𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊// 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐨 𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐔

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟑// 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐈 𝐀𝐬𝐤

"Any word from the sorceress?" Queen Levesque asked, walking up to the sorcerer. It had been several hours since Knowles had left the Shade Palace, and since General Ramirez-Arellano had suggested trying to contact Blackstone.

"Nothing yet." The sorcerer frowned, fiddling with the amulet in his hands. "She should have answered by now. One thing a sorcerer knows is to never take off the communication amulet. The Head Sorceress would especially know this. She can't ignore the amulet flashing from the incoming message."

Queen Levesque hesitated, eyes glittering with something like worry. "I'm starting to get paranoid. Do you think something happened to her?"

"If something happened, she would have told us through the amulet." He frowned. "Though it is a possibility that she was separated from it."

"We'll just have to keep trying," Queen Levesque, more to herself. "See if she answers." The sorcerer nodded his agreement, and the queen left, rushing to the council room. While the sorcerers kept trying to contact Head Sorceress Blackstone, she had other matters that demanded her attention.

☀️☀️☀️

King Apollo Solace paced the empty throne room, his shoes echoing in the silence. He pulled at his hair, mind racing.

His relationship with his son was complicated. It had always been, with the politics and rules of the Aureole Kingdom. But now with everything that had happened over the last couple of months, and what was happening now...

His back ached with the memory of Will's knife-- Abaddon's knife. His blue eyes scanned the room, as though the answers to his prayers would materialize before him.

Though he was nearly always calm and collected when discussing his son's fate, he was as afraid and confused as everyone else. He felt isolated and out of the loop, searching desperately for answers that weren't there.

But he did know one thing: he would not lose his son. Not again.

Screams filled the air, shattering his thoughts. Whipping around at the sound, Apollo sprinted to the entrance of the castle. He threw open the doors and stumbled outside.

What he saw nearly brought him to his knees.

Because before him stood an army.

☀️☀️☀️

Sorceress Blackstone cast every gods-damned spell she could think of, but still wasn't able to break her chains. As the Black Hand materialized before the Aureole Palace, she chose that moment to try to run-- but the guard's grip on her was iron. She struggled, then at last gave in, staring at her feet in shame.

Jalgan barked an order for the troops to not attack, shouting at the palace guards to bring King Apollo out here now.

As though Jalgan had summoned him, the doors banged open, and the Aureole King appeared. He froze upon seeing the army at his doorstep.

"Tell your soldiers to hold their fire," Jalgan snapped. "I only wish to talk. That is, if you'll agree with my demands."

The king hesitated, then raised an arm. "Hold your fire!" he shouted to the archers above him readying their bows. "Let the man speak!"

King Solace turned back to Jalgan, blue eyes full of anger. "You have my attention," he growled. "Now start talking."

"I have the cure for your son."

Blackstone could have sworn she saw a flash of surprise in the king's eyes before his expression went neutral. He raised an eyebrow. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Jalgan chuckled. "Don't play dumb with me, Your Majesty. I know your son is possessed by the old Shade King. I should know, because I was the one that did it." He stepped forward. "And I'm the only one that can cure it. This whole time, you were looking for the Shades' Head Sorceress, when really you should have been looking for me."

"Who the hell are you?" King Apollo snapped.

Jalgan bowed with a cocky grin, eyes flashing in the torchlight. "I am Jalgan Abaddon, the former Shade King's third son. And leader of the Black Hand."

Solace frowned at him. "I was wondering when I would meet you at last." He clasped his hands together. "You said you can cure my son?"

"Yes, but it will come at a cost. For this one thing is all I ask."

"Which is?"

A slow smile spread on Jalgan's face.

"Your son's hand in marriage."