and kidnapping attempts has remained consistent."
Kell frowned. "Who do I need to kill?"
"No one!" said Darling, raising her hands to placate her sister. "Or...well, maybe everyone? Sorry, it's confusing. King Usov has been stirring up trouble in the Esmun Republic and there are pockets of loyalists still within Uhlara. We've done well to flush them out, but it's slow work. That was another reason I wanted to come to the city. Given my sudden rise to power, and that I'm the only woman in a high office, I've become a prime target."
"And when were you going to tell us this?" Kell asked dryly.
"Why, right now," said Darling, a bright smile on her face.
"She's definitely your sister," said Nul.
"Guess I know what I'm doing for the next few weeks," said Kell. "It will be nice to spend some time together, even if I am on guard duty."
"Oh, you don't have to do that," said Darling. "I'm awfully busy. I have meetings every day for the next week, as well as several social engagements. Commander Orlas has already promised that I would be safe within the city. Besides, there aren't any Uhlaran assassins on this side of the continent, so there's nothing to worry about."
Roran let out a groan. "We may want to stay at the house for a while, that way we can keep a constant watch on her. We'll figure out what to do for the parties and events."
"It's not uncommon for Champions to escort nobles to diplomatic functions," said Nul. "We are considered the prime export of the city after all."
"That reminds me," said Roran. "Nul, your mother invited me to a party."
Kell frowned at them. "Is that supposed to be the beginning of a joke?"
Roran ignored her. "She seems interested in using me to get to you. She was very insistent that I attend the party. Given that she's Tasos's Queen, I'm afraid Pelkha might order me to attend."
"Oh, that must be the Queen's Ball!" said Darling. "I've been invited as well. It's actually here in the King's Arena. I'm told they turn the battlegrounds into a giant palace for us to explore and play in."
"Sounds like a party," said Kell. "I'm happy to crash it."
"Oh, I have the perfect dress to wear!" said Karyn, giddy with excitement.
Nul said nothing and went back to scribbling in their notebook.
Then, in Roran's ear, Sarah whispered, "This would be a perfect opportunity to sneak down into the audience chambers and raid the library. Roran, this is the chance we were looking for!"
(3)
Once she'd stuffed herself full of food and drink, courtesy of the diplomatic chambers, Kell retired early. She went back to Darling's manor to bathe and sleep, exhausted both physically and emotionally. Darling and Karyn joined her, leaving Roran and Nul to their own devices.
Nul was quick to make an excuse and vanish, literally. Now that Roran knew what they were doing, it was painfully obvious that Nul had been using their blade to make themself invisible and undetectable. While Roran was frustrated that Nul had been hiding while Kell was suffering, he understood that they had their own problems to worry about.
Nul's mother was clearly attempting to use Roran to gain some form of control over Nul. What Roran couldn't understand was why. What did she gain from manipulating her child, one she clearly hadn't spent much time with. Nul was arguably the best etcher in the city, but she was a sitting Queen. She would be able to call on King Taso's personal etchers whenever she wanted. So why did she need Nul?
Roran was pondering the question when someone tapped him on the shoulder. Turning around, he found Prince Vassilian beaming back at him.
"You look deep in thought," Vassilian said.
Roran smiled back at him, embarrassed. "Sorry, I've had a lot on my mind these past few days."
"So it seems. Pelkha doesn't seem very happy about it."
Roran winced. "Did she say something?"
"No, but she's been extra bitchy lately, which is unusual for her. Normally she just assigns my guard and leaves, but lately she's been taking the time to yell at people and scold me for being lazy and helpless."
Frowning, Roran asked, "Who's been escorting you lately?"
Normally Roran was the only one to escort the Prince to social activities. Since Roran had abandoned his post to help Kell, he'd assumed that the poor Prince would be stuck inside.
"Normally, no one," said the Prince. "Today, however, she's escorting me herself."
Roran felt his stomach drop. Pelkha was here and she was likely pissed. That was the last kind of attention that he wanted.
"I hate to leave so suddenly," Roran said, "But I'm kind of trying to avoid Pelkha at the moment."
"I understand," said the Prince, though there was a sadness to his voice. "I just wanted to talk to you, and thank you again for taking me to Kell's birthday party. It was the most fun I've had in years. Especially getting to sneak around the city wearing the clerks robes."
That made Roran smile. When he'd first suggested the idea to Vassilian, he'd been afraid that the Prince would scoff at him and be insulted by the idea. Instead, the Prince had been eager for an adventure and donned the old robes willingly. That night had been fun for both of them, and Roran was grateful that he'd been able to introduce the Prince to his friends.
