The Wicked Tower - Chapter 10

Chapter 10

They dressed in the gloom of Vel’s chamber. The soft chime of Dellia’s scale armor mixed with the rustling of clothes. Vel pondered what a pleasant, reassuring sound it was in that moment. Only hours ago, it had been the sound he most feared.

“Where do you think Mother is?” Naevia rested her bow and quiver in the corner. She didn’t think they would be much use back home inside their castle. She lifted her stola and strapped her dagger to her thigh, where it could be easily reached through her stola’s false pocket. “Her chambers?” She lowered her stola and smoothed it out. The dagger was well hidden.

“That is possible, but I … felt she was somewhere else when I saw the blue light back at our tower in Kart Hadasht.” Vel slid his sword into his scabbard and tightened his belt. He eyed his cousin as she did the same.

Dellia caught his appraising look, gave him an enigmatic half-smile, and then slid her dagger into its home on her other hip. “Where then, Your Grace?”

Vel shook his head. He couldn’t live his life fretting over her loyalty. He would choose to trust her. He could see that she had changed. Her body language was different, more deferential maybe. And her smile had carried a hint of longing. Of course, he would also keep a close eye on his cousin. He wasn’t a fool. “The library, I think. Let’s try there first.”

“Are we ready then?” Naevia looked around at them. Cast out from the euphoria at the top of the tower, they all looked tired and diminished. She wanted nothing but to curl up in bed with Vel and sleep a good long while. But this was not that moment.

“To the library tower.” Dellia led the way out of Vel’s room, her hips swaggering almost like a man’s. The other two followed her out.

They ran down the corridor, their sandaled feet slapping at the stones. The oil lamps flickered in the breezy wake that passed just after them. Vel slowed to a stop as they passed though the long gallery. The bank of doors were open to his left and he could see the remnants of a party out in the courtyard. “Was the fete today?” He looked over at his companions. Naevia’s face fell, but Dellia simply cocked her head, and narrowed her eyes as if she were calculating.

“We missed it.” Naevia frowned, looking at the lanterns dangling from the olive trees. “I mean, I thought we would miss it when we left. But still. We were very close.”

“Well, it must have been a happy day here.” Vel wondered at the gods if they had let something happen to his mother on such a special day. Perhaps she was fine and the tower’s magic had confused him. “Let’s go.” They trotted through the gallery.

Dellia took the lead again to protect the other two. Her cousins were nearly helpless in a fight, unless Vel planned to bed every assailant that meant to do him harm. She smiled at the thought, his magnificent cock standing proudly in her mind’s eye. But a less pleasant thought pushed that image aside. If that day was the fete, then the queens were at the castle. Her father had told her of their plans to visit Ostia Novus before she left. What would she do if they questioned her?

“To the right, Dellia.” Naevia waved her daydreaming cousin into a stairwell. “It’s this way.”

“Oh, of course.” Dellia stepped ahead again. They climbed one flight and sprinted out into another hall near the temples. “Someone is coming,” Dellia said in a hush. She put out her hand and her cousins ran into the back of her. She stumbled forward, caught her balance, but a soft feminine shape was already coming into view around the corner. There was no time to hide.

“By Jupiter, what have we here?” Cesphea walked slowly with her back very straight. Her green crown, somewhat askew, was nestled in her raven hair. She still wore her gown from the fete. Beside her, with her head down, Merope waddled. She was quite bow-legged after the way the queen had treated her the past twenty-four hours. “And lo, the young duke as returned,” Cesphea said in mock awe.

“Your Majesty.” Vel bowed, and he watched his sister and cousin curtsy out of the corner of his eye. “We concluded our mission across the sea and returned on the fastest ship to make the fete. But, sadly, it seems we missed it by a few hours.” Naevia gave him a glance that conveyed warning.  

“Sad indeed.” Cesphea stopped a few feet from the trio, and Merope stopped next to her like the obedient bitch she was learning to be. Gods, how Cesphea loved training them. “Strange that I did not hear of your impending return upon your departure from Kart Hadasht.” The queen regent turned her piercing, dark eyes on Dellia for a fraction of a second before looking back at Vel with an amused expression.

