Chapter 257: The Rose Throne

Freya found Callum slumped on a chair next to the fire in the tavern’s lounge. The Thorn’s party had ended hours ago, everyone had gone to bed, yet Callum still sat next to the fire, alone.

Freya sighed to herself and walked over to him. “What are you doing still up?”

Callum didn’t bother to look up. “...Vampires are nocturnal.”

“True,” Freya pulled up a chair. “But you’re still half human. Last I checked, humans sleep at night.”

“Last I checked, dwarves sleep at night too. So why are you here? Don’t you need your beauty rest?”

“Hah, nice try. I’m already beautiful, nothing can take that from me,” Freya smirked. Her voice grew quiet, “I came to check on you.”

“You’re really taking that captain role seriously,” he said wryly.

“I am,” Freya nodded defensively. “It’s a great honor to represent my city. But I’m also your friend. So I’m here checking up on your dumbass, got that?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” he chuckled.

“Good.” Freya patted her thighs and looked around, “Sooo, Sylvie was really quiet when Stryg and I found her… Are you two okay?”

“Besides our relationship being ruined?” Callum smiled bitterly. “I’ve never been better.”

“She’s that mad?” Freya winced.

“I wouldn’t even know. She refused to speak to me or anyone for that matter,” Callum sighed. “The moment we got back from the party, Sylvie went upstairs and locked herself in her room.”

“Look at the bright side, at least Sylvie hasn’t beaten the shit out of you, which we both know she very well could.”

“Great, I feel so much better,” he rolled his eyes.

“Glad I could help.”

“You’re terrible at this.”

“...I know,” she grumbled. “So Kalliste and you, huh?”

“Why are you acting surprised, you knew I was engaged back when we dated.”

“Yeah, but I thought you were engaged to some low-class random broad, not a fucking Lilith.”

Callum shrugged, “Our two families have had a close relationship for a long time. A Veres usually marries a Lilith every generation. My engagement to Kalliste was decided at our births. We didn’t have much of a choice.”

“And it seems Kalliste isn’t a fan.”

“That’s putting it mildly.”

“So what now?”

“Fuck if I know,” he sighed.

“...The four of us need to work together as a team if we’re gonna have any chance of winning the tournament.”

“I doubt Sylvie wants to do anything with me,” Callum admitted.

He prodded the burning logs with a fire poker. Freya stared into the crackling flames, unsure of how to proceed.

“But don’t worry, captain, I’m sure Stryg and you will figure out a way to win,” Callum smiled weakly. “You just gotta get Stryg and Sylvie to work together, then our team will be unstoppable.”

“I don’t know about that,” Freya mumbled. “I’m not sure Stryg is at his best right now.”

“Huh, what are you talking about?”

“While Stryg and I were chasing after your lover’s spat we bumped into some old friend of Stryg’s. Or his ex. I’m not quite sure which.”

Callum narrowed his eyes, “What was her name?”

“Uh… what was it again? Stryg said it… Oh! Yeah, Plumela.”

“Well, shit,” Callum groaned.

“You know her too? Who is she? And why was Stryg acting weird around her?”

Callum reached down for the bottle of wine next to his chair. He popped it open and took a long swig. “This has just gotten complicated.”

“And it wasn’t before?” Freya said skeptically.

“It was different. I can control myself. The fact that Sylvie didn’t break my jaw tonight also proves that she can control herself. But Stryg? He’s volatile, always has been.”

“Yeah, I got that when Stryg almost killed me,” Freya rolled her eyes. “What I want to know is who this Plum chick is.”

“...Plum was Stryg’s best friend. They were close, really close.”

“Like…?” Freya stuck her finger in and out of one of her rings.

“Maybe? It was hard to tell.”

“So what happened?”

“...Do you remember that incident with the academy’s secretary a few years back?”

Freya snapped her fingers, “Oh, yeah! That crazy bitchass secretary who tried to kill one of the students, right? Didn’t she get executed or something?”

Callum winced and took another swig of his bottle. “Well, that secretary was Plum’s mom.”

“Oh damn.”

“And the student she tried to kill was Stryg.”

“Ooohhh… shit.”

“As I said, it’s complicated,” Callum shrugged. “Plum had no idea of what happened until her mom was executed by shade feeding. After her mom died, Plum blamed Stryg for her death. Plum left Hollow Shade soon after. I never thought we’d see her here.”

“So, are Stryg and this Plum girl enemies?” Freya asked.

“Who knows? All I know is that Stryg was hurt after she left. A lot. I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen Stryg in pain. I’ve seen him angry. And that is not a place I’d like to be near. Bad things happen.”

Freya bit her lip, “Like when he killed that hunter a few days back and then we got attacked by a fucking dragon?”

“Exactly,” Callum nodded and took another swig.

