Medina’s brow furrowed slightly. Enough to tell me that she wasn’t really all that comfortable with this situation. “You wouldn’t have known where exactly in the palace to show up, and secrecy is obviously paramount here. That being said, every single Cerixian inside the palace has been thoroughly vetted. All of them, except four individuals, don’t know about your presence here, and we want to keep it that way. We are aware of the Hermessi threat, and we’ve done our best not to stir anything up. As per GASP’s request, I’ve assigned their agents to another location, away from Silvergate, specifically for your visit.”
“Good. Then we should get going,” Lumi said. “The longer we’re outside and in plain view, the more chances that someone shady will spot us.”
“Agreed. I believe one or two of you can teleport us directly to the palace, now?” Medina replied.
“Yes, Prime Minister. But you would need to guide me a little bit as to where we can teleport inside the palace, if our goal is not to run into unbriefed soldiers,” Taeral replied.
“Please, call me Medina. You are friends and allies of the empire,” she said, smiling, and briefly shifted her focus to Eira. “I haven’t seen you in a while, Miss Dorres. Welcome home.”
Eira bowed politely. “Thank you. And congratulations on your appointment. The emperor’s judgment was exquisite.”
“Do you remember the meeting room where you last were, with Emperor Tulla?” Medina asked Taeral, who nodded once in return. “Can you take us there?”
“Of course,” Taeral replied.
Medina exhaled sharply but took his hand. “Take us there, then,” Medina instructed him.
Her army training was obvious—she’d done it at a young age and it had stuck with her. The high chin, the plank-like back and the stiff mannerisms, along with the simple enunciations. Medina was designed and educated to be efficient. The military was never really my style, but I did understand the discipline that came with it. I didn’t think just anyone could be a soldier—but anyone could be a fighter, if they had something to fight for. The Prime Minister, however, didn’t seem to fit in either category. She’d gotten her soldier training, but she’d stepped away from combat and into the intricate world of politics.
A moment later, we materialized inside the very room where we’d seen the fire go out. Where we’d realized that Brann had been destroyed, and that Cerix would freeze over. Medina wobbled slightly, and Fallon was quick to move by her side, helping her regain her balance. The color had drained from her cheeks—an understandable reaction for someone who’d never been teleported before.
“Are you okay?” he asked her, and she offered a faint smile.
“I suppose it takes some getting used to,” she replied, and opened the door, checking both ways up and down the hallway before going out. “Follow me, now.”
We joined her in the main corridor. Just like she’d said, we could tell that the palace was partially abandoned. Distant footsteps echoed from soldiers doing their rounds through the building, but other than that, there was no other sign of life. The Shills’ attack had left its imprint on the place.
As we walked toward the secret wing, I shuddered at the sight of deep scratches and scuffs along the marble floors and the wall panels—the Shills’ claws as they’d come after us, not that long ago. My stomach churned almost painfully. I remembered the screams of agony that had rippled through these halls, the sounds of soldiers falling prey to those horrific, bloodthirsty monsters.
“It’s been quiet since you left,” Medina said, guiding us deeper into a tighter hallway. The lights were dimmed here, barely flickering in the brass wall sconces. Discretion had been key in the design here. This entire wing had been made with it in mind. The halls swerved away from the more populated areas of the palace, and the lighting was reduced on purpose. Looking over my shoulder, I could no longer see the corridor where we’d first come from. “The Hermessi have not paid any attention to us. Not from what I’ve noticed, anyway. We know they were watching GASP’s agents, but they never interacted with them. Now that they’re out of the building, we believe you’ll be safe here.”
“It’s wishful thinking,” Lumi said. “We’re not safe anywhere until we complete our mission. But thank you, nonetheless, for the efforts you’ve made to accommodate us.”
“We’re doing our best to assist,” Medina replied. Once we reached the middle of the hallway, she stopped and turned around to face us. She handed us each a key and motioned at the many doors around us. “Your rooms are up and down this corridor. You’ll notice the room numbers etched above the keyholes; they’ll match the keys in your hands. All comforts have been provided, and, like I said earlier, there will be four soldiers coming in every six hours with whatever you may need. Food, water, linens… whatever.”
“That’s very kind,” I said, smiling. “We won’t be spending much time here, though. As you know, we’re looking for an ancient artifact.”
She nodded again. “I’m aware, and I will be assisting you with that, as well.”
“Surely, you have an empire to run? Why get involved directly?” Raphael asked. His tone was low, and I knew that tint of suspicion. It came naturally to him whenever public officials were involved. Raphael had a certain distrust of authority, in general—it stemmed from his rebellion against Ta’Zan’s rule of law, back on Strava.
“This is an important matter,” Medina said. “I’d rather help you and make sure it’s resolved promptly, so you can leave Cerix as soon as possible. As much as I’m keen to make you all feel welcome, I cannot dismiss the risk you, yourselves, have mentioned. Regardless of your tricks to hide from the Hermessi, your presence here is still a danger to us all.”
The answer seemed to satisfy Raphael. Eira, on the other hand, had questions of her own. “When will we see Emperor Tulla?”
“Tonight. I’ve organized a dinner with His Majesty for you all,” Medina said. “In the meantime, you should all just make yourselves comfortable and prepare for the planning stage. We have multiple ancient sites to go over, and I suppose you’ll want to narrow your search down, where possible.”