“I would have sent a pigeon had I known you would be here. But –” Vel stopped as Cesphea waved her hand dismissively.

“What was the name of this fast ship?” Cesphea smiled broadly at Vel, like they were fast friends. “It must have been quite a swift vessel indeed. I must add it to my fleet.”

Vel and Naevia exchanged a glance. Any lie here could be easily discovered. They should have come up with a cohesive cover story before leaving Vel’s chambers. But who could have known they would have run into one of the queens?

“Pardon me, Your Majesty.” Cassia moved down the hall quickly from behind Cesphea. “I haven’t yet seen my children upon their return.” Her face was quite solemn despite the fact that she was beyond thrilled to see Naevia and Vel. She shivered as she stepped by the strange woman that had so savagely rutted in the library stairs. What was Cesphea, really? “I do not mean to interrupt, but I must greet them.” Cassia stepped up and hugged her daughter first. Then her tall son, her face buried in his chest. And then, because she was relieved to see them all, she hugged Dellia, too. The smell of sex was heavy in the corridor. Cassia turned and looked Cesphea in the eye for the first time. She tried not to quake at the strangeness of this royal. The queen should be ashamed giving off such a scent in another’s house. It never occurred to Cassia that everyone but her was spreading that particular miasma.

“You did not know they were returning?” Cesphea’s brows dropped. She absentmindedly patted Merope on her messy hair as a reward for her ongoing obedience.

“Oh, I knew. They returned on the Northern Wind. They were supposed to dock this afternoon, but they must have been delayed. Their return was to be a happy surprise for Your Majesties and Bantia.” Cassia had no idea that they were coming home, but if that was their story, she was ready for it. She had instructed her seneschal several days ago to keep her posted on any ships from Kart Hadasht that might carry passengers in case Vel and Naevia might return on one. The Northern Wind happened to be the only one that day.

“And how was your voyage on the Northern Wind?” Cesphea looked out the window like she was trying to gauge time by the darkness. It seemed she had other places she’d rather be.

“It was cramped, Your Majesty.” Dellia spoke quickly. “We were known only to a few crew to keep the surprise for Your Majesties. We didn’t leave our cabin.” She nodded to the queen as if to augment the veracity of the statement. “We left port in such a hurry we didn’t even have time to collect some of our luggage and our birds. Those will be sent to us subsequently.”

“I see.” Cesphea rolled her eyes, clearly now bored with the conversation. “As fascinating as your travel plans are, I must put my pet to bed.” She nodded at the four of them. “On the morrow, all.” And walked past them with Merope down the hall.

Once Cesphea and her companion had rounded a corner and disappeared, all four in the hall exhaled. “I am so happy to see you three.” Cassia reached for Vel more enthusiastically than before, pulled his faced toward hers and kissed him on the cheeks several times. A pleasant warmth spread through her lips. She then pulled Naevia into a bear hug, and smelled her hair expecting that wonderful fresh scent she’d always had, but it seemed Cassia couldn’t get the queen’s lascivious scent out of her nose. She let go of her daughter and looked at the three. Dellia stood very close to Vel, looking wary and protective. Cassia had been wise to send her to watch over her grown children. “So, what news?” Cassia smiled a mother’s doting smile. Even though the three looked quite tired, they were beautiful, solid, and in the flesh. What a wholesome counterbalance to the debauchery she had witnessed just a little while ago. A debauchery she would tell no one until she learned more about the queens.

“We have no news on … that subject.” Vel looked behind him, but the corridor was still empty. He did not want to discuss his father or any of it out in the open. “We do, however, have … non-urgent tales to tell.” He would have to confer with Naevia and decide what to tell their mother. “But more importantly, are you okay? I had a premonition that danger hounded you tonight. Are you hurt?” He put his hands on her shoulders gently, careful to keep their bare skin from touching.

