[ 𝙞 ] 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙮 𝙊𝙛 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚

Chapter Sixteen

╔═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╗
allies

╚═══━━━─── • ───━━━═══╝

After the rebel troops had been gathered, Heirsa took a horse and entered the castle walls as the rest of the soldiers waited restlessly hidden in the forest outside Shard's limits. Visions had been flashing before his eyes at sudden moments and he believed he had a theory of why. He entered one of the private chambers of the castle without alerting its inhabitants. He'd been to this chamber only once. It was the place where the eight wizards in the queen's employ boarded and studied their spells.

The giant room was furnished with huge bookcases reaching to the high ceiling, numerous shelves of colorful substances and a large stone table in the center. Several men and women occupied different areas of the room, busied with objects of magic or books.

Heirsa slowly stepped into the open. He knew there would be no fooling these wizards as many of them could sense a lie in someone's words using enchantments. "For wizards, you ought to be more alert."

Everyone present turned to face him.

"General Ruse." One of the wizards said knowingly. "A pleasure to finally meet you."

"You may soon think otherwise." Heirsa alluded, his tone flat but his mind sharp.

"Now wait. I'm sensing something." The wizard, Grizwold said, a smile quirking the corners of his lips. "The Queen's gift has been passed to you?"

"So it was you who cursed her?" Heirsa said.

"Of course. And it would appear my terms were not met." The wizard said. His face was young and entirely unscathed by any mark of age, although he was most likely around a hundred years old. His hair was a rich brown and fell over his temples and reached his shoulders. His face was symmetrical and handsome, with brown eyes and a narrow nose. Commonly, wizards used spells to prevent aging, and even to make themselves more beautiful, as was evident just looking around the room. Not a single blemish or mark of age showed on any of them.

Heirsa studied the wizard. He knew the way of spells. The wizard could set any rules to the curse he so desired and if the terms were not met by the cursed party, the magic would malfunction in any number of ways.

"She told you of her power? And now it has been reversed and handed off to you. Congratulations."

"Send him off, Grizwold," one of the men said from among the others. "We don't have time for this."

Heirsa yanked his sword from its sheath and threw it into the second wizard's abdomen. He fell back, limp. Grizwold flinched, stepping back. "Now, no need to get violent."

"What are the effects of the curse?" Heirsa asked, his voice still entirely vacant if any type of emotion.

"Very simple. The ability to see moments of one's past or, now in your case, future."