"I'm glad you had fun," Roran said. "I promise we'll do something like that again in the future. For now, I should probably leave before Pelkha finds me."
Vassilian grinned. "Good luck with that. If Pelkha wants to find you, she'll find you."
Roran couldn't argue. He had yet to understand all of Pelkha's capabilities but he knew she was good at finding people when she needed to. She was good at everything when she needed to be.
Before he left, Roran asked, "Are you supposed to attend the Queen's ball?"
"Of course, I'm the son of a King after all."
"Will you need me to escort you?"
There was a twinkle in Vassilian's eye. "Of course, I'm not supposed to leave the Sanctuary without you."
"Then we'll go together."
"It's a date!"
Vassilian leaned in and hugged Roran, squeezing him tightly. The sudden hug surprised Roran, but he hugged the prince back. When the Prince pulled away, Roran took his leave. His friends were waiting for him and he desperately wanted to escape before Pelkha could find him and wring answers out of him. He still felt guilty about murdering Yosk and the last thing he needed was Pelkha grilling him for answers he couldn't give.
Roran left the diplomatic chambers and headed down the stairs, because of course there were more stairs for him to deal with. Stairs were slowly becoming the bane of his existence. If nothing else, this fresh batch of rage helped him stop thinking about the man he'd betrayed. He'd almost made it out of the arena when a wall started to melt.
At first, Roran thought it was a trick of the light, then brick and stone and mortar began swirling together into a hulking mass. A stone lion crawled out of the wall. It shook out its great mane then sat directly in the center of the hallway, blocking his path.
Stopping dead in his tracks, Roran asked, "Sarah?"
"She's behind us," Sarah said, her voice more annoyed than anything else.
Turning around, Roran found Pelkha glaring at him.
"Leaving so soon?" she asked.
"Kell's fight was over. There was no reason for me to stay."
"No reason, other than doing your job."
Roran sighed. "I know I'm supposed to be with the Prince, but Kell's life was on the line. I had to-"
"I don't care about the Prince," Pelkha snapped. "I care about the shadow clerks you've been dodging. I care about the murderers and zealots that are crowding our streets. I care about the arms and resources they've been gathering. They're not very effective, but there are a lot of them. The work we do is important, Roran, and you were excellent at it."
Roran wasn't sure how to respond. When he maintained his silence, Pelkha went on.
"I know you're upset after losing Yosk, but you have to get over it. You can't keep dodging shadow clerks forever, and you certainly can't avoid me. Stop sulking and get back to work. Yosk's death wasn't your fault."
The last line stung and Roran failed to keep the hurt off his face. Pelkha watched him, her silver ringed gaze intense. After a moment, she softened. She seemed on the verge of showing emotion.
Then she said, "I expect to see you at the Queen's ball, escorting the Prince. After that, we'll discuss your future within the King's Court."
"Going to kick me out?" Roran asked.
Pelkha raised an eyebrow. "No, we're planning on making you a field captain."
(4)
When Pelkha finally let him pass, Roran made a hasty retreat to Darling's home. He found his friends in the sitting room, all enjoying glasses of whiskey. Kell was leaning against Karyn, half asleep. Bouts usually left Kell exhausted, but she seemed extra fatigued after her fight with Timara. Roran wondered how much of that exhaustion was physical, and how much was from stress.
Kell glanced at him, her eyes half closed. "I was wondering when you'd show up."
"Sorry, I ran into the Pelkha."
"Did she scold you for avoiding her?"
"A little," said Roran. "But I don't think I'm in trouble yet. She expects me to attend the Queen's Ball as the Prince's escort."
"We'll be going with Darling," said Kell. "Apparently Karyn is her spiritual advisor and I'm her new bodyguard."
"It works out perfectly," said Darling. "Not only will you be there to protect me, I can declare you as Uhlara's primary Champion, giving us a presence in the arena!"
"What does that mean?" asked Karyn.
"Just that she gets bonus points for my work," said Kell. "It's common for provinces to put forth Champions in an attempt to curry favor with the Kings. I don't know how well it will work for you though, I was a Champion well before you came along."
"Yes," said Darling, "But that was before everyone knew you were my sister. Once I go around introducing you at the Queen's Ball, there will be no question as to our presence in the arenas!"
Kell grunted. "You're a little scary sometimes, you know that?"
Darling shrugged. "I do what needs to be done for my family and my kingdom."
"Good, you three can cover for me and Sarah while we break into the King's archives."
Everyone turned to stare at him.
"Since when were you going to do that?" asked Karyn.