“I am fine now that you are here.” Cassia smiled up at him. “Come, now. You are tired. If there is indeed nothing urgent for you to tell, let me see you to your rooms.”

“We will see you to your room, Mother.” Naevia could see the uneasiness in her eyes. She was unhurt, but something had happened. “We insist.”

“Very well.” Cassia put one arm around Naevia’s shoulders and the other around Vel’s waist. She let them walk her back to her chambers. She felt a part of her heart had returned to her. She wondered at how they had returned if not by the Northern Wind, but she could wait until morning for answers so long as they had nothing pressing to report. When they reached her door, she leaned into Naevia’s ear. “Did you see your father? Is he well?” Cassia whispered.

“We did indeed see him,” Naevia whispered back. “He was, as always, an enigma. But I held him in my arms for a moment, and he was strong and healthy. We left him in safety.” She hoped this last part was true.

“That is good.” Cassia nodded. “Goodnight to you all.” She gave one last round of kisses, even kissing Dellia’s reluctant cheek once. “Your Duchess is delighted to have you all home.”

“We would rather be nowhere else.” Vel looked over at his sister as he said it, and her eyes misted over. Perhaps she would rather still be on top of that beguiling tower? He hoped that wasn’t so. They said their goodbyes, watched Cassia disappear into her room, and waited for the click of the door’s lock. Then, wearily, they turned and headed back to Vel’s chambers.

“I will return you both safely to your chambers, and then find some guest accommodations.” Dellia watched her Duke put his arm around his sister. Was that a pang of jealously that tickled her gut?

“It’s the night of the fete, Dellia.” Vel exhaled slowly. His mother was safe and sleep was on the way. Things were looking up. “There will be no guest accommodations readily available. Especially in the middle of the night.”

“Well, then I’ll sleep in the corridor.” Dellia shrugged.

“People might find that … strange, Cousin.” Naevia could see Vel’s door up ahead. Her eyelids drooped. “You can have my room.” She yawned. “I’ll sleep with Vel.” She didn’t consider how odd it would look to the castle should they discover that grown siblings had slept together.

Another pang sent Dellia’s stomach on end. She was becoming more certain that jealously was what had hold of her. But her fear of being left out was misplaced. When they were safely in Vel’s chamber, no one protested when she unfastened her armor and undressed. Her cousins simply made room for her in the big, soft bed. A few minutes later, all three of them slumbered, dreaming of a warm, pleasing azure light.

---

All night, Dellia dreamed in various shades of blue. At first, she was hounded by an unseen troop. They chased her through city streets, and she hid herself in a relic tower. She thought it very strange that she should run and hide rather than face the attackers. But she was unarmed and pugilist though she was, she couldn’t fight of any number of men with spears. Although she fled to the very top of the tower, a single man found her. His face was a blank, but she sensed victory in his bouncing gait as he approached. Dellia surprised herself when she surrendered to his spear, but instead of death, she found only pleasure. It was not a weapon that he carried after all. As she settled her weight on it, driving it deep into her pussy, she realized that the spear had become the tower itself. She was fucking the relic tower like it was a bucking stallion. What purpose and ecstasy she found there. She woke with a start and felt something hard poking at her lower back. She reached around and remembered where she was.

It didn’t take much to turn dream into reality. They were both naked, and she didn’t think much about disturbing his sleep. “Come now, Cousin.” She rolled him onto his back and mounted him, grasping his cock and enjoying how small her hand felt as her fingers tried to circle it. She looked down at Naevia’s pale form curled next to them. How odd that she should be related to these strange northern people with their alabaster skin. The only others she’d seen with such coloring were the sorceress and … the queens. She was so wet, the cock slipped in without much fuss. Gods, he must have stretched her the last few times for him to slip in like that. Spurrius was sure to notice the next time they met that her tight box had become a cavern. As she rocked her hips, she couldn’t bring herself to worry over her husband. That would sort itself out in time. For now, she was consumed only with the need to hump her duke, get herself off, and to coax him to an explosion inside her. She grunted and moved her hips at a steady rhythm, grinding her button on him and pressing his penis as deep as it would go. Gods, he was deep.

