Page 3 of Death Cap

“Nothing of importance.” He brushed my question aside, leading me away as we continued our stroll. I tried to listen to him speak, but my focus was carried back to that mysterious room. Eventually, the topic transformed into that of his brother, who I learned was only minutes younger than Agaric himself. He held such disdain and hatred toward him, his own brother, who, according to Agaric, was filled with evil.

“My brother,” he sighed. “Unfortunately, the death of our mother destroyed Morel. She and he shared this…bond, and she showered him with too much affection. He pulled her focus from her own duties, as she disregarded them to always tend to his needs. My father hated it. You see, Morel and I may be twins, but we look and behave nothing alike. He was always paler, with this odd aversion to the heat and sun. A real ghastly creature. He thrived in the shadows, his appearance the complete opposite of mine, looking nothing like the rest of the royal family. Some say he was the result of a curse sent to destroy the monarchy. Others say he isn’t even the true son of the king, born only of the seed of evil itself. My father saw him for what he truly was—a threat to his throne. My throne. The day we were born, my mother chose to defy my father’s objections and kept him, raising him herself. He was always sickly, avoiding the outdoors as much as possible.The only time he bothered to venture outdoors was when he and my mother planted those night caps in her little garden. They did everything together…” His words trailed off, as if tainted with pain and sorrow. “But alas, when our mother passed, there was no one left to coddle him. He was unable to function on his own, unfit to hold a title, and therefore cast from the palace by my father himself, banned from ever returning.” He glanced at me, noticing my discomfort in reaction to the story. “My lady, you have nothing to fear.” He cupped my hands, pressing his warm lips against them. “Morel has cowered away in his godforsaken hellhole. The illegitimate king of Grisset—the false kingdom—shallneverdefeat Dryade or me. I made sure of it.”

“How can you be so sure he shall never return? He is your brother, my prince.” I couldn’t help but feel sad for the younger prince.

“Morel is nothing without his queen, and she is gone. When I slew the witch on that battlefield, I watched as his soul shattered like his forces beneath mine. He and his creatures have returned to the shadows where they belong. There, he shall live the rest of his days in misery, sulking until death is kind enough to free him from his earthly prison.”

My tear-filled eyes met his, burning. “You slew his queen? Your own brother’s wife?” He stood tall, like a statue, carefully releasing my hands before he replied.

“An unfortunate cost of war, my lady. Hesper,” he hissed her name, “was just as ruthless and vile as Morel, if not worse. She was his equal in every way. The two were inseparable, obsessed with burning the world in their darkness. You should be grateful she no longer exists.” His harsh words began to soften. “She was his wolfsbane. A tragic beauty beyond comparison, who lured many to their deaths beneath her skillful hand. She was a mighty warrior, fearing nothing, including death itself, except the idea of losing her king. Her death was a gift to this world.”He noticed the sadness behind my eyes, wiping away my tears. “Do not cry for them. Morel and Hesper are nothing but pure evil. They care for no one but themselves and wouldn’t hesitate to kill you. Darkness tied the love between them, their devotion wrapped in absolute chaos. Together, they were an unstoppable force of evil. Now, Morel has no one left to cling to. He shall remain hidden away in his dead, isolated land while the people of Dryade flourish in the sun.” Agaric hesitated, wrapping his arms around my pulled waist, inching me closer. My scarred hands rested across his chest, his heart racing beneath his bones. “You are safe here, Amanita, with me. I shall keep you safe. You should not fear the monsters, as I will be your light. Now,” he kissed my forehead, causing my heart to flutter faintly, “enough talk of my brother. Fate has dealt him his hand, and now, I shall embrace my own hand.” He gently grabbed my chin, raising my face up towards his. I held my breath as he stared into my eyes, the smell of citrus and flowers drowning him. “All I am missing is my queen, and then I shall have a winning hand.”

All I could manage was a blank stare, unsure if he was hinting at something more, or merely toying with me, as we did at times. Agaric winked, grinning as he carefully dropped my face and turned to walk away. “I shall see you at dinner, my lady.”

