Ailyn Lacald's room was coated in sparkling speckles of dust. It had reached everywhere, like a disease; the narrow bookcase, the neatly made bed. Even the open book laid flat on the desk was occupied by that virus - the virus of solitude.
It had been merely three dull days that Ailyn was missing, yet her bedroom managed to appear as bare as it had ever been. The halls somehow seemed hollower, and the atmosphere declared something was missing, something vital. Kage Sillich had never thought someone as redundant as the Princess of Light would change anything by simply not being there. Somehow, his views had all managed to be contradicted in those past few days.
Kage had other places to be. He had conferences to attend, duties to tend to, people to reassure. Yet he found himself in Ailyn's room, rummaging through countless drawers and seeking an answer to the question that had been haunting his mind; Why?
She knew about his idea for quite some time. From the moment the Kingfisher was stolen she had joked numerous times about the theoretical project, seemingly unfazed by its very real impact. A chance to save the war, an opportunity to make Seyal more powerful than any of the other countries ruled by pitiful mortals. It wasn't a joke to him, but a yawning opening for them to take.
Kage stepped out of the room, the door closing with a soft click behind him. Just another tool who managed to slip away, he consoled himself, yet those words didn't ring true within him. The nation's morale had fallen dramatically, as everyone seemed distant or simply unmotivated. Flouorn was very likely planning an attack and all state funds seemed to be going to Ailyn's retrieval.
The princess had taken everyone's mind with her, and perhaps even a piece of Kage's pride. How can I be so certain of victory when even she has figured it out?
"Sir!" a sharp voice before him bellowed, making his head tilt up. A short man in a uniform stood a few feet ahead. Once Kage focused his attention on him, the man averted his gaze. A military official, probably. "We are expecting you for the meeting," he resumed, nodding his head grimly. "A report is ready."
The boardroom was dimly lit, the faint afternoon sunlight casting its weak rays upon the large pine table placed in the middle of the round chamber. Blue and black velvet cloaked the chairs, the walls, and even the multiple officials resting around the desk were polished lavishly with the two signature colors. The entirety of the palace was distinctively void of any red or gold, the colors defining Flouorn. Grand and intimidating appearance, but on the inside, Kage observed solemnly, there is nothing.
The remaining Ascended Council was seated already; Edel and Kasmir had morose casts over their faces, dark rings underlining their usually fresh eyes. Kage nimbly chose a chair next to them, eyeing every soul in the room thoroughly. "Well," he sighed. "Fill me in on what is happening."
A corporal cleared her throat, leaning nervously towards the table. "The girl that escaped the police headquarters some days ago -- we found a radio under one of the beds in the militia barracks and we believe it belongs to her." She glanced around wearily as if searching for the correct words. "The default frequency was traced somewhere in Flouorn."
Kage simply nodded. It had crossed his mind multiple times that the girl might have been a spy rather than a curious soldier, but hearing it confirmed touched a raw nerve in his mind. Shaking his head, he waved his hand. "Add her to the most wanted of Seyal."
"Kage," Edel chimed in, puckering his lips. "There is something you need to know."
The man groaned, nodding. "More good news, I suppose."
"Well... How do I put this?"
"However you'd like. Sideways, for all I care."
"I reckon you heard about the minor explosion in the Academy last night." The hesitation was clear in his voice as he paused, examining Kage's features. "The headcount revealed an absence."
Frowning, the prince intertwined his fingers and raised his shoulders in an indifferent shrug. "Should we be concerning ourselves with something this trivial?"
"Ela is the missing student."
Kage froze. The room dipped into complete silence within moments. The heavy air seeped into his skin, paralyzing his brain and sending a slight tremor to his hands. Ela? Missing? Edel's wide eyes as he observed the Prince of Shadows stared patiently, waiting for a command to send a search group, to put up fliers, to react in some way. Yet when Kage managed to overcome the quiver that had previously conquered his limbs, his first response was to laugh.
He wasn't sure why. The two had never possessed a strong bond like most siblings he had seen. Still, they shared blood. A father. A legacy. Ela's disappearance didn't evoke nearly the same feelings as Ailyn's had, yet it only caused the muted ache in his chest to grow. A glint of anger mixed into an acid taunt caused his brow to raise. "What does that kid think she can change by rebelling?"