“...” Freya sighed, “Pass me that bottle.”

~~~

Lerdea Thorn stared at the ornately gilded doors.

Odd, no guards, this late at night? she thought.

There was no one posted at the entrance of the royal chamber, which could only mean her mother wanted this to be a private audience.

Lerdea took a deep breath and knocked on the gilded doors twice.

“Enter,” said a poised voice from the other side.

Lerdea quietly pushed the doors open and stepped inside the royal chamber. She held her hands behind her back and bowed her head. “Good evening, Mother.”

Ophelia sat on the Rose Throne, the ancient seat of House Thorn. The throne was made of ebony wood that dated back to the founding of the castle and Undergrowth itself. Master artisans had carved the dark wood into thick thorny vines that spanned upwards like a pair of outstretched wings.

The Rose Throne was as foreboding as it was beautiful and Ophelia was the flower that bloomed at its center. A perfect coalescence of power and majesty.

No matter how many times Lerdea saw her mother on the throne, she always found herself marveling at the breathtaking sight.

Ophelia glanced up from a tome she was reading and looked down at her daughter. “You seem tired, did everything fare well?”

“That depends on what you mean,” Lerdea admitted. “I followed up on the reports from the southeastern garrison as you requested.”

“And?”

“Unfortunately, the reports were true. It seems a brood of viperidae have wandered from the deep recesses of the forest. The monsters have eaten and killed over three dozen of our soldiers already. The southeastern garrison's commander suspects the brood may be led by a Dark Blood.”

“A child of the Viperidae Queen,” Ophelia leaned forward with interest. “A Dark Blood hasn’t been seen outside the heart of Glimmer Grove in over a century.”

Lerdea nodded grimly, “The southeastern garrison’s soldiers are dwindling. Their commander is desperately requesting reinforcements; several master mages and at least two battalions of elite soldiers.”

Ophelia leaned back, “Don’t send anyone.”

“W-what?” Lerdea stuttered. “Mother, with all due respect if we do nothing the garrison will fall. The viperidae brood will make their way to the southern borders of Undergrowth!”

“Exactly,” Ophelia smiled.

“I don’t… I don’t understand,” Lerdea frowned. “Our citizens would be placed in danger. They could die.”

“A small price to pay.”

“To pay for what?”

“You really are incapable of seeing the greater picture,” Ophelia shook her head.

“Forgive me,” Lerdea bowed her head in shame.

Ophelia clicked her tongue, “The tournament will begin in a few days time. By then the viperidae brood should have reached our city’s outskirts. We will hold the Guardian Challenge first.”

“But the Guardian Challenge is supposed to be the second of the Three Challenges.”

“True, it will be unusual, but not unprecedented,” Ophelia smirked. “We’ll send the four teams to the south.”

“But the viperidae are attracted to fairies…” Lerdea’s eyes widened, “Calex!”

“Relax, I’d never let Calex be placed in mortal danger,” Ophelia said. “I have a plan to keep him safe. Besides, that Parvus boy knows the woods around the city down to every sapling. He’ll guide Calex’s team through the Challenge just fine.”

“And what of the other three teams?”

Ophelia smiled, “Casualties most likely. Death is no uncommon visitor in the tournament.”

“Won’t they suspect foul play when our team comes out unscathed?”

“Everyone always suspects the city that is hosting the tournament,” Ophelia shrugged. “But they won’t be able to prove anything. After all, we didn’t know the viperidae brood was encroaching upon our city. Our garrison was wiped out before they could send us word of the threat.” Ophelia covered her mouth and pretended to stifle a cry, “Even worse, some of our own citizens were brutally killed by those monstrous snakes when they wandered too close to the city’s outskirts.”

“You’d sacrifice our own people?” Lerdea muttered in horror.

“Don’t you understand, child?!” Ophelia shot to her feet. “We are the descendants of The Last Ebon Lord. The blood of Atreus Thorn runs through our veins! This Realm belongs to us, they all owe us their allegiance.”

Ophelia snarled, “But the seven traitorous families stole Hollow Shade, our legacy, from us. They struck us down while the other two Great Cities just watched! But House Thorn has not forgotten what was lost, we have not forgotten what is ours. We have bided our time and we have grown stronger in the shadows. So, yes, I would sacrifice the common rabble and I would do so much more if it meant bringing us one step closer to our former glory.”

Lerdea knelt down and bowed her head, “...Forgive me, mother. I spoke out of place.”

Ophelia looked at her daughter with disgust, “This is why you will never sit on the throne. You lack the resolve to do what is necessary. Instead, you just bow and plead for forgiveness. Calex may be soft-hearted, but unlike you, he would not hesitate to do what is needed. That’s what separates you and him. Not his magic, you both are talented, albeit him more so.”

Lerdea closed her eyes tight and tried to stop her tears from falling. She took a shaky deep breath and kept her head bowed low. “I am sorry I am not like my brother.”

“I don’t care for your apologies,” Ophelia snapped. “Tell me, child, more than anything, what is it you want?”

My family’s approval. Lerdea swallowed, “To restore the Great House of Thorn to its former glory.”

“Then go and silence the messenger who first brought the reports of the viperidae sightings.”

Lerdea slowly stood to her feet, but she kept her head bowed, “...As you wish, mother.”