Abyssal (ManxMan)

Two Birds, One Stone

Two Birds, One Stone

Kai watched the King very carefully for any reaction to his statement that would confirm Ryodan's allegations. But his uncle's expression remained unchanged, a stony mask; if he was indeed concealing ill-intentions toward him, Kai would have to find out another way.

"I understand your frustration with this arrangement, but I assure you that it is for your own good." Zolban said in a sincere tone.

He leaned back in his chair and regarded Kai through sympathetic eyes.

But were those sympathetic eyes, or were they merely pretending to be?

Kai's eyebrows drew together and his face changed to an expression of disbelief. His voice leaking doubt, he questioned, "My protection? From what?"

No doubt sensing the suspicion in his nephew's voice and seeing it on his face, Zolban leaned forward and took Kai's hand in his. His long, silken hair fell over their hands, brushing Kai's hand

Kai was starting to notice how his uncle really liked doing that. Did he mean to comfort Kai with this gesture? Well, he felt no comfort because suspicion and wariness were clouding his head, casting a red hue of warning over everything Zolban said or did. He constantly kept asking himself if his uncle was being genuine and truthful or acting. Was he friend or foe?

"I will not lie to you." His uncle began, meeting Kai's eyes. "Your existence came as a bit of a surprise to me and the court when we first discovered it, but it also explained where the Spirit of the Sea has been all these years. We knew it resided in an Astrian, seeing as its blessing upon this nation never ceased or diminished even with my brother's passing, but we could have never imagined that Kaerius took a human wife and had a son with her.

Now that most of the world knows inside whom the power resides, it has made you the biggest target in all the Seven Seas. Perhaps I do not need to tell you this seeing as Marius beat us to you and captured you for the power. I'm simply grateful you escaped him before he harmed you."

Kai saw the implication in Zolban's cool eyes and felt an unexpected chill. Abruptly, he was reminded of his brief yet traumatizing stay in Nostraza. Marius' cold shark-like blue eyes flashed in his head, startling him. Even imagined, those eyes that had burned holes into his flesh were terrifying in their intensity.

Oblivious to Kai's inner turmoil, Zolban stroked Kai's hand. His touch was gentle enough.

Or perhaps you're grateful I escaped because you want the power for yourself.

"Therefore, I've seen it wise to keep you here for your protection until I am certain that it is safe for you to roam the Palace."

Or until your assassins get me.

Friend or foe? Friend or foe? Friend or foe? He repeated the question to himself like a stuck record, but he failed to find an answer every time he asked it.

Kai had reasonable doubt to suspect his uncle of ill intent. After all, the power he unwillingly contained would pass to the next Astrian male royalty in line for the throne, which technically was Zolban. Unless his father had sired another child somewhere.

Now that he thought about it, why did his father, a merman king, marry his mother, a mortal human being? From what he'd seen and witnessed, these immortal mermen and mermaids held the utmost distaste toward the mortals who dwelled on the surface. His mother claimed she and his father loved each other, but if Kai were in his father's shoes, would he have risked his lineage like that when he had a duty to be a selfless ruler?

But who was he to judge his father? The man had helped give him life, so he could hardly complain. If only King Kaerius had made more of an effort to be present in his life before his untimely demise at Marius' hands.

Did he hate his father for being absent from his life?

No, he didn't hold feelings of hatred per se. If he were to put his feelings into words, he'd say he felt... regret that he'd lost the chance to meet his father. No, he hadn't lost the chance, he'd been robbed of it by a cruel, blue-eyed Nostrazian King.

For the first time since learning the truth about his true lineage and destiny, he felt a pang of anger. He was angry for his father's murder. The emotion was so raw, so potent that he was shocked by its intensity. He was surprised he hadn't experienced this reaction before. It was like a switch inside him had finally flipped.

But now was not the time to relive the past. He had to find out about his near future. For instance, if his uncle would ever deem the Palace 'safe' enough for him to roam.

Kai asked, "How much longer will I have to stay in this wing?" He sounded like a child who'd been grounded, forced to stay in his room until his punishment concluded.

Really, just how low would he sink before he finally hit rock bottom?

Zolban's eyes softened at the edges. He sounded like a concerned father when he said, " I understand your anxiousness to be locked up in here, and your eagerness to explore the kingdom, but I'm afraid I cannot let you roam until I have ensured your safety."

His heart sank. The King Regent hadn't come to set him free like he'd initially hoped; he'd come to tell him that he would be locked in this gilded cage even longer. He heard the strike of the gavel against the sound block, sealing his fate. The King of Astria had willed it so, and so it shall be.

A cold sweat broke all over his body.

Kai asked in a low voice, as if there was anyone else to hear him say, "Who are you protecting me from?"

It couldn't be from Marius. Surely Marius couldn't get to him now that he was in the heart of Astria.

The thought of falling into Marius' hands once again terrified him immensely, more than any potentially deadly fate that awaited him in Astria's Palace.

"There are those in my court who covet the Spirit's power for themselves."

Kai barely refrained from saying, "Oh, and you don't?"

Surely Zolban had dreamed about possessing the Spirit of the Sea once or twice. He had expected himself to be the next inheritor of the power following his brother's death, only to be snubbed. Who wouldn't be even a little upset?

Yet here he was, explaining things to Kai of his own volition. Was it a play meant to gain his trust? But why would his uncle need his trust when he had him at the palms of his hands and could do to him whatever he wished, even take the power for his own by killing him?

Well, not really.

Marius had had him right in his hands, and yet he hadn't been able to do just that.

Why?

What happened the day he teleported himself to Astria? And why had Marius bothered with kidnapping him instead of murdering him right on his house's cliff? Was it because the Spirit would pass straight to Zolban, regardless of who killed him? That was the only explanation he could muster. But then why would Marius go through the trouble if obtaining the Spirit was impossible for him?

Because he had another way to get his hands on it.

Kai sucked a deep breath, feeling suddenly fatigued despite it being so early in the morning.

Whether Zolban noticed his inner struggle or not, he made no comment. He continued his explanation. "The Spirit has dwelled in Astria's royal bloodline for eons, which makes it synonymous with being king. Those who want the power also mean to sit on Astria's throne."

"Two birds, ones stone." Kai breathed. If this was the case, it seemed that not only Zolban, but the entire Kingdom of Astria had reason to want him. Now the question was, did everyone know the method of extracting the Spirit that Marius seemed to know? 

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