"Gods, she is your sister!" Kasmir hissed as she threw her hands in the air. "She was also appointed one of the field heads of the Kingfisher search party. Have you forgotten already?"
"Is that not exactly why she decided to abandon everything?"
"There's one more thing," Edel interfered, eyeing the two wearily. Kage and Ailyn didn't fight often, but Kasmir was nothing like the latter; somehow, she could see through everyone. "There were a few witnesses who saw or heard someone being dragged away. We had a few sketches made and, well..."
Silence. Then, with a deep breath, he continued. "Short girl, black hair, eyes so dark they almost seem like two black holes."
"Nora," Kage confirmed, recalling the spy's name. So Ailyn is behind this? Did she try to stop it? Did she have any say at all?
"There were also two other men with her, but nobody has managed to recognize them yet. We have decided to post fliers of them as far as we can."
The man clicked his tongue. "What about my input?"
"You input," Edel retorted, "would be biased."
The second in command of the army, Zafir Talon, cleared his throat, drawing the Council's attention to him. "We are ready to issue a search for Ela Sillich, sir. If you could sign--"
"No."
"No?" Kasmir repeated, frowning a jittery scowl. "Forget that she is your family. She is a dual bender, for all that is holy! One of three in the Royal Seyali Academy of the High Arts, and the single one there with such great power. Sacrificing her is like sacrificing a hundred men."
The Zafir's eyes glimmered. "Yes, I agree. If we achieved talking the girl into joining the army, we would gain a significant hike in power. I believe you should--"
"Don't make me laugh," Kage disputed, hailing a dismissive hand in the air. "What makes you think one soldier will make the difference in victory and loss?" He almost wanted to slap himself as he uttered those words, but it was true. Seyal already had an advantage; the Ascended. The country had previously formed small troops of element manipulators and healers, while Flouorn was strictly against the glorification of such power.
Kage's mind traveled to the Kingfisher once more. Small troops are useful already - how about a whole militia of them? However much he wanted to vocalize his thoughts, he kept his silence.
He didn't want to admit it, but the prince knew how much Ela meant to the war effort. Her attitude was certainly obnoxious, but she was growing more powerful as time ticked by. She ignored every order to choose an element; instead, she trained both behind the instructors' back. Kage had given up trying to talk sense into her many years leading up to that moment, and it was becoming clearer that her spontaneous nature would ultimately turn that power against him.
"Think about it," Edel offered, crossing his arms. "The army will do her good, as it did to everyone. She just needs to be disciplined."
So he considered it. If Ela could be taught like a soldier, do as she was told, follow commands without the usual hesitation that characterized her, she would be particularly useful. "Alright," he finally said. "Announce her disappearance to a team in the intelligence. But do not put up any posters." He clenched his fists, breathing out. This will be harder than I thought. "She is already boastful enough. We need to break her and her inflated ego."
The rest of the meeting ran in a similar fashion. Deaths of soldiers, crimes against the crown, and countless rumors about Ailyn. She has sought asylum in Flouorn, one said. She has been kidnapped by enemy forces, did another. Thinking that Ailyn would desert the throne would have been absurd just a week before. What had changed?
Where are you? he thought, as if their minds were connected. What will it take for you to come back?
The only possible answer was a certain clay artifact. If they retrieved the Kingfisher, they would retrieve Ailyn. They would retrieve Ela. And then, Seyal would be victorious. He would be victorious.
For the Ascended, he vowed. And for us.
•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••
Soon after the meeting, Kage returned to his room. The sun had sunk behind the towering Fryan mountain range stretching over to the Seyali borders, soaking the sky in ruby paint and hints of rosy varnish. The prince had always preferred the cobalt night sky. The bright sunset was the promise of life in the darkness, a sense of warmth springing from the cold. A word that could never be kept. A dream that would always fade as the night fell over the blue haze of daytime. Maybe the dusk served hope to the Flouornan folk, but in Seyal that wasn't the case. Because darkness ruled that land. He ruled that land.
