Page 32 of King of Fire and Scales

He opened the door and stepped out into the corridors, pressing a single finger against his lips.

“What is the matter?” he whispered, closing the door behind him faintly.

“I apologize for the disturbance, My King,” Mads said, his expression flushed. “But it appears there was an intruder on the castle grounds last night.”

Drake grimaced, folding his large arms, one over the other. His thinking had been slowed by the previous night’s indulgence. Even his dragon was currently relaxed and pacified. A restful but not entirely utilitarian state for the leader of the kingdom to be in. Mads peered at him with bated breath.

“That is alarming,” he replied, trying to keep his voice to a dull roar. “Tell me what happened. And how on earth did someone manage to get inside these expertly guarded walls?”

Mads appeared as if he too had been on the edge of sleep when he was informed about the incident. It wasn’t commonplace for a military strategist to be having a discourse with the king at such an ungodly hour unless war was at hand.

“We found him in Thalia’s room, My King,” he said, hesitantly. “A guard came upon him during the morning rounds. He was detained for questioning but had a poisonous capsule lodged within his back tooth. He managed to bite into it, ending his life before any information could be obtained.”

A swirl of emotions snapped him from his drowsy state with the harrowing plunge of a dagger against his spine. He was roused, his dragon summoning a godless shriek along the cords of his throat.

“Thalia's room?” he repeated.

“Yes, My King.”

“How were they aware she was here? Or where to locate her chambers?"

Mads shook his head, exasperated.

“We don’t know, My King. His body is being assessed in the dungeon and a mortuary worker has been called in."

Drake considered scolding him for arriving so empty-handed, but it truly wasn’t the job of a member of the war council to be delivering such disconcerting information. He maintained his composure, laying a hand on his strategist's shoulder.

“I appreciate your candor. Now, we need to…”

Pyralis had come around the corner impassioned and gasping for air. Drake caught the sound of his whistling breath and turned to find him standing beneath the subdued torchlight, his gaunt hands pressed wearily against his chest.

“My King,” he squeaked out. “How glad I am to find you…”

Mads and Drake exchanged a befuddled look, then approached the atrophying man with concern. The flickering flames overhead spilled over his sleek bald spot like an unholy halo.

“Speak, good scholar,” the king implored.

“My King,” he repeated with a theatrical intake of air. “I have heard of the misfortune of the intrusion. I took it upon myself to do some digging into some of your staff members, and I have discovered something awful."

He clenched what remained of his teeth into a hideous sneer, then paused, taking in yet another exaggerated breath. Drake snapped at him with a disgruntled impatience.

“Out with it, Pyralis. This is a matter of great importance.”

He expected the old man to wince slightly, but he did nothing of the sort. He stood like a sail flapping in the wind with the sturdiness of a sword wedged in stone. He laid a hand on the wall beneath the torchlight, then looked off into the distance.

“I have learned that Sorcha Tolacas, your dear sorceress, is related to your enemy, Lucien Dastow. She is his cousin.”

The truth washed over the king like a hurricane. He tried to listen closely, but fury had bloomed like the setting of a forest fire.

“Go on,” Mads said. “Tell us everything you found.”

Pyralis took his hand from the wall and cupped it over the other, pinned against his chest. He continued to speak out to some invisible audience.

“I am afraid that she was able to obtain work in the castle due to her rarity as a magic dabbler. That blinded us as to her background, which was why we are merely finding this out now. May I suggest that it is due to her connections that Thalia’s room was located, and was likely the perpetrator that shared information as to the whereabouts of the inn?”

Mads grunted, and then the king found his voice, directed toward his military strategist.

“Mads, assemble a team of guards and raid Sorcha’s chambers immediately. I want the traitor taken into custody.”

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