Page 11 of Oath of War
‘You see, my sweet Ro,’ the Lich King continued, his tome almost conspiratorial. ‘Your father hates competition. He couldn’t bear other men looking at his wife, and he disliked it even more if someone’s magic was stronger than his. He might pretend to care about legacy, but even your mother was chosen because her psychic skills and dreamwalking were no threat to him.’
Cahyon’s smile widened as he stroked my father’s cheek, his words dripping with venom. ‘Imagine his shock when she bore a son whose mastery over the dead impressed even the empress. And then there’s you, Rowena—a shining star who received both parents’ powers and has outdone him entirely. Such delicious irony.’
I could feel my sister struggling to not react, but she remained still, unflinching.
‘Isn’t that why you hate your son so much, Roan?’ The Lich King’s voice dropped, cruel amusement flickering in his eyes. ‘And what about letting me use your wife to renew myself? Was it to punish her for trying to leave you? For not being the meek little mouse you wanted her to be? Such a shame you didn’t tell me your little spell would turn me into a fucking monster.’
The last word was punctuated by a savage backhand that snapped my father’s head to the side.
‘You wanted to live forever, and that was the price,’ my father spat, cradling his cheek. ‘Did you really expect to do that as a human? As for my wife, she was the most compatible forthe ritual, though it didn’t hurt that she’d also outlived her usefulness.’
Rowena didn’t react. There was no pain, no sorrow, as though she’d heard this all before.
So Cahyon didn’t intend to become a lich?I thought, the realisation sinking in. Ro’s silent agreement confirmed it.
There was a grim poetry to it. To exist as a lich, unable to savour food, drink, or love—it wasn’t power. It was torment. At least I still had the chance to be with someone I loved, while the Lich King’s body was a dry husk filled only with aether.
Rowena cleared her throat, drawing both men’s attention.
‘My lord, those in stasis in the keystone cave won’t be easy to control. Even if my brother agrees, no mage has the power to sustain them indefinitely. The only reason the spell holds is because of the keystone’s stored aether, and you saw what happened to the artefact.’
Another secret unravelled in front of me. Now I knew why the Barrier was fading and why the monsters hadn’t attacked Ani and Orm while they explored the caves. I was betting that was also the reason Annika felt something wrong with the keystone. It was all beginning to make sense.
‘The keystone will hold as long as it has to,’ the Lich King declared, his tone sharp. ‘I could send your father to lead them, but his magic is nothing more than a mindless hammer. Unchecked, he’d reduced Dagome to yet another desolate wasteland.’
‘Alaric’s psychic skills are insufficient,’ my father interjected, his voice laced with indignation. ‘And unless you complete the curse, you cannot fully establish the connection.’
‘Still unwilling to admit he bested you in all that’s important?’ Cahyon’s laugh was a low, mocking rumble. ‘Don’t fret, Roan—you’ll have your moment. If our plan fails, I’ll allow you to destroy Dagome and the dark fae empire as you’ve alwaysdreamed. But have faith in your son. The curse is nearly complete, and he’ll manage. I’ve sharpened his abilities with my little games—each moment of pain, each whisper in his mind, has expanded his power. Soon, he won’t be able to resist my commands. Every god needs an avatar, and he is just perfect for the role.’
The Lich King’s chuckle darkened as he turned to Rowena, who instinctively stepped back when he reached for her. ‘You’ll see your brother soon, my dear,’ he murmured. ‘Just as you are building my army, he will lead it.’
‘Even if you manage to control Alaric,’ my father cut in bitterly, ‘the conduit mage remains out of your reach—’
Gods, I wanted to laugh so hard, hearing his surly tone. The old spider was caught in a net of his own making, and now he had to wait hand and foot on a man who couldn’t wait to have his son to unseat him. If not for Annika being dragged into this, I might have savoured the sight.
‘I nearly had her last night, Roan.’ Cahyon’s voice took on a predatory edge. ‘Such a beautiful creature, though obstinate and a little unruly. I’ll enjoy breaking her to my will, just as I did with our sweet Ro. In the end, they all submit.’
‘How— Did your spies—?’
‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Your idea of allowing some humans and Moroi to survive and breed was inspired. I wish I’d spared more of them, but hindsight is a luxury.’ The Lich King frowned, his eyes gleaming as they focused on Rowena. ‘Just in case, find me a body. One that’s functional enough for the Anchoring process. We can’t let my future Anchor suffer unnecessarily. And find a handsome one—maintaining the illusion is tiresome.’
Rowena’s shock radiated through me like a palpable wave. ‘My lord, we’ve already tried that. I don’t think it is possible—’ she began, only to falter as his hand closed around her throat.
‘Did you think I was asking?’ His voice was a venomous hiss. ‘That was an order, and you will obey.’
I felt the pressure on her throat as if it were my own. Her struggle for breath sent a surge of rage through me, and before I could think, I willed her hand to strike back. I felt her pushing me away, trying to break the link. The sensation of dry flesh and bone beneath my fingers was disorienting, but I held firm, forcing her to grip his throat.
The Lich King’s face twisted into a grin as he stared directly into my—Rowena’s—eyes. ‘Ah, Alaric,’ he purred. ‘So nice of you to join us. You’ve found a way into your sister’s mind. How unfortunate that you overheard my plans.’
His grip tightened around Ro’s throat, and his manic smile grew. ‘But perhaps it’s for the best. I’ll give you a choice: come to Katrass willingly, serve as my general, and Annika will remain yours, unharmed. Refuse, and I’ll drag you here as my slave. Consider it carefully, boy. Now, leave your sister’s mind alone.’
His final words shoved me from Rowena’s consciousness with the force of a hammer blow. I woke with a gasp, bolting upright as my heart beat out of my chest.
‘What’s going on?’ Orm, awakened by my sudden movement, was already reaching for his dagger. His curse when he realised it wasn’t there was colourful and filled with fury.
‘Give me a moment,’ I rasped, nausea twisting my stomach. I bent over the edge of the bed and retched, the sound harsh in the still room.
Orm’s hand was suddenly on my back, his touch firm but soothing. I forced myself to breathe, to gather the chaos in my mind, and finally turned to him with a grim expression. His hand shifted to my shoulder, his grip steadying me.