He turned away from the window, collapsing on an azure armchair just beside it. As if the gods denied him the rest he craved, a soft knock on the door echoed across the vast room. With a sigh, Kage rubbed his forehead. "Come in."
A familiar figure stepped inside the room, pausing at the doorway for a second. His slanted piercing eyes couldn't be mistaken for anyone else. At first, Kage assumed he was seeing things. Besides, it had been a long day with many surprises, and he wouldn't be shocked if the man before him simply melted into the floor at any second. But the longer he stood still, the more obvious it became that he wasn't an illusion - rather, an illusionist.
"Zhao," uttered Kage in a low whisper. "Zhao Koroka," he repeated, yet he still couldn't swallow the sight before him. An illusion manipulator, the one who he had previously risked his position to help, was not only back in Seyal, but standing in front of him, arms crossed and a nostalgic grin shaping his thin lips.
It had been many years since the incident, so many that Kage could hardly remember it. Zhao was still a teenager back then, fresh into puberty, his power already having reached its peak. One day he caught sight of the prince at the Seyali market, and practically lurched at him. His story was far from usual; an Ascended, destined to rule Musha. A boy who ran away from his country, afraid of the responsibility. At the time he seemed like a coward. Now, Kage was starting to realize he couldn't be more right.
It took days upon days of contemplation to finally send Zhao away. It also required much begging from the boy's part not to deport him, or perhaps jail him for harassment. At last, he arrived at Frya with a bag of gold and a new future ahead of him.
"I wish you the best," Kage had sighed then. "But it would be wise of you to stay away from Musha. The north, in general. A war is coming."
Zhao had clearly neglected that command. But... how? Why?
Kage pushed himself up from the velour armchair, his aching joints protesting with every move of his frame. The exhaustion of the day seemed to melt away, as did any of his previous thoughts. Even Ailyn managed to dissolve from his mind as his face blanked, staring at the boy through wide sockets. After several moments of exchanging startled stares, Kage finally sighed, dragging a chair away from the pine desk and sitting down reluctantly. Running his fingers through his ebony hair, the prince released a dry laugh. "You are such an idiot. An imbecile, really."
Zhao nodded solemnly, seating at a short stool next to Kage. His eyes seemed swollen, his whole body stiff. Kage didn't know what he was tensing at, precisely; the prince? The dense atmosphere, perhaps? The illusionist looked at him, a tight smile replacing his former radiant one. "I had to come back, because..."
Silence reigned once more. "Because?" Kage prodded, his patience ticking away.
"At Messo... I met Ailyn."
It was the prince's turn to freeze. Ailyn? At Messo? He could hardly believe it. The Ailyn he knew would fret over her treason for whole weeks, unable to leave or move or think. She would contemplate returning, and at some point, she probably would. The Ailyn that he had spent countless moments with wouldn't trust a stranger, and her beliefs wouldn't waver that easily.
She would never act that quickly. But Nora would.
He averted his gaze from Zhao's, clicking his tongue. I should have killed you while I had the chance. But he didn't. He spared the girl, and she waltzed away with merely a tiny bruise on her face. "Where is she now?" he demanded tersely, still staring at the floor.
"Last time I saw her, she was in a prison wagon headed to here."
Kage snapped his head up, regarding Zhao sharply. Grains of hope begun blooming in his chest, a spark of faith that appeared alien to him. "What? Here?"
"Yes. The people she was with seemed quite willing to give her over after hearing about the reward," Zhao noted.
The reward, Kage thought, sighing internally. He didn't want to think about the money that had been secured for her retrieval; more than Seyal could afford, more than the rest deemed necessary. At times of war, every little penny should go to the army, not to superfluous missions. But seeing the nation's state without the princess, Kage was confident that sacrificing some money was worth what they would get in return.
"But, well," he continued, biting his lip anxiously. "There were some... complications?"
Kage cocked his head to the side. "Complications?"
"We placed them all in the same carriage. They managed to escape."
The prince's face fell. Of course. "How could they pass through a door locked from the outside?"
