Pain is an old friend.
For all his years of practice, remaining serene whilst consumed by his aching jaw, throbbing bite wounds, and rope-chafed ankles and wrists proved easier said than done.
Jaden had woken up in a dungeon cell, stripped of his belongings except for his boots and trousers. Being tied up, he shuddered in the cold, unable to move to keep himself warm. The stench of many human beings packed together and deprived of hygiene brought a surge of nausea.
Eventually, a guard unlocked the door. Sturdy, broad-featured, hair cropped short, he sported the black and blue uniform and had his sword sheathed in a silver-lined scabbard. There was something familiar about him.
"Did we train at the barracks together?" Jaden winced, sharp pain lancing his jaw as he spoke. He crawled away so that he could lean against the cold stone wall.
"I think so," the guard said.
"Wait, I remember your name . . . Caleb, isn't it?"
"You have a good memory."
Well, you did beat me up a few times with Kemon and the others. Slightly hard to forget.
Caleb stepped forward and Jaden instinctively tried to move his arms, only to remember they were tied behind his back. All he accomplished was worsen the chafing of his wrists.
"What does our esteemed queen want from me now?" Jaden asked.
"If you answer my question, I won't hurt you," Caleb said.
"Then I shall make it my priority to answer it, Caleb."
"Good," he said. "The catalyst. How does it work?"
Jaden briefly closed his eyes. "I don't know."
The guard stepped forward again, now less than a pace away. He clenched then raised his fist in warning.
"Wait," said Jaden. "Am I allowed a question?"
Caleb blinked, the fist hovering. "Um, I'm not sure. This isn't usually my department. I reckon it's all right."
"Why does the queen believe I know how to use that godforsaken thing?"
"She said you did use it. The dogs attacked you and you stopped them. She wants to know how."
Is that truly what happened?
"I've got to give her an answer," Caleb said.
Jaden nodded. "I understand, trust me. She can be quite scary."
Caleb raised his fist again.
"A piece of advice," Jaden said. "If you wish to impress your superiors, you should fetch some torture tools. Research more advanced techniques."
"Shut your mouth, bastard!" Caleb's fist shook with the intent to strike. Clearly Jaden's attempt at stalling was a massive fail.
"All right," Jaden said, "I admit it, I was wrong. Your technique is flawless, I shall talk."
"Then talk!"
"Would you happen to have parchment and ink?" Jaden inquired.
"Why in the gods' names would I have that on me?"
"To write it down, of course."
Caleb's eyes narrowed in confusion. "To write what down, bastard?"
"Quite the uninventive insult," Jaden pointed out.
"I'll knock your teeth out!"
"There's a spell," Jaden said, "to activate the catalyst. And it's a bit long, so I believe you should fetch parchment, quill and ink to jot it down."
"I could memorize it." But Caleb didn't sound very sure.
"The spell has ten lines," Jaden specified. "What if you blunder as you recite it to the queen?"
Caleb stared him down. "I'll get parchment and ink. You stay there and wait."
"I was planning on taking a stroll but since you're asking so nicely, I'll just stay here," Jaden said as Caleb locked the barred door and strode off.
A voice pealed through the stone separating Jaden from the next cell.
"Well played." She had a Laethi accent.
"I'm glad at least someone appreciates my efforts." Jaden smiled, then winced as pain flared along his jaw.
"I'm intrigued by that spell, now." She sounded amused.
"Unfortunately, I find myself scant of inspiration for ten-versed spells that activate mysterious magical artefacts."
"So you're going to let him torture you?" Now she sounded disappointed.
"Did you get tortured as well, my charming neighbor?" Jaden inquired.
"No. The queen had me arrested without any explanation. I still don't know why I'm here."
My sister and her sick games. "I'm sorry that happened to you."
"Whatever. I have faith that something good will happen soon, and that many of us will be freed."
Jaden raised an eyebrow. "And what, if I may, instigates such faith?"
"Matt Dawnson," she said. An ache far deeper than his physical wounds snared his heart.
An incident . . .
But then she said, "He escaped."
Jaden's heart skipped a beat, then started to race. "He did?"
"Hard to tell the time down here, but I think it's been nearly two days. He must be planning something by now."
