Kinnat’s walk through the palace had been a long one as she was led to the peak of the Kings tower and the Throne room for her meeting with the King and Queen. Its polished obsidian cut walls looked as though it they were made from strands of the stone. The architectural feat had been lost to time using an art form of stone masonry from long before the First Kingdom. The wide walls of the circular throne room were unique with Obsidian throughout its entirety, from the floor to the ceiling leaving the windows untouched. The windows spaced around the room bled into a larger dome with a clear misty glass, which allowed for the full light of the day to stream in. The black stone floor beneath shone with a mirror finish. The two thrones themselves were imposing as they stood high on their alabaster dais and were flanked on each side by two more. The middle two daises held the two thrones of the King and Queen, while the other four were spaced evenly on the sides of each throne creating the shape of a half circle. It was here Kinnat stood before the Grand thrones of Danthamore with their high backs and intricate carved obsidian legs off set by the alabaster accents and plush velvet cushions. Above the King and Queen high in the wall hung manacles embedded into the stone. She stopped while the herald announced her arrival.
The herald bowed to the King and Queen. "Holder of the Flame and Grand Seer Kinnat is here to see the High King and Queen of Danthamore, First Rulers of the Upper and Lower Kingdoms, First Council of the Ruby Isles, and Grand Cast to the Twin Kingdoms."
Celeste was not impressed with the animal bones and skins for clothing or the dead animal skull the Seer was wearing on her head. “Welcome Seer Kinnat to Danthamore,”
“Greetings Kinnat of the Ruby Isles, we thank you for your quick arrival.” Agnar was appreciative she had managed the journey in the short time she did.
Kinnat expected there to be a good reason for them wanting her here. “The message I received was vague at best, why am I here? My ship braved the Broken Sea past the Chainless Coast to hasten my journey, by the Grace of the One God we arrived without incident.”
Celeste glanced at Agnar. “You’re here because of the Magus. He’s a danger to all the Kingdoms and the known world, we need him taken care of.”
Agnar cocked his head to the side. “He’s gone so far as to kill a palace guard with his unnatural gifts.”
Celeste interrupted. “He did that to protect his precious little slave pet.”
Agnar continued, “If that isn’t enough, he has removed the Palace Guards from the eastern part of the palace and put the City Guards in their stead. The Captain of the City Guard Elian is also beholden to the Magus.”
“The Magus is very dangerous, and I’ve communed with my ancestral spirits to know this as a truth.” She looked from Agnar to Celeste. “Is there anything else I should know of?”
Celeste decided it was as good a time as any to tell Agnar about what she had been doing. “To be honest Seer, I was in the Magus’ private chambers, before all of this.”
“You did what, you’re at fault for all of this!” Leaning toward the queen, Agnar was appalled.
“Oh, Shut up Agnar! Leaving you to do something is leaving it to fail.” Celeste’s attention went back to Kinnat. “He has a strange mirror that shimmers and he has a brother who talked to me through it. THAT brother is way better than the Magus we have now.”
Kinnat’s mouth twisted downward in disgust. “You can’t trust any of them, you should cease any and all dealings with any Magus.”
Celeste pursed her lips together. “You will have to do something about the Magus that is already here before I agree not to have any dealings with his brother.”
“I will yer Grace, the first thing we need are those closest to him, you said the Captain of the City Guard Elian is?” Kinnat was confident she could acquire the information she was after.
Celeste turned to Orson, “Let’s drag in the Captain of the City Guard, Elian, in a nice way as not to upset the common folk.”
Orson bowed, “As you command my Queen.” He motioned for another guard to follow him out.
Elian stood on the city’s outer eastern wall with the shouts and clanks of steel on steel in the training yard below as his men continued in their morning drills. The incoming cooler breeze from the Torbian Sea implied the winter season was close approaching. However, the Great Waste with its never-ending heat blowing into the city meant there would never be an icy grip of winter to hold it. He was standing with two of his men when Orson and his man approached. “Good Day, Orson, are you here to take one of the Magus’s soldiers to tea today?”