“Dellia? What are you …?” Vel looked up at her shaking tits and then up to her face, scrunched as it was in a look of deep concentration.

“I am … serving my Duke … by easing … his gods damned … morning steel … with my … ooooohhhhhhhh … destroyed pussy. I’ve … fucking speared myself … on you. Aaaaaahhhhhhhh.” Her own words drove her mad. She came on him, making unnatural, guttural sounds.

Naevia slowly awakened as the bed squeaked and rocked around her. She looked up to see her cousin riding her brother for all she was worth, the most helpless look of lust plastered itself to Dellia’s face. Naevia put her hand on the olive skin of Dellia’s muscled thigh and brushed her fingernails up to the woman’s hip. She smiled seeing that her cousin was hopelessly hooked on Vel. “That’s a good girl, Dellia. Ride him.” She watched for a little while, blinking the sleep from her eyes. “But not so loud, they’ll hear you out in the corridor.” She looked around, reached down, and picked Dellia’s chest band off the floor where it had been discarded the night before. Naevia handed it to her cousin.

Dellia took the chest band and grasped it in her hand. Her arms flailed a bit, and she held the thing up in the air without purpose. “Oh … fuck … oh … fuck … he’s making me … ah … ah … ah … his … fuck … puppet.”

Naevia couldn’t help but laugh at her cousin’s words. “He is indeed. I know the feeling. Now put that band in your mouth like a good puppet. There you go. That should quiet you some.” Naevia angled herself away from the mating pair a little so she could see them better. The way Dellia undulated her body was so feminine that she had to remind herself that it was really Dellia doing it. She caught Vel’s eye. “And how does the day greet you, Your Grace?”  

“Um … she just … climbed on … ugh … while I was sleeping.” Vel held his hands to his sides, afraid if he grabbed at his cousin’s bouncing parts that might awaken some jealousy in his sister.

“Will you have more for me when you’ve marked her?” Naevia’s hand fell down between her legs and she slowly worked her fingertips on her lower lips. She was neither giddy, nor drunk, as she had felt on that tower. But the pleasure moved through her. She found she didn’t mind how vulgar she must look to them. They were, after all, rutting like animals.

“Yes, of course.” Vel smiled at her.

“Well, then enjoy yourself. I see you straining to hold back your hands. Feel her body, Vel. You have earned it. And I can tell she craves your touch.” Naevia’s body gave a little tremble as she worked a finger into her well-used pussy. “As long as you make time for me, I could not be jealous of our cousin. It’s all for the greater good.”

“The greater … ugh … good,” Vel agreed. He reached up and took a handful of boob in each hand, massaging them into Dellia’s chest. Had he not seen her naked, he would never have believed she had such wonders hidden under her lorica squamata. “Do you want it inside again, Cousin? It no longer seems … necessary.”

Dellia spit the chest band from her mouth. “Yeeesssssss.” She stopped for a moment to adjust her position. She planted her feet on the mattress, and speared herself on him with long strokes. She wanted to make him seed her sooner rather than later. There was power in sending a man from this life, as she had done more than once. But perhaps, she was learning, it was a greater power in bringing a man to completion. Well, especially this man. “I must find the queens today, and … ugh … tell them a story … to cover for you. They will expect a report … since … aaahhhhhh.” Her muscles strained as she humped down on him, her hips making a two-part thrust, once to push all of him inside her, and then a shorter powerful thrust, to drive their hips into the mattress. Dellia did not know where her hips had learned the movement, but it was satisfying. The haze of pleasure built inside her again.

Naevia waited patiently for Dellia to continue her thought, working up her own pleasure at the same time. Eventually, she realized Dellia had lost the thread. “Your report to the queens regent, Cousin?”

