The Beast That was Promised ✔

NINE: Vows

A.N: Extra chapter because we hit the ink goal on my tapas!

Ashera stood in the doorway, her lips pursed in confusion. Nerin couldn't see what there was to be confused about, his room was clean, the bed was badly made by her that morning, and yet, she looked as if something was out of place.

"What is it, Ashera?" he asked, the book from Turian's laboratory on the desk in front of him. It was where he had spent most of his free time, but he hadn't found anything that could possibly help him.

She startled, as if only just realising he was there. "An old man sent me to get you," she said, wrinkling her nose. "He said it was important."

"An old man? Fentir?" he asked, but all Ashera did was shrug.

Sighing, he closed the book and stood from his desk. It was safe to assume that Fentir was either in the war room or the throne room. Both rooms were near each other, so it wasn't too much of a walk. With Ashera by his side, he closed his bedroom door and started down the halls.

Without the crystal, the palace was cold. At his request, Ashera had bought him a piece of fyrite to amplify his powers. He hadn't needed to use a chunk of the stone since Isiah found Ishin's stone and it was strange to use it again. Compared to Ishin's stone and his crystal prison, Nerin's powers were nothing.

"Did Fentir say what was so important?" he asked as they walked down the spiral stairs of one of the palace's many towers.

Ashera shook her head, her messy hair whipping about. "He was mumbling, said something about a raven," she replied and froze, her face paling. "Do you think he found out about our raven?"

"I doubt it. A great many ravens are coming to the palace as of late. It's safe to assume that it's just an update on the war or the country. You don't need to worry, we haven't been found out," he explained and gave her a little pat on the head. There was a spark of fear within him, but he was able to ignore it, favouring a more logical reason for why he'd been called down from his room. Because he was running the country.

Despite his words, Ashera still looked nervous as they came out on the ground floor of the palace, not far from the throne room and entrance hall. If only Ashera had found out where Fentir was waiting for him. She wasn't the best servant, but he trusted her. From what he remembered, Isiah hadn't been very good either, not that he'd had much chance.

They eventually found Fentir in the war room, pushing the pieces on the map around with a thoughtful frown. Nerin turned to Ashera, smiling at her kindly. "You're free until dinner, Ashera, do as you wish," he said, knowing that she wouldn't do much. The other children would still be busy, they wouldn't be allowed to play.

Fentir gestured for him to come forward once Ashera had left, still frowning at the table. "There have been some developments," he said as he pushed the northern part of the army closer to Ziya. Just watching it made Nerin's heart sink into his stomach. "His Majesty and... Whatever that thing is... have reached General Juna."

His heart, lodged deep in his stomach, ached as if it were breaking. "What are the details?" he asked, his hands clenched into fists to hide their shaking.

Fentir pulled a letter from the pocket of his grey coat, crumpled and missing a corner. "His Majesty sent his drake back with the letter. It's not all good news. It would be best if you sat down," he said and gestured to a chair in the corner of the room. Frowning in confusion, he followed the old man's advice, dreading whatever it was Harudan had to say.

He read the letter slowly, his eyes taking in every word as if they meant something he couldn't understand. At first, all it did was detail his short journey with Ishin, then he reached the short paragraph about Maeve and his fingers clenched the paper so tightly he was sure it would rip.