Orson grinned, “Yes, in fact, today it’s you, let’s go.”
“Is that so?” Elian turned to his two men. “Resume your posts,”
Elian stared at Orson the whole time as he made his way down the steps. “Well, I wouldn’t want our Queen’s tea to grow cold, please Orson, let us make haste.”
“I’d watch myself if I were you, Captain.” Orson stepped forward and waited until Elian fell in step behind him.
Kinnat heard the door to the throne room open as the Captain of the City Guard stepped through.
Elian approached the Queen and lowered himself down on one knee. “My Queen, how may I serve the crown today?”
Celeste glanced at Kinnat. “The Soul Seer is our guest and will be staying at the Manor in the noble district, you’ll need to keep a watchman or two there.” Her brown eyes shifted to a hateful glare of contempt to Elian. “Since your Magus does take up residence in the entire Eastern section of my Palace and all.”
It was one thing to exchange barbs with Orson, but he left the Queen to the Magus. He stood all the way up. “As your Majesty commands, I will make sure it is done.”
Kinnat walked up and pressed her hand firmly on Elian’s chest, and in doing so fell into a trance with her eyes rolling into the back of her head.
Elian’s chest felt the lingering tingle from the shock of her touch. “What are you doing?”
“Quiet, Captain!” snarled Celeste.
Kinnat blinked a few times before coming out of the haziness of her spirit channeling, “He may go.”
Celeste leaned forward sneering, “You heard her, go, Captain.”
Elian gave a quick bow and immediately set out to find the Magus.
Kinnat waited until the door behind Elian closed. “I have spoken with the spirits of his parents, my impressions were that the Magus has been in these lands far longer than any of us have suspected.”
Celeste was more than disappointed. “That’s it? He’s been here longer than we thought? They knew nothing else?”
“She would have told us if there was more Celeste, so shelve that sharp snake’s tongue of yours.” Agnar was getting angrier at her meddling, they were lucky a Soul Seer was here to begin with.
Kinnat held up her hand for Celeste and Agnar cease their bickering. “I need to see the Magus myself and whoever else he may be close to.”
Celeste smirked, “Easily done, I planned on having a formal feast to honor your visit and he’ll be there, and he’ll bring his slave pet too.”
Ru’ark was standing in the royal gardens leading out to the grand balcony watching as Adar and Nelina were in the depths of her training when Elian approached.
“Magus, there’s a problem.” Elian’s face was etched by his distress with what had happened in the throne room.
“What kind of problem?” Ru’ark motioned for him to follow has they made their way back into the palace and toward his private chambers. He was curious as to what had his steadfast Captain panicking.
“The Queen brought me to the Throne Room, the Soul Seer was there, she used her spirit charms and knows you’ve been here much longer.” Elian kept his step in line with the Magus as they walked.
“Is that so?” Ru’ark chuckled, “Don’t trouble yourself over it Elian, there isn’t anything Celeste or the Soul Witch can do at this point.”
Elian became less rigid. “I’m glad to hear it, then Magus, and I’ll get back to my men.”
Ru’ark stopped in mid step. “One moment before you do,”
Elian paused “Yes, Magus?”
“How is Nelina’s training going?” To Ru’ark, she was not quite the same after her outing with Celeste.
Elian nodded with a wide grin, “Good actually, she’s like a dry cloth to a bucket of water. The last few weeks she’s been a bit quieter than usual.”
“I see. Perhaps she would be ready to take a trip outside the city gates with you to visit Ned and to move along my shipment to the Ruby Isles? I’d like to see it set sail before Nelina and I leave for our journey to the Marsh.” He thought to find out how she handled herself away from him. That, and maybe she would share with Elian what was bothering her.
“Absolutely Magus, she’ll love being able to ride on her horse outside of the palace walls.” Elian had no hesitation in taking her with him, in fact, he thought it might be valuable if Nelina met a few of the Magus’s connections.
Stopping at the door to his private chamber, Ru’ark put one hand on Elian’s shoulder as he had oftentimes before. “Good then, and as I said, don’t worry about the Soul Witch.”