"Unless the queen's men caught him first . . ." Jaden wondered how he would survive tied up in this tiny cell with such incertitude haunting his mind.
"Do you think our friend Caleb speaks Laethi?" his neighbor asked.
"Highly unlikely."
There was mischief in her voice as she said, "I've got a spell for you."
***
On top of her chambers in the east wing, Tessa had a whole floor to herself in the keep, one of the upper levels. She sat now in one of the rooms behind a winged oak desk, the walls on either side furnished with tidy bookshelves that were mostly for show. The view behind her was stunning. Veicira's tight network of paved streets and buildings, and beyond the city wall, strips of farming land and little villages stretching to the south under an afternoon's clear sky.
So she forgave Caleb, when he stared dumbly at the window after entering her office.
"Sit with me." Tessa motioned at the chair on the other side of her desk.
"Highness." He bowed and took his seat. "Your brother – forgive me, half-brother – gave me the information you requested."
"Why did it take so long?"
Caleb fidgeted in his seat. "My deepest apologies, Highness, but he only woke up less than an hour ago."
"I see. Your report?"
"There is a magical spell," Caleb explained, dragging a piece of parchment from his pocket. "To activate the catalyst. I penned it for Your Majesty. I did my best, but it isn't in Felleran so please excuse any misspellings."
Tessa extended a hand, and he entrusted her with the sheet of parchment. She read the clumsily scrawled Laethi words. Her lips curled into a wry smile.
The castle guard wringed his hands in his lap. "Forgive my poor script . . . I would have read it out loud but I feared it might activate the item in question . . ."
"Caleb, I'm afraid the only thing you activated is your demotion." She looked up. "Get out of my sight."
He scrambled up from the chair and took a few steps back. "I . . . I could question Jaden again, if you give me another chance . . ."
"No. Leave him be, for now. Close the door behind yourself."
Alone once more, Tessa massaged her temples in the hopes of soothing a budding headache. But her irritation spiked instead, and she suddenly crumpled the parchment and tossed it to the floor. It was a Laethi rhyme for children, a little story about a cunning fox and a beautiful wolf who gets fooled not once, but twice.
Do you think you're the fox, brother?
She chuckled despite herself. She supposed there were still many things she didn't know about Jaden. Her brother. Gods, it still felt so odd to think of him that way.
Her next meeting fast approaching, Tessa had a servant bring in some refreshments. It was ready just in time for Kitera's arrival. The leader of the castle guards sat and leaned her scabbard against the desk's wing.
"A Celewan red." Tessa unfurled her fingers to indicate the bottle on the desk. "I know they're your favorite."
"Thank you." Kitera helped herself to a cup of wine, but didn't drink.
Garbed in a fresh uniform, long hair tied back, dark eyes outlined in kohl, Kitera's appearance was flawless as ever. And yet, something was off in the set of her shoulders, in the tightness of her jaw. Tessa rubbed her arms, suddenly feeling a chill.
"You'll want a detailed written report, I expect," Kitera said.
"Of course. But do take your time, evaluate your priorities. The guards have been less than accomplished lately. If you would see to it."
"Absolutely," Kitera said firmly.
Tessa leaned back in her seat, crossed her legs under her skirt, and sipped her wine.
"Still no news from Lord Kemon?"
Kitera lowered her gaze. "Nothing. I've sent more guards to search for him. I also alerted the militia."
"Excellent."
"May I ask where Jaden is?" Kitera inquired. "I haven't seen him since I got back this morning."
"Jaden is resting," Tessa answered. "He was quite tired from the mission, as I'm certain you are as well."
Something off about the way she nodded and averted her eyes.
"Kitera, what of your situation with the cult? Is your cover intact?"
"I believe so, my queen," she answered. "Though they might be suspicious now."
"It couldn't be helped, I suppose. And do you believe they might attempt to recover the catalyst?"
"Yes," Kitera said. "They're blinded by their admiration of my father and will do anything to please him."
"Well," Tessa said, "keep an eye out for any breach in the castle's security. Anything out of order."
"Of course, my queen."
"Kitera . . . there's one more thing." Tessa leaned forward, delicately joining her hands on the desk, blonde curls caressing her arms. "Whilst you were away, I've continued my research. About the catalyst, there's something you should know."