“That’s right,” Taeral replied.
“Emperor Tulla has expressed his excitement to see you all again. Especially you, Lumi,” the prime minister added, looking at our swamp witch. “I believe he’s looking forward to meeting your apprentices, as well.”
Acantha and Nethissis offered soft smiles in return, but I could see the faint strain beneath. Like us, they didn’t feel comfortable being here. Looking at it from my perspective, I could easily see why. They knew what had happened in this place. They’d seen the Shills’ marks on the walls and floors. As elegant and as beautiful as this place was, its scars were ugly and sickening, despite how small they were.
“What about Trap Mellon?” Eira asked. “Will he be joining us, as well?”
Medina’s smile faded a little too fast. Her voice dropped, too. “I regretfully have to announce that Trap Mellon has been missing for a couple of days. We are actively searching for him, but you should know… We found cult paraphernalia at his house.”
The news left me speechless. Eira’s jaw dropped to the floor. “Wha… What?”
“We suspect him of ties to the Hermessi death cult that formed here on Cerix. We’ve had trouble capturing other members lately, and, given what was discovered at his place, we had no choice but to presume his involvement. He likely obstructed the army’s efforts against the death cult. We’re worried he might’ve been converted.”
That sounded insane. Trap Mellon was loyal to the emperor. He’d been a friend to Eira, especially, and even Inalia. He’d helped us against the Hermessi, and he’d squirmed at the mere thought of the ritual being completed. Why would he have shifted his allegiance so abruptly? What could have made him turn against the very empire he’d lived his whole life protecting? It just didn’t make sense.
“You must be mistaken,” Eira said, voicing our collective thoughts. “Trap would never—”
“I’m afraid we’re not mistaken. All the evidence points to his affiliation with the Hermessi cults,” Medina cut her off abruptly. She clearly didn’t like having her orders or judgment questioned. My gut told me it was better not to argue with the prime minister on this. We could easily sneak around and look into it ourselves as soon as we got the chance.
I moved past Raphael and reached Eira, gently squeezing her elbow. “Let’s just get to our rooms and get ready for later,” I said. “We can talk about this another time.”
Eira was quick to catch the hidden meaning of my words, giving me a sense of relief as she nodded and offered Medina an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Prime Minister. I just didn’t see it coming.”
“None of us did,” she replied. “I was as shocked as you all are. It was a heavy blow to deal with, in light of all that’s happened. Unfortunately, it’s true. Anyway, I will meet you all in the meeting hall in an hour, if that’s amenable,” she added, pointing at a set of double doors at the far end of the corridor. “I’ve made sure no one will disturb us, and I’ve arranged for all the maps of Cerix to be brought in, for your consideration.”
“Thank you, Medina,” Taeral said. “Your support is much appreciated.”
She left us in the hallway and retreated beyond the double doors, while we were left with the keys in our hands, still baffled with the news of Trap Mellon’s bizarre betrayal. I still couldn’t wrap my head around it, and judging by the looks on everyone’s faces, neither could they.
We stood there, in silence, for about a minute, before Varga spoke up. “I call BS on that whole Trap Mellon issue.”
“Whoa,” Eva said, gawking at him.
He shrugged. “What? I just don’t buy it.”
“Neither do I,” Eira replied. “Trap would never do that.”
Taeral sighed. “I agree. But Medina made it clear, from where she stands. Let’s just get settled, have this meeting with her, and discuss Trap Mellon later, okay? We have a lot of work to do, and very little time to do it before the Hermessi eventually catch on that we’re here.”
That was true. We couldn’t hide from them forever. Everything we had on us was a mere artifice, and it wouldn’t protect us forever, especially since the Hermessi knew we’d be coming for Eirexis. Planning our search and retrieval of this first piece would be best done in peace and quiet, and for the time being, we had that.
There was no room for mistakes, going forward. As much as I disliked what we’d just heard about Trap Mellon, we had no choice but to put the thought of him aside, at least until we had a better idea as to where we might find Eirexis. Recovering Thieron was essential. It was our only chance at salvation, and everything else could wait.
Taeral
My room was right next to Eira’s, as it turned out. It hadn’t even been planned, since Medina had passed the keys around without actually checking the numbers engraved on them. It seemed as though fate still wanted me close to Eira, and I’d welcomed the outcome more than I’d thought possible.
I settled in but kept all the essentials in my backpack. I checked the windows and washed my face, then dried off with a soft towel. Taking time to analyze my room, I understood that this was where the emperor housed his more valuable or secret guests. My parents had a similar arrangement back home on the Fire Star, and so did Ash and Ruby in Nevertide. Sometimes, the emperor welcomed people without the public’s knowledge—mercenaries, ambassadors, refugees of high political value who couldn’t be sent into an inn or checked into a hotel. They had to be close to the emperor, under the palace’s protection.
This entire wing had been built for that specific purpose, and the design was neutral in color, though opulent in its details. The lighting was dim, but the fixtures were sculptural pieces, each beautiful and unique. The art on the walls was sublime but generic—landscapes of Silvergate and other domains. The bedspreads, the carpets, and the curtains matched in soft shades of gray, white, and beige, and there were little gifts neatly wrapped on a silver platter, on the study. I pulled the ribbon off one and discovered a cute little wooden box filled with an assortment of local sweets. I could almost hear Herakles gasping and throwing them in his mouth, one by one.