“Oh … yes …” Dellia blinked and looked down at Naevia playing with her pussy. How much they had all devolved together. Not long ago she would never have believed any of them capable of what was happening in Vel’s chambers. “I will … tell them … that you did seek and find … your father. When you asked him … to turn himself in … he fled back here … and we followed. Thus … the suddenness of our departure. I will lie to the queens … for my cousins. I serve … my … Duke.” Her face contorted and she shrieked out another orgasm. Her hips did not miss a beat with their two-cycle thrusts.

“Very … ugh … good.” Vel moved his hands to her hips. Hearing her talk strategy while stuffed with his cock was somehow quite appealing to him. He was getting close.

“Dellia?” Naevia waited for her to come back to them from her ecstasy. “Dellia? Can you hear me?”

Eventually, Dellia opened her eyes and nodded haphazardly as her whole body shook and bounced.

“What was your mission?” Naevia stopped toying with her own pussy, she needed to concentrate on the answer.

“Spurrius and I were to … ugh … report back if you worked … for your father … in his attempt to harm … Princess Minicia.” Sweat dripped off Dellia’s nose and splattered Vel’s pale abdomen. “We do not … know who … he was working with. But the Vulpes … feel that the sorceress … may have been involved.”

“Our father would never harm Princess –” Naevia was interrupted as Dellia didn’t seem to notice that she was talking.

“Your father … was then to be captured … and tortured … back at Accipiter Cubitum Palace.” Dellia’s voice went up an octave. Her body trembled with longing. The telltale warmth from Vel surged through her from his touch. “My father … volunteered me … for the mission. Oh … gods … after the queens … I must go and tell the same story … to my father.”

“So, what you’re saying is that today you must present yourself to the queens.” Naevia’s hand returned to her pussy. The thought of what Dellia was doing for them was just too delicious. “And your father. You will lie to them. All while your womb is filled with my brother’s seed.”

“Oh … gods … Naevia.” Vel loved the imagery as much as his sister. Especially the idea that she would spend her day of counterespionage with his seed avidly trying to sow her fields. “I’m … ready … to …” His body jerked and he shot his load deep inside her.

“My … father’s house … your … cum. My father’s house … your … cum.” Dellia mumbled the words over and over in a growing crescendo until she felt his heat in her womb and screamed out her euphoria.

A while later, as Dellia dressed, she listened to the siblings slap their bodies together in Vel’s bed. More of that strange feeling turned her stomach. She did not much like jealousy, so she reprimanded herself silently for the emotion. Who was she to get in the way of what Vel and Naevia had? She watched them as she tightened her armor. Vel sat upright, cross-legged, his petite sister bouncing on his lap. Her red hair cascaded down her freckled back beautifully. Without a word, Dellia opened the door just enough to slip through, and closed it behind her. She hoped they’d have the sense to lock it. The day was still nascent, and she had much to do.

The empty corridor showed no signs of eavesdropping. Maybe she hadn’t been all that loud. She set off to find the queens, wondering at herself that she didn’t seek to rinse out her vagina with salt water immediately. Did she wish to carry her cousin’s child? Certainly not. The lies she was about to tell would pale in comparison to the lies such a conception would require. Yet, as she strode down the hall with a slightly awkward stride, she put her hand to her belly and smiled. The thought of carrying on Vel’s line through her loins was a happy one. There were many dark clouds on the horizon, so she clung to that thought. And also, the thought that when she returned from her father’s house, Vel would be waiting for her.

---

It was quite a scene come late morning as Cassia’s guests made ready to depart. Vel and Naevia stood by her side, standing very straight. They were clean and freshly clothed, thank the gods. First, the Gala family departed with their retinue. Bantia clutched at her mother and wept as Hostus gave one final wave before disappearing into his carriage. A lady was not supposed to weep at the departure of her future husband, but it seemed Bantia was fond of the young man. Cassia would have to remind Bantia to hold her tears later.  

Next, the queens regent descended the courtyard’s stairs, flanked by their guard and Tiberius. Among their retinue was Cassia’s former servant. Merope looked quite dazed, and carried herself with a dreamy quality. Her left hand no longer had her husband’s ring of iron. Cassia didn’t know what to make of that.