Zhao stood, tapping his black clothes straight. He was still in his receptionist uniform, which had started to cling on his skin after what looked like multiple sweaty hours of wearing it. He sighed, inching towards the door. "The team you're up against is strong. Truly strong." With a twist of his hand, the door was open. "I underestimated them. Don't make the same mistake," he insisted, every word dripping with poison. His eyes were glaring with warning as he exited the room, hauling the door shut.
Kage turned to his desk, exhaling heavily. She cannot be far, then, he reassured himself, pinching the bridge of his nose. But what about the Kingfisher? Could he simply give up everything and join another wild goose chase, this time with a very alive girl guarded by evil geniuses? Perhaps she will have to wait. Priorities were set. The search party was almost complete. Focusing everyone's time and money solely on one missing person was absurd. Besides, the missing list was only extending by the day. Ela was gone now, too, and he couldn't deny that the damage she could and would do was likely going to be fatal.
Several letters were laying on his desk, all untouched. He grabbed the pile, desperately combing the envelopes for a distraction. As he swiped through countless mail that he didn't have the energy or will to answer to, his fingers brushed over a particularly bizarre letter. Its edges were yellowed, shredded even. The address was written rather cryptically, and the letters jotted down appeared hasty. Curiosity overwhelmed him as we tore the side open, slipping a small piece of paper out.
'I do not know how to start this. I do not even know who I am talking to right now. What I do know is that I don't have much time before I'm caught.
I sent this to the palace. Seeing as Kage Sillich is the first to approve anything, I hope this letter will be delivered to him.
....
Dear Kage Sillich,
Hello. It has only been a few days, yet your features are already fading from my mind. I am not sure if it is the fatigue erasing such memories, or perhaps my desperation to forget you. I will be transparent with you; I wish I had never met you. I wish I had never acceded the Council. I wish I had trusted my parents, that I escaped to Flouorn as soon as I could. Sadly, none of these wishes can be fulfilled anymore. But if I can have one final will, it is for you to know that I regret everything.
Don't get me wrong, your plan was and remains absurd to me. That will never change. But I may have assumed some things about you that aren't true. Perhaps we can speak about it in person? I hope you can then realize that one's wellbeing cannot be placed over millions'. I was hoping I can talk you out of it, but I need a chance to do so.
We are at a textile factory west of Karahi lake. Ela and I are to be traded for the Kingfisher, as the factory owner claims to have it in his possession. As much as I disagree with your ideas, I cannot and will not be sold to some ignorant fool who thinks I am an object for his recreation.
If you accept my request for aid, I have to ask that you come alone. This doesn't need to be inflated into a big deal, because it is not. Besides, the workers in this factory don't deserve to be disturbed. Just... Intimidate them a bit, yes. I am sure they will give me over.
Sincerely,
Ailyn Lacald.'
A shaky signature was written underneath her name; proof that the author was indeed her.
Kage hadn't realized that he was clutching the letter too tightly until it gave a sharp tearing sound, splitting into two uneven pieces. The man shoved the letter's remains on the table hurriedly, as if they were coated with acid. He placed his face on his fingers and the laugh that burbled inside his throat surprised even himself.
He looked up, an unintentional smile finding its way on his lips. She hasn't changed. Not one bit.
Barging out of his room, he nudged the half-asleep soldier standing guard out of his room. The young man looked up startled, and his eyes widened dangerously at the sight of the grinning prince. "Tell Zafir Talon to gather his best men by dawn."
"Yes, sir!" the soldier exclaimed, wide awake at the sight of royalty, bringing a numb hand to his forehead and scurrying down the corridor.
Kage started striding toward the garden, a new air of confidence in his long step. The excitement growing in the bottom of his stomach was too much to let him sleep that night. You won't like what's coming, Ailyn.
But I'll have my power. And in chains or in a crown, I'll have you too.
***
Can't believe this book has reached half a thousand reads... It's not the fastest progress I've ever witnessed but I'm so so thankful to everyone who has taken the time to read this!
I may update more frequently now that I'm not that busy, but I can't guarantee anything. Also, I'm thinking of keeping chapters at this length instead of 4000-5000 words, since those are clearly way too long 😅
Thank you for reading! Please consider voting and commenting, it helps me a lot ♥
PUBLISH DATE — 19/07/15
EDIT DATES — 19/08/09