Veronica's Fallacy

42.

-HIM-

As much as I was anxious and enraged to have to see Arkadius for this issue, I decided just to do it. Rip the bandage with a quick tug. That'd be less painful than having it slowly removed.

I stormed down the winding hallways and went straight to the Arch Lord's chambers. Even though I hadn't seen Arkadius in a while, I knew where to find him at such late hours.

It was around midnight, and he liked to spend the time after dinner in his study, smoking cigars and crafting ways to fuck others over. As soon as I reached outside Arkadius' chamber, I was stopped by a guard there.

"I've been authorised to meet the Arch Lord," I snapped at him, feeling impatient with every second. I wanted to hurry because I feared that my pride would make me run if I kept delaying it, and I'd never come back here.

I vouched I'd never step foot here again, but here I was. I knew that Akradius would laugh at my face when he saw me. I clenched my jaw at the thought. A lot of old, nasty emotions threatened to surface, but I forced them down like I had been doing all this time.

The guard eyed me warily. He knew who I was and that my presence here was peculiar. He gave me a pointed look as he conversed with another guard inside the chamber, which made me even more impatient.

"The Arch Lord is in the—"

"I know where he's at," I snapped at the guard as he opened the giant metal door leading to the secured chambers of the Arch Lord of the Night Court. I stormed inside without wasting a second and went straight to his study, but I hesitated as soon as I reached the door.

I stood outside the door in silence, hearing my raging breaths and my hammering heart. Before my steps could take me back and declare me the biggest fool of the century for showing up to the Night court and not meeting Arkadius, I pushed open the doors of the study and walked in.

"Ah! There you are," a familiar voice said to my left. I hadn't heard that voice in a long time. I clenched my jaw and turned towards the grand table in the study, but the regal seat behind it was empty.

My eyes darted around the study until I finally spotted Arkadius sitting in a regal settee by the hearth, smoking a thick cigar. A scroll lay unrolled on his casually folded long legs.

Even though it was pretty late, he was dressed in formal attire. The regal robe bearing the Traitor's crest was not on him. He wore a simple white shirt with some top buttons open and the sleeves rolled up. Beneath his black trousers were his mirror-polished black loafers.

"Come, sit with me. Let's talk. I've missed that," Arkadius said diplomatically when I said nothing. I was still fuming internally at seeing him. The memories of our old clash flashed in front of my eyes.

He cocked an eyebrow at me when I didn't move or say anything for a second. He didn't say anything back. He was very economical with words. Instead, he sat there and stared back at me. His face was composed, but his taut shoulders stored all the tension in his body.

I noticed a muscle in his jaw pulsing away. He was waiting... waiting for me to apologise, but I wasn't here for that.

"I'm not here to talk about us, Arkadius," I said after a minute of deafening silence.

"Then what are you here for?" He asked, using his Arch Lord voice on me. I set my eyes on him harder.

"I'm here to tell you about your shortcoming as an Arch Lord," I shot and saw his nostrils flare angrily, but he didn't react immediately. He remained composed, but I could tell from the way he stood up that he was finding it hard to hold himself back.

"I see," he said. "What shortcoming of mine made you put your pride aside and come here to meet me at such a late hour?" His words pricked me, but I stayed calm... well, as calm as I could be with murderous thoughts raining in my head.

"It's nothing to with you and me," I stated, but he sneered at me.

"I see," He smiled venomously, but I continued.

"I've found some Valisks who've kidnapped some humans and are extracting their souls. I thought you ought to know of such things," I said, and at the mention of the Valisks, his eyes winded. "Have you been keeping an eye on them?"

"I don't need to," He shrugged. "They mind their own business nowadays," I couldn't help but sneer at him this time.

"There it is, one of your shortcomings— not paying attention to one of the oldest demon lords. Have you forgotten, brother, what they're capable of?" I reminded him. Something dark flashed in his eyes.

"Rhendohr clipped their wings," He shot, and I heard more emotions in his voice this time.

"Apparently, that's not enough to stop them," I said. "They can still do a lot more damage,"

"What do you say?"

"Rhendohr has recently reported several missing souls. I have a feeling that the Valisks have something to do with it, especially after what I saw tonight. They took a bunch of humans and were doing the ritual to extract their souls," I said. He listened intently, his head tilted to the side. He was considering this, but his reaction didn't satisfy me. My words didn't incite the sense of urgency I was searching for in him.

"That's interesting, but how does it interest me?" He pushed, and I clenched my teeth, feeling indignant. "What's in it for me? The Valisks aren't subjects of the Night Court. They're free to do whatever they wish to do,"

I reminded him, "The Valisks might not be the subject of the Night Court, but many still work with the Underlords."

"That doesn't prove—"

"— and they're starting to pick up Council members," I interrupted, and this finally seemed to have gotten this attention.

"What?" He growled.

"I saw a Council member among the kidnapped humans tonight. You know what happens when Council members get involved in our business, don't you?" I poked. He set his jaw and started somewhere behind me. A surfeit of dark emotions flashed in his eyes as he realised the trouble it'd bring to the Night Court, threatening his position.

"I know what happens when Council members get involved in our business," He returned calmly, but the venom in his voice was still there, "But do you? I've heard you were seen on a date with one,"

~

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