The queens were in the middle of the traditional words of departure when a great wail went up along the gallery. Cassia turned her head to look. The entire scullery staff stood there in tears and clutching at their breasts and tunics in desperation.

“Merope … do not leave … you cannot leave.” Nicias’s voice carried over everything.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesties.” Cassia caught the look in one queen’s eyes, she could not tell which was which, and knew that if she did not quell this outburst quickly, the queens’ guard would do so. She turned to give instructions to her own guard, but found that her son was already giving instructions.

“… do it kindly,” Vel told the sorceress. He watched her turn and quickly move toward the gallery. He was surprised how fast she could move for a woman of her dramatic proportions. Quickly the wailing stopped and the servants disappeared from view. Vel glanced at the woman for whom all the fuss had been made. She was pretty, but quite ordinary in the way of the women of the Surround. Dark complexion and short. With her vacant eyes and slack jaw, she looked a bit of a simpleton. Vel wondered why the queens had taken her from his castle.

“Thank you, Duke of Ostia Novus.” Valeria smiled at him. “But next time we expect better behavior from your staff.”

“Of course.” Vel bowed. He saw his mother and sisters curtsey out of the corner of his eyes. “We will make sure that never happens again.” He did not add: so long as the queens no longer abscond with servants.

“Such loyalty, Sister.” Cesphea laughed. “We do love to see it.”

Then the queens went back to the formality of their parting. Cassia and Vel gave the formal answer, and the royal procession left the ducal castle. Everyone there noticed with some bewilderment that Merope traveled in the carriage with the queens regent and Tiberius, the consort regent. A privilege rarely given to servants.

---

With Dellia back home filling in her father on a version of her travels, Vel and Naevia met with Cassia in their counsel chamber to tell her a different version of the same. They relayed most everything but the more sordid details. One didn’t have to know Cassia long to understand that she would not be understanding of her son and daughter bonding under Venus. And the siblings had known their mother all their lives, so telling her of their sex, even with the excuse of Vel’s curse, was unthinkable. When they had finished their story, the three sat in silence for a good long while.

“So, my sister’s husband conspires with the queens against my husband?” Cassia chewed her bottom lip.

“Dellia says her father seeks to prove his loyalty to the crown.” Vel nodded his agreement. “But they all think that father was out to harm Minicia. Maybe we can clear that up and father can come home?”

“And your father had nothing to say on this?”

“He was angry that we brought a spy with us, Mother.” Naevia studied Cassia closely. “You do not think that Father actually engaged in such a plot?”

“Your father was up to something at Accipiter Cubitum Palace. And so was your brother.” Cassia sighed. What a mess. Her husband was many things, but stupid was not among them. If he had sought to end Princess Minicia, he must have had a good reason. She only wished he had confided in her. “I guess we should count ourselves lucky that whatever spies we carry with us report our innocence.”

Vel and Naevia exchanged a glance. Of course, their castle must have spies. They would have to be extra careful with their illicit behavior. All that rutting in the morning had been careless, especially with Dellia screaming as she did. At least Naevia had the wherewithal to muffle her cries with a mouthful of blanket.    

“So … um … what now?” Vel raised his eyebrows.

“Your father is running again, and we won’t go chasing him. When he is ready, I trust he’ll come home to us. I will not have you two traipsing about the Inland Sea.” Cassia’s expression grew dark. “This tower that you say brought you back home, we cannot understand the design behind such a thing. But I think the dangers are plainly clear. As magic decoupled itself from this world, it became more chaotic. I worry now that if it means to worm its way back in, its power may return without cohesion. I cannot have you come under such an influence.”

The siblings exchanged another wary look. The secret they bore just became all the more heavy.

“We have a sorceress in residence, although I trust her little,” Cassia continued. “We should seek her opinion on this resurrected tower. I would like to know the magic’s provenance and whether it might be some dark warlock that has come out of hiding, or a dragon from the desert, or whatever. Whoever wields that sort of power must be formidable, and since you were conveyed here by its device, you must be known to the source. I pray that Discordia leaves our family in peace before long. We have been through too much.”