"Since we got the perfect excuse. It would be suspicious if we tried to sneak into the King's audience chambers during the day. But this way, everyone will be distracted and if we get caught we have an excuse for being there."
"I look forward to seeing what you find," said Nul. "Do your best to take notes."
"You're coming with us," said Sarah, coalescing into existence beside Roran. "We'll need you to help get past the barrier etchings."
"What sort of barrier?"
"I'm not entirely sure," said Sarah, "That's why we need you. They lowered it for the Pantheon meeting, but Pelkha still had to let us through. Once we're past it though, I should be able to move freely. I'll need to manifest in order to search through the archives, but getting to them won't be a problem."
"You can't just read them?" Nul asked. "Like you do with other books."
"Reading them isn't the problem, it's copying them. I don't have a perfect memory. If these designs are as complicated as Ahndor's, I doubt I'll be able to bring back any useful information."
Nul sighed. "Akanos's amulet can copy the books. I can teach Sarah how to use it, but- Oh shut up!"
Everyone flinched, turning to stare at Nul.
"Sorry," they said, "Akanos was shouting in my head."
Darling cast a glance to Kell who only shook her head.
"Go on," said Karyn.
"Sarah has to manifest in order to interact with the physical world," Nul explained. "Meaning she'll have to manifest if she wants to carry the amulet down...In which case it would be easiest if I just joined her. That will also allow Roran to stay behind and keep up appearances for Pelkha."
"If I stay incorporeal, then I'll be able to keep watch," said Sarah.
"Then you can guide me to the archives, I can copy anything we need, and then we can sneak back out before the party is over."
"There might be a slight problem," said Darling. "All three Kings are going to be in attendance. I imagine there will be extra security to look after them."
Kell barked out a laugh. "No, there will probably be even less security if they're around."
"But what if someone tries to attack them?"
"They're immortal gods," said Kell. "Everyone of them can destroy an army single handedly. Who in their right mind would attempt to kill them?"
"You mean besides yourself?" said Karyn.
"We're not exactly in our right minds, now are we?"
Karyn sighed. "You have a point."
"So, as long as we avoid attracting the attention of the Kings, we should be fine," said Kell, grinning.
"I should also avoid Pelkha," said Roran. "She has etchings that allow her to see Sarah. If she realizes that Sarah isn't with me, she'll get suspicious."
"We'll just have to adapt as we go," said Kell. "When is the ball?"
"Next weekend," said Darling. "That gives us a week to prepare."
"Good, I have some errands I need to run, and some chores for Nul."
Nul raised an eyebrow.
Kell winked at them. "Don't worry, it's something you'll enjoy."
Nul shrugged, accepting whatever tasks Kell was going to put on them without complaint.
"What about you two?" asked Karyn.
"I should go back to running errands for Pelkha," said Roran. "I don't want to give her any more reasons to be suspicious of me."
"I'll need to study the barriers I'll be breaking down," said Nul. "So I'll be visiting the arena during bouts."
"I'll show you where they are," said Sarah.
"Then it's settled," said Kell. "We'll all attend the Queen's Ball and use the opportunity to rob the King's."
"We're just copying books," said Nul.
"Are you saying knowledge isn't valuable?"
Nul rolled their eyes and stood. "I have work I should be doing. If you'll excuse me."
Kell also rose to her feet. "And I'm in desperate need of a bath and some sleep. Coming love?"
Karyn took Kell's hand and they departed together.
"I suppose I should be off as well," said Darling, "Much to do tomorrow."
Finding himself alone with Sarah, Roran poured himself a drink and settled into a chair.
"We're going to be apart," he said.
"It's been a while since I left your shadow. Since before we left for Uhlara."
"Will you be alright?" asked Roran.
"I'm Death, remember. My mortality is artificial. It's you I'm worried about."
"It sounds like your death is still a death, even if you come back in a way."
"I'd be a different person," said Sarah. "But I would come back, just as I always have, and I would retain most of my memories. The pieces of me would simply be rearranged and filled in with new essence to help me return to a functioning state."
Roran raised an eyebrow at her. "That sounds very much like death."
Sarah shrugged. "It is and it isn't. Even if helping you puts me in danger, it's much better than wandering around and soothing remnants, wondering if my existence can be any more than my primary functions."
Roran chuckled at that. "Even Death has existential dread."
Sarah swatted his shoulder playfully.
He wrapped an arm around her, enjoying the closeness.
"I'm just glad I was able to find you," Sarah said. "You and the others have given me more than I could ask for."
"I'm grateful to have you with us," Roran said, leaning into her. "I don't know what we would do without you."