Chapter 22: Dark Intent.

Kalon stopped in his tracks upon seeing the grin on his father's face. He looked almost like he was smiling happily, but there was a hint of dark intent behind it as he peered down at his son, who had just signed the contract.

"What is it?" Kalon asked as he looked up into Dorain's eyes. He didn't know how to respond as his father was standing silently with a smile on his face.

"Oh, don't mind it. I am just happy that I have a son who would willingly put himself in danger for the sake of his mother. It's a noble cause. I hope you don't have to wait too long until the two of you are reunited." Dorian couldn't stop himself from smiling as he looked down at Kalon.

"I hope so too. I can't wait to see her again." Kalon smiled. He was eager to start the job as soon as possible so he could come home and rescue her from the dungeons as quickly as he could. He looked up and expected something more from his father, but it seemed like he didn't have anything more to say.

Dorian caught on to the stare from his son and then decided to speak up to kill the silence.

"So, When do you think that you want to start?" Dorian asked with a puzzled expression. He wasn't sure what else to say. He had already gotten Kalon to agree to the job and was waiting for a good chance to push him into doing it right away.

The sooner he could get him out of the empire, the less chance there would be of Kalon suspecting anything was going on. They didn't want their plan to go wrong just as soon as it had started after all. But it seemed to be all going in Dorian's favour as Kalon looked down at the ground.

'I can't go back out there. Not after how Octavian was looking at me. I bet he is planning to kill me now.' Kalon thought as he remembered the stares he received from Octavian, and if not for the presence of their father, Octavian would probably have killed Kalon on the spot. He looked furious seeing Kalon treated respectfully that he almost spiralled into a frenzy.

Kalon felt lucky that nothing had happened and had to take a few moments to think about what Dorian had asked him.

"Can I start right now? I want to get mom out of the dungeons as soon as I can." Kalon looked up at Dorian, who was smiling more intensely now. Everything was going exactly how he had planned it. All he needed was to give Kalon a little shove, and he would be willing to do whatever he wanted.

Dorian kneeled beside Kalon and then put his arms around his tiny body and pulled him into an embrace.

"I'm so proud of you, Kalon," Dorian whispered into his ear while they hugged and then slowly let go.

Kalon smiled happily. Today was the first time that he remembered being hugged by one of his parents. It felt so good. He felt safe and protected, almost as though even if the world was burning, he would still be okay. It was a feeling that Kalon had longed forever since he was young, and now that he had received it, he felt unstoppable.

"Then I had better get someone to drop you off close to the border. I can't have you walking in the woods alone at night. Follow me, and I will take you to the stable master." Dorian said and then walked over to open the door.

As he did so, the guards turned and bowed down once again.

"Your majesty." He said and then looked over to Kalon as he followed close behind.

"Your highness." The guards both recognised Kalon's status as he walked past them with a smile on his face. Given the previous treatment he was given by the people around him, he was now beginning to feel important and not worthless. Kalon felt as though he could finally raise his head up high as he walked throughout the palace.

But that was only until they reached the stables and the smell of horse excrement forced its way through Kalon's nose and then into his mouth. The scent was so foul that he could taste it, and it made him pinch the end of his nose and lower his chin slightly to try to make the smell a little more bearable.

"What is it?" Dorian asked with a chuckle as he looked down at the face Kalon was making as he walked past dozens of horses.

"The smell. It's so bad!" Kalon clenched his teeth as he spoke as he didn't want to let any more of the vile stench into his mouth. But that only made Dorian laugh a little more as they walked through the stables before reaching an opening at the end of the corridor.

Light from the setting sun blinded them as they both stepped out into the sunlight, but as Kalon squinted his eyes, he was taken back by what he was now seeing.

The smell and state of the stables were so bad that he didn't expect much from the place they were going to, but as they stepped out into the open, there were dozens of fancy carriages made out of dark wood with brass fittings in swirling patterns to let people know that the person riding in the back was important.

Dorian looked down to see the amazed look on Kalon's face as they stood looking at carriages big enough to live in for weeks at a time.

"Your majesty. I wasn't expecting you to visit. To what do I owe the pleasure?" A shirtless old man with long grey hair asked before bowing his head upon seeing Dorian standing nearby.

"Eli, what did I tell you about bowing before me? You are like a father to me. You don't have to do anything like that." Dorian said with a smile before walking over and patting the man on his shoulder, and helping him up.

"That might be so, but I am just a stable manager. If I don't show respect to the emperor, then how do you expect anyone else to do so?" The old man asked with a gentle smile before looking over at Kalon, who was still standing in the doorway.

"A human…" The old man inhaled before acknowledging that Kalon wasn't from any of the monster races. He then bowed his head once again.

"Your highness, It's a pleasure to meet you again," Eli said with a smile upon locking eyes with Kalon. Dorian once again helped him stand after bowing.