This time, at the mention of Discordia, Vel worked very hard not to exchange a knowing glance with Naevia. They had not told their mother that Discordia’s temple was at the entrance to the tunnel, nor that the goddess’s figures were on the cage that carried them to the top of the tower.

---

“I do not wish to talk now. Come back tomorrow.” Brynhild sat in a chair, curled into herself, in the corner of her chamber. She eyed the nineteen-year-old duke and his eighteen-year-old sister. The young always thought themselves revolutionaries. It was a belief held by all freshly grown men and women that the burdens they carried were new and that their solutions were equally novel. Of course, this was never true. Brynhild could tell that the dark material she’d put in Vel had already changed the relationship between brother and sister, making a tight thing all that much tighter. They were not the first brother and sister to fall into each other’s arms in Brynhild’s experience. And not the first to try and hide it from her. But that could all wait until another time. At the moment, the sorceress simply wanted to be left alone in the dark.

“Perhaps you could light a lamp? We can barely see you in the shadows.” Naevia’s skin crawled. She did not like being so close to this ageless woman, especially in the dark.

“Does your duke command it?” Brynhild glanced at the tall youth.

“I do.” Vel tried to sound sure of himself.

Brynhild held up her left hand and a bright ball of light rose from it to hover in the room. “There you have it, better than any lamp.”

“Um … thanks.” Vel reached for his sister’s hand and clasped it. He found her grip damp but firm. “You already know what’s happened to Naevia and me because you were the cause of it. What I want to know is whether we woke up that tower.”

“Maybe.” Brynhild sighed and stayed curled in her chair.

“And what does that mean?” Naevia gained some courage from the heat of Vel’s touch.

“Perhaps you should reawaken other relics and see?” Brynhild shrugged. “I was tricked by an old spirit down this path. The ends here are not my ends. The means are beyond me, too.”

“If you are so useless, should I rid myself of you? What sort of duke keeps close the one that cursed him?” Vel was not prone to anger, but there was something in Brynhild’s defeated countenance that irked him greatly.

“A wise duke would be the sort. Did you not see the ball of lightning I flung into the air?” Brynhild nodded up at her light. “Look, it hangs before your eyes even now.”

“You’ve always known petty tricks and nothing else.” Naevia squeezed Vel’s hand. Maybe they should just leave this woman alone.

“That is not quite right.” Brynhild sighed again. “I could once move mountains. But then magic ebbed, and the king built a great tower to capture what magic remained. To steal it from the rest of us. And now I have only petty tricks, as you say.”

“What are you talking about?” Vel suddenly perked up. This he had not heard. “Was this the Eagles Roost at the palace? It fell down over time with the rest of them.”

“It did not. The Eagles Roost fell all at once, about twenty-two years ago.” Brynhild didn’t feel like playing schoolmarm. “All that matters is that when it died, so did the magic it had stolen. Probably.”

“Probably?” Naevia said.

“I was once sure of this, but now I’m not as sure.” Brynhild shrugged again.

“Did you send my father and brother to kill Princess Minicia?” Vel was ready to cut to the chase.

“What?” Brynhild laughed. It was a bitter sound. “Why would I hold a grudge against that helpless figurehead? I mean her no harm. You have my word.”

 “Let’s go, Vel.” Naevia squeezed his hand again.

“Very well.” He nodded to his sister, turned for the door, but looked back at the slumping sorceress. “You will keep our secret.”

“Of course, Your Grace.” Brynhild seemed to shrink further into herself.

“And you will aid us in understanding this curse and the resurrected tower?” Naevia added.

“I ask only to serve, Your Grace.” The sorceress’s tone was more ambiguous than her words.

“Very well.” Vel led his sister out of the room. As they left the light went out behind them and only darkness followed them into the corridor until they shut the door. 

Continued in Chapter 11

---