I replayed his words again and again in my mind as the days continued, the overload of information and teasing consuming me. The prince seemed kind and caring, filled with a warmth like the sun itself. He was openly fond of me, as I was of him, but something deep inside my soul felt off. Hearing how he effortlessly slew his brother’s bride with no remorse gnawed at me, planting a tiny seed of distrust within my conscience. No matter how drawn I felt to him, like a moth to the flame, a part of me felt as though I needed to be wary. No good deed or flirtatious compliment of Agaric’s could make that gut feeling disappear.

FIVE

MOREL

“Morel!”Her terror-filled screams surrounded me as I fought the sunlight, reaching for her through the chaos, desperately searching for my love. Dread filled my bones as I heard the bloodcurdling scream, so close yet so far, vibrating in my chest. My eyes struggled to grasp what was occurring, the fog of war clouding my vision as the light disoriented me. We had been separated, Agaric and his men forcing us apart in battle. Fear soaked my heart as I scanned the many blurry faces around me, pulling at the faint thread of her existence, searching for any sign of her amongst the violence. My soul ached for her.

“Hesper!” I screamed into the blinding light, my hands shielding the beams as I swung through the battle, my sword striking down all who stood before me, fighting against the endless golden rays. “Hesper!”

Hesper’s screams guided me, my vision clearing as I watched him rip his sword from her abdomen, fresh blood soaking her armor. My sword fell from my hand, watching as my love fell to her knees, those metallic eyes bloodshot, filled with fear as they searched, meeting mine. Tears rolled down her bloodied face,leaving streaks that only enhanced my queen’s beauty. “Morel.” My name fell from Hesper’s bloodied lips as her body fell back.

“Hesper!” I screamed, immediately rushing to her aid. Agaric’s men gathered around as they tried to stop me, but they were no match. Even without my sword, I was more powerful than all of them combined. My rage was hatred fueled, red filling my eyes as I tore through the soldiers, brutally beating the life from their weak bodies, inching closer to her. As much as I wanted to take my time, breaking every bone in their pathetic, putrid bodies while I breathed in their last breaths, I needed to keep moving. I needed to reach her. My heart cracked as I could feel her life fading away with each second and nothing in this world would keep me from her, my wolfsbane.

My path was almost clear, only one of Agaric’s soldiers standing in my way. The young boy was barely old enough to hold a weapon, shaking as he stared up at me. His face was absent of color, trembling as I stepped closer. “He’s just a child, brother.” His voice made me stop as I glanced past the young soldier to see Agaric watching me. “Would you really kill someone so naive and innocent?” My breathing was rapid, my nostrils flaring with a taste for blood as I kept my eyes on him, glaring as I moved swiftly, removing the boy’s sword as it twirled in my hands, meeting its mark. I glanced at the foul blood pouring down his chin, the blade deep inside his mouth as he gagged on the sharpness, his eyes wide with tears. I yanked the weapon back, the boy’s tongue dangling from his shredded jaw as his body hit the ground. “No man is innocent.” My eyes moved from him to Hesper, burning with rage. “Hesper!” I screamed, rushing to her side.

My love lay sprawled across the ground, her body bloodied and slain before me. The sky had emptied from her open eyes, leaving them glossy as she remained lifeless, an empty shell of my heart.No!I fell to her side, lifting her weightless body intomy arms, cradling her close. “Wolfsbane,” I cried, brushing her hair from her wounded face, pressing my hand against the deep wound on her abdomen in a failed attempt to save her. “Hesper.” I shook her body, her head wobbling as I continued, “Hesper. Hesper, please. Wake up.” She remained empty. “Hesper!” My heart completely shattered, ripping apart piece by piece and leaving only hatred as the last ounce of my soul faded away with her. My head shot to the sky, the sun burning my face as I screamed, holding her corpse close while my throat burned. Without my queen, I was nothing.

