Page 37 of Conspirators' Kingdom

“Let’s go downstairs. If nothing happens in the next hour or so, I promise we can go back to the palace.” Mereruka smiled.

He had spelled his rooms at the palace so that any who made to disturb him would remember him saying that he was resting after a bit too much mage wine. By this point, any fae in Lethe would understand, and he doubted his hosts would question it.

“Fine,” Bas sighed.

They crept from the attic to the first floor where everyone was seated in the rearranged furniture and chatting amiably around the open-air atrium. It went on long enough that Mereruka was worried he might have to leave before his curiosity was sated. Then Vasilisa appeared from the shadows.

“We’re ready. It will take two trips to take everyone with Father and me going through the void. Taisiya, Milena, Zephyros, will you join me?”

The three in question rose and linked hands. The darkness mage burst into inky black flames before pulling them into the shadows.

Mereruka wanted to curse as a second darkness mage, a tall, grim-looking man, appeared and took Taisiya’s mother and two other sisters. Theodore was left waiting, humming a broken tune. Mereruka took his gold earring and shoved a tracing spell in it, his heart hammering all the while. He would lose all trace of Taisiya once her brother was taken into the void. His only hope was the weave the strands of the spell into his earring before Theodore’s escort returned, all while hiding the aurora of his magic. Sweat trickled down his back. This was taking too long. He still needed to infuse it with enough magic to cover a vast distance. As the grim man returned, Mereruka’s heart hammered in his chest. It was now or never. He slipped the earring into the pocket of Theodore’s robe. A moment later, Theodore disappeared into what Mereruka could only assume was the void.

“Well, we can’t follow them now,” Bas said, obviously hoping Mereruka might be persuaded to give up.

“Once they return to this world, I should be able to teleport us to the location of my earring’s twin. I told you it was worthwhile to pierce my ears,” Mereruka crowed.

Bas groaned.

Mereruka pulled out the twin of the earring he had placed in Theodore’s pocket and concentrated on the innate magic connecting the two. Wherever the void was, it was not in their world, Oblivion, but somewhere altogether different. A pocket realm, perhaps? In a few moments, he felt the tug of magic on the other end of the tether. He would never be able to teleport otherwise, such was the complexity of the spell.

“Success!”

“If I die, I’m going to curse you,” Bas muttered.

“Come! And remember, we’re-”

“Unseen, not unheard. I heard you the first twenty times.”

Mereruka was too excited by the mystery to reproach his son. He drew a teleportation circle using strands of magic, like the bands of an aurora dancing and weaving around his and Bas’ feet. Between one blink and the next, he and Bas were directly beside Theodore.

The night was cold, and wherever they’d landed was far from any sign of civilization. The canopy blocked all but a few twinkling stars and hints of moonlight from touching the soft forest floor. They were lucky the ground muffled their footsteps as they followed Theodore to a small clearing where a tree had recently fallen. Bathed in moonlight stood three enormous bones arranged as a lintel. The family stood before them and waited for Theodore to join them. Mereruka and Bas stood aside, unseen to any save each other.

Mereruka grinned knowingly at Bas, who did nothing but scowl.

Taisiya cleared her throat.

“What we’re about to do cannot be undone. Zephyros Opal, are you willing to risk everything you have, everything you are, for Milena?”

“I am.”

“Your family ruled the islands for many generations before the empire made you its vassals. What is your family’s true name?”

The wind mage seemed surprised by such a question.

“Tempest,” he answered.

“Then swear no vows except with your true name, Zephyros Tempest,” Taisiya said before turning to Vasilisa, who stood beside the bones. “Keep watch. Anyone who finds this place dies.”

“My pleasure. Have a safe journey.”

“Journey?” Zephyros asked.

“Shhh, this is the best part,” Milena said with a giggle.

Taisiya pulled a golden blade from the pocket of her robe and pricked her finger.

“Wimp!” Milena taunted.

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