I squeezed her body close to mine, the excruciating pain of my loss drowning me as I cried into her hair, inhaling her fading scent, her blood smearing across my skin.

“What a pity.” My eyes glared through the strands of her hair, staring up at my brother, smiling only inches away. My heartbreak mixed with my hatred, burning in the absence of my soul.

“You want a monster,” I growled, carefully placing my love’s body at my feet and rising, the sword firmly in my hand, “but instead, I shall show you the devil himself.” I lunged at Agaric with my sword, screaming as he blocked my strike, our blades clashing together as we pushed against the other with all our strength.

Agaric strained beneath my force, buckling lightly. I grinned, the young boy’s dried blood crackling across my face as I glared at him, hungry for vengeance. “What’s the matter, big brother? Did you not expect the black sheep to grow into a wolf?” He narrowed his eyes, pushing back as our blades parted.

“You are not a wolf,” he breathed, preparing to strike. “You are an abomination. Father was right in wanting to rid this world of you.” He charged me, missing as I spun, swinging my blade with one hand and cutting his lower back effortlessly. Hegroaned, quickly recovering, turning to face me. I raised my bloody blade, pointing it directly at him.

“You murderedmy wife.”I glanced down at Hesper’s body, my chest rising up and down as I breathed heavily. “A grave mistake, brother.” My eyes returned to him as he glanced around, uneasy. “You may want to end my life, but are you willing todieto do so?” Agaric blinked. “The difference between us, brother,” I spat at the earth, preparing for the final strike, “is that you do not fight for the kingdom, but for yourself.” My hand gripped the hilt, my knuckles whitening with the force with which I held the weapon. “I do not. I fight for my kingdom, my people. I fight for Hesper, my queen. And now that you have taken her from me,” I breathed deeply, fighting back the heartache. “I am willing to die, for I do not fear death. Can you say the same when you look upon the grim reaper’s face in the end?” He swallowed, grimacing at my words, his sword tight within his hand. “Let’s find out.”

I charged him, my blade aiming for his heart, fueled by an endless pit of rage. Agaric spun, my blade missing when something pushed through my heart from behind. I stumbled, the overwhelming pain shooting through my body. My sword dropped to the ground as my fingers fumbled over my chest, meeting the sharp tip of Agaric’s blade, piercing my heart. Blood poured down my armor, bubbling in my mouth as I choked on the metallic taste. He ripped the weapon from me, blood gushing as I turned, my body shaking as my eyes met his.

Agaric examined my blood that drenched his sword, smiling as I fell to my knees. “When you walk upon hell’s door,” he glared down at me, glowing with pride and satisfaction, “do tell Mother I said hello.” He raised his leg, his boot kicking me in the face as I fell over, my skull throbbing as a ringing pierced my ears. “You lost, little brother.”

Agaric stepped over me, approaching Hesper’s body as he raised her, flinging her over his shoulder. Her lifeless eyes stared into the abyss as I watched, my vision lagging and sound distorted. “Hesper,” I strained, rolling onto my chest, raising my head as I watched Agaric turn. He grinned like a child.

“You have losteverything. You are no king.” My hands clawed at the dirt as I strained to lift myself from the earth, weakened by my wound and severe loss of blood.

“Wolfsbane!” I screamed, my head spinning. My body ached, failing me as I desperately tried to rise, blood soaking the dirt beneath me. My vision blurred, my consciousness slowly drifting away as I tried to stay alert.Get the fuck up, Morel!“Wolfsbane!”

“Don’t worry, little brother.” Agaric’s voice altered as my consciousness began to fade. I tried to hold on, grasping onto the image of my bride. “I shall see to it that your queen is disposed of properly. Her body shall burn with the rest of the traitors, their ashes scattered in the wind and forgotten.”

Agaric stopped.

My eyes lifted, peeking through my pitch-black hair. “Let me take her home.” The words were more of a command than a request. My jaw remained clenched, praying he would grant me this small solace.

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